Monthly Archives: July 2012

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Beautiful Swimming Morning

This morning they skies were overcast, threatening a rain.  The water aerobics class had gone inside, so the outdoor pool had me and only two others.  They obviously trained together and I enjoyed watching their regimen as I prepared for my laps.

4×25 WU, 4×100 same times, 2×50 CD.

For some reason, I felt more tired.  I know I ate well enough yesterday (without overdoing it), but I still didn’t have the gusto to overdo it.  So, instead of my expanded workout, I just did the 4×25, 5×100, and 2×50.  I have no idea how long it took, what my times were, or anything.  My watch battery had died.  No matter.  I swam because I wanted to, as much as for training.

After my swim, I took my sweetie for a two-mile walk.  More or less, I left the Garmin at home.  It was liberating, to be honest.

Today I am on the prowl for new stem caps. I think I’ve found the supplier:  http://kustomcaps.com/

I love their choices, but think I’ll come up with something on my own.  One for M.J., and one for Pinkie.

What do you guys think?  Does anyone out there have custom stem caps?

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A Brick

Yesterday I did my first brick since I ran the triathlon in April.  Well, if you don’t count the bike ride commute to the gym to swim. . . It felt okay.

No really.  It did.

Remember, I just had my bike professionally fitted.  The higher seat position, and moved back, actually gave me more power–I was surprised.  And while my husband said that he didn’t feel as worn out when he got to the run leg, my experience did not mimick that at all.

I had a short brick, just 7 miles on the bike and a half mile run.  I topped it off with a half mile walk with my puppy afterwards.  The weather was too much for her, a half mile did her in.  Me too.  But surprisingly my pace was faster than lately (12:27)–with all that crazy heart rate zone training.  Happily, I can report that the my HRZ alarm did not go off at its usual places during my ride, but instead, only went off once during the whole ride!  HRZ training works!

Well, for the bike portion.  During the run, my average HR was 157 (egads), with a high of 164.  Ooopsy.  Need to work on that, don’t I?   It’s nice to have that data to look at, right?

It seemed only logical that today I take it easy, right?  Not so lucky.  Since I already took Monday off for my stair incident, I had to try to get back on schedule.  Today I swam.  Schedule called for 400 straight, so logically I did 4×50 WU, then 600 straight, then another 4×50 CD.  1,000 yards total.

It felt good to keep swimming.  When I got out of the pool, the 68 degrees chilled me!  What an awesome feeling, being cold!  I miss it.

The rest of the day, this beautiful perfect summer day of 70s most of the day, nice breezes, that my husband used to go sailing?  I spent on the third floor of a 100+ year old building meeting with colleagues mapping out the next four years.  Did I mention the building hadn’t turned on the AC in a month?  Do you remember it’s been upper 90s and 100s all month?  I melted.  I was miserable all day.

At least I got to ride my Trek FX 7.6 WSD home from work.  And when I arrived, I found out my new stem had arrived at Blue’s.  When my husband finally came home, I headed over, got the stem installed, bought another bike pump, and headed home.  As I took my bike downstairs (my bikes live inside, duh), I realized that my rear brake lever had disengaged.  I did my ride yesterday without my rear brakes!

Tomorrow?  This is what’s scheduled!  I am so excited!

Mikki Douglass and one of her Dock Dogs!

We’ve never done this before, so it may look more like this:

Tom Guffey is an amazing Photographer!

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Energy. Sapped. Summer. Please. Stop.

Go away summer, please come hither fall.

It’s 101, with a heat index of 103.  I just got back from taking both of my bikes to Blue’s–sorry, The Bike Rack– for a professional fitting.  When I bought my Pilot 2.1 WSD, I got fitted, but apparently it was not a professional fit.  After my husband got professionally fitted, however, I knew I had to go in and do the same.  It’ll make a difference.  I’ve been having lower back pain (probably as much from a weaker core than anything, working on that) and my forearms started to fall asleep after 8 miles.

After lots of measurements and adjustments, I think we have it right.  He did tell me, however, that in all of the time that he’s been doing this, I’m the only person who actually had a near perfect fit.  I credit the experts at The Bike Rack for that–they fitted me quite well when I bought the bike.

Typical indoor bike fitting
(I don’t like the total aero feel, yet)

I will need a slightly different stem, that is until I get into better shape.  They moved my seat back, as well as raised my seat.  Turns out I am really quite flexible!  Who knew.

