Hello from Kona – 36 hours before race day
My training and preparation has been excellent. Over the past 12 weeks of training, I have swam at my best, thanks to Brian Kelly, my swim coach, I have biked at my best and I have executed career best runs. And thanks to my Kona training buddy, Nigel Gray, I have maximized my training sessions and gotten every ounce out of the fantastic coaching which Lance Watson has provided me since 1999.
It is because I have been supported so wonderfully by everyone that I am wanted to share this note. I have been battling abdominal discomfort for the past 10 days. It started last Tuesday. It improved gradually and I felt pretty good by last Sunday. But then on Monday, I became uncomfortable again. All told, I spent two days in bed in quite a bit of pain. But it would always improve enough for me to battle on and rule out anything sinister.
This past Tuesday, the pain got pretty severe and I started to seek out a doctor on Wednesday. The trouble is that with all of my positive thinking, I had convinced myself that I was going to be fine. After all, I was improving and I only felt really uncomfortable at the end of the day particularly after eating.
Thanks to Dr. Hiller, my friend from my Labman sodium studies, I was able to see Dr. Park today, Thursday. I either have chronic appendicitis or sigmoid diverticulitis (inflammation of the colon). Both are treated with antibiotics. I was going to get a CAT scan to confirm the diagnosis, but the end result was going to be the same regardless – antibiotics to treat the infection and lower my fever. Oh yes, I’ve had a fever for a few days but never knew it. Can you say “high pain tolerance” or perhaps “stupidity” or it is a weird form of “positive thinking”? I’d like to think that it is positive thinking.
I decided to delay the CAT scan until Sunday. Dr. Park does not think that I can harm myself in anyway by racing. But that said, I will be respectful of my body and I will listen to it on race day. My health and well being are most important (and marrying David Cracknell next Wednesday). In the meantime, I will take my antibiotics to get rid of the infection. I know that racing on antibiotics is certainly not the way to optimal performance, but I plan to replace whatever the antibiotics take away with a lot of heart and passion.
As always, I will race with heart. Cheer loud. I will do my best. Regardless what happens on race day, there will be no “what ifs” from me. I will be very fortunate to start the race and like everyone else, I will be a champion to finish the race. There is a reason for everything. I accept my path and am grateful for this journey. Thank you for your support.
Lisa