Random thoughts for the week

What a wonderful week it's been!

Sunday was a marathon in Austin, Wednesday and Thursday saw measurable improvements on the bike, and this weekend is a long massage. Previous to that I got to spend time with family and good friends.

Random thought #1
Holy crap, did I really do that? This week has been a huge boost to the confidence level regarding attempting an Ironman. I had no idea how I would do attempting a time trial on the 3rd day after a marathon, and it felt great. A time trial is a 20-minute hard ride (on a bike mounted on a trainer), and ours was preceded by a 30-minute warmup. I was quite pleased to see that my mph improved from 15.5 seven weeks ago to 19.5 Weds. Thursday I repeated the fun, this time in an easier gear and spinning faster, and got it up to 21.1mph. Many, many thanks to the folks at Indy Cycling Academy, who kicked my butt hard for the last two months and forced me to improve (or die).

Random thought #2
The marathon taught an interesting lesson about winter running training: don't rely solely on a treadmill. It just doesn't replicate the hardness of pavement. Made it to mile 15 feeling great, then my hips started complaining. Loudly. They were NOT happy. Feet were ok, knees were ok, legs felt fine, but every step hurt the hips. Initially I thought perhaps it was due to the lack of orthotics (first time I've gone this far without them). Being a bit slow on the uptake, several hours later I realized that the last time I ran outside was the San Antonio Rock 'n' Roll half marathon November 14. Four months! Well no WONDER my hips hurt. Yikes. OK, so at minimum, it's worth getting up early to go to the indoor track and run there. I have already invested in a pair of YakTrax for next winter, so ice and snow won't be excuses not to get out.

Random thought #3
Usually in a longer race, I see someone who shames me into working harder, or at least not whining. Not this time: this time it had to come from within. It was time to fall back on my mantra, "I'm glad I can feel pain. I'm glad I can feel pain." For miles 15-26, I thought about our friend T who was in a bad car crash Superbowl Sunday of 2006. Her entire back had been fused many years earlier due to horrible scoliosis, so when she was thrown from the vehicle the only place with any give was her neck. She struggled hard to survive the next four months, and today is still working to regain use of her limbs. Her arms are doing well, but her legs are slow to respond. She is still working to become independent. When I hurt during an event, I think of her, and how the only pain she really feels is nerve pain. I'm sure she'd be happy to feel ordinary overuse pain.

Random thought #4
Life is good.