September Athelter of the Month

2014 has not been my year as it relates to my various bikes...

I am fortunate, a million times over, to have the "various" bikes that I own and even more lucky to be able to ride them as much as I get to. 

However, this year has been rough.  First in in June I got hit by car during a local triathlon which caused some damage to my newly renovated triathlon racing bike; the today as I was attempting to commute from home to work my commuter "work horse" bike finally could not keep up any more and gave up about 3 Miles away from work... After the better part of 7 years of commuting at least 3 times per month weather permitting losing this frame is a significant set back for my training expectations...

But really how can I speak / write of "set backs" on material stuff when the month of September is upon us and it is time for the September Athlete of the Month post.

It is rather foolish of me to have a "pity" party over the loss of my work horse bike when I should be talking about REAL, LIFE ALTERING "SET BACKS" due to blood clot incidents...

So, with that mind, please allow me to introduce to you the following blood clot survivor who did have the life altering blood clot incident that re-shaped his life and has propelled him down the road of MAJOR and INSPIRATIONAL accomplishments.

Please meet MARTIN SCHNEEKLOTH and read on about his story...

1)  What is you sport/activity of choice? Why do you enjoy it?
I have two true loves when it comes to sports, soccer and ultrarunning. Growing up in Germany, I've been playing soccer since I was 5 years old. However, I haven't played since my ankle surgery and the associated clotting incident 19 months ago. I also having been running for general fitness for the better part of the last 15 years. I got involved in Ultrarunning just 5 years ago and it has been my passion ever since. Ultrarunning (also called Ultramarathoning) is described as running any distance over the traditional marathon distance of 26.2 miles.

2)  How did you get started in that sport?

I was getting ready to run a local 15K road race in preparation for running my first marathon, when I recognized a guy I had played soccer with in a local men's soccer league. We started talking and when I explained to him why I was running this race, he said "why don't you just run the Dizzy Fifties 50K with me and my buddies, instead? It's barely longer than a marathon." The rest, as they say, is history. I was hooked as soon as I crossed the finish line of my first 50K trail race.

3)  What is the latest milestone you achieved or plan to achieve?(Long bike ride, some race coming up or that you did)

My biggest athletic achievement to date was the completion of my first 100 mile trail race. It took me nearly 28 hours of continuous forward movement to cross that finish line and when the race director handed me my very first 100 mile belt buckle (traditional finisher's award for 100 mile ultramarathons), I was crying, both from complete exhaustion and from complete elation, all at the same time. You do learn a lot about yourself, physically and mentally, when you complete such a demanding event.

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

In December 2012, I sustained an ankle injury playing in the final soccer match of the season after turning to chase down an opposing player. I felt a sudden sensation of pain in my left ankle and knew something was wrong. Unable to walk, I was helped off the field and the next morning, I made an appointment with a sports orthopedist to have it checked out. Unfortunately, the initial diagnosis missed the true nature of my injury and rather than scheduling corrective surgery right away, my left leg was placed in a boot and I was prescribed physical therapy. The traumatic nature of my ankle injury combined with having to wear a boot to stabilize my ankle caused a severe clotting episode, which exhibited itself fairly suddenly with severe chest pain 5 weeks after the initial ankle injury. 3 hours after arriving at the ER and after undergoing extensive tests, I received my devastating diagnosis, multiple DVTs and multiple bilateral PEs. This was definitely the scariest moment in my live as doctors would not even give my wife a prognosis at this time. Luckily, I did recover after I spent the following week in hospital receiving treatment multiple times a day to prevent the clots from growing further and to allow my body to slowly break down the clots.

However, leaving the hospital a week later was only the first step in my recovery. I still had to receive reconstructive ankle surgery to address an ankle fracture and tendon tear that had initially been diagnosed as an ankle strain, but that could not proceed until my blood clots were under control. I was put on blood thinners (initially Lovenox injections followed by daily doses of Coumadin, later I was placed on Xarelto after discussing the ease of use of this newer drug with my hematologist). I had to be taken off blood thinners and undergo surgery to receive an IVC filter before they would be able to proceed with the actual ankle surgery, followed by another procedure to remove the IVC filter. Once all of these procedures had been completed over the course of 4 weeks or so, I was placed on a daily dose of Xarelto for another 4 months. Since none of the extensive blood tests showed any genetic predisposition to blood clots, my hematologist and I decided that I would be taken off blood thinners once this treatment cycle had been completed. However, any new clotting incidents would mean blood thinners for life.

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

While on blood thinners, I was able to start rehab pretty soon after surgery, but I was constrained to the PT office and a local indoor pool. Once the ankle cast was removed, I was allowed to start walking right away, but nearly 6 months of immobility in my left leg had caused severe atrophy. However, having been given a second chance, I was determined to not only get back to walking, but to get back to running as well. While on blood thinners, I mainly did my rehab on the treadmill, but as soon as I was cleared to try to begin running again, I was out shuffling through my neighborhood. I toed the starting line of my "first" trail half marathon after recovery 12 months after my clotting episode and it felt fantastic, like an immense load was lifted of my shoulders. I immediately started setting my next goal, finishing another 100 mile ultramarathon. Since then, I have completed 8 ultramarathons and multiple shorter road races setting PRs at every distance. I've been training hard for the goal of finishing another 100 miler for the past 6 months and I plan to toe the starting line for this race on November 1, 2014.

