It’s mighty cold here in Texas right now…well, cold for us anyway! Some of you folks up North will laugh at me when I tell you that it’s 30 here with a “feels like” temp of 25. But, this is cold for us, especially this early in the season! I’m not complaining, because it will soon be 100 degrees with 100% humidity. The Kiddo is super excited about these temps. She gets excited anytime she sees the temps in the 30s, because she wants it to snow. Unfortunately for her, there’s not precipitation in the forecast. :-(
I managed to make it to spin class yesterday. The class is only 45 minutes, but I had a 1 hour bike ride on the schedule, so I arrived a little early to get in some extra time. I do enjoy spin class, but sometimes it’s hard to break away from the work stuff to go.
This morning I put on my Nike capri’s, a short sleeve shirt, a long sleeve shirt and some gloves and headed out for a 6-miler. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to get in the entire 6-miles at my new super duper slow pace, especially after my Garmin had to take forever to locate satellites (about 6 minutes…standing in the cold for 6 minutes is not fun!). I ran almost 2 miles before meeting up with my running peep, Julie. During my 1st 1.75 miles alone, I maintained a super-fast 11:47 pace and stayed in zone 2 with my HR. However, I really didn’t want to subject Julie to this super-slow pace, so we ran our normal pace for the next 3 miles. My super-genius self forgot to start my Garmin again, so I have no idea of our pace or my HR during that time. I remembered to turn the Garmin back on for my last 1.25 miles …it seemed to take awhile to get my HR back into zone 2, so that last bit was super slow. My overall pace for the 3 miles I did record was a super -fast 11:58 minute/mile. I know you’re envious of my speed.
After my run, I took a quick shower…I was running late and didn’t want to make the Hubby late, too. Normally, I would linger in the warm water and try to warm up a little more. When I got out of the shower, I realized that I was freezing! I put on my warmest fuzzy robe and just could not seem to warm up. That’s when I decided that I was going to get back under the warm, cozy blankets in an attempt to get warm. I stayed there for about 10 minutes and finally felt warm enough to carry on with my normal morning routine. Oh, and after all this hurrying around, I realized that the Hubby was taking a vacation day…doh! Not sure why it took so long to get warm…probably just because it was colder than normal outside, or maybe I need to add a lightweight jacket or a warmer long sleeve shirt. I dunno. Again, not complaining about the cold temps…just need to prepare a little better.
On another note, I went to the doctor yesterday to get my flu shot. I am happy to report that despite my 3 weeks of consuming food like a human vacuum after NYCM, I am still at my pre-NYCM, cleaner eating weight. Yay me!!!! The goal is to stay there through the holidays and then work on shedding the last few pounds between the January 1 and the 70.3.
So, how are you liking this winter weather? What's your normal running attire for these temps?
Showing posts with label spin class. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spin class. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
Workouts this week...
This Week's theme is "flexibility"...sometimes things don't quite go as planned with the workout schedule, so you've got to be flexible. That can be hard when you're a type A.
Monday – 7/18, Run- 6 miles
I had the day off, so I despite the tired legs from the previous day’s ride, I decided to head out for a run. I had two choices – 1) wake up before 5 am, so I could be back home before the hubby left for work or 2) sleep in and go for a run after taking the kids to school.
Can you guess which option I chose?
Even though it meant I’d be running in warmer temps, I opted for #2 – sleep in. Although, with my kiddos that means I get to sleep until 6 am. It was warm and muggy, but overall it was better than my last 6-miler!
Afterwards, I spent the day with my mom to celebrate her upcoming birthday. We had lunch and cupcakes and just hung out. Fun times!
Tuesday, 7/19 –Rest Insanity
Okay, so I was going to rest, but it was a stressful day and I needed to blow off some steam. I decided to do Insanity’s Cardio Circuit and it did the trick. It’s hard, but you definitely get out the days stress and frustrations!
Wednesday, 7/20 – Run andSwim Run again
I had one of those mornings where I just couldn’t drag myself out of bed. I had 5 miles on the schedule, but after hitting the snooze button too many times before work, I only had time for 3 miles. Then, I was limited on time after work, so opted to finish up my mileage in the afternoon heat rather than swim.
Thursday, 7/21 -Spin and Swim
Thursday’s workouts did not go as planned. I had plans to go to spin class during lunch, but I ended up meeting with someone that I needed to talk to at work…hey, work comes first…afterall, it pays for these races, right? So, I decided rather than swim after work, I’d ride my bike. Then, I’d swim on Friday, which was supposed to be my rest day. Well, as I travelled home it started raining. With thunder. And lightening. So much for a ride. Instead, I headed to the pool for a 50-minute swim workout. Better than nothing, right?
Friday, 7/22 – Rest
Ahhh, a rest day at last! Gotta get ready for 9 miles tomorrow in the heat and humidity. Ick!
So, how flexible are you with your workouts? Do you go with the flow, or freakout when your workouts get derailed?
Monday – 7/18, Run- 6 miles
I had the day off, so I despite the tired legs from the previous day’s ride, I decided to head out for a run. I had two choices – 1) wake up before 5 am, so I could be back home before the hubby left for work or 2) sleep in and go for a run after taking the kids to school.
Can you guess which option I chose?
Even though it meant I’d be running in warmer temps, I opted for #2 – sleep in. Although, with my kiddos that means I get to sleep until 6 am. It was warm and muggy, but overall it was better than my last 6-miler!
Afterwards, I spent the day with my mom to celebrate her upcoming birthday. We had lunch and cupcakes and just hung out. Fun times!
Tuesday, 7/19 –
Okay, so I was going to rest, but it was a stressful day and I needed to blow off some steam. I decided to do Insanity’s Cardio Circuit and it did the trick. It’s hard, but you definitely get out the days stress and frustrations!
Wednesday, 7/20 – Run and
I had one of those mornings where I just couldn’t drag myself out of bed. I had 5 miles on the schedule, but after hitting the snooze button too many times before work, I only had time for 3 miles. Then, I was limited on time after work, so opted to finish up my mileage in the afternoon heat rather than swim.
Thursday, 7/21 -
Thursday’s workouts did not go as planned. I had plans to go to spin class during lunch, but I ended up meeting with someone that I needed to talk to at work…hey, work comes first…afterall, it pays for these races, right? So, I decided rather than swim after work, I’d ride my bike. Then, I’d swim on Friday, which was supposed to be my rest day. Well, as I travelled home it started raining. With thunder. And lightening. So much for a ride. Instead, I headed to the pool for a 50-minute swim workout. Better than nothing, right?
