Recovered from weekend fatigue, but not from stomach issues

Weds: TREADMILL 2.2 mile run as 120 (60)
           STRENGTH Arms and shoulders 20'

           COMMUTE 7 miles

Thurs: ELLIPTICAL 30 mins and 2.2 miles
           STRENGTH Core 20'

           SWIM skipped

           COMMUTE 7 miles

The run was 2 minute intervals and I did 4.5, 5.0, and 5.5 mph pace. I'm not sure I calculated the distance correctly, but the general idea is correct. The ankle was fine, a bit talky later but minor bother during the run. It was a bit of a brain fog run. 

I didn't give a run-down of my gut last few days yet, and since I'll be mentioning it here I should probably review it. Friday T=6 after being "sick" the last 2 days. Then travel all day Friday and most day Sunday. Saturday, Sunday, Monday no BM. Then Tuesday morning T=7 a few times, and since T=6 since. It's Thursday! A week of this shit! No pun intended. 

This morning at the gym I just ran out of energy. I ate an orange before leaving, I usually eat nothing or an egg and the orange seemed to only make me hungry. Was it an energy rush then crash? Does an orange have that much sugar in it? Eh....

I finish my core workout which was sub-par and my head is flatlined. I go home instead of swimming, and once home I hurry through breakfast, nom some more including persimmons (what's the FODMAP status of those?) then end up shivering cold and tired. Up to shower (should have done that 1st) and since then just brain fog.

My gut is uncomfortable - feels full and crampy. Feel like I don't want to move. I gotta fix this. 

How?! 

Slept 9-10 hours, ahhhhhh

COMMUTE 7 miles

MORE ?

Probably not more. I'm finally feeling somewhat normal and there's a back log of things to get done. I stayed up 'late' last night to work on my to do list while LA slept. 10pm is not really late, but it was for me. 

I didn't mean to sleep in until 753am but I did! So much for a few household chores and walking the dog and a short at-home workout. I amazingly enough got out the door at 9am to bike in. I was feeling tired and cold and didn't want to bike, but I did and no regrets. It's not that cold (yet) and I woke up with the ride!

So the Choices I made for today were to just rest, relax, and re-do the to do list to be less frantic. Working good so far!

The plan for the rest of the week:
WEDS 60' treadmill, 20' upper
THURS 30' swim, 30' x-train, 20' chest/back
FRI treadmill as it feels good, 20' core
SAT/SUN long ride and long run, relatively

How's other things? No more gall/liver issues. My hammie/hip niggle is gone (hopefully!), and my ankle didn't stiffen up to hurt like it did a month ago in the last long road trip. Now it's just the fatigue, and getting my eating back to normal and not munchie. 

 

Happy Birthday Bee!

 Happy Birthday, Bee!!

What a day this is turning out to be. LA and I drove back from MO last night after seeing the kids. We arrive around 230am or so, bed by 3 or 330 am or so or whatever does it matter. It was raining then and it's raining now. So aside from being brain-dull, I'm off my "habits" because I didn't get to bike to work and took the bus instead. Further, I didn't get to walk my dog as she was picked up from the kennel right before I left for the bus. 

So - changes. Different Day, as I sometimes call it. And a day full of Different and Changes means different Choices. And I think that's going to be a theme for me for awhile.

Last night I listened to JBP on Sacrifice - the action of choosing to delay gratitude now in order to make a better future. That's what I need to focus on in the next few months. Making choices that benefit Future Bee. 

Chose to follow your plans for the day, to sleep and eat and move, to be grateful and open, to not sabotage or lie. The day is full of choices, as JBP would say the day manifests itself as a series of choices for you to make. And it's up to me to make the choices for the Future, for the Good and for the Betterment of myself. 

Today is a good example - I'm forcing choices for myself to make sure I keep moving when all I want to do it sit or sleep. Don't linger and eat because that's easier than doing something else and you mind thinks more food equals more energy. Today it won't. 

I've made and re-made my to do list a few times now, I keep adding to it and oddly the birthday present I'd want to have it clear by the end of the night! Then sleep. Lots of it. 

