Week of WOD's 2/18/13 - 2/24/13

2/18/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr - 5:30am
WOD: 12min AMRAP of:
150  20# Wall Balls
90 Double Unders
30 Muscle-ups
*** completed the 150 WB's in 8:05, then did 4 DU's.


2/19/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr - 5:30am
WOD:  5 rounds of:
Bench Press @ 180#  =  reps: 3-3-4-3-4
Pull-ups (blue ban to toe assist) = reps: 11-8-6-7-9


2/20/13
Mobility only @ CFR - 1hr - 5:30am
-- I was suppose to do a Bike workout in the evening, but my body was begging for a rest day, so I listened.  Looking back, my last full day off was over a week ago.


2/21/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr - 5:30am
WOD: As many reps as possible (AMRAP) in 5min of: "Singles" (jumping rope)
*** I did 505 in 5min with the first 418 unbroken (easily a PR).
Then:  4 rounds of:
3min rotating from 20sec of Russian KB swings (53#), 20sec of Goblet squats (53#), then 20sec on the AirDyne bike.
Each 3min round was followed by a 5min recovery period whereby Mobility was performed.

Bike - Indoor trainer - 50min - 8:15pm
Start at EZ cadence (90rpms), then each min shift to a bigger gear until barely holding 40rpms, then work back to 90rpms, etc.


2/22/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr - 5:30am
WOD: 9min AMRAP of:
12 Dead lifts @ 185#
24 Pull-up (blue ban to toe)
36 walking lunges
*** completed 1 round plus 12 deadlifts and 7 pull-ups.


2/23/13
Short Interval Run, on treadmill - 32min - 6:00am
wu: 8min ladder, then stretch
main: 6 x 400m on 7:30/mile with 90sec rests


Total Training Time =  6hrs 22min

Week od WOD's 2/11/13 - 2/17/13

2/11/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr - 5:30am
WOD:
18min AMRAP of:
15 BJ's
12 Push Presses @ 115#
9 TTB
*** completed 3 rounds + 6 TTB's
Going into the WOD I was sure that I would struggle even finishing the first round since I had never done more than 3 TTB (toes to bar) at any one time.  I hadn't attempted these in 6-8 weeks, so the fact that I did a total of 33 in one WOD was jaw dropping!

Short Interval Run - 32min - 8:15pm
Treadmill
wu: 10min ladder
main: 4 x 400 on 7:30/mile with 2min rests
cd: 4min


2/12/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr - 5:30am
Strength:  Power Clean 1RM = 155#, then Front Squat 1RM = 200# (PR by 35#)!!!
WOD: 75 KB swings at 53#
*** completed in 5:15


2/13/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr - 5:30am
** This is a scheduled Mobility/Stretching day.
I performed the normal warm-up, then did the 1000m row in 3:28, then did mobility for 30min.

BRICK - 27min - @ Planet Fitness - 3:00pm
wu: 8min ladder on the bike
bike: 12min at 60rpm, biggest gear I can push somewhat comfortably
run: 3min at 9:00/mile
cd: 4min on treadmill


2/14/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr - 5:30
WOD: 7min AMRAP of:
On the Odd Minute:  5 Dead lifts @ 185# followed by sit-ups until end of the minute
On the Even Minute: 20 Double Unders followed by sit-ups until the end of the minute
Score = total number of sit-ups.  *** mine was 58 (and although my double unders are finally getting better and more consistent, I wasn't able to hit 20 per minute, so all of these sit-ups came in the Odd minutes).


2/15/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr - 5:30am
WOD: 12min AMRAP of:
50 air squats
30 Push-ups
15 Pull-ups (blue band to toe)
*** completed 2 full rounds then an additional 30 air squats


2/16/13
Interval Bike - indoor trainer - 50min - 2:30pm
wu: 10min ladder
main: 2 sets of 15min at 60rpms, then 5min recovery at 85rpms


2/17/13
Short Interval treadmill run - 42min - 4:00pm
wu: 10min ladder and stretching
main: 2x200 on 7:30/mile with 90sec rests, 2x400 on 7:45/mile with 2min rests, 2x800 on 8:00/mile with 3min rests
cd: 3min at 12:00/mile

TOTAL training time for week:   7hr 32min

Week of WOD's 2/4/13 - 2/10/13

2/4/13
Short Interval Bike Workout - 46min - 8:10pm
wu: 10min ladder
main: 2 sets of: 12min at 60rpms at biggest gear I can somewhat comfortably hold, then 6min recovery at 80rpms EZ spinning.


2/5/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr - 5:30am
WOD: 8min AMRAP:
10 Burpee Box Jumps
10 Dead lifts at 185#
*** completed 3 rounds + 1 BBJ

2/6/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr - 5:30am
Strength:  Zercher Squats 3 x 3 = 113#, 133#, 153#
WOD: 2 rounds of:
5 HSPU's (box pike position)
10 Pull-ups (blue band to toe)
15 sit-ups
5 Power Cleans @ 35#
10 OH Squats @ 35#
15 Jerks @ 35#
*** completed in 8:31.  Weight was limited by my lack of flexibility for the OH Squats.

Run - 3Mile Time Trial - 2:15pm - Outside, 38 degrees
*** completed in 23:29  (NOTE:  My PR for a 5k race is 22:52 in 2010)

2/7/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr - 5:30am
Strength:  Jerk Presses - found 1RMax = 155#, then 3 reps EMOM x 6min at 70% (115#)
WOD: 12 min cap:
20 Wall Balls, 20#, unbroken
20 TTB (I did 40 sit-ups as substitute)
20 KB swings, 53#, unbroken
39 of 45 DU's in the remaining time.
*** finally found the timing/rhythm for double unders.  I had gone a month or more without being able to do even a single one.  Twice during my completion of 39 I did 5 in a row (which was one of my goals I set back in late November that I had hoped to accomplish my Jan 1st.) Oh well, I'll take it.


2/8/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr - 5:30am
WOD:
400m row
15 OH Squats 35#
21 Cleans 125#
21 Ring Dips
5 HSPU's
10 Pisols
 400m row
15 OH Squats
15 Cleans
15 Ring Dips
5 HSPU's
10 Pistols
400m row
15 OH Squats
9 Cleans
9 Ring Dips
5 HSPU's
10 Pistols
*** completed in 28:28

2/9/13
Clean-up from Blizzard NEMO - 1hr 10min - 10:00am
Yes, I'm considering this a workout :)

Followed by Long Ride - indoor trainer - 57:38
15 Mile
15.49mph
cadence 74 ave.

