I get to point my toes and pick marbles up with my toes and put them in a cup. Not my normal fitness routine. Below is a picture of my foot getting zapped with electro stimulation and wrapped in ice. Fun.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Does physical therapy count as training?
Fractured fifth metatarsal. 8 weeks in a boot if I am lucky and it heals right. I can swim. I can do arms and abs. I hate crutches.
I get to point my toes and pick marbles up with my toes and put them in a cup. Not my normal fitness routine. Below is a picture of my foot getting zapped with electro stimulation and wrapped in ice. Fun.
I get to point my toes and pick marbles up with my toes and put them in a cup. Not my normal fitness routine. Below is a picture of my foot getting zapped with electro stimulation and wrapped in ice. Fun.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Another Big Bump in the Road
Okay so it has been awhile. The summer was really busy full of things that did not include training or exercise. I developed plantar fasciitis in my right foot and did not run much. My treadmill is also down for the count as I try to get the belt to stay put and to stop slipping.
Last week I was fitted at Fleet Feet in Blue Ash with a nice new pair of running shoes. Many hours of stretching and rolling my foot on a tennis ball had improved my arch. I went out running on three occasions to much success! I was ready to sign up for a 5k! Too good to be true? Yes!
Saturday night I was chasing after my daughter in my Adidas sandals and my foot turned sideways as I stepped down. I heard a loud pop and I couldn't stand up. A day later it was super swollen. Unable to bear weight in it I am now limping about in an air cast. I am going to find an orthopedist this week to go see. I have no idea when I will be able to run or bike. On the bright side I am sure I can still swim.
Last week I was fitted at Fleet Feet in Blue Ash with a nice new pair of running shoes. Many hours of stretching and rolling my foot on a tennis ball had improved my arch. I went out running on three occasions to much success! I was ready to sign up for a 5k! Too good to be true? Yes!
Saturday night I was chasing after my daughter in my Adidas sandals and my foot turned sideways as I stepped down. I heard a loud pop and I couldn't stand up. A day later it was super swollen. Unable to bear weight in it I am now limping about in an air cast. I am going to find an orthopedist this week to go see. I have no idea when I will be able to run or bike. On the bright side I am sure I can still swim.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
It hurts so good!
I got back to business this week! Monday through Thursday I went in for 4 good workouts. I am so out of shape already. It makes me sad how many weeks it takes to build endurance and yet how quickly it leaves me. I need to find a race to run in the hopes of pushing up my mileage. My reward for running so much this week has been a plantar fasciitis flare up. I bought new inserts, a new wrap and a night time splint. It's getting better but is definitely limiting my fashion choices this week. No heels!
Thursday, June 28, 2012
A shiny medal!
Look what came in the mail today! This is a sign that I need to get back to my training. Luckily Liam's swim team season is almost finished so I can get back to spin class! I also need to adjust the tension on my treadmill. I have used it so much that the belt has started slipping!
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Run!
Any time I have had to work out lately had been directed to running. It's the weakest link in my race and I know it should be the easiest to improve. Summer has been tricky. I am helping with Liam's swim team and its during my favorite spin class time. So many days the only possible workout time has occurred during Charlotte's nap on the treadmill at home. I need to find a way to reposition it so I am not staring at a wall for an hour. Thank goodness for my shuffle. Working out I'm the afternoon during nap time means I am behind on laundry and the house is a mess. It's impossible to do everything perfect all the time and sometimes I just have to do the best I can with the time I have.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Back To The Daily Grind!
My first triathlon was such an amazing experience and the feeling of accomplishment carried through the entire holiday weekend, and all of the Memorial Day weekend picnics. After a weekend of barbecues and desserts I was feeling a little full and it was time to get back to the gym Tuesday morning. I woke up really early before the kids were awake and before the babysitting room at the gym opens. I spent this time cleaning up the dishes from the party the night before and getting some much needed laundry done. The job of a mom-triathlete is never finished!
While I worked around the quiet house I thought about what laid ahead of me. I had accomplished the goal that I had worked towards all winter. Now what? Was I finished with triathlon? Could I find the motivation to do another one?
When the kids woke up I got them dressed and fed and headed to the gym. I decided that doing was better than thinking. I checked them in to the babysitting room and headed to the treadmill. It decided to run one mile intervals with three minute walks in between. I used this a lot as a way to run my miles faster. It is a mental game with me. Running at a 6.0 mph pace seems hard on the treadmill if I think I am going to run four miles, but not so bad if I am only running one.
After my third mile Erin came out of class with a few other runners that joined me on the treadmill. The conversation urged me to go another two and all of the talk was about our race this past weekend. Erin wants to do another one soon and so do I. It sounds to me like I need to find another race to sign up for soon!
