Life on the Ocean Wave
Yesterday afternoon I got back from having spent the weekend sailing for the first time in my life as part of a project with the Ocean Youth Trust. It was brilliant! In partnership with Youth Link: NI, OYT has been running an OCN Level 3 course in Community Relations Programme Development and I’ve been one of the Tutor/Assessors. So this weekend I was assessing 2 youth leaders as they ran their programme with a group of young people.

OYT Ireland has a boat called Lord Rank which is based at Bangor Marina, it’s a 68ft yacht with berths for 18 people plus sea-staff. On Friday night w had safety briefs etc to do so we didn’t set sail until Saturday morning. We spent the day sailing around in Belfast Lough doing tacks and jibes etc. The weather was absolutely beautiful – blue skies, blue sea – great stuff! We got decent wind on Saturday and got up to about 9 knots, but on the Sunday the winds were very light so we took it easy and just enjoyed the scenery and being on the water.

I would definitely do sailing again though I’m nowhere near getting to grips with all the terminology, ropework etc. The sea staff are fantastic – very patient and good at explaining stuff…again and again! It was great getting the opportunity to be hands-on and do all sorts of tasks – winching, hoisting sails, pulling sails in, flaking sails (folding them so that they can be put to bed for the night etc), looking after fenders, bow-& stern-lines when coming into the pontoon etc. OYTI is a great organisation so if you’re a youth leader/worker I would definitely check them out. Sailing is a great teambuilding exercise for a group of young people and doing a programme in the outdoors like that has that extra something.

I was bushed when I got home yesterday and still had the sensation of being at sea, the room felt like it was gently rocking around me! But I feel re-energised having had a little adventure. A couple of weeks ago there had been some problems with the programme and we thought this weekend would be cancelled so I was feeling that what with my hip injury everything was working against me – no Scotland kayak trip, no Nepal trip, no sailing. But thankfully it worked out and I really enjoyed getting out on the water and feeling all that fresh air on my face! Doing the winches and hoisting the sails took more than just upper body movement – you end up putting your whole body into it, so my hip was a bit sore on Saturday night and last night but I think generally it’s beginning to improve. It’s definitely going to be a long and slow recovery but hopefully it will eventually be ok. It was just really good this weekend, and almost therapeutic, to feel a bit more active, do something outdoorsy and forget about everything for a bit.

Hip Jab
On Monday I had an ultrasound for my hip and the radiologist could immediately see the bursitis so gave me a steroid injection on the spot. It was a fairly big needle but although I could feel it going in the whole way, it wasn’t an overly painful experience. Apparently I need to rest as much as possible for the next week and should notice a real difference in the next 2-3 weeks. I spoke to my physio yesterday who told me that I could do upper body stuff at the gym, I’ve been pretty regular doing upper body & core stuff over the last few weeks so a week off will be good for the muscles and I’ll get back to upper body work next Monday. In 2 weeks I can introduce core exercises and then in 4 weeks I can introduce gentle exercise. It’s going to be a slow process but I’m hoping that I can be back to normal maybe by June/July. It’s pretty frustrating having not been able to be as physically active as I’d like since Christmas time and I do feel a bit sluggish, man I haven’t been in my kayak for over 3 months! The guys in the canoe club are away to Scotland today, I’d so love to have been going with them, but I hope they have a good time and that they get good water. I’m also supposed to be going to Nepal on a work trip in just over 4 weeks but the trip is under question as I don’t want to have to do too much walking too soon and undo the effects of the treatment. I’ll be really disappointed if I don’t get to go but I’d far rather have a hip 100% fit for the long-term. For the moment I have to content myself with resting which is a bit boring & I feel like a bit of a prat, but I’ve got work home with me and can lie on the sofa and patter away at the laptop.

In the midst of this I’m reminded that the LORD reigns:
The LORD rules over the floodwaters.
The LORD reigns as King forever.
The LORD gives his people strength.
The LORD blesses them with peace.
Psalm 29:10-11 (NLT)

…The LORD reigns over all – over my hip bursitis, future jobsearch challenges, the trials & tribulations of family relationships, the NI peace process, Darfur…the LORD reigns.

