Of Moose And Men
The Best Laid Plans Of Both Often Go Astray

Started training again this morning, after a two week mostly-break. Was hot as all get-out, but got through it. My next race is in 4 weeks, in Luray Virginia (pronounced “LOO-ray,” not “luh-ray” as you might think), another olympic race, so I have to get prepped for that. Remind me not to take an exercise break after my next breakup, it’s not worth it, even if I am feeling blue.

In other news regarding the breakup, I seem to have gotten some of my tolerance back. Not that this is necessarily a good thing, but it is nice not being completely worthless after having drinks.

I’ve finally managed to break out of some of the isolation I’ve had especially in this two week period, but also to a degree since having moved down to southwest. I’m trying to be more active about getting myself out of the apartment and around folks, and spent a good part of the weekend doing just that. And that’s been fun. I’m not quite sure how I’m going to work in training for all three sports in the tri, but I’ll muddle through somehow. In the meantime, I’m enjoying getting out of the house more, and look forward to more of this.

Running a little slow this morning. Last night was one of those “my brain will not shut off” kind of nights, with melatonin and exhaustion finally kicking in around 3-something. It wasn’t all a bad thing – the brain was going over some conversations I’ve had over the course of the weekend, and thinking a lot on what it is I want to be doing with myself, and with other people.

I did miss going out to take photos of the training tri this morning with the club, but I’m headed out to brunch at a friend’s house in a little bit, then a potluck birthday thing this evening over in Virginia with one of my body electric buddies.

I did decide that I’m not going to do the IM this fall. It’s not to say that I won’t ever do one, but it’s not the right time, and I think I signed up for it for the wrong reasons. I still have two races I’m currently signed up for, and I can find one or two more for the fall here locally. And perhaps this year I won’t end the season completely burnt out and unmotivated to do off-season fitness maintenance.

I also think I’m going to attend the local Celebrate the Body Erotic course in November. I need the refresher, and I’d like to go back to an earlier plan of mine, to attend one of the week-long intensives next summer. I also need the renewal of my ties to this particular community. I’ve been disengaged from the energies I need for long enough now, it’s time to get them back.

I think I finally pinned down what it is I’ve been feeling for the past day or so, and that’s lost. Something I considered an anchor (though whether I clung to that anchor for the right reasons is a whole other story) is gone, and I’m doing the usual soul-searching that comes from such an upheaval.

And it’s not particularly fun.

This on the heels of just having had a “what do you want to do with your life” talk with my supervisor, going over advancement possibilities, and thinking about what else I might want to do with my career. I’m fairly happy with my job, though I will admit these days to being somewhat bored with it, too. Same old issues, same old fights, and in some ways a new crew of managers coming in (not in my office, but in others I deal with) who are not quite as pleasant to work with as the ones I deal with daily now. Do I want to stick with that? But what else would I do? So frustrating.

It doesn’t help me that I’m horrible at cultivating a support network. I don’t reach out to folks as I might, and I don’t really go outside myself when dealing with a problem (save for venting here). “My problems are my problems,” my little brain says to me, “and they’re for me to deal with, alone, until they’re taken care of.” And that’s not always the best solution. In fact, it’s probably rarely the best solution. I work, maybe I go exercise, I come home, I veg, I maybe chat online, but that’s it. And I don’t think that’s enough for me.

I’m also very seriously reconsidering the IM in November. My parents are iffy, because Dad’s going to have some surgery around then and so they don’t know if they’ll be able to travel out. BC won’t be coming, obviously. And frankly, the idea of going out there for a week and coming across that finish line for something that big with no one there to greet me, celebrate with me, or just to see it happen is just not an appealing one. Yes, I wanted to do it because it’s a challenge, but I’m not sure if I like the cost at this point.

Heck of a lot easier to run eight and a half miles at 70 degrees and relatively moderate humidity this morning than it was in the mid-80s with high humidity last Wednesday evening. Just sayin’.

I think I’m finally beginning to appreciate sports drinks while out running and biking. It helps that I’m finally training in a decent heart rate zone and not running too high to take in nutrition. Ever run so fast you felt like you were going to puke? Well, run just below that and you won’t puke, but you can’t take in nutrition, either – your stomach won’t process it. And sports drinks tended to make me feel like I was over-full. Moderated intake, while still mostly drinking water, seems to be working. Which is something I needed to learn, to ensure I take in enough calories while out on long runs and rides.

