Workouts and Visitors

This weekend I successfully stuck to my training plan even though we had guests in town the whole weekend. I can't believe it. Next weekend will be tougher though because my mom and sister will be in town, but I'll try again! Hubs' brother and his girlfriend were in town - we had a great town and caught a fun baseball game and chilled. Definitely a great weekend with beautiful weather.

Saturday I woke up before anyone else and used it as my chance to get in my workout. I have found that I really try to stick within an hour or so of my normal sleep routine on the weekends. It really helps keep my mind and body in a better place. Anyway - I was supposed to do a 45 minute "tempo" run. A tempo run was described as 75% of my max. Well I can't run 75% for 45 minutes - just not in good enough shape to do that. So instead I did a 45 min run at about 60% max. In other words I was jogging. I went really slow, but I did 45 min which is a longer duration than I've run since I started training. By the end of the run, my right knee (ie: my good knee) was sore. Luckily, with my right knee, which has been acting up, there has not been any residual pain. So it just hurts when I work out, and then its fine. My left knee, snuggly secured by its brace, was fine for the whole run. I think I need new sneakers and the knees might do better. Overall I was happy with the run - plus it was perfect running weather. OH! but my shorts are getting too big - which is a good thing. I use my favorite amphipod running pouch when I run, and it was pulling down my shorts the whole time because it was too heavy. Usually this is not a problem - but I guess this is what happens when you lose weight and your shorts get loose! Totally obnoxious but I'm not complaining!

Then Sunday, after the visitors left, I headed down to the lakefront with Hubs to workout. He went rowing and I took my bike. I was supposed to 60 minutes, but arrived back to my starting place in 48 min. I could have kept going but decided to be lazy and quit. I had a great ride - about 10 miles in 48 minutes - except that I was definitely cold. I was dressed ok while I was riding, but had no extra layers to put on after my ride and my hands were freezing. It was probably in the mid 50s and windy.

This morning I hit the pool. I was supposed to lift with legs in addition, but didn't have time. Not going to worry about it! Or maybe I'll do it tomorrow if I have time. Here's the workout: 10 min warm-up - freestyle and breastroke. 25 min drills with fins (this is totally boring, but still my heart rate is decent). 4 x 25 yd sprints with 30 sec rest (I do them in about 25 sec). Then 5 min cool down. Decent workout.

Still haven't figured out the pool/food thing. This morning I tried a whole clif bar. Not so great. I wasn't queasy this time, but I still didn't feel great. I'm thinking that Clif bars might be better for afternoon workouts when I've already allowed my stomach to digest other foods. They may just be a bit too complex for my stomach in the morning. I've always liked them in the past, but I guess I've never eaten them in the mornings. In the past (ie: back in my rowing days) I've always just had a plain granola bar or toast in the morning before workouts - guess that might be better. So - in the future I'll be sticking with granola bars in the morning and using Clif bars (which are my favorites amongst the protein bars) for afternoon workouts.

Bleh

Bleh - the weather, my workout, the traffic. All of it. What a cruddy day. The weather is absolutely miserable and I am already dreading my commute home from work.

Last night I stayed up way past my bedtime doing a "guests are coming to stay" clean-up. So the apartment is definitely cleaner, if not clean. Then I had to get up earlier than normal because I knew I had a long workout this morning - it included by strength training and swimming. Strength training today consisted of core muscle work, which I always hate because I may have the weakest core muscles on this planet. That took about 20 minutes because I flew through it - it really should have taken around 30+. Then I jumped in the pool. It was supposed to be a 60 min swim including the warm-up and cool down, but about 40 minutes into I started to feel super queasy. I think that I was just hungry and the swim drills that I was doing were making me a bit dizzy (they involved a bunch of twisting in the water). I had to quit because I really did not want to have to tell the old man at the desk that I had puked in the pool. I figured 40 minutes was good, even if it wasn't the whole workout. I guess I need to figure out something better to eat before swimming because I always get hungry when I swim. I usually eat nothing at all before I work out, but as my volume and duration increases, I am going to have to eat something. This morning I ate half of a clif bar. I don't know if that made me queasy or if I should have eaten the other half too in order to stave off the hunger. This whole process really is going to involve a lot of trial and error.

Here's the workout:

Core Muscle Strengthening - actually maybe instead of describing the workouts I'll post a link with the pictures. Anyway - this portion of my workout involved trying to figure out how to do the exercises with really weak muscles and modify them so that I could do them.

Swimming

5 min - freestyle warm-up
15 min - balance drills with fins
15 min - extension drills with fins
10 min - stroke drills without fins

Then I was supposed to do 5 more minutes of stroke drills, 5 min freestyle swim, 5 min cool-down of non-freestyle

To be perfectly, these drills seemed like a waste of time. First of all, because the pool is so short, I don't have time to get much done with fins on before I am turning around. Second, I a fairly good technical swimmer. Heck, I used to teach swim lessons. I'm not saying I'm great, but a lot of these drills were a bit too basic. I pictured them being better for someone who has trouble breathing to the side or lifts their head out of the water or etc. The stroke drills are helpful drills that I used to do when I swam, but I guess they just stunk today because by then I wasn't feeling so good. We'll see - I hope future swim workouts on the training program are better.

Part II of Day 3

45 minutes on a stationary bike of steady state riding is boring. That's what I have to say about that. Yesterday after work I headed to the gym to do just that, but I had no iPod, no Dave the Bike Guy to keep me company, no Today Show or equally entertaining tv, nothing. Just boredom. Despite that, it was a good, sweat-inducing, low intensity workout.

Today is a much appreciated rest day. It felt to get up this morning and get ready for work at the house, instead of at the gym. Very relaxing and I feel good at work today.

Exciting news - spring weather has arrived and I can wear clothes that I haven't worn since the Summer 07 season. It is such a nice reward. I think I've lost about 6-8 lbs from my all-time high that I reached during this passed year. I'd say that I have another 10 lbs of fat that I'd like to take off, but if my body keeps changing without taking off the pounds, I'm ok with that too. I can definitely feel a change in my shape and I certainly feel healthier. I know well enough that the numbers won't change super fast these days, especially as I continue to develop muscle. I'm just happy because my clothes are fitting better and it takes a lot more to get me to huff and puff these days!

Part I of Day 3

Well - the first snag arrived during official training - my special talent of wasting time in the morning and rain making the interstates in my wonderful big midwest city turn into parking lots. Seriously, I don't get it. It was light rain, sprinkles, intermittent rain drops. It was not a pouring rain that would make Noah pull out his ark. I don't understand why people have to brake every 3 feet when there is a little bit of rain.

Needless to say, I got to the gym late this morning. So I really only had 20 minutes. I was supposed to do a 45 minute bike ride and a lifting session. I decided that I would use my 20 minutes for the lifting session, which worked out perfectly. Unfortunately I have to go back to the gym after work to get in my bike ride. Not particularly happy about that, but I guess that's the way it goes. I would just put it off until tomorrow, but tomorrow is supposed to be my off day and I'm ready for one. So - biking at the gym tonight is the way it goes.

Lifting this morning:
1 set of 12 reps:
shoulder shrugs - 15
bicep curls - 12
lat pull-down - 60
wrist curls - 12
shoulder squeeze - 8 (yeah - I know that's a terrible name, but its the best I've got right now)
planks - all sides - 20 sec
crunches - 40
knee pull ups

oh - I just remembered that I was supposed to do pushups. Oh well

So far so good

Well, day 2 of the official training plan has arrived and my first two workouts were great. I was always good at doing my homework growing up, and having a training plan is kinda like doing homework. If you tell me that I'm supposed to do it and that I'll be able to pass the "test" because of doing it, then sign me up. I'll do it. I follow the rules. Basically, I'm a nerd. But once again, being a nerd is helping me get where I want to go.

Yesterday I hit the pool for my first official workout. These workouts are definitely longer than the ones I've been doing, but I think I have enough base work to keep up with them. Before hitting the pool, I did some strength training: 1 set of 12 reps of leg press (160 lbs), leg curls (50 lbs), leg extensions (50 lbs), and single-leg calf raises. I was supposed to do planks, but I forgot. Opps!! Then I jumped in the pool and I did a 10 minute warm-up alternating between 100 yd freestyle and 100 yd breastroke. I did about 300 yd total (remember I can't keep count of laps, which means they are always going to be approximate). Then I did 10 minutes of kick, alternating again between 100 yd freestyle and 100 yd about 100 yd breastroke. Total it was about 250 yd of kick. Then I was supposed to do 20 minutes of freestyle, stopping as needed. Although I technically could have have swam for 20 minutes straight without needing to stop, I took a 30 sec break every 5 minutes. I was able to squeeze in about 750 yds into the 20 minutes. Then I did a 5 min cool down of random stuff (ie: no specific stroke). Total duration: 45 minutes.

Today was a running day. Definitely a more intense running workout than I've done in a very long time. I'm tired now, and definitely ticked that the new kind of instant oatmeal that I brought to work with me is so disgusting that I wouldn't feed it to my dog, if I had one. So hungry. Total duration of active time 46 minutes. First I did a 5 minute walk/jog. I was supposed to incorporate pylometrics into this, but 1) not really sure what they are, 2) pretty sure I would looking like a super big dork doing them, 3) do not think it is possible on the treadmill without risking life or limb. I ended the jog around a 4.7. Then I climbed off and stretched the legs for just a few minutes. Then back on the treadmill. I was supposed to do 30-45 minutes of fartleks. Definitely not ready for 45 minutes, so I stuck with the 30 minute session, plus I didn't have time for 45 minutes. I picked 4.7 as a base running pace. This is was lower than a pace that I would pick for steady state running, but I figured it would be a good recovery rate. Then I kept upping the speed until I was huffing and puffing. Usually I would get up to about a 6.5 or 6.7 over about 5 to 7 minutes and then I would head back down to the 4.7 to recover. Overall I was pleased with how it went, and how well my knee held up. Oh - I have been trying to do all my treadmill running at a 1.0 incline, b/c I've read that 0 incline is actually easier than running outside, and that 1.0 incline is more like outside conditions.

