Three Weeks

FYI, I'm getting back to training. Pretty much one day at a time, but at least I've sketched out how much running I should try and do between now and 11/1, if I'm to do that 50K.

But I really just need to get through the next 3 weeks. After that, I'll have a freshly painted, inside and out, house, complete with new windows and doors. And my street should be finished! New house, new street, new training season.

If you read up on dreams or just even psychology, you'd know that "house" is often a metaphor for one's inner self. Dreams about houses or rooms signify that you are doing "work" on yourself. What the fuck, I am all about working on myself. So much so that it does, at times, feel like actual work. How can I do work when I also have to WORK? How is it that it this first stage of working on my physical house has come down to 3 weeks to go? Then I will need to decide what's next. I suppose subconsciously I decided to begin working on my physical house knowing that I'd be working on my inner house at the same time.

The only problem with finishing one thing is that it means it's time to begin something else. Just like when you find the answer to one question in your life you are presented with the next question. And you know what? From my past experiences, it usually takes about 3 weeks for something to gel in my head and answer the first question and then I'm usually ready for the next one. Maybe that's why coaches recommend a 3-week step up and then 1 week down.

I received a bonus question yesterday--an invitation to the 30 Days of Prison Workouts, care of Louis. He's a guy I met at the outdoor pool this summer who is into CrossFit. Well, I guess I just signed up for it. Starts in 3 weeks. I know I can do the 50 air squats, planks, Superman, anything abs I can do. I can do a few burpees. I'm excited about this because, well, it will be a replacement for my current strength training for a month. I am sure once the month is up that Louis will be pointing me to something else.

There are just too many coincidences here. This is why I write this shit down.

3 weeks. I can't wait! I get to be a prisoner in my own house!

Where am I Going?

Fall is a common time when we think about the past year and look towards the next. A little over a year ago, I was having discussions with my Dad about possibly moving someplace else and him coming to live with me. At the time, I also knew that I'd want to have some work done on my house, after about 9 years of neglect due to my immersion in running and then triathlon, before making such a move. Well, things turned out a little differently. Dad died, but I still wanted to get going on those house projects because I needed to start thinking about where I want to live next, assuming I'm able to change directions in the next few years.

First I had to get the Estate process going, and I got most of it done before IMLP, but then knew I'd still be wanting to train a lot. Something told me in early August that it was time to pull the trigger and start work on the house. That one decision has created a snowball effect. So far, the exterior has been painted and new windows have been installed. Next will be interior painting and redoing some of the window treatments and maybe getting some new furniture in the bedrooms. In the process of moving things around to prepare for the work, things are just screaming at me to do something about them--be it fix up, toss or evaluate for the future. I had begun a general purge of "stuff" last winter, as part of my grief process, and now it continues.

I've kept a page on my office desk blotter at home for 5 years now, and while I moved the blotter and the computers on top of it so I could work in a different area of the house, I just moved them back and decided to read something I'd written to myself 5 years ago, and so I'm going to write it down here before I toss the paper. In rereading it myself, I can see that I probably knew where I was heading, and while I'm not all the way there, I think I've made good progress.

I wrote this on 5/10/2003 at the point where I was injured, unable to run, and knew I couldn't go race in a 1/2 Ironman in Kona in a few weeks. It was devastating to me at the time because, well, I really love Kona, didn't know how long I'd be injured, and it was my first brush with the possibility that I might not be able to run again. As it turns out, I still went to Kona and had a wonderful time cheering for a friend and basically everyone else, I came back from the injury by July as a result of researching trigger point therapy, and I PR'ed in a 1/2 IM after not much training. I went back to a chiropractor I had seen just a few times and he was shocked that I had fixed myself. I was proud of myself because in returning to running, I took an extremely conservative approach, which was a huge exercise in self-control for me. Since that time, I have learned pretty well how to manage potential injuries and also a ton of patience, and obviously, become much more in tune with my body and hopefully my mind.

