Just in time for 2011

I'm back!

I'm not really so sure why I haven't posted in so long. There has certainly been enough going on to keep me busy:

Work: Just work, reorganizations at work; travel for work; and then more work.

Some fun stuff: holidays with my family; holidays with Hubby's family. Some fun travel with Hubby.

"Training": I say that loosely because, although I was pretty active up until Thanksgiving, my level of output dropped dramatically the three or four weeks between Turkeyday and Christmas. I did get back in the pool this week and hit both strength and spin classes. I have to start running again. Well, okay, running more than 5 - 10 minutes at a time.

Why the lack of running?

Injuries: The hamstring from IM WI cleared up just in time for me to develop a big problem in my right sitbone/hip. VERY uncomfortable to sit for any period of time in the car or at the office. Yet, could sit with no problem during some very long flights from Minneapolis to California and back and then then from Minneapolis to Florida and back.

I iced, sat on tennis balls, used a foam roller, stretched and then finally went to see a doctor.
Ultimately, after several sessions with "Dr. Pain" -- a local chiropractor who specializes in ART therapy, I'm very, very close to getting over the problem.

NOW I'm wrestling with some thing called thoracic outlet syndrome. Basically, it is the squeezing of a big nerve in my neck that trails down through my arms causing them to fall asleep. This usually happens when I'M asleep, so I wake up and have to shake them out. Many times, every night. Big drag, but not fatal.


I'm now back to "Dr. Less-Pain" -- a local chiropractor that has a much gentler approach than Dr. Pain....

I'm also working on sitting with better posture, unhunching my shoulders, stretching my neck and got my bike position readjusted.

Ironically, Nat's mom and my coach's Dad have experienced this same issue. The good news is that I know other people that have it and have had success in managing/getting rid of it. The bad news is that, because the people that have it are my friend's parents, it now sounds like something that happens to old(er) people. (I am refusing to believe that I am getting o l d.)

Operation Muffin Top: Despite my avoidance of most sugary things during the holidays, I managed to put away a lot of food and put on some weight. I have to say that I enjoyed every yummy, delicious, enjoyable bit of that food but am not enjoying paying for it now with tighter blue jeans. Remarkably, I'm not all that worried about it because I'm ready to get on the training/eating bandwagon again to lean up for spring and summer.

So where does this leave me on New Year's Eve 2010?

VERY excited for the New Year!

I've planned out my race schedule for 2011 and got my Coach's approval. I'm excited to do IM Wisconsin again in September and will have some fun events before the big day to measure my readiness.

I've got some other goals in mind for the new year, but I think I"ll wait to post those until I've worked out all the details in my head.

So, until then: Happy New Year to my blogger friends!

Let's make 2011 the best year yet!