Hip Update
I was back with the physio today and considering that there was no improvement whatsoever despite all efforts she decided that it was time to call in the big guns i.e. send me for an ultrasound and injection. A big part of me is glad that I've got this option and that it's something that can be effective and sort out the problem. But I'm going to be out of commission for at least another 5-6 weeks plus rehab time after that (the canoe club trip is definitely out the window). At the end of the day, it will be worth it although I'm concerned that the pain in my left is hip is not compensatory but that the bursitis is recurring in the left side (apparently things like this can just move from one side to the other for no apparent reason) and I guess I just have a fear that this will never get sorted and that I'll never be able to do all the active stuff I enjoy so much. I think I'm just trying to get my head round it all - I have to be positive, hopefully the end will be in sight.

Hip Report
Well last week I couldn’t feel any improvement in my hip, if anything it was getting worse and it was back to being painful when walking. I went back to the physio who figured that because I was being very diligent with doing all the exercises recommended to me by the podiatrist twice a day, I had actually tightened up. She recommended that I get a massage of my hamstrings, glutes & iliotibial band so I saw the masseuse that afternoon and I have to say that it was one of the most painful things I’ve ever experienced! I thought I had a fairly high pain threshold considering I let the physio walk on my back every so often, but that’s a walk in the park compared to this kind of massage – I still have the bruises to show for it! I managed not to yell/scream, but only just! (If you were listening to the Chris Moyles show on Radio 1 last Wednesday morning when they had a sports physio in doing some massage stuff, I could totally identify with their pain! There's a very funny video of it here.) Since the weekend I’ve noticed that my IT band feels a lot less tight when I’m using the foam roller which is good. Unfortunately my hip is still not right, in fact I’m getting pain in the other hip as well because it’s compensating for the injured leg. So now I have to sleep on my back because it’s sore if I sleep on either side! My physio has reminded me that bursitis is hard to get rid of, it takes time. If I lay on the flat of my back for a few weeks the inflammation would maybe go more quickly but that’s not exactly practical with the kind of job I have. I’ve reduced my cardio workouts at the gym to 5 minutes on the bike as a warm-up before doing some upper body stuff and a bit of core work because I’m worried that the cycling isn’t helping things. But I’m just so scunnered that I can’t do any of the things I enjoy – kayaking/hillwalking/cycling to work etc. My fitness is slipping – before Christmas my resting heart rate was 60 and at the weekend on the first aid course when we were practising taking pulses, it was up to 64. It’s so frustrating. What’s more it is very likely that I’ll have to miss the canoe club trip to Scotland in March which is absolutely gutting.

In the grand scheme of things, this is just a wee blip and I know that things could be a heck of a lot worse – wildfires are not ripping through my town at crazy speeds covering miles in a matter of minutes. There’s perspective…

Yet my frustration is real and I must find God in this. As I write I’m listening to Johnny Parks’ song God is still for us. Nothing can separate me from God’s love. He’s for me, not against me. The most important thing is that God is here, He’s with me in this…I must pursue Him in the midst of my pain and frustration. The other night I was reading Philippians 4:10-13, how Paul had found contentment in all things, whether lacking or in plenty. God’s strength is enough for me in this, it is sufficient when I am healthy and when I am injured, it is sufficient when I am in need or have plenty...Christ’s strength will see me through this and much more.

Hip Update
Well there’s definite improvement with my hip. I’ve seen a physio & a podiatrist and they’ve been really helpful. Already the exercises & stretches I’ve been set have made a big difference. I’ve been back to the gym 7 times in the last fortnight – using the stationary bike for 20 mins and doing my usual core/light weights/stretches routine for 40 mins. So that has restored my sanity and I don’t feel like I’m completely losing my fitness. I’ll not cycle to work for another week or so and I resisted the urge to go kayaking today – I just want to give my hip as much of a chance as possible to heal up. One of the exercises I’ve been given uses a foam roller – a fairly innocuous piece of kit, but believe me rolling up and down the illiotibial band (vocabulary expansion comes for free with injury) hurts like heck! I can just about manage 2 mins on each leg. I don’t know how the young blade in the picture above is managing to keep a smile on her face! Anyway, hopefully the improvement will continue. I’m not desperate to get back to running but it would be nice to be able to go for the odd run (emphasis on the word ‘odd’ big sis!) just for variety. Ultimately the important thing for me is to be able to go kayaking and hillwalking.

