Sheryl- I am so sorry to hear about your job frustrations. Please know that I am right there with you. 3 HOUR meeting last night and I am so discouraged about my job. Part of me wishes I could be fired. Apparently I am taking the right steps to get there lately. So stressed that I either can't sleep and workout because I am angry or sleep like the dead and can't get up.
Anyway, I need to start playing the lottery.
Have fun this weekend Marianne.
Really looking forward to the NE rally group ride Sunday. Office Ford is cooking!
"Have fun this weekend".. yes thanks!!! I do like the mt biking scene, very relaxed and friendly. Dogs, kids and bikes. oh yeah and food. So today, I will go to a free Schwag ride, my first, but sometime out on the 8.8 mile course, I will get given a number and it will correspond to a goodie bag when I complete it. now these are Mt bikers from Orbea running this, and they have no idea how long it is gonna take me!!! but hey they advertised it!! figured why not? and also I encouraged other female beginners to show up.. so leaving here shortly. Then, the next one? okay so my pal is promoting the short course track and pretty much said two days ago there was only 1 woman signed up for the Open Woman's short course and that there was $150, 1st, $100 2nd, and $75 3rd place.. and put the call out for females to sign up or the "promoter" might not want to separate out the women again! now if I signed up as a beginner I would be thrown in with the men, who honestly? are not real beginners and the prizes were just trophies so she suggested the Open women's category, and yes the other gals seems to be Cat 1!! so round and round a 1 mile mt bike track in the woods for 40'!!! sounds like a TT to me!! Then tomorrow the race that I initially signed up for, at 11:30 a.m. cuz I am helping to put on race so they switched the Cat 3 to start later!! and this race is way out of my comfort and skill set. However I have reconned 4x and took a rest day yesterday and cleaned my bike and done all I can do to get ready. Fortunately my wave goes off last and only the kids will follow (and pass) me. I will wear knee pads but right now? the boo boo on knee will not heal up and is red around the edges, and wakes me up due to discomfort! nice huh?? (my doc appt is on Monday for iron/thryoid and will hit him up for some meds!) I am on a great team and this is why I am mt biking! and very kid safe so I can take my youngest two and they hang at the races. there is a low % of females racing mt bikes and so I figured that if I race then other women will see that if I can do it so can they cuz they can see how novice I am and I tell em!!!
Mt biking racing Many of you know this and are better (Kitima) but here is my take!! okay on the mt bike you are like some sort of game, like what my kids play on TV and I don't. ever looking but taking in the whole picture, left right, ahead, for rocks, obstacles, trees, hills and the like! Every sense is ON and there is no multi tasking, lolly gagging. You have a sense of fear too. like wrecking, hurting or otherwise being in pain due to a fall or making the person breathing down your neck wreck!! You know in your head that if you go fast you will roll over more stuff but the thought of going fast scares you so you go slow and then wreck or make a mistake which then overrides your system so by the end of the race, you are mad, you are faster and your adrenaline has now blocked off all wise thoughts of being a mom of five and what are you doing out here!! There is no time to open a GU so the camel back is sucked down with fervence and somehow you tell your body to relax knowing the brunt will fall better on your body if you can flow a bit better and lo and behold you pull up your bike and over the log it goes but you don't have time to congratulate yourself cuz roots and rocks present themselves and you are looking for the best path which sometimes you don't take!!
and throughout all of this uncertaintly, there is one certain thought... I have a huge aerobic engine and I can push my HR very high and these other gals out here?? maybe not so much! I can go forever! and when I do see a flat stretch, I know for a fact, that I need to zoom, and do it fast and with power! I can feel the hurt and withstand it. and I have the mental tenacity to finish the course no matter what!! I don't care if I am last, been there done that so many times!!!! signing off and I will let you know how it goes.
oh I will say?? on my tri bike now? I do bunny hop over stuff! over RR tracks, those ridges in the road to make you slow down, and potholes too. and I come off the saddle more to give my seat a break. and on my mt bike?? flat area, I can get down low to be aero!! ha ha.
@Sheryl - oh no. I read your email and was ticked off on your behalf. I am quite positive I would have not handled that meeting/news well and probably would have said things that, while dead on the money, should not be said to a boss/in a workplace ever. Grr. Good luck with the job search, I hope you find something wonderful SOON.
@Marianne- yikes... I tried Mt. biking once and once was enough. I could tear up the hills but going down, well, I white knuckled it and just didn't have any fun at all... the rocks, branches, roots, tight turns, branches hitting me from every direction... just no enjoyment in it for me. I will keep on walking in the woods and enjoying the great outdoors on foot! Hope the races went well and am very glad you have such a great team!
So, I survived all my long workouts this weekend. Did the 2.5 run Fri after work. Calf held up but was getting stiff towards the end. I finished but once I stopped moving (i.e., after stretching, showering, eating), wow... tight and knotty! Sat I did the long swim. That was my first trip to the pool all week. The way over I debated doing Mon speed work, Ts endurance work, or just the RR swim... I decided to do a combo of the endurance and RR. I did a 200 WU, 7x500(30) and a 100 CD for a total of 3800m - in 1:15. I'm good with that. Sunday was the RR. Went to Cambridge to ride the Eagleman course twice... in theory. The CTA folks apparently painted over some the EM road arrows for Chesapeake Man race (that's never been done in the past) - in some places they'd paint a fresh C over the E and black spray paint the middle prong - so it was easy to spot... but in one spot (early, before I realized the problem, after that I knew to be more careful spotting turns) a turn was completely blacked out... so my first loop, instead of 56 was 70... then I just went out and back 40 - for a total of 112 with an hour run after. I'm really glad I planned for contingencies wrt food bc after 3 hours my bottle of infinit was gone... so that last hour I had a hammer bar and that seemed to be fine as far as subsiding hunger and not causing GI issues. It was super duper windy... so I'm hopeful FL won't be that bad. Most importantly, the fit is, I think, right on the money. I DO absolutely need the aero extenders and am hoping they come in (the shoulders are off... the right particularly), but other than that, the new fit and the new shoes (specialized roadies) are perfect. No new pain, no pain that made me wince... I had a few tweaks after maybe 5 hours or so... but I'm definitely thinking that's residual. I had no problems running at all! I do need a tune up or something, my big ring shifter was sliding out of place after bumps causing the chainstay to rub... it was super annoying and I had trouble getting it to stay in place. 2 weeks before I take Jina to the LBS for shipping, I'm sure I can get it squared away.
