sleeping on the job

No. Not me.
I heard this story twice this morning (this happens when I listen to NPR on my way to swimming and then hear it again when I leave swimming before I switch to music for my drive to work) and I cracked up both times. Mostly because I've been thinking about napping a lot lately. And I always joke that someday I'm going to sit down on the couch in my office and fall asleep. I always imagine having students or a colleague or my boss walk in and me getting in trouble.
Well, a certain JetBlue baggage handler got a little more than he bargained for when he took what he thought was going to be perhaps a power nap on the job. He reportedly fell asleep in the cargo area of the plane when it was at JFK airport and woke up when it landed at Boston's Logan airport. Quite a shock, I would imagine...
Some question whether or not someone would really be able to sleep through all that noise in the cargo area...from a champion sleeper, let me just say that I absolutely believe it is possible! But I bet he won't choose that nap spot again!

good advice

I'm always ready to soak up wisdom from those around me. Got a few particularly helpful pieces of advice this weekend...
1 - from Jess about endurance sports in general: it is not who is the fastest it is who slows down the least! Yes! Something to be said for consistency and just plugging away...might be a specialty of mine.
2 - from Logan when I commented on how I felt better this past weekend than the weekend before (something that was sort of a mystery to me since the weekend before had shorter distances...maybe the brick did me in? umm...on to the advice, ETG): don't try to figure it out, just take it all as it comes, one workout at a time. Yes, yes...especially in this training, you just have to go with what you have at the time. Dig deep. Give it your all. Some days against all pieces of reason, you just don't have it in you. And other days, against all odds, you have more in you than you think you do.
3 - (technically from last week) from Don when I was talking about how I was trying to change some things up with my swim stroke...just feel the water, the speed with follow. Don is the metronome of our swim lane. Pacer extraordinaire. Consistent. Wise. Encouraging. I have a lot to learn from him! P.S. Mo did say I was catching more good water so maybe I'm getting there?!
4 - from Gran when we were talking about a friend of my mom who Gran has been particularly generous to with her time and listening ear...even when you don't have anything else to give, you can give someone your time or you can just listen to them. No wonder Gran has so many admirers...
On the training front, yoga was just what these muscles needed this morning...and surprisingly, I had a great run tonight. Okay, "great" is relative. Mentally it was great because I was out there doing it and felt good about it - more emotionally energized at the end than at the beginning. It wasn't fast (hills + ETG are never very fast!) but we did the long loop-short loop partner (yeah, Amy!) stuff in the Possum Trot area and I was impressed by what my legs still had in them. But only for the four sets + 1 set of backward stuff and then...the legs were done. Monday and Tuesday should be full workout days and then I start enjoying a more "recovery" type week Wednesday through Saturday before the Lonestar 1/2 Ironman in Galveston on Sunday. It's crazy to me that this "training day with lots of people cheering for us and support along the way and race numbers which makes it like a race except it's just another weekend of training for us CDA folks" (yes, this is how I look at it so I don't get anxious about racing...I'm not in racing mode yet!) is the same length as my "A" race last year?! What's gotten into me?!

ice baths and other thoughts

I've made lots of discoveries on this path of training for an Ironman. There are too many to list, really, and I'm sure if I tried I would leave out some really important ones. So I'll focus on some things from this past weekend...which, by the way, was a "big" one training-wise since we did our first 100-mile bike ride and our first 20-mile run. (Note: this was my longest bike ride and my longest run to date!)
Some thoughts about the weekend...
- 100 miles is a heck of a long way to bike (wind or no wind, it's just a lot of time to be in the saddle! I can only imagine 12 more miles!)
- 20 miles is a heck of a long way to run (on fresh legs or tired legs...it's a significant distance...but my first 20-miler felt good today! yeah! I felt strong and challenged and satisfied by how we did...yeah running buddies - Laura, Liz, Jim, Blythe, and Amy)
- both of the distances go by faster if you have friends and training buddies with you...if the sun is out...if you keep smiling even when you experience pain...if you have a good song to sing...if you are really loving what you are doing
- my body/our bodies can do way more than I ever thought possible...and can recover from injuries in amazing ways if you take care of them (insert deep gratitude here for no shin splint pain!)
- "ignorance is bliss"...I think I felt relatively little anxiety about this weekend purely because I had no tangible experience of how tough it would be. I (foolishly?) just assumed I could do it all based on the training that we've been doing and because none of my coaches have told me to throw in the towel yet. I could only imagine it and those images didn't really do it justice! At any rate, I'm incredibly grateful that my first 100-mile ride and 20-mile run went so well/felt so solid.
- why, oh why, can I bike 100 miles and run 20 miles and then totally wimp out about the two ice baths I forced myself to take this weekend?! Seriously. I did get in. I did soak for 20 minutes each time. I didn't freeze completely (although I was shivering like mad). I was thanking my Saturday ice bath on Sunday when I was running. Yes, yes, yes...all of these things. But I acted like a kid being forced to take gross tasting medicine as I tried to get into the tub! Amy said I have a lot of mental fortitude, well, it didn't look like that in the bathroom this weekend. Or maybe it did once I got in and forced myself to stay in.
- friends who go the distance with you on the bike, on the running trail, and in life are the most valuable sort...I'm humbled that I'm surrounded by so many in so many areas of my life
- having someone say they believe in you or are proud of you can carry you through some of the painful moments along the way
- and continuing to deepen your belief in yourself is a gift beyond compare
Here's to another great week of training...and life.

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...

Remember this book from your childhood? Well, I felt like that Little Engine that Could today on my 100 mile bike ride. Yes, that's right. 100 miles. It's pretty darn exciting. My first century! I was glad I told Gran to sit down before I told her as her gasp was about as loud as mine is when I'm pushing it to keep up with the super fast boys in my swim lane! (She cracks me up...she's proud of me even when she doesn't understand exactly what to be proud of! We should all be so lucky. Love you, Gran!)
Some highlights of my day (note: this ride was pretty much my day since we started around 8 a.m. and I finished some 7 hours later...I'll spare you the details of each hour and each hill!):
- the sun was out!!! This was a huge deal to me because in addition to the world just being a better place when the sun is out, it was cold (40s) and windy (there was a wind advisory: 20-30 mph winds with occasional gusts of wind up to 40 mph...good times!). But seriously, when the sun is out both the cold and wind are bearable.
- having people to ride with...not too many of us as lots of folks were riding in Salado or the Rosedale Ride or on Sunday not wanting to brave the elements today. But a small group of us gathered at Kiker and headed out for our rides. I tagged along behind Nancy, Blythe, Steve, and Tennille. Wasn't long before I was on my own but that was okay - I was expecting that and I always feel okay as long as someone knows I'm out there. Plus, I knew that soon enough the superfast boys would come up behind me. What was really nice was when Michelle W. met up with us at the gas station at 290 & Fitzhugh. She's just a tad bit faster than I am but we were able to ride the rest of the miles together - yeah!
- the smooth road right after you cross RR12...the bumpy roads that are everywhere else on this ride are a little much for 100 miles so the smooth road is such a nice treat that you feel really spoiled.
- having a tailwind some part of the time on the way home...thank God for small favors. Seriously. We needed a little break after a headwind. But we still had the crosswinds...and south MoPac treated us to some headwinds again!
- getting to the turn-around point, heading back, and finishing in about 35-40 minutes less than on the way out...love that!
- not having a flat or any other mechanical difficulties...I'm grateful for that every time I have a trouble-free, injury-free ride but especially on a day like today when we had such a long ride.
- getting back to do my south MoPac loop and discovering that Blythe had just finished hers...yeah, I'm slow but not so slow that everyone else had finished, gone home, showered, and already napping!
- finishing my ride and doing a quick 10 minute run just to see how my legs felt...better than last week, thank you?! (By the way, it's a good thing I didn't see text messages from Yvonne and Blythe about lunch plans until I finished the run...Kerbey Lane or run? Kerbey Lane or run? What would I have done?!)
- getting a note from Amy welcoming me back to my car when I finished...I smiled so big!
- votes of confidence from my teammates on the road...seeing Tennille, Blythe, Steve, Mo, Joe, Matt, Kevin, and David out there on Fitzhugh really made a difference. Thanks guys!
- our meal at Kerbey Lane after the ride...thanks for waiting for me, friends...it felt awesome to sit down, eat, and chat.
- hearing from Matt and Joe that the ride we did today was hillier than CDA - woot!
- new discoveries on my bike: I can hit 39 mph! I can also hit about 12 mph going downhill...when the wind is in my face. I realized that I'm not scared of biking anymore - yeah!
- seeing Logan out there to ride on the road again...does my heart good to see people who've been sidelined because of an injury/illness/accident/whatever be able to get back to something they love. You sure did pick a brutal day to get out there...and you rocked your 70+ miles. Running, now riding...next thing you know you'll be back in the pool! Way to go, Coach!
- calls and other messages from friends and teammates checking in on me...I hope I didn't worry you with my slowness. I was just plugging away - "the little Elizabeth that could" thinking I could! And I did. And then I felt VERY cared for. THANK YOU - you are the best!

