Two Months to Myself Post Molokai

So Molokai ended and I craved for more.  I even set up an entire trip to go race Catalina.  I was super stoked to get out to California and flat water paddle 32 miles.  Everything was lined up for this upcoming race... I managed to re-connect with an old surfboard shaper friend (ironic since I don't surf, huh) who would be my escort boat driver and crash pad, I had flights all sorted out, and an entry into the race (way past the deadline because I was doing it all last minute).  And then my manager said that there was no way for me to go because I had to find coverage at such a last minute request.  I completely understood and I couldn't be bummed at all because I take off a lot more than the normal person to go to races.  So I made a decision.  A decision to dedicate my training to Kona.  Which is what I should have made the decision to before but I was having Molokai withdraws and wishing I could paddle just a tiny bit more!

Here is a look at Catalina courtesy of my escort getting me stoked on racing it!

So here starts the Kona training.  I realized that I only have two months until race time.  So I'm going to make the most out of them.  I know it means sacrificing going out, going on dates (hah- as IF), and staying up late.  But for me- it's exactly what I want to be doing so it doesn't feel like any sacrifice at all.   I keep telling people- these two months are for myself. And for the first time in my racing career- I truly believe that.  I am making decisions based off of what is good for me- not anyone else.  You would think that I had done this years ago, right?  And I can now say that for the first time in months- I have had the most productive training week.  Actually I change that.  Probably the most productive training week in years.  It started out with a run up & down tantalus with friends (I'm not a hermit as much as this might be sounding ;-)), followed the next day by a lovely bike ride around the Pali loop (gotta get some climbing in..), and then a swim that night.  The next day consisted of a 7 mile speedier run and then a rest day.  Saturday was an 85 mile bike with some faster boys to the North Shore (and home.. but I seriously lacked on the way home and got dropped quickly) and there was a swift paced half marathon run on sunday morning with teammates/friends who remind me not to slack off.  Monday finished off with a slower but longer ride around the island for mileage. 

Tantalus- the one hill on Oahu that everyone loves to train on during the week!

Kunia... really fun! But the gravel trucks seriously make your heart leap out when they pass inches from your wheels going 70 mph.  

Garmin burn - the latest and greatest.

Each training session has been mental training as much as physical as I'm still just getting back into the biking and running and body parts are aching.  As much as the workouts are important- I know what I do in between is just as important.  I'm not one to have a specific diet- but I have started taking a supplement (if you can call it that) once a day in the form of Mila Chia Seeds to hopefully help fill in the gaps for all the other nutrition that I'm lacking by not cooking and leading a crazy lifestyle filled with working, coaching, and working out. 

 I also feel that my recovery at the beach is key! I do feel like such a lucky person to hop into a bikini after a workout and to head down to my fav beach to let my body unwind and re-build after a workout.  Yesterday- after the 109 miles... I didn't shower, but instead jumped in the car and headed to the ocean.  I'm pretty sure I got some looks for the amount of road dirt I still had on my legs and the definitive line there was across my thighs from where my bike shorts ended (and stopped the mud).  But it was the most refreshing part of the day.  Today will start with a trip to Duke's Ocean Festival.  As much as I'm not racing Catalina, I am still racing two races on Saturday for this festival.  Both the swim race and paddling race are on Saturday and should be tons of fun.   In the meantime, I'll see everyone on the road or in the water! Happy training!