While I worked around the quiet house I thought about what laid ahead of me. I had accomplished the goal that I had worked towards all winter. Now what? Was I finished with triathlon? Could I find the motivation to do another one?
When the kids woke up I got them dressed and fed and headed to the gym. I decided that doing was better than thinking. I checked them in to the babysitting room and headed to the treadmill. It decided to run one mile intervals with three minute walks in between. I used this a lot as a way to run my miles faster. It is a mental game with me. Running at a 6.0 mph pace seems hard on the treadmill if I think I am going to run four miles, but not so bad if I am only running one.
After my third mile Erin came out of class with a few other runners that joined me on the treadmill. The conversation urged me to go another two and all of the talk was about our race this past weekend. Erin wants to do another one soon and so do I. It sounds to me like I need to find another race to sign up for soon!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Tri for Joe Race Report
I woke up with a start and checked my watch. It read 3:22 am. Back to sleep until the alarm went off at 5. Popped up out of bed and put in my contacts. Then squished into my trisuit and sports bra. Not a pretty sight to wake up to! I put on my flip flops and pulled on my long sleeve performance top. It was so reminiscent of all those early morning swim meets as a kid.
Luckily I had set the coffee maker the night before and it was ready for me when I came down the stairs. I had the usual breakfast of Balance Bar and coffee and finished with some more water. Bill was ready to go so we put my gear in the car and set off.
Soon the phone rang. First it was my friend Kristin checking in. Next it was Erin who was just ahead of me on the highway. She gave me some last minute pointers and I felt my stress level go from mild to super high.
As we pulled in to Coney I suddenly felt panicked. Unloading my bike I felt like I had no idea what I was doing or where I was going. Luckily Erin was parked nearby and she directed me to check-in.
I checked in and they gave me a bracelet marked 104 for me and one for the bike. I was also given a cap with 104 on it.
Next I stood in another line to get my "chip" that was a strap that velcroed around my ankle. Then I left Bill and walked my bike into transition. I set up my gear like I had practiced and then grabbed my gear for the swim.
On the way to the pool my stomach felt sick. I hopped into the pool to warm up and quickly my nerves settled as I swam. It's like all of a sudden I remembered that it was swimming and that I love swimming!
I got out and found Erin and Kristin. They were so nervous about the swim and I tried to make them laugh. We merged into the crowd lining up for the swim. They called the top 50 swimmers and the rest of us held back.
I though they would call the rest in waves but they didn't. It soon became long line that seemed to take forever. Instead of climbing to the front I stuck with Erin and we started together. I quickly lost track of her and focused on my breathing and finding my way around the buoys.
I became quickly frustrated by the slow swimmers in front of me and the traffic in the turns but just worked hard to get through it. When I made the turn for the second lap I couldn't believe how fast time was ticking by.
In a blink I was running out of the pool back to the transition area. Running on the pool deck went against all of my lifeguard instincts :-)
In transition I felt slow. I had trouble getting my socks and shoes on and eventually started off clicking on the pavement in my cycling cleats. When I left transition I mounted my bike and luckily clicked in on my first try. As I started riding I realized my bike wasn't quite in gear and I had to pedal and shift to get it there. Whoops! Definitely something to add to my pre-race checklist. Then I realized I hadn't reset my bike computer and was having trouble doing it while riding. Another thing to do next time.
The bike was fun and I worked to stay focused and tried to keep my speed consistent. I passed a lot of people and was only passed by a few. There were a lot of super expensive bikes, but I felt like I held my own with a 40 minute time at an average 18.5 mph.
Another slow transition getting my running shoes on with nothing to hold on to. I decided to try the GU packet I had so I ripped it open and squished it into my mouth as I ran out of transition. I immediately regretted this as I had no water and it tasted like warm strawberry banana toothpaste. This was so gross until I reached the first water station.
I would be lying if I said I felt fast on the run. My legs felt like goo and it took forever to get to the second mile mark. It was getting hot and the sun was brutal. Soon I saw Erin coming back past the turn. She was less than a mile ahead of me after passing me on the bike early on. She said I was doing great. Soon my breathing was going better and I started to feel my strength. In the second mile I made myself think about how much better this was than taking my kids to Target earlier in the week!
In the last mile I just kept pushing and was getting so excited to finish. I kept checking my watch and knew I was close to my goal time. As I approached the finish it felt awesome and a wave of relief rushed over me. I found Bill and he gave me a hug. I was so happy that tears welled up on my eyes.
