RECOVERY……….
I love that word. It means that you did something challenging enough that you need to rest. THAT, my friends, is how to live your life. Work hard………Rest well!
After the race on Saturday and falling into bed in the wee hours of Sunday morning, I found myself wide-awake at 6:00 a.m. on Sunday morning. Really?!?! Am I not tired or something 🙂 I honestly think your body takes a bit to relax after such a hard effort, like an Ironman. Since I was up, I figured I would just head to the awards breakfast early and visit with friends.
HT Athletes with Ironman St. George winner Ben Hoffman
Later in the morning my eyelids were like cement blocks. I had to lay down. I was so tired, I actually didn’t feel very well, that over-tired kind of not feeling well. I laid down for a nap, but being a mother of two young kiddos makes that a bit of a challenge. I refused to open my eyes for about 2 hours, but the sleep was intermittent between the question, “Mommy. Are you asleep?” I tried very hard to just keep my eyes closed until they walked away………..I swear the hardest thing about training and racing is coming home to those little guys who need my undivided attention and energy. After Ironman, there was not much of either to give and I was so grateful for my parents and Adam to help fill the gap.
On Monday morning I woke up and when I tried to move, I was pretty sure that all Ironman vehicles and trucks that had left town the night before had run over my lower body………I WAS SORE!
I had anticipated being pretty sore just for the fact that I hadn’t run in quite a few weeks. There had been no impact on my legs while I was recovering my foot injury. The good new was that my foot FELT GREAT! The bad news was that pretty much every other muscle in my lower body was screaming 🙂 To top off all that soreness was my feet……..They were in pretty bad shape……..it was all my own fault….
I have two pairs of Altra Intuitions that I run in and wear ALL THE TIME! I LOVE THESE SHOES! Super duper comfy for EVERYTHING I do. One of the pairs is a 10.5 and the other is an 11. When I got the 10.5, they fit well, but were probably just a bit small. I had raced in them without any problems, but normally wear them without socks. The Size 11 are a newer pair that I have been running in for a few months. Because I was racing in the 10.5s they were ready to go with my quick-laces (the ones you don’t tie). I was lazy and didn’t go and buy a new pair of quick laces for the other shoes and just decided I would run in the smaller size for the Ironman marathon. I also decided to wear socks.
If you know anything about running in shoes that are even just a tad too small, you know what my toes look like today. Both of my big toes blistered underneath the toenail……..YOWZA! You should have seen the size of my left toe…..It was freaky! I got the blistered drained and things are healing up well, but I’m about 98% certain that I will be sporting big toes sans toenails very soon. In addition to the big toes, two other nails on my right foot blistered. Four total. I’m going to need a lot of dark toenail polish for the next year or so. The good news (if there is any in this situation) is that I didn’t feel any pain in my toes on the run AT ALL. I knew that I was blistering in between my big toes on both feet, but that is VERY common for me during a triathlon. So yes, I’m sporting some pretty ugly looking feet right now and I can’t put shoes on to spare those around me from the sight 🙂 Toenails are for sissies anyway. I’m an Ironman now…….It doesn’t matter…..Ha!
The only other weird thing I noticed in those first few hours after the race was my lack of appetite. ME! NO APPETITE! Now that is weird. It wasn’t that I was sick or anything. Just not interested in eating. I first noticed it at dinner on Sunday night. I would eat and just feel really full. Then a few hours later, I felt like I was going to pass out because I hadn’t eaten enough. It was a weird kind of cycle for those first two days. I’m assuming my GI tract was just as tired as the rest of my body. I’m happy to report that all things are back to normal and I’m eating like a champ again 🙂
On Tuesday, I was still sore, but after a hot-stone massage from my favorite therapist, Adam Byington, I woke up on Wednesday feeling like a NEW PERSON! I was actually impressed with how good my body was feeling by the middle of the week. I went for an open water swim with friends on Wednesday, a spin class on Friday and then a 56 mile ride with friends on Saturday. My legs are feeling good. I don’t really want to go hammer anything but they are recovering well.
So what’s next? Where does a first-time Ironman athlete go from here? That’s easy……..RACE SOME MORE 🙂
I’m feeling good and sure that after another week of recovery I will be ready to hit the training hard again in preparation for Ironman 70.3 Lake Stevens (half-ironman distance) in Washington State. My goal is to earn a slot at this July race to compete in the 70.3 World Championships in Las Vegas in September. What about a full Ironman? I’m so ready to do it again! SIGN ME UP! Coach M and I are looking at Ironman Coeur d’Alene 2013. She thinks the course suits me well and MAYBE we can make a go at a slot to Kona (Ironman World Champioships)……….I can’t even imagine, but I’m so ready to try!
I have to say, it is pretty fun to have a HUGE item checked off your bucket list. You get to recreate the entire list with more dreams and more challenges. The list does not end just because items get checked off, it EXPANDS with so many more challenges to face! I’M EXCITED!
So here’s to another week of rest and recovery before the journey continues………
