Monday: Exercise bike. 30 min. 3rd from hardest setting. Short intervals.
Tuesday: Exercise bike. 20 min. Hardest setting. Short intervals. 6 minutes pilates. Wanted to mimic some of what happens with swimming. Pushed my heart rate up to 140-150 range and worked some core muscles with the pilates.
Wednesday: Walk. 20 minutes on the beach. Had a headache, so kept it simple.
Thursday: Exercise bike. 30 min. 3rd from hardest setting. Short intervals. Was watching a creepy Firefly episode and really got the heart rate going! 130-160 BPM.
Friday: Light day. 20 min walk to beach.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
A Fresh Start
Well, there has been some exercise here since the great triathlon of 08, but not enough. The usual things came up... change in schedule made it hard to get to the pool, a steady stream of low grade colds... bla, bla, bla. But spring is here and I'm ready for a fresh go at things. Here are some thoughts that I'm working into goals right now...
1. Multi-vitamin every day. I want to eat in a healthy way since I know that is optimal for getting nutrients, but with seasonal availability of fruit and veggies I want to know that I'm getting iron and calcium on a regular basis.
2. Healthy eating goal 1: more whole grains. I'm finding ways to eat whole grains that I LIKE. Popcorn, brown/wild rice, 1/2 whole wheat bread. I think my goal will be making 1/2 of my grain servings a day whole grains (as recommended by the US government).
3. Healthy eating goal 2: understand blood sugar better. I tend to eat frequently because I get hungry and cranky. Probably a sign that blood sugar is fluctuating too much. I want to study up on what foods and combinations of foods will keep me going though the day.
4. More exercise. I want to gradually work up to running again. I think I'm going to follow this 5k training plan and intersperse exercise bike, pilates and swimming (?) in the off days.
5. Preventative medicine. You know, all that stuff about seeing doctors once a year. Its finally sinking in that "I don't eat McDonald's every day and I'm young" is probably not an panacea. (See mom, it did go in... but apparently advice like that is a time bomb that only goes off once the recipient sees large numbers on her birthday cake...)
These goals are going going to be revised somewhat as I get going. Eventually I will put a time on how much I want to exercise per week, and look at how to implement what I learn about blood sugar, but this is a start!
1. Multi-vitamin every day. I want to eat in a healthy way since I know that is optimal for getting nutrients, but with seasonal availability of fruit and veggies I want to know that I'm getting iron and calcium on a regular basis.
2. Healthy eating goal 1: more whole grains. I'm finding ways to eat whole grains that I LIKE. Popcorn, brown/wild rice, 1/2 whole wheat bread. I think my goal will be making 1/2 of my grain servings a day whole grains (as recommended by the US government).
3. Healthy eating goal 2: understand blood sugar better. I tend to eat frequently because I get hungry and cranky. Probably a sign that blood sugar is fluctuating too much. I want to study up on what foods and combinations of foods will keep me going though the day.
4. More exercise. I want to gradually work up to running again. I think I'm going to follow this 5k training plan and intersperse exercise bike, pilates and swimming (?) in the off days.
5. Preventative medicine. You know, all that stuff about seeing doctors once a year. Its finally sinking in that "I don't eat McDonald's every day and I'm young" is probably not an panacea. (See mom, it did go in... but apparently advice like that is a time bomb that only goes off once the recipient sees large numbers on her birthday cake...)
These goals are going going to be revised somewhat as I get going. Eventually I will put a time on how much I want to exercise per week, and look at how to implement what I learn about blood sugar, but this is a start!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
My First Triathlon (at last!)
It is rather strange to think that a week ago today I was in my first triathlon! So, how did it go?
At the start I wasn't too optimistic, I have one day a month when I need 6 ibuprofen to get through the cramps... and race day was looking like it was going to be that day. I kept popping pills while the swimmers in the earlier waves did their thing, and in the end I either took enough or it was all in my head because I didn't end up doubled up along the race course pale and sweating bullets.
