Tuesday musings

As I laid in bed last night telling my husband that I was going to be pissed if so and so beat me at the 70.3, he gave me perspective; he reminded me that it really doesn't matter what everyone else dose and that all I can be is my best on that day. People who are older and heavier will beat me, big deal, we are all going to be out there doing it and that is what is most important.

Now on to training, I spent 30 minutes in the pool today doing TI drills, I plan to hit the pool on Thursday and Friday as well. I had completely forgotten all of the good stuff that I learned last year and was happy to find my sweet spot again! I am not going to rush it this year, I am in good shape, I will be able to complete the swim, maybe not in record time but if I can do it and not be dead tired all the drill will be worth it.

I'm tired and think I am going to go and read my new triathlete magazine.

Tough weekend of workouts

But I am not going to let them get me down because for one, I did them and that right there is reason to celebrate!! My elbow is still a bit sore and I discovered a new bruise on my knee, ouch. I re-watched my Total Immersion video and am re-energized about swimming. Last year my swimming was coming swimmingly (word play!) and then I forgot all of my techniques. So I am switching gears slightly, the drills that I will be doing now are all TI, I will keep you posted on how that goes ;-)

Brutal headwind and a bike crash...

I couldn't get anybody to ride with me today, shortly after heading out I figured out why. the temperature was up to 42 by the time I left, but unbeknown to me a 21 mph headwind was kicking up. It was pretty brutal, I can honestly say I felt like I was going to cry a couple of different times throughout the ride. to put a cherry on top of the worst ride I have had in a long time I crashed, then I REALLY wanted to cry! I removed a little skin from my left flank and my left elbow is skinned and KILLING me. I almost called JP to come pick me up but decided to suck it up and power on, the ride was 35 mile and the crash was at mile 30 only 5 miles to home IN TO THE WIND! I am glad I did, but man oh man, it took some serious positive self talk to get through that one, if it is blowing like that tomorrow I am on the trainer!!

We'll see how the run goes...Have a great weekend!

more swimming drills and a bike ride

Drills, Drills, Drills; tomorrow I try out the real thing, I am not looking forward to it...On another note, I had a great bike ride tonight (on the trainer). Now I am tired and must hit the hay.

Good night!

Ran home from work

It was good and tough at the same time. I forgot to pack my light running fleece, it was mid 60's and blowing, I thought I would be cold so I borrowed a fleece from a co-worker and headed out; I regretted the fleece decision about 2/10th into the run and really regretted it at about 1.5 miles. If it had been my own I would have ditched it on the side of the trail and went back for it later but since it wasn't mine I spent the next 7.5 miles with it wrapped around my waist. I had wind at my back some of the time so that was a bonus, at times it was blowing so hard I felt like I was expending extra energy to fight against it! I think it is hard to do that long of a run late in the day... I should have eaten more than I did, so I was very happy that JP packed me a little pack of jelly beans in my fuel belt, it was a lovely treat at 4 miles--thanks JP! :-)

Biking tomorrow and probably some swimming drills, if I am going to stay true to this new commitment to swimming I just gotta do it, oy!

More swimming drills

I think I can just post the same thing over and over, swimming drills...I know they are going to pay off, BIG TIME I hope! Stroke, glide, stroke, glide, stroke, glide; maybe I should look into a masters swimming program?!?!?

How to become a better swimmer...

So, Jen and I are riding on Saturday and she says to me "I've been thinking about your swimming andyou're not gonna like me...do you want to hear what I think?" Of course I do! So she proceeds to say "the only way you are going to get better is to double your time in the pool, if you are spending 2 days a week in the water, you need to spend 4...2 days of nothing but drills and 2 days of straight swimming, no rests and if you have to rest 10 seconds...nothing less than 500 yards per set". WHAT?!?!? Okay, I already knew this, but damn now it is really real and I know that I have to do it! 2:19:42 I have to remember this time and it should push me, the 70.3 is 7 weeks away it's go time!

Pushed my Big Chain Ring!!

I tried to do the entire ride in my largest chain ring in an effort to get adjusted to pushing a bigger gear. I am the granny gear queen and I don’t want to be any longer! So I spent a beautiful morning ride really thinking about technique and form–pulling and pushing with my hamstrings, or as Jen likes to call it, scraping gum off the bottom of my shoe. It is working! I could tell when I was climbing hills that I was more efficient and climbed faster–yippee!

