Physically preparing

When we received our folders from ClimbKili, there was stuff included about preparing ourselves physically and there's a lot out there on the web about it. One website suggested that you become a marathon runner since it is boring and requires you to be in good shape. Seriously. It actually said that. Other websites were pretty nonchalant about it and what you needed to do, but suggested that you be in shape enough to walk the distances each day.  Many also suggested that you do interval training to get your heart rate up into the higher zones.

We joined OrangeTheory in November and that seemed to fit the requirements of most recommended training programs (other than the nutjob suggesting marathons). With cardio, strength training and a keen eye on getting my heart rate up, it made sense.  I was going 2-3 days a week and feeling pretty proud of myself. When I started, I couldn't do a single burpee. By late April I could do five in good form - including the push up - and could eek out 5 more that were less than perfect, but manageable.  And then.... And then the pain started.

When I did I push up, I felt pain in my left shoulder. Pain that seemed to indicate that I had pulled a muscle.  Fortunately, I had a conference in May and I assumed that the pain would improve while I was there since I wasn't going to work out.  Unfortunately, it did not.  After 6 weeks of pain, I went to my orthopedic surgeon who had operated on my other shoulder a number of years ago. He too thought it was a bad muscle strain and gave me a course of steroids and told me to refrain from doing any exercise at OT that made my shoulder hurt.  Despite an awesome week on steroids and modifying my exercises to avoid the pain, the pain steadily got worse.  Fast forward through an MRI (in an open machine which had a picture of Matthew McConaughey taped to the wall over Joey's head that I got to admire for 20 minutes, but I digress) and I have been diagnosed with tendinopathy in my rotator cuff tendon in two spots. This means that I have damaged the tendon and, unless I take steps to fix it (and preferably whatever is causing it), I could tear it.  Awesome. Great news. Did I mention that I am climbing Kilimanjaro??!!

So, last Friday - a mere two weeks before we head out - I had two PRP injections into my shoulder.   The shots are own platelets and it causes inflammation intentionally to jump start the healing process.  Notably, it also causes pain every time you move, swelling (wedding ring stayed on all weekend) and lethargy.   And, my doctor said no exercise at all for a week, no Advil or anti inflammatories for as long as I could tolerate and no upper body working out until after I check in with him 30 days after the shot.  Grudgingly, I put my OT membership on hold. Thus ended my cardio.

So, being a week out now, I am trying to walk every day at least 4 miles in my boots. While it isn't perfect, it doesn't hurt my shoulder and I feel like I am preparing my legs for back to back day of hiking.  Plus, with the boot saga, I really need to get some miles in before we go.

Hopefully this works.