But not a long break in training, thankfully.
I've been trying to get on top of work, on top of training and on top of the farm...so blogging suffers. Hell, even my farm blog suffers. But that's life. I have finally found the one case where my mother was WRONG. I cannot do anyting I set my mind to...there just isn't enough time in the day.
Anyway, I'm just shy of 3 weeks out from the Canby Gator Grinder - my first triathlon. I'm doing pretty well in the training. I'll definitely be able to finish the tri with reasonably respectable times, but I certainly won't be setting any records. My failing will most likely be the run. I just hate it. I hate running. It sucks. I honestly think that I could get into it if we lived somewhere else. Right now, the simplicity of just putting on shoes and running out the door is a huge appeal. The problem with this is that running on the narrow country roads where I live is even more dangerous that biking on them. It's terrifiying. And country dudes in old pick-ups don't give runners any more room than they give cyclists. It's a pain.
So the other option is to run on the treadmil. Boring. Even with music, it's boring. Plus, I want to be outside as the weather improves...not hiding in our basement. Come the dead of summer, basement running will probably be appealing again (it's always cool down there), but right now, it's depressing.
So the run is my weak spot. No big surprise.
I am doing MUCH better at swimming. In fact, if I could just swing a little extra time, I'd like to investigate a better pool. I think I'd swim MUCH more if I could find a convenient pool that wasn't super cholorinated or crawling with little kids. There is an LA Fitness just down the road from work that I'd like to check out. I can get a 1 week pass for free, so I want to make sure I sign up for it during the week that I have lots of swims on my training plan. That'll either be next week, or the week after the first tri. I do plan to keep up with the swimming even after the tri, so waiting until then won't be a total loss.
Lastly, I'm FINALLY losing weight. My H started P90x and the nutrition plan that came with it was inspiring enough that he wanted to do it. I'm joining him, but in reality, I'm basically just following the LL guidelines (40/40/20) and logging all my food at BeginnerTriathlete.com. Their nutrition program isn't fancy, but it's working great for me. I can see my ratios, but I don't get instant feedback if things are good or bad and I like that. I hate how obsessed I get to make sure everything aligns perfectly. It's counterproductive from a 'lifestyle' point of view. Anyway, the scale has been stuck for a few days, but overall I'm definitely getting smaller. Yay!
Here is the link to my logs over there:
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/training/index-weekly.asp?memberid=164003&year=&month=&day=
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Setbacks and getting back on track
As I mentioned in my last post, I was having some trouble with snot. The trouble with excessive snot is that it tends to flow freely at the most inoportune moments and if it's not coming out the nose, it's sliding down the throat and into the lungs. This has been my problem.
Since last Tuesday, I've been a snotty, sneezey, achey sinuses, mess. That left me with a couple of nights of no sleep (or less than 4 hours of sleep). That left me dead tired. When I finally did get to sleep, I was like the dead...or, at least, that's what I thought. My husband tells me that I snorted, coughed, choked, gurgled and snored something awful the whole night. The next day, I awoke with a rattling in my chest to rival the old guys in the sauna. Lovely.
So Saturday was supposed to be my brick. I asked my husband to take me on the 16 mile bike ride he occasionally does that includes a nice climb. I've never done this route, so I needed a guide (or a map and a guide is way more fun than a map!). We headed out at around 2 pm when it was plenty warm and beautifully sunny. Despite a week of feeling like I was sick even though I wasn't, I felt good and strong. Good thing too, it was super windy! Anyway we did the ride - and the climb was really nice. It was long, not too terribly steep (except one little slope near the top where I thought I was going to fall over backwards, no joke!), and the whole thing was paved and laced with gorgeous views. It was also mostly treed, so the wind was minimal, too. Had I not had to pull over and rid myself of snot 5 times, I would have enjoyed it even more. By the time we were within a mile of our house, that chest rumbleing was starting to get exceedingly painful. I had set out my running gear to change into upon finishing, and yet I knew when I got off the bike that it wasn't happening. My chest was burning and I was hacking up nothing, something awful. I decided that rest was in my best interest. Rest and sushi for dinner, of course. ;-)
Anyway, a couple of more neti pot cleanses later, I'm feeling MUCH better. I took Sunday off from all training as well and I'm glad I did. I woke up feeling much more 'normal' this morning. Today I'm going to try swimming again but I'm going to make the journey to 24-hour fitness and avoid the super-chlorinated pool. I also think I need to make a few adjustments to that 12-week training plan I created since I've basically lost a week now. I don't think it'll be a big deal, but I want to make sure that all my bases are covered.
I read a post over on beginnertriathlete.com about training for the non-pro athletes. Another beginner was feeling 'guilty' for missing training sessions due to life and when she asked for advice, got some really great input. This person suggested she take her normal schedule and block out when she can train consistently. Pick times that she can easily plan to train, day in and day out. Then she was advised to take that schedule and add the workouts (swim, bike, run). The suggestion was to do two or three weeks worth and then rotate them so some weeks it might be 3xrun, 2xbike, 2xswim and then the other one is 3xswim, 3xrun, 2xbike or whatever...then she should rotate those schedules. This is her BASE training and if she misses any of these workouts, she can go ahead and feel bad about it. Then she was directed to add on any other workouts opportunities that might come up...ie. MIL in town to watch the kids so she can do a long run, big family event on weekend at a lake so she can sneak in an open water swim workout, hires a sitter for a Sunday so she can do a long bike ride, etc. Those are bonus workouts and she should NEVER feel guilty for missing one.
