Ran 10 with Dan, Sarah, and Brenda today. I love running with Brenda because she has a Garmin so we always know exactly what distance we ran. Then again, it always seems to be less than what I thought.
No time to write more. We had great weather and good company - makes the miles go by so fast! Heading up to Eldora tomorrow with the kids for some more 'boarding. Then plan to ride like the wind on sunday (on my trainer of course!).
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
I Thought I Liked Winter
I've always liked running in the winter. For some reason, the cold air feels refreshing to me. In fact, 35 degrees (with no wind) is my favorite running temperature.
Having lived in northern Maine for 3 years (where I trained for my first marathon), I've had the dubious pleasure of running in MUCH colder temps (like zero degrees).
This is me at Winter Park running with my hubby early in the morning in 5 degree tempterature. Not what I would prefer but it wasn't as bad as most people think.
But you know, come March, I'm tired of the cold and I start yearning for that first warm spring day when I can just throw on a pair of shorts and a singlet and head out the door....feeling the warm sun on my skin....ahhhhh, spring please hurry up!
So, what did I do this week? Not as much as I would have liked. Missed Master's swim Monday due to a malfunctioning alarm clock. This is not good. Rode my trainer for 30 mins on Tuesday - whoop-dee-do.
Swam on Weds and despite being way, way behind everyone else (not just way behind like Richard said I was last week), I felt good. Enjoyed the swim and wanted to do more but had to leave to get kids to school (those kids!). Got them to school and went for a very nice 5 mile run. Loved it. Totally lost myself in my ITunes.
Today I'm taking off because I basically didn't get my act together early enough but that's ok since I'll be running 10 miles with Dan tomorrow. Looking forward to that. Really want to get back to running more - yesterday I had that feeling like "gee I haven't done a regular weekday run in awhile".
I will lift today, however. Need to get stronger.
To prepare for tomorrow's run, I'll eat extra carbs today. Endurance athletes need 6 - 10 g/kg of carbohydrate each day. That's at least 400 g for most people. So I'll eat pasta tonight and snack on high carb foods throughout the day: dried fruit, fruit, yogurt, muffin, pretzels and/or pop corn (while watching the Olympics) and a certain hops-containing beverage.
Off to the races...
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Sunday Redemption
After sitting in a car for 4.5 hrs yesterday and then sitting on my butt watching the Olympics for 2 hrs last night (I'm totally hooked), I felt the need to exercise this morning. Nevermind the fact that all of my clothes are fitting a little too snug lately but that's another story.
Anyway, with 3 inches of fresh snow on the ground and more coming down, I decided not to run. Instead, I would ride my trainer. And btw, this is one of the advantages of being a multi-sport athlete: you have at least 3 different ways to get your training fix.
I was feeling pretty fiesty so I popped in Coach Troy Jacobson's Ride and Stride 10.0, one of my favorites. Its rated as extremely difficult which was perfect for how I was feeling.
But first I will a mention mistake I made in my nutrition this morning. I don't normally make nutrition mistakes because, well, I am a sports dietitian after all. I have a PhD in nutrition, for cryin' out loud. But even we "experts" screw up once in awhile.
And it wasn't really a nutrition mistake. It was a planning mistake. I ate my usual bowl of oatmeal (mixed with flax cereal, grape nuts, and reduced-fat granola) and thought I'd sit down with my son to listen to him read a book while I let my breakfast settle. My thought was that it would take awhile to digest so I might as well sit and read with him while my tummy does it's thing.
But the book was longer and harder than I thought, meaning that we sat for a very....long...time on the couch and I was itchin' to ride. I didn't want to say "sorry, Evan, mommy can't read with you, she has to ride her bike" so I pretended to be a good parent and patiently sat there while he read.
Then I hear a strange sound...it's my stomach growling. I'm hungry already which means I won't have a good ride. I always time my meals so that I ride or run when the food is digested and on it's merry way to the small intestine for absorption (you can actually feel that happening if you pay attention).
But food travels at different rates depending on what else is going on in the body. Suffice it to say that i should've rode much earlier - I was now going past the point of having plenty of fuel in my bloodstream for fast-moving muscles. ARRRGGGHH!
No big deal, right? Just ride later, right? No, I want to ride RIGHT NOW. So I did what any self-respecting Ironman trainee would do: I told my son that we would take a break so he could play the computer and I could, um, ride my bike.
