So I haven't been around much because, from a health and mental perspective, this has been a bad year for me so far.
Posting this not for a pity party, I know you guys care, but I am really looking for some out-of-my-body opinions and thoughts so I can continue getting back going so I can enjoy the season! CC has been amazing (and yes she is still my coach!) and yes I have been seeing my doc, a LOT.
Ok background... Late 2015 I decided I would focus on some shorter races this year and we dialed my training back accordingly starting in November. After all, 2015 was a mofo-epic year for me (2 iron, alcatraz, sprint at worlds, local oly, Aquabike Championships for Rev3 @ Knox, and another AB in Maine).
Work has been very busy (in a good way), so stress as we have 2 major contracts coming up for renewal 7/1 but we landed a massive contract - so even if we lost some, we would be gaining some. Although I will admit I am sad when we lose clients (ok, most clients) as I really do care. But logic says financially, it will all be ok
I did my obligatory eating and drinking post season, to the tune of gaining 20+lbs. Which for me, isn't hard, but it kind of blows because I was able to trim off 30 for the 2015 season. So was I sad about that? Yeah probably.
December I was still grieving my tri club which was shutting down. I had been a founding member in 2004 and had basically run it, but our primary sponsor decided they were no longer in interested in having the club after 11 years. 2015 was a low year (mostly because I was out doing my sh!t) so I really didn't have the mental energy to start all over again.
My next struggle was basic - which was I needed a new shoe. The Glycerin 12 was awesome for me, but they disco it in 2015. I tried the 13, but as I found out in IMOO - I should not have worn in for the 2nd half of the run on the marathon. My feet paid dearly. So my running struggled... and my endurance suffered... so my running was going to h !ll.
I was sustaining workouts, more or less, but not going outside. This the first year in all of my endurance sport career I stayed inside. Literally today was my first outside run since 2nd week of Jan. I just didn't want to fuss with all the prep. Chicago winter wasn't actually all the horrible.
In Jan/Feb I was fighting with, I think, Kidney stones. They felt the same so I was fooking miserable. There is a chance is was just tight hamstrings. Never found them on tests, but it sure a **** felt like a stone. HOWEVER... there is a chance it was stupid tight hamstrings. Crazy right? Well, I have figured out if I put a tennis ball under my thigh when sitting - I can alleviate my back pain. I have begin stretching the hammies and made major progress - this has never been good area for me, but I think all the sitting for work may have really made it worse. Don't know - but it was gone in Feb.
However, right after I moved into crazy fatigue. To the point I would get 7 hours of sleep, get kids to school and have to take a nap instead of work out. Then I would be really tired after work - to the point sometimes I napped in my recliner a bit before/after dinner. And then go to bed exhausted. And even go to bed when maybe there would be something more fun to do? Yeah, THAT tired.
I got "sick" like a flu without much drainage (but some) 6 times from Feb through mid April. Each one was about a week. Sometimes chills - but no fever. A lot of sweating, while in an nice AC room. Stinky sweat. Not normal sweat, stinky sweat. Don't know how to describe it but at least 4x in my life I have dealt with this stinky sweat. Headaches too - I never get headaches - well, 3-4 days I went home or worked from home because of headaches that motrin didn't work on
Have had LOTS of blood work - in several cases white blood cells are a little high - implying I am fighting a bug. Sometimes liver numbers are a little high. Hemocrit (red blood cells) is a bit high - but that is normal for me, 2015 brought them higher and they have stayed.
Blood and urine cultures just recently, both came back negative. EKG, Xray of heart, all sorts of dang tests - all coming back either clean - or close.
since Feb I have been using Resting Heart Rate (RHR) to tell me whether it is ok to workout. I am normally high 50's in season, low 60's off season. I have been consistently over 70 and frequently 80 and sometimes in the 90s. A week ago at the Doc I was 102. Yes, that is sitting completely still, thinking calm thoughts, controlling my breathing. It's a little game to see how low I can drive the number. It has, plain and simple, been HIGH.
Last week I stopped taking this new supplement I was taking, SuperLysine+ (Quantum Health) on Monday - by Tuesday I felt AMAZING (well, relatively speaking)
it has a bunch of other stuff (Vit C, Echinacea, Licorice, Propolis, Garlic and others)
I have also reduced my caffeine intake substantially and considering dropping it more. I am ramping it down.
Starting Thursday I wasn't feeling "as amazing" but RHR consistently low 70's and sometimes very high 60s - which is the best it has been but I did a 1 hour ride, WELL RESTED, yesterday and very slow - and I was really tired after. I ran 50min today, super slow, and again really tired. Took a nap, I am still a little tired. Last week I did the state swim meet (Fri 1 event and Sat 6) and it really didn't nuke me any worse than a normal workout Ez. Weird right?
So right now I am in a holding pattern. Clearly I am Improved, but I am not Better. I think there may be more than one thing at play so I am working to peel them all out.
thanks in advance for any thoughts!
