Doh!

Another week of gentle plodding and some mixed health news. I managed a total of 16kms (over 3 runs), plus about another 12 or so of walking. Yesterday I ran up part of Mt Yarrahpinni. I have been wanting to run up there for years as it's only a short drive and a beautiful area (although quite steep in parts). The boys dropped me off at the bottom and I ran about 7 ks to meet them at one of the creek crossings. I saw a train on this run (very unusual as I rarely even see a car or motorbike) and had a few encounters with farm dogs. One of which was quite funny - I picked up a stick to fend it off just in case but decided to offer it to him instead when he ran up wagging his tail. He took it, ran off into his yard and looked back as if to say 'Aren't you coming to play?' The last part of this run was fantastic - once I got into the National Park. Beautiful trees, including lots of palms and cycads and the last kilometre was all downhill (after some walking on the preceding uphill).

The great news healthwise is that my thyroid levels are normal!! The not-so-good news is that I am really anemic. Luckily on my previous visit to the doctor I had mentioned that I was really tired (thinking it was to do with the thyroid) so she checked my iron levels. They are at an all time low so I am now on double the iron dose to try to build them up again. I feel pretty stupid about this as I really should have known. I have been anemic enough times to read the signals by now: extreme tiredness, pale around eyes and nail beds virtually white, some pins and needles in hands and feet. As my yoga teacher says 'Listen to your body' - it was trying to tell me but I wasn't listening very well. The good side of this is that at least I generally respond well to the tablets (apart from the unpleasant side effects) and now hopefully my running will improve again.

So, I have finally decided that I won't do the Sydney Running Festival half this year. I really need to continue to take it easy until the iron picks up.

An interesting side effect to note is that my left foot has been getting tingly about 3 ks into each run for the last little while and last week on one run my left hand got tingly too. Obviously you need iron to carry the oxygen around properly. Note to self: No it isn't your imagination, take note of symptoms and act accordingly.