Sushi is kind of like (swim) training, right?

You know what I love?  Well, yes, the list is endless, but kismet is what I'm thinking about right now. That magic moment of just thinking about something and having it happen.  I had this experience three times just yesterday.

On my run that morning, I was thinking how I deserved (and needed) some new workout gear.  I've been tri-training pretty consistently and deserved a treat.  On the way in from my run, I check the mail and the new Athleta catalog has arrived.  Yes!

Flipping through the pages and I spot the Crackle Chaturanga Tights.  They are so frickin' cool and sexy, I can't stand it.  No way are they going to look good on me.  But I think, "I'm gonna go to the store and just make sure they don't."  Me and The Baby D head to Bay Street, those tights, there they are, in the window, so hot.  I ask the sales associate where they are in the store, and the only pair left are on the mannequin.  She checks the size on the mannequin...And guess what?  Yes, kismet!  Me and the mannequin = same size.   I wore them home and left the mannequin pantsless. (Bonus that Baby D was stroller dancing to the tunes playing in the store while I shopped.)

Girl, the story just gets better because by now, it's late, I'm tired and hungry.  Get home and The Big D wants to take me to my favorite sushi place for dinner.  Seriously?  What a rad day.  I throw on my favorite Soft Joie Turtleneck from Piperlime over my new tights and some ballet flats, I'm out the door looking good.

Yes, yes, I do realize the irony in buying workout clothes for inspiration and then wearing them out to dinner. But when this much good fortune comes at you in a day, you don't turn it away.

Ha!  They look better on me anyway.

From the ashes....

When you last saw your heroine, she was out of the Austin Half-Ironman for health and lack of training issues.  Well, I'm back, stronger and fitter than I've been in a while.  And while my knees still aren't allowing me to run, I am re-registered for the Austin Half-Iron, but this time as part of a relay with two of my friends, Bree (doing the run) and Sarah (doing the swim).  I'm in the middle doing the ride.

The three of us have decided to do a little warm-up triathlon, the See Jane Run Tri on September 21.  I've actually been training!  I know!  Shock!  I never train.  Age + lack of sleep + lack of time = necessitates training.  Dave and I have been hiring a sitter on the weekends so that we can go out and ride together.  Proud to say that in the last few weeks I've gotten Diablo, the Bears and McEwan Road all under my belt.  Have even done some Tabata at home and pilates at the gym.  This is how we do it!

Phailure Phoenix

I completely didn't even try to participate in the Austin 70.3.  Without any training, I realized that I would just be setting myself up for a world of hurt if I even attempted it.  I don't feel good about not trying, it's really not like me.  I felt out of habit of running, or even walking for that matter, and went to a place that was really unhealthy.  Maybe it was a bit of depression caused by not running, or not running because of depression - it's a catch-22.  Not good.

But the great thing about being a sentient being is that I was able to see my flaws, want to make a change, and have started towards that path.   Today is day one of a three day juice cleanse.  I have not cheated at all!  I'm signed up for two half marathons in March.  I will re-enlist for the Austin 70.3 in 2014.  And although I haven't tied on the runners, I think about it constantly.  And from where I'm trying to pick myself up from, that's a step in the right direction.

On a sidenote - Dusty is doing great!  He's just turned a year old, is happy, healthy and strong.  Finally he's consistantly sleeping through the night.  I'm hoping that I can start to get back on some kind of regular sleep/wake schedule myself.  I've been taking a Tylenol PM to get to sleep every night for the past week or so.  That ends tonight as well.

Here's to clean living!

Weight:  140.8

Exercise:  Dreaming 

Maybe I can get a run in.

Today, although not very active physically, I sure did give my credit card a workout getting the plans together for the Half-Iron. Between the hotel, car rental, flights, bike transport and the race registration I paid previously, I think I'm about $2g into this little adventure. Holy Shit! Spending two grand for a vacation that is bound to have me in tears in some respect or other, wow, I didn't think I would ever be looking forward to something like this. I am so excited for this race! I love having something to train for, and the full reality of what I need to do has hit me full on today.