Friday, 7/22 – Rest
Ahhh, a rest day at last! Gotta get ready for 9 miles tomorrow in the heat and humidity. Ick!
So, how flexible are you with your workouts? Do you go with the flow, or freakout when your workouts get derailed?
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Spin Class
Went to spin class yesterday. It was an interesting combo of riding and free weights.
Yes, I said free weights.
We would ride hard - jumps, power surges and hills. Then we'd coast "downhill" and pick up our weights and do some curls or other arm exercises. It was different, but worked out well since I hadn't done strength training yet this week.
After work, I did Ab Ripper X. I am trying to make sure I get this workout in at least 2x per week to strengthen my core...it's been feeling a bit, um soft, since I stopped running. I will do this workout again on Friday.
Well, that's it for today. Other than the workouts...I got nuthin'.
Yes, I said free weights.
We would ride hard - jumps, power surges and hills. Then we'd coast "downhill" and pick up our weights and do some curls or other arm exercises. It was different, but worked out well since I hadn't done strength training yet this week.
After work, I did Ab Ripper X. I am trying to make sure I get this workout in at least 2x per week to strengthen my core...it's been feeling a bit, um soft, since I stopped running. I will do this workout again on Friday.
Well, that's it for today. Other than the workouts...I got nuthin'.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Quickie Pre-Work Post
Just a quick post before I get the kiddos up and we head out the door. I worked out! It wasn't the most successful attempt, but it was a workout. Two of them. I think my body is still recovering from the strep, because both workouts felt more difficult than usual.
Thursday, 6/16 - Spin Class
For the first time in over a month, I made it to lunchtime spin class. It was tough - maybe due to me 1) missing class for so long, 2) getting over strep throat, or 3) I just suck - maybe it was a combination of all three.
Friday, 6/17 - P90X Shoulders and Arms
Again, this felt much more difficult than it usually does. But it's still my favorite P90X workout.
I was planning to swim this afternoon after work and again in the morning, but I am thinking of just resting the rest of the day and again tomorrow. My throat still hurts a little, ugh. I am hoping I feel good enough on Sunday for 40 miles on the bike...we'll see! We're heading to the beach tomorrow for the 1st time this summer...can't wait!
Thursday, 6/16 - Spin Class
For the first time in over a month, I made it to lunchtime spin class. It was tough - maybe due to me 1) missing class for so long, 2) getting over strep throat, or 3) I just suck - maybe it was a combination of all three.
Friday, 6/17 - P90X Shoulders and Arms
Again, this felt much more difficult than it usually does. But it's still my favorite P90X workout.
I was planning to swim this afternoon after work and again in the morning, but I am thinking of just resting the rest of the day and again tomorrow. My throat still hurts a little, ugh. I am hoping I feel good enough on Sunday for 40 miles on the bike...we'll see! We're heading to the beach tomorrow for the 1st time this summer...can't wait!
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!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
More of the same..
Here I am. Blogging used to be so easy to squeeze in here and there. I'm not sure what happened, but it's slipping farther and farther down the priority list. To those who still come here from time to time, I apologize. But, I do want to keep this site going, so here's an update....
Monday, 1/10 - Run, 2 miles
Normally, I'd get out and run my miles in the wee hours of the morning. But, the temps were in the 30s and it seemed like such a waste to get out in the cold for 2 measly miles. :-) I ended up running my 2-miler on the indoor track at the gym on my lunch break. Funny thing - I usually wear my ipod on the indoor track and the treadmill. I forgot my ipod, so I was dreading this run. But, I found that this was one of my better runs on the indoor track. Everything "clicked" and I wanted to do more. Honestly, I think that using my ipod screws up my stride...I try to get the bpm for the songs to be in the same range, but it can be hard. I think I speed up and slow down depending on the song. I really like running without the music better!
Tuesday, 1/11 -P90X Chest and Back & Spin Class & Ab Ripper X
After doing P90X for the past 6+ months, I decided to step it up a bit. Instead of using bands for the chin-ups, I finally bought this....
Sorry for the crappy pic from my phone - that's a chin up bar. Time to stop being a wimp! :-)
At lunch I headed to spin class. The instructor stepped it up a bit - a lot more tension, lots of intervals and hill climbs. Good stuff!
Once the kiddos were tucked into bed, I did P90X Ab Ripper X. Gotta work that core!
Wednesday, 1/12 - Run, speedwork -10 miles 8 miles
The Hubby was out of town starting on Tuesday for a hunting trip. What does this mean? It means that if I want to run, I have to do it either during lunch or after the kiddos are in bed. That doesn't really leave time for 10 MILES. Right? Now, I did consider taking the baby monitor outside and running loops around my backyard just to get in a few miles after work.
Really, I did.
But, I decided against it. Why? 1) My backyard is not that big... it probably would have taken me 25 laps to equal 1 mile (can we say monotonous?) and 2) it was going to be the coldest day of the winter thus far (26 degrees...stop laughing you Northerners, that's cold for the South!). So instead, I ran 5 miles at lunch on the indoor track - 1 mile warm up, then 3 miles of intervals (3 loops fast, 2 loops slow), then 1 mile cool down (total time - 49:47). Then, after the kiddos were tucked into their beds, I ran 3 miles on the treadmill (29:27).
Thursday, 1/13 - Rest day
'Nuff said.
Friday, 1/14 - P90X Shoulders and Arms /Spin
4:15 wake up call for P90X! I know I've said this before, but this is my favorite P90X workout.
I was going to try for lunchtime spin class, but shiznit happens, right? Decided to work through lunch. Maybe I'll wait until after the Houston 1/2 to pick up a 2nd spin class....
Have an AWESOME weekend, ya'll!!!
Monday, 1/10 - Run, 2 miles
Normally, I'd get out and run my miles in the wee hours of the morning. But, the temps were in the 30s and it seemed like such a waste to get out in the cold for 2 measly miles. :-) I ended up running my 2-miler on the indoor track at the gym on my lunch break. Funny thing - I usually wear my ipod on the indoor track and the treadmill. I forgot my ipod, so I was dreading this run. But, I found that this was one of my better runs on the indoor track. Everything "clicked" and I wanted to do more. Honestly, I think that using my ipod screws up my stride...I try to get the bpm for the songs to be in the same range, but it can be hard. I think I speed up and slow down depending on the song. I really like running without the music better!
Tuesday, 1/11 -P90X Chest and Back & Spin Class & Ab Ripper X
After doing P90X for the past 6+ months, I decided to step it up a bit. Instead of using bands for the chin-ups, I finally bought this....
