Exactly Where I'm Meant to Be

It’s funny.  I have a running/tri friend, who I have now known for over 7 years.  She cracks me up with her witty, sarcastic humor.  We are both training for this crazy 70.3 and one day our conversation turned to why we do triathlons.  I mean, WTH? Waking up at insane hours only to run or ride for hours on end? 

Why???

We joked, why couldn’t we be the women who play bunco?  Why not give up tri and join a book club?  You know, women sitting around someone’s living room or dining room?  Sipping wine and snacking on the new Tastefully Simple dip?  Gossiping and sharing stories about the kids?  Those types of activities seem far more sane than the early hours, the sore muscles, the sweat, the tears, the gels, the muscle cramps, GI issues.

But wait! I realized something...

I realized I’d miss out on riding 40 hilly miles with an awesome group of athletes, then commiserating afterwards about how slow we went up that final, shitty hill.  I’d miss the feel of speeding downhill at 30 mph with the wind in my face and the feeling of freedom that comes along with it.  I’d miss cracking up laughing as my friends and I step into a freaking cold lake, squealing like a bunch of school girls.  Or, cracking up laughing as we hit a nasty patch of Hydrilla in the lake and freak out mid-stroke.  I’d miss out on the gory details of someone’s GI issue during a 22-mile run…because trust me,  when you run with a group of women for 5 months, you cover pretty much every topic during those hours and miles.  I’d miss the sense of satisfaction that comes along with accomplishing a new goal – that longest run, the most miles ever on a bike, the calm open water swim.  I’d miss the confidence and the feeling of “Hey! If I can do that, I can do pretty much anything!” after running a marathon (I can only imagine how much more amazing it would feel after an Ironman or Ultra). I’d miss out on the nutrition discussions - what is better pre-race, a bagel and almond butter, steel cut oats or Pop-Tarts?   And I’d miss out on the fashion discussions centering around the best compression socks, instead of Jimmy-Choos.

And sure, I’d miss out on the lack of sleep, the sore muscles, the nagging aches, the Gu-induced tummy issues.

I’d miss out on feeling tough. Strong.

I don’t mean to be critical of women who are in book clubs or have bunco groups, I’ve actually wanted to attend the ones in my neighborhood.  I love any kind of girl time!  (Of course, a workout of some kind always gets in the way.)  But then I realized something else - I am exactly where I want to be. 

Challenging myself to be a little faster, to go a little farther, to be a little stronger. 

I love it.

Fall down seven times...

...get up eight. 
~ Japanese Proverb

No, I haven't literally fallen down.  However, there have been some humbling moments along the way in my recent training.  As a result, I am pulling out all the inspirational sayings I can find and working on having lots of positive thoughts.



One of my favorites...

BIKING LESSONS
The Hubs and I drove the bike course of my upcoming 70.3.  Sure, the Hubs had commented a few times on the "rolling hills", but didn't make it sound too terrible.  Driving the course provided me with a lot of "Holy Crap!" moments.  Yes, there are HILLS on the course.  As in ONE AFTER THE OTHER HILLS.  Needless to say, I became less afraid of the swim and scared shitless more concerned about the bike.  Up until that drive, I had only been training in the safety of a nice, flat neighborhood near my house.

In order to get some time on hills, I participated in a supported  bike ride sponsored by my tri group and another local tri group.  Since it was a "recovery week" on the schedule, my training friend and I opted for the 30-mile route.  (There were 50 and 70-mile options as well.)  Since I hadn't been on a hilly route in well, a couple of years, this was probably a wise decision.  The route was on country roads and was very hilly.  On the way out, I felt pretty good.  The wind was minimal and the downhills were fun.  Climbing uphill was challenging, but I survived. On the way back, it sucked was not as fun.  Coming back, the route was a net uphill and we had a headwind.  The downhills were slower, resulting in not as much momentum when heading back uphill.  Getting uphill was frustrating at times.



They don't call it Chappell HILL for nothing!

I learned all about using my small ring (something I've never had to use before) and I learned quickly that yes, you can run out of gears!  I headed downhill at almost 30 mph at times and uphill at a humiliating 7 mph (toward the end of the route). The route ended up being a little over 39 and left me wondering how in the hell I was going to add an additional 17 miles to that on race day.  Because of this experience, I will probably be riding less in the flat neighborhood near my house and riding more on a somewhat more challenging course until race day.  I did feel better after talking to a few other riders...they confirmed that yes, it had been a challenging ride.  Whew, and I thought I was just being a wuss!

SWIM LESSONS
I have been growing more confident in my swim abilities.  I'm still slow and have a lot of room for improvement, but considering where I came from when I started this triathlon craziness, I've come a long way!  I have been swimming longer distances than ever before, swimming more days per week and even had a very calm open water swim at my last tri.  Awesome, right?

