Foot Loose and Fancy Free

Before I get started, the hubster would like to let everyone know that I forgot a few key "Lonely island" videos.... "Jack Sparrow" (featuring Michael Bolton...yes, you heard that right) and  "I'm on a boat" (featuring T-Pain).
Now that you've had your fill of garbage again today...kick off your flippy floppies and let's talk about feet.
My feet.
Yup, time for the good ole stress fracture update.  It's been 4 weeks since I was diagnosed.  5 weeks since my fool hardy half marathon (oh yeah, I admit it).  And, of course, 5 weeks since I laced up my running shoes.
So, how's it been?
Well, for the first two weeks I was pretty much out for the count.  I swam, biked flat and on the trainer, and...swam. 

Then, I got my rockin boot off.  And walked...somewhat altered.  Oddly enough, even though the damage is under the left 4th toe, my pain in my foot was under the big toe.  Hmm.  Not sure if it was because I had altered my gait or what, but it was what it was.
Two weeks ago I started to add hills to my bike routine.
And started doing foot stretches, ankle circles, and towel pick ups. 
Last week, I rode outside.  And also got in 30 minutes on the elliptical without pain...a major milestone.
This week.  I can walk without pain  (woo freakin whoo!).  I ran in the shallow end of the pool.
....
Don't worry.  Still not running.  But damn, those Asics look so tempting!!!
I go back to the docs next week.  I have zero pain in the foot-the hubster has done the pinch test all over (pressure to various parts).  The foot gets tired a bit more....kind of like I just did a long "foot workout" if you will-does that sound strange?
I am trying so hard to be good.  Now, I know, is the dangerous time.  When I want to run.  When I think...hey, I have no pain, so I CAN run!
Patience, Rae.  There are always going to be races out there.  No need to break the foot for real :-P
One more weekend.  6 more sleeps.
Till I find out when.  And it won't be an If.
It'll be a when.
At least...I keep telling myself that :-)

Until then....more swimming!  And biking!  The Glaser clan camps on Lake Ontario this weekend, so (like a big dork) the hubster and I will bring our wetsuits and get in a little OWS (open water swim).  Tonight-hopefully an easy spin.  Sunday Evening- long ride.  Game on, baby, game on. 

The Lonely Island

Well...right now I am on the Lonely Island of long ride Thursday (going camping this weekend so need to get one long ride in mid week)...I thought I would introduce you to some seriously WRONG youtube clips that...if you have a raunchy sense of humor like me, you will thoroughly enjoy.  More content tomorrow...it's way too hard to work a full day (albiet broken up) and get your 50 miles in :-P
Off to my lonley island.
Here's your Lonely Island (clips): (warning-explicit! Do not listen to at work :-P)

1.  Like a Boss: Just hilarious, albiet completely wrong and dirty.  Seth Rogen is also included in this clip-you'll see that Lonely Island does an awesome job at recruiting celebs to be in their ridiculous videos.  I strongly advise not to bring up any of these job duties on your review....well, the fax sending is okay :-P

2.  I just had Sex:  Really, no hidden meaning here.  Akon gets in on the action to scream it from the rooftops, and lovely ladies include Jessica Alba and Blake Lively. 

3.  I threw it on the ground: Lame?  Yes.  But I'm pretty sure the hubster and I have gotten enough mileage out of this video to make it worthwhile.  That ain't my Dad...that's a CELL PHONE.  Do I look like an idiot? :-P  Cameos include Ryan Reynold (yummy) and Elijah Wood. 

4.  Motherlovin:  The wrongest one of the bunch.  I sat there for 3 minutes, mouth hangin open.  I do NOT recommend this mother's day gift, but Susan Sarandon is freaking awesome for being in this video.  That is all. 

4.  *(& in a Box:  Stupid.  Thats all.  Justin Timberlake...you have no self respect...which is why I love you.  I scoffed at this whole video, but you know that I'll never look at a UPS box the same way....

To answer your question...yes.  This is the type of humor I get at home, and consequently, is now my brand of humor as well.  Oiy.  There is no hope for the Glaser fam.  I apologize (slightly) if your views have changed...

but I stronly suspect if you were game enough to click on the links, you got at least one chuckle :-P 

Headin' to Ghost Town

Hum de dum dum dum.  Okay, fine,  I can't wait!  Guess who ellipticalled for a half hour?  THIS GIRL!  I realize that sounds a bit ridiculous, but the doc said that after 4 weeks, I could give it a whirl.  Whirl, successful.  I swear I floated back to work after that workout-sounds ridiculous, but being able to put pressure on the foot in something that somewhat resembled running was huge to me. 
Coupled with the fact that I've been able to institue some shallow water running without altering my gait as well as walking around normally (FINALLY) means I tink I'm on the road backt o recovery!
Don't get nervous.  Not busting out the running shoes yet.
I go back to see the doctor next week and he'll tell me whats what with the running....when, how much, and the proper course I should take.
But man...it's dangerous being an injured runner.
After your moody phase....you get reckless.
And not in real life.
Virtually.
First, there was Ironman Lake Tahoe.  The inaugural one, I might add.  It's not until 2013...PLENTY of time to train, right?  Right?  No?  Yeah, the hubster took away my credit card until registration sold out.  Phew. I knew I married that man for a reason.
Then....we started planning our fall vacation.  Maybe a nice long weekend in New England, we said.  So...of course I go visit my favorite marathon obsession site...Portland (Maine) marathhon is September 30th.  Awww....surely I can run by then!  Right?  Right!  I got no nay saying from my other half on that one, but then I remembered something (duh) importnat.  One must train (at least somewhat) to run 26.2.  Even if the foot is better, end of September is pretty quick, even if I'm not gunning for a PR (I'm not).
So....hmmm.  What next?
You see, when you can't do something you love, you reomanticize it in your head until every race looksl ike sunshine and sprinkes...even though in reality it could be a marathon course like this:

Oh, chesapeakeman.  Scenic, you were not.

But...at the end of the day, I love me some long distance running.  So, like a fool, I'm still seeking out that fall marathon.  And I think I found one.
We're goin' to ghost town.

Veterans Marathon: Ghost Town Trail, Lack Lick, PA.  (Yes, I know.  But since it is PA, we'll give them a break.

November 11, 2012. 

Time to cross that PA marathon off the ole bucket list.

I hope.

Pending doc approval :-P

5 hours away.  100 runner capacity.  On a holiday weekend (extra day for travel-bonus!) And far enough out so that if I can start running again in August, it will give me plenty of time to pull out a 26.2 without re-injury.

Oh, did I mention it's cheap as hell? 

