I can't tell you how many times I hear "I would love to do a 5K, but... ", or "I would love to go to the gym but... "! I have friends, colleagues, or just random people that see what I’m doing and they tell me, "I would love to do what you do but.. " then they insert one of a few generic excuses in there. I bet any one of you can recite them as you've heard them too. "I don’t have time, I'm too busy, the kids are busy, I'm too out of shape to start to work out, its too expensive to join a gym... etc."
No one believes me that you CAN make time for yourself. John and I don’t have children so everyone assumes I have all the time in the world. I assure you, I'm just as busy as the next person.. BUT don't take it from me! I have friends that have not one, but multiple children (some up to four and five). Single parents, parents of traveling spouses, parents of special needs children, you name it AND THEY DO IT. So here's my motivation.. STOP MAKING EXCUSES. YOU CAN DO IT.. but here's the kicker..
ONLY IF YOU WANT TO! Ask yourself, do you WANT to? if you don’t REALLY want to, stop there, and stop staying "I'd love to..... " if you do want to.. make a change, make a choice, and DO IT!
At any given time, there's 47 other things I SHOULD be doing, my house is a wreck, my car needs an oil change (actually I have a leak that I have to get checked out before it dies). I need to write my thank you's for my Pan Mass Challenge donations! I need to ... well everything!.... I choose to get up 3 hours before the SUN gets up so I can work out. I choose this lifestyle. I don't love it every day, but I know I have to do it.
Laura's Myth #1:
Gyms are expensive.
Gym's aren't expensive! You can find 'cheap' ones. You do get what you pay for though. I found a Bally's for $24 a month and it includes a pool. There are many out there that are less than a coffee! You can work out at home for sure, but will you be disciplined there? I personally am not.
Laura Myth #2
You have to get in shape to get in shape. Pulaheese... really? walk in place while watching your fav tv show, lift the green bean cans. Set a goal. People look at me like I've set some crazy goal to do triathlons, really it's not outlandish for any of you! You CAN walk the run, you CAN use your banana seat bike with the basket (we all might giggle at the pics, but you CAN). Setting a goal of something like a triathlon or a 5K is so much more fun than "I will get fit before I set that goal.." BOORRING... and you will lose interest!
Laura Myth #3
You don’t have time.
Yes you do.. Some of the people I know can fit in IRONMAN training while holding up families, coaching soccer, etc it takes discipline, dedication and the desire to actually do it. Time management... You have to want it. Figure out how to multitask if that's your issue. If they can do that, why can’t you do that 5K you claim to “want to do?”
Laura Myth #4
Laura's a positive person - LOL.. ok, in all seriousness, I try to be - but sometimes it can be tough. Like today's post.. well, obviously spawned by the straw that broke the camel's back! Either DO IT.. or admit that you don’t want to :).
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Monday, January 31, 2011
The Lazy Planner
I've always been jealous of those people who remember every birthday and send cards. I mean to, sometimes I buy cards but they just sit on the table, oh how horrible I feel when that happens. I'm thankful for facebook for that alone; just the ability to say "Happy Birthday." I know the card is nice, but at least I'm not a COMPLETE jerk anymore!
I always say, and this isn't a cliche, I really always say this.. I'm successful because I'm lazy! I don't want to do something over and over again so I find ways to make things easier! I'm a geek, I design processes and code at work to make things easier, because I DON'T WANT TO DO THEM! I eliminate steps, I live for the simplicity, especially when it comes to planning my food. I believe this is my downfall.
I've tried every diet out there over the years. The stupid to the expensive and not scalable and everything in between. None of which have worked for me simply because I'm a lazy planner. Slimfast, Jenny Craig, Atkins, Weight Watchers, etc. I know that I need to plan my diet, not only for the simple math to lose weight and gain muscle, but I also need to account for how I am going to fuel my Ironman dreams here or risk injury.
I know what I need to do, but life is going by so fast, and its so easy to just pick up a bagel or just buy an oatmeal for breakfast. I'm using my new smoothie maker but I don't always have the fresh fruit! I feel like I'm having an argument with myself "I KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW.. "
The last few months have throw my whole planning cycle off in general but I'm ready to get back in the game! I find that preparing my food ahead of time also helps. I have to prepare my breakfast, but I know I can't change my laziness habits! For example, I make quiche using a 9x13 pan, egg beaters and I cut it and eat it like a donut in the car on the way to work. I know it would take 3 minutes to eat it at the table but for some reason I won't. Some things won't change so I won't try .... I guess it's up to me to figure out what I can change, and it's up to me to figure out what personality traits I need to work around.
The funny thing is I'm very, VERY anal! Im a Type A to the CORE! -Just ask my husband, or anyone who has ever lived with me! I LIKE to plan, I like things planned out! I just can't seem to get it straight on my food! Maybe admitting this will keep me honest.
Now to go MAKE the quiche for the week so I stop buying the bagels!
**I'll post the Quiche recipe in the Facebook page**
ADDED 2/1- I thought I'd add Coach Alexis comment directly to the blog post because its most excellent.. see the comments for more details.
The smartest thing to do is take it one step at at a time. (Not sure if you read my newsletter yet.)
Meal prep is great...eating in the car so-so, but if it's a healthier meal, fine. Don't worry about having fresh fruits, buy frozen for a few reasons:
1. You'll always have some available
2. You'll still get the vitamins you need
3. They won't go bad
4. You don't have to thaw them out, just pop them in your blender
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Rebuilding Humpty Dumpty
What an awful nursery rhyme isn't it?
This time of year, everyone is rebuilding. It's New Year's resolution time, time to rebuild your stamina, rebuild your base for training, rebuild your confidence, etc. This year, I've had to start all over and LITERALLY rebuild my body. The process has been very interesting. I hope my EDS peeps can take something from this too!
The human body continues to amaze me in its ability to compensate. It will find a way to "work"; if one part doesn't want to cooperate, another part will fill in!
The front of my neck is extremely weak, making any exercises that require my head to be held up (like sit ups, crunches, etc) impossible without throwing my neck out of place (the cause of my migraines). So I spend lots of time doing these isolating exercises on the front of my neck. Lifting my head and holding (rather than poking my chin).
My upper back is rather weak as well, so I am doing very, very specific isolating exercises and weight training on these muscles. Bent over the ball, I's, T's, and Y's, very specific - concentration on form as to get the exact muscle contraction. I've learned that if I don't specifically concentrate, my body can use different muscles that are stronger. Since my upper back is weak, my body always pushes toward the triceps and biceps and I "roll" towards them so I have to be very deliberate!
