New Year of The Healthy, Happy Triathlete

December has been a really great month. I have gotten back in the pool a few times and it actually feels really great to swim laps. I have not been doing as much running as I'd like to over the past month. That is all about to change since I just got a spiffy new pair of running shoes, Mizuno Inspire, a very fitting shoe for me. (pun intended - aren't I so funny!). I recently had a biomechanical assessment and was told I am running very inefficiently -- so I now have running exercises to improve my form and efficiency. I always thought I had great running form so I'm a interested in seeing what happens by making some alterations. I did go out for a 36 mile ride a couple of weeks ago with my new friend, Charlayne, who is a competitive cyclist. I was elated to be out on the road, feeling the wind in my face, and seeing parts of my home town I've never seen before. The only discomfort I met was my right arm being numb almost the entire ride and having the ride come to an end, I just wanted to keep riding. I met a guy at the gym, Ron Arroyo who is a USAT triathlon coach and is coaching a small group of beginners at Lifetime Fitness, he has welcomed me to the group and seems pretty excited to have a more experienced athlete to work with. I have only been able to train with them once so far, but I do look forward to training with them weekly from here on out.

I have not yet given much attention to my race calendar for 2007. I was hoping to be ready to run the PF Chang 1/2 marathon on January 14th -- that is likely to not happen because I had to take some time off of running in November and December. Not knowing exactly what is going on with my clavicle has been a factor in me not taking an aggressive attitude toward training & competing in 2007. I have since started going to a new chiropractor and a new orthopeadic surgeon. Both of them are of the agreement that my shoulder/clavicle is not healed -- we have the new x-rays to prove it. It is amazing to see almost no bone growth between the splintered pieces of my clavicle and it happened in late August. Dr. Renfree, my orthopeadic surgeon, has ordered a CT scan after which he'll make a determination on the course of action, which will be either Bone Growth Stimulation Therapy or surgery including a bone graft. Neither sound especially exciting to me, I am ready to be healed, healthy and back in training on my path to competing. The bone graft will set me back another 8 to 10 weeks -- YIKES!

As I've been thinking this past week, since I met with Dr. Renfree I have come to a conclusion that I am going to plan for the best and then take whatever he decides in stride. So in my ideal scenario, I have a healthy healed clavicle and am training everyday, I have a complete competition schedule for the year and am training with a coach. Over the next 24 hours, I will created my race schedule, put together a training schedule and take action. That being said 2007 is going to be the year of FUN. I will train FUN, race FUN. No high pressure, just a fun year of recovery training and competing.

My 2007 Training Program will include:

6 - day training program for triathlon (run, bike, swim) - train with triathlon coach & team
3 - day per week strength training
1 - day per week yoga/pilates
3 - day per week chiropractor visits
2 x per month 90-minute sports massage
Training with a Polar heart rate monitor
Resting Metabolic Rate Assessment: 2 - 3 x per year
Metabolic Exercise Assessment (heart rate training zones & fat burning efficiency): 2 - 3 x per yr
Daily Training Journal
Daily Nutrition Journal & food record (5 - 6 smaller meals per day)
Complete Daily Nutrition Supplement Regimen including: Juice Plus, calcium, glucosamine/chondroitin, MSM, creatine, EFAs, etc.

Here's to the best year yet! Wishing you all the best in 2007.

Visit me at: www.getfitwithmelissa.blogspot.com