Running

Marathon training has commenced, well if you want to call it that. I'm putting absolutely no pressure on myself to get all hard core. I run when I can and have the best intentions of getting some long runs and maybe even a mid-distance race or two in there, somewhere. Marathon D-day is Sunday, Nov.14.

I've gotten over the "I-have-runner's-itch-because-I-am-so-far-off-the-workout-wagon" out of the way. That's big progress. For any of you not familiar with runner's itch, be thankful, because it's no fun, at all. Runner's itch basically feels like you took a shower in itching powder. It only happens to me when I've gone a while without aerobic activity, specifically running. It's awful. The only way to manage it is to remember to take a Benadryl before hitting the pavement. I usually forget, but this past week I kept it in my desk drawer.

The exercise is certainly my friend during my time of grieving, it helps me from getting in too much of a funk, but the funk is definitely still there. Losing my brother and spending an unexpected week in San Antonio definitely had a way of sucking the wind out of my sails. It was like hitting a brick wall going 100 miles per hour. Needless to say something had to give. I withdrew from my summer Chemistry course, which means I'll have to replace Organic Chem with general ed Chem II in the fall. I am kind of disappointed, as I was really really excited about starting those upper-level chem courses. This will put me a semester behind, but what's one semester when I'm reassessing my life's work, family goals, the things that really matter....yada....yada....yada.

So, this summer will be about making significant progress in my Industrial Hygiene course and training for marathon #1.