River and the Dwarves

At the end of Serenity, River Tam heroically stands with sweat dripping from her brow, catching her breath, her body held tall, looking down at the pile of Reavers she just took out single-handedly.

When the dwarves and Gandolf are captured in the orc cave in The Hobbit, they are surrounded 1,000 to 13. Somehow, they fight with such poise and skill that they defeat the orc king (who looks strangely similar to Jabba the Hut) and escape the dark pits of the earth.

Obviously, I have been watching too many Sci-fi and fantasy films lately (ehhem... nerd alert). The thing that stood out to me about these films though was the characters' skill at defeating their opponents. It was beautiful watching the gracefulness in the dwarves' movements as they dodged and killed their enemies. It was as if every move was planned. The orcs had no logic to their attack; they attacked with all they had, but never stopped to look at the situation. The dwarves had a cleverness behind their form. They never killed their own, they were able to pick out the bad from the good. Every movement had a specific purpose.

My past races have been sloppy, much like the fighting of the orcs. Wildflower was the only race I really worked for; I designed and followed a training plan, watched my nutrition, created a pre-race plan.. everything. My other races have been very sporadic with no pre-designed plan of action.

I don't want to be an orc. I want to be hardcore like River Tam and the dwarves. Wildflower was the only race I really worked for; I designed and followed a training plan, watched my nutrition, created a pre-race plan... everything. My other races have been very sporadic with no pre-designed plan of action.

I don't want to be an orc. I want to be hardcore like River Tam and the dwarves. My A-priority race this year is going to be the National Age Championships in August. The next 9 months are going to be exactly like the 9 months preceding having a baby. My nutrition will be carefully monitored, each workout will have a purpose, I am going to start stretching and foam rolling more religiously. Once again, I am choosing to make triathlon my life (didn't I swear this off last summer?). No drinking alcohol, no late nights, no missing a workout... this is my life once again and I'm actually very excited about it!

Just like River and the dwarves train to be master murderers, I am going to train to "murder" the competition. Hello, month one of nine. Time to meet your maker!

Girl Got Swagger

My legs have always been my biggest insecurity. Attached to my big butt are these two stumps and I always have been so aware of their presence. When I was in middle school, I would wear board shorts at the beach to cover up their existence. In high school, I hated wearing shorts because I was worried about what other people would say amongst themselves (because we all know that everyone always talks about me and nothing else...). If I thought so poorly of my stumps, what would the popular girls think? College came and I still was pretty cautious when buying new clothing, especially when I knew my legs would be the focus of the outfit.

This past year, things have been morphing in my mind and body. Grylls told me he loved my legs in Wyoming, so I grew some confidence and began feeling comfortable in my short, pink Anthropologie shorts. Many people told me I had legs for days, so I felt a little bit better about myself, but the legs still were not my favorite part of my body.

A couple of weeks ago, an amazing thing happened. I was walking past the large windows at Whole Foods and I turned my head to check my reflection in the window (don't lie... you do it, too). What met my gaze was a beautiful woman in skin-tight running pants. Dang! She had some great hamstrings! I looked around me, making certain no one was standing next to me wearing the same outfit; I mean, it could have been an honest mistake. Indeed, it was I who had the lovely hamstrings whose strength showed through my running tights. Definition is threatening to take over and make my legs beautiful. My only problem is, I have no idea what produced these results!

Maybe it has something to do with the man who has taken over my body. What?

Allow me to explain. Yes, please do.

Calm down, Daddy.


I have noticed that when I finish a really hard workout, I carry myself like a man would. It's as if I am looking at the world and saying, "Yeah, I just got a great workout and my muscles are ripped. Now show me what you've got. Try to beat me." I was trying to explain this to Richard at the stadiums the other day. I could not find the word to describe what has happened to me. Suddenly, a man at the end of the bleacher turned to face us and he informed me, "You've got swagger."

Girl got swagger. The tall, poised woman in me has escaped. She ran away from the dude who wanted to come in and put some swag to my swing. And this is why I'm single. Well, dude, stay for awhile, but you best believe that graceful, beautiful woman is going to come back soon to take her rightful place back.

Alright, enough about my manly gait, let's talk about the important things in life... according to my coach, today is my rest day. Good thing, because I have a lot of packing to do before I go into work then head down to San Diego with Jameisha. While I pack, I will be listening to my rainy day mix. Want to join in? I knew you would... Here are a couple of songs to dance in your eardrums and resonate in your cochlea.