2/10/13 - Rest Day


TOTAL Training 7:07

Week of WOD's 1/28/13 - 2/3/13

1/28/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr - 5:30am

Strength = Clean Complex.  EMOM for 10min, 1 Power Clean, 1 Hang Clean, 1 Push Press @ 115#
WOD = 10min cap, try for 7 rounds of 10 push-ups and 10 V-ups.
*** completed 6 rounds and 9 push-ups


1/29/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr - 5:30am

Strength = Deadlifts:  (Previous 1 rep Max = 255#)
5 reps at 40% of 1 rep Max = 115#
5 reps at 50% = 135#
3 reps at 60% = 155#
5 reps at 75% = 185#
3 reps at 85% = 205#
2 reps at 95% = 235#
WOD: 21-15-9 with a 15min cap of:
calorie row
burpees
thrusters @75#
ring push-ups
box jumps
*** made it through 8 thrusters in round of 15


1/30/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr - 5:30am

WOD:  10 rounds for time:
2 Back Squats @ 165#
4 HSPU's (hand stand push-ups) - I did pike position on a 2ft box
6 KB swings @ 53#
*** completed in 12:55

Short Interval Bike Trainer Workout - 46min
wu = 10min ladder
main = 3 sets of 8min at 60rpms (biggest gear I can hold comfortably), 4min EZ recovery at 80rpms


1/31/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr - 5:30am

WOD: for time:
500m row
40 air squats
30 sit-ups
20 push-ups
10 pull-ups (3 strict, 7 with blue band to toe)
*** completed in 6:48
25min of mobility was completed post WOD


2/1/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr - 5:30am

MOBILITY only.  During yesterday's session I was working on my handstands against a wall.  While trying to readjust the position of my hands, my neck wrenched a bit and I have had a tightness between my right scapula and spine.  This was a little worse when I awoke this morning, so I elected to spend the hour doing nothing but stretching (lacrosse balls, foam rollers, etc).  I think it was a great decision.  Next week I will start tri-specific training 3-4x/wk, on top of 4 CFR WOD's per week, and will begin dedicating 2 sessions per week on flexibility/mobility/stretching.


No workouts/training on weekend.  I was acting health officer at a scouting overnight event on Saturday. Sunday I spent preparing food for the week and watching the Superbowl.

Week of WOD's 1/21/13 - 1/27/13

1/21/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr - 5:30am

20min AMRAP:
5 HSPU's (scaled)
10 Pistols (alternate each leg)
15 Pull-ups (green ban to toe)
*** completed 6 rounds plus 7 Pistols

Evening w/o
Indoor Bike Trainer - 45min
10min w/u
3 sets of: 7min at 60rpm (biggest gear I can hold), then 4min of 80rpm EZ psin (recovery).
2min c/d


1/22/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr

Deadlifts 5 x 5  at  165, 195, 215, 215, 215#
WOD:  20min (EMOM alternating between 5 Deadlifts at 155#, and 5 Burpees + 5 Box Jumps)


1/23/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr

Back Squats 6rep MAX, 150#  (decided to not push it since I was still feeling it in my lower back from the 75 deadlifts yesterday, as well as a tweak in my right groin).  I probably could have pushed it over my PR of 165# if I was feeling perfect.
WOD:  12min AMRAP:
5 Front Squats at 95# (this was scaled from the Rx of 135#)
10 Hand release push-ups
5 Fr. Sq
10 Pull-ups, green band to toe  (Should've used the blue band.  Sometimes I don't give myself enough credit or have the confidence to push myself).


1/24/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr

Strength = Bench Press 3 x 3 @ 165# 185# 185#  (PR for 3 rep MAX)
WOD:  15min AMRAP.  Alternating Sets of 35# Overhead Barbell single leg lunges, and Sit-ups:
50-40-30-20-10
*** completed the 20 lunges set (ran out of time).


1/25/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 1hr

Strength = Push Press 3 x 3 @ 115# 120# 125#  (I could have probably gone up 5# on each set, but my previous 1 rep max was 125# so I was cautious)  --  meaning 125# 3 repmax was a PR.
WOD: as many burpees as possible in 7min (must jump 6" off the ground for each otherwise it doesn't count).
*** completed 55   (did 15 extra after time expired = completing my 20-burpee penalty for having 2 servings of ice cream at my son's BDay party this past weekend).


No weekend workouts

Week of WOD's 1/14/21 - 1/20/13

1/14/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 5:30am - 1hr

Strength:
Back Squats: 2 squats every 60sec at 150# (90% of 1 rep max), then
8 Front Squat Lunges (4 each leg), followed by 5 Front Squats at 95#, rest 1 min, repeat until 5min has expired.
WOD: 3 rounds of:
200m sprint
6 push-ups
12 Hollow Rocks
*** completed in 5:28


1/15/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 5:30am - 1hr

WOD:
21 Wall Balls at 20#
9 Burpees
400m run
15 Wall Balls
15 Burpees
400m run
9 WB's
21 Burpees
400m run
*** completed in 15:10


1/16/13
Bike - Indoor Trainer - Workout #2 - 5:50am - 35min

10min w/u
2 sets of:
7min at 60rpm, then 4min at 80rpm EZ spinning
Had to cut one set off due to time.  Crossfit was cancelled due to coach having an illness and the fill-in trainer could not gain access to the building.  I was going to do this w/o this afternoon since this is my short day at work (out at 1pm), but now that my ride is out of the way, I may try to get on a treadmill this afternoon for a quick hard run.
*** Total w/o time = 35min

Treadmill Run - 3:45pm - 35min
5min w/u
light lower body stretch
3mile intervals alternating:  7:30/mile pace for 1/4 mile, then 10:00/mile pace for 1/4 mile.


1/17/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 5:30am - 1hr

750m row
30 Pull-ups with green ban to toe
30 Front Squats at 115#
30 sit-ups
30 Power Cleans at 115#
500m row
20 Pull-ups
*** completed in 22:22         This was suppose to continue in this pattern until finishing with 10 power cleans, but I ran out of time and had to leave at 6:30am.


1/18/13
Crossfit Reclamation - 5:30am - 1hr

Split Jerks 1x1x1x1x1 to find our Max.  Mine was 155#.  I failed at 165#.
We then were given the remainder of our hour to work on our specific goals that we had established 7 weeks ago.  I worked on my handstand and double unders.  Neither went well.  I'm struggling to find the appropriate rhythm needed for the double unders, and my shoulders took a beating this week, so I was not able to hold my handstands.  I did spend about 12-15min on mobility/stretching at the end.

