Three weeks to get back some fitness-or at least a start

Finally! Vacation!! Three weeks during which time I will not even think about work. Time to catch up on some projects around the house. Time to try and get some running miles on these tired old legs. I'd at least like to get close to where I was in 2013. Feeling like I could choose to run a race a week out and know I would be ready. Heading out the door for a run and the only deciding factor was how much time did I have before I had to be home again. I know this won't happen in these short three weeks, but I'd sure like to get a foot in the door. Or is that a foot out the door? I know, slow and steady. I'm ready to do this and do it right. 

Back again-again

It's been a long time since I've sat down and put fingers to keyboard. I guess I just haven't really had much to say. I've always intended this as a way for me to recap training and racing and there hasn't been much of either for over a year! But, I'm hoping that is going to change. 
My last few posts have concerned my hit and miss training and racing over the last year. Some of that had to due with my health. Fighting a disease, babesiosis,  I've been learning more about but still don't know enough. http://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/babesiosis/ . I thought I had it beat late last summer. Apparently I didn't. Late fall 2014 and through the winter I just kept feeling.....sub par, slow, lethargic. sore, achy.....I think you get the gist. 
I never even dusted off the cross country skis all winter. My back and hips hurt too much. I passed up the Birkie. Running would have me sore and moving gingerly for days. I moved my spring 50K down to a half marathon. Biking wasn't too bad, but I just didn't have any endurance or energy. 
Tammy got on my case again to go to the doctor and get some answers. I had a couple months before I could get in so I started doing some research and began to wonder. Did I ever really get rid of my little parasitic friends? After having a crazy amount of blood drawn, I patiently waited. And it turns out I was right. I still tested positive for babesia. So, more antibiotics and more of the amazing-glow-in-the- dark-neon-yellow-metallic-tasting medicine. Two weeks worth of pills and liquids. And finally some good news. My blood test two days ago showed no parasites! One more blood test in four weeks and I might believe I've got it beat. 
I do think, or hope, I've got it kicked this time. The fatigue is slowly disappearing. That could take a while. My back pain is almost 100% gone. According to the latest x-rays, there are still some issues, but the lack of pain is amazing. I've got a little more energy. My joints don't ache like they did. I'm starting to believe the nasty critters swimming around in my blood were really causing more havoc than I ever imagined they could. 
So now it's time to slowly get back on track. I just got done with a 12 hour co-ed duo race at Wausau24. Low key, fun and relaxing. But I felt good on the bike. No aches or pains the day after-not counting a few small crashes. I'm adding some running miles to the training. That seems to be the hardest to get back. The miles seem slow and plodding. But I know running fitness will come back in time. 
So, I'm crossing my fingers that I'm heading back to where I was in 2013. That's my goal. Effortless and enjoyable miles. I may not be as fast or get that level of endurance again. I'm fine with that. I just want to feel healthy!
Thanks for letting me ramble. I'll be back-writing, racing and rambling! 

And there it was! Gone!

Not exactly sure where this post will go. It's starting (before editing) as a kind of an early year end recap. Maybe a preview of 2015 goals. Or maybe it will just end up as a rambling post as I try to sort things out.
This hasn't been the year I had planned on about this time in 2013. Not to brag, but I think I had an awesome 2013. I ran more than I ever had, farther than I ever had, spent a little time on the bike, and most important, I had a blast! I really, truly enjoyed the miles. I felt amazing, unstoppable. And then......
Wham!! 2014 showed up and kicked my ass. First I chalked it up to getting older. Not making excuses. Just finally showing my age and not being so much a genetic freak, as I have been labeled. I felt slow and lethargic. I started out the year on the cross country skis. I had a couple good days on the skis. Sunshine, effortless glide and the uphills seemed easy. Okay, not easy, but they didn't seem too bad. But they were few and far between. The Birkie kicked my butt, but I wasn't the only one who felt that way. Mother Nature had something to do with that. So I wasn't too concerned.
I hit the road for some running miles in anticipation of a big summer of running. My goal had been a marathon or ultra every month from May to October. Maybe a bit ambitious, but I felt it was achievable. First up was the Ice Age 50K. That didn't go well. If you're interested, you can read about that in a previous post.
So, I readjusted and reevaluated. I scaled back my plans and goals. Maybe a change of scenery would help. So I gave the running shoes a bit of a rest and put some miles on the bike. Lots of miles compared to 2013. Lots of commuting miles. Some really good recreational rides with some great people. Thanks Todd!! I did a 12 hour mountain bike relay and had a blast. Thanks, Wanda! And the summer started looking better than the spring.
I even listened to some wise and sage advice and saw my family physician for a physical. I mentioned all my little aches, pains and fatigue. . I think it helped that he is also a runner (and a damn good one too). He didn't just tell me to rest and take it easy. He understood my concerns. Blood was drawn,  x rays were taken and tests were run. I got some answers. After a short round of some icky medicine, I started to feel better. Finally!!
I had a good month or so at the end of summer.I ran a few late summer/early fall races. Felt good. Not fast, but I was okay with that. Had fun. That's the main thing. I felt like I was getting my mojo back. My motivation was returning.
And there it was-gone! As quick as it seemed to return, it's stay was fleeting and I feel like I'm back to square one. The aches and tiredness are back, with a vengeance I might add. My back has been so sore it hurt to even think of running. I tried a bike commute on my last 3-11 shift. A beautiful autumn day that was perfect for an easy to and from work ride. I paid for that most of this week. I could barely move on Monday. A week of  rest and I'm feeling better. I have even tossed some yoga in to the mix to stretch the back and hips and try to add some flexibility. Maybe it's working? I'll see. I'm trying to be patient, but I've never been good at that. 
Maybe work has/had something to do with this rut. I've been working long stretches without days off. A few stints of three plus weeks without a day off coupled with shift work really seemed to take the wind out of my sails. 
I hope this doesn't sound like I'm whining or complaining. I guess this is just my way of trying to make sense and sort things out. And elicit some possible solutions. As with patience, I've never been good at taking or listening to advice, but I'm ready now. I'm not happy with who I am right now or where I am. I realize I need to make some changes, but I'm not exactly sure what or how. The one thing I do know is that things will get better. Of this I am certain!
As always, thanks for tolerating this rambling post. 