Anyway, I really liked this approach and I'm going to use it to modify/improve my 12-week (well, now 11-week) plan to ensure success.
Since last Tuesday, I've been a snotty, sneezey, achey sinuses, mess. That left me with a couple of nights of no sleep (or less than 4 hours of sleep). That left me dead tired. When I finally did get to sleep, I was like the dead...or, at least, that's what I thought. My husband tells me that I snorted, coughed, choked, gurgled and snored something awful the whole night. The next day, I awoke with a rattling in my chest to rival the old guys in the sauna. Lovely.
So Saturday was supposed to be my brick. I asked my husband to take me on the 16 mile bike ride he occasionally does that includes a nice climb. I've never done this route, so I needed a guide (or a map and a guide is way more fun than a map!). We headed out at around 2 pm when it was plenty warm and beautifully sunny. Despite a week of feeling like I was sick even though I wasn't, I felt good and strong. Good thing too, it was super windy! Anyway we did the ride - and the climb was really nice. It was long, not too terribly steep (except one little slope near the top where I thought I was going to fall over backwards, no joke!), and the whole thing was paved and laced with gorgeous views. It was also mostly treed, so the wind was minimal, too. Had I not had to pull over and rid myself of snot 5 times, I would have enjoyed it even more. By the time we were within a mile of our house, that chest rumbleing was starting to get exceedingly painful. I had set out my running gear to change into upon finishing, and yet I knew when I got off the bike that it wasn't happening. My chest was burning and I was hacking up nothing, something awful. I decided that rest was in my best interest. Rest and sushi for dinner, of course. ;-)
Anyway, a couple of more neti pot cleanses later, I'm feeling MUCH better. I took Sunday off from all training as well and I'm glad I did. I woke up feeling much more 'normal' this morning. Today I'm going to try swimming again but I'm going to make the journey to 24-hour fitness and avoid the super-chlorinated pool. I also think I need to make a few adjustments to that 12-week training plan I created since I've basically lost a week now. I don't think it'll be a big deal, but I want to make sure that all my bases are covered.
I read a post over on beginnertriathlete.com about training for the non-pro athletes. Another beginner was feeling 'guilty' for missing training sessions due to life and when she asked for advice, got some really great input. This person suggested she take her normal schedule and block out when she can train consistently. Pick times that she can easily plan to train, day in and day out. Then she was advised to take that schedule and add the workouts (swim, bike, run). The suggestion was to do two or three weeks worth and then rotate them so some weeks it might be 3xrun, 2xbike, 2xswim and then the other one is 3xswim, 3xrun, 2xbike or whatever...then she should rotate those schedules. This is her BASE training and if she misses any of these workouts, she can go ahead and feel bad about it. Then she was directed to add on any other workouts opportunities that might come up...ie. MIL in town to watch the kids so she can do a long run, big family event on weekend at a lake so she can sneak in an open water swim workout, hires a sitter for a Sunday so she can do a long bike ride, etc. Those are bonus workouts and she should NEVER feel guilty for missing one.
Anyway, I really liked this approach and I'm going to use it to modify/improve my 12-week (well, now 11-week) plan to ensure success.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Snot invasion and a recap
So last Monday I was the only person to show up for the swim class. We worked on a few things and then she taught me flip turns. I'd played around with them before, but with her help, I was able to do them effectively. I can totally see how once you get the hang of them they'd really help conserve energy and increase speed. I'm not there yet. Anyway, I screwed up a few of them by not having enough air in reserve to effectively blow out my nose in the flip - and my sinuses flooded with chlorine. I survived, but about 24 hours later, I suddenly got super congested. I've been suffering since then. I'm sure it didnt' help that I then swam on Wednesday and again on Thursday, but whatever. After work today I'm going to buy a Neti pot and start doing some sinus cleansing! The congestion, pain, coughing, ear aches and snot are out of control. How frustrating!!
Thursday was the first class at Canby with the tri coach/instructor. We did some bobbing and floating drills and as I thought, my water positioning is good. Floating is no problem and neither is breathing when I'm not exerting myself. I'm comfortable in the water (this is not news to me, but it's nice to confirm it). I'm looking forward to what else we'll be learning. What I found interesting was that quite a large number of the swimmers were not even as conditioned as I was! I'm shocked, actually! During our warm up, most of them had to keep resting - where as I was able to just keep swimming. And we did three timed 50's where we also counted our strokes. I got the same time and stroke count for the first two and my third one had the same stroke count but was one second faster. Everyone else said they got slower with each attempt! Maybe I'm not as sucky as I thought and I am just comparing myself to good swimmers too much? I don't know. I want to be a good swimmer though. I want to be able to contact the organizers of the race to get my lane switched from 12 min to 10 min and then I want to do better than 10 minutes, damn it! It's a pride thing. In terms of the overall tri, it's not really going to get me an advantage or anything.
