But I'm trying to get back in shape. It's been a slow process, and even though I felt like I wasn't doing enough, what I WAS managing to do would sometimes feel like overdoing it.
I am impatient with this. I know how I feel on the bike when I'm fit. Right now I'm not close to that feeling. At the moment there is doubt as to weather I can ever get back there. Maybe my treatment knocked my aerobic potential down a peg or two.
Today I took my mountain bike up to the rocky trails outside of Frederick, MD. It's something I've meant to do before, but that resolve would evaporate in the morning.
This morning I got myself out of the house. At this stage showing up is much more important than the performance. I just have to hope that will come.
Once I got close to my trails I started to really get excited, remembering past winter rides. It was an unexpected feeling and I let myself enjoy it.
Once I got on the trails reality set in. I felt lacking in power and endurance. I didn't climb well and I took a number of breaks. The first lap was hard. Actually the first half of the first lap was the hardest. It DID get better. I felt good enough to try a second lap. I avoided the muddiest parts for a slightly shorter lap. I felt better climbing. A little.
I was pleased to NOT be wiped out at the end. I was smart today and not only brought some food, but ate it, too.
Still working on a weekly routine in the cold to get some improvement.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Health and fitness - need more of both
So it's been hard finding the motivation and energy to ramp up my fitness like I really want to. My 4 day a week riding ideal has been more like 2 or 3 struggling days, with not a whole lot of miles when I'm out there. Of course it hasn't helped that it's been in the 20's when I have my riding windows. It also hasn't helped that I've been shorting myself on head and hand protection, even though I've got warmer stuff than I've been using (which is pretty good gear in it's own rite).
It also doesn't help that by the end of a full week of work I'm pretty drained. I actually had a full work week last week. I had meant to spend some time on the trainer when I got home on Friday and couldn't bring myself to do it. I did put in time on Saturday morning, but I really had to force it.
To try and help my motivation (and give myself an end of treatment present) I DID buy a new bike - something that will be better for commuting than my current fixed gear steed. Picked it up from the shop Monday and finally finished the build/adjustments today. Maybe I'll get some new bike fitness out of it this spring.
I also just got sick this week. Not cancer sick - just your run of the mill virus/bug whatever. Fought it for a couple days and finally developed a sore throat yesterday that left no doubt. I guess the good news there is I had a scheduled doctor appointment. She took a culture to rule out strep and sent me on my way with instructions to call if things get noticably worse (spike a fever, persistant cough) She did listen to my lungs (as well as Stacey, my nurse) and pronounced them clear.
Funny how I go 6 months with a compromised immune system from chemo and rads only to pick up my first infection on the back end of all of it. Well, systemic infection as opposed to the opportunistic ones that I got.
Since I was sick my doctor is going to push off my next PET scan by a month. Infection can cause inflamation in the lymph nodes causing a false positive on the PET. She felt it was better to wait and get to a healthy baseline for the scan.
I don't have much wrap up for these thoughts. Just that it's no fun to finally get well (well, a qualified well) in the dead of witner. I feel like I'm waiting for the weather to catch up to me.
It also doesn't help that by the end of a full week of work I'm pretty drained. I actually had a full work week last week. I had meant to spend some time on the trainer when I got home on Friday and couldn't bring myself to do it. I did put in time on Saturday morning, but I really had to force it.
To try and help my motivation (and give myself an end of treatment present) I DID buy a new bike - something that will be better for commuting than my current fixed gear steed. Picked it up from the shop Monday and finally finished the build/adjustments today. Maybe I'll get some new bike fitness out of it this spring.
I also just got sick this week. Not cancer sick - just your run of the mill virus/bug whatever. Fought it for a couple days and finally developed a sore throat yesterday that left no doubt. I guess the good news there is I had a scheduled doctor appointment. She took a culture to rule out strep and sent me on my way with instructions to call if things get noticably worse (spike a fever, persistant cough) She did listen to my lungs (as well as Stacey, my nurse) and pronounced them clear.
Funny how I go 6 months with a compromised immune system from chemo and rads only to pick up my first infection on the back end of all of it. Well, systemic infection as opposed to the opportunistic ones that I got.
Since I was sick my doctor is going to push off my next PET scan by a month. Infection can cause inflamation in the lymph nodes causing a false positive on the PET. She felt it was better to wait and get to a healthy baseline for the scan.
I don't have much wrap up for these thoughts. Just that it's no fun to finally get well (well, a qualified well) in the dead of witner. I feel like I'm waiting for the weather to catch up to me.
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