Posts Tagged ‘Great South Run’

Resolutions

Posted: January 3, 2019 in Cycling, Health, OaP, Retirement
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2018

2018 held such promise for me and to be honest most of it was delivered though I did kind of wreck it towards the end: Having started the year weighing 100 kg I finished it weighing 93 kg though I did drop to 83.5 kg. This was all in pursuit of improving my health and appearance and because I needed a new hip and I wasn’t going to get one while I was fat.

To help me lose the weight not only did I stop eating just about everything I liked 😦 but I also experimented with new foods such as vegetables which, I’d always deemed to be poisonous :-). The results were amazing as I lost 16.5 kg. I also found myself doing more walking and cycling and even took up weight training. I felt like new man. Then came the news, I was scheduled to have my hip replacement on the 31st October (the surgeon was so impressed with my results he lost no time in getting me in sooner rather than later).

Following the operation I was forced into many weeks of rest and recuperation and although I did try to get back onto my bikes and try lifting some weights I was forced back into r & r. I consoled myself by eating nice stuff again and with the build up to Christmas, the nice stuff was plentiful and ‘justified’ and aided by the fact that I had finally retired and mutated into an Old Age Pensioner.

The weight, inevitably, went back on but at least I did finish the year lighter than I started it :-). And, the benefits of losing the weight were highlighted by a distinct improvement in my breathing.

Through 2018 I cycled and walked (recorded) 199 and 53 miles respectively.

2018 stats

2019

Resolution #1

Match the miles cycled and walked through 2018 in a single month in 2019. then cycle at least 2019 miles.

Resolution #2

Reach my target weight of 75 kg.

Resolution #3

Get a second medal for completing the Great South Run – last completed ion 2003.

Go Podge, Go.

 

COPD

Posted: July 30, 2016 in COPD, COPD - Codgers Old Puffing Disease, Health, training, Uncategorized
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So, I saw my new COPD nursey yesterday. She’s a real sweetie but I’m not sure how poorly she thinks I am. Apparently, I’m stage 3 COPD, there’s only four so I’m nearly at the top already: Actually, that’s not funny but humour helps me deal with it. She went on to review my spirometry results and was confused that I had improved. It must have been a good air day methinks.  🙂 Nevertheless, at under 50% this is still less than one lungs worth (I know it’s not strictly true but in Podge’s world this works for me 🙂 )

Nursey upgraded my medication, I’d been on the same stuff since being upgraded from Asthma to COPD and asked if I would like to consider Pulmonary Rehab. I asked if this was where they taught you how to breath cos if it is, I assured her I had been breathing now for 62 and 2/3rd years. But I did understand what was meant so I agreed.

She then asked if I ever got down. Well to be honest, yes I do, and yes I do have the same thoughts described in the linked article above, thus:

  • Am I getting an infection in my lungs?
  • Is this the start of something really bad?
  • Am I developing pneumonia?
  • Will this lead to a stay in the hospital? (this week, it nearly did)
  • Am I going “downhill,” will I ever feel better again, or is this “it?”

I’ve had all of these thoughts and in fact just a few months ago I had entered what I term, the Valley of Despair, though I never shared this fact. But then, I read an article about a guy in Australia  (#copdathlete) with COPD but who’s lungs were operating at less than 30% (mine are 47%) but had recently completed the New York Marathon. Boy, did he inspire me and boy, did he lift me from the Valley of Despair. Spurred on by his achievements, I duly entered the Great South Run 5K  (22nd October) and the Great South Run (23rd October). and started walking lots. Why did I enter both. Well my rational is if I can complete the 5K but not up to the 10 mile then at least I’ve achieved something. If I compete both, well, that would be an achievement and half for me.

Anyway, back to the recap and me getting down, Nursey asked if I wanted anything for it, I guessed she meant anti-depressants and not Laphroaig Whisky so I politely declined the offer on the basis that such drugs was not a road I was happy to go down. And no, I didn’t want a Counsellor either. She recognised my stubborn independence and assured me that if I needed help or just to talk, to phone her. For that I was grateful. She even offered my an option on a district nurse checkin in on me at home if I required. Again, I declined but with thanks: I spend 2.5 hours each way computing to and from work so not sure when I would get a chance to see a nurse anyway.

Anyway, just three days after seeing Nursey, I went downhill, badly, and I took myself to the surgery where upon they sent waiting patients home so that they could look after me: Three of the thoughts above were once more in my head. Nursey tried to persuade me to go to hospital but I didn’t want to but she told me in no uncertain terms that if I declined again I must call an ambulance. Nursey has ever since been phoning me at home just to make sure I was ok (Podge likes Nursey).

5-days after I am still not too good (going to the bathroom leaves me out of breath) but hope to return to normality come Monday and once again I can start my walking regime for the great runs (or maybe walks).

I’m hoping that the new drugs will work, the steroids & antibiotics are beating the crap out  of this current infection and my weight is dropping: In the last there months, I’ve lost 7kgs so I’m well happy with that. And, now that I’ve consumed all my sherries I will once more cut out milk. In the mean time, the walking will continue and have upped my daily target to from 10,000 15,000 steps (at this rate, I’ll be walking to work).

