Fit Mumma

Ah-Haalllooo painful cortisone injection...

Sheeez, straight into the void that is supposed to be my Adductor Magnus. FRIES with that??? 

 

Mmmm... felt great, not!! Lucky there was some local antiseptic added to the punch or I may have ripped my nice specialist guy's face off. Just sayin'!

48 hours no exercise, what-so-ever... but after that, after 48 measly little hours... well then I can START to get back into my training... 70-80% for the first week.

And Couch to 5km to get back into running. I won't lie... after not running for MONTHS, I'd like to get out and do a good 50min 10km run. Now aside from the fact that I've never done a 50min 10ker... I realise that is not the way to go... and taking it easy is the sensible approach. And one may argue, even the RIGHT approach.

So I'll go with being right (and sensible) on this occasion and stick with the easing back into it plan. I promise!

I can tell you - I am almost giddy with excitement and anticipation of being 100% fit and well again. It has been a long LONGGGGGGG loooooong few months to get to here, and I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Feels good :) to allow my enthusiasm and optimism come rising to the top... and not need to squash it back down again. Feels awesome actually.

This procedure is supposed to be the only one I need... and if I rest well.. and ease back into it, I can say goodbye to this injury and as Mr Specialist said to me today "in a few weeks, this will all just be a painful memory". Fantastic I say!

Therefore, the next few days are going to be spent resting and eating clean... I am back with avengence now!

It's all about eliminating the mental milkshake approach... and staying on course of what I really want, and know I deserve - to be the best version of myself :)

Happy Days again peeps :)

Love out.
Bxo 

Stay focused and strong...

You'd think being so close to goal, and having done a few rounds {this is my third} of 12WBT... I'd be able to nail the last 2.4kgs I have to lose.

Not so.

Afraid not.

Sigh.

Friday I was given a devastating (to ME, I realise it's no biggy in the scheme of life problems... but it is mine right now) blow, being told that my Adductor Magnus has not healed at all. Eight weeks of {painful} dry needling... for what seemed like nothing.

Specialist report says "The lesion is unchanged with no evidence of healing"... "There has been no change since the previous study"... hummmmfff??? WTF?

First scan taken on 23rd September:

Second scan taken 18th November {after 8 sessions of dry needling}...

To me, the scan's seem to tell a different story. The original says there is a 3.4 x 5.2cms tear... this one taken on Friday indicates a 3.8 x 1.7cm tear. That tells me there is more than a 50% improve, no?

In my mind, I was going to turn up to the specialist appointment... be given a huge high 5 for totally healing the injury and congratulation on all the hard work Mr Big Hands and I have done to fix the tear.

No such situation.

Good news is that I will be back on Friday for an injection {cortisone and a local} and needling under ultrasound. Apparently I'll only need one session.

Bad news is that I've been told not to do anything for 3 weeks... to let it heal completely. Tho my specialist and my soft tissue therapist says I can keep doing what I've been doing because I've not made it worse. My PT friend tells me otherwise.

Personally I am just in a state of funky-ness... the injury + TTOTM and a wedding... made my little tantrum thrower teenager rear it's head... and I've gone overboard with my calorie consumption these past few days.

Meaning... I may be up on the scales tomorrow :( by about 1.5kg. Sucks. 

Le Sigh... next week I intend to reach my goal. Game on!

PS... Last night I dreamt I was doing a triathlon, right now I'd be happy just to be able to run some!

Bxo

Hey, what's the G.O with your A.M ?...

For those of you who are new here and don't know what my A.M is.... it is my Adductor Magnus, of course I hear you say! And the G.O with it is that there is a massive hole in it right now, which I am working on getting fixed ASAP.

Image from here. I used to have this postcard pinned up at my desk in my 20s {20 years ago!} Funny.

Friday is my weekly session with Mr Big Hands, and MY-OH-MY was he punishing. I screamed (and swore) like never before. Seriously, it was a ridiculous amount of pain.

