Run - 0.8 hours

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 02/28/2009
• Time: 18:05:37
• Total Time: 00:45:00.00
• Calories: 529
• Distance: 4 miles
• Average Pace: 11:15.42/mile

Trainer ride

It is definitely getting warmer outside but family constraints had me riding inside. I am feeling really good and that makes me happy! I did my perscribed 15 miles in 51minutes and spent the next 9 minutes warming down. I have a 4 mile run scheduled for later today, I suspect it will be abit slow but that is a-ok with me. My biggest challenge is the fact that for the next 3 weeks I will be traveling extensively, getting in training is going to be difficult but I plan to be disciplined, I found a hotel that has a pool so I really don’t have any excuses aside from time, 8-5 just isn’t possible when you are on the road!

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 02/28/2009
• Time: 12:06:09
• Total Time: 1:00:00.00
• Calories: 940
• Distance: 17.16 miles
• Average Speed: 17.16 mph
• Max Speed: 21.1 mph

The Biggest Loser

I am the biggest loser, tonight on the second day of my training program I laid on the bed and watch "The Biggest Loser" and did nothing! The rain totally derailed my swim at lunch and I thought the pool opened again at 3:30 but instead it opened at 4:30 and I promised a wicked game of Monopoly so I had to get home on time. All great excuses (not at all!) but I know that I will get back at it tomorrow. I am going to hit the hay now because I am extremely exhausted!!

Day 1 of 16 week training program!!

Long day, good workout :-) I had to work outside of the office today with 3 or so hours of driving, the first half was snow covered and slippery, yuck! It was a great day, I got a lot of work done.

After I wrapped things up I went and visited a friend in the hospital, she had a heart procedure done (it went well, yea!). It worked out very well that I happened to be in the town where she had the procedure done. As I expected she was her old self--she has this big laugh that makes me smile, way deep down in my soul. She will be in the hospital for the night and then hopefully will be able to come home tomorrow.

Oh yeah, it was the first day of my 16 week workout program to get ready for the 70.3, I am really excited and want to do well, so my plan is to kick ass and take names in my training. That is my plan today, ask me in 8 weeks, things might be a little different :-). Today's workout was a 10 miler at level 5-6 with 4 x 30 seconds at level 10. I ate pesto pasta way too close to my bike ride, I felt a little like Michael Scott when he ate fettuccini alfredo before the rabies run, oy!

Swimming with Anne and Laura

I just got back from the grocery store and phone rang, it was Anne wondering if I wanted to hit the pool with her and Laura; I really didn't want to but knew that I needed to and it got me out of running ;-). It was so much fun, I had a double latte about 1.5 hours before so I was a motormouth in the car, hopefully I wasn't too annoying! Anyway, Anne is an excellent swimmer, so fast, I was jealous; and Laura who claims not to be a good swimmer looked great, her technique looked really good.

We have decided to go to the pool every Sunday, it will keep me on track that is for sure, because I really hate going to the pool!

On a completely different topic, Has anyone out there ever developed and "allergy" to red wine? everytime I drink it these days I get a headache, now I know what you are thinking, don't drink so much but really, it's not like that...I can have a glass or a bottle and I feel the same (okay, ,that is kind of a lie but I think you get the jist), I get a terrible headache, it is a real bummer since I really like to drink red wine!

Workout:

• Type: Swim
• Date: 02/22/2009
• Time: 16:49:11
• Total Time: 00:35:00.00
• Calories: 274
• Distance: 900 yd
• Average Pace: 3:52.44/100yd

Back from Lazy town!

I just wasn’t feelin’ it yesterday so I just took the whole day off, which had me feeling not great about myself this morning, it’s a vicious cycle!

Anyway, great ride this afternoon, had to do it on the trainer because it is still too cold here. I can’t wait for the sun and sand! While I was riding I watched an Oprah show that I had DVR'd, it was about cleaning up your messy life, getting organized, all that good stuff. It was kind of funny because just this morning I purged my closet, the mountain of shoes and clothing to donate is ridiculous! Anyway, what I did this morning was reinforced by the "organization expert" that was on the show, I think I kick ass (just kidding, kind of), how do you get to become an organization expert anyway? Nobody would ever hire me if I tried that as a profession, a professional painter maybe (walls, not canvas) but certainly not anything to do with organization. Well that was kind of a tangent...

