Tomorrow I will have my next biologics infusion. It's about time. Fall temperatures in Canada are not very forgiving for people living with Arthritis. Some doctors say that those suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis aren't affected by weather changes, etc... I can tell you it affects me!
This week was not easy. The last week before my infusion I always feel the effects of my medication (Remicade) wear off. This means I wake up in pain in the morning, I have no drive to do anything, even things I know will make me feel better...
Monday was the worst. I just couldn't get up. I had dreams about pain, and woke up in pain. Not a very good night of sleep. It doesn't happen so often, but I have to remember that this is normal for me, during fall. I hate waking up depressed, not wanting to do anything but lie down and hope it'll get better.
Most of the time, I know what to do to feel better: just do, don't think. But it's hard. Getting started is the hardest. It's painful, I feel like I have no energy, no will. Being in pain takes a lot of energy from a person by the way. It is tiring. But once I've started, my focus is on accomplishing something, and my attention goes away from the pain. I have to remember that it is one of the best ways to feel better: Just DO.
I think it applies to most people in a lot of situations, being physical pain or mental demons. Sometimes we don't put our focus in the right place to be able to move forward. We look at our past or current situation, overanalyze, and we are stuck running in circles.
All that is needed to go to the next step, is simply to take that next step! How you do it doesn't really matters, you can always improve along the way. But waiting until the stars are aligned, waiting to feel better mentally, physically, etc. will just prevent you from experiencing, learning and improving.
This applies to my situation. Yes I have arthritis, but I'M NORMAL. I just have "some issue" that prevents me to move forward sometimes, like other people have demons. I have to remember that the best way to get over my demon is to move forward and DO. At least, if I don't feel much better physically, I will have the satisfaction of accomplishing something.
Showing posts with label Arthritis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arthritis. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Be Thankful
I’m currently sitting on a comfortable hospital chair, getting an IV to treat a debilitating disease, rheumatoid arthritis. It’s amazing that just 5 days ago I was racing in a triathlon. It’s incredible how I feel right now.
I have to come here at
I wouldn’t be planning for next year’s racing season. I wouldn’t be able to ride for 2 hours, or even simply enjoy a walk on the beach with my husband and the dog playing around.
I know because I’ve been there. I’ve been stuck to my bed, not able to get up, not because I didn’t want to, but because my joints didn’t want to. I’ve been suffering from walking for only 15 minutes, or even just standing in one of the many line-ups the city life brings us.
I’ve been crying from desperation, wondering why it was happening to me, why no medication worked and doubting it was worth even fighting for. Remicade came at a right time in my life. I was ready for a change, not only on the medication side, but also in the way I took care of myself. I know Remicade is a big part of it, but at the same time I started to trust my capacities, take a better care of myself, by eating better, drinking less and exercising. I also have to give credit to my husband, whose support made a huge difference, and still does.
Yes I still have some bad days, but they are comparable to the good days from 5 years ago! As long as I don’t forget this, I will be happy.
I don’t need to win a triathlon (or relay, or Aquabike), I just need to be there. Body and soul. Being able to be there is the greatest gift I have. And it doesn’t just apply to triathlons. It applies to every single aspect of my life. Everybody should realize that they are lucky to be able to do whatever they’re doing.
Be Thankful.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
A reminder from my body
A lot happened since the last time I wrote!
We took possession of our condo early in July, and were working on patching, sanding, priming and painting the entire place. Then we cleaned, and we moved.
It was just my husband and me to load the truck. Fortunately, my brother-in-law came after his work to help unload at the new place. After that, we had to finish up at the other place, clean-up and make it ready for the transfer. Oh well, it is done now. The good thing is, I got some brutal strength and endurance training in! hehe
The past week was hard for me. My body reminded me that I'm not 100% healthy, that I have to stop at some point. I tried to ignore it, but my joints just decided it was enough...At some point I couldn't get up in the morning. I slept 12 hours per night for 3 days, and I'm still sleeping more than usual. My feet, hands and knees were pretty bad. It's almost back to normal now. It's all the walking and carrying heavy stuff, and also holding the paintbrushes that didn't help. So I've been taking my anti-inflammatory, plus Tylenol Arthritis twice daily since we started all of this. Usually, I don't need them...But it had to be done, and we're almost all setup at the new place, so we're good for another year or two! :P
Last week-end was the first week-end without doing anything related to fixing up, cleaning or moving stuff. So I got an open water swim on Saturday, and a very nice Mountain bike ride on Sunday. Except for a couple of easy bike rides between the two condos (about 15 minutes ride), and an easy 1000m in the condo pool to relax, I haven't done anything since July 2!
So on Saturday morning, I had my first swim in a long time. It was awesome! Plus it was my birthday! :) There's no better way to start a day like that! The Ontario lake temperature was much better than the last couple of times I went. No ice cream headaches this time. It was cool and refreshing, and no waves. Although I wish I could practice with some waves, it didn't happen yet.
Sunday we went to Albion Hills, my favorite mtb place in the area. It was hot, but under the trees it was perfect. We went for a couple of singletracks, and I felt much more confident than the last time we went. I had to put the foot down a couple of times, but it wasn't bad at all. And I felt powerful in the hills. I know I'm not back 100%, and I may have lost a small amount of endurance from doing nothing in the past month, but I'm sure it will be back by the end of this week.
So now I'm back into serious training, and regular updates!
We took possession of our condo early in July, and were working on patching, sanding, priming and painting the entire place. Then we cleaned, and we moved.