No workouts 1/19 & 1/20

Resolute

Several weeks ago I posted a recipe for my Paleo Protein Pumpkin Pancakes.  It was the first time I had posted anything onto this blog site in over a year.  Yesterday, my family and I had lunch and went sledding with The D’Abrosca’s, some friends that also enjoy a very active and healthy lifestyle.  Dave and I chatted about a lot of things: The Wattie Ink Elite Team, Paleo, the upcoming tri season, my Crossfit training, new workouts, etc.  It inspired me to go back and read my last post, “The Gift”, which is the story of how my 2011 season ended with a ruptured disk in my neck.  It also seemed to have ended my inspiration to blog. I’ve had so much to say since then, but my blog (my therapy) never made it high enough on the priority list to get any attention.  As I begin typing this, it is 12/31/12, and I’m contemplating some reasonable resolutions for 2013 (more on those later).  On that list of things is to post 2 blogs per month, minimum, and also to vary it a bit more than just detailed race reports and “short” stories about my life, although that is generally the style that I enjoy writing in.  I may get into more recipes, product reviews, and observations from friends and family, as well as potentially pushing the limits when discussing more personal issues.  In this visual/video age, I’d like to post more pics and vids too.

So, WTF happened to me once the decision was made to bow out of my first 70.3 attempt in September of 2011 due to injury?

Fourteen weeks of physical therapy (6 weeks at a PT facility, and 8 weeks at home).  It was right about the time of the Pumpkinman triathlon in 2011 that I was cleared to start “running” on a treadmill (this was about a month into my PT).  My sister and brother-in-law, Crystele & John, had wanted to run their first 5k, and I had prepared their training schedule for them a couple of months prior. Although completely out of shape and deconditioned, I saw this as an opportunity to join them as part of my rehab.  This was at the end of September.  We all finished.  John and I crossed together (well, I let him beat my by a single stride), and I couldn’t have been prouder of both of them.  For me, it was a bit more of a struggle than I anticipated.  Here I was, 6 weeks earlier, possibly in the best condition of my life, preparing for my first half ironman distance, and now I’m fighting to get through a 5k.  It was mostly just the pain in my neck from each jolt of the pavement, even though I was trying to glide, as well as the inability to swing my right arm much. But, I can’t recall a time when I felt happier to just “be out there”.  It was at that time that I decided to not give away my bib for the Seacoast Half Marathon (coming up in 7 weeks).

I made sure that I had no expectations for the Seacoast Half -- just enjoy the fact that I am essentially pain free, I’m off all prescription meds, and I can actually run outside three times per week.  Nothing else really mattered.  Fortunately, we had a very mild autumn, and I ran outside right up until the race.  2:08:58.  I don’t really know what this time means or why I’m even posting it.  It’s just a time.  It’s a time I ran for over 2 hours straight, without pain in my neck, and validation that I was on the mend, had avoided surgery, and was gaining confidence that I’d be back next year (but that didn’t happen either – keep reading). 

As I have each of the previous four years, once the Seacoast Half is over, I generally take two weeks off from all “working out” to really get a good recovery in.  This year was a little different.  I had just calculated my total training hours for the year (Seacoast Half to Seacoast Half) at right about the same as the previous year’s (right about 200 hours), but remember, I had missed about 6 weeks completely, and then had 7 more weeks of scaled back activity.  So the fact that I trained the same amount of time was encouraging.  I didn’t want to sever my momentum at this point, but knew I couldn’t ramp up too fast.  My wife had given me “Insanity”, one of Beach Body’s home workout programs as an anniversary/Xmas gift several weeks earlier and I saw this as an opportunity to do some high intensity, shorter workouts at home that didn’t involve a set of weights.  Although I didn’t follow their program as it is laid out, I tried to get in 3-4 Insanity workouts per week and supplement with a one hour treadmill run and a 1 hour indoor trainer workout.  I had made a couple of New Year’s Resolutions on 12/31/11.  One was obvious.  Finish a 70.3, and although I had been hopeful it would be The Pumpkinman, prior to my injury  had already signed up for Rev3 Quassy in Connecticut which was in early June 2012.  My other resolution?  I wanted to average 19mph on the bike at an Olympic distance race.  And since I had deduced that my cervical disk issue was a result of swimming, and only breathing to the right, I vowed to only swim three times per month, instead of three times per week.  Yes, that’s right, I typed “per month”.  In its place I was going to add an additional bike workout per week and a short bike-run brick per week.  I’ve been quite happy with my swim times since my first season. And the little I would expect to gain in swim times by continuing to swim three times per week would not outweigh what I could gain in bike times (and hence, overall times) if I concentrated more on building up my bike speed. I had two races in 2012 whereby I could gage if this plan was successful because they were races I had done before, The Mass State Olympic distance in mid-July, and The Timberman Sprint in mid-August. 

Mass State Oly 2012 results

229^TH / 343   OVERALL IN 2:44:33 

22^nd  / 29    in age-group  

140^th / 343   Swim in 28:15   

T1 = 1:39 

193^rd / 343   Bike in 1:08:25 (19.28mph) <---- GOAL ACHIEVED

T2 = 1:51 

290^th / 343   Run in 1:04:26 (10:23/mile pace)        

Timberman Sprint 2012 results

Finished in 1:29:01

163^rd/ 356 for males

34^th / 72 in age-group

Swim in 8:17

T1 = 2:30

Bike in 51:13 (17.57mph)

T2+Run in 27:02

And I can’t imagine how much better they would  have been if it wasn’t for someone jamming a stick into my spokes, figuratively, and almost literally.

A few days before Christmas, the practice where I had been working for about 15 months learned that it was going to be closed down around June 1^st due to many reasons, both political and financial, we were led to believe.  On one hand, it was comforting to at least know that I had an actual date when I would no longer be employed, but on the flip side, I had an actual date when I knew that I would no longer be employed.  I couldn’t really worry too much about it in December (2011).  After all, most employers don’t know what their needs are going to be for staffing six months in advance, so I used the first 3 months of this time deeply contemplating what my next career move should be.  What I already knew was that I needed a position that didn’t require me to be “on-call”, and preferably, no nights, and perhaps very limited weekends and holidays.  Yes, Mommy hours.  I’ve never had a job as a physician assistant with these hours, but there is a reason for that.  These jobs are “office” jobs:  family practice, internal medicine, and some specialty practices that don’t involve surgery.  This is what I’ve considered to be “hard medicine”.  You’ve got to know so much about so much and the degree of noncompliance seen in these patients is frustratingly high, so it’s not a type of position that I ever felt was one I could thrive in or enjoy.  Or should I say, survive in. PA’s that work in family practice, internal medicine and that are on hospitalist teams, I’ve always considered to be the cream of the crop.  I wasn’t confident I could pull it off, or that I wanted to, despite many colleagues telling me that with time and a lot of hard work during that first year, I’d be absolutely great at it.  Time was on my side, initially, so I kept that plan in my back pocket, but it wasn’t a card I was willing to play until the last possible moment.

