11 - 4 Halftime Report

Just beyond the halfway point. Seems like a good time for a challenge update.

It's going well, I guess. I don't think I'll do one of these multi-day events again, I've answered the questions that interested me already. I knew it would be very hard but I was probably unrealistic about how it would really affect my life. Pretty much, everything I do revolves around doing my events, eating, and sleeping. I almost feel as though I've never eaten or slept enough. I'm so tired I'm borderline delirious much of the time. I have good days and bad days, that's for sure. Even on good days, though, I'm just exhausted by the evening. I usually fall asleep to a movie, often within the first few minutes. I can really see where the temptation for stage cyclists to do drugs comes from. You just feel like you'd try anything to find some extra energy. It seems like a hard way to make a living, but at least they get paid for their suffering!

I have decided that I will try and complete any events I fail on within the next year. I have only failed on two, so far. They are the quarters and the 40 peaks. I did 40 peaks but they weren't the one's that I had set out to do. I would really like to get another shot at this during the challenge but I think the weather may have shut this possibility down. If I don't, it will definitely be easier during the summer but it means that I need to stay in trail running shape until then--not necessarily a bad thing. I think I can do the 400's with about a month of training, maybe less. I figured this to be one that I might fail on and I'm not too upset because I just bought some track spikes so I now still have a reason to use them. I don't think it's realistic for me to be able to do it before the end of the challenge though.

Injuries have and continue to be a problem. The funny thing is that they are happening when I least expect them. My wrist from the kayaking and now my shoulder from the swimming. I was very worried about some other chronic injuries but they have been fine. I guess that's what happens when you do excessive workouts in sports that you've rarely ,or make that HAVE never, done.

By the way, the swimming was very hard, and very boring as well. I had a cold and breathing was a problem, so I ended up doing about 80% of the 4 miles breast stroking. I was really sore and worked after and barely had energy to eat before executing a Fosbury Flop onto the couch and making it through about 10 seconds of some movie. 

I've decided that with my wrist injury I may not be able to do some of the sports stuff. Most of it I don't consider too important, so I've altered the schedule somewhat. I need to rehab my wrist so I've added some extra, easier climbing days. I'm not giving up on anything yet, I'm just combining some days. I would like to do the 400 boulder problems but I fear that I've lost the climbing fitness. I will still try, however, if the rehab days go okay. The four walls also looks to be out because of conditions on Yosemite, so I may change it to 40 traditional pitches in either Yosemite, or Tahquitz, depending on the weather. 40 V4's is also still in the works. I'll have a better idea of my chances after Sunday.

I've added a 40 pitch sportclimbing day. Since I did 68 sport routes on my 34th bd challenge, this doesn't seem so great but it will be hard, I guarantee you, because I haven't done 40 sport routes total this year.

My cold was too bad, and I was too tired, to make the drive home after the swimming so yesterday I did 40 boulder problems and set 4 routes instead of working on The H.E.R.D. It was still a long and tiring day.

I can't wait to get home and get into my bed, which I haven't seen since the challenge started. Even one night there would do wonders, I'm sure.

Right now I'm most of the way through the stadiums and they're going well. I feel about as fit for running uphill as I've ever been. Then it's off to Redland's for ping-pong tonight, with sportclimbing and foosball tomorrow, and hopefully 10,000 feet of climbing on my bike this Monday.

Thanks for reading. I hope you're all enjoying my suffering as much as I am.