Welcome back! It's been a while and you know what that means-it's time to brush the cobwebs away and empty my mind. Time for an update. I'm sure these updates are a little boring and tedious for my readers but they do help me. It helps to put thoughts, feeling and emotions on paper, or computer screen to be accurate. It helps me process all of the above.
I'm just finishing up week three of radiation treatments. Fifteen days done. Twenty-three to go. It seems like an interminable time to me some days but the end is almost within sight. Everything is going well, at least in my humble layman's opinion. The side effects are getting more pronounced as the days pass. The hot flashes are more numerous. Enough to wake me out of a dead sleep. Needless to say my sleep quality isn't up to par. Unfortunately the fatigue is catching up to me so the occasional nap helps keep me alert through the day. Add in some muscle fatigue and joint pain on random days. And a couple other very interesting and at first disconcerting side effects to keep me on my toes. Nothing out of the ordinary according to the doctor. As whiny as that sounds I really do feel good. I haven't changed my normal routine much at all. All my treatments are at 10:00 a.m. so that once I'm home I have the day to do what I want.
As far as that goes I'm learning to listen to my body and adjust my training accordingly. If you can call it training. It's more of a go with the flow type of schedule. I'm trying to follow a 5k training plan but that's a crap shoot at best. I'll probably end up scrapping the schedule but for now it gives me a bit of structure. My running seems to be taking the brunt of my treatment plan. I had a goal pace run scheduled for last Tuesday, September 27. 5x1000m at my original goal pace of 7:39-7:49 with 200m rest. To say it was an epic fail is an understatement. Then 3x200m between 6:24-6:54. I had a difficult time staying at an 8 minute per mile pace. And it hurt. I felt slow. My form felt like I was running through pudding. I was winded beyond anything I'd felt recently. The 200m efforts were a total joke. I've never spent so much time looking at my watch hoping the interval would end. And like a dumb ass I pushed through to the end. And paid for it for a couple days. My body was not pleased. Since then I honestly am paying attention to what my body says it is capable of for the day. It may be a short ride. Today it was a relaxing walk on the Wiouwash trail with Tammy.
Last Sunday I was hoping my body wanted to suffer and do a little race. The Stump Farm Mountain Bike race was November 1. I originally wanted to do the 20 mile 2 lap race. After riding at Hartman Creek on Friday I knew that wasn't an option. I usually use a 34x16 gear on my single speed. It allows me to climb all but the worst hills and I can still push a good speed when the trails open up. But on that Friday my legs felt like they did a few days earlier. I struggled to find the rhythm I usually feel. I just chalked it up to a few bad days and overdoing things. The day before I rode with Tammy at Hartman Creek and tested out my Checkpoint gravel bike. To say I was pleased with how it handled the trails is an understatement. I even considered racing it on Sunday but went with my tried and true Crave single speed. I thought about changing the rear cog to a 17 to make things easier. Then I thought about my last race. The Reforestation Ramble in August was on the same trails. I did the 20 mile race that day and felt damn good. That wasn't how I felt after this race. I should have put that 17 on and hoped for the best.
The race really wasn't that bad. The temperature was in the low 30's. Wind gusts around 40mph. Light snow. Sounds like fun, right?! I somehow ended up on the front line at the start. I had an uncharacteristically good start. I knew a couple of the racers in my wave and my goal was to hang with them as long as I could. Tom and Don are always strong and I hoped I could stay with them. When the course hit the first single track section I was second in behind Tom. I caught him and we put a good gap on the chasers. My legs were feeling dead right from the start. Every short punchy hill saw me lose ground to Tom only to push and catch him again. Whenever the single track emptied on to the two track Tom would shift gears, stand up and gap me. Then we'd hit another single track section and I'd push to close again. Finally about the half way point I pushed just a little too much and took a digger on a soft turn coming out of the single track. By the time I got up Tom was almost out of sight. At that point my race went from trying to hang on to trying to stay ahead. I knew Don was behind me but how far I didn't know. I did my best to keep the effort meter at close to red line but the little hills were really wearing me down. I started glancing at my cycle computer more often to guesstimate how close I was to the end. When I finally hit the finish stretch I saw a rider ahead of me. I thought it looked like Ben, a good friend I race and ride with often. I had kiddingly told him at the start that he was my rabbit. I tried my damnedest to catch him but eventually ran out of race course. He did slow a little and we almost managed to finish together. In the end I think Ben and I both were pleased with how the day went. He hasn't ridden much all year. You know my story. Ben nailed a first place in his age group. I hung on for a second in my age group. A good day all around.
I felt pretty decent the day after. My ribs were a bit sore from my tumble. I had the normal post race phlegmy cough for a day. Legs were sore but no more than usual. I've ridden once very easy and short since. Felt good. And I listened to my body and actually cut the ride short.
I actually waited until the very last minute to register for the race. But I got accepted to be an ambassador for another great group. Mind Over Matter Athletes. I felt I needed to live up to that image and suck it up. Everyone else was dealing with the same conditions. Embrace the suck!
So that's where I am. I honestly feel good. Staying positive. And the end is getting closer.
Thanks for suffering through this long winded ramble. I appreciate everyone who reads these posts and follows along. It really does help me process and deal with things.
Comments and questions are always welcome. Until next time, get out and enjoy the day. Run, ride, hike, walk ..........whatever feels good. Oh yeah............and FUCK CANCER!
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