I love the weekend workouts.
My favorite? The bike!
I hate it when the weather is bad on the weekend mornings, because without my weekend morning workouts, I am a grump (okay, I am really a biotch, but I was trying to keep the blog PG-13). Once I've got my workout in, I am ready for the rest of the day - fun with the kids, hanging with the hubby, grocery shopping, etc.
Saturday, April 2 - Bike/Run Brick
I would have loved to ride my bike for about 45 miles, but the kiddos had soccer games so time was limited. Plus, I really need to start working brick workouts into my routine again...so I compromised and rode 30 miles and ran 2 miles.
I seem to be stuck - my pace on the bike has been 16.2 mph for the past few weeks. The bike is one area where I really think I have room for improvement. The past 2 years, my training rides were closer between 14.8 - 15 mph, and my race pace always stayed around 18 mph. This year, I've been on my bike a lot more and for longer distances. Now my average training ride pace is around 16 mph...I'd like to get faster, but I am clueless when it comes to the bike. Is it the same as running? Do speedwork and tempo rides? Someone clue me in. :-)
After my ride, I ran my bike up my driveway into my garage for a little T2 practice. I removed the helmet, changed shoes and was off. And then I turned around and ran into the house for a quick potty break. Doh! I am always surprised at how much faster I tend to run after being on the bike. I managed to finish my 2 miles in 18:40 (a 9:20 pace). The fastest brick I've done was last summer - bike 15 miles, run 2 @ a 9:25 pace, so I was super pleased with this run! I don't think I could have held that pace for another mile, but it gives me something to shoot for at CB&I next month.
Sunday, 4/3 - Long run, 9 miles, 10:45 pace
That pace says it all - warm, humid, tired legs. I'll admit it, my glutes were still sore from Friday's Insanity workout and my legs were a little tired from my brick the day before. I didn't notice the sore glutes at all on the bike the day before, but I definitely noticed it on my run (for at least the 1st mile)! Ouch!
This run was pretty uneventful. I tried to run every loop in every section of the neighborhood, just so I didn't=t have to see the same scenery more than once. But, I started the run in the dark, pre-dawn areas and there are some sections of my neighborhood that are just too dark to venture into before daylight. I was going for 10-miles, but by the time I reached my section of the neighborhood, I was already at 9 miles and a little change...rather than do another loop of my section, I decided that I'd call it a day.
The rest of the weekend consisted of grocery shopping, a birthday party for one of the kiddo's school friends, a baby shower for my cousin, more fishing at the neighborhood lake and a trip to Target for a new Chi. It doesn't seem like a lot, but it certainly felt like a busy weekend!
Showing posts with label brick. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brick. Show all posts
Monday, April 04, 2011
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?
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
BRICK
So we had lower temps on Sunday. Less humidity too. Unfortunately, that was the one day I couldn't run or bike outdoors. On Monday, I had the opportunity to get in a quick brick and I was hoping the weather would still be nice. Imagine my disappointment when I opened the garage door to feel another 100% humidity day. Grrrrrr....
Fortunately, on my bike I can deal with crappy (and even hot weather) much better than when I run. My time was limited, so I decided on 45 minutes on the bike, followed by a 3 mile run. I have to say that while I am scared to death of crazy drivers on the road, I still have a love affair with my bike. To me, riding a bike doesn't feel like a workout...it's fun! I think that comes from me riding my bike up and down our street with my friends as a kid. I associate it to those fun, carefree days....you know the ones - when you wake up on a summer morning and wonder whether you're going to head to the pool, ride your bike all day or maybe just run through the sprinklers and lay out for awhile. Then again, maybe if I'd incorporate more intervals and speedwork into my rides it WOULD feel like a workout, lol.
I decided to wait for the sun to come out a bit more before heading to the nearby neighborhood where I like to ride. I killed some time in the areas of our neighborhood that are still being developed. There's a nice .65 mile loop where I did some intervals - 2 fast, 1 slow - for a few miles. Then, I finally headed out to my favorite roads to ride and actually mis-judged my mileage a bit (oops!). I ended up riding for 55 minutes (~14.75 miles), which only left time for a 2-mile run. There were quite a few people out on their bikes, which was good to see.
