Christmas run 12.25.09

40 degrees in dreary Indiana. Light sprinkle that turned into a steady drip with strong wind gusts. Grey skies and a 10 mile radius from one end of town to the other. Thank goodness I ran this day because the days that followed were plaqued by the stomach flu and little energy for 3 days. I ran my usual route to the local park, through town, pass the post office, the high school and back to my moms. I covered 1/2 of town in less than an hour.

mile 1: 9:31 pace
mile 2: 9:31
mile 3: 9:24
mile 4: 9:30
mile 5: 9:28
time: 49:23

12.19.09 long run

total miles= 10, time 1:28. Since it's 2 weeks after this run on the trail I can only post details of a 10 mile run in stat form. Sorry friends....The posse consisted of Dana, Teresa, myself & Jenn.

mile 1: 10:15 pace
mile 2: 10:30
mile 3: 10:24
mile 4: 8:39 (this is the mile Jenn decided sprints would be a good idea ;)
mile 5: 9:38
mile 6: 9:32
mile 7: 9:27
mile 8: 9:18
mile 9: 9:24
mile 10: 9:14

12.18.09 body flex

12.17.09 Tempo run

Total miles 6. Very tired tonight when I got home from work but I was determined to get my tempo run in.

"Run Less, Run Faster" tempo run week 1

2 miles at easy pace @ 9:40
3 miles at short tempo pace @ 8:04
1 mile at easy pace @ 9:40

Thank goodness Oprah had a tragic story on to distract me from the pain during the 3 mile stretch of 8:04. This was definately a challange but more comfortable than the track run 2 days prior.

Back to "THE book" track run 12.15.09

Back to my "run less, run faster" workouts. I've decided to not omit any runs or shorten the 18 week plan. I picked a more challenging 5K time which will make my runs faster. This track run was a challenge.

10 min warm up at 9:30 pace
12 x 400 meter with 90 sec RI
I ran all the repeats at 7:25 pace with the 1st 6 RI's at 8:30
I couldn't keep up the fast recovery pace so I kept the repeats at 7:25 but slowed the RI to 9:30 for the last 6.
10 min cool down (I had to walk this)
Total miles just shy of 7.

With 2 more repeats to go I felt a wave of nausea come over me and a feeling that I couldn't go any further. I dug deep mentally & physically and pushed through it. I had to talk my shoulders down away from my ears and tell myself I could finish. I may decide to back down my goal pace. I based this work out on a 24 min 5K (my last plan I used the 26 min 5K). I'm going to run my tempo run this Thursday & then decide.

Mon 12.14.09 Body flex

Another weight training day down. Love/hate them. I love the fact that they help me gain strength but hate the entire hour of lifing. Kelly conducts a great class and always challenges us to push ourselves.

Sat run 12.12.09

total miles 10, time 1:42:12. Jenn finally came out with us so we ran her out 2 miles on the trail and ran her back 2 miles. Great run for Jenn since she hadn't run but a mile here & there recently. From there me, T, Dana and Andrew set out for 6 more miles.

mile 1: 10:47 pace
mile 2: 10:55
mile 3: 11:58 (didn't stop watch at short walking break)
mile 4: 10:37
mile 5: 9:49
mile 6: 9:45
mile 7: 9:39
mile 8: 9:18
mile 9: 9:39
mile 10: 9:41

My plan is to add another mile next Saturday and keep the same pace.

body flext 12.10.09

Friday morning body flex with Toni Ann. 1 hour of weights, 4 minutes each muscle group. My body is just now getting use to incorporating weights. I've avoided weights for 3 months. My plan is to weight train M-W-F with running in between and hopefully squeezing a bike ride in.

12.10.09 B-E-A-UTIFUL RUN

5 miles 42:34 splits: 8:59/8:45/8:27/8:12/8:09. I ran with purpose which seems to be the latest craze these days :) pleased with this run considering I ate twiced baked potatoes, meat loaf & a pumpkin cream muffin. Who punishes themself like this before a run? There is definately something to running in the morning; less time to mess up your diet before the run....

12.06.09 long run w/ Dana

11 miles, 1:43:59. 6am on a Sunday run with Dana. Our Saturday run was cancelled due to alot of rain.

It was about 45 degrees when we started out. We had our ear warmers & gloves on. It felt great.

mile 1: 9:46
mile 2: 9:43
mile 3: 9:37
mile 4: 9:22
mile 5: 9:23
mile 6: 9:19
mile 7: 9:16
mile 8: 9:06
mile 9: 9:24
mile 10: 9:29
mile 11: 9:22

Best pace so far for that many miles!!!!!!!

11.18.09 bike

20 mile ride on the beautiful Suncoast/Starkey trail. Longest ride thus far on my little bike. It couldn't have come at a better time. With Wednesday being the middle of the week and having the remnants of the Mon & Tues work garbage and the anticipation of the weekend upon me. I left my cases that I have to finish reviewing by tomorrow & drove to the trail for some much needed decompression. My goal was to finish 20 miles & keep it under a 17 mph pace. Average pace ended up being 17.4, max pace 20.5, 826 calories burned, total time 1:09:19. I stayed in my aero bars the whole ride & wondered if I would feel the effects of this in a couple days.

During my ride I saw 4 turtles, 1 black snake with a white stripe down his back crossing the trail and lots of birds. Once I reached the Suncoast I caught a glance of Mr. Alligator sunning himself in a nearby ditch. What a glorious ride that could only be better with company.

Tip of the day: Do not get out of the saddle to climb after putting in long miles, it only calls attention to your hurting parts that you have to sit back into.

Wild life: 4 turtles, 1 snake, lots of birds & an alligator.

11.17.09 5K

5K...time 26:00. After getting the girls off to school I decided on a road run instead of the treadmill. It was 65 degrees and very comfortable. After running 12 miles on Sunday I would have thought that a short run today would seem alot easier, not so. It felt hard. My breathing and feet felt heavier. I'm pretty sure I know the culprit, my diet. Yesterday started out well but did not end well as far as nutrition. I ate a whole grain bagel w/ peanut butter & apple. For lunch I ate a whole wheat flat bread sandwich with turkey and low fat provolone, one serving of peanuts, (and here is where it goes down hill) and a hand full of sun chips. 2 hours later when the girls came home from school I had a hand full of regular potatoe chips and 5 twizzlers. For dinner I ate a piece of skinless chicken seasoned w/ Lowrey's salt & squash w/ salt. See a theme here?.....SALT. Thank goodness I gave up soft drinks a long time ago or it would only added to my sodium binge. Today I'm planning to do better, however we have small group tonight w/ lots of "fat-girl dips" & deserts. 5 more days until the Women's Half Marathon! LORD give me strength.

