Picky Vizsla....

We have been lab people for 10 + years and labs eat everything and anything all the time...Food hounds- constantly seeing out food, turning couch upside down for a crumb that dropped off a cookies, finishing dishes of any food left about, counter surfing (okay maybe that is bad training), raiding neighbors cat food in garage (back to the training issue), inhaling 2 cups of food in 10 seconds...okay you get the message here.  I can tiptoe into the kitchen and stealthily open the cupboard but if a minute squeak erupts Zen will come thundering from upstairs seeking a handout.  I can open the almond butter jar without a noise (that I hear) and he emerges for anyplace in the house.

That is Zen and was Rocky and how most labs roll. Enter Mako....the finicky ( I dislike that work but it fits) Vizsla... $40 bag organic, no grain, duck and sweet potato puppy food- place a dish in front of him and he sniffs and promptly lays down.  I know for all of you who are going say #1 he is a dog he will get over it #2 if he is hungry enough he will eat it and to both of those points yes you are correct.  But he is our adoring puppy with his ribs poking out and as a good mama I want him to eat. He prefers hot dogs (yes really- we have not bought hot dogs really ever - but his trainer suggested them and he LOVES them), cheese (any kind but Tillamuck seems to be his favorite), cooked chicken and yams and pumpkin pie. Our dog trainer uses food and it hard to reward a dog when you give him the liver treat and he turns his nose away.  So we resort to hot dogs, peanut butter and we have more dog treats... refused liver treats, forget milk bones or any similar treat, nixed Charlie bears...but what he loves- dried duck, chicken wrapped sweet potatoes, salmon chummie yummies (which are worse smelling than the Bully sticks) ... I love the fact he is not a food hound but the discerning taste is expensive and frustrating... when he is whining and hungry. You say let him whine....okay it is 6:30 am and I am up with the dogs, John is trying to sleep after a late night. I put Makos food down and he sniffs and runs full tilt up the stairs to John ( I can hear him complaining about the food I presented him with)  I run up with a duck treat in hand to coaxhim back down....really who is the boss here?    I put his food back down and he is pondering the idea of lowering himself to eat dog kibble and Zen walks by and with one inhale cleans the dish- Mako is now jumping up and down throwing a fit as if Zen took his raw steak.  

He seems to prefer to work for his food...doing tricks and the like.  So I can usually fill his belly with assorted morsels with lots of sitting, down, touch, and other training exercises, but not today. He protested on the walk, cut it short....as in bolted towards home signaling he was not eager to keep playing at the park. However upon returning home he goes crazy ruining and jumping and eager to play- go figure....I planned to work on training and after 3 or 4 he walked away  - signaling not interested..... Vizsla's maybe eager to please....but they have a mind of their own and can be stubborn as well.  Love the pup for his individuality!!

IMAZ, Puppies, Toes, ImmuCell, food.....

Girls night at the Ritz Carlton Laguna....reception, room service and a movie in bed1

Blogging is like training if you do it all the time it is much easier.... when you wait too long it gets hard!  Why? you cannot blog it all and then I find myself pondering what I should write vs what I feel like writing.  Plus is is really fun to blog on about massive training...the rest can be boring, although training blogs are boring to many...so I am going with random thoughts here.

I forced begged Riley to sit on his lap

I had zero interest, not an inkling or flash of envy of those racing Ironman Arizona..that is until Sunday mid day as I was following so many good friends who were absolutely crushing it out there.  Then of course I wished I was really fit, racing and crushing it....in turn I am NOT fit, swam 45 minutes, drank a Peppermint Mocha and ate a Gingerbread cookie the size of my face...and followed a long.  So impressed with Mimi (AG record - after doing Vegas 70.3, Kona, ITU Long Distance) and then PR'd set a record and went 10:22!  I am humbled..... I am envious of those who are set for Kona 2012, even if I am not sure I want to do Kona in 2012....

I rode 3 hours on Saturday with Christine and Kebby....2 girls that I have know, we have talked about riding together but never made it happy.  Lucky for me...they too are not fit in the off season.  We kept the ride social and chatty....things got quite as we hit Ramona and it was 45 degrees and raining.  In season I suck it up and tell myself that I am building strength, what if it rains on race day etc.....now when I am riding for fun- this is not so fun.  But the good news was....after we descended Highland Valley it warmed up!  The last climb towards Peet's was hard for all of us....I use to run up that hill about the same speed.  I know, let it go, let it go......

