I'm almost 40 and I'm falling apart already. First, I get a stress fracture in my leg. Then my eyes were bothering me so I couldn't wear contacts for a few days. Then I chipped my front tooth and had to get it fixed. Now I have a serious sinus headache (well, that one doesn't really count since I get those all the time, but on top of everything else it doesn't help).
It's not just physical. I'm having senior moments, too. I lost my wedding ring a couple of weeks ago. I lost my car key. I lost my debit card (and then found it after having a new one sent priority mail).
I have a bike to try and can't find time to try it. It's been raining forever. And I don't have time to ride (since I can't ride at lunch at work) and I'm not ready to ride to work (I don't know what I was thinking!). I stopped exercising for about a week, felt no pain in my leg, then rode the exercise bike at the gym today and have had twinges in my leg ever since.
And to top it all off, I'm turning 40 in a month.
There. I feel a little better. Thanks for listening.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Out for the Season
I saw the doctor this morning and it's official. I have a stress fracture in my right leg below the knee. The radiologist said it was a severe stress fracture and the doctor said it was rare to get it so high up the leg. I have some pretty good shin splints, too, according to the bone scan.
I stopped running since my last long run June 7. I knew then that I had done something to my leg, and when it still hurt to go down stairs three days later, I knew it was worse than usual. I'm to abstain from running or long distance walking for 4 more weeks, and then check in again with the doctor. I'm really not supposed to do any fitness activity until the pain subsides; at that point I can ride a bike or swim.
Because I have suffered with shin splints for so long, and now have a stress fracture, the doctor recommended that I stop training for any races this year and look towards a spring marathon next year. He thinks I should start from scratch and build my base slowly and gradually. I agree with this approach as much as it pains me to say it.
I told him I assumed this is what I would have to do and I'm ok with it. But then I blurted out how I'm not really an athlete, but I loved to run, and I'm a really slow runner (jogger, if you will) and just wanted to progress and look where it got me. Ugh.
My neighbor let me borrow her mountain bike for a few weeks. I rode it a little tonight to give it a try and it was fun. She uses it to commute to work and it's decked out pretty nicely. She's looking to upgrade to a "hybrid" bike and keep the mountain bike in reserve for the winter. She's a serious biker, so I really appreciate the opportunity to give her bike a try. I just might break down and get a good one of my own.
Not only will it be fun to ride with my sons casually, but I seriously could commute. Columbus is getting to be more bike-friendly (not on the roads but at least with trails). There is a bike trail a few blocks from my house all the way to downtown so you don't have to ride in traffic. Our office building has a place inside to store bikes. Our bus system has bike racks where you can stow your bike if you want a ride, and we have a bus stop very close to my house. It looks like it is only about 10 miles to work but I could be reading the map wrong. If it is, then heck, I could run that far! Riding should be a piece of cake!
Speaking of cake, I guess I will have to lay off all the good stuff I was able to eat when I was training. That will be HARD. I am going to get fat, I know it. As soon as I stop exercising my body goes into full gear storing up the fat.
This has been a hard lesson to learn, but I think I got the message: you really do have to take it slow and listen to your body, no matter how much you think you should be going longer or faster. I feel like such a dork (but I think at work people think I'm an athlete or something), but it won't be the first time. I'll survive and come back fighting strong. Just a little slower!
I stopped running since my last long run June 7. I knew then that I had done something to my leg, and when it still hurt to go down stairs three days later, I knew it was worse than usual. I'm to abstain from running or long distance walking for 4 more weeks, and then check in again with the doctor. I'm really not supposed to do any fitness activity until the pain subsides; at that point I can ride a bike or swim.
Because I have suffered with shin splints for so long, and now have a stress fracture, the doctor recommended that I stop training for any races this year and look towards a spring marathon next year. He thinks I should start from scratch and build my base slowly and gradually. I agree with this approach as much as it pains me to say it.
I told him I assumed this is what I would have to do and I'm ok with it. But then I blurted out how I'm not really an athlete, but I loved to run, and I'm a really slow runner (jogger, if you will) and just wanted to progress and look where it got me. Ugh.
My neighbor let me borrow her mountain bike for a few weeks. I rode it a little tonight to give it a try and it was fun. She uses it to commute to work and it's decked out pretty nicely. She's looking to upgrade to a "hybrid" bike and keep the mountain bike in reserve for the winter. She's a serious biker, so I really appreciate the opportunity to give her bike a try. I just might break down and get a good one of my own.
Not only will it be fun to ride with my sons casually, but I seriously could commute. Columbus is getting to be more bike-friendly (not on the roads but at least with trails). There is a bike trail a few blocks from my house all the way to downtown so you don't have to ride in traffic. Our office building has a place inside to store bikes. Our bus system has bike racks where you can stow your bike if you want a ride, and we have a bus stop very close to my house. It looks like it is only about 10 miles to work but I could be reading the map wrong. If it is, then heck, I could run that far! Riding should be a piece of cake!
Speaking of cake, I guess I will have to lay off all the good stuff I was able to eat when I was training. That will be HARD. I am going to get fat, I know it. As soon as I stop exercising my body goes into full gear storing up the fat.
This has been a hard lesson to learn, but I think I got the message: you really do have to take it slow and listen to your body, no matter how much you think you should be going longer or faster. I feel like such a dork (but I think at work people think I'm an athlete or something), but it won't be the first time. I'll survive and come back fighting strong. Just a little slower!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Being Poor
I just stumbled across this blog post from author John Scalzi- Being Poor . It's fantastic. It's why I do what I do, even if sometimes the government does more harm than good. I'm trying to lessen the harm in the work I do, and help along the way if I can.
And I feel so incredibly lucky to have what I have.
And I feel so incredibly lucky to have what I have.
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