semi out of commission

Out on fishing adventure from Maui

This one refers to my body, not my iMac. In all honesty, I never mentioned the really, really sore left achilles I limped around Kona on in the days after IM Hawaii. Strange things happen with the body after an Ironman. Different body parts feel injured that didn't cause any trouble leading up. Maybe it's just because I'm old (that's what Linda M. says) and these things happen. Anyway, I did have quite a bit of achilles tenderness after IM Hawaii but took a week off and felt it was just one of those "ironman" injuries that resolve with a few days off. I began running again about a week after IM because, frankly, I love running and was in damn good run shape! So, I stretched and stretched and dealt with this nagging pain in my left achilles. I could run through it so couldn't be that bad (yes, that's how my mind works). I raced Turkey Trot with it and won Masters. I raced the St Pete Bowl 5K with it and won overall. You think I want to take time off running now, not! Well, I must be growing up because this past week, while limping around in the morning because this damn thing hurts, I decided I should probably take some time off now to let it, whatever IT is, heal. Better two weeks now than 3 months in the middle of a busy triathlon season! I also got new orthotics when I felt I might have some sort of biomechanical issue and am still breaking these in. They are much different from my old orthotics which are literally duct taped together! I saw a podiatrist who took an hour watching me walk and talking to me before making a pair of orthotics that he says will keep me healthier, running-wise. When that happens, I'll promote his office! On a good note, I'm riding the computrainer during the week with the goal to get stronger on the bike. Sometimes these running setbacks give opportunities to get better in other areas. This is one of the many reasons I love triathlon - there's always something to work on! Either way, we're are currently 12 weeks out from the first big race of the season, IM New Orleans 70.3, so I'm not panicking. I spent about 10 hours this week on the bike......this is offseason (what ever that is). We did 70 miles in the hills yesterday (2500 feet climbing - thanks Garmin) and another 50 today here. The trainer rides are very difficult so I don't spend much more than an hour at a time at this point. I am starting to regain motivation for training.....takes a while after a long season and a beyond-difficult race to end the season (IM Hawaii). This is good and I'll be healthy, count on it. And, hopefully, my bike splits will improve. I'll die trying anyway!
Training with aloha.\