The swim was not what I expected. At the Palouse Sprint Triathlon the swim is done in the aquatic center pool. Swimmers circle swim, four to a lane, grouped with other swimmers with the same estimated swim time. The waves are organized starting with the slowest swimmers and ending with the fastest swimmers so that the race is finished in a timely manner. I was in the 3rd wave (of six), but I had the slowest estimated time in the slowest lane in the pool. I want to make it clear that I REALLY appreciate the volunteers and organizers of this event... it is a huge amount of work, and I love the venue and will return. That being said, things went a little rough in my lane. I started coming off the wall last. In two laps, I had passed the person in front of me. Then I came into the wall and everyone was just sitting there. Pool racing etiquette states that when you want to pass, you tap the foot of the person in front of you and the allow you to pass when you reach the wall. The ladies in front of me had probably all tapped each other and where sorting it out, at least that was my guess. I just did an open turn and kept on swimming - in retrospect, very stupid (sorry ladies!) but I wasn't sure what they were doing and I didn't want to stop swimming. So now I've jumped from 3rd to first. In a lap the lady behind me wants to pass. I let her. Meanwhile the other two people are doing crazy things like passing in the middle of the pool. Apparently there was a head on collision and I'm happy I wasn't the one to get smacked into. Now, as you can imagine, people are now swimming both directions... the volunteers need to know who is first and who is getting lapped to make sure they count the laps correctly. A little kid is holding the number board for our lane and isn't putting even putting it into the water. With all that is going on I have no idea what lap I'm on, but I see that the board now reads '"19" - which it is never supposed to read. On lap 19 it is supposed to go to double orange squares, alerting the lead swimmer to go one more length and exit the pool. Now I have no idea who the lead swimmer is, or if she is lapping me, or by how many laps that may be by. My friends who were cheering for me told me afterwards that after "19" one of the swimmers asked if she was done, didn't get an answer, swam another lap and exited the pool. I ended up getting out my lane 3rd.
Despite the frustration of not knowing what was happening during the swim, my position turned out to be nice for the rest of the race. Since I was one of the last people out of the pool in my wave, I had only two people pass me during the bike. But, since the race was out and back for both the bike and run, there was a constant stream of people coming the other way who would offer encouragement. It was an ideal situation, I didn't have worry about drafting or passing, and I didn't have to worry about being stranded in the middle of nowhere by myself while having a race induced heart attack ;) The ride out into the just harvested fields was actually beautiful. Moscow mountain was rising against the blue sky, it was warm without being hot, and what little traffic there was on the country road was well managed by cheerful Lion's Club volunteers. The course is nearly flat, with just enough of a grade to feel the down hill coming back. There did happen to be one field that was in the process of being harvested, but the combines where far enough away that I only inhaled a little chaff.
Ah, yes. And then the run. The run had what felt like an inordinate number of hills, but I used my patented "slowest jog in the universe" and just ate up those little hills with little relentless steps. Off the bike my knees felt great, but my calves tightened up, probably because I didn't have any hill training. I felt warmed up by the time I got to the turn around and was able to push a little harder and come into the finish line at a true run. Yeah!
I had estimated a time of 1:30 and I came in at 1:21:26 still feeling strong. Swim 12:26, bike 38:06, run 30:54. Now if I can shave 12 minutes off my time maybe I can keep up with my mom next year...
At the start I wasn't too optimistic, I have one day a month when I need 6 ibuprofen to get through the cramps... and race day was looking like it was going to be that day. I kept popping pills while the swimmers in the earlier waves did their thing, and in the end I either took enough or it was all in my head because I didn't end up doubled up along the race course pale and sweating bullets.
The swim was not what I expected. At the Palouse Sprint Triathlon the swim is done in the aquatic center pool. Swimmers circle swim, four to a lane, grouped with other swimmers with the same estimated swim time. The waves are organized starting with the slowest swimmers and ending with the fastest swimmers so that the race is finished in a timely manner. I was in the 3rd wave (of six), but I had the slowest estimated time in the slowest lane in the pool. I want to make it clear that I REALLY appreciate the volunteers and organizers of this event... it is a huge amount of work, and I love the venue and will return. That being said, things went a little rough in my lane. I started coming off the wall last. In two laps, I had passed the person in front of me. Then I came into the wall and everyone was just sitting there. Pool racing etiquette states that when you want to pass, you tap the foot of the person in front of you and the allow you to pass when you reach the wall. The ladies in front of me had probably all tapped each other and where sorting it out, at least that was my guess. I just did an open turn and kept on swimming - in retrospect, very stupid (sorry ladies!) but I wasn't sure what they were doing and I didn't want to stop swimming. So now I've jumped from 3rd to first. In a lap the lady behind me wants to pass. I let her. Meanwhile the other two people are doing crazy things like passing in the middle of the pool. Apparently there was a head on collision and I'm happy I wasn't the one to get smacked into. Now, as you can imagine, people are now swimming both directions... the volunteers need to know who is first and who is getting lapped to make sure they count the laps correctly. A little kid is holding the number board for our lane and isn't putting even putting it into the water. With all that is going on I have no idea what lap I'm on, but I see that the board now reads '"19" - which it is never supposed to read. On lap 19 it is supposed to go to double orange squares, alerting the lead swimmer to go one more length and exit the pool. Now I have no idea who the lead swimmer is, or if she is lapping me, or by how many laps that may be by. My friends who were cheering for me told me afterwards that after "19" one of the swimmers asked if she was done, didn't get an answer, swam another lap and exited the pool. I ended up getting out my lane 3rd.
