Imagine Dragons’ lyrics to the song Radioactive resonates: “I’m waking up, I feel it in my bones, enough to make my system blow. Welcome to the new age.” Yea for me, I move up in age groups this year. Wait. What? Yes, I turn 50 this year people, did you hear me? FIFTY YEARS OLD… just for the record, that’s half way to 100. According to Wikipedia “Radioactive” describes something undergoing radioactive decay. Technically I am not “decaying”  but considering the number of x-rays this ‘ol girl has had over the past few months, I may as well be radioactive and I can certainly attest to feeling like I may explode if I don’t get some serious physical activity in the very near future.

Do you ever feel like you need a tune up?  You know what I mean, the same attention you give your car, you need to give your body?  I do this every few years after my race season of course, I start to pay attention to the aches and pains I’ve been neglecting  all season long because God forbid I see the doctor and she tells me I have an injury and I need to rest.  Let’s face it, that’s the answer most doctors give their athletes, “You should really take it easy and rest, rest is the best medicine for you.”  Of course that same doctor tells his obese non-active patients to get up and exercise. Okay, I realize there is a happy medium, but really, I DON’T WANT TO REST, there has got to be a better way!  If you’re an athlete and I’m sure you are or you wouldn’t be reading my blog, you know what I’m talking about.  After my final race in 2015, Tahoe Ironman, I had a few issues needing a tune up. I lined up a doctors appointment and prepared myself for the worse. After an exam and a few x-rays I learned I had a broken foot…it’s just a little broken, probably more like a bone spur to be more accurate and it’s probably been that way for close to two years.   In addition, I have the old Shoulder Impingment Syndrome, I did mention I’m turning 50 after all!  I’ve rested since being diagnosed, well… I sort of rested… it turns out I wasn’t really supposed to do the elliptical while in my boot, nor was I to take my boot off  to teach cycle, but I didn’t think that was against the doctor’s rules.  Doctors need to be VERY specific with athletes about what “limited activity because that IS limited for me. Needless to say, I’ve refrained from swimming and running for more than two months and it’s KILLING me!  My shoulder is feeling pretty good now but I’m still in the boot because my foot has not healed. Soon I will know if surgery is in order, but even if it is, the recovery is relatively simple and I should begin my 2016 season in March.  In the meantime,  I’m getting plenty of quality time with my family which we’re all pretty psyched about.  I enjoy staying up past 9 p.m.,  sleeping in and having coffee with my husband and being home when my daughters wake up on the weekends. I know I will look back on this time and be grateful for the rest; however, this soon to be 50 year old is ready to get on with it!

I am excited to be a part of Team Freeplay in 2016! I look forward to getting to know my teammates and sharing more about our athletic adventures in the coming year.

Cheers!

Gina

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