Note on knee: I think that my knee hurts more when I am not adequately warmed up or when my knee gets cold during a workout, especially if it is rainy. Not sure if this is true, but I am positive the cold doesn't help it.

UPDATE - I just looked at the training schedule. Today's running workout was supposed to be "low" intensity. Running is never a low intensity workout for me - at least not in years. Power walking is low intensity. Maybe by the time the triathlon arrives I'll be able to run (not just walk) for 30 min and call it low intensity, but I doubt it.

Training Officially Begins Today!

Over the weekend, Hubs and I went to the in-laws house for one last visit before our big move out East, which is quickly approaching. Before we headed out there on Saturday, we hit the gym. Hubs was doing a quick 20 minute workout, so I decided to do a straight swim without rest, etc. I was able to to do 1/2 mile in the 20 minute period, which made me pretty happy, especially b/c I was not working very hard. I am really hoping to get my time down closer to 15 minutes in the pool.

Sunday, my mother-in-law and I went on a nice long bike ride - 17 miles. She is an avid rider and is getting ready for a big bike trip in two weeks with her sister and some friends. They will do a couple days of 40 miles/day on average. So for her, 17 miles is a short ride, but it was plenty long for me. Those rides really wipe me out afterwards. Luckily, it was a beautiful day with clear skies and great temperatures. There was only one little patch of tough wind, but otherwise it was a great ride. About 7 miles was on a paved path and the other 10 miles was on crushed limestone. I can't believe how much tougher crushed limestone is. Your body gets tired just from the constant vibrations. It felt good to get back on pavement after 10 miles of bumpiness.

This evening when I get off work, I am headed to the gym to do my first workout from the triathlon training plan. I'll be in the pool - the workout says to do 10 min warm-up, 10 min kick, 20 min freestyle, stopping as needed, and 5 min cool down. Plus, I am supposed to do some strength training. I'll report back tomorrow and let you know how it goes!

Life Happens

Last night Hubs and I had a great night out together. We just did some shopping - for my bike and for our new home that we are still in the process of purchasing. Hubs came and met me when I got off work and we left one of our cars in the lot at work. Unfortunately, we forgot to pick up the car on the way home last night, which meant that I was without a car for the gym this morning. So even though I popped out of bed this morning after a good night of sleep and put on my swimsuit - I wasn't going to be doing any swimming. When I remembered that I had no car and was going to be taking the train to work - I simply did some simple stretching for a while. It felt good, even if it wasn't really a workout.

In other news - the Statute of Liberty is re-opening on the 4th of July! I'd like to think it is a little present to me for moving out to the East coast. I have always been totally enamored by the Statue of Liberty and I can't wait to go see her again!

Back to Blogging

Ok - after being pestered by both my mom and sister, neither of whom or dedicated internet users / junkies, about the fact the I have been MIA from my blog - I'm back. I hope for good this time. Luckily my workouts haven't suffered nearly as much as my blogging.

The official triathlon training program starts on Monday (the 11th). The other day I started looking at it and reviewing the workouts. And then I started to panic! It is going to be intense. For a while there I was doing 4 days a week of mildly wimpy workouts. The program has me working out 6 days a week for, on average, at least 45 minutes. So I've upped my game a bit. Right now I am on pace for 6 days this week.

In a minute, I'll give a review of recent workouts, but first an update on my knee. Day-to-day my knee is ok, but it's far from 100%. Most days I have no pain, or just a little achiness on stairs. But when the knee hurts - it hurts! I am hoping that it stays at this level of pain, which is manageable and I think safe, even when I start upping the intensity level and duration of workouts.

Here's some recent workouts -

Saturday - 35 minute run outside. It was really my first run outside since I've been training. It went pretty well, especially considering how windy it was on the lakefront. I think I did 3 miles, maybe not quite. The time included a minute or two stop at the turn around. I will say that my knee was not happy by the end of the run, but it seemed to recover pretty well and gave me no problems during my Sunday workout.

Sunday - 50-55 min bike ride on lakefront path. About 9.5-10 miles. GREAT ride. I heart my bike so much. It was pretty busy on the path considering it was Sunday morning around 9am. So the ride included the usual weaving and slamming on brakes, but it was a great ride. Nice even heart rate, no heavy breathing, and a decent time. My hands/wrists get sore though - so I think I am going to get some of those fingerless gloves. I also need some padded bike shorts, once I start getting over an hour on the bike. Plus I need a water bottle for my bike. And it would probably be nice to get a little storage pouch for under the seat to carry items like a cell phone, etc with me. Oh - how the things seem to add up! -- Speaking of the bike - I also need to change out my standard pedals with the cages that I had put on my old mountain bike a couple years ago. I think that will be a nice addition.

Monday - 40 minutes of pool time - including lots of kick, some arms-only, regular free style, and some treading of water. The pool finally was a decent temp, and it felt good to get back in the water because it had been a couple weeks since I had a good swim in decent water temps. Unfortunately I was wiped out for the rest of the day. Totally 110% exhausted. I crashed when I got home from work that night.

Tuesday - 25 min on the stationary bike. I was totally running late on Tuesday - but at least I squeezed a little workout in. Better than nothing - right?

Wednesday - I took the day off. I had planned to take today, Thursday, off, but I didn't sleep well. When I hit the snooze, apparently I turned off the alarm, so I woke up too late to workout, and didn't feel very good last night.

Today/Thursday - 35 minutes on the treadmill. 1.0 incline
5 minutes warm up
1 minute at 4.0
2 at 5.0
1 min. at 4.0
2 at 5.1
1 min at 4.0
2 at 5.2
1 min at 4.0
2 at 5.3
etc... up to 5.7. followed by 1 min at 4.0 and then a 5 minute cool down.

Great workout - very pleased with it, and my knee feels good.

Hopefully - I'll be back tomorrow!

Balance between flexibility and routine.

First - my knee has no pain - that is 2 days post-bike ride. That makes me super happy. Beyond super happy. Yay!

Ok - now onto - Finding the balance.

I am a person who tends to thrive on routine and planning. That doesn't mean that I'd don't like spontaneity, but it does mean that I am more productive and efficient when I have a routine. When I have a routine and a weekly plan for working out, meaning it is Lifting Monday or Biking Tuesday, then I tend to be more consistent in working out and my life feels comfortable. Unfortunately, my life has not recently allowed for routine. The home buying process, getting Hubs ready for elite level racing, working, cleaning the house for people staying with us, and etc has made my life unpredictable. Some mornings I have to get up and review our purchase contract instead of going to the gym. Other mornings, I have to run to the medical school bookstore to pick up a book for Hubs who is studying for a Board exam that he has to take next week. Tomorrow I am going to come into work early so that I can go to watch Riverdance with Hubs' mom tomorrow night. Listing these things out makes me tired alone, and it definitely makes me realize that I need to allow for flexibility in my life.

Now that it is getting nicer outside, I think that I want to move my off-days to weekdays so that I can get in longer workouts outside on the weekend, especially on my bike. This is going to be a learning process and take discipline to make this transition because I do enjoy not have "responsibilities" like work and working out on the weekend. So anyway, it looks like today and tomorrow are going to be my off-days this week. That means I'll need to get my workouts in every day for the rest of the week, or double-up one day. I guess we'll see how it goes. Fingers crossed!

I heart my bike.

So, Thursday I didn't end up going for a workout after work. I looked at the weather and told myself that a long outdoor bike ride on Saturday would be much more productive (and I was right!)

Friday morning I went to the pool. I actually didn't end up swimming though. The water was waaaay to hot for lap swimming. So I just did some water aerobics and talked to Cindy the pool lady. It was enjoyable and relaxing, even if it wasn't the most taxing workout. Then I spent the rest of the day full of anxiety about our house purchase. The inspection overall went well, but there is one major potential plumbing issue. It really made me anxious - as in - high blood pressure, might throw-up anxious. I am better now, but Friday was not a pleasant day. So the Hubs and I went out to dinner on Friday night, discussed life, the house and the move and I felt much better.

Then yesterday - my bike. My lovely, wonderful bike. It was beautiful outside, and the sun was shining. So much so that my face is a bit burnt today. It still was a bit cool/cold when I started out biking because I wasn't appropriately dressed, but by halfway through my ride I was fine. I ended up doing about 13 miles along the Lakefront path. It was pretty busy, which means you can't go fast the whole time, but I finished up my ride (including a stop at the turn around and a quick phone call) in about 1 hr 20 minutes. Pretty good. Plus, I forgot my knee brace. I was a little worried at first, but there was no pain at all. I think that is just how perfect my bike fits me. My bike just makes me smile.

On that note though, mechanical issues with my bike do not make me smile. I admittedly know nothing about bikes or maintenance. In fact I almost walked my bike to the bike shop before riding yesterday because the brake was sticking (due to having to shove it in the car - I really need a bike rack). Luckily, Antonio - Hubs' rowing buddy - was around and knows a lot about bikes. He saved the day and made a super easy fix. I think I am going to offer to make him dinner in exchange for Bike Maintenance 101. It will make me feel a lot more confident.

Making it work

No workout this morning. I am totally stressed by this home-buying thing. Came to work early to do personal paperwork and contract review. Hoping to go to the gym after work and do a bike ride.

So much for getting back into a routine.

Getting back in a routine

It is unbelievable how going out of town or changing up a day's normal activities can really screw with a routine. The other thing that is unbelievable is how much I depend on having a routine, especially in the morning. I am trying to settle back into my morning motions, which include working out, but I'll be honest, it is a struggle. Hopefully after a couple more days I'll be back into it.

This morning I arrived at the gym later than I had been going, but early enough to do a 30 minute workout. I figure that it is about time to stop the second lifting workout each week, so instead, I jumped on the treadmill. I guess that I need to reassign activities to new days so that they are appropriately spaced.

Today's workout was ok. Nothing special, but at least I went, which is super important to the whole routine thing. I give it a 5 out of 10. I felt out of shape. I didn't push too hard, and I was only half-way engaged.

