Ummm... Cheese

After yesterday's wake up call, I knew I needed to stop the excuses and get moving. I have a race in less than a month! So, I got up and went for a run. When I got back, I remembered why I haven't been running.

Stupid!
Right!
Foot!

I can't even complain about it any more because it's nothing different. Hurts when I am done running, hurts when I walk around, hurts when I wear my inserts, hurts when I don't. I can't find a pattern (which is even more frustrating as an economic analyst! It's what I do!!!) and I just don't know what to do anymore, other than sit on my butt forever and ever. My doctor is awesome, has fixed other areas on my foot, but not the entire foot.

So, what makes things better, CHEESE!! Tonight was another cheese class. Last time was great, and this was pretty good too. I don't know if it's my Wisconsin genes or what, but good cheese makes me happy. And should be a prescription for my foot problems :-)

Finally!!

It's about time! Today was such a perfect, wonderful weather day. It is finally nice, sunny, warm (even a bit on the warm side), no rain... could not beat the day.

Unfortunately, I couldn't talk as much advantage of the day as I would have liked. I made a few choices on Friday night that lead to a few too many glasses of wine. Now don't get me wrong, I had a great time, it was an alumni event and I made some good contacts. But, that doesn't lead to a great bike ride the next morning. It was a tri club event and I went early to get my ride in, then help out with the BBQ, picnic.

So, I get to the site, clip in, hit the first hill and adjust my game plan. I felt horrible. Out of shape, very fat, not in the best condition for the course I was on, and got really mad at my self. How did I let this happen!?!?! I rocked that course multiple times last year - but that was last year. I got so down on my self that by the time I turned around, I remembered it was mostly downhill and I flew back to the picnic area.

So, it was the wake up call (again) that I needed.
A day that showed me spring is finally here.
And a reminder that I need to wear more sun block. I looked a bit like this.

Too Soon for a Double?

I think it might have been. Charles and I were looking at the class schedule and wondered how the boot camp class would be. I wasn't a fan of the weights class instructor at lunch and taking the night class wasn't going to work with my evening plans. So... Boot camp at lunch it was! Basically, it was a circuits class. I liked it, got my HR up, had to do things quickly and had enough time to rest/recover between each circuit set. This was followed by a killer abs class.

To celebrate the classes, Charles gave me my weakness candy. He offered earlier, however I resisted. But 2:30 came, and I couldn't resist any more. Ummm... And it was worth the 170 (empty) calories. It's only once a year...

And today was my run day, so I had to get that in as well. It wasn't good. Slower than I would have liked. Legs hurt more than they should have... Bah.

I really should put Carlos on the trainer and get a decent ride it - as it's still to dark and cold to ride in the morning with Brooke and ME - but we all know I am just going to sleep. These 2-a-days are exhausting.

Happy Easter

First of all, HAPPY EATER!!

Second, I am tired of this weather!!! REALLY! IT'S APRIL! I left Wisconsin and Minnesota for a reason!! I know that 45-50 degree weather really isn't that cold. However, when biking, it's cold. Especially when it's windy. The sun helps, but not as much as I would like. I live in DC, I am south of the Mason-Dixon line, IT SHOULD BE WARMER!!

Anyway, I headed out for a ride and met up with Rose. We took some laps up and down Beach Drive and it was a tough ride, for me anyway. My HR was really high, my lungs were burning, as were legs. I know I have been sick and done little more than go from bed to couch to sofa bed to couch to bed this past week - but still. I shouldn't be that slow and that tired from an 18 mile ride.

But, I did make it out, even though it was cold and windy - so that is good.

And ride was followed up by a tasty Easter lunner (lunch/dinner) my friend The Meddler's house. Great friends, lots of wine,and good food - see the number we did on the ham :-)

Hope everyone had a great weekend!!

Yoga Feels Good

It's not often I get to relax on a Saturday morning. I am not complaining, I like getting up to go bike, run, swim, participate in a race, volunteer, whatever. But every once and awhile, it's nice to sleep without an alarm, lay in bed watching the news, and get up to do my A.M. Yoga. It's just a 20 minute session and is a good way to start the day. Concentrating on breathing, posture, "center my self". It does sound cheesy, and is a bit, but I like.

I also like the fact I made a (strong) vanilla latte that I am currently enjoying, all in my PJ's.

