Sunday, June 16, 2019

It's All Good

I think whatever was plaguing my body for the past couple of months has finally left the building. Yes, I'm feeling like myself again!

If you've been following me, you know that I've been struggling with fatigue and general malaise since February. While my rheumatologist tells me it's not RA, my internist and I believe differently. I received the new shingles vaccine in February and probably what happened is that the vaccine triggered a flare. I'm certainly not anti-vaccine but I do have an autoimmune disease and it makes sense to think that this could have flared my RA.

Regardless, it was frustrating for me.

The past couple of weeks, I've had more energy and this week, I've felt pretty much "normal" again. I had 3 good runs totaling 19 miles, which is the most I've run in several months. Bootcamp and strength training went well too.

It's all good!



Running
I ran 3 times this week using my Heart Zones monitor. Now that I'm feeling better, I probably need to adjust my zones as I'm spending too much time in the red zone. I'm going to play with that this week.

The weather is still unpleasant. Monday was super windy and I ran around my neighborhood, taking advantage of the frequent turns on my running route so that I wasn't running into the wind for any length of time. Wednesday's run was a rainy one on the bike path.


On Saturday, I ran in the forest preserve where my running club meets up. Guys, I ran 7.25 miles!!! I was ecstatic when I finished. I took my time, held back on my pace, and I did it!. It has been so long since I've run anything more than 6 miles so this really showed me that my body is settling down. Sadly, after I finished running, I learned that while I was there, a runner was attacked, beaten, and robbed by 2 men. Even though there were many runners and cyclists on the path at the time, it was a sobering reminder that we are never safe. I'll be sharing more about this on Tuesday's post.


CrossFit
Coach Sammy Jo also remarked that she could tell I was feeling better. She had me do banded side steps with a kettlebell, alternating with single leg box hop ups and bent barbell rows. I did this 3 times. After that, it was time to play on the rope. I climbed to the top, but I'm still using more upper body strength and less lower body strength than she'd like. There's always work to do! Bootcamp consisted of 15 min AMRAP of pull-ups to failure, followed by 12 body rows. I used the blue band to do about 5 banded pull-ups each time. After that, there was a 20 minute AMRAP of a 250m run, 20 weighted situps, 15 slamball squats, 10 ball over shoulders, and 5 burpees over the slamball. I used a 30# slamball for all the activities and made it through 4 rounds! Yeah, baby!


Yoga
I'm on a Yoga with Adriene kick lately. I love her sassy little videos. This week I did Total Body Yoga-Deep Stretch and Yoga for Creativity. Fun and effective.


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I don't know if you all saw my announcement on Instagram this week, but I'm so excited to be going to camp this summer! EMPOWER summer camp, sponsored by SweatPink, Now Foods, AfterShokz, and Bioenergy LifeScience is going to be so much fun! There's going to be a variety of activities from trail runs to yoga to SUP to horseback riding, cooking classes, food, wine, friendship, s'mores, and swag!  We'll be staying in cabins at the Ronora Lodge in Michigan. Want to learn more? Check out all the details HERE. Use my code WENDY to save $50 off registration. Come join me! It's going to be so much fun!

Who's going to EMPOWER Summer Camp and have S'mores with me? /via @oldrunningmom @fitapproach @NOWFoods #sweatpink #EMPOWERSummerCamp #runchat #running 

How was your week? Are you going to camp with me?

I'm linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Rundown!


46 comments :

  1. I am so glad to hear that you are finally feeling better! Fantastic news! I have looked at the camp so many times but it's such an inconvenient place to get to from here. The flights would be ridiculous. I am going to have to have FOMO. I wish they would have an east coast event sometime!

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    1. I love that they are having a Midwest event because I can actually go! I wish you were coming. It would have been so much fun!

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  2. The joy of reading of your good news uplifts the soul. Happy Happy Wendy!

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    1. I've been gradually feeling better but this week I actually returned to feeling like myself. That fatigue was something else.

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  3. I had a great week, too. 3 runs for 15 miles, 2 rides for 35 miles and a couple of yoga sessions. Hot flashes that had been my constant companion have disappeared again. It usually takes a few days for me to even realize that I'm flash free, I'm sure they'll be back but it's such a relief when they're gone.

    We fly to Hawaii on August 4, so no camp for me. It sounds like a great time!

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    1. I've felt a decrease in my hot flashes too. It would be nice if they stayed away!

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  4. Excited for you that you are feeling better. I have had shingles so I don't know if the shingles vaccine is something I should get. On the other hand, two co-workers got it last year and they were literally sick from it. So no wonder you had a reaction.

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    1. This new vaccine has a very high side effect rate. I know it's very effective but as far as getting the second dose, I'm not willing to risk going through 4 months of misery again.

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  5. Yay!!! So glad to hear whatever was plaguing you has finally left. The photo of you at the top of your rope is so cool! I would be shaking in my boots. Thanks for the reminder about Yoga With Adrienne. I had kind of forgotten about yoga, but I think I need to start again.

