Ups and downs of my week..

Life in Iron training has it's ups and downs.

Ups: I was really up when I ran 11:30 min miles in my tempo run the other day. First time ever with my HR being under 135. I rode 44 miles in less than 3 hours yesterday..up Jemez Damn, which has a pretty good hill. I am clearly, for some reason after all these years, getting in better shape. I am figuring it is because of pushing myself a bit harder this IM trip training around. I feel good, especially now that they got infected tooth out.

Downs: I guess I have had this tooth infection for awhile now. Remember the tooth fiasco in Mexico? They had to pull a tooth. I opted out of the dental implant route..something about the words sinus lift surgery just didn't sound good or safe. So I opted for the permanent bridge route. While in between the temporary and permanent, the infection of the bordering tooth got worse and to make a long story short, I ended up with a root canal on one of the attached teeth to the bridge before they had put the permanent one on. In this I was lucky. The Doctor who did the RC was special and young and cute, with no real communication skills.

Seems he is also a mechanical engineer and invented this:

Take your practice to its full
potential—with Guidance.
The V-Taper™ Rotary System is a series of three (3)
variable taper NiTi rotary files. The V-Taper™ Rotary
System will allow you to complete most molar and
premolar root canals using 2-3 files and anterior root
canals using 1-2 files. This performance-enhanced
system is easier, safer, more efficient, and less
expensive than any other NiTi rotary file system.
With the V-Taper™ Rotary System, you will perform
your best root canals.
V-Taper™ 3-File Rotary System

Which means that a. Every endodontist in the world uses this now. b. He is very rich-does not have to work but just does cause he likes it and c. The whole thing was done in about 15 minutes after the numbing stuff kicked in. Amazing!

It was all kind of strange though. I walked into the dental office yesterday and the first thing I noticed was the shh. quietness..of the office. Very dark, very Zen looking in the waiting room. Then they led me into the procedure room where I proceeded to stare out a window at a fountain stream with fish in it for about 30 min while the Novocaine set it. The Dr. came in and very softly said hello there.. I told him he looked way too young to have invented anything-what did he invent? (this was before I researched it). He told me in very few words what it was. Probably spoke about 10 words the whole visit-not rude, just friendly and quiet. His assistant said not one word to me. It wasn't a mean vibe-just weird. Plus the Doc was so damn cute it was hard to be too upset by his lack of communication skills. This endodontist came on good recommendation from my dentist, who I trust implicitly. So I went along and poof it was over! Last time I had a root canal it was 2 very long trips to Columbus Ohio as a teenager and painful. This time it was over in a flash. I had some pain last night but feel fine this AM. What a difference! As I was leaving and paying (this very rich Dr. is still getting richer), I remarked how quiet everyone was in this office. The woman said this was on purpose because most people are totally freaked out by root canals and need calming..Ohhh, this explains alot! OK, whatever, I woke up this AM totally pain free except a little soreness..

Ups: Seven more weeks of IM training. YEA!!! Off to swim and do weights today.. Gosh I feel so teeth Zen today!

Something cute about triathlon..

I found this on some guy's blog and thought it was cute:

Ironman Life's 8 Tips On How To Be A Triathlete And Impress Your Friends Without Actually Doing An Ounce Of Exercise

1. Shave your legs. Chicks dig it.
2. Lycra. Buy it.
3. Get into the pool before 6:00 am at least once. Brag about it forever.
4. Re-mortgage your house - buy a bike. Mention words like "campy" and "downtube"
5. Go to the running store, buy the most expensive shoes available. Refer to their "superior technology"
6. Buy Triathlete Magazine. Leave it on your coffee table. When people ask about it, start your response with "Oh that? It's nothing..."
7. Choose a race. In every conversation, figure out how to talk about the intense training you're doing for it (don't worry, no need to actually do the race.)
8. End the last conversation of every day with "I've got to get to sleep. Early training day tomorrow."

Can you add any?

Where's the sun??

I am up at 5:00 AM this morning for no particular reason other than the fact that I was dreaming that we were having a party with hundreds of people, bands and everything. I was tired of hosting that big of a party and woke myself up. You see if you are retired and the economy is about to tank, it just makes sense to wake up before the sun comes up once in awhile..Not that we have anything really to worry about but had to make a few financial decisions just so we could sleep better at night and here I am awake at the butt crack of dawn..Oh well, I can always take a nap..or go back to work..I know I am not going to get much sympathy here because when your friends are mostly younger than you and working people they just do not feel sorry for the retired-evar!!

We spent the weekend in Denver for baby Hadley's baby shower, which was a success. The ultrasound shows a healthy baby at 33 weeks and we are ticking down the time of her debut. She looks adorable on ultrasound (of course).

I bagged any working out yesterday. H hurt his calf muscle about 3 miles into our 3 hour run on Saturday. I could have been selfish and kept running-he said go ahead, I'll wait for you. But alas I couldn't bring myself to it..so we walked back the three miles. We were running on the most beautiful running trail in Denver-goes on for about 26 miles one way I think, in the woods kind of-is flat. Not sure on the H leg front. He will see the chiro today. It is one of those re injury things..I think it will heal but he may be out running for this week.

So as we drove home from Denver, I chose not do any training yesterday. I am starting a new training week today so will get back on track with a bike and swim today.

It is still dark. What the hell time does the sun come up these days anyway?