Since I started tracking my workouts on the Beginner Triathlete website, I can get my month totals - love it!
March's totals:
Bike: 11h 34m 32s - 192.25 Mi
Run: 8h 59m 41s - 53.83 Mi
Swim: 6h 00m - 9700 Yd
Plyometrics: 2h 10m (this is Insanity)
So here’s what I’ve been up to over the past week:
Thursday, March 24 – Run, 3 miles, 10:15 pace
Evening run, temps in the low '80s and I survived! Amazing sunset! Friday, March 25 – rest
No trip to the lake this week, since we did an OWS on Wednesday.
Saturday, March 26 – Long bike, 25 miles, 16.3 mph
Neighborhood fishing tournament was this morning, so cut the ride super short!
Sunday, March 27 – Long run, 10 miles, 10:50 pace
Ugh, warm and steamy…I used my task avoidance skills and walked the 1st 1/2 mile so I could toss newspapers from the curb to the driveway, lol!
Monday, March 28 – Insanity? Yes please!
I’m not sure why, but I decided that I’d like to do another round of Insanity. Maybe because I truly am insane? Fit test - showed me that I was not "Insanity" fit!
Tuesday, March 29 - More Insanity, please...and add a little spin and swim, just for fun!
Cardio Circuit, lunchtime spin class and 1800 in the pool. You know when you’re in a great spin class (i.e. one that kicks your butt) when you start to hate the instructor before it’s all said and done!
Wednesday, March 30 – No workouts, sick (ack!)
Thursday, March 31 – Random workout day
Run - 55 degrees, did 2.5 miles at a 9:52 pace (thank you cooler temps!)
Insanity - I managed to do the Insanity workout – something with the word “recovery “ in the title…it was tougher than it sounded!
OWS - I just re-confirmed that I really do suck in open water…big thanks to Coach Kim Hager for the encouraging words...I'm sure she wanted to tell me to HTFU!
Friday, April 1 - more Insanity!
Friday was "Pure Cardio" day - 38 minutes of cardio with no breaks. Ugh!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Still here...
Ugh, looks like another catch up post. Life has been crazy…mostly in good ways. The family has been busy with soccer practice and soccer games, gymnastics, birthday parties, baby showers, wedding showers, etc. Last weekend, we had a rare opportunity to just hang out and veg for a little while and it felt great!
Here's a glipse of our Saturday...
Here's the Hubby showing the kids how to fish
Here's the Kiddo in action at her soccer game
This is what the Munckin does during big sis' soccer games
Here's the Munckin enjoying his "Soccer Tots" class
One thing I haven’t mentioned yet here is my decision about the Memorial Herman 70.3. I decided several weeks ago that I was not doing the HIM. Honestly, after being out of town 3 times in late February / early March and being scheduled to go out of town again for a week in late March (which ended up being cancelled – yay!), I felt like I neglected my training too much. Especially the swimming. Here’s the deal - when I know I’m going out of town, I feel like I need to cram in as much time with the Hubby and kids as possible before I go. So I miss workouts. Then, I go out of town to a non-bike friendly place with no pool. I miss more key workouts. Then, I come home again and feel like I need to make up for lost time with the Hubby and kiddos. More missed workouts. Add some working late due to busy season and that means more missed workouts. I know that I could sacrifice some time with them, it was only a couple of months until the race, right? But, the kids and Hubby are a priority to me. I see the kids for about 30 minutes in the morning before dropping them off at daycare and I have about 2 hours with them each night before bedtime...if I leave work on time, which was rare during February and most of March.
This would be a non-issue if I was already a strong swimmer, but to be honest – I suck. In open water, I suck even more.
I am working on this and I will overcome this little issue.
But unfortunately, not in time for the HIM.
So that’s it…I am back to sprint distance races. I’ve decided to try some new ones this year (see sidebar for schedule). My plan is to end my tri season by August, so I can focus more on my long runs. But, if things are going well (and my swim doesn’t suck as bad) and I feel like I can keep going, I may try an Oly scheduled for late September.
Here's a glipse of our Saturday...
Here's the Hubby showing the kids how to fish
Here's the Kiddo in action at her soccer game
This is what the Munckin does during big sis' soccer games
Here's the Munckin enjoying his "Soccer Tots" class
One thing I haven’t mentioned yet here is my decision about the Memorial Herman 70.3. I decided several weeks ago that I was not doing the HIM. Honestly, after being out of town 3 times in late February / early March and being scheduled to go out of town again for a week in late March (which ended up being cancelled – yay!), I felt like I neglected my training too much. Especially the swimming. Here’s the deal - when I know I’m going out of town, I feel like I need to cram in as much time with the Hubby and kids as possible before I go. So I miss workouts. Then, I go out of town to a non-bike friendly place with no pool. I miss more key workouts. Then, I come home again and feel like I need to make up for lost time with the Hubby and kiddos. More missed workouts. Add some working late due to busy season and that means more missed workouts. I know that I could sacrifice some time with them, it was only a couple of months until the race, right? But, the kids and Hubby are a priority to me. I see the kids for about 30 minutes in the morning before dropping them off at daycare and I have about 2 hours with them each night before bedtime...if I leave work on time, which was rare during February and most of March.
This would be a non-issue if I was already a strong swimmer, but to be honest – I suck. In open water, I suck even more.
I am working on this and I will overcome this little issue.
But unfortunately, not in time for the HIM.
