Indoor Tri

    Next week is the "Big Week" in my training cycle, which means pushing myself further and harder. Gearing up for it this week I did an "indoor triathlon" on Tuesday. It all started at the pool, of course. Actually, let's go back to earlier in the day, when I got the smashing idea of squeezing in all three disciplines into one day. I had a free(ish) evening, my cooking for the week was done, my house was clean(ish), I had no studying to do, no place to be except home. Okay, back to the pool... I am taking my swimming down a notch, now that I am ramping up cycling and swimming as I head into spring. Swimming was my workout mainstay through the winter, I really wanted to finesse my technique, and build a solid base, both goals accomplished. Now I am swimming to maintain, not build, in an attempt to not wreck my shoulders before September. So Tuesday I only swam 40 laps, and did some strengthening drills, and some speed laps, for a total of 75 minutes in the water. Then shower, race for home, feed the menagerie, brush the dogs a bit (they are blowing coat, all over the house), and into my cycling shorts.Okay, that was probably the longest transition ever, but I made up for it in T2. I cycled hard, at a high cadence for a solid 30 minutes, entertaining myself with a documentary on marathon running. Straight from the bike to the treadmill for 30 minutes of alternating slow jog with speedplay at about 110% of my race pace. I finished with 20 minutes of stretching and torturing myself with some myofascial release self-massage with a tennis ball (I can make myself cry). This made for a great workout, one I am planning on fitting into my schedule with some regularity, increasing time and distance as I close in on my A Race.
    As for next week, the Big Week, I am not quite sure what kind of exquisite torment I have in store for myself. Looking ahead at my real world schedule it might make better sense to do next week in a similar vein to this week, with some good, solid workouts, and make the following week Big. I have a little time to think it over, I am a flexible coach, and know I have to work with my real world schedule if I want to optimize my training. Today; Trail Run. It will be fabulous. Tomorrow cycle and/or run, and strength/core workout. Sunday, I have no idea. But I am flexible that way.

The Fourth Discipline

    I think everyone knows the Three Disciplines of Triathlon: Swim, Cycle, Run. So what is the Fourth? It is nutrition. It is the rocket fuel that allows a body to perform at its best, and not bonk from lack of sustainable energy. In a long course Triathlon, whether a half or full Ironman, it is an acknowledged fact that the body is burning fuel faster than it can replenish. Yes, you could eat enough calories, but a body under stress will not process them and you will end up with cramps, nausea, and possibly vomiting. But even before The Big Day, there is much to know and understand about eating for optimum training. There is a plethora of experts, reports, and articles out there just waiting to be Googled. It is an avalanche of knowledge, with plenty of contradictory advice. As with all things, I read as much as I can get my hands on, let the information rattle around in my subconscious for a bit, then formulate my own plan of attack. Yes, it would be great to have a nutrition coach to analyze my body chemistry, or blood type, or whatever it is they use to build an optimal eating plan for an endurance athlete. It would be nice, but it is not reality. I am self-coached, from the ground up. I plan my workouts, I push myself, I self massage, and I feed myself, all to the best of my abilities.
    I do have one great advantage over a lot of athletes, I am a damned good cook. I love to find new ways of preparing healthy, satisfying, delicious meals for myself. Over the years, and especially this last year, and most definitely the last 6 months, I have been refining my knowledge, perfecting what I prepare to go into my gaping maw. I am nearly vegetarian at this point, but I do like meat so use it sparingly, and then only super lean bits, added more as a flavoring than as a main course. I am eating a lot of whole grains, legumes, raw nuts, fresh fruits, and raw vegetables. I have eliminated refined flours, refined sugars, artificial flavorings and additives, high fructose corn syrup (which I have referred to as "The Devil" for years), artificial sweeteners, prepackaged foods, junk food, and fast food. I am nearly wheat and dairy free. The only dairy my body will allow these days is cheese (thank the gods... what would life be without cheese?). My sweeteners of choice are evaporated cane juice, and Agave syrup. I will not consume artificial sweeteners. I am not saying any of this to be Holier-Than-Thou, it is just fact, and what I know I need to do for my body. I wish I did not need to be so particular about what goes into my body, but I am doing what my digestive tract, and common sense, dictate.
    All that being said, what training and race day fuel boil down to is finding the right balance for an individual body. I am learning that what works for me is three main meals consisting of whole grains or other complex carb like sweet potato, a small to moderate serving of protein, and fresh, raw fruits and vegetables. I do not skip breakfast. I also eat 3 or 4 healthy snacks daily, usually fruit and raw nuts, maybe a slice of gluten free, whole grain bread (homemade, of course) with a schmear of peanut butter. I do a lot of smoothies that turn out thick and green, and looking like something that should be bubbling in a cauldron, or glopping up out of an impact crater in a bad sci-fi movie. My body is rewarding me for my vigilance. I am disinclined to get sick, my energy level is good (though I am always sleep deprived these days, my fault, not Body's), and I am doing decently long, arduous workouts daily.
    I am putting every bit as much thought into The Fourth Discipline, as I am the other three. Maybe more so. I know now that my poor performance in the Portland Tri was very likely due to poor fueling. I don't want that to happen again. I want to toe the start with as much in my arsenal as possible. I want to be trained as well as I am able, and fueled as well or better than my competitors. I have the discipline. The Fourth Discipline.

