De ja vu... all over again

Each time I end a workout ride or run I think it is impossible to get any grosser.

Then I run or ride the next day... de ja vu all over again!!

This weekend I'm not sure after which training session I felt more gross, the 75 mile ride I took on Saturday or the 7 mile run/jog around Valley Forge today. Don't get me wrong, I actually embrace this sort of grossness... it's a sense of accomplishment. I pushed myself both days, especially at the end. And I felt BETTER at the end than I did in the beginning.

Even better, I'm back in the pool! Not crankin' out the yardage just yet, but I'm in the pool. There's only one other time getting in the pool felt so good. Progress is being made. I may just be able to do this after all....

 don't let the smile fool you... i was hurting at this point...

7th mile stretch

 super smoothie!

Dog days of summer

The heat and humidity are taking no prisoners already. Damn... By 8:30 this morning it was already over 80 degrees with the heat index even higher. I'm glad I got in two long rides and a few jogs in before this heat wave.

What's a trainee to do in conditions like this? Strength training!! And keep hydrated.

First up... crunches. Followed by ab twists w/ the medicine ball, more crunches and obliques. Easy enough to do at home. Unfortunately I have to rely on the gym for the rest of strength training...

I suppose the next logical thing to do would be to hop back in the pool and get my swim on. Well, I realized something this morning. I'm scared to get back in the pool. Crazy, right? I think so. I haven't been in the pool since the accident in December. At that point I was swimming 5000 yards three times a week. I don't know if it's ego getting in the way (wanting to just get in and swim like I had been) or some other fear (is my shoulder ready/strong enough? will I reinjure it?). Either way... this sucks. Can't do a triathlon without swimming.

Must get out of my head... any suggestions?

A small training vacation

Ahhh... the Outer Banks. Beautiful! Perfect for a little change of scenery in the training. Run on the beach, ride on islands.. if only I could have actually swum in the ocean instead of just play. Not that I'm complaining...
I was warned about the crazy drivers on Hatteras and Ocracoke, that perhaps it wasn't safe to ride there. Well, I just have to say, I'd much rather ride on Hatteras than in the suburbs of Philly. At least they have a shoulder. I felt much safer riding there than I do at home. Not to mention the fact that the scenery is so much better, the air nicer to breathe, and a big-ass swimming pool waiting for me at the end of the ride!

So how did I use this to my advantage? Morning jogs and walks on the beach, one 20+ mile ride to and from the famed Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, 40 mile (give or take) to and from Ocracoke (with 2 40-minute ferry rides to cut it up), walking and playing soccer on the beach with my sister, coffee overlooking the ocean every morning, and dinner doing the same every night, fresh, homemade pineapple juice (yummy), perfect weather, no massive sunburns (a first for this fair-skinned, freckled Irish girl) and a wonderful visit with my big sister, Bridget!

And now I'm back in Philly.... yesterday was a semi-grueling 40 mile ride. I can't seem to catch a wind break, ever! Even on Hatteras. It feels like that, no matter which direction I am heading, I'm catching a head-wind. WTF??? A tail-wind one of these times would be nice. Please. Is that so much to ask?! I was hurting, but I pushed through. Even with the water, gels, and gatorade. Really, what else can you do when you're doing an out-and-back?!! I was happy to see my Jeep.

Gotta get my head together... What I've been doing on every ride and every run is envisioning the finish of a race, the race. Poconos 70.3. Streets lined with cheering people, (hopefully) family waiting at the finish to catch me, the thrill of accomplishing a dream. Positive energy. Positive thoughts. To steal a line from Bree Wee (winner of yesterday's Hawaii 70.3), "I struggled yesterday so I could win today"-Devlin. I know I won't ever "win" a race by timing standards, but I think that "winning" is what we make it to be. For me, it will be getting to the start line, then through the swim, then the bike and the run, and finally, crossing, or stumbling, or crawling across the finish line. I will have won for myself.

Rough start to the week

After a great week last week, this week starts the opposite. Barely able to get through a mile and a half run, and this after a full days rest yesterday. What gives? Am I not cut out for this? Maybe this is just some whacked out fantasy made for someone else.

A Triathlon at 90.

Lawnmowers, weedwackers and motorcycles

Yes, finally, a day of sun! Out the door I went this morning to meet a riding buddy (poor thing is getting over pneumonia...she was happy to get outside!). Windows down, music playing, and the buzz of lawnmowers, weedwackers and motorcycles. I wasn't the only one itching for sun! Folks finally got to tame their lawns and motorcyclists got to ride free.
Needless to say, the SRT was packed full of people happy to be outside and not worry about torrential rains. By the time Martha and I finished our ride, I decided "what the hell! i'll go for a run. it's just too damn nice to go home." So, off came the bike shoes and helmet and on went the sneaks and visor (thanks Packy).
And, for 3 miles, I kept repeating to myself "must practice bricks more often." I almost forgot what it's like to run after biking. Took me about 3/4 mile to get my jogging legs to work. Whew.

What got me through? Staying hydrated on both the bike and the run. A banana and a Hammer Gel (Montana Huckleberry) after the bike, and a nice big juicy orange and some peanuts after the run.

I'm about a week away from being able to get back in the pool! As excited as I am about the thought, I'm also super nervous. Nervous that I will beat myself up for not being able jump in and swim 5,000 right away. Gonna have to leave the ego in the locker room.

Rain, rain and more rain...

This week has been anything but conducive to training outside. A little frustrating and unmotivating to say the least. But... I got through, and this morning (Saturday) the birds are chirping, AND THE SUN IS SHINING!!!

As for the week... mostly strength training and core. My shoulder is coming along fantastically, up to 30lbs on the lat pulldowns and chest rows! I should be able to get back to swimming in another week. Then I'll be able to fully train for this crazy dream of mine.

The weakest of the three disciplines for me is running. I was never a runner. Yeah, I played basketball in highschool, but that is short sprinting. And yeah, I played soccer as well, but I was goalie, not exactly the running position on the field. I always feel the most anxious about running; this is when the evil little voice in my head kicks in.. "You're not a runner.. just walk it." "Who are you kidding?" I admit, a lot of times I let that voice get the best of me. Yesterday I didn't.
A dreary, drizzly day in Philadelphia, I couldn't stand it anymore. I had to go running. I had tried the day before but torrential downpours put a quick end to that. I can handle drizzly. I have found that Valley Forge is the perfect place to train. A 6-7 mile loop around the beautiful historic park, a good mix of hills and flats. There's even a few water fountains and restrooms along the way!!
It was a great workout... the hill at the beginning was a bit unwelcoming so soon, but I got over it (no pun intended) and kept moving. By the end, I was running (okay, maybe doing the Kona Trot) much better than I ever have. I could hear myself think, and not the sound of huffing and puffing, my feet felt great, stopped and stretched a few times to loosen up the hams and IT band and hip muscles (residual effects of being hit in December still linger). By the end of the workout, I was feeling a-okay! I think it was knowing that I had a great big juicy orange and two more bottles of water waiting for me in my Jeep.
To make a good workout even better, and to prevent major soreness, I decided to take an ice bath. That shit is cold!! I'm just saying... Maybe when the temps outside are higher than the temp in the ice bath it won't be so bad...

happy sunny saturday!
get outside!