So that’s it…I am back to sprint distance races. I’ve decided to try some new ones this year (see sidebar for schedule). My plan is to end my tri season by August, so I can focus more on my long runs. But, if things are going well (and my swim doesn’t suck as bad) and I feel like I can keep going, I may try an Oly scheduled for late September.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Humble Pie
Tuesday, 3/22 - Spin and Swim
I managed to push the snooze button a few too many times, so my 1 hour, 15 minute ride on the trainer ended up only being 45 minutes. Grumble, grumble....I need to get to bed earlier! In the evening, I went to the pool for a 30-minute swim. Only 1200 yds on the schedule, which actually worked out well, because I had time to get the swim done and still get back home in time to help get the kids to bed.
Wednesday, 3/23 - Run and Sputter
I was planning for a 4-miler, but once again I "snoozed" too long. There was only time for a 3-miler after that. Again, I need to get to bed earlier if I am going to wake up at 4:15 am! And, that 3-miler was extremely slow - 10:53 pace. Why? Because I had a major cough attack and finally just stopped until it passed (thank you Springtime pollen!). I also stopped to walk in the final mile, because my heart rate felt all wonky...not sure what that was about.
My 2nd lack luster workout of the day was an OWS practice. The awesome folks at Out Rival Racing coordinated a swim at Lake Conroe. It's a bit of a drive from where I work, but it's much closer to home than Lake 288. The water in Conroe is much murkier and there are some boats, so you get that lovely scent and taste of exhaust now and then (yuck!). But, the swim was so organized - they had buoys and kayakers, plus is was just great to swim with a group.
This is Lake Conroe after our swim...pretty isn't it?
Unlike our swims at 288, I decided to go out with a group to do the 500m loop that was set up (I think it might have been a little long - maybe 600?)....usually I warm up first to get acclimated to the water. Dumb move on my part, because at some point I went in to "freak out" mode and ended up side-stroking more than I care to admit. (Something I rarely do these days) It was bad. I was the last one in the group to finish...and not as in a few seconds after the group. More like a good 3 minutes after the group. Mmmm, nice taste of humble pie....yum, yum (NOT).
Luckily, after meeting a few other folks and talking for a few minutes, I managed to swim a little more and felt much better. I've felt pretty good in the water over the past few weeks, so I'm not sure what happened. I do know that OWS can be challenging mentally...you have to get out of that freak out mode fast, or your swim is not going to be pleasant. If there is one thing that will keep me from doing an Oly or a HIM (besides the schedule issues I had this year), it's the freaking open water swim. Just last week, I was feeling more confident in the water than ever and this week...well, not so much! Anyway, after swimming a little more, I did feel better and at least ended the evening on a positive note.
Thursday, 3/24 - Run do-over, 3 miles (10:15 pace)
I felt like Wednesday run was so bad, that I wanted a do-over on Thursday...just to prove that I can run. Unfortunately, I did not sleep well at all on Wednesday night, which is highly unusual for me. I woke up several times and eventually re-set my alarm clock and slept as long as I could. That meant I'd be doing an evening run. So, after the Kiddo's gymnastics class, I headed out for a 3-miler. It went much better than the run on Wednesday, and I had a gorgeous sunset to look at!
Friday, 3/25 - Rest Day
It's a rest day, but I am determined to get in the Ab Ripper X workout tonight. The Kiddo has a make-up soccer game tonight and one in the morning, so GO SHARKS!!!
I managed to push the snooze button a few too many times, so my 1 hour, 15 minute ride on the trainer ended up only being 45 minutes. Grumble, grumble....I need to get to bed earlier! In the evening, I went to the pool for a 30-minute swim. Only 1200 yds on the schedule, which actually worked out well, because I had time to get the swim done and still get back home in time to help get the kids to bed.
Wednesday, 3/23 - Run and Sputter
I was planning for a 4-miler, but once again I "snoozed" too long. There was only time for a 3-miler after that. Again, I need to get to bed earlier if I am going to wake up at 4:15 am! And, that 3-miler was extremely slow - 10:53 pace. Why? Because I had a major cough attack and finally just stopped until it passed (thank you Springtime pollen!). I also stopped to walk in the final mile, because my heart rate felt all wonky...not sure what that was about.
My 2nd lack luster workout of the day was an OWS practice. The awesome folks at Out Rival Racing coordinated a swim at Lake Conroe. It's a bit of a drive from where I work, but it's much closer to home than Lake 288. The water in Conroe is much murkier and there are some boats, so you get that lovely scent and taste of exhaust now and then (yuck!). But, the swim was so organized - they had buoys and kayakers, plus is was just great to swim with a group.
This is Lake Conroe after our swim...pretty isn't it?
Unlike our swims at 288, I decided to go out with a group to do the 500m loop that was set up (I think it might have been a little long - maybe 600?)....usually I warm up first to get acclimated to the water. Dumb move on my part, because at some point I went in to "freak out" mode and ended up side-stroking more than I care to admit. (Something I rarely do these days) It was bad. I was the last one in the group to finish...and not as in a few seconds after the group. More like a good 3 minutes after the group. Mmmm, nice taste of humble pie....yum, yum (NOT).
Luckily, after meeting a few other folks and talking for a few minutes, I managed to swim a little more and felt much better. I've felt pretty good in the water over the past few weeks, so I'm not sure what happened. I do know that OWS can be challenging mentally...you have to get out of that freak out mode fast, or your swim is not going to be pleasant. If there is one thing that will keep me from doing an Oly or a HIM (besides the schedule issues I had this year), it's the freaking open water swim. Just last week, I was feeling more confident in the water than ever and this week...well, not so much! Anyway, after swimming a little more, I did feel better and at least ended the evening on a positive note.
Thursday, 3/24 - Run do-over, 3 miles (10:15 pace)
I felt like Wednesday run was so bad, that I wanted a do-over on Thursday...just to prove that I can run. Unfortunately, I did not sleep well at all on Wednesday night, which is highly unusual for me. I woke up several times and eventually re-set my alarm clock and slept as long as I could. That meant I'd be doing an evening run. So, after the Kiddo's gymnastics class, I headed out for a 3-miler. It went much better than the run on Wednesday, and I had a gorgeous sunset to look at!