Sorry for the crappy pic from my phone - that's a chin up bar. Time to stop being a wimp! :-)
At lunch I headed to spin class. The instructor stepped it up a bit - a lot more tension, lots of intervals and hill climbs. Good stuff!
Once the kiddos were tucked into bed, I did P90X Ab Ripper X. Gotta work that core!
Wednesday, 1/12 - Run, speedwork -
The Hubby was out of town starting on Tuesday for a hunting trip. What does this mean? It means that if I want to run, I have to do it either during lunch or after the kiddos are in bed. That doesn't really leave time for 10 MILES. Right? Now, I did consider taking the baby monitor outside and running loops around my backyard just to get in a few miles after work.
Really, I did.
But, I decided against it. Why? 1) My backyard is not that big... it probably would have taken me 25 laps to equal 1 mile (can we say monotonous?) and 2) it was going to be the coldest day of the winter thus far (26 degrees...stop laughing you Northerners, that's cold for the South!). So instead, I ran 5 miles at lunch on the indoor track - 1 mile warm up, then 3 miles of intervals (3 loops fast, 2 loops slow), then 1 mile cool down (total time - 49:47). Then, after the kiddos were tucked into their beds, I ran 3 miles on the treadmill (29:27).
Thursday, 1/13 - Rest day
'Nuff said.
Friday, 1/14 - P90X Shoulders and Arms /
4:15 wake up call for P90X! I know I've said this before, but this is my favorite P90X workout.
I was going to try for lunchtime spin class, but shiznit happens, right? Decided to work through lunch. Maybe I'll wait until after the Houston 1/2 to pick up a 2nd spin class....
Have an AWESOME weekend, ya'll!!!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
You spin me right 'round baby...
My schedule is out of whack a bit since I've decided to move my long run to Sunday. I did the P90X stretch workout on Wednesday morning, but that didn't feel like a "real" workout, so I ended up going to another spin class at lunch.
I did several months of spin in 2009 when I was preparing for my 1st triathlon. Never during that time, did the instructor work hand weights into the routine. You can imagine my surprise when the instructor at yesterday's class told us to get 2 hand weights - one slightly heavier than the other. The spin class focused mainly on spin - break aways, hill climbs and jumps - but, for a portion of the class we used the weights while we pedaled. We worked out our shoulders, lats, biceps and triceps and during our cool down we did about 8 push-ups. Overall, it was a good workout...the music, not my favorite. Rob Thomas? I can do without Rob Thomas.
This morning, I headed out in the wee early hours to run. I had 5 easy miles on the schedule (a break from the speedwork, since I ran 13 over the weekend). In all honestly, I didn't want to get out of bed. This was my internal conversation:
"Just do 3 miles."
"Three easy, peasy miles and then come home."
I also remembered that it was an easy run day, so I told myself:
"Just take it easy, run at a comfortable pace. Five miles is no big deal"
I did manage to get out of bed, get dressed and go outside...but still did not want to run. But I did. The weather pretty much sucked - 65 degrees and 1000% humidity. It was even foggy enough to make the neighborhood look a little spooky.
Once I got going:
"Okay, let's go 4 miles. Four miles and you're done."
Then I made it to 3 miles:
"WTH, just HTFU, do your damn 5 miles and get it the hell over with!"
grumble. grumble.
Hopefully, I am not the only weirdo who not only talks to themselves, but also bargains. :-) My run was done at a very comfortable 10:29 pace and I was pleased with myself for not wimping out.
Tomorrow will be a quickie 2-miler followed by some chest and back exercises! Have a very happy new year's eve...be safe!
Happy running, biking and swimming!
I did several months of spin in 2009 when I was preparing for my 1st triathlon. Never during that time, did the instructor work hand weights into the routine. You can imagine my surprise when the instructor at yesterday's class told us to get 2 hand weights - one slightly heavier than the other. The spin class focused mainly on spin - break aways, hill climbs and jumps - but, for a portion of the class we used the weights while we pedaled. We worked out our shoulders, lats, biceps and triceps and during our cool down we did about 8 push-ups. Overall, it was a good workout...the music, not my favorite. Rob Thomas? I can do without Rob Thomas.
This morning, I headed out in the wee early hours to run. I had 5 easy miles on the schedule (a break from the speedwork, since I ran 13 over the weekend). In all honestly, I didn't want to get out of bed. This was my internal conversation:
"Just do 3 miles."
"Three easy, peasy miles and then come home."
I also remembered that it was an easy run day, so I told myself:
"Just take it easy, run at a comfortable pace. Five miles is no big deal"
I did manage to get out of bed, get dressed and go outside...but still did not want to run. But I did. The weather pretty much sucked - 65 degrees and 1000% humidity. It was even foggy enough to make the neighborhood look a little spooky.
Once I got going:
"Okay, let's go 4 miles. Four miles and you're done."
Then I made it to 3 miles:
"WTH, just HTFU, do your damn 5 miles and get it the hell over with!"
grumble. grumble.
Hopefully, I am not the only weirdo who not only talks to themselves, but also bargains. :-) My run was done at a very comfortable 10:29 pace and I was pleased with myself for not wimping out.
Tomorrow will be a quickie 2-miler followed by some chest and back exercises! Have a very happy new year's eve...be safe!
Happy running, biking and swimming!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Spin, Spin and more Spin
Tuesday may just become my official spin day...depending on my work schedule of course. The past 2 weeks have been fairly slow with so many people at work out on vacation, so it's been easy to sneak out for spin class during my lunch break.
Yesterday's spin class was tough - lots of jumps, hills and intervals. I think it may take me a few more classes to really get used to spinning again, because I was sweating like crazy and my legs felt like jello. Good stuff!
Today would normally be my run day, but my left quad has been sore for a couple of weeks so I decided to give it one more day of rest. I'll do today's 5-miler tomorrow. I'm also pushing back my long run to Sunday, so that the hubby and I can actually run together...that means I may sneak in a quickie 2-3 miler on Friday and ride my bike on Saturday (depending on how the NYE festivities go).
One of my many goals for the 2011 is to stretch more. I am notoriously bad about stretching before and after my runs. I may stretch a bit after a really long, tiring run, but I rarely stretch after my shorter, weekday runs. I plan to incorporate either the P90X Yoga or X Stretch video into my weekly workout routine. Who knows, maybe it will help this stupid sore quad issue too! In fact, I decided to start working on this goal a little early and did the X Stretch video this morning. My problem with this? It didn't feel like a "real" workout, so I brought my workout clothes to work with me and intend to do some kind of cardio today during lunch.
