Oh my love, how I have missed you!

First I have to admit the 30 days without soda thing has gone a little off track! The end of last week was one of the weeks I wanted something sweet and my Diet Dr. Pepper hit the spot perfectly!
I am in my final week or so of pain and torture. To make sure everything is going the way it should be my doc told me to go ahead and hit the pool (something I have not done in a long time). Cuervo had soccer practice last night (an hour and a half long) so while he was getting ready for practice, I was getting ready to hit the pool. I told myself no more than a half hour. I had looked at the local pool schedules and saw the Y only had one lane opened for lap swim during that time so I figured I would go to 24 (yes, I have two gym memberships, the Y has the better spinning and yoga classes, 24 has no kids!). I dropped Cuervo off at practice and off I went. I couldn’t even find a parking spot at 24 so I headed to the Y. I found a spot and there were lots of people heading out! I went in, grabbed my swim stuff and headed to the pool. To my surprise there was one person in each lane and there were three or so lap lanes going. So I asked a gentleman if I could share his lane (you never just jump in, you always ask) and he said sure. As soon as my body hit the water I felt everything just relax; I put my cap on; grabbed my goggles; damn, no ear plugs (I get ear infections so fast it isn’t even funny). I don’t care, I am here I am in the pool, I am going! I did a whole half mile, took me about 20 minutes, and man did it feel good! My shoulder felt great, it was wonderful getting out of the pool, pulling my clothes on over my wet swimsuit, putting the towel on my car seat so it would get wet and driving to pick up little man soaking wet!
Last night I even pulled out my triathlon book and started reading it again. I am blaming all this motivation on John! He just finished his first Ironman (which is awesome) and I realize my first one is still about a year and a half away but I figure it is never really too early to start getting ready. I haven’t been in a pool in God only knows how long and going back last night nothing else existed while I was in that pool. I am looking forward to buying new bike shoes and a helmet this spring (my bike made it out of the garage for its tune-up this year and nothing else). I am getting my running legs back (very slowly) and enjoying every step of it (ok, I might be singing a different tune tomorrow after my 6-miler on the treadmill tonight). I know that I have to take all this at a much easier pace than I had been. I want to remember my journey as something I have loved, not something I forced myself to do.
My race plans for next year consist of two marathon (one in January, one in November), two half marathon (one in January, one is September), a century race (June, I think) and a half ironman. All of these are not “races” they are training. The half ironman to see where I am at compared to last year (didn’t do to bad considering I had been on almost a week of bed rest due to a stomach bug the week before the race AND I was not permitted in still water for the previous two weeks because of getting a HUGE gash on my nose that had to be glued shut). Century race good way to see where my biking is lacking, I know I need to work hills! Marathon and half marathon – well I need to take family vacations at some point!
This week – I have
Monday – Cross training (hit the pool)
Tuesday – 3 miles (will most likely be my 6-miler – treadmill)
Wednesday – 6 miles (3 miles during lunch)
Thursday – 3 miles (3 miles on elliptical unless 6 miles wasn’t done on Tuesday)
Friday – zzzzzzz
Saturday – 6 mile pace (not running neighborhood, I think I will hit part of my trail)
Sunday – 8 miles (gotta love pull back weeks!)