This week's walks called from 3 miles each, which I have to say after doing 6 miles on the weekend, makes it seem like no big deal. It was the first week since training started that I did not have a lot of pain during and after from my abscesses. I am thrilled by that. Hopefully now I can get into a good groove of health for awhile and be able to train normally. The weather has been wonderful, I love the the fall, which makes it much easier to walk outside in the beautiful weather. Here are the results from the two walks.
2.94 miles (49:35, 16:52 average min/mile)
2.96 miles (51:22, 17:20 average min/mile)
October is shaping up to be a good month, I cannot tell you how good that feels to have that outlook. The past three months have been so hard with all of the complications and setbacks. It just makes what I am doing all the more important. I can do this. This weekend we are scheduled to do another 3 mile walk. I will have to see if I can come up with a new route, as it will be a family affair with Amanda, Rowan and I.
Mark
September 30, 2011
September 27, 2011
FUNDRAISING UPDATE - THANK YOU!!!!!!!
Just
I said something today that I never thought I'd hear myself say: "I just have to walk 3 miles this morning."
Last week it was more like, "Somehow I have to get 2 miles in before my first meeting." But after that 6 mile hike on Saturday? The word 'just' slipped in. Quiet, subtle, practically unnoticed.
What's more? When I got back to the car after finishing the 3 miles, I wasn't even winded. Now, granted it took me an hour to finish, so I have to step up the pace if I'm to finish within the allotted time. But right now, I'm feeling a smidge of accomplishment.
I need to find a new way to stretch, too. Because for the first mile? My shins ache. Like whimper with every step, want to sit down on the sidewalk and call for a ride home ache. A work colleague suggested that I extend one leg and slowly spell out the entire alphabet in the air with my foot to work out those muscles. I tried that while on a conference call earlier -- lemme tell you, 26 letters is a lot when your muscles are already weary. But I can see how it would help stretch out and strengthen those muscles.
I think I may just start out slow. After the first mile, my legs feel warm and I can walk faster. Everyone will leave me in the dust at the start of the marathon, I know it. But maybe the old Tortoise and the Hare parable will work in my favor....
This week's training schedule is 'just' (see, there it is again) 3 miles on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Coming up in a couple weeks, though, we have an 8 mile walk. We'll need to start thinking of paths that won't take us too far away from civilization, for these longer walks. When we walk together, we have to think about things like distance from bathroom to bathroom, what to eat before the walk (not just for energy), how much to drink, all of that. When I'm alone, I can forget about that. My speed and endurance are all I have to concentrate on.
Well, that and how much my legs hurt.
But Mark can never forget. And oddly, that keeps me in check. Keeps me remembering. Keeps me thinking that for me it's 'just' sore muscles. It's 'just' fatigue. It's 'just' for now. When the walk is done, I can recover. But his Crohn's is never going away. And so, I'll whimper for a little while, but then keep walking.
-- Amanda
Last week it was more like, "Somehow I have to get 2 miles in before my first meeting." But after that 6 mile hike on Saturday? The word 'just' slipped in. Quiet, subtle, practically unnoticed.
What's more? When I got back to the car after finishing the 3 miles, I wasn't even winded. Now, granted it took me an hour to finish, so I have to step up the pace if I'm to finish within the allotted time. But right now, I'm feeling a smidge of accomplishment.
I need to find a new way to stretch, too. Because for the first mile? My shins ache. Like whimper with every step, want to sit down on the sidewalk and call for a ride home ache. A work colleague suggested that I extend one leg and slowly spell out the entire alphabet in the air with my foot to work out those muscles. I tried that while on a conference call earlier -- lemme tell you, 26 letters is a lot when your muscles are already weary. But I can see how it would help stretch out and strengthen those muscles.
I think I may just start out slow. After the first mile, my legs feel warm and I can walk faster. Everyone will leave me in the dust at the start of the marathon, I know it. But maybe the old Tortoise and the Hare parable will work in my favor....
This week's training schedule is 'just' (see, there it is again) 3 miles on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Coming up in a couple weeks, though, we have an 8 mile walk. We'll need to start thinking of paths that won't take us too far away from civilization, for these longer walks. When we walk together, we have to think about things like distance from bathroom to bathroom, what to eat before the walk (not just for energy), how much to drink, all of that. When I'm alone, I can forget about that. My speed and endurance are all I have to concentrate on.
Well, that and how much my legs hurt.
