Going Further

Swim - 1500 meters

I got moving and decided to keep going. Don't know what came over me, but I wanted to try and knock out 2000 meters without stopping. The way that I keep from getting too bored is to take the letters of the alphabet and sing songs according to the letter. I made it through, then started over and went to 'M'.

It was a great swim. Don't know how fast (or slow) I swam, but it felt good. I think the only reason I stopped at 2000 was because I was getting way too hungry. Trying to swim on a banana and cliff bar won't last long.

I still can't fathom having to swim 3800 meters, but it looks a little more doable.

The Long Road to Recovery

Run - 60 minutes
Weights

I have run 1.3 miles in the last 3 weeks since completing my marathon. I have had nothing in my mental and emotional tank to get out there again. But I need to start working those muscles out again. So I decided to give it a go today.

On my schedule is a 60-minute run today. I scoff at that. I know I can run. I don't need to train in the running department right now. But I need to get moving again.

Just make it 30 minutes. Don't run laps around the park near my house, or I will definitely quit way too early. Get out of my neighborhood and run to the end of that long street. Turn around and lug yourself back. Forget about speed. Just hobble a short ways in front of lots of high school students and police officers. Make sure to turn your iPod up so that you won't hear all the snide comments and laughter. Oh yeah, Don't forget to pick up some bread from the hanut on your way home. That's good carbs.

Oh my knees, calves, thighs, lungs, feet. Why do this to myself? Am I a lunatic?

Just a glimpse into my head yesterday during a "routine" and "simple" 30-minute jog.

You're welcome!

Sickness

Ain't nothing like the flu, or some variation of something, to sideline you for way too long. I haven't been able to build any momentum in training since completing my marathon. I know I need to rest and recover, but I am itching to get going. I have a lot of internal motivation, but my physical body just won't let me.

Am I getting too old?

Sunday Rides

Bike - 30 miles

I really enjoyed today's ride. Last week, I could barely manage any speed whatsoever while constantly hearing a clicking sound. Yesterday, I heard that same sound and realized that I wasn't able to shift into the faster speeds. That's why I was like molasses! I thought it was dead legs after the marathon.

It's kind of scary riding the bike on the streets here. We play chicken all the time and I can't win at that game. Riding behind 2 cars, an oncoming car decided to turn after those that past him. But you-know-who was right there. He didn't even stop, just kept going and gave me a little wave. I, in turn, gave him a great big shout!

I am thinking about getting a horn for my bike. Since everyone else uses them here, why can't I make my presence known when I need to. Maybe I can get the big, rubber-ball type of contraption.

BTW, my legs felt like jello last night before going to bed. What a wimp!

Weights Hurt ...

... esp when you lower a 10-lb. dumbbell on the top of your head.

You've been forewarned!!!

Double Duty

Run - 30 minutes
Swim - 1500 meters

The run was actually brutal. I was able to run a little over a mile at an easy pace, but I barely made it. How embarrassing! I had nothing mentally to push myself for 30 minutes. Not even 10. Guess this whole recovery thing does take a little while.

About the swimming, they have almost finished the tiles in the ceiling. They got the scaffolding working in the pool just fine. Wish I could have watched the entire process. Did it fall again? Who knows. Don't want to ask and shame someone here. The only problem is that with it in the pool, it shuts down several lanes. Can't even imagine how crowded the open lanes are at night.

I am realizing that my overall swim time won't make much of a difference. I can swim a "fast" mile in about 30 minutes and a relatively relaxed one in about 37 minutes. For a half-ironman, that is only a 10 minute difference over the course of 6+ hours. Plus I would be conserving lots of energy for later in the race.

I did swim some hard 200 meters with 20-second intervals in about 4 minutes. That would total a 32-minute mile. And I was exhausted. Not a fish, yet, but trying to get there.

Almost Recovered

It's been a little over a week since I "officially" completed my first marathon. I kept trying to tell myself that I had run one before in my city, but it just wasn't official. Now I can truly say I have run a marathon. And that was only a stepping stone for what I want to do.

Recapping that fun event! The few days leading up to it, my mind kept wavering back and forth on whether I should run the half or full, could I make it again, how are my knees and hips holding up, sure hope I finish in the allotted 5 hours, I can't do this! Winning the mental battle is always the hardest thing for me. But come race day, I was ready.

We arrived at the starting line to 5000 people in sheer jubilation. They were fired up about beating their bodies. Psycho! I knew it was going to be hard, and the race didn't disappoint. About 3000 of the folks ran the 1/2 and the other 2, give or take, ran the full. It was a lot different being surrounded by all those runners and fans to keep you pushing along.

All in all, I ran the first half in 2 hours, then slowed significantly. My running buddy, Jason, slowed back for the first 11 miles or so to keep me company. So thankful cuz my only "wall" came at the 8-mile mark. I don't know if my legs finally caught up to me or if stopping 5 times to empty the bladder and once to purchase water from a hanut since the stations had run dry had anything to do with my time. But I finished in 4:38, about 8 minutes slower than my goal. Those last 4 miles were the killer. I averaged those at 12:20/mile due to prolonged breaks of walking. I even had to walk a ton in the last 1/2-mile. Adrenaline couldn't keep me going. But I did cross that finish line to the roaring ovation from my kiddos, the Rho-Shos and the Mastersons.

Then the following 2.5 days were brutal. I boxed myself in a tiny car for a 3-hour road trip to Safi to visit some friends. Then we had to stay on the 3rd floor of an apartment with no elevator. Those stairs as well as the hills around the complex gave me fits for a couple of days. I don't know how many times we went up and down those stairs, but it was a killer, esp going down.

By the time our trip home came, I was back to 90% in my quads and calves. And I kept thinking at night, "If I am in this much pain after just a marathon, how am I going to feel after a Half-Ironman or Full?" Then I would lay in bed terrified for hours.

That darned mental battle!!!