We shall start with Kings of Convenience and their song I'd Rather Dance With You, simply because I believe they are musical geniuses and this video is adorable.

Next, Feist will entertain you with Mushaboom because I think it's amazing that she can make even the imperfections in her voice sound melodic and unique.

I love, love, love this song by Snow Patrol and Martha Wainwright. It's just so powerful and I like their voices blended together in the chorus.

Back to the Grind

The e-mail arrived sometime last week. I didn't even open it for awhile, not quite sure what it was and undecided as to whether I cared enough to take the time to read it. The first thought that came to mind when I finally did open it up was: Oh, that's cool. But Wisconsin? In August? Eh.

Yes, Wisconsin in August. Why Wisconsin? For the National Age Group Championships. Last September, I won first in my age group at the Scott Tinley long course triathlon. Winning first there landed me an invite to this race in August. If I win top 10% at the race in Wisconsin, I have the opportunity to compete in the 2014 Olympics. Do I really think I'll make it to the Olympics? Not particularly. 

I sent it to my dad and Josh anyway, not really sure why. I guess the fact that I had won first in my age group which merited this invite was something I wanted to share with the people who mattered most to me.

My family got crazy excited. They couldn't understand why I wasn't feeling the same way.

Honestly, I thought I was done with triathlon training. I hate swimming with a passion and I do so much cycling during the week that getting on Fee-Figh was the last thing I wanted to do. Western States 100 mile run... that was going to be my focus... my only focus. Then this e-mail came.

After some hmming and hawing, I hired a professional coach. Yeah, yeah, yeah... I know that I am a triathlon coach and I work for a triathlon coach, but I needed to take it to the next level. Chad and Mark had recommended Jason, so I did my research and set up an appointment.

Long story short, the second I met him, I knew he was the right fit. He reminded me of my old trainer back in Oregon, not only look-wise, but with his mannerisms and the way he carried himself. We have already met to analyze my swim and work on my running technique. Everything is changing.

My run is getting SAH-lowwwwwwwwwwwwww, but definitely more efficient. My calves and midsole are feeling the change in my stride. It is so good to have a coach to know that I am not overdoing the workouts. He is even teaching me the importance of recovery... something I never do.

Back to three plus workouts a day seven days a week. It's on, Wisconsin... oh, it's on.

Invincibility Denied

Oh. My. Goodness.

OUCHHHHH! I do not want to get out of bed at 4:45 tomorrow morning. Why not? Well, besides the fact that no one should be awake at that ungodly hour, I am, for the first time in my life, SORE. So sore. Owwwwwww!

So why am I sore? I have no clue!!!

Yesterday, I taught three cycle classes, took a megaformer class at Fit Buddha, rock climbed for an hour, ran 6 miles with 5 100 meter sprints, did 800 lunges... that's nothing though! Just a typical Wednesday... but my quads! I feel like such a whiner! Now I know how you all feel. So much for being invincible. My super powers have faded away and left me defenseless to the evil of sore muscles.
 

This makes me rethink my recent addition of glucose to my recovery drink. Hmm...

Today I only taught two cycle classes, but those felt so hard with my tight glutes.

My favorite class was today. Thursday lunch group, aka "The Dogs". When class started, everyone was gibber jabbering. They sounded like a flock of geese honking at one another. "Hey," I shouted. "Save your conversations for after class!"  "Uhoh," Lydia said. "Today is going to be another tough Thursday class." The woman next to her looked over and muttered, "When is Ashlee's class ever not a tough class?" People laughed and made grunts of agreement.

We got straight into the workout. It was a pyramid climb, mostly in zones 4 and 5. "What zone are we in," Dave asked, as usual. "Zone 4," I responded. "We were just in zone 4," he complained. "Yes," I agreed. "We were." He rolled his eyes and said, "You like zone 4 too much." Then he increased his gear. I tried to explain the flea story Austin told me:

If you catch a flee and put it in a jar and screw a lid on, the flea will just keep jumping up and down, hitting the lid each time. After a couple of weeks, when you take the lid off, the flea will continue to jump only to that height, as if the lid was still on. It has reached its capacity and doesn't know how to push it to the next level. That is why we train higher than 100% ability sometimes; it is crucial in order to continuously grow and become better. You never know what you can do until you try.

After 5 minutes at 95% effort, I gave the class a 1:00 recovery and told them to get excited for 4:00 at 95% effort once again. Audible groans were made. I decided to lighten the mood by telling some of the jokes Simon had tried out on me at Elsie's:

A sandwich walks into a bar and sits down. The bartender says, "I'm sorry; we don't serve food here."