In late February (2012), I had a lead come my way unexpectedly.  It was an Urgent Care position in Lowell, MA. The interview went very good, not great, the commute was going to be horrible, and the hours were a bit atypical yet intriguing (three 10-hr weekdays, 8ap-6pm, and only a single 5-hr Saturday shift per month).  Karen had always hinted, sometimes not so subtlety, about moving closer to Woburn, where she has worked for ten years.  Well, this was her chance.  I told her outright and without so much as a quiver in my voice,

“If you want your job in your backyard, this is your chance.  You just say ‘Go’ and we’ll do it. We can temporarily rent an apartment down there while we rent out our home in NH.  Let’s  allow someone else to pay our mortgage.  I’m pretty sure we can make it work.  It’s up to you, but I’ll need to know within 3-4 weeks.  If I’m even offered the job, I don’t think I’d be able to hold them off longer than that (regarding a decision).” 

After years of dropping hints about wanting to be closer to her work, I was met with very little response, like I had completely stunned her.  Finally the hypothetical was reality’s next door’s neighbor, and it obvious got her thinking about a few things in a way that maybe she hadn’t really been forced to before.  Being the planner that I am, even though she suddenly seemed quite resistant to the idea, I began looking at neighborhoods, apartment complexes, schools, etc., and even contacted a realtor regarding our home.  My current job was ending in about 3 months, I had no other prospects, and even if we didn’t relocate, I needed to very seriously consider taking the position anyway, even though my heart wasn’t really in it.  And when I say that, I mean the actual job itself.  I was content with moving if it made Karen happy, and that is what was most important to me.

Through ongoing emails, I was convinced that this urgent care anticipated me accepting the job, so much so, that they mailed me the credentialing packet to begin completing.  Medical providers have to get “credentialed” or obtain hospital “privileges” in order to work.  This process takes 6-12 weeks on average, and that’s once they (the employer) receive the packet back from you.  It can take a few weeks just to complete it.  Remember, I’m 12-14 weeks from being unemployed.  Crunch time was one block away, and the sun was setting fast.

The following day a call came in from Access Sports Medicine in Exeter, my hometown.  I had never done ortho as a specialty, but this was for their new Acute Injury Clinic, which was also a budding urgent care.  Within 48hrs I was interviewing with the practice manager, three of the docs, and the lead PA.  It was a fantastic interview.  They sold me on this “new” position.  They wanted someone to take the lead and work with the President, Dr. Joshua Siegel, and their Medical Director, in bringing the injury clinic to the next level, offering more urgent care services.  Again, and I can’t stress this enough, this is how they were selling me on this job.  They wanted a “go to” guy, a leader, someone to commit, do whatever it takes to assure success, and then once that success is achieved, to replicate it at other sites.  And oddly, they wanted me to make them an offer.  Everything was game (salary, bonuses, benefits, you name it).  I spent days putting together a four page proposal that outlined my requirements.  I was told a few days later that it was accepted by each of the partners !!! (We are now into very late March – early April).  We immediately began the extensive credentialing process, I began reviewing architectural designs of their potentially new urgent care building, and had even agreed upon a per diem start date of June 5, 2012.  But on May 30^th I made the smartest mistake I’ve ever made; I had my initial proposal, that they had accepted 2 months earlier, officially drawn up by a lawyer and sent to them so both sides could sign it.  The following day, my last day at my current job mind you, and 5 days before I was supposed to start at Access, I got an emailed letter from Dr. Siegel essentially stating that the partners had decided that I was not a “good fit”, “that we are withdrawing our previous agreement”, and that they have “decided to fill the position internally”.  I was told that The Practice does not enter into any formal contacts with their mid-level providers. Huh???  This was also the day before I was supposed to leave for Rev3-Quassy in Connecticut, my first attempt at that elusive 70.3 distance (now the second 70.3 I had signed up for).   Come to find out, the letter they had sent was nothing but a lie, as was probably just about everything they had told me over the previous 2 months.  On June 18^th (less than 3 weeks later) they announced on their website the hiring of their new provider (professional photos, bio, etc.), which they had obviously been negotiating with and credentialing right along with me, and who knows how many others.  Some of the absolute slimiest business moves I have ever encountered.  And since then, I have heard several stories from former employees that sound eerily similar.  I will never have anything good to say about Access Sports Medicine.  Never.

Needless to say, I slipped into just a bit of a depression for a while.  Not finishing Quassy that weekend,  thanks to a major bike malfunction less than 2 miles into the bike leg, didn’t help.  My biggest concern was not having a full time job.  As soon as I got back from Quassy, I called just about every colleague I knew explaining my situation, and within a week I had an entire summer of per diem work at three different Urgent Care sites between Barrington and Boston.  Because I only averaged working 29hrs per week for the next four months, I had to use all of the money I had saved from unused vacation from my previous job, my one month’s severance, as well as the saved dependent daycare money that we hadn’t yet withdrawn from our account. We also had to cancel our vacation to Jamaica. I’ve never felt so fortunate to have purchased the trip insurance which gave us an 80% refund.  All of that money was supposed to pay off the remainder of our once insurmountable credit card debt.  It was going to be a fresh start. Finally, after 10 years, we’d be just comfortable enough whereby I wouldn’t be required to work regular overtime shifts at my moonlighting jobs.  Well that didn’t happen.  That money was now used to “get by” until I started my new job in November 2012.  And that new job is in Internal Medicine at Dartmouth Hitchcock in Manchester.  I work 4.5 days per week, no nights, no weekends, and no holidays.  The benefits are superb and the salary is more than fair.  They have been extremely flexible based on my family needs.  I’ve been there two months and professionally I feel about as happy as I have ever been.  And I am really enjoying the work (the specialty). 

To review my 2012 season, let’s just say that the stress and anxiety, coupled with bizarre work hours, and long commutes into Boston, my training suffered immensely, and that is an understatement.  Literally, I averaged 2.25hrs of training PER WEEK between my failed Rev3 Quassy 70.3 race in early June, and the Pumpkinman 70.3 in early September 2012 (which I might add, ended up being my first 70.3 finish after all.  At some point I hope to finish my race report for that race, but don’t count on it.

To finally put closure on this 15-month summation, this new job allows me 1hr of training each morning, from 5:30-6:30am, and I knew that I needed high intense, full body, core oriented , shorter workouts, that were close to home.  Enter:  Crossfit Reclamation in Exeter, NH.  I have been doing it for 14 weeks now and I’ve got to say, I am stronger, more explosive, faster, more fit, more balanced, and more agile than I have ever been.  My diet/nutrition has been under control as I transitioned to a >80% Paleo diet on August 23, 2012, and everything about me, since doing so, is just plain better.  I gave up bread, pasta, cereals, grains, and dairy, to name just a few.  My energy is just “nuts”.  I’m making every attempt to follow Brian MacKenzie’s book ,”Power, Speed, and Endurance: A skill based approach to endurance training.”  So far, so damn good.  I can’t wait to see what it does for my races in 2013.

So, since I’ve digressed, what about 2013?

What are some of my goals?

What are my fitness and professional resolutions?

In no particular order:

1   1)  Go back to Quassy and finish what I started. Just registered a couple of days ago!