This is a disorganized post - it seems so clear in my head but doesn't translate today. 

And what a year this turned out to be! We then moved to MI on the same day I found out I needed ankle surgery, we continued living half -here/half-there until July when I finally left StL for a new house, a new job, and a new life. That new life, by the way, also includes 153 days of no Azuc and the slow rotting death of M. I tried the AIP to unknown/unsure benefit. I'm using a list of no-go's for me that includes no grains, sugars, alcohol, major starches. I'm better for it! It's hard though. No sushi!

I recovered from ankle surgery (152 days ago) and I'm running again! The recovery was up and down, I seriously had days in which I thought I'd never run again. I had days I didn't know that I even wanted to run again. But now it's like I can't get enough. Even though I'm dead-tired right now I would run if I could. 

And biking! LA bought two bikes yesterday and I might now have a new bike partner. That's how we started just over 2 years ago now - on bikes on the MCT, followed by sushi. I should get at least sushi worked back into my diet. 

Well, I need to get back to work, I'll come back to this as the next 12 weeks progress - the 12 weeks in which I'm committed to making better choices. Today - just too tired and I'm choosing to come back to this later!

5 days of rest, and the gall of it. Liver me alone.

Full rest Thursday due to fatigue, then rest due to travel Friday through Monday. It was so restful in fact that my daily step goal dropped to 9000 from 12000. Ugh. 

Thursday I was wiped out tired, like unreasonably tired. I took the day off. That night I came home and just crashed out, and went to bed with gut pain. That's so common for me, I don't really take note of it. But soon this turned into an under-the-diaphragm constant pain, like I was punched (not stabby or burning) that kept me awake most of the night. The one think I needed to do was sleep, and it was awful. 

I was hot, then cold, then hot, etc all night. But not feverish. I tried to keep from waking up LA, but I didn't succeed much. By morning he was worried and wanted to take me to the ER. But we had to leave soon to get the kids!? 

My denial was impossible. I didn't want to go to the ER or see a doctor, but he was convinced I had some gall bladder or liver issue. But the fact that I lacked other symptoms confounded us. No fever, no jaundice, nothing but the pain. And fatigue. I took a shower and laid down again, and kid you not started to feel better. WTF? He thinks a gall stone might have moved around, causing the problem then moving again and relieving the problem.

So I didn't go to the ER, had no further symptoms, and sorta only validated my reasoning for not going to see a doctor for this. But I think he's going to push on it, but I'll push back unless other symptoms appear. 

Also this weekend - LA bought two bikes!

Rest Day. Do you see the Dragon, or the Dragon's Hoard of Gold?

REST DAY
COMMUTE 7 miles

Yesterday and last night I was falling asleep from about 2 or 3pm on, all the way until bedtime. I was in bed by 830 or so, and we had a phone call with the kids around... I dunno I remember seeing 2300 something on the clock...Garmin says 2311-2343 I was awake. And it says just under 6 hours of sleep but I think this is short. I dunno. So with my arms, chest, and back sore from strength training, my right ankle giving mild signals of fatigue, my left hip/hammie niggle being mostly quiet, the daylong fatigue, and the fact that I had a lot to do this morning to get ready to leave tomorrow...Oh and the thunderstorm that probably meant the pool was closed -- I stayed home.

I did my little chores, I sketched envelope pictures for the kids, the dog didn't want to walk for some reason and just wanted to eat grass. The garage door opener guy was supposed to arrive by 8am but didn't, and I had to be at work for a 9am meeting. It wasn't a relaxing morning in the end. 

Last night I bought chocolate and figs and yet Monster Starved. I went to bed early. Moria was lingered but I left at M3. I won the Come Home. No Sabotage. Lies.... yea I lied about amounts. Meditation yes during the mattress construction, to calm post M3 anxiety. Creation - no time I did that today instead. Gratitude yes when I admired how my arms hurt less today. Social - that I failed last night when I didn't support LA like I could and should have.

So today's Choices: Get out again, that was great. Get out and go to bed. STFU when it comes to stuff not your business, it won't change. 

