Bloody Fish

I was swimming today at Stacy Pool, plugging along doing my 4x400's, feeling decent for today. As I am finishing up and getting ready to wind it down, a man next to me says (in an Australian accent), "You swim like a bloody fish." It was so funny. I just kind of laughed, and we got to chatting a bit. He told me that he used to be a runner but had a herniated disc in his back so he has had to start swimming. I said, "It's not quite like running..." His reply, "Yea, I miss chasing all the young ladies."

I am getting back into a bit of a swimming/cycling/running/yoga routine this past week. The week after the marathon, I recovered fairly well (and had the awesome treat of spending the weekend with my friend Jenny Georges from CO too, though we got a bit too crazy Friday night at G&S Lounge....another story) but even this week I have still felt some remaining fatigue. Crazy the toll that distance can take on your body. But I am definitely feeling more normal and wanting to start upping the pace on some workouts now. I have been trying to ease back into the pool, this week I did 2000 Monday, 3000 Wednesday and 3000 today, with some longer 'main sets'. I am feeling like the gills are coming back, albeit slowly, which I expected. I was contemplating going to Virginia Beach, VA on March 15th to race a 1/2 Marathon. However, I then found out about the Daisy 5k here in Austin on that same Saturday. Boy-Girl chase format! How fun. The women get a 3-minute head start and the guys have to catch us. SIGN ME UP! I have actually never done one of these, so I am training hard for it now. Not really...but it will be interesting to see if I can find some speed in these legs in the next 2 weeks.

What else has happened of interest...AH! Our cat. Our kitty Shackleton took a big hit and anyone remotely close to me has heard of this already...he was hit by a car (truck) in front of our house and even more 'interesting', I saw it happen. It was awful. He hid under the shed overnight and Derick went and was able to pull him out the next morning, though his little face was bloody and his teeth were loose. He spent 2 days at the South First Vet Hospital where they so kindly nursed him to health, and now we are nursing him to health. He is doing great, though his mouth was a bit crooked at first and now occassionally his tongue sticks out without his knowing. He may have to have a tooth pulled (find out next week) but other than that, I think he'll pull through. So he has 8 lives to go.

Derick also decided to take a spill at a bike race last weekend, and has the road rash to show for it. He is alright however it is so scary what you put yourself into when bike racing, it is a huge risk and I know all bike racers know it but it sure is scary when your loved ones do it. His hip took a huge hit, I'd post a picture but you may not want to see it, and it is slowly healing up, though he too walked crooked most of the week. And please do not say 'these things come in 3's', I have already heard it.

That is about all my news for now! I hope you all are well, happy Leap Day and happy soon-to-be March! We have already had one 90-degree day here in Austin, so I'll savor temps under 45 from here out because they will be FEW and far between...