i probably shouldn't broadcast this, but i was so sleepy at work earlier that i almost fell out of my chair as i drifted into dreamland. don't worry, my patients were safe. the cacaphony of alarms that erupt at any given point deny most staff any chance of actually sleeping.
also, one of my patients pooped and stuck his hand in the poop--not just once, but twice. there is only so much reasoning you can do with somebody who has had serious injury to their brain. my pleas of "please don't stick your hand down there" lasted for approximately two seconds before his hand was "down there" and covered in poop again. i don't think it was a lack of comprehension on his part, either, as he had understood "these are your medications" and "it is three in the morning, it is time to go to sleep" earlier in the evening.
***
i can't believe it's almost february. february holds two dates that i have love/hate relationships with: valentine's day and my birthday. i like the idea of valentine's day; celebrating love seems like a good idea. but the plethora of nausea-inducing commercials and greeting cards isn't so good when you're not really feeling the love*. and my birthday, while sometimes fun, has also served as a source of extreme anxiety in years past. what to do, what to wear, the mere fact that i am X years old and unmarried slash not in a serious relationship slash single slash direly/desperately/perhaps-i-should-have-joined-a-convent single.
too bad sleeping until march isn't an option. right now sleeping for 28 days sounds pretty darned appealing.
* yes, this is a not-really-feeling-the-love kind of year.
31 January 2010
26 January 2010
oops, baby, i did it again
no, i'm not playing with anybody's heart. instead, i've managed to injure myself ... again. the diagnosis? a tibial stress reaction, or a precursor to a stress fracture, just like before. even the same leg and the same place.
its never a good time to get an injury, but this has happened less 12 weeks out from Boston. there is no strong base for me to fall back upon, as i had only just hit 30 miles in a week.
i am frustrated. if i think about it too much, i get a bit bummed.
not only i had i planned on running Boston, but it was going to be a meet-up with three college friends in the city. my mom and sister were also planning on coming to the race.
there were other things i was thinking about doing over the next few months that are in limbo as well, like a half-marathon in march with friends in Seattle, rim-to-rim in the Grand Canyon in may, and pacing my friend in his third (!) 100 miler in june.
now i'm playing the waiting game, seeing if this thing will heal. i realize i shouldn't hold my breath. the reason i hadn't signed up for any races besides Boston is because i knew something didn't feel quite right. i wasn't even pushing my training--the only speed work i'd done since last february was a 10k in november, and a ramp up to 30 miles a week over 6 months isn't particularly aggressive. my injury isn't nearly as bad as last time, but i'm not sure when i'll be able to run again. the elliptical is currently off limits as well. i'm scrambling to piece together other adventures over the next few months since so many plans are slipping away. i need something definite to look forward to.
i've already checked the Boston Marathon website and found that i can delay my entry for another year. part of me thinks, "i've already waited one year, what's another?" but, really, knowing i can go in 2011 simply won't take my longing to go this year away.
12 January 2010
this is for you
i'm making a donation today to the Kristin Brooks Hope Center, an organization dedicated to preventing suicide. they created a national suicide hotline called the Hopeline Network, 1-800-SUICIDE, which connects callers to a local crisis center. prior to the inception of the Hopeline Network there was no national, toll-free number to call, and callers had to look up a local number and deal with potential delays in receiving help.
one of my favorite websites, Post Secret, is a big supporter of the Hopeline Network. this is how i first learned about the organization.
***
it was too late for you, but i hope my donation can help others be saved. nobody--and i mean nobody--should feel their only option is to take their own life.
one of my favorite websites, Post Secret, is a big supporter of the Hopeline Network. this is how i first learned about the organization.
***
it was too late for you, but i hope my donation can help others be saved. nobody--and i mean nobody--should feel their only option is to take their own life.
04 January 2010
new year's resolutions
these are somewhat silly resolutions (and merely a subset of my larger list), but three things i'd like to do in 2010:
- drive with the top down on my car whenever possible. it doesn't rain often in southern california, so i should have that top down pretty much all the time.
