CLOT BUSTER @TEAMSTOPTHECLOT POLKA DOTS now available at https://shop.stoptheclot.org/

 CLOT BUSTER @TEAMSTOPTHECLOT POLKA DOTS now available at https://shop.stoptheclot.org/

August Athlete of the Month

Here is hoping that you are enjoying the summer heat!

Of course with caution but I hope you are out there enjoying it.

You know that I am as much as possible. Not sure why I hold on so much to being out there but I try to be as much as I can doing whatever I can. Although in my late 40's I am finding some limitations with what I can and cannot do. I can't seem to recover as fast as I did and my body feels tired longer. However, if I truly knew how to "slow down" then perhaps my recovery from racing would be easier. I just don't really slow down and I keep hammering away as much as I can for as long as I can. As if I am trying to out run or out bike or out swim or out kayak my tiredness... This is for sure a really terrible idea and I realize that often just to slug it out and do it again the next day. I guess that I do have a problem but the fall and winter coming up will fix it for me very soon. The colder weather normally slows me down.

But this year @TeamSTOTHECLOT the fall brings the opportunity of the life time to gear up and conquer the NYC Marathon. Blood Clot Survivors along with friends and/or family will not be slowing down and in fact they will be throwing some heavy miles to train and get ready ahead of the marathon in November.

This is always an inspiring time of the year where we got to meet Blood Clot Survivors that truly CAN DO ANYTHING.

I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to get to meet some of these incredible individuals and ask them to share their story with us. Facing the prospect of running the 26.2 Miles is daunting but this survivors CAN and WILL DO IT.

For this month's blog post please allow me to introduce to you Jana who is currently training and building up her endurance so that in November she is ready to face one of the most iconic marathons in the world. We are very fortunate that Jana was able to spare sometime to share some of her thoughts with us about her journey and some of her favorite things in general from the questions that I normally ask.

Please read on and enjoy! 

What is you sport/activity of choice? Why do you enjoy it? 

I grew up playing lacrosse and played throughout college as well. Currently I am in to different types of workout classes - F45 has been my favorite - and fun summer activities like Pickle ball! 

How did you get started in that sport? 

I enjoy different workout classes because I am used to the structure of always playing a sport growing up. Got started in pickleball because it is the sport of the summer!

What is the latest milestone you achieved or plan to achieve?

I recently completed 13.1 - we're halfway there!! 

Tells about your clotting episode.  Are you on blood thinners now? How long were you out of commission? 

I found out I had a pulmonary embolism the summer going into my senior year of college and lacrosse due to isolated chest pain I was having. Thankfully it was caught early and a few months of blood thinners/minimal physical activity was all I needed. 

When were you able to get back into your activity?  How did it feel that first time?   

I am extremely thankful that I was not out of commission completely so working my way back was not too difficult. It was more the mental aspect of understanding that internally my body was still healing and learning to recognize what was the new normal for me. 

What is your favorite piece of gear for your favorite activity? 

I was hesitant to try out the running belts but have come to love mine! I think the Polka-dot apparel might take the cake though once it arrives.

How much are you getting out doing your sport? 

Currently I am running about 3 maybe 4 times a week, and then trying to get in some other type of activity twice a week whether it is a bike ride, workout class, or anything!

What is your favorite food? 

I love a plain pizza and caesar salad combo... or vodka chicken parm!

If you could go some place to visit and explore, where would like to go? 

I would LOVE to go to Italy! As cliche as it seems I would like to explore it someday. Less extreme I have been wanting to take a trip to California as well - see some of the beach towns and Napa Valley.

What would like to say to someone who is going through a clotting episode, perhaps very similar to yours?  

A close friend of mine has this saying "all discomfort is temporary" - I would tell people that they will get through it, and whatever their new normal becomes will be just fine! Personally I take note on lingering pains/aches or excessive bruising but try and refrain from over-worrying. I was extremely thankful that my episode was caught early and now just take proper precautions when traveling! 

 

Here is wishing Jana the best of luck with her training and eventually the race. 

No question that you will have plenty of pizza and caesar salads in your future as those miles continue to add up. You are half-way there and the second half of the marathon is the one that matters with the last miles after 20 really defining your journey... YOU CAN DO IT and I can't wait to hear about how it goes.

Blood Clot Survivors CAN DO ANYTHING!

