Another Triathlon

I cannot make running pretty:



I am not sure what is going on with my outfit here. I call this look "Running Bag Lady."



I completed the Camp Pendleton Triathlon this Saturday and it was a doozy. It was actually the hardest swim I've ever done. Ever. Hands down - in the history of any triathlon I've done. It was an ocean swim at a military base. Let me break this race down as to the pros and cons of racing at a military base:

Cons:
Terrible swimming conditions. I had 4-foot waves, 59-degree water temps and strong currents that carried us in the wrong direction. I almost took a DNF. Turns out, this military base is located there for a reason: It has some of the roughest waters in the area to train the Navy Seals.

It takes a long time to get on base and you have to show photo ID. One way in, one way out.

All the military men were trained to call the women "ma'am." So "good job, ma'am" "do you need water, ma'am?" were what I heard throughout the race. I felt very old.

Pros:
Hot men everywhere. All the aid stations were lined with hot, muscular men in uniform. Men were literally EVERYWHERE. And all were in uniform. I'll repeat that: UNIFORM. Plenty of eye candy.

Men were out on the bike course with rifles and machetes. They were protecting the triathletes from terrorists. So that's one less thing I had to worry about during the race.

So because this was on a military base and plenty of gorgeous men would be around me and since I look like the above pictures when I race, I decided to wear aviators instead of my typical athletic sunglasses. I was hoping to be more Angelina Jolie than looking like I was hemorrhaging.



I've been struggling in life lately. But I've found a song that perfectly represents how I feel. I have added the song as the theme song to this blog post and have pasted the lyrics below:

Run by Collective Soul

Are these times contagious
I've never been this bored before
Is this the prize I've waited for
Now as the hours passing
There's nothing left here to ensure
I long to find the messenger

Have I got a long way to run [x2]
Yeah, I run [x2]

Is there a cure among us
From this processed sanity
I weaken with each voice that sings
Now in this world of purchase
I'm going to buy back memories
To awaken some old qualities

Have I got a long way to run [x2]
Have I got a long way to run [x2]
Yeah, I run [x2]
Have I got a long way to run [x2]
Yeah, I run [x4]
[background:]
Have I got a long way to run [x4]

Open Water Swim Race

I participated in the fall Open Water Swim Race this morning and wore a wetsuit, which I instantly regretted. Phoenix is having record-breaking temperatures at 110. It is so hot you can't breathe. But hopping into the water was freshing. I did a hot six mile run after the race. I ran into a bunch of friends from Ironman and found out a girl from Scottsdale is doing the same marathon as I am, which is coming up soon.

I also went to a women's expo to hear Helen Hunt speak and I bought a wig. It is my second wig. My trichotillomania is completely out of control, so I bought a brunette wig that is cut to be a bob. I am channeling my inner Anna Wintour. If I add my thick Chanel sunglasses, I look like her, just taller. Five seconds after I put it on, a very good looking man started yelling at me "Are you married?" "Are you married?" That NEVER EVER happens, as in NEVER EVER. I think I will wear this wig all the time.

Tribal Sprint Triathlon

I woke up at 3:30am for an early triathlon which had a start time of 6:15--a 1 hour and 15 minute drive from my house. I'm not even close to being a fast swimmer or biker, but I love to run and I thought my goal for this race is not let anyone pass me on the run. I accomplished the goal. Not a soul passed and yes, there were still people behind me. I'll take the small accomplishments as I can get them. I really love the run course, as it is a lot of trail running, which you don't often find in a triathlon.

Weekend Update

Saturday I participated in the last Splash and Dash of the year: 2000m swim and 3k run. It was cold, cold, cold. I couldn't even feel my feet on the run. It was like running on air.

I then met my group for a 2 hour bike ride...at least it was supposed to be 2 hours. I flatted about 15 minutes from finishing and I ran out of CO2s. A car pulled up next to me and a very old gentleman with handicapped parking made his way out of the car with his cane. "Do you need some help?" he asked in his old man's voice. "No, I'm okay," I replied. It was very sweet of him to stop, but I just couldn't ask him to help when he could barely get out of his car.

Another biker then stopped to help who had clearly just fallen off his bike. He was gushing blood and offered his services. I really just needed another CO2, which he didn't have.

