Pins and Needles (Literally and Figuratively)

I guess I should pay attention to my training partner's oh-so-subtle nudge and write an update on the never ending knee saga. My apologies for a lengthy post!

March 13th has come and gone and I'm still not training. Yet. On Tuesday, March 10th, I got a call from Ken, telling me he and Dr. Teter (Graston) think I should forgo Ironman this year. That my knee is still too painful and they don't want me to end up permanently injured. I get it. They're looking out for my best interests. But for me it's not enough.

Ironman is the symbol of the lifestyle I want to live - pain-free, able to challenge myself, to achieve goals I set, and enjoy being active. It is my motivation to get healthy. To deal with all the bad news and keep coming back for more; never being satisfied with a "we don't know" answer.

With the help of a lot of great people - Barbara, the KCOI assistant who got me in early; Tim, who kept me company in a freezing room for 2 hours watching me as "radioactive girl" get a bone scan; Dr. Rasmussen, who recognized that telling me to find another hobby wasn't an option; Trish, for always being ready with support or a joke; Sheryl, who provided great guidance on who/what to listen to - I've received even more advice and feedback than I thought possible (you'd think everyone would be tapped by now!) and have made a decision.

My ITB syndrome is much better than it was, thanks to Graston. The pain on the inside of my knee is not attributed to an MCL tear. The bone scan spot on the top outside of my tibia, while it may have been a fracture at one point, looks to be almost healed. All of those things, while painful, are not sport-ending. Independently, Dr. Rasmussen, Dr. Teter and Dr. Albright have all said that while the pain of Ironman training might be more than I can take, training itself will not cause permanent injury.

So the choices are:

1. Train for IMOO 2009 knowing that, if I am able to manage the pain, it will mean taking most if not all of 2010 off (Dr. Rasmussen made it clear that "off" means no swimming, biking, running, lifting - even crutches are a possibility, if it comes to that).
2. Give up Ironman this year, do all the recommended rest and therapy, and hope it works so I can train for an Ironman in late 2010.

My choice is made. I start IMOO 2009 training on April 1 with the pain management of acupuncture and chiropractic, a supportive training partner, and a very patient boyfriend willing to coach me. It might might not work, and it will more than likely hurt (a lot), but I have to try. If it works, I'll cross the finish line on September 13 an Ironman. If it doesn't work, at least I'll know I gave it all I had. And really, isn't that what Ironman is about - discovering how much you have to give and how deep you can dig?