Success Is Mine!

ROSANNA & I WAITING FOR THE RACE TO START

Today I had my best race of the year! The Lakefront Discovery Run put on by the Badgerland Striders. This was race #11 in my comeback series, and everything went perfectly. I finished 7 minutes faster than my projected goal (this is HUGE, since runner's count progress in seconds), completing 9.3 miles in 1:35:04, which averages out to a 10:14 minute pace per mile. This pace sustained over 9+ miles is a major breakthrough for me, signifying all my training efforts have paid off. I felt physically and mentally strong the entire race. My knee posed no problems during or after the race, but we'll see what tomorrow brings. Many times I was shocked to look at my Garmin and find I was doing a 9:35 pace - say what?!

I'M IN THE TURQUOISE JACKET, WAVING

The weather was perfect for running - upper 40's, overcast, breezy. The course was fun and scenic, starting at the War Memorial, heading North along Lincoln Memorial Drive until the road leads to Lake Park, through Lake Park South bound along the Oak Leaf bike trail to the War Memorial, back down Lincoln Memorial Drive North along the lagoon, then South towards Veterans Park, down the road to Summerfest, rounding out onto Chicago St, and winding our way to the finish at the Milwaukee Ale House. Rosanna ran the 5k, and was waiting to cheer me on at the finish line. Joe came down for the start of race to support me once again (what a trooper getting up early to come to my races), and my mom was there near Mile 2 at Bradford Beach for encouragement.

I'm thrilled with this race, and even happier that I don't need to run more than 5 miles at a pop for the next 2 months! Two more races to go this year, both 5k's, which means I can start winding down for a couple months, until half marathon training resumes in February.

Time to stretch and pack for Louisville. We hit the road tomorrow...

Bright Spots

Life is improving since my last post. Joe's feeling better, and we have a game plan for how we're approaching the whole doctor issue. In actuality, Joe hasn't even seen his new doctor yet, as he's been stuck seeing the PA and nurses, until the doctor is available. Since Joe's sudden flare was a crisis needing immediate attention, and doctor's don't have immediate openings anymore, Joe was forced to see whatever PA was available. To that end, he's going to give his new doctor, whose bio states he is patient centered, a chance next week, but he is absolutely done with the bitchy PA. And speaking of the acerbic PA - when Joe saw her last week, he mentioned his lack of voice or what we assumed to be laryngitis, and she'd dismissed him to see his internist, stating that it had nothing to do with his colitis or the prednisone. Well, guess what? She was wrong. Imagine that! Joe's internist today told him that prednisone can cause heart burn, even if he doesn't feel it, which can affect the vocal chords. Yet another negative side effect.

Having future plans to look forward to is always a great way to muddle through dull or difficult times. Joe and I have learned that there is a solution to a transportation issue that has prevented us from doing one of our dream backpacking trips for many years. We've had the High Sierra Trail in the Sierra Nevada on our must-hike list for years.It's an amazing 72 mile one-way route from Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park in CA on the West side of the Sierras to the summit of Mt. Whitney (the highest point in the lower 48 states - an amazing mountain we summitted in a day in 2002) on the Eastern side of the Sierras. For a long time there has been no easy way to get from one trailhead to the other, and the drive from one point to the next is 7 hours because there are no roads crossing over the Sierra Nevada - instead you have to go around them. We are now privy to a shuttle service,albeit very expensive, that will deliver us from the end of the trail back to our rental car on the other side of the mountains. We're sooooooo doing this trip - we have to hurry up and get there before this shuttle service is defunct.

The best time of year to safely (least amount of snow) cross that mountain range is late August-September, which means our race plans for next year have to be re-examined, as we had plotted out races with the idea that we were going to Alaska (where we would run a half marathon) in June. Well, Alaska will have to wait until 2012, as will some of the races we'd been planning, but now we have exciting new race plans. I'm aiming for 3 half marathons next year, and if Joe's feet get fixed and hold up, he will do them too:
1) Trailbreakers Half in Waukesha 3/11
2) Door County Half at Peninsula State park 5/11 (our anniversary weekend, so it can be a get away too)
3. The Haunted Hustle Half in Middleton 10/11