Next, the CORE (don't we all have this problem). Since I can't do any normal sit-up/crunch, I have to do alternative exercises such as Pilates 100 with my head on the floor, or the dreaded PLANK. Plank and Side Plank are very hard to keep a form for my body since I have lots of weak spots. My strong muscles want to take over so I 'lean' to those spots, its pretty interesting now that I know this! One of these days I will be able to stay straight.
Lastly, the Hips and Rear! My hips have always been a problem. Last summer, I was going to Physical Therapy because they thought I had bursitis, then tendinitis. (It is very typical to have pains mis-diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos). Turns out, just have to work the muscles to strengthen! I hate! I mean HATE working this one! But, I know it needs to be done or it will get worse! The left side in particular needs some foam rolling daily before I can lay on it to begin the exercise and its very painful! I have Clam shells, and Windshield Wipers to do with the hips and by the time I'm done I can certainly feel it.
The above is basically my physical therapy! I have a few other joints I need to keep moving such as my rotator cuff, but that in itself can take up to an hour! Tack on some needed runing, biking, and swimming and I'm going to be at the gym for multiple hours a day here very shortly! I can't even imagine what's going to happen once I get into my real schedule for the Half-Ironman that I have on the schedule this year! That should start Feb 1.
All the Kings Horses and All the Kings Men.. well.. I'm here to prove you wrong!
This time of year, everyone is rebuilding. It's New Year's resolution time, time to rebuild your stamina, rebuild your base for training, rebuild your confidence, etc. This year, I've had to start all over and LITERALLY rebuild my body. The process has been very interesting. I hope my EDS peeps can take something from this too!
The human body continues to amaze me in its ability to compensate. It will find a way to "work"; if one part doesn't want to cooperate, another part will fill in!
The front of my neck is extremely weak, making any exercises that require my head to be held up (like sit ups, crunches, etc) impossible without throwing my neck out of place (the cause of my migraines). So I spend lots of time doing these isolating exercises on the front of my neck. Lifting my head and holding (rather than poking my chin).
My upper back is rather weak as well, so I am doing very, very specific isolating exercises and weight training on these muscles. Bent over the ball, I's, T's, and Y's, very specific - concentration on form as to get the exact muscle contraction. I've learned that if I don't specifically concentrate, my body can use different muscles that are stronger. Since my upper back is weak, my body always pushes toward the triceps and biceps and I "roll" towards them so I have to be very deliberate!
Next, the CORE (don't we all have this problem). Since I can't do any normal sit-up/crunch, I have to do alternative exercises such as Pilates 100 with my head on the floor, or the dreaded PLANK. Plank and Side Plank are very hard to keep a form for my body since I have lots of weak spots. My strong muscles want to take over so I 'lean' to those spots, its pretty interesting now that I know this! One of these days I will be able to stay straight.
Lastly, the Hips and Rear! My hips have always been a problem. Last summer, I was going to Physical Therapy because they thought I had bursitis, then tendinitis. (It is very typical to have pains mis-diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos). Turns out, just have to work the muscles to strengthen! I hate! I mean HATE working this one! But, I know it needs to be done or it will get worse! The left side in particular needs some foam rolling daily before I can lay on it to begin the exercise and its very painful! I have Clam shells, and Windshield Wipers to do with the hips and by the time I'm done I can certainly feel it.
The above is basically my physical therapy! I have a few other joints I need to keep moving such as my rotator cuff, but that in itself can take up to an hour! Tack on some needed runing, biking, and swimming and I'm going to be at the gym for multiple hours a day here very shortly! I can't even imagine what's going to happen once I get into my real schedule for the Half-Ironman that I have on the schedule this year! That should start Feb 1.
All the Kings Horses and All the Kings Men.. well.. I'm here to prove you wrong!
Friday, January 7, 2011
Everything I need to know... I learned in...
Well not kindergarten, actually the last few months. - and I think my brain might explode!
This post is mostly about EDS and how I'm working through the issues. If you don't care about the EDS, you can skip this one :). I promise to not make this blog ABOUT the disorder, but some of this needed to be said. Sorry this is a long one.
Ehlers Danlos Sydrome (EDS) Type 3 is my diagnosis and I'm not letting it define me, however I am learning about it and it is part of me. I've spent the last few months (among other miserable things), researching, moping, scaring myself, and eventually accepting.
The internet is a wonderful, but also scary place. I can't imagine getting this diagnosis 15 years ago, actually I wouldn't have received it before the internet. So many people are mis-diagnosed. I've been lucky! My doctors listened to me and confirmed what I discovered. I've had two physicians confirm my "Mild" EDS. I read way too much and was way too scared about what could happen to me. I read way to many things about people in wheelchairs, braces for every joint including their fingers, living in chronic pain, giving up their dreams, giving up work, active lifestyles, etc. I spent some time really being depressed about this, as I'm sure everyone that first gets this Dx does. Then, in Laura fashion I said "yea no one tells me No"...
I am clear from cardiac and neurological issues for now, thank god! I just have to worry about the joints. An EDS persons' ligaments are like worn out hair scrunchies, yea they sorta work and it depends on how you place them. The connective tissues in our joints are screwy and allow the bones to 'fall' out of place. All my life I thought this was just something cool I could do. Now with physical therapy, I realize that moving a joint outside its normal range of motion actually causes damage, and eventually osteo-arthritis. (If you know someone that does this, please tell them to stop)!
About 10 years ago I went to an orthopedic doctor because I thought I had arthritis in my knees, well now I know what it is! I learned that my knee caps sometimes sublux and are slightly out of place. I read and know of people where the entire knee is completely out of whack and they can't stand up though! (Thank god I'm not there)! The bones in my feet sometimes go out of place and make it really painful to walk. I can put most of my bones back in place but the bones in my feet are pretty difficult to put back. Most of the time I can just grin and bear it. I have my closet of pain killers, and luckily I have understanding physicians. Many physicians do not believe EDSers either because they don't understand EDS or they think the person with EDS is a hypochondriac (EDS isn't Refereed to as a ZEBRA for nothing.. it sounds like a horse, there are hooves, therefore it must be a horse.. ).
I learned that exercise keeps me in less-pain. The last couple months have been very frustrating and I just threw my arms up and became a lazy louse! It really made my joints and muscles hurt ten-fold! Lying around really takes a toll (in addition to packing on the pounds). I can literally feel the atrophy! EDSers- if I have to say one thing its EXERCISE, even the smallest, controlled movements help!
