Spring Break 2015 - A move/train-cation!

I'm not complaining about my spring break, but I think that I need a vacation now that it's over!  Productive?  Check!  Fun?  Check!  Relaxing?  NO!

But, we made major progress on the imminent move to Boulder - by taking a truckload of stuff to Boulder at the beginning of the week and then flying back home.  

 Just getting started!

Taking a break - somewhere in the Mojave

Unloading!

The drive to Boulder was fairly uneventful - we didn't have weather issues, which was fortunate in the lovely U-Haul.  And, we spent the night in Winslow, AZ, which I wouldn't recommend to anyone, despite the Eagles' song that made it famous (or somewhat famous?). 

Boulder was a lot of unpacking and thinking about our next steps, but I mixed in some training while I was there, on the bike and running.  It was a bit of a challenge to motivate a few days thanks to the weather:

We arrived on Monday (a beautiful day, but after 12 hours or so in the car, I was more than ready for a stiff drink), and then Tuesday, I set out for a windy bike ride.  During said ride, I think my HR was at about 90% for 90% of the ride - I was white-knuckling it, just hoping that I didn't get blown over OR blown into traffic.  Wednesday, I was supposed to fit in a brick, but as you can see, it was going to be 46 degrees as a high, plus rain.  So, I set out for an early morning run, during which it rained, snowed and hailed on me.  Good times!  Finally, I squeezed in the brick Thursday before we flew back to CA.  Also, please note the weather on Friday and then Saturday!  It was strange to leave my Trek road bike, Sunshine, in Boulder - it's now just me and the Bat!

For the end of the break, I drove down to Oceanside, CA on Saturday to spectate Oceanside 70.3.  It's always tempting to sign up for this race, but when it rolls around, I'm usually SO relieved that I didn't.  But...  Maybe one day?!  It was a gorgeous day to be out spectating - a little bit warm, but not too crazy.  I missed the men's finish but saw Heather Jackson cross the finish line.  Wow, she is so amazing!  She raced and won Wildflower last year, and I saw her exit the water but didn't see the finish (obviously - I was somewhere on the bike course).  It was also great to see and cheer for a lot of people that I know. 



Saturday afternoon, I spent working on my swim technique - Beth Gerdes, my coach (I always feel like a fraud when I use that term, but what else should I call her?), was very kind enough to offer a session in their endless pool.  I was SUPER nervous about swimming in front of people and it was kind of weird to be on a 'swim treadmill', but I did get some great feedback and I know what I need to work on.  Then, Sunday morning, Beth and another one of her athletes (who lives in Pasadena and with whom I should train!) and I set out on a ride.  I have major bike riding route envy now - it was SUCH a nice ride.  Lots of rolling hills, rather than crazy steep ascents and descents, and very biker friendly.  Also, it was a wonderful day to ride, a bit foggy early on but then it burned off.  Finally, I was super nervous about riding with other people, especially a pro(!), but this other woman and I were really well matched.  I obviously need to just get over my anxiety about how terrible I am on the bike and develop some confidence once and for all!  Anyway, it was so generous of Beth to spend time Saturday and Sunday with us.  Not only is she an amazing athlete (recently 5th at IM Asia-Pacific!) but a really great coach too.

Anyway, I was really excited about getting in 4 bike rides last week - some of them weren't very fun and none was very fast, but I do feel better about St. George and about heading into the next few weeks (although thank goodness this is a recovery week! and thank goodness I have Friday off!).  

Also, we have made progress on the move to Colorado (I keep saying Boulder, but, really, we could be anywhere).  We will be putting our house up for sale within the next few weeks which seems totally crazy to me.

Spring Break 2014

To say that returning to work today was a challenge would be an understatement, but I can't imagine that any more time off would be good for me!  Not that I would complain about days filled with naps (I think that I took one every single day of my break - bliss!), but then they would be commonplace, and why should that happen?!

I spent most of my time hunkered down at home, but between training, catching up on grading, and napping, the week passed by pretty quickly.  Gus and I bonded over stretching and strength training.

He also took lots of naps with me!

Michael spent part of the week in Boulder, CO, visiting family, but before he left town, I met up with some colleagues for a quick drink and then we finally made it to LACMA to see the James Turrell exhibit, catching the tail end of it.  I had been skeptical and not super enthused about seeing this exhibit, which was totally idiotic of me because it was one of the coolest exhibits I've seen in the longest time.  James Turrell - what a genius!  And not just because he has won a McArthur genius grant.  The way he looks at the world - whoa!  Totally blew my mind.  

On Thursday, I headed down to San Diego, where I picked up Michael, and we enjoyed a few days down south.  We drank great beer, randomly stumbling on Station Tavern in San Diego which was awesome, and then we mainly hung around Carlsbad/Encinitas/Oceanside, returning to familiar haunts from our last time there, back in January - El Callejón (great margaritas but not as much fun as the first time we went), Pannikin which I just learned is an "institution" in the area and has some of the best muffins I've ever had, and Union Kitchen and Tap.  

I also took our bikes down, so on Friday, after a walk on the beach with Gus and a great breakfast at the aforementioned Pannikin, Michael and I set out on what I promised would be a 3 hour ride MAX. 

Rough times at the beach!  The typical dog photo, I know!

I had discovered one of the "best rides of San Diego County" on line - from Carlsbad to Camp Pendleton up the coast.  Well, it ended up being much longer, mainly because we got turned around a few times (mainly at Camp Pendleton) and did not make the right turn that would have taken us to the coast.  Plus, we hit major traffic several times AND I had a flat!  I kept thinking of Gilligan's Island - "a three-hour tour...".  Despite all of those mishaps, it was a fun day, but that ride pretty much WAS the day!