11.14.09 Long run

What a great morning to run. The weather was awesome, a little cool to start and perfect for the finish. Dana, Tand I hit the trail early with a 12 mile goal to run with the Striders. It was dark when we started but it soon became light for the rest of the run. We ran out 5 miles, back 5 miles plus 2 miles off the trail past a few of the pavilions. The pace was faster than last weekend and there were NO walking stops. The last mile we met up with Andrew and he ran with us to keep us company. Here are the recorded laps:

Mile 1: Ave pace 10:41
Mile 2: 10:29
Mile 3: 10:22
Mile 4: 12:57 (forgot to stop watch at water stop)
Mile 5: 10:15
Mile 6: 10:21
Mile 7: 10:03
Mile 8: 10:10
Mile 9: 10:02
Mile 10: 10:18
Mile 11: 10:25
Mile 12: 10:27

11.13.09 bike ride

Friday the 13th and nothing unlucky about it. I got to head to the trail with my bestest friend Teresa. She played hookie from work and I was there to support her. Around 10am we both had our kids dropped off at school and our bikes loaded. The weather was beautiful, warm sun/cool wind. A little more wind than I hoped for but I will take it.

As we headed out on our bikes I took the lead into the wind. We rode out 8 miles and took a drink break. We discussed alot of great ideas like promoting Team Tri-a-licious for next tri season and deciding who we would want as teammates. After a much productive "board meeting" we were on our bikes for our beautiful 8 mile ride back. T took the lead which added speed. We made one more stop to see Mr. Alligator in the pond and finished our ride with smiles on both of our faces. It's not very often that 2 close friends like me & T get to play hookie on the same day.

Total distance 16 miles.....average pace 17.1, max 21.7. Going out we stayed around 17 into the wind and coming back around 19. Due to the fact that I didn't restart my watch right away after our turn around our ave pace I recorded coming back is lower than actual pace.

11.11.09 spin

With the weather being wet I went to Cherise's 45 min spin class. My quads were feeling it.

11.10.09 tempo run

I deviated from my "Run Less, Run Faster" program and ran what I felt like running on the treadmill.

Mile 1 9:00 pace
Mile 2 8:05 pace
Mile 3 7:35 pace
Mile 4 8:05 pace
Mile 5 9:00 pace

It felt good to push myself.

11.07.09 long run

Long run with the Striders and T. Our plan was to do 12 miles and we did them. The last 2 were not pretty. Great pace on the rest.

Mile 1: 10:21 ave pace
Mile 2: 10:25
Mile 3: 10:25
Mile 4: 10:31
Mile 5: 10:19
Mile 6: 10:36
Mile 7: 10:33
Mile 8: 10:31
Mile 9: 11:14
Mile 10: 10:38
Mile 11: 11:57
Mile 12: 11:52

12 mile attempt next weekend as well with Dana included. She was at a conference this weekend.

11.05.09 track run

Deviated from "Run Less, Run Faster" to get an outside run in after eatting all the fried food when my parents were in town. At 7pm when it was somewhat cooler I hit the road.

mile 1: ave pace 9:05
mile 2: 8:48
mile 3: 8:40
mile 4: 8:39

4 mile run...Total time 35:15

mom & dad in town 10/31-11/04 no training

10.31.09

Long run with the Striders. Me, T and Dana were at the trail at 6:15 this morning. The plan was to do 10 miles. T had to leave after mile 6 and Dana and I finished the rest out.

mile 1- ave pace 10:26
mile 2- 10:31
mile 3- 11:07 (water stop & didn't stop watch)
mile 4- 12:15 (tail end of water stop & didn't stop watch)
mile 5- 10:46
mile 6- 10:56
mile 7- 10:34
mile 8-11:02 (water stop)
mile 9-10:01
mile 10-9:39

Total time 1:47:19...We will try to beat this time next weekend :)

10.29.09 track run

5 miles on the treadmill at 8:56 pace. Legs STILL sore from Tuesdays interval run so I was glad when the miles read "5" and I was able to get off. I will take a break tomorrow to allow myself time to rest before Saturdays long run...13 miles!

10.28.09 swim

So proud of myself that I actually got in the pool. First swim since my first tri. It actually felt real good and not having the pressure of an upcoming race made it a great swim.

400 free-style
100 kick board
200 arms
400 free-style faster speed
100 kick
100 arms
100 cool down

My legs were sore from the 7 miles on the treadmill the day prior so the kick board was more of a challenge. Total meters 1400.

Track run 10.27.09

Ran on the treadmill today for the first run of the week...

10 min warm up at 10:31 pace
1 mile (400 RI) @ 8:20
2 miles (800 RI) @ 8:20
2 x 800m (400 RI) @ 8:20
10 min cool down at 10:31 pace

total miles 7 and some change.

....................challenging!

long run 10.25.09

Great run this evening with T & Dana. We put away 10 miles at an average pace of 10:15. Legs are a little stiff but it was worth it. Great conversation with great friends. The weather was nice and cool. It's what we've all been waiting for :)

bike 10.23.09

Beautiful day on the Suncoast.

I rode about 15-16 miles at an unknown pace (left my Garmin at home). Longest distance since tri-training. The breeze was cool and the sun was hot. I met a named man Troy from St. Louis who said he did the International distance at Longleaf last weekend. I applaudid him and was unable to imagine myself doing that distance at this point. He made my day when he told me that I looked like and had a build like a Triathlete. He had just rode alot of miles on his bike and ran. He was clearly delusional from his work-out. Thank you Troy! I spent the rest of my time at the trail with a big smile on my face. Wish T could have been there. She would have enjoyed it.

tempo run 10.22.09

Feeling alot better since my first day back to training.

Todays scheduled run 5 miles at mid-tempo pace @ 9:01.

My version (I was a little short on time): 3 1/2 miles @ 8:56 pace (closest to 9:01 that treadmill would do) and the last mile 8:20 pace. Total miles 4 1/2.

I had to take Hannah to gymnastics.

run 10.20.09

First run after my triathlon...I started out with good intension with my track run wrote out on a little piece of scrap paper "10 min work up, 3 x 1600 @ 8:13 pace w/ 10 min cool down". As soon as my legs started to move I soon realized the pain in my calves, shins and quads. My whole body felt tired.....So maybe a day & 1/2 is not enough recovery after a tri, who knew?....

I settled for a 5k run in the beautiful 80 degree weather. My splits were as followed:

9:36 mile 1
9:28 mile 2
9:32 mile 3

5k time 29:39...

I will allow myself one more day of rest and then it's on!!!