Overall, such a great day!!! Clearly, some challenges (you didn't get the rundown of the ride which is pretty much hill after hill after hill!) but those made the whole experience even more rewarding. I think maybe days like today seal the deal that I'm a training dork...I love this stuff. And I love the fact that I will sleep so well tonight it's not even funny! Which is a good thing...20 miles to run tomorrow (another first!).

Note to self: leave the post-ride cookies with a faster rider in the future so that everyone can actually enjoy them seeing as I won't get finished until many have already left...duh! Sorry to those who missed them...there will be more!

friday quotation

My college counselor had this posted on her door when I was in high school. She was a complete inspiration to me, and I try to emulate the care and concern that she showed to me everyday with my students. I've never forgotten this quotation, even though I had to read it about ten times the first time I saw it (it sounds almost like a riddle!). And even though I thought it was just one of those things that adults told you to try to make you feel better when something didn't go your way.
It sort of is that kind of thing.
But it also makes a whole lot of sense.

"Some luck lies in not getting what you thought you wanted but getting what you have, which once you have it you may be smart enough to see is what you would have wanted had you know." (Garrison Keillor)

all in a day's weather

Welcome to central Texas in the spring...

Morning weather: overcast, even a little drizzle/heavy mist, cool...want to crawl back into bed weather (but I couldn't!)
Evening weather: cool, clear, sunny...want to drive with your windows down and music blaring (and I did!)

Driving to work from Lost Creek where we'd had swim practice seriously made me wish for Spring Break again and the chance to take a nap...immediately!

Driving from work to the PTC for spin this afternoon made me want to go for a drive in the country...instead I found some good tunes on the radio (Van Morrison...love it!) and rolled all the windows down. Put me in a good mood for spin - where I was determined to have a stronger workout than I'd had on Tuesday night.

And I did. Mind over matter?

Without getting too "deep" today was a picture perfect model of things/days in life that start off dreary getting better...and the best thing, there wasn't a darn thing I could do to make that happen or had to do to make that happen. Sometimes it's good for me to remember to sit back, be patient, and let time take its course. Honestly, I find something very freeing remembering that there are things that I'm not in control of (like the weather!)...ahh...one less thing to worry about.

(P.S. That is not my dog...although if it happened to wander into my home I'd want to keep it!)

just one more thing...

...to love about T3.
You've got to love a triathlon training group that takes you all the way from plank to pizza...all in one day.
Yes, many of us started the day with Chrissie's awesome core workout. We did our hour long workout this morning without any equipment. I actually love this workout and I love that we feel like we're one big, happy, doing-our-core-workout family! This morning it was a mix of push-ups, plank, pike sit-ups, squat jumps, flutter, scissors, lunges, etc... The list could go on. Five rounds. Lots of good music. Fast pace. Feel the burn. I love, love, love starting my Wednesday with this class.
Went through my day at work...tackled some big projects that had been hanging over my head...and kept checking the weather to see what might be rolling in. "Big storms" and "possible tornadoes" were threatening the area and I suspect more than a few of us were tuned into the weather channel or something similar thinking of our track practice. I took last week off from track; next week I have a faculty meeting that will probably run late; and so even though it was an extra workout for me, I was determined to make it to track this week. If I miss too many, I get all nervous about it again and it becomes that much more difficult for me to go. (I know...stressing over a silly thing.) Mother Nature did not help me out...or maybe she knows more about what my muscles needed this week and she did help me out by hanging a black cloud over the sky adjacent to O'Henry. Coach Logan and the handful of us who were there fairly quickly assessed that the storm that was rolling in was not looking gentle. So, what did this group of rough and tough triathletes do?
What any group of fair weather athletes would do, we took ourselves to Mangia Pizza! Some folks went home; some might have even gone to run. But we had not even been served our drinks yet when the skies opened up and it looked like it was 8:00 p.m. at only 6:20 p.m. the sky was so dark. And outside of the porch at Mangia it looked like a waterfall. No hail like northwest Austin had but still a bad storm - one that would not have been good or safe to experience on the track at O'Henry. Good call, Coach!
As I walked back home to go to my homeowner's association meeting (had to make sure to be there so I wouldn't get re-elected to the board or something!), I thought about how great this training group is for me. Like so many other people and things in my life, T3 reminds me of the importance of balance - which is extraordinary given that in T3 we're surrounded by training schedules and high achieving, highly motivated athletes (many, like myself, who go, go, go all the time). In fact, our coaches even blogged this week about days off and what is gained when we take a day off. Taking tonight off from running was good for my body - it was an extra workout and as much as I need to keep practicing my speed and get over my mental hurdles with track workouts, I'm guessing that my body will be thanking me for the rest tomorrow (and mostly this weekend for our long rides and runs!). But it was also good for my spirits and my emotions - to be reminded that as athletes we need to change our plans sometimes, that we need to be flexible, that we need to kick back and laugh and enjoy one another, and that we need to keep it all in perspective. And that is what tonight was for me. And it felt okay!
(Now the real test will be for this to happen during a week where the weather or something else messes with my schedule and it means I don't get my hours in...will I be as okay with that? Let's hope I have that sort of wisdom when the time comes...about 12 more weeks left and I can already point out some times where it's going to be tough to complete all of our scheduled hours due to other commitments. And I will be okay with that...or so I will keep telling myself until I come to believe it!)

the smallest things...

