Day 47 - Back on the Wagon

Hello, blog followers!

Well, it was good to get away, but I failed myself on my workouts while in the great midwest. I squeezed one run in, but in the sweltering heat, didn't make it very far.

So we're back on the wagon. I'm upping distances and will try to up times for those distances next week. Did 3 miles running yesterday am, and will do at least a mile swimming tonight. Fitting in more weight training. Signed up for a few clinics, but now it's do or die time.

Also exciting, Jen and I will be running the Firecracker 5K this coming Friday. Never have run at night, so this will be interesting. The shirts glow in the dark :)

Day 58 - Taking it on the road

Training this week has been slow, as other things had priority. I did get in a good swim and a good run, but doesn't look like I'll get a chance to get back on the bike until we return from vacation. Lori has kinda offered to lend me her road bike for the race, so I'll be adding that into the repetoire to get used to the feel of it.

Packing the running shoes and the goggles. Will attempt my first open water swims while in Wisconsin. Wish me luck! We're 8 weeks away!

Day 63 - Plans

So I had this whole weekend planned out, where I would run on Saturday and do something today. Plans are dangerous things, as life happens while you are making them. Can lifting furniture count as weight lifting?

I'll get back on the horse tomorrow. Today I'll close out with some time-sensative knitting and some even more time-sensative work. Hopefully it will be a good workout week. Friday we leave for Chicago/Wisconsin. I'll bring the running shoes and goggles, with hopes of an open water swim in Lake Michigan or, more likely, one of the many bays of Door County. They'll likely be little blogging, for those who follow, but I promise to return with pictures to share! (OK not directly tri-related, but interesting nonetheless!).

Keeping you posted...

Day 65 - Way to go!

I did it! I woke up and went to the gym! Way to go!

OK it's not that remarkable. But it proves there's still hope for me :)

Day 66 - One more try.

I continue to fail at the waking up to workout thing. I can't figure out why I was so capable with Booty Camp (expectations of arrival? habit?) but I'm incapable now. I'm giving myself one more shot tomorrow, and after that, will resign myself to the fact that it just isn't going to happen.

Didn't work out yesterday. I'll also have to pick up the training schedule if I expect to fair at all reasonbly well in this thing. Hit the pool this evening. Did 1000 meters nonstop under 20 minutes. Acceptable. I'm still concerned about how I'll do with other people kicking in my face. Must get out and do an open water swim. There are some opportunities available, including some mini-tris. This will be the test.

Day 68 - Putt Putt

So yesterday I had planned on hitting the gym in the morning. Failed again. By the end of the day, I was beat, so instead of a more rigorous outting to the gym, Dan and I hit the range - the gold range. Outside of minature golf, I hadn't swung a real club since I was twelve. Dan reports that I was good enough to play a real game. We'll see about that.

I didn't wake up this morning either. Surprise. I did get to the gym, and biked 6 miles, and ran 1, as well as some basic weights. Dan and I are thinking we will start a pool on what time we think I'll finish the Tri. I'd like to get under 2 hours, but that's going to take some effort. Keep trying!

Day 70 - Furry frenzy!

Today was the Furry 5K, my chance to do a temperature reading of where I'm at with this running thing. Jen joined me, and oh what fun we had! Hundreds of dogs howling at the start line, from pugs to danes to mutts of all kinds. I'm tempted to consider this more of an obstacle course - dodging dog fights, butt-sniffing, poop, and leashes, as well as a killer hill somewhere near mile 1.5. I did the same course last fall in the Pumpkin Push, and got 35:11. My goal this time was to get under 34 minutes. Alas, we were close - 34:09.9. It was a tough haul - the first mile seemed to go on for days, the second mile contending with the aforementioned hill, but the third felt ok. I kept asking myself how this would feel after a 1/2mile swim and a 12 mile bike ride. I can only assume the time will be higher, but we ain't in it for time, just finishing.

It's back in the pool tomorrow, I think. Also considering some mini-tris locally for practice. Still fearing that open water, but the best way to get over it is to get in it, right?