In other food news, I’m no longer keeping a vegan diet, nor a vegetarian one. As with the original decision to go vegan, this was about my health and what I needed for my diet. This isn’t that big a deal, so I’d appreciate it if folks would refrain from smart ass comments about the change back to omnivory.

BC’s birthday was today. His sister, her partner and I took him out golfing (the first time I’ve golfed in over 15 years, if not more). 18 holes, and I think I got in my core workouts for the next week or two. Was a lot of fun, actually. One of the back nine had me asking BC if I were playing golf or croquet due to the number of short, flubbed hits, but so be it. Then dinner with the family, gifts & cake, etc. Good time, and he liked the bracelet he got from me (among other things), to match the necklace he got from me last year. Good time.

Saturday was open water swimming practice with our new triathletes, then a bike ride. I ended up helping one of the slower riders, and we stayed together through the whole 40 miles. No one else ended up doing lunch, but by the time we got near the restaurant we were both dying and needed food, in the form of an exquisite watermelon/strawberry soup. Fantastic stuff. Took forever to get through the ride in and around Annapolis, but was fun nonetheless. There was one absolutely wonderful hill where I got up to 43 mph. Loved it!

Lots of sun this weekend, but no burns (thank heavens for 30 spf). Between the jersey, the watch, the golf glove, etc. the patterns are a bit unusual, but that’s par for the course for moi. I’m no sun-worshiper, though I do enjoy being out and about in the summer, especially on the bike.

Went to the podiatrist today because I had a scheduled appointment to get my foot zapped (aka “Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy”) to help with the plantar fasciitis, but in the end I didn’t get zapped. He had given me a 2nd cortisone shot the last time I was there, about two weeks ago, and that seems to have done the trick. Even after the 10k on the 14th, I’ve not had any heel pain, so it appears, six months plus later, that I’ve finally licked this one. Let’s hope so, this was not a fun injury. And I’m tired of sleeping in a night splint.

So, with no need to sit on my ass for the rest of the day recouperating (I took the day off), I went and ran errands.

You know you’re a triathlete (or other endurance athlete) when you go spend $40+ on “nutrition” and none of it is stuff you’d just sit down to eat. Powdered drink mix, shot bloks, gels, etc. All stuff I need and was completely out of it.

Then I ran up to Homo Depot and picked up more paint swatches than you can shake a stick at. BC has offered for forever and a day to help me paint my apartment and I’ve never taken him up on it. So, time to pick out colors before he rescinds the offer. Should be a trip.

I know people aren’t suppose to complain about this, but my pants are starting not to fit. As in, I’m shrinking out of them. And it’s not like I’m not eating, because I most certainly am, yet the increase in activity is changing me. For the better, mind you, but it’s annoying feeling like my pants are either going to fall off, or are staying on but too far cinched in. And it’s even better at work with the blackberry on my hip.

Completed the first 4 week cycle last week with a nice down week. Popping down definitely worked – I felt much better running this morning, though tonight’s swim was a little rough at first (wasn’t feeling balanced when I started). In any case, good stuff today, and nice to see confirmation of the wisdom of the 4 week cycle (three weeks of gradual increases with the fourth a drop back a step to recover).

In non-training stuff, BC and I headed out to a DC United game yesterday with friends. Was lots of fun (they won). Tried taking some pictures, but we were too far up to get any decent ones with my camera. Took tons of pictures on Saturday at the club’s training tri, some good, most mediocre, but it was still fun to take ’em, though I ended up napping a good bit of Saturday afternoon after it.

Looking forward to dinner with Dean tomorrow, haven’t seen him in a bit and it’ll be nice to catch up.

Heard from the parental units tonight, they’re up near the Grand Canyon in Arizona and were about to go out swimming with my niece, whom we’ve taken to referring to as “DP,” or “Disney Princess.” After an initial period they finally sat her down and had an attitude adjustment talk which seems to have helped – she was feeling full of her 11 years at the early part of the summer, so an adjustment was definitely needed. Sounded like she was doing much better, though. Also spoke with my brother earlier today (a rarity – we just don’t talk that often on the phone) and he’s doing well, which is a welcome change from last year.

