I have not been able to perform optimally during my trainings especially evening runs in the month November. I always came short of 2 or 3kms from the targeted 17kms distance. When I stalled twice on separate runs after the 8th and 10th kilometer during my evening runs I knew this is it – I am so not okay and I had to walk home the rest of the distance with my wife frantically calling on where I am since I always arrive home early on such occasions.
I resolved to go to hospital for a complete check up this past week.
My heart and lungs had been acting up (or so I thought). I went to Avenue Hospital on 25th Nov and had my chest x-rayed. My lungs were confirmed to be okay. Then the blood test – clean results! I couldn’t believe it, my pulse seemed pretty low so I was hooked up in another machine which gave print outs of my pulse. The doctor couldn’t deduce whether my heart was okay and referred me straight to a cardiologist at Nairobi Hospital, The Doctors Plaza – what a long day!
The next morning in the rain, go to the cardiologist. I woke up with a bad fever and a headache but Ponstan Forte is heaven sent. The cardiologist doesn’t show up and after 4 hours of waiting I decide to go to work and come the following day.
On Wednesday 6th, I finally meet the cardiologist. He does a chest scan – he is able to see my heart on a computer monitor and he is dissatisfied and proceeds with another test again. Stick cables on my chest and wrist while running on a tread mill. I start with a simple walk, then gradually increases speed to ascertain if my weakness is because of a fault in my heart’s mechanism. These were his tools of trade.
On both instances, my heart is fine. His final verdict is that there is a likelihood that my endocrine glands specifically the thyroid one doesn’t function appropriately. The thyroid gland is located in the anterior throat. Thyroid follicles store colloid containing thyroglobulin, a glycoprotein from which thyroid hormone is derived.
Thyroid hormone (TH) includes thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), which increase the rate of cellular metabolism. Consequently, oxygen use and heat production rise.
Most T4 is converted to T3 (the more active form) in the target tissues. These hormones act by turning on gene and protein synthesis. It is on this basis that the cardiologist requested for a blood test to check the levels of TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone), Free T4, Free T3 and Random Glucose. I was informed the test takes 3 days! I will have to wait for it till later.
My headache and fever worsened on Wednesday, I thought it was a fever that would just clear up but since my noise wasn’t running even by Thursday, I decided to visit Avenue Hospital again. The verdict is that I had bacterial infection, again! Receive intravenous injections for two days with a dozen oral drugs (antibiotics – Gramocef – 0 200 Cefixime Capsules) to boot.
All this while I was to host the group run in just about a day and was also set to travel upcountry to meet the parents of the mother to my kid over bride wealth. I kept faith because I knew that I have a strong, healthy functioning heart and lungs so things will still go according to plan.
I managed by myself to
meet the elders and parents of my wife as planned and cleared the dowry
negotiations and settled. Running gave me courage to bargain down a bunch of
old guys without flinching. Kept my head up until they all said – Yes! We arrived in town late because of rain and
traffic and went straight to charging my garmin. G.K. sent his apologies that
he wouldn’t be coming for the run but since Sikuku and Yumbz had confirmed
coming, I felt the four of us will still be good for the run.
Group
run that never was…
I was up early as
usual in readiness for the arrival of the team. By 6am only Jack had arrived
and we were sure nobody else will be coming and just decided to set off. It had
rained the previous evening, the roads were slippery. We started on a high note;
I threw caution in the wind without caring whether I will burn out in the next
kilometer. I struck a hard 4’04” in the first kilometer but still felt good and
followed it up with another 4’14”. I wanted to give Jack a good head start since
I knew I will not have a good finish but as the saying goes “a mile is a mile”.
Jack overtook me at
City Stadium but we ran close and in some instances shoulder to shoulder but
most of the times on opposite ends of the road. At the Uhuru highway roundabout
he took full advantage of his luminous top and just sped across while I
remained behind looking for an avenue to leap through the traffic. I was now
playing catch up rather than keeping up. I struggled through the Upper Hill
climb, my knees numb and my throat burning. Reach Mbagathi road in 55 mins and
start the descent with Jack a few paces ahead. I am sure without him up ahead,
I could’ve walked briefly for a few minutes to get some air.
I regrouped and gained
pace again and managed a 3’57” in the 14th kilometer but Jack surged
even further. He took advantage again on the Nyayo Stadium roundabout with his
luminous top and paced past the cars with the same tempo; I slow down but
manage to keep him in sight. Both our speeds are considerable low because we
are beyond 4’30” in each kilometer. The wind rushing against us makes it even
harder.
The clouds are hanging
loose ready to let down the rain. I hold on hard coz I don’t want to get caught
up in the rain – 21k in 1:34:46, not bad since I didn’t do a single run during
the week and my system had also been shaken up with bacteria and still on
medication but that’s not comfort enough since my thigh muscles are on fire!
Lunga lunga road is a
fine mess; I could feel muddy water splashing on the back of my heels with
every landing step. My lungs and heart feel okay but my knees and thigh muscles
are out of my control. It begins to drizzle and my fighting spirit loses its
grasp and goes on a spin. I climb the small hill (bridge) heading to Donholm in
a daze and I am forced to stop momentarily for the oncoming traffic. After
crossing the road I try to continue but my legs feel like tons of steel. I am
done!
Run walk the remaining
2.2kms and find Jack stretching. Have breakfast and catch up on our run.
Realize our camp is full of spineless spectators who are not planning anything.
A bunch of inconsistent runners who train only on the eve of a main marathon
event and that explains why most of them are unable to do a sub 2 hours in
21kms or even attend any of our group runs. The question is - why are they
here?
Plan to have a few
runs during the week and do a repeat of the same route. This is how hell broke
loose on me:
Kilometer
|
Time
|
Avg Pace
|
1
|
4:07
|
4'07"/km
|
2
|
8:21
|
4'14"/km
|
3
|
12:43
|
4'22"/km
|
4
|
17:06
|
4'23"/km
|
5
|
21:29
|
4'23"/km
|
6
|
25:57:00
|
4'28"/km
|
7
|
30:27:00
|
4'30"/km
|
8
|
34:51:00
|
4'24"/km
|
9
|
39:26:00
|
4'35"/km
|
10
|
44:04:00
|
4'38"/km
|
11
|
49:30:00
|
5'26"/km
|
12
|
54:25:00
|
4'55"/km
|
13
|
58:52:00
|
4'27"/km
|
*Fastest
|
1:02:49
|
3'57"/km
|
15
|
1:07:07
|
4'18"/km
|
16
|
1:11:43
|
4'36"/km
|
17
|
1:16:16
|
4'33"/km
|
18
|
1:20:52
|
4'36"/km
|
19
|
1:25:23
|
4'31"/km
|
20
|
1:29:57
|
4'34"/km
|
21
|
1:34:46
|
4'49"/km
|
22
|
1:39:23
|
4'37"/km
|
23
|
1:44:05
|
4'42"/km
|
My
quest to do a sub 1:55 on this route before the year ends is still very much
alive!
