Ugh... training for first triathlon, split my elbow open 4 weeks before race day and needed stitches... put a kink in my swim training plans. Did my first 1 mile open water swim just one week before race day. Wasn't sure that was ever going to happen!
Now, training for second triathlon (since we didn't get to do the swim portion in Philly)... Race day is in 4 weeks... and as of yesterday morning, I have stitches in my foot and have been told no swimming for 2 weeks.
Also supposed to be doing V02 max testing tomorrow, but I'm not sure I'll be able to get my running shoe on.
Is this a sign?!! Did I just not pay enough attention the first time around, so here comes sign post #2?
Well, I'm not convinced that I believe in signs.
I'm going to do it anyway. I'll just be under-prepared. As usual...
Friday, July 17, 2015
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
distraction
so, apparently... one doesn't "chat" with the other swimmers when taking part in an open water (lake) swim.
hanging out on the beach before the swim, sure!
hanging out in the lake after the swim, why not?
but people find it distracting when you're swimming along and trying to hold a conversation at the same time.... (sorry Melody!)
what can i say? i was doing my recovery stroke (face out of water, perfect opportunity to talk!)
truth be told, i think it helped to distract me too... i stopped thinking about being anxious, too busy with intermittent talking... and that made the return portion of 3/4 mile swim (freestyle and side stroke both) so much better! (for me)
when i think more about it, if i can distract myself with conversation with friends, i can do most things for a lot longer (and with more enjoyment) than i can on my own.
20 mile run in the freezing February rain, solo... brutal.
20 mile run in the freezing rain, with friends... not so bad.
cycling hill repeats in May heat and humidity, solo... 1 lap
cycling hill repeats, with friends to commiserate about the heat and humidity... 3 laps
swimming in the lake solo... i'm freaking out so i think this is far enough for today!
swimming in the lake with friends... i'll distract my freaking self by talking to you and just keep swimming!
you want to do what now? okay, i've never done that before, and i don't know if i can do it, but i'll try to keep up with you as long as you'll let me natter... (that's my motto).
how do you feel about chatty activity partners? do you appreciate the distraction, or find it... well, distracting? or are you the chatty one?
hanging out on the beach before the swim, sure!
hanging out in the lake after the swim, why not?
but people find it distracting when you're swimming along and trying to hold a conversation at the same time.... (sorry Melody!)
what can i say? i was doing my recovery stroke (face out of water, perfect opportunity to talk!)
truth be told, i think it helped to distract me too... i stopped thinking about being anxious, too busy with intermittent talking... and that made the return portion of 3/4 mile swim (freestyle and side stroke both) so much better! (for me)
when i think more about it, if i can distract myself with conversation with friends, i can do most things for a lot longer (and with more enjoyment) than i can on my own.
20 mile run in the freezing February rain, solo... brutal.
20 mile run in the freezing rain, with friends... not so bad.
cycling hill repeats in May heat and humidity, solo... 1 lap
cycling hill repeats, with friends to commiserate about the heat and humidity... 3 laps
swimming in the lake solo... i'm freaking out so i think this is far enough for today!
swimming in the lake with friends... i'll distract my freaking self by talking to you and just keep swimming!
you want to do what now? okay, i've never done that before, and i don't know if i can do it, but i'll try to keep up with you as long as you'll let me natter... (that's my motto).
how do you feel about chatty activity partners? do you appreciate the distraction, or find it... well, distracting? or are you the chatty one?
super stem cells
Good news!
As you may recall, my friend Jeff has been going through a stem cell transplant process... He was in hospital to extract stem cells from his own blood... then a series of chemotherapy to knock out his immune system... followed by a transfusion of his previously harvested stem cells, and a period of waiting for the stem cells to start working their magic.
Once Jeff's white blood cell count started to climb, he was permitted to leave the hospital to stay in a hotel, checking in daily to make sure he was meeting all the recovery benchmarks as planned. He's been out for about a week, and doing great!
"Things are going very well, last 2 days in the clinic have been fluids only, all my labs are either in the normal range or above the minimums for replacement. My WBC are actually higher then the day I checked in to the hospital! Super stem cells indeed!!"
As you may recall, my friend Jeff has been going through a stem cell transplant process... He was in hospital to extract stem cells from his own blood... then a series of chemotherapy to knock out his immune system... followed by a transfusion of his previously harvested stem cells, and a period of waiting for the stem cells to start working their magic.
Once Jeff's white blood cell count started to climb, he was permitted to leave the hospital to stay in a hotel, checking in daily to make sure he was meeting all the recovery benchmarks as planned. He's been out for about a week, and doing great!
 |
| out for a morning walk... |
"Things are going very well, last 2 days in the clinic have been fluids only, all my labs are either in the normal range or above the minimums for replacement. My WBC are actually higher then the day I checked in to the hospital! Super stem cells indeed!!"
Saturday, July 4, 2015
one week on
so, race day was last week... and, it came as no surprise that things did not go quite as we might have hoped.
we had had so much rain that the Schuylkill River was high and fast and full of debris, so the swim portion of our Triathlon was cancelled for safety reasons.
my tri-experienced teammates referred to our event as a Dri-athlon... but that was not an entirely accurate description either.
race morning we arrived to set up in transition around 5:15... it had rained all night, and the field was deep in mud and several people had to set up their gear on plastic bags sitting IN puddles. and it kept on raining...
if one were to look for a silver lining in not being able to complete the entire race, it's that we were able to watch the elite athletes start and finish their races... they were interviewing the race winners before my wave even set foot on the course.
nonetheless, it was a fun ride and a hot run and i'm glad i did it.
but, i still feel the need to do another in order to be able to say i've truly completed a triathlon.
i'd like to extend one final word of thanks to everyone who supported my fundraising efforts for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society... you put me well above my fundraising goal, and i'm so very grateful for your support.
we had had so much rain that the Schuylkill River was high and fast and full of debris, so the swim portion of our Triathlon was cancelled for safety reasons.
my tri-experienced teammates referred to our event as a Dri-athlon... but that was not an entirely accurate description either.
race morning we arrived to set up in transition around 5:15... it had rained all night, and the field was deep in mud and several people had to set up their gear on plastic bags sitting IN puddles. and it kept on raining...
if one were to look for a silver lining in not being able to complete the entire race, it's that we were able to watch the elite athletes start and finish their races... they were interviewing the race winners before my wave even set foot on the course.
nonetheless, it was a fun ride and a hot run and i'm glad i did it.
but, i still feel the need to do another in order to be able to say i've truly completed a triathlon.
i'd like to extend one final word of thanks to everyone who supported my fundraising efforts for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society... you put me well above my fundraising goal, and i'm so very grateful for your support.
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