Training to train

Like all resolutionists, I started the year fast and furious spitting out 3 blog posts in three days, then I left you hanging for 10 days. But I had a good reason. I caught THE flu. I thought I had the flu before, but no, this one was IT. I could barely keep my eyes open and my head up without passing out. Seriously, last Saturday I was two glasses of orange juice away from a ride in an ambulance (thank you Montana's manager for offering those to me when I scared you by turning cadaveric white and lost my feeling in my hands and feet). Yup, I had to lie down in one of their booths at lunch time. Anyway, the next day I ended in the doctor's office and I was put on Tamiflu which did the trick. I could return to the office three days later without the feeling of carrying a ton of bricks inside my head. Seriously, don't get the flu. Wash your hands often and stay away from the crowds. It's not fun.

But I also knew that you needed those 10 days to really appreciate the awesomeness of my recap posts (1, 2 and 3). What, you don't want to read them again? Okay, okay, you're excused if you already read them at least twice.

Now, what happened since? Not much because 1. I was in symbiosis with my couch 2. I was busy watching the first season of Orange is the New Black. Yes, there is lesbian sex in it. Get over it. It's really a good show.

Once I started feeling human again, I went to a new therapist and she got me doing some interesting strength training (I'll sure get buns of steel after this) and stretches that made me curse my body with new and colourful words. I also got my IT bands taped to show them who's the boss.

With renewed hope, I returned slowly to riding my bike and swimming. This week I managed to work out for 3h so far, including one hour at masters swim with my tri club. And you know what? I could keep up! It made me super happy about how little pool fitness I lost over the past 2 months. Alas, I also know that I won't finish the IM with swimming only and I still need to start putting in some serious biking and running workouts. So I did more spinning this week: 30 min, then 10k, then 45min. Next stop, 1h!! This may just end up as a date with hubbs and Trainer Road in our Pain Cave on Monday.

I also plan on running 30min on the treadmill tomorrow morning and see how my IT bands and hip hold up. So far, with the biking and swimming, no real negative impact, but I am still cautious. Not going crazy with enthusiasm or I'll pay the price. Learned that lesson once.

Bottom line, things have started looking up and I try to stay positive and take it one day at a time, celebrating every little ounce of progress. The IM is now 7 months away, exactly 31 weeks from now. Time to start the count down!

In the meantime, I leave you with some hypnotic footage of my swim analysis which I had done along with 3 private lessons with Sean Bechtel back in November.

How not to fuel when you're missing organs

After the enthusiasm-filled blog post last weekend, today brings a change of mood, mostly due to the food coma in which I have been agonizing since yesterday. Thankfully the legs are still there, as proven in my last run, 7km easy pace which I completed in Z2 as planned. Thank you legs.

However, my stomach has been completely upside down, not only because I have been a lazy ass and did not bring food to work when I should have, but I also indulged without thinking. See, it all started with my birthday on Wednesday and my awesome colleagues who surprised me with the most delicious cake ever. So, in the morning, I had a slice of cake which I enjoyed with very loud moans of pleasure for everyone's entertainment. Then, at lunch, a few of us went out and we ate Indian food in a little restaurant called Taste of Punjab (Brampton peeps, recommended!!). I loved it. Maybe a little too much. In the evening, I went out again, this time with my family, direction Swiss Chalet. I had back ribs and sweet potato fries, a Stella, and a slice of lemon meringue pie, because YOLO, bitches! Happy last year of the 30s to me! Not sure what I ate on Thursday at lunch, but in the evening I found pizza waiting for me at home and ate two slices.

On top of all this, I had a very long work week, which included working in the weekend as well. Since it was due to a new product launch, the food was provided, but the healthy options were very limited. Friday, Saturday and Sunday I ate 2 out of three meals each day at work. Also, yesterday my team organized a potluck and it was all pretty much the same. Bring on the pizza, curries and five kinds of rice, samosas, cookies, cheesecake, egg tarts and all the sugar soaked spongy thingies in all shapes and colors that I could not recognize. It was only a matter of time until my body said "enough with this crap!". I enjoyed all the food, had a bit of everything, but then ended in the washrooms throwing up and feeling like a volcano was erupting inside my guts. I had to cut my day short and come home where I went straight to bed and had an hour nap in an attempt to calm my intestines down.

Stupid clown

I had to take a sick day since I've been having stomach cramps and a lingering nausea since yesterday. Not sure if it's relevant, but two other people took a sick day today. As far as I'm concerned, I learned my lesson well, especially without a gallbladder. This week only, I must have eaten worse than in the entire year, so it's clear that my body is no longer taking this kind of abuse anymore. I am not sure when I'll be able to return to the pool or do my core workout (excuses, excuses), but seriously, anything that uses my abdominal area is freaking me out for now. I am planning to go on a bike ride later on and maybe the fresh air will help. Wish me luck!