Diving in the Keys

Diving in the Keys

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Anniversary, Run, Swim, Tree Down and Waiting for Deep Freeze

I finally felt good enough to exercise again today. I did something last week that absolutely messed me up. I wasn't sick but I needed to sleep all the time and I had zero energy to do anything. That is over now and I am back to feeling somewhat normal. I will credit it to the dinner my wife and I had at Cheddar's last night to celebrate our 24th wedding anniversary. I got in about 1 hour of running today and swam a little also. I will try to get in a couple of hours of cycling on a trainer tomorrow.

I am looking forward to an exhausting week coming up. Friday we are hoping to have a few friends over early and then go fishing Saturday followed by a Nuggets game Saturday night and then church Sunday followed by a Broncos game on Sunday afternoon (not a big sports fan but it should be fun with a couple of Triabuddies and other Betes buddies). Monday going to ice fish before picking up my friend, Scott, from California who is here to - yep - ice fish. Tuesday morning we should get a good swim workout in early and then head into the mountains to fish for two days. Did I mention that the high this Friday in Denver is supposed to be 10 with a low well below zero? That will really set up the ice for us in the mountains and maybe even here near home. I will do my best to get in my running and cycling in there somewhere. Believe it or not, my ice fishing trips and hauling the sleds at 10,000 feet are usually more exhausting than my workouts. Its probably because I go anaerobic a lot which isn't the best for endurance training (so I'm told).

I must be going a little crazy because I actually paid money this week to buy a 1/2 marathon transfer so that I can run (yes run) in Carlsbad, CA later in January along with my friend Mark. Thanks Jen and Felicia for the slots although I wish you could have used them yourselves without the injuries. I am also running in the Kid's Mile the day before with my Triabuddy, Zyler. Speaking of Zyler, I am very excited for some recognition that he is getting and I will let you know what that is as soon as I know that it is public information.

I am also hoping to meet a new diabetic friend that is visiting his folks here in Colorado for a few days up from New Mexico. He rides way more miles on his bike than I ever will. We connected through Triabetes and we got to communicate a bit about possibly fishing while he is here.

Thanks and I also got the Christmas tree down and out this evening

Brian Phelps

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Bad Run - Skipped Bike - Fun Christmas

Yesterday I had probably the worst run in months. I had to skip my run day when I went ice fishing on Tuesday (that trip was by far the hardest exercise of the week) so I tried to run yesterday on my off day. I was going to run 8 miles with my friend, Mark, around Aurora Reservoir and I started out a bit high on BG so I ate more carbs and covered with 2 units of insulin. That apparently was one too many. I started the run at the highest point on the graph below and ending on the second highest point on the graph after rapid corrections. I had no idea why I felt so bad but figured it out when I got the quadruple buzz from the Dexcom. I cut the run short and turned around at 2.5 miles for a total of 5 miles (walk/run). This could have been a new record low because the Dexcom wouldn't tell me the actual number once it dropped below 40.


Today, Christmas was probably one of the best in many years. We brought our son, Michael, in by video Skype to join us in the festivities, the family reading of Luke 2 and he was able to play Wise or Otherwise with the family. Midday, I watched two good movies, A River Runs Through It (emotional for me) and What About Bob? while all animals and people slept on the couch (including Mark). Pam and I were the only ones awake. Puppy Koie also livened the day especially when she pulled a fast one and stole Jenny's (other border collie) toy while she was unwrapping it and she was left with just the paper (video below). BTW, I was supposed to ride 3.5 hours on the indoor trainer today and that simply did not and will not happen.



It has been a hard year but I made it through with the love of my wife and friends and my faith. Anyone who thinks they are owed a perfect life is wrong. We all fall short of God's standard and must rely on his forgiveness that He offers all of us through His Son Christ and the price he paid for our sins by being our blood sacrifice on the cross. If we turn from our old life and path and accept His gift of new life, we can have an assurance of our future. That is why we celebrate Christmas.

I am very thankful for my lifelong friends and for the new friends that God has given me this year.

Merry Christmas

Brian Phelps

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Great Swim & New Family Member

I had a fun day today. I worked a bit, finished Christmas shopping and got a good swim workout in.

