Month: October 2018

I was born in Denver, Colorado in 1951. I spent the first eight years of my life leaning the culture of the Colorado Rocky Mountain people. Weekend trips to the Rocky Mountains, breathtaking scenery, fantastic wild and domestic animals, Field Day events, and books fill my earliest memories.

When I was eight years old, my parents moved the family to Los Angeles, California. I have remained here to the present day. With my last glimpse of the breath-taking beauty of the Rocky Mountains, I vowed to return some day.

I quickly learned the Los Angeles culture was very different. I dove into books and spent plenty of time at the beach. I loved swimming and lounging around in the sun. I danced my heart out to the tunes of the 1960s all through high school, during lunch and every weekend. I won dance contests and loved it.

I was blessed with a daughter and son, and graduated with a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science. Throughout this time, I continually exercised about 20 minutes a day, doing floor stretches, tai chi, swimming and walking on the treadmill.

In 2012, I was on a winning team for LA County Library in an LA countywide physical fitness challenge, Race Around the World. Our LA County Library Head of Human Resources was a marathoner and member of the LA Road Runners. We spoke during our victory lap. She asked if I had ever considered a marathon. I jumped at the question. This quest had inhabited my mind for as long as I could remember. Game On!

I immediately joined LA RoadRunners and began walking/running at 60 years old. I wanted to lose 50 pounds and complete a marathon. I accomplished both and have since completed 13 marathons, including Bhutan 2017, New York City 2016 and 2017, and Boston 2018 with Team 261 Fearless. I have completed 32 additional, shorter races, ranging from 5Ks to half-marathons. I won my age division or placed on the podium in 14. I have also completed 3 ultramarathons, including the Born to Run 60-mile ultra in 2018. I won my age division for the 60-mile ultra and am currently training for the 100-mile Born to Run ultra. I won gold medals in the Nevada State Championships, Senior Olympics, for both the 5K and 10K, qualifying for the 2019 National Senior Olympics. I plan to race a variety of shorter distances, including 50, 100, 200, 400 meter dashes, as well as 800 and 1500 meter runs.

In 2017, I was blessed to join 261 Fearless Friends and in 2018, I became a 261 Fearless Influencer. I continue to work full-time at LA County Library in Library Administration. My love for running and books has spanned nearly 70 years and is only increasing. I see a great future ahead!

Patricia Carleen Winiecki
October 23, 2018
http://PatQuests.com

On October 16, 2018, at about 3:10 p.m., without warning, I suddenly felt the whole world spinning at warp speed. I could not move. I could not even open my eyes. Nonstop nausea and vomiting followed immediately along with profuse sweating. Spinning at a level 15.

This just had to happen at work, in my office, in front of all my terrified coworkers! I was able to get the trashcan, hold it upright and warn my coworkers bad things were coming.

Paramedics transported me from LA County Library Headquarters to Downey Hospital. I was followed in the ER, stabilized and released at about 8:40 p.m.

The attack was so severe and disabling, it felt like all of my marathons, fractured bones and illnesses thrown together and on steroids. Zofran and Meclizine helped a little, but took hours to stop the attack, This spinning continued this morning, but only at a level 1 – 2.

I plan on getting to the bottom of this. I  think it is related to the occasional leaning problem I have experienced in long races. I believe this is a swelling in the brain or ear. I’m on this. It will stop. I won’t .

11/10/18: Feeling much better! Was able to fly to Portland, OR (11/2/18-11/4/18), New York City (11/8/18-11/9/18), Stanford University (11/10/18-11/11/18) and Houston, TX (11/6/18-11/7/18). 11/10/18: No pressure in left (or right) ear, spinning less than 1%. No meds.

11/12/18: No ear pressure for 2 days! 1 slight spinning spell for a couple of seconds while climbing in a very confined area in the Cost Rica rain forest. No meds.

12/27/18: Very little left ear pressure, only a few minutes a day. Muffled left ear seems related to to severe mental stress, but does not always occur. On 12/5/18, I had an audio test, and an on 12/21/18, an MRI. I will receive further information today.

12/27/18: I visited the ENT, the MRI showed normal results. No pathology, even at my age. The ENT seemed highly impressed, veering on disbelief.

Journey On!