Sometimes it’s just to much…

In the past 10 years of racing, today was the first time I have ever not made it to the start line.  The past few weeks have prevented some great challenges, ones that I have had to face physically, but over come mentally. Its been a struggle for me since I have been working to get my race life back since leaving Arizona. I usually say, “it is what it is” but today it was much harder to do

Nothing could have prepared me for the past 2 days of raging pain.

Friday night about 7 PM, some fierce pain started to present itself in both of my arms.  Almost like an impingement in both shoulders.  This pain is so severe that it doesn’t allow me to lift either of my arms over my head or even to a 90 degree with my thumbs pointed to the sky.  Last night, I could barely sleep as the pain was rushing down my arms and didn’t allow me to shift my body around as I often need to at night.  I was forced to wake up Clorinda as I could not find any comfort.  It was then that I knew my morning was not going to be the morning I had planned, essentially it was just too much for me to take on.

So I didn’t go to the race… Yes, it certainly is a disappointment.  This would have been my first triathlon in Canada.  One that over came breathing issues, my sprained ankle, my inflamed left wrist and right point finger, my hip, and finally my arms, but yet it just wasn’t in the cards. The pain had taken over every sense I had. I cried it out this morning and then went to the Bow River around 9:30 AM to be around other thriving athletes who were trying their hardest to make it through a run, walk with their kids, rollerblading, or just enjoying the sun.  I ended up being out there for 7.6 miles, so needless to say, it helped me cope with the disappointment and find the renewed strength to just aim for the next one.   You too may have disappointments along the way, but all we can do is try to see forward and know that pain can often be temporary with the right help and encouragement along the way.

Thanks to Curtis, by dear friend who suffers from RA who came to give me a McKenzie “pick me up.”  Nicole Hunter who drove in from being out of a town and saw me at her physio office last night for a good 90 minutes, and for the loving support from Clorinda and Jack who always seem to make me feel better.

Make it Count by knowing sometimes it’s just too much!