Part 2. My Road to Ironman: Surgery Loomed

6 Months to go.  December 5^th I followed up with the orthopedic surgeon who again blindly reported ‘your shoulder will heal with more time’.  I tried to ask him specific questions about timeline, callous formation, and muscular imbalances but he was more worried about how long I could afford to be off work.  In my opinion, that was really none of his business.  After discussing concerns with my husband, we decided to get a second opinion.  Dec 13th revealed the truth.  The second doctor immediately ordered an axial view x-ray stating that when the fracture is so close to the AC joint the only way to visualize it accurately is with an axial view.  Once the correct x-ray was taken, it was very obvious that the bones were not even close to being lined up.  Surgery loomed and Ironman was most certainly out of the question.  Surgery on December 23^rd was planned for an hour and a half, but ended up taking 3 hours.  My husband nervously waiting got the news that my clavicle was in so many pieces that it was like ‘putting a puzzle back together’.  A 4 inch titanium plate and 12 bone screws later, I was on my way home with a nerve block and Oxycontin as my Christmas presents.  The next two weeks were a blur.   My January 3^rd follow up appointment was encouraging.  The surgeon cleared me to start working out as long as I did not use my arm.  Life was starting to look up again and thoughts of Ironman crept back into my mind.  Could I really do it?  It’s already January and the odds that I can get fit enough with modified workouts to make Ironman safe and feasible was a long shot, but what the hell.  I have time, energy, and nothing to lose.

Sitting has never served me well.  To rest and ask for help proved maddening. Reading, English Premier League Soccer, and Angry Birds were my new past times.  My husband would get home from work and I wanted to talk.  Talk about anything and everything.  After a few weeks I could tell my newfound social desire was driving him crazy, but I didn’t really care.  My job is very social and being off on medical leave for 4 months, I just needed to talk.  This change was tough, but my husband understood and humored me.  Bless his heart.

 5 months to go.

At my doctor’s appointment February 2^nd, I was cleared to run and start exercising my arm more aggressively.  My surgeon told me “if you don’t get your range of motion back in two weeks I will be surprised and disappointed”.  I was stoked to run, but it felt so weird.  My sports bra rubbed in just the wrong spot and my arm motion was not good enough to get normal arm swing.  I started stretching my arm 6 times a day, which hurt like crazy but low and behold my arm started to loosen up.  Within a week I was back to running.  Thank goodness I kept my cardio up on the bike and elliptical so the transition back to running wasn’t too tough.  I also discovered spin class.  Mentally I could not overcome the boredom of the bike trainer.  Lady Gaga and Real Housewives only went so far.  That’s when I discovered spin class; an amazing invention.  Spin bikes are made more like road bikes.  They are smooth and have easily adjustable resistance.  Partner that with top 40 music and a way too enthusiastic instructor and you get a great workout.  The first few classes I could not hold onto the bars for the whole workout because my shoulder would start to ache, but that was the beauty of cycling indoors, you can sit up without crashing.  Just a minor adjustment made a huge difference in my motivation for training. 

Alright, so lets think about this for a minute.  I can run.  I can bike.  Slowly the Ironman training book made it’s way back to our coffee table...

Stay posted for Part 3:  My Road to Ironman.  Ambitious Nature  

Part 1. My Road to Ironman: The Hard Way

Ironman is an epic event that tests the depths of physical and mental strength.  Taking the leap of faith to sign up will forever burn in my memory.   I was excited, proud, anxious, fearful, and giddy with the thought of completing this ambitious endeavor.  I’ve organized my personal journal into 3 posts that will take you through my not so conventional road to finishing my first Ironman.  

1 year to go.  I was a spectator at Coeur d’Alene Ironman and was inspired by the thousands of participants that seemed so ‘ordinary’.  My husband included.  After 2 sleepless nights I was officially signed up for CDA IM 2012!!

10 months to go.   

I finished Lake Stevens 70.3 in 6 hours 3 minutes and felt invincible

9 1/2 months to go.  I had all these great ideas about keeping in shape in the off-season, but my body would just not cooperate.  A friend talked me into doing a sprint tri with her.  I was somewhat reluctant and didn’t push hard, as I knew I was at prime risk for injury doing Lake Stevens just 2 weeks before.  Nevertheless 2 miles into the run my calf cramped and I limped, defeated, across the finish line.  As a PT, I wasn’t so worried about a calf cramp.  No big deal, just do some stretching, light exercise, and problem solved.  Not the case.  It lingered.

