So far behind . . .

I must apologize for such a long time gone. There has been a lot going on since my last post. I have been training, working, taking care of my family AND doing some races!

I also went to Las Vegas with The Girls, for a 50th birthday bash; came home with bronchitis and no money. BUT - I had fun!!! I cannot discuss it, of course.

I did the Inaugural 13.1 Marathon on January 10 and I had a PR!!! (personal record) Yay, me! I also had a blister on my toe - but I had a PR!

There was more training in there . . . then I did Surf City Half Marathon on February 7 and I had a PR!! A new PR. Yay, me! No blister this time.

In all this running stuff I am experiencing some "new" pains. For instance, right calf tightness - painful - all the way down to my achilles. Not sure if it is my running style - I think that's what they call it? Also, some hamstring pain & right-sided iliotibial band problems. Mostly muscle pains. Normal? Not sure . . . I am not really a "runner."

Oh, well. I am going to consult a running coach. (Will let ya know how that goes . . . )

Then I did the Tour de Palm Springs. I rode the 56-miler in 64.93 miles. It was a beautiful day. No wind, and snow on the mountains. Very nice. I will think about doing the century next year.

Oh, did I mention I had a sinus infection? Well, I did. So, I had to go on antibiotics & missed a week of training.

And, when I started feeling better . . . I actually took an extra 2 days of recovery! That is a HUGE step for me. I sure as shit hope it helps. I can't keep being sick.

So, back to training now. Getting ready for Wildflower Long Course on May 1. Scary!!

In the meantime, I am planning a trip to Italy with the family & close friends Vit & Lola. It will be a blast.

That's all folks!!!

Much Peace & Love,
TracerX

Took a whole lotta tryin' . . .

- just to get up that hill!!! But, I am movin' on up. So what if I am still oh-so-slow! I mean, to the point of wondering, "Am I ever going to get faster going up these effing hills?"

But, maybe that is not the question to ask myself. Maybe I need to ask, "Am I getting any stronger?"

Well, coming back from knee surgery & I am 6 months out . . . I think, "YES," I am getting stronger. But, stronger SINCE surgery. I want stronger as if I never HAD surgery!! hahahaha.

I just need to keep on training like nobody's business. I have signed up for the Palm Springs Bicycle Tour. The 55 miler - not quite ready for that century!!


So for the time being, I am going to keep my head down, my ass in the saddle (or out, whatever is called for) and the wind at my back! At my back . . . Ahh, if only! A girl can dream, can't she?

Much Peace & Love,
TracerX

Gobble, gobble gobble . . .

Or should I say, "ho, ho, ho". . . because - let's face facts - it is 4 days away from Christmas!!

Where does the time go?

So, let's do this . . . my first triathlon in 7 months, my first triathlon since my knee surgery, 5 months post-op.

I did the Turkey Tri at Bonelli Park. It was on 11/29/09. Let's do a "dream sequence" a la Wayne's World. do-dil-e-do . . . do-dil-e-do . . . do-dil-e-do

I slept pretty well the night before, but as usual, I had to get up at the "crack o' stupid" to get there & pick up my packet. Oh, and because I am neurotic about getting to transition to set up. More so on this day because I was a bit anxious since it had been a while.

I got my packet, set up my area & got my wetsuit on to go check out the water.
Well, to my surprise, the water that was supposed to be 62 was a balmy 58!!! Didn't seem so bad until I tried to put my face in and actually swim. Oh, and the fact that there was SNOW on the mountains!!

But, I don't want to get ahead of myself. Let me talk a moment about my emotional state.

I was not really feeling too nervous - unless you count the fact that I pee'd in my wetsuit about 15 times! I was actually excited to be there, to support Vit & Pimp Daddy J-Z. . .screaming & clapping every time someones's "wave" started.

Time for me to go. I got in the water and made several attempts to swim with my face in the water, take strokes, kick, etc. BUT to no avail!! I found my heart rate shoot thru the roof. I felt as though I could not get any air. My wetsuit was choking me. My husband said to kick my legs for a bit to get warmed up. I just could not do it.
I looked over to see a woman roll on her back & just lie there.

I have never had to do that in my short triathlon career, but today . . . it was the perfect thing to do today.

So, I rolled over on my back, kicked my legs like crazy, looked up at the sky & told myself to relax, take a deep breath, roll over & friggin'- swim - beyotch!! "You got this!" "It's not like you haven't ever done this before!" "Just because it is freezing doesn't mean anything!" "Swim now, woman!" "It is only half a mile!"