More about the 2011 goals later. Until then, happy running/biking/swimming!
Yesterday's spin class was tough - lots of jumps, hills and intervals. I think it may take me a few more classes to really get used to spinning again, because I was sweating like crazy and my legs felt like jello. Good stuff!
Today would normally be my run day, but my left quad has been sore for a couple of weeks so I decided to give it one more day of rest. I'll do today's 5-miler tomorrow. I'm also pushing back my long run to Sunday, so that the hubby and I can actually run together...that means I may sneak in a quickie 2-3 miler on Friday and ride my bike on Saturday (depending on how the NYE festivities go).
One of my many goals for the 2011 is to stretch more. I am notoriously bad about stretching before and after my runs. I may stretch a bit after a really long, tiring run, but I rarely stretch after my shorter, weekday runs. I plan to incorporate either the P90X Yoga or X Stretch video into my weekly workout routine. Who knows, maybe it will help this stupid sore quad issue too! In fact, I decided to start working on this goal a little early and did the X Stretch video this morning. My problem with this? It didn't feel like a "real" workout, so I brought my workout clothes to work with me and intend to do some kind of cardio today during lunch.
More about the 2011 goals later. Until then, happy running/biking/swimming!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
It's a Love/Hate thing...
with spin that is!
Last year during tri season, I didn't go to any spin classes at all. My bike times didn't improve, but fortunately, they didn't get any slower. This year I've decided that I need to add spin back into my training schedule, along with some time on the trainer. Lucky for me, my company has a gym on-site that is totally and completely free! Not only that, they offer all kinds of classes - Zumba, Karate, Pilates (mat), Body Sculpt and some others. Oh, and they offer SPIN! Not just that, they offer it 4x per week. The classes are usually pretty early, but today the class was a 12:15 pm - perfect to fit in between meetings!
I completely forgot how hard spin class could be. Going back for the 1st time in a year was tough. I miss going to my old classes at the Y, mainly because the instructor was so much fun and had music that rocked. The instructor today was good - she definitely made it challenging. When I spend an hour in a spin class, I want it to be a good workout. No, I want it to be a tough workout (i.e. hand me my ass on a platter, please). This class did the trick! The music was just okay - well, except for that Muse song. :-) I think I might try a couple of the other instructors too, just to see which ones I like best.
I also completely forgot how much I HATE spin class. But I love it too. I hate that I sweat like a pig. I hate that my legs feel like jello. But I love that I feel like I had a great workout. I love burning 400+ calories on my lunch break. Like I said, it's a love/hate thing.
Friday, October 30, 2009
One last spin...
Saturday is the final day of my Y membership for now, so I managed to get in one last spin class. It was fun as usual and for some reason, maybe because I knew I wouldn't be spinning for awhile, I gave it my all. I pushed up those hills, ran fast across those flats, you name it. Good times!
I am soooo looking forward to this weekend! Friday is my day off and I have a 9-miler on tap...of course, that depends on our crazy weather! It's 12:30 am here and raining cats and dogs. I am wondering if I will even be able to get the kids to school in a few hours...I know the kiddo hopes so, because it's the school's Fall Festival and she is looking forward to wearing her Halloween costume. Of course, Saturday is Halloween and I can't wait to see the kids all excited to go trick-or-treating! Sunday is church and Mary Poppins with the kiddo - I'm supposed to get a run in here too, but we'll see! To make the weekend even better, the weather is supposed to be awesome! (could I have any more exclamation points in there? LOL!)
Hope you have a great weekend!
I am soooo looking forward to this weekend! Friday is my day off and I have a 9-miler on tap...of course, that depends on our crazy weather! It's 12:30 am here and raining cats and dogs. I am wondering if I will even be able to get the kids to school in a few hours...I know the kiddo hopes so, because it's the school's Fall Festival and she is looking forward to wearing her Halloween costume. Of course, Saturday is Halloween and I can't wait to see the kids all excited to go trick-or-treating! Sunday is church and Mary Poppins with the kiddo - I'm supposed to get a run in here too, but we'll see! To make the weekend even better, the weather is supposed to be awesome! (could I have any more exclamation points in there? LOL!)
Hope you have a great weekend!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Workouts this week (so far)
Monday, 10/19 - Treadmill Run
I went to the Y during my lunch break for a treadmill run. My schedule called for 60 minutes, or ~6 miles. Unfortunately, since it's lunchtime, the most I can manage to fit in at my pace is 5 miles...and even that makes me a bit late coming back from lunch. Fortunately, I work for a pretty flexible company and can make up the time by coming in early/staying late, etc. Of course, I don't want to take advantage, so 5 miles it was!
Mile 1 - warm-up - 10:45 pace
Mile 2 - 10:30 pace
Mile 3 - 10:20 pace
Mile 4 - 10:10 pace
Mile 5 - cool down - 10:50 pace
Tuesday, 10/20 - Lunchtime Spin Class
This week our class was held indoors. Still, it was a great time. It always is! Our instructor, Richard, had us riding from Houston to New Mexico...he narrated the entire ride and gave us updates on the locations and different landmarks. Good times!
Wednesday, 10/21 - Treadmill Run
Even though I haven't been running with the neighborhood run group, I have been following the recommended schedule that comes from the group's coach. Here's what was on tap for today:
5 minutes easy, 30 seconds hard
5 minutes easy, 1 minute hard
5 minutes easy, 1.5 minutes hard
5 minutes easy, 2 minutes hard
5 minutes easy, 1.5 minutes hard
5 minutes easy, 1 minute hard
5 minutes easy, 30 seconds hard
5 minutes easy, 15 seconds sprinting
The result? 4.66 miles in 48 minutes....a 10:18 pace! I enjoyed this workout. Even though it was only a little over 7 minutes at a "hard" pace, it was fun and challenging and I sweated my butt off! At least I remembered to bring my towel...I don't like to sweat all over the equipment if I can help it. :-) Oh, and I a LOVING my lunchtime workouts! Too bad my Y membership is ending at the end of the month. Bummer.
I went to the Y during my lunch break for a treadmill run. My schedule called for 60 minutes, or ~6 miles. Unfortunately, since it's lunchtime, the most I can manage to fit in at my pace is 5 miles...and even that makes me a bit late coming back from lunch. Fortunately, I work for a pretty flexible company and can make up the time by coming in early/staying late, etc. Of course, I don't want to take advantage, so 5 miles it was!