(Photo courtesy of The Loft Pilates Studio)

Well it seems that my recent running exploits have come back to bite me as I’ve hurt my hip. I’d felt some pain and stiffness after my first few runs which I just thought was muscular. But then last week I did the run I’d mentioned here (which turned out to be 4.5 miles) and the last ¾-mile I was really feeling the pain in my hip and realised that I’d done something. A good friend of mine who’s a physio has taken a look and diagnosed bursitis (inflammation of a fluid-filled sac near the joint) which can be treated but the bad news is she thinks I’ll have to rest it completely for 6 weeks i.e. no kayaking, cycling, walking, gym etc – ARGH! I’m a bit gutted to be honest as I don’t want to lose my fitness but hopefully it will work out for the long run as it is rather sore at the moment and I want it to get fully healed. And at the end of the day it could be a heck of a lot worse so I just have to suck it up, possibly God is reminding me that being fit isn’t the be-all and end-all, though it does make me feel good! Bummer!

Beach-Run
I just got back this afternoon from 5 days’ leave in Donegal with a good friend, Ruth, and it was sheer bliss to chill out and not have to do anything. I’ll write more about it in the next few days but to get you started, I wrote the following on Wednesday…

Donegal is such a beautiful place. Where we’re staying is just a couple of minutes from the beach in Rathmullan. We woke up this morning to find everywhere covered in frost and the weather forecast highlighting the possibility of rain turning to snow later tonight. My car has only defrosted in the last hour (It’s almost 1pm as I write). After taking time to get up slowly (oh the bliss of being off!), having a leisurely breakfast and then reading for a while, I decided to go for a run along the beach. It was definitely nippy outside but once I got going I was grand. I ran along the road for a bit to get to the far end of the beach but that was a bit unnerving because of some black ice on the road. Once I got onto the beach I felt more surefooted and it was good to be able to run on the soft sand compared with the hard pavements of East Belfast. The best thing was the view – the flat calm of the sea, a completely clear, blue sky, the sun shining and glinting off the frost on the sand, snow on the hills on the other side of Lough Swilly…everything looked and felt crisp, clear, clean and fresh – absolutely GLORIOUS! I ran to the rocks at the end of the beach and started clambering over them to get to the other beach. Alas the tide was in so I came to a deep channel and could go no further. But it had been fun to try and I just soaked up the scenery for a bit. To be honest this run wasn’t so much about the exercise as about drinking in the beauty of the world around me. I definitely live in one of the most beautiful countries on the planet.

Up to this point I’d had the beach to myself but then as I turned and went back up again I met a couple of dog-walkers and we commented on the perfection of the day. One lady summed it up pretty well, that it was a day where you feel it’s great to be alive. To push myself seeing as I wasn’t covering a big distance I did about 6-7 sprints [N.B. 'sprint' is probably a generous description but let's just say I went at a faster pace than normal!] between the lifebuoy markers, probably only about 50 yards between each one but that was quite enough for me to do at a time! So now it’s great to be back from my run, showered, fed & watered, and feeling a huge sense of satisfaction. How amazing would it be to live somewhere where you could do such a beautiful beach-run everyday?

Unfortunately I’ve developed a bit of a head-cold since Wednesday – if it was the run that did it I don’t really care – it was worth it! The snuffles etc prevented me from doing any more beach-runs but we had danders on the beach yesterday & today (which helped ease my aching buttocks after those sprints haha!) and even a bit of stargazing last night so it’s been a great week. As my camera died in Arizona, no photos yet, but hopefully I’ll post a few of Ruth’s here soon.

