Cadreamer's Group - FULL (Page 9)

Yeah, everything is cool, I'm just a slacker.

Robb - CONGRATS.

As for me, I have signed up for this race on Oct 6 - it's a sprint and should be really fun.

Hi everyone,

I just got back from a trip to Catalina Island where I got to do my first open water swims.  I had done my race distance in the past, but in the pool, where it took me about 20 mins.  But in the ocean, with no walls to tap, I did it in 14 mins (it's about a quarter mile swim).  I actually don't know if the shorter time is because there was no wall to tap, or because I've really gotten the TI thing down now.  Might be the TI thing, plus all the training I've done since the last time I timed my distance.

In any case, here's how I did it:  I didn't kill it, didn't race it, just swam it comfortably.  Usually when I race, I kick it into overdrive for the last 1/4 of the distance.  But I've never done a tri before, and don't think I can afford to kick it into turbo during the swim NOR the bike.  Maybe the run, if I have anything left.  I just have no idea how to plan it.  After I did the comfortable swim in the ocean, I certainly didn't feel like I could "race" on the bike, maybe "ride", but not race!  I guess I just have to do it, and se ehow it goes.

Now, I'm not even sure if I can race.  I haven't run in over 5 weeks, and my race is Oct 14.  My PT hasn't cleared me for running yet...I just don't know if I can do this race.  Also, BOTH of my shoulders are clicking like crazy and hurt like HELL.  AND my hip is killiing me.  I haven't slept in 3 days because of the pain.  Mind you, I have a VERY high threshold for pain, so this is really unusual for me to complain... it's bad.  I have some celebrex leftover from when my tennis elbow was killing me, so I've started on that again for my shoulders and hip.  (I don't know if any of you have had to use celebrex; oye, that's some good sh*t!  REALLY cuts the pain out altogether.  The bad part is that when you can't feel your pain, you don't know to slow down and get yourself fixed.  But I know I'm in trouble, and I know I have to get it taken care of...so the celebrex isn't slowing down my path toward getting fixed.)

I DID find a wetsuit on Craigslist.com; got one coming to me for $100.  Looks to be new, used only a handful of times.  Very excited; didn't want to spend full price while I'm still in the process of losing weight.  Will do it when I reach my goal.

Anyway, back to the question:  to race or not to race...  I can race thru pain.  But is it worth it?  Will I be adding insult to literal injury (ankles, shins, hip, shoulders)?  I haven't gotten my road bike yet, and don't know if I can afford to pay off by race day (I have mt bike, but I really think it's not worth racing if I'm not on road bike, except for the experience, and I don't know if I want to experience at a disadvantage).   And I haven't ran in almost 2 months.

I HATE to be a quitter, but I think that my reasons for not doing it are not just lame excuses...or am I fooling myself?  I guess I could go thru with it just for the experience...even if I hurt during most of it, even if I have to walk/run, even if I don't have optimal bike.  Rggh.  RGGGH!  I need some inspiration here.

Thanks, you guys!

You've said a lot here but the main thing I'm picking up on is that you are in PAIN.  AND you haven't been cleared to run - so you can't run for now and maybe not even before the race.

You ask if it's worth it - I definitely say NO - if you are courting serious injury (which is usually what pain is trying to tell you)  one race is not worth trying to come back from a bad injury which may then haunt you for a long time afterwards.  If you're not healthy enough to race then don't do it.

If it's that you don't have a nice enough bike, can't go fast enough, might have to walk/run (btw, that's ALL of my running so I don't think that's a good enough excuse) - really, the only person who can answer those questions is you. 

I think maybe you're putting too much weight on this race and doing your "ideal" performance - but really no performance is ever ideal.  Also, UNLESS you are going pro (doing it for the money) I think you need to remember that you are doing this for FUN and a personal challenge.  So what if it's not the best you could do ever - then you have something to reach for the next time out. 

I don't know, just my thoughts...

oh no, not a pro!  not a hope of that ever happening!  i'm struggling because I had such high hopes of getting myself ready, doing the best I could - which in my mind is simply finishing! 

the stuggle is that I know what I could do under decent circumstances, and now there's one disadvantage in not one, but all three sports.  I always thought, well, if I don't have a fast bike, at least I can run and swim well.  or if I can't run, i'll have my new bike and can make it up there.  etc.  now, i don't have my bike, my shoulders hurt, and i can't run.  3 strikes.

believe me, i know it's the journey and the experience.  i'm certainly not in it to win anything.  i used to race bikes, have done tons of races, and never once was anywhere near winning anything.  the joy was in the preparation and the fabulous feeling of finishing.  the accomplishment of finishing that is the result i'm looking for.

my physical therapist has been gone for a few weeks; i'll try to get an appointment this week (he's back), and see if he can help with the shoulders and hip.

we'll see what happens.

I think part of what brings me down is when I feel something bad in my body and I don't know what to do about it.

I just did a search for swimming and shoulder pain and found this:

http://www.nismat.org/traintip/swimmershld

Ironically, my shoulder pain started quite soon after I bought paddles.  In this article, they say that paddles can be the cause of shoulder pain.  The other thing that caught my attention is position of the hand as it enters the water.  I always put my thumb in first, with my palm facing away; this, the article says, is wrong, and can cause shoulder pain.  (Best, according to this article, to put hand in with pinky first, palm facing in.)

OK, I feel better now.  Know what I need to do.

Yeah - ditch the paddles.  At least for now.  Seriously, paddles should only be used sparingly, they are hard on your shoulders.  So if you haven't built up the shoulder strength and you overuse them, you can cause injury.

On hand entry - you don't want to be twisting your hand to the inside either, you migth want to think about entering with your hand almost straight (maybe slightly tilted to the inside) - i.e. fingers entering the water almost at the same time, middle finger first.  This will set you up for a good pull.

Just goes to show no matter what person (a) learned/heard person (b) heard the exact opposite.

Sometimes I wonder how we get anything done what with all the conflicting opinions/advice out there.

sealiongirl - 2007-09-23 11:03 PM I did it! I'm finally a triathlete! I wrote an excessively long report if anyone wants to read it!

 Way to go sealiongirl!

I did it too!  I'm a triathlete!

I did SO much better than I anticipated, and had SO much fun!  Can't wait to do it again!

(I was going to say something inappropriate about cherries and "what a bubble does when you touch it" or "the sound a balloon makes when you poke it with a pin", but thought better of it.)

;-)

Race report is up.