Catching Up

It's been a while. Where do I begin?

From July 3rd to 14th, I was traveling in Spain. A dear friend of mine got married in Laguardia, Spain. I used the opportunity to travel to some of the cities I've always wanted to visit. I knew that, because of the wedding and having many of my friends fly into Spain, there would be days and nights that I would party and stay out, much more intensely than I have been doing over the past couple of years (which has been very minimal). I also knew that traveling by air over a long period of time (10+ hrs) would stiffen my back, hips and shoulder muscles.

I prepared myself as well as I could for this trip, by abiding to the following key principles:

1. Drink FRS every day to get my vitamins and antioxidants
2. Spend some time alone in certain cities where I can to get ample rest and sleep (i.e. don't be susceptible to friends' coaxing to go out and stay out all the time)
3. Run, even for 20 minutes, every other day
4. Don't stress about keeping a strict schedule - if tired, rest and go with the flow. Enjoy the trip, not create boot camp.

Despite 3-4 days of *obligatory* partying, I have to say I survived this rather long and busy trip pretty well. However, a week after I returned to LA, I caught a pretty heavy duty flu, and I was aching pretty much all week. I slept about 9 hours last night, got up and went to my power plate class and swam for a quick 25 minutes. This was my first work out in a full week, as I was not able to work out at all this week once the flu hit me. The flu subsided in a day, but the inflammation and congestion/fogginess stayed for the rest of the week.

I was quite frustrated having to deal with the pain again, but what scared me the most was the possibility of going through what i had been through in the Fall of last year, when I was in pain pretty much every day no matter what I did for myself. My mind had to fight the temptation to get discouraged. My mind had to erase the vision of me being in pain every day again. I went to work, got my work done, continued to take my vitamins, started eating healthy again (in Spain, your healthy food options are limited). I couldn't work out all week and I was pretty stressed so for a couple of nights i ended up woking up with heart palpitations and complete insomnia (haven't had that in YEARS). That ALMOST pushed me over the edge. I just had to keep strong and wait, fighting every minute the self-pity and sense of depression luring me back in to the dark.

Today, after a decent night of sleep and the workouts I managed to do this morning, I feel pretty good. I will rest up for the rest of the day, go to bed early and go for a bike ride tomorrow morning.

I have caught up, and am hopefully back on track.

Full training to start next week. Again.

My First Brick Workout in Over A Year

Can this be true? After a strenuous brick workout yesterday, I am feeling pretty decent!!

A Brick workout is where you combine two of the three legs of a triathlon, in order to condition our muscles to get used to switching from one sport to another. The most common one is the Bike to Run brick, because it is usually the hardest on your legs to make the switch from Bike to Run. Yesterday I did my first brick, risking feeling some serious level of pain this morning. I spent 90 minutes on the bike (on the trainer, so it was non-stop spinning, no coasting or stopping like you would usually do on a road ride), then changed into running gear and jogged/walked (usually 3 minute jog/1 minute walk intervals) for about 25 minutes. In the beginning of the run I actually felt pretty good, but towards the 15-20 minute mark my legs started to feel quite fatigued. I tried to sprint towards the end but at that point my heart rate was over 171, so I had to cool down. My runs are still weak, and I need to focus on that over the next couple of weeks.

After the brick, I stretched diligently for 20 minutes, iced my back, upper quads and hip, rested for a couple of hours. While I was resting I drank a carbohydrate/potassium drink, ate protein rich foods to help muscle recovery and drank a ton of water. After that I stretched again, then took a hot epsom salt bath. I was dead scared that if i didn't take all measures possible (to my limited knowledge), I would end up waking up with unbearable pain the next day. And I had a long Monday to deal with at work. Being in pain was really not an option (but of course I get myself in trouble by doing a brick for 2 hours+, setting myself up, but hey you never know until you try...).

This morning I woke up and paused. 'How am I feeling right now?' I asked myself. I was no doubt pretty stiff, but i wasn't in pain. I was so amazed and so grateful. I got up, did some back and hip stretches and then i jumped in the shower.

I feel pretty good considering - i'm a little tired, a little tight on the right quads, but I am doing really well! What a great feeling!

Recovery is just as important as the workout itself - if not more.

Well, before I make any conclusions let's see how i feel tomorrow morning. :)

Build Stage I Training Schedule and Thoughts on Pain After Exercise

I sat down earlier this week and came up with a schedule - I modified it today after feeling very sore after the Bike on Tuesday. High-intensity workouts, although shorter, will initially put some strain on the muscles, and that's exactly what happened. Instead of Biking, Swimming then Running back to back, I modified the schedule and included Yoga between the Bike and Swim, because this morning I felt pretty sore and fatigued. So, here's my schedule for this week (and probably next week as well):

6/9 Mon: Yoga
6/10 Tue: Bike 45 minutes (3-4 5X2 intervals (with gradual intensity buildup), 10 min hold at mid-effort, cooldown)
6/11 Wed: Yoga
6/12 Thu: Swim 1500m (200m warm up, 300 (low)/500 (mid)/200 (high) intensities, 200 drills, 100 cool down)
6/13 Fri: Run (3 miles, fast pace at high intensity), weights/strength training in the evening
6/14 Sat: Power plate strength training, Swim (1500-1700m)
6/15 Sun: Yoga, Bike (1 hr, same interval mix as Tuesday, with 15-20 min hold at mid-effort)

Fri-Sun might be a challenge, but I'll modify as I go. However, Monday is rest day so I will try to push through the weekend and enjoy the offday.