It was a total win-win situation. He flew off the couch and raced to his room, promptly plopping himself in front of his computer to play a totally brainless video game. I raced off to get my bike gear on (envisioning his brain turning to total mush and his college scholarships going down the drain). But I had to do it now while I had the energy or else the day would be shot.
Long story short, I did the entire Ride and Stride workout and felt great. And lest you feel the need to chastise me for not finishing the book with my son, we DID finish it after lunch and he is now happily snowboarding over at the UNC hill. So there! It really was a win-win situation!
I share this story because I have a lot of women ask me how I train and be a mom at the same time. Well, it doesn't always work out the way I want it to, but most of the time I'm able to pull off both tasks fairly well. It comes down to planning ahead and simplifying your life so that you do have time for training (more on simplifying later). And to be honest, you have to "just do it" or it will never get done.
In other words, you have to prioritize your training (or exercise) fairly high. This may sound selfish but everyday I first think about when I will run/ride/swim/lift and then I plan my day around that time. I may not get all my housework done or all the phone calls made that I need to make, but those things have a way of working themselves out anyway. Just get the exercise done first and everything else will work out fine (most of the time). Really, it will!
Anyway, with 3 inches of fresh snow on the ground and more coming down, I decided not to run. Instead, I would ride my trainer. And btw, this is one of the advantages of being a multi-sport athlete: you have at least 3 different ways to get your training fix.
I was feeling pretty fiesty so I popped in Coach Troy Jacobson's Ride and Stride 10.0, one of my favorites. Its rated as extremely difficult which was perfect for how I was feeling.
But first I will a mention mistake I made in my nutrition this morning. I don't normally make nutrition mistakes because, well, I am a sports dietitian after all. I have a PhD in nutrition, for cryin' out loud. But even we "experts" screw up once in awhile.
And it wasn't really a nutrition mistake. It was a planning mistake. I ate my usual bowl of oatmeal (mixed with flax cereal, grape nuts, and reduced-fat granola) and thought I'd sit down with my son to listen to him read a book while I let my breakfast settle. My thought was that it would take awhile to digest so I might as well sit and read with him while my tummy does it's thing.
But the book was longer and harder than I thought, meaning that we sat for a very....long...time on the couch and I was itchin' to ride. I didn't want to say "sorry, Evan, mommy can't read with you, she has to ride her bike" so I pretended to be a good parent and patiently sat there while he read.
Then I hear a strange sound...it's my stomach growling. I'm hungry already which means I won't have a good ride. I always time my meals so that I ride or run when the food is digested and on it's merry way to the small intestine for absorption (you can actually feel that happening if you pay attention).
But food travels at different rates depending on what else is going on in the body. Suffice it to say that i should've rode much earlier - I was now going past the point of having plenty of fuel in my bloodstream for fast-moving muscles. ARRRGGGHH!
No big deal, right? Just ride later, right? No, I want to ride RIGHT NOW. So I did what any self-respecting Ironman trainee would do: I told my son that we would take a break so he could play the computer and I could, um, ride my bike.
It was a total win-win situation. He flew off the couch and raced to his room, promptly plopping himself in front of his computer to play a totally brainless video game. I raced off to get my bike gear on (envisioning his brain turning to total mush and his college scholarships going down the drain). But I had to do it now while I had the energy or else the day would be shot.
Long story short, I did the entire Ride and Stride workout and felt great. And lest you feel the need to chastise me for not finishing the book with my son, we DID finish it after lunch and he is now happily snowboarding over at the UNC hill. So there! It really was a win-win situation!
I share this story because I have a lot of women ask me how I train and be a mom at the same time. Well, it doesn't always work out the way I want it to, but most of the time I'm able to pull off both tasks fairly well. It comes down to planning ahead and simplifying your life so that you do have time for training (more on simplifying later). And to be honest, you have to "just do it" or it will never get done.
In other words, you have to prioritize your training (or exercise) fairly high. This may sound selfish but everyday I first think about when I will run/ride/swim/lift and then I plan my day around that time. I may not get all my housework done or all the phone calls made that I need to make, but those things have a way of working themselves out anyway. Just get the exercise done first and everything else will work out fine (most of the time). Really, it will!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Kids Come First
Well, its Saturday and I didn't run today, first time in a very.....long....time. All my friends ran together today too (sniff, sniff). Where was I? Shleppin' my kids up to Eldora for snowboarding lessons, that's where!
My kids are good skiers but like every other red-blooded Colorado kid, once they saw snowboarding, skiing was history.
