Stress. Fracture.

WHAT?!?!?!

So, my knee has been hurting for awhile. For the most part, I was able to ignore it and just get on with it but it started getting worse so I heeded Hubby's insistence and went to see the Doc.

After describing my irritation (I refused to call it "pain" at that point), Doc uttered some scary stuff about it sounding like a torn meniscus and words like "surgery" "6-12 week recovery" and so on and so forth and then she ordered an MRI. The good news was, my meniscus looks great! The not so good is that my femur and tibia don't look so good. Its a stress fracture. Shucky darn.

On to the Orthopedist who gave me a hefty brace that makes me look like a cyborg and sentenced me to a month on the couch - interspersed with time in the pool and on the bike - no hills, no running, no walking. The June race is right out. I'm trying to be hopeful that I'll be able to get my run on in time for the Ballwin Tri - that's the race I did as my initiation into triathlon and it would be kind of poetic to make it my first race back.

In the meantime, my knee is broke. I swear it hurts more since they told me it was a fracture. Every time it twinges, I imagine my poor bones, grinding together, splintering. Not a very helpful visualization, I'm sure.

Feeling sorry for myself seems to be what I'm best at just now. Ah,well.

To celebrate, I spent some time in the pool this morning doing Tabata intervals. The pool feels good. No pain, no limp. I guess I'll get my swim on but good in the next few weeks. Wish me luck.

Tiny Miracles

If any of you from my "past life" (i.e. Before Noah) are still out there, you may remember my Idea, namely a team to train, empower, and raise money for survivors of domestic violence. Its never left me.

Ironically, when I started back to work at the children's theatre in October, another woman who used to act with me "back in the day" started back again as well. Her "day job" is as a counselor for a local organization that helps women extricate themselves and heal from violent relationships. I told her my idea and she liked it so much she told her supervisor. Her supervisor was enthusiastic about the possibilities and sent me her contact information. I have a meeting with her at the end of this month.

Tri-Hubby is in telecommunications sales and met a woman across the river in Illinois who runs a similar organization. He told her about my idea. She was also intrigued and I have her contact info - I'm waiting until TH gets back to her about her telecommunications before I call her - I don't want my call to remind her that TH hasn't called her back yet ;)

How strange that two years after this Idea "came to me", the Universe seems to be aligning to make it happen.

In the meantime, I am still fighting the good fight and trying to get back in shape. I'm swimming, spinning, running, doing Yoga and Crossfit. It feels awesome! The June tri looms in the near future but I'm confident I can do it.

Its all good, friends, its all very very good.

In Case You Didn't Know . . .

FORD IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP LOTTERY INFORMATION:

The 2009 Ironman Lottery Program officially opened Wednesday, October 1 at 12:00 p.m. EST. Athletes interested in earning a slot through the Ironman Lottery must apply by Saturday, February 28, 2009, with all winning entries being announced on Wednesday, April 15, 2009.

A vision of Ironman founder, John Collins, the Ironman Lottery began in 1983 as a way to provide athletes of all abilities the opportunity to qualify for the world’s most challenging endurance event. The Ironman Lottery awards 150 domestic, 50 international and 5 physically challenged slots that are chosen randomly from more than 7,000 lottery entries.
Athletes who are part of Ironman’s Passport Club receive member benefits such as an increased chance to win a lottery slot. The club, beginning domestically in 1990, is now open to athletes from around the globe.
Participants gain entry into the Ford Ironman World Championship one of three ways: by qualifying for a slot at one of more than twenty events held worldwide, by winning a slot through Ironman’s charitable eBay Auction or by being selected in the Ironman Lottery. Recognized as one of the most in-demand athletic events in the world, nearly 60,000 athletes vie for one of 1,800 coveted slots to the Ford Ironman World Championship, taking place in Kailua-Kona , Hawaii , each year.
For more information visit www.ironman.com/faq/lotteryfaq or the Lottery Registration page

All athlete-related inquiries can be directed to Lottery@ironman.com.

U.S. APPLICANTS
There will be 150 lottery slots available to the U.S. applicants. ONLY U.S. CITIZENS MAY APPLY. 100 names will be drawn from the Passport Club. 50 names will be drawn from the U.S applicants and any unselected Passport Club members. Lottery selections will be available on April 15, 2009 at 12:00pm EST on Ironman.com.

INTERNATIONAL ATHLETES
There are 50 lottery slots available to International applicants. CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES WILL NOT BE ENTERED. 25 names will be drawn from the Passport Club. 25 names will be drawn from the International Applicants and any unselected Passport Club members. Lottery selections will be available on April 15, 2009 at 12:00pm EST on Ironman.com.

