Haley's campaign for idiot of the year

For years I've campaigned that Texas, especially the Galveston/Houston area should have an iron distance triathlon and when they got one, I'd do it. I just didn't expect it would be now in the midst of major life changes and one of the biggest injuries I've had in my life.

I have a little less than 5 months left on my military contract and see the light at the end of the tunnel: getting my life back. I returned back from my deployment in Iraq at the end of April with a small compression fracture in my femoral neck (upper big leg bone for the non-medical types). I have been on crutches since the last week of March/end of April (3 full months and counting) and hope to be off them soon. When I do get off them, I will progress to using a cane, physical therapy, then walking and running! So the last 2 months I've learned to love the pool again. Until I'm cleared to train, I shall swim. And swim. And swim until I get sick of the pool (getting pretty close).

I'm in the running for idiot of the year as I have no idea how long my healing will take and my progression into training again will be slow to say the least, yet, I still dropped the money to register for this race. How I will manage to be comfortable enough on the bike for 112 miles is beyond me. I am confident I can walk a marathon if I have to.

Since my triathlon career has been on hold due to my erratic military life, I started CrossFit after I moved to DC, about a year and a half ago. Once I heal and am cleared to train again, I will be following a controversial training "plan" that is based on CrossFit principles and not hours and hours on end of riding and running. Probably not the smartest decision as I'm horribly out of shape, but it'll be an interesting experiment.

This year will see me healing from my physical injuries, accepting "normal" life post-deployment, separating from the Army and trying to integrate back into the civilian world this fall, moving across the country and trying to pull off an Ironman. Read: enough on your plate to make you crazy.

I couldn't ask for better friends to share this journey with and am terribly excited to be coming back to Texas. I've missed my friends and being closer to family. They all have supported me in ways I could not imagine during my 4 years in the Army. I never thought we'd still be this good of friends, as life often takes you in crazy directions. It moves me to tears to think of all the phone calls, packages and genuine concern they've shown, especially while I was in Iraq and when I got injured. (side note: since when did I become such a crybaby?)

So, I shall use this to document me trying to train with limited abilities and overwhelming life hurdles that are coming at me fast.
Hang on!

Gig 'em,

Haley