2   2)  Average 20mph on the bike leg at the Mass State Olympic Tri.  (And yes, I did accomplish last year’s resolution of >19mph at this race).

3   3)  Post to this blog a minimum of twice per month. 

4   4)  Be able to Rx every workout at Crossfit starting on 1/1/14.  Every workout has an “Rx” for male and female, as well as a “scaled” version of the same workout, which generally includes lighter weights, alternative exercises, or easier versions of a complicated movement.  I have no idea if one year is enough time to get to that point, but I’m gonna aim high on this one.

5   5)  Run a sub 21:00 5k.  My current PR is 22:05

6   6)  Complete my “Paleo Prescriptions” seminar.

In 2013, I no longer will accept “average” or finishing in the 50^th percentile for my age group.  I think it is reasonable to shoot for that upper 1/3^rd or around the 30-35^th percentile.

Week of WOD's 1/6/13 - 1/13/13

1/6/13

Bike WO #1 - Indoor Trainer

10min WU

3 intervals of 5min at 60rpms - holding biggest gear that I can, followed by 5min of EZ spinning at 80rpms

5min CD

Total WO Time = 45min

1/7/13

Crossfit Reclamation - "Total"

This was a simple workout in order to establish a baseline for strength on 3 different power exercises:

The Back Squat

The Strict Press

The Deadlift

Each are done in succession, and in this order.  There is a very quick warm-up set, then 3 attempts whereby you only get one chance to address the barbell, and go for it.  Spotters verify corect form and pass or fail you on your "rep".  This is a "One Rep Max" exercise.  In other words, given one attempt, what is the most you can do, once.  Then, whatever your Max weight is for each, you "total" that number (in pounds).

Back Squat = 185#  PR

Strict Press = 125#  PR

Deadlift      = 255#  PR

Total score = 565#

1/8/13

Crossfit Reclamation - WOD - "KELLY"

5 Rounds of:

400m run

30 Wall Balls at 20#

30 Box Jumps at 24"

*** completed in 36:08

1/9/13

Crossfit Reclamation - WOD

Bench Press 8 sets of 3 reps, increasing weight each set:

95# - 135# - 140# - 155# - 165# x 3  (didn't have time for last set)

10min of:

Reps: 10-8-6-4-2 of alternating between Floor Kettlebell Shoulder Presses at 35# and Kettlebell Swings at 44#, then:

10min of:

Reps: 10-8-6-4-2 of alternating between Russion Triangles with 25# barbell, and Side Bride Push-ups

1/10/13

Crossfit Reclamation

Cleans Touch & Go, find the 3 rep Max weight, then stop.  Mine was 125#.

Then:

AMRAP 8min of:

3 Cleans, followed by Lateral Burpees for remainder of each minute.

Total score equals number of burpees completed. Mine was 36.

1/11/13

Crossfit Reclamation

10min AMRAP:

Row 500m

5 Deadlifts at 135#

3 Toes to bar with Pull-up (TTB-PU)

   5min rest  -  *** completed 2 rounds + 5 deadlifts

5min AMRAP:

30 DU's (or 90 singles)

30 SU's (Sit-ups)

   5min rest  -  *** completed 2 rounds + 40 singles

5min AMRAP:

10 Med Ball Cleans - 20#

10 KB snatches (35#) 5 per side

10 Jumping alternating lunges

                      *** completed 2 rounds + 10 MB cleans

1/12/13

Bike WO #1 - Indoor Trainer

10min w/u

3 sets of 5min at 60rpm at biggest gear I can hold, followed by 5min of EZ spinning at 80rpms, then 5min c/d.

15min of mobility/stretching

Total time =60min

Total Training for the week  = 6.0 hours


First two weeks of January I've hit 6 hours of training per week.  I'm back on the bike finally.  Next week I need to get in 2 bike workouts in 7 days, and the workout will change a bit.
It's so damn warm out right now (nearly 50) that I should go for a fairly hard 5k run, but this was suppose to be a rest day, a day to do all of my laundry, stock up on groceries, do some stretching, and chill with some Pats vs. Texans football.  Karen isn't home right now.  She went to do Bikram then meet up with a friend.  not sure what time she'll be home.  If she's home by 3pm, I'm heading out for a quick 5k I think.

Week of WOD's 12/31/12 - 1/6/13

Recovery (I use this term loosely), 12/31/12 & 1/1/13

1/2/13

Crossfit Reclamation - "LAREDO" Hero WOD

U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Edwardo Loredo, 34, of Houston, Texas, assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, based in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, was killed on June 24, 2010 in Jelewar, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He is survived by his wife, First Sergeant Jennifer Loredo; his daughter, Laura Isabelle; his stepdaughter, Alexis; and his son, Eduardo Enrique.

6 rounds of:

24 body weight squats

24 push-ups (had to change to kneeling on round 3)

24 single leg walking lunges (12 per leg)

400m run (outside in 12 degree weather)

***completed in 39:10

1/3/12

Crossfit Reclamation WOD

10min of Double Unders practice

Strength = Strict Shoulder Press - 5x5x5 (95#, 105#, 110# x 4 reps)

6min AMRAP of:

5 Deadlifts at 145#

6 Pull-ups (used blue strap to toe)

7 Box Jumps (24")

*** completed 3 rounds + 3 Box Jumps

1/4/13

Crossfit Reclamation - "VICTORIA"  Hero WOD

Victoria” is a hero wod from fallen teacher Victoria Soto who was a first grade teacher in Newtown. She hid her “angels” as she called her students in a closet behind her during the horror that occurred.

5 Rounds for time:
10 x Thrusters (95# / 75#)
14 x Box Jumps (24" / 20")
12 x SDHP (95# / 75#)
12 x Burpees
27 x ‘American’ KB Swing (53# / 35#)

An extremely difficult WOD, I only had time to complete 3 rounds in 26:26 before I had to scoot out of the Box and get on the road to work.  I did the "scaled" version on the weights, but kept my box jumps at 24".

1/5/13

Open Gym

Since I started my "cleanse", and feeling absolutely horrible (I hadn't replenished or recovered since yesterday's Hero WOD), I was quite sore and lacking energy.  I decided to take it easy, hang with some other crossfitters, and get some pointers on some skills that I had been struggling with.

I rowed 1000m then did about 25min of stretching.  I then worked on Double Unders for about 15min, then did a few wall handstands and some oblique ab stuff for about 5min.

That is my week in review. 

"The Cleanse"

I have never done a cleanse like this before.  There are literally hundreds of "detox drinks" and various forms of 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, 30-day, etc. cleanses out there.  I wanted something quick, to the point, and with variety.  I didn't want creamy smoothies with heaping scoops of whey protein and peanut butter.  I wanted fresh, low calorie, low residue, easy to digest, clean, mostly green drinks.  I chose drinks that looked and sounded like all of these things, as well as seemingly easy to prepare.  Since I don't have a blender at work, my afternoon drink which I will have at work can be easily prepared in the morning and will keep nicely for several hours in a fridge.