For the run, I hopped off my bike, put it and my helmet in the garage and then headed out (thinking about transitions in my head, of course!). I ran the easy, peasy two mile loop around my neighborhood. I tried to push my pace a bit, thinking that I was probably going to be completely anaerobic after a swim and bike during a tri. The result? Two miles at a 9:16 pace! Yeah, I've always been the 10:30 pace person...maybe 10:00 if I really pushed it. But 9:16? About a month ago, I rode 15 miles and ran a 3-miler at a 9:35 pace...so I think something I am doing is helping! Honestly, I think it's the Insanity program - I mean, you are in an anaerobic state for 30 minutes to a hour during those stupid workouts. (At least I am!) I think I'm getting used to that...which I know can be good and bad. Anaerobic is supposed to be great if you want to burn calories, but bad for building muscle (I think). Oh, and by the end of those 2 miles, I was definitely anaerobic...not quite ready to puke though. ;-)
Anyway, I am pleased with the workout and had a great Labor Day with the hubby and kiddos! Hope you enjoyed your Labor Day weekend too!
Fortunately, on my bike I can deal with crappy (and even hot weather) much better than when I run. My time was limited, so I decided on 45 minutes on the bike, followed by a 3 mile run. I have to say that while I am scared to death of crazy drivers on the road, I still have a love affair with my bike. To me, riding a bike doesn't feel like a workout...it's fun! I think that comes from me riding my bike up and down our street with my friends as a kid. I associate it to those fun, carefree days....you know the ones - when you wake up on a summer morning and wonder whether you're going to head to the pool, ride your bike all day or maybe just run through the sprinklers and lay out for awhile. Then again, maybe if I'd incorporate more intervals and speedwork into my rides it WOULD feel like a workout, lol.
I decided to wait for the sun to come out a bit more before heading to the nearby neighborhood where I like to ride. I killed some time in the areas of our neighborhood that are still being developed. There's a nice .65 mile loop where I did some intervals - 2 fast, 1 slow - for a few miles. Then, I finally headed out to my favorite roads to ride and actually mis-judged my mileage a bit (oops!). I ended up riding for 55 minutes (~14.75 miles), which only left time for a 2-mile run. There were quite a few people out on their bikes, which was good to see.
For the run, I hopped off my bike, put it and my helmet in the garage and then headed out (thinking about transitions in my head, of course!). I ran the easy, peasy two mile loop around my neighborhood. I tried to push my pace a bit, thinking that I was probably going to be completely anaerobic after a swim and bike during a tri. The result? Two miles at a 9:16 pace! Yeah, I've always been the 10:30 pace person...maybe 10:00 if I really pushed it. But 9:16? About a month ago, I rode 15 miles and ran a 3-miler at a 9:35 pace...so I think something I am doing is helping! Honestly, I think it's the Insanity program - I mean, you are in an anaerobic state for 30 minutes to a hour during those stupid workouts. (At least I am!) I think I'm getting used to that...which I know can be good and bad. Anaerobic is supposed to be great if you want to burn calories, but bad for building muscle (I think). Oh, and by the end of those 2 miles, I was definitely anaerobic...not quite ready to puke though. ;-)
Anyway, I am pleased with the workout and had a great Labor Day with the hubby and kiddos! Hope you enjoyed your Labor Day weekend too!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Monday Brick
Back to the grind. Time for my Monday "brick". Should I call it a faux brick since I am doing this indoors? Maybe a frick?
The kids were just amazing last night - as close to being little angels as they can get. They didn't fuss at all when I picked them up from my parent's house - usually they want to play longer, eat cookies and all the other stuff that they get to do at the grandparent's. They ate their dinner with no playing around in between bites. They put on their PJs with no arguments. And, they went to bed right on schedule. Quick, write this on the calendar, because this almost NEVER happens! Before I knew it, the next day's lunches and clothes were all ready and it was time to workout. Gotta love that!
Just imagine the little halos, lol!
I rode 40 minutes on the bike trainer while watching the end of The Bachelor. Anyone else watch this train wreck of a show? Can I just say that Rozlyn is whacked! Although I never get to watch an entire episode, this is the 1st time I've actually kept up with the show...yeah, minutes of my life that I will never get back. Soooo, who do you think the bachelor will choose?
After the bike, I headed upstairs and jumped on the dreadmill. Only 2 miles tonight - 19:57, 9:58 pace. I know for some folks, this is your slow pace...for me this is pretty good! For some reason, I always seem to run better after the bike (at least with shorter distances). So, in total, a 1 hour workout.
And before bed, I watched Kell on Earth - another trainwreck of a show, but I love it! Guilty pleasures, we all have'em!
Finally, we're expecting snow today.