I finished JBP Chapter 1 last night, stand up straight with your shoulders back. One line was about framing challenges as opportunities. Do you see the dragon with his hoard, or do you see the hoard the dragon has? Do you see the problems or the opportunities? 

Full Moon: Stand up straight with your shoulders back

STRENGTH: 20 mins of Exerprise generated core workout
TREADMILL: 55 mins of 1.466666 running as 120 (60) at 4.0, total mileage 3.40 miles
COMMUTE: 7  miles

I woke up to the full moon in our west window, I opened the curtain and enjoyed it. But it wasn't a totally calm moment, the dog was begging to go out. She's adapting to our early morning schedule. 

The moon was hanging in the western sky as I got to the gym, and I could see it during my core set. And as I was on the treadmill, it fell below a building and was gone. 

The run was great, minimal but present hip/hammie issues. The ankle was OK (but stiff) unless I took an expected step, like to reach forward to the phone. Then it would briefly hurt. But it's normalizing - the morning pain and stiffness is improving. I'm still doing ROM work to get that back. It seems like no progress, but I'm not measuring either. 

The hip/hammie seems to have something going on too in the lower back/pelvis. A stiff need-to-pop feeling. Is this new feeling due to me compensating somehow? 

And my arms and back and chest burn from the last two days of strength training. Maybe my abs will join the chorus tomorrow. 

So this change thing. I broke the year up in to 12-13 week segments and decided to work on specific things each segment. And I identified 10 areas I really want to focus on: Monster, Sleep, Moria, Coming Home, Sabotage, Lies, Meditation, Creation, Gratitude , Social Support. And to focus on a JBP rule per week (give or take). Geez, how would I integrate all this and not overwhelm?

Yesterday I mentioned that while I might not be able to Change who I am, I can Choose what gets me to the better me. So....what if I sat down every weekend and focused on those 10 things and pick  Choices I could make to get to a better me. Examples: gotta get more specific week by week though.

1. Monster. Just fucking kill him.

2. Sleep. Start shutting it down 830 and be physically in bed before 9:30.

3. Moria. Get in and get out. Be done by 7:30 at the latest, unless something else going on.

4. Coming Home. I'm rocking this goal already, and the anxiety is already improving. 

5. Sabotage. One failure doesn't mean the day is lost.

6. Lies. Stop fooling yourself, stop denying, and stop failing to recognize what happens.

7. Meditation. Find moments in the day of quiet and peace.

8. Creation. Spend more time on stained glass! 

9. Gratitude. Stop everyone now and then to appreciate what's happening, get in the moment. 

10. Social Support. For me and those around me. 

Specifics this next week:

1. Monster. Don't bring anything home to feed him.

2. Sleep physically in bed by 9:30pm and no phone after that.

3. Moria. Get out by 8pm, dishes and all.

4. Coming Home. I realized yesterday that 5 minutes of Drops app is 5 minutes of PT

5. Sabotage. Full is full. Full means stop after M3.

6. Lies. Get accurate about countings.

7. Meditation. Twice a day, just stop what you're doing.

8. Creation. 3 times a week downstairs

9. Gratitude. In the gym, stop to feel how good it all is.

10. Social Support. Reach to LA more readily, we both need it. 

Now how to really integrate this?

You might not be able to change everything, but you can make CHOICES

STRENGTH Chest and back 20 mins
SWIM 700 yards in about 20-25 mins
COMMUTE 7 miles

I used my new Exerprise app to generate at C&B workout - loved it! New exercises. My arms and shoulders are a little sore from yesterdays workout, now today I'm adding to it. I wondered, if it's better to do this before a swim, after a swim, or on another day that I'm not swimming. If I alternate days, then my arms don't get a rest. If I do it in one day, then it's like a 60 min workout then a rest. As to whether before or after is better - before! Otherwise I get out of the pool and leave the gym without the workout!

The swim felt messy since my arms were tired. So I slowed down and tried to focus on form. Tried. 

I noticed yesterday that my left hip/hammie niggle hurts a bit on the bike when I stand up or try to push on the pedals. But it's better on stairs than it was a few days ago, and when I move around on the floor or pull my heel in, it's also better. Keep resting!

