Triathlon Training Updates and a Fabulous Weekend

This past weekend was a mix of sunshine and overcast skies in San Diego which was perfect for me. I took advantage of the sun on Saturday and took Peroni to the beach in Del Mar. I even got him to run in the water! Sunday was overcast so I spent the day running errands and cleaning and organizing. I always hate doing that kind of thing on a gorgeous day...this was my kind of weekend...some fun....some work....and a perfectly clean home on Sunday to start the work week off right.

I was so unbelievably productive this weekend! I look back on everything I did and am shocked! It's no wonder I was exhausted last night.....

Look at this insane list of things I got done!

I did some work.
I gave myself a pedicure.
I scrubbed my house from top to bottom.
I cleaned my windows.
I steam cleaned my carpet.
I cleaned all of my couch cushion covers and chair covers.
I did about 15 loads of laundry.
I made it through my "to do file" of bills, thank you notes, etc.
I journaled.
I went to a farmer's market where I picked up gorgeous flowers

and Moringa Leaf Powder...I plan to use this to fuel my triathlon. It has protein, calcium, vitamin A, potassium, iron, and vitamin c! It seems to be the perfect fuel for a workout. Has anyone else heard of this stuff?

Every time I go to the farmers market I also pick up farm fresh eggs. 

I went shopping for succulents and planted them on my deck. I went to this amazing little succulent shop on Coast Highway 101 in Solana Beach... Solana Succulents....it was a lovely place that I have always meant to stop into. They had so many gorgeous varietals I had never seen. I had to buy some.....

Here are the plants I went home with. I also bought some new pottery to plant them in. I am a sucker for handmade pottery. I think they look so nice on my little deck....and add to my previous collection of succulents.

I went shopping for some treasures...new flip flops from a local surf shop...and some pretty earnings and a glass bracelet from Noon.....this is the sweetest little store of jewelry....soaps....stationary, etc. It's very girly...The have an awesome deal called 12 X Noon where you buy a yearly subscription to their earrings. Each month for one year a handmade pair of earrings comes in the mail, packaged and pretty. I may or may not have bought this for myself.....

I went grocery shopping.
I went out for sushi Friday, out for lunch Saturday, and out for breakfast on Sunday. I did all three of these alone. And it was glorious.
I exercised for about 5 hours on Saturday and Sunday.
I watched a great movie..."The Kings Speech"...highly recommended!
I read three cooking magazines.
I read three cookbooks.
I cooked some great food.

All in all, a very busy weekend.

As for my triathlon training...the triathlon is less than a week away. I am starting to get very excited but also very nervous. On Sunday my training group set out in Encintas to do the actual course...we just did half the distance of each. I would love to tell you that things went smoothly for me. But...they didn't......the swimming...the swimming is a totally different story at Moonlight Beach. We have been training at La Jolla Shores. This is open ocean water but it is fairly calm and the ocean floor is very flat, so the waves break very consistently there. Encinitas is a totally different ball game. On our Sunday swim I immediately noticed that the current is pulling both up and down the beach...the ocean floor is violently sloped and troughed in many places...which leads to waves breaking very erratically. Almost immediately upon jumping into the water a huge wave knocked me in the face and took my breath away. I was so freaked out I literally almost turned around and went back into the beach. I wish that we would have been training at this beach....it is quite literally a whole different game.

I know I am going to finish the race on Sunday...I just hope I can channel my inner yogi and remember that it's just water, I have spent my entire life in the ocean, and I am going to be completely fine. I also need to remember to breathe...I got so worked up on Sunday I couldn't breathe...spooky stuff. Of course, after the swim, we have to run up this crazy hill in our wet suit...panting away after swimming a half a mile. As if that swim isn't enough! I personally was cursing myself the whole time...I am the one who decided to do this, right? Am I a glutton for self-punishment?

Then we have to quickly get out of the wet suit and put on shoes to get biking for 12 miles. Then we have to switch and run 3.2 miles. During both of our transitions I kept thinking to myself...what am I doing here? Why on earth am I doing this to myself? I just finished swimming...now I have to bike? I just finished biking...now I have to run?

During the actual exercises my mind reached a kind of zen space....The course winds all through the cute little town of Encinitas and Cardiff by the sea....past the ocean and a lagoon...and the train tracks...it's really a pretty course with lots of visual distractions. But it's really during those transitions that my mind started playing tricks on me. Once I actually got into the rhythm of biking and running...it was smooth sailing. I just need to remember that when I start questioning my logic of putting myself through this beast of a challenge.

I am going to have to figure out a way to think in terms of what I have finished rather than what I still have to do. The race course found here shows that you literally bike and run two loops on the same course. This is also going to be challenging...mentally more than anything. When I run, bike, etc, I mentally enjoy seeing a landmark and realizing that I am a quarter or a half of the way done, and I won't pass that landmark again unless I am running or biking back that way. Well, on Sunday I will have to do two loops on both! So I am going to see everything twice...during two different events.

I think there will be lots of spectators cheering us all on and I am sure I will have an insane amount of adrenalin pumping through my veins...so that will certainly help. I also have prepared. I have been running, biking, and swimming my heart out...not to mention building strength through my yoga and sculpt classes. I have done everything I can to prepare and now it's time to enjoy the fruits of my labor....and to fight my way through that half mile, 12.4 miles, and 3.2 miles. If you had told me a year ago I would be running right now...I would have laughed at you. If you told me I would be preparing for a triathlon....I would have told you that you should lay off the funny stuff....It's really amazing what we can accomplish with our bodies when we put our minds to it!

So, this is my "taper" week and I am supposed to be taking it easy. I am trying to avoid yoga because yoga typically makes me sore the next day. (Although I sure miss it!) My training coach said to avoid anything that might make you sore. We are doing another ocean swim tonight, and I plan to get in two more bike rides and runs on the actual course...but I will just do half the distances. I need to save up my stamina and strength for Sunday.

Ah! Crazy, crazy stuff.