I want to fly like an eagle

AM Swim

1 x 500 warm up

40x50 Main Set
• 16x50 as 1 Fast, 3 Steady (x4); all on 5s rest
• 12x50 as 1 Fast, 2 Steady (x4); all on 10s rest
W/ Paddles
• 8x50 as 1 Fast, 1 Steady (x4); all on 15s rest
• 4x50 as all Fast; all on 20s rest - ;40, 40, 41, 40 :) - consistency is good. My avg 100's are between 1:30-1:32. I really don't have much variance in speed between 50s, 100s, 200s and 500s. I think this is an example of my lack of efficiency. I have power, I just need help allocating it. Why can't I swim as I can dance? Hmmmm. Anywho, it was good to hit 40s, that would put me at 1:20s. I credit the speed to the force with the paddles. I felt like a suped up windmill.

Cool Down
1 x 300

Total yardage = 2800 yards

So this is it....tomorrow I'll rest and then come Saturday I'll get to do what I've been training to do - Run my birthday age (or just a tad bit more :)). I've given myself 3 rest days this week and limited my workouts to one a day 60-75 mins. I haven't ran since last Saturday's 4 hour run. The signs of planter are gone 2 days now. There's a small chance I nipped it in the bud, but I'm expecting it to return after Saturday's run. The weather forecast looks crap-tastic. Below freezing with possible rain/snow. Awesome! I'm not concerned about running in the cold/snow - I've done it before, it's not that bad. I am a little scared of driving up to the trail. It's about 1000ft higher in elevation and the road has lots of curves. I'm such a pussy when in to comes to driving in icy, snowy conditions.
The rest days have been much needed. I now have the "itch". Nooooo, not that "itch" the good "itch" :) I'm ready to go, I'm ready to do this. I want to run. I want to fly like an eagle! I am so F^&$ing excited I can barely contain myself. I am blessed to have sooooo many friends join me on this adventure. I am a very lucky and grateful woman.

Ice blocks

AM Spin - 75 mins avg watts 138/easy

This was done in our garage which retains zero heat and it was 14 degrees outside. My feet turned into ice blocks 30 mins in while the rest of my body was an inferno and produced mad amounts of steam. One day I'll get a picture of this, it's pretty badass.

That is all - it's recovery week :)

Swimming

Warm up
1 x 500

Main Set
1 x 200 w/ paddles - hard effort;20
1 x 100 w/ bouy recovery; 5
repeat 5 x

1 x 500 descending speed/breathing per 100 per stroke 6,5,4,3,2 (6 and 2 were the hardest to control)
1 x 300 descending speed/breathing per 100 per stroke 4,3,2

Cool down
1 x 200

Total yardage
3,000

Swim was awesome! I was energetic and had strong power! My body was in the water while my head was deep in thought. Occasionally my mind would step out from analyzing "life" to correct form and technique. All was in check.
Training is so therapeutic. I get this alone time that I don't get anywhere else. My mind escapes to another world. Often I'm able to see what I'm usually blinded by. Training makes me a better a person, and I am thankful for this.

Planter update: I've been RICE'ing like crazy for the last 3 days. Today I awoke and could barely notice any pain in my heel. I'm optimistic that I'll be 100% healed before the run, and should have a successful run. I'm realistic in knowing that the planter is more than likely going to come back and may hit me with some sweet vengeance. If this is the case I am A. Willing to embrace the pain and B. Willing to give it the RICE it needs and focus on my bike and swim until I'm completely recovered. Let's hope for the best!

I Walk The Line

Walk the Line/ The Ring of Fire, it's all the same. Such a fine line....in training - peaking/hitting the wall and injury. In relationships with family, friends and the "other". Can I be candid?

*Why does Facebook advertise Hot Single Moms on my page?
*I walk on my tip toes and strike on my forefoot, yet I am open and upfront. Can someone explain this?
*This tin (WO)man finally grew a heart, yet it still needs a lot of oil
*After a full day of not feeling my face, hands or feet I'm ready to tell Jack Frost to go F^&$ himself. Oh joy, tomorrow we're looking at a high of freezing with a low of 17!
*Apparently the cookie monster doesn't eat cookies anymore, what is this world coming to?
*Still waiting on that "magic carpet ride".
*Do you realize how much each person has in common with another? We may be different but when you break down the basics we're all much a like.
*I think I may be the woman looking forward to aging up to the 30s. With my discipline age = speed baby.
*Sometimes I think it's ok live in a fairy tale world, then reality hits...and it is what it is.

I'm going to continue my walk.....my walk along the line of fire, we'll where it gets me.

I've been lagging

On the blogging

Friday - 2nd day off this week!

Saturday - 4 hr lsd run on Wildwood/just shy of 23 miles.