I've committed to having a better Come Home Goal, and I haven't mentioned it yet. I should - it's been successful! I come home and have 5-10 minutes of getting things done for me that keeps me from getting stalled in Moria right away. It feels good, the anxiety of the first few days is lessening. 

Now to improve the 2x M3 in the evenings. I worked it yesterday so that I'm done by 7pm (and drank my tea earlier in the afternoon) so that I don't go to bed with such a full stomach that it keeps me awake. But then LA came home and while hanging out with him I had a second M3. Ugh. But I wasn't too full! I think the 4 cups of tea right before bed is the real culprit. 

I found another new podcast yesterday, and one of the topics was about how you are who you are, you probably aren't going to change. Timely topic for me, giving the transformation ideas I'm having. He said you might not be able to change who you are, but you can make choices that make you the better version of you. Love that. 

Extreme Makeover: IronBee Edition?

SWIM: nope pool is still closed, so switchup to...
WALK on treadmill, running didn't feel fluid. 60 mins and I think a squeak under 3 miles
STRENGTH 20 mins of arms - dips, pullups, dumbells. My arms felt weak afterwards! 

Years ago I started watching the Extreme Makeover Weightloss TV show. I dunno how or why, or what pulled me into it. But I enjoyed it. I'm watching it again for some reason, as I can find it on YouTube during my treadmill workouts. I think I enjoy seeing someone work with a personal trainer? 

After some thought, I think I enjoy it because I want a voice in my head like this to counteract the one I already have in my head. That harsh yet weak voice that goes from 1% to 100% in or out of my favor. The saboteur.  The Monster. 

Imagine having someone to cheer you on and keep you focused all day. I tried the voice a few times in my head last night and today in the gym. One more set. Walk away. Stop and think. Get honest with yourself. Who wouldn't want help like that throughout the day? 

So yeah I put the bag back last night for good, and yeah I did a few extra reps today at the gym. 

But what about a year-long transformation in 4 phases like in the show? Doesn't have to be 4 phases, could be 12 or full moons or whatever. I think this is on my brain because my Bday is in a week and a full moon is this Wednesday and they both are like restarts for me. A benchmark or New Year of sorts. Every year I write myself a birthday card in the blog. Let's go back a few years and review... 

2020: So my goal for the next year, find yourself again. Leave behind everything here and find a new start. You are still the person you were yesterday, all off them good and bad. The silent voice, that's the voice of the future, and what will that voice say in one year? 

2019: So many goals for this year, I always put a few goals in my birthday post. No more M and a little more A. See the nutritionist. Get strong. Get running. Get normal. Are these goals? haha. Love you bee!

2018: my FUCKING BIRTHDAY. Happy Birthday to me, how looks, my EKG? OK not funny. (hospitalized for PCI).

2017: no specific entry, but a breakthrough in meeting up with an old friend and branching out

2016: So, Bee, why are we here? Because I want to encourage you to stay the course. Keep trying. Never give up, and never lose site of those end goals. I'm not talking about a 100 mile finish, I'm talking about winning the Battle of the Five Armies, so to speak. This Battle has been ongoing for 20 years in some ways. Look back at those first memories, how long ago they were, how painful they were then and still are now. Twenty years, Bee. You're 41 years old today, do you want to be updating this blog in 20 more years and still be waiting on the Battle to be over?

2015: post hip biopsy and divorce

2014: B2B 

2013: I signed up for MiTi

2012: a FoPa run, a pumpkin drive, and decision to run Land Between The Lakes in 2013.

OK I think that's enough. 10 years now. Up and Up, then Down and Down, and then.... Now. 

NOW. You're looking at now, sir. Everything that happens now is happening now. 

NOW!!! Why wait for a birthday or a full moon? What is you you want?! This long ass post and what conclusions from it?! Blah blah blah I want another voice in my head? Why, just last year I found I have up to 7 or 8 other voices (past selves) in my head and they're still there but they just behind my now. They don't speak much, but I think about them a LOT. Maybe that's a place to start. What is it I keep thinking about them? Why do they continue to attract my attention? Why do I keep going back to the past? 