Got home, ate with Dan (who, btw, sliced his finger open yesterday and now has 11 stitches in his left thumb)... then unpacked, did some laundry, and went to bed. I made a conscious decision that I would get up when I got up... the kitties woke me up to eat when they're used to me getting up (around 6), so I fed them, called work to say I'd be late or out... then went back to bed. Next thing I know, it's 10am! WOW. I expected it to be 8 or so. WOW. I guess I needed it. I paid bills online, gave myself a facial, am finishing laundry... and catching up on email and online... So, an admin/mental health day it is! I am very much looking forward to my massage tonight.
I hope you all had great weekends!
@Nemo - your pictures are beautiful! What a great trip!
@LInda - glad you all had such fun riding and eating! I only met Steve once at Timberman, but he is an absolute riot!
NE Peeps -- Details on riding adventures, and the menu at Officer Ford's?
Becky -- So glad bike fit is coming together. And good job kicking off taper in style! Mm. Facial and massage.
Marianne -- Opposite of Becky here -- I want to live near mountains so I can play with mountain bikes, too!
I hurt my ears this weekend! I went to a loud bar on Friday for a friend's birthday and a super loud punk show on Saturday night. Amusingly, the opening acts, the young punk rockers all under the age of thirtyish, played at an acceptable volume. The main attraction, whose lead singer is turning fifty next week, played SUPER LOUDLY. Like I left early because it was so loud. My ears still hurt. Lesson: Always take ear plugs to concerts.
Other than that, I've being doing more nesty things like updating budget (money, time) spreadsheets. Which is an oddly satisfying activity. Make goals. Figure out how much they are going to cost. Plan accordingly. Say no to stupid, expensive stuff that is not in the goals. Love it!
Anyone else have secret nesting/wife night tasks you love?
I've enjoyed eating chocolate as a post IMLou workout. Gained about 7 pounds. Add chips, cookies, crackers, and no regular exercise. Not a good combo. My ass has expanded in an amazing way. Not sure this is in the OS training manual. Good thing I'm going to start in November. Frightening for sure. Oh well. Still enjoying the chocolate!
Food at Officer Ford's house: Smoked ribs that looked like they came straight from the "Flintstone's"! Burgers and hot dogs. cornbread, pumpkin bread, couscous salad x2- 1 was pilaf and the other was raisin and cranberries. Chocolate cake with chocolate icing. cookies, apple pie, pumpkin pie. I could NOT taste everything. But the ribs were awesome. And I am a dessert woman, so cake was good. I was finally too full for pie.
The ride was just FUN! Riding along, talking. The Halligan rolled out with us, took up the rear, then came back and collected Aimee and I when we stopped to fix her brakes. No pressure, no PMs, no intervals, no hammering (except when Aimee and I were being towed by Dave).
More folks than last year and only 1 flat! (last year we had 7 riders and 6 flats).
Missing so many folks.
Tonight was dinner with Team Chavez. We had food and fun. Can I say how much I heart Team EN?
Sounds like y'all are all having a great time playing with mtn bikes! I'm not sure I'm brave enough to try. Michelle, the pictures at Officer Ford's looked like a great time! I hope you find a great job soon too!
here's a hoot. Somehow I'm actually considering it.....We were in Sears looking for a deep freeze on Saturday and the guy who owns the local Sears store (very small) mentioned to us that the only guy in town that does all the appliance repairs is cutting back and there is a need for someone to step in and start taking over. My husband looked at me and said, "Wow...you would be good at that! You are a people person and you could learn." I'm an accountant...MBA....does this seem crazy to y'all?
Weight loss is stinking. I have to just become militant. Hunger is my friend....
Have a great night! I had a blast shopping with youngest daughter for birthday gifts for both boyfriends. (Her's and other daughter's) It was a great time!
Kelly- chocolate is my absolute biggest threat to maintaining my waistline! Joe actually said "ya know, at some point you have to stop eating like you are training for an ironman, right?" It actually made me laugh! He's totally right.
Sheryl & Michele, so sorry for the work troubles. Work doesn't always have to be fun, but it shouldn't suck all the time either. Sheryl, if you want to be a refridgerator repair woman than I say go buy the blue suit & hat girlfriend! Who cares what you "used to be" or how many degrees you have. If you'd enjoy it most of the time, it's better than following a career path you hate into the grave just 'cause it's the degree you got XX years ago.
NE Peeps. So jealous, I really wish I could have been there with ya!
Sheryl- Forgot to PM you. I got the singlet. It is form fitting and I like it the way it is.Thank you! As for repairs- if you know what you're dong- go for it. Especially if it's a make your own hours job!
Nemo- My eating has gotten worse, but I think it is the work stress. Also, I used to fall asleep early. Now I am awake and get the munchies for sweets. So not fair!
Big meeting tonight. Dreading it. But dinner with fun co-workers/ former co-workers after, so something to look forward to while enduring the latest round of BS.
Michele, Glad you got the singlet. They are so cute.
I know what you mean about the munchies for sweets. My big downfall this time of year is candy pumpkins. Once Halloween is over it will be those peppermint nougats. I wish I didn't love sugar. My husband says it's an addiction.
You are right Nemo....I should look into it.
I'm going to have to move to Maine so I can do stuff with the folks out there...but then I would miss the midwest peeps.
@Sheryl - hey, if you like doing that kinda work and your DH is on board, well, then, do it. Seriously... I totally agree with Michele (?)! That's my plan someday. Trade in my desk job to wear sweats and own/work in a gym. Maybe take some clients, maybe not. The super cool thing is when I mentioned it to Dan he didn't bat an eye. So who cares I have 2 degrees and am still paying off law school loans... I will have a job that may require me to wear a nametag. Whatever, I will be happy... and hopefully help other people get healthy and happy and find their self esteem...
@Michele/Nemo - you're talking as if chocolate is a bad thing. I have not given it up during training... but I try (not always successfully) to have one row of a dark chocolate bar as dessert. Sometimes I have more than one row... who cares. I also have not given up wine. Seriously. I'm not gonna qualify for Kona or ever be offered a job as a model of triathlon apparel... so why do I have to chase down the dream of being perfect. Even if I was perfect I will always see myself as the chubby girl I was growing up... and the image of my college graduation picture (fat face... long hair to cover it) is burned in my memory. Thank god I went to college when Seattle grunge was in - big jeans, big flannels... all to cover the flab. Did I mention that when I graduated I wore a size 14 dress? When I met you all in WI, I felt like a cow. You're all so tiny... then I saw the pic of us all at breakfast - the rational me says I'm pretty much the same (granted, I know I have at least 20-25lbs on Nemo) and in good shape... the real me thinks I'm a big fat cow with enormous cottage cheese thighs. And don't even get me started on the stretch marks from being a tubbo... so, big picture: as far as average americans I'm a superstar. as far as triathletes, I'm about average.