Friday, 3/25 - Rest Day
It's a rest day, but I am determined to get in the Ab Ripper X workout tonight. The Kiddo has a make-up soccer game tonight and one in the morning, so GO SHARKS!!!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Playing Catch Up
Here's what I've been up to for the past 2 weeks:
Wednesday, 3/9 - 4 mile run, 10:29 pace
Warm and humid - yuck and yuck!
Thursday, 3/10 - Rest day (unscheduled)
Friday, 3/11 - 2 mile run, ~1,000 OWS swim
Planned on doing my 10-miler on Friday since I had the day off. However, I had been having some pain above my right ankle (on the inside). One mile out and I had to turn around - ouch! Also, tri-buddy, Kelly, and I went to lake 288 for OWS practice #2. We're definitely getting more comfortable in the water and in our wetsuits!
Saturday, 3/12 - 1 mile run, 16 mile bike (16.0 mph)
Tried to go for that 10-miler again, but after only .5 miles I called it quits due to that weird pain. I had to do some sort of cardio though, so I hopped on the bike for an hour ride.
Sunday, 3/13 - 29 mile bike, 16.3 mph
Just my regular, weekly bike ride. It should have been 30 miles, but I started late and was already pressed for time.
Monday, 3/14 - rest day
First day of spring break for the kiddos...it was a messy, rainy, yucky day.
Tuesday, 3/15 - 3 mile run, 10:12 pace
It was time to see how the ankle would hold up. Lucky for me it held up just fine! It was cool outside, so perfect weather for a run!
Wednesday, 3/16 and Thursday, 3/17 - rest days
Okay, so these weren't supposed to be rest days, but I had the day off on Wednesday and really just wanted to sleep in. Thursday, I'll just admit - I had lost my mojo and we feeling lazy.
Friday, 3/18 - 1600m OWS
Okay, lazy days are over - time to get back to it. Headed back to the lake with Kelly. After a warm up, we did our first full loop around the lake! Yay us! We followed that with a couple of mini-loops around the lake. This is probably the farthest I've managed to swim in open water. Feels good to make progress.
Saturday, 3/19 - long ride - 41 mile bike (15.10 mph)
This is only my 2nd time to ride 40+ miles on the bike. I could tell my body was getting used to 30, because my legs wanted to stop shortly after hitting that point. Luckily, tri-girl Kelly was there and having a biking companion always makes the miles go by much faster! The pace was a bit slower than my previous 2 rides - this could have been because 1) we started in my neighborhood where it's hard to maintain a faster pace and 2) we were talking a bit too much? Still a great ride!
Sunday, 3/20 - long run - 8 miles (10:33 pace)
Okay, so 8 miles is not that long, but since I skipped my long run the week before and I hadn't run much due to the mysterious ankle pain, I decided to do 8 again and the increase next week. First, let me just day that I could feel the fatigue in my legs from the previous day's bike ride. Second, it was warmer than I had hoped..and humid too. But, it felt great to get back out there for more than just a few miles!
Wednesday, 3/9 - 4 mile run, 10:29 pace
Warm and humid - yuck and yuck!
Thursday, 3/10 - Rest day (unscheduled)
Friday, 3/11 - 2 mile run, ~1,000 OWS swim
Planned on doing my 10-miler on Friday since I had the day off. However, I had been having some pain above my right ankle (on the inside). One mile out and I had to turn around - ouch! Also, tri-buddy, Kelly, and I went to lake 288 for OWS practice #2. We're definitely getting more comfortable in the water and in our wetsuits!
Saturday, 3/12 - 1 mile run, 16 mile bike (16.0 mph)
Tried to go for that 10-miler again, but after only .5 miles I called it quits due to that weird pain. I had to do some sort of cardio though, so I hopped on the bike for an hour ride.
Sunday, 3/13 - 29 mile bike, 16.3 mph
Just my regular, weekly bike ride. It should have been 30 miles, but I started late and was already pressed for time.
Monday, 3/14 - rest day
First day of spring break for the kiddos...it was a messy, rainy, yucky day.
Tuesday, 3/15 - 3 mile run, 10:12 pace
It was time to see how the ankle would hold up. Lucky for me it held up just fine! It was cool outside, so perfect weather for a run!
Wednesday, 3/16 and Thursday, 3/17 - rest days
Okay, so these weren't supposed to be rest days, but I had the day off on Wednesday and really just wanted to sleep in. Thursday, I'll just admit - I had lost my mojo and we feeling lazy.
Friday, 3/18 - 1600m OWS
Okay, lazy days are over - time to get back to it. Headed back to the lake with Kelly. After a warm up, we did our first full loop around the lake! Yay us! We followed that with a couple of mini-loops around the lake. This is probably the farthest I've managed to swim in open water. Feels good to make progress.
Saturday, 3/19 - long ride - 41 mile bike (15.10 mph)
This is only my 2nd time to ride 40+ miles on the bike. I could tell my body was getting used to 30, because my legs wanted to stop shortly after hitting that point. Luckily, tri-girl Kelly was there and having a biking companion always makes the miles go by much faster! The pace was a bit slower than my previous 2 rides - this could have been because 1) we started in my neighborhood where it's hard to maintain a faster pace and 2) we were talking a bit too much? Still a great ride!
Sunday, 3/20 - long run - 8 miles (10:33 pace)
Okay, so 8 miles is not that long, but since I skipped my long run the week before and I hadn't run much due to the mysterious ankle pain, I decided to do 8 again and the increase next week. First, let me just day that I could feel the fatigue in my legs from the previous day's bike ride. Second, it was warmer than I had hoped..and humid too. But, it felt great to get back out there for more than just a few miles!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Quickie
Not much time to blog today, so I thought I would post this picture...