Total duration: 33 minutes
All at 1.0 incline

5 min at 3.0
5 min at 5.0
5 min at 3.5
5 min at 5.2
5 min at 3.7
5 min at 5.4
3 min cool-down.

Yawn - it was just as boring typing as it was doing it.

I need to get re-excited about about this triathlon. I had been so excited about the bike and my workouts, and then my knee happened (which is still annoying me). And now the house stuff is going on. It's not that I'm giving myself excuses, but I'm just not feeling the enthusiasm at the moment. Hopefully, it will reappear when I get back into my routine and start seeing some fitness gains again.

Skipped Workouts - Bought a House

Well Hubs and I were out East this past week, which did nothing for my workouts. As in, I did no workouts last week. I got a decent lift in yesterday and I got in a 30 minute stationary bike ride this morning.

But on the up side - I got a lot of other great things accomplished.

1. I interviewed with a temp agency out East, so I should be ready to go with some income when I get out there - at least until I find something permanent.

2. Hubs had some really great racing this weekend, and now has secured the interest of the National Team coaches.

3. We bought a house, pending an inspection! This is the biggest one. It was such a whirlwind trip. We thought we would just look, find nothing and then figure out something later. Well we found a great place, and after some ridiculous negotiations, we found out this morning that we got the house. So tomorrow is inspection day. Keep your fingers crossed that the house isn't falling apart!!!

M.I.A. - too much going on

Well, blogging has been rough recently, but I am sticking with my workouts. Here's a rambling non-coherent update for you:

Thursday - I did a 20 minute power walk at a 1.0 that got my heart rate up, followed by a 10 minute run and a 5 min cool-down and leg stretches. My knee seemed to hold up well and I was pretty please with it.

Friday - I went ahead and swam, even though I contemplated taking the day off. I was tired and a my knee was a bit sore. I did a 25 minute swim including kick. Nothing special, sorta lazy.

Saturday - I took my bike out for its maiden voyage, and it was AWESOME! I heart my bike so much. I did an 8 mile ride and my knee felt good and still does two days later. The whole ride too me about 45 minutes, which means I'm currently looking at 1.5 hours for my 15.5 miles ride during the triathlon. That is way too long, but I hope the times will get better. Plus, as I did the first four miles I was super scared that I was really really out of shape. It turns out that I was riding into a nasty cold headwind. By the time I turned around I had a terrible ice-cream headache from the wind. Riding the last four miles with the wind to my back was a lot faster and much more pleasant. Plus, I was a little more adjusted to riding around people. Even though it was cold, the bike path was busy with lots of runners, walkers, roller-bladers (who should be outlawed from this earth!), and bike riders who were all trying to enjoy the "warm" day that we had. Note that "warm" was really only about 40 degrees. I can't wait for the real warm weather and being able to get outside more. But at least the cold weather gives me some time to get a bike rack. Currently, I have to put it in the back seat of our Camry, which means I have to take the front tire off every time. Because we already have a cartop carrier for Hubs' boat, I think that we'll just get a cartop rack for the bike. Any thoughts from people who have used these? I really think the biggest challenge will be making sure that I can hoist it up there, but the new bike is so light that I think that I should be able to do it.

Sunday - rest day that was super busy. Lots of errands and baking and laundry. I made peanut butter balls for Hubs. I wished that I liked them because they are a great, nutritious snack for active people. Simply, mix together equal parts creamy peanut butter and honey, then add dried milk until you can roll the mixture up into balls. Then roll the PB balls in chopped walnuts. They keep the best in the fridge. At room temp, they become a little messy.

Monday - no workout yet today. I am hoping to do some pilates or something like that when I get home.

This week - is going to be hectic. We are headed out East to look at homes and for Hubs to race at Speed Order. All of that means that there is no gym for me, which means a lot of running. Hopefully the knee holds up.

Hopefully I'll be able to post once this week with an update of the housing search, Hubs' results, and my workout progress.

Getting Back on Track

I'm back!

Never fear - despite my laziness with blogging, I have not been lazy with workouts. On the other hand, I've definitely been letting myself slip on the food department. This past week has been a long lesson in the distractions and frustrations of life.

In my life outside of being a soon-to-be triathlete, Hubs and I are trying to get ready for our big move out East. Next week we are visiting our new city so that Hubs can compete in a rowing race. While we are out there, we want to look at housing. The problem is that we are in the middle of the buying our first home vs. renting an apartment debate. We are trying to move forward with buying, but the process is overwhelming and that has been consuming my life recently. Hopefully, I will be able to get back into the blogging routine and keep all of you updated on the move and etc. Also, because I know that a couple of you (or maybe all of you) know Hubs, I'll keep you posted on his racing season - I think it is going to be a good one! If I am ever MIA for longer than I should be, feel free to call me and keep me going. Life's unexpected-s can make it a tough journey at times.

Two weekends ago, I went back to my hometown to visit my family. It was wonderful to see them but two bad things happened while I was there. First, my knee really flared up and has been sore to painful since then (more on this in a minute). Second, I abandoned my honesty with food policy. This caused most of the weight that I had lost (I had been doing really well) to come back, and made me super frustrated. I really have to learn that food is not always a reward or something that I just "deserve." I need to learn to pick the sweet or treat that I really want, rather than just eating all of it. My family in general is bad with food, and it is really hard to be good around them. The problem is that I gained the weight while I was home and then said screw it, continuing to indulge in way too many sweets. I need to resolve to getting back to honesty. I felt better and was happier when I was doing it and I need to get back to it.

So - workouts. At least I've been good here. I've been trying to take it easy on my knee, especially last week. I swam four days last week and lifted once. Then I took off both Saturday and Sunday, and by Sunday afternoon my knee was feeling great. I was really please with my progress and decided to get back to my regular schedule and trying to pick up the intensity again.

Monday I lifted, as per usual on Mondays. I did a 10 minute warm-up and my normal lifts (I can't remember the specifics at this point in time). By the afternoon my knee was tired and by evening it was sore and tired, but not painful.

Tuesday I hit the stationary bike for 40 minutes. Resistance set at 4, and nothing special. Just a low cardio sweat. It was a great ride and my knee felt good the whole ride and all day long. Well, until I fell off the bottom stair at work into the wall. Then my knee started hurting again. I was so ticked. I hate when I do stupid things like that.

This morning, the knee felt like it was up to a decent workout. Right now, as I sit here, my knee is achey and sore. I don't know if I would call it "pain."

Wednesday's Workout - 8 out of 10. Good sweat and felt good.

20 minute warm-up walk at 3.5 and level 2-2.5 incline.

leg stretches for hamstrings (incidentally this feels 'good' for my knee - it doesn't really feel good, but it feels like it is needed)

3 x 1 min wall sits

3 x 15 each leg - inner and outer leg lifts while laying down

3 x 15 supermans

3 x 12 modified push-ups

3 x 20 double leg calf raises

3 x 10 seated rows with stretch-band

3 x 10 double-handed DB overhead tricep, 15

3 x 20 hand to knee on stability ball


PS - I picked up my new bike today! I am so excited and I can't wait to ride it this weekend. I'll post pictures as soon as I can.

Ugly Socks

So today's title has nothing to do with my training. It has to do with the really ugly socks that I currently have on my feet. I needed new dress socks of the tan/brown variety for work. I bought these at Target last night and they looked fine. Well it turns out that they are exceedingly ugly in daylight. Such an ugly color! I'm not what you would call a fashionista (people who really know me are laughing at the thought of that right now) but seriously, this is even too ugly for me. But my feet are cold and the shoes are a no-go without socks, and that all means that I am stuck with distractingly ugly socks all day.

Knee update = sore. Yesterday I forgot to take all of my doses of ibuprofen and I could tell. My knee was definitely hurting more by the end of the day yesterday and this morning. It is feeling better now that I have resumed the ibuprofen, but it is still tired and uncomfortable. At least there has not been any significant sharp pain since Saturday.

Today's Workout:

I forgot to set my alarm last night before I went to bed and somehow this morning I woke up late but still early enough to sneak to the gym. I am proud of myself for not throwing in the towel when I overslept and still making something happen.

Back in the pool again today because of the knee. Finally it felt like a good cardio workout today and it was enjoyable. I give the workout a 8 out of 10. I could have pushed harder, but still pleased over-all.

Today was the first time I have done a 1/2 mile swim without stopping. (The triathlon swim is 1/2 mile = 800 meters). It went really well. I had an elevated heart rate when I was done, but I was not panting or anywhere close to exhausted. In fact, I really just felt warmed-up - as if I could actually go bike.

It took me less than 25 minutes to do the swim today, which I think is good for the first full trip. I don't have an exact time for a couple of reasons: 1. when I started I didn't know that I was going to swim a full 1/2 miles but I ended up feeling good so I just kept swimming, 2. by now you should all know I can't count, which means I'm not positive that was actually 36 laps, but it was pretty close.

Based on my swim today, I think that I might be able to get my swim time under 20 minutes by August and that would be great. Because then I am pretty sure that I could be in the 20-25 minute range in open water. Overall, training is going well, even if it has been slightly derailed by my stupid knee.

Less Stupid Knee

So last night my knee was definitely sore and tired. Uncomfortable is probably the best word to describe it. This morning, much more comfortable. I swam again this morning and probably will again tomorrow. I feel like I am getting a decent workout swimming (though not high enough heart rate) and it seems to be helping the knee some. This very moment my knee feels almost good. I have a feeling it will get tired later, but maybe I'll get lucky.

I was supposed to pick up my bike yesterday which I was really excited about, but due to my stupid knee I delayed pick up until next Wednesday. I hope that by then my knee will be feeling better and that I will be able to get in a long test ride on the weekend of April 3-4th.

This morning I pulled out my old swim gear that I picked up when I went home this past weekend. It was nice to have it. I think that fins really help you remember what a good freestyle kick is supposed to feel like regarding the correct and natural motion. I also think that the paddles will really help me build up some arm strength.

