Week 13: Climb for Clean Air – Small Win

Plan this week:

Monday: Long Cardio

Tuesday: Strength Training

Wednesday: Long Cardio

Thursday: Strength Training

Friday: Long Cardio

Saturday: Rest

Sunday: Muir Hike

How it actually went down:

Well, remember last week that I felt really awful during the hike?  I started this week with being diagnosed with pneumonia.   Wonderful.  Like I need another hurdles, right?   It explained a lot of things though, on how I felt or why I was so exhausted and winded.   My doctor told me that it could take 2-3 weeks for me to fully recover.  I was like.. WHA?  Two or THREE weeks??  I don’t have that kind of time and people that know me know that I’m a wee bit stubborn.   Anyway – I continued to work out.   I want to push myself and see how far I can go.   It wasn’t easy since I was absolutely have no energy.   Antibiotic should do it’s job but my body have to heal on it’s own.   Fast forward to the end of the week, my hard work paid off.   I felt decent by Saturday and able to go on a hike and even made it to Camp Muir.   This is a small win for me.  After fourth try, I finally made it.   It’s less than three weeks to the climb and I mean business.

How it actually went down:

Monday:

I did a light cardio.   I was pretty much mad after the doctor visit and determine that I am not going to let this pneumonia thing stop me.   I hopped on treadmill and I walk, slowly, for an hour.   I didn’t have any pack on me or in any incline.   Just plain flat treadmill with about 2 miles an hour.   I was exhausted afterward, but feel very good about the fact that I did it

Tuesday:

Strength training with Weston.   He worked me HARD!  We started with 18lbs bar on my shoulder and did a step up with balance (about a foot tall step), squat, backward lunges with one foot on the half-dome, another forward lunges to the end of the gym and back, shoulder press, biceps curl and laid down on the mat with one of my feet on top of the steps and do bridges.   We did three sets of each of them and follow by 10 minutes walk on the treadmill.    I was winded half way through and actually had to step and catch my breath and to the point almost pass out but I kept on going.    He was trying to work on my muscle without raising my heartbeat but lunges always got me.   It was a great work out.

Wednesday:

I did another light cardio.   I woke up with all kind of soreness on my lower body.   Yesterday’s work out really did wonder to my muscle.   I was so tempted to just lay around and rest (which I did pretty much all day since I was calling in sick), but I ended up forcing myself to walk on the treadmill for an hour towards the end of the day.   I actually felt better afterward

Thursday:

Another work out with Weston.   We focused a lot on upper body with a bit of lower body work out.   I did a combination of push-up/pull-up (assisted), shoulder press and backward curl, bench dip, (another) lunges on a balance foam and squat with the same 18lbs bar.   I was doing better today than last Tuesday and able to go through the entire three routines without feeling about to pass out

Friday:

I decided to give my muscle a rest.

Saturday:

I didn’t do anything since I had an event to go to in the afternoon.

Sunday:

Fourth trip to Camp Muir.   I had so much going on the night before that I stayed up late (like.. until 3:30am late).   Alarm went off at 4:30am and I finally got out of bed around 5am, get ready and we were out of the door by 6am.   We got to the Whittaker Mountaineering at 8am, get some of the gear and head out to Paradise.   We started to walk at 9:30am.   John set the pace and I just walked behind him, focusing on my breathing and his footsteps.  It was super windy and foggy, and our visibility was limited to about 100ft.   We got to our first stop in an hour, at the start of the avalanche chute.   I felt great and didn’t even feel a lot of breathing difficulty.   I made it further than I did last week on the first hour.   We took 15 minutes break and started to climb on the chute.   I kept focusing on John’s footstep.  One foot in front of another and did rest step and pressure breathing all the way.   Before I knew it, I was on top of the chute and we kept on walking until we were above Pebble Creek.  Our second stop is at 7,300ft.