SNOW PEOPLE!
IN HOUSTON!
AGAIN!
WHAT THE FRICK?
The kids were just amazing last night - as close to being little angels as they can get. They didn't fuss at all when I picked them up from my parent's house - usually they want to play longer, eat cookies and all the other stuff that they get to do at the grandparent's. They ate their dinner with no playing around in between bites. They put on their PJs with no arguments. And, they went to bed right on schedule. Quick, write this on the calendar, because this almost NEVER happens! Before I knew it, the next day's lunches and clothes were all ready and it was time to workout. Gotta love that!
Just imagine the little halos, lol!
I rode 40 minutes on the bike trainer while watching the end of The Bachelor. Anyone else watch this train wreck of a show? Can I just say that Rozlyn is whacked! Although I never get to watch an entire episode, this is the 1st time I've actually kept up with the show...yeah, minutes of my life that I will never get back. Soooo, who do you think the bachelor will choose?
After the bike, I headed upstairs and jumped on the dreadmill. Only 2 miles tonight - 19:57, 9:58 pace. I know for some folks, this is your slow pace...for me this is pretty good! For some reason, I always seem to run better after the bike (at least with shorter distances). So, in total, a 1 hour workout.
And before bed, I watched Kell on Earth - another trainwreck of a show, but I love it! Guilty pleasures, we all have'em!
Finally, we're expecting snow today.
SNOW PEOPLE!
IN HOUSTON!
AGAIN!
WHAT THE FRICK?
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Brick and Swimming Pools
Monday, 2/8 - Brick - bike (35 minutes), run (3 miles)
I forgot to mention yesterday that I may have found the culprit in my hip pain - The 30 Day Shred! Maybe it's not the cause of the pain, but it certainly made the hip hurt on Sunday. I can't pinpoint exactly what it was, but I think it was the lunges. I may do the workout again this week just to be sure. Just when I thought the hip thing was just a fluke. Dang!
Monday, I hopped on the bike trainer once I got the kiddos into bed - and they actually went right to sleep (must have been the gin I slipped into their milk.....okay, just kidding)! I watched the remainder of The Bachelor followed by 10 minutes of Castle while I rode. After finishing the bike ride, I scooted right up the stairs and hopped on the treadmill for a 3-miler. This time, I was all business...no playing on the computer, no flipping through tv channels. Yay me!
I finished my 3 miler in 30:58, or a 10:19 pace. Not bad for me. And, this was kind of a progressive run. I started out really slow - just to test out the hip and back issues. Both ached a bit at first, but I noticed that as I increased my speed, the pain lessened. I also noticed that when I increase my speed, I am much better at holding in my core muscles and my stride is shortened. Maybe all that sloppy, slower running is what's screwing things up? I dunno, but I thought it was an interesting observation. We'll see how Wednesday's 5-miler goes.
Tuesday, 2/9 - Swim, 1600 yds
I decided to step up the swim workout a bit, especially since I know I'll be working late on Thursday and will more than likely not get to swim at all. *sigh* So, I found this workout on swimplan.com (my comments are in red):
Duration 45-60 mins
Distance 1600yd
Pool length 25yd
Issued Feb 10 2010
Warm up
• 8 x 25yd Freestyle Swim (even pace), rest 0:10 / 25yd [Easy]
Freestyle swim at a steady pace.
Brrr, water was chilly at first....
Build up (repeat 4 times)
• 1 x 25yd Single Arm (arm out front) 6 x left, 6 x right, 6 x full stroke, rest 0:10 / 25yd [Easy]
Freestyle using one arm at a time, focusing on shoulder and hip rotation. Complete 6 arm strokes with the left arm then 6 strokes with the right arm followed by 6 strokes using both arms. The non-stroking arm is held out front in a streamlined position.
I still suck at this one, but it's getting a bit better. I tend to bob up and down a bit when I take a breath on this drill...
• 1 x 25yd Freestyle DPS, rest 0:10 / 25yd [Aerobic]
Freestyle swim with maximum Distance Per Stroke (DPS). Concentrate on long, efficient strokes and a high streamlined body position to reduce drag in the water. Count your strokes per lap and try to reduce.
I still suck at this too...minimum strokes for me last night - 17! Not much improvement at all!
Core
• 8 x 25yd Freestyle Swim, rest 0:10 / 25yd [Aerobic]
• 4 x 100yd Freestyle (25yd Easy, 25yd Effort), rest 0:30 / 100yd [Endurance]
Freestyle swim at a slow, relaxed pace for 25yd, followed by Freestyle at a fast pace for 25yd. Recover during the easy part of the swim.
