My 1st set back of the season.

Every race season, without fail I have some sort of setback.  Whether it is some sort of cold, strained muscles or broken toes it always seems to happen when you least expect it.  About a week and a half ago I had a free Saturday, so I decided to do some work in the yard.  After raking all the leaves in the backyard I took it upon myself to clean out some flower beds.  All went well until the next day I woke up with a rash.  I knew right away what it was last year I got the same rash from our back yard. ( I really need to get someone over to check it out and help me find what we have growing back there. ) Monday morning I woke up and got ready for work but when Anne came into the Kitchen just as I was getting ready to leave she stopped me.  She said I looked like Will Smith from Hitch, so off to the Dr. I went after a brief consult I got a shot of Steroids and some instructions on how to take care of the Poison Ivy.  Tuesday blisters began to pop up.  On Wednesday I woke up with both my eyes swollen shut.  Back to the Dr. I went and this time I got a shot and some oral Steroids to take for the next twenty days.

 When I am training for an event it really does consume me.   I think about my workouts all the time, from what I need to be running, riding, or swimming to when can I get them done and not interfere with my family time.  So now I have huge blisters all over my arms and neck and on my ankles too.  For the last week I have not worked out once.  This normal would really have made me pretty grumpy but all I can think about is my arms itching and burning (I have thought seriously about cutting them off you may laugh but I am not kidding.) The workouts have taken a backseat to life.  But luckily this happened just a few weeks into my Marathon Schedule and not a week or two before Race Day.  For now I keep my head up and my rear out of the backyard!