298: And...begin

They say the sense of smell is the strongest trigger of memories. Sunscreen reminds most people of the beach, but triathletes probably think of other things. Same deal for chlorine. But one unexpected scent caught me last night as I was digging through my closet looking for my bike pump...neoprene rubber. Ahhh, my trusty wetsuit. It seems like I could swim in sewage with that thing, and it would still smell like rubber (it did survive the Potomac after all). Anyhow, the smell of wetsuit reminded me that no matter how much snow is on the ground or how cold it is outside right now...in 4 short months it will be race season once again. Let the good times roll.

Moving right along. The injury update, in a few words: I had an MRI on my left knee which showed some tendon degeneration in my hamstring, but no structural issues or stress fractures. One cortisone injection and several weeks of stretching and strengthening later, the hammy is usable once again. My knee is still a bit balky, as the joint where the tibia and fibula come together is hyper-mobile, which means it dislocates slightly with certain activities. Of course, "certain activities" include running and cycling, but at this point, it seems manageable, and I'm wearing a strap when I run. I'll continue to monitor it, and hopefully as the hamstrings, calves, and quads get stronger in the gym, it will fade away.

The exciting news, is that training has started for 2010. Six days a week with a rest day, two bikes, two runs and two drill-days in the pool, plus two sessions in the gym, and daily core strength exercises. The sessions are so short right now, which feels very odd...I think it takes me longer to layer up and get stretched out than it does to go on a 2 or 3 mile run, but at this point, it's a nice and easy adjustment as my body begins to remember and adjust. Bike sessions are on the trainer indoors, but running is outside. It feels odd running with 3 or sometimes 4 layers on, but I refuse to use a treadmill...get busy living or get busy dying. It's only gonna make those 20-mile runs in July a little more bearable.