The Good Mood Cookbook

Oryx

Dilbert75 wrote: »

An anecdote relating to GP's and endurance sports: A few years back Mrs. D went to the GP complaining that she could hardly run 10k without being out of breath. Doc laughed and confessed he was the same. He later apologised when the blood tests revealed an iron level normally low enough to require hospitalisation for blood transfusions.

Yeah. Thats my feeling. Regular doctors, no matter how well meaning, just have no concept of what we do or the effects it has. My gp is good, and I like him, but his solution is just to stop rather than finding the root cause. I need a doctor familiar with endurance sport.

RacoonQueen

I've contemplated posting this a few times or pming it to you - Oryx, would you consider taking a few weeks off. Like completely off? What you are describing is very, very similar to what I felt post London 2013, where I went and did it following being very sick with a cold / flu and honestly still wasn't fully over it. It was 18 months before I trained normally again (take into account London 2013 wasn't' even 2 years ago yet) I threatened time and time again that I would take time off and never did. My recovery time may have been much, much shorter if someone had just told me to stop, rest, recover. Your body is telling you to stop. Your symptoms sound similar to mine and I'm pretty sure I was suffering from 'overtraining'.
Rainbow Kirby's OH did similar, ran a marathon (pacing I think) while recovering from/still ill with a virus and still isn't back to normal after an even longer period than me. I bet he could relate to some of what you're describing here too.

You did something a lot more extreme than us after a cold(flu?) and I would hazard an uneducated guess with my lack of PhD that your virus is still bubbling away. I would strongly, strongly suggest just resting. I don't think you have anything to gain by training through this, it's not your head getting to you here, it's your body asking you to stop.

Feel free to tell me to f*ck off and that I'm interpreting this completely wrong. I'd just hate to see anyone suffer through what I did. I obviously have had some other health complications along the way but I would feel perfectly fine while sitting on the couch and when I went to run or swim I felt like I had an infection running through me, my body just kept saying no, no, no, no, no! My regular doc visits, check ups, blood tests showed me to be an incredibly healthy / normal person but I felt much, much different to that when trying to train.

I'll f*ck off now.

Oryx

I appreciate that. Do I take it on board? Will I stop? I don't know. I seem to recall you having the same conundrum way back when. It may not sound it from here but I am doing very little, very easy. To do nothing at all would not be entirely healthy for me either.

I'm optimistic (deluded?). Both in 2012 and just before I broke my leg in all honesty I felt far worse than this in a different way. The break was a blessing, it made me rest. I dont feel the need to go all defensive here, I hope I'm pretty clear headed. I see this current thing as a bump in the road rather than a symptom of long term overtraining. Yes I'm fcuked up, but in one month I asked more of this body than anyone should have. But up to then my training was controlled and smart. So I'm hoping with the right approach I will get past this.

Of course if im wrong i guess the gods will just knock me over again.

Oryx

Called in to another friend today who rolled his eyes and administered a lecture to me over 'the silly stuff I do' as in 'when are you going to stop'. I have to say, I'm a bit weary of all this conflicting advice now.Everyone from my mother down has an opinion on my health and my sanity, I mean everyone. Even the bloody postman who wouldnt know a tri from a county hurling final. I'm sure to die imminently of heart attack, stroke, arthritis or falling off my bike. Endurance events should also come with a warning that they provoke contrary opinion from everyone you know. I appreciate the concern, I really do, but I'm a grown up, and seriously, I have no death wish! /rant.

Aaaand training. Turbo. Easy, I swear. Hr never went over 130 and it was all nice and pleasant, bit of cadence technique and single leg pedalling. Extremely sensible and well behaved.

Solobally8

If I was to listen to everyone (in life outside tri/cycling) I should never get on a bike again! Everyone has an opinion. I'm mad, selfish, silly, crazy for even thinking of going on a bike again apparently! So I don't talk about it anymore which is sad.

Oryx

Solobally8 wrote: »

If I was to listen to everyone (in life outside tri/cycling) I should never get on a bike again! Everyone has an opinion. I'm mad, selfish, silly, crazy for even thinking of going on a bike again apparently! So I don't talk about it anymore which is sad.

With most people now if they ask 'Are you still running?' (which is the standard question I get), I just say 'yup, doing a bit' and leave it at that. Telling anyone what I actually do gets the same response as if I had admitted to sticking needles in my eyes.

griffin100

With most people now if they ask 'Are you still running?' (which is the standard question I get), I just say 'yup, doing a bit' and leave it at that

........I go why do you ask, do I look fat now?:mad:

Dilbert75

The thing is, I guess, that people around here generally think you're awesome, doing awesome stuff and we want to see your awesomeness going from strength to strength, achieving more and more. But, without wanting to speak for everyone, we recognise that people involved in endurance sports will sometimes push ourselves to the ragged edge and not stop till a tipping point is behind us. So it's not a matter of thinking you're mad, it's more the empathy of a desire to see you keep succeeding.

That sounds a lot less inspiring (more patronising? Hopefully not...) than it did in my head but hopefully you get the spirit in which it's meant.

Dory Dory

^^^ That was really sweet.

Dilbert75

Dory Dory wrote: »

^^^ That was really sweet.

Same applies to you Dory . Nobody follows your logs 'cos they want you to stop what you're doing.

Oryx

Thanks Dilbert.