Swim Workout:
I did 4350 yards and in took me 1 hr 15 min total
600 warm up
2000 timed swim (did it in 28 minutes)
300 flutter kick
100 fly kick
100 breastroke kick
200 backstroke kick
200 fly kick on back
200 backstroke
200 stroke work with alternating breathing side to side
100 one arm fly drill
50 easy
50 fly all out
50 easy
100 IM all out
100 warm down

New Family Member:
Our oldest daughter surprised us by conspiring with the breeder who we are working with for our next puppy border collie. We had already picked her out but we thought we were not going to get her for a couple of weeks. Her name is Koie (KO EEE) and she is named after a Manta Ray that kept chasing Pam the last time we were in Hawaii.


Merry Christmas

Brian

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Enjoying the Season of Working Out & Fishing - Fishing is actually a harder workout

I just finished another 1 hour on the bike trainer and it was easy from a physical and mental perspective. I am feeling that I am getting there although my weight is up about 5 pounds and I am hoping it is leg muscle. I went ice fishing with 15 other people yesterday with 3 newbies. We woke up at 2:30am and hiked about 2.5 miles for the days with the sleds and about 400 yards of land crossing to get around open water. Everyone, including the newbies caught fish including my newest friend, Will. He is a 22 year old Type 1 that I met in line for a Red Green autograph. His is a part of our crew now and will be fishing with us often. That trip of hauling heavy sleds over the land crossing of muddy conditions just about did me in. I have included a photo of Will with his first fish on ice and a photo of me, my Triabuddy Zyler and Will (all type 1's) who are totally wiped out and ready for a comfy chair. Two of us dipped under a BG of 40 later that evening. We knew it was coming and acted appropriately but our sensitivity to insulin was extreme.

 I am really enjoying my time with my new diabetic friends and ice fishermen, Zyler & Will.

My new buddy, Will, and his first fish on ice. He is definitely "keeping his stick on the ice" in Red Green tradition

Our own version of Team Type 1 with me Zyler and Will sitting exhausted on our rock after the trek off the ice.

Finally, I wanted to share what I posted today on Facebook and I really believe it:

I am thinking about the "gifts" that some have to minister to others. These "gifts" are cancer, addiction, mental illness, etc. and, in my case, diabetes. Only a diabetic can truly have an honest conversation with another diabetic. Horrible in and of themselves, they also have the silver lining of the opportunity to reach out to others with the same "gift". Here is a Paul Harvey link that I am posting. This Paul Harvey story is a wonderful analogy of why God took on the "gift" of being human at Christmas. It will really make you think.

Paul Harvey's Story of the Birds 

Thanks

Brian Phelps

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Running is now about Running

This was a decent couple of days with some hard workouts. I put in 3400 yds in swimming, had some business in St Louis, rode on my indoor bike trainer for 3hrs 15min yesterday morning and then ran 10 miles today. There are no more structural excuses in running now. My only limitations now are muscles, lungs, fueling and blood sugars. No more structural excuses available to me for my feet. I did the 10 miles today in 1hr 38min with my heart rate in the high 140's and low 150's. I ran in my Newtons and they felt great. I started running with my BG at 68 and falling but I had already heavily fueled and knew that it was going to hit soon. About 20 minutes into the run, I was at 119 (good number). As I watched my numbers, I saw them falling again so I hit the fueling fairly hard and never got below 102. My numbers then climbed steadily to about 135 by the end of the run. I know this is obvious to other diabetics but I need to bring insulin with me on my runs because optimally I would have taken one unit when I was at 120 and rising. I owe this to the concept that I learned in iD University that fueling for blood glucose levels is different than fueling for exercise. What this means is that I took more insulin than I needed before the run so that I could fuel heavier. This meant that I was low and going down at the beginning but it allowed me to fuel like I needed to for the run.

A really positive point this week was when I got a photo from one of my Type 2 friends while I was in St Louis showing him getting a good cardio in while he was working at his job. This is absolutely awesome especially since his schedule is ridiculous and needs to multitask in order to exercise. Do whatever it takes to beat diabetes.


Finally, I got to finish this week off at the home of my Triabuddy Zyler's family. We had a very nice Christmas get together with them, Madi and her family and John and Maurine. That was a great time especially since I hadn't been able to meet this part of Madi's family until today.

