Two Arms, To Arms!

I am so pleased to announce that I swam my first real two-armed strokes of freestyle and backstroke yesterday! My left side is still pretty stiff but I was able to get through (almost) the complete range of motion with minimal pain. Woohoo! And kicking with a board is getting much better...and I also did a bit of sculling and doggie paddle today with great success. Watch out world!

The Joys of One Armed Swimming

I had a follow-up with the doctor this past week and am so pleased to announce that he gave the official O.K. to run and swim again! Until now I've been spending a lot of time on my "rides to nowhere" on the bike trainer, as well as using the elliptical trainer and doing some strength training. Thank goodness for the Tour de France! That and all the great coverage of the recent ITU races have really helped keep me going. (And of course, my buddy Alex Trebek---haven't forgotten him!) I have to admit I was a little naughty in the days leading up to the doctor appointment...it's been so stinking hot lately that I just HAD to get in the pool. At first I told myself I would just walk a little and enjoy being surrounded by water. Walking quickly turned into kicking on my side, which then turned into one-armed swimming! When I saw the doctor he asked if I'd been behaving myself...when I said "mostly" he said he didn't believe me...I think he knows my type all too well! He only mildly scolded me though, and it was more or a reminder that it doesn't matter how fit you are, that bones take the same amount of time to heal whether you're an athlete or a couch potato. That and to remember to lather up on the sunscreen to help the scar heal nicely. He noted that my range of motion is really good (I think his words were "you're pretty loose for being a sling for the past 4 weeks"---ha!) and that I don't need any formal physical therapy. He left by saying that whatever I've been up to is fine (he said this a little too knowingly) and gave the go ahead to start running with the sling on, doing whatever I can in the pool, and beginning some specific range of motion exercises.

So...I'm really tuned into one armed swimming right now! (The masters swimmers get to enjoy my enthusiasm for one-armed drills as a result.) I discovered I can do all four strokes, and I was even able to sort of hold a kick board out in front of me yesterday. Running has also been added back into my repertoire. I ran a whopping four miles yesterday! And I can now rest comfortably on both the handlebars and aerobars on the bike, which makes my rides to nowhere much more enjoyable for my tailbone.

So there's the update. I spent the morning yesterday spectating at a local triathlon, cheering on a handful of friends and athletes who were racing. It was fun to be able to devote my entire attention to their races...but I must say I'm itching to get back in the thick of things myself!

A Nice Article in the Elkhart Truth

http://www.etruth.com/Know/News/Story.aspx?id=486891

Back In The Saddle (Again)

Things are humming along pretty well for having an injury. My surgeon did a FANTASTIC job of repairing the broken collarbone and it's feeling better everyday. He took the stitches out about a week and a half ago and gave me clearance to ride the trainer! So I've been doing a lot of "rides to nowhere"...in the backyard in the rain (thanks to Barb!), in the living room testing my trivia skills with Jeopardy (I'm seriously addicted), and in front of the computer watching live coverage of the ITU races in DC and Des Moines. That certainly keeps me motivated---WOW! Pretty awesome races, I felt like I was right there in the pack. I've also been doing some elliptical workouts and strength training...lots of lunges and one-armed band exercises! People look at me a little weird and tell me I'm going to be lopsided if I keep it up but I just can't stand sitting around being a sloth anymore. My energy is back and it feels great to move and sweat, so that's what I'm doing. I'll have another follow-up with the Doc in 1.5 weeks and at that point he'll tell me "what other kinds of misbehaving" I can do. (Those were his exact words.) Hopefully that "misbehaving" will include ditching the sling and getting back in the pool! Of course there will be some rehab exercises involved to regain my strength and range of motion, but I've been through that before and know what to expect.

Now it's time to go for a little bike ride with my buddy Alex Trebek!

Rainy Saturday

A good thumping thunderstorm just rolled through...thunder, lightening, water rushing down the sidewalks, the works. We don't get too many of those in Salt Lake so I savor every single one.

Since the clavicle incident I've been catching up on sleep and movies. I've become addicted to Jeopardy! I was taking a snooze when the storm moved in, but the thunder stirred me up and I just couldn't resist getting up to look at it. I wonder how the weather is holding up in Boise? I was supposed to be racing there today but for obvious reasons had to withdraw. A handful of friends are out there on the course, I'm sending them speedy vibes.

I'm disappointed about not being able to race today because my fitness is very good and mentally I was all ready to go. The season was rolling along nicely; a win at the Danskin Tempe Triathlon, 4th place (behind some pretty stellar ladies!) at Memphis in May, and right on schedule with my training. But sometimes life throws you some curve balls and you have to figure out how to catch them and run. There will still be time for a season when this injury heals and I'm sure I'll learn something along the way. (Like being more cautious going over wet RR tracks.)

Damn. Double Damn.

After starting the season off with a bang, I hit a little snag over the weekend in the form of a broken collarbone. The classic cyclist injury! Now I can say I'm a true cyclist...although come on, we all know I paid my dues to the goddess of cycling injuries last year.

Here's the story: Albert and I headed to Portland on Friday to visit family in Oregon and watch the Pre Classic Track Meet in Eugene. This is our third year in a row making this trek and it's become a really fun tradition. I had looked at my training plan beforehand and realized that I needed to bring a bike with me to squeeze in long ride Saturday morning. So. Up early on Saturday, out the door by 6:30 and rolling toward downtown Portland. Everything was going smoothly, I was feeling good and enjoying the sensation of a cool drizzle on my cheeks. At one point I even noticed a few stray cats hanging out along the bike path, and wondered if having a white cat cross your path was a sign of good luck. 1.5 hours in and it was time to turn around. I remember thinking that I could now add Portland to my list of cities where I've ridden my bike. Suddenly WHAM! I was on the ground. I didn't even have time to attempt a correction. I had hit some wet RR tracks at not quite the right angle and the wheels just flew out before I could think. I should know better, but I guess the saying is true: experience is the best teacher!

What did I do next? (After a couple of curse words that is.) I got up, noticed my left shoulder was not quite right but otherwise I seemed okay. Scrapes on the knee, hip and elbow but nothing serious. Just that darn shoulder that felt like it was in the wrong place. Then I inspected my bike. Twisted left brake hood and the chain was off. Putting the chain back on was tricky but I managed and got myself back on the bike. I thought I would test it out and see, if it wasn't so bad I would ride back to the house and do a more thorough investigation of the damage. So that's what I did. Looking back, I realize it was slightly crazy to ride close to 20 miles with a broken collarbone. But honestly, a normal hand/arm position on the bars was a little uncomfortable (especially going over bumps) but it didn't really hurt too much. Or maybe I was just in denial. In any case, I made it back to the house without any other mishaps. It was when I saw the big drop in my shoulder in the mirror and had severe difficulty getting my own shirt off that I knew I was in big trouble. A trip to the emergency room for x-rays confirmed it: I had broken my collarbone and would need to see an orthopedic surgeon as soon as I got back to Salt Lake. A few phone calls later I had an appointment all scheduled for first thing Tuesday morning...and somehow I rolled into surgery later that afternoon! Now I'm just hanging out at home recovering and catching up on blogs/e-mails...just me, my computer, and a nifty little metal plate screwed into my left clavicle.

You can bet I'll be uber-cautious around RR tracks from now on!