Met up with Joe and Amie for our bike ride this morning at Squires Castle.
We planned on doing a 15 mile ride. Well Joe had a borrowed bike and around mile 8 the tire popped. So we had to stop. Luckily I had my pump and some patches so Joe was able to patch it up. It was probably a good experience because now we have seen it happen "in the field" so I feel better prepared if it happens to me. Fortunately my pump worked for Joe. It won't work on my tires. I have different valves than a road bike and for some reason once the pump is on my valve it is impossible to pump air in. Two other people have tried to do it for me and it wouldn't work for either of them either.
It was beautiful out this morning and the ride goes through some pretty areas.
I ended up riding just over 20 miles which took about 2 hours but only 1:30:00 "pedalling" time. I am starting to get used to the cages but I think I will plan a day to just go out and practice placing my feet in and out of the cages and practice taking my water bottle out of the cage while riding. During the race on Sunday I wanted water so bad but I was scared I would crash if I took out my water bottle while riding.
Off to rest my head (darn sinus headaches are killing me)
Quick 40 minute swim
I have an annual doc appointment this morning so I had to get in a quick pool workout.
Here is the run down:
2*100 easy with 30 second rest
2*100 with 25 second rest
2*100 with 20 second rest
2*100 with 15 second rest
2*100 with 10 second rest
2*100 with 5 second rest
4*100 drill (kick, catch up, 2* slow arm recovery)
50 easy
50 sprint
50 easy
I felt pretty good this morning. A little tired during the kick drill. It is pretty nice out and the pool was only cold for a little bit.
Here is the run down:
2*100 easy with 30 second rest
2*100 with 25 second rest
2*100 with 20 second rest
2*100 with 15 second rest
2*100 with 10 second rest
2*100 with 5 second rest
4*100 drill (kick, catch up, 2* slow arm recovery)
50 easy
50 sprint
50 easy
I felt pretty good this morning. A little tired during the kick drill. It is pretty nice out and the pool was only cold for a little bit.
Bike Workshop
Went to our bike workshop tonight and learned all about cycling and bike mechanics. I now know how to change my bike tires and adjust it to fit me perfectly for the race! I also got some cages from my coach to use while training for the Chicago Tri.
We went out for a 30 minute/6 mile ride while our coaches made burgers and macaroni and cheese. It was a fun evening! But now I am exhausted and I have to get up and swim at 6:30am!
I am up to $1875.00 in donations! Almost half way to my fundraising minimum! Thank you very much to everyone who has donated!
We went out for a 30 minute/6 mile ride while our coaches made burgers and macaroni and cheese. It was a fun evening! But now I am exhausted and I have to get up and swim at 6:30am!
I am up to $1875.00 in donations! Almost half way to my fundraising minimum! Thank you very much to everyone who has donated!
Stow Sprint Triathlon!
Just got home from a long day of racing in my first triathlon and then driving three hours to Michigan for my cousin's graduation party and driving three hours home :) All on no sleep! (Actually my extremely sick husband was kind enough to drive home this evening so I caught a cat nap in the truck)
The triathlon was awesome!!! It was really cool. I had a blast, and did pretty well. Everyone else that went with Team in Training did great today too!!! It couldn't have been a nicer day.
There were over 100 people there today. (They had planned on 70) The swim was two laps (400-500 yards) in a smallish lake/pond. Very murky and green! The bike was two 6 mile loops out on the roads which they called "flat". And the run was an out and back 5k on a trail at the park.
I got there fairly early so i had time to watch other people set up their transition area stuff so I didn't look like I was completely clueless. Coach Melissa was there too so she helped us get organized. I had station 21 which was in the last row. So I had to run further from the lake to my station but dropping off the bike before the run was quicker. I was worried about running from the lake to the transition area because it was on pavement and I have had a stress fracture and bone bruises on my feet. (Pavement plus no running shoes=Bad!) But I didn't even notice it during the race.
You get a swim cap with your number on it (I was 242), a tag for your bike, and a number tag for your outfit. No body painting today.
There was also a super sprint going today (half the distance of the sprint). So they started the super sprint in the lake. Then the women doing the sprint started two minutes after them. (The men started ten minutes after us) I was amazed at how little you could see in the water. I was one of the first women out of the water (about 8 and a half minutes) which was pretty neat. Other than some trouble keeping in the right direction and running over some of the super sprinters I did great! When I got out of the water I was a bit dissoriented and tried to go the wrong way but everyone steered me onto the course.
Got into the transition area and I couldn't get my darn bike helmet to snap on, uggh. I also had a hard time getting my bike gloves on. So even though I was one of the first out of the water I was not one of the first onto my bike :(
Started the bike at decent speed (the slick tires were a real blessing). I passed two people going up the first hill (Not a flat course by any means). It was a two loop course and I made pretty good time for me. (about 44 minutes on the bike) I got passed by about 6 women out on the bike ride (I thought I would get passed by quite a few more). I got into the transition area and was much quicker this time but had some trouble getting my bike back on the rack. Chugged some water and headed out onto the run (at about 57 minutes at this point).
The first 3/4 miles were a little rough. My legs felt a bit like jello and the course was on gravel so I was worried about turning my ankle. After that though I got into a groove and the course switched to a paved trail. I passed quite a few people on the run so that felt good, especially because I didn't have to push too hard to do it.
