So here's a tip from me to you: don't run outside when you've got horrible allergies and haven't done much to curb them.

Yesterday afternoon was the Pumpkins in the Park 5K and it was one of the worst races I've run in eons. I'm embarrassed by how horrible my performance was. Egads. I just checked the results - 11:54 minute miles, for a total of 36:57. Actually, looking at it - maybe that isn't so bad considering we had to stop TWICE. Once for all the damn baby strollers clogging up the course - Can we please stop allowing these things during races? I've yet to run a race where the course is big enough to accommodate thousands of runners AND a ton of these big-ass running strollers. - and another because I got a stomach cramp so bad I thought I was going to lose it. It wasn't a side stitch but rather felt as though I'd pulled a muscle.

Then you consider that my ears plugged up. As though I had swimmer's ear. Ever since the weather shifted, my ears have been plugging up. I know it's all allergy related, and I took my Flonase-type stuff before I left but it didn't do me a bit of good. It was just awful. I couldn't regulate my breathing well because with each breath my ears plugged more. I couldn't talk or hear anything ... miserable.

I bought some homeopathic medicine after the race which cleared things up. Too little, too late for the race, unfortunately. By the time Scott and I headed out to dinner, though, I was fine.

I love running with my friend, Shelane, though. We've got a similar pace and since she's one of my very best friends, we don't run out of things to talk about. And it's a nice way for she and I to spend time together sans cocktails, which we really, really enjoy, too.

My vacation is over, unfortunately. I had a nice week, although it was tripped up a bit by how sore I was as a result of the kickboxing. Plus, my diet could have been a wee bit better, but nothing I'm wrestling with as a result. If I'm looking forward to nothing else, it's normalcy in my life again, with a regular meal- and workout-schedule. It makes all the difference in the world.

Posted by Erin at 08:50 PM | filed under: Training