"I'm probably warmer than the lifeguard..."

Had a GREAT run...the first on the trail with the larger T3 group in 2 weeks. Gosh, I knew that I missed that ritual but I didn't know how much until I got back out there again. Felt awesome. Jess, Blythe, Jim, Laura, and I headed out for the first 7-mile loop...and caught Liz on the backside she was running a but late and decided to go in the reverse direction to meet us. Everything felt really good...no aches, no pains...cold and windy but everyone was in good spirits. Laura had already run 7 miles when she met up with us so she and I tackled the 4-mile loop together. I was limited to 11 miles today...good thing I'd already told everyone this since I felt so good after 7 that I would have been tempted to give the whole 18 a go?! Laura and I split off half-way through the 4-mile loop and so I pushed myself to finish strong. Felt great through the whole thing and held on to a good average...especially for my first long run in a long time.
Stretched a little and then boldly said to Booher that I was going to finish my run by aqua jogging over at Deep Eddy. I'm pretty sure he thought I was crazy as he said, "Don't freeze!" No joke. Back in my car the pep talks began. Funny, on part of our run we'd just talked about whether or not you can have a conversation with yourself. We decided you could. So here's the conversation that I had with myself over the next hour or so:
"Are you really going to do this...it is cold!"
"Come on...you'll warm-up or you'll warm-up after you finish. You've been cold before. Toughen up."
And that got me to the Deep Eddy parking lot where a gust of wind practically opened my car door for me when I went to get out of the car...a welcome to the pool?! So as I unloaded my gear, the conversation began again:
"It's really windy...and you don't have your wetsuit...you don't really have to do this. You could grab your goggles and swim cap and just swim!"
"If you aqua jog fast enough and you get your heart rate high enough, you'll warm up. Plus it's sunny so you just need to find a sunny place in the pool and camp out there for an hour. But doing another swim is not what you need...you need to finish your run. Only an hour. You did 2h20min last weekend, this will feel like nothing."
And that got me to the changing room, out of my running clothes, into my bathing suit and sweats and headed down to the pool. But at the top of the stairs as I watched small whitecaps form on the surface of the pool I heard the voices start up again:
"You could just turn around now, go to Whole Foods and get your coffee and your breakfast taco and let the 11 miles be enough today. It is only February!"
"Just start down the stairs...once you get to the pool's edge you'll be fine. You're always fine once you get wherever you are going."
So down the stairs...to the side of the pool...off with the sweatshirt...off with the sweat pants...on with the aqua jogging belt...to the edge of the pool and into the pool go the feet:
"Holy moly...this is REALLY cold. Like pull your feet back out cold. Are you sure you can't catch pneumonia doing this?"
"Please...as a little girl you used to jump in the water at Bailey's Island, ME to swim with Mor-Mor and that water was REALLY cold, too, and you thought it was fun. Don't be a grown-up about this, be a little kid again, and jump in!"
At that point, I decided that the ladder was my better bet so I headed over there and with some bizarre confidence I headed right down it and started doing high knees with such gusto that I was afraid my knees were going to come up and smack the top of the water! A few "warm-up" laps, 1 set of drills, and a "sprint" and 15 or 20 minutes had passed.
"So, what are you going to do now? You still have goosebumps!"
"I think if I do another set I'll warm up...besides, I'm probably warmer than the lifeguard who has to sit still. At least I'm moving."
Set #2 led into set #3 and finally an hour was up. I watched numerous people come and go throughout that hour - including the guy who sat on the side of the pool for nearly 15 minutes before getting in. I wanted to give him some unsolicited advice, "Umm...the pool is not getting any warmer while you sit there and you think that you are getting warmer b/c you're soaking up some sun, but the wind is so biting that you're really not. Just get in!" But I didn't say a word, just kept to my aqua-jogging, pep-talking self.
Getting out was no easier than getting in except that I knew I had a towel and dry clothes waiting for me...and a breakfast taco and coffee around the bend! Pleasant surprise to run into Blythe, Liz, Amy, and Jim at WF so I got to eat breakfast with them...yeah. And Amy did the whole 18 miles even though she didn't have to...and she ran with the little running group that I love and that she always thinks she's too slow for. I'm SO proud of her!!!
Quick trip home to get clean and then I picked up Logan so that he, Catharine, Karen and I could go out to deliver some flowers and cookies (Tiff's Treats...which we managed to not dig into on our way out there!) to the woman who helped him last weekend, Debbie. She was napping when we arrived so we handed the goods over to her husband (I'm pretty sure he thought we were a little crazy but, really, who wouldn't find a way to thank someone who'd extended such kindness to perfect strangers?!) and made our way back to town. Swung by J&A's with Logan to get his bike and take it to the PTC so he can give riding on the trainer a whirl tomorrow. What a trooper he is...seriously, he's like a different person from last Saturday when he had his accident. Way to go, Logan, for doing PT, listening to the docs, and letting people help with silly little things so that you can get stronger! Fingers crossed for continued recovery!
Phew...a full day. A good day. Yes, a good day of living fully. Living strong like I quoted yesterday. 80 miles on the bike tomorrow and then heading to the airport for a college bonanza on Monday and Tuesday (4 schools...2 days...1 crazy schedule - but when I get there I'll be fine!) On that note...off to gather gear for my ride (it's going to be COLD again, but hopefully not as windy as today...and certainly not as windy or cold as the last time we rode Parmer!!!) I've never done 80 miles so it should be a fun adventure!

one more...

forgot about this one...part of a song from a band that played at school today (Wideawake):

"we're so alive, still holding on, not ready to die, so we live strong..."

friday quotations

I had to share both of these quotations...one because it made me think and the other because it made me laugh!

"Consistency requires discipline. Force yourself out the door." (Bob Glover and Shelly-Lynn Florence Glover) "...and once you are out the door, it sure helps to have some training buddies waiting for you!!!" (ETG)

"Miss Guice, why do you always make us do the right thing?" - asked by one of my advisees as I was gently nudging them out the door to a class meeting that they didn't want to attend. All I had was a total "mom" answer, "Because that's my job. You need to try to do the right thing." And I left it at that. Couldn't get all philosophical with teenagers on a Friday morning!