It was kind of a funny and sweet situation. Getting offers of help from people who I should be offering to help. What goes around comes around. I always, always try to help bikers. If I have a pump in my car and I see a biker changing a flat, I stop and offer my services. I block other cars when I see a biker out on the street to protect them. I know what it is like to be out there with flats and crazy drivers.

After which I attended a baby shower for an old roommate. She was very pregnant and glowing and beautiful. But, I am a deer in headlights with baby products. All of women were discussing labor and which baby lotions work best for rashes and I sat there happily eating homemade cake and nodding as if I understood anything they were saying.

On Sunday I ran the Iron Girl race. I love to support all-female races. I had an easy 10 mile run that felt like nothing. I just felt like I was lightly running and averaged around 9 minutes/mile, which isn't fast, but it felt really easy. It gave me some confidence from my bad workouts last weekend.

I then did a long swim at the gym.

Then I met up for a meeting with my triathlon group to go over racing strategies and we shared some stories and good times and laughs.

After that, I went to my parents' house to see some old friends in town from my hometown of Seattle. So nice to catch up with friends and eat good food. Delicious, crunchy chocolate chip cookies somehow kept finding their way into my stomach. I don't know how that kept happening.

Weekend Update

Friday night I spent swimming laps at the pool. My friends all had dates or went to the movies and I swam never-ending laps and went to bed early. Such is life and it is my choice to spend my Friday evening at the gym.

Saturday I did a 3.5 hour bike ride and felt really out of it. I was in some kind of funk. I had a brick scheduled with a quick 6 mile run afterwards, but had to wait a while to recoop my energy level to do the run. So tired and weird feeling. I think my electrolyte level was too low.

Sunday I participated in a 4000m open water swim race. If this is any indication of what is to come, I better get my armor set up and practice swimming with fists. I was clobbered and hit and kicked so hard my goggles came loose and knocked my contact out of my eye. I treaded water to blink it back in. At 1300m, I threw up from an excess of water intake, suffered from 2000m to 3000m, and then from 3000m to 4000m, I swam my heart out as fast as I could. I don't know how I placed, but it doesn't matter. I did the best I could.

The race director said anyone not wearing a wetsuit is called a swimmer, those with wetsuits are called triathletes. That is fine with me. "Jennifer" and "swimmer" do not belong in the same sentence.

My wetsuit worked fine and didn't split open. Success!

Attempting to master the impossible

Last night I did the spectacular: swam 6,000m or 3.7 miles. I had been putting off this workout for a couple of weeks, as it takes me an awful long time to swim and this was no small feat. But I wanted to do it, as I consider it a rite of passage in the training. I've heard people talk about the 6,000m swim just as they would a 20 mile run training for a marathon. It is incredible and long and arduous, not to mention, above all, boring.

Armed with my goggles, wetsuit, my favorite flavored gel, a waterproof ipod container with an iPod filled with new tunes, and a healthy dose of motivation, I went to the pool to begin this workout I have been dreading since the day I signed up for triathlons. I started out with a 250m warm up and decided to put on my wetsuit. I know I would look silly, but I swim faster in it and 6,000m is a long time when you are not a fast swimmer. But because I was already wet, apparently you can't put on your wetsuit and for the first time ever, my wetsuit ripped. Right there in front of men, I ripped my wetsuit. For a girl, ripping clothes generally means you have gained weight. I haven't gained weight I don't think, but I think trying to stretch it out over my already wet self didn't work. It was like trying to put on clothes when you are wet; it's a lot harder.

So I bagged the wetsuit and just swam my little heart out in my swimsuit for 6,000m. Oh and I forgot (for the first time ever) my swim cap. I didn't so much as forget, as I couldn't find it. I know I pulled it out of my gym bag to bring with me, but somewhere it disappeared. So I had hair in my face the whole swim.

I rewarded myself every 2000m with a lick of my gel: chocolate mint flavor. It is my favorite gel only available during the holidays and tastes just like brownie batter.

You know what? The swim wasn't that bad. I had been procrastinating for so long and when it came down to it, it wasn't that bad at all.

When I got back home and parked the car, I opened the car door and on the street was my swim cap just sitting there all by its lonesome self. Dang it. I must have dropped it while getting into my car.

