Tri2 W4D3 and a day of rest

I kicked butt yesterday.  Gone were the twinges and stitches of Mondays run. I finished week 3 of Couch to 5k, i ran my fastest pace of this season, and then i threw it down in the pool, too. There was just something about my run, i pushed myself, and yes i got tired, and yes i had to remind myself to stay on my toes, but at some point it just changed. I got lighter on my feet, i kicked up my heels, and i ran. My new nearly-barefoot form finally clicked. It was completely awesome.

Today i shopped. I bit the bullet and went to Wal-mart. I was looking for a robe or swimsuit coverup to wear in the showers at the gym but didn't really find anything on budget and appropriate. Instead, i bought some new bottles for shampoo and conditioner, two tank tops, and some actual running shorts. I didn't buy as many pairs as i wanted to but i am pretty happy with my purchase. There are still a lot of things that i'm going to need before race day but i was feel pretty wardrobe deficient. All of my shorts from last time i trained for a triathlon were leftovers from high school, if not older. I'm remembering my favorite pair, which i acquired when i was about twelve or thirteen. Two pairs of these very old shorts are still in my possession (one has a bleach stain, i have no idea how that happened).  I have had these shorts for about half my life! So i felt it was time for a bit of an update in wardrobe. And do you know what? I was immediately impressed by the fact that the shorts' hems seem far more inclined to stay down rather than ride up the inside of my thighs like my old ones always want to. I've yet to put them through the paces, of course (that will happen tomorrow), but they feel great, lightweight, just long enough, but also slightly racy. The fabric is so thin and the stripes on the sides are just the slightest bit see-through (i'm going to have to wear appropriate underwear!).  Oh, and my legs look great if i do say so myself. I should have taken photos! Maybe i will.

Cto5k W2 complete

Today was a little chilly but i pulled on a hoodie and ran farther faster than i had two weeks ago. Not by much...but still. I finished week two. I ran thirty minutes instead of twenty.  Later i went to the gym, swam 200 easily, and came home again. The real issue?  My butt is killing me from yesterday's ride. I have to ride 6 mi. tomorrow?!? Ouch....

The good - Today i paid for my first triathlon of the season and my USAT membership for the year.

The bad - I was so hungry last night around midnight that i kept eating. Today i didn't eat as much but i didn't log anything. It was getting to me. And the stupid scale at the gym says i'm back to 280. I need my own scale. And to be a good girl tomorrow.

Tri2W1D5

It was windy and cool today during my run. My hands got a little chilled, so i was missing my gloves, but the rest of me was comfortable once i got warmed up and started running. Gray clouds were rolling in so the sun was hiding out. I ran the Cto5k week 2 workout for the first time (since four years ago) and was fatigued for the final interval but completed it. I held back on interval four then pushed myself on interval five. It was a good workout. My left arch was a bit twingy during the warmup but gave me no problems. My feet are tired but not in any pain to speak of.

Afterward i went to town to look for a more compact camelbak knockoff than the one i already own (it's a full backpack that i use for traveling/camping sometimes). They had one at Wal-Mart that was too long, another that was more substantial than i wanted but probably the right size. I bought a Cobb Salad and some Popcorn Chicken. I was pretty hungry but not famished. I know i didn't eat enough today (i still have over 1000 calories left according to the MapMyRun App). I shared half the chicken with my sister and ate the salad. Then i watched my sister's basketball game. It was their first win of the season and she made a three pointer during warm ups. She has improved a lot this season. Then i went to REI and bought some energy gels/squares, one of those cooling bandannas on clearance, and a TYR silicone swim cap in silver. They only had two colors of the one cap in stock. They had some sick looking TYR goggles, but i really don't need new goggles right now.  I looked at their clearance tri tops/bottoms but was pretty sure that a 2X wouldn't fit me right now (or right ever).  I saw a top that i liked in XS. Yeah, didn't even take that off the rack.