So, reprinted for your reading pleasure, see if you can see the future themes, many of which I think I've laid out on this blog:

5/10/2003

Dear Sheila,

I know this hurts (literally) and is disappointing. But, you will no doubt benefit from the rest and perhaps reconnect with your health in a new way. Not to mention becoming a better swimmer! Learn from this--listen more carefully to your body and the signals it sends when it needs a break. Tell those around you that you need their help in sounding back at you when you say you are "not 100%." Because you know that you are usually running around 250%. Let others help you. Tell them they need to be honest with you. You are not invincible, even though you have a shell that makes it appear that way. Take care of some other aspects of your life during this time away from training. You were a pretty cool person before you started doing this triathlon stuff, and that part of you is still inside. Don't be afraid of that part of yourself. It's the foundation that has enabled you to be where you are today.

Be thankful. Despite this injury, you are a healthy, beautiful woman. You have friends and family that love you, even when you act self-absorbed and think what you are doing is so amazing. Remember how you always say that the main thing you want in your life is to live every day with integrity, and to set a good example of what's possible to others? You are already living proof of that, and you are not diminished in the eyes of anyone for failing one goal. You need to keep aiming and shooting--sometimes you will hit, and sometimes you will miss. Each miss may hurt, but learn from it so you increase the chance of hitting.

Love,
Me

And of course, I have to reprint my two favorite quotes that are displayed prominently in my home office area that I only ran across for the first time a few years ago:

When the archer shoots for no particular prize, he has all his skills; when he shoots to win a brass buckle, he is already nervous; when he shoots for a gold prize, he goes blind, sees two targets, and is out of his mind. His skill has not changed, but the prize divides him. He cares! He thinks more of winning than of shooting, and the need to win drains him of power.
--Tranxu

To achieve satisfaction in everything
Desire it in nothing.
To possess everything,
Desire to have nothing.
To be everything,
Desire to be nothing.
To know everything,
Desire to know nothing.
--John of the Cross

I think I must have known 5 years ago that I would get to the point of wanting to do NothingMan, and I just right now realized the poignancy of both quotes.

The journey continues!

Historical Crackhead Training & Racing

I'm trying to get over Nothing, but I keep getting something out of it. But I did promise that for whatever reason (those of you addicted to the crack) that I would post my season totals and all that.

First, here are some of the interesting facts:

• Number of insect stings: 3. I may need to get a prescription for an Epi pen since I seem to be reacting more each time I get stung.
  
• Number of times I rode 100+ miles in a day: 8. This is a problem. I'm going to need to get on those earlier in the year, like March-April timeframe. Ironman is all about riding far FAST. I can do plenty of FAST in the winter, add FAR, but then the kicker is FAR and FAST.
• Number of times I swam at the outdoor pool: Not sure, but close to 50. I miss that.
• Number of times I bonked while running: 2 or 3
• Number of hyperthermia incidents: 1. I'm pretty proud that this was my first time :)
  
• Did the most number of triathlons (including Nothings) in a season at 15. That's a whole lot of fun!
• Number of hypothermia incidents: 2--once at Triple T, IMLP.
• Won Grand Master Crackhead division at Triple T.
• Swam in the coldest water I've ever been in at Triple T.
  
• Did my longest run ever.
• Did 2 IM's (1 Nothing) in the rain. Got rained on during a 1/2 NothingMan. Got rained on at Triple T. Got rained on a lot!
• Number of nearly naked pics of me on this blog: I don't know. Count them yourself :) Winner gets to predict my next crazy adventure.

Below is all the data since I started doing this stuff. The only thing I know for sure is that since I was a little low on running and swimming, strength training kept me sound this past season. Stress took a heavy toll on me pretty much through July, but that is mostly in the past now. I am now officially beginning my 2008-2009 year, and I predict that no matter what my time achievements may be, that there will be another bunch of firsts, a whole lot of fun, and great experiences on my own and with others of a similar mindset. I kicked off the season in a unique way--I ran in the desert over this past weekend. Not too far from Death Valley. It's really true--there are dinosaurs in the desert!

