The Only Thing Missing...

... is a red barn.  There's just something about a wheat field.  At sunset. In the Fall... that's just... whew.

So I'm in my physical therapist's office... and she's completely working me over and sort of giggling as I'm wincing in severe pain... but its good pain... the kind of pain that is getting us somewhere.  Anyway, between nauseating waves... I glance over to my right... and there's a little sign on her closed door.  It reads, "Live life like you mean it."... and I thought to myself, "Man.  I freakin MEAN it.  I really do."  Sometimes things just really stink... most of the time its totally out of your control... but I'm IN... and I really, REALLY mean it.

Shoulder update!  Things are progressing really well.  My mobility is GREAT!  My strength at this point is severely lacking.  Don't ask me to pick up that peanut off the floor and raise it over my head... I might strain something.  I have atrophied to the point where its a challenge for me to do VERY lightly weighted shoulder work of any sort without fatiguing extremely quickly. BUT... I. Don't.  Stop.  SO!  Coach Liz and my PT are pow wowwing about the parameters of me heading back into the water the first week of February.  Liz keeps reassuring me that this will be MORE than enough time to get my swim where it needs to be for CdA.  FYI... and I'm not afraid to say it out loud... I'm doing that swim in an hour or less.  There.  Its out there.  No hiding.  

Running and biking are truckin along.  I had my longest run of the season the other day... a whole 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Long runs are relative right?  I mean really... its only "long" in the sense that it is the longest run I've completed this season.  I attempted to hook up with Drew to get it done... but alas... it wasn't meant to be.  Oddly enough... work actually got in the way... which is just WIERD!  Next time Iron Drew!  I actually got to head out on the Cascade Cutoff for my run. Kind of out in the middle of nowhere... quiet... cold... sunny... beautiful.  Just me, my feet, and my breath.  Freakin BEAUTIFUL!  I was reminded repeatedly to stay within the designated zones... annoying but necessary at this point in the season right?  There's a method to the madness and all I have to do is listen and obey.  Its not as hard as it sounds.

Hmmmmmm... what else?  Uh.  Geesh.  that's all's I gots.  Here are some pics from my run the other day.

Hope you're all happy, healthy, and whole.

SUNDAY!!!!!!!!

Breathe...