On NYE I posted that I tried out a different gym and went swimming. I was lucky enough to get a 30 day pass. I plan on using it as much as possible the next month, but the gym is 30 minutes away from my home. It's going to take extra planning and effort to get over there and use the gym.
On a different note, I was surprised the other day when going to this gym. Let's call it gym B. Gym B is the largest chain of gyms in my area and probably the most popular but it's not a national chain. The gym I go to, is a national chain but only has a few location in my area (2) and both franchises are owned by the same person/family.
I was a little nervous to go to gym B. A new gym can be very intimidating. The girls and I went with a coupon/certificate thing from my mom. We had to listen to the regular sales pitch in order to get the month pass. I'm not at all interested in signing a contract before I can even use a facility but whatever... I listened, I said no thank you. It wasn't hard to do because the monthly rates are 3 times the amount I am paying, childcare is $5 a month cheaper though. I got a 30 day pass. Upon entering gym B was very different from what I am used to. There were a lot more employees at the gym than mine. And they looked different -- well just average. Many of them, were overweight some obese. At my gym (A), everyone is thin and very attractive. When I started working out, I knew everyone at Gym A was attractive and thin but I just figured that is what all gyms do. They have to sell their membership/concept, right?
After listening to the sells pitch, I put my girls in the childcare. Gym B's childcare facilities are far superior to gym A. The girls had a great time, played and made friends. Always a plus. I took to the locker room and quickly changed for my swim.
The pool was indoors small but long, warm and chemically. I know I'm spoiled because I have my own pool and don't have to use a lot of chemicals. So I'm willing to look past that. There was another lady using the pool. The sauna and spa were also in the pool area. Two guys, who looked like "homies" were hanging out pool side watching. Kinda felt odd but they were there before I was... So I got in and swam. I tried to count laps but I always lose track. I swam for 30 minutes and it just felt so good to be exercising again. It was relaxing and a nice option for me right now.
I got out of the pool and the homies finally left. I got changed, grabbed my kids and left gym B. It will be a huge blessing for me this winter. But I can't get over how different the two gyms really are. Then there is this awkward part of me that feels like I was unfaithful/cheating on gym a, my gym. Weird, I know.
I'm hoping to squeeze in more swim/gym time into my schedule this week.
Showing posts with label swimming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label swimming. Show all posts
Monday, January 3, 2011
Monday, September 20, 2010
TRI - a learning experience
What I did right:
Event: The venue was great. My hotel was affordable. The event was well organized. I was registered in advanced and I'm glad I went to the Expo and turned in my stuff the day before. I got all the first time jitters out of the way the day before. I was able to understand the transition area better and route a little.
Training: Athletically I was well prepared for the distances. If my health was better that day, I could have gone further, even in that cold water and steep terrain of the Sierra Nevada. My body was rested from taking a few days off of training just before the event but also strong enough to complete everything.
Clothing: I'm so glad I chose to wear purple. I stood out just enough but wasn't glowing. My pseudo tri suit worked well in the water and on land. Great for the price.
Pacing: I listened to my body so that I finished with no injuries. Even at times when I wanted to go faster.
Nutrition: I used nutrilite supplements: Rhodolia, edurance cubs, and XS energy drinks. Plus Luna protein bars. I had high quality energy the entire race without ever feeling let down and sluggish.
Gear: I had all the essentials. I didn't forget anything. More experienced athletes even commented on what a great idea bringing a bucket was. I seen a few other buckets as well. Not only did it make for a quick spot to sit and put on my shoes but it made for an easy clean up and nothing got left behind, stolen, or lost. I bought a new hat and I love it. Holds my hair back and out of my face so much better than a pony tail. I'm sure I'm going to get lots of use out of it everyday. I also bought sunglasses, but broke them on the drive home -- bummer.
Fans: My family came and cheered me on. I remembered those who supported me even though the weren't there, they cheered me on. God was there, supporting me every stroke, pedal and stride, I could feel him cheering me on.
What I need to improve on:
Event: I loved the event and would do another in Tahoe. I could have become more familiar with the route. It was a bit confusing at times. Also the porta potties were difficult to get to.
Training: If I do another at high elevation, I need to get acclimated with the elevation. It really effected my breathing.
Clothing: My clothes were good except after being bloated and wet they were stretched. Causing them to ride up in areas they normally wouldn't. Also, the number belt was a good idea but it sort of sausaged my stomach. I didn't realize it at the time but you can clearly see it in my photos. My stomach does not look that bad normally. It could have also been bloating.
Pacing: For the swim, I need to figure something else out. My swim time was great, a PR but I'm still coughing up phlegm today. Given the circumstances, I think I did exactly what I should have.
Nutrition: I let myself eat heavier a few weeks prior to the event. I don't think my body was ready for all the extra carbs and didn't have enough veggies (fiber) to push them through. Thus resulting in constipation on race day (weekend). My race nutrition was good. A nutrition belt would have been helpful.
Gear: My biggest flaw was not bringing an inhaler, I will not forget it next time. I'm still having a hard time breathing and coughing up phlegm. Other than that it was in my bike. The mountain bike's tires are far too knobby to advance in speed. Short term solution is to get road bike tires on the bike. Long term solution, get a road bike. I wish I would have been better prepared for the walk between the beach and the transition area. I had ideal shoes at home for that, instead I was in flip flops -- probably not the most effective. Cycle shoes, I hear would be helpful too. Hopefully soon I will be able to get some. My wetsuit worked but not ideal for triathlons. It was what I could afford at this time. If I continue to do tri's , I'll want a better suit once I reach goal weight of course. A nutrition belt w/ water bottle would be nice too. It's something I could use at other athletic events too.
Fans: At the end of the event, we lost my little girl, Amelia my 3 year old. I broke down into tears. I went to go get my stuff out of transition, she was with my family. When I returned my mom said she was lost. It was one of the scariest moments of my life! By the grace of God, she was fine and we quickly found her. It wasn't anyone's fault she got lost but it's hard to keep track of 4 children at an event like this. My mom was there to help me and watch my kids. My sister and her two kids tagged along. All 7 of us shared one hotel room, with only 2 beds. I can't say I got a good night sleep while I was gone. Although, I'm glad they came it made the weekend a bit harder. Finding triathlete friends to compete with/against, like a tri team would be phenomenal.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Iron Girl - Triathlon in Tahoe
** Warning this is going to be a long blog**
If I had one word to describe this weekend it would be awesome. To sum it up things didn't go exactly how I had planned it was a learning experiene but I came, I saw and I "Tri"ed.
Friday I spent the day with my husband. He was planning on going hunting this weekend for opening day. He took the day off of work to spend time with me. I was spoiled, he took me out to breakfast and bought me a new pair of running shoes. I was planning on leaving town around 3 pm, as soon as my girls got out of school. But we left town much later than expected. My mom, my girls and I. We wanted to take my mom's Denali. My older sister, and her two children decided to come along, at the last minute. In order to fit everything in the car, I had to take the front wheel off of my bike. It was easy to remove, no big deal, right? We saw a ton of wild life including deer and a mountain lion on the drive up. Some of which could have easily become road kill but I didn't want to bring a deer home before my husband. We ended up arriving in Tahoe, after 10:30 pm and very, very tired. Originally, I planned on running a bit Friday to get acclimated with the elevation and thinner air. Yeah that didn't happen.