I am planning to buy some new Kenda bike tires off Amazon. They seem to be half the price that i would pay at REI and are the same brand of tires that i already have on my bike.  They're well reviewed slicks that claim to be hybrid road/off road that i figure will work really well for my training. If i go mountain biking i can always change back to my old tires if need be. I figure i'll take my bike in for a tune up on Monday.

My aunt decided she would do the Open Hits Tri if my mom would do it with her. So tonight i worked on my mom a bit and she said she would do it. She is most hesitant about the run. Now she wants my sister to agree to do it, too.  My sister claims to hate biking and swimming. We shall see what happens.

Goals

Swim - improved form and sighting, the ability to do the open water swim using the crawl instead of the breaststroke, less than 15 mins in the water on race day (i did 17:17 my first race)

Biking - above 15 mph avg on race day (i need to put the computer on my bike to see where i am on it compared to with my Mom's bike, which was 11.5mph on race day). To complete the bike portion in 3/4 of the time it took me during my first race.

Running - Sub 15 min mile on road and trail by and on race day

Additionally - Better focus on nutrition during the race.

Weight - Back down to my race weight?

Analysis: I feel that the most ambitious of these goals is the biking one. I could have swam faster but was stuck in the pack. Which was probably good as it forced me to pace myself. But i am hoping to improve upon my last triathlon.

Tri2 W1D1

Once again i am using the TriNewb Sprint program as a guideline as well as Cto5k for my runs (starting on W1D1).  Today was my first run since November and i ran half a mile farther.  The conditions are cool but sunny (43F feels warm after a month with only one day above freezing and most below 20F).  The side of the road was a bit muddy but the graded road was in good conditions (my heel came down on one pebble that hurt, but i was really on my toes so i didn't miss a step).  My lungs are a bit raspy but i did well (though of course i still run more slowly than i'd like). I was only supposed to run for 15 minutes but the entire workout was about 32 minutes.  I'm not entirely sure that i didn't run an extra interval, i didn't hear the chimes to stop, but a truck drove by at about the right time so i'm not sure.  Tomorrow i will bike 5 miles.

And i did wear the new Vibrams.  Last night the KMD Sports felt tight but when i put them on this morning they felt fine.  Maybe my feet were a bit swollen last night. I have yet to change my laces out and didn't even notice that one had come up/loose until just now. *blush*

New Vibrams

I went to the local REI today intending to try on the Women's KMD Sport LS.  They only have Grey/Black/Pink right now and i was sizing in hope of ordering the Violet/Light Violet/Grey ones online.  I figured i'd try out Bikilas and Spyridons while i was at it.  I wear a 41 in the Sprints so i figured that would be the right size for all of the other models as well.

Perhaps it would be pertinent for me to point out two facts about my huge hobbit feet right now.  There are (at least) two things going against me when i am trying on shoes to buy.  The most pressing in this instance are the fact that i have wide feet and a high instep.  This is why i went for Sprints when i started buying Vibrams.  When you don't have full coverage of your instep you're more likely to get burnt buy you also have more room for the top of your foot.  The straps on my Sprints are barely long enough, really.  The toes are snug but spread to accomodate my big boned toes.  When i first bought my first pair of Sprints almost all of the seams felt too snug.

This doesn't bother me as much as it once did.  I think that i've both broken them in and gotten used to it.  But unfortunately i have the same problems with the lace systems.  The instep of these shoes is barely big enough for me to ease my feet into, too tight for comfort and proper circulation.  All of the women's models i tried on today clearly did not fit me, and the Bikilas with the strap were so tight that i couldn't even really try.

So i turned to the men's versions of the shoes.  I tried on the Men's Spyridon, which were too loose in the toes and too tight in the instep, and bought the Men's KMD Sport in Castle Rock/Navy/Gray.  The KMDs are still tight, but loose enough for me to hope that i can break them in to a comfortable level.  The toes are looser than i am used to in Vibrams but i don't think they're too loose.  One of the things that i find odd is that the laces aren't elastic, so i bought some Yankz thinking that i'll probably replace the laces that came with the shoes.