Anyway, off to bed here so I can get up and bike in the morning. Pickups tomorrow – small bursts of speed surrounded by moderate biking. Speedwork is always fun, so I’m looking forward to it.

Tried to go shopping today, post-pride. Wanting to not waste petrol, and since I was already warm from walking around at the pride festival, I biked over to Barracks Row to hit the local bike shop and the local yarn shop. Someone, however, had other ideas for me.

• Strike One: Local Bike Shop no longer carries nutrition products, the sole thing I needed.
• Strike Two: Local Yarn Shop doesn’t have any of the notions I wanted to pick up.
• Strike Three: Picked up my mail from yesterday on the way back into the building, and the every-two-years-like-clockwork jury duty summons was in there.

I get the picture, I’m staying in the rest of the day.

Earlier I did go down to the Pride festival for DC. Was nice, nothing particularly smashing, but I enjoyed it. Saw several folks I don’t see much of these days, picked up a bracelet (bike chain pattern), got some sun (no burn though – yay SPF 30). I didn’t go out to the parade last night – I didn’t want to go drinking after or during after yesterday morning’s race, and honestly I prefer the festival for people watching and talking. Instead I finished up Half-Life 2: Episode One on the Xbox (didn’t take long, actually), finished a knitting sampler I was working on (increases and decreases, various methods), and started the next project – BC’s hat, to match the scarf. The hat, after the initial cast on and row, is coming along quite nicely, especially in comparison to the scarf. We’ll see how it goes when I have to start decreasing and slip it over to the double pointed needles.

Question for my knitting friends: Do they not make aluminium or metal needles these days? Mom has a ton (which I will filch from her in due time), and I like the feel of them, but almost everything I see other than Addi Turbos are wood of some sort (or bamboo). What gives?

Hauled the shuffle out, got it all charged, then promptly left it at home this morning. Whoops. Watching the other guys working out proved to be a bit more entertaining today, anyway. While there were two guys in the weight room on Tuesday (one of whom was the other’s trainer), today had half a dozen other folks, making it fairly crowded, but not so bad that I couldn’t find space for lunges and push ups. Upped the weight and reps slightly today, as Tuesday was purposefully light. Still not too difficult, which is the point of this stage.

I had forgotten how often one ends up having to wash a load of cold wash clothes once real training begins (not to mention biking to work again, which I started back with last week). Doing that tonight, then some reading, then bed. Was up far too late last night with Halo 3 (addicting, even when I die, over and over and over and over and over), so I need rest before the next run in the morning. Skipped biking this morning because of the storm last night (didn’t want to risk all the limbs I knew would be down on the road this morning).

We actually lost a chunk of our fence here at the cult co-op when two big limbs came off one of our larger trees. Thankfully no one’s house or car was hit, just the brick wall.

IM training started this week. It’s been okay so far, but then again, at two days in I should hope it would be okay. Did light weights tonight for the first time in forever and a day. I’m sure I’ll feel it tomorrow, though I didn’t do terribly much, in keeping with the long hiatus. It’s the whole trying to fit in 3 workouts per sport plus weights, plus have time to cook food, work, sleep, and perhaps even have a small social life. When push came to shove, weights went out the window. Going to try and not succumb to that in this cycle.

This past weekend meant two days headed over to the local festival in BC’s home community, which meant two days of festival food. Mmm, grease. The art and what not was fun, though, as was wandering through with his parents, and assorted friends we ran into.

On the gaming front I picked up Halo 3 when I was at home, because I found it on sale for 1/3 off. So far it’s kicking my ass on “normal” mode. I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it eventually, but for the nonce I’m dying a lot. Still haven’t beaten Overlord, though I’m getting toward the end. I started getting a bit better at SSBB while home, and still stink at Mario Kart. That’s about the extent of it, I think – everything else is in abeyance.

I think I’m going to take the red cross CPR/First Aid classes this winter, after the IM. I need the refresher for the first aid portion, and if I ever did learn CPR it’s long forgotten now. Useful skills to have, and requirements for some other things I’m contemplating, but don’t want to discuss quite yet.