The 1st week of "preseason" has closed. I managed 2 swims, 1 bike, and 2 runs. Boy, I love to run. I actually went 6 miles today! That would be my 5th run since July, I think? And I did 6 miles. I am trying to watch my heartrate. At least just to see what kind of numbers I have so that when I start to train seriously, I can follow the zone guidelines. It seems that most of what I read says zone 2 or 3. Well, my run today was just into zone 4. I did not feel as though I was zone 4. Perhaps I am younger than I think? It felt good and I never looked at my watch until we got done. I think the dog was happy to get some exercise and I enjoyed my time chatting with friends.
My bike was really kinda hard. I did a 35 minute spinerval workout on the trainer. I went into zone 5 as a max. That was the intent of the workout. They were 7 intervals of hard gears for 90 seconds. My average was solid in zone 3. My cadence was about 85 rpm's. Rob put aerobars on my bike. A few weeks ago I did a 40 mile ride outdoors. Felt good. The trainer - not so good. I had really bad pain in my left shoulder and neck for a few days. I think it was from the trainer. I'll have to have my mechanic/coach fiddle with my fit a bit.
My swims - good as usual. I just love to swim. If you don't know that about me already - you'll learn. My husband doesn't see the need for me to swim much - I need to swim. It is just relaxing for me. Working on speed work a little to hopefully bring my time/hundred down a little. I want to feel like it is easy, but I don't want to get stuck in the chaos of the post 1 hour swim finish. I think I could do a 65 minute swim - might be nice to be a little faster. I really don't want the contact of the masses!
I didn't do any weights or yoga this week. I hope to change that this week. I also had a bad food week too. I cheated on my "1 latte a week" - 4 times over! I also had 2 scones, a culver's concrete mixer, puppy chow, and a piece of cake. So much for cutting the crap out. Hopefully I will do better this week. Maybe I will reward myself on the weekend if I hit my workouts this week. Busy week though. I will try to at least check in weekly. Rob says I babble too much. Perhaps a weekly post will help.
Have a delightful week everyone!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
It's Over. And a New Beginning.
I'm sorry about this. It's been a long relationship. BUT - the last 7 years have been rough. I'm always looking, but faithfully return to you. You let me down every year. I still go back. Today - I'm ending it. I am reserving the right to change my mind. After all, we have had some good times. Literally! You won't be completely thrown to the curb; I always need a back-up. It's just that I am replacing you with not 1 but 2 new options. Well actually, 1 new option. The other is the one I dream about. I have always wanted it back. I think it's going to work this time. Don't worry - there are plenty of fish in the sea - or......feet on the pavement. Someone new will love you like I tried to.
Yes, I bought new running shoes today. I even tried them out! I bought Asics Gel-Kayano's. I also ordered a pair of Brooks Dyads. I am running some runs in orthotics with cushioned shoes, and other runs in stabile, motion control shoes. I am a SEVERE over-pronator. I get injured every year. I can run fast - just not for long. I even ran under 7 minute miles at times for a pace. My 5 mile time this July was sub-40. That was at the Freedom Run in Sheboygan. That is quite fast for me. Last year I did the 2 mile in 14:20 or so. I remember my 1st race when I had just started running. The Brat Trot in Sheboygan - when it was from the YMCA - same start/finish as my July Freedom Run race. I think my time was 15:14, and it hurt. I was probably 22 or so. I ran in asics back then. My feet felt like they were in heaven. A few years later, my foot issues began. I went to get new shoes and they changed my size - which did help some. In 2002, I found Movin' Shoes. I love that place. They fit me with running shoes appropriate for my stride/gait/foot, etc. So began my relationship with New Balance. I have been to Fleet Feet and Endurance House. I have learned things from them, certainly. I just love the service and their policies, and their discounts at Movin' Shoes. I was there for well over 90 minutes today trying shoes. They always bring out Nike - I just don't like those shoes. Surprisingly, they did not bring out Saucony. Just 4 brands. I really liked the Brooks Dyad's - they were so comfortable. Better than my current New Balance model that is supposed to be equal on the cushion scale. They just didn't have the wide width that I needed. They were close, but a bit too pinchy in the toe box - so we had to order them. Then came the stable shoe. I was torn. The New Balance model was the one I wore a year ago for my marathon. I got injured in those shoes, but I wore my orthotics in them. I think I was over-corrected. They were comfortable, but when he asked me which shoe felt best in the arch - it was the Asics. The toe box isn't quite as deep so he grabbed a 9. It felt better. It felt ... the best. I am getting back together with the shoe it all began with. Hopefully we have a lasting relationship. One that is problem free. I also decided to buy some compression socks. They are CEP size III. They weren't as tight as I thought they would be, but felt good. Rob thinks they are dorky. I don't care. He doesn't have foot/leg issues. I do. I did run 2 miles tonight. Felt good. Besides the few times my ankle was tweaking. I blame that on P90x. Hopefully that will get better the more I run.
