Motivated to Succeed

Downer: At work on Friday and Saturday not just my right achilles, but BOTH started to hurt to the point where it hurt to be on my feet and I nearly fell. Had to take the elevator - humbling experience. Have tried to stay off my feet since, and called into work on Sunday night. Hopefully things will improve. I have an appointment with another specialist on Thursday morning and hopefully we can figure out what is up. This just really sucks. Not to mention I feel like a heifer because I am not running so I'm gaining weight.

Did a bunch of arm exercises with 12 lb free weights today ~ 20 mins worth

200 crunches, 100 situps, and 50 pushups (2 x 25 sets).

I need the downtime to finish up the rest of the assignments for this semester. Almost halfway done with my master's degree! I am so sick of school. Yuck!

Had my doctor's appointment today though I don't know if it was much of a "doctor's" appointment.. he never came in once for the hour and a half I was there. Guess he was busy. I explained the circumstances and then how the pain came on last weekend at work and I had the physician's assistant look at my achilles. We ended up getting 2 xrays of my right achilles because that was the one that has been the trouble in the past. They showed slight inflammation at the base of the achilles where it connects/goes into the heel bone (forgive me if I don't remember the medical terminology). She suggested that I make an appointment to get new orthotics. The ones I have, though professionally designed, are 5 years old and she suggested another set of custom made ones since perhaps the ones I have now have been compressed over time. She pointed out as I expected how I am the atypical runner as I have the biomechanics of a couch potato. But I assured her I am indeed a distance runner at least at heart and want to do what it takes to get better. I have a followup appointment on December 3rd. She suggested I do pool stuff and stationary bike riding, but as someone moved my bike WHILE it was attached to my wind trainer my bike is officially BROKEN. Grrr. Even better is the fact that my insurance doesn't cover orthotics so that'll be another $300 or so. Should never have spent the money on the wind trainer. I think I want to move somewhere where the weather is nicer. Let's hope at work this weekend my achilles tendons cooperate.

Did arm exercises for 20 minutes, as well as crunches and pushups.

3:00 PM - After an hour and a half tinkering with the messed up bike, decided to just hook up my road bike to the wind trainer. Now I am keeping it in my bedroom so that I can keep an eye on things, rather than keeping it out in the garage. Road for 65 minutes. It felt good to get a ride in again after nearly a month off of the bike.

Total Time: 1:05:00 Total Distance: 20 miles Average Speed: 18.5 mph

5:00 PM - The achilles tendons did not hurt as much at work today as the previous week, but man I was glad to be off my feet at the end of the shortened shift. I really don't know what's up, but I'm hoping those orthotics when I get them will help get things sorted out. Got home and hopped on my bike on the wind trainer and rode 1 hour hard. Definitely got a good sweat in. Had just had dinner before the ride so that might have affected me. Felt strong. Especially since I had a comment from Dean Karnazes running through my head all day.

Total Time: 1:00:00 Total Distance: 20 mi Average Speed: 20 mph

This hit home, especially today, which was 11 months to the day since my injury. Excerpt taken from page 212 of 50:50:

"It has always been my nature to deal with setbacks internally and resist urges to complain about my suffering to others. A recent study suggests this habit is healthier than I'd realized. Researchers from the University of Missouri found that injured male soldiers who scored higher on a test designed to assess "traditionally masculine" psychological traits (including unwillingness to complain about internal pain and suffering) tended to heal faster. The authors of the study speculated that men who are more reticent to communicate their suffering to others may also have a stronger belief in their ability to overcome suffering on their own, and that this belief is to some degree self-fulfilling. The takeaway? Try not to wallow in your misery. Instead, channel the discouragement you may feel into a renewed commitment to overcome your setback. Fight harder and you will heal faster." - Dean Karnazes

*I think it is the last line that got me pumped for my workout on the bike. I can and will do this!!

7:40 PM - 20 mins of free weights on my arms (nothing surprising seeing as I only have 12 lb dumbbells haha); 200 crunches and 25 pushups.

4:00 PM - Got home from work and after a snack hopped on the wind trainer. Felt strong and relaxed and enjoyed listening to Car Talk podcast. Don't know how I missed pod casts before! They're a wonderful thing! Now time to do a bunch of homework. I hate the ends of semesters! Doh!

Total Time: 1:00:00 Total Distance: 20 mi Average Speed: 20 mph

A quote that I found that I like in considering the things life throws at us:

"Life's up and downs provide windows of opportunity to determine your values and goals. Think of using all obstacles as stepping stones to build the life you want." - Marsha Sinetar