Has me sidelined this week. I used get really mad when I had to rest during illness. I admit that was my first reaction, but now I realize that my body needs the time to heal.
I even read a million running message boards to see if I "could" run with bronchitis. The internets came back with a resounding no.
From what I understand, if the cold/flu is in your head only then it's ok to run. Below the neck means rest. That's easy to remember!
Tomorrow I will go walk instead of run my 3 miles. It's ok because there were so many days in my life where I never even thought that was possible.
FIBROMYLES...One gal's adventure from getting out of bed and running toward feeling better.
Tuesday Tunes - Can't Hold Us
Song: Can't Hold Us
Artist: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Album: The Heist
BPM: 146
You are going to think I have a think for white rappers, but the love of this song has nothing to do with the genre and or his skin color. It has everything to do with the words.
First he welcomes you buy saying, "Let's Go!" I think that is every runner's mantra. As soon as the beat starts and those words drop, my pace picks up. It helps that the BPM is higher than most of the songs on my list.
Then the line "Looking for a better way to get up out of bed" speaks so directly to me and my struggle with fibro. There have been so many days that getting out of bed was hell. Until I could stumble around and get some ibuprofen in me or later Lyrica, the pain was horrible. This song reminds me that I need to keep moving so that I have that better way to get out of bed.
The next line that always makes me smile is "I grew up, really wanted gold fronts, but that what you get when Wu Tang raised you." I have no idea why this makes me smile, but it does. Maybe the reference to the teeth? No matter how much pain I am in, that line plays, I am smiling.
I don't really associate this song with a particular race or moment, but it really does just make me go a little faster and smile. Try it!
Artist: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Album: The Heist
BPM: 146
You are going to think I have a think for white rappers, but the love of this song has nothing to do with the genre and or his skin color. It has everything to do with the words.
First he welcomes you buy saying, "Let's Go!" I think that is every runner's mantra. As soon as the beat starts and those words drop, my pace picks up. It helps that the BPM is higher than most of the songs on my list.
Then the line "Looking for a better way to get up out of bed" speaks so directly to me and my struggle with fibro. There have been so many days that getting out of bed was hell. Until I could stumble around and get some ibuprofen in me or later Lyrica, the pain was horrible. This song reminds me that I need to keep moving so that I have that better way to get out of bed.
The next line that always makes me smile is "I grew up, really wanted gold fronts, but that what you get when Wu Tang raised you." I have no idea why this makes me smile, but it does. Maybe the reference to the teeth? No matter how much pain I am in, that line plays, I am smiling.
I don't really associate this song with a particular race or moment, but it really does just make me go a little faster and smile. Try it!
Allergy Medication and Running
Don't mix.
Saturday's run was very slow because 5 minutes into it I felt like my throat was sandpaper. Lesson learned.
On a positive note, I had a wonderful Phoenix Fit team member serenade me with some Army Cadences. Definitely made it more enjoyable.
Two new rules for running:
1) Never take allergy/cold medicine
2) Run with someone who was in the Army.
Do you have any great tidbits of wisdom to share?
Saturday's run was very slow because 5 minutes into it I felt like my throat was sandpaper. Lesson learned.
On a positive note, I had a wonderful Phoenix Fit team member serenade me with some Army Cadences. Definitely made it more enjoyable.
Two new rules for running:
1) Never take allergy/cold medicine
2) Run with someone who was in the Army.
Do you have any great tidbits of wisdom to share?
Pushing Past Fear
Like most people with Fibro, I live in constant fear. I am afraid to hurt myself, to push myself to far, and especially of living through the next flare. (A flare is when everything pain receptor in your body seems to be in overdrive.)
I read an article in Runner's World about mental blocks. (Sorry, can't find it online.) One section talked about running through pain. Now for those of us with Fibro, we are experts at that; smiling through the elementary school play when you just want to be home in bed or going out for date night when you really want to just sit on the couch.
