Saturday, June 4th was intended to be the day that I rode my bike 100 miles alongside a few of my friends at the Tour de Cure Twin Cities. I’d trained for 16 weeks and then, when I was out walking my dog as I explained in my last blog; I fell and broke my ankle. No bike ride for me on June 4th, not with my leg in the air boot.
On Monday, May 16th I was walking my dear dog Echo. We were on a perfectly flat sidewalk. The weather was perfect. Echo was not pulling. I was wearing new boots that I had never walked very far in before. These boots have rubber soles. I think what happened is the rubber caught on the cement of the sidewalk, and caused me to trip and wobble. So badly, I fell hard to my left. As I fell, I relaxed as I learned years ago from my cycling coach. Nonetheless, as I hit the ground I heard a very loud snap.
No doubt about it, if you get an injury and your movement and mobility are hampered, it sucks. Big time. Has it ever happened to you? Much to my chagrin, I’ve suffered a few injuries in recent years that have impacted my endurance sport abilities. Injury Number 1: my right shoulder. Initially it was suspected … Read more
I’m more than half Irish, as my father and mother are both more than half Irish. Yup, I’ve had lots of relatives long past take a big boat across the ocean and make their way to the new land of America. I’ve never yet traveled back to the island where they all came from, but … Read more
In 1891 on November 14th, Frederick Banting was born. Banting and his colleague Charles Best discovered insulin in 1921. I’ve had type 1 diabetes for 34.5 years, and without the discovery of insulin, I would have long been dead. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the beta cells, which … Read more
Eleven years ago today, my life changed completely. This was the day, October 20th, 2004, that I found out I had breast cancer. It was a sucker punch to the gut. I doubled over in terror. Complete fear permeated my body. I remember wondering if I would ever breathe deeply again. Now here I am, … Read more
Can you list your limiting beliefs? Another name would be, your fears. The things you notice that you keep running in to, over and over again. I’ve been turning and looking my fears and limiting beliefs straight in the face. I have no illusions that I will banish my fears and limiting beliefs 100%. I … Read more
Eight years ago, 111 cyclists who have diabetes rode in the American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure Colorado as Red Riders. The ride started and finished at the Boulder Valley Fairgrounds, just outside of Denver, Colorado. It was August 2007. It was the roll out of the Red Riders!! I had decided that 100 was … Read more
Last week my father died. We held a Memorial that was well attended. It was good to see how many people remembered good things about my father. He had a rough life. I learned quite a bit from him. Including the value of calling oneself an athlete. Being an athlete has made all the difference … Read more
Today, 34 years ago, June 26, 1981, I came home from a lunchtime birthday party and I was dying of thirst. And I’d already peed about 10 times that day. I’d lost about 20 pounds in the previous month, and I was eating non-stop. When my dad got home from work, my mom and he … Read more