FIRST TRIATHLON...LONGLEAF race #566

This is how it all went down. Woke up at 5:20 am after a descent nights rest. T, Lee & Leland came to pick me up at 6 am. A brisk 46 degrees greated me when I walked outside. I was bundled up in 2 jackets, yoga pants, tennis shoes and gloves. We arrived at the dark, cold parking field and carried our bikes and gear across the prickly field to avoid any flats. Found myself one rack deep which is not too shabby and set up my transition. Around 7:30 we made our way down to the lake. IT WAS COLD!! I tried to keep myself from shivering to avoid burning the calories I had carefully stored for the race by running around the field which boardered the water. Just prior to race start a group of my wonderful friends showed up to cheer me on....Scott, Hannah, Grace, Barb, Dana, Todd, Cory and the Striders.

One by one the swimmers entered the water in a staggered fashion. T jumped in just before I did. I ran into the water about 42 minutes after start time and found myself in brown, WARM water. It was difficult to sight where I was or where I was going after starting my swim. My muscles were cold and the swim felt HARD!! I just kept telling myself it would all be over and I didn't want to think "I couldve gone faster" so I just kept swimming. I was exhausted by the time I ran out of the water. I ran at a good steady pace into transition which was about 1/8 mile from the water. Transition went well with only a little difficulty of putting my helmet on. My hands and feet were numb. My friends again were there to cheer me on :) I mounted my bike without difficulties and found myself in some tough head-wind on the way out. I passed alot of riders and never got passed by any athletes, that was encouraging. I saw T heading back on my way out & she looked strong & happy. We yelled at eachother to keep it up!! On the way back in the wind was at my back and the ride felt fast!! Transition into the bike area and heading out to my run was again very smooth (I unclipped from my bike without injury). My feet were still numb when I headed out for the run. I felt strong and again found myself passing alot of athletes. The final leg through Longleaf neighborhood was the best. The last mile had us making a square and again I saw T heading out of the square before I entered and was able to yell "Go Tiajuana!". There were people yelling and cheering all the athletes on. When I rounded the last corner I saw more friends and my family. Jenn & Josh & Ryan were there now as well. Jenn was holding up a sign for me & T and everyone cheered loud. It was what I needed to finish strong. I crossed the finish line in 1:09:56 and was glad it was all over. T was waiting for me with a cold towel and I just gave her a big hug. The weather was so cold that I didn't even break a sweat on the run. The following are my stats....

I finished 2nd my age group & earned a trophy. Overall time 1:09:56 (T also finished 2nd in her age group)

400m swim-7:48
Transition 1-3:35
9 mile bike/T2-33:38 ave speed 17 mph with 21.6 mph best
5 K run-24:56....YEAH!!!! mile 1 8:13 ave pace/best 7:03. mile 2 8:16/best 7:08. mile 3 7:48 ave pace/6:14 best. last 1/10 mile 7:39/best 5:37.

10.15.09 swim & bike

Needed to swim & bike mentally before the race.

Swam for 40 minutes & not sure of the distance due to the fact that my mind was thinking how discouraging it was to be swimming so slow just prior to Longleaf Tri. I came home & biked 9 miles which raised my spirits (I felt fast). The next couple of days will be my rest and Longleaf Sunday.

track run 10.13.09

6 miles on the dreadmill.

10 min warm up 10:30 pace
6 x 800 with at 8:13 pace with 1:30 RI
15 min cool down at 10:30 pace

GOOD RUN :)

Swim 10.12.09

100 free-style warm up
400 medium speed free-style
50 kick, 150 arms
400 medium speed free-style
50 kick and 50 arms
100 cool down

total distance 1300 meters

Long run 10.11.09

After eatting a fattening dinner at Beefs for Madison's 15th birthday me and T headed to Starkey for our long run. We ran 8 miles at an average 10:30 pace. We walked about 3-4 times briefly and had a great run. It got dark alot sooner that we expected and the car headlights were blinding. Even with the sun down it was HOT!!

10/10/09 Julia's run for a reason

Took Grace, Hannah and Hannah's friend Emerald to the Starkey Trail at 7am for Julia's Run for a Reason. Met T & her family there and Leland and Lee did the 5K. Leland came in 1st in his age group, to no suprise. he is crazy fast. i think his time was 24. the little ones all did the 1 mile fun run. it was hot, hot, hot. the kids enjoyed that they got a medal and the after race activities were fun. i worked up a sweat trying to keep up with Grace during the run. Hannah & Emerald ran to win and their time was 10 minutes :)

swim 10.09.09 16 year anniversary

climbed in the water around 10am with intensions of swimming only. i did 100 free-style warm-up, 400 at medium pace and decided to get out of the water and go get on my bike. i did the 400 swim in 8:30. came home & transitioned to the bike and rode 9 miles in 30:35 which is a good time considering that i rode in the neighborhood breaking for cars and riding around lawncare trucks. transitioned to the run and ran 5k in the hot 11:30 am sun. average pace 8:17 with best pace at 7:31 and finished feeling like i couldn't give anything else. hopped in the shower and started my anniversary celebration with my husband who also had the day off.

Tempo run 10.08.09

5 miles at mid tempo pace (9:01) on the dreadmill. not much to tell except for i found it odd not to do a warm up run or cool down. thats what the book called for so i did it. wasn't too difficult. i stretched well and headed home.

Bike 10.07.09

Rode 13 miles mid morning on the trail. i found it difficult to stay down in my aerobars for more than 3 miles at a time due to the shoulder strength it requires. i thought after all those "4 minute shoulders with Shannon" work outs i would have done better. time to hit the gym again. i did find more speed while being in them. going out i rode an average speed of 16-18 and on the way back i was able to push for 21-22 mph at times. after getting off the bike the sun was nice and hot and i tested out my bike legs on the run. i ran 1/2 mile and found my pace around 7:15-7:30. i wasn't able to sustain that pace, i just wanted to get a feel for it. good workout!!

Track run 10.06.09

Ran on the treadmill...

10 min warm up at 10:30 pace
6 x 800 with 90 sec RI
5 min cool down at 10:30 pace
5 min walking

Total distance 6 miles at 8:13 pace....Very tired!!!! How T got through that one with blisters on her feet is amazing to me.

Swim 10.05.09

The hardest swim I've done in a long time. I only swam a total of 800 meters. I had no stamina and felt like I couldn't breath easy most of the time.

100 warm up free style
100 kick/100 arms
400 medium speed free style
100 cool down

I climbed out of the pool very disappointed and chalked it up to needing more rest, too many miles running this weekend.

long run w/ T 10.04.09

T came to my house for our 6am run. We ran a total of 9 miles with a few periods of walking. It took about 2 1/2 hours to complete. Our next goal is to cut down on the walks and finish in less time. Ave pace 10:30. T left with blisters on her feet and friction rubs everywhere else. Poor T!!

