Barely the basics

Yesterday I decided to try and swim a lap of freestyle. What a fucking disaster that was. Frustrating!

My shoulder rotation is still an issue and my strength is nearly zip. I forced myself to do a handful of painful laps since the best thing for this screwed up shoulder is to get it moving and stress it a bit.

Super bummed that my stroke is still not there. Grumble...grumble.

Miami 10-Miler

Today I was scheduled to run 10 miles as part of my Saturday Long Run. 10 miles...alone...in a city I don't know well. Now this was going to be interesting.

I mapped my route --- a straight-shot south from my hotel on 48th street and down to the inlet passed 1st street and back. Luckily I had a great path --- the Miami Boardwalk and the Promenade along Ocean Drive.

Here's a pix from the lovely boardwalk that runs from 46th Street to 21st Street.

Overall, it was a good run. The back-half felt especially good which was unexpected. The only trouble was my shoulder. It's still nagging me. Around mile 7.5 it really started to ache. No amount of stretching or wiggling seemed to help. I just had to gut it out for the next few miles.

I'm proud of myself. Running 10-miles is tough to do alone. Luckily I had this great view and some good tunes to motivate me along.

Pumpkin Pie for Breakfast

On Thanksgiving morning I found myself surrounded by 4,600 runners in Miami's Tropical Park lining up for the Miami 10k Turkey Trot.

My dad, brother, sister-in-law and friend were all signed up to run --- everyone but me was tackling the distance for the very first time. Very exciting!

Overall, it was a good run. I paced my brother to finish his first 10k. As usually I felt a burst of energy and speed as we were a mile and a half from the finish. I felt myself starting to pull away (insert Chariots of Fire music), but then pulled back to get back in line with my brother. He was doing great, but I could here his breathing beginning to labor and his turnover slow.

In no time we were racing toward the finish.

In short order my Dad was coming into the finish and had surprisingly ran the whole race! Nice job for someone who hadn't trained and planned to walk the distance.

Nice job RunMiami. You put on a very well organized race...and the pumpkin pie at the finish line was a nice touch.

Pinching, poking & stretching

That's a lot of what of what happens when I show up for my appointments with Allison at C.O.R.E. That and I'm learning a lot about how the body works.

Physical therapy is no joke!

Aside from the homework I'm supposed to do on my own three times a day, when I'm with Allison we work on waking up my shoulder --- muscles, tendons, nerves and whatever else is in there.

My official diagnosis is commonly called an avulsion with frozen shoulder. Basically I fractured part of my shoulder, caused internal damage and time spent in the sling has limited blood flow through my muscles and around the cup-like structure that encapsulates the rotator. Limited blood and movement causes everything to stiffen and tighten --- including my nerves. The result is that it hurts like hell to move my arm in certain directions.

I like to think --- use it or lose it --- and that's what's happened to my shoulder.

After three weeks of PT I've definitely noticed a positive difference. Hopefully I'll be in even better shape in three more weeks.

Allison recommends living my life since there's nothing I can do to "break anything" --- but I can do things that will cause significant pain. I just keep doing stuff to continue testing what that boundary is for the day and hope that the boundary keeps moving until soon I'll be back to "normal."

Just like old times

To help get myself motivated and to make sure I'm getting in my weekly mileage I started using the treadmills over at One-to-One a couple mornings a week before work.

Talk about old times. Walking into One-to-One is like walking into your old hometown ---- clients and trainers who have been there for years and who have been following you on your fitness path. It seems right that I found my way back to One-to-One.

It's great to get the workouts done early since trying to do them after work seems to be more challenging. Being the energizer bunny first thing in the morning isn't too shabby either.

Quest for 26.2 Miles

For the last two Saturdays I've found myself gathering my things and back in familiar surroundings --- Georgetown Running Company.

After 9 weeks of inconsistent training the idea of going out and running 8 miles and then 10 miles the subsequent week was a bit terrifying.

The good news is that I know I'll be in good hands with the DC Road Runners and it was very nice to see so many familiar faces --- granted most were coaches vs. trainees!

For the last two weeks the coaches
have been checking paces and soon will be posting the "official" pace groups and associated coaches.

Well...I know that there won't be much question as to where I'll be. I'll be in the dead-last group. Interestingly, the last pace group is running their Saturday Long Runs at a 10:45 min pace --- which I find interesting to be SO far back in the pack!

The majority of folks are in the 9 and 10 min mile groups. I'm lucky that there are a couple stragglers like me who are enthusiastically covering the tailend of the training runs. Bonus that there are a number of coaches who are lingering around us and keeping us company.

As much as I know that this isn't a race and that there's no shame being in the back it's still tough and frustrating. Mostly frustrating to see how much fitness (and toning!!!) I've lost since the accident.

The good news is that I'm well on my way to getting back on track and closer to tackling the marathon.

And it begins

Marathon training that is. I know...how can you train for a marathon when you're still going to physical therapy twice a week.

The answer is two fold --- first I can't stay this inactive any longer. I'm going stir crazy and I'm starting to pudge up. Second, I really want to tackle the marathon distance --- at least once and since I missed Marine Corp I figured this time is as good as any other.

With that in mind the first day of the DC Road Runner 20-week spring marathon program started this Saturday. Since I was out of town I had to knock out 6-miles on my own.

Luckily, I was able to hook up with the HipAHAs to tag along for part of their 12-mile Saturday long-run. Yay!

We headed north on Coastal from Fenwick to Bethany. It was a classic brisk, but sunny fall day --- but with 25-30 mile an hour winds out of the north. There were a couple gusts that had some power to them and I was fighting to stay straight. I'm convinced we were leaning forward into the wind for three miles. Now that made for a challenging few miles. Overall I was thrilled with my pace and was able to chug along the whole time.

It's been nine weeks since my bike wreck and though I've vacillated between full-on pissed off and resolved to just dealing I learned an interesting fact while cranking out my 6-miles.

I THINK the reason I was supposed to deal with this shoulder setback was to help me reconnect with why I like training and how much running has been a key component.
I started all this madness with a challenge to myself in 2009 to tackle the Army 10-Miler and it was through running that I discovered a whole new and wonderful world.

What's the old saying, "absence makes the heart grow fonder?"

Recharging

This weekend I found myself at the beach cheering on my niece at a softball tournament.

I just love the fall...it's still close enough to my favorite time of year (SUMMER!), but a wonderful time of transition.

Each day I found some time --- not as much as I would have liked if I can be totally honest --- to walk down to the beach and speed walk along the sand. I'm still a few weeks away from jogging so I'm doing what I can to keep my blood pumping a bit.

There is something wonderful about stashing your shoes on the dune, walking through the deep sand, feeling the sand between your toes, and cruising along the shoreline as the waves crash and the foam creeps up to touch your toes.

I could seriously keep walking...and walking to the sound of my favorite soundtrack courtesy of the ocean.

Refocused

Over the last two days I've started to be more focused on training again. Never fear that I'm ignoring doctor's orders to reign it in until officially cleared. Instead I'm harnessing my "I'm pissed off I'm not training" into finding safe ways to keep training. My goal is to come out of this forced IR as strong as possible.

It's funny how being a tad pissed off can get you refocused.

I've discovered that a 45 to 60 minute high incline/high resistance elliptical workout can kick your ass. When you add in a 10-15 min pilates-inspired ab workout you are golden.

Bonus that I think the increased blood flow is actually helping my busted shoulder. I've noticed an improvement just in the last couple days.

Hmmmm...maybe there's something to this pissed off/focused thing.

