Recent Run

I ran yesterday morning...well I at least ran/walked. It was an up and down week of training. Nothing spectacular. I tried to do intervals on the track at 9am under the hot sun and melted on Wednesday. I headed to the pool Thursday only to find the one two lanes at the gym for lap swimming being taken by a handle of women doing water aerobics. Instead I lifted. I haven't lifted in a few weeks. I did some stuff I typically don't do like single leg squats, and single leg dead lifts.

Friday I was sore, really sore. But I ran an easy 35 min (probably average 9:30/9:45 pace). But that was fine, we need recovery runs. Saturday I woke up tired and still crazy sore, well at least my left quad was just hurting. I headed out for an easy 8. I told myself I wasn't going to run hard, and I didn't. It is a big loop for a course. I felt off and the humidity was sitting at 93% went I left at 7:30am.

By mile 3.5 I had a side cramp, still felt crappy. By mile 4, I felt sick to my stomach. At this point I had a choice to turn around (to make 8 miles) or continue on my loop (for 8 miles). I kept going, since I was going to have to do 8 miles. At 4.2 miles I stopped and walked. And at mile 5 I walked again, and at mile 6.5, and at mile 7.3. Yes. It was bad. And I wasn't running fast by all means. My miles were in the low 9min range in the beginning and I wasn't trying to push the pace.

I walked through the door and drank some chocolate milk. Took off my shorts and tank top which were completely soaked and just laid on the floor. I haven't had a recent run that I can recall where I felt like this. It was not pretty. If I had my phone with me, I would have called EZ and asked him to pick me up. :) Took me all day and a good nights sleep to feel better today.

I just need to remember, yes the ran sucked...but I did get out there and run. Each run makes me stronger.

My week:
Monday-4 miles easy
Tuesday-18 mile bike
Wednesday- ~5 miles with intervals (4x200, 3x400, 2x800)
Thursday-weights
Friday- 35 min easy run
Sat-8 painful run/walk miles
Sunday- Nothing/stretching.

Happy Father's Day

To a creative and all around awesome father to our two kids...Happy Father's day! 

Week in Numbers

Last week's training
Monday- off
Tuesday- bike 21 miles easy
Wednesday- 5.1 miles (8:10pace)
Thursday- 2000yd swim
Friday- 4 miles easy (9:15 pace)
Satruday- 9 miles (8:23 pace)
Sunday- bike 21 miles (15.8mph)

Total:
Swim- 2000yd
Bike- 42 miles
Run- 18.2 miles

Took it relatively easy this week after two weeks of racing.  Just signed up for a 5K on July 4th that is suppose to be flat. Thought I would see how fast I actually could run on a flat course. While I don't think I can break 20 min, I am hoping to break 20:30.

Dixie Diva's Triathlon Report

So after the marathon, my friend Elaine convinced me to sign up for this all womens triathlon. I knew I probably needed a break from running after training so much and so I figured this would be a good excuse to get myself to do some cross training on the bike and in the pool. I did look up the last triathlon I did, it was Sept 2008, so almost 6 year ago.  I had about 8 weeks to train for this triathlon, in terms of getting in decent shape on the bike and somewhat respectable in the water.  The distance was 300yd pool swim, 10 mile bike (although my bike computer recorded 10.75) and 2.5 mile run.

Swim: Time 3:58 (to the timing mat)
I was seeded 7th in the pool. In all my years of racing, not sure I've been seeded that far back when even racing elites in the pool, but no worries. I'm pretty laid back about this and don't really mind having to deal with passing considering I swam for so long of my life. I passed the girl who left in front of me (15 sec) at the 100 mark and then caught two more on the last lap. My time was probably about 3:45 for the actual swim. I caught another girl in transition too.

Bike: 32:22 (19.8mph)
This was where I thought I was the weakest. This is a pretty tough course, good hills not too much flat. I passed a girl around mile 2, she passed me back at mile 6 and I let her not get too far away the last 4 miles. I pushed so incredibly hard on the bike to stay somewhat close to her. She never got more than maybe a tenth of a mile away. We came into transition and I was just  a few seconds behind her.

T2: I had a great transition and passed the girl back plus put about 10 second on her. I always had fast transitions and I held up my streak with  21 second through T2.

Run: 16:35 (6:38 pace)
The run use to be my weakest sport. And I knew I was a stronger runner but I ran hard, really hard to hold her off. It was a three loop run course and she finally caught me in the middle of the third lap. She started 30 seconds ahead of me and she said she didn't have it in her to put another 30 seconds on me in the last 1/2 mile. So we ran together to the finish.

