R&R
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Today, I feel rested.
This, to most people, isn't a big deal. But to me? This year? Huge. Or, bigger than that, even -- ginormous.
You see, I've been tired for so long that I've pretty much forgotten what it felt like to wake up willingly in the a.m. ... or to not crave a nap more than anything else in the world almost daily... or to think how I can't wait to crawl into bed and fall asleep as soon after dinner as possible.
My dad, now a judge, used to tell my sister and I stories about law school. One particular story, told when both of us were considering law as our chosen careers, involved his group's weekly outing for beers, during which -- according to my dad -- they would all sit around and sleepily ask themselves if they were having enough fun to justify being out.
These days -- these past handful of months or more of Ironman training -- I can relate. Because going out for a drink or two, or catching a late movie, or just plain staying up too late now doesn't result in just being a little tired the next day. Rather, it's a push over the line into exhaustion.
I don't mean to whine. I know -- just like Chief of Stuff said -- that I chose this. And I have also chosen to have a couple of drinks or accept an invite out even when I knew I should be heading to bed instead, just to salvage some semblance of a social life. I've tried hard to do it all, and as anyone with half a brain cell will attest, that's just not possible. Something's gotta give. It always does. And with me, as an attempt to keep a bit of a balance in my life, that something has been sleep.
So, this weekend, I got what was possibly the Best Ever birthday gift that someone attempting an Ironman could get: two nights at what is, quite possibly, the most relaxing place on earth -- Sundara.
Any description of this place will fall short. It's an absolute pine-tree-surrounded oasis in the midst of the kitchy craziness that is Wisconsin Dells. There's no smoking, no cell phones, and thanks to the feng shui design, minimal corners or straight lines. This -- along with the unbelievable beds (featherbeds, fluffy down comforters, and gazillion-thread count sheets), the out-of-this-world robes that the resort encourages you to wear everywhere, and the self-guided Purifying Bath Ritual (a succession of different temperature showers, a sandstone scrub, steam room, hot tub, cool tub, and hydrating mist) that you can do to your heart's content -- creates what is, quite possibly, the epitome of relaxation.
Sunday was a pool day. Lounging in the sun, reading trashing magazines (throughout the weekend, I binged on US Weekly, Cosmo, Marie Claire, Glamour, and People, with some Stuff and Maxim thrown in for good measure), sipping on mojitos, and taking cat naps on the uber-comfy pool chaises. That was followed by being taken by Town Car (the spa provides transportation in town) to a great dinner at the Del Bar (good wine and lobster...yumm), and back to the spa for a nightcap and some sleep.
Monday morning, I woke at 8 a.m., raring to go, as this has been my weekend M.O. for as long as I can remember in this process. There's always a workout to start so I can get to something else later in the day, or a full day of errands to fit in. But Monday, I had nothing to do. Nowhere to be. And it felt great. Glorious. So I curled back into the massive nest of feathers and promptly fell back asleep until 10 a.m. I don't think I've slept that late in more than a year.
Then it was off to breakfast at The Cheese Factory -- an amazing little vegetarian restaurant with a funny name and an outstanding menu. I had Eggs Montery -- poached eggs over tomatoes and avocado on a croissant and topped with hollandaise -- and split the grilled cornbread (smothered in maple syrup) with CoS. Yummm. The rest of the day was spent wandering around the local outlet mall until the sun broke, then back to the spa for some pool time before getting a Sandstone Polish treatment and massage. Then sushi and champagne for dinner.
Notice how, in the above two graphs, there was not one mention of anything Ironman-related? That's because the two days at Sundara were totally devoid of anything to do with miles logged, miles yet-to-be-logged, average pace, heart rate, rpms, Clif Shots, Gatorade, endurolytes, or recovery drinks and icing.
This was, in short, just what I needed. Sundara wants visitors to "rejuvenate your soul"... and I'm sure that happened. But more importantly, my mind and body finally feel whole again, and ready to tackle the remaining eight weeks until race day.
Anyone close enough to the Dells should make a point of heading to Sundara, even for a day trip, pronto. And any 2007 Wisconsin Ironman-ers out there? Seriously consider a post-race trip. It's only an hour up the road from Madison and might be just the recovery you need. I'm not even close to being a spa-type girl, but this place? It's just that good.
Posted by Erin 8:53 AM
- CoS