dam swim

I could call it the "damn" swim but I actually loved it. I wasn't sure I was going to make it but sort of like my need to run yesterday, I had a need to do this swim today. And a swim workout at Lost Creek wouldn't cut it. I needed the energy of "live" water. I needed the rush of icy water splashing against my face. I needed the challenge. And I got it all!
My day was especially crazy because I'm trying to do a gazillion things before I leave town on Friday. Organize AP exams for Monday (there are three!!!). Get things in order for someone to cover the AP exams on Friday (there are two...one that has a brand new way of submitting material?!). Replying to emails. Trying to return phone calls - difficult when you're never at your desk. And attending meetings. A student asked me if AP exams made me stressed. I replied, "Yes, the details of them are a bit much sometimes. And every one is really important. So it can be stressful. But once any individual exam gets going, it's actually not so bad." (Hmmm...this is my life, by the way. I toil and toil getting things set up. I sometimes worry and worry until everything is in order. Or I really dread something because I'm overwhelmed by it. And then once I'm in whatever it is that I've been pulling together or worrying about, it's fine. Often better than fine!) Anyway, I wish that the stress wasn't visible to others but when even students notice (albeit, particularly sensitive students!), I know it's high.
Thus...the necessary swim at the Mansfield Dam Low Water Crossing.
By the time it was 5:30 I had everything set in place for Friday's exams and a plan for Monday's exams and I was ready to head out to the dam.
Jim had reported the conditions earlier in the day:
Water temps - 62 degrees. Water flow - none. It is quiet as can be right now.
He also said that he had stopped by the LCRA offices out there and they said that the flow could pick up depending on power consumption.
Sure enough...we got there and there was a current. It was like I was on a treadmill is as we paddled away, reaching the tree...and then the tree again...and then the tree again. Blythe and I practiced drafting. We all worked on our sighting. And I learned some important lessons:
- even with a wetsuit on, 62 degrees is COLD! But my wetsuit kept me warm (-ish).
- after a little while, your body gets used to the cold...even your hands...or maybe everything gets numb?
- a cold face is easier to handle than cold hands (at least for me)
- you have to concentrate on breathing at first (I found it tempting to breathe way too much and way too often) but eventually you fall into a pattern
- CDA is bound to be a little easier because at least there's no current there!
Did two laps...which included 1 "length" of a hard fight against the current and 1 "length" of a nice float back to the beginning. And then finished off the day at Casa Opre with pizza, salad, beer, cookies, and friends...yes, the dam swim was just what I needed. Friday...here I come!

I just need to run...

That was all I could think about as I drove home from work at 7:45 tonight. I knew it would be a late night with a long faculty meeting. I knew I would miss track practice. I knew I would probably not make it to swim practice either. I thought I would make it to packet stuffing for the Rookie. But I didn't get to any of it! And after proctoring nearly all day and then sitting in a productive but lengthy faculty meeting I was feeling antsy beyond belief (this does not bode well for my ability to handle tapering?!). And all I could think about was, "If I don't get to go for at least a little run or something before I go to bed I'm going to be miserable."
It's funny, I can't remember the last time that after a long day, I could only think about running. But that's what tonight held and somehow I knew I wouldn't be able to settle into sleep until I did something.
So I ran. I ran up Exposition, tackling some of the hills that we ran on Sunday, making myself work the hills like I did that all the time, and pushing myself to expend that extra energy that I'd bottled up all day. And it felt good. Really good. I ran about 3 miles...not much...in 27 minutes...not much either. But it felt strong and powerful and "just right" in terms of what I needed.
Ran all the way home to a popsicle...which was much of what I thought about while I was running in the humid, hot air! And then finished off the night with a hot cup of "Calm" tea. I know...the contrast of those two things. Sort of reflective of my life this week...

warning: not a "girly" post...