Coming back slowly

Time to empty my mind again. Things are starting to rattle around. 

I think, fingers crossed, I am getting back to where I was over a year ago. I'm hopeful that I've beaten or at least knocked back my case of babesiosis. I had a cardiac stress test and an echocardiogram. Both came out fine. I feel motivated to get out and ride, or run or anything for that matter. I even ran a couple races in early September. Just a 5K and 10K. I didn't set any PRs. But I didn't expect too either. But I felt good. 

I have that urge to jump in with both feet and really start ramping things up. I'm not going too though. As difficult as it is for me I'm going to take it slow. I'd love to do a fall half marathon or even a full. I even entertained doing the Fall 50. I need to build the endurance base I've lost and get back to where I was last spring. Back to when the miles felt effortless and a 20 miler seemed like a short run. I just need to be patient. 

I have big goals for 2015, at least I think they're big. Nothing firm yet. Stay tuned and I'll update my plans as 2015 gets closer. 

Thanks for taking the time to stop by and read my ramblings. I've had a few posts I haven't mentioned. Check them out if you're so inclined. 

Getting back to normal-what ever that is!

If you have been following me, and I've been posting honestly, you know this hasn't been my best year. No endurance, lack of motivation, overall fatigue, no speed ( not that I ever had any of that to start). To put it in plain terms, just blah! 
I've never felt like this before. Yeah, maybe a few off days here and there. A sub-par race occasionally. An ache or pain here or there. But never, ever anything like this. It got me down at times. I would have the rare good day, but the crappy days and feelings were the norm. I was really starting to wonder if I age was starting to catch up with me. Not that I'm old. 
My better half, Tammy, kept getting on me to make an appointment for a physical. See what is going on in this once well oiled machine. I put the first appointment off. I just kept telling myself that I needed to train different. Train harder. Train easier. Cross train. Focus on one sport. Eat better. Lose a couple pounds. Add some muscle. The excuses were endless. 
The crappy workouts were endless too. I had no endurance. I'd plan for a long run - 15 miles or more - and end up running half that distance and feeling like I'd run twice the distance. A hard ride on the bike would have me beat for days. My plans for an ultra a month quickly went out the window. As did just about all racing. No WORS races. I did squeak in one 5K, mainly because it was just down the street. I did a 12 hour duo mountain bike race, but that was low key. Just for fun and to enjoy time with friends. 
Finally, I gave in and went to the doctor for a physical. Some well meaning prodding from Tammy (or were those threats) did the trick. It helps that my primary care physician is a runner. Not just any runner. An Olympic trials, sub 2:20 marathon runner. Sub 15:00 5K runner. He poked and prodded. Asked questions. Spent time really listening to what I was saying. Not what I'm used to in the exam room. He had some ideas, but nothing concrete without some tests. 
I gave more blood that day than if I'd laid the road bike down on a ride. Tubes of blood. For lots of tests. I think I was checked for everything! Then down for an x-ray of my back. I'd chalked the back pain up to age and work. And still to come, a stress test to see how the old ticker is functioning. No worries, just checking. 
And the results were interesting. Turns out I've got some moderate arthritis in my back. Now I know why it takes so long to get moving in the morning. Looks like I need to hit the core work again to strengthen my core. Maybe some yoga? 
Tammy wanted me to be checked for Lyme disease due to a tick bite a couple years ago. Good news. Negative. But...it appears I have babesiosis, a different but similar tick borne illness. http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/babesiosis/  Some of the same symptoms. I'm hoping, really crossing my fingers, that the medication will clear it up. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but after half a week of some icky tasting medication, I am feeling better. Just a little more spring in my step. We'll see.
The stress test is coming up. I'm more interested than concerned. It will be nice to see if the ticker works as well as I think it does. No matter what, that will answer a few questions. 
So, it looks like I need to listen to Tammy more often. And maybe take a little better care of myself. 
And, I feel like really pushing the training again. And I'm looking forward to racing. Let's see how things go for a couple weeks. Keep following along. This could get fun again!!
Thanks for checking this out! 