The tread is thicker and looks more like an athletic shoe which is why i wanted to get some new Vibrams. I don't feel like i'm ready to run barefoot, not really.  I've been wearing shoes to work and am not barefoot as much as i would like.  Sprints are a bit uncomfortable at the arch where the strap system restricts motion and the tread is completely smooth.  I want more traction for trail running. The Highline Hustle was a trail run and part of my run near my home is graded but unpaved road with a lot of loose gravel.  I hiked in the Sprints this summer but would have appreciated more traction than i had.

The arch in these shoes still has more rigid support than i'd like but i'm hoping that these will provide a good transition from running shoes to barefoot running. My current running shoes were bought to wear at work (Vibrams aren't forbidden but are slightly frowned upon) made my feet cramp because they were too narrow in the instep. The jury is still out on these. I might be taking them back tomorrow.

i am a triathlete

On January 21 i was flamed on Twitter because i "claim" to be a triathlete and admit to being overweight.  I have always been open about this, though i know not everyone has read everything i have ever written (in fact, i know that no one has, because there are many things i have written that are as of yet private or unreleased for general viewing).  One of the persons flaming me was another triathlete, which i thought was a little odd, but i suppose that there are jerks in any sport.  Oddly enough, calling myself a triathlete is one of the few things that i don't feel like a poser/fraud for doing.

To start off with, i didn't simply get up one day and decide to complete a triathlon, go out, and then do it. I didn't even know what a triathlon was until i watched the Sydney Olympics of 2000. I spent a few of years boggling that anyone could do such a thing, still entirely ignorant of what an Ironman was, but intrigued and pulled in a way.  I mostly scoffed at even daydreaming that i could ever do such a thing.

Then i tentatively started learning how to run.  I started the Couch to 5k program on a whim, really, in September, 2008, but didn't finish it in nine weeks.  For some reason (school and holidays?) i simply stopped for nearly three months and picked it up again midstride by repeating the last week i had completed.  A couple months later i decided to take the plunge and added biking and swimming to my training regimen.  I ran my first 5k in the middle of two months of  training for to compete in my first Sprint triathlon.

I didn't win that triathlon, not even for my age range, but i did finish, and i didn't come in last. I beat one of the groups of competitors even, which i found to be odd.  I mean, if you're going to only complete one leg then hopefully you excel at that leg and are going to be able to push yourself harder, go full out, rather than pace yourself.

I feel that completing even one triathlon makes me a triathlete. It was only a Sprint, not an Olympic or an Ironman, but i finished it.  I exercised 5-6 days a week for over two months.  After that i kept training.  Even after i had a running injury i kept training. The only reason i stopped training was because it was interfering with my homework and my primary goal was to graduate from college.  Even at that time i would have been riding my bicycle three days a week had i been able to get my bike to campus.

Now my thoughts are turning to preparing for the same Sprint triathlon that i once competed in.  It will be four years since i competed in it for the first time.  That date is about four months away and i weigh more now that i did when i competed in it the first time. My goal has always been to be healthy and persevere far more than it has been to lose weight or improve my time.  I have always figured that those last two would come on their own.

Six months ago i think i weighed more than i ever had before, but i kept hiking and riding my bike.  I didn't let myself go and break 300, i tried to keep active.  I tried counting calories and have been reading about various diets.  The thing that i always remember is that the times when i lost the most weight was when i was very active and ate however much my body told me i needed to.  I have been told that "All things in moderation" is cliche and a platitude but it's what i live my life by.  Even when i feel hungry all the time i don't want to let myself overeat. By the same token, any time i diet i don't want to let myself get/stay so hungry that i give up and binge.  I don't want to exercise too hard and injure myself.  Food + water = fuel that i need.