I quickly wiped them away and recovered my breathing. I headed to transition to pack up and find Erin. She was showing off her first place medal for her age group! She is so fast! There were lots of hugs and photos. I couldn't believe it was over! We found Kristin and took more pictures. I tried to wait for the results but they were having a hard time getting them all loaded. We decided to leave and check my times later. When results were posted a day later I was shocked to find that I had placed second in the Athena and Kristin placed third in her age group. We get medals! My time was a 1:30.15. The results are posted here http://www.hfpracing.com/images/stories/12_results/T4J/sprinttriagegroup.htm
It was really one of the best experiences of my life and I think that I am now officially hooked. Looking at my times I know that I have a lot of improvement to do in making my transitions faster. I know I can also improve a lot on the run. Now I just need to find my next race to register for!
Luckily I had set the coffee maker the night before and it was ready for me when I came down the stairs. I had the usual breakfast of Balance Bar and coffee and finished with some more water. Bill was ready to go so we put my gear in the car and set off.
Soon the phone rang. First it was my friend Kristin checking in. Next it was Erin who was just ahead of me on the highway. She gave me some last minute pointers and I felt my stress level go from mild to super high.
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| Erin and I waiting to check in. |
I checked in and they gave me a bracelet marked 104 for me and one for the bike. I was also given a cap with 104 on it.
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| My souvenir cap with my bib number. |
Next I stood in another line to get my "chip" that was a strap that velcroed around my ankle. Then I left Bill and walked my bike into transition. I set up my gear like I had practiced and then grabbed my gear for the swim.
On the way to the pool my stomach felt sick. I hopped into the pool to warm up and quickly my nerves settled as I swam. It's like all of a sudden I remembered that it was swimming and that I love swimming!
I got out and found Erin and Kristin. They were so nervous about the swim and I tried to make them laugh. We merged into the crowd lining up for the swim. They called the top 50 swimmers and the rest of us held back.
I though they would call the rest in waves but they didn't. It soon became long line that seemed to take forever. Instead of climbing to the front I stuck with Erin and we started together. I quickly lost track of her and focused on my breathing and finding my way around the buoys.
I became quickly frustrated by the slow swimmers in front of me and the traffic in the turns but just worked hard to get through it. When I made the turn for the second lap I couldn't believe how fast time was ticking by.
In a blink I was running out of the pool back to the transition area. Running on the pool deck went against all of my lifeguard instincts :-)
In transition I felt slow. I had trouble getting my socks and shoes on and eventually started off clicking on the pavement in my cycling cleats. When I left transition I mounted my bike and luckily clicked in on my first try. As I started riding I realized my bike wasn't quite in gear and I had to pedal and shift to get it there. Whoops! Definitely something to add to my pre-race checklist. Then I realized I hadn't reset my bike computer and was having trouble doing it while riding. Another thing to do next time.
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| Here I am in the transition area with my bike after the finish. I look like a hot mess! |
Another slow transition getting my running shoes on with nothing to hold on to. I decided to try the GU packet I had so I ripped it open and squished it into my mouth as I ran out of transition. I immediately regretted this as I had no water and it tasted like warm strawberry banana toothpaste. This was so gross until I reached the first water station.
I would be lying if I said I felt fast on the run. My legs felt like goo and it took forever to get to the second mile mark. It was getting hot and the sun was brutal. Soon I saw Erin coming back past the turn. She was less than a mile ahead of me after passing me on the bike early on. She said I was doing great. Soon my breathing was going better and I started to feel my strength. In the second mile I made myself think about how much better this was than taking my kids to Target earlier in the week!
In the last mile I just kept pushing and was getting so excited to finish. I kept checking my watch and knew I was close to my goal time. As I approached the finish it felt awesome and a wave of relief rushed over me. I found Bill and he gave me a hug. I was so happy that tears welled up on my eyes.
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| Happy to be finished - pictured here with my friend Kristin. |
It was really one of the best experiences of my life and I think that I am now officially hooked. Looking at my times I know that I have a lot of improvement to do in making my transitions faster. I know I can also improve a lot on the run. Now I just need to find my next race to register for!
Friday, May 25, 2012
All Packed!
Apparently I pack for races like I pack for vacation! I can't believe how much gear I have for this race. Today was a roller coaster of emotions from scared to excited and then back to stupidly nervous. Ok now to get to sleep quickly!
Monday, May 21, 2012
Last Chance Workout
Today I did my last hard workout before my race. 1500 swim, 1 mile run, 30 minutes of spin. I plan to keep it to short easy workouts the rest of the week.
Today was the first time training in my new trisuit! I felt really fast in the swim. I toweled off and threw on a tek top and went for a jog on the treadmill. It worked pretty well and it was great on the bike! I still need to pick up some new goggles, but otherwise I am starting to feel prepared in the gear department.
