You know you are fatigued when:
1: You can't remember your own name or what day it is. (ok...this is a bit dramatic and an attempt to grab one's attention, but it is at least partially true! ;-))
2: You put the peanut butter in the fridge and the mayo in the cabinet...and YES I was eating them at the same time!! :-O
3: You show your sister the shirt and sweater you bought....forgetting that she was shopping with you and HELPED you chose that combination.
4: You wake up after sleeping 8 hours and could easily sleep another 8.
5: Your heart rate climbs to 150 just walking up the stairs.
6: Your shoulders and lungs scream after one minute of holding a towel over your head while running to your car in the pouring rain after guppy class. No way would you remember to bring your umbrella!!
These recent occurrences are true and accurate...except perhaps for number one...and are the result of a very well-lived weekend. It started with a long swim set in the pool on Friday morning. I felt like crap the entire time and 4200 meters took FOREVER! I worked for a few hours after that, then went to see Gregory, my deep tissue massage guru. I usually schedule his torture session the day before a recovery day, since it takes me about two days to recover from his muscle, tendon, and ligament manipulations. My goal during those sessions is to not outwardly sob! He is fabulous!! Since this session was scheduled the day before the 112 mile ride, I asked him to go easy on me. Bless his heart, he really tried. I only teared up and sniffled once! ;-)
I got to the Monona Terrace at 6:30 am the next morning. My very good friend Brian, who is not a triathlete but a really good cyclist, agreed to ride the entire 112 with me at my pace, which of course is quite a bit slower than his own. We would be starting out with the team and riding with them for however long it took for everyone to go their own speed. We knew there were storms coming, and sure enough, by 7 am they hit. Looking at the radar on everyone's smart phone, (I really need to get out of the stone age and get me one of those!! :-O), it was looking like we had at least one to two hours before it all cleared out. I got a little stressed out, and I had a decision to make. My sis and I had a train to catch out of Milwaukee at 7:40 that night. I was calculating in my head how much time this ride was going to take, and depending on when we started, when I would be finished. I was out of time. I considered doing it another day, but there really was no other day that worked. How horrible would it be if I cut the ride short? Physically, probably not the end of the world. Mentally...horrible.
I called my sweet sister and we decided to forgo the train, take a hit on the already purchased tickets, and just drive to Chicago. WHEW!
For the most part the ride went well! The weather was PERFECT after the storms came through. It took a while to get into a rhythm as I had to keep stopping to pee...thanks to Blake and his surprise gift of Starbucks coffee for everyone waiting to ride, aka "heaven in a cup", and the little issue with my hubby trying to ride a loop of the course for the first time. That is a story for another day. I am very happy to say...he didn't die, we only lost him once, and I am positive he will never celebrate his birthday in that way ever again! :-)
The last 40 miles were the best. We got into a steady rhythm and it felt great! The second half of that ride was faster than the first, and I was very happy. Brian was amazing! He was cramping up during the last 10 miles and I felt so bad for him. He didn't complain, he just kept pushing. At one point he did say, "I cannot imagine running 26 miles after this. That is F*#@ing crazy!!!" I told him I could imagine it, but was very happy to NOT be doing it on that day. :-) The 15 minute run after, however, felt pretty damned good...YEAH!
The 2+ hour car ride to Chicago did not feel so good, but I wore my pink compression socks with my bright blue Boston Marathon sandals, so I LOOKED good anyway. Everyone at the hotel must have thought so and I caught more than a few people staring! ;-)
The next morning I ran two hours on the Lake Shore path and around the park. Again, the weather was perfect, and it goes without saying that the surroundings were really cool! The first hour of the run felt terrible, but the next hour felt better. Yet another promising sign that the hard work is paying off!
In retrospect, the physical activities that were involved with Sunday night's Incubus concert was probably not the best recovery plan. Our tickets were general admission so we could get as close as possible to the band. I obviously did not think this through. The music of Incubus, while pretty alternative in the beginning years, has really evolved into something a bit more mellow. As we were standing in the crowd before the concert started, I realized that this was going to get interesting. I was very surprised at how young everyone was. I saw very few people my age, and most were in their teens and 20's. Hmmmm....should we move from where we were standing, which was right up near the front and in the center...the perfect place for the moshing? Do people even do that anymore? I've been to concerts that have had a mosh pit, but it had been years and we always either had seats or stayed to the side.