However, when it came to running, I was so afraid to run through the pain. Any twinge, discomfort or irritation I would slow down, walk or stop. I didn't want to injure myself and end up sick.
I had been wondering why I haven't been able to push myself and go faster. Now I knew why...it was all me. Me and my scaredy cat brain.
I tried something different on my last run. When my knee started protesting that we were running, I said to myself, "Keep running for two laps. If it gets worse then we'll reassess." Guess what? It went away! I didn't even feel anything after that. I just started singing along to my music and my 25 minutes were over in no time.
I got a bit braver. On Tuesday and Thursday nights, I train with a group of ladies in a very caring trainer's garage she so lovingly calls, The Dungeon. She is familiar with fibro and knows about my weird arm, so she tailors the work outs to my ability. Thursday I told her to push me. Push me beyond what she would normally think I could handle. And she did.
I sweated. I cursed. I kept my heart rate above 150. More importantly, I survived.
I woke up in the morning terrified. I didn't want to call in sick to work. But, I didn't feel any pain. I felt strong.
Lesson for the day: You are stronger than you think you are.
I read an article in Runner's World about mental blocks. (Sorry, can't find it online.) One section talked about running through pain. Now for those of us with Fibro, we are experts at that; smiling through the elementary school play when you just want to be home in bed or going out for date night when you really want to just sit on the couch.
However, when it came to running, I was so afraid to run through the pain. Any twinge, discomfort or irritation I would slow down, walk or stop. I didn't want to injure myself and end up sick.
I had been wondering why I haven't been able to push myself and go faster. Now I knew why...it was all me. Me and my scaredy cat brain.
I tried something different on my last run. When my knee started protesting that we were running, I said to myself, "Keep running for two laps. If it gets worse then we'll reassess." Guess what? It went away! I didn't even feel anything after that. I just started singing along to my music and my 25 minutes were over in no time.
I got a bit braver. On Tuesday and Thursday nights, I train with a group of ladies in a very caring trainer's garage she so lovingly calls, The Dungeon. She is familiar with fibro and knows about my weird arm, so she tailors the work outs to my ability. Thursday I told her to push me. Push me beyond what she would normally think I could handle. And she did.
I sweated. I cursed. I kept my heart rate above 150. More importantly, I survived.
I woke up in the morning terrified. I didn't want to call in sick to work. But, I didn't feel any pain. I felt strong.
Lesson for the day: You are stronger than you think you are.
Solitary Run
The indoor track I normally run on was scheduled to be closed yesterday. I was sad because I was going to have to drive 10 extra miles to go to my back up track. On a school/work night, that is never fun. Luckily, I got word from a fellow Sole Sister that the track was indeed open. Happy Day!
I got to the track hot and sweaty. The AC went out on my car and it was 107 yesterday! I climbed the stairs to the track and started in. There was only one other runner on the track and I didn't recognize her.
I started thinking about me being there alone. I probably would have never been there even 4 months ago alone. When I would run alone, I found that I was so worried about what everyone thought of me that I could never find a groove. I would take walk breaks every 5 minutes or so.
Last night was different.
I was there for me. I felt strong. I was thinking about some of the new friends I made on a private group on Facebook for people who are fighting fibromyalgia. Their stories inspired me when I started getting tired. I reflected on how lucky I am that the medicine I take allows me to get stronger and healthier.
Before I knew it, time was up. My head was clear and I felt good that I ran the whole time, sang a few songs, and could breathe.
Sometimes you need that time alone to remember how lucky you are.
What do you think about during solitary moments?
I got to the track hot and sweaty. The AC went out on my car and it was 107 yesterday! I climbed the stairs to the track and started in. There was only one other runner on the track and I didn't recognize her.
I started thinking about me being there alone. I probably would have never been there even 4 months ago alone. When I would run alone, I found that I was so worried about what everyone thought of me that I could never find a groove. I would take walk breaks every 5 minutes or so.
