week 28 in review

153

Sad. The dream might need to wait. There is a big chance that I am not going to Ironman Florida. I blew my right heel on Tuesday and I haven’t been able to run since.

Everything started on Tuesday, my heels weren’t feeling too good but I decided to run whatsoever. It turned out to be the worst decision I have made in a few time. It was only 45mins but they were enough to stop me from walking for 2 days. Fortunately I was still able to swim without pain. At the swimming pool it was quite funny because there were a girl that I know and a friend of her and two guys trying to impress them or something like that, they were in the fast lane. Since it was the fastest lane and the least crowded I joint them and it took me 2 laps to be alone, the two girls moved to a different lane and the two boys just slipped out of the pool.

I took Wednesday off, I had a short brick but I wasn’t able to stand on my feet so I decided to give myself a break.

On Thursday I had to go to Barcelona as always and I was able to walk with a limp. I swam well and then I rode on the trainer later that day. It would not hurt.

On Friday, I swam again in Barcelona where I dropped my HR belt to get it fix and I picked up my bike pod, yes I’ll be able to measure the distance and the speed that I travel again. As always I enjoyed the swim. Then I went to the group meeting and the interview. It was funny because I had to go with my runners because of the extra cushion. The heel would let me walk normally but because of too much time stressing the left one it started to hurt a little bit, although not as much as the right one.

That same night I was taking to a friend and I slightly introduced my goals for IM. I’m not sure if it was the right thing to do but it felt good to discuss some of the issues with him and realizing that my real potential is very limited and that I have to work a lot more on the bike and in the water.

On Saturday I had my long brick but I decided to only go for the ride, I would have everything ready to run but in case that I couldn’t I would stop. I did not sleep too much the night before so I was slightly tired. The ride did not feel too long until the last 30mins or so. I was not as fast as I expected. Now I have my bike pod and I was able to monitor myself in real time. I might’ve started a little too hard and it paid back at the end. I got home, I transitioned and I could only run 10m. I went back home and I called it for the day. Then I went to the “Neda el món” briefing. A 5.8km open water swim.

Sunday was supposed to be a big day. Swimming, running and riding in this order. I needed to build some confidence on my swim ability and since the Radikal Marbrava was a fiasco I decided to join the Neda el món project. A 5.8km open water swim. It was not a competitive swim but I could still time myself and it was 2km longer than IM distance, so if I was able to finish it well I would have a confidence boost. I did not want to know what could have happened if I hadn’t finish it. I was there at 9 o’clock sharp and we took off with the boat. I was going to start in the second wave of three. I felt pretty well throughout the whole time until probably the last 500m. I had not looked at the watch in the whole time. And I only felt bad when I knew I wasn’t swimming towards the finish chute and no kayaks were coming to pull me over, in part I thought we were going to a different beach. At the end I tried to increase my speed and it was very hard but I believe I did. We had an aid station at some point but I missed it, and I think that explains why I did not feel too good at the end and the anxiety to find it. The overall time was 1h51mins5sec, which it was pretty much the time I had expected, the water was calm. The wetsuit worked pretty well because we had a water temperature of 16ºC and I did not get a huge rush in my neck, I had put anti-chafe over my shoulders, upper arms, armpits and neck. I did not feel cold on my hands, feet or face. It was a very nice experience and knowing that I can swim 5800m nonstop was very important for me. In the afternoon I tried to run for 1h but I just could not even leave the house, I ran for about 10m and I knew my heels had not heeled so I decided to go back at home. Later on I took my recovery ride.

I am not happy with myself this week because I have not studied as much as I should have done but I hope everything will be fixed soon. I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out travel plans, wheels, helmets and stuff.

On Friday, I met with some university fellows who I haven’t seen for a long time. It was nice to see them all, specially the one that lives down under.

I know I have been absent and quite hard to reach but I think I needed this break. It doesn’t mean that I‘ll be more accessible soon but definitely I needed the break.

On Friday, I went to the interview and group meeting for the Uni association and I think I did pretty well, I hope they will call me soon to join them.