sweet day

Today was like a big hug...from start to finish. Well, actually, it started last night when I got a call from Blythe (my TB!) checking on me because I had not been at track. She'd forgotten that I couldn't do track this week (easy runs on the trail only - doctor's orders) and knew that it wasn't like me not to be there. I often tell my family that there are plenty of "safety nets" for me were something to happen to me. For example, by 8:00 a.m. someone at school would notice that it was odd that I wasn't there. Well, thanks to Ironman training, I've been able to move that time up a few hours! On most days if I haven't made it to a practice by 5:45 or 6:00 a.m. someone will notice. And in the evenings, same deal. It's a very sweet feeling to know that people are looking out for one another in this world where it sometimes seems that everyone is out for him or herself. I'm grateful to have wonderful teammates (and also colleagues and friends) who do that for me each and every day. So, I went to bed yesterday feeling very loved.
Swim practice didn't exactly make me feel loved at first since Mo insisted I could swim in the lane with the fast, fast boys - Kevin, Scott, and Dave. But it did make me feel like Mo had some confidence in me which made me want to prove that I might actually be able to keep up with these boys. And I did. On most sets. Until we got to the 400 pull. But even then I only got lapped in the last 100! (The other time I got lapped didn't count!)
School started with time with a student - one of my favorite students (I know, we're not supposed to have favorites but really, you can't help but love this kid!). We talked about her college choices but more importantly, we talked about her relationship with her parents. And that's when I think my job is really cool...because we're talking about stuff that really matters. Two calls from a parents in the afternoon brought a big smile to my face and a warmth to my heart. My take-away from those conversations - don't hesitate to tell people in your life that they've made a difference if they have. They probably don't have a clue! These parents were especially kind this afternoon.
PT with Dr. Phil brought a smile to my face, too, as I got cleared to run 11 miles this weekend! I felt like a little kid who had just won first place in a swim meet. I'm so, so happy. A couple more PT sessions (which are tough, by the way) and then I'm only going to be seeing Dr. Phil at training sessions. I'm incredibly grateful that my body is recovering well...and I'm in awe of the power of rest.
Had a fun and funny email exchange with Amy...I almost fell out of my chair at one point at work. And then got tears in my eyes - both from laughing and from the kindness of her email.
Made my way to the PTC which always makes me smile - even when I'm tired like today. Quickly talked myself and a couple of other buddies into our spin class which ended up being a really good one (meaning that I could actually keep up with it!). It's not that we aren't happy in our training, it's just that it was Thursday evening and we were all a tad weary. But I went through the usual reasoning with myself that I'd made it there so I might as well give it my best shot - whatever that looked like! (All I can say after lots of pulling this morning and lots of push-ups at core yesterday is that I'm thankful that spinning involves your legs!!!)
On my way home I listened to messages from friends and talked to Gran (she cracks me up...she's mostly ditched her walker, friends, so New Orleans beware of the lady and her cane...she's on the move!!!). Touched base with Erin once I got home - yeah for friends we check in with daily. What a very sweet way to end the day - with friends and family on my mind and in my heart.
So...yeah. It was a Thursday full of love and appreciation...and it came out of nowhere. Like a little kid who runs up to you and gives you a big hug completely by surprise and for no apparent reason. Just makes me want to spread all that goodness around...big hugs to all! And to so many of you reading this - thanks for making a difference in my life!

ashes to ashes...

Those were the words that I heard over and over again in chapel today while ashes were imposed on people's foreheads as we observed Ash Wednesday. I think today is supposed to remind us about our mortality. But all I kept thinking about whenever I went down that "because we're human, we're all going to die someday" road was just how awesome it is to be alive.
How grateful I am for the life I have.
How I want to live life in a really big way (not in a loud way, "everyone look at me" way but in a passionate way).
How creating more space in my life (my Lenten goal) by not cluttering all of my free, non-training time with work is the a step toward to living a large, expansive life.
So what did I do on this first day of Lent? I took some time to think. I took care of my body (core + an afternoon run with Amy). I took time to listen to a former student's anxieties. I took some food over to a friend who might have needed it (and even if it wasn't needed then the thought was there...and I'm just like that...I show up). And, of course, I did my work, too. I think this is the sort of life we're supposed to live - reflective, productive, caring, healthy. Living life to the fullest, even if it's in a quiet way.

last day of...

A little window into my "history" with Lent (which begins tomorrow). Growing up I don't really ever remember giving anything up for Lent. I certainly don't remember getting ashes on my forehead on Ash Wednesday. Did we not do this as Presbyterians? Or did mom and I just not go to church on Ash Wednesday? I honestly haven't a clue.
All I know is that at some point I started thinking about giving something up for Lent. It never really made since to me to give up chocolate or sodas or something like that. I never really needed to give up swearing or something like that either. So about five years ago I decided that instead of giving something up only to go back to it 40 days later, I would let go of something that wasn't helping me live life to the fullest or I would adopt a new practice in an effort to improve my life in some way. One year it was yoga. Another year it was calling my family more regularly. This year I'm going back to something I did a few years ago.
I'm giving up working late and doing work email for hours when I get home each night. I will only spend 10-15 minutes on work email/work each night when I get home from training. After that length of time, I have to leave it until the next day. My hope is that this will help me get more sleep...which is something I really need. It will also be a good reminder to me of what's important. Not that work isn't important. It is. And I like to feel good about what I do. But it's not more important than my health or my time with family or friends.
So, at least for the season to come, today is my last day of...working late on work-related items. Letting go of that in order to let some other things in...I can feel the space opening up already.

crazy running thoughts

Someone asked me if I was going crazy since I haven't really been able to run much for a good week and a half now. I replied, "No, because I've been able to do all of the other things - bike, swim, yoga, core...and aqua jogging!" Well, I clearly spoke too soon.
I was cleared to run for 3-5 miles twice this week before I see Dr. Phil on Thursday. My shin felt great during my run on Saturday (same distance) so I wasn't really nervous about it hurting during this run. After all, I did aqua job for 2+ hours yesterday to give it some final TLC before this week started. And I iced yesterday. And I did the PT. And I rolled. And maybe it's all paying off because I had a great run today - not fast, but calm and steady and feeling strong. I hit the trail at school and I had forgotten how much I love to run it. Maybe I forgot that I really have grown to like running!
And while all of those thoughts were swimming around in my head and a bunny rabbit dashed out of the path and a deer ran away up ahead, I thought to myself: "Maybe I really like trail running? Maybe I need to do more of it? Maybe if I really love it, I will want to run SunMart one day." Stop. If I ever say this out loud to you, you are to say, "Elizabeth, you don't like to run that much!"
You see, SunMart is a "Texas Endurance Race " - distances: 50 mile or 50K...of trail running. Seriously. I don't know what came over me on that trail at school today. I don't like to run that much (yet?) and I think I'd get yanked off either course with their finish times of 11.5 hours and 12 hours! Maybe this is what happens to people when they are told they can't do something. Suddenly, you love whatever it is you can't do!!! At any rate, this is how I get myself into trouble. I suddenly think I can tackle some enormous task or challenge and I set my mind to it...and I do it. Or at least I try. And it makes people like Gran ask reasonable questions like "Is someone advising you about all of this?" of sometimes unreasonable granddaughters. Don't worry, folks, I'll at least attempt some shorter trail races/runs before I seriously think about SunMart.
That being said, I was a very happy girl to be back on some trail again...with each day I feel like my shins are getting better. And I trust I'll have my running groove back again soon!
P.S. Just for the record, before I tackle SunMart I will tackle the crane pose in yoga. Seriously, it's my own personal challenge. On that note, namaste.

