Are we on a break?

My non-training training routine continues to roll along fairly nicely. I continue to do what I feel like when I feel like, which has been a lot of bike trainer classes, a fair number of 45-60 minute easy-aerobic runs (with the odd speed workout or long run thrown in for good measure), and some marathon-like yard cleanup sessions on the weekends.

[Side note: we have just over 4 acres of property, and the broom bush has gotten a little out of hand over the past 4-5 years when IM training took priority over everything, especially yard work. So I've been spending a lot of time on the weekends making up for lost time. This past Sunday I spent a solid 6+ hours cutting and pulling. I could barely make a fist with my hands on Monday they were so sore].

As for swimming, well I think me and swimming are going through a bit of a rough patch. I'm not saying 100% that we're on a break, but we might be. My desire to get into the pool lately is sorely lacking – and when I actually do get there, I just feel out of place and slow and clunky and unmotivated.

Not 100% sure of the reason why, as swimming has usually been one of my favourite activities, but I do have three excuses theories…

1) There are a couple really fast girls that have been coming to the pool more recently and their addition crowds up the lanes just a bit more than I'm used to. Which is fine, I'm not in any way saying it's my pool or whatever, it's just that having them there leaves me feeling in this weird in between spot – not fast enough for the fast lane, but too fast for the moderate lane. I find myself just trying to stay out of their way when I am in the fast lane, and so can't get into any sort of good swimming rhythm.

Also, while I'm sure they are nice people outside of the pool, they are not very friendly in the pool. To me, this ups their intimidation factor, so my not-fast-enough insecurities are much higher than say, if they were super friendly, because now, I always just feel like I'm totally in their way. Ya dig?

2) I've had a bit of a weird tightness/pain in my low back/right hip area for the last couple months. I think it is due to a super hard fall I took on that side in late September during a cyclocross ride. It doesn't bother me when I bike or run, only when I swim or stand for long periods (the pain has very gradually increased over time, so it's not like I've been ignoring this for months). Lately, when I swim (and especially when I turn and push off the wall) it really aches, and then continues to be uncomfortable and achy for the rest of the day.

I saw a physio last week, and as has happened in the past, my pelvis seems to be slightly off balance due to a super tight hip on one side and a loose hip/tight quad on the other. I'm diligently doing the exercises and stretches the physio gave me and am hopeful this will start to help soon, but in the meantime, swimming is slightly unpleasant.

3) Changes are upon us! I will be moving up to Ucluelet with Shane in May. Ukee is a small town. Small town = no pool. The closest pool is probably about 90 minutes away on a narrow winding road that I have no desire to drive multiple times a week, just to get a swim workout in. Therefore, swimming is not going to be happening for the next year to year and a half (except of course during the summer months when I can get in a lake or the ocean). So, at times, going to the pool feels like a rather pointless endeavour at the moment.

So that's that. My levels of exercise are nowhere near that of an IM year, but that's okay. I'm still sweating every day, and shockingly, when I weighed myself last weekend (which I rarely do) I was at the same weight as I was a couple days before IMCdA last year. Go figure. I am feeling pretty strong right now, and healthy *knock wood* so I think I'll continue down this road of exercising for the joy of it and just see where it leads me.

Oh yeah, and how could I forget to mention ~ I went mountain biking last weekend!!

I spent two hours on the trails at Hartland with a super awesome (and patient) teacher from Dirty Girlz. There were about 6 or 7 girls who came out for the ride, but they were all pretty experienced, so Margot (one of the ride hosts) volunteered to take me out on some beginner trails and show me the ropes. It was pretty much like a 2hr private lesson, which was pretty awesome.

I don't have a tonne to report, other than I didn't totally suck! I was actually pretty pleased (and pleasantly surprised) with my skills. I was also surprised to find myself way less afraid of going downhill over all the rocks and roots than I was trying to climb up and over some of the obstacles. It was a much different workout than settling in and working at an aerobic pace for hours on end, but I certainly enjoyed myself, and would love to do it again. 

Oh, and while I did fall a handful of times (and am very grateful for the elbow and knee pads a friend had lent me) I only have a few bruises – but I figure they just make me look tough.

Alright, so now, that really is that. Time for some happy photos…

Day 25

My Galentine's Day date.

Day 26

My ride for the day.
Compared to my roadie - that is a lot of bike!

Day 27

Amidst the forest of broom that has grown, it was fun to find
these little bulbs hiding in the tangle. My friend and I planted them
when Shane and I first bought our property, 9-10 years ago.

Day 28

A new alley to cut through on the way to work.

Day 29

I just thought this was a pretty scene.