My poor thumb!

Day before yesterday, I took the bike out for a ride. It was chilly brisk cold. I wanted to get it out before the rain arrived. I've been lax over the holidays about exercise. With my foot still not 100% and family coming in an out, it's ready made for excuses...

(this is me sighing and eye rolling at myself while I try to justify my laxity laziness.)

if i could have, i would have thrown my truck.
 i was that angry. never throw my bike,tho.
btw, if you don't read comics, you really should.
the Hulk is AWESOME!

After a few minutes on the bike path, I noticed the tires were low. (who didn't check them before the ride? who didn't bring spares? i may have left my helmet at home, but i will neither confirm nor deny this.) I went back to the truck to pump them up. Except my bike pump, and my spare bike pump, let the air out of both my tires and wouldn't pump them up! I fought and fought with the pumps. I couldn't get the presta valves to seal. I ended up covered in grease and sliced my finger open. I'm not even sure how I sliced my finger open, but I bled all over everything. The fit I threw then was both loud and embarrassing. The only saving grace was it was too cold for any sane person to be riding a bike so no one was around to hear my Hulk-like fit of rage.

Ride over. I went home to put the bike on the trainer (it's too cold outside anyway-- grump grump). I got new tires for the bike this year and kept the old ones for the trainer. I want to get a set of wheels just for the trainer, but it'll have to wait until next season (I am not made of money). Changing the tires would give me much needed practice. Much. Needed. Practice.

If I'd gotten a flat during a race...

It doesn't bear thinking about. I'll have nightmares of being choked by tubes while dancing tire levers poke my eyes out.

The valves on the new tubes sealed up nicely. I got both tires changed, the bike on the trainer and the DVD player hooked up to the TV. Of course, I haven't ridden on it yet...

I'm still recovering from the trauma of a tire change.

Stuck on Snack

I've probably mentioned this somewhere before, but I LOVE Dannon's Oikos key lime Greek yogurt. It's sweet and tart just like key lime pie should be and thick and creamy and delicious like a sinful snack should be. You know the commercial with the 2 crazy ladies who see John Stamos when they eat the yogurt? I don't see John Stamos, but I do scrape/lick the carton until it's clean. It keeps me from ripping into the chips and ice cream sandwiches the rest of the yahoos around here insist on eating. And the 11 grams of protein more than cover the 16 grams of sugars.

I pretend it's vegan, organic, and paleo.
I have the best imagination!

It's my go to snack when I'm stuck at work- like today. Not that I'm being all that productive. It's a rainy Sunday morning and I'd rather be curled up in bed finishing the book I started last night. I just feel lazy. I want to rock on the porch with a cup of tea. Instead, I'll eat my yogurt, watch it drizzle, then get back to work. I'm thinking of it as a willpower workout.

This afternoon, I promised my nephew to fix a few things on his bike. I'll put mine back on the trainer (haven't ridden since Thanksgiving! BAD ME!) and crank out some miles.

Do you have a go to work snack? Do rainy days make you feel lazy?

Doctor Says

Went to the doctor. He said I could start running!(in 3 weeks)

He also said the bone spurs were not going to go away, surgery is still an option but it wouldn't really fix anything, and then he spent about 4 minutes saying I probably shouldn't run without actually saying I shouldn't run. At least my doctor knows me :D

Anyway, I'm supposed to spend the next 3 weeks in "light" activity and trying to gently stretch the tendons in my foot and ankle. I guess this beats cutting and reattaching them.

I solemnly swear to rebuild slowly and do fewer idiotic things.

On a side note, I had to fill out new paperwork with the doctor's office. One form wanted to know my RACE and ETHNICITY. I thought those were the same thing and really, what business is it of the office to know these things. So to this first, I answered SLOW and to the second, I answered HUMAN. The nurse was not amused. She waved 2 laminated sheets under my nose with the only acceptable options. There were a lot of options. My eyes glazed over staring at these ridiculous lists! "It's required for reporting," the nurse insisted. WTH is my doctor's office reporting and to whom? The answers were unclear and I didn't feel much like fighting today. I am HUMAN. We are all HUMAN. There is only one RACE of people, not 3 dozen (That I know of. There could be aliens or X-Men among us. I'm not giving up hope!)

