Wow, it is has been crazy busy!!

Sorry I have not blogged in a while. I have had so much going on this week!!! I ran 12 tests, trained 6 people on Monday, 2 on Wednesday, 4 today, and will have 7 tommorow!! Holy smokes that is a lot. I set this goal for myself this week. I wanted to commute on my bike 3 days. I have only commuted 2 so far. I will have to ride tomorrow in order to make my goal. I think I have been fired up about the weather!! It has been so pretty. This afternoon was the first day all week that it has been hot. It did cool down relatively quickly this evening though. Cooler weather makes for a much happier Marathena. Here is a quick run down of what I have done as far as workouts this week:
Monday: Lifted with Massoman and commuted by bike 19 miles.
Tuesday: Track workout that was 1 mile warm up, 3 x 800's (4:18, 4:09, 5:30~okay I got really tired), and survived my first day with 6 tests in a row in over 6 months.
Wednesday: No workout
Thursday: Ran 3 miles with runnersusan and masso man (a stellar tempo of 31 minutes!!!) and Commuted by bike 13 miles.
Friday: Not sure yet, but I think I will ride (I have to).
I must have dinner and go to bed I am pooped!!
Blog on friends!

Celebrate health!!

This weekend I celebrated my health by going to a fitness conference. Watch out clients, I am really fired up!! This conference takes place every August. Last year was my first time to go. This year I knew what to expect and looked forward to it since January!!! It is information overload and physical overload. You take 11 classes. These classes can be lecture or activity. I did mostly activity classes. These are classes that we don't necessarily have a the Y, but are fun to take nonetheless. I have a ton of new ideas for my peeps!! Hahaha!! Thank you guys for all of your support. I am also finding myself getting out of this anxious, fearful, depressed lack of running funk!! I am excited about what is going to happen this fall. Who knows what my diagnosis will be. I may never get one and that is okay with me. It's been okay for 6 years now. My hotty hubby has been a true inspiration for me. He has picked up cycling like a champ. He rode is bike to work last week 4 out 5 days. He couldn't ride on Friday due to a meeting in the middle of the day (not at the school he works at). He is talking fitness, nutrition, and going on group rides with out me!! I am so happy for him. He has kept me focused the last few weeks. He keeps asking about BQing and when I think I might actually get there. I love it. I may never BQ and that is okay too. I guess what I am gushing is a sense of peace about where I am right now and being okay with the unknown. (At least I am trying to be okay with the uncertainty of what is next.) For now I think I will start putting together workouts for next week.
Blog on friends!!

I'm normal!!! Well....sort of.

Well folks it turns out that I not only have a normal looking brain and brainstem but it also looks like I have a normal spine as well. For those who don't know I have some pretty weird neurological problems of unknown origin. We, family and close friends, were all thinking for sure that I had MS. Even my neuro doc last month thought I was a shoe in for the disease. In July, I was restricted by my doc from running or biking "long" distances until we get a diagnosis. He said, "Go exercise but limit yourself to how long you are out in the heat and the humidity. Oh, and you need to scale back your marathon training and consider not running in New Mexico." I was in like week 12 of the schedule. Now I will give you that it was NOT going well, but I was doing it. My training has been at a total stand still since then. I have been running minimally, bike moderately, and swimming moderately. I think I have run/walked the regular 5 mile loop with runnersusan and massoman only 2 times since July. This has been tough. I had 4 MRI's of my brain, brain stem, and spinal cord. Guess what??? No MS!! No signs of past lesions, stroke or brusing. (I think I spelled that wrong, but whatever). I demanded that I get released so that I can go outside and play with my friends and try to build back to where I was. I am struggling psychologically with no limits to break through or marathons to train for. I keep hearing everyone talk about what they want to train for and run this spring and all I can think about is how I am not allowed to train. This has been my adiction for sooo long!! My doc's assistant told me that he could not release me to play outside; that I'd have to wait until September 18th (my follow up appointment). I told him that I was frustrated and was going to ride my bike to work tomorrow (which was actually today). He said he'd note that in my chart. Hahahaha!!! I had a great ride this morning and afternoon. Sorry runnersusan for not calling you last night. I was really upset that I did not get any answers from the MRI's. Today I am thankful I have no MS, cancer or tumors. There is something else wrong, but we don't know what yet. For those who don't know, I only sweat on one side of my body (from head to toe), and my pupils dialate independently. That is only letting you know about 2 symptoms. I could go on forever. I don't have time or the desire to divulge more info!! Bottom line....I am normal so far!! That is definitely something to celebrate.