Another 15 minutes break, and we continued to walk until our third break, which is at 8,300ft.   We ate lunch, took 30 minutes break and kept on walking to our fourth break an hour later which was at 9,100ft.   I started to feel winded.  This was the furthest I go on the Muir trip!  I was determined to get there tho!  We took another 30 minutes break for me to regain my focus and kept on walking.   The fog break about 9,500ft and gave us magnificent view of the mountain as well as the surrounding area.   I can finally see Camp Muir from where I stand!   An hour went by and I didn’t want to stop since I knew we were a few hundred feet away from it, so I kept on walking.   That was hard.  I was struggling really bad in the last 30 minutes, but kept taking my rest step and pressure breathing until I finally reached Camp Muir!   I broke down in tears.   I made it.   After fourth try, 3 weeks of illness, cold, fluid in the lung AND pneumonia – I finally made it to Camp Muir!   Check out the collection of the photos here.

Fundraising:

Donation still coming in.  I can’t believe it!  Now I want to see if I can break $10,000.   Any taker?  Online donation can be made here.   Oh, American Lung Association post my interview on their site.  Check out the article here.

Week 12: Climb for Clean Air – Progress

This week plan:

Mon:  Rest Day

Tues:  Strength Training

Wed: Long Cardio

Thurs: Strength Training

Friday: Long Cardio

Saturday:  Camp Muir Hike

Sunday:  Rest

I’m still recovering from the fluid in my lung and the cold, so I’m still taking it somewhat easy this week.   It’s very frustrating but there’s nothing more I can do.  It’s a progress from last week though.   I’m worried and nervous that this will affect my climb but I know that I’m giving it my best.   I’m emotionally tired and exhausted from being sick and the stress from me worrying that I won’t be able to make it — start to get to me.   I even wondered if this all worth it, but quickly dismiss that thought.

How it actually went down:

Monday:

Rest.  Recovering from the day before hike

Tuesday:

Strength training day.   I worked out with Weston and he’s really taking it easy on me.   We did a great workout though and I honestly can’t remember all the routines here.   I know we focused a lot on hips/quad and a little bit of shoulder/chest

Wednesday:

I ran 4 miles around my neighborhood.   It wasn’t great since I had to slow down a few times and let my breathing stabilize but I did it in less than an hour

Thursday:

Strength training with Weston again.   We worked more on upper body this time and I had to tell you that afterward, I felt all kind of muscle sore on my shoulder.   That is a sign that I need to work on that area more.   I’m afraid to even think what next week look like!

Friday:

I am feeling crummy again, so I decided to take a rest day

Saturday:

Muir Hike.   My third attempt to go to Camp Muir.   I started really good and pace myself really well.   We arrived almost at the bottom of avalanche chute less than an hour, but as I climbed the chute, I felt a sharp pain on my chest.  I struggled so much climbed that hill that when I got to the top of the hill, I sat down and barely even able to breathe.   I was so down and discouraged and I started to cry.    If I can’t even make it to the top of the chute, I will definitely not able to do my climb.   John was comforted me and talked me into it and I started to gain my focus again.   We started to walk again and I slow down my pace.   We walked to somewhere around 8,000 ft and watched a huge avalanche on the other side of the mountain and even recorded it on video.  You can watch them here.   An hour after, we decided to turn around since it was getting late.   It wasn’t my best hike but I actually did better than last week.  I went further in shorter time, so in overall – I am progressing to the better.   We shall see.

Sunday:

Taking another rest day after the long hike

Fundraising:

I break $9,000!!  Who-hoo!  Keep it coming, you guys are so awesome!!

 

Week 11: Climb for Clean Air – The Worst

Plan for this week:

Monday:  Interval Training

Tuesday: Strength Training with Weston

Wednesday: Long Cardio

Thursday: REST

Friday: Strength Training

Saturday: Long Cardio

Sunday: Camp Muir Hike!

This is by far the worst week of training I had since I started this journey.   Even though I ended up the week with a great training hike to Camp Muir, I felt like I really let things slide.   This week – I did NOT make my training as priority and choose to have other things happen in my life take priority over it.   Did I feel bad, absolutely.  Did I dwell on it?  Absolutely not.   I moved on.  I’m going to focus on the upcoming week and make my training priority again.   I’m inside the 5-weeks window to my climb.  Am I ready?  I am.  Very.

Monday – Saturday:

I did NO work out at all.   No excuses here.  As I mentioned above, I did not make it as priority.  I choose to tend to other things and make that priority while trying to take it easy on my lung.   Did I regret it?  No.   Did I wish things differently?  Absolutely, but doing should’ve, could’ve and would’ve will not change a thing.  The only thing I can do is to promise myself is use the upcoming week to train even harder.