But Mark can never forget. And oddly, that keeps me in check. Keeps me remembering. Keeps me thinking that for me it's 'just' sore muscles. It's 'just' fatigue. It's 'just' for now. When the walk is done, I can recover. But his Crohn's is never going away. And so, I'll whimper for a little while, but then keep walking.
-- Amanda
September 24, 2011
WE DID IT!
Today Amanda and I completed our longest walk yet. We finished 6 miles. While 6 miles might not seem like a long distance to some of you, to us it is quite an accomplishment. I am a little over 2 weeks post surgery and Amanda has never been much of an athlete and done long distances. She always sells herself short, I had faith that she would have no problem with it. It gives me a lot of motivation that she is doing this with me. I really did not know how good this would be for me mentally, to be fighting actively against the Crohn's disease and have a goal that I am working towards.
The bulk of our teammates in Team Challenge live in the Kansas City area. On each Saturday, those teammates that can meet up at a location in Kansas City at 7:00 am to train together. Being a hour away and having Rowan to get covered, prevents us from making the bulk of the group trainings. We are going to try to make some of the bigger training walks later in the season when we can make them. Till then we hope all of our teammates are doing great.
Today we did our training walk in Lawrence out by the soccer fields at the South Lawrence Traffic way.
We were able to finish 6.06 miles in 1:50:03. So, we averaged 18:10 per mile. Our speed will eventually need to pick up some, but right now we are more concerned with the endurance portion of completing the mileage. I am sore, but not as much as I thought I would. I tried a new way to "wrap" the seton today and it worked quite well and did not rub as much. Now for some rest.
Mark
The bulk of our teammates in Team Challenge live in the Kansas City area. On each Saturday, those teammates that can meet up at a location in Kansas City at 7:00 am to train together. Being a hour away and having Rowan to get covered, prevents us from making the bulk of the group trainings. We are going to try to make some of the bigger training walks later in the season when we can make them. Till then we hope all of our teammates are doing great.
Today we did our training walk in Lawrence out by the soccer fields at the South Lawrence Traffic way.
 | ||
| Getting ready to head out on our 6 mile walk. |
 | ||
| These feet are made for walking. |
 | ||||
| Heading down the path. |
 | |||||
| View from Sanders Mound looking out towards Clinton Lake. |
 | |||
| Headed back. |
Mark
September 22, 2011
SLOWLY GETTING BACK TO "NORMAL"
Had a little setback over the weekend, so I was not able to complete the 5 mile walk on our training schedule over the weekend. It was mainly just being to sore to do anything that active. With the seton in place now, I am still experimenting with the best way to"wrap" the wound and not have it rub so much against the skin. The more physical I am, the more drainage I seem to have as well, but this should start to decrease over the next month.
On a good note, I had an excellent post-op appointment with my surgeon. It had been two weeks since surgery and he said that everything was looking and functioning great. As long as everything continues to go good, then I will not have to see him for another 5 weeks, which will be a nice change.
I was able to do both of the scheduled walks during the week and did good. I was able to do them with Rowan and my mom. Let me just say how proud of my mom I am. She has been doing the same schedule as I have and walking in support of Amanda and I. My sister has been walking as well and they do not know how much it means to me to have that support and love. I think it helps them as well because often times they are not able to do anything when I am sick. It is just the nature of the disease. Here are the results from this week:
September 20 (1.95 miles, 35:54, 18:23 average min/mile)
September 22 (2.40 miles, 42:22, 17:39 average min/mile)
On Saturday I will walk 6 miles, which has me a little nervous. I have been pretty sore after just 2 miles, but I am ready to see if I can do it. The worst that can happen is that I will have to cut the mileage down a little, but I really want to do it and get back on the same schedule as the rest of the team. The hardest thing for me besides the pain from the wound is always wondering if I am going to have to use the restroom while I am out doing the walking. The route that we are going to walk on Saturday does not have a lot of restroom access, so I hope my body will behave itself for the time to do our training. I plan to take the camera so that I can post some pictures for the next update.
Mark
On a good note, I had an excellent post-op appointment with my surgeon. It had been two weeks since surgery and he said that everything was looking and functioning great. As long as everything continues to go good, then I will not have to see him for another 5 weeks, which will be a nice change.
