Believe to Achieve

Newsflash:  I could sense the spiral.  It was all too familiar.  1 1/2 years ago in August before the SGM I could no longer keep up with my friends and it was hard to breath uphill.  I also had so many joint aches especially in my lower legs and feet and back.  I mean intense pains that I could barely move.  Well....over the last few weeks (except for a good week last week but was preceded by a LONG visit from my cousin)....I crashed hard this week.  The lack of sleep and the continued pounding of my feet to the ground (foot-strike hemolysis) I was having a hard time with my breathing (especially on my run yesterday).  I had to jump off to the sides to catch my breath when other workouts I could easily decrease the pace while still on and go faster. My left foot also developed QUITE suddenly-- plantar fascitis, during and after the speedwork)-- obviously I was oxygen depleted to those areas.  Well, ALL day yesterday my legs and feet hurt.  Excruciatingly so.  Pulsating, burning, tingling, like I was walking on coals or something.  They have been hurting since SGM (but not to this intensity) but  I am just that stubborn.  BUT,   I just could not stand it any longer so I got out my order form my Dr. wrote out for me for December (yup, bad patient=  nurse).  I headed over to the lab for my ferritin and DHEA level (the hormone responsible for dealing with stress on the body, sleep cycles, the powerhouse hormone for cortisol and all other hormones in the body like progesterone, testosterone, mineralcorticoids-- fluid/electrolyte balance).   Just now I looked up the results on "MyHealth" where Intermountain Health allows patience to see their results.  My ferritin is VERY low.  Running performance has been highly noted to drop when the level goes below 25.   Mine is 10.    1 1/2 years ago it was 5!!!  I felt worse then.  But I feel VERY close to THAT crappy.  Like anymore strenuous workouts will take me down.  My DHEA was VERY LOW.  Today it is 48 and it needs to be above 75!!!  1 1/2 years ago it was 44.  It was 61 (still low) just after SGM   LAST YEAR!!!  When I felt crappy.  I honestly DON'T know how I made it thru these past few months of training.  I have pushed through A LOT of pain.  And when  I say I pushed it was ALL MENTAL.  It hurt but I was so angry about the SGM that I wanted to be back where I was.  And here I am a bottom DWELLER again.  My feet and lower legs hurt so much.  Low ferritin and DHEA cause your body to SHUT down.  Low ferritin (iron) doesn't allow your tissues to get enough oxygen and your legs cramp and feet will hurt.You will feel fatigued often.   DHEA won't let you sleep normally if it is low.  The body won't adapt to stress well.  And this leads to problems with cramping as well.  Pains everywhere.  BLAH.  I hate pills.  But I can handle the DHEA so  I am sure I will be a good patient this time.  I expect after four transfusions of iron I will feel like WONDER WOMAN again!!!   ANOTHER thing  I noticed after the transfusions were that ALL MY INJURIES disappeared.   MY LOWER back pains and leg pains. GONE.  AND I SUSPECT the double plantar fascititis (it used to only be my right foot) that is currently showing its ugly head, will be ANNILATED!!  Plan after Boston???  To get rid of my cousin once and for all.  Sorry.  It seems the best thing to do.    She has overstayed her welcome.    10am--  8 miles easy pace.  BUT OH MY if I thougth my right foot had bad plantar fascitis my left took over the slack and won the Gold Medal!!  Holy smokes--- yup I ran 8 "easy" paced miles on an injured fascia.  OUCH, to say the least.  It would not let up the entire run.  I kept thinking it would but it just would not.  Surprisingly I was able to run 8:21 AP.  First mile 8:53.  Last mile 7:56.  Right now I have ace bandages wrapped around my ankles and feet.  This helped a lot last night.  But when  I awoke this morning my left heel/plantar was quite painful to walk on.  I tried massage. OUCH.  Then I warmed up my foot in warm water.  Both of my feet were cold to the touch.  I thought this would help oxygenate the fascia.  It felt good.  But as I started out on my run it wasn't so.  But lucky for me the wind and air felt so very lovely.  It was nice to be out there.  It is all in the name of PAIN.  Those last few miles at Boston can't be ANY worse.  Mind over BODY-- until the body screams out for IV iron I guess.  I should be getting my first transfusion Friday.  They are weekly x four.    I can be RE-BUILT  :D.