The headache I reported last week after my 10K blew up into a full fledged ick - I slept nine hours on Sunday night, and woke up exhausted. Unfortunately, taking the day off from work wasn't an option, but I did skip my normal pool-running/yoga routine. I felt lousy the next day also, and then a bit better each day after. (sleeping a lot helped).
Since the week was bookended by a Sunday 10K and a Saturday half-marathon, I had already planned to skip both track workouts, and just do a mile pick-up a few days before the half. But I ended up skipping that mile also, instead doing some strides and short hill sprints. Feeling better and getting rid of the ick was more important than leg turnover.
By Friday morning, I felt OK, and Saturday morning pre-race I felt ready to run. However, that good feeling didn't last, and I ran out of gas again during the race, struggling in the last few miles. Not only was I slogging in those last miles, I'm told that my skin was also very yellow during the last mile of the half and immediately post-race. I often get pale and light-headed in the finishing corral, but yellow is a new one.
My hunch is that this is nothing too serious. It's just that I was still recovering from my bug when I ran the half, and my performance reflected this.
As for the yellow skin color, I spoke to my doctor dad after, and learned something new. Dad apparently has a harmless condition called Gilbert's Syndrome (pronounced Zhil-bear, not Gilbert) with a single symptom - when his body is under too much stress, he develops jaundice. Gilbert's Syndrome is genetic and hereditary, so it wouldn't be terribly surprising to learn I have it also (though it is surprising I wouldn't have discovered it earlier).
But I know enough not to self-diagnose via Google or Web MD or doctor dad, so I'm going to try to see my primary care doctor this week. As for feeling crappy, my coach told me to take several days of very low activity - a bit of easy pool-running is OK, but no running or hard exertion (which to me includes lifting, swimming, and power yoga). I wasn't at all upset by this instruction, and had absolutely no urge to argue. And that's a strong indication that I'm likely still a bit sick :).
Dailies
Monday: Felt crappy. Off, except for some foam rolling at night.
Tuesday: 3 miles easy to yoga (8:56), yoga (childs-posed half of it), 3 miles easy (8:45) home. Foam rolling in afternoon.
 |
| Brian and myself, 9 years ago |
Wednesday: 7 miles easy (8:59 pace) and drills. Foam rolling at night.
Thursday: 7 miles easy (9:05) followed by drills, strides, hill sprints. Foam rolling at night.
Friday: 3.5 "miles" very easy pool-running, plus some foam rolling.
Saturday: 2.5 mile warm-up, and then half-marathon in 1:30:52. 9 year anniversary dinner at night. :)
Sunday: 3.5 "miles" very easy pool-running, plus a massage.
It's amazing that you were able to run both the 10K and half marathon as well as you did given that you were sick! Hopefully it's run its course and you will be peppy and healthy for the rest of the season! It was great to see you out on the course. Your skin still looked normal at mile 7.5!
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading, I was thinking, "Gilbert's syndrome???" and then I kept reading!
ReplyDelete