I’m not really big into running but every now and then I take a notion that I’d like to go for a run. I don’t think I’m a very good runner which maybe sounds silly, surely it’s just about putting one foot in front of the other, but I think the world can probably be divided into good runners and not so good runners and I probably fit better into the ‘not so good’ category. I’m not overly bothered by that because I value my joints and I’ve fairly weak ankles so it’s not something I want to get addicted to. However about 6 weeks ago I took a notion of going for a run, so I did a route I’ve done maybe half a dozen times in the 2½ years I’ve been living in Belfast, maybe 3-3½ miles long. The very first time I did this route way back in January ’07 I did it in 37 minutes, so I surprised myself on this occasion by running it in 30 minutes, and what’s more I’ve repeated the feat twice more since then. It just goes to show what a difference cycling to work has made to my cardio fitness – I don’t feel like I’m going to completely collapse. I’ve found as well that prayer is great for taking your mind off feeling puffed out and keeps you focussed on keeping going. Tonight when I got home from work I decided to go for a run again, and 15 minutes into the run I decided to push myself a little and go a bit further. I figure I did maybe about 4 miles, maybe a little more – must measure it the next time I drive that way - and I did it in 39 minutes. I could fall asleep right now but I have to say I felt great, 20 minutes in and I was in a really good rhythm and was actually enjoying myself! 4 miles is the furthest I’ve ever run and although I definitely do not count myself a super-fit freak, I feel quite proud of myself!

(Photo courtesy of Womens Running Central)

Calling all inventors!
Would someone please develop a Swiss ball which inflates and deflates itself?! I love my Swiss ball and it does wonders for my back, but it's not very portable. My back is loads better and I don't have to go back to the physio unless it tightens up completely again and I can't get it loosened with my daily regime of stretches etc. But it would be great to have a Swiss ball that I could take with me to work, travelling etc.

I kind of surprised myself today - I took a notion for going for a run...so I did! When I got home from work I pulled on the running shoes and set off up the road. Thought I would try to do a wee circular route which I figured would take me 30-40 minutes. After about 15 minutes, I was thinking I should just turn back, that maybe it was further than I'd thought. But I did a few stretches then got going again, and completed the run in 37 minutes, so I was pretty chuffed. I haven't gone jogging in probably at least 4 years. I tend to avoid it because I've got dodgy ankles and I'd rather do stuff that's kinder to my joints. But I have to say I quite enjoyed my wee outing tonight! I don't think it's going to become a regular part of my routine, tho' I've often thought about doing a relay marathon or 10k for charity or something, but I figure I'll maybe do it again once a month or whenever the notion takes me.

Taped up

Today I got taped up – not stitched up – literally taped up! I had another session with my physio today – it’s amazing how someone actually walking on your back can be so therapeutic, in a strange kind of way despite the fact that the breath is at times being knocked out of me, I enjoy it! – and she finished by taping my back in such a way as to encourage me not to slouch. My back problem basically stems from the fact I’ve got diabolical posture (too much sitting at desks/computers, even stuff like swimming/cycling) and my shoulders have got rounded causing my spine to get unbelievably stiff. What’s worse is that it now hurts my back muscles to sit up straight – they’ve just weakened with all the slouching. I use a back block to stretch every day and it was funny because a few weeks ago I was in a carpark in Belfast city-centre sorting out some of my gear before heading away on a residential. A random bloke was walking past as I was putting my back block into the boot of my car and called out, “That back block saved my life, keep using it!” I think there’s only 2 physios in NI who recommend the use of a block of wood for back stretches so he must have been to one of them!

Backed up
Unfortunately I’m having to put a temporary hold to my kayaking exploits as an old back problem has returned and my physio wants me to hold off until it is better. Looks like my back is at the root of the gip my shoulders have been giving me after a day on the river. I’m hoping that next Thursday after another physio session of being walked over (painful but gives huge relief!) I get the green light. However this past weekend hasn’t done me any favours – too much driving, sitting, standing etc, but it was kind of difficult to pack my swiss ball! Thankfully I can now stretch to my heart’s content and hopefully there will be an improvement by the end of the week. I'm trying to console myself by watching the class vids on the Jackson website!