Each time I fill my gas tank, I reset my tripometer - yes, it's a Type A thing!
A couple of weeks ago, I filled up, reset and drove to work. When I eased into a parking space and put my car in park on the 7th floor of the parking garage, I looked down at the trip A and this is what I saw - 26.2 miles exactly!
Maybe it's a sign? Of what, I have no clue!
Each time I fill my gas tank, I reset my tripometer - yes, it's a Type A thing!
A couple of weeks ago, I filled up, reset and drove to work. When I eased into a parking space and put my car in park on the 7th floor of the parking garage, I looked down at the trip A and this is what I saw - 26.2 miles exactly!
Maybe it's a sign? Of what, I have no clue!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Real or Not Real?
This past weekend, the Warrior Dash came to Houston. I had several friends participate and have a great time at this event. In fact, I have friends all over the country who are doing this event (both runners and non-runners). You know - running through mud, crawling under barbed wire, leaping over fire, climbing rope walls...I'll admit, it's a little cheesy and gimmicky, but it does look kinda fun! Besides, what's not fun about earning a horned, Viking-style helmet and a beer? (Never mind that in addition to the entry fee, you have to pay $10 for parking...wtf?)
So this brings me to a debate that recently came up - do "real" runners do this kind of race? One of my non-running friends planned to race the Warrior Dash and asked her friend (a runner) if she was going to sign up. The runner friend made a comment about how "real" runners don't do the Warrior Dash. This runner friend has run a 1/2 marathon and has a boyfriend who is an Ironman. And, this is not the 1st time I've heard similar sentiments - I saw a few comments like this on Facebook, too.
So tell me...what makes a "real runner"? And, do these so-called "real runners" do races like the Dash?
Give me your wisdom.
IMO, if races like the Warrior Dash are getting couch potatoes excited about running, then more power to it. If the dedicated runners enjoy the craziness of the obstacle course, the by all means - GO FOR IT!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Spring Break 2011
Sorry for the hiatus! It was a busy week for this runner mom - the kiddos were on Spring Break and I took a few days off so that we could have some quality time together. Fun times!
Day 1
It was rainy and nasty with a cool front coming through. What else is there to do besides head to Chuck E. Cheese? The Munchkin hasn't been there since he was about 18 months and the Kiddo loves the place, so I figured I could endure a few hours oftorture fun. Afterwards, we colored and played with Play Doh - perfect indoor activities for a rainy day!
Day 2:
All of my stay-at-home-Mom friends swore up and down that they'd NEVER take their kids to the zoo on Spring Break because of the crowds. Unfortunately, us work-outside-the-home-Moms, don't have a choice! And you know what? It wasn't that bad. We arrived at the Houston Zoo about 15 minutes after it opened, and I'll admit I was a bit freaked out to see so many cars already there. But, we parked and got through the gate and saw everything we wanted to see with no issues at all. It was fun! My favorite part was watching the kids feed the giraffes at the new exhibit - it was awesome being that close!
Here's the Munchkin getting into the African spirit at the new African Forest exhibit:
Here are the Kiddo and Muchkin waiting to feed the giraffes:
Here's the Munchkin right after feeding the lettuce to this guy. The Muchkin let out squeals of delight when the giraffe took the leaf!
Yes, you really are that close to the giraffes!
After feeding the giraffes the kids decided to practice on each other!
And no, I don't support child labor, but hey, he wanted to pull the wagon. Who am I to object?
We ended the day on the train. Other than standing in line for tickets, then standing in line for the train with two tired, cranky little ones, this was my favorite part of the day. The ride is relaxing, the kids are quiet (for the most part) and the views of Hermann Park are spectacular. See, Houston really is a pretty city...
The Munchkin was totally in awe of the engine on the little train...we sat up near it and when we were leaving he wanted to stop and just stare, lol!
Day 3:
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is a time honored tradition in Houston. In February of every year, traffic is stopped on main thoroughfares for covered wagons and horses that participate in the annual trail ride. It's the one time you can actually call in late to work because of horses blocking traffic, and your boss will actually believe you. :-)
The rodeo is kicked off with a 5k/10k race, followed immediately by a huge parade. Then, the fairgrounds open and each day for 3 weeks there's carnival fun, the livestock show, tons of scholarships for students and concerts - this year it was everything from Kid Rock and Kiss, to Alan Jackson and Jason Aldean.
I'll admit, I don't usually attend. To be honest, it's a whole different sub-culture that I just don't "get" - the boots, the wranglers, the country music, the cows and horses - it's just not me. But, I don't want my preference to influence the kiddos and their judgement, so the hubby and I decided we'd spend a day on the grounds - experiencing the animals at the livestock show and enjoying the rides and games of the carnival. We all had a great time, so yes, we will be back next year!
Here's the Kiddo on a big tractor. Yes, she's even sporting a cowboy hat...she has pink boots too, but they aren't comfortable for all the walking we'd be doing!
Here's the Munchkin on his very first amusement park ride:
Here's the Kiddo on the kiddie roller coaster. Yes, she is hanging on for dear life, lol!
The Kiddo and I enjoyed a ride on the ferris wheel...glad she's like me and knows how to enjoy the spectacular view! You can see by the picture on the right how huge the rodeo carnival is...and this is just one section of it. We also had an amazing view of downtown Houston from up high, but I didn't get the best pic with my cell phone camera...
So that was it. It was so much fun! On Thursday and Friday, the kids went back to daycare and I returned to work. :-( I will update you on my workouts next...not that there were many of them during spring break!