I was able to do both of the scheduled walks during the week and did good. I was able to do them with Rowan and my mom. Let me just say how proud of my mom I am. She has been doing the same schedule as I have and walking in support of Amanda and I. My sister has been walking as well and they do not know how much it means to me to have that support and love. I think it helps them as well because often times they are not able to do anything when I am sick. It is just the nature of the disease. Here are the results from this week:
September 20 (1.95 miles, 35:54, 18:23 average min/mile)
September 22 (2.40 miles, 42:22, 17:39 average min/mile)
On Saturday I will walk 6 miles, which has me a little nervous. I have been pretty sore after just 2 miles, but I am ready to see if I can do it. The worst that can happen is that I will have to cut the mileage down a little, but I really want to do it and get back on the same schedule as the rest of the team. The hardest thing for me besides the pain from the wound is always wondering if I am going to have to use the restroom while I am out doing the walking. The route that we are going to walk on Saturday does not have a lot of restroom access, so I hope my body will behave itself for the time to do our training. I plan to take the camera so that I can post some pictures for the next update.
Mark
Random Observations
I don't know that I'll ever be the type of person who enjoys exercise. The effort of going through it has not yet been cancelled out by the results it produces. I still remind myself with each step that there's a reason behind all this--a reason I'm getting up at 7am to walk 2 miles (after going to bed at 2am due to work deadlines). A reason I'm ending a stressful, exhausting work day with a 2 mile jaunt on a treadmill.
Having never been really physically active in the past, I have no personal agenda for finish time on this 1/2 marathon. Basically, I just want to be able to finish it. We have to complete the route in 4 hours, so if I do the math, that means I have to walk a little over 3 miles each hour. My average so far as been 17 mins/mile. Mark -- even 2 weeks after surgery, and limping most of the day -- out-walks me in time.
The fact that he's 5 inches taller than me and I have to take two steps for every one of his might have something to do with it, but still. The man recently had surgery and out-walks me. *shakes head at self*
Today I finished 2 miles in 32 minutes, which is my best time per mile so far. I paused only once to take a pic of a group of wild turkeys. Group? It's a gaggle of geese, a murder of crows...what are multiple turkeys called? Well, it looked like a family of them anyway:
This sighting brought on some random observations of my current training process.
When I've done 2 miles on a treadmill, it's taken me about 40 minutes. Not only that? But there is pain. My shins ache, the outside edge of my feet hurt, and it takes awhile after I'm done walking for that pain to subside. Not that walking a path or a track at the nearby high school is pain-free. Just, I've discovered, not as painful.
So, I think I'm an outdoor, walking path/jogging track walker. Except when it's really hot. Or really cold. Or raining. *laughs*
Another observation is the difference in distractions from the process. I mean, let's face it, walking (especially around Lawrence) can be somewhat boring. Unless you run into a rafter (thank you, Google) of turkeys.
When alone, I've used my trusty iPod and playlist to encourage me. The music makes the walk; and it's not all aggressive music, either. My current playlist does include some AC/DC, Chemical Brothers, Flogging Molly, and Bon Jovi, but it also includes Adele, Alan Parsons Project (seriously, check out the beat in "Eye In the Sky"), the Cranberries, and Snow Patrol as well as some movie soundtracks.
Time alone, listening to music with nothing to do but think? How often does that happen? And I have the happy by-product of training for something that will ultimately benefit my husband.
Walking with others has it's own set of benefits--namely forgetting that your body hurts and how much time has passed--but also requires me to talk. Which I don't always have air for. More often than not, either Mark or I have Rowan in the jogging stroller on our solo walks. Once or twice I've had a friend with me.
I'm not sure which way I prefer; I think as long as I keep walking, I'm good.
This weekend we're to walk 6 miles. Aside from random excursions in my youth when climbing (small) mountains or going on long hikes seemed like a good idea, this will be the farthest I've purposely walked. I'd like to complete it in 1 hour and 45 mins, but I'll be happy with 2 hours. Mark and I are going to do it together (and possibly with Rowan); he's picked out a path that might even be an interesting exploration of our area. Training with the team is a bit of a challenge some days due to timing and distance.
Even though he'll be sore afterwards (he was very sore today after his 2 miles) I know Mark will finish 6 miles, so I'm starting now to psych myself up. I know, too, that he'll probably out-walk me, but I'll have my music. And I'll have my reason--right there with me this time.
Maybe before this is all over, my reason will include me.
-- Amanda
Having never been really physically active in the past, I have no personal agenda for finish time on this 1/2 marathon. Basically, I just want to be able to finish it. We have to complete the route in 4 hours, so if I do the math, that means I have to walk a little over 3 miles each hour. My average so far as been 17 mins/mile. Mark -- even 2 weeks after surgery, and limping most of the day -- out-walks me in time.
