another week gone by

Sometimes I wonder where the time goes. I swear, I JUST did my Ironman... But, you know what - it's been 2 months!

I'm not sure why I was better about blogging when I was actually training, vs now... Maybe because I'm doing or dealing with all of the things I ignored while training so much. Yes, that must be it.

What has happened since last Sunday when I wrote. Lots... nothing earth-shattering, but it seems like more than one could fit in a week...

I had my first Chiropractor visit on Tuesday (last week). It was AMAZING. For someone so scared of the chiropractor I was impressed. He did nothing out of the ordinary. Lots of tests. Some stretching and heat and a few adjustments. Not at all like what I was expecting. It wasn't scary, or weird... actually a lot of similar movements that my PT did.

Best part, he thinks he can help me out in a few visits. After the first visit I was sore. But, a significant amount of tension was gone. Shoulder pain was still there, but minimal.

Today, I had my second visit. I felt a lot better than normal when I woke up. After my appointment, he said I was so much less knotted up. I was 30% better. So, I go back on Friday.

Maybe I will actually get to swim again... sometime SOON!

Why do I want to swim again so badly? I've decided, after yesterday's HELL RUN where I felt my hamstrings ever step because they are so tight, that the reason I did not have this weird sensation while training for IM was because I swam so much and kept my legs loose. Particularly after my long runs. My body needs the swimming I guess..

It also wouldn't hurt with the lack of muscle and new found flab to my arms. Momo and I pondered this as we were running (if you can call it that) last few miles of our 20miler that was actually an 18.7 or .9 or something miler. I was chafing on my armpits. Because they are not as fit as they were 2 months ago. Or, at least that is my theory.

Backtracking a bit.... Wed-Friday Momo & I were in Toronto for work. We were able to do one of our runs Thursday am. 8 miles in cloudy, under 70 temps. It was heaven..... especially considering yesterday, which I will get to in a minute..

After a long day of travel I was home & in bed by 10:30 Friday night. I of course made plans to ride my bike Saturday, which sounded like a GREAT idea until the alarm went off. Too bad the plan involved others that were meeting at OUR house so, there was no backing out of it. Actually, it was a good thing because I got in an almost 2 hour ride.

A much needed 2 hour ride if I really think I'll be ready for this in November.

Saturday afternoon S were out doing errands and decided to go test drive a car for me. I actually already ordered a car, but it wasn't in yet. I was going to get the VW Toureg. I've always wanted a VW, and when they came out with this model, I fell in love. Now that I am self-employed I need to come up with a lot of tax help. Buying a new SUV is one of them. As long as it meets the 6000lb criteria. Which the Toureg did.

I test drove the Toureg a couple months ago, and found out that getting what I wanted was actually not that easy. I don't like brown interior, especially with my dogs.. and I want all the hoopla that comes with a lot of them... for a pretty penny of course. So, a dealership found one that was being built and quoted me a great price for getting it in. An oral agreement, if you will.

The thing that I was uneasy about wast he interest rates they were offering. We all know they suck in general right now, and VW was not offering any special financing for this particular model.

There was also one other thing... The plan was for me to get a smaller SUV, and shortly Shane would by the larger, a Toyota Sequoia. Well, some things came up and we realized S wouldn't be getting the Sequoia for a couple years so that left us with a smaller SUV, and still 3 70 lb dogs. Not easy to travel with.

So, I decided I would give the Sequoia a shot. We stopped at the dealership, drove it and then we were out the door with it, deal closed 4 hours later.

You know what the funny part is. They gave me a trade value for my 4-Runner without even seeing it! That's how random this purchase was. We didn't even drive it there, we had Shane's car. We are just now taking it to them today. They better not try to pull any funny stuff!!
So, here is my new car! It's huge! It's nice... and I love it!

Sunday we went over to a friend's house for a BBQ. It was a lot of fun, although I was a total party-pooper. While everyone else was busy livin it up, I was the DD, or designated boring person rather. I had planned my long run with momo for Monday, thinking that the party was Saturday, not Sunday. With the heat we've been having, and past experience, I knew all I could allow myself was a glass of wine. Have you ever seen the girl at the OUTDOOR BBQ drinking a glass of wine while everyone has tequilla shots & beer? Yah... that was me.

