Whether it's the winter weather blues of training or the tough tasks of everyday life, somedays you can surf the waves, while others you are doing everything you can to tread and keep from sinking. When faced with a big wave, I have decided to swim. I have determined my nagging left hamstring issue that was growling on the left side of my bum -since crossing the finish line at the trials, has started barking. It's time to apply the "physical therapist" mindset... and not the "more is better" athlete mindset. I will take this week to stay off the pavement and road miles in order to tone this hami down!
Spread the love and the knowledge:
I believe in practicing what you preach. After visiting Lincoln Elementary school in Charles City, Iowa on Friday afternoon and speaking to the K-5th grade students about setting goals, working hard, not giving up, and continuing to set new goals, I realized I am in the 'not giving up' phase and must take a different route than expected when faced with a bump in the road (just as I told them to do). I had such a great time presenting my Olympic Trials marathon experience with the ~230 kids, and sharing with them what it takes to be a competitive marathoner. The best part were the questions that just kept coming after the presentation... "How many days did it take you to run a marathon?" ..."You ran to Texas for that race?"... "So, did you get that medal because you won the race, or because you just finished?"... "How many practices did you do for your marathon?" I think I confused some of them with my comparisons of how far I have ran across the country, when adding up my training mileage...but oh well. I tried. A huge thank you to Saucony, for supplying me with a crazy amount of stickers and draw-string bags to give the kiddos. They were pumped! 
This week's training plan... swim, not sink:
After taking a nice rest day on Sunday, I started my week -away from running, at 5:30am, in the pool at the Cedar Falls YMCA. I am amazed that the lighter-haired women, who take up the middle of lane 1, can do their water aerobics for over an hour straight... AND chatter with the lifegaurd. I have to laugh at myself when I realize that I am having a "silent challenge" of swimming laps longer than they are pushing floating dumbells under the surface. I attempted some deep water aqua jogging and was plain fed-up with it after 9.5 minutes... resorting back to my usual front crawl. Overall, it is an enjoyable and refresshing start to my morning and I continue to remind myself of the words that TJ Tallakson, hubby to training partner Ashley Tollakson, shared with me while training in Tucson:
"Focus on the donut, not the donut hole". When it comes to training injuries, you really have to listen to your body and make smart decisions now, in order to obtain the true goals in the future. If anything, the goggle marks under my eyes seem to cause my patients to do "double takes" at me, each morning in the hospital.
Swim... bike, and run:
A shout out to TJ Tollakson: Ankeny Iowa native, professional triathlete, entrepreneur, Vitamix fanatic and advocate, and all around BAMF...married to a stud, as well. Check him out on the latest cover of Triathlete mag, go buy a copy today!!
http://triathlon.competitor.com/2012/02/news/march-issue-of-triathlete-on-newsstands-today_48045
Keeping the (Chocolate milke) glass half full:
Listen to the bod, be smart about your training, and when it comes to facing a challenge -use your stuff...and swim! Oh- and go love anotha brotha, tis the season! A very Happy St. Valentine's Day to all, especially Mr. Herrick...rumor has it a giant homemade valentine made it to his doorstep today and the real valentine will be back in West Des Moines with him on Friday! Have a great week!
No comments:
Post a Comment