04/29/09 - Swim and Run
Today I got in a couple of workouts, but noticed they were just a little shorter than normal. I got to the pool at the regular time, but I'm not sure what happened... I somehow came up about 100m short of my normal distance, and I was doing sprints! Hmmm.... It was a good swim though, nice and fast. I kept my 100m sprints at 1:40 on the nose, and my 50m sprints between :35-:45. I had a little variation in the 50m because I realized that I should slow it down just a hair to be sure I could get all 10 in at the same time. I finished with a lot of energy left, so maybe next time I'll just stick with the :35 pace.
That night, I skipped out on our Cross Fit because I've really been wanting to join our Wed. Night Group Run. This is a group of runners from my Tri team, a run team, a 1oK training team, and some stragglers. My friend and fiance are both in the 10K race training group, and I kind of expected that these lead runs would be filled with insightful tips.... not quite the case! We got there, did a couple of stretches and then the coach spoke some words of wisdom, "Ok, let's run!"
Everyone took off. I was with my friend and this was her first run, and I was shocked! They didn't talk about pacing, about form, or even how long or where to run! We were on a path that runs along the ocean cliffs in Santa Cruz, so it would be hard to get lost, but a little direction would have been nice. I ran with my friend, trying to help her find a good run/walk pace. I've been in her position, even less fit than she is, and I know how hard these initial runs are. You go all out for a couple minutes and then kill yourself for the rest of the run. I noticed that there weren't any other newbies on this run, so I'm guessing that they got scared off by their own crushed egos.
We made the best of it though, and had a great run! I tried to help slow down the pace and keep up the conversation. It was nice for me to spend the evening with a great friend, and I was filled with excitement to see that yet another person close to me is starting on their own running adventure. It's been such a positive impact on my life, I can't wait to see how it manifests itself in hers. I think the hardest run are during the first couple of weeks... your body yells at you for putting it through an unfamiliar torture, but she killed it. She was calm and fluid, and I can see great achievements in her future.
This friend and my fiance are training for the Santa Cruz Wharf to Wharf 10k, which is a race from Santa Cruz to Capitola along the ocean, that is literally one big party! I can't wait to do it with all my friends!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Whoah!
I'm way behind! So sorry, here's a quick run down of the rest of last week:
4/22/09 - Cross Fit
4/23/09 - Rest
4/24/09 - 6mi Run
4/25/09 - 22mi Bike
I had a distracting week last week. I was at a women's work retreat for two days and then left to go camping for the rest of the weekend to celebrate my fiance's birthday. It was a lot of fun, but it's difficult to squeeze in trainings when my schedule is out of whack. I have to consider what gear I'm bringing with me, and if I'll be able to shower afterward, and if I'll know where the heck I'm going in a new area. Still, it allows for interesting opportunities to explore new areas and sights that I haven't seen before, including running across a giant Jesus sculpture on the top of a hill. Where did that come from?
04/26/09 - Open Water Swim
This week started off with an open water swim clinic which provided some execptionally valuable tools on how to prepare to enter the water, how to exit, and how to handle the cold. We've had a few storms pass through causing upwelling, and with that some direly cold currents. We got into the water the first time to acclimate, and I just went into a bit of shock. Your lungs freeze, your muscles tense, and you forget to breath. Our coached walked us through the process of slowly submerging yourself underwater, and of course, allowing yourself to breath.
We started with a few short swims, and then hit up our race distance. On the short swims, I did great! Myself and two of our mentors finished first! We kept the same pace and seemed to create a large distance between ourselves and the other swimmers. However, I started noticing that my surf wetsuit may not be suited for this type of activity. I bought the wetsuit over a year ago, I've become a bit smaller, and accordingly, am taking on alot of water. Everytime I stroked, I could feel a gush of water coming into the suit and dragging me down. Triathlon wetsuits are much tighter and more flexible, so I might think about investing in one down the road.
