Midweek Catchup

Or…another totally random Wednesday post.

* I had my first experience with ART on Monday. The doctor spent a lot of time checking out my form on things like squats to see that I’m so tight on the entire outer pathway up my legs (calf, IT band, hip flexor) that I’m pulling on my inner pathway and causing the inner shin pain, my hip flexors and glutes aren’t strong enough, my ankles are insanely tight, etc etc…as usual, I’m a total freak of tightness and inflexibility and should probably be injured 10 times over by now. After all the fun diagnostic stuff, I got electrical stimulation to my calf to loosen and massage it (very weird when your foot starts flexing on its own) followed by ultrasound to the soleus and finally ART performed on the left calf and ankle. Yes, you can sum it up in one word: OW!!!! (At one point, I think I asked, “Is there any skin left on that ankle? It feels like you are burning it off!!!”) But it is better I face pain in the short term than risking a real injury that derails my plans for the year. And so I will be visiting twice a week for 3 weeks to get all fixed up, plus performing daily exercises at home to strengthen my weak muscles.

* I spent all day Tuesday icing my swollen ankle and bruise-covered calf. Gee, isn’t getting healthy so much fun?

* I think the ELF snuck a swim test into my swim workout on Monday. I also think I did not-too-shabby on it!

* I’ve been feeling run down this week and sleeping a lot. I’m out cold the minute I hit the bed and not eager to wake up when the sun rises. I’ve felt my mood sagging as well and it hasn’t helped that I missed my farmers market trip on Sunday (because of riding long) and as a result ate like crap Monday and Tuesday. Coach pointed out that some women deplete their iron stores in IM training and I need to make sure I’m getting enough iron to stay healthy. So today I took my first giant-horse-pill vitamin supplement with iron. There are just enough pills in the bottle to get me through IM AZ!

* Today I’m going to pre-drive part of the route I want to use for Sunday’s long ride. I decided that at some point in IM training we’re going to ride to San Francisco and back because, well, how cool is it to say we rode to SF (about 50 miles from here)? So we’re going to go partway this time if the northern part of the route I have in mind looks acceptable.

* In case you missed it, I’m not going to be racing Augusta 70.3 next month. After spending a week plus recovering from Barb’s Race, I just felt the race was too close to my IM taper and right in the midst of my biggest training weeks to waste a week recovering from a “C” race. Coach agreed I didn't need to be doing another half at this stage. Since I already have tickets and hotel for the trip, I will still make the trip to Augusta to see all my friends and maybe even jump in for the 1.2 mi swim before handing my chip over.

* AZ is looking closer and closer all the time! I’m so excited because 2 of my best training buddies and friends just booked their tickets to fly down for the race. Bring the cowbell, ladies!!!

* My poor puppies are being really good about how busy I’ve been. I have to remind myself they get a lot more in the way of activity and outings than most other dogs…but when Stanley sighs and gives me the “I’m bored” look while I’m working at my desk, I still feel bad. We’ll have to get them out for a good walk and lunch on Saturday after my long run.

* Nothing much else exciting to report right now. Jeff is all work, work, work lately while I’m all train, train, train. Good thing he doesn’t mind his wife disappearing for hours at a time. In addition to doing long rides with me though, he’s also training for his part in a 1/2 Iron relay in October, doing a lot of running to get ready for the half marathon! His goal for the race is to beat my 13.1 mile personal best from Vegas in December. We will see!