Check In

If I would update this blog more regularly, I wouldn't have to sit here trying to figure out which topic to discuss, what update to report, or which thought to post.  There are just too many, and I don't know where to start!

Isla is driving Dave and I around on her "bus"

Boston is 8 weeks away.  Running miles have been super low for me.  I am running about 38-44 miles a week at this point, which for me just doesn't seem like enough.  Plus, I have ZERO long runs.  As in 13 miles is my max at this point.  (can you smell the fear oozing out of my pores?) I do have a coach helping me, and I do want to buy into the process, so I am not sneaking extra miles faster miles, although I want to.   I am also not doing ANY speed work, tempo runs...anything!  It is scaring the bejesus out of me.   I am just trusting the process while keeping the following in perspective:  I am a mom, I work a job outside of the home, I love to swim/bike/run/triathlon, I want to be with my husband and my family, and I want to be healthy.  So, this means that maybe I just don't need to pile on miles, even though it is my instinct to do so.  After all, I had good success with 50 mile weeks, speedwork, tempo work, and marathon paced runs in the fall.  It is hard to try something different.  But, I am up for the challenge, and I love to learn.

Insert random picture with Billy Simpson, ultra running legend, and I don't say that lightly.  I forget how many Hard Rock 100s he has done- doing the ultra thing back when it was just a bunch of backpackers that liked to run.  Ran some miles with him the other day and just always enjoy his perspective.  I think it is so powerful to spend time with people that have done your sport much longer than you.  Wisdom is so precious.  And his reminder for all of us is to remember it is ALL about the journey.  And for the record, this guy just digs running 9-10 minute miles with me.  In his words, we better all be jogging and taking it easy more often if we want to be doing this later in life.  Enjoy some easy miles!

I have been dealing with some small injuries.  Last year, I had foot pain in every single triathlon, culminating in my first ever triathlon walk at the last race of the season, with pain so intense I thought I would never do a triathlon again.  It only got worse from that point on, even after seeing a podiatrist, and I finally realize that I do have some inflamed nerve issues that are not just bike related, but very run related.  So, it is back to the drawing board with management.  Maybe I will possibly need some injections...who knows?  We are working through it now so that I can do Boston.  The point of this is, the pain is not new, I just didn't address it in a timely manner.  Part of the issue is I don't do a lot of injury management because I am not injured much.  I have never sat out for a stress fracture, PF, or anything like that, so I don't expect it.  But HELLO!  I am getting older.  My body is changing.  Injuries and changes are just part of the game.  So, I am trying to be more on top of managing niggles now.

Having said that, I had hip pain from a dumb trail race in November.  (new shoes, feet hurting terribly with nerve pain, hip started to hurt, should have dropped out.  Instead I ran 18 miles on the trail, thinking "I don't DNF."  Idiot.)  So, I barely treated it, thinking it was bursitis and would resolve. I took some good time off of running, but didn't really get aggressive about treating it. Sure enough, mid February and the hip pain is still here.  X-ray last week showed it probably was not a stress fracture, and that is great.  So, now I just have to work it out.

All of that said to say this-  training through the years requires adjustments and changes in the way I approach the management of new issues.  I really can't just wait for things to just resolve, and I have to really be more on top of fit, equipment, seeing PT/doc in timely manner, etc.   I'll try to do better.

What else?

- I am building up a new bike.  Thank you Cannonade and Wattie Ink!  I'll post more when I get it up and going.

- I swam a mile TT and was 1 minute slower than my previous trials in the past year.  I hit the wall, heard my time, and thought...WTF?  Then shrugged it off as part of the process.  You move forward...you move backward.  All you can do is show up to swim class the next day :)

- Isla experienced her first Mardi Gras parade, complete with a ladder seat on St. Charles.  Of course she absolutely loved it; she is my kid, after all.

 Hanging out with Mary and Landon, my Wattie Ink crew in Nola.  :)

My shiny pants/tutu twin :)

  I think every Mardi Gras I have experienced has been with this guy...since 1997!

- Oh, and Laura is moving to Austin.  I am so happy for her.  I am sad to lose such close proximity to a good friend, but you know what?  When she moved to California and Washington DC, she was just amazing about staying in touch with me.  There are friends of convenience and location and then life-long friends that you will keep in your life even when you no longer live near each other.  Laura is definitely part of the latter group.

That night we showed up for Girls' Night, and we each brought 2 bottles of wine to share.  As if we needed 8 bottles.... ha ha!!!