- wear funny/cute socks to work. we're required to wear certain uniforms, and while there is a little more flexibility since i work nights (i.e., fewer administrators around), the real freedom is found in our socks and shoes. striped socks, argyle socks ... bring 'em on.
- wish my friends and family "happy birthday" by a means other than Facebook. Facebook is convenient for getting in touch with long lost friends, but wishing somebody happy birthday on their wall (along with a hundred other people) vs. sending them a birthday card or picking up the phone and calling them? honestly, i'd like to be that person who exerts a little extra effort for somebody's special day.
30 December 2009
a secret box
it's been so long since i've written on a regular basis i sometimes wonder if i still remember how.
lately i've felt like i've needed a secret box. not an actual box but somewhere figurative that i can deposit my secrets. my fears, my hopes, my anxieties, my revelations. these are the things i dare not reveal to another human at this point in time--or, perhaps, dare not reveal all to one individual. even then, i am hesitant to share things. these secrets clutter my head. how nice would it be to have a safe place to keep all of them, so i can unburden myself from some of these thoughts?
***
i finished out my first full calendar year as an ICU nurse with a bang. the past few nights have been spent caring for one of the sickest patients i've had. i must say, proning a patient makes it easier to clean up their poop, but not much else. as much as i might not fit into the nurse persona, i am so grateful to have a job where every shift can provide a new challenge and the opportunity to help another person.
unfortunately these past few days of work have also riddled me with an ethical dilemma and a moral dilemma, neither of which i anticipate forgetting about any time soon. just more secrets for the box, i suppose.
***
i feel a little funny writing this post so close to new year's eve, when i should probably be writing about resolutions and goals for the upcoming year, but those are yet more things i feel like keeping to myself at the moment. this much i know: i am looking forward to 2010. it will be a good year.
peace and joy to you and yours in the new year.
lately i've felt like i've needed a secret box. not an actual box but somewhere figurative that i can deposit my secrets. my fears, my hopes, my anxieties, my revelations. these are the things i dare not reveal to another human at this point in time--or, perhaps, dare not reveal all to one individual. even then, i am hesitant to share things. these secrets clutter my head. how nice would it be to have a safe place to keep all of them, so i can unburden myself from some of these thoughts?
***
i finished out my first full calendar year as an ICU nurse with a bang. the past few nights have been spent caring for one of the sickest patients i've had. i must say, proning a patient makes it easier to clean up their poop, but not much else. as much as i might not fit into the nurse persona, i am so grateful to have a job where every shift can provide a new challenge and the opportunity to help another person.
unfortunately these past few days of work have also riddled me with an ethical dilemma and a moral dilemma, neither of which i anticipate forgetting about any time soon. just more secrets for the box, i suppose.
***
i feel a little funny writing this post so close to new year's eve, when i should probably be writing about resolutions and goals for the upcoming year, but those are yet more things i feel like keeping to myself at the moment. this much i know: i am looking forward to 2010. it will be a good year.
peace and joy to you and yours in the new year.
11 November 2009
overheard in the unit
resident, regarding where to place a central line on a morbidly obese patient: "is he fatter in his chest or his leg?"
coworker, after we've been instructed to cosign on the MAR for what feels like every medication possible: "will you cosign for my TKO?"
me: "only if you cosign for my tube feeds."
me, regarding working nights: "i'll tell you what i fantasize about when i'm at work--"
male coworker, who flirts with anything possessing female parts:"me, i know. its okay to admit it, everybody does it."
me: "--i was going to say i fantasize about sleep."
male coworker: "and me."
coworker, after we've been instructed to cosign on the MAR for what feels like every medication possible: "will you cosign for my TKO?"
me: "only if you cosign for my tube feeds."
me, regarding working nights: "i'll tell you what i fantasize about when i'm at work--"
male coworker, who flirts with anything possessing female parts:"me, i know. its okay to admit it, everybody does it."
me: "--i was going to say i fantasize about sleep."
male coworker: "and me."