Run with Andrew & bike 10.03.09

Andrew & I hit the trail about 6:45 am. I ran 2.2 miles out with him and turned around went the sun started to come up so I could bike. I ran 2.2 miles back for a total of 4.4 miles at around a 9 min pace. I got on my bike and rode 10 miles while Andrew finished his 8.5 miles. I got into my aerobars for the first time with success and without injury. My shoulders are not use to being in that position for very long and I had to change my hand positions a few times throughout my ride. I let Andrew borrow my Garmin so I'm not sure how fast I went.

swim 10.02.09

I've waited too long to blog this swim & can't remember all I did. I do remember feeling strong and that I had my arms do alot of the work by really stretching my strokes out and adding speed. I swam for 45 minutes which is my usual 1500 meters work out.

Run #2 for the week 10.01.09

Today was a twofer. Swam in the am and now the run.

Using week 13 in "Run Less, Run Faster" I had to run a total of 6 miles at long tempo pace which is 9:16. Since the closest pace on the treadmill was 9:13 thats what I ran at.

6 miles at 9:13 pace

I felt strong for all the miles and had to use my towel to sop up all the sweat. It felt good to be done and now I anticipate a great long run with T this Sunday:)

swim 10.01.09

Cooler weather is on its way and the swim is less inviting. Air temp was 77 so it wasn't bad. I've learned not to touch the water or wait around to get in, I just jump in and suck it up!!

100 free-style warm up
300 total of kick & arms
400 medium speed free-style
200 kick & arms
300 medium speed free-style
100 cool down
total distance 1400 meters

Light stretching in the water to top it off and the swim was done:)

Run #1 09.28.09

Another run down on the treadmill.

10 min warm up @ 10:30 pace
6 x 800 8:13 pace
90 sec RI between 800's
10 min cool down @ 10:30 pace

total miles 5.45, time 50 minutes

Run with the Striders 09.26.09

After 2 tough work outs I planned to run 10 miles with some of the veteran Strider Runners. I was a little scared of the condition my legs would be in at a 10 mile/9.5 pace. I met Rebecca and Mel at 6am. The pace was easy and alot more relaxed than I expected. Rebecca turned around at 3 1/2 miles to walk back. She has a hip injury that she is trying to heal before her full marathan in 2 weeks.

Mel and I continued on without any idea what we were about to experience @ mile 7....We could hear it way before we saw it. Whatever it was was tearing through the woods aggressively. We kept running, thank goodness because it ran across the trail about 25 meters behind us. What a close call that was!!! An UGLY wild boar. If I never see that again it will be too soon. We finished up at mile 10 and met back up with Rebecca to walk another mile for a cool down. The only ache I had was in my feet. I do need new shoes.

09.25.09 Swim

100 warm up free-style
25 fast, 25 easy
50 fast, 50 easy
75 fast, 75 easy
50 fast, 50 easy
25 fast, 25 easy
1 minute RI
Repeat x 1 more time (the book says 2 more times but i didn't have it in me)
100 kick, 100 arms
100 cool down
total distance 1300

After coming home and showering I could tell that I worked hard because my whole body was tired and sore. The run thurs & the swim drill of today were some of the toughest work outs thus far and I only just started with the book workouts. I'm hopeful that these challenging work outs will push me past the comfort zone I've kept myself in.

track run 09.24.09

i thought i would loath getting on the treadmill. last time i was on one i ran speed drills with Shannon & T. it was the first REAL track run from "Run Less, Run Faster", grouling :0

warm up x 10 min @ 10:30 pace
12 x 400 @ 1:57 (8:13 pace)
90 second RI
10 min cooldown @ 10:30 pace
total miles 10K
total time 1:03

at first i felt like this work out was going to be easy. by the 4th 400 i knew it would be more like a challenge.

Pimped out ride 09.23.09

Hit the trail by myself today for the first time. Tara was sick & T has a job (that gets in the way of my training with her-darn it!). On with the ride. Used my Garmen in bike mode & i rode 9 miles in 31:15. Great time!!! Total miles 13. it got me motivated to head to Suncoast Bikes.

i pimped out my ride with Aerobars, new tape to match the bike, fuel tank and pouch to carry my sports beans in. i am now tri ready. i also picked up my first pair of tri shorts. 1 hour at the bike shop $275.00. riding on the trial looking stylish-PRICELESS!!

Track Run 09.22.09

so i didn't do a "track run". it was raining heavier than a light sprinkle so i couldnt wear my Garmin. since the point was to do some speed training i ran fast at a "pushing uncomfortable" pace. my best guest would be around 8:30. distance was a 5K. next time it rains i think i will wear my Garmen anyway & protect it with a baggie & 2 rubber bands. thats what McGiver would do!!

Swim 09.21.09

speed work in the pool.

100 free-style warm up
2 x 200 drills (175 medium speed, 25 sprint)
2 x 200 kick
2 x 200 arms
100 sprint
100 cool down

total distance 1500 meters..no messin around!!

unknown ride

Mid afternoon ride on the trial with T. we started with a few mock transitions to work out all the kinks and to gage what it is i need to work on before race day. i found that clipping into my bike will probably be my greatest challenge without getting run over or falling trying to get out of them after the ride.

The picture to the right is my best attempt to air my tires to 130 psi. i thought there was something wrong with my pump until T EASILY aired them up where they needed to be with EASE. that is why she is the pit crew & i just ride. T-THANK YOU FOR DOING ALL THE WORK. on with the ride.....

T's computer & garmin was dead so i proudly said "no worries, i've got mine" only to have to tell her half way through the ride that i didn't even start my watch. that is why this ride is titled "the unknown ride". who knows how many miles or how fast. it was a good ride regardless. T did say this ride was more difficult and that her legs were tired. later in conversation she figured out that she didnt eat breakfast or lunch. alot of mysteries are solved on these Sunday rides. after leaving the trail T decided she would eat a meal and I would go home & work on my upper body strength. she may not always be there to air my tires :0

Run with Striders

Up at 5:30 this Saturday morning for a run with the Striders. Me, T & Andrew hit the trail before the sun came up. It was a little erie at the start but that all changed once the sun provided some light. It's usually a rough roll out of bed that early but as soon as I hit the trail I know its all worth it. We ran 6 miles at around 10:15 pace. My Garmin was dead this morning after leaving it on all night....bummer. T ran strong and confident today and I was so proud of her. Derek snuck up on us around 4 miles into the run and him and Andrew finished strong together. Me & T took a couple water breaks and popped a few sports beans for fun. Always enjoy the Saturday runs with great friends and great conversation. Tomorrow the bike :)

Swim 09.18.09

Best swim to date....100 meter free-style warm up and 900 meters continuous swim at medium speed (was so excited)....then 200 kick board, 200 arms and 100 cool down..great swim, total distance 1500 meters...whoop whoop!!

