Closing In

This is going to be a very rambling post.

WTC STILL hasn't posted the start list for IMCOZ.  WTF???  You can't put up a fucking list of people on the Interwebz?  I need to know who my competition is, so that I can either get excited about the possibility of a Kona slot, or I can relax, knowing it probably won't happen.

I am 8.5 weeks out from race day.  In case you haven't been fucking paying attention (oh, did I forget to say this post will be LITTERED with F-bombs?), here's the remaining training:

That is some hefty fucking training, eh?  I don't fear it, though, since I've done more than this in my build for Ultraman Canada.  I have to keep telling people that because they still look at me all cross-eyed when they see how much training I am doing NOW.  Either they don't have a fucking memory, or they have just recently jumped on the Crackhead bandwagon.  I know--it's a wild ride, isn't it?

I get almost a villainous laugh when faced with a training block like this.  Why?  Because to me it's ALL KINDS OF FUCKING FUN!!!

I get to test my mental toughness in a huge way, since it's likely I will be doing some very long trainer rides (I think my longest ever is 5 hours; I will go up to maybe 6:15 this time around), including 3 of what I am calling FUCK ME biking weekends:

• 10/19 4:00 hours, 10/20 5:30
• 10/26 3:00 hours, 10/27 5:00 hours
• 11/16 5:30, 11/17 4:00 hours

Thing is, I've done this shit before, only FUCKING OUTSIDE!!!  At least one, possibly all three, of these weekends will be trainer rides.  But you know what?  I don't fucking care.  For one thing, my homey Shelley (who I haven't seen in 4 years can't wait!) will be here for the first one, and her job is to tell me how fucking amazing I am, fetch fresh, cold bottles from the fridge, tell me what an idiot I am, take stupid pictures and post to Facebook, and commiserate with me in general.  I think we will be watching James Bond movies--I just got the Blu-Ray 23-disk set that includes Skyfall. Then we will consume mass quantities of food--I plan on sushi one night and Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket the other.

Also, on 11/9, I do my race rehearsal ride, which will most likely be 6:15 in duration, and Cortney will be here for a wedding, and she gets to perform Crackhead sherpa duty that day.  I've never met her in person, so this should be interesting.  Cortney is a budding Crackhead herself, so I am pretty sure we will have a great time!

My birthday (57 CAN YOU FUCKING BELIEVE IT???) is on 10/22.  Shelley will be here in close proximity, so we will no doubt celebrate.  I have already gifted myself of many things, and really don't need anyone to buy me stuff, although I joke about it all the time on Facebook.  I have been given nice things by nice people.  Gatorade is always appreciated, as are superhero action figures and gift certificates to Desoto and Zoot, hint hint.  Last year when I was so depressed, one of the irrational thoughts I kept having was that I am old and ugly.  Well maybe I AM old, but at least now I am OK with it.  I tricked my best friend, Susan, into believing that I would never race Ironman again, and that it would be a GOOD thing.  I have since notified her that I was crazy at the time, and that this training and racing is what keeps me sane, vital, vigorous, sexy, good at my job and just loving life!

As you already know, I've had my early fall illness already.  I still have somewhat of a cough, but I feel like I'm OK without the inhaler, except right before exercise. Yesterday was a drug festival, though, as I woke up after 5 hours of sleep, drank coffee, swam, came home and worked, took some Ambien to try to sleep, never slept, woke up feeling drugged, worked more, finally started feeling better and had a Coke, passed out around 7PM and woke up at 2AM.  I am just rolling with this oddball sleep schedule.  Tonight I may take the Ambien right before I go to sleep at around 8PM and hope I sleep until 3AM.

Oh--yesterday I went to this little boutique in town and bought some fancy ass clothes, including this dress:

It looks really good on me.  The owner is all excited about having me as a client since I'm pretty tiny and look good in all this designer shit.  Although I think I have a strange physique now--either I'm fat (I've put on about 3 lbs. last 2 months but plan on dropping it), or I am really carrying a lot of muscle.  My size 3 (ACTUAL SIZE 3 NOT WHAT PASSES FOR 3 NOW) jeans fit me just fine, even a bit loose, but my ass is huge.  I have rather big legs for such a small person.  I wonder whether with my thyroid function fixed that my metabolism is allowing me to keep more muscle on me?  Whatever, apparently I have been eating enough to put it on.  Yesterday I started an austerity program for the last weeks before IMCOZ--no more candy, no more Twinkies, Pringles and Cheetos sparingly, watch my beer intake.  That is all it will take to shed those 3-4 lbs. in maybe 4 weeks.  I feel really "thick" if that makes sense, which is a feeling of being solid, not jiggly, so maybe this is muscle.  I plan on getting my metabolism measured sometime after my next blood test, assuming my TSH level is where I want it to be which is between 1 and 2.  If it's higher, that means my thyroid continues to crap out and I will need to go on a higher dosage.  This is so much fucking fun, NOT!

