Runner's Anemia + UCP Half Marathon Training: 3 weeks to go

This has been my mantra for the week.  After absolutely DRAGGING for the last month or so, I broke down and went to the doctor.  My iron was extremely low, and the doctor recommended a supplement for me.  She said it would take a week or so to build my levels back up, but I should start feeling the effects soon.

Apparently, runner's anemia, especially in women, is extremely common.  Due to the extra amounts of exercise, low-iron intake, and losing iron through running in your foot-strike, runners usually have low iron.  For the past month (ish), I've felt drained.  Not just sleepy, but can't-take-another-step, absolutely bone-deep weary.  It has gradually gotten worse.  On Wednesday, I felt like I was in a fog all morning. I couldn't focus, I was freezing cold, and I just felt "out of it".  I broke down, took half a day off, and went to the doctor for some bloodwork.  Somewhere in the midst of drawing 4 viles of blood, I blacked out.  Not completely, but enough that I was seeing black spots and according to the nurse, turned really pale.  Not cool.  My bloodwork came back excellent, all except for very low iron.  The doctor recommended that I try a supplement first, and if that didn't work, they could do iron infusions.

So, my weekly workouts looked like this:

Monday: REST

Tuesday: REST

Wednesday:  5 miles on the dreadmill.  Thank you Netflix and Gossip Girl reruns.  (I've REALLY tried to get into Orange Is The New Black, because I've heard so many great things about it.  I just can't do it.)

Thursday:  Parent Conference Day at school for TWELVE WHOLE HOURS.  That's enough for anyone.

Friday: REST

Saturday: 17 miles walking around the pumpkin patch.... (Ok, that is a slight exaggeration, but WHEW! That place was exhausting!  Fun, but exhausting!)

Sunday: 10 miles in 1:28:35 with Anna. That's an average pace of 8:51 per mile, which is spot-on for my goal half.

**Note:  I started taking my supplement (I.E.  Women's One a Day, with 100% of the daily recommendation for iron) on Friday, and by Sunday, I was already feeling better.  I felt like a whole new woman on my long run. Not completely back to my usual hyper self, but DEFINITELY better!