not a good breathing day for me. only 1km of running but about 12k of walking.. yesterday took a lot out of me. will be resting up for the next few days in anticipation of a very physical weekend of moving boxes and furniture!
Jenn
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
monthly totals for June
well, this was supposed to be a heavy training month. i logged 200k in the first 10 days, but then fell ill with a very strange still yet-to-be-identified illness. i was hospitalized for 4 days with a suspected blood clot in my lung.. now they aren't sure what is wrong with me..
anyway, 309.3k on the month in total. up to 2066.9k on the year.
only had a few swims this month for a total of 10k in the pool, netting me only 208k in the pool on the year so far, less than half as much swimming i had done last year at this point. oh well.
not really sure what the future will bring. this unidentified illness has me suffering from extreme shortness of breath and exhaustion.
my july 26 marathon in denmark may be off the table now..
Jenn
anyway, 309.3k on the month in total. up to 2066.9k on the year.
only had a few swims this month for a total of 10k in the pool, netting me only 208k in the pool on the year so far, less than half as much swimming i had done last year at this point. oh well.
not really sure what the future will bring. this unidentified illness has me suffering from extreme shortness of breath and exhaustion.
my july 26 marathon in denmark may be off the table now..
Jenn
June 30, 2009 - doctors have no clue what's really going on
geeze, i am really losing faith in the Newfoundland Public Health Care system. now they are saying that i never had a blood clot and are now referring to this thing in my lung as an 'unidentified abnormality.' these folks hospitalized and treated me for 4 days for a clot that i didn't have. now they are saying they don't know what's wrong with me and that it will take weeks, perhaps months, to order more tests..
Monday, June 29, 2009
June 29, 2009 - very encouraging day!
wow, i had a really good sleep last night and felt great for this morning's slow run (i am training a friend who is new to running). we ran 7.6k together in just over 70 minutes.
i felt great all the way thru and finished as if i hadn't run at all. i decided to go for another run a few hours later and bolted 5k in just 26 minutes. then after a 5 minute break, did a slightly less aggressive 4k in 23 minutes. i was a little winded at the end but generally felt fine for the rest of the afternoon.
i wanted more so i went out for a 3k run over to the pool for an evening swim. the swim didn't go as well. guess swimming requires more careful breathing. my heart rate rose quite a bit so i decided to stop the swim after just 23 minutes. my walk home was fine and i am feeling great this evening as i type this.
i've read that there will be good days and bad days in the recovery process so i am not expecting miracles or getting my hopes up. But today was very encouraging.. 19.6k running and 1.1k swimming today in total.
the other news is that i have finally found a new place to live. i will take over as a sublettor for another tenant who is looking to get out of the last 2 months of their lease. so at least that gives me a place to live for 2 months..
Family doc visit tomorrow.. should be interesting!
Jennifer
i felt great all the way thru and finished as if i hadn't run at all. i decided to go for another run a few hours later and bolted 5k in just 26 minutes. then after a 5 minute break, did a slightly less aggressive 4k in 23 minutes. i was a little winded at the end but generally felt fine for the rest of the afternoon.
i wanted more so i went out for a 3k run over to the pool for an evening swim. the swim didn't go as well. guess swimming requires more careful breathing. my heart rate rose quite a bit so i decided to stop the swim after just 23 minutes. my walk home was fine and i am feeling great this evening as i type this.
i've read that there will be good days and bad days in the recovery process so i am not expecting miracles or getting my hopes up. But today was very encouraging.. 19.6k running and 1.1k swimming today in total.
the other news is that i have finally found a new place to live. i will take over as a sublettor for another tenant who is looking to get out of the last 2 months of their lease. so at least that gives me a place to live for 2 months..
Family doc visit tomorrow.. should be interesting!
Jennifer
Sunday, June 28, 2009
June 28, 2009 - PE to 42.2k in 38 days?
Well, being hospitalized with Pulmonary Embolism certainly put a dent into my training schedule. and the long recovery process will put severe limitations on my ability to run fast marathons. it had been my hopes to train my butt off in June and drop 10 pounds so that i could expect to post a 3.45.59 marathon run in Denmark in July.
well, now everything has changed. i am the same weight as i was one month ago, which is actually good news given my limited activity due to hospitalization and recovery.
to run a marathon at any time just 38 days after being hospitalized with PE would probably go down in world history as an amazing sports comeback story. the fact that this could happen at the World Outgames in Copenhagen, Denmark, where i will be the first person in world history to run a marathon in a 3rd gender catgory specific for transsexuals will make this an even more interesting story..
i am nowhere near 100% and won't likely be for 6 months, but there's no reason i can't run a very slow and gentle marathon if i feel up to it.
i just got in from my toughest test since being released from hospital. i ran a 47 minute 8k and felt pretty good. i was sucking for air for the entire run (heck i am sucking for air 24/7) but finished strong and didn't feel any worse than when i started the run.
i will be meeting with my family doc on tuesday and will discuss a schedule and strategy that will help determine whether or not a marathon is feasible..
another option would be to switch to the half marathon if i don't think i feel up to it.
but first things first, i need to all clear to travel. if there is any risk of reclotting, than i won't take any chances and i won't travel to a foreign country for a week.
but anyway, it's nice to have a feeling of optimism after what has been a very tough and miserable 4 weeks for me!