Once we did the race distance, I kept pace with the leaders for the first half, but I started struggling with the wet suit and slowed my pace. They ended up finishing about 15m ahead of me, but I was just glad to finish!!! When I slowed my pace a bit, it gave me an opportunity to look around under water. We were practicing swimming through kelp beds to become accustomed to it's snarly nature, and I was spotting a little fish here and there. Of course, all of a sudden, I saw something much larger and much quicker! I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, but sure enough, I saw a silverish colored thing next to me! I popped out of the water, looking around to see how close the nearest swimmer was.... like I said, the leaders were 15m ahead of me (that's me in the red cap in the picture, bringing it in to the finish), and the pack was a good 100m behind me! I was alone! I thought about panicking, but before I had the opportunity, a little head popped up about an arm's length from me and stared at me with droopy and inquisitive eyes. I was so happy to see that seal, that it fueled me to pick up the pace and finish the last 150m in a sprint!
04/27/09 - T2 Training
I am BUMMED! With all the camping and birthday celebrating, I missed our T2 Training at the track on Monday. They set up their bikes and practiced race paces, and transitions, in which I am totally clueless. Thankfully, my training partner attended and I'm hoping she took notes!
04/28/09 - Run
We took in a nice run this evening. We no longer have spin class, so I'm adjusting to a new schedule... we'll see what manifests itself. In the mean time, the run was great except that I had a little intestinal issue about a mile in. Nothing that stopped me from running, but it definintely held my attention!
We ran along the ocean bluffs next to my office, and had a nice fast and strong pace on the way out. We knew we were going to be in trouble on the way back though, because the wind was hard at our backs. We hit the turn around point, and sure enough, we were blasted with the ice cold ocean winds. On a few hills the wind was so furious, that it seemed we didn't cover any ground.
We considered turning inland and heading for a little solitude, but I'm as stubborn as the wind, and thought it would be a great training opportunity. We battled the whole way home, and still had a strong, solid, and quick run. I'd have to say that with all this training, my run has improved the most. Interesting how spending extra time on the bike and in the pool ultimately helped me run faster! Go figure!
4/22/09 - Cross Fit
4/23/09 - Rest
4/24/09 - 6mi Run
4/25/09 - 22mi Bike
I had a distracting week last week. I was at a women's work retreat for two days and then left to go camping for the rest of the weekend to celebrate my fiance's birthday. It was a lot of fun, but it's difficult to squeeze in trainings when my schedule is out of whack. I have to consider what gear I'm bringing with me, and if I'll be able to shower afterward, and if I'll know where the heck I'm going in a new area. Still, it allows for interesting opportunities to explore new areas and sights that I haven't seen before, including running across a giant Jesus sculpture on the top of a hill. Where did that come from?
04/26/09 - Open Water Swim
This week started off with an open water swim clinic which provided some execptionally valuable tools on how to prepare to enter the water, how to exit, and how to handle the cold. We've had a few storms pass through causing upwelling, and with that some direly cold currents. We got into the water the first time to acclimate, and I just went into a bit of shock. Your lungs freeze, your muscles tense, and you forget to breath. Our coached walked us through the process of slowly submerging yourself underwater, and of course, allowing yourself to breath.
We started with a few short swims, and then hit up our race distance. On the short swims, I did great! Myself and two of our mentors finished first! We kept the same pace and seemed to create a large distance between ourselves and the other swimmers. However, I started noticing that my surf wetsuit may not be suited for this type of activity. I bought the wetsuit over a year ago, I've become a bit smaller, and accordingly, am taking on alot of water. Everytime I stroked, I could feel a gush of water coming into the suit and dragging me down. Triathlon wetsuits are much tighter and more flexible, so I might think about investing in one down the road.
Once we did the race distance, I kept pace with the leaders for the first half, but I started struggling with the wet suit and slowed my pace. They ended up finishing about 15m ahead of me, but I was just glad to finish!!! When I slowed my pace a bit, it gave me an opportunity to look around under water. We were practicing swimming through kelp beds to become accustomed to it's snarly nature, and I was spotting a little fish here and there. Of course, all of a sudden, I saw something much larger and much quicker! I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, but sure enough, I saw a silverish colored thing next to me! I popped out of the water, looking around to see how close the nearest swimmer was.... like I said, the leaders were 15m ahead of me (that's me in the red cap in the picture, bringing it in to the finish), and the pack was a good 100m behind me! I was alone! I thought about panicking, but before I had the opportunity, a little head popped up about an arm's length from me and stared at me with droopy and inquisitive eyes. I was so happy to see that seal, that it fueled me to pick up the pace and finish the last 150m in a sprint!
