Tough Choices...

So, went to see a physio today..  It wasn't the worst news, but definitely wasn't the best either. In a nutshell, absolutely no running for at least a month, and my shins and lower leg muscles are in very bad shape. There is bone stress too. He will give me masses of strengthening exercises, and see how it goes.

As he said, his (and my) main concern is the time frame we have. In 8 weeks time I'm meant to be doing Ironman Majorca 70.3. I know I can do that, even with not running for a month the fitness I've built from cycling/swimming will carry me through. But... if I do go for that race, and my legs aren't fully healed, I run the risk of buggering up the Outlaw.  My coach suggested today that I could walk the marathon, and that I could just get through it. But that has made me wonder if I want to..

Fair enough, I'm not the worlds greatest athlete, and nor do I expect to be, but do I want to go into the biggest athletic challenge of my life hoping to just 'get through it' ? To me that would put doubt in my mind from the start. The whole time I'd be dreading the marathon, wondering if I'd be able to finish it. My fears are there now, never mind then! And that is without how I'd be after, I do actually want to be able to walk!
I want to look back on this experience and treasure it, remember it for good reasons, not look back and think, 'I wish I hadn't done it'. I want to be on that start line with the knowledge that my mind and body are in the best shape they can be for me to succeed. Not to be thinking 'what if'.

So.. IF I'm ok and fit by May do I do Majorca and take the risk of getting injured
again? Do I do the Outlaw anyway and just 'get through'?  Or do I put the dream on hold until next year.

I guess I can't do anything until 30 days time when I know if my legs are ok. I'll be devastated if I have to pull out, but I'm not going to jeopardise the experience I want to have through impatience either. I want to do it properly, and I want to do it well.

Going to the Triathlon Show tomorrow anyway, that should make me feel a bit better. Even got a packed lunch! Road trip, road trip! :)