09 November 2009
notes at five in the morning
i got to leave work early tonight because my patient died.
that sounds too chipper, but i am tired and don't know how to write it with a more negative spin.
honestly, i was a bit bummed because he was a candidate for organ donation, but the family did not want to donate. i do not know their reasons. i understand it is a very personal decision, but i've always been a big supporter of organ donation. just like those stickers say, heaven (or whatever you consider the afterlife to be) doesn't need your organs; thousands of people die every year while they wait for a transplant. when my father died, his heart, corneas and skin were donated. i can't fathom not donating--it is something i've wanted to do since i was a young teenager.
in addition, the whole process would have been an awesome learning experience. i was really excited the charge nurse had given me that patient since we don't frequently have organ donation candidates.
i feel for my patient's family this morning. despite the situation (the patient was essentially brain dead on arrival), a loss is still a loss. knowing his history, i do think my patient is in a better place now, as cliche as that may be.
if you want to make a difference in somebody else's life, please consider donating and indicate your desire to be an organ donor on your license. all sorts of body parts are used nowadays--bone, blood vessels, even intestines. why not give somebody the ultimate gift--the gift of life?
that sounds too chipper, but i am tired and don't know how to write it with a more negative spin.
honestly, i was a bit bummed because he was a candidate for organ donation, but the family did not want to donate. i do not know their reasons. i understand it is a very personal decision, but i've always been a big supporter of organ donation. just like those stickers say, heaven (or whatever you consider the afterlife to be) doesn't need your organs; thousands of people die every year while they wait for a transplant. when my father died, his heart, corneas and skin were donated. i can't fathom not donating--it is something i've wanted to do since i was a young teenager.
in addition, the whole process would have been an awesome learning experience. i was really excited the charge nurse had given me that patient since we don't frequently have organ donation candidates.
i feel for my patient's family this morning. despite the situation (the patient was essentially brain dead on arrival), a loss is still a loss. knowing his history, i do think my patient is in a better place now, as cliche as that may be.
if you want to make a difference in somebody else's life, please consider donating and indicate your desire to be an organ donor on your license. all sorts of body parts are used nowadays--bone, blood vessels, even intestines. why not give somebody the ultimate gift--the gift of life?
18 October 2009
Playa Del Rey Sprint Triathlon race report
short report:
overall time 1:32:33.7 (placings: overall 189/280, sex 39/91, age group 5/17)
swim (600m) 18:42, 14/17AG
T1: 4:12.2, 14/17AG
bike (20k) 45:56, 11/17AG
T2: 1:08.5, 7/14AG
run (5k): 22:33.7, 2/17AG
(gosh, i wonder where i need work?)
all in all, a success.
long report (and i mean long):
although i signed up for this race several months ago after my tibial stress fracture, it's actually been much longer in the making. many moons ago, when i lived in the DC area (prior to nursing school), i decided i wanted to do a triathlon. but, i couldn't really swim. i took some lessons before moving from DC, and again a few summers ago, but i hadn't continued swimming on a consistent basis. to give you an idea of where i was coming from when i signed up for the race, the first time i swam 50m continously was earlier this year. yes, this year, as in 2009.
i also hadn't really ridden a bike in about two years when i purchased my road bike this summer. my last bike was a mountain bike with the seat low enough to comfortably touch the ground; my road bike's saddle is much higher, meaning i can't touch the ground while in the seat. i'd also never gotten very proficient on the mountain bike (understatement of the decade), so cycling was another obstacle in training for this race.
i had a lot of work to do when i committed myself to the 600m ocean swim, 20k bike ride and 5k run.
due to my sporadic work schedule, i quickly abandoned the training program i'd found online and winged it. i tried to ride my bike 2-3x a week, run 3x a week (once i was allowed to), and swim 3x a week. needless to say, guilt about not swimming or cycling was a frequent motivator. my ocean swimming consisted of two practice swims with a friend of mine and my transition practice consisted of two brick-ish workouts (cycle 12 miles, bring bike back upstairs into my apartment, go back out and run 3 miles). i had worn my wetsuit a total of four times before today.