That dress will be making an appearance in Vegas next March, where I and 2 girlfriends (maybe Shelley if she can get out of a stupid work trip) will be visiting Susan and running the Red Rock Canyon marathon, and then going out on the town.  I wish I had an occasion to wear it before then, but stupid men I fancy are afraid to get with all this.  I mean, look, I DO have time for social life, just the rest of my life is far from normal.  I manage to kick ass at a sometimes high pressure job, maintain a house and gardens, cook (WELL I might add) for myself, train for a fucking Ironman, manage to keep a few good friends, coach Brad, and be generally awesome. What is not to like about that?  I know people who ask me about my training are doing mental gyrations and thinking, "she can't POSSIBLY have time for a relationship," but that is just not true.  Sigh.  Well, I can't be concerned about the man thing right now.  If someone is brave enough to take the Crackhead challenge, great, STEP THE FUCK UP.  Oh, I guess with an attitude like that I can be a little intimidating.  GET THE FUCK OVER IT GUYS!!!  As my brother, Mike, says, "someone in the relationship has to be smarter."  Fortunately, I have a few friends that "get" me and aren't trying to hold me back or tell me to "tone down" or "be more girly" or "quit being so boisterous."  While I may have a foul mouth, I am quite girly, thank you very much LOOK AT THAT FUCKING DRESS!!!

Also, I am getting back on my strength training.  I got off kilter there for a few weeks with IMWI and then getting sick, but I'm back on the weights.  That is crucial for me, since it helps me to support my training and my life in general.  I figured out that the reason I was cramping (lower legs and feet) while swimming was due to the Evista I was taking for osteoporosis.  I've been off it for a week, and already I can kick like a mad fool and not cramp.  Leg cramps are a documented side effect, and since I can't tolerate cramping up during a swim, I stopped it.  I am working with my doctor to figure out what alternative I will take, but I don't plan on starting anything new until after IMCOZ since I don't want to fuck with potential side effects.

The other thing about Evista is that it can increase your likelihood of DVT.  I was already planning on asking whether I should stop it prior to flying to Mexico, so at least I can take that off my to do list.  I was also experiencing some excess edema in my right calf, which MIGHT have been from spraining my ankle, but I think it was also related to the Evista.  One day last week when I was running I became paranoid that maybe I was experiencing DVT, but all that swelling is gone, so PHEW!

I should probably tell you how I've done against my planned training.  If you recall, I registered for IMCOZ on 7/22, and I quickly put together a training plan which has since become what my protégé, Brad, is being killed by...er...following.  It only took me about 3 iterations to eyeball it for making sense, being a reasonable progression, and getting me in top-top shape.  So here's how I've done against the plan so far:

Not too shabby for a working stiff, eh?  Also, since 1/1/2013, I am averaging 14.8 hour of training per week.  My highest ever was 16.3 while training for IMLP 2009, so I'm a bit of a slacker, but that's because I really didn't do much from January through early July.  As of 7/21, I was only averaging 13.7 hours per week, which is really nothing for me.

Now, if you look at my average training hours per week since 6/17, it's 17.8 as of the end of last week.  THAT is good, serious training!  I dropped off a bit from 18 due to being sick.   HUGE NUMBERS MAKE ME FUCKING HAPPY!!!

This week is a "rest week," meaning not much running--only 2.5 hours scheduled.  I will still swim quite a bit and bike like 9.5 hours, so other than running, this is still a solid week.  I know the rest is working its magic on me since yesterday I was going a bit crazy since all I did was swim.  So I finally got my weights on, at least a start on it, and I did some gardening, too.  I can already tell that I will go batshit crazy during my IMCOZ taper.  It's been awhile since I've been in this kind of shape, and soaring to the peak of fitness and then dropping out the volume to taper is sure to turn me into this:

But I LIKE that feeling!  There is nothing in the world like it!  When you are at the top of your game, all mental and physical systems in your body are in perfect synchronicity with your goals, WHO WOULDN'T FUCKING WANT THAT FOR THEMSELVES???

