Yes I'm still Here!

I know - it's been quite a while since I've posted anything, so here' a quick whirlwind tour of the last 6 weeks or so.

Lovable's wedding planning is in full force. She's already over budget, but then she's my only little girl so what the hell?

Mr Smarty Pants is taking calculus in summer school. Glad those days are behind me.

I had a bump in the road with my training. Back started giving me major problems. I've never had back problems before and I felt (and looked) like an old lady. After trying chiropractor, massage and stretching I finally went to the doctor and got drugs. Don't know why I waiting 3 weeks to do this. I'm back on track now with less than 7 weeks to go.

Apologies for the long exercise log but I promised to keep myself accountable by publishing my exercise log and I'm woefully behind.



Workout Log
Monday, June 1
Bike ride on trainer 60 min

Tuesday, June 2
Running - speed workout 50 min

Wednesday, June 3
Swim 45 min at Lifetime

Thursday, June 4
Bike ride on trainer 55 min
Run 45 min

Friday, June 5
Swim 45 min

Saturday, June 6
Long Run 1:34
Open Water Swim 45 min

Sunday, June 7
Long Bike Ride 4 hours

Monday, June 8
Bike ride on trainer 60 min

Tuesday, June 9
Running - speed workout 61 min in College Station

Wednesday, June 10
Swim 45 min at Texas A&M Natatorium

Thursday, June 11
Bike ride on trainer 65
Run 46 min

Friday, June 12
Swim 45 min

Saturday, June 13
Long Run 1:30

Sunday, June 14
Long Bike Ride 4:10 hours
Open Water Swim 1:15 hour

Monday, June 15
Bike ride on trainer 60 min

Tuesday, June 16
Running - speed workout 69 min
Stretching 40 min

Wednesday, June 17
Swim 55 min
Yoga 60 min

Thursday, June 18
Bike ride on trainer 65
Run 45 min

Friday, June 19
Swim 45 min

Saturday, June 20
Long Run 1:30

Sunday, June 21
Long Bike Ride 4:10 hours
Open Water Swim 1:15 hour

My little girl is all grown up and engaged to be married. Lots of planning, shopping, fun, tears and who knows what else to come!

Workout Log
Monday, May 18
1 hour ride on trainer

Tuesday, May 19
Back still bothering me. Skipped weight training and stretched for 20 min instead. Ran 50 min of mile repeats at very fast pace

Wednesday, May 20
Swam 1900 yards outside at Lifetime
Yoga class with Becca

Thursday, May 21
55 minutes on the trainer
Lactate Threshold running test - boy that takes a lot out of ya!

Friday, May 22
Swam 40 min at Lifetime

Saturday, May 23
Rest day - spending time with Sweetie

Sunday, May 24
3:30 hour bike ride. First time the winds weren't a killer. Averaged 18.1mph for 65 miles. I think that's a first

Monday, May 25
100 minute run with Sweetie, Canadian Debbie and Chris

Tuesday, May 26
1 hour ride on trainer

Wednesday, May 27
Yoga - great class with Becca

Thursday, May 28
Day of rest - hoping back will get better from this

Friday, May 29
Day of rest for back issues. Finally it feels better after 2 days of doing no exercise

Saturday, May 30
45 min easy run

Sunday, May 31
Magnolia Hill Field Trip - 75 min bike ride, 20 min run, 45 min swim, 15 min swim

Still Going...

It's been a few weeks since I last wrote. I feel like the Energizer Bunny....keep going, going, going. I'm pretty excited because the first of my support crew is officially coming to Canada. Patty and my oldest sister Wendy bought airline tickets to make the trip. In the words of Wendy, "I have to come see what this Ironman thing you do is." I'm sure it will be very interesting to see her reaction. She has no idea! Of course Patty is THE veteran Ironman supporter and I'm sure will figure out a way to get on the official IM video that is distributed to all participants. She's 2 for 2 of the ironman races she has attended so far. Who knows what she has in store. See her first adventure in the picture above.




Workout Log

Saturday, May 2
First Century Ride!!!!

