Keeping up a journal daily is almost as challenging as getting your workouts in every day. Like all else in life, it takes discipline. Something to work on.
Not having gotten my bike done in the morning Wednesday due to technical difficulty, I had to do my ride in the evening, after work. Doesn't sound that hard, but after a long day of work and tired - dinner and relaxation tempting you - it can be a struggle. I bucked up and got on my bike. I pedaled 41 minutes and covered 12.10 miles - not too bad as it was a somewhat hilly course too. I am not a fast cyclist ever, so any day that I can do 17 or 18 miles per hour is a good day. I was chasing the silver man on my LCD panel. He still beats me - but not for long. I actually did 2 loops of the same course, the finish times mere seconds apart. A good ride all in all.
Thursday was a rest day - had to be - my Achilles was once again aching and I had swelling too. Best not to push it.
Thursday also was my Live Love Laugh day. It was Ladies Pink Poker night. Ladies Pink Poker is a fundraiser held in honor of Charlene Gerads who valiantly fought breast cancer for 17 years and was taken from this earth much much too soon. Charlene loved Poker and taught other women to play. The group would have Pink Poker nights - girls only, sisterhood, food, drink, fun, and laughter. After Char's passing, her best friend Lisa started a Ladies Pink Poker tournament to raise money to kick cancer to the curb. Hoping to get 25 ladies to show up to play she was much surprised to find 99 women looking to play, and most of all contribute to this great cause. That was year one. Year two - $8900 was raised. This year - I figure at least 175 women showed up. I was player 164 when I registered and the night was young. There are 2 tournaments, experienced and novice - I am in the novice category, playing just once a year at this very event. The tournament represents exactly what Char envisioned - sisterhood, fun, food, laughter - and charity. It is the kind of event where you run into the same people that were there the year before and have now brought their friends. We reconnect, reflect, get caught up. There are hugs, and tears. There are bandannas covering bald heads. There are full heads of hair this year where bandannas had been the year before. We mourn losses and celebrate victories - like my dear friend Betsy. Betsy and I trained together for Betsy's first ever marathon in 2008. She finished her first marathon in Spearfish, SD in August of that year. In November as we were out for a short easy run on a cold Saturday morning she told me that she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. I thought my heart would stop. Too close to home. But just as she had run her marathon, she came through surgery, fought through chemo and radiation, said good bye to her hair, and eventually recovered. She pulled through like the fighter she is. Today, she is cancer free and I am grateful to be able to run with her again. Sitting at a table with her, laughing and playing poker to raise money that someday will help us stomp out this disease is priceless.
This was a great opportunity to connect up with friends and acquaintances and to make new friends. I was happy to see Charlene's family. They are warm and loving. One of her nephews - Jessie Kiefer - excitedly told me that he was headed to Madison WI for IM Wisconsin - or IMOO as we like to call it. I am excited for and proud of him. He will do well no doubt. His parents are excited and proud and will be there to cheer him on.
Poker is fun - but it isn't about the game - well maybe for some it is - but for me it is the spirit of the whole thing. It is sharing chips when the sister sitting next to you is running low and you have plenty. It is high fiveing the woman sitting next to you for just winning the last hand - never mind she is whomping you in the process. It is laughing so hard your Chardonnay is coming out of your nose. It is being part of something really great.
Live, Love and Laugh I say.
Despite a late night of living, laughing and let's face it indulging a little - I rolled out of bed at a decent hour and got out for a run. Nothing huge, about 40 minutes. It was very humid - foggy really, when I started. I don't enjoy running in heat and humidity but darn it - there was work to be done. I opted for Nike Free Runs instead of the Vibrams - thinking that maybe I was really trying to go too far too fast in them and with that irritating the Achilles further. Ultimately - barefoot running - or running in the Vibrams as it were - should make that all better, but one has to ramp up slowly and I don't think I have taken enough time to transition - so back to minimalist shoes for the longer miles. I could feel the area around the tendon being somewhat tender when I started but as I went along it felt ok. Much better though - I felt good after I was done. I am hopeful. Trial and tribulations. My route was the familiar loop around the neighborhood but not wanting to do the same 1 mile loop over and over, I headed out of the neighborhood, west on HWY 14 as far as College View Drive, back up the hill and toward home from there.
Weight is remaining static day to day. I hope that week to week that will change. For the most part I am doing great with nutrition, following the Paleo diet as closely as I can. Sometimes - like during a poker tournament - I will find myself deviating from protocol - and for goodness sakes eat a brownie or some cheese and have a glass of wine. I do know that the calorie count on that diet is low as the bulk of your food consists of greens and fruit so in time, the weight sure should come off. I am trying not to be frustrated with short term results and set my sights on the longterm goal.
I finished my day by participating in a best ball golf tournament to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House. Another fabulous non profit to support. It was a beautiful day to be out chasing a little white ball over freshly mowed fairways. While golf isn't something I will likely excel at - I enjoy the game - a challenge both physical and mentally - and yet another opportunity for side splitting laughter - the way I play anyway.
Tomorrow will be a long run and then bike again on Sunday as well as a row or strength training. I wonder if Xemo misses me on my non rowing days.
Well - another long rambly post and time to turn in so I can get up and get going before it gets too darn hot to run.
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