...are the things that make me smile and laugh, the things that can make me cry, and the things that I get all stressed about. And that usually makes me have a big old laugh at myself when I'm looking back on it.
Take today for example. I just could not drag myself out of bed at 5:00 a.m. to make it to Lost Creek for swim practice. My alarm went off and my body said, "Ummm...I don't think so, lady." Usually I can force myself into action, but this morning I decided that I'd put my body through enough between workouts on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday and a late night of work on Monday, so I listened to my muscles. Back to bed for 30-40 minutes (felt like a luxury!) and then headed to Stacy Pool for a self-coached swim workout where I really worked on my form - which I need to work on and which I can't ever really work on for an entire practice when I'm keeping up with the speedy ones at a T3 workout.
If I left the story at that, it wouldn't be complete though. I would have left out the fabulous boxing match that occurred in my head as I was trying to decide what to do at 5:00 a.m. Confession: in the midst of the "go back to sleep or force myself out of bed" dilemma at 5:00 a.m., I felt myself getting stressed about missing a swim workout.
Let me put this in perspective for you.
I'm no Michael Phelps or his female equivalent (if that's possible!) but if there's one workout of the three disciplines that I can miss, it's a swim workout. Run. Bike. Not so much. I need those, BIG time. Swimming, I could miss even a few and it would be okay. Also, over the course of our 24-week training schedule, we have something like more than 60 or 70 hours of swimming in our schedule. If I miss one hour, it's not going to ruin my race! But I'd told Blythe I would be there...I love swimming first thing in the morning (especially with all of my morning swim buddies)...what if it was my favorite swim workout? I know...it's laughable. And eventually I was able to tell myself that I was being silly and crawl back into bed where those extra winks completely turned my day around. And as I'm swimming, I'm able to laugh at myself for getting so worked up over one practice. Reality check: this training is about a lot of little things built up, not about one measly practice. Got it.
So, off to school I go, feeling a little better about letting go of the small stuff until I am reminded by a billboard that I'm going to Mighty Fine for lunch with my advisees today.
Background for this part of my day: this off campus adventure is a really big deal to our students. We get to do it twice a year in our advisory groups. Usually, we have a closed campus which, of course, the students think is cruel and unusual punishment. So, when we get to go off campus they feel like it's a jail break or something...even though the warden (yours truly) is with them!
Anyway, these outings always stress me out. We can't be late getting back to school and there aren't that many places where 10 of us can get in and out in the given time. But I don't want to tell them to "hurry" because teenagers translate that as "drive fast" and, needless to say, I don't want anyone to have a wreck. Seriously, if something happened on my watch I'd be a total mess. And, really, does it have to be raining today?!
My poor advisees get all of my maternal instincts when it comes to these outings..."drive safely", "only as many students to a car as there are seat belts", "don't speed", "when we get to the restaurant, be polite, please", etc... The "be polite" is almost a joke because they are so polite putting up with all of my stress over an off-campus lunch that it's laughable. And once we get wherever we are going that's what we do...we laugh. And I always enjoy it. And I think, "You're so silly for getting all worked up over an off-campus lunch." For nearly 10 years now I've taken students off campus for lunch without incident. Yet time after time, it sends me right down the road to Crazyville. You'd think I'd learn.
Yep...I can sign up (and train) for an Ironman, I can get an MRI done to check on a tumor, I can stand by my mom's side when she battled cancer, I can help students with college decisions, I can listen to parents worried about their child's well-being, I can talk through a problem with a friend...all of this hardly flinching. But I get all worked up over a missed swim practice or a simple trip off campus to get a hamburger.
Good reality check of a day for me...choose my (internal) battles more wisely!

the guts of T3 athletes

...no, this is not going to be a post about the GI issues of T3 athletes, although there has been plenty to say about that since the food after our ride this weekend made lots of folks sick. I'm still feeling sad for those friends of mine who were so miserable on Saturday night and into Sunday and even into Monday...feel better, friends!
This post is about what I experienced and observed this weekend...GUTS!
I would be remiss to not write some more about this weekend because it was a big one - physically, mentally, and emotionally. We're knee deep in our training now which means that the distances become longer and that usually means that each long workout is quite simply more difficult. Not only are there physical challenges but there are mental challenges as well.
When I look back on this weekend - the long ride + brick on Saturday and then the 17-mile run on Sunday - what I'm struck by is that we all have guts to be out there trying to accomplish this amazing thing. I don't know if anyone else feels this way, but I feel like I'm just this very ordinary human being trying to do something a tad beyond ordinary. And just when I think that this might all be some crazy dream, I feel the real pain of 17 miles (I know...it will probably get more painful!) and I'm thunderstruck by what "little old me" has been able do with the support of teammates, coaches, family, and friends. What I do might not be fast. What I do might not always be pretty. But it's a heck of a lot more than I ever thought I'd accomplish athletically in my life. And for me, that's where the courage and the discipline and the sacrifice and the willingness to suspend disbelief that you can't do something comes in. You have to be willing to let your life flow into this pattern of swim, bike, run, eat, sleep, work, time with friends, time with family, laundry, swim, bike, run, eat, sleep, errands, rolling, icing, naps, downtime, etc... And for many of us who picked up this sport somewhere in our 20s or even later, it's meant a shift in our lifestyles. It's meant trying something new that we weren't sure we'd be any good at. And I think for adults that's hard.
As kids, we try lots of new stuff because we never really think that we won't be able to do it. We enter everything with the expectation that we can surely do it as well as the next guy (or gal). But as we grow up, we sometimes get timid.
I had a lot of time to think about all of this on my 17 mile run this weekend because I was seeing anything but a timid spirit from my teammates. I ended up doing a chunk of the run by myself because my poor running buddies physical guts were giving them trouble, and I thought how amazing they were for even getting out there and attempting the run. And that launched me into a whole conversation with myself about the courage and drive that I've been observing in my teammates and that I think I must have a touch of, too. (Don't worry, I don't think I'm the only one who has these internal conversations...I'm not going crazy!)
As adults, I think we tend to only want to do things that we do well. We don't want to make fools our of ourselves. We don't try new things because we fear we might fail. We can get caught in the rat race mentality that it's not worth doing if it doesn't get us anywhere. And heaven forbid we should not be the best at whatever we do.
But triathlons are humbling in that way. For most of us, there's (at least!) one part of the training that we just don't do as well as the next guy/gal. There's typically one piece of it that always takes more physical or mental or emotional energy because it's just harder than some other part. Maybe it's making it to yoga class when you're not that flexible. Or getting yourself to track practice when it completely messes with your mind to the point that you forget it's just about running. It might be hopping in the pool where others seem to glide by effortlessly as you focus in every breath, trying not to hear the voices in your head that are telling you that you are barely moving. Sometimes getting on that bike saddle and pedaling into nowhere is the toughest part as you know there are hills ahead that you will have to resist the urge to walk instead of ride. Maybe it's core class where you can barely do one push-up and you watch in envy as others pound them out as if they've been doing them all of their lives. Sometimes it's just putting one foot in front of the other for 17 miles pretending that you really are doing something other than a shuffle. (Okay...sometimes you are just shuffling!)
Yes, for each one of us it's something...or a lot of somethings. But for some reason (and I think that reason is also different for each of us), we keep showing up. We keep getting back out there - on the road, at the PTC, on the Town Lake trail, in the water - and pushing ourselves a little more. And that, in my opinion, takes guts and courage. And T3 is chock full of it!
P.S. The 17 miles...the longest run of my life...tough but satisfying. I think I even managed to smile for some parts of it. I certainly smiled when it was over! The ice bath after...painful but totally helpful. That and my fabulous compression socks and a quick nap and some rolling saved my legs so that I was able to do the hills behind O'Henry at our run workout tonight. (Not super fast, but I made it up them...6 times with Blythe and Amy! Yeah girls doing the CDA workout! We were it for the girls in that group tonight...and Blythe and I think that Amy is secretly signed up for this race and that's why she does all the training with us!? Unfortunately, we're a tad slower than everyone else so Logan has to wait around for us...sorry, Coach. We appreciate you waiting and not making us feel bad.)

spring

I love spring. In Texas, spring is a funny thing because some years it lasts about 2 days before we shift full force into the brutal temperatures of the Texas summers. In other years, it lasts for a few weeks complete with wildflowers, cool mornings, warm days, plenty of sunshine, and maybe even some spring showers. This year I feel like spring has tried to emerge several times only to be put back in its place by old man winter - specifically on the weekends! But now that it is officially spring, maybe it's here to stay?!
When I lived in Virginia, we all really looked forward to spring because it meant that we could put away our wool sweaters and winter boots and look forward to flowers and sun and being outside with freezing our tails off. You really felt like it was a time to begin again...a new season in life.
Well, maybe it's because of my spring change-of-pace week (which wraps up today...sigh) or maybe it's because spring is in the air but I feel like I've had a few extra moments to think recently and I've had a few springtime epiphanies. Love that! Those moments in life where you realize something about yourself that you'd forgotten or that you'd never known. With each new discovery or re-discovery I've gained a certain amount of freedom and a new confidence, peace, and contentment about where I am right now and the direction in which I'm headed (well, as much as I know about that!). So, without being too pensive, here are some of my thoughts:
- some of the things that I thought were so important when I was younger, don't seem that important anymore...
- ... many of them have been replaced by other things that I either already have in my life now or that I look forward to having in my life someday
- "balance" is within reach...and I don't have to feel bad about it...living a balanced life if not a selfish pursuit
- I will never be able to please everyone...the best I can hope for is that I do everything with a dose of love, a mindfulness for the feelings of others, and an attempt to treat everyone with the respect they deserve
- life is too short to not be filled with things that bring us joy...and if we surround ourselves with those things, we're actually better people to be around because we share that joy with others
- I once had an image of how my life needed to look to be meaningful...it's now changing...and that's a relief in some ways because it reminds me that there's rarely one way to have a fulfilling, meaningful life!
- I'm in a really happy place in my life...perhaps happier than I've been in years...and I thought I was happy before! And I'm really, really grateful to all of the things and people that have contributed to that. (And unless you're a perfect stranger reading my blog, you can probably count yourself as one of those people who has added joy and meaning to my life...thank you.)