04/27/09 - T2 Training
I am BUMMED! With all the camping and birthday celebrating, I missed our T2 Training at the track on Monday. They set up their bikes and practiced race paces, and transitions, in which I am totally clueless. Thankfully, my training partner attended and I'm hoping she took notes!
04/28/09 - Run
We took in a nice run this evening. We no longer have spin class, so I'm adjusting to a new schedule... we'll see what manifests itself. In the mean time, the run was great except that I had a little intestinal issue about a mile in. Nothing that stopped me from running, but it definintely held my attention!
We ran along the ocean bluffs next to my office, and had a nice fast and strong pace on the way out. We knew we were going to be in trouble on the way back though, because the wind was hard at our backs. We hit the turn around point, and sure enough, we were blasted with the ice cold ocean winds. On a few hills the wind was so furious, that it seemed we didn't cover any ground.
We considered turning inland and heading for a little solitude, but I'm as stubborn as the wind, and thought it would be a great training opportunity. We battled the whole way home, and still had a strong, solid, and quick run. I'd have to say that with all this training, my run has improved the most. Interesting how spending extra time on the bike and in the pool ultimately helped me run faster! Go figure!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Firsts
04/21/09 - Yoga and Swim
Today was full of firsts for me, and I'm so grateful for them. One of the best parts of all this training is being able to push the boundaries I've built for myself, understand my physical limitations, confront some fears, and then blast on past them!!
I started off the day with some yoga. Pretty standard for me, until the very end of class. The teacher offered those of us willing to try, an opportunity to perform a head stand. She just immediately put her body into the position, and I sat there, a little stunned. At first, I wasn't sure what to think, will I embarrass myself and fall down? Then, before I realized it, something else kicked in, and I was doing it. I was shocked. I effortlessly pulled my legs from the ground and then above my head, and balanced, using the help of my core muscles. I almost started laughing out in celebration when I realized that I was doing it, but I thought it best to stay quiet and avoid all that falling stuff I had been thinking about just minutes before.
Later in the evening, I was confronted with some questions about what training to do that night. Our normal spin class is now over, it was 96 degrees outside, all the pools will be full.... then it dawned on me. I am not afraid of swimming in the ocean. If my training partner-in-crime felt comfortable giving it a try, then I was willing to do my swim in the open water.
Well, we arrived at the beach, threw on our wetsuits, and waded into the ice cold, and ultimately refreshing water. I looked over at C as we started swimming, and I was so proud. I was swimming in the ocean with a woman who was confronting one of her biggest fears. Yes, this was a first for me to swim around without a surfboard, but to see someone tackle their fears head on is quite an amazing experience. We took a few opportunities to just stop and float in the water, we practiced some resting techniques, I spoke to her about learning how to calm yourself down when you get in a panic, and before we knew it, we were face down swimming, having already covered our entire race distance!
Swimming in the ocean is so different from swimming in a pool. First and foremost, you're at the mercy of that body of water, but once you learn to give into it's power, to relax and go with the flow, to keep your eye on a focused point and just keep swimming towards it, it becomes a huge thrill. We were swimming along the Santa Cruz Wharf, in the company of sea lions, starfish, and otters. I felt like a kid exploring a whole new world, and I can't wait to make it a regular part of my training.
Today was full of firsts for me, and I'm so grateful for them. One of the best parts of all this training is being able to push the boundaries I've built for myself, understand my physical limitations, confront some fears, and then blast on past them!!
I started off the day with some yoga. Pretty standard for me, until the very end of class. The teacher offered those of us willing to try, an opportunity to perform a head stand. She just immediately put her body into the position, and I sat there, a little stunned. At first, I wasn't sure what to think, will I embarrass myself and fall down? Then, before I realized it, something else kicked in, and I was doing it. I was shocked. I effortlessly pulled my legs from the ground and then above my head, and balanced, using the help of my core muscles. I almost started laughing out in celebration when I realized that I was doing it, but I thought it best to stay quiet and avoid all that falling stuff I had been thinking about just minutes before.
