So I am back. And much like the tortoise charging from the gate, my progress has been less than impressive.
The truth is I am struggling.
I have started a quest to turn myself into a sprinter by participating in exercises that noticeably do not have my feet on the ground securing a grip for my legs to propel me forward down the road. I have swam three times, golfed, bowled, and have participated in a yoga class that left me sleeping on a mat in a darkened studio.
Not the stuff one would think of as traditional “sprint-training”.
So Sunday, I tied on my trainers, stretched my legs, and looked at “the loop” as my family refers to a mile long trek through our neighborhood. As I started to trot I knew within the first 200 yards that I had a major problem.
My knee.
Specifically, my right knee.
Last weekend when I was throwing the shot, I could feel a strain as I drove my entire weight off my right leg in an attempt to generate speed through the ring and build momentum to get off a good throw. Despite what I thought was plenty of warm up, my knee thought otherwise.
Each step told me my knee was not ready to do this. I was pretty sure this was going to happen. It still was very disappointing to face. The pain is hard to describe. If I bend my leg as if I were to squat, my right knee does not have the full range of motion. I’d say I have about 85% motion. Still, I’d describe my knee as feeling “soft” or “unstable”. I am not confident of its ability to deal with 100% push off it. I'd say I'm 80 % confident in it. But when you are running 80% confidence over thousands of steps means you're going to have trouble.
I have felt this injury before. It will pass in another week. Yet it has broken my stride right at the start which has made me irritable. I have now walked the past two days as I can do this and despite a limp (think James Garner in the” Rockford Files”) can do so at a decent clip and without straining other muscles compensating for a strange gait and making myself a complete hot mess...
So I deal with my physical challenge of healing my knee and the emotional disappointment of stumbling out of the gate. This had led me to conclude two things: First, my journey is going to be a long one. Progress will be slower that I would like to see and I am going to have to deal with it. Secondly, as much of a physical challenge as this will be, it will be as great, if not a greater mental challenge for me to deal with the many setbacks I will face. I think this is the part that I am most anxious about.
So this entry has been a bit of a downer. No humor. No success story. Perhaps this is why I’ve waited a few days to post. I’m not pleased with my results.
On a positive note, I am very proud of an old friend who completed her first triathlon today. Heather Campeau has found her inner strength to train for and become a triathlete. Her journey serves as inspiration to me. Congratulations Heather!
It’s 12:34 a.m. as I write. I need to get to sleep. My alarm goes off early and I will hit the loop again.
New plan: Get my knee back. Get my legs under me. Get back on track.
Don’t wish me luck. Wish me strength.
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