Back on Track

So, recovering from this flu has taken a bit longer than I had hoped, but I think I am back on track.  Yesterday, I did hill repeats for 45 minutes, which JUST ABOUT KILLED ME, or so I thought (see previous post), and this morning, I did 1000 meters in the pool in 27:57 (including goggle issues) and then did 4*4 minute fartleks on the bike.  Happy Leap Day!  I am beginning to feel better, however.

On a related note, I had my bike fitted yesterday.  Wow, that is an intense process.  It took almost 2 hours.  I did learn that my left leg is slightly longer than my right, and we put a wedge in my right clip, which appears to help with my pedal stroke.  Also, I was stretching out like Superman, which is probably why my neck hurt on the trainer last week.

Exhaustion, and my birthday...

On a psychological note, I find the idea of exhaustion fascinating.  During my first triathlon, A SPRINT, mind you, I walked part of the run.  I felt "exhausted", and believed that walking would help.  It just made me feel worse, because I knew how short the distance really was. Given how difficult the swim had been, however, I felt justified.  During a recent attempt at an olympic-distance, I felt good afterward and wondered aloud whether I maybe had not gone hard enough.  I just felt exhausted during part of the run, and seriously considered walking, but didn't.  It turns out that exhaustion might just be a psychological phenomenon, in other words, it's all in my head.  Joe Friel talks about it in his blog, and here is an article interviewing a researcher about the topic:  Sports Science Update: Perception is Everything

On a personal note, my birthday is this weekend.  It has been lackluster, to say the least, because I went home sick yesterday from work and did not feel like doing anything, and then I felt like poo last night, waking up many, many times coughing.  However, this morning, I am feeling a bit better (yay!).  I made almond flour pancakes and have decided I need to order more finely ground flour, though they were pretty good.  I cancelled my swimming lesson and need to reschedule.  And I am planning to go for a short run today, to try and get back on the training wagon for this week.  The kids and hubby got me a Waterfi and waterproof ear buds, so I can swim with music and train with music during monsoons!  And my stepmom got me a cool vintage chainmail handbag.

cool vintage chainmail bag

LOVE IT!
Otherwise, it is going to be mellow, which is fine.  I'm just glad to be alive.  A man I went to high school with passed away this week from cancer.  It kind of puts things in perspective.  I am very, very grateful for all that I have and for all that I can do.  I am grateful that my loved ones are healthy and blessed with good fortune.  I am grateful that we have the means to allow me to train, though I realize I could probably find a way even if that weren't the case.  Can't wait to train this week!  Oceanside is only 5 weeks away...

Three for Thursday

1.  Been sick.  No training.  Sucks
2.  Tough as nails:  Train your brain
3.  Inspirational:  Why I became a triathlete

Hoping to ride on the trainer tomorrow night.

Taking care of business

The kindest friends are helping me take care of some business.  For my birthday, good friends and co-stars of this blog, B and R, bought me 3 swimming lessons with a master swim coach in town!!!  I am super excited, and I scheduled my first lesson for next Sunday.  Inspired, I scheduled a bike fitting for today, but sadly, woke up feeling like crapola, so I re-scheduled it for next Tuesday.  I am looking forward to seeing how the bike feels after the fitting, and to seeing whether I can sit on the damned thing for more than 2 hours without extreme pain.  I got 3.5 hours of riding in on the trainer this weekend (yay!), but sadly, did not run or swim as I should have :(  I may try to get out and run in a few, despite feeling horrid.

I'm getting there, slowly, but surely.

Tempo Run

Now I do realize that most other people in the world don't give a shit about this sort of thing, but last night, I ran 7.14 miles, with hills and wind, in 1:21, which puts my overall pace at around 11:30-minute miles.  I have never run so fast for so long.  AND I ran hills the day before on the treadmill.  AND I wasn't racing.  AND I did a negative split (of about 35 seconds/mile!).  It feels so good to keep getting stronger.  According to the IMTalk guys, I can continue to improve for the next 10 years as long as I can stave off injuries.  I hope they're right!

