Why I love my boss

Boss: You know, talking with [Big Boss] always leaves me feeling so. . . refreshed.

VG: Um. . . it does?

Boss: Yes! Because he is a great big douche.

Congratulations, IronPol

A rocking swim, a solid bike, and a great marathon -- BIG BIG props for your awesome finish at IronMan Louisville!

Someone is going to die

Doughy Client: Whoa! Are you sure you're feeling okay? You're looking really. . . gaunt.

VG: Yeah, well, I was out sick pretty much all last week. I lost a bit of weight.

Doughy Client: Man, I feeling like telling you that you look like you need to eat more, and that's something I thought I'd NEVER have to say to you.

VG:

Lots of sweating and sore muscles have to count for something, right?

On Tuesday, Nadine, the lovely PA very sweetly and sympathetically patted me and told me, "Go home. Try to rest. Try to stay hydrated. This is going to suck. Call if your fever doesn't go down in the next two days."


Way to give it to me straight, Nadine.

So, I went home. And I had shakes. And night sweats. And a fever that, ultimately, a good cycling of Tylenol and ibuprofen could only bring down into the 102 range. And an increasing inability to lie on or even touch my right side.

I drank lots of electrolyte-laced beverages. I rested as much as possible. I lost six freakin' pounds from Sunday to Friday.

On Friday, when my temp was 103.9 WHILE ON TYLENOL, I called Nadine back.

"Um, I'm really not getting any better."

She told me to try to get in to see my primary physician.

Way to go the extra mile for me, Nadine.

My primary doc (who ROCKS) did get me in. And within the first 15 minutes in her office, had diagnosed me with a kidney infection. In 25 minutes, we had confirmation and a prescription.

By Sunday, I was actually feeling human again.

Fuck OFF, Nadine.

Are you freaking KIDDING me?

See, this is what I get for posting on my blog and being all "I sort of have my shit together. . . la-di-da!"

Two days of fever and lower back pain. Am going to urgent care to pharm myself up as soon as possible.

*sigh*

Actual Racing to Report!

So, I um. . . took a break. From the blogging.

And kind of also, from the training. But! I am still training in a half-assed sort of way, and also racing, using that same genre.

I have not set any PRs (well, except for the "new" race that I did yesterday with the whack distances, which. . . automatic PR, baybee! Yeah!)

I have been working. A lot. "A lot" like, when I put my two year old to bed, she pats my hand and says, "You go sit at da table an work more now, Momma," because that is all she has seen me do for weeks and weeks. (Break my heart, why don't you, StinkyRotten Child?)

I did a tri yesterday with a 1/3rd mile swim, a 22-mile bike, and a 5K run. I finished in 2:04:08. Since I've done next-to-no bike training, and literally one session of swim training in the past three weeks, I am fairly pleased. I did the Spirit of Racine sprint, and had a suck-ass swim, complete with an in-water panic attack. But I still pulled it out and finished and had a good bike and a strong run. I did an underfueled four-mile race which was HORRID, and humbling. I did a nighttime 5K, which was AWESOME and fun and was within two seconds of my PR.

More than anything, I am just grateful. I am grateful that I have the ability to work and support my family. I am grateful that I am strong and healthy enough to just decide to do a tri, even with suboptimal training, and not only finish, but have it be a fun, positive experience. I am grateful that my five-year-old is BEGGING me to let her do a race, and that I am modeling that for her.

Things right now. . . are not falling together at all like I had planned for this year. Life is hard, in a lot of ways. But I feel, for the first time in months, that I am going to come out of this okay. That I don't need to worry that I won't be strong enough to do the hard things -- because I am. I have been. I haven't quit, even when it would have been the understandable thing to do. When no one would have judged me for it. I have been broken and gotten myself back together again. I just need to reach for it and hold onto it. Hold onto myself.

And then I will get through. And I will be, again, endlessly grateful.