frogprincess72’s BodyBlog

we have 3 dogs.. and all 3 would have been put down for sure for various reasons by other guardians, but i have a soft spot for the unruly, unbeautiful, cranky, quirky, stubborn, bossy canines.. so i have 3.. and we always joke about the day when they are gone.. when we can just leave town and not have to pay the dog sitter or the kennel.. no more vaccines.. no more dog food..no more piddles in the house to clean.. no more pillows and couches chewed up from boredom.. no more barking, dog fur or bites from breaking up the ‘in fighting’… but this morning i was faced with exactly that.. MY dog (kirby, a border collie/aussie shephard) wasn’t doing well.. (just a little history about kirby.. i found him in the VA parking lot after my 12 hour night shift was over, back in 1995… he was barely 6 weeks old, but he was the cutest puppy i’d ever seen.. bright white with large black spots.. he was my running partner and he went EVERYWHERE with me.. i knew he needed a large space to run but i lived in a 400 foot studio apartment, so i took him on runs 3x/day and in the car, to the grocery store.. EVERYWHERE) ..Hubby was backing his car out the driveway when he saw kirby unsteady on his feet, going between our cars.. he came in the house and said ‘he’s not doing well.. he’s cold and not breathing very well..".. he thought he may have hit him with his car as he was backing out.. and sure enough, kirby was just laying on the rug, drooling, freezing cold, gums pale white, labored breathing, unable to stand…. and this dog is about as scared and neurotic as they come.. he’ll bite you in a heart beat when he’s scared..so when he let me scoop him up and carry him to the car, i was preparing myself for the end.. he melted into me and looked in my eyes and i lost it..

so at the vets (which also happen to be good friends of mine) they start doing all kinds of blood work and xrays and i’m just sitting there thinking to myself ‘i really should have brushed him.. he looks like i picked him up from the homeless camp in town"… and as i was looking at him, i saw a tick in his ear.. which isn’t uncommon for where we live.. we have weekly ‘tick pickin’ session in our house.. take a dog, bring your sense of humor, a sharp pair of tweezers and give him/her a once over… we always find at least one..

finally, we have all the pieces to the puzzle.. he’s not bleeding internally.. he doesnt have diabetes or pancreatitis or pancreatic mass (his glucose was 348.. ridiculously high, especially in an old dog) but his platelet count was extremely low.. like, it would clot to get the test completed low… so, after 2 1/2 hours, they figured it to be an auto immune disease where his body is attacking his platelets.. and rickettsia, more than likely caused by the ticks he has had… he is not out of the woods yet, but he is stable.. his body temp has come up from 92 degrees to 101.. his gums are a pale pink and he was eating when i left.. all good signs.. he will stay overnight for observation

so with that said, i am finding it hard to train today.. i had to cancel my morning training with TJ but she is fitting my in tonight.. i will do my long train tomorrow and will just run today.. amazing how hard it has been to lace these tennie’s up today…

OH, yeah… another thing.. found out over the weekend why i have been feeling so crappy the last month.. i have had the adenovirus.. yeah, sounds like fun, dont it??? no, really… it’s not! but that explains the lingering respiratory symptoms, lack of energy and extreme sleepiness… so i’m trying to find a balance between continuing my triathlon training and giving my body the rest it needs.. it’s a slippery slope sometimes, isn’t it??

but on a happier note.. a very very very happier note.. i got my bike and i love it.. i even love the rock hard seat! i’m getting the computer put on it today so i will be able to record my RPM’s and cadence.. i can’t wait! now i just need the energy………………………………..
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so i’m pretty happy that i switched my training plans.. i really like this one! it’s no brainer training.. kinda the same reason i luv my personal trainer!

