Do You Believe in Miracles?

Before Christmas, I joined the gym next door to my apartment.  For the new year of training, I can't have any excuses to miss swims or other workouts - the masters group I joined when I moved here simply doesn't have convenient (EARLY morning) hours for me and the city pool lap swim hours are a bit too limited with my work schedule, plus if we're experiencing "weather" it's hard to get myself in a car and drive there.  Instead I now have access to an OUTDOOR pool, a block from home, with a hot tub and sauna and ridiculous number of other amenities.  I swam nearly as much in my 3 weeks of off-season as I did in the previous 3 months of marathon training combined.

Miracle. (And it's truly that nice of a pool)

The beardies and I are back home in Boulder after a week in Arizona visiting Jeff and Puck.  We survived the 13 hour, 880 mile drive back and beat the snow to Boulder by about 5 minutes. And none of the crazy New Mexico drivers managed to kill us either.

Miracle.

I was thinking about holiday miracles earlier this week, when I consumed three rather large vodka-based beverages while out at sushi dinner with Jeff and then three large beers with Jeff and Nigel after. And woke up feeling…amazing.  Like seriously, no hangover, all hydrated and everything. And then busted out my longest swim in ages.

Miracle for sure.

While visiting Arizona this week, I also got back on my bike, outdoors, for the first time in…well, months.  Of course we started with a  ride up a (small) mountain - I assumed I'd be far off the back of the boys, sucking wind and cursing life.  Instead, I felt FABULOUS and strong right on up that mountain.  I rode with Jeff on Christmas and felt super as well.

(Living at elevation and coming down to sea level is a) Miracle.

After 3 weeks of eating a "Western" diet (high fat high sugar), I've managed not to die.

Absolutely a miracle.

Training starts up again tomorrow so today I return to vegetables and healthier eating.  I've never missed something so badly in my life!