It was just my husband and me to load the truck. Fortunately, my brother-in-law came after his work to help unload at the new place. After that, we had to finish up at the other place, clean-up and make it ready for the transfer. Oh well, it is done now. The good thing is, I got some brutal strength and endurance training in! hehe
The past week was hard for me. My body reminded me that I'm not 100% healthy, that I have to stop at some point. I tried to ignore it, but my joints just decided it was enough...At some point I couldn't get up in the morning. I slept 12 hours per night for 3 days, and I'm still sleeping more than usual. My feet, hands and knees were pretty bad. It's almost back to normal now. It's all the walking and carrying heavy stuff, and also holding the paintbrushes that didn't help. So I've been taking my anti-inflammatory, plus Tylenol Arthritis twice daily since we started all of this. Usually, I don't need them...But it had to be done, and we're almost all setup at the new place, so we're good for another year or two! :P
Last week-end was the first week-end without doing anything related to fixing up, cleaning or moving stuff. So I got an open water swim on Saturday, and a very nice Mountain bike ride on Sunday. Except for a couple of easy bike rides between the two condos (about 15 minutes ride), and an easy 1000m in the condo pool to relax, I haven't done anything since July 2!
So on Saturday morning, I had my first swim in a long time. It was awesome! Plus it was my birthday! :) There's no better way to start a day like that! The Ontario lake temperature was much better than the last couple of times I went. No ice cream headaches this time. It was cool and refreshing, and no waves. Although I wish I could practice with some waves, it didn't happen yet.
Sunday we went to Albion Hills, my favorite mtb place in the area. It was hot, but under the trees it was perfect. We went for a couple of singletracks, and I felt much more confident than the last time we went. I had to put the foot down a couple of times, but it wasn't bad at all. And I felt powerful in the hills. I know I'm not back 100%, and I may have lost a small amount of endurance from doing nothing in the past month, but I'm sure it will be back by the end of this week.
So now I'm back into serious training, and regular updates!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
The Wetsuit Challenge
Last weekend I got my first wetsuit!
I should be excited about it, but in reality I'm not that thrilled. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to swim in the lake, to feel the openness and the waves. As opposed to most people, open water swimming is very attracting to me. It's a synonym of liberty and fighting the elements.
Much more appealing than the line at the bottom of the pool, which I've gotten really bored of lately.
I hear you: What's the problem?
Short explanation: Arthritis
Longer explanation:
I've had a really hard time to try on the different wetsuits. In fact, I couldn't put them on, I had to ask my husband to pull them up. My fingers wouldn't cooperate.
These dawn fingers!! This is the one thing that has been annoying me the most lately. I suppose I shouldn't complain, because I used to be much worse than that, and now in comparison, I'm doing so good! But the reality is that once you get better, it's not enough. You want more, you want it to be perfect. At least that's how I feel.
See, the thing is, with bad knees, or ankles, it's possible to compensate by improving the muscles around and make these muscles bear the weight and absorb the impact to lower the stress on the joints. How do you do that for fingers?? I have yet to find a method/exercise/stretching that will help to improve these. So that means my fingers aren't in sync with the rest of my body. They're weak, and painful.
I'm trying to be positive and remind myself that I was sweating a lot, and that it just got stuck on my body, that most people probably have as much difficulty to put them on at first, that I will get used to it and will find effective and painless methods. But part of me believes that I will always need my husband to help me put it on! Not that I don't like my husband's presence and help, but I like not to depend on anybody.
I'm hoping that the first open water swim will just erase that negative part of the wetsuit. I will find out soon, as the group open water swimming in Ontario lake starts on June 13. Hopefully, I will have a chance to try it before that, it would be a shame to just let it sit in the closet for another 2 weeks! :)
I should be excited about it, but in reality I'm not that thrilled. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to swim in the lake, to feel the openness and the waves. As opposed to most people, open water swimming is very attracting to me. It's a synonym of liberty and fighting the elements.
Much more appealing than the line at the bottom of the pool, which I've gotten really bored of lately.
I hear you: What's the problem?
Short explanation: Arthritis
Longer explanation:
I've had a really hard time to try on the different wetsuits. In fact, I couldn't put them on, I had to ask my husband to pull them up. My fingers wouldn't cooperate.
These dawn fingers!! This is the one thing that has been annoying me the most lately. I suppose I shouldn't complain, because I used to be much worse than that, and now in comparison, I'm doing so good! But the reality is that once you get better, it's not enough. You want more, you want it to be perfect. At least that's how I feel.
See, the thing is, with bad knees, or ankles, it's possible to compensate by improving the muscles around and make these muscles bear the weight and absorb the impact to lower the stress on the joints. How do you do that for fingers?? I have yet to find a method/exercise/stretching that will help to improve these. So that means my fingers aren't in sync with the rest of my body. They're weak, and painful.
I'm trying to be positive and remind myself that I was sweating a lot, and that it just got stuck on my body, that most people probably have as much difficulty to put them on at first, that I will get used to it and will find effective and painless methods. But part of me believes that I will always need my husband to help me put it on! Not that I don't like my husband's presence and help, but I like not to depend on anybody.
I'm hoping that the first open water swim will just erase that negative part of the wetsuit. I will find out soon, as the group open water swimming in Ontario lake starts on June 13. Hopefully, I will have a chance to try it before that, it would be a shame to just let it sit in the closet for another 2 weeks! :)
Elliptical Tentative
As I said in my previous post, my husband started triathlon training about 3 weeks ago. Because he was running on the treadmill at the gym, and I was feeling particularly great and wanted to spend more time with him, I decided to follow him in his debut of running, by using the elliptical machine.
