Four months from tomorrow, I will attempt (and finish) my first Ironman in Louisville, Kentucky. Until that time, I plan on spending almost every waking hour wishing I was asleep. I know this sounds awful, and maybe I am still recovering (read "fighting my body's desire to recover") from Boston, but I am exhausted. It may also be due to the fact that I am altering the recommended workout schedule to squeeze in a much needed weekend away for Kayleen's bachelorette weekend in Newburyport, MA (yipee!).
As I sit and type/complain, my legs are throbbing...not pain, just pulsating with fatigue. It actually feels pretty good except that I have to run 12 miles tomorrow. This week has just been busy. Sunday, I rode my stationary trainer for 2 hours while attempting to keep up with the Spinerval DVD on the IMKY course. Monday, I hit the bike again and opted for Turbojam over a short, low-effort run. Tuesday, I ran 7 miles and swam 3000 in the pool, worked all day, and then finished up with a cross-training workout at Bricks (the multisport training gym). If my quads weren't still mildly angry from the hills of Newton, I would swear the workout was particularly quad intensive. This morning was a swim-only day, and I have never been more excited to hit the pool. My arms were a tad (read "ridiculously") sore/tired from the lifting portion of the workout last night, but everything loosened up and felt better after the swim. Unfortunately, instead of going back to bed after that, I had to go to work where it became increasingly more difficult to stand/walk as the day progressed. I know my body is about finished when I can barely demonstrate a straight leg raise into abduction for a patient...good times. Tomorrow I have a 12 miler. Friday, I will be back on the trainer for a 2-hour spineroo before I drive to BWI to meet Kayleen for the flight to Boston!
As much as I loved the marathon, I am very much looking forward to traveling to New England for a weekend of relaxation and wine with the girls. Never fear, though. I have researched and found a YWCA in Newburyport where I can purchase a daily pass so I can get a swim and bike in before the wine/pampering/wine/Mexican food/yoga-fest begins. After this weekend, I have plans for 2 other weekends before IMKY. I will be in Philly on May 29th for the USA v Turkey in soccer. It is the final warm up game before Landon Donovan, et. al. head to South Africa to disappoint me in the World Cup. The weekend of June 19th will be spent with Murphy Lee, CC, and possible CHerm/WallaceC somewhere for gay/suburban vacation. Beyond that, the next four months will consist of training, working, eating, only-very-necessary housework, and, perhaps, a touch of sleep.
Tonight, it is Game 7. Halak is playing like a man posessed. Ovechkin/Backstrom/Semin/Anyone needs to score. Go Caps!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Not Marathon Training
As of yesterday at ~1:29 PM, I am not in training for a marathon for the first time in a while! Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on whether I am sitting or trying to descend stairs, I am now in training solely for the Ironman! Yahoo!
Yesterday, I completed the 114th Boston Marathon in 3:22:16...not a PR, but I shaved almost 10 minutes off of last year's Boston time, so I am pretty pleased. It was a gorgeous day. To be fair, it was an almost perfect day, and I have a tiny sunburn to show for it! I am not a PR-monger. I drive a lot of other runner's crazy because when I hear questions like, "What time are you shooting for?" or "What pace do you run for your long training runs?" I don't really have a good answer. I don't wear a watch except on race days, and I rarely look at a clock before I leave the house for a run and/or when I get back. I do a little speed work, and stick to a primarily mileage-based training schedule, and that is fine by me. Actually, it is more than fine, it is the best!
What I will remember most about yesterday is seeing Team Hoyt and giving them a cheer, seeing Neil at the end of Heartbreak Hill when I thought my legs might actually stop working, the screams of the girls in Wellesley making it impossible not to smile, and the way I felt when I crossed the yellow and blue finish line and hugged a nice Greek man to celebrate our accomplishment. I got to run the Boston Marathon yesterday! I am so unbelievably blessed to have the health, ability, and opportunity to do these things!
Now, I am back in Delaware, and off to the gym to work the kinks out after the car ride home. I may even sample an ice bath tonight if I am feeling brave. Tomorrow it will be an early morning in the pool, and then I will be back to work. For the rest of today, I will wear my marathon jacket and my compression socks and savor my finish a tiny bit more.
Yesterday, I completed the 114th Boston Marathon in 3:22:16...not a PR, but I shaved almost 10 minutes off of last year's Boston time, so I am pretty pleased. It was a gorgeous day. To be fair, it was an almost perfect day, and I have a tiny sunburn to show for it! I am not a PR-monger. I drive a lot of other runner's crazy because when I hear questions like, "What time are you shooting for?" or "What pace do you run for your long training runs?" I don't really have a good answer. I don't wear a watch except on race days, and I rarely look at a clock before I leave the house for a run and/or when I get back. I do a little speed work, and stick to a primarily mileage-based training schedule, and that is fine by me. Actually, it is more than fine, it is the best!
What I will remember most about yesterday is seeing Team Hoyt and giving them a cheer, seeing Neil at the end of Heartbreak Hill when I thought my legs might actually stop working, the screams of the girls in Wellesley making it impossible not to smile, and the way I felt when I crossed the yellow and blue finish line and hugged a nice Greek man to celebrate our accomplishment. I got to run the Boston Marathon yesterday! I am so unbelievably blessed to have the health, ability, and opportunity to do these things!