I did a little longer kick session this morning with the fins to workout the legs a little harder because I haven't been doing any leg lifting or training. I was pleased with the variety it brought to the workout and I will continue to incorporate different tools.

Also, the other day (before the knee pain) I saw an article about deep water running while injured. Unfortunately I only glanced at the article but I remembered a couple things: 1. use a flotation belt, 2. make fists with your hands, 3. something about not over-exaggerating. I decided to give it a try this morning. I need to find the article to see if it gives hints on technique. I'll try to post it here later. Anyway - I think it could be a decent workout.

Workout - total duration 40 min

10 laps freestyle swim
5 laps freestyle kick with fins on stomach
10 laps freestyle kick with fins rotating sides - one arm on board, one at side
5 laps freestyle kick with fins on stomach
10 laps freestyle arms with paddles and pull-buoy
10 mins water jogging with belt
stretching legs

Hopefully I'll have time later to give a knee update.

** Update **

I am 5 hours post-workout and the knee is feeling good. Very little soreness, but it and the lower end of my quad muscle is feeling tired. I have taken two doses of ibuprofen today and have two more to go. I definitely think the combination of "treatments" is working.

Also, here is the link for the deep water running article. I don't think the pool that I workout in is technically deep enough, but I'll probably try it a little more. Surely it can't hurt.

Stupid Knee

My knee is stupid. Period. And I am mad at it. Really mad. It doesn't seem fair that I have always gotten hurt while pursuing athletic endeavors. It just makes me grumpy.

So - here's the problem. Last spring I did something during a bike ride, or soon thereafter, to my left knee. I completely rested (ie: was lazy) for a long time and it seemed to be doing better. Then when I started working out again this past fall, I gradually eased into working out and it seemed to be fine. Then about two months ago / whenever I started blogging, I started running to train for this triathlon and I started wearing a knee brace. In the last week or so, the soreness in my knee seemed to increase, but I thought I was going to be fine as long as I kept wearing my knee brace for running and biking.

Friday I skipped a workout because I travelled down South to visit my wonderful family. I am mildly mad at myself for skipping a workout but oh well. I figured that I would go on a bike ride with my mom on Saturday and all would be fine. Well, Saturday mom didn't feel well and no bike ride. Instead I played with my baby cousin and hung out with all my family. All was well until it wasn't. I haven't no idea what happened, but by Saturday evening my knee was screaming with pain. Stairs were the worst part about it. I iced it and took some ibuprofen on the advice of Dr. Hubs. Since then, I have been on a round-the-clock ibuprofen regimen. I took the bike out on Sunday with my mom because I wanted to teach how to use her new bike and I'm stubborn. I wore the knee brace and I was fine initially, but by the end of our very very short ride, I knew that I needed to stop. There is definitely pain on that down-push motion that is used on the bike or stairs.

So I am going to stick with the pool and ibuprofen this week. Hopefully the inflammation will decrease and I will be able to move passed this without a major detour.

Workouts:

Last Thursday I lifted, but to be honest I don't really remember what I did. Pretty standard I guess.

This morning - Monday.

35 min swim. I could feel the soreness and discomfort in my knee but no significant pain. I swam gingerly today out of fear of hurting my knee more.

10 laps freestyle
10 laps freestyle arms
10 laps freestyle kick
5 laps freestyle

New Toy!!!

I bought a bike last night. I am super excited. I went to a store here in my Big City and found an '08 model of the Trek bike that I really liked and it was cheaper. I climbed on a couple other bikes, but I really think that this bike is the right one for me right now, especially at the price of $367! I pick it up Monday and I can't wait to take it for a ride.

Here's a picture of my new bike, a 2008 Trek 7.2 FX wsd:

Note the link above is to the '09 model, but you can zoom in and see everything up close. The only differences between the 2008 and 2009 models is the color and the seat. The 2008 model has a quick release spring seat. The 2009 model has a bolted-in, non-springy (I'm sure there is a bike term for that!) seat. I also climbed on the 2008 7.3 FX wsd - it is basically a step-up from the bike I bought and has more racing-type components, including the lighter, but non-springy seat. After I talked to the girl at the store and told her about my lower back issues, she said that I definitely should do the 2008 7.2 with the springy seat. She also has lower back issues and said that it would make a big difference for me. I am all about protecting my back - so I was sold on the 7.2 at that point.

I decided that I just wasn't ready for a road bike. If I decide to never do another triathlon again, this will be a great bike for me because it will really serve a lot of purposes. And if I do any more triathlons, this will be good for the first couple and then I can always upgrade or keep this bike for path rides. I'll take a picture of me with my bike soon!

Busy Week

I haven't missed any workouts this week - just bit busier than expected. I've tried to cram a lot into the weekends recently and we are really beginning to get ready for our Big Move out East, plus we are thinking about buying our first home when we head out there, which makes the whole process a bit more overwhelming. Tonight I hope that I will have time to go look at bikes and then I have a lot of other chores.

Last night I received an unexpected and happy call from an old rowing friend. She was always someone who worked so hard and inspired me to work harder, plus she was a great friend and roommate for one year. It was so wonderful to hear from her and it reminded me of how blessed my life is. I am so thankful for the wonderful people in my life.

Quick workout update.

Tuesday - lifting - 6 out of 10 - it wasn't anything special.

Total Duration: 45 minutes

6 minute warm-up on treadmill with incline maxing at 3 and speed at 3.5

3 x 10 leg press - 160, 160, 170 - I am going to go for solid 170s next time

3 x 10 each leg - single leg calf raises

3 x 10 leg curls - 70

3 x 10 leg extensions - 70

2 x 10 - a new exercise I made up for swimming - it involved wrapping a stretch-band around the highest bar I could find and pull straight down with my arm to simulate a freestyle pull

3 x 10 - seated rows with stretch band

superset
3 x 10 - shoulder trio - 10
3 x 10 - db bicep curls - 10

3 x 10 - hand to knee crunches on stability ball


Wednesday Workout - swimming - 8 out of 10 - just because I did what I set out to do

Total Duration - 35 minutes

(remember all lap counts are approximate because I really, seriously cannot count)

Non-stop Swim
total duration - 23 minutes
total distance - 1/2 mile
20 laps freestyle
10 laps breastroke (notice my back sorta hurt after this - which isn't a good thing)
6 laps freestyle

Then I did some kick for a little over 5 minutes

Rounded it out with 2 x 10 leg swings - front to back and side to side

Yay for Spring; Bike Suggestions?

This weekend we left the Big City and visited Hubs' family who lives about 1.5 hours away. It was beautiful weather all weekend, and I definitely wanted to get outside while I could because I know that it will cool off again because it is only mid-March. I definitely am getting antsy for the warm weather to really sit in though.

On Saturday, Hubs' mom and I went to look for new bikes. She actually does a lot of biking - as in she is currently in much better shape than I am. Last summer, she and her sister and a couple other friends went on a 275 mile bike trip along the Great Allegheny Passage - often biking around 40 miles a day. Seeing how excited they were after they completed their trip made me realize in part that if you really want to do something, then you can do it. Even if it is more challenging than you could have realized - ie: the tornado that put trees down along a long stretch of the path that they were biking.

Anyway, now she is ready for a bike upgrade and was looking forward to looking at bikes. Originally, I thought that I would use my old bike (the old mountain bike that I got for my 13th birthday) but I am realizing that it is just not feasible. It would be way too tiring. It was really nice to go bike shopping with her and Hubs - and made me super excited to get a new bike.

The bikes were a bit more expensive than I had hoped they would be. I tried several Trek models, and really liked the Trek 7.2 FX wsd. I found a store back in the Big City that still has some 2008 models and that makes them a little more than $100 cheaper. So the plan is to go to the store, look at the 7.2 and then try a bunch of other brands that are similar. Does anyone have any suggestions? I feel like I am sorta rushing into this, but at the same time, I'd hate to miss saving the money on the older model. If anyone has any suggestions at all - brands, good websites, considerations, etc - please please let me know. I definitely know that I do not want a road bike at this stage - so I am in the market for a hybrid.

After getting excited by trying a bunch of bikes on Saturday, Hubs' mom and I went on an 18 mile bike ride along a nice flat path on Sunday. It took us about an hour and 45 minutes. The weather was beautiful - bright and sunny and light to moderate wind. It was around 60 degrees, plus the wind. I rode Hubs' dad's bike and we had a great time. I decided to wear the knee brace because my knee has been bugging me recently. It seemed to help. Towards the end of the ride when my legs began to really get tired, my knee started getting sore, but by the time we got back to the house my knee felt fine. My knee feels good today too, which makes me super happy. After the bike ride yesterday, I was exhausted. It made me a little nervous because I can't imagine going running after that. Being outside and the long workout really got the best of me. My legs were beat, my tush was sore, and I was tuckered out. The good news is that I felt great this morning and all day. No soreness at all and a good night sleep seemed to take care of the tiredness.

This week is a bit of a weird workout week - I guess it is a lesson in flexibility. I worked out on Sunday, which I normally don't do and I didn't work out today. So, Tuesday and Thursday are lifting days. Wednesday will be swimming day and then I'll do some running on Friday hopefully. That's the plan at least.

I'll keep you posted on the bike situation - I'd love suggestions!

Ready for the Weekend Part II

I made a very wise decision when I made Fridays my swimming days. It is a great workout for the end of the week because always seems to help stretch out my muscles, plus I really enjoy swimming which makes it easier to get out of bed. In fact, there is no way that I would have gotten out of bed this morning if I hadn't been going to the gym to swim. I was so tired again this morning, but I bargained with myself that I could hit snooze one extra time, reminding myself that the pool was waiting for me. There is no way that bargain would have been made this morning if the treadmill was waiting for me. I can't wait to sleep in tomorrow - I am definitely ready for the weekend.

This morning the pool was a lot better - as in, it was not 10000 degrees. Instead, it was only 86, which felt cool by comparison to the last few weeks. Plus, it was quiet today. There are no lap lanes in the pool and it can be a little hectic when there are a couple old men floating/swimming and old ladies do their exercises. I just pretend like it is the triathlon with lots of random people doing weird things. I have a feeling though that I won't be zipping past people quite as fast during the actual triathlon!

