Week 2

Monday

• PLAN: 13 swim, 31 bike
  
• ACTUAL: 19 minute swim (consecutive laps!!), 31 minute bike (A personal best of Stormy Hollow!--Expresso bike)
  

Tuesday

• PLAN: off
• ACTUAL:nada..skipped soccer went to condo with the kids. Sat in hot tub and stretched does that count?
  

Wednesday

• PLAN: 22 swim, 35 bike
  
• ACTUAL: nada...Planned to swim at the condo, couldn't find swim suit and cap (ARGH!) Couldn't run forgot my cold gear and it was snowing...Wasn't meant to be! Ate pizza, drank beer instead.
  

Thursday

• PLAN: 13 run
  
• ACTUAL: 56 bike (13.4 miles) Reached the 200 mile mark on the Expresso bike!!!
• 12 run (one whole mile... needed to see how those legs were gonna feel
  
• coming off that ride, not SO bad
  

Friday

• PLAN: 44 bike
• ACTUAL:
  

Saturday

• PLAN: off
• ACTUAL:
  

Sunday

• PLAN: 22 run
• ACTUAL:

Weekly total plan: 175 min actual:
Swim 35
Bike 105
Run 35

Tried breaking it down a little more in my weekly totals to see if I can see where I am drifting off and where I am over doing it. This year I am using a "bike" focused plan instead of an even plan. I feel like I was really crappy on the bike last year. It stands to reason that since it is the longest part of the race I can make the most changes in my overall time by focusing here. I have realized I am a pretty strong swimmer, so I am working more on maintaining with the swim. Plan to do more outdoor swims in prep this year and more speed work in running.

Here I go ...AGAIN!

Alrighty, so my one follower says he missed me =)

Signed up last night for the SHErox sprint triathlon in Webster, MA. (Used to be the Danskin if you are following along!) With some new goals and a bit of experience (2 races now) under my belt, I start training again.

Personal goals:
1. Still wanna lose those nagging 10 pounds.
2. Actually put my face into the water in a race...yup swam 2 races without actually swimming the way I train day in and day out. Not sure how, but I still did really well in the swim.
3. Improve bike time SIGNIFICANTLY...Will need to clarify this one =)

So today, missing an hour of my life, I packed up and headed to the gym for day1 of "officially" training for the SheROX (which does sound much cooler than Danskin eh?) Being that it was truly a Monday, I got all the way to the gym before I realized I had forgotten my work clothes. Now I work in a pretty laid back office, but being that I already had my swimsuit on under my sweats I couldn't see any other way than to turn around and head for home. Good thing I had them all ready...fightin' the temptation just just crawl back into bed, I grabbed my clothes and hoped that I would still have time to get through my plan for the day...

Week 1:
Monday

• PLAN: 12 minute swim, 24 minute bike
• ACTUAL: 12 minute swim (10 laps!!), 24 minute bike (almost hanging from the bars....)

Tuesday

• PLAN: off
• ACTUAL: soccer

Wednesday

• PLAN: 20 swim, 32 bike
• ACTUAL: nada...sore, psychological hangover!!!
  

Thursday

• PLAN: 12 run
• ACTUAL: 51 bike (10.4 miles)
  

Friday

• PLAN: 40 bike
• ACTUAL: 22 run--(hills 1.96...cuz really?? A 12 minute run?)
  

Saturday

• PLAN: off
• ACTUAL: off
  

Sunday

PLAN: 20 run
ACTUAL: nothing...not off to a good start.

Week 1

• PLAN: Total training 2 hours, 40 minutes
• ACTUAL: 2 hours, 18 minutes...not counting soccer.

Hmm when I look at it that way it doesn't look so bad, but really not my best effort. ROUGH WEEK!

Next week I'll TRI harder =)

Another week...why no weight loss???

Okay I have been honest with myself, and there are two motivating factors behind this triathlon thing-y:
1. Is to say I did it!
2. Weight loss, i.e FINALLY looking good (again) in a bikini!

So I have to say, I am so happy with all the other aspects of my training. I feel good (tired...but good), I am motivated, I LOVE training, I am eating better and moving MUCH more, by why is that DAMN scale not M-O-V-I-N-G!! (I don't you dare say ..."But your gaining muscle, and muscle weighs more than fat...phoey) Tell that to that roll around my middle! (Okay, so the brownies and Magic bars, and Easter treats today...not so good! But other than that I have been REALLY good.)

