MMT

Since December when I got into my first 100-mile race, I've been training a lot, running 80-90 miles per week for three weeks and a rest week of about 50-60 miles. All that hard work paid off this last weekend at the Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 Mile Run (MMT). The course is pretty brutal with about 18,000 feet of ascent (and descent) but the views are well worth it. The race webpage gives a nice summary of the course:

The MMT is a challenging 100 mile trail ultra over a demanding, rocky course in the Massanutten Mountains of Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. The course includes short but rugged mountain climbs that total over 18,000 feet. While the May date usually avoids Virginia's brutal summer weather, we have had rain and violent storms in prior years. The event is noted for its well-stocked, friendly aid stations and good course marking.

This course adds another element of difficulty: lots of rocks. Rocks of all sizes. Loose rocks, gravel, moss-covered rocks, muddy rocks, sharp rocks, smooth rocks, wet rocks, and even invisible rocks. Thus it is very technical in comparison to other 100-mile races. In addition, Mother Nature decided to dump 3 inches of water in the area just the day prior. The rain and overflowing streams further added to the difficulty. Even the start and finish lines had to be adjusted to account for all the extra water in the area. Mud and water was everywhere. Streams were overflowing. The trail was often a new stream. I used 4 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of shoes, and probably should have used more. And for the record, it's actually 103.7 miles.

Update, considering surgery

I've been off of hormones for over three months. It's been terrible. The physical attacks have become more severe and frequent than ever before. I've noticed changes in my body as testosterone levels have increased that I didn't notice the other way. My body and facial hair have increased. Erections are way too frequent and trigger the dysphoria like nothing else. I'm still tired all the time. The only positive I've seen is that my running has drastically improved - I ran a marathon in under three hours! My leg muscles are well-defined. I've lost a few pounds, and my abs are flat.

A couple weeks ago, our new Stake President and our Bishop met with us at our new home. The Stake President has been trying to get to know all the members, and our Bishop thought it would be a good opportunity for us. Honestly, I think it was because he didn't have the guts to tell us himself that no, we can't get sealed. We've been married for almost a year and were working real hard to get sealed on our anniversary. When we first started talking about marriage and got engaged, the singles' ward Bishop helped me write a sealing clearance letter to Church leadership. At that point, he and the previous Stake President thought it prudent to wait for the sealing since I had been sober from my addiction for only three months. They knew I was taking hormones and wearing female clothing and had no problem with it. Fast forward a year to a new Bishop and a new Stake President, and it's like my year and a half of sobriety means nothing, that the addiction wasn't ever an issue, but that the hormones and clothing is.  Still without telling us "No", they told us I need more stability, that I'm too close to the line. I told them surgery has never been an option. That didn't matter, I'm changing my body with hormones which was too close to the line for them. They want me to be stable, but they won't let me treat my illness. It's like telling a diabetic to take care of their body but not use insulin to stay alive! Or telling an anemic to not take iron supplements. That it's just all in their head. They need to pray more and just be patient. It's ridiculous!

I knew that stopping hormone treatment would be difficult. But at the time, I felt it was right and that I needed to get off of them, if just for a while. I stopped taking hormones for a few reasons: pressure from the Bishop, to eventually be able to conceive with my wife, and to see if I could live without them. A friend recently shared about how they ended up in the emergency room to get medication for their depression. They were afraid of being on medication for the rest of their life. But a neighboring patient's mother assured my friend that being on medication for the rest of one's life is better than being depressed, suicidal, unhappy, and out of balance for the rest of one's possibly (and probably) shortened life.

After the Bishop and Stake President left, I was angry. It took a couple days to calm down and sort things out. Throughout my life, I've let others make decisions for me. I worry so much about what others think. But what about me? What do I want? What do I need? What is right for ME? So I've been praying and pondering it all. The Spirit told me over a year ago to start a hormone regimen and to wait. I did so. I continue to wait and seek for further guidance. I know that my wife and I will be sealed some day. I know we will be with each other for eternity. I feel this and know it whether or not I continue transition or even if I transition fully with SRS. Yes, I know marriage is between a man and a woman, that gender is eternal, but somehow we will be together even if I become a woman in this life through surgery.

I will follow what the Spirit tells me, not necessarily what other men tell me. I've learned what it's like not being on hormones and have accepted that I will need them for the rest of my life. The third reason for stopping hormones still needs resolution. A baby. A while ago, I asked in desperate prayer why I even have a penis. The answer came immediately: to conceive my two sons and any other children with my wife. Only through my sperm could these wonderful spirit children receive physical bodies. So the questions are, how many (more) children do we want and when? I want and need to get back on hormones as soon as possible. But the longer I'm on hormones, the more likely it is that I'll be permanently sterile. I think that currently I am fertile enough to conceive but am afraid that when I continue hormones, I won't be able to get back to being fertile.

This weekend, I am running my first 100-mile race. After that I plan to start hormones. Neither my wife nor I are comfortable with sperm-banking. So when we feel the time is right and we're ready, I'll stop taking hormones for a while until we do get pregnant.

