Weathering the Storm

This post should come as no surprise. I'm sick.

And in true Barb fashion, I'm acting like a complete and total baby about it.

Somewhere my mother is saying "some things will never change."

What started off as some random sinus infection has morphed into a chest cold from hell. You know the kind where you feel you have a hippopotamus sitting on your lungs and your respiratory system has been renamed "the mucus factory."

Really, it's quite lovely.

So the past few days I've given myself the "suck it up, princess" mentality and have gone through the motions of the workouts. The swim test went well. And then Friday's run test went surprisingly well, too...all things considered (who knew I could run a sub-10 pace off the bike into the wind?! Not me!). I woke up Saturday feeling worse than Friday...but still mustered up the energy for my long HR Zone 1-2 run. And by the time Sunday rolled around, I honestly thought I was going to lose a lung. Every cough was painful and I was pretty certain I wanted nothing more than to lay around in a dayquil-induced haze.

I typically tend to baby myself when it comes to anything dealing with my lungs, thanks in large part to the great lung collapse of 2004. Take it from me, spontaneous pneumothoraces aren't fun and I wouldn't wish that type of pain upon my worst enemy (although I'm pretty sure the government should put this in their back pocket as a potential alternative to waterboarding).

Unsure of whether or not I should suck it up and ride for 4 hours...or bail (which I wasn't keen on since my last 2 long rides have were either foiled or cut short for one reason or another)...I called the chief.

He promptly told me I have two options.
A) Continue to train and potentially be bogged down with this crap for 2-3 months and get less than my best out of the training I do...
...or...
B) Take 1-2 weeks off of training to allow my body to get back to 100% so I can get back in the groove of kicking ass and taking names.

Strangely, my first inclination was to keep training, but just cut back on volume so at least I'm doing something and not losing all the fitness I've built up to this point. And then the chief talked some sense into me...and did a damn fine job convincing me that I'm really not going to be losing that much fitness. I mean, this is why I pay him the big bucks, right?!

So while frustratring and mildly annoying, I know it's for the best. But my training plan for the next week or so it so sit around, catch up on my favorite TV shows, get plenty of rest, keep pumping the fluids and get myself healthy again.

I'm frustrated by the lack of volume from last week as I struggled balancing my health and training. And I'm highly annoyed knowing I'm not going to be logging any workouts of note this week.

So in Perez-style disapproval, here's a look at how my training has been going the past few weeks...
"Sports Minutes" is actually time spent on the bike trainer, and the rest you should be able to figure out from the key at the bottom.

Hopefully I can shake this nonsense and get back to the grind soon. My goal is to be back on track for the Udder Century on June 5th. No, I won't be doing a true century of 100 miles, but I'm looking at cranking out a metric century (62/100k). It won't be fast and it won't be pretty...but it'll be some solid miles, which is all I'm after at this point.

Sometimes numbers speak for themselves...

I'm quite shocked at the results, but I'm pretty sure I killed it. And I can't help but wonder how it would've gone if I were feeling 100%.

Although I have no idea how in the hell I'm supposed to get faster than that for the next test.

Nostril + Spoon

When I was a little kid, I once got a brown M&M stuck up in my nose. With some creative rejiggering and a little bit of time, we were able to dislodge the sucker. I don't remember much of the incident...except that it hurt...and my mom had me spend the better half of an evening blowing my nose trying to get the thing out on its own. And that my brilliant brother suggested I just spoon the damn thing out.

Editor's note: the great M&M debacle of the mid-1980's paled in comparison to when Sleepy Sister shoved a button up there and had to pay a visit to our family doctor to get the damn thing out. Or so I'm told, since this happened long before the era of Barb.

Over the past couple of days, I once again have spent the better half of my time blowing my nose in an attempt to get all this sinusy gunk out on its own. I am pretty much on the verge of unlatching my own head and scooping out my sinus cavities. I can handle the sniffling, sneezing, watery eyes, husky man-voice (oooh, sexy!) and the overall discomfort...but I am freakin' over feeling like I have a vice clamping down on my face. Something tells me the procedure would be quite messy, so perhaps a spoon up the nostril would be the way to go.

