The Good News Is...

... the MRI results came back negative showing i don't have a torn meniscus.  Although this is a relief in some respects, i kind of wish it would have come back positive so that at least we would have been able to tell what the hell is causing this pain!

Now... for the bad news.

Monday during my swim workout i tweaked my back somehow, and as a result, not only is my back very sore, but i also have a pinched nerve which is causing an immense pain from my right lower back all throughout my quad and down to just above my knee.  The only thing i can really liken it to is a sunburn.  That kind of ache / pain to the touch.  Went to the hospital this morning to get an xray on my lower back to make sure nothing is fractured or seriously out of place.  Hopefully i can get into the chiropractor tomorrow and she will straighten everything out and that will relieve the pain in my back AND right leg.

Now the REALLY bad news.

I have a left and right inguinal hernia... which is not only painful, but more likely than not requires surgery to fix.  Essentially for those who don't know, its when the layer of muscle gets torn or separates and the fatty tissue / digestive tract organs come through the gap.  Tomorrow, in addition to hopefully seeing the chiropractor, i have an appointment with the surgeon to weigh my options.  

If i do have the procedure, it is a quick 45 minute thing, walk out the same day after they fix the tear, and i can return to "normal" daily activities almost immediately.  Unfortunately, the definition of "normal" for me includes cycling, swimming, lifting, and running (when my body will let me.)  This is NOT the definition for a doctor.  Essentially, i'll be out of serious training commission for up to 6 weeks... which in the grand scheme of things isn't too bad since i was planning on taking off from running until the mid - end of march anyways.

So this is the biggest setback thus far.  I could deal with not being able to run for a bit, but to not be able to train AT ALL... it's going to be nothing short of torture.  If i can't work out for a couple days as it is, i go into a funk and feel like garbage.  I can't even imagine what this is going to be like.

Ah, Life.

When there are interesting things going on and my training ramps up I promise that my posts will come more often... but until then, once in a while will have to suffice.

So I'm still relatively laid up from the Philadelphia Marathon, although my knee feels exponentially better than it did prior to the cortisone shot.  This could be from taking nearly two months off from running... but I like to attribute it to the drugs.  Mmmm, drugs.

I went to my orthopedic surgeon on Tuesday to get my knee checked out again.  It just aches and my "calf pull" hasn't gotten better.  After 2 months, usually tissue and muscular damage begins to heal, so he has an inkling that its something more serious.  His guess at the moment is that I have a torn or partially torn meniscus, but pending an MRI (which will hopefully be done tomorrow) lets not jump to any conclusions.

However, if that is the case, I would have to go in for out patient surgery.  3 small incisions, get the knee scoped and cleaned out, crutches for 3-4 days, then PT for up to 6 weeks.  Seeing as I was planning on taking it easy and not running until March again anyways... this is absolutely perfect as far as timing is concerned.

So other than that, I've started taking spinning classes which I have yet to get the hang of.  The workouts we do and the duration is too easy for me.  I'm not sure that I appropriately put the right "weight" on the wheel seeing as I'm not that knackered after an hour... whereas the majority of the group is on the verge of passing out.  On off days (or when all the bikes are taken up at the gym, as they were on Monday) I cycle here at home with a movie in front of me.  Not too bad of a deal.

Masters swimming continues to be the highlight of my training at the moment.  Every day I look forward to hanging out with the team for that hour or two.  It's always a great work out, but to actually have people to train with means a lot more to me.  Which leads me into my next bit of news...

I'm going to be sad to leave them next weekend.  I finally move down to Pittsburgh where I got a job as an assistant buyer and American Eagle Corporate.  The job starts February 9th, but I can move into my flat on the 1st.  Good thing is, the masters program down there is top notch, they have great coaches, the Pitt cycling team go on rides on nearly a daily basis when the weather breaks, and there's never a shortage of people who run.  Not to mention, if I get injured (which unfortunately more likely than not,) UPMC has great facilities that can help me out.

On top of it all, I committed to a few new races:

1.  February 15, 2009 - Canandaigua Masters Swim Meet

- not unlike the past meets.  swimming the 50 free, 100 free, 50 breast, and most likely the 200 free and medley relays.

2.  July 11, 2009 - USMS 2 Mile Open Water National Championship

- here in Canandaigua Lake, I figured I've cycled 100 miles at a clip, I've run marathons, now it's time to swim 2 miles non-stop to get ready for Ironman (which is 2 weeks after.)

3.  July 18, 2009 - Mini Musselman Triathlon

- in Geneva, New York, this event and the half Iron that takes place the following day draws a huge amateur and professional crowd.  i decided that i would go in and not push myself too much and use it as a tune up for the Ironman which is the following weekend.

4.  September 12, 2009 - 100k Dances with Dirt in Hell Relay

- in Hell, Michigan, it's a relay with 3-4 other people.  i'm not sure the numbers yet, but it should be the most interesting race i will have participated in.  no roads.  through rivers, up hills... crazy.

5.  September 20, 2009 - Finger Lakes Triathlon

- love this race.  this year i'm in it to win my age group if not overall.

So thats all for now.  We'll see what materializes from the MRI.