Things that are going to be different w/training this time around. One, i weigh more and have had several injuries since i stopped training.  Two, i am not starting this journey while already running three days a week, so i may need to ease into it. Three, i am older. Four, i don't want to just prove to myself that i can do this anymore.  I will always be competing against my former self, but this time i want to also do it to prove to the naysayers that it's possible and to inspire those who are too afraid to try.  I might not be able to give insight or encouragement to anyone on a spiritual front, but on a physical one i am here to tell you that it is possible, you do have the power in yourself to do it, and you really have to just take it one step at a time.

Ct5k W1D1

Yes, i'm at it again, and this time i'm doing it in Vibrams! At least, that's what i did today.

Over the last two weeks i've had a cold.  It was the worst for the first 5-6 days, but it's still been hanging on a bit.  During most of that time i really felt like running, maybe because the heat of the past summer has finally broken. Even after a week of recuperation i was a bit wary because i figured that as soon as i got out of breath i would be coughing up a lung.

I didn't cough once on the run.  I barely got out of breath, actually.  This workout was not strenuous from a breathing standpoint, which is quite nice actually. This past summer i felt like everything on vacation was strenuous only because of breathing whether it was hiking or biking. I didn't get too sore or tired, i just couldn't breathe.  Well today i breathed fine.  I made sure i paced myself, i did reach thresholds where i wanted to stop but pushed through it without too much effort, and thankfully it was nowhere near as strenuous as the first time around.

I was in a hurry today and not aiming for the full workout. I had barely enough time before work and didn't want to push myself too hard when i had an 8 1/2 hour shift directly afterward. So i strapped on my Vibrams, felt great for the first four intervals, and walked through the last two. At the time i felt like i could have done them but i just had a feeling that i shouldn't. Which was a good call as it turned out because my feet, ankles, and calves were sore most of the day.  My feet eventually felt better after halfway through my shift but started complaining again during the drive home.  So at work i was trying to stretch my feet calves and not to groan whenever i had to walk. Standing wasn't too bad, moving just doesn't feel right at the moment because i'm so stiff.  So it was a good call to walk those last two intervals i think. I kind of need to be able to stand while i'm at work.

Tomorrow i go in to work earlier and get off earlier. I shouldn't run, and i doubt i'll be organized enough to get a run or swim in. Right now i'm going to focus on the running for a while and ease back into it. I don't want to dive headlong into a full training schedule when it's going into the off season and technically i'm easing in after an injury. The last thing i need to do is hurt my hamstring again. So right now the focus is diet and running and we'll see where it goes from here.

Girls on the Run 5k and TriNewb W5D5+6

So yesterday Katie and i ran the Girls on the Run 5k and it wasn't the most pleasant experience. The weather was overcast, pleasantly cool, a little breezy (i was comfortable, Katie was cold until about 1/3 of the way through the run when she took off her hoodie. i made the mistake of leaving my cellphone with Mom, so i didn't have any concept of time or real concept of distance throughout the run. i haven't walked so much in a long time. My second wind didn't kick in until the last half mile of the run at the earliest. We ran most of the way, but the concrete and asphalt really bothered her arches, the hills really bothered my lungs. (: Both of us hadn't gotten enough rest the day before.

So i've been thinking about it, and i think most of my problems were psychological. Trying to run while surrounded by people is not at all conducive to being able to relax and focus on breathing. It was a challenge to run with people because they might cut me off, might be running too slowly in front of me, i was wondering if i was running too fast when i was passing them, etc. Plus i'm not used to running with a partner, and i felt like i was holding Katie back, but at the same time i didn't feel as if i could run any faster. i think a big part of my problem was that most Saturdays i stand on my feet all day and don't exercise at all, i wasn't familiar with the course and couldn't really let myself know where the halfway point was, and it was probably largely psychological. Somehow my body knows that when my mind says halfway done that it can let go of some more energy and the adrenaline kicks in. So it was a pretty miserable run, but i'm hoping that i'll feel as good (hopefully even better) during the Triathlon (which means after swimming and biking).

