Overtraining and Rhabdomyolysis

Well, training has been goin well for the past week and a half, which was about the last time I posted anything. I think I am going to start posting once a week but write a paragraph on everyday. Posting everyday day is a little too much I think.

Sunday went well; I had a longrun at the wildlife refuge. I completely forgot about the refuge for some reason. I loved running there last semester and I am definitely going to be making weekly visits for my longruns because the trails there are just amazing. 

Monday-Wednesday
Well, I don't know what was wrong, but I felt like crap these three days in a row. My muscles felt fatigued and I wasn't feeling how right. I made sure I was getting adequate sleep and a healthy so I knew that was not the cause. I knew that the heat and humidity definitely had something to do with it, but little did I know of what was to come....

Something told me that I was going to hard on my runs and definitely too fast on my easy days this week and in the previous weeks as-well. Along with that, I recently started going to the gym and was doing some pretty serious post-run workouts. I have really been working hard these past few weeks. My hunger to reach my goal is larger now than it ever has been before. 

Before I go any farther with my entry I want to warn you that if you get gossed easily out easily then you might not want to continue reading.

Yesterday after my run I felt tired and extremely sore.. I did 5.5 miles at a very, very easy 7:20-7:30 pace with my buddy Kamau (who is my training partner). It was supposed to be my nice and easy recoveryday, but I still felt like I was working to hard.  After my run I had we made some pasta and hung out for a little bit. We had plans with our friends that night to go long boarding so I went back to my dorm to change and grab my board. Right before I left my dorm on my board I went to the restroom and thats when it happened. I looked at my urine and I was hydrated but there was a cloudy, brown colored liquid in it. I didn't think of it much at first, but after hearing stories about kidney failure and how dangerous it is I called my friends dad who was a doctor about an hour later.
We talked for about 15 minutes and asked me a whole bunch of questions about my exercise, diet, how I felt, and so on.... In the end he told me that I have Rhabdomyolysis, which is the severe breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue and release of its fiber contents into your bloodstream which then goes into your urinary tract. Its not a severe case (my urine was only cloudy once) and he said I will be ok, I just have to take in lots of fluids, make sure to get salt in my diet, and take some time off to rest.

So, as of right now, I need to take 3 days off from any physical activity whatsoever and then I can return to training. Its disappointing to have another set back, but thats how this sport is, and I give thanks to God for keeping me safe. A bad case of rhabdomyolysis will put you in the hospital, cause kidney failure, and even death.

Keep me in your prayers for a healthy recovery.

Until next time

-Lucas-