Post-race recovery

I'll say it right now.  I'm a fan of the whole post-race recovery thing.  What's not to like about a little extra sleep, lighter workouts (leaving you with more free time), and the FOOD.  My post-half Ironman recovery started out right: Chipotle burrito and a giant frozen yogurt covered in various types of chocolate candy (I'm simultaneously ashamed/proud to admit that the burrito was gone less than five minutes after I ripped into the tinfoil).  Recovery has continued now for three days with ice cream every night and a whole lot of snacking going on during the day.  I feel like I am starving all.of.the.time.

I co-led the Monday AM Team Z boot camp and I think I got a little overzealous with a few of the exercises - by Monday night my back and shoulders were sore.  You don't really think about your arms and upper back getting a workout during most of the race (minus the swim), but being hunched over in your aerobars can wreak havoc on your back muscles.  I think it's time I invested in getting a regular massage, that would probably help.

This morning I demoted myself down a swim lane.  1) I'm still sick (though I sound alot worse than I actually feel); 2) I didn't want to throw my back muscles over the edge.  We had a super fast swimmer in that lane today and I got lapped.  Multiple times.  Womp, womp.  After practice I asked her what she was swimming.  "Oh, 1:17s" was the reply.  Yup, I'll only see those times in my dreams.  I've also been watching my new lane (or is it my old, new lane?) and they have a RIDICULOUSLY fast girl swimming in there at the moment.  I'm basically refusing to join that lane again until she moves up because there is no way in heck I'll be able to keep up.  It will be zone 4 ALL of the time, even on recovery sets.

I looked at my schedule for this weekend.  First ride of the season of over 100 miles!  I'm riding Skyline Drive with some fast people - fingers crossed I can keep up.  I love, love, love this ride and this is the perfect time of year to get out and climb some hills with a view.