Fresh

Hopefully this is better this week.

Poor blog causes- 1) I was really focused on the Grizzly for a long time. The swim has been such a focus for a long time now, I really had something to prove to myself. I actually didn't have a goal (as far as gunning for top 5 or anything). My goal was  just to have a FUN and solid race. Be the best I could be. Anyway, after that I have been sort of checked out. Calgary is the next focused thing and it seems like a long ways away. Okay, so here is Julie checking back in. Wasa Lake is a month away and the Bozeman race is 6 weeks away. I have something to prove for the Bozeman race. I need to close that gap on Holly Walker. A bit by bit, year after year. Who knows, she could have a bad race.  Also, Wasa Lake will be good, with a good competitive crowd and a chance to test myself in a longer swim. 

                            2) I have a tablet but something is wrong and it won't publish the posts. So I have to write everything at a desktop. It is less flexible to update if something pops into my head and/or I am doing it at work and feeling guilty for not "working."

Wasa Lake- Our hole is getting dug today (Monday) and as I was riding back to work after looking at it, I had a very clear thought. I should NOT do Wasa Lake. With this house we need to be saving money and vacation time. By going to that race I am not doing either and I don't really see what the huge benefit of the race will be. I think more cost than benefit. I am going to travel to Calgary and want to feel like I can afford it time and money wise. That is my final say. I want to do Wasa Lake someday. I love, love Canada.  So, I guess that leaves the Bozeman Tritons race the one to focus on. Then I can follow it with Spring Meadow on July 6th.. That would be two back to back weekends of triathlon on a much easier time and cost budget. Got it? Good. 

Schedule- This week is busy with the mouse take downs I did last week and other stuff. I need to get a paper (I am one author, of about ten) read and edited on Monday. However, the boss goes on vacation for two weeks on Wednesday. Yeah! So, after that I can have some flexibility. I try not to take advantage, just feel a little more at ease. 

               This weekend is supposed to be nice. 70 and sunny! So hopefully some great riding weather.

               Masters- No masters on Sunday. There is a meet in the pool

Injuries/normal body problems- My left hamstring is tight. So is my right. I think I am genetically prone to tight hamstrings. I stretch almost every time I run. My right achilles is tight. Not just running but after biking. I try and stretch it very often too. My right SI joint doesn't inhibit me, but it demands attention at least once a week and I try to keep on the PT as often as possible. Probably could and should do it more. I have always struggled with keeping up on stuff like this.
Whacked my shin on the concrete pool deck. It was seeping for most of the rest of Sunday and is kind of bruised now.

The week

Wednesday- Didn't sleep well and went to a friends thesis defense at noon so missed the noon pool time. Swam at 430 or so and had to just  drag myself there. Felt okay swimming and really enjoyed the 1500. Wish there was some way to zone out and count at the same time. May have done a little more or a little less. Convinced myself to run. The first 800 was on 3:30. Two through six were on about 3:26 and seven was about a 300m. I completely shut down. My legs would not run another lap. That has not happened often. My brain just stopped my legs. It didn't even battle itself for a while. 

Thursday- Got out of work a little late. Started riding in great weather. Rode into a potential Mule teammate. A really nice guy. The one who has the SQ labs saddles. Ready for some gossip? Found out that the one single girl (single for very tragic reasons + kids) on the team has been simultaneously dating three guys on the team. We had a party a few months ago and they were all there. She thinks nobody knows the little games she is playing, but let me tell you I know and I am kind of mad. She has been leaving upheaval in her wake. Changing peoples lives forever. Including contributing to breaking up marriages and lying to her own kids. Anyway, that gossip took a while. Then I was cold so rode up Story Hill (you rode up that once with us). I rode like the wind. I rode so fast. Have never felt so amazing climbing that hill. Crazy. I should have been racing that day. So strange how one day can be so bad and then next so good. 

Friday- Another back to back swim and run. Don't like these. Even contemplated on trying to get the swims done in the am if my schedule is going to continue to be this hectic. Swim was great. Really needed that. Was feeling a bit stagnant. My 50's are still 20 seconds, I think I am getting slower on the 1000 pace. It was good to try and get a faster pace going and do a lot of it. I really had to fight for the turnover on the last 15 or so. I am not actually sure how fast I could go for 200. It is kind of long but not very long. Did a lot of thinking on that. It was raining all day and still raining when I got out of the pool. Threw on some shoes and ran on the treadmill.  I had this blog typed up on my tablet and it wouldn't publish. Here I had inserted a really long thing about being grateful. Apparently science shows that grateful people are happier people. I spent some time thinking about that on Friday on the treadmill. Basically I have a lot on my plate right now which bring about anxiety, stress etc. Except I wouldn't change one thing and I am grateful that all those things are there. So, I guess I just need to plan better and go with it. The anxiety is not always worth it. 

Saturday- Swam at 10 or so until 12 or so. The weather was fine. Got home, got some food, got dressed out for a long ride, went outside, a storm was blowing in and it was 40 degrees. Came back in and rode the rollers for 2.5 hours. Was going to ride with Lawrence so at least I had a trainer buddy. We watched the TTT of the Giro, very dramatic. Stupid weather. Question- Pool schedules and weather did not mix. Should I choose long ride over swim if this is the case? Next time? Maybe this should be written into the plan. Obviously I would choose to do both but I feel like I keep riding those damn rollers. I actually cleaned up the floor and put all the indoor riding equipment upstairs yesterday. No more of that. 

   Was very tired after the ride though. Got some housework done, made dinner, stretched and did some PT. 

Sunday- Swim in the am. Sunday Funday. Involved push ups, streamline jumps, core work, and more. Worked pretty hard at it all. Mainly because debbie downer in our lane was slacking and not doing pushups or streamline jumps. I was trying to annoy him by doing it all and keeping up with him. Negative energy. I need to stop that.
        - Run was great. Got out of the pool, downed some coffee and a grilled cheese sandwich and went on a run. Mapped out 14+ miles up and down hills. Ran up Peet's hill to start then went over to Story Hill and ran up it. Ran down the trail part which was fun. Felt pretty good for the whole run. Finished off half a mile or so trotting around alley's and looking at people's ADUs to get in an extra mile or so. I have a new favorite fuel for running. Shot Blocks. Did the math with the cost and they are the same price per calorie as a gel. Also, the local grocery store sells them for easy convenience. They are easy to eat and not messy like gels. Actually the calories per block is pretty good for running too. Quickly showered and changed and got in the car and drove to Willow Creek for dinner. Ate a big steak!! However, my legs were tired. My hip flexors are so sore and my shoulders from those wall pushups at the pool.
     Despite the time crunch I pulled off Sunday!!!

That is all I can think of for now. Hopefully better and more to work with than the last couple of weeks.