Running in Ragnar And Ready for Redemption

Being sick for ten days has really sucked. I sometimes will express my hatred of being sick to the wifey.
She finds it especially funny when I complain about having the stomach bug. No one ever says, "you know... I haven't had chronic diarrhea and vomited in a while, that would be really great." Having the flu is the absolute worst. I'm not there. I just have this chronic cough and chest cold that is making working out impossible. Have any of you ever had that experience when you feel so awful that it is tiring to climb the stairs?  I know when I am really sick, because when I lay down in bed, I just crash as if I hadn't just gotten a full night of sleep. I tried "taking it easy" for a couple of days. I tried working out through my sickness. That just made it a bit worse. Because my throat has felt slightly sore, I have not wanted to drink, so I have been getting dehydrated.

I am ready to announce some pretty amazing news.

I am racing a 24-hour relay in May called the Ragnar Relay. Ragnar has a bunch of relays all over the country. I decided that doing this would be:

1) fun
2) slightly crazy
3) a great story to tell my grandchildren
4) possibly life-threatening (in the dark, there could be bears out there in the middle of the wilderness, ya know)
5) A rare opportunity to spend a day with eleven of my tired, hungry, smelly friends.
6) A fun preparation for Rev3 Quassay and Rev3 Cedar Point.

The course starts at Colony of the Arts in Woodstock, New York and finishes in New York City.

The best part about doing THIS race is that the wifey has signed up with me! Wifey does not do a lot of races on account of:

1) her dislike of running

2) she is not competitive at ALL. I think it is a dancer thing. Every dancer I know is non-competitive. I think it has something to do with the aesthetic. 

I think wifey also agreed to do this race because it is slightly crazy. The wifey likes slightly crazy things, thus, me! Here is the best part. There is something you do not know about wifey. She's a legitimate ringer. She might not train a ton now, but she has serious game. Like, way more game than I could possibly hope to have. Let me put things into perspective for you:

Wifey was invited to the Lake Placid Olympic development camp in high school. One day, last summer, my wife decides to go out and run my 10k course for giggles. Wifey does not train. Wifey runs the occasional 5k on a treadmill at the gym two or three times a week. Wifey goes out and runs 6:15's. She comes back sweating and a bit tired, but not in need of oxygen like I would have been. 

So, the breakdown of the running for the twelve of us will look something like this:

I really do not care what leg I run. I just think this will be an absolute blast. The hardest part of the race for Alaina and I will not be staying up all night and running, but rather, trying to find someone to watch out brood for four days. 

In Other News: My Garmin 310XT heart rate monitor decided to completely die. Crazy. The funny thing is my Timex Ironman race kit is still taking a licking and ticking. Garmin replaced my monitor two days later, and I am happy to say that I have a heart rate again. 

Training: I finally worked out yesterday for the first workout since Saturday. I did a two hour ride on Saturday that left me feeling terrible again. Since coming back from Seattle two weeks ago, I feel like I have not been more than 85%. I got in the pool last  night and did 3000 yards in one hour. I actually swam 2500 free, then started on my 800 kick. Yes, I used fins. Otherwise I would still be there. I think I could have done a bit more if it was not my first workout back in a few days off. However, when I hit the wall at 500 yards into the kick, my right leg started severely cramping. Dehydration is such an odd feeling. 

On the docket are a one hour zone two run tonight and a one hour tempo run tomorrow. With almost a week off from running, it will be interesting to see how my body reacts.  I think I vaguely remember how to run. 

More soon. Train Smart!