Random musings

I wish I had something super interesting or inspiring to say right now.  But, I just don't. Read to the end, or skip to the end and you'll find a fun surprise - meaning something free! :) 

I will say that I've been enjoying "off season" immensely.  And, while I was a little sad to sell my Marine Corps Marathon bib at the time, now I'm very happy I did.  This is the first time in 3 years that I'm not training for a race in the immediate future.  Yes, I've got Wildflower on my calendar, but that's not til May, and training doesn't officially start until November.  So, for now, I'm on "simmer."  

I've been doing master's swim sessions and track sessions with Tri Train Endurance Coaching, although I've missed the last two weeks of track, once because I was at work stupidly late and the other time for family stuff (I absolutely can not blow off family stuff for training in off season, they would definitely kill me.)  Coach Jason and Coach Dave have been helping me a ton with my swimming.  Seriously feels like I'm improving a lot, this makes me very happy.  Actually last Tuesday I had a stellar swim session.  My arms were still sore from Go Karting two days before, but I managed to hold a pace that is 5 seconds faster than what I'm supposed to be aiming for.  I felt strong and good the whole time.  And, somehow I wound up sharing a lane with just one other person while the lane next to us had four people.  Score! I'm really enjoying masters swim and am happy to see improvement already.

I've been doing lots of ocean swims, and loving most of them.  Yesterday, not so much.  The ocean well, she was angry.  The waves were big and I got tossed around like a rag doll.  I'm really not scared of the ocean, but yesterday, I was a little scared.  I'm a strong swimmer, and I like being in the water and the ocean, but being battered by big waves over and over again, and being knocked to the ocean floor over and over again wasn't what I would call fun.  I'm fine, and will probably OWS again this week, but, nevertheless it was a good reminder to respect the ocean, cause she can and will take you out.  So, yes, the ocean can be scary, if you let it be.  I knew every time I got knocked under that I would float back up again - the beauty of a wetsuit, its incredibly buoyant.  And, I'm not scared of the ocean.  I do respect the ocean and I will be right back out there again.

Wetsuit, keeps me buoyant

While the ocean was angry yesterday I did witness something pretty cool.  After Holly and I turned back after not being able to make it out for a second loop, we were sitting on the beach (baking in our wetsuits) and Holly pointed out to the waves.  We saw dolphins surfing! It was very cool.  I had a headache for most of the day yesterday, I'm pretty sure it was related to the wave tumbling beating I took.  Also, I was covered in sand after that adventure.  And, salt water was pouring out of my nose for most of the rest of the day.  Not cute. 

Ocean on a not angry day.

Okay, enough salt water talk.

Its October 1st.  The next season starts in a month.  I think its time to up the simmer a bit, maybe to a slow boil.  I want my weekend runs to be 5-8 miles minimum.  And I need to ride my bike at least 60-90 minutes on the weekend plus a mid week ride.  I've got the swim part down.  No more skipping things cause I don't feel like it (that's what I've been doing in the off season, and I've been loving it), its time to get my ass in gear again so that November doesn't come like a slap in the face.

I love love love coaching Girls on the Run.  Easily my favorite activity of the week right now.  The girls are so cute and have so much fun and I'm definitely learning more from them than they are from me.  I've found that I love coaching.  Its a totally volunteer position it is incredibly rewarding.  I would probably pay money to do this.  I think I'd like to do more coaching in the future, beyond just Girls on the Run.

Showing the world what confidence looks like!

Post practice snacks

Carmageddon Part 2 was not so bad.  I was nervous, I live right near the 405/101 interchange, meaning the start of the freeway closure.  I was nervous that traffic would be bad this time around.  But, it wasn't.  I managed to drive to Santa Monica yesterday morning without any issues.  It did take me more than an hour to get back, but that's cause I had to take the streets the whole way, but really there wasn't too much traffic. Yay LA!  Also a win, every helicopter in the city was not hovering over my aparement all weekend, like last time.  When the freeway closed last year it was so loud and miserable at my place, all the news stations had their helicopters hovering overhead for what felt like the entire weekend.  It was irritating.  Much better this time, I think everyone complained, and so it was much quieter this time. 

Very empty freeway heading south on Sunday morning (re-opened at the Getty heading South)

My sister is moving out of my parents place right now.  And, this week my mom and I start getting the room ready for me to move in.  This means I have to start packing.  Blech. I hate moving.  It also means I need to get a storage unit and sell some stuff.  I'm selling a couch and chair (not my new ones), a nice wood coffee table (no idea what kind of wood, but its nice), a dresser and TV.  I'll be taking all the money from this stuff and putting it toward my new bike.  Fridge, kitchen stuff, things I will need when I move out in a year, will go in to a storage locker.  Everything else comes with.  I'm super grateful to my parents for letting me move back in.  I'll be able to pay off the little debt that I have left and save a bunch of money.  Plus the dog will have some company and I won't feel guilty for being gone all the time with training.

He's very good at the pathetic face. Maybe he'll make it less with some live in playmates.

Last week I spent an evening playing Scrabble with an old friend.  We were good friends for a while and then not friends at all for like almost 6 years, due to reasons that seems mostly inconsequential now.  It was fun, although he beat me at Scrabble, which is obviously rude, he should have let me win.  I'm not as good at Scrabble as I used to be, I need more practice.  It was an interesting evening it didn't feel like so much time had passed.  The mark of a good friendship? Maybe.

It's going to be super hot in the Valley this week.  Its supposed to be 107 today.  Thank god I have a/c.  I am a weather wimp.  I want it to be cooler.  Apparently we don't get any semblance of fall here this year, just more summer, not that we get much of a fall anyway, but still, 107 on October 1st? Yuck.  (This means I will not be running today or doing any kind of physical activity outside.  Inside in a/c only, so I don't die.)  Also, since we're in October this means the days are getting shorter.  I have a hard time dragging myself out of bed in the fall when its still dark outside.  This happens to me every year, my body/brain do not adapt well to shorter days.  My therapist had me try light therapy one year - did not work.  Maybe I can find a way around it.  I need to find a way quick, cause the getting out of bed difficulties are already starting.  And, I'd rather not up my medication as a solution.

That's all for now.  Like I said, not much inspiring or interesting to read here.  I have a better post in the works on how I've spent my off season, aka summer vacation.  

Now to the free thing.  So, I was accepted in to the Mezamashii Run Project, meaning I got a free pair of Mizunos.  I got these beauties.

I'm really liking them.  They aren't as light weight as the Kinvaras I've been in for a while, but I do like them, a lot.  And, I have one Mezamashii membership to give out to someone else.  Meaning you could get free Mizunos too.  I have to pick quickly, the invitation expires in two weeks.  This also means when I pick someone they only have until the 16th of this month (two weeks from tomorrow) to call and get their shoes.  So I need to pick someone soon.  I've been meaning to do this for a while.  I just keep forgetting.  Whoops.  What does this mean, someone who reads this blog (one of the 5 or so of you out there), can get some free Mizunos.

All you have to do is tell me that you want them.  Put it in a comment here, message me, email me, facebook me, send a carrier pigeon, just let me know you want them by tomorrow at 5pm PST.  I'll pick someone tomorrow night and notify the lucky runner Wednesday morning.  I'm not gonna use that random number draw thing.  I'm not exactly sure how I'm gonna pick, maybe I'll draw a name out of a hat.  I don't know.  You don't have to follow my blog to win (although if you want to, join in, sometimes I have sort of interesting things to say).  You don't have to tweet about it or follow me on twitter. You don't have to do any of the usual blog give away shenanigans.  Just tell me you want em and I'll pick a winner tomorrow night.