Right Where I Need to Be: 2 Weeks, 2 Races, and 1/3 of a PR

It's been a busy few weeks here in MAJland.

The 5-year scan came back.  The same group of lymph nodes that always appears? They appeared again. Especially the big calcified one. So, no real chance I'm meeting NED until it's more certain they're not continuing to grow and increase in numbers.

Next, last weekend I attacked my 3rd Escape From Fort DeSoto Sprint Tri.  This is a notoriously tough race for me. The run is almost 4 miles (they claim it's 3.4, but it's about 3.8), the field is super tough (some very fit athletes use it as a practice race for St. Anthony's), and halfway through the run you go up the steps of the fort, over the fort, and then a solid mile along the beach, which is only partly packed sand.

All in all, it as a wonderful race. The weather was phenomenal. The water was beautiful. I can say with 100% certainty that I could have not gone any harder on the run. I felt so fantastic during the whole thing that I was absolutely sure I'd PRd or placed in the top 10.  I placed about where I did last time, though, (about mid-field). I had a swim PR and matched my bike PR.

(So that's like . . what . . . a 1/3 a PR?)

The main things that limited me from not performing better were the extra weight I'm getting off, the run being tougher than I remembered, and not feeling good.  I could have gone harder on the bike or the swim, but the run was tough enough, so I'd say I did just right with what I had.

For me to say I wasn't feeling good is saying something, too, since I generally don't feel very good.  I'd had a killer bout with bronchitis the week prior, and the day I started to feel recovered, I did one of those things where I jerked the muscle between my neck and head really hard. (Ever done that? I've heard some people call it a "stinger.")  It turned out to be way more than a stinger, though - the muscle pull activated one of the worst migraines I've had in literally YEARS. Today - about two weeks after the pull - I'm still struggling with my usual migraine-associated vertigo and a good ol' headache.

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Some photos of the past few weeks' hi-jinks.

Also, this past Thursday I also completed another annual IOA Corporate 5k.  I felt pretty terrible and it rained the whole race.  Despite almost pulling out of the race because I felt certain I would pass out two separate times, I pulled it together through the scary parts and slowed it down enough to finish 3.18 miles in 30:45 (a 9:40 pace.) I took a few extra days off after that race and having to place a rescue call during a 4-miler (made it 2 and change). 

So....no PRs at either race.  At least not by time.

But I think I still set some personal records this week.

I looked back at some old race pictures and thought about some old race days.  Even though I'm 20-30 pounds thinner, I don't look much different.  You'd think that'd be a drastic difference looks-wise, but it's not. For me to run a 9:40 pace during one of the worst days I've had in one of the worst few weeks I've had recently is nothing short of miraculous.  I remember when I'd die to maintain an 11:40 pace when I was feeling GOOD!

It's how I feel that is drastically different.  Yes, I'm still socially awkward (more on that another day), I still don't like my inner thighs, and (at this moment) I'm about 8 pounds heavier than my body's favorite weight (and my closet), but even on the worst of days I outrun me on some of my old best days.

And every time I think oh, I should go half Iron again, I think about how nice it is to have a social life (Epcot Flower and Garden Festival, above), take time off for being sick, and still run a single-digit-per-mile pace in the rain while fighting fainting. And a bunch of mystery lymph nodes.

I am right where I need to be.

And man, does that feel good.

(And so does being $325 to my $1000 goal for AKBTC!)