115 Miles of Beauty

With a few weeks left of training I am powering through --  

Three weeks of back to back monster training weeks.  I have to. I need to. To get me the where I need to be.

Work is crazy.  So, it is making training that much more difficult but I am managing.  100% reminder for next year and years to come… I can only do IM in the summer.  Holiday season and training together is a recipe for disaster.

That being said, I am making it work.  I have been up earlier to handle my bike on my trainer in my living room before work… and NO, I have not rode out of my trainer since that first time a few months back, but thanks for asking and giggling to yourself. :-) .. .the then shower and head to the office by 9:00… where I am there all day, working hard as one of Santa’s elves.   :-)  I am not complaining as I do love what I do, just it is hard.  I am at the office until 8:00 at night, if I am lucky to race over to the gym to get in my pool sessions and then the elliptical. Aqua Jogging has fallen to the side as my gym pool is not deep enough, but the elliptical I think is helping more, plus I really tuned out on the work out and I get to catch up on all my episodes of Switched at Birth and The Fosters on my phone. J Once done, I am home at 10:00 or 11:00 to fall into bed and start all over.  Depending the day, I have added in Pilates instead of the run or swim… which I have realized, I really enjoy!

The weekends are madness.  This weekend, in particular, I had to bike 120 miles with a 3mi transition run on Saturday and them swim for 2hrs and elliptical for 4hrs plus strength and condition. How gross does that sound?!  Since it actually rained this weekend, I had to swap work out days, so I was at the gym from 6:45 – 2:45… that including swimming working out, changing and of course showering. It was crazy.  8hrs at the gym.  It was funny, because I packed a lunch and ate my PB&J in the locker room with the ladies looking at me like I was a weirdo and I just continued with my daily routine. I got in 4 episodes of Switched at Birth and strength and conditioning.  It was a good day… and I was shocked it was only 2:45 when I left.  My Saturdays are usually on the bike, so I am not home until 6:00 or 7:00, so this was a nice treat.  Additionally, while I as at the gym, I noticed the scale.  I do not have a scale at home, so I had no idea what I was at weight wise.  Not that I cared, because like I said, I don’t have a scale at home but I was intrigued.  About half way through the season I had gained the muscle and of course lost 5 or so pounds, but lately, my clothes were literally falling off of me, so I was curious.  Before I started training I was 138lbs and I was comfortable with my weight.  Of course I wanted to lose the typical 10lbs we all dream of, but I was not stressing about it.  So imagine my surprise when I hopped on the scale and kept sliding the weight thing to the left… 119lbs. Holy Moly! 20lbs... Did I really have 20lbs to lose?!?! LOL. I guess so!  So, needless to say, since I finally had a Saturday afternoon, I headed to Beverly Center for some new clothes! … and boy am I happy!  Don’t get me wrong, I am super excited I lost the weight.  One it will make the race that much easier to do without the excess, but I am also realistic.  My “normal” clothes are in my closet, waiting for me to be social again in the “off season” – with holiday parties and get together, I am sure I will land somewhere in the middle. :-)

So, after my excursion to the mall and 6hrs of working out, I was exhausted and took no time falling asleep that night for my 120 on Sunday.  I was ready.  I set up my car as my special needs bag and went out for three loops from Zuma to Los Posas and back.  It is the best “race simulator” there is and today was probably the best and worst day.  We had 12MPH winds at Zuma in the am and as I went north the winds only increased. It was probably around 25MPH at some points and could have been as close to 30MPH at others.  WOWSERS!!  It was draining.  But mentally, it was perfect. I normally don’t listen to any music or anything on these rides, because you can’t during the race, but this time I did, halfsy—I had an earphone in one ear and the street side was open.  I downloaded GONE GIRL.  I only got half way through, if you can believe that on an 8hr ride… but I was good!  So don’t spoil the ending for me. :-)

The run after was great.  My knee didn't hurt but man the wind at 4:00 on the beach was blowing. All the kite boarders were out in full effect and smaller kites, because the wind was so great for them... brutal for me with sand at my face, but again all good training.  I got home that night with an awesome feeling.  I am going to crush this race!!

The best part was after my ride, I was able to meet up with Erick, who helped me with a quick tire change clinic.  thank goodness for that.  It was very helpful.