Blogs

I really enjoy reading blogs. It's nice to read about a race or and idea on nutrition or just some experience that a person has had. It can make for some interesting reading to say the least. Happy days and keep on blogging!! =))

So much to say so little time.....

It seems that I've wanted to blog a bunch and then when I have time I get distracted. Even thought I don't have any followers on my blog it's still nice to write thoughts down and maybe share a little of what is going on in my head. Not that you might find it interesting.

Workouts have slowed a bit because I have this pesky pain in my crest of my pelvis that I've been dealing with for the past 3 weeks. I've tried rolling yoga and message and it has only gotten just a bit better. Even Arnica or Motrin has not helped. I had a cortisone injection last night and hope that it will ease it up a bit so I can back into my running mode. The bike however is looking good and I seem to be riding more lately and really enjoying it. I seem to be getting stronger and stronger and I really like to see that improvement.
I'm supposed to run the SF marathon July 25th but with this injury I have been set back a bit and I'm trying to get into the half instead. Which is a major disappointment!!!!!
I'm focusing on my swimming as well and I really want to crush my next IM distance race next year. I don't think I will ever be a 10 or 11 hr IM'er but maybe 12??? I seem to think that it is all about the bike and the run. And if I can just get those things dialed in and make my swim strong I may have just that chance.

As for races this year I really look forward to Soma 1/2 in the fall and I hope I get into IMAZ if not back up plan is full Vineman in July. Seeing the improvement in the past 6 months really shows me that I can do this and I can become faster. Sometimes the brain takes over and lets be slack off and I really need to stop. For example..... This morning I was going to ride to work now keep in mind that I had a shot last night in my proximal IT band and it was a bit sore. So I blew the ride off and decided to swim instead. Once again changing my mind. I look at it as..... I'm not really training for anything other than the marathon and well you know how that's coming along. So, Lots of riding and swimming this week and maybe a run on Friday I hope. I feel that I've taken so many steps back in my running that it's a bit frustrating!!!

I hope I haven't bored anyone and thanks for letting me ramble on about my frustration and stuff. I hope to get out of this funk and maybe I just need a good slap to snap me out of it!!

Fourth of July Recipes for Runners at Runner's World

Fourth of July Recipes for Runners at Runner's World

Track not!!

Well lets just say that yesterdays workouts were non workouts. My calves were still tight after the Sunday run in the compression socks. (Never again) They will only be used for recovery. So, I was supposed to meet up with 3 others which will remain nameless because they all flaked out on me dammit!! But hey that's OK I was still meeting a big group with TCSD at UC high school and that's perfect. Well it took me an hour and fifteen minutes to get there with a fuel stop in there as well. So much for getting there for a warm up and starting on time with the group. So track started at 6:10 and by 6:20 I showed up (great, just perfect) I thought. So I got all my stuff together and made my way to the track (realizing I forgot my Garmin. But I had on my H/R monitor... perfect). So, I'm off to a fabulous start. I start warming up thinking that I could catch some of the interval work later on in the session. However my calves had another plan all together. They were not going to play nice. After 3 miles of warming up and stretching in between I was done. Calves done! I was not gong to risk injury to calves that were already angry. So I went home and called everyone who cares and cried on their shoulders.

All I can say is YOGA, YOGA, YOGA!! That's what I've been doing. I was going to hop on the spin bike this morning but I did Yoga instead and that was a great move because as the day goes by I feel better and better. Tonight I'll hop on the bike and see just how things are. It's amazing how one bad run can ruin your workouts for 2 days later. This sucks!!

Swim class

Yes....... I'm in swim class - Beginner swim class to be spacific. I feel lame but I have a method to my madness and hopefully I'll be able to explain it well enough so that you can understand. You see, I have an issue with water mainly swimming in it and mailny in open water. Even though I have done many races in open water and 2 Ironman lake swims it seems that each time I step into the water at the cove or the beach I start to panic and become distressed and think I'm going to be a nice meal for the sharky's out there. I freak out on every swim and every race I have in the open water. Sometimes I freak out in a lake or even in Mission Bay. I start to hyperventilate and feel like I'm running out of air. I feel pretty comfortable in my wet suit and I've had good swims in the open water and bad swims in the open water. I never know how I'm going to feel until the gun goes off and I'm struggling with this every race. I thought that if I take a beginner swim course I could get back to the basics and work on my mental game in the water. Make sense???? Maybe not yet.

So, my theory on this is if I can feel comfortable with my stroke, breathing and flip turns, I should feel comfortable anytime. I really hope this works because my last resort is a sports psychologist. The flip turn thing is another issue. I think that is because of rolling upside down and holding my breath at the same time. and the feeling of panic that I'm underwater and I can't get up for air. Kind of the same if your in open water and you get caught in a wave and are under water upside down. My mind set plays a big roll in this I know so let's see how the next class goes.

Organic Gardening, When to Plant Crops: Grow It! blog

This is a great site for organic gardening and resources!!!

Organic Gardening, When to Plant Crops: Grow It! blog

Where has the week gone???

