Hello From Pittsburgh

Yesterday was my first full day in Pittsburgh.  I have only crossed the Mason Dixon line a few times in my life, and I definitely never had a reason to come here before now.  So far, I love the city.  It is beautiful and huge!

We ate some typical (At least what I consider typical of northern food) at Primanti Brothers...sandwiches with slaw and fries on it.  This is also where Kari and I discovered that our worlds have collided before triathlon, as we spent our New Years Eve 2000 in the same place. 

 

We spent the day at the Natural History Museum.

A little known fact- I had a cat when I was maybe a 5-year-old that I named "Alex"sauras.  What kid doesn't name their pets after dinosaurs? He was named after Allosaurus, pictured above.  But, when I was a kid, I thought it was pronounced with an Alex.   Anyways, I always have to get a picture made with the real "Alex"saurus whenever I see one.

Every good museum has a T-Rex!

This was Kari's favorite exhibit!  LOL!

And we ended the night hanging out with another sweet blogger, Anne Marie!  She is doing IM Arizona in a few short weeks!  Good luck!!!

Gotta go- off to a Steelers game with Kari!

Fall Happiness

Fall is the best time of year.  I love that every weekend is busting at the seams with friends and events.  The weather is beautiful.  Life is good.

First....a pumpkin carving party!

I made a Darth Vadar carving this year for my pumpkin.  I want the force to be with me this fall!

Darth Vadar:  "I find your lack of faith disturbing."  Didn't my pumpkin turn out well? :)

 Our group of pumpkins!!!

 Yesterday I had some catching up to do with my training buddies.  I have missed my Saturday group ride for the past 10 weeks or so.   I hate that I have missed out on the training, but equally as important, I hate missing out on hanging with my guy friends!  A girl can learn a LOT riding with a bunch of guys.  So, in order to catch up with my cycling guys, I went to a University of Memphis football game yesterday with Dave and Tom O.  Good times...good stories. 

The guys took this picture to show me that men's sized frames do NOT fit my face. 

 

Today I just spent time with Dave...it was a high romance day at the grocery store.  I have been cooking recently.  GASP!!!  When I am not training 12 hours a weekend, I seem to have extra time to make meals.  Most of them have been veggie-centered to help my immune system.  Congratulations to me for making my first Julia Child's eggplant recipe.  I had to throw a little shrimp/veggie dish in there for Dave as well.

This is kind of a big deal, because friends and family know I don't like to cook.  I hate to disappoint Dave, but I think all of this kitchen time will disappear when I hit the roads again.  I love eating good meals, but I like it more when someone else makes it :)

 

Ah.....the best time of the year.  Time for snuggles and good times. 

More to come this weekend, as I pack my bags and head to Pittsburgh with Kari Mayhew for some football!

Motivation A Coming....

I have done most of my time in "jail" I believe. :) Like a good little athlete, I truly sat out and rested, knowing that better days and good training would be coming for me in the future.  The future is not yet realized, but a corner has been turned, I believe.

I have done so much reading on immune system, nutrition, Epstein-Barr and similar virus-type infections, etc...enough to make my head explode!  It seems that there are 3 main components to the immune system:  nutrition, rest/relaxation, and exercise.  Get one out of balance with the other, and you will have problems.  It is easy to see where I can improve.  I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch, so when I truly get back out there, I will let you guys know what worked....and what didn't!

But looky what arrived just recently to give me some motivation as I slowly start to get back out there and re-discover the sport when the time is right!

Some new Wattie Ink gear!!!  Yea!!!!!!!!!!  Love this squad.  Thank you so much, Mu and Dusty!!!!!  I have amazing teammates- it has been awesome to Rock the W this year!!!!  What a great team!

After almost 3 months off from swimming,  I needed some new suits for motivation.  I can always count on Splish to send me some fun stuff in a grab bag- great deals!  And, you never know what you are going to get!  I love that I got some sparkly stuff this time.  And the funniest suit was the "Team Lovato" suit I got.  I don't even know the Lovato's!  LOL!

