like a fish.

Great swim tonight:

500 warm up
Ladder: 300/ 275/ 250/ 225/ 200/ 175/ 150/ 125/ 100/ 75/ 50/ 25
200 kick
500 pull
5 x 100 swim
200 warm down

Total: 3850 meters/ 1:27:45 .

It started raining during my swim, but it was a light, cold rain (and no thunder/ lightning) and it felt goooood.

excuses, etc.

Excuses/ reasons for why my training has been sucky:

• Three days of being sick last week
• Not waking up early to get in my early morning workouts
• Not enough time
• Crazy high heat and humidity

What I am going to do to rock my workouts

• Go to sleep earlier -- makes waking up early easier/ possible
• Plan ahead -- put workouts in my Palm (times and dates)
• Work out early to avoid heat and humidity ... or suck it up and get on the treadmill
  

That said, I did go to the gym and get in an hour on the treadmill... ick but I got it in and with good music, it wasn't that bad. [6.38 miles]. I need to put in some time on the bike trainer tonight, too.

I guess this is normal, but I really have some highs and lows in my training. One great run and I'm thinking "Great, I can do this HIM!" and one crappy bike ride and I'm doubting everything. Normal, I know, but still frustraing.

Time to get my tushie on the trainer!

lazy bones.

So by "getting in as many workouts as possible," I meant not doing anything ... except drinking Miller High Life Light and Pina Colodas.

I feel incredibly out of shape and sluggish. I think I'll feel better once I've gotten in a few workouts this week, but I'm really annoyed with myself for not getting in anything in four days.

Boo.

long bike ride.

Hello to the two or three people that read this blog :P

Long time no blog. I started a new job and I've been really busy lately. My training has been going pretty well.

Yesterday I did 42 miles on the bike (on the Columbia Triathlon course, which is known for its hills), followed by a 3 mile run. I met a guy while I was biking who gave me great tips on my form. He reminded me that my power comes from my hips and to think pull-up-push-down. He also gave me advice on shifting gears going up hills. It's nice to be part of such a friendly triathlete community. I need to figure out nutition on the bike. I brought along a cliff bar and a peanut butter sandwhich, but I was really crampy. I drank water and gatorade. Ideas? I might go to shot blocks and sport beans, but the sugary-ness of those kind of gross me out. I guess I could do GU, but I'll do that on the run, and if I'd rather not eat that many GUs.

This morning I did a 45 minute run with 45 sec. strides every 10 minutes. I am not a big fan of summer running in Baltimore, but you get up early and do what you gotta do. This afternoon I had an easy mile swim (appx 32 minutes) at the pool.

I've been feeling more positive about my training lately. I'll be out of town this week for a work conference, but I'll be dragging all my gear and hope to get in as many workouts as possible.

Toyota 1 Mile Bay Challenge

TOYOTA 1 MILE BAY CHALLENGE

Time: 36:46
Overall finish: 145/300
Gender finish: 67/192
AG finish: 10/17


I had spent the night at a friend's house before the race, and I didn't sleep well. I woke up often, worrying about oversleeping and worrying about the race itself.



James and I left Baltimore at around 7:15 a.m. to head to the bay bridge. The 1 miler is the 'lesser' event to the Chesapeake Bay Swim - a 4.4 mile swim from shore to shore. We got there without incident (or, thank god, traffic), and I checked in, got my cap and chip, and waited for my wave to start. The waves were arranged weirdly -- by the order of sign up, and not by predicted time. Although I signed up several months ago, I was in the last wave. Each wave was 10 minutes apart, and after waiting for the three previous waves to start, I zipped up my wetsuit and headed to the water.
The water was what I like to call comfortably-cool -- not freezing, but cool enough to wake you up. We waded into the water (the entire mile was in a part of the Bay on a shelf -- you could stand in any area) and got ready for the gun to go off. And... we're off! It was the typical kicking and pulling frenzy --- grabbing someone's leg, getting hit on the arm, etc. I had trouble with sighting in this race -- something I haven't had a problem with in previous open water swims. The finish was awful -- the shore looked like it was receding ... every time I felt that I was close, I'd look up and see that I had a while to go.

