Back in the Game

Since my last post, I've taken measures to get healthy again and am happy to report that I feel *normal* again.  I saw my doctor and had some bloodwork done- all normal other than a borderline vitamin D level.  Proof that it's not summer yet here in the Valley of the Sun.  I picked up a supplement at Sprouts and have been taking that daily along with my multivitamin. 

I've been able to get back into training and have felt great.  I am making sure to drink my Ultragen recovery shake after all my workouts, unless I'm just doing an easy swim, so I know I'm getting all the amino acids, vitamins and calcium needed for rebuilding. 

A few highlights of my re-entry into the land of the living:
-Successful 21 mile long run.  I wasn't fast, but I made it!  Just the week prior, I tried to run 12 and had to stop at 6 miles.  And to top it off, I got a new running buddy out of the deal.  My friend MK joined me for the second half- a good run for her coming off of a recent stress fracture. 
-In an 80 mile long bike ride, I wasn't feeling well about 2 hours into the ride.  Just sort of foggy and weak.  I didn't think I was going to be able to make it back to the house if I kept going.  My husband convinced me to give it some time, reminding me that usually that feeling will subside.  I kept going, within a half hour I started to feel better and the last 90 minutes of my ride I finished the strongest ride I've had since before IM AZ. 
-I did my first track workout in months... and crushed it!  My 800 meter repeats were a solid 3:13. 
-I've increased my base swim workouts each week to 5k.  Texas, my first IM of 2013, is a non-wetsuit swim.  This means I won't have the extra flotation assistance in the water and I'm likely to feel a little more fatigued, and be a little slower than usual.  When I hop in for the 4k that morning in May, I want it to feel easy. 
-I learned a new exercise at rehab and LOVE it!  I've been doing burpees for the last 6 weeks.  This week I went in and my therapist had me do the burpees using a TRX.  I'll try to capture a video of this to share, but if you can imagine... one foot is suspended in the TRX (so I am balanced on one leg).  I drop down to the floor in plank position, do a push-up, then pop back up to standing and immediately hop straight up in the air - still one legged.  It was a fun way to change up the burpee and challenge my core strength a little more.  He mentioned that next week, I will have a bunch of new exercises.  *keeping fingers crossed that my hand walking on incline treadmill while holding plank position exercise will be replaced*  ;-)

This weekend I'm running a half marathon with a couple of girlfriends.  It'll be my first test of speed mixed with endurance.  I'm looking forward to it and hopefully it'll prove to me that I'm ready for Boston despite my setbacks in January. 

I've also signed up for an online class, free through my public library, on the fundamentals of accounting.  I decided that if I'm going to be tracking some of the financials for our new business, I better know what I'm doing.  Having taken only the first lesson, and being completely lost, it was a good reminder to me of how much we like to do things that are within our comfort zones.  It's easy to do things that we are good at, or practiced at.  It's not easy to step outside that comfort zone and try something new.  But I'm learning and with time, and practice, I might be good at it.  And if I never get good at accounting, that's OK.  I'm still proud of myself for trying.  I remember a time when cooking was outside of my comfort zone.  And running!  And now I can't imagine a day or week going by without them. 

Spring is finally in the air, and race season is just around the corner.  With Boston 45 days away, I am finally excited about the new year and everything we've got going on.  Though I have to admit, I'm already scoping out things I'd like to do for 2014 when I don't have to focus on Ironman...  Oceanside is top of my list- favorite. race. ever.  And my lil' sis and I are going to do back to back marathons in Utah and Idaho, a good way for her to check off 2 states in her 50-states quest.  And I'm going back to Tahoe for the 50 miler.  For sure.  Then I think I'll let my husband talk me into IM Wisconsin.... you get the idea.