2013: A Year in Review

This time of the year, it's comon to see countdowns and reflections of what happened in this past year.  So I thought it would be fitting to take some time to reflect on my year of athletic accomplishments.  It was quite a year!

Overall, I did 5 sprint, 1 Olympic and 1 half ironman distance races.  I got an age group award in 2 of these races.  I completed a Century.  But the list of completed events doesn't really describe the year I had.

I started 2013 with a desire to do triathlons but not much else.  I bought the "gear" I needed, including a new road bike.  I enrolled in training programs like Spin90, Anne's open water swim clinics and my swim class.  I joined Mid MD Tri Club.  I did all the things I thought I should do in order to successfully compete in triathlons.

It took a few races to realize that physically preparing and mentally preparing are 2 different things.  My head helped and hurt me at several points this year.  I haven't really been a big resolution maker in the past...but if I had to make a resolution for 2014, it would be to be mentally tougher.  While I have a stubborness that won't allow me to quit a race, I tend to allow my head to let me give in on the run.  I slow down and I don't push hard enough.  So 2014 is going to be the year where I stay stronger mentally.

2014 is going to be a different kind of year because it will start with the foot surgery.  But I am determined that I can still accomplish some good things athletically.  I am looking forward to facing the challenges that the year will present.  Happy New Year everyone!  It's going to be a great one!!

It's on the Books

I just got all of my doctor appointments scheduled.  My surgery is set for Feb. 19th.  This way, I'll be finished with all the travel for Ryann's auditions before the surgery.  So the schedule is as follows:

-Surgery Feb. 19th.  In a boot.
-2 weeks with no driving - can drive after March 5
-4 more weeks in the boot - April 2nd released from boot
-can swim immediately
-can bike if comfortable after 2 weeks - April 16th
-can run after 4 weeks - April 30th


I will definitely need at least 2 months to get race ready...no races before July 1.  Just to be safe, I will probably avoid signing up for races until I have started training again in late April.  Who knows what my recovery timeline is going to look like!

I wish I didn't have to wait until February to have the surgery, but it doesn't make sense to try to do it before all the travel for Ryann's auditions.  It's better to be a little bit patient...of course that is a trait that I am lacking.

I have decided that during my "boot" time, I am going to focus on my core strength.  I'm going to work with Clara to design ab exercises that don't have any stress on my feet but that will develop that area.  Hopefully with some focused attention on the core, I won't have the back issues that I had this year.

The other goal is to get as much pool time in between now and the surgery.  Swimming doesn't hurt my foot like cycling and running do...so I'm going to swim to stay in shape.  I can't just be a lump like I have been for the past 2 weeks!

Foot Doctor Report

Yesterday I had my appointment with the podiatrist to see what is going on with my foot pain.  I brought my running shoes and wore my black boots so he could see the shoes that I wear the most.  I walked into the office a little nervous but excited to find out how to get rid of my pain.

The receptionist was gruff but efficient.  I had missed one thing on the new patient forms that I had filled out ahead of time...this seemed to annoy her...but I fixed it right away.  I sat down and waited about 90 seconds before they called me back. 

The nurse asked me a bunch of questions about my symptoms and entered the info into the computer.  Then she went to get the doctor.  Another 90 second wait and in walked Doogie Howser...I mean the podiatrist.

I made sure to tell him that I am a runner and a triathlete.  He is too...so I knew he would understand my desire to get rid of whatever was going on and get back to training.  As we talked about my pain and he pushed on my foot in many painful ways, he asked me if there was anything I did that alleviated the pain.  I said that a glass of wine does the trick.  He laughed...a good belly laugh...I consider it a personal victory that I got a foot doctor to belly laugh.

So he sent me with the nurse to get some x-rays.  When they were done, Doogie and I looked at the x-rays.  He said that he didn't see a fracture.  I said "that's good, right?"  He said "yes that's good".  But then he showed me a small dark area right on the side of the bone.  He said "you've got a bunion".  My response, without a moment's thought was "I thought only little old ladies got bunions".  He laughed again and said that anyone can get a bunion.  He said that he just did a surgery on a 16 year old girl with a bunion.