weekend sleep warrior

In triathlon training, some people are known as "weekend warriors". This means that they really don't train much during the week but cram in as many hours as they possibly can during the weekend. (I think this term "officially" refers to anyone who does this with certain activities like golf or hiking, etc...) It's probably not the smartest way to train. I suspect that it leads to lots of injuries, and if you're doing your training even 1/2-way seriously there's simply no way to get your hours in...at least not if you are training for a longer race.
All that being said, I am a "weekend warrior" of another sort. My confession for this blog is that I'm a weekend sleep warrior. Yep...my theory is that I can make up whatever sleep I missed during the week on the weekend. (Sort of like the image, "I can sleep for days"...but not really because there are workouts and errands to be done and friends to catch up with...but I do get significantly more sleep on the weekends than I do during the week.) Not a very good plan, I know, but it's what I'm working with right now. And each week I say I'm going to get better about all of it, and each week I don't exactly reach that goal. But I'm meeting other goals...does that count for something?!
By some miracle, I met all of my hours this week for training...if you count aqua jogging as my running. I did 45 minutes of it on Wednesday and then 2 hours and 20 min of it today. (Yep...nearly froze in Barton Springs...got a tad bored...but just kept on jogging away. Long enough to notice that one of the duck decoys had been stolen. Long enough to pick up on the "traffic" patterns at Barton Springs on a Sunday morning. Long enough to want to tell the very slow guy that was there nearly the whole time I was that if he kicked just a little he would go faster. And long enough to see that the cormorant that was there this morning was fearless when it came to people! Even made my bike hours because I snuck in an extra spin class this week concerned about my lack of running. So, even though we had to cut our long ride short yesterday because of weather conditions, I ended up being okay hour-wise. But here's the REALLY cool thing...even if I had not been okay by the books, I was okay in my gut. Our coaches didn't seem worried and even told us all not to go back out for another loop yesterday. No one posted, "Should we ride on our trainers at home? Should we put in extra hours this coming week?" I think maybe we all know that it's February and while the workouts are important, one or two that don't work out just as planned is not the end of the world. And that's sort of nice. I do love that the vast majority of T3 athletes are serious about their training but not so much that everyone feels like any minute lost has to be regained.
However, I do need to take my sleep more seriously and not be trying to regain every lost wink over the weekend...unfortunately, too many studies have shown you can't really do that! So on that note, I'm headed to finalize the packing for Monday and hit the hay.
P.S. It was a really good day...nice balance of exercise, home time, time with friends, catching up with family, and cooking. A happy Sunday.

endurance athletes and angels

T3 proved today that being an endurance athlete is about more than being able to cover long distances. Being an endurance athlete means that one endures...hardships, obstacles, rain, wind, setbacks, curve balls, tumbles, and the distances, too. From encouraging one on yet another day with adverse weather conditions to stopping to care for a fallen teammate, T3's endurance athletes were at their finest today.
And we were also helped by the kindness of perfect strangers. Like a woman named Debbie who offered her blanket, her time, her car, and her genuine concern today when we were in need of some help. (Heal quickly, Logan!) What a wonderful reminder that there are angels out there in the world. Some angels who we know...and others who we don't. And both sorts make life more sweet.
"Angels are here to show us our possibilities. They are here to let us know we haven't been forgotten. They are here to extend a hand to us whether we need a lift or not. They are here to re-acquaint us with everything wonderful about living. They are here as a gift."
Thanks be to God for angels, for keeping us safe on the road, and for protecting us when we do fall...reminding us all of just how precious our lives are.

friday quotation

"All I can say is, it's worth the struggle to discover who you really are and how you, in your own way, can put life together as something that means a lot to you." (from Life's Journeys According to Mister Rogers)

and the road sign says...

...and I'm really happy about that! Better than:
And I'm well aware that the message from Dr. Phil could have been to stop. To take full rest. To not even think about running or cycling or swimming because of an injury worse than shin splints. But thankfully, that was not his message! My muscles on either side of my main calf muscle are still as weak as ever (really, it would be laughable if it wasn't so problematic!) but there's stuff we can do for that. Started in with almost 30 minutes of physical therapy today. Calf raises (and lowering) with a 20-pound vest on. Now there's an incentive not to gain weight!! Balancing on one leg with my eyes shut. Yeah, when your arches roll in this is not easy! And then some work on the half-dome balance ball and on the balance platform. It's all very cool...and all very challenging.
This weekend I get to try a little run (3-5 miles depending on how my leg feels). I'm to stop as soon as it starts hurting, if that happens. And while a week or so ago I would have had a hard time doing that, I think I'll be inclined to be especially tuned in to my body this week. And hopefully from here on out. I now know that the discomfort/pain I was feeling wasn't normal. Silly me, I thought it was just part of this whole process.
Anyway, I have my homework cut out for me - blue band work each day, stretching, rolling, icing. Seriously, it's like a part-time job! And if IM training is another part-time job then the two together make a full-time job...which takes me back to where I was with two full-time jobs last year? NO WAY! This is so much different because this is stress-relieving and fun and social and, well, just plain awesome. Injuries and all.
I actually think that this little detour has been really good for me. I don't always think outside of the box. I get worried that if I'm not following something exactly that disaster will ensue. I can get anxious if the path that I mapped out isn't followed. And this past week has been about overcoming that sort of stuff. With each day I'm coming to understand more and more how IM training really can be LIFE transforming...in a way that reaches far beyond your physical health and well-being. Other people had told me this but like most valuable things in life, you have to make it your own. You have to live it to get it...and to get the most out of it.
I'm so lucky to be living it...and hopefully living life more fully as a result. And I feel particularly lucky to have people to share it with...it makes the journey so much more meaningful. Thanks especially to those folks who've inquired about my injury this past week, lifted up a prayer, sent all sorts of good thoughts my way, etc... I feel incredibly cared for and I know not to take that for granted.
So...on I go. Hazard lights blinking as I proceed with caution (all the way to a "long aqua jog" on Sunday morning instead of a long run. I'm going to be so excited to see the trail again it won't even be funny!!).

welcome to the world of...