This was NOT a highlight run which really too bad because I had great company for the duration.

Tummy inflicted great furry as I had to make 4 painful stops :( eh, that's enough detail. I rolled an "iffy" ankle twice. The first time was not so bad, the second time was. The cold was terribly painful. Each time I had to make a "stop" my HR would drop and I'd loose feeling to my hands. Well actually it would start with numbness and move on to what felt like someone hitting my finger tips with a hammer. Ouch. It would take another 10-15 minutes of running to get my core temp up high enough to transfer into my extremities. Oh the humanity! My only saving grace was having Brian and Joe to run with at the end. Having great company in a crap-tastic (pun intended) workout can be the silver lining.

We recovered post run with burgers/tots and drinks. I went for a bourbon furance - hot cider, bourbon and cinnamon. Slowly I defrosted. Only to become frozen and numb again with a painstaking ice bath. Hot, cold, hot, cold - the story of my life. Post bath I used the foam roller and the evil little trigger point ball. I swear I'm a glutton for punishment. Recovery was rounded off with a blissful 45 min slumber.

I have a holiday tradition of visiting The Grotto, this year I asked my new room mate Jessie to come with. It was such a great night for the viewing, clear, crisp and cold. The Grotto is always special for me, it really makes me appreciative for all that I have.

Here are a few misc pictures
moi
Jessie and I
You got me - I thought the flower was real :)
Snowflakes on the sidewalk


Sunday - Was much needed R & R

Upon waking I was not in good shape. Getting out of bed was a bitch, walking was worse. I was now experiencing planter fasciitis. Really? This must be some kind of evil joke. I managed my training/duration and intensities well. There was really nothing I could due about the rollin ankle. #%$^#$@%. The strategy now is not run until my 30 miler this Sat and *hope* it's enough. I'm takin vitamin "I" like it's the "new drug" and icing and using trigger point every couple of hours. I know what it takes to beat this and I will WIN damnit, yes I will.

It is amazing what I get accomplished on a rest day. Started off with eggnog pancakes and bacon with my kick ass room mate. Tackled some grocery and holiday shopping. Spent a little time enjoying being a girl and pampered myself. Listed to Bad Santa on repeat - "Are you saying there's something wrong with my fuck stick?" Ahahahahahahaha! Baked a lasagna, apple crisp and my oh-so famous peppermint bark.

Mom came over and gave her seal of approval on all the food. If I didn't "tri" so much I'm pretty such I could give Martha Stewart a run for her money.

It's that time of year again! All a girl needs for Christmas - maybe this year I'll finally get one!

Two for Thursday

AM Run - 3.8 miles easy /8:10s

followed up by

AM Swim

Warm up 1 x 500

Drills 1 x 50 -catch up; 10

1 x 50 -high elbow finger drag; 10

1 x 50 -10 kick stroke; 10

repeat 3 x

1 x 200 - 50-A-ok/50-fist/50-karate/50 sprint

Main Set w/ paddles

1 x 200; 20 (hard 100/easy 100 - positive split)

1 x 200; 20 (easy 50/ hard 100 / easy 50 - even split)

1 x 200; 20 (easy 100 /hard 100 - negative split)

repeat 3 x

Cool down 500

Total yardage 3300

Rounded off the night with an long-missed friend and yummy sushi

28 degrees!

Was the temp on my morning run. My core and extremities stayed warm since I dressed accordingly...my face on the hand is another story. I swore mid way through my nose fell off. I had to keep blowing snot rocks just to make sure somethin' was still there. The wind wasn't helping anything and made my eyes glassy and red. I managed to put out 3 loops around the Nike bark chip trail. The first lap was done in darkness and pretty much sucked. My joints hurt. I'm sure it was the cold. The second lap was better than the first. It was pretty cool to see the sun come up in the east and the moon go down in the west simultaneously. The moon was HUGE and bright. Last night it was full. From what I hear we'll have two full moons this month. The next should land on the 30th or 31st and is supposed to be blue. Hmmmmm, NYE, I can't help to think this has a meaning behind it. Anywho, back to the run. The third loop actually kicked ass. My joints had stopped hurting and my movement felt fluid. The sky was bight with light. My "special" friend ran laps around my head as I crossed the wooden bridges. I ended my run chashing the moon down. The moon won.

Evening spin - 60 mins "easy" avg watts 141

Ha! Easy! It should have been but I let my calories slip today and the deficiency played a toll on my energy. Eh. I tried to keep my mind positive rappin the spin away to Salt N Pepa's Push It, Snoop Dogg's G Thang and Eminem's Role Model. You know you've got some skills if you can rap in the aero position. Try it!

BTW - yesterday was the first FULL off day I had in a month. I felt lazy and lethargic. I hate off days.