We stayed where we were. The music started and all was good for awhile. Then the band did certain songs that created, shall we say, some energy in the crowd, and we started to get pushed and shoved. I was worried about my sis and her bad back, so I had her stand in front of me while I pushed all the half-naked, stoned fans, (did I mention the cloud of pot that was EVERYWHERE??), off of us. I got stubborn and cocky. "I am and Ironman for crying out loud! Doesn't matter that I'm older than some of your Mothers and more than a little tired from that little bit of riding and running I did! This is good training for the IM swim start! I CAN keep you off of us and ENJOY the music at the same time!!" Reality is a B*@&h! It just got too crazy, and in one brief moment a little scary. A really cool guy helped us out of there and we moved off to the side. We didn't have to move very far, and the moshing quit after awhile. All that being said, the concert was amazing! We had a great time and met a few very nice kids...some who were younger than my own. SIGH!
Tuesday tired came roaring in on Monday, as anticipated. Today is Wednesday and it is still there. I feel like my body is trying to fight off a virus, but today I'm at least feeling better than yesterday. I think I will win this fight! After a much needed day off from training on Monday, the workouts continue. Tonight I have another date with "the hill" during the team ride. That should feel...well...we'll see! ;-)
I was reminded this morning while reading Sasha's status on FB...18 more days. It's taper time!!!
Enjoy this day!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
The countdown begins!
Less than four weeks now. IM brain has taken over and training plans and race day visualizations have occupied about 70% of my thoughts. This is unfortunate for all those around me, (except for members of the team who understand! ;-), and for the new school nurse who started her orientation with me today. The first thing I did was apologize for smelling like a fish after this mornings lake swim...with no time to shower before we met...and for my future spaciness and possible lack of focus. I assured her that I will do my best to stay in the moment at school and keep her and my students a priority while I am there. I was so relieved after working with her today. She is awesome! She totally understood, and since she is actually a SCHOOL NURSE that knows her stuff, she is going to fit right in very quickly and easily. I just pray she stays longer than a few months!! At least she didn't seem overly offended with my moldy lake smell! ;-)
This week is my peak week of training. If I get through this I should be good to go! This past weekend I focused on my run. Saturday's run was a one hour brick after a 4 hour ride, (Indoors due to the thick fog!! :-(), and that run felt soooooo good! It is amazing what a difference cooler weather can make when you have been used to running in 80 to 90 degrees! Sunday morning's run was a bit tougher, mostly because my hips and pelvis were already sore to start out. I had run 5 on my own, then Susan met me for the last 15...which ended up being 16 due to a miscalculation. Now, of course we could have walked that extra mile back to our cars, but after nearly 10 years of running with Susan, I knew this would not happen. We are always rounding up, adding time, adding distance. It's what we do, we are never satisfied with less. We are so compatible that way. She runs faster than I do, but she is so patient with me. She makes me push just a tad harder without putting me over the edge. The miles and time fly by with her. She is such a gift to me!
After that run, I could hardly walk. It's something I've gotten used to dealing with on Sundays, but it's been a bit worse that last two weeks. It really flared up during training camp,(and that experience is worthy of it's own blog post...but in a word...it was AWESOME!!) My plan called for a swim in the afternoon. The LAST thing I wanted to do was go to the gym and swim. I know that I feel so much better when I do...I just didn't want to!! (Insert whiny voice here!! ;-)) I just happened to read an e-mail from my teammate Matt, and what he said gave me the push I needed. So to the gym I went. And it felt unbelievably awesome! It was one of those moments in training when everything feels so right and you could go forever. I have no idea why, after 21 miles of running it felt like that, but it did. Another gift! :-)
That feeling carried over into yesterday when 90 minutes easy on the bike felt like heaven! Today is a very different day. I've learned to accept that Tuesdays are my challenge. I call it, "Tired Tuesday". It is definitely a pattern that has developed over the past several weeks, and I've learned to try and anticipate it and plan for it. Today, however, I had the opportunity to swim this morning in Lake Monona with Sasha, and Rock Star Randy was going to accompany us on Sasha's paddle board. It was an absolutely perfect morning! The lake was calm, the water temp was perfect, and I just LOVE swimming in front of the Terrace. Unfortunately the great feeling I had in the water on Sunday did NOT carry over to today. But it's ok! It will be there when I need it to be. And despite this, I completely enjoyed being out there.