This was tough for me on the 3rd and 4th 100...at one point, when I was doing the 25yd Effort I got a mouthful of water and had to stop and cough. Can we say embarrassing...especially when the dude in the next lane can make the butterfly look effortless!
• 4 x 50yd Freestyle Swim, rest 0:10 / 50yd [Endurance]
This went well...
• 8 x 25yd Freestyle Swim, rest 0:05 / 25yd [Endurance]
This one too...
Warm down
• 2 x 100yd Easy Any Stroke, rest 0:20 / 100yd [Easy]
Swim your choice of stroke, at a slow, relaxed pace.
I did one 50 with nothing but sidestroke, just for "old time's sake"...side stroke takes a lot more effort than freestyle. I think people have been telling me that for a year and it took me this long to agree, lol!
So that's it for now! To my bloggy friends up north, take care and stay warm in this winter madness! I'll try not to complain too much about our 30-something degree temps. :o)
I forgot to mention yesterday that I may have found the culprit in my hip pain - The 30 Day Shred! Maybe it's not the cause of the pain, but it certainly made the hip hurt on Sunday. I can't pinpoint exactly what it was, but I think it was the lunges. I may do the workout again this week just to be sure. Just when I thought the hip thing was just a fluke. Dang!
Monday, I hopped on the bike trainer once I got the kiddos into bed - and they actually went right to sleep (must have been the gin I slipped into their milk.....okay, just kidding)! I watched the remainder of The Bachelor followed by 10 minutes of Castle while I rode. After finishing the bike ride, I scooted right up the stairs and hopped on the treadmill for a 3-miler. This time, I was all business...no playing on the computer, no flipping through tv channels. Yay me!
I finished my 3 miler in 30:58, or a 10:19 pace. Not bad for me. And, this was kind of a progressive run. I started out really slow - just to test out the hip and back issues. Both ached a bit at first, but I noticed that as I increased my speed, the pain lessened. I also noticed that when I increase my speed, I am much better at holding in my core muscles and my stride is shortened. Maybe all that sloppy, slower running is what's screwing things up? I dunno, but I thought it was an interesting observation. We'll see how Wednesday's 5-miler goes.
Tuesday, 2/9 - Swim, 1600 yds
I decided to step up the swim workout a bit, especially since I know I'll be working late on Thursday and will more than likely not get to swim at all. *sigh* So, I found this workout on swimplan.com (my comments are in red):
Duration 45-60 mins
Distance 1600yd
Pool length 25yd
Issued Feb 10 2010
Warm up
• 8 x 25yd Freestyle Swim (even pace), rest 0:10 / 25yd [Easy]
Freestyle swim at a steady pace.
Brrr, water was chilly at first....
Build up (repeat 4 times)
• 1 x 25yd Single Arm (arm out front) 6 x left, 6 x right, 6 x full stroke, rest 0:10 / 25yd [Easy]
Freestyle using one arm at a time, focusing on shoulder and hip rotation. Complete 6 arm strokes with the left arm then 6 strokes with the right arm followed by 6 strokes using both arms. The non-stroking arm is held out front in a streamlined position.
I still suck at this one, but it's getting a bit better. I tend to bob up and down a bit when I take a breath on this drill...
• 1 x 25yd Freestyle DPS, rest 0:10 / 25yd [Aerobic]
Freestyle swim with maximum Distance Per Stroke (DPS). Concentrate on long, efficient strokes and a high streamlined body position to reduce drag in the water. Count your strokes per lap and try to reduce.
I still suck at this too...minimum strokes for me last night - 17! Not much improvement at all!
Core
• 8 x 25yd Freestyle Swim, rest 0:10 / 25yd [Aerobic]
• 4 x 100yd Freestyle (25yd Easy, 25yd Effort), rest 0:30 / 100yd [Endurance]
Freestyle swim at a slow, relaxed pace for 25yd, followed by Freestyle at a fast pace for 25yd. Recover during the easy part of the swim.
This was tough for me on the 3rd and 4th 100...at one point, when I was doing the 25yd Effort I got a mouthful of water and had to stop and cough. Can we say embarrassing...especially when the dude in the next lane can make the butterfly look effortless!
• 4 x 50yd Freestyle Swim, rest 0:10 / 50yd [Endurance]
This went well...
