The cough that won't die!

So, 20 days since my last post and I am finally getting over this sickness.  After the first round of antibiotics I developed a cough.  I have asthma so a lot of times when I get sick it gets into my chest.  I tried to wait it out to see if it would go away, but no deal.  So I made an appointment with my immunologist, the person I should have gone to see in the first place.  I told her my symptoms, she listened to my lungs and she said she was worried about me developing pneumonia if we didn't get this cough under control!  So I got another round of antibiotics, 10 days this time, plus steroids.  This must have been a killer cough, because I'm almost to the end of the 10 day round of steroids and the cough is still lingering.  Much better though.

I emailed my coach and have had to alter my running schedule.  I tried a couple of times to run through the pain (breathing).  Stupid, I know.  So I took about another week off and just started back two days ago.  I'm back to running a quarter mile and then walking, wash, rinse, repeat.

After running two days in a row, today is an off day.  I'm hoping to be back to the normal schedule in about two weeks.

In other news, I have finally found the perfect sports bra.  I have a problem with chafing while running, especially on long runs.  It's super bad around my rib cage.  In the past I've had to wear two sports bras to combat this or deal with the awful aftermath.  You haven't really felt pain until you get in a hot shower and that water hits the raw skin on your chest (or whatever other part of you has chafed).  The first time it happened I almost passed out, it was so unexpected.

Here is the bra in question: (Fiona by Moving Comfort)

I love it so much that I got two of them and will probably get more.  I saved $30 by ordering from Amazon.  Awesome.

*cough*hack*wheeze*

Bet you thought I disappeared again!  I haven't been able to run since my last post because I've been hit with a virus of some sort.  I started feeling bad over the weekend and six days later I'm still not back to normal.  I'm getting there though.  I went to the doctor two days ago.  They tested me for strep and the flu, both which came back negative.  I got a steroid shot, some antibiotics (which wreak havoc on my stomach) and some cough syrup.  My blood pressure was high though, which was kind of concerning to me.  It's normally on the low end.  They measured it at 140/95.  And they did it twice just to make sure.  So that's not good.  They told me to do a follow up on that after I'm well again.  I hope it was just stress from being sick and not something else going on. 

We have another group run tomorrow and I'm hoping I'll be able to make it.  I haven't run in a week and I feel myself slipping behind the group.  I don't want to push it though.  I have asthma so when I get sick, if it gets in my chest I'm in a for a somewhat longer recovery.  We'll see how I feel in the morning!

First AM Run!

Today was the first AM group run.  Since we're still at the beginning stages and not running very far, we met at 6:00 (instead of 5:30).  The run was the same, 4 laps around the parking lots, running and walking, equaling a mile.  I went it alone this morning since Eric is in training for work all this week and couldn't make it.  The weather was perfect.  We seem to have hit a cool snap and it was almost chilly. 

A perk of being in this running group is being able to use the showers at the YMCA.  I had a membership there about a year ago, but we are trying to save money to move (our house is on the market, come buy it!) so I dropped the gym membership.  Maybe when I'm back and running a lot more I'll see about starting our membership back up again.

I bring my own shampoo and conditioner to the gym with me in travel size bottles and like an idiot, I left the bottles in the shower.  I realized and checked the shower on my way out, but they were gone.  I guess someone took them.  Oh well.  My loss for being forgetful.

And I hate to sound like an old person complaining about "those damn youngins", but there was a group of about 5 high school girls in the dressing room this morning.  They all had to get ready together.  They took over the counters and took FOREVER to get ready.  Doing each other's makeup, hair, swapping clothes, etc.  None of them could do anything by themselves.  They had to ask each other about ten times, "does my makeup look ok?"  yes "How do you like my hair" it's perfect  "Are these jeans too tight?" yes, now get out of my way!  That's what I wanted to say, but I kept quiet.  I was there once.  I'm glad I'm not anymore. 

I'm back (again)!

I know that my last post said the same thing, but this time it's real.  Does anyone even read this thing?

I started the running program that I did three years ago this month.  Run University is the name of the program.  Our first run was last night.  It was an easy one mile run with walk breaks.  I am starting totally over from scratch.  Kind of sad, when a while back I was running 20 mile long runs.  I'll get back there though!

This time, the hubby is joining me on the running adventure.  He has never been very excited about exercise, but he wants to get in better shape.  He did this program in the past and got to where he was running 5 miles at a time so he knows he can do it.  He wasn't able to make the first run last night, so we're meeting tonight and reenacting the first run. 

The next group run is this Thursday morning at 6 am.  I love doing workouts in the morning and getting them out of the way.  Eric (husband), not so much.  He's said he's planning on going to the morning run this week.  We'll see what actually happens.  Stay tuned for an update!

I'm back!

It's been a while, but I'm back!  For various reasons, I have taken a break from running for a month or so.  But now I'm back and training for the Mercedes Half  in February.  It's going to be a stretch to get back up to that distance, but I think I can do it.

I met with my friend Jill last night and did an easy three miles.  It was my first cold run of the year and I forgot my inhaler so there were a few more walk breaks than I intended.  I learned my lesson though.  My inhaler is back in my purse.  We're meeting again Friday morning to run again. 

Lazy

I slept through my alarm this morning. I was supposed to meet some friends to go running. I was super tired though seeing as I slept through my alarm and was a walking zombie until about ten minutes after I got out of the shower.

I'll probably run on the treadmill tonight to make up for it. I really hate the treadmill, but I wasn't able to exercise all weekend (was out of town at a baby shower) and I start to go a little stir-crazy when I don't exercise more than three days in a row.

Perfect day last Saturday, perfect run. The temperature was a perfect 65 degrees when we started. Previously, the longest run I'd done in a long time was 5 miles. But I was able to run the whole 7 miles and still felt great at the end. I'm sure it was because of the low humidity. It makes all the difference in the world.