Stef and JohnnyTri are on recovery, but it seems that I decided to join them in there somehow!
The last week can best be described as a bunch of blah and Half a$$ed work.
It started off with such promise, got in a good strength workout on Monday. Tuesday, was a great swim of 2000 broken into descending sets (awesome!). Wednesday, I was saddled with another midweek long ride of 45. Unfortunately, I had no more luck with this one than last time, and I had to break it into 3 rides again (trainer, road and road again after work).
That is about where the wheels fell off.
Thursday was supposed to be a high tempo run make up from last week.
The morning sun rose...I didn’t.
The evening sun set….so did I.
Thursday = Nada!
On Friday, there was a group swim planned at Lake Mead. Unfortunately, friendly obligations had us getting there too late and I had to swim by myself while the rest of the group finished their swim. Finally, after just over an hour, I had to call it because it was getting too late. 1.5 miles
Saturday
Apparently, my gym has a policy to close the pool during times of lightning. That seems perfectly fine. Logical. I understand that and am OK with it.
No problem, we head inside and work on finishing our swim in the inside pool.
Nope! The manager comes over and says that because of the lightning, they have to close the indoor pool too!
After some argument, he lets loose that according to policy, he is also supposed to close down the showers too! Basically anything with water gets shut off. In fact, if it was bad enough, he’s not allowed to let people out to the car fearing that they may be struck.
Um…come on, this is Las Vegas, not Seattle. We have storms that brew but never boil.
Turns out that the gym isn’t crazy! In fact the lightning safety institute (who know there was such a thing), recommends this very thing. Check out more lightning safety here.
Needless to say, that meant my swim was DONE. It was supposed to be 3600 but all I got was 1300.
Finished the day off with a makeup run/farklet. It was actually fun!
Sunday, the sun (and the heat) came too early and cut my 3 X brick into 1.75.
So in the end I have to make up:
Swim: 2300 + 200
Bike: 15 miles (brick)
Run: 4.5 miles + Speed work
Crap! I think I’m further behind now then when I started!
Monday, July 28, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
Temporary insanity
I work next to a mental health hospital. “Mental health” as in “crazy as a loon”.
Nearly every workday, a group of us walk around getting a brief walk in during the morning.
With the temperatures starting at 95* by 6 am and quickly climbing past 100+ by 10 am, you can imagine these walks are becoming increasingly difficult.
It appears that our walks have not gone unnoticed, as we walk through the NEW mental health parking lot. Instead of harassing us for walking through their private lot, they were actually very cool and the Director said that they think that it’s really cool that we walk and are staying fit!
Also, we have a brand new exercise room that you guys can use! Come in during lunchtime, when we don’t have scheduled appointments and you’re welcome.
Cool!
Eventually, we work up the courage (and the sweat) to investigate this new “exercise room”. The Director told us to speak to Mr.…. (I don’t remember his name, but he was a nice guy, dressed relaxed and was tall).
Mr. Tall takes meets us at the front door, escorts us back into the inner workings, uses his ID badge to get us into the exercise room.
WOW! Nice big room! Limited equipment but it really is new and good stuff too. Apparently this is the area for group session activity. They have a volleyball set, small basketball hoop, table tennis, etc. Think recreational rehab.
He reconfirms it. YEP! Come in any day. During lunch they never schedule appointments. He uses his ID badge to get us out and shows us where his office is and that anyone can get us into and out. No need to call ahead, someone is always here. He shows us around, we drool on all the cool, new stuff they have.
How perfect! I can come here and bang out a quick set of weights during lunch and then my evenings are FREE! Perfect.
Friday, I head over.
Hmm…I still don’t remember Mr. Tall’s name but I found an open door into the building. Now all I have to do is find his office.
Now I’m wandering up and down the halls looking for his office. Did I mention that I am in a Mental hospital??! I am sure that everyone is looking at me. Am I ‘supposed’ to be here? Am I crazy? Is he one of them or is he one of us?
Whew! Found his office!
Cool!
Hmm...No one is there. Maybe because it’s Friday or maybe because it’s lunchtime. Oh, look here comes some body. She’s about to unlock the office door and go in.
I stop her and plead my case.
“Hi! I work across the street”. (Blank stare)…
“I was told I could use your workout room” (she’s fidgeting with her keys, trying to get the office door open)….
This is going downhill. Quick pull rank!
“You director said it was ok. Last time I spoke to ….” Crap! I don’t remember his name!!
“Umm...I actually don’t remember his name; he was a guy about this tall…”
GREAT! I am going to get ‘escorted’ out of here! I’ll disgrace my company and myself! GREAT!