Along with the bunion, he explained sesamoiditis.  My sesamoid bones in the ball of my foot are causing irritation which is exaggerated by the pressure of the bunion.

So he went through a very detailed description of how we can pad my shoes and create special orthotics that have a cut out in the area of the bunion so that I can run.  He said that the eventuality is probably surgery to get rid of the bunion.  He said we could do what we could to prolong that.

The whole time Doogie was talking, I was thinking, why would I go through all that effort just to "manage" with the bunion?  Why wouldn't I just get rid of it and be done with it?  So I asked him.  He said "that's the athlete in you.  You're aggressive.  Most people don't want to take the aggressive approach."

So he switched to describing the surgery and what was involved.  I will be in a boot for 6 weeks.  Considering that it's my right foot, driving will be an issue.  He said that after 2 weeks I can take the boot off to drive.  I asked about running.  He said that I can probably start running again 4 weeks after I get the boot off.  I can swim right away, bike probably 2 weeks after.  But the bunion will be gone.  It only makes sense to me that instead of "managing" the pain, we get rid of the source of the pain.  Right?  I just don't understand why anyone would want to prolong the inevitable.

He fitted me for orthotics and sent me on my way.  The coordinator will be calling me to set up the date for surgery.

I'm trying to figure out the best time to do this...Ryann's college auditions are late January through February.  So if I schedule the surgery for mid-February, I will be finished with the travel required for those auditions.  I'll be in the boot until roughly April 1st.  Then I'll be running by May 1st.  He told me I wouldn't be half Ironman ready in 2014 but by the end of the season, I'll be in great shape to do some sprints and olympic distances. 

So the question is, do I trust Doogie to do this?  He told me that he has done hundreds of these surgeries and the practice came highly recommended to me.  But he seems so young!  So I'm putting my foot in his young hands. 

Run for Abby

This morning I woke up with the intention of running with Abby.  I have known Abby for almost 14 years.  She has been a co-worker, friend, mentor and support.  She is the kind of person who would do anything for her friends.  I'm lucky to be someone she considers a friend.

Abby has to have surgery on her ankle/foot on Tuesday.  She was originally told that she would not be able to run again.  Luckily she got a second opinion who has a different prognosis...only about 6 months of no running.  She was relieved.

So this morning a group of Abby's friends got together to run with her for the last time before her surgery.  I tested my foot a little bit in the neighborhood before heading to Centennial Lake to meet the group.  I knew almost immediately that I wouldn't be able to run.  I was so disappointed but I know that staying off my foot is the best thing until I know what's going on with it.

When I pulled into the parking lot and saw everyone, I really wanted to run.  I didn't...but I really wanted to.

Cassandra was there.  She has recently gone through a foot injury and was in a boot for several months.  I talked to her about my foot injury.  She was concerned that I was seeing a podiatrist and not an orthopedist.  I guess I just assumed that if it's a foot problem, you should automatically see a podiatrist.  I'm going to see what the podiatrist says, but keep an open mind about getting a second opinion.

I am anxious to see what happens on Tuesday.  I have a feeling that there might be a boot in my future...

Derailed by a Foot

So I have failed in my running every day in December.  As the title of this entry states, I was derailed by my foot.  It hurts...and running makes it hurt even worse.

It's funny how some things happen.  My foot started hurting really badly and 2 days later the MMTC email chail had a topic about good foot doctors in the area.  So I took the recommendations made on that email chain and made an appointment.  Unfortunately I couldn't get in until Jan 6th.  I'm going to see if another doctor can see me earlier than that. 

My biggest worry is this Sunday.  I am participating in a run for my friend Abby who has to have surgery on Dec. 17th.  She won't be able to run for about 6 months.  So a group of us are joining Abby to celebrate her love of running.  Abby plans to run 6 miles.  I am worried about whether or not I will be able to run the entire thing because of my foot pain.