I did create a 12 week tri-training plan for myself. My first brick is this weekend (tomorrow) where I will do a 16 mile ride (with one good sized climb) and follow it with my run (20/10 run/walk now).
Oh, and I've lost another pound without really trying. Maybe having a real training plan is the best way to keep myself on my toes. If so, I'll need to make sure that I sign up for more races soon!
Thursday was the first class at Canby with the tri coach/instructor. We did some bobbing and floating drills and as I thought, my water positioning is good. Floating is no problem and neither is breathing when I'm not exerting myself. I'm comfortable in the water (this is not news to me, but it's nice to confirm it). I'm looking forward to what else we'll be learning. What I found interesting was that quite a large number of the swimmers were not even as conditioned as I was! I'm shocked, actually! During our warm up, most of them had to keep resting - where as I was able to just keep swimming. And we did three timed 50's where we also counted our strokes. I got the same time and stroke count for the first two and my third one had the same stroke count but was one second faster. Everyone else said they got slower with each attempt! Maybe I'm not as sucky as I thought and I am just comparing myself to good swimmers too much? I don't know. I want to be a good swimmer though. I want to be able to contact the organizers of the race to get my lane switched from 12 min to 10 min and then I want to do better than 10 minutes, damn it! It's a pride thing. In terms of the overall tri, it's not really going to get me an advantage or anything.
I did create a 12 week tri-training plan for myself. My first brick is this weekend (tomorrow) where I will do a 16 mile ride (with one good sized climb) and follow it with my run (20/10 run/walk now).
Oh, and I've lost another pound without really trying. Maybe having a real training plan is the best way to keep myself on my toes. If so, I'll need to make sure that I sign up for more races soon!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
One Step at a Time
I'm trying to decide the best way for me to tackle the weight loss while in training. I think what I am going to do is that I am going to go for a whole week of writing down everything I eat and logging all my training (some through the GWF and some by actually logging since I can't wear the GWF device while swimming). Then I'll have a pretty good picture of where I am currently living in terms of calorie balance.
I think that my next step will then be to cut out some of the less optimal items to bring my calories down a bit. Then I'll go from there. I really don't expect to drop massive amounts of weight because I won't be cutting my calories very low or going nuts on the exercise. All in moderation - I'm in this for the long haul. I feel like my body is getting stronger (my lungs certainly are!) and that things are shifting around for the better, but I haven't really lost any pounds. I need to though - not just for performance, but so that I'm not embarassed by the photos. There will be lots of them shot at the event, and I'm sure many will end up on facebook and I don't want to look like a fat slob for my first tri.
Last night was another swim class. The instructor noticed that I pull my arms very deep in the water and she said that I shouldn't. As usual, she didn't have much of an explanation, but I think it's to conserve energy. I had a hard time getting a shallow stroke to feel correctly, but it was definitely less energy intensive. Unfortunately, I was also much slower when I wasn't going deep...so that was a little annoying. I need to do some more research. I don't want to pick up bad habits so soon! ;-)
I think that my next step will then be to cut out some of the less optimal items to bring my calories down a bit. Then I'll go from there. I really don't expect to drop massive amounts of weight because I won't be cutting my calories very low or going nuts on the exercise. All in moderation - I'm in this for the long haul. I feel like my body is getting stronger (my lungs certainly are!) and that things are shifting around for the better, but I haven't really lost any pounds. I need to though - not just for performance, but so that I'm not embarassed by the photos. There will be lots of them shot at the event, and I'm sure many will end up on facebook and I don't want to look like a fat slob for my first tri.
Last night was another swim class. The instructor noticed that I pull my arms very deep in the water and she said that I shouldn't. As usual, she didn't have much of an explanation, but I think it's to conserve energy. I had a hard time getting a shallow stroke to feel correctly, but it was definitely less energy intensive. Unfortunately, I was also much slower when I wasn't going deep...so that was a little annoying. I need to do some more research. I don't want to pick up bad habits so soon! ;-)
Monday, February 8, 2010
Time to buckle down
Things have been going well on the training front.
I have seem some drastic swim improvements over the past couple of months. On Saturday, I swam 1100 yards. I was also able to do 10 laps with only a 30 second rest inbetween. This is a MAJOR improvement from December when I started this endeavor! The class is OK, but since I'm not really getting much out of it, I went ahead and signed up for another tri-specific swim class at the pool where the tri will be taking place. It's a good deal and it's taught by a tri coach...the problem is that it's in Canby - so that's a haul. From home, it's 1:15...from work, about 45 min. I'll be working late on Thursdays, leaving from work and then getting home around 10:30 pm those nights for the next 10 weeks. Ugh. I have heard great things about this clinic though - so hopefully it'll be worth it.
Running is going well. I'm up to 1/2 mile barefoot - and my shod running is currently 16/14 run/walk with no foot pain at all. I'm also working to keep my run intervals at 6.0 mph so that I can average a 10 min/mile pace when the race gets here.
I have not done any biking at all lately, but I forsee some commutes to work in the next couple of weeks as the daylight hours increase.
