The Truth

Well it was a March this year. All month long was a straight walk through time.  Here's how it broke down:

Swim: 14,900 yards, 6 swims
Bike: 11.8 miles, 1 ride
Run: 13.1 miles, 1 run, 1 race
Strength: 5 times
Yoga: nada

The storyline for this month centers around the foot injury. I was in physical therapy at Raleigh Orthopedics for 4 weeks. Funny thing was, I didn't actually see much improvement while in PT. The guy was great! I made him watch me run during the last appointment. He did find a flaw where my right knee is collapsing in, signifying a hip weakness on my right side. When I can actually run again, this will be useful information.

The half marathon at Myrtle Beach is still my only run since January. It was a complete disaster. If I can't do what I want to do the way I want to do it, then it's time to move on. 3 full marathons in march and 2 50k's in April have become the MB half and volunteering at the Umstead 100. So my entire spring plan is scrapped. I still have about 4 more weeks before the fall plan falls behind, but I haven't worked up a training plan yet.

My swim volume is a bit lower than I expected, but I have been getting busy towards the end of the weeks. The real story is the strength training. It's been going really good. Last year I set and failed at a goal to bench press 225 lbs, but I think I'm really close now. Haven't gone for the 1 rep max lately but it's about time to try. Last year when I was trying, I was completely unable to lift as much as I am now. In particular, I tried 185 lbs for 7 sets of 3 reps last year, and bailed after the 2nd set. Last week I finished that lift and added a few extra reps in there for good measure. Weightlifting good.

Yoga still hurts my foot. I haven't even unrolled the mat all month. Now in April, my foot is finally starting to feel some relief, as in it doesn't hurt all the time. Every day, yes, but I'll get an hour here and there where there is no pain. So I know it's just a matter of time. The PT thinks starting yoga now would be a good idea.

If I am done with running, I can still swim. Signed up for the 3 local open water swim races this year already, that's going to be a fun time. Also, I can move on to other hobbies. So next, I'm getting into a more specific facet of woodworking, boatbuilding. I've been making sawdust for about 20 years now, usually furniture of home repairs. But building a boat is a completely different endeavor. Using epoxy and fiberglass tape or cloth, getting straight clean lines and a watertight seal, designing a boat that's light enough to carry yet strong enough to hold people. It's a very daunting challenge that I have been looking forward to for a long time. It's so challenging actually, I started a new blog to document my boatbuilding adventures - ncboatbuilder.blogspot.com. Fortunately, I'm just as behind in blogging there as I am over here. ha!

So I'm making the best of this tough situation and doing whatever I can to stay sane. My first boat is coming along nicely, so that's really fun. There was some other fun stuff that happened in March too:

Camilias came into bloom and fell off

They actually make a beer called Stupid Sexy Flanders! The Simpsons for the win!

I drank a beer. Bottle Rev has become one of my favorite spots in Raleigh

We got snow! First snow this year was March 12

This was my company's big March Madness party. yes, I was alone.

Got me on Tybee Island!

This hair is all gray. Getting old sucks!

I went to Bottle Rev again

Snow is gone and the muscadines are starting to leaf out! Spring is here!

 This is post #800 for me on the old smoke trainer blog. When I started this on a whim in 2008 I had no idea I would still be here over 8 years later, documenting my growth, successes, failures, and family time. I've written out what I've learned as an athlete (well, I still have a few more of those posts to write) and learned what I like. And what I like is open water swimming, 4 hour marathons, and trail ultras. Just because I can't do what I want to do right now doesn't mean this is the end of my athletic pursuits. Open water swim season will be here before you know it.