26.2 miles = $26.20 to enter.  And it benefits the vets. 

You have to be $hitting me.

I'm in.

(hopefully).

AquaVelo Week 2/HIM week 15: Growing a new pair

Oops, a little late on that week round up report.  Forgive me?  Thanks :-)
Well, it was a big week, training wise for this girl.  Both in terms of volume (well, relatively) and also a few breakthroughs.  Hold your seats.  Still not running.  But really trying to give this whole bike and swim thing (definitely my weaker sports!) the ole college try. 
That Stats dance:
Bike (miles): 155
Swim (yards): 8900
Pool running:  1 hour
Strength:  2 full body, 2 abs sessions
Yoga:  30 minutes

Week High:  Musselman bike, without a doubt.  I had yet to ride this baby in it's entirety on the computrainer this year, so I decided to give it a go once I got all my gears working properly again.  I've ridden this course in real life 5 times, and on the trainer about a dozen in the past 4 years....and the trainer kicks my ass with it.  I've yet to come close to breaking 3 hours on it...closest was a 3:02 back in 2009 (did I mention Ironman kills your bike speed?).  Since my volume for the bike hasn't been noteworthy, I decided to try to shoot for 18.5 mph average, which would buy me  a 3:03(ish). 
I flew. 

I know I've mentioned several times how much I'm digging my new bike set up.  One more time.  It freaking rocks.  The aero bars are comfy, the seat is positioned just right, and I literally feel like the bike is an extension of me.  I guess I grew a new pair....of bike legs :-)  My foot is at a point where I feel comfortable standing and climbing, which makes the (mostly fake) big hills on the trainer version of the course easier to stomach.  Oh yeah...that 3:03 goal?  Pshhh.  Try 2:58.  Woo hoo!!  I realize that 18.7 might not be great for some people, but it's pretty speedy pants for me!  The one part I need to work on....I felt like I could have run after that (broken foot aside).  Need to remember that for an AquaVelo...I CAN empty the tank with the bike.  Hmm....a foreign concept :-)

The other 'roo.  My couch mate post bike (Roo) :-P

Week Low:  Sunday's brick.  After hanging out at the ER for a gazillion hours and eating dinner at midnight...sans ice bath or stretching....Sunday morning dawned with a sore body and tired Rae.  On the books:  a triple brick...15 mile bike, 15 mile strength x 3.  We did... a 15 mile bike 15 minute strength....time two.  Then a 5 mile ride.  And I started to get dizzy and super super tired.  And...called it a day.  Sometimes your rides are gonna kick butt.  Sometimes, life gets in the way.  That's why I don't make the big bucks! (Well, okay, and a few other reasons...)

On the swim front...things are going along swimmingly (har har har).  I'm working on front quadrant swimming, which is making my shoulders tired, but dropping my times.  We'll see what flys on race day.  Not expecting a miracle, but close to 40 minutes for 1.2 would be special :-)  (old PR 43 minutes).
And that concludes week two/fifteen.  Week three.....more bike volume (shocker) and a few steps in the running progression (no runs yet, but moving that way....and yes, the wording was intentional :-P)
Happy sunny Tuesday!  Enjoy your evening!

In case of Emergency

Whew, what a weekend!  You know what they say about the best laid plans...yep.  It was that kind of weekend.  It started out really well....Friday night date night and a freakin awesome 60 mile ride on Saturday.  The plan?  To ride, then catch a (car) ride over to the hubster's game with Mama TFB, so we only had one car at the game and I could head home afterwards with Greg. 
Or...not.
After I finished my ride, I headed to the shower to get clean and then sit in an ice bath.  I checked my phone...found a random missed call.  Checked the voicemail...apparently my mom was taken to the ER because she fell at work.  WHAT?!?  I took the fastest shower ever, grabbed a yogurt, and floored it out.
7 hours, 5 x rays, and several diagnoses later, we came home with a chipped kneecap.  At least it wasn't a broken ankle (first diagnosis).  Oiy.  Let me say that.....
The ER is a bangin place on a Saturday. (literally)

* Standing in flip flops for 6 hours after a 60 mile ride blows (shoulda grabbed the sneaks).
* Hospital food sucks.
* ER docs...are not the friendliest people on the planet.  Until they see your M Dot...and they are triathletes.  Then they want to talk to you all about racing.  But at 11:00pm....you don't care.  You just want to go home.
* Watching my mother attempt crutches was the funniest thing I have seen in quite some time. 
* I swear the ER has a connection with the parking garage.  If they keep you there past 4 hours, they get to collect the maximum daily rate.  Conspiracy theory?  heh.
Anyways....needless to say, we did not plan on that mess.  But the hubster won his game (sweet!), had fans in the stands  even if I couldn't be there, and my mom's gonna bubble wrap herself from now on (great suggestion cuz).

Source

Since we didn't get home till midnight on Saturday and subsisted off of hospital turkey for dinner...Sunday's ride was interesting.  I had a triple brick on deck (yes...I know what you're thinking...)....how does one do a brick when they cant run?  Simple.  15 mile ride.  15 minutes lower body strength.  15 mile ride.  15 minutes upper body strength.  There was supposed to be a 3rd set in there....but after 5 miles I called uncle and stopped.  I was just too friggin tired.  But hey, I'll take it.
After the ride...there was a house to clean, weekday meals to prep, and a garden to weed.  Eh, we got through most of it.  And now, if I can get through the next 48 hours of work...I'll consider it a success :-)  Whirlwind meetings both today and tomorrow, an RFA to prep for, a few lengthy conference calls, and a training.  No sweat.  Oh right, and those pesky little workouts, too :-P
Onward and upward, right?  We can recap week 2 of Aquabike training tomorrow.....I had a few breakthroughs, even if my weekend was hectic!
Now...onto the sauce.  I mean coffee.  Definitely, coffee.  What, 4 cups a day isn't normal?  I suppose it depends on the size of the cup.....

Ironman Training for Mortals

Okay...after over a hundred miles on the bike, 3 miles of swimming, a "brick" workout (no running, promise) and 10 hours spent in the ER/playing nurse (no, I'm fine-it want' me :-P) plus a dirty house and regular weekends errands to contend with...I'm a bit pressed for time.  We'll play a lil catch up catch up tomorrow, sound good?  In the meantime, how bout another old guest post?  Since it's summer time and race season...I know alot of people out there thinking about jumping on that 140.6 bandwagon..behold some of my tips after 2 times at the big dance :-)

****

I've been a triathlete for 6 years, and have competed in every distance from sprint to Ironman. It's been a long, interesting, fun "Iron Journey" starting back in 2005, when I couldn't run a mile to save my life, to 2010, when I finished Ironman Lake Placid with tears in my eyes and a big smile on my face.  Since then, I've done another Iron Distance race, and can't wait to do my third!
Now, trust me when I say...if I can finish an Ironman, anyone can.  And no, it doesn't take 40 hours of training a week or a diet of celery sticks.  But it does take discipline, a can do attitude...and a plan.