The beginning of the race consisted in standing in the middle of a crowd, chatting with a friend of my mother's, and then trying not to run over others or be run over after the race started. We walked a lot at the beginning waiting for the ranks to thin out so we could actually run. The last few hundred feet of the "race" consisted in standing in line so they could record what order we passed the finish line in and our "time" (which is going to be at least five minutes after when we stopped running because we had to just stand there so long). Then it took us another ten-fifteen minutes to find our parents, aunt, and sisters. So i think we finished the run in about 35 minutes, which isn't bad, but it certainly felt like forever, and it felt like it was all uphill. As i said, conditions alternated between asphalt parking lot/street and sidewalks with uneven grass or dirt on the shoulder. i tried to stay off the concrete as much as possible, but for the last half mile or so i didn't want to risk turning an ankle in the grass. i hate running on concrete, but at least it's even, and it was a lot less taxing than last time i had tried it (i don't know that i've lost weight, but i know that i've lost fat and gained muscle).

Today i rode my bike about 12 miles. The odd thing is that my biking has improved a lot but i think it's still my weakest event. i'm starting to get used to shifting but still look to make sure i turned it the right way. My arms didn't get tired today, even though i leaned on them more, but my hands did halfway through (luckily no cramps this time though). The reason i'm wondering about how psychological my second wind is: exactly halfway through my bike ride i got my second wind.

i'm almost halfway through my triathlon training now, and have come so far, but i can see that i still have a long way to go if yesterday was any indicator. Last year, there were less than 600 girls at the Girls on the Run 5k; this year, they said 1200 registered. All i can say is, wow.

Tri Training W5D4

So today i watched Katie's relay team win both of their heats! One was an all girl relay (she ran third, catching up with the other runners, while the first and second girls had been in last) and won first place overall, the other had two boys and two girls and won second place overall. It was exciting, and my face got a bit sunburned.

Today my swim was increased to 400m; i expected it to take me half an hour but it only took me about twenty minutes. My heartrate got a little bit higher, spiking at 150 bpm two or three times, but still spent most of its time in the 132 bpm range. i bought a swim towel which is weird: it doesn't feel like a normal towel, but it's supposed to absorb a lot of water quickly.

On Thursday i got some Clif bars on sale at City Market and tried them. No adverse digestion affects that i could tell! i actually enjoyed them despite the soy. i wanted to get ready for race day tomorrow and also make sure that they didn't make me sick so come Triathlon day if i eat them i'm not puking off the side of my (Mom's) bike / the trail.

Today i also bought the supplies for a race belt: total cost came in under $4. The only one i could find in town was something like $12 while most online are $10-15. i realized once i got to Hi Fashion Fabric that i could have (should have?) made my own elastic laces and worn them tomorrow, but they're already paid for (and finally on their way) so not much point now. So much for two day shipping, however, seeing how the bra is scheduled to arrive on the 5th and the laces the 6th-11th. To be perfectly honest, the laces weren't two day shipping, but i don't understand why it took the bra over twenty-four hours to leave the warehouse (it shipped about an hour ago). i ordered it on Thursday morning for crying out loud, it should be getting here tomorrow!

Lastly, i went shopping for shorts (mine are old and a little loose and worn out) and discovered that the current trend for athletic shorts leaves them... way too short. i don't want to buy shorts that are shorter than my fingertips when my arms are at my side. i don't want to buy shorts that are so baggy that i feel like my bum is hanging out. And i don't want to buy shorts that are so see through that my pantyline is blatantly obvious. Those shorts made me feel half naked. It also seems that my size is somewhere between a L and XL at Target and a perfect XL at JCPenney. The shorts were on sale, but i decided that i don't want any shorts that are in my current size, tyvm, i want shorts in size L. It's going to be soooo weird not having to hunt for XLs as much (though to be perfectly honest i'll probably always be looking for XL or XXL tops because of my bust size).

