Friday- day off 5/3

Friday's tend to be my day off (even though I actually have the most flexibility with workout times as they relate to work!) since the longer workouts seem to occur- understandably- over the weekends.

After last nights, run, I called Athletico in Andersonville in the morning to see if anyone was available that afternoon for that injury screening.  Luckily someone could take a look in the late afternoon.

I went over to see Mike who didn't seem to think there was a bone chip or break.  He thought that the bone was probably bruised or the ligaments bruised or whatever.  He suggested shorter runs and icing after workouts in the short term and I'm supposed to give him a call later this week to check in and let him know how it's feeling.  If it feels the same, I'll probably go to the orthopedic doctor for an x-ray or MRI to confirm it's all good.

Friday night, Max MultiSport had a tire changing clinic at Element Multisport that I really should have attended, but I needed some downtime from triathlon so Michael and I headed to Evanston for dinner and a movie.

Thursday, 5/2 1:45 run

After my run on Thursday was when I decided I needed to honestly go to Athletico to see a physical therapist for a free injury screening...

I had a somewhat difficult run in my plan.  Difficult because I don't really like to run and there was a substantial amount of time I was supposed to be going fast (for me!) and in heart rate zone 4.  My ankle had been hurting this week after my bike fall when I turned it inward and a few other angles (pain level 4/10- so more like general discomfort).  After running for 1/2 the time, I actually started walking.  Something just didn't feel right.

I completed the hour and 45 minute "run", but didn't follow the plan.  Part of what this training is teaching me is to keep going when I want to quit.  There is a very compelling desire after a certain number of hours working out- especially after a long day at the office (or whatever else it may be) to want to stop and I'm learning to fight this "lazy" urge.

Wednesday, 5/1 90 minute bike- "recovery"

It's still funny to me to read a workout posted in my log that says 1 hour and 30 minute "recovery" bike ride. RECOVERY?!  Who sits and rides a bike for that long to recover?!

I still feel like a very normal person trying to accomplish something I think extraordinary... this is one of those moments that reinforces "normal" versus Ironman regulars to me!

I can't recall if I did this workout on a stationary bike at the gym since it was low heart rate zones or if I was on my own trainer in my living room.  I think I was at home and Michael and I were watching "The Voice"... he on the couch and me on my bike.

You do what you have to do!!

Tuesday, 4/30 Yoga

On the regular... my hour of Tuesday yoga was much needed after the training camp weekend!!

My hamstrings, IT bands, quads, hips and general lower body are super tight.  Pigeon is so flipping painful!!

Grabbing my back leg like this photo is next to impossible with my own hand... sometimes I can do it with a strap, but not without FEAR!  :)

Galena Training Camp, Sunday 4/28

Sunday morning, we all up and ready by 8am again for another group ride.  This was to be another 2 hour ride through some more challenging hills.  Initially we thought we wanted to ride the Galena Triathlon course, but the logistics to get out and back with all the bikes would require we load into cars and bring bikes to do it.  Instead, after a group vote, we decided to spit up between those who would ride in the territory and those who would ride the course.  My coach suggested I stay in the territory since I'd have to ride again after the course (the course wasn't long enough for my planned ride that day).  Plus, part of our ride on Saturday unknowingly included part of the course that changed from last year, so I was satisfied with my knowledge or lack thereof of this year's course.  It's a "C" race for me and I'm doing the duathlon, so I really didn't care anyway.

This time, those of us staying in the territory would be riding a loop that included Eagle Ridge and a waterfall.  It was challenging and I decided my goal of the ride would be to stay in zone 3 while climbing hills.  Needless to say, this meant that I wasn't exactly a leader in charging up the hills, but instead of letting my competitive nature take over, I tried to stick to my goal.

After coming down a fun hill around the waterfall, we circled around to our right and approached another hill.  I'm guessing it was about 11-13% grade.  It went straight up and near the top circled left.  There were trees lining it and the random car or two every once in awhile.  I used my momentum on the downhill (I actually pedal on the downhill to help propel me up the up!) and began shifting quickly when I hit about 5% grade.  Unfortunately, my chain cross-chained and dropped... at which point, I began rolling backwards down the hill and frantically trying to un-clip.  When I realized that I was picking up speed rolling BACKWARDS down a hill and was still unable to un-clip, I bit the bullet and rolled left.

My bike was fine and thankfully I had my helmet on good and tight.  I hit my left wrist, shoulder and head-- all were fine.  I was a bit scared about my left wrist, but I hustled to get un-clipped and out of the road!  I heard someone outside our group ahead of us call out to the other riders that had passed me "One down!  You've got one down!".  I scurried to the side of the road and examined the damage.  I had gloves, long pants and a jacket on, so I really didn't have an road rash which was great.  After summitting the hill, I decided to go back to the house-- I was just a little bit freaked out.  I have broken that wrist before and so I wanted to ice it.  I went back with Shauna who is still recovering from a previous injury herself and happens to be a physical therapist.  She checked it out and gave me the thumbs up.

We sat with our ice packs in the sunshine for a bit until the group came home.  Eventually, I went out for another run/walk in the golf course.  I felt like I wasn't utilizing the camp enough...

The strangest thing about the fall, is that I actually may have injured my right ankle.  I realized later that it really didn't feel right.  I think the impact with my bike and the fact that I was still clipped in may have caused some bruising to the bone or ligaments.  (I went to have it checked at Athletico later and they didn't think it was broken.  I am icing after workouts and doing shorter runs for the next week.)

Galena training camp Saturday, 4/27

After work on Friday, I drove out to Galena for a short weekend training camp with about 9-10 other athletes to ride and run in the Galena, IL  hills.

View on the way there...

The area is quite beautiful and we stayed in a private home in the Eagle Ridge Territories.  Anyone who has been to Galena has heard of this area and knows the area for it's beauty, seclusion and golf courses.  Anyone who does cycling or triathlon knows it for its hills!!  There are areas where the hills are 17% grade and they're tough.  Most of them are short, but some are longer, slow rides up and down.

We didn't train together on Friday night (plus it was an off day for me) so we made dinners and all arrived at different times and got settled.

Saturday morning, we woke up for a group bike check and two hour ride.  I think we rode about 20 or so miles in the hills.  The slowest I went was 3.6mph and the fastest was 41.6mph!!  Consider tooling up a 17% grade hill, but then being able to FLY down one!  I love it but some of the other ladies were scared.  I feel like the downhills are true rewards for the up!

After our ride, we got back to the house, changed and went to lunch in downtown Galena.  Believe it or not, I'd never been to the downtown-- just to the territory last year for the Galena triathlon race itself.  The downtown was cute and I would have loved some time to walk around, window shop and experience it, but alas we were 12 people trying to find a place that would take us for lunch and it took some time.  We landed at the local brewery which made my no carb diet difficult!!  Lunch really wasn't that great and a plate of lettuce just doesn't seem a good 'reward' for all that work.

After lunch, we went back to the house to change and do some strength and stretching orientation for about an hour.

Then the group went to do some hill work for about 35-45 minutes and I went for a run through the golf course for an hour (I had an hour run on my plan).  Here's what I saw:

After our runs, many of the gals jumped in the hot tub (I abstained- my body does better after workouts with ice baths rather than hot water) and then we all cleaned up and rested and had a group BBQ meal for dinner.  I may have been the first to bed (I took advantage of uninterrupted sleep out in the country!!) and we were up and at it again on Sunday.

Time for some new riding gloves

Holding on for dear life or riding a lot? I'm not sure which!!!