Day 355, 10 To Go

December 21, 2013

Here we are, the 2nd to last weekend of the year.  Christmas is in a few days and the end of the year is just over a week away.  What does all this mean to me?  It means that my journey is almost at an end!  For all of you faithful readers (and I am averaging about 22 views per post, so not too shabby!) I want to let you know that I will continue to blog next year.  I just won't be doing it every day!  I'm thinking a weekly blog dedicated to running, exercising in general, family, and general life, will have to continue.  Of course if you write me and tell me to go to hell and to please stop bothering us with your daily Google+ and Facebook posts, I will most certainly tell you to go fuck yourself, so don 't bother.

I just recently went to a doctor for a checkup.  It wasn't because I was feeling ill, although I can't say I am feeling 100%, but just because preventative medicine is the best way to prevent any problems from growing.  Well, I did get my results from my blood work back and it was mostly good.  No issues for someone my age except I apparently have a Vitamin D deficiency (I think most people have this deficiency since we don't get enough sunlight and I don't drink milk) and I also have an iron deficiency!  What!  I'm a male and that is very rare.  I looked it up and only about 3% of men ever get this.  Then I looked up endurance athletes and that number jumps to 30%!  So, I think I know my problem.

I'm running too damn much! I remember about halfway through the year I had some blood work done and my CBC (complete blood count) was fine.  Then, as you may recall, I mentioned that I was feeling a bit weak and tired around the time I was in Brazil and when I returned.  It was about that time that I decided to stop running long because I didn't think I could keep running as much as I was and run long on Sundays.  I think part of the problem was that Honey had stopped running with me due to her knee injury and I was running more than I had all year, by quite a bit.  You add up travel, too much running, and an increase in running and you have all the necessary ingredients for Overtraining Syndrome, which I felt I was getting.  Iron Deficiency is a physical sing that I was right.

So now what?  Well, I will be taking an iron supplement and come January, I will be taking a break and running less.  I will not stop, but I will build up my mileage slowly.  As soon as I start to feel better, I can pick it up even more.  I do hope I don't need to be on these supplements for long because I don't like the way they make me feel!!

Here are today's numbers:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.25 miles

Pace: 9:14/m

Max Pace: 7:35/m

Calories: 327

Avg HR: 130

Max HR: 141

Another day in the books and only 10 to go!  The end of the year can't come soon enough!!

Run for Life!!