Thanks

Brian

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Motivation Down but Still Going

This holiday season with its travel and indoor training has me a little unmotivated to make my daily workouts. HOWEVER, I am still doing them. I needed to say that for friends who are perpetually unmotivated to save their lives for their families. Today I rode on my indoor trainer for 1hr 45min as scheduled although not thrilled to do it. I want to enjoy the season which, for me, includes copious amounts of ice fishing. I have to travel again tomorrow to St Louis for business. I will swim with friends before I leave and I should be able to run before my meetings Friday meeting in St Louis.

On the work front, one of the reps that I work with closed a great deal to finish off the year and that was awesome. I also texted with my triabuddy, Zyler and our BG ranges were similar. His high was 239 and his low was 64. My high was 200 and my low was 68. Zyler is really doing awesome and I am looking forward to spending a Christmas get together with his family and Madi's family on Sunday afternoon and evening.

I am feeling stronger and stronger although my motivation is temporarily waning through this season. Again, I am still doing the workouts but just not happily.

My wife and I visited our son in Florida over the past few days and we really enjoyed our time with him and watching him getting stronger and healthier. He is in a sober living facility and is now 90 days clean. I am very proud of him because it was his call to get help and his call to move to the sober living facility. We continue to pray for him and would ask anyone that feels lead to pray for his success as well.

Me with our son Michael snorkeling Looe Key with Sharks and Barracuda



Me just goofing off for the photo. I really LOVE the water.
 


Thanks

Brian Phelps

Monday, December 13, 2010

Starting and Ending on North Ocean Boulevard

My wife and I had another great day with our son in Delray Beach, FL. We started the day with breakfast at Caffe Luna Rosa on North Ocean Blvd and I ended the day with a 10k run along the Atlantic ocean on North Ocean Blvd. My calves are sore but it was a great day. Pam and I have to go back home tomorrow and our reality will change. We have been "suffering" through record low temperatures with a severe cold front here in South Florida. Its horrible with the high only being 60 and the low at 35 especially since this is as bad at it gets for Winter here. Its a good thing we are going back to Colorado ;->. We also got to visit the IGFA (International Game Fish Assn) Hall of Fame today. I used to have a world record for a insignificant fish but that even was broken a couple of years ago.

Pam & Michael at Caffe Luna Rosa with the Atlantic Ocean in the background.


Michael & Me at the IGFA Hall of Fame

Thanks and I am looking forward to seeing two of my diabetic buddies on Sunday after I get back home to Colorado.

Brian Phelps

Friday, December 10, 2010

Switch from Women's Seat to Men's Seat - Great Move

I had to ride for 3 hrs today and was very appreciative of my new bike seat which is a men's seat. I found out the the other seat that I purchased was a women's seat and it really made a BIG difference.

Still no plantar faciatus after the customer orthodics so my running is feeling good also.

Got a shock today to find out that one of my classmates from high school is pregnant (I'm 46). That was exciting and very scary.

I had a great day ice fishing yesterday with a new friend, Russell, who caught two CO Master Angler award fish.

I am really having fun with Zyler. He beat me for the first time today with BG levels. His high was 139 and his low was 88 - basically a perfect day.

Here are Russell's Master Angler Fish from his first day ice fishing:



Thanks

Brian Phelps

Monday, December 6, 2010

For Unto Us a Child is Given

GOD is Good!
Normally you would start with the appetizer and main course but I am going to start with the dessert of the last two weeks. I received a text yesterday from a friend that we have been praying for to be able to have a child. They have been trying to have a child for years and recently allowed us the privilege of sharing in this with them so my wife and I and some friends have been praying for them for about one month. The text that I received yesterday was, "Your prayers came true! Times 2. We are pregnant with twins.....". It doesn't get any better than this! I should just stop here but its been a busy couple of weeks so I need to add some other things.

Adding a Puppy
We are also adding to our home with a border collie puppy and she gets to come home around Christmas time.


Ice fishing continues although it makes it very difficult to stick to the same level of workouts since these trips really wipe me out. I have a business trip to Madison tomorrow but will fish on Thursday. Here is a video and a photo from a recent trip that you might enjoy.



What Pastor Joel does on his Day Off
Pastor Joel Riding the Wind

Orthodics
I ran for the first time today with my custom orthodics and they appear to work great for my problem. I will, however, have to toughen up my arch because the highest part of my arch began to blister after the 6 miles probably because no shoe had ever been able to touch that part of my arch before.



Thanks


Brian

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