On occasion I get contacted from random companies who ask me to blog about their product...... I generally say no unless I am going to try it and then I tell them I will do so and be honest.  After my horrific post and picture of my mangled foot I received and email from NeoCell suggesting I try Collagen Type 2.  I was a bit perplexed as it seems the product is mostly for joints....but after reading more it says it " Assists in the maintenance and rebuilding of cartilage bones, joints and surrounding tissue"... sold!  They offered to send me some and suggested it will help speed up healing in my foot.   The problem is I don't really know...but I can say- Dr said 5-6 weeks before I would feel like running.  I am at 4 weeks and have been taking this for 2 weeks and I am able to run!  Maybe I am a fast healer, maybe this is a miracle pill or maybe it is a bit of both.... I like what the marketing says and certainly the ingredients are ones recommended to me anyway- hyaluronic acid, glucosamine, and chondroitin. So I will keep taking it and see.... so far so good and company is great.  

Time to start using my shoes again!

Yes I am running..... my toes are okay the rest of me feels like I have not run in months....really 4 weeks and I can hardly run 30 minutes AND I am sore.  Ugh....taking a break is good, taking a break is good!   I am soooo excited to be running that I am trying not to think about how horrible I feel.

Mako....have to have a puppy update!  He is big..... triple his size, triple the energy and a whole ton of fun!   John and I are back in bed together and Mako is sleeping upstairs now.   He is time consuming and exhausting...but a welcome addition to the family.

Yes Zen has accepted his little brother.... happy dogs!

Food.....I was going to clean up my diet in November....but am thinking December. I fell off the gluen free wagon and have caved in big time...cookies, tortillas, carbs- and at the worst time when I am not burning them off.  But well.....my jeans still fit...but they are indeed snug- so maybe post Thanksgiving I will clean up the diet before the Holidays really hit or maybe  I will keep going and once my jeans don't button will deal with it then.

Thanksgiving,....Johns Birthday too!  Hoping to ride GWL, go for a run and then enjoy the day with family....although Riley is not here- she is in Baltimore with a good friend from the Tole More1 Riley has a monster suitcase..... she heeded the cold weather warning- 49.5lbs....she can only buy 1/2 lb of goods while she is gone.  Miss you R!

Puppies recover faster than humans....

Mako woke up around 5am ready to rock and roll....leaping and bounding and his offering his whole body waggle.   He seems to have forgotten the trauma of yesterday.  I was so worried he someone blamed me but the morning greeting assured me he still loves me.  The porker, now 11 lbs-  that is a 6.5 lb weight gain in 3 weeks, was hungry.  We are doing a lot of training with him so he gets a lot of his food that way- working for his food. Sarah, our dog trainer, believes a dog should never have a bowl to eat from- they need to earn their food- training, tricks etc-   As for Zen he now has food puzzles-   this is his favorite   - he has to drag it around and the food comes out. We have to do this outside or the floor becomes a slobbery,slippery mess.  Keeps him very entertained and working for his food! 

Here is the other option - he rolls it around and the kibbles fall out.  He particularly likes this one when he can get Mako to roll the ball and he eats the kibbles- I guess that is call "management."

Veterans Day.....holiday for the kids!  And that means puppy care for me- yeah.   After an invigorating early AM with the dogs I left a sleeping puppy and headed to pick up Liz and out to Great Western Loop we headed.

Wow... I have been riding some since Kona but not climbing much.    I know it's the off season, we were riding and chatting not doing any intervals nor had power goals..but I did glance at the Garmin as we passed the Bee Keeper and gulp....really 1:44?  Um usually we are around 1:30 when we are working pretty hard, 1:35 when a bit more chatty....1:44- the problem is not so much the time, but the PE.... did not feel like 1:44.  Well the conversation was good...thank you Liz!  And a bit of a relief in that my Garmin was not programmed to auto stop- so we had the porta pottie stop and all the traffic lights (that don't exist- but sounds good anyway)  No worries.... good reminder why NOT to have a computer. 

It was a beautiful day....cool but not cold, started cloudy and cleared to sweeping views of  the valley.  With the rain last weekend the hills are greening up....truly my favorite time of year to ride!!!  And if I am lucky I will get to do it again on Sunday!

Mama Bear....

My baby was attacked today and it was horrific..... we headed out the park around 2:30 to have a little play time.  Mako was loping along behind Zen and I was hoping for some more brotherly play.  They did their usual checking out of the park and then I threw rope/ball and off they went....Zen ran right by and another dog swooped it up.  Kona took of with the Kong and Mako was on his heels running and playing.  He dropped the Kong and I threw it again and Kona again took off with Mako on his heels.  Soon Kona lays down with the ball and Mako is stalking him and now the owner says " my dog is sometimes not good with puppies or small dogs" The low level panic starts in me and now Mako is in the Kona's face and I don't want to run and grab him for fear of sudden movements startling a dog.

