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Saturday, October 27, 2012

Deeper Recovery

Ever since this accident things have been weird. Yes weird. I managed to dodge a lot of serious injury and I am grateful for that. I have never experienced whiplash before. It is a rather unusually acting injury.

In the beginning I had mild soreness along the front of my body which was to be expected. It wasnt until weeks later that the real full body soreness began to set in. This is where I was spending a lot of time just laying down to avoid pain. From there I began to crack..... a lot as the joints began to re align. And the most interesting of all....Weight Gain. I have put on 12-14 pounds in 3 months. I have come up with three reasons I belive may be causing it.

1. Honest Reality

Although I feel I am eating in accordance with my reduced activity level, the only person I may be cheating is my self. Maybe I am overeating, and not being strict enough on my choices. But 12 pounds is overeating by 392 calories everyday since the accident. Which is possible, but unlikely because I do track calories. And have been able to regain some of my activity level.

2. Water Retention

Inflamation of  muscle tissue  and a bodily respone to healing to inflame to reduce movement and retain water to repair cells. But should have subsided by now I would think.

3. Most Recent Suggestion. Nerves???

The possibility of pressure being applied to a spinal nerve therefore creating an over stimulation in a region of the brain that would monitier digestion. I found this one to be the most interesting because it would be happining at a subcontious level. Consiously I have being doing everything I can to make it easy for my digestive system. But it is possible that there is a problem beyond my conscious control because I have been experiencing digestive issues. Coincidence? This reasoning came from an osteopath who had suggested there was a malalignment of two lumbar vertebre causing overstimulation of the hypothalamus. It sounds like pseudo science hodge podgem but, stack that with an assessment from a physiotheripist comfirming tesnsion in the specifc aera of the malalignment, and an unusual onset of depression, leads to evidence that my weight issue may be controlled beyond conscious control. Either way I am intrigued and have began to closely monitor performance mood and weight in correlation.

For now I am treating the depression, and focusing on reliveving tesnsion for the low back muscles to see this may be the link to where this creeping weight is coming from. My goal is to be back to normal by Christmas, which through moderate caloric restriction should be a non issue.  I will keep monitiering laxitiy of the back along with mood and weight to see if there is any corilation. I am also under the belief that I need to just relax and let the body auto regulate.

Please feel free to comment and discuss the topic. I struggle with the ability to organize all my thoughts at the moment. But would be more them happy to discuss any questions you have further.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Post Season Blues

Ahh yes the post season blues. You know its coming and we all get a little taste of it in some form or another. You have been racing and pushing your self all summer meeting with friends, setting PRs, making bets against your friends, whatever! Now there's a gap, you know you need the recovery, but training has become so ingrained in your life you don't know what to do with this awkward situation of "free time." Going into my 5th year of competitive triathlon I think this year I have dealt with it fairly well for a few reasons.

One, this season I developed a stronger belief in my abilities. It was a season packed with adversity from flat tires to car accidents. But through it all I still managed to make some progression. I now have at least 6 more so relaxed months until my next race. What can I accomplish with that? That thought now excites me.

Two I LOVE TRAINING. Period. I have developed a sincere love of training. Not just the getting fast part. But the knowing yourself part as well. For years I would push myself so deep down the rabbit hole of over training and stress, and by the end of the season I hated triathlon and would binge myself up on thanksgiving until I registered for a race to light the fire under my ass. But its the "off season" now. That doesn't mean slack off it just means enjoy the work you have done and you don't need that intense focus you need during race season. The brain is a muscle to. Give it a rest, it will give you more later. Trust that.

That said I still felt a little bit of a hole. But its ok theres another race coming and I will be bigger faster stronger regardless of when it is. Because that's something I want, and I am confident in that. But for now enjoy this anomaly people call "free time" read a book, try a new recipe so you have it on speed dial when training kicks up, spend time with the family who has only seen you in spandex for the last 5 months, and go eat a doughnut. Then get back to work, but dont forget to get back to work. You will feel better about it.

D