And by friends, I mean “friends”.
i kid, i kid. now that it’s no longer a part of my daily wardrobe, all is forgiven.
now to figure out what to do with this atrocious footwear… anyone wanna have a bonfire? ;)
tris & tribulations
swim, bike, run, eat… repeat. My triathlon training blog
Category Archives: Training
Recovery Routine
My post-workout recovery has been years of trial and error and evolution, but i finally feel like i’ve got it nailed down. It’s now become routine and it requires no thought. It actually came to be after waking up one Sunday morning (after a week of heavy training) feeling completely fresh and rested. that morning, i did one of my best long runs in training that i can remember and since then, i’ve kept my saturday routine just about the same. why mess with something that works? call me superstitious, but if i can have fresh legs on sunday, i’ll do whatever it takes.
the Florida sun is brutal so it’s really important to stay cool and hydrated even after your workout. So, the second i walk in the door, i grab a water bottle from the fridge and an ice pack from the freezer (for my neck). I sip the water while i get my recovery smoothie blended up. (recipe below). As soon as it’s ready and my vitamix is clean, i grab the keys and jump in the car and go down the street to the gas station. i’m pretty sure the folks working there have caught onto my routine, b/c today the girl looked at me (dripping with sweat, still wearing my fuelbelt and compression gear) and asked “Ice?”. Yup. 40 pounds, please. $6.40 later, I get my upperbody workout in just carrying these awkward bags.
Once I’m back home, i feed my dog, turn the cold water on in my bathtub, and start the coffee maker. I grab a sweatshirt and reluctantly get my legs in the water. A friend of mine gave me a great tip– get in the tub while the water is going BEFORE adding the ice, it’s much less intense. for real.
After the ice melts, i jump in the shower, get clean and go straight for the kitchen. My breakfast always consists of a nice bowl of gRAWnola– 1/2 cup of raw granola i purchase from my local farmer’s market (i make my own fairly often, but the cost of ingredients + ample prep time totally make it worth buying to me. i eat it daily, so i go through it faster than i can make it. I add in half a banana, half a peach, and whatever organic berries i have on hand (fresh or frozen) and top it all with almond milk (homemade when possible). I grab my coffee and plop down on the couch with whatever trashy tv i have on my DVR.
Recover(ite)y Smoothie
Ingredients
• 1.5 scoops Recoverite (citrus flavor)
• 3/4 c almond milk (add more for desired consistency)
• large handful frozen organic strawberries
• Few slices frozen Organic mango
• 1 tsp MSM powder
• 1 TBS goji berries
• 6 ice cubes
Blend all ingredients in vitamix until fully blended.
LOVE THIS.
i pretty much end up remaining on my couch after I slip on (well, more like battle with to get on) my compression ice sleeves (seriously genius idea) until the farmer’s market opens at 2, which usually is only about an hour at this point.
hey, it’s not for everyone, but it’s my weekend, and i wouldn’t trade it for a thing.
Day before the race.
tomorrow is race day. i’m ready. i can do this. for now, i’ve got a migraine and it’s time for bed.
Socks.
Yes, i did just title this post with one of the most boring elements of a person’s wardrobe…
Anyone who knows me well knows that I have a sort-of self-inflicted rule whereby I refuse to wear the same outfit twice. No, I don’t consider myself of those self-proclaimed “fashionistas” or even a terribly materialistic girly-girl, but for some reason I’ve just always been this way. I’ll never pair the same shirt with the same skirt with the same shoes. It just feels wrong to me. Doesn’t that shirt deserve to spend some time with some other skirts? Sure, I’ll wear a dress more than once a season (well, some of them, at least), but I’ll always change it up somehow– be it a necklace or a scarf or heels vs flats. Ok, i really am sounding like a materialistic girly-girl… i swear, i’m not. I do have a rather large closet (ok, ok, and maybe it is organized by color and item) and it is sometimes a burden to have to fumble through hundreds of wooden hangers to acquire a newly pieced together ensemble, but I typically get ready in less than 15 minutes– including feeding the dog, cooking my eggwhites, showering, AND getting dressed. Hey, my time is valuable and I get as MUCH sleep as i can before I crawl out of my bed and into my swim/bike/run routine.
But, i totally digress, back to the lame title: “socks”. so, yes, while it is rare that I ever wear an article of clothing more than once, and most definitely never in the same week, i make an exception when it comes to socks… and more specifically, my compression socks. I have 4 pairs of compression socks which i pretty much rotate out constantly. I wear them to bed every night and if i’m at home you can pretty much count on the fact that i’m rockin my thigh-highs. I usually keep at least one pair in my purse and break them out at work under my desk on days where i’ve got an evening workout planned.
So i guess that makes me a sock-wearin’ fashion lover… quite the oxymoron.
… but I never claimed to be normal.
Why Tri?
I spent the entire afternoon filming a video depicting my experiences as a triathlete. I’m not good when it comes to being on the camera, but it really helped that the videographer is a good friend and the interview was regarding a topic I’m passionate about.
We, as triathletes, spend hours a day training, recovering, and preparing ourselves mentally and physically for our competitions. So many decisions we make, large or small, conscious or not, are made with our training or racing in mind. It becomes almost second nature. Some days I train and simply check it off my to-do list without a second thought. It’s easy to follow the pattern. We get into a routine and it’s comfortable– it’s comfortable and it’s predictable. I know that every Saturday morning is filled with a long ride followed by a run. I know that I spend a little extra time on Monday evenings preparing my food for Tuesday because I try and get in 3 workouts before work. I know these things and I like these things, but today I was reminded how much.
My interview brought back a plethora of emotions and memories and really encouraged me to take a look back at my experiences over the years. I got to relive the rush of crossing that proverbial finish line on multiple accounts. I had to put into words something i take for granted: the love of the sport.
My guess is you probably spent some time today either in the pool or on your bike or in your running shoes…. But when was the last time you spent time reflecting? When was the last time you took a step back and remembered the beginning of the journey that brought you here? I encourage you, do it now.
So, I’d like to know… why do you tri?
video to come soon.