Well before I knew it Kona had Mako pinned and was aggressively biting him....It was sheer horror, Mako was screaming and crying and Kona was tearing at him and snarling....Luckily his "owner" was able to get him off fast and I picked up a crying and trembling Mako.  He was crying and shaking so hard and I just ran with him.   We got home and he cried and hid under the couch.  He was whimpering and hiding.... I finally put a blanket under the couch and he curled up on it. 

A few minutes later he woke up yelping and off to the Vet we went.  Luckily nothing broken, no stitches, a few punctures and a nasty cut on his head.   We came home and he hid under the couch and slept....I laid on the floor with my hand out and he hardly sniffed...I began to think he was somehow associating me with the attack.

Eventually he went into a sound sleep ....John came home a few hours later and was able to get him to drink some water and soon he was creeping out and ravenous for chicken. We were able to get his meds in him and he went out and pottied....crashed out again and his precious head is swelling and bloody. 

So sad.......I have never seen the dog in our park nor the owner...I did not get her information- the Vet said I should make her pay the bill.  Right now I just want my happy waggy tailed puppy back....hopefully a good night sleep and he will have his swagger back.  For now....he is hurting and his mama is too...

Gym Rat

I have become a gym rat....sort of like returning to the scene of a crime or for me the accident.  Get back on the bike after you fall off or in my case, pick up the weights and rack them on the race vs on my foot. 

The other reason I am at the gym is I can do the Elliptical with broken toes...good fast cardio!   So in sticking to my off season....I am swimming one day a week- max 45 minutes, not running (but only because my toes are broken) and riding 2x a week.  But I need some cardio or I go nuts.....early AM works best as I have puppy care.  Mako is up to 2 hours alone now- yeehaw!!! But see I have to work as well so I cannot use all that time for training.  

Mako is up by 5:30 and now with the time change we can go out walking by 6....although I have to carry him this first 10 minutes because it is cold...and then he is good to go and we are up to 1.5 miles.  He still has loads of energy and I drop him upstairs with the kids and head to the gym,  So I get in cardio and then lift.   Know I know why I don't lift a lot when I am training hard.....it makes me really, really sore....I keep thinking I did a monster workout and then realize it was the 3 sets of squats which make me as sore as a hard 80 mile ride.  Whatever.....  I am doing it!!!

The gym is not nearly as social as riding and running with my friends...but it it feels good!  Tomorrow I meet coach at the gym to get a serious routine.  Maybe I'll get ripped in the off season.

What else is new....Zen is finally playing with Mako!  So fun....they rolled and played for nearly an hour and now.....both are passed out snoring! perfect!!

What else.....taking care of the rest of my life!   dentist, doctor...all the things that are ignored when I am training hard.  Working...yes doing a lot of that as well.   Sleeping- not so much.....

On the bike again....

Friday I decided to take off my race wheels from Kona, de-rust the chain, clean off the scum and get my TT bike ready to ride.  I really wish I would have dumped a gallon of water on the bike....smelly!   I ended up getting it ready but when I rolled out Saturday I chose my road bike.  The bike feels like IM Training and I am not ready to go there...the road bike, even though it has a power meter, it just different. No expectations and no worries.

I did a test ride in Wed with C and my toes held up well!  So Saturday I rolled out with the girls and it was great. We rode 3:15 ish and it was a loop I used to do all the time....but it has been a while so it was great.  Climbing up Scripps Poway Parkway reminded me I have really not ridden in a month.... yes fitness does go away when you don't do much.  

The day was sensational....it poured rain Friday, huge rain cleaned up the roads and cleared the air. It was a chilly 49 when we rolled out so I had to dig out arm warmers (no coolers today), leg warmers, socks ( I never wear socks) and my vest.  No scull cap or full finger gloves, come on the sun was coming out.... the day was chilly and so clear it was wonderful.   Kristin, Liz and I were out for socializing and riding while Amy had  bit of work to do.  I happily let her go on her intervals.... no need to be uncomfortable right now. 

I was feeling ambitious, and since it is the weekend and Mako has puppy care, I headed to the gym for a strength session. Worked hard and did NOT drop any weights.   I really want to build some strength this off season.  Funny thing is my legs were a bit tired from the ride and I had to lower my weight on the squats.   Finished up thoroughly sore and came home and promptly took a nap.  Hard to believe 6 weeks ago I could bang out a 5+ hour ride, T run and be good to go..... Losing fitness is GOOD and will be valuable next year but it is hard....I am committed to keep losing it however!

