The Tickly Throat and the Color Run

It’s weird having a tickle in my throat that doesn't go away.  It’s most pronounced in the morning, and some nights I fall asleep thinking, maybe it’ll be gone in the morning.  But to greet me at first light is that scratching in the larynx which precedes the seizing of the vocal cords.  If I can think about it in time, I can force deep breaths down through my nose, and it tampers down the clenching and I can breathe unobstructed.  But there are times—while exercising, drinking water—when it’ll start and I have to stop what I’m doing, cough or otherwise clear the passageway before starting my breathing exercises. 

I think my nerves affect the fluttering of my vocal folds as well, and I sometimes experience difficulty or pain while talking.  My voice cracks as it did through puberty, and volume modulation sometimes gets away from me.  I wish I could say that the conditions seem transient, but I've had them long enough that I anticipate being able to show, rather than relate, the condition to the Otolaryngologist (ENT) when I see him the week after next.

***

It was packet pickup day Thursday for the Color Run Cincinnati.  Laurie organized a group of runners including herself, her daughter Mallory, fellow Five Seasoner Nadya, my sister Sarah, and yours truly.  Rather than making duplicate treks downtown, Sarah and I volunteered to pick up the groups’ packets at Great American Ballpark.  It was a beautiful day and gave up a great chance to stretch our legs in conditions similar to the race.  On the way back, with race bags hanging from all shoulders, we joined our father, who works right off Fountain Square, for our favorite lunch, Fusian Sushi.

At 7:40, on a bright and beautiful Saturday morn, we rendezvoused at our chosen meeting spot, and walked as a team to race central, the Longworth Hall parking lot.  The course was cleverly designed to have the starting gate and staging area on one end, the Party Zone concourse in the middle, and the finish line at the other end.  Every member had to use the restroom and we waited and waited in the lines for the Porta-Potties.  But the long queues for the bathroom were nothing in comparison to the massive column of participants lining up at the start.  Indeed, the Color Run sold out Friday and there were thousands and thousands of eagered runners ready to hit the 3.1 miles of the 5K course. 

It is a credit to the organizers of this fun run that though we waited through 55 minutes of staggered wave starts, the crowd was entertained by an awesome emcee and thumping music.  I was anticipatory rather than antsy, as we worked our way to the starting gate.  It felt like getting ready and then boarding a roller coaster, and when we heard the GO!, it was adrenaline that got me going. 

I felt great while running, my endurance strong.  I didn't stop jogging until entering the first coloring station, where I waited to a healthy spraying of red powder.  Feeling like a battle painted Native American warrior, I was energized coming out of the station and ran-ran-ran to the next powder station, Blue.  With these little respites every quarter of the race, water breaks every mile, and having to slow down due to bunching, I was able to keep a nice pace as I was healthily doused in purple and finally yellow.  As Sarah overtook me right at the finish, crossing tauntingly just ahead, we received powder bombs of orange. 

Laurie and Nadya finished a couple of minutes after us, at the time of 39 minutes so I unofficially finished in, say, 37 minutes taking nine minutes off my Flying Pig time and 15 minutes off my first 5K, the Heart Mini in March!  We said congratulations all around and, while enjoying snacks and drinks, admired each other as unique pieces of art.  We color bombed one another, and partied amongst our fellow fun runners in massive clouds of color.  What a great morning!