How Hard Can It Be? 6.0

[Veronica]

When last we met our aquatically superior yet cusorially challenged heroine, she was planning on doing an Aquabike for her big race this year. Plans change...

For the last year or so, maybe longer, I've had headaches nearly every day. I would wake up everyday with one and take three Advil and that would usually make it go away. My doctor said it was allergies, but allergy meds didn't help. I thought maybe it was dehydration so I would drink a lot. That just made me get up more often. In April, I started seeing a chiropractor and my mornings have been headache free for a couple of weeks. I still get the stress related ones in the afternoon that come from an immature class... What does this have to do with triathlon? He's not just any old chiropractor, he specializes in sports related issues. Now that we have the headaches under control, we're looking at why I can't get under a 10:40 mile. He's ruled out that it's a flexibility issue in my legs and now we're looking at how tight my shoulders, back and neck are. Will I get faster? Maybe, maybe not. But since I've started working with him, my runs feel better.

For some reason, I was just not excited about the Aquabike. In some ways it seemed like a cop out, I guess. I withdrew my entry a couple of weeks ago. This year's big race is going to be an Olympic and I've got just 12 weeks to train. My time is limited since I'm driving out to see the doctor three times a week - 20 miles each way and crummy traffic on the way home. That will get better once school ends. We're going to New England for ten days and then spending a week rafting part of the Grand Canyon. I'll be able to swim some and run some in New England. Right now the only goal is to have a race to train for. I've go some swim and bike times in my head that should be quite doable.

Veronica

[Crankin]

Good luck, Veronica. Glad you have been able to cure the headaches.
Keep us posted on your progress.

[Catrin]

Congratulations on solving the headaches! Let us know what you decide and good for you that you made the decision that was right for you.

[Veronica]

I ran six miles on Saturday.

Shawna did a boot camp on Sunday. That was a lot of fun, lots of sprinting and other intense cardio.

http://tandemhearts.smugmug.com/photos/i-tJjf4Bt/0/X2/i-tJjf4Bt-X2.jpg
Group shot at the end.

Today was upper body and abs. This is robot push ups with hands on a Bosu, feet on a fit ball. Super hard!
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/p480x480/969825_606587219353787_1573037402_n.jpg

I have a tough week this week with meetings today, tomorrow, chiro appointment on Wed., Open House on Thursday. The PTA is also doing Teacher Appreciation week, that means an abundance of not healthy food will be in the staff room. :D It's very sweet of them, but I don't need the extra calories.

Veronica

[Catrin]

Look at all of those smiles, and the one guy is getting some serious air! The pushups do look very hard, will have to try them when my shoulder calms down :)

[murielalex]

Those pushups look crazy hard. Yes, I want to try one, even knowing I'll embarrass myself. Congrats on getting rid of the headaches!

[kacie tri-ing]

Awesome that you are getting rid of headaches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love my sports chiro too!

[colby]

Nice! I really like my chiro, too. I schedule my visits around when I work from our office up here instead of Austin. I'm sure I could find someone, but I HATE finding new doctors when I like the one I've got. Same with my massage guy.

Love the jump shot, too. :D

[Veronica]

I took the bikes over to my chiro session yesterday and met Thom at the base of Mount Diablo. We rode up 5 miles at a leisurely pace. Normally my heart rate averages in the 160s when I climb Diablo. Last night's average was a whopping 137! It was pleasant. I saw a snake - didn't stop to check it out, a flock of turkeys and a deer. It was very windy and the descent was "interesting". A couple of times I would come around a corner and the wind would push me off the line I wanted. It's a pretty twisty descent so I don't hit super high speeds - right around 30 mph is usually my high point. But towards the bottom, the wind was a tail wind and I hit 37 mph.

Chiro session was interesting. I sent him my video from the HIM Thom and I did last year so he could see my running form. Pretty much it sucks. I run from my knees and heel strike; I hope I can undo 5 years of bad habits. Part of my therapy is also sessions with a PT and I have gotten some really good stretches from her. I'm really flexible is some areas and completely bound up in others.

It was a late night for me and I'm pretty tired today. Tonight is another late night with Open House.

Veronica

[Wahine]

Sounds like things are going well!! I love the jump shot above. It's great to hear that you're getting help with your aches, pains and running form.

You're inspiring.

