Training, Injuries, Holidays and whatnot....

Well, the triathlon training was going along well until I hurt my ankle, then I had to stop running unless it was in the water..... After that finally healed up, I pulled a quad moving.... Have I mentioned that moving just plain rots?

Anyway, so then comes the Christmas holiday time with family..... Managed to get in a little bit of exercise, but not much. Note to self, pulled quad muscles hurt! Oh, and yes i indulged in way too many cookies while visiting the folks,but seeing as I am back home now I can fix the damage and hopefully still show a loss for the week.....

So I asked my family to get me things that will aid in my triathlon training and preparation. My gifts included practical things like pajamas and toe socks from my little sister, herbs I can grow on the windowsill and add to my food from my parents, and then the things I was given by my grandparents..... I received my very own pair of Zoomers training fins by Finis (the red ones because my kick needs serious help!), and two books about triathlons (what else?). The first book is called: The Woman Triathlete and is aimed at the issues women face when taking on a triathlon and the attendant training schedules.... The second book is by Joe Friel and called Your First Triathlon. I think even beyond my first one, that book is going to come in super handy!

Now, back to the fitness stuff for a bit.... I hae been doing triathlon training following the 22 week sprint training plan i found on beginnertriathlete.com, and I added in the strength training my trainer at work suggested after getting set up with the system for tracking things we have. So I have been doing strength two of my lighter tri training days per week and making sure I leave one day of total rest per week.

Now, in the last 8 weeks I have been doing a lot of exercising and I've probably not been eating enough, but we shall see when i speak to the nutritionist later...... I have lost a staggering 12.4 pounds in that time.. or nearly a whole stone!

Right now my weight is sitting at 162.2 pounds. Now, remember, my goal is 145 pounds, so I am getting very close and this last bit is coming off faster than the first bit.... which is sort of the reverse of what I would expect.....

So anyway, I am planning to actually pot a bit more regularly about my journey to fitness and also the triathlon goal as well.... Hopefullymy real life will settle down enough soon that this will be possible.

Just Outta the Gate and Already an Injury.... SIGH...

Well, I have decided that moving can be a serious threat to my triathlon training program and progress therein......

So I was moving a piece of furniture,more awkward than heavy really off the moving truck. No big deal really..... Or so I thought until I realized too late that I had not placed my whole foot on the concrete part of the driveway and my ankle scrunched up the wrong way, making me wince and have to set down what I was helping move.

So here's the skinny..... It's painful and swollen today, but I can still walk on it which is a good thing in my estimation. I am taking 3 weeks off my running training, which means sayonara to the "Last Run 5k" I was half considering to close out my season. I am still going to do my strength training, swimming and biking, and some non-impact aqua jogging in the pool for the time things are healing.

I'm not even a full two weeks into my training and this has to happen.... really? I suppose I should be grateful this is coming at the end of this season' activities and NOT the week of my first triathlon..... Still, I am mad as heck because I was actually starting not to dread running so much...... Oh well, such is life I suppose.

Triathlon, Strength, and Cardio... OH MY!!!!

Okay, so I've taken a huge first step and decided to train for a triathlon that happens in my area in July.

But wait, isn't this December? What am I doing training so much now?

Simple, I need to get my endurance up for the race. I bought a book to help me and I've been using the 22 week sprint training plan from Beginnertriathlete.com to get my butt in gear. The plan has me training six days a week for the various legs of the triathlon. Monday, Wednesday and Friday I swim and either run or bike. Tuesdays I bike. Saturdays are running only, and Sundays are biking only.

I also got signed into a strength training program my Y offers called FitLinxx. Basically, you can log every time you exercise via the machines for strength training, and manually log cardio workouts like swimming, running, biking, classes, etc.... at the many kiosks scattered around the gym.

So here's my training Week at a Glance:

Monday: Swim/Run
Tuesday: Bike/ Strength
Wednesday: Swim/Run
Thursday: REST!!!!!
Friday: Swim/Bike
Saturday: Run/Strength
Sunday: Bike

Now, add to that my work schedule of split doubles on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. I also work single shift on Sunday, and any time I am needed for covering other people's hours as well.

I'm also in the process of moving, and then trying to find another place to live because the room mate situation has just gotten out of hand entirely. So yeah, busy girl here!

I get up before 5am most days and I am working usually in the early morning, but days i don't I am at the gym when it opens so i can get in my training then go home or run errands or whatever. Days i work i either get in my workout between my doubles, or after my shift... before if I work a later in the day shift.

My weight is goin the right direction and if things keep up, I will be at or very near goal by the time I hit one year using Jillian Michaels' online diet/exercise program on er website.

The Day After The Race....

So I woke up this morning and went to get out of bed.... I found myself grunting and groaning my way to the bathroom and even waddling! My butt and my hips are totally sore this morning! My legs are not on full range of motion as yet either...

Despite all of this I am going to the gym for my turbo kick class and then hitting the hot tub! I suppose the stiffness and soreness will hold me back a bit during turbo kick, but I promised myself I was starting my new fitness regimen today and by golly I'm going to do it!