Later in the evening, I was confronted with some questions about what training to do that night. Our normal spin class is now over, it was 96 degrees outside, all the pools will be full.... then it dawned on me. I am not afraid of swimming in the ocean. If my training partner-in-crime felt comfortable giving it a try, then I was willing to do my swim in the open water.
Well, we arrived at the beach, threw on our wetsuits, and waded into the ice cold, and ultimately refreshing water. I looked over at C as we started swimming, and I was so proud. I was swimming in the ocean with a woman who was confronting one of her biggest fears. Yes, this was a first for me to swim around without a surfboard, but to see someone tackle their fears head on is quite an amazing experience. We took a few opportunities to just stop and float in the water, we practiced some resting techniques, I spoke to her about learning how to calm yourself down when you get in a panic, and before we knew it, we were face down swimming, having already covered our entire race distance!
Swimming in the ocean is so different from swimming in a pool. First and foremost, you're at the mercy of that body of water, but once you learn to give into it's power, to relax and go with the flow, to keep your eye on a focused point and just keep swimming towards it, it becomes a huge thrill. We were swimming along the Santa Cruz Wharf, in the company of sea lions, starfish, and otters. I felt like a kid exploring a whole new world, and I can't wait to make it a regular part of my training.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Hot, hot, hot!
04/18/09 - Brick
So, what have I been up to lately, let's see. Saturday morning I woke up at 6:00am to find that I had only slept a possible one or two hours. I had quite a bit of trouble with sleep that night. I skipped our group ride and did a brick on my own. I road up into the hills, looped passed farms, cow pastures, and eventually back down to the beach. I did about 800ft of climbing, 18 miles of riding, and then jumped off the bike for 2 miles of running.
After this, I was supposed to register for the Santa Cruz 10k race, that was happening the following morning. The only way to register for the race was to go to the boardwalk, on a Saturday afternoon, at the busiest beach in town, with all the other race participants, and the thousands of tourists unloading in our town to enjoy the 80 degree weather! I headed down that way, and realized it was going to take hours, and cost me $20 to park, and then another $50 to run a route that I run all the time. Forget it! I met up with my bro and spent the rest of the day at the beach!
04/19/09 - Run
I woke up at the crack of dawn on Sunday to help PJ pin his bib number on for the Santa Cruz 1/2 Marathon! It's so exciting to be a part of races, I was a little bummed that I wasn't going to be joining him in the event, but then realized that I get to cheer him on. I dropped him at the start line, and then went and ran my own 10k. About half way through my run, I could hear the gun go off for his race, so I headed back home, put the dog inside the house, and then took off to hopefully find him on the course.
I was pretty sure of the pace PJ would be running, so I posted up at a few places on the course accordingly. I first got to see him at mile 4, and the look on his face was priceless. He had no idea that I was going to be out there. He looked great! Strong, and tall, and seemed to be taking the unwelcomed heat wave like a champ! I saw him again at miles 6, 8, and the finish. He finished fast, set a personal record, and then spent the rest of the day lazying at the beach with some margaritas! I'm so proud of the progress and work he's put into becoming a runner!
04/20/09 - Bike
Man was it nice when I woke up today. I knew I needed a rest day, so I decided to just ride my bike to work and take in the weather. On my way to work, it was in the 70's already and made my beach-side ride magnificent. I spotted pelicans, sea otters, sea lions, all basking in the light morning sun.
As the day progressed, the baromoter continued to rise. When it was time to leave work, my desktop thermometer was reading 96 degrees! I thought it was wrong... nope, record temps! I waited it out, but it didn't drop, so I headed back out for another ride, this time in the scorching evening sun. Riding along the beach in a cruiser is a nice slow way to enjoy the scenery, but I was on my road bike, and I was booking. The ocean breeze just helped reinforce how fast I thought I was going. Best part though, was the last hill I have to tackle getting up to my place. It is no longer a hill to me!!!! Could it be, that I'm starting to improve on the bike a bit? I sure as hell hope so!
