Day of Firsts

Today I did my first official brick. For those of you who aren't hip with the triathlon lingo, a brick is doing back to back workouts to get the feel of the bam bam bam nature of a triathlon. I've done swimming then biking several times, but seeing as I have to drive to the gym or home after swimming, that's a solid 15 to 30 minute break in between workouts. I've also done running then biking, but I hadn't done biking then running. It's easy to bike through discomfort - not so true with running. So today I biked 14 miles (in my fastest pace to date - 30 minutes - 28 mph) and then I went straight to the treadmill and ran 3.1 miles. I probably walked a total of a half mile, and ran the rest. I thought I was going to throw up after my workout (and spent five minutes lying on the bench in the locker room waiting to see if it would happen) but I pulled through and managed not to vomit. Win. Afterwards, Jake told me that I looked "like death" - that's love.


(Hair is soaked roots to tips. Not gross at all.)

Another first today: I got the lactic acid build up in my legs. Around mile 2, it hit me like the engine sludge in those oil commercials. It was sudden and my legs felt like stone. I had to slow to a fast paced walk to try and loosen them up a little, sipped some water, and then went into a FAST run. It hurt like a you know what, but I broke through it. I came out the other side, and I didn't eat treadmill. Win-win.

A first since September - I got a side stitch. That hasn't happened since I first started running seriously. However, another first, I didn't let it defeat me. Back in September, it would make me stop - but this time I just took deeper breaths and finished my miles.

Also, it was the first time I ever cheered for the Bears. My other teams are out (GIANTS, Colts, Broncos), so I decided I would cheer for the Bears haha. I was jumping around on the treadmill when they won, much to the chagrin of the Seahawks fan two treadmills down from me.

My last first of the day (that I can think of, at least): I tried coconut water. Anyone who knows me knows that I hate coconut, but I bought a few different flavors of it (plain, with pineapple, and with pomegranate) for Jake to try because he was interested. Jake brought the pineapple one with him to the gym so he could drink it afterwards, and we split it on the drive to the grocery store. I can't say it was my favorite thing ever, but it hit the spot after that workout.

Lastly, this is something I've been thinking about since earlier. When today's workout was killing me and I was considering giving up, I thought about where I was in September. Back when running a mile would make me throw up because my body was so unprepared. If I had tried to do a brick in September, I legitimately think it might have killed me. And while I didn't get my best 5k time today, I didn't get my worst either. I survived it - I needed an ice bath after it, but I survived it.

It's amazing to think about how far you can go in so little time. To anyone who thinks that they can't get into shape, believe me, you can. It IS possible. And you'll feel so amazing when you look back at what you used to be.

Oh and - dinner.