And On To The Next One

Well, it's been a few days since the Olympic Trials in Tuscaloosa. I got back to DeLand on Sunday afternoon after another long day of driving. By Monday morning, I was right back into the swing-of-things.
At first, I thought I was going to be getting ready to race St. Anthony's this Sunday...but then I got an email from my coach suggesting that I do NOT do the race. Even with all the reasons TO do the race (it's close-by, free entry, easy to make some $$, my family can watch, all my friends are racing, etc.) he convinced me that it's time in my career to start looking at the BIG picture and stop jumping from one small picture to another.
As evidenced by my sub-par run last weekend in 'Bama, running an average of 6-8 miles per week for a few months leading up to one of the most important races is NOT a good idea. (Being injured is also NOT a good idea, but what can you do?:) Now that said injury has finally decided to GO AWAY, I've already put in four solid running workouts since the race! They haven't been the most beautiful examples of fitness (I've twice come close to collapsing in the heat) but at least it's better than nothing!
It is a rare moment when I will talk positively about the amazing heat and humidity that engulfs Florida in the summer months...but this is going to be one of those times. As I was thinking about my plans for life after the Trials race, it dawned on me that one of my next important races was going to be the Hy-Vee World Cup in Des Moines. (A little reminder here...last year 42 women were on the starting line in June in Iowa at 1pm...18 of them did NOT finish the race! It was kinda hot:)
So, what better way to prepare myself for the race-from-h*ll than training in h*ll its self?? I don't even start my workouts until after 11am. That usually has me finishing up between 1:00 and 2:00pm...the HOTTEST part of the day here in Central Florida! Fortunately, the only way this plan is possible is with some family support and my Mom and Dad have been very willing to help. They have been volunteering to bike next to me on my mid-day runs, carrying and supplying large quantities of ice-cold water. Admittedly, that is the only reason that I can write "close to collapsing" in the previous paragraph.
That's basically all that has happened this week. A simple change in my race schedule, back to training, and a few good runs. Other things worthy of a one-sentence-description: I had a dentist appointment this morning so I now have some 'pearly whites'. I also planted an herb garden today, as I've wanted to for quite some time...basil, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, and oregano. I should take a photo for visual record...unfortunately, my blog can't convey how good they all smell!
Taking a quick look forward to some events that will take place in the upcoming weeks (and these events will be blogged about in more detail in future posts:): Dustin will graduate from UF at 7:30pm on May 2nd. I just bought a plane ticket out to COS on May 3rd. My return flight is on May 9th. My friend Yvonne's baby shower is on May 10th. I might swim in a swim meet on the 10th. Mother's Day is the 11th. One of the Beaches Fine Arts Series Triathlon in Jacksonville is on May 17th. One of the Tigersharks Aquathlon races in Daytona is May 31st. I might do another swim meet on June 1st. The Triathlon World Championships are in Vancouver on June 7th (I just got invited to be on Team USA!). Yadda, yadda, yadda. Blah, blah, blah.
I could go on and on, but that's enough forward thinking for one night.