Hello from Paradise (note the sarcasm)!

So many random things going on around here, I thought it best to bullet point life:

*  About 4 weeks ago I did an indoor bike Time trail race.  I suffered.  A lot.  And, I got up the next morning to go for an easy run (it was 15F degrees out) and my hip /glute/psoas were PISSED.  Slowly started to seize up.  I stopped running, came home and stretched/rolled…but the acute stress was done.  My hip was pissed!  From there I went to no real running that week to massages with Nathalie to becoming a PROFESSIONAL stretcher.  Hip did not feel good that week.  The extreme bike TT on an indoor bike (my bike though) put it over the edge and I was paying for it.

*  I went to Pilates twice since then and I have to say I really liked it.  I was hesitant for many reasons.  One, I just prefer to hammer things ….and Pilates is well, nice.  But, I think I need a little bit more of that.  We have a Pilates studio within walking distance from my house, so I went.  I left Pilates Mat feeling 100% better and basically we just stretched the entire time.  I loved going because all the women there are way different than Triathletes and they were completely freaked out by what I did, so that was refreshing! I plan on keeping Pilates in my weekly schedule.

*  Spring Break for the kids start on Monday and goes thru April 1st.  I am excited to head to Tucson on Friday with my sister and her daughter and Morgan!  We are going to have a nice time – frankly, we just want the sunshine and heat.  And, I get to ride my bike outside!  Besides Tucson, this has not happened in almost 5 -6 months (Can you imagine warm weather friends?).  Jerome is off to China for business and Graham is going to Mammoth Cave National Park with my parents and the boy cousins.  It will be a fun Spring Break!

*  JHC Camp starts on April 4th and I am VERY excited.  We have a great, big group going this year.  Thanks to Jen Lynn, down in Tucson, with helping me with some of the details that are so hard to do from afar.  It will be a great time in Tucson climbing our bikes for 5 days!  I hope everyone is excited!

*  I raced a 1/2 Marathon yesterday!  I was so excited but worried to race.  When I hurt my hip, I went into private FREAK OUT mode because this is the NEW JEN post 40.  I have realized VERY quickly that the post 40 year old Jen is way different than the pre-40 Jen.  I really had a hard time adjusting to the new life as a Master athlete, but it is my new reality.  THE PARTY IS OVER as a few have told me…they are right.  I now have to stretch in the morning, PRE workout, POST workout and before bed at night.  I was stretching so much last week, I was stretching at Graham’s soccer games, basketball games, you name it, I was stretching.  But, news flash –>  It worked.  I went from walking with pain to PAIN FREE and racing a 1/2 yesterday.  In just over 3 weeks.  I was super smart and with some smart feedback from my smart friends, I turned it around.  Yippee!  But, I really need to stick with this regime.  And, the extreme cold makes things tighter/worse, so I am hoping with warmer weather things will stay looser too.

*  It was a busy race weekend and many of us raced our local 1/2 Marathon yesterday.  Every year I torture myself and do this super hilly (for this area) race.  I do really like it.  I have done this race with temps all over the place:  30s, snow, ice, wind, 80s (last year)! , but this year took the cake.  I was SO cold.  It was 21F at race start and super cloudy and just blah.  It was a FIRST FOR ME.  I wore tights.  I have NEVER ever worn tights in a race.  I almost hated to do it, but I was so cold.  I even WORE my down jacket – FULL LENGTH for the entire 30 min warm up – strides and only took it off 5 min before the start and threw it in my car.  IT was THAT COLD.  It never warmed up.

*  I felt amazing during the 1/2 Marathon – dare I say it was easy (despite the cold).  The first 7 miles of the race are flat with a few rollers most of my miles were easily sub 7 at this point…after mile 8 the race gets really tough…like baby step hills…and I was fine going up, but felt my legs seize up on the downhills.  It is a horrible feeling, really.  It was not nutrition.  My legs could not contract and respond to the pounding of the hills in the cold. It was a combo of the extreme downhills & then it being cold – my legs were NOT happy.  I even had to stop once and stretch and rub my legs out b/c I thought I may not be able to take another step!  OUCH!  HA….but, I pulled through.  I had a few rough spots, but pulled my sh*t together and ran well all things considering.  I ended up 3rd in my AG and with a respectable time, so all was good.  I  went back to cheer on everyone and I could not stand outside for a minute longer.  I was so cold I was nauseous.  I had to walk (I could not run) to my car and get my down jacket again.  I sat down and was a mess.  I couldn’t walk.  Couldn’t feel my legs or hands.  I was SO pissed for a short period of time thinking WHY WHY WHY do we do this to ourselves??? (in this cold)…but then I remembered it is MY choice and then got over it.  AND I was just happy to be racing, frankly – despite the tough conditions.

*  Today I can hardly walk.  I got up at 5am (really?) and went to the pool.  Nothing is better than swimming post race, so that helped me with being able to walk today.  Ironically, I started a Boy’s Running Club at the kid’s school today.  I had 26 boys there from the ages of 8-11.  I was pretty nervous for this…b/c it was windy, cold, snowing, ice all over the ground and not even 30F degrees.  AND I had 26 boys to run…OUTSIDE (we have no indoor space).  BUT, the boys were rock stars, we played TAG, did run drills, did relays…laps around the school.  We had a great time!  I am so grateful I get to do this and spend this quality time with Graham and the boys.  It really is a wonderful age.

* Lastly, Elizabeth and I did a PODCAST on “All Things Swimming” – It was a fun one!  Here it is:
http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenandliztalktriathlon/Swimming_Podcast.mp

Looking forward to some sun in Tucson.  I don’t think my poor sister knows what she is getting herself into.  I do not think she realizes how much I work…I will try to behave in Tucson and try to take some time for R&R  AND SUNSHINE!