Despite the frustration of not knowing what was happening during the swim, my position turned out to be nice for the rest of the race. Since I was one of the last people out of the pool in my wave, I had only two people pass me during the bike. But, since the race was out and back for both the bike and run, there was a constant stream of people coming the other way who would offer encouragement. It was an ideal situation, I didn't have worry about drafting or passing, and I didn't have to worry about being stranded in the middle of nowhere by myself while having a race induced heart attack ;) The ride out into the just harvested fields was actually beautiful. Moscow mountain was rising against the blue sky, it was warm without being hot, and what little traffic there was on the country road was well managed by cheerful Lion's Club volunteers. The course is nearly flat, with just enough of a grade to feel the down hill coming back. There did happen to be one field that was in the process of being harvested, but the combines where far enough away that I only inhaled a little chaff.
Ah, yes. And then the run. The run had what felt like an inordinate number of hills, but I used my patented "slowest jog in the universe" and just ate up those little hills with little relentless steps. Off the bike my knees felt great, but my calves tightened up, probably because I didn't have any hill training. I felt warmed up by the time I got to the turn around and was able to push a little harder and come into the finish line at a true run. Yeah!
I had estimated a time of 1:30 and I came in at 1:21:26 still feeling strong. Swim 12:26, bike 38:06, run 30:54. Now if I can shave 12 minutes off my time maybe I can keep up with my mom next year...
Monday, September 1, 2008
Week 12: 9/1-9/6 Taper
Sunday
45 min bike
Biked the race route and came in 15 min faster than expected. Woot! Had overestimated distance (should have translated from km... but didn't) and underestimated speed.... although I was laying it on. Also previewed the foot section of the race by car. Lots of hills. Yuck. But at least no surprises race day.
Monday
Rest day
Tuesday
29 minute swim (Laps:1,10,6)
I was so tired I felt like I had forgotten how to swim... I was running into the walls and trying to remember how to work my arms. Yuck.
Wednesday
49 minute bike
Still dead tired. Bike time went over because of headwind coming home.
Thursday (travel to race location)
Micro-brick: wanted to give the gear a last test and make sure the race tires were properly inflated so biked down to the bike shop and back then jogged one (1) block and back home.
Friday
rest
Saturday
Race! (yeah, I know Triathlons are usually on Sunday, but not this one.) Details about the big day are in a separate post ;)
45 min bike
Biked the race route and came in 15 min faster than expected. Woot! Had overestimated distance (should have translated from km... but didn't) and underestimated speed.... although I was laying it on. Also previewed the foot section of the race by car. Lots of hills. Yuck. But at least no surprises race day.
Monday
Rest day
Tuesday
29 minute swim (Laps:1,10,6)
I was so tired I felt like I had forgotten how to swim... I was running into the walls and trying to remember how to work my arms. Yuck.
Wednesday
49 minute bike
Still dead tired. Bike time went over because of headwind coming home.
Thursday (travel to race location)
Micro-brick: wanted to give the gear a last test and make sure the race tires were properly inflated so biked down to the bike shop and back then jogged one (1) block and back home.
Friday
rest
Saturday
Race! (yeah, I know Triathlons are usually on Sunday, but not this one.) Details about the big day are in a separate post ;)
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Week 11: 8/25-8/30 (almost there)
Monday
36 min swim (26 laps)
Feeling okay. Super.slow.mo. though.
Tuesday
1 hour bike
Yup.
Wednesday
30 min run
Thursday
brick (61/19)
My first brick trying out the gear I will be wearing for the race. Started out by hopping in the shower to get wet and them mimicked T1 & T2. Things seem ready to go.