I finished in a dissapointing 36:46, a full 5 minutes slower than my one mile swim at Reston. I grabbed some water and my tshirt, changed out of my swim suit and wetsuit, and headed home.

The whole experience was just 'eh,' which kind of sucks. I didn't feel that great in the water, I had trouble sighting the buoys, and my time was dissapointing. Oh well, they can't all be winners.

new gear!

Wheeee! I love new tri gear almost as much as I love new shoes.

Rocket Science Sports Tri Bag. This bag is sa-weeeeet (read this review)!

Polar F11

more training = more food, more sleep.

Summer is here, regardless of what the calendar says. I woke up early on my day off (on my day off!) and did a 60 minute run with 30 seconds of strides every 10 minutes, then 5 x 20 sec strides. Then: 41 minutes on the trainer... until I messed with something and now the bike computer doesn't work. Grr. Need to take that in to get fixed.

Run
1h 02m 41s
7.04 miles
08m 54s/Mi

Bike
41m 43s
9.60 miles
13.81 Mi/hr

I've always known that the more I train, the more I need to eat. What I never really considered was how much more sleep I need when I'm training this hard. I usually get 7-8 hours a night, but I really need to start getting 8-9. Last week I came home from work and fell asleep at 6:00 p.m. .. and only woke up to brush my teeth and wash my face before going back to bed for the night.

Our flag football team is in the playoffs -- which is exciting, but I have a long bike ride I need to do before our first game at 11:00. I'm sure I will be exhuasted by game time, but I'm just there because I'm a girl and they need at least three of us on the field ;) .... hand-eye coordination isn't really my thing.

* GOOD LUCK TOMORROW MONICA! *

new training program.

I don't think my old training program was ... enough. I printed out a half IM training program from beginnertriathlete.com and it looks like a much better fit for me.

I heart schedules.

I am crazy. No, really. More so than you thought.

What - WHAT - the eff was I thinking when I signed up for this Half Ironman? This race is going to take me seven-ish! HOURS. Oh, and there is a hill on the bike that is "the steepest hill in all triathlons." GREAT choice for a first half IM, Trish. From the website:

With its poor pavement, an average grade of 25% and a max pitch of 31%, successfully getting up the final block of the Westernport Wall takes a bit of skill, a bit of luck, and a lot of True Savage determination! All savages who conquer the Wall without putting a foot down receive a special "Brick In The Wall" prize. Those savages who choose not to tackle the closed block have the option to take a slightly longer, more humane route around the block. The Westernport Wall takes no prisoners and respects no pedigree. In the inaugural year of the SavageMan Triathlon the Westernport Wall laid claim to many victims, and not just your everyday triathletes. A multiple Ironman pro podium finisher attempted the Wall and had to unclip and walk, as did other pro triathletes. The 12th overall pro at the 2007 Ironman Hawaii World Championships took one look at the Wall, said "No Way", and elected to take the slightly longer, more sane route around.

I think I might be one of those savages who takes the "slightly longer, more sane route around" ... but then again, I feel like I should at least TRY ( "tri" haha) it. The swim doesn't bother me at all and I think I will be fine with the half marathon run .. if I MAKE it to the run! Really though, I've always been one to set high (um, in this case, RIDICULOUS) goals, and why not? You only live once.

Last night's spin class and swim went well. We went out for pizza afterwards which is, of course, the BEST post workout food.

Tonight: bike 45, run 35, weights 30

running in the rain

I'm ruuuunnning in the rain ... just runnnning in the rain ... what a gloorrriouussss feeeeling, I'm haaapy again.

Yesterday I did farleks (will that ever get old? I think not) and it started storming on my way home. It felt wonderful -- so refreshing after running in humidity. I always forget how much I hate running in the summer until summer running season starts. I hate to either wake up really early or run late at night .... and even that doesn't make a difference because the humidity is around even when the sun is not. And yes, I WOULD like cheese with my whine, thankyouverymuch.


43m 31s // 5.04 miles //08m 38s/Mi

Tonight I'm doing a 1 hour spin class followed by a 1 hour Masters' swim.

