Running Goals

This dog followed me on a recent outing. She acted coy whenever I looked at her.

Earlier this month, I had a six hour EEG. It didn't reveal much, which isn't a surprise. Neurology is tricky. Seizure activity can't really be disproved, only confirmed. Fortunately, my neuro continues to be supportive as I continue to learn how to live with myself.

So, while I learned little from the EEG itself, I learned quite a bit while preparing for it. 

In the days leading up to the test, I took steps to wear myself out. I ran and worked out more often, took fewer breaks. As my symptoms began to appear, I was glad to see them. This made the jitters and clumsiness a lot more bearable. In short, I learned I can tolerate a lot more when my attitude is more accepting.

One of the least pleasant parts of my dysregulated state is that I become irritable and emotional. It's the symptom I most try to avoid. Even with my better attitude, I had periods of being a cranky-ass bitch. However, I didn't get as caught up in the spirals of negative self-talk. I still felt shitty, but was less of a jerk about it. I was able to own the moodiness and send it on its way much sooner.

I could go on much longer in my abstract, rambling way, but I'll skip to the point: I've decided to run a 50k. Sometime between late October and early December next fall.

A 50k has been a goal of mine for a while, but I've viewed it as some sort of I-Am-Healthy-Now landmark. The fact it, my health right now is what my health is. Yes, it has it's limitations, but I can do a lot. If I'm going to be a symptomatic mess, it might as well be cause I'm working towards something I really want to do. Waiting for a big reveal about the working of my neural system to make sense is a waste of time at this point.

I haven't picked a race or talked to anyone about this in detail, but I have worked out a plan:

1. Start with running shorter distances more often. 30 minutes daily presents its own challenges.
2. Include more yoga and bodyweight exercises.
3. As the weather gets hotter, increase distance with longer hikes instead of longer runs. The goal is to increase ability to hydrate without upsetting my stomach (one of my more annoying issues).
4. Admire all dogs I meet along the way (see photo above).
5. Focus on increasing running distance as the weather cools. The conditioning will be there.
6. Choose a race with an interesting terrain, but where the terrain isn't the biggest challenge.
7. Right now, doing shorter races in the interim seems like a bad idea. It could be encouraging, but it could also be frustrating. 
8. Get advice from ultra friends.

The biggest thing I need to do is develop a workout routine. I've already started running more, but a schedule is a good idea. Some kind of structure without being anal.

It's early days and I feel good to have the decision made.
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