A few pitty chuckles fluttered across the room, but not too many.

A mushroom walks in after the sandwich and sits down. The bartender looks at him and says, "We don't serve your kind here." The mushroom complains, "But I'm a fungi!"

Even fewer people laughed.

A grasshopper walks into the same bar and orders a mojito. The bartender says, "Did you know we have a drink named after you?" The grasshopper looks at him and says, "Really?! You have a drink named Eric?"

People laughed at that one. Pretty hard, too. Then Barney spoke up, "The level of corn in this room is getting awfully high...."

Lastly, a bear walks into the bar and sits down. The bartender comes over to take his order and the bear says, "I'll have a..... a beer." The bartender says, "What's with the big paws?"

Two seconds later (after the joke clicked), people started laughing. "That was actually a really good one," Lorind commented.

Oh man... Thursdays are the best.

Oh, side story: This girl walks into the running store this evening and I fit her with a new pair of Asics Nimbus. We begin talking about which races we are training for when I mention I am running one in San Diego next.

"Oh, I'm from there," the girl (Amy) informs me.

"What part," I ask.

"Del Mar," Amy replies.

"My cousins are from there," I say excitedly.

Okay, I'll cut to the chase... she dated my cousin. How random is that?! So now I have a new friend and a plan to reunite her with my cousin at Christmas! And they are both super excited about it! Aw man, I am such an incredible matchmaker! Everyone I have ever set up has gotten married... Maybe that will be my new super power...

Last Minute Gift Ideas

As Matt and I were rock climbing yesterday, he looked over at me and declared, "The only thing that makes the end of the fall season bearable is knowing that Christmas is right around the corner."  It may not feel like Christmas with the Santa Barbara sunshine dancing across your windowpanes (though the rain has helped), but the holiday of joy, cheer and giving is upon us. The trees are trimmed, the money in my bank account is dwindling (what money?), I have to wear a jacket to walk out to my car (hey! Sixty-one degrees is cold!) and carolers are found on every block of State Street. Someone even requested I play Christmas music in my cycle class! Hmmm... I'll get back to you on that one, Claire.

One thing I love about Christmas is the fact that you get to give gifts to your friends and family! How sensational is it to get a special gift from a special someone?  Working at the best running store in the world does not help matters on my part... I mean, I can't give everyone I love an SBRC shirt, can I? Actually... wait, stop reading this if you are my friend or family! I don't want you to know what is wrapped in the shiny paper under the tree!

Most of you have probably finished all of you Christmas shopping, but if you are still looking for those last-minute gifts, look no further! I have compiled a list of the ten best gifts you could bestow upon your loved ones... all of which happen to be sold at Santa Barbara Running Company. You're welcome.

1. Knuckle Lights

google.com

I cannot tell you how many times I have had to wake up before the sun rose in order to squish a run in. Then there are the days where I work from 5AM-9PM and it's dark by the time I lace up my shoes. So what does one do under such circumstances? Fortunately for me, SBRC carries these wonderful little lights that fit right on your knuckles. My sister got me a pair for my birthday and they have helped me through many a 20+ miler that lasted past midnight. Plus, I bet I could give some guy a shiner if he tried to pick up on me while I was out on the pavement.

2. Nike Thermal Running Tights

Shown in men's. Google.com

For men and women of all shapes and sizes! The fabric is lightweight and does not restrict your movement, whether you are running up Old San Marcos or climbing at the new gym in town. These tights offer protection from the chill and the cool ocean breeze without the threat of overheating.

3. Lole Love Beanie

www.google.com

These beanies truly were made with oodles and oodles of tender love. Lole is committed to created products for active women on the go. What I love about these beanies is the ponytail hole in the back. No longer do you have to shove your hair up under the cap or worry about sweat dripping from the ends of it as it hangs loose, blowing in the wind. Nope, now all you have to do is tie it back in a ponytail (preferably one of the hair tyes we sell at the store) and pull that hair through the hole! Perfect for those chilly Santa Barbara mornings- and I'm not just saying that because I'm an ambassador!