I plan on a moderate salad each day for lunch which will include only vegetables and 4oz of chicken or tuna.

I am also going to be drinking 4 cups of green tea per day and an additional 50oz of plain water.

 

My Post-Holiday 72hr Cleanse

(I will try to post pics of each as soon as possible after a make it, or at the end of the cleanse. I'm probably going to start Friday morning, January 4, 2013).

Breakfast (Days 1 & 3)

“The Yummy Green”

½ bunch of spinach leaves

2 big kale leaves (no stems or center veins)

¼ OJ or other unsweetened natural juice

1 small banana

1 kiwi

16-20oz water, blend together

Breakfast (Day 2)

“Ginger Root Boost”

1 inch sliced ginger root

Juice from 1 lemon

6 small carrots

1 seeded apple

16-20oz water, blend together

1-hour After Lunch (Days 1,2 3)

“Master Cleanse”

Juice from ½ of a lemon (2 table spoons)

2 tablespoons of grade B real maple syrup

1/10 teaspoon cayenne pepper

10oz water, blend together

Just before dinner (Day 2)

“The Propellant”

2 cups seedless grapes

3 slices of Kiwi

¼ peeled orange

5 red lettuce leaves

2 cups of water, blend together

Just before dinner (Days 1 & 3)

"The Detox"  -- NOTE: you could quadruple this recipe and just sip on this throughout the day as an alternative to making several other drinks throughout the day.) 

1/8 cup fresh pineapple juice

1/2 cucumber

2 large kale leaves (remove stem and large veines)

juice from 1/4 of a lemon

1/8 inch strip of ginger

1/8 cup of fresh mint

30min before bed (Days 1 & 3)

“Super Green”

1 bunch of spinach (handful of leaves)

1 small cucumber (3-4 inches)

2-3 small stalks of celery

1 small bunch of cilantro

1 cup water, blend together

30min before bed (Day 2)

“The Nightcapper”

1 handful of lettuce (Spring mix)

1 cup seedless grapes

¼ of an orange

2-inch piece of a banana

1 cup of water, blend together

Paleo Protein Pumpkin Pancakes 

("The P4 Breakfast")

Yeah, I know. I haven't posted in 14 months. More on that the next time I post, but for now, many of you wanted my recipe for the pumpkin pancakes (which are very high protein and very low carb).  It's never too late when it's cold out to use pumpkin in your meals. In fact, as I type this, I am enjoying a Pumpkin Spice Shakeology (made up the recipe myself.  -Hey, I had to use that leftover 1/3 cup of pumpkin puree somewhere, right)?

The pancakes took a few days to figure out how I wanted to do it, but I eventually settled on a combination of about 4 pumpkin pancake recipes, and I pulled, withdrew, and stole from each one to finally come up with this one.

It is truly a 95% Paleo recipe (it would be 100% by using whey protein powder raised from grass fed cattle - so as long as you also used Ghee, or strained butter from grass fed cows).

The recipe below should yield approx 10-12 pancakes, each about 5 inches in diameter.

You will combine ALL ingredients into a large mixing bowl, then use a standard mixer to make a smooth batter.

1/2 cup  Organic pumpkin (canned)

2           Bananas (ripe and mashed with a fork)

4           Eggs - free range, vegetarian fed

4           Scoops of vanilla whey protein powder

4 Tbs     Organic ground flaxseed meal (Red Meal brand)

2 tsp      Ground cinnamon

1 tsp      Nutmeg

1 tsp      Vanilla extract

1/4 tsp   Baking soda

2 Tsp     Coconut flour

In a nonstick pan or griddle, melt a small amount of ghee (butter) or  organic coconut oil over low to medium heat, place enough batter in the center to make a 5" pancake.  Each side will only need to cook 2-3min.  You will NOT see bubbles as an indicator to "flip", so check them!  They will brown fairly rapidly.  Be careful flipping - the batter is thinner than normal.  You can thicken it by adding more "dry ingredients (coconut flour, flaxseed meal, and/or protein powder).

Once the batter as been placed in the pan, sprinkle your favorite chopped nuts on top to add some crunch to the pancake if you desire.  Pecans would be best IMO :)

Rather than using a typical topping (like real maple syrup or honey), which is nothing but high glycemic index carbohydrate, you can make your own topping (ie/ a berry slurry (food processor) with coconut oil and protein powder, OR use coconut milk, coconut oil, natural peanut butter, and peanut butter flavored whey,  etc.)

I made 8 "to go" ziplock bags, each with 2 pancakes in them, and put them in my freezer for those days when I may need to eat some breakfast while driving (not that I'm condoning this).

Since I'll be eating mine on the go (by hand), they will have to be "dry", so I'll just have a cold mug of unsweetened almond milk.

Let me know how you experiment with this and what you recommend.

Your Gift

On Sunday, August 14, 2011, I awoke feeling a bit of tightness between my spine and right shoulder blade, not unlike I have 2-3x/yr for the last decade.  I’ll just put some heat on it, take it easy for a few days, apply some Tiger Balm, and it will go away just like every other time this has occurred.  It was 6 days until the Timberman Sprint Triathlon race, a mere “warm-up” before my first attempt at my first Half Ironman (The Pumpkinman), so I was about to taper down my workouts this week anyway.  After a very restless night, I awoke with the pain being worse, but also an intense ache in my triceps area.  I had a surgical case to be ready for at about 9am.  By the time I arrived at the hospital I could hardly move my neck and the elbow had joined the achiness party.  No matter what I did, there simply was not a comfortable position.  I pulled aside one of the anesthesiologists and begged him for a trigger point injection where the pain seemed to be originating.  We ran up to the pain clinic and he injected me with 15mLs of Marcaine (a long-acting local anesthetic).  By the time I made it back down to the operating room I was already feeling much better.  Three hours later, when the case was over, the agony had not only returned, but now my forearm was aching and my upper arm began feeling “heavy”.  A second sleepless night, despite taking some old Valium that I had found from a previous episode a year ago, and it was back to work on Tuesday.  We had two back to back surgeries that lasted a total of about 5 hours.  By the time we left the recovery room after the second case, Dr. Harrell (the surgeon that I work with) had seen enough.  He walked me down to the ER where I was immediately escorted to a room.  My entire neck and right arm was engulfed with this sadistic aching.  The only part spared were my fingers. In one arm I was given a shot of steroids.  In the other, a shot of a non-narcotic pain medicine (because I had to drive home).  I left with scripts for Valium (a potent muscle relaxant), Oxycodone (a narcotic pain reliever), oral steroids (for the next 12 days), and Nuerontin (we’ll just call it a “nerve-dulling” medicine), as well as an appointment for a cervical MRI the next day.  Despite these meds, it was still so bad that my sleep was regularly interrupted for the next several days.  It wasn’t until I got a few days of high-dose steroids into me that I began to notice a hint of a difference; however, I specifically recall that it wasn’t until day #8 that I enjoyed (term used loosely) my first night of sleep.  But by Thursday the 18^th I felt fortunate that Dr. Harrell was able to pull a few strings at a PT office that had helped him last year, and I got in to see someone who performed some traction which was immediately helpful, although short-lived. By the time I was half way home all of my symptoms were coming back.  They did give me a traction device so I could do it at home a couple of times per day.  I’m now relinquishing any doubt -- I’ve got a disc issue.  Dr. Harrell (Rob), is already making plans for me to be out for 2 weeks after my surgery, yet I hadn’t even placed a call to the spine surgeon, Dr. Dirksmeier.