Breathing is Essential

    I have said it before, and I will say it again; I love trail running!! I do, I truly do. When I am trail running it feels as if I can go forever. Yesterday afternoon I headed to an old favorite of mine, a trail I had not visited in several years. The weather was perfect Pacific Northwest Spring weather; mild, slightly overcast, soft breeze, the scent of new green and blossoms in the air. Having been plagued with minor injuries and pains this year I took my time warming up, walking for a solid 15 minutes before breaking into an easy run. I ran a bit gingerly at first, waiting for new pains to reveal themselves, but they did not. Just a few minutes into my run I was dancing through the woods feeling lithe, graceful, and light-footed. I am sure that much of it was in my mind, but I know that when Brain believes, Body will follow. I ran to the end of the trail, dodging branches, leaping logs, prancing through rough terrain, feeling wonderful. At the end, a bluff overlooking the river, I reluctantly turned and ran back.
    I wanted to give my new allergy inhaler another test, but was a bit hesitant. It is not fun to feel my throat constrict, and once the issue arises it is not easily suppressed. There is a short, steep hill at the trail head, I knew this would be the test. Up I ran, legs and arms pumping easily. Lungs working beautifully, laboring but not straining. At the top, lungs still working, I wanted to do a happy dance, instead I ran on, slowing a bit to control my breathing. I was actually waiting to feel something, some hint that I was on the verge of breathing issues, but no such panic inducing feeling visited. I felt inspired, energized, almost delirious. I decided to do 15 minutes of Fartlek speedplay. I would pick a tree up the path a bit and sprint to it, then slow to normal, then find another target and sprint.
    My legs and lungs were feeling great. I am hoping this is a breakthrough for me. To be able to run relatively pain free would be a happy making thing for me. But to be able to run and breathe is like a gift from the gods. Maybe, just maybe, I can start building a solid base for the running leg of my A Race *knock on wood*. Running is essential, and a little pain is to be expected. Breathing is essential, just essential, no ifs, ands, or buts. I love trail running. Truly.