I spent the better part of last year learning to Chi-Run, working out, going to spin classes, and doing triathlons. It was AMAZING to learn how my body was compensating for its deficiencies! I thought I was strong, well I guess I am, but not as strong as I thought! My larger muscles such as quads, bicepts, tricepts, etc just work overtime and compensate for the smaller ones that don't want to work. I learned why my gluts and piriformis (muscles in my butt) would turn off or get these crazy knots/spasms in them - well they were working too hard to compensate! I have to use foam rollers and go to a massage therapist regularly to have fascial releases (very painful massage). People that think they've had deep tissue massage have NEVER EVER had a real deep tissue!!! I've never given birth to a child, but I suspect its up there with that pain ;). The end result is great though (in both cases most would argue).
I started seeing a Physical Therapist, she isolated my muscles and showed me just how weak I really am! Let me tell you, this is demoralizing! I have to do exercises to strengthen my back (bent over a ball, arms out behind, in a T or up in front), with zero or 1 pound weights.. yea pathetic, eh? Overhead press? Yea, had to relearn how to position my shoulders. I have to move more forward and use tiny-ass weights!
Before the diagnosis, I was just powering through this exercise before with my old weights using the wrong muscles, and it was wreaking havoc on my joints! Recently I felt terrible when I went to a boot-camp class and someone looked at the pile of weights and saw a 3lb set lying there (yes 3lb). This person I respect laughed (she didn't know they were mine). I will never again laugh at someone using small weights. It's not about how much weight! And lesson learned, you really never know what's going on so don't judge!
Probably the most ridicules thing was learning I have a bobble head. Yea sure I can lift my head up, but when isolating the muscles in the front of my neck, I discovered they are MUSH, mashed potatoes, jellyfish, (insert your own adjective).. I could not lift my head up to isolate these muscles and hold it for 15 seconds- YUP FIFTEEN SECONDS at a time. I was like COME ON! REALLY?? I can swim for miles and I can't hold my head up??
The body really is amazing in its' ability to compensate! I'm slowly building myself up to being able to hold that for 1 min at a time. CRAZY! EDSers, if you are doing this exercise, or anything really - we all do this - we poke our chins out instead of tucking and lifting. This is the KEY to my migraines, when I do the "poke", I knock out the vertebrae in my neck and cause them! I constantly correct my posture now. I always 'sink' into my body too, I find myself completely sunk down in my shoulders and chin jutted in toward the monitor (ok how many of you just straightened up?).
I'm also SHORT, so cars, desks, even restaurant booths are really not made for short people making getting ergonomically correct IMPOSSIBLE. I am a constant fidget! I learned that I'm doing this because my joints are just moving around so much! I wish I had this comeback for all the time my mom asked if I had "ants in my pants." or "Laura why can't you sit still?" -- "well mom, it HURTS!" (she never believed me)..
I've learned that even though my body CAN go way out of range, I shouldn't take it there. Also I've learned that I can't stretch like a normal person. I have insanely tight muscles (the big ones that get overused) and the joints are so mushy that I can't get a proper stretch. I've learned to modify. I used to take my leg and basically put my knee and ankle up my nose to stretch my glut. Well, this stresses the crap out of my hip.
I have learned to keep my hip where it belongs, this means having a real awareness of WHERE it belongs. It also means working out in front of a mirror. I really HATE this too.. last thing I want to look at is how much weight I've gained, and I somehow think that everyone around me is thinking "is that woman so vein that she has to watch herself work out?" but gotta do what I gotta do! In order to stretch my glut now, I have to use a foam roller and do it like a normal person even if I don't "FEEL" the stretch, moving out of the socket is BAD. I had no idea I was even doing this!
I learned I have an extremely exaggerated curve in my lower lumbar spine, to compensate for this, my hip flexors shortened and were rock hard. Over the years they stayed that way! When working out I was told to do a "pelvic tilt" - I would somehow bend my knees or squeeze my butt to get what I "thought" was a pelvic tilt. When going to the physical therapist, she asked me to do this knee bend squat that included a tilt, and I could not do it. I've never been so frustrated. It was like telling someone to rub their belly and pat their head and giggle as they couldn't do it, I felt so stupid!! Why was my body so uncooperative!
I went to the massage therapist and had a couple sessions of pretty painful work done on my hip flexors and she was able to release them for me. OMG!!! what a difference. My legs work properly now! WOW!They haven't moved like this in 25 years! I can now do that squat, and I learned why I run like a duck in Chi Running (check out the chi running posts if curious).
I learned I have never done a proper plank! This is particularly related to the hip flexors! They now FLEX MY HIPS - imagine that? I can do a pelvic tilt, squeeze my shoulders and get into a plank! Amazing! I am still having a lot of trouble with the side plank. I'm "Hanging" on my shoulders somehow. I have this same problem in the spin class, somehow I'm leaning on my shoulders but not distributing my weight or engaging my proper muscles. It is unbelievably frustrating.
I really have learned a ton in the last few months. I have to think about SO much when just MOVING, well I have to think even when laying or sitting on the couch. If I sit on the couch and my head is pushed forward, it will knock my neck out of place and cause a headache. If I lay on the couch on my side my shoulder will fall in on itself and my hip will also hurt. I have to be careful no matter what I do and I have to think about my body placement and posture no matter what!
If anyone that DOESN'T have EDS is still reading this, think about swimming or running and how you have to think about where your foot strikes the ground or where your body is while swimming (where does the arm enter the water), well that's what its like for EVERY SINGLE JOINT in an EDSers body.. we have to think about all of them because they don't go where they're supposed to go on their own!
If you have EDS and want to know more about the exercises I described above, check out the facebook page above to find me...or message me and I'll give you the details!
Well.. here's to it.. I made it to the gym yesterday, and I'm back on track!
How I was diagnosed
This post is mostly about EDS and how I'm working through the issues. If you don't care about the EDS, you can skip this one :). I promise to not make this blog ABOUT the disorder, but some of this needed to be said. Sorry this is a long one.
Ehlers Danlos Sydrome (EDS) Type 3 is my diagnosis and I'm not letting it define me, however I am learning about it and it is part of me. I've spent the last few months (among other miserable things), researching, moping, scaring myself, and eventually accepting.
The internet is a wonderful, but also scary place. I can't imagine getting this diagnosis 15 years ago, actually I wouldn't have received it before the internet. So many people are mis-diagnosed. I've been lucky! My doctors listened to me and confirmed what I discovered. I've had two physicians confirm my "Mild" EDS. I read way too much and was way too scared about what could happen to me. I read way to many things about people in wheelchairs, braces for every joint including their fingers, living in chronic pain, giving up their dreams, giving up work, active lifestyles, etc. I spent some time really being depressed about this, as I'm sure everyone that first gets this Dx does. Then, in Laura fashion I said "yea no one tells me No"...