So...the 'buckle down' is in reference to weight loss. I feel like I've gotten to a really good place in terms of food. I'm no longer obsessing about things. I'm also no longer going to go super low on calories (ever). First and foremost is being fueled for my training...BUT, I do need to drop some weight. My goal is to lose 20 lbs before the tri...which is exactly 3 months from yesterday. I think I can lose 20 lbs in three months. If I can only get down 15 or so...I'll still be pleased. In order to do this, my first order of business will be to put my GWF back on, and start recording all my food. Even if I don't actively try to cut back, just the sheer act of recording it always seems to trigger a small loss. Then I'll work on cleaning it up. I think that once I have a full week of activity and food recorded a (at my current levels), then I'll have a better idea of where to make changes. Of course, not 2 minutes after I finished logging my food for today my department lead came by to invite us to lunch. I'm going to suggest a place where I can get a good salad! ;-)
I have seem some drastic swim improvements over the past couple of months. On Saturday, I swam 1100 yards. I was also able to do 10 laps with only a 30 second rest inbetween. This is a MAJOR improvement from December when I started this endeavor! The class is OK, but since I'm not really getting much out of it, I went ahead and signed up for another tri-specific swim class at the pool where the tri will be taking place. It's a good deal and it's taught by a tri coach...the problem is that it's in Canby - so that's a haul. From home, it's 1:15...from work, about 45 min. I'll be working late on Thursdays, leaving from work and then getting home around 10:30 pm those nights for the next 10 weeks. Ugh. I have heard great things about this clinic though - so hopefully it'll be worth it.
Running is going well. I'm up to 1/2 mile barefoot - and my shod running is currently 16/14 run/walk with no foot pain at all. I'm also working to keep my run intervals at 6.0 mph so that I can average a 10 min/mile pace when the race gets here.
I have not done any biking at all lately, but I forsee some commutes to work in the next couple of weeks as the daylight hours increase.
So...the 'buckle down' is in reference to weight loss. I feel like I've gotten to a really good place in terms of food. I'm no longer obsessing about things. I'm also no longer going to go super low on calories (ever). First and foremost is being fueled for my training...BUT, I do need to drop some weight. My goal is to lose 20 lbs before the tri...which is exactly 3 months from yesterday. I think I can lose 20 lbs in three months. If I can only get down 15 or so...I'll still be pleased. In order to do this, my first order of business will be to put my GWF back on, and start recording all my food. Even if I don't actively try to cut back, just the sheer act of recording it always seems to trigger a small loss. Then I'll work on cleaning it up. I think that once I have a full week of activity and food recorded a (at my current levels), then I'll have a better idea of where to make changes. Of course, not 2 minutes after I finished logging my food for today my department lead came by to invite us to lunch. I'm going to suggest a place where I can get a good salad! ;-)
Monday, February 1, 2010
February already??
I cannot believe that it's February already! Wow!
OK, let's see. Last Tuesday I did my run as planned. I did a 14/16 run/walk combo with 3 and 4 minute running intervals (alternating). I also did 6 minutes of barefoot running at the end. I did 2 minutes in my new Vibram Fivefingers, then 2 minutes barefoot, then I walked for one minute and then did another 2 minutes barefoot. I do my barefoot intervals at a 5.0 mph...so that means I'm up to running a half mile barefoot. Yay!
Wednesday was swim lesson #2. The instructor did come more prepared, and another guy joined the class who was pretty much at the same level as me and had the same goals, so that was kind of funny. He, my H and I all did different drills while the instructor worked with the other swimmers. It was better than day one, but nothing earth shattering was learned. I did pick up a bunch of things/improvments that I can work on for the next class. I'm glad the class was more of a workout than the first one because this time, we didn't have time to swim on our own afterwards because my H had to leave for Seattle.
Thursday I was exhausted and had to work late. I had been sleeping poorly all week and it started to catch up with me. I managed to do another PowerFit workout, but that's all I had energy for. I did do it barefoot though! Actually, I did it in my Vibram Fivefingers which was actually better than barefoot because it kept the bands from either slipping off my feet, or from pinching them. I also opted to run on the treadmill for a bit barefoot. I just did 6 minutes (in 2 minute intervals) totally barefoot. I barely broke a sweat, but I want to make sure my feet and calves are getting consistent work.
Friday ended up being a rest day. I actually slept for 9.5 hours Friday night...so I think I needed it.
Saturday was supposed to be a swim workout but when we got to the pool, the place was mobbed and closed for lap swim. They had some huge regional swim meeting going on. Bummer. My workout that day consistent of getting my hair colored and then the PowerFit core workout. Overall, I am definitely seeing an improvement in my strength, my CV fitness and I swear that my body is begining to reshape a bit. That could be wishful thinking though!
On Sunday the swim club was still closed to us (meet still going on) but I really wanted to swim. The day before, my H got an email from BCBS about a new fitness program available to us. For $29/mo, you get access to a ton of clubs. On the list was our current swim club, 24-hour fitness (which in our neighborhood also includes a lap pool), Bally's and a couple of small local clubs. We signed up, printed out the card, and then headed over to 24-hour fitness. It was SOOO nice swiming in a lap pool when there are no kids around! It was nice and quiet and I was able to really focus on my workout. I do think that swimming in a huge pool with lots of activity and distractions is good tri practice, but sometimes it's nice to just zone out. The best part is that the pool is open pretty much 24-7. They have a one hour fitness class in there 5 days a week, but that's it. I can swim at 11 pm if I so choose!!
