5 LAPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, I finally broke through to 5 laps straight today! I had been able to do only 2 in a row. Freestyle, back stroke, freestyle, back stroke. Today, it occured to me that I could do another back stroke if I wanted and maybe I'd be able to do one more freestyle. I tried it and it worked...I did 3 laps straight. Well, I figured if I could do 3 that way, surely I could do 5. I caught my breath and went for it! Thought I'd die, but I did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tonight we rode (in the van) to the facility where the race will be held. Checked out the transition area, the running area and then rode the bike route. Over all, not to bad. Definitely some hills to tackle, but I think my training is preparing me well for it. That was encouraging!

breaks over

Well, we are officially at 4 weeks and counting. Finally got a helmet! I was starting to ache all over, so I took a couple of days off. Back to the pool tomorrow. I could really use a swimming coach!

Still need a bike and running shoes...might have to get a new bathing suit thanks to high chlorine levels at the Y.

Training w/busy season at work and school starting back has been hectic, but doable!!

Swimming

Well, I just kept swimming. Much better today. I practiced changing lanes...a little water up the nose, but not to bad...didn't do it the fancy way, but the advice from the trainers Friday night definitely helped!!

Day of Rest

I am taking my day of rest today. Much needed. Not so amazing that God knew how bad we would need this day huh? On the other hand, I'm not feeling great...please please please don't let me get what the kids have! Lord please keep me healthy!

Running

So, Summer tells me its all in my head, and I believe her. Off to the park this morning to try to run. I picked a visual spot a good piece up ahead and we ran until we reached it. Still not a great deal of running, but we walked a fast 2 miles w/running spurts. Not too bad. I did feel a better stride than on the road before...just keep running, just keep running...lol

Thanks Inside Out Sports!

A friend and I had a great time at Inside Out Sports! They kicked off the Ramblin' Rose. There was a great panel of ladies with varied swim, bike and run backgrounds. They gave great advice and answered all of our questions! I saw one friend that entered as well!!

So, I learned:

ride 1 to 2 feet to the left of the white line
gel is great for mid-ride nutrition
planks are great for core (2 front types, side and hams)

when swimming move hips and keep shoulders stable
a good cadence is 90
eating the night before...little more carbs
protein and carb the morning of
elastic laces
we get a full lane, but if someone comes up to pass, just move to the right


In the drawing I got socks, running shoes, and sun glasses. We also got goodie bags with samples!

Most of all, I got my ticket!! Now its RUN FOREST RUN!!!!

Oh yea! And my schedule was on a combo today, so I went to the Y. Rode for 30 min (6+ miles) and got on the tread mill for 10...about half running or more. It was a start and a boost after my bummer swim day.

When I walked into the Y and started up my ipod still a little bummed about yesterday...guess what song played!! The Chipmonks singing "You had a bad day". That was hilarious!!!

Swimming

Swimming didn't go well today. Got new googles at the Y. They were the dark blue kind...yikes! Claustrophobia!! Tried some old ones the life guard had and they flooded my eyes, which burned. Finally got the right ones, but boy was I slow...I did work on lane changing though.

Maybe missing Monday (due to pool closing) hurt me more than I knew? Maybe I'm just tired from the other two days of bumping it up? Will go at it again Monday!!!

Cancer Free

Got the call from the nurse today...nodule was benign!!! Praise the Lord!

thanks to the walkers

Well, I was feeling kind of wimpy this morning. I walked and was ready to call it a morning at the one mile mark. But, just as I approached my turn off, two ladies from the neighborhood came up. I joined them and wow what a difference. So, instead of one measly mile, we did 2 1/2 at a good pace. What a difference some conversation makes!!

SIX MILES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We did it!!!! M and I rode 6 miles today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It really wasn't too bad except for a few hills!! Thanks M!!!!!!!!

Bumpy, bumpy

I have not done so well since last I wrote. I took the day off the day after the biopsy. Then Friday I began working on my house and never made it out. Saturday we did go on a bike ride...maybe 3.5 miles, but it was not much of a push.