Kurt and I didn't get it at first. After all, we had skied with the kids for 3 years now and had a wonderful time together.
With a heavy sigh, we gave in and signed them up. But you can't learn snowboarding in just one lesson - it takes many lessons. Hence, the 6 week Trek program at Eldora.
So, no long run for me today. And I must admit, its hard giving up my long run. And I don't have to totally give it up - I can do it on Sunday but I missed running with the group. Its the only time I see most of my friends. But its ok, I had a good time with the kids.
So, a few notes on the last few days:
Weds, Feb. 17th
Short, sloppy 4 mile run after swimming...not great but I got 'er done.
Thursday, Feb. 18th.
Well, what a run I had that day! I didn't get my morning run in so I thought I'd take Daisy with me when I went to pick up the kids and run with her, while Kat was at WOW at tennis lessons (Evan went with Kurt to FC. When I left the house, it was partly sunny and 34 degrees. I wore my usual number of layers for mid-30 temps. By the time I got to Monfort, the temp had dropped 10 degrees! The wind picked up and it started snowing.
I dropped off K at tennis lessons and by then, it was downright freezing cold. The wind was fierce and it was snowing/sleeting steadily. Daisy was going crazy knowing that she was going for a run so I had to make a decision. Do I bag the run and watch K while staying warm and cozy or do I brave the wind and sleet for a good run with Daisy. I chose the latter.
We ran about 5 miles and I was frozen when I got back to the car. I had not dressed for the cold wind but decided to gut it out anyway. I ran Daisy behind Aims Community College and let her off the leash. That was fun! She zoomed all over the place like any respectable golden retriever puppy would do and I attempted a tempo run to keep warm.
But one thing I didn't think of...because the temperature had been warmer that day, there was a lot of mud. Daisy ran through as much of it as she could possibly find. When we got back to the car, she was soaked in mud, sleet, and snow. Lovely. I put her in the car pinching my nose already, knowing how much the car would stink when I came back.
Despite the bitter cold wind and the fact that my face was covered with sleet, I didn't care. I had a great run!
Friday, 2/21
45 min Spinerval workout - ooh la la! Felt great and really went for it. Felt so good I couldn't stop and did something that I have never done: made my kids 20 mins late for school! I just couldn't stop...shhh...don't tell anyone in the administration office at Monfort Elementary School!
My kids are good skiers but like every other red-blooded Colorado kid, once they saw snowboarding, skiing was history.
Kurt and I didn't get it at first. After all, we had skied with the kids for 3 years now and had a wonderful time together.
With a heavy sigh, we gave in and signed them up. But you can't learn snowboarding in just one lesson - it takes many lessons. Hence, the 6 week Trek program at Eldora.
So, no long run for me today. And I must admit, its hard giving up my long run. And I don't have to totally give it up - I can do it on Sunday but I missed running with the group. Its the only time I see most of my friends. But its ok, I had a good time with the kids.
So, a few notes on the last few days:
Weds, Feb. 17th
Short, sloppy 4 mile run after swimming...not great but I got 'er done.
Thursday, Feb. 18th.
Well, what a run I had that day! I didn't get my morning run in so I thought I'd take Daisy with me when I went to pick up the kids and run with her, while Kat was at WOW at tennis lessons (Evan went with Kurt to FC. When I left the house, it was partly sunny and 34 degrees. I wore my usual number of layers for mid-30 temps. By the time I got to Monfort, the temp had dropped 10 degrees! The wind picked up and it started snowing.
I dropped off K at tennis lessons and by then, it was downright freezing cold. The wind was fierce and it was snowing/sleeting steadily. Daisy was going crazy knowing that she was going for a run so I had to make a decision. Do I bag the run and watch K while staying warm and cozy or do I brave the wind and sleet for a good run with Daisy. I chose the latter.
We ran about 5 miles and I was frozen when I got back to the car. I had not dressed for the cold wind but decided to gut it out anyway. I ran Daisy behind Aims Community College and let her off the leash. That was fun! She zoomed all over the place like any respectable golden retriever puppy would do and I attempted a tempo run to keep warm.
But one thing I didn't think of...because the temperature had been warmer that day, there was a lot of mud. Daisy ran through as much of it as she could possibly find. When we got back to the car, she was soaked in mud, sleet, and snow. Lovely. I put her in the car pinching my nose already, knowing how much the car would stink when I came back.
Despite the bitter cold wind and the fact that my face was covered with sleet, I didn't care. I had a great run!
