When I started this blog three years ago, at the outset of
my first Ironman season, I knew I’d name it 3-P’s, as a tribute to my trusty
carbon race horse, a P3. Power.
Performance. Possibilities. That’s what I settled on. But truthfully, I
really wrestled with the words because I wanted Perspective to be a P word too.
(But we tri geeks all know the P4 was a flop and anyone who bought one got rid
of it right away.) So perspective never made the title cut, but it’s something
that has come up as a theme before. Not just on my blog, but in my Facebook
musings. Once again, today it’s all about perspective.
In 2013 I did my first Ironman in Lake Placid. In 2014 I
battled the wicked weather that was served up in Lake Placid for my second.
What the hell, may as well go for the trifecta…. 2015 and Ironman #3. To know
me is to know I LOVE Lake Placid for all its history deep seeded in athletics.
The energy, the chiseled bodies, those glorious rolling hills, and the way the
sun heats you up and the wind tunnels try to cool you down. Some people only know me
as a competitive athlete. It is the biggest and loudest of my personas. Is that all about to change?
As spring threatens to be sprung, the days of winter cling
in Vermont. They always do… My winter was highlighted by a 60 day run streak, a
serious commitment to winter bike training via Computrainer training, and the wanderlust
of another glorious winter skiing the hills of Vermont. I made my home at Stowe
this winter. Unlike triathlon where I am committed to the lifestyle fully, when
it comes to skiing I’m more of a weekend warrior. I logged more days than most
weekend warriors and in March limited myself to one day of skiing on the
weekend because bike and run durations were getting longer and longer. March 29th
I was skiing with friends; Steph who I skied with a lot early in the season and
my co-worker Ben and his buddies. Suffice it to say I was skiing with the boys
and leading the pack. They spent all morning trying to catch me. Finally they
caught me around 11:30 when near the bottom of the hill they came upon my
crumpled body on the side of the trail. Like a hot shot, I was skiing fast, in
a tucked position, and caught an edge on frozen surface. There was nowhere to go but down. I hit hard. Tumbled a bunch. And before my body came to a stop I already
knew my right knee was in trouble. I tried to get myself off the mountain, but
in the end I just couldn’t. (I always try to get my money’s worth and a ride on
the toboggan is one way! Remember when I got the free tire race day in Lake
Placid last year?!?!)
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| Always time for a sled selfie! |
Long story short, I annihilated my ACL, have a low grade
tear of my MCL, a couple of bone fractures and enough swelling and bruising to
scare any insurance company. On that day, March 29th, my entire
triathlon season ended before it had even begun. Nosedive. That’s the name of
the trail where it all happened. Really.
Treatment began immediately following my crash. On a Sunday. I was evaluated twice, had xrays and an MRI, and was doing surgical consultations before
most people even get an MRI. How is that possible? Because I have Carol
Blattspieler on my team! She’s a leading Ortho Nurse Practitioner in Burlington
and a fellow Ironman. We stick together. She took control of the situation and
made $hit happen. (Have I thanked you yet today, Carol?) Surgery is scheduled.
May 15th at the University of Vermont Medical Center with an up and
coming hot shot sports medicine specialist. The same one that put my best
friend and training partner back together after a bike crash last May.
My job right now is to rehab my body so that I can have
surgery. Physical therapy two times a week and lots of exercises to improve
range of motion. In two weeks I’m traveling to Italy. While you all get caught
up in the images Italy conjures up, the harsh reality for me is that I was traveling
to Italy to race a Half Ironman. I will be making the trip, but I will not have my bike in tow. I’m sure I’m not prepared for the roller
coaster of emotions that will present. I’ll be there with good people and I
hope the trip will mostly be therapeutic. (Yes please, more wine.)
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| Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation & Garth! |
The colors of the back story get boring, so I’ll get to the
lesson here. Perspective. It’s easy
to be sad and dwell on the fact I’ve cancelled all my races. But I find myself
saying, “at least it’s not cancer.” Yes, thankfully it’s not cancer. We already
went to that party and it was no fun. But here’s the thing…. Just when we think
life as we know it is over….a whole new world is exposed. I sit here today (leg
elevated) knowing the only reason I am an Ironman is because cancer entered my
world and threatened to knock me down. So while I sit here once again with
thoughts of life as I know it being over, I am reminded that is far from the
truth. With a strong mind and body, there is no end to the possibilities that sing
and dance on the other side of this. I know I will return to Ironman, but who
knows what other discoveries I’ll make along the way. The next 7-10 months will
be very different for me. They will not be highlighted by 100 mile bike rides and
20 miles runs. (For my Facebook followers, there won’t be daily pictures of me
and my bike. What ever will you do?) But other experiences will unfold and new practices
will take shape. And eventually I’ll pedal a bike. Really pedal a bike. And I’ll
run. And the me that will come out the other side stands to be even greater
than the me that went into this. That’s kinda cool.
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| My first full revolution. My bike hates me for those flat pedals. |
I haven’t fully dealt with the emotional blow of cancelling
an entire race season, but….Nope, life sure ain’t over. Not mine….and probably
not yours either. So if things aren’t going the way you want personally,
professionally, athletically…I encourage you to get some perspective in your
diet. It’s rather tasty and can cure common ailments. Chin up, kids; you gotta
lift your head to see the good stuff. When I forget (and I will), please
remind me.
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| Then and now.... |
