I am such a slacker

I really have to recover some motivation to do work. T minus 4 months and 25 days to the last day I can defend my thesis and still make the last re-entry date for medical school. And I am having such a problem getting motivated to write. Re-submission day for my manuscript is Wednesday. I think that's what the problem is. I Need to put this manuscript to bed before I can switch gears to number 2 (then 3 and 4 and a thesis...). So basically all I want to do when the weather is nice is train. I took off this afternoon to write and ended up biking 16 miles and running 6.

Anyhoo, enough complaining. A quick update on weekend training...

Sunday- Very nice day for a bike ride down in Brecksville. Kept a nice pace and did some very decent hills. I had a lot of fun talking to Brooks and Elizabeth and Alan. Met some other great people there, too, but they were in for a little bit more intense a workout than I was looking for. Total distance was 30 miles. Since my bicycle computer is a little too electronically advanced for my feeble mind I can't tell you stats. I have yet to set the trip meter so it just reads my odomter -1000. One day I'll figure it out. I just have far too much on my plate to sit down and learn the nuclear physics behind that contraption that sits on my handlebar and mocks me.

We finished the bike just in time to head up to Columbia for a swim. There were 5 of us in all (Elizabeth, Brooks, Rob, Kristina (who is hopefully joining the CTC soon!), and I). It was awesome. Very wavy and the perfect temperature. I realize that any normal human wouldn't take pleasure in rough seas, but I love it. It makes me feel like I'm in an Ocean. So for 30 minutes I got to pretend that I was far far away in Magical Happy Land (that's for you Rachel) on vacation with new friends. Can't wait to get back in tomorrow.

After that we had a little impromptu get together at my house. I gave into the urge to make pasta sauce Sunday morning so invited everyone over for some spaghetti. Probably should have thought about that beforehand so I could clean my house, but what the hell. It was a good time. A lot of funny stories were told and a lot of beer and wine drank. My opinion that the CTC is full of wonderful people was reaffirmed. All was well with the world.

Was supposed to get together with Brooks, Dave, and Matt to do some cycling today ( my arm was twisted into trying the GCT half course), but the planets were not correctly aligned and Verizon Wireless was having its programmed seizure this afternoon so that didn't happen. I probably would be near the brink of death right now had I biked 56 miles today, so it's probably for the better.

Done boring everyone for now! Not to worry, I'm sure I'll be back soon to keep everyone updated on my enthralling life. :)

Running mornings

Joke Time!

A Froggy Story

A woman was out jogging in the forest one day when a frog called out to her and said, "If you kiss me I'll turn into a handsome prince."She bent over, picked up the frog, and put it in her pocket.The frog spoke up again and said, "If you kiss me and turn me back into a handsome prince, I will tell everyone how smart and beautiful you are and how you are a Goddess."The woman took the frog out of her pocket, smiled at it, and returned it to her pocket. The frog spoke up again and said, "If you kiss me and turn me back into a handsome prince, I'll stay with you for a year and do ANYTHING you want." Again the woman took the frog out of her pocket, smiled at it, and put it back into her pocket. Finally the frog asked, "What's the matter? I've told you I'm a handsome prince, that I'll stay with you for a year and do anything you want. Why won't you kiss me?" The woman replied, "Look, I'm a Triathlete. I don't have time for a boyfriend, but a talking frog is cool."

Biking and Beer- the perfect weekend?

Arggghhh.

I am so annoyed with my coffee maker. Whenever I make less than 12 cups (which is pretty much everyday unless we have house guests) there is a very good chance the the water flow will collapse the little paper basket. So then the grounds get caught in the outflow and I have a big coffee mess. Amazingly the coffee still tastes allright. It's lucky because one of these days I am going to have to sit down and have a nice long talk with Mr. Coffee about his work performance.

I also have to stop watching the food network at 8am in the morning. I just watched Giada make some fine Everyday Italian cooking and now I have a crazy urge to make homemade pasta sauce. This urge is not at all helped by the fact that I bought a Rosemary bush from Galley's garden center yesterday and a big package of basil from the store (I decided to take pity on my Basil plant which I have consistently raped and pillaged over the past month. ) The Rosemary bush is still sitting in my kitchen and makes it smell so good!