my goals for today's race, by increasing difficulty, were:
the race began bright and early at 7, so my wonderful boyfriend Billy picked me up around 5:30. unfortunately, he's spent the last few months sidelined from running by a cuboid stress fracture and a cuneiform stress reaction, but has continued with his amazing support of my athletic endeavors. i honestly don't think i could have accomplished any of personal records this year without him.
about ten minutes before race start, the other newbs and i headed towards the beach. painlessly maneuvering past the breakers, i took a quick dip in the ocean, to acclimate myself and help calm my nerves. i was in the second wave of four, and the waves were set to go off every 7 minutes. unfortunately, the first wave to go out took longer than the race officials had intended, so my wave had to wait a few extra minutes before we could go out, adding to the anxiety.
the horn went off and into the water we went. i didn't want to get kicked or climbed over in the water, so i hung back rather than dashing into the water. unfortunately, my second entry into the water wasn't quite as smooth as my first one and i immediately got knocked onto my butt by a wave. another woman was kind enough to stop and ask me if i was okay. my goggles had been knocked about a bit, but fortunately they stayed on my head.
on my second try, i managed to get past the breakers and started swimming. honestly, despite my hours spent in the pool, i am still not a strong swimmer. i don't know if it is my lack of practice in open water, my hesitation to open my eyes underwater in the ocean (not that i can see much) or my limited practice "sighting" the buoys, but i definitely struggled out there today. 600m is not far in the pool, but in the ocean it felt like miles. i did a combination of regular front crawl, modified front crawl with my head sticking out of water, and a little bit of backstroke. one woman who was in the water nearby did the backstroke the entire way. awesome. i kept looking back to make sure i wasn't the last pink cap in the water (each wave was designated by a different color cap). if i could survive the swim and not be the last person out of the water, goals 1, 2 and 3 were all highly likely.
heading into the first transition, i knew i'd be stuck there for a little bit struggling to get my wetsuit off (still haven't figured out how to do that quickly) and getting dressed again. while more experienced triathletes wear specific tri clothing, i'd gone the budget friendly route of wearing a bikini and then throwing on some shorts and a shirt afterwards. yes, putting on all that clothing was very time consuming. and clumsy. i also hadn't practiced rinsing off my feet and putting on shoes and socks quickly. i'm slower than average at things like using the restroom in restaurants, so it came as no surprise that my transition was lengthy. since i'm still rather inept on the bike (i haven't graduated to clipless pedals), i wore running shoes for the bike portion but figured it'd be beneficial during the second transition since i wouldn't have to change footwear.
after the swim, the second thing i was nervous about was getting started on the bike. i'm still a bit wobbly with my starts and stops and i had been concerned about having trouble getting my bike going. fortunately, i was able to hop on and get it moving without any problems.
how nice of the volunteer to look away.
the bike course was a mostly flat 20k with some small, rollingish hills. it began with an ascent away from the beach and within the first quarter mile i was able to pass a woman on a mountain bike. the competitive juices started flowing and i started picking off women on the bike course.
i'm not 100% certain about this, but i think at some point during my transition or maybe before the race Billy had something to me about channeling Chrissie Wellington. as ridiculous as it may seem, that thought popped into my head while i was on the bike and i just went with it. i think it helped me get into a groove and whenever i lost focus, the thought "channel Chrissie Wellington" would pop into my mind.
over the 20k i must have passed about 8 or 10 women. i was extra excited when i passed somebody on a road bike with the clipless pedals. quite a few men passed me, but only one woman passed me, and that was after i'd passed her first. not bad, Sara, not bad at all.
i cruised back into the transition area, racked my bike, took off my helmet and gloves and put on my visor. it's been years since i ran a race without my visor and even though the sun hadn't emerged from the clouds, i didn't want to run without it.
one decision i had made was to bike and run with my Garmin. the only problem in doing this was that it was another thing to deal with during transitions. putting it on before the bike was fine, but after the bike section i had forgotten to switch it to running mode so i had to fiddle with it while i was running. once i got the settings correct, i realized i was running way too fast. like, sub-7 pace. (i'm now doubting the Garmin's accuracy.) my legs felt like they were at a standstill, however.
