Hypotensive

Flash back to Friday and the run that was the worst run I've ever done in an unusual way...

We started the run in the afternoon, expecting to make twenty-four miles without a problem as we didn't have difficulty with the twenty-two the week before.  Shortly after I started out I was tired though, and tired in a way I didn't expect to be tired.  Sure, when you first start running your body isn't warmed up and your heart isn't pumping at a rate you'll get to when you reach a sustained cardiovascular workout, but I didn't expect to be tired like this.

I had to walk for a bit and this was before we had even hit two miles.  Strange.  I had to walk several more times and I was starting to get concerned.  Fortunately, I had a physician with me so we started talking about it and by the time we got to twelve miles (with interspersed walking) we had it figured out.

I was taking an antibiotic as a prophylactic measure for the root canal.  Since I'd been on the medication, I hadn't been running so I didn't realize it was affecting me.  It turns out the medication was reducing my blood pressure, which would be fine normally, but in this case, was causing me to be out of breath unexpectedly.

Fortunately, I was wearing my heart rate monitor and I'd been checking on my heart rate regularly so I knew my heart wasn't racing.  But I was out of breath.  Low blood pressure was causing my lungs to get less oxygenation accomplished and as a result, I couldn't keep running for long periods. 

The good news was, I wasn't in danger of stroke, heart attack or any other things I might have been concerned about without an on-the-spot diagnosis.  I texted my dentist (who you might remember is my next-door-neighbor) and he told me I was fine to stop the antibiotic. 

It was still a very long way home in both time and exertion.  My neighbor was having her own discomfort as well.  She was having tightness of her legs because they wanted to run and weren't used to this walking nonsense.  Imagine the two of us, she needed to run and I needed to walk.  We did the best we could and made it home doing a run/walk alternation and making twenty-one miles.

The Big Boy Update:  "We are the workers."  This morning the children wanted to eat breakfast on the porch.  After breakfast they decided they wanted to go and swing in the back yard.  Because there was fog and mist, I brought down cloths and spray bottles.  They were most pleased to be cleaning up the swing set and completely forgot about the swinging for a good while.  My son happily announced, "we are the workers" as he began to spray the underside of the picnic table.

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  The Doo Doo Duck.  We have a plush duck with a pouch in it's tummy for an ice pack.  When someone is hurt, they can ask for the "Boo Boo Duck" and hopefully it will make them feel better.  (For toddlers, an ice pack heals eighty-three percent of all ills.)  My daughter thinks it's the "Doo Doo Duck" however.