Took Sunday off, of course! Then this morning M and I went to the other Y to swim, only now it is closed for cleaning. So, today I am craving everything in site and still haven't exercised. ONE WAY OR THE OTHER!!!!! I will get it done!

Small bump in the road

Running on the tread mill at the Y went well yesterday. I really have to focus to push my heel out first. Running shoes would help. I mostly walked, but ran for one minute bursts 5 0r 6 times...it was encouraging.

Then, I went for a biopsy on my thyroid. I have nodules. One had changed and my Dr. wanted to biopsy just to be safe. He also did that side of my thyroid. Results in a week.

So, he said I could bike or run today if I wanted, but I think I'm going let my body rest today and hit the lap lanes tomorrow.

Week 3 day 1 and 2

My training schedule is swim, bike, run, repeat. Six days total. Sunday is my day of rest, duh, wonder who thought of that? God maybe?? he he.

Bike: Last week on Wednesday, Rob rode the 3 miles biking I was up to with me. We realized my bike wasn't cutting it, I needed gears to help me get up the hills I was struggling with. So, I switched bikes on Saturday and K and I rode 4 miles with much more ease. Today, we pushed a little harder and added a couple more tough hills and maybe another 1/4 mile. So, biking is going well.

Swim: A couple of weeks ago a sweet lady at the Y gave me some advice to help me take breaths while I am doing my laps. I am still working on ironing it out, but it has helped tremendously. Then last Friday, M joined me in my swimming!! I noticed a lady at another Y doing one length with a forward stroke and then back with a back stroke. I thought that might give me more endurance, time to recover before the next forward so I could keep going without a break. I worked on it that day. Then on Monday this week tried it again. I am able to do 2 laps without stopping now!!! Take and break and two more...need to get to 5 without stopping and then do that 2 times.

Run: Well, this I thought was the least of my worries, but so far I have not been able to run without back pain. I have just continued walking fast so far. I think tomorrow, though, I will go to the Y and try it on the tread mill, which is usually easier for me. We'll see what happens.

Ramblin' Rose '09

Why do I want to do a Triathlon? Well, when I heard about this one back in the spring, I was trying to get myself in gear. I had gained all the weight I had previously lost back, plus some (of course!) and was barely doing any exercise. I picked up Endurance Magazine from my local Y and saw the ad for the Ramblin' Rose Women only Triathlon. I came home and looked it up on the internet. I thought, wow, not 'til September...I might could do that. I thought it would give me a goal...some way to plan and measure my strides. I began to get into my exercise more....but, right after that, the RR sold out! I was bummed. Once school was out, I quit training completely.

A while later, I found out there were charity spots available, but the cost was double and the original cost was a lot for me to come up with. A friend recommended a book called Love to Eat, Hate to Eat by Elyse Fitzpatrick. She loaned me a copy and I began to read. I finally began to understand the dichotomy of my weight issue. Began to look to the Lord, my healer for help and strength. I prayed for him to help me focus my eyes on Him and not on everything else around me. I kept reading the book, looking up the scriptures she references. I realized how my I needed to be in the Word, so I added that to my morning.

On the front of the Journal I was using, I had earlier cut and taped the RR emblem. One morning, doing my reading I saw it again. I thought, "Lord, do you want me to do this, or was it just me?" I was immediately energized to go for it! I looked it up on the internet and sure enough, plenty of charity slots still available. OK, Lord, I'll do it if you'll lead me! And boy has He!

I began slowly easing my body back into it 10 weeks out. At my weight and with a bad back, I can't afford any injuries that would shut all of this down. Those two weeks went well! The first training week, two of my kids and I went on a mission trip with our church. I wasn't able to do my normal training, but we were walking a lot of steep hills around the camp, and I was moving constantly working in the kitchen ALL day! It was great.

Second week of training was very difficult. I tried to rest a lot the weekend I was back, but Monday morning I hit the trails again. I drove through my neighborhood and mapped out 6 miles to ride without going on a main road. But, training was slow going, I was still really tired. I didn't feel like I accomplished much...just keep swimming, just keep swimming!!!!!!!