Girl on Dirt: On the road to recovery

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

On the road to recovery

This is one of my last Ironman-themed posts, I promise. Although, note the "one of the last"... doesn't mean this IS the last (I'm covering my a$$, hehe). Anyway, I wanted to talk about the days following an Ironman event.

This is the time when you get to listen to your body and do what it commands. Mine suggested I get a BIG breakfast following my race day. I went to iHop and enjoyed eggs Benedict with hash browns and bacon. Also, it asked for a long recovery week... So we had planned on coming down to Donnelly, ID for a relaxing week at the man's cabin. My body didn't like the drive though. As much as I tried to be comfortable, my ankles swelled up to 3 times it's size.

Swollen ankles... ESPECIALLY the left one!

Once at the cabin, I ran to the lake to "ice" my legs in the freezing cold water. It felt so nice and we spent quite a bit of time there while playing with Levi.

Levi and I enjoying the cool water

Two days after my big races seem to be the most painful ones... So I called for a massage in Boise and it's been one of the most amazing feelings in the world. I wish I had gotten a 2 hour session. The massage therapist combined the technique of a deep tissue massage (without going deep at all), with some stretching and a little bit of hot stone therapy. I walked out (note I am not using the word LIMP) feeling a million times better, although my ankles were still quite swollen.

Today has been a million times better. I don't feel sore at all and was able to move around a little more. I enjoyed a nap in the afternoon while the sun was hitting me in the face. Felt amazing. My man woke me up saying I was like a turtle. We then went out to the deck to have some beer and peanuts when we decided to bring out the canoe and go paddle for a while.