Training out of Town

So I'm in Michigan and helping out with my family for two weeks, it was a planned trip but one that I knew would be hard. There are many issues to deal with, medically, financially....it's a lot. A lot. And stress can trigger flares and make things difficult, I'm doing the best I can, so far just a little of the ribcage pain and a tiny bit of nerve pain. Fatigue has been surprisingly manageable even with all of the manual labor I'm doing to help get my parents house fixed up.

I joined my old gym for two weeks and have been using their pool and cycling. I've actually stuck to a working out schedule, though not the real training schedule I was following before. It's all gotten modified because my right knee is still killing me. Mostly I've just been swimming, and I ran for the first time in about 3 weeks only last night for about 6 minutes. That's all I could handle. I've got big problem if I can't shake this knee pain.




And for anyone who might wonder, Annie's wedding was amazing and the whole day was beautiful :)

Well. That Hurts.

Got what I hoped for.

Waking up sore NOT because of fibro but because I worked out.

Yay?

The weight training/zumba on Wednesday and last night's long swim caught up with me. After icing my poor knees last night because they felt jacked up, I decided to veer off schedule and have a recovery day out of order. That, and I was running around today with the bridal party for the wedding I'm standing in tomorrow. There was no time to fit in a work out unless I did it this morning, and I was too sore this morning to do anything. And I'd like to give my knees a few days to feel more normal as well.

So.

Modification and resting when I should. Yes. The lightning bolts have been back today and yesterday. And the ribcage pain. Not quite back with a vengeance, but enough to tell me to slow down for a second. So I will.

Wedding tomorrow!

Back to it Sunday.

Zumba (is not biking)

I'll strength train you and raise you a Zumba.

Yes, I know Zumba is not part of my training plan, but on Wednesday nights the most fabulous little gay Mexican man teaches Zumba. His name is Edgar and I remember the first time I took one of his classes. I was having a horrible week. (We can blame it on the parents and the ex). I went to Edgar's class, and suddenly, I had reasons to smile and shake my booty and have ridiculous fun working out! I approached him afterward and said, "You know, I've been having a really hard week, but this class just made everything a little better." And his face lit up and he threw his arms up in the air, "Awwwwww, sweaty hug!" he cried. And he hugged me.

So I like going to Zumba on Wednesday nights when time allows. One time I even had a glass of wine right before class and my workout resembled a frickin' dance party.

Anyway, tonight's workout was modified.

Brought to you my ME and sponsored byyyyyyy Misterrrrrr Edgarrrrrr! (this is to be said with a sassy Hispanic accent.)

I strength trained for awhile at the gym and looked like an idiot trying out machines that looked familiar but ended up being foreign. Found a few that did the trick. And then. THEN I realized it was Wednesday. I don't know why I thought it was Tuesday. But it was Wednesday.

It was a good workout too! Except these knees are killing me. I know the knee stuff is not fibro related, it's totally the chondromalacia or runner's knee or whatever they said it was. Wore the patellar band in class, it really helps.

So far, I've stuck to the schedule and I only modified Monday's workout because GLEN HANSARD was playing in Millenium Park. For Free. Well, yes, I'd rather watch an Irish superstar sing in my city for free with a picnic and one of my best friends than go swimming too. I had the best intentions to swim when I got home, but I was pretty tired by the time I made it back to my apartment. I did a few of the physical therapy exercises for my hips and knees that my friend taught me, messed around with some resistance bands, and called it a night.

But on the whole, I am feeling decent. I'm nervous to say I might have gotten past the hardest part, the actual beginning and shocking my body (that most of time feels like a mini war zone) with more physical activity than it was used to. Those early flares were so disheartening. But I am feeling pretty good, so much healthier than just a few weeks ago. More energy (which I might credit to Green Vibrance? 5-HTP? I don't know!) I swam last night hardcore (well not hardcore, moderately and with sloppy technique---but more ease than last week) after a ridiculous commute from Skokie back to Chicago. It took me three hours when it should have taken me an hour and 15. Every wrong travel decision put me in direct line of a location or bar or restaurant that I had some kind of memory with my ex. And then I was upset about my family. Add the humidity and my PMS in and the commute and stabbing memories broke me down. Well, SWIM to the rescue. I hauled my cookies to the gym and did about a 1/2 mile! My longest distance yet. AND I slept all the way through the night last night. Not even one wake-up. Small victories. I don't know if it is because the exercise is tiring me out (likely), but even if it was coincidence, it is still great to get uninterrupted sleep. Now was it restorative? Wellllll, I still woke up pretty sore and tired (and not workout sore, just fibro sore), sooooo.