Workout - Total Duration = 40 minutes

I lose track on counting sometimes (ok, often) so the number of laps below are approximate. I try to throw in an extra lap if I think I miscounted, but who knows maybe I miscount a lot. In fact, just ask anyone I rowed with in college. I was terrible at practices when we did "silent pyramid" pieces. I just can't keep count.

approx. 20 laps (over 1/4 mile) freestyle

approx. 9 laps (around 1/8 mile) freestyle kick with board

approx. 9 laps (around 1/8 mile) freestyle arms only with pull-buoy

5 minutes treading water

2 x 10 - leg swings - across the front and front to back


PS - I think I may go look at bikes tomorrow. I am super excited to see what is out there! Soon enough I'll be able to get outside for my biking sessions and I am really excited by the thought of a new bike!

Ready for the Weekend

I don't know what is going on, but I have been exhausted all week. I have lots of theories - the time change, going to bed too late, the new earlier bedtime, the longer, more intense workouts, or a food/vitamin deficiency. In all likelihood, I suspect that it is a combination thereof. No matter what the cause is, I am tired. Very tired. So tired that I should be in bed rather than sitting here writing this. I'm definitely looking forward to swimming in the morning. I think I will try to take it fairly easy and stretch out the body. Hopefully the water is not too hot tomorrow. I can't handle that.

All the tiredness aside, I got in a great workout this morning. The early mornings (aided by my awesome dawn simulator http://www.fullspectrumsolutions.com/led_dawn_simulator_543_prd1.htm that I got for Christmas) have been paying off with getting to the gym earlier. This morning I had plenty of time to get in a long workout so I decided to take advantage. I purposely decided to go at a slower pace so that I could sustain a longer workout. I am proud of myself for going over the 30 minute mark - it is always hard for me mentally on cardio workouts.

Overall I give it an 8.5 out of 10. My knee felt good. My heart rate and breathing was steady. I am pretty happy. I am just trying to be patient and not push too hard on the pace side so that I don't cause any over-use injuries. Only big problem was that I definitely got dehydrated and felt crappy for the rest of the day. So even though I am giving the workout itself a high rating, it deserves a 2 out 10 for managing my body's needs.

Workout - Total Duration: 55 minutes

This description is not going to be very descriptive because between being tired and getting fuzzy-headed due to dehydration, I don't really remember specifics at this point in time.

Minutes 1 to 6: warm-up walking
Minutes 7 to 10: 5.0
Minutes 10 to 15: 5.1
Minutes 15 to 20: 5.2
Minutes 20 to 30: 5.3
Minutes 30 to 40: 5.4
Minutes 40 to 45: cool down

Then 10 minutes of stretching and ab exercises.

Coffee Please

At this very moment, I am sitting at my desk feeling mildly comatose. I am exhausted. I didn't sleep well. I worked out hard. I just now went to get a cup of our lovely "house brew" at work. (Doesn't calling it a "house brew" make it seem way more awesome than office coffee. Though, I actually like our coffee - probably because it is mild.)

Waking up earlier is paying off. I am definitely getting in some longer workouts, or at the very least not feeling like I am totally rushed.

Today I did strength training, as per usual on Wednesday mornings. Plus I did a 15 min warm-up ride on the bike. My left knee is hurting again. Not bad, but definitely hurting with certain movements (ie: stepping up). I wonder if it is the bike. Maybe next time I will put the bike seat one notch higher to see if that helps. I give today's workout an 8.5 out of 10. I did some new lifts, had a nice heart rate and convinced myself to do the 15 minute warm-up because I had time.

Total Workout Duration: 55 minutes

15 minute warm-up ride on bike at level 3, approx. 90 rpm. Got a nice sweat going and felt good to go afterwards.

Hamstring and lower back stretches.

Tried to do weighted step-ups but my left knee wasn't having it - instead, I did unweighted rapid step-ups, with both feeting hitting the step. 4 x 20 (alternating starting leg).

3 x 12 modified push-ups

3 x 10 lat pull-downs - 50

2 x 20 double leg calf raises

superset
3 x 10 - I forget what these are called - using DB, hands starting at sides and
pull straight up in front of chest - 10
3 x 10 - forearm curls - 10

20, 20, 14 - arm to knee on stability ball (it was supposed to be 3 x 20, but not quite there yet)

3 x 10 supermans on floor both arms and legs at same time

superset
per each leg:
3 x 15 - outer leg lifts on side, head on floor
3 x 15 - inner leg lifts on side, head propped up

Old Pants

For the last week, Hubs has been down in Tennessee training in the warmer weather. He still competitively rows and it is still too cold to get in good training on the water up here, especially because the ice keeps coming back. Anyway, he got home last night and we caught up on how training has been going for both of us, instead of posting to this lovely blog.

Yesterday, I worked-out after work again. I had been out of town over the weekend and didn't come back until the morning - going straight to work. I certainly don't like lifting at night, because it leaves me way too tired for my morning workout the next day. That aside, I did get a good lift in yesterday. Now that I have brought up some of my weights, especially for my legs, I can keep my heart rate up better during my lifting sessions. Overall I give the workout an 8 out of 10 for a couple reasons - first and foremost, I went even though I had no desire to go after work. Also, I pushed pretty hard. Not a higher rating though because I let myself out of core workouts. This seriously is my greatest weakness.

Workout on Monday:

5 min warm-up on treadmill at 3.5 speed and 2.5/3.0 incline

3 x 10 leg press - 160

3 x 10 single leg calf-raises

3 x 10 leg extensions - 70

3 x 10 DB bench press - 15, 15, 20

3 x 10 leg curls - 70

3 x 10 bent-over rows - 15

superset
3 x 10 DB military press - 10
3 x 10 DB bicep curls - 10

2 x 10 crunches on ball; and then 2 x 10 arm to knee on ball


This morning I hit the gym - about 13 hours after my lifting session. I was tired, but not too bad. Once I got moving, I felt better. Overall, I think my heart rate was over 160 for the whole workout and the workout felt good. I give it a 7 out of 10. Eventually, it will need to be for longer periods of time and at higher resistance levels. For now, I was pleased that it almost seemed to be too easy.

Total time 30 minutes.

Pyramid Workout -

3 minutes at level 4, rpm approx. 78/79
2 minutes at level 6, rpm approx 83/84
1 minute at level 8, rpm approx 87/88
2 minutes at level 6, rpm approx 83/84
repeat 2 more times and end with 3 minutes at level 4, rpm approx 78/79 (though it was higher).

3 minutes cool down.

PS - I wore pants today that I haven't been able to wear in a year! That makes me happy.

Hot Hot Hot

My swim today stunk - to put it nicely. I think I've mentioned that they keep the water warm for the PT patients and the older gym members who exercise/chat at the pool. Well today the water was literally 89 degrees. I did around 20 laps - over a 1/4 mile - when I had to stop because I thought I was going to throw-up. It was so hot, especially with a swim cap on - it just traps the heat. I couldn't even keep count of how many laps I was doing because I was so hot. Most of the time you forget that you sweat when you are swimming. Well not today - it was miserable. So then I did around 200 yards of arms only. Then did some kick work - both breaststroke and free style. (Breaststroke is my favorite and really my best.) Then around 5 minutes of treading water, and some leg exercises. Total workout - 30 minutes. I'd give it a 5 out of 10. The whole experience was miserable and the workout was mediocre at best. I was moving so slow because it was so hot.

I want to stick with this membership until I move, but if the water continues to be this warm I'm going to have to join the city pool in addition. It isn't that expensive, but we are desperately trying to save money because we are thinking purchasing our first home once we move out East. But seriously, I can't swim in that water. It's insanely hot. Plus, I don't want to get used to swimming in that warm of water when the river that I'll be swimming in is going to be around 80 degrees, which is a huge difference. The city pool might be necessary.

PS - Does anyone (assuming someone reads this other than me and Hubs and my lovely sister) have good lifting exercises specifically focused on arms for swimming freestyle? I've noticed that my arms definitely tire more quickly than my legs. Obviously, I want to build up my strength for the swim portion of the triathlon, but I also am afraid that my arms are going to be exhausted when trying to support my body on the bike.

Negative Splits

Wow - it has been a busy week at work. Thursday morning I had to come into work early, which meant that there was no time for a pre-work workout unless it was at an ungodly hour. I packed my clothes and thought that I might go after work, because I was planning to leave an hour early if possible. I don't enjoy going to the gym in the evenings nearly as much as I enjoy in the mornings. By the end of my day at work, I am ready to go home and relax. So all day long yesterday I struggled with the idea of going to the gym. I kept saying to myself that I could just do my run outside on Saturday because it would be nice out because was have had a nice warm streak. Well, in the long run, even after I didn't really get off work early, I convinced myself to not to give myself excuses and I went yesterday. I am so proud of myself for just doing it. Now, I have my Saturday free and it is supposed to pour rain and be colder, which means I wouldn't have been able to run outside anyway.

The gym was really warm yesterday - I think the building was having trouble adjusting to the warmer temperatures outside. It was pretty uncomfortable but not unbearable. Because I had all the time in the world last night, I decided to do 3 miles yesterday, so that I could establish my base rate. I am super happy with how it went - I give it a 9 out of 10. I pushed myself hard and had a decent time for not having completed 3 miles since last spring.

I did my 3 mile run with the goal of producing negative splits. Normally, I like negative split training because I think that it is easier mentally and that at times you are able to push yourself harder and it can lead to strong results. In this case, I think that this method of training could be really important for my triathlon. My thought is that after the swim and bike my legs are going to be dead. I can't imagine that the beginning portion of my run will be very fast. But I figure that if I am used to doing negative splits both physically and mentally, then on the day of the triathlon by the time I find my running legs at a lower pace and warm them up I will be ready to get moving faster towards the finish line.

Workout:

5 min warm-up - 3.5 speed, 2.5 incline.

