A New Year

I'm way overdue for updating my blog. It's been a difficult five months. A few days after the Lake George Olympic Tri, I developed an odd pain in my left leg in the crease between my hip and groin. Not really sure what is was, it felt like a cross between a groin pull and a hip flexor pull or inflammation. I stopped running for a couple of weeks, and just did some riding and swimming. I was officially off-season, and although I had hoped to be able to do a couple of fall runs, I was ok with taking some time off. I had signed up for the Syracuse 70.3 right after Lake George, and I needed to get healthy and stay focused on that goal. I eventually went to a local chiropractor for some active release and hip adjustment. Jonathan Mulholland had just opened his practice, Ideal Athlete, and I was his first client. I eased back into running, and eventually (2 months later), the leg healed and I was able to resume an easy off-season running routine. I also replaced the seat on my tri bike. I had a Cobb saddle with a wide nose, about 55 mm. While the hip healed, I did a lot of riding, and I noticed the bike saddle on my tri bike really caused some discomfort in that area. Cobb came out with a new saddle with a narrower nose--about 10 mm narrower--and it felt much more comfortable from the first ride. I am a small person, and have narrow hips for a woman, so this saddle was a better fit. 

I spent Thanksgiving in Syracuse with my brother. I skipped the local Turkey Trot (I've done the Baldwinsville Turkey Trot twice in the past). The hip wasn't quite ready for a 5k effort. Syracuse had a lot of snow on the ground already and Thanksgiving morning was cold and windy. And my brother had moved and now lives 30-40 min away from Baldwinsville, and I really didn't want to get up that early to go and freeze my butt off. While I was there, I re-conned the Jamesville area, checked out the (frozen) reservoir, and drove the run course and some of the bike course. Two days after Thanksgiving, my father, who was visiting my sister, fell down the stairs and suffered a severe concussion, an orbital fracture and cut around his eye, and a separated shoulder. Within 48 hours, it was clear he had suffered some significant memory loss. The initial diagnosis was post-concussive syndrome. He spent a week in the hospital, then was transferred to a rehab facility. After 6 1/2 weeks of rehab, his diagnosis was changed to a cognitive impairment, and he was released two days ago to an adult residential center. This has been very hard, mostly for him, but for all of us. My Dad lived just a quarter of a mile away from me. I was used to seeing him often, taking him places, and having him over for dinner. I have a big family and everyone has been involved in this transition in my Dad's life, and this hasn't been all on me. But, it has been difficult. He seems happier in the new facility versus his time in rehab, and I'm hopeful that he will settle in, make some new friends, and maybe find a way to enjoy his new life. A couple of days before Christmas, I developed an allergy/asthma-type cough. Even though I had a flu shot, I picked up some virus that's been hanging on for going on two weeks now. Random low-grade fever and cough. I think I'm just run-down with trying to work, maintain some base training, and take care of things for my Dad. My 70.3 training officially starts in two days. The first couple of weeks look easy compared to what I've been doing, so I think I'll be ok. 

Now for my 2014 goals:

--My main goal is to stay uninjured. 

--I signed up for the Plattsburgh Half Marathon again. It's April 27th. My goal is for a faster time than last year, which was 1:54:08. I didn't have much run training in due to nagging shin splints.

--Signed up for Syracuse 70.3, and my goal is to finish. It's my first half. While I do have a finishing time in mind, I'll keep that to myself. 

--I will volunteer at IMLP again, and also volunteer at the Team Placid Planet race weekend. I want to earn my race kit, for once. I always have enough points, just not enough points from sanctioned races. I will consider signing up for IMLP next year, especially if Syracuse goes well.

--I'll do either the sprint or Olympic at Shelburne, and the Lake George Olympic again to earn my race points to earn my kit.

--I'll do the usual local TTs, centuries, local races, etc. that I usually do. They are more like social events for me that I can do with friends, and all will earn points towards the kit.

Totals for 2013: 

Bike: 4356 miles with 154,521' in elevation gain

Swim: 242,543 yds (137.81 mi)

Run: 572 mi

Brick: 99.5 mi

Strength: 61 hrs