Just a little green

It's really unavoidable..it's the season. It's that time of year when everyone is out getting the last bits of training in before some big race. I'll admit that I was a little envious as I watched runners jog by me this morning. And maybe that's the point of this imposed time-out. It sure does make me miss my old activities and want to get back out there. Being sidelined blows and spending this much time talking about it is getting lame.

Just a little off balance

So one thing about having a busted arm is that it throws your balance off. I'm not exactly sure how much of it is legit vs mental.

It's enough of a big deal that I'm very cautious walking up and down stairs. Basically I've turned into an old person who's nervous about breaking a hip.

So when I finally decided I was being ridiculous...I fell down the stairs. Seriously. Luckily it was only the bottom half and the stairs were carpeted, but I did slam right down on my busted arm and landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. Let me tell you that hurt.

The good news is that it doesn't feel any worse, but I definitely felt the impact reverberate up through my arm and shoulder.

As I was laying at the bottom of the stairs all I could think was, "why me????" and after a few tears I just started laughing hysterically. Yes, laughing, like a crazy person.

Life's funny like that. Just when you think you have something figured out you trip over your own feet and find yourself lying in a heap. I'm not quite sure what the logic or rational could be, but maybe that's the point...there is no point or maybe this really is all part of some lesson master plan. Either way I'm trying to learn and accept that there's really nothing much I can do about it other than laugh, pick myself up and keep shuffling along.

Give an inch...

Why is it that when you know what you're supposed to do sometimes you just don't do it? And friends...I'm here to tell you there's a price to pushing it too far. Meet Pain and his friend Exhaustion.

After the ortho said on Friday that I should work on being in my sling less over the coming weeks I don't think he imagined I'd spend the next 48 hrs working out, going to tailgates and partying it up.

On Saturday I found myself: doing a Glut workout on the elliptical machine, a pilates core workout and I went to the Terp/Mountaineers game w/o my sling.

By the 4th quarter I was in pain and dead tired. Obviously the day was too long and contained too much activity. My main issue was that life w/o my sling meant that folks kept banging into my arm (OUCH!) and I ended up not being as careful about what I was doing --- like holding a drink and attempting my feeble clapping. I actually think my lame clapping was my downfall. Too strenuous.

As a result, when I got home I popped some pain meds, whimpered my way to bed and crashed.

On Sunday we had every intention of chilling and getting organized for the work week, BUT at 9am we got a call that two SKINs tickets were available. We quickly got ready and headed to the tailgate.

The good news, this time I wore my sling, a couple beers took the edge off and I was very careful with excessive celebration.

I'm still worn out, but at least I was able to get out-and-about this weekend.

Here's to being more responsible, so that I heal properly and quickly.
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Survey says?

Why is it that more often than not when you go to your doctor's office to hear some sort of important news there always seems to be a delay getting to the punchline.

First, you wait in the lobby. Then you wait in the exam room. Then other folks come and go. Then the doctor comes in and then leave and then comes back again.

This was my afternoon appointment.

Let's do this in the reverse order. The fantastic news --- NO surgery or likely rehab. Yay!!!!!!!
As I waited for the ortho to review my MRI images in another room --- I decided to go through my written file and read what the MRI folks said b/c of course after hours of pouring over internet research I am now a medical intern.

What did catch my eye was a reference to image #14.

Soon enough, the ortho was back and we were all looking at mysterious image #14 on the big screen.
Apparently in addition to the small chip on my arm there is some strange shadowing on the ball of my shoulder. As the ortho explained it to me ----

• My outer core is intact and looks strong (the chip is below the ball)
• The shadowing confirms that there is some mushiness and weakness inside the core --- similar to if you punched a honeycomb. Main piece would stay intact, but inner combs would be messy.
• 4-6 weeks of rest; in and out of my sling is the recommendation --- with an emphasis to get out of the sling and be a little active, but within reason and never straining my shoulder w/o proper support.

I am psyched!

Mom (my official chauffeur, partner-in-crime and medical buddy) and I decided to celebrate by buying an obscene amount of wine, cheese, crackers and fancy chocolate.

I may not be 100% today, but we have a plan. Watch out...I'm coming back stronger than ever.

Just like the pros

When I saw how tore up my forearm, knee, leg and hand was after the bike accident we did a little research on how best to care for these wounds.

First, we learned that hydrogen peroxide may not be as good of a friend as we assumed. Apparently it can be harsher on your skin when used regularly.  Second, I used tubes of neosporin to keep everything clean and drying up.

Third and most importantly, I used these cool "second-skin-like" bandages that keep everything tightly covered, but also allow the wounds to breath. They are called Tegaderm...and they are AMAZING.

Lots of rave reviews from cyclists on The Tour who said it was great for road rash and other gashes.
After 10 days, my wounds look fantastic!

Everybody's working for the weekend

Against family member advice and The Husband who remarked, "Are you sure? You really don't look good"), after five days at home I thought it only fitting to try and get back to work --- with the expectation that I can always leave early if it becomes too overwhelming..

Knowing that it would take a lot longer to get ready I set my alarm two hrs earlier than normal. Imagine doing the following w/ only one fully operational arm --- with some assistance::

. Showering
. Cleaning and rewrapping my leg and arm wounds
.Make-up
. Drying/styling my hair (this was quite impressive)
. Finding a work appropriate outfit and finding a way to get into it

After succeeding in these tasks I was off to work. Now mind you, I was now very tired and a little loopy. Maybe this was not such a good idea.

All in all, it was an ok day. I managed my day and only once felt a bit sick and tired. I resolved that problem by canceling my conference call, locking my door and lying down for a little while. Nice!

I also decided that walking up/down stairs was not a good idea since my equilibrium was still a bit off. I had nightmares of falling down the stairs and breaking my other arm. Now that...would really suck.

After a full day at work, I'm pretty much whipped. To fully relax this weekend and ignore that Nations is happening The Husband decided a trip to the beach house is in order. Sounds good to me.

T-minus 30 minutes to launch

That's how I felt as I was positioned in the MRI machine this morning --- but more on that in a bit.

What is totally baffling is that I spent my childhood aggressively playing numerous organized sports (soccer, swimming, tennis and volleyball) and was always hanging out with kids whose regular conversations went something like this:

• "Wanna build a ramp out of boards or snow and jump our bikes/skateboards/sleds over them?"

• "Wanna pull me behind your bike while I hold on to the seat while I'm on my skateboard?"

• "Wanna race down the street on our bikes while I sit on your handlebars?"

• "Wanna go exploring in the park/woods/creek?"

• "Wanna run around the neighborhood playing a monster game of flashlight tag?"

• "Wanna climb those fences/trees?"

In all that time I may have skinned by knees, but I never got seriously injured --- and yet later in life this old bag of bones seems to be a magnetic for injury. Figures.

So back to my Mission to Mars that's a courtesy of this bike wreck.

If you've ever had the pleasure of having an MRI you know what I mean. After removing every piece of jewelry and donning a lovely hospital gown I shoved ear plugs in my ears, got positioned on this sled-like bed and was rolled into position.

I kid you not, I felt like I was heading to the Moon w/o the proper training or gear.

The loud buzzing and beeping took some getting used to, but somehow I just closed my eyes, kept very still and in a way meditated to the sound of those buzzes and beeps. In no time the 30 minutes was up and I was heading out the door with my CD full of cool looking images.

Unfortunately, I couldn't convince the tech to tell me anything. I'm just going to have to wait until next Wednesday to learn the results. It's like discovering your Christmas gift early, but you can't figure out how to effectively open the box to see what's inside.

I'll take a Dark and Stormy

Even the most positive person has a down day and I think it's only to be expected that today is the day I was wallowing and feeling sorry for myself.

Today it rained from morning until night --- dark and storm and dreary. I've basically been stuck in bed since Saturday, I haven't gotten any physically activity since then and it is clear I won't be racing at The Nations Triathlon this year.