Jennifer
well, now everything has changed. i am the same weight as i was one month ago, which is actually good news given my limited activity due to hospitalization and recovery.
to run a marathon at any time just 38 days after being hospitalized with PE would probably go down in world history as an amazing sports comeback story. the fact that this could happen at the World Outgames in Copenhagen, Denmark, where i will be the first person in world history to run a marathon in a 3rd gender catgory specific for transsexuals will make this an even more interesting story..
i am nowhere near 100% and won't likely be for 6 months, but there's no reason i can't run a very slow and gentle marathon if i feel up to it.
i just got in from my toughest test since being released from hospital. i ran a 47 minute 8k and felt pretty good. i was sucking for air for the entire run (heck i am sucking for air 24/7) but finished strong and didn't feel any worse than when i started the run.
i will be meeting with my family doc on tuesday and will discuss a schedule and strategy that will help determine whether or not a marathon is feasible..
another option would be to switch to the half marathon if i don't think i feel up to it.
but first things first, i need to all clear to travel. if there is any risk of reclotting, than i won't take any chances and i won't travel to a foreign country for a week.
but anyway, it's nice to have a feeling of optimism after what has been a very tough and miserable 4 weeks for me!
Jennifer
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Amazing what you will find online!
if a support group for victims of Pulmonary Embolism isn't enough:
http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Pulmonary-Embolism/support-group
how bout a support group for marathon runners who have been victimized by Pulmonary Embolism:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=81164797980
great that there is so much info out there on these topics.. but scary to read about the long and painful recoveries of others.. many of whom never regain their full capacity of breathing abilities..
http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Pulmonary-Embolism/support-group
how bout a support group for marathon runners who have been victimized by Pulmonary Embolism:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=81164797980
great that there is so much info out there on these topics.. but scary to read about the long and painful recoveries of others.. many of whom never regain their full capacity of breathing abilities..
June 27, 2009 - weekly totals
just got in from a light 3.5k run. the breathing is no better than it has been all week.
i logged a total of 41.9k this week. bringing me to 2037.5k on the year. i am only 6 days removed from being released from the hospital where i spent 4 days having a blood clot in my lung disolved. i fear i may have permanent lung damage that will restrict my breathing for life and make running at any pace extremely difficult.
the days and weeks ahead are likely to be very emotionally and physically challenging.. i can only hope that the damage will heal itself over time.. at this point 2-3k of running per day seems to be all that i can handle.. my entire future is essentially on hold until i get more tests done. quite scary to think my marathon days are over. oh well, if this is the end, it was a wonderful journey!
going to head out for a long slow walk this afternoon. at least i seem to be able to handle any amount of walking... exercise of any sorts is better than nothing..
Jennifer
i logged a total of 41.9k this week. bringing me to 2037.5k on the year. i am only 6 days removed from being released from the hospital where i spent 4 days having a blood clot in my lung disolved. i fear i may have permanent lung damage that will restrict my breathing for life and make running at any pace extremely difficult.
the days and weeks ahead are likely to be very emotionally and physically challenging.. i can only hope that the damage will heal itself over time.. at this point 2-3k of running per day seems to be all that i can handle.. my entire future is essentially on hold until i get more tests done. quite scary to think my marathon days are over. oh well, if this is the end, it was a wonderful journey!
going to head out for a long slow walk this afternoon. at least i seem to be able to handle any amount of walking... exercise of any sorts is better than nothing..
Jennifer
Friday, June 26, 2009
June 26, 2009 - sluggish
today and yesterday were no better than any other days with regards to my breathing. 2k of running was all i could take yesterday. but i was able to get myself around town all day by walking. 23k of walking, in fact!
today featured a challenging 3k run over to the pool with several breaks to catch my breath. it was my first swim in 19 days, which was emotionally exciting. i took it slow and easy and did ok for the first 1k, but had to slow down and take lots of breaks to get in an additional 0.5k.
i'm starting to think that i may have permanent lung damage which will severely limit my ability to do physical activity.. i have seem absolutely no progress since i was in the hospital..
oh well, i guess the next step is to figure out whether the clot was caused by estrogen or something else. i'm almost hoping it was estrogen-related.. if not, then the risk of future clotting will still exist..
oh well, at least i got to be outside in this hot sunny day.. the last 3 hot sunny days here occured while i was hospitalized. i had a nice visit with the duckies today and attended the infamous Teddy Bear Picnic with some friends..
apartment hunting continues. i am optimistic that i will securing a place by mon or tues so i can start a move on thursday..
Jennifer
today featured a challenging 3k run over to the pool with several breaks to catch my breath. it was my first swim in 19 days, which was emotionally exciting. i took it slow and easy and did ok for the first 1k, but had to slow down and take lots of breaks to get in an additional 0.5k.
i'm starting to think that i may have permanent lung damage which will severely limit my ability to do physical activity.. i have seem absolutely no progress since i was in the hospital..
oh well, i guess the next step is to figure out whether the clot was caused by estrogen or something else. i'm almost hoping it was estrogen-related.. if not, then the risk of future clotting will still exist..
oh well, at least i got to be outside in this hot sunny day.. the last 3 hot sunny days here occured while i was hospitalized. i had a nice visit with the duckies today and attended the infamous Teddy Bear Picnic with some friends..
apartment hunting continues. i am optimistic that i will securing a place by mon or tues so i can start a move on thursday..
Jennifer
Pulmonary Embolism
i found this to be kinda scary.... 3rd leading cause of deaths in hospitals, 30% will die, deaths will occur within 3 hours.. geeze, i survived 2 weeks with this, untreated!
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/pe/pe_what.html
What Is Pulmonary Embolism?
A pulmonary embolism (PULL-mun-ary EM-bo-lizm), or PE, is a sudden blockage in a lung artery. The blockage usually is due to a blood clot that traveled to the lung from a vein in the leg.
A clot that forms in one part of the body and travels in the bloodstream to another part of the body is called an embolus (EM-bo-lus).
