Karen

It’s one of those weeks where I can’t figure out if it’s taper tantrums, new meds, allergies, or all of the above causing issues.

3rd in my age group today. I went out way too fast in the first km and panicked. Battled through a slight side stitch for the back half of the race.

Feels good to be back to racing.

It was one of those days where I was cursing myself for taking the harder route for my long run. And I'll probably do it again next weekend because hills are good for you.

Had a nice surprise at this morning’s race: a new course PR (by 29 seconds) and 3rd in my age group.

The trick to this course is not overpowering the downhill and knowing that the finish line is further away than it looks.

Next race in 2 weeks!

Jinxed myself and had to stay for the awards ceremony. 😂

Checking the participant list for my race tomorrow to make sure I'm not in danger of having to stay for the awards ceremony. 😂

Looks like there are at least 4 women faster than me in my age group, and this is my roughest course of the season, so hopefully a quick morning!

Dealing with the inevitable disappointment in a 3 watt drop in CP after a 5 watt improvement in the 2 minute duration. That I know happens, and it will all be fixed after Saturday’s race.

BUT STILL.

Having one of those days where I’d really like to be back on a cruise ship.

Can’t stop singing the song they play on Disney’s Lookout Cay.

Throwback to last summer.

Can’t even describe how happy this morning’s run made me.

That and actually sleeping last night.

6 days to the next race. Current projection is that I will beat my course PR, which would be super-awesome.

1. Performance bathing suits are more aggressively cut than I remembered.

2. The woman in the lane next to me told me I have a nice pace.

It’s nice to still have it. 💪

I wasn’t looking forward to my run this morning. My recovery was bad, sleep was stressful (seriously), and I wasn’t sure a time trial was in the cards.

I beat my last time trial by 6 watts and my critical power is the highest it’s been in over 6 months.

Just had to leave the doubt behind.

Night one of our Girl Scout camping trip. We briefly looked at the other sites and agreed that this is as rustic as we go.

Loving that I get to come in from my run and not peel off layers! We’re getting so close to shorts & tank top weather.

To say I’m happy about getting back outside after my last 3 runs were on a hotel treadmill is an understatement.

I am usually asleep by 8:30.

It's been a gradual change to getting up earlier and earlier over the years. COVID forced the issue because I used to work out during lunch, but couldn't with the kids doing virtual learning. So I transitioned to morning workouts and it's been that way since.

Beyond elated at my morning run. Turns out that when my body isn’t trying to keep itself warm, the intervals get easier.

This would put me back near my 5K PR, which would be amazing for the upcoming 5K series.

I’m up by 4:30 at the latest every day. Gives me time for morning coffee before I get out the door and then I’m back in time to wake up my middle-schooler.

Tonight’s activity: trying to figure out why the cat is sparkly.

One last Winter Series run. My running shoes won't see the hills of this park again until my A race 10K in April.

We'll see how well the winter of cold and hills translates into a spring of speed.

The last bullet point of every email would be to say that I sent an email summarizing what I did the previous week.

After I had CoPilot write it for me anyway.

All I was thinking this morning was how much easier the run would feel if my body weren’t also trying to keep itself warm.

The Skyward X feel like a cheat code. I also think my watch is getting cadence-locked, because my HR did not feel that high.

Exactly one month out from my next race.

My husband got up before me and fed the cats.

I got up and fed the cats not knowing they had already been fed, and they were doing the breakfast dance knowing damn well they'd already been fed.

My cats are hobbits.

This concept is my favorite. So many people leave right after the race, so if you're slower you may not have a chance to talk to everyone. It's such a positive way to close out the winter season.

The pool was packed this morning - I got the last open lane and it was only 5:45am! Feels like cheating to do such a short workout.

#swimming #formswimming

Taking a month off from the bike. This was a good one to go out on.

Looks like I have some luck this year! First time for Broad Street!

Figured with a day off I could do a solo tri. Got to the pool and found it empty.

That transition time to get home though. 😂 Biking to the pool might be in order when the weather changes.

I did a ramp test today for the first time in a year. I lost 7 watts on my FTP, which isn't great but also isn't horrible since I've been doing 2 rides a week at relatively low intensities - if I've ridden at all - over the past year.

Hung out in the rain as a course marshal for our Winter Series half marathon today.

Thinking about the folks who came out and had never run in the park before and hoping their awakening on the back loop wasn’t too rude. 😬