Yet, it can frighten the shit out of people.  I've already put myself on notice at work to watch my attitude, because I get pretty aggressive right about now.  DON'T FUCK WITH ME.

Here are the to do items I have left to go for my IMCOZ preparations:

• Try out my race clothes.  I hope to do this today, as the weather will be warm when I bike and run later.  You might guess I would wear zebra stripes or skulls or both, but actually I'm going with simple red and black.  Skull Kingdom has plenty of skulls, as does my aero helmet.
• Make my reservation with Tri Bike Transport.
• Have Magic Mike take another look at me in the pool.  I am not going to get any faster before IMCOZ, but I want him to check if my work the past few weeks has made a difference.  I DO plan on working with him on my speed beginning in January.
• Put new saddle on Death Machine and get cleats for new shoes.
• Figure out when the fuck I will have time to get my final bike tuneup before dropping it off for transport.
• Go insane and try to not commit any felonies.

Today I get to do a broken tri-ath-A-lon (as my friend, Mark, pronounces it, which makes me smile): 2900 swim in the AM, then 1:30 bike with :20 brick run.  I am SO looking forward to getting on the bike today!
Congratulations if you made it this far.  NOW FUCK OFF!!!!  Just kidding, have a wonderful day!

Ride Like an Egyptian Ride and FOOD Report

Yesterday I did, for the first time, the Ride Like an Egyptian century out of Dekalb.  I'd wanted to do this ride for a few years, but either the weather has been shitty, or I was doing a NothingMan (which used to traditionally occur the weekend after Ironman Wisconsin).  This year, the weather was going to cooperate, even if it started out a bit cold.

I woke up at 2:30.  I am doing fine on 7 hours of sleep, thank you, but pass out like 7:30PM.  I am such a loser but it works for me as I LOVE the early morning hours to straighten up the house (such as it is with a constant triathlon tornado blowing through), load bottles and stuff into the dishwasher, write blog posts, gaze upon my psycho training plan and review my master TO DO list to see what I might be able to knock out that day.

It was chilly outside, only 51, and the hourly forecast called for temps to drop even further by 7AM, which is when I wanted to start riding.  I chose a riding outfit including tights and a long-sleeve jersey from Jordan Rapp with a Descente underlayer on top, long socks, toe warmers, helmet beanie, and my awesome Castelli wind stopper gloves. I'd fixed my bottles on Wednesday this week (usually I don't do it until Friday) because I had to go to downtown Chicago on Thursday to get my new laptop (which I still haven't finished configuring because I haven't had time but that's on the list for tomorrow) and Friday I had a repairman coming (to fix my oven YAY it's fixed!) and then a massage and of course, work, so I got the head start on the bottles.

Pre-ride I took in:
FOOD ALERT!!!!

• Toasted Bay's Sourdough English Muffin with blackberry jam on top
• Hardboiled egg split in two on top of the muffin
• 3 cups of coffee with fat-free Hazelnut Coffemate (yes, it has SUGAR!)
• 300 calories of Ultrafuel, my sugary goodness that I use for any workouts over 3 hours
• 1 can of Coke during the drive to Dekalb.

So that's maybe 850 calories or so.  On the way to Dekalb, I saw the temperature dropping, to a low of 43!  I knew I'd made the right decision on clothes, even though I'd brought a pair of bike shorts just in case.   I even turned on the heat in my car!

When I arrived at the Egyptian Theater, where the ride began, it was pretty chilly when I got out of my car.  I got there just after 6:30AM, and there were already a good number of riders getting ready.  Some of them just had shorts on, and while I am pretty tough, I am tiny, and knew I'd be better off covered up today, even if it got to 70.  I'd rather be a tad warm than at all cold!

Here's the outside of the theater:

You can see from the sky that it was a beautiful morning!  In retrospect, I should have had someone take a pic of me doing the Egyptian walking pose in front, but oh well...

I figured from the outside facade of the building that it must be pretty cool looking on the inside, so I went in and snapped a few pics. First, here I am in my lucky Jordan Rapp jersey (official good luck to him in Kona!):

This is the second time I've worn this jersey--it's DA BOMB! Perfect for that starting out riding cold and may warm up a bit but you won't get hot in it. Next I went inside the theater proper and look at all the cool stuff in there:

I thought they'd let us check in like 6:45, but they wouldn't until 7:00AM, so I had 2 more funny pics to knock out:

Now why the dude taking the pic didn't get me head on I don't know!  Some people just have no clue when it comes to taking pics.  Meanwhile, everyone was marveling at how small I am and calling me skinny and I HATE that!  I am NOT SKINNY! 

