Liza Howard. Ultrarunning Mom.

When last we spoke I was embarking on some single-parenting time up in Leadville while I acclimatized for the race.   (And Eliot worked hard in San Antonia supporting my habit.).  It’s been about what you might have expected — not restful,but mostly great — except for the preparing for the race part.  I have managed to run the Powerline hills a number of times thanks to the wonderful friends housing Asa and me — and some other wonderful friends who came for a quick visit.  (Yeah, I’m that friend.)

Asa and I hiked up Mt. Elbert together to celebrate his fifth birthday.  We made it a good way past treeline before the wind turned us back.  40 pounds is not much of an anchor to hold one on the trail.  We ate his cake (score 1 point for Mom Sherpa) sheltered behind a boulder.  A green lighter made for a very nice trick candle.  Then we hightailed it back to the car.  Asa actually ran most of the way down (?!?), so I decided that would count as my day’s run.  I was carrying a pretty big possibilities pack, so my legs did get a pretty good workout.  (Look for my upcoming book: Trail Running and Tapering With Your 5 Year-Old.  The first chapter is entitled “Decision Making and Temporary Insanity”)

Okay, but here’s where things get weird.  I’ve been here at 10,200 feet for a week now and I’ve had a cold for about five of those days. (I like to challenge myself.). The cold moved into my chest three days ago and settled there.  I rarely get sick and I figureit this would run its course by the weekend.  Then yesterday during a bike ride down to Frisco, I started to feel like I was only breathing with about the top third of my lungs.  My chest felt tight.  It was a downhill ride, so it wasn’t a big deal, but at one point it struck me that it felt like my airway passages were “clamping down.” I’ve taught a lot about asthma — using the words “tight” and “clamping down” and as I watched Asa’s carreen around the next corner at breakneck speed, I thought, “I bet this is what asthma feels like.” I didn’t think, “I’m having an asthma attack” because I don’t have asthma — and I’m not real quick on the uptake.  I made it through the rest of the day without incident.  I managed a flat 12 mile jog without incident.

I was a bit short of breath by bedtime, but I was set on ignoring it since my friends had kindly offered to watch Asa in the morning, so I could get over Hope Pass.

Cut to me in the Leadville Urgent Care clinic being told I was working at 80% lung capacity and being given inhalers and a 3 day course of steroids to open up my lungs.

Dude!

I already feel a ton better. 3/4 lung capacity for sure.

So, I’ve been a lousy blogger lately, but at least there’s drama and intrigue.  Well, mild drama anyway.  More mañana.