AQUA JOGGING!
So this is one option in terms of how to keep up with your training when you've done something silly like been sidelined with shin splints or some other injury. Yvonne and I tried it out tonight at Barton Springs...and it was actually fun. And funny. And we got lots of funny looks. And even a few funny comments.
But my heart rate definitely got up (maybe not as much as running on land but more than it does when I'm just walking). And I learned a thing or two. Like...you can do butt kicks and high knees in the water! You can simulate the Nordic Track motions in the water when you're doing "cross country skiers". You can aqua jog in a wetsuit. As expected it keeps you warmer and makes you more buoyant. Not sure that makes the workout any easier, but you can certainly feel the movements of your legs more. You can make a game out of dodging the few swimmers that are there in the evening...and even beat some of them. It's much better to do this with someone...I think I would have been bored after my second set if Yvonne had not been there.
Here was our workout:
5 min warm-up "jog"
1 pool width/length (whatever you choose) of each of these:
- exaggerated run + easy jog back
- butt kicks + easy jog back
- high knees + easy jog back
- cross country skiers + easy jog back
We went through that 3 times and then did a 5 minute cool down. At the end of each "drill", I would pick up the pace for about 15 seconds (per Chrissie's advice). In all, about 45 minutes...not shabby.
In other news...New Orleans grocery shoppers, watch out, Gran is back in action! Her report today was that she went to the grocery (with her sitter) for the first time in months. She has now decided it will be a regular outing for her - she saw a ton of people and I could tell she was happy. But the best part of the story is that she tried out one of the carts for people with disabilities and apparently drove all around the store! Way to be resourceful, Gran! I love her spirit.
Back to Dr. Phil tomorrow to see about the shins...

tuesday thoughts

Again, my thoughts have been all over the map today. Serious scatter here. Everything from workouts to poverty in West Virginia. From oatmeal raisin cookies for my advisees to conversations with college admissions representatives. So, maybe the thing to do today is to do something I rarely do and just take you through my day!
- 4:45 a.m. alarm goes off and I roll out of bed (after I hit snooze once!) to get in my bathing suit and grab all of my bags for the day (four total today - "wide load coming through" is what I feel like I should bark as I try to get out of my door holding my backpack, my bag of spin stuff, my computer bag for school, and my bag full of fuel for the day)
- swim from 5:45-7:15 a.m.
- have some laughs with the morning Lost Creek locker room crew (Blythe, Michelle, and Jen this morning) as we all get ready for work
- at work by 8:00 a.m. ...finally get to eat breakfast, ice the shin, catch up with a colleague, and be ready to meet with a student by 8:30 a.m.
- work, work work...catching up on emails, phone calls, other things going on around school. Chase down advisees for needed paperwork. Meet with a junior and her mom. Lunch - another catch-up time with a colleague. Chapel...try to keep 10 seniors quiet...and still awake! Teach a 9th grade service learning class. Today's topic: poverty in Appalachia (more on that in another blog b/c it's heart-breaking). More desk work in the afternoon mixed in with visits from students with questions. And then, afternoon clean-up (it's a boys week...they crack me up). A steady flow of people in and out of my office until 4:45 when I need to go change for spin class.
- 5:10 p.m. make my way to the PTC (traffic wasn't bad today) wondering if it's the best idea since I had such a tough time with class yesterday. Figured I would go and give it a whirl. Got there sort of late-ish so I started a new row...in the front. I'm never in the front. Thankfully Jess walked in right after that and then Lindsey and Tenille so we were the front row together. It was actually sort of fun. Had a GREAT workout tonight. No clue why it was so tough for me last night. Held my cadence in the right gear...you should understand that this NEVER happens to me?! Must have been the workout we did. It was a solid one...we kept pushing all the way through. And I'm just hopeful that the PTC dries out overnight...we left some serious pools of condensation on the floor.
- stretching and some catching up with teammates after the workout
- 8:00 p.m. quick trip to the grocery...needed some items to make oatmeal raisin cookies for my advisees...as promised
- 8:35 p.m. chili waiting for me at home...yum! Perfect food ending to a dreary, rainy day! Iced the leg as I ate dinner...yes, I can multi-task.
- after dinner-bedtime: made cookies, checked email, caught up on blogs and beginner tri log, not too much work since work email isn't working
- 9:58 p.m. blog
- 10:15 p.m. pack the bags for tomorrow...core in the a.m. and aqua jogging in the p.m.
- sleep by 10:45 p.m.
And that, my friends, was my day. Of course, there were lots of things in between, but that's the framework of it. Not too exciting. Not too dull. A pretty typical Tuesday.

going with the flow

There is relatively little on Wikipedia for the term "creature of habit". I was surprised. I suppose I could add a link to me and then there would be one more thing on the list because I am a serious creature of habit. I love my routines. I love having that certain rhythm to life that is predictable and familiar. I won't go into all of the ways in which I'm a creature of habit but in nearly everything from meals that I eat to my general schedule each day follows some pattern and looks relatively similar from day to day. It would bore some people to tears. For me, it provides comfort.
I've tried time and time again to be spontaneous about life, to not live by a calendar or with a plan...and I fail miserably each time. Yes, I can do it for a few days but eventually I start missing my routines.
Bottom line: I'm really good at following a plan, at sticking to a training program, at doing what's prescribed for me. I realize this might make me seem boring, and maybe sometimes I am. But it also makes me reliable and consistent which aren't terrible traits. (Maybe it's why I love training so much - consistency pays off and my "creature of habit"-ness is usually helpful!)
So it's all good, right? Well, not always.
Sometimes things get in the way. Sometimes you have to be flexible. Sometimes you need to enjoy doing something "just because" - not because it's on the plan. (HA! I just stopped to re-read what I'd already written and realized that in a blog entry titled "going with the flow" that was supposed to be about just that, about not following a routine all of the time, all I'd done is write about routine...issues?!)
I'm reminded of this all the time because life is not predictable and contrary to my ability to be a semi-professional creature of habit, it's essential to be able to adapt to whatever comes my way. (Heck, I work with teenagers who are only predictable in their ability to be unpredictable!) Take today, for example. I was walking out of the faculty lounge with my daily bowl of oatmeal (with cinnamon and cherries today...yum!) in hand, ready to go ice my shins and eat my breakfast before our in-service meetings began and around the corner comes a former student of mine who dropped by school to say hello to me. Ditch the breakfast (the oatmeal can be re-heated...even if it's not quite as good the second zap around!). Toss the ice pack back in the freezer - I can do that during the first part of our in-service meeting. Stop to spend time catching up with a former student - that can't wait; he's headed back to the Naval Academy tomorrow. He made a special trip to school to see me. I was dying to get caught up. But I'd be lying if I didn't say that I had to do a quick re-frame of my morning and that I felt a little out of sorts going into our first meetings...that could have been the low blood sugar talking, too!
But looking back on my day I'm so thankful that I've gotten to a place where routines don't get in the way of spontaneous moments that are precious - like time spent with people. I have to keep reminding myself of this during IM training. I have to keep reminding myself that mixing up my schedule some every now and then is good for me. I have to keep reminding myself that having my weekly routine interrupted by something like a faculty meeting, a birthday party, or shinsplints is something that can be worked around.
Really, these are good reminders for training and for the race itself. You never know what's going to happen on race day. You have to be ready to change your plans mid-stream when something is not going right. You have to adapt on the fly. And you have to be able to find some peace about it and not get so flustered that you can't keep going.
Sort of like life.
And on that note, I'll embrace a new change in my routine and be in bed before 10:30 p.m.!!!