Friday, 2/21
45 min Spinerval workout - ooh la la! Felt great and really went for it. Felt so good I couldn't stop and did something that I have never done: made my kids 20 mins late for school! I just couldn't stop...shhh...don't tell anyone in the administration office at Monfort Elementary School!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
National Lindsey Vonn Day
Ok, so there's no such thing (yet) but after hearing that she won the gold today, I think there should be. First American female to win an Olympic gold medal in women's downhill skiing. Plus, she's won the World Championships at least once. Enough reason for a holiday for me!
So, today I did Master's swim and again, I couldn't hang with the rest of the group. Richard tried to make me feel better (and he actually did) by commenting on how far I've come since I started Master's a year ago.
And he's right....I was whining about being way slower than the rest of the group and he said "yeah, but you used to be only way, way slower". So I guess I'm only way slower...not way, way slower...that's different!
Managed to eek out 6 150's but no time for more. Went home, got kids breakfast and took them to school, and went for a quick run. A short, not-so-great run but that's ok, it was better than nothing.
So, today I did Master's swim and again, I couldn't hang with the rest of the group. Richard tried to make me feel better (and he actually did) by commenting on how far I've come since I started Master's a year ago.
And he's right....I was whining about being way slower than the rest of the group and he said "yeah, but you used to be only way, way slower". So I guess I'm only way slower...not way, way slower...that's different!
Managed to eek out 6 150's but no time for more. Went home, got kids breakfast and took them to school, and went for a quick run. A short, not-so-great run but that's ok, it was better than nothing.
Monday, February 15, 2010
President's Day
But first, let's catch up from last week. Lots to write about. Here is a recap of my workouts:
Wednesday, 2/10:
Master's swim and 30 min Spinerval workout. That's all I remember, too long ago (this is what happens when you get old)
Thursday, 2/11:
Five mile run after dropping kids off at school. Felt tired and sluggish, wanted to stop at mile 3. Pushed through last 2 miles but it was not pretty. Strangely, I got really hot and did something I never do: took off my gloves. I also took off my base layer top but I do that frequently but I always keep my gloves on when the temp is below 40. But for some strange reason my hands got hot - really weird. The last 2 miles seemed like another 5 miles. Strange all the way around.
Friday, 2/12:
Day off and for the life of me, I don't remember why. Probably because I knew I was running long on Saturday. See, my memory is totally shot.
Saturday, 2/13:
11 mile run with friends (see pic above). This was a good/bad run. Good because I ran 11 frickin' miles with people I really like (and we laughed the entire way) but bad because well, I felt like crap. Started off good but could hardly finish. I was very sore and tired. Everyone else was fresh. Great. Me, the one who just did an Ironman in November (remember?), could hardly do 11 miles.
The other picture is pretty funny. We were out in the middle of nowhere on a dirt road that no one uses and guess what's out there? A hospital sign! That wouldn't be so funny if you didn't know that there isn't a hospital anywhere near that sign. NCMC is way, way far away. So we call this route "the hospital route".
And if you're not from Greeley you wouldn't know that there is a bitter rivalry between Greeley's hospital (NCMC) and the new one outside of Loveland (MCR). My husband works at NCMC and Brenda works at MCR so we had to get a shot of them pointing the way to "the hospital". Too funny.
Sunday, 2/14:
Two mile run with Daisy in bitter cold wind. I actually wanted to run farther but my kids were singing in church that morning and I didn't have time. Plus, Daisy had just eaten before we left and she stopped a lot so I cut it short.
And as I said above, today was Master's swim. I'm beginning to sound like a broken record here but gee wiz, will I ever catch up with my swim-mates??? I was so far behind today that half of them left before I finished the main set. I even started with fins!
I shared a lane with Kurt and HE was actually slower than me (for once). He got there late and didn't get to warm up so he was fairly slow. Cool. I out-swam someone and it was my husband. For once, I have bragging rights in this household.
This was the main set. Comments are welcome!
2 x 250
2 x 200
2 x 150
2 x 100
2 x 50
I did about a 500 yd warmup and then this main set. I liked it but wish I could swim with everyone else! Even Sarah who has been injured for 2 months blew me away.
But I redeemed myself on a fast tempo run 2 hrs later. Felt fantastic! Ran 40 mins, with 3 ten-minute surges, holding a near all-out pace. Woo hoo!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
No Dog, No Love, No Joy...
Today was one of those days that it was hard to find time to exercise. I had a lot to do and a lot on my mind. I could've easily blown it off.
