Ever since my Cochlear Implant Reimplantatation Operation, I've been sitting on the couch becoming the proverbial couch potato. If anyone mentioned exercise, I'd point to my head and say - oh it's sore - I will continue to rest up!! And that's what I've done for nearly 3 months.
I was sitting on the couch in my usual spot last week and noticed that the girth around my middle has increased somewhat. I can almost balance a cup of coffee nicely on there if I'm in the right position. The result of too much inaction, and that food group that starts with C. Chocolate is a food group isn't it??
Then I got an email from Coach Derek a.k.a meanie, sent to all our running group, about meeting at the crack of dawn for the start up of the winter running. I decided to go.
Despite getting to bed at 2am this morning, and not being able to sleep until 3am, my vibrating alarm clock woke me on the dot at 7am. I have to admit I contemplated rolling over and going back to sleep. But no, the thought of Dereks wrath sent me scurrying into the wardrobe in the freezing cold to find my running gear.
At 7.15am, I sent a text to Derek asking if the run is still on, in the hope that it wasn't. There's a southerly gale blowing and it threatened to rain. Still on. Drat. I had some breakfast, got my ipod out, found my cochlear implant cable and thought I'll just walk the course, not run, and just take it easy. After all, I'm old, don't want to be endangering my health.
Arrived down at the beach at 7.45. It was freezing. Hooked myself up to my ipod, and set off. It was sooo cold I was forced to run to try and get warm.
The first 1km was really hard, my ipod stopped working, I was cold, I felt unfit and disjointed. So walked while I got the ipod working again. for some reason the cord din't fit into the implant properly at first. Ahhhh music. Beat. I started running again, and got into that groove, ran the whole course in the end bar a 100 metres. Was very impressed that I hadn't lost that much fitness despite the increase of girth.
I started to sing. Now I'm running along Takapuna's Golden Mile, homes along the beach front worth a cool few million, and my singing is sounding worse than a dog on heat. You should have seen the looks I got from other runners and walkers, and even their dogs put on an expression of disgust or threw me a strange look. If it had been me in those homes, I would have rung the noise control officers with a complaint and had me arrested for disturbing the peace! Especially at that hour on a Sunday morning!
I only ran 4km this morning, breaking myself in slowly. But I felt like I could have run 3x that easily. The music really helps. I'm noticing that with this new implant I can hear the lyrics so much better, even heard words I had never heard before.
My only problem I had in the end was being unable to switch off the microphone of the implant so I could only hear the music on the ipod, and not the traffic, or (heaven forbid) me. I sound so awful I don't want to be able to hear myself either!
If any Cochlear Corp implant users know how to do this on the Freedom with the audio cable, please let me know - by Tuesday preferably as that's when I'm running again.
Anyone joining me??
Cheers
Robyn
5 comments:
Well I am quite happy to join in with you on the singing.... but forget the running! At least until summer. I don't fancy killing myself. (Though I probably could be persuaded to play Tennis in the freezing cold since it is one way to guarantee the courts will be free!).
Robyn, not sure how to switch off mic and get only audio cable, but keep me posted if you get an answer.
Also, I miss running so much! Loss of hearing also caused me my balance. I am struggling with walking quickly these days. I miss running so much!
Good on you for getting out there! I'm off to the gym with my husband. We egg each other on, neither wanting to be the one who says, "nah, not today..." I haven't run much recently, not at all since my ankle surgery (wise call there). But I did go a mile on the elliptical machine, so that's progress.
Yeah, where does that girth come from?? Siiiigh.
Liz
Hi David,
I too have absolutely no balance, having had the balance nerves cut back in 1993.
What I did to learn to run was to find a 'coach' to pace with me for a while. I find I cannot run on grass or sand - must have a solid surface to run.
For the first 3 weeks, it was really hard - apparently I even looked funny, but as my muscles came into being, I relaxed and became stronger until it became more 'normal'.
I have to pick my time of day - nights or low light evenings/mornings are out. I have trouble if sun is shining in my eyes - but heck - when i run into trouble, I walk. Far better to walk than to fall over.
Going to the gym an exercising the leg muscles also helps.
I now walk without anyone even knowing I have a balance problem, except at night, when I look a little drunk :)
Cheers
Robyn
Good job getting out there and starting running again! I think "restarting" is the hardest part of running.
Amy
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