Ahhh...spring...new beginnings...new experiences...it's refreshing. And inspiring. And exciting. (And, yes, I ran my 17 miles today and that was a new experience...more about it tomorrow...for today, a nearly triathlon-talk free blog as promised after my triathlon-focused blog yesterday...there's that balance!)

bricks...steel...rebar...career change?

Don't worry...I'm not changing careers and going into construction as my posts about steel, rebar, and now brick might suggest! While I'm actually quite handy with a number of tools (thank you, Dad, who gave me a fully stocked toolbox when I turned 25) and have even helped re-shingle a house and know how to mix cement not using a cement mixer, for the sake of all building standards you probably really don't want someone as spatially challenged as I am doing any major construction!
Today's post is really all about my training day. I haven't done one of these posts in a while so if you're not interested in triathlons or my current training, check back in with me tomorrow.
Our task today: 80 mile ride + a 50 minute run...affectionately known as a "brick". As I sit here writing about bricks, I have to admit that I'm not sure where that term originated or what it's official definition is. But I'm guessing it has something to do with either: a) the fact that you are layering one discipline on top of the other...sort of like building a brick wall OR b) the reality that your legs feel like bricks when you get off the bike and begin to run! Either way, it's something that all triathletes need to practice from time to time because on race day, you have your ultimate brick.
A lot of us T3ers ventured out to the Spirit Reins Ranch today for their 5th Spokes 'N Spurs ride. It was supposed to be last weekend but the rainy weather made for poor road conditions so the ride was delayed. Anyway, it was absolutely perfect weather today! Cool-ish morning (but only needed arm warmers...and only for the first loop) that became a wonderfully sunny day. (Yes, I did wear sunscreen although you can still tell exactly where my jersey sleeves end and where my watch and where my Erin Lahr bracelet sat on my arms...oops.) We did the 44-mile loop twice and I was pretty much by myself the whole time. Caught up with Blythe, Yvonne, Brittany, and Lindsey for a brief moment after they had stopped at a rest stop but I knew better than to try to stay with them for long if I wanted to finish strong. So I dialed in and got into a groove that included the same song running through my head and a really good effort to make sure I took in my nutrition when I was supposed to. Never got the song out of my head but did a great job with my nutrition and water - thank goodness for my new aerobottle!
Anyway, the route is hilly - both the rolling hills and steeper stuff that central Texas boasts. But it is also truly beautiful, especially now with patches of bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush and some greener grass thanks to the rain. You can catch glimpses of wildlife either on the ranches or on the side of the road. It was sort of odd to have full stretches of the road to myself for pretty long chunks of the time on the second loop...I was worried that I would slow down but I kept telling myself that the CDA cut-off was nothing to mess around with and that I better see what I had in me right here and now.
I won't keep you in suspense (HA!)...here's what I had in me today.
- a split that was only 3-5 minutes (didn't turn my bike computer off immediately!) longer on the second loop than the first loop. (Nice Jim called that "smart riding"...thanks for the vote of confidence, Jim!)
- an average that is just shy of 16 mph (15.8/15.9...seriously, could I get much closer?! Next time, I'll get it!) which makes me feel better about CDA because Mo said last week that if we could average 14.5 on the CDA course then we'd make the cut-off. I know we didn't ride the CDA course today but I have to believe that if I can do this here that with the training between now and June 21 that I will be okay.
- I didn't go crazy or have too much crazy talk in my head...even being along for so long. (Confession: I finally had to sing part of that song in my head out loud - the cows turned their heads and I wanted to say, "I've heard you...your voice isn't much better!" I was hoping this would remove the song from my head...no luck.)
- and, best of all, I finished with a little bit of spunk!
Saw lots of T3ers on their runs as I was finishing up my ride. They were looking good!!! Did a quick switch of bike gear to run gear, dropped my bike off, picked up my water and was ready to run. Woo-hoo...50 minutes. Out-and-back. Chrissie suggested that we try to negative split it. Hmmm...seemed like a good idea yesterday. Today my goal was to run the entire 50 minutes. No walking. Even if my run was the speed of a walk! I ended up going a lot further than I thought which was exciting. And around minute 30, I actually fell into some sort of groove. The hills were not particularly fun and the sun was starting to get a tad warm but I didn't give myself the option of stopping. It was a "green light go" sort of run - not necessarily a "full speed ahead" run though! Ended up averaging about 10 minute miles which I would actually be THRILLED to do at CDA, even though I'm not expecting to do the marathon at quite that speedy of a pace. Anyway, I was glad to see the 50 minutes end but the truth is that if I had had to keep going, I think I could have.
Oh, wait, I get a chance to run tomorrow...never mind! Yes...tomorrow brings 17 miles on the trail. How does one go from one thing to another a friend of mine asked this afternoon? My answer: rolling, stretching, icing, recovery food, a nap, more rolling, more stretching, more icing, feet up on the couch with compression socks on (yes, it's sexy), and early to bed. I'll let you know how this plan works tomorrow...after I have accomplished two pretty big things: the longest ride of my life thus far and the longest run of my life thus far.
One more thing before I sign off. I know I've waxed on before about T3 but I have to sing the praises of my teammates again. They are a gutsy, talented, supportive, inspiring group of people. Although I didn't see a ton of them today on the course, whenever I did it made me want to be better, to ride faster, to attack the brick. I know I have all of that in me but it sure does help to have friends to encourage you along the way. Special thanks to all the IM veterans out there today who encouraged us rookies!

friday quotation...well, a story

This past week when school has been quiet, I've spent some time each day visiting with our maintenance and security staff. They do so much thankless work here at school. We have afternoon clean-up each day in an effort to help them out. For five minutes right before school is dismissed every student and faculty member does some little job around campus as we try to clean up after ourselves. For example, my advisees come to my office and together we take out the trash, stack chairs (so that vacuuming is easier), make sure that the area outside of my office is free of any trash, and take the recycling down to the large recycling bins. As our first Head of Upper School, Hilary Carlson, said, "The last thing we want is a bunch of teenagers who will travel around the world to save the whales but can't be bothered to clean up after themselves." Amen.
At any rate, I know that what we do really doesn't even begin to ease the workloads of those folks who are on our staff whose job it is to mop and dump trash and basically keep our school a wonderful place to return to each morning. We try to thank them throughout the year but I'm not sure we'll ever be able to say it enough.
And while we're here at school, because we're a relatively open campus, we have people who sit in a "guard office" and monitor the comings and goings of everyone on campus. They are SO important because they really are the first face that many people meet when they arrive on campus. They are friendly and helpful and patient when we forget to tell them we are expecting visitors or when students forget their passes off campus. They also help keep the campus safe.
There is one particular person who is here every morning and through the day until her shift ends mid-afternoon. Her name also happens to be Elizabeth and as I drove onto campus this week I was struck by something that I observed each day. It seemed like for each day of the week she had some small task that she was doing in or around the guard office. One day she was cleaning the windows. The next day she was sweeping. The following day she was bringing in a new potted plant to brighten up her workspace. Something about this just warmed my heart. I thought, "Here Elizabeth is making her work space as cheerful as it can be even though she has a job that is terribly thankless and probably downright boring on many days. And I'm sure that people are not always terribly nice to her." And I started thinking of a story that we used to hear at camp...yes, my blog today strayed a little from my usual Friday quotation but remember, it's my "spring change-of-pace" week!
Here's the story...take it for what you will. I think it's just a good one to know. It's always been a good reminder to me to take pride in what I do - no matter how big, how small, how important, how unimportant my job is...