Actual cervical traction device that I used

Despite the urgings of all of the wonderful people that I work with to “go home” (almost daily), I adamantly refuse.  “I haven’t missed a day of work in my life. I’m not starting today.”

One of the surgical residents I was on a team with during my training over 10 years ago once told me, “Man, if you’re going to go into surgery, you must remember one rule: Don’t call in sick.  Only call in dead.”

At last check, I had a pulse.

Depiction of an MRI machine

The most uncomfortable position to be in for anyone with a “disc” issue in their neck is an MRI machine.  You’ve got to slightly extend your neck (this is bad), keep both arms at your side (that is worse), and lie still for 25 minutes (pretty much impossible).

My MRI was at 7am.  By 8am, I am back at my office, begging for mercy, in about as much pain as I can ever recall being in, but we have a full morning of patients to see in the office for which I had already prepped for the day before, then our weekly “Chest Clinic” meeting up at the hospital, then a few more patients in the afternoon.

Thanks to digital technology, by 8:15 I go into one of our exam rooms and upload the images of my MRI. I’ve never read a cervical MRI in my life, and have probably only seen a couple, but based on my symptoms and medical education, I know right where to look. 

“If there is a problem, it’ll be . . . right . . . oh shit!”

My face collapses into my palms, and I needn’t say what happens next.  I kick the door closed.  I need a moment . . . or two.  Thankfully, I’m able to get about 5 minutes, none of which I particularly recall.  After collecting myself I head out into the hall and see Dr. Harrell coming towards me.  He’s smiling like he knows something, like he has already seen my MRI, which would be just about impossible, “Alright Chief, when is your surgery?”

I pull a U-turn and we head into the room to look at the MRI together.  “Whoa, Dude!  Now THAT is not subtle.”

I don’t have much of a reply.

He continues, “Alright, when do you see Dirksmeier?  Do I need to place a call to get you in sooner. . . um . . . like today?  I’m no spine surgeon, but that has got to come out.  I’ve been there, man.  I had two discs that he took out – plus a cervical fusion, and the disc of this MRI that I’m looking at right now looks much worse than mine.”

I tell him that I’m seeing him one week from today.

“No you’re not.”

In 30 seconds he is on the phone and my appointment in changed to the following afternoon.

Yup, that's my MRI

Since my ER visit several days prior, I was only taking the narcotics (Oxycodone) and benzos (Valium) right before bed, and just suffering through the pain all day long so I could work, and drive, and be conscious for my kids in the evening.  Well, today was about to change that.  Kathy, our office manager, knocks on my office door.  I tell her to come in.  My office is pitch black and I’m laying in the corner on the floor, my neck is in the traction device, my right arm is propped up on two pillows, and I’m writhing.

“Kathy, I can’t do it any more.  I need some medicine (and I don’t mean Tylenol). I left all of the good stuff at home because I know I can't take it at work.”

My arm feels like I’m holding a 50-pound weight after going through a meat grinder (without the bleeding you’d expect). 

“Shawn, get out of here. The rest of the day is clear.  I’ll let Dr. Harrell know.  Just go, please!” she demands.

It’s the longest 32 minute drive of my life.  I averaged 15mph over the posted speed limit.  In my eyes, every yellow light was green.  Every stop sign was a yield.  Every time I had to touch the brakes I dropped an F-bomb.  After making it home and medicating, the next 12 hours are a haze.  I have a new appreciation for anyone with debilitating pain.  Apparently I fell asleep in a seated position on the couch, wearing my homemade soft color, and my wife, using physical force, was able to “awaken” me.  I stared at her blankly with my upper body kind of shaking awkwardly as I fought with the faucet of drool showering my chin and neck.  While sitting upright I announce, “My legs are frigin huge.  Look at ‘em.  My legs.  Look.  They’re huge, and swollen.  Look.  Do you see ‘em?”  I had been on high-dose steroids for numerous days now and my body was showing the effects.

Karen demands, “Let’s get you to bed.  C’mon. Shawn? SHAWN!? C’mon!” Karen sees me fading.  I have no fight left.  My brawl with the drool wore me out.

About the next thing I recall is turning off my alarm with no ill effects, no “hangover”, actually feeling quite refreshed, and aside from some neck stiffness, my arm feels the best it has felt since this all started.  My normal morning routine is performed nearly flawlessly.

After a fairly uneventful and mostly tolerable morning, I’m off to see Dr. Dirksmeier, the spine surgeon.  This is the man I trust. He did a similar (more extensive) surgery on my mentor, Dr. Harrell, a cardiothoracic surgeon.  Both he and my mentor are triathletes.  I reckon that before he even meets me, he “gets" me. He knows all of the things that I am going to say.  He knows all of the questions that I am going to ask.  Silently we tick by the same watch.  We have an understanding, but when it comes right down to it, after the taking of the history, and the physical exam, and the anatomy lesson while viewing the MRI, he finally has to cut to the chase, “You must have more races in your season?”

     “I have been training 8 months for my first Half Ironman, the Pumpkinman,” I tell him.  “I know you do that race too, so I don’t need to tell you that it is only 3 weeks away.  You tell me what I need to do in order to be able to do that race and I will do it.”

     “Well, that’ll be how long since your pain started?”

     The math has already been done, “Exactly 28 days.”

     He lists, “You have to be pain-free for 2 weeks.  You can’t have any numbness or weakness in your arm.  You have to have absolutely no expectations except to finish, so if you had a time goal, wipe it out.  It doesn’t exist. You can’t do another workout until the day of the race, except an upright stationary bike, but not until you are symptom-free.”

     To clarify, “So, if I meet all of that criteria, I can do the race?”

     “Yes, but the likelihood that it will set back your recovery and possibly cause a reaggrevation of your injury and symptoms are probably greater than 50%.  So, if you’re willing to mortgage your entire off-season training plan for this race in 3 weeks, which then endangers your 2012 season, you can do it.” I knew the direction he was leaning, but after that reiteration, I’m thoroughly confused.  Well, except about one thing.  At least as of right now, he is >90% sure I can avoid surgery AND have a symptom-free 2012 season.  (But it’s 3 weeks away, and I’ve trained for 8 months!)