I was fortunate enough to get a kit from Michelle Landry as she retired this line.  It is more beautiful in life than you can even tell in pictures.  She only has maybe 2 or 3 more pieces left with this design, so check out her site if you want to grab one last piece.  I can't ride outside yet, but when I can, I know I have a beautiful kit waiting for me for some motivation.

Kona Watching

Kona watching is one of my favorite things to do.  I missed maybe 20 minutes of the whole race yesterday when I took a break to walk my dogs.  Otherwise, I was in bed, chilling, and watching.  I had the house all to myself for the whole day.  It was such a restful, wonderful day. 

 

Kona has so many types of athletes, and these are just a few of them:  

-the pro that can win

-the pro that is looking for a big break

-the pro that has been a consistent performer for years

-the age grouper that works hard and races well consistently- making the annual Kona pilgrimage

-the age grouper that just loves ironman racing

-the age grouper that isn't really passionate about ironman, but they are so good at triathlon they go to collect another championship

-and the age grouper who has dreamed about Kona forever.  

Of course I LOVE the athletes in the last category.  So inspiring!  Check out Dawn's blog to read about a journey from someone that fits that very last category.  I would recommend reading her whole year, including the meeting she had with Julie Moss that changed her view on "deserving to qualify."  Dawn is one of the best friends I made this year through camp, and we have been supporting each other all year long.  I was so happy for her yesterday.

Dream realized!!!!  (sorry I stole your photo, Dawn! :) 

As the night came to a close, I was sad to turn off the computer and go to sleep.  I felt so much adrenaline all day long, it was as though I raced!  But sometime in the middle of the night....2 or 3 am or so, I got a phone call from Mustafa.  I ignored the first call- I figured he was just Kona dialing me something dumb as he was at the big island spectating.  But, he called again immediately, and I answered the phone, thinking maybe something had happened to a friend. 

***Now, before I go any further, let me explain that all of my friends (husband included) know that I love Andreas Raelert (and there might be a mini-crush in there as well.  Nothing wrong with that.  :)  He is my favorite triathlete and has been since I started ironman.  I could go on and on about why I think he is the most talented, classiest athlete out there.  If I could emulate any athlete- it would be Andreas.  He is the only athlete whose picture has been put on my bulletin board.  Ask my husband to name a triathlete, and he can only name Andreas Raelert.  So, obviously my friends like to tease me, and I am cool with that.  But, I am the type of person that would never go up and talk to him.  I would be way too shy/embarrassed.***

Back to the story.  So I answer the phone, and Mustafa is super excited and says something like, " Damie, Damie!  I am here in Target with Andreas Raelert.  Here!  He wants to talk to you!"  Half asleep, and being confident my friend is teasing me, I just said something like, "whatever Mu."  And hung up the phone.  Of course my friends want to tease me about Andreas any time they can, and he was posting pics for me all day  :)

I could have killed Mu, since I haven't been sleeping well anyways, but jokes are funny.  My head was back on the pillow and eyes closed when my phone beeped again with this picture of Mustafa and Andreas.  I didn't even have time to process it before the phone rang again and Mustafa had handed the phone to Andreas to talk to me.

It was absolutely hilarious, because what in the heck were we going to say to each other?  So, we both just sat on the phone laughing...he apologized for waking me up, I congratulated him on final kilometers (which were amazing) and some more laughing and small talk.  He was so great- super talkative and nice, even though I am sure he couldn't understand a word I said with my really heavy, Southern accent.  And that was it.  Such an awesome guy.  Of course for me, it was the hugest mixture of embarrassment and awe that I have ever felt in my life.  I am sure Mu told him there was some girl in the USA that was his biggest fan and would do anything to talk to him.  I just shudder to think about it. 

So, I have now talked to Andreas Raelert.  I have done nothing to stalk him, but thanks to Mustafa, I feel like a huge stalker so I will never be able to go and get an autograph at a race because I will be too embarrassed.  

I love my friends.  Most of them, anyway.  Not sure if I love Mu or want to strangle him.

Congratulations to everyone who competed yesterday!  Triathlon is such a great sport!