As a young boy, Mark Twain took a steamboat trip down the Mississippi River. He was a typically curious lad, and his wanderings led to the engine room. He had never seen a dirtier place in his life. Slimy oil and bilge water covered the floor around the bottom of the engine. Dirty, greasy rags were strewn about the floor, and grease that had been collecting for years covered the engine. The sight of that room was unforgettably repulsive to him.

Years later he happened to be on the same boat again and retraced the steps he had taken as a boy. Once again he visited the engine room. This time an incredible contrast met his eyes. Gone from the floor were all the oil and bilge water. The filthy rags had disappeared. All of the grease had been wiped from the engine; the brass and copper parts had been polished until they gleamed!

Sitting next to the engine was a man with one of the most pleasant expressions Mark Twain had ever beheld.

Commending the engineman on the tremendous improvement that had taken place, Twain asked how such a startling contrast could be accounted for. The old engineman replied, “Mr. Twain, I’ve got a Glory.”

His glory, he said, was having the finest engine room on the Mississippi River. Without doubt, he had succeeded.

Spring Change-of-Pace

I decided today that I needed to call this week "Spring Change-of-Pace" rather than "Spring Break". Or maybe I should call it "Spring Break-from-the-usual-routine".
I told myself at the beginning of the week that I would work Monday through Wednesday but not Thursday or Friday. Things were not looking good for this plan given the amount of work I took home with me at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. So...I decided that rather than feel bad about failing to really take a break from work, I would think of the week as a change of pace. And it certainly has been that - and it's been wonderful!
I've had flexibility with my schedule. I've spent time with friends and even mobile officed this morning with Erin. I've run errands during the middle of the day, in the middle of the week. And I've gotten to spend my hours at work in comfy clothes, able to work without interruptions, and starting to chip away at some big projects and even finish others. I've done a few workouts at different times (Lost Creek pool is beautiful at night, by the way) and enjoyed not having to rush around. I haven't taken as many naps as I wanted to, but I feel oddly refreshed merely from the change of pace. And maybe that's the trick - if we can figure out how to renew without having to take a total break from everything we do because I'm just not sure how realistic it is to expect to get a real "Spring Break"!
P.S. For anyone who loves spring...get excited...it officially begins tomorrow (3/20)! Not that it hasn't felt like spring in Austin for a while now!!!

abs of steel...legs of rebar?

Katie Cully at Performance Wellness rocks! She's an amazing massage therapist. She's this tiny powerhouse capable of digging into the toughest of knots and working on them until they give way. She plays great music. She's funny. And she always has some creative way of describing whatever is going on with my muscles. Last time my hips were "locked up tighter than a convent on Valentine's Day" (seriously?!) and this time my hamstrings felt "like rebar". At first you might think, "Cool, they are really strong." But the reality is that rebar has ridges...and I think her description means that my muscles feel like they have ridges. Which is not really what we're going for folks! And it makes for a pretty painful (good pain!) massage...and usually some new bruises after the massage. Today she discovered that if she warms my legs up before and then uses some menthol smelling stuff on them that they are a little more pliable. And she suggested that in addition to rolling right after exercise that I then come home, take a hot bath or warm up the muscles again with a heating pad, and then roll again. Yeah! Erin teased me a while ago about becoming a professional roller because I was doing it so much...I'm back at it. Now all they need to do is add this and pike sit-ups into the Ironman in CDA and I might really gain some ground!
The day started off with our "abs of steel" workout with Chrissie...LOTS of ab work today which was good. Then, because we're on Spring Break, I got to go grab breakfast with some T3 folks. Yeah! I've been looking forward to it for so long...simple pleasures - breakfast with friends.
After my massage I took myself back to school. I've been working on the same transcript project for three days now and I finally stopped to see how many I was needing to produce. Over 400. No wonder it was taking me so long to update GPAs, print them, stuff and seal them, and postmark them. I'm tired of the project so I told myself that today was it. And it was. But it meant I was at school until 7:00 p.m. Yes, I'm crazy when I get determined to finish something. Good thing I'd already decided to give myself a 24-hour hiatus from working out which meant that I wouldn't be going to track practice. So I ducked my head and just worked on through 5:00 p.m. and then 6:15 p.m. (my curfew for myself!) and finally at 7:00 p.m. I gave in. I packed up what I could take home with me and decided to finish at home. I was tired of being in my office - it just doesn't feel like home no matter how comfy I make it. And I knew I needed dinner! Quick run by Costco and then home again, home again...to the smell of BBQ chicken in the slow cooker!!! I had totally forgotten. YUM! Seriously good stuff. Thanks, Jess, for the cookbook and the recipe tip. A little frozen yogurt with berries for dessert (I decided I deserved a treat for working late over Spring Break?! I know, I know...). And hopefully to bed soon...because I missed my nap today. But I don't have an early morning workout tomorrow so I'll take that extra hour of sleep and apply it to my nap quota for today!
(Note: I know this is weird but taking time off from our training has been tough...not only because it's sometimes difficult to take a day off and still fit in your hours but mostly because it's so much fun that I hate to not be at practice. But I knew that my legs would thank me for letting them reap the benefits of the massage if I let them be loose for a little while.)

laughter is the best medicine...

...even if you're not sick! My day: FULL of laughter!

Okay, well not so much this morning at swim because I was holding on for dear life and trying not to get lapped too many times on the 600 pull. Honestly, I need a special lane all to myself for a pull that long. In my next life, I'll be able to pull faster. Okay, maybe in the next tri season I'll be able to pull faster?! Maaaaaaaybe. At any rate, I actually do laugh at myself even when that's going on because it's pretty darn funny if I let it go.
And I didn't laugh so much when I got the low-down about my car needing a new catalytic converter. I can't even really explain to you with any confidence what it does but apparently mine is not working...thus the "check engine" light. What was slightly comical (in that sick, funny way) was that apparently they are under warranty for 80,000 miles. Guess how many miles on my car? 83,000. And, yes, the 3,000 over does matter. Geez. The laughter here was probably on the part of the mechanic who a) is going to make some money off of me/my car and b) was amused at my questions about whether or not this would make my car suddenly stop on my morning commute. (The answer is "no"...at least not right away!)
When I got to work, the real laughter began. I was pretty much the only one there...remember, it IS Spring Break...so I set to finishing up at least one project. And I got a lot of it finished. But I also spent time emailing with friends early in the day, and that set off a firestorm of hysterical email exchanges. Lots of pictures, lots of "what if we" statements...we were on a roll and making one another laugh out loud wherever we were. What a great day and it was only 2:00 p.m.
At acupuncture I got to take my nap of the day...at least 45 minutes...I'm not sure because I was so "gone" that I have no idea when I fell asleep or when I woke up. I usually sleep at acupuncture and I laugh that it's the most expensive nap ever - but it's good, deep sleep. (Actually, my airplane naps are more expensive!)
Headed to the PTC still feeling a little mellow or sleepy or something and not sure of what the evening spin workout would hold but things were looking up almost immediately. Jess had saved me a trainer (thanks!) and she and I rode with Michelle and behind Carrie right in front of Logan. Everyone was sort of in a funny mood - because of St. Patrick's Day? Jess had made Carrie a sweet potato lasagna (that I ended up having for dinner - thanks again, Jess...and Carrie!) and so we were talking about that...Michelle and I discovered that Sweet Tarts might not be a bad thing to have in a Bento box for a race...Carrie went through at least three bike pumps trying to set up her bike...and that was all before class even started. When class finally started the music was good, the class was good (don't remember doing one like this before and I liked it...and I was able to hit most of the gears and cadence calls at the right time!), Logan was back in action making us all laugh as he did the class with us...yeah, I'm not really sure what it was but it was a fun, fun workout. Yes, I did work hard and all of that, too. But, as usual, I enjoyed it...and maybe just laughed a little more than usual.
One of the things that made me giggle during the spin workout was an image of me sitting on my bike eating pizza. Let me explain...
Yesterday I met with Meredith, this awesome nutritionist here in Austin who works with a lot of athletes and is an incredible athlete herself - congrats, Meredith, on your latest victory at the Coyote Two Moon Ultra in Ojai, CA. We're constantly revamping my nutrition plan because I am forever messing it up in some way. I get parts of it under control and then some other part goes completely haywire. My latest mishap...I somehow managed to miss the side note that whatever I consume in the way of calories while I'm exercising or even in my recovery drink right after exercise doesn't get counted in the day's calorie count. Oops. So here I am thinking that I'm hitting my calorie mark in a really solid way and, in fact, on some days (like our long rides and long runs) I'm super behind. AH!
So, to make a point, Meredith said, "Elizabeth, eat whatever you want on the bike...I don't care. Eat a pizza if you want...it doesn't count toward your day's calories." Well, the idea of that just makes me laugh. Sitting on my bike at the PTC with a piece of pizza...really, it's ridiculous; but I get her point.
And if all of that wasn't enough humor for the day, a few of us ended up at Carrie and Shawn's place to enjoy some of the sweet potato lasagna that Jess had made - YUMMY! - for dinner and a little hang out time. And to raise a glass of wine in honor of St. Patrick's Day...okay, it should have been beer or something, but it wasn't.
If tomorrow is even half as humorous as today my sides aren't going to get the rest they need from laughing all day. Oh, wait, they aren't going to get that rest anyway with Wednesday morning core...better go rest them up at least a little.