Moved quickly into 2 miles easy off the bike, no calf cramping, I was grateful for this. The run felt great we purposely took and semi-hilly route so the flat race route will feel easy (or at least that’s what we are telling ourselves :-).

Another brick on the books!

Swiming drills, swimming srills, swimming drills

Did I mention that I did swimming drills today? It was my first time in the water in about 10 or 11 days, I am not sure that my ears have healed completely but I really needed to swim so I took the chance, so far so good; they are a little bit plugged but not too bad. That is not what this post is about, it is about swimming drills and I did my fair share today. Jen is a very good swimmer and gives me fantastic advice, today she gave me new drills to do and do and do, but guess what? I think they are working, slowly but surely, and it is awesome, Lucky Fin might actually be gone by the 70.3!

This was a taper week and I really needed it, I traveled for work and had to do all of my workouts inside, it has been a struggle everyday...my body needed the rest. Tomorrow is 22 miles on the bike and 2 miles off the bike for an easy brick, I am actually looking forward to it!!

7 miles of running in what quite possibly could have been one of Dante's rings...

That was one seriously hard run! I kept trying to quicken my pace and just could not sustain it, it was a drag because I just wanted it to be over, after 7 miles no endorphins kicked in, bummer! Contributing factors to the pain and suffering include: 30 miles on the bike 6 hours prior, Monsters vs. Aliens (ate too much salty popcorn and refused to pay $3.50 for a 16oz water), waited until 5:30pm to head out AND I knew that JP was at home making chocolate chip pancakes, I don't care how old you are, chocolate chips pancakes are just too good!

I survived and am surprisingly not sore today :-) The Easter Bunny brought wii fit to our house last night, what a wonderful surprise! I have learned that I have really terrible balance and that JP can kick my booty in just about every one of the balance games, I've got to work on that!

Rainy days and bike rides do not go well together!

Three of us were meeting at the bike trail head for a 30 miler today, it was overcast but 42, it was going to be great! I had my jacket on, my left biking shoe was on and my right one was half way on when my cell rang, it was Jennifer and it was raining (I hadn't looked outside in a while) HARD! Now I don't know about you, but I do not have windshield wipers on my glasses and neither does Jennifer so she ducked out and I was left to meet Laura at the trail head; I went without my bike... :-( We decided next week will be better and will try again, such a bummer, but hey I got to drink a second cup of coffee on the way to the trail!

Indoors in the basement on the trainer was brutal, mental strength was the mantra I kept repeating to myself, JP even had to give me a pep talk! I made it through on a wing and a prayer and was happy it was over. Biking on the trainer must be some sort of medieval torture, I loved it last year but it is killing me this year! Off to see Monsters vs. Aliens, should be fun!

If you didn't know the Ironman 70.3 Championship is on NBC tomorrow - I am so excited, JP set the DVR, such amazing inspiration (the race, not JP setting the DVR :-))!!

Running on the treadmill

Might have been a little bit early for a 7 mile run but I had been on antibiotics for 24 hours and I felt considerably better. My run felt pretty good until about 5.5 miles and then things deteriorated quickly, I made it to the end and for that I am happy, tomorrow will be better! It was funny, because I was on the treadmill I was watching a DVD of the Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers and my heart rate kept going up on the battle scenes, I guess they are that exciting, I don't know?!?! Man those Orks sure are ugly, really creepy actually!

Tomorrow is a double day, 30 mile bike and 7 mile run, fortunately it is not a brick so I can drink coffee when I get back from the ride, I sure hope the weather holds, it was absolutely beautiful today, I didn't even wear a coat!

Double ear infection...what?!?!?

One thing is for sure, I always had sympathy for people with ear infections, especially children but now I have even more sympathy, man alive my ears hurt! So needless to say I slept terrible for the past couple of nights and today I hit the wall, I actually felt like I was going to cry at work. So I came home and slept and now I am going to be going back to bed shortly.

This ear situation has total killed my workout for the day, I was supposed to do a 45 minute ride and I made it 12 minutes and gave up--not worth it! I think after 24 hours on the antibiotics I will be back good as new with hope that tomorrow's run is kick ass!