HOWEVER, I must say, I made the right decision. Not only was I able to get S & I home safely (he enjoyed himself, that is for sure), Monday was nothing less than BRUTAL.

The run started at 5am. Momo, Baxter & I headed out in the dark. It was dark, windy and 92degrees. We were all panting away. At mile 4 it felt like mile 10.

At mile 7.5 I ran out of water and we hadn't met up with Shane yet who was coming to pick up Baxter and refill our fluids. We met him a few minutes later. I'm not sure Baxter has ever been so excited to END a run. That boy never gives up. But, he jumped in the car like he was running for his life.

We didn't plan that well, cause we thought Momo would have half her pack left and didn't leave any to refill, and my new set of fuel belt bottles were frozen. So, we ran a half of a mile further and got MORE water. I drank a 20oz bottle in less than a minute. It was so refreshing....

Around mile 12 things really started to go bad. We were drinking and drinking.... and neither of us felt like it was doing anything. We didn't have to go pee. We didn't fill refreshed. We just felt HOT and THIRSTY. We started to think of plans to shorten the run. They only thing was, Shane had left us more fluids at an intersection around mile 15.5. 3 hours later, we finally got there.

Ok, maybe it wasn't REALLY 3 hours, but it felt like it. There on the corner of Shea and 130th, I plopped my sweaty butt down on the concrete and started refilling my fuel belt. M filled her water pack. Then we realized we had a half frozen gatorade and 2 half frozen waters. We were not willing to give these up yet. There was also a baggy of ice that I threw in with it all. I placed that in my bra top to keep my cool.

So, off we went across the street. In total carrying about 100oz or more of fluids. We walk ran like we did in Ironman. We came up with a strategy to make it to "this" street, or "that" fence.

We started being mean. We would see a runner out with NO water, trotting along, like we were standing still. We would deem this person "not a REAL runner."

There were also a few "not a real cyclist."

Good thing we were both wearing our M.Dot hats.

We finally got about a half a mile away from home and walked. My HR remained in zone 2 while walking. My face was purple. Momo's hair looked like she just stuck her finger in a light socket from the wind. We finally made it home, jumped in the pool, and finally felt refreshed.

S came out of the house and said he was about ready to come get us. Baxter was also roughed up. He wouldn't eat his dinner. He was limping. I had chills and a headache all day. I lost 4.5lbs during that run. I NEVER lose during exercise because I drink so much.

Oh, and there was a HEAT advisory yesterday.

Needless to say yesterday was spent on the couch, trying to rehydrate for me. It actually worked out ok being that the dogs had been left alone most the weekend, and well Shane wasn't exactly feeling spunky after his day of fun at the BBQ.

It was one of those epic runs. Those runs that you just do what you can to get through. A day when you realize how lucky you are to have a training partner and friend. A day where you realize how strong you are and how you just have to dig deep and get to the end, whatever that may be.

Comments

momo said…
as miserable and hot as it was, it was still ok cuz you were there with me and laughing with you is way better than slogging alone. :-) here's to one heckuva (i'm trying not to cuss) great race at st. george and many, many more. if we an get through monday's run, any marathon we choose to do will be CAKE. mwa, my friend.
Di said…
ouch! glad you took a day to rehydrate- on the couch! ;)
Also glad to hear your Chiropracter visits ar helping with the shoulder pain. Very glad!
Carrie said…
Momo told me about the misery. When I was driving home that day the temp in the car read 51degrees. I was a little sleepy so I pulled off to the side of the road to get some air and it definitely was only 51. You guys need to come here and train!
Benson said…
Nice post. You sound as if you're in off season? I wish I could run forever like you and Momo.
keep it up and stay cool.
Andra Sue said…
Yikes! Be careful out there, girlie. Glad you got rehydrated and are feeling okay again. :-)

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