kicking strep and running a marathon

I'm running the Louisville marathon on Sunday. This will be my 18th marathon. I ran this course 2 years ago, and it's flat and fast, but pretty boring. It's run along the Ohio river, and most of it is on asphalt. yikes... It's an out and back, which is what I do on my long runs, so obviously I don't mind.

This pic is me finishing The 2009 Louisville marathon

I started feeling sick on Saturday. I wasn't real surprised, it seems I always come down with a cold the week of a marathon. So I started the usual remedies....

Gargle warm salt water.... emergenC like its candy...... drinking warm orange juice, and rest.

I woke up at 5am on Monday to drive my sister to the Nashville airport (she and her daughters were here from Utah visiting for a week). By the time I got home at about 10:30, I knew it was more then just a cold. I called and made an apt with the doc, and by the time I got there 6 hours later, my tonsils were covered in white sores. Yep, I have strep throat, the husband has strep and my 6 year old is running a fever. Seriously? Why this week??? Ugh.

I took the penicillin shot in the left butt cheek like a champ. It hurts like a mother freaker. Y-ouch, but I'm hoping it will get me feeling better before Sunday, so that I can go on at least one easy run to test the waters.

One of my girl friends that I run with had a stroke on Sunday. She is my age....34. She has 3 small children, and she is in amazing shape. She had just come home the night before from a week long family vacation to Disney World. They were able to catch it quickly and get the medicine in her that she needed. She was able to walk down the hall in the hospital with some help. The doctors are telling her, that with 6-8 weeks of Physical Therapy, she should be able to get most of her mobility back, and even run again.

I've decided to dedicate this marathon to Lorane. She is a fighter and I know she will fight and work hard to recover quickly. I know she is looking forward to putting on those running shoes again and hitting the road. She is such an inspiration to all that know and love her. When it gets tough or when my body wants to quit, I will think of the fight Lorane is giving everyday and hope to find the strength to push through.