Billy yelled for me to start picking women off and i did my best, although i was unable to pick as many off as i had during the bike section. i was also successful in picking off a few men, although several seemed unappreciative of getting chicked and passed me in return.
my return to running after my injury hasn't been the smoothest. my longest run since my injury has been 7 miles, max weekly mileage about 20 miles, and i haven't done any speedwork--not even strides. i really had no idea what pace to run the 5k at, and that's not even taking into consideration the fact that i'd just swam 600m in the ocean and biked 20k. needless to say, i pleasantly surprised myself with a new 5k PR of 22:33 (i'd only run two 5ks prior to today, and never really raced one).
yeah, i passed all those people. and i smiled while doing it too.
i crossed the finish line and had no idea how i had done, but was just soooooo happy and excited just to have finished. a goal set several years ago, finally accomplished.
i didn't die, i finished the race, i wasn't last, and i finished with a smile on my face. not much more i can ask for than that.
will there be another triathlon for me? most definitely. to be honest, i was incredibly anxious about today's race since there were so many unexplored variables (the ocean swim, transtions, nutrition) but i had such a good time i can't imagine not doing another one. however, my main priority right now is getting back into running shape and building up my mileage safely so i can train for Boston. the swimming and cycling will remain part of my conditioning as two awesome ways of crosstraining and hopefully i will improve a little in both. i'd like to get more comfortable swimming in open water and refine my stroke a bit, and on the bike i'd like to get to the point where i can take a hand off the handlebars to grab my water bottle (yes, i'm that bad on the bike).
today's race was a good first step back into racing. i anticipate it will be several months or possibly even a year before i am able to set any new running PRs, but this race served as a great reminder that these events should be fun, and completion of the event can be a goal in itself. there are also wonderful byproducts of training, something i've forgotten after a disappointing footrace more than once. a few months ago i panicked swimming across a 50m pool--who knew i'd be able to swim 600m in the ocean today?
a few months ago i was really upset about my injury, but i'm now happy it forced me to focus on a goal i set long ago. one goal met ... now, what's next?
overall time 1:32:33.7 (placings: overall 189/280, sex 39/91, age group 5/17)
swim (600m) 18:42, 14/17AG
T1: 4:12.2, 14/17AG
bike (20k) 45:56, 11/17AG
T2: 1:08.5, 7/14AG
run (5k): 22:33.7, 2/17AG
(gosh, i wonder where i need work?)
all in all, a success.
long report (and i mean long):
although i signed up for this race several months ago after my tibial stress fracture, it's actually been much longer in the making. many moons ago, when i lived in the DC area (prior to nursing school), i decided i wanted to do a triathlon. but, i couldn't really swim. i took some lessons before moving from DC, and again a few summers ago, but i hadn't continued swimming on a consistent basis. to give you an idea of where i was coming from when i signed up for the race, the first time i swam 50m continously was earlier this year. yes, this year, as in 2009.
i also hadn't really ridden a bike in about two years when i purchased my road bike this summer. my last bike was a mountain bike with the seat low enough to comfortably touch the ground; my road bike's saddle is much higher, meaning i can't touch the ground while in the seat. i'd also never gotten very proficient on the mountain bike (understatement of the decade), so cycling was another obstacle in training for this race.
i had a lot of work to do when i committed myself to the 600m ocean swim, 20k bike ride and 5k run.