Now, I am back in Delaware, and off to the gym to work the kinks out after the car ride home. I may even sample an ice bath tonight if I am feeling brave. Tomorrow it will be an early morning in the pool, and then I will be back to work. For the rest of today, I will wear my marathon jacket and my compression socks and savor my finish a tiny bit more.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
It's Official
My Ironman training has officially begun. I did my first swim workout on my 20-week training plan this morning, and it is on. The Boston Marathon is a week from tomorrow, so I am trying to find a balance between resting my legs and not totally bagging on the first week of the training program. We will see how it goes. I will be doing all of the bike workouts on the stationary trainer so as to avoid my typical pre-marathon injury...I am superstitious, but this is one pre-race tradition that I am looking to phase out.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
I Like A Good Healthy Fear
Although it may seem as though I gave up blogging for Lent, I assure you it was a mere coincidence. It is Easter Sunday, and I have already gone for a run, hit up sunrise service, gone grocery shopping, and taken the bike for a quick spin in the out-of-doors. Yes, that's right, outside! No more stationary trainer for me...at least not today. I will miss the almost intolerable boredom of riding in my basement, but training requires sacrifice. Today was the first time I have ridden the bike on the actual road since I took that spill back in October. By the time I recovered physically and got the bike fixed, the winter of everyone's discontent arrived and forced me to the concrete prison.
At this point, I must be honest. In the spirit of Easter renewal and resurrection, I decided today that it was time for me to get back in the saddle. I knew I would be nervous, but I was not prepared for the actual terror that I felt when I walked outside and started pedaling. I cannot recall a time when I have been so scared...not when I jumped out of an airplane, not when I ran my first marathon, and not when I used to run at 4 am through downtown Saint Louis. I felt nauseated, my hands were shaking, and I was fighting back tears. I had planned to ride to and through one of the nicer neighborhoods in Dover because the cherry blossoms and daffodils are in full bloom...and the streets there are actually paved well, and there is very little traffic. After overcoming the paralyzing fear, I decided to start slow and just go for a few spins around my neighborhood.
The good news is, I survived with no scrapes, cuts, or broken bones. Victory! I almost had myself convinced to head out of the comfort of Stone Ridge when remembered a vow I made in October that I would avoid high-risk activities with the possibility of significant injury in a two-week window of any major race or event. technically, Boston is two weeks from tomorrow, but I don't want to test fate. I am hopeful that when Neil gets home, we can go for a ride together which will make me feel slightly more comfortable...at least if he is in the country, someone will be here to recognize the symptoms of a possible slow brain bleed and drive me to the ER, should that be necessary.
In spite of the title of today's entry, I am not entirely sure if the nature and degree of fear I felt this morning was healthy or not. I am not sure if Dover has sports psychologists, but if the shaking and near-crying continues, I will need, at the very least, some sort of hypnotism or guided positive imagery. If not that, I will watch Office Space and really focus on the scene where the hypnotist dies in hopes that I can delve into a state of being neither terrified nor fearless but rather aloof and detached. This may be doubly beneficial in preventing me from wanting to throw my alarm clock across the room Monday through Friday at the thought of going to work.
All sarcasm aside, happy Easter everyone! Jesus was crucified that we may live, and He is risen! It is by the grace of God that I am alive and able to attempt to undertake these crazy shenanigans, and I am not worthy. I am blessed beyond all reason to have wonderful family and friends to support me, and I am unendingly thankful.
At this point, I must be honest. In the spirit of Easter renewal and resurrection, I decided today that it was time for me to get back in the saddle. I knew I would be nervous, but I was not prepared for the actual terror that I felt when I walked outside and started pedaling. I cannot recall a time when I have been so scared...not when I jumped out of an airplane, not when I ran my first marathon, and not when I used to run at 4 am through downtown Saint Louis. I felt nauseated, my hands were shaking, and I was fighting back tears. I had planned to ride to and through one of the nicer neighborhoods in Dover because the cherry blossoms and daffodils are in full bloom...and the streets there are actually paved well, and there is very little traffic. After overcoming the paralyzing fear, I decided to start slow and just go for a few spins around my neighborhood.
The good news is, I survived with no scrapes, cuts, or broken bones. Victory! I almost had myself convinced to head out of the comfort of Stone Ridge when remembered a vow I made in October that I would avoid high-risk activities with the possibility of significant injury in a two-week window of any major race or event. technically, Boston is two weeks from tomorrow, but I don't want to test fate. I am hopeful that when Neil gets home, we can go for a ride together which will make me feel slightly more comfortable...at least if he is in the country, someone will be here to recognize the symptoms of a possible slow brain bleed and drive me to the ER, should that be necessary.
In spite of the title of today's entry, I am not entirely sure if the nature and degree of fear I felt this morning was healthy or not. I am not sure if Dover has sports psychologists, but if the shaking and near-crying continues, I will need, at the very least, some sort of hypnotism or guided positive imagery. If not that, I will watch Office Space and really focus on the scene where the hypnotist dies in hopes that I can delve into a state of being neither terrified nor fearless but rather aloof and detached. This may be doubly beneficial in preventing me from wanting to throw my alarm clock across the room Monday through Friday at the thought of going to work.
All sarcasm aside, happy Easter everyone! Jesus was crucified that we may live, and He is risen! It is by the grace of God that I am alive and able to attempt to undertake these crazy shenanigans, and I am not worthy. I am blessed beyond all reason to have wonderful family and friends to support me, and I am unendingly thankful.
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