April 17, almost
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KarenZen
Posts: 1,430 Member
Yeah, I post-dated today. The sun is setting here in Maine, so I'm going by "Nancy Time" for this thread.
Sorry to have been so quite/fly-by poster this week. I've been incredibly busy trying to attack some long-neglected business (successfully!), including three years of back taxes.
My big awesome news for the week? Not sure if I've already posted this here. I did on my facebook page! I was swimming last week and watching the swimmers in the lanes next to me training for the Peaks to Portland swim race (swimmers take a ferry to Peak's island, then swim 2.4 miles across Casco Bay to East End Beach in Portland), really sad because I've wanted to do this race for a long time but just can't make the qualifying time. In order to qualify, I need to swim a mile in 40 minutes, and my mile is usually 55 minutes. It's slow partly because I can't kick off the wall when I turn because of joint inflammation and arthritis issues in my knees and hips and partly because I can't kick or stroke as fast as I used to because of shoulder, elbow, and wrist inflammation. Anyway, as I was swimming it suddenly occurred to me that maybe the race has a category for people with disabilities, and that for those folks, the qualifying time would be waived. So... I asked!!!
And I was shot down, dammit.
Not entirely. The Aquatics director felt that something like this (like what? including a disabled person, which apparently they've never done?) would take a lot more time to plan. I mean, the race is on July 18th, only... THREE MONTHS AWAY. Seriously? She encouraged me to help her plan/organize for next year, which would give us FIFTEEN MONTHS to plan. Again, seriously?
So, of course, because I never take the first NO as my final answer, I wrote back a tear-jerker letter about how when you have a degenerative disease, there isn't always a "next year" to plan for... that ten years ago I climbed the highest mountain in Maine twice and the second highest three times; two years later, I couldn't climb any more but I could walk fairly flat trails; two years later, I was walking with canes but couldn't manage trails; two years later, I could only walk on crutches. Last week, I bought my first mobility scooter. So, yeah... I don't know what my abilities will look like next year. I know I can do this race this year, and I'd like to try.
My appeal apparently worked, because I now have a face to face meeting with the race director on April 29 during which she'll assess my swimming (she needs to know that I can clear the channel in the time that the Coast Guard allows the races to be in it) and to figure out what extra support, if any, I might need.
So... off and running... I'm a racer now. LOL
K.
Sorry to have been so quite/fly-by poster this week. I've been incredibly busy trying to attack some long-neglected business (successfully!), including three years of back taxes.
My big awesome news for the week? Not sure if I've already posted this here. I did on my facebook page! I was swimming last week and watching the swimmers in the lanes next to me training for the Peaks to Portland swim race (swimmers take a ferry to Peak's island, then swim 2.4 miles across Casco Bay to East End Beach in Portland), really sad because I've wanted to do this race for a long time but just can't make the qualifying time. In order to qualify, I need to swim a mile in 40 minutes, and my mile is usually 55 minutes. It's slow partly because I can't kick off the wall when I turn because of joint inflammation and arthritis issues in my knees and hips and partly because I can't kick or stroke as fast as I used to because of shoulder, elbow, and wrist inflammation. Anyway, as I was swimming it suddenly occurred to me that maybe the race has a category for people with disabilities, and that for those folks, the qualifying time would be waived. So... I asked!!!
And I was shot down, dammit.
Not entirely. The Aquatics director felt that something like this (like what? including a disabled person, which apparently they've never done?) would take a lot more time to plan. I mean, the race is on July 18th, only... THREE MONTHS AWAY. Seriously? She encouraged me to help her plan/organize for next year, which would give us FIFTEEN MONTHS to plan. Again, seriously?
So, of course, because I never take the first NO as my final answer, I wrote back a tear-jerker letter about how when you have a degenerative disease, there isn't always a "next year" to plan for... that ten years ago I climbed the highest mountain in Maine twice and the second highest three times; two years later, I couldn't climb any more but I could walk fairly flat trails; two years later, I was walking with canes but couldn't manage trails; two years later, I could only walk on crutches. Last week, I bought my first mobility scooter. So, yeah... I don't know what my abilities will look like next year. I know I can do this race this year, and I'd like to try.
My appeal apparently worked, because I now have a face to face meeting with the race director on April 29 during which she'll assess my swimming (she needs to know that I can clear the channel in the time that the Coast Guard allows the races to be in it) and to figure out what extra support, if any, I might need.
So... off and running... I'm a racer now. LOL
K.
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Wonderful news Karen!! So very proud of you!! I hope the Director approves!! You so deserve it after all the swimming in the lake you have been doing over the years!! You go Girl!!! We are all rootin' for you!! You still have some time to get that time down to swim a mile...push, push and push some more!! Each day you can cut some time off!!
I am off to Dubai for a 3 day weekend to visit my girlfriend and go to my hairdresser there. I know it sounds eccentric...but there is NO one here that can cut/color western hair...there is one in Bahrain, just an hour's drive over the causeway that I do go to, but I needed a mental health break this weekend (really bad week at work) so off to visit a friend and cry on her shoulder!! I have to be driven over to Bahrain first (remember...women are not allowed to drive here!)... where I fly out of there. Schedules departing my area here are at 0200 am !! NO Thanks to that!! Rather Drive to Bahrain where there is more 'freedom'.
I did get my exercising in this week. Think I will walk the airport to get some in too.
Zac...did you get that new Racquet Ball racquet...I think that is what you were going to do!! By now with all that basketball you are playing you will need new shoes too!! lol
Cari, keep up those positive thoughts and goals!! I think it is working for us!!!
Dee....drop in every now and then and let us know how you are getting on!!!
I will be online checking in over the weekend.
Everyone stay happy, healthy and safe wherever you are!!! AND keep those bodies moving !!! We can do this!! Actually...we ARE doing this!! Yeah!!!0 -
I did get my new racquet and I love it! It is quite complimentary to my game. As far as basketball shoes go, you are right. I really need to go pick up some new ones, but I have been a bit lazy in getting myself to the Nike outlet. I will make that my goal for the weekend. I was also happy with the fact that last night, after a cappella practice, I went to the gym and got in a decent workout. In even better news I get to play tennis tomorrow! I am so excited!!
Karen, I have all possible joints crossed for you. Hopefully you will get to participate and enjoy yourself. Nancy, hopefully your weekend will be nice and relaxing and you will be able to recharge.
Good luck to all of you this weekend in limiting not awesome choices and maximizing good ones.0
