Well, this was it. My first event since June (not counting the virtual run I did a couple weeks ago).I actually woke up this morning without any vertigo symptoms. That alone is a miracle. Everyday I seem to wake up with a little light headedness, but it eventually goes away and then it will come and go through the day. It truly is annoying. Yesterday was specifically bad. I even had to miss out on a party I was looking forward to going to and wound up in bed at 7pm.
But this morning was different. I woke up feeling awesome, which is a good thing considering I had to get up at 5am. My cousin picked me up at 6am and we headed into the city where we took a shuttle bus to the start line.
There were 5500 people in the 5K and 10,000 in the 10K. I have never been in a race with so many people! I'm not the biggest fan of crowds but I figured the crowd would eventually spread out once we got started. There were no corrals so all the 5K runners AND walkers started together. the 10K people began an hour after us.
The first mile was amazing. I think it helped that most of the course is downhill which is new to me. I usually wind up doing events where everything is uphill, so this was a nice change. I ran the entire first mile. I have never been able to run an entire mile, so I thought I'd do great.
Then came mile 2
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Making Hard Decisions
The more I think about it, the more I am thinking that I should probably NOT participate in this weekend's Gladiator Run. Although I have waited all year for this, I'm just not ready. Yesterday I bent over and got a horrible headache and some dizziness. Obviously the symptoms from my vertigo are not completely gone. A friend of mine had vertigo and it took him two and a half months for all the symptoms to end. I have heard similar stories from others. I am about a month and a half into this already. I do feel tons better than before, but I am obviously not at 100%. I hadn't had any symptoms for three days until I tried bending over all the way (bending over to pick things up is actually fine...attempting yoga poses, not so much. LOL)
I'm not worried about the running part of Gladiator. I'm worried about the obstacles. I am wondering whether or not an obstacle might set off some symptoms. I'm not sure how I am going to feel climbing high walls or cargo nets. I dislike heights but I actually love cargo nets; however, I'm worried that being that high and having to look down will cause some dizziness. I'm wondering if the intensity of the course will just be too much for me.
It's also an hour drive to the event and I would be driving by myself. If something does happen and I wind up with some dizziness or light headedness, how the heck am I going to drive an hour to get back home?
Besides having symptoms from vertigo, I haven't trained in 2 months. I'm not ready for this. I will probably make a last minute decision but right now I am leaning towards not doing it and oddly enough, I actually feel peace about it, although this is something I have looked forward to for months. I finally know how other athletes feel when they're sidelined and have to sit something out that they've been wanting to do. It stinks. But I also have the Pittsburgh Great Race at the end of the month that I really want to do and I would hate to have something happen at the Gladiator Run that might also knock me out of doing the Great Race. Although my running stinks, that is something I can do without having any problems so I plan on doing the Great Race even if it means coming in last because I'm slower than a turtle. :)
Gladiator may have to wait one more year.
I'm not worried about the running part of Gladiator. I'm worried about the obstacles. I am wondering whether or not an obstacle might set off some symptoms. I'm not sure how I am going to feel climbing high walls or cargo nets. I dislike heights but I actually love cargo nets; however, I'm worried that being that high and having to look down will cause some dizziness. I'm wondering if the intensity of the course will just be too much for me.
It's also an hour drive to the event and I would be driving by myself. If something does happen and I wind up with some dizziness or light headedness, how the heck am I going to drive an hour to get back home?
Besides having symptoms from vertigo, I haven't trained in 2 months. I'm not ready for this. I will probably make a last minute decision but right now I am leaning towards not doing it and oddly enough, I actually feel peace about it, although this is something I have looked forward to for months. I finally know how other athletes feel when they're sidelined and have to sit something out that they've been wanting to do. It stinks. But I also have the Pittsburgh Great Race at the end of the month that I really want to do and I would hate to have something happen at the Gladiator Run that might also knock me out of doing the Great Race. Although my running stinks, that is something I can do without having any problems so I plan on doing the Great Race even if it means coming in last because I'm slower than a turtle. :)
Gladiator may have to wait one more year.
Then and Now
Thought you might enjoy a look at my transformation. May not be as huge as some, but I am still pretty darn proud of myself!
Monday, September 15, 2014
Haiti
This year I traveled overseas for the first time when I embarked on a mission trip to Grand Goave, Haiti. It was truly a life-changing event. It's one thing to see images on a TV screen, but it's quite another to see it all up close and personal. I have decided to go back in 2015 with a church group from Ohio that I met and served alongside side with in Haiti. Below is my Go Fund Me page for those of you who would like to make a donation to my trip. I'm trusting God to open hearts and wallets to this mission. It's so disheartening when you hear stories of people raising $50,000 toward a stupid potato salad recipe (Potato Salad) but you can barely get anyone to donate to a much more worthwhile cause. I can't help but wonder what goes on in the mind of someone as they donate their own money to a potato salad recipe.
