Stressssssss.....

What a few weeks it has been!  We started out about as stressed as possible, waiting to hear about both my new job and our new house.  Talk about crazy!  I’ve been working on this job for almost a month… did I want it? Did they want me? Was it the right fit? UGH! Then I decided I wanted it and… I waited.  For our house, we had a 5 day bidding war and then… we waited to hear.  We were WRECKS! I felt sick to my stomach most of Monday and Tuesday.  Matt could barely sleep. We were total nightmares.  But, Wednesday brought sweet news. I got my job offer at 11:30am and at 9:35pm, the little green light on my phone showed I had the email we had been waiting for… we got our house!  And all was right in the world.

So, with that, I have been keeping up with my running program, but did not swim last week.  My stomach was really a huge mess.  I also did not go to the gym at all, which just sucks. I really feel like I need a day or two just lifting… hard.  I have been really happy with my running, though.  My times have been great and that makes me happy.

However, I’m suffering from a crazy ass toenail right now.  My big toenail won’t fall off and it is really, really hurting. It has been bruised for a long time (since late February when I hurt my shin during that 20 mile run) and I knew it eventually would fall off. Well, Saturday as I was digging through my closet, it grabbed on something and ripped halfway off, taking some skin underneath with it.  THAT isn’t how it should have come on.  When they fall off, it shouldn’t be traumatic.  When it is, that is when the pain (and, in my case blood and gore) comes. 

So, now I’m in a lot of pain.  Shoes hurt, so I’m in flip flops.  I ran this morning, at :15+ pace.  I am trying to soak it as much as possible then dislodge it more and more, hoping I can work the nail off.  Having it off, will really be much, much better.  While the skin will be so very tender, I think it will be much better than having this nail pushing against damaged skin. 

Race this weekend.  Matt, Dad and I are doing the Marine Historic Half Marathon. Should be a lot of fun.  Poor mom – she will have 3 of us coming in at different times.  If I can get through this toe thing, I should come in around 1:53-2:00 (unless I push some of the miles out, but with the toe going on, that isn’t happening L).  Matt will come in second, then Dad.  So, mom and #3 kid will be waiting around awhile.  Poor things!

I am unemployed Wednesday – Friday, so getting on my bike!!! YEA!! Can’t wait!  Hoping to get out Wednesday and Friday, which will be awesome.  Maybe get in 30 miles on Wednesday and 20 on Friday before a massage on Friday to get ready to RUN!

YEA!

Catching up, tri-ing it

HI! I’m here.  What a lame blogger I’ve been.  Sad because I really have been thinking of turning this into something… Oh, me and my grandiose thoughts ;-).  We are going through a pretty stressful period in my house right now – a lot of really big things/decisions needing to happen all at once and it is really sapping us.  One thing about Hubs and I is that we tend to handle stress together really well. I think it is one of the big reasons I love him.  But this is really getting to us.  These are big, huge adult decisions that really impact our whole family.  And on a really tight timeline, we have to make them.  So, it’s been pretty… crazy.

But, the good news on that is that I definitely have not missed a workout.  I relish my time out as it gives me a very much needed release.  I almost wish I worked out at a different time in the day, later, so I could get rid of the tension, but I know whenever I get to get out and go, I will benefit ~ and therefore, my family will too..

I am halfway through week 2 of my marathon running program.  I researched a lot of programs and chose an intermediate level program (as opposed to a “first time marathoner” one) designed for runners that have done a few marathons.  Yea, I know I haven’t, but I think I would be really bored with the first timer one because of the level I am already training at.  It is a program that doesn’t focus on your TIME, because I don’t wear a watch (though I do get my pace by tracking it on my phone and looking afterward), but distance and intensity. I figure, if I decide to do more marathons next year, I can worry about the whole time thing… back to this being my “intro to being an endurance athlete year.”

I did have a bit of a “yuck” moment last Saturday, though.  My “long” run was a 9 miler and 3 miles through, I rolled my ankle coming down a hill.  If it were during a race, I would have kept going, but after another 2 minutes, I felt it better to abort the run.  I think that was a good decision because it has been just a bit tender ever since.  I’ve run on it now twice and it is fine, but I think not going another 6 miles that day was a good thing.

Next race is a half marathon on May 20 – the Marine Corps Half Marathon.  It’s a fairly challenging course, especially a nasty hill at mile 9.  But, I’m looking forward to the great adrenalin rush!  I haven’t run a race (besides a 5k a little while after #3 was born… ha!) in 5 years! Matt and Dad are running it too.  Feel bad Matt is doing it – he’s only been back off the injured reserve for 3 weeks, but he is going to get out and go!

Swimming is going much, much better.  I don’t dread getting up and going to the pool and find that my endurance is getting much better every time I go.  I think me deciding to not focus on my speed and to make the conscious decision to slow down was such a good idea for me. I know I definitely feel more comfortable in the water and even slowly finishing is better than not being able to finish at all.

The bike?  Eh… I just need to get out on it.  The great, wonderful, fantastic news is that after we get over this crazy time in our lives, Matt is going to buy a bike. He loves to ride and if we can go out together for 20-30 miles, I would love it. Unlike running, I would love to have a riding partner.  And my brother is going to start bringing his bike up when he visits, so the 3 of us can go out together.

I still usually get one day at the gym in, lifting. Sometimes upper body, sometimes loads of squats, and always abs.  It is so important to have a strong core because in every part of a tri, you are engaging your core to push through. 

Even food is going… better.  Not great because I, of course, am addicted to chocolate.  And I really do not intend to change that.  Maybe come June I will because I have two triathlons, one right after the other, but for now? I’m okay.  But I’ve been drinking 100-125 oz of water a day, I’ve been eating 5-6 times a day a good mix of foods, and for the most part, what I take in is pretty good. I’ve finally started to lose some weight, and that is good.  I SHOULD be losing some weight as I am holding on to fat in my butt and thighs.  It is due to how I have been eating. 

Now, I in NO WAY think I am overweight nor am I trying at all to lose weight. I’m perfectly happy with how I look and what I weigh. I am NOT dieting at all. I don’t count, I don’t journal.  I am saying this for those that know my past and that there was an unhealthy period for awhile.  I will tell you that I most likely will weigh equal or less than I did during that unhealthy period by the time the summer is over.  THAT being said, while I lived on bunless hotdogs and coffee then, I eat… and eat… and eat now.  And according to the BMI, I could lose like 20 pounds and still be “normal”. Now, personally, I think the BMI is a bunch of crap because I am a size 2-4 and I’m 6 pounds away from being overweight, so I’m calling bullshit. But my point is, I promise everyone, I’m eating, I’m healthy, and I’m NOT overtraining.  Because I don’t have the freaking TIME!

That’s a long post.  If anyone is on Daily Mile, I’m there, logging my workouts. Find me!