Lake Stevens and the "lockdown" that followed.

When I got back from Lake Stevens, I started writing yet another race report. All I could come up with was how perplexed I was with another disappointing performance. I did everything right, got in the calories on the bike and kept my inhaler on me through the whole race but still, it went like this:

Swim: 39:12 (what? that's 2 minutes slower than my first half of the season and 4 minutes slower than my wildflower swim) Also, this was 1 min slower than my swim last year at LS when I wasn't busting my butt 5 days a week in the pool! I know swim courses can be "off" but come on......

Bike: 3:03:28 (same as my Wildflower bike time and WF is a MUCH tougher course....not to mention, I was coming down with the flu in WF) 9 minutes slower than my LS bike time last year and 6 minutes slower than 2006 which was my first half ever and my 3rd triathlon.

Run: 1:48:02 (well, this is 1 minute slower than the Honu run which is a MUCH tougher run course and also 1 minute slower than my run last year at LS).

Here I am finishing with Tabor. The highlight of the day. I was so happy to be done but dreading having to face everyone and once again try to explain what happened without sounding like an "excuse maker". The truth is, I was out of answers. I didn't know why. Even though it was a crappy race, it was really fun to share the finishing chute with Tabor. Hayden declined.


Across the board, I was slower than last year. My total time was 5:33:53. Last year I did a 5:22 and change. I needed to lay that all those times out so ya'll don't just think I was reaching for the stars and didn't reach some random time goal I plucked from the sky.

For once in my life, I was speechless. Is this it? Am I just getting old and now I'm going to continue getting slower? There was a saving grace here.....a huge diamond in the rough and that was that I did get a roll down slot for Clearwater. Mission accomplished. But still I just couldn't figure it out.

We got home late Sunday night, the drive home was miserable. My body ached and I was extremely sore.....I don't usually feel so sore so quick after a race. And this was full body, achey sore. Monday, I went for a swim and my times were unbelievably slower than I had been swimming just two months ago. My pace was 12-14 seconds slower per 100. My times in the pool have continually gotten slower since Wildflower. I knew something was wrong-but what? I wasn't anemic, that already came back normal.

I went back to the doctor on Tuesday to get the last of my lab results because some had come back "abnormal" so we needed to go over them. I had gone to him a few days after my disastrous race at Blue Lake and he ordered every blood test he could think of. I went back this past Tuesday and he walked in, sat down and said "you have Mono". WHAT? Are you freakin' kidding me? Who gets mono? I thought teenagers got mono. I'm 35! How did I get this? He said I could have taken a drink out of someone's pop can. I don't drink pop. Okay, someone's water bottle. So, how do we treat this? His answer hit me like a ton of bricks. "You're going to have to take some time off". Oh, like scale way back-no racing, no half irons for a while? "no, like you can't exercise AT ALL for at least a month. We will retest then and see what your results are". I wanted to cry right there, I was doing everything I could not to fall apart. But all these thoughts were going through my head....I can't do Tiger Tri! I can't do Coeur D alene. I'm gonna get fat. I'm going to lose all my fitness. My season is ruined. PZ (doc) talked me through it, he was very understanding and helped me realize that I didn't just come down with a few weeks ago, I've had it since April or May. That does explain a lot. And then, I started to feel better. This is why:

• After taking a month off and recovering from mono, I am going to be no slower than I am right now.
• I have a month in the middle of summer to play with my boys, lay by the pool in the sun and relax.
• I can put more time into planning the Kids Triathlon which I'm very excited about
• I am writing a cookbook and this gives me more time to cook and make up more recipes
  
• I've been really perplexed and confused about my performance, I finally have an answer...and it's not that I'm crazy or that I've reached my peak.
• I am encouraged to rest by the thought of the first time I get to run again.....just how much I'm going to appreciate the ability to run and how good it's going to feel.
  

The truth is, I've been feeling so warn out, so frustrated and tired lately. I've felt a lot of guilt for feeling tired because everyone around me has such busy lives (most of them HAVE jobs) and they handle it just fine. I've been able to let go of that and come to terms with the fact that I'm sick. My body is sick, tired and worn down and I just need to take care of it. I'm glad I was able to recognize (only took a couple of months) that something was wrong and get it figured out.

I've always felt very appreciative of my body.....healthy, strong and all in one piece. This hiatus is going to magnify that appreciation. I hope it does for you too, even though you don't need to take the time off. To be able to physically challenge our bodies on a daily basis and pay no more than some tired feet and a good nights sleep is a gift. I am looking forward to getting back in the game but for now, I'll just rest.......and walk the dog until August (at least). Today happens to be day #2 on "mono lockdown".

I am going to do a separate post on all of the fun over the weekend. I got to hang out with Cody, the boys and my parents for a couple days in Bellingham and then come over to Lake Stevens to hang w/the Tri-Fusion crew. The race was the only downer and even Tim, Andy, Trish and Nat made that fun by cheering and making signs. Cody, the boys and my parents were also out there cheering and it was the first time my mom has watched me race.

I've got pictures to post and lots to say. It deserves it's own post though. Coming soon......