Anyway, training is coming along well, i'm looking forward to the race in the morning, and then i have a paper to write.

GotR 5k

Last year 559 women ran in the Girls on the Run 5k. Wow, i wasn't expecting so many! Only the top 119 did it in half an hour or less. That's my goal (only the first 100 get t-shirts).

Tri Training W5D1

It was a short run today, twenty minutes all together, two five minute intervals, and i actually ran more than i was "supposed" to. i edited the Podrunner Interval W5D1 podcast last night to fit the workout and even though the rest period was only a minute long it felt like forever. i was sure that i must have accidentally edited out the chimes that told me to start running again, so i did starting running again, probably about 45s into the rest! It was a short run, i'm not sure how far i went (i stayed on the road again, and by the time i had gotten back home didn't remember where my turn around point had been), but i'm sure that it must have been less than two miles.

Fitness finally seems to be catching on with the adults in the house / on the property! This week Aunt Polly started the Cto5k program and Mom and Dad joined the gym. Katie will be running in the Girls on the Run 5k with me on Saturday (i don't know if we'll stay together, but we'll both be there). i've been kind of wishing for a training partner lately, but even training alone i feel like exercise has become addicting! i constantly want to exercise more and have to pace myself so i won't get injured. i actually have a bruise right now that i have no idea where i got it (unless it was from when one of the dogs jumped on me last week, and if so it sure took it's time showing up) and my left forearm is sore. i just read that you're more likely to bruise the less fat you have; who knew?

Anyways, looking forward to my swim tomorrow.

TriNewb W4D4 / Cto5k W9D3... COMPLETE!

Wow, i've done 17 workouts this month already, a far cry from the 3 i did last month! The last time i did anywhere near that much exercise was in October with 13 workouts. i was faithfully running 3 days a week in September and October, but from November to March... not so much. i didn't work out once in December, and it was only 3-4 times a month the rest of the time. i kept wondering why i wasn't losing weight: i felt as if was doing my part, but my workout log (and how long it's taken me to finish the Couch to 5k program) tells the truth... i wasn't making the time to work out.

Of course, now that i have made changes, i've only gained weight, but i am healthier for it none the less. i'm sure that my body is going to start slimming down in the coming weeks.

i'm excited to announce that i have next Saturday off work and will be running in the Girls on the Run 5k at Long's Park. The largest t-shirt size i could order online was a Large... ): i don't even know if i'd ever be able to wear it (maybe i could turn it into a bag or something, stow my triathlon gear in it). On their mail-in registration form it says that they have Youth S-L and Adult S-XL, so i e-mailed them to see if i can get an XL instead.

Regarding my triathlon gear, it turns out that there isn't any mounts for cages on my mom's bike, so i'm going to be wearing my dad's Camelbak instead. i looked at them online a couple of days ago, they're expensive, and the ones that hold enough water are hard to find at closeout prices and never in the colors that i like. i know, i'm superficial, but if i'm going to spend $50+ on any piece of equipment, i better like the color and not be embarrassed to wear it! Also, the gear should fit me and not be see through. i meant to mention this about a week ago: i tried on Under Armor compression tops at Sports Authority (as they were recommended over Tritops at the TriNewb forums) and most were see-through and all were too long. i don't want people staring at my rolls while i'm exercising or competing or ever.

Now that Couch to 5k is complete i'll be running intervals and trying to increase my speed. This week i start bricks, which is when one rides her bike, then runs immediately afterwards, to adjust to the change in motion and in preparation for doing so in a triathlon. i'm enjoying triathlon training even more than i enjoyed running, and am already starting to wonder if there will be another Sprint Triathlon this summer that i might be able to compete in. i am going to make sure i complete my first before i think too seriously on that probably though. (:

"Slow and steady wins the race..."

or How to do the Couch to 5k running plan by luinel

It took me: 32 weeks

It made me: Feel Strong

How I did it: i started out slow, not able to run the entire intervals in week 1, so i repeated week 1. The first five weeks of the program i ran faithfully, and improved a lot, then repeated part of week 5 because i had trouble running that long. In week 6 i bought new shoes, and they gave me blisters, then i got sick, and had finals, so the program fell by the wayside. For 10 weeks i had winter break, worked full time, and got sick again.