Today was the first time training in my new trisuit! I felt really fast in the swim. I toweled off and threw on a tek top and went for a jog on the treadmill. It worked pretty well and it was great on the bike! I still need to pick up some new goggles, but otherwise I am starting to feel prepared in the gear department.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
One Week
One week until race day. I am not ready. I am getting in some much needed miles on my bike and am ready to use my fancy pedals. It's hot this week so I may not need my wet suit for the swim. It also means I am a hot mess running outside. Whew!
I just finished 13 miles on the bike trail and now I need to run. Here is a pic of my fancy bike rack, and the super cute coffee place by the bike trail that I can ride to.
I just finished 13 miles on the bike trail and now I need to run. Here is a pic of my fancy bike rack, and the super cute coffee place by the bike trail that I can ride to.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Rat Race Success!
I can't believe it is taking me so long to blog about this race! We went to Clearwater, FL the week before my race and I was so worried that was going to kill my training. Fortunately the weather was awesome and I woke up early a few days! I had this great run over the causeways one day that gave me a lot of confidence. Also the Florida climate was awesome for my allergies.
Sadly I did not run everyday and I definitely did not stay on a healthy eating plan. We flew home the Thursday before the race and Friday I just did a short run and swam.
Saturday I was a ball of nerves and I did not know why. It was cold and I shivered through Liam's soccer game. When I got home I was so cold that I decides to take a hot shower. Bill found it amusing that I was taking a shower before running a 5k. The shower worked wonders and I felt loose and ready to go.
Nancy and Andy picked me up and we headed down to the bike trail. We got to registration later than I had wanted to and they were all out of my size race shirt :( they gave me one from last year and Nancy traded me so it worked out. I told the group that I was shooting for 31 minutes. I know I am slow, but that's where I am.
The first mile felt great! I started towards the back and now I was racing past people. The bridge over the little Miami didn't seem nearly as steep this time. The second mile is always the toughest. I just kept trudging along. Then my friends Emily and Maren went flying past and at mile three I kicked it up again.
I never caught up, but I wasn't too far behind them. I finished with enough left in the tank to sprint it out at the finish line. Looking at the race clock I knew I had broken 30 mins. When I checked the website later in the week it actually said 28:31! That is ten minutes faster than last year!
I know this is slow for runners but I am still getting back into shape and so for me it is awesome. I felt a huge confidence boost for my upcoming tri.
My tri suit is on its way from California. It will not be pretty - but nothing about this race is going to be pretty. I am reveling in the nerdiness of this sport!
Sadly I did not run everyday and I definitely did not stay on a healthy eating plan. We flew home the Thursday before the race and Friday I just did a short run and swam.
Saturday I was a ball of nerves and I did not know why. It was cold and I shivered through Liam's soccer game. When I got home I was so cold that I decides to take a hot shower. Bill found it amusing that I was taking a shower before running a 5k. The shower worked wonders and I felt loose and ready to go.
Nancy and Andy picked me up and we headed down to the bike trail. We got to registration later than I had wanted to and they were all out of my size race shirt :( they gave me one from last year and Nancy traded me so it worked out. I told the group that I was shooting for 31 minutes. I know I am slow, but that's where I am.
The first mile felt great! I started towards the back and now I was racing past people. The bridge over the little Miami didn't seem nearly as steep this time. The second mile is always the toughest. I just kept trudging along. Then my friends Emily and Maren went flying past and at mile three I kicked it up again.
I never caught up, but I wasn't too far behind them. I finished with enough left in the tank to sprint it out at the finish line. Looking at the race clock I knew I had broken 30 mins. When I checked the website later in the week it actually said 28:31! That is ten minutes faster than last year!
I know this is slow for runners but I am still getting back into shape and so for me it is awesome. I felt a huge confidence boost for my upcoming tri.
My tri suit is on its way from California. It will not be pretty - but nothing about this race is going to be pretty. I am reveling in the nerdiness of this sport!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
My Bike!
I am a delinquent blogger! I blame this on the gorgeous sunny weather that has caused me to chase my children all over the neighborhood most days. Rainy days are much better for blogging.
I also have a fabulous new distraction. Introducing my very own brand new road racing bike! Please forgive the gratuitous photos. I can't help it - it's love at first sight. It's super light and so fast compared to anything I've ridden before. I am starting to feel like I will be ready for this race so I should probably get registered.
My workouts have been going well with only one or two recovery days a week. The nice weather means I've actually logged some running and cycling miles outside. I am so far behind that I cannot possibly log all of my workouts here. I am trying out some different apps to help track my workouts and I will have to see if I can integrate my tracker into this blog so I don't have to track them twice. In the meantime just assume - running lots, swimming some, and spinning or biking whenever I can.
