Backs, Bikes and Disney

Thank you for your comments yesterday.  They really did make me feel a bit better about things.

I'm of mixed emotions today about my back.  I went to the chiropractor yesterday because well, the pain was bad and the run was really painful.  He of course re-iterated the idea of getting an MRI to see if my disk is swollen/compressed/etc.  He said this the last time I saw him too.  I told him point blank that I don't really want an MRI because I don't want to hear him tell me that I cannot run anymore.  Besides, the last time he said that to me, I went 6 months without back pain.  Of course, part of that included the off season, but you know.

The fact is that I finally love running, so I'm not about to stop doing it now.  So he told me that until my back stops clicking on its own (which it's done twice this morning), I am not allowed to run.  I am allowed to walk.  If I have pain, I am to come in for an adjustment.  Once the clicking stops, I can run again but if it hurts, I need to come in for an adjustment. 

I called Coach afterwards and we decided that with St. Anthony's less than 3 weeks away, we were not going to push it because we want me to be able to at least run 5/1's during the race.  So today's 1/2 an hour on the trainer and then 1/2 an hour run on the treadmill turned into 1/2 an hour on the trainer.  And we decided that Saturday's 2000 m open water swim and 5 mile run, would just be a 2000m open water swim for me.  I've suggested that next week we put some walking into my schedule - no running, just walking - so that I can kind of keep that feeling of being on my feet for the run during the race.  Coach says she wants to see how my legs and back feel first before putting walking in there.

It's frustrating, but it will all work out.  One way or the other.

On the way "home" from the chiropractor I went to my LBS to get them to look at my derailleur.  They fixed it right away for me so I wouldn't have to leave it overnight (and I think they didn't charge me either).  Of course, I made up for the "free" fix by purchasing a new tire tube, Hammer Gels, shot blocs, and a new tri top and tri shorts.  The tri top and shorts were on sale, and I'm hoping the shorts will fit because I didn't try them on, but they'll probably be fine.  It was nice to have some new tri clothes, especially since one of my other tops was getting a bit stretched out.  Then it was off to get the kiddies, who both asked if we could watch "The Princess and the Frog" and have chicken nuggets for dinner.  I had to laugh about that, but decided that would be exactly what we'd do.  They were the heart healthy  chicken nuggets and since we were out of applesauce, we had apples along with them.  My kids don't eat vegetables, so I decided for one night I wouldn't cook them as Mr. Darcy was out at a basketball game.  We had a fun evening, and overall they went to bed pretty well, although Ladybug tried her screaming and crying routine for a bit.  I think Angelfish wanted her to be quiet because this morning, Ladybug and Angelfish were both asleep in Angelfish's bed... all snuggly.  It was super cute!

This morning Mr. Darcy had to leave around 5:45 am for a meeting in Boca Raton, so I had morning duties with the kiddies.  I let them sleep until a little before 7 am, and I let myself sleep (interrupted in 9 minute intervals by the alarm clock) until 6:30.  I was dressed and ready for the girls, and they woke up pretty easily.  Ladybug was big time stalling, and I finally had to tell her that she wasn't allowed to put her clothes on herself because she was still naked after 15 minutes of me telling her to get dressed.  She had her underclothes, dress and even socks for the day, but she refused to get dressed.  Of course, she chose rainbow striped socks and a yellow dress to wear with black shoes.  Yup, she's a fashion maven, that child.  (Angelfish on the other hand wore a really cute navy and white striped dress that has bright pink around the neck and top of the little pockets... but I think her favorite part is the buttons - there are 3 buttons, one each of lime green, orange, and yellow... it sounds kind of wierd, but it's a really cute dress.  Oh and she wore white socks that have a little dragon fly stitched on them and sneakers.  She wears sneakers because they "make me run faster.") But they both did great when I told them that they had taken too long to get dressed and we had to eat breakfast in the car.  They were making me laugh in the car too because Angelfish had mini muffins and Ladybug had a waffle.  They were biting them into shapes and saying that they were eating "airplane muffins" and "waffle motorboats." When I stopped for gas on the way, Angelfish was fascinated in watching the numbers on the pump.  So I explained to her what the top number was (cost of the gas) and what the bottom number was (number of gallons).  She told me that my car needs "too much gas!" I completely agree.  I am looking forward to the point when the car is paid off and we've not had to have car payments for awhile so I can get something other than a minivan that is much more gas efficient.  The minivan was absolutely necessary for the first 3 years of their lives, but somewhere in this past year, we don't need as much space anymore. And when they got to school, they were all ready to play and I had to ask for kisses and hugs before I left!

So I made it home in time to do exactly 1/2 an hour on the trainer.  I was tempted to take out my tri bike for the ride (which my local bike shop fixed for me - they said that somewhere the derailleur had gotten loose, so they tightened it and re-checked it out and viola it was working just fine again), but then I remembered that the elementary school traffic would be starting to get bad... and I did not want to have to lay my bike down again because of a soccer mom on her cellphone.  SO, the trainer it was.  I focused on riding in a harder gear and keeping my knees in.  The irony was that the 1st 15 minutes of the "ride" seemed to take forever and then the last 15 seemed to only be like 5 minutes.  This time I left the trainer in the garage (with the garage door up), so the neighborhood doesn't think I'm too wacky.  The ride went pretty well and I stayed in a forward and down position almost the entire time. (I don't have aero bars on the road bike, so I bent down the best I could with my arms bent.)  I'm going to stretch out my back and hamstrings in a little bit just to try to keep it loose.  Tomorrow I have a 1 1/2 hour ride on tap, and I plan to take the tri bike out for a nice ride on the closed road loop.  YAY! (Of course, I looked at the weather and it's saying it will be raining tomorrow by 9 am... let's hope they're wrong... or that they're right and it doesn't rain at all until I am done with my bike ride around 8:15 am tomorrow.)

It's another gorgeous day here.  Now I know why people refer to living in Florida as living in paradise.  I guess as a kid growing up here, I didn't know any different so I didnt' get it.  10 years of living elsewhere makes you remember.

Ladybug at the moment is fixated on Disney and going to Disney again.  The poor thing.  Last year when they were under 3, we could get them into Disney free.  So we had seasonal passes and Mr. Darcy loves Disney So we went ALOT last year. To the point that I thought if I saw the performance "Dreams Do Come True" one more time, I might turn into Maleficent. (Even if he tries to tell you different, the man loves Disney.  I like it too, but he loves it.)  Once they turned 3 (and we couldn't pass them off as 2 year olds anymore), our passes had run their course and well, it was going to be around $1,000 for the passses.  So we skipped it.  We figured they probably wouldn't really notice not going all that often.  Were we ever wrong!

Ladybug has asked me everyday for the past 2 weeks if we could go to Disney again soon.  Before that it was at least once every other week for the past 2 months.  Last night she told me that she really wants to meet the new princess, Princess Tiana.  This morning she showed me the dress she wants to wear when we go back to Disney "for her birthday."  Yup, she even planted that seed 2 nights ago.  She said "Mommy, can we go on vacation to the beach and then go to Disney for my birthday?"  Now, I don't know if her Papa had said something to her, or if she over heard Mr. Darcy and I, or if it is just that she wants to go so badly, but it just so happens that because the week of our beach vacation with Mr. Darcy's family happens to fall the week that it does we're not able to have a birthday party for the girls' this year (because it only leaves the weekend of the 4th of July and no one is going to a birthday party that weekend).  So I convinced Mr. Darcy that we should take the girls to Disney because they've been talking about it so much.  We've invited both sets of grandparents to go with us, and are going to as Mr. Darcy's brother's family to join us too. 

SO at least I know what my girls like!  I personally can't wait to go.  I have so much fun seeing it through their little eyes.  But we still have 2 months to go... we'll see how badly the Disney requests gets.  But now we can't break down and take them before then because it won't make it nearly as exciting!  They are a hoot though.  Angelfish told us that she wants a giant princess cake with a castle on it and everything.  I'm not sure we can do that one, but we'll have to see.  I love birthdays because I get to spoil them just a little, for one day!  And I always tell them that it is a special day because they were born and we're celebrating their lives.  I love their little smiles when they hear that.  Yup, I'm a sucker for a smile!

Anyway, that's what's traveling around in my brain right now.  Disney, training and back pain.

Oh and I apologize for not reviewing the book just yet.  I have a few chapters to go.  If I get it done during my lunch hour, I'll see about posting then!