I know blah, blah blah,...

So here's what did this week:

Sunday
Plan: 14 run
Actual: 29 run (3 mile) OUCH!!! Freakin' old knee pain is back, snuck up on me at the top of Meadowbrook, end of mile 2...thinking about new sneakers??????????

Monday
Plan: 14 swim, 29 bike
Actual: 14 swim, 29 bike (Knee pain lingering, treated quads and pop. fossa (L) at work with US and E-stim...felt better.

Tuesday
Plan: 30 run (soccer)
Actual: 30 min run (soccer) NO KNEE PAIN!!! Wore brace, but ended up taking it off as I had no pain what-so-ever!

Wednesday
Plan: rest
Actual: 25 min walk, ITB stretches (Damn knee!..Missy thinks it's a bursitis and ITB stretches will help it), yoga, total body strength and ab videos (10 minute each)

Thursday
Plan: 24 swim
Actual: 50 min swim,
~~~~~~ Another REALLY good swim session , everything felt good, I followed a swim training plan, swan just over a mile (72 laps!)
Lots of ITB stretches, and abs

Friday
Plan: 29 bike
Actual: 50 min bike (with Alex in tow!) 9mile, easy ride

Saturday
Plan: 14 run
Actual: Rest..(Not really 4 hours of standing in the shack, in the freezing rain watching major mook play ball!)



Total training time
Plan: 154 min
Actual: 227

Goals:
1. Continue ITB and hamstring stretches
2. Continue yoga and ab workouts
3. Add 2 strength sessions (consistently) each week
4 Make dietary chagnes to increase weight loss...fat loss anyway =)
5. ENJOY THE RIDE!!! (or swim or run....)

Week three....

THIS WEEK I RIDE FOR KIM SHAPIRO: Although I only met her once, briefly, I find when I ride I think of her and her family and all they are going through with her recovery. I pray as I ride, especially as I cross the accident sight, that God will continue to heal her physically and emotionally.

THIS WEEK I RUN FOR CARA: Cara, I run the middle mile for you! (Sorry my Dad always get the first one.... and the last one is for me!) I put you on the second mile because that's always the hardest for me to get though. I need the determination to get through it, and I draw on your spiritual strength and ever positive attitude to remind me that (with God's help) I CAN DO ANYTHING I PUT MY MIND TO.

This week, I found it hard to have a rest week like my training plan said too. I am sure I will regret it in the next two weeks my intensity is supposed to increase. I finally decided that my soccer games do count as a run for Tuesday, which is good because I do run my butt off. I have to say this week I really noticed an improvement in my endurance...too bad there wasn't such improvement in my soccer skills..ahh 1 thing at a time =)

Sunday
Plan: 24 min run
Actual: REST ( I needed the rest that I should have had on Sat but I did a brick instead!)

Monday
Plan: 14 swim, 29 bike
Actual: 14 swim, 29 bike

Tuesday
Plan: rest
Actual: 40 min run (soccer)

Wednesday
Plan: 14 run
Actual: 22 run and ab workout

Thursday
Plan: 14 swim
Actual: 40 min swim, 30 min bike (not bricked) ab workout
~~~~~~ Probably my best swim session to date, everything felt good, I was able to incorporate some nice changes into my stroke and my training plan.

Friday
Plan: 29 bike
Actual: REST (Did the bike yesterday...)

Saturday
Plan: 14 run
Actual: 34 bike (9.4 miles--West Rd loop)

Total training time
Plan: 124 min
Actual: 209

Weight change:
This week: -2
To date: -4

Goals for the week:
1. Need 2 scheduled strength days
2. Maybe work in a spinning class for a bike day
3. Keep up the ab workouts before bed

Addendum: WHAT AM I GOING TO WEAR? Why as I woman must this question haunt every aspect of my life. My much anticipated Tri-suit came in, and well, it's on its way back! NOT ON ME!! I think my new plan is a tri-tank (the one I got from Danskin...love it! swam in it on Thursday!!) and either trunks or bike shots. We shall see. I also added the cages to my pedals this week, jury still out of that one, thinkI might like clipless shoes better, again one step (and dollar) at a time!!

