To finish a full distance triathlon 140.6miles (also known as an Ironman)  after receiving a Birmingham Hip Resurfacing. You might have two questions after reading that statement. First, being what is an Ironman and the other question might be what is a “Birmingham Hip Resurfacing?” Well in an attempt to answer both a B.H.R. for short is a type of hip replacement procedure where the subject undergoes a corrective resurfacing of the Femoral Head and the Hip Socket to reconstruct the joint using metal. An incision is made just below the glut muscle and rotates toward the front of the leg along the outside of the leg. From there the surgeon cuts the muscle fibers away and exposes the hip joint, dislocates the hip and trims away the deformed surface area of the femoral head as well as scoping the hip socket with a different type of drill bit. Once all the arthritic bone is removed a metal socket is put in place and held there by cement. Next the femoral head receives several holes and one deep vein which anchors’ the new metal cup that will cover the femoral head. The new joint is put into place and the muscles and tendons cut are sewn up and cauterized. There are videos available on YouTube Cartoon & “The real deal.” This procedure will be performed on Nov 15^th 2012 at HSS by Doctor David Mayman.

Now the easy part, defining an Ironman, well that is a distance of triathlon 140.6 miles in total consisting of 2.4mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and 26.2 mile run all three are done consecutively in that order. Currently I am registered for 70.3 or Half Ironman in Mont-Tremblant Canada on June 23^rd 2013. However I am beginning to think that might be too soon, as this will only provide me with a little more than 6months of recovery since surgery so the potential to complete the half distance is not in my favor, I don’t mind the odds being stacked against me but if the ultimate goal is the longevity of my new hip then I certainly do not want to rush back onto the circuit only to cause a crack or break in the Femoral neck that would require a revision or worse a replacement. My super reach goal would be to one day find myself on the Big Island of Hawaii for the IRONMAN world championships in October.

I would like to think this blog will be for motivational purposes beyond myself. It is possible that someone will find this information helpful in their decision to receive a BHR (Birmingham Hip Resurfacing) or to begin their own journey toward completing an Ironman. I find myself in a strange space between being able to train, race, and complete as a normal triathlete (albeit with lots of discomfort and hip pain) vs my peers who overcome so much more. In light of this hip issue I try to keep things in perspective and acknowledge those that suffer from diseases that will take them to the brink of existence. I am blessed to not have come back from the doctor’s with the big “C” so in terms of issues I might have to face mine are certainly different than the issues that others will or are facing.