It wasn't meant to be a thousand miles in 2011...
My stated aim at the begining of the year was to do 100km a month, coming in at 1200km - 745miles... A good loading for anyone, and one I wasn't sure I was going to make given the various competing pressures for my time.
But with 11 miles and c24h to go, I think I'm going to make it... I'll go for a stroll this evening and then tomorrow walk along another section of a new
Long Distance Path - the Wirral Circular Path. This bit will take in industrial archeology, Napoleanic defenses, battles of the US Civil War and finish near one of my favourite nature reserves - Hilbre Island.
This thousand hasn't been quite as structured as the last one, which has meant when it became a possibility I was left with more miles than I normally would've wanted to do in a month. November was the crux - and the challenge for £40 to do 4 whttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifeeks of 40km for my 40th. That bought me to within 140 miles of that thousand... Just under 5 miles a day every day, come rain, come shine, come head cold...
It's not been easy, but I am chuffed I've almost done it... 1000 miles...
What that doesn't include is walking to work, or trips to the corner shops, or trips to get stuff after a days walking... a rough estimate for those would an extra 500km
Which brings me to next year, there is an obvious distance challenge, in kilometer form (I'm not completely insane!) of 2012... But that will mean I need you to give me money, well not me - give it to a cause close to my heart - the Donate Here button works or click here -
This year is about my fight with the inevitable aging process and defying my mid year crisis... an extra 250 miles in a year
So cough up, while I'm still at leave of my senses...
TTFN
Paul
Friday, 30 December 2011
Thursday, 29 December 2011
What sort of patient are you?
First off, apologies to my pure-bred disability activist friends this is going to look like its steeped in the medico-legal model rather than the evolved social model... But you may like seeing where I go with it...
I was asked by a colleague about whether there was any training for a relative on handling their recently diagnosed diabetes... and after the usual nudges towards Diabetes UK, I started reflecting on the stages of being a patient, and though I'm sure there's a lot written by psychologists I thought I'd throw my tuppence into cyberspace...
A Pure Patient
When we discover we're a patient we're just that a patient - we need to go to a doctor, find out our prognosis, what we can do to help mediate our conditions - we're pure, we may have some previous experience of others with our condition but as it affects us, none...
An Informed Patient
We've joined the support group, we've read the information pack, we're carrying the passport/wallet/sos talisman/medic alert... We know the treatment we should get and and know what to do if we don't get it.
An Expert Patient
This is where is starts getting controversial, a lot of people will say Expert when they mean informed... The gap is the psychology part... Let me try and explain
The original Expert Patient Programme (EPP) was a 12 week scheme designed to take informed patients and take them to the next level, where they manage and understand themselves and their conditions. They know the impact of mood on their conditions, know that sometimes their control may not be perfect, but know that they are human and occasionally need that slippage.
I can't put it any better than this:
"This chapter introduces the concept of expert patients – who enjoy good quality of life despite
chronic disease; who have the confidence, skills, input and knowledge to play a central role in the
management of life with chronic disease, and to minimise its impact on their day-to-day living.
From: http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_4018578.pdf
For me the moment I became an Expert Patient was when my GP asked me how I should manage down a blip in my blood glucose... rather than telling me that I should eat less X or Y.
The next stage is my own, I've not read it somewhere and will probably get slated for it...
Weaponised Patients
We're not toxic patients they are the opens who shout and scream, demand a private room etc etc etc.
Weaponised patients are the ones who have the information, manage their own conditions, deal with their medical experts as equals and then take the next step...
The next step is getting involved in designing their services, at a local, regional, national or international levels...
Like all weapons they know only to use their full range of skills when the need is there, there is no pointing shooting off at the mouth all the time as people will get bored. We're the ones who end up on GP reference groups, running our support groups, being involved in our NHS trusts management structure etc etc.
The problem is the line between Weaponised and Toxic is very fine... can you look beyond your own experience and draw together the opinions of many, can you wade through document after document and make sure you know them so you can explain them to others... and can you go eyeball to eyeball with an expert in a specialist centre and tell them they're wrong, they don't understand what its like to be a patient as they do the proding rather than being prodded... and do it in such a way that educates an expert rather than alienating them?
There is also the fact that you, I and everyone can move between these "states" quickly, depending on the time of day, how lunch has settled and what news the medic is giving you.
