Well this update is a long time coming. Life has been really busy of late so here’s a little update. I think it helps that today our power on the street was turned off for some work to be done, so whilst I have a quiet work day, I have no internet to distract me or other things I can do that require power, so I can sit down and use good old fashioned Word to write my blog!

 

First of all the injury update:

I guess I can still call it an injury since I’m not fully back to “normal” yet. It’s been a solid 16 weeks (yes 4 months) since I last ran. I can’t believe it has been that long. I think I have forgotten how to run. Do I miss it? Yes, but have I found other ways to keep fit , get stronger and stay less stressed? Yes I have. Plus the fear I sometimes have for getting injured while running, especially following stress fracture is not there which is nice. I have still been cycling, on the elliptical which I now can manage to get quite a good workout on if I add in intervals. I am also doing weights at the gym again instead of just TRX and this has made a big difference to my overall strength. Hot yoga is awesome for strength, flexibility and stress release and a good sweat! I am swimming less, down to once a week. I don’t know if I want to return to triathlon, as swimming is really not enjoyable for me. I will continue to do a short swim once a week through fall and then decide in the winter if I want to return to tri’s next year. A friend of mine said something which really hit home. For both of us, it is really all we know in terms of which sport we have involved ourselves with. I have been training and racing 3 sports for 18 yrs . Two workouts a day for most days was the norm and racing a half dozen tri’s/ or run races has been the way I spent my spring and summer. Don’t get me wrong, I loved it. After this injury though, I have to find the balance again and I think and fear that if I stay competitive in triathlon, I may go down that slippery slope again which I am not keen on. My personality is an all or nothing kind of person. I will make sure I get in 98% of my training sessions and do them to their fullest. If I use cycling and swimming as more of a cross training tool, then I will feel less like I NEED to complete everything. With that in mind, running would become my main sport and likely easier to keep the balance. I would like to try more trail running events and trail training, and stay in the gym/yoga studio and on the bike too. For this coming fall and winter its going to be all about balance again and rediscovering what it is I want and what I love to do for next year. I do know I want to get back to some racing, and after 3 seasons where I kept getting faster, the fire is there as long as I can keep it healthy. I may consider a running coach to help me do that as I have been self coaching (I do coach a few people, but it is much harder to be objective when it comes to yourself! I have proven that with physio too!)

I have an xray and follow up in a week from today and hope that the stress fractures healed to be able to begin a very conservative walk / run program.

 

NYC- Mother Daughter Trip

When your then 10 yr old says “Mom can either Daddy go away so we can be home together or you and I go away on our own? You can’t say no!!! I thought long and hard about what to do with her that would not cost a lot of $$ but would still be memorable and fun. I asked my husband what he thought about me emptying the VISA points account for a trip to NYC, hotel and flight included and he agreed it would be great to have a girls weekend away. We had a blast. We did it very inexpensively! Having an 11 yr old with  you who really doesn’t love to shop makes keeping the spending down much easier! We  had a list of stuff to do and to be honest got about 25% checked off! I forgot how time in NYC flies and it’s such a big place with so much to see and do. We also saw two shows (one was a gift and one was 50% off so that keeps costs down too!) which took up quite a bit of time for travel and needing to go back to hotel to change which was not close to Broadway, so that ate up time, but when in NYC do as NYCers do and that includes Broadway. We found some great little snacky things and candy stores and the BEST chocolate chip cookies I have ever eaten. Nothing can even come close to these. I can’t wait to go back!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall it was a great summer. As I stated back in May my goals for this summer were not athletically inclined but more lifestyle changes and personal accomplishments. I read about 6 books , I spent alone time with my husband, I sort of learned how to relax:)  I took up hot yoga, and I found other outlets for my lack of running.

Life got a bit more busy in the last weeks of August when my mom and mother in law both had surgery. All was expected but both had some little bumps along the recovery way. Thankfully both are doing well this week and we can all breathe some sighs of relief. 

Here’s to a new chapter now that September is here . Even though I don’t go back to school, I have always felt that the day after Labor Day is a time for new beginnings and new routines.

Not to mention, I really hope I get to start to run next week so I can make good use of these new kicks from Mizuno!