Sunday, May 3
45 minute run. Felt better than I expected the day after 100

Monday, May 4
60 min on bike trainer

Tuesday, May 5
Weights with Hawaiian Christine
45 min hill run

Wednesday, May 6
60 min swim
60 min yoga

Thursday, May 7
45 min on bike trainer
45 min run

Friday, May 8
45 min swim

Saturday, May 9
3 hour HILLY bike ride in Texas Hill Country

Sunday, May 10
80 min run around Town Lake in Austin

Monday, May 11
60 min on bike trainer

Tuesday, May 12
Weights with Hawaiian Christine
45 min interval run

Wednesday, May 13
60 min swim
60 min yoga

Thursday, May 14
65 min on bike trainer
45 min run

Friday, May 15
40 min swim

Saturday, May 16
90 minute run

Sunday, May 17
3:30 on bike

Change of Scenery

Spent five days with Sweetie in North Carolina. He's such a doll and knows that I have to keep up with Ironman training even when I travel. So we worked everything around the training schedule but still kept if F-U-N.

The highlight was going to the Outer Banks (OBX for those in the know) for a Friday night of camping and awesome training ride on Saturday. It was a taper week, so it was ok to take it a little easy. We started from the campground. Rest Stop 1 was at the memorial to the Wright Brothers. Spent about 30 minutes viewing the memorial and the awesome view from the top of the very large hill that the memorial sits on. (Yes we did ride our bikes up the hill and then a lady with a cane pointed out to me on the way down that there was one - and only one - sign that said 'no bicycles'.) Rest stop 2 was the beach. Nothing better than taking off your helmet and cycling shoes for a little fun in the sand. Final stop was a small grocery for a refill of fluids. The last 8 miles of the ride were through a beautiful neighborhood of shade trees and blooming dogwoods.

Sunday was a trail run that follows the perimeter of a lake near the Raleigh/Durham airport. I'm so impressed with the Raleigh/Durham area with the number of parks, trails, sidewalks, bike lanes, etc. It's definately "Exercise Friendly". Wish H-Town was more like that!

I can't believe I'm now 3 months into Ironman training. Almost half way there!







Workout Log

Monday, April 13
45 min trainer ride

Tuesday, April 14
1 hr weight training
45 min hill run

Wednesday, April 15
1 hour swim
Yoga

Thursday, April 16
BRICK - 45 min trainer ride, 30 minute run. Had fabulous run. Did 9:30 pace

Friday, April 17
OFF

Saturday, April 18
60 miles on trainer - UGHHHHH....I hate the rain

Sunday, April 19
GREAT 2 hour run with the girls starting at Memorial Park then towards downtown. Followed this with brunch at The Hobbit and shopping at Lululemon.

Monday, April 20
45 min trainer ride

Tuesday, April 21
45 min hill run - not a good run, but finished it

Wednesday, April 22
Swam 1 hour at pool in Cary

Thursday, April 23
Brick in NC - 45 min hilly ride followed by 30 min hilly run

Friday, April 24
1 hour swim in Cary Pool

Saturday, April 25
AWESOME 42 mile ride on the Outer Banks of NC

Sunday, April 26
1.5 hour trail run around the lake in Raleigh

Monday, April 27
45 min ride on bike trainer

Tuesday, April 28
Weights for 1 hour with Hawaiian Christine
30 minute run with Canadian Debbie

Wednesday, April 29
1 hour swim in the 50 meter pool with Canadian Debbie. Nice to have the longer lanes for a change

Thursday, April 30
My big sis's birthday and also did a Brick - 45 min on trainer and 30 minute tour of the neighborhood

Friday, May 1
1 hour swim with Canadian Debbie

Easter in the Hills

After many years of hearing about it from the Master Lord, I finally went with Michelle and Canadian Debbie to the Easter Hill Country Tour. This event is 3 days of no-frills riding in the Texas HILL country....and hilly it was! Met a new training friend, Amy, who came along with Michelle.

First up was a 47 mile ride on Friday. Well, mile 9 almost did me in. The "BEAR", as it's known got to me about 1/3 of the way up. It was so steep that I thought I should upclip one side. BIG mistake. When you slow down enough to unclip on a very steep hill, you can't get enough momentum to get going again. It was so steep, I was sliding on my clips when I was WALKING up! Had to stop and put my clip covers on so I could get to the top. Made it through the rest of the hills.

Day two was 66 miles. Well, we should have known there was going to be a problem when the street sign even warned cars of the upcoming "hill". So what did they call all those other things I had been climbing without the warning sign. When we got to the top (I actually made it to the top this time cuz I WAS NOT walking even though this hill was steeper than the BEAR), the guy at the rest stop told us we were at "Eagle's Nest". Glad I didn't know the name before I started climbing.

