Chihuahua Bites the Soap

It was three weeks ago on a Thursday night (June 26). I was to take the red eye to Mexico City. The prospects for running in Mexico were not good and thus my desire to get in one more run before my departure.

Not even half a mile into the run and these two midget dogs (Chihuahuas) start chasing me and barking at will. Normally I would not give my back to a single dog, but these were Chihuahuas for crying aloud. One of them manages to get really close to me, but I think nothing of it; they will just get tired and leave me to my running. Boy was I wrong. He sinks his incisors into my left calf and pain shoots thought my nervous system immediately. I turn around and start chasing them while they keep barking at me. They don't come back and I continue my run. The bite was significant enough that my calf bled and pain accompanied me for at least a quarter of a mile before the endorphins took over.

I ended up running eight miles without any more incidents. The following 14 days would have me pound the pavement only once for 4.5 miles. The question was not whether I lost fitness with such low volume, but how much.

Last week, on Monday to be precise, I came down with food poisoning (FP). It was probably the worst FP I have ever got. I was bedridden for a whole day. On Tuesday I felt fine with the exception of feeling hung-over (without the benefit of having been drunk). Wednesday came and foolishly I had a rather big meal that had me losing fluids a couple of hours later. You see, I was ignorant to the fact that one is supposed to eat light after getting FP. After taking yet another imodium, I felt fine on Thursday. Alas, I had another large meal on Friday, and again back to losing fluids.

I wake up soon after 5AM on Saturday as my left calf was turning into a bar of soap; man was that painful... and I consider myself to have a high tolerance for pain. I massage it and walk around for a bit. I head back to bed. A few minutes later it is my RIGHT calf that decides to turn itself into another bar of soap ARGH! One is bad enough...

Obviously, a week of losing fluids and electrolytes left me in bad shape.

This Sunday the Pitz-Douglas (how come when referring to this program Douglas is never mentioned?) called for 15 miles... and that was my intention. But as soon as I hit three miles I knew it was not to be, so I decided to cut it to 12 and run three more at night. It was wise. I even had to take a shade brake as I was really close to heat exhaustion just after 10; I almost walked the remaining 1.75 or so miles.

Where am I right now, as far as running fitness? I feel I am about 7:40 MP, which would forecast a 1:35 half on the 26th. And that my friends is my goal, give or take a couple of minutes (more likely give as it's supposed to be in the low 70s). I am also counting on dropping 15 seconds from my current MP at the end of this cycle. That is all... for now. :-)

Carry on,

A