• 8 x 25yd Freestyle Swim, rest 0:05 / 25yd [Endurance]
This one too...
Warm down
• 2 x 100yd Easy Any Stroke, rest 0:20 / 100yd [Easy]
Swim your choice of stroke, at a slow, relaxed pace.
I did one 50 with nothing but sidestroke, just for "old time's sake"...side stroke takes a lot more effort than freestyle. I think people have been telling me that for a year and it took me this long to agree, lol!
So that's it for now! To my bloggy friends up north, take care and stay warm in this winter madness! I'll try not to complain too much about our 30-something degree temps. :o)
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Brick...
She's a brick house,
She's mighty, mighty just lettin' it all hang out...
Don't know why, but when I think about brick workouts, that song pops into my head. Every time!
I'm having a hard time adjusting to tri training without my YMCA membership and without my weekly (sometimes 2x per week) lunchtime spin class. So, what I've decided to do is train on the bike trainer at home and once a week, follow it up with a run on the treadmill. I don't know if you'd call that a "real" brick, since it's being done indoors but it's going to have to do for now. And, I've found that I really don't know what to do on the bike without instructor from hell, Richard, barking orders to "increase tension!", "dig deep!", "decrease tension!", "sprint up that hill!", "go faster!!", etc. I've heard there are dvds you can buy and watch while riding that guide you through a bike workout...maybe I'll look into that. I'm also checking out the spin class schedule at the new gym to see if there's at least one I can make each week.
Anyway, I had to pick up the kiddos from my parents last night because it was the hubby's martial arts night. Naturally, I want to hang out and visit with the parents, but that makes us get home rather late which results in getting started on the workout late. It was 9 pm by the time I got the kiddos into bed, made lunches for the next day and got the bike set up on the trainer. I biked for 30 minutes while watching the last little bit of the State of the Union address and recap. I did add in a few 1-minute intervals of faster peddeling in there just to make the workout more interesting (read: less boring).
Once I was done with 30 minutes on the bike, I headed upstairs to the treadmill. I don't know why, but I seem to have pretty good runs after I bike. Not that the run was fast or anything, but I just felt in "the zone". You know "the zone" - where your legs, arms and breathing seem to be in sync perfectly....I don't hit "the zone" often on the treadmill, so this was a pleasant surprise. I even added a couple of minutes with some incline and that even felt great. All this zoniness made the time on the treadmill pass really quickly...love it when that happens! Total run was 2.81 miles @ a 10:40 pace. I cooled down by walking another few minutes and rounded out the mileage to 3 miles. Afterwards, the back felt pretty good, but the pain in my left quad is back dangit! Don't know what that's about, but I do want it to go away!
Today, it's back to the pool. Maybe this time I'll remember to bring my workout with me!
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Tri training continues...
Sorry for the long post...just trying to catch up!
Thursday, 8/6
Thursday I was back to my usual T/Th two-a-day schedule. You know the one - spin at lunchtime, swim after work.
Spin class was the usual brutal workout - this time there was some major climbing that I was quite sure my quads would feel it later. (And they did!) I really didn't want to go to class and I wasn't feeling "it" at 1st..but, Richard is a great motivator and great at getting the class pumped and before long I was cheering on my "team" and kickin' ass on the bike.
For my swim, I decided to take my chances and try to swim at the neighborhood pool. Doing this would give me some family time before the kid's bedtime. The only problem is that the pool is often full of neighborhood kids and I don't feel I get in a good, quality swim. It's a gamble. However, as summer has gone on, I've noticed the pool being less and less crowded, so it was worth a shot. When I 1st arrived, I was worried...there were kids and people all over. But, most of them were in the shallow end of the pool and many began to leave. Fortunately, I did get in a good swim! With the exception of 2 asshats who decided to swim laps perpendicular to the lap lanes for awhile, I had the lap lanes to myself. It didn't go as well as last Thursday with my freestyle breakthrough, but it did go well...much less sidestroke and much more freestyle.
I think that I have made some progress in my swimming by swimming more often in the past few weeks, but I think I should be further along by now (if that makes sense). I keep telling myself that everyone progresses at a different pace and that things will eventually "click". We'll see. At least I know I can cover the distance at the tri!
Workout Stats
Spin class - 50 minutes
Swim - 1 hour, 1500 meters - warm-up, drills, 300x2, more drills....