I know some of you are shaking your head that I already have chunks of 2011 planned, but plans keep you focused, and are bright spots in dark times. If you want some upcoming bright spots, I can provide them too. This is a 4-day work week leading into 10 days off. Friday we're going to vote absentee, I'm getting new tires (hey! that's exciting stuff), and we're going to see the new and final SAW movie in 3-D. Two days after that we'll have a nice road trip to KY to see Joe's folks, and will spend a few hours at Wolf Park - a wolf preserve and educational facility in IN - on our way down. On the return trip we'll stop in Indianapolis to see Joe's sister and her family. When we get home, we're hopeful that Chaco & Denali will be ready for pick up in Green Bay. Couple days after that we're having some great friends over for lunch, the week after that will be my mom's infamous Harvest Feats, and following that will be a plethora of days off for holidays and leftover vacation time. Lotsa good stuff ahead :)

High Stress Times

It’s been another high stress week on all fronts.

WORK: Gone are 8 hour work days with time to read a book over the lunch hour. Those times have been replaced with 9-10 hour days, with lunch inhaled while answering emails. While I feel the constant calling of my growing to-do list at work, I do not experience the responsibilities as stressful. I love the challenge of trying to get so much done, and am invigorated by the variety of tasks I’ve been given – more leadership, more public presentations, more clinical opportunities. The idea that a clinical therapist position could be created in my department (sooner than later) helps keep me fresh and motivated to manage all of these duties. Though I don't identify my work as a negative stress, I know it's stressful due to the non-stop pace each day, as well as the reduced time to tend to other life matters (like getting new tires before winter - hopefully I can research that them this weekend) and to have down time before my 8p.m. bedtime.

RUNNING: For several months I’ve been nursing a mild patellar tendonitis in my right knee. It typically becomes more pronounced after a long run or a run coupled with leg work at the gym. Usually ice, an arnica unguent and sleep makes it better by the next day. My knee healed 100% while we were backpacking in August, which tells me I’m experiencing an overuse problem from running without enough rest in between. The knee won’t bother me while running, but hurts going up or down stairs or when I kneel. After Saturday’s 10-miler my knee was more sore than usual and it was not bouncing back as quickly, so this became a new source of stress, as I have my 15k coming up Halloween weekend. I mustered all the will power I could find to NOT run for 3 days. This is difficult to do, especially when a race is so near. BUT, the rest paid off in dividends – my knee is about 95% improved and has not gone tweaky after running, Spinning and weight lifting in the latter part of the week. I had an amazing sports massage with Angie today, tomorrow I have a short 5.5 mile run, and then I get to taper my training, so my stress levels are decreasing in this one area as my confidence with a solid knee rises.

JOE: The symptoms of Joe's flares have decreased significantly in the two weeks he's been on prednisone, but he is having bad side effects from this toxic medication and plans for his future health are uncertain, which is causing a huge amount of stress. When Joe was diagnosed 6 years ago, he was assigned to one of the leading GI doctors in the country, and a good PA at the best hospital in town, Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin. That doctor and PA duo left Froedtert over a year ago, but Joe was never notified. Joe's new team, to put it in plain English, suck. From the get go their level of communication, patient centered treatment, responsiveness and coordination of care has been poor. The PA is an abrasive and dismissive woman whom Joe cannot trust or learn anything from. He has had to constantly advocate for information and a game plan for his recovery - most recently having to assert his need to begin tapering the prednisone(something the doctors should have been on top of). The treatment team wants to place Joe on the medication of last resort, but have not offered any reasoning as to why.It doesn't make sense to us to put him on this med without trying all the other possibilities first. This medication has serious ramifications on many levels from health risks, to ethical issues to lifestyle matters. Joe is forced to research this medication and other treatment options, while sick and exhausted, to empower himself because his team is not reliable. This also means trying to find a new and better treatment team, as well as second or third opinions, all the while not knowing how this will play out or be resolved, and "this" being the serious matter of his health.

Looking ahead to bright spots, we have tickets to see the hilarious David Sedaris tomorrow night, next week Friday we begin a week's long vacation, next Saturday I'll complete my last long-distance race of the year (and likely kick butt doing so), we should have Chaco and Denali within the next two weeks and nothing this hard in life can last forever.

October Birthday Wishes

Wishing each of you a very happy birthday with a fortuitous year ahead!

