Back to the Grind… and My Little ‘Nome.

I’ve been a busy little bee lately…  So much for “training like a pro.”  The fun is over, my friends.  It’s back to the real world for this girl!

A couple months ago I took a voluntary separation from Pfizer when my position changed and may have required relocation.  I took a risk but also knew it would work out.  Things always do.  Anyway, having this little “hobby” of mine has kept me plenty busy, even if I knew that my temporary “lifestyle” was just that — temporary!  Matt kept reminding me: Make hay while the sun shines, and he was right. We did our best to get some good quality training in while I had the time to focus on it.

I’ve spent the last couple weeks interviewing, and have accepted an offer as a neurology sales rep for Impax Pharmaceuticals.  Very excited about the move to smaller pharma, my own territory, and selling in specialty.  So I am going get back into grind and get used to very early mornings in the pool once again. It was fun while it lasted, but it’s time to go back to real life.

I had a wicked 12mile run yesterday and needed some speedy legs to help me hold a fast pace.  Luckily, my schedule coincided with Michelle’s (my very cool teammate who is also coached by Matt).  We hit new training PRs together, and I couldn’t help but wonder if I would’ve pushed that hard alone.  The “power of two” is strong and real.

There’s another little training partner that I’ve been taking advantage of more frequently:  My ‘Nome. I’m not talking about that cute little dude from the Travelocity commercials.  I’m talking about a very annoying but very effective little beeping device called a METRONOME. 

That’s right… the ‘nome has come back into my life after a short breakup. When I first started working with Matt a few years ago, he did a video analysis of my running on a treadmill and was pretty horrified with my poor form.  One of the “interventions” he insisted on was a little device called a metronome.  I clipped that thing on me for every run, and slowly learned to improve my efficiency and shorten my stride.  I started blowing off the ‘nome after a while, but it seems that my time off (due to injury) last year has brought back some of my bad habits.  Time to get back on the wagon (and irritate everyone else at the river when I run by with that annoying beep!)

I love my little ‘nome!!   Matt has a brief write-up on running with metronomes HERE. If you meet with him for a video stride analysis and end up ditching your daily dose of Kanye on the iPod for a very annoying beeping ‘nome, don’t shoot the messenger.  I’m just sayin’ . . . it works!