Took yesterday as my rest day. So I'm a day off, but Mon should have been a swim and you know how I feel about swimming these days. So I'm back on schedule having done today's ride... tomorrow I'll run in the morning but have to skip the evening swim as a friend from high school is in town and we're meeting for dinner (she's training for her first marathon...can't wait to get the low down on that)!
short track race. 45' of high aerobic! I am getting lapped although it does look like I am ahead!!! I am out there with Open Men and Open Women, so Cat 1 and 2, and I am a 3, I feel like I am in slo mo' as fast as they were.
I came home with loot from that weekend: 5 water bottles, one pumpkin, 1 $50 jewelry gift certificate, 5 C02 cartridges, 1 pair of men's large winter gloves, hydration tablets, tire levers, pens, 2 Gus, sport Jellybeans, plus I ate bratwurst, grilled outside, burger also grilled outside with fresh homemade doughnut holes! some candy and a cold Coke! oh yeah, Sbux coffee early morning setting up for race watching sunrise over AR river......
AND I rode 8 + 6 + 9 mt bike miles, which is a lot for me!!! my most EVAH, back to back races in there too. and oh, best part, or one of them. I am ranked first in over 40 women CAT 3 in state!!! ha ha ha. really. yesterday Cafepress has %20 off and I looked at Dirt Divas tshirts!! I am horrible at it, but it is so refreshingly fun but scares the poop outta me!! m
**Do you guys find that strength training helps with injury prevention?? **I hate strength training, but will do it under death threats and "doggie treats" of chocolate. I've done P90X over the winter last season, along w/ run/bike. **My husband are thinking about training for a marathon for Jan w/ cross training w/ biking and P90X/strength training. By the way, I don't eat that much chocolate. I just enjoy it. I went from underweight to "normal" weight w/ my weight gain. BMI 19. I'm just really tall. Thanks for your ideas and what you women do during the fall and winter. Love you guys!! Kel
@Kel- Yes strength training (functional) in the off season helps me (although RnP don't dig it). I target specific muscle groups that are functional strength for bike, swim & run and I have piriformis issues to I target strengthening through the hips, and hammies.
Marathon + bike + strength + cross train is an awful lot of stuff. I'm doing marathon in Jan and did one in Dec last year. I can usual fit in 1 bike and maybe a swim(technique work only) but strength and run is well enough to keep you busy. Any more than that feels like on season to me and get mental burnout. Only so many hours in a day (and in my body). I say if marathon is the goal- focus on the run and do the lite strength/core work. Bike and swim both come back fine after marathon recovery (granted that you aren't doing a super early season IM)
@M- Will you adopt me next fall/winter please? I want to come and play and steak works for me too!!
@Nemo/Gina- Your pics from last week are FAB! Does my heart good!
@Linda/Michelle- Wonderful that you guys could get together with good food/folks! Good for the soul as well!
Welcome, Kelly! Chocolate---really good chocolate---is a heavenly gift. As for strength training, I do the bare minimum to address the weaknesses and imbalances that I have that cause my injuries. I too despise weight lifting. Over this winter, I'm planning on riding my mtb (on snow), skate skiiing, snowshoeing (there's a weekday race series around here), and Jan OS.
Becky: Glad to hear that your bike fit is good and that your knee pain is better. Enjoy taper!
Beth: Secret nesting habits...I LURVE to organize. You'd never know it! If I have the time and mojo, I'll spend all day on the computer on Microsoft Money tracking my every expense, making pie charts of my budget, and finding ways to save money OR putting away all our bike tools and parts in their respective labelled bins in our "bike shop" in the basement. It's a total OCD-paloosa. Haven't done it in loooong time.
Marianne: You go, dirt girl! I'm planning on doing a 100 mile bike race in OH: The Mohican 100. Any interest? It's in June so you'll be all done with IMTX. There's also the Shenandoah 100 which I've heard awesome things about over Labor Day weekend. What say you?
Sheryl & Michele: Sorry about the job suckage. My job sucks the joy and life right out of the air. Really. The only good thing about it is the pay. Over the last 5 years I've been trying to make peace with it and figure that I can't be pulled into the vortex of morons and a$$holes, that I can't spend my time playing Whack-a-mole with buffoons at work or in life. Some days are better than others on that front. Of course, if you can find a better opportunity for employment that will compensate you with happiness and money (hopefully both!) then go for it!
Marianne; I think you are clicking "Display Link" instead of hitting the "Insert Image" button. After you upload the photo you should get the option to "Insert Image". That's the one you want to pick.
Kelly- what Kris said! I don't do "weights". But I do try to work in core routines to maintain balance & stregth to avoid some injury issues I've had in the past.
It's been a while, but I've been lurking on here a bunch and following the updates! Had a great time at the NE rally - saw the gang -Michele, Linda, Carly (& Michelle) and all the great EN doods. Michele saved my bacon by noticing my brake was rubbing (in fact both of them were) I was dragging a$# at the beginning of the ride and was seriously starting to panic. I had had a few beers the night before, but really not that many!! We pulled over and Michele went right to fixing my brakes and then some nice MTB guys pulled over and gave us a hand. They were digging our bikes, particulary M's sweet pink Pinerello. Dave Halligan came back and pulled us back to the pack, it was really fun hanging on. The rest of the ride was beautiful, a really nice fall NE day. Then we pigged out at Steve house with Coach P and his girls. Too cute!
Kelly- I am not a strength training chica at all. I am so impressed with all of you doing that crazy ab corework! I am considering jumping into the push-up challenge, we shall see.
Marianne - loved your description of MTB! Really made it come alive. You should write a blog "Mom Jock" or "Multi-sport Mom" or something...
Beth - sounds like you are doing lots of fun stuff - for nesting I'm all about cleaning closets and purging, but then again also buying a bit of new stuff - ha - got some sweeeet brown leather riding boots this weekend.
This is always a mellow time of year for me b/c my DH works in sports audio and he is gone for 3-4 weeks covering the baseball playoffs & World Series. I try to use it as a time to think about what I want to do with myself for the next year (somedays with more success than others!) This year I'm at a bit of a crossroads with my job as some of you are too..
Hopefully I will get to visit the DH this weekend (maybe in Philly), but it's always a last minute thing depending on who wins! I watch baseball with a lot more interest this time of year than usual...
I miss lifting... I definitely don't have the time. This winter/spring I tried to at least get in and do a circuit once a week - sometimes adding plyo. I look forward to getting back into that. I haven't noticed a loss of definitely (bc of the lower body fat due to all of this training), but I have noticed a loss of strength - particularly upper body which has manifested itself in my swim times... so some lifting is good! I doubt I could still do a pull up, which is a bummer... that's always my benchmark of how well I'm doing. I think at my best I could do 3 or 4 in a set. But it's probably been a year or 2 since I've even tried to do one... I'm hardly ever even in a gym (except to swim)!