Hitting The Trails

    I managed to get out on a short trail run last friday, my first since late last fall. Today I will run again. This time I am returning to my old stomping grounds at a local state park. I used to visit it daily with my dogs, back when we lived "in town." I have had to rein in my running the last few months, I have been nursing a few painful issues. One thing that has been most disconcerting, and painful, has been the pain and cramping I have been having in my calves. No matter how careful I have been of technique and distance, my calves start to burn and hurt just minutes into a run. It has not been what I would consider "normal" pain in any way. No matter what I tried, the situation was not getting any better. Finally I turned to myofascial release self massage with a tennis ball and roller. I have to say, I can make myself cry. Deep tissue massage is painful. But just a few sessions and already the issue seems to be resolved. I am not going to take this as a sign that I can suddenly increase my running distance by great bounds, but it will let me start rebuilding my base. I was running decent distances last fall, and even into the winter on my treadmill, but have had to back off so much that I know I have back-slid.
    The other issue that has prevented me from being able to push myself has been the annoyance of my asthma. I got a prescription for a rescue inhaler last summer, and it did help some, but not enough. There were too many times that I was running with the inhaler in my hand, stopping to suck on it too frequently. And worse still, knowing the finish line is 100 yards away, mustering the last dregs of energy to sprint for home, only to have to pull up short and take hits on the nebulizer to prevent myself from passing out due to lack of oxygen. Having your airwaves constrict to the point of feeling like you are being strangled, is not a feeling I would wish on anyone. It is panic inducing. As of this last friday I now have a different inhaler, with stronger medication, that should prevent not only the actual restricted bronchial tubes, but will also alleviate the chest congestion I have always gotten when I do a hard cardio workout. According to my doctor, that chest congestion is inflammation brought on by asthma, and can cause damage to my lungs. Who knew?
    So, calves feeling healthy. Lungs feeling better. I should be able to start base building again. Tonight I will hit the long trail along the river. My goal is to run 6 days a week, even if just for 30 minutes. Half Marathon, here I come.
 

Not A Cheetah

    I know that I am a runner. I realized this a year ago, when, after years of telling myself and others, "I am just not a runner," I had the sudden epiphany of, "Why the hell not?!" This does not mean I suddenly woke with the grace of a cheetah, I was still in a body that had never really spent much time moving faster than a power walk pace. But I started running, on a treadmill and on the roads. It has been slow going, literally and physically, skirting the edge of injuring this 51 year old body. It is hard to build a decent running base going from zero to eventually completing a half or full marathon, but I know I can do it. And I am not a particularly fast runner, though I love the short, nimble sprints of speedplay. I have been trying to put in time on the road, but I am not enjoying it as much as I could wish. Because of this I have decided that for the next month or two I am going to return to trail running. I love trail running. Really. It feels natural, and is far more interesting, as well as seemingly easier on my body. This afternoon I will hit a trail on the edge of town on my way home. It is not a long trail, maybe half a mile, but I can run laps, and switch directions. I do know it is a beautiful path and well maintained. I am excited and eager to lace up my shoes and hit the dirt. On a trail I do not have to think of myself as cheetah, cheetahs are Savannah creatures, sprinting in the flat, wide open spaces. Instead I can think of myself as a wolf padding along under the canopy of fir trees, with the scent of wet leaves in my nostrils. A wolf runs for distance with an energy conserving lope, that is my goal. Not to be the cheetah, but to be the wolf.