PE is a serious condition that can cause:
Permanent damage to part of your lung from lack of blood flow to lung tissue
Low oxygen levels in your blood Damage to other organs in your body from not getting enough oxygen. If a blood clot is large, or if there are many clots, PE can cause death.
Overview
In most cases, PE is a complication of a condition called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). In DVT, blood clots form in the deep veins of the body-most often in the legs. These clots can break free, travel through the bloodstream to the lungs, and block an artery.
This is unlike clots in the veins close the skin's surface, which remain in place and do not cause PE.
Outlook
At least 100,000 cases of PE occur each year in the United States. PE is the third most common cause of death in hospitalized patients. If left untreated, about 30 percent of patients who have PE will die. Most of those who die do so within the first few hours of the event.
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/pe/pe_what.html
What Is Pulmonary Embolism?
A pulmonary embolism (PULL-mun-ary EM-bo-lizm), or PE, is a sudden blockage in a lung artery. The blockage usually is due to a blood clot that traveled to the lung from a vein in the leg.
A clot that forms in one part of the body and travels in the bloodstream to another part of the body is called an embolus (EM-bo-lus).
PE is a serious condition that can cause:
Permanent damage to part of your lung from lack of blood flow to lung tissue
Low oxygen levels in your blood Damage to other organs in your body from not getting enough oxygen. If a blood clot is large, or if there are many clots, PE can cause death.
Overview
In most cases, PE is a complication of a condition called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). In DVT, blood clots form in the deep veins of the body-most often in the legs. These clots can break free, travel through the bloodstream to the lungs, and block an artery.
This is unlike clots in the veins close the skin's surface, which remain in place and do not cause PE.
Outlook
At least 100,000 cases of PE occur each year in the United States. PE is the third most common cause of death in hospitalized patients. If left untreated, about 30 percent of patients who have PE will die. Most of those who die do so within the first few hours of the event.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
June 24, 2009 - apartment hunting
well, the market is really tough here. landlords generally have anywhere from 10-25 candidates to choose from. kinda makes it tough for me. as sad as it is, and although it really shouldn't matter, people discriminate against me for being out of work and for being a transsexual.. oh well, i have a couple of good leads that i am optimistic about so hopefully i'll score something over the next week or two. if not, i may have no other choice but to pack my stuff into a truck and move to a different city where the market isn't so tough!
that's the #1 issue on my plate.. also continuing to look for work, sending resumes all over the place..
family doc is going to review all my hospital tests so she can try to come to a conclusion about what caused my blood clot. she'll also try to order some more tests so we can determine whether or not there is any permanent damage to my lungs or elsewhere..
meanwhile, i continue to have minor issues breathing. i generally feel fine but still struggle to suck air when i run for any period of time over 30 minutes.. hard to believe that i may never run another marathon. i'm trying not to think about that until we know for sure..
meanwhile, i have had a couple of short runs over the past few days, usually running to and from apartment hunt meetings..
here's my weekly running totals so far:
sun 2.5
mon 9
tues 6
wed 11
no swimming since i got out of the hospital yet. in fact no swimming since June 7. i miss my swimming but with sinus infections, hospitalization for lung issues, and the time consuming task of job and apt hunting, swimming has had to take a back seat. but i hope to get over to the pool at least once over the next few days.
Jenn
that's the #1 issue on my plate.. also continuing to look for work, sending resumes all over the place..
family doc is going to review all my hospital tests so she can try to come to a conclusion about what caused my blood clot. she'll also try to order some more tests so we can determine whether or not there is any permanent damage to my lungs or elsewhere..
meanwhile, i continue to have minor issues breathing. i generally feel fine but still struggle to suck air when i run for any period of time over 30 minutes.. hard to believe that i may never run another marathon. i'm trying not to think about that until we know for sure..
meanwhile, i have had a couple of short runs over the past few days, usually running to and from apartment hunt meetings..
here's my weekly running totals so far:
sun 2.5
mon 9
tues 6
wed 11
no swimming since i got out of the hospital yet. in fact no swimming since June 7. i miss my swimming but with sinus infections, hospitalization for lung issues, and the time consuming task of job and apt hunting, swimming has had to take a back seat. but i hope to get over to the pool at least once over the next few days.
Jenn
June 23, 2009 - Boston Marathon Videos and Interview!
this is really fun, the My Marathon DVD is an organization that will film footage of the Boston Marathon and put together unique video packages for the runners.. Finally got this in the mail today. really fun to see myself running in Boston!
Interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B694pmvBsCQ
Crossing the Start: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDs788G4a3c
10 K Mark: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7gVr2CW630
Half way mark: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi3va5frBFQ
30 K Mark: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wacqzg6QLfI
Crossing the Finish Line: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b1v74qXWio
Sunday, June 21, 2009
June 22, 2009 - update
well, i just got back from a 4 day stay in the hospital. turns out my shortness of breath issues had nothing to do with exhaustion or running... i had a blood clot in my left lung!
a very scary situation and i am very fortunate to still be alive.. clots can very easily travel to the brain or heart and cause strokes or heart attacks.. hard to believe i was actually out running around for 2 weeks with this thing in my lung!
i owe my life to my family doc. not convinced that i just had a sinus infection, i went to see her thursday, and she recognized the symptoms and realized the clotting risks of taking estrogen and advised me to report to emergency immediately, which i did..
a CT scan revealed the clot. 3 days in hospital on heavy clot busting meds and blood thinning meds had me well enough to return home today. and i actually just got back from a short 2.5k run, which felt ok. my breathing is quite a bit better.. although not 100% yet. i'm still in a state of both emotional and physical shock, but i have been advised that there was no permanent damage and that i should make a full recovery in 1-2 weeks.
