Life as a Needle Sticker

I think my body is rebelling against having a needle stuck into it every day. My belly seems to have started developing this little roll of self protective fat across the middle. Bodies are so clever, it knows that it is being subjected to hurt every day and is trying to protect the muscle and lean mass underneath. How clever. The body amazes me every day. I have experienced some other amazing protective reactions as a result of a lack of any intense exercise and daily needle stick injuries.....

1. The aforementioned protective roll
2. The lungs have developed a puffing capacity when trying to exercising too
hard. It kicks in quite early these days....just as well, it stops the
potential of pushing my leg too hard. Important to listen to the body's
warning signs ;-)
3. The legs themselves feel heavy when cycling (or walking) up a hill. Again,
what a marvellous way for the body to tell you enough is enough: 'whoa there,
your're risking injury if you make me tired, back off buddy, time for coffee'.
4. The sense of taste. Well chocolate must be good for healing. Nuff said.
5. And finally the head. It now tells me that an hour or 2 is enough. Instead
of heading out for a 4 hour bike ride and getting to about 3.5 before the
head says 'enough', it now happens round about the 1 hour mark. Perfectly aligned with a protective response for my little leg.

And so what can I do? My body obviously knows best right? I must be careful not to overdo it and to let the body heal to its own rhythmn and reason. Who am I to argue?

Happy training :-).

F
x

p.s. I haven't surrendered completely, I am up to 20 mins of running (1 x a week), plus another walk/run session, and I am still swimming and cycling albeit to a lower capacity......it will come.

Well I never - It's 2011, there's been another Christmas, a New Year, and I've already passed another birthday (and up another age group!). The most remarkable thing? I am still alive and kicking and settling into my slightly revised activity level.

Now I wouldn't like to make light of it. I can't say that it's been a breeze in the last couple of months. My plan didn't really work out for the start of 2011 and the aftermath of my ITB operation certainly bashed me around a bit. My mind took a bashing the most I think and made me dive headlong into a bit of a black space. But, I had amazing support from my nearest and dearest, and I now have a plan.

You may wonder what that plan is, well firstly let me go a couple of steps back and put you firmly into the current picture........
Melbourne Cup - November 2010: a nervous flight to Melbourne, an excellent day at the races and a progressively worsening pain again in my right calf.
Brisbane - more pain, disturbed sleep, worsening frame of mind
Brisbane part II - A doctor's appointment to throw my hands up and say 'I don't know what to do'. An amazing doctor, who actually told me more than the surgeon had in the previous several months, about what to expect concerning my DVT, that I needed to go back on medication. That actually, there is hope!

So....wind forward a few more weeks and I'm back on daily injections for 6 months to treat the symptoms of the DVT, with regular contact with my GP. The injections may help to dissolve the clot, but in the meantime it will lessen the pain and discomfort and enable me to do a little more general fitness. The operation, well it is still not fully healed, goes a bit backward and forward, but is still moving forward. I feel stupid having to keep saying that when people ask. I'd love to be able to say 'yep I'm raring to go, it's all going great, thing are progressively moving forward'....rather than; 'well it's about the same, I tried to do more and it hurt again and I've had to take a few steps backwards again, but I'll get there eventually'.

Right....almost up to date. Now a brief summary of my activities since seeing lovely Dr Lewindon:
- My calf became daily discomfort rather than pain
- My knee has blown up a couple of times
- I still do Ironman training with Emm (OK only for some of her swim sets!)
- I flew to Busselton to see Dave and my leg didn't get worse (interesting taking needles on the plane when they still give you plastic knives and forks....)
- I have been riding easy rides of up to 3 hours
- I have tried to do harder or longer rides and gone a couple of steps backwards
- I have done about 5 short 'walk/jogs'
- I have discovered ice is essential in helping control my knee flaring up
- I am back on sporadic painkillers when I over do it because my calf can't cope
- It is actually OK

And so, back to the major plan of 2011.......
I am having a year of 'social' sport and doing what I can. It means that whilst not aspiring to any races, I will try to push my limits, and if my leg (either part!) push back then I will ease off again. I am replacing the traditional long weekend run with a swim and yoga session that will also help my frame of mind to reconcile that my whole being is not defined by my sporting pursuits, but by the person I am (OK I still have a bit of work to get to this enlightened way of thinking..). My whole aim is to enjoy being active but not be obsessed (ditto above brackets), and to live the reality that I'd much rather live to the age of 80 and still be taking daily walks if that means sacrificing some glory today. I am even rediscovering my creative side - a Christmas cake, a new camera to play with... :-), yoga, a garden to plan and look after.....so many things so little time. Oh, and I have an Ironman in training to support. Roll on Port Macquarie Ironman 2011...16 weeks to go Doylee. You'd better watch out 'cause I have the camera, I am skilled at popping up all over the course, will be there on the finish chute and I am working on the pom poms and cheer leader outfit as I speak ;-).

Now I wouldn't like to sign off without also being realistic..................
I do still have ambitions to fulfill a bit more athletic potential, so keep watching this space during my 'active but gentle year' and I'll let you know as soon as the game is back on!!!!!!!!!!!


And in keeping with my soon to be found zen on Saturday mornings...keep Ommmmmmm'ing

F
xx