The rest of the weeks training will include a long swim on Friday, and....GULP....riding the full 112 mile IM course on Saturday. Right after the ride is done, my sister and I will be hopping the train to Chicago for something COMPLETELY different! We are going to the Incubus concert on Sunday night!!! I will get to run two hours Sunday morning by the Lakefront in Chicago...another new experience for me! I do anticipate, however, that my next "Tired Tuesday" will be starting next Monday!!! ;-)
Almost there...:-)
Enjoy this day! :-D
This week is my peak week of training. If I get through this I should be good to go! This past weekend I focused on my run. Saturday's run was a one hour brick after a 4 hour ride, (Indoors due to the thick fog!! :-(), and that run felt soooooo good! It is amazing what a difference cooler weather can make when you have been used to running in 80 to 90 degrees! Sunday morning's run was a bit tougher, mostly because my hips and pelvis were already sore to start out. I had run 5 on my own, then Susan met me for the last 15...which ended up being 16 due to a miscalculation. Now, of course we could have walked that extra mile back to our cars, but after nearly 10 years of running with Susan, I knew this would not happen. We are always rounding up, adding time, adding distance. It's what we do, we are never satisfied with less. We are so compatible that way. She runs faster than I do, but she is so patient with me. She makes me push just a tad harder without putting me over the edge. The miles and time fly by with her. She is such a gift to me!
After that run, I could hardly walk. It's something I've gotten used to dealing with on Sundays, but it's been a bit worse that last two weeks. It really flared up during training camp,(and that experience is worthy of it's own blog post...but in a word...it was AWESOME!!) My plan called for a swim in the afternoon. The LAST thing I wanted to do was go to the gym and swim. I know that I feel so much better when I do...I just didn't want to!! (Insert whiny voice here!! ;-)) I just happened to read an e-mail from my teammate Matt, and what he said gave me the push I needed. So to the gym I went. And it felt unbelievably awesome! It was one of those moments in training when everything feels so right and you could go forever. I have no idea why, after 21 miles of running it felt like that, but it did. Another gift! :-)
That feeling carried over into yesterday when 90 minutes easy on the bike felt like heaven! Today is a very different day. I've learned to accept that Tuesdays are my challenge. I call it, "Tired Tuesday". It is definitely a pattern that has developed over the past several weeks, and I've learned to try and anticipate it and plan for it. Today, however, I had the opportunity to swim this morning in Lake Monona with Sasha, and Rock Star Randy was going to accompany us on Sasha's paddle board. It was an absolutely perfect morning! The lake was calm, the water temp was perfect, and I just LOVE swimming in front of the Terrace. Unfortunately the great feeling I had in the water on Sunday did NOT carry over to today. But it's ok! It will be there when I need it to be. And despite this, I completely enjoyed being out there.
The rest of the weeks training will include a long swim on Friday, and....GULP....riding the full 112 mile IM course on Saturday. Right after the ride is done, my sister and I will be hopping the train to Chicago for something COMPLETELY different! We are going to the Incubus concert on Sunday night!!! I will get to run two hours Sunday morning by the Lakefront in Chicago...another new experience for me! I do anticipate, however, that my next "Tired Tuesday" will be starting next Monday!!! ;-)
Almost there...:-)
Enjoy this day! :-D
Thursday, August 4, 2011
"I get to"
Although I tell myself these words so much that it has become a subconscious thought, I cannot take credit for their meaning. This phrase comes from Kristin Armstrong who writes for Runners World and who's blog I adore. Several months ago she wrote a blog entry in which she reminds us that whatever challenges we are facing, we need to remember to be grateful for the journey despite the discomfort. I have really struggled with this lately.
