Wow, its been awhile since I updated this. Why? Cuz I've been TRAINING! Yeeeah! (I've also been working and writing, but that's not as much fun to chat about). Today marks my sixth week since I was released from the hospital. Its almost hard to believe that I only have one kidney. I am feeling on schedule with my training, and ready to rock some longer sessions.
So far my longest training days have been:
Thursday, 6/17, PM - 8 mile run with my teammate Robin (who is a champ. She is a smoking fast runner and she willingly ran a VERY slow 8 with me.)
Friday, 6/18, AM - 37 mile ride, with hills! I did this by myself and didn't actually intend to ride 37, but I got kinda lost :).
Thursday, 6/24, AM - one mile open water swim (I did this after 3 1-mile hill repeats on the bike, so it was more than just a long swim, it was a brick - at 5:45a!!)
I'm now back on somewhat of a schedule. I will be working 16 hours a week as an RN (which I started this week) and I have to stay on schedule with my writing for MIT since we are trying to get a paper submitted by the end of the summer. Plus the course I teach at Tufts (oh, and my spin classes). So I'm hoping that I will be able to sustain my energy levels.
This weekend consists of a rest day tomorrow and a long ride with Greg on Sunday. We are going to go for 40-45. Next weekend I'm heading to Santa Fe, New Mexico. A friend of mine who lives there is trying to help me get a nice road bike for the weekend. Looking forward to riding somewhere new!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
Few steps forward.....
And the risk of a few back. I had my doctor's appointment on Friday. The nephrologist is completely stumped as to why I am having such dizziness. The good news is that I am actually showing signs that are consistent with my symptoms. When I was lying down, my BP was 124/78. When I stood up, it plummeted to 84/78 and then normalized after a few moments. She can't see any reason why this is happening, so she consulted with a cardiologist, my anesthesiologist and a neurophysiologist. They all agreed that I should go in for autonomic testing to figure this all out. I REALLY hope there isn't something wrong. I think I'd be happy with a "we have no idea, just be careful". I don't want to go on medication, I am feeling strong when I exercise (relatively strong), so I don't want to have to take any steps back.
The good news - I ran for the first time on Saturday! My pal Miriam and I went into the Fells for an hour and we walked for the first 10 minutes, ran for at least 30 minutes and then walked out for the last 10 minutes. It felt great! A little bit of soreness at the incision, but nothing I couldn't suffer through.
On Sunday, I swam 2000 yards. And then today, I rode for 26.5 miles on a pretty hilly route. It felt great! I'm happy that I have been able to re-introduce some intensity back into my training. I can feel it, though. On efforts that normally may not have been tough, I am sucking wind! Hopefully that means I will peak for Timberman, unlike my normal pattern of training, where by August I am so burnt out that I fall asleep on the side of the course (which I've actually done.....dropped out of a race a few years back and passed out asleep on the side of the course while other racers rode on by.......terrible).
The good news - I ran for the first time on Saturday! My pal Miriam and I went into the Fells for an hour and we walked for the first 10 minutes, ran for at least 30 minutes and then walked out for the last 10 minutes. It felt great! A little bit of soreness at the incision, but nothing I couldn't suffer through.
On Sunday, I swam 2000 yards. And then today, I rode for 26.5 miles on a pretty hilly route. It felt great! I'm happy that I have been able to re-introduce some intensity back into my training. I can feel it, though. On efforts that normally may not have been tough, I am sucking wind! Hopefully that means I will peak for Timberman, unlike my normal pattern of training, where by August I am so burnt out that I fall asleep on the side of the course (which I've actually done.....dropped out of a race a few years back and passed out asleep on the side of the course while other racers rode on by.......terrible).
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Wanting to run
So on the one hand, things are going great. I rode my furthest steady ride yet last night (25 miles) and kept a decent pace. I have gone swimming a few times and even went stand-up paddleboarding this weekend at my parent's house. I'm staying active, and that makes me happy (and I promise I am not overdoing it).
On the other hand, the dizziness seems to be getting worse. I'm not laying down or sitting around as much, so its happening less frequently, but it is still happening every time I get up. However, certain episodes seems to be getting worse. Today, my arms and legs felt all weak and woozy at one point when I got up and my vision darkened. My pal Janet (she is a nurse practitioner) suggested that it may have something to do with my adrenal gland, which is something I anticipated before the surgery. I even asked my surgeon how careful they are with the adrenal gland when they remove the kidney (I asked because the adrenal gland sits on top of the kidney, so I wondered if they ever got nicked). My surgeon was honest and said that they hit them all the time......grrrr.....so could this be the issue?? And if it is, there really isn't anything that can be done. I am going into the doctor's tomorrow morning since they are concerned that this hasn't gone away yet.
Back to fitness, I am hoping to start running soon. My pal Kelley (who also donated a kidney) started running carefully during his third week. I've been active (gentle activity, with gradual progression) since I got home, so I am not feeling behind yet. I figured one month after the surgery would be a good time to give running a try, so that brings me to June 8 as my first run.
On the other hand, the dizziness seems to be getting worse. I'm not laying down or sitting around as much, so its happening less frequently, but it is still happening every time I get up. However, certain episodes seems to be getting worse. Today, my arms and legs felt all weak and woozy at one point when I got up and my vision darkened. My pal Janet (she is a nurse practitioner) suggested that it may have something to do with my adrenal gland, which is something I anticipated before the surgery. I even asked my surgeon how careful they are with the adrenal gland when they remove the kidney (I asked because the adrenal gland sits on top of the kidney, so I wondered if they ever got nicked). My surgeon was honest and said that they hit them all the time......grrrr.....so could this be the issue?? And if it is, there really isn't anything that can be done. I am going into the doctor's tomorrow morning since they are concerned that this hasn't gone away yet.
Back to fitness, I am hoping to start running soon. My pal Kelley (who also donated a kidney) started running carefully during his third week. I've been active (gentle activity, with gradual progression) since I got home, so I am not feeling behind yet. I figured one month after the surgery would be a good time to give running a try, so that brings me to June 8 as my first run.
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