6)  What is your favorite piece of gear for your favorite activity? (Bike brand, running shoes, perhaps a running singlet or the Clot Buster's Running Polka-Dot Technical Shirt...)

There are two things I rely on when toeing the starting line of an ultramarathon, my Clot Buster tech shirt (I'm already on my second one as I've literally worn out the first one I owned) and my Altra running shoes, which have literally eliminated my "Morton's Neuroma", a foot issue I've experienced in long distance events.

7)  How much are you getting out doing your sport?  (Everyday you do some training, 2, 3, 4 times per week)

When you train for a 100 mile ultramarathon, you have to make a serious commitment to training, which often means running 7 days a week and running very early in the mornings to avoid the heat of the day and to try to minimize the impact of your training on your family. However, a commitment like this also requires the understanding and support of your family.

8)   What is your favorite food?  Either generally or after a workout.  For me there is nothing better than a Chipotle Burrito...

My wife and I have this weekly ritual. She's also caught the running bug having completed a few half marathons and a triathlon and is currently training for her first marathon. After every long run on Sunday mornings, we reward ourselves with a huge breakfast at our favorite local spot that consists of banana pancakes, omelette, home fries and biscuits. Other than that, I prescribe to a pretty "clean" diet.

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

These days, almost every place I want to visit is tied to some type of amazing endurance event. In fact, I'm still working on a bucket list of places to go and experience. On the top of this evolving list are the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) 100 mile foot race in the Alps of France and the Marathon des Sables (MdS) 150 mile foot race in the desert of Egypt.

10)  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 got back.

Never give up, no matter how devastating your diagnosis might initially seem. Reach out to others with similar experiences to help you through this, answer questions you will have and point you towards other helpful resources. I found the most effective way to get back to what you want to do is to make sure your doctor understands your goals. If he/she does not understand them or makes no effort to help you get there, find another doctor. No matter how big or small your goals, make sure you come up with a plan and find people (both health care professionals and friends) who will help you get there. I found my biggest challenge to be not physical but mental. Even though my doctor assured me that I would likely make a full physical recovery, in my mind, there still is that fear of a relapse, both of re-injuring my ankle and of experiencing another blood clot. And then there is the occasional phantom pain in my chest. But I try to look at the positive of this experience. I have received a second chance and I plan to live life to the fullest. Finally, be sure to share your experience with others and show your support for the National Blood Clot Alliance in any way you can. We as blood clot survivors should be the biggest and strongest advocates for this cause that, in my humble opinion, still does not get the attention and support it deserves.
This guy is a MACHINE!!!

Simply amazing that it is possible to recover from a significant blood clotting incident and get the body turned around to thrown down in Ultramarathons.  And on top of all that be competitive at them.  Just browse on over to Martin's own site www.ultrakrautrunning.com and you can see for your self that this guy is a top performer.

Simply INSPIRING. 

I need Martin to become my personal runner coach so that I can break through my barriers and unlock some of the speed that I know is somewhere deep inside... It may not be in ultras but in the marathon it could be a possibility.  2015 will be a new year and since I am running out of bikes to ride then I guess running will be it...

You can be sure that tomorrow I am running not only because Martin's inspiration but all those blood clot survivors who are crafting their very own come back story.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

August Athlete of the Month

How is August already here?

Now that my oldest is attending the official school system our mindset about summer is taking a serious re-adjustment.

We can't no longer plan for get aways or races in late summer or fall that are not exclusively on the weekend.

And then WE are going to start fall soccer and I say "WE" because now it is going to be a family project... I will be the coach of a group of 1st graders looking to learn about soccer.  This proposition either will turn out to be an amazing experience or it could turn out to be a complete disaster... Stay tuned as I will do my best to keep you posted.

Speaking of interesting experiences getting to know the clotting story of this month's CLOT BUSTER Athlete of the Month really blew my mind.  Not only because of where it went down but how the road to recovery has shaped this young individual on to a youngish adult who is training for the NYC Marathon and enjoy life each and every day.

Please let allow me to introduce to you AMARIS WHITE your AUGUST CLOT BUSTER ATHLETE OF THE MONTH!

Read on to find out about her extraordinary story...

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

I've never considered myself an athletic person, and I've always been a bit of a klutz, but over the last few years running has become a huge part of my life--for social, mental, and health reasons. It helps me clear my mind of daily stresses and gives me a social outlet. Most importantly, running saves my life.

2)      How did you get started in that sport?

I used to run high school track, but I was never much good. I started running during my third year of law school to clear my head. It was a good way to de-stress and be outside.

3)      What is the latest milestone you achieved or plan to achieve?(Long bike ride, some race coming up or that you did)

I'm training for the NYC marathon! After my DVT doctors told me I would never be able to run again. Running had never been a huge part of my life. I had run two half marathons in the year before my leg clotted, and I was really upset to hear I'd never be able to do so again. Five post-DVT half marathons later...I'm determined to be better and stronger than I was before and run my first 26.2!

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

My clotting episode was particularly traumatic because I was traveling abroad in Malaysia with my friends. It was two years ago, and I was only 25 years old. My roommate and I went out for dinner one night, and suddenly my leg became tight and swollen, and within an hour I could no longer walk. My leg was a darkish color and progressively more and more painful, and my foot was becoming blue. It took doctors two days to diagnose me, and when they finally did, I learned that I had one giant blood clot going from my left ankle all the way to my heart. I received the wrong treatment because the Malaysian doctors had never seen a clot as bad as mine!

