September 09, 2010 – Once again I’ve faced a challenge and changed my plans accordingly. Instead of beginning classes at the University of Colorado at Boulder, I am staying home this fall and starting college in January. I’m now into my fourth week of training and I’m still healthy! Fortunately, my stomach has decided, mostly on it’s own, to speed up and continue to function normally for the most part.

While I was at the Mayo Clinic, after dropping below 100 lbs, I slowly started being able to keep small amounts of food down. Each day my symptoms have been gradually improving, and now I am eating like a human! My symptoms are not entirely gone, but I’ve decided that being at home while I learn how my stomach is going to act, or react, is the best place for recovery. I’ll be with family and closer to my doctors if the symptoms return. Throughout this hellish journey my symptoms have fluctuated from mild to severe, but I haven’t felt this good since spring.

Although my shrunken muscles remind me that I’ve lost some strength and speed, I am full of energy and accomplishing quality training sessions. I’ve spent many afternoons running through mountain trails with my dad at my summerhouse, and have been skate and classic roller skiing with my coach, Dick Taylor, at my favorite roller ski locations – Evan’s Notch and Harris Road. I just completed my third interval session of the summer and was pleased to see that my times matched my times from last summer, but at a lower cost of energy!

Although I’m disappointed that I have to wait to start college and won’t be training with Bruce Cranmer and the CU ski team this fall, I am excited about the opportunities I have closer to home. I will be able to continue to train at my own pace with Dick Taylor, and I’m going to be an assistant coach at one of my old school’s running teams. In addition, I’ve been enjoying the summer I missed, and am planning on hiking in the White Mountains with my family. 

As for my shins, they have never felt better! I am working on tweaking my technique by pushing off my toes a little sooner in order to pop myself faster onto the other ski (I call this “toeing-down”). This allows more gliding time and a full leg extension, which relaxes the muscles in my shins. When I toe-down it creates a sailing sensation in my legs, ankles and feet. It feels as if the road is a bed of moss and my feet are floating above the cushioned road. Give it a try – it’s effortless and cheap speed!

I’m happy to be full of energy and grateful to be training again!