Is this a Really Bad Year or a Really Good Year?

I started the Year by breaking a Rib while Snowboarding in Vail, I recovered fast and well and went on to the 1st round of the year, I did a few good races like Lavaman and my 1st Ironman in Texas in 10:08 It was not spectacular but also not that bad considering the wheels fell of in the last 20kms of the Run.

Then the 2nd Round didn't go as well as I wanted as I explain in my last Blog Entry, But basically I had this lower back injury while training in Boulder, I was spitting fire and ready to crush my 2nd Ironman! and ended not even making it to the start, then went to Vegas all stressed out and did more or less ok!

Came back to Kona and I was all fired up for Round 3! Had Lots of expectations to get all the cylinders running like a Formula 1 and then release all that stored energy in a race that I had in mind.
One week goes by in Kona and I have a nasty crash! my first in more than 6 years! My front tire exploded while in a corner and going downhill in a place called Hookena, there's not much you can do in this situation. Nothing brake that day besides my Ego, but the road rashes, my wrist and again my back were all messed up. I tried to be positive and carry on....
Ironman week was getting closer and I was feeling all kinds of pains, so many friends to swim bike and run and I was not even feeling like it.

Paola's B-day came and that party was definitely a Highlight! Then a few days later we end up in Japan watching The Suzuka Gp, obviously in that trip all my pains went away, I even picked up new pains from all that SAKE we drink after the Race. Watching the race from the inside view of McLaren Team was one of the Best experiences of my life, I almost came back to sell my bike and go back to Karting (Just Kidding)

Justin Granger, Luke McKenzie, Jano

Kaisa, Cameron Brown, Josh Rix, Renata & Eddie Sturla

Belinda, Crowie, Armando, Paola, Jo Lawn, Jules Webster

Sensei, Paola, Jo Lawn, Jano, Ruth Brito, Eneko Llanos

Back in Kona it was all about watching The 2012 Ironman World Championship from our Scooter, cheering on all of our friends and having a lot of fun. Another few drinks at the K-Swiss party and I was ready to get the ball rolling again...
I was ready for it, I had all that new experience and knowledge to attack my last goal of the Year: Laguna Phuket Triathlon in November 25th and then Ironman 70.3 Thailand the very next week, and close the season with The Honolulu Marathon on the way back to Hawaii.

Watching the Ironman World Championship 2012 up Close

So I started the week slowly and smooth, just getting back onto it and then in a very easy jog on an easy day I start to feel this weird pain in my left calf, it was similar to a cramp but it was not a cramp, I couldn't really tell, because I've never had this pain before. 25 minutes in, and my calf just locked up! COuldn't even walk, and the pain was like the calf was going to Explode! I had to call Paola to pick me up! 4 hrs and the calf was still like that, the leg went numb and then all went away leaving a sore calf behind. My Type A mind went to work in this minute, and for the next 48hrs I has 5 Theories, One of them was pretty darn Scary, a Blood Clot from a mix of Dehydration and Plane Traveling with no Compression Socks. NOTE & FACT 80% of Airplane Blood Clot cases are with Athletes!

In my worst moments I wanted to be a Buddhist Monk!

Food & Sake Time with the boys and the Girls 

Went to the Dr, did the tests, no blood clot, no muscle tear, no pinched nerve, but then the next possible option was something called Compartment Syndrome, that in short a muscle that is surrounded by this membrane or fascia grows to much and compresses the nerves and veins that go through it, this seemed to fit, the problem is that the solution is Surgery!

South Loop Ride:  Kealakekua Bay in Captain Cook

So I've been dealing with this for the last few weeks! It's hard to keep a positive frame of mind, I'm lucky to have my wife Paola always by my side, poor little one, I almost made her loose her mind too.
I gathered as much info I could in this thing too, and opted for and Non Invasive Therapy that seemed to work for some people. REST REST (this was the hardest part) and then start swimming, Chiropractor, Deep Tissue Massage and something called GRASTON! Oh my dear it HurTs! It HuRt like HELL! Bike a few days, and finally a little run on the treadmill, now I'm running 8kms no pain!

I remember being here a lot, but my mind was just too loud!

I've been trying to decide if this is a great year or a crap year..... Why not a normal year? Why not say a year with ups and downs, a year that gave me experience and knowledge and the chance to grow as a Person! But come'on! That sounds to Dalai Lama! Don't get me wrong I love that dude! But I'm not Dalai Lama! It's very easy to be a positive person on Facebook or Twitter! But in real life sometimes  not always you can pull it off like that! I've been really sad when I can't train, I've been in a bad mood and making the effort to think about all the positive things that surround me, sometimes it works sometimes not so much, I realize how much a like to TRAIN, not for the sake of being super fast, just because I like to ride my bike, I like to Run and I like to swim. Before this events, I thought I was more on the competitive side of it, I love to compete too, but now I know that when I get old (Older) I will be happy with just Swim Bike & Run as long as my body enjoys it!

Jenson Button, Jano Soto, Jessica Michibata, Paola Soto at Suzuka Gp 2012

Oh My God! This would be a Pretty nice way to end this Blog!

But I can't :) I decided to go to Thailand anyway, I know I won't be on the shape I would like to, but I can't let go a trip to that Magical Place, the Afterparty with friends, the Sticky Mango Rice and Specially a trip with the Love of my Life!




So I guess it's like every training session, life situations good and bad, "Recover and Get back onto It"

See you in Thailand!

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