The wheels completely came off...

so I am sitting here at the computer trying to stay away from the kitchen because I have eaten 4 or 5 brownies (at this point I have lost count) all while watching The Biggest Loser. Are you kidding me? I really want to drop 8-10 pounds by my race in June but the more I think about eating less the more I eat, I feel pathetic! This is why I never go on diets, the less I want to eat the more I actually eat. I think I am just going to try to burn more calories and forget about eating less, something’s gotta give, right? I am now back in control and am drinking peppermint tea, no more brownies!!!

Mostly swimming drills

400 freestyle, otherwise it was drills. I tell you what, only resting 10 seconds between each 100 yards is HARD!! I cheated a bit…I justify it by saying “at least I did it”.

Workout:

• Type: Swim
• Date: 04/07/2009
• Time: 15:10:43
• Total Time: 00:30:00.00
• Calories: 235
• Distance: 1,100 yd
• Average Pace: 2:43.64/100yd

Day off!!

No running, biking or swimming, yea!! I really do enjoy my workouts but the intensity is starting to increase and so is the intensity at work. Getting out of the office and going to the rec center is salvation, it is sanity and sooo necessary! I will be back at it tomorrow, I hope that I can get into the pool, right now my ears are killing me, I am not sure if I have an infection or swimmers ear but oh baby they hurt!!

I am really feeling fat, I know vacation and mai tai's will do that to you but man, I guess I am stunned that I can put in the work and not have the scale change! So today I really tried to think about what I ate, to eat only when I was hungry and think about the diminishing size of my ass. Well, apparently I really like the size of my ass because I ate plenty, including alfredo pasta, bit-o-honey, Costco brownie bites, a regular brownie and 2 poor man's mocha's, I wish I could say that was all I ate but that was just this afternoon. I think I have issues!!

April 5 -- cycle

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 04/05/2009
• Time: 10:43:13
• Total Time: 00:41:25.00
• Calories: 649
• Distance: 12 miles
• Average Speed: 17.38 mph
• Max Speed: 22.7 mph

April 4 -- I swear I was going faster than that!

Only my feet were freezing, it was nice to not have to fight the wind!

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 04/04/2009
• Time: 13:15:00
• Total Time: 1:55:00.00
• Calories: 1502
• Distance: 28 miles
• Average Speed: 14.61 mph
• Max Speed: 31.4 mph
• Ascent: 1,289 ft
• Descent: 1,157 ft

April 4 -- Running with Jamie and Jennifer

Great fun! I suggested we run a long hill, not a great idea, I will chalk that one up to experience and not do that again after a bike ride!! It was great to run with Jamie, never have done it before, it was really fun

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 04/04/2009
• Time: 12:25:45
• Total Time: 1:10:00.00
• Calories: 823
• Distance: 6.5 miles
• Average Pace: 10:46.32/mile
• Max Pace: 6:31.3/mile
• Ascent: 1,835 ft
• Descent: 1,874 ft

April 3 -- JP inspired me to get in a run

I was lazy all week, I was just not feeling well so I am playing catch up to a point, I did an easy-ish L6 run while he did the boflex, didn’t want to go too hard I have a 28 mile ride and 6.5 mile run tomorrow, I sure hope the weather cooperates!!

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 04/03/2009
• Time: 16:39:25
• Total Time: 00:29:23.00
• Calories: 384
• Distance: 3 miles
• Average Pace: 9:47.28/mile

April 3 -- Swimming with Jennifer

and now I am re-inspired! She has completed Ironman Lake Placid and Ironman Canada and I admire her greatly, she gave me great advice and reinspired my swimming–great day!

Workout:

• Type: Swim
• Date: 04/03/2009
• Time: 16:37:16
• Total Time: 00:35:00.00
• Calories: 274
• Distance: 1,000 yd

March 30 -- Cycling

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 03/30/2009
• Time: 19:24:47
• Total Time: 00:35:00.00
• Calories: 549
• Distance: 11.25 miles
• Average Speed: 19.29 mph

March 29 -- Good run, some hip pain

In my sartorius muscle I think, the pain is right down the front of my right leg right below the pelvic area, very difficult to stretch!

JP ran 13 today, I am so proud of him and so happy that it wasn’t me!!

