Wetsuit woes...

My wetsuit woes are over. Or they should be. The wetsuit repair place got my suit on Wednesday and fixed the minor issues. They checked over the whole thing and did not find any other problems. Yesterday they phoned to tell me they are shipping it back. I should receive it early next week. Yay!! That is PLENTY of time for my first tri of the season on April 18...the one where I am still thinking full coverage (i.e., a suit with arms) would be nice. Still thinking of renting one for that...

Hope to get out of work an hour-ish early today. Need to do my 8 mile run tonight instead of tomorrow as I need to try to get my son into the doctor before our fun lunch plans.

Happy Friday!

VO2 Max...Not!

Well, yesterday I had a VO2Max test done on the bike - my first. I guess I am a bit disappointed in the results, but hey - I probably shouldn't be given my lack of TIS (time in saddle)! This of course encourages me to get my BIS (butt in saddle) more often! But the best thing is that now I know WHERE I need to train, zone-wise. I used the '10 below' my run z2 range prior to this, but now need to go a bit lower...ahh.

So now I'm freaking a bit - not knowing HOW I am going to climb some hills without getting of my bike and flat up walking up the hill so I don't get too far out of zone... And I have a LOT of hills to climb in the next several months! We also discussed the options of (1) replacing my gearing in the back, or (2) going with a triple in front. For now I decided to just train more (than I have been) then in a couple of months re-evaluate my hill climbing ability in z2. At that time I may do option 1 or 2...

The test aside, I've been sick (sinus infection - I think) for over a month. I'm not sure how much this affected the outcome of my test, but probably not THAT much. I'm going to my doctor on Tuesday (yay), so hopefully after that visit I will be on the road to getting rid of this CRUD!

After the test I had some adjustments done to my bike so it fits better. I'm very excited to get out on it this weekend! Of course they are calling for sprinkles, but I can ride in sprinkles if I need to. I really want to get out on the road, darn it!

Positive note 1: Today's swim seemed much better than Tuesday's - that was good. Maybe it was the 1/2 can of Diet Pepsi before hand? Or not... We did not go as far, total distance wise, but I felt better. Now, if I can just get back to the pool Sunday night, I will be very happy. That would make two Sundays in a row!!

Positive note 2: I've scheduled my run VO2 Max re-test!

T is for...

In this case it is Tuesday and tired. No other T words come to mind. I think I am so tired today because it is Tuesday and early awakening for swim practice. But I had a troubling night (ahh, another T word) of sleep last night. For some reason I did not fall asleep as easily and had some annoying dreams. Always frustrating.

Oh well, tonight I plan to run then do some work. Tomorrow I get to sleep in -- till 5:40 and then I have errand running to do before my 3PM bike fit and 4PM VO2Max test! I have never had this done on the bike before, so it will be a good-ish baseline. Unfortunately with my being ill for more than a month at this point and my lack of cycling training it might not be a great baseline. But I had scheudled and paid so I just want to get it done. I plan to do a run re-test in a month and then maybe a month after that or so will get a bike re-test. We'll see... And I am very excited about getting a good bike fit!

Other than that, I have a very busy and fun weekend ahead. Lunch with old friends both Saturday and Sunday as well as a dinner with extended family on Sunday. I do plan to get my 8 mile run in on Saturday and my 1.5 hour ride in on Sunday and with any luck will make it back to the pool on Sunday night. Last Sunday I went in the afternoon for stroke work and drills. Yay! Need to keep this up!

And actually...last Thursday night (kind of late for me) my doctor did call. It came from an 'unpublished' (or whatever) number so I let it go to voice mail. And as I said it was kind of late. I figured it was this close to my appointment next Tuesday that I'd just wait. At least he did call... and I figured if I called him back I'd just have to leave a message and we'd just go back and forth.

Good news - yesterday I got my wetsuit sent out to the official wetsuit repair facility! I should have it back in plenty of time to Rumpass in the Bumpass!

Wetsuit worries...

Well, last year during the Mooseman Triathlon my wetsuit did something odd. Actually, it may have started during the Columbia Triathlon when I had help getting zipped up. Anyway, my QR UltraJohn has a quick release type zipper (as do all QR wetsuits, I think) that basically splits apart when you pull up on it from the top. However, my zipper is missing one of the quick release pieces, so the only way to undo the zipper is to pull it back down, which is of course slower and defeats the purpose of the whole quick release thingy. So, I need to get this repaired...plus I have a little tear at the back of one of the leg openings. I MUST get this shipped off the QR's official wetsuit repair company SOON as I will need it by mid-April for the Rumpass in the Bumpass Oly.

However, this particular wetsuit is a bit on the small side for me...unless I lose at LEAST 10 pounds. Of course, I am trying to lose weight, and have lost about 4 pounds, but an additional 10 just might not happen. Part of me is thinking of purchasing a full wetsuit - one with sleeves as the QR I have now is sleeveless. I just don't know...do I NEED another one? Well, for the race in April it might be nice! Granted it takes place on the warmer side of Lake Anna, however it WILL be April, after all...And I'm sorry, but Centennial Lake is always pretty darned frigid in May, which is when the Columbia Oly race is! And as for EagleMan 70.3, IM USA, and the Nations Oly (though Nations is in September, so who knows if wetsuits are even allowed), maybe by then the QR will be fitting better, as most certainly by then it will be repaired!

