So what? You're still a rockstar

http://bicycling.com/blogs/fitchick/2012/11/06/are-you-an-athlete/

This article made me feel so much better about lots of things.

I took a few weeks easy after I completed that there half ironman. By easy I mean there were a few really lame 3h30min weeks in there but also a handful of 6+ hr wks. In doing so, I had time and energy to focus on strength training. I focused a lot on upper body because I've been also focusing on getting my running speed back so my legs have been finnicky. Also, I have about 12% upper body strength - even with the swimming (whatever that means). I have to tell you... I can't and never have been able to do a single normal push-up. I know, WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME? I do "modified" push-ups just fine but when it comes to normal ones, I think I'm physically stunted. One time in college my teammates, Brad and Kendyl, in totally disbelief, tried to coach me through it during a strength training session. It didn't really work.

This article reminded me that you can still be fierce as hell and yet maybe still incapable of some things. (It focuses on pull-ups. I'm talking about push ups... potato potato - hm the effect isn't as good when written.)

Speaking of being fierce as hell... I declared this, the first full week of November 2012, my week to get back to triathlon training. I'm going to the Rocky Mountain Tri Club practices and getting back in the training groove. I woke up at the crack of dawn to swim on Monday and will be swimming again tomorrow night - when I'm swimming, you KNOW I mean business.

Today I did a brick workout again. First time running off the bike since September 9th.

Holy smokes kids, do not underestimate the difficulty of running after you bike. After a lame 65-minute bike ride, I stashed my bike in my apartment, put on my running shoes, chugged some water, and headed out on the pavement for my usual 5' mod + 5' hard + 3' walk + 5' easy run + 3' walk...

Yeah that was a JOKE. My 5' moderate up a hill felt like death might be upon me. After that 5' I gave myself a 1' pity walk. Then I convinced myself to do 5' at a ramped up pushing it speed. MAN. I have never been so happy to see that 3' walk in my life.

Don't kid yourself, man. Triathlon is hard. I just forgot.

In other news, TdF champion Bradley Wiggins got hit by a car today. Stay safe. Cars are stupid. So are pedestrians and other cyclists. Be ready for anything. It's funny, his story sounds a lot like mine - I too was hit by a woman pulling out of a gas station. Only, I'm sure he was going much faster.