October 19th

HAPPY 62ND BIRTHDAY TO MY DAD!!!

October 22nd

HAPPY 48TH BIRTHDAY TO MY BROTHER, SHAWN!!!

October 26th

HAPPY 49TH BIRTHDAY TO MY SISTER, KAREN!!!

October 29th

HAPPY 39TH BIRTHDAY TO MY GREAT FRIEND, ROSANNA!!!

Philosophical Run

Here I am at age 3. This picture was taken over 36 years ago, by my now deceased Grandpa Malloy, at a playground near his home off 45th & Vliet - once a very nice residential area overlooking the Miller Valley. A 3 year old free of trauma with a stable home, is essentially a tableau rasa in life, right? Anything is possible. What lies ahead in their life? Will it be greatness? Mediocrity? Will they become a doctor? A murderer? Is your life path predestined or do you control it through your choices? Where does nature vs. nurture fit in? These are the kinds of things I thought about today on my last double digit long run of 2010.

It was a spectacular fall morning for a 10 mile run - my 5th time running that distance this year; clocking my best time yet. My musings began with "who'd have ever thought I'd be a runner?" Even 5 years ago the thought of running was anathema to me. And there I was this morning, striding through leaves with the sun and the wind keeping my body temperature just right, my injured left side (herniation, torn piriformis)performing well, my lungs and heart efficiently pumping oxygen to my muscles. There I was running through a nicer neighborhood, my neighborhood, than I ever suspected I would live in while growing up as a poor kid on the lower east side. I thought about how my life has turned out better than anyone could have predicted - a kind & considerate husband who shares my interests, a wonderful home where I feel safe and happy, a masters degree allowing me to have a rewarding career, enough money to live without fear, close friends and good health. Who were you at 3 years old? Has your life surprised you?

This has been another blur of a week. I have a ton going on at work. I'm enjoying all my job duties, the greater leadership role I'm being placed in, the new challenges I'm given, but gone are the days of reading a good book over my lunch hour - gone are the days of a lunch hour! Taking a day off mid-week just made the days I was there busier - I know all of you can relate. On my day off, I didn't lallygag. I spent a couple hours at UWM completing the second and last testing session for the knee study I'm participating in. Amongst other things, this testing included many different measures of leg strength. As we began, I reminded the tester that my left leg is weaker than the right due to injuries and nerve damage, so he wouldn't be alarmed by the disparity in the numbers between left and right legs. Last time the numbers were fairly well separated. This time, my left leg was often equal to or stronger than my right leg! I surmised that due to my increased training, my right leg is taking the heat off my left leg and was more fatigued for the testing session. "Or", he said, "Your left leg has gotten stronger with the training." Well hell's bells, That would never have occurred to me :)

So you guys don't really care about the dull details of my running or work load, right? Are you scanning through all this chitter chatter to get the latest update on Joe? Well, I shall keep you waiting no longer. Joe's symptoms continue to gradually improve. He has moved from the symptoms of a severe flare to the symptoms of a moderate flare, which is quite substantial, given the fact that the severity 2 weeks ago was off the charts. Joe has gained a few pounds, but it may be difficult to keep the weight gain moving forward as he has been told to eat a "low-residue" diet until the flare is resolved. This is a culinary death sentence for a vegan, as he is not permitted to eat whole grains or most fruits and vegetables. At the same time he is to eat a high-iron diet to combat his anemia, but many of the vegan high-iron foods (most high iron foods are meats) are on the Do Not Eat low-residue list. It's a real quandary and hassle - lots of bean soups are in our future! Joe does not have the go ahead to exercise, which only serves to fatigue him mentally and physically. The duration of this flare is a lot to endure. Add to that a nagging cough and laryingitis, and it feels like he can't get a break. That said, don't feel sorry for him. Joe never ever complains about any of this, and soldiers on with much fortitude, remembering that this too shall pass.

Yay Joy!

I just ran my 900th mile of the year! No one would ever suspect I was barely walking with a cane 20 months ago.