Race Fueling

    In my never ending quest to improve my nutrition I am researching healthy, whole food alternatives to the standard on-the-go, race day, sports-geek consumables. The vast rainbow array of artificially colored and flavored, prepackaged beverages, gu, shots, blocks, chews, gums, powders, and pills promise vigor, vitality, energy, recovery, and race day prowess for the endurance athlete. Mostly, I think they promise to be chock-a-block full of chemicals and high fructose corn syrup. Not only does Brain rebel against the idea of putting such chemistry kit experiments into our system, Body also rebels, sometimes rather violently. The cleaner I eat, the cleaner I have to eat. And I am okay with that. So I search and research. Products as well as recipes and ideas. Fortunately, I am not the only athlete in the world that is concerned with the purity of the fuel that goes into Body. There are several companies that provide clean, organic, healthy supplements and on-the-fly tasty morsels.  Being me, though, I want to create my own pre-race and race day foods and beverages.
    So far, this is where I am at (this is a short list, a new vein of study), knowing I need easily absorbed carbohydrates, minimal fat and protein: Onigiri, Japanese Rice Balls. Sweet Tea with lemon, Agave, and a pinch of salt. Bananas, you just can't improve upon this perfect food, and I eat one before and after swimming so I know my body can handle it when under stress. I have been successfully playing with gluten-free, whole grain quick breads made with cooked pumpkin, squash or yams to replace most of the oil.
    It is hard to come up with ideas for calorie dense, low fat, low protein foods that my body can assimilate while racing, and that won't upset my delicate digestive system. It is quite limiting, really. It also limits my ability to purchase prepackaged products no matter how wholesome they may be. I have five months to dial in a good nutrition plan. I think this weekend I will make Onigiri.

Nervous? Hells Yes.

    It is no secret, I am feeling more than a little nervous about having registered for, and committed myself to running a Half-Ironman. "Committed," key word here... should I be committed? Sent away to an asylum to protect me from myself. Maybe so. I do push myself too far too often. The crux of it is that I know I need to be able to push myself, this is no simple 10K or Sprint Triathlon I am gearing up for, but I am damn near damaging myself. Brain is having to monitor Body very closely these days, there are too many little tweaks that could end up being major issues that cause major downtime. But instead of finding myself committed to the local Institute for the Athletically Insane I am finding that I have committed myself to a worthy endeavor. I  have written my name on the register, tossed my hat in the ring, toed the line, and more importantly, I have sucked it up and paid the entry fee. Let me tell you, paying the fee hurt. Triathlons are not cheap, and the further you go the more expensive they get. I am hoping to be able to afford three shorter distance Tris this summer as preludes to the Big Event, but if not, I will make myself map out a route and do them on my own. I will at least do one Tri in July, an event I have looked forward to since last summer, and I will do the Olympic distance.
    Running will be the key. I need to continue to build my running base without injuring myself. Happy to say, my knees seem to be holding up decently. The problem that has plagued me for nearly 2 months now is my strained piriformis muscle, my "Pain in the Butt" strain. It has caused a pinched nerve so I am getting tingling and numbness down the back of my left leg all the way down to my heel. It feels extremely weird to run on it when it is acting up. I am not even sure when/where/how I strained it. But I try to ignore it, and am doing a lot of stretching and strengthening exercises in an attempt to remedy it. So far, nothing is helping. So I run anyway. If I am not hyper aware of it when I am running it will make me alter my stride just enough that I have had a few calf muscle issues to add to the list. Like I said, I do push myself too far too often. I must be careful.
    I continue to swim, and love the water. Open water swims are next on the aquatic agenda. I need to get out and get my face into the phobia-inducing murky water, and to quell my "Monster-in-the-Deep-waiting-to-grab-my-leg-with-slimy-tentacles-and-drag-me-into-the-weeds-to-suck-the-flesh-from-my-bones" concerns. I know. I am a dork. Too many late night scary monster movies in my youth has obviously wrought permanent damage to my psyche.
    Cycling is the one area that gives me the fewest qualms. Yes, 50 miles is a bit of a ride, but it is something I can train for easily enough. And I have Joshua up on rollers in the living room so I can put in time, work on my cadence, and build stamina and endurance. A bike on rollers will work the same muscles as a bike on the road, unlike running on a treadmill which does help with running to a degree but cannot replace road runs.
    I will continue to push, trying to ride the rim of  Too Much without falling into the morass of pain and injury. The best way to get a grip on my nerves is to know in my heart that I have trained to the best of my abilities, and am as ready as I can be when I step into the water at 8am for the swim start.
    Nervous? Hells Yes.   Excited? Abso-fucking-lutely.  

What Is Success?

