I Love the Tavern

Yesterday was my first race since Timberman (yes almost a year ago). Between takign the winter almost 100% off and then the surgery, I haven't done much (besides swiming) since August, either.

The day started as they always do - with that annoying buzz from the alarm clock. I finally get out of bed and am just freezing because I am so tired (and Greg's hosue is cold). I sleep walk around getting dressed and filling water bottles.

On the way there I realize I forgot a transition towel. Oops. Good thing I was wearing a long sleeved t-shirt turned into towel. I stood around transition just looking around at everyone scurrying to set up their spots.

This race was especailly cool because not only was I getting back in the game, but my brother was there and my cousin and I were on a relay team together - Lady and the Mustache. I was doing the swim and bike and he was running.

As we stood on the dock watching the first waves go off we see them swimming jsut to stay in place! I was int eh last wave. it looked as if everyone ws in an endless pool. Some people swimming forward and going backwards. Oh this is not going to be good. By the time e get to go in, we've learned that the key is to sit on the dock and swim into the river after the horn sounds instead of wasting energy waiting for the gun to go off. So that is what I did. There were people everyone. more than I ever remember. All colors of caps, too. I had to stop twice in the beginnign to catch my breath. What is wrong with me?! I have done this numerous times. I just couldn't shake the feeling of a weight on my chest. I wanted to unzip my throat so I could breathe. I thought about one of my good friends who recently had this happen to her. I just put my face in the water and took a breathe a sighted every other stroke to get into a rhythm. It worked. I was back on track. Of course I am being kicked let and right and I am sure I kicked a couple times myself - it happens on accident. But one guy accidentally (there is no way he could have planned this any better) just kicked my goggled right off my face. That sucked. So I had to stop and put them back on and I could feel myself drifting backwards. Ugh. Secretly my goal here was jsut to beat my brother's swim time. He is faster than me by far on the bike and run, but we've been pretty close on the swim, but he has always been faster. Finally made it to the turn around and was out. The stairs were so high though it was hard to get out.
Look at my watch and it's around 15:30 +/-. way to go, fave.
Official time - 16:27 (would have been 4th in my A/G if I weren't a relay)

Back into transition and I had to sit down I was a little dizzy.

I was off on the bike and ready to go. I knew it was harder going out than coming back in so I was going to relax more on the first half and then bring in on in since I didn't have to run afterwards. I realize about a mile that I was int eh small ring in the front - d'oh! no wonder I wasn't going anywhere. I get into a rhythm and am on my way. My goal was to average 18. I'm not the strongest cyclist and have only been riding again 5 times since surgery. but I really wanted that 18 average. Here comes the big hill. I don't want to muscle up it so I decide to switch into my small chain ring. and there it goes...dropped my chain. DAMMIT! At the bottom of "the hill". I watch people pass me as I am trying to quickly put it back. Then I get to go up the hill from a dead stop. awesome. but I made it up and made up some ground. and I am happy to say I think I was one of the few people out there not drafting. my goodness people! Hammer it in for the next few miles and back into transition I am. I look at my computer... 18.6 avg! heck yeah!
Official time - 1:02:52 17.9 pace.
Damn. that sucks. so close. Stupid chain.
(would have been 7th in my AG)

I had good friends come and watch which made me smile! love them.

Then I saw my cousin coming so I ran down the chute with him (in my flip flops) for a team finish. Can't wait for that photo!

Afterwards I met up with a couple girls to head off for another 2 hours on the bike.
All in a day's work.

oh - and I beat my brother by 4 minutes in the swim. oh yeah.

Swimming Swimming Swimming

This morning I had images of Dory from Finding Nemo in my head.
Swimming. Swimming. Swimming.

I need to learn the art of DEscending.
We had to do 3x100 descending. TWICE.
The first time I got 1 second faster each interval.
The 2nd time we had to start with our 2nd interval time and descend from there.
Well I hit the first one on the head. the 2nd 100 was the same time. And then I was 3 seconds slower.
Hmmm. Did you ask us to DE-scend or A-scend?
At least my 4x50 kicking was descending?

I had my 8 week post op appt this morning. Good thing he only asked me to do small jumps b/c my legs are tired.
I get to stop going to PT. As much as I love AnnieHoo, she ain't cheap. And that's a lot of time off work.
I go back in 6 weeks (14 weeks post-op) and get the "okay" to go on the normal training plan with no more interval running. But maybe I like interval running.

Last night I rode 25 miles with the girls. Miso not going to pull Miso anymore! We did the Miller's Lane hill. Took a lot more energy than it did 10 1/2 months ago. I realized how long it has been since I have really trained on the bike. maybe I should not have slacked for so long before the surgery? but it was a nice break. then I dropped my chain on the way back up to Manakin. And accomplished getting grease EVERYWHERE. my cute shorts (which have pretty flowers on the side). the pink flowers were now block. my pink bar tape...black. But this did give me a chance to wiat up for some of the other girls and we had a nice leisurely ride back into west creek. And thankfully the dishwashing soap trick worked! my shorts and bike are grease free!

well I guessI better get back to work.

Interesting Concept and Other Blabberings by Fave

If you take turns drafting and pulling.
And you don't look around at the pretty flowers.
You actually end up with a good bike pace average.
What a concept.

However, riding two days in a row...is hard.