3 miles - total time 32:49. (including the treadmill warm-up to run lag of about 20 seconds).

first 10 minutes at 5.1 (11:45 mile)

Then up 1 beat every 2 minutes until 5.7.

Stayed at 5.7 for 4 minutes, then at 5.8 for 4 minutes.

Then up 1 beat every 2 minutes until 30 minutes.

After that I kept pushing harder until the 3 mile mark. Ended at a 6.2 (9:50 mile).

A few minutes of cool down and then leg stretches.

I heart all things Google

So - out of curiousity - I used one of my favorite Google products (http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/) to check the distance of some of my old college runs. I recently found that gmap-pedometer recently added some new features making it much easier to accurately track your mileage. Now you can pick a "runner" or "cyclist" mode or you can use the old connect-the-line method. The "runner" mode makes it much quicker to figure it all out because it automatically follows the curves and turns in the road for you - I think it will be super helpful once I get back outside to run.

Campus Loop - 2.27 miles

I-75 run - 3.54 miles

Boathouse run (using Riverside Dr) - 3.1 miles -- (I can't believe I used to do this before practice! wow, is my life different now)

Old Memories

I have found that these beginning weeks of training have continually brought back a flood of memories from college - so bear with me.

As I've mentioned before, I was not physically active before I went to college. I swam on my high school team during my sophomore and junior years, but I was never fast or in particularly good shape. For some reason when I left for college, the idea of rowing was in my head. I went to the first informational meeting, then the first practice, then the second practice. I kept telling myself that I'd do it for another day and see how it went. Soon enough, I found one of my true passions in life, and continued to row for the next four years.

That first semester of rowing was much like the beginning of my training now, only worse. Perhaps, that's why it keeps coming to mind. I was in terrible shape - in fact, I was in no shape at all. I had never run or challenged myself physically - not really. So I found myself, on a hot September afternoon, faced with the "campus loop." As the name suggests, it was a loop around the outer edge of my college campus. Some say that it was 2.5 miles, Hubs says that he doesn't believe it was even 2 miles - at this point, I don't really know or care. But back then, I cared. A lot. I hadn't ran that far - ever. Well, I was off - straight up a long treacherous hill (and by long I mean it seemed like 1/3 of the loop). By the time that I finished that hill I thought I might die. My hands were over my head, my lungs felt like they might explode, my chest was heaving, and I was walking. Eventually, I could run the loop twice as light second workout. The contrast is still startling to me. It is only when I think about the contrast that I realized how much I achieved.

That is part of the reason that this blog is so important to me personally. When I signed up for this triathlon, I had hit a recent low regarding my perception of my physical abilities and body. I want to remember where I was, where I am today - to be able to see the immense progress that is made.

I need to be off to bed now. I'll post today's and tomorrow's workouts sometime tomorrow. It was a good run though - so I want to spend some time thinking about it.

Short and Sweet

Short and sweet is in reference to this post rather than my workout. I am exhausted after a long day at work - so just a little bit about my workout.

Overall a 8 out of 10. If I had moved faster, I could have done a couple more exercises, but I worked up a good sweat and got there earlier - b/c I set my alarm for 5:45 this morning.

Total duration - approx. 50 min.

5 min warm-up on treadmill at 2.5 incline and 3.5 speed

stretching

3 x 20 step-ups - 12, 12, 12

walking lunges

3 x 10 bench press - 15, 15, 15 (could feel the soreness from Monday)

3 x 10 lat pulldown - 50, 50, 50

3 x 10 shoulder trio - 5, 5, 5

3 x 20 supermans on stability ball

2 x 20 crunches on stability ball (still can't believe how much I hate simple crunches)

I feel like I did something else - but I can't think of what it would have been.

Sweatin' with the Oldies

I know - usually it is Sweatin' to the Oldies, and often that is the case at my gym. But it is always the case that I am sweatin' with the oldies. Every day I pray that none of the really really old people at the gym have a medical emergency while I'm there - otherwise it would be up to me and Dave the bike guy to save them. Dave is not a doctor or nurse (at least I'm pretty sure he isn't) and I am not confident about our combined skills - though I am officially certified by the American Heart Association, and Good Samaritan laws are on my side. I'd rather stick to knowing that Good Samaritan laws are on my side, and let my Hubs do the lifesaving. Tell the truth though, he's always worried about the same thing in the gym. Seriously, the average age is around 70.

The good news is that my quivering arms were only mildly sore this morning, though my tush is sore too from those leg presses. All in all - a good recovery considering how sore I was yesterday.

Today was Tuesday bike day. I was running late and feeling sluggish - so nothing fancy today. A simple 28 min steady-state stint on the bike at level 4 and cruising around 90 +/- rpm. I checked my heart rate around 18 minutes and it was at a 151 (according to the really old bike hand-held devices that I'm not sure I trust). I had a good sweat going though, and my breathing was nice and relaxed and steady with talking being easy - so I'm guessing 151 was about right. The workout itself gets a 7.5 out of 10, but it was way too short.

I think that the inevitable has arrived. I am going to have to start getting up earlier. I am not satisfied by these 30 minute sessions. So, I think the alarm is getting set for 5:30 a.m. or I could get everything ready tonight. When it comes down to it, I would rather just get up earlier - so I guess that's the way it goes. Maybe one day I'll be organized enough to not run around like a chicken with its head cut off every single morning. But I'm guessing this triathlon will be long over before I accomplish that goal.

Quivering Arms

I'm definitely getting stronger, and that makes me super psyched. I love lifting - I have from the moment that I was first introduced to it my freshman year of college when I started rowing. I love how it feels when you are doing it. I love how your muscles feel used and tired afterwards. I love the results I see in my performance of physical activity and in my daily life.

I'll never forget the first time I did squats. It was in our university varsity gym. I couldn't squat the 45 pound bar. I don't think that the guy who was training us actually believed that I couldn't do it. He was trying to teach us proper technique with the standard bar, which was fine for the girls who had been athletes previously, but I had been a bump on a log. I had swam two years in high school, but even that was a year removed. I could barely do it - I can hardly imagine what I looked like. But I still vividly remember the aftermath. I could NOT move. I hurt to stand, to lay, to walk, to climb stairs. To this day, after four years of competitive rowing and multiple sports-related injuries, I have never hurt that bad again. I remember having to pee so bad, but I didn't know if I could actually sit down on the toilet to pee. It seemed so far away. And getting back up was just as bad. It was miserable. Perhaps the reason that I remember it so clearly is that I have never returned to that point, even though I haven't really lifted since college. I am proud of myself for that.

I did good things for my body and I firmly believe that lifting is an important element to any exercise program. If properly and intelligently use, I believe that it can be the best tool for preventing injury. That's why I continue to emphasize it now, even though I really should be spending more time building up my cardio ability. Back in my glory days of college, I had several injuries - one per years - fractured ribs, torn cartilage in my ribs, and then a significant lower back / SI joint injury. I still have to deal with my back injury to this day. I believe that all of these injuries likely resulted from poor core strength and limited flexibility. I still lack good core strength and struggle to incorporate it into my workouts because it is hard and it hurts and is one of my least favorite things to do.

About a month ago when I really started lifting again, I tried to do some push-ups. After one, I said "screw this." I couldn't do them anymore. Today I tried again and I did sets of 12, 12, 8. I am so proud of myself! Definitely a big gain in strength and coordination in a month - and it makes me feel like I have some hope of regaining my previous strength. BUT, in the mean time, my poor arms are quivering and are not going to be happy tomorrow! All in all - today's workout gets a 8 out of 10. I made some nice improvements on weights and a broke a sweat. It was a little on the short side though, and I would rather have a bit higher heart rate. Though, part of me wonders if I just sweated more in college because the weight room we used was hotter than heck!

5 min warm-up at 3.5 speed and 2.0 incline on treadmill. (I need to remember to do the incline, it helps on the short warm-ups).

Hamstring and back stretches - preventative measures for my lower back

3 x 10 leg press - 150, 160, 160 - definitely can do 160 for all three sets next time

3 x 10 single leg calf raises - these are so much harder than the double leg!

3 x 10 leg curls - 60, 70, 70 - all three at 70 next time, maybe even 80 for the last set. Hubs says that I need to leg extensions to balance these, so I suppose next week I'll do that. I'll admit that I omit the leg extensions b/c I can never figure out how to properly adjust the machine to make it fit me. I guess I might have to swallow my pride and ask someone - though I'm not really sure anyone would know. (Sometime, I'll take you on a "field trip" to my gym so that you can see what I mean).

modified push-ups - 12, 12, 8 - it was supposed to be three sets of 12, but I can't do it yet

super-set
3 x 10 DB military press - 10
3 x 10 DB bicep curls - 10

2 x 12 over-head triceps (both arms) - 15

2 x 20 crunches on stability ball

Not so bad

I tried going to the pool little later this week than I did last week, but next week I'll be returning to the earlier time. The pool gets too crowded with pool exercisers/chatters at the later time. They are a lovely group of old ladies and men, but it is just a bit much - though I feel super fast next to barely moving swimmers and people walking/floating with noodles. Hopefully next week the pool won't be as hot. It feels like bath water, which all the little old ladies and PT patients like, but it gets hot.

This morning I spent 30 minutes in the pool and I was pleased - I am not going to die on the swim portion after all. This is only my second time in the pool since I have started swimming and the times are acceptable to me. I did about a 1/4 mile (18 laps) of freestyle in about 10-12 minutes (I am not exactly sure what time I started). Then I did 9 laps of freestyle kick with kickboard and 9 laps of freestyle with pull-buoy in less than 15 minutes. So in a little over 20 minutes, I did a .5 mile including kick/and arms-only. Then I threw in another 6 laps of freestyle and played around a bit - for a grand total of 30 minutes.

I need to remind myself that this pool is an easy pool because I am doing twice as many turns (well I don't do actual flip turns, but the wall is there), but I really try not to push off at all.

All in all - I give it a 7 out of 10. I definitely could have worked harder, but it felt good.

