For the first time in forever I have no training plan to follow. In the past I have had time off to recover and a few days or maybe a week with nothing on my TrainingPeaks calendar, but I cannot remember the last time I literally had (almost) nothing to train for. It’s like a mom with no kids – – amazingly wonderful and fantastically freeing…until you start missing your kids.

WEEK OF AUGUST 7, 2017

RUNNING

I feel a bit like I was heeding the advice of Michael Pollan, when he gave the most perfect directions for eating, in his book In Defense of Food:

“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

I changed it a tad to:

Keep training. Not too much. Mostly for fun.

And I followed that advice well, running only 17 miles for the week but they were quality, enjoyable, easy paced miles. It makes all the difference.

Because I’m happy…

I’m still committed (and very excited) to run the Las Vegas Rock and Roll half marathon in November so I will definitely start a loose training plan for it in September. For now, I’m running for fun.

CYCLING

I continue to enjoy being on the road in the summer of course, and maybe more so without a plan. I rode frequently and even did a long ride of 30 miles. I want to keep a certain level of fitness in all three disciplines until I figure out what’s next for me.

Wearing my Orleans Cycle shirt and wishing I was looking out onto the ocean again instead of corn and tobacco fields. *sigh*

SWIM SUP AND STRENGTH

Look at that – – a new category! Now that I’m able to pick and choose what I want to do, I’ve been doing it all. It started with when my college roommate was visiting and forced me to go to yoga. You know how they say everything happens for a reason? Well, it does.

Going to one power yoga class led to two which also led to discovering the instructor teaches a SUP and sip (as in drink wine!) yoga class on a local lake. You need only a good friend and a SUP. Check and check!

Me and my friend Barb enjoying our sip after the SUP.

The class was super hard and I burned more calories from fear of falling into the water on a chilly night then from actual yoga. It was incredible how unstable I felt on the water and my vertigo did not help! I will definitely be back for another class.

I rounded out the week with Orangetheory and swam laps in the pool twice. Not too shabby for winging it!

GEAR

I finally have something for the men who read this blog – – underwear! That’s right gentlemen, this is the post you have been waiting for. I was recently included in this graphic from Tommy John and, since my husband is a huge fan of all things Tommy John, including their boxer briefs, I was so happy to be a part of it!

Truth be told, I never wear underwear when I workout but obviously guys don’t have that luxury. If you can’t seem to find the right fit for your workouts guys, look no further…

I mean they advertise on Howard Stern and their tag line is “no adjustment necessary.” Ladies you need to buy these for your husband, boyfriend, significant other, friend…you get the idea.

THINGS I LOVE

Going to see Kenny Chesney while I otherwise would have been sleeping in a hotel in Omaha, tossing and turning the night before nationals. Instead, I was celebrating my sister-in-law’s birthday, drinking, eating fantastic food and staying up way too late.

I also love that after one session of physical therapy my vertigo has been greatly reduced! I seriously cannot believe that by simply manipulating my head and neck, inducing the vertigo symptoms and then hanging my head upside-down for a while, I’m practically cured. The human body is insane! #voodooscience

THINGS I DON’T LOVE AS MUCH

My dog.

The saga continues with her being aggressive toward strangers. We’re working on it with a trainer and doing what we can at home but she almost bit the vet in the face when I went to have a growth on her shoulder checked out. Luckily the vet had super woman like reflexes and smacked her open jaws away, but seriously WTF?

Hi. My name is StarFire and if I don’t know you, I will bite your face off.

And yes, I’ve looked at Cesar Millan’s stuff but the guy gives nothing away for free. Do I seriously need to buy a DVD of how Susie overcame her stranger aggression? Suck it Cesar. And who even has a DVD player anymore? Ok, fine, we do but there’s like 10 inches of dust on it and it’s next to our land line phone….and my walkman…and headphones with wires. #yougettheidea

Luckily, she loves me best and we had a great 3.5 mile run on Sunday. She absolutely loves running and, having her pull me up the hills was pretty awesome too. Since she’s only 7 months old, three miles is about her limit for at least another month, but this dog was definitely born to run…just like her owner.

READING

So.much.reading.

I started reading/listening to Trevor Noah’s book Born A Crime right before my two weeks at the Cape. Since I couldn’t really focus too much on something that serious, I took a break and started reading The Identicals by Elin Hilerbrand. Obviously I’m interested in anything that has to do with twins but the book also takes place on Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. It was perfection. I wouldn’t recommend it unless you want something super light you can read for fun but, it was a good story and very well written.

Now, Born A Crime was absolutely incredible! When the least interesting thing about the book is his mom getting shot in the head, you know it’s really, really good. And no, that is not a spoiler – you are told within the first chapter if you didn’t happen to know that tidbit already.

The fascinating thing about the story is Noah (obviously) and how absolutely brilliant he is on so many topics. Throughout the extremely unique journey of his upbringing in South Africa, the reader is treated to unbelievable stories, compelling racial arguments and viewpoints, and a rich history of Apartheid and how it impacted Noah’s very birth.

I would move this book to the top of your reading list and, if you can, listen to it just to hear Noah’s voice. His accent is hypnotizing.

RANDOM PICTURE OF THE WEEK

The summer between my junior and senior year in college, me and one of my lifelong best friends, lived on Cape Cod. It was one of the best summers of my life! While on the Cape a few weeks ago I decided to show my husband and kids where we lived for the entirety of that summer…

Yep. It was in the back parking lot of a t-shirt shop, we slept in bunk beds that my dad built and the shower was smaller than Trump’s mind. #thatshitismall

Being young is amazing.

[Tweet “This athlete’s first week without a plan ended with #SUPsipYoga #OTF and #underwear”]

How was your week?

Do you currently have a training plan?

Where is the worst yet best place you ever lived?

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