NUMERICS! And am I injured already?

 

NUMERICS. REAL NUMERICS!

4:53 hours total (that's it?!)
SWIM 1600 yards in 50 mins
BIKE none
RUN 4.1 miles out of 8.75 miles in 3 sessions
COMMUTE 24.5
STRENGTH 20 mins each of core and leg
ELLIPTICAL 39 minutes
ROWING 20 minutes

Woah! only 5 hours?

So first things first, let's do an honest review, because I have to decide now if I'm doing too much and need to dial back, or if I need to remove something and replace it for awhile.

Only 5 hours, let me say again, only!? My goal at the gym is 60 mins at least of cardio. I was at the gym Mon, Weds, Thurs, Sat. So yeah, I guess 5 hours. 

Of that 2.33 hours was on the treadmill. I planned 8 miles of walk/jog and ended up slightly over that. What I didn't plan or keep track of was the mileage I was accumulating in the run portion. I would have guessed 3 miles, not 4. 

Well let's get to the point. There's a super tight pulling pain in my left hammie/butt crease area. Most noticeable on stairs. I woke up with it Saturday and walked and foam rolled to see how it felt. I still went to the gym, didn't feel it much there unless I was doing specific moves that irked it. Being on the treadmill wasn't bad really at all (denial?!) I was aware of it but not bothered by it (denial).

Today (Sunday) is better? but it's still there. I did some reading and found hamstring tendinopathy kinda fits the area - where the hamstrings connect to the pelvic bones. Rest is needed, if that's what it is. 

But - here's the really scary part. Thursday in lab meeting (I ran that morning) my right pubic bone flashed a few beats of sharp pain. Out of no where, it came and went. Then it was gone for good and no more. But now as I think and ponder and stress, I can feel the pubic bone on the left side having a "feeling". I'm aware of it. Does it hurt? Is it injured? 

HOW THE FUCK COULD IT BE? Seriously? Let's be honest here, and maybe I need to pull the data because honesty in this department is not one of my strengths. (See "guess 3 miles, not 4" above). What I think I've been doing since July - building steps, layering in bike commutes with longer rides, some strength in PT and slowly more at the gym. 

Reality? I bought my gym membership late September and since then I've been a drug addict going 3-4 times a week. 
First week at gym: Sept 27 1:43 hours with swimming and a treadmill run mile.
Second week: 5:38 hours at the gym, with 3.58 miles of walk/run
Third week: 4:53 hours at the gym, with 8.75 miles of of walk/run

Well there you have it, I complain that it's "only" 5 hours" but look at the numbers and try to argue your way out of it. You went from 1-2 hours to 4-5 hours. 

OK so some of it is swimming, lots of elliptical, some rowing. Does elliptical count as a weight-bearing exercise? I dunno, but it's movement and stress on the legs that they aren't ready for yet. On top of that, the walking I'm doing on the treadmill is also new for me - that fast-aggressive pace of 4.0 mph is something new for me. So even though I'm "walking", it's still new. 

An alternate theory - is that my run form is not ready yet and I'm compensating somewhere for the lack of full ROM on the right ankle. 
An alternate theory - I read that the sciatic nerve can be impinged and as a protective response the hamstrings will tighten up to protect it, causing this issue. 

In the meantime, I need an alternate plan. Rest this week! Replan. But don't get stressed. 

PT with Ben is over, I'm on my own!

 Monday: RUN 1.125 miles out of 2.5 miles, as 10x 90s runs (60s)
                SWIM 600 yards in just under 20 mins, 150 swim/50 kick
                COMMUTE 3.5 miles (got a ride home, yay!)