So, you want to take on 140.6?  Well, here's a little help getting started....

1.  Pick a race.  It's ok to pick a race a few years out...I really recommend moving from a sprint triathlon (.5 mile swim, 12-15 mile bike, 5k run) to an Olympic (.9 mile swim, 25 mile bike, 10k run), to a Half Ironman (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, half marathon) to the actual Ironman (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run).  I took on one new distance each year, which made it seem a bit more do-able.  Enjoy each distance, then move on up if you love it!  Most Ironman races sell out a year in advance, so you have 364 days to contemplate your madness once you've plunked down your entry fee....

2. Find a training plan. Some athletes hire a coach, and there are plenty of good ones out there.  However, I am a social worker, so my budget doesn't really cover it!  I bought my training plan off of trigeek.com, and paid 25 bucks for it.  It detailed all of my workouts for the 37 week plan, and gave levels based on my fitness and how I was feeling that week.  The weeks ranged from 10 hours a week to 20 hours a week, which sounds ridiculous, but is do-able if you plan ahead. 

3. Get organized.  Work backward on your calendar from your race date and find your training start date.  Put your training plan on an actual calendar so that you can see when your key workouts fall and can adjust your schedule (yes, this takes some time,  But it really is worth it to know months in advance when your "peak" weeks are so that you can plan your life!)

4. But be flexible.  Every training plan has some flexibility.  There are some workouts you should not miss, like your hundred mile rides or 20 mile runs, but some can be altered, shortened, or skipped.  Most people will confirm that as long as you follow your plan 80% of the time, you should be good to go on race day.

5. Recruit an "Iron Sherpa".  Ironman is not a journey to go at alone.  You need someone to support you, understand what you are doing, and help you out in terms of everyday life and with your mental sanity.  I am lucky enough to have a husband that is not only supportive, but is also a triathlete.  He gives excellent foot rubs and even does laundry on my 7 hour long ride days!  I knew I married him for a reason....(I kid, I kid).

6. Get some toys!  Ironman is expensive.  But you don't need a $3,000 bike or a million expensive pieces of equipment to complete the distance.  However, there are some training gadgets that really help!  Of course you need the basics-wetsuit, bike, helmet, running shoes, etc.  But there are a few extra things that really help when going the distance-I love my bike trainer (especially living up north-I never miss a ride), my swim mp3 player (super helpful for long swim sets) and my grid foam roller (awesome after a long brick or run to roll out the knots, and so much more affordable than weekly massages!).  Toys for race day:  An aquacell for hydration and my cw-x compression tights for the marathon-my legs need all the TLC they can get after a 112 mile ride!

7. Create goals.  After you have been training for a few months, you may have some ideas as to how long it will take to complete the distance.  Goals are great, but I suggest making A,B and C goals (with the C goal being to finish!) especially for your first time at the distance. You never know what can happen on race day, and be ready should things not go according "to plan"!   The day is long, and no 140.6 is perfect.  I created an A goal of 14 hours, a B goal of 15, and C for finishing,  When I crossed the finish line in 13:54 my first time, I was elated!

8. Have a good reason.  Why Ironman? Because it's on your "bucket list"?  Because you want to prove something?  WHY?  Have a darn good reason for doing it.  Ironman is time consuming, expensive, and it hurts.  And at mile 130, your mind is going to need to give your body a darn good reason to keep moving forward, because your body will be saying NO!  I spent alot of time on the mental aspect of training, and had some pick me ups on race day (notes from family in my special needs bags, miles dedicated to people on the marathon) and it really kept me going.  The day can be so much fun (best day of my life after my wedding day) but you really need to be ok with the space between your ears to do an Ironman.  And I know you can!


9. Do your homework.  Know the race course....drive it, or better yet, go train on it if you can.  I drove up to Placid for a weekend training camp a month before the race, and it really helped me figure out where to take in nutrition, where to coast, and where to push it.  I also talked to people  with Ironman experience...there are some really good sites out there for triathletes where you can ask people that have done the race and have wisdom to share.  There are also a rising number of triathlete bloggers who can help you out (email me anytime!)There is no such thing as a dumb question!

10. HAVE FUN!  You put in the miles, you created a plan, and you've spent 6-9 months training.  Enjoy the journey-it's amazing what your body can do.  And enjoy your day-it is an amazing feat to take on 140.6, and so worth it once you cross the finish line and hear "YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!"

Well, I hope that gets you started,or at least thinking about the multi sport lifestyle.  It is an amazing sport with wonderful people, and if you have any questions, feel free to email me.  Thank you!

Friday, I'm in love

Have I used that title before?  I'm not sure, and a bit too lazy to climb through 500 posts to find out.  So, if I did, I'm sorry.  If I didn't that sentence was pointless.  Either way, you know you've got The Cure stuck in your head, so it can't be all bad, right?
Today is a good day.  The rain washed away the humidity, the weekend is supposed to be sunshiny goodness, I have plans for a long outdoor ride tomorrow, and the hubster plays his first football game in 4 years.  We can sleep in both days.  There is no "work thought" for 48 hours (except for that damn garden...but you know what I mean...the whole 9-5 work thought.  Need a break from that).  And, without further adieu, instead of fun links Friday, I'm resurrecting the whole "What I'm Loving lately" theme.  What can I say...it's that kind of day :-) 
Friday Kinda Loves...

