A little of this and a little of that...

The kids are back at school today and my house is QUIET!!!!!!!!!!!! We did have fun last week...but I shamefully admit I was in need of a day alone. I have to get a test done, write some training plans, pay the bills, and I guess I'll clean the house a bit. Tick tock tick tock...the 5.5 hrs I have free goes faaaaaast! Instead of tackling my 'must do' list, I thought I'd blog first.
My first Tri of the season is approaching quickly!!! May 8th is the Polarbear Sprint. I do enjoy this race. It's fast and furious but it gets the race-juices flowing again. The pool swim is fun...but too short. I also wish I could do a Start! For some reason, it really bugs me to push off the wall to start a race.

Last week's training was a mixed bag. I had a fun 10 mile run on Tuesday. I hired a sitter for an hour and headed off for some free time....that included some blood-sweat-and almost tears. No, not really. But it Did hurt! The run started easy and built up faster and faster and then my legs were turning over so hard I am not sure I actually looked like a runner any longer. I didn't throw up...but I felt like I wanted to so I know I did my job. In order to run the hardest portions on roads that weren't 15% grade hills, I had to run down my road to get into town. What does that mean? It means my warm down was a serious 2 mile climb. That was the hardest part!

The next day, I had a long ride on the plan. Fine. My awesome hubby wanted to take time off to be with the kids during vacation. He had me cancel the sitter and he took the boys to camp instead. Perfect. The forecast was for ~70 degrees and sun. Ahhh...very nice. Off I went. My bike was not behaving from the get-go. The derailleur was messed up and I couldn't shift into my easiest gear. In addition, I decided to ride on a new route. Mistake. This route was even hillier than where I normally ride. I don't mind hills that much but these roads were basically all up hill!! I never got to just let myself go. To make it even more fun...the black flies hatched that day. I'm not kidding. It happens that way in Maine. I equate it to that lovely period when babies can sit but not yet crawl. They are happy to just be on the floor with their toys...nowhere to go. Ha.....but watch out because within moments they're off and around the corner!
Spring is like that. The sun comes out, the days get longer, the air is warm, there are NO bugs! And then one day, they hatch. And you can't stand in one place without swarms and swarms of flies attacking you. It's nasty. So, climbing my giant hills that day, I was not fast enough to out run the mingies. I think I swallowed 4 or 5 at least. I was growing increasingly grouchy.
lalalallaaalaalaaa....the miles rolled by slowly. The sky wasn't sunny. And it wasn't warm. I was freezing and the wind was picking up. I just put my head down and kept moving. Slowly. Up-the-hills.
Finally, I got to the area where the hills were mellowing and I had a chance to really ride hard.
However, the greater plan for my day was not there. I struggled to get my chain into the big ring. Something was wrong.
Snap.
#$*(%&Y#(%&#^(!!!!!
The cable broke.
That was it. This ride was not meant to be. I was stuck in my easiest gear now...on the flats.
And then, it started to rain. I kid you not. It really did start to rain.
I growled and eventually got home.
Just check the #s into training peaks and move on.

Sometimes that's all you can do! Not all training days are good ones. Sometimes your body doesnt' respond. Sometimes the equipment is not 100%.

I just keep moving forward because in the end I love the sport. I love the way the training makes me feel. I love that my body can hammer 10 hard miles and then come home to play basketball with my boys. I love that my boys know that about their 40 y.o. Mom. I just love it. So I suck it up when the days aren't perfect and I look forward to hitting the next key workout with a venegeance.

These pictures have nothing to do with this post. They just make me happy.


At the Museum of Science last week...

Nick's bubble bath.