So, what have I been up to lately, let's see. Saturday morning I woke up at 6:00am to find that I had only slept a possible one or two hours. I had quite a bit of trouble with sleep that night. I skipped our group ride and did a brick on my own. I road up into the hills, looped passed farms, cow pastures, and eventually back down to the beach. I did about 800ft of climbing, 18 miles of riding, and then jumped off the bike for 2 miles of running.
After this, I was supposed to register for the Santa Cruz 10k race, that was happening the following morning. The only way to register for the race was to go to the boardwalk, on a Saturday afternoon, at the busiest beach in town, with all the other race participants, and the thousands of tourists unloading in our town to enjoy the 80 degree weather! I headed down that way, and realized it was going to take hours, and cost me $20 to park, and then another $50 to run a route that I run all the time. Forget it! I met up with my bro and spent the rest of the day at the beach!
04/19/09 - Run
I woke up at the crack of dawn on Sunday to help PJ pin his bib number on for the Santa Cruz 1/2 Marathon! It's so exciting to be a part of races, I was a little bummed that I wasn't going to be joining him in the event, but then realized that I get to cheer him on. I dropped him at the start line, and then went and ran my own 10k. About half way through my run, I could hear the gun go off for his race, so I headed back home, put the dog inside the house, and then took off to hopefully find him on the course.I was pretty sure of the pace PJ would be running, so I posted up at a few places on the course accordingly. I first got to see him at mile 4, and the look on his face was priceless. He had no idea that I was going to be out there. He looked great! Strong, and tall, and seemed to be taking the unwelcomed heat wave like a champ! I saw him again at miles 6, 8, and the finish. He finished fast, set a personal record, and then spent the rest of the day lazying at the beach with some margaritas! I'm so proud of the progress and work he's put into becoming a runner!
04/20/09 - Bike
Man was it nice when I woke up today. I knew I needed a rest day, so I decided to just ride my bike to work and take in the weather. On my way to work, it was in the 70's already and made my beach-side ride magnificent. I spotted pelicans, sea otters, sea lions, all basking in the light morning sun.
As the day progressed, the baromoter continued to rise. When it was time to leave work, my desktop thermometer was reading 96 degrees! I thought it was wrong... nope, record temps! I waited it out, but it didn't drop, so I headed back out for another ride, this time in the scorching evening sun. Riding along the beach in a cruiser is a nice slow way to enjoy the scenery, but I was on my road bike, and I was booking. The ocean breeze just helped reinforce how fast I thought I was going. Best part though, was the last hill I have to tackle getting up to my place. It is no longer a hill to me!!!! Could it be, that I'm starting to improve on the bike a bit? I sure as hell hope so!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Another week down
4/13/09 - 4/17/09
Whoa, I'm not sure where my daily posts disappeared to. They must be hanging out somewhere with my energy. Oh, it's Friday morning, so that means I'm nearing the completion of my week and feeling exhausted, sore, burnt, shredded... all my normal descriptives. Throw in a cuss word or too, and you've got a transcript from my inner dialogue during my swim this morning. This week I was heavy on the weights and resistance work, and I was really feeling it today.
Ok, so let's see what's been going on. I got a run in on Monday, Tuesday was yoga and a leg shredding spin class, that night I had a girl's night so I slept in on Wednesday and did a great Cross Fit Class with some of the best core exercises I've tried to date, Thursday was an intense triathlon fitness class, and this morning I swam. Tomorrow I'll get in a bike ride and run, and then Sunday I've got a 10K race. Then, I kick back, pour a large glass of ice cold, electrolyte enhanced margaritas, and enjoy the 85 degree weather at the beach.... yes, all this work means way less anxiety about putting on my swim suit!
Whoa, I'm not sure where my daily posts disappeared to. They must be hanging out somewhere with my energy. Oh, it's Friday morning, so that means I'm nearing the completion of my week and feeling exhausted, sore, burnt, shredded... all my normal descriptives. Throw in a cuss word or too, and you've got a transcript from my inner dialogue during my swim this morning. This week I was heavy on the weights and resistance work, and I was really feeling it today.
