Am I still alive?

Just a quick review of last night before I get to the good stuff. So typically in my tri swim class there are so many people that we swim 3 and 4 per lane. I know, crazy crowded right. Last night there were only about 5 of us total! Where did everyone go? I was kinda glad because I got more attention from the coach but it also sucked because, well, I got more attention from the coach. He really kicked my butt last night. We started 6 - 50's with fists. Yep, fists....this was to help our arms understand what they are suppose to be doing and wow, my arms and shoulders were dog tired. Also, for me last night, no kicking...so overall, fists and no kicking...I was physically done by the end of the hour.

Let's jump ahead to today...I learned a lot about myself today. It started at 5:30am with a 10 + mile bike ride with a couple girlfriends. This was pretty easy because it was all flat...just the way I like it. Then I had a quick bite to eat and rode another 8 miles to see Dave at the gym where I knew he was giving me a cardio workout today on the Treadmill...I just knew it. What I didn't know, however, was how hard it was going to be. It wasn't just the Treadmill, it was also the Recumbent bike! I swear he dreams this stuff up in the middle of the night. I started running at 7.5 for I think 4 minutes, then held on the sides to hop off and make a transition to the bike for 5 minutes...then back to treadmill for another super fast run (a little slower this time) and back and forth until I swear I just couldn't run anymore. I was scared. Seriously....scared that I was going to fall or trip or fly off the back of the treadmill. However, Dave kept me really focused on the task at hand. It's funny to me that he always seems to know when to draw my head back into the game. The Treadmill was running the entire time people...at no time did I work my way back up to the speed I ended with...I held onto the sides to hop off and hop back on! Intense is what that was. I'm grateful now for all the running drills we've done in the past.

So here is what I learned. There is nothing that I can't do! I need to say that again....there is NOTHING that I cannot do! My ride home was really hard mentally but I found myself in a positive place. Not typical for me when I get hot and tired. I was remembering things that people have said to me that provided both comfort and encouragement. Vickie recently told me that my body can handle more then I think it can. I recalled our entire conversation about that and it really helped pull me up the incline home. I also had a conversation (yes, with myself) about the word endurance. I don't understand it. I think it should be tolerance because really, it's how much can I tolerate....right.... more then I had originally thought.

Butch tried to trick me on our long ride this past weekend by telling me about a huge fountain off the Carefree Hwy like the one at Fountain Hills. Apparently thousands of people come to see it and it has a petting zoo too. Recalling that story gave me a chuckle and before I knew it, my incline was done! (the entire story is false so don't try to Google it)

Total today....26 miles on my bike, which puts me officially over my 200 mile goal for this month!!!! YEAH!!!! Where's the confetti and streamers!!!! WHOOOWWWOOWOOWOO

Today tops it off...it's the new hardest workout I've ever had to date.