A Full Circle

Just this morning I was on my way to work, and BAM.  Black lab mix, scared, ribs showing, shitty neighborhood.  I stopped and left food for him, but he wouldn't come to me. That is just the way it is sometimes.  At least I had the food to give him, and maybe it gets him through another day to get to a place where he can be helped.

It is hard to make the choice to stop and help- not just with dogs, but with anything in life.  Once you involve yourself, there is some responsibility for the outcome.   Life give us lots of opportunities to help, but it doesn't always make helping easy.

But, sometimes life throws us a small bone to keep us motivated.  You know, like that good race after a bunch of bad ones to give you some faith?

 Remember this dog?

Sweet girl.  Scared but friendly.

Hundreds of fleas.  Skeleton of a body.  Pressure sores.  Broken teeth?

I stopped to help.  I didn't know it would work out.  I know there is a risk of failure when I stop and help.  I am not a marketing guru or a professional kennel.  If I can't find a dog a home, I am faced with some very hard decisions. 

I had to beg.  BEG!  For help.  I cried a lot.  I was told NO a lot.  I have gone through this before with Shelby Angel.  It is enough to make you feel like a failure.  The Humane Society finally helped.  It was not roses to get her there, but I somehow made it happen.

Well, big stinking lover, AZUMI, went home today with a family + 3 kids.  She was only available for adoption for 2 days at the Humane Society before someone scooped her up.  I TOLD ya'll she was great. 

I wish I had more pictures with her.  I always wish that.  When good things come full circle for me it gives me hope that life can be great.  

Keeping It Easy

I had to re-do this whole post because I got a phone call from my mom just seconds after I posted it with her normal mom freakouts:  mom: "what do you mean you have a bacterial infection too?"  me:  "mom, I already told you this.  Walking Pneumonia.  It is fine."  mom:  "what is this insomnia you have?"  me:  "nothing mom.  I can't sleep.  I don't exercise, so I can't sleep.  Yes, I have taken melatonin.  Yes, I get on the couch with the dogs."

At least I know I have one blog reader that reads the whole dern thing, even if she doesn't understand half of it.  I posted a whole bunch of HR stuff, and I think she thought I was having a heart attack.

So, the point is, I am taking it easy.  No training yet, and none to be expected for a while. I am walking the dogs, having no problems with work, and starting to incorporate 1-2 miles at 11:00-12:00 minute pace here and there.  While I want to run faster, my HR is still sky-rocketing from being sick, so I am keeping everything super easy, MAF/zone 2 or less.  And, I am just trying to move a little at least every other day if I feel up to it.  We have a long way to go, but I am feeling extremely patient. 

After finishing Game of Thrones (awesome), I picked up Rich Roll's book, Finding Ultra.  I honestly thought it would be another running book with a popular-type, fit guy going on about himself.  It was not what I expected, and I really enjoyed it.  It is easy to relate to Rich, and he is not spouting off all of these amazing "look at me, I am so fast" type of results.  I also could really relate to his struggles with training (growing into the person he wanted to be) vs. career.  This is definitely resonating with me right now.  The dietary info in the book is fabulous too, especially for non-meat eaters that also want to perform.

Lots of friends in Kona...looks like everyone is having a blast.  Thinking about my friends and getting excited to see them tackle the course!

The Weekend Start- Volunteer!

 When the work day ends, the fun begins!!!!  I love my Friday night volunteer time.  I spend it taking care of the dogs at the Humane Society.  I get there after work, and finish in time to go out if I choose.  It is a perfect way to start the weekend!

I always mean to get more pictures- we walk 60 + dogs.  But, I get a little wrapped up in playing and forget to use my camera.  But, here are a few fun pics showing the BEST way to spend a little after-work Friday night time.  If you have ever considered volunteering...for anything....just go do it!  It is sometimes hard to decide to find time in our otherwise crazy schedules, but it is some of the best time you will spend all week.  I guarantee it.  I find that Friday nights are best because it is not truly interrupting the weekend or work.  I hardly miss it, even when I am exhausted from training or work.  It refreshes my heart and brings peace and balance back to my soul.  Volunteering is an awesome thing. 