But not when you have a 1 yr old Golden Retriever puppy staring up at you with those big brown eyes...begging you to take her on a run.
So I did and it was great. I went at 5:00 PM, which is odd for me; I usually run in the morning but since I teach on Tuesday mornings, i couldn't go this morning. It was a nice change. The sun was heading over the horizon and the sky had that "dusky" look.
We ran through some neighborhoods and down to Sanborn Park. She did her usual "stopping" thing, where she stops and rolls on the snow, about 4 or 5 times. But I didn't care. I wasn't in any hurry.
There's just something special about running with your dog. It is the ultimate de-stresser. How can you not be happy running at a comfortable pace with a gorgeous dog trotting along beside you?
We only ran 30 mins but it was all I needed to unwind from a busy day. And judging from the way she is curled up by my side right now, I would say it was enough for her too.
Off to bed early tonight...tomorrow is Weds and I want to make Master's swim, which means getting up at 5:15. Too bad I can't take Daisy with me to the pool!
Monday, February 8, 2010
How 'Bout Those Saints???
Wow, what a game! And I'm not even a football fan. In fact, I didn't even know who was in the Superbowl until last Friday (tragic, I know). But I was on the edge of my seat the entire game.
And we topped it off with great food: Cindy's Healthy Nachos, Chicken Tortilla Soup, Sunshine Wheat Beer, and Kurt's Famous Mint Chocolate Chip Cake with reduced-fat vanilla ice cream. Yummy!
And since I bet my daughter a bag of Skittles that the Saints would win, I'll finish it all off with well, a bag of Skittles (just kidding, I won't make her buy them for me!).
So, did I do any training yesterday...hmmm...its Monday morning and I'm trying to remember....oh yes, I ran Daisy around the football field at UNC a few times (love watching that dog run!) and then I tooled around the neighborhood at a very slow pace a few times. Still sore from Saturday but it felt good to get out.
I can finally use the basement so I'll probably spin later this morning. Can't go swimming today...no explanation needed. Oh, and maybe I'll lift a few weights too. Gotta work off the extra beer I had yesterday (just kidding, I only had two!).
Happy Monday!
And we topped it off with great food: Cindy's Healthy Nachos, Chicken Tortilla Soup, Sunshine Wheat Beer, and Kurt's Famous Mint Chocolate Chip Cake with reduced-fat vanilla ice cream. Yummy!
And since I bet my daughter a bag of Skittles that the Saints would win, I'll finish it all off with well, a bag of Skittles (just kidding, I won't make her buy them for me!).
So, did I do any training yesterday...hmmm...its Monday morning and I'm trying to remember....oh yes, I ran Daisy around the football field at UNC a few times (love watching that dog run!) and then I tooled around the neighborhood at a very slow pace a few times. Still sore from Saturday but it felt good to get out.
I can finally use the basement so I'll probably spin later this morning. Can't go swimming today...no explanation needed. Oh, and maybe I'll lift a few weights too. Gotta work off the extra beer I had yesterday (just kidding, I only had two!).
Happy Monday!
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Nothin' Like a Good Long Run With Friends
Most people like to sleep in on Saturday mornings. Many like to relax and read the paper. Not me and well, not most runners. We like to do what we do best: run, talk, and laugh.
Today was no exception. And today was one of the best group runs I've ever had. It was good for a lot of different reasons but mainly because I really like the people I run with.
And it was funny because Dan and Brenda, who are both training for spring marathons, wanted to start their run at 7:00. Kurt and I didn't want to run quite that early because we thought we were going to be out late Friday night, so we got a small group to go at 8:00. Well, we actually ran into them during our run so we combined both groups and ran together. Too funny!
And, we didn't end up being out late anyway so we could've gone at 7:00...long complicated story but the bottom line is we all ended up running together anyway.
Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera today so I posted a picture from a recent group run that I really like. Everyone in the picture was there today, PLUS some, including: Lynne, Marshall, Kurt, me, Kevin, Brenda, Dan, Sarah, Alaina, and Rob. Fun group!
And I liked this run for another reason: I felt great. Our group ended up running 1 hr and 40 mins and I felt really good the whole time. I'm guessing it was 10 or 11 miles. We made one semi-long pit-stop at Sarah's house for 3 of us to use the bathroom, but other than that ran most of the way.
Tomorrow there is the 30th annual Super Bowl Sunday 5k which originally was going to benefit Haiti but since there was a tragic accident here in Greeley this week that killed a 15 yr old girl, the money will go to help her parents pay for her funeral. So sad!
