Taking it to the Trail side Hardcore

Hey peeps

So as most of you know I love running on trails but when I am training for Ironman distance triathlons I usually move away from trails to road.  I do this because I don't want to risk rolling an  ankle or worse on technical trails and risk getting to the start line of my race(s).

Well Tri season is over and I was able to get in on the last race of the 5Peaks series - Buntzen -a technical course but not so nuts that I figured I would be okay. 

On my post Roth/Penticton high I decided what the heck lets do the Enduro course - I mean really how bad can it be?  16km of up and down - I got this.

Well one of the things is that when you push and push and don't take a break or probably recover is your body sometimes fights back.

About  a week and a half before the race I noticed this weird little rash on my tummy (I would say stomach but I have a tummy - no washboard abs here ).  I did not think too much about it but then it kept spreading.  HMMM by the weekend I was like I think I should maybe get this looked at. 

So into the walk-in clinic I went and the doctor said why are you here and I was like nothing big but I have this little rash - and pulled up my shirt.  She backed up about a foot and when yep that is SHINGLES - whaaaatttttt.  Shingles  - you have shingles. Okaaayyy she is like do you feel tired - kind of did a 7km run this am but I am a long distance triathlete - tired is all relative.  She was like how long I was like about a week now.  Does it itch - no not really.  Does it hurt - a bit but not much. 

Then she says wow- most people find this very painful - I was like oh - I have a pretty high pain threshold.   Then she says - are you sure it does not hurt?  Again - I said kind of but nothing I can't deal with.  Then me I am like so what do I do and she was like your body is tired this is your body saying rest......  So like no run tomorrow?  She was like no run - can I ride my bike - that is when I am pretty sure she did the biggest EYE ROLL ever.  Big Sigh - no bike riding you need to rest this will not go away until you rest!  OK got it. 

Left the clinic called Joe and told him and to his credit I did not get too much of a lecture....  Well it was like the stupid rash was listening because all of the sudden shooting pain - WOW that is not cool!  Fortunately it would go away and then all of the sudden BAM hit.  At night it was just a dull ache and it was right where my belt line was so waistbands were rubbing it to. Not fun. 

So a week out from Buntzen I am told I need to rest and I have Shingles and this is not looking good.  Lucky after a couple of days of bedrest and just chilling the pain started to ease and it seemed to stop spreading.  So what do I do - change to the Sport Distance from Enduro.  Tee hee

The race morning was foggy and wet - typical fall weather in Vancouver.  Off we went and I think I did okay.  I forgot how hilly the course was and the pain from the Shingle was there but very minimal really and I would say probably muted by my concentration of staying upright and not twisting an ankle.  I did go down once but besides a little dirt on my hands came out unscathed. 

I do love the course what I did notice was my energy level felt really low in the back half of the course.   I got it done though and I was pleased with the time 1:36 for 10km trail race with Shingles - not too bad.  I will take it and as usual 5Peaks did it up right with Pancakes and icecream at the finish line.  YUMMY

I felt great and was like that was not so bad.  The next day was when I realized dumb move - I could barely move and my body was MAD AT ME!  Yep so I have no confirmed from my field research - best not to run with Shingles.  See another community service announcement. 

Still glad I did the race and I get to keep my rep as hardcore warrier

Peace out Shaun

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Best day ever!

Inside track to the Ironman Bike course

For the love of running