I finished the race in 1:22:07. (By my watch, the official times have me at something faster check it out 86th overall and 17th out of the women) I have no idea if that is good or bad but I felt great! I had planned on about 1:30:00-1:40:00 so I was really pleased. Plus I think I came in about 4th or 5th in my age group (3rd in my age group was 1:20:00)!
I was so proud of everyone today. We had three of us that had never done a tri before and we all did really well. One of our mentors did it and she got a trophy. And we have a teammate who used to participate in tri's about 15 years ago doing her first one since 1989! It was really amazing!
I will try to post pics tommorrow! Thanks to everyone who encouraged me :) Two more months till the real thing! (Now I am off to bed!)
The triathlon was awesome!!! It was really cool. I had a blast, and did pretty well. Everyone else that went with Team in Training did great today too!!! It couldn't have been a nicer day.
There were over 100 people there today. (They had planned on 70) The swim was two laps (400-500 yards) in a smallish lake/pond. Very murky and green! The bike was two 6 mile loops out on the roads which they called "flat". And the run was an out and back 5k on a trail at the park.
I got there fairly early so i had time to watch other people set up their transition area stuff so I didn't look like I was completely clueless. Coach Melissa was there too so she helped us get organized. I had station 21 which was in the last row. So I had to run further from the lake to my station but dropping off the bike before the run was quicker. I was worried about running from the lake to the transition area because it was on pavement and I have had a stress fracture and bone bruises on my feet. (Pavement plus no running shoes=Bad!) But I didn't even notice it during the race.
You get a swim cap with your number on it (I was 242), a tag for your bike, and a number tag for your outfit. No body painting today.
There was also a super sprint going today (half the distance of the sprint). So they started the super sprint in the lake. Then the women doing the sprint started two minutes after them. (The men started ten minutes after us) I was amazed at how little you could see in the water. I was one of the first women out of the water (about 8 and a half minutes) which was pretty neat. Other than some trouble keeping in the right direction and running over some of the super sprinters I did great! When I got out of the water I was a bit dissoriented and tried to go the wrong way but everyone steered me onto the course.
Got into the transition area and I couldn't get my darn bike helmet to snap on, uggh. I also had a hard time getting my bike gloves on. So even though I was one of the first out of the water I was not one of the first onto my bike :(
Started the bike at decent speed (the slick tires were a real blessing). I passed two people going up the first hill (Not a flat course by any means). It was a two loop course and I made pretty good time for me. (about 44 minutes on the bike) I got passed by about 6 women out on the bike ride (I thought I would get passed by quite a few more). I got into the transition area and was much quicker this time but had some trouble getting my bike back on the rack. Chugged some water and headed out onto the run (at about 57 minutes at this point).
The first 3/4 miles were a little rough. My legs felt a bit like jello and the course was on gravel so I was worried about turning my ankle. After that though I got into a groove and the course switched to a paved trail. I passed quite a few people on the run so that felt good, especially because I didn't have to push too hard to do it.
I finished the race in 1:22:07. (By my watch, the official times have me at something faster check it out 86th overall and 17th out of the women) I have no idea if that is good or bad but I felt great! I had planned on about 1:30:00-1:40:00 so I was really pleased. Plus I think I came in about 4th or 5th in my age group (3rd in my age group was 1:20:00)!
I was so proud of everyone today. We had three of us that had never done a tri before and we all did really well. One of our mentors did it and she got a trophy. And we have a teammate who used to participate in tri's about 15 years ago doing her first one since 1989! It was really amazing!
I will try to post pics tommorrow! Thanks to everyone who encouraged me :) Two more months till the real thing! (Now I am off to bed!)
Off to the race
Wish me luck! I am definitely going to need it. I lied awake all night. Nothing like racing your first triathlon on no sleep. Uggh. Darn Insomnia. The only good thing is that I slept really well Friday night so maybe there is still hope for me. But I feel pretty jittery right about now...
I will let you all know how it goes later!
I will let you all know how it goes later!
Slicker Tires
Second time typing this blog...apparently sometimes my backspace button likes to revert to the previous webpage (as opposed to deleting my typing errors) grr...
Anyways. I went and got slicker tires put on my bike yesterday. 700 by 28 as opposed to what I had before: 700 by 38. I was a bit worried that they wouldn't be able to do it. When I called the guy I spoke with said that hybrids usually have too large of rims for slick tires...but my rims are fine!
So I took the bike to the grocery store with me to try the new tires out this morning. I didn't want to get in a real ride because of the race tomorrow, but I wanted to make sure I got a little bit of riding in on the new tires. (Can you believe the grocery store didn't have a bike rack? I had to chain the bike to a fence) I didn't notice too much of a difference in my short 20 minute ride but it felt a bit lighter and a bit faster. I am sure I will be grateful for the switch tomorrow during the race.
Now I am off to prepare for a summer party in Tiffin and relax the day away!
Anyways. I went and got slicker tires put on my bike yesterday. 700 by 28 as opposed to what I had before: 700 by 38. I was a bit worried that they wouldn't be able to do it. When I called the guy I spoke with said that hybrids usually have too large of rims for slick tires...but my rims are fine!
So I took the bike to the grocery store with me to try the new tires out this morning. I didn't want to get in a real ride because of the race tomorrow, but I wanted to make sure I got a little bit of riding in on the new tires. (Can you believe the grocery store didn't have a bike rack? I had to chain the bike to a fence) I didn't notice too much of a difference in my short 20 minute ride but it felt a bit lighter and a bit faster. I am sure I will be grateful for the switch tomorrow during the race.