Friday, 8/7
Typical Friday - work, family time, long run. Last week, I thought I'd be running 7 miles. This week, I changed my mind - it would be six and that was final! My quads were feelin' the spin class from the day before, so I was a little concerned. But, once I got going it was not bad at all. In fact, the temps didn't even feel that bad. At first. By mile 3, it had hit me - it's frickin' hot!!! I varied my regular routine and hit the neighborhood gravel trails for a couple of miles, just to help the ol' joints a little. I maintained an 11:20 pace until my final 3-miles...as usual, I slowed it down at the end. My average pace was 11:34. Compared to last year, this isn't too bad...but obviously, I still have a lot of work to do.
Workout Stats
Long run, 6 miles, 11:34 pace (hot, hot, hot!)
Saturday, 8/8
Tomorrow is going to be crazy busy...church, shopping with the kids, nap for the baby, laundry (yuck!) and then THE WIGGLES CONCERT! :-) Because of that, I decided to do my Sunday brick on Saturday....not like Saturday was any less busy, but it just seemed to fit in better.
I really didn't want to go out and do a brick. I wanted to hang out with the kiddo and hubby while the baby was in bed and watch a movie or play a board game. But, the hubby convinced me that if I didn't do my brick, I would feel guilty tomorrow...yeah, he knows me so well! So off I went for a short brick - 8 miles on the bike, 2 mile run. There was nothing too exciting to report about the brick, except for a discovery - wind bites on the bike, but it rocks on the run. It was hot as hades, which I don't feel too much on the bike except when there's also a headwind. On the run, the breeze helped the heat seem a little more bearable. This was the last brick before my tri next week and overall, I was pretty pleased with the results.
Now I am tired dear readers. Plain and simple - T-I-R-E-D! Time for me to get some sleep. Tomorrow is a rest day and trust me, I will ENJOY it!
Workout Stats
Brick - 8 mile ride (16.5 mph), 2-mile run (9:55 pace)
Thursday, 8/6
Thursday I was back to my usual T/Th two-a-day schedule. You know the one - spin at lunchtime, swim after work.
Spin class was the usual brutal workout - this time there was some major climbing that I was quite sure my quads would feel it later. (And they did!) I really didn't want to go to class and I wasn't feeling "it" at 1st..but, Richard is a great motivator and great at getting the class pumped and before long I was cheering on my "team" and kickin' ass on the bike.
For my swim, I decided to take my chances and try to swim at the neighborhood pool. Doing this would give me some family time before the kid's bedtime. The only problem is that the pool is often full of neighborhood kids and I don't feel I get in a good, quality swim. It's a gamble. However, as summer has gone on, I've noticed the pool being less and less crowded, so it was worth a shot. When I 1st arrived, I was worried...there were kids and people all over. But, most of them were in the shallow end of the pool and many began to leave. Fortunately, I did get in a good swim! With the exception of 2 asshats who decided to swim laps perpendicular to the lap lanes for awhile, I had the lap lanes to myself. It didn't go as well as last Thursday with my freestyle breakthrough, but it did go well...much less sidestroke and much more freestyle.
I think that I have made some progress in my swimming by swimming more often in the past few weeks, but I think I should be further along by now (if that makes sense). I keep telling myself that everyone progresses at a different pace and that things will eventually "click". We'll see. At least I know I can cover the distance at the tri!
Workout Stats
Spin class - 50 minutes
Swim - 1 hour, 1500 meters - warm-up, drills, 300x2, more drills....
Friday, 8/7
Typical Friday - work, family time, long run. Last week, I thought I'd be running 7 miles. This week, I changed my mind - it would be six and that was final! My quads were feelin' the spin class from the day before, so I was a little concerned. But, once I got going it was not bad at all. In fact, the temps didn't even feel that bad. At first. By mile 3, it had hit me - it's frickin' hot!!! I varied my regular routine and hit the neighborhood gravel trails for a couple of miles, just to help the ol' joints a little. I maintained an 11:20 pace until my final 3-miles...as usual, I slowed it down at the end. My average pace was 11:34. Compared to last year, this isn't too bad...but obviously, I still have a lot of work to do.
Workout Stats
Long run, 6 miles, 11:34 pace (hot, hot, hot!)
Saturday, 8/8
Tomorrow is going to be crazy busy...church, shopping with the kids, nap for the baby, laundry (yuck!) and then THE WIGGLES CONCERT! :-) Because of that, I decided to do my Sunday brick on Saturday....not like Saturday was any less busy, but it just seemed to fit in better.
