It's been a week since I last blogged. I wish I could share all of the wonderful miles that I have pedaled on the bike or the extraordinary run that I had. Unfortunately, it's Day 12 without any workout. I found out on July 24th, after the third surgical procedure failed to eradicate the infection behind my tonsil, that surgery was inevitable. So, on Monday, July 27th, I got to check out the Outpatient Surgery Center at Palmetto Health Richland. They make it happen there! I was wheeled in to surgery by 8:30AM and in the car by 11AM.
REWIND: Admittedly, I actually did quite a bit of research on adult tonsillectomy procedures and the aftermath. There is a plethora of medical information and personal blogs out there. As I sat reading, I thought to myself, these people are big wimps and likely whining about minimal pain! It's just tonsils for crying out loud. You get all the ice cream you want to eat and lose weight while doing it. How tough can it be. Really!
FAST FORWARD....OMG! Seriously, when does the pain stop?!? Did he carve a pumpkin while back in my throat? My tonsils are out but I am still trying to determine if the pain is the result of the surgery or my foot in my mouth for thinking that this was going to be a breeze. I've had no solid food in 12 days and I hope that I never am forced to eat Jell-O or whipped yogurt again. I am down 12 lbs since the start of this ordeal. I can say that I've had some really good pain medicine. I really don't know how addicts survive on drugs. I've seen bugs, observed small children running down the street that weren't there, and an inability to recall time. Luckily, I have only had minimal pain meds the past day and a half.
PAUSE: I am on standby until I can put on the running shoes, fasten the helmet or jump into the pool. I am so totally ready to push the PLAY button.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Abscessing About No Exercise
It's Day #4 without exercise and I am about to go stir crazy. Once again, I find a groove and illness puts up a roadblock. To say I am frustrated would be an understatement. This weekend is the 24-Hours of Booty Ride in Charlotte and I am still up in the air about any chance of being able to ride.
I woke up on Monday morning feeling like I was getting strep throat. Typically, I wait until I feel much worse to go to the doctor but on this day, I jumped the gun and called for an appointment. I wanted to be sure I wasn't contagious. Next thing I know is all hell breaks lose in my throat. Strep throat is not the diagnosis but rather an ear infection and serious peritonsillar abscess. What does this mean? Major throat/tonsillar infection. The solution to the problem (be forewarned it isn't pretty): http://www.entusa.com/surgery_videos_flash/quinsy-drainage/quinsy-drainage_flv1.htm. I got the pleasure of enduring this procedure two days in a row. Luckily, Day #3 brought pain medication to lessen the chaos in the back of my mouth.
As I sit here typing, I have been able to drink some and eat very little. Thank goodness for good drugs! I am really hopeful that tomorrow will bring a new day and the swelling in my throat will be minimal. The back of my throat looks like a bad car accident and it's difficult to make out an actual throat. My next triathlon is a week away and I gotta train! Body cooperate!
I woke up on Monday morning feeling like I was getting strep throat. Typically, I wait until I feel much worse to go to the doctor but on this day, I jumped the gun and called for an appointment. I wanted to be sure I wasn't contagious. Next thing I know is all hell breaks lose in my throat. Strep throat is not the diagnosis but rather an ear infection and serious peritonsillar abscess. What does this mean? Major throat/tonsillar infection. The solution to the problem (be forewarned it isn't pretty): http://www.entusa.com/surgery_videos_flash/quinsy-drainage/quinsy-drainage_flv1.htm. I got the pleasure of enduring this procedure two days in a row. Luckily, Day #3 brought pain medication to lessen the chaos in the back of my mouth.