Now I am off to prepare for a summer party in Tiffin and relax the day away!
I Love Swimming!
Woke up this morning at 4:45 and really thought that I had set the alarm too early. I was exhausted.
Got to the pool on time and had a great group swim with two of the other triathletes and our coach.
It was a really good workout for me this morning I felt great, like I was gliding on the water.
Here is the run down (as I remember it):
250 yard warm up
2*50 catch up drill with the buoy
2*50 kick with kickboard
2*50 catch up drill
50 catch up drill, 50 head down, 100 freestyle
50 slow arm recovery, 50 head down, 50 freestyle fast, 50 slow freestyle
50 slow arm recovery, 50 head down, 25 medium, 25 faster, 25 even faster, 25 all out
6*100 at a 1:50 start time (always start at one minute and fifty seconds no matter how long it took to swim the 100)
I felt really good and was definitely pushed a little beyond my boundaries so that was nice. I should be able to be in and out of the water on Sunday in ten minutes or less. (I hope)
Tomorrow I get to rest! Thank goodness :) I am going to go buy slick tires tomorrow for my bike but wait to get the cages until after Sunday's race. So I guess I don't really get to rest because I will probably ride around a little bit just to get used to the slick tires...but definitely no more than a 30 minute easy ride!
Looking forward to Sunday :) Wish me luck!
Got to the pool on time and had a great group swim with two of the other triathletes and our coach.
It was a really good workout for me this morning I felt great, like I was gliding on the water.
Here is the run down (as I remember it):
250 yard warm up
2*50 catch up drill with the buoy
2*50 kick with kickboard
2*50 catch up drill
50 catch up drill, 50 head down, 100 freestyle
50 slow arm recovery, 50 head down, 50 freestyle fast, 50 slow freestyle
50 slow arm recovery, 50 head down, 25 medium, 25 faster, 25 even faster, 25 all out
6*100 at a 1:50 start time (always start at one minute and fifty seconds no matter how long it took to swim the 100)
I felt really good and was definitely pushed a little beyond my boundaries so that was nice. I should be able to be in and out of the water on Sunday in ten minutes or less. (I hope)
Tomorrow I get to rest! Thank goodness :) I am going to go buy slick tires tomorrow for my bike but wait to get the cages until after Sunday's race. So I guess I don't really get to rest because I will probably ride around a little bit just to get used to the slick tires...but definitely no more than a 30 minute easy ride!
Looking forward to Sunday :) Wish me luck!
60 minute run
Went out to North Chagrin this morning. I ran for 60 minutes on the Bridle trail. I made the loop from Strawberry Picnic area around to Squires Castle and back in 40 minutes. So I went out another ten minutes and headed back to the picnic area for some stretching.
I thought that today would be terrible. I had a killer migraine yesterday and didn't get much sleep last night. Surprisingly the run was wonderful! I was cruising! The Bridle trail loop that I took was about 4.6 miles and I probably ran 2.5 more on top of that. So I think I ran about 7 miles this morning. The only bad part about that trail is the hills. There are some [i]very[/i] steep ones.
I am starting to get nervous about the sprint triathlon on Sunday. I know I will have a blast but as a first time triathlete I have the jitters (pretty badly). I had a dream about the event last night so I know it is at the back of my mind even though I am trying to focus my energy on anything else. So wish me luck ;)
I thought that today would be terrible. I had a killer migraine yesterday and didn't get much sleep last night. Surprisingly the run was wonderful! I was cruising! The Bridle trail loop that I took was about 4.6 miles and I probably ran 2.5 more on top of that. So I think I ran about 7 miles this morning. The only bad part about that trail is the hills. There are some [i]very[/i] steep ones.
I am starting to get nervous about the sprint triathlon on Sunday. I know I will have a blast but as a first time triathlete I have the jitters (pretty badly). I had a dream about the event last night so I know it is at the back of my mind even though I am trying to focus my energy on anything else. So wish me luck ;)
Chilly Morning Ride
It is absolutely beautiful outside this morning. The sun is out and there is a slight breeze.
I was a little cold at first but the sun warmed me up quite a bit. That and riding 20 miles on my bike :)
I need to find a better place to do long rides. It took me an hour and 35 minutes to ride 20.22 miles. There were tons of hills on the route this morning which didn't make things easier. I went out to North Chagrin and then turned out of the park onto Chardon. That road is horrible for biking! The berms are all cracked and covered in gravel and the cars fly by going at least 45 miles per hour. Plus it is hilly the whole way. I turned off onto a much nicer rode (I didn't catch the street name). It had just recently been repaved so it was lovely. Plus the view was amazing. You could look down to the right and see the valley and river. Should have brought my camera.
Unfortunately there was another dead skunk this morning. Horrible timing too as I just started getting a whiff as I was climbing a hill. It was much worse today.
I am glad that I am not quite half way done with training because I know for sure that there is no way I could go run a 10k right now. I am pretty beat and very hungry!
