8 Weeks post-op

At 8 weeks after reattaching my bicep back to the bone I'm doing much better.

Four weeks after surgery the Dr. took off the plaster splint and gave me a range of motion brace.
I asked him if I could jog a little, like one block at a time.
He gave me a cautious ok as long as I didn't fall.
I built that 1 block up to 1/4 mile, then 1/2 mile, and finally 1 mile at a time.
On the weekends I did several 8 - 10 mile walks with some run breaks in between.

At 7.5 weeks after surgery, the Dr. gave me an all clear to increase my running intervals.
I ran 2 miles non-stop the next day and walked another mile.
Yesterday I put in 12 miles.  Pretty much all of it running with a few of bathroom, water, and short walk breaks.
Pretty amazed that I could make it 12 miles with almost 6 weeks of no running and another 4 weeks of running nothing longer than a mile.

Next week is the Shamrock 1/2 marathon.  I signed up for it a long time ago so I figured I would at least walk most of it.  Looks like I might be able to salvage a good run out of it after all.

As for the arm; I was amazed how much movement I could do after 4 weeks in a splint.  I could almost stretch my arm 180 degrees straight.
Physical Therapy has pretty much been trying to get full range of motion in the arm with no lifting of anything over a couple of pounds.

My arm is pretty good at 8 weeks out.  The bicep muscle main function is controlling the twisting motion you use in things like using a screwdriver or turning a key in the door.  I didn't really understand this until the Physical Therapist showed me on a skeleton.

My next goal with PT is to get pronation (turning my palm down towards the ground) and supination (turning my palm up to the sky) I've only been doing this for a few days now and already see a lot of improvement.

On the downer note; I had the Dr. sign the cancelation of my ironman registration so I can get a refund.  He told me to not give up but to look for another ironman down the road.
I'm going to wait until I'm back on the bike and back to swimming before I make any decisions on what's next.
It could be another month or two before I can start cycling and swimming.

New Bicep

Surgery went well.
I was able to sleep through the night only got up to take pain meds.
i'll see the dr. next week.
i can only type with my left hand so this post is over.

Bicep Surgery

I saw the Dr. today.  He spent about an hour with me explaining what the bicep does, how I tore it, that I didn't have to do surgery, what the complications of surgery could be, what the rehabilitation process would look like with or without surgery...

If I didn't do the surgery I'd most likely be ready to get on with training for my August Ironman in about 8 weeks.  If I do the surgery it will be 3-4 months until I can really get on with serious training.

It really wasn't much of a decision for me.  I want to have 100% use of my arm again so surgery it is.  There are risks with any surgery and a potential for some nerve damage.

At this point I'm pretty sure I'm going to go ahead and cancel the Ironman again.  The Dr. said not to rule it out but assess my progress at 4 weeks and 8 weeks to see where I am.

I'm sure I'll do some one handed (left hand) updates while I'm recovering.

OUCH! Pop, pop, pop, snap, crackle, pop, pop, pop, pop

I tore my distal bicep tendon on Andrea's birthday so we had the pleasure of spending a few hours in urgent care waiting for the Dr. to tell me what I pretty much already knew.  I need to get a MRI.

By the looks of it, how it feels, and how it happened, I'm guessing surgery within a week (If they ever call to schedule the MRI).  Then a few weeks in a cast or brace, a few months of PT, and maybe sometime around April or May I'll be able to resume cycling and swimming.  

The question is...  Do I plan on Ironman Coeur d'Alene, or do I cancel?  

I'll wait until after I see the orthopedist to make that decision.  So, for now, I'm in a holding pattern.

2015 Comes to an end

December:

December started with my friend, co-worker, and running partner Jon getting drawn in the lottery to run Western States 100 mile race, from Squaw Valley to Auburn, in June.  He had less than a 4% chance of getting drawn his first year in the lottery.  I’m looking forward to pacing him on the last leg of the race and getting him across the finish line in under the 30 hours cutoff, or maybe even under 24 hours for a silver buckle.

The next day I ran California International Marathon in a comfortable 4 hours 21 minutes.  I’m taking the rest of December pretty easy in recovery mode.  Getting ready for conditioning before Ironman training starts at the end of February.

I made a quick trip to Houston to see Andrea’s niece graduate from nursing school.  (So proud of Heather.  Not easy to graduate from nursing school with honors while raising 3 kids!) Then back home and finished up the term at school before Christmas break. 

Christmas break is here and time to relax and spend time with friends.

I’m sure the remaining days of this year will bring some thoughtful reflections of 2015.  I feel like the last few weeks have been busy, busy, busy, and I need to take time to be thankful for the life that I’ve been given.

Looking forward to that 16 mile run on New Years morning to bring in 2016.

I think that throughout 2016 this blog will become more of a blog about my journey to my first full Ironman.  (Thus one of the meanings of the title “iron”.)

August, September, October...

Ok, over 3 months since my last post.

I’m doing great.

August:

I did my 1-year PSA test and all is good.  Less than 0.1

I paced my friend Jon for the last 25 miles of his first 100-mile run.  He had so much adrenaline flowing that he out ran me for the last 2 miles.