    With The Main Event officially on the books I am more aware than ever that I will need to start fine tuning and dialing in all aspects of preparation. It is not like I do not study, search and research, practice what I preach, and reach for my goals. But now, now I find my focus is more intent than ever before. Yes, I over-analyze and over-think. This is not headline news. It is who I am, who I have always been, and very likely who I will be until the day I cross the Rainbow Bridge (at the age of 113, or older). I like to think I am one who learns from her mistakes. I have thought over all the aspects of last season and have an inkling of what I need to do to make this season more successful.
    "Successful" may be misconstrued by some. My idea of success is beating myself, my own times, my own levels of athleticism. My success is based largely on my own desire to do better than last time, in nearly everything I do. If I were to manage to place in my age bracket I would be elated, I can't deny it, and I do want to push myself into the upper echelon, but that would be the icing, not the true triumph. I know that some athletes may think it is a cop-out to not push to actually win, but for me it truly is the journey, not the destination. If I was told that I would never place above the bottom 10% it wouldn't make me stop, it would not take away my pleasure in the journey, it might make me try harder though. I confess, I can be competitive, I want to do well. I want to place well. It keeps me training and striving, but it is not the end-all, be-all of my events. What is the true End-all, Be-all? Body, Mind, and Spirit working together to form a better person. Stronger, healthier, happier. That is the true goal, the ultimate Win.

Officially Registered

    Okay. It is done. I am officially registered for The Best In The West Long Course Triathlon, aka a Half-Ironman, aka my "A Race." I have known all along that this was going to be this year's Carrot, my reason for building my endurance, fine tuning my nutrition, and basically beating holy hell out of my body for the next 6 months or so. I am excited. No, I am beyond excited, this is a whole new realm of anticipation. I will spend the next 171 days prepping Body, Mind, and Spirit for this event. It is a total of 70.2 miles, swim start to run finish. Thinking of it makes my heart do a quick two-step. Yes, I knew this was what I was planning to do, the culmination of this season's training, another lifetime goal to check off the list. But I hadn't registered, so it was not official. It has been on my mind, and I did not doubt that I would sign up, but I started having the fear that I would procrastinate just a day too long and find the entries full and closed. I feared that I would be left on the sidelines, pouting, angry with Self for screwing off and losing our chance. True, I can't really afford the entry fee right now, but I doubt that I will be able to afford it any easier in a month, or two or three. So, it is done. It is Official, come hell or high water I am competing in my first ever Half-Ironman in 171 days. Panic attack pending.

Touch of Panic

    I know I am still 6 months out from my A Race, but panic is already rearing its ugly, little noggin. I know I should be hard at work building my base conditioning in all three disciplines, but have only managed to be truly diligent with swimming. The last few weeks even my swimming has slacked some, as I am feeling time crunched from every side right now. It does not help that I am also suffering from a few minor muscle strains that forced me to take it easy for a bit. The pec strain and calf/Achilles strains both seem to have rectified themselves with little more than a week or two of reduced intensity in the pool and running. The piriformis strain, however, is continuing to cause me grief. The pain is negligible, but I do have a pretty high pain tolerance. It is the tingling that now runs from my lower back down my left leg to my heel that I find disconcerting. I know there is a muscle strain and pinched nerve, and I am doing what I can to stretch and strengthen. Hopefully it will resolve over time. The more I plan out my training schedule, the more I question my sanity. I need to be working out at least 2 hours a day, every day. At Least 2 hours...! Once summer kicks in, I am hoping that the longer days will make me feel like I have more available time. I do fantasize about finding a part time job that would pay me enough to live on, giving me extra time for training and firefighting. But it is a fantasy, and not likely to materialize *sigh*.
    To squelch the panic, Brain finds it soothing to read as much as possible on training in each of the three disciplines. There is now so much information sloshing around in my skull that I feel like a Nutrition and Fitness App... There's an App for that: type in search word and an assortment of pertinent (or impertinent) information comes bubbling out. I read during the day. I read for a few minutes before sleep. I search and research. Yes, too much knowledge can be overwhelming and detrimental, but if it soothes Brain, even a little, if it stems the rising panic, even a bit, then I am all for it. It is just a touch of panic. It will pass. Eventually.

