Hot, Snow fall and back pain

Today is a day for recovery. It's been quite a week so far.

First I began with a new foray in to the world of Bikram yoga. Without doubt, one of the hardest classes I have every taken. For all those nay sayers, try it and let us see if you could ever last 30mins, let alone 90. Truly challenging.

Next up was some early bike riding and some swimming. Tough morning after the challenging Bikram session. The sick part is that I can't wait to do it again. However, then came 10inches of snow and I sign that I sometimes need a more intelligent approach to exercise.

After a good session in the basement on the trainer in the early morning, my wife called from the drive asking for help because the lovely city had plowed us in yet again. She was now late and I did not show good snow shoveling form. Needless to say, 1.5 hrs of biking followed by vigorous, lacking-of-good-posture shoveling led to a very painful lower back and glutes. No a good combination when flying for the next 8hours.

Really struggled yesterday and quickly realized that today would bring about a need for active recovery and smart choices. Pushed the run to later in the week and spent an hour making love to my foam roller and stretching. Hopefully, the back will mend enough for a good run in the morning in chilly old Fargo.

The training is beginning to really pickup and organization has to be the key. This has the added significance of a slight addition to the end of the season. That addition would be Challenge Henley Iron distance race in September. With this little end of season extra, a strong sense of organization and time management will be essential.  

I'm excited for the snow to melt and to get out of the basement and in to some warmer weather. First, the back must be rehabbed. No more snow please.

Good luck to us all!

Notre Dame and The Weeds!

Finished off our first recovery week today. Just a short ride tomorrow and all of a sudden we find ourselves in week 4. Can't believe how quickly we have arrived. Seems to be flying by. The snow is showing subtle signs of abating and the temperatures are sneaking up. Soon we will be outside again and out of the somewhat dull basement. Can't wait for some sun on the back and warm tides to come rolling in.

However, when that happens and lake water warms, I shall yet again be faced with the all-to-present mental challenges of the open water. Been thinking about it recently. Thought of the impending weed season in the lakes and the inevitability of swimming through them for the first half of the season. I'd be more than happy to start up their equipment and go and harvest all the weeds in the chain of lakes, just not to deal with them. 

I can not deny that the weeds presenting themselves in my consciousness  continuously is the perfect training for the harder times of racing. Practicing to calm the mind during the times of mental scatter brains towards the end of a race is a fine art. One that I need to master. Removing the fear of what could be presented to me in the open water would no doubt take my swimming up a notch. I need to borrow the mental talents of Napoleon. (Wouldn't mind stealing his biking talents too.) I will have to come up with a masterful and cunning plan. We shall see what presents itself. 

Finishing up with a run through the University of Notre Dame today was a great way to conclude the week. Very nice run with some cracking scenery to boot. Will have to remember this place for future runs.

Going to try out some Bikram Yoga this week. It may just be the end of me, but I can not deny that the benefits will surely out way the drawbacks and will be great practice for the heat and humidity of the Kansas race. We shall see if I don't simply sweat away in there. 

Good luck to us all!