Saturday morning, it's official, I'm 29! I was so excited to be in Tahoe. My only plans were to complete the mandatory athlete check in ( Expo and turn in my bike) and relax on the beach surrounded by the most beautiful scenery. I got up bright and early. I figured it would be best to check in and get my bike turned in as soon as possible. It took me a while to get my bike together. I could get the wheel back on, but the brakes were messing up. At first, I couldn't get the brake line back in the bracet then when I did they would rub the tire. I couldn't ride my bike 15 miles with brakes rubbing the tires. Also the brake line kept falling out the bracet. I have no bike tools and I'm so not mechanically incline. I was really wishing my husband was there. I finally rigged it so it would work - ok. Not perfect but ok. I took my bike to check in around 9:30 am, only to find out that check in starts at 11 am. So we went and got breakfast and drove around a bit.
At 11, I checked my bike in. There was line of athletes. All of them looked so experienced. A lot of them did different triathlon team trainings and wore their team shirts. They all looked young, fit and had top not bikes. I was intimidated! Here I was, with my mountain bike (with mountain bike tires), inexperienced and still overweight. After checking I, my family met me down at the expo. It was really neat and I got a ton of free-bees! The kids had a good time and made posters to cheer me on. As more athletes arrived and I got to talking to them, I knew I wasn't the only inexperienced triathlete. And while my gear wasn't triathlon specific, I started to feel much more comfortable.
We stayed at the expo a lot longer than I expected. It's hard to get in and out of anywhere quick with 4 kids, ages 8,4,3, and 2. I got to listen to the course talk and found out that the transition area is 1/4 mile from the beach and we would have to travel streets to get there. We decided to check out the beach, on our way down I noticed lots of debris including glass. I knew I couldn't do it barefoot, I didn't want to risk injury. Tahoe was truly beautiful, such an amazing landscape carved by God. I bought myself a few things at the expo, including and iron girl hat (as worn in the pictures), a key chain and the belt to put your bib number on. That night we went out for Italian food. Endurance athletes tradition of eating pasta the night before the race! My food really wasn't that good but I forced myself to eat it anyways. I knew the nutrition would be vital come morning.
That night, I got all my gear together in my bucket. Set out my clothes, the girl's clothes and prepared myself to get up early, I knew I would be walking to the event. I wanted to get my transition area ready and I didn't want to forget a thing! Our hotel was just a few short blockes from the venue. It was an older hotel but clean and comfy. Plus it was less than half the price of the venue's hotel and really just as close. Score!
Sunday Race day
I got up bright and early 6am. Got myself ready, ate a banana and a protein bar. I put on coffee for my mom who I knew would be getting up and ready with the kids as soon as I left. I didn't have any pre-race anxiety or jitters. Except, I hadn't been able to pass a bowel movement all weekend. I was bloated. I always get constipated on race weekends! Ugh!! I was uncomfortable to say the least.
It was a cold morning, I think they said 37 degrees. I set up my transition gear, and got myself ready for the swim. I made the 1/4 mile walk down to the beach. So many of the athletes had really nice iron girl wetsuits. I anticipated the swim being the most difficult portion of the race for me, and seeing these girls in really nice professional looking wetsuits was a bit intimidating. The swim was divided into 4 waves, mine being the last. It was a cold morning, and the sand felt like icey rocks. My feet were sore and numb at the same time. At 61 degrees the water was warmer than the air. I knew I was in for a challenge. I decided to start to the outside and lined up in the middle of the crowd. There was a 20 minute cut off time and I was worried. I hit the water with about 100 other women. Immediately I was kicked or hit in the face, arm and legs. My body was taking a beating. I tried to remember my training and focus on swimming efficiently. Not only was I being beaten physically, every time I came up for break a wave would crash in my face and I was literally breathing in water and or drinking it. I felt like I could easily drowned. All the training I had was useless! Nothing could have possibly prepared me for this barbaric swim! I decided to go into survival mode: Do not stop, Do not drowned! Survive, get through it, even if it means doggy paddle! Gasping for air, I decided to do back stroke. Yeah I couldn't see but at least I could protect myself and get some air. I'm so glad I practiced the back stroke in my pool -- A lot! Soon, I was nearing the shore. I got out of the water and hussled the 1/4 mile back to transition.
In transition. I grabbed my nutrition, got my shoes and bike. I was almost out of the transition area when I was reminded to put on my helmet. Opps! Almost forgot! I was still gasping for air. My chest was tight but I was excited to be off on the bike course. It was 15 miles of climbing but the scenery was breath taking. I figured I'd be able to catch my breath on the ride, boy was I wrong. Women were zooming past me on their nice road and triathlon bikes. My bike was nice, or so I thought but at the end of the day it's a mountain bike. The tires are not made for speed. I set a good pace for the ride. Climbing the hills was tough, the elevation in Tahoe is roughly 6300 feet. The air is thin but the views were specular. The climbs were killer. There were many points of the ride that my legs ached and I didn't want to keep going but the trill of competition kicked in. Almost every climb, I was passing women proving my athleticism. I could hear my spin instructor Dana telling me, "this is where the change happens, keep going, keep going." I would mimic my movements to those that I knew were effective in spin, bracing my abs, pushing through with my whole body. But on the downside of the hill, I was being passed. Not because the women's were working harder than I was or were stronger athletes than me but because their bikes were more aerodynamic and made for speed. My breathing was horrible, I was wheezing and out of breath the whole ride -- elevation I assume. My stomach was killing me and it had gone beyond cramping, my colon felt like it could erupt. I was still constipated, full of gas and in pain. Out of breath and falling further behind I was discouraged.
I was nearing half way, cave rock, where we turn aroud come back. At the turn, I had the most beautiful view of Tahoe, the largest alpine lake in the US, surrounded by beautiful pines and blue skies. Taking in the view, I notice off in the distance a small but bright rainbow. Immediately, recharged I said, "Thank you, God." At that moment, I remembered my daughter Mariyn and as she says, "God's promise". I was moved,spiritually by how awesome our God is. How he not only encourages me even in my weakest moments but is there with me. The ride back was hard but I knew God promised me that I could do it. I gained momentum and was again, gaining position. Up and down the hills, my legs pedaled fast, the pedaled hard. I couldn't wait to get back and tell my Mariyn what I had seen. Physically I was prepared well to do all the climbs. Exhausted and still short of breath, I started to climb the steepest hill on the return route. Women in front of me were faltering. I was too out of breath to pick up the pace and go around them. They looked as if they were losing control over their bikes and struggling to make it up the hill. I pedaled in front of as many as I could but at 3/4 of the way up the hill decided to dismount and walk, get a drink and attempt to catch my breath. It just seemed safer. At the top of the hill, I got back on my bike and made the last leg of the ride. Athletes were already finishing up the last leg of their run!
Back in transition, I racked my bike, took a bite of the protein bar and took off on the run. Near the run out gate, my family was standing there cheering me on. I gave them a high 5 and I took off.
I needed to go to the porta potty (consitpated no longer) but couldn't easily access it. I knew the run was going by the beach and there were toilets there too. Out of breath and in severe pain with stomach cramps, I stopped and used the porta potty. I knew running was my strongest point but I still was out of breath. In fact, I never caught my breath the entire race. My chest was very very wheezey. Most of the 5K run was up hill. Any day, I could have ran this 3.1 miles effectively but not today. My lungs were hurting and I decided it was time to walk/jog. Mind over matter I told myself and thought of Dave and Adrienne. I knew I would get through, I knew I could finish. Wheezing and winded I wished I had remembered to bring my inhaler. It was at home, as my asthma rarely acts up, I'm not used to bringing it. The last leg of the run was a steep down hill grade. Yeah I could run quickly but you have to be careful. I didn't want a knee or joint injury. My quads were burning. I thought of Zamara, my running partner and how we would pace ourselves. I was happy, I knew I was near the end. Once th road was flat I picked someone in front of me and decided to ignore my breathing (mind of matter) and catch up. With in the last hundered feet or so, I passed 2 women and crossed the finish line!
