Mach3Multisport.com

As a loyal reader of my blog, you know that I've had my share of orthopedic problems.  I spent most of last year avoiding running and riding because of at times severe back pain, but I've also had bouts of ankle pain, shin pain, and various other pains which equates to one, ginormous pain in the a**.  I've had MRIs, CAT scans, and X-Rays.  I've seen chiropractors, orthopedic surgeons, podiatrists, physical therapists, massage therapists and voodoo witch doctors.  I've been told that I need stretching, strengthening, surgery, and a different job that doesn't require pulling Gs.  I am, apparently, a big fat mess of a human being. 

Since I started doing triathlons 4 years ago, I haven't been able to put together a string of more than, let's say, 2 consecutive months of injury-free training.  As soon as I start to get to a point where I think I'm about to break through, I wind up sitting for a month because of --insert name of injury here --which means I start all over again.  It's a little like Holly (TriTalkin) and pregnancies with the difference being that she still works out while she's pregnant. 

Now, some of these injuries have been one-time bonehead things.  For example, I pulled a groin muscle showing 9-year-olds how to play basketball which kept me out of running and riding for a key 3-week stretch of my half Ironman training plan.  In a particularly egregious case, I pulled a muscle in my butt, pulled another in my Hamstring and suffered a blunt Force injury in my thigh--all in the span of my short-lived (2 week) fast-pitch baseball career a couple of years ago.  Yes, I know.  Cue the song "Glory Days". . .

However, most of them have been irritating things that clearly originate from running or riding a bike--thankfully, I still haven't figured out how to hurt myself swimming yet. 

All of that's going to change after today though.  Today, I met with Bill Peterson, founder and head pedorthist (I had never heard the word pedorthist prior to today) at Foot Fitness here in Tucson.  Bill took one look at me and said--this is an exact quote--"Oh, YOU'RE going to be easy." 

Now, you have to understand that through my 4-year trek through the orthopedic no-man's land, I've heard lots of things.  I've heard "You're just going to have to endure the pain until it's unbearable and then you'll need surgery." and "Hmm, you're awfully young to have pain like that.  You should stop running." and this doozy: "You have to quit flying F-16s, now." Mind you, these quotes (Actually, I'm paraphrasing) are all from highly-competent medical professionals.  To have someone look at me and make the "you're easy" pronouncement put me on my heels a bit. 

 As it turns out, I have some really, really screwed up feet. 

More to come. . .

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written by Holly, May 08, 2008

To be fair, I only work out while pregnant to avoid BECOMING a "big fat mess of a human being".

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