For your enjoyment, a track record (no pun intended) of my running history to date:

10/14/07: 39:11 - Dawg Dash

12/16/07: 38:32 - 12Ks of Christmas

02/10/08: 36:19 - Love 'Em or Leave 'Em

09/28/08: 34:46 - Alki Beach Run

10/25/08: 35:11 - Pumpkin Push

06/07/09: 34:10 - Furry 5K

Progress!

UPDATE (06/15/09): They've corrected the times for the Furry 5K (Jen and I both thought they were a little off). Final result: 33:38.6 - nice!

Day 72 - Not a morning person

OK, Juliet, you got one week to sleep in, but that's it. Weeks 10-1 must incorporate some mornings. You've got better things to do with your evenings, like knit.

Seriously, I need a wake up call or a workout buddy or something. Without the driving force like Booty Camp, I'm finding all kinds of reasons to sleep in, or no reason at all. Then, when it comes time to hit the gym after work, I find myself concocting ways to get out of it.


Alas, I was successful at at least making the workouts in the evenings. I just returned from a good swim - 60 lengths: 20 free, 20 free, 8 breast, 8 back, 3 crawl, and 1 fly (always a good heart-racer). That's 9/10ths of a mile, well over what will be needed for race day. I figure if I can get up to 60 continuously, then I'll be ready to hit the open water with some confidence.


Last night's Danskin meeting was cool - more about pushing products (which I bought into - got some sweet shorts), but also inspirational. We watched a brief film of pictures of previous Danskins, and many of us were seriously choked up by the end. It's this same feeling that I had two years ago as I waited at the finish line for my friend Lori to complete her first tri (she did awesome, and I was too late to see her finish). All types of women - young, old, fat, skinny, even blind - fought their way to the finish. I cried that day, it was so beautiful.


Olympic Athlete Sheila Taormina spoke (pictured right), and let us hold her 1996 gold medal , which was very cool. Her message was simple - it won't be easy, and for some of us, it may be the hardest thing we will have ever done, but the payoff is extraordinary. I will keep this in mind. Now if I can just wake up in the morning!

Day 74 - Beacon Hill Biking

Well, let's just say the beginning of the week didn't pan out as I would have liked.

I have every good intention of waking up in the mornings to get my workouts out of my way, but Monday happened - no go. I did hit the gym that evening to make up for it, and had a fairly easy time running 2 miles at a 12 minute mile pace. I also did some weight training.

Tuesday rolled around, and I didn't roll out of bed. So no work out made its way in to the day. Today I actually planned to sleep in, and just came back from a 6 mile bike ride around the 'hood. I don't count all of it, as some stretches you can coast, but I wonder if the uphills make up for it. Nothing drastic, but I walked in the door with a sweat and a burn in the thigh, so I'm satisfied, for now.

Tomorrow I'm sleeping in, as pub trivia runs late. The evening is usurped by a Danskin Clinic at REI (the flagship store - friends, come visit, and I'll take you!). So Friday monring I'm going to try to get the hell out of bed and get in the pool!

Sunday I'll be testing my running in the Furry 5K. No, Murphy won't be joining me, but Jen will!

P.S. A really cool online tool for mapping routes: http://www.walkjogrun.net/

Day 76 - Kind of like Day 1

So today is Day 1 of official triathlon training, according to an 11-week tri training manual that I downloaded. Already, I'm ready to modify. For starters, day 1 is a rest day. That's not gonna fly. So instead, today I'm off to christen my new All-Star fitness membership after work. I ended up breaking down, ultimately because the pool at All-Star is just sooo nice. I figure I will use the membership long after the tri, and it's convenient to both home and work. There are worse things we could be spending our money on.

So I've decided that my goal is to get up to a 10 minute mile. Slow for the common man, but hard work for a girl who could barely do a 12 minute mile in 6th grade. I'd like to maintain the pace for a significant distance, so that when race day comes, 5K after swimming and biking will feel as natural as 8K (maybe more?) on its own. Today I'll start with a lesser amount, and couple it with some weight training.

Tomorrow morning I'll hit the pool, again modifying the training, which calls for 200 yds. That's like a warm-up. Wednesday I've mapped for myself a 5 mile bike loop throug Beacon Hill. Thursday I'll attempt some more weight training, and then in the evening will be attending a Tri Clinic, where I can get all my questions answered. Send me some if you have 'em too!

Keeping you posted!