Pre-Frankenstorm

Hurricane Sandy is upon us. Bah. Saturday was spent getting in the final ride before the wet and wind comes and making sure a few things were stashed and battened down. The whole hill behind our house looks like this:

I'm hoping things stay where they should. I really don't want to live with an African Grey parrot in a hotel room.


This has also been the week of Frankenknee. I had a little accident last weekend and lost the ability to go up and down stairs (or an incline) without looking pathetic. I was going to post a picture but it could have been be mistaken for a big, discolored ass cheek. It did not look like a knee until recently when the swollen, juiciness subsided. I can finally see my knee cap again.

Mike, Dave and I went for our pre-storm ride which I am now referring to as the 'Diva Ride'. Somebody needed a Snickers and it wasn't me and it wasn't Dave. That's all I'm gonna say. After 30 minutes of having to walk sideways up ANY incline, I decided to leave the Divaness and do what I could do on the rail trail. It's still a little angry with me today, but I have a feeling I may have a few days to rest it.


All lights are on deck and unfortunately not in anticipation of a night ride

It's Day 22 of the Whole30 today. It actually has gone by pretty quickly. I will say I have been feeling really good. On my ride yesterday, I felt better than I've felt in long time. My right leg and left leg (minus the knee) wanted to party and my lungs felt great. I couldn't get crazy, but I did notice a difference and I did not have that bonky feeling and like I wanted to take a nap on the side of a trail. Hoping there are more of those days to come.

Guess who came out to play for Halloween? Stupid Cadbury. Of course it's together with my other favorite...the holiday Reese's. Reese's always taste better when it's a pumpkin, tree or egg. I didn't do it. I did stare at it and obviously take a picture like a freak.

Instead, I came home and made "Deconstructed Pizza". There is absolutely nothing pizza like about it. Okay, maybe the olives, mushrooms and tomatoes. That's a stretch. It's actually really good. It's just not pizza. I prefer to call it "Meat Surprise with spinach and mushrooms."

Looks like I'm done blogging. Sandy's here and the lights keep flickering. Talk to you on the other side.

A Glimmer

Whole30 Day 14 is almost over and Week 3 starts tomorrow. I'm starting to feel decent for about an hour during a workout and anything over that I bonk horribly. After thinking I was going to perish in the woods last weekend after only 15 minutes, I'll take an hour.  It's something. Is it my finest hour? No, not by far. My coordination is still a little wonky and I've noticed my reaction time is a little slow. No snap in the legs and I feel like a slug. The good news is that I have finally started to sleep better and I am waking up and feeling (dare I say it?) pretty damn good. Hoping that sticks. The daily brain fog has subsided and I feel like I can now carry on a conversation and not feel like I suffer from aphasia.



Floating, sinking and rolling is not a good combo. My log rolling skills need work.

Today was the first day I actually thought about cheating. What did I want you ask? A big ice cream cone? Dark chocolate? A Coke? Gummy bears? No, I wanted a Gu. I became frustrated and tired of feeling so damn beat on the bike. I didn't cave. It's not worth it. I slogged through. I've made it this far and so far I can honestly say I've been 100% by the book . I got home and felt like I was going to pass out. I was dizzy and starving. I've yet to be this hungry since I've started this. The sweet potato didn't help. The jerky didn't do it.  I then sat on the porch in my dirty riding clothes eating macadamia nut butter out of the jar like a zombie and washed it down with pineapple and honeydew. Followed by cold tilapia and cold kale. Then tea. Then an apple. Then a plum. Then I felt better.

Two more weeks. Two more weeks.

Brief Whole30 Update

Well. It's been going. I'm officially on Day 11. A short recap so far:

Day 5: I started to break out like a greasy, hormonal teenager.

Day 6 and 7: My head felt like I was receiving a lobotomy with an ice pick. I wanted to sleep all day. Day 6 and 7 happened to be on a Saturday and Sunday and my workout attempts were so sad I have trouble calling them work-outs. On a hike on Sunday I didn't think I was going to make it out of the woods alive.

Day 8-11: Things are starting to come around and I don't feel so much like a zombie. Starting to feel a flare-up coming on. Most likely stress from work and working hours and not Whole30 related.

I haven't had any slips or cheats. Not a one. So far it hasn't been that hard to stay on the plan. I even have made it through two staff meetings (always tons of food), Bagel Day, Cupcake Day and the random crap that is always hanging around any office. The ladies around here do love to bake and share.

I'm waiting for this great sleep to come that everyone talks about and feeling fresh and rested in the morning. So far, not happening. I still feel like I've been on a tequila bender every morning.

Hopefully, I start feeling better while working out.

That's all for now. Sorry for the brief post. I've been busy, busy, busy. More of a recap to come when I'm not working or making Whole30 approved meals.