i got up again before anyone else in the house and off i went.. since it was still dark and about 32 degrees, i decided to run at the gym.. my legs were really heavy, no doubt from my hill workout 2 days ago and the fact that even tho yesterday was my day off training, i spent 3 hours doing yardwork/mowing… and may i just add, that we here in washington state are a crazy bunch! there were 4 jetskis and 2 speed boats out on the lake yesterday.. granted we dont’ get much sun, but it WAS only about 60 degrees! yep, it’s great to be crazy

so back to the run.. i’m about 30 minutes in and i cant take it anymore.. i rip off the headphones, hoping that will help.. nope.. i made it about 60 more seconds and i said "i’ve had enough".. i gathered my stuff… threw on my windbreaker and ran out the door.. the guy at the front says ‘have a great day!’… "oh , i’ll be back"… so i finished my run outside in the frigid sun and it was awesome.. legs still felt like steel, but i didn’t care!

so then to the pool at the college i went.. this time i called to make sure they were open b4 i made the drive.. yep… so i hopped in and did my swim.. i felt strong. not really fast but i haven’t swam enough to get my speed back.. but i did the entire swim doing crawl/freestyle, and that made me happy… after the swim, i dried off and headed BACK to the gym to meet with TJ for back/arms… i still had tons of energy but i could tell i was close to done!

THEN, i went straight from the gym to my massage therapist.. and when i say ‘massage therapist’ i should say "torture therapist’.. he doesnt do the ‘happy go feely’ massage.. this is ROLFING! there’s no relaxation involved.. in fact, when he got to my calves and started ’stripping’ them, i started crying.. seriously! but i tell you, the pain and agony i experience during that hour is soooo worth it.. and i honestly dont’ think i could continue doing the training i’m doing unless i had this type of pain inflicted upon me.. makes everything else seem relative…

so here’s how the days training went….

Foundation run 50 minutes steady at moderate intensity followed by

Running strides 20 second ‘relaxed sprints’ at speed intensity w/ 40 sec active recovery…. 4x 20 seconds

Swim warm up at recovery intensity x 300 m

Swim drill set 25 m intervals of mixed form w/ 10 sec rest 8 x 25

swim base intervals 100 m intervals mod intensity w/ 5 sec rest 4×100

swim sprint intervals 25 m intervals speed intensity w/ 20 sec rest 7 x 25

swim kick set 25 m intervals kick only w/ 15 sec rest (i was pressed for time so didn’t rest) 7 x 25

cool down 100 m….

and that’s my day

and it’s KILLING me.. or maybe it was the triathlon training.. well, who knows.. i’m pooped!

 last night, i went to the library to pick up the dvd on hold about triathlon transitions.. oh great.. the 4TH SPORT!.. well, the lady at the reference desk says "if you’re interested in triathlons, Bernard over there competes"….. well, heck.. i'’ll be right over… Turns out he’s competed in several sprint, olympic and 70.3 triathlons and all he says is "follow me, grasshoppa"… I end up leaving the library with not only the dvd, but 4 more books in hand.. and 3 on hold! Sports psychology (apparently i’m gonna need some mental toughness.. haha), open water swim and one about improving my bike speed.. AND one all about different training plans.. Well, after reading thru that one, i decided to switch from my current plan to the new one.. My current plan is "run for so much time/swim for so much time".. There’s really nothing in it to challenge me.. The new plan focuses on not only building endurance but speed.. and that’s what i need..

So today’s work out was as follows… (i was suppose to swim but the college pool was closed AGAIN! for crying out loud. this is getting ridiculous!!!)

Running hill intervals : 30 second intervals at speed intensity w/ 2 minute active recovery.. 12 x 30 seconds (50 minutes) My son was home from school with some eye junk but he wanted to ride his bike with me during the recovery so out he came.. it was frustrating at first cuz he wanted to talk and talk and talk… but then it was quite fun because he would say ‘wait up mommy!! ur running too fast!!"  well, no, i really wasn’t (he’s only 7) but it sure was nice to hear

then recovery bike : steady ride at recovery intensity… i have a hard time with this pace so i added some sprints in.. i’m also practicing my side saddle ride (for entering in the transition area) and riding in my aerobar position.. i actually prefer this position.. i feel more powerful than upright.. go figure…

I felt really good during this train but now i’m exhausted. I want to nap and i think that i just may… BUT it’s so sunny outside and i feel like i should do some yard work… so maybe i’ll just take my supplement free water out on the front deck and sit in the sun and watch the water.. i don’t do that as often as i should.. and need to.. or maybe i’ll just nap