That was it, I not only survivied. I "TRI"ed. I'm now an iron girl triathlete! 2 hours 20 minutes and 12 seconds after getting in the cold waters of Lake Tahoe, I swam 400 meters, bikes 24 K, ran 5K and crossed the finish line.
Words can not describe how accomplished I feel. My biggest fans, my girls, my reasons for "Tri"ing greeted me at the finish line. Yeah, I know in the world of triathlons I could have done a lot better but I stated with a goal, and I finished. Athletically I'm a tough competitor but it was a learning experience and I know exactly where I have room for improvement. Nearly 500 women registered for the event, 374 women officially finished. I came in at 336 overall with plenty of room for improvement. I'm ready to "Tri" again and to encourage others to do so.
Over an hour after finishing my race, I caught my breath. I coughed a lot on the way home, lots of wheezing and phlegm. I used the inhaler as soon as I got back home and am now ready for a good night sleep.
If I had one word to describe this weekend it would be awesome. To sum it up things didn't go exactly how I had planned it was a learning experiene but I came, I saw and I "Tri"ed.
Friday I spent the day with my husband. He was planning on going hunting this weekend for opening day. He took the day off of work to spend time with me. I was spoiled, he took me out to breakfast and bought me a new pair of running shoes. I was planning on leaving town around 3 pm, as soon as my girls got out of school. But we left town much later than expected. My mom, my girls and I. We wanted to take my mom's Denali. My older sister, and her two children decided to come along, at the last minute. In order to fit everything in the car, I had to take the front wheel off of my bike. It was easy to remove, no big deal, right? We saw a ton of wild life including deer and a mountain lion on the drive up. Some of which could have easily become road kill but I didn't want to bring a deer home before my husband. We ended up arriving in Tahoe, after 10:30 pm and very, very tired. Originally, I planned on running a bit Friday to get acclimated with the elevation and thinner air. Yeah that didn't happen.
Saturday morning, it's official, I'm 29! I was so excited to be in Tahoe. My only plans were to complete the mandatory athlete check in ( Expo and turn in my bike) and relax on the beach surrounded by the most beautiful scenery. I got up bright and early. I figured it would be best to check in and get my bike turned in as soon as possible. It took me a while to get my bike together. I could get the wheel back on, but the brakes were messing up. At first, I couldn't get the brake line back in the bracet then when I did they would rub the tire. I couldn't ride my bike 15 miles with brakes rubbing the tires. Also the brake line kept falling out the bracet. I have no bike tools and I'm so not mechanically incline. I was really wishing my husband was there. I finally rigged it so it would work - ok. Not perfect but ok. I took my bike to check in around 9:30 am, only to find out that check in starts at 11 am. So we went and got breakfast and drove around a bit.
At 11, I checked my bike in. There was line of athletes. All of them looked so experienced. A lot of them did different triathlon team trainings and wore their team shirts. They all looked young, fit and had top not bikes. I was intimidated! Here I was, with my mountain bike (with mountain bike tires), inexperienced and still overweight. After checking I, my family met me down at the expo. It was really neat and I got a ton of free-bees! The kids had a good time and made posters to cheer me on. As more athletes arrived and I got to talking to them, I knew I wasn't the only inexperienced triathlete. And while my gear wasn't triathlon specific, I started to feel much more comfortable.
We stayed at the expo a lot longer than I expected. It's hard to get in and out of anywhere quick with 4 kids, ages 8,4,3, and 2. I got to listen to the course talk and found out that the transition area is 1/4 mile from the beach and we would have to travel streets to get there. We decided to check out the beach, on our way down I noticed lots of debris including glass. I knew I couldn't do it barefoot, I didn't want to risk injury. Tahoe was truly beautiful, such an amazing landscape carved by God. I bought myself a few things at the expo, including and iron girl hat (as worn in the pictures), a key chain and the belt to put your bib number on. That night we went out for Italian food. Endurance athletes tradition of eating pasta the night before the race! My food really wasn't that good but I forced myself to eat it anyways. I knew the nutrition would be vital come morning.
That night, I got all my gear together in my bucket. Set out my clothes, the girl's clothes and prepared myself to get up early, I knew I would be walking to the event. I wanted to get my transition area ready and I didn't want to forget a thing! Our hotel was just a few short blockes from the venue. It was an older hotel but clean and comfy. Plus it was less than half the price of the venue's hotel and really just as close. Score!
Sunday Race day
I got up bright and early 6am. Got myself ready, ate a banana and a protein bar. I put on coffee for my mom who I knew would be getting up and ready with the kids as soon as I left. I didn't have any pre-race anxiety or jitters. Except, I hadn't been able to pass a bowel movement all weekend. I was bloated. I always get constipated on race weekends! Ugh!! I was uncomfortable to say the least.
It was a cold morning, I think they said 37 degrees. I set up my transition gear, and got myself ready for the swim. I made the 1/4 mile walk down to the beach. So many of the athletes had really nice iron girl wetsuits. I anticipated the swim being the most difficult portion of the race for me, and seeing these girls in really nice professional looking wetsuits was a bit intimidating. The swim was divided into 4 waves, mine being the last. It was a cold morning, and the sand felt like icey rocks. My feet were sore and numb at the same time. At 61 degrees the water was warmer than the air. I knew I was in for a challenge. I decided to start to the outside and lined up in the middle of the crowd. There was a 20 minute cut off time and I was worried. I hit the water with about 100 other women. Immediately I was kicked or hit in the face, arm and legs. My body was taking a beating. I tried to remember my training and focus on swimming efficiently. Not only was I being beaten physically, every time I came up for break a wave would crash in my face and I was literally breathing in water and or drinking it. I felt like I could easily drowned. All the training I had was useless! Nothing could have possibly prepared me for this barbaric swim! I decided to go into survival mode: Do not stop, Do not drowned! Survive, get through it, even if it means doggy paddle! Gasping for air, I decided to do back stroke. Yeah I couldn't see but at least I could protect myself and get some air. I'm so glad I practiced the back stroke in my pool -- A lot! Soon, I was nearing the shore. I got out of the water and hussled the 1/4 mile back to transition.
In transition. I grabbed my nutrition, got my shoes and bike. I was almost out of the transition area when I was reminded to put on my helmet. Opps! Almost forgot! I was still gasping for air. My chest was tight but I was excited to be off on the bike course. It was 15 miles of climbing but the scenery was breath taking. I figured I'd be able to catch my breath on the ride, boy was I wrong. Women were zooming past me on their nice road and triathlon bikes. My bike was nice, or so I thought but at the end of the day it's a mountain bike. The tires are not made for speed. I set a good pace for the ride. Climbing the hills was tough, the elevation in Tahoe is roughly 6300 feet. The air is thin but the views were specular. The climbs were killer. There were many points of the ride that my legs ached and I didn't want to keep going but the trill of competition kicked in. Almost every climb, I was passing women proving my athleticism. I could hear my spin instructor Dana telling me, "this is where the change happens, keep going, keep going." I would mimic my movements to those that I knew were effective in spin, bracing my abs, pushing through with my whole body. But on the downside of the hill, I was being passed. Not because the women's were working harder than I was or were stronger athletes than me but because their bikes were more aerodynamic and made for speed. My breathing was horrible, I was wheezing and out of breath the whole ride -- elevation I assume. My stomach was killing me and it had gone beyond cramping, my colon felt like it could erupt. I was still constipated, full of gas and in pain. Out of breath and falling further behind I was discouraged.