Training Year Beg.	Total Run Hours/ Year	Avg. Run Hours/ Week	Est. Total Run Miles/ Year	Est. Avg. Run Miles/ Week	Annualized Run Miles
2000-2001	222.84	4.29	1337.04	25.71	1285.62
2001-2002	244.00	4.44	1464.00	26.62	1330.91
2002-2003	239.92	4.14	1439.52	24.82	1240.97
2003-2004	194.92	3.90	1208.48	24.17	1208.48
2004-2005	188.10	4.00	1166.22	24.81	1290.29
2005-2006	229.74	4.33	1463.72	27.62	1436.24
2006-2007	223.84	4.30	1433.97	27.58	1433.97
2007-2008	200.35	3.93	1284.45	25.19	1309.64
Training Year Beg.	Total Bike Hours/ Year	Avg. Bike Hours/ Week	Est. Total Bike Miles/ Year	Est. Avg. Bike Miles/ Week	Annualized Bike Miles
2000-2001	262.85	5.05	3942.75	75.82	3791.11
2001-2002	275.00	5.00	4675.00	85.00	4250.00
2002-2003	338.48	5.84	5754.16	99.21	4960.48
2003-2004	335.13	6.70	5697.27	113.95	5697.27
2004-2005	274.08	5.83	4796.46	102.05	5306.72
2005-2006	304.86	5.75	5326.86	100.51	5226.35
2006-2007	330.22	6.35	5710.85	109.82	5710.85
2007-2008	319.95	6.27	5596.46	109.73	5706.19
Training Year Beg.	Total Swim Hours/ Year	Avg. Swim Hours/ Week	Est. Total Swim Yards/ Year	Est. Total Swim Yards/ Week	Est. Total Swim Miles/ Week	Annualized Swim Yards
2000-2001	146.67	2.82	366675	7051.44	4.00	352572
2001-2002	166.00	3.02	415000	7545.45	4.28	377273
2002-2003	190.28	3.28	508422	8765.90	4.97	438295
2003-2004	197.72	3.95	563709	11274.18	6.40	563709
2004-2005	158.98	3.38	455671	9695.13	5.50	504147
2005-2006	153.49	2.90	437285	8250.66	4.68	429034
2006-2007	164.56	3.16	471743	9071.98	5.15	471743
2007-2008	143.76	2.82	408658	8012.90	4.55	416671
Training Year Beg.	Total Strength Hours Year	Avg. Strength Hours/ Week
2000-2001	80.00	1.54
2001-2002	65.00	1.18
2002-2003	78.75	1.36
2003-2004	62.93	1.26
2004-2005	45.78	0.97
2005-2006	70.81	1.34
2006-2007	66.27	1.27
2007-2008	75.41	1.48
Training Year Beg.	Total Hours/ Year	Avg. Hours/ Week	%Increase	Annualized Hours/ 50 weeks	Cum. Avg. Hours
2000-2001	712.36	13.70		684.96	13.69923
2001-2002	750.00	13.64	1.00	681.82	13.66780
2002-2003	847.43	14.61	1.07	730.54	13.98215
2003-2004	790.70	15.81	1.08	790.70	14.44011
2004-2005	666.95	14.19	0.90	709.52	14.39018
2005-2006	758.96	14.32	1.01	744.64	14.47395
2006-2007	784.89	15.09	1.05	754.70	14.56253
2007-2008	739.47	14.50	0.96	724.97	14.55464
Training Year Beg.	Stretching Avg. per Week	Avg. Hours Sleep
2000-2001
2001-2002
2002-2003
2003-2004
2004-2005		8.51
2005-2006	1.92	8.54
2006-2007	1.39	8.24
2007-2008	1.79	8.19