We won't be running the race (kids singing in choir at church) but will contribute toward the cause. I'm a firm believer in "what goes around comes around" and you never know when you might need some community support. Plus, I just want to help this family.
Now that I got my running fix, I can get on with the day...
Friday, February 5, 2010
Quick recap
Its 10:00 PM and I'm realizing that I didn't jot down what I did today. Kurt and I swam early this AM. I did a measly 1000 yards (talked too much to the gals in the other lane) but it was all non-stop which was good. Oh, except for the time I started yacking with Richard who swam today too.
One good thing is that Tom was there and he complimented me on how much my form has improved. He said "you're not crossing over at all!" Oh good. Now, if I can just swim half as fast as everyone else in Master's...
Tomorrow, Kurt and I are running with friends at 8:00 AM. Hoping to get in 10 - 12 miles. We'll see.
Off to bed...too tired to think!
One good thing is that Tom was there and he complimented me on how much my form has improved. He said "you're not crossing over at all!" Oh good. Now, if I can just swim half as fast as everyone else in Master's...
Tomorrow, Kurt and I are running with friends at 8:00 AM. Hoping to get in 10 - 12 miles. We'll see.
Off to bed...too tired to think!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Goofy Run
I woke up with a start at 5:00 AM today. Got up and felt unusually alert for that early in the morning. Decided to get a run in before taking the kids to school.
Another goofy thing about this morning is that it was 31 degrees at 6:30. Wow, heat wave! Its usually between 15 and 20 degrees.
So, I quickly get ready and leash up Daisy. Off we go.
Its still dark and there's a light rain/snow coming down. Its very quiet and all you can hear is the sound of my feet hitting the pavement (until I turn on my Ipod, that is).
The rain/sleet starts coming down harder and it starts looking more like snow. But the temp is still fairly warm, probably still at 31, so just perfect. Daisy trots along happily by my side and all is well. I kinda like running in lightly falling snow.
We run down several neighborhood streets and I'm in my zone when out of the blue comes a friendly black lab (with collar on) running along beside us. I stop and look around for its owner. No one to be found. Darn it! I want to keep running but I don't want this dog following us. So I back track and see a man scraping the ice off his windshield.
He points to an apartment where the dog lives. Fine, I'll go knock on the door and hopefully, deposit the dog (that is now getting on my nerves because he and Daisy are really going at it and she's tangled up in her leash now) and I'll go on my merry way.
Knock, knock, knock. No answer. Ring the doorbell (twice). No answer. Crap, there goes my run. I only have 45 mins to get a run in and 10 of it are already down the drain.
I stand there for what seems like a half hour waiting for someone to come to the door. What did they do, just let their dog out and go back to bed???
Finally, I try leaving and running down the street, telling the dog to "stay" as I leave. No luck. I stand there trying to decide, do I keep going and not worry about it, even though I know the dog will follow me? But I'm heading toward 23rd Avenue which is a busy street and I really don't want this dog to get hit by a car.
Back I go and I knock again...and again...and again. Finally I try yelling loudly to hopefully arouse the (idiot) owner to come get his/her #$%% dog! The neighbor of the (idiot) owner opens her door and says something in Spanish that I think was "its not my dog". I smile and tell her that I have to go, could you please hold the dog until the (idiot) owner opens their door??? She does but she doesn't look happy and I don't blame her.
So, I got maybe 30 mins of a run in. Really wanted the full 45. Oh well, its better than nothing. Grrrrrr
Another goofy thing about this morning is that it was 31 degrees at 6:30. Wow, heat wave! Its usually between 15 and 20 degrees.
So, I quickly get ready and leash up Daisy. Off we go.
Its still dark and there's a light rain/snow coming down. Its very quiet and all you can hear is the sound of my feet hitting the pavement (until I turn on my Ipod, that is).
The rain/sleet starts coming down harder and it starts looking more like snow. But the temp is still fairly warm, probably still at 31, so just perfect. Daisy trots along happily by my side and all is well. I kinda like running in lightly falling snow.
We run down several neighborhood streets and I'm in my zone when out of the blue comes a friendly black lab (with collar on) running along beside us. I stop and look around for its owner. No one to be found. Darn it! I want to keep running but I don't want this dog following us. So I back track and see a man scraping the ice off his windshield.