1.  Iced tea.  With the several 90 degree plus days here in Rochaha, I've been drinking about a half gallon a day.  We have two glass milk jugs that we use for the tea-pop 2 black tea bags in a jog, set outside in the sun for 3-4 hours, then refrigerate for a few hours to chill.  I'm currently adding a slice of lemon to the glass with some ice cubes...a fun way to get hydration in, and pure summer :-)  (I use decaf bags, but that's because I can't tell the difference, so why not??
2.  Frozen corn.  No, this is not some weird eating thing.  With my foot rehabbing, I've been on it more, and trying to take care of it in the evenings.  Best things-stretches (ankle rotations, stretching the arch, picking up towels with my toes), elevation, and ice.  But why not buy a 99 cent bag of corn and keep using it?  Just as long as the hubster doesn't accidentally use it for dinner....yech.
3.  My new bike set up.  I've said it before, I'll say it again.  My new aero bars and bike set up rock my socks off.  For the first time in...oh...never...it's actually comfortable in aero!  And I have all my gears!  Now if I can avoid repeating last nights ride...where I rubbed the brake for 90 minutes...that would be good.  No wonder 18.5 felt hard on the flats!  Wheel fixed and ready to go for this weekends rides...which is good, since I plan to spend at least 5.5 hours in the saddle before Monday :-P
4.  Free E-Books.  I know I've mentioned it before, but Pixel of Ink is an awesome site.  If you have a kindle or Ipad and don't subscribe, DO IT.  I average 4-5 books a week-nothing crazy, but some good fiction and historical fiction.  I'm also getting into my library's free e-books...I'm wait listed for the newest John Grisham and James Patterson books, and just got "The Paris Wife" delivered to my kindle.  It might be a hammock kinda night :-)
5. Sommee Cards. An oldie but goodie...there have been some ridiculous sommee cards circulating the 'nets lately. It seems everyone is sick of work, so most of them center around the office. Too much fun. Especially when you can share them with your boss and he laughs, too. Now that's job security.

And so is my life lately.  Simple pleasure, yes, but that's what life is all about, right?  What are you loving lately?

It Could Happen to You

Woah.  Let's just throw anything I had to say out the window today (wait, scratch that.  Too hot).
I was going to talk about training/diet/heat, etc.  But that can wait until tomorrow.
Because when your town makes national news, you address it. 
I just wish that something positive put Rochester on the map :-(

Karen Klein, Bus montor

But...unless you live under a rock, you've probably heard the national news story of the bus monitor, Karen.  The 68 year old widow was the victim of heartless bullying on a bus Monday afternoon, all caught on camera and posted to You Tube, where it went viral.
The four tormentors....were 12.  And 13.
Oh yeah.  It was a middle school bus.  Did I forget to mention that part?  The bus monitor, employed by Greece school district for 23 years, sat on the bus while the kids rode home, and for at least 14 minutes, endured taunts regarding her looks, family, socio economic status, and downright threats on her person, home, and family.
Disgusting.
And those little brats filed the whole damn thing, thinking it was funny.
Well, karma has a way of biting you in the butt.  Once the video hit YouTube (see a clip here-it's really disturbing, though...I only got to about minute 4 before I had to shut it off), angry citizens began calling the police, school board, and superintendent.  The police are currently investigating the situation, as is the school, stating that any punishment will be doled out in the new school year.
And now, it's National.  MSNBC.  The Today Show. 
Wow.
A few thoughts.  Regarding the kids...it's disgusting.  You want to place blame somewhere, but where?  Behavior like this is completely unacceptable, and I do hope that they are banned from the bus, made to do community service, and apologize publicly to the victim.   At least.  But do they deserve to be punished forever?  The Internets don't forget...and all four perpetrators names and addresses are in the web.  Imagine 10 years down the line when they are applying for jobs....did you think about that when you were 12?  Me either.  But then again, I never would have pulled this crap when I was a kid.  Forget the school or the police...I would have been scared $hitless to go home.  My mom was great.  She raised me well.  And I had a ....healthy fear of her, as a parent. I think I got smacked two or three times as a kid (when i well deserved it).  But that fear of the possibility, along with lessons on good manners and a good example, did the job.  What did these kids role models look like?  We don't know, and we can't judge.  But many kids today do not have that "healthy fear" of parents.  Why?  Well, I won't get into that can of worms.
But, be that as it may, there are plenty of other "good kids" in today's day and age, so you can't put a societal blanket over it.
There is a silver lining in all this mess.  Once the you tube video hit the Internets and the public went crazy, one student in Toronto decided to organize a helping hand for this woman.  He launched a site through Indiegogo.com in order to collect donations to send the bus monitor on a nice vacation after dealing with her ordeal.  The original goal?  $5,000.  The site went live Tuesday evening. 

As I write this, they have raised nearly $300,000.  All on the goodwill of people.
Should a bus monitor rake in that kind of cash?  Who knows.  And really, who cares?  Something truly terrible happened to her that people can identify with.  So they want to help.  And that shows that even though horrible things can happen in this day and age, the basic decency of some people exist.  Ever seen "It Could Happen to You?"  Yeah.  It's like that.  And in New York, too (hmm).
Society?  It's messed up.  This should have never happened.  But at the end of the day, don't rule out people.  They can come through in the strangest of times :-)
What do you think of this whole story?

Ready to Run

Clearly, mother nature got the memo that today is the first day of summer.  Hot. as. Heck. out there.  It's supposed to be 95 today and tomorrow...wowzas.  And, of course, as everyone says "Today is the longest day of the year!" Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but they all have 24 hours (well, and negligible seconds that we round off every 4 years yada yada yada leap year.
But if this is gonna be the longest day...hopefully all that extra time comes in after 5pm. 
Ya with me? :-P
Today screams....Popsicles. 
Watermelon. 
Sprinklers.
Running.
Oh yeah, I went there.  I went running today!  75 meter repeats, to be specific.
Hold your horses.  NO yelling, please.  Check out my "track":

Yeah.  Water running, baby.  Cause who wants to run outside on a 95 degree day?  (okay, fine, I do.  But I'm trying to do the whole glass half full thing here).
So, it seems that the whole world is either hot or injured, because water running seems to be really popular all of a sudden. 
* USAT just did an article detailing the benefits of shelving the pavement pounding every once in awhile in favor of non impact running.  They included a few ideas for "water workouts" that mimic speed/tempo work.
I might just have to try the "ladder" workout!
* One of my favorite running blogs, "Shut up and Run" did a segment on water running and it's benefits, with a video included to show proper form, along with water running tips and tricks.  Did you know your heartbeat is 10 bpm slower in water than on land at same intensity?  Kinda neat!
(as a side note, check out her post on "How to survive injury without being a B*&^tch" for some perspective, if you've ever been sidelined from running (or anything you love).  Such a truthful post.)
* Lastly, this gem:  A 9 week water running plan.  Wow.  I had no idea these even existed!  And while I'm not out to water run 5 days a week (we're gonna try for 2)-the workouts were interesting and varied, which should be helpful when you're basically looking at a long track treadmill with no entertainment (TV, scenery).
Armed with these resources, I went for a run today.
In the pool.
I've done water running a few times, but never with any purpose, so I tried a good, solid 45 minute effort:
Warm up 10 minutes easy
1 minute all out, 2 minutes recovery (x5)
1 minute high knees, 1 minute recover (x5)
10 minute cool down
The easy parts were easy...the hard parts were hard!!  (How's that for deep thinking?) And while I don't feel like I do after a run (spent, accomplished and endorphin high)...my legs know I got a good workout.  Sweet.  I rigged up my goggles and did the sprint portion based on song chorus repeats (which was pretty close to the minute each time) so I didn't want to kill myself (I think I would have without music).  Did I look like a crazy person?  Probably.  Most people don't run in my pool (DFC, yo!)  Did I care?  Nah.  Best part?  I could splash some water on my face whenever I got hot...or...I could even dunk if I wanted to :-P
Not bad for a 95 degree day.  Yay Aqua!
Have you ever aqua run?  What do you think?  Tips or tricks to share?

