Why Be Normal?

Thanks my friends for the words of hope and encouragement on the hip injury. Special thanks to my friend and Physical Therapist Allan Besselink from Smart Sport International who emailed me after reading my blog post and basically said, "Get your ass in here now so that I can have a look." Hell, as far as I'm concerned, you can never have too many expert opinions! He also tested my muscular strength and all seems to be well. He recommended a few daily stretches along with some tests over the next 48 hours. Bottom line: I'm recouping from a freakin' Ironman!! HELLO!! :-) It certainly warrants a certain amount of rest and recovery.

So, this week has been filled with swimming and a couple of Computrainer rides at the house...Nothing major and definitely not working any tough gears. Just focusing on technique and pedal strength. I knew my leg was getting bad on Monday morning when I rode the Computrainer at 1% grade and 6mph headwind (yes, you can program wind resistance) and throughout the course of my ride, I could see my right leg power getting weaker and weaker. That's one of the amazing feedback mechanisms of the Computrainer. Not only do you get to watch your spin scan, but you can also gain instant feedback on your pedal power and see which leg is doing most of the work. Unfortunately, as the numbness grew in my leg, the weakness also grew. 

Actually hit both Tues/Thurs AM swim workouts this week (woot!) and swam twice on my own. Plus, I hit the Wednesday Jack and Adams Corture class again! OK--we were 15 minutes late, but it was better than not showing up at all and it felt oddly empowering doing 45 minutes of core work on black asphalt in 106 degree heat...only in Austin.

Even with all of that, I'm totally still feeling the post-Ironman angst! It still feels foreign not doing 2-a-days every day and 6 hour rides on the weekends. I've yet to attend a coached spin or run workout since IM. I'm doing my solitary rides on the Computrainer within the comforts of my air-conditioned house. Amazing that a two-hour spin and 45 minutes of pilates/core feels "lazy." That's one side. The flip side is enjoying the freedom of seeing friends, going to more movies, concerts, reading books and SLEEPING!! Like most post-IM folks, I'm searching for that balance of staying fit, healthy and balanced. What I have to remember is that training for Ironman is NOT BALANCE. It is NOT the norm. I'm coming down from a high and sometimes the withdrawal is painful and frustrating. I'm re-establishing a norm for the next several months that doesn't necessarily involve 18-20 hours of exercise. Geez--just typing that sounds insane!

However, one cannot stay away from the addiction for too long (just ask Michael Jackson). Hubster and I are, in fact, signed up for many other races including Ironman St. George on May 1, 2010! What can I say?!

Being abnormal is becoming our norm.