Ready to Run

 It has now been 30 days since I crossed the finish line in Hawaii, and I have not run since.  For the first 3 weeks, I did not miss it at all.  I’m starting to get the itch to run again but I will stick with the original plan and take off another 10 days.  I don’t think it will make much difference either way.  I thought that perhaps an extended break might reset my system and I would feel better.  That seems unlikely though there have been some positive signs. 

The last time I checked in regarding my health, I had flip-flopped from an extreme need for Cytokine suppressants or other auto-immune supplements to complete intolerance.  I am pleased to report that I can now tolerate them again and there is no extreme need.  That holds true for everything else in my cabinet.  I can take any pill or not take it on any given day and though I have not run to test it out, I felt NO DISCERNABLE DIFFERENCE!  That is YUGE!  My adrenals did spike for about a week after Thanksgiving but that too has gone down.  Last Friday, I took no pills at all, and I really wasn’t THAT bad. 

While the adrenal spike was still ongoing, I finally got around to make an appointment for blood donation.  I last donated in February.  Back then, it did stop an adrenal spike and left me temporarily intolerant to Thym-Adren.  That does not appear to be happening this time around.  In fact, it probably will make little difference one way or the other.  If I permanently quit all of my pills, I’m pretty sure that I would melt down eventually but that’s okay.  Could I make it through a long weekend without pills?  I think so.  That means that if I somehow forget to pack a key pill, it won’t ruin the fun of a road trip.   

As I’ve said many times, my demands are hardly unreasonable.  I only have 3 conditions that are non-negotiable:  Stable cocktail, no extreme need for any one pill, adequate energy levels.  I’ve been burned by false hopes too many times but as of now, 2 out of 3 conditions have been met.  The bad news is that my energy level remains very low, and I still have abnormal stiffness in my legs.  I have ordered a new product called Super Beets.  My primary motivation is to reduce my blood pressure, but it may also give my energy a bit of a boost.  I’m not expecting any miracles but yes, I could see enough of a gain to enable me to train more consistently.    

When I do run again, I expect to be horrible but that’s okay.  I really don’t care if I am over 12 minutes for 1 Mile.  Steady work will result in improvements if I am relatively healthy.  I will start back VERY slowly and may not even exceed 1 Mile until I get back from Costa Rica on January 5.  I’m in no hurry.  There are no big races on the horizon.  I’ll shoot for a local 5K sometime around March or April.  My PRs will be reset so I am starting with a blank slate as if I am a raw beginner.