I don’t know why you still pop into my head.

If the information is true, the end of our friendship might be over very soon. You cannot take advantage of me and then just do like it was my fault and get angry and defensive when we never agreed to anything. I want what is mine back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pID_kztZb9I

week 27 in review

153

First of all I would like to thank my oldest sister for helping me to pursue this dream. Second of all I would like to thank all the leeches in my life that have sucked me and almost made me miss my dream. Fortunately for me I have a caring family who help me their best even sometimes it I difficult for both parties and it is hard to understand the reasons.

Seriously I can’t emphasize enough how much I appreciate your help, because without it it would not be possible.

This week has been very hard to train. I was very close from dropping everything and not going to the competition because I had insufficient funds to travel to the race. Thanks again for your support.

I started on Tuesday as always with an easy run with lots of bursts in between and then I was supposed to swim, well since it was a public holiday I could not swim because the pool was closed.

On Wednesday I went for the regular brick session and just on my turnaround point I saw someone else with a bike so I decided to chase him. He was kicking my ass at first, but then I took him over and he took me over again until I passed him, then he decided to ride just behind me and when I think he was exhausted he decided to start talking to me, nice tactic to use when your are beaten, and then we slowed down. I liked the adrenalin of having to beat him in silent, no talking; none of us was going to admit we were giving our best. We were just pushing one each other. He told me he is a professional motorbike driver and he was getting ready to go to Mexico to race with the Spanish national team. He asked me if I was a professional athlete. I don’t know why, I was just training in the afternoon like many more people. He also said something that is pissing me off lately and it was when he commented about my legs, what is wrong with them? I don’t care if they look big or strong or whatever, they are just legs. I have had many comments from known and unknown people about my legs. Well I waxed them so you might get to have a closer look on how they look but that does not mean that you can just comment about it. Do people go to a girl with big jugs and say to her, wow you have big breasts; so why do you come at me? In fact my legs might have the smaller size ever; they are also probably fitter than ever.

I also swam on Wednesday because I was not able to swim on Tuesday.

On Thursday, I rode the bike as usual and I had a very long pick up. Because there was a misunderstanding with you I was not able to take the car to go to the pool, disappointing.

On Friday, I ran and then I went to the pool in the afternoon. I felt quite good swimming but not running. During the run I had some gastric problems that made me stop and take a break at a restroom because I just couldn’t continue. I did not know why this was happening to me but I believe, 3 days after it, the pistachios made me sick. I haven’t had many new foods lately and the pistachios were the only thing different in my diet lately, so I assume I had the problems because of this delightful dry fruit. At night I had a very important talk with you where I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to go to the race and I showed you different options. I did not like them as much but I had to see different things because I was running out of time and I had no money and there has been a lot of effort, hours, sweat, and money put into this to just let it go 3 weeks before the big day. At this point I was feeling very bad.

On Saturday I knew it was going to be a long day. I was ready in the morning but I did not leave the house until barely noon, it was all foggy and I tried to wait for the clouds to go away. Once I decided to leave the house I realized I was slightly underdressed but it was too late, I had a jacket, gloves, a bandana for my neck, and plenty of gels. I decided to change the route a little bit and boy I did wrong, I ended up in a mountain pass where at the summit it was only 9ºC and just above 1000m high. It was fun to go down but it was very demanding because it is easy to lose the concentration and slow down on the way up. I was quite tired or I should say my ass and back were tired but I was still feeling good enough. I went back home I made the transition and I left for a run, I felt very good and fast. And here is when I started to realize that I should run, that I needed to give my best to go to be able to compete. Even though the ride was slow, the run was fast. One of the reasons why I was so slow on the bike is because I had to take many stops to take a leak. Since I was not sweating I had to evacuate the extra fluids that I was taking. I had to stop several times, like more than once per hour of workout.