For any fellow geeky cyclists here are the specs:
Aluminum frame with a carbon fork
Alex DA22 double wall aluminum
Shims no 2203 brakes with integrated shifters
I also have a fabulous new distraction. Introducing my very own brand new road racing bike! Please forgive the gratuitous photos. I can't help it - it's love at first sight. It's super light and so fast compared to anything I've ridden before. I am starting to feel like I will be ready for this race so I should probably get registered.
My workouts have been going well with only one or two recovery days a week. The nice weather means I've actually logged some running and cycling miles outside. I am so far behind that I cannot possibly log all of my workouts here. I am trying out some different apps to help track my workouts and I will have to see if I can integrate my tracker into this blog so I don't have to track them twice. In the meantime just assume - running lots, swimming some, and spinning or biking whenever I can.
For any fellow geeky cyclists here are the specs:
Aluminum frame with a carbon fork
Alex DA22 double wall aluminum
Shims no 2203 brakes with integrated shifters
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| Handlebars with fancy computer |
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| Closeup of my "brifters" or brakes with integrated shifters. I have to admit that I had to watch a youtube video to figure out how to use them. |
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Rear wheel with Shimano Sora 3400 8 speed derailleur. |
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| Skye systems racing saddle and storage bag to hold extra presta tubes. |
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| Double platform Shimano clipless pedals. My fancy shoes from prior post clip on to this pedal thus ensuring that I will crash sometime when trying to stop quickly. |
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| My bike computer. The nerd in me loves this thing as it tracks my average speed, max speed, total miles, trip miles, current temp, calories burned. I love statistics. It is showing my current max speed of 25.3 mph. Awesome. |
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| So Hot. Here I am modeling my fabulous new Bell bicycle helmet. I know everyone is going to be wearing this fab accessory this spring. |
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| New frame pump. |
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| New allow water bottle cage. |
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| Quick release front wheel. |
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| My new ride. Motobecane Record in Matte Black Finish. I like to think of it as the Johnny Cash of bikes. |
Monday, March 5, 2012
I am official!
Thursday: 2.5 mi run
1500 yd swim
Friday: 5 mi run
Sunday: 4.5 mi run
1500 yd swim
Apparently if you give the USAT some money they send you one of these! I don't think they should give me a card until I finish a race. It seems too easy.
I have spent the week coming back from my sick down time. My endurance felt better on Sunday and I was able to run more at a 10 minute mile pace. I know that isn't fast for most people, but that's why I am not a real triathlete. If I could run my 5k at a 10 minute mile pace I would be super happy. I am going to get my next chance to try in April.
I don't know if I will make it to the gym today as Charlotte has come down with some other rashy baby disease today. Sigh. We need some healthy days. Stuck on the home treadmill again.
1500 yd swim
Friday: 5 mi run
Sunday: 4.5 mi run
1500 yd swim
Apparently if you give the USAT some money they send you one of these! I don't think they should give me a card until I finish a race. It seems too easy.
I have spent the week coming back from my sick down time. My endurance felt better on Sunday and I was able to run more at a 10 minute mile pace. I know that isn't fast for most people, but that's why I am not a real triathlete. If I could run my 5k at a 10 minute mile pace I would be super happy. I am going to get my next chance to try in April.
I don't know if I will make it to the gym today as Charlotte has come down with some other rashy baby disease today. Sigh. We need some healthy days. Stuck on the home treadmill again.
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| My USAT Welcome Packet and ID Card! So Crazy. |
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
I can breathe through my nose!
Monday: 3.2 mi run
1000 yd swim
Tuesday: 6 mi/ 20 min bike
1.5 mi run
Wednesday: 1.25 mi run
55 min spin class
Okay so last week was a total wash. I thought the kid and I just had a cold. Liam seemed to bounce back in a few days and so I expected the same for me. I even headed out on the bike trail on Bill's bike pulling both kids in the trailer on Tuesday. It was twenty minutes into that ride that I realized that I was super sick and it was in my lungs. I did not get back to the gym until Monday and I am definitely feeling the time off!
1000 yd swim
Tuesday: 6 mi/ 20 min bike
1.5 mi run
Wednesday: 1.25 mi run
55 min spin class
Okay so last week was a total wash. I thought the kid and I just had a cold. Liam seemed to bounce back in a few days and so I expected the same for me. I even headed out on the bike trail on Bill's bike pulling both kids in the trailer on Tuesday. It was twenty minutes into that ride that I realized that I was super sick and it was in my lungs. I did not get back to the gym until Monday and I am definitely feeling the time off!
