Happy Birthday To Me!

Today is my birthday, and one of my presents to myself was the day off!

In spite of my recent frustrations, I had a fun birthday. I slept in a bit, then made a breakfast smoothie and read the morning news. After that I deposited a check for Dan and then did some thrift/consignment shopping. I found some great stuff, including sweaters by Abercrombie & Fitch and J. Crew. I also got a tall (about 4' high) wrought iron candle holder and candle, but Dan has some silly notion that Tidbit is going to knock it over and eat the candle, so this may not end up being a workable addition to our very humble abode.

After I finished my shopping I dropped by the expo. Am I the only weirdo who goes to a marthon expo and ends up buying a pair of cycling tights?

I saw a few of my friends, but not as many as I had hoped. That was probably because any of my friends not actually working the expo were at their offices today. I wandered around for awhile, checking out all the things for sale, looking for sport socks with bunnies on them (apparently none exist), sampling Clif bars, vitamins and anything else I could get. I picked up some info on the Austin marathon and they gave me a magnet, too. I looked at the Houston marathon merchandise for sale, but it only made me feel bad. It would really be nice if just for once I could have a normal healthy training season and be strong and ready to go on the day of my hometown marathon. You wouldn't think that would be such a tall order.

After I left the expo I went and sat in the steam room at the Y. I did three sessions, each time sitting in there for as long as I could stand it. By the time I was done my skin was pinker than a baby doll's. The steam did seem to help for awhile, but after I came home and took a nap I was coughing again worse than before. Well, at least I have my voice back and that's nice. I'm definitely on the mend and if the marathon were scheduled for Monday, I think I'd make it.

I bought some more of everything tonight at Whole Foods, then came home and took it all. But I'm really beyond the point of believing that herbs, vitamins and homeopathic remedies are going to be anything more than palliative. I did the research and there is nothing to be done for bronchitis but wait it out. I'm going to go downstairs to the gym in the morning and get on the elliptical trainer just to see how my lungs react. If I can handle it, I'll try the treadmill next and then go outdoors. But I'm honestly not expecting very much. I just want to know when I'm standing on the street corner Sunday morning waiting for the runners to come by that I did everything I could and it really wasn't possible for me this year.