I’ve been looking forward to the See Jane Run Triathlon for a very long time. It sounds like heaven to me – it’s a sprint distance so not KILLER to train for (I hope!), it will be warm weather so maybe not wetsuit necessary? and it’s mostly women so it will be super supportive and festive. This will be my third triathlon, and my most important triathlon goal for this time is to HAVE FUN.
Up until a few months ago, this all seemed so very do-able. But the hip pain that started plaguing me in March threw a real monkey wrench into this plan. Suddenly it became difficult to walk, let alone run a 5k, let alone alone add a swim and bike ride into the mix. This has been bumming me out, big time.
But this week, things are feeling a little different. A little more hopeful. For one, my hip has been feeling a lot better. On a scale of one to ten, instead of feeling in the 6-8s, the pain has been in the 1-3 range. Which is much, much better. Pain is no longer waking me up at night, which is an awesome relief. And I have started experimenting, gingerly, with activity.
I think the combo of anti-inflammatories and some chiropractic treatment have been helping a lot.
This week I’ve been up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina at a family reunion. I had had visions of myself just rocking away in a rocking chair on the back porch, but when people start talking about hiking to see pretty waterfalls, or going up to Grandfather Mountain (where my dad used to work, back in the day, as a traveling salesman), it has been very darn hard to resist. So I’ve been trying things.
Yesterday I did a pretty steep but not very long (an hour?) hike up to these waterfalls. It was so beautiful. I was so glad to be there. I waited for the other shoe to drop, i.e. for the hip pain to really punish me that night or the next day. It didn’t happen.
Today, I did some rock-clambering up at Grandfather Mountain and was treated to some pretty awesome views.
It’s going pretty well. I think the inflammation has been decreasing, and I’m straightening up my alignment, and, well, I’m just feeling hopeful. Plus, I got an encouraging clarification – that maybe I do not have osteoarthritis after all (yet), but rather a condition called FAI (femoral acetabular impingement). Which has different implications. I am going to get more orthopedic input next week, and let’s just say I am feeling pretty optimistic.
Tomorrow is my birthday. I am going to get a new bicycle. I am going to begin training as soon as we get home from this trip. I am going to do this triathlon!!
AND I WANT MY PEOPLE TO DO IT WITH ME!
I swear it is a very do-able distance (400m swim, 12 mile bike, 3 mile run/walk/jog). It can take as long as you need. I will be there. It will be an amazing time.
I have had the incredible experience of accompanying other friends to See Jane Run events for their first 5k races. There is nothing as special and exhilarating than those kinds of firsts, especially in such a supportive and positive environment. The See Jane Run organization really knows how to make women athletes, but especially beginning athletes, feel spectacular.
There was a time when I might have looked at a sprint triathlon as a “no big deal I can do that in my sleep” event. (Okay, that time may have been a period of about five weeks of my life, but still!) I do not see it that any more. It is a BIG DEAL. And a WONDERFUL accomplishment. But by no means impossible.
As a SuperJane Ambassador, the SJR folks have given me a 10% discount code to share with friends and readers, so that you too can experience the indescribable feeling of being a triathlete. (and for the non-swimmers, there is also a duathlon option: bike + run combo)
It’s going to be this October 5th out in Pleasanton. I want my buddies to be there! Please please consider doing this, even if you have NEVER even in your wildest dreams thought of doing a triathlon. I will train with you! Slowly! Little by little. We can do this!
I’m not going to be breaking any speed records with this one. It’s quite possible that I will be walking a significant portion of the “run” part. But I will be swimming. I will be on a bicycle. It will be a wonderful celebration of being alive and saying yeah, let’s do this.
Join me? The discount code is: AMBTRI
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