Last night I told my wife that I'm pretty sure full transition is part of my path. I'll still be her husband, still love her. Nothing will change that.

Boston

This past weekend we drove to Boston for the marathon. It was a LONG drive. I'm grateful to be back home after spending days in the car. I have not really trained for the marathon distance, keeping my sights set on my first 100-miler in May. But I did quite well. I improved my PR/PB by 8 minutes and qualified again for next year. It's fun to tell people that this was only my second marathon, and that I didn't qualify for Boston with my other/first marathon. I actually qualified when I ran my second 50k race which was certified as a Boston qualifier, and supplied split times for the 26.2 mile mark.

For the last two months I have not been taking any hormones. The only medicine I have taken is an occasional half-pill of clonazapem to help with the anxiety. So I attribute most of my improvement to the surge of testosterone since I stopped taking spironolactone and estradiol.  I don't think it's fair if I were to run as a woman, even if I were post-op. And if I did, I'm sure I'd end up drawing more attention to myself than normal. It's hard enough struggling with GID - I don't want the hassle of being singled out as the fast transwoman too. I would have been in the top 100 at Boston if I had run as a woman - too fast to not get noticed.

I've been debating running a marathon as a woman, so I can start running Boston as a woman. Maybe when I get back on hormones and my secondary female characteristics reemerge stronger than their current state after two months of entropy.

Day 23 - Stereotypes

23) What stereotypes are put on trans people

Freaks, perverts, crazy, fetishists. All negative.

Day 22 - Careers and Trans

22) Do you feel being trans holds you back from your career choice

So far it hasn't. Since I'm not out, being trans hasn't really affected my job. I do wonder how many of my coworkers have suspicions. Having long curly hair isn't exactly a giveaway, but since I often paint my nails or wear a little makeup, they must have suspected something.

Even if I were out, I don't suspect I'd have to change my career choice or anything. I'm still a nerd that loves math, science, and technology. And working in the industry that I do, it's more about the product than the presentation that matters.

Day 21 - Cis-gendered Community

21) Your views on the cis-gendered community

I'm jealous. To not have to worry about something so crucial, so much a part of a person, is a great blessing. To know one's own identity in life is vital to lasting joy. So how do I get there? What bliss they must live in, many completely ignorant of the struggle we deal with on a daily or even hourly basis.

I used to be homophobic. I was ignorant and prejudiced. Now that I have let down my guard, gotten to know some people that struggle with SSA, I understand a little better. As I've let go of my premonitions, I've grown in empathy not only for those in the LGBT community but for everyone different from me. I hope those in the cis-gendered community have the same opportunity to reach out to and understand others, especially us transgender folk.

Idiot Drivers

I've been pondering this post for a few days, ever since my run Saturday night. I've also debated the title of the post, either "Idiot Drivers", "Safety and Running", or "Why I Avoid Roads and Stick to Trails". I chose the former since it's more sensational and truly expresses how I feel.

I was out for my second run on Saturday. In the morning, I had run 16 miles at a decent pace, 7:30/mile. But to reach my goal of 85 miles for the week, I went on a second run, late Saturday evening. Since it was dark, I donned my white shirt, reflective vest, and headlamp. I wasn't expecting to run very fast thinking my legs were tired from the long week and also from the morning's run. My legs were fine; I turned around with about a 8 min/mile pace at one hour, 15 minutes. Sometimes I limit my runs based on distance, sometimes on the amount of time I had. For this run, I had only 2 1/2 hours. I was feeling pretty good, so I picked up the pace.

With just over a couple miles left, I was running up this long hill. It was a semi-busy road, but had a dedicated bike and pedestrian lane. With my reflective vest and white shirt, cars could easily see me from behind with plenty of time to react. So here I am, chugging up this hill, trying to keep my pace consistent while also keeping my heart rate down when a car blasts his horn at me. Not once, but twice!  Then as he passes me on the right to turn right (since there's a turning lane to turn right, and the bike lane continues between the "straight" lane and turning lane), he has his window rolled down and yells something at me. Already completely startled, frightened and hence in fight or flight, I give him the double-bird and maybe curse at him. Not at all Christlike, I admit. But anyone that honks their horn at me, gets a minimum single bird. This guy deserved the double. So as a warning to all idiot drivers, DON'T HONK your horn at me! Horn means danger, and I'll react as such. And don't flash your brights if I'm running towards you. I really need to be able to see the ground and other obstacles in front of me. If you want to say hi or cheer me on, then please slow down, roll down your window and offer appropriate words of encouragement. But please, don't honk your horn unless I am in danger, probably because you aren't paying attention and failed to see me with my bright headlamp and reflective clothing. Right after this incident, still going up the hill and before the first car finished turning, a second car decided to join the honk-fest. Bird for you too mister!

Needless to say, my heart rate averaged a lot higher on that hill than I was planning, above 170 bpm. And not to be stereotypical, not too much anyway, I've noticed that jerks that feel it's necessary to honk at me or flash their brights in my eyes are usually aggressive male drivers in big trucks. Big trucks for their big egos and lack of consideration for others.