and the long stuff begins

So I've actually been able to drag Jamie out with me on the longer rides this year.  We did a 125 km ride the weekend before last, out the road to Coba from Tulum and it was really nice for him to ride on a new road.  I've ridden out that road a number of times before and honestly I don't like it.  There are dogs out there and the road surface sucks but it was really nice to listen to him oooohing and ahhhing over all the new stuff.  When you have only 1 road for hundreds of kilometers, you get excited by the smallest things.

then last weekend we were aiming for 5 hours and ended up headed down past Tulum a little south of Muyil.  We passed a lot of newly developed cenotes once past Tulum and I have an itch to go check them out.  Might have to wait until after IMCOZ.  Might be good to check out with the folks.  The road was SO QUIET out there- no dogs, no cars, just the road, the sun, the jungle and us.

a very hot Jamie with 45 km left to go on his longest ride yet (150km). stopped in Tulum for cold drinks

I had a 14km trail run scheduled for Sunday (tomorrow) and had been wondering how I was going to fit in work Saturday, the run Sunday, taking Ellen for nail polishing, more work, and a long ride.  I inadvertantly found a way on Thursday night after my bike ride.  I've had achy hips for probably a year now but only on the bike and figured if it was a real problem I would have them on the run also.  Made sense to me...

even the bikes had shade in Tulum.  So after my usual Thursday ride (and I'm getting better and better keeping my HR at 85% on those short rides) it really hurt to get off the bike.  My left hip has been off and on waking me at night and bothering me but not enough to really call my attention.  This got my attention.  By bedtime I could barely move and was in enough pain to take tramadol (which allowed me to sleep fitfully).

i figured it would be better by morning but it wasn't.  Google and the guys at Slowtwitch didn't really narrow the diagnosis down much so Dailene gave me a referral to a doctor who treats Los Tigres in Cancun and Jamie and I headed off last night to see what he said.  Apparently it is trochanteric bursitis and he gave me a few meds to take since I declined the injection.

Honestly, if you want your patient to get an injection, don't describe it as "a really, really long needle and I'll try to aspirate what I can, but the fluid is gelatinous, and then I'll inject a TEEENY TEENSY TINY, just the SLIGHTEST HINT of steroid".  Really?  that's your pitch?  Immense pain followed by more intense pain followed by the slightest hint of pain relief? 

But this morning I'm thinking I might just take the bus up there sometime next week as the clinic is SUPER close to the bus station and get a nice injection.  He said last night 3 weeks before I can train again.  I have 7 weeks to IMCOZ.  Ramping up my training from running injury.  Honestly, I can't afford the time off.  BUT, since I can't train this weekend, you will find me glued to the computer (either working or watching IM Kona coverage) and taking my youngest to get her nails done.  I should have no excuse to hit 12.5 K swimming next week now that my shoulder is back to normal.  Dayum, bodies tend to break down when you get old, eh?