not really sure what this will mean for me going forward. running is the last thing on my mind these days as i will be busy apartment hunting, job hunting, and following up with various doctors.
oh well, glad to be back online.. no internet in the hospital, geeze.. lol
Jennifer
a very scary situation and i am very fortunate to still be alive.. clots can very easily travel to the brain or heart and cause strokes or heart attacks.. hard to believe i was actually out running around for 2 weeks with this thing in my lung!
i owe my life to my family doc. not convinced that i just had a sinus infection, i went to see her thursday, and she recognized the symptoms and realized the clotting risks of taking estrogen and advised me to report to emergency immediately, which i did..
a CT scan revealed the clot. 3 days in hospital on heavy clot busting meds and blood thinning meds had me well enough to return home today. and i actually just got back from a short 2.5k run, which felt ok. my breathing is quite a bit better.. although not 100% yet. i'm still in a state of both emotional and physical shock, but i have been advised that there was no permanent damage and that i should make a full recovery in 1-2 weeks.
not really sure what this will mean for me going forward. running is the last thing on my mind these days as i will be busy apartment hunting, job hunting, and following up with various doctors.
oh well, glad to be back online.. no internet in the hospital, geeze.. lol
Jennifer
Thursday, June 18, 2009
June 17, 2009 - apartment hunting
spent most of the day looking at apartments. finally got some folks to show me apartments after having trouble getting people to return my calls. seems landlords aren't quite sure what to make of this Jennifer with a male-sounding voice.. let alone what to make of me once they meet me.
good news is that some leasing agents seem quite open to me. all they care about is finding a renter for their clients so they can get paid. they don't care what i look like as long as my references are positive! hope to have a new place in a few days so i can plan a big move..
9k of running today and about 15k of walking. still taking it easy until my family doc has a chance to take a look at my lungs and heart.. feeling much better than a few days ago but still have some concerns and still don't totally feel myself.
will plan to run at least 5k tomorrow, which will put me over the 2000k mark on the year. quite the milestone!
haven't swam in 10 days now :( the chlorine is apparently bad for sinus infections so i have stayed away this week on purpose.
supposed to be really nice the next few days so i will hope to get up to the beach for a swim. hope the water is warm enough!
got to see more baby duckies today and yesterday and actually got to hold a few of them! very cute that they walked right up to me at the park. the mommy duck didn't seem to mind all that much!
Jenn
good news is that some leasing agents seem quite open to me. all they care about is finding a renter for their clients so they can get paid. they don't care what i look like as long as my references are positive! hope to have a new place in a few days so i can plan a big move..
9k of running today and about 15k of walking. still taking it easy until my family doc has a chance to take a look at my lungs and heart.. feeling much better than a few days ago but still have some concerns and still don't totally feel myself.
will plan to run at least 5k tomorrow, which will put me over the 2000k mark on the year. quite the milestone!
haven't swam in 10 days now :( the chlorine is apparently bad for sinus infections so i have stayed away this week on purpose.
supposed to be really nice the next few days so i will hope to get up to the beach for a swim. hope the water is warm enough!
got to see more baby duckies today and yesterday and actually got to hold a few of them! very cute that they walked right up to me at the park. the mommy duck didn't seem to mind all that much!
Jenn
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
June 16, 2009 - feeling better
the exhaustion symptoms seem to have died down. still having some breathing issues, that may actually be allergy-like. felt good enough to get out for a couple of runs, including a rather fast paced 5k. 20k in total, including a visit to the duck pond, where i actually got to pick up and hold a couple of 4 day old baby duckies. so cute!
Jenn
Jenn
Monday, June 15, 2009
June 15, 2009 - ups and downs
the antibiotics seem to have hit me hard in the past 2 days. they appear to be working as at least some of my symptoms have reduced or gone away. i felt well enough to get out for a couple of short runs today, but i am still not 100%. what concerns me is that i still have minor shortness of breath.
the worst news of the day is 3 more rejections from the Government of Newfoundland's public service commission from 3 interviews i had a while back. I believe that brings my record to 0 and 13 in government of NL job interviews since i became Jennifer. it was also brought to my attention that my old office will not be even offering me an interview for a position that appears quite similar to the work i did for them for most of the past 2 years.. Hmmmm.
Jenn
the worst news of the day is 3 more rejections from the Government of Newfoundland's public service commission from 3 interviews i had a while back. I believe that brings my record to 0 and 13 in government of NL job interviews since i became Jennifer. it was also brought to my attention that my old office will not be even offering me an interview for a position that appears quite similar to the work i did for them for most of the past 2 years.. Hmmmm.
Jenn
Sunday, June 14, 2009
June 14, 2009 - sinus infection, perhaps?
that' s the official diagnosis from the walk in clinic doctor today. i suppose this diagnosis has to be correct, although i speculate there may be more to it than that.
anxious to dig for more info, i found this article that gives an overview of runners who have sinus infections:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-286--9082-0,00.html
i see a lot of myself in here, so i am going to plan to take it very easy for the next 1-2 weeks. i will also be following up with my family doc in a few days as well for a 2nd opinion.
Jennifer
anxious to dig for more info, i found this article that gives an overview of runners who have sinus infections:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-286--9082-0,00.html
i see a lot of myself in here, so i am going to plan to take it very easy for the next 1-2 weeks. i will also be following up with my family doc in a few days as well for a 2nd opinion.
