It's a Girl Thing

Up until this point, my "female" issues have not really been an issue...until now. It started last Thursday and should finally be over by tomorrow (7 days later) and I am sure the heat and humidity have not assisted my situation in a good way.

When training for an Ironman, feeling sluggish is in no way helpful and the last seven days have been spent "doing what I can" to get through the sluggishness of my fatigued and crabby self. Each day I wake up thinking, "surely this is the day I can set out on my normal training schedule without feeling as though someone has tied a rope around my waste and is pulling me backward the entire time I am trying to move forward" and "Surely I can go for just a 2 hour run...just a couple of hours, not climbing Everest here, just a simple run." NOPE! The body can only do what the body wants to do and when an hour after I wake up, the body wants to go back to sleep, I try to listen as best I can and obey...mumbling and grumbling all the way about how amazing it is outside and how I really, really need to get a 40 mile ride in - at least - followed by a short run and maybe even a swim. I have no time for naps and there is no place for a grump in Ironman.

There really is no explanation for why, last week, I can complete a 2 hour ride and a 2 hour run and come home ready for more and the next week, on a 2 hour run, all I can think about is stuffing my face and sitting down.


However, as a female athlete, it is harsh reality and one that I hope will not plague me this badly again.

IS MIDOL CONSIDERED PERFORMANCE ENHANCING?
If not, I may be throwing a couple of cases in my car when I head down to Louisville... and stashing a few dozen in my shorts along with some Hershey Chocolate syrup in my fuel belt. CHOCOLATE... YUM - It makes everything bad good again.

Chalk this experience up to a God-given taper week. I have another coming up in about another 3 weeks. I guess that means I need to use the next 3 to my advantage and go build some muscle and some more endurance for the next time the fatigue fairy comes floating my way - or perhaps next month, I will be strong enough to either outrun her or just knock her out.