Being positive is great.

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But not if it's about Covid. 

A few days after flying back to Texas, I got a "cold" that got very nasty and of course it was covid. For a few days, I was very sick. Extremely tired, I slept most of the time for two days, headache, body ache, sore throat and a thick cough. 

This is my first real illness in the 5 1/2 half years since I started training seriously for triathlon. I have also been almost injury free this time, I have not had to decline a single race that I have signed up for, and I have completed all my races in style! It had to end. 

I also have a knee injury, I first noticed it after the Cykelvasa. First, I thought it was due to one of the falls, but I soon realized it was an overuse injury. I have not been to a doctor, but the symptoms fit something called "bicycle knee." My last race in Sweden was a 10k road running race in central Stockholm at midnight; Midnattsloppet one week after the Cykelvasa. It is huge, this year about 20 000 competitors and 76 of them were in my age group (women 65-69). 

I rested, ate anti-inflammatory and gambled. At 65, a 10k run is not easy to complete if you are not trained, and maybe I would never have the opportunity to be part of this race again. If I was younger, I would not have run it and risked a larger injury. Now I did.

On the night of the race, I felt ok, the knee did not bother me much. I did ok with an even pace of 8.57/mile average on a hilly course which gave me a 6th place amongst some very accomplished international ladies. It was really fun; I am glad I ran. 

My knee did take some damage, but I don't think it is a catastrophy. Two weeks later, it is still hurting, but the real problem is Covid. I am physically and mentally drained and I have already declined my planned participation in Waco Ironman 70.3. I don't think I will have much of a season for the rest of 2023. 

I am not complaining, I have had such a good run (no pun intended) for over 5 years.


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