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| My new favorite thing! For those mornings when I don't have time for coffee I can squirt this in my water bottle and feed my caffeine addiction! |
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Endless Obstacles!
I think the secret to training success is finding a way to overcome life's obstacles. That sounds like a tired cliche but I think it is really true. My family cannot seem to avoid the germs lately. We all had the stomach flu over the holidays and for the past three weeks we've been taking turns with a terrible head cold.
When you have kids this compounds your sick days off. For me it's not just the two or three days I am sick. Every day that one of my kids stays home from school or is too sick to go to the babysitting room is a day that I probably won't get to train.
I also sabotaged myself this weekend.I had a good workout Saturday but then hit up the Cincy Beer Fest and took myself out of commission for Sunday. I didn't go to the gym yesterday because Charlotte was still sick.
Monday I went to the gym only to find out the heater was broken in the pool! I had the 70 degree water all to myself and it has made me think maybe I do need a wetsuit. That was a cold swim! I definitely could use more cold swims to get used to it.
Today I had an epic gear fail. The zipper on my new suit is not working properly. If I can't fix it I am going to have to restart my suit hunt and boy do I love swimsuit shopping. I also lost my good water bottle. Luckily I found a cool new one on clearance at Meijer. It has a secret chamber for me to stash crystal light packets so that is a score.
Today I made myself pay!
Today
4 mi run
1500 swim
Monday
1200 swim
55 min spin
Saturday
3.5 mi run
1500 swim
When you have kids this compounds your sick days off. For me it's not just the two or three days I am sick. Every day that one of my kids stays home from school or is too sick to go to the babysitting room is a day that I probably won't get to train.
I also sabotaged myself this weekend.I had a good workout Saturday but then hit up the Cincy Beer Fest and took myself out of commission for Sunday. I didn't go to the gym yesterday because Charlotte was still sick.
Monday I went to the gym only to find out the heater was broken in the pool! I had the 70 degree water all to myself and it has made me think maybe I do need a wetsuit. That was a cold swim! I definitely could use more cold swims to get used to it.
Today I had an epic gear fail. The zipper on my new suit is not working properly. If I can't fix it I am going to have to restart my suit hunt and boy do I love swimsuit shopping. I also lost my good water bottle. Luckily I found a cool new one on clearance at Meijer. It has a secret chamber for me to stash crystal light packets so that is a score.
Today I made myself pay!
Today
4 mi run
1500 swim
Monday
1200 swim
55 min spin
Saturday
3.5 mi run
1500 swim
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
New Gear!
Wednesday workout
1200 m swim
45 min spin
I ran into TJMax today before the gym to see if they had any swim gear to offer. It was my lucky day! I am so happy with my new Nike suit find! I have never owned anything other than Speedo or TYR. I love the style because it's high necked and has a zip back so it really locks you in. My 100's were faster today so I know the upgrade is helping. My old Speedo was way past it's prime.
Last night I made a trip to Dick's just to get a new cap. Upon the advice of my brother, the sporting goods expert, I picked up a Composite cap that is reinforced around the edge. I think it looks fancy. It's so warm today that I'm hoping to get outside. It would be great to get in an outdoor run.
1200 m swim
45 min spin
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| swoosh |
Last night I made a trip to Dick's just to get a new cap. Upon the advice of my brother, the sporting goods expert, I picked up a Composite cap that is reinforced around the edge. I think it looks fancy. It's so warm today that I'm hoping to get outside. It would be great to get in an outdoor run.
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| My new high tech cap. I think the color fade will make me look faster. |
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Life Gets in the Way
Monday 1.75 mi run
20 min swim
55 min spinning
Tuesday 3.2 mi run
30 min swim 1500
I've decided to try and put my workouts on here so I can see how I improve over time. This week was not a great one in terms of training. I developed a nasty cold over the weekend and took three days off from training. In the past this is the type of thing that would derail my efforts, but Sunday night I received a message from the universe to keep going. I demanded Chinese takeout for dinner on Sunday because I had very little sense of smell or taste and I thought the spicy food would help. While driving home from the restaurant I decided to snack on my fortune cookie and this is what it said:
This sport is definitely more expensive than sitting on the couch watching television. That cap is another 8 or so dollars down the tubes. My suit is also starting to show signs of wear. If I don't get a new one soon I will be exposing more than my skills in the pool!