Midterms

    I am amused to realize how much a training mentality is spilling out into other aspects of my life. Tomorrow are midterms at Firefighter Academy, both written and practicals. I am approaching it as if it were an event, an endurance race. I am trying to be well rested, and well nourished. Today I have been focused on having excellent nutrition including a nutrient dense dinner, and a bed time snack of a bowl of granola and a handful of raw walnuts to stoke my fires before bed. It really is almost no different than if I were doing a sprint Tri, or a 6 mile trail race. I know I perform better, mentally and physically, if I stay on track with my food. Seriously, I do not want any "issues" while I am in full gear and SCBA and shagging hose. Dinner was a nice spinach, avocado and black bean salad (easy on the beans) and a side of "wild grains blend." It was very satisfying. Now, in the spirit of competition, and after a little bit of carb loading, I know I need to hit the sack. Nothing messes with good test scores like a foggy brain. I am as excited for tomorrow as I would be for a race.

Be A Student Of Your Passion

                                                "Be a Student of your Passion."

                                                                           
    I have become a student of my Passions. I use the plural because my passions are numerous. Where this blog is concerned my main passions are races, competitions, tests of fitness and endurance. Triathlons are my main focus for training because they are multifaceted. To be a strong triathlete I must be a well rounded athlete. Swim/Bike/Run only covers part of the regimen which also includes strength training, core work, nutrition, flexibility, and learning the mental game of endurance racing. Triathlon and road running led me into trail running, which I love, and may very well be where I focus more time and energies next year. The glitch to this, of course, is just how much my knees are willing to withstand. That is why the multiple discipline triathlon works so much better where my training is concerned. So I study. I read, research, pursue all the information I can get my hands on. I am a student of my body, my fitness, my nutrition. I am a student of my passion, and my passion is my body, and the amazing vehicle that it has become, and always has been. Sometimes I think it would be great to have a coach to tell me what to do, and truly this would likely benefit me, but I like discovering things on my own. I like learning and implementing, fine tuning my workouts. It is a mental game as well as physical. By being a student of my passions I learn the information deep into my soul, not in the topical way one does when being told what do do, leaving the thinking to another. Yes, there is so much information out there it could make my skull explode. Yes, it is often conflicting, and sometimes ridiculous. But I am good at taking in mass quantities of information and gleaning out what I need for my own. I know my body, and understand what kind of training it can withstand. I am not one who can pound the pavement for hours and hours, miles and miles. My knees will not allow it. Okay, I should say that I will not allow it, knowing that it would likely cripple me in a matter of very few years. I am not risking my future physicality on what others say should be my weekly running schedule, or what I need to do to keep up with the Joneses. I have become a student of my passions, because they are well worth the effort.

