A new day ?

This was a tough week. Work is slow and business sucks in this economy. I have no chance of hitting my number this month which, even though I knew this and accepted it, still really de-motivates you.

Add that with the consistent reminding-pain in my back and hip and I faced with a very poor training motivation psyche. Got an LT test in on Wednesday on the trainer which was encouraging - not the results, just the fact I did it - and had hoped that would catapult me into workouts Thursday and Friday (Friday would have been a great day to run outside - almost 40 degrees) but I just couldn't get it going. Shame on me!

So this morning, after a relatively early night to bed (10:30 - that's early these days) I got up and jumped on the trainer again for about 50 minutes. Did another LT test, different from the first. Results were the same - I am in absolute sh*ty shape. Was planning to follow that up with a run outside but Blake was up and in need of a shower - badly. So I will try to do 20-30 minutes later this afternoon --- want to gauge how the hip feels.

Diet this last week was off as well. I've been trying to live by the QT2 plan Jesse prescribed, and generally have been doing well.... except for the late night grains (and mid day grains.... and morning grains... "Hello, my name is Paul and I'm a Carbo-holic"). Plus, I really am starting to think the 1 glass of red each night is negatively affecting me; I think it's making it harder to get up each morning. I will test it out the next 7 days and see if no wine at night helps me make the morning trainings (bummer - no red!)

Hope to be writing about some consistent trainings rather than my lack of motivation over the next few days --- stay tuned

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Moving on...

OK, a couple of workouts into it and I'm feeling a little better about myself.

Right now my plan is to forego the surgery until the fall (late fall) and train and race through the season. If I said yes to surgery now I assume I couldn't have it until later February - and with about 2 months recovery before running that means I'm looking at April/May before I can really train again... so I think I'll take my chances playing it smart by limiting my runs to an as-needed basis, maybe do more elipticals and deep water runs in place of the road work. Then once or twice a week go out for a quality session, either on the track or trails to minimize the pounding, but keep the strength up. Hopefully that will allow me to race this summer... then we'll repair the damage in the fall.

The only other decision left to make (if this plan works inititaly) is whether I can race Timberman Half. I want to do more and more 1/2s but now I have to think abut this whole hip thing- crap. On the other hand I could work on my weight, lean body mass and speed and really push the Olympic distance races.... I just love this sport so much that I can't imagine what I'll be like if I can't do it any more - Aqua Bike just isn't the same.r

Well, that's where I am today. Now that I have my diagnosis I am moving on into my training - will be putting the Power Tap to good use starting this weekend with a couple of LT tests. Hope to get my fat a$$ swimming again so I can join Tony's Saturday sufferfest. I'll try to keep this blogging thing up to date as my training diary. Until next time...

Shoot me now!

Saw the Hip Dr today and he told me I'm "shallow". I could have told him that.....

What he meant was I have shallow hips and suffer from Dysplasia - that is the real problem and why I have the Labral tear. I can have surgery and "clean it up" but that won't solve the problem (maybe just some of the pain) --- nope, ultimately I heading towards hip replacement in 20-odd years.... we'll see about that!

He said I'm a dream case for him - I say it's more like Paul's "Nightmare on Hilltop Road".

The other option - other than surgery - is to stop running and find something else, like biking and swimming. Great, so I can again experience that empty feeling I had when I completed the Patriot Aquabike.... roll into transition and STOP! You're done for the day - everyone else is heading out for a run and you're standing there holding your bike, literally, looking like a lost puppy. Oh boy, sign me up!

So it's decision time - have the surgery and hopefully feel good enough to keep training (after 2-3 months recovery), or keep popping NSAIDs, icing and deal with it --- and stop running, or cut back I guess.

Think I will have the surgery. It won't heal my "shallowness" but it will likely relieve the pain. What I'm gonna have to do it reel-in the running and save it for the races.

Dunno --- this sucks! F**king shoot me now!

(oh yeah, and we didn't even address the back - had to schedule another apt with his DO, Kelli McInnis... not until March 5th. Stay tuned...)

Know what? I gotta stop crying in my Power Gel.... at least my wife is beating the sh*t out of her breast cancer! Thank God!

Day 1 - okay technically 2....

....since it's 1:45AM on the second day of 2009. Happy New Year!

Been kicking around the idea of writing a diary for a number of years now to chronicle my attempt(s) at toeing the line for my first Ironman race. I am not a wordsmith nor would expect this to become a NY Times Bestseller, so this is something only I would really enjoy. I have put pen to paper several times but it has never amounted to anything - kinda like my repeated attempts at consistent training towards the ultimate race the last, oh I don't know, 10 years maybe...

So, as this George Jetson-world continues to evolve, now with Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, et al, I thought I'd give this Blog stuff a try. Not sure if anyone will read this or if I'll even make it public, but I'll try to keep up with it and see where it goes --- maybe it will be my training diary and race results page... maybe it'll be my therapy session on the couch... or maybe I'll expand it to be my family album (with 4 young kids there's always something new to tell the grandparents, extended family and friends). We tried to keep up to date with photo albums - HA! - gotta remember to bring the camera if your plan to have a photo album.

So let's just see how this goes. I already know I have one thing going against me... I type slowly. So I'll forgive myself now (and ask that of ALL my readers) if I don't make this a daily occurrence.

wess
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