The River Wild
Yesterday was the canoe club's first day on a river since about April. Man it was so good! I got such a kick out of it! I was even able to play in some of the rapids for the first time - all the skills work we've done over the summer has paid off for me and things are beginning to click into place. It's such a good feeling, I managed to get a few rolls in as well - pretty different rolling in moving water than on a lake! Unfortunately water levels were fairly low and the rocks were freaking me out, I would have been trying to roll more if it hadn't been for them.

Rodger worked us pretty hard and made us go down some of the weirs and rapids backwards. Unfortunately I didn’t manage to stay upright with any of those runs! And there was one in particular which ended up like a bit of a washing machine experience for me – I was very glad of my helmet, but my butt has some not so beautiful bruises as a result!

The only bummer about it all is that I’ve managed to wreck my left shoulder. A few weeks ago I noticed pain with my right arm and difficulty lifting it. A physio friend reliably informs me I’ve got rotator cuff damage and inflamed a tendon in my shoulder. I thought I had done something at the gym, but I’ve realised in the last couple of weeks that kayaking aggravates it. Apparently rest is the best thing and my friend gave me some exercises to do which have helped but after yesterday it’s now my left arm which is giving me major gip – even changing gears in the car is painful! Frustrating, but hopefully if I do the exercises and work on strengthening my muscles it’ll get better. Heigh ho!

What rocked & what sucked
What rocked about last week:
- The new series of ER reaching Channel 4 screens
- Watching a repeat of Michael Palin’s ‘Himalaya’ series – the one where he does Tiger Leaping Gorge, Lijiang etc – all the places I visited last August. I watched it with my parents and was madly yelling at the TV everytime Michael Palin set foot on a bit of ground I just might have walked on…I want to go baaaack!!
- Steve Coogan & Rob Brydon on the Chris Moyles show on Radio 1 on Wednesday morning, don’t usually find them funny, but they made me chuckle to myself on my way to work – always an achievement at 7.45am.
- Kayaking yesterday – I was teeth-chatteringly cold, couldn’t feel my fingers or feet, my legs were cramping up, was making quite a few mistakes, but I was having an absolute blast
- Getting the completion date settled on the sale of my house
- Managing to swim 52 lengths in just under 40 minutes, mainly I think because the pool felt like it was in the Arctic circle & I just blattered my way up & down to keep warm!
- Hanging out with Mr & Mrs Peter Martin - a good way to start the weekend - thanks guys!

What sucked about last week:
- Work.
- The end of the Without a Trace series
- Spending 14 hours driving to & from or for work
- Expecting to hear about a job I’ve applied for but there’s been nothing in the post so far
- Trying to get my head round the question in my social policy assignment due at the end of next month
- Desperately wanting to escape off abroad somewhere for some adventure & fun but knowing that escapism isn’t the answer and that the grass can be greener on the other side
- A bit of my exhaust on my car needing replacement.

What's been happenin'...
Well it would seem I haven’t been very ‘purpose-driven’ recently considering my lack of blogging over the past week or so. Actually I’ve been somewhat absorbed by other things…namely planning a month-long trip to China in 8 weeks’ time! Woo-hoo! I’m going with a friend and we’re hoping to spend some time in Yunnan, Sichuan and then Thailand or Vietnam, doing a spot of trekking etc. If you saw any of Michael Palin’s ‘Himalaya’ programme last year, some of the places on our itinerary were featured on it e.g. Tiger Leaping Gorge. I cannot wait! Unfortunately I can’t get unpaid leave so when I come back mid-September I’ll be jobless. But to be honest I’m not too worried – it will work out and God will keep me right.

So I’m trying to get fit and have been trying to bike to work most days and do some extra biking round the local country roads in the afternoons/evenings, wish the weather would settle though, I hate biking in wind and rain! Actually I fell off last week, felt like a right prat so hopped right back on to try and salvage some credibility. When I got home I had to turf my trainers into the washing machine as they were rather spattered with blood, and had to go to my next-door neighbour to ask for some antiseptic. It’s sad but I feel quite proud of my ‘war-wound’ – makes me feel like a ‘proper cyclist’ (though believe me if you saw the cut of me you’d know I’m far from that, I barely know how to use the gears!).