Jennifer
June 13, 2009 - emotional day
well, i attended my grandmother's funeral today and had the chance to meet up with many family members and family friends who i haven't seen since i became Jennifer. Many of these people were seeing me as Jennifer for the first time. This made the day additionally stressful.
symptoms of exhaustion continue to concern me. a light 2.9k run as a test did not go very well for me. i will be halting my running and swimming indefinitely until i have a chance to meet with my family doctor and get some tests done to determine whether or not i have done any damage to my body, or if this is just a matter of needing some rest..
Jennifer
symptoms of exhaustion continue to concern me. a light 2.9k run as a test did not go very well for me. i will be halting my running and swimming indefinitely until i have a chance to meet with my family doctor and get some tests done to determine whether or not i have done any damage to my body, or if this is just a matter of needing some rest..
Jennifer
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
June 11, 2009 - back in action
well, my 53 hour break from running seemed to help the knees heal up a bit, but i'm still feeling very sluggish and exhausted and continue to have slight shortness of breath. so i am a little concerned about that and will be visiting the family doc on monday to ask for some lung tests. i hope i haven't done any permanent damage.. not really sure if this is something caused by my 3 consecutive days of running/swimming for 5 hours, or if it is totally unrelated (who knows, maybe i am allergic to polen?).
anyway, i had a light 7k run today and it didn't go too badly. i've got a funeral trip this weekend so i probably won't run for a few more days..
Jenn
anyway, i had a light 7k run today and it didn't go too badly. i've got a funeral trip this weekend so i probably won't run for a few more days..
Jenn
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
June 10, 2009 - 48 hour rest break well under way
well, it is now 1.30 pm and i am 29 hours into my '48 hour rest break' and really enjoying it. i slept in til about 11 am. still feeling kind of out of it and having some minor issues breathing.. will likely go see the family doc tomorrow or friday. don't think there is anything seriously wrong with me, but you never know...
my family lost grandma last night after a long struggle with various health issues. she was 87 and lived a good life. she was probably the most accepting and supportive member of the entire family with regards to the news of my transition from male to female. going to be a tough loss to get over..
Jennifer
my family lost grandma last night after a long struggle with various health issues. she was 87 and lived a good life. she was probably the most accepting and supportive member of the entire family with regards to the news of my transition from male to female. going to be a tough loss to get over..
Jennifer
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
June 9, 2009 - rest day, yes i mean it this time.. lol
well, my aggressive 30k yesterday really wore me out.
i managed a slow and sluggish 2.5k run over to yet another doctor appt this morning but that was it for me. this doctor was a psychologist but she is also an expert on medicine/biology, etc.. and she advised me to take it easy for a few days to see if my exhaustion symptoms go away. if not, i will be heading to see the family doc for some tests.
so i am officially reporting that there will be no running for at least 48 hours.. probably no swimming either.. just a few light walks over to the pond.
it's been a cold and rainy day here in st. john's. but the rain appears to have stopped so i think i will have one of those walks tonight and see if there are any creatures over there that are interested in eating some birdseed!
my other big news is that i recently got myself a copy of Andrea James' Finding Your Female Voice training DVD, and i cracked it open for the first time and gave it a watch. this is a follow along step by step training package to help transwomen learn to feminize their voice thru pitch spectorgram exercises. i am excited and scared all at once as i know this is going to be a very slow and challenging project for me that could take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years to perfect. it's going to take 30 minutes of practice literally every day for a long time. at the same time, i will have to be careful not to overdo it as there is risk of vocal chord strain, which is certainly not what i want..
Jennifer
i managed a slow and sluggish 2.5k run over to yet another doctor appt this morning but that was it for me. this doctor was a psychologist but she is also an expert on medicine/biology, etc.. and she advised me to take it easy for a few days to see if my exhaustion symptoms go away. if not, i will be heading to see the family doc for some tests.
so i am officially reporting that there will be no running for at least 48 hours.. probably no swimming either.. just a few light walks over to the pond.
it's been a cold and rainy day here in st. john's. but the rain appears to have stopped so i think i will have one of those walks tonight and see if there are any creatures over there that are interested in eating some birdseed!
my other big news is that i recently got myself a copy of Andrea James' Finding Your Female Voice training DVD, and i cracked it open for the first time and gave it a watch. this is a follow along step by step training package to help transwomen learn to feminize their voice thru pitch spectorgram exercises. i am excited and scared all at once as i know this is going to be a very slow and challenging project for me that could take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years to perfect. it's going to take 30 minutes of practice literally every day for a long time. at the same time, i will have to be careful not to overdo it as there is risk of vocal chord strain, which is certainly not what i want..
Jennifer
Monday, June 8, 2009
June 8, 2009 - speed drills!
well, one year ago today, i finished runner up in a Marathon, so i figured as a tribute, it would be nice to do some speed drills.. and wow, things sure aren't the same as they were last year, but things are moving along nicely nonetheless.
i started out with a downhill 4k sprint to see one of my many doctors. ran that in 18.30
later in the day, it was 1k drills, of 3.55, 3.50, 4.37, 3.50, then an uphill 4.35.
by mid afternoon, i had already run over 21k but i decided it was time for a 5k drill, so i walked over to the Burton Pond 5k Race starting line and gave it a go. this course has a few hills but is generally flat.. i scored a 24.37, featuring 12.00 on the back half. not bad considering the knees were sore as hell and that these represented km 22-26 on the day. only 41 seconds slower than my run on fresh legs 5 weeks ago at the official Burton's Pond 5k Race. i think this is a sign that i am slowly starting to find my groove and get back at least some level of fitness..
throw in a 0.8k sprint in 3.02, a slow 5k while carrying 12 pounds of groceries as well as some slower speed drills done with a friend i am training.. you get 30k today in total 2.37.10, not too bad of a day!
