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I’ve been taking a week off from training, starting on Monday. Then this coming Monday I will resume training AND AND AND be starting my new job with Amazon!
But the week off has given me some much-needed time for relaxing, regrouping, and reassessing. As for relaxing, top activities thus far have included: riding a horse on Monday (for the last time in a while 
), and shopping at Target, ostensibly for work clothes but really I just wound up buying my first-ever pair of “skinny jeans” from the teenagers’ section, which guys, this does *not* mean I am buying anorexic, lose-5-lbs-so-the-$200-jeans-will-fit jeans. In reality it means I found some $15 faux-hipster pants that don’t look leotarded and they are black and I want new black pants. Additional relaxing activities have included traveling from the East coast to the West, testing out Ben’s kombucha (it’s not bad, but I think the next batch will be better), “helping” Ben clean his motor boat (I have not shaken my lifelong, resolute distaste for aquatic motor sports. Total sensory pollution if you ask me), and catching up on some Tivo.
My major regrouping activity of the week involved a trip to the chiropractor. Lucky for me, Dr. Phil Spencer has become one of my good friends here in Seattle. I was able to pester him from afar when my back started hurting me in Maryland, and then yesterday was the appointed day for an in-person evaluation. Which basically confirmed what I already know: my friggin’ back hurts. In addition to the reverse curvature I have in my neck (which I have mentioned here before), I also have the beginnings of disc degeneration in the disc above my sacrum, and an obnoxiously zig-zaggy spine. Sweet. So yeah, my back hurts. My hope is that, with regular chiropractic treatments and an improved flexibility routine, my back AND my body will feel better.
And finally: reassessment! Like stay local, go back to basics stuff. I’ve decided that after a few months of pretty regular traveling, I’m going to stay here in Seattle until October-ish. I want to enjoy the most beautiful months of the year here, and there are a lot of cool races nearby. Cool races that aren’t giant superstar-fests – I’m hoping to gain a little confidence over the summer, and a little speed. Mostly in the water. Which, ugh, isn’t this always the case, but I thought I was doing soo well with my swim training! And yesterday when Ben and I went down to Phil’s office for our appointments, we decided to go swimming at the nearby 50-meter pool. I know it’s my week off, but long course meters! And Ben can see how much I have improved! Of course I’ll swim! But after only 50 meters of swimming, Ben stopped me. “What are you DOING?!” he said. “Is that a DRILL?!”.
No. It’s me swimming.
Apparently this whole me getting slower thing isn’t a fluke. It’s a fact. What the crap. Also now apparently I am not even allowed to mention that Ben has been helping me with my swimming, because he doesn’t want his reputation to be tarnished 
. But what can I do besides keep working at it? Keep working at it with guidance. Oh, and blame it on my back!
Comments
This entry was posted on Friday, June 19th, 2009 at 6:40 pm and is filed under quotables, training, trials and tribs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
you bought skinny jeans!!!! oh man, i feel less cool now.
Yum I LOVE kombucha and brew my own. I ‘perfected’ the recipe and now it’s pefectly fizzy and lightly lemony. I think I’ll go have a bottle now.
What races are you doing up there? Hopefully you’ve got some 10k or half marathons or tri’s for me! See you guys in a week. I’ll be riding by Ben’s place on the BGT on the 29th.
I tried that kombucha-krap once and almost threw up. And I have pretty adventurous tastebuds, too.
(but you noted that with our exquisite pre-race dinner consisting of mexican tomato sauce and a can of tuna.)
High class, baby. Hiiiiiigh class.
Knock ‘em dead w/ those skinny jeans. Just be sure to practice walking in those heels. It’s easier than a flying dismount, so you should be ok.
Keep working on the swimming. It will come with time and lots of hard work and attention to form. You can do it!!!
I have heard a similar comment about my swimming too…now when you are swimming you can ask yourself if you are swimming or drilling- it will make you laugh. Enjoy the new job and good luck with the changes!