I met a friend for breakfast and haven’t had a chance to get my run in yet today.  Now I’m completely worn out from being in the heat.  I may have to just incorporate a brick tomorrow instead.  Bike to the gym for my swim, then bike home.  Sounds good to me.

In the meantime, after Sunday’s bike ride and sore back, I took a day off (Monday) and swam Tuesday instead.  It felt SO good, too.  I did 4×25 WU, then the schedule called for 4×50 progressively faster, then a 2×25 CD.  Coach suggested bumping up the swim distances, so I did 4×50 progressively faster (1:04, 1:00, :57, :52!!!) then added 3×50 progressively slower, making it a pyramid (:58, 1:00, 1:02).  I added a 4×25, then a 1×50 for funzies.  I really didn’t want to stop swimming either. NO ONE was in the pool, just me!  When does that happen!Then yesterday afternoon I chose to text and walk down stairs.  There should be laws against that too.  Luckily, the iPad, the phone, and my journal came through it unscathed after I fell down the last two steps.  My back got wrenched again, however, and I sprained my left ankle a bit and pulled a bunch of muscles in my right knee.

Honestly that’s part of the reason I did not run today.  I want to give my injuries another day to heal.  Besides, I did head out last night to play league golf (we hit a 39!).  My knee still hurt this morning, although the swelling and pain in my left ankle has disappeared.  I just pulled muscles, I’m guessing.  I was fine on the bike at the fitting today.  And I am guessing that tomorrow’s swim will feel really good.

In the meantime, I’m officially in Week 6 of the Olathe Training Schedule.  It’s only 44 days and 9 hours away!  Woot!  I’m so excited!  This is the first time I have no fear of open water.  I am training on some hills similar to those in the triathlon.  I just need to get my run on.

The big question is this.  We will head to Minneapolis at the end of September for an Arts and Crafts style builder’s expo (like furniture, bookcase, not houses).  There’s a women’s duathlon there:  2 mile run, 22 bike, 2 mile run.  Should I do it?  What do you think?  It’s three weeks after my triathlon and I will not have trained specifically for a Duathlon.  Can I adjust my training now to add bike miles, add more 2:2 or 3:3 bike/run bricks to accelerate my training in time?

We shall see!  In the meantime:

The Countdown Has Begun!

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hot. hot. hot.

It’s 105 today.

This morning, however, when we hit the highway for our rides, the weather seemed quite pleasurable.  Slight north wind, which did not bring the relief north winds sometimes do, aided in the uphill battle away from town.  It really didn’t help coming back.  In fact, surprisingly my uphill out-going journey beat my mostly downhill return journey by a minute!  Usually, it’s an 8 minute difference the other way.

Today was an “off day”.  oopsy.

Before you judge me, the temps have skyrocketed for the past 3 weeks, with no end in sight:  upper 90s and 100s.  Oh, I suppose it’ll be 14 degrees “cooler” on Thursday, a whopping 91.  So this morning when my sweet hubby headed out for his ride and the temp was in the lower 70s, what else was I to do?  I had to pack up and go!

10.73 miles.

My goal for the Olathe Triathlon is to do the 10.1 mile ride in under 40 minutes (stop laughing, you fast cyclists).  Today I hit 41:37!  And I still have 6 weeks to go!  I can do this!  Two years ago when I did this triathlon I did the cycle portion in over 47 minutes.  Granted, the course is riddled with hills, including a huge one at the end, but still.  I can do this.  Training is good.

Since my honey rode 20, I had time to do some good stretching, planks, sit-ups, etc., as I watched all the classic cars drive by me on their way to a car show just down the street.  I pulled out my towel from the car and started doing a few sit-ups.  Bad decision.  My back instantly hurt.

It hurts in here somewhere.

More stretching.

Little planks, the easy kind.  Elbows and knees.  I really want a stronger core.

Ouch.

More stretching.  The yoga Cat and (is it Cow?) pose.  Sigh.

Twelve hours later I’m still walking like I have a huge kink in my back.  Guess what?  I do.  Dammit.

Maybe there’s a reason to have “off” days?  Guess I’ll have one tomorrow instead of swimming.  Sigh.  Maybe it’s time for another massage.