Day 1
It was rainy and nasty with a cool front coming through. What else is there to do besides head to Chuck E. Cheese? The Munchkin hasn't been there since he was about 18 months and the Kiddo loves the place, so I figured I could endure a few hours of
Day 2:
All of my stay-at-home-Mom friends swore up and down that they'd NEVER take their kids to the zoo on Spring Break because of the crowds. Unfortunately, us work-outside-the-home-Moms, don't have a choice! And you know what? It wasn't that bad. We arrived at the Houston Zoo about 15 minutes after it opened, and I'll admit I was a bit freaked out to see so many cars already there. But, we parked and got through the gate and saw everything we wanted to see with no issues at all. It was fun! My favorite part was watching the kids feed the giraffes at the new exhibit - it was awesome being that close!
Here's the Munchkin getting into the African spirit at the new African Forest exhibit:
Here are the Kiddo and Muchkin waiting to feed the giraffes:
Here's the Munchkin right after feeding the lettuce to this guy. The Muchkin let out squeals of delight when the giraffe took the leaf!
Yes, you really are that close to the giraffes!
After feeding the giraffes the kids decided to practice on each other!
And no, I don't support child labor, but hey, he wanted to pull the wagon. Who am I to object?
We ended the day on the train. Other than standing in line for tickets, then standing in line for the train with two tired, cranky little ones, this was my favorite part of the day. The ride is relaxing, the kids are quiet (for the most part) and the views of Hermann Park are spectacular. See, Houston really is a pretty city...
The Munchkin was totally in awe of the engine on the little train...we sat up near it and when we were leaving he wanted to stop and just stare, lol!
Day 3:
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is a time honored tradition in Houston. In February of every year, traffic is stopped on main thoroughfares for covered wagons and horses that participate in the annual trail ride. It's the one time you can actually call in late to work because of horses blocking traffic, and your boss will actually believe you. :-)
The rodeo is kicked off with a 5k/10k race, followed immediately by a huge parade. Then, the fairgrounds open and each day for 3 weeks there's carnival fun, the livestock show, tons of scholarships for students and concerts - this year it was everything from Kid Rock and Kiss, to Alan Jackson and Jason Aldean.
I'll admit, I don't usually attend. To be honest, it's a whole different sub-culture that I just don't "get" - the boots, the wranglers, the country music, the cows and horses - it's just not me. But, I don't want my preference to influence the kiddos and their judgement, so the hubby and I decided we'd spend a day on the grounds - experiencing the animals at the livestock show and enjoying the rides and games of the carnival. We all had a great time, so yes, we will be back next year!
Here's the Kiddo on a big tractor. Yes, she's even sporting a cowboy hat...she has pink boots too, but they aren't comfortable for all the walking we'd be doing!
Here's the Munchkin on his very first amusement park ride:
Here's the Kiddo on the kiddie roller coaster. Yes, she is hanging on for dear life, lol!
The Kiddo and I enjoyed a ride on the ferris wheel...glad she's like me and knows how to enjoy the spectacular view! You can see by the picture on the right how huge the rodeo carnival is...and this is just one section of it. We also had an amazing view of downtown Houston from up high, but I didn't get the best pic with my cell phone camera...
So that was it. It was so much fun! On Thursday and Friday, the kids went back to daycare and I returned to work. :-( I will update you on my workouts next...not that there were many of them during spring break!
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Hot Mess
Ugh, what a difference 15 degrees makes!
Saturday, it was 55 degrees. I ran 8 miles at a 10:20 pace and felt as if I could run for-evah!
This morning, it was 70 degrees. It was also cloudy and foggy with a zillion % humidity. I ran 4 miles at a 10:29 pace and was just happy to be done.
An hour and a half later, as I was driving the kids to daycare, the temp was 62 and there was no humidity! A cool front came through the area while I was busy showering and pushed the clouds out, revealing a gorgeous blue sky and a pink/orange sunrise.
Welcome to Houston. Crazy weather!
I started my 4-miler with the intent of doing some 800 intervals. But, I didn't set my watch right and instead of stopping to fix it, I just decided to run. I really, really need to get re-acclimated to the warmer temps again, because I was being a total pansy this morning. Pretty soon, it'll be 80 degrees at 4:30 am and I will be looking forward to mornings like this with the temps dipping in the 70s. Ugh, like I said, welcome to Houston.
Not.ready.for.summer.
Saturday, it was 55 degrees. I ran 8 miles at a 10:20 pace and felt as if I could run for-evah!
This morning, it was 70 degrees. It was also cloudy and foggy with a zillion % humidity. I ran 4 miles at a 10:29 pace and was just happy to be done.
An hour and a half later, as I was driving the kids to daycare, the temp was 62 and there was no humidity! A cool front came through the area while I was busy showering and pushed the clouds out, revealing a gorgeous blue sky and a pink/orange sunrise.
Welcome to Houston. Crazy weather!
I started my 4-miler with the intent of doing some 800 intervals. But, I didn't set my watch right and instead of stopping to fix it, I just decided to run. I really, really need to get re-acclimated to the warmer temps again, because I was being a total pansy this morning. Pretty soon, it'll be 80 degrees at 4:30 am and I will be looking forward to mornings like this with the temps dipping in the 70s. Ugh, like I said, welcome to Houston.
Not.ready.for.summer.
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Spin and Swim
Not much to report today...I managed to get to spin class over my lunch break for the first time since I don't know when (January, maybe?). I've been riding the bike trainer at home while watching TV in the wee hours of the morning and just felt like doing something different. Our instructor, Jennifer, handed me my butt on a platter with lots of hills, jumps and intervals...it's a great way to get your blood pumping and ready for the afternoon, that's for sure! I also met a few co-workers who live in my area and invited me out for some local group bike rides...see spin class can be very productive!
I have no idea how fast or how far I rode during class this time, because the rpm/mileage computer thingy wasn't working on my bike. In fact, I tried 2 different bikes and had the same problem on both! Maybe I broke both of them? Who knows? What I do know is that I hate not knowing the rpms, calories and distance during spin class! I am an information junkie!
After work, I headed home and hung out with the family for awhile and then hit the gym to swim. I only had 45 minutes on the schedule, which was perfect - I'd have time to swim and then get home again in time to help tuck the kiddos into bed. Gotta love that! My swim was pretty uneventful...I did 100 warm up, followed by drills - fist swim, dps work, one arm, etc. I managed to do a total of 1,400 yds, which is slower than normal for me. Maybe my rests between drills was longer than it should have been?
Speaking of swimming, I've seen two people in the last week wearing something like this:
It's a waterproof thingy for your ipod! After about 1,200 yds, I'll admit that I get extremely bored in the pool. There's nothing terribly exciting about looking at the black line at the bottom of the pool. Maybe this will help? But, I am not an ipod runner. I prefer to just use that time to think and enjoy the sound of my footsteps and nature. Pretty zen, right? :-) So, I'm not sure I'd want to listen to my ipod while swimming. Besides, I'd like to be able to hear if someone in the lane next to me (or in the lake) is calling for help, lol!
I have no idea how fast or how far I rode during class this time, because the rpm/mileage computer thingy wasn't working on my bike. In fact, I tried 2 different bikes and had the same problem on both! Maybe I broke both of them? Who knows? What I do know is that I hate not knowing the rpms, calories and distance during spin class! I am an information junkie!
After work, I headed home and hung out with the family for awhile and then hit the gym to swim. I only had 45 minutes on the schedule, which was perfect - I'd have time to swim and then get home again in time to help tuck the kiddos into bed. Gotta love that! My swim was pretty uneventful...I did 100 warm up, followed by drills - fist swim, dps work, one arm, etc. I managed to do a total of 1,400 yds, which is slower than normal for me. Maybe my rests between drills was longer than it should have been?
Speaking of swimming, I've seen two people in the last week wearing something like this:
It's a waterproof thingy for your ipod! After about 1,200 yds, I'll admit that I get extremely bored in the pool. There's nothing terribly exciting about looking at the black line at the bottom of the pool. Maybe this will help? But, I am not an ipod runner. I prefer to just use that time to think and enjoy the sound of my footsteps and nature. Pretty zen, right? :-) So, I'm not sure I'd want to listen to my ipod while swimming. Besides, I'd like to be able to hear if someone in the lane next to me (or in the lake) is calling for help, lol!
Monday, March 07, 2011
Rest Day
Monday is my rest day. Seeing as how I've had quite a few rest days lately, thanks to being busy with other stuff, I feel like a total slacker. However, I also know the importance of rest for recovery - my legs were feeling tired after the bike ride on Sunday, so I know it's necessary....it's just difficult to do nothing.
So, I did Ab Ripper X. It's only 15 minutes. That's rest, right?
Tomorrow is spin and swim...definitely the opposite of rest!
Anyone else get all antsy and edgey on rest days?
So, I did Ab Ripper X. It's only 15 minutes. That's rest, right?
Tomorrow is spin and swim...definitely the opposite of rest!
Anyone else get all antsy and edgey on rest days?
Sunday, March 06, 2011
Life Happens
The thing about working, training, having kiddos and a hubby who is on call is that you just never know what's going to happen! As I'm sure you all know, when you have limited time for training, you just have to hope that things go smoothly so that you can fit in everything that needs to get done!
This weekend was one of those weekends where things just didn't go as planned. Saturday was a full day:
We tried calling the soccer league's hotline to check on the status of the day's games, but the line was busy. By the time was time to leave for soccer, the rain had stopped and a cool front was moving through - the temps quickly dropped from the low 70's to 56 degrees. We called the soccer league's hotline one last time and find that the games for the day have been canceled. Score! While that means a make-up game in the future, it also means I can get the grocery shopping and errands out of the way and still have time to run before the birthday party!
After getting the grocery shopping done, I headed out for an 8-miler. I was loving the cooler temps, but holy crap is was windy!!!! There were times I'd be running into the wind and wonder if I should just walk...I was running that slow. I decided to take advantage of the times that I had the wind at my back, or the wind was blocked by the trees - that was when I would pick up the pace a bit. The majority of the run was at a 10:25 pace, but I was able to pick it up a little in the final mile for an overall 10:20 pace. I'll take it. The legs felt great and if I had more time, I think I would have added an extra mile or two. But, it was time to get ready for the birthday party...and yes, I went down the "big slide" about 20 times with the Munchkin - fun times!
Sunday we had full day - 2 hour bike ride, Church, kid's haircut at the mall (which also means they get a cookie and have to ride the carosel), run a couple of errands that didn't get done on Saturday, and meet up with some friends at a local festival.
The Hubby was on call until 7 am on Sunday morning. Whem we went to bed on Sunday night, the Hubby made a comment about almost making it through the weekend without getting called into work. Naturally, he got a call from work at 4:50 am.
Scratch that 6 am bike ride.
We decided to improvise - the hubby was done with work and home by 11 am, so he agreed to take the kiddos to get their haircuts and run an errand for me while I rode my bike. Such a sweetie that Hubby of mine!
My bike ride was uneventful, which is good. I decided to drive to the neighborhood where I ride...I usually ride there, but being mid-day there is more traffic than in the early morning hours. Once I arrived, I realized I forgot my bottle of Gatorade. I almost went back, but decided to make due with the bottle of water I had in my car. It was a gorgeous day for a ride - 55 degrees, beautiful blue skies and just a little wind. AWESOME!