Maybe not.  My tri group was going to be participating in the Snapping Tortuga swim race.  Even though I had reservations and anxiety about signing up for a swim race, I decided to go for it.  I needed open water swim practice.  The distances to choose from were 500m, 2.5k and 5k.  Since there was also going to be a swim clinic right after the race and an opportunity to swim more, I only signed up for the 500m. 

THANK GOD! 

A cool front blew through the night before, so it was quite windy, causing very choppy conditions on race day.  I rode to the race with a friend I made through my tri group.  When we arrived, the athletes swimming the 2.5k and 5k distances were already swimming.  Not long after we arrived, a woman was being brought back to shore on a boat.  I heard her comment on the horrible conditions.  Still, plenty of people were swimming the distance and thought, "how bad could it really be?"  I felt my heart rate go up just looking out at the white caps in the water.  On a happier note, I did run into some friends while waiting for my race to start.  Chatting with everyone helped keep my mind off the choppy water for awhile.



Don't let the pretty water and blue skies fool you...

Finally, after some uncertainty about where to check in and finally getting signed in, it was time for  us to start.  There were only about 15 of us swimming the 500 meter race.  I felt fairly calm when we started, but after only a few minutes, I got my first slap of water in the face. And in my nose. And in my mouth.  The result?  A lot of coughing and a lot of freak out.  A man in a kayak made his way over and I held on for a minute.  I tried to start swimming again, but the damage had been done - my heart rate was out of control and mentally, I just could not remain calm.  I clung to the kayak again.  Finally, I started forward - swimming, side stroking, back stroking, whatever.  A single thought came into my head - "I can't!" 

After feeling like I was getting nowhere, I made my way back towards the shore.  This part should have been much easier, because I was now going with the current and chop.  But I just could not pull it together!  The man in the kayak stayed close the entire time, telling me that I was doing fine and that I only had only x number of meters to go.  He even reassured me that I was not alone, there were a few others out there...even a couple behind me.  I saw a woman ahead of me with a kayak staying close.  Ugh, I think I was doing pretty much everything BUT swimming.  When I finally made it to shore (and I cut the course short), I felt pretty terrible.  Embarrassed.  Humiliated.  Frustrated.  I turned around to see another woman holding onto a kayak that was bringing her to shore.  They say that misery loves company and I'll be honest in saying that I felt better knowing that I wasn't the only one who had major issues in the water.

The swim clinic had started, so I listened to the information and then donned my wetsuit.  I really wanted to cry or better yet, leave! But I managed to suck it up...and I had a friend riding with me, so I couldn't exacly bail.  :-)  I kept thinking, "Why in the hell is this so freaking hard for me?".  But nonetheless, I was going to try this again dammit!  The course for the clinic was only 300 meters...surely, I could handle that. 

Right off, I knew the wetsuit was not going to work for me.  I've hated it from day one and suspected that it was a size too small.  I ended up getting out of the water and taking the wetsuit off. 

I swam 300. 

It wasn't pretty and I stopped a couple of times on the way out to compose myself.  I'm sure my coaches were wondering what the hell I was doing and how I was going to survive race day!  Luckily, coming in was easier, since we were going with the current.  Whew, not great but better. 

After a short rest, I did it again.  On this one, the chop bothered me more on the way out, but coming back in was better.  I had decided not to try another loop, but then changed my mind.  (Big thanks to my tri-friend who was there with me. She was very encouraging and was having an awesome swim.) I did one more loop - still not great, but a million times better than the other ones.  At least the day had ended on a more positive note.  I still left feeling a bit defeated, but also happy that I had not given up.  I know that I am more than capable of covering the half-ironman swim distance.  It's just a matter of getting my brain to believe it!  Stupid brain.

As you can see, the past couple of weeks have been interesting. I keep telling myself to learn from these experiences, that they are making me stronger both mentally and physically.  I will definitely be working on visualizing race day for all three components and working on more positive self-talk over the next few weeks!  The words "I can't" will be removed from my vocabulary from here on out.  They have to be.

Have you had any "I can't" moments in your race training?  What did you do to overcome them?







The Good, The Bad and The Hideous

Since I am "resting" my hip until my 18-miler on Saturday, I don't have workouts to bore you with blog about.  So, I thought I would re-cap the year's races with some race photos.

Let's just say that these are "the best of the worst" race photos taken in 2011.  Let me also add that I rarely feel that any of my race photos are purchase worthy.  For some reason, I am totally and completely oblivious of the race photographer until the very last second and by then, they've already captured me.  At my worst.  Not that it matters, because even when I do see them and try to smile or give a thumbs up to the camera, I managed to look utterly ridiculous - I am slouching -or- I look as if I am walking -or- even worse, I look as if I'm standing still -or- my face is bright red.  You get the idea.

So, here are some lovely race pics in all their glory...

In January at the Aramco Houston 1/2 Marathon.  I enjoy running with my eyes closed, it adds to the challenge.  And the way my hand is fisted up, I look like I am marching along singing, "Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to jog I go..."  It was warm and humid that day.  Bad picture, but I did PR (barely).