I really have to get used to training again. I have taken about 10 1/2 months off. I mean I did stuff, but nothing "real training". And then spent the last 2 months doing jack.
Damn my body forgot how to do this stuff.

So, the I Love the Tavern Triathlon is this weekend. This was not on my original plan for the year, but since I had to drop out of Rockett's since I was on cruthces and stitched up, this one got added - the aquavelo only of course. just to "clear the cobwebs".
Well. Then my cousin and his famiyl were going ot be in town from NH touring some of the south's finiest civil war sites (his kids know mroe aboutthe civil war than those who have sutided it for 50 years). so since cousin Rick is going to be in town, my mom and brother are coming in town as well. and since I am doing a tri that weekend and my brother will be here, he may as well sign up for the race as well. and well since my brother and I are doing the race and cousin Rick is a runner...well then he may as well do the run for me. So I moved my registration from Aquavelo to 2-person relay. And "Lady and the Mustache" was born. my cousin rocks a great 'stache - and i don't think i would recognize him without it.

I am scheduled to do a big ride the day befor ethe race, so we shall see how this race turns out. It's all just a training day, right? just with results posted for all to see.

Why?

Another cyclist get their car broken into at West Creek.

Vineman 70.3

IronGreg and I have decided that 2010 is the year of local short distance events.
But Vineman 70.3 is so very tempting.

First Bike Ride in the Books

Yay!
This weekend I was able to get back in the saddle and on the road for the first time post-op.
It was a little slower than I would have liked (by .5mph) but I am blaming the 3 red lights.

I heard a sweet story this morning. Some TG's ran across a baby bird on their bike ride who had fallen out of it's nest. One of them kindly took the baby bird home and researched on what to feed the sweet baby and was able to find a rehab for baby birds who will work with the baby bird for the next 6 weeks or so until it is back to full health.
That just makes my heart smile.

Also this weekend was TD's 1st birthday party extravaganza! that was good times. That boy has lots of girlfriends! He also played basketball for the first time! What an exciting day.

Today. I am tired.

Although the bruising and swellign continues, I think that's a good sign. It has to get worse to get better. I am still adament that I am not paying a co-pay to get a doctor to look at a pinky. s I talk to my mom (nurse) and one ofmy sports med's assistants and they btoh said it needs to be braced and watched and in a few days if it is still like this, then it needs a doctor. I may be broken now, but it's a pinky. a brace will be fine. Sweet. I am bracing. this is crazy.

Swimming Can Be Dangerous to Your...Finger?

Circle swimming is common in swim classes with multiple people in each lane.

Inevitable you are going to hit inside arms/hands from time to time.

ProK always says swimming is a contact sport.

Sometimes that inside hand get a good whack!

Luckily, I can bend it so it's just jammed.

Now - to figure out when this happend!

first of all ProK had me swim with the Sharks - ack - scary! i knwo it's good for me, but it's scary, too! They are fast over there.

I remember having a run-in with someone's hand and I assumed it was Tyler.

Throughout class it was burning like I scraped it. I didn't rememebr hitting the lane line or anything.

As I was walking out of the locker room I looked down and holy bruise, batman! It was already swollen and burised. Uh-oh. But it's only a pinky finger (which my co-worker thinks I need).

But I can bend it and the swelling has gone down a lot. Now it's jsut bruised and looks a little deformed - must have jammed it.

The best part is I told Tyler's wife that her husband broke my finger.

His response - that I kicked him in his head.

First I thought - well that must have echoed haha.

then I realized i bet I didn't kick him in the head, but i hit him in the head and that's how I hurt my finger.

Man that boy is hard headed! Maybe that's why he runs so damn fast.

Note: it looks better in the picture. and no I am not getting x-rays done for a stupid pinky finger.

Feel Your Inner Tina

Rollin! Rollin! Rollin on a River!
Okay, so I may not be Tina Turner, and I may not be rollin on a river, but I am rolling along.
Literally in fact!
Yesterday was another GREAT day at PT with Annie.
not only did I continue to run 1 minute intervals on the readmill, I moved up in speed to 6.0. Getting better.
AND she told me I can ride OUTSIDE!!!
I was originally supposed to wait for 2 more weeks until my 8 week post-op exam. This is when Dr. Z would tell me if I could ride outside and start running.
But Annie has me moving right along ahead of schedule (Triathlon training came in handy maybe)
So this weekend I will be rolling along the road at the Tavern pre-ride. I know I have to take it slow, but still - I get to be out there!!!

BD is now TD

Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday, dear David.
Happy Birthday to you!

Today BD (Baby David) becomes TD (Toddler David).
And how is my favorite nephew spending his first birthday?
Getting tubes in his ears. Poor little guy is having a rough morning.

But Grandma did get him a very fun Radio Flyer wagon!

I can't wait to eat cake with you!
I love you little man!

Running on Eggshells

an exciting morning at Physical Therapy.
I ran ONE MINUTE intervals for 15 minutes!
1 minute walk / 1 minute run.
PT Annie told me to "run on eggshells" and so I did.
It's awful hard trying to not land "toe-ball-heel" as you do in ballet. I think my body will always be trained to land softly that way.

Coming Along

Last night I did my first 10 minutes on the elliptical!
this morning at PT I jumped! And I ran 5x30 seconds!