Wow, this has been a big week in our house. First my boy Clint graduated from High School on Tuesday. What an awesome feeling to see the completion of this chapter in his life. Also to know that in August he is moving to SF to go to college. Yipee!!!! Oh, did I say that out loud? =)) Actually I'm very, very, excited for him. He is going to have such a great time and the memories will be forever. I really hope he enjoys this new adventure.

On Thursday Mark and I went to the SD county fair to see a sneak preview of the photography exhibit. I had entered 3 pictures and the one that I has hoping to get a ribbon did get Honorable mention. How exciting is that? Well, they only showcase 1/3 of the 4000 entries in the exhibit hall. So that made me feel very special and very proud. I think it's very cool.

Saturday was a drive up to Buena Park for the SFSU orientation. So pretty much an all day affair. Clint got his classes and we got some questions and the feeling to uncertainty seem to diminish and Clint has begun to feel the excitement as well. This is so cool. Now we can't wait for July when we take our backpacking trip to Alaska for his graduation present. What a fun time of year this is for my boy!!

Sunday morning run 11 ish miles in my new compression socks. They jury is still out on this new concept for me. Although I feel good when I run in them my legs seem to go through some changes during the longer runs. I feel that maybe I will only use them for recovery and not on long runs. First 3 miles calves were cramping, next 2 miles quads cramping, next 3 miles felt great no issues and on the last few miles both calves were cramping again and feeling a bit uncomfortable. So, I think that I will only be using them for recovery. Which is fine and a great tool for me to use because of my lower leg swelling that I tend to get.

Re cap of the weekend

Well it's been a few days and I have lots to wright about. So, lets start with Friday. I had the day off actually I have every other Friday off. I started off with a great 5 mile run with the girls and than off to the pool. I was done with my workouts by 10 am! Great!! Now I have the rest of the day to enjoy. Mark and I went to Hodads in OB for burgers. BTW I only eat that stuff like once a year. So, as you can imagine it's quite a treat. Got home and did usual housework ( i really with I could afford a maid). My girlfriend who was doing the Rock and Roll marathon invited me to go with her to the expo and so I tagged along. It was great!! I picked up my new Zoot Compression socks and had my picture taken with Michellie Jones which is up on FB and picked up a ton of free stuff. We had a blast it was one of the bigger expos I've been to.

Saturday was a run of 10 miles at 5:30 am (ouch) with my new compression tights. The compression tights performed very well. At first my calves didn't know what to think about them. They were a bit crampy and than after mile 4 or so they started to feel great. I opted for a smaller size because when they measured me and I put on the size 3 they didn't feel that compressed at all and since it was the end of the day and I always have swelling of the legs I went a smaller size. They seem fine. and they seem like that they may be a bit tight but that is where the compression comes in right??? I even wore them to the doggie obedience class later that morning with Sydney at 8am. Later at 10:30 I had rode up to Pachanga with Mark for a work thing. It was only supposed to be for a few hours but turned into allot longer. We were also up to see some friends of ours and hang out for a BBQ and wine. We had a great time but we got home a bit late 10pm. So that made it tough to get up early for a bike ride. But it went OK.

Sunday I rode with some girls and boys ( Julie, Shannon, Beth, Katya, John, James) I haven't rode with before and they were much stronger riders than me and I was a bit nervous. So at the start of the ride I through in the disclaimer that if I get drooped don't worry about me I'll be fine and that I was ending my route a bit different than they were anyways. So, by mile 30 is when I got dropped and I said to "John", this is were I dangle off the back. I feel like I'm getting stronger but still need time on the bike more and more!!! It's all good. The rest of the ride was great 63 miles 4 hrs. and I finished up well. got home. Shower, compression tights, food, nap, wash 2 dogs and dinner and movie with Mark.

What a great weekend.

It's Wednesday!!!

Where did the week go? I guess that after a 3 day weekend of workouts and yesterday turning into a day off from workouts with exception of walking Sydney in the morning. I was just too tired to do anything after work. So I decided to wrap up some projects around the house left over from the weekend. Today is Wednesday and that means a 5 mile run with the girls and I'll finally be able to make my Wednesday night MTB ride. I haven't made it on that ride since the beginning of the year. Due in part to Ironman training. I'm starting to get back into the 2x a day workouts again. Starting today. So we will see how my body handles it. I seem to be working my legs way more than my upper body in the past few weeks. I need to get back into the pool again and start strength training again more regular with Yoga and weights. I was going to go to the Tri Club meeting tonight but decided that a MTB ride is better for me right now. I really missed my MTB when I was training for Ironman. Plus I think he got a bit jealous since the road bike was getting all the attention.

Lately I mean in the past few weeks I've been obsessed with climbing hills. I need more, I want more, I think I must have been slipped something at IMSG to have these kind of thoughts. I'm sure it was the Tequila and Veyo pie Sunday night that did it!! Am I crazy?? I'm sure these thoughts will pass and I'll come back to reality and look at Palomar and think.... "No not today". But for now...... It's MTB time.

One more work day for me this week. Yipee!! I think I'll ride my bike to work tomorrow because I really need to to that more!