I Need More Time, As Always

    My schedule amazes even me. I am rarely home for more than an hour or two, either getting home late, or home for a bit then blasting out the door to drill, or class, or something. It is always something. Yes, I am tired all the time, but excited and eager as well. Last night I got home tired, moody, and a little blue. I just wanted to sit, relax, veg out, go to bed early and sleep like the dead. Instead I got a load of laundry going, fed the menagerie, and put on workout gear. I did not have much time, and almost bagged the idea of any kind of functional workout, I had drill to get to and knew I would likely have a physical evening. But, even a short workout is better than no workout, even when I want nothing more than a few minutes of nothing. So I hopped on the treadmill, warmed up for five minutes, then went into my interval routine: 1 minute slow and easy, 1 minute fast race pace, for 25 minutes. I did work up a good sweat, and felt much better after than if I had opted for a half hour of nothing.
    Drill, as expected, was physical. Nothing quite as rigorous as search and rescue, or the Denver prop, but we threw packs for a while, then did hose drills, followed by some ladder rescue. I know most people would  not share our humor, but carrying a buddy down a ladder can be rise to a whole slough of innuendos and hilarity. We were laughing so hard we could barely breathe. It made for an epic night. I am always amazed that no matter my mood for the day, by the time I am leaving the station I feel fantastic. It is a miraculous anti-depressant.
    I am beginning to feel pressure to increase my workouts, but at this particular junction I cannot see any way to fit more into my schedule. Competitive long course triathletes usually do at least 2 workouts a day; one in the morning, another in the afternoon. But these are people who also manage to have the time for a mid-day nap, and have even less of a social life than I do. I know I could get up an hour or two earlier and squeeze in a run in the morning, but at this point sleep is far more critical to my training and my health. Once Academy is over I may have a little more time, especially on the weekends. Maybe. Or maybe not. Time, I always need more time.

Happily Bone Tired

    Back into the pool tonight. I took 10 days off after straining my right pec while swimming, and then really tweaking it at Academy working with the Denver Prop (long story, suffice to say, it is not easy climbing through a chest high, 30" wide window in full turnouts, and SCBA, but I did it). I was a bit concerned that I might have problems tonight so I took the first 10 laps to do some easy warmups to make sure everything was working properly. Happy to report, everything seems okey-dokey. So I had a good swim. I decided I would only swim about a mile and a half. Swam 40 laps, and then worked with the aqua jogger for 20 minutes. Back to laps, I alternated one length backstoke, one length crawl for five laps, then simple tread water for a slow count of 200. I did three sets.Wash, Rinse, and Repeat. I finished with five laps of crawl, intensely focusing on long, strong strokes all evening. I am getting the hang of the "swimming downhill" feeling. It has become my natural, go-to stroke. I feel like I grow six inches longer when I am in the water as I stretch and reach into every stroke. Swimming makes me feel long and lean, strong and sleek. It was a fantastic workout, I am tired head to toe. I followed it with my favorite quick, easy meal: spinach, chicken breast, guacamole salad. I am bone tired.

Indoor Cycling, Not As Bad As It Might Seem

    Freakishly, I am enjoying indoor cycling. I have Joshua up on the roller stand and have been getting in some good bike time this last week or so. Yeah, it is a bit tedious. Okay, it can be very tedious, but no worse than treadmill. Last night I was time crunched, okay, I am always time crunched, but wanted to get in a cardio workout before I headed to the station for drill. I turned to Netflix for a distraction and watched, "Food Matters," while alternating 5 minute sprints on the bike with 30 kettlebell swings. This was a good way to while away the whole 30 minutes I had of spare time at home between work and drill.

Feeling a Bit Derailed

    Not unexpectedly, Fire Academy is derailing my workout regimen. I try to tell myself that I am usually getting a helluva workout when I am at the station drilling, but I still get a little tweaky at not being able to stick to my workout schedule. Tonight I was going to get back to the pool after taking a week off to nurse a strained pec muscle, but got a text from the lieutenant that he will be at the station if we want to drill tonight. So, guess what? I will be at the station at 19:00h, climbing into turnouts, and playing with fire equipment. Yes, I would rather be at the station than at the pool, it is more fun. But my athlete's conscience is whispering to me that at this rate I will never be ready for my A Race in September.
    I have decided to add some Crossfit Endurance type workouts to my weekly schedule. These are intense workouts, usually about 30 minutes of punishing, quick-paced, back to back exercises incorporating body weight and weights. The idea is to pick two or three exercises, do as many sets without stopping as you can manage in a 7 to 10 minute time. Then move to the next group of exercises, and then the next. No breaks, just fast and furious. This is the idea behind my "Down and Dirty Thirty": 30 minutes of legwork such as lunges, squats, split squats, deadlift, etc, with no breaks between. It is tough to do, and you will feel it the next day or two, trust me. Crossfit Endurance was developed specifically for endurance athletes who are short on time, or are having to be a bit protective of their bodies, or both. I know my knees cannot handle the pounding they would get on long runs, it would be damaging on a long term scale. But I need to train up to being able to run a half-marathon. I am looking for alternatives to prep my body. CFE seems the best alternative at this point to help condition without breaking down my body. As well as a great option for my time crunched life. Too much to do and never enough time to do it. Never. Ever. Enough.