Last week when I got in to swim my favorite Spin instructor Erin came to join me. She always tells me that she is last out of the water on all of her triathlons and so I invited her to swim with me so I could take a look at her stroke. I'm not an expert but I did coach for several years and I did have good training as a kid. I watched her swim a few laps, and then I went under the water and watched her stroke from below. I will never understand why coaches don't get in the water with their kids more because its so much easier to tell what they are doing wrong from below. After a bit I gave her a quick recommendation about her stroke and did a little demo to illustrate my point. A few laps later she stopped me to tell me I was awesome and that her stroke felt more natural and faster. She was surprised because she had had several people look at her stroke over the years and none of them (including coaches) had given her the advice that I did.
This was a such a boost for me because Erin has given me so much help in running and spinning. I was so happy to have a chance to give something back to her. It did make me long for my coaching days because I miss that rewarding sense of helping someone else.
Sadly that same day my swim cap ripped. I was mad because I spent extra dollars on a fancy silicone one for long hair. Apparently the product was not designed for my amount of long hair.
20 min swim
55 min spinning
Tuesday 3.2 mi run
30 min swim 1500
I've decided to try and put my workouts on here so I can see how I improve over time. This week was not a great one in terms of training. I developed a nasty cold over the weekend and took three days off from training. In the past this is the type of thing that would derail my efforts, but Sunday night I received a message from the universe to keep going. I demanded Chinese takeout for dinner on Sunday because I had very little sense of smell or taste and I thought the spicy food would help. While driving home from the restaurant I decided to snack on my fortune cookie and this is what it said:
 |
| My cosmic sign from the universe to keep training. |
This sport is definitely more expensive than sitting on the couch watching television. That cap is another 8 or so dollars down the tubes. My suit is also starting to show signs of wear. If I don't get a new one soon I will be exposing more than my skills in the pool!
Last week when I got in to swim my favorite Spin instructor Erin came to join me. She always tells me that she is last out of the water on all of her triathlons and so I invited her to swim with me so I could take a look at her stroke. I'm not an expert but I did coach for several years and I did have good training as a kid. I watched her swim a few laps, and then I went under the water and watched her stroke from below. I will never understand why coaches don't get in the water with their kids more because its so much easier to tell what they are doing wrong from below. After a bit I gave her a quick recommendation about her stroke and did a little demo to illustrate my point. A few laps later she stopped me to tell me I was awesome and that her stroke felt more natural and faster. She was surprised because she had had several people look at her stroke over the years and none of them (including coaches) had given her the advice that I did.
This was a such a boost for me because Erin has given me so much help in running and spinning. I was so happy to have a chance to give something back to her. It did make me long for my coaching days because I miss that rewarding sense of helping someone else.
Sadly that same day my swim cap ripped. I was mad because I spent extra dollars on a fancy silicone one for long hair. Apparently the product was not designed for my amount of long hair.
 |
| The sad remains of my specialized long hair silicone swim cap - may it rest in peace. After swimming without a cap today I realized that I must get to Kast-a-way soon and get a new one ASAP. My hair was a wreck. |
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Overcoming Disappointment
Wednesday is my weigh in day. Last week I had a big loss so I was worried about this week. My concerns were well founded and one of those pounds I had lost came back. Given my current workout regiment I was surprised and disheartened. I was so down that I decided I needed a fun morning. I skipped my regular spin class and instead took Charlotte to Starbucks and the library. She had a great time at toddler story time so it was worth it.
After picking Liam up from school we headed to El Picante with Maren. I enjoyed some tasty fajitas and indulged in too many chips. I felt too full all afternoon.
Liam had a friend over and Charlotte took a good nap so I had time to make some tasty Chicken Kale Quinoa soup from scratch. Feeling proud of my wholesome dinner I felt a little better and decided to checkout the evening class schedule. After Bill came home I threw on my gear, grabbed my fancy shoes, and headed to spin class.
It was a good hour class and now I have some exercise calories to offset that lunch! I was proud of me because I have a really hard time finding energy after 5 o'clock.
After picking Liam up from school we headed to El Picante with Maren. I enjoyed some tasty fajitas and indulged in too many chips. I felt too full all afternoon.
Liam had a friend over and Charlotte took a good nap so I had time to make some tasty Chicken Kale Quinoa soup from scratch. Feeling proud of my wholesome dinner I felt a little better and decided to checkout the evening class schedule. After Bill came home I threw on my gear, grabbed my fancy shoes, and headed to spin class.
It was a good hour class and now I have some exercise calories to offset that lunch! I was proud of me because I have a really hard time finding energy after 5 o'clock.