I'll have to give it some due consideration. And then pray I live to report back on the self-surgery.

So when I haven't been in a benadryl induced coma, I've been blowing my way though boxes of tissues (pun completely intended), feeling miserable for myself. It's quite lovely...natrually making me one of the most *awesome* people to be around.

But in case you haven't noticed, we're back from Kansas. And it was a very good trip.

As always, it was wonderful seeing my parents and paying homage to all my favorite places in Lawrence (Quinton's, The Wheel, and of course...The Love Garden). We did minor bank account damage (oh come on, did you really expect me not to drop any dough at Love Garden...I now own some more Iron & Wine, Depeche Mode and Radiohead on vinyl) but it was all well worth it.

Training was...well...it was what it was. Actually, it wasn't what it wasn't is more like it. The plan to brick long on Friday was foiled by Mother Nature and her out of control electrical storm which flooded the midwest. Saturday's limited time meant I could get my long run in and nothing else (9+ miles on hellaciously hilly terrain? check!). And then Sunday was graduation day where we packed up lil' bro-in-law from the pig sty he called home for the past 5 years and sat in the sun for commencement. Seeing it from the other side made me all nostalgic.

So last Thursday's missed swim (due to the short course change up at masters) was moved to Monday before our long car ride home. It was nice to get a solid (albeit snotty) 2600m in the books.

Which brings us to this week.

A week with a swim test. And a run test. And a really long bike ride (which should be humorous based on my last 2 nonexistant long rides). All with a less than 100% homegirl.

I consulted the Chief of Pain for his two cents on how to prioritize the workouts. Per his advice, I'm waiting until I'm back at 95% to do any testing (which means testing will likely throw down tomorrow/Friday in a blaze of glory) and taking it easy on any workouts in between.

So until then, I'm on the prowl for a spoon...or anything else to help get my sinuses in check.

Gah!

Apparently I'm "It"

So today I found myself tagged and since there is very little to report about my truly sucktastical day here in Chicago...I figured I'd play along. Because really...who wants to hear me bitch and moan about my awful day?

Yeah. Not you.
That's what I thought.

So here you go...8 Things...which I'd venture to say you couldn't care less about :)

8 things to which I'm looking forward
1) Tonight's tempo run. Even though it'll likely be lightning and pouring down...it'll be one of those therapeutic, suck it up, pound the pavement as hard as you can, spin the earth off beneath your feet, dig deep and run runs. And home girl needs that right now more than anything.
2) Seeing my parents this weekend. It sucks that we live so far away...I get to see them 3-4 times a year (if I'm lucky).
3) Doing some carnage on Mass. Street in Lawrence on Saturday. The jury is out on whether the carnage will be on my liver or my wallet.
4) Seeing my lil' Bro-in-law Graduate on Sunday.
5) Moving out of our postage stamp-sized condo. Seriously. I need more space. These walls are driving my slowly insane. No idea when this is going to happen...but I can counting down the days in my head.
6) 11.22.09. I hear that day is going to be LEGEND...wait for it.....ARY!! (for those of you clueless folk out there, that'd be Ironman Arizona).
7) 11.23.09. I hear that it's going to involve a lot of margaritas. And maybe even a mechanical bull. Incriminating photographic evidence will likely follow. Don't think I haven't forgot about this, Molly.
8) Retirement. Yes. It's a lame response. But it's true. I am quite looking forward to the day I no longer have to work, thank you very much.

8 things I did yesterday
1) Swam 2600 meters.
2) Biked for an hour.
3) Ate 2 breakfasts...and 2 lunches...and a bunch of snacks before and after dinner.
4) Noted how I was still hungry despite all the food consumed.
5) Bought a crazy amount of food for next to nothing at the grocery store.
6) Tried to go to bed early. Failed.
7) Boo'ed at the TV when Tara lost on the Biggest Loser (but yay for Helen nevertheless).
8) Burned the burgers while grilling.