This is from the Livestrong Austin 1/2 Marathon in February.  It was warm, humid and hilly.  The picture isn't horrendous, but I just love that my face is BRIGHT red.  I am only smiling because I am at the finish.

This is at the CB&I Triathlon in May.  I was super proud of my PR (especially on the 5k run), but my form needs serious help!  Love the slouchy shoulders, the flappy left hand and the loveliness that is spandex.  Don't you just love how spandex manages to show off every curve - especially the ones the shouldn't be there?

This is me at Bridgeland in August.  It was HOT and my hair looks supa HAWT in it's Predator dreadlock look.  Seriously, it's not long enough for a ponytail, but not short enough to stay tame...what's a girl to do?

This one was taken at the Ten for Texas in October.  A my running peeps and I decided to get our 20-miler in on this day, so ran 10-miles before the 10-mile race. It was warm and humid.  This is my attempt at looking cool for the picture.  Next time, I won't even bother.

This is also from the Ten for Texas, but at the finish line.  I do like that the photographer captured both my feet off the ground for the first time EVER, but the look on my face clearly says, "Get this shiznit over with already!" (and yes, my hand is flapping)

Ah yes, the NYC Marathon.  Can we say hello Stevie Wonder!?!? I just called, to say, I love you.......Oh, and there's that flappy left hand again, not sure what's up with that.  Maybe it's trying to play the piano?

And these aren't even my worst photos...these aren't from 2011, but I've noticed that some of the worst are pics are those taken when I am coming out of the water.

This is my 1st season of triathlons in 2009 and I just have that "Thank you baby Jesus, I can't believe I survived that swim!  Geeze, it seemed so much longer than 300 yds! Hallelujah, I didn't die!" look on my face.

This is me coming out of the water at the 2010 Trigirl Sprint Triathlon. Again, I have a look of relief that I am still alive, but this time I closed my eyes.  You know, to add to the challenge.

So that's it from me today, hope you had a chuckle or two at my expense.  Have a wonderful Friday!!!

Peas in Pants

As I mentioned in my previous post, Coach graciously removed the swim and bike workouts from my schedule this week. Yes, I feel like a slouch, but it’s so much better than being an over-stressed mess. And, I know I mentioned my uncertainty with the heart-rate training, but ultimately I’ve decided to trust the Coach.

I headed out on Monday’s 4-miler in the evening and stayed within my Zone 2 heart rate like a good girl. While I was running, I noticed that the upper part of my right leg felt kind of tight and stiff, but I just figured it was because 1) I was wearing my Brooks shoes and they may be getting up there in mileage, 2) Since it was nighttime, I was on the sidewalk which at times can be a little uneven and wonky (there’s more traffic at night than at stupid-thirty) and 3) I was trying to count my strides and get to ~22 per 15 seconds (I am still trying to get used to this and it doesn't quite feel comfortable yet). I only made it to ~3.5 of the 4 miles, because I could see lightening in the distance and it seemed to be getting closer. I noticed that my hip was sore not long after my run, but I dismissed it thinking it was just a flukey thing that would go away by the morning.


Tuesday was supposed to be a rest day, but it’s slow at work due to the holidays, so I snuck off to spin class during lunch. The hip was still bothering me, but it didn’t seem any worse after spin class.

Wednesday, I was up at stupid thirty for my 6-mile tempo run. Hooray for tempo runs!!!! I *heart* tempo runs! And, my friend Julie was meeting me for my final 3 miles, so that was nice. The hip felt sore at first, but once I got going, I just kind of forgot about it and focused on staying in my tempo pace race (9:59 – 10:15). But, once I made it home and started getting ready for work, the hip was feeling bad. I took an Aleve and went on about my day. Then, I had to run a little to catch the bus home…I think the Aleve had worn off, because I definitely felt the hip after that. After I made it home, I grabbed the bag of frozen peas and stuffed them into my sweat pants! Sometimes frozen peas are a girl’s best friend!  And yes, the kids looked at me like I was crazy.  Maybe I am.

Last night we had some crazy rain storms, complete with thunder and lightening. While I can often sleep through these storms, my kids cannot…and when the kids are awake, Mommy and Daddy are awake! When my alarm clock went off, I could still hear the rain and thunder, so no 7-miler for me. This is probably for the best, because the hip is still feeling sore and I am thinking I should rest it until Saturday’s 18-miler.

And, speaking of Saturday's 18-miler...everyone I usually run with (a/k/a the people who also run as slow as me) are running on Friday.  I have to work on Friday, so I won't be able to run until Saturday.  My original plan was to run 8 on my own on Saturday, then meet up with my running group peeps for their scheduled 10-miler.  Now I am thinking that I might just run the 18 in my neighborhood. It's boring, but I know I can get it done!  And, after 18-miles, I should be able to eat as much as I want during our Christmas Eve celebration with the Hubby's family!