Surprisingly, there is a twinkle in her eye. “Oh, you mean Larry?”
Larry? No, well, maybe. SURE!
“Yeah, Larry. Larry said that we could use the room. Larry (extra emphasis) said we could come in during lunchtime”.
“Sure, no problem. We have a group coming in at 1, you can use the room until then. Here I’ll take you back”.
Sweet! Honestly I don’t know how this worked for me. Like an idiot, I forgot my name badge. I don’t know who I am looking for and its ‘casual Friday’, so I look ‘casual’. Talk about trusting!
She escorts me back, uses her ID badge to get me into the room and tells me that I can work out until the group comes, by then Larry should be here and he can let me out.
She leaves me in the big auditorium by myself. There is no one here and I get a little alone time with the new equipment. I quickly establish a circuit and get too it!
About midway in, a gentleman walks in (with a name badge). He’s relaxed and non-fazed by me.
I nervously attempt to explain that I was told I could work out here. He waves it off and says it’s fine. The group isn’t here yet and they won’t be for a little while still.
He goes about getting everything ready and wanders in and out of the nearby open door that goes out into the courtyard.
Apparently this is Larry. This is NOT Mr. Tall!
2/3 the way done and I hear a commotion. The group is starting to arrive! Some of the people are loud and seems like this is old hat for them. They are telling stories about their day (loudly), others look like they’re on lithium right now! Sullen, sunken eyes.
I’m in the middle of 'girl interrupted'.
'Larry' is greeting everyone and gets to setting everyone up. He's busy. I'll find someone else to let me out. I quietly make my exit into the courtyard.
The courtyard is a nice open air courtyard about the size of a small park, surrounded on all sides by the building.
Wait! Surrounded.on.ALL.sides. hmmm…ALL sides!
I walk over to a door and see the signs. “Warning! Extreme flight risk, ensure that doors are secure!” “Warning, this door exits out to unsecure area, doors must be closed”"You are leaving a secure area, check to make sure doors are closed”.
Secure! Flight risk!
I try the doors. Yep! Locked! I give a gentle push. Nope! Still locked. And that ‘gentle’ push, made a rattle and I am getting looks.
Crap!
OK, no biggie, just walk around act casual. You’ll find somebody who knows you. Blend in.
There is no 'blend in'. I'm in a mental hospital. I'm either staff or patient.
Right now I'm not doing a very good job of looking like a staff.
I'm walking up to every door. Giving it a quick (nonchalant) push. Nope! Everything locked.
Psst! Nonchalant doesn't work here. All it's doing is making me look suspisious.
OK. Um...no. No staff that I can recognize. Oh look there is a custodian. Maybe he can let me out.
"Um...excuse me?"
Smooooth! Damn it! Where did that whiny voice come from?! I need to sound confident not weak.
[Timidly]"Where is the exit"
"What?!"
Crap! This isn't working. Explain your story:
[Timidly]"Sir, I don't belong here"
??
um...
??
Did I just say 'I don't belong here'?
"Can you let me out"
....?
"...." [Silence]
Not surpisingly, he looks away, trying to disengage. He shakes his head and turns away. Clearly, we are DONE!
N.I.C.E.
I can just imagine him going over to the alarm. Woop! We got a loose cannon! Woop! Get the Tranquerlizer gun!
Crap! OK. Keep looking around. Find SOMEBODY!
Look! The woman who let you in. She's there in her office. She has people in there and she's clearly busy working. So busy that she doesn't notice me standing outside her office. Staring at her like a lost dog.
Now I either interupt her and look like an idiot or I wander around some more.
Knock, knock. I have no choice but to knock on the window.
Utterly defeated, I have to resort to interupting her and her business.
I NEED OUT!
At the door, she teases "Are you sure you don't belong here? I'm not sure that I'm going to let you out."
HA HA! Quick, just laugh (but not too much). Pretend that everything is OK.
Almost to the door. There is no alarm yet but I don't breath until I'm out the front door.
FREEDOM!!!!
Freedom never felt so good!
Nearly every workday, a group of us walk around getting a brief walk in during the morning.
With the temperatures starting at 95* by 6 am and quickly climbing past 100+ by 10 am, you can imagine these walks are becoming increasingly difficult.
It appears that our walks have not gone unnoticed, as we walk through the NEW mental health parking lot. Instead of harassing us for walking through their private lot, they were actually very cool and the Director said that they think that it’s really cool that we walk and are staying fit!
Also, we have a brand new exercise room that you guys can use! Come in during lunchtime, when we don’t have scheduled appointments and you’re welcome.
Cool!