Good swimmer, not-so-good cyclist.

I think this is really telling of where I am in all three sports... out of 203 racers, I ranked:

~51st in the swim
~132nd in the bike
~116th in the run.

Hmm I wonder where my weakness lies.

Had a great workout yesterday:

45 minute bike (on trainer, watching My Super Sweet 16: Biggest Bling Bashes), 10.5 mi
46 minute swim, 2000 meters.

I love swimming outdoors at night ... so peaceful. The sky was clear, the water was cool, and there were only two other swimmers in the water.




Today I am doing a 40 minute fartlek run ... fartlek. Does the hilarity of that word ever get old? I seriously dislike speedwork of any kind, but it's a necessary evil and if I want to be a faster runner, I need to do a session or two a week.

I would really like to do another sprint this summer ... I may look around for one or two in the maryland/ delaware area (I wish they weren't so freaking expensive, though!).

Cascake Lake Tri

Cascade Lake Sprint Triathlon Race Report

Total time: 1:40:50
Swim: 10:59
T1: 2:24

Bike: 59:31

T2: 1:37
Run: 26:18

James and I left Baltimore for Westminster at 4:50 a.m. Our ride there was uneventful -- we stopped for a bathroom (me) and a cheee and egg bagel (James). We got to the Lake at 5:50 a.m., giving me plenty of time to check in, get marked, and set up my transition area. After setting everything up, I Body Glide-d up, pulled on my wetsuit, and stood with James to hear the race instructions. Then: we're off to the Lake! We walked down a steep and muddy hill (erm, the same steep and muddy hill we would be running up post swim). Men under 39 were first ... then men 40 and over .. then finally, then women!

My stuff in the transition area:

SWIM
We waded out to the first buoy and waited for our GO! There were LOTS of bodies coliding, but nothing major ... the swim was short -- 500m/ .31 mi -- so it was over pretty quickly. I glanced at my watch when I got out of the water -- I think it took me about 8 minutes. I saw and heard James (GO SWEETIE!) as I was running out of the water. I heard someone say I was the 13th woman out of the water!

T1

The lake was at the bottom of a hill, so we had to run up a muddy hill - barefoot! (I was passing a lot of MEN -- big ego boost!) to the transition area. I told myself I wasn't going to stress during the transitions, and I didn't. I calmly (okay, SEMI-calmly) pulled off my wetsuit, and put on my socks, bike shoes, helmet, and gloves. Off I ran with my bike out of the transition area.

BIKE

I passed the Mount/ Dismount line, hopped on my bike, and clipped in. What I most commonly heard on the bike: on your left! The bike is by far my weakest link, and it didn't help that this was a very hilly course. Okay, excuses aside, it was an okay bike ride. I heard a lot of people say it was hard, which made me feel better. I did pass a couple of people. I felt okay on the bike -- I ate half a cliff bar and drank some water. I froze my water bottle the night before, and it was thawed - but still ice cold - when I got on the bike. I definitely have some work to do on the bike. The bike took me about 60 minutes.

T2

I was so happy to get off of my bike and get started on the third and final leg! I ran my bike into the transition area, feeling wobbly in the legs, re racked it, and changed my shoes. I took off my helmet and gloves and put on my hat. Then, off on the run!

RUN

The run was an out and back -- down a big hill, two loops, then UP that same hill. I actually felt really good on the run. I didn't have my Garmin, and the miles weren't marked, so I had no idea how fast I was going. I was passing a decent amount of people, which felt good. After the second loop, I was told "no u-turn for you! head to the finish!" (the volunteer was keeping track of who had done two loops and who had one more to go). I ran (okay "ran" ) up the hill and to the finish ... once I saw the finish chute, I sprinted ( "sprinted" ).

Sprinting to the finish:

I'm exhuasted but I feel fantastic. I cannot believe I am going to tackle the Savageman Half Ironman in 16 weeks!

Me and James at the finish:

Big shout out THANK YOU to James for waking up at the crack of dawn with me, and playing chauffeur, cheerleader, photographer, and bag holder. Best. Husband. Ever.