I talked to a girl in line who had just started doing triathlons this year and she was so excited, and I didn't say anything about myself (after all, I was dressed like a roadie with a Castelli hat and all) until after I'd asked about all her races and times and stuff, then all I said to her was, "I've done a bunch of triathlons."

Got registered, got a map, failed to ask what the road/signage markings were for turns, and went back to car to retrieve Skull Kingdom and get started, but I had to pee again, because cold weather really makes me need to pee a lot.  I was going to use some shrubs in the parking lot, but there was a disgusting porta-potty that I used instead.

I headed out and within one mile was lost--no signs, no arrows.  And the map I thought I'd stuffed into my back pocket was not there.  I must have just dropped it on the ground.  There were a few guys around me (trying to keep up with me) and I asked if they had maps, and NO.  Fuck.  Well it took awhile to find someone riding WITH A FUCKING MAP and then we got on track.

The ride is a hub and spoke system, which is cool.  We ride out to central rest station and then there are 3 different loops from it, so theoretically, it was 11.5 miles to the rest station, and then each loop 25 miles, do them all you have 100.  Well it took me 1:07 to get to the rest station (I typically don't look at mileage because time controls when I eat/drink), and I'm thinking fuck I must have added a bunch!  Or their mileage was wrong.  It was a little of both.  I asked a volunteer for a map at the rest station and they didn't have any!  OK, poor organization, but I can't blame the volunteers.  They had all kinds of food there--PB&J sandwiches, bagels, fruit, GORP, etc., but I was on the Infinit and didn't want any of that yet.

I chose Loop #1 called Burlington first, as it was allegedly the most scenic countryside.  It was really pretty!  But it wasn't fucking 25 miles!  It was actually 30 something!  But luckily there was a water stop in the middle of nowhere because I only had a 16-oz. bottle of water in addition to my (2) 3-hour concentrated Infinit bottles.  At the water stop, I briefly chatted with a woman who was on an MTB, and asked about her shirt.  It was from the Toys for Tots motorcycle ride, that I know of.  I asked her what kind of bike she rides, and she said Kawasaki Vulcan.  *I* had a Kawasaki Vulcan way back when!  I asked the year of hers--1996--mine was an 85, I think, and mine was only a 550 whereas she has a 700.  I asked her which type of bike she likes best, and she said bicycle, because it's less nerve-wracking.  I have to agree, there.  Except that even on bicycles, people are trying to kill us!

The Burlington loop was blessedly free of traffic and had some decent rollers, but nothing I would call a major hill.  Great roads, lots of corn and soybeans, cute country homes, nice smells!  When I got back to rest station, I asked if anyone knew the exact mileage of the loop and where they were at, and people who HAD NOT BEEN LOST at the beginning like me (I must have missed just a single turn) had like 38 miles where I was up to 46 already, so yay me!

I was a bit hungry-ish at this point so I chowed a 1/2 PB&J and washed it down with Infinit.  I looked at the map on the wall to see which loop I'd do next--while I really liked #1, I didn't want too much excess mileage since I'd planned on riding again next day, maybe even another century.  Of the other 2 loops, one was labelled for "advanced riders," and I asked if that meant HILLS because I LOVE FUCKING HILLS but no, they said it was just on major roads with a lot of traffic, WTF???  So I decided on Loop #2 next.

Loop #2 rocked (Kaneville loop) because it started out going into the wind, which meant we'd have some tailwind on the way in.  I got about 1.5 miles in and passed a small girl on a tri bike riding next to a guy on a road bike.  About 30 seconds later, she rides up on me pedalling like mad to catch me, gets right next to me and says, "Are you a misfit?"  My addled brain is trying to process what she just asked me and I had no idea how to answer, so I just said, "Excuse me?"  She said there's a tri group called Misfits, and she thought I was one because of the skulls on my bike.  I smiled and said, "No, I'm not in any club," (except the one in my head LOL), then a few seconds later added, "I am a social misfit at times, though."  She could not keep up with me and dropped back.

