Going for the Green

Well, I ran it. It wasn't my best race or my worst. A week prior, I was having slight chest pains and heart palpations. And, of course, thought it was in my best interest to have it checked out.

Go figure. My iron level was at an all time low. That explains a ton. There I was overly in tune to my hamstring and form (and how exhausting that was…) I completely did not make the connection with my fatigue and that my iron level had dropped again.

Cheers to that! 

Now I know and am doing everything I can to get it back up there asap. Like eating lots of yummy kale, right?

It really is amazing how being aware and making small changes can make a huge difference — physically and mentally. I don't have to hang up my running shoes after all!

After bumping up my iron intake, getting to bed early and eating more efficiently, I finally felt the best I have in months and had a fantastic 8 mile run on Saturday.

Happy eating, sleeping and running!

The Diagnosis is In

[illustration by den10studio]

Well, it's been a while since I mentioned those heart palpitations. I wore a heart monitor for a week and the diagnosis is in. I have premature atrial contractions (PAC).

What does this mean?

It means my heart sometimes has an extra beat. Which I'm told is common and not serious. I can feel this mostly when I'm laying in bed, when things are quiet. What I know is that it is felt more frequently when stressed, tired, too much coffee or dehydrated.

This link explains it much better: cardiachealth.org

What to do now?

Yoga, meditation, relaxing…I need to dial my sheet down, big time.

Stress is a funny thing, it creeps up and I don't think I'm stressed. But if I stop and look at all the balls I have in the air, I can see how all those things could add on the pressure. Even the kids being home during the summer and keeping tabs on them — they treat every day like it's a Friday, always pushing back on their curfew.

The good news is that I can keep on running . . .

Except for a little anemia that is dragging me down.

What the what, you say? (Yeah, I said that too)

My blood work also came back and everything was A-O-K. Only thing – my ferritin was low-normal. Well, who can have a springy, jogging-on-air run when you're anemic? It's as if weights are tired around my ankles.

The last few workouts since vacation brought tears to my eyes. With all my training in the bank, effort and might, I felt like I should have been running a 6:45 pace. But I was struggling at 9:35.

Geeze. It sounds like I'm falling apart before your eyes. (Can't forget about my pulled hamstring :)

I'm keeping a positive attitude with the help from Lisa, coach extraordinaire. Her kind words: "So make the necessary lifestyle adjustments and take the iron and you should be good to go. Correct those issues and you will feel like your old self."