Tuesday: COMMUTE 7 miles and my last PT session

Wednesday: ELLIPTICAL 20 mins, ROWING 20 mins
                 SWIM 1000 yards in just under 30 mins
                 COMMUTE 7 miles

Thursday: ELLIPTICAL 15 mins
                 TREADMILL 40 mins, 90/60 run was 1.2375 miles out of 2.5 miles
                 STRENGTH Core 20 mins and Legs 20 mins
                 COMMUTE 7 miles

Friday: Full Rest, rained out anyway

Saturday TREADMILL 60 mins, 120/60 at 4.0 (slower than before), run was 26 mins and 1.73 miles

Monday: I was supposed to do a core workout too, but I miscalculated my timing schedule. I realized it at 5am of all times, and my alarm was set for 545am. Do it at home! Do it!  The run was great - 90s intervals at 4.5 speed...doing the math....1.125 miles. Oof, less than I thought. It was a total workout of 2.5 miles (the goal) and I did do a brief couple seconds at 6.0 speed to see how it feels. Tiring!

Tuesday: I wanted to do a mid-distance ride but in the end it didn't work out. I had my final PT session this morning - Ben said to work on lateral stair squats (squat at base of stairs on the last step, facing sideways), runners on the foam pad, standing up on toes, then doing runners going up on the toes. Next - skips - a plyometric (but not full out hoppity) skip to program neuromuscular firings to get back the idea of running. I'll miss talking to Ben! He was more than physical therapy there was also an element of mental therapy. The plan to ride after my 4pm hair appointment didn't pan out, by the time I got to Lowes to buy mulch, put down the mulch, LA was already home and having dinner and the motivation to go back out wasn't there. I was tired and hungry. Makes sense - I've been "going" without a rest day since...? last Tuesday?

Wednesday: Monday night I dug out swim plans and came back across the Speedo 1000K that I've done before. So that's on the plans for now. The beginner triathlete one was too boring. The plan was supposed to be 20 mins XT, 20 mins legs, 30 mins swim. But somehow I got too much XT on the daily notes. Instead of legs, I did another XT. So! -- Tomorrow needs to be altered to include my missed core and now my missed legs. 

The swim! The first session of the Speedo Beginner Make It Wet 1000y swim plan. Simple, and I lengthened it by repeating the MS: 2x [8x25 (10); 2x75 pull (30); 4x25 (10)]. I was a worn sloppy mess by the end, and now hours later I can feel the muscles in my neck talking a bit. Not pained, but there. And I have that mild dizzy to go with it. Yay!

Thursday: Plan succeeded! Excepting the 5 minutes I "lost" by being 5 minutes late to the gym (had to stop to eat some eggs, not needed!) I did everything on my schedule. The run felt great, I let myself watch some Chris Powell on YouTube and it went fast. For strength I did my Intervals App set to 60(20) for 15 intervals (total 20 mins) of planks, crunches, bird dogs, squats, step ups, lunges, what else... Love it, and hooooo I'm tired. Short on good sleep, crashing at 8pm every night, snoozy during the day at work. See below....

Today  at work I ate my lunch at 10am, and someone commented about eating breakfast late. I pointed out that I'd been awake since 330am (thanks to LA!) so this was kinda "late" for me in the day!! I love this too, I'm so efficient lately. I get my household chores done in the  morning, get my Russian work on Drops and Mango done on the elliptical, Duolingo walking the dog. This requires me to sit down the night before to write out a event-by-event timed schedule until I leave for work. It works.

Now for the evenings, I need to do more work on. Lately I'm going to bed late (late when you get up at 4am, anyway) and with an overfilled, heavy, pained gut. It's not working to have a big meal at the end of the day. So. My plan for next week is to try a big lunch, then a salad, veg, fruit snack-sized when I get home. This will be a hard habit to break!! But I have been successful to in having a "Come Home Goal" of doing something for at least a few minutes upon walking in the door. Right now, go upstairs and wash my face, do a chore if I can. It works!! But change is hard. 

Friday: make plans to sleep in! Done! I rode in with LA and after a long day took the bus home. He's away playing army this weekend. 

Saturday: I woke up feeling lonely and sluggish, but rested. After a few minutes bee-bopping around doing chores and etc, I noticed going up the steps that my left hamstring/butt crease area was pained. Like a super tight pulling pain. On up steps only (down is OK), and pulling my heel towards my butt in bed type movements. Da fuq?

