This has always been a fun run for me to do and something I look forward to each spring. I started doing the Mud Run the year I turned 40. You can read all about how I did it (and how YOU should never do it) on this blog post from 2009.
The first picture of me below (taken this morning) is one with my bibs from each race from the past two years. Can you see the look of disappointment on my face acknowledging the fact I won't be participating in this year's race?
And the reason I had to drop out of the 2011 Mud Run is because of the next photo of me below (taken last Thursday). Thursday evening I suffered some incredibly powerful chest pains -- I didn't have any other symptoms (except for a strange feeling of intense heart-burn, which is quite rare for me). Simply, I was working quietly on my computer when, all of a sudden it felt as if somebody had slammed a two-by-four into my chest. There was a tightening pain that shot from the middle of my chest and spread quickly to encompass the entire area.
Pretty frightening fifteen minutes while I tried to figure out what I should do.
To make a long story short, while I SHOULD have called 911 immediately, I waited until Francine got home before deciding I should play it safe and go into ER.
So I went into the ER, they immediately hooked me up to machines with sticky nobby things across my chest, sides, arms and legs, and ran blood tests. They kept me there for 8 hours. I was given an "everything seems to be okay" with one minor issue that was consistent on the heart tests.
They found a borderline intraventricular conduction delay and want me to return for all day tests on Wed June 1st where I'll be hooked up to more machines and get to run on treadmills, etc.
To live out a boyhood dream, I'm imagining myself like Steve Austin (Lee Majors) in the opening sequence to The Six Million Dollar Man, lifting weights, running on a treadmill and amazing the doctors - I just hope the doctors don't hear me making that classic "bionic man" noise under my breath while I'm performing the tests.
But in any case, when they told me about these tests they wanted me to have, they told me not to exert myself (ie, no more running) - so that kind of put a damper on this year's 10K run training.
Assuming I get a clean bill of health on Wednesday, there's always next year's 10K Mud Run. (And there's the 5K Warrior Dash in July in Barrie which I'm signed up for - fingers crossed I can still do that one)
10 comments:
Whoa, Mark! Sorry to hear about your troubles. Hope last Thursday had nothing to do with your helping us out! Take good care man. Keep us informed. R
No, Rand, helping your committee out was one of the hightlights for that day.
Get well soon man. Don't sweat this 10k, there will be others. Good luck on your stress test (that's the running on treadmill thing). Keep in mind that short of having your heart explode and have to be hot-glue-gunned together you'll be able to run one you're through the recovery period of whatever you have (I know, real general right?).
er... I can't believe my old blogger acct is still active, that's me, Jeff DeRego, just above.
LOL, Jeff. Actually, you've been an amazing inspiration to me. (Not just your amazing writing, but how you've recovered from a very serious heart related condition not all that long ago and now do so amazing with your own running & training - it's been inspiring to watch and something I'll be thinking about during the stress tests on Wed. :)
Hi Jeff
I'm one of the organizers of the Mud Run, and someone just sent us a link to your post. Sorry to hear that your system is a bit clogged up...hope it is not mud from last year!
Too bad you can't make it this year, but I would like to invite you to attend next year as our guest.
Please keep us posted on your progress.
All the Best,
MUD RUN - Canada's Dirtiest Trail Run
Jonathan - thanks for the comment as well as the guest offer! How wonderfully generous of you. It couldn't have been the mud from last year's race . . . although it DID take a few days to finally get all of it off me. :)
I hope the race goes well this year - will be thinking about everyone and keeping at eye on your website to see the posting results (and the great pictures of everyone having such a great time!)
You need to do a follow-up post on this. We can see you're still alive... unless your spirit is haunting the blogoshere.
I will do a follow-up, Chris. The Mud Run is actually taking place right now - I've this longing that I should be there, running through the freezing cold river crossings, mucking through the swamps, climbing the challenging hills, getting caked in cold clingy mud.....sigh....hard to imagine how much I miss that.
But I will do a follow-up post, hopefully with some pictures from this year's event!
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often..
Pauleen
www.imarksweb.org
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