How are your workouts going during the holidays so far?  Are you going to try to get a workout in on Christmas Eve?

All I want for Christmas...

Oprah used to do the "My Favorite Things" episode every year. Well, this is my version...which also might help anyone who is looking for a gift for the runner in their life.

Holiday gift ideas...

Have a runner who always seems to look cute and sporty at the same time? They might like some of the goods at Ink n Burn.  If skirts are their thing, check out Skirt Sports or Running Skirts.com.  Cute headbands?  Check out Sweaty Bands!

This is one of my favorites - the pink 2010 Run or Die shirt

Have a runner who likes to run at night or in the wee hours of the morning?  Check out these fun stick-on reflective decals from Flashbrite.

See, I told you they were cute!

Not into reflective decals, but you want to something other than the traditional blinky light?  How about a cool LCD arm-band from Nite Beams?  They come in a variety of colors, too!

Naturally, I love the pink one!

While on the topic of safety-related items, how about a Road ID?  Having one of these items is never a bad idea...just in case...

How about jewelry?  These designs from Finish Line Charms will both show off your runner's accomplishments and help them keep their eye on the prize.  These are great for triathletes, too!

I want one of these after my 70.3!

Does your runner have a great collection of medals, but have no place to put them?  Why not help him/her show off their bling with one of the awesome medal hangers from Allied Metal Displays?

This is one of my favorites!

Okay, this is going to sound lame, but it makes a great stocking stuffer - gels or other nutrition.  Let's face it, every endurance athlete will have to stock up on this stuff at some point...and it does add up!  Why not find  out their favorite product and buy some!

This is my personal favorite!

Another great stocking stuffer....socks!  Really!  I can't be the only one who finds that their dryer eats their expensive running socks on a regular basis.  And these bad boys can really add up!   But, we runners can be very particular about the socks we use, so be sure you've done your homework and know what works best for your runner!

My personal favorite - Feetures Light No Show

And finally, what runner wouldn't love a little shopping spree?   Why not give a gift card?  Back in the day, gift cards were thought to be impersonal and cold…now days, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t mind getting a gift card!

The perfect gift...especially when you're not sure what to buy!

What's on your Christmas list this year?

Vacation time to get away...or run errands

Happy, happy, joy, joy! I used a vacation day today and that always makes me happy. What doesn’t make me happy is being given large window of time for a repairman to come (i.e. sometime between 8 am and 5 pm). Yes folks, don’t get too excited – this was not a “fun” vacation day, this was a “sit around the house waiting for the GE dude to show up” day. Part of me wanted him to take his time getting to my house – that would give me an excuse to sit around and relax (something I rarely do). I mean, the house was clean, the dishwasher empty, the laundry done…I really could just do nothing.

Right.

I am super sure I could have come up with 150 miscellaneous projects – for example, I still need to address Christmas cards, the Kiddo has a mountain of art projects that I need to go through, I could have organized the playroom, blogged, wrapped Christmas gifts, worked on our budget, etc. Unfortunately (and fortunately), I never had the time to be lazy or start a project, because GE dude was at my house by 9:30 am and I was out running a zillon errands before 10 am. Really, a zillon.

Here’s what I accomplished on my day off:

Kroger - What can I say? The only reason I stopped here was for the Starbucks. Bad news - the line was super long, not sure what was up with that! Good news - I had a a coupon for a free drink - yay me!

ACE Hardware – I needed stamps and they have a post office in there with an uber-friendly worker. Bad news – they were out of stamps. Good news – they have an awesome gift area and I found gifts for the Kiddo’s teachers. Bad news – I spent way too much time looking at all the goodies. Good news – hey, the teacher’s gift is done.

Alterations place – had to pick up 2 pairs of pants. One pair needed a new zipper and one (brand freaking new) pair was coming apart at the seam in the rear (not good). Good news – I made it in and out of the store quickly. Bad news – I realized this morning that they did not repair the seam in that one pair of pants…grrr!

Dry Cleaners – Not much to say about this. Bad news – this particular place is expensive. Good news – I had a coupon (yay me!) and they do a great job!

Wal-Mart – Had to take back a pair of cheapie sweat pants I bought for the Munchkin. They were perfect for leaving swim class on cooler days, but they were too small. Bad news – they were out of his size. Good news – I managed to get a number of other items I needed (but probably didn’t really need...maybe this falls into the bad category, too?)

Swim Shops of the Southwest – Oh my gosh! This was my 1st time visiting this place and it’s paradise for all things swim. Since I am actually using a coach and doing “real” swim workouts, I figured I needed to get my own swim gear and stop trying to borrow the Hubby’s stuff. (Sharing doesn’t work so well when we need to swim on the same days.) Good news – I walked out with fins, a kickboard, paddles, and a cool new TYR bag (LOVE IT!). Plus, I picked up my tri-team technical shirt and swim cap! I can’t wait for my next swim workout! Well, almost. Bad news – I spent way too much time and money on said swim gear, when I really only went there to pick up my team shirt/cap. Good news - I have some new toys and there is less and less for the Hubby to buy me for Christmas.