I am clear from cardiac and neurological issues for now, thank god! I just have to worry about the joints. An EDS persons' ligaments are like worn out hair scrunchies, yea they sorta work and it depends on how you place them. The connective tissues in our joints are screwy and allow the bones to 'fall' out of place. All my life I thought this was just something cool I could do. Now with physical therapy, I realize that moving a joint outside its normal range of motion actually causes damage, and eventually osteo-arthritis. (If you know someone that does this, please tell them to stop)!
About 10 years ago I went to an orthopedic doctor because I thought I had arthritis in my knees, well now I know what it is! I learned that my knee caps sometimes sublux and are slightly out of place. I read and know of people where the entire knee is completely out of whack and they can't stand up though! (Thank god I'm not there)! The bones in my feet sometimes go out of place and make it really painful to walk. I can put most of my bones back in place but the bones in my feet are pretty difficult to put back. Most of the time I can just grin and bear it. I have my closet of pain killers, and luckily I have understanding physicians. Many physicians do not believe EDSers either because they don't understand EDS or they think the person with EDS is a hypochondriac (EDS isn't Refereed to as a ZEBRA for nothing.. it sounds like a horse, there are hooves, therefore it must be a horse.. ).
I learned that exercise keeps me in less-pain. The last couple months have been very frustrating and I just threw my arms up and became a lazy louse! It really made my joints and muscles hurt ten-fold! Lying around really takes a toll (in addition to packing on the pounds). I can literally feel the atrophy! EDSers- if I have to say one thing its EXERCISE, even the smallest, controlled movements help!
I spent the better part of last year learning to Chi-Run, working out, going to spin classes, and doing triathlons. It was AMAZING to learn how my body was compensating for its deficiencies! I thought I was strong, well I guess I am, but not as strong as I thought! My larger muscles such as quads, bicepts, tricepts, etc just work overtime and compensate for the smaller ones that don't want to work. I learned why my gluts and piriformis (muscles in my butt) would turn off or get these crazy knots/spasms in them - well they were working too hard to compensate! I have to use foam rollers and go to a massage therapist regularly to have fascial releases (very painful massage). People that think they've had deep tissue massage have NEVER EVER had a real deep tissue!!! I've never given birth to a child, but I suspect its up there with that pain ;). The end result is great though (in both cases most would argue).
I started seeing a Physical Therapist, she isolated my muscles and showed me just how weak I really am! Let me tell you, this is demoralizing! I have to do exercises to strengthen my back (bent over a ball, arms out behind, in a T or up in front), with zero or 1 pound weights.. yea pathetic, eh? Overhead press? Yea, had to relearn how to position my shoulders. I have to move more forward and use tiny-ass weights!
Before the diagnosis, I was just powering through this exercise before with my old weights using the wrong muscles, and it was wreaking havoc on my joints! Recently I felt terrible when I went to a boot-camp class and someone looked at the pile of weights and saw a 3lb set lying there (yes 3lb). This person I respect laughed (she didn't know they were mine). I will never again laugh at someone using small weights. It's not about how much weight! And lesson learned, you really never know what's going on so don't judge!
Probably the most ridicules thing was learning I have a bobble head. Yea sure I can lift my head up, but when isolating the muscles in the front of my neck, I discovered they are MUSH, mashed potatoes, jellyfish, (insert your own adjective).. I could not lift my head up to isolate these muscles and hold it for 15 seconds- YUP FIFTEEN SECONDS at a time. I was like COME ON! REALLY?? I can swim for miles and I can't hold my head up??
The body really is amazing in its' ability to compensate! I'm slowly building myself up to being able to hold that for 1 min at a time. CRAZY! EDSers, if you are doing this exercise, or anything really - we all do this - we poke our chins out instead of tucking and lifting. This is the KEY to my migraines, when I do the "poke", I knock out the vertebrae in my neck and cause them! I constantly correct my posture now. I always 'sink' into my body too, I find myself completely sunk down in my shoulders and chin jutted in toward the monitor (ok how many of you just straightened up?).
I'm also SHORT, so cars, desks, even restaurant booths are really not made for short people making getting ergonomically correct IMPOSSIBLE. I am a constant fidget! I learned that I'm doing this because my joints are just moving around so much! I wish I had this comeback for all the time my mom asked if I had "ants in my pants." or "Laura why can't you sit still?" -- "well mom, it HURTS!" (she never believed me)..
I've learned that even though my body CAN go way out of range, I shouldn't take it there. Also I've learned that I can't stretch like a normal person. I have insanely tight muscles (the big ones that get overused) and the joints are so mushy that I can't get a proper stretch. I've learned to modify. I used to take my leg and basically put my knee and ankle up my nose to stretch my glut. Well, this stresses the crap out of my hip.
I have learned to keep my hip where it belongs, this means having a real awareness of WHERE it belongs. It also means working out in front of a mirror. I really HATE this too.. last thing I want to look at is how much weight I've gained, and I somehow think that everyone around me is thinking "is that woman so vein that she has to watch herself work out?" but gotta do what I gotta do! In order to stretch my glut now, I have to use a foam roller and do it like a normal person even if I don't "FEEL" the stretch, moving out of the socket is BAD. I had no idea I was even doing this!
I learned I have an extremely exaggerated curve in my lower lumbar spine, to compensate for this, my hip flexors shortened and were rock hard. Over the years they stayed that way! When working out I was told to do a "pelvic tilt" - I would somehow bend my knees or squeeze my butt to get what I "thought" was a pelvic tilt. When going to the physical therapist, she asked me to do this knee bend squat that included a tilt, and I could not do it. I've never been so frustrated. It was like telling someone to rub their belly and pat their head and giggle as they couldn't do it, I felt so stupid!! Why was my body so uncooperative!
I went to the massage therapist and had a couple sessions of pretty painful work done on my hip flexors and she was able to release them for me. OMG!!! what a difference. My legs work properly now! WOW!They haven't moved like this in 25 years! I can now do that squat, and I learned why I run like a duck in Chi Running (check out the chi running posts if curious).
I learned I have never done a proper plank! This is particularly related to the hip flexors! They now FLEX MY HIPS - imagine that? I can do a pelvic tilt, squeeze my shoulders and get into a plank! Amazing! I am still having a lot of trouble with the side plank. I'm "Hanging" on my shoulders somehow. I have this same problem in the spin class, somehow I'm leaning on my shoulders but not distributing my weight or engaging my proper muscles. It is unbelievably frustrating.
I really have learned a ton in the last few months. I have to think about SO much when just MOVING, well I have to think even when laying or sitting on the couch. If I sit on the couch and my head is pushed forward, it will knock my neck out of place and cause a headache. If I lay on the couch on my side my shoulder will fall in on itself and my hip will also hurt. I have to be careful no matter what I do and I have to think about my body placement and posture no matter what!