In the past few weeks, I have experienced many highs and lows. The emotional swinging threatens to make me feel numb in defense. I am fighting this creeping numbness because I want to feel every bit of it. I am fighting the fatigue, the pain, the discomfort...because I get to. Not feeling is a choice that I still have the ability to make. And for me, this is not an option. I need to feel.
My friend died earlier this week after battling cancer for over two years. The past two weeks for her and for those who loved her, were pure Hell. She endured more than anyone should ever have to, and she had very little choice. In triathlon, especially in the phase I am now in while training for an Ironman, there is much discomfort. Not only physical, but also in the uncomfortable decisions and sacrifice that we make so we can train and race to the best of our ability. We sometimes COMPLAIN, (some more than others...;-))about how painful it is. We triathletes love telling our war stories. It's how we relate to each other. We have a love/hate relationship with the pain. It's part of this life that we so love. And it is completely our choice.
Three weeks ago, Team BBMC headed to Door County for a weekend of triathlon. It was my first experience with total tri immersion with the team and I LOVED every bit of it...that is until the run during the half IM. I have not written a race report yet, since it seemed so frivolous to do so in light of everything that happened, starting with a phone call the night after the race. So here is a summary of the race....IT WAS HOT!! 95 degrees with dew points in the 70's, heat index of 106...and full sun. Pretty similar conditions to last summers Pigman HIM, but more wind for the ride, and a hillier run course. (2 HUGE hills!! :-O) The swim felt pretty good despite the choppy water. I was in the very last wave, which made my start time about an hour after the actual start of the race....and into the throes of the heat of the day sooner. BUT....no getting swum over by the faster guys! :-) The bike felt GREAT, and the run/walk was awful. Somehow I still managed to run a 2:10 half...which I could not believe with all of the walking that I did. Overall, I was VERY happy with how my body held up under those conditions. My nutrition was spot on until the second half of the run, but this is not surprising given the heat. I ended up 9th in my AG in which only 2 minutes separated number 6,7,8,and 9. That two minutes I could have made up if I had not had to battle someones bike on a TRAINER that was in my spot in transition during T2! :-( The truth is, I let that rattle me, and it proved yet again how much work I still need to do between the ears. I also need to work on becoming mentally stronger during the last few painful miles. Again...this is a choice.
New for me too, was the experience of having Mike out on the run course on his bike! He was riding with Blake who was checking up on all of the athletes. It was such a boost to see them at mile two, and Mike again at mile 10. Ironically, those were the miles that I felt the worst!! I found my legs at around mile 4, and miles 4-9 were BETTER anyway. If I would have seen them then, I could have at least FAKED a smile! ;-) But I have to say the BEST part of that run was seeing my teammates. We were ALL struggling!(Except for Matt....ROCK STAR RUNNER!!! :-))To see everyone in their team BBMC race kits, all supporting one another was just awesome. Also, I cannot say enough about the volunteers, local citizens, and race director for taking such AMAZING care of all of the athletes during this race. There was NEVER a shortage of ice, water, sprinklers, hoses, and cheering. They were incredible and it was a very tough day for them as well. I will do this race again, and HIGHLY recommend it!!
The phone call at 10 that night was from Robyn. She and her long time boyfriend had just broken up, and she was devastated. The next day, the phone call was from my friend who said that our friend Sue had taken an abrupt turn for the worse. Checking my emails upon our arrival home I was reminded that I need to schedule a trip to the HHT center in St. Lois for another cerebral angiogram to evaluate the newly discovered AVM's in my brain and spinal cord. Robyn needs to go as well. (I told them AFTER IMOO!!!!) Then the call later that night from my Mom to tell me my step-dad is in the hospital with severe abdominal pain.
Three weeks of ups, downs, twists, turns, and flips. There is even our yearly week at the cabin in the mix, which gratefully, really got to happen. I continue to tell myself, "I get to" At Sue's wake yesterday, there were pictures depicting her life everywhere, and family and friends gathered to share their stories and memories. As I looked at the pictures of all of us on our Vegas trip, my thought was, "We got to....together".
RIP my friend. Thank you for sharing your beautiful spirit with your family, friends, and your students. You are loved and will be missed tremendously.
To honor Sue, and all of those who have gone before us...enjoy this day.