4. Nike Lightweight Tech Running Gloves

How much do you hate getting a text when you have mittens on? You have two options: Take off your mittens to respond to the text and risk cold fingers OR ignore the text and risk an angry spouse. Am I right? Well, say goodbye to chilly digits and impatient lovers! Nike has produced a running glove that works with your smart phone! I know! It's amazing! You can use your touch screen without taking off your warm gloves. Perfect for the tech-savvy runner. And if you buy a pair for your teenage daughter, she'll have no excuse for not texting you back! (Don't you wish they had come out with these when I was in high school, Mom?)

www.google.com

5. Endurox R4

Looking for a good recovery drink to take after your hard workouts or races? How about Endurox R4? This powder tastes delicious when mixed with water, plus it offers the 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio. It speeds muscle glycogen replenishment and rebuilds muscle protein after exercise to help prevent sore muscles. Antioxidants help reduce post-exercise muscle damage and glutamine helps reduce muscle stress. This recovery powder is all-around a great supplement to add to your post-workout routine.

www.google.com

6. Brooks Pure Cadence 2

They are here! They are here! Brooks has done it again! The new Pure line is on our shoe shelves! I love the Pure Cadence because it is comfortable, lightweight, travels well and looks great on my feet! I have run through 3 pairs of Pure Cadences now. They work well for all distances, whether you are running across the street to grab milk at the store or competing in a marathon, the extra support of these shoes will keep your feet comfortable and cool. Plus, the new uppers are really well done with a lace very similar to that of the Cascadia and the Brooks logo is reflective! Such a great shoe!

7. Santa Barbara Running Company Fleece

Buy local! I always love wearing my SBRC gear to another city or state because it is guaranteed to start conversation. It helps that SBRC products fit well and don't create any chafing! I love the new men's fleece that we are currently carrying! It is super warm and the material feels great against your skin!

8. Injinji Socks

After middle school, I swore I would never wear toe socks again... until I was introduced to Injinji socks. Amazingly, these socks encourage proper foot function, feel like butter between your toes, help prevent blisters and are used by some of the most avid runners in the world! I used them for the Red Rock race and had absolutely no problems! No holes, no blisters, no sore spots... I LOVE INJINJI! 

www.google.com

9. The Grid

Kiss those gnarly knots away- more like roll them away- with The Grid. Keep the blood circulating in your muscles and prevent tightness. The Grid is created with less foam than traditional foam rollers, yet still withstands constant, heavy and repeated use without breaking down! It can be used for injury prevention, treatment and core workouts! Everyone should own The Grid. I guarantee you will love it so much, you won't want to give it as a gift (buy two just in case that happens!)

www.google.com

10. Garmin Forerunner 10

Everything you love about the Garmin 420 and 910XT is now available in a smaller, simpler package: The Garmin Forerunner 10. We have three great colors available at our store: Pink, Green and Black. This watch tracks distance, pace and calories burned. You can hook it up to your computer after and compare your current pace to your target pace! I love the simplicity and the stylish look of those watch! 

www.google.com

11. Santa Barbara Running Company Gift Card

Can't decide which pair of Oakley's would look good on your best friend's face? Don't remember if your sister wears a pronated or neutral running shoe? Have no idea what size running short your dad wears? Buying for someone who lives in SB but you live in Norway and can't get into the store? No problem! Buy a gift card! Now your special someone can come into the shop and have one of our excellent staff analyze their running form before deciding on the best shoe for him or her! It's a win/win situation!

I RAN TODAY

Eleven days.

That is how long it has been since I seriously injured myself running. I have been out of the game since. For the first time ever, I listened to my body whisper (ahem... more like scream) and I took it easy (well, I didn't run, at least). It felt unnatural not to run every day, but I adapted quickly. Suddenly, I had nothing but spare time! I read books on nutrition for athletes, finished my latest painting, made some new friends and did some hiking. I pushed REALLY hard on my cycle classes and during Pure Awesomeness, but stayed off of my feet when I was tempted to lace up one of my fourteen pairs of running shoes (okay, maybe I don't own 14 pairs... or maybe I do... I'm not going to tell you how many I own...). But no injury can hold this girl down for long.

BunBun came to visit!

The 5AM run. The one that keeps me sane. It was missing from my life and I needed it back like a cougar needs food after 5 days of being stuck in a dark pit. Yes, I needed to run that badly. I do indeed love my cycle classes, Pilates workouts and plyometric training, but without running, my life seemed somehow incomplete.

Today was the day. The day of joy and beauty and adrenaline. During cycle class this morning, someone mentioned it is supposed to rain tomorrow. Was I going to allow the rain to come before I got out there and put some mileage in? Heck no, techno!

So I called Nash and asked him how he felt about me completing an easy 3 mile run. I could hear how elated he was with the idea. "Yes! And finish with 6...  no, ten 100m strides," he directed. I took in some Gu, chugged a couple of ounces of water and hit the dirt. Just a quick little jaunt on the cliffs overlooking the ocean was all it took to make me feel alive once again.