...because it's about how I earned my first sweat puddle in spin class! I know, this is common for a lot of people but not for me. I usually sweat sort of a "normal" amount in spin class - right, what is "normal"? - but not enough to drop to the floor and actually pool up. Usually between towel swipes, whatever jersey I have on, and my arm pads (they are disgusting right now), my sweat doesn't ever make it to the floor. Different story tonight. I congratulated Chrissie on coaching me through my first spin class that resulted in a sweat puddle beneath my bike. (Okay, it was more like a puddle-lette, but still, it was there and I had to mop it up after class!) Chrissie said Mother Nature deserved a little credit too since the humidity was approximately 1,000% tonight. I'll give both of them credit! The class was tough. As I said to Chrissie it was "good in a bad way" or "bad in a good way"...well, she and I both knew what I meant.
At any rate between this workout and our recent runs, I think I have a new skill set: I could test clothing for its ability to stand up to sweat, be comfortable even when I'm a sweaty mess, and recover from a very sweaty run/workout. I've certainly put many a set of clothes to the test recently. Some resulted in terrible chafing. Some were comfortable from start to finish. Some earned about a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is "awesome, I could have kept running for hours" and 1 is "if I felt better running in a jog bra I'd throw this shirt on the side of the trail right now!" (FYI - the new shirts from T3...the black ones...earned a 10 in my book!)
Anyway, we're in for lots of sweaty workouts I fear. My high school soccer teammates would be proud. They used to give me a hard time because I would play an entire game and never sweat. (Of course, this was in northern California, in the winter, with zero humidity...umm...sort of tough to break a sweat in those conditions.) Apparently, times have changed for yours truly. No longer could I earn the name "never let them see you sweat"...try as I might, I just don't think I can avoid sweating these days. Sorry to anyone reading this who only thinks girls should "glisten" when they workout. I think I must embrace this way of being because it's not even summer yet here in Austin, Texas...
P.S. Don't worry, fellow T3ers, I always clean up after myself...

is it still Monday?

WOW. The longest Monday ever. And not because I was bored. Quite the contrary. I hit the ground running with hugs & reassurance for student who had been in her first fender bender (in our parking lot at school...no one hurt...just the emotions that come along with an accident - she sent me a sweet email later thanking me...one great thing about this job is that our students are sometimes overly grateful for the tiniest things that we do for them...made me feel lucky to have my job), final AP exam details that included meetings, posting "library closed" signs, making announcements to the student body, sending mass emails to different groups of people, counting out exams, organizing boxes of exam materials, responding to emails, meeting with families...okay, no wonder I'm a bit awed that yoga was this morning - it feels like a lifetime ago. Made it to specialty run though...needed to since it's my one run workout of the week...and, of course, I wanted to so I could run the hills behind O'Henry with my running buddies, Blythe and Amy. Tonight's workout: long hill-short hill (x7) + 1/2 way down and then running up backwards (x3) + 1 "all out" (that's VERY relative at the end of this workout, by the way!) from the bottom of the hill to the top. Amy and Blythe always keep me going as I try to keep up with their long-legged speed. I sort of flubbed this workout though because I did the last of my 7 repeats really fast in an effort to beat Joe who was running up backwards...it is the only time I will ever beat Joe in a footrace...and he had a MAJOR handicap. Still it made me laugh - literally...even while I was doing it. Logan said I'd be faster if I would stop smiling...maybe so? I think for now (and always?) I'll keep my smile over speed...and then figure out how to be fast with a smile!! Who says I can't have both?!
Here's to Tuesday...AP Spanish Language (please say a prayer, send good thoughts, whatever you do...our way for a smooth test...this one is a tricky little exam with lots of parts in three different places on campus) & then AP Statistics. Ready to take on my alter-ego of strict proctor lady!

just a smiley Sunday...

...and I'm not quite sure why...but I'll take it! Started off with a great run with Blythe, Liz, Jim, Chris, and Amy. 9 mile road loop from "the rock" and I felt strong the whole time. I know, I know...it's a lot less than I've been running lately so no wonder I felt strong. That was probably part of it but we did do 100 miles on the bike yesterday so I could have just as easily felt terrible. But I think I finally fueled properly after a long ride and I got enough sleep and so...no brainer...I woke up Sunday ready to go. The hills on the way out still slow me down but Blythe and I were really able to make up for that on our way back. And we got to reminisce that this is the same loop we ran as our very first run of IM training - crazy! What a wonderful journey it's been...and still is...I'm not ready to give it up yet and am clinging to every day until June 21. Anyway, without even saying a word to one another our pace dropped to 8:30s once we hit LAB and then we played around with running 7:30s down Veterans back to the rock. We laughed that lots of the guys run that pace for their entire runs and we're excited to hit it on downhills! No matter...we had fun. And averaged 9:15s overall - sweet. But the best part was that I felt strong and energetic for the entire run which is a first in a long while. Oh, and no terrible chafing like last week. Love the new black T3 shirts by the way. The sun started to come out right as we finished; it had been humid but not too bad - pretty much a great day for running. Oh, and I was wearing my new shoes. Not only are they comfortable but they are just "happy" shoes. See what I mean:

You can't really see it in this picture but they have a fun little design on the tongue of the shoe...it's all swirly with yellow mixed in with the orange. Yes, friends, it IS the little things in life that make me smile. All in all, I was a very happy camper leaving Town Lake this morning. Ready to have a breakfast taco at Whole Foods and enjoy being done with our run a little earlier. A cheerful note from Malia, Steve, Loula, and Bo was on my car when I got back to it - fun! Another big smile. Things like this remind me that Austin is home.
Awesome breakfast at Whole Foods with Amy, Blythe, Liz, Jim, Booher, Joe, Travis, and Chrissie. I think we all felt like we'd been given the gift of time by only having a 9 mile run so we sat and ate breakfast tacos and troughs full of other breakfast-y food, drank coffee and chocolate milk, and laughed... And oohed and aahed over Christine on the cover of Austin Runner - go Christine!
Quick ice bath when I got home...just as precaution...nice chat with mom...and then headed into work. It was a GORGEOUS day in Austin and I hated to be at work but even there I tried to smile by being productive and feeling like my extra hours would help in the chaotic week that I know is ahead. Got many of the AP details secured (or double checked), responded to some emails left over from Friday, and then headed to meet Kimberly for coffee. It has been WAY too long since we've caught up so that was nice. Grocery store and the realization that after my satisfying breakfast taco this morning I'd been totally negligent with any substantial food intake. Ugh! One would think after doing a good job yesterday and having a good run today that I would "get" it. I do, I do...but sometimes it takes me a while to put a new practice into place. So I made sure to have enough in my basket so that I could prepare a substantial dinner (note to self: remember that you don't really like raw spinach...cooked is awesome...raw needs lots of dressing or something which sort of defeats the purpose of eating it...oh, well). Fixed a yummy dinner and am about to make sure everything is in order for the week ahead. Probably need to do another load of laundry; definitely need to pack meals for tomorrow along with my bags for my workouts; and then I need to touch base with school stuff once more. Hope to begin watching Chalk - Real Teaching Leaves a Mark which I've had since December and just haven't watched yet. Maybe it will give me one last little spark to finish up the school year?!
I know I won't get through it all, and that will be okay because I absolutely WILL start off this school week with enough sleep...and sweet dreams from a very simple but very good day.