I am proud of myself when just 9 years ago I couldn't swim at all, or even put my head in the water. It's not like I'm a good swimmer by any stretch of the imagination, but I sure as heck try.

I also did 90 minutes of biking on the trainer yesterday and this morning before work my alarm went off at 5:30am and I was on the trainer for another 90 minutes. I also have another 5000m swim this week, as well as two more 2000m swims and one open water swim race this weekend.

I am now googling a seamstress in a hopeful attempt to fix my wetsuit. The stitching came undone and with my open water swim race this weekend, I need a wetsuit, as there's no way I'm swimming that long without one. 6000m without a wetsuit was enough.

Tootsie Rolls to the Rescue

After my much unfortunate bill that will total well over $1,000 for 1 second of my life in a very maddening bike accident, I indulged my financial sorrows in leftover Halloween candy. Although it didn't make the whole in my wallet fill up with cash, it did tickle my taste buds and that made me feel a little better. I don't recommend sweets as a way to relieve problems; there are obviously healthier ways of doing so, but the brightly colored candy was just sitting there....and the candy did work a little magic on my pain.

Since I would have rather spent the $1,000+ on a trip to Europe, or a fancy weekend in Vegas, or indulge myself in some delicious spa treatments at some resort in Scottsdale, I figured I'd have to find some other manner of enjoying a vacation, so I turned on the travel channel and pretended I was at "The Top 10 Caribbean Beaches."

Life can be unfair sometimes. I had a brief accident and now it cost me a lifetime of happy memories of traveling somewhere exotic or buying a new piece of furniture, and instead, left me with a lifetime of scars on my face and knee.

I did run a quick 4 miles yesterday and today...swim, swim, swim.

Happy Halloween

I started off the morning that began with a chilly bike ride and ended up with a run in some heat. I did 75 miles on the bike and ended with an 8 mile run around a lake. I even was a good cyclist and helped to stop a fellow biker with a flat.

I am all gelled up from sticky GU seeping its way down my leg and my poor bike just gets Gatorade and GU all over it. It withstands such a beating I give to it, as does my poor body. I ran with my headphones and listened to Michael Jackson's Thriller and The Monster Mash to get into the spirit of the holiday.

Tonight I am dressing up as an inmate in black and white strips and heading to a haunted house.

Tomorrow I will do a 14 mile run and a 2.5 hour swim. I am not looking forward to that long swim...it will be my longest. I end up completely comatose after my long swims and pruned as an old apple.

Half Ironman

Sunday I participated in the annual Soma half ironman: 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run. I got up at 4:30am, grabbed my stuff and headed out the door for a chill in the air. My wave started at 6:52am and the swim went fantastic. I stayed nice and relaxed, kicking off other swimmers and trying to stay directly on course. I managed a time of 41.40 for the 2000m swim, which is okay. I always want to be faster on the swim, but it's relatively short compared to the rest of the race. The wave behind me were all men and all caught up to me, which is always scary. Women aren't nearly as aggressive swimmers or bikers.

I quickly headed on to my bike and didn't bike fast at all. I was trying to stay in my low heart rate zones and got passed by almost all the bikers. There was an accident in which a biker was carted off to an ambulance with a broken leg. Fortunately, no accidents or flat tires for me. But just a slow time. I had to change around my nutrition plan at 2:15 into the bike. My stomach started to feel heavy, so switched from electrolyte blocks to just gels and gatorade. I usually eat 100 calories every 20 minutes on the bike, but by the end, I switched to 25-30 minutes just to have a better stomach on the run. I got a very poor time on the bike, but biking just isn't my strength, which is unfortunate because it is the longest portion of the triathlon. I am not a good bike handler and get nervous on turns and tight u-turns, so slow down, which is part of the reason I am slow.

However, the run came and I rocked it. I started my run at just over 4 hours into the race and managed to pull off a 2 hour half marathon. I even ran the same time as some of the faster runners in my group. However, because they are much better bikers than I am, they finished with much faster times. My coach told me I would pass a lot of people on the run and she was right. Guys who I saw on the bike course who were a good 25 minutes ahead of me, I caught up with and passed. I slowed down a bit at mile 8 and 9, but by mile 10.5, I started running 8 minute miles and didn't slow down. I got my second wind and finished very strong.