Two weeks later I paced his wife Jess for the last 18 miles of her 50-mile run.

They keep trying but haven’t got me to do an ultra marathon (any race over 26.2 miles) yet.

I also got back in the pool to start getting my swim on.

For my birthday we took the dogs to the beach.  I love the ocean!  It’s the place that really calms my spirit.  It’s like the edge of the earth.  Can’t go any further.  I just have to stop and let all of my troubles melt away.

September:

Prostate Cancer Awareness month.  I had a group of friends who came to Napa to do the Zero Prostate Cancer run.  It wasn’t as big of a group as last year, but I didn’t push to get people to participate.  I hate fund raising so I just threw it out there and we still had a good group. 

It was a small race but fun.  I came in 3^rd for age group, Jon came in 3^rd for age group (only because he hung with me for the first 4 miles of the 10K), Norm won his age group and 3^rd overall in the 5K, Wendy came in 2^nd in her age group her daughter McKenna came in 3^rd for 14 and under in the 5K.

Hiking in the Sierra's with the wife.

Also in September, I was able to talk to the 50-60 men at our church’s men’s retreat about prostate cancer.  I only wanted about 5 minutes to show a short video and talk, but a bunch of men had questions.  Several wanted to talk to me at the end of the evening.

A great little trail run with Norm around Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe.

October:

The return of Cowtown, AKA Urbancow ½ marathon.  This was my first ½ marathon 10 years ago and I’ve done every one since then.  I only wanted to finish around 2 hours.  I finished right at 2:00.

I also did a trail half with Jon and Jess on Jess’ birthday.  Great run in the Marin Headlands, down, then up the Dipsea trail stairs.

We also started a church home group on Thursday nights.  It’s been a great mix of people, ages 60-early 20s.  We had them over to celebrate our 27^th anniversary on October 15.

November:

This last week was a tough week, very stressful.  Andrea got a new car and only 6 days later the battery died and she was stranded in a dark parking garage.

A couple of days later she woke up with pain in her abdomen and thought it might be her appendix.  (It was a blocked intestine.) We had a 2:00AM ER trip that ended up with her admitted for the rest of the day. 

It seemed like nothing was going right all week. 

Just one of those weeks that you take each day hour by hour.

All caught up...

California International Marathon in just 3 weeks.  I’ve had a bit of a sore ankle so I haven’t been pushing any speed work or hard training.  I decided I’m just going to run this and enjoy it. 

I really have much more fun when I just run with people instead of running for a time.  I’m guessing it will be somewhere between 4-5 hours.  Probably around 4:30.

I want to be in a good place when Coeur d’Alene Ironman training starts in March.

Sometimes I think, “What the heck am I trying to do an Ironman for?” 

Then I remember. 

Cancer took away my opportunity to do an Ironman two years ago and now I’m reclaiming it. 

I’m not letting the cancer have the last word in this.

The fight goes on.

Redemption or Vengeance?

Finished the San Francisco Marathon today.
I signed up last year but only ran the first half because it was just 3 days before my surgery.  I was thrilled to run the first half but I was angry that cancer stopped me from running the whole race.

This year; redemption, or was it vengeance on that sonofabitch cancer that tried to steal my joy.

I know this is out of context but in Isaiah 63:4 God says, "It was for Me the day of vengeance: the year for Me to redeem had come."

I may have had to wait a year to complete this race but… they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary.

It's been a tough year but a good year.
A year of healing.
A year of redemption.

Thank you Lord!

Hollywood, San Francisco, Coeur d"Alene

Life is good.
Closing in on 1 year cancer-free!
I just returned home from a 5 day road trip with my wife, Andrea, that included a great Amos Lee / David Gray concert at the Hollywood Bowl, a short visit with mom, and a stop-over in San Luis Obispo.

Sunday, July 26 is the San Francisco Marathon.
Last year I registered to run it but since it was just three days before my surgery I decided that I wanted all of my healing mojo that the body does to work on healing my surgery, not tired glutes and quads.
Last year I just ran the first half.

This year it's redemption time.
Cancer isn't stopping me from completing the San Francisco Marathon this year.

The other big race I missed out on last year was Ironman Lake Tahoe.  When I was diagnosed I wrestled with the idea of waiting until October to have surgery so I could complete my first full Ironman.  It took a few days to realize how stupid that was and I gave up that idea. (It ended up being cancelled due to the smoke and fire in the Tahoe area last year.)

My goal for this year was to get back into marathon shape.
I've done that and I'm ready.

A few days ago I was in the grocery store and saw a guy with and Ironman Coeur d'Alene shirt.  I knew that it took place a few weeks ago.  When I got home I looked it up on the internet.  I'd heard it was a great race but it takes place in June, not really enough time for me to get serious training during summer vacation.
WAIT!
In 2016 Ironman Coeur d'Alene has been moved to August.
This gives me the entire summer to train.
That's even better than Lake Tahoe in September when I'm back in school.
Sign me up.
I'm in.
Coeur d'Alene here we come.