Today was also the day I headed to my orthopedic surgeon to discuss my busted up left arm. You may recall that the folks at Beebe Medical called me yesterday to insist that I see an ortho since after the fact they saw what appeared to be a chipped bone on my film.

After another painful and restless night that required painkillers to induce sleep, I was starting to feel beat down. The news from Beebe only helped to push me further down.

With all this as a backdrop I arrived at the doctor's office. After another set of x-rays --- and let me tell you the pain of getting that updated film was kinda awful --- it was clear that I had chipped my shoulder. Who would have thought that what appears to be a minor bone chip could cause this much pain!

The doctor then did a series of strength and flexibility tests to both my arms.

The good news --- I was stronger and had more range than he would have expected.

The bad news --- during a resistance test he was concerned with my performance and level of pain as I brought my arm back down into a neutral position. This plus the location of the chip gave him concern that I may have damaged my rotator cuff --- a much more serious injury that would require surgery.

Whaaaat???? F-ing surgery?! Now the thought of that freaked me out.

I'll find out more tomorrow after my MRI and follow-up with my ortho.

Now the danger of the unknown and having more time than you'd like to think and analyze is that you can start spinning...and that's what happened tonight.

All the "what if's" and "why me...again" started racing around --- all completely unproductive time sucks I might add. Though, I do wonder what lesson all this is intended to teach me. I've had my fair share of "coming back from adversity" stories that I would hope that I've sufficiently learned those lessons.

Given how far I've come to train for Nations and my other fall events, I have to admit that I am crushed at the thought of losing my momentum and separately missing out on the opportunity to compete, but obviously there is a reason for all of this b/c I just can't accept that life is just this f-ing random.

So after tonight --- or more realistically tomorrow after I hear the prognosis --- I'm shutting down this pity-party and harnessing my energy in a more positive direction.

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Grumble Grumble

Let's start with the good news first.

1. My cuts and scrapes continue to look a lot better. I've been warned that the road rash can look worse before it gets better, but it still looks better than expected. A little ooze never killed anyone...right?

2. I woke up to find my parents at the front door with a care package full of food for the whole week and some fresh groceries. I LOVE my parents. It was so good to see them.

3. I decided to get some extra rest and stayed home today.

4. Some of my left arm's range of motion continues to improve. Yay!

Some bummer news ---

1. I've been feeling really tired and it's not a product of the pain-pills. It's really frustrating to swing from feeling pretty ok and then being so tired you can't keep your eyes open. It seems as if I can be up for 2-3 hrs before crashing for 1-2 hrs. It is a terrible cycle.

2. Trying to get comfortable --- esp at night when it's time for bed --- is pretty awful. I feel like The Princess and the Pea.

3. I keep getting email updates from The Nations Tri since the race is days away. :(

4. The biggest bummer is that at 5:30 this evening I got a call from Beebe Hospital notifying me that a specialist reviewed my ER file and believes I have some fractured/chipped bones near my shoulder. As a result, I need to see an ortho ASAP. This totally makes sense since my shoulder almost seems worse.

Again, I could be dealing with so much worse but it was a bummer to get that call.

To end this post more positively I'll note that folks have been wonderful and very supportive. It really helps to have folks check in, the offers to help and making me laugh. If I think too hard about all of this then I'll just get bummed out.

I should own stock in Neosporin

It's day three and I continue to see improvement. My road rash is drying out, which means it's itchy and a bit oozey. Lovely.

My deeper cuts are healing nicely as a result of bathing them regularly in Neosporin and keeping them covered. Check out the front of my left leg and the back of my left arm....looking so much better!


[Front of left leg]



[Left forearm]

I'm pleased to report that though my left arm muscles still hurt like crazy my range of motion is improving. I may grit my teeth, whimper at times, throw out a few curse words and move as slow as molasses, but I definitely notice improvement. I'm still not able to extend my arm fully to the side or lift it above my waist --- but that's a heck of a lot better than 48 hrs ago!

My goal is to not only rest it, but also keep getting blood in there by carefully but regularly moving it. Move it or lose it I say. I've noticed that the result of trying to be "active" is that I get really tired, really quickly. Note to self...don't over due it.

As time goes by I continue to notice little things that remind me how bad this crash and the related slide was and how freaking lucky I am. A few new observations:

. While taking a shower I noticed that the bottom of my platinum wedding band and engagement ring have noticeable scratches and dings from sliding on the asphalt

.  More bruises have appeared on the right side of my body --- legs and arms --- where I must have slammed on top of the bike.

. The tape on the left side of my handlebars is torn/sliced away from the sliding

. The front of my aerobars are deeply scratched from slamming into the road

. The side of my left tri shoe is scratched up from the sliding

. Looks like my bike's back rim is twisted from the wreck too

All minor things, but in totality a little freaky.

I know that the goal will be to get back out there as soon as I am physically able. I am not going to let this incident hold me back and will continue to ride hard, but this experience will ensure I continue to ride smart.

The Day After

A day after the accident and I'm definitely feeling sore and tired.

My wounds look better due to regular and intense cleaning. Here's a pix of my left hand. It looks way better, though you can't see all the scrapped pink road rashed skin. It may be painful...but at least it's healing. Let's just say that I have my own mini-pharmacy set up in my room with drugs, creams, tape, bandages and gauze.

I've also noticed some soreness on some of my fingers. Must be where my fingers got jammed during the fall. I'm also starting to see more bruising on my legs and arms where I'm guessing I slammed against the bike during my fall.

In all seriousness, I'm most concerned about my left arm's range of motion. I am confident that it will be better soon...but it sure is frustrating right now. It really hurts like crazy.

I'm learning to do a lot of things one-handed, though I doubt I'll be blow-drying my hair or getting fully dressed on my own for a little while. Oh well...better just build time into my schedule in the morning.

I slept a lot today. I did force myself to get up, take a shower (I've mastered the one-handed shower) and get out b/c I couldn't stay in the house any more, but that resulted in getting tuckered out pretty quickly.

I keep rethinking the accident and wondering what I could have differently. Obviously I could have been further away from the cyclist in front of me; I could have not looked back that second time to check on the advancing cyclists; I wonder if I really did have enough room to somehow safety shift slightly to the left and around Diana before the other cyclists were in range...at the end of the day...it doesn't really matter --- but this is the shit you think about when you're sitting around wishing you were playing outside.

Here's to hoping that every day continues to bring noticeable improvement!
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Guardian Angel

As I was laying face down partially in the northbound lane of Coastal Highway this morning there was a split moment that I thought, "this could really be bad." Thankfully I had a guardian angel looking out for me.

This morning during a group ride I had a freak accident with another cyclist that resulted in a lovely trip to the ER. The good news is that I've continued my streak of never breaking a bone and other than some painful bruising, some gnarly looking cuts and road rash I'm really no worse for wear. As the doctor said in the ER --- it is incredible that I literally walked away from the accident.

The story goes that I hung back and decided to help out a fellow rider, Diana, who was new to cycling. I guess I can't help myself. I remember the frustration of being new, trying to understand all the bells & whistles and feeling frustrated. I've also greatly benefited from the kindness of others and I truly believe in the adage that you should pay things forward.

As we tackled the Indian River Inlet bridge (which is terrifying at times) we celebrated our success by rolling along toward Dewey Beach to meet up with the rest of our crew.

Diana was a bike length or two ahead of me so I could watch her and give her some pointers. As I turned to check out who was coming up behind us I noticed that two rockstar triathletes were gaining on us fast. I yelled out to shift to the right to let these folks pass. As I looked back again to check their position I didn't realize that Diana had correctly shifted right, but had also slowed. As I turned my attention forward I now was in the dangerous position of being too close and my front wheel was now dangerously too close and parallel to her rear wheel and pedal.