Weaponised patients are quite rare, mainly I think because it is tiring, very tiring... And managing that is something that the EPP didn't cover.
Is there a less militaristic term for weaponised patients? Advocate, as a term, has been overused, misused and abused... so find me a name...
TTFN
Paul
ps the self awareness thing kicks in at odd times, so I've just realised that I blog more when I'm doing more exercise... 50 miles in 5 days... only 11 left to the 1000
I was asked by a colleague about whether there was any training for a relative on handling their recently diagnosed diabetes... and after the usual nudges towards Diabetes UK, I started reflecting on the stages of being a patient, and though I'm sure there's a lot written by psychologists I thought I'd throw my tuppence into cyberspace...
A Pure Patient
When we discover we're a patient we're just that a patient - we need to go to a doctor, find out our prognosis, what we can do to help mediate our conditions - we're pure, we may have some previous experience of others with our condition but as it affects us, none...
An Informed Patient
We've joined the support group, we've read the information pack, we're carrying the passport/wallet/sos talisman/medic alert... We know the treatment we should get and and know what to do if we don't get it.
An Expert Patient
This is where is starts getting controversial, a lot of people will say Expert when they mean informed... The gap is the psychology part... Let me try and explain
The original Expert Patient Programme (EPP) was a 12 week scheme designed to take informed patients and take them to the next level, where they manage and understand themselves and their conditions. They know the impact of mood on their conditions, know that sometimes their control may not be perfect, but know that they are human and occasionally need that slippage.
I can't put it any better than this:
"This chapter introduces the concept of expert patients – who enjoy good quality of life despite
chronic disease; who have the confidence, skills, input and knowledge to play a central role in the
management of life with chronic disease, and to minimise its impact on their day-to-day living.
From: http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_4018578.pdf
For me the moment I became an Expert Patient was when my GP asked me how I should manage down a blip in my blood glucose... rather than telling me that I should eat less X or Y.
The next stage is my own, I've not read it somewhere and will probably get slated for it...
Weaponised Patients
We're not toxic patients they are the opens who shout and scream, demand a private room etc etc etc.
Weaponised patients are the ones who have the information, manage their own conditions, deal with their medical experts as equals and then take the next step...
The next step is getting involved in designing their services, at a local, regional, national or international levels...
Like all weapons they know only to use their full range of skills when the need is there, there is no pointing shooting off at the mouth all the time as people will get bored. We're the ones who end up on GP reference groups, running our support groups, being involved in our NHS trusts management structure etc etc.
The problem is the line between Weaponised and Toxic is very fine... can you look beyond your own experience and draw together the opinions of many, can you wade through document after document and make sure you know them so you can explain them to others... and can you go eyeball to eyeball with an expert in a specialist centre and tell them they're wrong, they don't understand what its like to be a patient as they do the proding rather than being prodded... and do it in such a way that educates an expert rather than alienating them?
There is also the fact that you, I and everyone can move between these "states" quickly, depending on the time of day, how lunch has settled and what news the medic is giving you.
Weaponised patients are quite rare, mainly I think because it is tiring, very tiring... And managing that is something that the EPP didn't cover.
Is there a less militaristic term for weaponised patients? Advocate, as a term, has been overused, misused and abused... so find me a name...
TTFN
Paul
ps the self awareness thing kicks in at odd times, so I've just realised that I blog more when I'm doing more exercise... 50 miles in 5 days... only 11 left to the 1000
Tuesday, 27 December 2011
Going Ultra...
A promise to a number of beautiful ladies (Ladies, I'm expecting sponsorship for that one ;-))...
The big events so far signed up for for 2012...
Excalibur Marathon - a 26.2 mile challenge walk (my companion in arms for this one a) denies I ever said it was a marathon and b) swore a lot when I suggested jogging any of it c) needs to man up... ;-)) - 12 hours time limit, 4600ft of up and down - 31 March
Belfast Marathon - a normal 26.2 marathon - 7 May
Nottingham Ultra - a 31mile ultramarathon - 7 Oct
These are the big ones, there's the usual scattering of 10ks and local runs that I'll do for fun, and enjoyment. Doesn't mean I won't push myself, does mean I won't jeopardise the overall fitness on one of these runs.
My training for the 1st 2 is going to overlap, and then provides the springboard for the 3rd. All of my distance runs (anything over a half) are based on a simple strategy - first distance then speed.
