Another Setback On My Road Back

by Antonio Vega on May 23, 2012

Hopefully, you noticed and may even have been disappointed in the gap in my blog last month. The reason for the lack of a blog from me was I—unfortunately--had another major setback in my training. Just when I thought I was getting back into racing shape, I had to undergo another hip operation to repair the labrum on my other hip. That was the hip, which at one point, I called my “good hip.”

But that was not to be. Even so, I am still training and looking forward to putting this all behind me--eventually. As you can imagine, it has been difficult to deal with.

Because of my latest operation, my running has had to take a back seat to my wife Jen’s.  My new role is as her support crew as she is training for the Grandma’s Marathon in June.

She’s a busy woman because, in addition to her training, she is finishing up her second year of medical school. Despite the long hours she puts in at school, she has been running up to 90 miles a week on top of the eight hours of studying she does every day. Needless to say, Jen is one of the most determined individuals I know.  

My role in her training has been part coach, water boy and even baby sitter (for Jen’s training partner). She has been such a big part of my training routine that I am happy to reciprocate even if it means getting up at 5:30 in the morning to bike along with her on a 22-mile long run and carry fluids for her.  Or to time Jen and her training partner at certain points on their long runs.

With Grandma’s just a month away and the last of her long runs in the bag, I am looking forward to standing on the marathon course in Duluth and play the role of cheerleader as she goes after a big PR. Whether Jen runs well or not at Grandma’s, I will have at least played a big part in her journey from start to finish. 

As for my running, I am still confident that I will be back training and racing in the near future. I am just as determined as ever, even if it means shifting my goals to further down the road. Nevertheless, I am thankful that I only have two hips and that both are as good as new.