Stargazers, Overtraining and Curls

Isn't this an amazing flower? It's a Stargazer Lily and I hope to get many of them in the garden very soon. My honey got a whole vase of them from the folks at her work since she's such a good doobie. So pretty. And they smell really nice too...



Had a rough swim yesterday. Ran 3.5 mi. on Monday after mostly resting on Sunday...when I got back from my run, I found myself asking, "How do you know when you're overtrained vs. just tired?" Are they one in the same? Usually I know exactly when I'm overtrained because it's almost identical to PMS. But since I had that going on too...it was hard to tell. My run started off kind of slow but after the first mile I picked it up and it felt good. Deduction: must not be overtrained. 43 miles is a long way for me to have ridden on Saturday...but I felt better on this Monday's run than on last Monday's run so it must be progress. Nope. It wasn't until I got in the pool on Tuesday morning that the overtrained-ness kicked in. We started with 8 x 25 with fins doing dolphin kicks - no problem...felt a little tired but ok. Then coach announced it was freestyle distance day. Uh Oh.

3 times thru of this:
400 free, every 7th length is backstroke - pay attention to stroke counts (n)
2 x 25 kick
2 x 25 swim, stroke count at n-2

The 25s were basically active recovery....

So apart from the 400s being 400s, the other issue is that I've been struggling to keep up in my lane. The two top swimmers are capable of hanging with the fishies if they choose but I'm just as happy to have them stay in my lane because, although it busts my butt, it's good to have to try and hang with them. Well, not this time. They were swimming sub 6:15 400s... on a good day, I can swim 200 free in 3:15...so double that and add a little you get about 6:40 for a 400. Not happening - the two fast kids were lapping me by about the 9th length of the 400. So right off, I wasn't getting any rest after the 400 or any rest in between the 25s. And the tears of frustration that always accompany overtrained were bubbling to the surface - no question this time. So I just put on my fins and made it a "go thru the motions" day...which was really ok. I still had to swim to keep up with them...but it wasn't killing me and I stopped being frustrated. There's just no sense fighting it when your body says enough. So today is a rest day, albeit unplanned, but I'll return to the pool tomorrow morning, hopefully feeling better. And it's supposed to be sunny on Friday so perhaps my Wednesday run will shift to then...it's cold and rainy today. Nice day to curl up on the couch and watch a movie...

Yesterday was also weigh in day and there was no weight taken out of the backpack last week. I'm still on track, although I'm a little disappointed, but it's actually motivating me instead of rendering me defeated. I feel strong and more fit - so maybe my body is just changing shape...the numbers will show next week - I feel sure about it... But I think it was contributing to my frustration in the pool yesterday... whatever, I'm over it...

So since it was doggy haircut week last week, we decided it was Mumma haircut week this week. I have not had my hair cut by anyone other than myself for about 4 years. You see, it's curly...not just curly, super curly...and when it gets scraggly or split ends take over, I just cut the ends off and move on. Well, it was time for a change. So now it's short. And layered. And crazy curly...especially today since it's raining. Here's the outcome....I actually really like it... I need some product education - perhaps it's time to go thru all the TiVo-ed episodes of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. I'm thinkin' Kyan might have some good tips for me...



Hope you all are well and training is strong... be happy!!!