personality mutt

Ever been to the pound and seen that cute little puppy in the cage and you stare at it and it stares back at you and you're both just trying to figure one another out. It's thinking, "Are you my new owner?" And you are thinking, "Just what sort of dog ARE you?" You've nearly convinced yourself that it's a beagle and then you take a look at its tail and think it has to have some retriever in it. And that fur, maybe it has some sort of terrier traits, too. Come to think of it, it kind of looks like a small rottweiler...with the temperament of a lab because it's so friendly? Bottom line: you will never know! That cute little puppy will continue to surprise you, proving time and time again that it is a classic mutt.

Well, I think that maybe I'm a classic personality mutt. I know, those of you who know me are thinking that there's no way. That I'm a predictable, consistent, "what you see is what you get" kind of gal. And, I am...but not always. And today I reminded myself of that as I kept seeing myself in different ways - and laughing about it. To prove a point...
- I'm a strong Type A who is working part of Spring Break...but today I arrived at my office in my yoga clothes and fuzzy crocs and proceeded to work while switching from the country music radio station to Bob FM

- I'm a neat freak about some things...but I often have a very messy desk (and at least one messy part of the house)

- I'm an only child (sort of - see next item)...but I rarely act like one when it comes to sharing (I play and live well with others)

- I'm the oldest child (three half-siblings)...but I'm actually not the bossy one of the group!

- I try to eat healthy...but I will eat plenty of raw cookie dough when making cookies

- I usually indulge in water and more water and more water...but if I'm going to have a drink, I'll choose wine or something like a vodka and soda over beer any day!?

- I love camping, hiking, and don't mind getting dirty...but I need a good dose of being "girly" every once in a while, too
- I'm not a mom...but I feel like I have as many kids as I have students in any given year (and I sometimes refer to them as "my kids" - yes, 18 year-olds love someone else in their lives calling them "kids"!)

- I LOVE fruit (nearly any kind)...but only when it's real (I hate fruit flavored sports gels, fake fruit in pastries, etc...)

- I hate being cold...but I don't mind cold weather (as long as I can stay warm...fire in the fireplace? warm fleece? hot chocolate? I'm happy!)
- People have complimented me on my patience...but I have a really hard time being patient with myself

- I am getting pretty good at reading texts from other people that contain abbreviations...but I can't bring myself to abbreviate in my own (and I've been known to correct my own texts! It's bad, I know)
- I love ice cream (seriously, I can't have it in the house...it's a problem)...but any cream-based soups or sauces make me sick
- I hold myself to standards that I would NEVER ask of anyone else and I'm harder on myself than I would ever be on anyone else
- I think I sometimes come across as being serious...but it takes next to nothing to make me laugh (and if it's Amy telling one of her funny stories - like tonight at run practice - I'm likely to laugh about it time and time again...even when I've heard it before)

Yep...certified mutt status right here. Not a bad thing. I've always been partial to mutts myself. I think they are more interesting.

P.S. Nap update on day #2 of being an official napper: 20 minute nap before run practice tonight...I'm sure you could all tell with the blazing speed that I showed on the 12th Street hill?! I'm not sure my legs felt any more rested than they did before the nap but I know it's good for me...and it felt good.

today I officially became a...

...NAPPER!
I remember a while back that Coach Logan said, "Triathletes don't sleep in...we nap!" And I thought, "Hmmm...I might be in trouble. I'm not a good napper - unless I'm sick. I'm not all that good at sleeping in either - unless I'm sick."
Well, today, I became a napper. And not because I'm sick. Because I was tired. Because we had a full weekend of training and because I pushed myself on my run this morning and because I didn't get enough sleep last week with the pre-Spring Break rush at school...and, well, I guess I don't need any excuses. I needed this nap!
Usually I come up with a million excuses why I can't or shouldn't nap - errands to do, cleaning to do, it's too late in the day and will interrupt my nighttime sleep, food to cook, phone calls to make, bills to pay...you get the drift. Today, no excuses. It was a little later than I would have liked to be napping but I thought, "What the heck, 45 minutes is 45 minutes." And with that attitude, I hopped in bed and slept. Good sleep. Fall asleep when your head hits the pillow sleep. Woke up in time to throw dinner together, chat with Erin a little, chat with Ayesha (in Venezuela...it had been WAY too long), get my act together for tomorrow, and get excited about going back to sleep. Yes, I think I'm a little sleep deprived. Hope to remedy that this week of Spring Break.
So day #1 of napping was a good day! Had a superb run - really, better than I might have hoped since I was tackling 15 miles by myself. Felt strong and happy and good. Two bag ice bath after the run - hope it helps the legs get back in action because it sure was painfully cold! CDA meeting at the PTC - yeah, coaches, this was helpful...thank you! And it's always good to be with teammates. There's just good energy at the PTC. Lunch with Bert and Sarah - so good to catch up with them. Grocery store. And then home for laundry...and my nap.
I could get used to this...at least for this week of Spring Break.

brinner and a movie

Brinner! I love having brinner - breakfast for dinner...yum! So, I totally "chicked" out tonight...but before I get there, here's my day.
Went for a 3-hour trainer ride this morning (messy roads kept us in) at the PTC. Thank goodness for Chrissie's 2-hour workout and friends...the time actually passed pretty quickly and I didn't think that it was that bad of an experience. Maybe the only child in me is paying off...learned how to entertain myself quite well at a young age! Good catch up time with everyone at the PTC. And some yummy coffee cake from Jess, brownies from Maggie, and coffee from Booher - yeah!
Then I went to get my car looked at again... I hate "check engine" lights, by the way. They send a panic through my heart because I worry that the car is going to die at any moment. And then it doesn't and it's something like a loose gas cap or the computer needing to be re-set. That light is like the little boy who cried wolf! Anyway, I have to take it back sometime this week when the mechanics have more time to look at it. Thank goodness it's Spring Break and I have the time.
Consoled a few kiddos and parents who have heard bad news from colleges in the past two days. Kept myself relatively calm over some of the decisions. I'm a little mystified by some of them and have my work cut out for me this week to see if colleges can offer some explanations. This is a tough time of year for seniors in high school (and their parents!).
Cleaned my little apartment...so badly needed! It felt great to unpack some boxes of old pictures that my family had sent to me and finally clear that space in my living room. Dusted, mopped, scrubbed...good stuff. I will sleep better tonight and enjoy my clean house all week.
And then I had the brilliant idea of BRINNER! I had some leftover blueberries from the corn blueberry muffins I made for my T3 buddies for our spin this morning. And I knew I had a little bit of pancake mix and some turkey bacon. So I whipped up some blueberry pancakes and used up the end of the real maple syrup I had and served them up on my favorite breakfast plate - that my good friend Zap brought back to me from Italy. I love that it has a chip in it. I love that I can't microwave with it. I love that it's bright and cheery and makes me smile every time I use it.
Then, in my pajamas, I took my plate of pancakes and bacon and hopped on the couch and popped in "Stardust"....and I'm watching it right now. My sister (I know...I just said I was an only child...well, I am for my mom but I have three siblings from my dad and stepmom...but we didn't grow up together, so I play well with others and I play well alone!) has been after me to watch this for months now. Just got my hands on it so I'll have to call her tomorrow and give her my review.
All in all, a pretty wonderful first day of Spring Break (minus the sad calls from my students...it breaks my heart to hear them upset even when I know that they will have happy news around the corner and that their lives in general are incredibly fortunate and that in the long run this will just be a blip. I remember what it was like to be in high school and every little setback felt monumental. I think only time and experience teaches us otherwise. Sending big love to all of them!)

friday quotation

This sounds very formal and really it's more heartfelt than formal...but this post goes out especially to my T3 teammates and coaches whose kindness, encouragement, and inspiration is overwhelming.