As I sit here typing, I have been able to drink some and eat very little. Thank goodness for good drugs! I am really hopeful that tomorrow will bring a new day and the swelling in my throat will be minimal. The back of my throat looks like a bad car accident and it's difficult to make out an actual throat. My next triathlon is a week away and I gotta train! Body cooperate!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Coming Up Short(s)
Despite cycling for 66-miles yesterday, we decided to stick to the agenda outlined on our schedule for a brick workout this Sunday morning. We met our good friend out at Dutch Fork Middle School and went for a quick ride. We biked approximately 2 hours - most likely a little less - but we only had a 1.5-2.o hour bike on our training plan. At the beginning of the bike ride, it was quite apparent for multiple reasons that we'd in fact biked hard yesterday for 66-miles. Without going into details, I can tell you that the new cycling shorts I wore yesterday made a lasting impression and was felt on the ride today. I spent quite a bit of the ride shifting and pedaling while standing since comfort was obviously not on the agenda today. The legs were also a bit flaccid. Anyway, I pedaled hard and made it through it. We also had an opportunity to sport our new Harrell's jersey which we'll be sporting for Ironman. Needless to say, I WILL NOT be sporting the new Pearl Izumi shorts from yesterday's ride. Overall, it was a really good, quick, powerful ride. Exactly what we needed before our run.
After cycling, we made a quick transition and headed out on the run. The transition time was relatively quick for everything that had to be done in a non-T1/T2 transition area and we took off for the 6-mile run. It was a very smooth transition. Very consistent run despite the hills through the neighborhood that we ran through. It was our best brick workout this season especially since neither of us REALLY wanted to do it after the ride. We sure wanted a nap instead...nevertheless, success!
After cycling, we made a quick transition and headed out on the run. The transition time was relatively quick for everything that had to be done in a non-T1/T2 transition area and we took off for the 6-mile run. It was a very smooth transition. Very consistent run despite the hills through the neighborhood that we ran through. It was our best brick workout this season especially since neither of us REALLY wanted to do it after the ride. We sure wanted a nap instead...nevertheless, success!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Annual Lake Murray Dam Ride
How many times can I say how much I enjoy being apart of the cycling/triathlon community here in the Columbia/Lexington area. Today, we completed the 66-miles around Lake Murray. This is an annual event that commences at the lake of some local cyclists who open their home, lakefront and grill to all of us in the area. We get to bike, socialize, eat, swim, and just enjoy one another all in one day.
The ride is a very unique ride, I think, in that you get a little bit of everything as far as terrain. It is also much more scenic than a lot of the rides we consistently do in the area. The first 17-miles are rolling hills with some fairly challenging climbs. It takes us across the lake several times and out into the country and back in through towns like Chapin. I decided today that I was going to chase the lead pack for as long as I could. Rick and I stuck with them for quite some time but eventually decided to stop at his house to let several of our cycling buddies catch up right before making our only SAG stop. I felt very strong today for about 90% of the ride. Average speed was 18.1mph despite letting the lead pack go to stay back with some other riders. (Have I mentioned I L-O-V-E cycling???).
Following the ride, everyone stuck around for a picnic and swim at the lake. This was a great opportunity to meet some new cyclists and catch up with some old ones. I can't say enough how nice everyone was. All in all, I would give today a 10 out of 10. GREAT DAY!
The ride is a very unique ride, I think, in that you get a little bit of everything as far as terrain. It is also much more scenic than a lot of the rides we consistently do in the area. The first 17-miles are rolling hills with some fairly challenging climbs. It takes us across the lake several times and out into the country and back in through towns like Chapin. I decided today that I was going to chase the lead pack for as long as I could. Rick and I stuck with them for quite some time but eventually decided to stop at his house to let several of our cycling buddies catch up right before making our only SAG stop. I felt very strong today for about 90% of the ride. Average speed was 18.1mph despite letting the lead pack go to stay back with some other riders. (Have I mentioned I L-O-V-E cycling???).
