Still Life With Half Full Glass Set Next to Allen Wrench

I did not have a stellar week.
And I think that is okay.
I mean, it will have to be.
And yes here is where I am being an optimist, a positive person who is trying not to see a half empty cracked and broken glass but rather an almost full and rimmed in a fine silver lining glass: At this point I don't think I am going to make any real fitness gains in speed or strength for the triathlon NEXT Sunday. Wow. It is almost here.

Here is the recap:
Sunday: 16 mile bike at the river in an hour.
Monday: 4 mile run outside
Tuesday: 11 miles outside, 1200 meter swim, thwarted gym bike
Wednesday: 7 miles on the treadmill in 51 minutes: 1650 swim in 30 minutes
Thursday: 22 miles on the gym bike in an hour-- hills between level 13-15. Ugh. I suck.
Friday: Gym brick. So proud I got this in because I felt yucky. 13 miles in 37 minutes on random, levels 10-13. 5k on the treadmill in 23 minutes jogged it out 4 miles to finish in 32 minutes. This 5k was 2 minutes off last week's 5k. Suck. I guess this is what happens when you don't take a rest day in 2 weeks.

Charlie, guess you were right, but I still don't plan on a rest day until Tuesday this week.

Saturday: Ugh. So. Crappy. The first mile is always ridiculously bad for me but usually if I make it past that I start to feel better and get into my run. Did. Not. Happen. Yesterday. It was just plain awful the whole time. 5 miles in just under 40 minutes. An almost 8 minute pace is pretty crappy for me on the treadmill.

Run: 31 miles
Bike: 51 miles
Swim: 2850 meters

So today I plan to run this morning --just slow and easy and this is because that is the only way it will get done. No optimism there. Then Ryan and I have a day planned at the lake. I hope to convince him to take me to a beach or someplace where I can get in a swim and not worry about getting run over by a boat. He thinks I need to practice running in and out of the water too but I think he just wants to see me running around in my bikini. Anyway, my plan is just to swim for 10 minutes or so. I figure 400 meters won't take me that long so I should be covered for the race.

Tomorrow I have a long bike ride planned with soon-to-be-brother-in-law. I have the pedals, or rather the lack of pedals, to put on my bike so I can clip in. And the spectacle that will be me on the road tomorrow falling here there and crashing everywhere should prove very entertaining for Wes tomorrow.

See, Wes, what I can't do in speed and stamina I will make up for in a little side show of bike performance art. I really hope you don't see this post til after our ride tomorrow so you won't chicken out on me.

Along with the pedals I am also planning to have Ryan make a few other adjustments on my bike with his tools. I was going to do all this myself but Ryan all the sudden became very interested in my bike at the first mention of me "fixing" my bike. The interest registered exactly like how it does when Lola hears me say "treat." The word "fix" apparently has the same effect on Ryan. It was like I could see the visions of tools dancing above his head as I spoke about lowering the handle bars, putting pedals on and moving my seat back.

Geez.

What's up with that?

I should mention that Ryan has shown absolutely zero interest in my bike or even hearing about my training rides all summer but fixing my bike and playing with his tools? Apparently he is all about that. In fact, I only mentioned in passing to him my plans for bike renovation. And since then he has pretty much asked me about it everyday-- promising me that he will remember to bring his tools home and wanting to know whether or not I have gone by my parents to pick up the pedals.

Very suspicious, huh?

But here is what I think all that is about: Clearly, it is about a man wanting to keep his woman down. He just doesn't want me knowing how to work any fancy tools because, well, everybody knows that a woman who has her own tools and knows what to do with them . . .

Well, let's just say it begs the question of what use is a man then?