Its not me, its ...

The Wetsuit ...

First, two weekends ago, olympic triathlon. Going into this, I was worried. Very, very worried. Not only was I undertrained, I was injured. Shoulder, neck painful injury had reappeared accompanied by symptoms of a pinched nerve. Awesome. I consulted the chiro who told me that participating (I don't compete, I participate) would do no permanent injury but could lead to a "painful flare up." Super. I didn't want to not start, but I also didn't want to not finish. I decided to go to swimming (with the cutie coach) the Thursday before and if I made it through that I would try the tri (drowning would be the worst way to not finish). And I made it through the swimming work out so we were off ...

[as an aside, I'm the fastest swimmer in the class. I've never been the best at anything athletic and while i know my fastness is more of a statement on the other people's slowness, i really enjoy it! if only i could get over my constant state of flusteredness when cutie coach is around, I'd enjoy it even more!]

Anyway, made it to the race site, met up with friend Susan who was doing the Sprint as her first tri and waited for Triathlon Friend (who, going forward, we'll call Sara) and her husband, Scott. Followed S&S to the hotel and knew, right away that this was going to be much better than last year's Danskin Sprint because we were NOT at the Extended Stay America, thank you very much.

After dinner and ice cream I thought I'd be ready for bed but there was much tossing and turning and then 5 am was upon us. To the race site we went. And they decided that there was not room in the BIG FIELD that was serving as a parking lot for my cute little car. Awesome. I was exiled to the cricket field with no friends to help with my gear. Being single sucks.

Usual pre-race stuff. No time for a warm-up. Too warm for a wet-suit ... and:

The Swim
36:11

It rocked. I was not nervous or claustrophobic or anything. Got in to a rhythm, avoided being beat up to the first buoy after which I got next to the buoys for the crew meets and it was basically like swimming in a pool (these little buoys were every few feet so if you got to the wrong side of them you knew you were off course) and I just SWAM. Freestyle. No freaking out ... even when the lead people from the two waves behind me swam OVER me.

The Bike
1:37:20

Um, maybe I should have ridden my bike more than twice in the past month? But I was injured ... so I didn't. And boy did it show. Awful. No fun. Never felt like I was just cruising. Windy. And, didn't let my HR settle down. Whatev. Next time, kids. Next time.

The Run
1:08:37

This was actually better than the time indicates. I ran almost the whole way and felt decent. But my legs were fried from the bike.

So there you have it. Given my undertrained status, I was pretty happy to walk away knowing that its not me, its the wetsuit. I think that barring any unforeseen circumstances and some quality time with my wetsuit I will see much improvement in the next oly ...

The Hormones ...

Next, last week, why did this race report take so long? Because last week sucked. PMS would have been an understatement and ALL I wanted to do was crawl up in a ball and wake up 10 days later. Those of you who managed to avoid me last week should be grateful!

Them ...

Finally, there are reasons why I don't go to certain parts of the Jersey Shore. Sometimes I forget those reasons and go anyway. This weekend I remembered those reasons and I won't be back for a long time!

Very excited to stay in town this weekend. Looking forward to a hair cut, some training and some new babies to visit ...

Later, kids.

A race picture that doesn't suck!

Here you go! Not bad ... especially if you manage not to look at the time. Its form the race that I started 13 minutes late so that time is not nearly as bad as it appears ... not great, but not awful either. Kind of like the date I had on Tuesday ... not great, but not awful either. Just thought I'd slip that in there.

So, my back/arm/shoulder/neck are hurting again. I'm worried that I have a pinched nerve. And I have swimming tonight. And the oly on Sunday. I can't decide it I should call it now or try to swim tonight and then make a decision. But my right ring finger is tingly which I imagine can't be good ... ugg.

Happenings

I signed up for an 8 week swim class with one of the local tri clubs and, based on people in attendance on the first day, I am the fastest one in the class. This might not be good for my development as a swimmer ... but it has done wonders for my self esteem. Sadly there are no cute boys in the class (other than the coach ...).

I was not, however, anywhere near the fastest runner in Saturday's 10-K. Arriving 13 minutes late and having to start AFTER they took away the starting mats (ie, not getting those 13 minutes deducted from my net time) made me look even slower than I already am. I finished at about 10:30 pace which is comfortable right now. In fact Tuesday night I went on a 6 mile run that felt A.M.A.zing (albeit very hot and sticky) at about the same pace.

Having resumed physical activity I find myself constantly ravenous. I'm trying to wait until 1 to eat lunch and I'm not sure I'm going to make it ...

This weekend is the oly tri that I am dreading. I think my mantra is going to be "slow and steady." And of course "don't drown."

I also might have a date this Wednesday. I haven't had a date in a million years and I'm not sure that I remember how to be fun and flirty. I'll try to update re: date before the tri so that you'll know how it goes just in case I do in fact drown!

I am so proud of myself!

32 miles biked. Alone. Done. It was great (well except for the part where I fell over and then almost fell over again but we won't talk about that now). The hills killed me though - funny how I rode 100 flat miles one month ago and it was doable and today 32 hilly miles damn near did me in.

Anyway, now whatever else I do today is justified! Go me;)

Anyone else?

If you're having a baby, or had a baby, or just found a boyfriend or a girlfriend or made an existing girlfriend or boyfriend your fiance, I'm happy for you. I am. But you should wait because 800 people have made this announcement to me in the last 10 days and I'm all out of love. I'm so lost without you ... Oh wait. That's not me. That's air supply.

Anyway, sometimes its enough ... ya know?

Good news is that I'm still in love with the apartment, I've been so good about not buying clothes (although I really, really needed a present today) and my back seems to be better. I'm going bike riding tomorrow. I am. For a long time. And I'm signing up for a swimming class and maybe practicing my swimming tomorrow. And I really, really want to run a fall marathon.

So there. That's my news kids;)