Training for the 70.3 officially starts on Tuesday, and I can't wait to get back into the pool on a regular basis (just kidding!).

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 02/21/2009
• Time: 16:10:26
• Total Time: 1:00:00.00
• Calories: 941
• Distance: 17.11 miles
• Average Speed: 17.11 mph
• Max Speed: 31.7 mph

Cycling

I wan on the trainer and sweating like a pig, while watching Oprah, I am not an Oprah watcher but it was mildly entertaining. I did set the DVR to record tomorrow's show because it is about getting rid of clutter! I am definitely not the worst, but I certainly have my fair share of it...maybe Oprah can be my hero!

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 02/18/2009
• Time: 17:20:43
• Total Time: 00:30:00.00
• Calories: 471
• Distance: 8.95 miles
• Average Speed: 17.9 mph

Run/Walk

Was tired yesterday do tried to make up for it today. I feel a little sick because I ran way too close to dinner, thus the run/walk…

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 02/17/2009
• Time: 19:37:58
• Total Time: 1:30:00.00
• Calories: 741
• Distance: 7.1 miles
• Average Pace: 12:41.1/mile

Not bad considering

I was talking on the phone for the first mile and it took me 16 minutes to walk it, I didn’t want to be breathing heavy in my sister’s ear! The rest of the workout was great, I ran the entire thing at a 1% incline and did the last mile in .10 intervals at 6.0 and 6.5 and felt great! What really helped the time go by was the Xterra triathlon, i was watching it on ABC, that is a crazy tri, i have no interest in that one what-so-ever!!

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 02/15/2009
• Time: 16:26:02
• Total Time: 1:00:00.00
• Calories: 628
• Distance: 5.1 miles
• Average Pace: 11:45.88/mile

Spinning!!

I put myself through the paces today and did my own version of spinning on the trainer in my living room, it was hard but I am very pleased that I got through it! Typically when I ride on the trainer I am fairly steady with my gears and don’t do a lot of shifting, I know, it is probably not the best way to train. Well this year I am really trying to push myslef outside of my comfort zone and I think I am seeing results! Today I got up out of the saddle and spun (that doesn’t sound right, but neither does spinned, hmmm) anyway, every 5 minutes I was up and riding HARD for 1 minute in all different gears so I didn’t get too comfortable. I am very tired, very sweaty and very happy I did it and it is over!! Sounds weird but not finishing Ironman has probably had a more positive effect on my trianing than if I had crossed the line, I still wish I would have crossed the finish line but at least I can see the positive in it (now!)

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 02/14/2009
• Time: 14:02:02
• Total Time: 1:00:00.00
• Calories: 942
• Distance: 17.4 miles
• Average Speed: 17.4 mph
• Max Speed: 24.8 mph

Slow run/walk

Crazy week at work has led me away from the rec center, not good! I ate dinner, I really tried not to eat too much, but apparently I did anyway, and it was an absolute brick in my gut; thus leading to the slow run/walk instead of a run, ah well at least I did it and tomorrow is another day!

• Type: Run
• Date: 02/12/2009
• Time: 19:43:33
• Total Time: 00:35:00.00
• Calories: 400
• Distance: 2.75 miles
• Average Pace: 12:44.33/mile

It has been way too long!!

At least I can say that it is not because I have been lazy!! so shortly after Ironman (about a week actually) I got a huge promotion at work, so I went from working 70-80% time to 100%+ time and directing a department, no complaints it has been an incredible learning experience and the extra money was an absolute blessing when my husband essentially lost his job (he works in an industry that is extremely affected by the economic crisis). I made sure that my new job didn't take too much away from my workout life because while I was ready for a break after Ironman I was not ready to become a couch potato, in fact I completed an olympic distance (or an International distance as they are calling it now) triathlon about 6 weeks after Ironman, I really needed to cross that finish line!!

Anyway, so much to talk about but the most important, I am about 1.5 weeks away from the official start of trianing for an Ironman 70.3 event in June, I am so excited and feeling so confident about this race because I learned so much back in June. I have learned that it is okay to feel uncomfortable and can now push myself through discomfort (usually :-)) and have also learned that it is okay to be selfish on occasion.

Anyway, I am glad to be back and I look forward to my Ironman journey, because, just so you know, I will complete an iron distance triathlon in 2010, come hell or highwater, nothing is going to stop me!!