Anyway, later that day we did a bunch of planting and prunning and cleaned out the chicken coop....and then I got in my run. I did my last 14/16 run/walk with the same intervals as before. I then did 2 x 2 minute intervals of running barefoot (no VFF's this time). I was ready to do the third interval, but then I had digestive issues and pretty much had to take it down to a slow walk immediately!
Today I'm tired, hungry and sore...but I'm feeling pretty positive. Go figure. I'll be swimming right after work and if there is time, I'm going to do the PowerFit core workout again. It's got some nice stretching in it, and it's very relaxing.
OK, let's see. Last Tuesday I did my run as planned. I did a 14/16 run/walk combo with 3 and 4 minute running intervals (alternating). I also did 6 minutes of barefoot running at the end. I did 2 minutes in my new Vibram Fivefingers, then 2 minutes barefoot, then I walked for one minute and then did another 2 minutes barefoot. I do my barefoot intervals at a 5.0 mph...so that means I'm up to running a half mile barefoot. Yay!
Wednesday was swim lesson #2. The instructor did come more prepared, and another guy joined the class who was pretty much at the same level as me and had the same goals, so that was kind of funny. He, my H and I all did different drills while the instructor worked with the other swimmers. It was better than day one, but nothing earth shattering was learned. I did pick up a bunch of things/improvments that I can work on for the next class. I'm glad the class was more of a workout than the first one because this time, we didn't have time to swim on our own afterwards because my H had to leave for Seattle.
Thursday I was exhausted and had to work late. I had been sleeping poorly all week and it started to catch up with me. I managed to do another PowerFit workout, but that's all I had energy for. I did do it barefoot though! Actually, I did it in my Vibram Fivefingers which was actually better than barefoot because it kept the bands from either slipping off my feet, or from pinching them. I also opted to run on the treadmill for a bit barefoot. I just did 6 minutes (in 2 minute intervals) totally barefoot. I barely broke a sweat, but I want to make sure my feet and calves are getting consistent work.
Friday ended up being a rest day. I actually slept for 9.5 hours Friday night...so I think I needed it.
Saturday was supposed to be a swim workout but when we got to the pool, the place was mobbed and closed for lap swim. They had some huge regional swim meeting going on. Bummer. My workout that day consistent of getting my hair colored and then the PowerFit core workout. Overall, I am definitely seeing an improvement in my strength, my CV fitness and I swear that my body is begining to reshape a bit. That could be wishful thinking though!
On Sunday the swim club was still closed to us (meet still going on) but I really wanted to swim. The day before, my H got an email from BCBS about a new fitness program available to us. For $29/mo, you get access to a ton of clubs. On the list was our current swim club, 24-hour fitness (which in our neighborhood also includes a lap pool), Bally's and a couple of small local clubs. We signed up, printed out the card, and then headed over to 24-hour fitness. It was SOOO nice swiming in a lap pool when there are no kids around! It was nice and quiet and I was able to really focus on my workout. I do think that swimming in a huge pool with lots of activity and distractions is good tri practice, but sometimes it's nice to just zone out. The best part is that the pool is open pretty much 24-7. They have a one hour fitness class in there 5 days a week, but that's it. I can swim at 11 pm if I so choose!!
Anyway, later that day we did a bunch of planting and prunning and cleaned out the chicken coop....and then I got in my run. I did my last 14/16 run/walk with the same intervals as before. I then did 2 x 2 minute intervals of running barefoot (no VFF's this time). I was ready to do the third interval, but then I had digestive issues and pretty much had to take it down to a slow walk immediately!
Today I'm tired, hungry and sore...but I'm feeling pretty positive. Go figure. I'll be swimming right after work and if there is time, I'm going to do the PowerFit core workout again. It's got some nice stretching in it, and it's very relaxing.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Quick recap
Let's see - on Saturday I opted to skip my swim because I just wasn't in the mood. We had to wait around for a guy to come see my H's bike he was selling, so we basically ran out of time anyway. So we went for a ride instead. We did our normal 25 mile loop. I'm still pretty weak but considering that the last two months have been predominantly about improving my cardiovascular capacity, I'm not surprised. I barely broke into a pant on the uphills, so I am seeing an improvement there. The rest of the afternoon was spent on farm chores and I got the lucky task of tilling up all the mud in one of our goat pastures so that we could re-seed it. Wow, were my shoulders pissed off after that! Oy!
Sunday was run day. Of course, it dawned rainy and it didn't let up at all even once during the day. Since I don't really have good running rain gear, I stuck to the treadmill. I did two minutes barefoot, then my normal 30 minute workout and then I did two more minutes barefoot. I had a little tightness as I was running, but not nearly the post-run soreness in my lower legs like last time. Today is my next run and I'm going to do 5 minutes barefoot again. My regular run was 14/16 run/walk with 2x3 min run intervals and 2x4 min run intervals. The 4 minute intervals felt hard but then I stopped complaining and just tried to feel how it was and I realized that it wasn't all that bad. I was breathing hard, but not THAT hard. I think I'm improving!
