The Light at the End of the Tunnel

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So how was the week?

Spring in Chicago is not for wimpy. The standing joke here is "if you don't like the weather, wait and it will change". We also joke that we can experience all 4 seasons in one day. As a lifelong resident and longtime runner, I've learned to be prepared for anything. We went from summer to winter this week. I'm not exaggerating. It was 85 on Wednesday and 45 on Thursday. I use this as an excuse to have an expansive running wardrobe. 

I filled every bit of my last week before I go back to work to wrap up some loose ends. It was busy and productive, but that's a good sign, right? It means that I'm heading in the right direction!

The early part of the week was remarkable for the warm and windy weather. It was beautiful and the warmth was welcome, but it's always a challenge to go from running in cool conditions to running in the heat! On Tuesday we hit 87 degrees. I was up for the challenge and the run/walk intervals made it much easier than I expected. I'm loathed to admit it, but I'm kind of enjoying these run/walk intervals. What does that say about me? Am I going soft? Is my edge gone? Is RA mellowing me? What kind of runner am I?

Who me, mellow?

No worries. Validation came on Thursday's run, which was one of my fastest in months! I even eliminated a few walk intervals. In the interest of full disclosure, I will say that I did that when I had a very strong tailwind. This was the first time I've run a full mile without stopping in several months. But what was equally rewarding was that I kept a strong pace, even running into that wind. Is it possible that my endurance is coming back?

The answer is yes. I saw my rheumatologist on Thursday for my 3 month follow up. We reviewed my blood work and my symptoms. Everything is markedly improving, which means that the medications are working. Finally, I can see the light at the end of this very long tunnel. The plan is to continue on the same regimen for now and re-evaluate in another 3 months. I'm going back to work on Monday. I'm very grateful for this relentless forward progress. This may be my new mantra!

I also saw Becky on Thursday and we took our session outside. I noticed that I didn't get gassed as often during the activities. In fact, Steph and I were pretty even throughout everything we did. We pushed the prowler, carried sandbags, did box lunges, and wall ball squats.

I woke up on Friday with really sore glutes. Because I went to a sports medicine conference on Wednesday, I swapped out rest days this week and went to yoga. That yoga class was more challenging than usual. Now I know why Becky has me take the day after CrossFit as a rest day.

This was from Sunday's run

Then there was Saturday's run. I checked the weather forecast and rain was predicted. Although I use multiple weather apps, my favorite is Accuweather. There is a feature called "minutecast" which predicts the arrival and departure of rain to the minute. What runner doesn't need that? When I checked it, there was a predicted 81 minute window before the rain came. I finished up my coffee, got ready to run, and headed out into the cold, raw morning for my planned 4 mile run. My legs felt surprisingly light and when my Garmin alarmed the first walk interval, I decided to bypass it and keep running. And so it went for the entire run. I never stopped to walk. At the end of each mile, I glanced at my Garmin and when I saw my splits, I was stunned. Since I bought myself some more rain-free time with my speedy pace, I changed my planned distance to 5 miles and kept on going. I finished my run in 42:27, which was an average of 8:29m/m. My fastest mile was my last mile, with an 8:23m/m pace. Regular readers know that is my "normal" pre-RA pace. I haven't seen splits like that for several months. As you can imagine, I was ecstatic!

Oh, and by the way, it rained as soon as I walked into my house. Thanks to that app, my timing was impeccable!

Sunday's long run was another walk interval-free run. I set out to do 7-8 miles and held back my pace to 9m/m. My knees were a little achy and I promised myself I'd put the intervals back in if I needed them. I only stopped a couple of times--to use the bathroom, for water, my picture, and red lights. I ran into the wind on my way back and that was a struggle. What is with the wind this spring? While I wanted to stop to walk, I didn't and I finished up this run exactly where I wanted it, 8 miles/1:12:12 (8:58m/m).

The best way for me to sum up this week is one of validation. The diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis has been really difficult for me. I have been so frustrated as I struggle with my loss of fitness and endurance. I learned how truly important running and strength is to me and how I view myself. I had to deal with feelings of "why me" yet defend my need to keep moving to people who don't get it. I've gotten all kinds of advice and while I appreciated every single suggestion, I had to learn what works for me. There have been a lot of changes in my life since my diagnosis. The one thing that didn't change is my determination and will to keep pushing on. I have kept on running even on those days where I felt like crap and wanted to quit. I've learned to read my body's signals and if it's not a good day, I've utilized run/walk intervals to keep me moving. I know that even though today I'm feeling really good, RA is a jerk and the rug can be pulled out from me at any time. Silver lining: I've learned to really appreciate the good days and respect what my body can do.

That light at the end of the tunnel? I'm running towards it. Relentless forward progress.

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