W18 Sunday

Well, my phone alarm already rang, reminding me to go to bed. And here I am, at the end of a long, very busy day. It started at 7 am with a phone call that woke me up (never a good thing). My husband hurt his back and wasn't able to compete in the regatta today. He is having difficulty walking and isn't quite sure what caused this pinched nerve or something. He's especially bummed because his team withdrew in the hopes of saving what's left of his back for the championships next weekend.

So, today I:

walked the dog

fixed breakfast and lunch for the boys while doing laundry and nagging them to pick up their stuff.

swam +1250 m (62 laps - 40 of them were 3/4 length due to the kiddy section) (TI drills and freestyle swim. I still suck at left side breathing. But I now understand breathing is rolling, not lifting my head). Immediately after changing, rode my bike (after trying to put my tri-suit on backwards)

cycled: 70 minutes. Blinding hailstorm for the last 20 minutes. Thunder, gusting winds. I asked myself, what would Lance do? granted, it wasn't the Alps, but I did zip up my jacket.

got home, dried off, read stories by the fire, then made dinner - new recipe: curried coconut sweet potato chicken soup. It was really delicious. I needed to try something new, and this is now a favorite. The pressure cooker takes all of four minutes to cook (with leftover chicken breast already cooked). Fabulous. Did I mention I liked it?

After dinner I took Odie down to the beach for a 50 minute tempo run. The wind was gusting. Sea foam flying. Gorgeous wild weather.

I got all my workouts in except for one weight lifting session. I dawdled this morning folding laundry and taking care of the house. The gym closes at 14:00 which has routinely foiled my attempts to lift. Besides I was having fun with my kids.

I registered for another half marathon race - in November - the Dunes in my neighborhood. Actually the distance is 25 km, the last four are a bonus!

W18 Saturday

busy day "single-parenting" -

It started at 4 am correcting the stinky teenagers who broke curfew and stayed up waaaay too late playing video games.  They had been told lights out by 2.  Stinky boys!

Then, Nathaniel  asked to be woken at 7 a.m. so he and his friend could go for a hike and have breakfast in the dunes. I made crepes for them to take on their journey.  Off they went. Me? clean kitchen, start laundry.

Then I walked the dog and cleaned the dining room. Stinky teenagers slept in.

Then off to the pool with Nathaniel and his friend. TI drills. I've got the hang of left side switch and breathing. I have to say it's much easier with my zoomer fins on.  1000m laps.  Then lunch in the canteen. Patat and "uitsmijter" - (egg sandwich).  

Then it was time for Orchestra (at 4:00).  I put on my bike clothes and rode the boys over to their practice and then I enjoyed a 90 minute easy spin in the city, which meant that I stopped at a lot of stop lights. I got home just as it started to rain. Pulled in laundry, cushions, started dinner.  Nice to have a half hour by myself.

Then the boys got home and I fed them lots of food. Me? Shrimp and sweet potato.  We're watching an old western (Once Upon a Time  In The West).

So, I'm taking my tea over to the couch.  See you tomorrow.

I found this interesting checklist vs why you're not getting results.

W18 Friday

I think growth happens when I go  outside my comfort zone. I certainly learned a lot swimming in the North Sea this week.  Taking risks, pushing a bit, stretching. I am growing inside and out while training for this lovely prize in September.  I count out the # of Long Runs, tempo Rides, etc. remaining.  I unveiled the remainder of the training program with Mark Allen and "holy crap" I'm going to be One Fit Athena Goddess come September.

I took an easy day of it today so far (it's only 8:45 pm).  My husband's left for the weekend for a sailing competition, so no car = no lake swim tonight. Just as well, I think. I'd rather battle sea water than lake water. Blech!

I strained a muscle in my neck lifting last night. Not sure exactly how I did it, but it hurts to turn my head. It was overcast and cloudy this morning, so I skipped my planned ride. I have time in my schedule for it this weekend, or I'll drop it.   I've caught my breath. My weight's down two  pounds unexpectedly. I don't feel under the gun for each workout. It helped to have Monday and Tuesday off from work, and to have swapped my long workouts away from the weekend.

I hammered through some grungy paperwork at the office today and gave my assistant LOADS of work for him to help me with.  I also  had an important conversation with my husband about our household, and started planning our Home Leave trip to the US in July.  I'm challenging myself to find a bike, water and a gym in every place we visit.

I also figured out how to set up an online grocery account for home delivery. Next I will translate my meal plan into a decent shopping list and have my food delivered for 5 or 6 euro.  I LIKE THIS IDEA!

I also got authorisation from Vibram Five Fingers to return my shoes for a new pair (the strap has unraveled).  Very quick response from customer service. I'm impressed. Unfortunately I can't send them to Italy - I bought them from the States.  Stay tuned.

I'm finding that trying to set up my own business makes me very uncomfortable, and I'm moving through that discomfort and growing.

So, that's my update for this Friday. I'm signing off to take the big pup out for a short spin. He'll like it and I will too!

Chris

W18 Thursday motivation

5:47  bizzzzz. vibrating phone alarm knocks the phone off the night table, hitting snooze without my help.