Shiner

It's sort of funny to have now gone to places in Texas on my bike that I haven't even driven to! Places that are 100 miles away! Seriously! Today was the Shiner GASP...what a ride. It takes cyclists from Austin to Shiner via back country roads through beautiful central Texas. Reminder of what an awesome place this is to live!!! The weather was nice...not too hot, not very sunny...okay, it was a tad humid and windy but I'll take that over the freezing winds this past winter. And while the winds were much stronger than I had imagined while I was out there, I think maybe we're used to riding in them since it seems that every weekend Mother Nature has provided some wind for us. Today they built up to around 20 mph - good thing I didn't know that while I was out there.
So many T3ers out there it seemed that every time I approached a group there was a T3 jersey in it...except for the groups with terrible bike etiquette. I have to say, that was more annoying than the wind to me! Passing on the right. Or passing on the left but not communicating. Groups literally swallowing us from behind, pushing us over to the gravel edge of the shoulder just before it becomes grass, and then spitting us out the back. It's a little scary when cyclists don't communicate or give one another room...I think maybe triathletes are so used to that because of no drafting rules and "on your left" being ingrained in our brains from races that we take for granted that everyone on a bike will be as safe and respectful. I was reminded today that this was not the case...still, it wasn't going to ruin my ride!
It just meant that I carved out my usual little "etg pocket" in the wind and did my own thing. My own 15 mph thing. I swear, I was laughing with Karen the other day when we were talking about our consistent speeds, and I told her that I keep hearing that song from Fiddler on the Roof "If I Were a Wealthy Man" and the line in it that says, "Would it spoil some vast eternal plan if I were a wealthy man?" when I'm thinking about my hang up with 15 mph on the bike. "Would it spoil some vast eternal plan, if I were a little faster on the bike?" Kidding! Sort of. I'm not kidding about becoming faster on the bike but I certainly don't deserve that improvement this season. This season was about improving my running...next season it can be the bike. Got to leave something to keep coming back for! (Don't worry, there will ALWAYS be plenty in the world of ETG + triathlons!)
But today's ride was an accomplishment of other things...if not speed. The course was mostly rollers - typical central Texas - with some flatter stretches, too. Pretty decent roads except for one stretch. And plenty of rest stops to refuel, refill, and relieve ourselves - although we only stopped at some of them, mostly to get more water to stay hydrated. I started off with Amy, Karen, Nancy, Val, Jerry, Jane, Vegas, and Dayna but pretty soon Amy and I were on our own (as far as T3 folks go)...and I was doing my best to stay up with Amy. She's gotten so fast on the bike...and on the run! I held on, always keeping her in sight and pacing myself for the long haul. We had a solid ride...picked up some good speed before the wind picked up...and then hunkered down and finished it off. We hooked up with Shawnda, Lindsey, and Rhonda for the finish - even though we were spread out over 20 minutes or so it was great to have people to ride into Shiner with. Lindsey and I road the last 5 miles together and that was fun (I found out later that she'd had two flats...and still a smile on her face. I'm not sure I would have!). And Blythe and I were there to greet Amy when she finished her first 100 miler!!! I'm SO proud of her. Seriously, she rocked this ride.
And I'm so proud of all of the T3ers who showed great determination and heart today. Something like wind can really tempt you to fall apart and lose track of what you set out to do and our team pulled together and helped one another to a strong finish. AWESOME!
Post-ride...showers...an ice cold Coke (where did that craving come from?!)...and then a blizzard at Dairy Queen (Heath bar...yum...but I'm glad that Amy & I split it)...and finally some BBQ at Kreuz Market in Lockhart with Noah, Chrissie, Amy, Suzanne, Blythe, Joe, Chris, Liz, Mo, Michelle, and Sean before heading back to Austin. (Sorry, Meredith...I know that is probably not the best idea of a post-ride recovery meal. I figured if I could eat anything while I was on the bike maybe I could also eat anything after I got off the bike?! Does it count to know that if someone had handed me a blizzard on the bike I would have eaten it then, too!?!) HUGE thanks to Chrissie and Amy for doing the "Shiner Shuffle" yesterday with cars. It was such a treat to have a car to go home in...I owe you.
P.S. Feeling strong at the end of the 100 miles (or 101 according to someone's bike computer...mine wasn't working...unless you consider having a cadence of 285 working?!), was a huge boost for me. Don't get me wrong - I was grateful when Joe walked up to me and said, "Why don't you let me take your bike?" No brainer! Thank you, Joe - but I felt solid throughout the ride which was a nice feeling. Maybe all this training stuff is paying off?! Now to get a good night's sleep...shouldn't be a problem. This girl is tired!

friday quotation

So a few months ago I subscribed to get the quote of the day from Runner's World. I'm not really sure why. I've never thought of myself as a runner really and I certainly don't really need more emails to read...but I'm a sucker for a good quotation and for some inspiration. And for some reason, this one just resonated with me...and made me want to go for a run.

"Life is complicated. Running is simple. Is it any wonder that people like to run?" (Kevin Nelson, The Runner's Daily Book of Inspiration)

Good reminder to me to bring life back to the basics when I feel frazzled. Back to the simple things - and to not make the simple things complicated. Back to the basics of what brings a smile to my face. Back to the gift of what our bodies can do. Back to being in a place to enjoy a beautiful day and breathe in clean air and feel alive. Sure, there are other ways to do this but a good run is pretty unbeatable.