[Veronica]

Thanks for all the well wishes. :)

I didn't run this past weekend, we hiked up Diablo instead. Summit Road on Diablo is like an average grade of 6% over 4.5 miles. The trail covers the same altitude in 2.5 miles. It was not an easy hike, but it was pretty. Plus, it was really fun to watch the pros fly by.

Tuesday morning I went out to run and it was not good. My tongue hurt and felt really dry from dental work on Monday. My abs hurt from working with Shawna - ab pull ins/push ups with feet in the TRX and one hand on a medicine ball. Where does she get these ideas? :D That was followed by ab rollouts. When the front of my shins started to really cramp up, I decided that was enough. I think it's because everything else I did with Shawna on Monday, involved balancing on a Bosu ball.

On the plus side, I know I am getting stronger. I did 3 sets of 25 bicep curls with the 40 pound bar, while standing on the Bosu! You really lack leverage when you are on the Bosu.

We're riding up Diablo again this afternoon after my chiro appointment. It will probably be another mosey ride, but it's good to get on the bike, even if it is just for an hour.

Veronica

[Veronica]

I ran another 6 miles on Saturday. This was a fabulous run! Everything just clicked and while it did not feel effortless, I didn't feel as beat up at the end.

My Monday trainer session was hard - robot push ups with feet in the TRX. Just crazy. Monday afternoon we went out for a 5 mile hike. It rained a little and was quite windy, but it was still pleasant.

Veronica

[Veronica]

The rest of this week has been horrible. I've had a nasty chest cold with a fever.

Veronica

[Crankin]

Get better soon!

[Veronica]

Working on it - today's the first day since Wednesday that I haven't slept most of the day. I think I should take stock in kleenex!

Veronica

[Wahine]

Sorry to hear about the chest cold but I'm glad to know you're starting to recover!

Tom and I both got bad chest colds after TransPortugal. I'm just now starting to feel human again. Tom is still sick and sleeping a lot.
C.

[Veronica]

The cold is almost gone, just have a stupid cough. My eye is nearly healed from the freak accident with the soap dispenser. :rolleyes: It's been another week of very little training. All I have done is my two sessions with Shawna. I was really disappointed with my leg session. She wanted me to do ten jumps onto the 24 inch step. My first jump I landed really off balance and immediately bounced off the step to my right. My second jump barely cleared the step. I just had no power. I did the rest of the set and the other two rounds on the 18 inch step. I guess I really shouldn't be surprised - I lost 3 pounds in 5 days and I'm just starting to get my appetite back. And I was sleeping like a cat - 21 hours a day. :eek: Only a slight exaggeration.

I haven't signed up for a race yet. At this point, I'm not sure I'll race at all this summer. I'm okay with that. The chiro and massage therapist have been doing a lot of work on loosening up my shoulders and upper back. I haven't been in the pool in a while. The swim has always been good, I wonder if it will be even better. I've got lots of running drills to do when I can breath without coughing.

Veronica

[Veronica]

My eye is all better. I was able to put my contacts in on Saturday. Still coughing...:mad:

The best part of being on vacation is being able to sit with Tucker in my lap for as long as he wants. He's currently lolling upside down with his head in the crook of my arm. :p

I did an extra session with my trainer on Saturday - a lot of TRX work. One legged lunges on the Bosu, flat side up and pistol squats, also on the Bosu. Those were HARD! We bought a TRX to take with us on vacation so it's nice to have a wide variety of fun things to do.

Veronica

[Catrin]

Pistols on the Bosu!!! That is impressive, for sure. I am not so good at them...and that is with holding the TRX with one hand for balance. I am starting to target my ankle flexibility - which is the root of my pistols problem. Good job! I think having a TRX on vacation will be fun :)

[Crankin]

I am imagining "regular" people looking at "having a TRX on vacation will be fun."

[Veronica]

I've been going to the chiropractor for 8 weeks now and starting next week, I'm down to 2 adjustments a week instead of 3. Woohoo! At today's evaluation he saw a lot of improvement in my lower body and how those muscles respond. But he's still not happy with how locked up my upper body is and how slow my lats are to respond. I've cut way down on how much Advil I've been taking and I seldom wake up with a headache now. Now, I just need to get off my lazy butt and start training. But, I really like sitting around in my PJS, drinking coffee with a cat in my lap. It's a shame Tucker likes his loving in the morning and not the afternoon!


Veronica

[Catrin]

LOL Crankin :)

Veronica-so glad you are seeing improvement! If I cant get my lat/scap/ t-spine to respond better then I may wind up at a chiro as well. Hope things continue to improve for you!