Feed me, Seymour!

Nother day, nother dollar, yo.  That's about all I got.  I had a rough day at work....meetings in the morning, a broken budget to deal with, HR to consult...no lunch (aka no gym time...I lead a charmed life, I know).  But hey, it's over.  Finis. 
What I really wanted to do when I got home:  Pop in a Billy Blanks DVD and punch things.
A close back up:  Raid the M&Ms and peanut butter.  I did.  A little.  I put the jar back after 2 teaspoons full.  promise.
What my plan called for:  A rest day.
What? 
Okay, yes, I need them.  Foot's not gonna get better on it's own.  But I knew if I rested, I would either a) Throw a tantrum at the world or b) Eat my emotions in the form of cookie dough or chocolate (a more likely story).  So I busted out the bike and went for a nice easy 10 miler.  And then did some yoga.  Ahhh.
I feel a bit better now, but still unsettled with the world.  I'm gonna go for the the whole low key evening with my kindle and some chai tea and hope that works out.
And hopefully, stop at that chai tea.

Watch out for those plants

Musselman.  4 weeks.  Need to watch my diet.
No, not go on a diet. 
Even though I'm going into this race about 5 pounds heavier than I like to be, I've made peace with it.  The trick now...not to gain any more :-P  I know I've blogged about intuitive eating and nighttime eating before...I'm still working on it.  I've done better with the "crescendo" eating problem (increasing amounts through the day) but I still have a tendency to succumb to eating after dinner and eating my emotions.  Gonna try to work on that second one in the next few weeks.  Even if my foot sucks and I can't run, I don't need to feel like crap on the bike or gain more weight during my recovery.
My plan?
Watching the hunger scale.  Am I eating just for the heck of it?  Because it's "time to eat"?  Or because I am really and truly hungry?
I don't expect it to be easy.  Actually, I think the hardest part will be making sure I give myself permission to eat enough when I am hungry, at, say, lunch.  And remembering that just because I am accustomed to having a snacky snack at 8:30 doesn't mean I truly need one.
I've stocked up.
Sugar Free hot cocoa and hard candies.  Dum dums.  Pumpkin and Almond tea.  I know I'll need something to distract my mouth when I'm convinced I need food (TWSS?)  That...is not part of the long term solution.  But I think it's part of the process....we'll see where it goes. 
Not a restricting diet.  Just trying to get back in touch with my hunger cues.  And I know I'll feel 10x better attacking that bike course without unnecessary baggage.
Hup hup.  Veggies.  Fruits.  Lean protein.  Complex carbs.
But only if my tummy (and not my head) says "Feed me, Seymour!  Feed me!"
How are you with intuitive eating and hunger cues?  Still learning the game?  You'd think after 9 years I'd have it figured out, but nah, I just like to bang my head against the wall :-P

AquaVelo Week 1/HIM week 14: What really grinds my gears

It's Monday.
My legs hurt.
I'm tired.
And hungry.
You might think this is a bad thing....it would be to most.  To me, it just means that it was a good training weekend.  Which is good, because I sorely needed one after the last few weeks (pun intended).  My friend Alexa posted on Facebook yesterday about her crazy Sunday-riding, running, and horseback riding...and asked.."Isn't Sunday a day of rest?"  and I had to laugh.  To the rest of the world it is.  To a triathlete, Monday is the day of rest after heavy weekend workouts.  And even though I'm not on the 6 hour ride 20 mile run bandwagon right now (and sorta jealous, sorta relieved I'm not)...Monday's recovery swim is so much more restful than Sunday's 50 mile bike ride.
About that ride.  And this past week.  This week officially kicked off my super duper 5 week AquaVelo traning plan...as I posted last week, I upped the bike and swim of my current plan, adding in some fun and sadistic workouts.  How'd it go?  Let's see....
AquaVelo Plan:  Week 1
Swim:  8200 yards (3.5 workouts)
Bike:  139 miles ( 4 workouts)
Etc:  40 minute pool run, 3 ab workouts, 2 Upper/Lower Body workouts



Source

Whew. 

Week High:  Ahh, which bike to pick?  After the initial tussle with my bike setup (I lost half my gears somehow), I'm really liking the new positioning.  Can't wait to take her outside next week to test it out!  I feel like I have more power climbing which was super helpful yesterday when I did the fake Musselman course on the computrainer (I swear it adds and inflates hills, but that will only heal on race day).  I'm still missing a few gears in my big chain ring, but the hubster theorizes that it's because of my new cables needing to stretch.  We're gonna look at it last night.  They are my favorite gears, so I need to use them :-).

Week Low:  Still a slow swimmer.  I'm working on technique with my sets, so hopefully we can address that.  It's also been kinda rough pushing off from the wall with one foot.  Hopefully this will change as the foot gets better. 

Not too darn bad, huh?  I'm still a bit of a grumpy gus not being able to run, but I'm working around it.  I've had quite a few kick your butt speed workouts on the bike this week (anyone who came up with this workout should be shot):

Warm up 15 minutes

1 minute .100rpms, 2 min recover (x10)

5 minutes easy

30" all out, 30" recover (x10)

Cool down 15 minutes

It sucks....but I think it's gonna help.  Nothing like a side of vomit with your bike workout.  (Kidding.  I didn't puke.  Almost, though).

Will it help my bike split?  We'll see!

Coffee Talk

Super Sunday time!  I rode 50 miles and blah blah blah.  You don't need to hear it.  Well, at least until tomorrow.  Today, I want to honor the Dads in my life, who just rock my socks off.  My father in law is playing in the Adirondacks, so the hubster and I spent the afternoon with my godfather.
We have a strange family (well, you knew that one).  I'm an only child who was raised by a single mom.  She got divorced before I was even born, so I don't know who my dad is.  However, her younger brother, my uncle, is my godfather-and has been my father figure ever since I was born.  So today was all about him.  My Uncle is one of my favorite people and I couldn't have asked for a better Dad (pay attention, people, and no 315 jokes, please). 
Why, you ask?  Well, off the top of my head....