I was a little cold at first but the sun warmed me up quite a bit. That and riding 20 miles on my bike :)
I need to find a better place to do long rides. It took me an hour and 35 minutes to ride 20.22 miles. There were tons of hills on the route this morning which didn't make things easier. I went out to North Chagrin and then turned out of the park onto Chardon. That road is horrible for biking! The berms are all cracked and covered in gravel and the cars fly by going at least 45 miles per hour. Plus it is hilly the whole way. I turned off onto a much nicer rode (I didn't catch the street name). It had just recently been repaved so it was lovely. Plus the view was amazing. You could look down to the right and see the valley and river. Should have brought my camera.
Unfortunately there was another dead skunk this morning. Horrible timing too as I just started getting a whiff as I was climbing a hill. It was much worse today.
I am glad that I am not quite half way done with training because I know for sure that there is no way I could go run a 10k right now. I am pretty beat and very hungry!
Swimming in the Sun
Came home around 7 and hopped in the outdoor pool to do my swim workout.
Heres the run down:
10*40 yards
6*100 yards (3rd and 6th 100 fast)
4*200 yards (2nd and 3rd 200 fast)
2*100 kick
100 cool down
Total Yards=2100
I was planning on doing a few more kick sets but without a kickboard they are pretty rough. I also was planning on a longer cool down but my fingers were really sore today. Probably because usually I do the swim workouts before work and not after. (My right thumb has been bothering me at work the past couple of days...maybe I need to do some more ergocising for my hands.) Besides I was at 45 minutes and the pool was closing so I wrapped it up early.
Tomorrow is a 20 mile bike ride so I need to get to bed early tonight.
Heres the run down:
10*40 yards
6*100 yards (3rd and 6th 100 fast)
4*200 yards (2nd and 3rd 200 fast)
2*100 kick
100 cool down
Total Yards=2100
I was planning on doing a few more kick sets but without a kickboard they are pretty rough. I also was planning on a longer cool down but my fingers were really sore today. Probably because usually I do the swim workouts before work and not after. (My right thumb has been bothering me at work the past couple of days...maybe I need to do some more ergocising for my hands.) Besides I was at 45 minutes and the pool was closing so I wrapped it up early.
Tomorrow is a 20 mile bike ride so I need to get to bed early tonight.
Bright Sunny Day
Ran out and back from the apartment to get in a 30 minute run today. Beautiful weather! I got whistled at which made me angry but other than that it was a good run. I am still a bit sore from all the running on pavement Saturday. Feel free to leave words of encouragement this week I don't get a rest day until Saturday so I may need them!
Smelly Ride
Rode my bike for 47 minutes and 10.7 miles when I got back to Ohio today. On the way back in from the park I passed by a dead skunk. If you think it smells bad when you pass by in your car imagine how bad it was for me. I thought I was going to die. The bike ride was good other than that. I need to work on getting faster though, at this rate it will take me 2 hours to finish the bike portion of the race...not good.
I used my new running shoes tonight while riding and they weren't great, the soles are a little slippery on the pedals. I am thinking I may get cages but I don't know if I am going to do that before or after the sprint triathlon next Sunday. I also need to get slick tires but I am having the same dilemma about when to get those to.
I used my new running shoes tonight while riding and they weren't great, the soles are a little slippery on the pedals. I am thinking I may get cages but I don't know if I am going to do that before or after the sprint triathlon next Sunday. I also need to get slick tires but I am having the same dilemma about when to get those to.
Strawberry Run 8k
Just got back from the strawberry 8k. It was a great morning for a run. Perfect weather!
Big surprise my mom also did the race so all three women in my family competed today!
I felt really good I wasn't trying to race so I think that made it even easier. There were a lot of girls in the 20-24 age group so that was nice. I think I came in about 15th overall for women, not too shabby. Here are the run down on my splits:
mile 1=7:46
mile 2=15:46
mile 3=23:50
mile 4=31:48
8k=39:24
I was expecting to run about 9:30 minute miles so this was a pleasant surprise. Especially the first mile split because I wasn't pushing at all. I ran in a pack most of the race until the last few miles where I fell a bit behind but I was keeping the same pace so that is okay.
My sister ran the whole race in 56 minutes! Very good because she has never done a road race before.
My mom walked/jogged and was the last to cross the finish line but she looked great and we are very proud of her!
It was a great morning and I really enjoyed it. Got a little bit nostalgic because the course went through an old cemetery we used to run through in high school practices. We always told the freshman there was a witch buried there. Fun times!
Going to relax and go to the festival I think. Tomorrow I have a 45 minute bike ride (and a three hour drive home).
Big surprise my mom also did the race so all three women in my family competed today!
I felt really good I wasn't trying to race so I think that made it even easier. There were a lot of girls in the 20-24 age group so that was nice. I think I came in about 15th overall for women, not too shabby. Here are the run down on my splits:
mile 1=7:46
mile 2=15:46
mile 3=23:50
mile 4=31:48
8k=39:24
I was expecting to run about 9:30 minute miles so this was a pleasant surprise. Especially the first mile split because I wasn't pushing at all. I ran in a pack most of the race until the last few miles where I fell a bit behind but I was keeping the same pace so that is okay.
My sister ran the whole race in 56 minutes! Very good because she has never done a road race before.
My mom walked/jogged and was the last to cross the finish line but she looked great and we are very proud of her!
It was a great morning and I really enjoyed it. Got a little bit nostalgic because the course went through an old cemetery we used to run through in high school practices. We always told the freshman there was a witch buried there. Fun times!
Going to relax and go to the festival I think. Tomorrow I have a 45 minute bike ride (and a three hour drive home).