I think I may rent a full suit for Lake Anna to 'try' it out and just go from there...

Thus my 'wetsuit worries'...

Nothing...

Last week, Friday I think, I left a message for my doctor about my ankle and such. He has not called me back. Bummer. I think I got the same woman on the phone...she was not too helpful. I hope she GAVE him the message. I realize it is not life threatening, but I just thought it would help move things along if I was actually able to get the x-ray BEFORE my next scheduled appointment.

So...I will keep plugging along in my running, be nice to my ankle (ice and ibuprofen), and walk as carefully as possible. I've actually irritated it quite frequently when just walking!

Today I am off to do errands related to my dad's estate. I also need to call my mom to make sure she arrived safely to her sister's in California.

It was not to be...

The GW Marathon was not to be. I was literally on my way out the door yesterday when my older son, who'd had stomach pains, came out of hiding (so to speak). I took one look at him and was like "OMG!" He was covered in a rash/hives from head to toe! He had taken two different OTC medicines for his stomach the night before and more than likely one of them did not agree with him. I was kind of freaking out. I gave him an antihistimine for the itching but he had angry welts all over. I felt awful... So at 8:45 AM I took him to the ER. The doctor agreed that it was good I took him in, in case he had breathing issues or anything. She gave him some prednisone and sent us home with a prescription for more plus to continue with the antihistimine. Ugh...

So about an hour or so after we got back home I went out and ran 18.6 miles. It really was a wonderful day for a marathon. My nutrition worked fairly well, but I really don't like Clif Blocks. I stomached one package but should have had more. However, I LOVE HEED, lemon-lime flavor. And the Pringles snack pack I ate at 10.5 miles were delicious.

Today I signed up for the Lower Potomac River Marathon on Spring-Forward Sunday, March 8th, starting at 7:15 AM, which has a 5:45 hour time limit. I put a goal time of 5:05 - which is based on my past few long training runs. On a funny note, my younger son thinks it is totally wrong to hold ANY race on a day where the clocks go forward. Oh well, it won't be the first for me. In the past that happened with the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler.

The LPR Marathon offers a special needs stop (for a small donation - no problem!) at the 9.3 mile aid station or later. I plan to have HEED refills and Pringles there. I guess I will then do my best to stomach MORE Clif Blocks because as much as I don't like those I dislike any kind of gel ever more. I should try Power Bars, cut into bite sized pieces of course, on my next long run - this coming Saturday. Maybe that will be better than the blocks...

On a positive note, today my son feels much better, his hives seem to be completely gone, and even better, his stomach feels normal again also. And I feel great today after my run yesterday! So LPRM, here I come!

Two days...

In (almost) two days I will know - know whether I will finish the GW marathon or now. A little more than 48 hours actually, since this race has a somewhat of a later start of 10:30AM. Wow...I get to sleep in, too! At this time in two days I will be only 1.75 hours into what should be a minimum of 5.25 hour race for me. I am not even going to attempt to go under 5 hours both my previous marathons were. Of course, it is not like they were majorly under 5 hours either. LOL The first (Baltimore2002) was like 4:55:30 and the second (MCM2004) was 4:58:54.

Anyway, I will see how Sunday goes. If I drop out after one or two of the three loops there is an alternate marathon possibility 3 weeks after - the Lower Potomac River Marathon, which I have up on my schedule with a ? beside it. Then this GW event would just be a 'training run'. Oh well... And in the meantime, maybe I'll get my ankle x-ray'd and find out the fate on it.

And speaking of my ankle...I just called the doctor's office to leave him a message to call me ABOUT my ankle. I really hope I can get the x-ray BEFORE my next doctor's appointment on 3/6 - I really need to know whether or not I should be running on it!

So, for Sunday's race there should be about 10 TeamZ peeps running the full marathon and maybe 5 teams of relay runners. It is a very small event - 200 or so people - but it IS a Boston qualifier. Wow, I could be dead last in this if/when I finish! There was one other half marathon I did where I was nearly last. LOL Anyway, I could start 1 hour early, just in case. At this point I do not think I will, because the course is open for 6 hours and even with walking and going slow I should be done in that amount of time based on my other two marathons. *fingers crossed*

And speaking of Team Z...There are many other Z peeps running marathons this weekend as well: some of the team is heading to Myrtle Beach for that event and others to Austin for that one. This is all in preparation for IM races coming up in July! Good luck Team Z!

One day closer...

One day closer to the GW marathon that is! My ankle is 'eh' so I will just see how it goes. I am going to try to get an x-ray taken before I see my doctor in early March. I hope a phone call to him tomorrow will get this going. And if he can't/won't write the referral I may just go to the ER...if I have to...

Anyway, somewhat of an easy swim today - for those folks doing the marathon. We were 'instructed' to get out after the first main set. I was happy to comply. My shoulders felt my workout from Sunday night!

