IMLP

IMLP

Friday, August 26, 2011

Success, recovery

I feel like Vineman was eons ago! I can finally do an intense workout and not feel the affects for two days! phew. I don't know what I was expecting, but it certainly not four weeks of recovery. For some crazy reason I thought I'd be good to go after maybe two weeks. No No crazy Kristi. I am in fact human. HA! Fortunately I listened to my body (coach and friends) and took it easy for three weeks. Last week I did a few intense workouts and felt great! It's time to ramp things up for Applefest! Then I will take a few weeks off of running! Something I have not done since I injured my foot in January. I am enjoying my workouts and my fitness level. This week I am back up to my normal intensity. No ironman intense, but two workouts a day a few days a week with intervals intense. I have taken time and relished in my accomplishment. I am proud of myself and still kinda get shivers when I think about that finish line.

In the last month I have done a lot of thinking about the importance of fitness and activity in my life. Clearly, my degree of training was elevated to a whole new level in the last year. I remember receiving 4 months of training via e-mail and completely freaking out. I could not fathom how I could possibly do that much in a week AND work AND see my friends and family, o and sleep. After said freakout I started taking it day by day and week by week. Before I knew it, doing three workouts in one day was do-able. It made me appreciate my down time. Then suddenly it was all over. I was not suppose to do anything and when I tried it was hard as hell and I felt it for days after.

I'm not saying that I need to be training 12 months a year for the rest of my life. But what I have realized is that I need and want to be active 12 months a year at some level. When I am not active I am not the person I want to be. I get all grumpy, irritable, and unhappy. I don't eat as well and therefore have less energy. Maybe its because I am using it to deal with some stuff I don't want to deal with. Maybe. I missed the camaraderie of training with friends, the accomplishment of doing 6 miles of running or 60 miles of riding or an hour of hard swimming. I love challenging my body and seeing how it responds. It's what I do and it is what makes me tick. Maybe its a combination of all of these things.

What I do know is that I love triathlon. I love all the people I have met in my training and all of the friends I have made. I love that I can now call myself an Iron(wo)man and that I want to do many more. Is using triathlon as my drug really such a bad thing? I think it has unleashed self confidence and energy to allow me to do anything that I want to, attempting what was once unfathomable; both athletically and non.

Saturday, August 6, 2011

One week ago and what's next?

It was almost a week ago that I crossed the finish line of Vineman. My week has been filled with awesomeness! I have enjoyed the expressions of strangers when I tell them I just finished my first ironman. I've gotten hugs from strangers. Eaten a plenty. And had myself some well deserved pints and vino in celebration with friends!

People are asking me if I feel different now. And yea, I think I do. I accomplished this huge thing that took so much dedication, motivation, and perseverance that was physical, emotion, and mental. I've challenged myself before, but never when there was this much uncertainty. I am feeling more self confident than ever. Never more motivated to do the next big thing. Never more satisfied with my life. I feel so very very lucky to be able to challenge my body the way I do.
I am SO very happy that I enjoyed the race as much as I did. It truly was fun!

Never has there been the need for so much support in my life challenges. In the the last two weeks my support system has become abundantly clear. I knew I had a lot of people there for me and who cared about me. But I had no idea how much. At the end of race day I had nearly 30 text messages, many e-mails, and about 30 Facebook posts. All about me! I felt pretty damn popular for a few days. I've said it before, but without all of my friends, family, and Team EnVision teammates I could not have accomplished Vineman 140.6. I cannot thank you all enough! I hope that I can repay your awesomeness.

There is not a doubt in my mind that I will do another ironman...Lake Placid 2013--mayhaps. I even contemplated completing another next year. I have decided against this only because I need to have a year, a summer, where my life does not TOTALLY revolve around triathlon. I'd like to do some hiking, kayaking, and traveling, maybe a marathon!

That post race depression has started to creep up. Not the kind of depression that requires a psychologist or drug. The kind that requires a task or a race. I feel almost lost without a crazy training schedule. I am trying to relish the moment for a bit longer. Enjoy riding, running, and swimming just because I love it. Drink a few too many pints or glasses of wine with my dearest friends that I have neglected for the last 9 months.

I accomplished a lot this season. I am proud of myself.

2011 season (so far!)

Doyles 5 miler 38.41 minutes

Patriot Half Ironman AG: 2/30 S: 41:38 2:09 T104:11 B: 2:55:48 19.11 T22:22R:1:55:49 08:50 Total Time: 5:39:49

Vineman 140.6 W35-39 9/34 45/210 S:1:20:53 2:06 576 T1 7:59 B:6:32:08 17.1 439 T25:46 R:4:30:01 10:19 212 Total Time: 12:36:47

Next up: Applefest Half Marathon, Reach The Beach, and Hub on Wheels.