The fact that he's 5 inches taller than me and I have to take two steps for every one of his might have something to do with it, but still. The man recently had surgery and out-walks me. *shakes head at self*
Today I finished 2 miles in 32 minutes, which is my best time per mile so far. I paused only once to take a pic of a group of wild turkeys. Group? It's a gaggle of geese, a murder of crows...what are multiple turkeys called? Well, it looked like a family of them anyway:
This sighting brought on some random observations of my current training process.
When I've done 2 miles on a treadmill, it's taken me about 40 minutes. Not only that? But there is pain. My shins ache, the outside edge of my feet hurt, and it takes awhile after I'm done walking for that pain to subside. Not that walking a path or a track at the nearby high school is pain-free. Just, I've discovered, not as painful.
So, I think I'm an outdoor, walking path/jogging track walker. Except when it's really hot. Or really cold. Or raining. *laughs*
Another observation is the difference in distractions from the process. I mean, let's face it, walking (especially around Lawrence) can be somewhat boring. Unless you run into a rafter (thank you, Google) of turkeys.
When alone, I've used my trusty iPod and playlist to encourage me. The music makes the walk; and it's not all aggressive music, either. My current playlist does include some AC/DC, Chemical Brothers, Flogging Molly, and Bon Jovi, but it also includes Adele, Alan Parsons Project (seriously, check out the beat in "Eye In the Sky"), the Cranberries, and Snow Patrol as well as some movie soundtracks.
Time alone, listening to music with nothing to do but think? How often does that happen? And I have the happy by-product of training for something that will ultimately benefit my husband.
Walking with others has it's own set of benefits--namely forgetting that your body hurts and how much time has passed--but also requires me to talk. Which I don't always have air for. More often than not, either Mark or I have Rowan in the jogging stroller on our solo walks. Once or twice I've had a friend with me.
I'm not sure which way I prefer; I think as long as I keep walking, I'm good.
This weekend we're to walk 6 miles. Aside from random excursions in my youth when climbing (small) mountains or going on long hikes seemed like a good idea, this will be the farthest I've purposely walked. I'd like to complete it in 1 hour and 45 mins, but I'll be happy with 2 hours. Mark and I are going to do it together (and possibly with Rowan); he's picked out a path that might even be an interesting exploration of our area. Training with the team is a bit of a challenge some days due to timing and distance.
Even though he'll be sore afterwards (he was very sore today after his 2 miles) I know Mark will finish 6 miles, so I'm starting now to psych myself up. I know, too, that he'll probably out-walk me, but I'll have my music. And I'll have my reason--right there with me this time.
Maybe before this is all over, my reason will include me.
-- Amanda
September 16, 2011
It's when you don't want to move that you have to
Being the 'healthy spouse' has an interesting set of challenges. Worry, sure. Weariness, yes. Patience? You better believe it. Until Team Challenge, though, the challenges had always been about him and us. Now, as they say, it's personal.
When Mark first brought up the idea of walking this 1/2 marathon to raise money for CCFA and find a cure -- or, more immediately, new treatments -- for Crohn's, my initial response was elation at his wanting to be part of something. The light around him as the idea caught fire -- the idea that he could be actively participating in a solution to this disease rather than simply surviving one more day -- was infectious. There was no way I was going to deny him.
What didn't truly sink in until after I began the training regimen was how this was going to affect me. Physically, emotionally, mentally.
While he's been physically unable to participate in any type of sports for a number of years, Mark has a history of being an athlete. In high school and JuCo, he played soccer rather religiously. So he understands the demands of a training schedule. In contrast, I have never been part of an organized sport. I rode horses in my youth, but that didn't require the same level of stamina as this training is requiring. And while I've always been moderately active, I lead a rather sedentary life.
I work two jobs to support our family, both via the computer/internet. So on any given day, I can be seated for 10-12 hours at a time, just to get things done. Once our daughter passed the I will cry if you set me down phase, my activity level tapered considerably. Even knowing that we'd "start small," and build up to the 13.1 miles was enough to make me want to crawl under my desk and pretend I had never heard the words 'half marathon.'
But I'm doing it.
I've not missed a day of weekly training; I've hit all the pre-determined miles in the training chart (via treadmill, walking path, and high school track). Sometimes before work, sometimes during a mid-day break, sometimes after work. I've alternated between silently swearing as my legs ache and my feet hurt and my back whimpers and feeling an elated rush of accomplishment that I am doing this.