Spending time with Shelby Angel.  I have to admit, I totally give her some preferential treatment on Fridays.  I walk her first, even if it is out of order.  No one minds, though.  Everyone saves her for me :) (The minute she sees me come into the kennel she goes crazy to get to me.)  We have play time in the yard AND go on a walk.  She deserves it.  She has spent two years at the Humane Society, and still no home.....  :(

The sweetest dog- little Mel.  People that cut ears on dogs suck.  I am always guaranteed a lot of good kisses and snuggles from Mel.  She was rescued off of a chain, starved and cut up.  She is so thankful to have people that take care of her now.  She would be super easy to adopt- awesomely sweet dog.

 Always judge a dog like you would a person- by their soul and personality, not by their looks or your prejudice.

AZUMI!!!! I told ya'll she was great.  Everyone loves her.  She just had her spay procedure and will be up for adoption soon.  She is so gorgeous and friendly- we think she will have a home asap.  She is so happy, and I think John (above) secretly wants to her to come live with him.  Some dogs just really talk to our hearts. 

My two FAVORITE people- Tracy and John.  They work at the Humane Society, and I see them every Friday night.  They are two of the kindest-hearted people I have ever met.  I used to go to see Shelby Angel, then I went to see all of the dogs, and now I go to see all of the dogs + my friends. 

I had to post this picture because I think it is hilarious.  I pretty much volunteer at the Human Society rain or shine on Friday nights, as long as I am not out of town racing.  Last night we worked super hard, made it through a storm, and I had only had 2 hours of sleep the night before (insomnia).  I am still in my work scrubs, and I look so beat, dirty, and raggedy in this picture after a night of dog play. I love it!!!! 

I did sleep some 11 hours last night.  I threatened Dave that he better not wake me up this morning.  Sure enough, he is off to work and I am in bed playing on the computer and getting ready to read some more of the Game of Thrones!  AWESOME BOOK!  Once I pick it up, I won't be putting it down.  Happy weekend!

Figuring It Out

Thank you to all of my friends that have reached out to me to find out what is wrong.  (which, btw, is nothing serious, just frustrating.)   I have been meaning to blog about it, but I have not been able to find a way to condense this post, as it takes an entire year's review to put it all in perspective. 

I had a huge laugh last night when I showed up late to our little get-together and the minute I sat down, everyone turned to me and said...."what is wrong.  what is the diagnosis! spill it!"  All eyes on me- no pressure!  LOL!  Thank you, friends, for loving me enough to be concerned. 

So, I have tried to condense it a bit, but here it is.  I am mainly writing this for friends that might be having similar problems and are looking for some information or just someone to chat with about this.  Under no circumstances is Make It Happen allowed to become a blog for me to whine. 

The first few months of this year, I felt like something was off.  Coming off of a supremely healthy 2011, I couldn't figure out what was wrong.  I was getting sinus infections and felt my immune system was going down.  I was doing my workouts, nailing them in fact, but time and time again, I kept reporting that something wasn't right. 

I went to Tucson camp as a last ditch effort to try to "get in shape."  What I was really looking for was that "feeling of fitness" that just seemed to be alluding me.  I was training, but never feeling fit or good.  Oddly enough, I could hang on to everything we did in Tucson.  I couldn't put my finger on things.  I wasn't fit, yet I could keep up?  

Then I got Parsonage Turner Syndome (PTS) to the left shoulder.  Two different ortho docs + MRI +EMG confirmed spontaneous nerve damage that wiped out my rotator cuff muscles.  The ortho docs told me to give it 1-2 years for the nerve and muscle to come back, but were not even remotely concerned about it.

*FYI, if your body spontaneously attacks its own nervous system, please consider this a red flag.  It is not normal. 

So the rest of the year was racing and training that seemed successful but never felt great.  I never felt tired or over-trained.  I still had a ton of motivation and didn't feel that I needed a break.  It was just that something was off. 

