Oy vey. Life is busy and chaotic, as usual (I must like it this way, because it does seem to be the norm). I feel a bit ashamed that I haven't had time to write about the bulk of my day in the Epic 250K, because it was epic. Sadly, today is not the day to write it out either, it is late and I just have a few minutes to touch base and get some words spilled out onto the page.
It is officially the "Off Season" now, and I can't say I am liking it all that well. I did manage to take a full week off from training, and that was a certain level of suckage, lemme tell you. I don't take well to rest periods. With the closure of my local aquatic center I was without a pool, and I knew I needed to get back in the water sooner rather than later. After much searching and researching I settled on the gym at the local golf course/country club. Yes, I do feel a bit like that girl from the wrong side of the tracks, with my '94 Honda Civic with its geek-girl window stickers, my short skirts and combat boots, hair in pigtails, and a bag full of swim gear. But, it has a pool, narrow but the requisite 25 yards, and a jacuzzi to warm my bones after my swim. It also has a weight room, and a separate workout room with free weights, and yoga gear that I usually have all to myself. I have backed off of bike and run miles and am amping up on the weight training and plyometrics.
The hardest part of the off season is trying to reconfigure my food intake. I have managed to keep my weight down to what it was on race day, although I did dip a few pounds below for nearly a month after the race. I am trying to cut back on my carbs now that I am not putting in long hours of endurance training, but that is hard for me to do when I am on a plant based diet. I do eat a lot of whole grains, and carb laden fruits and veggies (bananas, yams, and potatoes... yum). I need to sit down and really research some new recipes for high protein, lower carb vegetarian dishes that I can pack for lunch. Dinners are easier, I tend to mold them around spinach, avocado and eggs.
It is so hard to shift gears after months and months of training a specific way. I am such a creature of habit, and don't make changes easily (or gracefully). But for now, I will focus on the training aspect, and reconfiguring my workout regimen, find a new rhythm and schedule to get me through to January when I can start into base building again. I need to find cold weather running gear, I don't want to lose my hard earned running base, but am not too keen on running in the cold and rain. Cycling is now relegated to the living room again, and there won't be any more century rides until spring. Swimming laps and drills are all good and well, but I am desperately missing my swims in The Cove. My wetsuit hangs in my bedroom and it makes me sad to see it unused and lonely. So, shifting gears, reinventing my training schedule, heading into winter training mode, and trying to not lose my mind. And it is only October.