Isn't this bag AWESOME? I *heart* it!

• THE MALL – I feel like those words should be followed with some really suspenseful music, “dum, dum, duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum”. In my opinion, anyone braving THE MALL this close to Christmas is just plain crazy. And yes, that includes me. I am quite the list maker and knew exactly what I was going there to pick up – gift for one nephew, gift for sister-in-law, pick up bracelet being repaired (for me), find Christmas dress for Kiddo. Oh, and do not stop at the Great American Cookie Co. Good news – I accomplished everything except for one thing, I did not leave with a dress for the Kiddo. I decided I’d rather take her along and let her pick out what she really wants. Bad News – I have to go back to the mall with the kiddo.

• Kohl’s – this was just a last minute stop to see if they had any cute holiday dresses in stock or if their holiday decorations were on sale. Good news – I didn’t buy a single thing. Bad news – I didn’t buy a single thing, because the lines were extremely long and I just wanted to get home.

Once I was home I hopped on the bike trainer for my 1 hour ride. I had rented a movie, Larry Crowne, just in case I was stuck at home all day waiting for the GE dude. So, I watched the movie while I rode the bike. Oh, and I forgot to mention…I still woke up pretty close to stupid thirty to get my 7-mile run out of the way. It was only supposed to be 3 miles (with my 7 miler was scheduled for tomorrow), but I decided to take advantage of not having to rush home to get ready for work and do the longer distance today.

So much for a relaxing day at home! Oh, and I still need to address Christmas cards, go through the Kiddo’s art projects, organize the playroom, wrap Christmas gifts, work on our budget, and buy stamps! Who am I kidding? I like to be on the go and constantly busy...maybe that's why I like training for races so much. Of course, a little break now and then is always nice.

Do you manage to find time to relax and take it easy? Or, do you feel like you are constantly on the go?

Haiku Humpday

Feeling a little silly today during my slow run. I know a lot of people have "Wordless Wednesday" or "Thankful Thursday", which is cool. I decided to go a different route in an attempt to reach out to my creative side, so I've created "Haiku Humpday". Here's my 1st attempt (also created while running this morning)...

Filled with Glee today.
New running shoes make me smile.
Thank you Saucony.

Feel free to write and send your Haiku to me and it might just get posted next week! (Otherwise you might have to read more of my drivelpoems)

Randomness

This post is filled with lots of random stuff…

The Decision:
I have made my decision and informed the Coach – I am going to run the Houston Marathon and do the Texas 70.3. Going back and forth trying to make the decision was painful. Once the decision was made, I was happy as a clam again. So…things are going to get very busy between now and April 1, but that’s okay. I am ready for the craziness challenge!

The Workouts:
Here’s what I’ve been up to since NYC (because I have to keep track – I am OCD about that):

Saturday, 11/12 – 6 miles – 11 min pace
This was my 1st run since NYC and it was a slow, painful run. I felt like someone beat me up, or at least my legs. Everything was a bit sore and creaky – my left hip felt weird, my right IT band was achey and I just felt all blah. Guess that’s to be expected, right?

Sunday, 11/13 - 30 minute Bike
Just easing back into the biking and loosening up the legs.

Monday. 11/14 – 3 miles – 10:45 pace
Just keepin’ things slow and easy. Felt better than Saturday’s run.

Wednesday, 11/16 – 4 miles, 10:20 pace
Legs feeling better and I met up with runner peep, Julie for 3 of the 4 miles.

Thursday, 11/17 – 3 miles, 9:57 pace
That’s more like it. Cooler temps helped a lot too!

Saturday, 11/19 -10 miles, 10:50 pace
Warm, muggy and just plain nasty running weather. The 10 felt pretty good otherwise, but slow.

Sunday, 11/20 - Bike, 1 hour (15 mph)
It felt great to be back out on the bike. I forgot how much I enjoy biking. However, it's been awhile and that was very apparent in my endurance level!

Monday, 11/21 - Easy run, 3 miles
Taking the advice from Coach, I ran this 3-miler super easy. At least I think it was, I forgot to charge my Garmin so I have no idea of the pace. Very warm, very muggy - yuck!

Tuesday, 11/21 - Easy run, 2.25 miles, 10:40 pace
Almost as soon as I started running, it went from light drizzle to actual rain drops. Luckily, it eased up pretty quickly, but would continue to alternate between drizzle and actual rain the entire time. I was carrying my cell phone and worried that it would get too wet, so I cut this run a bit short.

