These past few weeks have almost been a blur. Sometimes I wish things would slow down, and then at other times, I am glad that the train is rumbling along the tracks. A few things have taken place that may put a different spin on 2012. I am remaining positive that it will all be for good things to come.
I have been training. Not as well as I would like, but I am training. I did my 21 miler last Thursday and I have one month to go until I run the Houston Marathon. This was supposed to be the race where I was going to qualify for Boston, but I have had one thing after the other try to interfere with my training and I just don't feel like my speed is where it needs to be. Of course, I could pull out a "Race Day Miracle" and really surprise myself. Everyone else seems to think that I can do it. My coach thinks I can do it. My personal drill instructor thinks I can do it. My athletes I coach think I can do it. Even my sports docs think I can do it. How come I am still on the fence on this one? I guess that it is because none of these people have been out on a run with me and gotten a good look at how my training is really going. Out in the trenches, it is a lot different than on paper.
The "Big Box Gym" that I work for sold off 171 of its locations to another "Big Box Gym" right around Thanksgiving. Now things are kind of like the Wild West around here. Our corporate offices were in locations where all of the gyms in our Big Box Organization were bought up by the other company. So now, no one really seems to know where the corporate offices are. My "boss" from California is no longer my boss and my Personal Training Manager is letting me call the shots on what days group exercise classes are going to be held at our gym around the holidays. I have heard that our now named Small Box Organization will not be spending any of the $153 Million dollars from the sale in the first quarter of 2012 and they will be looking at which of the 100 or so clubs left can be profitable for the first quarter. I do not know if that means if clubs that are not profitable or ones that just break even are going to be shuttered as a few were in Dallas and one here in town in slated for. I need to put together my resume, for the first time in nearly 19 years, and start shopping myself around to other gyms that are more elite in clientele and in what they offer in programming. I do feel like a rat going down on a sinking ship, but I have to hang in there as long as I can for my very dedicated clients that I work with.
My health has been wacky. I am not sick, but I am not well. I am not contagious, but I need to figure out what is causing my symptoms. I am a puzzle. I am "THAT" patient. You know, "THAT" patient, the one who gets assigned to 3rd or 4th year interns by their supervising doctors and asked to figure out what is wrong with them and everyone is stumped? Yeah, that's me. Since August I have had little health issues building into big health issues. What started as a random itchy spot on my arm for a few hours, every once in a while has grown into a full blown case of hives that cover my arms, shoulders, trunk, back, legs, and scalp lasting for days on end. A blind person could read War & Peace on my arms! My allergist has no clue what to do other than take an Allegra in the morning and a Zertek at night. I have had strange digestive issues that no one really wants to talk about, but my doctors tell me I have to spill the beans. Joint and muscular issues seem to pop up out of no where when I have not even been training hard or even with those muscles. I have had fatigue one day and then loads of energy the next. It looks like my liver may be the culprit and I am under orders to undergo a cleanse or liver purification process to clear out the excessive toxins that the liver accumulates as it filters the blood. For the next 21 days I am only able to eat very lean free-range organic proteins, organic vegetables, organic fruits, healthy fats, and the occasional serving of legumes. I will be taking a few supplements as well, but I have to stay away from dairy, grains, nuts and seeds, caffeine, and all refined foods. I have done this Paleo diet before and I know I can do it. I just have to make sure that my fridge and my pantry are ready for it. Tomorrow's breakfast should be exciting. I will keep the updates coming.
Finally, tomorrow I start my certification to become a Newton Natural Running Coach. I am really looking forward to this. I had to teach myself how to run again after I had knee surgery in 2006 and little did I know that I taught myself Natural Running. Now I get to learn the in's and out's and how to watch other people run and help them modify or change their running style to avoid injury and to pick up some extra speed. Again, I will make updates on what I have learned.
Ok, it is off to bed for me and on to another day.
Later Gators!
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| Me and the kid at a holiday party. I am in 4" heels to be that tall next to him. |