Swimming :)
Went to group swim this morning. Workout as follows:
200 Warm up
some prone glides and breathing exercises
50 kick (no kickboard)
50 kick/catchup drill
50 kick with board
2 * 50 catch up
50 catch up with pull buoy
50 pull buoy
3* 50 head down, 50 slow arm recovery, 50 all out
50 counting strokes
50 reduce stroke by 1 for each 25
50 reduce stroke by 2 for each 25
It was a good workout this morning. I felt really good during the set at the end, and I felt full of energy throughout the workout.
I am doing the strawberry 8k run tomorrow so wish me luck :) unfortunately I am missing a brick workout out :? but I have Stow next week to make up for it.
200 Warm up
some prone glides and breathing exercises
50 kick (no kickboard)
50 kick/catchup drill
50 kick with board
2 * 50 catch up
50 catch up with pull buoy
50 pull buoy
3* 50 head down, 50 slow arm recovery, 50 all out
50 counting strokes
50 reduce stroke by 1 for each 25
50 reduce stroke by 2 for each 25
It was a good workout this morning. I felt really good during the set at the end, and I felt full of energy throughout the workout.
I am doing the strawberry 8k run tomorrow so wish me luck :) unfortunately I am missing a brick workout out :? but I have Stow next week to make up for it.
Morning Ride
Got in a 75 minute bike ride this morning. (16.25 miles) The rain held off until I was done so I decided to go ahead with my long workout for the week and save my 45 minute ride for Sunday.
Tried out my new tri shorts and I love them. They are Pearl Izumi and very comfy. We will see how they work out next Sunday in the sprint triathlon though.
I am looking forward to the Strawberry Run this weekend. It has been a long time since I have done this run (when I last ran it it wasn't even an 8k course it was a 4 miler). My baby sister is going to be running too, so it will be our first road race together. Of course she is just running to finish and I am running it as a workout but it will still be fun.
My fund raising seems to have come to a halt so if you enjoy reading my blog and think what I am doing is a good thing please donate!
In case you are new to my blog this is a daily web log of my training for the Chicago Accenture Triathlon at the end of August. I am fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society whose mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. More than 75 percent of their expenditures are directed to research and patient services.
I am working on organizing a yard sale with the rest of the triathlon team so hopefully that will be able to bring in some more donations.
Got the digital cam working so hopefully I will have lots of training pics to post from tommorrow's swim and the race on Saturday.
Tried out my new tri shorts and I love them. They are Pearl Izumi and very comfy. We will see how they work out next Sunday in the sprint triathlon though.
I am looking forward to the Strawberry Run this weekend. It has been a long time since I have done this run (when I last ran it it wasn't even an 8k course it was a 4 miler). My baby sister is going to be running too, so it will be our first road race together. Of course she is just running to finish and I am running it as a workout but it will still be fun.
My fund raising seems to have come to a halt so if you enjoy reading my blog and think what I am doing is a good thing please donate!
In case you are new to my blog this is a daily web log of my training for the Chicago Accenture Triathlon at the end of August. I am fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society whose mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. More than 75 percent of their expenditures are directed to research and patient services.
I am working on organizing a yard sale with the rest of the triathlon team so hopefully that will be able to bring in some more donations.
Got the digital cam working so hopefully I will have lots of training pics to post from tommorrow's swim and the race on Saturday.
Buddy Run
Ran for 33 minutes this morning at North Chagrin Reservation. Met up with a friend from college that I ran cross country with. She knows her way around the park so we went out on one of the Bridle trails. The workout flew by this morning because we talked the whole time so that was really nice. My new shoes felt great! It was warm out but not too muggy (unlike Sunday).
Hopefully it is like this tomorrow morning for the bike ride.
Hopefully it is like this tomorrow morning for the bike ride.
Frozen Toes
Did a swim workout today. The outdoor pool is closed until further notice so I got to swim in the indoor pool which hasn't been heated in over two weeks. Yikes!
Got in a 50 minute workout but I felt pretty dizzy for the second half of it. I didn't wear earplugs today so that may be the cause.
Went and got a pair of tri shorts and a tri top last night at Fleet Feet in Northfield. They had a workshop on the kinetic chain (just focusing on the feet and shin splints last night). It was interesting and gave me some insight into my old stress fracture and how that may have been related to my running shoes at the time, and my shin splints were most likely from running on tilted surfaces, go figure.
Haven't had any problems with my feet or shins so far so hopefully this knowledge won't have to be put to use.
Got in a 50 minute workout but I felt pretty dizzy for the second half of it. I didn't wear earplugs today so that may be the cause.
Went and got a pair of tri shorts and a tri top last night at Fleet Feet in Northfield. They had a workshop on the kinetic chain (just focusing on the feet and shin splints last night). It was interesting and gave me some insight into my old stress fracture and how that may have been related to my running shoes at the time, and my shin splints were most likely from running on tilted surfaces, go figure.
Haven't had any problems with my feet or shins so far so hopefully this knowledge won't have to be put to use.
Group Run
Managed to drag myself out of bed this morning and drive down to Cuyahoga National Valley Park for a group run with the Team in Training marathoners. My plan was to get in 5-7 miles. I ended up running around 8, probably a bit more, in an hour and 20 minutes.