The Food Challenges:
I typically fall off the healthy eating wagon for a week after a race. In this case, it’s been over 2 weeks and I am still not back to it. Ugh, we made a dessert when my parents came over for dinner recently, then the Kiddo’s birthday party was on Saturday and we had a lot of leftover cupcakes, and now Thanksgiving! Ack! And, it doesn’t help when I come to work ready to eat my Greek yogurt and fruit and a co-worker says, “I brought you a muffin” or “I brought us some breakfast tacos”. Ugh, damn you co-workers for being thoughtful and nice! And, my kiddo’s birthday actually falls on Thanksgiving, so on top of all the other bad stuff on Thursday, there is also going to be more CAKE! I may need an intervention next week..you know, someone to get in my face and tell me to back away from the crap food. Either that or a serious detox.

The Anniversary:
I just want to say Happy 14th Anniversary to my awesome, amazing Hubby! He is a great hubby and a wonderful father. He puts up with my type-A personality and my triathlon/running obsession and should get a medal just for that alone. He’s the best!

Pot smokers and Stupid-Thirty

In my circle of running peeps we often use the term “dark-thirty” when referring to our pre-dawn group runs. Usually, those runs begin at 5:30 or 6:00 am. With my training/work/commute schedule, I am forced to get out the door anytime between 4:00 am and 4:45 am in order to be back home by 5:15 am to get myself and the kids ready for the day. From this point forward, I will now refer to this time as “stupid-thirty”.

Why?

Because it’s just effing stupid to workout at this time. Really.

And yes, that really is my alarm clock!

But yet I continue to do it. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, and all that malarkey....it's either stupid-thirty, do mind-numbing loops around the indoor track during lunch or treadmill during lunch or after work. (And let me tell you, I got a lot of crap about attempting speedwork on the dreadmill a few years ago.) All of the options can work, but for me it's just easier to get out there 1st thing in the morning, because crap happens throughout the day that sometimes makes it hard to get in a quality workout later.

Tuesday, July 26 – Run (speedwork) and Ab Ripper X
As always with me, the word “speed” is relative. It really means, “still slow, but not as friggin slow as usual”. I don’t have access to a lighted track in the early morning and typically can’t make it to the track until after dark in the evenings, so I usually do my speed work around the neighborhood with my Garmin set to beep at whatever intervals I want to do. This time around I decided on 400s, mainly because it’s been forever since I’ve done any type of speedwork. 400s seemed obtainable. I also decided that rather than venture throughout the entire neighborhood, I would stay in our little block. This would allow me to stop and grab water as I passed our house and to not have to carry my hand held bottle.

Overall, I think the workout went well. I hit my goal pace during my speed intervals, but the only problem is that I was so freaking winded that I felt inclined to walk a bit after each one, instead of just slowing down the pace to a slow jog. The result was pretty much the same overall pace that I’ve had for my regular runs.

Oh, and on my second loop around the block, I noticed that there was now a car parked along the curb in front of a house. Hmmmm, that wasn't there the 1st time I ran by....and, there were two teenage guys sitting in the car, Judging by the looks on their faces, I definitely startled them. And I smelled a little sumfin’ funny as I ran by…seriously dooooods, it’s 4:30 am for pete’s sake! I guess anytime is a good time to get your party on, lol! It kinda reminded me of these dudes:

After the kiddos went to bed, I did the ol’ Ab Ripper X. All part of my master plan to get a ripped core.

Do you do speedwork? Do you do it on a track, on the dreadmill? What's your favorite interval?

Strep - take 2

Remember how I mentioned a sore throat on Sunday?

Yep.

Strep throat. again. That would be 2x in 2 months. This coming from someone who never had strep before last month. Ever.

Another small setback. This is getting really old. The sore throat, the aches, and well, just feeling like crap in general is no fun.

So, I'll be a good girl and take a couple of days off. Okay, maybe three. I think I didn't give myself enough rest (as in none) last time I had strep, so this time I will be a little more cautious. I will take it easy and maybe try to run on Friday, then rest on Saturday...afterall, I have that 55-mile ride at Katy Flatland on Sunday! It's paid for and I've been looking forward to it, so I better be rid of all the sickies by then.

Yeah, yesterday's bike/strength training and today's run/swim ain't happening. Bummer!

STS-135

The final shuttle launch is this morning at 10:26 central. Gather your families, co-workers, whatever and watch it!

5 days and counting...

I have 5 days until I have reached the 6 week mark after the lovely toe incident. 5 days until I can run again!!! I am a little nervous though. I won't lie - the toe still hurts. I tried to wear normal shoes to work last week - flats, not heels though - and my toe hurt like heck by noon.

I know that I am not "staying off my foot" as much as the doc might like. Hell, I work downtown! I have to walk to and from the bus stop, I have to walk 3 blocks to get lunch, I have to walk to other people's offices, not to mention that I have two small kids to chase around. I have to walk 10 miles in the snow, barefoot...you get the idea.

So, here's to hoping that I can run again with minimal pain. Here's to hoping my endurance isn't completely gone - swimming, biking and strength training can only do so much. Here's to hoping that ramping up the mileage again won't be too horrible...okay, that one's wishful thinking because it is Houston and it is summer! Here's to hoping that I can train hard for Bridgeland and have another pace PR! Here's to hoping that I am ready to train for NYC!!!