Hottest run ever!!! 09.17.09

2:30 in the afternoon is not a smart time to run outside, no clouds, no wind, no shade. 93 degrees with 100% humidity. the plan was to run 6 miles with 3 being short tempo pace, that did not happen.

first 2 miles were done at 10:21 pace. (per plan)
1 mile at short tempo pace of 8:46. (2 miles short of plan)
1 mile at easy pace 9:28. (too fast per plan, wanted to get it over)

it was a smart decision to not prolong the agony because it took a good hour to recover afterwards. next run will be before the sun rises or after it goes down.

bike w/ Tara 09.16.09

Another 15 mile bike with Tara. Proud of both of us since we again remembered to air up our tires, stretch and not do an figure 8's on the trail in front of other riders. The bike felt good & the sun felt hot. Good company and calories burned :) I do need to get my cadence sensor to work. Haven't set it up and I've had it for 3 weeks.

swim 09.15.09

Strong mid-afternoon swim today. I tried out a swimming drill that "Run Less, Run Faster" suggested...

100 meter free-style warmup
25 meter fast, 25 slow
50 fast, 50 slow
75 fast, 75 slow
50 fast, 50 slow
25 fast, 25 slow
1 min RI (I was suppose to repeat that 2 more times for the whole work out. I felt it too challenging at this point to complete it.) So, I substituted and did the following:

200 (175 medium, 25 sprint)
100 kickboard & 100 arms
100 cool down.........Total swimming distance 1050 meters.

run 09.13.09

First run after reading "Run Less, Run Faster". This book focuses on a 3 day a week run with 2 days of cross training which will make it more feasable to train for the 1/2 marathan & triathalon. Since I missed my long run which was rained out yesterday I ran it tonight.................
8 mile run without T, long & lonely...according to this book my goal pace is 9:46 for 8 miles.
Mile 1 9:54 ave pace,
Mile 2 9:43,
Mile 3 9:51,
Mile 4 9:53,
Mile 5 9:48,
Mile 6 9:40,
Mile 7 8:32, I sped it up to get home faster
Mile 8 9:28.

The next 2 runs for the week will be track repeats of 12 x 400 meters @ 1:57 and a tempo run of 2 miles easy at 10:21, 3 miles @ short tempo at 8:46 and 1 mile easy at 10:21. I'm excited to put this running plan with cross training to the test & change things up. 1/2 marathon pace goal is 9:26.

Mock Tri 09/10/09

With no intensions to swim/bike & run this afternoon i headed to the pool. i did a 100 warm up & felt strong. thats when the idea of timing my swim & adding the bike & run came to me. i had the time & felt good. i swam 400 meters in 7 1/2 minutes & swam 225 more for more training. ran after the swim since i did not have my bike w/ me. i ran 2 miles & shaved the last mile off due to the extra swim. 1st mile at 8:42 pace & 2nd mile at 8:36 pace. the run was sooo hot at 1 pm. i then got in my car & drove home, got on my bike & rode 9 miles in 34 minutes. my bike time was dissappointing however i had to slow down a few times to avoid the inconsiderate drivers that wouldnt get over. without transition my total time was 1:07:11 (i had to estimate mile 3 for the run at around 8:45). i reviewed last years Longleaf results to compare my time to who placed. the time to beat was 1:10:50. i now question my swim time since first place swim was 8:32 for the 1/4 mile. i will time myself again on my next swim & see how accurate i was. im now motivated to train a little harder.

T-in your age group you missed 1st place by 16 seconds....OH MAN!!! your transition time was so much faster than the rest, all of your events were impressive...You are amazing!!!

bike w/ tara 09.09.09

we started the ride out by stretchin & airing our tires up (T would be proud). we also decided that if we encountered other riders that we would communicate & stay to the right (its the little things that save lives). we started the first few miles out around 15 mph & finished the second half of the 15 mile ride at 18 mph. we saw one red fox & a turtle that we had to swirve to miss. as usual on that trial the wind was at our face riding out & the wind was at our face riding back. after our ride we stretched again. AMAZING. still dreaming of the fall weather. the ride was
H-O-T.

best swim so far 09.08.09

Best swim so far!!..started with at 300 meter free-style warm-up then did 100 meters kick, 100 arms and proceeded to do 2 x 200's (175 medium speed & 25 sprint). this swim was worth noting since i found a medium speed. i use to only have 2, slow & sprint. i then did another 100 kick/100 arm and finished with 400 meter free-style medium speed with the last 100 being a cool down. i felt strong & enjoyed it today. Total meters 1500...YEAH!!

on a side note i did drown my cell phone in between laps when i was checking my voice mail :0

Run w/ Striders 09.07.09

Special Labor Day run this am with the Striders. we all met at 6:30 am for a 6 mile run. this was Jenn's longest distance so far. she kept a great pace & when she needed to take a break she walked a fast pace. me & T ran ahead a few times & doubled back to get her to add distance & encourage Jenn. the last couple miles were the toughest. T pushed herself through it and we helped run Jenn in. GO TEAM! it felt good to start the holiday off that way with good friends & an excuse to eat junk with our families:)

bike 09.06.09

Rode the trail with T in the heat of the day. we rode about 11-12 miles at an average 18 mph. came real close to running into a deer, close encounter. i was suprise at how fast my hands reacted to grabbing the breaks. my speech was alot slower to respond-i yelled "oh deer" which did not give T a clear indication that we were about to run into one. she was looking towards me in conversation & the deer came out from the other direction. luckily T's bad luck had run out :)

run w/ striders

6 miles this am while the sun was coming up....BEAUTIFUL..felt good to meet other striders going out and coming back with words of encouragement..With T with me we occupied our 1:08 run with good conversation..Great start to the holiday weekend :)

swim 09.04.09

1200 meter swim..started with 300 meter free-style warm-up, then drills of 100 kick & 100 arms then 175 free-style with 50 sprint then back to 100 kick/100 arms and 300 free-style..good swim and off to small group with goggle rings around my eyes :)

Run 09.03.09

Thought I was running with jen but she never showed..where did my jenny go...first mile was with Hannah & Grace-run/walk. they are excited to run the Julia's Run For a Reason 1 mile at starkey next month. Grace talked the whole time, the more we ran the more she chatted (so funny). After dropping them off I continued to run...Total miles 4...Average pace breakdown:
mile 1- 9:21
mile 2- 9:00
mile 3- 8:54
mile 4- 8:31

cant wait for the fall weather :)

spin 09.02.09

woke up this morning excited to hit the trail with Tara & noticed that the skies were grey. unfortunately it started to rain enough to be concerned about a slippery trail so I settled on spin class instead. glad i did. Robin taught an excellent 45 minute class.