Once I had made this decision, all bets were off. I went ahead & just did my swim.

Got into the transition area (after a lovely run up a hill) jumped on the bike and took off.

It was a 14 or so mile bike - all of which was like riding with lead legs!!! It was not terrible, just felt like I was dragging my bum. Bike done.

T2 - time to run. Down stairs!! My knee(s) loved it. Just as much as they love to run in the first place. Thank goodness it is only 4 1/2 miles.

I had on my beautiful new Garmin that my hubby got me for my birthday. And, I was excited that it buzzes when you reach each mile. AND, it tells you your time for that mile. I was sure my miles would be 13 to 14 min. each. So, I was thrilled when the first mile was 12 something, mile 2 was 11:48 & mile 3 was just slightly faster than that. The last mile was back to 12 & change. I was in a decent amount of pain with my knee - the one I did not have surgery on!! It was hurting a lot. Thanks so much to my good pal Vit, who managed to show up for the last bit of the run & he ran with me & gave me lots of words of encouragement.

Finally, the finish line. It was over. I was thrilled to do it in 2:13 . . . since my goal was 2:20.

All in all, I was happy to have done the tri, finish it & feel pretty good.

Until the next day!!! I felt like I had been hit by a Mack truck. I was very sore. But within a few days I was feeling better. Lots of stretching, hot baths & Ibuprofen!!!

In the past month I have continued to train. I have some big goals that I have set for myself. I have registered for Wildflower Long Course & IMAZ, again. And, for fun I have signed up for a bunch of 1/2 marathons. I am sure there will be more but I will decide as things come up.

Everyone have a joyous holiday season & a happy new year. Here is to an injury free 2010!!

P.S.: the director of Wayne's World was a woman whose name is Penelope.

Much Peace & Love,
TracerX

I am here to pump (hands clap) . . .

you up! This means that I have started a 6-week program titled "one hundred push ups."

The challenge was "thrown down" by Pendong!! I - along with some of my favorite boys, Vit & G-Money - was ready, willing & able - sort of - to accept this little challenge.

After all, I did just complete my first triathlon in 7 months . . . my first one since my knee surgery. So, why not give these push ups a try?

Wait, go back . . . you did a triathlon? Why, yes I did. I did the Turkey Triathlon in San Dimas.

I promise to write a race report soon, but for now, I gotta run.

So for now. . .

Peace & Love, TracerX

I have been thinking long and hard. . . .

during my walk today, given that it was hot, my knee hurt & I was trying to break in some new shoes and ended up developing a freaking blister!! Make that "blisters"!!

So what does this have to do with thinking?? Well, first of all, when you are out there having a "not-so-great" workout, your brain (well, my brain anyway) goes through several versions of how things should be and how you should feel about those things. Second, anyone who does any kind of long workout, be it an Ironman, a marathon, a century ride or a long training day, knows that you have lots of time with YOURSELF!!

So, here is my brain on this particular walk:

"Oh, God, I just started & this knee brace is bugging the shit out of me . . . if I can't keep this little tag tucked in, I am going to just stop & go back home. Uh, no you're not . . . stop your whining and walk! It is hot!! This sucks! O.K., I am going to walk for only 30 mins. & have my husband come pick me up! O.K., I am feeling pretty good, Bob Marley is doing it for me . . . so I will keep going . . . OMG, this hill is so steep!! What the hell is your problem . . . stop being a wuss & push thru this & get up the hill . . . fine, but I am going to sit down on this person's shady wall & have some water. Oh, great, here comes some lady who is cruising pretty fast . . . hurry up, get off your ass & look like you "got this". . .

Am I getting a blister??? I really need to hit the pavement more. My feet think they are princesses who just get to lie around & not have to work, Well feet, you are wrong!! Screw you, blisters! I should have my hubby come get me. After all, I do have a half marathon to do next Sunday . . . having a blister will not be good . . . Oh yeah, just rely on your husband to come pick you up! You have only been out for an hour. Fine. Besides, what about Vit & Lola?? They are having a really tough time right now, so why don't you just suck it up & keep going? What the hell? Why are you getting all choked up & starting to cry?? Duh . . . my heart is broken because Vit & Lola had to make such a tough decision to put sweet Stewie down. That just sucks shit. No matter how you look at it, it sucks. What do I say? What do I do? You asked Vit how he was doing!! Dumbass, of course he is not doing well . . . shut up & just keep going. I have no words other than I love Vit & Lola and whatever they need, they can just ask. TIME!! It will take time. Doesn't time heal all wounds?? It does, mostly. But sometimes it seems that days, weeks, years will go by & something will happen and now the pain comes back. What the hell is that all about?