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 03/29/2009
• Time: 12:52:10
• Total Time: 1:00:40.00
• Calories: 713
• Distance: 6 miles
• Average Pace: 10:07.08/mile

March 28-- Part 2

My legs felt good about .2 into it, I was relieved since I hadn’t been on the bike for about 2.5 weeks I thought for sure my legs were going to crap out on the run, I have to admit I was really glad that it was only 2 miles however

Off to buy seeds for the garden before all the good ones are gone!

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 03/28/2009
• Time: 11:56:56
• Total Time: 00:20:14.00
• Calories: 238
• Distance: 2 miles
• Average Pace: 10:07.08/mile

March 28 -- Brick workout Part 1

All I can say is thank goodness for the “Fellowship of the Ring”! 42 degrees is WAY too cold for a wimp like me to ride outside so I was on the trainer today and in front of a DVD, an action movie is a MUST!

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 03/28/2009
• Time: 11:53:29
• Total Time: 1:20:07.00
• Calories: 1255
• Distance: 25.15 miles
• Average Speed: 18.83 mph

March 26 -- Run

1 mile wu L4 4×400m uphill L9 (jog down for recovery) 1 mile cd L4

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 03/26/2009
• Time: 17:26:23
• Total Time: 00:41:42.00
• Calories: 490
• Distance: 4 miles
• Average Pace: 10:25/mile

March 22 -- Great run!!

I’ve been challenging myself to run faster and it is starting to pay off! today I ran 2 of my 6 miles in 8:56 and 9:00 I was very excited!!

Aloha!

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 03/22/2009
• Time: 19:18:19
• Total Time: 00:59:39.00
• Calories: 777
• Distance: 6.25 miles
• Average Pace: 9:32.34/mile

March 20 -- Swimming in the bay and a Jellyfish sting

Swimming with my sister on the Kona ironman course, it was fun until I my right arm started to burn, it looks like a jelly fish or some other type of marine life stung me in a few different places - quite painful! The swim however, was fun and inspiring!

Workout:

• Type: Swim
• Date: 03/20/2009
• Time: 23:10:35
• Total Time: 00:20:00.00
• Calories: 156
• Distance: 600 yd
• Average Pace: 3:20.53/100yd

March 19 -- More running with J

and it is just so fun! We challenge each toher which is so nice. Swimming tomorrow

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 03/19/2009
• Time: 22:39:27
• Total Time: 00:29:31.00
• Calories: 385
• Distance: 3 miles
• Average Pace: 9:50.16/mile

March 18 -- Not sure I was feelin' it!

but I made it through and was darn happy I did! Challenged myself in the last mile and did an 8:25, I was ecstatic, even more so that I could go and put my head under the shower at the pool!

Aloha!

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 03/18/2009
• Time: 20:20:53
• Total Time: 00:49:25.00
• Calories: 644
• Distance: 5 miles
• Average Pace: 9:53.08/mile

March 16 -- More hills with mom

I wore the garmin this time so the distance is accurate, yea!

Aloha!

Workout:

• Type: Walk
• Date: 03/16/2009
• Time: 12:47:45
• Total Time: 1:17:00.00
• Calories: 602
• Distance: 4.5 miles
• Average Pace: 17:05.64/mile
• Ascent: 972 ft

March 15 -- Hike Kileaua

Great fun and part of the hike back up I had a 52 pound weight on my shoulders, that had to add something to the climb!

Workout:

• Type: Walk
• Date: 03/15/2009
• Time: 22:50:51
• Total Time: 1:45:00.00
• Calories: 342
• Distance: 4 miles
• Average Pace: 26:12.05/mile

March 14 -- Mom was right!

I really didn’t want to run this morning but about 7 minutes in I was so glad I did it, my mom was right, but that is nothing new! J and I were able to run together again, we decided to run hills, it was tough but fun.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 03/14/2009
• Time: 10:55:37
• Total Time: 00:52:23.00
• Calories: 614
• Distance: 5.04 miles
• Average Pace: 10:23.92/mile

March 13 -- Steep walk!!

Walked with my mom, great walk about a 12% grade for 1.2 miles, good workout for the quads and butt!!

Workout:

• Type: Walk
• Date: 03/13/2009
• Time: 19:41:31
• Total Time: 1:15:00.00
• Calories: 323
• Distance: 4.2 miles
• Average Pace: 17:51.43/mile