Injury Update

Yesterday I saw a Physical Therapist (PT) for the first time to evaluate and work on this groin injury. He said he can definitely tell there is swelling still in the area, nearly two weeks out. The treatment consisited of an evaluation then some light stretching (which at the beginning was not going to good). Then he had a massage therapist come in and that hurt but definitely helped. Then the PT came in with an ultrasound unit and some kind of topical creme. After 5 minutes with the ultrasound and the massage, I could tell a difference. The PT then repeated the stretching from before. I would say my range of motion was at least 40% improved! I was very surprised at the difference. After he was finished I asked if they had any stationary bikes because I wanted to ride for a few minutes and test it out. I went 10 minutes at a steady effort with no pain!!!! I have appointments for MWF of next week. I hope to really train some next week. No hard efforts, but I need to get moving some. I think that being ready for the Greenville race in August is a real possiblity.

Hy-Vee Triathlon

I just got to watch the 2009 Hy-vee ITU triathlon on my TiVo yesterday. The ITU style is different from anything I have ever raced because the bike is draft-legal. In many ways I am not a huge fan of the format, but it does give an opportunity for some great finishes.

This year's elite men had a 6 man pack of some of the best runners in the sport coming in the last mile. It was a very technical approach in the last few hundred meters and Simon Whitfield pulled ahead just enough to take the $200,000 purse. Not a bad payday!

If you missed it, there is a highlight video on http://www.triathlon.org/

Warning...graphic image ahead!

I'll make this a two part blog. Part 1: Peru Mission Trip

Last week was my 2nd trip to Peru in the last 5 years. Julie got to come as well which was awesome! (See pic below with our friend Lidman) We have been working with a people group decended from the Inca Indians in an area around Chupa, Peru (in the Puno region on Lake Arapa). They were basically considered an un-reached people group when we arrived. Today, there are at least four well-established home churches and we think around 300 believers. We had 14 people (6 from our church and 8 from New Life Baptist in Union, SC). This was a very big group for this kind of trip. There were only 5 of us on my first journey. Our purpose is simple: we tell people about Jesus and train up leaders in the local churches. No building churches, giving food or clothing...nothing that will cause a vacuum when we finally leave the area.

Our plan was to visit all the local churches in the Chupa area to encourage them and build up leaders. The travel itenerary is to fly to Lima, then to Juliaca, then drive to Chupa. We made it to within 30 minutes of Chupa and the town of Arapa decided we weren't going any further. They had set up a roadblock and "encouraged" us to turn around with rocks, 2x4's and fire. (There was talks of a transportation strikes nation-wide that fizzled out, but apparently they didn't get the message...or they were just bored). We agreed and headed back to Juliaca!

Long-story, short: we got connected with a local church in Juliaca that were already planning on working in Chupa! We spent a lot of time with the leaders in that church. Our pastor friend Julio taught them AWANA, we fellowshiped and worshiped with them, and we all came away very encouraged. The best thing is that this church is only 2 hours away from Chupa and can work very closely, whereas we only come four times a year. God's plan is always better than ours!

Part two: Triathlon training disaster and graphic image.

I know you can't resist looking for the graphic image! On the mission trip we were playing soccer with the locals in a plaza and I pulled my groin like nothing I've ever done before. I could not walk at all for about an hour and then I hobbled around doped up on 800mg of Ibuprofen at a time. It is pretty serious and still hurts to walk five days later. After two days a massive bruise showed up and moved down my leg. (see pic) I don't know how long this will put me down, but I'm not even considering doing anything until next week and then I'll take it day by day. The only up-side is that there is not another Setup Events race for me for 6 weeks. Maybe by then I can at least race. I might not train any between now and then though!!!