Just the Girls!!

Today Mara and I ran with two of my girlfriends at their pace (average 9:50) for 1:34:21. It was AWESOME!! It was a very easy run for us and I feel great now!! It was so nice to have girl time where we can chat and run and catch up on things. I enjoy running with Tim, but I really enjoy it when I get to have girl time :)

I am going to go take a nap and rest up for the coming week. I have lots of increases this week...in strength training, running distances, seat time, and time in the pool. Hopefully the pool water is warmer this week than last week!!

Thanks Ron for fixing my Bike!!

Today I biked at the garage in Des Moines with other Zoom athletes. I had a great workout until I popped a tube in my tire...UGH. I rode almost 28 miles in 1:50:56. I was suppose to ride for 2:20:00. I took my bike into the shop and they fixed the tire rim and replaced the tube for free as I have popped 4 tubes since Christmas and they found out that the plastic covering in the rim was pinching the tube and blowing the tube. Good thing they have it fixed and I hope I don't pop any more tubes!!

After the ride I went to the gym and lifted weights today for about 40:00. This was a great workout today!! I am looking forward to tomorrow's easy run...Next week starts to pump things up!!

New Saddle...YIPPEE!!

Today was a weight training program this morning for one hour. I was specifically told by my coach that I should not do more than 2 sets of each exercise today and this coming Saturday as I will be stepping it up a bit next week. This was hard for me to do as I normally do 3 sets of each exercise...so to compensate for the fewer reps I increased my weights. She didn't tell me not to do this, so it is ok...right???

I also got on the bike in the basement this afternoon for one hour. The best part...my new saddle (bike seat) came in the mail today and I actually had a comfortable ride!! No pain in the a**!! (Hehe) I think I might be in love with my new saddle (don't tell Tim). Saturday will be the true test (2.5 hours will tell all)!! I will keep you posted.

I am actually ahead on this week's workouts...I was suppose to do the ride tomorrow. Now I can do my long Sunday run tomorrow morning and have a day of rest on Friday and Sunday of this week...I won't know what to do with myself this weekend...and Tim is gone to a Men's church retreat, so it is just me and the girls!! I love to be able to relax and enjoy my time :)

So much for the Caribbean!!

I ran 6.82 miles this morning on the treadmill doing a fartlek routine. I ran for 60 min and then 5 min cool down with a total distance o 7.02 miles. After school I went to the pool and swam for 40 minutes (1650 yards) in FREEZING cold water. What happened to the Caribbean temperatures? It is days like today (when it is cold outside and in the pool) that I don't want to get in the pool and swim.

Wonderful Ride Depsite the Blizzard

I had a great ride for 60:00 in the basement this afternoon despite the blizzard conditions outside and the very sore bumm from my cheap, stock saddle. I ordered a new saddle and it was shipped today. I hope it is here before this weekend's long ride!! I wish I had a solution for the wicked Mother Nature. I am starting to wish spring would hurry to get here!! I miss the sunshine and could use a good dose of vitamin D!!

EXHAUSTED

Yesterday's exercising:
1. Long run: We ran 12.26 miles in 1:51:31. The goal was for the first half to be a minute per mile slower than the last half. My first half was run at an average pace of 9:36 and the second half was run with an average pace of 8:27. Goal Achieved!!

2. Swim: 2200 yards in 60:00. I was very tired after the run in the morning, but successfully completed the workout. I had some leg cramping, but worked through that as well.

Good thing this is a "down" week :)

An AMAZING Day of Exercise

Today's accomplishments include:
1. A 2.5 hour ride in the basement with 6 friends. It is amazing how quickly 2.5 hours goes by when you have 6 friends there to not only support you but distract you, motivate you and push you to your limits. I got to 2 hours before I even realized it. The last .5 hours were a struggle, but I did it!! 35 miles (at a slower than desirable pace), but I still did it!!

2. 1.5 hours of weight training after riding. I was very tired and thus had trouble doing some of the exercises with proper form (so stopped on those exercises so I did not injure myself). None-the-less, I had a great work out.

I really wanted a nap after all of this, but instead I ate, showered, went to the grocery store, church, cooked dinner, ate and am finally ready for a nap...too bad it will be the 8+ hour kind and not the short afternoon kind...maybe tomorrow :)

Goal Almost Achieved!!

I have almost achieved my goal for the week: Complete every work out on the day that it is scheduled.

I have completed my Monday-Friday workouts on the scheduled days (my workout weeks start on Monday and go to Sunday)...only 2 days left :) I know I can do it now. This is the first week of the new year that was actually completed according to plan :)

One of my favorite quotes comes from Aristotle:
"We are what we repeatedly do." Only when you train like a marathoner/triathlete can you become a marathoner/triathlete!!

Slacker

Ok. I have obviously been slacking on keeping my posting updated. Probably because I had a HORRIBLE week last week!! I only did about 1/2 of my scheduled workouts and was at school much more than I should have been!! This week I am back on track and going to complete ALL workouts on their scheduled day.