everyone needs a Gran

I know that I've written about Gran before. And some of you have met her. And some of you have heard a lot about her. And some of you have said you wished that you had met her! But what occurred to me yesterday as I read a sweet email from her (yes, she's 91 and she emails...and she'll call the help center to trouble shoot when her email machine is broken because she feels cut off from her family!!) was that everyone needs "a Gran". "A Gran" doesn't necessarily have to be your grandmother but it should be someone who:
- loves you unconditionally
- listens to you with a knowing and wise set of ears
- from time to time will make you feel like you can do no wrong...and then lovingly call you out and take you back when you have done something wrong!
- reminds you where you come from...and maybe even where you are going
- provides a perspective that is different from your own...either because of age, experience, or just a different outlook on life
- tells you that they are proud of you..sometimes because of something you did but mostly because of who you are (this email from her happened to be because of some things I did, but I know that those don't matter as much to her as who I am...and I'm thankful for that because I'm not always going to do things that are newsworthy!)
Here's the email that prompted this circle of thoughts...what a wonderful "love note" on Valentine's Day:
Dear Elizabeth,
If anyone wants to know what grandmothers do on dreary afternoons, tell them that you can only speak for one and here goes. I was cleaning off my desk and ran across The Crusader (the magazine from the school where I teach) in which all of the pictures and clippings (from some events that I was involved in last year) were safely stored. I re-read every article and just wanted to let you know how proud I am of you. Of course, I could have added to the article but they did not ask me.
Always remember how much I love you and how proud I am of all that you have done.
Lots of love,
Gran

And with that, I headed off for a 60 mile bike ride on a day that was colder and breezier than expected. I'd like to think that I tackled the elements and the hills all by myself but I know that's never really the case. There were T3 folks on the road in front of and behind me and there were people like Gran in my back pocket and in my heart with words of encouragement and love. I sometimes wonder when I'm struggling on parts of a 60 mile ride just how I will get through a 112 mile ride (not to mention that I will have just done a 2.4 mile swim and will be looking forward to - ha! - a 26.2 mile run). It never really occurs to me to stop. And I've been trying to figure out why. I'm sure it's part of my personality (that perfectionism and Type A part of me does have some purpose?!) but I also think that it's the voices of my family, friends, teammates, students, and colleagues that will help carry me over the hills and anything else that CDA presents to me. So when Gran says she could never do an Ironman, I giggle and think, "Well, get ready, because you'll be there with me."

love, love, love

I think that Valentine's Day is sort of a funny day. At least in the United States, it's all about conversation hearts and Hallmark cards and chocolates and heart-shaped pizzas and stuff like that. But it always makes me think, "Why all of this hoop-la about love only on February 14?" It sounds cliche but shouldn't we be telling people that we love them every day...not just on Valentine's Day? I don't mean to be "bah humbug" about Valentine's Day. I'm glad that we do stop at least once a year to really think about the people we love and tell them that! But it seems to me that there really aren't enough hours in this one day to tell all of our loved ones just how much we appreciate, value, care about, and love them! At least that's how I feel about it...way too much love to be contained in 24 hours.
And that made me think about this poem that I read once called "So Much Happiness" (Naomi Shihab Nye). I could substitute "happiness" with "love" and maybe it would accurately express how I feel about the overwhelming amount of love in the world to be shared. "So much love..." let's get to it, folks!

"So Much Happiness"
It is difficult to know what to do with so much happiness.
With sadness there is something to rub against,
a wound to tend with lotion and cloth.
When the world falls in around you, you have pieces to pick up,
something to hold in your hands, like ticket stubs
or change.

But happiness floats.
It doesn't need you to hold it down.
It doesn't need anything.
Happiness lands on the roof of the next house, singing,
and disappears when it wants to.
You are happy either way.
Even the fact that you once lived in a peaceful tree house
and now live over a quarry of noise and dust
cannot make you unhappy.
Everything has a life of its own,
it too could wake up filled with possibilities
of coffee cake and ripe peaches,
and love even the floor which needs to be swept,
the soiled linens and scratched records...

Since there is no place large enough
to contain so much happiness,
you shrug, you raise your hands, and it flows out of you
into everything you touch. You are not responsible.
You take no credit, as the night sky takes no credit
for the moon, but continues to hold it, and share it,
and in that way, be known.

for Friday...

...another quotation. This seems to be my trend on Fridays. Which gives everyone a break from my voice...and is usually a nice way for me to wind down the work week and look ahead to the weekend.

"This is not about instant gratification. You have to work hard for it, sweat for it, give up sleeping in on Sunday mornings for it." (Lauren Fessenden)

Amen.

the next 5-7 days...

...here's what I'll be doing:
- cheering friends and teammates on at the Austin 1/2 and full marathon! It's been a long time since I haven't been racing a race here in Austin and I'm excited to get to clap and cheer for and with T3 folks and other friends:)
- some aqua-jogging at Barton Springs...never tried it! Should be fun!
- my usual yoga, cycling, swimming, core work
- the elliptical trainer (maybe?!)
- continuing to try to get more sleep
- my weekend routine of: laundry, cooking, cleaning house, grocery shopping
- catching up with friends and family
- oh, yes, and work:)
- but mostly...I will be marveling at the fact that a year ago if someone had said, "No running for a week" I would have thrown a little party BUT now when someone has said, "No running for a week" I am bummed. Kind of cool to see how my attitude about it all has changed! I was hoping for a PR at the Austin 1/2 marathon since I did this same race last year and am convinced I'm a better, faster runner this year. But maybe the change in attitude about running is a more meaningful PR than a certain time on the clock.

...here's what I won't be doing:
- running
- giving myself a hard time about having a shin splint
- worrying about what comes after these 5-7 days
- getting anxious about falling behind on my running hours or losing some of the training that I've already got under my belt

I wanted to write these things down so that when I do start doing one of those things on my "here's what I won't be doing" list, I will stop doing it. No worries about my breaking into a run! I'm fearful of not listening to Dr. Phil...fearful that a fairly innocent shin splint will become a nasty stress fracture...and that CDA will really be in jeopardy. So with that, and the chance to switch up my routine (maybe I will even bike a little more!) and practice self-compassion and be optimistic about the wonders of rest and ice, I head into the next week!

it's a great day to...

