Day 226: Sharing Some Messages I Have Received
As I have mentioned before, not only do I continue writing this daily journal for myself, but I also continue writing it because multiple times per week I receive a message that it serves as inspiration for someone.
Today I received two such messages and I wanted to share quotes from them, more so that I have them captured for the future.
The first message I received included this:
“Please keep the blog going because it’s also a great sense of relief knowing what’s up and the recovery progress. Plus it’s getting some of us to shape up our act. If Justin Levy can get out of bed during treatments and get to the gym for a workout, we can do it too!”
And the second that I received had this to say:
“Thanks so much for continuing to share your journey with us on Facebook - I think about you, and your kick-ass attitude, daily, and it inspires me.”
It are messages like these two that help to inspire ME and, though I understand the why, it is not the other way around for me. I simply write about my recovery on a daily basis.
The fact that it inspires others to change is bigger than me and bigger than this journey.
Though I had a few meetings sprinkled throughout the day today, I was able to spend the majority of my day working on projects and administrative work.
Today was one of those days where everything just clicked perfectly and I was able to run through the majority of tasks. Oh how I wish every day was like that!
One of those to-dos was to check in with the USCF neuro-oncology nursing staff to verify that both of the orders for my blood labs were available for next week.
I have to get blood work done on both Monday and Friday next week ahead of starting the 2nd round of chemo on Monday, April 6th, assuming that the blood labs come back with no issues.
When I got home from the office I quickly changed and headed to the gym for the hardest workout of the week.
Prior to starting my workout, besides stretching out my shoulders, I worked on some new ankle mobilizations to help loosen up my ankles.
Some included going deeper in static stretches while one involved using a band as distraction at the ankle while I moved my knee through its range of motion while my foot was propped on a bench. Hard to imagine, I know.
Here was today’s Spartan WOD:
Warm-up
- Jump Rope – 3 minutes
- 15 Double Leg Butt Kicks
- 15 Star Jumps
Main set
- 1 set: 3 min, non-stop, Forward, Reverse, and Lateral Skipping
- 1 set: 3 min, non-stop, 15 yd Forward and Reverse Bear Crawl
- 1 set: 3 min Knees to Wall Squat Practice.
- 2 sets: Vertical Leap, 3 reps. 20s rest in Plank position
- 2 sets: Max Reps Close Grip Incline Push Ups + Rear Foot Elevated Squat, 10 reps per side, + Renegade Row, 6 reps per side.
- 2 sets: Body Rows, 10 reps + 20 second Hollow Holds.
- 1 set: 300’ Walking Lunge.
- 30 mins: Zone 1 Elliptical.
Cool down
By the end of my workout my ankle was really sore again so I decided to take time to ice it down once I got back upstairs.
I’m hoping that the combination of stretching, ice and continued rest will help the soreness to go away.
I’m not worried about an injury as I know that it is only soreness from all of the cardio that I have been doing lately but I still don’t want to get laid up by it.