I really didn't want to go out and do a brick. I wanted to hang out with the kiddo and hubby while the baby was in bed and watch a movie or play a board game. But, the hubby convinced me that if I didn't do my brick, I would feel guilty tomorrow...yeah, he knows me so well! So off I went for a short brick - 8 miles on the bike, 2 mile run. There was nothing too exciting to report about the brick, except for a discovery - wind bites on the bike, but it rocks on the run. It was hot as hades, which I don't feel too much on the bike except when there's also a headwind. On the run, the breeze helped the heat seem a little more bearable. This was the last brick before my tri next week and overall, I was pretty pleased with the results.
Now I am tired dear readers. Plain and simple - T-I-R-E-D! Time for me to get some sleep. Tomorrow is a rest day and trust me, I will ENJOY it!
Workout Stats
Brick - 8 mile ride (16.5 mph), 2-mile run (9:55 pace)
Monday, August 03, 2009
Weekend Re-Cap
Saturday, August 1
Saturday was my rest day, although with 2 young kids there really isn't any rest to speak of. Any other parents know what I'm talkin' about.
We started the day by heading over to Peanut Butter Jam at Market Street. This was a fun festival for the kids...booths were set up with all kinds of fun activities and crafts for the kids and there was a fun kid's band. The kiddo enjoyed the crafts, but both kids especially enjoyed running and playing in the water. One thing neither kid seemed to enjoy was Readi Clinic's Run E. Nose....seriously, a dude dress up like a nose? Ewwww!
Next we headed home for some lunch and down time. Then, we headed to Missouri City for my cousin's baby shower. Needless to say, it was nice to sit on the couch and unwind once the kids were in bed!
Sunday, August 2
Sunday, the kiddo and I headed to Palm Beach at Moody Gardens with a friend and her daughter while my parents watched the munchkin. He's had a fever since Saturday thanks to his 3 new teeth that are coming in, so we decided to let him stay out of the sand and sun. The kids had a great time riding the water slides, playing in the sand and running through the splashpad. I'll post some pics when I have a chance.
Later that afternoon, I headed out on my bike for a brick - 10 miles on the bike and a 3-mile run. It took me a little while to really get into the groove on the bike, so it was slower than I would have liked. As usual on the run, I started out too fast and paid for it later. My average pace for the 1st miles was 10:10....not bad, but considering the heat, it was too fast. As I ended my 2nd mile, I was down to a 10:26 pace. By the end of the run, my pace was down to 10:38. The goal was to only walk at each mile, since that's where the water stations will be at my next tri. However, the heat got the best of me and I ended up taking another walk break 1/2 way into mile 2. After my brick, I thought about it - I was in the sun all morning and probably didn't hydrate well enough. I am hoping that I am well rested and well hydrated on race day, so that my performance is much better than it was yesterday!
Workout Stats - Sunday, 8/2
Brick:
10 mile bike - 16.2 mph
3 mile run - 10:38 avg pace
Monday, July 20, 2009
Bricks, Weenie Dogs and a Sunset
Saturday was my rest day...thank God for that!
Sunday, the goal was to get in a brick. I had planned on riding for an hour and running 3 miles. However, life can get in the way and it did. I promised to take the kiddo to the pool, but that was delayed until late afternoon because of some errands I needed to take care of (i.e. find a birthday gift for my Mom...nothing like waiting till the last minute!). So, late trip to the pool = late dinner = late getting the kids to bed = late start on the workout. Since it was quickly approaching dusk, I only managed to get in a 30 minute bike ride and a 1 mile run. It worked out okay because I got to see the most awesome sunset. And, I still got to practice getting the legs running after the bike. Well, sort of...while I was putting my bike in the garage, the neighbor's dogs escaped from the backyard. Of course, I herded them back to their house which took a few minutes...weenie dogs aren't the smartest dogs, are they?
Next brick, the goal will be 12 miles on the bike and a 2 mile run. The final brick goal will be 15 miles on the bike and 3 mile run.
Workout Stats
Bike - 10 miles, 36 minutes, 16.5 mph (not very impressive)
Run - 1 mile, 10 minutes
Sunday, the goal was to get in a brick. I had planned on riding for an hour and running 3 miles. However, life can get in the way and it did. I promised to take the kiddo to the pool, but that was delayed until late afternoon because of some errands I needed to take care of (i.e. find a birthday gift for my Mom...nothing like waiting till the last minute!). So, late trip to the pool = late dinner = late getting the kids to bed = late start on the workout. Since it was quickly approaching dusk, I only managed to get in a 30 minute bike ride and a 1 mile run. It worked out okay because I got to see the most awesome sunset. And, I still got to practice getting the legs running after the bike. Well, sort of...while I was putting my bike in the garage, the neighbor's dogs escaped from the backyard. Of course, I herded them back to their house which took a few minutes...weenie dogs aren't the smartest dogs, are they?
