January 1, New Year's Resolution: Become faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Sounds good, right? This is my rookie year as a licensed elite, and I want to turn some heads. What could possibly be a better reason to put off graduate school and growing up for a year?

Well, January has come and gone… so how's the New Year's Resolution? Let's just say that it was the perfect time of year to find some kryptonite, or as the medical field likes to call it, tendonitis. Yes, I developed patellar tendonitis, a rookie mistake without a doubt. I have foolishly neglected strength training, leaving my poor IT bands, glutes, and patellar tendon abused. If you are looking for a good butt-kicking workout, ask you favorite physical therapist or personal trainer for some good frontal plane strengthening exercises. My favorite, and most punishing, exercise so far in physical therapy is lateral lungs… sounds easy right? If you haven't done them in a while, give them a try and see how you feel the next day.

The moral of the story: you can run, bike, and swim like a crazy person, but unless you incorporate strength training into your regimen, your superhero New Year's Resolution is in danger of derailment. Thanks to prompt recognition and physical therapy, I am rapidly on the mend, ready to take on my resolution again.