Eason’s is going good, still enjoying it and it is still so blissful to be working part-time and have time for other things during the day, such as watching a spot of tennis now that there’s actually some on terrestrial TV (bring on Wimbles, yay!). At work I’ve had the dubious pleasure of sorting out the Mills & Boon books and the titles really take the biscuit! It seems that if you’re a male doctor, cowboy, sheikh, Greek tycoon or even banker, you have instant sex appeal. I think my ‘favourite’ titles are: ‘Lover Undercover’, ‘The Last Man in Texas’, ‘Expecting the Cop’s Baby’ and ‘Crime and Passion’…NOT!

Was at the Third Day concert last week, along with what seemed like the rest of Northern Ireland’s Christian community – it’s rather weird the way you constantly bump into folk you know, bit like a mini Summer Madness. Personally I find it a bit claustrophobic. Anyway it was a really great show. And I was at my first ever cosmetics party the week before that courtesy of Virgin Vie and an old school pal. Quite an experience, thought I’d be a bit intimidated considering I’m really not into the whole make-up scene and can barely put mascara on without poking my eye out. But actually it was a good laugh, the group was like a pack of wee kiddies let loose in a sweetie shop (that's ‘candy store’ for all you N American people!). Yesterday’s latest adventure was that I came home to find a bird in my house, yes that’s right, a flippin’ bird! It must have come down the chimney as there was soot all round the fireplace. The funny thing is that the fireguard is still in place so it must have managed to squeeze out without knocking over the fireguard or any of my candles! When I walked into the house it was flapping about in my bedroom desperately trying to get out, poor thing. So had to get a couple of plastic bags over my hands, try to cup it and force it (gently!) out a window. Unfortunately there’s bird poop round quite a few of my windows, it’s been fun cleaning that up!

So there you go that’s the latest score on the doors with me – I’m enjoying life!

I want to ride my bii-see-cal!
I rode a bike for the first time in about 8 years on Monday night! I’ve nabbed an old mountain bike of my brother’s and brought it down to Dungannon on Sunday night with the intention of biking to work every day to cut down on mileage and help me keep fit. So on Monday and Tuesday nights I took it out for a spin to try to figure out the gears (I’m not very proficient in that department as yet!) and today I managed make it to work and back on pedal-power. The way there involved a lot more hills than on the way back but I got a bit of a drenching coming home.

It brings back fond memories of my time in Germany eight years ago when I spent 4 months studying at the University of Regensburg as part of my undergraduate degree programme (though I can’t honestly say a huge amount of studying went on, Regensburg is a beautiful spot and we did as much travelling as possible!). The essential mode of transport for everyone there was a bike. So I managed to buy one for 50DM (about £18 at the time) which had all of 3 gears and definitely didn’t have a lot of street cred in terms of its looks. But it did the job and I got unbelievably fit – we cycled everywhere, it was great! My hall of residence was at the top of a steep hill – it took me a full week to be able to pedal up it without stopping to get off. And my room was on the fifth floor but there were no lifts, so I had to clamber up 75 steps to get to my room! I think it’s actually the fittest I’ve ever been in my life – my body didn’t know what had hit it! The set-up in Germany is so good for that kind of thing – bike lanes throughout the city, pedestrian crossings aren’t just for pedestrians but also for cyclists (there’s a wee green bike that lights up beside the wee green man!), cycle paths in the countryside, along rivers etc. When it came to the time for me to leave in August ’97 I couldn’t find a buyer for my bike, so I ended up just walking into a bike shop and leaving it there – that bike owed me nothing!

…which reminds me of a rather interesting incident. There were a couple of times that I had a few repairs to get done to the bike, and I went back to the man I’d bought it from. One day I knocked on his door to be greeted by his Norwegian wife dressed only in jeans and bra…yes you read that correctly! I just didn’t know where to look or what to say! She explained that she’d been ironing and because it was so hot she’d taken her blouse off… Okay, whatever!