Just need to work on my bike technique. If I can stay that relaxed in the swim, I think I'll be fine. Just need to work on swim speed now. I think in my wetsuit, my form is actually better than it is without it. The wetsuit forces me to keep my arms apart and not cross them over my body. But biking is my nemesis. I don't know how to get better. I can see how people can become better swimmers and runners. It's mainly about genetics, background and experience, technique and speed work. However, I don't see what you can do to become a faster biker? Is there some magic secret I don't know of? Perhaps my positioning could be better; I could stay in aero longer, work out with leg weights more...not sure.

But overall, it was a nice race and glad I did it. Gave me some confidence going into next month when I will be an even slower biker. I am going to have to really slow down my biking during my next race...frustrating. The weather was a warm 90 degrees by the time I finished the run and luckily, ice was available on the run. Every aid station I ran by, I grabbed cups of ice and threw them down my shirt. Felt soooo good.

My Arm Hurts

I got a flu shot at work yesterday. I get a flu shot every year and got one for free yesterday compliments of my company. However, I also had an aquathon race yesterday evening and well, my arm was quite sore. I did a 1000m swim followed by a quick 4K run on a dark Thursday evening. During the swim the sun was setting and luckily, finished the swim before total darkness. But I did run the dark.

Today my arm is super sore.

Have a big race this weekend I am worried about...we'll see how it goes. Glad it will be wetsuit legal. I have so much more confidence in a wetsuit.

Fall...? Where are you??

Autumn is my favorite time of the year--when the weather starts cooling down, Halloween candy is stocked on the shelves in the stores for me to salivate over and the mornings are perfect for running.

But, alas, the weather Gods seem to be punishing Arizona for some reason. It has been 109 on Saturday and 102 on Sunday with record-breaking temperatures...three words that are on the news almost everyday.

This weekend was a big training weekend and unfortunately, was so long I had no choice but to deal with the weather.

My 17 mile run on Saturday ended up with me running to the Circle K to buy Gatorade. I grabbed a bottle and yelled, "Gatorade, where have you been all my life?" And I was only at mile 14. It was a long, long 17 miles with salt forming on my head and face and the salty taste of the fruit punch Gatorade was so delicious down my throat.

I love to run at Kiwanis Park, this lovely park by my house where the kids feed the ducks in the pond and boys go fishing with their dads. Some kids like to count the amount of times I run around the lake because I tend to run it at least 17 or 18 times around. I love this park. Well, I got there on Saturday and the whole thing was torn up with metal fencing around it. Say what? My beautiful run and crowd watching were not going to come to fruition. I also love to run at this park because they have water fountains and bathrooms, which are especially helpful in the heat of the desert. Well, the city turned off all the water fountains and locked all the bathrooms. I ran there anyway and by the end after downing all my Gatorade and 1 gallon of water, I was holding onto the fence just to stay up. My electrolyte level was just too low from the heat and my stomach was cramping and legs felt icky.

Then afterward, I headed to the gym to swim.

On Sunday, I had my longest bike ride in 102 degrees. A group was riding the 87 highway and I had 100 miles to bike. 100! No exaggeration. 100 miles after my really difficult run on Saturday in my fabulously icky park. I started off well, taking in 300 calories per hour and following my nutrition plan. I cruised down the hill at 25 miles per hour and averaged around 20 mph for the first half of the course. Then....the heat came! Salty bikers in colorful shirts headed up the hill cursing the desert Gods for giving us this Indian summer. I had something happen to me that has never happened. Sometimes during biking I wear a headset, which a fellow biker did not appreciate. He biked near me to let me know how he felt about this and to tell me how bad a biker I was...hmm? What did I ever do to you? He then found me again several times along the highway and even came back around biking the opposite direction of traffic to bike next to me to yell very mean words to me. I told him I couldn't hear him because I was wearing my headset..lol! That made him more upset, but I loved it.

I came back to a much needed shower, as I had grease and gel packets stuck to my skin. I am a beautiful biking sight! Ahhh, now to eat all the calories I can.