*  He's been there my whole life.  Dance recitals, graduation, tri's, marathons, etc.  You got it.  He's stood around for 6 hours in the heat and the rain just to see me stagger across the finish line.  He drove 5 hours up and back to Placid to hang around all afternoon while I did my 140.6.  Exciting?  Nope.  But he's there.
*  He stands by me...no matter what.  He kept me sane during wedding madness.  He calls me out of the blue just to see what I'm up to and how I'm doing.  And whenever I call him needing therapy, he drops whatever he's doing and listens to me.  Sometimes her offers wisdom, sometimes he just let's me cry.  And the best part....he knows exactly when to offer each one.
*  He supports my decisions, even if he disagrees.  He'll ask me questions to get me to think about what might be right for me, but at the end of the day, whatever I decide is a-ok with him.
*  He reads the blog.  Every day.  And calls me when I don't post...just to yell at me for not entertaining him make sure I'm okay. :-)
*  He's really the best person I know.  I know no one's perfect, but I think he's pretty damn close.  He doesn't have a bad word to say about anyone, he's super religious, and can always find the best in a situation.  And ladies, he's single.  Why?  Probably too picky :-P
Ahh, I'm a lucky girl.

Not only to have the best god-dad out there, but also to have another important father figure in my life (I tried not to choke on my lemonade, because he acts like a teenager...but really, no.  I'm not kidding).  The hubster's Dad is, without a doubt, the best father in law I could ask for.  Hands down.  Why?  Well, this one ain't hard either....
* He totally accepts me into the family.  Always did.  No problem.  I strongly suspect it's because I can follow his insane sense of humor, but hey, it works.
* He let's me make fun of him, and often adds to the joke.  Wuss?  You betcha.  ballerina mug?  Why not.  Pants dance?  Okay, I still need to see this....
* He makes it fun (obviously).  I sort of feel bad for anyone trying to follow any conversation we have, especially when the hubster, Dad G. and I all get in on it.  I'm not sure what language we speak...it's not English, but it's friggin hilarous.

And so much more :-)  But hey, I gotta go....Dad's here.  Its time to grill out, enjoy some sunshine, and have a cup of coffee.  And talk about it.  Whatever "it" is...but Uncle Alan and I will figure something out.

Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's out there! 

A Placid Day

As I said yesterday,  gorgeous weekend.  And not too darn bad on the home front.  After a lazy morning and a yummy breakfast, the hubster and I got down to brass tacks and did our workouts (turbo sprints on the bike, massive strength training, boo ya). 
Good training day.  But...it's the 3rd weekend in June.  And even though Rochacha is rockin' some gorgeous weather...it's strange to be here.  For the past two years, on the third weekend of June, I've rocked out here:

Ahhh, Lake Placid.  Literally, one of the best places on earth.  Last year, the hubster trained for this Ironman.  The year before, I did.  The year before that, we got to go up in July to hang out during the race and volunteer, so I could sign up.  So, while I am enjoying the lazy Saturday feeling and (relatively) short workouts...I look back at camp weekend, where the crazies bring their swim bike run stuff and...

On Friday...bike 20(ish) miles and swim 2.

On Saturday....bike 100(ish) miles, run 2-3 miles and swim 1.2

On Sunday....run 13-16 miles and swim 1.2

Ahh.  Top it all off with a 5 hour ride home (in the car, yes, I had to clarify) ..sunburned shoulders.... (Cause its always 90 on training camp weekend), exhausted, sore...and amped.  For Ironman.  Or a half ironman.  Or...life, in general.

In Placid you don't need music to run.
You don't need music (indoors) or fun treats (outdoors)  to push you on the ride.
You don't need a technical workout in the water.
The beauty of the land, the attitude of everyone around you (hello, triathlete town!), and the fresh, mountain air are invigorating, cleansing, and reminiscent of what really matters at the end of the day.
It's my happy place.
Boy do I miss it.

Maybe the hubster and I need to take a weekend trip soon :-) In the meantime, I guess I'll just have to be happy with 90 miles on the bike this weekend instead of 120 :-P  And Kershaw (Canandaigua Lake) instead of Mirror Lake.

Or maybe I'll just consider this lake.

Uh oh.... :-P

Friday Links

Howdy ho!  (Yes, I just quoted a piece of poop.  Really, how many ways can you say "hi" each day?  Should I just not bother.  hmm.)  Once again, another weekend ahead-another week conquered :-)  It's supposed to be gorgeous here in Upstate New York, which means I'll get suckered into pulling weeds and riding my bike...with hopefully an open water swim thrown in there.  Not bad, as far as weekends go.  And, of course, I'll be spending some QT with my godfather on Sunday...yay!  What are you up to this weekend?
And, because I know you all are gonna need something entertaining to get through your Friday afternoon (you're welcome for doing a lunch post :-P)  Here are my Friday links, back by popular demand!  (And just so you know, I collect these as I see 'em through the week...I promise, I don't spend hours playing online...err...or something like that).  Ahem.  Here we go!


1.  Movie Quotes for Triathletes:  How does your significant other really feel about your training?  Your race?  Your off season?  One wife explains it...with a little help from pop culture.

2.  The Brainiest cities in the U.S.: Somehow, Rochester NY came in at #13.  I strongly suspect that this moved up when I moved to Wayne County.  Just sayin'.

3.  It's National Flip Flop Day!  Sadly, this year, I cannot partake (staunchly wearing sneakers to work on this whole foot thing)...but...it's flippies day.  Bust 'em out for casual Friday.  Sunshine.  Eighty degrees.  Painted toes....ahh.  And, if you wear your flips to a Tropical Smoothie joint, you get a free smoothie!  Sweet.  Literally.

4.You are not Special: The best graduation speech ever.  I though Steh McFarland and Baz Luhrmann said it well, but this one speaks volumes to the "special snowflake" mentality we all seem to carry around lately.  Matter of fact.  To the point.  And very accurate.

And with that, it's time to finish the day.  Got a yoga class on the agenda tonight....hopefully it'll prep my legs for a bike heavy weekend :-)  Later Gators!

Eyes on the Tri's

 I'm already cringing before I even post this.  But, since I suck at putting a lid on things, you guys know I'm gonna speak my mind.  Disclaimers:
My opinions are solely my own.
All of them have to do with PROCESS, not the situation.
I am only expressing my thoughts as an outsider.  Everything I know about the situation I have read, seen on television, or heard through such reputable (note the pink font) sites such as slowtwitch.
Oh yeah.  I'm going there.
Lance.
For any triathletes living under a rock or for the "normal" people who could give a crap less about cycling or tri's, Lance Armstrong was banned by WTC yesterday from entering any of their races pending a USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) doping allegation from when Lance rode the Tour De France in 2001-2010.  (It looks like the allegations are centered around some unclear test results in 2009-2010, but, like much of the rest of the story, it's clear as mud).