Friday
Unscheduled rest day - have pity on me we traveled from 9:00 am - 9:00 pm... and between waking and nine I did all the packing.
Saturday
44 min run
Did some hills. Oh, yeah.
36 min swim (26 laps)
Feeling okay. Super.slow.mo. though.
Tuesday
1 hour bike
Yup.
Wednesday
30 min run
Thursday
brick (61/19)
My first brick trying out the gear I will be wearing for the race. Started out by hopping in the shower to get wet and them mimicked T1 & T2. Things seem ready to go.
Friday
Unscheduled rest day - have pity on me we traveled from 9:00 am - 9:00 pm... and between waking and nine I did all the packing.
Saturday
44 min run
Did some hills. Oh, yeah.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Week 10: 8/18-8/23 (max time)
Monday
30 min swim, 21 laps
My kicking still feels quite awkward. If I keep my head "down" though and try to keep my kick in my body's shadow, I can feel very long and slick in the water... the feeling is just hard to hold with breathing, turning and navigating to think about.
Tuesday
1 hour bike
A heavy wind made this a shorter bike (distance wise) than normal. Feeling pretty slow.
Wednesday
22 run / 12 walk
This was supposed to be a 30 minute run but at 22 minutes I started lower GI cramps. Felt dreadful walking home, but was okay by the time I got there. Go figure.
Thursday
40 swim (26 laps, I think)
Did the first 10 in 15 minutes. Then another 15 in the rest of the time - lost count several times though, so who knows exactly. Overall this week feeling very tired and somewhat queasy. May have picked up a bug somewhere.
Friday
1 hour / 20 minute brick
Headwind kept the bike slow. First 10 minutes after transition the knees complain, but no major problems.
Saturday
40 minute beach run
Boring and not too pleasant, but do-able.
30 min swim, 21 laps
My kicking still feels quite awkward. If I keep my head "down" though and try to keep my kick in my body's shadow, I can feel very long and slick in the water... the feeling is just hard to hold with breathing, turning and navigating to think about.
Tuesday
1 hour bike
A heavy wind made this a shorter bike (distance wise) than normal. Feeling pretty slow.
Wednesday
22 run / 12 walk
This was supposed to be a 30 minute run but at 22 minutes I started lower GI cramps. Felt dreadful walking home, but was okay by the time I got there. Go figure.
Thursday
40 swim (26 laps, I think)
Did the first 10 in 15 minutes. Then another 15 in the rest of the time - lost count several times though, so who knows exactly. Overall this week feeling very tired and somewhat queasy. May have picked up a bug somewhere.
Friday
1 hour / 20 minute brick
Headwind kept the bike slow. First 10 minutes after transition the knees complain, but no major problems.
Saturday
40 minute beach run
Boring and not too pleasant, but do-able.
Feel The Burn
As I start week 10 (which is actually week 11 of training since I redid week 4), the mental fatigue is getting harder to overcome. Run times are about to hit double what they were in week 1, and let's face it, running is just not that exciting. Any suggestions for my running playlist? Right now it's a strange mix of Pandora and TV found pop tunes and Christian alternative rock. In retrospect the dance & techno/big beat has always worked best for running, at least for me, but I'd be happy to take any suggestions based on the following playlist ;)
Mardy Bum, Arctic Monkeys (Catchy. I try NOT to be like the girl in this song though...)
Steady As She Goes, The Raconteurs (what is this song about? As I puzzle, time flies...)
Prophecy, Remy Zero
Main Title, Stargate SG-1 (woot! SG-1)
Maneater, Nelly Furtado (when she talks, she talks like she can handle it... can I?)
The Distance, Cake (yes, I'm going to distance...)
Defenses Down, Calla (what is this song about? Sounds like it didn't work out)
Mighty Good Leader, Audio Adrenaline (yep, I got one Mighty Good Leader to follow)
Satellite, Bosco
Better Do Better, Hard-FI
Underdog, Audio Adrenaline (that would be me)
Track 01 (this is some Crystal Method maybe? Anyway, a great trance track.. keep running.)
New Body, Audio Adrenaline (I am so getting one of those)
White Rabbit, Jefferson Airplane
Start The Commotion, The Wiseguys (Get up, get up, put your body in motion....)
Some Kind Of Zombie, Audio Adrenaline (too true)
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