Sunday:

It’s Father’s day weekend, and we are up early and head out to the mountain again.   I’m a wee bit nervous since I didn’t really do anything in the past few days.   My brother-in-law, Aaron, joined us for the hike.   We started around 10am.   It was slightly rainy and cold.   I had my layer on and feel pretty decent.    I started walking and within 10 minutes I was overheated.    I only had my base layer and vest, plus my soft shell and I could barely breath.   We stopped for gear checked, clothing adjustment and keep on walking.    I made it to the bottom of the avalanche chute without any problem.   We took our first break there and climb on the chute.   I know I did a waaaaay better than a week before since I didn’t even feel that I was struggling when I get to the top of the chute.   Please note, avalanche chute is like a 80% angle snow wall.   It’s soooooo steep!

Our next stop is Pebble Creek (7,000ft) and we had lunch there.   I started to feel tight on my chest again but decided to keep on walking.   About 8,500ft – I barely can breathe.   My chest felt really tight and I knew that if I pushed it, I will make more damage on my lung so we turn around.   We got down fairly quick since we slide on most of the hill.   It was rainy and almost white out when we walked down.   I wasn’t as winded.  Overall, it was a good hike.   I got 8 hours of hike, altitude adjustment and great company

Fundraising:

Keep on coming people!  I think I’m going to break $9,000 limit this week!

Week 10: Climb for Clean Air – Deal With Sickness

Plan for this week:

Monday:  Interval Training

Tuesday: Strength Training with Weston

Wednesday:  Long Cardio

Thursday:  REST DAY

Friday:  Strength Training

Saturday:  Long Hike – Camp Muir!

Sunday:  Interval Training

This week is really rough.   Both of my girls were sick and I caught whatever they have and pretty much shut this week down.   I have a hard time to do anything with less than 6 hours sleep, let alone less than 4 hours.     With both of my girls sick, I slept roughly 2-4 hours every night.   I can handle the physical stress, but the emotional stress due to sick child was bringing me down slowly.   Thursday came around, I was as sick as my children.   Luckily I bounced back quite fast and able to join the training hike on Saturday.    I felt a bit down because I didn’t do what I was planning to do but ended up to make peace with it because life happen and you have to make the best out of it.

Monday:

I was starting to feel under the weather on Monday.   I woke up at 5am, with the whole intention to leave the house at 5:30 to go to the gym but I really can’t make my body move.   This is not just mentally, but physically.   I was exhausted and feeling really blah.   I ended up staying home and get a few more needed sleep.

Tuesday:

I literally feel like I was dragging my feet to go see Weston, my trainer.   I did it tho and worked out with him, even though I feel like I was going to faint multiple times during it.   We focused on my lower body exercise and I can’t actually remember what were the routines, but one thing I do remember – we did a hard work out.   Overall, it was a great work out.

Wednesday:

My youngest daughter was sick the day before and warrant an ER trip at 3am, which totally shut my Wed morning work out.   I did managed to run at my neighborhood for an hour, about 4 miles in the afternoon for my long cardio work out.  I noticed how much I struggle during that run due to lack of sleep and just not feeling too hot in general.

Thursday:

My oldest daughter caught whatever her sister had, and it basically identical day with Wed.   I had very little sleep and it started to catch up on me.   My energy level dip down to zero and I did not do anything at all other than sleeping

Friday:

Lot of going on today.   I’m still recovering, and even though both of my girls are healthy again today – I’m still feeling really crummy.   I have to catch up with work as well, since I practically off in the last couple days.   My plan to sneak the work out in the late afternoon/early evening just went nowhere.   I ended up getting my gear ready for Saturday training hike.

