March 28, 2024

7 Days Running in a Row

It’s hard to keep on trying with the running. Part of me just wants to give up and quit. I miss it horribly but I get so frustrated with the ups and downs and trying to figure out what I can do right now that I wonder if it’s worth it. Maybe I should just accept that for right now, I’m not a runner any more.

If I had an injury that was defined, I’d be able to say, “I’m recovering for the next — days/weeks/months” and there would be an end in sight, where I’d know that I could get back to it. The problem with this is I don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel, I don’t have any guarantee that in any amount of time I’ll be back to the kind of life I really enjoy.

I wrote that the last time I was here, a couple of weeks ago, and evidently just shut the blog down–not posting, forgetting about it–until I got on today. I’m leaving it up to stand in contrast to the rest of my post.

I have had seven good days IN A ROW. This has not happened to me since before I got sick in November. I had a week in February that was really pretty good but not like this, not this consistantly good, and not this mentally good.

What happened? I made some changes based on some coincidental information (long, rambling story that I won’t tell here).

  • I quit drinking coffee, replacing it with green tea, and that has made a huge difference in the brain fog. A dramatic difference, which is surprising in that I didn’t drink that much coffee to begin with.
  • We went on a more plant-based diet (my hubby is doing the Engine 2 Diet and I’m doing it 3/4 of the way with him).
  • I learned that several things I was doing are actually known to block absorption of my thyroid medication (taking antihistamines and having soy products within 3 hours of medication), so I quit those as well.
  • I also started an herbal supplement that supports the thyroid and adrenal gland.

The difference has been amazing.

I have not fallen asleep in the afternoon any; I have not had any horribly depressed days; my legs have not felt like two rotten logs on a run or going up and down the stairs; I have been able to complete tasks, do more than one or two things in a day, and actually enjoy being physical. My body actually feels less bloated and gunked up, if that makes any sense.

I went on a run this morning with friends–we did the 7-mile loop and I did not need to stop or walk at any point. I ran the whole way, and I ran much faster than anything I’ve done since November, and I was social while doing it.

IT ACTUALLY FELT GOOD.

That was hours ago, and I have not crashed and burned. I was able to go to spin class on Thursday, something I hadn’t even wanted to attempt for months. I made myself rest Saturday since I knew I was running today…and it was hard to make myself not go run. I worked out more days this week than not.

If this keeps up through next week, I will be ecstatic.

I haven’t wanted to try riding my bike because I’ve been afraid I’ll just die after a few miles. I’ve been afraid to go on group runs because I never knew if it would be a day where I could run or only walk. I’ve parcelled out working out and doing things at home to make sure I didn’t do “too much” in one day. I have watched things I wanted to do pass me by and have had to pass on future commitments because I couldn’t know if I’d be up to them or not. This started the second of November, five months ago, and it’s not the way I like to live.

Maybe, just maybe, all of this is coming to an end.

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Leah Nyfeler

I'm a writer, content marketer, and adventurer who is always looking for the another story, exciting adventure, new trail, and good meal/book/movie. I love sharing things I'm curious about, what I know, and how I've come to learn it. Read my blog, "Enjoying the Journey: Observations on the Fit Life" (leahruns100.com) and find my articles in a variety of print and online magazines.

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0 thoughts on “7 Days Running in a Row

  1. Thats great to hear… when you are ready feel free to come out to the Jack and Adams Sunday rides from the shop at 8.30, they are no-drop for 26/35 miles… one of us WILL ride with you and if you need to turn back, someone WILL come with you, we are happy to help… lots of slow and beginner riders, all age, lots of us to help…

    I\’ve quit artificial sweeteners especially diet drinks and gave up cafinated coffee at least 3yrs ago, to avoid the ups and downs… giving up the artificial sweetners aspartame, splenda, sweet and low and the like was prompted by my friend @lynnivere posting this http://lynnivere.livejournal.com/298807.html and I think its improving my joints…

    Welcome back 😉

    1. Thanks for the welcome back. I appreciate it.

      I think once all my chemical/metabolic problems are resolved, my bike speed will be back (at least, I\’m seeing that with the running). It\’s like a constant bonk–when there\’s no gas in the tank, there\’s no power to go.

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