So the toes are less ugly, bruising is fading and the pain is pretty much gone unless anything lands on them or I try to push off them.  Going to be a while before I am running but I am happy to be riding a bit and that is fine for now...Coach mentioned I could do a lot of swimming...I noted or NOT.  

Puppy training, dinner with my Dad and K, dinner on Saturday at friends and the weekend is complete...Riley has lacrosse tryouts and JD is finishing up his community service volunteering a Race for a Cure. 

Broken toes, dog is doubling in size, kids are someplace...

My life it upside down these days...I have shown up to Riley's game 1 hour early, sent my mom to her game 1 day early, arrived at the wrong location for a game.... what the heck?  This is why women should not have a baby at 45.  Yea, yea, yea.... Mako is a dog and babies are 100% more work...I know been there done that, BUT, going from a 15 and 17yo and Ironman training to a puppy is a major adjustment.  Getting used to interrupted sleep, only being able to leave the house for 60-90 minutes at at time, planning my day when he is asleep vs in aggro playing mode.... Really though he is so much fun!  How can you not fall in love with this puppy!  He sleeps 4 hours at a time at night...so our up and down is less. we still have a futon downstairs, as we figure better for one of us sleep. So we take turns with Mako.  Every other night I get a solid 8  hours and the alternate nights not so much...John is a good co-parent and JD even takes a turn on the weekend!

Training...well not really but I was running pretty regularly to keep Zen from ballooning out due to eating all of Mako's food.  My plan was run every day,  not a lot, not too hard but build fitness.  And the plan was to get strong in the gym.  I avoid the gym but know I need it so in the off season I committed.  It has been a long time...day 1 I was excited, snuck in a 2nd run on the TM and I was off on my routine. I needed the 30lb bar for bicep curls and it was being hoarded, bitch lady at the gym would not share.  So I used the 20 lb bar and that was too easy so I went for the 40lb bar and that was too heavy- I'm feeling a bit like Goldilocks now but being the impatient soul I am I went for the 40lb bar and did my set and it was pretty much to failure.  As I was racking the bar, my arms are shaking and jumping and I SHOULD have put the bar down but I struggled to rack it and did not quite make it.  Bar slammed down, bounced and landed on my foot....

You know the term white lightening....yeah that was pretty much the effect.   That and being sucker punched hard in the stomach.  It was so painful I don't really remember leaving the gym...thankfully I got all my gear and got home.  I arrived home took 4 Advil and opened a beer... JD was here and blankly staring at me.  Delicately pulled off my shoe and watched it swell and turn colors....within a few hours it became apparent I needed a medical opinion. JD dutifully drove me to urgent care and after 2 hours the XRay tech proclaimed nothing broken so we left, no need to wait another 2 hours for the Dr.  Well 7ish am my cell rings and the ER Dr chastises me for leaving without being seen by a Dr and that I do in fact have 2 broken toes- crushed at the tips actually.   She practically orders me to come back and be seen. I politely ask what they will do for my predicament... basically nothing.  Okay so you want me to drive 30 min the UCSD in AM traffic, wait for who knows how long (again) to be told I have 2 broken toes for which you can do nothing?  Right...on my way.  Not so much.  So now I am thankful it is only my toes and the tips... so they will heal fast (hopefully).  No running as it seems one really needs the toes to push off, although I could become a major heel stryker and see how that works out?..... for now, no running.  After 1 week I am able to ride!!! Good news....hitting the road with my girlies this weekend.  I supose I can swim and just use 1 foot on flip turns- but no sense if messing up my groove..okay really another excuse NOT to swim!

So there you have it.....when people ask me why I was a swimmer?   This is not the first of my ever so stupid accidents.... 1 year ago to date http://jdunkle.blogspot.com/2010/11/beware-in-kitchen.html was this incident, the year prior I broke my pinkie playing with the dog http://jdunkle.blogspot.com/2009_10_01_archive.html  and so there you have it.  End of October is bad timing for me and accidents...I can even go back to pre-triatlon days and I was training for the NY Marathon and broke my pinkie last weekend in October while playing at the park with my husband...okay well a friendly competition in who could do the log roll the longest-  I fell rolled over my pinky and snap....  So there you have it..... I am not coordinated and the fall is when I am at my worst.  Lucky for me that is the off season...