I. Am. Doing. This.
Most days, I'm only doing it for him. I'm doing it because I love him and because as he's suffered, I've suffered with him, just on a different scale. I'm doing it because we have a daughter together and I want him to be part of her life -- every moment a father should be part of, I want him there. I'm doing it because of the endless hours during our 10 year marriage where all I couldn't take away the pain or make anything better. All I could do was hold him. I'm doing it because our whole life has changed due to IBD; nothing today is how I envisioned it would be 10 years ago.
When I don't want to move.... When I hear all the excuses for staying home, staying in bed, staying still, make so much sense in my head....When I hear myself saying I can't do this, how am I going to do this...that's when I know I have to. I have to get up, get out there. Keep doing this.
-- Amanda
When Mark first brought up the idea of walking this 1/2 marathon to raise money for CCFA and find a cure -- or, more immediately, new treatments -- for Crohn's, my initial response was elation at his wanting to be part of something. The light around him as the idea caught fire -- the idea that he could be actively participating in a solution to this disease rather than simply surviving one more day -- was infectious. There was no way I was going to deny him.
What didn't truly sink in until after I began the training regimen was how this was going to affect me. Physically, emotionally, mentally.
While he's been physically unable to participate in any type of sports for a number of years, Mark has a history of being an athlete. In high school and JuCo, he played soccer rather religiously. So he understands the demands of a training schedule. In contrast, I have never been part of an organized sport. I rode horses in my youth, but that didn't require the same level of stamina as this training is requiring. And while I've always been moderately active, I lead a rather sedentary life.
I work two jobs to support our family, both via the computer/internet. So on any given day, I can be seated for 10-12 hours at a time, just to get things done. Once our daughter passed the I will cry if you set me down phase, my activity level tapered considerably. Even knowing that we'd "start small," and build up to the 13.1 miles was enough to make me want to crawl under my desk and pretend I had never heard the words 'half marathon.'
But I'm doing it.
I've not missed a day of weekly training; I've hit all the pre-determined miles in the training chart (via treadmill, walking path, and high school track). Sometimes before work, sometimes during a mid-day break, sometimes after work. I've alternated between silently swearing as my legs ache and my feet hurt and my back whimpers and feeling an elated rush of accomplishment that I am doing this.
I. Am. Doing. This.
Most days, I'm only doing it for him. I'm doing it because I love him and because as he's suffered, I've suffered with him, just on a different scale. I'm doing it because we have a daughter together and I want him to be part of her life -- every moment a father should be part of, I want him there. I'm doing it because of the endless hours during our 10 year marriage where all I couldn't take away the pain or make anything better. All I could do was hold him. I'm doing it because our whole life has changed due to IBD; nothing today is how I envisioned it would be 10 years ago.
When I don't want to move.... When I hear all the excuses for staying home, staying in bed, staying still, make so much sense in my head....When I hear myself saying I can't do this, how am I going to do this...that's when I know I have to. I have to get up, get out there. Keep doing this.
-- Amanda
GETTING BACK INTO THE SWING OF THINGS
Last week I had surgery (fistulotomy with seton placement) due to the recurrent abscesses I had been having since the beginning of July. This procedure basically creates a open path to the exterior so that new abscesses cannot form and allows "material" to drain without getting backed up inside. The seton is a band about the thickness of telephone cord that is looped thru the abscess site and threaded in the fistula track behind the abscess and then out the rectum and then is "tied" off. This loop prevents the fistula track from closing and forming an abscess. The good news was that the fistula track did not go back all the way to my "J-Pouch". Next year when I have medical insurance again and when the Crohn's disease has hopefully been in remission for awhile, I will be able to have a surgery to remove the fistula and take out the seton and have everything work normal again.
As you can see, my training for the half marathon has taken a back seat lately. I took a full week off with no activity and started back gradual this week. Not having a lot of pain, which is good, but getting use to the seton. Moving forward my goal will be to find the best way to deal with the seton when I am active. I walked 1.2 miles on Tuesday and 2.0 miles on Thursday and felt good. This weekend I will attempt to do 5.0 miles since that is what our training schedule calls for. I think if my body will cooperate and continue to get better, then I will be able to really start building up my stamina and the pace that I am doing my mileage in. By December I would like to be able to walk a mile in 15 minutes.
1.21 miles (20:56, 17:18 average minutes/mile)
2.04 miles (35:28, 17:23 average minutes/mile)
Mark
September 10, 2011
OFF TO A GREAT START!
Thank you for all of the support and donations. We have been overwhelmed with the support so far. We have currently raised $3,860.00, which puts us at 54% to our fundraising goal already. Please remember every dollar helps and goes to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America to combat these diseases and hopefully find a cure. Visit our donation page HERE.
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