Accountability

I'm back! This could get to be a regular occurrence. I guess I have way too much rattling around upstairs. 
I had a pretty good week. Vacation will do that for a person. Relaxed, somewhat rested. No real plans this week. 
I had two excellent rides this weekend. 48.5 miles on Saturday and 31.1 on Sunday. Rides I probably wouldn't have done if I hadn't had somebody riding with me. Amazing what a little accountability will do to the training. 
I would have ridden, or run, these days. Just not that hard. 17.9 and 19.4 average speeds. Or that damn early. 7:00 a.m. on Saturday and 6:30 a.m. on Sunday. Wait, I thought I was on vacation!? 
Which takes me back to that word. Accountability.  According to Google-the fact or condition of being accountable; responsibility. Most of my miles are solo. My odd work schedule contributes to that, but I think many riders and runners are solitary. It gives us time to unwind, relax, de-stress and think. It lets our minds wander and ponder and solve problems. It keeps our significant others from wanting to do us grievous bodily harm!
Without a little accountability though, I think our training can get stale. Even suffer if we're competitive. I can't push as hard or as far if I'm flying solo, roads or trails. Just think of your last, or best race. Could you regularly recreate that time or effort by yourself? If you're like me, and I hope you're not, the answer is probably no. 
Now add a training partner to the mix. Even if it's infrequently. Somebody to shag your lazy butt out of bed at dark thirty in the morning. When it's dripping fog and 100% humidity. And again the next day, when you just want to sleep an extra hour and let your legs rest. Are you going to do that without a little prodding? Again, if you're like me, probably not! But, the rides were good. They pushed me harder than I usually go and made me work for the miles. Even without any races on the schedule, it felt good to go hard, fast and long (for me). Get a little out of my comfort zone, which I normally don't like to do. 
I will still put in most of my miles flying solo. Like I said, that's a part of who I am and my goofy work schedule. But I appreciate the rides when I have someone along for some conversation and to push me harder than I can by myself. Thanks Todd, for the extra push this weekend!!
If you're a solitary rider or runner, find another crazy person like yourself and put in some miles together. You might enjoy it and it might take you places you haven't been, whether that be a new route or new levels of training. 
Enjoy the miles!

Don't trust Mother Nature! But she can't stop me!

I think I'm starting to get my running mojo back. Not sure where it went, but I'm enjoying running again. Even looking forward to it. Planning routes. Slowly upping the miles. Today I was hoping for at least fifteen miles. I thought it would be a fitting start to 22, yep, count 'em, 22 days of vacation!
This run started out better than I thought it would. I only slept a couple hours. 11-7 shift last night and VACATION starting this morning. Hate to waste the day. Steady rain last night led to a bit of a muggy start, but the skies seemed mostly clear. I headed out of town with plans of doing around 15 miles. About 3 miles in I noticed that the sky was looking dark towards the west. I crossed my fingers and hoped it wouldn't amount to anything. At my only option to cut the run short I heard the ominous rumble of thunder. Well, maybe I'll take the turn and make it home before it rains. Whoa, that's not like me to make a smart decision while out running/biking/insert other endurance endeavor. Must have been the sleep deprivation. And maybe not!! I got less than a mile down the road and a light rain began to fall. Well, this isn't too bad. I guess I shouldn't have spoken out loud because I think I really pissed off Mother Nature. Another half mile up the road and the rain was almost a white out. At least there isn't a breeze, I thought. That lasted another couple miles, thankfully. The most nerve wracking part was the lightning. A couple cracks were close enough to make the hair on my arms stand up and to leave the lingering scent of ozone in the air. I tried to stay somewhat under some type of cover. At least I wasn't the highest point on the road like I had been about 10 minutes earlier! What had been planned as a nice and easy long run was changing by the mile. Amazing how nature can help you push the pace. By the time I got back in to town and hit the last downhills towards home, I was dodging small rivers flowing down the roads and running through ankle deep water. At least I didn't have to worry about the cars splashing me, because I couldn't have possibly gotten any wetter!! I don't think I've run in much worse. I was really thankful I decided on a run and not a bike ride!! But, in the end, I made it home. A little soggier and wrinklier, but home nonetheless. The street in front of the house looked like a small river. Water was pouring down the little bitty hill and up over the curb. Next time, I'll check the weather a little closer!! And maybe I'll check out plans for building an ark! Lesson learned!!