Source

What does that mean?  Well, he can't race IM France next week.  Or, possibly, Kona this year.  It's all up in the air, depending on how this investigation shakes out and how long it takes.  If he's found guilty, he could be banned from the sport, titles from Tour De France stripped.  If he's innocent...well, sadly, he doesn't have alot of recourse.  According to him, he's had 500 clean drug tests, so this, in essence, he calls a "witch hunt".
Of course, everyone in the tri community is up in arms about it.
And everyone has an opinion.  (we're triathletes, come on).
So...here's mine. 
I have no idea if Lance ever "doped".  Part of me would not be surprised, but I am very much in favor of innocent until proven guilty.  USADA needs to prove their case, and I hope they have a damn good reason for dragging it out like this (some sources say they were waiting pending a previous investigation...sounds like the US to drag it out).
That said...I also agree with WTC.  If it is their policy to ban a pro "pending investigation" then they should do it.  I don't care who you are.  If we, as age groupers, sign up for Ironman Lake Placid and there's a freak tornado that cancels the race, do we get a refund?  No.  Do we get to race?  No.  It truly sucks, but Lance knew that was the deal when he signed on as pro.  With that said, I hope they can figure this out quickly, because if he is innocent, he deserves a shot at Kona just as much as everyone else.
There,
Now, for the things that are flummoxing me with this uproar.  (Again, slowtwitch fodder.)  Even though there's nothing amusing about this, it's like a bad train wreck...you just can't turn away....Anyways.  I do not understand:
1.  Why people are in such an uproar about taxpayer dollars and USADA.  Yes, they are grant funded, which technically means some of our tax payer dollars pay for them.  Are they doing exactly what they are supposed to do in terms of anti doping?  Um, yes.  I do wonder how long they can prolong it, but that's what they are funded to do.  Lance pretty much started this nonsense in his statement of response with tax payer dollars....the way I look at it is similar to where I work (Catholic Family Center).  We are grant funded.  However, our agency serves clients based on our mission.  Is it legal to get an abortion in the US?  Yup.  Can I help you do it as a social worker?  Nope.  It's against our company policy.  So do we make crack babies?  No.  We simply abide by our laws as an agency.
2.  The whole "Livestrong" Lance is a hero thing. Yes.  Livestrong is a great thing.  Lance has really made a name with the fight against cancer, and that's admirable.  But....that does not mean he is a saint in all areas.  He could be innocent.  But helping the greater good does not a saint make.  Otherwise, everyone that works in non profit helping the people can do no wrong, right?  Ummm, no.  I'm no angel.  And I know plenty of others who aren't.  And many other examples I could use.  Bottom line?  Unless you were in lance's back pocket for 15 years, you have no idea if he doped or not.  Simple as that.
3.  People that are billing Lance as the "greatest triathlete ever" and saying that Kona is f&^ed without him.  Guys, triathlon was just fine before Lance.  If it comes to that, it'll be fine without him, too.
4.  People that are attacking WTC's decision to ban and calling it a "slap in the face".  Are their by laws fair?  I'm not sure.  But they do exist, and they're following them.  If they weren't, everyone would be pissed that Lance got a free pass.

Phew.  i think that's it for now.  If you're interested, check out the Washington Post Story, Lance's response, the letter he was served with (which, if I'm not mistaken, he has known was coming since February....hardly a surprise).
If you want to be entertained, check out Slowtwitches 743 threads on the subject, where, truly, opinions are a dime a dozen.  But it's damn entertaining.
With that said, I do hope that if lance never doped, the system finds him not guilty and closes the door on this mess.  If he did dope,  I hope he has to pay for what he did.
End of story.
Don't hurt me, please :-)
What are your thoughts on this whole mess?  or could you care less?

The Power of the Pedestal

Okay.  Strap on your seat belts.  No recipes today.  Or workouts (I got my behind handed to me with descending intervals and weights, I'm good).  No Tri musings (well, kinda).  Just me.  And my thoughts.  About a topic that's been brewing for about a month, okay, a year.
Pedestals.
They are such dangerous objects (and not only because it's National Kitchen Klutzes of America Day- do yourself a favor, go out to dinner or have a sandwich :-P)
Ahem.  Pedestals.  Not only can you fall off them in a literal sense, but you can...of course, be stuck at the bottom of one, looking up.
I think that's happened to all of us-I'll certainly admit it.   Sometimes I get down on myself as a person merely by comparing myself to others, especially when it comes to racing.  It's easy to do....I hang out with faster people, so looking at my PR's sometimes brings me down, especially when those faster people complain about being slow.  Then I remember that there are people that would kill to have my PR's.  Or the ability to run (hell, I would kill for that right now).  Or be happily married (no, I did not write that just for the hubster's sake).

That's all well and good.  I can be content with my size 8 behind, even if my friend wears a 4.  Or my Social Worker paycheck when my neighbor drives a hummer.  Or my 12:50 Ironman PR when my friend just pulled off an 11:30 last year.

That's okay.

But what about when you compare you against you?

That's where I am struggling right now.  Two years ago, I wore a size 6.  I ran a 5 mile race in 37 minutes.    And I could bike hills in Lake Placid without killing myself.

Today...well, here I am.  Celebrating any sub 8 minute mile run (well, that was last month.  Today, I am celebrating the fact that I can (sorta) walk.)  Looking at my swim...my 800 times are, on average, 90 seconds slower (which is alot!).  My clothes (mostly) fit, but I am finding myself raiding the closet for more "forgiving" clothes. 

Ugh.

I know.  Everyone goes through cycles.  I am not on my 140.6 "A" game, fitness wise or weight wise.  And, if I tried to do that every year, I would probably kill myself (literally and figuratively).  It's okay to take a break.  My weight...is where the doctor says it should be.  My fitness...is still better than average.  But the problem is, I'm not comparing me to the average.

I'm comparing me 2012 to me 2009/2010.

And that's kinda rough.

Although....I suppose the grass is always greener.  3 years ago, I lived in a townhouse, and now we own our own home.  I've been promoted at work.  And even though I was a starstruck bride to be in love, now...I have 3 more years into a wonderful marriage with my best friend.  And you can measure that in pounds or seconds per mile.

Such a wise doctor

Who knows.  From what I've heard, stress fractures can turn you into a stronger runner or biker if you treat them right.  So I will.  Now if I could only keep my mitts outta the peanut butter jar....we'd be good :-)

I know it's a "get off the bitter bus and do something about it" type of kick in the pants, but I suppose that everything works in balance.  And I have to remember that.