He points to an apartment where the dog lives. Fine, I'll go knock on the door and hopefully, deposit the dog (that is now getting on my nerves because he and Daisy are really going at it and she's tangled up in her leash now) and I'll go on my merry way.
Knock, knock, knock. No answer. Ring the doorbell (twice). No answer. Crap, there goes my run. I only have 45 mins to get a run in and 10 of it are already down the drain.
I stand there for what seems like a half hour waiting for someone to come to the door. What did they do, just let their dog out and go back to bed???
Finally, I try leaving and running down the street, telling the dog to "stay" as I leave. No luck. I stand there trying to decide, do I keep going and not worry about it, even though I know the dog will follow me? But I'm heading toward 23rd Avenue which is a busy street and I really don't want this dog to get hit by a car.
Back I go and I knock again...and again...and again. Finally I try yelling loudly to hopefully arouse the (idiot) owner to come get his/her #$%% dog! The neighbor of the (idiot) owner opens her door and says something in Spanish that I think was "its not my dog". I smile and tell her that I have to go, could you please hold the dog until the (idiot) owner opens their door??? She does but she doesn't look happy and I don't blame her.
So, I got maybe 30 mins of a run in. Really wanted the full 45. Oh well, its better than nothing. Grrrrrr
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Two Steps Forward, One Step Back
Had a great swim and run on Monday but like anything else, there are always setbacks. And today I had a big one.
Got up on time, got to the pool on time (6:15 AM), had a nice warm-up....should have a great swim at Master's practice this morning. Richard's workout called for 2 sets of 5 x 150, with #1, 3, and 5 being fast (I think, its hard for me to see the board from my lane!).
Anyway, I was looking forward to doing the 150's because I like that distance - not too long, not too short. And it should've gone great but it didn't (at least not in my head it didn't).
Richard said "go" and we all took off. I've always been at the back of the pack, if not the last one altogether, but I am usually able to hang on long enough to finish within 30 seconds or so of everyone else (that doesn't sound like much but it actually is).
And today I'm in the lane with my friend, Sarah, who is recovering from a car accident she had in December. She is wearing fins, as she should be, so I know she'll be able to keep up, if not swim faster than me (she's really strong).
But, I was left totally in the dust. Totally. Everyone was so far ahead of me, they finished the first five 150's as I finished only 4. Sarah was several laps ahead of me. WTF???
If you've been reading this blog, you know I am not a good swimmer...or at least, that its the weakest of the three sports for me (swimming, biking, running). And despite having decent swim times at most of the tri's I've done (not fast but not slow either), I can't seem to feel very confident in my ability to swim well. And today pretty much made things worse.
So I'm in a funk now and I gotta pull myself up by the bootstraps. Sh*t happens, as they say. But I have some work to do before I feel ready to swim 2.4 straight miles in Arizona. In Florida, I had that short break on the beach where I could catch my breath. But not in AZ - its one long 2.4 mile stretch with no break (at least there won't be huge waves to contend with!)
I know I can do it - I don't doubt that - but I don't want to be left in the dust that day, nor any day for that matter. Time to get serious!
Got up on time, got to the pool on time (6:15 AM), had a nice warm-up....should have a great swim at Master's practice this morning. Richard's workout called for 2 sets of 5 x 150, with #1, 3, and 5 being fast (I think, its hard for me to see the board from my lane!).
Anyway, I was looking forward to doing the 150's because I like that distance - not too long, not too short. And it should've gone great but it didn't (at least not in my head it didn't).
Richard said "go" and we all took off. I've always been at the back of the pack, if not the last one altogether, but I am usually able to hang on long enough to finish within 30 seconds or so of everyone else (that doesn't sound like much but it actually is).
And today I'm in the lane with my friend, Sarah, who is recovering from a car accident she had in December. She is wearing fins, as she should be, so I know she'll be able to keep up, if not swim faster than me (she's really strong).
But, I was left totally in the dust. Totally. Everyone was so far ahead of me, they finished the first five 150's as I finished only 4. Sarah was several laps ahead of me. WTF???
If you've been reading this blog, you know I am not a good swimmer...or at least, that its the weakest of the three sports for me (swimming, biking, running). And despite having decent swim times at most of the tri's I've done (not fast but not slow either), I can't seem to feel very confident in my ability to swim well. And today pretty much made things worse.
So I'm in a funk now and I gotta pull myself up by the bootstraps. Sh*t happens, as they say. But I have some work to do before I feel ready to swim 2.4 straight miles in Arizona. In Florida, I had that short break on the beach where I could catch my breath. But not in AZ - its one long 2.4 mile stretch with no break (at least there won't be huge waves to contend with!)