I figured that the reason I can't run is because of the impact it has on my joints (ankles and knees), therefore the elliptical should be good for me! The first couple of shots were great, as I was going for about 15-20 minutes at a generally slow pace. I felt the new range of muscles working, and of course I liked it!
Then the first disappointment came.
When I started to go over 30 minutes, the ball of my foot was starting to be painful, and if I continued, it would evolve in a throbbing pain where my toes would become numb. So I did some research to find out what I could do about it. I got inserts for my shoes and tried them the next day. I saw the difference in my left foot. But for my right foot, nothing improved. The pain disappears after the workouts, but on the mornings, I generally felt like I had been hit by a car during the night. This is typical of arthritis flares, and is something I didn't experience so much lately, due to a very good medication and a good level of fitness. That told me it was enough.
There are a couple of problems I see, some I could do something about it others I can't do anything.
First, my shoes are totally inappropriate for running, which I just found out. I know elliptical is not exactly like running, but the movement is very similar, and with my sensitive foot, I need a rocking shoe.
Second, my feet are so different, that insoles are no good to solve the problem on both feet at the same time, I would need orthotics (read more $$$). If you want an idea about how different they are, my left foot is about 3/4 inch shorter, and with a pronounced arch, and claw toes, thanks to arthritis! My right foot looks totally normal, with a normal to low arch.
Third, one of the first joints that got diagnosed with arthritis when I was 5 years old, were the metatarsal joints (ball of the foot joints). There's nothing I can do about that one. There might be permanent damage in these.
For these reasons, I decided to give up the elliptical until I can talk about it to my Rhumatologist (arthritis specialist) in July.
The good news is that I was able to continue with my training, and I started to do yoga regularly again, as it helps a lot with my joints.
Oh well, another learning experience! I'm getting to know my body's limits better!
I figured that the reason I can't run is because of the impact it has on my joints (ankles and knees), therefore the elliptical should be good for me! The first couple of shots were great, as I was going for about 15-20 minutes at a generally slow pace. I felt the new range of muscles working, and of course I liked it!
Then the first disappointment came.
When I started to go over 30 minutes, the ball of my foot was starting to be painful, and if I continued, it would evolve in a throbbing pain where my toes would become numb. So I did some research to find out what I could do about it. I got inserts for my shoes and tried them the next day. I saw the difference in my left foot. But for my right foot, nothing improved. The pain disappears after the workouts, but on the mornings, I generally felt like I had been hit by a car during the night. This is typical of arthritis flares, and is something I didn't experience so much lately, due to a very good medication and a good level of fitness. That told me it was enough.
There are a couple of problems I see, some I could do something about it others I can't do anything.
First, my shoes are totally inappropriate for running, which I just found out. I know elliptical is not exactly like running, but the movement is very similar, and with my sensitive foot, I need a rocking shoe.
Second, my feet are so different, that insoles are no good to solve the problem on both feet at the same time, I would need orthotics (read more $$$). If you want an idea about how different they are, my left foot is about 3/4 inch shorter, and with a pronounced arch, and claw toes, thanks to arthritis! My right foot looks totally normal, with a normal to low arch.
Third, one of the first joints that got diagnosed with arthritis when I was 5 years old, were the metatarsal joints (ball of the foot joints). There's nothing I can do about that one. There might be permanent damage in these.
For these reasons, I decided to give up the elliptical until I can talk about it to my Rhumatologist (arthritis specialist) in July.
The good news is that I was able to continue with my training, and I started to do yoga regularly again, as it helps a lot with my joints.
Oh well, another learning experience! I'm getting to know my body's limits better!
Hubby is in!
I have been working out more regularly in the past 6 weeks. I decided to incorporate a strength training program in my routine, following Crucible Fitness's Triathlon strength training plan.
I've been doing just fine, even enjoying the strength training. The only problem I have with strength training, is that my arthritic fingers don't enjoy it so much. I found out it is worse with free weights, so I'm trying to keep the exercises to the machines as much as possible. It seems to help tremendously.
Then, 3 weeks ago, my husband decided that he started triathlon training! Wow! I was so glad, plus, I didn't even try to get him to do it!
He said that the main reason he started is because he wants me to be able to participate in local triathlon and not get a DNF. How sweet!!! There are no Aquabiking competitions in the Greater Toronto Area. The closest is about 400 km away from here. For me, that means traveling for each competition, or register for a full triathlon here and DNF.
My husband's solution: Relay! I do the swimming and biking portion and he does the running. Wait a minute, why is he training for the whole thing? Well, hopefully the triathlon series here will include Aquabike to their competition sometime soon, and I'll be able to compete by myself. At that point, my husband might be interested in doing the whole thing, or not. We'll find out. But he seems to really enjoy it, which is great because I can talk about my biking and swimming stories and worry less about annoying him.
So it looks like we might register for a sprint this summer, for the Toronto Islands Triathlon. We'll see, I don't want to push him too much, he's just starting running, and I want him to feel comfortable. And to say that last year he was a smoker!!! I'm so proud of him!
In fact, he's the reason why we started biking last year, and that escalated into Aquabiking for me. He decided to buy bikes after he quit smoking, as a reward for his decision (yes, I got rewarded even though all I had to do was endure his bad temper for a couple of weeks. My husband is spoiling me a lot. No complains here!) After that I started swimming again, and heard about aquabike competitions. Since then, there has been ups and down, but my motivation is still there, and I'm really hoping for a first competition this summer.
I think the biggest problem is money! God it's expensive! There's always something missing, or nice to have. And now we're two. But hey, there are other hobbies that are expensive too, and it occupies most of our time, it's a healthy lifestyle, and it's very satisfying. So why not?
