Slowly maybe

I ran Monday morning. I went a mile further than last time (4) and at a faster pace, by 45 seconds per mile. That was promising. Today though, that cough is creeping back again and the feelings I've felt for a month. I believe it was from not getting a good night's sleep last night. I must be tired; plain old tired. Tonight I am going to eat and crash.
Yesterday had its highlight: I went in for the review of work-up data for my annual physical and got poked and prodded one last time. The doctor could not find one thing wrong with me. My cholesterol was actually lower than I remember it ever being. So that fired me up and I had a few drinkies last night to celebrate and maybe that is what did me in today.

I picked up a copy of Scientific American the other day. Lord knows how it got in the house (oh, we have a subscription now); but there is an article I read from which I will share some passages. A "skeptic" (perhaps like me) wrote it and it is called SHAM Scam. I thought it might apply to a few runners out there who have difficulty motivating themselves and rely on self-help mags or books.

"The most likely customer for a book on any given topic was someone who
had bought a similar book within the preceding eighteen months." The irony of
the "eighteen-month rule" for this genre, Salerno says, is this: "If what we
sold worked, one would expect lives to improve. One would not expect people to
need further help from us-at least not in the same problem area, and certainly
not time and time again."
Surrounding SHAM [the Self Help and Actualization Movement] is a
bulletproof shield: if your life does not get better, it is your fault.... The
solution? More of the same self-help--or at least the same message repackaged
into new products.
SHAM takes advantage by cleverly marketing the dualism of victimization
and empowerment.

In summary the author boils it down to this:

Patient, heal thyself--the true meaning of self-help.

by Michael Shermer in Scientific American, May 2006; also www.skeptic.com

Wishes do come true

Over the last two weeks I have been driving the roads and, occasionally, seen runners out enjoying the spring air. I wistfully wish to be with them, but alas, I have been grounded. Yesterday I was taking a shower and lifted my leg onto a step to apply soap and I saw the most horrible sight: the meat of my thighs was flabby. I was shocked. Now there's not much there to start with but it was less than three months ago that my legs were as lean and rigid as a guitar neck while I trained for the Miami Marathon. I took most of February off to recover (a necessity); got back into running some in March (60 miles) and was ready to crank it up again in April and was doing just so when the bronchitis knocked me out in mid-month. Now it is May.
The meds have run their course. I feel well enough to run which I did this morning within the time window of Susie's little half marathon jaunt. I ran a s.s.d. (slow-short-distance) just to see what I could do. It took a little effort. My strength is diminshed and my aerobic condition has been handicapped by the bronchitis. I remembered a few things about using my left leg more which gave me a boost in pace. Mostly, I just worked to finish, all the while plotting my ramp up program to get back in shape. It was a good day on the roads.

OKAY!

Okay, Okay, OKAY! The word "probably" was my word; not hers. She used her hands to signal quotation marks when she said the word bronchitis. I believe her. It seems like bronchitis and the steroids are working fairly well. No more tightness.And I will not run 13.1 on Sunday .... unless I can't help myself :)

I could not play for the Red Sox today...

... because I would flunk the drug test. The doctor was not in when I went in for my physical work up. They did the EKG, blood work, X-ray, specimen, H & W, etc. but the doc was not in. I demanded some attention and was told I'd get a call from the practicioner nurse later that morning. After lunch I was back in there and the P.N. listened to me tell my story, asked a few questions and listened to my chest. She was nice, the same nice nurse with the small fingers who checked my prostate last year.
Anyway she said I had no infection but probably a case of bronchitis with lung inflammation; and wrote me a scrip for a steroid regimen that will run six days. Can I share with you the possible side effects? I will spare you. But I did notice something about high sodium, strength loss, bad interaction with carbohydrates, low potassium and other running sensitive stuff. So I'll overeat for six days eating bananas.
I will try to run 13.1 miles on Sunday morning to keep Susie company. I might keel over but I'll be coaching her along.

Photo: die hard Red Sox fan on Tuesday telling Johnny Damon what for, for signing with Yankees.

SIck Ward

Update: I feel better ... then I do more chores; like clean out the rat nest in the garage, dig out the dirt around the French drain next to the driveway that had built up over five years, dig up the step stones and realign them in the back yard - you know, small stuff - and what happens? Can you say relapse?
Yup. My chest is tight again. My saliva glands are working overtime again. The cough is reminding me I am not fine. The tip of my tongue is raw and hyper sensitive (chocolate stings!) This sucks!
I could probably run if I went out but .... I am reluctant.