Mile 1 - warm-up - 10:45 pace
Mile 2 - 10:30 pace
Mile 3 - 10:20 pace
Mile 4 - 10:10 pace
Mile 5 - cool down - 10:50 pace
Tuesday, 10/20 - Lunchtime Spin Class
This week our class was held indoors. Still, it was a great time. It always is! Our instructor, Richard, had us riding from Houston to New Mexico...he narrated the entire ride and gave us updates on the locations and different landmarks. Good times!
Wednesday, 10/21 - Treadmill Run
Even though I haven't been running with the neighborhood run group, I have been following the recommended schedule that comes from the group's coach. Here's what was on tap for today:
5 minutes easy, 30 seconds hard
5 minutes easy, 1 minute hard
5 minutes easy, 1.5 minutes hard
5 minutes easy, 2 minutes hard
5 minutes easy, 1.5 minutes hard
5 minutes easy, 1 minute hard
5 minutes easy, 30 seconds hard
5 minutes easy, 15 seconds sprinting
The result? 4.66 miles in 48 minutes....a 10:18 pace! I enjoyed this workout. Even though it was only a little over 7 minutes at a "hard" pace, it was fun and challenging and I sweated my butt off! At least I remembered to bring my towel...I don't like to sweat all over the equipment if I can help it. :-) Oh, and I a LOVING my lunchtime workouts! Too bad my Y membership is ending at the end of the month. Bummer.
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Back to the grind...
Monday, 10/5 - No workout (gasp!)
Monday meant business as usual. I didn’t get to workout during lunch and we made it home later than usual. By the time I got the kiddos into bed, I was not feeling like working out. I guess we all have those days from time to time, right?
Tuesday, 10/6 -Spin Class 5-Mile Run and P90X - Chest and Back Ab Ripper X
I headed to the Y with the intention of going to spin class, but when I saw the instructor heading outside with the spin bikes, I decided I’d run on the treadmill instead. Sorry, but when it’s 90 degrees before the heat index at 11 am, I’m not working out on my lunch break outdoors. Yeah, I’m a wuss like that.
I got started on the treadmill and realized it felt warmer than usual. When I mentioned that to the guy on the treadmill next to me, he told me that the a/c isn’t working properly so it wasn't as cool as usual. I looked out the window and saw the trees moving in the breeze and suddenly wished I had just stuck with my original plan and gone to spin class. But I kept running. As I approached my 3rd mile, I realized that since the dressing rooms were closed (I had to change in the “Family Changing Room”), I would not have access to a hair dryer. CRAP! I decided to stop and 3 miles and cool down. After 3 minutes of walking, I decided that my hair was already a sweaty mess and that I might as well run awhile longer. So, I decided to run for 50 minutes and then try to cool down for 5 minutes. So, that’s exactly what I did. I was pleased that I maintained a 10 minute pace for the remainder of the run. When I did finish my cool down walk, I had gone 5 miles in 54:27…so, even with almost 8 minutes of walking, I had gone 5 miles in under and 11 minute pace. Yay me. Now I’d like to know what my pace would have been without the walking. Hmmmm….
One thing I didn’t realize is that the shower in the family changing room was out of order…so not only did I not have a hair dryer, I had no way to shower off before returning to work. Ugh! I did talk one of the Y employees into letting me sneak into the dressing room to use the hair dryer real quick…thank God I didn’t have any important meetings in the afternoon. I wouldn’t have wanted anyone to get too close to me. LOL!
Tuesday evening, I was going to do P90X Chest and Back and even started the workout. However, I quickly realized that my sliced finger was not going to like the pressure from the push ups. I tried to do them on the side of my hand, but that just made my hand hurt. After a few attempts, I fast forwarded to the Ab Ripper X workout and just did that. Oh well! That gave me a little time to catch up on last week’s episode of Glee and last night’s episodes of The Hills and The City. I don’t get to watch much TV, so it actually felt good to have a little couch time! I think by Thursday, the finger will be ready for P90X again!
Monday meant business as usual. I didn’t get to workout during lunch and we made it home later than usual. By the time I got the kiddos into bed, I was not feeling like working out. I guess we all have those days from time to time, right?
Tuesday, 10/6 -
I headed to the Y with the intention of going to spin class, but when I saw the instructor heading outside with the spin bikes, I decided I’d run on the treadmill instead. Sorry, but when it’s 90 degrees before the heat index at 11 am, I’m not working out on my lunch break outdoors. Yeah, I’m a wuss like that.
I got started on the treadmill and realized it felt warmer than usual. When I mentioned that to the guy on the treadmill next to me, he told me that the a/c isn’t working properly so it wasn't as cool as usual. I looked out the window and saw the trees moving in the breeze and suddenly wished I had just stuck with my original plan and gone to spin class. But I kept running. As I approached my 3rd mile, I realized that since the dressing rooms were closed (I had to change in the “Family Changing Room”), I would not have access to a hair dryer. CRAP! I decided to stop and 3 miles and cool down. After 3 minutes of walking, I decided that my hair was already a sweaty mess and that I might as well run awhile longer. So, I decided to run for 50 minutes and then try to cool down for 5 minutes. So, that’s exactly what I did. I was pleased that I maintained a 10 minute pace for the remainder of the run. When I did finish my cool down walk, I had gone 5 miles in 54:27…so, even with almost 8 minutes of walking, I had gone 5 miles in under and 11 minute pace. Yay me. Now I’d like to know what my pace would have been without the walking. Hmmmm….
One thing I didn’t realize is that the shower in the family changing room was out of order…so not only did I not have a hair dryer, I had no way to shower off before returning to work. Ugh! I did talk one of the Y employees into letting me sneak into the dressing room to use the hair dryer real quick…thank God I didn’t have any important meetings in the afternoon. I wouldn’t have wanted anyone to get too close to me. LOL!
Tuesday evening, I was going to do P90X Chest and Back and even started the workout. However, I quickly realized that my sliced finger was not going to like the pressure from the push ups. I tried to do them on the side of my hand, but that just made my hand hurt. After a few attempts, I fast forwarded to the Ab Ripper X workout and just did that. Oh well! That gave me a little time to catch up on last week’s episode of Glee and last night’s episodes of The Hills and The City. I don’t get to watch much TV, so it actually felt good to have a little couch time! I think by Thursday, the finger will be ready for P90X again!
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Tuesday & Wednesday
Tuesday, 9/29 - P90X, Day 2 Week 2 - Plyometrics Spin class
Tuesday means it's time to spin. I am trying to take full advantage of my last few days of my Y membership, so I headed to spin class like a good girl. As always, it was grueling and it was fun. It was also outdoors again, which can be embarrassing and fun at the same time.