I made a split second decision that meant that I would take my chances trying to recover myself vs. probably saving myself from serious injury but likely taking Diana out and causing her harm.

I was able to slow, but given our speed and proximity I ended up going over the handlebars. Though some of this is still a blur I've pieced together that:

• As I tried to slow and maneuver to safety my wheel got a bit too sideways. and I went over the handlebars

• I wasn't able to safely unclip in time

• My forearm and then shoulder slammed into the pavement as me and my bike fell back to Earth

• I then started sliding across the pavement still tangled up in my bike

•. My helmet and sunglasses saved me from a serious head injury and facial lacerations (looking at the scratches on my helmet and across my left lens I am immediately aware how bad I was sliding)

• I stopped sliding partially in the northbound traffic lane of Coastal Hwy

I remember hearing someone scream, "Roll out of the road! Get her out of the road!". I soon realized that the two rockstars who were behind us quickly were on the scene and took charge.

I yelled out that I couldn't roll or even move myself to safety. I now know that it was the shock, I was a bit out of it and the pain was incredible. I (and others) initially thought I broke my collarbone or shoulder.

One of the cyclists carefully rolled/pulled me out of the road, while the other grabbed my bike. The woman gave me a quick medical assessment and we were glad to discover it wasn't my collarbone, but getting a set of x-rays would be imperative.

I'm not gonna lie --- I was bleeding, I was scared, a bit in shock and I was in pain. The left side of my body took the brunt of the crash and it just hurt. My hand, forearm and leg were bleeding and felt raw. I could feel the blood dripping.

Someone had the sense to grab water bottles and start cleaning all my wounds. Folks took off their bike socks and used them to stop the bleeding. A guy stopped and gave me three Advil. The most creative thing was when Diana tore her own pants and made a sling for my arm.

As we waited for a ride to the ER I was again impressed and grateful for all the people who stopped to offer assistance. I was also grateful for Diana --- she kept me laughing and stayed with me the entire time. I was even more touched when Diana placed her hands on my good arm and said a beautiful prayer asking that God watch over me and ensure that I was kept safe.

Luckily, soon enough we were headed to the ER where I learned that I had again escaped serious injury --- no broken bones, no stitches. Not to minimize the situation, but I literally limped away just with some soft tissue bruising/damage between my left shoulder and elbow and lacerations on my hand, forearm and leg.

I'm on IR for at least a week and racing at Nations is likely not in the cards this year. Though I am disappointed I know that I've worked hard this summer toward my fitness goals and I don't need an official time to confirm that I am a winner and would have crushed my PR.

Most importantly, I am so very grateful for the guardian angel who was watching over me today and for having the chance to take a potentially horrible situation and making a very good new friend.

Of course...least I forget...how's my bike?! I haven't done a full assessment yet, but I think considering the day she's had...she looks pretty good. It's likely I have a bent back tire or something like that b/c the rotation feels off.

All in all I am one lucky chick.
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Shake Rattle & Roll

There's a reason I didn't move back to Southern California --- and it's not really just the traffic. I'm not good with natural disasters that are considered common place. Similar to how I would find it hard to live in the hurricane or tornado belt.

After living through Hurricane Isabel and her path of destruction that caused my house to temporarily be condemned, the last thing I wanted to deal with was an earthquake --- and a 5.9 at that!

After dealing with the moment of stress associated with the quake I was later grateful that I brought the Cannondale to work and was able to knock out a 35.86 mile ride at Hains Point after work. While cars were cramming the streets trying every which way to just get home I was zooming along heading to my favorite loop. The monotony of the ride on a beautiful summer day was just what the doctor ordered.

Now...off to track the path of Hurricane Irene as she marches her way to Florida, up the Carolinas and eventually to the Eastern Shore beaches. Lovely.

Predictability and control

After the husband got home from a 14 hour flight from Hong Kong and eventually passed out for the night I found myself with enough time to make it over to bikram yoga. After three sessions I still wasn't sure how I really felt about the class, but was still intrigued enough to show up. Apparently I wasn't the only one since the room was packed --- including 10 newbies. Must have been a coupon in the paper or something. I settled into the middle row and prepared for class.

I think I figured out what I might enjoy about the class --- aside from the energy, cleansing and free detoxing feeling after class --- it's the predictability. I know that sounds strange, but there is something to be said about practicing something consistently and watching your improvements each session. There is something about the repetition and consistency that is kinda relaxing and calming.

It is interesting that in four sessions I have seen a pretty significant improvement. I'm not sure if it's a product of having done some flow yoga this summer or what, but I look around at the newbies and others with my same level of experience and they seem to be really struggling. Obviously this is no competition, but it's hard not to notice people falling out of poses while you seem more consistently planted and calm.

It would be fabulous to take at least one day a week and devote it to some form of yoga practice because it feels good, I hope that it will limit future training injuries and most importantly --- it's centering.

Checking the box

During a recent run I was chatting with some friends about everyone's favorite topic --- dating and relationships. While they were talking about likes/dislikes and the challenge of on-line dating b/c it has a tendency to reinforce a checklist mentality (btw...SO true!), I was immediately brought back to May 20, 2008 and a conversation I was having in a restuarant in Miami. It's funny how the oddest things trigger a memory.

I had just attended my brother's wedding and a few days immersed in the Miami scene. I was remarking about how intriguing it was that I had never felt so invisible. Now mind you, I have a pretty outgoing personality and am ok walking into a room full of strangers and having a pretty good time --- but in Miami I would walk into a club and it was as if I didn't exist. It got so funny that at one club I was afraid that once I stepped out of the fancy VIP area I wouldn't be able to get back in with my group. I literally went up to one of the bouncers guarding the door to have him look at me before I left to make sure he would remember me when I returned. I am seriously not kidding.

I am here to tell you that that night had everything to do with a checklist...and at that time in my life I definitely wasn't on the list. I was going through a tough time and was the heaviest I had ever been...and in Miami...I might as well have had leprosy. To top it off...I had a case of being too preppy. Preppy girls do not fair well in nightclubs in Miami.

Interestingly, instead of being devastated I was just a little hurt but more fascinated by how I was treated...and it was pretty consistent. Folks would literally look right through me as if I didn't exist. I was the same person...with the same winning personality...but didn't fit in to what folks expected.

Since then I notice how people treat me differently depending on how I look. Some might say when you feel good about yourself you're more confident and being more confident can lead to a more positive reaction. I think there is some truth to that, but I do think that's only part of the story.

Now I'm no angel. We all use checklists, but I like to think that my checklist is a lot more flexible as a result of that night in Miami...and surprisingly I'm grateful for the lesson.

PR-ed my 5k today!!!

[Post race --- I am a sweaty mess]

I must preface this by saying I'm not a fast runner. I lumber along, I don't look elegant, but I am happy to just be out there getting my heart pumping.

With that in mind I was hoping to use this morning's 5k in Dewey as a fitness test. Though I am thrilled with my PR --- 28:28 minutes (9:09 min/mile) I am bummed that I wasn't 100%.

I foolishly wore a pair of shoes yesterday at work that tore up my left heel. Just call me a slave for fashion. As a result I've been hobbling around and even drove w/o my left shoe last night to the beach. Good thing my car's not a stick shift.

Anyway, I taped it up, added three heavy duty bandages to my heel and delicately jammed my foot into my running shoes this morning. As I limped to the starting line I already had decided to just see what happens. Worse scenario --- I stop and turn around or try and limp along.

