TGIF

YEAH FRIDAY! So excited as we are going to see Sex and the City tonight!!!! My workouts have been going pretty good this week. Yesterday, I ran 4x800 repeats and they were: 3:57, 3:52, 4:04, 4:01...I know that is not fast for most people but it is blazing fast for me. Yesterday after work, I went to plot the route for our cycling club's winery ride on Sunday and got LOST...well, I did figure out where I was and got back just fine! However, a friend actually has a MUCH better route for the ride so I am excited about that. This morning, I ran for 40 minutes. It was supposed to be a tempo run but my heart rate did not cooperate. Tomorrow is a long ride and 20 minute run, then yard work and the grocery store. Sunday is an easy recovery ride at the winery! Then food, wine and lots of fun!

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend was a busy one! Saturday, I rode over to Woodlake and did the sprint triathlon there and then rode home (after waiting 30-45 minutes for the rain to stop). Everything was under what I hoped. I did not wetsuit as the swim was only 600 yards...was it a mistake? Maybe. My bike was great for me! 1:01:24 for a hilly 17.2 miles is awesome for me! My run was good too. My calves felt like there were these huge knots in them but I finished and had a good day. Of course, I am always disappointed afterwards but I did have a good day.

Sunday, we went to ride with our soldiers in the Road 2 Recovery. The ride was very hilly and unfortunately, the coordinator of the ride was not very nice to us so we bailed at 32 miles and hopped in the truck and rode to the Lowe's Motor Speedway. Before we got to ride a lap around the track, we rode our bikes down pit road and saw Bobby Labonte. It was great fun and we got to ride for the wounded warriors.

Monday was our club's criterium. This is NASCAR on bikes! It started early and finished late but the day was great fun. Our racers did great including my friend, Pat, who finished 3rd in his group! He ROCKS! The only down side to the day was our motor ref and fellow club member had an accident and had to go to the emergency room for a suspected broked ankle. Prayers are with him and his family.

This morning, I started off with a slow 1:30 run but kept my heart rate where I needed to be except when climbing and then got right down back to where it needed to be. For the rest of the day, weights, bike ride, teach a swim lesson and hopefully yoga and maybe a swim.

Rest of the week:
Wednesday-drill swim and teach 3 spin classes and ride to work
Thursday-easy ride, track workout, and weights
Friday-tempo run and swim
Saturday-Brick-3:30 bike and :20 run
Sunday-Easy winery ride

Tuesdays do not seem to start well for me...

This morning, my plan was to run to the track and do a track workout. Well, that did not work out as I woke up later than expected. I did go lift weights (heavier weights starting this week) before I went to the doctor. After that I had a ton of errands to run. Hopefully I will be able to ride this afternoon, although, a storm is supposed to blow in this afternoon. It looks beautiful now - just a little windy.

WELCOME to our new nephew, child of Ryan and Rachelle. They do not have a name yet but he was born yesterday. CONGRATS!

Tomorrow's plan is to ride to work, teach 1 spinning class, run, teach another spin class, ride to the gym, swim, shower, work from 12-6, teach another spin class and ride home. I usually get home about 7:45 or so, just in time to watch American Idol. Thursday's plan is to ride, run, and lift weights. Friday, I plan to swim. Saturday, I am doing a sprint triathlon. Sunday, I am riding in the Road 2 Recovery ride from Asheboro to Charlotte with some of the soldiers we have been working with through Operation Spin Cycle. They started their ride from DC to Charlotte today. Their journey will be over 480 miles. Good luck to them! Monday will be a day off (sort of)...I will be the volunteer coordinator for our cycling club's race. I will be busy but not working out. Good luck to our racers, too!

Part of the reason I started writing this blog was to be honest about my food and weight journey. Well, my weight is 142.2 and while my body fat is about 17.5% (which is pretty good), I would like to drop 7 more pounds and drop my body fat to about 15% but somehow keep strength on my bike and run. My food has been okay lately but I could do better. However, I do feel fitter, stronger and leaner than when I went to Ironman Arizona. I will try to update this weekly although I am embarrassed about the weight and food part but I am hoping that it will keep me honest and on a path to the person I want to be!

Saturday

Today, I got up early and ran 5 miles. After a little break, I rode from home and met my club to ride. One of our wounded warriors wanted to quit but I talked him out of it and I rode with him and my other handsome friend! It was the ride I really needed to have, my heart rate average was 125 so it was just perfect. It ended up with four of us and everyone was in good spirits. Rode home and took a nap, lifted weights and worked in the yard. It has been a good day so far. The weather is just perfect too! We have been fortunate to have such cooler weather in May. Tomorrow, I might ride easy just for the fact I can get a 200 mile week with only 21 miles. If I do not ride, that will be okay too.