9 months to go.   Massage therapy was helping get my calf back into shape, but my overachieving self decided to do yoga the next morning.  Turns out that deep tissue massage to my hip muscles inhibited their function and allowed me to stretch just a bit too far.  About an hour after I finished I started getting excruciating pain in my left groin.  No!  Not again.  This can’t be happening.  I need to start training soon.   Turns out that I had a torn labrum in my hip.  It could have been there for years and just flared up during yoga or I may have torn it that day.  Again, I sought advice, this time from a PT.  He did a full gait analysis and gave me appropriate exercises.  I think you can tell by now that when it comes to my body recovering from injury I’m not very patient.  After a few therapy sessions and cutting back on my training my hip was feeling better.

7 months to go.  You have got to be kidding me.  On November 10, 2011 riding my bike home from work on the Burke Gilman trail in Seattle a 40 something guy walked out in front of me, I swerved but was unable to miss him.  I hit the front of my right shoulder on the outside of his left shoulder.  Pain, oh so much pain.  I cried all the way to the ER to confirm my immediate suspicion of a broken collarbone.  I wasn’t crying from the pain, but my dreams of Ironman slipping away.  Now if you’re not from Seattle you need to know that the Burke Gilman Trail is Seattle’s “bike super highway’”.  Especially at 4:30 pm.  This guy was just walking along the right side of the trail.  Just walking in a straight line giving me no reason to believe he was going to do anything differently than all the other people I was passing, but abruptly without any warning he turned 90 degrees and walked right in front of me.  I had 3 feet to react.  I wasn’t going fast.  Maybe 15 mph…maybe.  It was a freak accident.  I am a reserved person showing my deepest emotions only to those that I am closest to.  This gentleman however had a much different personality. 

We had a brief meeting in life, probably less than 5 minutes, but he has left a lasting impression on my body and soul.  I hit my shoulder to his and I believe my right brake and drop part of my handlebar hit his arm and hip.  It all happened so fast.  From what I remember, he was flung around in a circle landing on the grass hillside just off the trail.  I was miraculously able to keep my bike under control and steer it to a stop on the opposite side of the trail.  As I got off my bike, my first thought was to make sure this man was ok.  I’m not sure what his first thought was, but all I heard was screaming.  He was so angry.  I don’t blame him for being angry, but lets be adults here.

I was supposed to attend a friends wedding in Puerto Rico in four days and was so scared that I would need surgery, miss out on my vacation and my Ironman dreams. The orthopedic surgeon gave me the best news possible in that moment “The bone is in good alignment and will heal with rest”.  Yes!  Great news!  I get to go on my trip and will be back to work by the New Year.  At this point, I seriously contemplated the reality of being able to train for an Ironman in 6 months.  If I can go back to work in January that means I should start swimming then too.  Swimming is already my weakness and this little ‘set back’ is going to be an uphill battle, but I was tentatively confident that Ironman was still a possibility.  My friends and family on the other hand just assumed I would throw in the towel.  Hmm, I think not.

Icing in the airport on my way to the Caribbean!!!

Stay posted for part 2. “Surgery Loomed”

Enjoy 'Active Rest' This Offseason

Our triathlon season is wrapping up and we are starting to hunker down as the days shorten and our favorite TV shows return to prime time.  It is important to properly recover from your season, prepare your body and rejuvenate your mental focus for next season.  I would like to think that this includes sitting on the couch, drinking beer and watching soccer, but unfortunately this isn’t going to do you any favors come June.   I commonly use the term “Active Rest” with my patient’s.  “Active Rest” is defined as activity that is enjoyable and doesn’t feel like work but really is.  This may be playing soccer, Ultimate Frisbee, doing yoga, Zumba, kickboxing, etc.  These activities seem more fun than the same old swimming, biking and running but will help to maintain your weight and base fitness level in the off season.   It doesn’t matter what you chose, just do something.

I would also highly recommend working on your core strength.  ‘Core’ is all the rage these days but for very good reason.  Every aspect of Triathlon can be improved with proper stability through your trunk. There are tons of core exercises out there and you don’t need to do them all.  Just pick your favorite, or least favorite depending on how you think about this type of exercise, and incorporate them into your workout routine.

Another great way to focus your off season is to pick your weakest sport and work on technique.  This is especially true if you plan a full Ironman for 2013.  There are numerous coaches and clinics that you can attend this time of year and small changes in technique could be the difference in meeting your goals next season.  If swimming is your weakest sport like mine, you may want to check out a Master’s swim class or clinic such as Mary Meyer Life Fitness.

The last aspect of the off-season that I feel is very important is to address is your overall wellness.  Get some sleep, eat healthy, and address lingering injuries.  A physical therapist can help to correct muscular imbalance and get you pain free for the start of the training season.  My favorite PT clinic in Seattle is Real Rehab.  Schuyler and I have both seen Bruk, who is a triathlete himself, and knows his stuff.  He comes highly recommended as he taught Schuyler to run just 7 months before his first Ironman!!

Happy ‘Active Rest”!