Last night was different.
I was there for me. I felt strong. I was thinking about some of the new friends I made on a private group on Facebook for people who are fighting fibromyalgia. Their stories inspired me when I started getting tired. I reflected on how lucky I am that the medicine I take allows me to get stronger and healthier.
Before I knew it, time was up. My head was clear and I felt good that I ran the whole time, sang a few songs, and could breathe.
Sometimes you need that time alone to remember how lucky you are.
What do you think about during solitary moments?
Tuesday Tunes - I Got A Feeling
Song: I Got A Feeling
Artist: The Black Eyed Peas
Album: The E.N.D
BPM: 91
This song always motivates me. Not because Oprah staged that massive flash mob. This song is special because this was played quite a bit when I did the Dirty Girl Run in 2012. Two ladies from the office asked me to join them. After lots of doubt, I signed up.
We met early on a fall morning. I was so nervous about running with people from work. I had only been running for 5 months and wasn't sure I could keep up with a Cross Fitter and a Yoga guru. (You know who you are ladies!)
We got to the start waiting for our group to be called. As we waited this song played, and played, and then played again. Finally we decided to start early and we were off. The first obstacle was a large inflatable. I did it! That gave me the confidence to keep going. I climbed over walls and under mud cargo nets. Sure I got tangled up and may have slightly hyperventilated when I climbed the huge cargo net mountain, but I did it and didn't get hurt.
Sometimes just not hurting yourself is a win.
Artist: The Black Eyed Peas
Album: The E.N.D
BPM: 91
This song always motivates me. Not because Oprah staged that massive flash mob. This song is special because this was played quite a bit when I did the Dirty Girl Run in 2012. Two ladies from the office asked me to join them. After lots of doubt, I signed up.
We met early on a fall morning. I was so nervous about running with people from work. I had only been running for 5 months and wasn't sure I could keep up with a Cross Fitter and a Yoga guru. (You know who you are ladies!)
We got to the start waiting for our group to be called. As we waited this song played, and played, and then played again. Finally we decided to start early and we were off. The first obstacle was a large inflatable. I did it! That gave me the confidence to keep going. I climbed over walls and under mud cargo nets. Sure I got tangled up and may have slightly hyperventilated when I climbed the huge cargo net mountain, but I did it and didn't get hurt.
Sometimes just not hurting yourself is a win.
Years of Pain - Diagnosis Part 2
Every person with fibromyalgia has the story like this. Mine is not unique, other than it happened to me.
After my hand surgeries, my doctor and I looked for the reason why I hurt so much and was tired all the time. He ran every test imaginable. Chalked the fatigue up to motherhood and sent me to specialists.
I saw ear, nose and throat specialists for my headaches. I saw orthopedists to try to solve the hip pain. Chiropractors for back pain. A massage therapist found a mass in my back. I had it surgically removed thinking it would resolve the pain issue. It didn't. My salivary gland became infected and I landed in the hospital for a week on a morphine drip because the pain was so bad. I passed a kidney stone. The pain was so intolerable I often times had to hold back vomit. The stone was a weird shape and got stuck. Another surgery.
I kept going back to the family doctor and he ordered a more detailed blood analysis. Vials and vials of blood later, he found something weird; an antibody that wasn't supposed to be elevated. He sent me to a rheumatologist.
The rheumatologist told me about Sjogren's Syndrome. The antibody that was elevated was something that people with this syndrome often had. It is a autoimmune disorder where my body attacks moisture producing glands. That explained the salivary gland infection and the dry skin and eyes I was prone to.
I became a walking encyclopedia entry for Sjogren's. After supporting the Sjogren's Syndrom Foundation, I received an invitation to participate in a study about pain and Sjogren's. I realized in answering all those questions that I was not living a good quality of life.