Missed my run this morning. Just didn't feel like it. Can't do it tonight as I'm having dinner with a friend. Oh well... have the alarm set for 4:30 to knock out 90 minutes before work and do a swim after... this weekend will be crazy with training and the Army 10 miler (volunteering with my running club, and helping our organizer organize - the tent, etc. So after my brick I'll be at the Pentagon most of Sat to set up the tent and get the info flags and maps, etc put together (our volunteers walk the area directing traffic and answering questions) and then again at 6am Sun to man our tent and direct our volunteers... I'll leave some time towards the end of the race to do my brick then hit our "team's" post race party.
At some point I need to go back to my lists and get them ready for FL. Good thing I did a full AV and did lists for that, so hopefully all I'll need to do is add SN run stuff (since the AV was my RR)... not to mention packing stuff for 5 days in FL.
I'm feeling amazingly anticlimatic about it all now. Almost blah. It's consumed me for so long and I'm not happy that I've become such a one dimensional person. On the one hand I want my life back, but on the other, I think I'll be lost without it. Too bad that the race will end as weather will turn...definitely glad my season will be mapped out differently next year.
Good gawd--the strength issue. Seems I stepped in it over in that thread. Yikes! I have come to disagree with the EN blanket statement about no strength training. I gave it up for two years, and I see it in my body with lack of definition, and I know it will shore things up to work the intervals later on. Hey, I'm 53. When others get there, GUARANTEED a different tune will be figured out.
Hi Kelly--check in with our underground strength/core thread. That will give you a good idea of what some of the women here are doing.
B--when you get to FL, and you see 2500+ athletes there--all of whom have often been toiling in obscurity even more that you have (b/c you have us!) you'll dig the vibe and get into it.
I figured out what the post-IM thing feels like for me. For a solid month, I as walking around as if I had just gotten off the spinniest, most discombobulating ride at the amusement park. I was mentally wobbly, all over the place, feeling weirdly like I couldn't "right" myself to steadiness. It took these weeks to finally clear my head, rest, let go of having workouts on my mind all the time, and begin to feel like a "normal" person (whatever that is). It's happened after all three IMs. Man, it really does take over body and soul!
Aimee, Michele - Awesome descriptions of fun weekend. I look forward to meeting all the NE peeps some day. Perhaps next summer, when I'm honorary NE, with this Timberman racing and IMLP registering?
Chocolate, food - Um, yes, all, please. I've putting buying a scale on next month's triathlon list, along with a swim assessment. I still have big safety pins in all my pants and skirts, so I obviously should get more chocolate. I had a very good moment a work last week, when I was laying out a newsletter with peanut butter & nutella sandwiches, chocolate covered strawberries, and a glass of chardonnay.
Sheryl - Do it! You'd be like my favorite, Mensch with a Wrench!
Marianne - Love the mountain bike stories. And Kris and I might be moving in next year. I do wash dishes. =-)
Kitima - I am often tempted to borrow the P-touch labeler from work and label everything at home. This does not mean I have stopped believing that one day the magic laundry fairy will move in and make all my clean clothes dreams come true.
Becky - You are pretty and awesome!!! And soon you are going to be a pretty and awesome IRONMAN! It will be worth it. Are you to the part where you notice dirt yet?
Linda -+1 to the oddity of post-Ironman headspace. I feel like I'm finally catching up to myself, if that makes sense. I changed something and it took a while to absorb it. I also have never appreciated the need for rest as much ever. The uber-disciplined, paleo-eating machine was awesome, but I now completely understand that I can't and don't want to do that all the time. I've also been in serious introvert mode. I like staying home. I have a ticket to see a play on Saturday all by myself.
Sheryl - Link to new dishes. I proud of some of the latest pics. They're getting better!
Oh - strength training. I love the BOSU ball and plank. They make me a better runner. This season, I think I also need some upper body muscles for swimming. Need bigger muscles for pulling/going fast/winning bets against Rich!
I am often tempted to borrow the P-touch labeler from work and label everything at home
WHAT? You don't own a label maker??? How does one exist without it?
Oh, and sleep post IM?. Holy crap! I'm sleeping like 9 hours a night and even then I have the "eh, I don't really wanna get up" feeling! I'm sure some of it has to do with the shorter days and sun coming up so late, but I also think I'm making up major lost sleep during IM training. I fell asleep on the couch last night at 8:30!!! How embarrassing!
I am often tempted to borrow the P-touch labeler from work and label everything at home
WHAT? You don't own a label maker??? How does one exist without it?
Oh, and sleep post IM?. Holy crap! I'm sleeping like 9 hours a night and even then I have the "eh, I don't really wanna get up" feeling! I'm sure some of it has to do with the shorter days and sun coming up so late, but I also think I'm making up major lost sleep during IM training. I fell asleep on the couch last night at 8:30!!! How embarrassing!
Lordy, nine hours barely feels like enough fo me too! Nine hours is now minimum, ten would even be better. 10-7 is my new norm. Except for when I have to get up earlier on Tu and Th.
Oh, and sleep post IM?. Holy crap! I'm sleeping like 9 hours a night and even then I have the "eh, I don't really wanna get up" feeling! I'm sure some of it has to do with the shorter days and sun coming up so late, but I also think I'm making up major lost sleep during IM training. I fell asleep on the couch last night at 8:30!!! How embarrassing!
Lordy, nine hours barely feels like enough fo me too! Nine hours is now minimum, ten would even be better. 10-7 is my new norm. Except for when I have to get up earlier on Tu and Th.
I'm also on the ten to seven schedule and have rarely set an alarm since IMWI.
I've been having that "eh, I don't want to get up" feeling for a while now. And it's so much worse with taper because I rationalized it as, heck, I only have one one hour workout to do today, I'll do it after work... Needless to say, I haven't been in the pool yet this week... and I skipped yesterday's run bc I had dinner plans. I'll do the "long" run (1.5 hours - woot) tonight after work, probably do yesterday's 1 hour run tomorrow... and if all goes well get in the pool at least once this week - so it will be my standard week of being down a swim or two...
@Beth - since I don't understand, I'm gonna say no, I haven't noticed dirt yet.
You know, drinking my smoothie this morning it really sunk in, barring some crazy mishap (like Linda's bike breaking), I think I can do this thing. The two RRs really are amazing for confidence building and anxiety settling. Seriously. Even if I suck royally swimming and do the bike slower than either RR, I'll have 8 or 9 hours to do the marathon. That's kind of a cool feeling to have that sort of pressure taken off. I do admit the swim worries me - not because I can't swim, but because the ocean may be rough... not to mention the mass swim start in the ocean...
thanks for still caring that I'm out here training!