Grumpy

Even the Kiddo called me grumpy the other day. Between having strep and the stupid toe, I had not had a proper workout in almost 3 days.

Yes, I am grumpy.

I’ve also been grumpy, because DH and I have been extremely indecisive about whether or not we’re running Disney in January. I am probably the most indecisive person around, but at the same time, I hate hanging in the balance and not knowing what we’re doing. Actually, I know that I want to do it, but I have yet to get the hubby to decide…and he’s the one who came up with this idea in the first place. If we do decide to go, I will do the Goofy Challenge and he will do either the half or the full (or maybe even Goofy as well).

I guess this indecisiveness makes me grumpy because I am the family’s CFO…I need to know how to plan! There’s a lot going on between now and Disney – NYC Marathon trip, Kiddo’s birthday, Christmas, etc. And those race entry fees aren’t cheap! Plus there’s a little guilt in knowing that we’re going to NYC sans kids and would go to Orlando sans kids 2 months later (due to budget constraints). I know it sounds sacrilegious to go to Disney without the kids, but we’re not really planning to “do Disney”. We’d arrive early Friday and come home Monday with a race on Sat (the ½ marathon) and then again on Sunday (the full). We figure we’re really not there to ride rides and meet Mickey, you know? But still…the kids might not take it very well. Decisions, decisions.

I am also grumpy, because I had this brilliant plan to work on increasing distance through the months of May and June, so that when NYC training really got started in July, I would already be used to running 10-15 miles in the summer heat and gradually increasing the mileage wouldn’t seem quite so tough. Instead, I will be rebuilding my base thanks to 6 weeks of absolutely no running. Grrr…. I know rebuilding is not as bad as starting from scratch, but still…

Luckily, I am over the strep and will be working out today. My kids and hubby are thankful for that.

Dear 16 Year Old Me

I love this video. Please watch it.




If you have trouble viewing this, click here...I had trouble with the link.

As a girl who grew up on the Gulf coast, I went to the beach multiple times every year. I made sandcastles, collected shells and sand dollars, loved the sand between my toes and the sound of the waves. I even learned to surf! And, I had probably one bad sunburn every year. As an adult, this scares me...after all, the damage you do to your skin growing up can come back to haunt you later. I have several friends and acquaintances who have been diagnosed with skin cancer in their 20's and 30's. Fortunately, they caught it early.

Scary stuff.

And yet, I still feel like I look better with some sun. I still long for that "glow" in the summer and hate seeing the scars and spider veins on my pasty legs in the winter. And while I've grown more diligent with the sunscreen as I grow older, I find myself wanting "a little sun" every year. However, I am also vain and don't want more sun damage, which is the main reason I use sunscreen now - wrinkles!

Skin cancer is preventable. Use sunscreen.

Strep

Last night, I went to bed thinking that I was feeling better. Really, it was just the Advil kicking in. I woke up around 1 am, feeling all achey and warm again. I got up and took my temp - 101.2! I can't remember the last time I had a fever. When I woke up again at my normal time, I was still achey and my temp was somewhere between 101.5 and 102.7, depending on which thermometer I used. Not good! I felt achey, weak and well, like crap!

I decided that I better call the doc to schedule an appointment and let work know that I would not be coming in. Ugh, I hate being sick! When I explained all my symptoms to the dr, she almost immediately suggested a strep test. I have never had strep before. Sure enough, I tested positive and was given a Rx for antibiotics.

We'll see what happens. I just hope I don't give this crap to the Hubby and kids! And to be at home all day and not feel like doing anything productive is just tough. I feel like I should be cleaning or organizing or something...instead, I caught up on episodes of "So You Think You Can Dance." I guess that was semi-productive, huh?

That which we manifest is before us...

I am in the process of reading The Art of Racing in the Rain. It's an excellent read and I highly recommend it. I often find myself thinking back to what I've read and the life lessons in this book. I may write more about the book once I've finished reading it, but for now this is the quote that stands out to me the most:

That which we manifest is before us; we are the creators of our own destiny. Be it through intention or ignorance, our successes and our failures have been brought on by none other than ourselves.

I love this quote, I think it's beautiful and so true...

Random Stuff

I am here. As usual, life has been busy. Some updates since our vacation:

• Despite my lack of training during vacation and my struggles to “get back on the wagon” once we returned, I participated in the CB&I sprint triathlon and actually PRed! My swim was pretty pathetic, but I managed to take almost 2 minutes off of my bike and run times. Race report to come!


• Since the week after we returned from Disney, I’ve been having a weird pain in the arch of my right foot. After 3 weeks of this and experimenting with different shoes, I finally went to the doctor. I have posterior tibial tendonitis. Fortunately, I can still run, but need a bit of NSAIDs, ice and stretching for it to get better.