due to my sporadic work schedule, i quickly abandoned the training program i'd found online and winged it. i tried to ride my bike 2-3x a week, run 3x a week (once i was allowed to), and swim 3x a week. needless to say, guilt about not swimming or cycling was a frequent motivator. my ocean swimming consisted of two practice swims with a friend of mine and my transition practice consisted of two brick-ish workouts (cycle 12 miles, bring bike back upstairs into my apartment, go back out and run 3 miles). i had worn my wetsuit a total of four times before today.
my goals for today's race, by increasing difficulty, were:
- not to die (between seeing these shark photos and dealing with patients with head traumas, i thought i should set the bar low)
- to finish
- not to be last
- finish smiling (this one was suggested to me by a nice lady at the packet pick up yesterday)
the race began bright and early at 7, so my wonderful boyfriend Billy picked me up around 5:30. unfortunately, he's spent the last few months sidelined from running by a cuboid stress fracture and a cuneiform stress reaction, but has continued with his amazing support of my athletic endeavors. i honestly don't think i could have accomplished any of personal records this year without him.
anyway, upon arriving at the race site, we heard overhead that the race start was going to be delayed 25-30 minutes. while it would have been nice to sleep an extra 30 minutes, i appreciated the extra time to calm the pre-race jitters. the kind lady at the packet pickup had given me a crash course in transitions yesterday, and i gingerly picked a spot away from the other competitors to avoid some agro crazy woman yelling at me for taking up too much space. to my luck, however, a few other newbies ended up nearby and we made small talk. i organized my transition stuff and used the restroom before wriggling into my wetsuit.
body glide'ng up my neck, as to avoid wetsuit burn.
body glide'ng up my neck, as to avoid wetsuit burn.about ten minutes before race start, the other newbs and i headed towards the beach. painlessly maneuvering past the breakers, i took a quick dip in the ocean, to acclimate myself and help calm my nerves. i was in the second wave of four, and the waves were set to go off every 7 minutes. unfortunately, the first wave to go out took longer than the race officials had intended, so my wave had to wait a few extra minutes before we could go out, adding to the anxiety.
the horn went off and into the water we went. i didn't want to get kicked or climbed over in the water, so i hung back rather than dashing into the water. unfortunately, my second entry into the water wasn't quite as smooth as my first one and i immediately got knocked onto my butt by a wave. another woman was kind enough to stop and ask me if i was okay. my goggles had been knocked about a bit, but fortunately they stayed on my head.
on my second try, i managed to get past the breakers and started swimming. honestly, despite my hours spent in the pool, i am still not a strong swimmer. i don't know if it is my lack of practice in open water, my hesitation to open my eyes underwater in the ocean (not that i can see much) or my limited practice "sighting" the buoys, but i definitely struggled out there today. 600m is not far in the pool, but in the ocean it felt like miles. i did a combination of regular front crawl, modified front crawl with my head sticking out of water, and a little bit of backstroke. one woman who was in the water nearby did the backstroke the entire way. awesome. i kept looking back to make sure i wasn't the last pink cap in the water (each wave was designated by a different color cap). if i could survive the swim and not be the last person out of the water, goals 1, 2 and 3 were all highly likely.
the swim ended fairly uneventfully. Billy hooted and hollered as i dragged my tired body onto the shore. my legs felt like jello, something i hadn't felt when i'd done my ocean swims.
heading into T1. i jogged for a bit and then gave up and walked.
heading into T1. i jogged for a bit and then gave up and walked.heading into the first transition, i knew i'd be stuck there for a little bit struggling to get my wetsuit off (still haven't figured out how to do that quickly) and getting dressed again. while more experienced triathletes wear specific tri clothing, i'd gone the budget friendly route of wearing a bikini and then throwing on some shorts and a shirt afterwards. yes, putting on all that clothing was very time consuming. and clumsy. i also hadn't practiced rinsing off my feet and putting on shoes and socks quickly. i'm slower than average at things like using the restroom in restaurants, so it came as no surprise that my transition was lengthy. since i'm still rather inept on the bike (i haven't graduated to clipless pedals), i wore running shoes for the bike portion but figured it'd be beneficial during the second transition since i wouldn't have to change footwear.
