Friday + Saturday

You can tell my mood by looking at this blog. If I post often it means that I am doing well, if I don't post then it means that I am a mess (stressed, frustrated, lonely or something like that).
IT IS HARD NOT TO RACE/RUN WHEN I WANT TO DO IT SOOOOO BADLY. I WANT TO DO ANOTHER TRI IN 2 WEEKS BUT I KNOW THAT IT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA AND THAT I SHOULD JUST REST THE ITB MORE AND START BUILDING UP SLOWLY OR MAYBE TAKE AGAIN FEW DAYS OFF TO LET IT CHILL COMPLETELY. BUT I WANT TO RACE AND RUN AGAIN! BUT I KNOW I NEED TO BE SMART BUT MY IRRATIONAL SIDE IS SOMEHOW STARTING TO WIN THE BATTLE BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN 3 MONTHS NOW. MAYBE I SHOULD JUST GIVE IT A TRY AND MAYBE IT WILL WORK. ALSO LAST FALL IT WAS NOT 100% BUT I DID THE WORKOUTS AND BECAUSE I WAS NOT OVERUSING IT TOO MUCH WITH HIGH MILEAGE IT WAS HEALING AND I WAS ABLE TO RUN AT THE SAME TIME. MAYBE I SHOULD TRY IT AGAIN NOW. I MIGHT TRY A SHORT WORKOUT ON TUESDAY. SOME 1MIN FASTER INTERVALS MIXED WITH SOME EASY RUNNING. MAYBE IT WILL WORK. BUT MAYBE IT WILL NOT. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO!!!!!!!!!!!

But Friday was a good day. I ran 3x12min. No pain although I can feel the pressure in my outer knee area. It drives me nuts!!!!!!!
I went to the BBQ with some tri people in the evening and I had a great time. I met some new people and I am getting reputation as being little nuts. Only (ok, not only but it was one of the things) because I have sent out email whether someone want to do some track workouts with me and I included an example of my track workouts and I said it would be fun.

Also today was a good day. I went for a long bike ride. I did 3h53min as a preparation for my century ride next Saturday. I loved it!!! We went on a new course and it was hilly. Well, ok, not European hilly but hilly for Michigan:) Road was pretty straight and I could see how it was going up and down into distance. It was a lot of fun. And it was hot, which I loved. And I again met some new people. So all was good!
I then swam with one lady in a lake. We swam for maybe 25-30min, just easy, working on my swimming-in-a-straight-line skills.
And then we had BBQ again. I ate 2 hotdogs (among other things). I have not eaten a hotdog in like 8 years because I think that they are very unhealthy and who knows what they put into it. But I was hungry. Now I think that I am good another 8 years.

Things are picking up work-wise as well. I applied for one position in a different division of my company in Illinois and they called me last week but not regarding the position but some other opportunity within the company. They are flying me in for assessment tests and interview in two weeks. It is one of those 2-year managerial training programs when company sends you all over the world to gain exposure and experience and then gives you a good job. I did not apply for it but apparently they thought that I was a great fit and they decided to invite me and 7 other chosen candidates for a final round.
It is a great opportunity but it is very competitive because they choose only one final person (but at least I did not have to go through the first rounds and all that stuff. Weird...But I am not complaining) and it is a huge deal because they are flying in final candidates from all over the US and company's VPs are also coming in to do interviews. It would be great to get it but chances are slim. I suck at interviews but keep your fingers crossed for me!!!
Also my other opportunity (to stay until the end of year with a possible permanent position afterwards) looks very good. Basically the only problem now is to get my visa extended again. I am little worried about it so keep your fingers crossed for that as well.

And on Friday I heard the funniest conversation ever - 3 men talking about labor, Braxton-Hicks (or something like that) contractions, c-sections, choosing baby names. Wife of one of our engineers is pregnant and is due in 3 weeks or so but is scheduled for c-section in a week. And he was discussing it with our sales manager and one other engineer and it was just funny. I have never heard men talking about those things. One of the conclusions was that labor is a miracle but it looks very unnatural and it is pretty horrible to see a woman to go through it.