Finally, I woke up early Saturday morning and headed to Oceanside, T1 - to help out at Oceanside 70.3.  Despite the crazy early hour, it was a fun morning and the time passed quickly.  We were checking people who were going into the transition area for the first hour or so, then, once the race started, we were helping people at the bike mount line.  I've never actually seen all of the leaders get on the bike, so that was fun - or would have been had I been able to recognize anyone!  Also, that mount line was crazy busy!  I don't think that I've ever been at a race that had so much traffic at the mount line.  Or maybe I have but I don't notice it racing?  Our major job at the mount line was to check for bibs - if people did not have a bib, they could not ride on Camp Pendleton, which meant that they couldn't finish the race.  So, we gave people bibs if they were leaving without one.  Here I am in "action" (I think I gave Thom, in front of me, the bib who then stuck it in a racer's kit):

In addition to the bike mounting issues, there was some crazy stuff I saw that morning - first of all, a guy who had not picked up his packet the day before strolled up wanting to know where to get his packet.  Ummm - did you not read any of the information that Ironman.com sent you?  And spectators who were trying to sneak into transition?  

We finished up around 9:00 and by the time the last person had mounted his/her bike and I walked to T2, the lead male racers were starting the run.  I did not spectate all of the run, but I did get to see the first couple of guys.  They were so fast (I know, stating the obvious, but seriously!).  

After that, it was time to return home.  The weekend ended on a more low-key note as I prepped for the week and fit in a long run and ride!  It was definitely a great break, and while I ended it feeling physically tired from training, it also let me recharge.  Good thing as we have the final push over these next 8 weeks!

Schooled in San Diego

So, after our northern exposure, on Wednesday, Michael and I went south to spend a quick night in the San Diego area visiting friends.  We enjoyed the evening with them, spent lots of time playing catch up and feeling awed at how much energy children take (they have two - a boy and a girl, almost 3 and 5).
The stay in Oceanside, Ca was brief - just an evening - but it felt like a total getaway!  I realize that San Diego is a mere 1.5-2 hours (or 4, depending on traffic) away from the LA area, but in the six years that we've been in LA together, this was our first time to the San Diego area together.  We are officially lame. What is funny is that we'll be returning in a few short weeks, so maybe we'll become well-acquainted with San Diego and its environs.
Despite the brevity of the visit, we were able to take in some of the beach culture.  We had a pre-dinner snack at a taco stop called "Bull Taco".  They weren't the best tacos ever, but we hit happy hour, so they gave us a free taco which we happily scarfed down.  As we ate, we felt very non-beachy.  Or, at the very least, we weren't cloaked in skate-boarding or surfing culture.
Since we were by the water, I had big plans for Thursday morning:  Open Water Swim.  You know, we were right by the beach, staying close to the start line of the Oceanside 70.3, slated to take place on March 31 which is tomorrow.
So, yesterday morning, I suited up, and Michael and I hit the beach just south of the Oceanside pier, despite knowing that the water was in the mid 50's.  I learned last year that swimming, for me, is pretty much a mental game.  So, while I feel stronger in the pool in these days, translating that to a lake or ocean is a completely different experience.  I thought about my last ocean swim - in Santa Barbara on a fairly balmy August morning.  That wasn't a fast swim, but I felt comfortable in the water.  Seemed like a stark contrast to the chilly, grey morning in San Diego.  Still, I managed to not freak out when my feet touched the cold water and kept going out.  That is, until one wave after another started to crash.  And then kept crashing.  I finally got beyond what I thought was the break point and then a huge wave hit me and pushed me 20 feet back to the shore.  Really?  I think I spent 15 minutes trying to get beyond the waves before I decided that it was ridiculous.  By the time I had moved beyond the waves (if that ever happened), I'd be too exhausted to swim.  So, I decided that the fact that my feet were numb and that I had gotten in a few strokes and that no hyperventilating had ensued, it was a productive open-water experience.  Not a swim, but an experience!
As I struggled out of the wetsuit in the bathroom, right by the Expo area for Saturday's race, a woman who was volunteering starting chatting with me.  She was in charge of the swimmers entering and exiting the water - kind of cool!  I felt like a fraud because it looked like I had been a badass, going out for a morning swim.  Not quite...
The other two thoughts that came to mind yesterday morning had to do with the Oceanside race.  Back in the fall, I seriously contemplated signing up for Oceanside.  In fact, I would have pulled the trigger, but by the time I decided that I wanted to sign up for it, the race was sold out.  Now, I feel that I dodged a bullet.  Maybe I would have been ready.  Maybe.  But that swim would have killed me, unless the waves are less brutal just a bit north of where I was swimming.
The second thought was "HOLY SHIT".  Because, while I am not participating in Oceanside tomorrow, I *am* signed up for a 70.3 race in Boulder.  I've suddenly realized that while I'm in good shape for an Olympic tri in May, I've got a lot of work to do before August 5!
So, the swim - kind of a bust.  However, we returned north to LA, stopping briefly in Santa Ana, CA for some street tacos (amazing! and I need to start eating better now!), and then I put in a good swim at the pool.  Not the same, I know, but definitely more productive in some ways than just getting battered for an hour by the ocean while not really swimming at all.
And the trip south - overall, a good trip that makes me want to head back south when it's warmer!  And I'd like to dip into the water for a real swim one of these days.