Monday was my first swim lesson. There were 4 of us and the instructor had us swim a half lap so that she could asses where we are. After I returned, she said "I don't know what I'm going to teach you, you swim well". Great. I did explain my goals and she basically told me to just keep swiming and that I'd eventually get into shape. Again, great. Real helpful and totally worth $60.
Afterward, I did some laps even though it was really crowded. I did three laps just using my legs to try and improve there - I feel like there is much to be gained by a better kick. I got tired quickly though, so I quit before too long. After reviewing my lap times, I know why I was so tired! I was swiming faster and resting less than the last time by a LOT. I guess that's what happens when you are nervous about holding up other swimmers! Anyway, I really hope that tomorrow's lesson goes better. I'm thinking that she'll do a little research now that she knows what kind of swimmers she has in her class and will come with a better plan. I'm still debating signing up for a training session at the pool where my first tri is being held. This session is once a week and it is tailored towards triathletes who already know how to swim, so it might be a good fit for me. We'll see. It's really kind of far from home (1:15 hours each way)...
Tonight will be another run. 14/16 run/walk again with the same intervals as last time. I'm also going to do more barefoot running AND some type of strength. Right now, I'm thinking Tracie...but knowing how tired I'll be after the run, it'll more likely be PowerFit.
Sunday was run day. Of course, it dawned rainy and it didn't let up at all even once during the day. Since I don't really have good running rain gear, I stuck to the treadmill. I did two minutes barefoot, then my normal 30 minute workout and then I did two more minutes barefoot. I had a little tightness as I was running, but not nearly the post-run soreness in my lower legs like last time. Today is my next run and I'm going to do 5 minutes barefoot again. My regular run was 14/16 run/walk with 2x3 min run intervals and 2x4 min run intervals. The 4 minute intervals felt hard but then I stopped complaining and just tried to feel how it was and I realized that it wasn't all that bad. I was breathing hard, but not THAT hard. I think I'm improving!
Monday was my first swim lesson. There were 4 of us and the instructor had us swim a half lap so that she could asses where we are. After I returned, she said "I don't know what I'm going to teach you, you swim well". Great. I did explain my goals and she basically told me to just keep swiming and that I'd eventually get into shape. Again, great. Real helpful and totally worth $60.
Afterward, I did some laps even though it was really crowded. I did three laps just using my legs to try and improve there - I feel like there is much to be gained by a better kick. I got tired quickly though, so I quit before too long. After reviewing my lap times, I know why I was so tired! I was swiming faster and resting less than the last time by a LOT. I guess that's what happens when you are nervous about holding up other swimmers! Anyway, I really hope that tomorrow's lesson goes better. I'm thinking that she'll do a little research now that she knows what kind of swimmers she has in her class and will come with a better plan. I'm still debating signing up for a training session at the pool where my first tri is being held. This session is once a week and it is tailored towards triathletes who already know how to swim, so it might be a good fit for me. We'll see. It's really kind of far from home (1:15 hours each way)...
Tonight will be another run. 14/16 run/walk again with the same intervals as last time. I'm also going to do more barefoot running AND some type of strength. Right now, I'm thinking Tracie...but knowing how tired I'll be after the run, it'll more likely be PowerFit.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Swim classes
I signed up. My huband had already signed up for a class that starts on Monday and since there were still only two people signed up (including him!), I figured it was worth my money to join in too. This way, we get almost semi-private lessons for a fraction of the cost. The lessons are on Monday and Wednesday at 5:30 pm, so this will force me to get into the habit of getting up earlier so that I can get to work earlier in order to be able to leave by 5pm on those days. Plus, I'll get a view of how busy lap swim is during those times (something I've been meaning to investigate).
This does mean that I'll have to change my schedule plan again. I can't be running on Monday and Wednesday regularly or I'll be exhausted all the time! This actually works out well because I really needed a rest day yesterday. My calves were aching after my little barefoot experiment (more to come on that tomorrow). So...I took last night off instead of Friday. I'll swim tonight, push tonight's run until Friday and by running on Sunday, I'll be right back on plan. Tonight I increase my run time by another 2 minutes, so I'll be running for 14 minutes and walking for 16 (in 2 or 3 minute intervals).
This does mean that I'll have to change my schedule plan again. I can't be running on Monday and Wednesday regularly or I'll be exhausted all the time! This actually works out well because I really needed a rest day yesterday. My calves were aching after my little barefoot experiment (more to come on that tomorrow). So...I took last night off instead of Friday. I'll swim tonight, push tonight's run until Friday and by running on Sunday, I'll be right back on plan. Tonight I increase my run time by another 2 minutes, so I'll be running for 14 minutes and walking for 16 (in 2 or 3 minute intervals).
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
The Swim Sucks
Or at least, my speed/distance/endurance does.