I ended up flying to Japan (where I have family) to get treated more aggressively and was in the hospital for a month. The doctors discovered multiple PEs, gave me an IVC filter (which ended up getting stuck), and they hooked me up to an IV to melt my clot. Unfortunately the treatment wasn't aggressive enough, and by the time I was back in NYC, my clot had become scar tissue. Doctors told me the clot was now permanent and that I would probably not run again.

Thankfully I found a doctor in California that removed my IVC filter, gave me a stent, and has been more aggressive with my treatment. With his help and a lot of exercise/running, I have been able to get to where I am now. Overall, I have had seven surgeries in four hospitals over the course of about four months. I'm on xarelto and a baby aspirin, maybe for the rest of my life.

 

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

It took me a while, but I finally started going to the gym about four months after my initial diagnosis. I think this time would have been shorter had I initially received aggressive treatment.

The first few weeks of working out were terrible. My leg was filled with permanent scar tissue (clots become hard after the first few weeks) and the blood could go in my leg, but not out. I definitely wanted to just go home and give up. But I kept going to the gym every day and gradually pushed myself to walking, jogging, running. The more I pushed myself, the more my body compensated by making new collateral veins. Running was therapy. The more I ran, the healthier I became.

6)  What is your favorite piece of gear for your favorite activity? (Bike brand, running shoes, perhaps a running singlet or the Clot Buster's

Running Polka-Dot Technical Shirt...)

I would definitely love to get my hands on a polka-dot technical shirt, but for now my favorite new toy is my Garmin Forerunner 10 watch. It's simple--keeps track of time, distance and pace. I can leave all other technology behind and focus on just my run.

7)  How much are you getting out doing your sport?  (Everyday you do some training, 2, 3, 4 times per week)

Currently with marathon training, I'm trying to do 4-5 times per week. It's not easy while working, but I'm doing my best. Weekends are for my long runs and I will definitely be sure to do all those runs!

8)   What is your favorite food?  Either generally or after a workout.  For me there is nothing better than a Chipotle Burrito...

Lately I've been getting into chocolate milk. Gives me protein and calories--and it's delicious!

 

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

That's a tough question. I love to travel and want to see the whole world (and space). At the top of my list right now are Taiwan, Korea, and Iceland.

10)  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 got back.

Don't give up. Don't let yourself become the victim. DVT and PEs are horrible, and they can derail your entire life and leave you with lifelong physical struggles. But with patience, discipline and sheer determination, it is possible to make a recovery and be better and stronger than before. Your body is amazing, and if you work with it, you can make enormous progress. When I first started running, I honestly could not imagine that I would be running multiple half marathons a year and training for the NYC marathon. But I took it one day at a time, and I slowly realized that my body was capable of a lot more than even I realized, and so I kept pushing. You can too! :)

 

Thank you for your amazing and inspirational website!! I'm sure there are many people that read this and are motivated to keep going!

I don't know if there's space for this, but I am trying to share my DVT/PE story by getting on the cover of Runner's World Magazine. People are allowed to vote daily and any support would be great (Runner's World picks 5 men/women to interview to be on the cover of the magazine. Social medial helps, but you don't need to be top 5 to get an interview. I just want to be on their radar so they will hopefully share my story.)

http://covercontest.runnersworld.com/entry/1003/

Also I'm trying to keep up a blog where I talk about DVT and my learning experiences. My goal is to post weekly with an update on my marathon training. I learned a lot about DVT and recovery through debacle and hope that this site can be a small resource to someone!

www.fightdvt.com

Sadly blood clots can happen to anyone and at anytime.  But how we overcome the challenge that clots throw in front of us can be the galvanizing force that can shape the rest of our lives.

Certainly Amaris is an example of that process.  THANK YOU so much for sharing your story with all of us.

Please be sure to vote for her to see if we can one of us CLOT BUSTER Stop The Clot Athletes on the cover of Runner's World.  Go ahead vote for Amaris and VOTE OFTEN!!!

Thank you for reading,

The Clot Buster

Don't Train Like I Train...

Based on my results from last Saturday EVIDENTLY I am not doing too well...

After several days of playing the race back in my head I have to say that I AM VERY LUCKY to be able to participate and complete the event.

Since the accident on June 22nd it has been a battle to get back to form and shake out both the internal and external injuries.  But getting to cross that finish line last weekend it was a sensational feeling!

It was a tremendous feeling to overcome the last several weeks and despite the stomach cramps my soul was dancing because I was able to finish.

Now, clearly something I consumed between the start of the race and the start of the run did not sit well with me. 

I have a number of guesses as to what it could have caused the issue but I can't be sure... Also, I DID NOT DO ENOUGH and LONG ENOUGH BRICKS...

 

 If you listen to me at all please listen two things...

1)  Get your CLOT BUSTER StopTheClot  polka-dots to CELEBRATE ALL BLOOD CLOT SURVIVORS and TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT BLOOD CLOTS and BLOOD CLOTTING DISORDERS.

2)  When you are training for triathlons make sure you do ENOUGH BRICK WORKOUTS to get your body ready!

This season has been up and down but outside of more "bricks" I would not change anything.

Being at the back of the race provided me the chance to extensively talk about the CLOT BUSTER StopTheClot polka-dots and why I was wearing my jersey. 

LOVED THE OPPORTUNITY to spread the word and hopefully I said enough to get people to remember STOPTHECLOT.org

So, on we go.

