Why am I getting cankles?

That is all I could think of while I was running on the dreadmill this morning.

Why me? Of all places to retain water, my ankles?

Is there a procedure to remedy the situation? Lipo for ankles?

Well, the good news is that I've been on track and consistent with my training this week. I haven't missed a workout. I haven't cut anything short.

I may be making a little change in my race schedule this spring though. I'm considering not participating in the Spring Classic Duathalon in April and instead, replacing it with the Heart of the Valley Triathlon at the end of May. Jury is still out, but I'm leaning toward the tri.

Monday

Swimming:

1200 yards

28:45

Tuesday

Running:

4.3 miles

40:00

Wednesday

Swimming:

1250 yards

30:00

Thursday

Running:

3.3 miles

30:00

Strength training:

legs

25:00

Hippie Chick reality check

T minus 62 days and counting before my big half marathon is here. The Hippie Chick Half Marathon is May 8th. This past Saturday that fact hit me directly in the face as I came to the realization that I really needed to get more focused and committed to training for this race.

A half marathon is a challenge. It's not an enormous mountain to climb like a marathon, but 13.1 miles is nothing to sneeze at. I finally looked at the Hal Higdon training schedule I'm supposed to be following in preparation for the big day and I feel like I'm in okay shape to follow it closely. My goal is to run it in 2:08:00 or less. Last time I ran it in 2008 my goal was simply to finish and to not walk. I did both of those things and finished with a time of 2:15:09. I'm thinking it is reasonable for me to hope to knock 7 minutes or so off my last time since this go round I am starting with a much stronger base. Also, I'm including speedwork into my training this time and supposedly it should be helpful in making me a little bit faster. I'm just praying I don't have any nagging injuries to contend with or bowel problems (TMI) for that matter.

Wednesday
The Shred:
30:00

Thursday
Running:
5 miles (3 were speedwork)

Friday
Swimming:
1200 yards
28:09

Saturday
Running
6.2 miles
1:02:03

Swimming within the pod

Monday morning Wes and I headed over to the pool for our normal Monday morning swim. We had been a bit slack in the swim department because of Wes's head cold, so I had only swum once the previous week and Wes hadn't swum at all.

We got there at our normal time 5:55 am and the pool looked to be typical in its busyness. We hopped in the "medium" paced lane and started to click off the 23 laps we had planned. Within 10 minutes or so, the pool suddenly becomes quite busy. Another guy gets in our lane and joins in. This happens occasionally so I thought very little of it. Then another guy (breaststroke) joins us and things start to get quite crowded. Mentally, I decide to trudge on because I still about half my laps to go and I don't want to cut my work out short. Then another guy joins us in our lane and I start to wonder what the heck is going on. 5 people (4 men, one woman) are sharing our little bitty lane and bodies start bumping and back ups start happening.

After a lap or two I pop my head up and ask Dana (a friend) the life guard what the heck happened? She laughs at me and I plow on.

When I'm nearing the last part of my swim the slow (floater) ladies in the lane next to me stop me and ask if Wes and I'd like to swim with them. Then they turn their heads and see someone has joined them in their lane and floater ladies start to bemoan their fate. It's "splasher man"- their phrase, not mine. I know exactly who they are talking about (Dr. Johnson) and I thank them for the offer, but tell them I'm almost done and should probably just stay put in my ridiculously crowded lane. By this time Wes is starting to poop out because he's taken the previous week off and is just not in top form and a guy in our lane attempts passing him. Once the pass in successful Wes realizes maybe he is done for the day and we climb out and head for the showers. Crazy.

Monday

Swimming:

1100 yards

28:44

Tuesday

Running:

4 miles

Not sure on time.