I won't lie, my psoas could feel the hill climbs and I definitely did not have the speed I used to keep, but when I wanted to push harder, I reminded myself I was starting from scratch and needed to treat this run as if I was a beginner.

A beginner. The thought frightened me when I first thought about it. All of the lost toenails, dollars spent on shoes, hours taken from my day... I have invested so much into running already. Heck, I married running! But maybe this isn't such a bad idea. If I really want to do the Western States 100 and if I really want to place in my race in February, then I need to make sure I am doing things correctly. This will be a great time to learn and improve and become the best runner I can be.

Speaking of learning, that is another thing I did a lot of this past week and a half. Some of the lessons learned were as follows:

1. Heather and I discovered where Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch is located. We also discovered that security there is pretty gnarly, so be prepared to go to the sheriff's department if you are hoping to catch a glimpse of the amusement park.

2. Patrick and Ben invited me over for crepes last Saturday after my Pilates class. Ben is from the Alps in France and he lives with people from all over the world: Russia, China, Vietnam, Bulgaria, etc. I had so much fun at breakfast that I went back Sunday evening for steak and mashed potatoes. All of the people in this house have one sport in common: Climbing. It was so interesting to hear all the great experiences these people have had on the mountain. I felt like I fit right in due to my passion for the outdoors and my desire to become a better climber. I've actually been spending a lot of time with Ben this past week and I really enjoy everything I am learning about the French culture, rock climbing and being young. I really admire that Ben and his friends live every moment to the fullest; they live in order to enjoy life. It's quite exhilarating. I enjoy the European view of life: Eat chocolate, drink beer and enjoy the company of your friends every chance you get.

3. I have gotten quite a reputation in Santa Barbara. A man came up to me in the running store last Saturday and said, "Excuse me, are you Ashlee?" I had never seen this man in my life. "I read your blog about the Red Rock race. Congratulations! You did an incredible job! And I really enjoyed your writing style. You brought the race to life." Awww shucks. A few hours later, a woman walked in and said, "Oh my gosh! You're Ashlee! Someone was just telling me all about your race last weekend! Hey, we are doing the Rim-to-Rim next May if you want to join!" Today, another man walked in and we started talking about running, racing and competition. Somehow, my line of work was mentioned. "You teach at the YMCA," he asked. "What's your name?" I told him and his face lit up. "Allison has been telling me to take your classes! She highly recommends you!" Dude... that's fantastic.

Life is good. I have new friends, I feel really good about my abilities and I am running again. I'm seriously walking on clouds right now! For now, I am going to focus on my race in February and not push for anything else. Usually, I try to plan my races for the year in advance, but I think this year I will just focus on getting into better running shape and forget about the competition until I find something I can't turn down.

Yeah... we'll see how long that lasts...

These Things I Do Believe

I am convinced that Anthropologie hires elves to do their holiday decorating. Not elves who are short with green slipper and pointy ears. No, Anthro hires the elven people from J.R.R. Tolkein's imagination. I know! They must spend a fortune to get them all the way out to each of their stores, but somehow, someway, the elves come and make Anthropologie a winter wonderland. It is a subdued, yet inspiring combination of cheerful tunes filling the space in your ears, beautiful quilts beckoning you to cuddle up in them with a copy of Little Women and glistening flakes of fake snow frolicking around your feet with each step you take further into the magical kingdom of the store.

I am convinced that coffee can bring peace to the soul if it is made correctly. I know you have heard me preach this before, but it is only because I believe it so adamantly! There are days that I didn't even know I was stressed, but the moment that smooth, rich liquid hits my lips, I sink into a harmonious melody of satisfied mmmms and fulfilled awwwwws and oooo boy! Give me some more's! Every care or worry man has ever had can be cured with a cup of coffee from Handlebar Coffee Roasters. World peace will be achieved once man gives up his evil ways and turns to HCR for joy and contentment.

Lastly, I am convinced that I race because I feel like an effing saint when I finish. One little race and suddenly I am the talk of the town. It doesn't matter what the distance is (1 mile, 6 miles, 26 miles, 50 miles...), people adore me! "Oh my goodness, did you hear what Ashlee did?" "Yes! Isn't she a mad woman?" "Insane. Absolutely insane." "Hey guys," I butt in. "It was only a half Ironman." "Oh my goodness! That's basically a full Ironman!" Okay... whatever you say...