The plan was to run two miles out one way and then an additional mile out the opposite way on the way back in. Well they took down all of the mile markers. So we had to estimate. I felt like we were going faster than ten minute miles so my guess is that we did somewhere between 8 and 9.
My father-in-law was there this morning for his first group run with Team in Training. He has been doing the marathon with Team in Training on a yearly basis for awhile now, but has only done solo runs. I got in two miles with him which was really nice. I was feeling pretty good at that point so I sped up a bit to catch up to the first group. I wasn't planning on running much more than 50 minutes or 6 miles but the group I was running with was doing either 8 or 12 and at mile 5 I decided it would be better to get in an extra two with a group than have to run that last mile by myself.
I felt pretty good until mile 7 and then got a side stitch and my stomach was feeling queasy. Luckily I had a running partner and a couple of the other girls ran the last mile with us so they kept me going. Had I been by myself I would have stopped for sure.
Came out of the run with a few blisters. I think I am going to stop by Fleet Feet and get a pair of tri shorts and get fitted for some new running shoes. I am pretty beat but I am glad I got in the run and glad that i felt a lot better than I did last night during the bike ride. (I was dreading this morning's run because of last night)
Seems like fund-raising has come to a halt, I haven't gotten a donation in a few days. So I am going to start thinking about some events. Unfortunately I don't know a lot of people in the area so it may be difficult. Any ideas or suggestions? Please comment if so!!!
Off to do some more laundry and put my feet up!
The plan was to run two miles out one way and then an additional mile out the opposite way on the way back in. Well they took down all of the mile markers. So we had to estimate. I felt like we were going faster than ten minute miles so my guess is that we did somewhere between 8 and 9.
My father-in-law was there this morning for his first group run with Team in Training. He has been doing the marathon with Team in Training on a yearly basis for awhile now, but has only done solo runs. I got in two miles with him which was really nice. I was feeling pretty good at that point so I sped up a bit to catch up to the first group. I wasn't planning on running much more than 50 minutes or 6 miles but the group I was running with was doing either 8 or 12 and at mile 5 I decided it would be better to get in an extra two with a group than have to run that last mile by myself.
I felt pretty good until mile 7 and then got a side stitch and my stomach was feeling queasy. Luckily I had a running partner and a couple of the other girls ran the last mile with us so they kept me going. Had I been by myself I would have stopped for sure.
Came out of the run with a few blisters. I think I am going to stop by Fleet Feet and get a pair of tri shorts and get fitted for some new running shoes. I am pretty beat but I am glad I got in the run and glad that i felt a lot better than I did last night during the bike ride. (I was dreading this morning's run because of last night)
Seems like fund-raising has come to a halt, I haven't gotten a donation in a few days. So I am going to start thinking about some events. Unfortunately I don't know a lot of people in the area so it may be difficult. Any ideas or suggestions? Please comment if so!!!
Off to do some more laundry and put my feet up!
Uggh...
Bugs Swallowed=1
Bugs in eyes=1
Just got back from my bike ride. It was a rough ride tonight. I was just really out of it and didn't feel so hot during the majority of the ride.
I thought it would be a good idea to check out some other parts of North Chagrin Reservation and ended up going down this huge very steep hill which was easy going down, not so easy coming back up. In fact I actually had to get off the bike and walk up part of it. Managed to get in my 60 minutes and 13.5 miles.
Hopefully I am just worn out because it is late in the day and I did a lot of driving today. Going to get to bed early because I have a group run tomorrow morning.
Bugs in eyes=1
Just got back from my bike ride. It was a rough ride tonight. I was just really out of it and didn't feel so hot during the majority of the ride.
I thought it would be a good idea to check out some other parts of North Chagrin Reservation and ended up going down this huge very steep hill which was easy going down, not so easy coming back up. In fact I actually had to get off the bike and walk up part of it. Managed to get in my 60 minutes and 13.5 miles.
Hopefully I am just worn out because it is late in the day and I did a lot of driving today. Going to get to bed early because I have a group run tomorrow morning.
Running Late
I did not sleep well last night so I was running behind this morning. I managed to make it to practice before the team started working out though. I definitely felt tired at first, most likely from switching my rest day to Monday instead of Thursday this week.
Today we did some longer drills that really focused on getting the maximum out of each stroke.
5 minute WU (warm up) swim
50 meters kick
50 meters kick with stroke every breath
50 meters catch up drill
3 x 50 meter head down drill, 50 meter slow arm recovery, 50 meter sprint
3 x 100 meter swim (focusing on reach), 75 meter pull, 50 meter kick, 25 meter sprint
The last ladder drill was really good for me. I have been cutting off my stroke and not really getting much out of my pull, that last 25 meter sprint I really felt like my arms were accomplishing something!
We decided to treat ourselves afterwards and went in the hot tub. v. nice!
Today we did some longer drills that really focused on getting the maximum out of each stroke.
5 minute WU (warm up) swim
50 meters kick
50 meters kick with stroke every breath
50 meters catch up drill
3 x 50 meter head down drill, 50 meter slow arm recovery, 50 meter sprint
3 x 100 meter swim (focusing on reach), 75 meter pull, 50 meter kick, 25 meter sprint
The last ladder drill was really good for me. I have been cutting off my stroke and not really getting much out of my pull, that last 25 meter sprint I really felt like my arms were accomplishing something!
We decided to treat ourselves afterwards and went in the hot tub. v. nice!