If anyone that DOESN'T have EDS is still reading this, think about swimming or running and how you have to think about where your foot strikes the ground or where your body is while swimming (where does the arm enter the water), well that's what its like for EVERY SINGLE JOINT in an EDSers body.. we have to think about all of them because they don't go where they're supposed to go on their own!
If you have EDS and want to know more about the exercises I described above, check out the facebook page above to find me...or message me and I'll give you the details!
Well.. here's to it.. I made it to the gym yesterday, and I'm back on track!
How I was diagnosed
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Closing out the year!
It's been a while since I've written! I'm very sorry and it's a new year! THANK GOODNESS!A ton of great things happened this year, but a dark cloud has been sitting on top of me over the last few months and I just haven't felt like writing, or doing much of anything for that matter! I think the last 'swim' I did was with Kevin in Jamaica, where I almost drowned him in the waves.. (sorry bud), then we were soaked in Tropical Storm Nicole. Then came 3 months of torture. Just one thing after another. I've gained 12 pounds, lost all of my motivation and became a negative nilly! eek!
So many crazy things have happened that it was almost as though I was making it up! You all know I learned I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), well as described, and now confirmed, if I don't work out, it HURTS MORE! (ok kick in the pants Laura- GET TO THE GYM)! I won't get into all the other things that have happened, but the one that I've learned the most from is one of our Dogs- our 8.5 yr old Bernese Mountain Dog Gemini. She's the one in the front of the picture.
She was diagnosed about 6 weeks ago with cancer: TCC (Transitional Cell Carcinoma), it's in her urethera. This is a pretty bad one to get, prognosis is weeks to sometimes months depending on where it is - her location is the shorter of the two. Here's the deal.... - this dog is teaching me things! She has such great spirit and is just so happy with life and what she has! She's such a Sparkle!
John and I decided to treat her with some non-steroidals, no chemo, no invasive surgeries, etc. Just get rid of some 'old dog' arthritis pain and reduce some of the swelling in there if we could. She gets massages (same therapist that I have) and we've started Reiki with her as well. The last week or so she's been acting like Tigger! She's very happy with life and just bouncing around. She truly is enjoying life, sniffing the backyard, eating, being around her people, and her dog brother Apollo! You would never believe this dog is sick!
She's made me stop and think - cut the crap, get over it, stop moping, and get up off your ass and do something.. (except I won't go sniff the backyard), just reluctantly the spin room at the gym....
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
It’s my Birthday!
Ok today’s my birthday and with that I’ll take that literally to start- a-new today! I can’t believe I’m 37! I really do feel 25 most of the time, except when I think back to the things that ‘kids today’ just don’t get, yet they make me smile ☺.
- It was safe to walk to kindergarten alone (ok that one is sad)
- Riding in the rear window of the car
- Riding in the back of the el Camino
- Watching my brother fall out of the car because we stuffed about 15 kids into the Nova to go to Dairy Queen
- Going to the BANK with my ‘passbook’
- Holding a paycheck in my HAND
- Having a console TV, console RADIO, and DIAL BUTTONS on my radio
- Changing the channel with pliers
- TV dinners in aluminum
- Sticking the big extra square thing in the middle of my record player so the 45’s would play.
- Getting home before the streetlights turned on
- Bubble gum cigarettes (can you imagine giving them to kids today?)
- Where’s the beef
- Centipede
- Asteroids
- Sticking the quarter in the Nintendo so the game would stick so I could play Super Mario Brothers
- Speak and Spell & Merlin
- Tab
- Not eating the RED M&M’s because they were cancerous
- AquaNet
- Crimpers
- Giant Hair
- Boys had tails
- Roller skating (chess-a-rina for my pgh friends)
- RECORDS, 8 Tracks, the first CDs, BETA, VCR
- Dance Party USA
- you can’t do that on television “I DON’T KNOW”
- Punky Brewster
- Silver Spoons
- Dukes of Hazard
- “Bright Light, Bright Light”
- Watching Marlena get possessed
- Smurfs
- Slap bracelets
- Jelly shoes
- Pegged pants
- Giant shoulder pads
- Laura Ashley
- Sweatpants with ONE leg pulled up
- 2 pairs of socks one to match your shirt - one to match your pants
- Spending 10 min trying to put my jeans on in the AM, then not being able to breathe for the next 8 hrs
- Ripping my jeans and REALLY aggravating my parents
- Stretch mini skirts, hypercolors t-shirts, (I have pictures, you know who you are and are lucky I’m not posting them).
- HAIR METAL (although most of my friends didn’t like it until years later)
- Girl bands (ok I was in one, we sucked – “angels without halos” LOL!)
- waiting until Friday night 9PM - MUSIC VIDEOS
- New Wave
- Side B,
- 10 speeds
- 30 lb bikes
- Writing on jean jackets
- Boom boxes on your SHOULDER
- Break Dancing
- Really wanting the "yellow" Walkman!
- Footloose
- ALF
- Love Boat
- Night Rider (yea my ring tone is Night Rider right now)
- The facts of Life
- The Breakfast Club
Monday, November 1, 2010
Back Inside
The weather is turning and although it would be nice to bike outside TODAY, I decided to return to the gym. Two of my friends broke clavicles this year and I broke my elbow before in separate bike accidents. I am nervous enough around wet leaves.. so spin class here I come.
I texted a few friends last Sat to let them know I was going to this class. I purposely didn't ASK anyone if they were 'going', I just said "txt me if you want me to save a bike." That way I'd feel compelled to go.... and it worked! Sunday AM I woke up thinking "EWE, I could just lay here, but I don't know who may be counting on me to save a bike." -- So I went :). Same thing happened to me on Monday! I totally didn't feel like going to boot-camp, but because I conned Jen into doing it with me, I felt compelled to go. Workout buddies are SOOO important, even if they don't show up :).
I had a migraine from Wednesday afternoon until I went to bed on Saturday! But, as luck would have it, I was ok on Sun woohoo, so off to Spin class I went! You have to get there early to get a bike so I had 30 minutes to wander around. I decided I was going to run if it killed me, so I set up my bike then went to the DREADmill! I ran a mile - eh yea so what it was only a mile but I RAN, didn't stop... just ran. The machines face the pool and all I could think about is "oh, I could be doing laps right now." - but I did it anyway!
Since the diagnosis I have been really thinking about my form and how my body is moving, I'm really conscience of the mechanics of my joints. I know that ChiRunning's motto is "Pain free running" but it couldn't be more appropriate for me! I was really thinking about form, where my knees were, how my feet were landing and most importantly (for me) how short my stride was. This made a huge difference in my ability to run the mile.
Once finished, I went to the spin room and jumped on a bike 15 min early- for a total of 1 hr 15 min on the bike.. I do love the bike and swim! perhaps I love it because of the impact on my joints! I'm really looking at everything so different now!