tomorrow will likely be a light day, then i will pick it back up a notch on wednesday. maybe a speedy 10k drill or a half marathon drill. who knows? everything i do these days seems to be on a whim at the last minute, but it all seems to be working.. lol
Jennifer, your one and only 2008 Eastern Marathon runner up! ...lol
i started out with a downhill 4k sprint to see one of my many doctors. ran that in 18.30
later in the day, it was 1k drills, of 3.55, 3.50, 4.37, 3.50, then an uphill 4.35.
by mid afternoon, i had already run over 21k but i decided it was time for a 5k drill, so i walked over to the Burton Pond 5k Race starting line and gave it a go. this course has a few hills but is generally flat.. i scored a 24.37, featuring 12.00 on the back half. not bad considering the knees were sore as hell and that these represented km 22-26 on the day. only 41 seconds slower than my run on fresh legs 5 weeks ago at the official Burton's Pond 5k Race. i think this is a sign that i am slowly starting to find my groove and get back at least some level of fitness..
throw in a 0.8k sprint in 3.02, a slow 5k while carrying 12 pounds of groceries as well as some slower speed drills done with a friend i am training.. you get 30k today in total 2.37.10, not too bad of a day!
tomorrow will likely be a light day, then i will pick it back up a notch on wednesday. maybe a speedy 10k drill or a half marathon drill. who knows? everything i do these days seems to be on a whim at the last minute, but it all seems to be working.. lol
Jennifer, your one and only 2008 Eastern Marathon runner up! ...lol
Sunday, June 7, 2009
June 7, 2009 - light day
well, i woke up early today but decided to go back to bed and take a pass on the 15K today. instead, i watched most of the historic win by Roger Federer at the French Open, then made the light 3k jog over to the pool and had a light 1.75k swim. low energy today, but not surprising given my 30k yesterday.
it's rather unusual for me to post a daily update mid afternoon, but i am done for the day. gonna rest up until tomorrow.
Jenn
it's rather unusual for me to post a daily update mid afternoon, but i am done for the day. gonna rest up until tomorrow.
Jenn
Saturday, June 6, 2009
June 6, 2009 - Back in the Groove!
well, i had a great sleep last night and seemed to have gotten over my 2 day bought of depression. i wasn't going to let overcast skies ruin my day. i started the day with an early morning aggressive 10k run in 53.30.
then i took a break to watch the french open women's final, where Dinara Safina self-destructed. Svetlana Kuznetsova is quitely becoming one of the top players of this era, having now made 4 major finals, winning two of them, over the last 5 years.
then i made the run over to kent and burton ponds to visit the duckies, then headed into the pool for a light swim. 1.65k in 32 minutes. then home for lunch.
then it was a mega afternoon slow-long distance run featuring a trip downtown, around quidi vidi lake, up and down signal hill, back home via the rennie river trail, and a bonus lap around kents pond for good measure! lots of short breaks in between, including a lovely view of the city atop the hill. i've never seen it so calm or so warm up there! it was a nice clear day so you could easily see Cape Spear in the distance. if i end up leaving Newfoundland in the near future for work, i think i will have to do the cape to cabot 20K course a practice run, one more time!
well, time for an evening rest! not sure what tomorrow will bring. it is supposed to be cold and rainy, so it may be a long swim.. the Mercury 15K road race goes tomorrow in near by Portugal Cove, NL, but i am just not very motivated to run it. this was supposed to be Eastern Marathon weekend, but they cancelled the race due to poor interest and are only running the 15K this year. i might change my mind at the last minute tomorrow if i feel good and if i can get a ride up there. don't really wanna make the 14k run to the starting line, run the 15K then run home. i know i could do it, but perhaps a swim would be more enjoyable.. lol
Jennifer
then i took a break to watch the french open women's final, where Dinara Safina self-destructed. Svetlana Kuznetsova is quitely becoming one of the top players of this era, having now made 4 major finals, winning two of them, over the last 5 years.
then i made the run over to kent and burton ponds to visit the duckies, then headed into the pool for a light swim. 1.65k in 32 minutes. then home for lunch.
then it was a mega afternoon slow-long distance run featuring a trip downtown, around quidi vidi lake, up and down signal hill, back home via the rennie river trail, and a bonus lap around kents pond for good measure! lots of short breaks in between, including a lovely view of the city atop the hill. i've never seen it so calm or so warm up there! it was a nice clear day so you could easily see Cape Spear in the distance. if i end up leaving Newfoundland in the near future for work, i think i will have to do the cape to cabot 20K course a practice run, one more time!
well, time for an evening rest! not sure what tomorrow will bring. it is supposed to be cold and rainy, so it may be a long swim.. the Mercury 15K road race goes tomorrow in near by Portugal Cove, NL, but i am just not very motivated to run it. this was supposed to be Eastern Marathon weekend, but they cancelled the race due to poor interest and are only running the 15K this year. i might change my mind at the last minute tomorrow if i feel good and if i can get a ride up there. don't really wanna make the 14k run to the starting line, run the 15K then run home. i know i could do it, but perhaps a swim would be more enjoyable.. lol
Jennifer
June 5, 2009 - another rough day
well, another day with very low energy. i actually found myself falling asleep outside at the dock at the pond for a few hours. i finally gained some strength in the evening and broke in a my 17th pair of running shoes and had a nice gentle hour long run.
emotions took over yet again as i continue to feel frustrated and helpless with my future as i play the waiting game to see if anyone wants to hire me.. and if so, then there will be a big move to plan. there will be a move planned either way by the end of the month as i am not extending my lease in my current apartment. not very happy here.
on the bright side, i got to pick up and hold a baby duck today. it somehow got separated from its mother and was starting to get trampled by big ducks as there was a massive scramble to get at the bird seed that i had spread around the grass. the baby didn't seem to mind being rescued and carried to safety. luckily, the baby reunited with the mother duck a few moments later.
at the same time, i was disturbed to see 3 male ducks attacking a female duck and actually biting the back of her head, drawing blood. this prompted me to swat at one of them with my bag of seeds.. very strange how these birds behave!
anyway, it is now saturday morning and i am hoping that today will be a good day for me emotionally. i haven't felt this good physically since last weekend so i am thinking i will have a nice gentle long run today.