I continued on Loop #2 and into a headwind (going south, I think), and then we hit this road called McGirr, which was fucking awesome.  The name reminded me of the ERMAHGERD meme, and I had miles of laughs saying ER MCGIRR to myself or even out loud.  I was needing water and pissing regularly, so luckily about 15 miles into this loop, just after we turned off McGirr was a library, with a porta-potty.  So that was good.  Then 10 more miles and back to rest station, and this time the loop ACTUALLY WAS 25 miles!!!  Well, 25.5.

I talked to and met some guys, 2 of them doing Ironmans, and 2 of them just riding, and we were laughing and stuff, and they got all gaga when I told them what the hell I've done, including Ultraman.  It still flabbergasts me that people think it's such a big deal, since I figure if *I* can do it, almost anyone can.  Anyway, I had to decide on my last loopage, and decided #2 again would be fun, so I asked these 2 guys (not the triathletes since I already knew they were faster than me) how fast they were riding, and they said 15-16.  I thought they were kidding or sandbagging, and told them to suck my wheel so we could ride together.  Well that lasted all of 2 miles and then I was gone. Once again, I had total fun on ER MCGIRR Road, and this time when I turned off, I needed water.  I asked a maintenance dude outside the library, and he said it was open and there were water fountains in there.  Which there were!  And they were ice cold!  I used the "Girls" bathroom, too!

I was happy to be heading back, and maybe 5 miles later who do I run into but the 2 dudes who weren't as fast as me, and I'm WTF how can this be?  They said they were right on with the turns and all, so I guess there was some turn I missed which caused me to get an extra 3 miles on this loop!  Once again, YAY ME!  I passed them again, got back to rest station and chatted again with the triathlete dudes (one doing IMAZ and other doing IMFL), we had some more yucks, then I had to get out of there.

The way back to Dekalb consists primarily of FUCKING KESLINGER ROAD which was the most hilly road of the ride PLUS A HEADWIND!!!  Fuck.  Oh well, gotta get 'er done.  I forgot to mention I'd been riding all day with a fucked up right foot, care of some shoe/insole/metatarsal pad experiments I'd done on Friday with my running shoes.  It cause my anterior tibialis and peroneals to go all FUCK YOU on me causing the front of my ankle to hurt like a mofo.  But I kept thinking as long as I didn't feel like I was making it worse by biking, I was OK.  It did hurt to unclip, but oh well.  That is why I wasn't riding like a bat out of hell.

FINALLY we got off the road from hell and were close to Dekalb.  A volunteer had said it was 14 miles back, which meant I'd end with 111 miles, which was cool, but of course the voices in my head are saying RIDE MORE SO YOU GET TO 112 YOU DUMBASS, but I was resisting them.  Finally I saw a sign WELCOME TO DEKALB, and I said DE-FUCKING-KALB I was ready to be done!

Well I roll into town and I'm already over 111 miles, I'm like, OK NOW I have to get to 112, and I was maybe 2 blocks from the theater, and I yell to some dude who'd just finished I'M AT 111.75 DO I RIDE AROUND TO GET 112???  And he knew the correct answer, which was YES!!!  However, I rolled past the theater into the parking lot, got to my car and was like HOLY FUCKING HELL LOOK AT THIS!

I mean, what are the odds that I added just enough lostness and extra miles on Loop #2 to get to this?  It made me smile hugely!  I wiped down my face and Skull Kingdom and put her into the car and grabbed my Endurox.

Here's what I had during the ride:
FOOD ALERT!!!!

• 6 hours of 1/2 Money Shot and 1/2 Money Shot 25% Less Caffeine custom Infinit mix.  245 calories per hour
• 1/2 of PB&J on white bread sandwich
• 1 fun-size Payday
• At least 6 16-oz bottles of water, probably more like 10.

I went back into the Egyptian Theater, and was giggling like a little kid I was so happy to be done, and they had a big spread of food, so first I headed there, and then sat down to chat with the volunteers and gave them this ride feedback:

• Have beer when we are done.  DUH.
• Have a whole pile of extra maps at the rest station since we are all clumsy and drop them like they're hot.
• McGirr Road is FUCKING AWESOME!

The 2 dudes who'd tried to ride with me came in a few minutes later and the 2 triathlete dudes went for a short run and came back to eat and we all chatted and exchanged names (if they are brave enough to read this blog and/or my Facebook page).  Here's what I ate immediately post-ride:
FOOD ALERT!!!!