Look at this water running down the hill. Lots of it. It just runs right over the leaves, pine needles, Jack Daniels bottle that some dick threw out in the street. Nothing can stop it. Wow, what a metaphor for how we feel when we are sad. It just rushes over us. Hard to stop. Tears just rolling down our faces. It just has to happen. Hey, life is not always peaches & cream. Well, it is . . . but sometimes those peaches are rotten & that cream is curdled!

Oh lordy, lordy . . . is this walk over yet?? I am definitely getting a blister. Look, it's Balboa Blvd. Ooooh, I am getting close. An hour and 38 mins. I'm hungry. Ya know what, I am gonna stop, sit on this bus bench & eat my Accel Gel. Enjoy the cars going by. Life is pretty good. I see Stewie in my head . . . he is running & tussling around with other dogs. He can walk & run & piss and shit all by himself!!! He is really happy. And, he gets to hang out with Jerry Garcia!! Not to mention Janis Joplin, my grandpa, my grandma, my other grandpa . . . lucky dog. Some people say that we have to be baptised & accept Jesus Christ as our Lord & Saviour in order to get to heaven. But I think that is crap!! Stewie was not baptized and I"m not sure how he felt about Jesus, but I do know he is in heaven . . . so there!!

Time to get off the bus bench . . . get to the gas station to go pee. I am out of water. I'll get some at the gas station. Ooooh, The Black Eyed Peas. I can really boogey to this. I better not sing too loud. There may be someone behind me who hears me & thinks I am crazy. Hell, I think I'm crazy. I am having a full conversation in my head. Other people MUST do this?? Right?? Who cares.

Thank goodness my bladder is empty & this nice cold water tastes so good. I can keep going for sure. I wonder if Vit did his run?? He is probably done. Good for him.
This street is all up hill . . . ever so slightly. I am really hungry now. Let's see, it has been over 2 hours of walking . . . I still have a mile & a quarter. Hey, honey, can you come get me??? I am done.

No, I do not feel that bad. We all need a lift from time to time. I worked hard. It's okay to ask for help. That's what makes life so great. Yes, it does suck shit sometimes, but there is nothing that can't be done with the help of family & friends. Or even strangers for that matter.

Oh good, here is my hubby with the car. 2:14:31. Burned over 830 calories. Not sure how many miles I did, but I feel good. Thankful. Blessed. Tired. I want ice for my knees!!

Well, that is the 2-plus hours in my head. I can barely handle it. I appreciate your time & patience.

I guess I wrote this today to just let everything out. My sadness, my frustration, my elation . . . and whatever else.

So, I have iced my knees & fed my stomach and I am lying on the couch watching football. And I know that my next workout will be different. However that looks. Because it is life and things change all the time. For now, I am done thinking so damn long & hard. Let's go Eagles.

And for Vit & Lola & Dynamite . . . all the love you have for Stewie will forever be in your hearts & he is looking down on you sending all his doggie love. He knows how much he means to you, to all of us who knew him & love him.

Much Peace & love, TracerX

First and foremost, I'd like to thank God. . .

Next, I'd like to thank the throngs of fans - both of you - who wanted me back - the two of you who wanted me to post something new on my blog.
I feel so wanted, so missed. Oh, it does feel good indeed.

So - let's just do a short recap of the past - gulp - three months: I am now almost 14 weeks post-op!!!! Time does fly.

I had resumed my swimming 3 weeks post-op, started biking approx. 6 weeks post-op & still no running. The biking was "no out-of-the-saddle" type of biking. I was to stay seated. Which I did. I was even doing hills - in my granny gear, but hills all the same.

So this was going along pretty good . . . until the end of August, at which point I developed some abdominal pain with "rebound tenderness" in the right lower quadrant. Well, you know what that means, right? Yup, you guessed it . . . appendicitis!

So, I went to my doctor, who sent me to the E.R., where the surgeon ordered a CT scan of my abdomen. They took me down to get the scan, the tech asked me if they told me that it was a "contrast enema CT?" HELL, NO!! They failed to mention that I needed to have a TUBE stuck up my butt & have my abdomen filled with a few liters of fluid!!!

