Progress...

I'll bet you thought I was never going to post again.  (Okay, so maybe you really didn't miss me at all...)

This is the longest I've gone without writing a blog post, but I have good reason.  Sort of.

As I explained, I had to have surgery January 7th.  The dr who performed the operation told Dwayne that my rotator cuff and labrum looked great but the bicep tendon was "a mess".  If you look at the photo, you can see the bicep muscle has two tendons that attach it to the shoulder.  The long head (number 10) runs across the top of the arm bone, the short head (number 5) goes in front of the arm.  Using this photo as a reference, basically the doctor cut out most of the white part of number 5 out and then attached the end of the muscle to my arm bone.  There's a graphic youtube video here of a procedure like mine if you are interested.  (As a warning, I actually like watching surgery videos, but this one almost made me sick...maybe it's because I kept thinking about it being done to ME which puts a whole new aspect on watching!)

The surgery went well, and I'm now five weeks out.  The worst part about the whole thing has not been the not-working-out part (although that has been extremely tough).  It has been the wearing of the mammoth sling.  I just realized I don't have a picture of me in it to share with you, but this is pretty much the same one I'm wearing.  It's not horrible torture during the day, but it's a real nuisance to sleep with it on.  From what I understand I have three more weeks of captivity.

Physical therapy started the day after surgery.  I've been going three times a week.  I've always heard how painful shoulder rehab is, and I'm certainly not going to dispel that rumor.  However, I will say that since my rotator cuff and labrum weren't injured, my rehab has been much better than it would have been had that not been the case.  I am almost at 100% range of motion for a normal person.  Unfortunately (fortunately?) I am very flexible which means I still have quite a ways to go before the left arm matches what the right arm can do.

If you have ever seen a house being built, you know how at first it goes up so fast you can't imagine that it will really take months to be finished, then progress slows to a snail's pace and you wonder if it will ever be DONE?  Well...I'm at the snail's pace right now.

Last week I started a new stretch (the "towel stretch").  Before I got hurt I looked like the guy pictured.  After working for a week, I have gone from barely being able to get the back of my left hand to my left hip, to being able to grab the end of a long towel behind my back.

That.  Is.  Progress.

Progress is, by definition movement toward a goal, advancement, growth, development and/or continuous improvement.  I am making progress.  I do see that.  But, I have to look really close to notice.  At least once every day I think (and more often than not, I say) "I'm never going to be able to X again."  (X is anything I am wanting to do that I can't manage at this point in time -ride a bike, swim, run, move without pain...)  I do realize that it's ONLY been five weeks.  But, come on...it's been FIVE WEEKS already.

Of course, it's been six weeks since I have written a post and you probably barely even noticed I was gone.  Sometimes ---okay, most of the time--- progress is just a matter of perspective.  When you are right of top of a situation, or very close to it, you may not notice the changes.  Step away and things seem to happen over night.  (That's why they say a watched pot "never" boils.)

I have a lot more to report on, but for now, I'll leave you with this little gem I found when I searched for a picture of a snail to add to the post.  Enjoy.  Until next time. :D

In Other News...

My shoulder wasn't the only "thing" that happened last year.  I also completed a couple of certifications.  I became a Metabolic Efficiency Training Specialist as well as a USA Triathlon Youth and Junior Coach.  Most recently I recertified as a Mad Dogg Spin Instructor (so I can keep teaching Spin classes at the Y).  I also formed my own LLC!!!

Yup…that's right, Dana Trains is now a full fledged legitimate business entity!

The next big news is the formation of dtKids Tri Team!  I had originally planned to kick off last fall, but little did I know there is a lot more to the business side of things than just setting a goal!  Turns out I'm very thankful I waited because I have been able to learn a lot along the way.  Not to mention now I can wait to kick off until after I heal up a bit from surgery.  Look for dtKids news in the very near future!  For now, take a look at this AWESOME logo!  In case you don't get why that swimmer is wearing a cowboy hat….stay tuned for "the story of the hat"…  :D

Thanks for stopping in.  Come again soon!

A Tale of Two Sides of a See-Saw

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."*

For me, 2013 was the year of the see-saw.  On  one hand, my shoulder hurt the majority of the time to some degree.  (There were some days that were better than others and some I would have said it didn't hurt, but for the most part it did.)  On the other hand, I trained for and completed what is being called the  world's hardest Iron Man race (WTC -MDot- Iron Man…I am certain there are other, harder, 140.6 races out there.)   

On one hand I ONLY raced five times all year.  On the other hand, I completed my longest race ever. 

On one hand I'm fairly certain I trained less in terms of number of days but also fairly certain I trained more total hours.  

This has been my best year and my worst year in terms of being an athlete.  But the truth is I think part of the reason I'm going to say the scale is tipped in the direction of "best" is BECAUSE of the weight of the "worst".  The fact that my shoulder has been such an issue ALL YEAR LONG forced me to really be intentional about how I trained.  It forced me to listen to my body.  It forced me to see that I AM an athlete.  I am NOT a quitter.  I DO persevere in the face of struggle.  I didn't let a little pain stand in my way. I overcame a lot of obstacles this year in order to have what I wanted in the end.  This shoulder thing has sent me FLYING instead of weighing me down!

I don't think I could be more thankful for what this year has taught me.

I raced five times this year.  The first and last races were both 5Ks. Then there was one 10K, 1 sprint tri, and IMLT.   I had GREAT times at each one, both on the clock and otherwise.  I did set new PRs in all but the 5K and earned a podium spot twice!  All with a messed up shoulder!!  God has been very good to me this year!

It's funny, when I look back at my January 2013 "Looking Ahead" post, I didn't even really want to talk about the shoulder "thing."  I thought I would deal with it in January and it would be done.  Well…here I am a year later looking at surgery next week and knowing it's going to be months before I can put this "thing" behind me.

The see saw is about to be pulled off the fulcrum and used as a bat!  2014, ready or not, HERE I COME!!!

Thanks for stopping in, come again soon!