I swam last night for the first time in over a week. I'm committing to three swims this week as I really need to step up this part of my training. I managed 12 laps which is equal to only 600 meters. That's barely a warm-up for some people and it felt like a challenging workout to me. I really want to get to the point where I can swim greater distances. I'm not sure if just forcing myself to do it will get me there or not. I'm kind of tempted to sign up for a class, actually.
Last night I wore the watch part of my HRM and I hit the lap button when I returned to the main wall each time. This helped me count laps which I normally screw up when trying to do it in my head. This also gave me some split information, but I haven't had a chance to look at it just yet. It took me just under 30 minutes (including resting) to do those 12 laps and 3 of them were with the pull buoy between my legs (upper body working only).
Except for when I did two pull buoy laps in a row, I never felt even a twinge of muscle fatigue. I think this means that I basically need my heart and lungs to catch up with my strength. Either that, or my shear brute force is allowing me to not get physically tired even though it's wearing me out cardiovascularly. Does this mean I'm doing it all wrong? Could be! My husband signed up for a swim class that starts next week and I'm very tempted to join him. There are currently only 2 people signed up (he is one of them), so it would almost be a private lesson for a fraction of the cost. It would also get me out of work and into the pool at a good hour twice a week, too.
I totally forgot to do my core work last night, so I'll make sure to pick a full body workout tonight with good core work OR, I'll just add a core workout on to whatever I do end up doing. Tomorrow I swim again and I think I might just have to check into those lessons....
I swam last night for the first time in over a week. I'm committing to three swims this week as I really need to step up this part of my training. I managed 12 laps which is equal to only 600 meters. That's barely a warm-up for some people and it felt like a challenging workout to me. I really want to get to the point where I can swim greater distances. I'm not sure if just forcing myself to do it will get me there or not. I'm kind of tempted to sign up for a class, actually.
Last night I wore the watch part of my HRM and I hit the lap button when I returned to the main wall each time. This helped me count laps which I normally screw up when trying to do it in my head. This also gave me some split information, but I haven't had a chance to look at it just yet. It took me just under 30 minutes (including resting) to do those 12 laps and 3 of them were with the pull buoy between my legs (upper body working only).
Except for when I did two pull buoy laps in a row, I never felt even a twinge of muscle fatigue. I think this means that I basically need my heart and lungs to catch up with my strength. Either that, or my shear brute force is allowing me to not get physically tired even though it's wearing me out cardiovascularly. Does this mean I'm doing it all wrong? Could be! My husband signed up for a swim class that starts next week and I'm very tempted to join him. There are currently only 2 people signed up (he is one of them), so it would almost be a private lesson for a fraction of the cost. It would also get me out of work and into the pool at a good hour twice a week, too.
I totally forgot to do my core work last night, so I'll make sure to pick a full body workout tonight with good core work OR, I'll just add a core workout on to whatever I do end up doing. Tomorrow I swim again and I think I might just have to check into those lessons....
Monday, January 18, 2010
Another schedule change!
OK, so this weekend wasn't quite the activity-fest I'd had in mind. It was pouring rain and somewhat miserable, so I really felt very sloth-ful. We did get TONS done on Saturday (lots of errands, some MUCH needed work done on the car, etc) but I was not really active unless I get to count loading cement pavers into the truck. Sunday wasn't a whole hell of a lot better. In fact, I slept terrible all weekend so today I'm actually more exhausted than I was on Friday.
Sunday I did manage a run. I ran outside again but this time it was pouring rain. I also took the 'hilly' route which meant that I had a few rollers to deal with. No biggie on the bike, but as a person on foot - it felt a little more difficult! My hipflexors are a little sore today again. I think I need to figure out a way to run outside more often - I don't think the treadmill gives me anywhere near enough of a workout.
So since I managed to screw up my weekend activity schedule, I'm adjusting my weekly schedule to align with it and I'll move to the new schedule next week. So this week I'll be doing the following:
Mon: swim & core
Tues: run & strength
Wed: swim & core
Thurs: run & strength
Fri: REST
Saturday: move to the previous schedule I posted - so I'll run and do a bike ride this day.
Even though I wasn't all that active this weekend, I did manage to do quite a bit of reading about people who are active. Does that count? No? OK, then. Anyway, I'm reading Born to Run and wow...what a great book! Once I got the hang of the author's story telling style (he's a little into jumping around a lot), it's really compelling. The story is about the Tarahumara who are a tribe of super athletic distance runners in Mexico. The book is inpsiring me to want to run long distances, if you can believe that. It's also got me thinking about barefoot running again. It was something that I really wanted to try when I first started this training but then felt that maybe it wasn't a good idea for someone with my foot trouble. Since starting this book, I've done even more research on this and I do think that this might be REALLY good for me specifically because I have this foot trouble. I'm going to start slowly. I'll do some barefoot running on the treadmill and I'll start working out barefoot. I'll also NOT be buying myself new running shoes. In fact, I'm thinking about wearing a pair of inexpensive old Pony sneakers I bought awhile back. They fit well but they are mostly flat without any structure or support at all. I'm just not sure how to transition to these, or if I should just start using them since I'm not doing any long distances yet anyway. I'm just excited about this. I'm excited about possibly finding a way to run without pain. How amazing would that be??