US/INTERNATIONAL SELECTED ATHLETES
Athletes who are SELECTED through the Ironman Lottery must have completed an Ironman 70.3 or other long-distance event (1.2 Mile, 56 Mile + 13.1 Mile) or longer within one year of the 2009 Ford Ironman World Championship to validate his/her lottery slot. Lottery winners must complete a validating race before August 31, 2009 and all validating information should be E-mailed to Lottery@ironman.com by August 31, 2009. Failure to comply will result in forfeiture of the lottery slot.

PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED LOTTERY APPLICANTS
Five names will be drawn for the 2009 Ford Ironman World Championship from the total applicants applying in the following Physically Challenged categories.
The following defines the physically challenged divisions for the 2009 Ford Ironman World Championship Lottery.

DIVISIONSLower Extremity - This includes single below-the-knee amputees, in which a standard bicycle is used, and run with a prosthesis or crutches.
Wheelchair One - This division consists of single above-the-knee amputees who ride a standard bicycle, but use a racing chair on the run.
Wheelchair Two - This division consists of athletes who have double below-the-knee or a double above-the-knee amputation. These athletes ride a standard bicycle and use a racing chair on the run.
Upper Extremity - This is an athlete who has one arm amputated above or below the elbow, in which they will use a prosthesis on the bike.
Blind - This is for athletes who are legally blind, 20/200 with best corrected vision, requiring a handler throughout the race. They will use a tandem bike and will be tethered during the swim and the run.

Athletes are required to submit:
• Medical description of physical disability from primary care physician.
• A letter from his/her physician validating athlete’s fitness and ability to meet the physical demands of an Ironman event.
Upon review of information received all eligible athletes will be registered for the physically challenged lottery. Any application received with incomplete information will not be processed for the lottery draw. Any decision on whether or not an athlete meets the criteria for a specific division is at WTC’s sole discretion. All athletes chosen will need to complete an event that is 70.3 (1.2 mile, 56 mile, 13.1 mile) distance or greater within one year of the 2009 Ford Ironman World Championship.
For more information please E-mail Lottery@ironman.com

HAND CYCLE DIVISION ATHLETES
Physically challenged athletes who are paraplegic, quadriplegic or double above-the-knee amputees, and race using a handcranked cycle on the bike segment, and a racing chair for the run segment, will be able to compete for two male slots and one female slot at the Ironman 70.3 Buffalo Springs Lake and two male slots and one female slot at Ironman 70.3 Antwerp. These slot winners will then compete in the 2009 Ford Ironman World Championship on October 10. Please contact Ironman at (727) 942-4767 or E-mail Lottery@ironman.com, for further information.

Smelling Like Pool and Other Training Pleasures

I can't even tell you how great it feels to get in the pool again. It always feels like so much effort, but its always sooo worth it. I was surprised to find that I could swim 500 straight the third time I swam - so I'm in a better place than when I first started training to tri and could only swim 25 yards. At least in the swimming department, I'm in a better place. Running is a whole different story. My knees hate me, my lungs hate me . . . oh well. It feels good to be sore again.

I even got to get outside on my mountain bike a couple of weeks ago. They just finished a trail by the river near our house and I went exploring on it. Most of it is pothole riddled pavement but I think I can maneuver Pyro around the worst stuff. When the weather warms up, I suspect it will be a favorite ride for me.

Oh yeah, and I lost five pounds. Cool. Only twenty to go. . .

Starting Over . . .

Its like 5 degrees outside. And I was out there. Training. Its the very start - the training of a newbie triathlete who, not so very long ago, was doing well to waddle her hugely pregnant body from one side of the neighborhood to the other. The training of a newbie triathlete who, until very very recently, hadn't slept for longer than two hours at a time for months and months. The training, in other words, of a person who, until a week and a half ago, was only slightly more active than a houseplant. That's my long, drawn out way of saying that I'm starting very very small. Today's "run" was only 15 minutes - with walking breaks every 2 1/2 min. My "long run" is only 20 min. Long swim also only 20. But I'm training.

There's a sprint triathlon near me on June 13th. I'm doing it. So is my sister. And Tri Hubby. Its going to be awesome.

And so, it begins. Again. I've got a long long way to go. But that's nothing new.

It was 5 degrees out there. And I ran. Because Thats. How. I. Roll.

Did I Mention . . .

I'm acting again. The more I hoped and prayed for an opportunity to work part time, the more the road led to my old, nasty acting habit. It started with an offer to perform as a guest artist at my graduate alma mater - the lead in Dangerous Liasons. The pay was better than any other part time job I could do in the evenings and the opportunity to perform such an incredible role - and to open a new, spectacular theatre for the University - was too good to pass up. We open tomorrow. Hopefully, its like riding a bike.

Next week, I go back to the children's theatre I worked for when I walked away from the bizz two years ago. I'll be acting as well as doing administrative work 20 hours a week. I can bring Noah to the office and will be home in time to pick Boy Genius up from school. Perfect!

Funny how life works. Now, if I can just get back in the pool . . .

PS - Here's the Baby Picture

He's a Cards Fan, naturally.