run 09.01.09

since it was overcast i had a great idea to run at the hottest part of the day. funny how it seems less hot outside until you start running. total miles were 4 with an average pace of the following: mile 1: 9:01
mile 2: 8:51
mile 3: 8:46
mile 4: 9:45 (cool down)

my face was glowing red & my body was in need of hydration. looking forward to the fall weather :)

short swim 08/31/09

BTW swimming hours at the Y have changed. pool closes at 8:30pm. found that out the hard way. i had a total of 15 minutes to swim. swam 600 meters free-style, which felt good and called it a "swim".

bike 08.30.09 (victimized)

Me & T rode 16 miles on the Suncoast, ave 18 mph. We didn't do any sprints because we were too busy talking :)..Unfortunately our wonderful ride was over shadowed by T's car being broke into and her purse with everything it was stolen. Since 4 others were also victomized we had to stay after dark until the police were able to do their investigation. Without bug spray we returned home in very poor condition which will now be a daily reminder of the crime.

Run w/ T & Striders 08.29.09

6:45 am me & T drove to the trail to meet up with the Suncoast Striders. Very welcoming group of people. Some of them started their run at 5:45 depending on the distance. When we arrived Dave & a few of the other men were hanging out for the last of the runners to show (which I think were me & T). We socialized a few minutes and headed out to the trail without stretching, which has become a theme to our runs. We both started our Garmens & soon fell behind the pack. Since it had been about a month since T had run our plan was to keep the pace slow and try to get some miles in. We set out goal for 6 miles and kept it between a 10 1/2 to 11 min pace. During our run we noticed how nice it was to watch the sun come up and see deer near the trail. There were 2 water stations during our run that we also enjoyed. We only walked a couple minutes towards the end and rejoiced when our last mile was complete.

After the run alot of the runners were hanging at the Pavilion near the trail greeting all the returning runners. Nicest group of people I've ever met. Several of them had brought beverages and snacks to share.

Daves wife Karen introduced me & T to a 3-day a week marathon training program that we were both excited about. Its a book called Run Less, Run Faster which focuses 3 days on running & the rest crosstraining-perfect for a 1/2 marathon/tri training. We both ordered the book & I'm excited to read all about it.

too sore to swim/bike or run 08.27.09

3rd ride on the bike

met up with Tara after dropping the girls off at school. I was afraid that it was going to be scorching hot but the cloud cover was awesome. it was cool and breezy. we rode a total of 15 miles to the trail and back with an average of 16-17 mph. we chatted the whole ride and i found out how adventurous she is. she did her first tri with a mountain bike and only being able to swim the side stroke with her head out of the water. she said 2 weeks before her first tri she decided to do it and didn't realize how hard the swim was going to be. she only had 2 weeks to train so she concentrated ont he swim only and just did it. i told Tara that i was soooo thankful for my friend T because she would not let me do such dangerous things. T will have me completely prepared to tackle transitions, recovery, safety, hydration etc...no doubt!! Me & Tara are dangerous together-too much alike. we cheated death only once on our ride this time. to make a long story short we rode figure "x"''s in front of another biker because we couldnt decide which side of the trail to be on when he was approaching us at stelth speed from behind. it was not a proud moment when i had to tell T....

weigh training 08.25.09

went to kelly's bodyflex and lifted weights for an hour...boy im sore...i love her classes and miss her when i don't attend.

swim 08.24.09

only had 1/2 hour in the water until the kids let out from school...Repeated swim/drills that i did with T...i did notice that i completed the 1000 meters within 30 minutes instead of greater than an hour workout me & T did...1/2 work and 1/2 play= good balance...I stink at sighting!!!

2nd ride 08.23.09 "the magic touch"

headed out to the trail at 6pm tonight. was sooo excited for ride #2. what a disappointing first 7.5 miles. i felt like i was riding in mud at 14 mph. Teresa was pulling away from me the whole time and i felt like i could never fully gain on her. at that 7.5 mile we pulled over to give me a rest (T did not need one, clearly. she hadn't even broke a sweat). she played around with my breaks and said she found my break pads to be touching my tires. i think she is a magic genie because after she touched my bike i got on it and rode 18 mph without feeling warm. "what the...". the 7.5 miles back to the car was so enjoyable. next time i'm checking my breaks and letting T "touch" my bike :)

swim 08.21.09

met up with T at 6:30am. really enjoyed the change up in workout that we did. we started with 300 meter free-style warm up then 50 meter drills that equaled 200 meters, 50 sighting, 50 touch ups, 50 one arms & 50 (i cant remember, sad). we ended with 400 meters that broke down to 2 sets of 150 easy free-style with 50 sprint. we swam a 100 easy free-style to cool down. 1000 meters total. throughout the swim we did solve alot of the world problems as well.

Swim 08.19.09

Ive decided to stop numbering my swims (random, i know)...ended up at the pool around 3:30 between storms. ran into a few pool bullies that tried to crowd me out of my space. got hit twice by a large man with bad swim alignment. started with 500 meter free-style warm up then 100 kickboard and 100 arms. then to my suprise T shows up with the family. it was just enough encouragment to finish strong with repeat 500 free, 100 kick, 100 arms and then 100 meters with 25 of that being a sprint. Thanks coach T, you are always on time.

run 08.18.09

4 mile run..ave pace 9.00...max pace 7.54...love my new watch :) i purposfully did not reference my run until the last mile. i wanted to track my "comfort" pace or in other words my pace without looking at my equipment. now that i know im at a 9 minute aveage pace i can build from there. sure was lonely without T or Jenn.

mile 1-ave pace 9.05/best 8.31
mile 2-ave pace 8.58/best 8.19
mile 3-ave pace 9.02/best 8.20
mile 4-ave pace 9.06/best 8.37

swim #11 08.17.09

it was very difficult to find a time during the day without lightening. me & hannah managed to get a swim in around 8pm. i started with 300 meters free-style warm-up and alternated between 100 kick & 100 arms. i swam a total of 1500 meters with the last 500 being free-style. felt more exhaustion after this swim compared to past swims. adding bike and run is tricky. i think rethinking the way i refuel is key! my next swim i will focus on some 25 meter speed drills mapped out by Active.com :)

1st bike ride 08.16.09

The Suncoast Trail is a beautiful place. 2 friends on bikes enjoying nature & an unual breeze in August. i'm suprised to say i think i'm comfortable with my clips already. still alittle confused about what gear i should be in. Teresa tried to help me figure it out by getting on my bike. i now have a memory that brings a smile to my face. her knees were close to her chin. i'm such a midget.

