23 May 2007

Just got back from running group at Epworth. Had a pretty good session today. I'm starting to realise that running is like those group fitness classes I've been attending - it's like skill acquisition - it takes practice and it takes time to improve.

My running is definitely getting better. Prema has been working on my running as well. For a while, I was getting a bit frustrated with not getting enough attention from Gavin in the running group so I asked for Prema's help since she has been working with me since I first came home from the hospital. She said she doesn't have a PhD in running like Gavin does but she can give it a try anyway. She gave me some exercise to do to make my running more symmetrical, which has always been my problem, a few weeks ago. When I went to the running group a couple of weeks ago, when I complained to Gavin about the symmetry problem, he gave me exactly the same exercise Prema has given me. This has given me even more confidence in her ability. It goes to show that yo don't need whole lot of experience in neurorehab or a PhD in running. You just have to be smart to know how to solve problems.

There were only a few people in the running group today and most of them went to the carpark for longer distance running. It was good that way because Gavin stayed with me and a couple of other guys in the lawn area. He spent a lot of time looking at my running and gave me various exercises to try.

James, the guy who had a heart attack, turned up quite late today and joined us as well. The rule of the running group is that you have to do one push up for every minute that you are late. I think he was about 20 minutes late. When Gavin reminded him of the rule, he said he can't do pushups etc. Gavin insisted that he try. I almost feel sorry for him and volunteer to do it for him. He kept going on about he can't etc and Gavin said he doesn't know anyone in the running group who can't do pushups. James pointed at me and said to Gavin "what about her?" Before I even opened my mouth, Gavin said to him "I'll bet my house that she can". Well, it looked like he had a lot of confidence in me. I told James I couldn't before but now I can. I just think it's interesting to look back and see how much progress I've made.

Another interesting thing I noticed is that I used to panic and worry about not having as many physio sessions with Gavin as previously because I feel going to the place is very normal and I feel very safe there. Now when I go there, I actually feel the place is not normal at all. I feel going to the gym and the classes are a lot more normal than going to physio.

3 May 2007

First diary entry in a month. I kept saying I'd update my blog more regularly but I just couldn't find any spare time to actually do it.

I'm working 2 full days now - Mondays and Thursdays. I have been working 2 half days for a while and it was getting quite easy but 2 full days are pretty draining. The hardest thing to do is to be well organised so I can still go to the gym before work, have meals ready for Tim and Lillian, and go to a class after work. I really struggled on Monday when I had to get up at 5.30 a.m. and go to the gym before work, rushing home after work and go to the gym class after work. I found the only way I could prepare a decent meal is if I start preparing the night before so I started making dinner for Monday night on Sunday evening. I also had a massage appointment that night so I had about 10 minutes to wolf down my dinner and rushed straight to see Judy, my massage therapist. I almost fell asleep on the massage table because I was so exhausted.

I'm starting to question if I can continue to do this or is returing to full time work too ambitious. I wonder how do normal people do it. I started to ask around. Prema said most people don't have time to exercise and certainly don't have time to eat well and exercise at the same time. I asked Unna about it because she often works at the gym from 6.30 a.m. I wondered how she does it. She said she doesn't have much pf a social life and has to go to bed early. She said I'm actually a minority - getting up early and go to the gym before work. For normal people, it probably doesn't matter if they don't exercise as much. Gor someone like me, I can't afford to slack off.

Neil has been kind enough to help out with my running practice. He has been my 'mirror' since I can't see myself running and I need some feedback in terms of how I look etc so I can ask Gavin for help. He has asked me to update the blog with a recent incident because he thinks it will make his mother, Evelyn, laugh. I know Evelyn has been a regukar reader of my blog so I cannot disappoint her.

Last Friday, I went to BodyPump and then BodyStep as usual. In BodyPump, I ran into someone I met a few days ago when I was waiting for a class. I asked him if he was staying for the step class after BodyPump. He told me he was very tired so he wouldn't stay but when he found out I was staying, he set up a step next to me and stayed. I don't use the step for the class because I'm too scared of falling off and twist my ankle. In any case, I'm there to work on my speed and coordination, it doesn't matter if I don't use the step.

I must say, I'm getting more comfortable with the aerobics class these days that I actually quite enjoy it because it is a bit like dancing. I don't normally look at what other people are doing in the class but since this guy was just next to me, every time I turn I could see him. I could also see in the mirror that he was really struggling. in the warm up section, the instructor was going to one direction and he was going to the opposite direction. There were times that he just slipped off the step but fortunately not injured. At one stage, he was so lost and he just stood there. The instructor kept saying ' don't just stand there and watch, join in'.

After the class, I was really surprised to find out that he does personal training as a hobby. He looks very muscly and fit. One would think someone like that should be able to do it easily and not totally uncoordinated. It just made me realise that I'm starting to take aerobics for granted now because I have been doing it for a while now. It didn't occur to me before that even normal people need practice to do aerobics well. Like dancing, it is really an acquired skill. I remember there was one stage I used to have to push myself to the class and while I was there, I kept looking at the clock to see when it would end because it was such a torture and I really hated it. Now I think the hard work has paid off because I actually quite like it because I find it challenging.

Another funny thing was the guy thought I was 20 something and has asked me out for a coffee. I thought the ring on my figer was obvious. Maybe some people are not very observant. I think he was really shocked when I told him I'm 36, married and have a 3 year old. He said all the exercises I'm doing must be keeping me young. I didn't have the heart to tell him , well, I only just started going to the gym after my brain injury.