Jennifer
emotions took over yet again as i continue to feel frustrated and helpless with my future as i play the waiting game to see if anyone wants to hire me.. and if so, then there will be a big move to plan. there will be a move planned either way by the end of the month as i am not extending my lease in my current apartment. not very happy here.
on the bright side, i got to pick up and hold a baby duck today. it somehow got separated from its mother and was starting to get trampled by big ducks as there was a massive scramble to get at the bird seed that i had spread around the grass. the baby didn't seem to mind being rescued and carried to safety. luckily, the baby reunited with the mother duck a few moments later.
at the same time, i was disturbed to see 3 male ducks attacking a female duck and actually biting the back of her head, drawing blood. this prompted me to swat at one of them with my bag of seeds.. very strange how these birds behave!
anyway, it is now saturday morning and i am hoping that today will be a good day for me emotionally. i haven't felt this good physically since last weekend so i am thinking i will have a nice gentle long run today.
Jennifer
Thursday, June 4, 2009
June 4, 2009 - depressing day
not really sure why i feel so upset today. could be that nobody wants to hire me, could be that my knees hurt. could be that i can't run as fast as i used to. could be disappointment that the Eastern Marathon will not take place this weekend, the race i came so close to winning in its final running last year. could be the stress and anxiety of having to plan a move by the end of the month and still not knowing where i will be moving too..
wasn't really a bad day. 8k of gentle running around the pond, several visits with the duckies, a visit with one of my best friends, and a 2k swim at the pool, plus an evening run planned too.
oh well, hopefully tomorrow will be better. it's supposed to be a nice day so i think a trip to the beach will be in order!
Jennifer
wasn't really a bad day. 8k of gentle running around the pond, several visits with the duckies, a visit with one of my best friends, and a 2k swim at the pool, plus an evening run planned too.
oh well, hopefully tomorrow will be better. it's supposed to be a nice day so i think a trip to the beach will be in order!
Jennifer
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
June 3, 2009 - restful day after an amazing week!
well, i usually count weeks by calendar week, but let's review the last 7 days of running, as they are amazing!
05/27/09 wed 30.30k
05/28/09 thur 20.20
05/29/09 fri 32.00
05/30/09 sat 3.20
05/31/09 sun 33.50
06/01/09 mon 39.00
06/02/09 tues 33.70
total 196.9k
this almost as high as my best 7 day total ever:
Aug 01/08 42.70
Aug 02/08 58.80
Aug 03/08 33.10
Aug 04/08 19.10
Aug 05/08 4.00
Aug 06/08 2.90
Aug 07/08 42.20
Total 202.8k
amazingly enough, if you overlap Aug 7/08, it leads into the third highest weekly total ever:
Aug 07/08 42.20
Aug 08/08 42.20
Aug 09/08 42.20
Aug 10/08 42.20
Aug 11/08 5.80
Aug 12/08 3.80
Aug 13/08 5.00
total 194.8k
and just for fun....
Aug 14/08 26.20
Aug 15/08 29.00
Aug 16/08 29.20
Aug 17/08 42.20
Aug 1-10/08: 329.40k (highest 10 day training total)
Aug 1 -17/08: 482.00k (highest 17 day training total)
May 31/09 - June 09/09: ???????
May 31/09 - June 16/09: ???????
hehe, i don't think i will come close to breaking my 10 or 17 day records, but just the fact that these stats are even on the table now that i am in my present post-op state of lower energy, strength, speed, endurance, and higher weight, is truly amazing, and i feel a real strong sense of accomplishment for the running i have done over the past 7 days!
anyway, on with the June 3/09 update: i was totally exhausted last night after my third consecutive marathon/ultralike day. i knew my body needed a rest so that's exactly what it got today. i had a very slow gentle run this morning with a friend, then a run (mostly walk) up to left pond for a little sun tanning, even though it was only 17 degrees. only 15.7 k today, which is actually quite a bit, but given the circumstances, seems like a warm up!
i'm still very much feeling the affect of the past 7 days, so i am planning rest for the remainder of the week. Sunday will start off a new week with a 15K road race, which will be a very bittersweet race. this marks the one year anniversary of my runner up finish at the 2nd annual Eastern Marathon in Portugal Cove, NL. they decided to discontinue the marathon and only offer a 15K road race this year due to poor interest in the marathon. oh well, it will still be fun to run that course again, but disappointing that Newfoundland lost one of its few marathons.
Jennifer
05/27/09 wed 30.30k
05/28/09 thur 20.20
05/29/09 fri 32.00
05/30/09 sat 3.20
05/31/09 sun 33.50
06/01/09 mon 39.00
06/02/09 tues 33.70
total 196.9k
this almost as high as my best 7 day total ever:
Aug 01/08 42.70
Aug 02/08 58.80
Aug 03/08 33.10
Aug 04/08 19.10
Aug 05/08 4.00
Aug 06/08 2.90
Aug 07/08 42.20
Total 202.8k
amazingly enough, if you overlap Aug 7/08, it leads into the third highest weekly total ever:
Aug 07/08 42.20
Aug 08/08 42.20
Aug 09/08 42.20
Aug 10/08 42.20
Aug 11/08 5.80
Aug 12/08 3.80
Aug 13/08 5.00
total 194.8k
and just for fun....