Eventually, we work up the courage (and the sweat) to investigate this new “exercise room”. The Director told us to speak to Mr.…. (I don’t remember his name, but he was a nice guy, dressed relaxed and was tall).
Mr. Tall takes meets us at the front door, escorts us back into the inner workings, uses his ID badge to get us into the exercise room.
WOW! Nice big room! Limited equipment but it really is new and good stuff too. Apparently this is the area for group session activity. They have a volleyball set, small basketball hoop, table tennis, etc. Think recreational rehab.
He reconfirms it. YEP! Come in any day. During lunch they never schedule appointments. He uses his ID badge to get us out and shows us where his office is and that anyone can get us into and out. No need to call ahead, someone is always here. He shows us around, we drool on all the cool, new stuff they have.
How perfect! I can come here and bang out a quick set of weights during lunch and then my evenings are FREE! Perfect.
Friday, I head over.
Hmm…I still don’t remember Mr. Tall’s name but I found an open door into the building. Now all I have to do is find his office.
Now I’m wandering up and down the halls looking for his office. Did I mention that I am in a Mental hospital??! I am sure that everyone is looking at me. Am I ‘supposed’ to be here? Am I crazy? Is he one of them or is he one of us?
Whew! Found his office!
Cool!
Hmm...No one is there. Maybe because it’s Friday or maybe because it’s lunchtime. Oh, look here comes some body. She’s about to unlock the office door and go in.
I stop her and plead my case.
“Hi! I work across the street”. (Blank stare)…
“I was told I could use your workout room” (she’s fidgeting with her keys, trying to get the office door open)….
This is going downhill. Quick pull rank!
“You director said it was ok. Last time I spoke to ….” Crap! I don’t remember his name!!
“Umm...I actually don’t remember his name; he was a guy about this tall…”
GREAT! I am going to get ‘escorted’ out of here! I’ll disgrace my company and myself! GREAT!
Surprisingly, there is a twinkle in her eye. “Oh, you mean Larry?”
Larry? No, well, maybe. SURE!
“Yeah, Larry. Larry said that we could use the room. Larry (extra emphasis) said we could come in during lunchtime”.
“Sure, no problem. We have a group coming in at 1, you can use the room until then. Here I’ll take you back”.
Sweet! Honestly I don’t know how this worked for me. Like an idiot, I forgot my name badge. I don’t know who I am looking for and its ‘casual Friday’, so I look ‘casual’. Talk about trusting!
She escorts me back, uses her ID badge to get me into the room and tells me that I can work out until the group comes, by then Larry should be here and he can let me out.
She leaves me in the big auditorium by myself. There is no one here and I get a little alone time with the new equipment. I quickly establish a circuit and get too it!
About midway in, a gentleman walks in (with a name badge). He’s relaxed and non-fazed by me.
I nervously attempt to explain that I was told I could work out here. He waves it off and says it’s fine. The group isn’t here yet and they won’t be for a little while still.
He goes about getting everything ready and wanders in and out of the nearby open door that goes out into the courtyard.
Apparently this is Larry. This is NOT Mr. Tall!
2/3 the way done and I hear a commotion. The group is starting to arrive! Some of the people are loud and seems like this is old hat for them. They are telling stories about their day (loudly), others look like they’re on lithium right now! Sullen, sunken eyes.
I’m in the middle of 'girl interrupted'.
'Larry' is greeting everyone and gets to setting everyone up. He's busy. I'll find someone else to let me out. I quietly make my exit into the courtyard.
The courtyard is a nice open air courtyard about the size of a small park, surrounded on all sides by the building.
Wait! Surrounded.on.ALL.sides. hmmm…ALL sides!
I walk over to a door and see the signs. “Warning! Extreme flight risk, ensure that doors are secure!” “Warning, this door exits out to unsecure area, doors must be closed”"You are leaving a secure area, check to make sure doors are closed”.
Secure! Flight risk!
I try the doors. Yep! Locked! I give a gentle push. Nope! Still locked. And that ‘gentle’ push, made a rattle and I am getting looks.
Crap!
OK, no biggie, just walk around act casual. You’ll find somebody who knows you. Blend in.
There is no 'blend in'. I'm in a mental hospital. I'm either staff or patient.
Right now I'm not doing a very good job of looking like a staff.
I'm walking up to every door. Giving it a quick (nonchalant) push. Nope! Everything locked.
Psst! Nonchalant doesn't work here. All it's doing is making me look suspisious.
OK. Um...no. No staff that I can recognize. Oh look there is a custodian. Maybe he can let me out.
"Um...excuse me?"
Smooooth! Damn it! Where did that whiny voice come from?! I need to sound confident not weak.
"What?!"