Aside from that, I still have about 18 more biking miles for leg #2 and around the distance of a 5k to do on the treadmill or elsewise for the final leg of a biathlon challenge I am doing. It's a lazy man's biathlon, but it's no cake walk! I participated in a Lazy Man Triathlon back in July/August and that one was tough as well..... Here's the skinny on the Lazy Man challenges....

Lazy Man Triathlon:
Running - 26.2 Miles
Biking - 112 Miles
Swimming - 3.1 Miles

BUT! You have five weeks to finish this one, and there are plenty of substitutions for each portion of the total race.

Lazy Man Duathlon (Biathlon really)
Leg #1 - 5k Run (3.1 Miles)
Leg #2 - 93.2 Miles Biking
Leg #3 - 18.6 Mile Run

BUT! You have an entire month to complete this one and just like the tri, there are substitutions for the various exercises.

I love challenging myself and one of these days I'm going to do a sprint distance triathlon for real! I did one of my own design once and managed to finish it in a little over an hour total.... Not bad really.... But anyway.. I need to go get my but in gear for the workout stuff today!

First 10k... Results and Reflections....

Well, I decided to try my very first 10k race this morning. The run is primarily sponsored by Dunkin' Donuts and is appropriately called... The Dunkin' Run!

I arrived early, and dined on a bagel with cream cheese and coffee for breakfast... had a few munchkins too..... Then I checked in and tied my chip up in my shoe laces, and put on my bib... #53! Afterthat there was lots of wandering and stretching before lining up for the start of the race.

We all started going and it was so awesome! The 5k racers made one loop around the course while the 10k people did two loops.... I think I figured out what people mean by "hitting the wall" today.... I hit that wall about a mile and half from the finish and I let out a war whoop and shoved myself hard as heck right on through it!

I finished the race dead last, but at least I finished it! Ultimately, that is my goal with every race... Just finish, don't worry about the time!

So for those curious about it, my result are listed below.....

Official Time: 1:32:43
Official Pace: 14:56

Not too shabby for my first 10k race!

Turning Over a New Leaf....

Well, it is Friday once again and time for accountability. My weight is down this week, and I am happy!

Last Week - 181.9
This Week - 179.7

LOSS of 2.2 pounds.

I have my very first 10k race on Sunday morning and will post results here. On Monday I begin a new training program which I outline below.....

Monday - Turbo Kick
Tuesday - Zumba
Wednesday - Weight Circuits and Swimming
Thursday - Zumba
Friday - Rest Day
Saturday - Cardio Kickboxing and Zumba
Sunday - Rest Day

I am also seriously considering starting up with a local Roller Derby team. They practice two nights per week (Monday and Thursday) and I spoke to one of the girls last night.... She told me she's lost 25 pounds since starting derby..... I looked on the listing the team has on Facebook and she's listed under "fresh meat" on their roster. I love the names the girls use too.... I have a name I'm thinking of for my derby name, but not telling right now. Going to work with a friend of a friend in two weeks on derby stuff and see what I can do and can't do of that before making my final decision. He coached a derby team before so he can tell me one way or another....

Running Shoe Comparisons

So I went to the state fair two days out of the approximately two weeks it was running. One day I wore my new running shoes, a pair of Saucony's I bought at TJMaxx recently. That day I walked the fairgrounds for the entire day and the shoes held up really well. My feet were sore and swollen on the way home, but I think that was due to being on them the entire day.

Yesterday I went to the fair again and decied to wear my New Balance 1064 running shoes for this trip. I was there for less time, but I barely sat down except for the tiger show or while on a few rides. The shoes did well and while my feet sweeled a little, it wasn't as bad as the first day at the fair. However, I should point out that I was on my feet about two thirds as long as the first day.

I think both shoes did equally as well in keeping my feet comfortable while walking those long distances around the fairgrounds. I have also done some treadmill jogging with both pairs. The New Balance I like for running on tracks and some for treadmills, but the Saucony's I like better for running on pavement outdoors because they counter my tendency to be a heel striker better than the New Balance shoes have.

I would recommend both shoes however because each has its own merits for different types of training and running.

So FRUSTRATED!!!!

Okay, so how the heck this happened I can't figure out.... but somehow I am up to 181.8 pounds this week. All I can think is it's sodium and that my TOM is due soon so it has to be water weight. Anyway, I'm going to knock out some killer workouts this weekend and see where I land afterwards.... Something's gotta be severely screwy!

Weigh-in Day

Well ladies and gents, time I face the music and post my weight for this week.

Last Saturday Morning: 182.5
This Morning: 178.6
Difference: 2.9 pounds LOST!

Starting Weight: 182.5
Current Weight: 178.6
Difference So Far: Down 2.9 pounds

Thoughts on Swimsuits

So I've been trying to shop for swimming suits so I have a rotation to choose from because I am constantly in the pool swimming.

