Good intentions

I have had a very busy month, did you miss me?  I was lucky enough to visit my family in Michigan and take a trip with my hubby to Mexico.  I haven’t taken a trip that didn’t involve work (for me or my husband) since I started Tough Chik in 2009.  In a perfect world these 2 trips wouldn’t be back-to-back, but hey what world is perfect?

My first trip was to Lake Huron Michigan to visit my grandparents, mom and her hubby, uncle and cousins.  It was great, super chill and great weather.  I was able to run every day but one and was very proud of myself.  Since we were at the “cottage”, I was able to really control my food and limited my alcohol intake. (I mean it is vaca, right?)

My mom (Tough Old Bird Jr.), My Granny (the Original Tough Old Bird) and Me (Tough Chik)

My Cousin (and Tough Chik Super Model) Leah and Me

I arrived home from Michigan and less than a week later, I was back on a plane and off to Mexico!  My husband was celebrating his 40th birthday and we wanted to “escape” for a few days.  My husband hates to check bags and this started way before they started charging bag fees.  This translates to only travel size liquids and limited luggage space.  Our whole goal was to relax, so I gave in and did not bring running shoes, a shorts bra, nutin!  And I was regretting it day 1, never again.  I went the whole trip without working out, five whole day and I was freaking a little.  I should have, could have, made it work and added in a few work outs on my trip and I just didn’t.  Every morning when I would see folks leaving the gym covered in sweat a pang a guilt would hit me and I was so pissed I didn’t bring my running shoes.  Oh well, live and learn.  I will never leave the house without my running shoes!

My trip was great, we did a lot of fun stuff, blah blah blah…

Snorkeling in a cenota

Talum

Real coconut water!

I don’t know about you, but every flight home I come up with a plan on how I am going to revolutionize my training.  It is like a mini New Year’s resolution.  After this trip I am going to start food journaling again and get up early a weight train 3 times a week.  That was my goal when I got home.  We got home late Wednesday afternoon and it have been a long day (up since 3AM) so I gave myself a break and I would start on Thursday.  On Thursday I went to the grocery store and loaded up on fruit and veggies.  That night I ran my 5K loop and PRed!  Yes!  On Friday afternoon it started…the scratchy throat.

It is Monday and I have been sick as a dog since Friday!  I got through one day of the new improved Shannon and then this darn cold decided that I was going in a different direction!  Such a waste of motivation!

Triathlon Police

I had another ego check session with Trainer Ali on the track yesterday.  We started with a warm-up mile and I was feeling pretty good.  Our first 200m sprint I noticed a rather large knot at the top of my left quad.  I was hoping that warming up my muscles would relax the knot and it would go away.  Our plan was to run a one mile warm up the 200m sprint followed by a 400m zone 4 (yeah right).  We would do the sprint sequence 4 times, one more than last week.

Each sprint sequence I noticed the knot, at first it didn’t hurt, I was just aware the knot was there.  I made it through 3 reps and then Ali and I got to talking, maybe taking a little longer rest than we should.  The next rep I made it about 100m into the 200m sprint and the pain was too much to continue.

I have a killer schedule starting next week.  On Wednesday I leave for Monterey, CA where I will expo and race at Sea Otter, followed by a weekend of expoing in AZ at Whiskey Off Road, then I will come home for 2 day for 5 days in HI (I know, tough life) for my husbands work.  I get one weekend at home, then a Sprint tri followed by an Oly tri the following weekend.  If you have ever worked an expo, you know it is very fatiguing.  You are “ON” from about 9-5 and on your feet, so it can take a lot out of you.  It can be tough to add in training, but I plan on it.  So as you can clearly see, THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR AN INJURY!

I know it isn’t serious and I know that if I “rest” (the ugly R word), I will be fine.  But since there are days of travel when I won’t be able to train, I really feel like every day I am at home, I should utilize.  I need to stick to the plan!  I was joking with my husband that the Triathlon police were going to take me away if I stray from the plan.  I am not really sure what will happen if I take some time off, but my crazy brain is telling me it is bad.  Crazy right?

Today on the “plan” is a swim, which I can do without injuring myself any further.  So I have a day of reprieve before I need to make the decision to listen to my body or my crazy obsessed brain.  I know, I know, listen to the body…I preach it all the time.  But you know the saying “Doctors make the worst patients.”  Well, consider me a terrible patient.