My quotation for today was going to be part of a song I heard recently:

"we all need something bigger than ourselves to rescue us from us
we all need something bigger than ourselves to hold our heads up..."

and I still think it fits for today.

But my team is more than just something bigger than myself. It's a precious community that I've been lucky enough to find a home in.

"Surround yourself only with people who are going to lift you higher. Remember, we all stumble, every one of us. That's why it is a comfort to go hand in hand." (Emily Kimbrough)

I'm surrounded by incredible people (in T3 and outside of T3; but for today, the focus is on my coaches and teammates in T3)...thank you for being there when I stumble and for being a comfort everyday. I've been blessed with more than I deserve. Hope I can continue to return the gift...

March comes in like a lion...

...and goes out like a lamb. Or so the saying goes. I think perhaps it's true for Austin this year. The first weekends in March have certainly proven to be blustery. And now it's in the 40s again - after 80 degree weather just a few days ago. Not really feeling like Spring Break weather but Spring Break is just around the corner! One more day...
I'm looking forward to being here in Austin, getting stuff done around the house, finishing a couple of major projects at school, running errands during the week instead of waiting for the weekend, etc... It will feel like a luxury to not have to rush to work after morning workouts and even to get to go to breakfast and lunch with friends sometimes! Although I have lots of tasks on my "to do" list, I'm feeling glad for the time in which to do them. Oh, and I'm catching up on my sleep. I might even nap!
The day before Spring Break is usually wild but the seniors have planned Sr. Skip Day for tomorrow so my day will be rather quiet. I think it's pretty cute that our students have to get Sr. Skip Day approved so therefore we know about it:) I hope they have a great day...even if the weather is crummy.
Hope to be able to get my Deep Eddy swim in tomorrow morning. All swimming plans were foiled this morning - after I tried three pools I decided it was a sign! (I'm a little stubborn/determined when it comes to getting something like this done!) Hoping for only green lights tomorrow so I can leave only our long ride and run as "undone" IM business this week. So far, so good...

appreciation

I have a new level of respect for people who are training without teammates and coaches. I have a new respect for my teammates who can't make it to practices and have to do most of this work on their own. Seriously.
I don't think I'm totally dependent on my teammates and coaches. I like to think I have at least some self-motivation and discipline. But it sure is easier and way more enjoyable to do this work with others.
I love my teammates and coaches. I hope they already know that! I love training with other people. I love being encouraged to keep going or to go faster or to work harder because of the energy and example of my teammates. I love that they help me laugh when I'm in pain. I love that they are the final pull to get me to a practice when my legs are tired or my arms are sore or my body just aches all over. I appreciate the experience and wisdom of more seasoned teammates. I am deeply grateful for all that our coaches offer us.
So what got me thinking about all of this today?
Well, as I watched the minutes ticking away past 6:00 p.m. and I was still sitting in our faculty meeting and not standing at O'Henry for track practice, I realized that rely on my teammates and coaches way more than they might ever know.
At 6:20, I was having one of those moments of self-talk which was not being helped by a colleague of mine who jokingly said, "You're really going to run in this...you hate running in the rain." I responded, "It's not really raining...it's just a heavy mist. And it's not that I mind getting caught in the rain, I just hate starting a run when it's raining. If it starts raining once I've already started... Whatever. I have a workout to do!" I said all of that pretty confidently, opened the door and was hit with a blast of cold air and that mist I had referred to. Brr....and damp....I was shivering already. But through my office, out to my car, and over to the track I went. I knew my teammates were halfway through their workout at O'Henry. I knew that I'd told Blythe that I'd be doing the workout on my own. Logan had already spent time giving me the workout. All of these thoughts helped motivate me out of the car and onto the track.
And, the workout was 2 minute madness...which I LOVE! But it's tougher to love it when you're by yourself on a track. And the mist is turning into rain. And it's cold even though it was 87 yesterday. And even the longer daylight hours (as of Sunday) are fading away. But the workout wasn't going away while I stood there so I started up (after the lax boys left the field...no need to startle them by the sight of me running!).
Warm-up
1st repeat - okay, not so bad.
2nd repeat - why does this one feel so much worse than the first?
3rd repeat - after I do this one I'll only have two more to go (yes, this is how my mind thinks!) 4th repeat - only 6 more minutes of running after this one!
5th repeat - nothing to hold back for...gosh, I hope my teammates only had to do 5 sets!
Cool down
Phew...done...time to get warm and dry. Time to stand in awe of some of my teammates and other athletes in the world who do workouts like this, in conditions like tonight by themselves all the time. Hats off to them...and a big shout out to my teammates and coaches who let me tag along on this journey with them as they inspire me.
Oh...one perk to doing a track workout by yourself on a track that is completely empty...you can be a total rebel at the end and do your cool-down laps counter clockwise:)

saved by...

...a 50. Or two lengths of a pool. Or one lap in a pool.
Yes, that is the distance that saved me from getting lapped by Stephan. On the 400 time trial this morning I knew I might be in trouble. I even considered asking Suzanne if I could switch to the empty lane to avoid getting lapped. But I thought that might be wimpy and I've been trying to hang with this faster lane in hopes of pushing myself and getting a little faster myself. So, I took a deep breath, pushed off the wall, and swam my little heart out. I didn't see Stephan closing in until the last 100 so that was encouraging. And I knew if I could hold him off for one more lap that I'd be okay because he'd be finishing! Mission accomplished...barely but no matter. Still working on my arms in swimming. Seriously, you'd think I would have figured it out by now but no such luck. They are too weak or flimsy or something...maybe I need to eat more spinach and become strong like Pop-eye! Anyway, Suzanne calls them T-Rex arms because they look really little and ineffective in the water. I think a video of my swimming is in my future so I can see what I'm doing wrong in hopes of correcting it. I'll get there!
Work was busy but good today...got to teach my 9th grade service learning class which I love. Got to brag about some of my students when I talked to college admissions officers - always a pleasure. And am having one of those weeks where I just feel productive. Mostly because my "to do" list is incredibly long and I'm actually getting to cross some items off - ah, the pressure to put some completion to things before Spring Break.
Then it was off to spin class with Chrissie at the PTC. It was CROWDED tonight. Seriously crowded. I think Suzanne counted 48 people or something. There's a certain good energy to having that many people and I think we all fed off of one another tonight. Lots of friendly faces. Lots of people pushing me to go faster - I was surrounded by fast folks! And I actually kept up better than I thought I would. (Oh, I failed to mention when I was writing about swimming that I did not get my wish for no fins...sorry if my hamstrings screaming woke you up this morning as we did a 600 with fins!) After class Erin, Priscilla, and I headed out for our brick. 30 minutes of running after 1+ hour of tough cycling. This is good stuff. Felt pretty good actually. And kept on through 15, 20, and 30 minutes.
Finished it all off with a little calf massage from Katie Cully from Performance Wellness. She and Michelle came by the PTC to help us out. Wow did I need it. But I'll be back at Performance Wellness for a complete massage next week. I'm overdue and now that we're in week 9 of IM training I need to be better about that.
So, there it is - my day. A good day. And, as Erin said, "It feels like we're really in Ironman training now!" I agree. Not sure why it suddenly feels that way. It's not like I've been slacking up until now. Maybe it's the "Strength and Intensity" phase that we've just entered?! That makes me laugh. Sounds like a way to describe coffee - "strong and intense" flavor. Anyway, I'm still a happy IM training camper.
P.S. That water bottle that the man on the corner didn't want on Sunday was well-received by a woman today...her smile made my day. Yeah. It was worth waiting for someone who would appreciate it.

