Triathlon Dreams

Oh, look - it's Wednesday, time for a blog post. My posting frequency has dwindled considerably I am realizing. Not for any profound reason. Life is just kind of regular. My dream world, on the other hand has been FREAKY.

I have been having triathlon dreams lately. Last night I dreamed I was going for a long run on some random tri course in the hot sun. All up hill. The day before the race. Then some dude comes cruising by me, no shirt, black shorts and a HRM, flinging sweat all over the place. I followed him to some high school where we walked into an administrator's office like we owned the place and this guy pulled an old dictionary off the shelf and handed it to me like I really needed to look up the definition of something. I do remember that the school was pretty cool. Kind of a raw concrete, brutalist style, with a funky carpet layout and lots of glass. Weird.

A couple of nights ago I had a dream that I was racing and I completely forgot what I was doing. I swam with my number bib on and it was made of printer paper so it came off in the water. Then I got to my bike and it was set up in a parking lot completely away from the other transition area - like it was transition overflow. So then I get to my bike, realize I don't have my number and have to go back to the swim exit to find. I see it lapping along the shore, but the pier I am standing on is too high so I can't reach it. I finally get it and run back to my bike and my shoes aren't compatible with my pedals. So I have to find a bike that I can use. I suddenly have a bike and I am running to the bike out in the opposite direction of everyone else. I never made it to the run, because the dog came in the room (that part wasn't in the dream, the dog actually came into the room which woke me up.)

I am sure that these dreams hold some symbolism beyond triathlon, but I am looking at it more literally. I need to be more vigilant in my off season training and I need to figure out my race schedule for the coming year.

Regarding training. I am into my second week running with "the men" rather then with "the ladies." It's going well. The guys are friendly, funny and fast. Only issue is that they have all their inside jokes and I am on the outside. It's not uncomfortable, it's just the way it is joining a group that has been together for quite a while. I'll get there. What I have learned is that vagina doctors and Costco's milk jugs hold no interest to men. Likewise, football, basketball and hockey holds no interest to women. The one subject that cuts across genders and nationalities (one of the guys in the group is from England) is poop. Men and women runners talk about poop with the same frequency, intensity and interest. It's the universal link that joins all runners. I truly believe that if you find yourself with a new group of runners and are looking for a way to break the ice or be accepted, just steer the conversation toward the last dump you took - good, bad or simply unsatisfying - and you are golden. Now, as with any subject, you can't talk about it on every run or monopolize the conversation by describing every bowel movement you have had the pleasure of experiencing. And it's probably not advisable to blatantly inquire about a stranger pooping on a run, but you will be surprised the kind of GI related information people volunteer once the subject has been broached.

I mentioned my GI issues at the end of the Twin Cities Marathon and it was good for two runs. Every port-a-potty was humorously pointed out for my benefit and stories of other's experiences with "the deuce" were volunteered for the pleasure of all. In this respect I am "in." It's a well I can go back to - just not too often.

My other training is ramping up slower. I biked on the trainer for an hour one time last week and have matched that so far this week. I am hoping for another session or two this week. I did discover that the first hour or so of "Armageddon" is actually pretty entertaining (or distracting anyway.) Luckily, I was done with my workout before they launched the titanium skinned super space shuttles and things got ridiculous. I also started my weight program. After just one time with low or no weights I am still sore. I hate this part of training and can't wait to be through the painful-stiffness cycle. One thing I do have to figure out is how to fit some yoga into the schedule. Since training specifically for the marathon after tri season wrapped up my hips have been tight which has led to piriformis pain, back tightness and even knee tweaks. I need to find a good class that I can go to consistently for awhile.

I was going to go into my goals and schedule for 2010, but I think I will save that for later. I am sure my reader has already dozed off and or moved on (thank you very little, mom.)