after the swim, the second thing i was nervous about was getting started on the bike. i'm still a bit wobbly with my starts and stops and i had been concerned about having trouble getting my bike going. fortunately, i was able to hop on and get it moving without any problems.
how nice of the volunteer to look away.the bike course was a mostly flat 20k with some small, rollingish hills. it began with an ascent away from the beach and within the first quarter mile i was able to pass a woman on a mountain bike. the competitive juices started flowing and i started picking off women on the bike course.
i'm not 100% certain about this, but i think at some point during my transition or maybe before the race Billy had something to me about channeling Chrissie Wellington. as ridiculous as it may seem, that thought popped into my head while i was on the bike and i just went with it. i think it helped me get into a groove and whenever i lost focus, the thought "channel Chrissie Wellington" would pop into my mind.
over the 20k i must have passed about 8 or 10 women. i was extra excited when i passed somebody on a road bike with the clipless pedals. quite a few men passed me, but only one woman passed me, and that was after i'd passed her first. not bad, Sara, not bad at all.
i cruised back into the transition area, racked my bike, took off my helmet and gloves and put on my visor. it's been years since i ran a race without my visor and even though the sun hadn't emerged from the clouds, i didn't want to run without it.
one decision i had made was to bike and run with my Garmin. the only problem in doing this was that it was another thing to deal with during transitions. putting it on before the bike was fine, but after the bike section i had forgotten to switch it to running mode so i had to fiddle with it while i was running. once i got the settings correct, i realized i was running way too fast. like, sub-7 pace. (i'm now doubting the Garmin's accuracy.) my legs felt like they were at a standstill, however.
Billy yelled for me to start picking women off and i did my best, although i was unable to pick as many off as i had during the bike section. i was also successful in picking off a few men, although several seemed unappreciative of getting chicked and passed me in return.
my return to running after my injury hasn't been the smoothest. my longest run since my injury has been 7 miles, max weekly mileage about 20 miles, and i haven't done any speedwork--not even strides. i really had no idea what pace to run the 5k at, and that's not even taking into consideration the fact that i'd just swam 600m in the ocean and biked 20k. needless to say, i pleasantly surprised myself with a new 5k PR of 22:33 (i'd only run two 5ks prior to today, and never really raced one).
yeah, i passed all those people. and i smiled while doing it too.i crossed the finish line and had no idea how i had done, but was just soooooo happy and excited just to have finished. a goal set several years ago, finally accomplished.
i didn't die, i finished the race, i wasn't last, and i finished with a smile on my face. not much more i can ask for than that.
will there be another triathlon for me? most definitely. to be honest, i was incredibly anxious about today's race since there were so many unexplored variables (the ocean swim, transtions, nutrition) but i had such a good time i can't imagine not doing another one. however, my main priority right now is getting back into running shape and building up my mileage safely so i can train for Boston. the swimming and cycling will remain part of my conditioning as two awesome ways of crosstraining and hopefully i will improve a little in both. i'd like to get more comfortable swimming in open water and refine my stroke a bit, and on the bike i'd like to get to the point where i can take a hand off the handlebars to grab my water bottle (yes, i'm that bad on the bike).
today's race was a good first step back into racing. i anticipate it will be several months or possibly even a year before i am able to set any new running PRs, but this race served as a great reminder that these events should be fun, and completion of the event can be a goal in itself. there are also wonderful byproducts of training, something i've forgotten after a disappointing footrace more than once. a few months ago i panicked swimming across a 50m pool--who knew i'd be able to swim 600m in the ocean today?
a few months ago i was really upset about my injury, but i'm now happy it forced me to focus on a goal i set long ago. one goal met ... now, what's next?