This gave me a big smile this morning! We all KNOW you can do it! IMFL was my first IM too (as was Marianne, Linda, and Olivia, although we didn't know each other back then)- and you are a MUCH better swimmer (and overall athlete for that matter) than I am. I got through that swim with my Nemo "just keep swimming" mantra on what was a pretty rough day. I can almost guarantee you it won't be anything you haven't seen at Eagleman in the past. Don't give that swim another thought- it will be a walk it the park for you.
This gave me a big smile this morning! We all KNOW you can do it! IMFL was my first IM too (as was Marianne, Linda, and Olivia, although we didn't know each other back then)- and you are a MUCH better swimmer (and overall athlete for that matter) than I am. I got through that swim with my Nemo "just keep swimming" mantra on what was a pretty rough day. I can almost guarantee you it won't be anything you haven't seen at Eagleman in the past. Don't give that swim another thought- it will be a walk it the park for you.
+1 on what Nemo said!
You totally have this! And remember, everyone is just a big school of fish. Very efficient!
Becky- Sounds like you are coming around to the perfect head space for race day. So glad for you. Be sure to take time to enjoy and savor the memories (and the fitness).
While Max was away, I had trouble sleeping. Staying awake until 11 pm and getting up at 6 or earlier to work out. He comes home yesterday and the relief was just huge. He had a meeting to go last night, but I was asleep by 9:15 or so and didn't get out of bed until 7. Can you believe it?!?! Stress was just killing me.
@Beth - I saw the pic of the yellow bowls - do you have others... and what's up with the dirt? it's driving me crazy!
@Michele - glad Max is back and you're feeling less anxious!
work has been strange all week - rush to wait, new deadline, deadline gets canceled, reinstated, canceled... annoying. I'm tired - which is crazy bc I sleep all the darn time... but I MUST run tonight after work. Dan is away so I don't have to worry about him being annoyed with another late dinner (he's been a trooper)... have my clothes laid out and watch programmed... just gotta get er done. And it doesn't even look too bad. I think all Z1 and Z2 stuff! Yay taper!
Scheduled a pedi for next Thursday at lunch (telework day)... so I'll have pretty feet for IMFL!
The dirt - There was a part of taper where I noticed my house was dirty. And things we not where they belonged. Training, obviously, had caused "dirt blindness."
Comments
Sheryl- I am so sorry to hear about your job frustrations. Please know that I am right there with you. 3 HOUR meeting last night and I am so discouraged about my job. Part of me wishes I could be fired. Apparently I am taking the right steps to get there lately. So stressed that I either can't sleep and workout because I am angry or sleep like the dead and can't get up.
Anyway, I need to start playing the lottery.
Have fun this weekend Marianne.
Really looking forward to the NE rally group ride Sunday. Office Ford is cooking!
Mt biking racing
Many of you know this and are better (Kitima) but here is my take!! okay on the mt bike you are like some sort of game, like what my kids play on TV and I don't. ever looking but taking in the whole picture, left right, ahead, for rocks, obstacles, trees, hills and the like! Every sense is ON and there is no multi tasking, lolly gagging. You have a sense of fear too. like wrecking, hurting or otherwise being in pain due to a fall or making the person breathing down your neck wreck!! You know in your head that if you go fast you will roll over more stuff but the thought of going fast scares you so you go slow and then wreck or make a mistake which then overrides your system so by the end of the race, you are mad, you are faster and your adrenaline has now blocked off all wise thoughts of being a mom of five and what are you doing out here!! There is no time to open a GU so the camel back is sucked down with fervence and somehow you tell your body to relax knowing the brunt will fall better on your body if you can flow a bit better and lo and behold you pull up your bike and over the log it goes but you don't have time to congratulate yourself cuz roots and rocks present themselves and you are looking for the best path which sometimes you don't take!!
and throughout all of this uncertaintly, there is one certain thought... I have a huge aerobic engine and I can push my HR very high and these other gals out here?? maybe not so much! I can go forever! and when I do see a flat stretch, I know for a fact, that I need to zoom, and do it fast and with power! I can feel the hurt and withstand it. and I have the mental tenacity to finish the course no matter what!! I don't care if I am last, been there done that so many times!!!! signing off and I will let you know how it goes.
oh I will say?? on my tri bike now? I do bunny hop over stuff! over RR tracks, those ridges in the road to make you slow down, and potholes too. and I come off the saddle more to give my seat a break. and on my mt bike?? flat area, I can get down low to be aero!! ha ha.
@Sheryl - oh no. I read your email and was ticked off on your behalf. I am quite positive I would have not handled that meeting/news well and probably would have said things that, while dead on the money, should not be said to a boss/in a workplace ever. Grr. Good luck with the job search, I hope you find something wonderful SOON.
@Marianne- yikes... I tried Mt. biking once and once was enough. I could tear up the hills but going down, well, I white knuckled it and just didn't have any fun at all... the rocks, branches, roots, tight turns, branches hitting me from every direction... just no enjoyment in it for me. I will keep on walking in the woods and enjoying the great outdoors on foot! Hope the races went well and am very glad you have such a great team!
So, I survived all my long workouts this weekend. Did the 2.5 run Fri after work. Calf held up but was getting stiff towards the end. I finished but once I stopped moving (i.e., after stretching, showering, eating), wow... tight and knotty! Sat I did the long swim. That was my first trip to the pool all week. The way over I debated doing Mon speed work, Ts endurance work, or just the RR swim... I decided to do a combo of the endurance and RR. I did a 200 WU, 7x500(30) and a 100 CD for a total of 3800m - in 1:15. I'm good with that. Sunday was the RR. Went to Cambridge to ride the Eagleman course twice... in theory. The CTA folks apparently painted over some the EM road arrows for Chesapeake Man race (that's never been done in the past) - in some places they'd paint a fresh C over the E and black spray paint the middle prong - so it was easy to spot... but in one spot (early, before I realized the problem, after that I knew to be more careful spotting turns) a turn was completely blacked out... so my first loop, instead of 56 was 70... then I just went out and back 40 - for a total of 112 with an hour run after. I'm really glad I planned for contingencies wrt food bc after 3 hours my bottle of infinit was gone... so that last hour I had a hammer bar and that seemed to be fine as far as subsiding hunger and not causing GI issues. It was super duper windy... so I'm hopeful FL won't be that bad. Most importantly, the fit is, I think, right on the money. I DO absolutely need the aero extenders and am hoping they come in (the shoulders are off... the right particularly), but other than that, the new fit and the new shoes (specialized roadies) are perfect. No new pain, no pain that made me wince... I had a few tweaks after maybe 5 hours or so... but I'm definitely thinking that's residual. I had no problems running at all! I do need a tune up or something, my big ring shifter was sliding out of place after bumps causing the chainstay to rub... it was super annoying and I had trouble getting it to stay in place. 2 weeks before I take Jina to the LBS for shipping, I'm sure I can get it squared away.
