Vineman 70.3 was a great success. I set a PR. I completed my Half Ironman almost 20 minutes better than my Best Case Scenario Goal Time. I was expecting temperature in 80s, but we had the best race conditions possible with temp in 60s and low 70s. This allowed me to push it a little harder on the bike and still have a great half marathon time. Now if I can only have those conditions again for my Full Vineman ( 140.6 miles) this weekend. I am once again in taper mode this week. I need to catch up on a few things, tie up some loose ends, and then start packing and trek up to Northern California again. It seems like I was just there last week... Oh yeah, I was there last weekend for 70.3
With everything going on with Ironteam, finishing up my fundraising, and my work responsibilities, I almost forgot my 2 year anniversary of my ACL Reconstruction. That's a good thing. My knee use to remind me on a daily basis that I had surgery. Now I usually don't think about my reconstructed ACL even after a Half-Ironman! I was ready to PARTY after Vineman 70.3 and thanks to teammate Jazzy, we had a great celebratory get together that evening.
I am setting new PRs in triathlon. Earlier this year I set a marathon PR. I am about a minute off from my 5K PR ( and I don't run very many 5Ks since I've been training for Ironman). So once again, my thanks to my great Orthopedic Surgeon: Dr. Raffy Mirzayan at Baldwin Park Kaiser. Thanks again to my Physical Therapist: Nazly Behnia at South Bay Kaiser for pushing me and encouraging me during those tough months immediately after the surgery. It was literally learning to walk again, jump again, and run again. Tearing an ACL is never a good thing, but with the right surgical / medical team, a supportive social network, and one's own "will power" and determination, those of you about to undergo ACL reconstruction will once again be doing the things you enjoy most and resume your active lifestyle. Good luck to all.
