I can do it!

I had a great run this morning with Ben! We did 5 miles with walk breaks every 6 minutes in 47:32.  I felt incredible and probably should have done more.  What a great way to start the day!

After a late rehearsal last night, I slept in and only ran a two-mile loop with Elijah.  Afterwards, I rode the 8.5 mile loop on my bike.  :-D

I totally slept in after staying up until 2 am after our first preview show of "Aida."  It was sooo fun last night, though!  This evening was the first free night I've had in weeks, so I decided to go out with Ben to meet with the triathlon club.  We went out to the lake, where I attempted my first open-water swim.  Maybe it's because I haven't swum in a few weeks, or maybe it was because there was no blue line to follow, or maybe it was because I don't have a wetsuit and there was no place to rest, but it was SO HARD!  I didn't even make it a half mile!  And everytime I looked up, I was going a different direction!  Also, my goggles kept filling with water.  So I called what I did "good enough," and went off to run a couple of miles while the others finished their swim.  Then we rode our bikes.  I paired up with the only other female there - Brianna - and we did 15 miles.  I think I must have pushed myself too hard trying to keep up with her, but I overheated and ended up with a terrible headache and nausea.  I was so sick I couldn't eat.  Then I started vomiting.  This hasn't happened to me in over a year-and-a-half!  Such a bummer.  I wonder how much of that has to do with the heat exhaustion I had several years ago - I just have to be really careful with my heart rate, or I get sick.

Yesterday's shenanigans have left me pretty weak.  I think I lost four pounds being sick!  So I'm taking today off, trying to get re-hydrated, and conserving my strength for tonight's performance at Tuacahn. 

Last night, about halfway through the first act of the play, I was performing a dance number when suddenly my calve went "POP" and I couldn't walk without pain. It felt like a perpetual charlie horse! I managed to limp unnoticably through the rest of the show, but by the time I arrived at home, I could barely walk! This morning I went in to a sports medicine specialist, and he said I probably tore the deep muscle in my calve...which means I'm out of commission for awhile. I'm soooo discouraged! I was planning to do twenty-two miles next weekend at the Trails race, which would really set me up for the marathon. Doc says if I'm REALLY good for the next few weeks, I MAY still be able to run the marathon in October. The problem is, I have to perform three nights a week through then! So I can't stay off my legs. Doc gave me a wetsuit-like brace to wear all the time, even under my costumes. I hope it helps. I feel really bad about this - just when I thought I was gaining so much momentum! Ah, well. Such is life.