And the thought that each time from now on in, was going to be worse, not so great. Mr Big Hands tried to reassure me that "may not be so"... I curtly replied through clenched teeth "yeah, right as if I don't know you're lying to me"!!

The thing is tho, that the increased pain is a good thing... means the muscle is repairing, there is more blood flow to the area... and things are looking good.

SO GOOD IN FACT THAT I CAN RUN AGAIN.... sound the horns and sirens!!!

That is, if by RUN... you call "running" at 50% - for 50mtrs, then walking for 50mtrs. Repeat. For maximum 5 mins. I kid you not. Seriously... I don't care, I'll TAKE IT. I can run.

Mind you, I haven't done so yet... hardly seems viable. I know I will tho, because it's running, whatever - it's turning my legs over faster than a walk... or something like that!

So there's that good news. Other questions I had included:

>>> Can I "pumble" the area myself with a baseball, golf ball and/or foam roller {Nath sooks too mcuh}... yes, yes and YES! Great!

>>> Can I {road} ride 40km on Sunday? Yes (and check, done)

>>> Can I do water running? Yes

>>> Can I do Russian twists and Ivans (core workout)? Yes (sigh because I was getting sick of all other ab stuff I've been doing)

We talked a little about some cramping I've been getting while doing physio, yep... that's gonna happen as muscle heals. Just ease it off and resume exercises.

Also the sharp & painful niggles are returning at my sit bone. Same as above.

All in all... progress is good and I am happy to be able to ride some more, and start to run, ah-ehm jog slowly! And for a girl who adores her running, AND has not had a run in 10 weeks (TEN), since this event. I am one very happy little camper today!

Bxo

Me not likey likey...

Swimming without the peanut.

For all the bitching and moaning I've done about Peanut lately... I realise swimming with him is SO much easier, than to swim without him.

Asides he's kinda become like part of the family:

This morning I did 750mtrs with peanut, and 750mts sans peanut.

Sans peanut = sucks, or very hard - take your pick.

So here I am thinking would it be?:

1.    embarassing

2.    cheating

3.    appropriate

... for me to wear floaties during my first triathlon race.... humpf.

Well firstly it would not be the MOST embarrasing thing to ever happen to me, I am all over embarrasing myself, especially in public & definitely during an event where there are LOTs of peeps. Secondly, cheating? really... yeah, well probably! Thirdly, appropriate? well yes if you have a swimming ability of a near one year old**... which if, this morning's performance (?) is any kinda indication, that's about where I am at.

** I might add here that none of my three kidlets have ever had floaties, so that takes me back to point 1, embarrassing... yes probably - if your kids never wore them, and you are thinking about it, that's perhaps a little embarrassing!

This mornings workout again reinforced that certain things are just MEANT to be... like me having to swim with peanut... and working up my strength and ability.

If I had just hopped into the pool and tried to crack out a 1.5km workout straight up... hello there lung on the floor right there at my feet. OUCH!

So YEAH to the whole taking-the-good-with-the-bad, seeing challenges as blessings and appreciating all that the universe is trying to teach me.

Life is very very good!

Oh, and once my injury is cured enough to enable me to do so, I've been challenged to do a swim with my ankles strapped, and using these. Far OUT. That's gonna hurt!! Like buggery!

There are a few ideas for drills here and here that you may enjoy.

Love out
Bxo 

Unbreakable...

That's what came to mind on Friday when I had another session with Mr Big Hands and dry needling torture therapy.

I'd had a couple of rough days... days where I was just so over swimming with the pool buoy, days where I was getting bored, and frustrated, days where I just wanted to run, jump, smash some weights... cycle. Anything and everything! Desperately! 

I was {am} doing great with my diet, as I know how imperative that is... especially when I can't smash the calories out with my usual training... but my enthusiasm was waning... and I was getting cranky quite bitchy!

Just when I was feeling really awful {low} about it all... Mr Big Hands gave me a few things to be happy about.