I haven't signed up for the Providence 70.3, but its on the list and its in my head. I don't think I'll sleep until I actually put the credit card down.
If you haven't yet, please see the facebook "LIKE" button above, it would be cool to get some recognition over there.. plus I put up my potential race schedule there and I have some other random stuff to keep there like recipes and thing that may be irrelevant for the blog.
I texted a few friends last Sat to let them know I was going to this class. I purposely didn't ASK anyone if they were 'going', I just said "txt me if you want me to save a bike." That way I'd feel compelled to go.... and it worked! Sunday AM I woke up thinking "EWE, I could just lay here, but I don't know who may be counting on me to save a bike." -- So I went :). Same thing happened to me on Monday! I totally didn't feel like going to boot-camp, but because I conned Jen into doing it with me, I felt compelled to go. Workout buddies are SOOO important, even if they don't show up :).
I had a migraine from Wednesday afternoon until I went to bed on Saturday! But, as luck would have it, I was ok on Sun woohoo, so off to Spin class I went! You have to get there early to get a bike so I had 30 minutes to wander around. I decided I was going to run if it killed me, so I set up my bike then went to the DREADmill! I ran a mile - eh yea so what it was only a mile but I RAN, didn't stop... just ran. The machines face the pool and all I could think about is "oh, I could be doing laps right now." - but I did it anyway!
Since the diagnosis I have been really thinking about my form and how my body is moving, I'm really conscience of the mechanics of my joints. I know that ChiRunning's motto is "Pain free running" but it couldn't be more appropriate for me! I was really thinking about form, where my knees were, how my feet were landing and most importantly (for me) how short my stride was. This made a huge difference in my ability to run the mile.
Once finished, I went to the spin room and jumped on a bike 15 min early- for a total of 1 hr 15 min on the bike.. I do love the bike and swim! perhaps I love it because of the impact on my joints! I'm really looking at everything so different now!
I haven't signed up for the Providence 70.3, but its on the list and its in my head. I don't think I'll sleep until I actually put the credit card down.
If you haven't yet, please see the facebook "LIKE" button above, it would be cool to get some recognition over there.. plus I put up my potential race schedule there and I have some other random stuff to keep there like recipes and thing that may be irrelevant for the blog.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Delusions of Fitness
It has been month since I've worked out! I've gained 7 pounds! I'm not married to the scale but man I hate that! I've had a ton to think about though in these last 30 days!
I really need to get back into things, so I created the Facebook support page for this blog! Thanks to those who have "Liked" me, if you haven't please do .. (shameless plug)! look to the right for the LIKE button.
I started to look at next year's schedule. I put myself down for a half marathon in March and a HALF IRON in July! I need to find a Marathon, then more importantly I need to figure out HOW TO RUN! I had this same problem last year, I set my schedule and had all these plans for the year and then suddenly spring was here.. I hope to not let it happen like that next year! Delusions.. I hope they aren't all Delusions!!
Some of you know that my tri-coaching partner was hit by a car while I was on vacation. She also owns a bootcamp in town! She was due to have surgery yesterday and I agreed to help with the bootcamp while she was recovering. I've coordinated fitness groups before with no problem, specifically swimming/tri groups, but I'm knowledgeable in the other areas too. I spent a few days at bootcamp with Alexis, where the women were introduced to me as a "workout leader"." As most of you have probably gleaned, I am up to any challenge, so even though the number of women was a little intimidating, I was ready for it!
WELL, yesterday, while Alexis was supposed to be in surgery I get a text from her. At first I thought someone stole her phone, then I thought she was just high on the drugs :). Turns out that her clavicle was healing nicer than expected and NO SURGERY NEEDED. Awesome! I was looking forward to the challenge, but also relieved and happy for her to not be opened up!
Since I had already planned on getting up at 4AM, I decided to ATTEND bootcamp. I totally felt like a male gynecologist (no equipment, yet all the knowledge). I felt like all the women were looking at me & looking at how pathetic I was doing the exercises. I felt like saying "hey, even though I may look pathetic, I DO know what I'm talking about :)"
I've been reading a ton about my Ehlers Danlos Syndrom (EDS) and many things are making sense now. This was my first workout since the diagnosis. The first revelation was the mountain climbers. I've always hated them, but today realized WHY! Every time I brought my left leg up, it would click OUT OF PLACE! ouch.. all of these years I totally thought I was just out of shape and couldn't make this work!
Another issue was with push-up and planks. I've always had "weak wrists" and it really frustrated me. I thought "am I really that weak???" Well today I realized it's simply because of the EDS. I had a hard time making sure my wrists were straight and stable. (they move a LOT). Also, if I had to drop to my knee at all, my knee caps would simply MOVE over.. again OUCH!
My last revelation was in a shoulder-weight exercise. I was only using 5lb weights which were no problem 'muscle' wise, but I noticed that every time I got to a certain point that my entire shoulder would just move out! I have to now figure out a way to do these exercises without pulling the joints out of place!
I'm now pumped that I'm not as pathetic as I thought! I really did think that I was a slacker and just wasn't working hard. I may have to re-learn some exercises, but I'm up to the challenge! Plus, I have to figure out how to run, and at this point, there's not much wrong with my legs.. other than my brain :)...
I really need to get back into things, so I created the Facebook support page for this blog! Thanks to those who have "Liked" me, if you haven't please do .. (shameless plug)! look to the right for the LIKE button.
I started to look at next year's schedule. I put myself down for a half marathon in March and a HALF IRON in July! I need to find a Marathon, then more importantly I need to figure out HOW TO RUN! I had this same problem last year, I set my schedule and had all these plans for the year and then suddenly spring was here.. I hope to not let it happen like that next year! Delusions.. I hope they aren't all Delusions!!
Some of you know that my tri-coaching partner was hit by a car while I was on vacation. She also owns a bootcamp in town! She was due to have surgery yesterday and I agreed to help with the bootcamp while she was recovering. I've coordinated fitness groups before with no problem, specifically swimming/tri groups, but I'm knowledgeable in the other areas too. I spent a few days at bootcamp with Alexis, where the women were introduced to me as a "workout leader"." As most of you have probably gleaned, I am up to any challenge, so even though the number of women was a little intimidating, I was ready for it!
WELL, yesterday, while Alexis was supposed to be in surgery I get a text from her. At first I thought someone stole her phone, then I thought she was just high on the drugs :). Turns out that her clavicle was healing nicer than expected and NO SURGERY NEEDED. Awesome! I was looking forward to the challenge, but also relieved and happy for her to not be opened up!