Sunday I did manage a run. I ran outside again but this time it was pouring rain. I also took the 'hilly' route which meant that I had a few rollers to deal with. No biggie on the bike, but as a person on foot - it felt a little more difficult! My hipflexors are a little sore today again. I think I need to figure out a way to run outside more often - I don't think the treadmill gives me anywhere near enough of a workout.
So since I managed to screw up my weekend activity schedule, I'm adjusting my weekly schedule to align with it and I'll move to the new schedule next week. So this week I'll be doing the following:
Mon: swim & core
Tues: run & strength
Wed: swim & core
Thurs: run & strength
Fri: REST
Saturday: move to the previous schedule I posted - so I'll run and do a bike ride this day.
Even though I wasn't all that active this weekend, I did manage to do quite a bit of reading about people who are active. Does that count? No? OK, then. Anyway, I'm reading Born to Run and wow...what a great book! Once I got the hang of the author's story telling style (he's a little into jumping around a lot), it's really compelling. The story is about the Tarahumara who are a tribe of super athletic distance runners in Mexico. The book is inpsiring me to want to run long distances, if you can believe that. It's also got me thinking about barefoot running again. It was something that I really wanted to try when I first started this training but then felt that maybe it wasn't a good idea for someone with my foot trouble. Since starting this book, I've done even more research on this and I do think that this might be REALLY good for me specifically because I have this foot trouble. I'm going to start slowly. I'll do some barefoot running on the treadmill and I'll start working out barefoot. I'll also NOT be buying myself new running shoes. In fact, I'm thinking about wearing a pair of inexpensive old Pony sneakers I bought awhile back. They fit well but they are mostly flat without any structure or support at all. I'm just not sure how to transition to these, or if I should just start using them since I'm not doing any long distances yet anyway. I'm just excited about this. I'm excited about possibly finding a way to run without pain. How amazing would that be??
Friday, January 15, 2010
Back at it - for real
So the year started off ok, I was running and swimming and doing strength training videos with some regularity despite a tough work schedule - and then I got sick. Sort of. I don't know what caused it but on Tuesday night I was struck down with an extremely painful bout of gas. It was the strangest thing. I was in severe pain through my entire abdomen. Bloated and horribly painful. I was not nauseaous, farty or burping either...just pain. About 3.5 hours after it began, I started letting massive amounts of air out my mouth. It was like I was doing these super long, super quiet burps...where the air just came rushing out. It was the strangest thing ever! Anyway, it was a couple of days before I could eat right and before I started sleeping normally again. And of course, still working like a fiend... so I haven't done much of anything in terms of training since a run on Sunday.
So...now I'm going to focus on getting back on track. Today I am eating correctly and recording all my food. I will be doing a strength workout of some type this evening. Tomorrow will be a run and a bike ride. Sunday will be a swim. I've actually decided that 1) I prefer to run outside if I can and 2) that I want to run on Mon/Wed/Sat instead of Tue/Thur/Sun like I was doing before. This is because I prefer to swim on Tue/Thur/Sun (before I was only swimming twice a week but I want to up that to three times). So my schedule will look something like this:
Mon: run
Tues: swim & core
Wednesday: run & strength
Thursday: swim & core
Friday: REST
Saturday: run & either bike or strength
Sunday: swim & either bike or strength
As it gets lighter, I'm going to add in another weekday bike ride and I'll try and start doing my runs outside. If I need to find more time to increase my training (or to do something else), I'll either opt to do my strength or my run before work OR my run at lunch time. Swimming could also happen immediately after work if it's not too busy then...but it's always hard for me to leave work on time, so I hate scheduling anything for that time frame if I can avoid it.
I also had a bit of a smack in the head last night. I found that my inner fat girl was whining about reigning in my diet and I gave her a good smack down. Actually, I think I convinced her that it would be fun to eat right for a week and then step on the scale...right?! FUN, I tell you!!! ;-)
So...now I'm going to focus on getting back on track. Today I am eating correctly and recording all my food. I will be doing a strength workout of some type this evening. Tomorrow will be a run and a bike ride. Sunday will be a swim. I've actually decided that 1) I prefer to run outside if I can and 2) that I want to run on Mon/Wed/Sat instead of Tue/Thur/Sun like I was doing before. This is because I prefer to swim on Tue/Thur/Sun (before I was only swimming twice a week but I want to up that to three times). So my schedule will look something like this:
Mon: run
Tues: swim & core
Wednesday: run & strength
Thursday: swim & core
Friday: REST
Saturday: run & either bike or strength
Sunday: swim & either bike or strength
As it gets lighter, I'm going to add in another weekday bike ride and I'll try and start doing my runs outside. If I need to find more time to increase my training (or to do something else), I'll either opt to do my strength or my run before work OR my run at lunch time. Swimming could also happen immediately after work if it's not too busy then...but it's always hard for me to leave work on time, so I hate scheduling anything for that time frame if I can avoid it.
I also had a bit of a smack in the head last night. I found that my inner fat girl was whining about reigning in my diet and I gave her a good smack down. Actually, I think I convinced her that it would be fun to eat right for a week and then step on the scale...right?! FUN, I tell you!!! ;-)
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