Seattle Ironwoman

My gut instinct to describe my 2018 season is "fail". I DNF'ed my first triathlon, wasn't able to race the ultra trail ragnar in Zion, and I didn't toe the start line for Ironman Chattanooga. Really, nothing this year went the way I thought it would! I didn't get to run at all for half of this year and am STILL battling this lingering hamstring injury. It's not in my nature to be negative for too long - I am hard on myself but never dwell on it for too long. In reality, reflecting on the few short course races I did get to do - I placed higher overall in each race than I ever have (despite having NO run fitness). My run times were terrible (to be clear, I was thrilled to just be ABLE to run, it was a gift to get to a finish line), but my bike and swim were way better. I have a whole new relationship with my bike. Even though I felt cursed this season and was so upset every time I re-strained my hammy (which happened like 4 times), maybe in the long term

I'm almost 5 months into a hamstring injury. I injured it running downhill on Jan 31st. Two weeks later I tried to run on it and restrained it. I've managed to continue to agitate it and restrain it a couple other times. I know injury and recovery are never a straight line, but this has been pretty demoralizing emotionally. I miss running so much.  This injury has been really hard on me. I think it's because this was supposed to be my year to RACE HARD and see what I'm really made of. I got a coach, got power on my bike, and had a taste for some SPEED after finally getting quicker last year (and getting on some podiums)! It's taken some time to get over that idea - the idea of what this year was "supposed" to be. In reality, all I had to do was change my mindset, focus on the positives. I went to Victoria earlier this month for a half Ironman. I had initially wanted to place in my AG and get closer to AWA status. But, instead I DNF'ed. I went into

I started writing a post about my 2018 goals, races, travel, all the awesomeness that 2018 should be, but it's hard to dream about racing as I'm currently battling a hamstring strain.  Three days into training with my coach (I am working with a coach 1:1 this year! more info later), fully knowing my knee has felt off for a while (and having it all taped up), 36 minutes into my 45 minute run cruising down capitol hill I got instant sharp pain from the back of my knee up my hamstring. UGHHHHH. It was the kind of pain you can't run through. I've now been a non-runner for about 5 weeks. FEELS LIKE FOR-FUCKING-EVER since I last ran. I know injuries take time but I have almost no patience. I'm taking out my frustration on the bike and in the pool and I cannot imagine how I would be feeling if I didn't have those outlets. I'm going to PT twice a week and finally got cleared to do short and easy running intervals (20 seconds of running, 1min40s of walking), which f