music

its amazing how listening to music can completely change my mood. i don't mean changing it from a good mood or a bad mood either. its something more subtle. it can make me go from bored to interested, if that makes sense. i'm in the process of pulling out all my data for some research i need to write a paper on, and its gorgeous outside. i'd really just rather be out there. that said, the right music playing on my ipod can get me back in the working groove, which is a good thing when i'm at work.

this week is flying by, which is good because i'm really excited for the weekend. training is getting easier as the workouts are getting harder. this saturday some friends and i are doing a six hour ride (with intervals) followed by a 5 mile run and then i'll do a long run on sunday morning. i mentioned awhile back that i signed up for this half-ironman in an effort to sort of get my life back. i knew i enjoyed training and figured that if i gave myself something to train for it would get me out of the funk i was in. i wasn't really sure that it was working for a bit, but in the past week or so i have found myself really glad i gave myself that race goal. it has made me go through the motions until i rediscovered (or maybe just reminded me) why i enjoy all things endurance. the training has also given me a weekend social outlet with others who are just as crazy and given me the time and space to sort out things in my head that needed some sorting.

running feels great. i'm finding that i need to hold myself back in terms of distance right now. since i didn't run regularly over the summer, i want to avoid ramping the mileage up too fast, so i've been slowly building up again. by the end of this week i'll be back around 40 miles/wk, which is a good starting point to build from just under 2.5 months out from dallas. i'm really enjoying being out on my bike too. i've been doing a trainer workout each week too just because of the whole daylight-work combination which sometimes gets me home a little too late to do a decent ride. i was avoiding the pool for a bit while my cough went away, but even that is going alright...just keep your fingers crossed that the hot weather continues so we don't have to wear wetsuits next weekend for the race!