Tomorrow I am planning on meeting Rose for a ride. Hopefully it will 1. not be raining as it is now and 2. I will feel well enough to have a decent ride.

I'm Not Working Out

But that doesn't mean I can't complain.

I understand I live in a tourist city. I understand it's Cherry blossom time and it's pretty. It's spring break. But people, PLEASE stop getting in my way!!! It's really not asking to much.

Don't stand on the left side of the escalator. Don't walk 4 across on the sidewalk and get mad at me for not moving to the grass. Please do not stop walking in the middle of an area (i.e. Union Station). Strollers take up space. A lot of it, please be aware.

These simple things will make every local's life much easier in DC. Thank you.

Not Fun

Here is my updated...

Saturday it started as a twinge. I even e-mailed Rose about when/where to meet up for the 5k run. Had brunch plans. Had dinner/wine drinking/rock band practice plans. All were shot. On Sunday when I woke up at 2 am, 3 am, 5 am... I knew it was more than a twinge of a sore throat. I spent the day on the couch with my blanket, wishing someone would could have vacuumed out my lungs and all the junk. And of course, it was the most beautiful day the city has seen.

Monday morning was more coughing and blowing my nose of stuff I won't describe. I thought I was doing okay, but no. Around 2, I decided to take my temperature. 100.1 - which is really high for me, I am usually closer to 97.7. I was really cold even though I was wrapped in my blanket, took my temp again, it was 101.5. I couldn't warm up, took another shower, bundled up and my temp was up to 102. Miserable.

I got a bit of sleep and Tuesday called my doctor. I was feeling better and my temp was back down to 99.5, however EVERYONE told me to go to the doctor. But first, I had my foot doctor appointment. The good news there, no stress fracture!! YAY! Another shot, and see where things go. I wasn't in the right state of mind to have the full conversation I would have liked, but oh well. At 3, I went to my general doctor, explained all my symptoms, and she basically said "you have an infection that went all nuts-o". It's not normal for adults to have that high of a fever, so she was glad I went in, got some drugs - and everyone was right.

Today was much better - but I am still coughing, coughing, coughing. Not coughing anything up, just coughing. Over and over and over again. Someday I will feel better. And this restlessness of sitting for 4 days straight will go away.

Thanks to everyone for checking on me, bringing me chicken broth, sending funny e-cards. It all helps tons. Almost as much as my blanket (which I did wash today and feels just as good :-)

I'm Not Saying Blain Made Me Sick...

But I felt fine this morning before I went for my ride and really haven't felt 100% since. It was only a 30 minute ride around Hains Point. Yes, there were close to 20 mph wind gusts, but I was only out for 30 minutes! And it was Cherry Blossom festival stuff going on, so I went super early (7 am) to get the ride over with before tourists took over. And look how pretty Blain is next to the trees. Something this pretty couldn't make me sick!!

And after the long packet pick up line for the Cherry Blossom 5K (I dropped down from the 10 miler), I am wondering if the run was going to happen. I just have a twinge of a sore throat...

Yes, Those are Tennis Shoes on My Feet

Today I went to lunch with my friend Erin. As we were leaving the restaurant, some (I think) homeless guy starts talking/yelling at us about our shoes. Erin had super cute, open toe, off white-ish heels. I had my Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7 men's 2E shoes on. He is all "those are great shoes girl" followed by "oh, look at you in your tennis shoes". I just couldn't concentrate on the remaining conversation we were having as I was distracted by the shoe comments. Really, I am getting judged by a (as I think) homeless guy.

Yes I would like to wear cute shoes at some point in time again, however my knees and foot just don't like the thought. Ohhh, cute shoes will come into my life again someday...

D.E.A.D

I might have gone out a bit too hard lately. I am B.E.A.T!!! Soooooo tired....

Wednesday's are my work from home days, however there was a meeting scheduled by the higher ups so I had to go in. The good thing is that I could go to my favorite weights and abs classes. It was one of those great classes and muscle workouts where you are a little shaky for about 20 minutes after. Yay for that.

However, it was also my swim night. This was again a night I would have just gone home. Someone else was in charge of the workout, but I still said I would be there - so I went. Even though it was raining. And I had to walk from the metro.

But about half way there, someone picked me up. I hop in the pool and I am just not feeling it. A few of the guys I was swimming with knew I wasn't feeling it, and they weren't either. The workout was a bit ambitious - but I did mange to get in about 2850. I think it was just a bit too much too soon.