Sunday, November 18, 2012

A Little Rusty

So as previously mentioned, I'm just now getting back to the swing of things.

You could say the first quarter of school knocked me on my butt was extremely busy.  This is an unconventional year with construction and this Type A Control Freak had a rough go with it at first, but now things are settling in.  And, I've been blessed with some of the nicest kids I've had in 13 years of teaching (Lucky 13?) so that's made it easier.

Now it's time to get back on it.  Build the base.  Lay the foundation.

Yesterday Ana and I ran 8 conversational miles at an 8:40 pace.  We were both kind of surprised that we were able to hold that seeing as we were laughing and talking literally every single second.  I heart our runs as it feels like we're almost chatting over a beer, except that we're sweating, gross, and in constant motion.

Other than that? Basically the same thing.

Anyway, today I did a nice easy trainer ride for 75 minutes and then a bit of P90X Chest and Back.  Needless to say, both felt harder than they should.  I tried to really keep it easy, but I was somewhat disgusted at how bored I got on my trainer after, like, 27 minutes.  One can only stare at my washing machine for so long, I guess.  Thankfully, Sunday Winter Spins with my buddy TriEric and his wife, Aimee, are starting up next week, so I don't have to spin with my laundry in the basement alone all the time.

(Just most of the time)

Down another pound (yay!) so it's time to up the muscle tone.  I'm going to work on really sticking to strength two times a week this winter, and as always, I am on the quest for a SINGLE DAMN PULLUP JUST ONE THAT'S ALL I ASK.

My goal is to hit May in pretty decent triathlon shape this year.

How is that different than the past two years?

Well, over the past two years I've decided to run either a full or half marathon in the spring with a pretty tiptoes goal.  And in both cases? I got injured.  Once missed the goal, and once didn't even get a chance to try for fear of rupturing an already-injured achilles.

So then, I was out of commission pretty much the rest of June, and by the time July hit, I was *just* starting to feel like I was actually a triathlete again.

So what's that definition of insanity?  Doing the same thing multiple times and expecting different results?

Well, I kind of already did that, but OKAY I'M DONE NOW.  No more of this pretending I'm a runner and then getting injured nonsense.  Triathlons are my first love and I need to stop cheating on them.

This will be hard for me to say but...deep breath....

My name is TriSaraTops and I will NOT be doing the Cleveland Full or Half Marathon in the spring.

There.  I said it.

Now, I know what you're thinking.  But TST, why don't you just do it for fun?  Just to run it?

A) I'm way too cheap to pay for that and
B) Running "for fun" for me requires a goal, and usually one based in a time.  I know I'm a freak, but for me that's what makes it "fun." I just am not one who can just "do it" for fun, and hats off to those who can, because I am not nearly that disciplined on race day.  I'm like my dog who is convinced that if he just barks hard enough at that dog on the cartoon then MAYBE THIS TIME HE CAN JUMP INTO THE TV AND GET IT AND SHOW HIM, ALRIGHT.  On race day? I basically turn into my crazed, obsessive pug.

(They say people take after their animals, or something)

So over the next few months, I'll be continuing to work on getting leaner and build a bit of muscle as well as building a nice base.  Then, I'll start ramping up some intensity in the spring and actually be ready in June to hit the ground tri-ing instead of hitting the ground with my fists and sobbing because poor me did the same thing again this spring and injured myself AGAIN like an idiot.

Look for some fun spring road races to mix it up and maybe a du or an indoor tri if I can squeeze them in.  But then, it's all about building for the big show.

Killing it at Cedar Point in September.

So for now, pardon me while I dust off the joints a bit over here.  It's time to get moving again.

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