Aug 14/08 26.20
Aug 15/08 29.00
Aug 16/08 29.20
Aug 17/08 42.20
Aug 1-10/08: 329.40k (highest 10 day training total)
Aug 1 -17/08: 482.00k (highest 17 day training total)
May 31/09 - June 09/09: ???????
May 31/09 - June 16/09: ???????
hehe, i don't think i will come close to breaking my 10 or 17 day records, but just the fact that these stats are even on the table now that i am in my present post-op state of lower energy, strength, speed, endurance, and higher weight, is truly amazing, and i feel a real strong sense of accomplishment for the running i have done over the past 7 days!
anyway, on with the June 3/09 update: i was totally exhausted last night after my third consecutive marathon/ultralike day. i knew my body needed a rest so that's exactly what it got today. i had a very slow gentle run this morning with a friend, then a run (mostly walk) up to left pond for a little sun tanning, even though it was only 17 degrees. only 15.7 k today, which is actually quite a bit, but given the circumstances, seems like a warm up!
i'm still very much feeling the affect of the past 7 days, so i am planning rest for the remainder of the week. Sunday will start off a new week with a 15K road race, which will be a very bittersweet race. this marks the one year anniversary of my runner up finish at the 2nd annual Eastern Marathon in Portugal Cove, NL. they decided to discontinue the marathon and only offer a 15K road race this year due to poor interest in the marathon. oh well, it will still be fun to run that course again, but disappointing that Newfoundland lost one of its few marathons.
Jennifer
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
June 2, 2009 - quadzilla attempt?
well, another insane day of endurance training. 33.7k of running, including 4 while carrying 25 pounds of groceries. plus a sluggish 2k swim in the pool this afternoon! running for an entire day at 'the wall' is not fun, but it is good endurance training, plus i know i have dropped a few pounds over this..
i have now run 182k in the past 7 days, including 106 in the past three. i'm amazed that i can still do this!
the quadzilla (4 marathons in 4 days) is in reach for what would be only the second time ever for me. not sure if i will give it a go though. the exhaustion is really taxing on the body. oh well, i will see how i feel tomorrow morning.
Jenn
i have now run 182k in the past 7 days, including 106 in the past three. i'm amazed that i can still do this!
the quadzilla (4 marathons in 4 days) is in reach for what would be only the second time ever for me. not sure if i will give it a go though. the exhaustion is really taxing on the body. oh well, i will see how i feel tomorrow morning.
Jenn
June 2, 2009 - double marathon in the books!
well, i got myself up early and went out for a light 11.9k run this morning, giving me 84.4k within a 48 hour period. not too bad considering all the running i did the weeks leading up to this. now time for a well deserved rest.. then perhaps an afternoon swim!
Jenn
Jenn
Monday, June 1, 2009
June 1, 2009 - Marathon #1 of 30
hehe, not quite. but today's 39k of running, following yesterday's 33.5k really brought back memories of last August when i tried to run a marathon every day for an entire month.
i managed 10 marathons in 17 days before giving up due to knee problems.. the rules were to run 42.2k in consecutive 24 hour periods for 30 days. i don't think i will ever try that again, but so far, a streak is now under way, as i woke up earlier this morning than yesterday and went out to run the 8.7k needed to give me a full 42.2k within 24 hours.
then it was back home for a little lunch and then outdoors for the rest of the day. it turned out to be 22 and sunny/hot. too bad i didn't plan a beach day. the weather report was calling for only 17 and clouds.. oh well, i ran a grand total of 39k today in a running time of 3.49.50; not including breaks. i might go out again tomorrow morning even earlier and run 11.9k to give myself 84.4k in 48 hours. and then i will likely bring the streak at an end and have a rest day!
3.49.50 was a great time considering all the running i have done in the past few weeks. it's great that the knees are generally holding up to a point where i can run this much and this fast. now, if i could only figure out how to drop a few more pounds in the process, things would be great!
i did not get my 185 pound weigh in that i had hoped for. guess that friday night trip to the Keg and that Saturday evening BBQ at some friends' house did me in. oh well, there's still hope for a 185 weigh in next weekend.
Jenn
i managed 10 marathons in 17 days before giving up due to knee problems.. the rules were to run 42.2k in consecutive 24 hour periods for 30 days. i don't think i will ever try that again, but so far, a streak is now under way, as i woke up earlier this morning than yesterday and went out to run the 8.7k needed to give me a full 42.2k within 24 hours.
then it was back home for a little lunch and then outdoors for the rest of the day. it turned out to be 22 and sunny/hot. too bad i didn't plan a beach day. the weather report was calling for only 17 and clouds.. oh well, i ran a grand total of 39k today in a running time of 3.49.50; not including breaks. i might go out again tomorrow morning even earlier and run 11.9k to give myself 84.4k in 48 hours. and then i will likely bring the streak at an end and have a rest day!
3.49.50 was a great time considering all the running i have done in the past few weeks. it's great that the knees are generally holding up to a point where i can run this much and this fast. now, if i could only figure out how to drop a few more pounds in the process, things would be great!
i did not get my 185 pound weigh in that i had hoped for. guess that friday night trip to the Keg and that Saturday evening BBQ at some friends' house did me in. oh well, there's still hope for a 185 weigh in next weekend.
Jenn
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