I was nearing half way, cave rock, where we turn aroud come back. At the turn, I had the most beautiful view of Tahoe, the largest alpine lake in the US, surrounded by beautiful pines and blue skies. Taking in the view, I notice off in the distance a small but bright rainbow. Immediately, recharged I said, "Thank you, God." At that moment, I remembered my daughter Mariyn and as she says, "God's promise". I was moved,spiritually by how awesome our God is. How he not only encourages me even in my weakest moments but is there with me. The ride back was hard but I knew God promised me that I could do it. I gained momentum and was again, gaining position. Up and down the hills, my legs pedaled fast, the pedaled hard. I couldn't wait to get back and tell my Mariyn what I had seen. Physically I was prepared well to do all the climbs. Exhausted and still short of breath, I started to climb the steepest hill on the return route. Women in front of me were faltering. I was too out of breath to pick up the pace and go around them. They looked as if they were losing control over their bikes and struggling to make it up the hill. I pedaled in front of as many as I could but at 3/4 of the way up the hill decided to dismount and walk, get a drink and attempt to catch my breath. It just seemed safer. At the top of the hill, I got back on my bike and made the last leg of the ride. Athletes were already finishing up the last leg of their run!
Back in transition, I racked my bike, took a bite of the protein bar and took off on the run. Near the run out gate, my family was standing there cheering me on. I gave them a high 5 and I took off.
I needed to go to the porta potty (consitpated no longer) but couldn't easily access it. I knew the run was going by the beach and there were toilets there too. Out of breath and in severe pain with stomach cramps, I stopped and used the porta potty. I knew running was my strongest point but I still was out of breath. In fact, I never caught my breath the entire race. My chest was very very wheezey. Most of the 5K run was up hill. Any day, I could have ran this 3.1 miles effectively but not today. My lungs were hurting and I decided it was time to walk/jog. Mind over matter I told myself and thought of Dave and Adrienne. I knew I would get through, I knew I could finish. Wheezing and winded I wished I had remembered to bring my inhaler. It was at home, as my asthma rarely acts up, I'm not used to bringing it. The last leg of the run was a steep down hill grade. Yeah I could run quickly but you have to be careful. I didn't want a knee or joint injury. My quads were burning. I thought of Zamara, my running partner and how we would pace ourselves. I was happy, I knew I was near the end. Once th road was flat I picked someone in front of me and decided to ignore my breathing (mind of matter) and catch up. With in the last hundered feet or so, I passed 2 women and crossed the finish line!
That was it, I not only survivied. I "TRI"ed. I'm now an iron girl triathlete! 2 hours 20 minutes and 12 seconds after getting in the cold waters of Lake Tahoe, I swam 400 meters, bikes 24 K, ran 5K and crossed the finish line.
Words can not describe how accomplished I feel. My biggest fans, my girls, my reasons for "Tri"ing greeted me at the finish line. Yeah, I know in the world of triathlons I could have done a lot better but I stated with a goal, and I finished. Athletically I'm a tough competitor but it was a learning experience and I know exactly where I have room for improvement. Nearly 500 women registered for the event, 374 women officially finished. I came in at 336 overall with plenty of room for improvement. I'm ready to "Tri" again and to encourage others to do so.
Over an hour after finishing my race, I caught my breath. I coughed a lot on the way home, lots of wheezing and phlegm. I used the inhaler as soon as I got back home and am now ready for a good night sleep.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Swim Bike Run
I am on a mission, my triathlon is in exactly 11 days. I've been working out and focusing on this goal for months now. I am SO ready to meet this challenge. I've been thinking about how I want to train for the next 11 days. What do I think I need to work on, what am I comfortable with? What are my time restraints or other obstacles? What is my solution?
Goal - Complete Irongirl Tahoe Triathlon
Swim 400 meters
Swimming is the most challenging part of the 3 sports for me. I have a pool and have been practicing but don't have much open water swim experience. It's hard for me to get in the pool and swim laps on top of my other gym activities and family obligations. The weather is cooling, I've had a lot of problems with my pool in general. This summer, I've swam up to 70 laps, nearly twice the distance I will need to swim for the tri. I'm glad swimming is the first "event" I know it's going to take the most out of me physically.
I decided last night that I was going to get up and swim this morning after dropping off the girls to school before going to the gym. Yeah it's early and it's overcast but Tahoe isn't going to be any better. I swam 40 laps x 40 feet = 0.30 miles = 487.68 meters and I lost count a few times and always restarted on the smaller number of laps, so it's very likely that I swam 500 meters or more. It took me about 18 minutes.
Bike 24 K (almost 15 miles)
I'm very comfortable with the bike portion. I've got a lot of training in at spin. I'm comfortable on my bike and confident I can do the ride. I'm a little nervous about the route rolling hills and short climbs is what is described. It's in the Sierra Nevada's though and those are some killer mountains, and elevation is going to take some time getting used too. I know this bike ride can be tougher than I expect/imagine or it might not be.
I've been doing spin 2-3 times a week now for months creating mock hills by adding resistance. Plus, I have two smaller hills I frequently ride by my house. I'm going to continue what I've been doing and hope it's enough. After swimming this morning, I completed a 55 minute advanced spin class.
Run 5K 3.1 miles
I've been running several nights a week. I've gotten my mileage up so that a 3 mile run isn't a huge challenge anymore, I have doubled that amount. I'm very confident that I can run 3.1 miles any given day. Running is probably going to be my best "event" and is the easiest to practice.
This morning, I completed my own triathlon, yep I ran too. After spin, I decided I would hop on the treadmill to see what it was like on my body to have swam, biked and ran. I set my goal to do 1 mile or running. Now, my pace was a lot slower than normal and I was already winded but I did it, I ran the mile. Obviously less than what is required for the triathlon but like I said, running is my advantage.
Triathlon & Training comparison:
Tahoe Tri 9/19 Swim 400 meters, Bike 24K, Run 5K 3.1 miles
Training 9/8 Swim 486 3eters, Bike 55 minutes, Run 1 mile
I think I'm ready and I'm excited. I hope to get another 2 days of Tri training in before Thursday of next week. Then Tahoe here I come :)
Goal - Complete Irongirl Tahoe Triathlon
Swim 400 meters
Swimming is the most challenging part of the 3 sports for me. I have a pool and have been practicing but don't have much open water swim experience. It's hard for me to get in the pool and swim laps on top of my other gym activities and family obligations. The weather is cooling, I've had a lot of problems with my pool in general. This summer, I've swam up to 70 laps, nearly twice the distance I will need to swim for the tri. I'm glad swimming is the first "event" I know it's going to take the most out of me physically.
I decided last night that I was going to get up and swim this morning after dropping off the girls to school before going to the gym. Yeah it's early and it's overcast but Tahoe isn't going to be any better. I swam 40 laps x 40 feet = 0.30 miles = 487.68 meters and I lost count a few times and always restarted on the smaller number of laps, so it's very likely that I swam 500 meters or more. It took me about 18 minutes.