Ever have a "pedestal problem" with yourself?  How do you deal with it?

gr

The Best Laid Plans

Well...we know about those.  Which is why it's time for a new plan, yes?  So.  I took a look at weeks 14-18 of my current plan, booted all the runs, and added in some fun from the trigeek Ironman plan (turbo sprints/technical bike work) and some swim workouts from trifuel, active, and BT.

Not a water bike...an Aqua Bike!

Phew.  It works out to be 3 swims a week and 3-4 bikes a week, with some alternate pool running and strength work.  I've put in a complete day off every other week (but extremely low intensity workouts every Monday).  We'll see what happens :-)  I skipped week 12 and 13 (no formal training, even though I swam and biked) so I'll pick up with week 14-this week.

For the curious, here's what it looks like:

Hopefully, this will help me rock my aquabike next month!  Geneva, here I come, bum foot and all :-P (And, in bum foot news, I took off my boot and tried to walk today, per doctor's orders.  My gait is somewhat off, but I can walk without pain, which is a good sign!  Baby baby steps.)  Now, it's time to aqua run....go go gadget aqua shoes!



Though this seems like a good idea, too :-P

The Musical Fruit

Okay, so I fibbed.  Training plan to be shared tomorrow.  I got a little carried away with a ridiculous movie last night.  The hubster and I had 4 days of free HBO and Cinemax, so I loaded up with DVR with whatever sounded good or had good actors in it.  Bridesmaids?  Yes, please! A Knight's Tale?  Can't see that one enough.  And about a dozen others.  Last night we watched Adaptation, a Nicolas Cage movie where he plays a total psycho screen writer with a twin.  So not his usual genre.  And really effed up.  But entertaining.
But.  I need this plan :-P  So, tonight will be the finishing of the plan.  Tomorrow, the unveiling!
Today, we eat.  Well, okay, we can do that tomorrow.  But I have a fun recipe to add to your summer repertoire....economical, easy to prep and very summery.  Is that a word?  It is now.  It's also, of course, healthy.  And contains  ingredients you probably already have in your cupboards.  Including, of course, the musical fruit :-P (What the eff is up with the last poem?1?) That was probably a bit too far. Ahem.  Anyways....Check it out!

Black Bean Burgers

1 15 oz can black beans, drained
1/4 cup salsa
1 egg
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup quick oats
Dash hot sauce (optional)
1 tsp. Adobo seasoning
AP flour (for forming the patties)

Super easy prep.  Throw it all into a food processor. sprinkle flour on your counter top to help meld the ingredients.  Form 4 patties and stick them on a plate.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours in order to let the patties form well.  Since the hubster was out and I'm a girly girl (har) who is scurred of lighting a grill, I decided to bake them, but you can grill them as well!  Spray a casserole dish with a bit of cooking spray, set patties in the pan and bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees, flipping halfway through.

Serve in a tortilla or your choice of bun....they were delicious with a bit of mexican cheese and a squirt of BBQ sauce, sweet and white fry wedges alongside for that burger joint feel :-)
Yum, yum yum.  If it's gotta be Monday, at least the eats are good!
And now, onto that SB plan.  And the Bachelorette.
Excuse the profanity during the unveling tomorrow, in case I get side tracked :-P

I can ride my bike with no handlebars

Ahhh, what a weekend.  Filled with sun, fun, family, friends, and a bit of training thrown in.  Just as it should be.
Back it up back it up back it up....
Friday was pretty typical-errands after work, cleaning house, and easy dinner with the huz, complete with movie and snoozin before midnight.
Saturday, the hubs and I hit up the Gananda garage sale to look for treasure...we found some, but not anything of note, other than 300 garage sales and the obligatory dumbass mentality of crowds of people :-P  I got in an awesome speed session on the bike, then after a late lunch we headed out to our cousin Amy's for a picnic.  It was awesome to see some of our out of towners (cousins and sister!) and we had a great time-amidst ridiculous, off color jokes and a few beers.  Perfect.
Today....well, today was unintentionally full as well.  But you don't want to hear about that, right?  You're all sitting on the edge of your seats, waiting to hear about my Musselman decision...(or pretend that you are, okay?)  Thanks :-)
So, my deadline for the DECISION was today.  As I said before, my gut was to defer....but I tried to look at both sides of the coin equally.  How would I feel if I had to hand my chip in after the bike?  If I didn't race at all?  If I deferred to next year and for some reason couldn't race?  If something wacko happened in two weeks and I couldn't bike?
Hmmm.
So, I sat on it for four days.  Then went with my gut.
But...my gut changed.  How bout that?  So, after weighing it all out on Wednesday, I was pretty sure I wanted to race.  I wanted to hear my poem read.  Race in the race that I WON entry to.  And bike on the bike course that I've ridden every year since 2008!
And while I know it's gonna be strange to hand in the ole chip and not run through Geneva....I know I made the right decision.  5 weeks, baby!
Which means...it's time to get fast on the bike and swim!!  I've started a 5 week training plan (I'll post tomorrow) and this weekend was bike focused.  ummm....kinda.  Since I'm trainer bound for another week, I decided to ride the musselman course on the trainer and see how I fared.  So, I got downstairs, set up, and...crack.  My stem cracked and handlebars fell off.  WTF.  Now, I know I need to get the bike into the shop, but was hoping to wait another week or so...unfortunately, I can't ride my bike with no handlebars:-P

So....we headed out to Fairport to buy a new stem.  Home again home again jiggity jig.  This should be easy...the hubster says...give me 45 minutes and you can hop on.

6 hours later....I was on the bike.

First, the stem wouldn't fit with my bar set up.

Off came the aero bars.

Then, the cable snapped.

New cable installed.

Then the gears wouldn't shift.

(Insert cursing).

No brakes

(who needs 'em when you're riding the trainer?)

Then, my big chain ring cable wouldn't thread.

Arghhhh.....

Finally, at 5pm, the bike was good to go, save handlebar tape.  HTFU, who needs it?

Not me.  But I still needed lunch.

So...at 6, I finally started my ride :-P

Shortened to 30 miles with hill repeats....long ride can wait for mid week :-P

At least my bike is (90%) good to go.  And I got new aero bars!  Sweet!

35 days.  Till my first Aquabike.

Time to brush up on those weak areas :-P

How was your weekend?  Anyone know of any good swim or bike faster in a month plans? :-)
Lastly....a big big shout out to the BEST hubster ever who spent his entire Sunday working on my bike!  Now that's love.  So lucky :-)