Okay, my weekend. Went out with the blogging crew on Friday and had a very good time. I haven't really gotten out much lately so it was very refreshing. I got another reminder of the fact that I really have to start watching what I eat. I am so starving lately! I had 2 pieces of pizza when we got there (free for happy hour- how awesome is that?) and then a couple hours later I scarfed down a chicken sandwich and fries (thanks Alan! I owe you one). This is on top of the 2 huge beers I drank (again, props to Johnny Malloy's- $1.25 drafts for happy hour. I think this is my new favorite place). I didn't stay out too late, though. I had a brick date with Janet at 9am Sat. and when I invited myself to the blogging party I didn't realize it was a front for a going away party for Su, who I'd never met (Nice to meet you!). I was cuttin' Z's by 11.

I got up by 6 on Saturday. That's pretty much my new "sleeping in" time. It's pretty sick that I can't sleep later than 6, but I guess it keeps me on schedule for my 5am wake-up during the week. I met Janet down in Parkman for a nice easy brick. It was so nice to go for a ride that didn't kill me. We took it easy (but still got in some good hills) for 26.5 miles and then took a 3 mile run with her dog Matches. Matches is the cutest dog in the world (Golden Retrievers are my favorite breed). He kept our pace down by taking little siestas in the grass when he was tired (it was really funny). It was a perfect workout for yesterday because I am really worried about keeping up with the group for the ride today so I didn't want to spoil my legs (and Janet has a race today- good luck!).

For today- The 8am swim was moved to 4pm. I am hoping that I can still make it. I'm meeting some CTCers out in Brecksville at 1pm for a 2- 2.5 hour ride. They said it would be "easy", but since Matt and our friend Adam are coming I have a feeling that the pace is going the be dizzying again. Hopefully someone that comes will want to take it a little easy :)

So the plan is to go riding at 1pm and then I'm going to run north to try to get to Columbia in time for some open water swimming with the club. If I don't make it in time I'm planning on going to the swim on Tuesday night, so I'll at least get one open water swim in this week.

Time to walk the Shmutt!

And... I'm spent

Swim practice was a tough one this morning. I want to post the sets before I forget!

50 meter pool:

WU- 300 easy free
200 kick (alternating 50 flutter/50 breast)
200 pull
200 kick (alternating 50 flutter/ 50 breast)
200 pull
100 kick (alternating)
100 pull
200 IM 6 min (only takes me 3:45 so I had plenty of rest)
200 free
200 IM 5:30
200 free
200 IM 5:00
200 free
200 choice easy (100 free, 100 breast)
6 X 100 free 2:30

Total 3300 meters.

Time for some aleve!

I'm really looking forward to seeing some of you bloggers out tonight! If any Clevelend tri people want to get together this weekend for a ride or track workout let me know. I haven't scheduled my weekend yet. :)

Fun Run

I had a really great run this morning. Took the shmutt around Shaker lakes. When we went by Horseshoe lake park I saw that there were a few older ladies walking their dogs off-leash. Not one to deprive Maddie of a good time I let her run, play, swim, and get humped by a large black male dog. It was quite a sight. After all the fun we ran home- a round trip of 5-6 miles.

I biked in to work today. I have to stop thinking my commute is enough cycling for the week. I think I'll try to fit in a nice long ride this weekend somewhere.

I think that I am going to get more serious about attending the CTC training events. To do this I'll have to get to work earlier. I'm thinking I'll have to get in by 7 if I want to make any of the 6pm training sessions. Good bye to late nights! I'm thinking of making the Tuesday night swim and Wednesday night run weekly sessions. And yes, I should work on a bike ride at some point. yeah, yeah...

I'm getting excited for my summer vacation. I'm going to the wedding of my best friend (and roommate) from medical school in Chicago June 15-18 and then to Colorado the 20-24 to visit my current roommate, Colleen, who is spending the summer with her fiance. Between the two I'll be visiting the fam in Milwaukee. It should be really fun. I'll try to get in a little high altitude training in Fort Collins :)





I'll leave you with a picture of my roommates. Me, Matt, and Colleen relaxing after a tough week.

My running buddy!