At this point I am going to err on the side of decorum and not describe this feeling to you!!!

Anyhoo, the test was not 100% conclusive so they admitted me to the hospital for observation, kept me NPO & decided to let me go home the next day with a diagnosis of chronic appendicitis. In other words: "We're not sure what the hell it is; come back if the pain comes back. Have a nice day."

After a couple days rest at home, it was back to getting back to getting back to working out!

Swimming, biking & some very short walks. Until the itchy, watery eyes & sore throat hit me. Then it was the chest cold - to bronchitis & a dose of antibiotics. Lots of Dayquil, Nyquil & Kleenex. That bug knocked me on my behind!

After a couple more days of rest at home, it was back to getting back to getting back to getting back to working out!!

Here it is Saturday the 10th of October & this past week I've gotten a decent amount of working out done. Here is a rundown:

10/3-swam & walked 5 miles.
10/4-swam 2,400 yds. & rode 19 miles.
10/5-rest day
10/6-swam with Masters . . . good strong workout!
10/7-back on the trainer for a session with Coach Troy. "Enter the Red Zone - Anaerobic Training" Yeah, that was tough.
10/8-hiked 5 miles. That was tough, too.
10/9-swam with Masters . . . yucky slow workout!
10/10-hiked/walked over 7 plus miles.


Well, those are a few of the things that have happened in the past few months.
OH, one more important thing . . . I am now the proud parent of an 18-yr.-old!! That's right, my firstborn baby girl turned into an adult. Eighteen yrs. old!! Yet again, time flies.

Oh, and one more thing . . . I would like to thank Vit, Lola & my hubby/editor for being some of the best people in my life!! The best support a gal could ask for!


Peace & love, TracerX

No holding back . . .

KNEE SURGERY SUCKS!!! Especially the 4th knee surgery. . .the 2nd anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction on my right knee.

Let's back up: in September 1998, during a karate competition, I tore the ACL and medial meniscus on my left knee. Six weeks later I had reconstruction of that knee. A year later almost to the day, in September 1999, I tore the ACL in my right knee during karate class. (I got mad because a kid who was 'way taller than me punched me in the chest, so I threw up a beautiful roundhouse kick to the head, planted my knee back on the ground & that was all she wrote.) I originally was scheduled for surgery six weeks later. I ended up getting a nasty cold/bronchitis so I had to reschedule. I waited until January 2001 for the reconstruction of my right knee - pretty much the same procedure as the doctor did on the left.

All was well in my little knee world until March 2007, when I tore the medial & lateral menisci on my left knee. I was so disheartened. After all, I was scheduled to do my very first triathlon in April!!! The doctor went along with my grand plan to rehab the hell out of my knee . . . do the triathlon . . . then have the surgery in May.

So that is what I did. When the doctor went in to operate on the left, he found a LOT of arthritis and osteochondral defects in my knee. Bad news for me. Running was not my friend & he said I really should not be doing it.

Needless to say, I was not great at heeding that bit of info. But, I was diligent about really strengthening my quads and stretching & I even started aqua jogging, which is much easier on your joints. Good for my horrible back & my horrible knee.

Again, things in my little knee world were . . . well, just o.k. After any long run I would get a swollen, painful left knee. It eventually would get better within a week. The cause of this was the osteochondral defects that I had. But whatever - I can deal with that. Just keep aqua jogging, hit the trails & run on hard surface only when I was racing or really had to do a long run.

I mean, I had to train . . . I had IMAZ coming up in November. Remember - my very first Ironman-to-be??

Or not to be?? It is not a question really, but rather a concrete statement that my doctor made after we found out that indeed I had torn my ACL - during the Mud Run - see my last post.

So, on July 6th I had a re-do ACL reconstruction with a medial & lateral menisectomy & chondroplasty!!! They also removed a staple that was still in my knee from the last surgery. That involved a saw blade, hammer & chisel! No, I am NOT kidding!! I have the bruise to prove it.

Overall, the surgery went very well. They found some arthritis, but not as bad as in the left knee. So, guess what? This right knee of mine. . . now with 2 ACL surgeries, is my good knee!! ha ha ha

Yeah, I'm not really laughing.

Well, I am being a good patient - despite what some of you may think - and everyday I am getting better. It will be a long rehab, but I am in for the long haul!

IMAZ 2010, here I come. See you there.

Much peace & love, TracerX