Weekend

Saturday started off at 5:30am for a 4 hour bike ride through Apache Trail and onto Tortilla Flats. Gorgeous! Best bike ride ever. Beautiful cactus and desert landscape with canyon lake looming in the background. I charged up the hills, but stayed behind the pack for the flats. We had a lot of switchbacks and straight climbs and downhills. Although, I am not feeling the love of my training group member who said "maybe Ironman isn't for you." She is on my bad side now. Let your haters be your motivators.

Right after the ride, we all did a 6 mile hill run: three miles up, three miles down. I averaged not too shabby on the run.

The next day at 5:30am, we all met for a 20 mile run and it went great. The first 15.5 miles flew by. I had problems with my iPod the night before and think it is done. I had an old friend give me an iPod last year, so I'll have to be using that now. However, for the 20 miler, I decided to use a small portable radio and knew the batteries would be dying. So I kept a spare pair of batteries with me in a pocket. Well, of course, the batteries died and I thought...no problem, I have back ups. Smart thinking! Well, somewhere between mile 1 and mile 4, they fell out. But alas, the 20 miles went fine.

At noon, I met my group for swimming practice, which I dread. I am not a swimmer and really struggle with swimming. The coach stayed with me to practice my form and it is so hard to relearn what I have been doing for so long. Plus, in races, a lot just goes out the window anyway when you wear a wetsuit and battle it out with 2000 other people who kick and pound you.

I am feeling quite bad about three things in my life that are weighing heavily on my mind. I won't go into it here, but I'll just say that I have had three disappointments recently all at the same time. They say things happen in threes, so maybe three wonderful things will be happening to me soon. I'll say that one has to do with my training group member who seems to take a harsh beating to me, one has to do with another harsh person in my life and another has to do with not getting something I really wanted for the past 6 years and someone else getting it who probably doesn't know what he or she has.

But life must go on. I feel blessed to have other good opportunities come my way, but not getting this one hurt. Not so much for not getting it, but for the person that got it.

But I am grateful for this training and for my braces and for celebrating my dad's birthday yesterday. My dad is in amazing shape and works so hard. I should learn from him.

Update on life

Tomorrow is a duathlon and this weekend is an Olympic triathlon. So I've got a couple races coming up. I got into a very, very bad bike accident in this race in 2007. It messed up my training for the Antarctica marathon and kept me out of P.F. Chang's Rock N Roll Marathon in 2008 and Lost Dutchman Marathon in 2008. So I'm kind of worried....hopefully all will be well.

A member of my group had a bad bike accident and ended up carted off in an ambulance on Saturday. He flipped over the handle bars and took a tumble. Biking is one dangerous sport. Plus, it's a huge production just to go out on a bike ride.

On Sunday when I was biking, my bike started changing gears on its own. So I brought into the shop for repairs. $127.00 later I needed a new cable. So hopefully it will be fixed and not all greased up as it has been. I'll probably take it in once more this year.

I've been very tired since my bike ride. Monday and Tuesday were hard days to make it through and to get out of bed. I slept probably 10 hours last night. Went to bed early, woke up late. Shame on me! Now it will be a long evening of workouts.

People at work have been asking if I've gotten skinnier. I don't think so, but I've toned up more. My arms are getting more cut, which is strange because I don't have the genetics to get cut arms. I have my father's body and no matter how much weight I lift or how many strokes I swim, I don't develop cut arms because they are so long. Usually compact bodies develop more muscles. My body is tall and lanky, which I'm not complaining about at all. I'd rather have that than short and stout. So my arms aren't buff by any means, but do show a little more tone. I think it's from the swimming I have been doing.

But this has let me eat more. I eat more than anyone I know. I swear I eat and eat. It'll catch up with me in about 7.5 years when I enter my forties and my metabolism slows down. But until then, I'll have my cake and eat it too.

Weekend

Friday I ran 18 miles and did an hour swim. Then Saturday I did a 4000M open water swim race in very choppy waters. We were near the boats and water skiis that made for a very bumpy swim. I am super prone to getting sea sick and I did during the race. The waves made for a very nauseating swim. It was one of the hardest physical challenges of my life. After the race, I did a 2 hour bike ride in 105 degrees.

It is almost October and still having the same heat as in July. This heat will not end.