Posting this not for a pity party, I know you guys care, but I am really looking for some out-of-my-body opinions and thoughts so I can continue getting back going so I can enjoy the season! CC has been amazing (and yes she is still my coach!) and yes I have been seeing my doc, a LOT.
Ok background... Late 2015 I decided I would focus on some shorter races this year and we dialed my training back accordingly starting in November. After all, 2015 was a mofo-epic year for me (2 iron, alcatraz, sprint at worlds, local oly, Aquabike Championships for Rev3 @ Knox, and another AB in Maine).
Work has been very busy (in a good way), so stress as we have 2 major contracts coming up for renewal 7/1 but we landed a massive contract - so even if we lost some, we would be gaining some. Although I will admit I am sad when we lose clients (ok, most clients) as I really do care. But logic says financially, it will all be ok
I did my obligatory eating and drinking post season, to the tune of gaining 20+lbs. Which for me, isn't hard, but it kind of blows because I was able to trim off 30 for the 2015 season. So was I sad about that? Yeah probably.
December I was still grieving my tri club which was shutting down. I had been a founding member in 2004 and had basically run it, but our primary sponsor decided they were no longer in interested in having the club after 11 years. 2015 was a low year (mostly because I was out doing my sh!t) so I really didn't have the mental energy to start all over again.
My next struggle was basic - which was I needed a new shoe. The Glycerin 12 was awesome for me, but they disco it in 2015. I tried the 13, but as I found out in IMOO - I should not have worn in for the 2nd half of the run on the marathon. My feet paid dearly. So my running struggled... and my endurance suffered... so my running was going to h !ll.
I was sustaining workouts, more or less, but not going outside. This the first year in all of my endurance sport career I stayed inside. Literally today was my first outside run since 2nd week of Jan. I just didn't want to fuss with all the prep. Chicago winter wasn't actually all the horrible.
In Jan/Feb I was fighting with, I think, Kidney stones. They felt the same so I was fooking miserable. There is a chance is was just tight hamstrings. Never found them on tests, but it sure a **** felt like a stone. HOWEVER... there is a chance it was stupid tight hamstrings. Crazy right? Well, I have figured out if I put a tennis ball under my thigh when sitting - I can alleviate my back pain. I have begin stretching the hammies and made major progress - this has never been good area for me, but I think all the sitting for work may have really made it worse. Don't know - but it was gone in Feb.
However, right after I moved into crazy fatigue. To the point I would get 7 hours of sleep, get kids to school and have to take a nap instead of work out. Then I would be really tired after work - to the point sometimes I napped in my recliner a bit before/after dinner. And then go to bed exhausted. And even go to bed when maybe there would be something more fun to do? Yeah, THAT tired.
I got "sick" like a flu without much drainage (but some) 6 times from Feb through mid April. Each one was about a week. Sometimes chills - but no fever. A lot of sweating, while in an nice AC room. Stinky sweat. Not normal sweat, stinky sweat. Don't know how to describe it but at least 4x in my life I have dealt with this stinky sweat. Headaches too - I never get headaches - well, 3-4 days I went home or worked from home because of headaches that motrin didn't work on
Have had LOTS of blood work - in several cases white blood cells are a little high - implying I am fighting a bug. Sometimes liver numbers are a little high. Hemocrit (red blood cells) is a bit high - but that is normal for me, 2015 brought them higher and they have stayed.
Blood and urine cultures just recently, both came back negative. EKG, Xray of heart, all sorts of dang tests - all coming back either clean - or close.
since Feb I have been using Resting Heart Rate (RHR) to tell me whether it is ok to workout. I am normally high 50's in season, low 60's off season. I have been consistently over 70 and frequently 80 and sometimes in the 90s. A week ago at the Doc I was 102. Yes, that is sitting completely still, thinking calm thoughts, controlling my breathing. It's a little game to see how low I can drive the number. It has, plain and simple, been HIGH.
Last week I stopped taking this new supplement I was taking, SuperLysine+ (Quantum Health) on Monday - by Tuesday I felt AMAZING (well, relatively speaking)
it has a bunch of other stuff (Vit C, Echinacea, Licorice, Propolis, Garlic and others)
I have also reduced my caffeine intake substantially and considering dropping it more. I am ramping it down.
Starting Thursday I wasn't feeling "as amazing" but RHR consistently low 70's and sometimes very high 60s - which is the best it has been but I did a 1 hour ride, WELL RESTED, yesterday and very slow - and I was really tired after. I ran 50min today, super slow, and again really tired. Took a nap, I am still a little tired. Last week I did the state swim meet (Fri 1 event and Sat 6) and it really didn't nuke me any worse than a normal workout Ez. Weird right?
So right now I am in a holding pattern. Clearly I am Improved, but I am not Better. I think there may be more than one thing at play so I am working to peel them all out.
thanks in advance for any thoughts!