Final time: 54:06.
I won by 30 seconds to the girl who I essentially started the bike with and we raced back and forth for the bike and run. It was my swim (and transitions) that earned me the victory, and a sweet $100 gift card to a sports store.

It was fun and exhausting and I'm super thrilled with my splits and effort and the ability to not give up. Enjoy a few photos:
Ahhh...I look happy to swim:





 Off the bike:

Last lap of the run:

P thought this was a fun race...next year

Elaine and I post race:

Week in Numbers

Here are last weeks numbers:

Monday- 4 mile easy (9 min pace)
Tuesday- 1100 yard swim
Wednesday- 5.2 mile run with JF (8:10 pace)
Thursday- 40 min trainer ride
Friday- 32 min run (probably like 3.5 miles)
Saturday-6 mile easy bike, 10 min easy run
Sunday- Dixe Diva's Triathlon

Total
Swim: ~2000 yds
Bike: ~30 miles
Run: ~17 miles

Took it pretty easy this week between races (I don't ever race this much). Quick synopsis of the race. I had a great race, beat my A goal of 55 min, and total time was 54:06. I won the race by about 30 seconds. I'll write up a little recap with some photos in a couple days.

Gymnastics and Medals

P started in gymnastics in January and they had their exhibition (like a recital) last weekend. She was super excited about it. She is actually pretty good for her age and is crazy strong plus has no fear at all of flipping around. She has just moved up to the next level class (for 4/5 year olds even though she is still 3) for the summer and the teacher has talked to me about putting her in the class the feeds into the developmental team. I'm not sure how I feel about it currently. Here are a few before shots of a couple poses...

And so serious:

T on the other hand has been having fun with all the medals that have entered the home via the gymnastics exhibition, P and I each got medals for the race, and this was her look the other day. Oh this child cracks me up!

This Race Blows 5K and 1 Mile Color Run

This is my third year doing this race and it is such a fun event for the whole family. I decided to sign up P to do the 1 mile color run. It was at 5pm and then the 5K was at 6pm. There were horse rides and bouncy houses, face painting, parks, music. Lots of stuff to do.

It started with P not wanting to really do the race at all...

Then things got a little better...

 Colored...

 And done...

Took us just about 19 min to do. A lot of walking, not very much running She was ready to be done after a few min saying her feet hurt. On the other hand, T saw us running and she wanted to join and she jumped in and ran the practically the whole thing, dragging me along

I then ran the 5K. I felt pretty blah. Just kind of went out and ran hard. It is a though 5K with basically a up and down course and the hills are pretty long and tough. I was pretty consistent with the Soleus, splits were 6:44, 6:56, 6:48. GPS has only 3.05 miles which is what my Soleus said last year too, so at least that's consistent. I went into the race just hoping for around 7 min pace and just having 21:xx and couldn't believe the clock and my time. 20:41. I still have no idea how I ran that fast on that course in the heat at night. Pretty happy about it though!  Love this race and supporting Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the family that puts this on for their daughter. Such an amazing family and event and will keep coming back. (oh and I did win, 2 years in a row now)

Bouncy House Fun

We headed to a bday party the other week at a bounce house. It was T's first time and man on man, she had fun. Taking pictures was ridiculous with all the jumping around, but I was able to get a couple:

Week in Numbers

Last Weeks Training:
Monday: 31 min run on the beach
Tuesday: 5+ miles at the beach with 8x1 min hard 1 min easy intervals
Wednesday: 26.5 mile ride (16 mph)
Thursday: 2000 yd swim
Friday: 29 min run
Saturday: 5ish miles. 1 mile with P in her race, plus my 5K and some warm up cooldown Time: 20:41
Sunday: 18 mile easy ride (15mph)

Total:
Run:  ~18 miles
Bike: 44 miles
Swim: 2000 yd

I'll write up a little post about the race. It was P's first race of 1 mile color run. She didn't really want to do it to start with and then after a few minutes wanted to stop. We did the whole thing in the end and it took us about 19 min. What's funny is that T saw us running and she wanted to run so she jumped in and ran most of it. :) I then ran the 5K, it is a super tough, hilly course. I managed to win again and PR by almost 40 seconds. Ran 20:41. Was not at all expecting to run that fast coming off marathon training.

Beach Part 2

A few more fun pictures from the beach:

Happy (12 Years) Anniversary:

Happy T:

Flying Kites:

Boogie Boarding:

Playing:

More Cuteness: