Training Wrap-Up: Week 8, 7 and 6

So… weeks 8 through 7 were shameful – I packed in an impressive 20 minute swim in those 2 weeks.

All in the name of progress…

Last week (week 6) was incrementally better – I was able to muster enough motivation to workout 3 of the 6 days scheduled. Truthfully, if it wasn’t for my friend and training companion, Katie, none of it would have happened. You made it happen sister! Across those days of week 6 – I swam 1 hour, ran 45 minutes and biked 50 minutes (a very hilly course at that).

In my defense, the last 3 weeks were packed with activity other than training – most of which required time in the car (week 7 was the last week of school for Joel and Olivia) or time with my sister who visited from Colorado, or time protecting myself from the wilting heat here in the Pacific Northwest… or time fretting about how I am sooo ready to move but the house is sooo not ready!!! Oh, and just good old fashioned “I don’t wanna get up at 5 a.m.”
I also have been emotionally and phsically battling whatever it is that is stealing my energy and motivation. During week 8, I finally scheduled a visit with a popular ARNP who specializes in hormones – and has helped several of my friends. After that visit I spit in a tube and sent that off to a lab and had a vial of blood taken by a professional. The saliva test is checking out hormones such as cortisol (aka “the stress hormone”) and estrogen; the blood test is to check out thyroid function. I already know I have low blood sugar. BUT – I learned at my visit that a body’s ability to process sugar can be directly affected by the estrogen/progestrone ratio as well as cortisol/the adrenal glands (adrenal fatigue). Impaired thyroid function can have this effect too. I bet I have both. I am so tired (and cranky and tired and unmotivated and cranky). Ask my kids.
It’s all so complicated, so I am still sorting through the piles of information – and trying to make sense of it all. I don’t quite get it yet. It’s a bit like learning how an equation fits together and math has never benn my strong suit.

Back to training – on to “Week 5″. Monday is a rest day – I just love Mondays…