Month: August 2012

Thanks to everyone who clicked “like” on Aaron’s entry to a Facebook contest by Enve Composites, he is a top-three finalist to WIN the grand prize of a trip to the UK for a professional bike fitting!

The top three entrants were so close that Enve Composites decided to pit them against each other once again to determine the final winner.

If you need no more convincing to help him win, there are TWO places you can click “like” — they’ll both count for the final total:

HERE

AND HERE (Finalist #3 — Aaron Pass) EDIT: Contest is now closed.

You can vote all the way through Sunday, August 19.

Aaron should be in Iceland right now, taking a cycling tour of the beautiful country, but instead he’s being a huge trooper and recovering from painful shoulder surgery.

I can’t even tell you how devastated he was (and still is) to miss that trip. It would mean the world him to win this one.

I can’t help him be in less pain right now, or go back in time and save him from getting hurt, but I can help him win… and I want him to win BIG!

My goal is to help him get 1,000 “likes.” The top 3 entrants got about 150 “likes” each in the initial round. I want to blow that out of the water!

Here’s a video of his entry story, showing his recovery from near-death after his motorcycle was hit by a car and all the amazing things he’s done since then:

For Aaron from Devon Mills on Vimeo.

I belong to quite a few social networks, but I believe in Tumblr the most when it comes to a community willing to rally around someone.

If his story touches you, please don’t hesitate to “like” his contest entry (HERE and HERE — Finalist #3 EDIT: Contest is now closed), reblog this post/video, tweet about it and/or share his Facebook entry on your own page.

Anything helps. Thank you in advance.

1,000 “likes.” I think we can do it!!!

Aaron got through his shoulder surgery on Monday with flying colors and was released from the hospital the same day.

See that black bag hanging around his neck? Inside it is a “pain pump” that delivers medicine through a catheter in his neck to numb the surgery site.

Today, the pump ran out of medicine, and per the doctor’s instructions, I. took. the. catheter. out. (He said he couldn’t feel it at all.)

Have you ever removed like three inches of tubing from someone’s neck? It was so creepy and weird. I could never be a doctor!

Monday night was really rough because Aaron was in so much pain and couldn’t sleep — we were awake till 3 or 3:30 a.m., and I felt horrible because I couldn’t help at all — but last night was better, and we even got out for a walk today. He has a post-op appointment tomorrow morning, and I think things will only improve.

I also got out for a run around Green Lake this morning.

‘Twas very sunny and tiring. I really pushed myself by trying not to walk and I was exhausted by the end. My legs are super confused about why I’m making them do all this work after months of delightful relaxation.

I’ll do a short run tomorrow, or maybe just a longer walk with my favorite patient. : )

Today is Aaron’s last hurrah before his shoulder surgery tomorrow. We’re not doing much — just relaxing and going to see a movie — and he’ll probably be bed/couch-ridden for the next few days.

Please say a prayer, send out good vibes and/or think good thoughts for a successful surgery and speedy recovery!

Pre-injury Aaron says, “Maholo!”

This morning I woke up a bit later than planned and went out for a hot run in the Seattle sunshine. I did a “long” run (for me) and am really happy with how it went.

I ran the first two miles without walking, and took little walking/shade breaks during the last two.

Near the end of mile three, I ran into my friend’s boyfriend and he switched directions to run with me for a few minutes. I thought that was really nice of him until he started running at about a 9:00 min/mi pace, and then I was like FECK NO. I had to stop at a water fountain anyway, so we parted ways… I died a little bit… and then kept going.

Now my legs have the tireds. 16 miles for the week!

My friend Amy’s wedding is tonight, so I just ran two miles this afternoon — enough to get my heart pumping, but not enough to kill my legs. I want to be able to dance my face off, should the opportunity arise.

I walked for about 15 seconds during mile two, but that was it! Happy times.

I wore for the first time this pink Brooks tank that I forgot I had. It’s a soft, breathable mesh material, but not see-through, and plenty long so it doesn’t ride up. My #1 complaint about running tops is that they’re usually too short! The only thing I don’t like about this top is that the neckline feels a little high, but I can live with it. Otherwise, it’s the perfect barely-there tank for warm-weather running.

Looks like it’s on sale now, but I can only guarantee the non-see-through-ness of the pink color!

That said, if it was about 10 degrees hotter in Seattle, I discovered today that I would feel fine going for a run in just a sports bra.

I still have a few pounds I’d like to lose, but they’re mostly in my hips and upper thighs, which you can’t see when I’m wearing running shorts. I’m fine with everything else!

My return to running has helped me regain so much confidence. Even if I look and weigh about the same as I did a month ago, the difference in my head is massive. Maybe it’s just because I feel so much better being active again.

Whatever the real difference is, I like it. I’m going to take it and… bad pun alert… run with it.