Saturday:

 

This is a highlight of my week.   We left the house around 6am and head to Ashford.   This was the first group training hike I did with the rest of the climbers on this event.   We met at Paradise parking lot at 9am and started to walk roughly around 10am.   I struggled to breathe almost right away.   I knew it going in since the high altitude (Paradise is 5,800ft), and the fact that I just recovered from the virus that I just had, plus the 40lbs backpack would make my lung work twice as much.   I was the end of the line of team, and just walked slow and steady.   After 20 minutes, I finally able to stabilize my breathing and walk somewhat normal.   Unfortunately, I was waaaay behind from the rest of the team but kudos to the volunteer guide that walk patiently behind me and kept encouraging me to keep on going.    We met with the rest of the group at the first stop, and it looked like they were there about 10 mins before me.  Not so bad, I thought.    I sat down for 5 mins and we were already told to get ready.    I was right with the team afterwards until we were on top of Avalanche Chute, then the really steep climb on the Chute started to get me and I was behind again.    We stopped for lunch a little bit past Pebble Creek (7,000ft) and I felt my chest starting to hurt, more than usual.

 

I kept walking though, slow and steady and really focus on my breathing, did a pressure breathing and rest step pretty much all the way.    We climbed another 1,000 feet and I felt headache starting to developed, early sign of altitude sickness.   I was frustrated since we only at 8,000ft but I knew that my lung finally told me to stop.   My stubborn head probably can keep going but since I’m going with the group, we had to turn around at certain time so with a heavy heart I looked at my husband and told him that I need to turn around.    It turned out to be a good decision, since an hour after we walked down, I felt some gurgling when I breathe, which indicated that I had developed some fluid in my lung.   We were safely return at the parking lot about a couple hours later and head home.

Sunday:

I decided to rest.   After a long hike and fluid in my lung, I can’t see any other way for me to do anything.

Fundraising:

I am waaaay past my goal but generous people out there still contribute to my climb.    I’m so thankful to everybody’s support and will give my best (and more).

What gets measured, gets done

One of SQL Cruise sessions that I attended last week (I will have separate post for summary of the whole event) leave us with some homework to do.   We have to pick 12 books to read for a year that can enhance our career, read it once a month and post a review about it.   Buck Woody (blog | twitter) already post his, and even though I wasn’t tag by him – I’m going to publicly list mine and link back to his post and even tag a few cruisers so they can put their list as well

Here’s my list, in no particular order:

1. First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently As someone that is new in a management role, I am facing challenge everyday.  This books will teach me a trick or two for being, not just a good manager, but a great one
2. Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams   (Second Edition) This book talk about what define a success as a company, it’s not the technology, it’s the people.   This book also highly recommended by certain people that’s been in the management for a while
3. IT’s hidden face: Everything you always wanted to know about Information Technology. A look behind the scenes Since my team is part of IT, I’m very intrigue on what this book is going to tell me.
4. Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations Internet sociology always interest me.   I hear a lot of good thing about this book and been wanting to read it for a while
5. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference Another book about social phenomena.   My good friend recommended this book to me, and I’m going to check it out
6. The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains Internet is always fascinating to me and it impact our lives more than we want to admit.
7. Adventures of an IT Leader I love to read this book since even though I’m not an IT leader just yet, I’m starting a journey to get there.
8. The Little Black Book Of Leadership The title said it all.   Every leader need a black book, hot sheet or just a guidance.
9. Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is Changing Your World Another internet sociology book.   Internet is changing our world and for the next generation, the world will look very different then
10. Growing Software: Proven Strategies for Managing Software Engineers I’m not managing software engineers, but I think the concept is the same.   This book is on the recommended reading list by my former CTO
11. Joel on Software: And on Diverse and Occasionally Related Matters That Will Prove of Interest to Software Developers, Designers, and Managers, and to Those Who, Whether by Good Fortune or Ill Luck, Work with Them in Some Capacity What can I say – I love his blog and this book is a collection of articles he ever written
12. More Joel on Software: Further Thoughts on  Diverse and Occasionally Related Matters That Will Prove of Interest to Software Developers, Designers, … or Ill Luck, Work with Them in Some Capacity Again, just like the previous book – his blog is always full with fantastic insights and articles.

There it is.  It’s out there.   I’m ordering my first one today and will post a review by end of the month.   I’m quoting Buck here by saying ‘I reserve the right to change this list as I learn more‘.

I’m also going to tag a few cruisers here, so they can get their list going.

1. Christina Leo (blog | twitter)
2. Kendra Little (blog | twitter)
3. Ryan Malcom (blog | twitter)
4. Noel McKinney (blog | twitter)

So cruisers, you have been tag.  You’re it!