6:01 I think, what's my phone doing on the floor? Where's my alarm? Nex thought, Today is a scheduled moderate ride. Scan self. Sore knuckles and elbows. Need some more sleep. I don't feel like a bike ride this morning.   Snooze a bit. Then Wide awake. Get up. Okay. You can have a second rest day if you want.  Make latte. Yum. Read email, look at forum.  Thinking this is a waste of time - I want to run.  Find photo below & post to today's entry. I am motivated to do better with myself.

7:07 done with latte. Done with morning internet surf.   Still loads of time before having to go to work.  Legs say, let's go for a run. There's plenty of time for and value in a 30-min run.  Dress, gather happy dog & go.  I'm still outward bound after 25 minutes, and loving it.   Total run a perfect 50 minutes. 

9:02 At work, having showered, eaten and commuted.  Fired up for a great day and committed to being the best I can be.

Today's motivation  - Nell Stephenson Ironman Hawaii 2007

W18 Wednesday Rest

Rest.

On Monday and Tuesday  I completed my long run, bike and a swim.  Not surprisingly, I felt a little tired. So this morning I slept in (until 7) and this evening I had dinner with my family and read for a couple hours. Very relaxing and restorative.  The point is to train only as much as my body can absorb.

I'm working on an on-line business plan and took some steps to open  accounts, laying ground work for test marketing my ideas. I'm excited and nervous at the same time.  Just like on the race course, it's all about confronting my fears.

Training Rule No. 1: control your thoughts!   

W18 Tuesday

What a great day today.  I walked the dog early and checked the surf. Looking good. Ate breakfast and gathered my courage, swam in the North Sea for at least a 1000 m. Wetsuit worked fine. Eventually I realised I wasn't that cold.  Wind was out of the north and picked up the surf quite a bit.

Afterwards I wrote about the swim  in my journal on the beach, which I enjoyed.

Then Lunch and hanging with the kids.  Then a 41 km 2.5 hr cycle into the North wind. Flew on the way back.

Now for stories for the little guy and sleep for me.

One major thought  in the North Sea - apart from don't panic - you're safe - was "if Judy can do it, so can I."  I am the luckiest person on Earth to have such a strong training partner.  I had a lot of vertigo every time I looked at the bottom. So I stopped. Swimming was more like floating while kicking.  I'll get the hang of this. Wow did I have fun.

And I crashed my bike. Not bad. Just couldn't unclip in time and tipped over, since I needed to brake to avoid a car.  Tipping was the better choice, compared to running into the car.  I'm fine. Broke the skin on my knee. But no big deal.

Onwards! 

W18 Monday Long Run

I did my planned long run today - 90 minutes + 10 minutes warm up. I went up through the dunes and then along the beach.  The tide was unusually high, forcing me to run through soft sand or newly-wet sand, which has the foundational characteristics of quick sand.  The North Sea Regatta put scores of sailboats all over the sea.   I needed to walk a lot to stay within the heart rate limit. Speeding up, then slowing down. Odie swam and played with other dogs. It was nearly perfect. As soon as I was back on the brick or roadway I could run easily within the target range.  That restored my confidence a little. I try to remind myself I am recruiting specific changes in my energy system, and that's the point right now. Not to build speed. That comes later.  And I am already seeing improvement in my pace on the bike.

I am enjoying time-based training sessions. I know how long they'll take - something I couldn't predict as easily when going out for a 15 k run.   I have some concern that I am not getting in the distance I need to build back up to 30 km, which is the over-distance Jeff Galloway recommended to me - (I think - I have to go back and look.)  I will put this question to Mark and see what his recommendation is - whether I should walk to increase the distances if my "running" remains at such a slow pace.

W18 planning - the devil is in the details

Putting together week 18, having in mind what I've learned the last two weeks:

Opportunities: Monday and Tuesday are brilliant windows of opportunity - off work Tuesday, Monday holiday.

Weekend: Jeff's away sailing, so I have the kids by myself. Royal 10k on Sunday - kids want to run the 5k. So I will too, since I can't leave my younger son by himself.  To be more available to them on the weekend, I will see whether it works to do my longer Recreation sessions (training!) on Monday and Tuesday.  Tempo run will be the 5k - slow enough to run with my younger son - I think it will take 50 minutes for him to do the 5k - it will be okay if it's shorter than that.

Pool: No more Fri nite RTC.  Replace with a morning swim.  Located a noon-time lap swim too. Try that out Wednesday and see whether it wreaks havoc with work or French class.  Consider swimming Tuesday in the day time and skipping Tuesday night.

I measured how to swim 1500m in the sea - from the pier to the naturist club. I can do that!

Getting to the gym - I need to make an appointment with myself, or else the days float away. This week, I will go Tuesday and Thursday (or Friday).

I don't like swimming two days in a row - probably a little ambitious. If I don't swim today, I'll pop it into Saturday and my sons will be glad to go to the pool, I think.

Sleep - Intention: by 10 every night.
Work hours: leave by 6:30 every night, except Wed French class.
Food: Eat well. Support this effort with good food.
Water: keep the joints lubricated! Water this plant. Thrive!
Coffee: skip it in the mornings. Only ONE at work. And skip the pastries! sugar, bread and caffeine are no substitutes for true nourishment to provide energy.