But I love it. I love that Mark and Chad, two of the most macho Ironmen triathletes and marathon runners I know, talk about me when they meet up to train together. These are men I look up to and aspire to compete with and here they are telling their wives how hardcore I am and how much they love my classes. I also love that the guys at the cycle shop congratulate me after brutal races. "I didn't know you were into that type of stuff. You're gnarly!" This from the guy with the backwards cap, thick calves and tattoos? Hey, I'll take it. When people want to know which race they should pursue next, I love that they come to me for advice. These are the things that keep me going. This is why I race. This is where my passion stems from. You can see it in the way my eyes light up when I talk about it. 

So what is next? Now that I have done Red Rock, the most brutal, intense race I have participated in, what do I strive to dominate next? I think it is time to look at the 2013 race calendar and mark my A,B,C priority races. I'm thinking Kona Half-Ironman? Watch out, 2013... I'm coming at you with a vengeance... that is, as long as my leg agrees to pitch in.

How to Make Lemonade

It all started with an epic fail... a sour lemon concocted its way into my Saturday night. My Saturday night that was supposed to be spent with friends. But what happened, eh? Didn't I just write a blog about learning to choose friends over running? Oh... yeah... about that... Well, I chose training over calling my friends up and seeing what they were doing. Actually, it was totally unintentional. I was so focused on the fact that I had to run 17 miles that day and in turn squeezed the memory of having made prior plans out of my head. Oopsadaisy. Sorry, Wes and Laura!

I wrote about my injury in my last post. My no-good, dirty-rotten lemon of an injury. The lemon that had fallen from the tree into a pile of dirt then been chewed on by a mangy dog. That cotton-pickin' lemon of a left leg needs to let up and leave me alone. But it refuses to let me be. How many times did Joshua tell me to recover after races even if I wasn't sore? How many times did my parents tell me not to push my body so hard? But I have this obsession with being active. Sabrina claims it is a legitimate disease and she read about it recently. Great... I have a disease, folks. I hope for you it's not contagious, though I feel Richard is going to get the disease if he keeps spending so much time training with me. What is the cure for this disease? They are still doing the scientific research, but I can tell you one thing: The cure does not involve running seven miles in the rain.

Fortunately, God is good. I believe he has a purpose for everything. This injury has actually been a blessing in disguise. The past three days, I've been able to take that one lemon and make three hUuUUUUuuuUge glasses of lemonade from it.

Day 1 of "recovery": The first day I had not worked out since Wyoming. I taught classes without participating, went to church then spent the day in Ojai with Sabrina. Ojai. I could totally live in Ojai. Some of my favorite biking paths are in Ojai. Actually, one of my favorite days of my life was spent in Ojai. New Years Day, 2012. Joshua, Wally and I climbed Rattlesnake early that morning then I made Norwegians for Josh. Afterwards, we drove out to Ojai and biked around town and through some of the neighborhoods. We grabbed burritos at a hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant and took them over to the park to eat. It was just an all-around perfect day. That's what Ojai feels like to me every time I go: A fairytale land of happiness, adventure, good food and peace. This trip was no different. Sabrina and I ate lunch at a cute cafe with the most amazing salmon Greek salad I have ever tasted. I forced her to walk in the rain to the outdoor bookshop where we spent an hour browsing through the biographies section.

The adventure back home was wet and foggy. My Subaru is so full of half-empty water bottles that the windows will not defrost. Plus, since I was hit head on in Wyoming, I have been unable to fully latch the hood of Sweet Baby Sam, so it could fly up at any moment in time. Those twists and turns from Ojai and Carp would not be a great time for the hood to fly up... just saying. But we made it just in time for me to rush to work and kick some butt.

Afterwards, I was planning on running an easy 10 miles, but there was no way my hip was going to hold up for that distance. Instead, I drove home and finished the painting I'm working on for my parents' Christmas gift. Good thing I did! While I was painting, I received a message from Nani, Kasey and Mackenzi asking me to join their google camera chat. It was amazing!!!! The second my computer linked, we all started screaming and giggling uncontrollably! Oh, Wyoming friends... how I wish we were back in Dubois under the stars drinking whiskey and listening to Brantley Gilbert. Rachel joined the group a little while later then we all started dropping off one-by-one to go to bed.
 

Day 2 of "recovery": I taught cycle class bright and early, but played it easy. I made the class hold race pace for 35:00 minutes and every ounce of me wished I was working with the same level of integrity, but my left leg sang out in pain every time I increased the resistance. I decided to whimp out on the class as opposed to losing my ability to teach all together.

After class, I met up with Becky for Pilates then went home and did some cleaning of the room. I know, amazing. All of my flannels are hung in the closet. All of my books are arranged on the shelf. All of my dirty clothes are stuffed under my bed in a ball... kidding! But Becca comes out to see me in THREE DAYS, so I want to be ready for her arrival! Plus, I don't want my life to be a mess and I figure if you can't keep your room in order, your life will never be in order either.

To celebrate the cleanliness of my room, I decided to drive out to the art store and buy some new paints before training Nicole. Richard and I trained afterwards. Lastly, I taught my Michelle Obama's arms class with Lindsay, Lynn and Heather. What an amazing day. So good. Two good days in a row... then it was time for...

(insert drum roll here please)

Day 3 of "recovery": I started with my cycle class in the morning. This time I felt a little better, so I didn't hold back as much on the race intensity portions of the workout, however I was only holding 80% effort when I should have been at 90%.

The swell was gnarly this past weekend, so I wanted to see if I could catch the tail end of the storm out at Rincon. I decided to grab a coffee from Kim and Aaron first though and good thing I did! Kim introduced me to their physical therapist who is going to do some work on my leg! Yay!

Part of me was tempted to do a pool run, but most of me hated the thought of being soaked in chlorine and having to make small talk with the new lifeguards and maneuver around the children and old people all leaving a trace of urine smell in their path. Hmmm pool run or sit on the beach, check out the line-up and read? I chose Rincon. While there, a friend wrote me and we decided to meet up for coffee in Carp. It was so much fun! This guy is soooooo cool! He is super outdoorsy and adventurous! He grew up in Germany then moved to San Diego but runs a company in Carpinteria now. He loves surfing, rock climbing, playing guitar, trail running... basically, he's awesome. So we had coffee then I made my way to the running store.

Could my day get any better? Well, let's see... Joe and I chatted for a bit, which I always enjoy. Out of the blue, he asked my shoe size then presented me with a brand new pair of Nike Lunarglides.... Uhm, okay, you're awesome, Joe.

I still have dinner with my neighbors and rock climbing this evening to look forward to.

Maybe I should "recover" more often...


Shout out to this guy:

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2KaEZn

Learning When to Say No

Listen to your body whisper and you'll never hear it scream

I can't even count on two hands how many times I have told this quote to people. People who come into the store and don't want to buy Hokas because "they look dorky". People in my classes who are nursing an injury. My clients who are having an off day. I recall even telling all y'all this quote back in March (ish). If I can preach it so religiously, why can't I follow the wisdom it holds and apply it to my own training? Because you are brainwashed and too extreme, Ashlee. Oh. Yeah. 

When I walked into the store today, no customers were in sight. Somehow, Joe and I ended up standing next to the shoes talking about the new Pure line by Brooks that arrived last Thursday. "Are you recovered from last Sunday yet," he asked. 

Why do I love the Brooks PureCadence, you ask? Because they look so dang good on my feet.

"Oh yeah," I responded, adamantly. "I don't get sore."

"What?"

"I know," I said. "It's weird. I taught class that night and all my classes on Monday and I did an 8-mile trail run on Tuesday."

"You taught class that night," his mouth was agape. 

"Yeah," I nodded. "I don't get sore." 

"And you are back to running already? Then you didn't push hard enough."

"Yes, I did," I shot back defensively. "I pushed really hard. I was at a 184-186 heart rate for most of the race. I pushed really hard."

"Hmm..." he thought about it. "And you're not sore?"

Maybe I should have taken this as a sign that I needed to slow down. If my boss, one of my running idols, is shocked that I'm already back to running, maybe I should be recovering? I mean, I never actually did take a day to recover; I jumped straight back into my gnarly workouts. 

Monday morning, I taught cycle at 5:30AM and trained Richard that evening. 

Tuesday, I taught three cycle classes and went for an 8-mile sunrise trail run with my friend Mike. I burned 2,300 calories on Tuesday alone.

Wednesday, I taught two cycle classes, went on a run, took an intense circuit class with Austin and taught Pure Awesomeness. Another 2,100 calories were burned that day. 

Thursday, I taught two cycle classes, went on a 7 mile hill run in the rain and met up with Amanda for my first CrossFit class. That day, I only burned 1,900 calories. At least that's a little more normal....

Yesterday, I taught two cycle classes and a Power Pilates class. Only 955 calories burned. 

