I want your blood

I want your blood!

Lessons from the BloodMobile

Let me tell you the blood story.  I was cleaning my inbox and saw a notice that the Red Cross had the BloodMobile in my office complex.  I used to give blood all the time, but it has become harder because it takes so long now.  The actual blood giving part is like 10 minutes but the rest of it take an hour and a half. But, I figured I’d do my good deed for the week and go give.

Now the first thing you need to know about me is that I have a resting pulse around 39 beats per minute.  Part of it is genetic and part of it is because I’ve been a distance runner for 30 years.  The nurse takes my pulse and it’s 40.  This is no good.  The rule says that it has to be 50.  We explain it all to supervisor and they decide I’m not abnormal.  She takes my pulse again and this time I use my visualization training to get my heart to beat faster.  Just by thinking about it I get it up to 46 and everyone is happy.

Think about the mind body connection there that I have built over the years by spending so much time working with and feeling my body and its systems.  I’m no yogi, I can’t lay on a bed of nails, but I can move my heart rate plus or minus 5 BPM just by thinking about it.  I bet you can too, try it.

The reason it takes so long to give blood now is because they have to ask you 5 times whether you have AIDS or have had sex with anyone who has AIDS or have recently visited a zoo in Cameroon where the monkeys have HIV or have eaten raw meat with mad-cow disease in it…etc.  For me, as boring as I am, I am just mystified by all this stuff, but it’s wonderful that they are protecting the blood supply.  Now I know you say I never tell you anything personal about myself, but today I will share with you something very personal…I’m O+…Yup, that’s right the Rosetta Stone of Western European blood types.  They like my blood.

But this is not the good part of the story.  There’s more.  They finally get me up on the table and the nurse is looking for a vein.  I say, “Is there a problem?” She’s responds with “Well because you’re athletic the muscles get in the way and it’s hard to isolate the veins.”  Well…That’s nice, isn’t it?

They get the needle in and start the red vinny vin vino flowing.  This next part just blew me away.  She says to me as the bag starts to fill up, quite enthusiastic; “You’ve got wonderful blood! Look at the color!”

I’m a bit befuddled by this.  I say “What color is it supposed to be?”

She says, “Oh I can see that you’re an athlete it’s wonderfully rich in color, you can tell the difference.”

Huh.  Well now.  That’s nice.

I finish up and she’s giving me the instructions.  “Now don’t do anything strenuous for 24 hours…it’s like you’ve just run a marathon.”

Seriously? I don’t think so.  A pint of blood is only a pound.  I typically lose 8 – 10 pounds in a marathon.  And, yeah I’m going running tonight, because my wonderful body can make up some more wonderful blood, I’ll be fine.  I did and I was.

This is an amusing vignette from my otherwise dull life, but what’s the message?  When we run and bike and swim and workout we think in terms of muscles and tendons.  It’s more than that.  It’s the connection of the mind to the heart.  It’s the tension in the fascia covering our renal systems.  It’s the oxygen-rich healthy blood that fills our veins.  The whole system is lifted and improved.

That’s why we live longer better lives as endurance athletes.  Our entire system is supercharged and bubbling with healthy energy and life.  It’s not just the muscles and the heart and the lungs it’s everything.  That, my friends is the windfall that you are receiving from this investment you have made.

And somewhere out there this holiday season some unlucky person is going slide off the icy country roads of Boston.  They are going to be med-evac-ed to a fine hospital in the hub and maybe, just maybe their life will be saved by the infusion of my energetic, wonderful-looking blood brewed up over the many miles and many years.

Have a safe holiday – I’ll see you out there,

Chris,

Chris Russell lives and trains in suburban Massachusetts with his family and Border collie Buddy.  Chris is the author of “The Mid-Packer’s Lament”, and “The Mid-Packer’s Guide to the Galaxy”, short stories on running, racing, and the human comedy of the mid-pack.  Chris writes the Runnerati Blog at www.runnerati.com.  Chris’ Podcast, RunRunLive is available on iTunes and at www.runrunlive.com. Chris also writes for CoolRunning.com (Active.com) and is a member of the Squannacook River Runners and the Goon Squad.

Email me at cyktrussell at Gmail dot com

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2 thoughts on “I want your blood”

  1. Great post, Chris. Like you, I think it’s important to give blood. Having said that, I actually haven’t given in a couple of years. But recently, they vampires came to my daughter’s school, so I signed up to donate. After answering all the questions about AIDS and traveling to Cameroon where the monkeys have mad-cow, I was all set to go for the ‘big stick.’

    As I stood up to walk over to the table, I made a critical mistake – I blew my nose. The nurse said, rather quickly and anxiously, “Are you sick?” “No,” I said, “it’s just allergies. We have a cat.”

    “Oh, then you can’t give blood.” Seriously? You don’t want my super-duper marathoner A+ blood because I’m allergic to our cat? “That can be passed along.”

    Now, call me crazy, but if I’m in a condition where I’m needing a pint or two, I think I’ll take my chances with a slight cat allergy.

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