Sunday we woke to rain and very wet streets. So we headed back through the storms back to Houston and I rode the 19 mile ride I was supposed to do in the Hill Country on the trainer.

Best part of the weekend was fun with the girls, meeting Amy and knowing that I'm one step closer to being ready for the mountains in Canada!


Workout Log

Sunday, Mar 29
2 hour ride, 30 minute brick run

Monday, Mar 30
45 minute ride on trainer

Tuesday, Mar 31
1 hour weights
45 minute hill run

Wednesday, April 1
60 minute swim with Canadian Debbie
Yoga 1 hour

Thursday, April 2
45 min ride on trainer
45 min run

Friday, April 3
OFF

Saturday, April 4
1 hour swim in New Orleans

Sunday, April 5
Support Crew at Ironman New Orleans 70.3 Ran about 3 miles!

Monday, Apr 6
90 minute ride on trainer

Tuesday, Apr 7
Overslept and missed weights
45 minute hill run in Land of Sugar

Wednesday, Apr 8
Swam 1 hour with Canadian Debbie
Yoga 1 hour

Thursday, Apr 9
OFF

Friday, Apr 10
47 mile ride in the Hill Country

Saturday, Apr 11
66 mile ride in the Hill Country

Sunday, Apr 12
Brick: 19 mile ride/30 minute run

I'm such a light weight. Went to Escalantes with Mr Smarty Pants for early dinner at 4:30pm. Decided to have one margarita since I'm not riding until 9:00am tomorrow. I'm laid out on the couch and can hardly keep my eyes open....That's what Ironman training does to you....

Workout Log

Friday, Mar 13
60 minute bike on trainer

Saturday, Mar 14
60 minute run
90 minute swim lesson at Richmond Y

Sunday, Mar 15
4 hour ride
45 minute brick run

Monday, Mar 16
60 minute bike on trainer

Tuesday, Mar 17
60 minute weight training
60 minute hill run

Wednesday, Mar 18
60 minute swim at LTF

Thursday, Mar 19
60 minute bike on trainer
60 minute run

Friday, Mar 20
60 minute bike on trainer

Saturday, Mar 21
90 minute run with Canadian Debbie
60 minute swim at First Colony

Sunday, Mar 22
4.5 hour ride Tour de Houston
60 minute brick run in downtown Houston

Monday, Mar 23
90 minute bike on trainer

Tuesday, Mar 24
60 minute hill run

Wednesday, Mar 25
60 minute swim at LTF
Yoga

Thursday, Mar 26
90 minute bike on trainer
60 minute run on TREADMILL - which I hate!!

Friday, Mar 27
60 minute bike on trainer

Saturday, Mar 28
90 minute run with Canadian Debbie
60 minute swim at LTF

Victorious Secret

On Saturday, March 7 - Sunday March 8 for the second year in a row, I was a proud member of Team Victorious Secret in the Second Annual Texas Independence Relay. This 203 mile race starts in Gonzales, TX and ends at the San Jacinto Monument in Pasadena TX. Our all-female team was quite victorious taking 3rd place in the Open Womens' Division. With a full complement of a team and a few stronger girls running this year, we managed to finish more than 4 hours faster than last year.

One might think that having 13 women (12 runners and 1 driver) in two vans over the course of more than 30 hours would create drama, but the truth is we had a blast and I think all the drama was on the co-ed teams. We laughed, we cried, we ran, we ate, we didn't sleep, we ran....all for over 30 hours.

I have to admit that the lack of sleep (approximately 30-45 minutes sitting upright in the driver's seat of a parked car) did impact my training this week. But Coach Sam had anticipated that and adjusted the schedule accordingly. It's 6 days later and I'm still feeling somewhat sleep deprived. Oh well - as Team Victorious Secret's motto says --- SUCK IT UP CUPCAKE!!!!


I can't wait to do it again next year!



Workout Log

Thursday, Mar 5
60 minutes on bike trainer
45 minute run in Land of Sugar with Canadian Debbie

Friday, Mar 6
60 minute swim at Lifetime by myself (and vacation day)

Saturday, Mar 7 and Sunday, Mar 8
Texas Independence Relay - ran 16 miles over the 2 days

Monday, Mar 9
45 minutes on bike trainer

Tuesday, Mar 10
60 minute run on hills with Canadian Debbie

Wednesday, Mar 11
60 minute swim at Lifetime with Canadian Debbie

Thursday, Mar 12
45 minutes on bike trainer
45 minute run with Sweetie and Patty