Friday, my weight was 142 and I really want to be at 135. I really want to wear a size 6 pair of capris hanging in my bathroom. I haven't tried them on lately...maybe in just a few pounds. Trying to meet my daily goals but I usually get a little off track.

Rest Day-YEAH!

Busy week so far...
Tuesday, I lrode in the afternoon very low HR.
Wedneday, I lifted weights, rode to work, taught three spin classes and swam a 1000 yard TT (19:35 - not so bad considering my cap came off half way through and I had to stop and put it back on and made sure my hair was not sticking out because that makes me nuts.)
Thursday-ran 30 minutes, rode 62.5 miles with my friend, Pat. The hills beat me up and I was not thinking we were going to ride quite that long. However, my average HR was good and I tried to keep it down except on the climbs, which I did easier than normal. I am trying to not say that I am not a good climber and try to focus on that I am a good climber but it was hard not to yesterday. My average MPH sucked but I did keep my HR down. Pat was as gracious as always never to leave me even though I made him late. SORRY! We had fun chatting and pondering odd questions.
Friday-REST, I was going to try to run and lift but I will fit that in either tomorrow or Sunday. Resting is good and it is the only time your body gets bigger, better, stronger. I think I needed the rest too!
Saturday-Club ride and hopefully lift and run
Sunday-Maybe a ride from a winery that our club is planning a visit to.

Hey, I was on TV. We (Leo, Furman and me) work with a program called Operation Spin Cycle. This is a program where we teach spinning twice a week to wounded soldiers. It is a great program and my most favorite class of the week. Anyhoo, some of our soldiers are getting ready to embark on this six day Ride 2 Recovery from DC to Charlotte and they did a news story on them and interviewed several of us and I was on a little bit saying what has come from their spinning. It was cool except I looked huge and terrible on my spin bike. Oh well, it was fun. Some of us are riding just the last day of the ride from Asheboro to Charlotte, which is 60 miles. That will be a blast!

Tired Tuesday

Yesterday was a good day. I rode to work, swam a short swim, worked at the shop, taught spinning and then rode home. Today, I am a little tired. Thank goodness it is a rest week. Today, I hope to run, ride, lift and do yoga plus a little yard work and work on our local's club race (for which I am the volunteer coordinator). Tomorrow, I hope to ride to work, teach 2 spin classes, swim, work and then ride home. If I do not get my run in today then I will get in after my first spin class and before my second one.

Good thoughts to my parents who are off on a grand adventure today! May they arrive safely and have the TIME of their lives. Good luck to my husband who is taking a test today.

Rain...Mother's Day and Lanie's Birthday

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my niece, Lanie.

Thankful for the rain as we have been in drought conditions for a long time. However, my workouts kind of get messed up. Oh well, maybe it is God's way of telling me I need a day off or I need to really clean my house instead of working out or working in the yard. But I think I will go to Wal-Mart instead!

Yesterday, my bike ride was great. I rode better than I have in a long time. Dr. Eschbach is so right! I did not run as planned. I did, however, spend a wonderful afternoon with my husband. He took me out for lunch and then to the grocery store. I had a nap and worked in the yard for a long time. Then we had desert and wine with our best buds!

Finally, I think I am done tweaking my IM Louisville plan. I hope to print it today and get back on the ball tomorrow. I have moved stuff and changed stuff and tried to keep key workouts far between each other. I know I will make some minor modifications but for the most part I think it is done. I WANT TO PR AT IM LOUISVILLE so I really need to get on the ball and train where I need to be and not always follow the crowd. I need to be in the hills for my long rides and really start running more. The longest run I have planned is 3:00 hours and I hope that will be enough. I really also need to swim three days a week. Somehow, I have got to figure out how to get my third swim earlier in the week than Friday. I know I won't do it on the weekend and I do not go to work until late on Friday so I would rather do some workout at home and then work in the yard. I have 16 weeks left until the big day...

Next week is a rest week.
Monday-swim, teach one spin class (<130)
Tuesday-1 hour run <140 and 1 hour ride <130, weights and yoga
Wednesday-swim (1000 yard TT) and 3 spin classes (<130)
Thursday-1 hour ride <130 and run 30 minutes <130
Friday - off
Saturday- 2 hour ride <130
Sunday-off but may go on easy Sunday recovery ride.

Why does my husband always have to be right?

