saving two thousand words

worth sharing. From Fucked in Park Slope

I'm not sure these should share the same page. But so what.

long summer run!

hot sun = fun run on the beach. Indian raga music made it even more beautiful. barefoot. 13.5 k (had planned 14, but turned early to keep Odie out of the crowds). LSD is back.  Worked on staying in the upper most part of the heart rate zone.  Put sun screen on my road rash in the hopes of avoiding scars.  The sole of my left foot is slightly annoyed at having been made to run barefoot, but my knees are very happy. I could feel the effect of the crash deep inside my right hip,  Everything feels better today, a nice change of direction. Every day after the accident I felt slightly worse. Until today.



1000 meter swim
And sunburn!

Tram tracks 1- Bike 0

Today was a gorgeous ride south past Monster after stopping at the bike shop to make an appointment for service and installation of aero-bars.  I rode back through an intersection with tram tracks and thought I had crossed them. One of my tires dropped into the tracks, suddenly snapping the direction of the bike and down I went. I stopped sliding when my shoulder hit the curb. A fellow cyclist asked me if I was alright. I popped up, saying, that was a surprise. It was.   I  have lots of bruises and fine road rash on my elbow, knee and shoulder.  And I'm sore.

The ride was absolutely lovely. So I will sit and the sun and enjoy the day. I feel like a real triathlete now.

I finished the day with 1250 m lap swim. My coach corrected the angle of my arm entry. Progress.  I can do this!

So, I am left wondering if there is a "preferred way" to land when you crash your bike.  It happens again, should I try to tuck my arm and leg in, and fall flat?  I think from the bruises and road rash that I must have stuck knee and elbow out to catch myself as I went down. Not effective and could have resulted in more injury, in hindsight.  My whole right side hurts a bit - hip, shoulder & neck.  I will replace my helmet, though I think I didn't hit, or didn't hit hard at least - when I slid into the curb.  (now I will have proof that I am an triathlete!)
 

I take away confidence that I can handle sudden & unexpected events calmly.  I was up on my feet and out of traffic quickly. Fixed my bike chain and rode home.

Person joy

Dog joy

Why i love holland

w15 in review - part 2

Nice post from Sandrelle with a good reminder that if I want to get to my goal weight/body composition, planning my meals ahead of time and eating off my plan will help.  I will wield the chisel carefully and sculpt the new me!

For inspiration - try googling Gorgeous Triathlete

The choice is mine!

w15 in review - part 1

planning planning planning

keys to success.  I will figure out a way to move one of my long sessions to the middle of the week. I'm wedged up again on Sunday morning with competing opportunities and desires. The opening/closing times of the pool and the gym define access and give me some frustration since back in the USA, the limits aren't so narrow.   I really do need to get my lifting done mid-week too. Plus one mid-week swim. I've said this to myself several times, but I need to PLAN and make it a reality.  Making an appointment with myself - specific Day & Time will manifest ACTION rather than WISH.

The weather was really cruddy this morning and I needed to sleep and rest. So I didn't ride early, which I could have done. But I finished my long run last night at 1900, and need a little more recovery space. Plus I don't like going to bed at 2130!  I'm a big girl and I like to stay up late.  And I like poking around the house on Sunday mornings. I rush out every other day of the week.   I've also cleaned out all the crud from my gym and swim bags, washed sports bottles and clothing, and sorted training plans, instructions, and all bits of paper that make up my daily activities.

So, the plan is to get to the pool, since that's a key workout and I'm short on swim technique and see what time I finish. Then gym? before family activities. We'll see. (Perhaps I will bump my long ride to Monday afternoon, even though Judy will tell me not to.)  I feel incredibly happy to have the chance to do all these activities.

So the reality is this. I have to be in the city center at 1400 for the start of a concert performance by my boys. No one walked the dog, and they've left already to go to rehearsal. I asked my body what it really really wants, and it told me stretching and rehab, with some strength and rope skipping.  So, I'm taking the dog out, which I enjoy because I walk out to the tower and look at the sea.  then I'll train at home, and shower and hop on the tram.  Life is good.

Dog run

Done. So windy I got a head ache and sand in my eyes.  Huge black rain band soaked me. When you're out in the middle of the beach, there's no where to go but faster.

Enjoyed running at my marathon pace and my half marathon pace and a little 10k pace here and there.  Just nice!  Oh, and barefoot too.

w15 tempo swim

Swimming is my biggest limiter - to state it otherwise, it offers the most opportunity for improvement. I reviewed the Total Immersion Easy Freestyle lessons on video this morning before going to the pool. I swam 1500m in under 50 minutes, with rest breaks, etc., per my planned workout. I am pleased. What pleases me more is that I caught a mistake I am making with a premature withdrawal of my arm when breathing to the left. This has been causing me to sink. I can now correct it. Reviewing the videos deepens my knowledge. I see more technique and can apply the suggestions.

Today was just trying to swim the distance. I can do this.

two months

That's how long it took for me to decide to run another marathon.  I figure my second will definitely be easier and faster than my first. (Really, just about anything would be easier and faster....) I will start training after recovering from Bustinskin 72.3 in September. (Two miles were added to the bike. As if 70.3 wasn't enough already).

I explained to a friend at lunch why: the pure pleasure of long-distance running.  Here's another visual explanation.   I'm feeling particularly inspired by Shalane Flanagan, pictured below winning the 2010 US Half Marathon Championships in Houston: 1:09:41.   Maybe I'd run faster with gloves, arm bands and compression socks too!

