things I did during my Kona recovery

Blaaarrrrgggghhhh! That is how lazy I've felt since Kona.

Two weeks before Kona I anxiously waited for my coach to update Training Peaks. I was PUMPED when I read my workout for October 9th, the day after the Ironman World Championships: Walk for recovery and take the rest of the month off. :) I had no feelings of burn out this year, but I was also looking forward to catching up with non-triathlon (gasp!) friends and NOT waking up at 5am nearly every weekday.

But then there's the rush of Kona - all the fit bodies, meeting new potential sponsors, hanging out with the fastest athletes in the world, and a 140.6 mile journey that will leave you hungry for more, if not a little heartbroken. And with most heartbreak, you almost always try to figure out what you can do to make things right. Some athletes neglect any sense of recovery and keep racing. I know I needed a break and I did whatever I could to not go completely f-ing crazy. I was reassured by my coach when she told me, "you need to get a little out of shape, so you can come back stronger."

So here is a list of things I did to get a little out of shape:
-Watched the first season of "Modern Family." Hilarious
-Slept...a ton.
-Got sick. This wasn't my plan, but the first couple weeks after Kona I was a coughing, germ-y, snotty mess. I'm quite sure my immune system said, "No more! I gave you 10 healthy months and you put me through A LOT of crap."
-Started this blog. :)
-Didn't put together my bike...yup, it's still in its case in the living room. It also took me 3 weeks to put away my beach clothes. Laaaaaaazzzzzzy.
-Mountain biked - loved getting muddy and not caring about distance, pace, or HR
-Lost some fitness...was I really able to finish an Ironman less than a month ago?
-Baked cookies and made soup
-Caught up with friends I hadn't seen in months
-Visited the public library and finished some books
-Went shopping for real clothes
-Watched some crappy TV - still no cable for me, but there's some decent crap on Fox and NBC
-Ran a beer mile - once again the only girl
-Went out to happy hours and stayed out late

no words for the briefs or granny costume

-And overall just acted lazy. I'm used to a busy schedule with several time constraints, so it's been nice, if not a good mental exercise, to NOT pay attention to a to-do list or worry about how I'm going to cram it all in.

I leave for NYC on Friday to run the marathon (#47 I think). Or as one of my friends once said, "I'm PARTICIPATING, not RACING." I haven't run hard or long in weeks, but I think there's enough residual fitness to help pace one of my best friends to a PR (she's hoping to go under 3:20, which is completely realistic for both of us...well, should be realistic for me, more than realistic for her). When I get back I'll be focusing on some off-season goals like building strength and improving my swim. As of Monday I am back on a training plan. I realize it was ONLY 3 weeks that I was off a schedule, but I was worried I'd have constant, "am I doing too much? am I doing to little?" syndrome. I also realize the things I neglect (swim technique/speed/endurance, flexibility, weights) wouldn't happen if I didn't have a coach specifically telling me what to do. And I'd only do workouts that were easy, fun, and convenient (I ran 5 out of 7 days one week during my recovery, because it was always easier to throw on my running shoes versus cleaning a bike or getting to the pool. And I love to run.) I am very excited to get back to my type A self, but not until we have a proper gluttonous celebration in NY, complete with steaks and martinis.

Good luck to everyone racing this weekend! Sooooo excited that I don't have to pack a bike or start with a swim.