Last week was tough. I was sick with some sort of sinus thing, but still managed to only miss 1 training run. However, in addition to being sick, I was also in migraine predrome. I knew it was coming. I had the anxiety, I had the dizziness, I had the fatigue. Sure enough, it came on Saturday after a 7 mile hill repeat run. When I say hill repeat, I don't mean rolling hills, I mean monster hills at LM. I haven't run those hills in months, and I felt really great while doing it. I should have cut the run short, because the last two miles were filled with a sickening feeling along with wheezing. Fantastic. Make better choices, Audry.
Side note: I am beginning to think Anchorman is the gif theme to my running.
I had already been trying to decide if the marathon training should continue, and this did not help. Then an hour after my run the aura hit. I was down for 3 hours. Nausea, agonizing head pain, and no medicine regime or natural remedy was helping (and believe me, I tried them all). The postdrome "hangover" lasted almost 2 days. I felt like I was in the biggest fog on Sunday. It was one of those days where I plastered on a smile for every outing and thing I had to do, but in reality I probably looked like some sort of serial killer or pharmaceutical experiment gone wrong.
I read an article recently with the 5 questions you should ask yourself before running a marathon. The only one that mattered to me was, "Are you injured?" It went on to say being healthy before starting training was important, and I get that now. I am healthy overall, but I do NOT have a treatment plan or a supportive neurologist for my migraines. I can't fully commit and focus on training when I know every month at the same time I will have a week of hassle with these things. It's not just 1 migraine, it's all that comes with it. The cluster headaches, the dizziness, the extreme fatigue. To top it all off, RC Marathon falls on a migraine week. I know I can run a half without setting one off DURING the race. Beyond that is unknown territory for me. Right now I know I have a pattern, and I know I have triggers, and my doctor won't listen to me. She insists I keep taking a combination of medications that do not work. I know there are doctors who will listen. So my new goal? Go see a doctor that has a reputation for taking these things into account, and find a better treatment plan. THEN when the migraines are under control, I can go from there. My hope is that by this time next year, I won't be dealing with this, and that I can really train the right way.
I did not want to come to the final decision until after I had a GOOD run. Everyone runner knows not to make a rash call after a bad run. You just don't do it. I ran 4 stroller miles with E this morning in the cool of fall. We had a flat, met a snake, and still had a blast. More importantly, I still felt the same. I want more runs not confined to a training program. I want to focus on being well. I want to run more half marathons, because they are my favorite! Most marathons have the option to step down to a half even up to race day. Unfortunately there is no half with the marathon I was planning to run, but there is one a month earlier that I wanted to run so badly last year couldn't due to scheduling conflicts. The HSV Half also raises money for veterans, and really anytime I can run a race that helps out a cause at the same time, I am excited. So I signed up! I didn't realize how much I felt I was missing out on this race until I hit that register button. 13.1 miles in Huntsville's best fall weather... ahh! I can hear the leaves crunching now! This one fills up fast too, so I am glad I got in when I did. Half # 4, November 8th, here I come!
As far as my sub 2 hour half goal, I'm still thinking Scottsboro. I have 3 races this fall (so far. That will change now that I am not marathon training!), and I just want to have fun. I don't want to feel burnt out. Burn out is a tool of Satan to steal the joy out of what we love. God gives us so much to enjoy and savor! What happened to the 12 mile runs I spent in prayer instead of pacing? Not that there is anything wrong with pacing, but for me, I have lost sight of the best part of running. We have been doing a bible study on Sunday nights about overburdening ourselves, trying to do it all, and losing sight of what is important. I once saw a phrase that said, "Stop the glorification of busy" that just really hit home for me. I am too busy! Running, much like a lot of other areas of my life, is meant to be enjoyed. If I stop enjoying it, I need to reflect and make a change. Today I did, and I have no doubt it was the right one for me.
This weekend I will be running the color run with two of the best gals I know. Stay tuned for a full report on that awesomeness. I am hoping I have the time to fashion a tutu for this, because obviously :)
Until then, Happy Running!
-Teacup Runner
"Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise. Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."-Proverbs 19:20-21 NIV
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