It's a hope, but we will see......

Back in 2008 I was big into trail running. I was a founding member of the San Diego Dirt Devils trail running club out of the San Diego Running Institute. I also ran a few races with the San Diego Track Club (SDTC) in their Dirt Dog Series.

I was working on running a XC 5k in under 20 minutes. In my interval training I was able to run a 800m in 3:00. I was in over my head but I was really enjoying the competition and working to improve. Plus I just like playing in the dirt.

This year the SDTC is running a strong 8 race trail running series, the Dirt Dog Series. It starts August 21st and all of the races are on Saturdays with the from 5k to 10k in distance with races in between. Lots of current college racers and people who are "runners"! Like I said, a tough time but fun for a quick recreational runner with no history as a runner.

Depending on when this enevitable surgery for Crohns happens, I would like to run as many of these races as possible to take the place of not being able to race any mountain bike races this summer. But if I get surgery around the end of August or first of September I will probably not be able to run any of them. Just have to wait and see what happens.....................

(I also want to do the MCRD boot camp challenge the end of September)

Work? What's that?

I am going back to my first day of work in a month tomorrow.... Will I even remember what to do??

I'm surprised I still have a job, but I am thankful for it!!

ps-that's me winning the trike race at Trek World Days in San Diego, 2009.

Hated it

I went to high school to eat lunch and be with my friends. That was about it. But as soon as high school was over I stopped being friends with those people and moved away and NEVER went back or looked back.

Doing a little facebook stalking this morning I learned my high school reunion was this past weekend. From looking at the pictures I am soo glad I did not go! Insipid, vapid, fat are just some of the first words that come to mind.

Some people never change. Some do. I am glad I have changed and am gone!

For those of you out there who think high school is/are/were the best years of your life, I feel sorry for you.

EU cell pics....

Well I may not have the big photo extravaganza up yet from my recent trip to Europe, but I did find a few pics on my cell phone. So here are some teasers pics. Tower Bridge, Kennsington Gardens, the Pantheon and others. Enjoy!

And as soon as Jeweled Malicious Barbie mails me a couple photo CDs I will edit them down from 2,000 pictures to 40 and post them here. Deal?

Guts

Well, my GI doctor has finally said surgery is more of a chance than not now. We both feel that I am inexorably moving towards it. My flare ups are just happening more frequently and despite whatever medications I am on (Pentasa, Remicade, Prednisone).

Of course the main concern is that I only have 220cm of small bowel left. When a person reaches less than 200cm of small bowel they have crossed the line into having a short bowel syndrome, then also crossing the line into being on total parenatal nutrition (TPN) for the rest of your "life". (remember how he said this would make me a "nutritional cripple"?) Chances are you will be seeing more pictures like this before the summer is out:


But as my GI doctor and I were talking and thinking out loud he said, "You know you keep having this flare in the same spot. It's not really like this spot is doing you any good right now. From the images it looks to be only about 5cm. So if we did cut it out you probably wouldn't even notice a decrease in your quality of life afterward any way." This is a veiled way of saying we hope I wouldn't have to be on TPN after this surgery. Hope.

This was nice to hear. I felt much more at peace with this probable eventuality. I mean, something could go crazy and this flare up could go away and not come back but we both doubt that is what is going to happen. We will give it the chance one more time though, just in case.

We talk again Tuesday. I will tell him the surgeon I have picked so that I might consult with him, rather than forcing him to see me in an emergent setting. Get a good game plan and a relationship started ahead of time.

There you have it. You know as much as I do. (but I haven't blogged about the endocrinologist and my testosterone. that is a wwwwhhhooolllleee other medical story. ugh) My diet is still primarily liquids. I can have bites of what is considered "low residue" foods, and I have to admit to kind of pushing that lately.

Again, thank you all for your prayers and thoughts and considerations. I've signed up for the half marathon in December in Las Vegas to benefit the Crohns Foundation of America. (my goal is under 1:45) I've applied for a job that I am very favored for, though the timing of this surgery could throw a big wrench into it.... My jiu jitsu is getting better each time I roll. It has been decided I am going to Brazil next year to train for a few weeks and do the International Masters and Seniors World Championships. There are good things going on in life and rough things going on in life.

But I am still alive!!! And fighting!!!

Chillin'

I liked how I looked yesterday. So I took a pic. And now you're looking at it!

My "Super Bowl" is this weekend

Long before jiu jitsu, even before mountain biking, I was in love with motorcycles. And Grand Prix motorcycle racing. Motorcycle road racing has been the one sport I have followed and loved to watch as a fan for longer than any other in my life. I love it.

This weekend is the USGP up at Laguna Seca. Later the last weekend of August in the Indy round of MotoGP. Throw in the Miller round of WSBK in Utah and I get to enjoy the "super bowl" as it were three times in a year! How great is that?

Oh yeah, and I have been to each of these races, Laguna, Indy and Miller! Along with a special trip to Sepang in Malaysia last year for a MotoGP race.

I have got to say I am just giddy. I absolutely can not wait till Sunday and am going crazy between like 5 different websites each day trying to get the absolute latest rumors and information.

And to join in the fun and merriment here is Yamaha's ad for this weekend. Love it!

ps- my dream podium for the MotoGP race would include both Rossi and Spies.