I left for Clermont after Christmas. We were meant to drive altogether – Dave, me, Madison and Brunswick – but the surgeon who fixed Dave’s back said that the back surgery would be null and void if Dave attempted a 20-hour drive to Florida. So, I drove to Florida with my dear friend, Jody and Dave flew down. Jody and I were great driving buddies – we didn’t turn on the radio once – we just chatted and laughed the whole drive down. The first day was our Ironman day – 17 hours of driving – we stopped near Macon, Georgia. And by 1 p.m. on the following day, we were swimming at the National Training Center under the blue skies of Clermont.
Dave is feeling 100% now that he is in the warmth and sun. His back felt amazing right after the surgery but then took a bad turn and was feeling terrible over the last two weeks of December. We were all worried that he had aggravated the surgical site beyond just a little tweak. But as soon as he arrived in Clermont, he felt better. It is so much easier to move around when there isn’t ice and snow everywhere! Within the first week, he was swimming every day. One week later, he rode his new Cervelo road bike (which is very proud to show every single person who visits!) and felt so good. Usually the winter escape to Clermont is for my off season training base work but this year, it appears that it has been the saving grace for Dave’s health. He is a new person!
My training has been going very well. I am swimming with the NTC Masters Group coached by Sara McLarty. Some mornings, we have almost 30 swimmers. I have been doing a lot of fantastic cycling and I am back running now after a running injury sidelined me for a bit. I chose to not race Pucon 70.3 – it was tough for me to miss because I love it so much, but I really want to have a pain free 2009 and I wasn’t ready to race in January. Then I thought I would race Florida’s Great Escape Triathlon in February but I had (and still have) a brutal chest infection which even kept me in bed with a fever for a few days! In fact, I have to go home to Toronto for a day next week to visit the CF Clinic. I have to begin a new inhalation system (Tobi) to fight some nasty pseudomonas that has been breeding in my lungs since last August!
And keeping with the health theme, Brunswick has been to the vet four times in last 6 weeks. It is always a worry bringing an 11 year old dog to the vet, but thankfully, we have found a great one down here. Her latest woe is an injured disc in her neck compressing a nerve – like father (Dave’s back) – like daughter (Brunswick)! She is a worry especially because we love her so much. Meanwhile, Madison is 12.5 years old and she never needs the vet! Give her a piece of cardboard to carry on her walks and she is a happy camper!
More later about the Cruise to Run trip!! Stay tuned!
Lisa Bentley