On Sunday, I did a 90 mile bike ride with a group of bikers. The group had set up aid stations and I got to refill with ice cold water. Lovely! I was getting used to drinking warm water on my rides. Cold water just quenches the thirst so much better. I also had no flat tires! Happy day.

Swimming

I swam 4000m yesterday and wow, was that monotonous. Back and forth and back and forth. I did purchase a waterproof contraption for my iPod so I could listen to music while I swim. According to the website, both Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin use it, so if it is good enough for them...but I read some reviews online that weren't positive. Turns out once you get underwater and stroke and breathe, you can't hear the music. It becomes very muffled and sounds just like your neighbor playing music...you know it's there, but can't make out any sounds. So I may be returning that. If I wouldn't swim and just held my head underwater, you could make out the songs a little better, but still muffled. So I guess I will be listening to my breathing and sounds of my thoughts as I swim.

I did run 8 miles yesterday as well and then biked this morning a little. I think my iPod is done and dead. I fell on it during my bike accident and it got pretty banged up and I think I may have broken it permanently.

Today my little brother left for Salt Lake City. He has packed up his things and moved there, so I am sad. I will miss him. I hope I get to live near him again soon. Maybe he'll be back someday, I hope.

But all is well. I am ready for a good night's sleep at some point. Been waking up early to train everyday. But life is all good.

Weekend

On Saturday I did a group ride of 70 miles. It took a very long time to finish. I did get one flat tire, unfortunately. I wasn't the only one, though. I was considered lucky to only get 1 flat. So frustrating, but I lucked out and one member of my group who is Speedy Gonzalez with changing flats happened to bike by and stop and fix my flat in record time. It would have taken me over twice as long to change the flat. Perhaps our prayers to the anti-flat Gods need to be more faithful. I'll try exercising my faith all week before the long ride this weekend comes.

I was getting bored and hungry by the end of the ride. I was counting my pedaling with 100 times on my right foot and then switching to 100 times on my left foot, then singing songs in my head...anything to stay with it and not get too tired.

Afterwards, we all hit the pool and ate and ate and ate. Usually triathletes are quite loud and talkative, but as soon as we got food, we all went completely silent. I swear if I had two forks, I would have been double fisting it. I couldn't shovel the food down fast enough. I wonder if it possible to gain weight with this level of working out because it seems like I am eating my weight in food all the time. Some people in my group were complaining that they were tired of being hungry all the time. Amen to that! At least I am not alone. I am not using braces as any excuse not to eat food. I am still eating bread and bagels, which my dentist said not to eat.

The next day I went on a 14 mile (hot, hot) run. I was sweating like crazy and went through three water bottles. Then, I had a swim. I had bad memories of junior high gym return. I got put into a swim group that was clearly above my level. I was the slowest one in the group and made me feel like the anti-athlete I was throughout my elementary and high school days. I didn't like that feeling. It is not good for the self-esteem.

Then after that, no matter what I ate, I couldn't get full. My tank is emptying quickly.

But I love the training!! I just love it.

I also love eating cake and not feeling guilty. But I do not love the early mornings when my alarm clock has the number "4" in the hour. Getting up before 5am on the weekends is not my idea of a "weekend."

Weekend

This weekend I did a four hour bike ride, which I got up at 4:05am to do. However, I was not fast at all. In fact, my average mph was very slow. I should be faster by now, but I vow to do better next week. I was on a hilly course, so that did bring down my average speed, but I know I can do more. I did keep my cadence pretty high and stayed in the higher gears for such a long ride. I am getting used to just biking in higher gears now.

I also did a swim with a group and on Monday morning I did a 12.5 mile run before work. By 7:30am it was a scorcher. It's going to be a hot day.

I hope to not get caught in the traffic of President Obama, as he is in town. Last time he was here, I was on the freeway at a completely dead stand still.

Weekend

Patience is a virtue. It has now been two weeks since I got my braces and every morning I look into the mirror only to be greeted with the exact same smile I had before. I am someone who wants things immediately and changing my teeth apparently is not something that happens overnight.

This weekend I got back on the saddle so to speak. I finally got back biking after my accident that left me with a lifetime of scars and an embarrassment in front of two good looking men. But I completed a 50 mile ride and kept my wrist wrapped, so no pain. After that, I ran a slow and exhausting 6.5 miles in heat. But I finished.