Following the ride, everyone stuck around for a picnic and swim at the lake. This was a great opportunity to meet some new cyclists and catch up with some old ones. I can't say enough how nice everyone was. All in all, I would give today a 10 out of 10. GREAT DAY!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
To Serve and Protect - Lifeguards
Having spent a lot of time in the pool at the local community center pool, I have gotten to know the lifeguards and staff, most of them, from a distance through observation or up close in conversation. They, in return, have most likley gotten to know us as well or at least they know our patterns, our stroke, etc. I am quite intrigued by them so I thought I might introduce them to you should you ever choose to swim in downtown Columbia. Here's a few of them:
"The Pool Man" - He is awesome. Quite the jokester and always willing and able to harass us. He referred to us the other night as "His favorite one" and "The other favorite one" but I imagine this is everyone he encounters. He just has THAT personality with people. I've never seen him swim although he claims to swim. Maybe he does and maybe he doesn't.
"The Whistler" - He is probably late teens/early twenties. Tall and very slender with a beautiful swim stroke. Very much a Michael Phelps presence in the pool. He is quiet, doesn't seem to say much to swimmers or to his fellow lifeguards. What stands out about him is that he whistles ALL THE TIME. Whether he's in the lifeguard stand, roaming around the pool deck, picking up Noodles, etc., he is whistling. I can never make out the tune but I have taken it to be a sign that he is just a happy individual or he is exceptionally bored. I often wonder if he whistles in his sleep.
"The Aerobics Guy" - He is probably in his early to mid 20's and his job is to lead the water aerobics class that meets in the evenings. He has the brightest smile, is always polite, loves to eat chips from a bag, always speaks and does a phenomenal job with his class. He gets into it and it's really great to watch them all respond and be motivated by him.
"The Deputy" - He is probably late 20's to early 30's. He works for the Richland County Sheriff's Department and often drives his patrol car to work. I don't know his name but we've talked. His breastroke is effortless. He is in exceptional physical condition and it's obvious that he takes good care of himself.
"The Pretty One" - she is young, most likely a college student or just out of college, or that's my assumption. She is very nice and always aware of the pool schedule and classes and willing to work with us to ensure we don't get kicked out of a lane. She didn't make a good first impression but has grown on me over time.
"Beavis and Butthead" - I couldn't think of another name for these two ladies. We just met them the other night in a random conversation. One has been assigned to replace one of the other aerobics instructors. I didn't give them the name because they were obnoxious or aggravating but they were up to no good having a blast in the pool trying to figure out what to do with the 7am water aerobics class. They were having so much fun and you knew that regardless of the routine, the class was going to be a fun experience. I giggled watching them.
There are others, too, that have made an equally favorable impression. The reason that I write all of this is to say it's nice to stand out for positive things and be acknowledged. However, I also wanted to address one lifeguard in particular yesterday who completely and totally caught my eye. What shall I call her...ahhh, yes, "The Lifeless Lifeguard". I watched her for an entire hour, slouched in the chair on the opposite side of the pool from which the lifeguards usually watch the pool. I can say this in all honesty, I don't think she looked IN THE POOL the entire time I was there. There were approximately 10-12 kids in the pool splashing around. I thought to myself, would she ever know if one of them went under. Her head was cocked to the right looking outdoors and she could not have been less motivated to be there. I firmly believe we always have good days and bad days. We have days that we don't want to be at work. The difference is if I don't answer the phone, nobody dies! If she doesn't look in the pool and someone drowns, ughhh, "Houston, we have a problem!"
Anyway, I had a great swim and after seeing her, I was exceptionally thankful that I did, in fact, know how to swim. Otherwise, it could have been a not-so-happy experience!
"The Pool Man" - He is awesome. Quite the jokester and always willing and able to harass us. He referred to us the other night as "His favorite one" and "The other favorite one" but I imagine this is everyone he encounters. He just has THAT personality with people. I've never seen him swim although he claims to swim. Maybe he does and maybe he doesn't.
"The Whistler" - He is probably late teens/early twenties. Tall and very slender with a beautiful swim stroke. Very much a Michael Phelps presence in the pool. He is quiet, doesn't seem to say much to swimmers or to his fellow lifeguards. What stands out about him is that he whistles ALL THE TIME. Whether he's in the lifeguard stand, roaming around the pool deck, picking up Noodles, etc., he is whistling. I can never make out the tune but I have taken it to be a sign that he is just a happy individual or he is exceptionally bored. I often wonder if he whistles in his sleep.