My friend Karl has me thinking about a dualthon...hmm, run-bike-run. I need withhold my decision making on that one.

In the words of the golfing great Harvey Peinick: If you have an headache, take one aspirin, not the whole bottle~~I.e if you are going to make a change, make just one change at a time!!!

Two down....18 to go!!

Week two: still going well.

SWIM : I think my stroke is getting stronger. I can do more laps in the pool before I tucker out. I have deviated from the swim training I was using, I think I got a little information overload. My goal for this week to to stay focused on my plan: one training session, and one endurance session. We'll see....

RUN: Still probably my least favorite of the tri. I ran outdoors this week, 3 miles. It actually felt good. I think the reason I never liked running is because I always jump in to fast and try to do too much, or I try to run a 5k without training ..... This will be a challenge for me to stay on track here. I only got in one of my two runs this week. Well, not counting soccer, but we did play one man short and had no subs so maybe I should count soccer as one of my runs!

BIKE: Wish I could say I LOVED my new bike, but you get what you pay for. It's okay, a nice smooth ride, but it's a bit clunky mechanically, maybe I can get it tuned and it will feel better. I am also not crazy about the handle bar/brake position but maybe I can tinker with that too. (When I can find the time!!!!)

Training Log:

Sunday
Plan: 22 min run
Actual: 50 min bike (10.3 miles)

Monday
Plan: 14 min swim
29 min bike
Actual: 25 min swim
15 min bike

Tuesday
Plan: Rest
Actual: Soccer

Wednesday
Plan: 24 run
Actual: 25 run (3 miles)

Thursday
Plan: 24 min swim
Actual: 45 min swim

Friday
Plan: 48 min bike
Actual: 16 min bike (6.4 miles) EXPRESSO

Saturday
Plan: Rest
Actual: BRICK bike/run 50 min (5/1.6 miles)


WEEK 2:
Plan: 161 min
Actual: 226 min (not including soccer)

WEIGHT CHANGE: -2

Goals for week 3:

1. Rework schedule to NOT have a rest on Saturday or Sunday as these are the days that I can get out because Pete is home.
2. Add two strength sessions this week
3. Add ab work 2 nights a week

Future goal:
Add 1-2 yoga sessions per week.

Dietary changes:
More fish, more salads. Refocus on planning meals for the week. This has more to do with my return to work and the start of baseball/soccer season for the boys than it does with my tri-training, if I write it out it is more likely to happen!

Week 1 is in the bank!

I am am training for my first Triathlon this summer, July 26th in fact. I have pondered this jump for quite awhile, but seeing friends do it has FINALLY pushed me over the edge.

I have done my homework, found a training routine, researched my weak spot (swimming) and this week I officially started my training. My new bike is put together and needs a tune up...guess I shouldn't have assembled myself, but I just couldn't wait. I am waiting for my new tri-swim suit to arrive (I can't imagine anything will be less sexy).


So blah, blah blah.. Here's a peek at my first week:
(My apologies to Kim, for stealing her format see Kimberlyintraining.blogspot.com)

3/16
Plan: 13 min Swim
26 min Bike

Actual: 25 min swim, no bike*

*This led to the purchase of the tri-suit as I couldn't get a freakin' sports bra onto my towel dried body!!!

3/17
Plan: Rest
Actual: Soccer game 40 min game....no subs! (We lost...a butt kickin' really)

3/18
Plan: 44 min bike
Actual: 52 min bike

3/19
Plan: 22 min swim
Actual: 40 min swim

3/20
Plan: 13 min run
Actual: 40 min bike

3/21
Plan: Rest
Actual: 16 min run (1.2 mile)

3/22
Plan: 22 min run
Actual: 50 min bike (10.3 miles)

TOTAL
Plan: 140 min
Swim: 35 min
Bike: 70 min
Run: 35 min

Actual: 223 min
Swim: 65 min
Bike: 142 min
Run: 56 min

WEIGHT CHANGE: 0

The reason this is so bike strong is because I have been riding mini-mook to his preschool playdates across town. Overall I think I had a great week. Perhaps I over trained a bit but that is the excitement of doing something new and getting a new bike =) I also need to try to make sure that I make a schedule on Sunday night that I can stick with through the week.

Now a plea to Mother Nature....PLEASE!! It's spring, bring on the nice weather. I don't like riding my bike while it's snowing.