I've got one suit made by Speedo and I used to have two suits made by Tyr. The comparisons run this way so far..... The Speedo suit fits really well and has a slimming effect on my body which I love. The two Tyr suits were both made of polyester (which is supposed to last longer in chlorine by the way). The Speedo is made of a type of lycra that is supposed to last longer (we shall see). The two Tyr suits stretched out badly on me, and I'm really not sure why they did that, but they didn't last longer than about six months.

The first Tyr suit was solid black and lasted about 6 or 7 months. Given that I was losing weight and constantly in the pool that seems a reasonable lifespan for the suit. Another Tyr suit (lycra and a two piece) has lasted me about a year and is just starting to stretch out, so I'm starting to think lycra might last longer right now... but I digress. The second polyester Tyr suit I bought in April during my lifeguard training. It started to stretch a little within a couple of months. The pool I spent a lot of time in at the time didn't have much chlorine in it and instead used a different chemical mix. I wonder if this might have contributed to the excessive wear, but I doubt it if they were designed to withstand chlorine as the tags claimed.

On to my newest suit, this time from Speedo. It is not a polyester suit, and is bigger than my two prior suits, but fits my body nicely and actually produces a slimming effect as noted earlier. I am going to be tracking the performance of this suit as compared to the prior two suits because I am interested to see how long it lasts given my propensity to be in the water constantly.

Now, let it be noted that I do not blame the manufacturers for the performance of the suits I have had in the past and now. I believe that my propensity for swimming almost every day may hae contributed to the way my suits have lasted or not lasted as the case might be over time. For this reason, I am going to try hitting the sales at the sports stores and grab myself two more of the Speedo suits like my new one. I love the fit and slimming effect, and the way the back of the suit is constructed allows me more freedom of movement for butterfly as well. The back style is called Ultra Pro, whatever that means..... I will likely pick up a couple of fly back suits as well.

I've purchased neoprene webbed gloves to help me with my pull strength, and I am planning to purchase a pair of fins for my kick. The fins will either be strengthening fins or the training fins.... Not sure yet, but I like both. I looked at triathlon suits today as well, and I about choked on the price.... Well over 100 dollars and I would definitely need to try some on for fit before blindly purchasing online.....

Too Many Races?

Okay, so I know that going to Dunkin' Donuts this morning wasn't the wisest choice for breakfast, but I found out about a race they sponsor which is sanctioned so it means they have the smart chips on your shoes!

The run is called The Dunkin Run 2010 and has a fun run for kids 13 and under, a 5k race, and a 10k race. The only problem is..... This race is scheduled the day after another race I wanted to participate in and I'm not sure that's such a good idea to do two races back to back like that. The revised race schedule would look like this:

September 6 - Labor Day 5k run/walk sponsored by my credit union
September 11 - Brenda Deer Memorial 5k sponsored by the YMCA's in the are
September 12 - Dunkin Run 2010 5k/10k/kids fun run
October 4 - 17th Annual Ricky J. Parisian Pit Run 5k/10k run and 2 mile walk

I'm wondering if I shouldn't volunteer for the Brenda Deer 5k and save my strength for the Dunkin' Run the following day. As with any race, my goal will be to finish, and have a baseline for time improvement next race of that length. I am really going to have to step it up on my training if I want to get ready for the Dunkin' Run though... and I am also debating going for the 10k as a baseline for my plan to do the Pit Run 10k this year rather than the 5k like last year.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

The Quest for Fitness

So, I have been losing weight steadily for quite some time when suddenly it starts coming right back on.... EEEK! Can we say time to knuckle down and get my butt back under control?

So here's my game plan:

Sept. 6th - 5k race sponsored by my new bank.
Sept. 11th - 5k race sponsored by the local YMCA's
October 4th - My very first 10k race

On top of all of that, I have decided to try the half marathon training program I found in a woman's running magazine. This should more than prepare me for a somewhat local but rather famous 15k road race next Summer. I'm also going to be preparing for the Warrior Dash next Fall.

Why the sudden interest in running? For one it's fantastic exercise. For another it is the one form of exercise that continues to elude my best training efforts.

Also, having recently blown past not only the Lazy Man Triathlon (a 5 week challenge) where I was supposed to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run 26.2 miles I feel fabulous and ready to try a real triathlon sometime very soon! Right after finishing the Lazy Man Triathlon challenge (in 5 days because I'm that nuts) I did my own mini triathlon for a last chance workout before weigh in day which is every Friday. My mini triathlon started off with a 6.2 mile hike/jog in the woods and around my then hometown. Then I got on the elliptical trainer for the bike portion as the exercise bikes at the Y there were all busy. I did 3.1 miles or 5k on that. Then I sprinted upstairs and changed into my bathing suit for my final leg, a half mile swim in the pool! I finished the whole mini triathlon in 2 hours 36 minutes and 44 seconds! Not bad for somebody who's never done anything like that before. Don't quote me on the time exactly because I have to go back and look, but I know the hours and seconds are correct and I came in under 3 hours.

Anyway, I am working out hard and hope to see the results of that hard work in pounds and inches lost very soon.

My beginning stats:
Weight: 182.5 (as of this morning)
Goal Weight: 162.1 for Halloween Thriller
Overall Goal Weight: 145