"The Aerobics Guy" - He is probably in his early to mid 20's and his job is to lead the water aerobics class that meets in the evenings. He has the brightest smile, is always polite, loves to eat chips from a bag, always speaks and does a phenomenal job with his class. He gets into it and it's really great to watch them all respond and be motivated by him.
"The Deputy" - He is probably late 20's to early 30's. He works for the Richland County Sheriff's Department and often drives his patrol car to work. I don't know his name but we've talked. His breastroke is effortless. He is in exceptional physical condition and it's obvious that he takes good care of himself.
"The Pretty One" - she is young, most likely a college student or just out of college, or that's my assumption. She is very nice and always aware of the pool schedule and classes and willing to work with us to ensure we don't get kicked out of a lane. She didn't make a good first impression but has grown on me over time.
"Beavis and Butthead" - I couldn't think of another name for these two ladies. We just met them the other night in a random conversation. One has been assigned to replace one of the other aerobics instructors. I didn't give them the name because they were obnoxious or aggravating but they were up to no good having a blast in the pool trying to figure out what to do with the 7am water aerobics class. They were having so much fun and you knew that regardless of the routine, the class was going to be a fun experience. I giggled watching them.
There are others, too, that have made an equally favorable impression. The reason that I write all of this is to say it's nice to stand out for positive things and be acknowledged. However, I also wanted to address one lifeguard in particular yesterday who completely and totally caught my eye. What shall I call her...ahhh, yes, "The Lifeless Lifeguard". I watched her for an entire hour, slouched in the chair on the opposite side of the pool from which the lifeguards usually watch the pool. I can say this in all honesty, I don't think she looked IN THE POOL the entire time I was there. There were approximately 10-12 kids in the pool splashing around. I thought to myself, would she ever know if one of them went under. Her head was cocked to the right looking outdoors and she could not have been less motivated to be there. I firmly believe we always have good days and bad days. We have days that we don't want to be at work. The difference is if I don't answer the phone, nobody dies! If she doesn't look in the pool and someone drowns, ughhh, "Houston, we have a problem!"
Anyway, I had a great swim and after seeing her, I was exceptionally thankful that I did, in fact, know how to swim. Otherwise, it could have been a not-so-happy experience!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Weekend Warrior
Wow! What a superb end to a really productive and satisfying workout week. Yesterday, our workout consisted of a Swim Ladder (i.e., 400m, 50m, 100m, 150m, 200m, 250m, 300m, 300m and back down). This was the first time that my training partner and I totally rocked this type of workout. In some of the previous ladder workouts, we've not felt as accomplished at the end and in the beginning, we didn't work to completion but rather rationalized skipping a set. This time it was totally different and overall felt good. I continue to work on consistency. I noticed yesterday that as I get tired, my lower torso begins to drag a lot more than it should and forces me to work harder to propel myself forward. I worked on powering through the early stages of fatigue and made sure that I was keeping form as best I could. We swam this in right at an hour including the short rest intervals in between sets.
Today, we rode with a co-ed group of cyclists. There were 11 of us and of the group, 7 IM athletes in training. We biked a very, very consistent pace for 48.3 miles making only one real pitstop (bathroom break). Average speed was 17.7mph and overall time 2:41. I thought this was really good for this group size. The entire group was a very poised and strong group of cyclists I thought. It was truly a pleasure riding with them and being challenged.
I stayed out in front as much as possible either solo or two abreast. Not necessarily to pull but more so not to draft. I am finding that I am getting stronger and stronger and it felt really good, especially being able to hang with one of the faster guys (Darron). He's a very strong rider and I thoroughly enjoyed pedaling next to him out in front for a good portion of the ride. I continue to say that to be a better cyclist, you gotta bike with better cyclists. Awesome, awesome, awesome day and really, an awesome training week.