When the spring semester started again, i repeated week 5, but it actually took me two weeks to get in all 3 runs. In February it took me two weeks to run week 6, and i started week 7 at the end of the month. At this point, i was feeling discouraged because i had school and work and was stressed. i didn't feel like i had the time to relax, let alone work out. i finished week 7 in the first week of March, but didn't even start week 8 until March 24.

At the beginning of April i decided it was time to stop procrastinating and focus on taking care of myself. i finished week 8, then started training to compete in a triathlon in June. Over the past 3 weeks i have worked out 4-5 times a week, running on the days my new training program called for it, but following week 9 of the Couch to 5k program, except for one day when i was too exhausted to run that far, and ran short intervals instead. At the same time i am going to school full time, working part time, and getting ready for finals. Has it been challenging? Yes, but right now i feel like i can face anything.

Lessons & tips: i'm not focusing on my running anymore, i'm focusing on becoming a
triathlete and taking care of my body. i could not have become a runner without this program, but i have always listened to my body. There were times where i would get a cramp in the middle of my run, or a stitch in my side; i would walk it out, or sometimes press on, but i discovered that my body is capable of doing more than i realized. Every time that i felt like i couldn't make it, i did.

Today i ran and walked 2.9 miles. The day before yesterday i biked 10 miles, and the day before that i swam over 300m without getting tired out. Next Saturday i hope to run my first 5k at a local Girls on the Run event.

Resources:
DJ Beatsmith's Podrunner Intervals podcasts
lots of water
a healthy diet with few processed foods
giving up Coca-Cola and high fructose corn syrup (for the most part)
prayer

Tri Training W3D4 / Cto5k W9D2

St. Mary's Life Center has lousy Elliptical Trainers!!! They still have the old Reebok ones from about 9 years ago, and after 20 minutes on one the backs of my ankles and my arches were killing me. i tried to finish my workout on the CardioFit machine, but it wasn't much better: if my feet were forward it would dump me all the way forward in my shoes, hurting my toes, and the machine creates way too much bounce, which was awkward. It was extremely hard to find a comfortable pace and i couldn't go backward on either machine. i had intended to lift weights (for arms, shoulders, and chest), but after a horrible 40 min. cardio workout i'd had enough. The stupid scale said that i've gained weight, too, but it's so old and has been moved so many times that i don't trust it. i hope my experience on the bikes will be better, because did not have a good time today.

Tri Training W3D2

i went to the gym after work and rode 6 miles, then lifted weights for my arms and shoulders. i'm trying to take it easy with the weights, but i know my arms are being neglected. i've gained 2 pounds, which is discouraging, but i'm sure it's muscle because my legs are definitely getting stronger. Give me a couple more weeks and my thighs and calves will be huge! As it is my waist and thighs have stayed the same, but i've gained like an 1 1/2" on my thighs. i expected a weight gain this week, i'm so hungry all the time, and am really working hard on this, but i was stupid this afternoon and got on the old scale... which told me that i had lost 5 pounds. i should have known better than to trust it. Overall, feeling good, looking forward to my swim and walk tomorrow, and hoping i can run 5k on Friday.

last night... SDP W1D2 / TriTraining W1D2

This day had been sooo weird. My first two classes of the day were canceled. i'm petsitting for a friend of my mother's again (for free, but hey, she has satellite and the house is quiet). i'm so ready for my third day of triathlon training.