So, I will try to fast forward through all of this.  But by the middle of the summer, I was having what seemed like repetitive sinus infections that were not responding to treatment.  I felt like I had the flu constantly.  I was more than tired.  I wasn't sore or over-trained or over-worked.  It was a fatigue that you cannot even achieve through training.  It is indescribable.  I went to 6 doctors...I was told it was sinus, allergies, bronchitis, and even asthma.  Asthma?  I race triathlons.  I have never had a breathing problem in my life.  I was given a ton of medicine, half of which I never took because I just couldn't relate to the diagnoses.  

But, everything got treated like it was a mini-infection, and I treated it the same way as well.  I had no reason not to do so.  The cycle would look like this:  be sick, see the doc again, rest a few days up to a week, resume easy training again.  It made sense to me- the docs conferred.  That is what we do with a little infection, cold, or flu.  Right?

What didn't make sense it that even with what seemed like a ton of rest, I couldn't run 5 minutes or even spin for 5 minutes at 50W.  Seriously.  I finally just stopped trying to train at all. 

I luckily found my way to an immunologist that ran the blood work that I had been begging all of the other docs to run.  We found some pretty nasty viruses (mainly Epstein Barr which is alive and happily active.  Hello Mono! and yes, you can test for this, but most docs run the test to show exposure, not activity.  And we have all probably been exposed) and a major bacterial infection ("walking pneumonia"/ mycoplasma infection).  I work in home health, so the opportunity for me to be exposed to some nasty things is high.  We also found some really low hormone and thyroid levels, which are also just a small part of a big problem. 

The point is, you can't look at each of these things individually.  The body is a system.  I was having system failure, not a single infection of this or that.  I was having trouble with my immune system.  The PTS earlier in the year was the canary in the coal mine.  It was a sign of some possible auto-immune issues.  (I hate that metaphor, by the way, because it suggests harm to animals.  I can't find another one to fit, though. If you know of a better one, send it my way.) 

It seems so obvious, right?  I spent a year catching everything.  Of course I was having an immune system problem.  But no one treated it as such.  No one treated the cause.

So, while I am treating EBV and a bacterial infection now, I am mainly working with the doc to figure out how to strengthen my immune system, which is the true problem.  All of this is more than I could ever write in a blog.  It is involving medicine, but it is also involving some food changes.  It is really complex, and I don't think I understand it all well enough to yet share it in a helpful way with others. But, when I "get" it, I will share. 


There is a lot more to this story than I could really ever communicate on the blog.  Plus, I don't want this to become a "sick" or "whiny" blog.  But, one thing that has been really hard for me is to see that there is hardly anything on the internet about mono/EBV and triathletes.  All I can seem to find is that it can take a really long time to return to sport after dealing with the initial active virus as in 6 months to 2 years.  But, most of the literature deals with the average person that is not competing in athletics.  There is a big difference between wanting to be able to do a 30 minute walk on the treadmill and being able to do a 3 hour ride with intervals. 

I have found that there are actually a good handful of triathletes that have battled the same or similar problems, but they just have not shared it with others.  I wonder if it is because there is still some sort of stigma that this is just an "over-training" problem.  After 4 months of hardly being able to do anything, I can guarantee you that it is not a training problem, although if you persist in training through this, you will have a problem.  If I had known in June/July what was going on, there is no way I would have continued to train. 

So, if you have something similar and want to chat or share ideas, treatments, etc....definitely feel free to email me or message me on facebook.  I will be happy to share what I know and what we are doing if it would be helpful to you.

In the meantime, just know that I am cool with everything- making a battle plan- and using my excuse to rest to keep me in bed till 9am this morning until I can no longer deny that I have to go to work.  I have no doubt that I will come back stronger, because when my immune system does get strengthened after some diligent work on my end, the sky is the limit.  :)

xoxoxo

And to end on a super awesome note for the day- congrats to JV on her marathon PR of 3:29 - so amazing! and to Angie on her 3:00 flat marathon with NO watch.  Yup, this girl never runs with a watch.  Ever.  She just runs.  Super awesome running chicks!!!!!