Monday, March 19, 2012

Post run pain

Okay on Saturday I ran/walked a 5K and since then my joints have been killing me. Let me say that the pain level has been a plus 10 on a scale of 1-10. The joints from the hips down are in pain and I have had to rely on using a cane so I don't fall from the dizzy spells. These little pitfalls are keeping me from advancing my recovery. What I need to do is find a way to train around the pain and gain the advancement needed for me to run a 10 mile run April 1, 2012.

Going to see my oncologist this afternoon to see what can be done if anything to get through this sooner than later. You see, I just want to be me and out there running, biking and swimming.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

St Patty's Day 5K Ocean City, MD by bclqac at Garmin Connect - Details

This race was the most difficult one ever, I was having joint pain from head to toe and still went out there. My pain level post run is about an 8 and raising.

St Patty's Day 5K Ocean City, MD by bclqac at Garmin Connect - Details

Thursday, March 15, 2012

First Ride Post Chemo Treatment by bclqac at Garmin Connect - Details

So today was the big test and could I ride outside or would the side effects from the chemo keep me indoors. The ride went well and I will get out there whenever the weather permits it. The adrenaline is still pumping so I will see how long I stay pumped but this is a big milestone for me.
First Ride Post Chemo Treatment by bclqac at Garmin Connect - Details

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

BCA! - 5K Run/Walk

Well it has been a real whirlwind these past few days and I am exhausted. Saturday I helped the wife in the garden by tilling the soil to get it ready for planting. When that was done I took a nap before going to the Bike Doctor open house. The event was fun and I really enjoyed catching up with my fellow Iron Crabs. Oh and Marion won a bike jacket that is awesome.Sunday was an R & R day where I slept for several hours and ran a low grade temperature off and on all weekend.

Today, I got up after getting 2 hours of sleep and went for a 5K run/walk. This was a good run as I only walked about a half a mile during the run. The timing was a little slow but I am told that is to be expected and I should be happy that I am able to get out there in the first place. So I celebrate the successes and keep striving towards more of them. This Saturday I will run the St. Patty's Day 5K in Ocean City, MD and I am hoping for a sunny morning run on the boardwalk.
Nation's Triathlon 2010

With the warm weather I will take my bike out for my first ride post chemotherapy. This will be great if i can just get through the 7 mile loop around the house. From there I will build up to the 37 miles I will need to ride in May. The Nation's Triathlon this September will be a big event for me and were I will prove what a cancer survivor can accomplish. Just when you think I cannot do much more my wife and I will be training to run the Marine Corps Marathon in October. While this will be my third time running this event I will be counting it as a first along with Marion's first marathon.



Thursday, March 8, 2012

BCA! - Cancer Transitions

So last night Marion and I went to the first meeting for a cancer support group for those that have completed their treatments. The group is Cancer Transitions Moving Beyond Treatment by LIVESTRONG and is 6 weeks and seems like it will be a very good support group. We talked about what it means to be a survivor. The Cancer Support Community defines a survivor as one that has been diagnosed with cancer, from the time of their diagnoses through the rest of their life. This is hard for me to except because I consider myself as a fighter or warrior. When I started chemotherapy I was told that once I was done my treatments I needed to be cancer free for 5 years. That is when I will consider myself a Survivor.

So now that treatments are done I am getting myself back in shape to compete and be better than I was before my diagnoses. To that end I did my second 2 mile Run/Walk today. This was a little faster than Tuesdays activity by 10 seconds but hey every second counts. While I am feeling happy to be running again it distresses me that I have lost so much over the past 8 months. My resting heart rate used to be 50 bpm now I can't seem to get it below 75 bpm. The hardest thing for me to address are my feelings and I will be working on that here with my friends and followers. So if you don't seem to be understanding my feelings or I seem to be skimming over them call me out on it. Next week I will begin my strength training program at the Y with Marion.