I'm not exactly sure what happened, but it's as if I passed this pain threshold and was able to just focus on the task at hand. I just wanted to "do this" and didn't give a shit about the consequences.

I felt good out of the gate. I really felt confident out there.  My first mile pace was in the 8-minute+ zone which is beyond stellar for me! I faltered a bit from mile 2.25 to 2.5-ish. I was hurting, hot (man was it humid and the sun was brutal) and scared I was going too fast so I slowed down. I swear...it's all mental for me because I still felt relatively strong.  After seeing my time I'm bummed that I didn't keep up the intensity because if I had I would have broken the 9 min/mile mark.  Oh well...just another goal.

Anyway, I just put my head down and continued to focus on passing people. Me...passing people!  Hilarious!  I had been passing people throughout the race and felt good that even toward the back-half of the race was passing people here and there.  Go me --- Though having a group of 10-year olds sprint pass you didn't feel so good.

As I rounded the second to last corner I decided to turn the jets on full blast, open my stride and sprint hard to the finish line. It was a "wheels-coming-off-the-bus" feeling, but what did I have to lose --- other than tripping over my own feet and falling into a heap just shy of the finish line?  Luckily that DIDN'T happen.

As soon as I caught my breath at the finish line I carefully removed my left shoe to reveal a painful mess. Nothing that some air, hydrogen peroxide and some neosporin can't cure...right?  Anyway, I walked around w/o one shoe and caught up with the HipAHAs. Yay!!!!  As of this evening I've got another blister courtesy of the run...but it does look "better" than this morning.

The great news --- I PR-ed!!!!!!

The good news --- I gutted it out. [You can do almost anything for 30 minutes, right?]

The bad news --- my heel is very angry with me.

Shuttle Shuffle

There are a handful of cities I absolutely adore --- San Francisco, London, DC and of course NYC. This morning when my alarm went off at 4:00 am I was reminding myself how much I love NYC. I was on the 6:00 am shuttle to LGA due to a last minute conference call that required me to shift to the earlier flight.

Since I needed to get some bike miles in this week, I planned to ride at Hains Point upon returning from nyc. This sounded awesome in theory, but at 4:00 am and under the cover of darkness as I packed my gear in the car it sounded ridiculous.

As the day ticked away and as I shifted from meeting to conference call to walking the halls of our nyc office I was really looking forward to my ride and hooking up with some DCRRC dudes at the loop.

Unfortunately my plans blew up when I missed my flight back to DCA. Boo!

The good news was that I hopped another flight and as luck would have it the pilot got us in early. Yay! As I de-planed I almost gave him a high-five....but that wouldn't have been appropriate.

In 2 and a half inch heels I motored through the airport and to my car. I zoomed over to Hains Point and was running to change in no time flat. A group of dudes parked in front of me thought the whole thing was hilarious. What's the deal with dudes being so easily amused anyway?

I was able to get a few good loops in before it got really dark and luckily I had my blinky light.

One reference point --- as the sun goes down the bugs come out and when you're on your bike it's inevitable you get a little protein snack on the backside of the loop. G-R-O-S-S!
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Pump it up

Without my regular bootcamp insanity I do worry that I'm missing out on the strength training that's helped to stress and improve my muscle development. I'm so used to pushing the limits --- especially my core and arms.

I've been doing some band work on my own and unfortunately I don't think the hot yoga is giving me what "I think" I need.

So --- it's good that I've set aside one day to do strength training with the Snapple kids at J's. I thought today's workout was pretty spot on. Not exactly sure what the difference was as opposed to last week's workout. I think we were all a bit more serious today and as a result got more stuff done.

Before our workout I got some time in on the treadmill. J's treadmills are super nice and bouncy. Definitely feel a little spoiled on those things. I ran relatively comfortably and controlled. I was able to sing along with my iPod and I felt myself positioned pretty close to the front of the belt. My old trainer would have pumped up the speed and told me to stop slacking. My only excuse is that I didn't want to get tuckered out in advance of the main workout.

Simililar to prior seasons I have one toenail that just is never happy running. This left second toenail seems to be in a permanent rotation of looking fabulous, going through some stress, getting a small blister and then eventually falling off. Now that's very hot. It doesn't matter the sock, the shoe, using Glide (though I do think it helps a bit) or loosening my laces --- it never fails that this toenail is just on constant suicide watch. Oh well...it's been nice knowing you.

A tad excessive

There are times when you just have to admit that you've gone too far and I'm here to tell you that I've been there...and then some this weekend. You be the judge.

Gold's
This morning I met a friend from the old neighborhood for a spin and core class at Gold's in Rockville Town Center. First of all, there are some serious athlethes in that joint. The spin class was amazing. My friend told me that I would love the instructor and she wasn't wrong. We killed it for 60 minutes. She played great music, did not let up the intensity, had a good sense of humor, loved long walks on the beach...wait...that's someone else. Seriously, best quote of the day was, "You are all athletes and we are going to work out like serious athletes so let's go!"

Right after spin we shifted to the next studio for a very intense 30 minute core class. I wasn't sure what to expect, but had been warned that it would crush me...and...mission accomplished. I was a puddle after class. Unfortunately since I was new they put me toward the front...which didn't really make sense to me. The "good news" was that one of the crazy fit instructors was taking the class too and was working out right next to me. She basically coached me through all the exercises that I wasn't familiar with. Nothing like being exhausted and having a free personal trainer analyzing each if your moves. Didn't she realize that all I wanted to do was take a nap on the mat...and not do side planks?!

Hot Yoga
Since the deal is that it's preferable to take your second class within 24 hours of your firs class tonight I headed back to the Takoma Park studio for my second hot yoga class. I'm still not sure about it.

The good news is that tonight's instructor was really good and I liked her a lot better than the guy last night...even though she seemed to be obsessed with eagle abs.

Tonight's class was Super crowded. Me and my new Indian buddy grabbed mats in the back and prepared for the class. I still can't get over the heat --- 105 degrees, 60-80% humidity and sweating through 26 poses. Surprisingly I think I am fairings much better than the other newbies who seem to have to take regular breaks. I definitely was challenged at times and at one point I realized that my fingers were starting to wrinkle as a result of the moisture. Now that just doesn't seem right.

I think I might be one of Those folks who prefers a more flow/power class vs. all this sweating.

There really should be more hours in the day

Talk about packing it all in. Today was all about reconnecting and trying new things.

Running
In the morning I headed out to meet the ATM training group out of Georgetown for their Saturday Long Run. It was so good to see folks and to get back into running more regularly.

We did a 7-mile out-and-back on the familiar trails along the Georgetown waterfront and Rock Creek Park. What a beautiful day. Though I was a bit apprehensive about the run it actually wasn't bad at all. I took it slow and chatted up my fellow runners. At the halfway mark I was surprised and even contemplated continuing on with those running a 10-mile route...but that would just be nuts.

On the way back I picked up my pace...but then came upon another group of runners and started chatting with them. Notice the trend?

After the run it was great to catch up with friends before heading home.

Roosevelt Island
On my way home I heard that folks were hanging at the island with their dogs so I detoured over to hang out for a little while.

I haven't been to the island in awhile --- though I seem to drive/run by it frequently. It really is beautiful. I ran along the trail to meet up with folks and I wondered if I could get into trail running. It would be a nice change of pace --- but I'm so klutzy that I fear what might happen so scratch that idea.

Birkam Yoga
After working with Rhonda over the summer I wanted to try and keep up with yoga. I really do love it. I've been looking into local options and its a bit overwhelming. There are so many studios and styles.

I decided to just start trying different styles and maybe locations too --- so tonight I visited the Birkam Studio in Takoma Park. I've always wanted to try this hot-yoga thing and for $29 I have an unlimited 7-day pass to the studio.