Working on building in some more "bricks" as I have two more long races coming up.  I am looking forward to them and hopefully see some more polka-dots out there racing with me!

Keep it at it!

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

July Athlete of the Month

The CLOT BUSTER Stop The Clot polka-dots are truly going global!

Never in my wildest dreams I would have imagined that this simple polka-dots that represent this cause of creating awareness for blood clots & blood clotting disorders and to celebrate blood clot survivors found their way to AUSTRALIA!!!

Soon enough I will have to put up a world map and start pinning all the places where the polka-dots are going...

Of course the polka-dots are not getting anywhere without the valiant participation of a blood clot survivor or a family member willing to spread the word.  In this case, the CLOT BUSTER Stop The Clot polka-dots were requested by TIM GUNTON who his a blood clot survivor living in Tasmania and your JUYLY ATHLETE OF THE MONTH.

Why is Tim July's Athlete of the Month you ask...?!?!

Well, how about I allow him to tell us on his own words via the report he filed to me about his latest athletic achievement...

Please read and get INSPIRED!

"

I thought I would give you a brief rundown on m Ironman at Cairns so here it is:

 I won an entry into Cairns Ironman through Wiggle and High5 so someone does win those competitions! I found out I had won the entry about 8 weeks prior to the Ironman which was quite ironic considering my history. Cairns is about a 4 & ½ plane flight from Launceston, so the day before flying I thought I had better see my Doctor and ask what precautions I needed to take prior to flying. My Doctor advised that seeing my INR was steady at 2.7 that I would not need any Clexane, just wear compression sock, do the standard leg exercises , stay hydrated and no alcohol. The conversation changed to how much exercise I should be doing (I occasionally run with my Doctor so he  has an idea about running and exercise) he advised me that there is no set limit, however whatever I make sure I take it easy. So I told him on my holiday I might do a little swimming, maybe a little bit of bike riding and a few easy runs, he warned me about being careful on the bike so I said I would not ride in any packs. The good news was my Doctor did not say not to do an Ironman  - he will probably point out to me that I did not tell him I was planning to do an Ironman! (the reason I did not tell him was I knew what he would say and this way I did not completely ignore his advice). It was about 14 weeks since my second PE – which forced me to pull out of Melbourne Ironman in March this year and about 13 months since my first bilateral PE that forced me to pull out of Cairns last year. I am now on Warfarin for life.

 My support crew (my wife Sharon, who competed the year before) arrived in Cairns a few days before the race and I did a few short easy runs and rides, there was another fellow Tasmanian who I had trained with, Maggie, doing the race so it was great to have her and her son (Tom) with us. As Tasmania where I live is the coldest state in Australia and Cairns is in the tropics I thought the heat could be a problem, little did I know that on the day of the Ironman it would be the coolest June day in Cairns since 1967 and that it would literally rain all day. 2 days before the race I bought a sleeveless wet suit and this was the best investment I have ever made, as there is a small chance of being marine stingers in the water wetsuits are allowed and are advisable in the swim, I tried the sleeveless wetsuit out the day before the race and it felt incredible, it provided buoyancy even though it felt like I was not wearing a wet suit – in a full sleeve wetsuit I have always felt constricted in the chest and I did not want that uncomfortable feeling which can lead to shortness of breath.

 To the day of the race: The first thing I did was write a motivational message on my forearm, for me his motivational message was quite easy – I recently joined a Facebook page called I run for Michael, where basically runners team up with kids and adults that through different reasons are unable to run. The week prior to the Ironman I was matched with my buddy Chris, so I was lucky enough to be able to dedicate my Ironman to Chris , so I wrote on my arm ‘I Tri 4 Chris’.  Lining up at the mass start of the swim I made my way to the back of the pack and tried to stay calm (trying not to think about my first triathlon where I got pulled out of the water after 100m after suffering panic attack and thinking I could not breath). I started slowly and kept a comfortable pace for the whole swim and did not feel any discomfort with my breathing for the whole swim and finished the swim in 1 hour 33 minutes, I was aiming for 1.40 to 1.45 so I was quite happy. In T1 I sat down and took my time to dry off and get changed, remembering that I was there to complete the event not to set any records, so I took 14 minutes

On to the bike leg, I planned to ride smoothly for the whole distance and watch how my breathing was going and slow down if my breathing felt labored, I planned to take it fairly easy and average about 25kph to do the ride in a little over 7 hours. I averaged 28kph for the first 100k’s and felt pretty good, there were a few hills but they weren’t too bad, a few times I started to push it a bit, but thought I had better slow down a little. As expected the last 30 k’s or so was a bit hard and there was a slight head wind but I looked at my motivational message and made it to the end of the ride. The ride took 6hrs 37 minutes and it rained the entire time on the bike, which was probably a good thing because it kept me cool and made sure I watched my speed. I averaged 27.2kph on the ride so I was happy with that, once again in T2 I took things nice and easy and fully changed – this time taking 8 minutes.

Starting the run I knew I had 8 ½ hours to complete the Ironman before the cut-off time so I thought I could take it easy without pushing it, I ran/walked the first 12 k’s in 1hr 30, at 7.30 km pace. This left me with about 7 hours to complete to last 30k’s, I still didn’t have any pain in my lungs or chest and I thought I would not take any chances so I changed to a quick walk for the last 30k’s, during the run which was 3 x 14k loops I passed my wife about 6 times and received fantastic support from her. Surprisingly to 30k walk in the rain went quite quickly as there was a lot of opportunity to talk to other competitors who were also having long walk breaks. I had a few short jogs to keeps the legs moving but nothing for over 200 metres.  I finally made it to the 41k mark and knew that I would finish the event with a final look at my motivational quote and a thank you to Chris, I was near the finishing chute I saw my wife Sharon and had a quick cuddle, then it was onto the finishing chute where I heard the words “Tim Gunton You Are An Ironman” I felt pretty good, I had a quick bite to eat in the recovery area, then I went to see Sharon, as it was still raining we decided to head back to the Hotel.

My run time was the same as the bike 6 hrs 37 minute at 9.24 min per k pace, for a total time of 15 hrs 11 minutes, which was 1 hour under my estimated time. Throughout the race my lungs/chest felt pretty good, there was the odd pain now and then but it only lasted a few seconds, after showering and more food and a beer I laid down and tried to sleep, this was probably the time I was most worried as we know once the exercise stops there is the fear of possible chest/lung pain – luckily I had almost no pain at all that night and the next few days basically no pain either.  Apart from a few blisters on my feet and tight quads I was relatively pain free after the Ironman.

That is basically it for my Ironman experience, I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to complete an Ironman after having a couple of PE’s and being a warfarin lifer, but I also believe that almost anything is possible if you cover all the risks and take it easy – and always check with your Doctor before doing anything (just sometimes don’t tell him/her the full story)

Regards

Tim Gunton"

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE is one saying that has pulled me through many difficult situations throughout my life.  Without a question it helped Tim push on and achieve the finish line of his Ironman event as a  survivor of multiple blood clotting events.

I am AMAZED of what survivors can do.

Can't help but to be inspired by the story that was shared with you above.

I can't wait to hear what will be Tim's next adventure but one thing is for sure blood clots WILL NOT BE STOPPING HIM NOR EVEN SLOW HIM DOWN!

Thank you for sharing your story Tim.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

 
 

June Athlete of the Month

Slowly at a very steady pace the CLOT BUSTER StopTheClot polka-dots are spreading far and wide.

THANK YOU to ALL who have made a purchase so that they can help spread the work about blood clots and blood clotting disorders as well as inspire other blood clot survivors to get back doing what they loved doing either in sport or outside of sport.

Getting polka-dots out of people is very exciting to me because I am always asking to learn about the purchaser's blood clotting story.  I know that it is a bit forward but all stories intrigue me and I always find them fascinating.

June's Athlete of the Month is indeed a victim of my questions...

This lady just wanted to get her polka-dots and get out in Central Park to wear them proudly... but here I was asking away my usual set of questions and of course making in roads to see if she would be willing to share here story with a all of us... Well, THANKFULLY she was willing to share her story of survival from blood clots which you can read more about below.

So, please allow me to introduce to you ANGIE MOREFIELD!

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

I have been competing triathlon for about 4 years. I love pushing myself and seeing what I'm capable of physically and mentally.

2)  How did you get started in that sport?

I originally started doing triathlon for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society's Team in Training program to help find a cure for blood cancers. It was a great program to learn the sport and help a great cause at the same time.

3)  What is the latest milestone you achieved or plan to achieve?(Long bike ride, some race coming up or that you did) .

I am currently training for Ironman Mt. Tremblant on August 17th. I've been training since October. I've put lots of mileage on my bike, in the water and on my running for the legs to get stronger since my PE. This past Memorial Day weekend was the hardest and longest mileage yet in training. I was able to log about 200 miles on my bike, and about 20 miles running. Not to mention a couple open water swims all up in beautiful Lake Placid, NY.

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

Last June I was training for what was then my 2nd Ironman competition. I had flown out to Lake Tahoe to do a Century ride with my brother. After a fantastic day riding 100 miles I then hoped on a red eye flight back to New York City. The next day I resumed my training but something felt off. Wasn't sure if it was the jet lag, the red eye, the NY humidity but something didn't feel right. I continued to train that week. On Saturday I was supposed to run 18 miles but could barely crawl through 4. The next day on Sunday (1 week after my Century ride) I went out for an 80 mile ride with friends. I couldn't ride up the same hills I had been able to ride up for the last 4 years. I just didn't have the breath or energy. I thought maybe I had allergies or some sort of exercise educed Asthma. The next morning, going to work I had a very difficult time walking up the Subway stairs. A close coworker looked at me and recommended I go to urgent care and just have my symptoms looked at. I thought nothing of it but agreed. When I got to urgent care they asked me 3 questions (1: had I done any recent travel, 2: do I have a history of blood disorders in my family, and 3: are you on birth control (I was currently on the Nuva Ring). When I said yes to all the questions they insisted I go to the ER immediately because they thought I had a Pulmonary Embolism. I was familiar with this because my mom had had 2 PE's in the past. But, how could this happen to me? Young, athletic, healthy. Quickly I learned it can happen to anyone.

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

I was released from the hospital 4 days later. My doctor said I could try to run maybe a mile after 2 weeks. So I did. It was the hardest mile of my life. From there I just gratually started riding my bike at a studio and slowly running trying to get my lungs back. I even competed in a Tough Mudder 3 months after my diagnosis. Wasn't easy by any means, but I did it. I was on Rivaroxaban for 7 months and wasn't able to ride my bike outdoors for fear of crashing and bleeding out. The day I was able to ride outdoors again was with my brother. It was very emotional and I couldn't of been happier.