My first goal of running a 5K is just over a week away and I am doing everything to be ready for the St. Patty's Day 5K on March 17, 2012.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

BCA! - 2 Mile Run/Walk

Well today was the day to lace up the running shoes and get back outside and start running. The run today was very different and my muscles were screaming: WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO US? While my timing is way off I am impressed that after 8 months off that I was able to complete the 2 miles. This is the start of my half marathon training as I am scheduled to run the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon on May 20, 2012. To achieve this goal I will be running 3 days a week with my long run on the weekend.

To work up to the half marathon distance I have a 5K run March 17, 2012 and a 10 mile run April 1, 2012. The 10 mile run will be a challenge as there are many hills to run but Marion will be on course with me. The goal is to start out slow and build up with speed workouts late spring, early summer. The weight training will start next week to help regain the muscle mass that I lost while undergoing chemo treatments.

Thanks for all your support during my treatments, I need your support more now than ever before.

Brian Comes Alive! (BCA!) 2 mile run/walk data from my Garmin 910XT.

Monday, March 5, 2012

BCA! - Marion completes her 1st half marathon

Well the race started on time and on March 4, 2012 at 7:30 AM EST Marion started her first half marathon. This is a really big thing as many who know her is that she was never an athlete when she was growing up.
She talked to me about running during the summer of 2010. When I recall the conversation it was agreed that she would follow my directions and I would help her cross the finish line. Her first race was the Halloween 5K in Ocean City, MD. We ran that race together and it was a great feeling being able to share my running with my wife who was always at the finish line for me.

Over her first year would continue to run 5 & 10 K runs often times while I was running a longer distance. She even expressed an interest in cycling so I got her a hybrid bike and was quick to get 15-18 mph out of the bike. We rode the Ride for Sight 36 mile course and finished the ride an hour faster than she planned.

The training and all was going great and she even rode the bike part of the Assateague Assault Sprint Triathlon as I did the swim and our daughter Tesia was the anchor on the run. July 1, 2012 I was diagnosed with Colon Cancer as a result from a routine colonoscopy. Well our world was turned upside down and I had surgery in August and started my Chemotherapy in September. Marion continued to train and ran the 2011 Halloween 5K in Ocean City, MD. The weather was pouring rain and windy but she still laced up her running shoes and ran the race. Shortly after that she talked to me about running the B & A Trail Half Marathon in my honor.After our talk I signed her up and developed her training program. She was dedicated to the plan and doing great until she came down with an upper respiratory illness. She trained as much as she could and still laced up her shoes and went out to the starting line to run her first half marathon. 


The funny thing is that she still says that she isn't an athlete. My response to her is that only an athlete will go out there and run in the rain and cold weather. Join me in congratulating Marion for finishing here first half marathon and let her know that she is an athlete. Thanks Marion for all of your love and support.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

BCA! - Marion's First Half Marathon

Thursday I started taking MaxGXL and Max N-Fuze now it is to early to say how these are helping me at this time. Since the doctor was able to attack the pneumonia and I didn't wind up in the hospital, Thanks doc. The chemo side effects are kicking my butt the neuropathy is the worse of all. My hands hurt so much that it hurts to type. The dizzy spells are pretty bad I almost fell on my ass a few times yesterday, so I am walking with my cane.

This weekend Marion will run her first Half Marathon on Sunday in my honor. Here is the t-shirt she had made to wear for the race. This the first time I saw my name with Survivor next to it. That is what I am a SURVIVOR of Colon Cancer. So while Marion is out there on the trail running I am asking everyone to wish her well and say a prayer for her success. It will be so great to watch her cross that finish line and get her medal will be awesome. She has trained hard and is fighting a cold or something but still lacing up her shoes to run. When I see all that she has done for me over the past eight months I can only say that I owe her big time. Without Marion and my daughter Tesia I am not sure where I would be today. The support before, during and after treatments. The many lunches with Tesia which really were a way to check up on me during the day. These all mean so much to me that I am not sure if I will ever be able to thank them enough for being in my life.

Good Luck Marion on your first Half Marathon and know that I will be at the finish line to hug the stuffing out of you.