Running with Mono

I'm proud of you man, seriously. It's hard at that age to demonstrate that kind of maturity and restraint, especially with what appears to be at stake, but the risk is FAR TOO GREAT. I don't care if anyone else has managed to pull it off before. It would be stupid, not just foolish, but stupid to run.

Please don't run. you have cemented your legacy - you can only detract from it if you run when you are ill (and you are ill) and post a sub par time.

Congratulations on your great season, I am sure you will have many more when you are 100% healthy.

Take the time to rest and enjoy the rest of your high school days.

I WONDER IF THIS IS ACTUALLY CHRIS DERRICK OR JUST AN IMPOSTER?!?!?!?!?

CHRISTOPHER IS THAT REALLY YOU?!?!?

Hey, this is themanontherun/CGull, and I think I know who this is. You have an amazing future ahead of you, and while there will always be the question "what could have been," you also have to think of "what could be." You're a rare combination of great talent and a great developmental program in HS, and I'm sure you'll have many successes in college and beyond. I'm very sorry that this happened when it did, and I wish you a quick recovery and the best of luck in the future.

-Connor

Sick as a Dog wrote:

Thanks a lot guys for all the thoughtful responses. After consulting with my coaches I am leaning very strongly towards not running.

Best of luck, Chris. Was looking forward to the postseason and some serious sh1t going down amongst you guys.

I am pretty sure the original poster was really Chris Derrick or at least someone from the NV team posting on his behalf. The news only broke today that he had mono, but it said in a milesplit article that he found out yesterday, which is when this thread was made. I feel bad for you chris, but hopefully you recover and rock the pac 10 next year.

Chris, if this is you I would like to say as a top runner who has had many injuries and missed out on some great opportunities, I know how frustrated, angry, depressed and upset you must feel. Try not to let the "what-ifs" eat at you. In the grand scheme of things high school really doesn't matter. College and beyond do. Once you fully recover use this as motivation to grind in the training and get some redemption.

Also, I have tremendously enjoyed reading your blog. After Fout started posting I was thinking, "They should ask Chris Derrick to write a blog." Can't wait to read future entries.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

You've made the right move Chris.

The one thing I've learned form Lauren Fleshman (bear with me here... I know this seems lame at first) is that being proud of what you do can come in many forms. I remember a quote from a video of her in which she says something to the extent of "2004 was my most proud year, not because I performed the best, or ran the most PB's, or put in the best training, but rather because I was injured for most of the year and learned the most about myself out of any of my years spent running... I came back and ran better than anyone expected... even myself".

I took that lesson and have been thinking about it for the last year... I've had 2 major injuries (more than a month off from running) in the last year, and now I see 2007 as a year somewhat like ms. Fleshman's... I was out the entire month of june, and only ran 150 total miles during the summer, yet I still ran varsity on my team of all-Americans and stunned people's expectations.

I'm injured again, and maybe you shouldn't be taking advice from a 10:00 2miler, but... I always come up with a motto to live by during each season to try and improve myself... For the rest of 2008, my motto is BELIEFS/expectations. You'll probably fall out of the spotlight a little bit, but because you believe (in yourself) you'll kill people's (and your own) expectations upon return.

good luck, and best wishes.

Look at Kenny Cormier. He ran with mono for several months and even after he rested and got well, he couldn't recover like he used to and stopped enjoying running like he used to. Mono is not a big deal if treated promtly and properly, but if you let it go, it's a total bitch.

DONT do it, and your doc should tell you the same... I know there is A LOT of pressure for you to run but stay away.... You have a exponentially higher risk of BURSTING YOUR SPLEEN with such a hard effort... My dad (Dr.) confirmed this so as to not make me sound like an idiot in here... Don't do it, your health comes first...

Well done, good choice, good luck @ Stanford.

I tried to push through having mono.

I ended up in the hospital and remained sick for TWO YEARS. The struggles that I've had in returning to running are huge compared to if I had just completely rested when I was first diagnosed and missed a couple months.