Good morning, or evening, or whatever, welcome! Taking on an endurance sport as your new year's resolution is like taking on a cat. I've never had to seek out a sport or a cat. They walk into my life. And now it's another cat. I looked down and there I espied Cat! A ginger cat! A cat that we tentatively named Marmeduke, after 'The Marmalade Cat.' No, that's Orlando! We have yet to name this cat of 12 ... Read more
Even When Recovering From Aortic Surgery There Is Ironman Training You Can Do, It Just Doesn’t Look Like Ironman Training!
Hi folks, welcome! OK! Nine days out from aortic surgery, still pretty sore and woozy. Ironman training? Am I crazy? Nope! You just have to think. Here is what I came up with for the next few days. Race day will be here before you know it. Can't waste time. As I was walking our yellow lab on a local trail on a cold, frosty morning, I thought, "Which muscle groups give the biggest problems in Ironman, and ... Read more
A Dream Of Running And A Dead Mouse, plus “Remember, just say no to statins!”
Hi folks, welcome! If this blog post doesn't make a lot of sense, it's because I'm still in a post-surgical drug-induced fog. Maybe I should try reading Ulysses again, right now? Yes! I'll give it another try. Thinking of dreams, fantasy and the like, I just enjoyed another important guiding dream, which went as follows: "I was heading out on a run, feeling strong, light and flexible, and I found that I could ... Read more
Is It Safe? Training With An Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Or Other Serious Health Challenge, Revisited.
Hi folks, welcome! From time to time I'm asked directly for advice on exercise with an aortic aneurysm, and here is such an example, provided as a excerpt from a comment stream on the Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Awareness Facebook page. Ranjit: “There's this gentleman I played golf with once. He was my age 64yrs and very well built. I was not aware that he had been treated with endovascular surgery/stent for an ... Read more
Pain Can Be A Wonderful Gift Or It Can Tear You Apart
"What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know. It's what we know for sure that just ain't so." Mark Twain. Hi folks, welcome to another day on planet Earth. A while ago I wrote a blog post entitled, "How do we become aware of that which we are unaware?" As I am setting out to write a book on my journey into increasing emotional and physical awareness, I was reminded of this post. I concluded that the ... Read more
Do You Make Key Decisions In Your Life (e.g. Ironman no Ironman?) With Your Head Or Your Heart?
"Your reason and your passion are the rudder and the sails of your seafaring soul. If either your sails or your rudder be broken, you can but toss and drift, or else be held at a standstill in mid-seas. For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction. Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion; that it may sing; And let it ... Read more
Fear Of The Foley And Selecting Wisely From Amongst Critical Health Options – FitOldDog Seeks Advice From Those Who’ve Been There
Hi folks, welcome to my thoughts (maybe some feelings, but I'm English and can't admit to that!). I had an interesting visit to the endovascular surgeon today, as a result of which I clearly have to decide between three major approaches to surgical correction for my growing abdominal aortic aneurysm and stent graft displacement, the best of which sounded like an open repair. Thought I'd run my benefit/risk ... Read more
What Can An Athlete Do When Unable To Exercise, Go Crazy Or Work It Out?
Hi folks, welcome! Well, I've been grounded with knee surgery a couple of times, and now I'm stuck until my aortic leak is fixed, so what's to do? Going bonkers isn't very effective, but I have to avoid bringing up my heart rate or blood pressure. All and any ideas much appreciated (as long as it doesn't include β-blockers). Here's what I'm planning to do: Appreciate the chance to rest a tired body ... Read more
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