The best advice I was ever given was always protect the Long Slow Run (LSRs) - normally Saturday morning in my case. Given the walk done today (still recovering from a head cold) I should be jumping back in around the 10 mile mark - we'll find out in a couple more days.
Flat fitness won't cut it this time, and although the 1st is a walk (probably ;-)) I'm going to need to mix up the LSRs with some hefty walking to keep the up and down going as well...
So, how am I going to piece this together - January is a good example:
Every week -
Mon am - Gym for Pre-hab & Strength work - (5:45-7am)
Mon eve - Climbing (couple of hours)
Tuesday - up to 10km at lunchtime
Wed am - Gym for Pre-hab & Strength work - (5:45-7am)
Wed eve - Climbing (couple of hours)
Thurs - up to 10km at lunchtime
Fri - rest
Sat - LSR
Sun - Rest/shorter rehab run/walk
The LSR will get mixed about - so the weekend of 7/8 Jan I'm in Eyam in the Peak, so depending on the weather I'll either find a hill to run up on the Saturday, or if the weather's bad I'll walk up it. The following weekend I'm leading a group on a nice walk e.g. not too arduous and with a cafe (which hopefully will be open) in Delamere, so the Sunday will be the LSR.
So, 2 days rest a week, a maximum of 3 runs a week (OK, possibly 4, but normally its 3), with strength and cross training built in as a diversion, and to keep me amused. I've also got my sports therapist booked in for a good session getting the kinks out of my legs every other month, and some very useful friends (when you've a top 20 in the world tri-athlete sitting on the next bank of desks you do tend to pick their brains, while being a little in awe of their determination and fitness).
For those who worry, there is a small cadre of friends who make no bones about reminding me I'm mortal and will insist I sit the feck down for a week if they can see I'm carrying injuries or burning out. My cardiologist is also aware of (most) of this and has seen a 24 tape (Holter) for the climbing, walking, running and a heart rate trace for up to and including marathon distance...
And that's the plan, as with all plans there will be times where it doesn't survive contact with tarmac or hill side.
Hard as it may be for anyone whose seen me joke about what I do, there is a fair amount of sports science going on behind the scenes, and even some common sense...
And on that terrifying note...
TTFN
Paul
ps... Today:
The big events so far signed up for for 2012...
Excalibur Marathon - a 26.2 mile challenge walk (my companion in arms for this one a) denies I ever said it was a marathon and b) swore a lot when I suggested jogging any of it c) needs to man up... ;-)) - 12 hours time limit, 4600ft of up and down - 31 March
Belfast Marathon - a normal 26.2 marathon - 7 May
Nottingham Ultra - a 31mile ultramarathon - 7 Oct
These are the big ones, there's the usual scattering of 10ks and local runs that I'll do for fun, and enjoyment. Doesn't mean I won't push myself, does mean I won't jeopardise the overall fitness on one of these runs.
My training for the 1st 2 is going to overlap, and then provides the springboard for the 3rd. All of my distance runs (anything over a half) are based on a simple strategy - first distance then speed.
The best advice I was ever given was always protect the Long Slow Run (LSRs) - normally Saturday morning in my case. Given the walk done today (still recovering from a head cold) I should be jumping back in around the 10 mile mark - we'll find out in a couple more days.
Flat fitness won't cut it this time, and although the 1st is a walk (probably ;-)) I'm going to need to mix up the LSRs with some hefty walking to keep the up and down going as well...
So, how am I going to piece this together - January is a good example:
Every week -
Mon am - Gym for Pre-hab & Strength work - (5:45-7am)
Mon eve - Climbing (couple of hours)
Tuesday - up to 10km at lunchtime
Wed am - Gym for Pre-hab & Strength work - (5:45-7am)
Wed eve - Climbing (couple of hours)
Thurs - up to 10km at lunchtime
Fri - rest
Sat - LSR
Sun - Rest/shorter rehab run/walk
The LSR will get mixed about - so the weekend of 7/8 Jan I'm in Eyam in the Peak, so depending on the weather I'll either find a hill to run up on the Saturday, or if the weather's bad I'll walk up it. The following weekend I'm leading a group on a nice walk e.g. not too arduous and with a cafe (which hopefully will be open) in Delamere, so the Sunday will be the LSR.