I've been doing just fine, even enjoying the strength training. The only problem I have with strength training, is that my arthritic fingers don't enjoy it so much. I found out it is worse with free weights, so I'm trying to keep the exercises to the machines as much as possible. It seems to help tremendously.
Then, 3 weeks ago, my husband decided that he started triathlon training! Wow! I was so glad, plus, I didn't even try to get him to do it!
He said that the main reason he started is because he wants me to be able to participate in local triathlon and not get a DNF. How sweet!!! There are no Aquabiking competitions in the Greater Toronto Area. The closest is about 400 km away from here. For me, that means traveling for each competition, or register for a full triathlon here and DNF.
My husband's solution: Relay! I do the swimming and biking portion and he does the running. Wait a minute, why is he training for the whole thing? Well, hopefully the triathlon series here will include Aquabike to their competition sometime soon, and I'll be able to compete by myself. At that point, my husband might be interested in doing the whole thing, or not. We'll find out. But he seems to really enjoy it, which is great because I can talk about my biking and swimming stories and worry less about annoying him.
So it looks like we might register for a sprint this summer, for the Toronto Islands Triathlon. We'll see, I don't want to push him too much, he's just starting running, and I want him to feel comfortable. And to say that last year he was a smoker!!! I'm so proud of him!
In fact, he's the reason why we started biking last year, and that escalated into Aquabiking for me. He decided to buy bikes after he quit smoking, as a reward for his decision (yes, I got rewarded even though all I had to do was endure his bad temper for a couple of weeks. My husband is spoiling me a lot. No complains here!) After that I started swimming again, and heard about aquabike competitions. Since then, there has been ups and down, but my motivation is still there, and I'm really hoping for a first competition this summer.
I think the biggest problem is money! God it's expensive! There's always something missing, or nice to have. And now we're two. But hey, there are other hobbies that are expensive too, and it occupies most of our time, it's a healthy lifestyle, and it's very satisfying. So why not?
Monday, April 23, 2007
I did it!
Yesterday was my charity swim for Arthritis. 5000 meters straight swim. It took me 1h45 to complete it. Not bad, considering I haven't had time to train as seriously as I would have loved to. It was the first time I swam that far. Now I know I can do it!
The best thing about it, is that I was able to keep my pace the entire time. Some people passed me, and I ended up passing them towards the end. I suppose that my time is not really amazing, but it confirms that I have the endurance. I think I would have been able to continue for a longer time. The hardest part was not physical. It was challenging mentally.
In practice, the furthest I swam was 3500m, and I always had energy left after these. During my swim yesterday, past 3500m, it's not so much the lack of energy but rather the motivation that I had to fight for. The last 1000m was especially hard. I knew I would be able to complete it, but at the same time, I started to be more aware of what could go wrong. I was used to have cramps to the toes, or side stiches during training, and to get some arthritic pain in the finger (from keeping the hand in the same position for a long time) and in the ankles (from pushing the wall repeatedly). So I was expecting some or all of these during my long swim, but fortunately none of them happened!
Of course last night I had to take some antiinflamatories to make sure I wouldn't suffer too much today, but it's surprisingly good! I have some stiffness in the shoulders, but nothing joint related, it's muscular. I also have some finger pain, but nothing really out of the ordinary.
So yes, I'm going to do it again next year. Oh! and I was able to raise over $600 for the Arthritis Society. It was really worth it! For now, my next objective is to do open water swimming. As I didn't do any yet, I don't really know what to expect. But I would like to complete at least a 2000m open water swim before the end of the summer. I will continue swimming in the pool, and also biking outdoor! Spring is here now, and I'll be able to get out there more often! (even being busy shouldn't be an excuse, but sometimes reality and desires are two different things!)
The best thing about it, is that I was able to keep my pace the entire time. Some people passed me, and I ended up passing them towards the end. I suppose that my time is not really amazing, but it confirms that I have the endurance. I think I would have been able to continue for a longer time. The hardest part was not physical. It was challenging mentally.
In practice, the furthest I swam was 3500m, and I always had energy left after these. During my swim yesterday, past 3500m, it's not so much the lack of energy but rather the motivation that I had to fight for. The last 1000m was especially hard. I knew I would be able to complete it, but at the same time, I started to be more aware of what could go wrong. I was used to have cramps to the toes, or side stiches during training, and to get some arthritic pain in the finger (from keeping the hand in the same position for a long time) and in the ankles (from pushing the wall repeatedly). So I was expecting some or all of these during my long swim, but fortunately none of them happened!
Of course last night I had to take some antiinflamatories to make sure I wouldn't suffer too much today, but it's surprisingly good! I have some stiffness in the shoulders, but nothing joint related, it's muscular. I also have some finger pain, but nothing really out of the ordinary.
So yes, I'm going to do it again next year. Oh! and I was able to raise over $600 for the Arthritis Society. It was really worth it! For now, my next objective is to do open water swimming. As I didn't do any yet, I don't really know what to expect. But I would like to complete at least a 2000m open water swim before the end of the summer. I will continue swimming in the pool, and also biking outdoor! Spring is here now, and I'll be able to get out there more often! (even being busy shouldn't be an excuse, but sometimes reality and desires are two different things!)
Monday, February 26, 2007
Stiff fingers and headaches
As I was saying in my previous post, I'm used to pain. I just have to adjust to different types of pain.