Stay in touch and I’ll keep you posted on my progress and although today I don’t quite feel up to it, wish me well for the runs in October.

Poor Podge 🙂

 

COPD – It’s Not The End

Posted: May 7, 2016 in COPD, COPD - Codgers Old Puffing Disease, Health, Uncategorized
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One year ago I saw my heart vet doctor (I know this because Facebook reminded me 🙂 ). It was a notable visit but not for the right reasons. Read on.

05/05/15
So, today I saw my heart vet. What a waste of time; what a waste of space. “So” he says, “What’s been happening to you?” he asked.
“I’ve had two cardio versions” I said: “That’s where they stop and start you heart” I clarify for him.
“How did it go?” he asks.
I was tempted to say ‘Well, I’m still alive’ but I resisted. Instead I asked “What does it say in your notes?” 
“I haven’t got any” he says.
“Well” I say, “They failed”.
“So what did they say?” he asks.
“What does it say in your notes?” I ask back.
“I haven’t got any” he says.
“I have” I say, “do you want to see them?” I ask. I gave him my notes and he looked through them.
“Oh, yes your right, they didn’t work.” “What tablets are you on?” he asks.
I give him the list: A copy of the same list I gave him on a previous visit.
“Well, you don’t need these ones, or those ones. You might as well stop them”.
I looked at the ones he was pointing at. One was my anti-coagulant (Dabigatran) – apparently this was to stop me having a stroke and, on the basis that I haven’t had a stroke, they were clearly doing their job. Joking aside however, I was not going to stop them.
“But they’re doing a better job than the cardio versions” I say.
“No he says, you don’t need them. Anyway, how have you been?” He asks.
“Well, I was ok but I’ve gone downhill over the past week.” 
“Hmm” says he, “Why do you think that is then?” he asks.
“Oh, I’ve probably got a bug or virus.” I say.
“Yes, that’ll be it” he says. He checks my pulse; I’m still living. He’s happy but, suggests that we do a 24hour trace and a heart scan then we’ll see what to do next.
I was then summarily despatched.
My verdict? I’m staying on my drugs and deal with it my way. And, if I get ill again, instead of asking him what might be the problem I’ll just cut out the middle man and ask myself.
If I never see him again, it’ll be too soon.

Anyway, back to the present.Over the last couple of weeks I’ve felt quite well buoyed on maybe by the articles I’d read of a COPD patient (stage 4) having completed the New York Marathon and, since reading about that, I’ve subsequently seen other positive stories.

So, I’ve made my mine up…

I’m going to stop feeling sorry for myself (there a are a lot of people far worse off than me) and ‘turn myself around’. To this end I’ve signed up for the Great South Run, preceded by the Great South 5K Run. My rational being that I’ll do the 5K run and I feel up to it, I’ll then do the main run. If I don’t feel up to it, at least I’ve done the 5K (both are on the sae day).

So, let’s look at my obstacles:

I’m fat – I weigh 99kg, I should weigh 76 Kg: I’d like to weigh 70Kg – (I want to be an Adonis, I never have been, I never will be but one has to have a dream) 🙂

I’m lazy – watching GoggleBox is more appealing than going for a walk (guess I’ll never be an Adonis then) 😦

I have COPD Stage 2 / stage 3 – The jury’s still out on which stage

My peak flow is around 320 (I don’t know what it should be but my guesstimate is around 500 – 550 – assuming good health)

I have arrhythmia / atrial fibrillation or, something similar but the ageing ticker seems to be behaving lately:

IMG_2903

Podge’s Heart Scales

I have a full time job: This is my normal work day:

  • Get up around 05:00 followed by normal getting up in the morning stuff.
  • Walk  1 km to the train station; catch train; switch train; switch train; switch train.
  • Arrive at work around 08:30
  • Work, work, work – desk based
  • Finish work 17:30 – 18:00
  • Reverse train route
  • Mrs Me picks me up at the station
  • Arrive home 20:00 – 20:30.
  • Try to go to be the same day I got up.

And in amongst all that, I need to try to work out how I’m going to prepare for my run. I do have thoughts on this.

So far, my walk to the station is going well: When I was holiday I could hardly walk to the end of the cruise ship. Today, I reckon I can walk a mile. By the end of May, I want to be able to walk 3-miles then, I’ll get on my bike again (if I can find it)

My next question is, do I revisit the [Milk: Good Food? Bad Food?] debate? I think I should.

I’m sixty two and a half and will be eligible for retirement in two and a half years. I want to be able to retire and enjoy retirement. If I do nothing else, I should stop being fat and in my mind, exercise is a major factor.

Oh and by the way. I’ve done the 24hr trace and had the scan but I haven’t been invited back to see him yet. I’m in no hurry.

This time, it’s not Poor Podge but:

Go Podge, Go

Wish me luck…

My next post will be about more exciting stuff, cruising. Yay.