In that spirit, I decided last minute to sneak in a run between work and dinner. My awesome husband picked up Dusty from daycare so I could head straight home to get ready. Even though I didn't have to stop at daycare, it still took me 45 minutes to get ready. Ridiculous. When I finally did get the baby's diaper changed, a few cuddles, water bottles for me, Dusty and the dog, strap the baby in the stroller, collar the dog and find some podcast to listen to, I was only able to muster up a 3.5 mile run. It was still really hot out and yesterday's 40-mile ride really did me in. Oof.

Euflexxa, I flexxa!

While I was training for The Marine Corps Marathon in 2011, I developed a lot of pain in my knees. I went to a knee and hip specialist, and persona friend, Dr. Brad Crow, who did some X-rays and let me know that I had some pretty bad arthritis in my knees. I always knew my knees where bad, they run in the family, but to have a diagnosis of arthritis was honestly a bit sad. Arthritis! It's for Old People. At the time, I was on the cusp of 40, so I didn't think I qualified as Old People.

At the time, Dr. Brad gave me steroids in my knee so that I could finish my training and run the race. After the race, I went through six weeks of twice weekly physically therapy to get myself on the mend. Then, I was trying to get pregnant and wasn't trying to push myself so hard. And then pregnancy, then months of months of learning how to take care of the thing. I didn't get around to running until March of this year. After more than a year of not running I thought the knee may have healed or repaired itself or something, but no such luck.

To help my knees out this time, Dr. Brad recommended Euflexxa for my knees {www.euflexxa.com/}. It's a series of three shots, one week apart, that have the same result as steroid shots but should last longer. I should only need to get the shots once a year.

Here's a pic of me getting the last of my three shots from Dr. Brad's wife, Emily, who's also pretty damn smart about knees and hips. Also some pics of my crap knees. These are from two years ago, I can only imagine how much worse they are now.

Not cut out for working mom life

I started back to work on March 13 and that's pretty much when my training ended. I am not finding a balance between work and home. When I'm at work, I feel guilty about things I should be doing at home. And when I'm at home, I feel guilty about things I should be doing at work. But there are some workplace benefits, read below.

There have been a few things I've done since I last wrote that I'm fairly proud of. First, on March 16 I ran a 10k, with stroller and baby, down in Santa Cruz. My time ended up being around 63-minutes or thereabouts. It was not a difficult run, but I feel for having not run more than 4 miles in training for that race that I didn't do too bad. Also, I did a three day juice cleanse at the end of April. I only cheated once on that one, and that was to have a kale salad. Not as spectacular a fail as the other juice cleanse attempt.

Trying to get back on the road to working out I joined a bootcamp class offered through my work. I can take the class during lunch so it's a doable plan. Class is three days a week. Yesterday was the first class - running, plank, crunches, ugh - but I felt OK after. Today, I had already planned to work from home and didn't make class. Slacking on day two! No that's more my style! Wish me luck!

Not even going to try to pretend anymore

This juice cleanse, and my failure to follow through with it, has made me depressed and bitchy. Not good. Today, I've decided to not even pretend that I'm doing the cleanse anymore. Had eggs, bacon, tortillas, avocado, cheese and salsa for breakfast - guilt free! It was tasted like the best breakfast ever. Better even than a Las Vegas breakfast buffet with all you can drink Hollandaise ( Happy Hollandaise! ).

What I've learned from this juice cleanse experiment is that I need to just keep on top of the exercise and not eat so damn much. Duh! Right? It's a no brainer and common knowledge but it has never seemed to, I don't know, be a rule that I've followed. But after baby, I'm thinking that I better tattoo this bit of info on my arm.

So, as the first day of my new life of eating not healthy but not so much and exercising more, I went running and hiking! Ran 4.5-miles with baby and stroller and did a 4-mile hike with husband, dog and baby. Again, my stupid Garmin died so I'm not sure of calories burned. Damn. What I do know is that I felt really good on the run and the hike. Felt strong. It's been a while since I've had a two exercise day, let alone one where I felt awesome on both outings. I hope this attitude holds out. I like this me.

Weight: 142.8
Exercise today: hike and run