When I started training, I knew my biggest challenge would be my fingers and wrists. That might sound weird, but hey, I have big joints problems. Knees, elbows, ankles, I can deal with. As long as I can reinforce the muscles around my joints it is not a big deal. My knees are doing great, because my leg muscles are supporting them, so that the pressure doesn't go directly to the joint. The wrists are not so bad, because the exercises I'm doing don't require too much movement from these joints. But how do I reinforce muscles in my hands? HeHe
For strength training, I have to be careful. I still have to find a way to incorporate weights in a way that won't hurt my wrists and fingers. I was thinking of buying wrists/ankles weight straps to perform the same exercises as with weights, or the wrist wraps with hooks in the palm to help hold the weights... I believe this would be the best way to avoid pain. The fingers would be spared as well: the painful part of weight lifting for me is not muscle pain, but finger pain from holding the weights. Or when I try push ups, I can't go over 20. My wrists usually hurt too bad for me to continue for more than that, but my arms are just fine! Very annoying, cause I know I could do much better, it's just my joints aren't cooperating.
Also, when I swim for more than 2000M, my fingers get stiff. I know it's because of the way I'm forcing my fingers to stay together, but I can't do otherwise, or else I'll loose a lot of speed. I'm hoping it will get better with time. Is it a normal thing? I'm not sure this would be due to arthritis...
Another thing...I am getting a couple of bad headaches lately. I don't think it's anything serious, but I'll have to be careful and monitor how long they last, and if they occur only after hard workouts...Yesterday my head was pounding so hard, I cancelled my 2500M straight swim. Just the idea of having goggles around my head sounded horribly painful! Oh well, this is an extra rest day for me. Today is my actual scheduled rest day.
Even though all this stuff doesn't sound very promising, I'm doing great, and I really enjoy it! I actually can't wait to jump on my bike tomorrow. I suppose I just have to be extra careful about what my body tells me. And I am more attentive than I used to be, so I think I'm going in the right direction! Oh, and I try to get more sleep as well. This helps tremendously! As stated on a Trifuel post, sleep is NOT overrated!!
When I started training, I knew my biggest challenge would be my fingers and wrists. That might sound weird, but hey, I have big joints problems. Knees, elbows, ankles, I can deal with. As long as I can reinforce the muscles around my joints it is not a big deal. My knees are doing great, because my leg muscles are supporting them, so that the pressure doesn't go directly to the joint. The wrists are not so bad, because the exercises I'm doing don't require too much movement from these joints. But how do I reinforce muscles in my hands? HeHe
For strength training, I have to be careful. I still have to find a way to incorporate weights in a way that won't hurt my wrists and fingers. I was thinking of buying wrists/ankles weight straps to perform the same exercises as with weights, or the wrist wraps with hooks in the palm to help hold the weights... I believe this would be the best way to avoid pain. The fingers would be spared as well: the painful part of weight lifting for me is not muscle pain, but finger pain from holding the weights. Or when I try push ups, I can't go over 20. My wrists usually hurt too bad for me to continue for more than that, but my arms are just fine! Very annoying, cause I know I could do much better, it's just my joints aren't cooperating.
Also, when I swim for more than 2000M, my fingers get stiff. I know it's because of the way I'm forcing my fingers to stay together, but I can't do otherwise, or else I'll loose a lot of speed. I'm hoping it will get better with time. Is it a normal thing? I'm not sure this would be due to arthritis...
Another thing...I am getting a couple of bad headaches lately. I don't think it's anything serious, but I'll have to be careful and monitor how long they last, and if they occur only after hard workouts...Yesterday my head was pounding so hard, I cancelled my 2500M straight swim. Just the idea of having goggles around my head sounded horribly painful! Oh well, this is an extra rest day for me. Today is my actual scheduled rest day.
Even though all this stuff doesn't sound very promising, I'm doing great, and I really enjoy it! I actually can't wait to jump on my bike tomorrow. I suppose I just have to be extra careful about what my body tells me. And I am more attentive than I used to be, so I think I'm going in the right direction! Oh, and I try to get more sleep as well. This helps tremendously! As stated on a Trifuel post, sleep is NOT overrated!!
Friday, February 16, 2007
I'm back
It's been two months since I've checked anything not work related on the internet, which is quite unusual. I used to go nuts if I didn't read my usual blogs and news sites daily!
Ok, when I started this blog, I thought I could be consistent, and write regularly... It lasted one month. For my defense, I have to say that a lot happened lately and writing about it didn't seem to be a priority.
I still get trifuel newsletters, and started catching up today.
Now that things are (kind of) back to normal, I want to take more time to write about it. I'm not promising I will write every day, but it won't be months between posts anymore.
At the start of the year, my best friend from childhood (also my cousin's high school sweetheart), got into a snowmobile accident in Quebec. She had a broken scapula and a headache. The hospital sent her home...Two nights after that, her parents found her having convulsions in her bed, she was transferred to a trauma centre. Her brain had swelled and there was excess liquid. She got brain surgery, and they plunged her in an induced coma. We had no idea if she would survive. If she was to survive, the possibilities of long term disabilities were there. There were a lot of complications, we didn't really know what to expect.
After a week, she finally woke up, and, although very confused at the beginning, she came back all herself! Some physiotherapy to do, but the doctors are saying that there will be no permanent damage! What a scare! I have to say it changes perspectives...
I was also extremely busy at work, the real estate market in the Greater Toronto Area is really picking up!
Now for the training. Well, I've had ups and downs. It has been hard to incorporate regular training in my schedule. Not that I don't have time, I know I can find time for it. I've made plans, but I believe I've left too much room for unexpected stuff. I am better when I force myself to stick to something. It's a good thing I just bike and swim!
There's also the health part, I've had a couple of bad joints days, a result from the stress, and a delay of a couple of days for getting my medication. When that happens, it takes me a while to move again. I know it will be better as soon as I start moving, but at the same time the kick needed to get up and do it is huge!
