Ginger Ale and Saltines

That's the mantra this week. Been having some really bad stomach issues and trying to sort out why. In the meantime, it's warm carbonation and as many saltines as possible. Heading to bed shortly so I can swim in the morning again. That'll make three mornings in a row I've been up and out by 6:30.

Grateful for the baby steps of progress. And if my stomach keeps misbehaving, the weight loss will be easy too! Oy...

On the Bus

It's day one of training for Marshmallow Man...which means back to counting calories and making sure I'm only putting good things into my body. And when the alarm went off at 6:15, which used to constitute sleeping in for me, I fought with every part of myself to get out of bed...but I did it, I went to swim and swam a strong 3000 yards. It didn't feel all that great but it didn't feel horrible either. My times were way better than I expected and I know they'll only get faster. The goal is 2 lbs. a week from now until Jan 1st... doable. And then base training can resume at a fighting weight of 140. Hold me to it.

Eyes on the New Prize

Interesting that a year ago YESTERDAY was the last time I posted anything here. Truth is, I haven't felt like much of a triathlete in a long long time. But I went out to Idaho with my bestie to watch her race at IMCDA...and for the first time in a very long time, I want to train again. There was something about the cool air, the healthy athletes, everyone toeing the line to see what they're made of...and I was reminded that I do want my life to include this insane sport.

So it's looking like the long term goal is IMCDA 2012. I've said from the start that I've wanted to do this distance race by the time I'm 40...and who knows, perhaps the 2012 date will coincide exactly with my 40th birthday. I have a lot of work to do between now and then, including spending the next year getting rid of the 60+ pounds that I've been carrying around for way too long. I'm quite sure it won't help me get up those Idaho hills...so it has to go.

Not sure what the posting will be like but I need a break from Facebook and perhaps escaping back to my blog is just the solution.

It's good to be back.

Stay tuned....and train hard.

Channelling Positive Anything...

So I got a good look today at what the next three months will include if I am to finish this design program on time...and it didn't leave me with all kinds of happy thoughts. In fact, it didn't leave me with much happy at all. I feel like I've worked my A$$ off for two years...and there still is SO MUCH that I have to do to round out my portfolio. Crap-tastic.

Swimming is all I'm caring about right now. And I gotta get my run on. The heat is deterring me this week. That, and I'm still really dysfunctional around my sleep habits...every time I think I want to go for a run, I wind up taking a nap instead. Hmmmm. Maybe my natural bio-rhythms are stuck in camp mode and my body thinks that for June, July and August, I'm supposed to have rest hour?

Anyway, here's hoping I can channel the swim energy into the rest of my world. Lord knows I'm going to need all the help I can get...

Oh, and as a total non sequitur: did I mention that I have a new obsession? For those of you unlucky folk who are still unacquainted, meet CIA Agent Sydney Bristow:
























Think I could take Vaughn down?

Got my swim on

My swim times are coming back and it makes me HAPPY!

Today we swam this set twice through for the main set:

200 pull with paddles
4x25 IM order, :30 sendoff (had a hard time making the breaststroke leg)
4x100 on a 1:45

I can feel my pull getting stronger and it was nice to have some stroke work thrown in disguised as an "easier" set. When coach told us to swim the 100s on a 1:45 I kinda gulped because I've been swimming consistent 1:37-1:47 ish 100s and when he said 10-15 seconds rest, I was thinkin...no way, I'm going to be getting 3-5 seconds rest on a 1:45. I asked if 1:50 was a better interval for me and he suggested I just try 1:45, see how it goes. Ok.

Low and behold, swimming 3x/week for the month of June has put money in the swim bank...it's amazing what a little focus will do! I swam all the 100s on a 1:30-1:35 without too much trouble...it was challenging but not so hard that my stroke fell apart...and 10 seconds rest was just enough. SWEET.

Then to finish we swam on a :30:

8x25 with fins and paddles (fast!)
8x25 with just fins
8x25 swim

This was a FUN set...and actually pretty amazing to see that we weren't that much slower swimming than we were with the equipment... really only about a 5 second difference. I love that the tiniest little adjustments make you FEEL that much faster.

The best thing about getting back into Masters swim is that it's been EASY. I was so worried that the 4 years I spent in VT training my body to wake up early early 2x/week to get to the pool would be wasted after 2 years of messed up grad school sleep schedules...that I'd have to start over...but it's been really easy to slide right back into the routine and I don't have to drag myself out of bed because I wake up WANTING to go and feel like I've totally missed the bus if I don't. PHEW. Looks like Triathlete Girl is still in there.

What a relief!

REALLY back in the game...

Whoa, last post was in October of last year. Crazy.

Well, the next 18 days will be interesting as I get ready to venture back into the world of multi-sport at the Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon!! My training pals have helped nudge me in the right direction...and while I've been swimming a lot and cycling since January, somehow I just didn't think I had it in me to race this summer. The heat will be a challenge, along with the run and my current all time max weight (ugh, no one told me about the grad school 20...), but after a grueling almost 4 hour ride in the north Georgia mountains, I'm pretty sure I can pull it off. And if I don't finish, at least I will have gotten up early and toed the line to start it off...that much is sure!

The best development of late is that my favorite outdoor city pool has a masters group and the coach is AWESOME...a lot like my favorite coach up north in that he layers his swim sets and isn't afraid to mix it up a bunch with equipment and focus points. I actually saw a 1:30 today on a timed 100 which I have not seen since leaving VT. Very cool. I LOVE swimming outside and the BEST part is that my favorite triathletes/BFFs have joined me and are now understanding why I've been so frustrated with: 10x100, 5x200, 2x500, ready go. I've finally stopped wanting to throw kickboards. OH.HAPPY.DAY.

Things with grad school are winding up and down all at once. I have one more quarter to slog through and I'll be DONE...alas, it still feels like I'm in the foothills of the mountain that I must climb to wrap it all up by the end of September. I'll get there. In the meantime, anyone wanna hire a jack-of-all-trades graphic designer/illustrator?

Leave as many comments as possible, I need all the comment love I can get to stay on this wave amidst the hazards of grad quarter! But it's so good to be back!

Train hard!

Try as I might, there's been no Tri

(the Blue Ridge Highway, one year ago...)


So I didn't make it out to the Alzheimer's Tri To Remember race despite the fact that my intrepid training partner was a total rockstar and kicked ass. I didn't anticipate the amount of energy I would expend finishing up Quarter #4 at school. It pretty much kicked my ass but I've recovered over two weeks of break and am now slowly (thankfully) easing into Quarter #5. Half way there, folks. Now all I'm worried about is where my next loan check will come from.

I did join the Peachtree Tri Club and have now gone to two swim workouts. It's so much more social than the team I was swimming with prior and it's still at Tech so I'm happy. I've also been riding pretty regularly with a group on Wednesday nights and that's been GREAT. The weather is so so beautiful right now. YUM.

If you want to see what I HAVE been up to (since it's not triathlon) swing on over to th'other blog and check it out! Comment love is always appreciated.

Train hard!!