Ramping up the pre-pro

Monday, 1 June
Rode up to Red Box plus a little bit. Felt pretty good; tried to keep myself moving and throw in a few surges here and there. I feel like the body is finally getting used to being back on the bike - especially my lower back. I should do a bit longer ride soon. Tired after the ride.

Tuesday, 2 June
Congrats.

Got an afternoon start up 39 so I just wanted to go by time... made it to mile marker 36 (18 miles from the start) which I think was 5-10mi from the intersection with the 2. After I turned around, I drank from this delish stream that was all cold and amazing. It made me think of this William Carlos Williams poem:

This Is Just To Say

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast.

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold.

Fortunately it didn't give me giardia (yet).

The adventure of the ride happened shortly afterward when I was up to top speed coming down the 39. I got hit, hard, in the face by a rock which I soon discovered was actually a some sort of stinging hymenoptera - not sure if it was a bee or a wasp or a hornet or whatever. Anyways, it stung me right between my upper lip and my nose.

I managed to pull over safely and got my wits about me. I knew that I'm pretty allergic to stings - not anaphylaxis-allergic, but I've had asthma-like reactions before, and crazy swelling/itching. So I was a little nervous, considering the fact that I was beyond the road closure and didn't have phone reception. It took me a while to get the stinger out - I was trying to do it without pinching it (because I didn't want to squeeze any more poison in.) Eventually I gave in and grabbed it, though, because it was just so painful.

It was rough getting back. My eyes were swollen and runny, my nose was fire-hosing my whole face, my lip was so swollen I couldn't really breathe out of my nose, and my gums were seeping gross tasting stuff. It was weird because it really hurt, but something in the venom also made my whole lower face numb to the touch. I could barely see or breathe. Yuck.

I kept almost calling for a pick-up, but I was too embarrassed. I tried to ask a sheriff's van for a first aid kit (I was thinking I needed to get some benadryl in me, stat) but they were too busy pulling someone over... dammit. Eventually I got back into town and figured that I was safe. The last bit from Encanto too FOREVER. I was in really bad shape by the end.

After that I just sucked on ice cubes and iced it and took claritin.

Wednesday, 3 June
Off, I guess it's been a little while since I took a day off, huh?

Woke up and my face was freaking huge today. Upper lip super really swollen (got lots of stares at the grocery store today.)

Thursday, 4 June
AM: surfing with some folks from the surf club. It was pretty cool! We went to Palisades, so it was familiar territory.

PM: met up with Susan and did lower Arroyo, plus a little extra on the trail. Feeling great!

Friday, 5 June
Drove (me bad?) to the RB, then did the backwards loop Susan was telling me about (up Glen Oaks and down San Rafael). I scrounged some apricots from a heavily loaded tree and stopped by the car to drop them off. Then I hit the bathroom and picked it up on the trail (counter clockwise) trying to keep a good clip going. Up under the freeway and then back, finished up with some drills.

Saturday, 6 June
Great run with Susan et al - nice to get a bunch of the runners from XC out for an easy long run. It was Keely and the gang for our own version of the Tiger run 10k hills series - basically we went out lower arroyo, did the hills up Via del Rey, then stopped by Susan's folks' house for some water and then jogged home. I just tried to keep it easy in prep for tomorrow.

After the run I jumped in the pool with John Doyle to try on a wetsuit and do some drills and swim a bit. Feeling nervous for tomorrow!

Sunday, 7 June
Playa del Run (1k swim/5k run) at Bolsa Chica State Beach. Not sure of my total time, but my swim was in the 16:00s, transition about 2:30, and then run 19.36, although the course was quite obviously short. How hard is it to measure out a legit 5k, people? More race details to follow.