• The morning after my dr’s appointment (on Saturday), I managed to break my toe. Yep, no exciting story to go with it - basically, the dog insisted on going outside at 5 am and when I was coming back to bed, I hit my toe on the bedroom door. Hard. My toe immediately swelled and later I noticed bruising. I had to cancel my long run and hobble through a wedding. The next morning, the top of my foot near my toes had turned a lovely shade of purple. And, I had to wear flip flops to work. That’s right – Tahari suit and flip flops. Nice. (Since I can't run or bike at the moment, it looks like my foot will have plenty of time to recover from the tendonitis as well...)
  

More updates to come, including the promised vacation photos. Have a great day!

Workouts...

And now for the boring stuff...

Saturday, 4/9 - Long run, 9 miles
It was warm, it was humid. At least there was a breeze. The goal was to run 10 miles, but my car is in the shop and we had to pick up a rental before heading to the Kiddo's soccer game. We were told that the rental car place opened at 8 am, so I cut my run short...turns out they open at 9 am. Guess I could have run that extra mile. Grrrr... My pace was a less than spectacular 10:43. I think I can do better...heat and all.

After soccer, the Kiddo told me that she didn't want to play soccer anymore. Guess that all works out, since it was her last game of the Spring season. I just wish she would have told me that before I bought her a brand new pair of soccer shoes. Oh well! So in 3 weeks, both the Kiddo and Munchkin will start swim lessons again. Then, we had to head to a wedding shower, the grocery store and a few other errands. Before I knew it, it was 8 pm!

Sunday, 4/10 - Rest day
Okay, I skipped the bike ride this week for a very good reason. I went to Galveston to cheer on my tri friend, Kelly, and a few other folks at the Texas 70.3. It was a great day! I am super sunburned, and I have no voice after all that yelling and cheering, but it was worth it. I will post pics later.

Monday, 4/11 - Insanity
Is it sad that I've already forgotten the name of this workout? It was the one I despise the most - with the push-ups, running in plank position, ski abs and in and outs in plank....ugh, misery! But I love it! :-)

It's been an interesting day, to say the least. My car has been in the shop since Friday. Turns out the dealership who repaired my car 4 years ago after an accident did really crappy work...we've already had to have one repair redone and now we're paying about $1,000 to replace another part that was not repaired properly. That doesn't include the original repairs we took the car in for - new breaks and belts. Yeah, not exactly what we need right before leaving for vacation.

On top of the car repairs, I was selected for jury duty! Oh well, on Friday we will be in Florida and making great memories with the kids...can't wait!

Workout Summary

Since I started tracking my workouts on the Beginner Triathlete website, I can get my month totals - love it!

March's totals:

Bike: 11h 34m 32s - 192.25 Mi
Run: 8h 59m 41s - 53.83 Mi
Swim: 6h 00m - 9700 Yd
Plyometrics: 2h 10m (this is Insanity)

So here’s what I’ve been up to over the past week:

Thursday, March 24 – Run, 3 miles, 10:15 pace

Evening run, temps in the low '80s and I survived! Amazing sunset! Friday, March 25 – rest
No trip to the lake this week, since we did an OWS on Wednesday.

Saturday, March 26 – Long bike, 25 miles, 16.3 mph
Neighborhood fishing tournament was this morning, so cut the ride super short!

Sunday, March 27 – Long run, 10 miles, 10:50 pace
Ugh, warm and steamy…I used my task avoidance skills and walked the 1st 1/2 mile so I could toss newspapers from the curb to the driveway, lol!

Monday, March 28 – Insanity? Yes please!
I’m not sure why, but I decided that I’d like to do another round of Insanity. Maybe because I truly am insane? Fit test - showed me that I was not "Insanity" fit!

Tuesday, March 29 - More Insanity, please...and add a little spin and swim, just for fun!
Cardio Circuit, lunchtime spin class and 1800 in the pool. You know when you’re in a great spin class (i.e. one that kicks your butt) when you start to hate the instructor before it’s all said and done!

Wednesday, March 30 – No workouts, sick (ack!)

Thursday, March 31 – Random workout day
Run - 55 degrees, did 2.5 miles at a 9:52 pace (thank you cooler temps!)
Insanity - I managed to do the Insanity workout – something with the word “recovery “ in the title…it was tougher than it sounded!
OWS - I just re-confirmed that I really do suck in open water…big thanks to Coach Kim Hager for the encouraging words...I'm sure she wanted to tell me to HTFU!

Friday, April 1 - more Insanity!
Friday was "Pure Cardio" day - 38 minutes of cardio with no breaks. Ugh!

Quickie

Not much time to blog today, so I thought I would post this picture...

Each time I fill my gas tank, I reset my tripometer - yes, it's a Type A thing!

A couple of weeks ago, I filled up, reset and drove to work. When I eased into a parking space and put my car in park on the 7th floor of the parking garage, I looked down at the trip A and this is what I saw - 26.2 miles exactly!

Maybe it's a sign? Of what, I have no clue!