Speaking of P90x, I'm officially done. The last 2 weeks were spotty. I have to weigh myself and do the final measurements yet. I won't tell you what it says except whether I improved or not. I can tell you that I feel stronger in the upper body. I didn't think the legs workout was that bad. I plan on starting my pre-season this week. I will continue lifting with the P90x workouts - just not doing the cardio workouts. I am going to bust out the trainer this week and start doing my spinnervals workouts. I also am going to try to run a couple of times a week. I will probably start swimming 3 times/week now too as the girls swim team is done practicing in the mornings. The boys team has less kids, so we can go back to our M, W, F schedule. Except I will probably skip W and swim either T or Th.
The handy shoe dude is a 5 time Ironman, so he was giving me some pointers. I had a plan developed based on Rob's advice and my own thoughts. Rob followed "be Ironfit". I think I may put a run back into the mix after talking to the shoe dude. (I wish I would have gotten his name - just because he was helpful). I had taken a run and made it a brick, but I think I better run a little longer than what I had written. My thoughts were to do 3 swims, 2 bikes, 2 runs, and 2 bricks per week. Plus lifting 2 times and doing a yoga workout. And a day off. Seems insane. I would probably drop the lifting and yoga later in the season, but I think it will help me in the beginning. I don't know where to put another run. Anyone else follow a dedicated plan? My actual training starts on Feb. 14th. I am just going to build a slow base to February. I really want to work on my bike fitness and dropping some time in swimming. There isn't a whole lot I can drop there. I think I am strong time-wise already. I will concentrate on going long later. I could do the swim tomorrow - I just don't want to get burned out on continuous long swimming yet. I like intervals. Some fast and short - some long -- and fast. I also love doing different strokes. I may swim some master's meets. A nice change from the triathlon season. I may give the garmin a break. I am pretty competitive. OKAAAAY - REALLY competitive. I think I need to go with heartrate training and lose the pace on the garmin. Maybe Rob can loan me his watch and heartrate strap. Perhaps I will even wear it to the pool for a test! Now I am treading the high end of the dork scale if I show up at the pool with that!
Oh - and after a great 3 week hiatus from sugar, caffeine, and alcohol - the last 2 weeks have been a bloodbath in those 3 areas. SOOOOO - tomorrow begins another strict plan. The other night - I evened out the pan of brownies - because I didn't like that it was uneven. AND = I was simply going to be putting them from the pan into a tupperware container. That was sad. I indulged in a Large Latte and a Large bowl of ice cream tonight. Tomorrow - it's back to caffeine-free tea in the mornings, and carrots for a nighttime snack. Hopefully I can stick with it. I will allow for 1 decaf latte a week. No sweets except special occasions. I have to remind myself what really tastes good and whether it is worth it. Hopefully these last 2 weeks will not show unkindly on the scale tomorrow....
