Wetsuits, LA, Rashes, and Pneumonia

People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child – our own two eyes. All is a miracle. ~Thich Nhat Hanh

This morning I picked up Lila and headed to the wetsuit clinic. I don’t know much about wetsuits for triathlon, so I took this as a learning opportunity. I learned these puppies are really expensive, I would probably have a claustrophobia induced panic attack in one and that until I start competing at the Half Iron Man level, this is on the “not necessary” list. I could possibly use one for an early season Olympic distance triathlon, but that won’t happen until next summer. Put this in the “learned about it, refer to later” category.

I was in LA not this past week, but the week before with Benji and my boss, Joe. I learned a whole heck of a lot on this trip, but I also remembered why Joe is a tool and why I don’t trust him. By the end of the week, I wanted to shove pencils in my ears, Joe would prattle on about the days when he was a buyer and all his trips out to LA. Then he proceeded to share deep, dark secrets of everyone in our group. It made me realize I miss having Lenin in our group and how I really was blessed to travel with Lenin when he was in our group.

Things were blowing up in the office while we were gone because Benji basically quit doing his job. I knew this was going on, as did most everyone in the office, with the exception of Joe. Needless to say, Kari and Lena had to clean up Benji’s mess and are currently doing their jobs and Benji’s job. Benji is just lost, when his father retires from our company, he is screwed.

Well, the rash popped back up while I was out in LA. Needless to say, that was uncomfortable and irritating. I called the doctor to get an appointment with the dermatologist and the soonest they could get me in was the 8th. That wasn’t acceptable, so I called and lucky someone had cancelled their appointment. I was able to get into the dermatologist this past Monday. He took one look at the rash said, “That isn’t an allergic reaction.” Told me to get a certain type of lotion, gave me a prescription for an ointment and said if it didn’t clear up in two weeks, to call him. It’s Saturday and I’m cured. I was rash free by Thursday! I am so happy!!!

With the rash gone, things couldn’t go perfectly. By Tuesday, I was coming down with a cold. By Thursday I sounded horrible. I felt fine but my co-workers were informing me that I probably had pneumonia. This happens every Winter/Spring. I get a horrible cold, I cough and my voice goes all wonky and everyone gives me their medical opinion that I have pneumonia. I know it’s not pneumonia, it’s never pneumonia. It’s always a cold. So, that has kind of annoyed me all week, but that’s okay. I’m just thankful I’m not feeling poorly.

My coworkers can’t be too worried about me because they tease me about this cold. Halfway through the week they started calling me Typhoid Mary and the name has stuck. I informed them that since I don’t feel bad, I’m not taking time off. This is germ warfare. They come in when they are sick and subject the rest of us to their germs, so I’m just helping build their immune system. The only person I have steered clear of is Lenin. He does the Boston Marathon next month and I would feel absolutely horrible if I got him sick before that race.

With the rash gone and being on the tail end of this cold, I’m going to get back into training tomorrow. It’s the beginning of a recovery week, so I’ll be easing back into training. This is how the week is shaping up:

Sunday- 90 minute brick ( 60 minute bike ride, 30 minute “run”)
Monday- 40 minute "run", 45 minute strength training
Tuesday- 40 minute swim, 60 minute bike ride
Wednesday- Rest day, Bunko in the evening
Thursday- 45 minute swim, 45 minute strength
Friday- Rest day
Saturday- Baseline testing: 1000 yard swim, 1 mile run at Heart rate, 1 mile run As fast as possible

Lent starts on Wednesday, I’m not Catholic, but I do give stuff up for this time of year. My commitments this year is to track everything I eat and to give up sugar. I need to keep better track of what I eat because some of this weight has to come off and I have a big problem with sugar. Hopefully I can stick with it. I can do anything for 40 days. I just have to take it one day at a time.