I decided to not workout after work...sometimes, it's just nice to hang out with the hubby and kids without having to think about how you're going to squeeze in laundry, making lunches, kids baths, etc. and still get in a good workout.
Wednesday, 9/30 - P90X, Day 3 Week 2 -Arms and Shoulders Running
Okay, I fully intended to do both the P90X workout and the run. My schedule only called for a 30 minute tempo run, so I thought I could do both. However, I had an exhausting day going to Dallas for work and made it home with the kiddos later than usual...so needless to day, I settled for the shorter workout - running. And, since I have my long run on Friday morning, I thought it made more sense to postpone the P90X workout to Thursday night. I didn't want to postpone the run, because then I'd be running the night before my long run.
So, 30 minutes - 5 minute warm-up, 20 minutes @10:18 pace, 5 minute cool down.
Yeah, so I don't seem to really be following the P90X program very well. Hmmm.....
Tuesday means it's time to spin. I am trying to take full advantage of my last few days of my Y membership, so I headed to spin class like a good girl. As always, it was grueling and it was fun. It was also outdoors again, which can be embarrassing and fun at the same time.
I decided to not workout after work...sometimes, it's just nice to hang out with the hubby and kids without having to think about how you're going to squeeze in laundry, making lunches, kids baths, etc. and still get in a good workout.
Wednesday, 9/30 - P90X, Day 3 Week 2 -
Okay, I fully intended to do both the P90X workout and the run. My schedule only called for a 30 minute tempo run, so I thought I could do both. However, I had an exhausting day going to Dallas for work and made it home with the kiddos later than usual...so needless to day, I settled for the shorter workout - running. And, since I have my long run on Friday morning, I thought it made more sense to postpone the P90X workout to Thursday night. I didn't want to postpone the run, because then I'd be running the night before my long run.
So, 30 minutes - 5 minute warm-up, 20 minutes @10:18 pace, 5 minute cool down.
Yeah, so I don't seem to really be following the P90X program very well. Hmmm.....
**************************************
I spoke to the people at Garmin International and got GREAT news....my 305 is on it's way back to me and I should have it within a couple of days! Whoot! Let's just hope it actually works!
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Spinning Outside and a Creepy Swim
It's Tuesday and I'm back on track, which means it's time for lunchtime spin class and swimming after work.
First let's talk spin. The weather here in Houston is nice this week - 80-something degrees and low humidity. A far cry from the previous weeks of a "feels like" temp of 100+ and 90% humidity! Our spin instructor, Richard, must have thought it was nice too, because he decided to hold our class outdoors.
I know, you're thinking "What the frick? Spin class outdoors?"
Yeah, I thought so too. We all wheeled our bikes out the gymnasium doors and right to the sidewalk directly in front of the Y. It was interesting to say the least, but I have to admit it was nice to actually have the opportunity to enjoy the cooler weather after being in the office all morning. Richard even gave me a complement as I was leaving - "Looking good on the bike today!". I love that class! Really I do.
Now for the swim....For the past few weeks, I've been heading to our neighborhood pool for my swims. It's nice not to not have to drive out of my way to get to a pool, which gives me more time with the family in the evenings. The pool has five 25 yard lap lanes and with school back in session, it hasn't been too crowded. Now, I just need to get my timing right! I was waiting until 8 pm to go to the pool, because that's the kiddo's bedtime...in other words, I don't feel as guilty heading to the pool since she's asleep. But, it's getting darker earlier now! It can be very creepy at the pool when there's no one there and it's dark. So, I headed over to the pool at 7:30 instead. Thanks to the cooler temps, the water was actually cool! It usually feels like a warm bath, lol! Since I wanted to see if I could get in a mile, I knew I'd be there an hour. Lemme tell you...I was good for most of the time I was there, but then I swore I heard someone talking outside the gate. That kinda freaked me out, so I got in my last couple of laps and called it a night!
must.start.earlier.
Workout Stats
Spin class - 50 minutes
Swim - 1800 yds, 1 hour (woohoo, that's 1 mile and 40 yds!)
100 yd warm up, 600x2 and then a 500 with 1 - 2 minute recovery between each set
First let's talk spin. The weather here in Houston is nice this week - 80-something degrees and low humidity. A far cry from the previous weeks of a "feels like" temp of 100+ and 90% humidity! Our spin instructor, Richard, must have thought it was nice too, because he decided to hold our class outdoors.
I know, you're thinking "What the frick? Spin class outdoors?"
Yeah, I thought so too. We all wheeled our bikes out the gymnasium doors and right to the sidewalk directly in front of the Y. It was interesting to say the least, but I have to admit it was nice to actually have the opportunity to enjoy the cooler weather after being in the office all morning. Richard even gave me a complement as I was leaving - "Looking good on the bike today!". I love that class! Really I do.
Now for the swim....For the past few weeks, I've been heading to our neighborhood pool for my swims. It's nice not to not have to drive out of my way to get to a pool, which gives me more time with the family in the evenings. The pool has five 25 yard lap lanes and with school back in session, it hasn't been too crowded. Now, I just need to get my timing right! I was waiting until 8 pm to go to the pool, because that's the kiddo's bedtime...in other words, I don't feel as guilty heading to the pool since she's asleep. But, it's getting darker earlier now! It can be very creepy at the pool when there's no one there and it's dark. So, I headed over to the pool at 7:30 instead. Thanks to the cooler temps, the water was actually cool! It usually feels like a warm bath, lol! Since I wanted to see if I could get in a mile, I knew I'd be there an hour. Lemme tell you...I was good for most of the time I was there, but then I swore I heard someone talking outside the gate. That kinda freaked me out, so I got in my last couple of laps and called it a night!
must.start.earlier.
*******************************************
Dang it, I hate it when I eat almost all my daily calories before 1 pm! Seriously people...I had lunch with a friend at Olive Garden. I thought I was being smart by going with the Soup, Salad and Breadsticks combo. Yeah, I should have asked them to hold the breadsticks - who would have thought they were 150 calories each? And to top it off, minestrone has pretty much no protein in it! If anyone has suggestions for the lowest calorie way to get lots of protein for dinner, please let me know. I may have to run longer just to earn enough calories to be able to eat dinner. Idiot! :-)
Workout Stats
Spin class - 50 minutes
Swim - 1800 yds, 1 hour (woohoo, that's 1 mile and 40 yds!)
100 yd warm up, 600x2 and then a 500 with 1 - 2 minute recovery between each set
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)
Friday, July 31, 2009
Breakthroughs!
Another 2-a-day day!
