Go Out with a Bang!!

Ok, here is the report on the last couple of days. Yesterday I went to the pool and swam 1100 meters doing a variety of drills. It felt great!! Once I get into the pool, it isn't so bad...getting to the pool is the hard part. I came home from the pool, changed clothes, grabbed Mara and went for a 4 mile run outside...yes it was snowing, but it was 32 degrees and absolutely BEAUTIFUL!! It was like running in a winter wonderland. We were both a bit sloppy, but had fun non-the-less. I definitely would have run much farther if I would have had the time. Unfortunately, I had an eyebrow wax sceduled for 2 pm and by the time we got home from the 4 miles it was 1:35. I had just enough time to shower and run out the door. I didn't get to eat lunch til 3 yesterday...oh well, the sacrafices I make for exercise :) I went to the gym at 4:30 yesterday did an ab workout and then went to group power to lift weights. All in all, it was a fabulous day of exercise.

Today I went to the gym and cycled on a stationary bike for 1.5 hours (yes I know I have my bike set up in the basement to ride, but a friend wanted to go to the gym and her car was in the shop, so I drove us).

Tonight we are going to The Cafe for dinner and I am going to sugar load...I haven't had processed foods, white sugar, flour, potatoes, etc for 6 weeks. I am going to enjoy this one meal and then hop right back on the diet. I have lost 5 pounds thus far and am hoping to drop another 10 more by June 6. We'll see if I can do it :)

Happy New Years!!

So Sore!!

I did a new ab routine Monday evening and my core is screaming at me!! I am going to do it again today!! I love good pain :)

Yesterday I went to the pool (I bet you don't believe it!!) and swam 1000 meters (.625 miles). It was slow and steady as I was doing some swim drills that are suppose to be done more slowly. After swimming I came home and hopped on the bike for 30 minutes in the basement. We were trying to watch the movie "Up" while riding, but I could not get into it. I didn't understand what was going on most of the time. I was suppose to ride for 90 minutes (the length of the movie), but only finished 30 when I decided I didn't like the movie.

I am heading back to the pool today around 11 for another 1000 meters (I might even do 1200 meters) doing drills and then I am planning to run (although this may have to occur inside on the treadmill as the snow doesn't seem to stop falling). I will do that new ab routine and power tonight to finish off the day.

Fitday.com

Since there is no pool in the basement, I am going to the pool at the high school today to swim at 3 pm. I ran 4 miles of hills on the treadmill at the gym. It was a tough workout, but I felt really good!! I know I could have ran longer (if it didn't require such steep hills), but I also want to swim and lift weights today (group power) so I decided not to leave everything I have on the treadmill. I came home and logged my exercise and food...I am on the right track for more calories burned than consumed today :) I love fitday.com (only when it tells me I burn more calories than I consume)!!

Super Size Me!!

Today I rode 23 miles on my bicycle in the basement while watching "Super Size Me." This movie only reinforces the healthy choices I make on a daily basis!! What the fast food industry has done to the people in our society is amazing!! Watching Morgan's blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, etc. sky rocket should be all that is needed for the FDA to take some legal action and wipe out these fast food monsters. What should the price of health cost people?

I got myself a special Christmas present this year. I hired Julie (a personal trainer for endurance athletes) to help me get through my half ironman training successfully. I am so excited...I have to not only be accountable to you, but also to her. I officially start following her training plan for me on Monday, January 4. This will also force me to get into the pool more :)

I love exercising on Break!!

It is so wonderful to exercise on break!! There are fewer people at the gym during the day and I can go to the pool during the noon hour to lap swim!! I wish I could do that every day!! Yesterday we set up our basement with the bike trainers, television and DVD player and actually rode our bicycles in the basement for 1.5 hours while watching Ironman Kona. It was AWESOME!! I kept thinking..."If these athletes can complete such a daunting challenge (both physically and mentally), I can definitely pedal hard for 1.5 hours. We did go to group power yesterday morning and I upped my weights. It was nice to be able to take on a new challenge. I am heading down to the basement right now for another venture on the bike...we have the movie "Food, Inc" that we rented and are going to watch while we spin. I will do a much better job this week of keeping you posted on the exercise successes as I will have more free time :)

Goals for the Week of Dec 14-18

Monday: Group Ride (am)
Swim for 20-30 min (pm) followed by hill work (4 miles)

Tuesday: Group Power (am)
4-6 mile run (pm)
Nutrition Clinic

Wednesday: Group Ride (am)
Swim for 20-30 min (pm)

Thursday: Group Power (am)
Swim for 20-30 min followed by 3 mile easy run

Friday: Group Ride (am)

Weekend Update

I did not meet my goals in the order that I thought I would, but came really close to meeting them for the weekend.

Saturday: Group Power (1 hour) followed by a 2 hour nap (it was AWESOME)

Sunday: Swim Clinic (I learned so much and am inspired to get better, so I will be finding a way to incorporate more swimming into my week) followed by a 14 mile run on the treadmill at the gym (I decided that I am NOT a fan of the treadmill...it is so much better running outside and having a change of scenery.

I feel really good and am looking forward to getting through this week.

We have revised our nutrition and are so happy with the way we feel and the energy that we have. We are eating no processed sugars, white carbs, pasta, rice, etc. until after the New Year. We will continue to leave them out of our diets, with the exception of the occasional dessert :) We are going to a nutrition clinic on Tuesday evening here in Ames at the city hall at 6:30 pm and will continue to learn about what changes we can make to help ourselves feel energized. It is amazing how what we consume alters how we feel :)

First Update

Yesterday I went to group ride and cycled for 8.5 miles (all hills), came home and shoveled snow for 1.5 hours and then went to group power (weight training). I went to group ride this morning and cycled 9.5 miles. Group ride is a class designed for a hill/interval workout for approximately one hour.

Goals for tomorrow:
Group power in the morning
15 mile run in the afternoon.

Goals for Sunday:
SWIM clinic from 10 - noon. . .yes, I am actually going to get in the pool and start swimming, even though it is really hard to do this time of year with the really cold weather.

I love to exercise and challenge myself to accomplish new feats. I believe people who push themselves and challenge themselves in all aspects of their lives are happier, healthier and stronger individuals. This is who I am!! :)

I am not only training for the Boston Marathon (my first), which I will run in April 2010, I am also training for Ironman 70.3 Kansas, which I will compete in on June 6, 2010. I am getting very excited to compete in both events. I have run 8 previous marathons, but the 70.3 Ironman will be my first of this distance. I have completed various sprint triathlons and olympic triathlons, but have not competed at the half Ironman distance.

Training is lacking in the swim area...I seem to struggle with getting in the pool, especially on cold winter days. I am attending a swim clinic on Sunday and am hoping this gives me new motivation for the swim leg of the event and more motivation for getting in the pool. I have been attending a group ride class 3-4 times a week to increase my strength on the bike. As a runner, I am very confident in this leg. I also incoporate strength training (group power) into my workouts 3 times a week.

After January 1, I am hoping to incorporate long rides and bricks into my workout schedule and to actually get in the pool to swim.