Day 5

Today is officially Day 5 on the Whole30. I can say that I have been all of the Seven Dwarfs this week. Besides being slightly more Sybil-like than normal this week, I haven't had any trouble with staying on the plan. The hardest part has been the exhaustion at around 2 pm when I normally have my little sugary snack. I do like my Jolly Ranchers, gummy things and dark chocolate. I'm also used to my afternoon coffee. You can have coffee on the Whole30, but they say you shouldn't have any caffeine after noon. I've been sticking to that. If I'm gonna do this. I'm gonna do it. The lethargy and headaches in the afternoons for the first few days were pretty intense. I'm hoping it gets better soon.

I have to really plan and organize my meals. I don't want to live on hard boiled eggs and broccoli. I've been trying a few of their recipes. Pretty good so far.

Frittata



Pre-Workout Snack

Wednesday night was my first real activity of Week One. I went for a trail run. I felt like I was running in pudding that was up to my knees. My legs didn't want to work. Last night, I went for the first night ride of the fall and it didn't go as horribly as I expected. Here is a conversation with my body:

Body: Yay! We are riding! There will be sugary snacks and carby drinks!

Me: You will have just water and like it.

Body: WTF? What the Hell is wrong with you?



After working through a few bad patches and fighting the brain fog, it turned out okay. I didn't have any snap or pop, but I really didn't expect to. I'm just happy I lasted over an hour without passing out or having to walk the climb to the car.

My wrist still needs a little time. I can't get all singletrack crazy and a cross race is out of the question for now. It's probably for the best because I can't even think about attempting a hard ride until my body comes around. Rumor has it at around 10 days in you start to feel better. Here's hoping.

I read that people often had dreams of sugary snacks in Week One. I'd been okay unit last night. I dreamt that a co-worker snuck a cupcake under my brussel sprouts and that I took a bite by accident. I was pissed and started screaming at her because I had to start my Whole30 over again. Not the usual cravings dream, I'm sure. It was still pretty messed up and it involved a big cupcake. That's gotta say something about the power of cake.

Pay to Play

My weekend plans were made for me at cross practice this past week. This was my second time at cross practice, and I'm not gonna lie, I'm a hot mess. The first time I couldn't stop giggling because it seemed really silly. During round two this week it was muddy and awesome. I really made an effort to work on my barrier skills (or lack thereof) and cornering on a cross bike in the mud. After a half dozen crashes later, I felt I was getting better. I then had around the seventh crash of the night. Not sure what happened. All I know is that my own tire seared through my shorts at my right inner thigh and also took off some skin and subsequent fat of my inner thigh. My wrist hurt but I didn't think much about it. Just figured I jammed the crap out of it and it would feel better in the morning. Well, the next morning it was all swollie and I couldn't move it in one direction or open and close my hand without pain. Then I knew I had an issue. Seeing how I've broken and/or sprained both wrists and hands at one time or another, I had some devices on hand. Saturday, I was in denial and attempted to ride with a wrist brace. It didn't go well. Don't think I didn't try to learn to dismount to the right and carry my bike with the left hand in hopes that I could still pull off Iron Cross. That was an interesting and frightening experiment that was not going to happen. I was going to end up with more injuries if I continued. There were also some other issues with braking and holding the handlebars. Details.

Maybe I secretly did it on purpose so I don't have to finish my wood stacking project:

It's not a big deal as far as injuries are concerned. It's just an annoyance that may keep me off the bike for a bit. I'm probably going to have to bite the bullet and go see my hand and wrist guy this week. Let's just say I'm no stranger to wrist injuries. I've cut not one, but two of my last casts off myself. He knows that there will not be a cast unless it's absolutely, positively, the only way. Mike has been known to hide the wire cutters and anything else I could possibly use to hack a cast off. Not like I can't go to a hardware store and conduct my business in the parking lot. 

Today, I was pissy and mad I couldn't do IC so we went on a long hike and I tried to kill Mike. It's now being referred to as "Jocelyn's Hike of Death". Let's just say I feel like I accomplished something today.

In unrelated news, this was my last meal before I start the Whole30 tomorrow:
 

I know it's trendy with endurance athletes right now and I've heard some great and horrific things about it. That's not the main reason why I'm doing it. Some people have had great results and have lessened auto-immune symptoms. I'm doing it with two other people who have really active diseases right now. We're all curious to see what happens. I'll keep you posted. It should be interesting. Well, so long, I have to go get my veggies and meat products ready for tomorrow.

Dunno

Having some issues deciding on my weekend. The plan was to do IC. Plans can change. No one wants to go with me and that makes me sad.

Anyone feeling guilty and/or sorry for me yet?

Anyone?



It's okay. I'm also kinda itching to get a cross race out of the way:

However, I am a little afraid of the cross race. I don't know if I'm mentally prepared to take the ridicule and ribbing I will surely receive. I fear know one of my friends has been waiting for this moment for years. She may get her wish.

I could just stay home, not drive anywhere and go on an adventure outside the back door:

OR... I could just stay in the house and watch a Here Comes Honey Boo Boo marathon and lose a few more brain cells:



We'll see.