Bike 24 K (almost 15 miles)
I'm very comfortable with the bike portion. I've got a lot of training in at spin. I'm comfortable on my bike and confident I can do the ride. I'm a little nervous about the route rolling hills and short climbs is what is described. It's in the Sierra Nevada's though and those are some killer mountains, and elevation is going to take some time getting used too. I know this bike ride can be tougher than I expect/imagine or it might not be.
I've been doing spin 2-3 times a week now for months creating mock hills by adding resistance. Plus, I have two smaller hills I frequently ride by my house. I'm going to continue what I've been doing and hope it's enough. After swimming this morning, I completed a 55 minute advanced spin class.
Run 5K 3.1 miles
I've been running several nights a week. I've gotten my mileage up so that a 3 mile run isn't a huge challenge anymore, I have doubled that amount. I'm very confident that I can run 3.1 miles any given day. Running is probably going to be my best "event" and is the easiest to practice.
This morning, I completed my own triathlon, yep I ran too. After spin, I decided I would hop on the treadmill to see what it was like on my body to have swam, biked and ran. I set my goal to do 1 mile or running. Now, my pace was a lot slower than normal and I was already winded but I did it, I ran the mile. Obviously less than what is required for the triathlon but like I said, running is my advantage.
Triathlon & Training comparison:
Tahoe Tri 9/19 Swim 400 meters, Bike 24K, Run 5K 3.1 miles
Training 9/8 Swim 486 3eters, Bike 55 minutes, Run 1 mile
I think I'm ready and I'm excited. I hope to get another 2 days of Tri training in before Thursday of next week. Then Tahoe here I come :)
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Look at the Jeans she's wearin'
I live in a 3 bedroom house. My daughters share a room, my husband and I share a room and then we have the guest room. Other than the bed in my room, all of my stuff is in the guest room. Our master bedroom's bathroom and closet are small and just not enough room for my husband's clothes and mine. Graciously I took over the guest bedroom, with the biggest closet. I moved all of my stuff in there but a stack of pants and stuff that didn't fit. I didn't need them or think about them much because they just didn't fit and they've been sitting in my husband's closet ever since the move.
Since I've been losing weight I've gone and dug through the pile a few times. Finding a few "new" things that will fit and knowing most of them do not. A lot of the items are my pre-baby jeans. You know, the jeans you would spend $80 or more on because you were young and didn't have too financial woes. Yesterday, I noticed the pile in the closet while looking for a pair of shoes and though, I wonder how much of this might fit. I was home alone and decided it would be so much more rewarding to try it on with my husband home.
So last night, I tried on all these clothes with Richard watching, even my pre-babies express jeans. Each pair he would ask, what size is that? When was the last time you could fit into those? And to be honest, most of them were either at my skinniest post baby size (when I was sick with gallstones in 2005) or my heaviest weight pre-baby. I could get on nearly EVERY pair of pants, now the styles of changed in the last 10 years and so has my body. Not all of them looked good on me. Some of the jeans actually fit me better but many did not. But being able to get into all my skinny clothes felt so good. Even if skinny was a hip hugging junior size 13. I think the smallest size I had was an 11 and I know junior clothes and women's clothes are sized differently, for different types of curves. I had to explain this to my husband who was too curious as to why I was a "10" but had trouble squeezing into some of my old size 11's or 13's. I do have to admit though, some of the jeans looked good and I'm excited to be able to wear them again :-)
I ran about 2.25 miles last night and swam 20 laps. Doesn't sound like much on it's own but my body was beat from my morning workout. I could barely finish the 19th and 20th lap. My form was getting sloppy and my body said enough. This morning, I got up and did body pump. My body is screaming at me now. I'm so exhausted.
Since I've been losing weight I've gone and dug through the pile a few times. Finding a few "new" things that will fit and knowing most of them do not. A lot of the items are my pre-baby jeans. You know, the jeans you would spend $80 or more on because you were young and didn't have too financial woes. Yesterday, I noticed the pile in the closet while looking for a pair of shoes and though, I wonder how much of this might fit. I was home alone and decided it would be so much more rewarding to try it on with my husband home.
So last night, I tried on all these clothes with Richard watching, even my pre-babies express jeans. Each pair he would ask, what size is that? When was the last time you could fit into those? And to be honest, most of them were either at my skinniest post baby size (when I was sick with gallstones in 2005) or my heaviest weight pre-baby. I could get on nearly EVERY pair of pants, now the styles of changed in the last 10 years and so has my body. Not all of them looked good on me. Some of the jeans actually fit me better but many did not. But being able to get into all my skinny clothes felt so good. Even if skinny was a hip hugging junior size 13. I think the smallest size I had was an 11 and I know junior clothes and women's clothes are sized differently, for different types of curves. I had to explain this to my husband who was too curious as to why I was a "10" but had trouble squeezing into some of my old size 11's or 13's. I do have to admit though, some of the jeans looked good and I'm excited to be able to wear them again :-)
I ran about 2.25 miles last night and swam 20 laps. Doesn't sound like much on it's own but my body was beat from my morning workout. I could barely finish the 19th and 20th lap. My form was getting sloppy and my body said enough. This morning, I got up and did body pump. My body is screaming at me now. I'm so exhausted.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
No gym
I didn't go to the gym today. I woke up, mozzied around the house and really just decided I didn't want to go. I took Mariyn to the mall, we had stuff to exchange. Of course, I ended up buying her more. Then to walmart to get household stuff. I knew I wanted to take the girls on a bike ride tonight and go to the farmers market. I knew that since I was so slow to wake, I didn't have a lot of time to get the stuff I needed to get done and find the motivation to get to the gym. So, I problem solved. I decided early on this afternoon that I wasn't going to the gym. Yep, it's not going to kill me if I don't go everyday. I decided that I would get some exercise another way -- I would run tonight after the kids went to bed.
My friend Zamara came over and we ran 4.5 miles together. Then we swam 30 laps in the pool. Plus the bike ride I did with the girls. I figured out the mileage, I rode 3.25 miles (up two hills) pulling an extra 30-50 pounds in a trailer. I'm sure I got in my daily exercise, without the gym. And guess what, it felt good :-)
I just noticed I did everything I would need to do (on a smaller scale) for my tri-training. Run, Bike, Swim, right? ha ha Who needs a gym when you have beautiful weather!
I bought a bunch of beautiful strawberries and raspberries at the farmers market. They were incredibly sweet. I also stocked up on plums and nectarines. YUM. The girls were spoiled. I bought them a honey stick, a peach and a cookie from the best bakery in town. Plus, Mariyn got to bring her friend along :) So I'm sure I get extra points for that... Yeah life is good.
My friend Zamara came over and we ran 4.5 miles together. Then we swam 30 laps in the pool. Plus the bike ride I did with the girls. I figured out the mileage, I rode 3.25 miles (up two hills) pulling an extra 30-50 pounds in a trailer. I'm sure I got in my daily exercise, without the gym. And guess what, it felt good :-)
I just noticed I did everything I would need to do (on a smaller scale) for my tri-training. Run, Bike, Swim, right? ha ha Who needs a gym when you have beautiful weather!