• 1/2 egg salad sandwich on white bread
• 1/2 tuna salad sandwich on white bread
• 2.5 cups of beef/vegetable soup (YUM!)
• single serving of Lay's potato chips
• 1.5 scoops Endurox R4 mixed w/water
• about 5 1" cubes of cheese and 4 crackers

I had to get home to shower and stuff and meet my brother Mike for dinner at our favorite sushi restaurant.  But it was already 3:30PM and we were to meet at 5, so I called him and said 5:30, knowing full well I'd be ready for another meal in 2 hours!!!

I drove home rather fast, using the cruise control because my right ankle and glute were hurting like mofos.  Got home, immediately cracked a beer, OMG it was the BEST BEER EVER!  Unpacked the car, showered up (BEST SHOWER EVER!), dumped pics out of camera and onto Facebook while icing my right glute and ankle.  When I looked at my ankle, I actually had this 1" red lump on it, whoops!  But it went down pretty quick with the ice.

Then I met my brother Mike for sushi and me talking 200MPH because I was hopped up on caffeine and having had such a great ride and I've got 11 weeks until IMCOZ and I am so happy and feel great!  Here's the rest of the food I had yesterday:
FOOD ALERT!!!!

• 1 Harp Lager
• 1 Giant Sapporo with dinner
• 1 Raspberry beer just before bed and when I woke up 2 hours after my first sleep
• 2 brownies that I brought home from the ride.  I should have brought more
• At least 23 pieces of assorted sushi rolls and nigiri, possibly 30
• 2 small fortune cookies
• 1 bowl of Miso soup
• 2 small pieces of Hershey's dark chocolate

And guess what?  I woke up this morning with A HOLE IN MY STOMACH!!!  So had "real" breakfast today, 2 eggs fried in butter, English muffin slathered with butter, next I am going to have like 8 fresh figs and a banana.  FOOD CHANNEL!!!

I didn't add up my calories from yesterday, but I probably needed at least 5,000, so I will just keep working on them today ;)

Oh by the way, I averaged 18mph yesterday, not bad for an old lady with a bum ankle!!!  Today I'm signed up for another ride, but it's going to rain all day, so fuck that, I'm going to have fun with my girl, Lori, on the trainer (and she might run on the treadmill), for about 3 hours, and then we are going to EAT FOOD!!!

Two more big weeks of training and then a rest week.  YAY!!!  My ankle should be fine by Tuesday, which is when I do my next scheduled run.  Meanwhile...MORE BIKING!

Just Add More Carbs!

Had my usual breakfast of some coffee and a Powerbar. Rode CF to the outdoor pool and drank about 10 oz. of Gatorade during a 3200 meter workout. Rode home. Finished the Gatorade. Had 2 more cups of coffee. Ate a Twinkie (low-fat--why did I buy those???). Ate 2 huge peaches. Drank 1/2 can of Coke (with the mysterious amount of calories since I know they lie on the can). Ate 2 pieces of fruit slice candy. Went for a run. Wasn't exactly bonky, but could tell my muscles are not fully loaded with glycogen (no pics today--wore the swimsuit I ran in yesterday which got cleaned up during this morning's swim). Kept telling myself while running that I should eat rice or pasta for lunch. Drank 12 oz. Gatorade during my :50 run. Got home, forgot to make bottles of Endurox, crap need to drink some warm. Put pot of water on stove to boil. It's going to be pasta, baby! I think I ate almost 1/2 lb. of pasta with some walnut pesto on top. More like wolfed it down. I needed that! Tonight I may have rice with dinner just to punch up my carbs even more. Thing is, all I need to do tomorrow is run for 1:40, but I think I'm 3 days' worth down on glycogen. Could explain why I'm all sore, too.

Stupid Crackhead! You'd think I'd know better, right? Sure, I do, but sometimes I just get sick of the starchy stuff. No worries--I just need a little here and there.

I saw Chuck at the pool today, and he told me that he circled back for me in his car on Monday during the storm that I waited out. What a nice thing to do! I told him I just waited for the lightning to stop and made it home between storms. I'm lucky to know some really great people like him. On our ride back from the pool together, I told Chuck about my bonk yesterday and we had some good laughs about bonking and how "regular" people don't understand how that happens and how desperate you can get when bonking! I would have snatched anything sugary from anyone yesterday! In retrospect, I should have eaten some pasta last night, but I didn't (1/2 of a PB&J sandwich right before bed). Oh well!

When I say I'm "training," it means I'm paying attention to all that minutiae, like how much carbs I'm taking in, sleep, stretching, all that. I was trying to "not train," but I have failed miserably. I guess it's back to actual training now...stupid NothingMan!