I headed out on my ride and decided to be adventureous and check out some new roads. After awhile I realized that this might not be the best idea, because if I needed help I may not have any idea how to direct someone to me. Doh! My first loop is normally around 12 miles, but because of my exploring, it ended up being closer to 18 miles. It felt good to be more than halfway done! I had some of my PowerBar and kept on going. I was happy that my legs felt strong the entire time and I managed to maintain a pace just at 16 mph...considering the occasional wind, I guess I'll take it.
Once I made it back to my car, I packed up my bike and put on my running shoes. I was planning to get in 2 miles by doing an out and back run. But, after about 6 or 7 minutes, mother nature was calling...I really, really needed a bathroom. Gee, and I wondered how I would have felt if I had all my Gatorage to drink! So, I ended up turning around and heading back to the car and home. A 15 minute run would have to do!
Oh, and I started my ride with long sleeves but quickly warmed up. As a result, I pushed up my sleeves to my elbows....you should see my lovely tan lines! From my wrists to my elbows, my arms are nice and red!
All in all 2 great workouts even with the roadblocks!
So tell me, how do you manage to squeeze in your workouts when life throws you a curveball? Even the best planners out there get thrown off track, right?
This weekend was one of those weekends where things just didn't go as planned. Saturday was a full day:
- Kiddo's soccer game
- Grocery shopping
- Pick up dry cleaning
- PetSmart for dog food
- Wal-mart/target for contact solution
- Misc errands
- Birthday party with the kids at Pump It Up
- Movie night with the kiddos
We tried calling the soccer league's hotline to check on the status of the day's games, but the line was busy. By the time was time to leave for soccer, the rain had stopped and a cool front was moving through - the temps quickly dropped from the low 70's to 56 degrees. We called the soccer league's hotline one last time and find that the games for the day have been canceled. Score! While that means a make-up game in the future, it also means I can get the grocery shopping and errands out of the way and still have time to run before the birthday party!
After getting the grocery shopping done, I headed out for an 8-miler. I was loving the cooler temps, but holy crap is was windy!!!! There were times I'd be running into the wind and wonder if I should just walk...I was running that slow. I decided to take advantage of the times that I had the wind at my back, or the wind was blocked by the trees - that was when I would pick up the pace a bit. The majority of the run was at a 10:25 pace, but I was able to pick it up a little in the final mile for an overall 10:20 pace. I'll take it. The legs felt great and if I had more time, I think I would have added an extra mile or two. But, it was time to get ready for the birthday party...and yes, I went down the "big slide" about 20 times with the Munchkin - fun times!
Sunday we had full day - 2 hour bike ride, Church, kid's haircut at the mall (which also means they get a cookie and have to ride the carosel), run a couple of errands that didn't get done on Saturday, and meet up with some friends at a local festival.
The Hubby was on call until 7 am on Sunday morning. Whem we went to bed on Sunday night, the Hubby made a comment about almost making it through the weekend without getting called into work. Naturally, he got a call from work at 4:50 am.
Scratch that 6 am bike ride.
We decided to improvise - the hubby was done with work and home by 11 am, so he agreed to take the kiddos to get their haircuts and run an errand for me while I rode my bike. Such a sweetie that Hubby of mine!
My bike ride was uneventful, which is good. I decided to drive to the neighborhood where I ride...I usually ride there, but being mid-day there is more traffic than in the early morning hours. Once I arrived, I realized I forgot my bottle of Gatorade. I almost went back, but decided to make due with the bottle of water I had in my car. It was a gorgeous day for a ride - 55 degrees, beautiful blue skies and just a little wind. AWESOME!
I headed out on my ride and decided to be adventureous and check out some new roads. After awhile I realized that this might not be the best idea, because if I needed help I may not have any idea how to direct someone to me. Doh! My first loop is normally around 12 miles, but because of my exploring, it ended up being closer to 18 miles. It felt good to be more than halfway done! I had some of my PowerBar and kept on going. I was happy that my legs felt strong the entire time and I managed to maintain a pace just at 16 mph...considering the occasional wind, I guess I'll take it.
Once I made it back to my car, I packed up my bike and put on my running shoes. I was planning to get in 2 miles by doing an out and back run. But, after about 6 or 7 minutes, mother nature was calling...I really, really needed a bathroom. Gee, and I wondered how I would have felt if I had all my Gatorage to drink! So, I ended up turning around and heading back to the car and home. A 15 minute run would have to do!
Oh, and I started my ride with long sleeves but quickly warmed up. As a result, I pushed up my sleeves to my elbows....you should see my lovely tan lines! From my wrists to my elbows, my arms are nice and red!
All in all 2 great workouts even with the roadblocks!
So tell me, how do you manage to squeeze in your workouts when life throws you a curveball? Even the best planners out there get thrown off track, right?
Saturday, March 05, 2011
Latex and Lake Water
I am fortunate that I have the ability to leave work a little early on Fridays...that is, when it's not the middle of busy season. Also, I am fortunate that busy season is finally behind me. (I think) So my friend and fellow tri-girl, Kelly, agreed to pick me up on the way to our favorite swim spot - 288 Lake!
Here we are in our new wetsuits...just call us aquagirl and elastigirl...
I'll admit, there were a few things that I was nervous about:
1) I haven't had an open water swim in almost a year
2) My swim workouts have been non-existent for almost 2 weeks
3) I was wearing my new wetsuit for the 1st time!
