Group Run Route (The re-run)

After having a poor turnout in the last group run of 1^st December, 2013 together with a foul weather (it had rained the previous night) I felt my target had not been achieved. I reiterated that I will do a repeat of the same route next Sunday (8^th Dec) in case the weather will be better.  Jack loves a good challenge and he didn’t hesitate to take on this opportunity.

I did an evening run during the week to check my physical form since I was still on antibiotics because of the bacterial infection. I pulled some good statistics which encouraged me despite the strong wind blowing against me – 5kms in 21:08, 7kms in 29:57, 10kms in 43:50, 13kms in 57:51 and stopped at 16kms in 1:12 – average speed of 4’32” per kilometer.

I returned to hospital to check the results of my blood test on Thursday 5^th and they were not good. My Free T4 was at 0.7 and yet the recommended levels are between 0.8 to 2.0, my Free T3 was at 1.3 instead of the required margin of 1.4 to 4.2, my TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) which should stimulate the two (T3 and T4) back to the recommended levels wasn’t up to the task either – it was at 1.5 yet it could go up to 6.2 in order to regulate the two. The doctor suggested a repeat of the test – the data was rather ambiguous therefore the doctor could not  make any concrete decision on this result coupled with the fact that I was immediately diagnosed with bacterial infection right after my blood was taken for the test. So let’s wait for the new results. I finished my antibacterial drugs on Friday 6^th in readiness for the “final” run of the year.

Sunday 8^th: Up early hoping that Jack will come as promised and he actually doesn’t disappoint. We set off at about 5 mins past 6am after a good warm-up. Start with a hard 4:06 in the 1^st kilometer (can’t wait for the days we will be starting with sub 4mins). I lead the way and Jack takes over even before we join Jogoo road. I take over immediately after the Jogoo road hill (after the bridge) and quicken the pace. Clear 5kms in 21:04, right on target for the 90mins in 21kms run, City Stadium in 29:40 (7 kms – better than most), Muthurwa climb gives me hell but avoid the long, wide strides coz they are definite energy wasters when climbing hills. Take short quick steps – they really burn my thighs!

Railways roundabout in 38mins (9kms) and 10k in 42:47 – this is a good speed, slow down to get some air in readiness of the Upper hill climb. Glance back and I don’t see Jack. I realize that we had a very ambitious start – the thought of crashing after Upper Hill dampens my spirit. The only comfort I have is that I have had much worse days and it can’t get any worse on this day so I recollect my thoughts and embrace the pain.

Short brisk steps are key to the Upper Hill climb – it cleans me out but pull through and work on immediate recovery so that I can properly take on the Mbagathi descent. Hit 13kms in 57:01 and decide to attempt a 14k in an hour – go full flight on the 14^th kilometer (3:47) and manage a 1:00:48 – almost there but not quite.

The rest of the distance is a struggle. I realize that whenever I glance behind to check on Jack I tend to mess my momentum so I decide to just focus on having a new course record. 

The Lunga lunga (bridge) climb heading to Donhlom nearly grind me to a halt – at the 24^th kilometer pull a shocking 5’13”! Almost similar to upper hill but quickly recover and clear 26km in 1:54:56 – average pace 13.57kms/hr (4’25” per km). My ankle injury really throbbing and new sweat gushing out – a little drizzle is welcome, cools me up fast. Jack finishes soon after.

Kilometer	Time	Avg Pace
1	4:06	4'06"/km
2	8:20	4'14"/km
3	12:37	4'17"/km
4	16:53	4'16"/km
5	21:04	4'11"/km
6	25:20:00	4'16"/km
7	29:40:00	4'20"/km
8	33:56:00	4'16"/km
9	38:28:00	4'32"/km
10	42:47:00	4'19"/km
11	48:02:00	5'15"/km
12	52:45:00	4'43"/km
13	57:01:00	4'16"/km
*Fastest	1:00:48	3'47"/km
15	1:05:00	4'12"/km
16	1:09:26	4'26"/km
17	1:13:54	4'28"/km
18	1:18:24	4'30"/km
19	1:22:43	4'19"/km
20	1:27:13	4'30"/km
21	1:31:38	4'25"/km
22	1:36:01	4'23"/km
23	1:40:31	4'30"/km
24	1:45:44	5'13"/km
25	1:50:24	4'40"/km
26	1:54:56	4'32"/km

 I am not ready to take a break just yet but with the festivities, travelling and all, why not. Let’s see how the holidays go coz 2014 is almost here!

Of health issues and trainings...

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 14^th 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!