Why I do CompuTrainer and not ride outside?

Why do I CompuTrain? This is a question that I get asked the most.

"You're a strong cyclist! Get out on the road!"
"Stop being lazy!"

It's not about me being lazy. It is not that I am a strong cyclist. I have gotten stronger in cycling, but I have a confession to make. I do not like cycling. I am a very nervous cyclist. I always have been except in race mode. It is something that does not come naturally to me. Swimming, I feel like Dory from "Finding Nemo." When I'm running, I feel like Forrest Gump. You know, "Run Joy Run!"

When I am in the CompuTrainer Studio, I know exactly what I am doing. I am concentrating on my form: Keeping my abs drawn in, shoulders down and back, not mashing down on the pedals; I can focus on my breathing; I can focus on my nutrition; get a quality workout done in a finite amount of time.

CompuTrainer appeals to me for many reasons, but the main reason is my schedule. My work schedule is at times, very unpredictable. I may only have a total of 4 hours to bike, shower, change and be back to train a client. So this is why it appeals to me. A lot of people will argue until the cows come home that I need to be on the road. I will get on the road when I can arrange my schedule in a way that will work for me, but this will work for me and what my training plan says. Oh, don't worry coach, I will get my 4 hour ride in with that 40 minute run.

I digress, but a lot of professionals also use CompuTrainer. For me, I'm learning a lot about pacing, shifting, gearing, how hard I'm working or not working. It's about bridging the gap between perception and reality. I know when I am bullshitting my workout and when I am busting my ass with my power output numbers, my heart rate, my cadence, etc.

So there you have it. I still do not like cycling but I tolerate it as a warm up for the run.

I'm sorry, we don't carry that size...

The above title says it all. This is what I deal with ALL the time when trying to purchase running shoes and we will not talk about cycling shoes. The problem is I wear a size 12 AA. My feet are long and skinny. I will not say where I bought my last pair of shoes, however when I attempted to shop for new running shoes, I was in tears when I left. How is it that I am a coach and I can't get shoes? I do not blame the retailers except some of the employees need to be a little more sensitive, especially when I am the informed consumer. I come in on a mission; mission impossible, that is.

The shoes I was wear previously were the Newton Running Women's Gravity 3. These shoes were this obnoxious ass Pepto Bismol Pink with 5 lugs, but they were amazing. Well, I killed those shoes and was ready to get a new pair in time for marathon coaching and the continuation of my Ironman training. Well, I found out the update of the shoe ran very short., which meant I would have to buy a size 13. Where is my cocktail for this? No, really. Here is the problem, Newton's only go to size 12 in women and I had to change out the laces in order for them to fit my skinny feet. Well, a sales person insisted I get the men's version. Dude, do I look like a man? My feet are TOO SKINNY. What the frack?

So, we tried the Brooks Pure Cadence 4. Oh, they did not feel right at all. My feet were not happy when their slogan is "Run Happy". It was more like "Run Pissed Off". I use to run in the Adrenaline's version 10, 11 and 12 and the original Pure Project series. I was getting frustrated. It was worse than the Prince trying to find Cinderella and the glass slipper. And now I was really needing a shot or two of tequila. It was just as traumatic as shopping for jeans. Now that is a totally different blog post.

Ok, the guy is at his wits end. Really? What about me? I would have went with Adidas, but that super cushy stuff has gots to go. It was giving me pain. New Balance fresh foam was not so fresh and so clean. I was getting my hopes up since they were the first company I went with when I started actually running, running with my narrow ass feet. I had went through the 711, 712, 713, 714, 990, 991, 991, 1220, 1221...you get my drift. Again, no love.

Now I am challenging the shoe companies that I have mentioned to help a sister out. I am beyond frustrated that I have to go all "Mission Impossible" https://youtu.be/d-GEJri7HuI to find some running shoes for my feet and my running profile.

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to create a running shoe that does not cost an arm, a leg and my right eye that will make me a Happy Happy, Joy Joy.

I AM...

Interesting title, right? Well, let's see:

1. I AM...an athlete
2. I AM...a damn good trainer
3. I AM...tired
4. I AM...feeling the lows and highs of training
5. I AM...determined
6. I AM...fierce
7. I AM...focused
8. I AM...you fill in the blank

This week has been hard. I'm heading into a recovery week, but I have been having a time. Today was the pinnacle of it. I went in early to CompuTrainer to change my back tire because that thing had a lovely split down the middle. WTF? Oh yeah, I have NEVER CHANGED A TIRE. A tube, yeah. So, I'm working on it but I forgot one little thing...my arm is still effed up from my EPIC FACE PLANT last week. That is a whole different story. I almost had a breakdown. I know I was tired physically and mentally (oh, I haven't been sleeping or really eating). Thank goodness I have some wonderful friends to help me out on this (thank you again Megan, Fred and Ed). Oh, and my gears were acting wonky. Uggghhhhhh!!!!!!! Yeah folks, Ironman training will test anyone and everyone. Right after, I had to do a 3000 yard swim. Well, the pool got beat up. I took no prisoners. I did shed a tear or 2 or maybe a million in the pool before work. I guess it proved I'm human. Just little things have been setting me off, such as finding running shoes in my size (oh, that is another post coming tomorrow...shoe manufacturers, get ready to be challenged); needing a bike that actually fits me (not in the cards); and a circus of stuff that I am dealing with. I think that next week will be, no, IT WILL BE BETTER!

So I think that is it for now since I have been slacking on my poor blog.

TOMORROW: The effing difficulty of finding size 12AA (that is double narrow running shoes). Almost as bad as blue jeans shopping.

#RoadtoCozumelcontinues