Happy New Year

Well the new year is here and I am waiting restlessly to go outside and run or ride. I can feel the progress being made with my elbow and the bummer is that I want to go and run! The ability to go out and just run is therapeutic in its own right. The other thing is that I am getting anxious to start my training plan for the 09 season. June 20th is A-Day, the Patriot Half-Ironman. I want to set some lofty goals for this season. It will be my first full season as an age-grouper and I not only want to do well but compete in the 30-34 group. I am looking forward to the base training and putting in the miles. Patience is discipline and right now I am getting antsy!

4 more weeks

SO, went back to the Dr. today and he re X-rayed my elbow and was able to confirm that I have a broken Ulna radial head. (elbow) He took off my cast and told me that it couldn't be in a better spot. Like that is possible, I am still in a sling when I got out but can take it off when at home "relaxing". He did understand my desire for fitness and training for this upcoming season and limited my workouts from the the mid=section down. With that I am now going to focus on building power on the bike and strengthening my core. This could be good b/c I will be able to get the base that I need on the bike and in another couple weeks I will be able to drowned myself in the pool. I will also need to stretch my arse off! The one thing that the DR. said was that i have to keep my elbow from getting tight. So I can work on flexibility all over. I have to go back on the 12th and get another X-ray. He wants to chart the progress and see how soon before I get into therapy. Well time to go hook up the trainer!

Definately bad luck

I had to go to the orthopedic yesterday thinking that I would be in and out. Well I was wrong. He told me I fractured my elbow and without hesitating put me in a cast from the top of my shoulder to my knuckles. This really bites. I keep trying to tell myself that it could be worse but I getting tired of hearing that. Now it is time for mental toughness. Deal with the issue at hand so it can be used to gain strength for the time when I need t0 DIG DEEP! Typing is hard so I am going t0 stop now!

Bad Luck? or not?

Well I think my string of bad luck has continued, Sat night while working for Christmas Parade in my hometown I was in a bike accident. It wasn't that bad at first, hurt but not that bad. Maybe I couldn't feel it because it was 20 degrees outside. Anyway, woke up the next day and my elbow was the size of a cantaloupe. My LT. highly recommended that I go get it check out. So i did. 3 hours later, the x-rays were inconclusive and was given the name of an orthopedist to see. Right now it is being treated as a broken elbow b/c of the swelling and results of the x-rays. Until I can get the swelling down, and new x-rays to determine the damage I will be in a sling.

The bummer of all this is that I was feeling fantastic. I had made it past the IRONMAN blues and just registered for a race. Was getting geared up for 2 weeks of good running to get my fitness up a little bit to get in the pool for Jan 5th. I also believe that the higher power has a way of telling you to slow down and relax. This might be his way. Hopefully I don't have to slow down too much!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Moving Along

Thanksgiving has come and gone, Christmas season is in full swing and tri training is getting ready to start a new phase. The past few weeks I have been strength training and things have been going well. I have actually lost 3 pounds since Nov 1 and still haven't hit the hard core base training yet. I had a great swim last week. I did a few 250's for time and they were all faster than my swim time at JCC. I have been working on technique and focusing on stretching out my stroke to minimize the amount of energy spent during this event come race time. Training for a 1/2 ironman is less stressful than an Ironman without a doubt. Maybe because I have been around this block before I am not sure...any event I am totally looking forward to finishing up the strength training over the next few weeks to put the goggles and start getting fit. One thing I learned is that swim fitness will carry over to bike and run fitness but bike and run fitness will never carry you through the water!

Time to go get the Christmas Tree. Jack and i have a busy day!

Gearing Up for long winter!

It has been a bit since I have been in the mindset of letting nature run its course. My last entry was a little open minded b/c of what was presented to me when I went for my annual physical. There are some things you can't control and nature has to take over. Now I have a clean bill of health and have continued my push for getting stronger for the upcoming season. I have decided to focus of the 70.3 distance as my "A" race distance for this year. With my son turning 2 on Monday I don't want to limit my ability to spend as much time as I can with him and Lynn. The training plans are still intense and by no means easy but you can complete them in much less time than training for the IRONMAN. With the big base and benefit of training for IRONMAN last year I can use that foundation to transfer over to my 70.3 training. Some of my close friends are going to be training with me so this will male the loneliness a bit better when I have to go run at 5am on a February morning.

I have my new bike thanks to FIT WERX2. My GURU CRONO looks better than I ever expected. I can't wait to get that on the open road. Swimming will pick up hard core in about 5 weeks. My strength training is going well. I can feel the benefits of my CrossFit workouts, Thanks to Vin Miserandino. All is coming together, just as nature had planned. Sometimes it is better to just roll with the punches and learn from life's lessons. I sure know I have!

Reality

There are things in this world that bring us back to reality. I think I am on my way back...there is a reason for everything and the Almighty Father has a plan for all of us. The thing that stinks is that you never see it coming. There is a reason why I did IRONMAN and there is a reason why I am a cop. The cop thing I have seen what can come if you have a heart and show sensitivity. There are other things that are deep inside that are real. Those are the things that will bring out your strength. It does not matter how much you can lift or far and fast you can run bike or swim but but how you drive yourself to finish what you set out to do. There is something out there that will bring everyone back to reality and it will happen when we least expect it. The most important thing I have learned form my training is... I can handle anything!