The Importance of Rest

I had an absolute blast on the Tarantula Run, and it convinced me that I have the potential to be a decent runner. However, all that steep descending injured my right knee. I can't put a name to what I did, since I did not go to the doctor. At first it hurt enough to keep me awake at night and it REALLY hurt when I did a certain yoga pose, squatted or jogged. I have spent the last six weeks doing very little of those things. I have still been going to see Shawna, my trainer, and we have been working around all my knee problems. If an exercise hurt at all, we switched to some other exercise. Six weeks of babying it and icing after every workout and it is just about better. Yoga and squatting are absolutely pain free now. A chest cold has kept me from running the last two weeks. I miss it.

Amazingly, my weight has been stable through all of this in spite of my lack of cardio in the last six weeks. I'm proof that muscle really does burn more calories than fat. :D At first I did not want to bike since the injury felt a lot like my overuse injury in 2007. I've started doing some of the easier Spinervals videos and that has not bothered my knee. I haven't been swimming since the indoor pool at the gym always give me sinusitis. In fact, I've quit my gym membership and when the outside city pool reopens in February I'll start swimming there. BRRRRR!

January third I officially begin training for my first Half Ironman of the year. I've decided to do the Auburn Tri on May 23. It has a pretty tough bike course with 6,000 feet of climbing in its fifty-six miles. I also plan on doing Barb's Race again this year on July 31. I may do a few local tris in between, just for fun. I'm really excited about what I have planned. I printed out my first week's training plan a few weeks ago and I keep looking at it longingly. I know, what a dork!


Veronica

v - Thanks for posting this. It is very hard for people to take the rest that they need and I think your story will help.

Good luck on your upcoming season! It sounds big.

I'm glad to hear you're feeling better.

Veronica!!!! I am totally going to come cheer you on in Auburn! That is awesome!!! :D

You are not a dork... but you might be addicted. ;)

Good for you for taking it easy. It's SO difficult, but SO worth it. Your brain can also use the break, I'm sure. :D