Got home, ate with Dan (who, btw, sliced his finger open yesterday and now has 11 stitches in his left thumb)... then unpacked, did some laundry, and went to bed. I made a conscious decision that I would get up when I got up... the kitties woke me up to eat when they're used to me getting up (around 6), so I fed them, called work to say I'd be late or out... then went back to bed. Next thing I know, it's 10am! WOW. I expected it to be 8 or so. WOW. I guess I needed it. I paid bills online, gave myself a facial, am finishing laundry... and catching up on email and online... So, an admin/mental health day it is! I am very much looking forward to my massage tonight.
I hope you all had great weekends!
@Nemo - your pictures are beautiful! What a great trip!
@LInda - glad you all had such fun riding and eating! I only met Steve once at Timberman, but he is an absolute riot!
NE Peeps -- Details on riding adventures, and the menu at Officer Ford's?
Becky -- So glad bike fit is coming together. And good job kicking off taper in style! Mm. Facial and massage.
Marianne -- Opposite of Becky here -- I want to live near mountains so I can play with mountain bikes, too!
I hurt my ears this weekend! I went to a loud bar on Friday for a friend's birthday and a super loud punk show on Saturday night. Amusingly, the opening acts, the young punk rockers all under the age of thirtyish, played at an acceptable volume. The main attraction, whose lead singer is turning fifty next week, played SUPER LOUDLY. Like I left early because it was so loud. My ears still hurt. Lesson: Always take ear plugs to concerts.
Other than that, I've being doing more nesty things like updating budget (money, time) spreadsheets. Which is an oddly satisfying activity. Make goals. Figure out how much they are going to cost. Plan accordingly. Say no to stupid, expensive stuff that is not in the goals. Love it!
Anyone else have secret nesting/wife night tasks you love?
Smoked ribs that looked like they came straight from the "Flintstone's"! Burgers and hot dogs. cornbread, pumpkin bread, couscous salad x2- 1 was pilaf and the other was raisin and cranberries. Chocolate cake with chocolate icing. cookies, apple pie, pumpkin pie. I could NOT taste everything. But the ribs were awesome. And I am a dessert woman, so cake was good. I was finally too full for pie.
The ride was just FUN! Riding along, talking. The Halligan rolled out with us, took up the rear, then came back and collected Aimee and I when we stopped to fix her brakes. No pressure, no PMs, no intervals, no hammering (except when Aimee and I were being towed by Dave).
More folks than last year and only 1 flat! (last year we had 7 riders and 6 flats).
Missing so many folks.
Tonight was dinner with Team Chavez. We had food and fun. Can I say how much I heart Team EN?
Sounds like y'all are all having a great time playing with mtn bikes! I'm not sure I'm brave enough to try. Michelle, the pictures at Officer Ford's looked like a great time! I hope you find a great job soon too!
here's a hoot. Somehow I'm actually considering it.....We were in Sears looking for a deep freeze on Saturday and the guy who owns the local Sears store (very small) mentioned to us that the only guy in town that does all the appliance repairs is cutting back and there is a need for someone to step in and start taking over. My husband looked at me and said, "Wow...you would be good at that! You are a people person and you could learn." I'm an accountant...MBA....does this seem crazy to y'all?
Weight loss is stinking. I have to just become militant. Hunger is my friend....
Have a great night! I had a blast shopping with youngest daughter for birthday gifts for both boyfriends. (Her's and other daughter's) It was a great time!
Sheryl & Michele, so sorry for the work troubles. Work doesn't always have to be fun, but it shouldn't suck all the time either. Sheryl, if you want to be a refridgerator repair woman than I say go buy the blue suit & hat girlfriend! Who cares what you "used to be" or how many degrees you have. If you'd enjoy it most of the time, it's better than following a career path you hate into the grave just 'cause it's the degree you got XX years ago.
NE Peeps. So jealous, I really wish I could have been there with ya!
Nemo- My eating has gotten worse, but I think it is the work stress. Also, I used to fall asleep early. Now I am awake and get the munchies for sweets. So not fair!
Big meeting tonight. Dreading it. But dinner with fun co-workers/ former co-workers after, so something to look forward to while enduring the latest round of BS.
I know what you mean about the munchies for sweets. My big downfall this time of year is candy pumpkins. Once Halloween is over it will be those peppermint nougats. I wish I didn't love sugar. My husband says it's an addiction.
You are right Nemo....I should look into it.
I'm going to have to move to Maine so I can do stuff with the folks out there...but then I would miss the midwest peeps.
@Sheryl - hey, if you like doing that kinda work and your DH is on board, well, then, do it. Seriously... I totally agree with Michele (?)! That's my plan someday. Trade in my desk job to wear sweats and own/work in a gym. Maybe take some clients, maybe not. The super cool thing is when I mentioned it to Dan he didn't bat an eye. So who cares I have 2 degrees and am still paying off law school loans... I will have a job that may require me to wear a nametag. Whatever, I will be happy... and hopefully help other people get healthy and happy and find their self esteem...
@Michele/Nemo - you're talking as if chocolate is a bad thing. I have not given it up during training... but I try (not always successfully) to have one row of a dark chocolate bar as dessert. Sometimes I have more than one row... who cares. I also have not given up wine. Seriously. I'm not gonna qualify for Kona or ever be offered a job as a model of triathlon apparel... so why do I have to chase down the dream of being perfect. Even if I was perfect I will always see myself as the chubby girl I was growing up... and the image of my college graduation picture (fat face... long hair to cover it) is burned in my memory. Thank god I went to college when Seattle grunge was in - big jeans, big flannels... all to cover the flab. Did I mention that when I graduated I wore a size 14 dress? When I met you all in WI, I felt like a cow. You're all so tiny... then I saw the pic of us all at breakfast - the rational me says I'm pretty much the same (granted, I know I have at least 20-25lbs on Nemo) and in good shape... the real me thinks I'm a big fat cow with enormous cottage cheese thighs. And don't even get me started on the stretch marks from being a tubbo... so, big picture: as far as average americans I'm a superstar. as far as triathletes, I'm about average.
