The week after!

• On: 06/23/2009 06:16:22

1 week post race and I am still alive and well!  Last week after Eagleman, I was off all Triathlon (except work, of course!).  My body took a big break and you know when you start resting, it is a downward spiral.  So, Monday we drove all the way home and then Tuesday I was off and the kids were still in school so I spent the day working and catching up.  Since I took the time off work when I went to Maryland, (thanks!) I had plenty waiting for me when I got home.  Then, Wednesday it was much of the same, but it was the kids’ last day of school so that warrants an extreme amount of Dairy Queen ice cream.  The entire neighborhood walks down to DQ and monopolizes the DQ- what fun! 

Thursday and Friday it rained ALL day and the kids were on day #1 and day #2 of ‘summer.’  I thought I was going to fall asleep behind my desk.  We didn’t have any plans for those 2 days – thinking it would be nicer outside and everyone could go outside and play.  Well, after errands, and shopping and working and being mom by the time 7pm hit on Friday night I was a mess.  I was so tired, eaten so much chocolate all week and worked so much that I told Jerome I wasn’t sure how I was going to come out of the summer in one piece alive.  So, 7pm, 8pm & 9pm I watched the CSI Miami marathon – and Jerome knows when I do that WITH OUT my laptop attached to me, I am utterly trashed.  Yep.  I woke up Saturday AM feeling super and ready to tackle the weekend of block parties, Father’s Day and Graham’s 5k race.  I slept SOOO much last week and was so tired all week.

Last week was good in a lot of ways.  I LOVE summer and I have waited 10 months for summer and we finally have it this week – heat up to nearly 100F today – and you know what?  I LOVE IT!!!!  And, it makes me get fired up about “training” again. 

I didn’t think that much last week.  I barely did anything training-wise.  I needed to take a mid-season break…and I am still actually in my break.  I let my own Triathlon goals and races for the rest of the season sit idle while I tried to put it on the back burner.  And, I was successful!  As of today, I am still undecided about what I am racing except for Worlds 70.3 in Florida in mid-November.  NOVEMBER????  Like snow on the ground, November??  Yep, 21 weeks away.  That sounds obsene, doesn’t it?  IT IS.  So, I had my 2 “A” races nearly 23 weeks apart?  Oh geez.  So, clearly something had to chill out if I was going to race the way I want to race in Mid-November – mentally & physically.

And, to be quite honest….I was at peace last week.  I had accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish in my race last weekend…and it is not like, “what IF I did this instead?”  or “why didn’t I go harder during X time.”  It is amazing that when you accomplish all your goals for a race/early season that you can just well….rest and re-group guilt free.   And, put your feet up without ANY second thoughts…that is one of the best feelings EVER.

I was talking to Dave yesterday, who told me to go eat more chocolate and do more shopping (ah!) because I am basically unplugged for July.  Yep, the best summer month in Chicago….but that doesn’t mean I don’t train (let’s not be silly!), but it just means that I go back to base and fun and well, looser stuff…and I am OK with that.  And, really, I am totally fine.  Even if I was done for the 2009 season, I am very content.  But, I am not…and I have things I still want to do and accomplish – so I rest now so I can have fun later.

Watching IM CDA this past weekend online – I will admit – It did get me fired up for an Ironman.  Yes, see, now that is when you know you are being SILLY and you are resting too much.  That nonsense talk about an IM.  And Jerome nicely reminded me, “you had your chance Jenny.”  Yeah….someday, again, but not IM CDA (hello Chicago weather) but there was just something so darn rewarding as a coach watching my athletes tackle that IM course and do just so wonderful and meet their goals.  Sometimes it starts to take place of my personal goals…and at times during my season (like now) that is OK.  I loved every minute of it!!  Huge congrats to everyone who raced IM CDA and especially Jen, Marit, Rich, Mike, ADC and Scott…..and everyone else – nice work!  Now it is your turn to rest up!  Elizabeth and I were back and forth ALL day – we had so much fun!

And, I did find out how much junk people can eat when they allow themselves too.  By Tuesday, YES TUESDAY, of last week (just 2 days post-race) I was sick of all the junk.  I ate M&Ms and pizza and cookies and brownie batter and cake batter (yes, I eat all the dough/batters instead) and just whatever and whenever I wanted it – I had cereal for dinner.  And, you know what?  I felt like crap. I totally understand how the general population feels awful.  I mean, 2-3 days of that (and it was a tad extreme) was nice but ICK.  So, then by Wednesday I had to eat normal, healthy meals and then had junk afterwards and that helped.  When I had a peanut butter cup for breakfast on Tuesday, I knew I had hit rock bottom. 

And, the kicker?  On Wednesday night is our OW swim “race” and 5k.  Of course there was no running all week for me last week, but I did want to swim easily and see how that felt.  Well, here is a newsflash for you:  IT IS so hard to swim 3 days after a huge race + on nothing but junk and cake batter all afternoon.  I felt awful.  I felt so awful that I could barely move my arms and I had to roll over to my back and do backstroke for parts.  HA!  I am not kidding you.  I thought – how in the heck did I just have this great race 3 days ago and now I am backstroking?  Well, of course, I was trashed, but….too funny!  And, this was just 20 minutes in the water.

Even this weekend was nice and relaxing…and Graham ran his annual 5k with Jerome and he did soo great.  He ran 26 minutes – so 8.30 pace or so.  He is 7.  That is so great on so many levels.  He was in pure pain during it Jerome said and wanting to cry but he got thru it and LOVED IT….so, good for him.  Morgan was with me – cheering for everyone!  Not one part of me wanted to run a 5k 7 days after a ½ IM….oh lord.

So, yesterday (Monday) started a new week.  I am back to some light training and my lovely Pilates.  Low key and just doing what I want for a little bit – until July 1^st.  So, what to do this weekend?  SAG ride?  Group ride?  Waffles?  Pancakes?  Oh….wait….I think I will be plugged into my computer on Sunday watching Buffalo Springs 70.3 all day!  And, so, another weekend in the Harrison household! 

Until then, I think I feel like riding my bike.  So, I think I will do that – and perhaps put some M&Ms in my front basket.

Oh, and I guess I do need to go shopping.  We (neighborhood) all went to the pool yesterday afternoon and I was looking forever for my bikini….oh, right, I threw that away last year (at the end of summer) because it was totally a mess and needed replaced.  AND I DID NOT have a bikini to wear – so there I was, in my flowerly Speedo suit.  Yep, time to shop again!