 6)  What is your favorite piece of gear for your favorite activity? (Bike brand, running shoes, perhaps a running singlet or the Clot Buster's

 Running Polka-Dot Technical Shirt...) I love my bike. Miss Roo is her name. She's a black and pink Quintana Roo and she's gotten me through some rough times, races and emotional moments.

 7)  How much are you getting out doing your sport?  (Everyday you do some training, 2, 3, 4 times per week)

I currently train 6 days a week with 1 recovery day (thank god).

 8)   What is your favorite food?  Either generally or after a workout.  For me there is nothing better than a Chipotle Burrito...

Being a California girl living in New York City, I love mexican food. But during training it's not the best food to generally eat before workouts. :) So, I will always still with a good cold beer immediately after a race or major workout to be my favorite.

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

I would love to go Greece some day. Do they have races there? :)

 10)  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 got back.

Coming back from having a PE while being so young and healthy has been quite the emotional rollercoaster. Being and athlete the frustration I've gone through with why my body won't respond the way it had in the past or the way I want it to can really screw with your head. But each day, I remind myself of my favorite mantra "What doesn't kill me makes me stronger" and I just keep swimming...or biking...or running. I'm so lucky to have supportive family members, friends and teammates who are always cheerleading for me and pushing me. The body is an amazing things. All I think about these days is the moment I'm going to be able to cross the finish line to my Ironman, and come back from one of the scariest moments of my life. #SUCKITPE

Angie - THANK YOU for sharing your story with us and giving us and insight of what you've been through and how you are able to battle the fear to move on.

Amazing that you are preparing for an Ironman.  I can't even begin to imagine what it takes to get to that place... someday I hope to find out.

However CLOT BUSTER nation is rooting for you from everywhere as you will represent the polka-dots during your training and racing.

Keep at it and here we are WISHING YOU THE BEST OF LUCK!

Thank you for reading,

The Clot Buster

Dealing with Injury...

Problem...

I DON'T deal with injury well.

I try to push through it to the best of my abilities but I can't stop or slow down. 

It is specially frustrating when the summer season full of racing is just ahead.

No other option here but try to adjust and see what I can do heal and keep at it with getting the CLOT BUSTER STOPTHECLOT polka-dots rolling in order to spread the word.

Very much looking forward to be racing this coming Sunday.

I appreciate changing things up with introducing kayaking instead of swimming.  After 3 years of doing this race I am changing some things up to maybe get faster and provide some competition to the folks I've seen year after around this race down the Little Miami River in North Cincinnati.

Let's just hope that this injury that I am nursing let's me go to the speed I would like to go.

We will see on Sunday.

If you get the chance to change things up GO FOR IT and enjoy the new feeling or experience that may come my way.

For sure on Sunday I will enjoy the calm of kayaking down the river on an early summer morning before it is time to run and ride to the finish line.

Racing with the CLOT BUSTER STOPTHECLOT polka-dots in celebration of all blood clot survivors I know and those who I am yet to meet.  Knowing that these folks can overcome near death experiences is so inspiring that you can't help but to get out and attempt your best.

Cross your fingers for me so that I can make it through!

Thanks for the reading,

The Clot Buster

May Athlete of the Month

At last the weather around here is finally turning.  Fortunately we are leaving the winter behind and facing some more reasonable weather.  Soon enough some of us will be attempting what April's Athlete of the Month enjoys in water skiing.  I am still waiting for an invitation for a private lesson...

But if water sports is not your thing then how about some spring/summer travel...? 

I am asking because this month's Athlete of the Month is from a place from on earth I would love to visit someday...

Do you have a guess? Well, how could you really if I did not provide you with any hints... That is why you will need read below to find out.

Once again, the far reaching power of the internet has giving me the opportunity to get in touch with an another blood clot survivor who is making a remarkable come back at one of the most breathtaking places on earth.  Please allow me to introduce you to ADAM WALLER who is May's Athlete of the Month.

Please read on and enjoy his story and his journey... I want to go to where is and get to run where is running...

THANK YOU ADAM for your willingness to share your story with our growing community of blood clot survivors.  All of the stories continue to inspire me and others everyday!

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

I would say I’m a soccer player-turned-cyclist-turned-runner! I have played football, or soccer, since I was 5 years old and I continue to do so at the age of 27. I took up road cycling at the age of 24 and long-distance running at the age of 26. For me, my heart will always be with soccer but I perhaps get the most enjoyment out of road cycling. I love the cathartic nature of the sport, and the suffering you put yourself through to get better.  I found it a great release at the end of a stressful week at work. The scenery also helps! I saw more of my native North East England than I ever dreamed of.

 

2)  How did you get started in that sport?
In road cycling, I think it started when I watched the 2011 Tour de France. I really got into the sport, and I loved the toughness of the riders. A mutual friend of mine rode for a local cycling club, so I joined and it took off from there. I started as someone who could barely do 20 miles without feeling like climbing off my bike, to someone who was the equal of people who had been riding for years. I learnt a lot from a lot of good cyclists, and by 2013 I was the strongest I’d ever been. I moved into running because of a location change. I am a school teacher by profession, and I had an offer to move from my hometown of Hartlepool, England to Arusha, Tanzania to teach in an international school. Unfortunately, it isn’t very conducive to road cycling but I met some fellow teachers who ran 3 mornings a week. It started from there.