I am now able to have a more varied weekly workout schedule by being able to add in a few (two, well more like one and a half!) extra activities:

• Road riding... 20-30km is fine, but not big hills... NO out of the saddle action at all. 
• Swimming... I can swim alternate days with and without the pool buoy. Yah!

I can not tell you the amount of excitement this news brought me... I was like, oiw... I need to work out what my training schedule will be for this week... whoot whooo!

I also had armed a list of questions {which Miss M read out, such a good mini PA she is!}:

>> Can I do a road ride of 30km this weekend?... yes, but no out of saddle action and take it easy.

>> Can I do a mini triathlon on the 30th?... NO!!!, absolutely not, you will only be reintroducing running at that stage, in small, drill specific doses. You will not be triathlon ready. Main concern is the transition, bending down and putting pressure on the Adductor. Farrrrrk, okay then. Farrrrrk!

>> When {OH WHHHEEENNNNN??} can I RUN again? (firstly he burst into laughter & said he'd be waiting for this one... I think he was amazed at my restraint so far!!)... 2 weeks, drill specific & short doses to start with.

>> When can I do SPIN classes (didn't even bother to ask about Yoga, or any other kinda group classes I adore to keep things fresh and interesting - I think that will be 6 or more weeks away)? 2 weeks also. Yah!

>> When can I do a heavy weights session on my legs again? 6 weeks. Oh, really... humf, okay (sulky face)

>> When can I do a triathlon? a few weeks... I am going to aim for the seasons (and my) first Novice on the 6th November, see how I go.

** I am also hoping I can do the Tour de Femme, but forgot to ask **

Nath needs to really pumble me with his elbow now, and I have some more intensive physio exercises to do. MUST do!

So with my new training allowances established, off I went on my merry way...

Yesterday I went for a 1.5km swim (100 mtrs without the buoy, and oiw me not likey so much, hard stuff swimming without the buoy!)... then IronMum and I went out for a cruisey 20km. Happy. Happy. Me!

630am this morning we ventured out for another easy 20km {for me}... IronMum went on to ride another 40-50kms, well she still is as I write this post. 

On the road again... I just can't wait to get on the road again!! Sing it with me!

 You gotta love my husband and his ability to take such stunning and flattering pics of me and IronMum as we set of on our training ride.

I'm still a newbie gumbie at this riding stuff, and I am so lucky and grateful to have such an awesome training buddy in my {just a smidge over 12 hours IronMan finisher, eh-em proud of her? yes!} IronMum.

Happier still to be over my few days of self pity... and back to my enthusiastic and excited self. Awesome!

Happy Training.

Bx

My new BFF, a confession and pain endurance...

Me and my new BFF:

It's about time I introduced you to my new best friend:

He is rather special no? I call him Peanut, thanks to Tank (a fellow 12WBTer). Peanut and I have become quite close this past week or so. Of course, IronMum... you are still my favourite training buddy... given the fact that, well ... you know... you talk and have a fabulous personality and all :) Still Peanut and I are destined to spend quite a bit more time together these coming weeks.

My Confession:

My 6am Friday morning swim...

Almost didn't happen.

Almost!!

My alarm went of at the usual 5:11am.

I turned it off.

Only... I didn't get out of bed immediately, as I usually do.

I went back to sleep.

I was knackered.

I awoke again at around 5:43am.

Got up to go the bathroom.

All the while having a debate with myself.

Something like this:

GO SWIMMING.

Nah... just go back to bed.

YOU ARE UP, put your swimmers on and GO.

Nah... you need a rest.

NO YOU DON'T... suck it up and GO...what do you say to Mikaela.... you MUST train.

Oh, alright then... but only 10mins. 

Yeah, right okay then!!! You WILL do 1.5kms and that's that!

So train I did.

Another 1.5kms swim with the peanut.

And I must say... the thought of not training, and how I will feel if I don't train is usually well enough to get me in that pool.

And once I am done, I feel fantastic, naturally even more so than usual... because it's another little knotch in my belt for making myself: athletic.

This week I've swum about 7 or so kms... which is HUGE for me, given I haven't swum in about 15 years.

