Just a little bit frustrated!

2017 hasn't been panning out as I had hoped for so far.  I got a coach and my training has been progressing really well to the point I felt like I had some PBs in my pocket.  I felt like I had an awesome comeback brewing until injury struck me, AGAIN!

I went into Syracuse 70.3 feeling like I was in shape but I was already hurting.  I had stopped running 2 weeks before the race for a hip pain that felt awfully familiar and suspicious.  I couldn't see my chiro or sports doc before the race so I proceeded with caution.  I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to get through the run but my mental strength prevailed and I finished!  Not a pretty time at all but I crossed the line.  The week after that I got my diagnosis of a torn left TFL.

IMC swim finish- 1:08

IMC bike- 7:01

Fast forward to Ironman Canada in Whistler and my coach and I made the tough decision to go into that race to DNF = Did not finish.  The tear was too fresh to have healed, and if I would have tried to finish it I may have been looking at a complete tear.  Not a good thing when I have Kona later this year.  Kona is the grand show and my main goal!  So we decided to pull out after the bike and enjoy Whistler instead.  I actually had an awesome trip out west visiting my good friend and exploring BC and Alberta!  So beautiful there!

However, the week before Whistler I managed to have the good fortune of getting the "door prize".  I was doored while on my commuter on my way home from swim practice.  The same day I was to leave and catch my flight to Edmonton.  I made my flight but not without being bloody with new bumps and bruises.  I hit the pavement hard and injured my whole left side, including landing on my already injured hip and splitting open my elbow and knee.  I was a whole beautiful array of purple, blue and green coloured brusies, lol!  Not quite what I needed but there must have been forces out there that made sure I wasn't going to run in Whistler.

I had a great swim at IMC, felt like my old self out there!  They have changed many of the ironman swim starts to rolling time trial format or by age group which allows for way more room.  I had my own water the whole time and just swam my stroke.  The bike was a tough one.  We treated this as a dress rehearsal for Kona, so I biked as though I was going to run after as opposed to just doing the bike.   I was actually feeling very strong and was doing well until the last 30k or so - uphill into the wind.  I felt like I was not moving at times.  I also lost a lot of time on the downhills because I am a bit of a chicken out there and ride the breaks.  I still did improve my bike time by 9min from 2014 so I was pleased with that, and we didn't have the wind back then like we did this year.  It was tough pulling out after the bike though.  Being surrounded by everything IM got me going and I wanted to run, but I planned for this and did not pack my running shoes.  I actually packed my flip flops in my run transition bag.

After a wonderful time out west, I am back to the grind and back to training.  I am also trying everything possible to heal as much as I can so I can be ready for Kona.  I am panicking a little as I have less than 10 weeks left and I somehow need to heal and be prepared to run a marathon by then.  I don't know what will happen but I know I will cross that finish line in October one way or another.

I am trying to remain optimistic and keeping my fingers crossed that I will heal in time and be able to run a strong IM marathon.  Stay tuned!