Faster and Longer!

Faster and Longer in 2009? I'll take racing healthy all year long!

No doubt about it............2008 was a tough year for me. Every race I did this past year I was injured. I hurt my hamstring in March of last year and I never allowed it to heal properly (insight I now have). While riding 112 miles in November I swore to myself I would get myself healthy this off season. I tried in Dec to run a bit but it was just killing me. Furthering my complications was my left shoulder bursitis flaring up again. So the month of Dec was spent going to Yoga and indulging in the holiday food and spirits. The majority of my running was spent working with Meg to get her ready for her first race. I gained 8 pounds (fat) in six weeks.

Dec was very frustrating b/c I wanted to get better but wasn't sure how and what I should and shouldn't be doing. In fact I wasn't even sure what exactly was wrong with me. It took me six weeks but I finally got a sports medicine doctor's appointment through the Army.

Monday I had my day of reckoning with the Doc. I actually met with a Captain who seemed to be in his residency; internship and a Lieutenant Colonel who I later was informed was one of only three sports medicine doctors we have in the Army. I left understanding what was wrong with me, what I need to do to fix it and what physically I could do. Not even a week later I feel better than I have in nine months. In fact my quads are sorer than my hamstrings right now after my gym workout yesterday. For the first time in nine months I wake up and am not in pain. I am not taking any NSAIDS. The hamstring is still a little sore as the day goes on and I am taking it slowly and tempering my enthusiasm until the day I have no pain.

This week I have run 2X (Friday I pulled 8:15 for 50 minutes without pain during or afterwards), lifted/ core 3X, Yoga 3X and swam once. I am going out on my bike to test out the leg this afternoon. I refuse to enter any formal training plan or sign up for any races until I am healthy. I did sign up for Vineman though (big Sonoma trip planned) and am looking to develop my plan of attack for the year.

The Biggest Loser started last week.....on TV and in the Hanrahan home. Meg and I love that show........those people inspire me. We are in our own competition (I won the first week) and I am already within four pounds of my last years racing weight. Getting leaner is something I can do while not 100% healthy physically.

I am not going to make New Year resolutions. I am making the next six month resolutions:

1. Get Healthy (healthy is defined as no hamstring pain or tightness)
2. Ease back into training
3. Encourage and support Megan's running (10K is in June)
4. Commit to weights and core this off season
5. Stop paying lip service to flexibility........fix it
6. Drop 15 pounds of fat from my frame.........lean up

I've learned a lot about my body and the sport of triathlon this past year. I have more respect for both! A year like last only make me more determined than ever to go faster and longer!