Hindsite being what it always is, I should have stayed in the hospital one more day. I did not do much exertion Thursday or Friday but I was winded and taxed each day. Almost as if the effort of Ironman waited to give me the 'day after' feeling once I got out.
My phone consult went really well Friday night. A close friend of my father's, a world famous endurance doctor whose written numerous books on fitness, pioneered research on performance, and is a current Olympic and collegiate coach, has offered to help me. He will have his own sport performance business and his contacts at Standford university help me find a way to manage this condition. Forgive the dramatics, but it will be several months of blood tests, exercise analysis and nutritional consulting before I am back to a fitness program at any intensity I'd consider vigorous. Most people are told to hang it up at this point, when even the exertion of too many push ups could put me on dialysis. It will be interesting to see what comes of this as he told me that not only is this fatal if I don't respect the situation but some professional athletes that develop Rhabdomyolysis never completely recover, period.
This is supposed to be 'float' time when an athlete is in recovery from tremendous effort such as an Ironman or marathon but feels pretty good physically. Usually an athlete can test them self, go on a short ride or quick run. I can't. In fact I had a whole weekend just realizing I have to think of a different plan. While my friends are gearing up for races, the rest of my year is testing the waters. How fast? How far? How long? What intensity? The missing question is, How soon? My body is definitely telling me that answer is, Not now.
On Saturday, Mistress, Mighty Mo and I went to the Wildlife World Zoo. We are members of the Phoenix zoo and go several times a year so the hour drive west did not make much since but Mo really wanted to see the white tigers and well I wasn't going to be gone all day training. While walking around a pretty blond woman walked up and asked, "Are you Commodore?" It was Fumo Santos significant other; Fumo walked over and we talked about the race and the whole week in between. Bloggers are everywhere I tell you.
The whole week has just left me drained and the zoo was the cherry on top. I pretty much spent the rest of the weekend in bed.
My phone consult went really well Friday night. A close friend of my father's, a world famous endurance doctor whose written numerous books on fitness, pioneered research on performance, and is a current Olympic and collegiate coach, has offered to help me. He will have his own sport performance business and his contacts at Standford university help me find a way to manage this condition. Forgive the dramatics, but it will be several months of blood tests, exercise analysis and nutritional consulting before I am back to a fitness program at any intensity I'd consider vigorous. Most people are told to hang it up at this point, when even the exertion of too many push ups could put me on dialysis. It will be interesting to see what comes of this as he told me that not only is this fatal if I don't respect the situation but some professional athletes that develop Rhabdomyolysis never completely recover, period.
This is supposed to be 'float' time when an athlete is in recovery from tremendous effort such as an Ironman or marathon but feels pretty good physically. Usually an athlete can test them self, go on a short ride or quick run. I can't. In fact I had a whole weekend just realizing I have to think of a different plan. While my friends are gearing up for races, the rest of my year is testing the waters. How fast? How far? How long? What intensity? The missing question is, How soon? My body is definitely telling me that answer is, Not now.
On Saturday, Mistress, Mighty Mo and I went to the Wildlife World Zoo. We are members of the Phoenix zoo and go several times a year so the hour drive west did not make much since but Mo really wanted to see the white tigers and well I wasn't going to be gone all day training. While walking around a pretty blond woman walked up and asked, "Are you Commodore?" It was Fumo Santos significant other; Fumo walked over and we talked about the race and the whole week in between. Bloggers are everywhere I tell you.
The whole week has just left me drained and the zoo was the cherry on top. I pretty much spent the rest of the weekend in bed.
9 comments:
Comms, I'm so glad to hear you're now out of the hospital. If anyone can make a miraculous comeback, it's you. Remember that you're much more than just an athlete.
Comm, so sorry about all of this. I can't imagine how hard this all must be. Do what you need to do, take as much time as you need and know how many people are here for you in whatever way you need us to be.
I went on a 17 mile bike ride yesterday and thought of you while I was out there and how you do so much for so many. Thanks. Hang in there. I don't know what else to say except that I'm praying for you. I truly am.
Take care,
Melissa
It sounds like you've got some great resources to get you back on track safely.
In the meantime, try to see the opportunities. If there are any non-physical things you've ever wanted to try your hand at (carpentry, writing, an online class or whatever), now is a great time, while your workout volume is low.
There are a lot of ways to fight common man syndrome and they aren't all out on the road!
With everything you know and everything you are learning, you should consider coaching? If I could ever afford one, I'd hire ya!
I think that you are right to figure out how to continue training at some level. Rhabdo is obviously going to have an effect on your life, but that doesn't mean it should control it.
One step at a time buddy because, as the late great Dr. George Sheehan once said and you have definitely proven, "each of us is an experiment of one."
Spokane Al has a good point.
...and BTW, your experiment has more than a little of the mad scientist about it!
There's another military acronym that you have to get stuck in your head right now. Time to switch from CM to R&R.
This is your next endurance challenge - resting.
Your day to workout and race will come again - just not for a while.
glad to read you're out of the hospital comms!!! and whatever with that rabalama-ding-dong diagnosis. no disrespect to it, but i know you'll take it head on and not let it deter you one bit!!! you'll get your tests, your numbers and your new volumes like it's just another journey.
I like the way you are talking now. You're not scaring me as badly as you were at first! It sounds like you have a good grasp on your condition so far, and I have no doubts that you will be making the most of anything that life hands you. Glad you guys had a good day at the zoo...and I'm glad you rested the remainder of the weekend.
I'm sorry you have to deal with this, Comm. I know you'd give anything to just be zapped from finishing 140.6. But I've found in my life so far that when things don't go as I had planned, and I think it's just a disaster, it usually just turns out that it has taken a slightly different direction. Not really for the better or worse, but just different. Who we are is not about what cards we are dealt, but rather how we play those cards. Ya know what I man? I mean, if we're playing hold'em...I might have 7-2 and you might have Big Slick...but if I play my cards right and make you think I paired the Queen on the board, I can still beat you. I know you will find a way to continue inspiring others and living life to the fullest.
Still praying for you, too...
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