If you are married or are in a serious relationship, have you ever noticed how they tell you something and you think they have no idea what they are talking about only to realize they know exactly what they are talking about? This happens to me all the time with my husband. Two nights ago, he said that he hasn't heard me complain about my shoulder and sure enough, he jinxed me - that night I was up at 2 am with shoulder pain. He also implied that I should not get a massage because every time I do, I end up being up most of the night from shoulder pain. It is 12:37 am...he is right again. Between the rainy weather and the massage, I am up just like he said I would be (while he is fast asleep on the couch!). You would think after 11 years, I would listen to him. The massage, itself, was fine. My legs do feel a lot better and my neck and shoulders will feel better either later today or tomorrow. I hate not sleeping!

I had planned to swim on Friday morning before I had the massage but since I did not sleep well, I overslept and rushed to my massage. I got the massage and then decided that I needed a full day off as Dr. Eschbach suggested. So, now today, I need to do my brick and then find time to swim. Luckily is is only a 2000 yard swim. My plan today is to go out in the base HR zone and if I feel good at the half way point, then I will take it up to the higher training zone. I will then run for 10 minutes easy after the bike. Tomorrow, an hour run and easy bike run.

Maybe that advice works...

Yesterday, I swam hard but when teaching my three spin classes I backed off considerably and kept my HR under 130 (usually much lower). I did not lift weights like I usually do either, saving it for today.

This morning, I got up and went for my favorite Thursday ride pal, Pat. We met at about 13 miles in and I was already slowly taking my HR into the T2 zone where I need to work more. We rolled out and got to rolling. Pat seemed pleasantly surprised that I stayed right or to the right on his wheel the whole way. Remember, this is Pat that rode 14 miles in 36 minutes. When we got to our stop, my legs were talking to me and I did slow down on the second half but still stayed higher than I normally do. I felt good even though the lactate acid was building up in my legs. After we parted ways, I rolled home slowly letting my heart rate come down. I got in 50.11 miles in 3:07. Not bad for a Thursday. Anyway, it is better than I have felt in awhile and mostly, I think, my legs were not completely exhausted because I took it easy! I hope to lift today and run later. Tomorrow morning, I am going to swim before a massage. Then off to work and will rest for the rest of the day.

Human Performance Testing at Meredith College

Today, I had my physiological testing done. This testing determines several things including: HR zones, VO2 Max, LT, Watts, Calories Burned (Carb/Fat) and Body Composition. First, let me tell you if you want to have this done, do it. It is a little pricey but I think it will only benefit folks. Here is their website (tell 'em I sent you), www.meredith.edu/hess/lab/default.html. I did my bike because I struggle the most on the bike. Fortunately, it told me exactly what I already knew...I train too much in the mushy middle zone (as Dr. Eschbach called it) and need to work harder on my hard days and easier on my easy days. My Vo2 max is on the low side - we can work with that, he assured me. My wattage (Which I have never used before but might start now) is on the low side too. My LT is low too but I knew that because it is really hard to get my heart rate up there. I also need to recover more...I know, I know!

The other thing he told me based on my body composition is that the goal is 19% and I am at 17.5% and my weight is okay. It would be okay for me to go to 15% and then I would need to lose 4 pounds instead of the 16 I have been trying to lose. That is good, I guess. I hate that I will probably never weigh 125 but I gues 135 is a good weight for me. He said as my muscle increases the number will go down but probably not that low. I wonder if I will ever be able to wear a size 6 ever again...I know that is good to hear but I would love to weigh less but I know that I will lose a lot of power that I am working so hard to get.

The test itself was pretty hard...After warming up, they put a mask on you to measure your noxious gases and you start ramping up the wattage every three minutes. Your RPE, HR, wattage, and blood from your ear (not sure exactly why but will find out) are tested every 3 minutes as well. After you reach your max RPE, you cool down. It takes about 2 hours for the whole test but that included warm up, getting the bike on the trainer, a shower, and results. Dr. Eschbach is awesome! He is super knowledgeable and really is very interested in your results! He wants to help you get better and reach your goals. Again, I would highly recommend this to any one looking to improve!

So, now the challenge, rewrite my IM Louisville plan this week to accommodate a few days where I kick my booty, take weights to 2 days and on my quality workout days, make my easier days easier, and recover more. I also want to add yoga. He suggested adding my spin classes that I teach to my workout plan so I can use them as recovery or my workout. I haven't done that in the past but I think I will. Now, I have more confidence that I can PR at IM Louisville and I wouldn't say that if I did not intend to do it.

