Week 38

Can you believe I have just three weeks left? I can't. This week was no different than the others where I try to avoid training and try to have a life and tell myself it's ok. I did a little too much fun making early in the week but followed it up with some good solid iron-activity. It's weird. I think I am not doing the workouts because I am tired even tho I don't really physically *feel* tired. I just feel blah.

Monday - Rest Day
The weird thing about being unemployed is that, without the structure, I have no idea what I did most days. I've been having to go to my Flickr Set - XX Days of Unemployment to figure it out. I know that I didn't work out. I know that I saw Zack. Oh! I had dinner with Jessica and her boyfriend, Will, who are visiting from New England. We went to my favorite Taqueria and then Zack met us for drinks at Mission Bar.

Tuesday - Rest
I was still really aching from my Triple Brick on Sunday so I took today off from training too. Today I had an interview with Unemployment Services. Apparently they were going to assess my eligibility to get work. I was a little groggy from drinks the night before and waking up at 6:30 to get ready for an 8am appointment. The meeting was stupid. I sat around for a few until a lady came to collect me and another guy. She led us back to her cubicle which was just plastered with photos of plants and flowers that were part of a calendar. Weird. I tried to take a covert operation photo but since I was sitting less than a foot from her it was hard. She then reviewed this worksheet I filled out and handed me three sheets of paper with info on how to find a job. (gee thanks, I have never looked for a job before). I was out of there in 15 minutes. Decided to go to Chinatown but was like, eh. Then I decided to go to Macy's. Parked in the lot and treated myself to breakfast at Mel's. Didn't find anything fun to buy. Probably for the better. Later I went to a movie with Ian. We saw The Happening and it was incredibly dumb. I like to think that M. Night Shyamalan is a genius and his actors were acting that bad because of the storyline...but. I think it was just bad. Went over to Zack's and had dinner and watched a movie.

Wednesday - Well...
Had all the intentions in the world to run but woke up late-ish. I don't really remember what I did the rest of the day. Later I picked Zack up and we had dinner with Betsy and Rick at Little Star and then headed over to the Independent for the Air Guitar Championships. I had to bribe Zack to go since he thought it was gonna be lame. I kept saying, it's so awesome. This is my third year going. I wouldn't bring you to something lame. Then, of course, it was lame. I hate how the rest of the world takes the air guitar seriously except for the 20 contestants in San Francisco. LAME.

Thursday - Swim
Drove down to Burlingame to check out this pool down there. Weird that they don't put speeds on the lanes. Usually a pool will mark them slow, medium or fast. When I asked the lifeguard she said it didn't work out very well when they tried that. I was thinking, how could it NOT work out? And, really? It works out better to have them not marked so that someone slow gets in a lane with someone fast and then they have problems? Sigh. Found a lane with a guy who I assessed to be around my speed. We ended up splitting the lane so it was no biggee. The pool was treated with Bromine which, I always forget, makes me nauseous. Lap swim down there is only an hour so I couldn't finish my 3700 yards. I probably did like half of it. Stayed in that night finishing up Entourage season 3.

Friday - Run
Went to my chiropractor in the morning. I totally needed it. I have no idea what I am gonna do right after my race without Dr. Rabbetz there. Probably suffer for the week at my mom's and then get adjusted when I get back. Right after my appointment I went to Crissy Field and ran. The wind was horrible but I pushed through. Later in the day I felt like it might have been a mistake since I started to feel really stressed in my lower back. Spent the afternoon swearing with Yi on instant messenger regarding the bike route profile. It was gonna be tough. Put new tires on my bike. Watched a movie and went to bed around 8:30.

Saturday - Ride
Doug picked me up (late) and we headed down to the peninsula for our 100 mile ride that promised over 10,000 feet of climbing. Looking back, I wasn't really in the mental state for this ride. Things have been weighing heavily on my mind lately. Plus, when we pulled in the parking lot, most of the team had left. Was kinda bummed that Yi didn't wait for me even tho I texted her that I was gonna be a bit late. It all worked out since Robin and Madora were just getting there as well and I decided to ride with them. The main reason I got through last weeks triple brick was because I took it slow and that was my plan for today. With 100 miles ahead of me and some known and unknown climbing I wanted to make sure I saved myself for the massive 9 mile climb at mile 80. First part of the ride was great. Until Hwy 9. It was 5-6 miles of steady climbing. Immediately, I pulled my back. The farther up I went, the more I realized that I was in trouble as a dull ache started in my lower left back. Felt like crying a lot about a lot of stuff. As soon as I felt the tears sting my eyes I just fought it back. I'm an ironman fer crissakes. Made it to the top and was so out of it. Ate some food, stretched my back and headed on for the next part of the ride. Uneventful until we reached Old La Honda Road. I know this road, my friend Jason lives 3/4 of the way up and it's even hard to drive when you're in a car. At the bottom the rest stop volunteers assured us that it was only 2.5 miles to the top and not that bad. Coach Alex started off with me and I just want to apologize to him right now. All he heard on the way up was me swearing, spitting and crying. I was doing ok tho, except in extreme moments of steepness when my back just felt like it was burning into my stomach, and then about a half mile from the top this guy rides by me and says, unfortunately the easy part is over. The easy part! Shit. That so didn't help my confidence for the last bit. Made it to the top, up and over and on that part I decided that I had to get sagged in (picked up and driven back to the car) at mile 70 which was right before the 9 mile climb on Tunitas Road. It's not something I am proud of, getting sagged, and is the first time in my entire cycling career that I have not finished a ride. We got to the bottom of Pescadero Road and there was a steepish climb with the rest of the road hidden behind a curve. I asked Coach Dan from the South Bay team what the climb was like. He said, oh it's not bad. I asked him again saying that I needed to know specifically and to please not use the "coach deflection" technique since if it was only 500 feet I could do it and if it was 2 miles I probably couldn't. He said it's not as bad as Hwy 9 to which I replied, well, Hwy 9 blew out my fucking back and I cried all the way up Old La Honda and I am tough (to which Helen, who was standing nearby, confirmed that I was one tough cookie). Dan fessed up that it was 4-5 miles and I was like, there is no way. So he told me of an alternate route that would put me at the next waterstop in 10 miles or less and off I went. I hate that he treated me like I was trying to get out of it because I was lazy. Especially since he had seen me several times previously where I had mentioned my back hurting.

Anyways

Got sagged and was planing on going to the top of Tunitas Road and then riding down but the time in the car stiffened my back up and I opted to just go back to the car. Doug was already done and eating (he was 2 hours a head of me even tho we left roughly around the same time!) We drove home and I felt like crying the whole way. The ride was a bit demoralizing for me and definitely did not build any confidence. Life is so hard sometimes! Came home and took an ice bath and got ready to go to Zack's for a party. Yes, I rode 70 tough miles and planned on partying! hahaha. (not really, just visiting)

Sunday - Nada
Supposed to run but because of the state of my back put it off til Monday when hopefully my body and my mental state will all be better.