Took yesterday as my rest day. So I'm a day off, but Mon should have been a swim and you know how I feel about swimming these days. So I'm back on schedule having done today's ride... tomorrow I'll run in the morning but have to skip the evening swim as a friend from high school is in town and we're meeting for dinner (she's training for her first marathon...can't wait to get the low down on that)!
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still trying to post pics! above was Sunday! me heading up the kid's area at mt bike race.
can't figure it out even after reading tech advice... oh well. maybe y'all know??? 3rd place/AG at mt bike race.
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Saturday Schwag Ride
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the Orbea Ordu is a sweet bike!
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short track race. 45' of high aerobic! I am getting lapped although it does look like I am ahead!!! I am out there with Open Men and Open Women, so Cat 1 and 2, and I am a 3, I feel like I am in slo mo' as fast as they were.
I came home with loot from that weekend: 5 water bottles, one pumpkin, 1 $50 jewelry gift certificate, 5 C02 cartridges, 1 pair of men's large winter gloves, hydration tablets, tire levers, pens, 2 Gus, sport Jellybeans, plus I ate bratwurst, grilled outside, burger also grilled outside with fresh homemade doughnut holes! some candy and a cold Coke! oh yeah, Sbux coffee early morning setting up for race watching sunrise over AR river......
AND I rode 8 + 6 + 9 mt bike miles, which is a lot for me!!! my most EVAH, back to back races in there too. and oh, best part, or one of them. I am ranked first in over 40 women CAT 3 in state!!! ha ha ha. really. yesterday Cafepress has %20 off and I looked at Dirt Divas tshirts!! I am horrible at it, but it is so refreshingly fun but scares the poop outta me!! m
**I hate strength training, but will do it under death threats and "doggie treats" of chocolate. I've done P90X over the winter last season, along w/ run/bike.
**My husband are thinking about training for a marathon for Jan w/ cross training w/ biking and P90X/strength training.
By the way, I don't eat that much chocolate. I just enjoy it. I went from underweight to "normal" weight w/ my weight gain. BMI 19. I'm just really tall. Thanks for your ideas and what you women do during the fall and winter. Love you guys!! Kel
Marathon + bike + strength + cross train is an awful lot of stuff. I'm doing marathon in Jan and did one in Dec last year. I can usual fit in 1 bike and maybe a swim(technique work only) but strength and run is well enough to keep you busy. Any more than that feels like on season to me and get mental burnout. Only so many hours in a day (and in my body). I say if marathon is the goal- focus on the run and do the lite strength/core work. Bike and swim both come back fine after marathon recovery (granted that you aren't doing a super early season IM)
@M- Will you adopt me next fall/winter please? I want to come and play and steak works for me too!!
@Nemo/Gina- Your pics from last week are FAB! Does my heart good!
@Linda/Michelle- Wonderful that you guys could get together with good food/folks! Good for the soul as well!
Off to work!!
Becky: Glad to hear that your bike fit is good and that your knee pain is better. Enjoy taper!
Beth: Secret nesting habits...I LURVE to organize. You'd never know it! If I have the time and mojo, I'll spend all day on the computer on Microsoft Money tracking my every expense, making pie charts of my budget, and finding ways to save money OR putting away all our bike tools and parts in their respective labelled bins in our "bike shop" in the basement. It's a total OCD-paloosa. Haven't done it in loooong time.
Marianne: You go, dirt girl! I'm planning on doing a 100 mile bike race in OH: The Mohican 100. Any interest? It's in June so you'll be all done with IMTX. There's also the Shenandoah 100 which I've heard awesome things about over Labor Day weekend. What say you?
Sheryl & Michele: Sorry about the job suckage. My job sucks the joy and life right out of the air. Really. The only good thing about it is the pay. Over the last 5 years I've been trying to make peace with it and figure that I can't be pulled into the vortex of morons and a$$holes, that I can't spend my time playing Whack-a-mole with buffoons at work or in life. Some days are better than others on that front. Of course, if you can find a better opportunity for employment that will compensate you with happiness and money (hopefully both!) then go for it!
Marianne; I think you are clicking "Display Link" instead of hitting the "Insert Image" button. After you upload the photo you should get the option to "Insert Image". That's the one you want to pick.
Kelly- what Kris said!
I don't do "weights". But I do try to work in core routines to maintain balance & stregth to avoid some injury issues I've had in the past.
OK- gotta go. Work is nuts.
Hi everyone!
It's been a while, but I've been lurking on here a bunch and following the updates! Had a great time at the NE rally - saw the gang -Michele, Linda, Carly (& Michelle) and all the great EN doods. Michele saved my bacon by noticing my brake was rubbing (in fact both of them were) I was dragging a$# at the beginning of the ride and was seriously starting to panic. I had had a few beers the night before, but really not that many!!
We pulled over and Michele went right to fixing my brakes and then some nice MTB guys pulled over and gave us a hand. They were digging our bikes, particulary M's sweet pink Pinerello. Dave Halligan came back and pulled us back to the pack, it was really fun hanging on. The rest of the ride was beautiful, a really nice fall NE day. Then we pigged out at Steve house with Coach P and his girls. Too cute!
Kelly- I am not a strength training chica at all. I am so impressed with all of you doing that crazy ab corework! I am considering jumping into the push-up challenge, we shall see.
Marianne - loved your description of MTB! Really made it come alive. You should write a blog "Mom Jock" or "Multi-sport Mom" or something...
Beth - sounds like you are doing lots of fun stuff - for nesting I'm all about cleaning closets and purging, but then again also buying a bit of new stuff - ha - got some sweeeet brown leather riding boots this weekend.
This is always a mellow time of year for me b/c my DH works in sports audio and he is gone for 3-4 weeks covering the baseball playoffs & World Series. I try to use it as a time to think about what I want to do with myself for the next year (somedays with more success than others!) This year I'm at a bit of a crossroads with my job as some of you are too..
Hopefully I will get to visit the DH this weekend (maybe in Philly), but it's always a last minute thing depending on who wins! I watch baseball with a lot more interest this time of year than usual...
I miss lifting... I definitely don't have the time. This winter/spring I tried to at least get in and do a circuit once a week - sometimes adding plyo. I look forward to getting back into that. I haven't noticed a loss of definitely (bc of the lower body fat due to all of this training), but I have noticed a loss of strength - particularly upper body which has manifested itself in my swim times... so some lifting is good! I doubt I could still do a pull up, which is a bummer... that's always my benchmark of how well I'm doing. I think at my best I could do 3 or 4 in a set. But it's probably been a year or 2 since I've even tried to do one... I'm hardly ever even in a gym (except to swim)!