So, to reward myself!!!YEAH ME! I went to Performance and Inside Out and shopped. I got two cute tops for working at IOS and shorts, and some swimming stuff. At Performance, just a HR monitor strap so I get back to working in my HRs because I left my HR strap in Arizona by accident. Then I came and took a nap (remember I need more recovery) and then I ordered my foam rollers for stretching online. My friend, Pat, called me and we chatted about my results. All in all, a great day! Off to ride with some of my best buds in a low HR zone with my one of my new tops, switching my hard ride to Thursday since I was up at LT this morning. Tomorrow, teaching my favorite spin class to the Wounded Warriors, doctor, swim, work and another spin class. I might lift weights tomorrow and then switch my days next week. Lifting twice a week would probably help my schedule. Dr. Eschbach said to make sure I was lifting hard and I do. I am usually sweating and it is hard. I like to lift because I feel strong plus when I work at the bike shop, I have to lift heavier bikes (unlike the carbon fiber Synapse) onto racks and usually do not need help from those boys! Also, when my Doodle is not home, I have to lift all the other crap too. Oh, the life of an army wife/triathlete/bike shop bum...Thank goodness my husband loves me and understands me! If not, I surely would be up a creek!

Monday

Today was okay. My swim was short and drills and weights went okay. I taught a spin class and tried to take it easy. I have this sharp shooting pain in my left leg. I talked to one of my friends, Jimmy, who said it was probably a build up of lactate acid in my calves and showed me some stuff to do on foam rollers. I know I need to do yoga at least once a week. I am thinking if I get the foam rollers, I can do it when I am watching television. I need to put that and yoga on my training plan and I might do it. I hate to miss workouts.

Today I was quite grumpy. I wish I could get about 16 pounds off. My eating went well until this evening after I rushed from teaching spin class to our cycling club meeting. I wish I could lose weight and get leaner, stronger, more powerful, faster...I can do it, I just know it.

Tonight was our club meeting where somehow I volunteered to be the volunteer coordinator for our race. I was irritated last year because I did not think the volunteers were handled so well so instead of complaining, I am going to try and do something about it. I hope to be the best volunteer coordinator ever.

Tomorrow I am getting up quite early to go to Raleigh for some performance testing. I am hoping to get my heart rate zones narrowed down and train in the the correct zones and get better. I am excited but nervous because I am not fully rested, however, I will never be because of teaching spinning, etc. I did take most of Sunday off and had light workouts today. Tomorrow afternoon, I hope to ride my bike but it might rain. We really need the rain but it always rains on the days I want to ride. Got invited to a different ride on Saturday with my friend, Furman, and I think I will go instead of my regular club ride because I am sick of our regular club ride and I need to ride in the hills.

White Lake Sprint Relay

Today, I was the swimmer in a relay team for the White Lake Sprint with my friend, Pat, and Steve. First, how nice was it to only have to take my wetsuit and goggles...Second, Matt came and that was quite a treat.

The swim was 750 meters which is about how long it takes me to warm up so I swam a little bit before race start. Today, I actually started up on the front line but a little to the right. It was not so bad! My swim was not so great because I felt like I was swimming against the current. Could it be that I wanted to swim faster so my team would do well? I know why I do not like sprints but why I need to do them because I can only get faster if I go faster. I came out of the water on to the pier at 17:04 and ran like heck to transition and passed off to Pat at 18:15. Pat zoomed on the bike in about 36 minutes! He rocked! Then Steve ran in about 24 minutes. We finished in 1:21 something. It was pretty fun! Oh and we won FIRST place in the mixed relays and there were actually other teams! That never happens to me.

Interesting to me...there was a young kid on a relay team that swam in 11 minutes and a 14 year old WON the race! Unreal! He finished in 1:01 something!!!!

My workouts were okay this week. I did not get one swim, one weight and one run workout in. I know I need to do things early and I need to swim on Thursdays or Tuesdays because I do not work until noon on Friday and I like to work in the yard before work and ride my bike to work.

Workouts this week...
Monday-Drill swim, weights, teach one spin class (2 scheduled but no one has been showing up at my first class)
Tuesday-HR testing at Meredith and jumps workout on the bike

Wednesday-swim an weights
Thursday-ride 2 hours or so, Tempo run for 30 minutes (hopefully swim)
Friday-swim (if not on Thursday) and weights
Saturday-brick 2:30 bike and 10 minute run
Sunday - 1 hour run

This month I have got to be determined to meet my yearly goals. I only have 8 months left to get there. I need to be on my bike for over 200 miles/week and run like heck! I actually have also said to actual people that I wanted to PR at IM Louisville. I have never said it out loud to people. I just need to believe in myself. I can do it. I need to really train and lose some weight.

The race sort of motivated to sign up for a few more races to get a little faster and get used to racing. I have not been doing that for the past few years. I would love to do a half in June or July but there is not one coming up locally soon. It is so expensive to drive anywhere and since I am not teaching until August, I need to save my money.