Here is the lake...it's definitely the best spot around for OWS practice:
Once we made it out to the lake, we pulled on our wetsuits....hmmm, that makes it actually sound easy. Pulling on a wetsuit is hard work! So, 15 minutes later we felt like we already had a workout! We donned our swim caps (that's where the latex comes in) and goggles. Then, we eased into the water....the air temp was in the mid 70s and the water temp was mid to high 60's...it wasn't too bad with the wetsuit on! In March of last year, we actually got into the water without wetsuits and it sucked. This was so much better! There was some wind, so that caused a bit of a current in the lake, but overall not too bad.
Here we are in our new wetsuits...just call us aquagirl and elastigirl...
At first, I major issues with the material around my neck. I felt like the wetsuit was choking me...a feeling I recognized from my 1st OWS with a rented wetsuit two years ago. But after a couple of adjustments, everything felt better. We decided today was more about getting re-acclimated to the water and to get used to the wetsuits. We swam a small loop (about 600 meters), then did a few out and back swims. By the end of our swim, we felt pretty confident that we were going to be okay with out wetsuits. I could definitely tell I had been neglecting my swimming, because I was out of breath a couple of times. But, it was great knowing that I could stop swimming for a minutes and my wetsuit would keep me afloat...not that I intend to stop during a race. Now that things at work should be calming down, I have got to be more consistent in all of my workouts!!!
I'm hoping that these OWS practices can be a weekly occurrence between now and my 1st race!
Friday, March 04, 2011
This week so far...
Finally home! This time, I hope I have no more travels until we head to Disney next month! I am obviously not cut out for a life of constant business travels...out of the past 14 days, I've been away from home for 8 of them. Of course, 3 of those days were for the trip to Austin, so I guess that doesn't count. The point of this babbling? I am looking forward to sleeping in my own bed!!!
Here's the view of the beach from our dinner on Wednesday:
And since Mardi Gras is this weekend, the strand was all lit up:
Here is a summary of my workouts so far this week:
Monday, 2/28
Bike trainer - 1 hour
Normally, the bike trainer bores me to death. I tried to make things a little more interesting by doing intervals. I warmed up, then tried to push my pace for a minute, then go slow 1 minute. Then, I upped it to 2 minutes fast/1 minute slow, 3 minutes fast/1 minute slow, etc. up to 5 minutes and then went back down (5/1, 4/1, 3/1, 2/1, 1/1) and followed up with a cool down. I was supposed to brick it and follow the ride with a 15 minute run, but my ankle has been bothering me since my run on Sunday. Actually, it's not my ankle, but the area right below the bone. Not sure what's up with that....
Tuesday, 3/1
Swim unscheduled rest day
No swim...didn't get home in time and then had to pack for an out of town training class....
Wednesday, 3/2
Run, 3.25 miles (9:48 pace)
What an awesome morning for a run! The temp was a perfect 45 degrees with low humidity - AWESOME! What a different a nice, cool temp can make - last week I struggled through 3 miles, this week I wanted to run more! Too bad I didn't have more time. :-) I left the house at 6:15 to drive to Galveston Island for the training class.
Thursday, 3/3
Bike, 25 minutes / Run, 25 minutes (10:04 pace)
After finding no stationary bike at the hotel fitness center in Baton Rouge last week, I made a point of calling the hotel this week. Yes, the did have a stationary bike! It was either that, or lug my bike and trainer to my hotel room...and yes, I would do that. When I arrived at the fitness center, I found that this stationary bike was a recumbent bike. Yuck.
I managed to get in 25 minutes, before being totally annoyed by riding this contraption. I decided to cut my hour-long ride short and run longer instead. I managed to get in 25 minutes on the treadmill...I actually could have run a bit more, because I forgot how much faster I can get ready for work when you don't have to get 2 kids dressed and ready for school. I finished getting dressed and realized I still had 30+ minutes before I had to be in training!
So that's it for now...TGIF!!!
Here's the view of the beach from our dinner on Wednesday:
And since Mardi Gras is this weekend, the strand was all lit up:
Here is a summary of my workouts so far this week:
Monday, 2/28
Bike trainer - 1 hour
Normally, the bike trainer bores me to death. I tried to make things a little more interesting by doing intervals. I warmed up, then tried to push my pace for a minute, then go slow 1 minute. Then, I upped it to 2 minutes fast/1 minute slow, 3 minutes fast/1 minute slow, etc. up to 5 minutes and then went back down (5/1, 4/1, 3/1, 2/1, 1/1) and followed up with a cool down. I was supposed to brick it and follow the ride with a 15 minute run, but my ankle has been bothering me since my run on Sunday. Actually, it's not my ankle, but the area right below the bone. Not sure what's up with that....
Tuesday, 3/1
No swim...didn't get home in time and then had to pack for an out of town training class....
Wednesday, 3/2
Run, 3.25 miles (9:48 pace)
What an awesome morning for a run! The temp was a perfect 45 degrees with low humidity - AWESOME! What a different a nice, cool temp can make - last week I struggled through 3 miles, this week I wanted to run more! Too bad I didn't have more time. :-) I left the house at 6:15 to drive to Galveston Island for the training class.
Thursday, 3/3
Bike, 25 minutes / Run, 25 minutes (10:04 pace)
After finding no stationary bike at the hotel fitness center in Baton Rouge last week, I made a point of calling the hotel this week. Yes, the did have a stationary bike! It was either that, or lug my bike and trainer to my hotel room...and yes, I would do that. When I arrived at the fitness center, I found that this stationary bike was a recumbent bike. Yuck.
I managed to get in 25 minutes, before being totally annoyed by riding this contraption. I decided to cut my hour-long ride short and run longer instead. I managed to get in 25 minutes on the treadmill...I actually could have run a bit more, because I forgot how much faster I can get ready for work when you don't have to get 2 kids dressed and ready for school. I finished getting dressed and realized I still had 30+ minutes before I had to be in training!
So that's it for now...TGIF!!!
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