Yes, I bought new running shoes today. I even tried them out! I bought Asics Gel-Kayano's. I also ordered a pair of Brooks Dyads. I am running some runs in orthotics with cushioned shoes, and other runs in stabile, motion control shoes. I am a SEVERE over-pronator. I get injured every year. I can run fast - just not for long. I even ran under 7 minute miles at times for a pace. My 5 mile time this July was sub-40. That was at the Freedom Run in Sheboygan. That is quite fast for me. Last year I did the 2 mile in 14:20 or so. I remember my 1st race when I had just started running. The Brat Trot in Sheboygan - when it was from the YMCA - same start/finish as my July Freedom Run race. I think my time was 15:14, and it hurt. I was probably 22 or so. I ran in asics back then. My feet felt like they were in heaven. A few years later, my foot issues began. I went to get new shoes and they changed my size - which did help some. In 2002, I found Movin' Shoes. I love that place. They fit me with running shoes appropriate for my stride/gait/foot, etc. So began my relationship with New Balance. I have been to Fleet Feet and Endurance House. I have learned things from them, certainly. I just love the service and their policies, and their discounts at Movin' Shoes. I was there for well over 90 minutes today trying shoes. They always bring out Nike - I just don't like those shoes. Surprisingly, they did not bring out Saucony. Just 4 brands. I really liked the Brooks Dyad's - they were so comfortable. Better than my current New Balance model that is supposed to be equal on the cushion scale. They just didn't have the wide width that I needed. They were close, but a bit too pinchy in the toe box - so we had to order them. Then came the stable shoe. I was torn. The New Balance model was the one I wore a year ago for my marathon. I got injured in those shoes, but I wore my orthotics in them. I think I was over-corrected. They were comfortable, but when he asked me which shoe felt best in the arch - it was the Asics. The toe box isn't quite as deep so he grabbed a 9. It felt better. It felt ... the best. I am getting back together with the shoe it all began with. Hopefully we have a lasting relationship. One that is problem free. I also decided to buy some compression socks. They are CEP size III. They weren't as tight as I thought they would be, but felt good. Rob thinks they are dorky. I don't care. He doesn't have foot/leg issues. I do. I did run 2 miles tonight. Felt good. Besides the few times my ankle was tweaking. I blame that on P90x. Hopefully that will get better the more I run.
Speaking of P90x, I'm officially done. The last 2 weeks were spotty. I have to weigh myself and do the final measurements yet. I won't tell you what it says except whether I improved or not. I can tell you that I feel stronger in the upper body. I didn't think the legs workout was that bad. I plan on starting my pre-season this week. I will continue lifting with the P90x workouts - just not doing the cardio workouts. I am going to bust out the trainer this week and start doing my spinnervals workouts. I also am going to try to run a couple of times a week. I will probably start swimming 3 times/week now too as the girls swim team is done practicing in the mornings. The boys team has less kids, so we can go back to our M, W, F schedule. Except I will probably skip W and swim either T or Th.
The handy shoe dude is a 5 time Ironman, so he was giving me some pointers. I had a plan developed based on Rob's advice and my own thoughts. Rob followed "be Ironfit". I think I may put a run back into the mix after talking to the shoe dude. (I wish I would have gotten his name - just because he was helpful). I had taken a run and made it a brick, but I think I better run a little longer than what I had written. My thoughts were to do 3 swims, 2 bikes, 2 runs, and 2 bricks per week. Plus lifting 2 times and doing a yoga workout. And a day off. Seems insane. I would probably drop the lifting and yoga later in the season, but I think it will help me in the beginning. I don't know where to put another run. Anyone else follow a dedicated plan? My actual training starts on Feb. 14th. I am just going to build a slow base to February. I really want to work on my bike fitness and dropping some time in swimming. There isn't a whole lot I can drop there. I think I am strong time-wise already. I will concentrate on going long later. I could do the swim tomorrow - I just don't want to get burned out on continuous long swimming yet. I like intervals. Some fast and short - some long -- and fast. I also love doing different strokes. I may swim some master's meets. A nice change from the triathlon season. I may give the garmin a break. I am pretty competitive. OKAAAAY - REALLY competitive. I think I need to go with heartrate training and lose the pace on the garmin. Maybe Rob can loan me his watch and heartrate strap. Perhaps I will even wear it to the pool for a test! Now I am treading the high end of the dork scale if I show up at the pool with that!
Oh - and after a great 3 week hiatus from sugar, caffeine, and alcohol - the last 2 weeks have been a bloodbath in those 3 areas. SOOOOO - tomorrow begins another strict plan. The other night - I evened out the pan of brownies - because I didn't like that it was uneven. AND = I was simply going to be putting them from the pan into a tupperware container. That was sad. I indulged in a Large Latte and a Large bowl of ice cream tonight. Tomorrow - it's back to caffeine-free tea in the mornings, and carrots for a nighttime snack. Hopefully I can stick with it. I will allow for 1 decaf latte a week. No sweets except special occasions. I have to remind myself what really tastes good and whether it is worth it. Hopefully these last 2 weeks will not show unkindly on the scale tomorrow....
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