I brought the survey in to my next rheumatology appointment. I showed him my answers. He asked me to sit on the exam table with my back to him. He touched a particular point on my back with minimal pressure. I practically jumped off the table and had to refrain from punching him. Holy crap it hurt! He did the same in a few more spots and had the same results.
He showed me in a non-sensitive spot the amount of pressure he applied. It was so minimal, so why did it hurt so bad. He explained that people with fibromyalgia are sensitive in certain spots where nerves meet up. He handed me a pamphlet and a prescription.
While I was happy with knowing, I did not like the diagnosis. I had know people with fibromyalgia who had basically taken to their bed. I did not want that life.
The medicine was a godsend. Soon I was able to go out more with the family. Then I was able to start getting my house back in order. Then the desire to exercise came. It took some experimenting, Learning that I couldn't do what I could do before or else end up too tired to make dinner. Oftentimes I would give up. It was so hard to figure it out, maybe I should just be happy with the weight gain from the medicine and embrace my new body.
In the spring of 2012, my brother-in-law lost a battle with stomach cancer. He was a former secret service and ATF agent. I heard stories at his memorial about how he would chase down the bad guys while undergoing chemotherapy. I realized I was not living life to my fullest and it was unfair of me to waste my life when he no longer could.
I joined a class at the local community center: Couch to 5K. I became a runner.
After my hand surgeries, my doctor and I looked for the reason why I hurt so much and was tired all the time. He ran every test imaginable. Chalked the fatigue up to motherhood and sent me to specialists.
I saw ear, nose and throat specialists for my headaches. I saw orthopedists to try to solve the hip pain. Chiropractors for back pain. A massage therapist found a mass in my back. I had it surgically removed thinking it would resolve the pain issue. It didn't. My salivary gland became infected and I landed in the hospital for a week on a morphine drip because the pain was so bad. I passed a kidney stone. The pain was so intolerable I often times had to hold back vomit. The stone was a weird shape and got stuck. Another surgery.
I kept going back to the family doctor and he ordered a more detailed blood analysis. Vials and vials of blood later, he found something weird; an antibody that wasn't supposed to be elevated. He sent me to a rheumatologist.
The rheumatologist told me about Sjogren's Syndrome. The antibody that was elevated was something that people with this syndrome often had. It is a autoimmune disorder where my body attacks moisture producing glands. That explained the salivary gland infection and the dry skin and eyes I was prone to.
I became a walking encyclopedia entry for Sjogren's. After supporting the Sjogren's Syndrom Foundation, I received an invitation to participate in a study about pain and Sjogren's. I realized in answering all those questions that I was not living a good quality of life.
I brought the survey in to my next rheumatology appointment. I showed him my answers. He asked me to sit on the exam table with my back to him. He touched a particular point on my back with minimal pressure. I practically jumped off the table and had to refrain from punching him. Holy crap it hurt! He did the same in a few more spots and had the same results.
He showed me in a non-sensitive spot the amount of pressure he applied. It was so minimal, so why did it hurt so bad. He explained that people with fibromyalgia are sensitive in certain spots where nerves meet up. He handed me a pamphlet and a prescription.
While I was happy with knowing, I did not like the diagnosis. I had know people with fibromyalgia who had basically taken to their bed. I did not want that life.
The medicine was a godsend. Soon I was able to go out more with the family. Then I was able to start getting my house back in order. Then the desire to exercise came. It took some experimenting, Learning that I couldn't do what I could do before or else end up too tired to make dinner. Oftentimes I would give up. It was so hard to figure it out, maybe I should just be happy with the weight gain from the medicine and embrace my new body.
In the spring of 2012, my brother-in-law lost a battle with stomach cancer. He was a former secret service and ATF agent. I heard stories at his memorial about how he would chase down the bad guys while undergoing chemotherapy. I realized I was not living life to my fullest and it was unfair of me to waste my life when he no longer could.
I joined a class at the local community center: Couch to 5K. I became a runner.
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