Mother's Day Workout Weekend With a Dose of Good Mental Strength Training

Not that I dreed weekends since Ironman training, but, they are a different beast.  Monday's are not as bad as they used to be....I kind of look forward to them!  Saturday was scheduled with a 4 hour bike and a 5 miles run. I was a little nervous about the training, but got myself out of bed and was ready to concur the time in the saddle.  We met at the Moraine State Park bike rental at 8:00AM.  It was chilly, but better than expected.  Before we left the parking lot, I couldn't get unclipped and down I went.....first fall of the year.  Last year was my first attempt at using the clipless pedals.  (I have no idea way they call them clipless pedal's when clearly you shoe is attached to the pedal!).  I had a pretty large learning curve, falling on 50% of my rides!  I got new road clips and have been fairly successful until Saturday.  After the slow-motion fall, I picked myself up, brushed myself off and started the ride.  (Luckily I had long pants and a jacket on.  The wounds would have been worse). Off we went on the 4 hour bike ride.  It was a beautiful ride through the farmlands.  I decided about an hour in, I really did love my bike.  It has been a love/hate relationship for the past year.  I have gotten stronger, which makes life just a little easier!  I had a great ride until we got a tad lost......Laura said we didn't get lost, we just didn't end up where she thought we were going to!  Our ride turned into 4 1/2 hours.  My body was done at 4, but I had no choice but to make it back to the car!  It was good mental strength training.  Suck it up and go!  The 5 mile run was great until the half way point,  Then my stomach was not feeling the love.  Once again, had to make it back to the car.....another good mental training run! My recovery chocolate milk did make it better!

Since Sunday was Mother's Day, I thought it would be nice if Bryan and I went to Pittsburgh and run/ride the trail at the Point.  A nice flat 10 mile run!  10 miles should be a walk in the park....RIGHT??  Well, I guess my fall took a little toll on my hip.  It was a fairly flat 10 miles, but it was not pretty.  Once again, it was a good mental strength training day!  I did happen to catch some of the bike race that was in the city.  Took a little break to watch some sweet bikes and riders cross the finish line!

A late lunch at Pamela's was worth the pain!  Blueberry Pancakes ROCK!!

Clare made it back from the Kentucky Derby about 5:00PM. I  just had time to take a shower and a little nap before her arrival.  She got me the best Mother's Day gift......a Lilly Pulitzer dress in the "10 speed" pattern.  See picture below.  Check out the bikes in the pattern!!  I have loved Lilly for 20 year!  I never knew they made a bike pattern.  She searched all the vintage Lilly sites to find me a dress!  I may need to sport it at Ironman!  She also got me the Hangry sign (see picture).....I guess she has been warned about my HANGRY issues.

I took an extension on my Mother's Day weekend and went to the quarry to help with a group a students from Slippery Rock University that were getting their SCUBA certification. It was great to get in my dry suit and get under the water!  Diving has taken a back seat to triathlon training, but I still love the sport.  Diving is my yoga.  It was great to work with the students and catch up with all my dive buddies.  I did get a 30 minutes open water swim in after the 2 dives.  The water temp at the surface was 61, so I was a little chilly, but I got it done.   Another mental strength training session!   

My Count Down Clock Must be Broken

Autocorrect

Best ever Ironman training autocorrect!

In Funk, Out of Funk

The Spring is never a easy time at the Stevenson residence/business.  Work is endless and trying to get all the training in seems impossible.  On top of everything else, I had some sort of eye issues in the pool.  Felt like something was in my eye, but I couldn't seem to get anything out.  After a trip to the Faster ER and 4 eye doctors appointments, they still are not 100% what was going on.  I'm leaning towards a chemical burn from the defog I was using in my googles.  After the eye issue, I started to have debilitating headaches during a few swims and a bike ride.  They would come on very sudden then ease off a little.  The first one, I thought for sure that I had an brain aneurysm and was going to die at the Butler YMCA pool.  If I am going to die at a "young" age, I would like to be at the Ironman.  Just a request.  After a trip to my doctor, he ordered an MRA.  Had that today.  I'm sure everything is fine.....after googling and researching headaches with exercising, I decided I was NOT going to die.  I was in a really bad migraine cycle and it caused exercised inducted migraines.  Lucky me!! Who needs to go to med school when you have google! 