The Pumpkinman

An hour later when I give Rob (Dr. Harrell) the news, he gets the “deer in the headlights” look.  He essentially already had me booked for surgery.  He’s looking at the calendar, moving patients around, looking at the call schedule, etc.  He was convinced.  And he’s been there, so I was just about as shocked as he, but elated still.  I think?  “Okay”, he says, “I guess I accept that I’m no spine doctor.  He didn’t steer me wrong.  He did my surgery and 2 months later I was training again with no recurrence of my symptoms and it’s been over a year and a half now.”

But most of you know where my head is at, right?  I’ve got 3 weeks.  Three weeks to do what I’m told.  I’ve got 1 week to get myself symptom-free, and 2 weeks before the race.  You know, that one I just dedicated 8 months of my heart to.  I can do this.  I WILL do this.

Hammering a hill at The Mass State Olympic Triathlon (July 2011)

A couple of hours later, while preparing dinner, and with my head still trying to get mentally prepared to race in three weeks (because I know that I am), I’m asked by Karen, “So, how’d it go (with the surgeon)?”

I cringe and the hair stands up on the back of my neck.  The crystal ball that was blocking my view on my dashboard during the ride home already prophesized this conversation.  I had memorized Dr. Dirksmeier’s exact parameters, word for word, and so, in my most confident and calm and convincing tone, verbatim, I begin to recite. I can’t look her in the eye.  If I do, I’ll crack.  When my brief dissertation is complete, I’m ready for the comeback dropkick in the chops.

     “You’re actually thinking about doing this? Seriously, Shawn?  Why? Do you think that is wise?  I don’t get why this is so important to you. You’re actually considering doing it, aren’t you?  Do you even have disability insurance?” (answer:  Yes – but it’s shitty) “Are you thinking about us (her and the kids)? What if this makes it worse? If it does, you may need surgery, right? What if you can’t work? You just got done telling me it takes 6-12 weeks to heel, yet this race is 3 weeks away.”

     “You’re right.  You’re right.  I won’t do it.  I won’t do it.  You’re absolutely right.”  My highly emotional, stubborn, impatient self, was taking over.  I had clearly not thought this through.  I had no bullet points to bring out of my back pocket to support my argument.  This conversation was promptly over, and as well it should be.  The better, more reasonable, and smarter half had easily won.  It was a one-sided debate.  I had no business even stepping to the podium.  Frankly, I am grateful.  I am very grateful for her.  As of the moment that I publish this posting, I have not met any of the criteria outlined by Dr. Dirksmeier.  I’m not even close, although I am clearly improving.  I’m still having episodic debilitating pain from my neck to my hand. I’m now able to sleep through the night most of the time having just taken Motrin.  However, the weakness is still quite impressive.  It is so bad it has affected even my penmanship.  I would need help putting on The Iron Roosta trisuit, never mind taking off a wetsuit after a 1.2 mile swim.  I can no longer do a single push-up, so leaning on aerobars is out of the question for one mile, never mind 56.  The slight impact of jogging even causes pain, so you can forget about a half marathon.

There will be no Pumpkinman 70.3 in 2011 for me.  All of that training for one race seems for not.  They say it is not the destination that makes toeing the line worth the sacrifice, but rather, the journey to get there.  But then the starting line was taken away from me.  And that’s not all that was taken from me.  Things I took for granted have dissolved.  My ability to hyperfocus on my nutrition has disintegrated.  I have put on 10 pounds since August 14^th.  My circadian rhythm which took me weeks and weeks of careful planning to reset has been retuned and is now dissonant with the triathletic lifestyle.  I miss methodically packing each of my training bags the night before my next day’s training session, then rechecking then two more times before I fall asleep on the couch by 9pm.  I miss making my nutrition plan for the day, the work week, and the weekend.  I miss hitting the grocery store three times per week for fresh produce.  I miss that 3:45am alarm that was so damn easy to awaken to.  I miss being halfway into my runs when the sun crests over the trees.  I miss listening to all of my motivational music on the way to the pool.  I miss taking that last sip of coffee as they unlock the door to the gym at 5:00am.  I miss counting laps.  I miss the kick drills (No, I don’t.  I still FN hate those :).    I miss topping off my tires with air and resetting my odometer.  I miss designing new routes on mapmyrun.com.  I miss counting calories.  I miss filling my water bottles.  I miss the stench of my sweaty workout clothes.  I miss needing to do a load of laundry consisting of all of my week’s training clothes on a Sunday night.  I miss logging all of my workouts in Training Peaks.  I miss talking about my workouts on Facebook.  And now I will be missing my most anticipated race of the year.

You see, all of these things are gifts.  They really are. I took them all for granted, but I awoke one morning a month ago and all of these gifts were taken away from me and I have no idea when I will get any of them back.  They will never be taken for granted again.  It has been nothing short of pure agony.  I have been depressed, displaced, and distraught.  I hope it is something you never have to go through (although I know some of you already have).  Unless you have, I guess it is incredibly difficult to comprehend.   The outpouring of constant support has been mindboggling.   This triathlon community has literally been checking on me hourly.  It is what has helped me get through each day.

So, today all I want each of you to know is that your next workout is a gift.  Be thankful that you have it.  At any second it can be taken away.  If and when that moment comes, you will beg for it back.  You will beg to be able to organize and pack each of your training bags each day, beg to awaken at 3:45am, beg to watch the sun shine over the trees during mile 7 of your 10 mile run, beg to do kick drills at the pool at 5am ‘til you can’t propel yourself forward another meter, beg to top off your tires and your water bottles and then ride until the skin on your crotch wears off, beg to run hill repeats ‘til you puke, beg to wash your stinky clothes, and beg to do laundry late on Sunday night so you’re ready for the next week of gifts. 

I will be at The 2011 Pumpkinman 70.3 this Sunday in South Berwick, Maine.  I will be beside each of one of you as you swim, bike, and run . . .  but only in spirit.  I would, however, like to particularly thank race director, Kat Donatello, for another gift.  Because of her generosity, I will be racing the 2012 Pumpkinman 70.3.  She has allowed my entry to be deferred due to injury. As irony would have it, the week before my injury I had already signed up for my first race of 2012, The Rev3 Quassy Half Ironman in Middlebury, CT, on June 3.  This race now becomes my first attempt at this distance.  I wanted it to be “in my backyard”, so to speak, but it was just not meant to be. 

My next attempt at 70.3 happens here

I will return with restored focus, enhanced determination, a flawless plan, and possibly in better physical shape than I have ever been.  I must allow myself to heal 100% and follow the plan of my physical therapists and surgeon.  My body will be rejuvenated, my mind will be unwavering, my heart will be tranquil, and as they all coalesce, I will again be prepared to conquer.

I’m still awaiting my next gift. When is yours?