Tonight's workout was a little different... I went with RD to Power Yoga before the swim. I thought the stretching would be great for gimp foot and strength for my core (which is rather large right now). I found myself hating myself for choosing Yoga about 15 minutes in. Someone please tell me how the hell that is supposed to be relaxing? The instructor kept saying (in an annoying calm voice like a kindergarden teacher) "find your happy place, just let go, go deep into your heart, release the day and all the negative..." Meanwhile, I am trying to balance on one hand with my body twisted and every muscle tense causing me to shake... I am sweating so much that I am sliding on my little mat... Yeah, I got your happy place right here, biaznatch!

Swim Workout #5: 1,650 Meters

• 300 Warmup
• 3 x 100 Free for Time (1:22.38, 1:38.44, 1:38.44)
• 200 Pull with paddles
• 200 Kick with fins
• 200 pull with paddles
• 200 kick with fins
• 250 swim down

Observations:

1. Yoga, is not synonymous with relaxing and stretching. It reminded me of Junior High Football practice where coach made you lay on your back and hold your legs out straight, toes pointed 3 inches off the ground for an hour. That is basically power yoga, i.e., flex in some weird and awkward position and hold it until it hurts then hold it for about three minutes longer. Yeah, it sucks.
   
2. Confession: I think Yoga may be the ticket to a good and injury free ironman
3. This is an old one, but found it once again: you can go just as fast with a slow stroke and good form as cranking hard with bad form.
   
4. I am seriously considering joining a masters program... maybe Plano Wet Cats. We'll see.
   

Setback: The First Obstacle

Today, I went for my much awaited Gait Analysis. Here's the short version: my gimp foot is all jacked up. Apparently the string of injuries I have had in my left foot over my life, including fracture, liz frank injury, ruptured achilles, IT band issues, and a torn adductor, are all interrelated. The end result is a floppy foot and a time bomb for a running injury. I am so glad I went. As the therapist set up the tripod to film me running, she said, "does that hurt?"

"What?" I was truely puzzeled.

"Running?" She said, "because it looks painful."

I am so glad I went. I am trying to avoid injury and apparently, the gait analysis was a great idea! Here's the problem: The Ortho said, NO RUNNING... until we get some therapy and especially orthotics in place. He said my love (or in my current history, hate) for running will drastically improve with orthotics. I am cautiously optimistic.

So I guess my training really does start Monday... Which Monday, I just don't know. I plan to keep swimming and cycling just the same... Just keep moving forward and make good decisions!

Took advantage of the time change to trick myself into getting up early this morning for a swim. As part of my goal setting program, I am going to be moving the bulk of my run and swim workouts to before work. This will enable me to have a life, albeit a pretty lame and dorky one, after work.

So anyway, I did manage to get up early this morning. On 7 hours of sleep, I trudged to the gym. I am pleased with the lack of humans in the pool on Monday morning, it was nice and peaceful until about 7:00 and the fats and such came out of the woodwork (good for them, right?) The water seemed to have far less chemicals than Friday, and by far less chemicals, I mean you could see the bottom. I swam incident and burn free, so that is good news... however, the maintenance man and management staff all deny that anything was ever wrong with it... I seriously don't believe them. Additionally, the maintenance guy did mention that he came in on his day off to check the pool... right.

Swim workout #4:

• 200 Warmup
• 200 Pull (w/ paddles)
  
• 300 Kick (w/fins)
• 400 Free 8:08:22
• 200 Pull (w/ paddles)
• 300 Kick (w/ fins)
• 400 Free 8:10:02

Confessions:

1. I am very dissinterested in the warm up and cool down, I feel they are a waste of time. Somehow, I think that may be stupid, but let's go with it for now.
2. Felt like crap this morning in the pool... especially in the 400 set. Just felt a little out of synch and such. This shook my motivation a little bit.
3. I wanted to quit after the first kick set (just being honest)
4. Got a little bored today
5. Had a bit of a breakthrough on the pull paddle drill. Felt like my form was great and balanced.
   
6. I am worried about my form and the possibility that I am training myself into bad habits. I think I need to swim with someone or a group soon.

Oh, I almost forgot... today is my gait analysis. I am very excited about it. If I could just get to the point where running is fun and pain free, life would be great! My run training is to begin officially this week. I took about two weeks off to let my shinn splints heal from the monster tri. I think I am ready. Hopefully these types of decisions will keep me injury free until August!

Bike Training:

Bike training today was a little different. I could not help myself... I went mountain biking. I really hope that I can work some of this type of "cross" training into my workout. I think one of the biggest things I will miss next summer and closer to reace time is moutain biking. It is just so much fun to me... anyway, Norm and I rode Northshore trail at Grapevine. Felt great most of the day, was climbing well and all... bonked with about 2 miles left. All in, a great 20 miles of interval taining.