Ok, so let's see what's been going on. I got a run in on Monday, Tuesday was yoga and a leg shredding spin class, that night I had a girl's night so I slept in on Wednesday and did a great Cross Fit Class with some of the best core exercises I've tried to date, Thursday was an intense triathlon fitness class, and this morning I swam. Tomorrow I'll get in a bike ride and run, and then Sunday I've got a 10K race. Then, I kick back, pour a large glass of ice cold, electrolyte enhanced margaritas, and enjoy the 85 degree weather at the beach.... yes, all this work means way less anxiety about putting on my swim suit!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Still Here
04/09/09 - 04/12/09
I was out of town camping for the weekend, so I'm behind on my posts. However, I'm happy to report (to myself) that I didn't skip a workout. I kept on track and still had room for lots and lots of champagne with my mom. Since the last time I wrote, I did a core class, a long swim, a bike ride, a run, and rested, aka, drank mimosas until the wee hours of the morning!
I got to run with my dog and fiance and we were joking about how my running times are shrinking along with me... I seem to drop a few seconds per mile with every pound. I'm at about a 10 minute/mile pace now, and feeling good! (I used to do 15 min/mile so you do the math!) Like I've said before, I'm a slow, bad runner, so for me this is pretty amazing!
Today I'll be doing yoga and spin, and then spending the rest of the evening in my pajamas in the company of my girlfriends, some pomegranate margaritas, and episodes of 90210!
I was out of town camping for the weekend, so I'm behind on my posts. However, I'm happy to report (to myself) that I didn't skip a workout. I kept on track and still had room for lots and lots of champagne with my mom. Since the last time I wrote, I did a core class, a long swim, a bike ride, a run, and rested, aka, drank mimosas until the wee hours of the morning!
I got to run with my dog and fiance and we were joking about how my running times are shrinking along with me... I seem to drop a few seconds per mile with every pound. I'm at about a 10 minute/mile pace now, and feeling good! (I used to do 15 min/mile so you do the math!) Like I've said before, I'm a slow, bad runner, so for me this is pretty amazing!
Today I'll be doing yoga and spin, and then spending the rest of the evening in my pajamas in the company of my girlfriends, some pomegranate margaritas, and episodes of 90210!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
The Big Squeeze
04/06/09 - REST!
This week launches a test of my ability to balance work, life, and triathlon. I'm having to rearrange workouts as they become longer, but also switch it up to ensure that my personal life is still in focus. Instead of track tonight, I enjoyed a restful evening of trying on bathing suits with my girlfriends.... did I say restful? It's more like panic stricken, torture, leaving me feeling that all this work is amounting to nothing.... I think I would have felt more rested if I'd just done our 7 mile track workout!
04/07/09 - Yoga and Run
Nice yoga at lunch today, followed by a short and sweet 3 mile run. I've been a little tired, and I've got family in town, so I'm just going to have to squeeze in the workouts this week as time allows. I'll be back in full swing once my family heads back home.
04/08/09 - Swim and Cross Fit
Started the morning with a great 2000m swim. This has quickly become my favorite way to welcome my day. Some quick 150m sets left me feeling weak in the arms, but I followed those with fast 50m's that brought me back to feeling strong again!
Tonight, we'll have cross fit where we put our muscles and endurance to the test. Hopefully I'm up to the challenge!
This week launches a test of my ability to balance work, life, and triathlon. I'm having to rearrange workouts as they become longer, but also switch it up to ensure that my personal life is still in focus. Instead of track tonight, I enjoyed a restful evening of trying on bathing suits with my girlfriends.... did I say restful? It's more like panic stricken, torture, leaving me feeling that all this work is amounting to nothing.... I think I would have felt more rested if I'd just done our 7 mile track workout!
04/07/09 - Yoga and Run
Nice yoga at lunch today, followed by a short and sweet 3 mile run. I've been a little tired, and I've got family in town, so I'm just going to have to squeeze in the workouts this week as time allows. I'll be back in full swing once my family heads back home.
04/08/09 - Swim and Cross Fit
Started the morning with a great 2000m swim. This has quickly become my favorite way to welcome my day. Some quick 150m sets left me feeling weak in the arms, but I followed those with fast 50m's that brought me back to feeling strong again!
Tonight, we'll have cross fit where we put our muscles and endurance to the test. Hopefully I'm up to the challenge!
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