21 August 2009
downed by a two year old
a few weeks ago, i sang my immune system's praises for supporting my night shift duties for months on end with nary a concern. little did i know that my immune system would be toppled by none other than a two year old.
i spent the past week visiting friends and family on the east coast. the latter portion of my trip included a few days on the Jersey shore* with my family, including my brother and his two kids. unfortunately, my two year old niece was sick with a fever, runny nose and cough.
she's so cute its hard not to play with her or give into her requests to read Humpty Dumpty 10 times straight. little did i know she would infect me with all her germs!
wednesday night--my last night on the east coast--i had a scratchy, sore throat. i attributed it to the ocean water i'd inadvertently swallowed while playing in the surf. then the runny nose started. no worries, maybe i got a lot of sea water in my sinuses.
hours later, my nose was still running and my throat still hurt. not good.
armed with Halls cough drops and lots of water, i made my journey back across the country yesterday. in LA i found i had also developed a mild fever. time to start pounding the ibuprofen.
looks like i'll be playing nurse to myself over the next few days. hopefully i can kick this bug quickly--i hate to think Humpty Dumpty has put me out of commission!
* yes, i live three miles from the beach in LA, but i flew across the country and spent another three hours in the car to go to the Jersey shore. i don't get it either.
i spent the past week visiting friends and family on the east coast. the latter portion of my trip included a few days on the Jersey shore* with my family, including my brother and his two kids. unfortunately, my two year old niece was sick with a fever, runny nose and cough.
she's so cute its hard not to play with her or give into her requests to read Humpty Dumpty 10 times straight. little did i know she would infect me with all her germs!
wednesday night--my last night on the east coast--i had a scratchy, sore throat. i attributed it to the ocean water i'd inadvertently swallowed while playing in the surf. then the runny nose started. no worries, maybe i got a lot of sea water in my sinuses.
hours later, my nose was still running and my throat still hurt. not good.
armed with Halls cough drops and lots of water, i made my journey back across the country yesterday. in LA i found i had also developed a mild fever. time to start pounding the ibuprofen.
looks like i'll be playing nurse to myself over the next few days. hopefully i can kick this bug quickly--i hate to think Humpty Dumpty has put me out of commission!
* yes, i live three miles from the beach in LA, but i flew across the country and spent another three hours in the car to go to the Jersey shore. i don't get it either.
09 August 2009
quickly now ...
as i am supposed to be getting ready for work.
1. i finally broke down and bought an iPhone. this meant ending my 7 year relationship with Verizon. sorry, Verizon, i will miss you. but man, i love my iPhone.
2. this means i will be [re-]joining the Twitter world.
3. did the same workout today as i did on january 1. as many rounds as possible (AMRAP) of 5 push ups, 10 sit ups and 15 squats in 20 minutes. did 20 rounds plus 5 push ups and 4 sit ups. booya! the only thing was that my laundry basket is out of commission (i.e., very full) so i had no target for my squats. which is fine.
4. i also ran today--almost 3.5 miles, with no walk breaks. granted, i had to stop for some traffic lights, but still, this is very exciting.
5. unfortunately i have a tweaky spot at the end of one of my toes. really hoping this is not a stress fracture and instead a neuroma or something like that. i've had enough with the stress fractures!
1. i finally broke down and bought an iPhone. this meant ending my 7 year relationship with Verizon. sorry, Verizon, i will miss you. but man, i love my iPhone.
2. this means i will be [re-]joining the Twitter world.
3. did the same workout today as i did on january 1. as many rounds as possible (AMRAP) of 5 push ups, 10 sit ups and 15 squats in 20 minutes. did 20 rounds plus 5 push ups and 4 sit ups. booya! the only thing was that my laundry basket is out of commission (i.e., very full) so i had no target for my squats. which is fine.
4. i also ran today--almost 3.5 miles, with no walk breaks. granted, i had to stop for some traffic lights, but still, this is very exciting.
5. unfortunately i have a tweaky spot at the end of one of my toes. really hoping this is not a stress fracture and instead a neuroma or something like that. i've had enough with the stress fractures!
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