Missed my run this morning. Just didn't feel like it. Can't do it tonight as I'm having dinner with a friend. Oh well... have the alarm set for 4:30 to knock out 90 minutes before work and do a swim after... this weekend will be crazy with training and the Army 10 miler (volunteering with my running club, and helping our organizer organize - the tent, etc. So after my brick I'll be at the Pentagon most of Sat to set up the tent and get the info flags and maps, etc put together (our volunteers walk the area directing traffic and answering questions) and then again at 6am Sun to man our tent and direct our volunteers... I'll leave some time towards the end of the race to do my brick then hit our "team's" post race party.
At some point I need to go back to my lists and get them ready for FL. Good thing I did a full AV and did lists for that, so hopefully all I'll need to do is add SN run stuff (since the AV was my RR)... not to mention packing stuff for 5 days in FL.
I'm feeling amazingly anticlimatic about it all now. Almost blah. It's consumed me for so long and I'm not happy that I've become such a one dimensional person. On the one hand I want my life back, but on the other, I think I'll be lost without it. Too bad that the race will end as weather will turn...definitely glad my season will be mapped out differently next year.
Good gawd--the strength issue. Seems I stepped in it over in that thread. Yikes! I have come to disagree with the EN blanket statement about no strength training. I gave it up for two years, and I see it in my body with lack of definition, and I know it will shore things up to work the intervals later on. Hey, I'm 53. When others get there, GUARANTEED a different tune will be figured out.
Hi Kelly--check in with our underground strength/core thread. That will give you a good idea of what some of the women here are doing.
B--when you get to FL, and you see 2500+ athletes there--all of whom have often been toiling in obscurity even more that you have (b/c you have us!) you'll dig the vibe and get into it.
I figured out what the post-IM thing feels like for me. For a solid month, I as walking around as if I had just gotten off the spinniest, most discombobulating ride at the amusement park. I was mentally wobbly, all over the place, feeling weirdly like I couldn't "right" myself to steadiness. It took these weeks to finally clear my head, rest, let go of having workouts on my mind all the time, and begin to feel like a "normal" person (whatever that is). It's happened after all three IMs. Man, it really does take over body and soul!
Chocolate, food - Um, yes, all, please. I've putting buying a scale on next month's triathlon list, along with a swim assessment. I still have big safety pins in all my pants and skirts, so I obviously should get more chocolate. I had a very good moment a work last week, when I was laying out a newsletter with peanut butter & nutella sandwiches, chocolate covered strawberries, and a glass of chardonnay.
Sheryl - Do it! You'd be like my favorite, Mensch with a Wrench!
Marianne - Love the mountain bike stories. And Kris and I might be moving in next year. I do wash dishes. =-)
Kitima - I am often tempted to borrow the P-touch labeler from work and label everything at home. This does not mean I have stopped believing that one day the magic laundry fairy will move in and make all my clean clothes dreams come true.
Becky - You are pretty and awesome!!! And soon you are going to be a pretty and awesome IRONMAN! It will be worth it. Are you to the part where you notice dirt yet?
Linda -+1 to the oddity of post-Ironman headspace. I feel like I'm finally catching up to myself, if that makes sense. I changed something and it took a while to absorb it. I also have never appreciated the need for rest as much ever. The uber-disciplined, paleo-eating machine was awesome, but I now completely understand that I can't and don't want to do that all the time. I've also been in serious introvert mode. I like staying home. I have a ticket to see a play on Saturday all by myself.
Sheryl - Link to new dishes. I proud of some of the latest pics. They're getting better!
Oh - strength training. I love the BOSU ball and plank. They make me a better runner. This season, I think I also need some upper body muscles for swimming. Need bigger muscles for pulling/going fast/winning bets against Rich!
WHAT? You don't own a label maker??? How does one exist without it?
Oh, and sleep post IM?. Holy crap! I'm sleeping like 9 hours a night and even then I have the "eh, I don't really wanna get up" feeling! I'm sure some of it has to do with the shorter days and sun coming up so late, but I also think I'm making up major lost sleep during IM training. I fell asleep on the couch last night at 8:30!!! How embarrassing!
Lordy, nine hours barely feels like enough fo me too! Nine hours is now minimum, ten would even be better. 10-7 is my new norm. Except for when I have to get up earlier on Tu and Th.
I'm also on the ten to seven schedule and have rarely set an alarm since IMWI.
I've been having that "eh, I don't want to get up" feeling for a while now. And it's so much worse with taper because I rationalized it as, heck, I only have one one hour workout to do today, I'll do it after work...
Needless to say, I haven't been in the pool yet this week... and I skipped yesterday's run bc I had dinner plans. I'll do the "long" run (1.5 hours - woot) tonight after work, probably do yesterday's 1 hour run tomorrow... and if all goes well get in the pool at least once this week - so it will be my standard week of being down a swim or two... 
@Beth - since I don't understand, I'm gonna say no, I haven't noticed dirt yet.
You know, drinking my smoothie this morning it really sunk in, barring some crazy mishap (like Linda's bike breaking), I think I can do this thing. The two RRs really are amazing for confidence building and anxiety settling. Seriously. Even if I suck royally swimming and do the bike slower than either RR, I'll have 8 or 9 hours to do the marathon. That's kind of a cool feeling to have that sort of pressure taken off. I do admit the swim worries me - not because I can't swim, but because the ocean may be rough... not to mention the mass swim start in the ocean...
thanks for still caring that I'm out here training!
+1 on what Nemo said!
You totally have this! And remember, everyone is just a big school of fish. Very efficient!
While Max was away, I had trouble sleeping. Staying awake until 11 pm and getting up at 6 or earlier to work out. He comes home yesterday and the relief was just huge. He had a meeting to go last night, but I was asleep by 9:15 or so and didn't get out of bed until 7. Can you believe it?!?! Stress was just killing me.
Kind of quiet in here compared to the summer!
@Beth - I saw the pic of the yellow bowls - do you have others... and what's up with the dirt? it's driving me crazy!
@Michele - glad Max is back and you're feeling less anxious!
work has been strange all week - rush to wait, new deadline, deadline gets canceled, reinstated, canceled... annoying. I'm tired - which is crazy bc I sleep all the darn time... but I MUST run tonight after work. Dan is away so I don't have to worry about him being annoyed with another late dinner (he's been a trooper)... have my clothes laid out and watch programmed... just gotta get er done. And it doesn't even look too bad. I think all Z1 and Z2 stuff! Yay taper!
Scheduled a pedi for next Thursday at lunch (telework day)... so I'll have pretty feet for IMFL!
@Becky - Link to etsy store.. I'm slowly adding all the cool stuff I collected over the summer.
The dirt - There was a part of taper where I noticed my house was dirty. And things we not where they belonged. Training, obviously, had caused "dirt blindness."