I know I can do it - I don't doubt that - but I don't want to be left in the dust that day, nor any day for that matter. Time to get serious!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Multi-Tasking at its Best
Today is Monday so that means Master's swim. I made it to the pool but was very late (6:30) and missed the warm-up (darn it).
But it turned out ok because I got to "circle" with two really cool women: Natalie (see post from last week) and Sarah (my IM training buddy).
I did most of the workout but didn't have time to do it all, as usual. The interesting thing is, I'm finding myself wishing that I could. Every Mon and Weds, I leave the pool by 7:00'ish to get home and get the kids off to school. And I'm always happy to leave. Relieved, actually. But wouldn't it be nice to do an entire Master's swim workout for once? More on that later.
I wanted to run after getting the kids to school but had too much work to do. Better get it done, I thought. So I did.
Six hours later and the kids come home. Usually, when they come home from school, I put away work and any hope for running or riding, so that I can focus on them. But today, I had a great idea!
They have been asking a lot lately if they can go "slide" down the hill at UNC (this is the hill we sled on when there's snow, which is around the corner from our house. But most of the snow is gone so no one is sledding right now). There's a few thin strips of hard-packed ice on the hill and we were over there last week with our sleds and the kids actually got some good runs in. And of course, they asked again today.
I started to give the usual response ("no, not now") but then a lightbulb went off. Why not kill three birds with one stone? I need to run, Daisy needs some exercise, the kids want to sled....bingo! We were out the door in 15 mins.
The kids ran with their sleds over to the hill and Daisy and I soon followed. The hill is very wide and the icy part is on the south end. The kids sledded for a good half hour while I ran hill repeats and sprints across the playing fields.
I was surprised at how good I felt, considering the hard run yesterday and skiing on Saturday. But I felt like I was flying! I wore my Ipod and just sprinted up and down the hill 10 - 12 times and across the field 5 or 6 times (on very wet grass, somtimes splashing through puddles of icy cold water). Then, I walked the kids home, dropped off Daisy and went out for a fast 3 mile run. And even though I can tell I'm slower than I've been in years past, I felt strong and really good.
But the best part was combining my training with something that the kids wanted to do. They were in heaven being able to go sledding on a weekday and I was in heaven being able to run and watch them at the same time. Now, that's the way to multi-task!
But it turned out ok because I got to "circle" with two really cool women: Natalie (see post from last week) and Sarah (my IM training buddy).
I did most of the workout but didn't have time to do it all, as usual. The interesting thing is, I'm finding myself wishing that I could. Every Mon and Weds, I leave the pool by 7:00'ish to get home and get the kids off to school. And I'm always happy to leave. Relieved, actually. But wouldn't it be nice to do an entire Master's swim workout for once? More on that later.
I wanted to run after getting the kids to school but had too much work to do. Better get it done, I thought. So I did.
Six hours later and the kids come home. Usually, when they come home from school, I put away work and any hope for running or riding, so that I can focus on them. But today, I had a great idea!
They have been asking a lot lately if they can go "slide" down the hill at UNC (this is the hill we sled on when there's snow, which is around the corner from our house. But most of the snow is gone so no one is sledding right now). There's a few thin strips of hard-packed ice on the hill and we were over there last week with our sleds and the kids actually got some good runs in. And of course, they asked again today.
I started to give the usual response ("no, not now") but then a lightbulb went off. Why not kill three birds with one stone? I need to run, Daisy needs some exercise, the kids want to sled....bingo! We were out the door in 15 mins.
The kids ran with their sleds over to the hill and Daisy and I soon followed. The hill is very wide and the icy part is on the south end. The kids sledded for a good half hour while I ran hill repeats and sprints across the playing fields.
I was surprised at how good I felt, considering the hard run yesterday and skiing on Saturday. But I felt like I was flying! I wore my Ipod and just sprinted up and down the hill 10 - 12 times and across the field 5 or 6 times (on very wet grass, somtimes splashing through puddles of icy cold water). Then, I walked the kids home, dropped off Daisy and went out for a fast 3 mile run. And even though I can tell I'm slower than I've been in years past, I felt strong and really good.
But the best part was combining my training with something that the kids wanted to do. They were in heaven being able to go sledding on a weekday and I was in heaven being able to run and watch them at the same time. Now, that's the way to multi-task!
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