So I've been doing maybe 3 workouts on average per week, which is far from being enough. Swimming here and there, biking sometimes, cardio-muscular workouts and some yoga. I've signed up for a 5000M charity swim for April. So I have to get serious. I know I can do that. I won't be so fast (I expect 1:30 to 1:40), but I'll do it. This is the Foresters' Swim for Arthritis, if you are interested in sponsoring me.
So, here's my plan for the next 2 months (reduce by 60% every 4 weeks for rest):
Monday Rest
Tuesday 6:30am Swim Drills + speed 2000m
Wednesday 6:30am cardio (warmup) strenght workout + short bike (40-60 minutes)
Thursday 6:30am Swim Drills + speed 2000m
Friday 6:30am cardio (warmup) strenght workout + short bike (40-60 minutes)
Saturday 9:00am cardio (warmup) strenght workout + long bike (1:30-3:00)
Sunday 9:00am Swim 2000m straight
Add yoga every night at 10:00 before bed.
I know this is not much compared to some of you hardcore guys, but this is hardcore for me! :o)
I'll let you know how it goes.
Ok, when I started this blog, I thought I could be consistent, and write regularly... It lasted one month. For my defense, I have to say that a lot happened lately and writing about it didn't seem to be a priority.
I still get trifuel newsletters, and started catching up today.
Now that things are (kind of) back to normal, I want to take more time to write about it. I'm not promising I will write every day, but it won't be months between posts anymore.
At the start of the year, my best friend from childhood (also my cousin's high school sweetheart), got into a snowmobile accident in Quebec. She had a broken scapula and a headache. The hospital sent her home...Two nights after that, her parents found her having convulsions in her bed, she was transferred to a trauma centre. Her brain had swelled and there was excess liquid. She got brain surgery, and they plunged her in an induced coma. We had no idea if she would survive. If she was to survive, the possibilities of long term disabilities were there. There were a lot of complications, we didn't really know what to expect.
After a week, she finally woke up, and, although very confused at the beginning, she came back all herself! Some physiotherapy to do, but the doctors are saying that there will be no permanent damage! What a scare! I have to say it changes perspectives...
I was also extremely busy at work, the real estate market in the Greater Toronto Area is really picking up!
Now for the training. Well, I've had ups and downs. It has been hard to incorporate regular training in my schedule. Not that I don't have time, I know I can find time for it. I've made plans, but I believe I've left too much room for unexpected stuff. I am better when I force myself to stick to something. It's a good thing I just bike and swim!
There's also the health part, I've had a couple of bad joints days, a result from the stress, and a delay of a couple of days for getting my medication. When that happens, it takes me a while to move again. I know it will be better as soon as I start moving, but at the same time the kick needed to get up and do it is huge!
So I've been doing maybe 3 workouts on average per week, which is far from being enough. Swimming here and there, biking sometimes, cardio-muscular workouts and some yoga. I've signed up for a 5000M charity swim for April. So I have to get serious. I know I can do that. I won't be so fast (I expect 1:30 to 1:40), but I'll do it. This is the Foresters' Swim for Arthritis, if you are interested in sponsoring me.
So, here's my plan for the next 2 months (reduce by 60% every 4 weeks for rest):
Monday Rest
Tuesday 6:30am Swim Drills + speed 2000m
Wednesday 6:30am cardio (warmup) strenght workout + short bike (40-60 minutes)
Thursday 6:30am Swim Drills + speed 2000m
Friday 6:30am cardio (warmup) strenght workout + short bike (40-60 minutes)
Saturday 9:00am cardio (warmup) strenght workout + long bike (1:30-3:00)
Sunday 9:00am Swim 2000m straight
Add yoga every night at 10:00 before bed.
I know this is not much compared to some of you hardcore guys, but this is hardcore for me! :o)
I'll let you know how it goes.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Snowfall + Stairs = Pain!
I missed a workout last Friday. I was supposed to go biking, but when I woke up my joints were acting up. I don't know if it's the result of my (almost) falling down a flight of stairs (yes, I can be very clumsy), or if it was because of the very changing weather we have down here. Either way, let's say it was the snow's fault.
I was leaving work on Thursday night, and it was snowing. The first snowfall of the season. There was no snow accumulated on the ground and it was not slippery. I was looking at the snow falling, with my hands in my pockets, while taking the first step down a flight of stairs. My shoe heel got stuck in my pant's cuff...Imagine the rest. I have no idea how I did that, but I ended up at the bottom of the stairs on my two feet. I'm pretty sure that impact didn't help my ankles and knees, as they were quite painful on the next morning and I decided to stay in bed for a longer time and skip that morning's workout.
The temperature is also varying a lot lately, and I always feel it more around this time of the year. Last weekend we've had 20C (68F), and on Friday morning it was 0C (32F)!
Anyway, I recovered pretty quickly, and I'm fine now. I've had a great training during the week-end, doing a 1500M straight swim on Saturday, at a pace of 2:09/100M. I'm happy with that, especially that I had a lot of energy left afterwards, so I know I can push it more. On Sunday, I biked 65km (40Mi) in 2 hours, which is amazing for me. But, it was on a stationnary bike. There's no way I could do that on the road. I'm satisfied nonetheless, I was still able to stay in Zone 1 for 92% of the duration.
I also experimented with Power gels during my "ride". What a difference! And I love the chocolate flavor! :o)
Today is my off day, no training scheduled, and I will actually go to an Arthritis seminar. I'm curious to see what type of people will be participating. I plan to volunteer to host these seminars in the future, the goal being to get people to live better with Arthritis by helping them understand the disease and putting an action plan together.