I just wanted to address one very important thing before I end today's entry - it's about PAIN, our sore subject (pun intended). I know it is daunting when we perceive some level of soreness, discomfort and pain after a workout, because we tend to think, "ok what is happening here?" The truth of the matter is, it is NORMAL to feel sore after a workout - people with decent health and strength still get pretty sore after a workout (many of the triathletes I know carry ibuprofen around at all times). For us, it will be a bit more intense - however, if you put it in perspective, that is really no reason to freak out. We need to stretch more, eat better to aid recovery of our muscles (protein, water, vitamins A,C,E - pls see my previous entries) and sleep well (don't say "but i have fibro, i can't sleep well" - take natural supplements that suit you). I don't ever NOT feel pain or soreness after a workout - in fact, I am sometimes limping and walking around with a stiff neck the next day. I do what I call active pain management - basically, I do what i can to reduce the pain and stiffness, while preventing the worst by eating right and stretching (and yoga) before and after workouts.

If it were as easy as working out in whatever way we wanted, eating whatever we wanted, and doing nothing about pre and post-workout activities, then everybody would be doing what some of us are doing. Exercising is challenging for all people at all health levels - wonder why so many people in the US are obese??? It takes work to exercise regularly and live a healthy life. It's work, but I also think it's quite fun to learn about our body and nutrition on so many levels. There is science behind all this, and we are smarter for knowing what we know - and it actually has a positive effect on our lives.

I try to abandon my fear towards pain - instead of being reactive to pain, let's take control and be proactive about managing it.

Before I close - when it comes to stretching, I think www.about.com has some very cool articles about stretching for specific purposes. I recommend searching articles for stretching the hip, quadraceps, IT band, shoulders, calves and back. Well I guess the entire body. :) I do these stretches pretty much every day, even when I don't exercise. Your muscles will LOVE you for treating them right.

God bless*

A Quick Update

It's been a while since my last blog entry. Life has been a bit hectic lately, but in a very positive way. I started a new job with more challenging work and greater responsibilities, which led me to a couple of long hours and late nights. My training plan was to start buildup stage I, after ending my base training stage at the end of May. Due to the hectic work schedule, training plans have been compromised a bit. However, instead of stressing about what I couldn't achieve in the past week, I have decided to just jump back into training and go from there.

More importantly, I just wanted to show my appreciation to those who have been reading my blogs and sending me messages and comments - most of you were all so encouraging and wonderful. I truly appreciate your honest opinions about my blog and I am very happy to hear that some of you are determined to start changing your lives. Thank you, and please let me know how you are doing!

I have been most grateful for my ability to work long hours for weeks without having a bad flareup day - granted, days haven't been easy and I could sense some level of inflammation in the mornings, but I truly have been enjoying a steady level of health. I feel that all the hard work over the past 5-6 months have been paying off. This weekend, however, I did feel exhausted and achy all around on Saturday....but not too bad that it kept me trapped in bed. Flareups are short-lived and pain is lighter. I am so grateful.

Once I get my buildup stage I training schedule figured out I will post a sample two-week schedule. I have some work cut out for me.

Power Plate Releases the Hip Pain, and Training Charges Forward

I tried Power Plate for the first time at the Agoura Hills 5k event's expo. What the heck am I talking about? www.powerplate.com to check out what the equipment is all about. I was skeptical at first glance of this very strange looking machine. However, they had the machines there for people to try so since it's free I figured it couldn't hurt. The demonstrator told me to stand with my knees slightly bent, foot shoulder width apart. The machine was switched on, and it started vibrating gently yet fast. I just stood still in a half squat position, for 40 seconds. I get off the plate, and my soreness from the run/walk was zipped out of my system. I was pretty impressed with it, so I decided to go to a personal training center that offers classes using these powerplate machines. As if it was meant for me, there is a place right by work in Beverly Hills, called Blue Clay Fitness (www.blueclayfitness.com). Last week I had my first class - which lasted about 40 minutes. Exercises on the Power Plate included doing squats, push-ups, bridging, lunges, etc... and stretches. It was much harder than i thought, but something amazing happened afterwards. When I got back to the office (the classes are offered at lunch time) and after working on the desk for a couple of hours, I got up to walk around....and I realized that i was no longer feeling the tightness i usually feel on my hips when i get up. Wow, no more limping the first couple of minutes after getting up from the chair!

I'm not even going to attempt to explain how the machine works - there is so much useful information on their website, regarding the scientific reasoning behind the technology and how it relates to effective training and rehabilitation. I read a testimony from a MS patient, who started walking again after using the machine. I read a testimony from an overweight person who used the machine to benefit from weightloss and reduced sciatic pain. Obviously, there are tremendous benefits of this machine to chronic pain patients. I have done two sessions with Blue Clay Fitness, and my hips are feeling much better and I am losing the weight i gained during my low-activity months (yes, already). I was very sore after the first session, but there was no pain. After the second session, I felt great. I ran the next day and after 20 minutes of working out the tightness just by walking, I was running stronger.