First was lunchtime spin class - Richard immediately got us going on hills right after the warm up. Then we did lots of jumps, followed by one leg at a time and then some speed intervals. Whew, I was sufficiently sweaty after all that!
Next was my swim! I headed over to the Y after work only to find out that the pool was closed "due to a chemical imbalance." Yeah, and I thought only people had those. So, I trekked it back to my car and headed home. Not before stopping at Walgreen's to pick up teething tablets and orajel for the munchkin though. Damn molars! Apparently, he was crying at school all day because of his teeth...teething sucks!
Once it was the kiddo's bedtime, I headed over to the neighborhood pool. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the pool was pretty empty compared to previous weeks. Score! I actually got in a good, quality swim without having to dodge kids! I started with a 100 yd warm up, then did 400 yds with my usual mix of freestyle and sidestroke. I recovered for a minute and did some of the TI drills for the next 50 yds. Finally, I started to think about how one of the ladies I've seen at the pool always looks so relaxed when she swims. I decided to focus on relaxing for the next 50. I finished it with no problems. ALL FREESTYLE - NO SIDESTROKE! I thought, "Okay, let's keep going with this and see if you can get in another 400". So I kept going.
And going.
And going.
Before I knew it, I had finished 400 yds. ALL FREESTYLE. So I paused for a minute and decided to keep going.
And going.
I finished 600 yds. ALL FREESTYLE - NO SIDESTROKE! There was no struggling, no gasping for breath every time I turned my head. And when I did start to feel breathless, I told myself to relax and concentrated on my rhythm - stroke, stroke, breathe....stroke, stroke, breathe.
Actually, it was more like sssstttrrrroooookkkeeee, sssstttrrrroooookkkeeee, bbbbrrreeeaaaattthhheeee. Slow? Yes, but still - it was ALL FREESTYLE! Until yesterday, the most I've managed to do without slippin' in a little sidestroke here and there was about 100m. For the first time, I felt like I was really getting "it" - whatever "it" is. :-)
Holy crap, I wanted to keep going! But then a parent mentioned something about seeing lightening off in the distance, and if you know me - I don't play with lightening. So I swam (FREESTYLE) to the side of the pool and got out.
So I had a breakthrough in my swimming...now if only the munchkin's teeth would breakthrough too! :-)
I hope this is the beginning of goodbye to sidestroke! Good riddance!
Workout Stats
Spin class - 50 minutes
Swim - 40 minutes - 100yd warm-up, 400 yds (freestyle & sidestroke), 1 minute recovery, 600 freestyle!!!
First was lunchtime spin class - Richard immediately got us going on hills right after the warm up. Then we did lots of jumps, followed by one leg at a time and then some speed intervals. Whew, I was sufficiently sweaty after all that!
Next was my swim! I headed over to the Y after work only to find out that the pool was closed "due to a chemical imbalance." Yeah, and I thought only people had those. So, I trekked it back to my car and headed home. Not before stopping at Walgreen's to pick up teething tablets and orajel for the munchkin though. Damn molars! Apparently, he was crying at school all day because of his teeth...teething sucks!
Once it was the kiddo's bedtime, I headed over to the neighborhood pool. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the pool was pretty empty compared to previous weeks. Score! I actually got in a good, quality swim without having to dodge kids! I started with a 100 yd warm up, then did 400 yds with my usual mix of freestyle and sidestroke. I recovered for a minute and did some of the TI drills for the next 50 yds. Finally, I started to think about how one of the ladies I've seen at the pool always looks so relaxed when she swims. I decided to focus on relaxing for the next 50. I finished it with no problems. ALL FREESTYLE - NO SIDESTROKE! I thought, "Okay, let's keep going with this and see if you can get in another 400". So I kept going.
And going.
And going.
Before I knew it, I had finished 400 yds. ALL FREESTYLE. So I paused for a minute and decided to keep going.
And going.
I finished 600 yds. ALL FREESTYLE - NO SIDESTROKE! There was no struggling, no gasping for breath every time I turned my head. And when I did start to feel breathless, I told myself to relax and concentrated on my rhythm - stroke, stroke, breathe....stroke, stroke, breathe.
Actually, it was more like sssstttrrrroooookkkeeee, sssstttrrrroooookkkeeee, bbbbrrreeeaaaattthhheeee. Slow? Yes, but still - it was ALL FREESTYLE! Until yesterday, the most I've managed to do without slippin' in a little sidestroke here and there was about 100m. For the first time, I felt like I was really getting "it" - whatever "it" is. :-)
Holy crap, I wanted to keep going! But then a parent mentioned something about seeing lightening off in the distance, and if you know me - I don't play with lightening. So I swam (FREESTYLE) to the side of the pool and got out.
So I had a breakthrough in my swimming...now if only the munchkin's teeth would breakthrough too! :-)
I hope this is the beginning of goodbye to sidestroke! Good riddance!
Workout Stats
Spin class - 50 minutes
Swim - 40 minutes - 100yd warm-up, 400 yds (freestyle & sidestroke), 1 minute recovery, 600 freestyle!!!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
3rd swim day in a row and a little torture from Richard
Another 2-a-day day for me….This time I met June at the pool for a swim at Memorial Park. This is the 1st time I’ve been to the Memorial Pool since I attempted to take lessons there during my 1st summer of grad school. And, this was the 1st time I’ve been to this pool in the morning, so I had no idea what to expect.
There was a bit of trouble with the lane divider thingy, so June and I ended up sharing a really narrow lane but it was all good – we both got in some good laps. It was great to swim outdoors again and it was great to swim with a friend. Afterwards, I got ready for work at the tennis center…lemme tell you, it was hoppin’ over there! I used to run in the morning at Memorial when we lived closer and it was never very crowded! I actually had to hang out and wait for a shower. Fortunately, I had plenty of time to get ready and still make it to work on time. I even had some time for some Smoothie King!
During lunch, I headed over to spin class at the Y. Many thanks totorturer instructor, Richard, for all the grueling jumps. Oh and the “raise the roof” thing kicked my arse as well. But, I have to admit, there’s nothing better than going back to work with Jello legs.
Wow, did I just type that? :-)
Workout Stats - Tuesday, July 28
AM Swim - 35 minutes, ??? yds
Lunchtime Spin class - 50 minutes
There was a bit of trouble with the lane divider thingy, so June and I ended up sharing a really narrow lane but it was all good – we both got in some good laps. It was great to swim outdoors again and it was great to swim with a friend. Afterwards, I got ready for work at the tennis center…lemme tell you, it was hoppin’ over there! I used to run in the morning at Memorial when we lived closer and it was never very crowded! I actually had to hang out and wait for a shower. Fortunately, I had plenty of time to get ready and still make it to work on time. I even had some time for some Smoothie King!