Since I had already planned on getting up at 4AM, I decided to ATTEND bootcamp. I totally felt like a male gynecologist (no equipment, yet all the knowledge). I felt like all the women were looking at me & looking at how pathetic I was doing the exercises. I felt like saying "hey, even though I may look pathetic, I DO know what I'm talking about :)"
I've been reading a ton about my Ehlers Danlos Syndrom (EDS) and many things are making sense now. This was my first workout since the diagnosis. The first revelation was the mountain climbers. I've always hated them, but today realized WHY! Every time I brought my left leg up, it would click OUT OF PLACE! ouch.. all of these years I totally thought I was just out of shape and couldn't make this work!
Another issue was with push-up and planks. I've always had "weak wrists" and it really frustrated me. I thought "am I really that weak???" Well today I realized it's simply because of the EDS. I had a hard time making sure my wrists were straight and stable. (they move a LOT). Also, if I had to drop to my knee at all, my knee caps would simply MOVE over.. again OUCH!
My last revelation was in a shoulder-weight exercise. I was only using 5lb weights which were no problem 'muscle' wise, but I noticed that every time I got to a certain point that my entire shoulder would just move out! I have to now figure out a way to do these exercises without pulling the joints out of place!
I'm now pumped that I'm not as pathetic as I thought! I really did think that I was a slacker and just wasn't working hard. I may have to re-learn some exercises, but I'm up to the challenge! Plus, I have to figure out how to run, and at this point, there's not much wrong with my legs.. other than my brain :)...
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
A reason for the Migranes: Ehlers Danlos Syndrome
As many of you know, I have migraines. I've had them for 30 years or so. Throughout my life I've figured out different reasons for some of them, and have reduced the severity and/or frequency of them. (eyesight, blood pressure, hormones, etc). I've seen every specialist under the sun and had every test imaginable. Most doctors have just given me the shrug and I almost started to believe I was a hypochondriac.
It was TRIATHLON that brought me to this answer! During the Cohassett Tri, I met a woman during the run. We got to chatting and she also had migraines. We discussed the very similar symptoms, drugs, and the fact that no doctor could figure out what the heck was wrong with us. Randomly we also started talking about our hypermobility (aka my bar tricks). I never in a million years thought the fact that I can bend my fingers backwards past 90 degrees, or the fact that my arms flip around would be a MEDICAL problem. And that problem would cause my migraines. I never once thought to even tell my doctor about this!!!
Meeting this woman made me think "hm.. could they be related, we both have migraines and hypermobility." So I started to research, discussed with my doctor and he sent me to a Rheumatologist. Friday I was finally given an answer: Ehlers Danlos Syndrome - type 3 (hypermobility). **EDS is a Genetic Disorder of the connective tissues** Unfortunately this is a diagnosis that doesn't have a genetic test, it has just symptom testing. I will never be 100% sure, but no one with this type is. I do have all the signs though.
The more I read about it, the more I have "AH HA" moments. So many things are making more sense to me. My back and hips always hurt; the bones always "fall out of place" (this is what causes my migraines). Occasionally my hip will literally dislocate and I have to put it back. As a kid I used to use the screen door to do put the hip back. Also on occasion the bones in my feet slip out of place and I have a really difficult time putting those back. This just makes me have to sit down for a while and massage my feet. I just thought I was "super-flexible."
I see a chiropractor weekly and during times of intense working out, I see my massage therapist often. Turns out the myofacial releases are very typical and good for EDS. Also, everything I have been doing has preserved my joints. There is no cure nor is there a treatment for EDS. Being athletic is helping and will allow me to stay at the pain level I am now. Unfortunately there are others out there with EDS that are in constant joint pain and premature osteo-arthritis that can't be stopped. They continually dislocate their joints and can require braces and/or wheelchairs! This is just more motivation to me to stay in shape (and now get the weight off the joints).
I suspect I will write a lot more about this as I continue on my journey. I now have a reason for my pain other than "I'm a wimp" or "I'm out of shape" - I don't plan on using it as an excuse, but its nice to know that I'm not insane, or a hypochondriac- just a little odd :).
***updated 2/21: This post gets a ton of search hits from Ehlers Danlos + Migraine people. Please see this post as well for additional info, I wrote more info about me and my plight!
http://fatgirlironmanjourney.blogspot.com/2011/02/ehlers-danlos-you-can-have-it-and-be.html
**to get more daily updates Like my page on facebook!**
It was TRIATHLON that brought me to this answer! During the Cohassett Tri, I met a woman during the run. We got to chatting and she also had migraines. We discussed the very similar symptoms, drugs, and the fact that no doctor could figure out what the heck was wrong with us. Randomly we also started talking about our hypermobility (aka my bar tricks). I never in a million years thought the fact that I can bend my fingers backwards past 90 degrees, or the fact that my arms flip around would be a MEDICAL problem. And that problem would cause my migraines. I never once thought to even tell my doctor about this!!!
Meeting this woman made me think "hm.. could they be related, we both have migraines and hypermobility." So I started to research, discussed with my doctor and he sent me to a Rheumatologist. Friday I was finally given an answer: Ehlers Danlos Syndrome - type 3 (hypermobility). **EDS is a Genetic Disorder of the connective tissues** Unfortunately this is a diagnosis that doesn't have a genetic test, it has just symptom testing. I will never be 100% sure, but no one with this type is. I do have all the signs though.
The more I read about it, the more I have "AH HA" moments. So many things are making more sense to me. My back and hips always hurt; the bones always "fall out of place" (this is what causes my migraines). Occasionally my hip will literally dislocate and I have to put it back. As a kid I used to use the screen door to do put the hip back. Also on occasion the bones in my feet slip out of place and I have a really difficult time putting those back. This just makes me have to sit down for a while and massage my feet. I just thought I was "super-flexible."
I suspect I will write a lot more about this as I continue on my journey. I now have a reason for my pain other than "I'm a wimp" or "I'm out of shape" - I don't plan on using it as an excuse, but its nice to know that I'm not insane, or a hypochondriac- just a little odd :).
***updated 2/21: This post gets a ton of search hits from Ehlers Danlos + Migraine people. Please see this post as well for additional info, I wrote more info about me and my plight!
http://fatgirlironmanjourney.blogspot.com/2011/02/ehlers-danlos-you-can-have-it-and-be.html
**to get more daily updates Like my page on facebook!**
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Connections and a Storm
I took a little break from racing after the 50 mile ride and went to Jamaica. I thought it would be for a relaxing trip. I would get to swim and dive and just hang out with friends in the sun. Mother Nature had a different plan for me!
We arrived, checked in and I immediately went to the diveshack to meet the friends that work at the resort. I made arrangements for John to take a kayak out super early in the AM so I could swim a good distance. I prefer early in the AM so I don't get run over by a jetski or boat. After the arrangements were made we left for the bar.
