So many things

Let's see how many I can remember to write about...

First, my race. It was soo hard feeling. I managed to talk hubby into coming by explaining just how lame it is to finish a race, arms above your head, so proud... then put your arms down and walk alone to your car and drive home. So he came, we forgot the camera, but he did get a picture of me crossing on his cell phone, so I'll have to steal that some time. But it started with future olympians leading a warm up (which was a good warm up, who would have thought that olympic athletes knew how to warm up before exercise?) And one of the girls I totally know (though she probably forgot me). She used to date a friend of my hubby's cousin's. So we were tight. ;) Then it was line up for the start. Feeling good still, got my tunes, my Garmin. the start/finish line unfortunately was on a muddy road. So just a few hundred meters in my shoes were caked and weighing me down. But we got on some pavement soon. I was keeping a crazy pace at the beginning, but my uneducated racing strategy is to go fast when I feel like going fast. So down hills I push faster, at the start I go faster. Then when I feel tired, I can go a little slower, but it ends up just being my goal pace (but feels slow, see how sneaky I am?) Unfortunately the whole first 5k I felt like going fast, but I didn't realize that I was going slightly downhill, and the whole return 5k would be slightly uphill, and it would feel like it then. Not to mention there was a big steep hill at the halfway mark, seriously, steep like stairs, and all my training was done in my town or in the country, where it's crazy flat. I traded hill training for sprint training, so my heart and lungs got the workout, but my mind never got used to the whole hill idea. So mentally it was tough.

Oh yeah, forgot to say, got a blister at about 2km in. I managed to not think about it for most of the race, but afterwards, ew it was so gross and painfull, still is. Oh, another downer, the air was so humid and muggy breathing was tough the whole time. It ended up being a really hot day.

Anyway, as I mentioned my time (53:08) was a PB and really was great. I gave a sprint at the finish and even passed this dude. Felt cool. Got an olympic inspired medal from the olympians at the finish. Then had to stop dead because they wanted my timing chip. That was annoying. I'm basically gonna fall over and they make me stand dead still while they take my laces out. Couldn't you let me walk a bit first? It was literally 5 m past the finish line.

Grabbed some water and gatorades (hubby wanted them), piece of banana and we left. The snacks were not calling to me. However hubby was hungry, so he took me to Smitty's for breakfast. All I really wanted was a fruit salad or something, but since they didn't really have anything like that, I thought I'd aim for healthy-ish protein and have an omlet with veggies and ham. Good intentions, but it was very oily. Oh well. It was a better option than my usual post race donut binge. So we ate that at 10:30, then went home and I fell asleep for 2 hours. Woke up, got dressed and we went to the lake.

I wore my bikini!!! I was feeling pretty trim after the race (note to self, run more longer distances on my own). So I thought why not. Yay! Funny thing is that in the boat I kept my clothes on, then when I went tubing I wore a life jacket. Then when I got out again I was cold so kept a towel on and then hubby's t-shirt. So I was barely bare bellied. Sitting isn't the best time to be bare bellied anyway. Standing and laying are good. I did stay bare legged which was nice, especially since the girls we were with both wore board shorts with their suits so I got to be all jealous inducing for my lack of cellulite and hip fat. It's funny, I think we all only look at the areas we dont' like on ourselves on other girls. I noticed that the one girl had a really nice stomach and so I thought she had a better body than me. But she wore the long board shorts so obviously wasn't too happy with her legs and butt. She made a comment about me being too small for her life jacket or wet suit or something so probably because my legs and butt are small thinks I have a better body than her. Weird.

Anyway, feeling sore today, abs and legs, part from the race, probably a lot from the tubing. The lake was so rough, just them going straight, me staying in the wake, I was FLYING off my tube, just about the whole time felt like nothing was touching but my hands and elbows (I was on my stomach on top of it). I love the feeling of sore abs, makes you feel skinny.

Anyway, after that bigger breakfast, had some pretzels and crackers in the boat, then had burgers and veggies after the lake. Very good eating for a race day. Went to bed at 10:30, a little hungry but I ignored it, then hungry this morning again. Had a smoothie for breakfast. snack was a yogurt. lunch is gonna be a spinach salad with hard boiled egg. Brought lots of fruit and veggies for the rest of the day. I'm feeling sooo good about rocking the bikini yesterday. I feel so close to where I want to be. Just focusing hard for a few weeks and I think I'll be there. Loving the motivation I'm feeling now.

Cute story. Canada Day last night, there were fireworks we could see from our house. Daisy was terrified of them. She hid her head under the couch where hubby was sitting. I tried to get her out, had to pick her up like a little kid who was asleep, she wasn't having any of it. So we let her sleep in our room on our bed. I layed down and she put her head under my legs. So cute. It was probably the completely wrong thing to do with her "training" wise but she was so sad looking we couldn't put her out in her kennel.

Anyway. almost lunch time, I finished the work I had to do so now I get to do more thesis edits. They're actually going not bad. I think I'll be able to get them done this week hopefully. And they aren't making me cry or anything either so that's really good.