No sympathy, please.

[Trek420]

Yes, I notice this typically happens about this time of year when many of us are all cooped up. It tends to dissipate when spring rolls around and we all get out on our bikes.

Admin, Jeff: can we get a SAD disclosure built into the reg form "warning, if you are in the Northern Hemisphere the natives get a little testy around this time of year"

Interesting thread, I hope OP's reading and comes back.

Trek - 54 and still moving with osteo arth - 420

[mudmucker]

Yeah, I sorta liken it to a school of piranha, all frenzy like, some disoriented, some focused. We need a fish icon with fangs.

I'll be the first to step up into the disoriented camp. That and I gotta go refill my bedside IV drip of Vitamin D that's gone empty.

[jelee1311]

Wow,I haven't been on in a week and posts got angry. I was busy turning 40 two weeks ago and it was awesome!!!! I've worked with masters athletes most of my life so 40 seems like just the beginning. I understand the frustration of physical ailments not allowing you to do what you want or used to do. Maybe its time to change perspective. I watched my daughter ride her bike one day enjoying the wind on her face with no intention of where she was going or how fast, just riding and smiling and enjoying herself. So on the days I feel crappy I try to ride like that and enjoy myself. I try not to get caught up in the things I can't do and just be thankful for the fact I can ride ,because there was a time I couldn't.

[OakLeaf]

Relevant, on how devastating even a temporary injury can be to someone who defines himself as an athlete:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...012502636.html

[Crankin]

I can relate to every part of that article.

[graywacke]

to the OP...
i was dx with RA at age 24, i'm 36 now. at age 26, i ran my first marathon (my first race of ANY distance) with the arthritis foundation...i was pissed that i had RA, and i needed to prove something to myself. at age 31, i got married but first i got a personal trainer, lost 20 pounds, got a road bike, and quite frankly got into awesome shape and totally redefined myself in terms of being an athlete. i also ran 3 more marathons (at 4:00:46, very respectable i think), did a TON of halfs and shorter races, a bunch of sprint tris, and always tried to push myself to get new PRs. at age 33, i had a baby, so my priorities changed a bit, but i still eeked out some running PRs at the shorter distances.

now to the part that is more relevant...in 2009, age 34, the RA got into my neck and ankle (previously it had been largely my wrists...making cycling challenging in term of shifting and braking). running...nope. although i am getting back into it, my talonavicular joint in one ankle has been eroded and i've lost a lot of range of motion. and a lot of running fitness. i ran one 5k in december, and even though i did try to just be happy to be out there (and i was), it may have been my slowest race pace ever (slower than my marathon pace, and this was just a 5k). i WANT to run again..i sort of can, but not fast or far...and that SUCKS, mentally. i tried to do more cycling (and i did...go to www.californiacoastclassic.org, i did this in the fall and it's awesome and raises $ for the arthritis foundation), since i hadn't really done any "racing" i didn't have the ame expectations for myself as i did running. i got a lot better at swimming, and lat summer entered 3 "aqua-bikes" which is basically a bike-swim, you're "allowed" to not do the run part of a tri. heck i even won one. but i had NO competition, so that was bittersweet.

i guess this...you will just have to get through it. it DOES SUCK. i can't sympathize, but i can EMPATHIZE because this is me, too. i am going through it NOW too. i cry sometimes, when i see runners out on the road and think, i used to be able to do that. i miss who i was. but it does get better...the RA part, it comes and goes. when you get on the right meds, it will get better.

i have a blog...www.musclesandra.blogspot.com feel free to comment there, and i think you can email me too through that.

clare

[Xrayted]

Hmmm. Interesting thread. But just barely. Here's my take on it all...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMO8Pyi3UpY

Yeah, that's about what I think of it. Smile and have a nice day.