Monday morning I went to group ride at 5:30 am and rode about 10.5 miles in the 50 minute class. Monday evening I went to Core Strength for Athletes class and really worked my core muscles. I am still sore today!!

Tuesday morning I slept in as I knew I was meeting a friend in the afternoon for a run and swim. I ran 50 min of hill repeats (5.38 miles) and got my butt kicked!! A couple of the hills toward the end were really difficult for me. I figured it was ok that my pace was a bit slower on these hills as I had a GREAT run Sunday (12.64 miles with an average pace of 8:43...the last 3 miles had an average pace of 8:25)!! After the run I ate dinner and then went to the pool for my swim workout. I swam 1750 yards (just over a mile) doing a variety of scheduled drills and strokes. The hardest part for me is getting to the pool, getting in the pool and swimming the first 100 yards. The pool water is definitely not warm like the Caribbean ocean!!

Today, I am off to the gym to do my weight training (despite the crummy roads) routine. It should be about 1.5 hours of wonderful pain :)

What a Weekend

Friday was my day of rest...does shoveling snow for 2.25 hours count as rest???

Saturday morning I got up and rod the bike in the basement for 1.5 hours of complete torture. I had a plan and followed it, but definitely wished there were others down there with me to keep me company. I decided it is better to ride while watching a movie I already know, because I don't have to pay as close attention and it is really loud downstairs when the fan is on, the bike is spinning and the tv is on, but the volume can not go up loud enough to listen carefully at times.

Saturday afternoon we got 1/8 of a bison...we had it for dinner last night...VERY tasty and full of wonderful nutrients with no fat...FABULOUS!!

Today I went to the gym and lifted weights this morning. Came home, ate lunch, took a nap and then went for a run. I could definitely tell that I worked hard on the bike yesterday as I had a VERY challenging run today. We ran 1:40:00 (10 miles) outside with winds approximately 20 mph from the s/sw and the windchill was around 4 degrees. It was a little chilly at first, but I warmed up quickly. I must say that this was not a pleasant run...VERY CHALLENGING. My muscles were tired from cycling and weights...even though I went a much slower pace than normal for me, I finished and decided it was a success as I finished the whole 1:40:00 without stopping. I am definitely glad I am done!!

Winter Wonderland

Last night Tim and I went for a 50 minute run (~5.5 miles) of hills on gravel during the snowfall. IT WAS AMAZING!! I LOVE WINTER RUNNING...when it is not windy and really cold!! After shoveling, yet again, this morning, I went to they gym and rode the stationary bike for 60 minutes (~17 miles) of hills (Mt. Kilamanjaro level 7). I "sweat like a pig" and it was great. When Tim gets off work, we will head to the gym and do a strength training routine for about one hour. Hopefully we will get to the pool tonight for about 1 hour and then I can take the day off tomorrow :)

Food Poisoned...UGH!!

Sunday evening Tim and I ate some dinner that we made that was very bad for our systems. We are not sure what part of the soup was bad, but we have both been miserable (GI tract was an absolute mess) for the last two days. Yesterday I went to school and ran to the restroom periodically. I didn't sleep all night and was up on multiple occasions visiting the restroom, so I didn't go to school today. I feel so much better now!! I am able to keep water in my system and food is not "running" through me!! I think I could go for a run...too bad it is so cold outside!! We threw out all of the left overs from Sunday evening's dinner...the trash smelled as bad as we have for the last two days...YUCK!!

I went to group ride yesterday morning despite the food poisoning and thought I was going to die the whole class (I was nearly certain I was going to lose everything that was in my gut) as I really did not feel well. I am so ready to go tomorrow morning now that I actually feel well!! This is the first time I have ever had food poisoning...I sincerely hope it is my last experience with it!!

New Year's Resolutioners

Went to the gym today and ran for 65 minutes on the treadmill followed by 75 minutes of weight training. Now that I am working with Zoom Performance for training, I have to do all of my workouts based on minutes. This will be a challenge for me as I have been running, biking, swimming, etc. based on distance for the last 5 years and timing how long these distances take. I am looking forward to the challenge. I was suppose to run for 80 minutes today, but when I got to the gym the treadmills were full and I had to wait...this is a problem when the weight training class has a specific time that it starts. I am thinking I may stop going to that class and just do weight training on my own...we will see how crazy it gets with all of these New Year's Resolutioners. I am not a fan of this time of year and gym workouts :(

Welcome 2010!!

This morning we went for a 4 mile run OUTSIDE...can you say COLD!! When we were protected from the northwest wind it wasn't bad, but when we were running into the wind it was brutal!! Mara had a great time...we let her off leash the whole time as we were near some wooded areas and not on main roads. She leaped and bound through the snow.

We ate awful last night and again today when we went to a friend's house today for lunch. I am ready to get back on my diet and feel better again. No more insulin peaks and valleys!! I have felt so much better these last 6 weeks without the whites than I have...probably ever!! It takes a couple of meals that are not part of the diet for me to realize the strength of the fabulous diet!!