Here We Go

You'll find me posting about a few different things here.  Presently, I'm working on some digestive issues that have been bothering me for about a year.  In the past couple months, things have just gotten out of control and it's gotten in the way of - everything.  Work, family, friends, running...

I'm a runner - a marathoner even, although as of late, fulls have been turning into half marathons - because it's tough to train when you can't make it more than a couple miles without looking for a place to "go".  Also, it's exhausting.

So, I've been working closely with my medical team to see what's going on, to see if I can actually get "better".  My primary care doc sent me off to GI when he ran out of ideas.  GI sent me off for testing.  Lots of uncomfortable testing.  It's all coming back negative.  Not finding celiac, ulcerative colitis, cancer, crohn's, structural abnormalities in in my gut.  Nothing.

While I'm glad tests are not showing those things, it's difficult feeling so lousy with no idea why.

I've got some races coming up.  I love running.  I know the dangerous line of getting a hobby like running tied up in one's identity.  "I'm a runner" means so much more than liking to run.  I'll always be a runner.  But I think my running is going to have to change.

So, I'll be exploring what it means to be a runner, who runs less, runs slower, fuels on all kinds of crazy foods, removes the normal stuff - and I'll see what I can make of it.

My docs look like they are running out of ideas for me.  I"ll keep working with them, looking for answers, and I'll keep working on finding my own.

I've been gluten free for a week, as a lot of my symptoms line up with Celiac's Disease.  It's making a small difference, so I'll keep at it.

I've not been running much lately.  In the past week: Thursday I ran 3.5 miles averaging about 9:37 per mile, which is slow for me.  But I was moving.  Yesterday, I had high hopes, left the house feeling pretty alright.  For 6 minutes.  Made it about 2.5 miles (I'd had been hoping for 5).  Stomach started cramping up like crazy and I had to slow to a walk on more than one occasion.  Exceptionally slow.  But I tired.  I'll try again, and again, and then perhaps again if need be.