I bought a bunch of beautiful strawberries and raspberries at the farmers market. They were incredibly sweet. I also stocked up on plums and nectarines. YUM. The girls were spoiled. I bought them a honey stick, a peach and a cookie from the best bakery in town. Plus, Mariyn got to bring her friend along :) So I'm sure I get extra points for that... Yeah life is good.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
7/29
I slept in this morning until 9:30 am, when Mariyn came in and woke me up. I kinda wanted to get up early and get to body pump and cycle... but yeah that didn't happen. I was so warn out from swimming laps last night, I just couldn't get up and when I did, I was groggy. I swam until 11 o'clock last night. I did a lot of chatting to though but I think we did 70 laps. Zamara swam with me and helped me out a lot on my technique. I've never been taught to have proper form so apparently I waste a lot of energy and work a lot harder than necessary to get across the pool. Most of the time when I'm working on form or technique I don't really feel the difference but yeah this time I did.
70 laps x 40 feet = 2800 feet = 853.44 meters = 0.53 miles
I swam more than twice the difference I will have to for my tri. But I break it down into 10 lap segments.
It took me a long time to want to actually get moving. I got to the gym around noon and did an hour of weights. Daycare closes at 1 and like I said, my body was very warn out. I think someone was picking up on me at the gym. I noticed he was sort of following me from machine to machine, watching me, trying to make small talk. Then he asked me if I came here often. Uhh-- yeah nearly every day, lol. I was a little embarrassed and just kept working out. He so wasn't my type, even if I wasn't married.
I didn't do any cardio today at the gym. I knew I wanted to ride bikes with the girls this evening to the farmers market. We took along one of Mariyn's friends. I bought some plums and corn on the cob. We also bought tri-tip sandwiches for dinner. I feel so healthy just saying my girls and I rode our bikes to the farmers market. Exercise incorporated with fresh fruits and veggies - just makes me feel good like I'm giving my kids the skills they need to live a healthy lifestyle. We took the long way home on our bikes and road around the neighborhood. Of course we stopped at the park and I let the girls play a bit. Then I took Mariyn's friend home.
I talked to her mom for a while. We haven't chatted since the beginning of summer and school is going to start again soon. Her daughter was invited to go to the movies with a group of friends for the first time this week, parents drop off and pick up. She said she was so nervous. I completely understood. I remember being nervous like that back when Mariyn was in kindergarten, they invited her to go to Awana's with them. It was the first time she went somewhere with someone other than family. I shared about Mariyn spending the night with her friend the other day. She seemed just as protective as I am in regards to spending the night. So maybe, I'm not so crazy after all... ha ha
I can't believe summer is almost over. Next week really is our last week of summer before school starts. While I miss the routine of school, I really enjoy the time with my girls. Hopefully, I'll get to do something fun with them next week. :)
70 laps x 40 feet = 2800 feet = 853.44 meters = 0.53 miles
I swam more than twice the difference I will have to for my tri. But I break it down into 10 lap segments.
It took me a long time to want to actually get moving. I got to the gym around noon and did an hour of weights. Daycare closes at 1 and like I said, my body was very warn out. I think someone was picking up on me at the gym. I noticed he was sort of following me from machine to machine, watching me, trying to make small talk. Then he asked me if I came here often. Uhh-- yeah nearly every day, lol. I was a little embarrassed and just kept working out. He so wasn't my type, even if I wasn't married.
I didn't do any cardio today at the gym. I knew I wanted to ride bikes with the girls this evening to the farmers market. We took along one of Mariyn's friends. I bought some plums and corn on the cob. We also bought tri-tip sandwiches for dinner. I feel so healthy just saying my girls and I rode our bikes to the farmers market. Exercise incorporated with fresh fruits and veggies - just makes me feel good like I'm giving my kids the skills they need to live a healthy lifestyle. We took the long way home on our bikes and road around the neighborhood. Of course we stopped at the park and I let the girls play a bit. Then I took Mariyn's friend home.
I talked to her mom for a while. We haven't chatted since the beginning of summer and school is going to start again soon. Her daughter was invited to go to the movies with a group of friends for the first time this week, parents drop off and pick up. She said she was so nervous. I completely understood. I remember being nervous like that back when Mariyn was in kindergarten, they invited her to go to Awana's with them. It was the first time she went somewhere with someone other than family. I shared about Mariyn spending the night with her friend the other day. She seemed just as protective as I am in regards to spending the night. So maybe, I'm not so crazy after all... ha ha
I can't believe summer is almost over. Next week really is our last week of summer before school starts. While I miss the routine of school, I really enjoy the time with my girls. Hopefully, I'll get to do something fun with them next week. :)
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
7/28
Mariyn had her first sleep over at her friends last night. I had a hard time letting her go, we have had a no spending the night at friends policy but it was a slumber party for one of her very best friends. I know the family very well and I didn't want Mariyn to feel left out. So Rich and I let her.
Amelia got up early, as usual and came and woke me up with Chocolate syrup. She had been in the fridge poored herself a glass of milk and wanted her morning chocolate milk. Mind you, she is 3 had to climb to get the milk and the chocolate from the fridge. It was cute. Groggy, I felt she had spilled milk but even attempted her own mess. She is so dang cute.
After the milk incident, I got up and going. We made it to the gym for the 9:30 spin class. My body was extra tired this morning but I wasn't really sore. Now my legs are not only tired but sore. Especially my hips.
Amelia had speech and I think she is showing improvement. Tonight she said, "Dad it's time to eat" at dinner time. Huge progress for her! I bought the girls and I smoothies from Juice it Up today. So yummy. Then we went to the park and met up with my sister and nieces and nephews. My oldest niece told me, Auntie you're looking smaller. You lost weight; you look good." It's only been a few weeks since she's seen me. So sweet of her to compliment me even if the scale isn't showing weight loss at least I'm looking better.
For dinner, I made baked It was filling and good.Tonight, instead of running, I'm going to swim laps. I think it's best to give my legs a little break.
You are what you eat
Breakfast
Protein w/ Soy milk
Lunch
Baked Fries, 4 Chicken nuggets
Dinner
terriyaki chicken, quinoa, and zucchini w/ mushrooms.
Snacks:
Almonds
Smoothie
Nectarine
Amelia got up early, as usual and came and woke me up with Chocolate syrup. She had been in the fridge poored herself a glass of milk and wanted her morning chocolate milk. Mind you, she is 3 had to climb to get the milk and the chocolate from the fridge. It was cute. Groggy, I felt she had spilled milk but even attempted her own mess. She is so dang cute.
After the milk incident, I got up and going. We made it to the gym for the 9:30 spin class. My body was extra tired this morning but I wasn't really sore. Now my legs are not only tired but sore. Especially my hips.
Amelia had speech and I think she is showing improvement. Tonight she said, "Dad it's time to eat" at dinner time. Huge progress for her! I bought the girls and I smoothies from Juice it Up today. So yummy. Then we went to the park and met up with my sister and nieces and nephews. My oldest niece told me, Auntie you're looking smaller. You lost weight; you look good." It's only been a few weeks since she's seen me. So sweet of her to compliment me even if the scale isn't showing weight loss at least I'm looking better.
For dinner, I made baked It was filling and good.Tonight, instead of running, I'm going to swim laps. I think it's best to give my legs a little break.
You are what you eat
Breakfast
Protein w/ Soy milk
Lunch
Baked Fries, 4 Chicken nuggets
Dinner
terriyaki chicken, quinoa, and zucchini w/ mushrooms.