I continue to say over and over that the cycling/triathlete community is a phenomenal group to be a part of. I can't tell people this enough. Hanging out after the ride, celebrating the completion of a good ride, talking and sharing stories just reminds me why I love this sport. Yes, it's ultimately about you and achieving your personal best but it's also more than that, I think. It's about being a part of something on a grander scale. We learn from one another, laugh at one another and grow with each other. (It makes me smile writing about it!) I remain impressed and proud of the people I have met along the way that make this community what it is while representing it so well!
Today, we rode with a co-ed group of cyclists. There were 11 of us and of the group, 7 IM athletes in training. We biked a very, very consistent pace for 48.3 miles making only one real pitstop (bathroom break). Average speed was 17.7mph and overall time 2:41. I thought this was really good for this group size. The entire group was a very poised and strong group of cyclists I thought. It was truly a pleasure riding with them and being challenged.
I stayed out in front as much as possible either solo or two abreast. Not necessarily to pull but more so not to draft. I am finding that I am getting stronger and stronger and it felt really good, especially being able to hang with one of the faster guys (Darron). He's a very strong rider and I thoroughly enjoyed pedaling next to him out in front for a good portion of the ride. I continue to say that to be a better cyclist, you gotta bike with better cyclists. Awesome, awesome, awesome day and really, an awesome training week.
I continue to say over and over that the cycling/triathlete community is a phenomenal group to be a part of. I can't tell people this enough. Hanging out after the ride, celebrating the completion of a good ride, talking and sharing stories just reminds me why I love this sport. Yes, it's ultimately about you and achieving your personal best but it's also more than that, I think. It's about being a part of something on a grander scale. We learn from one another, laugh at one another and grow with each other. (It makes me smile writing about it!) I remain impressed and proud of the people I have met along the way that make this community what it is while representing it so well!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
All in All It's Just Another Brick in the Wall
Double your pleasure, double your fun. Bike-run double brick last night at the gym. Felt very strong and overall awesome! It's been weeks and weeks of training through the ups and downs that accompany the intensity of preparing for an event such as Ironman but finally, I think I have found my groove and am now "full-on"- mentally and physically ready to kick butt through November. I keep hearing those words, "When you get off the plane in Arizona, you gotta be hungry for it!"
We did 2+ hours of non-stop cardio madness indoors last night thanks to the weather. I can honestly say that is the longest amount of cardio I think I have ever completed indoors, non-stop. Usually, it has involved cardio followed by weightlifting. But not last night. It was simply pumping it and sweating but not like a girl! It's a really good feeling when the workout is finished, but even more so when one of the new personal trainers at the gym walks up at the front to speak and says, "That was some intense cardio you had going over there!" And I thought privately to myself, "Yeah, it was, wasn't it!"
"You gotta be hungry for it!"
We did 2+ hours of non-stop cardio madness indoors last night thanks to the weather. I can honestly say that is the longest amount of cardio I think I have ever completed indoors, non-stop. Usually, it has involved cardio followed by weightlifting. But not last night. It was simply pumping it and sweating but not like a girl! It's a really good feeling when the workout is finished, but even more so when one of the new personal trainers at the gym walks up at the front to speak and says, "That was some intense cardio you had going over there!" And I thought privately to myself, "Yeah, it was, wasn't it!"
"You gotta be hungry for it!"
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Don't Have a Stroke!
Monday night is usually an "off night" for us but this week's schedule is different so we went to do our swim. Last night was a Cooper test night. The actual 12-minute Cooper test was preceded by 300m warmup and 300m drills. We got 6 minutes into the Cooper test and were kicked out of the pool due to an impending storm. Disappointed, yes! I was feeling great. Isn't that always the case though?
