Thursday, August 26, 2010

AAAARRRRRGGGGGH!

Do you SEE that countdown timer over there on the right-hand side of the screen?

YIKES!

Not that long ago, it read something like 300 days and 2 million hours till Ironman Wisconsin.

Now..... yikes!

For the most part things have been going well. Training has been mostly fine (meaning I've been getting it done. Slower than most every one else, but getting it done).

Over the last couple of weeks, people have asked me: "Uh, so... how is the training going?.... No injuries yet?"

As if one was just waiting out there for me. As if I was the proverbial "bus" on its way to "pick up" the injury to take it a ride.

"No.... nope. No injuries so far", I would reply.

I may have been driving that bus past a grave yard while whistling (or how ever that metaphor goes)...Anyway, you have to know where this is going...

Hubby's daughter got married last week on Friday. Lovely wedding. Lovely reception. Lovely bride.

At some point over the weekend, either as part of the 15-mile run Hubby and I did together on Saturday OR at some point during my bike/run on Sunday, I felt a little tug where my left hamstring is located.

"Uh oh"

Really gave no thought to it. Just a little tweak.

Then swam on Monday; tried to run home on Tuesday.

"UH OH".

The tweak became a twinge became an impediment to my gait which became a shuffle which became a walk home from work which became a bunch of worry.

Was I, in fact, INJURED???

With three weeks to go until the big race, was THIS going to keep me from finishing?

I think NOT!

Out came the ice bag. Out came the free samples of Bio-freeze. Out came the Ace bandage. Up came the Internet and the Google search on "Hamstring injuries".

Fortunately, the pull does not seem to be tooooo bad. (Probably "stage one" according to the web sites I accessed for research. Gotta love "the google".)

Ice, bio and ace seemed to help, but the real miracle occurred when I went to see John, sports massage expert, at my health club last night.

He worked on my quads and my calves and my hips and my hammy's for 50 glorious minutes. He pushed and prodded my aching muscles in a really good bad way.

And my hamstring feels better! YEAH!

I'm still taped up today, but I swam this morning (felt fine). I may bike a bit this evening and tomorrow. I'll run and bike on Saturday and then have my last, full blown bike ride on Sunday before settling in to taper.

I'll see my chiropractor tomorrow morning for a little fine tuning and already scheduled another appointment with John early in the week of IM WI for one last tweak. I think the hamstring will be a big non-issue on September 12th.

I'm excited, nervous, anxious, full of dread and excited all over again.

Still worried about cutoffs, but.... still...

Wonder if John could work out those kinks better known as "the bike course hills"?

6 comments:

IronSnoopy said...

I'm soooo excited for you!

Don't worry - sounds like you have your hamstring well-monitored and on the mend. You'll be fine!

I do love "the google" too. :-)

Fe-lady said...

Try Rocktape or kinesio tape....

Betsy said...

Cool as a cucumber - um..not really!

I was just thinking about the injury thing the other day too....knock on wood - so far so good.

Massage helps. So does chiro. I was going to recommend my amazing chiro who has worked Ironman events before and is the team chiro for the Vikings & the U of MN runners but sounds like you've got a good one too!

Two weeks from right now we'll be in Madison or on our way....EEEEEKKK!!!!

Sunshine said...

We are cheering YOU!

Beth said...

No worries! Those sports people can do wonders with hamstrings. Keep up the treatment and you will be fine. You've done a great job staying healthy!

The Triathlon Rx said...

It's my new LTF friend!! How ironic is this? I was just commenting on Betsy's blog, and saw your comment. I wasn't at all thinking it was YOU that I just met.. until I read your hammy post!

Nice to know you have the blog - now I wont have to guess which Amy is which when I look at those IMOO results!