Little steps...

I won't claim that the mojo has been completely restored, but it's starting to show small signs of life.

I've managed to get out for a few runs and a few pool sessions. I plan on hitting up a 50-meter outdoor salt water pool tomorrow for some laps, provided the weather doesn't take a turn for the bleh overnight. This evening, I will go for a run. And tonight, tonight I will reassemble my beloved road bike.

That's right, the BMC will be released from the confines of the bike box it's been sitting in since UPS delivered it after the Oly I did in May. *ahem* And maybe tomorrow, I'll pick up some rim tape and finally install the new wheels and tires that have been waiting in my hallway. At that point, pictures might have to be taken, to capture my lovely in all of her glory.

After that, I'll ride. Maybe not until the weekend, but a ride is definitely in the offing.

Looking for some motivation...

It would seem that I've misplaced my workout mojo. I have no idea where it went. And yes, I did try looking under the bed...it wasn't there.

Since I left the office early on Monday, I did manage to get to the gym. Once I got there, I did a full-body strength workout and followed it up with 20 minutes on the bike. A light workout, but since being laid out with a chest cold for most of last week, I didn't want to push it. Also, in the interest of not pushing it, I abstained from working out yesterday. I had two workouts planned for today--a 2000 yard swim and a 3 mile run. And despite yelling at myself (in my head, not out loud) repeatedly to get it done, I just...well, didn't.

A small part of this was the residual soreness I have in the upper reaches of my hamstrings after Monday's lifting workout. But the rest? Laziness. Sloth. Something like that.

Bah!

I don't know what it's going to take to get me back into a training state of mind, but I sure hope it happens soon.

Welcome back, self.

Two years. Well, closer to a year and a half than two years, so I'll be kind to myself. A year and a half. What have I accomplished in a year and a half--other than the utter abandonment of this blog?

Time to play some catch-up...

Well, I crossed one more goal off of my list. I completed an Olympic distance tri. Of course, because of chronic injury issues, it took a year longer than planned. *sigh*

I'd originally planned that my first Oly would be in the summer of 2009. I hired a coach. I was on track. I was focused...

I got a sprained hip flexor, a resurfacing of knee issues and plantar fasciitis. I had to pull out of every race I'd planned, and spent the entire summer rehabbing. It was beyond frustrating.

Late last fall, I decided I was ready to jump back in. I immediately signed up for an Olympic distance race in my former college town (a couple thousand miles away from my current home). I also committed myself to an early spring 5k run in a town a hundred+ miles away. (Obviously I'd convinced myself that races should be rewarded with vacations.)

The race wasn't easy, but I did it. I suffered through wetsuit issues on the .9 mile swim, a cramping left quad during the entirety of the hilly 24.8 mile bike ride, and dual cramping quads for the 6.2 mile run. My body didn't really want to work on race day, but my mind didn't give it much choice. I finished.

Actually, so far this spring I've done two 5k runs, a sprint tri, and an Olympic. And there's an Olympic/International distance tri on my calendar in July--this time in New England. I'm sure I'll be sprinkling more races in over the summer, I'm just not yet sure what they'll be.

I do know one post-summer event already on my calendar, though. The Portland Marathon in October. That's going to hurt. I am so not a runner, but gave myself an entry to the marathon as a 35th birthday present back in February. (Don't look at me like that. You know you give yourself birthday presents, too. Oh, you don't give yourself painful presents like marathon entries? Well, why the hell not? What the fuck is wrong with you?)

Sadly, I didn't manage to sit down and write up any race reports for any of the races that I've done this year. I want to be better about that. And I want to be better about keeping track of my training...and processing all of the crap that goes through my head while I'm doing that training. So, I'm going to try to revive this particular blog. We'll see what happens...