I was leaving work on Thursday night, and it was snowing. The first snowfall of the season. There was no snow accumulated on the ground and it was not slippery. I was looking at the snow falling, with my hands in my pockets, while taking the first step down a flight of stairs. My shoe heel got stuck in my pant's cuff...Imagine the rest. I have no idea how I did that, but I ended up at the bottom of the stairs on my two feet. I'm pretty sure that impact didn't help my ankles and knees, as they were quite painful on the next morning and I decided to stay in bed for a longer time and skip that morning's workout.
The temperature is also varying a lot lately, and I always feel it more around this time of the year. Last weekend we've had 20C (68F), and on Friday morning it was 0C (32F)!
Anyway, I recovered pretty quickly, and I'm fine now. I've had a great training during the week-end, doing a 1500M straight swim on Saturday, at a pace of 2:09/100M. I'm happy with that, especially that I had a lot of energy left afterwards, so I know I can push it more. On Sunday, I biked 65km (40Mi) in 2 hours, which is amazing for me. But, it was on a stationnary bike. There's no way I could do that on the road. I'm satisfied nonetheless, I was still able to stay in Zone 1 for 92% of the duration.
I also experimented with Power gels during my "ride". What a difference! And I love the chocolate flavor! :o)
Today is my off day, no training scheduled, and I will actually go to an Arthritis seminar. I'm curious to see what type of people will be participating. I plan to volunteer to host these seminars in the future, the goal being to get people to live better with Arthritis by helping them understand the disease and putting an action plan together.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Nice Fall Rides
Thanksgiving was last week-end in Canada. So we (hubby and me) decided to go on a mtn bike ride. Fall colors are starting to pop-up, and it was definetely gorgeous! We had the perfect weather for a ride, 20 degrees (celcius...68 in fahrenheit), and quite sunny, although the trees were closing on the trail and not letting too much light in.
The only problem? I have been slacking a bit in the last couple of weeks...I have an excuse, but sometimes I feel like I'm abusing that excuse. The thing is, I get medication every 2 months to treat Arthritis (that's on top of the regular drugs I take). This infusion leaves me exhausted. I usually sleep a lot (probably too much) in the couple of days following it, and it is really difficult to get back to a regular routine. I guess I should force myself to do a bit more, rather than relaxing totally. I go swimming here and there, and biking when I feel I can. I wonder if I'm not too lazy and should try to keep my schedule even if I feel tired. I noticed that being regular in everything I'm doing is essential to help me feel good. I know this applies to most people, but especially in my case, as every single thing I do out of the ordinary throws my balance off.
Anyway, we went to Albion Hills on Saturday, and although the trails aren't too technical (except for the single tracks that I don't attack too much), it is a very good workout. I had to restrain myself from pushing though. I really enjoy giving all I can to get on top of the hill, but I was riding anaerobic most of the time! So after only 11km (6.8 mi) I had to stop! :( I should be building my endurance right now, not pushing it so much. I don't know if it's because I lost so quickly what I gained before my infusion, or if it's because my body was not ready for a hard work out like that, but I was disappointed all the same. Anyway, we were able to stop and take a couple of nice pics, here are a couple...
Also, I went on a swim on Sunday (1300M). It was great because I got some technique drills in: Catch ups, side swim and one arm. It was bad because I swim in my condo pool , which doesn't make me feel like I optimize the drills and once I get the momentum I hit the wall. I also went later than usual (9am) and there were people swimming already. When I go around 6:30 or 7:00, I usually have to pool all for me, which is great! I will probably get into a masters swim program next year, but for now, this will do.
We went for a path ride (paved) yesterday, and it was good. We rode for about an hour and half, and I managed to keep it aerobic (zone3), except for that last climb. The cool thing is, I remember, at the start of the summer, I was not able to do that last climb! :)
I still don't have my training plan yet, I will work on it this week. I believe that once you know where you're going, and how you plan to do it, you're halfway there. The rest is just kicks in the butt! :)
Monday, October 02, 2006
I can make a plan now!
Yessssss. I got my doctor's approval. In fact, she seemed so enthusiastic about my project that I felt stupid I doubted she would approve my participation in an Aquabike! Joints are doing great, motivation is high, and schedules for 2007 are getting ready!
So far, only the Somersault Series offers Aquabike races in Ontario. I would have enjoyed racing in Toronto, especially the Toronto Islands triathlon, but I'm not sure there's going to be any Aquabike event here.
Oh well, I'm still happy, there's a much bigger choice of events in
2007 than this year. I will aim for a sprint early in the season, to evaluate my level, and will go for a half-iron at the end of the season. Registration opens on November 1! I was hoping for an Iron distance, but apparently there is none for the next season (so far).
Maybe it would be biting more than I can chew anyway, so I'll start reasonably! :-) I'll post my training plan very soon!
So far, only the Somersault Series offers Aquabike races in Ontario. I would have enjoyed racing in Toronto, especially the Toronto Islands triathlon, but I'm not sure there's going to be any Aquabike event here.
Oh well, I'm still happy, there's a much bigger choice of events in
2007 than this year. I will aim for a sprint early in the season, to evaluate my level, and will go for a half-iron at the end of the season. Registration opens on November 1! I was hoping for an Iron distance, but apparently there is none for the next season (so far).
Maybe it would be biting more than I can chew anyway, so I'll start reasonably! :-) I'll post my training plan very soon!
