Hot Hot Hot

Sunday is my triathlon.... do you see the predicted temperature?  Well, at least it won't be cold getting into the water at 7:00 a.m.  The running portion will probably be the walking portion for me.  And I will carry water.  

I am excited about the race.  I feel much, much, much better.  And I appreciate your well wishes... thank you.  That accident was scary, and I am having nightmares about it, but I think I am on the mend.   I got out and rode my bike yesterday and today I will run 3 miles for the first time since the wreck.  

Here is the most amazing thing to me:  Remember when I said I was done with long distance running?  Well, now that I have stopped for a while, I LONG to get out and do a 10 mile run.  I really miss the mental state you get into when you are running for a long time.  So I found another half-marathon I want to do.  My daughter just rolls her eyes when I tell her this... she rolled her eyes when I told her I was done running and now she rolls her eyes when I tell her excitedly about a half-marathon I want to do in September.

It is the Boulder Back Roads Marathon and it just sounds wonderful.   Have I lost my mind?

Another Setback

A week ago today I was in a very serious car accident.  Riding in a fast car with a man.... something that has gotten me in trouble more than once... this time it was on a mountain pass, he was going too fast and lost control of the car.  We ran into a concrete wall at probably 40 miles per hour.  We really should not have walked away from the accident, but we did.  I was in some pretty bad pain this past week.  I think I am on the mend now.  

I have a triathlon in a week - I know I can do it, but it just might not be pretty - or fast.  But thank God I know I can do it.

I haven't worked out since last Saturday.  I will be able to get back to it this week.  

Word from long lost blogger

In my other blogging life I just forget about people who don't post regularly.  My behavior on this blog is very different.  I have been doing some soul searching about my fitness regimen and have felt like I am being a whiner when I post about it.  I  think I have it pretty well worked out now, so I will tell you what I have come up with.

Here's the big confession:  I weigh too much. I am fit, but just too big.  I have gained weight in the last year.  I find it very difficult to train for a half marathon and eat sensibly at the same time.  This weight has impacted my performance I think.  I think it is why I am so freaking slow.

So - (oh, how I loathe to write this) I joined Weight Watchers again.  I am a lifetime member (since 1988) and it never fails to work for me if I just try to stay reasonable and not get too crazy with limiting my intake of food.  I have lost 5 lbs. so far, and hope to just keep plugging along. If I were to lose a total of 20 lbs., I would be ecstatic.  If I lost 10 lbs. I would be pretty happy and maybe that happiness would keep me motivated.  

I still want everyone to know that I am still 30 lbs. down from where I was in 2001.  Just so you know....

I went to the gym and ran on the treadmill 12 days ago.  I suffered terribly for that.  My sciatica was practically unbearable.  I have spent a bit of time in traction since then.  I have also been walking.  And biking. And swimming.  Yesterday, I took a little 2 mile run and was fine, so I have hopes that my triathlon on August 3 won't be a total disaster.  

This morning, I drove down to the lake an swam for 25 minutes.  Then I hopped on my bike and rode for an hour.  It was good.  I felt good and I feel good now.  

I have a full day ahead of me and better get on with it.  I will visit your blogs tonight or tomorrow.

Thanks for reading all of this...

Back in the Saddle (sort of)

That's a picture (through an RV screened window) of an Alaskan sunset - at 11:45 p.m.  And it still doesn't get dark after that!

After I wrote on Tuesday, I thought I just have to force myself to work out whether I want to or not.  I dragged my good bike to the bike store to get a few things done to it, and then hopped on and went to the lake.  I took my first open water swim of the season.  Heck, it was my first swim of any kind since last year's triathlon.  Then I hopped back on the bike and went home.  

On Saturday, I tried to run for the first time since the June 21 half marathon.  This morning after church, I took a 10 mile bike ride and a half hour open water swim.  I think the swim was approximately 750 meters, but no one seems to know what the actual length of the swim lane at the lake is.  

I think I have some decisions to make.  

1.  me + distance running does not = a fit Mary.  Really.  It just doesn't.

2. If I want to run faster, I am going to have to run shorter.

3. I can do that seriously on the treadmill... Oh NO! Not the Treadmill!!!

4. I really could walk as fast as I am running right now, and I would actually enjoy that.

5.  I can swim and bike and actually enjoy that. 

6. Maybe I can focus on the bike and swim training for my tri and let the chips fall where they may for the run portion.  

I could go back to what I was doing before I got bitten by the half marathon bug.  I was running about 40 or 50 miles a month and felt fantastic!  I was fit and much, much slimmer than I am now.  I have done nothing but gain weight since I started distance running.  

What to do?  

Back Home Again

I got home from Alaska yesterday.  I was gone for too long and I am very very grateful to be home.  I have not worked out once since the half marathon on June 21.  Yikes.

I have a triathlon in a month, so I need to do some serious training on the bike and in open water.  I thought I would get out there today, but I feel crappy and it is raining right now.  In other words - I am lacking motivation.

In the past, when I have really been motivated for training, a little sore throat, headache, running nose and some rain would never stop me.  

Where do you get the motivation from when it is gone?