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| My super satisfying and super healthy dinner! |
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Bricks
Apparently in the triathlon world a brick workout is one where you bike and then run. This past month I've discovered why. Sunday I biked 14 miles on a hill program at the gym and then hopped on the treadmill for a quick run - or what turned out to be a slow and painful run. After biking for an hour my legs definitely felt like bricks on the treadmill. It was another one of those, "oh I definitely will not be able to do this in a race" moments. Self doubt is a very close friend of mine. I gave up after a mile and a half and hit the pool to do laps. If only these races were done in the correct order. Why swim first? It makes no sense to get all wet in the pool and then go for a bike ride. It is much nicer to cool off in the pool after a hard run. I am glad that I have until May to try and build my endurance because I have a really hard time running a 5k right now, and I know it is not going to be easier after swimming 700 meters and biking 13 miles.
My triathlon buddy and I have tentatively agreed to sign up for the Tri For Joe event at Coney Island at the end of May. The great part about this race is that it is in a pool (chlorinated water without fish!) and the course is supposed to be really flat (hills are not my friend). The bad part is the water is on average around 65 degrees. This raises the question of a triathlon wetsuit. Since I am not a real triathlete, evidenced by the fact that I do not currently own a bike, I do not own a wetsuit. Apparently you can rent them for around $40 a race. Looking at the size chart I'm sure many of these rental places would love to inform me that I a) am not in good enough shape for a triathlon b) am definitely too large to be considered a female triathlete or c) that I should try finding a nice moo moo made out of neoprene. Purchasing one for the fair market value of $200-$300 seems insane. Who knew this sport could be so expensive! I've already shelled out for the fancy gear shown below:
My triathlon buddy and I have tentatively agreed to sign up for the Tri For Joe event at Coney Island at the end of May. The great part about this race is that it is in a pool (chlorinated water without fish!) and the course is supposed to be really flat (hills are not my friend). The bad part is the water is on average around 65 degrees. This raises the question of a triathlon wetsuit. Since I am not a real triathlete, evidenced by the fact that I do not currently own a bike, I do not own a wetsuit. Apparently you can rent them for around $40 a race. Looking at the size chart I'm sure many of these rental places would love to inform me that I a) am not in good enough shape for a triathlon b) am definitely too large to be considered a female triathlete or c) that I should try finding a nice moo moo made out of neoprene. Purchasing one for the fair market value of $200-$300 seems insane. Who knew this sport could be so expensive! I've already shelled out for the fancy gear shown below:
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| My super amazing cycling shoes that will someday clip in to the road bike I do not currently own, but in the meantime serve me well in spin class. |
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| My Polar watch that works with a chest strap to record my heart rate and calorie burn during workouts! This is necessary for extremely nerdy tracking of workout minutes and speeds. |
Friday, January 20, 2012
Necessary Expense
Gel Nimbus! I used a DSW reward and coupon and they were 30% off. I will many miles on these and hopefully I can break these shoes in without messing up my SI Joint. The more I run the more that I recognize that good shoes are a necessary expense.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
I blame Erin.
I blame Erin. She is a spin instructor at my gym. I started taking some of her classes and we started talking about running one day after class. I admitted that I had limped through two 5k races in my life and hope to do more, but that its not really my thing because I'm not a runner. "I'm a swimmer" I stupidly commented. Her ears perked up and she uttered the amazing phrase "you should do a triathlon!"
Why on earth did this appeal to me? Perhaps it was amazing to me that someone would look at me and think that there was some possible way that I could complete a triathlon. More likely its because when faced with a crazy challenge that most people think I can't do I generally become stubborn enough to complete it. Also, there was the book. While searching for bike shorts Amazon alerted me that I may also be interested in
Why on earth did this appeal to me? Perhaps it was amazing to me that someone would look at me and think that there was some possible way that I could complete a triathlon. More likely its because when faced with a crazy challenge that most people think I can't do I generally become stubborn enough to complete it. Also, there was the book. While searching for bike shorts Amazon alerted me that I may also be interested in
Slow Fat Triathlete: Live Your Athletic Dreams in the Body You Have Now. That smart Amazon, it really does know me. So Bill reserved it from the library for me and off I went reading about another overweight thirty something woman that started doing triathlons and all of her smart advice.
So here I am. Training for a triathlon. Its hard even to type as it seems so implausible. To be fair to anyone who stumbles across this I actually started several weeks ago but took some time off over the holidays. Today I experience what may have been my first "runner's high" as I lasted an entire hour on the treadmill and ran close to 5 miles. I am a really slow runner. Its really not running but more of jogging interspersed with periods of walking.
What's worse than running is my lack of cycling experience. Triathlons are full of buff people in fancy matching spandex outfits with really expensive bikes. Right now I do not own a bike, but I do own fancy clipless cycling shoes. I have started spinning at the gym in the hopes of getting some cycling muscles, but these will do me no good if I don't buy a bike. Things to do this week? Seriously look in to buying a bike. What holds me back? Then I am committed....
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