Today, I taught Pilates Strength, took one of Austin's circuit classes with Heather and ran 9.5 miles. Okay... it was supposed to be a 17 mile run. I'm not going to lie: I am very disappointed in my run. It rained all afternoon. I had planned to run at 5AM with Lindsay, but we had a work party last night and the one margarita Yumi bought me was enough to leave me with a hangover and 4 hours of sleep. I woke up and texted Lindsay to let her know I would go later in the day, but when I tried to go back to bed, my energy levels were too high. Hey, Shlee! Wake up! It's 5AM... that's late for you! Usually you're up by 4AM. Rise and shine, brown eyes! Meh. The past week, I have averaged 5 hours of sleep per night. My body just won't shut down. Cough cough sign of overtraining cough cough. What? Who just said that?

So, even though I was awake, I was not running. No, I was laying in bed thinking about how I should be running and how I should really clean my room and how I should finish my painting. Coulda woulda shoulda. But Scofield was cuddled up next to my pillow and I just couldn't leave her in my bed looking all adorable alone. So I stayed and checked all the text messages on my phone I have yet to answer. Let's just be honest... I've been slacking lately. I've had no motivation to do anything but run and eat. Cough cough sign of overtraining cough cough. What? Seriously! Who is that?!

Awww Saucony Scofield! (yes, my cat is named after a running shoe and an attractive television character)

When I did gracefully float out of bed (haha. I so did not look graceful), I threw on a tank top, sweatshirt, lulu tights and Toms, pulled my hair back into a ponytail and walked out to my car. It was time to teach Pilates. 

This was by far one of the best classes I've taught. It's not that it was a fantastic class (which, let's be honest, it was), it was the fact that I had seven of my favorite people squeezed in a tiny studio with me. Since the rain was coming down, Pilates in the Park met at Sarah and Fred's house. Sarah's yoga studio is beautiful, but it is by no means large. We puzzle pieced our mats together and began with squat pulses. The entire hour was filled with laughter, Kelly's quirky comments ("I should probably introduce myself since my knee is in your butt; I'm Kelly!") and Roger and Patrick's looks of pain as they realized this class was more difficult than they had thought it would be. P.S. I so want to be just like Kelly when I grow up. She is the cutest, funniest, sweetest woman. Every time I see her I just am so thankful to have her in my life. If you don't know her, you are truly missing out. You should probably come to a Pilates class and meet her. ;)

I had promised Heather I would go to Austin's class with her after Pilates, so we drove over to the gym and walked in the door. "What are you doing here," Judi asked. "Are you teaching?"

"Me? No, Austin is. I'm working out," I responded. She looked a little shocked. "Why?"

"Well, it's your day off. I just am surprised you would come to your workplace to workout."

I get what she is saying. It's hard to work out in a place where everyone knows you and wants to socialize, but Austin gives a great workout and the location is just too convenient to pass up on. Heather and I rowed for 20 minutes, then I settled onto a bike next to Daniel to begin the challenge. Bike my body weight in KJs (which I had done the night prior); climb 1 minute on, 1 minute off marry-go-round style; row, swim and elliptical 2 minutes on, 1 minute off; bike 10% your body weight in KJs followed by 10 sit-ups five times. Finish that workout and you've burned a good 600 calories. Not too shabby. Plus I beat Daniel (who is the strongest man at the gym, in my opinion) on the elliptical and last set of bike drills. 

After work, I decided to do my run in the rain and dark. I walked across to the gym and left my things there then ran seven miles through town and back roads. My left glute started feeling tight, so I had to walk the last mile. It was beginning to get late, too, so I decided to do the second 7-mile set on the elliptical at work. Unfortunately, 2.5 miles into it, I was forced to stop and foam roll my left side. It felt good at first, then it went numb and I felt a tingling in my toes.... that's not a good sign. I got back on the elliptical and began gently. No, this isn't going to happen. Just walk away, Ashlee. Leave while you're ahead. Don't aggravate the injury. But it was too late. I got down into pigeon stretch with my left leg forward and everything on my left side became disengaged. There was no feeling, just numbness. Uhmm... Hmm... Am I going to be able to walk home from here? 

Good news! I am writing from home currently, not the gym. Bad news: My leg is still numb. I called my mom to chitchat. She is not very happy with me. Plus she showed my physical therapist my blog about the race last Sunday and he wasn't too thrilled with my overtraining state either. Hey, Mom and Greg... don't read this blog. Oh, it's too late? Whoops. 

I foresee a lot of icing, cold glutes, foam rolling and pool running in my future. Oh goody!

PS Happy Flannel Day!!!