The next day I swam 1.17 miles along the coast. It was amazing to just swim straight, no real waves, boats, and relatively clear water. I could see eel grass, starfish, the occasional fish such as a puffer. I didn't even notice the distance and I'm sure I could have done 2 or 3x the length but I didn't want to bore John to death on our first full day of vacation so we returned. I figured I'd have 8 days to swim lots of miles! I did notice that the quantity of fish seemed to be lacking and it was a little more murky than usual but didn't really think much about it until a couple days later.
We also went on a dive that day too, it was a nice dive to about 60 feet. We didn't see much except coral, some adolescent fish and TONS of lionfish. The waters of Jamaica tend to be over-fished but I think the lionfish invasion is really decimating the coral reefs! It really makes me sad!
Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of the dive because my camera broke. I KNEW as soon as this happened that we were in for SOMETHING - Silly me, I just figured it would be a really cool dive such as seeing a Hammerhead shark, or a whale shark or something like that, I didn't even fathom it would be a tropical storm and I would be taking pictures with a Blackberry!
The next day we woke up early and went for another swim, this time with another friend. He had only swam 1/4 mile up until this point so we set out for 1/2 mile. (I know I'm mean). Half way through the swim the swells started to pick up and if you would breath to the outside you would get a face full of ocean. This half mile was definitely harder than the 1.17 I did the day before! Little did I know, that was the last open water swim I would have for the YEAR.
We watched the weather report and noticed this large weather mass "tropical depression 16" just SITTING on top of Negril. This storm eventually turned into Tropical Storm Nicole and really put a damper on our vacation. It just POURED the whole time, the ocean, which is usually flat calm, was a wreck, and there was so much devastation to the sealife.
We entertained ourselves with lots of silly games, and no real working out.. except one day Kevin and I went to a spin class! Kevin was speaking with the instructor and she was a new triathlete! She talked about doing "just a mini" tri, and I sorta yelled at her to be proud that its not "just a mini", it's a sprint and she should be proud. In that respect I told her about this blog and she said "ya know what? I've actually read that!" (!! seriously??? how cool is that?). -
We eventually returned from Jamaica, NOT rejuvenated, NOT rested, and NOT ready for work. BUT on a good note, I had a Sorority reunion the following weekend so I was getting BACK on a plane in a few days to go party it up with some old friends!
Partying and vacation really will take a toll on your EATING and EXERCISING habits! I know that anytime I go home to Pittsburgh that I'm going to have a Primanti's sandwich (or two) and if I'm lucky, some Perogies! This is a large pile of greasy heaven! YYYUUUUMMM!!
I was pretty excited to see my sorority sisters after 15+ years, but it was like we never missed a day. The thing that got me AGAIN (I'm not sure I'm going to get used to this), is the people who came up to me and recognized the blog. Sisters who told me it was inspiring and that they were doing something because of it, or were just simply proud of me. Awesome, simply awesome! --Really, I don't think I'm going to get used to that, but its going to keep me writing.
I do know that I have to get back on the horse, I'm sure I've gained weight and lost muscle in the last month. I'm going to be helping my training partner with bootcamp over the next few weeks so hopefully that will get me started. It will at least get me up long before the sun!
Here we go......
We arrived, checked in and I immediately went to the diveshack to meet the friends that work at the resort. I made arrangements for John to take a kayak out super early in the AM so I could swim a good distance. I prefer early in the AM so I don't get run over by a jetski or boat. After the arrangements were made we left for the bar.
The next day I swam 1.17 miles along the coast. It was amazing to just swim straight, no real waves, boats, and relatively clear water. I could see eel grass, starfish, the occasional fish such as a puffer. I didn't even notice the distance and I'm sure I could have done 2 or 3x the length but I didn't want to bore John to death on our first full day of vacation so we returned. I figured I'd have 8 days to swim lots of miles! I did notice that the quantity of fish seemed to be lacking and it was a little more murky than usual but didn't really think much about it until a couple days later.
We also went on a dive that day too, it was a nice dive to about 60 feet. We didn't see much except coral, some adolescent fish and TONS of lionfish. The waters of Jamaica tend to be over-fished but I think the lionfish invasion is really decimating the coral reefs! It really makes me sad!
Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of the dive because my camera broke. I KNEW as soon as this happened that we were in for SOMETHING - Silly me, I just figured it would be a really cool dive such as seeing a Hammerhead shark, or a whale shark or something like that, I didn't even fathom it would be a tropical storm and I would be taking pictures with a Blackberry!
The next day we woke up early and went for another swim, this time with another friend. He had only swam 1/4 mile up until this point so we set out for 1/2 mile. (I know I'm mean). Half way through the swim the swells started to pick up and if you would breath to the outside you would get a face full of ocean. This half mile was definitely harder than the 1.17 I did the day before! Little did I know, that was the last open water swim I would have for the YEAR.
We watched the weather report and noticed this large weather mass "tropical depression 16" just SITTING on top of Negril. This storm eventually turned into Tropical Storm Nicole and really put a damper on our vacation. It just POURED the whole time, the ocean, which is usually flat calm, was a wreck, and there was so much devastation to the sealife.
We entertained ourselves with lots of silly games, and no real working out.. except one day Kevin and I went to a spin class! Kevin was speaking with the instructor and she was a new triathlete! She talked about doing "just a mini" tri, and I sorta yelled at her to be proud that its not "just a mini", it's a sprint and she should be proud. In that respect I told her about this blog and she said "ya know what? I've actually read that!" (!! seriously??? how cool is that?). -
We eventually returned from Jamaica, NOT rejuvenated, NOT rested, and NOT ready for work. BUT on a good note, I had a Sorority reunion the following weekend so I was getting BACK on a plane in a few days to go party it up with some old friends!
Partying and vacation really will take a toll on your EATING and EXERCISING habits! I know that anytime I go home to Pittsburgh that I'm going to have a Primanti's sandwich (or two) and if I'm lucky, some Perogies! This is a large pile of greasy heaven! YYYUUUUMMM!!
I was pretty excited to see my sorority sisters after 15+ years, but it was like we never missed a day. The thing that got me AGAIN (I'm not sure I'm going to get used to this), is the people who came up to me and recognized the blog. Sisters who told me it was inspiring and that they were doing something because of it, or were just simply proud of me. Awesome, simply awesome! --Really, I don't think I'm going to get used to that, but its going to keep me writing.
I do know that I have to get back on the horse, I'm sure I've gained weight and lost muscle in the last month. I'm going to be helping my training partner with bootcamp over the next few weeks so hopefully that will get me started. It will at least get me up long before the sun!
Here we go......
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