Crap! This isn't working. Explain your story:
??
um...
??
Did I just say 'I don't belong here'?
"Can you let me out"
....?
"...."
Not surpisingly, he looks away, trying to disengage. He shakes his head and turns away. Clearly, we are DONE!
N.I.C.E.
I can just imagine him going over to the alarm. Woop! We got a loose cannon! Woop! Get the Tranquerlizer gun!
Crap! OK. Keep looking around. Find SOMEBODY!
Look! The woman who let you in. She's there in her office. She has people in there and she's clearly busy working. So busy that she doesn't notice me standing outside her office. Staring at her like a lost dog.
Now I either interupt her and look like an idiot or I wander around some more.
Knock, knock. I have no choice but to knock on the window.
Utterly defeated, I have to resort to interupting her and her business.
I NEED OUT!
At the door, she teases "Are you sure you don't belong here? I'm not sure that I'm going to let you out."
HA HA! Quick, just laugh (but not too much). Pretend that everything is OK.
Almost to the door. There is no alarm yet but I don't breath until I'm out the front door.
FREEDOM!!!!
Freedom never felt so good!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Week of Insanity
What a week!
Last week was recovery and this week is endurance. And CRAP! Did it require endurance. I worked out more this week then I have ever! Both in terms of mileage and time!
I got called out about not updating the blog! I swear I would have, if I could have managed to find the time and have muscles that weren’t too sore to type!
Let me ask you a question, who in their right minds asks you to do a 50 miler mid week?!! MID WEEK!
Do you know how much effort it takes to do that? Neither do I! I do know that I had to break it into three (3) separate rides. One on the trainer at O’ dark thirty on the trainer; another outside as SOON as it was daylight and even then I still couldn’t finish and then I had to come home and crank out the last mileage out at midnight when everybody was asleep!
Whew!
Then come the weekend and I meet up with the Mrs, JT and Stef. We start off with an OWS, which I swore I rocked on. I was flying by people and feeling good despite the chop.
That is until out of the corner of my eye I see this SHARK. In human form. Who flies by me like I was treading water.
And my ‘stellar’ time? 32 minutes for .79 mile. Hmm...Not exactly pro rankings.
From there it was onto the bike.
Now I know what you’re thinking, you're thinking I’m going to abuse JT on the bike. I mean the guy just finished CDA and for 4 weeks he’s done nothing but eat cookies and sleep (my kinda life). There is NO WAY he can hang with me! He’s gonna get left in the dust.
And he was too! At least for the first 5 feet. That’s 5 feet of 40 miles!
The Mrs. had on the books an easy 50 minutes. I think that Lake Mead ruined that easy part within the first 3 seconds! Climbing out of that Lake is tough. Once on the main stretch, she was sailing! I was a little sad to have her turn around so soon. She looked really strong (plus I like having her around!).
Stef on the other played us like a poker ace! Stef had 30 miles on her mind and watched us 'boys' struggle with the wind and hills while she patiently kept her energy stored up. In the end, I think she turned around because we were going to slow for her! I distinctly remember her being in the back, I was FLYING down a hill, she ‘shoulda’ been a mile back or so. Imagine my surprise when she in stuck to my back wheel! This whole time! The sly minx!
After the turn around I announce to JT that it’s time to negatively split this beeotch! Remind me next time NOT to tell JT! As soon as he hears the words, he was GONE!
I think that JT cheated and went around the hills. I know this is technically impossible and that the only way back was up those hills but he wasn’t there! I mean, I should have been able to see him climbing up the hills right! At the very least, I should see him far out in the distance when I AM descending the hills, right!
The man was nowhere to be seen.
When I got back to the cars, I was hoping to see everyone tired and beat down. You know the look. The ‘just got done riding the hardest ride of my life’ look. At least to see them still working on packing their gear.
NOPE! They looked fresh and new. They had just enjoyed a fresh round of tea and crumpets! I think that Stef even ran home and let the dogs out (fill up on gas, mowed the yard and did the dishes)!
Man! Am I slow?! But I did negatively split – by 3-4 minutes. JT did too, by 34 minutes (notice that there is NO dash in his time!).
Sunday was another day FULL of training.
Three bricks - 3!
12 miles bike/ 2 mile run
Did I mention THREE times??
I am exhausted!
But I got it done!
Last week was recovery and this week is endurance. And CRAP! Did it require endurance. I worked out more this week then I have ever! Both in terms of mileage and time!
I got called out about not updating the blog! I swear I would have, if I could have managed to find the time and have muscles that weren’t too sore to type!
Let me ask you a question, who in their right minds asks you to do a 50 miler mid week?!! MID WEEK!
