Sick as a Dog.

I never really understood that statement. Are dogs always sick, or is it supposed to be really awful for a dog to be sick when they are actually sick. I’m not sure. But I’ve been sick. And not just in the “oh crap. Exhaustion got me. I need to sleep for a day and let my body reboot.”

No, this was something else. The only time I can remember being more sick than this was once, back in high school, and also when I had that damned swine flu a couple years ago. This was bed ridden, run over by a mile long train “Please, Lord take me now” kind of sick.

I know why it hit me so hard. Long hours at work, climbing way more than I should and well passed what would be considered smart climbing. And it didn’t help that my entire family had come down with the black plague. Basically, all this and no matter of healthy eating and exercise was going to make up for everything else I was depriving myself of (let me spell it out for you: REST.).

So, now, two weeks later I went to the gym for the first time in an attempt to move on some rock. I had tried to go after the first week… and really I just sat there and twiddled my thumbs, and helped coach a friend who’s trying to get into climbing. This trip, I’m just fighting off the last bit of the nagging cough (BTW, I’m good for ab workouts for the next couple months… six pack? Done. Thank you, hacking/debilitating cough.). Energy is still at critically low levels.

I enjoy a good dyno as much as the next guy. I think I’m a pretty dynamic climber. I often have to tone down my desire to do big moves just to make sure I’m training statically and improving my foot technique and such… but when it came time to DTFO (Dyno the F* Out.)**, I was severely grounded.

Now I hear what you’re thinking… No, not because I’m psychic, but because you’re probably a smart person, or at least someone with some level of common sense. But you’re saying to me “James! You’re obviously not ready to be going back. What’re you doing? You run the risk of potentially making it worse. Or relapsing.” Yeah? Close?

I coach Pole Vault at the local community college and one of the local high schools. And if one of my athletes did this… I’d be pissed. But I no longer have a coach. I only have myself to answer too, and myself to blame.

I will admit I backed off though. I geared up to see how I was doing, and I did all right. Then I warmed down and called it a night.

Things I did notice: long rests in order to recover from a burn. Even on climbs well below my average level, I was still needing a long rest. The biggest parts I struggled with were core tension (sore muscles in my mid region… don’t know why. lol) and my grip strength was fatiguing quickly.

But I couldn’t handle being inside anymore. Or at work. I needed to move. I needed my drug. This is where I felt like a dog. Trapped inside and anxiously waiting to get outside and run around. Climbing destresses me. it clears my head, and for two weeks I was without my wonder drug. I was getting volatile, restless and more or less neurotic. The line between my fever and cabin fever was blurring.

Even if it wasn’t a mind blowing night, or a training night. Booting up was much needed. It’s raining outside. It’s cold. I needed this. If anything, I feel healthier just from having gone and shaking out my restless bones.

So here’s to health, happiness and holidays. I’ll let my body recoup some more, probably until the first of the year. I’ll keep time at the gym (guys… that’s all I’ve got. No outdoors until next spring.) to minimum. I’ll eat whatever I want, and ignoring my normally more restrictive diets. And just focus on getting healthy.

It just occurred to me that this is the longest I’ve gone without climbing since I started really attempting to improve almost a year ago (apparently that’s January 6^th). As much as I hate to admit it, this hiatus is a blessing. My desire to climb and move are constantly growing and keeping myself in check is often times difficult. My body needed this. Next time though, hopefully I’ll just take some time off instead of crashing like this.

Happy new years guys. :)

James

**DTFO was a saying we made up a while ago. I’m not sure if it’s ever been used before so forgive me if that’s been your friend’s “thing” for the last… however long. It wasn’t my intention to steal it. I’ll try to write up a blog sometime soon about how that came about how that became a sort of faux-mantra for us. If you have used it before, or heard it used please leave a comment and share your story.