April Athlete of the Month

April showers bring May flowers... I mean... April Athlete of the Month Posts bring SUMMER TIME AND BEYOND INSPIRATION!!!

I say "Summer and Beyond" because BLOOD CLOT SURVIVORS CAN DO ANYTHING and the inspiration from their accomplishments can last FOREVER.

Regardless of the background and level of competition/intensity every story of overcoming the challenges of blood clots keeps you going. It shows us all that YOU CAN do it. Every story of overcoming starts with the first step. Even if it is a tentative and scared firs step it is a step towards getting your "normal" back whatever that normal ends up being. Nobody can take that away from you once you start going. It is not going to be easy but as long as you have your goal insight and you are working towards it nothing else matters.

As I am training for the upcoming Eugene Half-Marathon I need to keep the focus. Some training days are better than others. But I am locked in on the goal of getting to the finish line. I don't have a clue how the race will turn out but you can be sure that I will give it my best try. There are several of us that are going to be getting the CLOT BUSTER @TeamSTOPTHECLOT polka-dots racing in Eugene. Also, I know of at least two Blood Clot Survivor MICHAEL - FEBRURY 2020 that will be competing in his first Boston Marathon. Also Blood Clot Survivor KIM - JANUARY 2022. How about that?!?! I know that Michael has been crushing his training as of late and for sure he will be successful in Boston but I also know that Kim is a speedy runner so she will be throwing down the hammer as well. I can't wait to see how they do.

But for the April edition of Athlete of the Month we have a very special individual who is currently holding the reins of the STOP THE CLOT Sports and Wellness Institute and he is leading the effort for this part of STOP THE CLOT organization to continue to grow and develop. TOM is of course a blood clot survivor and we are very thankful for his willingness to share his story so that we can all continue to be inspired to overcome!

Please read on to learn about Tom's story...

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

My first love is running, I have been a runner since I was 12.  Injuries and my 2 rounds with PEs have led me to take up cycling which I do both outdoors and on a Peloton that I bought 2 months after my PEs in 2020.  I love running since I'm competitive but it is also something you can do anywhere in the world with just a pair of running shoes.  I've run in many places including crossing the Drake Passage on a treadmill on a ship!

How did you get started in that sport?  

From a young age I was always racing kids in the neighborhood.  I went out for the track team in 7th grade as that was the only team 7th graders could join.  From there I was hooked!

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

My latest achievement on the bike was riding 500 miles in the Blood Clot Awareness Month Charity Fundraiser for the NBCA.  My next running goal is the NYC Marathon in November, but I've got to get training.

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

I've had 2 bouts with PEs, first in 2017 and then in 2020.  The first time I had no idea what was wrong with me, I finally had to go to the emergency room after trying and failing to run a mile and then not being able to walk up a flight of stairs.  That was hard to deal with, but I eventually started running again, but my Doctors told me I didn't need blood thinners.  Then, in 2020, I started having trouble breathing on a run and I knew exactly what it was.  Spent 4 days in the hospital, then took a month off. I am on Xarelto now....

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

This time around it was very hard to get back to running since I was out of commission for about 4 months, that's why I got the Peloton which has enabled me to build back endurance and strength which makes it easier to run.

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

Running Polka-Dot Technical Shirt...My running shoes are the key piece of equipment.  I have been running in Asics for about 25 years.  Biking, I have a nice carbon fiber Trek Madone.

How much are you getting out doing your sport?  

Right now I probably exercise 5-6 days a week.  I'm out for 45 minutes+ up to 90 minutes either biking or running.

What is your favorite food?  

My favorite food is probably pizza. Living in Brooklyn I have lots of choices and we usually like to try as many as we can.

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

I'm fortunate to have been to many places around the world, but I really want to go back to Italy and explore Rome more than we did the last time.

What would like to say to someone who is going through a clotting episode, perhaps very similar to yours?  How can people return to do what they enjoy? Tells about your concerns and what you look out after as you returned to action. 

The first thing to do before returning is to get clearance from your doctor.  In my case I was really concerned  about my heart, so I wore a Heart Rate Monitor for a week and everything was normal.  I always wear a Heart Rate Monitor when I work out.  It gives me a level of comfort that I can track and compare workouts and fitness based upon my HR.  I still have PTSD especially when I run, in my local Prospect Park, where I relive my shortness of breath.  It happens when I am by myself but running in a race or with others distracts me and I don't dwell on it as much.  I will also say that it took me a long time to get back to a reasonable amount of fitness - its been 18+ months and I still have a ways to go to get to where I want to be.  But I am able to exercise and I do not compare myself to my pre PE me.  I now celebrate my post PE PRs, which gives me the chance to just be happy to be out there doing what I love.

Indeed Sir let's CELEBRATE every new milestone.

Here is hoping to see Tom getting after the NYC Marathon in the CLOT BUSTER @TeamSTOPTHECLOT polka-dots of course! There is no doubt that Tom will be there and crush it. Can't wait to see it all come together.

Never Stop Going Forward.

Thank you for reading,

The Clot Buster