My training went down hill from about mid March to mid April.  Seemed like I just keep getting slower and more fatigued each and every workout.  I thought that this could be it......I'm not cut out to do this...what the hell was I thinking...I must have been crazy to sign up for an Ironman!  Encouragement from both Shari, Laura and Joella helped me through my funk. The past week I seem to be back on track.  Work is still busy, but it is not as overwhelming.  Plus, the weather is warm and we have headed outside to ride our bikes! 

First long ride of the year was accomplished on Saturday.   It was great to get out of the "cave" and ride in the sunshine!  I am differently a different person on the bike from last year, but I have a long way to go.  I unfortunately witnessed by first bike accident and unfortunately, it was Kevin.  It happened in slow motion.  Fast downhill, a sharp turn, a dog in the middle of the road and a guard rail.  It was not pretty, but it could have been so worse.  Kevin ended up with a broken pinky and some stiches in his arm.  I know I will always take that bend extra slow and watch for the dog!  I did do my good deed of the week.  A lost dog came limping down the road while we were waiting for Shari to come back in the car for Kevin.  He was sweet, older poodle that was overweight and seemed lost.  Luckily, Sammy had tags on and I called the phone number listed.  The family answer and they were out looking for him.  I waited until they found me and Sammy got to go home! They were very gracious.  I'm sure they will pay it forward at some point. 

Well, it is almost time for a glass of wine.  I have a 26 hour break before my next workout!  Going to enjoy every minute of recovery!  Cheers!

You Know When You're Training For an Ironman......

You know when you're training for an Ironman and your husband takes you for a test drive in a fancy new car and you fall asleep in the back seat.....whoops!

Ironman Meltdown #2

Let me first start by saying, I love pizza.  I always have and I always will.  I am a foodie, but every once in awhile a cheese pizza or McDonald Nuggets and French Fries are the most delicious thing in the world!   All day Wednesday, I was hungry.....started at 2:00AM.  There was not enough food in the house to satisfy my needs.  I had a 2000 yard swim in the morning and a 90 spin class in the evening.  Bryan said, "Let's get a pizza after spin class".  Well of course I was in for a thin crust, cheese pizza!  I was not about to turn that done!!  Tommy, our new employee started spinning with us.  He road with us to the YMCA after work and of course was joining us for pizza.  On the way home (after a killer class) I was on the phone talking to an elderly friend of mine.  Bryan ordered the pizza and I didn't think a thing about it.  All I knew was Tommy wanted pepper and onions on his.  (Let me back up one minute and say that when I'm hungry, I eat a half of a large pizza myself.)  Bryan went in and picked up the pizza and I never thought anything of it.  He put it in the back and away we went with the smell of delicious, hot pizza in the car.  We get home and the pizza comes out of the car and into the house.  Two boxes......one large and one mini.  Well, a mini cheese pizza was ordered for me!  BREAKDOWN #2 started to occur!  "Really!  He ordered me a ________ ________ _______ mini cheese pizza? You are got to be ______ kidding me!  Did you really order me a ________ _______ mini cheese pizza after a 90 spin class with a hour swim earlier that day?  You got to be ________ kidding me?  I don't even eat the _______ ______ crust!!"  It was not pretty to say the least.  I was beyond HANGRY!  Bryan then proceeded to get on the phone, order me a 2nd  mini cheese pizza and go and pick it up.  When he got to the pizza place the guy ask him if he dropped the first one.....he said, no, it just wasn't big enough for my wife....I think Bryan learned his lesson......and Tommy got a lesson in 'happy wife, happy life!

200 Days and Counting

200 days from this minute I hope to be on the bike course at Ironman Chattanooga. Time is flying by!  We have been so fortunate to have had a mild winter to get our long runs done outside! The Ironman Gods have been looking upon us!  Training has been positive overall. Other than some sort of eye issue and a few aches and pains I have been a pleased with my progress. The only thing I have not been a fan of is my growing thighs. I know it is muscle, but still not a fan!  

Here's to 200 more days of training and 200 more glasses of wine! Cheers!