So, yes... me is happy about all this swim training and how well I am doing.

A note on Pain Endurance:

I could suggest that getting mangled regularly and having dry needling done... would (in itself) be GREAT training for increasing one's pain threshold. And I am sure it will all serve me very well in other types of training... I could almost consider it a form of "pain threshold" training... I kid you not. It REALLY hurts!

Yesterday afternoon I had my usual weekly session with Mr Big Hands.... and go easy on me, he did NOT. Apparently last week he did. 

Worse still,  Miss 10 was with me... she thought it was hilarious that I was in, well... not quite agony, but near so!

Those teeny tiny little suckers needles pack quite a punch... they are barbed at the end... and Mr Big Hands twists them about 3 turns each... 3 times during our session. About 8 needles. I can NOT help but scream!!! It is agonising... and NO, nothing like acupuncture. AT.ALL. In comparison, acupuncture feels like a gentle massage! Or nothing. ADD to that, I am quite sure Mr Big Hands enjoys it, the inflicting pain bit of the therapy! He chuckles to himself. Mean man! :)

I have lots of physio homework... and Nath has been instructed to continue therapy (read: bruising, smashing up, creating more scar tissue... basically mangling me more) in the Adductor Magnus. I am quite sure he'll enjoy doing that!!!

Today, I am resting... tomorrow I'll do my MM (Mini Milestone)... and it won't be anything like what I would usually do sans injury. It is, however, the very best I can do. And that's something!

Happy Weekend... it's another long one here.

Happy family time :) We're not going anywhere, just haning at home together.

Hugs

Bxo

PS... IronMum if you're reading this, enjoy Kona IM! So happy you are having a blast rubbing shoulders with all the Elites... TRUST YOU to {tranlate: only *you* would!!} get all the fabulous moments and invites to all the very best VIP gatherings!!! I am SO jealous!! Have fun!!! Der! Of course! Can't wait to hear all about it. So excited for you! Bx

1 hour of swimming...

There's a lovely pool not far from home, a hotel in fact. I can get a 10 pass to use the pool, spa and the sauna.

Perfect for my next two weeks of exercise plan.

I swam for an hour, with the pool buoy just above my knees, and I worked HARD! I managed to get my heart rate up to 150 a couple of times... and at one stage it said it was up to 230 (nope! it wasnt)... but what I have found is that it is definitely hovering around the range where it is not so much intensive conditioning (which is what my body has become acustomed to)... but rather at the fat burning range. And that can only be a good thing!! I managed to smash out 464 calories, which I was surprised about. And happy about!

After my swim I was able to relax in the spa for a few minutes... and then in the sauna. Perfect!!

Now I just need to get myself inspired to do the exact same workout each day for the next two weeks, and I know that will be challenging.

Yesterday I mixed it up with some sprint intervals etc. I think I'll get a snorkle and go for distance as well. I'll just have to mix it up as much as I can to keep it interesting.

Bx

It won't happen to me...

That's what we all think. That's what runs through our minds as other (more experienced, capable, wise, seasoned) athletes tell us to be careful not to take on too much too soon... or you'll get injured.

Not me.

You think to yourself as you thank them for their sage words, nod appreciatively and respectively... all the while, that little voice in your head is saying "not me, that won't happen to me"...

Invaribly it does at some stage or another of your athletic "career"... one day you're doing just fine, banging out a half marathon, or two, or three. The next you are sidelined with an injury...

Rest days, turn into rest weeks... lots of intesive treatment follows:

 
Dry Needling therapy at Clinic 88 yesterday, with Mr Big Hands.

I was handed a devestating blow yesterday... being told that I could not do ANYTHING involving tilting the hips, rotating the hips, initially for the next two weeks.