I'm determined to see what's going and on also determined to walk if not run, so after a late stressed morning I get to the gym. It "feels" when I run, but doesn't hurt or burn. I slowed the run down and lengthened the interval, this felt slow but perfect. I barely felt the workout. I ran and walked at the same speed, and this is an aggressive walk pace. See my post on potential injury for my thoughts on that. I watched my Chris Powell show on the tready. It's my "reward" of sorts. 

I'd thought about doing yesterday's drill-focused swim today, but realized that I left my pink swim bag in the car that LA had. Then, I get to the gym and find the pool is closed anyway for maintenance!

LA had to do an Army fitness thing and he did 11500m in 25 mins. He challenged me to 12000m in 25 mins. I have to do the maths...12km is 7.4 miles....that's 17.9 mph on a stationary bike. I like challenges!

Sunday: Took the day off, I'd planned a bike ride but I didn't get to work on Saturday so I have to work today and do meal prep. Ugh. And this one bike ride won't change anything regarding biking abilities next year, but it would definitely benefit a problem hip!

First week of planned training!

 

Saturday RUN 0.8 miles in 0.1 mile intervals, total 2 miles walk/run
Sunday BIKE 26 miles in 1:44, Liberty gravel roads

The first week is done, or is it the second now? Either way, I'm building the habit. All feels great, the ankle is like 90% normal in regular duties, and 75% or so running (depends on the day).  I have one more scheduled/approved PT appointment on Tuesday, it might be the last. Not sure I need it anymore, but I need it. I need to get full ROM for dorsiflexion.

Next week - more home PT and more strength building. And get a specific swim plan, not this "20 min swim" thing I'd otherwise keep doing. 

And M reactivated this week. Like a herpesvirus, comes and goes. What a sick way to look at it. 

Supersonic; One Year to Hennepin 100

Tuesday: COMMUTE 7 miles, and canceled PT

Wednesday: COMMUTE 7 miles, SWIM 600y, ELLIPTICAL 20 mins, and LOWER STRENGTH 20 mins

Thursday: COMMUTE 7 miles, ELLIPTICAL and ROW 20 mins each, and TREADMILL 1.5miles/30 mins with 4 or 5 1-minute runs at a very slow speed; FOAM ROLL and STRETCH 10 mins. (PT also canceled).

Friday: rained out of commute. didn't get to gym.

I don't usually log XT and strength stuff, but I'm short on other things I'm doing and since I'm treating this as part of my recovery/rebuilding/new-normal, I'm including it. Besides, it makes me look busy. 

The ankle pain after Saturday's run continued into Tuesday, mostly after I'd been sleeping. I did some jogging down a hall Wednesday at work and pained it again. Then Thursday I do all that in the morning, including 4-5 minutes of 4.0 speed treadmill running and for the rest of the day it feels fine?! Huh? What seems to cause the change? 

I wasn't able to go to PT (both were like 1pm) middle of the day so I've been doing a little bit all day long. When I'm standing, walking, waiting, I stretch and try to get my knee forward. It seems like I make no progress, but I'm not measuring so how would I know for sure? 

I'm really enjoying my up-at-430am then to-the-gym mornings, except I'm already falling asleep by mid day. I need to get to bed earlier. While I was in the legs workout Weds, Supersonic played on the radio. I've been ready to add that song to the Songlist but haven't done it yet! 

--

Went too far! Back off

ELLIPTICAL 25 mins of bouncing
STRENGTH 20 minutes of BOSU ball fun
SWIM 600 yards in a little under 20 minutes

The Saturday run that felt so good that day has left my right foot (and a little of the left) hurting. If I sit still for awhile (sleeping, sitting, driving) I get up with a limp that works itself out in a few minutes. So, I take that to be a tendon issue given the pattern. Ligament? Maybe, either way, it's not an injury pain. It feels like overuse-abuse getting to injury. So my plans to walk/jog on the treadmill this morning were changed to elliptical. 

The elliptical wasn't entirely pain-free either, but it was better. No impact. The pain is on the outside of the ankle, along the outer edge of my foot behind the arch area. Then around and under the knob of ankle bone. It hurts, not a sharp pain but a bad ache. Kinda acute. So rest. 

