You hide your itchy fingers well

Race week! And it’s come at a great time because I need to back-off a little and refresh after the past few weeks. We’ve been doing a little more volume and slightly longer workouts than we were when leading up to the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.  In general I’m very happy with how my body has adapted to the increased work load.  Hopefully backing off a little will ensure that I have a good 1/2 marathon on Sunday.  When I’m in the middle of big mileage it’s a bit of a crap-shoot if I’m going to feel good on a certain day.  However when I back-off just a touch it opens that feel-good window.

I’m pretty excited about the Scotiabank Vancouver 1/2 because it’s been a while since I last raced having missed the Ottawa 10km last month.  I’d like to say it will be cool to visit Vancouver but I’m really only there one full day and I’ll be getting ready to race, not much time to do anything.  However it will be nice to see my sister and some friends on the brief trip.

I got a little spot of poison ivy last week on my leg and when I realized what it was I was praying (still am) it wouldn’t spread.  I washed with dish soap right away to rinse the oil off.

Many years ago I found out the hard way that I’m pretty darn allergic to poison ivy.  I must have got in contact with the blasted plant on a run and it spread all over my legs before it broke out. My legs were probably 75% covered and it spread up to my chest, neck and even a little on my face.  I’m convinced it spreads easily with sweating.  My waist band broke out and the next day it converged with the affected area on my upper legs, I think that is all the details you need in that area.  For some reason really hot water feels very soothing on poison ivy and I would just take these long, scalding showers.

I looked like a burn victim running around the trails. I couldn’t sleep well and I was constantly wiping the oozing fluid, fun times. It was so bad I had to go on oral steroids, which cleared it up pretty fast.  This was years before I was running fast and in the testing pool.  Which is one reason I was worried about a possible outbreak this time around because I don’t know what I would be allowed to take now.  Although I’m sure if any WADA officials saw my body when it was absolutely covered they would have allowed the prednisone.

Check out the new Canadian Running mag.  Dylan, Eric and I did a photo shoot for the cover.  Afterwards we took a bunch of shots goofing off thinking they weren’t going anywhere… they ended up in the magazine…