Mornings are still hard. My body is still pretty stiff in the AMs. I'm hoping at some point it will just be sore from working out and not sore because of fibro.

That's all I got.

~K

The 1st week

Feeling good, feeling good. Energy levels are waxing and waning, but on the whole, have been doing okay. Swam twice, ran once, biked twice, will probably bike again tomorrow. My knees are actually not feeling awesome, but I figure since running is my stronger event, I can set that one to the side for now while I keep doing strengthening. And I'll add the Mobic prescription in to proactively keep down inflammation.

Green powder seems to working well, a little boost in energy.

I was supposed to go to an open-water clinic this morning at 8am which meant I'd have to get up at 6:30 ish AM, and I set my alarm and woke up, but it was one of those moments where my body just wouldn't do it. I probably 'could' have gotten it together, but when you can sleep, you'd best sleep as much as you can so your body won't rebel on you. Trying to treat my body as best I can without overdoing it.

Sleep levels have actually been fairly decent the past week, save for last night. Maybe because I had ribs at RibFest :) Red meat! It might just might do me well to kick out red meat completely, I know it can cause big time flares.

Long bike ride tomorrow and if all goes well, I'll have finished the first week without triggering a flare.

Success!

Day 1 and more

The past week has been better. I've started taking a fine little supplement cocktail every day, who knows if it's really working, but there is some spirit in me yet! I also found this green super food powder (Green Vibrance) that tastes oh so god awful but is palatable if you down it with juice  and I really do honestly think it is giving me some pep in my step. I'm now working with a daily multi-vitamin, vitamin D, 300 mg of 5-HTP (this is the one i'm really curious to see if it will help with fibro pain and insomnia), and am just adding in the green super powder now. Into the mix shortly will be CoQ10 and Sam-e. These apparently are great for fibro.

Ok! Of course after a week of feeling better and doing yoga and walking and getting an hour long run in there, I am not feeling well on day 1 of training. WHHHYYYYYY. Can't I for once feel energized on the first day of my awesome training plan? I had grand plans to swim today for 30 minutes. But life put me in the dressing room of Macy's at the final bridal gown fitting for my beautiful friend whose wedding I am standing in in two weeks. She looks shockingly stunning, by the way, and I have learned how to bustle with the best of them. Here's hoping one day I will find a man who won't have cheating issues, commitment issues, or a past with illegal substances. But I digress!

Back home, and I'm exhausted. Like REALLY exhausted and have been all day. EVEN though I slept straight through the night last night. I had acupuncture on Saturday and went to a sound meditation on Sunday night. Did my deep sleep have anything to do with this mind/energy work I engaged in over the weekend? Not sure. Possibly. The acupuncturist definitely recommended treatment once a week to help with the fibro and flares and insomnia. I'm game. What the hell.

I really thought I might just push training to tomorrow. But I didn't want to quit.

On my first day.

So at 9:15pm I walked my ass to the gym and did the only thing that seemed feasible since there was zero energy for swimming and running didn't seem smart since my right knee has been acting up. I cycled 10 miles on the stationary bike and did a little strength training and some situps. And you know what, I actually am still exhausted but feel better than when I left for the gym. So on occasion, I guess I do need to push through the wall of fatigue and just do it. Like Nike says. Only I'm sure Nike didn't feel like he had the flu most days when he said that.

I have a feeling the training will be modified all of the time. I'll do my best. But my main worry is that I will trigger flares by being stupid about this. Just like I'm learning more about meditation and being present and mindful, I am learning to be mindful of my body and listen to what it needs. So when it tells me to shut up and bike instead of swim, I'll do just that.

Day 2 tomorrow. And on Wednesday I am going to my first meetup/clinic for the Chicago Triathlon Club! I JOINED THE CHICAGO TRIATHLON CLUB. I really wanted and need the advice and support of others who have done this before and are doing this for the first time. It will be good to make tri friends who are also going to jump into Lake Michigan in wetsuits.

 Who am I???

I am Katherine and I am training for the mother fucking triathlon, that's who I am.

And with the training and recent urge to delve into my more spiritual side with energy work, I have a feeling the next three months are going to be one hell of an athletic, spiritual, and emotional ride.