So, 2 days rest a week, a maximum of 3 runs a week (OK, possibly 4, but normally its 3), with strength and cross training built in as a diversion, and to keep me amused. I've also got my sports therapist booked in for a good session getting the kinks out of my legs every other month, and some very useful friends (when you've a top 20 in the world tri-athlete sitting on the next bank of desks you do tend to pick their brains, while being a little in awe of their determination and fitness).
For those who worry, there is a small cadre of friends who make no bones about reminding me I'm mortal and will insist I sit the feck down for a week if they can see I'm carrying injuries or burning out. My cardiologist is also aware of (most) of this and has seen a 24 tape (Holter) for the climbing, walking, running and a heart rate trace for up to and including marathon distance...
And that's the plan, as with all plans there will be times where it doesn't survive contact with tarmac or hill side.
Hard as it may be for anyone whose seen me joke about what I do, there is a fair amount of sports science going on behind the scenes, and even some common sense...
And on that terrifying note...
TTFN
Paul
ps... Today:
Sunday, 18 December 2011
Me... a poetry anothology? must be course work...
Ok,
part of my OU course on poetry is to create an anthology of poems, culled from an anthology of animal orientated poetry...
The Bear - Frost (p23 - 24) beautiful imagery, hidden in a simple rhyming structure (though the repetition of Greek amuses, its as if he runs out of words)
Blue Moles - Plath (p39 - 40) more beautiful imagery, though perhaps vivid would be a better description
I have a Gentle Cock - Anon (p 126 - 127) made me laugh, and the switch between the straight description of the animal and then innuendo of the last line is stunning:-)
On a Dog of Lord Eglinton's - Burns (p188) the simile of a dog's life is pointedly made
Widgeon - Heaney (284) - Euwwww
In the Introduction to the Book of Beasts, the anthologist describes anthologists as despots, and maybe I am... My anthology is based on what attracted me in a single scan read through. So they tend to be shorter, punchier and cause an immediate emotional reaction - be that a smile in Frost description of the Bear's "fundamental butt", or the heart wrenching imagery of the dead moles by Plath. I have a Gentle Cock appeals (I freely confess) to the school boy in me, and from the last line, where you go from a description of a cockerel to something far more suggestive, I suspect the long forgotten author as well.
Burn's use of simile struck me as pointed and poignant - and I could imagine the same thoughts going on behind the soft brown eye of a hunting dog looking across a hall at the human animals around the piste.
And Heaney, well the idea of using the windpipe of a half dead bird as a flute is always going to cause an emotional reaction...
So a completely different blog from normal... It even gets a bibliography...
Muldoon, P. (Ed) (1997) The Faber Book of Beasts. London. Faber & Faber
TTFN
Paul
part of my OU course on poetry is to create an anthology of poems, culled from an anthology of animal orientated poetry...
The Bear - Frost (p23 - 24) beautiful imagery, hidden in a simple rhyming structure (though the repetition of Greek amuses, its as if he runs out of words)
Blue Moles - Plath (p39 - 40) more beautiful imagery, though perhaps vivid would be a better description
I have a Gentle Cock - Anon (p 126 - 127) made me laugh, and the switch between the straight description of the animal and then innuendo of the last line is stunning:-)
On a Dog of Lord Eglinton's - Burns (p188) the simile of a dog's life is pointedly made
Widgeon - Heaney (284) - Euwwww
In the Introduction to the Book of Beasts, the anthologist describes anthologists as despots, and maybe I am... My anthology is based on what attracted me in a single scan read through. So they tend to be shorter, punchier and cause an immediate emotional reaction - be that a smile in Frost description of the Bear's "fundamental butt", or the heart wrenching imagery of the dead moles by Plath. I have a Gentle Cock appeals (I freely confess) to the school boy in me, and from the last line, where you go from a description of a cockerel to something far more suggestive, I suspect the long forgotten author as well.
Burn's use of simile struck me as pointed and poignant - and I could imagine the same thoughts going on behind the soft brown eye of a hunting dog looking across a hall at the human animals around the piste.
And Heaney, well the idea of using the windpipe of a half dead bird as a flute is always going to cause an emotional reaction...
So a completely different blog from normal... It even gets a bibliography...
Muldoon, P. (Ed) (1997) The Faber Book of Beasts. London. Faber & Faber
TTFN
Paul
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