Before class I met a really nice Indian lady who was showing me the ropes which was super helpful.

Aside from the sweltering heat, it was very different from the more flow style that I'm used to. The good news is that the poses and transitions seemed familiar so I didn't feel lost. I even got a few complements from folks who were surprised I was new. :)

I'm not exactly sure what to make of the instructor. He was a splash of cocky, confident, helpful and dictatorial all wrapped up into one. It was odd. After class I still wasn't exactly sure what to make of him. Maybe I'm just focused on the fact he called me "Pinky" during class b/c he didn't know my name but noticed that I had bright pink painted toenails.

Anyway, there were some really nice people in the class and I plan to go back at least 2-3 more times to determine what I think of the style and studio. My immediate reaction is that I liked it, but I think I liked Rhonda's style better. We'll see what I really think by the end of next week.
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Me Time

[View from my park bench.]

I think that most Washingtonians can agree on one thing --- we all have a tendency to take advantage of our lovely city. We don't mean to, but it's easy enough to say, "oh, we'll do that another time."

In contrast, hordes of tourists regularly descend on our city visiting the sights, taking in an exhibit and snapping pictures of everything they encounter.

So, when my lunch date fell through I picked up a sandwich and walked the three blocks to Lafayette Park. I grabbed a shaded park bench and enjoyed a quiet lunch while I watched the world go by.

The Park is great for people watching --- govt-clubbers, interns, tourists, bikers, runners, skate boarders, protesters and little kids meeting their working parents for lunch on the lawn.

On a day like this, Washington is almost perfect.

We Be Jamming

Tonight after work I headed over to Hains Point to get in some extra miles on the bike. I had planned to get in a good ride the night before, but I got wrapped up talking on the phone and as a result was only able to get in part of my ride before the sun went down. I didn't want that to happen again tonight.

I hauled out of work and to Hains Point just in time to experience life in the last lane --- or riding with the DC peloton! My goodness they are a big group and fast. It was just like a scene out of Breaking Away. I could hear them buzzing behind me; they swarmed all around me; then they dropped me. For a solid five seconds when I was riding with them I felt wickedly cool.

Overall, the 32.20 mile ride was good. I added some speed work again on the backside of the loop.

I was feeling a little off tonight. My right upper arm is still very sore (from what...I have no idea) and I was feeling a bit drained. I realized mid-ride that I have not been eating enough and it was obvious when my calf muscles started to cramp up.

A couple stories related to drafting.

First, during one of the sprints I linked up with three riders who were speeding along the backside of the loop. I got on the last riders tire and was amazing by how much pull that created.

Second, during my last "work lap" I decided to stop being lame and just jam down on the pedals. As I was rolling I felt off and thought maybe there was something wrong with my bike. As I took a peek over my shoulder I saw that a chick had tucked into a spot right behind me.

Now that pissed me off because I have to expend enough energy to haul my own ass around the loop and now I was pulling her around. I whipped my head forward and just starting jamming on the pedals to see if I could drop her. We ended up racing around the loop in this tight formation. It was awesome!

After the loop I slowed, she rode along side me and thanked me for the pacing. I found out that her husband races with a team and she gets out whenever she can to ride. She encouraged me to check out the Greenbelt Race Series on Wednesday nights. She said I was fast enough to hang. That was good to hear and an interesting event to check out. She said it's mostly dudes, but there are a handful of chicks.

She was fun and pushed me...no surprise that I got her contact info and plan to include her on ride meet-ups in the future.
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il dolce far niente

As I'm flipping through the channels I came across the film adaptation of Eat Pray Love --- at the exact moment when Julia Roberts' character is taught the meaning of "il dolce far niente" --- the sweetness of doing nothing.

The Italians have it right. There is an art to just being and enjoying the quiet/simple moments...and oh how sweet it is.

il dolce far niente!

Re-entry

It's my first day back at work and I am grateful that it was completely uneventful. As a result I was able to head over to Tidal after work for their Monday night Snapple group strength training class.
It is incredible how long its been since I've been in Tenleytown.

Unfortunately I didn't get there early enough to really get a good run in on the treadmill before class, which was a bummer. I really wanted to get in 3-4 miles.

Overall it was a perfectly fine workout. I wasn't bored and there was some challenge, but definitely not the same challenge as a morning with HipAHA. That's a bit of a bummer. Makes me feel like I should go home and do a bit more to make up for the missing intensity. I'm used to feeling more spent and I'm definitely used to doing 2/3-a-days.

It's a bit of an unfair comparison --- the duration is different and the workout is completely different.
Regardless, J's class is back in the rotation and I'll be back next Monday night.

Chlorine Sunday

This morning I woke up with every intention of running, but my legs were feeling a little sore from yesterday's bike and the humidity was climbing.

Instead I decided a date with some chlorine was in order. I headed over to my old reliable Fairlands Aquatic Center. As usual I had the place basically to myself since the joint doesn't start rocking until after noon-time. The only bummer is that they set the lanes up in 25 meters to expand the number of lanes vs. Olympic. Now that is a bummer b/c (1) I hate to count laps and (2) I lose motivation when I have to do so many flip turns.

I decided to use the Snapple swim worksheet to follow one of the workouts. I decided to complete part of Endurance workout #17, which included:

*150 free warm up
*6x75 KDS with catch up drill
*1x500
*1x400
*1x300
*1x200
*1x100
*200 backstroke kick
*100 free cool down

I ended up getting too tired to complete the 2500 meter workout and made some modifications and cut the workout short after the ladder set.

It was interesting that throughout the workout I was very fixated on the comments Kevin made during my stroke analysis. His commentary was running through my head throughout the workout which was good and helpful.

DC really is biker friendly

There was an article on MSN this morning about 10 US cities that are considered biker friendly.

Drum roll please...and number 10 was Washington, DC!

I can see that. The city, in particular former Mayor Fenty, really pushed to add bike lanes throughout the city, brought major events to the city (running, cycling and triathlons) and the rental bike/share program has really taken off. I can't tell you how many red rental bikes I see regularly cruising around town --- and there's even a rental stand in front of my office!

Here's a picture from my ride yesterday. When I left Hains Point I cruised up to check out the new Pennsylvania Ave bike lanes --- and let me tell you that they are very cool. Wide open and well marked. There are even traffic lights for the bike lane.

Good job DC!

Go big or go home

[Pix taken with my Blackberry while riding.  Impressive!]

Often I commit to things that are so much better in theory --- and today's ride was exactly that.

Since The Husband had to geek-out at work for a few hours in advance of his trip to Hong Kong I decided to grab the Cannondale for a spin at Hains Point.

That little spin ended in an epic circular adventure --- 42 miles of loops on the 5k and 10k loop. Kinda cool and kinda stupid at the same time. That's how I like to roll.

After a 5k warm-up I started doing six VO2 max intervals on the backside of the 5k loop. It felt good to crush it. I was amazed to max out at 27.6 mphs during the second interval. That is my fasted yet! It was all downhill after that --- maxing at 23/24/25 mph respectively.  Still very happy with those numbers.

I cruised around after that to just get the blood pumping and to get some miles in.

At nearly the three hour mark I was starting to get really hungry and my legs were getting tired. I headed into the club house for some snacks and as luck would have it I struck up a conversation with a couple who live near me! I was impressed with the epic adventure they were on --- riding for 5-6 hrs through MD, DC and VA. Very impressive!

When I finally abandoned Hains Point I headed up and around tourist central (White House, Washington Monument and Smithsonian).

My city is really spectacular...and I was thrilled to finally have an opportunity to use the Pennsylvania Avenue bike lanes. They are awesome! Good job DC!

