Deflated

Donating blood is good for you (and others).

Cross country skiing is good for you.

Donating blood and then cross country skiing isn't good for you.  In fact I have first hand experience it will leave you like a deflated balloon on the side of the trail if you try it.

Friday I donated blood. I try to do so every 56 or so days.
It's my attempt to drop weight. 
No, seriously. 
No, seriously it's good to donate your blood.  You should do it too.

The entire process doesn't take that long.  I'm usually in and out within 45 minutes or so, with most of the time going through procedural stuff: paper work, check your iron levels, personal info, have you been sick recently, dental work in the past week or so, tattoos in the past six months, had sex with someone who has lived in Africa and worked with feces throwing monkeys, etc.  Pretty standard stuff.

I can fill the 450 ml (1 pint) bag in under 4.5 minutes.   The bag always looks bigger - like the size of a milk bag (do the Yanks buy their milk in bags?).  They pulled the needle out of my arm at 5:55 PM. "Plenty of fluids, rest and no heavy lifting or exercise." Sure, sure - no problem.

Pffffttt . . . they only mean that for the weak and crippled. Surely an exquisite athletic specimen such as myself should have no problem going for a 2 hour night ski.

• 8:00 PM - Curvy Butt and I are on the way into the Gats.
• 8:30 PM'ish - skis on, at the trailhead, we begin
• 8:35 PM - "Why the f*ck is Mark going sooo f*cking fast!?! F*cker!" I feel like I'm dying.
• 8:50 PM - I need to lay down on the trail in the snow. Head spinning.
• 8:55 PM - My second lay down.  Head feels like it's fallen off my body and rolling down the hill I just slowly skied up.
• 9:05 PM - I pull the plug and begin heading back to the car alone, sure that the coyotes will sense that there's prey close-at-paw, wounded - an easy and rather large all you can eat buffet.  Curvy Butt plods along without me.

 I've don't think I've ever *really* exercised after donating before.  I've been donating since my mid-20's and have never felt weak, ill or nauseous.  But man-o-man . . . this time left me completely wiped out.

I know how having 450 ml taken out affects you.  I wonder how having 450 ml of oxygen enriched blood put back in affects you? 

Dracula saved me from riding my bike on the trainer

After yesterday's training ride I was all tuckered out and looking for excuses not to ride. Found a good one - go donate blood. I know that after you give blood they tell you not to do anything strenuous for at least five hours after donating . . . perfect, my arse was still sore anyway.

Actually, I was planning on donating tonight anyway - so happens that it got me out of a workout. Goodie for me!

I've got an ink session with Julie this Saturday which means that I won't be able to donate for six months (them the rules if you get a tattoo), so I wanted to get another donation in before then. Did you know that you can donate every 56 days? You can, and you should.

It's easy for me as the Canadian Blood Services central Ottawa office and clinic is just around the corner in my neighbourhood. I've been donating regularly since I was in university with a few breaks in-between the years when I've gotten tattoo work done.

Takes me less than an hour to go through the whole process - getting signed in, reading through the questions, preparation stuff, donating (which is the quickest part), rest and goodies.

I'm actually using donating as part of my training - that bag of blood must weigh close to a half a pound?! Wicked. How many ways can you drop that much weight in under an hour?!?
However, I probably eat a half pound of goodies afterwards.

Did you know:

• One donation can save three lives.
• That your blood type says a lot about you (got to know your blood type).
• Best question they ask: "Have you handled monkeys or monkey feces in the past ten years?" Oh, the fun you could have answering that one.
  
• The needle doesn't hurt . . . . really, it doesn't.
• Nurses are friendly and funny.
• And the best part . . . you can eat as many cookies, donuts, granola bars, sweets and juice as you like when you're done! Guilt free! Whoot!