No Ragnar :(

Some locals are doing the Ragnar Del Sol next weekend, and a spot opened, but I have to work Friday and can't make the start time.  I am very disappointed, but maybe it is for the best since I would only be 4 WEEKS out from my A race at that point!!!  How did this happen?  It seems as if time has flown by.  Will I be ready?  Can I get all of my training in over the next few weeks?  Am I going to be able to stay in the saddle for 3.5 hours?  Will I make the run?  Will I be able to swim in saltwater?  Will my nutrition plan work?  So many questions for my first big race.  I'm nervous...about logistics, my performance, and about the poor souls who will be there to support me (don't want to let them down or make them wait around too long).

I do know that other people struggle with saddle issues, but I wonder if I should get a new, really awesome pair of bike shorts, have my bike fitted by a professional, or get a new seat, or all of the above.  It is hard not having a coach sometimes, because I feel like a coach could steer me in the right direction.  Or a huge network in a tri club.  Our tri club is very, very small, and no one has a ton of triathlon experience yet.

The past few days of training have been pretty good...got a 24-mile ride in on Friday with Will, a 10-mile run in on Sunday, a 2000-meter swim (57:09!) and short bike with hill repeats yesterday, and a 3.5 mile run with hill repeats today.  Hopefully a tempo run tomorrow, swim Friday AM, looooooong session on the bike Friday PM, and long run Saturday or Sunday, depending on the weather.  We might go snowboarding this weekend, as well, just to take advantage of the change back to winter weather from early spring!  I feel pretty motivated this week, but it has been hard to get up early.  It seems like many nights, there is some sort of plot to keep me up later than I would like.  I should be in bed by 8:30, but I've been staying up until 9:30 or 10:30 this week.  I know, I know, those are "normal" bedtimes for adults, but getting up at 4:15 or 5:15am is much more difficult for me when I stay up "late".  Old am I.

Charley Horse!!!

I had a great swim yesterday...well almost.  I did make 2000 meters in 56:11, which is a PB.  However, with about 400 meters left, I got a charley horse in my calf.  I used to get them regularly, while sleeping, when I was pregnant with my daughter, but haven't had one in a while...I had forgotten how painful they are!  And, of course, I was in the deep end.  The ironic thing is, I had eaten a banana early that morning, which is not typical for me.  I'm actually kind of glad that it happened, because I got through it just fine, and if it happens in open water, I will be prepared.

Training has been going fairly well since my crash.  I got Maybelle back, all fixed up and pretty, and rode her on the trainer for 2.5 hours last Friday night (what an exciting life I lead!).  I had some saddle issues that prevented me from riding any longer, but, I was able to stay in aero position the entire ride, which was a huge relief.  I am going to lower my seat a little tomorrow and see if I can last longer this weekend (weather is supposed to be yucky).  I really, really should get my bike fitted by Amber at the local shop.  I did not get to do my long run last weekend, because I am a slacker sometimes and did not get up early enough, so it's lucky I got a 6-mile tempo run in earlier in the week.  I have decided that running on cement sidewalks sucks. I have started using Run Tracker on my phone, and I find it's motivating to hear my pace every 5 minutes so that I can make adjustments.  I'm at a steady pace of 12:30 minute miles for my long run, as opposed to 16:38 last year at this time.  I'd still like to get to 10, but I think that could take a while.  

As far as nutrition goes, I am reading Wheat Belly and seriously considering going grain-free for a while, but definitely cutting out as much wheat as possible.  I am slowly adding back in some higher-starch carbs like sweet potatoes and yogurt, but in small quantities for now.  And, like everyone else, I have started eating a serving or two of chia seeds every day...need those Omega-3s.  I'm feeling great when I stick to the plan.  When I eat pizza or sugar, not so much.  

I am trying to decide how to structure races this summer.  I will likely do the Mountain Man Sprint and Olympic (though I may do the half), and other than that, I'm not sure.  Maybe a marathon?  Maybe Missoula?  I could probably be ready, but I am scared...