Sunday, September 4, 2011

5 Days and scratching...

Wish that title was "5 days and counting", but the truth is I am spending all kinds of time and energy dealing with poison ivy!  Two weeks back I ran the Woodstock course, to scope it out, and ended up with the nastiness on several places on my legs.  It wasn't terrible and within a few days I had it under control.

Then Thursday evening I went for a short run with the Runnin Gear group and for the first time since that Sunday on the Woodstock course, wore those same shoes.  BIG MISTAKE! I honestly didn't give it a thought, but those shoes must have had the poison ivy oil on them because I woke up Friday with it all over my feet :-(  A trip to the doctor for a steroid topical was in order, as I didn't want to mess around.  It is now Sunday afternoon and my feet are feeling better (though they look nasty), but now it is all over my hands and I'm frankly growing mentally weary from this struggle.

I have small splotches of little red bumps in a number of other areas, and I'm hopeful those will not be the next areas to explode into full blown itchiness. 

The goal is to try to stay on task, get the taper running miles in, and eat better than I have the last few days (my tendency when things go poorly is to eat poorly).  The rest will just have to be what it is...

Each of my "epic" pursuits had a significant, defining, hurdle.  I suppose this race will be about the feet?

Several weeks back on a trail run I kicked a root hard (wearing the minimalist shoes with no real protection) and ended up with a very purple toe.  That proved to be a non-issue, but it sent chills through me as I feared I broke my toe.  Now, it's all about the poison ivy.

We shall overcome.  No matter what happens, you can bet I will be "toeing" the start line on Friday!

Press on friends.  I'm going to try and find the motivation to get a few miles in...

My purple toe on my ugly foot after losing the battle with a root...


My already ugly feet, made to look downright gnarly...

3 comments:

JS Tremaine said...

I feel your pain (or itch) Chuck. I have run three Bump and Run events in Bloomer Park and have gotten poison ivy all three times. That is one nasty rash. It usually takes me three weeks to be rid of the constant itching.

Do you think we have to worry about it on Saturday? I'm running the 50K and now I'm wondering if I should bring ivy block or wash.

Chuck said...

I picked this up just past the 3.0 mile mark, when we turn left off of the rail trail back onto the trail. A nasty section that is obviously rarely traveled. Lots of low branches, thorns and obviously poison ivy. It was calf deep with water when we went through, so dancing around the water through the weeds is likely where we got it.

I'm hoping they have cleared that and staying on the main part of the trail will eliminate the risk.

My advice would be to run through the water vs. the weeds in that section if it is wet (which it looks like it might be!)

Unknown said...

No one said anything about poison ivy. Yipes!!! Good luck.......... will see you tomorrow!