 

On a super positive note:  Heart Zone Training works!  My HR Monitor alarm only went off two times (as opposed to the several times during my last ride).  For only a short time did I train out of the preferred zone!  Yea!!!

 

PS: Yesterday I did my 1.5 mile run with 10 minute WU/CD.  Once again, in the 70s with a light breeze.  I’m telling you, morning is the ONLY time to do anything around here.

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Off Day

Today is an off day.  Good thing, we’re worn out from the heat.

I chose to take my Dulce on a nice walk before it got hot (and before the humidity burned off, yuck).  Tonight I plan to do some yoga, stretching, planks, squats, lunges, sit-ups, ball exercises, and watch Taladega Nights, if we can find a copy in town.  Sometimes it’s nice to watch stupid.  :-)

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Unintended Brick

Last night I hopped on our treadmill and just walked 2.5 miles.  I needed to stretch my legs without making anything worse (still sore from those lunges).

This morning before 6:00am, my husband took off for his longer bike ride along the highway without me.  I had to swim today.

Since we currently have only one car, I rode my crossbike (Trek FX 7.6 named for my daddy, “M.J.”) to the gym for my swim.  It’s just over a mile, lots of annoying hills on which I need much practice.

I did a couple hundred yards in drills, working on hand position, breathing position, and rhythm of breath (not pushing off as far from the end).  The latter is what seems to throw me the most in lap swimming.  I then swam a 500 straight, then ended with 4×25 drills again.

The water?  Warmish.  Yuck. I hopped on my bike and rode home without showering (yet).  It felt good to beat up the hills–even with sore muscles from my lunges the other day.

The temps outside?  83 with 75% humidity at 7:00am.  That does not bode well for today.  In fact, here’s our forecast for the foreseeable future:

ewwww

Major Yuck.

 

 

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Workout Updates

Sore.

I’m very sore today.   A blog I follow (Fit Recovery) wrote one day about how he pushed himself more than he thought he could and the results continue to come in.

So, I thought I’d really start ramping up my weightlifting portion of my triathlon training.  I hit the books and checked what the proper weightlifting routines could be for someone like me (middle-aged, overweight woman–but not horribly out of shape).  The only thing I haven’t chosen to add to my repertoire?  Lunges, Squats, and Planks.  Yes, the three toughest things for me historically.

So I did two of them — knowing I shouldn’t necessarily incorporate too many things into my routine too quickly.

And I’m paying for it today.

I had to get up with the puppies at 5:15am (long story) and found it exceedingly difficult to go down the stairs.  Egads.  So much for my run today.  I will start off on the treadmill with a walk, then work up from there.  If I can.  Luckily, this is a slower week of training.  Two off days and reduced distances.

TRAINING REPORT

Sunday:  Cycling on the same road, although a ways behind, my husband.  He had to hit 20 miles, I needed 12.  It took me 30 minutes out and 21 minutes back.  Yes, I’m slow.  But I’m out there, eh?

Monday:  Swimming outside in a pool.  Interesting sensation to just get going and hit a wall, have to turn around, and do it again.  For two weeks I swam in a lake without walls or stripes.  In a way it felt confining to be in a pool, and it also wore me out more for some reason.  Losing my breathing pattern at the end of 25 yards took my energy away.  Last week I felt like I could have gone 800 yards, but in the pool, I found just doing 300 tiresome.  Weird.  Anyway, I did mostly drills.  The video my husband took of me swimming illustrates that I still bring my head up way too high to breathe.  I also need to speed up my stroke a little, too much gliding.  That’s what I worked on.  I think I hit about 600 yards, but I’m not sure.  I was trying to do it for fun and not be so distance-specific (a tip I learned from Transventure–a great blog, by the way).  Just go out and run, ride, or swim for the sake of it!  Don’t worry about times, distance, pace.  Just do it as part of your life, not just for training.  Great advice, Andrew, Thank You.

Tuesday:  Weightlifting.  I highlighted that above, but I did an hour of lifting and stretching.

Wednesday/Today?  Treadmill run/walk for 1.5 miles.  I’m supposed to bike, but I’m not sure if that’s possible.  Just 5 miles.  I’ll let you know tomorrow.

In the meantime, here’s the fuzzy face that makes me smile every single day.

Dulce!

Next Friday I’m going to take her to a local sporting goods store to try out a new sport:  DockDogs.