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

I ran the 2014 Kilimanjaro half-marathon, so that was a great achievement especially since it was my first half-marathon. The course is very tough – the first 10KM is basically all uphill. I perhaps hadn’t trained as hard as I could have, but I still completed the course in 2 hours 19 minutes.  To be honest, my goal at the start was just to finish without walking! I absolutely loved the feeling afterwards and I can’t wait to do it again. I want to do it again next year and break 2 hours, so I’m already putting together a training plan. My next goal is to complete the 17 mile route of the Osmotherley Phoenix, an event that takes place in North Yorkshire in July. It’s a run/walk across moorland and hills. It promises to be tough.

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

Last year I had a number of cycling challenges I wanted to complete. The first one was to cycle up El Teide in Tenerife, the highest continue climb in Europe. It’s where Team Sky train. I completed that in February of 2013, and it was very hard but amazing. The second was an event in May called the Wooler Wheel, a cycling challenge in the Northumberland region of England. It is a very difficult course and mental strength was so important, but I completed the 70 mile route. Afterwards, I went for a few beers and drove the 2 and a half hours home. A few days later I had a very sharp pain in my right calf. I thought I’d just pulled a muscle but it got worse and worse. My calf felt rock hard.  I went to a physio at the local hospital who diagnosed a torn calf muscle. A setback for the cycling, but I was told I’d be back on the bike in four weeks. I flew to New York and back the week after to visit friends. In this time, my calf actually seemed to have gotten bigger and was still painful. I went back to the hospital to be told it was actually a DVT. I was shocked – I thought those only happened to old people or after long-haul flights. I was on Warfarin for 5 months, and had to deal with the transition of moving from the UK to Tanzania and all the medical stuff that comes with it.

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

Cycling wise, within 5-6 weeks. I did struggle for a month or so after however. I think the inactivity didn’t help, but I kept on getting shooting pains up my right leg and into my right shoulder. A doctor told me it was more than likely related to the clot. By the end of the summer I was flying again, which was great. Running was another story. I tried to play football around month after and I lasted a grand total of 6 minutes. At that point I was petrified I would never be able to run around again. It was at that point I found ClotBusters, and it really made feel positive because I knew it would get better.

6)  What is your favorite piece of gear for your favorite activity? (Bike brand, running shoes, perhaps a running singlet or the Clot Buster's Running Polka-Dot Technical Shirt...)

My bicycle! It’s a full carbon Focus Cayo and I love it to bits. It’s currently in storage, but it’ll be with me for a good while. For running, you can’t beat a pair of shorts that don’t chafe. I have a pair of Karrimor shorts that feel like silk!

7)  How much are you getting out doing you sport?  (Everyday you do some training, 2, 3, 4 times per week)

I play football at least once a week. I go out running around 3 times a week, mixing up speed work with long-distance runs. I’m going to increase it to 4 times a week next month.

 

8)   What is your favorite food?  Either generally or after a workout.  For me there is nothing better than a Chipotle Burrito...

That’s a tough one. I love a full English breakfast, but they’re not good for the waist line! We have a dish in my area of England called Panackelty. It’s a corned beef and potato stew, with added onions, carrots and dumplings. It’s the thing I miss most about being out in Tanzania, behind family of course!

 

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

I’d love to travel South America, particularly Colombia. Not only have I heard it’s beautiful, but I’d love to ride out there.

 

10)  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 got back.*

The best advice I can give is ‘This too shall pass.’ It takes time, but now I’m fit and healthy. When it first happened, even after the second month, I never thought I’d be at the stage I’m at now. It was a slow process, but I got there in the end. I do worry about getting another DVT – they could find no cause for my first one, but I have been told I’ll be on blood thinners for life if it happens again. The pain of getting bloods taken every couple of weeks is something I never want to go through again."

Who wants to come with me to do the Kilimanjaro Half-Marathon?!?!? How amazing would that be?

So, we learned here of a blood clot survivor who is originally from England but resides in Tanzania... I would never ever would have considered that possibility.  But I LOVE IT because we are reaching far and wide.  I am over the moon knowing that Adam is returning to do what he loves and pushing the boundaries for other challenges.  Blood clots are not stopping him not even slowing him down. 

I am looking forward to hear where he goes next.  Perhaps some day we can meet and either run together or play some football together which is also my start in sport.  I am sure Adam would be able to teach a thing or two from his experience...

Get inspired and get out there to do what you enjoy.  It may be slow at first but as you can see here it is possible!

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

Inspiration ALL AROUND...!

After watching the limited coverage of the Boston Marathon (at least at my household) I always come away with the urge to run...

Does anyone feel that way...?

Specially after this year where the USA finally had the winner runner on a thrilling race. 

11 seconds was the winning margin... I can't hardly eat 2 Samoa Cookies on that span of time...

Speaking of induced inspiration...

The accomplishments that some of the blood clot survivors I know about continue to blow me away...

One individual just ran in the Boston Marathon and beat hear previous Personal Best by more than 7 minutes which was pre-blood clot incident... Blood Clot Survivor!

One individual just recently completed a 100 Mile Trail run... Blood Clot Survivor!

Same individual will be racing the San Francisco Marathon TWICE... Again Blood Clot Survivor!

Another individual just completed the New Orleans 70.3 Triathlon... Blood Clot Survivor!

Same individual will be participating in the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon... Again Blood Survivor!