8 things I would like to do
1) Clone myself three times. One Barb to train. One Barb to work. and One Barb to conquer the world.
2) African Safari with a detour to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and a visit to Victoria Falls with a dip in the Devil's Pool. This, hands down, would be my dream vacation.
3) Find a way to kill my pre-race anxiety.
4) Get more sleep.
5) Find a money tree and horde it all to myself.
6) The Great Wall Marathon.
7) Find a way to make Edward real and not a fictional character. (Ooooooh yes, I really just admitted that.)
8) Pack up and move to the islands...specifically Peter Island.

8 shows I watch
1) Ghost Hunters
2) How I Met Your Mother (what took me so long to realize the brilliance of this show?!)
3) American Idol
4) So You Think You Can Dance
5) Biggest Loser
6) Saturday Night Live...and almost any show with one of their veteran comedians.
7) Friends. Yes. I still watch this. And may even have every episode memorized.
8) And pretty much anything else that my TiVo records.

8 people I tag
Okay...rather than tag specific people...if you fit one of these descriptions, consider yourself tagged.
1) If you're born outside the country...consider yourself tagged.
2) If you're training for something...anything...even the donut olympics...consider yourself tagged.
3) If one of your redeeming qualities is sarcasm...consider yourself tagged.
4) If you believe that the toilet paper roll should point toward the back...you're correct...and subsequently tagged.
5) If you know a secret handshake...you be tagged.
6) If you are (or were) one of the Knights that said Ni...consider yourself tagged and receive the gold star of awesomeness.
7) If you've ever blamed it on the dog...yer it.
8) If you've ever started the night in NYC and woken up in Cancun with your pants around your ankles in bed with a goat and a questionably-gendered little person...then you're definitely tagged because the world at large is looking for an explanation on your shenanigans.

Shuffling things around...

So you could say that last week was a bit of a clusterf%*& when it came to training.

Life happened.

Workouts got moved.
Some got missed.
Others cut short.

Needless to say, I'm not exactly thrilled about it.

But I know that it's bound to happen every once in a while.

This time around, it was because of body reasons. Point blank...I needed more sleep. I've been going to bed earlier and earlier (just as I've been eating more and more). And some mornings (okay...only Thursday morning, really), I found myself desperate for some additional shut-eye.

Ultimately, I missed my Wednesday weight-lifting hour...moved Thursday's Masters swim to Friday...missed a short OWS on Saturday (come on...the temps are barely in the 50's...chief of pain is CRAZY)...moved Saturday's long run to tonight...and turned yesterday's 3 hour ride/30 minute run brick into a 2 hour trainer ride that I really, really, really had a hard time mentally cranking out (short on time, not feeling it at all, and really just wanted to can the whole damn thing).

Needless to say, I'm a liiiiittle disappointed in myself. But honestly...it was one of those weeks were by body was protesting nearly every workout. And when the body screams, sometimes you just need to shut up and listen. I'm ready to suck it up this week and get back on the bandwagon.

Things have been a good kind of crazy up here though. Mike and I had a day date on Saturday (and we couldn't remember the last time we went out to somewhere fun on our own), so we headed up to Milwaukee to experience the Titanic Artifact exhibit. It was truly incredbile and moving. If you ever have the chance to see the exhibit you shouldn't hesitate on the opportunity. On the way home, we got side tracked in Gurnee for some Cracker Barrel (delish!) and a stop at the outlet mall for a small bit of damage.

This coming week should be another good one with potentially some more shifting of workouts. With bikes in tow, we leave for Kansas on Thursday for my brother-in-law's graduation. It'll be fun going back to our old stomping grounds, but hopefully I can stay focused enough to get the long run and ride in amid all the festivities (note to self: find a 40-50 mile loop on flat country roads).

The totals for this pathetic week 5 of IMAZ training:
Swim - 5577 yds (Masters swim offers a bonafide ass-kicking
Bike Trainer - 4 hours
Run - 8.8 miles
Total - 8:06 (blah!!)

...this is going to be a better week. It has to be.

199

One hundred.
And ninety-nine.

That's how many more days there are.

