Aches and Pains Be Damned

    Swimmer's Shoulder. Runner's Knee. Cyclist's Hip. Every discipline has its own, special kind of pain. Interestingly, I suffer from all three. Not to any extreme, but definitely feel the usage my body undergoes. Of the three, my knees take the brunt. The repetition of cycling exacerbates the discomfort of running, which is compounded by osteoarthritis. Go Me. I know that knee pain is one main reason I am disinclined to want to run. It is hard for me to increase my mileage when each and every run leaves me with sore knees for a few days. Oh, they're not so painful as to be intolerable, but they definitely ache. After my knee surgery, my physical therapist told me that I should never run more than, "The occasional 5K." Of course, I poo-pooed the idea then, and still choose to ignore it, even in the face of evidence proving her right. Damn professionals and their highfalutin, educated opinions. My leg cramps during the run of my 70.3 reinforce my determination to have a more solid running base come September. I have to, or I might as well not even bother to register for the 250K.
    On that same note, I know that I have to have an even stronger cycling base. More time is spent on the bike than in any other leg. I have to be able to ride for 220K, get off the bike and still have enough juice to run. The repetitious motion is not only hard on my knees, but definitely makes for tight hip flexors. All the same, I can build mileage easier, more safely, and with far less pain on the bike than I can in my run.
    As for swimming? I can already swim three miles and walk away only moderately tired. But my left trapezius has been tweaked since my swim last weekend, and both shoulders make an interesting cacophony when rotated. I am swimming about six miles a week right now, I wish I could swim more, but know I likely should not. That is three swims a week, two mile and a half, and one 2 to 3 mile, which is about all I can afford, time wise. The rule of thumb for training is three workouts in each discipline every week. That is nine workouts a week just in the basics, that does not count four strength training workouts (two each upper body and lower body), two core strength workouts, or stretching and massage roller work. Egads, no wonder I have no social life, and I'm not even into the heavy part of training yet.
   It makes me wonder just how achy I will be in the coming months? My body already wakes me in the middle of the night with varying complaints. I have been avoiding any pain relievers, and stopped taking my nightly dose of naproxin sodium (Aleve) about three months ago, since NSAIDs interfere with muscle and connective tissue repair. Instead I drink rosemary tea, take MSM and vitamin C, and drink cherry juice daily, all of which have anti-inflammatory properties. I don't know if it works, I do ache all the time. Oh well, Rule Number Five: Be Prepared to Suffer.