On Sunday, I woke up and I knew I was going to have a long day in front of me. A 3h run when my legs hadn’t recovered from the 6hride was going to be tough. It was a very beautiful day. I put my sunglasses on and I left. I would not say that I was feeling great nor fast but I knew I was in a good mood, I had energy with me, I had fountains near me so I could refill the bottle so everything was settle up to have a good run. After 90mins I had to stop again, now I know I should blame the pistachios I did not know who to blame yesterday. Once you start running again your legs are stiff and it feels you are not moving at all. I had stopped only for 3mins but it felt like forever. I started to run again and even though I did not feel as fresh as last week (I had one day in between the long brick and the long run) I was managing it well. I ran 40,76km in 3h. The projected marathon time was 3h7mins, so I was only 7mins away of completing a marathon. What a shame I was not able to fulfill that dream. Ever since I started to train I had wished I would run a little more than a marathon on the longest run of the plan, well I did not do it but I am still happy with the performance, it gives me a lot of confidence, now I know I can aim big. In the afternoon I took my recovery ride, very painful, it is the worst workout of all for me. It is even worse than 3h run or the long brick. And then is when the magic happened. I talked to you and while I was on the trainer and you agreed to help me. I am super pumped up, because I’m 98% sure I’ll be racing.

This week has been so long that I have not had time to think of anything else but the race, uni staff and the hell that I need to get out of. I have not had time to watch my series or anything else.

This week has been getting better and better since it started because I went to the presentation of a University club that I might join, which will help me figure out my next year and because I got the funds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbUpPVOEkdA

week 26 in review

153

First of all I would like to congratulate Macca for his win at Ford Ironman World Championship in Hawaii.

This week has been the best week of the last 5 or 6 weeks by far. I have felt very good, the weather was good and my legs and mind felt fresh. I hardly struggled to train and most of the times the sessions looked short even when I ran for 2h and 45mins.

This week I was supposed to have a open water race on Sunday in Calella de Palafrugell, de race was planned to be 7km long, from Port Bo in Calella to Formigues islands to go back to Llafranc. I was very excited about it but unfortunately the swim was suspended because of the water conditions. It was impossible to swim in such conditions.

I had scheduled my week around the race. So I started the week as normal, easy run and swim on Tuesday and then I swapped bricks. I did the long brick on Wednesday and the short one on Saturday. On Thursday I swam straight for only 30mins and rode the bike, late ride on the trainer. On Friday I took the long run, no swimming and no recovery ride because I moved it to Sunday. On Saturday in the morning I did my short brick and an easy swim with some of the swimmers who would compete the next day at Llafranc’s bay and on Sunday I was supposed to swim, the mid run and the recovery ride.

On Tuesday everything was easy and smooth as normal, I felt a little fatigue at the beginning as always and when I had stretch my legs I was feeling ok. I saw a very good runner from my town and we were almost going at the same speed although I was doing series, it was fun.

On Wednesday I was amazed on how well I was feeling. I started from Girona and went to la Fageda d’en Jordà, I wasn’t feeling too fast but I was feeling good all the time. When I was 4h into the ride I just couldn’t believe how well I was feeling and how bad I had felt weeks past. I then ran for 1h, at an amazing speed I ran 14,6km which for me it is huge after such a long ride. Best part I wasn’t feeling too tired afterwards. Great day, where my motivation skyrocketed.

On Thursday I just could not believe how well I was feeling, although I was very slow in the water I picked up later on the trainer, once I was home again.

On Friday, I wanted to go for the run in the morning but I was too lazy and the run was long so I decided to go in the afternoon. I didn’t feel too good for the first 1h and 15mins but then I started to think in something else and I started to feel better, every step I was taking I was feeling better and faster and I finished the run with a huge sprint. My pace was to run a marathon in 3h5mins, so I was only 20mins away from doing it and I was feeling very well.

On Saturday morning I rode at home and then left to Llagostera running. Incredible run it looked like it was a Wednesday. I was feeling light and fast and I actually ran as fast as a regular Wednesday when I haven’t had all these kilometers in my legs. And put on a run of 8km in 30mins, pretty good on 19h week. Then I went to Llafranc for a little group swim.