I have googled my symptoms but I haven't been able to find anything that really fits the kind of pain I've been having.  Rest hasn't seemed to help...I haven't run in a few days.  The only active workouts I've done have been swimming and cycling.

I am disappointed that I didn't complete my December challenge, but I'm even more worried about the foot pain.  I hope it's not anything too serious...

Three Workouts in One Day

Last Tuesday I did three workouts in one day.  It was exhausting and I was so sore the next day, but it felt great!

Workout #1:  In the morning I did my swim class.  It is getting toward the end of the session and, while I love this class, I don't think my finances will allow me to continue with it.  Anyway, we ended up doing really fast intervals.  The pool had been drained because of a pump issue, so the water hadn't had time to warm up.  They said the temperature was 77 degrees, but it felt a lot colder than that. 

I have not watched the movie "Miracle", but several people in the class said our class was like that...when the coach made them do drills and kept yelling "again!"  We didn't have much rest time between our intervals before Pam would make us go again.  I was able to keep up until the very last interval of the class.  It was tough, but I kind of liked the workout.

Workout #2:  Then in the evening, I had my Spin90 class.  We did one legged drills for 5 minutes on each leg.  I felt pretty strong the entire time!  Considering how awful I was at one legged drills just a few weeks ago, this is a major improvement. 

Workout #3:  John had invited a cross training coach to the end of class so I was really excited.  It turns out that it was the same guy that came to our outdoor class this summer.  I really liked him in the summer when he worked with us on our running form.  This time, he was focused on core strengthening...EXACTLY what I need!

He said that the worst core exercise is a sit-up.  I've never done yoga, but the moves that he was doing with us really made me think this is what yoga might be like.  I could tell while I was doing them that they were working and that my abs would be sore the next day.  I was right!

So I did not run that day, but I feel like three workouts totally makes up for not running!

Slow Start

Today was the first day of the running challenge.  I got up early and got my running stuff on.  Then the dog decided that she needed to go out.  OK, I figured I could kill 2 birds with 1 stone.  She needs exercise too, after all!

We went about a mile, although I'm not sure you can count what we did as running.  She stopped at every post, fire hydrant, trash can, bush and twig along the way.  She loves to smell the outdoors...every single thing in the outdoors!  I can't blame her...she's cooped up in the house most of the day and only has these short walks/runs in which to explore the world.  But it's not exactly conducive to running.

So when we actually were running, it was fun.  We were running at a good pace and nothing hurt!  I was actually pain free while running.  My back didn't hurt, my knees were fine and I almost forgot about the pain in the arch of my foot.  Now if I could only keep that going for a few miles, it would be great!

December Running Challenge Day 1: 1 mile.

Running Challenge

I figured out a way to get myself out of this lazy rut.  I'm going to challenge myself to run every day in December.  This is not going to be easy for several reasons...

-it's cold and I hate the treadmill
-I have not run since the half IronMan
-it's cold
-December is a very busy month
-it's cold
-on Tuesdays, I swim in the morning and have Spin90 class in the evening.  A double workout is bad enough...make it a triple and I'm not sure I am up for that
-it's cold
-Today is December 1st and it's 9:21 and I haven't run today...although I've been running up and down the stairs doing laundry all day...does that count?
-did I mention it's cold???

OK, so I'm giving myself a pass for today since I didn't come up with this challenge until now.  But as a consolation, I will include a run even on the days that I have swimming and Spin90. 

For clarification, this does not mean that I will have a long run every day.  Some days it will only be a mile.  Other days it will be a lot longer.  But I will run every day.  I will report on my progress here...this will help keep me accountable.

Yes, I understand the need for a rest day.  I also understand that I need to stop being lazy.  I have a feeling that there will be a lot more 1 mile days than long mileage days.  We shall see!!!

So who is with me?  Are you up for running every day?