Huff and Puff

Thursdays currently are my running day. Hopefully, there won't be too many more Thursday posts that can aptly be named Huff and Puff. As I've mentioned before, I hate treadmills. I actually don't mind running outside, though I've never been fast or had much endurance. But treadmills seem so much harder. I definitely have a much harder time finding a comfortable stride - I don't know if seasoned pros have a trick to this, or if it just comes with practice. I do find though that if I put the pace up higher than I think I want it, then the stride is easier. Maybe running on a treadmill will become easier when I develop the cardio ability to run at a faster pace on the treadmill and therefore am able to lengthen my stride a bit. I suppose I can hope.

The other reason that I think running on a treadmill is harder is because I don't naturally slow down when I get tired, as I would if I were running outside. Instead, the treadmill keeps moving at the same pace, causing me to keep moving at that pace even though I'm tired.

The good news from my workout today is that my knee brace seems to be the key to happier running. Last week, I had residual pain in my leg after running, but I think it was just my leg getting used to the brace. This morning it felt good the whole time I was running and even after I was done. Oh! and the other "good" knee felt fine while running today - so I guess I just tweeked it or something yesterday.

So, after getting a late start this morning - I always try to do too much in the mornings - I ended up squeezing in a 30 min workout anyway. I worked really hard and for that I give the workout a 8 out of 10. I wish the workout was easier given what I did, but I worked hard and stuck with the whole 30 minutes even though I was running late.

By May, when my training program starts, I want to be running 3 miles at a 10 min pace, or faster. I have easily done this in the past, but it is going to take a while to build back up to it. I do think my lifting is helping though, my legs weren't as tired this week as they were last week.

Workout:

approx. 5 min warm-up at 3.5 -- walked .2 miles

Brought up speed to a 5.0 (over an 11 min mile). I sorta forget now, but after about 10 minutes (after one mile), I had brought the speed up to 5.5 (around 10:50 mile). Then, during the second mile, I took it up one beat every .2 miles, and I finished out the last .2 at a 6.1 (a 9:50 mile).

Then I did around a 4 min cool-down.

total time - 30 min
total running distance - 2.0 miles
total running time - 21:06 min.

Workout Update

Today was a lifting day, and I am much more pleased with how it went than I was on Monday. I think a big difference was that I did some weighted step-ups at the beginning and that really got my heart rate going and helped it stay up during the lifting session, at least the first half.

Only concern is that I had some pain in my right knee (that's the other knee). Hope I just tweaked something and it isn't anything in the long run.

Over-all, I'd give this workout a 7.5 out of 10. I still need to keep my heart-rate up a little better, maybe do more super-sets.

5 min warm-up at 3.5 on treadmill.

walking lunges - I stopped short here - this is where my knee started hurting.

3 x 20 (10 per leg) - DB weighted step-ups using 4 blocks - 12, 12, 12

3 x 10 leg press - 150, 150, 150 - maybe increase weight next week

3 x 10 leg curls - 60, 60, 60

3 x 10 double calf raises - my legs were too tired from step-ups to do single-leg

3 x 10 incline DB bench press - 15, 15, 15

3 x 10 lat pull-down - 50, 50, 50

crunches on stability ball

Total time: approx 40 min

After looking at this workout - I need to get some variety and some upper-body exercises, and definitely more core strength exercises incorporated. This is going to mean longer sessions.

Happy Ash Wednesday!

I've mentioned that I need to figure out nutrition a little bit better, and today seems like as good a day as any to think it out because it is Ash Wednesday. I know you are not supposed to use Lent merely as a dieting tool - I get it. And for years, that was my excuse for doing nothing for Lent because my biggest self-restraint issues deal with food. Well, I am going to use Lent this year to teach myself some self-restraint with food.

See, my problem is that I am a closet-eater. I can't believe that I am admitting this publicly, because it is something that really embarasses me, but I need to deal with it, so there it is. By "closet-eater," I mean that I sneak food. As in, if no one sees me eat it, then it doesn't count. I even sneak food around Hubs. If he doesn't see me eat the extra cookie or two, then I obviously didn't eat them. Obviously, this is not a healthy way to eat and I certainly don't want it to get out of control. My other problem is that I have a hard time stopping eating if I really enjoy the food, especially sweets. All of these problems lead to over-eating, especially when I am using food for comfort - food problem number three, if we are keeping count.

My goal in the next 40 days is to be more honest with myself regarding food. No sneaking food - not at work or at home or anywhere in between. Also, I want to regulate my consumption of sweets better. So, no sweets except for Sundays (that's a Catholic way around the rules!) and my mom's birthday - and no trading days for Sunday (that's another work-around!). This rule will not be a permanent lifestyle change, but I think it will teach me that I can resist eating sweets. Lastly, I am not going to eat out at lunch time. This is something I have become much, much better at, but I still do every once and a while. By not eating out at lunch, I will know what is in the food that I am eating and it will be better for me (and my wallet!).

Free food for tired legs

Every Tuesday we have an attorneys' meeting at work during lunch. And every Tuesday someone (if not me) complains about what was ordered for lunch. And every Tuesday the sweet girl who orders the food asks me if everyone liked the lunch and often I am forced to tell white lies so that I don't hurt her feelings, because obviously not everyone is always going to be happy. I suppose it is evidence that I haven't fully left the student world and entered into the adult world, because free food always makes me happy and I won't complain. Plus, I know that the girl that orders it tries so hard to find food that everyone will enjoy. Well, today everyone enjoyed the food. It was delicious! In fact, it is a good thing that it was a meeting and not a food-fest, because you would have had to roll me home. There was this delicious salad with raspberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges, and nuts and blue cheese, with a raspberry dressing. Yummy wraps - even if my chicken wrap was a bit too spicy for me - and some creamy tomato basil soup that I could have eaten twice as much of. I suppose this is why I have gained weight over the last few years - I love yummy food and I certainly lack self-control unless in the presence of others.

Today though, the food felt like a perfect reward for my tough workout this morning, even if it was more calories than I should have consumed. I really need to start figuring out the nutrition aspect of my training, but I'll get to that eventually I suppose.

Tuesday is bike day and I give the workout a 9 out of 10. I worked hard, sweated a lot, and got my heart rate really going. My legs were tired afterward and I felt good. Eventually I want to get this workout up to 3 sets of 40/20s.

5 min warm-up at Level 3

10 x 30 sec on - 30 sec off. (30 sec on at Level 9, approx. 103 rpm; 30 sec off at Level 7, approx. 53 rpm)

2 min rest off bike

repeat of 10 x 30 sec on - 30 sec off

5 min cool-down at Level 3

Getting Beefy

After a very nice weekend, it was time to get back to the weekday routine. Today is Hubs birthday, which means I had some extra things to do today. This month he starts at 6am, so I mumbled Happy Birthday to him as he left and slept a few more minutes. Then, at 6:10am, I was out of bed and on my way.

My morning routine usually consists of: climb out of bed, brush my teeth and put in my contacts, throw on workout clothes, find and iron clothes for work, grab yogurt, a granola bar, and cereal for work, and then dash out the door. I like to be out the door before 7am, but it often is a bit more like 7:15. I know that I should be able to get out the door in 15 minutes - I used to be able to in college before morning practices, but the work clothes thing always throws me off or I play on the internet. Then I have to be working out by 7:45 to get in a 30 minute workout, because by 8:15am I need to be back in the locker room. I know - I don't give myself much wiggle room. Then by 8:45am I need to be out the door to squeak into work by 9:00am. Every morning feels highly choreographed without a minute to spare. I need to start getting up earlier or getting my stuff ready at night or both, but I'm just not there yet. My gym closes at 6pm. That means working out after I get off work at 5p is equally difficult and I much prefer to get my workout in before my day starts. Otherwise, I often find that it just doesn't happen. Anyway, sooner rather than later, I am going to have to adjust my timing because I am already feeling the need to get in longer workouts.

Monday mornings are lifting days, as are Wednesdays. Usually I find that I have no desire to workout on Mondays after having the weekend off, and lifting is my reward because I really enjoy lifting. But the surprise this morning was that for the first time in a long time, I was definitely looking forward to hitting the gym. I think I might have almost missed it!

I want to continue lifting twice a week, but I need to get at least one more cardio workout in and eventually I'll need to get in two more cardio sessions in a week. That means I have to make a choice between one of 3 options: 1) get up early and do a long session, 2) work out on the weekend, 3) go to the gym both before and after work. For now I am leaning toward option number 1. I am not ready to work out 6 days a week yet, and I think I would get too annoyed/tired by going twice a day, at least this early in the game. I'll tackle this issue next week, I think.

As mentioned, I love lifting sessions. At one point in time, I was fairly strong - never bulky though. I have since lost all of it, and it is a slow process working back towards my previous strength levels. Also, it is an adjustment because the last time I really lifted was in college, with teammates in a university gym and structured plans. Now, I am lifting in a much more limited environment. There are plenty of dumbbells to use, but no bars or free-weight racks. Everything else is just machines. Actually I am finding though that the machines work well because I am by myself with no one to spot me, plus I feel a little more protected. No complaints so far - it seems to be working.

So without further ado, my workout:

5 minute warm-up on treadmill at 3.5

3 x 10 leg press - 140, 150, 150 (I am up from 120 a few weeks ago, and next session will do all at 150)

3 x 10 calf raises - both legs (these are getting easier - need to move to single leg)

3 x 10 leg curl - 50, 60, 60 (definitely can do all 60)

3 x 10 DB bench press - 15, 15, 15 (this was too easy, but 20 for all 3 is probably too much)

2 x 12 DB bent-over rows - 15 (too easy - but watch for ribs feelings - sometime I'll discuss my myriad of rowing injuries)

superset
3 x 10 DB military press - 10
3 x 10 bicep curls - 10

30 x 10 tricep - 12, 15, 15 (definitely could do all at 15)

2 x 30sec bridges on stability ball - with ball at knees

3 x 20 alternating supermans on stability ball

3 x 20 alternating knee raises seated on stability ball

3 x 20 crunches on stability ball

Total time - 40 minutes.