199 more days of waking up early...sweating more than I ever imagined possible...doubting myself...building myself up...running hundreds of miles...biking thousands...and doing everything I can to not sink to the bottom of Lake Michigan or drown in the masters pool in front of the big fish.

But strangely, I feel like 199 days is all I really need to be ready for this race physically.
Mentally...that's a different story. I'm not sure there are enough days on the calendar to get me where I need to be in my head.

I suppose we'll see in 199 more days.

First Burn.

In an effort to work on riding more outside I hit the lakefront path yesterday to ride for a bit while dodging dogs, small children, tourists, roller bladers and idiots on their cell phones who refused to pay attention. Needless to say, it kept my bike handling on my toes. The new adamo saddle works WONDERS. It is seriously crazy comfortable. I worked on getting comfortable in aero position again (but need to make a few minor saddle adjustments for aero position) and my general bike balance. In the past, I've pretty much had a death grip on my bike, rarely taking a hand off the hoods.

At any rate, in light of yesterday's outdoor ride, I celebrated the beautiful weather by foregoing the use of any sunscreen. And so now, yours truly is rockin' a truly awesome farmer's tan.

Hot.

Last Friday night, I can say with utmost confidence that we found the most peaceful place in all of Chicago...the rooftop pool at the East Bank Club. We were invited as guests by our dear friend Jill, and I was able to crank out a comfortable 2500 yards as the sun set over the skyline. While there was a chill in the air, the pool was inviting and it made me wish we could be members there. But never fear, my friends. Tomorrow starts a new day where we'll be swimming with the big fish. Let's just hope I'm able to wake up that insanely early!

Week 4 of IMAZ Training
Swim - 5000 yds
Bike Trainer - 1:44:16
Outdoor Biking - 32.5 miles
Run - 12.8 miles
Strength - 48mins
Total - 10:09

April Roundup
Swim - 11,450 yds
Bike Trainer - 8:34:33 (good grief that's a long time!)
Biked Outdoors - 25.5 miles
Run - 34.3 miles
Strength - 3h19m

Bringing the Pain

With one month of Ironman training behind me, things seem to be going well. I've found a groove with getting workouts done each day and have gotten used to eating dinner somewhere around the 9pm hour at night. My desk is full of healthy, energizing snacks and I find myself getting sleepy earlier and earlier with each passing day. Needless to say, I totally feel like an old lady.

April ended up being a strong start for what's to come. Sure, I missed 3 days because of the flu, and one swim workout because of lifeguard training taking up the time slot, but all in all I'm proud of those 11,400 yds in the pool, 25.5 miles biked outdoors, 34.4 miles ran, 2:24 lifting weights and the mind-numbing 8 hours 24 minutes and 33 seconds spun on the wretched, evil bike trainer.

I've caught a glimpse at what May has in store for me...and my first thought was...

Holy $#*&...
...I'm gunna die.

I have to admit, I'm a bit overwhelmed and nervous. From the looks of it, each week is either adding in an extra swim, bike or run workout. No more 2 days of rest each week for me. I'll have my highest swim volume in a single week ever, pushing 7,000 yards. And some insanely long bricks...like a 3:20 bike ride + 45 minute run (at least we're not at a RBRBR...yet). I mean...I expected this in training...just not so soon! I remember last year when my longest ride maxed out at 3:30 with a 30 minute run...and now it's going to be part of the standard norm of base building. So to the insanity I say...BRING ON THE PAIN!! ...and then cross my fingers that I make it to the other side in one piece...

Needless to say, it's all very intense. But I'm still excited (mostly) and looking forward to being outdoors much more now that spring is starting to rear its head in the windy city. Let's just hope it isn't too windy.

Given the time requirements needed for the upcoming training on top of my everyday 9-5, I can say with near certainty that by the end of the summer, Mike is going to completely forget what I look like. I should really start looking into creating a life-sized cardboard cutout of myself as a reminder...

In closing, as we go into the weekend, I'd like to offer up a little public service announcement to all my friends out there...be careful when texting after a few drinky drinks...you never know where your text may end up.