Training Log April 16-22

This week started out great! I was back, mentally and physically. Well, I guess I'll just let you see how things went.

Mon: planned rest day
Tues: My first two-a-day in a LONG time. It felt awesome! Workout #1 was half of "Ride Faster With Chrissie #2" (30 minutes), followed by a 2 mile run off the bike. I should run off the bike more often. I felt slow, but I ran fast! Workout #2 was 30 minutes of swim drills (mostly pulls) followed by a 15 minute run followed by master swim. 2 hours and 35 minutes total in workouts for the day and I still felt great.
Weds: After Tuesday's double, my hip flexor still felt good (even sans KT Tape) so I decided to attempt my scheduled hill workout. I did choose an easier hill than I otherwise would have, but it was still challenging after having some time off. I decided to apply KT Tape prior to the hill workout just as an extra precaution. 6 hill repeats, 3 miles total, 30:23
Thurs: unplanned rest day. Liam decided not to nap. There went my trainer ride.
Fri: 35 min easy run. It. Felt. Like. Death. The whole run. At 11:08 pace. Seriously?!? I just ran hills two days before at 10:08 pace! My hip flexor didn't really bother me during the run, but my leg started to ache later in the afternoon.
Sat: Hip flexor felt good when I woke up. It was 40 degrees and rainy for the Couch-to-5k group that I lead so I left Liam at home with Dave. I was happy to see that 13 of the 18 ladies I our group braved the rain to come work out with us! Workout for the day was a 5 minute walk for a warmup, followed by 20 minutes of alternating 90 seconds of running with 2 minutes of walking. Easy for me, but somehow I found myself limping just half an hour later! How could this easy workout be my undoing? I took the rest of the day off.
Sun: Still limping. Badly enough that people notice. The hip flexor injury is causing compensation in the surrounding muscle groups and some of them are SORE! Sunday ends up being a rest day also.

I talked to my sister, a physical therapist, and her opinion is that I need to take at least one week, maybe two off of running. I will listen to her, after all, this is how she makes a living. I don't like it. Running is easier to do with Liam. Biking and swimming require that I find someone to watch him. I also find stress relief in running. I enjoy biking and swimming, but don't find myself in these activities like I do when I run.
And that is exactly why I need to take the time to take care of this injury now. I can take two weeks now, or I can take two months (or longer) later. I'll take two weeks now.

I am in the process of hiring a coach. It was something I wanted to do next year anyway when I want to train for a full iron distance triathlon. Dave and I talked about it earlier this year and decided that when I had my dizziness issues under control I could hire a coach. I am able to run through my dizziness, and although we are still searching for a cause and remedy, my doctors have cleared me for all exercise. Now that I am having the hip flexor issue, I need the help of a coach more than ever. I know how to write a training plan for running. When it comes to swimming and biking, aside from the basic principles of training, I'm completely lost!

My biggest goal for 2012 was to get stronger and faster without  getting injured, setting myself up to train for a full iron-distance triathlon in 2013.  So much for not getting injured.  But I am staying positive, I am dealing with this injury early, and I am seeking help.  It will all work out just fine.

Happy Monday!