Post New Orleans

Well, the 50th birthday trip is over.  Went 7 days without an ounce of training.  Had a cold most of the time, so I figured I killed 2 birds with one stone (vacation and cold).    Haven't looked at the scale.....maybe next week.  Ate and drank too much, but you only turn 50 once!

I thought yesterday was going to be a nice easy 5 mile hill workout to ease back into things.  Wrong I was!  Spinning started last night....60 minutes of hell...good hell, but hell.  Woke up with a headache this morning, but still made it to the pool for a 2800 yard swim.  Proved to myself that even if I feel like shit, I can make through a workout!  I need to remember that!  Swimming seems to be coming along better.  I'm finally getting a little faster.   I have watched enough swim videos and read a million articles.....I should be a pro at this point.


Signed up for the Half IronMan Ohio last night. Mixed emotions about it.  Always worried about the swim start.  Since it is a new race, there is not too much information out there.  I hope it will be a good rehearsal for my full.  It will give me a chance to try things out.   I guess I have my race schedule in place.....Shamrock Shuffle Half Marathon - March 19, Pittsburgh Half Marathon - May 1,  Mars HS Band Run - May 21 (our company sponsor's it, so I have to run), Mighty Moraine Man Spring Sprint -  May 22, Rev4 Williamsburg Olympic - June 11 (rethinking that one), Half Ironman Ohio - Aug 20 and Ironman Choo - Sept. 25.   Looks pretty scary on paper! 

I wish the stress of selling my father's house would be over.  If the house won't sell, I'm afraid he may have to move in with us, instead of living in assistant living.  He is 90, grumpy and in a wheelchair.  Not sure how I would handle work, training and caretaking.  It may be just too much...........

Ironman Kona 2015 and Suck it up!

It was amazing to watch the Ironman World Championship in Kona this past weekend!  I was lucky enough to be invited to Shari's to watch it on the big screen TV instead of my computer monitor!  The level of athleticism is mind boggling.  Looking forward to seeing the edited version in November with the athletes backgrounds and stories. I did feel for Gordon Ramsey.  One of the celebrity chief that was competing.  Had a DNF due to sickness on the bike portion.  It really sucks to get that far and not finish......one of my worst fears in this whole journey. 

Training the past few days has been hard.  Sunday I had a great 9 mile run on the Freeport Trail with Shari and Kevin.  After that I was totally useless.  Got nothing done around the house that I wanted to. Dining room is still a mess along with the basement.  I guess it will wait.   When are those little Ironman fairies going to come and help with the housework?? I thought they appeared after you paid you registration money to IM.  Mine must be running late! Monday's swim and core/arms workout and todays hill workout felt like some sort of torture.  Took longer than expected and felt every muscle in my body.  Hope I'm not getting sick.  No time for that!  Suck it up buttercup and move on!  Tomorrow is a new day and hope some sort of energy force finds me and gives me kick in the ass!   Won't get any faster or stronger if I don't give 100%. Can't skip any workouts until I go to New Orleans!  That is my deal with myself........Work hard then play hard!

PS....I will try harder to eat healthier tomorrow.

Keeping the life socal, Mexican Food and Training

The past few days have been about catching up at home and in the office while trying to stay on task with training.  (Can you tell I was a teacher?) I did get a fun bike ride in with some of the girls that ended at the Harmony Inn for drinks and dinner.  I am so fortunate to have other women that have taken the ironman journey this year that I can observe and ask questions.  I'm kind of new to the group, so I do more observing than talking at this point.   They are an inspiration. 

I missed Thursdays run workout.  Didn't beat myself up too bad about it.  Walmart took a little longer than planned, but saved $50 in coupons!  Today I thought I was being a good time manager and scheduled work in the morning, lunch with a friend and pool time after that.  The love of Mexican food made me choose the lunch venue.  Not a smart move before a pool workout.  I thought I was going to sink most of the time.  Usually I enjoy pool days, today not so much! Since I have totally ditched the healthy eating today, a glass of red wine and Mary Jane's (peanut butter taffy that you can only get this time of year) is my dinner.  Tomorrow will be better, I hope!

I have been talking to my non triathlete friends about this journey a little bit more.  Mostly are supportive, but I'm sure they think I have gone off the deep end.  I am going to try my hardest to keep that end of my social life active.  I'm sure it will be a struggle in the late spring and summer.  Friendship is important to me, so it needs to be a priority. 

Received a call today from a friend that bikes and he wants me to ride a century with him in a few weeks - 20 loops around North Park.  Not sure if my ADD will allow me to go in a circle that many times! I have never ridden that far.  It was a goal for the year until the back started to give me issues. I guess I will give it the old college try.   I have to remember how important core strengthening is this winter!!! 

Hopefully my race schedule will  be finalized soon.  Mighty Moraine Man Spring Sprint in May (hope the water is not too cold), maybe off to Williamsburg for an Rav3 Olympic race in June and looking at the new Ironman 70.3 in Columbus, Ohio in Aug. Seems like many of the girls are interested at that race.  Could be a fun event if everyone can get registered. 

Looking forward to watch some of the Kona race tomorrow!  Talk about some inspiration!! 

Best Run Ever!! Getting out of Turtle Mode!!

Since it was a beautiful day, I decided to get my long run day out of the way.  This weekends weather could be nasty with the threats of a hurricane coming up the coast. On a side note, I feel terrible that the ironman in MD was canceled/postponed this weekend.  Hopefully they can get it rescheduled!!  Back to my run, I had  7 miles to do.  I decided that it is time to step up the pace.  I have had it in my head all summer that I had to pace myself so I don't die at the half ironman race.  Goal was to finish in 8 hours and I did that by the skin of my teeth!  (7:58)  Today, my first mile was at a 10:39 pace.  Not too bad for me!  My last mile was a 9:52 pace!  That was great for me!!! Thus, my average was 10:20.  It was great to run with fairly fresh legs and run just to run.  No bike or swim to go along with it!  Plus, I got everything off my desk at work, so it was a guilt free workout!  That doesn't happen too often.   Hoping I have more run days like today.  This winters goals is to work on core strength (for my back and to get my six pack abs at 50 - HAHA) and to speed myself out of turtle mode!