TGIF

I had a swim session today with my group and we got a workout. Luckily, the pool is now heated and feels warmer than it did during the summer. The temperatures quickly dropped from record-breaking heat two weeks ago during my triathlon to cool mornings. Yesterday I went out for a bike ride at 5:30am and actually came home to get a jacket. Nice that fall has finally descended upon us. Although, temperatures are going back up today through early next week. But that's okay, no more triple digit temps.

I can finally bike during the day and not be overwhelmed with heat.

This weekend I have a long bike ride of 4 hours, plus a 10K run immediately after. The next day I have a 20 mile run followed by a 1 hour swim. I am eating up the calories now.

My favorite things about autumn:
1. Halloween candy. I love pumpkin mellowcreams.
2. A break from heat. I love crisp mornings.
3. The fall menu at Starbucks: pumpkin scones with a non-fat tall chai. Yum.
4. The holidays are right around the corner.

And this year, fall means I'm halfway through my braces (I hope). They are to come off hopefully at the end of January if all goes well. I cannot wait for that day. My teeth have shifted to where I talk funny. I sound like I have a lisp. I can't make "f" sounds very well.

Aches and Pains

I went to the chiropractor last night for the first time since I was 14. I have been having back problems from biking. Whenever I bike, I get a pain in my upper back that won't go away for the rest of the day. He poked and prodded and stretched me out and I woke up this morning feeling like I had been weightlifting like crazy.

So this morning I went biking and within 45 minutes, the pain returned.

Plus, on Sunday, my knee that I injured in a 2007 bike accident has now started hurting again with any physical activity--even swimming, which has never caused me any pain. It's the least hard on the joints, so makes no sense.

This training is really tearing up my body. I think I can live with the back pain, but the knee pain makes me nervous. In September 2007 I got into the bike accident and ended up in physical therapy for it and it kept me out of some races. So I'm hoping the pain will go away.

I'll ice it and pray.

Sweet Dreams are Made of This--Who am I to Disagree?

Since being sick, I have had a myriad of strange dreams. I dreamt last night that I wanted to start dating again. In real life, I stopped a long time ago. But in my dream I wanted to go on a date and I kept finding these weird guys. One was a guy who I saw on an old episode of CSI who played a serial rapist and murderer. One guy was a 20 year old who was going through a divorce. I kept thinking, why would I want to go out with a 20 year old? Very odd and scary characters kept appearing and all were trying to go out with me. Maybe I just get these type of guys in my dreams and real life.

I also dreamt that I wanted to tell my mom to be supportive of my wearing braces and participating in triathlons, but I couldn't talk. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't say anything.

Perhaps my dreams mirror real life.

I went to track practice last night and then went weight lifting after. Haven't had much time to weight lift, so enjoyed it.

Life on the dark side

As a brunette, I find that life isn't any different than it was as a blonde. But since the dye was temporary, each day my hair is getting lighter and lighter.

I have been struggling lately with my trichtotillomania. I used to just pull from the back of my head, but now it is from the front and with darker hair, it is more noticeable. I am trying to stop, but I've been trying to stop since I was 14 when I started. I think this is a reason I need to be a blonde.

Perhaps in the winter I will go back to my sunnier color.

I've been doing a lot of research for my book and training and watching bad reality television. I am just loving Brad from the Rachel Zoe Project. What a life he has!

Sick

I am getting over a viral infection. I haven't been sick since February 2008 when I did the Antarctica marathon. It isn't something I want to repeat. I had a bad viral infection and missed a couple days of work and now am on antibiotics. I wonder if that played a part in my bad showing at the triathlon for Nathan's. Oh well. I'm doing better.

I dyed my hair last Sunday a brunette color. I went to the store and found two boxes, one labeled "brown" the other labeled "chocolate espresso brown." I went with the later, as it sounded so much more alluring. Well, 10 minutes and hair dye all over the bathroom later, I ended up a brunette. Of course, now the shower curtain and floor were brown. I've not colored my hair at home and have always left it to the professionals and think in the future I will leave it to the professionals. Not sure how I feel about being brunette. I think a golden color makes me feel sunnier. I have just been having my hair ruined with chlorine, so thought this might make a good solution.

Yesterday I went biking in 20 mph winds and got pretty much blown off my bike. I had to actually get off and walk it through an intersection because my weight wouldn't keep me up. I've never had to do that before. Also, there were some trees hanging over the biking path and didn't have enough time to push them out of the way with my hands, so one branch sliced up my forehead.

I swear, I have a scar from my stitches from my bike accident, now a slice through my forehead and dried out brunette hair. What a sight am I? Battle wounds! Loving it.