"40, 110/76"

Those were my stats today when I went to "see the doc" for my "smoker's cough". I was lucky enough to get in today, the same day I decided to make an appointment, as I was told the usual wait time was 3 days right now. Well I sure couldn't wait that long. So in I went with the hopes of getting a diagnosis on my ailment that has kept me from playing the last few days. I was greeted by an obese, yet jolly male nurse, who proceeded to walk me straight to the scale ( "what, weigh- ins for a cold diagnosis??") on which I stepped for the first time since summer, weighing in about 10 lbs heavier ( although with clothes on, but still! wtf??) than six months ago. Great... just what I need to hear.

Then he took my pulse right as I stepped off the scale and held my wrist for a good 30 secs before officially declaring me a 'runner', astounded at my 40 beats per minute pulse rate. (I didn't tell him I can get it lower.) We then walk into the "examining room" where my blood pressure is taken at a lovely number of 110/76 ( I think that's good, right?), reminding me that exercise is good for us after all! When I was a wee 10- year old, I used to have elevated blood pressure, although I am sure it was due to the fact that I used to get nervous about seeing the doc and having my vitals taken. I was a swimmer back then, so it's not like I was a lard ass, not active. Anyways, it was much higher back then, and it used to scare my mom. Thank goodness she turned me onto running a few years later! :-) Today I was told that I needed to make sure I drank enough fluids with a HR this low. Um, can someone explain that logic to me? Does not getting enough fuids cause a healthy low beating heart to stop beating? Does a healthy heart need more lube? Hmmm.

Finally, my doctor walks in, asks a few questions, and does the little ear and chest listening. She tells me I sound fine, my HR is exceptionally low, and that I might have bronchitis. I MIGHT? How about a 'yes' or a 'no'? I knew at that point that I had just wasted an hour of my life, since I knew nothing more than before I walked in. ( Well, not completely, I was happy to see my vitals being healthy, although I could have had that done for free at Target.) I was "prescribed" Robitussum and that was it.

All I want is to be able to sleep through the night tonight and feel rested when I wake up. For the past few nights my coughing has kept me up and given me headaches. Tonight I entered a new realm of hacking up a lung as I now completely engage my abs in my coughing. I can tell they are getting a great workout- they are sore!

My sister lost her voice last week and still hasn't found it completely. Something is going around... she lives in Montreal. May spring make it all better soon! 2 months to go!

The monster called "brick"

Until today, I kind of completely forgot how hard of a sport triathlon is. It has been a while since I have experienced the pain of a brick workout. Today was the day to test myself and my somewhat un-used brick muscles.

I decided that after I did not go outside for a ride yesterday due to the 50 mph winds I experienced on my run earlier in the morning, that it was time for me to make it "hurt" today and ride outside (for the second time since October), followed by a run. I ended up riding 55 miles, at a speed I'd rather not disclose; however, I did manage 5 repeats up Rabbit Mountain. It was kind of a nice treat from my brain to my muscles, as after each repeat I told myself "just one more", and ended up surviving 5 of them. I had company of several groups of cyclists who tackled the climb once and then probably thought to themselves "look at that crazy chick on her bike, going up time after time". I even had to make a pit stop at a gas station to refuel my water bottle. That was enough to remind of me summer, and it felt really good knowing that it is just around the corner.

I got home, shed my cycling clothes and salt collection, and went for an 8 mi run. I haven't hurt this bad in a while. I mean, I wasn't having any pains from injuries (yay, I can finally say I have turned the corner with those) but somewhat more of a persistent, drowning pain that would not subside no matter how slow I made myself go. I felt like a complete beginning runner as I had to stop a few times to talk myself through the run. I never quite got the kinks out of my legs but finished the run and declared myself a sliver of what shape I was in a few months back. I know it probably wasn't the smartest way to do a brick, a long effort such as this, but I really wanted to get out on my bike and I also wanted to run in shorts! (It was close to 60 degrees today!) Now I am completely drained, but feeling somewhat accomplished. I just hope I can keep that cold and cough away that have been lingering in my body for a few days now.

Five months to Buffalo Springs and the heat and the hills! :-)