All good things must eventually end

So Friday has come and gone...which means that I packed up the truck and headed west.

To say that it was a sad day was an understatement. I had such an incredible experience. --- meeting wonderful people, trying new things, training hard and just living a more quiet and selfish life. It was heaven.

It was the last time I would wake up early, gather my things, kick off my flops and walk over the dune at Atlantic Street for daily HipAHA bootcamp. The good news was that the last workout didn't disappoint. Lots of core mixed in with cardio blasts (suicides and dune runs). Good...good times.

After class they made a little announcement about my departure (tear), they gave me a very nice card and we headed over to Perks for our last after workout coffee break and gab-fest.  I am really, really gonna miss this group. They pushed me hard, they were a lot of fun and they are just good people.

Friday was such a gorgeous day at the beach that after class all I wanted to do was grab my bike for One-More-Ride....but I knew that if I did that then I'd never get home and since I hadn't finished packing I knew I had to just stop living in denial and get moving west.

As I jammed all my gear into the truck, I wondered: (1) how did I originally get all this shit here and (2) I sure have a lot of shit --- most of which I never even needed.

On my way out of town I said good bye to my neighbors and as I headed over the Rt 90 bridge I made one last glance over my shoulder at the shore to say "goodbye good friend...I'm gonna miss you." If I didn't admit a tear came to my eye as I thought about the wonderful "summer camp" I've had over the last two months then I would be lying.

T-minus 48 hours before I have to do my hair, make-up, put on real clothes and shoes...and be a grown-up again.

I'll always keep a piece of this time in my heart and a jar of sand from Atlantic Street on my desk.

T-minus 24 hours to reality

[Today's crew showing off the fruit of our labor]

So in just a few short hours I will be packing up and heading west...to reality...my real job...a schedule (that's predetermined by someone else)...and responsibilities.  Though I am really going to miss my life at the beach I do miss home too.

Today I spent time jamming more things in before heading home.

Biking
I knew when my alarm went off at 5:00 am that I shouldn't have gone out last night and that last beer was a bad idea...just as I had thought when I ordered it.  I somehow got up, got organized and out the door with biking and SUP gear because it was a two-fer kinda morning.

We all let at Becka's temporary house on the beach for some interval biking on Coastal Hwy.  The plan was to complete the following:

• high cadence warm-up to North Bethany Beach
• five 5-minute intervals at race pace (90-95%) with 2-minute recovery in between
• high cadence cool-down back to Fenwick

The weather was a bit dreary this morning and as we headed out I was glad that I had a hit of Diet Coke before the ride to help wake everything up.

I'm not sure exactly what was going on, but the moment we started the intervals I was like a rocket.  I had a good feel for the bike and my gears and was launching into the front position very quickly.  Somehow I had the energy and strength to stay in aero while I jammed down and up on those pedals. 

It was incredible.  I was cruising and setting a crushing pace.  It was as if I was possessed.  I think the truth was that I knew this was my last ride with the crew and a good fitness test.  Doc says I passed with flying colors. :)

SUP Bootcamp

[Last time paddling in to Coastal Kayak.  Insert tear.]

After grabbing more caffeine and chit-chatting at the local coffee shop we headed over to Coastal Kayak for SUP bootcamp with the HipAHA crew.  As has been the case all summer, the class was sold out.  Go Lori!

Coastal Kayak was jammed with tons of people since folks were renting stuff and there were two tours getting ready to launch.  All this meant that parking was a bitch and we ended up helping set up the newbies on their boards --- which included hauling the gear out of the storage shed.  Nice.

Overall it was a hard workout.  We paddled out toward Fenwick and did a bunch of resistance exercises using the bands.  My arms are sore, but I actually have the muscle definition to prove that I've done some actual work this summer! 

The wind turned on us and we enjoyed a nice, hard paddle back down the Bay.  It was a little sad knowing that next Thursday morning I will be land-locked at my desk without a paddle.  I do not doubt that I will be inundated/ tormented with regular updates on all the "fun stuff" I'm missing.  With friends like that...

Trying to fit it all in

Unfortunately Michelle can't squeeze in a SUP surf lesson this week.  Oh well.  I'll just have to put that on the list for a future date.

Bootcamp
It was "Instructor Choice" day, which meant more running and maxing out on other strength exercises.  The core workout was a VO2 max set of 16 sprints in the soft sand.  Soft sand...is...so...hard.  You are digging for dear life to just keep moving forward.  Favorite bootcamp phrase --- "You can do anything for [insert period of time]."  I kept thinking that in between each set of sprints.

[Part of today's group wrapping up the second set of soft sand sprints]

We added in a set of wicked 120 push-ups, side lunges up and over the dune and some abs.  Yep...gonna feel those later. 

SUP-ing

[Dragging our gear to the beach]

 After class Jeanne and I launched our SUPs for a little cruising.  The shore break was a bit brutal and took some navigating to get our boards in and out safely.  Overall, another wonderful, zen moment.

[Launching from Atlantic Street]

[Cruising south]

Biking
Unfortunately today's recover ride was cancelled due to poor weather.  Boo!

Flo-Go-SUP-Yoga
Unfortunately the weather just wasn't cooperating and as soon as we got to Fager's and got our boards to the pier the sky opened up and it started to pour.  Damn!  Two events cancelled in one day.  I have too much energy that needs to be burned off and since I have NO desire to focus on packing and my Gold's membership expired a few days ago I am contemplating just going out for the night...BUT I have to be up for a 6:00 am interval ride followed by a SUP fitness class.  On second thought...I better just stay in and start packing and cleaning up.

The good news is that I met another local cool chick.  Dawn is a triathlete, fitness instructor and SUP-lover.  I had her flyer stuck on my fridge for the last few months and this is the first time I made time to check her out.  I suck!  Anyway, Lori introduced her to me and I learned quite a bit about more local SUP stuff.  First, she regularly teaches a yoga-flow-SUP class (the one that we were trying to crash, but for the rain) at What-SUP and she recently hooked up with SUPAnnapolis to participate in their race series.  She plans to organize a SUP race in OC this fall and next summer.  I am ALL about that!   They were also talking about how SUPs are starting to grow on the east coast and a network of groups are working hard to spread the word by hosting events and setting up races up and down the east coast.

Have board...will travel.

It's all about the SUP

[Dragging this through the parking lot and over the dunes = extra credit workout]

For my last week I decided to jam in a few last minute activities that I've been meaning to do --- namely, take my SUP in the ocean. Unfortunately in order to do that we had to rearrange other scheduled events and I had to miss beach yoga.  Kinda bummed about that, but was psyched to SUP.

Running
We were scheduled to complete a 20 minute warm-up, four 1-mile repeats and a 10 minute jog. Since we planned to ocean SUP at 7:30 am-ish we pushed the run to 5:30 am and met at the Park. Seriously --- we are INSANE. The sun wasn't even up when we started our warm-up, but it was beautiful to see the sunrise over the Bay.

The good news is that my splits were very good (for me) again this time --- all in the low 8 min zone with the first one being sub-8!!! That is seriously wicked since I am known for being slow as molasses! My left knee was feeling "a little weird" but I was able to push on through.  I worry that that's gonna be a problem later.

SUP-ing
Lori and I have been talking about christening our boards in the Atlantic and more importantly surfing them.

I talked to Michelle over at Sommers Surf about setting up a private lesson for our first ocean adventure. Unfortunately, due to the bad surf break Michelle doesn't offer surf lessons right now in Fenwick.  Instead she offers lessons at Assateague Island.  After much hemming and hawing, we decided to launch on our own for our first ocean adventure and save our money for a SUP surf lesson later in the summer.