Tonight I hope to run an easy 30 on the treadmill... But first I have to clear the boxes containing the holiday decorations off of it! They just need to go back in the closet.

And...both of my kids are sick again! The should be OK to go back to school tomorrow. So far this has not been a good year health-wise for them. At least their respective winter sports seasons are over. They can recover in time to get ready for spring sports! And it is odd that this is twice now they've come back from a weekend at their dad's and been sick. Coincidence?

Monday again...

Well, it's Monday again. I managed to get some training in over the weekend, though not what was on the schedule. In fact, I did no training on Saturday at all...

On Saturday I got up very early, after a long night at the Wrestling Districts the night before - when I left at the end of the night's events the Atoms were in 3rd place. Unfortunately my son did not advance to any semi-final rounds. I think his illness from last month did not help. He really was pretty sick there for a while. Oh well...I think my son was happy-he had an OK season, considering. The Annandale Atoms took 3rd overall in the District. First on Saturday I dropped my one son off for the Indoor Track Districts - the bus was leaving at 6:30 AM. Then I dropped my other son back off for Wrestling Districts - he was there to assist and cheer on his teammates. After that, I headed to the Track meet...and what a meet it was. It was a close race for the boys - between Annandale and Hayfield...in the end Annandale prevailed! My son did not place, but he did have a PR and took 2.26 seconds off of his 1000 time, so he was happy. He even ran through some leg cramps, so imagine what he could have done if that had not happened. The boys team took a victory lap around the field house and seemed quite pleased with themselves.

On Sunday I got up and relaxed and watched some movies. Around 11:00 AM I finally got my bike ready and got dressed and went for my first bike ride in a long time. I tried out my new saddle, too - loved it! It is the same as my old but lighter, and a different color (white as opposed to black). It gives my bike a whole new look. Next will be new handle-bar tape in yellow to bring out the tiny bit of yellow on my otherwise blue and white bike. After my easy 1-ish hour ride I had lunch and watched another movie. Around 3:30 PM I changed into running clothes and drove my truck (the extra vehicle) to my dad's house, a little over 2 miles away. I ran home... I had a light dinner and then at 8:30 PM went for a swim. My plan is to swim every Sunday night - I want to work on form and stroke mechanics. Hopefully some good will come of this!

Six days till the GW marathon...Interesting, my initials are the same... :-)

TGIF...

Maybe it is a fluke, or maybe I just scared my ankle into feeling better by making a doctor's appointment to have it officially checked out. Anyway, this morning, my ankle feels pretty good. I decided to wear my brace on it this morning, just in case. I mean, I still 'feel' it, but it has more range of motion. I like that.

Oh, my doctor's appointment is not until Tuesday, March 3rd. I'll take it. I will continue to train and just take it easy and try to be nicer to my ankle as much as possible. And not to jinx myself, but I know dropping some pounds will help...I've been extremely good all week with my new nutrition plan. *fingers crossed* The next step is to make it through the weekend without too many slip ups.

One week till the GW Marathon on Sunday, February 15. My plan is to take it one lap at a time. There are three laps. I plan to start at the main time, which gives me 6 hours to finish. I will be like the tortoise and try to be slow and steady and walk when i need to, etc.

So...I'm dressed in red today, not to kick off Valentine's Day early, but in the school colors in honor of the District wrestling tournament starting this afternoon. Yikes! More red to follow tomorrow for the track meet, too.

The blahs...

It seems that I have the blahs lately. I've been sick since before the cruise, nothing major - just a cold and I am always tired. Then my ankle, which I hurt on Thanksgiving being clumsy getting out of the car (and not even doing anything remotely althetic) is still bothering me. I'm afraid to really have it checked out because I am afraid that something might really be wrong with it. I have all these race plans this year and don't want to have to sit out on any of them! I don't even want to sit out of training. But I am sitting out of training anyway. I've rested the ankle on several occasions. I think the work shoes that I wear most days aren't helping because I keep catching the heel on things and jerking my ankle more. I guess I need to break down and maybe get an x-ray and try to figure things out before it is TOO late. I'd rather bag some early races than IM USA! Ho hum... Time to call my doctor... But on a positive note - I just filled out the registration form for the USMS Colonies Zone Short Course Yards Championship Swim Meet for the 1000. Last year I did the 1650... That is already pretty filled, so... This will be fun - and a little less pressure. I hope! Anyway, I don't have my checkbook handy today, so it will have to go in the mail tomorrow...

On to more fun stuff:

Tomorrow night wrestling districts begins for my older son, who wrestles at 125 lbs. The tournament is between 8 schools and is on Friday and Saturday. He is a senior so this is the start of the end. Wow. He's wrestled for four years in high school - I can't believe this is coming to an end. Again...wow.

Then there is indoor track districts between the same 8 schools. Last night was the first night of indoor track districts - the field events and the 4x800 relays. Saturday morning is the second part - more field events and all the running events - in which my younger son is participating in. He will be running the 1000M.

I'm so excited for them both! Go Atoms!! Now...how to be in two places at once on Saturday? I'm gonig to wrestling on Friday night, then track on Saturay morning. When track is over I will head back to wrestling...That should cover it for the most part.