Need to mix it up now

I haven't run since my 5K personal record on Sunday.  However, I played competitive volleyball on Sunday night.  Neither of those activities gave me a hint that I was injured.  Evidently I am.  Or something crazy is going on with my right hip flexor and IT band.   

We had a significant rain storm all day today so I went to RPAC (OSU's Recreation and Physical Activities Center) to run on the track that got me through my winter training.  I felt fine climbing the 4 flights of stairs to the track, but on the first step I knew I was in trouble.  I tried running a lap (1/8 mile) to loosen up, but I was limping badly.  So I stopped and stretched for about 10 minutes, focusing on hip flexor, IT band, and lower back.  I also did lunges.  My second running attempt wasn't any better.  So I got on a stationary bike located inside the track.

I have friends and family who think it's crazy that I can run half marathons but completely refuse to do any activity involving a cycle.  I know it's great cross training.  And I know most people think cycling is much easier than running.  I don't. 

I pedaled 2 miles in 11:20.  That's sad, I know: Many people can run that distance faster than I can cycle it.  At just 5 minutes, sweat was already pouring off me.  After the tortuous 2 miles, I went back to the track to try to run again.  No dice. So I walked a mile. Then I did the 2 miles on the bike again.  And another mile walk.

I finished up the workout in the weight room. I spent 30 minutes on arms, chest, abs, and back.  No leg work, though. 

After my crazy trifecta of running events (2 half marathons and a 5K in 3 weeks), I've been thinking I need to mix it up a little and add some other activities to my training.  I guess this injury forced the issue today. 

I should have hit the pool, but I was already in running clothes and it's been so long since I swam.  Since the bilateral mastectomy, swimming is so much different than before.  I used to be a pretty good swimmer and had a lot of upper-body strength.  Now it's tough to do even my favorite stroke, breaststroke.  Butterfly is impossible (not that I could do it well before the surgery, though).  I even get tired pretty quickly with freestyle and can't keep a straight line during backstroke.  I guess all those excuses should be reasons for starting to swim again instead of excuses not to do so.  Maybe.  Then there is the embarrassment of putting a flabby belly in a swim suit.  Oh yea, I guess that's another reason that is masquerading as an excuse.  Drats.