I am using the Power Plate classes to round up my rehab and get me stronger and lighter all at the same time while I prep for the next stage of my training. I'm thrilled.

I've been working on my right shoulder which has been showing a lot of impingement every time I swim or do heavy weights - so i backed off from swimming and started using lighter weights to condition my shoulder muscles and tendons. A lot of icing and stretching is essential, too. But I'm back on the bike and on the street gradually increasing my time and distance. I have three to four more weeks of base training to do. By the end of base training, I aim to do 90-120 minutes of walk/run intervals and 90 minutes on the bike, at a lower heart rate zone (111-138). Hopefully I'll be back swimming by then.

In May, i'm looking forward to three run events - the inaugural NFA Walk of Fame (www.fmaware.org), Bay to Breakers in San Francisco (13k), and the Brentwood 10k. It could get a little challenging but I will once again use them as my training runs, not for personal records or anything like that.

I have been feeling GREAT. The healthy eating and the regular exercises and sleep management are paying off HUGELY. It took some time to get here, since...August last year? BUT i'm here. FINALLY. We need to keep trying, keep believing. Patience and perserverance are essential in seeing the results of our efforts.

Goals for the next few months: Lose 5-7 pounds, complete shoulder and back rehab once and for all, build endurance. Stay motivated.

5k post race report and This week's training

On Saturday April 5th, I did another 5k race in Agoura Hills. As I mentioned before, I used this race as a rehab run/walk - and boy, was it a rehab event. I was for some reason feeling pretty tight all around my left hip and legs and my body felt like a ton of bricks. I started with a very light jog, but my heart rate was going off at 140-150 bpm! So I forced myself to walk - but maybe it was the adrenaline going in a race environment, surrounded by thousands of people running/walking around me, my heart rate could not get down below 135-140 bpm. So I keep walking... walking...until I just couldn't walk anymore out of complete boredom. I started jogging, and I was pretty much at 160bpm all the way. When my hips were feeling tight, I walked for about a minute and a half. Then I picked up the pace again...repeating that cycle several times. Before long I was running my final mile, and I swear that was when my body was finally getting fully warmed up and ready to go for another 3 miles. But way too soon I hit the finish line, passing two people who were ahead of me. Rarely do I pass people in a run event. It was fun, I felt good, my left hip still as tight as a wall, but overall I was dying to run another mile or two. :)

Saturday afternoon, I went to see Dianna, and she worked pretty deep into my left hip/leg muscles. Wow, there were some tight areas around my quads and glutes! Since the body work done was pretty intense and deep, i wasn't allowed to do any strenuous workout the next day. on Sunday, I did upperbody strength training, using 3 or 5 pound weights. It was a beautiful day so I did it outside, in my back patio (as small as it is, it serves its purpose!). My right shoulder felt pretty challenged in the external rotations, which reminds me to use 2 pounds instead of 3 next time.

This week's training plan:
Mon: Rest Day (stretching in the evening)
Tue: Run/Walk for 60 mins (close to 4 miles). I was able to run up to a 5.5 minute interval, from last week's 3.5 minute. sweet. Heart rate a little better than Saturday, but still have a lot of work to do to keep that heart rate down.
Wed: Lowerbody strength training, Swim for 45 minutes
Thurs: Bike 45 minutes. Stretch extensively afterwards
Fri: Rest Day (maybe yoga, some stretching)
Sat: Run/Walk for 75 minutes, upperbody strength training
Sun: Swim Clinic (1hr), Lowerbody strength training

Week 1 Sample Training Schedule

Today is my first rest day. After training Monday and Tuesday, I was feeling exhausted starting about 3pm yesterday. It wasn't a bad exhaustion, it was purely from working out two days in a row, where my muscles were sore (but like a good sore, not painful sore) and I could hear my body saying "ok, time for a break." This is what my week is looking like so far, with regards to training:

Mon: Bike 25 mins, Swim 35 mins
Tues: Bike 25 mins, Yoga 50 mins
Wed: Rest Day
Thurs: Strength Training (probably about an hour), Swim 40-45 mins
Fri: Rest Day
Sat: 5k run/walk (will use this event as training run)
Sun: Swim 60 mins (that is the goal, but it could be 45- 50 mins)

Next week I'm going to add another strength training session somewhere, and try to see if i can bike for more than 30 minutes on the trainer without any back/hip pain. On the days i'm doing Yoga or strength training, I am trying to add a bit of cardio via swimming. I've deliberatly chosen Friday as rest day this week because I wanted to make sure I make it to the 5k event on Saturday. In the future rest days may be on Mondays and Thursdays, especially as I start riding long rides in the weekends. Once I get the hang of what my body can handle, I'll sit down with a trainer and actually have a full schedule I can keep for the next 4-5 months leading up to the Santa Barbara Long Course event. Just the thought of it is very very exciting.