Training, training and more training

Last week was a rough week training wise. My knees were giving me a hard time during my runs.  Saturday was really tough as my knees just kept buckling over and over.  I forgot how much this happened last winter and that I was getting taped up almost weekly.  It takes a lot out of me mentally when my knees buckle so this past week I went back for more tape to see if that would take care of things. What a difference it made and honestly I don't care if it's just helping mentally! We are keeping an eye on my running form too and it gets checked and corrected when necessary, which is pretty much weekly.

Running this week improved, Thursday was still a rough one but because my nutrition was off and I felt like the gas tank was empty so I struggled. My long run this weekend was much better than last weekend! No buckling, none what so ever!  This made me very happy.

I felt the 18.5km in my legs today on the long ride and next weekend I am for sure getting back to the ride run approach, it makes a difference.

I'm back to strength training twice a week which also makes me feel better knowing I'm getting stronger with every workout.  My swim distances have also started ramping up and I already hit the 3k mark.  I crawled into bed tonight when it was still light out, you know you are training for an ironman when!

Last week our new tri tops came in and as soon as we saw them we agreed that matching shorts were a must.

Post Injection Follow-up

It's been a week since I got my injections and I have to say, the knees are feeling pretty good! It's amazing the difference I can feel within a day or two, walking up and down the stairs is easier and just in general there are less aches and pains, these shots are amazing.

I was pretty much benched last week letting the shots settle in but I did get a few workouts in over the weekend.  Saturday I cranked out 2000m in 40 mins and that felt great! Sunday I didn't have as much wind in my sails but I still managed to knock out a solid swim.  I also ventured out for an easy 45k ride but Mother Nature got cranky and the rain turned me around after 15km so I added about 40 minutes to that on the trainer.

Yesterday I was back at Chiro and I found the sweet spot for my running form. Tonight the trick is remembering how good that felt and what my posture was like when I hit the pavement for my first run.  I met up with a few of the girls for the Masters Swim last night and that was no easy session let me tell you, Drew was definitely making us work but it always feels great after.

It's recovery week this week so it's a little easier overall but it feels great to get back into the full swing of training again, especially with 12 weeks to go, OMG!

Round 2

So the dream team of doctors works fast, I already had my appointment today with the sports MD for the second round of injections.

We doubled up this time and did both knees at once this time now that I'm not a rookie and I know what to expect.  He did the left one first and it was a walk in the park.  Righty on the other hand was a little more stubborn and painful.  He had to work the needle around a bit to get it into just the right place, I'm still cringing as I type this.  I've had a few needles lately and let me tell you, these suckers are the big ones with a lot of fluid getting injected.  I took a few deep breaths and he worked it around and found the sweet spot he was looking for.

It is such a weird feeling, feeling the fluid being injected into my knee.  Afterwards he worked the durolane around just by bending my knees a bit and he mentioned how he can feel the fluid moving around.

The last time I had this done my right leg reacted and it stiffened right up, I was limping around and needed to make an unscheduled stop at the chiro's officer for some relief.  I'm happy to say, as of right now things are feeling pretty good considering.  I'll keep my fingers crossed it stays this way.

I'm back on the bench for the next few days, the Sports MD does a good job of scaring the crap out of me telling me about what can happen should I get an infection.   My other doctor already pared back training for this week in prep of the shots and for after as well to let everything settle into place.  So on that note, I have a couple days off and plan to use them making some new road food snacks and whatever else needs to be done around the house.

2014 Mississauga Half Marathon

I ran the Mississauga Half last weekend, this was my third time running this race and I can say every year has felt like a completely different race.  I went in wanting to beat my time from last year, really who doesn't go into a race wanting to beat their previous time?!   I reminded myself that this year has been very different than last year.  I had some very different motivation pushing me to run my ass off last year, just having come back from the Boston Marathon had left me running for very different reasons last year.  This year I was coming back from dealing with being diagnosed with Osteoarthritis and everything that goes along with it.  So this year was a very different race than last year.

I realized the night before how much I really do love racing. I haven’t participated in a race since my DNF at Ironman last summer. Saturday, as the afternoon was turning into evening I was getting the usual butterflies and pre-race anxiety…I love it!  It makes me feel electric!   On my way to Anna’s house I had the usual race morning brain fog and drove the wrong way to her house…Anna lives 4km away from me and I couldn't remember which the best way to go was! Can you see why at Ironman I stay right next to the starting area?

Anyway, the race was the usual route, I know it and I really like it.  I struggled with the inclines after getting half way up “the big hill” at the 10k point and walked all of them after that point.  It was just too painful.  I knew with that happening beating my time wasn't going to happen but I still wanted to push and get in as fast as I could. 

During the first 10-12 k or so I was trying to keep my form in check but somewhere after the half-way point (where the pictures started) I can see my training went out the window and I was just pushing to get it finished. 

While I finished 14 minutes slower than last year I still had a great race and I can’t wait to go back next year and crush my course record!

On the knee pain front...my dream team of doctors are working on getting me in for round 2 of the injections in the next couple of weeks.  Ironman training really starts to ramp up now so the sooner the better.  

Today we are at the 101 day countdown! It's go time folks!

no words...

It was nearly a year ago that my life changed forever and this is the first time I have written about it.  What was felt, seen and thought when the chaos ensued during the Boston Marathon was different among us six, how this changed all of us is just as different.  

I have yet to find the words that truly describe what I felt and what I thought was going to happen to me that day and honestly I don't even know if they exist. So instead I say, no words can describe what I thought and what I felt that day but what I can say is, there will forever be a special place in my heart for these ladies for only we know what we experienced.  

The Theory of Awesomeness Infographic

Thanks to http://mindvalleyacademy.com for this graphic.

Tonight, the magic happened.

Tonight was one of those nights, one of those nights where all I wanted to do was be done. I ran out of energy at work this afternoon and really the last thing I wanted to do was run 14km on the dreadmill... Oops I meant treadmill. 

I pushed and whined my way through the first 7 miles when I was about to quit. Ok truth be told I was ready to quit before I even started.  I picked up my phone and was about to text a friend and teammate asking how bad it would be to just it a night and quit there.  I stopped for a second and looked up.

It was then that it happened. What happened you ask? My gaze caught something on the other side of the room.  It was only for a moment but that was all it took.  What was it I saw that gave me what I needed to finish? It was my bib from my Ironman race last year. Seeing that bib, hanging in the place I had made for my medal reminded me that no matter how much discomfort I felt at that moment,  it couldn't come close to comparing what it felt like to not finish my race. Who knew a piece of paper could be so powerful!