Quarantine: Population 1

I don’t want to scare you guys or anything, but I appear to have contracted a pox. The entire front of my torso is covered is an artistic array of pink spots, bumps, and, er, freckly-looking things. Actually, they’re more of a dusty rose. And also actually, my back is probably covered, too, but it’s harder to tell. Too bad I don’t have a boyfriend to look for me. Maybe I should advertise on Craig’s List?

Me: Cute, brunette, tends towards the masochistic (run a marathon before breakfast, anyone?)
You: Tall, dark, observant.
We’ll spend our hot, steamy nights comparing my mottled skin to sexy internet descriptions (WebMD: Rash, age 12 and over).

Hmmm, maybe my skin doctor would do a better job than my skin-rash fetishist, pedophile boyfriend (please confine your rash-looking to age 18 and over, sir).

So this pox first showed up about a week ago, and doesn’t seem to be getting better. I don’t want to jump to any conclusions, but, show of hands, how many of you think it’s possible I’m allergic to running?

I know, that sounds kind of out there. But listen to the facts:

• I have not bought any new clothes, gym or otherwise in months.
  
• I have not changed my detergent or soap recently.
  
• I have not changed my exercise routine recently (meaning frequency or time of day), EXCEPT
  
• I recently switched the bulk of my cardio exercise from the elliptical machine to the treadmill.
  

It’s a little hard to argue with the facts, non?

The only other possibility is that it’s somehow related to the dry air due to sub-freezing temperatures and over-active heaters (perhaps with slightly dusty filters, as would decidedly NOT be the case in my apartment).

But that doesn’t seem very logical, does it?

*******

In other news, I had intended this post to be about how much I loved my long runs, and how, at seven miles, with a little judicious rounding-up, I was practically at marathon distance already.

That was before I did the seven-mile run that was supposed to prompt these poetic musings. Yeah, my run on Saturday sucked a lot. I ran too fast in the first couple of miles, and I started hurting by mile four, especially my knees, which are what I’m most paranoid about.

But, I did a little internet therapy, and I think it’s just a little Chondromalacia of the patella (hee. Say that three times fast), which doesn’t sound tragic. I’ve decided that this week—which, according to my pre-training training schedule, was meant to be low mileage for recovery—I’ll go back to the elliptical to give my knees a break, while also doing to weight training to help develop my shins and quads. Plus, I clearly need some new shoes.

Hey, if my rash goes away while I ellipse all week, does that prove I’m allergic to running?