Blog on friends!!!

Humility does a body good.

I must say I am hating living in Tejas more and more with every 100 degree day. My Jeep is on the fritz, again. bleh. It has been at the shop now for a whole day. I know that might not seem like very long, but it is the only car we own with AC. You got it folks, no air conditioning. Hotty hubby was kind enough to ride to work today and let me have the car. I figure not so bad. I tested patients today so I thought I only have to drive the hot car for a half day then I can get to drive the work van with ac. Not so much. I get into the van and drive it to FW and discovered along the way that the ac was not working. OMG!!! I walked into the Dr.'s office looking like I just got out of a pool. So much for professionalism. As I walked my equipment into the office I could hear the office people talking and whispering. I was humiliated. Not only am I super sensitive about only sweating on one side of my body, I now am making an announcement with my scrubs. It looked like I peed all over myself. Actually only down my left leg. Wait it gets worse. I finally get back to the office to drop off the equipment and let my boss know that the ac was not working and he suggests that I walk back out to the van and make sure that I have the AC button pressed in. What was this guy saying....I am not intelligent to know how to operate the ac a car??? Urk!!!! I have been hot and sweaty for days. I am soooooooo over the heat!! I am really and truely hating Tejas heat!! BTW I have another MRI on Thursday. Should have results on Friday!!

Blog on friends!!

If it is not a car, it's a boat???

Okay, first off let me say that I feel about 2 inches tall. My co-director was calling me on Friday night to tell me of a very tragic death that occurred in our area. On Friday, a 15 year old girl was struck by a boat on a local lake. She was tubing and another boat was right on the tale of hers. When she fell off the tube, the boat (which was being driven by an intoxicated man) ran her right over. The boat literally drove right over her little body. The very worst part of this story is that I coached her in volleyball two years ago. I knew her. I was friends with her. Hotty hubby and I walked around in a fog yesterday evening. How could such a terrible thing happen??? I can give you an idea. This morning after walking Nikko, Hotty hubby and I decided we'd head out to the lake for a swim. We were in the mood to wear the pooch out. I decided that since I was out there I'd get in a swim workout. So I told hotty hubby that I'd swim to the other point and come back. (totaling about 1 mile). I made to the other shore just fine. It was when I was swimming back that there was some trouble. I kept hearing a boat, and it sounded like it was really close and moving even closer. So I popped up and began treading water. Oh my gosh he is headed straight for me!!! Is this guy crazy??? I was not that far away from the shore. I was within 25 or so yards from the shore. What can he not see me??? I had on a black swim suit and a white swim cap. I began waving my hands and arms frantically. I was determined to get that driver's attention. Finally he gave me a wave back and moved away. You see when you are swimming, you can't just hop on the shoulder and avoid the boat coming right at you!! I need a bit more time than that. I am not that fast of a swimmer. I suppose I could be if he had not seen me. Anyway, he and the guy wakeboarding behind him created these massive waves that crashed me into the rocks along the shore. I cut my anke and had some serious trouble getting my focus back. I kept seeing that little girls face in my mind. In all different ways. I could see her setting the ball (ugly hands), her smiling at a match I went to watch, and I could imagine the accident. I couldn't shake it. I can only say that I am praying for her family. I don't know what else to do. I have sent a plant and a card, but what else can you do in this situation. I had to get this off my heart this evening. I have no anger for the crazy boat driver this morning. This is refreshing because last summer I had serious anger issues with car drivers and their disrespect for the active lifestyle. I have a bit more peace this summer. Perspective is a wonderful thing!!

Blog on friends!!

It is already starting.

Last night around 10:30pm I heard my cell phone ring. Hotty hubby comes in and says it's AM. I roll my eyes and look at him and say, "Season is just starting and I have already decided to set some boundries." You see, AM is my club volleyball co-director. OMG!!!!! I am not ready for this. Perhaps when it gets cooler and actually feels like fall I might get excited. I can't get past the heat.

