The "ON" Season...

Since these last few weeks (or months really) have been deemed my "off" season...I guess the recent increase in training means the "on" season is truly upon me...with a new year comes new goals and a new batch of workouts to help me achieve them. If you also haven't realized, this is San Diego and we don't really have an off season...but that being said...my 3 hour workout this morning and the 1 hour swim I have planned for this evening is quite an increase from what I have been doing since U.S. Women's Tri last October (keep in mind I went into Vegas very un-trained and lazy...though that "race" was in December).


The weekend kicked off in style with an easy 2 hour trail run with Bex...the run was a fantastic opportunity to discuss the goals for the year and talk about missed opportunities and learning experiences from the previous year and season...all in all it was a great soul-searching run that was more therapy then run...but 10 miles of dirty, hilly trails is always considered a good day. This is a pic I snapped at the top of the Sweetwater Reservoir...beautiful...

After I got all prettied up again the fam and I headed to the San Diego Zoo...we don't go there nearly enough and it really was nice to walk around and see the animals through the kids eyes...they really enjoyed themselves! So much so that I bought season passes for them!

The next morning, with my legs completely reminding me that it's been a while since my last long trail run, I woke up with the hubby to meet Bex and Jason for a bike/breakfast combo (so really this was my last day of chill workouts and I wanted to enjoy it!). We met out at Otay Lakes near the Olympic Training Center (talk about some motivation!) and rode first to the Broken Yolk Cafe for breakfast...so good! Ate some good food with some of my favorite people...

...then we headed out towards and into Jamul and back. It was really beautiful weather for a ride. The scenery was truly amazing and many times I realized I had lost any speed as I got caught up in the views. During one stop I just had to snap a pic...you can vaguely see Bex and J waiting for Mike and I just up the road...



...Great ride, great friends, great day! We also seem to have a fantastic sense of style and clearly exhibited this with our choice of footwear post-ride (which spins me into a future blog I think...but you'll have to wait for that one).

I had to work Sunday night...and it was a LONGGGG one...capped off by me losing my stethoscope as I chucked it aside to jump on top of a bed and give CPR to a patient...very dramatic really...and yes, the patient lived! Later that night the tech brought me my stethoscope all cleaned and nice...when I asked him where it was he looked at me quite puzzled and said he had found it in the sink! Hmmm...I don't know how to explain that one...let's just say I was more focused on my job then my belongings! Ahh...the many perils and triumphs of my job...again...more fodder for another blog...

Monday I slept later then usual since I was feeling tired and only had time to get a quick 30 minute run in with some hill repeats...also did some strength exercises while Addy played at the park...hey, you gotta do what you can!

Today was bike day...and also my meeting with coach Bryan to discuss the upcoming year. The ride started heading up Mt. Soledad...where I quickly took in the view before heading back down (this is a pic from a previous trip up the beast)...

We then headed down Nautilus and I was thinking I had gotten off easy...ummm...yeah....nope! We head back up Mt. Soledad the back route and still, miraculously, ended up in a place I love to hate...Via Capri (again pic from previous trip that does NOT do it justice!)...

After that it was a 1 hour run to top off the 2 hour ride...then lunch and planning sesh with coach to discuss the goals for the new year (another blog...again)...and tonight it's a 1 hour swim...holy moly artichoke...here we go!