we started off around 14-15 mph which felt comfortable. nearing 20-21 mph i was panting. we did 3 sprints and took it to 20-24 for a small stretch which gave me a good idea of what it felt like to do a descent "race pace". we rode about 13 miles in about an hour.

after our ride we got off our bikes and decided to run to get a feel for what legs feel like after a ride. Teresa had her helmet off, tri-shoes off and running shoes on before i even grabbed my bag with my gear in it. she has mastered transition!!! my legs were so heavy after being on the bike. funny thing about a run after biking is your pace is naturally alot faster than when only running. we were at an 8:30 pace and it felt like a 10. i like that!!!

swim #10 08.14.09

disappointed in the swim today. Hannah & i went to swim at 5:30 pm. looking back on it we should've eatten dinner first. i had no energy. started out with 300 free-style to warm up. alternated between kickboard & arms 100 meters each and finished off the swim with a very slow free-style until i hit 1100 meters total. i'm going to stick to fueling before swimming. Hannah agreed :)

THE bike.

3 weeks ago i made my first visit to the Suncoast bike shop for sizing. had my eye on a 50 cm Trek that was sooo pretty. they didn't have the exact size i needed so it would have to be ordered, so we waited. glad we did. Scott took me on a bike shopping excursion today. had a very difficult time finding a bike in my size to even take on a test ride. the 3rd bike shop we hit (Outspokin) had a bike just my size. come to find out i'm in a child's size in a Cannondale model, actually xxs adult. first bike that i felt didn't stretch me out to reach all positions. i'm glad we waited to buy because we got a higher end bike for less money with a carbon fiber frame due to it being a close out model. now all i have to worry about is trying to keep up with T so she will ride with me. Thanks Mr. Pilman!! i knew you would come through.

funny story (to me at least). about a week ago when i was out running alone i encountered some teenage boys. i had about 1/2 mile to go before i was home & i could see 2 boys in the near distance looking at me & whispering. it was close to 9 pm so the only light was the street lights. i had my ipod on & pretended to ignore them at first. the closer i came to them i realized that they were out to have some fun. when i got to where they were they started running with me & laughing. i took my earphones out & laughed with them. then i asked them "are you guys really that bored"? they both agreed "yes" so i said "well next time you need to make sure you put on your running shoes if your going to run with me" (they were both in flip flops) and i took off, probably faster that i've ever been comfortable going. they stopped running and kept on laughing. that memory makes me smile!

08.12.09 swim #9

missed the 5:30 swim due to lightening only to find out that they kept the pool open. Sorry T. Scott even got on my case & said that i let my friends down. he said he offerred to give T the garage code to come & get me out of bed.

so the swim...me & hannah headed to the pool at 10 am. Carol was there & swam in the lane next to us. started with 500 free-style without rest (still suprising to me) followed by 100 kick & 100 arms. Hannah smoked me on the kickboard. i really have to work on my technique, shes 9! 300 more free-style, 100 kick & 100 arms followed by another 300 free-style. the last 100 meters were a sprint. love to finish strong. half way through the swim i noticed that the left side of neck was in knots. Carol gave me some post swim stretches to do & she even recommended a massage. i like her thinking. Total distance 1500 meters.

swim #8 08.10.09

after a long day at work went to the pool for a swim. couldn't believe the difference in my swim overall. swam 1500 meters. changed up the routine by swimming 150 free and alternated between kick 50 & arms 50, back to free. at 650 meters swam freestyle without rest until 1000 meters (so unbelievable to me). did 50 kick & 50 arms and decided that i could finish strong with 300 more freestyle without rest. sprinted the last 100 meters. i decided that no matter what sport it is im training for my style is a burst at the end. i love this. breathing came even more easy this time. i was able to take 4 strokes before each breath this time. making progress. YES!

run 08.09.09

first run with my new GPS watch. sooo cool to watch my pace & be more in control. Hannah ran the first mile with me. found out that she definately needs new shoes. she chatted the whole time & asked continuous random questions about everything. i wondered if this is what i sound like to my running girls. they have made a view suttle comments about my chatter. dropped Hannah off after 1.35 miles. good warm up. ran a total of 4 1/2 miles with the fastest past being 8.15 and slowest being 10.50. when i have time to figure out the softwear i will be able to break it down in detail. overall, good run.

swim #8 08.06.09

got up at 5am again to swim. after taking 2 bites of my breakfast i saw the dang heat lightening again. texted T and told her i was crawling back in bed. felt bad that i left T to endure a work out on her own when i was sleeping in. sorry T.

9am the skies were blue and clear. me & Hannah headed to the pool for a swim. i swam a total of 1200 meters with very little pause between 100's. i alternated between 100 free, 100 kick board, 100 arms. at 1000 meters i swam 200 straight without rest!! it wasnt pretty but i accomplished it. one thing worth noting is that at 1000 i was breathing different, better, more natural. its the little details that make the swim different and more encouraging. Hannah swam laps with me the whole time in the same fashion, probably half the distance. she enjoyed it & wants to join me on my runs as well. i think shes finding her inner athlete! GO HANNAH!!

08.06.09 swim attempt/turned into a run

met T for a swim at 8:30pm. we both agreed that swimming in the evening felt better than an early morning swim. just as we were about to get in the water the heat lightening stuck again. DANG IT! swim cancelled.

went home & settled for a 5K run. took Scott's ipod (which weighs a ton) and left on my run without anything to track my pace. i soon realized that ive become a runner that depends on electronics. when did this occur? i ran a good pace, i think. it felt like 27:00 minutes judging on past runs. i returned home with a plead for my own ipod, that isn't as big as a pc, and a watch to track my pace. i mistreated my last ipod when i got caught in the rain running and my Garmin, which wasn't even a year old, died on me before i ever correctly calibrated it. Dear husband, I promise to be more responsible with my next piece of equipment....HELP!

run

Drove to foxwood to run with Teresa tonight. started our run around 7:30pm, hot as usual. ran out of foxwood, across trinity blvd into champions club where we turned left where there are changes in the elevation. We found ourselves between an average 10-11 pace overall. most of our focus was on T's heart rate which was in the 180's. she let me wear the heart monitor, oh yeah and the awesome watch to verify that it was reading correct. then she made me give it back! the equipment seemed to be correct. we ran a total of 5 miles with a few brief walks to let T recover from her tachycardic heart! overall we had a good run and treated ourselves to a slushy G2, yum!

swim cancelled

got up at 5am and turned Scott's alart off which was set for 5:30 instead of mine. At 5:07 he had to get up & reset his alarm & turn my snooze off. OOPS.

met Teresa at the gym at 5:30. there were 3 clouds in the sky with heavy heat lightening. we realized our swim was cancelled so we decided to do a light workout on the elipticals. i ended up on the treadmill since there wasn't 2 together so me & T could chat while working out. T's legs were sore from weight training the day prior so we kept it light, plus we are planning to run tonight. i got in about 30 minutes of cardio. scott got to the gym around 6 and came over to us to announce that i was not allowed to do anymore early morning workouts because i interupted his last 1/2 hour of sleep. OOPS again. sorry Scott :( Plan to swim on Friday again.