[Here we are getting the leashes attached to the SUPs]

Since in all of the state of Delaware's wisdom they decided August 1st was the perfect date to start tearing up the beach and dredging, we had to launch from Dagsboro vs James Street.  Bonus that the beach was a bit of a mess this morning as a result of the dredging and we arrived to a river of slippy clay that we had to navigate through before getting to the other side of the beach.

In summary, ocean SUP-ing was just awesome. After we got our boards and gear over the dune and through the river of dredged slime we pushed our SUPs into the surf, over the breakers and were up and standing in no time.

[Me & Lori getting ready to launch into the Atlantic for the first time! Notice the river of slime we had to cross before reaching the ocean.]

It is an incredible feeling to be standing on top of the ocean, riding over the baby waves and cruising down the coast.  There were some swells and it was still challenging to keep your balance as the waves pushed toward shore.

[Cruising down the coast toward the Maryland state line]

As we turned to shore we were a bit apprehensive given the bad shore break in Fenwick. The good news was that Lori had some good advice from her ocean kayaking experience.  I paddled toward shore, let the baby waves push me in and then easily dismounted in waist deep water in order to protect our fins/boards from the shore break.

We already are itching to schedule our SUP surf lesson.  I have a message into Michelle to determine if there is any way she can do a lesson before I leave.  I think it's doubtful give her schedule and that the beaches have limited times for surf/SUP, but we are crossing our fingers!

All in all...a successful adventure...and one I plan to repeat many, many times in the future.

The Countdown

 It's 7:00 pm on Monday night and I am sitting on the beach reflecting on what an incredible summer I've had here at the beach.

Here's just a slice of what today's activities included --- all never would have happened if I didn't decide to:

(a) arrive at the beach without a plan or a schedule or a support system

and

(b) spend every day saying, "what's the worst that could happen if I tried to [insert verb]"

Bootcamp
It's Monday and that means I said hasta luego to The Husband as he commuted back to DC for work and I headed to Atlantic Street in Fenwick for Travel Bootcamp with the HipAHA chicks.

Parking my car, taking off my flops, walking over the dune and seeing all those high energy and empowered athletes makes me happy. The fact that the majority are women just reminds me how strong and determine chicks can be --- and that's not just b/c we can set an alarm and get to class.  I have met some really fabulous people and am physically stronger than I probably ever have been.  I even have baby guns now.

It was Coach Lori's first class since coming back from vacation and she brought the hammer down.  We worked our asses off today.  It was all about running today --- alternating timed runs in the packed sand (yay!) and a number in the soft sand (boo!).  I am here to tell you that running in soft sand is incredibly challenging and everyone was huffing and puffing after the sets.  There was no rest for the weary as we integrated in strength training for our lower bodies between the run sets.  That's gonna hurt tomorrow.

Stand-Up Paddle Board
Since I was going to test out the SUP in the ocean the following morning, I headed over to Delmarva to pick up an extra SUP leash.  Janis and Chris were there and as usual were incredibly helpful.  Chris showed me how to attach the leash and we talked about my new paddle.  Did I tell you how much I love it???

I also spent time talking to Janis about the business.  She is such an incredible marketer and you can tell that she and George just love what they do.  Kudos to them!

Janis also gave me some great intel about other SUP-ers west of the Bay Bridge that I can hook up with once I get back to reality.

Oh reality...you are just around the corner.

Mail Bag

I love getting unexpected messages of encouragement from automated sites --- like DailyMile.

I got a nice little note from them complementing me on my "gnarly" training last week.

Glad that someone noticed my efforts.  :)

Free Stuff

Here's an additional picture from the folks at Delmarva.  Here's me and Chris after I got the free Oxbox carbon fiber paddle.  It was great to hang out with Janis to hear all about the fun stuff Delmarva is doing to promote SUP-ing in the area.

All I can say is that  it pays to be friendly and get to know folks in the community.  It helped me meet some really wonderful people this summer, learn some cool stuff, have some wonderful adventures and get some free stuff.  Score!

Living in the dark

Sometimes sticking your head in the sand and being ignorant is perfectly fine.

This afternoon I realized a very critical fact and am floored by this news. For the last two months I've been training with a crew of triathletes who are training for an upcoming half Ironman. While that is incredibly impressive and I have been thrilled to be able to hang with these folks ---- I found out today that they are also training for a fall Ironman!!!

What's the distinction? The distinction is that instead of thinking that I've spent the last two months at a half Ironman pace, I have instead been hanging in a program that is geared for folks who will complete a full Ironman in the fall!!!!! Dare I say OMG?!

I guess I never really asked and no one told me all the details about all this extra credit training I've been doing in conjunction with the daily bootcamp classes.

The good news is that I am incredibly impressed with myself. I bad news is that it is going to be a real challenge to keep up with these multiple workout a days once I get back t work. The initial game plan is to make sure I do one workout a day and Lori plans to send me her training block for the next month so that I can aim to virtually train with the group once I move home.

It's a significant goal, but I'm going to try and go for it. Here's to hoping!

Last Saturday!

[Hanging at Coastal Kayak]

Today is the last Saturday at the beach before I head back to work on August 8th.  I can't believe that I'm almost back to sitting at a desk all day.  It has been a glorious two months.

Today I jammed in a bike ride and another SUP adventure.

Biking
I hooked up with Lori for a 90-minute aerobic ride along Coastal Hwy.  Northbound we were fighting the wind which was a nice resistance workout.  We knocked out 26 miles.  We would have finished up a bit faster if we didn't get trapped in a gated community.

When we got to the Indian River Inlet we decided not to go over the bridge and head to Dewey Beach since the traffic northbound was bumper-to-bumper and we we nervous navigating the bridge with that much traffic.  Instead we headed out to the point to add time and mileage.  Unfortunately as we tried to exit the community's big iron gates were closed and we couldn't get out.  We looked everywhere for the pedestrian button...and couldn't find it.  UGH!  Lori ended up climbing over the gate, while I pushed our bikes over the fence and then climbed over the gate --- all while wearing bike shoes.  Pretty impressive...and embarrassing.  I'm sure there were folks watching us from their fancy balconies and laughing at us try and get out of their community.

The sad part of the ride was we came upon a group of cyclists holding another rider and pouring water over him.  Appeared that he was suffering from heat exhaustion and had fallen over.  Luckily there were a lot of good Samaritans on bikes/motorcycles/cars who stopped to offer assistance and their water bottles.  We were glad to see the emergency vehicles on the scene pretty quickly.  Very scary stuff.  It is easy to under estimate how hot is out there on Coastal because there usually is an offshore wind that masks how hot it is, but without shade biking on the dark pavement can be brutal.  Hope that rider is ok.

SUP-ing
On to better news, I introduced another person to the wonderful world of SUP-ing --- my dad.  Go Dad!  I brought him over to the folks at Coastal, set him up on a Hobie and we were off.  He got up pretty quickly.  He only fell a couple times, but the wind was also stronger today so we had to fight our way home.

Selfishly, I was able to try out my new Oxbox carbon fiber paddle...and let me just say...it is AWESOME.  Very light and kick-ass looking.

Chris cut it taller than I'm used to so that it's a better set up so that I can use it later in the ocean to surf.  Similar to a carbon fiber bike, it is cut to fit the rider.  Chris wanted to check out this set up before adjusting it any shorter.  It took a little getting used to since it is longer, but it felt pretty good.  I'll plan to keep this set up a little longer to see how I feel after a few more outings.

Wrap-Up
I had grand plans to hit the beach with my dad late in the afternoon, but I got wrapped up hanging out with my neighbors on their boat...and that was all she wrote.

Another day in my personal paradise.  I am bottling up each and every one of these moments.  I am so very lucky and I am reminded of that every day.