Next brick, the goal will be 12 miles on the bike and a 2 mile run. The final brick goal will be 15 miles on the bike and 3 mile run.
Workout Stats
Bike - 10 miles, 36 minutes, 16.5 mph (not very impressive)
Run - 1 mile, 10 minutes
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Brick
I realized about a week ago that I hadn't had a brick workout since TriGirl! Yikes! I didn't get in my long run this week, but I could not let the week go by without a brick!
Since Sunday was Father's Day, I figured I better get the workout out of the way on Saturday. So I took off around 7:30 pm for a 12 mile ride and a 2 mile run. There was some headwind, but not too terrible. And there was a short stretch where I had a tailwind - that's always fun, because I could get my speed up to 23 mph. Too bad it was only for a minute or two though. Overall speed for 12.3 miles was 17.0 mph. I stayed at 16.9 mph for most of the ride, but was determined to get it to 17, so I gave it a final push at the end.
Next, I put the bike in the garage and took off on the run. I could definitely tell it had been awhile. My legs felt like bricks! But somehow I still managed to start out too fast. Overall speed for 2 miles - 10:27. Slower than my previous bricks, but it is warmer than it was back then.
Not a long workout, but overall it felt like a pretty good one. Guess it's the whole quality over quantity thing. I do want to get out for a longer ride soon! The Tour de Pink is coming up, so I'd like to see if I can do the 60-miler this year. The problem is getting the longer rides in. I'll have to figure something out!!!
Since Sunday was Father's Day, I figured I better get the workout out of the way on Saturday. So I took off around 7:30 pm for a 12 mile ride and a 2 mile run. There was some headwind, but not too terrible. And there was a short stretch where I had a tailwind - that's always fun, because I could get my speed up to 23 mph. Too bad it was only for a minute or two though. Overall speed for 12.3 miles was 17.0 mph. I stayed at 16.9 mph for most of the ride, but was determined to get it to 17, so I gave it a final push at the end.
Next, I put the bike in the garage and took off on the run. I could definitely tell it had been awhile. My legs felt like bricks! But somehow I still managed to start out too fast. Overall speed for 2 miles - 10:27. Slower than my previous bricks, but it is warmer than it was back then.
Not a long workout, but overall it felt like a pretty good one. Guess it's the whole quality over quantity thing. I do want to get out for a longer ride soon! The Tour de Pink is coming up, so I'd like to see if I can do the 60-miler this year. The problem is getting the longer rides in. I'll have to figure something out!!!
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Brick #4
Friday, May 1 - Bike, 7 miles @ 13.5 mph & Run, 1 mile, 9:57 pace
I had Friday off from work to get everything done for the baby's birthday party on Saturday. I managed to get everything done pretty quickly, so I decided to head out for a short bike ride before picking up the kiddos from school.
Since the hubby was also home, we decided to ride together. The hubby has a mountain bike, so in order to ride together, it meant I had to slow down a bit. :-) It was fun. We rode around the neighborhood - I showed the hubby my usual route and we even checked out a few sections of the neighborhood that we hadn't really seen. The ride ended up only being about 7 miles, because we ran out of time. Once we were done, I did my T2 in the garage and headed out for a 1-mile run. I am wondering if something was wrong with my Garmin, because even though I thought I was keeping my run slower, I finished my mile in 9:57! For me, that's awesome.
I had Friday off from work to get everything done for the baby's birthday party on Saturday. I managed to get everything done pretty quickly, so I decided to head out for a short bike ride before picking up the kiddos from school.
Since the hubby was also home, we decided to ride together. The hubby has a mountain bike, so in order to ride together, it meant I had to slow down a bit. :-) It was fun. We rode around the neighborhood - I showed the hubby my usual route and we even checked out a few sections of the neighborhood that we hadn't really seen. The ride ended up only being about 7 miles, because we ran out of time. Once we were done, I did my T2 in the garage and headed out for a 1-mile run. I am wondering if something was wrong with my Garmin, because even though I thought I was keeping my run slower, I finished my mile in 9:57! For me, that's awesome.
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