Cancer; looks like you aren't going to stop me from doing that Ironman.

Eyes in the night

It's been hot in Sacramento the past few days and I needed to get in a 20+ mile training run 4 weeks before the San Francisco marathon.
I decided I'd get up early and start in the dark.  A good chance to break in my new headlamp.

There's a lot of animals running around in the dark and my super bright headlamp let me see all of their eyes glowing.
The following is what I saw and what it actually turned out to be.

First off was the Honey Badger:

You know, the ones that eat cobras!
I'm not sure if we have cobras in the foothills around Folsom but I did see a second pair of eyes.








What it actually was?

A cute mama skunk with her baby.












Next was the pack of Mountain Lions!

Probably eating that guy who passed me running up the hill.  Serves him right for passing me.












After about 3 seconds I realized it wasn't mountain lions, but a little family of deer.

I actually felt bad for scaring them off the trail into the bushes.












Then I thought I was in for it!
Eyes all over the place!
What the heck was it?
I swear this is what I saw.

They were all over the place in the bushes and tall grass.  I guess I shouldn't look off to the side of the trail when I'm running in the dark.

I knew this was it.  My last run on earth.  These things were going to kill me or take me to another planet.







What was it?

A family of Jackalope!
I wasn't even sure they existed until now.

Oh wait a minute…













It's just a bunch of little bunnies.

Then I saw this!

OR-7 the wolf that made its way to California, and I'm going to be it's first human meal.












Thank God it was only a little coyote.

Cute little guy.  I wanted to take him home for Rocket and Annabelle to play with.












I really did see all of these animals before the sun came up.
The scary thing is that when I saw the coyote come out of the bushes onto the trail I actually thought it was a mountain lion.  I wasn't scared.  My first thought was to try to get closer and get a picture, the exact response both times I've seen bears in the wild.
What a great start to the day.
Can't wait to get out there early in the morning again.

BELIEVE

I am going to believe that the rest of my life will be cancer free.
If I find out in the future that cancer has returned I'll deal with it at that point.
But… in the mean time I'm not be going to be anxious or afraid.

I'm not saying that I'm going to start eating hamburgers made from cloned cows with buns made from GMO wheat, with high fructose GMO corn syrup catsup.
I'm going to continue to eat well, exercise, and reduce stress to fight cancer.
And if it doesn't actually do anything to fight cancer, at least I feel good when I eat well, exercise and attempt to live as stress free as possible.

3rd Place

Last year a group friends and I decided to do one last ½ marathon together before I had my surgery.  We picked a trail half that was just a few weeks before I originally planned on my surgery. (Surgery ended up getting moved back another month.)

I felt strong and pushed it throughout that race and ended up in 4^th place for my age division.

Missed 3rd place by 1 second.

This weekend I went back to the same race with a couple friends.

I’ve been fighting a tough cold for the last two weeks and didn’t know how it would affect my run.

I was a little slower than last year,. but...

It was good enough for 3^rd place in the 50-54 age group.

A physical, and mental victory!

Now on with training.

San Francisco Marathon in 8 weeks.

I’ll be hitting the hills hard between now and then.

278

Several day ago I turned on my phone and opened my T-Zero app (It's a countdown or count up app)
I make sure I look at it almost every day.
I read 278.
Two hundred seventy-eight days since cancer was cut from my life.
It really hit me.
I have been given 278 more good days on this earth.
So many people would give anything to have just one more day, one more hour, with someone who they've lost.
But I've had 278 more days.
278 more days of great health to spend with my wife.
278 more days to wake up and say, "Thank God I'm alive today."
278 more days to experience joy.
Life is good.
Here's to 278 more days than I may have had.
Don't take any day for granted.

The voice that wants me to quit

 I finally got back into the pool two weeks ago. 

I only made it in water twice in the last 12 months.

First lap; ok.

Turn around, second lap; ok.

Now I’m feeling a little winded.

I had to stop and rest every few laps.

Eighteen minutes into it I was ready to quit.

Then I remembered, that my competition is against the little voice inside that wants me to quit.

I’m stronger than that voice.

I’ve heard it before and didn’t quit.

I wasn’t going to quit this time.

I thought of a bible verse.

We don’t wrestle with flesh and blood, but with spiritual forces. Ephesians 6:12

I pressed on.

In 30 minutes I managed to get in over a quarter mile with lots of rest breaks.

Not great but I did it.

Two days later I was back at the pool, wondering could I even get in a quarter mile?

15 minutes into the swim I was almost at a quarter mile.

35 minutes later I made half a mile.

I got in a 20 mile ride Saturday and a 15 mile trail run Sunday.

Only made it to the pool once so far this week for another half mile.

I’m getting more nervous as I get closer and closer to my next PSA test next week.

I know there is nothing I can do to change it.

I try to give it up to God.

What will be, will be.

If it comes back...

Well, no need to go there.

I‘m not going to let my mind be consumed by what-ifs.

Hike in Napa today.

Trial run in Auburn tomorrow.

Maybe pictures to follow?