Rainy Morning Run
Went for a 30 minute run this morning before work. Decided to drive to North Chagrin Reservation. It started drizzling as I went out to my truck, about half way through the thirty minute run it was pretty much pouring. Surprisingly there were still plenty of people at the park (most of them had umbrellas though). Despite being drenched and feeling like a drowned rat I managed to keep a good pace (for me) for the whole run, about 8:45 minute/mile.
It wasn't cold out so that was a plus. After my run I found a picnic shelter to stretch in. I must have gotten in a good workout because steam was coming off my skin.
I still haven't found my watch so I had to carry a pyrex clock with me in addition to my keys this morning. Big thank yous to Phil for that basket full of kitchen goodies so long ago! Who would have know I would be using a kitchen tool for training. Unfortunately I didn't realize you have to preset your timer on it so when it got to twenty minutes it just went back to zero. Luckily I noticed right away though so everything worked out fine.
Got in a pilates workout after dinner tonight. I am looking forward to swimming tomorrow and hopefully I will be able to read through my "homework" before I fall asleep tonight.
It wasn't cold out so that was a plus. After my run I found a picnic shelter to stretch in. I must have gotten in a good workout because steam was coming off my skin.
I still haven't found my watch so I had to carry a pyrex clock with me in addition to my keys this morning. Big thank yous to Phil for that basket full of kitchen goodies so long ago! Who would have know I would be using a kitchen tool for training. Unfortunately I didn't realize you have to preset your timer on it so when it got to twenty minutes it just went back to zero. Luckily I noticed right away though so everything worked out fine.
Got in a pilates workout after dinner tonight. I am looking forward to swimming tomorrow and hopefully I will be able to read through my "homework" before I fall asleep tonight.
Getting Lost (This one's for Amie)
I was supposed to go on a 45 minute bike ride this morning. But I missed my last turn off so it turned into a 57 minute 12.3 mile bike ride. Oh well...What really gets me is I looked at the sign and it wasn't the right road name (I looked at the wrong side) but I saw the same cop standing there that was standing there when I came by on the way out and nothing clicked.
I went down highland to S.O.M. and got in a little bit of riding at North Chagrin Reservation. Nice and shady in the park but it was pretty hot out on the roads. There were a ton of hikers at the park this morning.
Last night in lieu of a run David and I went out and played catch after dinner. Didn't think it was going to be much of a work out but bugs seem to have a magnetic force that draws them to me so I spent all of the time running around to avoid the gnats while David stood in one place because the bugs weren't bothering him at all.
I seem to have lost my watch so I need to find that before tomorrow's run or I am going to have to go shopping...
I went down highland to S.O.M. and got in a little bit of riding at North Chagrin Reservation. Nice and shady in the park but it was pretty hot out on the roads. There were a ton of hikers at the park this morning.
Last night in lieu of a run David and I went out and played catch after dinner. Didn't think it was going to be much of a work out but bugs seem to have a magnetic force that draws them to me so I spent all of the time running around to avoid the gnats while David stood in one place because the bugs weren't bothering him at all.
I seem to have lost my watch so I need to find that before tomorrow's run or I am going to have to go shopping...
Arguing with the Janitor :)
Went down to the pool this morning. My husband went with so that we could measure our pool. We estimate that it is about 20 yards.
I went to get in the indoor pool and it was absolutely frigid...like ice water cold. The janitor comes in just as I am about to start my workout and informs me that I can use the outdoor pool, and that it is warmer. I say thank you and ask if it is okay to do adult swim out there. (We have a sign outside the indoor pool that says the indoor pool hours and lists adult swim from 6:30 to 9, well the sign for the outdoor pool lists pool hours as noon to 8pm) So I had assumed that we were not supposed to do adult swim outside.
Well I had a swim cap and ear plugs on and we were misunderstanding each other, but I kept explaining to him that I wanted to stay inside because there was a clock and I needed the second hand for my workouts, and he kept saying I will let you know when it is 9 so you can get out of the pool. So I gave up and went outside.
So I did one of my new workouts but had to adjust it slightly since our pool isn't a standard 25 yard pool. So anytime I was supposed to do 50s I did 60s and instead of 75s I did 80s. And instead of using a clock for my rest I just counted to ten or 20 depending on the length. So I think I swam somewhere in between 1750 and 2000 yards total.
I went to get in the indoor pool and it was absolutely frigid...like ice water cold. The janitor comes in just as I am about to start my workout and informs me that I can use the outdoor pool, and that it is warmer. I say thank you and ask if it is okay to do adult swim out there. (We have a sign outside the indoor pool that says the indoor pool hours and lists adult swim from 6:30 to 9, well the sign for the outdoor pool lists pool hours as noon to 8pm) So I had assumed that we were not supposed to do adult swim outside.
Well I had a swim cap and ear plugs on and we were misunderstanding each other, but I kept explaining to him that I wanted to stay inside because there was a clock and I needed the second hand for my workouts, and he kept saying I will let you know when it is 9 so you can get out of the pool. So I gave up and went outside.
So I did one of my new workouts but had to adjust it slightly since our pool isn't a standard 25 yard pool. So anytime I was supposed to do 50s I did 60s and instead of 75s I did 80s. And instead of using a clock for my rest I just counted to ten or 20 depending on the length. So I think I swam somewhere in between 1750 and 2000 yards total.
