Weekly Workout Update

Monday March 22 - Sunday March 28

Mon - Sun:     A whole lot of nothing! 

I was pretty sick all week (third cold since Dec - not good) and it took all of me to get through work, let alone do any workouts.  Plus I am pretty sure this is what my doc meant by take care of yourself and not to overdue it - I made sure to give myself plenty of vitamins and rest.  This next week's weather is supposed to be amazing and I hope to be out and about.

Also, as a cap to the week, I threw out my neck - I guess that is what you call it, I woke up Sat. morning and could not move my neck to the right... so I am hoping to get that worked out as well.  At this point I was laughing to myself, 'what else can I get?'  I mean really, have I not been dealt enough, could the fates spare me the kinked neck and a week long cold?

The best thing this week was that we purchased a new grill (very exciting - cause nothing screams good weather like grilling).  Our old one was awful and after some research we decided to go with the Weber Genesis e-310.  It was amazing, last night we cooked some chicken and it cooked evenly, who new that grills could do that.  I know, my life is SO exciting. :)

And for a little bit of hope

I have been reading a lot about this recently - I think if you have MS there is no way you have not heard of this, but I was proud of the Akron Beacon Journal in printing this article.  Anyway, as you will see it a totally different approach to MS and a little bright spot of hope for MSers.

Read for yourself :)

Published on Tuesday, Mar 23, 2010- Akron Beacon Journal
WASHINGTON: Under intense pressure from patients, some U.S. doctors are cautiously testing a provocative theory that abnormal blood drainage from the brain may play a role in multiple sclerosis — and that a surgical vein fix might help.
If it pans out, the approach suggested by a researcher in Italy could mark a vast change for MS, a disabling neurological disease long blamed on an immune system gone awry. But many patients frustrated by today's limited therapies say they don't have time to await the carefully controlled studies needed to prove if it really works and are searching out vein-opening treatment now — undeterred by one report of a dangerous complication.
''This made sense and I was hell-bent on doing it,'' said Nicole Kane Gurland of Bethesda, Md., the first to receive the experimental treatment at Washington's Georgetown University Hospital, which is set to closely track how a small number of patients fare before and after using a balloon to widen blocked veins.
In Buffalo, N.Y., more than 1,000 people applied for 30 slots in a soon-to-start study of that same angioplasty procedure.
The demand worries Georgetown neurologist Dr. Carlo Tornatore, who teamed with vascular surgeon Dr. Richard Neville in hopes of getting some evidence to guide his own patients' care.
''A lot of people are starting to go to fly-by-night places,'' said Tornatore. Doing this research takes time, he said. ''It's a marathon, not a 100-yard sprint. We have to be very careful.''
Multiple sclerosis occurs when the protective insulation, called myelin, that coats nerve fibers gradually is destroyed and scar tissue builds up, short-circuiting messages from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body — impairing walking and causing fatigue and vision, speech, memory and other problems. It affects about 2.5 million people worldwide, including 350,000 Americans.
A condition with an unwieldy name has become the hottest topic of debate in MS: Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency, or CCSVI. An Italian vascular specialist, Dr. Paolo Zamboni, was hunting ways to help his wife's MS when he discovered that veins carrying oxygen-depleted blood down the neck or spinal cord were narrowed, blocked or twisted in a group of patients. Zamboni reported that made blood back up in a way that might be linked to MS' damage.
Then came the step that spread excitedly through MS patient Internet forums: In a pilot study, Zamboni's team used balloon angioplasty — similar to a longtime method for unclogging heart arteries — to widen affected veins in 65 patients. He reported varying degrees of improvement.
But nearly half had their veins relapse, and Zamboni urged a larger, more scientifically controlled study be done.