Do you know how much effort it takes to do that? Neither do I! I do know that I had to break it into three (3) separate rides. One on the trainer at O’ dark thirty on the trainer; another outside as SOON as it was daylight and even then I still couldn’t finish and then I had to come home and crank out the last mileage out at midnight when everybody was asleep!
Whew!
Then come the weekend and I meet up with the Mrs, JT and Stef. We start off with an OWS, which I swore I rocked on. I was flying by people and feeling good despite the chop.
That is until out of the corner of my eye I see this SHARK. In human form. Who flies by me like I was treading water.
And my ‘stellar’ time? 32 minutes for .79 mile. Hmm...Not exactly pro rankings.
From there it was onto the bike.
Now I know what you’re thinking, you're thinking I’m going to abuse JT on the bike. I mean the guy just finished CDA and for 4 weeks he’s done nothing but eat cookies and sleep (my kinda life). There is NO WAY he can hang with me! He’s gonna get left in the dust.
And he was too! At least for the first 5 feet. That’s 5 feet of 40 miles!
The Mrs. had on the books an easy 50 minutes. I think that Lake Mead ruined that easy part within the first 3 seconds! Climbing out of that Lake is tough. Once on the main stretch, she was sailing! I was a little sad to have her turn around so soon. She looked really strong (plus I like having her around!).
Stef on the other played us like a poker ace! Stef had 30 miles on her mind and watched us 'boys' struggle with the wind and hills while she patiently kept her energy stored up. In the end, I think she turned around because we were going to slow for her! I distinctly remember her being in the back, I was FLYING down a hill, she ‘shoulda’ been a mile back or so. Imagine my surprise when she in stuck to my back wheel! This whole time! The sly minx!
After the turn around I announce to JT that it’s time to negatively split this beeotch! Remind me next time NOT to tell JT! As soon as he hears the words, he was GONE!
I think that JT cheated and went around the hills. I know this is technically impossible and that the only way back was up those hills but he wasn’t there! I mean, I should have been able to see him climbing up the hills right! At the very least, I should see him far out in the distance when I AM descending the hills, right!
The man was nowhere to be seen.
When I got back to the cars, I was hoping to see everyone tired and beat down. You know the look. The ‘just got done riding the hardest ride of my life’ look. At least to see them still working on packing their gear.
NOPE! They looked fresh and new. They had just enjoyed a fresh round of tea and crumpets! I think that Stef even ran home and let the dogs out (fill up on gas, mowed the yard and did the dishes)!
Man! Am I slow?! But I did negatively split – by 3-4 minutes. JT did too, by 34 minutes (notice that there is NO dash in his time!).
Sunday was another day FULL of training.
Three bricks - 3!
12 miles bike/ 2 mile run
Did I mention THREE times??
I am exhausted!
But I got it done!
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Crazy Tired
It’s recovery week! Finally!
And damn, do I need it!
The last few workouts have exhausted me (I think that it has something to do with the 100*+ heat).
And looking down the pike (or is it pipe?), it looks like there are some major workouts ahead of me.
And I’m not even in training for CDA yet! I hope this counts as Base.
Monthly totals:
8 Swim – 6:30 hours – 14,328 yards (8.955 miles)
8 Bike – 14:43:46 hours – 200.2 miles
12 Run – 10:37:17 hours – 53.7 miles
Total:
28 workouts
31:52 hours
262.1 miles
20,417 calories burned (WHY am I not skinny??)
It looks like my swim was good and the bike OK, but I need to work on that run. And it’s funny; I actually thought that I was doing well on mileage too! Apparently NOT!
Well its recovery week, so I won’t be doing much in the way of workout and that means I’ll be doing even less for blogs.
Happy Fourth everyone! And be safe!
And damn, do I need it!
The last few workouts have exhausted me (I think that it has something to do with the 100*+ heat).
And looking down the pike (or is it pipe?), it looks like there are some major workouts ahead of me.
And I’m not even in training for CDA yet! I hope this counts as Base.
Monthly totals:
8 Swim – 6:30 hours – 14,328 yards (8.955 miles)
8 Bike – 14:43:46 hours – 200.2 miles
12 Run – 10:37:17 hours – 53.7 miles
Total:
28 workouts
31:52 hours
262.1 miles
20,417 calories burned (WHY am I not skinny??)
It looks like my swim was good and the bike OK, but I need to work on that run. And it’s funny; I actually thought that I was doing well on mileage too! Apparently NOT!
Well its recovery week, so I won’t be doing much in the way of workout and that means I’ll be doing even less for blogs.
Happy Fourth everyone! And be safe!
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