Swimming has been interesting. My first practice, the Wednesday after I fell, I just did a lot of kicking and nothing hard at all. The next week, and every practice since then, I've done the same workout as everyone else but I've just done it with fins and one arm. My right arm is going to be super strong by the time this is over.
Running has come back really well. I had to take two weeks off from running but jumped back in big with a 12 miler. Dr. Stark said I should have started with maybe 5 miles....well maybe he should have told me that. He knows he's dealing with an Ironman athlete...we don't like to be limited by things. I did request that Dr. Stark give me a wrist brace for running and swimming because the ligaments, tendons, muscles or whatever it is that I sprained when I fell hurts when I relax my wrist and let it do whatever it wants when running or in the water. The brace helps keep everything in line so I can keep training without pain.
I started riding my trainer just a few days after I fell. I wore a sling, had people help me set my bike up, and rode one armed. Now I can ride without the sling and can lean more on both of my arms which helps balance things out a little. I still have some trouble changing the gears and squeezing my brakes but it is getting better. If anything the time on my trainer has taught me a significant amount of mental toughness. There's nothing like doing 4+ hours on a trainer. Imagine spending 4 hours on a treadmill...going nowhere.
The first weekend after I fell a bunch of us went to Knoxville for the Cherohala Challenge. I had already planned to go so I didn't want to miss out. While the group (John, Bert, Kathleen S, Kathleen J., Dana, Rolf, and Lisa) went to ride the hills of East Tennessee I was set up poolside for 3 hours at the Siler's house on my trainer. It was pretty nice actually. I can't complain about the setup but I did miss my buddies and it was hard to sit back and listen to all of the stories from the day and not able to contribute. The weekend was fantastic though and it was nice to get away for a few days. Here's my setup at the Siler's house...not too shabby at all.
The next weekend I was back to Easty Nasty on my patio while everyone else was riding the Harpeth River Ride. I rigged up my laptop and watched "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "Marley and Me" which took me to about 4 hours and 10 minutes. It was hot...about 98 degrees outside. You forget how much of a breeze you get while riding outside...there's no breeze on a trainer!
Last weekend I was at the Frame household in Summersville, WV. The weather was awesome...low 60's. I didn't get any heat acclimation that weekend but I certainly enjoyed a break in the heat. It was an "off" weekend so I only had to do 2 1/2 hours on the trainer and a 5 mile run and then the next day I did a 10 mile run. It was tough to find the mileage in a small town but it is always nice to have a change in scenery....and a nice lake to recover in after a good workout.
Tomorrow I'm back on my patio in East Nashville. Nothing glamorous about that but this will be a true test of mental toughness. I have 4 1/2 hours on the trainer ahead of me followed by a 2 mile run. Then on Sunday I have a 14 mile run...luckily back with my training buddies. If anything this Ironman will have a good story associated with it. When I'm getting tired during the race I will just remember how many hours of training I did with a broken arm on that stupid trainer. That has to count for something doesn't it?