...be alive...live in Austin, Texas...go for a run...work at St. Andrew's...drive with the windows down and some good music coming from the radio...smile.
It was a great day in Austin, Texas. It felt exciting like the first day of spring - even though it hasn't even felt that much like winter lately. We had good bell music at school (instead of shrill bells to mark the end of each period, we have a sound system that plays music...some days it is like we're on a death march and other days it is pure fun. Today was the latter...probably a student's mix!). Kids were playing frisbee at advisory and hanging out on the lawn at lunch. I propped my door open and worked with some fresh air in my office. After work I opted for a run with Amy and Val around Town Lake instead of track practice. I didn't officially have to do another run workout this week so I figured this was a good trade...and I was dying to enjoy Austin on such a pretty day. Also meant I got home earlier which my spirits were craving. I've been able to tend to things here at home and feel like I've regrouped a little before the second half of the week is upon me. Felt good to tidy things up at home - and good to be able to sneak some baking in! (Advisee request for birthday cake - cookie cake...check!)
Final plan of the day...re-introduce ample hours of sleep to my schedule! Another major incentive of getting home early. 5 hours a night is not going to cut it any more...I know that. So here I go to wrap up a final sheet of cookies, a few more emails for work, a call home to mom, packing the bags for tomorrow...and then to bed!

out of nowhere

Well, at least that's how the storm that swept through Austin Tuesday night appeared to me. Seriously, I had no idea it was coming. Which goes to show just how much of a black hole I've been living in for the past 24 hours. Soon to change, however, now that College Night is behind me!
I get so worked up and worried about it (sort of like I did with mile repeats). I plan...I change the plan...I add something new...I take away something that I just added...I change plans again because someone gets sick...the cycle feels endless. Until 6:30 p.m. when the program starts. And then I can't fuss with it anymore. I calmly walk up to the microphone and begin my out of body experience. Seriously, I can get so so nervous about public speaking that I learned a long time ago that I pretty much need to dissociate from my body when I speak. Otherwise I might freeze up and not be able to speak at all. People generally think I'm as calm as I'm pretending to be, which is a good thing, I guess. And once the program gets started it always flows really well - which convinces me that all of the pre-event worrying is worth it! Bad cycle. But tonight went great, thanks to my colleagues who held their own in their presentations. I'm so grateful for them. It was a late night but I think a good one.
And then I went home and was settling in to read email and the wind started. And then the rain (which we need desperately). And the wind was 55 mph in some parts of Austin. I listened for the hail but it never came. But the storm shook the windows and made me wish I were at camp listening to the rain fall on a tin roof.
And then it was gone...quiet again. As if nothing had ever happened. Great metaphor for different times in our lives.
I sort of wish it was still raining because I think that thunderstorms make for ideal sleeping weather...and sleep and bed are calling my name.

WILKE x 10!

I know, I should have a more original title to my post for today...something clever...something more than "WILKE x 10!" but for anyone who's ever run Wilke, you know that this title says enough.
I knew what we were in for...and, honestly, I was thinking I was up for the challenge. I'm sort of weird this way, "Challenge? Bring it on...let me see if I can do it...it might not be pretty but I'll give it my best shot!" And that's exactly what I did tonight. Met up with Amy and the rest of the T3 crew at Barton Springs for our warm-up run to Wilke (about 2 miles - of hills...already). (Blythe had to start early, which was a shame...but she gave me hope when I saw her at the end of her repeats and she still had a smile!) At the bottom of Wilke, Logan was waiting for us to begin our torture...I mean, our workout. The IM folks were to do the following: 10 repeats of Wilke. This means up a hill that seems to never end, until to you get to the top and it's a great tease and you think it's over, but...NO! You have to run all the way to the stop sign. I actually looked forward to that part because I can always feel the muscles in my leg relaxing for a few seconds...before you head back down the hill and your legs fire away and scream at you. But then you are finished. For a little while! Finished the first one in 3:56 and Logan told me to stick to a 5:00 minute interval - about 1 minute of rest. I ended up getting probably 1:10 minutes of rest because I sort of sped up a little as the repeats went on - go figure. I'll have a tad shorter interval next time (if Logan agrees) but for tonight it was great because I was able to hold my interval. Never felt like I wanted that much more before heading back up the hill again. My legs were not happy with me after repeat #8 but I knew I had two more in me...plus Amy was still there whooping it up. She made me laugh, which was helpful. In fact, the team was awesome tonight. We were all in pain together and we knew it so we kept pushing each other to keep going.
After the 10 repeats, we did 3 backward runs 1/2 the way up Wilke with our recovery as the time it took us to jog back down. And the grand finale was 2 "sprints" about 1/4 the way up Wilke. Not sure mine qualified as sprints but I gave it all I had...especially on the last one. And then we got to jog home...that was the cherry on top of the crazy workout we'd had. I was "done" when I got back to Barton Springs. But the springs were waiting for us and about a dozen of us went and soaked for a little while - note to self: don't need to go anywhere after this workout next time because you will want to soak up to your waist and when you have to go to Office Max you can't do that! Still, something was better than nothing...and it was another time for us to applaud one another in a funny way as we stood trying not to shiver in the chilly waters of Barton Springs. We were the only ones there for the longest time and that was sort of cool.
In other parts of my life...work was crazy...getting ready for College Night on Tuesday (will be glad when that's behind us!)...went to Performance Wellness again and Dr. Laurie says she won't see me again until my bruises heal! Fine with me! She says my legs are getting better but they are a tad angry with her and with Katie (from the massage) - and maybe with me?! - so we're going to let the bruises go away and then she'll dig in again. Besides, she says the real ticket for me is going to be my exercises that I'll get from Dr. Davis on Thursday - awesome!
Better resume work on transcripts for Tuesday night - oh, for the day when these are automatically created by our computer program...that will happen after my QT with Blackbaud over Spring Break!!
Yeah, for a workout that leaves you so beat that you feel utterly alive and accomplished...hats off to everyone who was out there tonight...no matter what distance you did!!!

Sunday, and my thoughts are...