On Sunday, I watched the swim portion of the Hy-Vee Triathlon in West Des Moines, Iowa that aired on TV. I must admit that this was probably the best teaching tool this tri season for me. As I watched the swimmers powering forward through the water, I realized that all strokes seemed to differ, not just a little but dramatically. Some stretched out and plunged into the water while others seem to stroke outward and slap the water. Admittedly, I would never want Hunter Kemper of the USA to evaluate my stroke (or read what I am about to write), but I watched his stroke in comparison with the other swimmers he was either leading or trailing. His stroke appeared somewhat sloppier than others but nevertheless, obviously equally effective as he was right behind the leader during the first lap.
Of course, this got me thinking about the fact that maybe I am focusing way too much on what my stroke looks like rather than just relaxing and swimming like I know I can. As I've mentioned, last Spring, I couldn't successfully swim 300m without being exhausted. This season, I have far surpassed that already. I think that is what made the six minutes of the Cooper test last night so different. I just swam and it felt really good. It may not have been pretty but I felt like I was gliding through the water much more smoothly, with greater success and with less effort than on previous occasions where I stressed what I was doing each and every stroke.
I am going to continue working on it and see what happens as I prepare for my next Olympic triathlon on August 15th. I just might have a PR swim!
On Sunday, I watched the swim portion of the Hy-Vee Triathlon in West Des Moines, Iowa that aired on TV. I must admit that this was probably the best teaching tool this tri season for me. As I watched the swimmers powering forward through the water, I realized that all strokes seemed to differ, not just a little but dramatically. Some stretched out and plunged into the water while others seem to stroke outward and slap the water. Admittedly, I would never want Hunter Kemper of the USA to evaluate my stroke (or read what I am about to write), but I watched his stroke in comparison with the other swimmers he was either leading or trailing. His stroke appeared somewhat sloppier than others but nevertheless, obviously equally effective as he was right behind the leader during the first lap.
Of course, this got me thinking about the fact that maybe I am focusing way too much on what my stroke looks like rather than just relaxing and swimming like I know I can. As I've mentioned, last Spring, I couldn't successfully swim 300m without being exhausted. This season, I have far surpassed that already. I think that is what made the six minutes of the Cooper test last night so different. I just swam and it felt really good. It may not have been pretty but I felt like I was gliding through the water much more smoothly, with greater success and with less effort than on previous occasions where I stressed what I was doing each and every stroke.
I am going to continue working on it and see what happens as I prepare for my next Olympic triathlon on August 15th. I just might have a PR swim!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Pedaling and Pounding the Pavement
The training agenda for this post-Fourth of July was a 52-mile bike ride followed by a 6-mile run. The route was a mixture of hills on several of Lexington's major highways followed by some flats and rolling hills through the countryside into the town of Gilbert. Midge, Shelly and I had a very consistent, enjoyable ride despite the miscellaneous repugnant smells out in the country. I finally had to ask whether or not they bury the dead bodies in that area. It was at times breathtaking. Nevertheless, it turned out to be a really good ride, not too hot, cloudy and overcast. Less traveled roads even allowed us an opportunity to chat and catch up. Bonus! This was also an excellent opportunity for me to work on pacing, nutrition and not drafting. I pretty much stayed out ahead for the majority of the ride experiencing the headwinds and trying to stay in the groove. I felt superb on the entire ride.
Following the ride, Midge and I completed our run. We continue to talk to our legs in an attempt to convince them that they really do have to move forward. I am fighting boredom on the run. Today, I ran most of the run without my iPod which is going to be critical in the training ahead. I wish, oh how I wish, that I could make the transition from cycling to running look as easy as the triathletes on TV today. But, I keep pedaling, pounding the pavement and pushing forward towards the goal.
Following the ride, Midge and I completed our run. We continue to talk to our legs in an attempt to convince them that they really do have to move forward. I am fighting boredom on the run. Today, I ran most of the run without my iPod which is going to be critical in the training ahead. I wish, oh how I wish, that I could make the transition from cycling to running look as easy as the triathletes on TV today. But, I keep pedaling, pounding the pavement and pushing forward towards the goal.
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