Week in Review, Recovery Week

It's always a strange sign when you leap out of bed on a cold Monday morning, and feel ready to take on the week. I fell into an unwanted recovery week last week and dare I say.... I think Coach Doug was right. It seems I needed that recovery week, and I really let myself recover. No testing, no high intensity, nothing. Which has left me strangely awake at this early hour, looking forward to the morning plans. A yoga class, a bike workout on the CT (Today is a criss cross ride, which are fun), an easy run and then an hour in the pool.

The next two weeks will precede a round of testing as I cycle through a couple of 2/1 week build and recovery cycles. The volume is good and now we are beginning to add some intensity to the bike and a small amount to the run. Hard to believe the Gulf Coast 1/2 Ironman is roughly 14 weeks away.

The weekend was lovely and restful, I am getting used to the slower pace, and relaxing weekends. My high volume is done during the week, so come the weekend I just have an hour or so each day as family becomes the priority. I can kick back and watch a movie or spend the day sledding. No more worries. It's good stuff.

I turn 33 this week and I tried to make it a day of pampering. I scheduled the facial, the hair cut, the pedicure, and then I cancelled those appts. Because what I really want to do is spend four hours on my bike, a combination of a redo from last week and a step up on the ladder of endurance for this week. I want to see the clock read 4:00.00 as it is 20 degrees in the garage. I want to see that I can hold 200 watts for 3 hours of it. I want to feel strong as I ring in my new year.

When my little boy comes bouncing off the bus we will transfer the party to Mendon ponds Park and the giant snow covered hills. As we hurl ourselves down on our sleds I will throw age into the wind. Getting older is a choice.

In the evening I will spend 1:15 in an eighty five degree room, flowing through Vinyaysas with 40 of my closest sweaty yoga friends.... what is interesting is how similar the yin and yang of my life are. Triathlon and yoga are so incredibly similar as they are different. They go hand in hand.

Beyond that I will return home for my dream dinner; Cheese and Pepperoni Pizza from Pontillos, a Guinness, and some Ben and Jerry's Ice cream. Chunky Monkey. The guys and I shall hang out and we will laugh about something.

It will be the perfect Birthday, and I can't wait.

Until then, there is work to be done. Volume to knock off, underwater visions to be had. It's so funny when my coach is right, when he knows what I need even though he is an hour away. It's a great thing, actually. I am blessed.

Everything feels wonderful, every muscle in my body feels happy, my mind is ready, my desire is present, so this was a week that I thought was bad..... but it was actually just what I needed.

:-) Mary Eggers