Saturday, August 30, 2014

A New Year

I always feel like September is New Year's, probably from being in school for so long and now working at a university. So, I'm taking stock at the end of the year, the end of what would normally be race season, and thinking about the year to come.

I'm still dealing with my hip issues and am not much further ahead than I was. It seems that the issue is "frozen" hip joints (adhesive capsulitis), which resulted mainly from the pelvic surgery I had in 2012 between my two Ironmans and the stress my body was under as it tried to heal and train. I didn't race at all this year. I missed Ironman Coeur d'Alene and the Lake Stevens 70.3 and I won't be going to Austin for the 70.3 there, either. I have kept up the training as much as possible though. I've ridden my bike a fair bit - about 3200 km. I've swum about 100,000 metres in the last year and my BFF and I have been out at Hubbles Lake a lot this summer having 'swim therapy' - so, so great. As for running, I've only done 200 km and haven't run since March. Now I need to regain my flexibility and get stronger and slowly build myself back up. It feels like it's taking forever.

In some ways, it's been great to have a year of training for fun and keeping the intensity low. I've had a lot on my plate this year with my separation so I didn't really need to add an Ironman to that, too! But this has been hard, too. Sometimes, I can hardly see myself as a triathlete anymore. I've only watched the races I thought I'd do. Today I rode with my club and couldn't even keep up. It was demoralizing.

I'm feeling a little sorry for myself today but most of the time, it's not so bad. I am hopeful and I know what I need to do. I worry that it won't work but I have to put that aside and just do what I can do. Spin starts in 2 1/2 months and I want to be able to do that. Next summer, I want to get back into racing by doing sprints. That would be fun and it would make me so happy to be a triathlete again!

My life is good and happy. I just get bummed sometimes. But I will press on and hope for the best and do what I need to do to get there.

Friday, May 30, 2014

Moving Forward

It's been a while since I've posted. I've been on my own for a few months now and I've been doing my best to move forward in some way every day. Things are falling into place for my new life and I look to the future with anticipation.

As for triathlon, well, that's still stalled a bit due to some lingering injuries. However, I have continued to train as much as possible. Last week was my club's annual cycling trip to Drumheller, where we are able to get lots of riding in. This built nicely on the solid bike training I did over the winter. I have been pretty faithful with swimming, although a trip to Europe in April and an ear infection in May interfered with that a little. I'm back on track now, though. I haven't run for about two months, though, since my hip is still giving me trouble.

Generally, my hip is just locked up. My muscles are so tight - it's because of overuse. I've been going to physio for IMS (needles) and to a chiro for active release therapy. I think it's helping but it makes me feel pretty beaten up. Now that June is upon us, I want to shift my focus away from rehab and think more about doing yoga and re-building my fitness in all three sports.

I was going to do Ironman Coeur d'Alene this year but decided instead to transfer that registration to a half iron later in the year. So I am now registered for Ironman 70.3 Austin on October 26. I'm also registered for Ironman 70.3 Lake Stevens on August 17. These will be my two races for the year. My brother lives in Lake Stevens so I'll do that race with him and my friend has decided to come with me to Austin, which was a really nice surprise. That will be fun! I'm still going to go to Coeur d'Alene, too, to watch my brother do his first Ironman and to cheer on some friends who are also doing the race.

I am very hopeful that I will be able to get the function back in my hip and be able to train enough to finish these races this year. I still love triathlon and am dying to get back to it in full swing. However, it's not a bad thing to back off and let each season be what it should. This is a year I never expected to have in so many ways but it's good and I am letting it just unfold.


Sunday, March 2, 2014

Transition

Triathletes know all about transition. It's that time in the race when you make a shift to the next phase and you try to do it in the best way possible. If you do it well, you move on to the next step with the best chance of success.

I know all about transition. I'm right in the middle of it, trying to make the rest of the race great.

The past two years have been something else. So much change, heartache, challenge, and learning. I started a demanding new job, had very major surgery, and came to the end of my marriage.

It is now the bitter end of a long, brutal winter here. I'm single and I live alone (although I see my children often and I am on very good terms with my ex-husband). In terms of my career, I've come to the realization that, even though nursing has given me a lot of opportunities in my lifetime, it is not the place for me anymore, and so I no longer feel I belong in my job as a nursing professor.

However, as I reflect on this time in my life, I know that where I am right now is a period of enormous possibility. I have shed some things that I no longer need and am ready to move on. At this time, of all times, I can be anything, do anything, start over in any way imaginable. I don't have to live in this climate anymore, I can re-shape my career easily into something outside of nursing, I can meet a new partner to share it all with.

Funny thing is, through all of this, triathlon has been the constant. It's been my joy and therapy and it has given me some amazing, supportive, fantastic friends who make my life very good. It has taught me about perseverance, accomplishment, and efficient transition. No matter where I go or what I do, it will always be part of my life for all of the ways it teaches me.