Treading Water

This image sums up my week – just trying to keep my head above water! There has been a constant deluge of stress and strain since we returned from vacation 7 weeks ago. The primary focus this week has been on Joe’s health – a major source of worry and concern. The day Rainier died, is the day Joe’s current flare began. It has been a severe flare that has included constant trips to the bathroom, increased insomnia, a continual 100° fever, dehydration, anemia, exhaustion and a 12-pound weight loss (which Joe can’t afford!). The flare was untreated for 13 days, which is the amount of time it took to schedule an appointment with the GI doctor, and to have a diagnostic colonoscopy. The colonoscopy on 10/6 found severe inflammation, confirming what we already knew to be true. The colon was so inflamed that the doctor could only get 1/3 of the way in before Joe felt discomfort (so they stopped), and before they feared perforation. Joe was immediately started on Prednisone, which is the usual course of treatment for a flare. After 2 days on this potent steroid, there has been a small reduction of his symptoms, and we are hopeful that Joe will be restored to good health shortly. We’re uncertain at this point how long he will be on Prednisone, or what the course of treatment will be after the flare is resolved.

One of many frustrations with the setback of this flare is that Joe hasn’t been able to run or work-out. I’ve felt bad for him as I slide away to the gym each morning, healthy and making progress in my training. I’ve been working on speed and am experiencing a quicker pace with less cardio output. I look forward to tomorrow’s 9-miler to see what I can do – tomorrow’s run will be a great predictor of how my 15k will go. In the spirit of always trying to keep work-outs interesting and challenging, I’m looking to shake things up by getting into TRX training in November. TRX is suspension training that uses your own body weight and gravity to build strength, balance, coordination, flexibility, core and joint stability. If you wanna see what I’m talking about, click this link: http://www.fitnessanywhere.com/ Three gym friends and I have petitioned Ben to group train us on the TRX ropes. The four of us are also returning to Ben’s Boot Camp in November, so watch out! By Christmas, I hope to be a leaner and meaner fighting machine!

I hear Chaco & Denali are anxious to have a home to run and romp around in, but their ringworm isn’t entirely gone, so their ETA is yet unknown. And in the big picture it’s been a good thing that they’re not here. After the hectic week we’ve just had (on the run from 4a.m. – 8p.m. every day), those poor brothers would have been terribly neglected. Since we don’t have Rainier’s body or ashes to honor with an urn like all the others, we bought a silver frame to hold a picture showcasing his beautiful grey coat and green eyes, with the following engraved in cursive:

5/16/10 – Rainier – 9/25/10
You Will Always Be Remembered

I will close this post with a birthday shout out to Aunt Shirley who will be 66 on the 12th! This is a big birthday month, with more shout outs to come.

Fall Running

Fall is officially my favorite running season. The heat and humidity of summer give way to refreshingly crisp air, and the heavily saturated green leaves, tired from the pounding of summer's relentless sun, live it up with an array of colors that keeps my mind enchanted and my feet entertained (crunch, crunch). I am gearing up for my 11th race of my "2010 Comeback Year" extravaganza. October 30th I'll run the Badgerland Strider's sponsored Lakefront Discovery Run 15k (9.3 miles) with Rosanna. I'd hoped to run it with Joe as well, but am not sure he'll be able to do it, as his colitis flare has presented another delay in his training. My weekend long runs are showing positive progress. Three weeks ago I ran 8 miles in preparation for The North Face 10k and was pleased with my overall 10:58 pace. Today I bested that time, running 8 miles at a 10:40 pace. The run felt relatively easy - my legs did not fatigue, and my cardio was not unduly stressed. Progress! Next week will be 9 miles, the week after, 10 miles and then I'll begin my taper - my final taper of the year. After this 15k, I'll complete the year with the Elf Run 5k in November and the Race Into The New Year 5k in December.

Joe successfully ran last week without any new problems to his feet - including two miles "barefoot" running in his VFF's. Joe also began meeting with his physical therapist, Scott, for a comprehensive gait analysis to pinpoint how his body mechanics may be undermining his running, leading to the metatarsal stress fractures. Joe has had 2 sessions with Scott thus far, which has entailed Joe running barefoot, with this pair of shoes, with that pair of shoes, with and without his various orthotics (custom made vs. store bought). There will be another session next week, with conclusions and recommendations soon to follow. This has been a terribly frustrating year of running (and not running) for Joe. Lets cross our fingers and toes that Scott figures out the problem so Joe can have his Comeback Year extravaganza in 2011!