Pile Driver

I am often asked how the mood is here at camp Egg. Two triathletes, two competitive minds, two type AAA people and a 6 year old. Some think it's thick with competition, but I have to break the news..... Camp Egg is likely one of the most fun households on the planet. Laughter and wrestling are the two common themes here, and at any given moment I find myself pinned on my back by one of the two boys. It can be dangerous, but damn it is fun.

Which came to a halt this week when Curt delivered what I am calling a Pile Driver, to me.

You see, Curt in high school was a star wrestler. Yet his senior year he did not make it to states. Something for the thousands of years he has been out of high school...... has haunted him.

And for the past ten years, I have been the guy he should have beaten. Until now. I can happily say the game is over. And thank goodness I am just fine.

Because you see my feet were both swiped out from underneath me one night as I once again attempted to wrestle the star wrestler. And not only in ten years have I never successfully pinned him, I found myself landing on my tailbone, with horrendous pain suddenly shooting through my back.

Not since 2005 Half Max Nationals had I a problem with my back, which was originally injured in 1997 when I was hit by a car. I was running, and I was fine. I ran home but came into contact with some back issues. They creep up every now and then, and after this long I know exactly how to handle it. It takes me three days to get back to 100%.

Luckily at the time of the event my long ride and key run was already complete. Wednesday I jumped right into a recovery week, and switched things up down the line. I adjusted all other workouts to recovery to protect, and added in some more yoga.

And as I look at the plan, I am glad. Still the same number of build and recovery weeks, just ordered in a...... whoah...... better way. Did the wrestling star know this at the time of the Pile Driver? Possibly. Probably not however.

As I tuned into the weather and saw another blast of snow coming our way, I was secretly relieved that Sunday's run had been changed to 9 miles rather than 18. Next week when the 18 are to be run.... hell it is supposed to be sixty degrees.

Fate? I would like to think so.

So training is sometimes interrupted with pile drivers, or illness, or crashes or just life. Being flexible enough to literally roll with the punches...... that's the key to getting to the starting line.

So here I am on Saturday evening and I am back to 100%. Recovery week unannounced, it showed up, I rolled with it, I re planned. It was hard not to push through it, but it was the right decision. Whew!

And then at the end of it all, I will have had one extra long ride. And for a girl like me, that's better than hot cocoa!

:-) mary eggers