On Again, Off Again

Today: 1.5 hours spinning, 1400m swim (4x200m, 6x100m; about 1:50/100m)

Like a fairweather friend--or maybe just a bad one--I find myself returning to The Blog a week before my next race. Swimming for at least a half hour every day (with about 5 days off in total) since January 9, I'm feeling a bit better about my stroke and also going significantly faster than I had been. I always say this, but I'll say it again: it never ceases to amaze me how much my performance hinges on visualization and mental focus. Timing my strokes in the water to take advantage of momentum instead of fighting against it has made it painfully obvious how much I depend on visualizing myself swimming quickly--nuts eh?

Hart House triathlon coming up on February 11: 15 min swim/15 min bike/15 min run...shouldn't be too challenging, except maybe the bike part and making sure I squeeze in at least 750m during the swim. I'll be working on sprint sets this week in the hopes that I may be able to push it during the last few minutes of the swim.

As for running, a new PB: 14km in 1:10 (or thereabouts). That night, my legs were sore down into the bone...it's a good feeling.

Otherwise, things are going great. Mailed my grad applications to York and Concordia, checking the status of my application several times a day. Job's wrapping up and with AMS elections underway, I'm starting to get that familiar winding-down feeling. The finality of everything I'm experiencing right now hits me in waves mostly; it's not that I ever forget that this is the last time I'll get to see things like AMS elections or QMP or Charity Ball, it just takes a while for it to sink in.

I suppose in some ways, things are going too well, and I've gotten too comfortable......which inevitably leads to an emotional low due to the several pounds I usually pack on while I'm happy, which in turn leads to an emotional high due to the intense period of working out that ensues to work off the aforementioned pudge...and so the cycle begins again. Anyways, I think I'm starting to find some balance--I just need to keep this working out twice a day thing. Twice, minimum. To keep me sane.

Pancakes for dinner tonight, but not just any ol' pancakes, 'Naner Oatmeal pancakes with real maple syrup.

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1.5 tsp baking powder
0.5 tsp baking soda
cinnamon
3/4 cup plain yogurt
3/4 milk
2 eggs
0.5 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup melted butter
2-3 overripe bananananananas, smushed

Whisk dry stuff together, whisk wet stuff together, then whisk until just mixed. Fold in butter and bananas until just mixed, then slap 'em on a pan with a little bit of oil! Yum. Real dense, I just needed one.

I'm going to walk home in the rain, wearing my duct-taped shoes and cursing my ball-and-socket joints. 1.5 hour spin and 1400m swimming in one day--not too shabby I don't think. Time for some art history reading, and maybe Java while I wait for Drunky to stumble back to my place, haha.