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    1. I'm enjoying her classes which are very fulfilling yet somewhat laid back!

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  6. Ooh camp sounds fun and I am SO glad you're doing so much better. It makes sense to blame it on that vaccination, as that's going to trigger autoimmune responses. My friend here with RA is having a bad flare at the moment and I so feel for her.

    I'm sorry to hear about the runner who was attacked, too. We have had a few more incidents in our big local park and we only run there in groups of 4 or more now. Sad times.

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    1. I'm looking forward to camp! I love being outdoors and it will be nice to relax and enjoy without fear of lurkers in the woods!

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  7. I wish I could go to camp with you. I'm sure it'll be a ton of fun!

    That's really scary that a runner was attacked while there were so many runners around. Argh, the world is not safe. :(

    But glad to hear that your mojo is back!

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    1. Yeah, it was such a great run and I was so happy--that news about the runner being attacked was so disheartening!

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  8. Glad you're feeling so much better! Just in time for summer running ;-) Now if only the weather would play a little nicer....

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  9. I'm so glad you are joining us at camp! It's going to be a blast! Glad you're feeling better too.

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  10. Oh yay, I am so happy for you, Wendy! Empower sounds like it'll be a blast. I was supposed to go to a camp a few weeks ago - a purely trail camp that is- but it ended up being cancelled - while I can't swing Empower, hopefully I can find one later this summer.

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    1. Oh boo...I wish you could join us! It's going to be a lot of fun.

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  11. Yay on feeling better! And woot on that 7 mile run! Yikes on the robbery though -- that's really scary. The timing and logistics for that camp just don't work out for me, but I it looks like SO MUCH fun! I know I will have a bad case of FOMO.

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    1. It's kind of like when all those bloggers go to Blogfest...I always have FOMO. I'm excited that camp is in our neck of the woods. I just wish all my blogging friends could be there!

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  12. SO much good news this week - feeling better and going to camp! I'm so excited and happy for you!

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    1. I'm so glad that things have seemingly and finally turned around!

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  13. Oh I'm SO happy to read this!!! YAY!!!! I can't imagine how good you must feel just being able to run and lift and yoga and feel good. Awesome.
    Not awesome about the runner being beaten and robbed on the same path you and many others were on. Seriously? That is VERY scary and I'm just glad you are ok.
    Lastly, I had not heard about that camp. Very interesting and sounds like a perfect getaway for any runner!!

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    1. We get to sleep in cabins with bathrooms. It's my kind of camping!

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  14. I'm so glad that you had a much better week! Fitness is so weird - one day you're on cloud 9 and then the next day you can feel like a newbie - there's no rhyme or reason, lol.

    I'm so disturbed about that story of the running getting robbed. Even with other runners and cyclists in that area, he still got attacked. It's just so scary and like you mentioned, a good reminder that we're never safe.

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  15. So happy for you that you're starting to feel better. Hopefully any future necessary vaccines don't have such an impact on you.
    Lucky 7s :)

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    1. I'm going to hold off for a while on any vaccines. I need to feel good!

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  16. That's great that you're feeling so much better! Wonderful news. But that's horrible about the runner assaulted on the trail :( I hate hearing things like that but at the same time, it's better to know and be realistic so that we can take reasonable precautions.

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    1. I'd like to learn more but there's not much info available!

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  17. Glad you are feeling better! Camp sounds fun too.

    I am nervous about getting vaccines for the same reason, but I'm overdue for a tetanus booster so I'm just going to have to cross my fingers that it doesn't trigger a flare.

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    1. I hope you don't have a flare either! I had no idea vaccines could do that. It's definitely a steep learning curve for me.

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  18. Yay I'm so happy to hear that you are feeling better!!!! Hooray for a feel-good week of workouts!
    That is seriously so scary about a runner being assaulted and mugged on your running path. What is it about summer where that stuff happens??

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    1. Especially when there's a lot of people around? Seriously scary!

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  19. I'd love to go to camp with you Wendy! Afraid it's not in the cards this year though.

    SO glad you are feeling better finally. Sucks that you had to get through the last few months with so much frustration though. Let's stay on this "all good" momentum for a while!!

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    1. I'm crossing my fingers and toes; all I can say is it feels good to feel good!

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  20. I'm so glad you're feeling better! And how exciting about Empower Camp! I won't be attending, but I will be going to my first blog conference in a few months and I'm pretty stoked about that.

    I love that you do the yoga videos. I struggle without the connection of a class, but maybe a sassy yogi could get me going.

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    1. I don't even miss the studio--I <3 my YouTube yoga. Yoga with Adriene is amazing!

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  21. That's awesome you are feeling better. Nice jump! :)

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  22. I'm so happy that you're feeling better! Finally! And I'm also excited that you'll be at Empower. Me too! Can't wait to see you again!

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  23. Yay! I am so happy that you are feeling better! I hope this trend continues for you!!

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