F*&% yeah!!!!!

I RAN!!!!!

Well, jogged, technically. But for 5 minutes, on the road, hills and bumps and all!!!

I've been working out using NikeTrainingCenter app for a few weeks now. I have to modify a lot or do fewer reps or slow the heck down, but I've been working my ass off to try to make a point of working out for 30-45 minutes three times a week. And I've been doing good. Even if there are days I can't walk afterward (I only workout on my days off...because if I do it before work and injure myself, I'm screwed, and I'm too tired to do it after work - a 14 hour day on my feet is workout enough).

So the two workouts I've been doing the most with NTC are great. And one involves a 5 minute warm up that involves 3 different kinds of runs: a light jog, a high knee run, and a slide and glide (running sideways). I only workout in my living room, so there's not a lot of room to run, so when I do the jogs, there's a stop every 5-7 seconds to turn around and go back. Which isn't as good as just a full jog without interruptions. So two minutes into my workout, I decided to nix it today and see if I could actually jog (I'd been doing well with the jogging portion of the warm up, however halted it might have been, so I was feeling confident). I strapped the ipod to my arm, turned on my workout mix, and out the front door I went. I made it to the end of the street, turned around in the adjoining street's cul-de-sac, and came back. It was a five minute jog, in which everything hurt and my lungs burned as I did hills and uneven pavement (and shit, just pavement in general!). And it felt awesome!

I haven't run in so long!!! I was never a big fan of running, but I like the way a workout makes me feel. And it's not like I knew I would die if I did run (there are the rare occasions we run at work to keep disaster from happening - like people falling), but I knew it would hurt, I wasn't entirely sure what would damage first, and I was just scared because I haven't attempted running in a LONG time.

I'm pretty proud of myself. After that, I came back in and did the core part of my workout (all on the floor, which my hips protested after running). I didn't earn a new badge in NTC like I was supposed to today since I stopped my first workout at 4 minutes, but it was worth it. This is a much cooler feeling!

And now, as I'm going to see people later, I must shower, because I smell absolutely gross!

**

Oh, EDS sidenote: I FINALLY had my skin punch biopsy a couple days ago. I'm thrilled that we finally got it done. There's a very good chance it will show nothing significant in the way of genetics (I've done the research, I know what goes on....as we all do :P ), but it'll at least show my collagen structure. And if nothing else, we still needed this to prove that I'd done all the work to get the proper diagnosis. As far as two rheumatologists and a geneticist are concerned, I have enough signs and symptoms to show a positive clinical diagnosis. Which is what most folks get anyway. But this way, with the final step out of the way, we can start finding me PT/OT somewhere to get me the right exercise to stay healthy and the right supports/splints/braces to maintain the integrity of my joints. My new rheumatologist is excited to help me find whoever this person may be, but we're both certain there isn't such a PT/OT in the network my insurance is under, so we know there will be some searching and research involved (if a network can't provide what you need within their system, they are required to cover you out of the system, but that will mean more paperwork and drama to convince them that I can't see just any old PT and call it good). So, I'm excited.

My arm is a bit confused as to why there's a hole in it. It mostly itches, but there was definitely a nerve interrupted in the biopsy because I have pain several inches in a line up my arm. So, hopefully that will heal soon. Though I'm paranoid about having an open wound like this and working in a hospital. MRSA everywhere, and I certainly don't need it in my arm! So I'll be covering it with watertight tegaderms at work (and maybe even skin sleeves to protect the whole area a little more) and then letting it get some air on my days off.

Anywho, there's my excitement for the week. Now I really do need to shower, because Glee afternoon with the girls will be in a couple hours. And I ain't going to be the one stinkin everyone out of there ;P