"Yo, I'm steady at it, these deadly habits." - Gang Starr, Deadly Habitz (The Ownerz)
So, yeah, I nearly died yesterday. Too much salt on Friday mixed with me adding some new gear to my running uniform sprinkled with my forgetting my packet of gatorade mix and swallowed with way too much water led to a mild case of hyponatremia.
or, you know, what the doctors say.
I didn't recognize it but my body was beginning to revolt right after we took the california incline and trekked north up Ocean Avenue. Phone Sex asked me how my ankle was doing as we passed her group on the trail. It took me about 30 seconds to process the question. Then, at the water stop, I knew I needed some salt but thought the orange would do that better than the pretzels. Then, somewhere between the 11th and 12th mile markers, my body temperature dropped, I stopped sweating and my legs quit.
I had some internal freaking out. I knew something was serious because my arms were shaking and I couldn't do anything to get my body heat up. Phone Sex left her group and walked with me, just like she did when I rolled my ankle on the 12 miler. We walked for most of the last 3 miles. I tried to run again and my calves immediately started cramping.
This marathon shit is dangerous.
But I'm still here and I'm running 16 miles in two weeks.
You can donate here.
Other Notes: Wanna know what your money is doing? Here's a note I received from APLA earlier this month...
Passing a budget in California has been like herding cats this year, but as you know, Gov. Gray Davis signed the $99-billion budget last Saturday. What does this mean for people who come to APLA? It means that after months of speculation, California's AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) will survive without a wait list or prohibitive co-payments for life-saving drugs. ADAP drugs are free to more than 25,000 low-income uninsured or underinsured Californians with annual incomes below $35,920. In 2003, we are able to talk about people living with HIV longer than ever before. What we really mean is people with money. We need to remember that not everyone can manage an expensive disease without support. We worked tirelessly during the budget process to turn back an effort to add staggering co-payments of $30 - $50 per prescription per month to the program. Our Government Affairs staff assembled an informal alliance of California AIDS advocates to voice concern that without free medicines, ADAP clients would be forced to choose among drugs, food or rent - a choice no one should have to make. When people miss doses or interrupt their treatment, they become susceptible to increased rates of the disease and resistant strains of HIV - two very serious consequences. For now, the program is safe, but its future is not secure. With a $38 billion state budget deficit and a recall effort in place, the fight to preserve ADAP has just begun. APLA will continue to speak up for the many people whose lives depend on this critical program.Which probably is also something you should be considering when and if you get to vote on this lovely recall in October. Which candidates are looking to pin our deficit on people with HIV? You know, that tripling of our vehicle registration rates is excessive, but I'm not going to DIE if I can't afford to drive. There are hard choices to make. Some are harder to live with than others.