In the past few weeks, I have experienced many highs and lows. The emotional swinging threatens to make me feel numb in defense. I am fighting this creeping numbness because I want to feel every bit of it. I am fighting the fatigue, the pain, the discomfort...because I get to. Not feeling is a choice that I still have the ability to make. And for me, this is not an option. I need to feel.
My friend died earlier this week after battling cancer for over two years. The past two weeks for her and for those who loved her, were pure Hell. She endured more than anyone should ever have to, and she had very little choice. In triathlon, especially in the phase I am now in while training for an Ironman, there is much discomfort. Not only physical, but also in the uncomfortable decisions and sacrifice that we make so we can train and race to the best of our ability. We sometimes COMPLAIN, (some more than others...;-))about how painful it is. We triathletes love telling our war stories. It's how we relate to each other. We have a love/hate relationship with the pain. It's part of this life that we so love. And it is completely our choice.
Three weeks ago, Team BBMC headed to Door County for a weekend of triathlon. It was my first experience with total tri immersion with the team and I LOVED every bit of it...that is until the run during the half IM. I have not written a race report yet, since it seemed so frivolous to do so in light of everything that happened, starting with a phone call the night after the race. So here is a summary of the race....IT WAS HOT!! 95 degrees with dew points in the 70's, heat index of 106...and full sun. Pretty similar conditions to last summers Pigman HIM, but more wind for the ride, and a hillier run course. (2 HUGE hills!! :-O) The swim felt pretty good despite the choppy water. I was in the very last wave, which made my start time about an hour after the actual start of the race....and into the throes of the heat of the day sooner. BUT....no getting swum over by the faster guys! :-) The bike felt GREAT, and the run/walk was awful. Somehow I still managed to run a 2:10 half...which I could not believe with all of the walking that I did. Overall, I was VERY happy with how my body held up under those conditions. My nutrition was spot on until the second half of the run, but this is not surprising given the heat. I ended up 9th in my AG in which only 2 minutes separated number 6,7,8,and 9. That two minutes I could have made up if I had not had to battle someones bike on a TRAINER that was in my spot in transition during T2! :-( The truth is, I let that rattle me, and it proved yet again how much work I still need to do between the ears. I also need to work on becoming mentally stronger during the last few painful miles. Again...this is a choice.
New for me too, was the experience of having Mike out on the run course on his bike! He was riding with Blake who was checking up on all of the athletes. It was such a boost to see them at mile two, and Mike again at mile 10. Ironically, those were the miles that I felt the worst!! I found my legs at around mile 4, and miles 4-9 were BETTER anyway. If I would have seen them then, I could have at least FAKED a smile! ;-) But I have to say the BEST part of that run was seeing my teammates. We were ALL struggling!(Except for Matt....ROCK STAR RUNNER!!! :-))To see everyone in their team BBMC race kits, all supporting one another was just awesome. Also, I cannot say enough about the volunteers, local citizens, and race director for taking such AMAZING care of all of the athletes during this race. There was NEVER a shortage of ice, water, sprinklers, hoses, and cheering. They were incredible and it was a very tough day for them as well. I will do this race again, and HIGHLY recommend it!!
The phone call at 10 that night was from Robyn. She and her long time boyfriend had just broken up, and she was devastated. The next day, the phone call was from my friend who said that our friend Sue had taken an abrupt turn for the worse. Checking my emails upon our arrival home I was reminded that I need to schedule a trip to the HHT center in St. Lois for another cerebral angiogram to evaluate the newly discovered AVM's in my brain and spinal cord. Robyn needs to go as well. (I told them AFTER IMOO!!!!) Then the call later that night from my Mom to tell me my step-dad is in the hospital with severe abdominal pain.
Three weeks of ups, downs, twists, turns, and flips. There is even our yearly week at the cabin in the mix, which gratefully, really got to happen. I continue to tell myself, "I get to" At Sue's wake yesterday, there were pictures depicting her life everywhere, and family and friends gathered to share their stories and memories. As I looked at the pictures of all of us on our Vegas trip, my thought was, "We got to....together".
RIP my friend. Thank you for sharing your beautiful spirit with your family, friends, and your students. You are loved and will be missed tremendously.
To honor Sue, and all of those who have gone before us...enjoy this day.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