Overall I give this workout a 5.5 out of 10. I don't feel like I pushed hard enough, and my heart rate was low. I'll have to up my pace on Wednesday and maybe do a job before-hand.

Deceitful, Sneaky Liars or Poor Mathematicians

Believe me - I am not one to make fun of anyone's math skills. There is a reason I went to law school instead of medical school. I don't like math. I still remember crying in second and third grade because I was not good at those timed math tests that we've all suffered through. So, normally I would never make fun of someone's poor math skills, and even now I won't do it. But I swear that I hope whoever made the pool lap mileage conversion chart at my gym is worse at math than I am, instead of a deceitful, sneaky, mean-spirited, hope-dasher. Because now I have to be a hope-dasher of my fellow swimmer at the pool. She believes the chart. I was skeptical. I double-checked, and the news isn't good.

When I was swimming on Friday, I thought to myself - this pool seems short. I mean, I knew it was short, but it seemed shorter than the girl suggested and shorter than the conversion chart suggested. I can't do math in my head - not of the conversion variety. Ok, I can't really do much math at all in my head. So, I swam my laps hopeful that the news wouldn't be terrible when I double-checked the chart. But honestly, I kept looking at that hypnotic black line on the bottom of the pool. I kept thinking about how many times I was breathing per lap and the number of strokes I was taking. I would pause at the end of the pool and look to the other end. It seemed like it was about half of the distance. Ever-hopeful, I thought that maybe I wasn't remembering right, or maybe that the last pool I swam in a couple years ago was a longer pool.

However, reality set in when I put my superior math skills to use by making Google convert the measurements for me. The pool is 37 feet and 3 inches in length. The pool conversion chart suggested that you would need to do 35.5 laps to swim a half-mile. Well, technically this is correct now that I think about it. Unfortunately, it means down and back equals one lap, rather than simply down the length of the pool. Otherwise, if you are just counting one length as a lap, you need 70-71 laps to reach a half-mile.

Perhaps, the person who made the chart was neither deceitful and sneaky nor a poor mathematician. Maybe the person was actually a swimmer. Even though most people say that a "lap" is one length down the pool, often many swimmers call this a "link." Then swimmers define a "lap" as an entire trip down and back the length of the pool.

Regardless of the conversion chart-maker's status as a liar, poor mathematician, or swimmer, I am going to be turning around a whole lot. So much that I am going to get dizzy, especially once I get back into swimming-shape. I suppose eventually I am going to have to start going to a different pool. Until then, I have to break the news to my fellow lap swimmer that she is about half as fast as she thought she was. Now I am the hope-dasher.

How do you forget things you love?

I found my goggles this morning! They were with my swim suit and goggles, but I just missed them in my hurry last night. Remember how, in college, your mom told you that nothing good happens after midnight. Well, these days, nothing good happens after 10pm - my brain shuts down and anything I do is too rushed. So when I was digging through the drawer last night, I simply missed the goggles. After a great night sleep, I methodically looked through the drawer and found them.

Because it is cleaning day at work, I can wear jeans today and for some reason I was able to get out the door faster this morning. So I arrived at the gym early and got in a great swim. I forget how much I love swimming. It was my first love in life - particularly in the world of physical activity. Thanks mom for signing me up for swim lessons every summer until I was 10. Actually, when I think about it, I've spent most of my summers, until recently, in the pool. Either at lessons and playing when I was little, or lifeguarding and teaching lessons when I was in high school and college. I swam on the various teams, some summer league and two years in high school. I was never very fast, but I really enjoyed it. All of these memories were brought back simply by getting in the pool this morning for the first time in around two years. There is something oddly comforting about squeezing into a swimsuit, smooshing my head into a silicone cap, and getting rings around my eyes with the suctions on my goggles. How do I always forget how much I love swimming - I never forget how much I hate the treadmill!

So - my first workout in the pool consisted of 10 minutes swimming freestyle (with some stops), 10 minutes freestyle kick with a kickboard, and 10 more minutes swimming freestyle. Nothing hard - simply getting re-acquainted with the water. The girl I talked to yesterday was right, the pool is a decent length, though definitely shorter than a standard pool. They have a conversion chart on the wall, but I'm not sure that it is right. I need to get out a calculator and figure out how many laps I'm going to have to do in order to equal a half mile. All in all - I give the workout an 8 out of 10 - not because it was a great cardio workout but because I left feeling happy, my muscles felt good, and it was a decent workout.

Oh! and my knee feels good today. Maybe that knee brace did work. No pain at all, especially after the swim. That also makes me happy! and its Friday!

I haven't been working out on the weekends and I don't plan to for another month or two, so have a good weekend!

Infinite Wisdom

I wonder where, in my infinite wisdom, I hid my goggles. I found the swimsuit and swim cap, but why would I have put my goggles with them. If I can't quickly find them in the morning - no swim tomorrow morning, which is a real bummer because I thought it would be a great break for my knee. Plus, I am getting excited about getting back into the water. Grrr . . . where did I put them?!?

I want a new car

It's been relatively warm recently and yesterday it spent the day raining. Then it turned to snow, and that froze over-night. Well, my 17-yr-old car doors have a lovely habit of freezing during the winter, particularly under circumstances like these. This morning I went out to my car when I was on my way to the gym and work, and of course the doors were frozen shut. Because I have become accustomed to this lovely habit, it only took me a couple minutes to pry the door open, even with my arms full of gyms bags, work clothes and briefcase. I was on my way. I stopped at Walgreens when it opened at 7am on my way to pick up a new knee brace for running (more on that in a minute). Then I was really on my way, but I arrived at the gym a little later than normal - only to be harassed for being late by Dave the bike guy and Bruce the beefy lifter.

I jump on the treadmill with my awesome new knee brace and felt great, until I remembered that I hate running on a treadmill. It always stinks. Oh, and that awesome new knee brace, well I'm not so sure. I am trying the knee brace because after a long (well long for me) bike ride last spring my knee started hurting. I think I probably slightly tore something, and it took forever to feel better. In October when I started working out again, I went slowly to rebuild strength and it has felt pretty good, but it still gets sore and arthritic feeling while/after I run. I thought the knee brace would give stability to my knee and protect it while I run, thereby, preventing pain. Well, that's sort of what happened. I felt better and more confident while I was running, though there was definitely some soreness. But all day long my lower quad muscle, near my knee (or whatever muscle that is) has been super sore - not limping sore - but sore. Luckily though, the joint itself feels ok - I think that's luckily!

So I managed to squeeze in 2 miles in a little over 20 minutes before I had to go get ready so that I wouldn't be late for work. The run itself felt really good, surprisingly. I did the first 15 minutes at a 5.0 on the treadmill, which is a little under a 12 minute mile. Then I decided to take it up one beat per minute (except I forgot a couple times because I was watching the Today Show). I finished my two miles at a 5.7. All in all, except for the fact that it was a short workout and my knee is sore, I'd give it a 6.5 out of 10 rating.

Now here is where my day got fun, and why I want a new car. I get ready, out to my car and I have just enough time to get to work and be on time. Except that my lovely 17 yr-old-car driver's side door decided that it didn't feel like closing. After trying to be McGyver with a screwdriver, I called AAA because Hubs was working and phone-less (its broken) and Hubs' Dad (our go-to guy for mechanical issues) was probably at work and not answering his phone, and my Dad (also a go-to guy for mechanical issues) was probably asleep because he works night-shift. So AAA it was. Then I waited over 2 hours (instead of the 1 hour that I was quoted) for the tow truck. Only to have the tow truck guy tease me, and then fix the door with a screwdriver in 30 seconds. At least he taught me how to do it, so that next time I should be able to do it myself.

Off to work (three hours late) I went. Only to get an email from Hubs saying that his car needs to be jumped b/c the lights on our 13 yr-old car didn't turn off like they are supposed to when you turn off the car.

So need lots of new tires - some on a new car and some on a new bike!

The good news is that I talked to a girl at the gym today that said the pool is visually deceptive and actually a lot closer to Olympic-standard than it looks. I think I'll try to get in a swim tomorrow.

And so the ramblings begin . . .

I guess the best place to begin is at the beginning. Here's some background on me, how I ended up signing up for my first triathlon, and why I am taking the time to share my stories.

I recently graduated from law school. For the first time in my life, I am not a student. And for the first time in the last three years, I feel like my life is pretty normal. Prior to entering law school, I went to a wonderful university in the Midwest, had the most amazing experience, and rowed my heart out for four years as part of the women's varsity crew team. Before heading to college, I had never considered myself an athlete. In fact, I didn't even start rowing until college. Even while training and competing at the collegiate level, I really only considered myself an athlete in the rowing world. I still say that the only reason I was good at rowing was because there was no ball involved and I got to sit on my tush.

Then I got married, relocated to a big city, and started law school. The being married part was wonderful. I grew to love the big city, but I can't say the same for law school. It was the toughest three years of my life. I was academically challenged (to say the least), constantly worried I had made the wrong choice, and totally stressed. So I stopped working out except for random month long spurts at the gym, sat in the library or at a computer for hours, drank too many fancy espresso drinks, ate too many sweets, and gain around 20+ pounds. I ate for comfort to ease my stress and worries, only to find myself more discouraged.

Then after graduation and passing the bar in July 2008, I eased into my new life as a semi-working attorney (I'll get into that some other time). Finally, my life was more relaxed and happier. But physical activity was the one thing missing, and the extra pounds that were sticking around were proof. Then about a month ago, while I was having a pity party for myself about my weight, my wonderful husband (who I will simply call Hubs), convinced me to sign up for the triathlon that I have been talking about doing for the last few years.

So, now I find myself signed up for a sprint distance triathlon that is part of the Danskin triathlon series in August. This blog is mostly a self-serving effort to track my progress and for me to be able to look back on after I have finished the six months of training that lie ahead. Hopefully, I will be able to share my stories, workouts, nutrition, struggles, and golden nuggets of information that I learn along the way.