Weekly Workout Update

Monday March 15 - Sunday March 21

• Monday Mar 8 - off
• Tuesday Mar 9 - 3 mi run
• Wednesday Mar 10 -1 mi walk with dog, 2 mi run, 1 hour yoga
• Thursday Mar 11 - 3 mi run
• Friday Mar 12 -off
• Saturday Mar13 - 1 hour bike ride (with new pedals & shoes)
• Sunday Mar 14 - 3 mi run

OK, the weather this past week was PERFECT!!  I had a good week of working out, partially because I took 2.5 days off from work.  Unfortunately, after my Thursday run my entire left arm went numb for a few hours and had me a bit freaked out.  Luckily it came back in full force (which means my fears of a new attack are gone) but I was sure to take Friday as a non-workout day.

For those of you that are worried, I am doing fairly well, the blog below was in reference to the numb arm.  I am not sure that I will ever get used to the thought of having MS attacks, and every time something 'pops' up I have the fear that this will be the next one.  I plan to be as honest as possible on this blog, partially for me but also to have people understand what it is like to live/deal with a chronic disease.  Sometimes that means a happy - joy filled - wondrous day and sometimes that means I am gloomy.

Reeling

It has  been 4 months since my diagnosis.  Although I have found myself getting stronger with all of this, I still know that I am still reeling from it all; those moments when I really FEEL everything that has taken place in the past few months and those times that I am humbled and brought down to reality.  I know to most of you that this is just words, you will not see me at those moments when I break down - when I allow the demons in my head to win.  I just want to say that this has been a tough few months and that I struggle A LOT more than I might want to admit.  It is also tiring to be strong for other people, I want to tell people that I am sad, that this is the toughest thing that I have ever had to deal with, but I keep my head up and I pretend.  

But I am tired.  All the time lately. And I want to be strong.  But I am not right now.  I want something to work out for me.  But it isn't.  How do you keep yourself happy when you just have nothing left to give?

So I have turned to music.  I have always felt that music speaks to the soul.  I do not have a favorite band or song, because music speaks to my mood for that moment.  Usually I find a  song that just seems to reach down deep inside me and say what I am feeling.

Recently I have been on a Citizen Cope kick and below are his lyrics for "Sideways".  Although I think the song was written for lost love, I found the lyrics to be very close to what I have felt dealing with all of these things.  The words do not give justice to the emotion that he sings with, but I felt that I wanted to share.

'You know it ain't easy
For these thoughts here to leave me
There's no words to describe it
In French or in English
Cause, diamonds they fade
And flowers they bloom
And I'm telling you

These feelings won't go away
They've been knockin' me sideways
They've been knockin' me out, 

These feelings won't go away
They've been knockin' me sideways
I keep thinking in a moment that, time will take them away

But these feelings won't go away...

These feelings won't go away...

It ain't easy
For these thoughts here to leave me
there's no words to describe it
In French or in English
These diamonds they fade
And flowers they bloom
I'm telling you

These feelings won't go away
They've been knockin' me sideways
They've been knockin' me out, babe

These feelings won't go away
They've been knockin' me sideways
I keep thinking any moment that
Time will take them away

These feelings won't go away
They've been knockin' me sideways
I keep thinking any moment that
Time will take them away

These feelings won't go away... 

These feelings won't go away...

The diamonds they fade
The flowers they bloom
I'm telling you
I'm telling you

The diamonds they fade
The flowers they bloom
I'm telling you
I'm telling you

These feelings won't go away
They've been knockin' me sideways
They've been knockin' me out babe

These feelings won't go away
They've been knockin' me sideways
I keep thinking any moment that
Time will take them away...'

Weekly Workout Update

Monday March 8 - Sunday March 14

• Monday Mar 8 - off
• Tuesday Mar 9 - 4.5 mi run
• Wednesday Mar 10 -1 hour trainer ride
• Thursday Mar 11 - off
• Friday Mar 12 -off
• Saturday Mar13 - 1 hour yoga
• Sunday Mar 14 - 3 mi run

Wow, what a difference a little better weather has on me.  I slightly overdid it on Tuesday (the weather was PERFECT) with a 4.5 mi run and half of that being up hill.  I was a little sore & tired for Wed & Thurs, but I could not help it with this weather.  Over all this has been a good week, I felt fairly energetic and I feel like I am getting my legs under me.  I also listened to my body when I over did it on Tues, using a recovery spin out on Wed and taking Thurs & Fri off for muscle recovery.