Thank you for reading, 

The Clot Buster

July Athlete of the Month

Summer Greetings!

Here is hoping that this post finds you enjoying the summer doing whatever is that you enjoy

You know that BLOOD CLOT SURVIVORS CAN DO ANYTHING!!! 

It is hard for me to believe that next month this blog will be turning 15 years old... Can you believe it?!?! 

I am not sure how this is happening but here we are looking at this milestone that is been one of the most rewarding things that I have ever done. Getting the opportunity to keep this up and make a little difference in the lives of people looking for answers along with some inspiration to keep going after a clotting incident has been a thrill so far.

Over the years I have come across a lot of people with stories that continue to impress me to this day.

But to be perfectly honest the most amazing thing of this process has been getting to see and follow the evolution of recovery of the people who have been willing to share their stories. I am talking about the evolution over the years and all of the incredible things people are doing even after suffering from their clotting incident. I am not just BLOOD CLOT SURVIVORS CAN DO ANYTHING just to say it... I see it happening over and over everyday. This is truly inspiring and blows me away every time I get to see it.

Over the 15 years of the blog I tried my best to get a new story every single month. I am not sure if I was able to succeed on the repeating side of the equation but I am certain that I have not missed a single month...

But this month of July I wanted to make an exception because there is a blood clot survivors amongst us who is doing some truly mind bending stuff that I can't even comprehend is possible. 

I got the chance to feature this individual back in September of 2014 so he is been at this endurance running thing for a long time.

You can see the post I did about him here >>> https://clot-buster-triathlete.blogspot.com/2014/09/september-athelter-of-month.html

No doubt that you are going to be impressed by what he was doing then... almost 10 years ago... 

But you are not going to believe what he is up to now...Truly some epic stuff that you will need some time to process.

MARTIN is truly an example that BLOOD CLOT SURVIVORS CAN DO ANTHING!!!

Please checkout this update he put together about celebrating the 10th Anniversary of his clotting incident...

Read on and Thank You in advance for helping him celebrate that he is alive inspiring us all!

STOP THE CLOT - SUPPORT THE SCHNEEKLOTH

Exactly ten years ago, I felt a slight pain in my rib cage while in my office at work. I wrote it off as a strained muscle ma kept working. An hour later, I felt worse and decided to call it an early day. I headed home and messaged my wife that I didn’t feel well, but I want really concerned. An hour later, my wife arrived home to see me hunched over on the couch barely able to take a full breath. She drove me to the ER immediately. I limped inside complaining of chest pain and was immediately admitted for an extensive battery of tests that finally revealed the cause for my serious condition. My legs were covered in DVTs and I had pulmonary embolisms in both lungs. I received serious pain meds to allow me to breathe and I spent the next week in the hospital receiving books thinner injections and more tests. The first 3 days were touch and go with doctors unwilling and unable to confirm whether I would make it. These were the most emotional and scary days of my life, for me, my wife, my son and my entire family. Eventually, I recovered. The cause for the blood clots was identified as a misdiagnosed ankle injury and after a year of medical procedures and rehab, I was back to my old self, more determined than ever to spend life in the now and not in some distant future.

Since then, I have tried to stay true to that promise to myself. I have challenged myself and my body more than ever before to explore the world and to stretch the limits of what I thought would be possible for me to accomplish and I have had the opportunity to participate in some truly amazing adventures that challenged both my body and mind.

To celebrate these last 10 years, I am facing my biggest challenges, yet. Yes, I have completed nearly 150 ultramarathons as a blood clot survivor and I have run, walked and crawled distances on up to 240 miles in one go, but this year is even bigger. This year, I intend to complete the 268 mile Spine Race on the Pennine Way Trail in the UK in June (also coined as Britain’s Most Brutal Race) followed by the 200 mile Tor des Geants race in the Italian Alps featuring nearly 80,000 feet of vertical elevation gain. Before, in between and after, I have lined up some of the tougher 100 mile endurance events to make it even more challenging, all in an effort to celebrate the life I’ve been given and to raise awareness and funds for this often silent and overlooked killer.

I am targeting to raise at least USD 5,200 for the NBCA to mark my 52nd birthday on May 1, the kickoff date for this campaign. 

Please help me support the National Blood Clot Alliance by making a donation through my page. The process is fast, easy and secure. Thanks so much for your support... and please don't forget to send this page to any friends you think might be interested in donating!