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Waiting for the Doc's verdict
I'm already training 6 days a week. However, I've been holding back on the duration of each session (just doing 30-60 minutes). I'm boiling to do more, but there is one last thing I need to do before I register for a race in 2007. Because of my physical "limitation" (you can read yesterday's post for more details), I need my doctor's approval. I have an appointment next week. I know I'm fine to do this stuff. But I fear an overly conservative opinion from my doctor. They really encourage moving and doing a lot of exercise, but I can't help it, it's stressing me out. In 7 days, I'll be able to have specific goals and put a plan together! Arggg I can't wait!
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
A bit about me and why I decided to commit
I was diagnosed with Rhumatoid Arthritis when I was 5 years old. I couldn't do any high impact sport during my childhood. I was the kid forced to go to the library during physical education classes. At least I became good enough at swimming! I did a bit of competing, but because I was not a top performer in the club, I was kinda left aside by the coaches that were putting more energy in promising swimmers. I lost some interest in swimming because of that. I didn't like the "compete to win" mentality, I was mostly the "do it as best as you can" kind, especially in my condition!
At 14, my doctor decided to stop completely my medication (not good), it seemed like I was back to normal! I went nuts. I tried every sport I could and was really enjoying life and appreciating each moment. You heard that before, but yes, you really only enjoy things fully when you lost them. The thing is, having been diagnosed so young, I did not know at that time what I was missing. I was therefore discovering life in a new light.
The blast came to me when I was 17. After feeling pain I thought was due to a twisted ankle, I had to go to the doctor and they told me that it was back! But this time, it really hit hard. You're a teen, everybody around you is at the best they've ever been, you're at your worst. I've tasted what it felt to be in good shape. It made it feel much worse. Everything went quickly. Most of the time, I had to use crutches. My ankles, toes, knees, elbows, fingers, wrists and neck were affected. And no medication would help, not even what used to work before.
At 20, there were days I couldn't get up from my bed, both my legs wouldn't support me. My boyfriend at that time had to carry me to the bathroom. Simple buttons or zippers were a nightmare for me. I was crying from pain and was totally depressed. I was also not taking good care of myself, it was an endless cycle. You move less because it hurts like hell, and it gets worse because you're not moving enough. When my doctor told me that if it continued like that, I would be stuck in a wheelchair before I turned 25, I got angry. I just decided this wouldn't happen. I got a new doctor (I thank the old one today for shaking me out of my situation). I went on cortisone for a while until I heard about biologics (expensive!!! but not much for such a miracle).
Since I was 22, my situation has just been improving, and I became more and more active. Now, at 26, I am living a perfectly normal life (except that I can't run), and nobody would guess I've been through that.
I've always admired triathletes and wished I could someday participate in such an event. I also like the community feel, and how a lot of people are competing for the personnal accomplishment, rather than the glory. Until last year, there were triathlons and duathlons, but nothing that would combine swimming and biking, mostly the only two sports I could hope one day to put together for multisports, without endangering my joints. And yes, last year, some US triathlons decided to introduce Aquabike! I learned about it only recently, and was totally delighted! Then Canada got in this year, and it is getting popular. There are a lot of people out there that can't do high impact sports, because of injuries or diseases.
So, with that said, I'm very enthusiastic about having the possibility to show everybody (especially people that have had a similar experience) that I've been through all this and today it is possible for me to get out there and enjoy the chance I have to be able to do this stuff!
Anyway, wish you all a good day!
Sorry for the long story, I tried to make it as short as possible! :-)
At 14, my doctor decided to stop completely my medication (not good), it seemed like I was back to normal! I went nuts. I tried every sport I could and was really enjoying life and appreciating each moment. You heard that before, but yes, you really only enjoy things fully when you lost them. The thing is, having been diagnosed so young, I did not know at that time what I was missing. I was therefore discovering life in a new light.
The blast came to me when I was 17. After feeling pain I thought was due to a twisted ankle, I had to go to the doctor and they told me that it was back! But this time, it really hit hard. You're a teen, everybody around you is at the best they've ever been, you're at your worst. I've tasted what it felt to be in good shape. It made it feel much worse. Everything went quickly. Most of the time, I had to use crutches. My ankles, toes, knees, elbows, fingers, wrists and neck were affected. And no medication would help, not even what used to work before.
At 20, there were days I couldn't get up from my bed, both my legs wouldn't support me. My boyfriend at that time had to carry me to the bathroom. Simple buttons or zippers were a nightmare for me. I was crying from pain and was totally depressed. I was also not taking good care of myself, it was an endless cycle. You move less because it hurts like hell, and it gets worse because you're not moving enough. When my doctor told me that if it continued like that, I would be stuck in a wheelchair before I turned 25, I got angry. I just decided this wouldn't happen. I got a new doctor (I thank the old one today for shaking me out of my situation). I went on cortisone for a while until I heard about biologics (expensive!!! but not much for such a miracle).
Since I was 22, my situation has just been improving, and I became more and more active. Now, at 26, I am living a perfectly normal life (except that I can't run), and nobody would guess I've been through that.
I've always admired triathletes and wished I could someday participate in such an event. I also like the community feel, and how a lot of people are competing for the personnal accomplishment, rather than the glory. Until last year, there were triathlons and duathlons, but nothing that would combine swimming and biking, mostly the only two sports I could hope one day to put together for multisports, without endangering my joints. And yes, last year, some US triathlons decided to introduce Aquabike! I learned about it only recently, and was totally delighted! Then Canada got in this year, and it is getting popular. There are a lot of people out there that can't do high impact sports, because of injuries or diseases.
So, with that said, I'm very enthusiastic about having the possibility to show everybody (especially people that have had a similar experience) that I've been through all this and today it is possible for me to get out there and enjoy the chance I have to be able to do this stuff!
Anyway, wish you all a good day!
Sorry for the long story, I tried to make it as short as possible! :-)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