So yes, i am taking the plunge and starting to train for my first triathlon, the Highline Hustle Sprint Triathlon at Highline Lake June 13. The distances are swim 500m, bike 16 mi., and run 3 mi., in that order; there are new exercise tickers at the bottom of my blog to reflect my new goals. The good news: my running is already where it needs to be on race day, and i don't think i'll have that much trouble coming up to speed on my biking and swimming. The bad news: i thought i had eleven weeks to train, but i only have ten because the race has been moved up a week compared to last year to (i had thought the race was June 20th). i'm using TriNewbies 10 Week Sprint Distance Program - Beginner (which is actually ten weeks of training and then an easy eleventh week before the race) for my training, and will just have to combine week 1 and 2, but as i said, i'm already there physically and the running in their program is a big step back for me. So as far as my running i'm going to finish out week 9 of Cto5k and then start doing some shorter intervals (probably 5-10 minutes in length) and possibly some speed drills. So i have a lot of work ahead of me, workouts five days a week, serious bike riding for the first time ever, and serious swimming for the first time in about ten years (wow, it's hard to believe it's been that long). i plan to swim 200 yards this afternoon and bike 8 miles Sat. or Sun. (at the moment i'm on Thur. even though it's only Wed... it will probably be better for me to work out on Sundays once AWANA ends for the year, but right now that's a better day off for me than Mondays).

Bad thing about petsitting... the case of Coca-Cola in the fridge and abundance of junk food in the house. Good thing about petsitting... built in work out partners.

Cto5k W9D1

So last night i couldn't sleep, and was up late trying to work on a paper for school. i mean i was up really late, like until 4am. i eventually decided to sleep in and forget school for the day, i've been in a weird head zone over the past week. Anyway, i slept until around 11am, had yogurt and frozen fruit and grilled cheese for lunch, and ran about 2.8 miles. On the way out i felt great, pushed myself all the way up that hill for the first time, and then promptly grew bored on the way back down said hill. i paused in the usual places (i.e. the catttleguards), and paused at the top of that hill, too. i think i didn't have enough energy to really focus on my form for the last half of the run, i didn't feel tired or anything, just unmotivated. The second time at the cattleguard i was the slightest bit dizzy, and i had to force myself to finish the end of the run, again not because i felt too tired, but because i had to concentrate just to keep moving. i should have eaten more this morning.

Anyways, i'm considering running in a 5k in May and starting to work towards a triathlon in June... which means i need to start training this week. i should be fine as far as the running, it's the swimming and bicycling that i need to focus on mostly. So tomorrow i might just be going for a bike ride... i'm not sure yet. Unfortunately, my left ear bud went out today; i've been considering buying an mp3 player designed for running with (and maybe even swimming with).

Right now i think i'll eat again and then maybe do some yoga.

Cto5k W8 Complete!

Ugh, i don't feel good today, though oddly i was overeager to run. My first two laps i ran too fast, and my muscles didn't like it. i didn't get any cramps, but my legs were tight, so i had to pause and stretch once, and paused to drink more than usual (which added to the length of my workout time, because i would pause the music and drink water walking back and forth, then resume my run). Not my strongest finish, but i'm excited to run 30 minutes straight come Monday. i'm sooo glad that it's the weekend, but am not looking forward to work tomorrow. Incidentally, i used the track in the indoor gym for the first time (because i wanted to run, not use the elliptical, but it's too wet outside), and as predicted i didn't like it. 13.7 laps = 1 mi., so i had trouble keeping track of my laps, and i'm not sure that i counted them right.

The good news that i have to report... i lost 3 pounds! /woot

Cto5k W8D1 + 2

i actually started week 8 Tuesday a week ago, and never got around to updating MapMyRun until today. The weather was nasty so i stuck to the gym and didn't push myself on the elliptical trainer. Then i discovered that i've gained a pound. ):

Today i hit the road despite cool temperatures and light snow. It was the best run i've ever had; i pushed it today and ran .4 miles farther than i had ever gone on this road before... right up a hill. i need to be running more often, but it's so frustrating to not see any results at all after six month on the scale: i've only lost 5 pounds, and am still wearing the same clothing. i don't know how to find time to run more, it's really frustrating.