It's Picking Up!!!

It's been a week since I last blogged and a very busy week to say the least. Saturday is usually our long bike ride but the weather was cold, windy and snowing. We cancelled the official ride and but a group of us went out to the flat lands of Richmond and did a 32k ride. I was so thankful when it was over!!! Gerry was off so we spent the rest of the day doing errands. Sunday is usually long run day so off I went at 8 a.m. I wanted to go to Church so I ran for just over an hour and ended up there, enjoyed the awesome service and then ran for another hour with my destination being Delaney's on Denman. They make an awesome mocha!! Had a great afternoon relaxing and watching football - sorry Green Bay, wish you were going to be in the Superbowl. Monday and back to work. Spent lunch hour at the gym - felt great when I finished and off to the pool in the evening. Tuesday morning got up extra early and did a 1 1/2 hour bike spin on my wind trainer. Felt strong throughout the workout. Then it was off to the dentist. I am getting my temporary Hollywood smile today. Five hours in the chair!!! Thank goodness they gave me a sedative and then proceeded to freeze my mouth. Because of the bulimia I completely ruined my teeth and have lived with it for most of my adult life. For the first time in 30 years, I can smile with confidence!!! There was lots of pain after the procedure but I'm back up and running. Wednesday, I had a great workout at the gym at lunch, ran after working doing hill repeats and then off to the gym in the evening with Gerry to put him through a workout. Can't really eat anything yet because my mouth is still traumatized so I get to have my "chocolate monkey protein shake" three times a day!! I make it with skim milk, ice, banana, almonds or natural peanut butter, unsweetened cocoa and kashi cereal for some extra carbs. I put these ingredients into a blender and in 30 seconds I've got myself a very tasty meal. Today is Thursday and I'm taking it easy until this evening. I'm off to a spin class after work and then to the pool for a swim workout. This is how my life will be for the next 8 months but I love it. Well, I just emailed Ironman North America introducing myself. I have asked them if they will do a special interest story on my challenges having Parkinson's Disease and what the benefits of exercise have been in slowing the progression of it. I guess I'll know shortly if they want to use my story.