One individual ONLY prefers "longish" marathons... This guy so far this year has competed several 50K plus trails races... Blood Clot Survivor!

And these are only some of the samplings of the constant stream of inspiring accomplishments I see from individuals who WILL NOT let their clotting incident bring them down.

There are no excuses to get out and continue to stand up for this cause. 

CLOT BUSTER #STOPTHECLOT polka-dots are spreading and will be represented at a race near you...

You too can take part on the STOPTHECLOT expansion by getting your very own polka-dots and wear them whenever possible!

The first shipment of this fine technical shirts arrived today and they are ready to be taken for a run, stroll, walk, or to sleep if so desired...

Get up and get going!

Let's make this day and every day count.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

April Athlete of the Month

After the winter we just had I will gladly take the "April Showers" that hopefully will give way to "May Flowers" and plenty of warm weather to finally get out and enjoy...

Ever since I started this series of postings featuring blood clot survivors it has been my goal to feature anyone with a story of survival that can provide inspiration to others who are going through their very own blood clotting incident.

It does not matter what activity you love doing unfortunately we are all at risk as described by April's Athlete of the Month TED DUNHAM.

Ted has been kind enough to share his story with all of us and has made this post much easier for me as he wrote up his story which I present to you below.  Read on and get inspired to learn more about blood clots and the signs and symptoms that may save your life...

"Hi fellow clot busters, my name is Ted Dunham and I’m honored to be able to tell my story as April’s athlete of the month. Until reading Jessica’s story from January, I had thought I was the only athlete dumb enough to ignore PE symptoms for nearly a month, but it seems the stubbornness of athletes is a common thing!

I’m a daily runner, but not a racer. I go about 5 miles per day, which keeps me in shape for my real passion, water skiing. I run the slalom course and once you get to the level of shortening the line, it’s quite the short burst exercise challenge. On smooth days I’ll ski barefoot, and that’s where the story begins.

 

One day last May I came back in the boat from a barefoot stint and had a tiny puncture wound on my left Achilles, barely enough to drip blood. We theorized the foot must have hit the fin of one of the many dead pan fish that are commonly seen floating that time of year (they often die in spawning). No big deal. I went home to plant my garden, but found myself starting to limp. It got worse and worse until I could barely walk on it that night. The next day I was on crutches with a big fat swollen foot, and was still stubborn enough that it took me another 24 hours to go to the ER. The doctor flipped, said it was a serious infection and put me in the hospital (first time in my life) on IV antibiotics. Three days in bed, and the infection was gone, but the damage was apparently done.

 

I got back to running and the foot healed up, but in mid-July I began to have odd pain in my chest. It felt like it war right over my heart. It was pretty much constant, and then my running begin to be a struggle, especially on hills. I found myself having to stop, winded in a way you don’t get unless you’re trying a whole new level. On a Sunday in md-August, I found myself unable to keep up with my son just walking around Cedar Point. I vowed to go to the ER the next day, but after my run my symptoms were so bad I thought it was a heart attack, so I went by ambulance. CT Scans showed bilateral PEs, and ultrasound found a clot all the way from groin to calf in that same leg that had the infection. Straight to a hospital bed I went, on Heparin and Coumadin. After begging my way out of the hospital, I spend 10 days taking Lovenox shots until the Coumadin level was therapeutic in my system.

I did the same thing as all of you. Read all I could on the subject and was wondering when or if I would get back to my regular life. The doctor said no running for 3-4 weeks, and he grudgingly allowed biking and swimming, not to exceed a 120 heart rate. These were the days I thought the constant pain and getting easily winded would be the new normal. It was still water ski season and I was banned. Too hard on the heart, and too much risk of a hard fall.

But in a few weeks, I was indeed back in my running shoes, and a few weeks after that I had worked back up to a respectable pace. So I strapped on my slalom ski and promised to stay out of the course so I wouldn’t push too hard and risk a hard fall. Every day I pushed harder, and every day of pushing too hard  left me with painful reminders the next day that healing is a long process. However, at the end of February I will be off Coumadin, I can run faster and swim further than before the PE, and the chest pains and shortness of breath are becoming more memories than realities. The lake is frozen at the moment, but as soon as we get the boats in the water this Spring, I will be back in the slalom course tearing it up. This time I’ll be especially mindful to keep an eye out for dead fish during those barefoot runs!

My message to anyone who is just days or weeks removed from your diagnosis is this; the first few weeks are hard and frustrating, but it gets better every day, and if you are diligent you will be back to doing the things you love. And tell your friends, it’s protocol in most hospitals to offer Lovenox to anyone who is going to be there even overnight. Take it. I am writing to you today in large part because the hospital didn’t offer me Lovenox when I went in with that infection. Stay focused, clot-busters! Everyone on this blog is living proof you can come back from PE! "

I am SO VERY THANKFUL to have the opportunity to have met Ted virtually and to have his story to share with all who is willing to read.  THANK YOU Ted once more for your willingness to share and inspire.

Reading about water skiing sure gets me ready for spring  and summer.  For sure I will need to work on Ted to see if we can get him to ski while wearing the CLOT BUSTER STOPTHECLOT polka-dots... That for sure would be a first.  Who wants to see pictures of that?!?! No question that would be sensational.

So, with spring around the corner let's get inspired to spread the word about blood clots and blood clotting disorders and to get out there to water ski, swim, bike, run, hike and do anything else you wish to do!

Thank you for reading,

The Clot Buster