... random. Readers, beware!
At different points today I kept thinking "Ooh, I'll blog about that today" and then about an hour later there was something new to blog about. I felt like my ideas were a pinball bouncing around in a pinball machine!
So, finally, I decided to blog about it all. Here goes...
1 - I finally managed to negative split a run at Town Lake...thanks to Blythe and Liz, my running buddies today, we had about a 20 second difference between the 1st and 2nd half of our 10 mile run!
2 - I love going to the grocery store...and I sometimes do funny things there! For example, if someone who works in the grocery store has a name tag on, I like to call/thank him or her by name. Sometimes the folks give me funny looks...sometimes I think they are glad to be recognized as an individual. Oh, and at the grocery stores where you might buy something in bulk and then weigh it, I have a very weird knack for hitting certain money increments on the mark. For example, I will measure out exactly $2.40 of rolled oats on accident. Another useless "skill"!
3 - when you make "very, very veggie soup" you expect it to be green, right? Well, the "very, very veggie soup" I made today is "very, very orange". Some of that is the cook's fault. I don't like eggplant so I opted to add more butternut squash (which tastes a lot like sweet potatoes in this soup, by the way)...and I forgot to buy zucchini. So, yeah, the soup is pretty much chock full of Vitamin A!
4 - I broke down and bought a pair of compression socks today...and wore them all afternoon and into the evening (have them on right now as I sit on the couch with my legs on a pillow...those of us in training do put our feet up every once in a while!). I'm hoping this helps my legs recover from the ART work (and my massage...and the ride and run this weekend). They actually felt okay on our 10 mile run today but I figured this wouldn't hurt...need to be ready for more ART and Wilke tomorrow! Besides, even if they don't work for this, apparently they can help prevent varicose veins...which I've never really thought about but at age 35, I should?! Nah...what's the use? (Oh, and Gran thought it was hysterical that in the past 6 months we've both been wearing compression socks...good bonding with my 91 year-old grandmother!)
5 - in the winter, I have a warm treat before bed every night: hot cocoa with marshmallows + 1 marshmallow (sometimes 2...usually not more!) with a dab of peanut butter. Don't knock it until you try it...it's delicious! It's my little ritual.
6 - we're about to enter our "Endurance Base 1" phase of IM training and I still think it's a blast!
7 - I sometimes do silly things like climb on my kitchen counter to change light bulbs because I'm too lazy to go get the step ladder. I promise, I'm careful!
8 - I love to surprise people. Especially when it comes to people learning something about me that they didn't know. Like that I love to camp and don't mind smelling like a campfire or sleeping under the stars. I like country music (the old and the new). I will eat all of the black jelly beans out of the bowl because they are my favorite. I'm okay with bugs but I am afraid of birds. And I love fruit, but I don't like a lot of fruit flavored things...bring on the real stuff. The list could go on but I won't spoil your surprises!
9 - the sky was so pretty tonight as the sun was setting...a beautiful rosy shade of pink-orange and I thought "red sky at night, sailor's delight...red sky in the morn, sailors take warn". Hope the sky is clear tomorrow even though we could sure use the rain around here.
10 - I love, love, love living in Austin! Seriously. Running in February in shorts and a t-shirt. Town Lake hike & bike trail. A wonderfully accepting city. Cool, laid back, friendly people. Natural beauty. Again, the list could go on! I feel really lucky to live here.
So those are some of my very random thoughts for the day...I won't bore you with the rest of them! On to Monday...

finally 15!

Not age 15...I've passed that age...twice...and then a little. But I finally averaged 15mph on our bike ride today. Granted, we've been riding in wind and with hills for about a month now but even on today's ride (out-and-back to the Valero in Kyle) with a headwind, I averaged a hair over 15 mph. I usually don't get caught up with my pace on the bike mostly because I'm just now starting to enjoy being on my bike. It used to be all about just finishing a ride but today I actually tried to set a little goal for myself - to really push it, to work my legs even when they were tired, to be smart about my shifting, and to see what I had in me. I know that 15 mph isn't much to most cyclists but it was a small victory for me...mostly because it represents pushing myself, into the wind, on the way back, not letting up. And having fun along the way - another, not so small, victory!
The ride was sandwiched between other good things. Started the day with a Barton Springs swim with Blythe - yeah! Saw Travis and Logan there, too - I love that T3 has made so many Austin places more familiar now that my circle of friends has another layer to it. We just had a 1200 to do...mostly just swimming but I did do the last 200 fast. But I forgot to look at my end time (duh) so I don't really know how "fast" I went, but it felt fast! (First time I've ever really tried going fast in my wetsuit.)
My afternoon (which was really a full afternoon today since we only rode 40 miles) included a massage at Performance Wellness (go see Katie Cully if you want an intense, awesome massage). My calves are so sore from the ART work that I thought maybe they should get a break but Katie didn't think so...and I trust her because she's the massage therapist after all and I'm the silly athlete who got myself into this calf strain predicament! Katie worked and worked on my calves and opened my hip (my right side, not so bad...my left side, hmmm...."very limited range of motion" to quote Katie). But my favorite quotes from Katie came when she was working on my calves and when she was working on my shoulders. Her description of my calves: "They are locked up tighter than a convent on Valentine's Day" - how funny is that!!! And of my shoulders, "Well, the muscle is pretty much pretending to be a bone...it's that stiff." Awesome. Anyway, she can count me as her workout for the day, I'm pretty sure.
Coffee with Kimberly followed...so good to catch up with her! It's been way too long, which is pathetic since we work together. But we hardly see one another, which stinks. We agreed we need more Kimberly-Elizabeth catch up times!
Grocery...laundry...and now I'm off to finish a presentation for Tuesday (yes, the one from last weekend...I tell you, I get NOTHING done at work all day when it comes to stuff like this!) before I head out to celebrate a friend's birthday. Then it's to bed pretty early to rest for our 10 mile run tomorrow. My legs need all the R&R they can get...I'm popping Arnica Montana like it's candy trying to soothe the aches and bruises. I've decided it makes me look more like a wimp or a total clutz than someone who's tough!

funny quotation

"If God invented marathons to keep people from doing anything more stupid, the triathlon must have taken Him completely by surprise." (P.Z. Pearce, sports med doctor and Ironman CDA medical director)

ironing out the kinks...

...in my schedule and in my legs.
Schedule wise, we're nearly finished with our 5th week of training...wow. And this week has been our highest number of training hours to date - 12 for the week. I've been able to keep it all in check - except for the sleep part!
Right now, I would say that not getting enough sleep is the biggest challenge of the training schedule. Have to figure out how to get more work done during the day so that I have less work to take home with me and can get to bed earlier. (This will be a HUGE accomplishment...right up there with my fastest mile...if I can figure out how to get more than 6 or so hours of sleep a night. I've failed at it miserably for 4 or 5 years now!)
Nonetheless, I think that "solid" is the best way to describe this week (and 5 weeks!) of training thus far. I still have two more days to go...taking Friday off because...well, because even triathletes need to rest every now and then. My "rest" goal is to take a say off from training every 7-10 days. Doing well with that goal thus far! (This is a huge accomplishment for me...)
We have a 40 mile ride ahead of us this weekend and a 10 mile run and, oddly enough, both distances sound like a walk in the park compared to what we've been doing. Funny that there was a time when 30 miles was a long ride and anything over a 10K was a super long run. It's fun to be in a different place!
As for my legs, I'm off to see Dr. Laurie at Performance Wellness again tomorrow so that she can keep working out the adhesions in my calves. Fun. I have a new string of bruises up and down the inside of my calves. Cool. Maybe it makes me look tougher. Ha! Anyway, it's good to be working these things out now. And, I have to give a shout out to Dr. Laurie who called me the day after my first appointment to see how I was doing. Seriously, when's the last time you had a doctor follow up with a phone call the next day?! Nearly unheard of! Thank you, Dr. Laurie.
Off to bed...or in just a little bit...

