Week 2: 1/8/2018 - 1/14/2018

And here we go again, I feel like I just published this silly thing... I can totally see why the whole blogging what you did every day kinda gets to suck...  

Not a lot of pictures from this week, I'll unearth some oldies.

Monday: Ro and Mark are off to CO on Tuesday, so this is our last hill workout until she takes a vacation from their vacation in February.  Wow, that sounds weird, a vacation from vacation.  We had a good, albeit a little sloggy with the layers and the mash potato snow and unshoveled walks.  A great endurance workout for 90 minutes for sure!!

Bummer, no Gus walk, I can't really go out by myself, poor guy, I think he'd be even sadder than he is now?

April 1997 - Utah
My last ski trip.

Tuesday:  Spin day!  Spin class was canceled but on Strava Premium I have access to a few Sufferfest videos, I think they are called something different now.  CTS had a 64-minute interval workout the scenery was the Amgen Tour de Cali and the riders.  It was good, really good actually.  I may sub this in another time for a spin class.  The extended intervals 3 minutes, were challenging!  It would be easier on a trainer with a cadence sensor to follow along with the recommended cadence.  I gave myself a few extra miles for the full hour of hard work, I think I earned them!

Gus had a bit of a setback, poor guy.  It is a bit more than the anaplasmosis.  It probably was in his body for a while and causing havoc on his spine, causing the fall down the stairs making even more problems.  Ugh.  I feel like such an ass.  We both do.  

I'm not sure, probably 2012?
John on my right and Mark on my left
They also think their older sister is looney.

Wednesday:  Run day!  That was fun!  Not fast, but good to get out and get in a 5K.  I think I'll stick with that distance until I feel like it's 'easy'.  Ugh, no Beth, you hate that term.  I'll stick with that until I feel like I need more of a challenge and add on another mile.  Maybe when I can get my pace down into the low 11's?  I'm not sure.  Maybe never.  Who knows.

As I type this I can't remember much of Wednesday except the note from my Uncle undergoing chemo for his third cancer.  He has a warped sense of humor, and it is still intact, which gives me hope!  

2014 Rhode Warrior Triathalon Festival

Thursday:  Typically a spin day, however, I had the WTAC Board Meeting and while it's ok for the guys to come in after a run I'd be biking, a non-running activity, on GASP stationary equipment, and risk offending the delicate sensibilities  on what constitutes an appropriate activity of a few of the board members, I opted for Boot Camp.  Besides, I have to wring out my hair after spin class, no one wants to deal with that!!  

Addy is cray cray, there is no two ways about it.  I always feel like I am in the worst possible shape when I am in these classes.  I think that is how you are supposed to feel, because if it wasn't challenging what is the point???

We did a set of 10 exercises three times:

10 push up to side planks
15 jump lunges
20 (10 each side) one-legged deadlift with an overhead press
20 jump squats
Who bloody hell knows - I've blocked it out
80 mountain climbers (with gliders)
2 hallway sprints
15 TRX Chest pulls
15 Tri
20 Hammer Curls

And because we finished a bit early we got a bonus round three times:

Full arm plank to elbows and back 10 each side
10 Running man sit-ups
10 Toe tap leg raise

By the end, most everyone feels like dying or they didn't work hard enough?  My abs hurt just thinking about this.

Friday:  A running day!  For some reason, I was anxious about this run.  I promised myself I wasn't going to push myself I was going to let this return unfold naturally and enjoyably.  WTF Beth, why were you anxious?  The pain would come back?  You are slower?  Get over yourself, for christ sakes!  It was warm out, albeit a bit misty and cloudy.  I had a nice bright shirt to wear ensuring I could be seen by traffic, or whoever came looking for my dead shriveled body in the event this was my final undoing (drama much?)  

It was a great run, a few seconds faster per mile than my run on Wednesday.  I wasn't feeling any pain during or after.  Ahhhh... it was good.  Plus the local wellness center had a massage opening at 2 p.m. and I knew that would be a lovely reward as I haven't had a massage in months and really needed one.  I'm not so good about pampering myself.

I'm the queen of bad ideas, this topped the list.
Probably two calm dogs attached at the harness would be ok.
We made it to the end of the block, barely.

Saturday:  Clearly Gus was backsliding massively.  I called Ocean State Vet to schedule a consult with the veterinary Neurologist, we go Thursday and explained to the intake person what was going on and that I really wanted to bring him in today.  She explained Dr. Marini wouldn't be in but they would be able to do something for him.  

They assessed him quickly and rushed him back to pump him with some pain meds so they could examine him.  They put me in an exam room.  For this I am eternally grateful, it is quiet there and I don't have to watch the emotions unfold, or look through their book which features our Diesel as a successful cancer patient.  Successful as we had 20 additional months with the Big Guy.  

The vet came in to talk through what was going on and I explained my screw up (1/2 the dosage of the Doxy) and asked could that possibly be the problem?  She said, well sure, only 1/2 the antibiotics fighting against the Anaplasmosis, and the Anaplasmosis realizing they had the upper hand...  both Dave and I are fixated on that as the issue.

Some additional blood work produced more questions and blood work, we will know more in a few days.  

The big win was adding Gabapentin to deaden the nerve pain.  Diesel was on this and it worked wonders.

I loaded him back in the car 4 hours later and we were off home, he was less anxious and seemed to enjoy more staring at the drivers behind us.  

He was begging for dinner by 6 p.m. and after the obligatory trip outside, willingly using his ramp, he curled up on the bed in front of the fire and zonked out.  Gabapentin is pretty cool.  As is dosing medication properly.

Look closely.

Sunday:  First race in the Off Rhode Racing 4th Season Trail Race series, Resolution Beach and Trail 5K, I went into this with no expectations, it was a fun race, and we didn't have the mile on the beach with the sand and the wind beating into our skin, so it was even better.   I finished, didn't fall, and took home some beer thanks to my much faster female teammates!

I didn't do much the rest of the day.  Spent it keeping an eye on Gus, he is doing much better!  I miss our weekend hikes, I should take Jax, but I feel like I'd be cheating on Gus... it is quite a quandary I've put myself in. 

One of his perkier moments hopped up on painkillers.

Mileage:

I may want to review my goals, but we are only 14 days into the new year and I've had a lot going on...  

Feet:  24/1,500  37 miles behind pace
Saddle: 39/3,000 84 miles behind pace (this isn't unexpected)

Honestly, I haven't felt this physically good in a while, other than what seems to be a cold coming on, not wincing in pain getting out of bed and hobbling down the stairs is probably a good thing.  

Cute buttons from my Mom's collection

Knitting:

I totally forgot to take a picture of the Wild Child sweater before I sent it off or the one for Dave's friend... whoopsie.  So maybe my mind isn't completely out of its fog, close though!!

Finished the sweater for Andrea at the same time MAC finished the blanket in matching yarn, how's that for timing!  Just need to get that through the wash to get out the slobber Jax deposited on it this morning!   


Started a sweater with no recipient at this time, it's purple, is purple OK for a boy?  I'm finally making a noticeable dent in my baby sweater yarn stash!!   

After all this time I discovered it's better to sew on the buttons then sew up the sleeves!

Books:

"Big Little Lies" by Liane Moriarty  
A little more than halfway through, a very interesting way to present a murder mystery!  I'm still not sure who's dead!

Summary:  
Below average activity combine with Gus' health kinda made for so far not my most favorite week of the year.  The Resolution Beach and Trail 5K and seeing runner friends made my week!

Peacefully sleeping, finally.

Sincerely,
Beth, may we all find peace, somehow.