Father's Day #2 and a Gimp Leg

I got some new Oakley board shorts for Father's Day. They are brown-ish with skulls and flowers patterned on them in light blue and light pink. They replace my previous pair from about 1999, which have seen many days of use in various countries (Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Lebanon, and England). Alas, all good things must come to and end. I hope the new shorts will be worn in as many countries as the old.

Training was going well until a few setbacks occured. I waited too long to register for the Capital of Texas Triathlon (a big, local event) and registration was 100% full. I emailed the promoter directly to plead for my inclusion in the event, and he politely denied my request. As it turns out, strong winds and torrential rain cancelled the event. To all those who pre-registered, took their bikes into the transition area the night before, and woke up at 4:30 a.m. in order to race, I offer my sincerest "ha ha". Suckers. At least I didn't have to go through the trouble of getting my bike and money back.

So I switched my focus to the upcoming XTERRA race in Rocksprings, TX. I started riding my mountain bike again and doing strength workouts in the pool (using hand paddles and a pull buoy). I started training a bit more each week for about a month to boost my endurance. And I ended up pulling/tearing a muscle in my groin/hip area. It hurt like hell to bear weight on my left leg, and running was out of the question.

It took a week for the pain to vanish (mostly). When I could walk without limping, I decided to go for a short, easy jog to test the leg, and re-injured it in the process. So now I'm even more hobbled than before, and simply getting up off the couch causes sharp pain in the area. They say time heals all wounds, but it doesn't heal them quickly enough for my liking.

The Texas Time Trial championships are the same weekend as the XTERRA race, so maybe I'll do the 40 kilometer individual time trial, instead, since my leg doesn't hurt when I pedal.

I'm jealous of Faris. He can bend his knees in all directions without pain or popping sounds, while I can't even walk down the stairs without sounding like a Rice Crispies commercial (snap, crackle, and pop).