June 20, 2007

Course Of Action

Yeah, it's still sorta been like that the last few days again. My body totally tricked me on Saturday, after the great race I got suckered into thinking I might be on the mend. But, nothing has changed. I have been making some phone calls and I'll be doing some things next week that will hopefully start to get things straightened out once and for all.
Some of you might not know, but last year after the Sea Otter I got sick with what seemed to be a sinus infection/cold, except it never went away totally and ever since I have had a plugged nose and some other weird things going on, one of them being what feels like hyperglycemia, or lethargic/dizzy/sleepy spells. Sometimes it's worse than normal, sometimes it's decent, but it's always there. I raced horrible all last year, but then came around good enough last fall to race cross. I had a few good results, but nothing consistent and mostly I felt like I was still sick for most of the season. I definitely wasn't racing at the level I thought I could be the entire time.
I had hoped after a good break over the winter things would clear up. It seemed to for most of the time I was training this spring until one day right before heading to the National in California this spring I got smacked with it again and have been steadily declining in performance since. I am almost back to only being able to get in about an hour before I'm totally blown. I saw a few doctors initially, but was sent home with a clean bill of health from each one and lost interest in going that route since it cost a lot for no answers.

I'm really throwing down serious this time and going all out to find the problem. Maybe it's a bacteria or virus I've been dealing with the last year, but it's got to be found and gotten rid of whatever it is. I really think my performance on the bike would make huge leaps if I could get through this as I've seen some big results at races when I've ridden well and at the level I feel I'm capable of. I've found a specialist doctor who deals with athletes and this type of thing and he's going to help me out with a lot of different testing for a few days next week to get to the bottom of this illness and get me back on track. I'm pretty excited to have found a doctor that understands what not feeling good on a bike feels like compared to a doctor that says I'm the most healthy person he's seen in 10 years.

I'll have some cool information at least to talk about here when it's done, maybe I'll even find something crazy out that's been the issue for the last year. That's the goal at least.

18 comments:

SquidBuzz said...

Don't forget to get checked out for allergies.

You never know.

Good luck.

Todd
The guy you gave the stickers to in the parking lot at Wausau.

Anonymous said...

What about your thyroid?

Anonymous said...

Maybe your just not good enough good? Perhaps your talent and hardwork just are not enough reach your goals.

Anonymous said...

A real bummer you are not feeling well enough to be up here in marquette for the superior bike fest this weekend.There is always the ore to shore[$$$$]coming up.Best of luck and get healthy!

rusty wrycza said...

I've been through a similar ordeal, which ended thanks to skipping the zithromax antibiotic, and doing 15 days worth of 800mg amoxicillin
my theory is that you've never actually killed off you infection completely
and NO, you don't have chronic fatigue, you just aren't recovered, yet - unfortunately

Mark D. said...

I'm anxious to hear what your new doc says.I have felt the same as you for what seems like forever.Every doctor I go to says the same thing.Supposedly I'm as "healthy as a horse"

Keep us updated on what you hear.I bet lots of folks out there are having similar problems.

Mark D. said...

Almost forgot.....good luck

Anonymous said...

It appears your Anonymous friend up there has the intelligence of a fifth grader. your(sp)... good enough good(huh?)
I recommend some meatloaf and a beer... it seems to work for me.

Anonymous said...

Did someone say meatloaf and beer?

Anonymous said...

maybe you'll feel better now that there is a state line between you and Jamie!!! Or is the big questions just around the corner....THAT'S IT....if you just get 'it' over with you'll feel all better...it's the nerves that has you down and out man...the nerves

Anonymous said...

meatloaf and a beer... THAT IS SPLENDID!!

Hey Tristan, thx for cheering me on at Phillips. Now that was sucking last wind :-)

Keep trying, figure it out ... we'll be there to cheer for you.
jon

Anonymous said...

I hope you find out whats going on with your health. We all know what you can do when you're healthy. It seems there are a lot of people with the same symptoms. I have gone through the same symptoms you're talking about. Unfortunately it has driven me out of racing temporarily. Keep us informed, we are very interested.
Good luck!

Anonymous said...

Hahaha, "Anonymous!" You should really get enough guts to sign your name to your comments ;-)

Jamie

Anonymous said...

C'mon Jamie.....who else would write something like that.........

your secret partner in crime...

Anonymous said...

Hahaha, "Anonymous!" You should really get enough guts to sign your name to your comments ;-)

I don't have a blog so here is my name and e-mail address, have fun. It is not ment to be a cut on anyone. There is a point (and sometimes several) in everyone's young life (and sometimes later in life) when they have to look at where they are going, what their goals are and can they be reached. Most young athletes grow up dreaming of an Olympic medal (or a signed contract), but someday they must evaluate where they are and what else they can do. This could be true with students who are in medschool or a engineering student who can't handle the physics classes. We all will face these points in our life. AL Zinzindorf
znzndrf@yahoo.com

Tristan Schouten said...

Commenting in your own comments section is lame, but sometimes I do it anyway!

First, I do believe there are two different anonymous comments above and AL seems to have misinterpreted Jamie's comments to him and not correctly to the second "anonymous" who actually is not really "anonymous" as Jamie and I both know who it is.

Second AL, while maybe not attempting to make a cut at someone it's pretty tough to interpret what you said as positive criticism - "maybe you're just not good enough" Uh...??? Well maybe I'm not "just good enough" to win WORS races ANYMORE, or get a top ten at a NORBA XCST ANYMORE, or go to the World Championships ANYMORE, or even do a 3 hour ride ANYMORE, or even feel good ANYMORE, but I sure COULD and HAVE ACCOMPLISHED at one point in my career - just maybe not "anymore"???
While 100% of the comments I allow on here go through my own filter, I mostly let people say what they want and 99% of the time laugh and could care less what it is, I have to admit this one caught my I and I thought for a few moments "who would actually say that?", but then decided it was pretty amusing and posted it up for all to see.

Now, since you decided to fully explain yourself, I'm getting a little heated about it as you clearly don't understand this isn't a matter of facing myself and saying - Tristan, I guess "you're just not good enough" to accomplish your goals. Thanks for the enlightenment, I had never considered that before! (read sarcastically) I've got plenty of goals, some accomplishable and some that are out there. Every spring I put together 1 month goals, 1 year goals, 5 year goals, long term goals. I stay motivated year to year by putting a check next to accomplished goals and looking at how I'm doing reaching for the next. Is racing the Olympics in there, sure it is and why not? Have I considered I might not make it? I sure have, but I'm accomplishing little goals along the way and making progress each year so there's no reason not to keep the Olympics on the list.
But the biggest issue is that currently I am not healthy and not even able to train. Perfect time for someone to let you know you know that "you just might not be good enough" and you might want to reevaluate keeping on struggling for no apparent reason other than you haven't considered your actual ability to accomplish said goal.

So, am I struggling right now? Yeah, it's been a really tough spring to stay motivated and not throw in the towel, but someone like AL is not going to make me throw out my goals and dreams and make me live in wonder of how I made it this far with the little talent I have. Now, when I am healthy and racing 100% for 5 years straight and not getting anywhere I might consider it a helpful bit of advice, until then I'll just post the comment and have a little giggle as to who would actually say that to someone who's having a hard time.
Tristan Schouten

Tristan Schouten said...

...and read that "caught my eye" above and not "caught my I" which makes no sense.

SquidBuzz said...

Well said and I hope you find out what the answers are.