Now to pick out a race! Fantasy races to be considered:

Cayman Islands Marathon (can't imagine where they could find 26.2 miles on Grand Cayman!). Think Warm. Think December.

Antartic Ice Marathon (could it be anything other than Ice??). Also December. Not Warm.

Or perhaps a half marathon on wheels in Verona:

The possibilities are endless! Stay tuned.

100 days

I am committed to my training. To doing what it takes. I have hay fever or something and slept in this morning, and took a colleague to lunch. That left evening. My younger son had his end-of the year violin concert at 6:15. We finished at 8:15. Rode my bike to the concert and then to the gym, on the way home. Lifted. Nice. I felt really strong. Then I got home and had some water and juice and dried apricots. And then went out with Odie for a "tempo" run. Planned 50 minutes. Ran 60 minutes. Took a different path in the dunes up into some hills, and then down to the water. At sunset and dusk. It was fabulous.

I was inspired by this essay by my coach entitled Evolving Goals.

It's way past my bedtime. So I'm signing off.

100 days.  On race day, I will be at my best ever.

Drive less. You know you can.

 

credit

w16 Done!

Today I lifted weights for an hour then went to the pool and swam for 45 minutes. My son wanted to join me, so I waited out front for him. I was glad he and his friend wanted to swim, even though it cut into my time in the water.  Then I went home and changed into my tri-suit & enjoyed the most delicious smoothie: mango, pineapple, coconut milk, protein powder and a handful of fresh mint leaves.  2.5 hour ride, followed by a 30 minute run.

 

I'm ready for bed!

W16 Saturday

Today was a fun day. I enjoyed a gorgeous 90 minute run on the beach with Odie. Hard pack sand, not too hot, not too much wind.  Just right!  If it weren't for a training plan and a busy day tomorrow, I would have kept on running for twice as long.

It turns out I should have. I had a mis-cue with the home front, and while I was gone, they went out to the harbour to celebrate the new herring catch.  I came home to a locked front door & an empty house. I assumed they'd be home and didn't take my keys.  Odie and I took a 30 minute walk; I sat in the front garden on my little cafe chair in the sun. I weeded the front garden. I enjoyed sitting in the sun some more.  They were back soon enough - but my swimming window closed, unfortunately.  I ate, fed the boys and took them to the pool, but it was already 2:30 when we arrived and they had closed (pool closes at 3:00).  I went back to the sea, but the waves were huge and the wind had really picked up.  So I grabbed some books and read in the sun in the back garden.  Very relaxing and enjoyable.  Wrote for a while too.

While running I thought about Desire and Doubt.  I feel really comfortable with my running. I know how to do this - what work needs to happen along the way to get faster.  I feel like an experienced runner.  My knees are really liking the run/walk pacing required to stay within the heart rate limits - every week my pace  is improving.   I mused that I will have to do a second HI next year. HE HE HE. That takes the pressure off this one!  It's just a warm-up on the way to even better fitness and health.

About desire & doubt - they are related - when I want something, I can become fearful that I won't get it - that raises doubt - uncertainty.  desire can also create pleasure. And I am really  enjoying every training session. Maybe skipping the moderates works better for my body that trying to get them all in.  I'll see next week.

I need to also get in more swims. I'd like to get three - right now, I'm getting one or two.  And I need to remember to stretch and do my core routine.

So, that's the news. Looking forward to tomorrow - I have a bike/run brick and will also swim in the morning.

w16 Friday

morning rain + poor sleep + busy day = no training. No planning = ad hoc food. At least I'm checking in.

great evening watching my son perform - gorgeous improv jazz on the violin, with his dad accompanying him on the guitar. So wonderful that a teacher in the audience invited him for a couple free lessons in gypsy style music. very exciting.

I've got great plans for the weekend! swim bike run repeat!

plan ahead for an excellent food week next week too.

Double header for Friday

W16 Thursday

My husband will get home late tonight. phew! No training today. It was POURING rain this morning, and I just didn't want to ride in the rain. Wimped out. The whole work day was very busy and productive. Fantasies that I would get to the gym or leave early to swim or that it would stop raining never materialized into reality. There's always tomorrow! The danger is of course that I load up three days in a row with too much and don't allow enough recovery time. I will be reasonable and listen to my body. This has been a challenging week home alone with the kids. But I have really enjoyed being with them in a way that doesn't happen when both parents are home. I end up working late, or training in the evening, or just competing for conversation time.

Food was good today - light since no training.
latte; pineapple & ham for breakfast; tinned makerel & yellow & green peppers; steak, mushrooms, salad; latte; chicken breast, 1/2 c rice, broccoli and spinach for dinner. I'm still a little hungry so I plan to have some fruit.

off to read stories.

w16 Wednesday

Busy day: wake, make breakfast and lunch, listen to my son rehearse his presentation and then take him to school; argue with the electric company guy about the bill; take the dog for a run; quick change and get over to the dentist; pick up my son from school; feed him, bake brownies, prep for dinner, getting sauce ready; race across town for tennis & violin lesson; back for dinner. Do dishes. Go to bed!

55 minute tempo run. fun. my hrm was giving me some strange readings until about 20 minutes into the run. I wonder if there is electronic interference or something. I know it was not 90 bpm when I was running at a 5min/km pace!
food: latte; pineapple egg pre workout; mango banana protein powder; liverwurst spinach yellow pepper; spinach with ground beef/veg/tomato sauce. Bonus homemade brownie I baked with my son after school. total est. intake: 1170

The brownie put me a little too high on the carbs today. But I enjoyed every bite.


PS. my attempt to go to be early was thwarted by one large tick on the dog plus several chapters of my new book :)