Post Ironman thoughts and activities…or lack there of

It's been just over 2 weeks since Ironman Canada, and after a weekend of laying around on the couch and stuffing my face with (more) chocolate and (more) wine, I'm feeling so much better!  Now, instead of worrying about some nagging pain, soreness or post IM injury I just keep thinking how fat I'm going to get cause I haven't stopped freaking eating!!

Rather than bore you with my last 14 days of activities or lack there of,  think one of my A.D.D. bullet point posts will suffice.

• I still can't get over my race.  No matter how many times I'm asked about the day, or my highs and lows, my answer is still the same.  It was a PERFECT day.  I still pinch myself thinking about how amazing I felt the entire time.
• I'm still shocked that I'm an 11hr Ironman finisher.  And, not an 11hr IMAZ, or IMFL or another flatter, faster type course, but the infamous IM Canada.  
• Instead of back pedaling and thinking "woulda, shoulda, coulda" done this or that differently, I find myself in unfamiliar territory thinking "Can I really….. do XXX or X?"  It's a scary and exciting place to be.
• This is the first time after an Ironman that I have no nagging pain, or injury.  Am I finally becoming more durable?
• My friends tricked me after a couple of glasses of wine into saying I would do another marathon and try to BQ.  Those bitches are mean and older than me and don't have to run as fast and forget that I've retired from stand alone marathons (twice).  Somehow I still love them (the friends, not the marathon).
• I can't stop eating (or drinking) sugary stuff.  I'm beginning to wonder if my body is having power gel and gu withdrawls, thus forcing me to go after the chocolate (dipped in PB), open another bottle of wine or have a nice cold blue moon with an orange slice on pretty much a daily basis.  
• I'm desperately trying to at least have natural alternatives to my dove dark chocolate (dipped in PB), by stocking up on as many fruits as possible.
• I ate an entire mini watermelon yesterday.  I tasted like heaven.  Much like it did when my body refused to take any more forced gels in at about mile 20 in Canada so I switched to watermelon.  
• Every time I've done an ironman I've ended up having something different "save me" during the run.  The first year it was pretzels, I believe.  The second time chicken broth, 3rd & 4th oranges WITH cola and this time, watermelon and lots of water.  Weird.
• Speaking of peanut butter (always on my mind), when I went back to Costco last week I found that my beloved Kirkland natural peanut butter has been replaced (again).  Can't they just leave it alone.  The verdict on the new one is still out.
• Just like the thought of living without peanut butter, I'm not sure what I would do without my super magic seaweed pills, e21.  I've been using this product for about 18 months now and find myself feeling stronger and stronger during my longer workouts.  Today, I actually had some twinges of cramping in the pool (NEVER happens to me), then when I followed it up with a Kinesis class one of my quads started to cramp right away.  I popped two pills and immediately felt relief.
• Yah, I went back to Kinesis today.  If my crazy ass friends think I'm going to run a marathon then I have to get my glutes and inner thigh muscles stable for all that stupid running.
• I really do love running.  I just fear injury.  I'm so not going to be able to walk normal tomorrow after that class. 
• I've already been getting the random snarky comments about not resting enough, or recovering or wtf am I doing out on the group ride Saturday already…
• It's amazing how people think after ending an epic race you should totally just stop being active and get fat and be a drunk.
• I think I'm handling my recovery and bender quite well thankyouverymuch.
• Don't worry, I don't take these comments too seriously, I've been on that end of passing my judgement on others too - it's hard to not be a hypocrite about this stuff I think.  I'm slowly learning.
• I may have pushed the effort a bit too hard on Saturday, but I counter acted that by sitting on my ass the rest of the day, as well as all day Sunday watching movies.  
• God Bless Netflix and my love for indie films that don't really make it big, thus end up on netflix.
• I do think that I'm starting to enjoy racing more and more and I think it really helps with the mental aspect of really RACING, not just participating.
• That said, I'm racing in 2 weeks at our local club championships.  It's a sprint.  I don't think I have any sprint muscles in me, but it will be a lot more fun that racing for 2.5hours in 100degrees so I'll have to find a fast twitch muscle somewhere.
• I also am pretty sure I'm going to do the race that every year I say sucks and I don't want to do it, but yet I've found myself signed up for it four times.  The first time I DNS - I had IT band surgery.  The second time was my very first half IM, it was epic.  My third I DNF - sick as all get out and was coughing so hard I was puking on my bike at mile 8.  4th was a hot hot day, last year.  PR but not a pretty race.  So, this will be my 5th time racing Soma half IM.  5th was the charm in the IM distance, maybe I could have that for this race too?
• Really the training is just an excuse to keep fitting into my clothes since I'm losing my job at the end of the year and haven't found a new one yet to replace my income and let me go buy any fat clothes so really isn't that motivation enough?

Nuf said'