Such a pretty ride today!  Reg and I rode 15 miles this morning.  I am surprised that I am not as tired and I thought I would/should be.  I am not sure I could have done a run/walk afterwards, but I still have a few more weeks of training ahead of me.  This is what I tell myself so I can sleep at nigh.

Running

I used to like running.  Now?  Not so much.  The running training schedule I am following is pretty easy.  I am not exhausted after the workout (I am tired, but not wiped out.)  I am taking it VERY slow to minimize any injuries because of my weight. My intention isn't to run the Triathlon, but to walk the 5K part (okay, if there are any downhill parts, I might run those!)  I do however, want to get to a place where I might be able to run at least part of a 5K.  Some day.  Back to the not liking the running part:  I am not sure what part I don't like.  I do know that I don't like it so much that I start dreading it the night before my scheduled work out day.  Again, it's not too hard, it doesn't hurt, I have good music to listen to, and good round-timer so I can focus on form, not timing myself.  I dunno.  What's up with that, anyway?  I guess what counts is that I just get out there and do it.  Today, I did.  I just got out there and did my thing.  It went fine.  It wasn't easy.  It wasn't all that much fun.  But it wasn't terrible, either.  And I do feel good now that it's done.  It's a mystery, I guess.  Whatev!

Be Warned

Dear Drivers,

I am one of you.  I have been for many years.  I drive.  I get it.  I understand how annoying a person riding a bike can be.  Bike riders aren't going as fast as traffic, they kinda weave and wobble, and they are hard to pass.  I get it--I really do.  But the next time you are feeling annoyed and inconvenienced by the biker ahead of you, here are a few thoughts for you to consider before whipping past them:  

1. They might be new at biking
2. They might have a family that needs them
3. They might enjoy being alive
4. They might want to see the sunrise of the next day.
5. And last but not least:  they might be me or my children.  

So, dear driver, let's put this in perspective shall we?  Let's agree to give every person you pass on a bike today, a little extra space.  You are closer than you think when trying to "quickly pass" a biker in your big. honkin'. metal. tank.  Honestly, you are not as deft, or agile as you might think.

Riding bikes with my kids, I discovered that I have a violent protective streak, more than a mile wide.  When passing a bike rider, drivers come WAY TOO CLOSE.  Some have the audacity to HONK at my children while passing them, because THAT isn't scary or rude at all!   I am glad I don't have a shotgun or rocket launcher on my bike, although the thought has crossed my mind.  (I am pretty sure I could find a niche market for that design.)

So be warned, drivers:  If I am out riding my bike, and you hit me or my children, you had better make darn sure that I am as dead or incapacitated, because if there is ANY way that I can do it, I WILL GET UP AND COME AFTER YOU!!!  Just saying is all...... 

Feeling Better Now

Okay, I think I am over my pity party now.  Whew!  Glad that is behind me.  I swam today.  Outside.  It felt great!  This pool is longer than the pool I have been swimming in, and the extra 5 yards definitely kicked my boo-tay.  So, today I focused on just swimming from end to end.  I didn't count laps, I didn't time myself, I just swam.  And it was good- woot!!!

Maybe I Won't, Maybe I Will

Ugh.  Dark night of the soul and all that trash. Yesterday and this morning I am struggling with despair, fear. and hopelessness.  What if I can't do this thing?  What if I can't finish a sprint triathlon?  My heart medication makes everything harder.  It makes it harder to lose weight, it makes it harder to stay motivated, it makes it harder to get my body to do what I want it to do, it makes me feel tired, it makes me feel like quitting because it's so hard.  And maybe all this hard work is for nothing.  Maybe I just *think* I am working hard and really, I am not, but the medication makes me feel like I am and I am actually just wasting my time, not working towards anything.  I think that's my fear.  That all my effort isn't really meaningful at all, it's just a waste of time.  The two things I would use to judge my progress weight loss, and heart rate, are the two things mostly affected by beta blockers.  My beta blocker won't let my heart rate raise much, which means the aerobic benefit of this training is definitely compromised.  So, no wonder I am not losing weight!  I FEEL like I am exercising a lot, but actually, I am not working all that hard because my heart medication makes my heart not work very hard.  I feel lost.  And frustrated.  And angry.  And hopeless.  Blech!  What to do, what to do?  

Training Slow Down

So yesterday, during my swim my heart started to hurt.  It kinda radiated from the front to the back, or vise-verse, I just couldn't tell.  I called the cardiac nurse, and she didn't seem too concerned.  So, today I will take it easy, and see what's up.  I have an appointment with my general nurse practitioner to see if I can get a cortisone injection in my heels for my plantar-fascias, or however you spell it.  Always something.  I am a little discouraged today- that pain in the back/heart thing makes me nervous and reminds me that 7 months ago I had a heart attack.  Bleh.

Long Ride and Perspective

I finally got a fairly long ride in today- I have been wanting to go for a longer ride, but finding a place to do that has been difficult.  I ended up riding to the marina today- it's exactly 5.5 miles out, and 5.5 miles back.  11 miles total.  I stopped at the marina and had a small snack, then biked home.  I like my new ArmPocket. I keep my iPhone in it, and can listen to music while I ride.  Take The Last Train to Clarksville set a good cadence, LOL!  I'm going to swim tonight for a few laps and see how that feels.  I am hoping to get to go for  an open water swim this week, coupled with a longer bike ride.  Hope I last!