Visitor

My mom was here last week during her spring break. Side note -I really should look into getting a job with the school system because summers, spring breaks, and Christmas breaks are way more important now than they were back then. Anyway, her coming to visit meant lots of good meals out and lots of walking around. And since I didn't see a break in my training for Mom's visit, I was up extra early on the weekends to get everything done before she was awake. We went to our favorite restaurant one night and had tuna tostadas and sent this picture to my brother and sister in law so they would get jealous. Now I'm jealous looking at it. The food is that good. And yes, that is a margarita next to me. I fell off the wagon a bit. My mom loves wine and margaritas and I couldn't let her drink alone. I decided to change my rule and allow myself drinks on weekends when visitors were here. At least I am doing better than last year!



This weekend is another trip to Houston where I will get in about 8 hours of solid riding with some running and swimming mixed in. I am going to have a long time to pretend to love my bike, but I do have some new cool outfits at home that I can wear to make it a little less painful. I can't believe it is less than 2 months away until the IM! Chris will finally have a normal life again. Or at least until I sign up for the next one.

PR!

I had another hard training weekend on the books, which I actually am starting to love. When I dont have to travel and can get out of bed and onto the trainer, I am one happy person. I prefer biking outside, but I dont prefer having to pack, fly (hate flying remember?), and leaving Chris and the pups. So Saturday was a hard trainer ride that involved three movies and a lot of calories.
By 6AM I was all prepped and ready to go. I got through the warmup and my power was looking lower than normal and no matter what I couldnt get it higher. I really felt like I was using all my effort to just get in my warm up levels. For the first set I thought I was going to puke. I knew i was bonking when I remembered I forgot breakfast and decided to get off, eat a little bit and get back on a few minutes later. Holy cow that helped and I was back on for the remainder of the ride feeling back to normal. I was also able to get in about 300 calories an hour thanks to my PB&J.

I had some company while riding too. Here is my little guy giving me stink eye because he isnt getting any of the sandwich.

After the ride, legs were toast and I had seen three more movies than I had at 6AM.
Sunday I had a 15 mile run on the schedule and also realized that there was a 10 mile race starting 2 blocks from my house. Score! I could sandwich the race with a nice long warm up and cool down. Since the race really was just a way for me to get in 10 miles on carless roads, I had zero nerves and ended up getting to the start line after it actually started. I was having fun and for the first time in a running race, I didnt want to turn back at the turn around for the shorter race. I stayed relaxed and the race took us through some of the only hills in Mexico City, so I was able to get in some hill training. I stopped a few times to make sure I was getting in all of my nutrition and to say hi to some friends and Chris because I really didnt care about the time. Even still, as I crossed the finish line I realized that I had a PR. I guess the trick is to not give a crap and come to the race 10 minutes late. That or give up wine for Lent. Although I really hope it isnt the wine because I plan to go back on the booze Easter Sunday.

I feel like Tom Cruise

The doctor called and gave me the news I have been waiting for. Apparently one leg is significantly longer than the other. I always knew this but every doctor and chiro I went to said it was because my hips were tight and then stretched me or pulled me until I was closer to even. Apparently that wont ever help because the xrays came back saying that one bone is actually longer than the other. By a lot. I knew that this might be what was going on, but I was really hoping that the other doctors/chiros were right and that stretching and strength exercises were all that I needed. I need those, but I also need some really expensive orthotics that will raise my short leg up. I wonder if these lifts will make me taller and I will actually be the 5’5” that I claim I am. The good news is that this will help my hip and probably (hopefully) my speed. I was also told that I need to get my bike refit because they need to take into account my leg difference. Apparently a new fit will give me more power too. Score.
My sweet mom went and picked them up for me at the doc's and is bringing them with her next weekend when she comes to visit us. The weird thing I that I have had zero hip pain since before the marathon. Maybe just going to the doctor cured me and I dont need these ridiculously expensive orthotics. But they are already purchased and heading to Mexico. These things better help fix me. Or at least make me taller.

How not to ride a bike

This past weekend was another Houston training weekend, and on schedule was a long ride on Saturday. The plan was to get up and head over to a 65 mile scheduled ride with a group training for the MS150. I got up at 5, packed the car and started my hour drive. My mom had been nice enough to print off the directions and walk me through them so i wouldnt get lost. When I got there, I drove around this tiny town for an hour and couldnt find ANYONE! There are normally a few thousand that do these rides, so it should have been easy to spot, especially since I saw the school where we were supposed to meet. I didnt even see anyone with a bike on their car. After an hour I decided to cut my losses and head back home to do a ride on my normal route. I got in about 20 miles when I started to hear a really loud clicking noise. I kept stopping and getting off to check my back wheel but couldnt find anything. Then another guy stopped me and tried to find what was wrong and he thought it was the beamer, and was worried my back wheel would lock up on me mid ride. I decided to get first in line to the store and see if they could quickly look at it. On my way over to the store I heard a pop and hiss. Yes, I had gotten my first flat on my new bike. At least I was on my way into the shop and they could fix that as well. After about 30 minutes and taking apart my bike, the tech said that he needed more time but that it would be safe to ride for the day. They know me well there and know that I only come in town to train on the bike and losing a day on the bike is sort of an issue for me.
So I went back out into temps that dropped quite a bit since the morning, and got in another 22 miles. All of a sudden the sky opened up and it started to pour. I wanted to wait it out a bit, but after about 20 minutes and no sign of letting up I carefully rode home. When I walked in the door I immediately had a breakdown. i was so frustrated that I couldnt ride, and that I came in town specifically to get time on the bike, and it just wasnt working out for me. I had been trying to ride for the past 8 hours and only got in 42 miles. Sensing that things could get ugly quickly, my mom decided to take me to the gym so i could finish the bike there. After a few emails from coach I felt better and realized that these things happen and I have to move on from them. Also, better on a training day than in the race.
Sunday fared way way better. I had 13 miles to do. I went out and basically tried to push the pace until I blew up or puked. Neither happend (although I almost puked a few times) and I hit a 13 mile run with 8:41 pace. Way faster than any race I have ever done that distance. So a much needed confidence boost from the day before.