Really though when I think it over, it's obvious. I'm supposed to do the Return To Running plan by hopping around on the ladder-patterns. Time to tape that down in the basement. Should I have gym floor there for the hopping? 

The BOSU ball was good, will I feel it later? I hope so. My plan is strength 3x a week. With a Plan, not just 'do strength'. The swim was good too, started off feeling faster in the water but I wore out as the yards came on. I tried the kickboard, that was OK. The ankle was having a tight-pain feeling, like it was saying "I don't like stretching like this!". 

No commute because of rain. 

One year to Hennepin 100

1 mile outdoor run, 10x 0.1 mile segmentsl; Hennepin is today!

RUN! total 2 miles in 27 mins, WU 5 min fast walk, then 1 min walk/0.1 mile run. 
BIKE?

I'd planned a long ride, it's GORGEOUS outside, but I gotta get stuff done! I need to mulch the yard before it rains. 

The run felt OK, slow and weak, but that's expected now. I shoulda done 1 minute to keep to the plan but it's harder to track the mileage when I do that. And the 0.1 mile increments were sorta 1 minute long, a bit over. I'm a mileage tracker, not a time tracker.  

I ran south on Maple to Scio, then east for the out n back. For the past months I've been watching other runners on this route and wondering how it "felt" to run here. What did it "taste" like. in St Louis I knew how most all of my neighborhood sidewalks felt to run. I knew the hills, the pavement, the shade, noise, feel. I could see a runner and know what it was to run right there. I don't have that feel here in A2. I will soon!

Last night we set up my dry erase board in the basement. LA moved Frea to a more out-of-the-way place behind the couch, and this morning I moved a mirror to the area so I could it. I covered the board with my goals and exercises in color coded glory. Swim, bike, run, PT, strength, and cross train. A calendar and a weekly schedule. I love it. 

I checked, and Hennepin 100 is running to day. So it's one year to H100. And I just ran 10x 0.1. At least it's a start. 

October Opt-Out 2021

COMMUTE 7 miles

The only thing I've opted out of so far this morning was my trip to the gym. I got lots done (I was up at 0445) then by 0640 I finish walking the dog and have no motivation for the gym. So I end up breaking the IF for some eggs and bacon, then want more chix and bacon. 0730 PT time (no Ben, and I only have one more session!?). PT was underwhelming but has me thinking maybe I don't need it so much anymore? Then home to stress and distraction about the Murray call tonight, and M finds the cashews and vegan chocolate chips from yesterday. Ugh. 

Previous OptOuts: 

2020:I woke up with plans in place to make this October special, as I usually do for October. Opt Out is the usual -- in which I Opt Out of the internets like Dumb surfing, youtube, reddit, and next door. But as of now, I'm nextdoor and reddit free, dumb surfing is super minimum, and youtube is my only internet vice. And that's mostly at work. So what can I opt out of this month? Been thinking, I have a few ideas.

1. Opt out of M. Nuff said. I crashed hard with it this past weekend with Sunday/Monday feeling  like a free fall. Now Tuesday was 1 item, Wednesday was 0 item, and now today Thursday let's get this cleaned up. 

2. Focus on real meals. Been wanting this - real meals that I sit down to and enjoy. Not random grabs that aren't satisfying or are eaten too fast. 

3. Reasonable daily plan. No more over-planning rigid must-do days. Day by day, continue with the index card notes with 8 goals for the day. 

Overall, I think this means to Opt Out of STRESS. M stresses me. Hurrying through meals, and having all these rules to follow -- all stress. So let's make it an Opt Out of Stress Month. 

2019 It's October! I've opted out of news and carbs

For 2021:

1. Opt out of ALL M.  
2. Opt out of non-essential reddit. Jokes are OK. Recipes are OK.

3. Opt out of msn yahoo etc

Opt IN to a daily schedule with:

1. 1 hour of something exercise

2. a few mins a day of  personal hobby

3. a few mins a day of relationship focused time.