But if you feel called to give to a cause that will reach out and help those in need, I hope you will consider my upcoming trip:
2015 Mission Trip to Haiti
But if you feel called to give to a cause that will reach out and help those in need, I hope you will consider my upcoming trip:
2015 Mission Trip to Haiti
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Overcomer
Today is Day 1 of feeling completely normal. Haven't had one episode of vertigo...yet. :)
Yesterday was pretty awesome as well. Although I woke up with some light headedness, it quickly went away and I proceeded to get myself out to the trail and run/walk 3.1 miles. It was a virtual 5k race in honor of 9/11. I've never done a virtual race before but it was just what I needed to push myself. My tush hurt and my legs wanted to give out, but I finished it....and got my first leg cramp afterward. Now that I seem to be getting back to normal, I really need to start eating healthy again. I can't believe I haven't gained any weight these last 2 months considering all the crap I've consumed.
When you're so used to being active, it's hard to spend so much time sidelined and unfortunately it's also hard to get back on track. My pace yesterday stunk and I felt like a slug. But I kept going. I don't expect to do anything spectacular this weekend at the Gladiator Run, but I still plan on kicking some booty. I'm also hoping to be back to MMA and Insanity after that.
Yesterday was pretty awesome as well. Although I woke up with some light headedness, it quickly went away and I proceeded to get myself out to the trail and run/walk 3.1 miles. It was a virtual 5k race in honor of 9/11. I've never done a virtual race before but it was just what I needed to push myself. My tush hurt and my legs wanted to give out, but I finished it....and got my first leg cramp afterward. Now that I seem to be getting back to normal, I really need to start eating healthy again. I can't believe I haven't gained any weight these last 2 months considering all the crap I've consumed.
When you're so used to being active, it's hard to spend so much time sidelined and unfortunately it's also hard to get back on track. My pace yesterday stunk and I felt like a slug. But I kept going. I don't expect to do anything spectacular this weekend at the Gladiator Run, but I still plan on kicking some booty. I'm also hoping to be back to MMA and Insanity after that.
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
I get knocked down but I get up again
Going on a month and half now and I am still experiencing some light headedness, although I do believe it's improving. On Sunday I went to the trail and knocked out a mile. When I got back to my car I actually felt like I could do more. Had one of the best night sleeps in a while that evening. Today I feel like there is a lot less light headedness and hopefully this means it's on the way out. I had an MRI today of my head and ears and it came back NORMAL, praise God! I just wish I knew what was causing this and that it would all just go away. I'm not so sure it is vertigo anymore and if it is, it sure likes to linger! I saw a physical therapist last week who did a funky head maneuver that is supposed to help. He did tell me, "This may feel like it's going to last forever, but it's not." Let's hope so!
Thursday, August 28, 2014
This has been a long month
It's been almost a month since I've had any sort of intense workout. I think I've "run" only 3x. I've missed 3 weeks of MMA and won't be attending next week, but I am going to try to start back the week after next. I've missed 3 group training runs, haven't gone to the gym at all this month, no PiYo...I'm really wondering how I'm going to get back into the groove. I have two events in late September, but don't want to push myself too hard and wind up injured or anything, so I'll be starting out slowly. I'm thinking of maybe just doing a few exercises when watching TV or a movie....push ups, some martial arts, sit ups, etc and working my way up.
In the meantime, since my workouts have been lacking, I've found myself glued to Mystery Science Theater 3000. I began watching them on Netflix and now I am ordering the episodes from the library. I don't know why I never watched these before. I have always loved B movies. Plan 9 from Outer Space, The Killer Shrews, Empire of the Ants...so many good ones. But until I started watching MST3K I had no idea just HOW MANY bad movies there actually are. Wow. So far my favorite MST3K episodes include The Pod People, The Screaming Skull, Teenagers from Outer Space, The Horrors of Spider Island, and The Violent Years. As much as I miss working out (never thought I would be able to say that and mean it!), I can't of any better way to spend my time than watching horribly bad but entertaining films. :)
However, I must say that I am so glad this month is coming to an end. It's been such a blur. I've spent the entire month struggling with my health, taking meds, visiting doctors...I'm over it. Hopefully September will turn out to be a much better month.
In the meantime, since my workouts have been lacking, I've found myself glued to Mystery Science Theater 3000. I began watching them on Netflix and now I am ordering the episodes from the library. I don't know why I never watched these before. I have always loved B movies. Plan 9 from Outer Space, The Killer Shrews, Empire of the Ants...so many good ones. But until I started watching MST3K I had no idea just HOW MANY bad movies there actually are. Wow. So far my favorite MST3K episodes include The Pod People, The Screaming Skull, Teenagers from Outer Space, The Horrors of Spider Island, and The Violent Years. As much as I miss working out (never thought I would be able to say that and mean it!), I can't of any better way to spend my time than watching horribly bad but entertaining films. :)
However, I must say that I am so glad this month is coming to an end. It's been such a blur. I've spent the entire month struggling with my health, taking meds, visiting doctors...I'm over it. Hopefully September will turn out to be a much better month.
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