I seem to have found my running legs. When I run these days, I’m actually running.

It’s freaking awesome. 25 miles last week, over only 3 days of running. 9 miles on Monday, 4 on Thursday, and 12+ on Saturday.

I feel strong and light and ready to kick the off-season’s butt.

Now, I just need a new pair of shoes.

And a race.

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Categories: Uncategorized

I always said a run-bike-run race sounded like a nightmare. I’ve seldom (if ever) done any kind of run-bike workouts, and I’m just not a fast enough runner to do well in the initial run.

…

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Categories: Triathlons

Today, while practicing, I sounded great. Really… great. Like – “I wish the audition committee would hear me now” great.

But yesterday? Not so much.

But that’s not really the issue – everyone has good days and bad days…

I just wish beyond wishes that I could figure out why. If I knew what I was doing differently… everything would be fine.

But it legitimately feels like I take out the flute some days and I simply can’t play. And then other days, all the hard work from the past almost-two-decades pays off.

And here’s to hoping that the audition falls on a good day, right?

Admission time: When I was in my more psycho stage at CIM, I was convinced that I had a ‘two good day, 1 bad day’ pattern. I then went through my calendar and put red x’s on all the bad days and made sure that no auditions or recitals fell on those days…

But that’s the thing – I don’t want anything left to chance. I want to know how to control what I sound like.

Because dammit – it’s just a stupid piece of metal. Why the hell is it controlling me??

And so here’s what I think the solution is…

I think you have to get SO good that your bad days are better than anyone else’s good days.
How do you do that?

Beats the hell out of me. But,…

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Categories: Triathlons

Last week, I ate what I was supposed to eat.
I trained well all week.
I slept enough, and made lists so I was productive and not stressed-out.

And, I didn’t drink at all.

It wasn’t because of some righteous proclamation. In fact, I really didn’t even notice that I was behaving as such a model citizen until Saturday morning.

I was out for a run; I had planned to go out for 6 miles – maybe 7…

But then I was running, and I felt so good… it was perfect running weather – cold but not too much so, and not anywhere near hot enough to overheat or even need a water bottle. But, the sun was still out; I was wearing sunglasses, and the river was glittering with renewed sparkle and many a Philadelphia rower.

So, I ended up running somewhere between 9 and 10 miles – not a marathon trainee’s long run by any means, but long enough for me to be able to get some real thinking done, and long enough to begin to rebuild my confidence in myself as an athlete.

And during all that thinking, I thought about the past week, and how good I felt, and how much I had been able to accomplish – mentally and tangibly – and I realized that SHIT, it’s unfortunate, but it really does make a difference when you simply… behave.

And so, no promises…

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Categories: Triathlons

Well, yesterday I managed to get myself to the Y to swim. (When did workouts get so hard to fit into my day? How have I become so lazy?)

The pool is of 25-yard adequate length, but it tastes bad and is way too hot. But…

Sigh.

I love it. I get in the water, and it’s like I can do no wrong. I glide through silkily — metronomic rocking from side to side pulses my way from one wall to the next, a flip turn divides the measures of the laps, and the sculling creates a steady current of jet propelled water behind me.

Of course, I’m not as fast or strong as I’ve been in the past, but it didn’t matter. I am meant to be in the water.

I think I’ve done a decent job of developing my ‘land legs’ over the past few years, but sheesh – I get in the water and I just feel… finally… home.

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Categories: Swimming, Training, Triathlons
Tags: Swimming, Training

Well, yesterday I managed to get myself to the Y to swim. (When did workouts get so hard to fit into my day? How have I become so lazy?)

The pool is of 25-yard adequate length, but it tastes bad and is way too hot. But…

Sigh.

I love it. I get in the water, and it’s like I can do no wrong. I glide through silkily — metronomic rocking from side to side pulses my way from one wall to the next, a flip turn divides the measures of the laps, and the sculling creates a steady current of jet propelled water behind me.

Of course, I’m not as fast or strong as I’ve been in the past, but it didn’t matter. I am meant to be in the water.

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Categories: Uncategorized

Well… and also because I love triathlons…
[yup, just a boring schedule post, but those who read to the end will be awarded an awesome discount code, and information about possible additional cool stuff]

So, without further ado, here’s my race schedule for this year:

• Team Trakkers! Rev3Tri/Knoxville, TN – Oly Triathlon- May 09
• Team Trakkers! Rev3Tri/Middlebury, CT (Quassy) – Half IronMan – June 05
• Philly Tri – Oly Triathlon- June 27
• Team Trakkers! Rev3Tri/Cedar Point, OH – IRONMAN – September 12
• Austin 70.3 – Half IronMan – October 17

Now, that ends my triathlon season in October… so I’m thinking of giving the Philadelphia Marathon another shot in November. I should be in good shape after the September IronMan to start building some speed into my running.

But for now, I just need to find a pool in Philadelphia, preferably within walking distance of my new! apartment! Yup, I’m moving… this weekend, in fact… as soon as I’m set up, I’ll post a bagillion pictures.

And, I will definitely update my sidebar with all of these events asap – I’m going home for 10 days at the end of next week, and since Lafayette always allows me with plenty of sitting-on-my-butt-in-front-of-the-computer time, I’m hoping to have a big makeover of both blog and website unveiled by the the end of the month.

And lastly – triathlon is an expensive sport, a fact…

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Categories: Race Schedule
Tags: Rev3Tri, Schedule, Triathlon