Planning the Start of a Season

Part 2 of my plan to keep my focus while my foot is out of commission is planning next year's races. Winter races are out. Some of my favorite races have been the winter races. The Knoxville Tack Club has a fantastic winter long course series. However, I am going to try to volunteering for at least 2 races this winter. I really enjoy volunteering. My winter plan is hibernating riding the indoor trainer and working on my core. GRRR! Go get it!

The race I really want to be ready for this spring is Rev 3 Knoxville. This time I will conquer the cold Tennessee River. May 6... Five months to be ready. And I don't know when I'll be able to run. And I have no idea when the pool will open (it's closed due to mechanical issues; we can check back January 7). Uncertainty. Life isn't perfect. I can't predict the future. Still, signing up for it :D

The Knoxville Marathon 5K race is April 7. This will be a perfect check on my running. Hoping for a PR! I'll  fit in a pool sprint between the 5K and Rev3 as a transition practice. I suck at transition. But that's another blog post. Three races for the spring, think I'll stop there.

I do have 1 summer race already on the calendar, Amica 19.7 in Lenoir City. I did this race last year and it was the most fun I had at a race all year. Some of my tri friends are doing it again this year it and I can steal borrow a boat and make it a weekend :D Or we could rent a house on the golf course. Have I ever mentioned how bad I suck at golf!

Me on a golf course would be endlessly funny... unless, you're a serious golfer and then you'll probably just want to bury me under the course...

How do you plan your race calendar? Are there any races you have to do every year?

Part 3 Nation's ~ Up Hill Both Ways

I've never been so hungry as when I came out of the water! I ate a honey stinger before I put my bike shoes on. I even sat in the grass to eat, drink and put on my shoes. I needed a moment to gather myself before hitting the bike course.

THERE IS NO DOWNHILL

I admit it. I like to complain. I'm good at it. Of course, Coach Richie says I only complain with a smile on my face so it's hard to take me seriously...

But there was NO DOWNHILL! None, none at all. I was still a bit energy depleted at the start of this ride, but I kept up a good cadence, kept eating and drinking. About mile 6, I started to feel like I had some more to give and cranked up the speed. The course itself was well marked and rolling to flat. There was one section that was a long, gradual incline and on the other side of the road were cyclists going down and I was really excited to get to that part for some free wheeling. Except, there was no free wheeling! What the heck happened to the DOWNHILL! 

I've described routes I've ridden around home as having "no hills." But there were times I was still able to get low and go fast and free wheel. This course I didn't find any of that! It felt like a really long spin class- I hate spin class. My ride wasn't consistent. I would have loved to have a bike computer to give me my stats on this course. I'm still learning when to eat and what gear is most efficient. But as a race, it was my best to date.

Socialcizing!

Before the race, I told Richie I was setting my watch to run 40 seconds and walk 1:25. I was fudging what the doctor said would be acceptable- as long as my tendon didn't hurt. I pre-cut some kinesio tape to apply for the run and tried to get it on like the PT showed me. That didn't workout so well... but anyway, I was feeling all HTFU! I wanted to be done and I was 6.2 miles from a doughnut.

I met this awesome lady, Theresa from Baltimore who decided to hang with me on my intervals. We talked the entire way. I forgot I was "racing" and just ran or walked when the watch beeped. I also remembered to eat my last few chews, sugar really makes a difference! The course was fun, even though I didn't notice any of the monuments. ADHD or exhaustion?

Because I had someone to share the miles with, it didn't feel hard at all. Theresa, if you read this, THANK YOU SO MUCH! The only time my tendon hurt was the last little bit when I decided to run to the finish line for over 3 minutes... My tendon hated that and let me know just before the finish line. Ice and compression socks helped :D I felt great after this race, mentally and physically. Well, after the ice bath and a nap. GO TEAM!

Part 4 ~ Final Thoughts