08.03.09 seventh swim

Grace did not want to swim with us this morning. me & hannah went to the Y pool at 10 am this morning. swam a little different this am. i swam alternating between 100 meters free-style, 100 kick board & 100 arm work out with the floats. i was so impressed that i was able to swim 100 meters without rest during the free-style. i swam a total of 1050 meters. at the end of the swim i pushed myself & swam 150 meters without rest. this swim was a breakthrough. i was able to breath better, pace myself better and push myself. im liking this swimming thing :)

i met a lady named Carol who was ripped and impressive. she asked to share the lane with me so i think that motivated me a little more to push myself. she is 50 and has been swimming for 10 years. all she does is swim 1 hour 5- 6 days a week and 1 hour of pilates once a week. i didn't know that swimming could rip you out like that! that offered even more encouragement.

07.31.09 sixth swim

took the girls to the pool around 10 am for a swim. they swam a few laps with me but soon found friends and went to the lap pool to play on the diving board. I swam 700 free-style, 200 kick board & 200 arm work out with the floats. i swam for an hour.

later that morning me & Scott went to the suncoast bike shop to look at bikes. i told the guy in the bike shop that i was looking for a tri bike. i soon learned that it wasn't a tri bike i should be looking for. i was in a state of confusion as they explained all the different "road bikes" and the difference from one model to the other. i focused on the fact that the 2.1 was faster and lighter than the others and found myself liking the new 2010 colors as well, pearl while, heather gray and a little yellow in the trim. i learned my size is the 50 cm bike & that all the extras add alot more money into the bike purchase. we didn't purchase the bike this day. Scott went home & looked at Craigs list and other used bikes for sale. nothing panned out though. i got excited about the 2.1 Trek bike i first layed eyes on.

07.29.09 run

met Teresa and Barb at Teresa's house for an 8pm run. the skies were questionable so we stayed in the neighborhood. once we reached the foxwood gate to trinity blvd the lightening & thunder started. we ran back to T's house & ended up with total mileage of 2 1/2. while we did our post stretch the rain came down, it felt soooo good! too bad, i felt strong this run.

fifth swim 07.29.09, 2nd swim w/ T

second swim with Teresa at 5:30 am. was able to better judge how long it would take me to each breakfast, get my suit on & get to the gym. met T at the Y pool. i was a little tired from the previous swim the morning prior. i swam 600 meters while T did alot more, easily. all i remember about this swim was after it was over we planned to run 5 miles that evening. i came home after the swim & took a nap around 8:30 til 9 am to get me through.

Fourth Swim 7.28.09

took Hannah & Grace to the pool with me this am around 11. this time with their new goggles. they loved them. i felt strong and was able to breath easier through my strokes. i swam 700 meters free-style, 200 meters kickboard & 200 meter arm workout w/ floats. enjoyed this swim and so did the girls.

07.26.09

cant wait to get a GPS watch to log my pace, splits etc. tonight Jenn St. Aubin & Kelly came over to run. before they arrived at 8:30 i ran 2.70 miles around my neighborhood. once they came we ran enough to equal 6 miles for my total run. the first 2 miles were at a good clip. the last 4 not so much. immediately after the run i had my 6 oz of cold, non-fat, chocolate milk...YUM!!

07.25.09 saturday circuit training

got up at 8am to go to Kelly's 9:30 class. since Kelly injured her foot she planned a circuit training class for us. 2 minute sessions of tricep dips, squats w/ weights of step, dead lifts, push ups, grass hoppers off the ball & oblique sit ups. this torture last an hour but was thankful that i did it once i got home.

08.01.09 run

met Teresa in foxwood for our evening run around 8pm. this was a saturday night & we decided that A. either we had no social life running on a saturday or B. we are just that dedicated! not sure which. It was hot, which i probably don't need to mention again the rest of the summer since it can just be assumed. We ran from T's house, out Foxwood and into Champion's Club. At mile 2 1/2 we stopped at her moms mailbox where T stashed some water for us. she used the gait code to get us into her moms community but we forgot that we wouldn't be able to get out. we climbed the block wall & jumped out without injury. T had her new Garmen on so we were eager to see the results. we ran 5 1/2 miles with one water break and 2 walks. i will pay attention to the next pace she tells me afterwards so i can add it to my blog or maybe i will get a GPS watch soon myself :) (hope my husband reads this).

third swim 07.23.09

took Hannah & Grace with me to the pool at around 11 am to swim laps. they discovered that they needed new goggles right off the bat. they were so cute swimming their own little style. Hannah asked lots of questions while Grace just had fun. I swam a total of 675 meters this morning but don't recall the details except for alot of fun with the girls and a promise that we would go to Sport's Authority soon to purchase new goggles for them :)

second swim 07.21.09

around 11 am went to the Y pool with Barb to swim. we took all our kids which all decided to swim laps with us (minus our 2 teenage girls who stayed home & online). we swam a total of 650 meters but didn't keep track of most of what we did otherwise. we did the kickboard and used the floats to swim with arm strokes only. dont remember making much progress except in the distance. i swam 650 meters. 250 more meters than the first time I swam.

07.14.09 run

since i'm creating this blog in august about July i don't remember much about my run this day but i did note on my calendar that i ran a 5k in the evening with Teresa after swimming in the am. i do remember sharing with T that i was a little tired from our first swim.

the first swim 07.14.09

met theresa at the Y pool at 5:30 am. not a morning person, never have been. swimming with theresa was my motivation. we entertain eachother during workouts with the latest husband drama or my favorite, discussing our work-outs. i realized even prior to joining "T" at the pool that we were facing different Giants in the pool. mine was simply learning to breath without aspirating the dirty bug water and hers was how to beat her time best time in the 1 mile free-style. large gap between us. she was patient and instructional, thank GOD, she always has been.

we started out with a free-style warm-up which involved swimming 50 meters with rest in between for me. "T" could have easily swam a straight 500 for warm up but she kept me company as we discussed recipes and what kind of goggles to purchase. we swam a few sprints which is all it took to wear me out. We only completed about 400 meters but it felt good to get swim #1 behind me. came home afterwards, showered, sat down with my coffee and enjoyed the magic of early mornings without TV or chatter :)