RacoonQueen

Lol I got similar when I mentioned on work that I'd had 3 head colds in 6/7 weeks. That's your body telling you something...no most of the office have been the same. My body is telling me that you need to turn off the bloody air con!!!

MojoMaker

Simple answers to complex problems

Oryx

Today I swam my first proper set since February. Got in for the early hour at the pool with the group of oaps who are regulars for that session. Theyre a funny crowd, each has their habitual set place in the pool, so me being in the swim lane threw a spanner in their system. I dont think they were impressed This was 2k aerobic, a nice mix of hard/easy (very limited hard, half lengths) and some hypoxic drills. Because I could set my own pace, and there was no pressure, it went really well. I managed to leave the pb on the deck. A real confidence builder.

Oryx

I just came in here to throw a few dust sheets over things and turn off a few lights. The 'rebuilding after the cock up of the race' is something I'd rather do in private. (Like bikini waxing, the results are worth it but you guys dont want to see the process. ) Its another year of lessons *shakes fist at fate*.

If I return it went well. If I dont you'll find me over on the knitting forum.

Kurt Godel

I bet on the knitting forum they'll be telling you to knit shorter scarves... sorry to see you go Oryx, hope you get fixed soon.

pointer28

Best of luck, I hope it all works out for you.

mossym

Oryx wrote: »

If I return it went well.

here's hoping we see you back stronger than ever then.

career move

You'll be back ..... this is just a blip

rainbow kirby

Best of luck Oryx, take the time and look after yourself and you'll come back stronger than ever.

ToTriOrNot

Oryx wrote: »

I just came in here to throw a few dust sheets over things and turn off a few lights. The 'rebuilding after the cock up of the race' is something I'd rather do in private. (Like bikini waxing, the results are worth it but you guys dont want to see the process. ) Its another year of lessons *shakes fist at fate*.

If I return it went well. If I dont you'll find me over on the knitting forum.

Sorry to see you leaving Oryx, but I am sure you'll come back stronger than ever!
If you cross over to the knitting forum, and get hooked there, let me know if you find my knitting mojo, it has disappeared mid jumper and husband it's not happy without sleeves!!

Hope to see you back here though....

Neady83

Best of luck Oryx, come back refreshed, stronger and feeling much better

Hope to be following your great progress very soon

Dilbert75

Wasn't around for Oryx Rev. 1 but Oryx Rev. 2 was epic. To be honest I'm a little scared of Rev 3 already. She's going to be immense.

shotgunmcos

Can't wait for the reinvention of our toughest hoochie

Enjoy the head space and be cool

Oryx

A month! A whole month of no cooking! Wow. But sadly, I'm not back to say alls well i the world of Oryx, because its not. Delayed results and tests mean that I dont know, and wont know the state of my health for some time. And this week was crunch week. Decisions had to be made. Exactly like this week last year I was faced with binning my A goal. The difference this year is that transferring is not an option, thats just kicking the issue down the road. So, actually with less regret than expected (im getting used to it) I pulled the plug on IMUK. Getting to this point wasnt easy, as those around me will attest. I fought, cried, denied, bargained and finally gave in. Its done.

I see all the positive comments above, and I would love to think its possible to come back stronger. But I dont know. Unfortunately I may be one of the unlucky ones who isnt built for this sport. However! If this stuff teaches you anything, its resilience, and if I need to change direction I expect to hit that new area with the same obsessive, impulsive stupidity I did with tri. And I'll still get to ride a bike, just not 250k around Donegal in the wind.... and I can probably live with that.

Why post? Well, if you cant be a shining example, at least be a salutory lesson. Maybe it will make your week off with flu/black toenails/wetsuit kiss seem less trying. And I'm not giving up completely just yet. As my initial consultant said, if The Race didnt kill me, there cant be that much wrong. Im still doing a bit. A few coffee stop rides with Mr Stark... a frigid sea swim where I know I was being watched for signs of cardiac arrest... sunny morning jogs. Its not ironman, but it'll do for now. Ive seen a clubmate battle cancer, this could be a LOT worse. Im not expecting the worst anyway. I'm hoping for the best.

As usual, I Just. Keep. Going.

Dilbert75

Oryx wrote: »

As usual, I Just. Keep. Going.

Tough. As. Nails.

It's like my memory of watching Terminator. The cop gets smashed to pieces and, although you don't know exactly what's going to happen, you know it's not the end of him. Then the globules of metal start to reassemble and slowly but surely he comes back as strong as ever.

Btw we'll be holding you to the promise of "obsessive, impulsive stupidity". That's what progress is made of. Only for it we'd still be living in caves wearing bearskins.

Oryx

^^^that cop scared the shiit out of me.

Dilbert75

Exactly.

Neady83

Love your honest posts Oryx and I'm so sorry to hear that IMUK is out but it sounds like your mentally as strong as you are physically, you're drawing on the positives as much as you can.

You're an absolute inspiration. I was doing the Coast2Coast with my three teamies this weekend and there were some rough patches but I honestly kept thinking back to your report on the Race and thought, I'm here with the support of three great guys and nice weather and I'm finding it difficult at times, how the hell did Oryx get through that Race on her own, suck it up 'Néady', it could be worse, much much worse. You're one tough cookie

Oryx

I think its time to start rocking and rolling again. I think (hope...pray) I'm over the bump now.

Fingers crossed, offerings made to the gods, health insurance paid up... lets get cooking!