March 28, 2012 - The Breaking Point

Having Crohn's Disease is a constant battle of finding a line of how hard to push yourself without breaking down.  I have definitely found that line.  The physical stress of training for my June half marathon is starting to take it's toll on my body.  The aches and pains that every runner deals with (sore feet, knee's, etc.) I can handle.  The flare ups of Crohn's are a different story.  As important as this half marathon is to me, I will not allow it to destroy my health.  This does not mean quitting.  That word is not in my vocabulary.  What this means is finding that line of what my body can and cannot take.  I have been running anywhere from 8 minute to 9:30 minute average pace miles and running anywhere from 25-30 miles per week.  That workload is starting to takes its toll.  I ran 6 miles early this morning and have spent most of the rest of today in the bathroom.  I am going to take tomorrow and Friday off, with my next run being Saturday with Team Challenge - NJ.  The first thing I am going to do is cut my pace back.  The team typically does long runs when we train together.  I am going to cut my pace back to 10:30 per mile to see how my body holds up.  I will then take it day to day with my training to see how I'm doing.  I will do the race in June, even if means walking it.

All of us with Crohn's constantly live that battle of wanting to get the most out of life that we possibly can, without compromising our health.  It is mentally a very difficult thing to constantly deal with.  The struggle of knowing that, without Crohn's, I can do the entire 13.1 mile half marathon in a 7 minute mile pace.  The problem is, there is no "without Crohn's".  I need to find that pace my body will allow me to go at and I will.