Toning it down.

It's amazing how a little rest can rejuvenate the body. I have cut my weekly mileage in half since the 50K I ran the first week of March. Although I had a great race and ran better than I had in a long time, my body felt stressed for about two weeks after that race. Sometimes it's difficult for us runners or otherwise athletic types to slow down. In my case I had no choice. Minor discomfort in my chest and creaking bones made be do it. All that is gone now.
2 to 4 mile weekly runs and 10 or so mile long weekend runs is all I've done the last two weeks. Last Sunday's bicycle ride was also a welcomed change of pace.
At yesterday's weekly group run I had the pleasure of running with my good buddy Tom. Tom is rarely able to make the Thursday night runs so it was a treat having his company. My legs and lungs felt so good, I was running strong going up the climbs at Eisenhower park. This was due to the toned down routine the last two weeks, no doubt.
I am not without health issues though. I saw my Doc yesterday and although she was impressed with my blood work results there is a problem with eczema on my lower legs and a chronic chapped lower lip. She ordered more blood drawn to check for a vitamin deficiency and referred me to a dermatologist. The eczema has been a problem for many years. As a child, just playing in the grass would sometimes cause welts on my legs. Now I'm running in the trails! It's not a terrible case of eczema though. Compared to cases I've seen while researching info on the net. But it's annoying. The lip issue is new. I eat exceptionally well! Except for Beer occasionally. So what can it be? Supplements I take? Krill oil, Ubiquinol, Cordyceps, Amla. Or can it be I'm allergic to some of the many raw vegetables I eat? Could it be too much of a good thing? My usual weekday lunch contains a variation of raw spinach, brussel sprouts, asparagus, red onions, red bell pepper, garlic, hemp seeds, almond chips, blue cheese, tomatoes, hummus, olive oil, and/or apple cider vinegar among other things. Maybe I need to tone this down too. Hopefully the dermatologist can give me a clue. In the meantime I guess I'll start eliminating some of the things I consume one at a time.