Tri Homework
Totally forgot I had a swimming workshop tonight, but thankfully I remembered before I left work.
The workshop was good, we went over a lot of what we have been doing in Friday workouts but also some more specifics about open water swimming and the tri in general. We also watched some video footage of real swimmers doing the drills that we are supposed to do so that was really helpful.
In addition to that we talked a bit about fundraising, which if you haven't checked out my TNT site please do (Link to the left)!
At the end of the meeting we watched some clips from the (84 I believe) olympics where the American 4*200 men's swim team beat West Germany's team by a touch...pretty inspirational!
We were also given some "homework". Some reading on the freestyle stroke and everything that goes into making it perfect!
I meant to take pics of some of the other team members but my camera batteries were dead. I may do a double workout tomorrow and get my swim in in the morning and a run or bike in the evening after work. For now I am off to eat a late dinner and do some pilates!
Before I do I want to send some big thank you's to everyone who has donated so far and to my "at home" support team. My husband, my parents, and my two kitties. They are all being so supportive in putting up with my hectic lifestyle right now and loving me just the same. THANK YOU!!!
The workshop was good, we went over a lot of what we have been doing in Friday workouts but also some more specifics about open water swimming and the tri in general. We also watched some video footage of real swimmers doing the drills that we are supposed to do so that was really helpful.
In addition to that we talked a bit about fundraising, which if you haven't checked out my TNT site please do (Link to the left)!
At the end of the meeting we watched some clips from the (84 I believe) olympics where the American 4*200 men's swim team beat West Germany's team by a touch...pretty inspirational!
We were also given some "homework". Some reading on the freestyle stroke and everything that goes into making it perfect!
I meant to take pics of some of the other team members but my camera batteries were dead. I may do a double workout tomorrow and get my swim in in the morning and a run or bike in the evening after work. For now I am off to eat a late dinner and do some pilates!
Before I do I want to send some big thank you's to everyone who has donated so far and to my "at home" support team. My husband, my parents, and my two kitties. They are all being so supportive in putting up with my hectic lifestyle right now and loving me just the same. THANK YOU!!!
Sunday Morning Run
We are in Michigan today for a grad party so I did my run at Willow Park. Ran for 56 minutes and went approximately 6 miles...not sure because they don't have mile markers at Willow. The main loop is 3.5 miles but I went out onto the Oakwood trail a bit to get in some more time. I felt pretty good for the first twenty minutes and after that it was a big mental battle but I made it. Would have been nice to have a running partner today...oh well. I forgot to take the camera with us to the park so I had my mom take some shots of me running outside our house when we got back.
Looking forward to my swim tomorrow...hopefully the pool is open...if not maybe it will be a rest day.
Looking forward to my swim tomorrow...hopefully the pool is open...if not maybe it will be a rest day.
Above and Beyond
Our training schedule recommended a 55 minute bike ride today but since it was a group ride and we were all feeling good we ended up doing an hour and twenty minutes. (18.42 miles) Thats twice as long as I have ridden so far so I am sure I will be paying for it tomorrow!
The weather was nice...not sunny but no rain. I certainly am not a fast cyclist but I think I will at least be able to hang with other triathletes whose weakness is the biking.
Coach Missy gave me some pointers about which gear I should be in which really helped a lot. I was told before that I should only be on my largest cog (sp?) when I am going downhill...and that I should only use like the top three gears when I am on that cog. But Missy said I should definitely be on my largest cog on a flat ride and that I should be in a gear that I can keep a comfortable but fast cadence in. So once I figured that out I was able to pick up a lot more speed...still much slower than everyone on road bikes.
Here is a horrible pic of me and my bike after one of my rides last week...I am going to see if my parents will loan me their digital cam so I can get some more training photos up here.
The weather was nice...not sunny but no rain. I certainly am not a fast cyclist but I think I will at least be able to hang with other triathletes whose weakness is the biking.
Coach Missy gave me some pointers about which gear I should be in which really helped a lot. I was told before that I should only be on my largest cog (sp?) when I am going downhill...and that I should only use like the top three gears when I am on that cog. But Missy said I should definitely be on my largest cog on a flat ride and that I should be in a gear that I can keep a comfortable but fast cadence in. So once I figured that out I was able to pick up a lot more speed...still much slower than everyone on road bikes.
Here is a horrible pic of me and my bike after one of my rides last week...I am going to see if my parents will loan me their digital cam so I can get some more training photos up here.
Group Swim
Went to the group swim this morning at 6am. I felt really good today. We did some really good drills, including one where you keep your chin down and another where you come through the end of your stroke slowly with one arm (while the other arm swims normally). The last drill we did was a 50m head down, 50m of the slow arm, and then 50m as fast as you can go normal stroke. In effect this should force your body to be in perfect position while performing a good roll. I felt my whole body turn into jello in like the last 10m...petty cool!
I am feeling really pumped today...ready to work!
I am feeling really pumped today...ready to work!
Back on the Bike
Got in my 40 minute bike workout. It started drizzling just as I was finishing up. The roads were awful this morning, almost got taken out about three times. I need to find a safer bike path that is close to the apartment.
30 minute run
Went to North Chagrin Reservation for my run this morning. I felt really good and went about 3.35 miles. It is beautiful outside, sunny and around 60 degrees.
It is supposed to storm later so I am glad I got my run in early.
It is supposed to storm later so I am glad I got my run in early.
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