Spring Training Plans:
This next week starts my pre-pre training for the AK -Marathon.  It will begin a really slow build of mileage, with a little speed work in the mix - something to focus on when the cold spring rains come down.  I am also sticking with my heart rate training which means my slow long runs on the weekend are actually REALLY slow, I think someone could pass me walking.  I am hoping that my aerobic capacity will increase and in turn mean that 60 - 70 % of my MHR will eventually mean a more normal running rate.

I finally ordered clip-less pedals and shoes for my road bike - I know, I know long time coming.  I hope that this means a little more time on the bike this year, I neglected my roadie last year to learn to mountain bike, but this year with decreased vision I think I will make it a little more even between the two.  I am a little nervous about my depth perception and mountain biking, but I will try it out a few times.


Swimming has come to a stand still right now, I have not been motivated to get into the chlorine - I guess I am ready for some open water.  I am hoping to get into the pool at least once a week, but there is no definite goal that I am reaching for.  Still trying to decide if I am even going to do a tri this summer...we will see.

I will be attending the CTC Spring training camp (April 16- 18 at Mohican) and hopefully that will help to tune in some skills.


Race Plans:
Sat May 8 - Emerald Crossings 4 mi Trail Run
Mon May 31 - Tallmadge Memorial Day 5 K
Sun June 6 - Twinsberg Duathlon
Sat June 19 - Jim Klett 10 K
Sat July 3 - Stow Firecracker 4 mi
Sat July 10 - Mohican 11 mi Xterra Trail Race
Sun Aug 29 - Buckeye Half Marathon
Sat Sept 18 - Air Force 10K
Sat Sept 25 - Akron Marathon


I am sure a few more may get added here and there, but this is a fairly good schedule for me to start with.


With the sun out and a nice run last week, I finally felt like it is running season!

Yummy Food

My mother and father are heading out for a week in Ireland (so jealous) and I wanted to say goodbye.  Unfortunately, I was working too much this week to actually see them.  I was talking to my mother and she said that restaurant Vegiterranean, which is already a vegan restaurant, has gluten free selections as well.  So I decided since it is close to my job to meet her there for lunch.  Now this is a big deal because so far I have only eaten out once for the month and half since I have been dairy & gluten free and the meal was so-so at best.

At first I was put off by all the meat knock off items and soy cheeses, I mean how could that be good, but I was totally surprised at how good it was.  I ordered the Ghoulardi Gluten-Free pizza; which included olives, banana peppers, red onions, wild mushrooms, spicy marinara and soy mozzarella.  Holy cow, it really hit that pizza craving and the soy cheese actually tasted like normal cheese (of course they do not pile it on too crazy).  I also felt somewhat normal for a second, just going out to eat like it is a regular occurrence.


Anyway, I wanted to plug such a good restaurant; local, dairy free (with gluten free choices) and yummy!

Awareness

MS Awareness Week is this week!

You can find more info here.  Wear your orange, sign up for a local MS race or walk, or give some love to someone you know who has MS.

AND I will keep hoping and fighting for my health!

 

 

Weekly Workout Update

Monday March 1 - Sunday March 7

• Monday Mar 1 - off
• Tuesday Mar 2 - 45 min Circuit & 2 mi run
• Wednesday Mar 3 -off
• Thursday Mar 4 - off
• Friday Mar 5 -2 mi run
• Saturday Mar 6 - 1 hour cycling
• Sunday Mar 7 - off

Had a lot going on this week, which meant some missed workouts (which stinks), but the sun is shining so I am hoping to get more done this week.

Hm

I think it is funny when people have a health scare they say things like " well at least it was not MS or cancer".  I guess they don't realize that at times there are people around who do have MS (or cancer).