The next day I met my training group for a 10 mile trail run. I love technical running. It is my favorite type of running, which is one of the reasons I love triathlons. There is no ability to zone out; your head is always thinking and it keeps me from feeling exhausted as easily as 10 miles of running in circles. Of the group I met, 4 of us were doing Ironman, so we all had a longer run. It was me and 3 guys. And you know what? For the first half I could hang with them. The 5 miles back they smoked me and I couldn't even see them they were so far ahead. I was a bit cautious coming back down the trail after my accident, however. I really was not looking for another round of stitches or blood trails.

I then swam with my group for an hour in a very cold pool, which makes no sense as it has been nearly 110 everyday.

Well, I am still hoping to do Ironman. We shall see. My fall made me lose a lot of training time and I'm not a good biker. So if another fall is in my future, Ironman may not come to fruition. But I'll keep my hopes up and send myself positive wishes that no more accidents will occur.

I also saw the movie Julie and Julia, which combines two of my favorite loves: writing and food. Cute movie! Wish I could say the same about the book.

Michael Phelps I am not

I had a breakthrough in swimming today. We did a lot of kicking with my group and the coach used me as an example. I am never used as an example for anything. Ever. So it made me feel good, but as soon as we added the stroke, I fell behind. So clearly it's my stroke holding me back. The coach then had me breathe every 3 strokes, so I was breathing on both sides and my stroke count went down 6 strokes per 50 meters. I wasn't faster, but I was doing less work. I'll take it.

Headaches

I've had one too many headaches lately. When I was in Utah on Sunday evening after a beautiful day in heavenly Park City shopping and sharing the relaxed lifestyle of the Park City elite, I was driving back down the canyon into Salt Lake and my vision started to go. I knew right away a migraine was coming. When I get migraines I lose my vision for a while and then the pain starts. The vision started going away, while I was driving mind you, down a canyon, and I got nervous. I drove as quickly as I could without completely breaking the law to a grocery store to buy the most powerful medicine I could find and took over the maximum limit of pills as to hopefully put me into an Excedrine-induced coma. Unfortunately, that amount of pill popping didn't do the trick. I laid in total pain till about 3am when I was finally able to close my eyes and fall semi-asleep. At 6:30am I woke up, wide awake and still had a migraine.

My family was killing me this weekend. Slowly and surely. My grandmother's Alzheimer's mixed with a little dose of senility = a deadly combination.

I did enjoy the heat reprieve because when my plane touched down, hot hair came straight to burn my bones. I could actually see the air from the plane. It was steaming hot. I think the windows of the plane were fogging up.

Now it was my car's turn for a headache. I had trouble with my car since I got back from my 4th of July weekend and it finally gave way. It completely overheated and started steaming. I had to quickly shut it off and mysteriously a AAA van just happened to be in the same parking lot as I...what are the odds? Heaven sent. Well, turns out that my hood wouldn't open because it was stuck, so all he said to me was "good luck" and drove off. Boo hoo! My dad and brother came to my rescue from my overheated car and were able to pop the hood. Perhaps they should get a job with AAA. I got it to the mechanic the very next day, but having to drive in 107 degrees with no air-conditioning. Yeah me. Fortunately, the mechanic was able to fix it, it just hurt my credit card $335. My poor credit card, my poor car, my poor body driving in desert heat with no AC. But it is fixed and the air conditioning blows cold. It better blow cold, that's some expensive AC.

This weekend was hard core workouts. I got up at 4:30am to beat the heat with my friends from Racelab. We swam in Saguaro Lake with many bees who spent the morning trying to mate with my bike. After a 45 minute open water swim, we biked a little over 30 miles into an Indian reservation. Then I ran 5 miles in 110. It got up to 115that day and broke a record. Now it's time for my poor dehydrated muscles to hurt and a dehydration headache to start. Then I had a 12 mile run the next day at 4:30am and a swim session in the outdoors. Tomorrow I have a swim session at 6am and a run with my group at 7pm. Two workouts outdoors in the heat. Just kill me now. I'm already living in hell. If you kill me now, I won't have far to travel and maybe I wouldn't have to get up so early to workout.

Headaches, headaches, headaches.