Endurance Athlete

    I know it is only March 1st, and I have a solid 6 months left to prepare Brain, Body, and Spirit for my first honest-to-the-gods, true endurance race. I know it is enough time, but it feels like not enough. I want to leap into two-a-day workouts, long runs, century rides, open water swims every weekend, bricks, and blocks of killer workouts that leave me bedraggled and tired for days. But I won't. I know this would hurt me far more than it would help. It would set me back, not propel me forward. Again, I remind myself to Make Haste Slowly.
    I find myself on the edge of trembling terror at what I am facing. Terror spicing the excitement, enthusiasm, eagerness. I know why race horses twitch, shiver, and buck heading to the gates. It is not misbehavior, it is anticipation. Anticipation that has built to the point that it needs a pressure release valve to vent off just a bit of the steam before the whole thing explodes. I get waves of eager anticipation that make me quiver, make Brain gibber, Body twitch, and Spirit soar. And I am still 6 months out from the Main Event. I have to exert control, just as a jockey keeps his ride on a firm rein to prevent harmful explosions, so must I keep myself calm with a modicum of common sense. It isn't easy.
    The path to endurance athlete is far different than any physical endeavor I have ever presented to myself. It is a long, slow process. I have to be in the mindset that I am in it for the long haul. There is no last minute, 30 day regimen that will prepare me for what I am undertaking. I am good at seeing the big picture, and have been known to show enormous patience when needed. Patience is not one of my virtues, I won't deny it. But I know how to use it when I need it. "Endurance Athlete" has a helluva a ring to it, doesn't it? I have always considered myself athletic, and at various times referred to myself as "an athlete," but this is taking it into a whole, new arena. I am excited. Excited, terrified, nervous, enthused, overwhelmed, eager, thrilled, and all aquiver. This will be quite the journey.

Supplement Insanity

    I made good on my plan to start the full frontal assault on my digestive issues. $55 got me natural probiotics, a plant based digestive enzyme blend, and aloe vera juice to start with. Getting bang for my buck, both the probiotic and digestive enzyme also have turmeric and ginger, which are also on my list of anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer supplements. The enzyme blend has bromelain extract from pineapple, and papain extract from papaya, both of which were on my list of go-to supplements. True, I don't really have an extra $55 to toss about and spend on supplements that may or may not work, but I have more faith in homeopathic remedies than attacking my body with pharmaceuticals. If I had been feeling financially reckless, it would not have been difficult to spend $200 or more just getting the basics that I would like to start using. Some supplements are old friends that I have let fall by the wayside; glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, Omega-3.
    My plan of attack also calls for weaning myself off of NSAIDs. This is not going to be easy. I thought about going cold turkey and trusting to the various anti-inflammatory foods and supplements to help ease me through. But I know that homeopathic remedies can take some time to kick in, so instead of yanking the NSAIDs from my system, and possibly letting inflammation get a stronger grip on me, I have cut my intake in half. I will see what happens. Yes, pain woke me in the middle of the night, but it usually does, with or without any kind of pain/inflammation reducers.
    I know I am taking a shotgun approach to my digestive and inflammation issues. But since I do not know what the underlying cause or causes are, it is the best approach I know. I have a feeling that it could all be related. If my current attack does not produce positive results I think the next step is to go on a cleansing diet, then on to a restrictive hypoallergenic diet for a while to see what happens. Long and short of it: this is a pain in the ass.