On Sunday I was ready to race, I wanted to but the conditions weren’t good. The sea was too rough and the support boats couldn’t leave the harbor, therefore they could not put the buoys and we could barely see the islands where we were heading to. So the swim was canceled for the day and maybe it will be resumed in 2 weeks time, who knows. After that I went back home, I ate and I went for a run. The run wasn’t great, I decided not to take water with me and I struggled a little bit on that. I was caught by the rain as well, but I was fast enough, I did not expect that. Once I was home again it took me forever to do the recovery ride, it was the worst session of the entire week, where I suffered the most.

I think I have almost made my mind about the whole thing and I might go for it. I am willing to do but I can still back up.

About the rest of the week, I’ve been very absent to everyone and I did not have much time either to hang out with anyone and today that I had some time I was very upset with you and what we talked today and I just did not want to see anybody else.

I have also had you in my mind much more than I wanted to, especially during the long ride. I have had these weird thoughts about us. I had put them away and I don’t know why you always have to complicate everything. I guess I just fantasize which is what I like, but it will kill me because all this thinking makes me crazy. Fortunately for me I don’t think too often when I train.

And I the good news from my university have become real and I am very happy for that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rj7LPKBF8iY&feature=related

week 25 in review

153

On Tuesday I swam in Barcelona and then I headed back home for the run. Tuesday’s run is getting shorter but more intense and I kind of like this.

On Wednesday I had the short brick of the week and as always I started to train late, too late.

Thursdays are tough. I need to get to class, go to the pool and then head back home to bike. On Thursdays I ride on the trainer because I get home too late.

On Friday I went to get a haircut and a few chores more in the morning so I was not able to train in the morning and I had to do everything in the afternoon. And since I am a little retarded I decided to swim first and then run and I was almost caught without any daylight. During the swim I almost threw up, I don’t know why because it had been more than 2h since I finished eating, although after 15mins in the water I was feeling ok.

On Saturday I woke up late and I started to train at 11.30am. It was quite hot and windy and it was a nightmare. I took the same route as last week but I went a little longer. After about 4h on the bike I fainted a little bit and it took me something like 20mins to recover. It was a very hard day. I had also forgotten a gel so if I usually run low on energy gels I was even lower this time. Everything was annoying me, the helmet, water bottles, my clothes, the sun … All of these problems were caused because I wasn’t feeling too good. And then when I got home I went for the 1h run which was still windy and I wasn’t able to run very fast. During the ride I started to have some pain around the lower back of my neck and it was aggravated during the run, I had a very hard time turning my head to the side.

On Sunday morning I needed a massage on my neck because it was very painful. Then I left for the recovery ride and then for the run. The day was hot again and windy, very windy. I took more gels with me than ever on the run. But it was too windy and it was hard to focus. I was slower than ever, I hadn’t hit those numbers for a very long time. I guess the wind and accumulated training paid off.

I have had a very difficult weekend where sometimes I even wanted to stop with everything and not train anymore. The feeling of willing to quit is awful. I have worked very hard to be here, I don’t want to lose it now. I felt like my legs could not move anymore. Even though they do move you feel slow, tired and everything is annoying as hell. I have a bitter taste of this week’s workout.

I have also signed up for the 1^st Marbrava from the Radikalswim group, a 7km open waters swim that will be held next Sunday in Calella de Palafrugell. I am quite excited for this swim; it will be good for my training it will be a good rehearsal before IM. It will be time to see my progress and test myself a little bit. I have had to reschedule next week’s timetable to fit in the swim. I’ll only taper the swimming. The rest of the workouts have just been rescheduled.

Time seems to have stalled. The time hardly goes by. Everything seems to take forever. When will I get past this feeling?

I have gotten non official good news from my university.

Living again at home sometimes is boring, sometimes is painful but some other times are good too. Since I might be here for three more months I’ll try to choke it up and have fun.

Not in the mood to talk about feelings. They are not in the best shape. Too many things have gone wrong lately.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQ7y0puIHy0