During lunch, I headed over to spin class at the Y. Many thanks to
Wow, did I just type that? :-)
Workout Stats - Tuesday, July 28
AM Swim - 35 minutes, ??? yds
Lunchtime Spin class - 50 minutes
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Typical Tuesday
Another spin and swim day!
Just another typical sweaty day at spin class. I had to leave a little early so that I could get back to work in time to set up the conference room audio visual system to watch the Michael Jackson memorial service. Yes, I am serious. Employees wanted to watch it and so we accomodated them...and yes, even I wanted to see it, but I dvr'ed it to watch at home. Turns out that it was all set up before I got there, so I guess I could have stayed for the entire class.
My swim was okay. Still some kid-dodging going on, but overall not too bad. I've learned that the later I wait to swim, the fewer kiddos there are to dodge. I did a 100 yd warm-up, followed by 350 of mostly freestyle (but some sidestroke too), 2 minute recovery, another 350 of the freestyle-sidestroke combo, recovery, then another 200 of slow freestyle to work on my breathing since that seems to be my biggest challenge. One thing I noticed is that I haven't been stretching out my stroke and rotating much...time to watch the Total Immersion video again!
And back to the Michael Jackson Memorial Service....someone please explain to me why Sheila Jackson Lee was there? Seriously. Can we say "media whore"?
Workout stats
Spin class - 50 minutes
Swim - 1,000 yds
Just another typical sweaty day at spin class. I had to leave a little early so that I could get back to work in time to set up the conference room audio visual system to watch the Michael Jackson memorial service. Yes, I am serious. Employees wanted to watch it and so we accomodated them...and yes, even I wanted to see it, but I dvr'ed it to watch at home. Turns out that it was all set up before I got there, so I guess I could have stayed for the entire class.
My swim was okay. Still some kid-dodging going on, but overall not too bad. I've learned that the later I wait to swim, the fewer kiddos there are to dodge. I did a 100 yd warm-up, followed by 350 of mostly freestyle (but some sidestroke too), 2 minute recovery, another 350 of the freestyle-sidestroke combo, recovery, then another 200 of slow freestyle to work on my breathing since that seems to be my biggest challenge. One thing I noticed is that I haven't been stretching out my stroke and rotating much...time to watch the Total Immersion video again!
And back to the Michael Jackson Memorial Service....someone please explain to me why Sheila Jackson Lee was there? Seriously. Can we say "media whore"?
Workout stats
Spin class - 50 minutes
Swim - 1,000 yds
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Confession time...
First, I did get in both of my workouts yesterday! Yay me.
Spin - 1 hour
Typical leg burning spin class. Richard played nothing but MJ for the 1st half hour, which was fun. Naturally, he had a lot of "uphill" for us and lots of speed intervals. Gotta love it. Or maybe I'm just weird.
Swim - ~1,000 yds
Okay, not completely sure about the yards..could be right give or take 50 yds. The neighborhood pool was pleasantly empty...not completely, but void of the little demons running around last week. :-) I did 100 yd warm up, followed by 300, then recovery, then about 200 of drills and just working on my breathing, followed by another 300, recovery and more drills. I am still frustrated with the breathing....I try to not gasp huge amounts of air, but I'm still not doing something right because I get winded. Granted, I don't get as winded as quickly as I used to, but still winded. Grrrrr........
The confession???
After months of working with a nutritionist, I have sorta fallen of the wagon with my eating. I lost 15 lbs between October of last year and January 2009....since mid-January, I have lost nothing.
nada.
zip.
In fact, I have gained 2 lbs. The sad thing is, I know it won't take that long to get off these last few pounds. I just don't know why I don't just do it already! I'll say to myself "okay, todays the day you're gonna get back to eating better" and the next thing I know I am eating a peanut butter cookie from the catered lunch at work! Doh! Sooooo...it's time to get back on the wagon. I workout like a madwoman, so to not see results on the scale or my clothes is just plain depressing.
Spin - 1 hour
Typical leg burning spin class. Richard played nothing but MJ for the 1st half hour, which was fun. Naturally, he had a lot of "uphill" for us and lots of speed intervals. Gotta love it. Or maybe I'm just weird.
Swim - ~1,000 yds
Okay, not completely sure about the yards..could be right give or take 50 yds. The neighborhood pool was pleasantly empty...not completely, but void of the little demons running around last week. :-) I did 100 yd warm up, followed by 300, then recovery, then about 200 of drills and just working on my breathing, followed by another 300, recovery and more drills. I am still frustrated with the breathing....I try to not gasp huge amounts of air, but I'm still not doing something right because I get winded. Granted, I don't get as winded as quickly as I used to, but still winded. Grrrrr........
The confession???
After months of working with a nutritionist, I have sorta fallen of the wagon with my eating. I lost 15 lbs between October of last year and January 2009....since mid-January, I have lost nothing.
nada.
zip.
In fact, I have gained 2 lbs. The sad thing is, I know it won't take that long to get off these last few pounds. I just don't know why I don't just do it already! I'll say to myself "okay, todays the day you're gonna get back to eating better" and the next thing I know I am eating a peanut butter cookie from the catered lunch at work! Doh! Sooooo...it's time to get back on the wagon. I workout like a madwoman, so to not see results on the scale or my clothes is just plain depressing.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Back to the grind...
I took Monday off. Not intentionally, but the kiddo had her 1st gymnastics class and we got home later than expected.
Tuesday, I returned to spin class for a good booty whippin'. The 1st 1/2 of the class was nothing but MJ. Now that's some booty movin music. As always, Richard challenged us with lots of "hills", intervals and "running". Good times!
Tonight after the kiddo's swim lesson, I'll be hittin' the pool for some laps. This is her last week of swim classes, which means I will be changing the location of my swims again. Hopefully, I'll be able to do laps again without having to dodge kids!
Workout Stats
Spin class - 1 hour
Tuesday, I returned to spin class for a good booty whippin'. The 1st 1/2 of the class was nothing but MJ. Now that's some booty movin music. As always, Richard challenged us with lots of "hills", intervals and "running". Good times!
Tonight after the kiddo's swim lesson, I'll be hittin' the pool for some laps. This is her last week of swim classes, which means I will be changing the location of my swims again. Hopefully, I'll be able to do laps again without having to dodge kids!
Workout Stats
Spin class - 1 hour
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