Frustrated

I've been upset and frustrated these last few days. Not to mention saddened to see all these Father's Day messages. Not because mine is gone now but because we never had any type of relationship. If nothing else, he taught me the man I didn't want to be...so I guess there's always a lesson to be learned. I wasn't going to add the frustration of missing out on some training time...so, off to the Church of Sweat to exercise demons.

And oh by the way, can I just say that those gym colors are driving my crazy?! I feel like I'm in some weird Joker-esque torture place when I'm in there. At least I had the gym to myself. A solid 90 minute lift session with a cardio warmup. One positive thing in the day at least!

Trying to get back at it

So wait, you mean I can't take a week plus off and not make up all my training and regain my level of fitness with one workout?! Sonuva!

While I am able to swim, bike, run, lift...I've been struggling with the motivation and desire to do so. I wish I could put my finger on it but I can't. It's really weird too because it's the first time I've really found myself in this position. Well, only thing to do is to try and get back at it. So, found some cycling coverage, got my butt on the bike and knocked out a solid hour.

NO matter my fitness shape, I feel like I just get on the bike and ride forever. I'll take that as a goofdthing. Haha 

The water humbles you...

Ya, that face kind of says it all.

A 1200m swim (200 opener, alternating sets of 50 kick/50 pull/100 free, 100 cool down). Oh my! I never cease to be amazed how easy it is to be humbled by the water. Strength means little to nothing in the water...it's all about proper form. A form which I've lost. Talk about a perishable skill! Ooph. I'm gonna feel that tomorrow. Well, the one good thing to take away is that my hip feels great after all those sets. Not as strong as it was of course but no pain. Now to build on that!

What works for you...

6 miles. Dear running gods, forgive me for my sins but it's been almost 2 years since I've ran 6 miles...An ugly, rainy day so onto the treadmill I went. It's funny that getting back to training I've had lots of people tell me what I should and shouldn't do. And, to be honest, I've had tons of self doubt about what I should be doing and how myself. But, I know what works for me: training everyday, few rest days if any, eating when I feel like it not force feeding myself and pushing, pushing myself beyond limits...or at least learning new ones. Today wasn't a land speed record but I did throw in a few sets of intervals over the hour of running (as fast as a 7min/mi pace at one point) and still averaging around a 9min pace. I'll take it...and more importantly I feel physically and mentally good about it. Now to keep building and keep pushing

Focus on the "ups"...

Life, and training, is indeed all about the ups and downs. Honestly, lately, both have seemed more of the latter. While I'm healed up and can get back to running and riding, I honestly don't have the motivation. That's because of the need to rebuild my "base" mileage just to get me back to the pint of where I can then work hard to get to me level of training and competition...that I had before the injury and the following couple years of dealing with it...so I can get back to the point where I was before the hip injury.

Yes, I'm very happy that I'm pain free and the healthiest (no injuries) I've been in years it's just some days the task ahead is daunting and it sucks the energy and desire right out of time. Well, it all starts with that first step each day and then making yourself do more and more. Let me see if I cant catch up on a few steps right now...and get some more in the bank! 

The Jay Lyons 5k, two races in three weeks...I'm on a roll!

The Jay Lyons 5k...the race that started me back into running some 8 years ago after I decided to quit being a fat guy. Well, why not make sure I do it as a hip surgery recovering/fluffy guy now too?! In honor of a fallen firefighter of a terrible warehouse fire 17 years ago, the day started out cold and rainy and miserable...and then right before the race started the rain went away and the sun came out. So weird and yet so cool.

I'm rusty at racing (um, ya think?!) so I figured the best thing to do would be to seed myself toward the back and then just take each mile as it came. The race normally has close to 1000 runners but since there was another 5k for a recently killed in the line of duty police officer, today's race only had about 500 people. No big, start at the back, use the crowd to keep me from trying to get out and run fast (this is my only my second race after getting cleared to run on the 2nd of April and while I want to run all out I don't have the fitness level for it) and see how it goes

Ya, that face kinda says it ALL!

I had forgotten the course had a short hill kicker at the start before flattening out and then turning down hill/flat. The thought was to try and dig in and then use the down hill/flat to settle into a decent pace...but it felt like the my first mile was slow as molasses. A quick glance down to the Polar v800 showed it did it in 7:59...ok, no more looking at my watch for the rest of the race! There's another hill at around the 1.3 mile mark that stretches slowly higher with a short false flat up to the 2.4 mile mark. This hill would normally be where I bear down and start chewing people and gaining places. Well this year that hill made me one of the folks getting past. Yes, I know it is ridiculous to think I'd have any run conditioning (or speed) when only having been back to running for 3 weeks...but man it is a whole new world to be struggling and struggling on a course I normally run around 20 minutes on. I will say that it's a different perspective to worry about seeing how I feel and finishing versus my usual of trying to get a podium. But, but, but...it's all about learning (or relearning) and building back my level of fitness and "race intelligence".

I made the right at the top of the hill, where it flattens out a bit and I thought my lungs would explode. I actually yelled at myself "what are you doing?!, to push this hard with NO mileage in your legs, or speed, is just stupid". That is a FAR cry from what I'm normally yelling at myself...I made the right for the sloping downhill for the finish and was happy to cross it. Second race in a row that I was so happy that I crossed the finish line I was just kind of out of it. Well, it's all about getting miles in my legs. And, and, and...I even treated myself to a beer after!


I know this going to be a long slog to get back to my level of racing and more importantly the level of fitness I want and expect from myself but I have to realize its going to take time. And, and, and. humble me and teach me a whole new level of patience. I'm not happy about it. I actually dread it. But I know in the long run, the fact that I'm pain free post surgery I can hopefully be even better than I was. We'll see.

I'll show you sleep monster

For some reason over the last few weeks I've just been exhausted. I have absolutely no idea why either. I'm eating (and I'm making myself eat more since I have a tendency to not eat enough) and I'm sleeping at night, it's just so weird.

But, but, but...I came home from a long day of work and figured I'd take the bull by the horns. I forced myself to take an hour nap, made some dinner and then hit the gym for a run. Because you know, a workout makes everything better.

A bonus was finding yet another old fave tank top. I didn't even know I still had it after all these years (um, 22 to be exact! I dug a bag out of my storage unit that was filled with old tees and tanks from my Army days). I really have to start wearing a foot pod on my HRM when I run on the treadmill because I ran more than that. I was actually pretty happy that I was running about an 8:15 pace for the 40mins. I'm kind of blown away that, post surgery and this being the longest I've run now on like 9 months the hip feels great. I'm excited to keep logging miles. NOW I can go to sleep.