All About Me

So, let's catch up. I've been AWOL a bit, and I think it'll get worse before it gets better.

2 weeks ago I ran a half marathon. I approached it as mostly a fun run, and Amy's family and some friends were doing the marathon as a relay, so it was not a high pressure situation. My training being for CRAP, I had no expectations, and just went in to enjoy the day. Amy's sister was up for the first leg of their relay, so she and I ran the first 5 miles together. We'd decided earlier to just go easy, and stuck to about a 10:00 pace. All was well, and we enjoyed those 5 miles chatting and enjoying the crowds, even though the weather was crap for my 4th race in a row - low 50's and wind...if it had been raining, it would have been IM conditions all over again.

Anyway, at 5 miles we went separate ways, and, feeling good, I decided to see what I could do in the next 3 miles, then play it by ear. I ticked along at just over an 8:00 pace until mile 8, and then, still feeling good, sold out to really throw down for the last 5 miles. I've had two nagging issues all spring - my left knee, and my right achilles/calf area. Both loosened up a bit as the run continued, and by mile 8 I was feeling pretty solid.

Anyway, I clock along sub 8:30 until about the last half mile, when I just couldn't sustain it and slowed to around 9:30. I finished in just about exactly 2 hours - almost exactly the same time that I ran an early spring half marathon last year. On the surface that seems exciting - a strong time despite my poor training this year - but I paid for it. My knee was killing me for 4 days - the result, I think, of just doing more mileage on my long runs this spring than I have been properly prepared for.

So - that injury has been nagging ever since. In fact, I can't get 2 miles before it starts to hurt to the point of forcing me into a walk, and then it'll hurt for 2 more days. It even hurts on the bike - especially climbing. I didn't expect that, and that sucks. I don't know how to describe it - it's almost behind and underneath the knee cap. And, I don't know what to do with it. It feels like stop-it pain; there are two kinds of pain - ignore-it pain, where whatever it is isn't that big of a deal and you can train through it, and stop-it pain, where it feels more significant and you'd do well to stop whatever you're doing. So, I've been feeling in a holding pattern with this damn thing. I'm headed out for a run today, to see what happens, after letting it rest since my ride on Tuesday.

We move 2 weeks from today, and we're really excited. The house is full of boxes and miscellany as we get prepared and organized to move out, and all final arrangements have been mostly made - soon it's just a matter of finishing packing up, then getting out of town. I was thinking on my ride Tuesday - a short 20 miler - that I'll miss that well worn route, my training route that got me to Ironman. But...I'm also a little bored of it. It'll be fun to find a new training space in a new place, get acquainted with new country roads and routes. There's even a hill in my neighborhood that'll be perfect for doing some hill-running. And of course, the opportunity to train the IMWI course whenever the mood strikes. I do hope, after the move, that I'll be able to get back to training and blogging more regularly and share that new piece of life with whoever's out there.

And, most importantly of all, baby is doing well. 16 weeks 5 days today, and we heard the heartbeat again for the second time yesterday. Man, I tell you there is no sweeter sound. My face just erupts into a grin when I hear that little whooshwhooshwhoosh, Part Two working so hard in there to Become. And, I gotta say, solid heartrate, that little one has. Ironman in the making. Me & TST's shorties, rocking Kona '30. Sweet!

Anyway, that's me for now, the further tales of Ironman in Transition. What a weird season. Hang in there with me though - I've been given tentative family clearance for IMWI '09 - we'll see how it goes with baby, so I won't make it official for awhile. Still, something to think about. Sigh. One of these days, I swear I'll be a triathlete again.