Thursday, January 22, 2009

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.

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