Snacks:
Almonds
Smoothie
Nectarine
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Sweat Tea & Swimming
Had a really good day. Have I ever mentioned how much I love sweet tea? Yeah, I know it loaded with sugar and with calories. But it's so delish! I'm sure it contributed to my weight gain. I remember going to Micky-D's and getting sweet teas almost daily (sometimes multiple trips were made per day) because I loved them so much. Lately I've been wanting to drink something other than water and I'm burnt out on crystal light. I've really been craving Sweet tea. Naturally, I've been fighting the craving because I know how loaded with sugar it is. But then I got this grand idea to try something new. Instead of sugar, I thought why not use splenda? It's a 0 calorie sweetener. I eat it in so many other things, why not sweet tea? I bought tea bags and today brewed some tea and poored in Splenda and stired it up while it was still warm. Then refrigerated. Now it's not the same as Mickey-D's but it is satisfying the craving and well probably a better choice, calorie wise.
The girls wanted to go swimming. So after dinner (bison burgers) I took them. I finally broke down and bought a swim cap. So I decided to try it out and do some laps. Well 50 laps to be exact (40 freestyle 10 backstroke). The swim cap = GREAT investment! I'm not fighting my long hair or getting tangled up in it. I am smoothly gliding through the water, well as smooth as I know how, ha ha. It was so much easier to swim my laps. My next swimming investment: Goggles and a swimmers swimsuit (possibly a tri suit). Goggles first sooner than later.
Oh and I registered for my next 5K Davis Moo-nlight run. I've got two friends who are going to run with me. It's Saturday night. I'm excited - not as much for me as I am for my friends. It's both of their first 5Ks and it's a really big fun event. I wanted to do the half marathon, but it's their first race and I just don't have that much extra money. Plus, I know 13 miles is a bit of a stretch for me - a really long possibly impossible at this time stretch. I would probably end up walking a lot of it. So, the 5K it is for me. I know it's still going to be a great event. :) I'm excited.
The girls wanted to go swimming. So after dinner (bison burgers) I took them. I finally broke down and bought a swim cap. So I decided to try it out and do some laps. Well 50 laps to be exact (40 freestyle 10 backstroke). The swim cap = GREAT investment! I'm not fighting my long hair or getting tangled up in it. I am smoothly gliding through the water, well as smooth as I know how, ha ha. It was so much easier to swim my laps. My next swimming investment: Goggles and a swimmers swimsuit (possibly a tri suit). Goggles first sooner than later.
Oh and I registered for my next 5K Davis Moo-nlight run. I've got two friends who are going to run with me. It's Saturday night. I'm excited - not as much for me as I am for my friends. It's both of their first 5Ks and it's a really big fun event. I wanted to do the half marathon, but it's their first race and I just don't have that much extra money. Plus, I know 13 miles is a bit of a stretch for me - a really long possibly impossible at this time stretch. I would probably end up walking a lot of it. So, the 5K it is for me. I know it's still going to be a great event. :) I'm excited.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Weekend
I started my long weekend early on Friday. I went to bed trying to figure out how my day was going to go and where I was going to fit in gym time. I was suppossed to watch my nieces and nephew,or at least that's what I thought. I figured I'd worry about it in the morning when they got here and figure it out. I ended up sleeping in until almost 10am! Crazy, I know. When I got up, my girls were quietly watching a movie and I checked my phone. Apparently, I was texted that I didn't need to watch the kids. I had a few errands and such to do and planned on watching Eclipse Friday night with my girlfriends. Plus, I wanted to wash my car, it was DIRRR-Ty. Normally, I take it to the car wash and have them do it. But I was feeling cheap money is tight and really the car wash never really gets it 100% clean, probably because I wait too long between washes ;-) The girls and I were on a mission to clean the car and I knew it was going to be WORK! But the girls had a blast. Mariyn said to me, "Mom have you EVER washed a car like this before?" HAHA HA Umm.. YES but it's been a while. I have a lot of memories of washing cars/trucks as a kid.
Eclipse was AMAZING and I've decided Emmett is really good eye candy! Good thing eye candy doesn't make you fat because I was drooling over him a lot! I did splurge and get a large soda (Dr. Pepper) and pop corn. Not because I needed a large but because it was cheaper to buy it as a combo. I can't believe snack prices at the theater! $12.50 for the soda and pop corn. Seriously! I hadn't had a soda in a long time, so I pretended it was worth it. Honestly though, I don't really miss soda. Crazy, I know. I'm happy with my water and crystal light. Sweet tea, I miss sweet tea but everything in moderation, right?
Saturday I went river rafting with my friends. My kids stayed with my brother, my nieces were babysitting in exchange I bought them Eclipse tickets, and Rich was on call. It was a beautiful warm day and very relaxing not having to worry about the fam. I love them, but I love me time too. I bought my food with me: seafood salad, almonds, nectarines and plums. I bought a 12 pack of Smirnoff ice, not because I would drink all 12. I figured I'd share, I rarely drink. I won't drink around my kids and I won't drink unless it's safe and really I don't drink because it's wasted calories. I had two drinks out of the 12 pack. I helped row all day in the heat and swam. I'm pretty sure I burnt off the extra calories. I had fun rafting. I really only knew 2 of the people in our group of 16. I was nervous about going and being that fat girl again. Lets face it, most people who are willing to swim in public are probably skinnies. While, I am looking skinny for me, I am not looking skinny. I am feeling confident with my body and in better shape. I think I look fit - except for my gutt. The funniest thing is I am really more self conscious about my body now that I ever was. Maybe it's more aware? I can easily see how obsessive someone can get about their weight and body now and could see how it could turn into a problem for some people i.e. Anorexia etc. I never really understood eating disorders before but I think I do now. Not that I have one or anything, I just see how easy it is to become obsessed. Good news: I got a ton of compliments on my suit and I had a GREAT time doing something active with friends. That is the goal right, to live a healthy ACTIVE life style!
Sunday - July 4th. Swimming, BBQ and Fireworks! American tradition, right. I did ok and planned healthier foods. My mom and step dad came over too. My mom tried her best to bring healthier stuff too. We did good until Rich sabotaged us by asking for potato salad and chips! I limited my portions though and tried to eat mostly healthy. Hopefully, I didn't eat too much. It's hard not too when the summer if filled with such delicious foods. Good thing is I LOVE fruit and veggies. I really do :) I just also love potatoes and deserts and well... FOOD! ha ha
Eclipse was AMAZING and I've decided Emmett is really good eye candy! Good thing eye candy doesn't make you fat because I was drooling over him a lot! I did splurge and get a large soda (Dr. Pepper) and pop corn. Not because I needed a large but because it was cheaper to buy it as a combo. I can't believe snack prices at the theater! $12.50 for the soda and pop corn. Seriously! I hadn't had a soda in a long time, so I pretended it was worth it. Honestly though, I don't really miss soda. Crazy, I know. I'm happy with my water and crystal light. Sweet tea, I miss sweet tea but everything in moderation, right?
Saturday I went river rafting with my friends. My kids stayed with my brother, my nieces were babysitting in exchange I bought them Eclipse tickets, and Rich was on call. It was a beautiful warm day and very relaxing not having to worry about the fam. I love them, but I love me time too. I bought my food with me: seafood salad, almonds, nectarines and plums. I bought a 12 pack of Smirnoff ice, not because I would drink all 12. I figured I'd share, I rarely drink. I won't drink around my kids and I won't drink unless it's safe and really I don't drink because it's wasted calories. I had two drinks out of the 12 pack. I helped row all day in the heat and swam. I'm pretty sure I burnt off the extra calories. I had fun rafting. I really only knew 2 of the people in our group of 16. I was nervous about going and being that fat girl again. Lets face it, most people who are willing to swim in public are probably skinnies. While, I am looking skinny for me, I am not looking skinny. I am feeling confident with my body and in better shape. I think I look fit - except for my gutt. The funniest thing is I am really more self conscious about my body now that I ever was. Maybe it's more aware? I can easily see how obsessive someone can get about their weight and body now and could see how it could turn into a problem for some people i.e. Anorexia etc. I never really understood eating disorders before but I think I do now. Not that I have one or anything, I just see how easy it is to become obsessed. Good news: I got a ton of compliments on my suit and I had a GREAT time doing something active with friends. That is the goal right, to live a healthy ACTIVE life style!
