I completed the double IM...IMLP and IMNYC within 3 weeks of each other. The 2 weeks post race were very easy. One week of catching up on a lot of things that had been put on the back burner for months and 2 weeks of enjoying summer with one of my best friends from London and her family. My heavy training days were replaced by easy bike rides, long walks
through NYC, paddle boarding and catching waves. Every night seemed to end around 12pm and I don't even think I woke up before 8 am. Yes, this was not ideal recovery regime but it was fun for sure and after a jam packed racing season this was a welcome break. On the 3rd week I started itching to get back into some sort of a routine. My achilles had been quite calm the inactive weeks post IM but was now acting up, and on a trip to NYC I went for a run in Central Park that turned into 1hr 20 run. I ended up walking in a little pain after. Coach Jesse and I agreed I would take a full 10 days off running to nip this before it began an injury.
Doing two IM back to back is hard on the body and my body definitely was not happy. On my weeks off I also proceeded to jump off my paddleboard before I was going to get slammed by a wave ...the result was my back and sacral muscles really tightened up. So hence instead of feeling rested I have been feeling a little beat up!
With that been said today was my first long ride since IMNYC. Actually it was yesterday but I opted to forgo my long ride for a much needed trip to Dr Liz...my ART and chiro extraordinaire!
She strongly suggested that a long ride would not help my tight back and after today I can say she was 100% correct!
Nevertheless I was excited to get back at it! I love riding long and after a week of riding everyday in the rain the projected forecast was SUNNY and HOT!
I was on the road at 6.30. It looked a little dark but nevertheless sunglasses on I was ready to rock the ride. By 7.30 I had picked up my friend Christine and we both were happy and commented how beautiful it was out. By 7.45 it was looking even darker and I commented that I did not think it was meant to rain but it was looking an awful lot like rain again. By 8am it was drizzling. We were pumped saying the rain felt good as it was nice and warm. By 8.15 it was pouring!!! We stopped at 8.30 at our usual pit stop. We were soaked! We stuck around pondering our situation...40 miles out and soaked to the bone.I asked Christine if she wanted to head home and she said she was up for anything! Love that Christine! She threw her drenched socks away and I let out the Quote of the day " Well these bikes aren't going to ride themselves" Lets get rolling!! We stared at a little blue patch in the sky and the rain seemed to be tapering off.
We decided to keep heading out further. Heck we were wet already! We were a minute into the ride and sure enough the rain let out even harder! It hurt our eyes and we laughed so hard! I yelled its a straight road for the next 5 miles ...no need to look up! Days like these are a true reflection on your character. How you handle things when they don't go your way. Well we were champs!! Not only did we ride but we pushed the pace in the rain and puddles....laughing and making jokes all the way! We passed a guy who was moping in the rain...you could just see how miserable he was...he looked fit and capable of riding with us..but the rain had got to his head and he let us go. Three hours into the ride and I was starting to really feeling my tight back and glutes. The wet conditions and clothes were not helping. Our second pit stop of the day would be just for the sole purpose of me needing to stretch. I found a bunch of crates and I lay down. Christine...who is a personal trainer was up for helping me loosen my glute. She started sticking her elbow in my glute. My response made us laugh so hard! We must have been a sight as two old men came wandering up asking if we were ok? Did we need help..? Had I crashed? We explained that I had a cramp and figured we best get going. The elbow trick had helped and the rain had passed. Things were looking up. We pushed back home. With the passing rain and the sun that had come out so too came the wind. I joked to Christine that I would drop her at home and my last hour would be directly into a 20mph headwind. Well guess what! Thats exactly what happened! Work all the way. My glute was still holding strong but my back now was so tight. I had to pull over half an hour away from home. To anyone that saw me doing yoga poses on the side of the street on Allaire Rd....this was essential for me to get home!So 5.22 hours later I rolled in and ever since then I have gone from medicine ball to tennis ball to foam roller and now I sit and type this blog up with a massager on my back!
Its good to be back...but looking forward to to getting strong again!
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| Lifetime friendships! |
The NYC Ironman girls! Celebrating our finishers!
