Exercise and a bit of background.

I`ve really been slacking with exercise the past month so decided to venture to the gym today. In fairness, I had no excuse. My bike, which went out of action about three months ago, is shiny as new and exercise is just too important. Eating an entire packet of choc chip cookies last night probably helped kick me out of Lazy Gear.
During campaigning last April my lung collapsed and I ended up in hospital for six weeks. Boring? Well yes, after the first three weeks, and once I was out of the "danger zone", I got hooked on... The Hills. So awful! But so... interesting! It works when blue birds are tweeting around your head in circles!
It`s hard to focus on reading when you`re on super duper drugs that make you float about the place like a 1960`s hippie.
I started running in October 2007 and it completely changed my life, and the way I approach my illness. After five months building up endurance I was able to run 5k and my lungs were so much healthier because of it. My lung definitely collapsed during exercise before a significant part of the campaign because I remember the extrememe sharp pain that hit me. I was stretching in the Cat Yoga position (although apperently some people call it the Child-- but I think that`s just weird! It looks like a sassy cat stretch!) Anyway, that`s when I got the pain in my left lung, and I lay there for a while cursing that my phone was in the dressing room. Everytime I tried to move it got worse, so I closed my eyes and just tried to control my breathing. After 20 minutes it subsided- and it didn`t come back. I had no idea it was a tiny collapse. So ... you can see why I`m a tad anxious about getting back into La Gym!

I love running though- the endorphins are the best kind of feeling, just like any sort of exercise whether it `s running, football, rugby, skiing or absailing! It took me a long long time to realise that I had to challenge my body, and respect it, in order to get to the best out of my life. Getting back into it was tough because my heart wasn`t pumping enough oxygen around my body to do any prolonged exercise and I needed to be hooked up to oxygen just to try a brisk wak.

As of Tuesday I am officially out of the danger zone. I pass Go, everything before being the 6 weeks in which there`s a 80% chance you can recollapse your lung. So today I went to the gym

Well actually, I cycled there and took it easy on the treadmill. It doesn`t help that my ipod got `lost` in the laundry the last time I was in hospital. Anyway, I had flashing images of Michael Jackson on all ten gym TV`s to keep me occupied. I managed a 3 minute brisk walk warm up, a 10 minute jog, a 3 minute recovery and then another 5 minute jog before cooling down. It`s a good base to start at. I did some strength training and core exercises too before hopping the bike home. I`m aiming for little and often to try and get back up there.

Last year I was at the UCD festival and ended up in the pit for... The Wolfe Tones (for shame!) My best friend Patrick knew a 4th year physio who was playing bass for them. Anyway, I got accidentally rugby tackled to the ground by a group of drunken beef cakes (thanks guys!) I felt two massive arms scoup me out of there, and all I could do was laugh. One day out of hospital, it was hilarious. Patrick and Sarah tried to usher me to the First Aid, DRAMA. I`m not into first aid when there`s no blood or breathlessness. A grazed knee and a achey foot does not a First Aid Emergencey Make. So I decided to go for a jog around the track later to prove I was fine.. A jog around the track with a previously aching foot does make a fool however. A big big fool who spent the next 11 weeks on a crutch because of my thin thin, osteoperosis CF bones- aggghhh! Such A Clever Girl. Not being able to do the Women`s Mini Marathon in 2008 killed me and I vowed that it would never happen again. When I had to stop running this time, I wasn`t counting down the days until I started again, in fact I was pretty anxious about it. I lost my confidence completely - Collapsing a lung during exercise does not exacty inspire it! I`m feeling up to the challenge now though. I shall take turtle steps and with one day down successfully... fingers crossed! Grrr!