216 loaves of bread...

...is what I figured I've provided my advisees over the years. This funny little ritual of mine started with the Class of 2002. It was a Monday and it was my day to bring snack and I'd sort of forgotten. I used to go to a spin class at Gold's Gym on Monday mornings and next door was an Atlanta Bread Company. I thought I'd go in and pick up some bagels or something but the fresh loaves of whole wheat and honey bread were much more enticing. So I grabbed some, ran into Randall's for butter and honey...and thus the tradition began. Warm bread with honey served on a bright yellow plate that has a small chip on one edge. A little "comfort food" for a Monday morning. It does wonders for the soul. And my office smells awesome all day, too!
Over the years I've brought a mix of homemade bread and store bought (usually a trip to Central Market on Sunday) bread but it's become something I'm sort of known for at school. Great..."the bread lady"...how weird is that?! But I tell my students at the beginning of each year that it's my little way of trying to slow us all down on a Monday morning and to remind of us the simple things in life and how they can provide us with joy. Goofy. Corny. Yep. All of that but it's something they remember - and former advisees ask me if I still do it. Funny. I worry about the big things and whether they will remember those and then one of them reminds me that it's the little things that make a difference and that make an impression on the soul.
This week's choice was fresh whole wheat bread from Central Market...last week it was 7 seed bread from Whole Foods...who knows what will inspire me for the next Monday?
On the training front, we had a hill workout tonight. It's the "backwards P" workout behind O'Henry. We did it 6 times through...1 long hill + 1 short but steep one...and some downhills and flats in between. Blythe, Amy, and I held 4:25 on the dot for all six. Sweet! Getting better at this consistency thing. Even with seriously tight hamstrings and calves. As Blythe and I said, it's a reminder that even when we think we're at our end, our bodies have a little more to give to the workout. However, I'm afraid my rolling efforts won't have been enough tonight but I need to get to bed so it will have to do!
Off to the pool tomorrow...please, please, please don't let us have a long fin set. Otherwise, you will all hear my calves screaming from Lost Creek pool!!! Hope they don't wake you up at 5:45 a.m.

it's a privilege...

...to be living the life that I am living.
My conversation with Liz while we were running this morning inspired this post. There was actually a part of our run where she, David, and I were all really quiet and I was plunged into a place of extreme gratitude before Liz and I even started talking about the privilege of training. Great minds think alike! (And miss 50 mile turn-offs on bike courses!)
In spite of my tired legs, I was grateful to be running again. And later in the run, Liz and I were talking about triathlons and she was sharing words of wisdom like she regularly does. (Thank goodness for Liz and other people like her who are part of T3 and freely share their knowledge, experience, and tips with us rookies!) We were talking about how when we feel low during a race or workout we have to remember that we've chosen to do this and that it's a privilege to have the body and the resources to be doing this sort of thing.
And that got me thinking that so much of my life is a privilege. To get to work with the students, families, and colleagues that I do. To have family and friends who love and care about me, even when I'm difficult to love. To be healthy. To be living in a country where my life is so free from fear and oppression and so many other difficult things. To be employed. To have free time to train or nap or watch a movie or read a book or hang out with friends. Yes, I work hard, but I never think for a moment that my hard work entitles me to anything...and certainly not to freedom or health or love or time to do things that I love.
Bottom line: it's all a privilege. And it's a blessing to have others who see that on the journey with me, too.
So, that's my little token of gratitude for the day. One that makes me feel very small and humble. And I wonder whether I'm supposed to sit with that gratitude or do something with it. Sometimes I let it settle in. And other times, when I'm feeling particularly overwhelmed by it all, I try to find a way to share with others - to share any gifts I have, to share extra resources that I have, to try to love and live large and spread joy... And so that's what I tried to do at one particular point today. And the reaction I got left me bewildered.
I was at a stoplight and there was a homeless man at the corner. I'm always torn when I see a homeless man or woman on the street. How many times do you dig into your purse and find a dollar or some loose change? How many times do you reach into your lunch bag and grab the granola bar you haven't eaten yet and share it? I would like to say that I do this every time, but I don't. I do, however, try to make eye contact and smile. I always think that's the least I can do. And usually, I'm met with kindness or at least pleasantness. When I actually have something to share, the person sometimes reacts as if I've given him or her a million dollars and I feel even more humbled. But today, I got a reaction I've never received before. I offered an unopened plastic bottle of water to the man on the corner and he turned it down. Really? I know it's just water but who couldn't use some water...to drink, to brush your teeth with, to wash your hands with, to bathe with. There are so many possibilities! And it was about 80 degrees out today.
It felt sort of like a kick in the gut...and I pulled away from the stoplight feeling confused. I guess I have to remember that just because we offer something to someone doesn't mean the person has to take it whether it's a bottle of water, love, an apology, a present, etc... All we can do is put things out there and hope that someday they fall on the right hearts or in the arms of the right people. At any rate, thankfully I'm not a cynical person and I started thinking that maybe that bottle of water is just meant for someone else who will appreciate it. Yeah, I like that thought. If the person you are seeking to spread your gifts with can't accept them, then you should move on because someone down the line will inevitably think they are precious and accept them with open arms.

funny how...

...sometimes the very thing you blog about one day is the thing you need the next day.
Yep. I reminded myself of the quotation that I posted yesterday about a million times today during my ride. I did Pedal thru the Pines with some other T3 folks (Joe, Jeremiah, Kevin B., Kevin T., Matt, Yvonne, Travis, Scott, Shawn, Carrie, Esther, Yvonne, Anna, Liz, Lisa, David, Michelle, Jen...I think that was all of us. Sorry if I missed someone!). Here's a picture of some of us (thanks, Yvonne for the pic!):As Esther said, we represented T3 well...we rode hard, we were polite, we didn't cut in line or start early, and we left some food behind for others! The course started off in the park - with some hills. Not the rolling hills we so often experience here in central Texas but some all-of-the-sudden-a-small-mountain-is-in-front-of-you hills! Lots of dropped chains (not by T3ers, of course...until my gears got all out of whack - the "ghost shifting" of my bike today was comical! Going to J&A's tomorrow), lots of people walking bikes (not T3ers), lots of out of breath folks, lots of colorful comments! But once we were through the park, the roads leveled out, the winds and crosswinds picked up, the rolling hills felt familiar...and the ride brought us around to a great stretch on Hwy 17 and back to Bastrop High School where our 50 miles were complete. Unless you are yours truly and you miss the 50 mile turn and slip in a few extra miles as a result...comical. Or at least I made it so. Really, what else can you do? Well, there are lots of other things you can do, but none of them help me as much as trying to see the levity in all of it!
And guess what...maybe my laughter paid off. I ended up, averaging 16.4 mph. I know that's not much to a lot of folks but for someone who fights to stay at 15 mph most of the time lately, it's pretty exciting. I'll attribute it to Hwy 71 and my staying at 19+ for a good stretch of time (now I know how the super fast people feel all of the time...it's a different ride, folks!).
Lunch with T3ers...back to the PTC to grab my car but I paused there to do my PT while I caught up with Jess who was studying there. Home to clean up, throw some cookies together, and head to the Hall's pond for a little gathering. Finally back at home...sitting on my couch - which feels heavenly. About to set clocks ahead and then head to bed...I need some good sleep tonight to be ready for our run and other things that Sunday will hold. Happy springing forward (yeah for extra daylight...boo for missing an hour of sleep)!