PE: A pulmonary embolism (PE) can cause symptoms such as chest pain or breathlessness… A massive PE can cause collapse and death. PE usually happens due to an underlying blood clot in the leg – deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
PB: The best time or score ever achieved by an athlete in a particular event commonly termed in athletics as a PB.
This post was inspired by a friend I have made in the past year since I got my “massive PEs”, Choc (I hope you don’t mind me posting this!). Anyway, she was/is a super fast runner and personal trainer (her clients have shown some amazing results!) and messaged me on Facebook last year with this:
I thought you might be interested to hear that I have spent the past few months going through what you are currently going through. I was trying to train over the winter and kept wondering why I was so unfit. It got to the point I was having to stop for rests walking up tiny slopes and was getting out of breath getting dressed! I went to the doctors at the end of March, was first treated for asthma, then chest infection and then pulled muscle (I can appreciate the pain you are in, I have read women say it’s the only pain that compares to child birth!), In the end I went to ARI and (as instructed by a doctor friend of mine) demanded a D-dimer. It was positive although they said it was almost certainly a false positive. Back in the next day for a VQ scan which confirmed multiple PEs in both lungs. I assume that is a familiar story to what you went through with lots of misdiagnosis…. Back in to hospital a week later with pneumonia (it’s normal for fluid to be produced as the clots break down apparently so that’s what caused it). I’m not going to tell you to take it easy like everyone will because I know that doesn’t help! Sorry for the long rambling message and please ignore me if I’m interfering! … Wishing you a really speedy recovery and hope you make it to the Ironman start line. But remember there is always next year if you don’t. Or maybe a try at a 70.3 qualification would be more realistic? Take care. Choc x
On Sunday, she ran the Ballater 10 miler.
It got me thinking. A lot.
Sometimes, when I have a hard training session to do, my breathing is abnormal, or I am worn out a lot more than usual. Instead of listening to my body, I beat myself up about it.
“Why can’t you hit x pace for this rep? I am so slow!”
“This hurts so much – why are you so unfit?!”
“You might as well quit. This is too hard and you are too slow.”
I haven’t really raced much since the accident running-wise (the Ironman was a “get through it” race and the Moray Marathon was “just for fun”). I’m focussing here on the running races, because I feel that is the hardest discipline of the 3 that I train for cardiovascular-wise. I’ve done a couple of parkruns, but I never really did them regularly enough before to compare! And I was due to do Ribble Valley 10k again, but it got cancelled when we were half way through our road trip. All I know is I have not been too happy with my running since being diagnosed, whether it be in triathlon races, parkruns or tough training sessions.
So I have had an epiphany! I am going to stop putting pressure on myself! Yes, I have some hefty goals for the next couple of years, but I need to remember that I do this for fun! I work full time (in a new job which I LOVE!) and health, family and happiness are more important than being miserable and making myself ill both mentally and physically from constantly comparing myself to how I was before, and to others that all seem to be flying at the moment, while I have had to take a few steps back and improve from there.
Ok, that feels good to get that off my chest. Not literally: those blood clots are there to stay.
Last week we had Amber & Drew over for a BBQ & sleepover on their school holidays, and to thank us they gave me this:
(They like me best cause Kyle “stinks” and only got a paper aeroplane that they threw away)
And at the weekend we were in Forres for a wedding!
(And of course if we are with Kyle’s mum, there will be tequila on the table)
This weekend we are meeting Callum’s better half!! We may head out to Aboyne for the Highland Games, but apart from that, we will be getting on with decking out the garden!
(the garden’s a bit of a mess right now!)
Then I am into taper for the British in Liverpool next weekend! My biggest weakness at the moment is the skills element, so I will take the extra rest to work on taking my wetsuit off quicker, and mounting/dismounting without falling off!
In other news, the Sports Awards nominations have gone live I believe, and my friend Robbie and I were in the paper promoting it (I was runner up last year!)!
Wish him luck in Rio!!!
Do you put yourself under pressure for every training set / race?
How do you mentally prepare for races?
Ever stopped half way during a session / race, because you didn’t feel well or weren’t in the zone?
Do you know all of your PBs?
Debbie Moore Tris 