First of all – can’t thank you enough for your suggestions regarding my back pain. I love our blogging community and how much we share and support each other. Lately I have felt like there are some people in my life (non runners/triathletes) who support me dearly, but just don’t “get” my training or why I want to do what I’m doing. It can be kind of lonely. It is invaluable to have this space to share with you all who get me and get what I am trying to do. I really mean that.
Right now, my upper ass is freezing. As I write this, I sit in here in bike shorts with a package of frozen peas (I actually think they are more of a mixed vegetable with corn and carrots – fancy stuff) stuck in the top of my bike shorts, numbing my lower back. It actually feels really good (and major thanks to Athleta for sending me these Queen K Tri Shorts. They are now my new favorites).
I think I should start a new game in each of my pictures called, Where’s Heidi? Somehow she always photo bombs.
This is day #4 of no training and I think I am in withdrawal. I am shaking and sweating and convulsing. Well, not really, but my head is in a very strange place. It is odd to go from a 17 hour training week to…nothing (well, at most 7 hours this week, if I’m lucky). Coach told me yesterday “You complain when you’re training and you complain when you’re resting. Put on your big girl panties and just SIT.” I guess these bike shorts are my big girl panties since I don’t wear real panties. You can see why Coach Sharpie is such a good fit for me. She is incredibly supportive and sensitive, but can also give me a gentle kick in the ass when needed.
I saw the PT Guru of Boulder County yesterday and here’s what he said:
- The problem is not a disc issue, but more muscular, something to do with the facet joint
- Put on bike shorts and stick frozen peas or something in there and move around like that. Better to ice while you are moving
- Do these exercises/stretches (cat/cow, opposite arm and leg raises, abdominal holds)
- Take Vitamin I (Ibuprofen) 3x per day to help with inflammation
- Take one more rest day, then ride 30 miles and swim 2,000 yards on Saturday and see how you feel
- If that works, ride 35 miles on Sunday and swim 3,000 yards
- No running until next week
- If I feel okay, normal training can resume next week
And, thanks to reader, Dawn, who suggested this article: 8 yoga workouts for back pain.
So there you have it. SUAR recovery. I am hoping this is a very short lived setback. My guess is this back shit will crop up for me throughout training, especially with the long rides in the aero bars. I do think my body is still in shock from the volume of training.
Do you ever feel like there are people in your life who don’t “get” your training or fitness goals? Most of my friends and family are incredibly supportive even if they don’t run, etc. But there are certainly many who don’t understand and who don’t want to hear about it. I just try to be sensitive where everyone’s at. But, at the same time – this is HUGE goal for me and probably one of the toughest (if not the toughest) things I will ever do. So, sometimes I’m going to shout it from the mountain tops and those who don’t care – then “sorry” as Gilly would say (hilarious video by the way).
SUAR
