Memorial Day Weekend !

• On: 05/25/2009 17:33:34

Hope everyone had a nice long weekend!  We got lucky- it was cool here but DRY!  YAY!  I love long weekends – who doesn’t?  Last week was uneventful, so let’s focus on this weekend and FUN. 

On Friday our neighbors had a Happy Hour – if you are reading my blog for the first time – this is NOT  rare – we have Happy Hours anytime anyone wants to drink, which in this neighborhood is anytime after 8am.  I am not kidding. I am a social outcast here.  However, they are ALL on some fitness/health kick now, so now I am their best friend.  Well, kinda.

I took the kids to the Happy Hour, but I have been SOOO good.  I came home, layed on the couch and watched back to back episodes of CSI MIAMI (!) and relaxed.   I saw a race picture of me at my Triathlon last weekend and decided ENOUGH IS FRIGGIN ENOUGH.  I am only less than 5 lbs off my race weight, but MAN perhaps my scale is so f*cked up.  I am not a freak about eating – makes absolutely no sense to train as much as I train and try to recover and do everything else.  Being tired and lethargic and needing naps all the time is NOT good for me and I refuse to live like that.  So, I am smart.  I just cut out junk and the biggest accomplishment of the long weekend as all the BBQs and parties where I had NO junk. Not one thing.  AND EVEN NO M&Ms at my sister’s. SNIFF.  I was ok, it was like a challenge for me – b/c seriously, who cares…but I have my “A” race coming up and I am going not to allow myself any excuses.  In 1 week I have lost 2 lbs.  Healthy and manageable.  Perfect.

Ok, enough of that crap talk.  On Saturday, I got up early and did a short brick.  Jerome did a longer run while I worked.  Yep, I think the only day I don’t work is Christmas Day.  And, the lovely friend/athlete that called me on Christmas Day this year will never forget that conversation.  HAHA. J  Poor thing.  ANYHOO, I wanted to take the kids downtown Chicago on the train.  I find myself totaling flipping on how I spend my weekends now.  A few years ago I was trying to figure out ALL the ways to “get some downtime” and train and train and train.  But, I was MOM all week so by the weekend, this was my little escape so I felt minimal guilt.  IT IS SO much harder to train as the kids get older.  All my older friends told me this and I was like, “BLAH BLAH”  but it is true.  The kids DO stuff now and you want to be a part of that.  I DO!  So, now that the kids are in school, as I have said before, my weekends are easy.  Sunday is my rest day (where I just swim)….so yay!  Anyway, we trained it downtown, went to the “bean” Millnieum Park, out to dinner – OUTSIDE (unbelievable!) .  It was only in the 60s downtown, but SUNNY!  Besides the kids being PILLS for part of it – the train ride is 75 minutes long – we had a  nice time out.  I think the trip downtown with all the homeless people and different people is SO good for the kids to witness.

Then, on Sunday we went to the LAKE!  I was SO excited.  We wanted others to join us but we decided to go at 9am.  Very late for most, but Jerome and I were tired of rushing around so we slept in and went to the lake with the kids.  I was worried that the water would be too cold for them, but they had a GREAT TIME!!!!  They found baby turtles and had a blast. I swam while Jerome watched me from shore and vice-versa.  I literally did 1 mile and got out – super easy.  Honestly, I have no idea how the water was that warm, but it was lovely.

When I was swimming I was totally at peace.  There is NOTHING better than an OW swim in the morning.  It was peaceful, tranquil, and QUIET. I really yearn for silence now. All the NOISE in our lives is a killer.  So, there I was only having to worry about myself – and I know the lake like the back of my hand, so there are no worries in there. I could just swim, think about form and relax.  Amazing!  I was not always like that. I was thinking about that.  I used to HATE the OW.  And, that is why I was never a good swimmer in Triathlon for a long time.  When I first started Triathlons, there is a huge difference between a pool swimmer and a good OW swimmer.  BUT I was petrified of the OW.  Would always think of 1,000 other things I wish I was doing other than swimming OW in a race!  Seriously!  I was afraid of fish, sharks (hello, we are all fresh water here), snakes, anything.  Well, I quickly realized THAT would not get me too far and now here I was swimming in OW by myself.  WHAT a whirlwind. 

And, I am SO excited because the OW swim race + run that I co-direct is starting on June 3^rd!  Summer is here!  And, we made the run harder! Hee

Then, I did some run strides, short run to get ready for a 10 mile run race that I was doing on Memorial Day….then, off to my sister’s for a family BBQ.  Beth, my sister and her family live about 1 hour south of here, but we LOVE going there b/c the kids are the best of friends. We missed my brother and his wife but they were in Michigan enjoying a long weekend away before their 1^st baby is born next month!

The last time I did the 10 mile race was in 2006.  I usually don’t like to race on Memorial Day b/c that means I have to take is easier on Saturday and Sunday – and I usually did not have that luxury in previous years.  However, this year it worked out WELL!  It runs right near our house and it is VERY hilly for the first 6 miles and then flatter for the last 6.  I do always forget how darn hilly this course is…not a PR course but I don’t care about that stuff…I just loved it being local – lots of local friends/athletes and pancakes afterwards.  Pancakes?  I am SO in. 

And the best part?  NO RAIN!!!!

Damn, I forget how badly 10 miles hurt.  It is just like a notch below 10k pace but this race is big – like 3,000 runners or so and it is crowded for a bit – but I like it, I am so used to running solo, that this is a nice treat.  With this many runners, last time I was thrilled to get into the Top 10 OA….this year, I actually had a time goal in mind.  Weird though, last night I woke up twice to pee (which is good) but I had a super scratchy throat and thought, “just allergies” because the allergies in Chicago now are AWFUL….and I didn’t think too much more about that.  Well, on the warm up I felt good – then I felt good and then felt heavier and a little icky as the race went on.  I never thought a 6.44 mile would feel that hard.  And, I didn’t go out too hard … I managed to hold on to 4^th Overall (I have not seen final results yet) and my best showing & time at this race ever, so that was super…but the time I ran…crap, it hurt A LOT and I was struggling to pick my knees up! HA.  Jerome and the kids were on the course cheering for me (yay) and afterwards you could tell jerome was surprised at how ‘fast’ my time was because he said I LOOKED AWFUL – bad form, tight shoulders.  He told me I needed to get back to doing the drills I used to do all the time.  HE WAS RIGHT!!!!  Run form is SO important….

After the race, we enjoyed pancakes and the award ceremony.  Then, we came home right away b/c I had more work to do and I had people asking where their workouts were!  Oops!  I was getting to them!  So, I worked until 3pm IN MY FULL racing gear.  THEN, I took a shower and had to go grocery shopping b/c we had NO fruit, milk or OJ.  I hate NOT having OJ in the AM!!!!  I was so tired but had to go.  Jerome was home making dinner.

And, now at 7pm I am on the couch, in my PJs – kids are watching ROCKY upstairs and Jerome and I are watching Dateline on NBC….and, I still have my sore throat.  I am hoping it IS just allergies, but truth will be told tomorrow when I wake up.  I hope it is not a cold – but at least that would explain feeling so heavy today.  So, time to rest up and sleep!  Oh, and read a good book.  Ah!!  J  Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend!