The Spirit Was Willing, but the Flesh Knew Better

Boy, did I have a bright idea today. Sure, my legs were a little sore from yesterday, but not too bad. (Despite predictions, I was not infirmed.) I decided that I should go on my scheduled run today and, really, that should help with healing, right? Nevermind that today's scheduled run is my first attempt at a harder interval run (sub lactate threshold, for those remotely interested). I'll be fine, right? Right.

Add to that the fact that I overdressed. Fifty-eight degrees on a sunny day does not call for a long-sleeve top and knickers. What was I thinking?

So, here I will narrate the conversation between the spirit (willing) and the flesh (worn-out).


Scene: A few yards into the run.

Flesh: Um, you're kidding, right?

Spirit: No. This'll be great! Just what the ol' legs need!

You think so? And what the heck is this? You call this a warm-up?

Um, yeah. The warm-up needs some adjusting with the new HR zones. Don't worry, we'll be fine. Just take it easy until the legs loosen up.

Loosen up? You think it's going to get better than this? If you haven't noticed, we're in pain here.

I noticed. I'm waiting for that to go away. Hey, listen to that beeping. Time to run our first work interval! It's faster than we're used to going, eh?

Ow. OK, it's a fairly short interval. We can work with this. But not for long.

Ah, that's the spirit. Wow, this is a bit harder than our previous runs, eh? But that's great! This will be a great way to improve even faster.

Um, yeah. Whatever. Is the six minutes up yet?

Just... about... now. Whew! OK, now we rest for a minute and a half. This time we'll walk, but eventually we should be doing slow jogs for our rest intervals. Wow, that went fast, didn't it? OK, here we go!

Wait, what? Again?!? You've lost your bloody mind, you know that? Once was enough, but twice?!?

Watch the attitude, flesh. You just do as you're told, and we'll fight through this together. We'll be fine. We did the first interval, we're going to do the second, and then we're at the halfway point.

OK, now I'm done listening to you. I'll let you finish this one, but after that, we're through.

Oh, come on. Where's your spirit? Oh, yeah, that's me. Um... Where's your determination? If we want to get better, we have to work hard. Whew. Is it hot out here, or is it just me?

Yes, it's hot. That's why we're dripping wet. Small clue. Here's another clue.

Ow! That hurts!

Yeah. That's my clue that we're done running. D.O.N.E. Done.

OK, fine. We'll walk the third interval and get back at it for the fourth.

[snicker]

What was that?

Um, nothing. Carry on.

OK, hear that beep? That's our signal! Let's finish strong!

I finished quite some time ago.

Please?

No. Listen, you're lucky I'm letting you make it home without calling for help. And just so you remember who's really in charge here, we're going to walk like a 95-year-old woman for the rest of the day. We're going to have to use the sink and bathtub to support ourselves as we get on and off the "potty". Seriously. We need to rest these legs. You may know determination, spirit, but I know toast. And that's what these legs are: crispy, burnt toast.

True story.

Whew! I Did It.

I finally went to the gym... for some weight training. It was clear that my "bodyweight only" routine wasn't getting me anywhere. Not because it wasn't valid, mind you, but because... I never did it. (Funny how that works.)

Of course, the fact that it's summer break (yay!) isn't hurting. I've committed to a twice-weekly full body routine, completed in paired super-sets (gotta keep that heart rate up). The plan is that, a little more than two months from now, I can maintain any gains (and, ideally, continue to make some progress) with a once-weekly routine. (Of course, the routine may not stay exactly the same as it is now. But that's neither here nor there.)

Only two problems: First, I completely overestimated my ability to do dumbbell squats. And lunges. Egads! I may be bedridden tomorrow. Second, I'm a bit less sure of my ability to maintain proper form. I'm not sure why I was so confident in the past and am suddenly so much less confident. If my lack of confidence continues, there's always the option to have a few sessions with a personal trainer. It just seems like that's something I should save for fine-tuning further down the road. Bah, who knows.

Anyway, the point is that I finally lifted, pushed, and pulled some metal plates. I'm dreading tomorrow's DOMS. And I'm tired. But, most importantly, I'm feeling good.

My Training Plan is Going Well, So Now...

Yep, you got it. After I just posted a lengthy description of all the evidence that my current training program has been working... I'm about to change it up. Before you begin berating me for messing with a good thing, do note a couple of things:

• Changes in training are relatively minor adjustments - fine tuning, if you will
• Changes in names and labels of zones are a bit more significant

Why change things? Well, I just finished Total Heart Rate Training, by Joe Friel. It, like another book I have (which was a too-technical monster I just could not bring myself to finish), pushes training zones by Lactate Threshold (LT) rather than maximum heart rate (MHR).

Let me back up a moment. I noticed quite some time ago that the standard percentages of MHR just never worked for me. My HR would shoot up and stay relatively high, even when I wasn't feeling very taxed. Although it would drop back quickly, my HR even during "recovery" or even walking periods was "too high" according to those charts. Seriously, if I followed the standard MHR percentages, I don't believe I'd ever have gained any fitness; I'd still be walking slowly, frustrated, and wondering why I can't keep my HR down. I don't think it's because I was that out of shape; I believe it was because the MHR percentage guidelines are bunk. Don't get me wrong; I'm sure they work for some people. They just don't work for all people.

When I discovered how to calculate training zones by the heart rate reserve (HRR) using the Karvonen formula, I was relieved. This made much more sense for me. The zones fit much better with my rating of perceived exertion (RPE) levels. Not perfectly, but better.

But even sites which explained the HRR kept mentioning that LT training was superior. Fine, I'm sold. But first. there was the problem of the book I couldn't finish. And then, even after finishing Friel's easier-to-read book, I couldn't bring myself to go through any of the tests "necessary" to approximate my LT. (Yeah, yeah, it's simple enough. But whatever.) Nor could I bring myself to pay the money for a real LT test. Come on, now.

But then, Friel mentioned the correlation between an RPE of 7 and LT. Additionally, there's a switch in breathing (ventilatory threshold (VT)) which strongly correlates as well. I thought back to my runs, particularly my end-of-the-run sprints, and it clicked: I can really approximate my LT now. I used today's sprint to confirm/adjust my approximation.

So here it is: 171, give or take one bpm. If I follow the table down and look at the purposes and descriptions of the various zones, it all clicks exceptionally well. Some adjustments may have to be made, but I think I've got a good starting point here for training by LT.

So, yes, I am changing the game plan mid-stride. But I was just about to add in interval training anyway, and I'm sure the benefits outweigh any costs/risks of messing with a good thing. I'll post updates when appropriate. (That's a good thing, right? Right? Don't answer that.)

Running Update

I haven't talked about my running progress in quite some time. I started training with HRR zones back in February, and gave an early assessmet in March. (Warning: Both posts would work well as sleep inductors, so click with caution.) Also, for those not following along closely, I should probably mention that the 5k I was training for back then was cancelled. I didn't flake. Really.)

So, anyway, I guess it's about time I re-updated. The "ok" news: I still take walk breaks during my zone 3 runs. But I still do much better than I did a few months ago. Here are some charts for comparison. (Have I mentioned how much I love data? Particularly in graphic form? Mmmmm... data....) Anyway, the important part is what's above and below the dashed line. Above is walking; below is jogging.

Here's early March:

Here's late May:

So, you can see a few things are happening. First, I'm stopping much less to walk. Secondly, the stops are much briefer. Thirdly, I tend to hit higher running paces without much more effort. (It actually looks like, if I would just learn to slow down a bit, I might just be able to do a zone 3 base run without walking. But I've tried and it doesn't seem to work. Yet.)

On to the better news. My zone 4 "tempo" runs. (Yeah, yeah, these aren't really tempo runs, per se, but play along, will ya?) Now, this might be a little misleading, so you want to pay attention to the times. The first graph is a 16 minute tempo run. The second, from today, is a 24 minute tempo run. Also, and this is important, any time I had to walk on a tempo run means that I couldn't keep my heart rate out of zone 5. I was red-lining, as some might say. Today, I stuck pretty easily in the middle of zone 4, except for my "sprint" at the end.

March 5:

June 5 (today):

Isn't it pretty? OK, maybe you don't appreciate graphs quite as much as me, and that's OK. But trust me, it's pretty. Really. Oh, just a little bit more data: That 16-minute tempo run? The run portion was run at a 12:38/mile average pace. Today? 12:03, baby.

Do you think it's time to add some interval or fartlek training? Yeah, me too.

A Letter to Future Me (and Maybe Some of You)

I have a friend who has been fighting a similar battle with weight. She's much closer to her target than I am, and she's becoming disheartened by the sagginess that she's now facing. Her body, like mine, is not that of a twenty-year-old, and doesn't simply "snap back" the way she wishes it would. (Would it even snap back so much at twenty? I don't even know, but let's not get on this tangent now...)

The encouragement I gave to give her skin/body a year to tighten was no consolation to her. She wants the tight body she's working for, and she wants it now. The reality that she may never get that body without surgery looms over her. I can't say as I blame her for her frustrations. There are times already when I'm lying in bed and wondering if the squooshy parts of me will simply become floppier squooshy parts of me... and how I'll feel about that. Sorry if that's too much detail, but it is what it is.

But, at the same time, is the alternative any better? I think the answer is very clear. At least, it is clear when we're thinking, um, clearly. (I may need a thesaurus.) I wonder if I'll soon be where she is now, wondering whether all the work for a thinner-but-flabbier body is worth it. So, while I'm here at a sort of mid-point, I'm going to write a preemptive letter to that doubting self. If and when I reach that cloudy point where I wonder if well-fed flab isn't better than well-worked sag, I hope to return here and regain clarity.

Dear Skinny Me:

If you're reading this, you're likely struggling with some floppy bits. Here are some things to consider before diving into that pint of Chocolate Haagen Dazs.

How many things are you doing right now that you'd never have done before? Back in May, you went kayaking. Without hesitating. Struck that off your life list, right? Would you have done that at 250? How many other things are you doing now that you'd never have done "back then"? How much did you let your weight limit you? Remember, that was what this truly was all about. It wasn't how you looked in a bathing suit so much as it was about whether or not you were willing to go swimming in public. Your weight stopped you from living the life you wanted to live. How about now?

How heavily are you breathing at the top of the stairs? Oh, not at all? Pretty nice, right? How are you enjoying those hikes? Nice views, nice company, right? Can you strap on an extra 80-100 pounds (on top of your 35 poun backpack) and do the same hike? Bummer. It's not just about self-confidence, it's about fitness. Your weight held you back in more ways than one.

How much is any flabbiness bothering you with any of the above? Didn't think so. Listen, you knew you weren't going to be a supermodel at any weight. That ship sailed a long time ago... if it was even ever in this hemisphere. You may not love how you look nekkid right now, but you've got near-nekkid pictures you can pull out for some comparisons. Is that huge belly really better than the floppy tummy? How about those calves? See how the skin is so tight it looks like it's about to burst? Don't you like your shapely calves better right now? What about those extra chins? (Are you kidding?!?) Has it been a year since you hit goal? If not, then give it time. Your body may surprise you. And even if it has been a year, see above.

Now, forget how you look. Is this even about that? Sure, it's a bonus, but it's not The Main Thing. The main thing is your health. Seriously. You know that. Remember those overweight people who had to use scooters primarily due to their weight and related problems? You were headed down that path. Sure, you could do a lot at 250... and 37 years old. How long do you think that was going to last? It wasn't and you know it. The high blood pressure was a gentle warning. What was going to happen next? But now where are you headed? Rather than spending the last ten to twenty years of your life sitting around in constant discomfort, pain, and weakness you're going to have the health and vitality to travel and truly enjoy your retirement. That's huge.

Darn it, just look at your accomplishments! You've done things even you weren't sure you would ever accomplish! And now you're wondering whether it was worth it? Let me tell you, from here at the midpoint, it is. You know it is.

Now go for a run.

A Touch of Inspiration

I don't have anything fantastic to say today, but I thought I'd share something I found on i can read a while ago. It makes me smile and, somehow, makes me feel my humility while reminding me of my potential. I hope it does the same for you.



(via allposters via i can read)

Pressing Play

For the past week, I've allowed myself to eat right around maintenance. My body has responded in exactly the expected manner: I've flatlined. Actually, I'm impressed with just about how perfectly I've flatlined. My daily weight on the scale doesn't even have the expected water-weight fluctuation. How bizarre is that?

Now, while some people may think this flatline is a bad thing, I think it's perfect. It shows that the math I've been using is right on. It also shows that my relationship with food is becoming much improved. Despite being more relaxed with my nutrition, I haven't been overeating or bingeing. (And I haven't been eating Reese's Peanut Butter Cups for breakfast...) Overall, it's been a great experiment. And I think it's been a good break for my body, as well.

So, I've had the weight loss on pause for a week now. That's enough. Today I press play and continue on.

Of Optimism and Clothing

When you're losing a significant amount of weight, clothing becomes an issue. Some people, like me, may begin with a closet bursting with too-small clothing, so at least you have a few things that fit as you shrink. (You may know how it goes. If you gain weight and it stops fitting, you can't bear to get rid of it. If you lose weight and stops fitting, you can't wait to get rid of it.)

Oh, yes, I almost forgot. Some time ago I called a local charity to pick up a donation. The donated items had been steadily collecting in my hallway as I would try on outfits and "disgustedly" have to toss items on the charity pile because they were too baggy. Here's a picture:

Isn't it purty? You can't tell by the photo, but there were come cute tops and skirts in that pile. But that's OK. I don't really miss them. (Would you?) I'm not even sad that I've "had to" start another charity pile. It's tiny now, but it'll grow.

OK, back to my point. Again, clothing becomes an issue when you have a lot to lose. Part of the problem is that you don't know how much you want to invest in clothes that fit you at your current (temporary) size. What to do? You certainly can't keep wearing the old baggy clothes. Baggy clothes don't tell the world that you're losing weight; they tell the world that you don't know how to dress yourself. So you have to do something.

Shopping in a local store is one option, but you may recall that an anonymous friend/coworker/sweetiepie left me a hint by way of a business card for a tailor. Yes, I took some of my better items to a tailor and got them adjusted. I made a mistake, though. I didn't point out that I planned on continuing the weight loss. Cut to a few days ago when I, for the first time, put on one of the skirts that I had adjusted. It was already too loose. Oh, sweet irony. So, learn from me: If you're in my position, be sure to tell the tailor to resize tight. Otherwise you're just throwing away money. (But don't worry if you make this mistake. You can't get too angry about it, now can you? I know I couldn't.)

Even shopping in a local store is problematic. You buy something that fits perfectly... two weeks later it's just a tiny bit too big. Oh, the local charities are going to love me for the barely-worn clothes they'll soon receive.

Another option, of course, is shopping online. But this opened the door for a different problem. Things were on sale recently, but here's where you run into trouble with different brands (particularly with athletic wear, which was all I was buying). I may be 1X or XL in some styles, but I'm still to big for most of the XL sportswear that I just bought. Sigh. (Cute stuff, too.) But that's OK, I'll shrink into them. I've got time. And at least I now have some more "Ooh, it finally fits!" clothing to celebrate later.

However, with summer break nearly here, I'll be darned if I buy any "real" clothes. I'll look like I can't dress myself if I have to; I'm OK with it. I've got two and a half months to save up and prepare for some massive shopping in the fall. That's going to be fun. But I'll still have to be careful. The journey still won't be over by then. What a perplexingly delightful problem to have.

Second Weight Goal Down. And Now?

Finally hit 199 (averaged) today. Whew. The last few ounces felt like forever. Next target: 174. Why 174? Because at 174 I am officially "overweight" rather than obese. Yeah, that's according to the BMI charts which I don't quite agree with, but let's face it: I don't believe in the Easter Bunny but I still eat confections shaped like long-eared rodents and their off-species offspring, right?

Wish me luck. Ha! No, don't do that. If you're going to wish me anything, wish me joy. I'm sure I'll find it without your wishes, but it'll be a nice thought anyway.

Cycling Lesson #781

Went on a nice ride today in the "valleys" around my home. This means I was facing some rolling hills, but I was ready. To my surprise, the hills really weren't getting to me. Sure, I had to work, but I wasn't struggling as much as I expected. (I was also trying to practice something I just read about: a sort of zen feeling of letting the hill come to me rather than trying to force the climb.)

Things were going well. I then turned East and prepared for what I remembered to be a relatively long, slow climb. (It's been a few years since I went into that particular area.) To my surprise, it seeed to be mainly flat with a little downhill! Easier ride than I thought.

Then I looped back around.

Oh, my.

That mainly flat area with a little downhill actually had been uphill! For a moment I thought I'd really developed some great climbing stamina. Then reality sets in: The wind! The wind was pushing me up that hill.

You know what that means, right?

Yep, I had to really push it to go back downhill! That's got to be the most annoying thing in cycling, having to work hard to go downhill against a headwind.

Luckily, it got a little better when I turned back South, but not much.

So, lesson #781: If the ascent seems to easy to be true... be ready for a hard descent.

(I still had a blast.)

Deep Thoughts

No Jack Handey thoughts here, but I feel the need to get some thoughts down. You may or may not know that I've been seeing a therapist to help me get a handle on whatever had been holding me back from continuing and maintaining weight loss.

The good news is that I don't feel like slowing down my weight loss at all right now. My reasonable destination (155) feels very much assured right now, and further destinations (145 or - maybe - 135) feel like strong possibilities, though I can't say until I get closer whether or not I even want to go that low.

The other (not really "bad") news is that some thoughts have been swirling around my head lately, that need some sorting. Or at least some venting. Since my "averaged" weight is right smack on 200.0 today, it seems an appropriate day to do so. Something about being on the verge of multiple breakthroughs; it's apt. Alright, on with the show.

First, I spent a few days last week in what I'll call a "middle school girl" mentality. I had spent a few hours with a guy friend and became a little delusional about it, imagining that he was interested in me romantically. (I'm 99.995% sure that he has zero interested in me.) But, more importantly, this brought me into a very weird place. I genuinely argued with myself for a while, and it really wasn't even about whether or not he was interested. It was about whether or not I was even worthy of his interest. Why the hell not? Indeed, why not. But I'm going to assume that I don't need to spell out my insecurities.

But here's where it gets icky. Part of me (delusionally) continues to think that there's a hope here. (Note that I'm not even asking myself whether or not I even am or should be interested in him.) Part of me thinks that I'm not even on his radar because I'm so far below his league. But am I? I really don't kow anymore. Maybe I'm not, so maybe there's an opportunity. But of course not. So, there we go. Around and around. Back and forth.

Have I kept myself overweight so that I don't even have to deal with this? So that I can brush off any possibility and not even worry about being vulnerable? I mean, really, it makes sense, doesn't it? Cloister yourself well enough, and you don't have to worry about rejection. And if someone happens to express interest despite your weight and semi-monkhood, then there's clearly something wrong with him, and you definitely don't want to get anywhere close to him! (I used to "joke" that if anyone had low enough standards to be interested in me... my standards were too high to be interested in him. That was a joke. Or so I convinced myself. How awful.)

Something similar is going on with simply trying to let myself develop a social life. Same self-imposed hermitage, same weird arguments with self. Well, they're slightly different. Now part of me argues that they spend time with me only because they feel sorry for me. (How insane is that part of me? How many people choose to spend time with people they don't like only out of pity? Come on!) But no matter how I try to rationally argue that, and how absolutely insane it sounds, that part of me remains convinced that few people want to be my friend.

And if I keep hiding myself away, that part of me can always feel justified that people don't like me. And the other part of me never has to deal with the possibility that that part is right. (How awful would that be?)

I don't remember quite what I said yesterday, but I was beginning to use the gym as an excuse to maintain my hermitage yesterday afternoon. They brushed it off, and then began reassuring me about my appearance and, really, general worthiness. Frak. Good intentions aside, that doesn't help. That just makes me realize that I'm putting out this unworthy, needy attitude, and that's the last thing I want.

(And, beyond that, I really did need to get to the gym. Yesterday makes the third consecutive day without exercising, and I genuinely do not want to get into the wrong pattern. But a social life is definitely needed. I'm tired of being a hermit.)

The good news is that I did stay, chated while they ate dinner (I ate a little earlier), and watched a movie with them. A good time in general. And the earth didn't crumble.

But I can't get those "voices" in my head to shut up. It gets tiresome; it really does. I really need to get this stuff worked out. My outside is very close to "normal". The inside needs to catch up.

198.2

My "averaged" weight still needs to catch up, and I won't be surprised to see a higher number tomorrow, but this was my weight this morning. 198.2. So long, 200.

Yippie-kai-ay, mother....er.

Sanity Slowly Rears its Head

Update on yesterday's post: I went to the tri's website to look at the times. You know, just to see last year's times. I figured it would probably take me about two hours (or just a little under) to do this particular triathlon.

The good news: It's all flat.

The better news: The slowest finish last year was about 2:20. I think I could beat that. (No 80-year-olds entered, though.)

But now... the bad news: 27 competitors last year.

Not everyone may understand this, but to be a fat(ish by then), slow athlete in a crowd is one thing. But to be one of 28 competitors? Oh, my. That may take much more courage than I can muster up by then.

I'm going to have to do quite a bit of thinking...

Doctor, I Think She's Losing It

I don't know what deficiency this is a sign of (iron? zinc? brownie?), but I might be losing my mind. I got a flyer in the mail today from a local county parks & rec - they host the flat century ride that I'm planning to ride later this year. I opened it, expecting information on that ride.

It wasn't that, but they apprently have two other events to advertise. One is a 36 mile poker run (first ever for the area). Sounds interesting, and I might sign up. The other is a "sprint" triathlon. Swim 1/3 mile, bike 14 mles, run 5k. You know, I think to myself, I could do that one day. I look more closely, thinking, when is this, anyway?

August 15.

I might just be able to do that by then.

I must be losing my mind.

But I might be able to.

No, I wouldn't have a snowflake's chance in the Sahara of winning anything, but I could finish. Since age classes go up to 85, I might not even come in last.

By August... I could do this.

Son of a gun, am I ready to become a triathlete this year?

It's Official

I have cheekbones. I should probably now stop using my blush to fake cheekbones. (I'm not sure where to apply it anymore!)

An Offering

Sorry that I've been a bit quiet lately. It's not that I don't have anything to say; I'm just not prioitizing properly to sit down and say it. (I'd better get that ride report out before the details all vanish to the recesses of my mind.) Anyway, here's an offering to tide my masses of teeming readers (ha!) over.

Egads, I've been avoiding this for a reason. Ready? I'm posting photos. Sure, my current photo isn't bad (it's not exacly "good, either), but it's worlds better than my before photo. And my before photo isn't even the worst I could find. I'm sparing you the worst. (Hey, are you sure you want to see these? You can navigate away now, before it's too late... I won't say anything.)

Of course, since I'm somewhere around my halfway point, I really can't complain too much.

Oh, and get this: The shirt I'm wearing in my current photo? I got a ton of compliments on it (and we know they weren't just complimenting the top, right?). More importantly, get this: it's a 14-16. (Ye gods!) Sure, yeah, it's a Lane Bryant 14-16, but let's put this back into perspective: Last summer, I was wearing Lane Bryant tops in 22-24. That's nothing to sniff at.

Oh, yeah, a co-worker told me that some people have taken to calling me "The Incredible Shrinking Woman". Can you believe it? They're so funny.

Um, ok, yeah, no more stalling. Here goes...

Summer 2008:

April, 2009:

Update

Decided to do the 60. Completed the 60. Butt hurts. Hands hurt. Rest now. Write later.

(yay!)

The Cyclist Must be Crazy

Call me crazy(/ier). I signed up for the Flatflower 30mi ride. Now that I've driven all the way out here, I'm thinking of doing the full, hilly 100 miles.

HA! No, not really. BUT... I am seriously considering doing the Flatflower 60 miler.

I mean, it's hill-free. I've done over 20 miles with hills. 30 flat miles just seems... so... so... inconsequential.

No, you don't need to remind me of the last time I shot for 60 miles. If you remember, despite "cheating", I did actually ride over 60 miles. But it's not quite relevant because that was quite some time (and pounds and fitness, back and forth) ago.

So... what to do? I really think that I can do it if I pace myself properly. I'm thinking, what, a nice leisurely 12-14 miles per hour? (Flats, remember.)

Since the 30 and 60 overlap each other, I can actually start with the 30 and see how I feel at the first rest stop before making a final decision.

Oh, the conundrum! I really don't want to have to rely on SAG support. On the other hand, I don't want to do less than my capabilities. (And, really, I did kind of load up on calories and carbs at today's Spaghetti feed... so those calories/carbs need to go somewhere...)

Well, all I can say right now is, "Stay tuned." It's bound to be epic one way or the other. Wish me wisdom!

(Oh, and for those wondering about my integrity: I actually asked during check-in about switching to the 60. The answer: "I don't care what you do! People change the routes all the time, adding hills or whatever." Um, ok then...)

Get Thee to a Banana Tree!

That's what Shakespeare might have told me if he saw me in the pool today. If he were alive. And knew that potassium helps with leg craps. And knew that bananas... Oh, nevermind; you get the idea.

I've gotten Charlie Horses before - in the middle of the night. Agony, you surely know. It's been quite some time since I've had them. I've never gotten them while awake and exercising. Much less in the pool. Egads!

In the middle of a crawl length: the right calf. Owie owie owie! Thank goodness it's a shallow pool! I can't imagine how I would have thrashed around if I couldn't have just stood up (on the no-cramping leg, of course).

OK, fine. We'll cut out the six-beat crawl. Cool it down a bit with a two-beat crawl and on to breast stroke. Five minutes later: the left calf. OOooowwwww!!!!!

The woman in the left lane stopped, empathized, and suggested I stand on it. I politely told her that she must be kidding.

Now, ready for the shocker? I still trudged on and met my goal of 1800 yards today. Go, me!

And go, me... go get a banana!

(Oh, for anyone keeping track: I did get up early on Wednesday, but "slept in" on Thursday (planned) and Friday (cold/windy). Let's see if I keep it up.)

I Lost the Argument... But the War is not yet Over

So, here's how the argument with myself went this morning upon the ring of the alarm:

• OK, there it is. Let's get up and go!
• But it's cozy and warm and I'm really tired.
• Do you remember how good it felt yesterday to get out and run? Our gear is all ready to go.
• Yes, that was nice, but we're really, really tired and a bit worn down. When's the last time we took a rest day?
• Um.... I dunno....
• Aren't rest days important?
• Er... yes... I guess...
• Let's think about it. You can't take a rest day tomorrow because you have a club ride. Thursday is your partner run. Do you really want to wait until Friday to rest?
• Why, you're awfully convincing.
• I know I am. Reset the alarm and all will be well. We can get up early tomorrow.
• Promise?
• Of courzzzzzzz........

Of course, this entire exchange took about three seconds. Perhaps fewer. And it is true; my last full rest day was a full week ago. Now I just need to make sure that I don't let myself make a habit of this. Is it a coincidence that I was dragging at work today? Yeah, I don't think so either.