ON my NO, no! Nooooo List:

• Running, which I already knew
• Cycling... road or classes... let me tell you this crushed me as I only just got White Knight and next week I am to start a training program for Tour de Femme.
• No weights for lower body, no squats, no lunges
• No YOGA - oh just shoot me
• No water running - seriously smash me over the back of the head with a blunt intrument

Here's what I CAN DO:

• I can swim, but only with a buoy held just above my knees.
• I can do core workouts
• I can do upper body sessions... pushups on knees (not toes), chin ups... etc etc.

SO here's the thing... I am going to treat this as a blessing in disguise. Firstly I need to get into the swimming groove for my aspirtaions of doing some Triathlons this season. Secondly... say it with me: CORE, who doesnt need more work on their core? 

I'm going to make the most of my time here... I am not going to sulk, or whine, or winge {okay, I will a BIT} I know this will be challenging.

WHo doesnt like a challenge?

Certainly not a stubborn gal like me! And what better way to face a challenge then to turn my weaknesses into strengths.

Bx

Dear Running...

  Photo I took myself, here.

I want you to know that I miss you terribly. 

I think about you all the time...

I can't wait until we can hook up again.

But I know I need to be patient.

So I will.

And in the meantime, I'll be spending some time with White Knight getting our ride on.

Please don't be upset with me, don't be sad.

You're still my number one love, but I quite like White Knight and I think we could get pretty close too.

Then I guess I'll have to juggle you both a bit, I hope you don't mind.

I do have a request tho... Ms Adductor Magnus injury will have to go. I'm sorry - but I just don't like her. I mean she's the reason why we have to take this little break from each other... it's just not fair!

We can't both have you... and frankly - I really feel the right to you, is mine. 100% without a doubt!

Plus you've also been spending a fair amount of time hanging out with Ms Rest & Recovery these past few weeks. I understand you are really enjoying yourselves. I promise I don't mind if she hangs out with us still. I really like her! I mean I can totally see the benefits of having her around more...

In fact... I am totally promising you a LOT more time with her on our next season of get togethers. 

Especially on our really long dates, yeah? Deal?!

This may sound a bit daft to you... but by mixing it up some with White Knight and Ms Rest & Recovery... it will actually make us much stronger, I know - sounds strange... but it is SO true.

We cool? yeah, of course we are!

Anyway... don't forget your my #1... and I'll be back with you as soon as I can.

I may not talk about you incessantly like I have done for months... but I think about you that much still :)

I LOVE YOU! Running, I really do! Chin up, you hang in there dear friend!

Just 2-3 months to go and I'll be seeing you :) and I have a feeling we'll be stronger than ever this time round.

Yours truely, madly, deeply...

Bx

Oh, PS... I just remembered to remind you that Ms Swimming is going to join us soon too. You knew about her already, we talked about that before.

PPS... IronMum says hi, she's missing her running too. Can't wait till we're all back together again.

Torn Adductor Magnus...

Friday I went to see this amazing doctor... Dr Wes Cormick he is simply the best frankly! 

My STT {Soft Tissue Therapist} (aka Mr Big Hands) put me on to him... as our weekly, sometimes forntightly appointments were not seeing improvement in my hamstring/butt (what is it???) injury.

I was starting to feel I was going a little nutty...

Seems not. AT.ALL. 

I, in fact, have a 3.4 x 5.2cm {and nooo, that is not a typo, it is cms, not mms... I KNOW!!!) contusion/bruise & tearing in my Adductor Magnus... and that is what has been causing me considerable pain. And the inability to run.

Image from here.

Good news >>> I know what my injury is.

And we know how to fix it.

Back to see Mr Big Hands and (poor guy) has to mangle me back into health. If that does not work, then we move to plan B (read: $$$) ultrasound guided fenestration of the area.... basically needling work with ultrasound assistance.

Nice.

Wes tells me it may only take 2-3 months to heal the injury... and he sees no reason why I can't run the marathon in April. SWWWEEETTTT !!!

I can tell you I was grinning my head off silly, ALL day.

I am still doing my SPIN/RIDE classes, and weights sessions, see what Steve says about that. But I don't feel any pain, so I think it should be fine.

It's all up from here!

Bxo