Anywho...I went for a ride with my friend PM this morning. It was a ride that almost did not happen due to the fact that I had a flat and could not get air in my tube. I changed the tube last night and still couldn't get air in. So I showed up at her house and let her tinker with it. Luckily she was able to get air in. We rode in the heat (yuck!!) for 26.25 miles. We usually ride a flat out and back, but today we were intrested in something different. So we took a hillier route. It was a great change. I felt the heat though. Somewhere in between 18 and 22 I got cold. I knew it could not have been dehydration because I had set my watch to beep every 15 minutes and took a drink of water. We stopped at 12 1/2 to eat and rest. (I had a hammer gel and water). I told PM that I needed to stop and rest when I got cold. We did and when I got off of my bike I was really shakey. Weird. We sat awhile and I had a bit of electrolyte drink (Cytomax), and she insisted that I have a cookie. I am trying hard to avoid wheat, but she was persistant. I had one. It was sooo good. She handed me another and I could not resist at that point. I stopped at two. Hahaha.
Once I felt back to "normal" we went on home. I sat awhile at her house and poured ice water on my right leg and on both feet. I could not stop sweating for a long time. I went home and took the coldest shower I could. Not that cold. Also, of particular intrest...my psoriasis is back on my scalp. I guess it is back to no dairy and no wheat.

It is time to cook some dinner. Turkey sloppy Joes and sweet potato fries!! Yum!! BTW, I have mine on spelt.

Blog on friends!!

Just a quick catch up!!

Okay. Dusty~Prediction, yes 5K but at like 7 at night. Massoman~Yes Monday lifting!! I was super busy today at work, so far no workout!! Sad!! I just had the best Mahi Mahi fish tacos!! Yummy!!! Anyway, I am running with RunnerSusan in the morning and then it is off to group swim tommorrow night!! I love big plans!!

Blog on friends!!

Some great workouts!!

Monday involved a half hour of swimming, half hour of cycling (on my spin bike), then some light weights. Tuesday was an hour long boot camp class. (Unplanned, but I thought it would be fun!!). I am sore. This morning was a 5 mile run/walk (we more or less split the run in half and walked back). It was great. Hot, but good. I am tired now and it is only 5:30pm!! Bedtime????

Blog on friends!!

What a great weekend!!

I am learning that is one of my fave headers. Heehee!! I am back from a short but wonderful weekend in St. Louis. I spent time with my sis. We put together wedding stuff. For those of you who have followed for a while, this is a different sis than the one who just got married in March. I have two sisters and two brothers (in laws). We did absolutely no working out and ate some really horindous foods!! I broke all of the rules this weekend. Oh well, you gotta live a little every now and then, right? Humm. I got stuck at the St. Louis airport until 10:30 last night. I was supposed to fly out at 6:50 and be home by 8:45. So much for that. I got to bed at 12:30 or so. Yuck!! I was really tired.
Tonight I met my fellow fit2trainers at the lake for a swim. Only, I figured no one would go due to the rain we got this afternoon. So I moved my client to back to 6 instead of 5. We started early and I drove over to the lake to find that they were in fact swimming. I got in a quick as possible and did a couple of drills. Actually everyone did a couple of drills for me since I was late and they were about finished. I appreciated it a ton!! I am learning to site better and less frequently, only I have a tendency to site the wrong person. We went off course a bit. Hey I am still learning. It is okay for now. I will get better. For now I want to get on my spin bike and work of some of the nasty food I ate.
Gotta go for now, I made the mistake of telling one of our coaches that I might head out to the track in the morning at 5:30am. I've got to ride then go to bed.
Blog on friends!!

Tons of workouts!!

I have been busy. Despite my perscription for a slower training log I have persisted through some great workouts. Tuesday Runnersusan and I spent some time swimming and running. I had a great time. It is always a nice change of pace when I get to go to her gym. It feels like another world. Last night I talked to my mom and then felt compelled to run butt off (5 miles in 59:30). She went on about possibly having cancer instead of MS. This prospect made me want to throw up. She had a point. Whatever kind of cancer she had been researching sounded devestatingly similar to what my freaky symptoms are. Bottom line, I am still more anxious than I am willing to admit out loud. I don't know what is wrong with me, but I do know this....I have the healthiest brain my neuro doc has seen in years. So what ever is going on is not in my head. Hahaha. I have to laugh you know. I am off to have yet another MRI of my spine next week sometime. We will all have to see what happens next.
Tonight I needed to swim, and swim for a long time. I needed a great workout. I had one. I warmed up with 100m. I was being agressive, I know, but then I swam 4 x 400, and cooled down with 100m. It was nice to get out of the water tired. Why is it so much easier to transport myself to another world when I am swimming than when I am running? I just get lost in what I am doing, breathing, counting, looking, and so on. The mind wobbles.
Must head to bed.
Blog on friends!!!