hurdles

Okay, not real hurdles on the track but certainly mental ones. I was a total headcase today about mile repeats today. Why? I don't really know. I think I was scared that I wouldn't be able to do them as well as I wanted to or that they wouldn't be better than the last time we did them and that I'd feel like I'd encountered a setback or something. Yes, I could rationalize this by saying, "Umm...no one is going to die if you don't go faster or as fast as you did before. What are you trying to prove and to whom are you trying to prove it? And it might not even mean that much about where you are in your training. After all since Sunday you've run 15 miles, gone to a 1 hr. yoga class, gone to the specialty run, completed a 3600m swim workout, done a 20 min. core class + a 70 minute spin class, and done an hour long core class this morning." Sounds reasonable that my legs might be tired and that I just might not be that fast, right? Yes, reasonable to a reasonable person. I usually am that person but not today - or at least not with myself.
Anyway, I did have enough good sense to confess to Coach Logan that I was all worked up over freakin' mile repeats and somehow a simple email from him helped me start to calm down. I'm not sure I ever calmed down about it entirely (until the workout was over!), but I was in a better place when I arrived at O'Henry.
Did the first mile by myself - 8:28. And then was joined by Jane and Val (who was so off on her calculations about how fast she would go that it's now laughable!). Mile 2 - 7:54. Mile 3 - 7:45. Mile 4 - 7:39. Didn't quite nab that 10 second drop between miles 3 and 4 but that's okay. It's much better than I've done before on these (last time we did mile repeats my fastest was 7:57 and I was elated to break 8:00). Not the fastest I've ever run a mile either but still feeling good about it.
More than anything though, I feel like I accomplished something mentally. I'm sure I'll feel anxious the next time we do mile repeats. I might always feel that way. But I needed to go tonight and just do this workout . I needed to show up for myself and let whatever the track and my legs brought me be okay. And I did. And it was. One hurdle down...at least for today!

quick post...

...because the day got away from me. Partly because our Head of Upper School is out of town (helping care for his ill father) which means I'm in charge...sort of...or trying to pretend to be in charge. Or something. And all it's doing is confirming that I never want to do this job again!
Anyway, first trip to Performance Wellness today to see Dr. Laurie. I was 1/2 way scared she was going to say, "No more..." to something I was doing but that wasn't the case. An hour after her working on my leg with some cruel metal tools to break up the adhesions in my calves + some ultrasound work + some electric pulse work I was on my way with instructions to "come back soon". Yep, I'll be there a couple more times this week for another session with Dr. Laurie and a hip opening massage with Katie. Then it's back twice more next week + a session with the PT Dr. Davis to see about strengthening my hips. Apparently they seem to be the start of the problems in my lower legs. Funny how it's all connected...
Anyway, I'm expecting bruises on my calves tomorrow...need to get some sleep for core. (After I finish a presentation for College Night...geez...this evening has been a time warp ever since I got home from spin around 8:00 p.m. I'm needing a few more hours in the day, please.)

remember when it was 4?

Yes, this is what we were saying to one another tonight at our Barton Springs specialty run. Because when we were in winter training, only a short month ago, we only had four to do!
I sort of look forward to this run each week because it's like a little surprise. (No surprise for next week...Wilke!!!) At track, you know you're going to be running around the track, it's just the pace and/or distance that changes. But with these specialty runs, it's always something different. Tonight it was the Barton Springs loop + the "little" hill at the end.
And the IMCDA folks did 6 of these:
loop + 1 hill
loop + 2 hills
loop + 3 hills
loop + 3 hills
loop + 2 hills
loop + 1 hill
Loops were at a 10K pace and the hill was to build "massive power" in our legs. Love the thought...I'll be counting on feeling that massive power in CDA! My legs were still sore from this past weekend of training. Yoga this morning was really good. Usually I "hop" to the front of my mat after downward dog...not today, folks. I was gingerly stepping to the front! And I had the thought at least once today of whether or not I would run tonight, but I knew if I just showed up I might feel okay. And I did. Although I made sure to spend some quality time with my foam roller when I got home...my calves are still tight from yesterday! (We'll see what Dr. Laurie at Performance Wellness has to say about that tomorrow...)

february 1...

...and it's 76+ degrees...and sunny...and I ran in shorts and a long sleeve shirt this morning and was wishing for a short sleeve shirt by mile 10!
My calendar has this as its picture for the month and I keep thinking that it's pretty sweet to live in Austin, Texas right about now...and always.
Had a great run this morning. 100% of it with Blythe, most of it with Jim as well although he pulled ahead of us at one point and then let us catch him at the end. Liz ran 1/2 of it with us (she wasn't doing the full distance since she's still nursing an injury). Yvonne ran part of it with us, too. My legs were tired from yesterday's ride/brick, but my shin never hurt so that was good. Weather was perfect - started off at 48 degrees but then warmed up as the sun came out and as we picked off the miles. SO grateful to have running buddies as I might have been tempted to stop on my own...and I know they kept me going at a swift pace (averaged 9:11/mile). As we got ready to do our last mile, I took a look at my watch and realized it was showing the time that I did the 1/2 marathon in last year (that was 13.1 miles and we were headed into mile 15), so I'm pretty excited about possibly running that race even better than I did last year. Although it does have some nasty hills at the end...but I'll be smarter about the race this year. Anyway, it felt like a nice accomplishment to have this run behind us - even if, as Blythe and Erin reminded me, I have run this distance before. Drats! I thought it was another first! Oh, well, I have no idea what my time was last time but I'm fairly sure I feel better this time around.
Soaked/swam in Barton Springs after the run...good call from Coach Logan to do something like that for our legs after yesterday's ride/brick and today's run. Plus I needed 30 more minutes of swimming to round out my training week so it was perfect. And I swam without a wetsuit which made me happy. Still getting used to that neoprene...
Post-workout treat of a breakfast taco and coffee from Whole Foods...home to do more laundry (seriously, I cannot imagine if there were more than 1 person in this house!)...caught up with mom and Gran and a few friends...grocery shopping for the week...saved some bananas from being tossed by tossing them into banana bread...threw some ingredients into the Crock Pot for my meals this week (trying a new recipe - Mediterranean chicken, rice, and tomato bake)...and am finally settling down to work on a presentation for a couple of weeks from now. (I'm not usually able to work this far ahead but it's a new one and it's for a big deal so I need to get it done early!)
Need to roll my legs later today...maybe as I pretend to watch the SuperBowl? (Sorry Steelers & Cardinals fans, I just never got into the NFL this year.) And then it's off to bed early for me. I'm tired from the weekend of training - it was a big one, even if I know there are bigger ones to come. I'm taking Coach Chrissie's advice and looking at it one week at a time. I figure that way I won't feel too overwhelmed by what's ahead and I'll let myself celebrate these little milestones along the way.
I'm SO looking forward to yoga tomorrow morning. My legs need it! And it never hurts my spirits either...good way to start Monday...and a new month!