Sunday - July 4th. Swimming, BBQ and Fireworks! American tradition, right. I did ok and planned healthier foods. My mom and step dad came over too. My mom tried her best to bring healthier stuff too. We did good until Rich sabotaged us by asking for potato salad and chips! I limited my portions though and tried to eat mostly healthy. Hopefully, I didn't eat too much. It's hard not too when the summer if filled with such delicious foods. Good thing is I LOVE fruit and veggies. I really do :) I just also love potatoes and deserts and well... FOOD! ha ha
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Gain
No matter how long I've been doing it, Tuesday morning body pump and cycle - back to back are rough! I don't think my body will ever get "used" to it. After pump today, my body was VERY shakey. Crazy.
Weigh in - not a good week, back at 198. Ughhh... I'm sure it wasn't all weight gain though. A good portion is probably bloat/ undigested food and will be gone in the next couple of days. TMI: I ALWAYS get backed up. =/
Vacation was worth it, I will get back on track. How do I know? I'm staying active and just going to keep working at it. My 100 lbs goal doesn't seem out of reach anymore. Really - I want to lose about 35-40 more lbs. Nothing compared to what I lost already but still a significant amount of weight. Then, re-evaulate my goal.
After the gym, Clare and her girls came swimming. My hamstrings were so sore and I was so worn out. I did a couple of laps but mostly, I vegged in the warm water and the sun shine. After they left, Amelia and I took a good long nap.
Weigh in - not a good week, back at 198. Ughhh... I'm sure it wasn't all weight gain though. A good portion is probably bloat/ undigested food and will be gone in the next couple of days. TMI: I ALWAYS get backed up. =/
Vacation was worth it, I will get back on track. How do I know? I'm staying active and just going to keep working at it. My 100 lbs goal doesn't seem out of reach anymore. Really - I want to lose about 35-40 more lbs. Nothing compared to what I lost already but still a significant amount of weight. Then, re-evaulate my goal.
After the gym, Clare and her girls came swimming. My hamstrings were so sore and I was so worn out. I did a couple of laps but mostly, I vegged in the warm water and the sun shine. After they left, Amelia and I took a good long nap.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Kids
Kids say the darndest things -- right?
So last night, Mariyn asks me, "Mom what time is cardio in the morning?" I was taken back a bit. Not because she knows we are going to the gym but because of she said it. Apparently, she is very sponge like and soaks in EVERYTHING she hears and is now using gym terms. LOL She enjoys going to the gym and always asks when were going and what I am going to do.
I wasn't sure what I was going to do today, I just knew I wanted to get up and get to the gym as early as possible. 8:30 cycle was my goal, but life didn't cooperate. I got to the gym just after cycle started and I didn't want to go in late. Instead, I opted to do my own cardio. I ran on the treadmill for a while. I was going good too, until a really stinky man got on to the one next to me. He had just gotten there too, it's not like he was sweating stinking from working out. Major body odor going on. So, I wrapped up my running at 15 minutes and headed to the cardio cinema. I hadn't been in there for a while, so I changed it up and did the elliptical for 15 minutes then was so hooked on the movie that I decided to stay and ran for another 15 minutes or so. The treadmills inside the theater don't have a fan so it gets hot in there quick.
I had my usually Friday errands to do plus a trip to walmart. Did I tell you, Amelia is finally potty learning. She has her accidents probably as much as she is successful but she is actually wanting to try and willing to try. I think this time will be it. Mariyn was a quick learner very easily potty trained right at 2. Seriously she learned in 3 days, no major issues. Amelia has been a totally different child and that's ok. I've gotten a bit of slack from others. What-EVER though, I'm changing her diapers and I've tried to teach her. It wasn't parent laziness I realize how old she is. She just wasn't ready.
This afternoon, I took the girls swimming. We are so very blessed to have a pool right in our own backyard. I love the water and am starting to be quite the swimmer! Today I swam 60 laps! 50 freestyle 10 backstroke. 60 x 40 = 2400 feet! 731.52 meters = .45 miles! Nearly a half a mile. Remember, I do take breaks, stop and pay attention to my kids who are playing in the water as well. But still, 60 laps is 60 laps. I'm think I am doing really well on my triathlon training. :0)
You are what you eat:
Breakfast: Protein bar (bought @ the gym because I forgot to eat breakfast!)
Lunch: 2 chicken strips, baked and a handful of fries (kid's lunch leftovers) plus fruit
Dinner: making stir fry with Quinoa
Snacks: Pluots, Nectarines and Almonds
So last night, Mariyn asks me, "Mom what time is cardio in the morning?" I was taken back a bit. Not because she knows we are going to the gym but because of she said it. Apparently, she is very sponge like and soaks in EVERYTHING she hears and is now using gym terms. LOL She enjoys going to the gym and always asks when were going and what I am going to do.
I wasn't sure what I was going to do today, I just knew I wanted to get up and get to the gym as early as possible. 8:30 cycle was my goal, but life didn't cooperate. I got to the gym just after cycle started and I didn't want to go in late. Instead, I opted to do my own cardio. I ran on the treadmill for a while. I was going good too, until a really stinky man got on to the one next to me. He had just gotten there too, it's not like he was sweating stinking from working out. Major body odor going on. So, I wrapped up my running at 15 minutes and headed to the cardio cinema. I hadn't been in there for a while, so I changed it up and did the elliptical for 15 minutes then was so hooked on the movie that I decided to stay and ran for another 15 minutes or so. The treadmills inside the theater don't have a fan so it gets hot in there quick.
I had my usually Friday errands to do plus a trip to walmart. Did I tell you, Amelia is finally potty learning. She has her accidents probably as much as she is successful but she is actually wanting to try and willing to try. I think this time will be it. Mariyn was a quick learner very easily potty trained right at 2. Seriously she learned in 3 days, no major issues. Amelia has been a totally different child and that's ok. I've gotten a bit of slack from others. What-EVER though, I'm changing her diapers and I've tried to teach her. It wasn't parent laziness I realize how old she is. She just wasn't ready.
This afternoon, I took the girls swimming. We are so very blessed to have a pool right in our own backyard. I love the water and am starting to be quite the swimmer! Today I swam 60 laps! 50 freestyle 10 backstroke. 60 x 40 = 2400 feet! 731.52 meters = .45 miles! Nearly a half a mile. Remember, I do take breaks, stop and pay attention to my kids who are playing in the water as well. But still, 60 laps is 60 laps. I'm think I am doing really well on my triathlon training. :0)
You are what you eat:
Breakfast: Protein bar (bought @ the gym because I forgot to eat breakfast!)
Lunch: 2 chicken strips, baked and a handful of fries (kid's lunch leftovers) plus fruit
Dinner: making stir fry with Quinoa
Snacks: Pluots, Nectarines and Almonds
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
swimsuit pic
Isn't my shadow hot? I mean look at those curves! ha ha I took this photo the other day. Don't you love how shadows can distort reality? I mean you see no extra fat, no rippley skin, no imperfections really just curves. You can't really tell that I am bigger than the average person or my age. It's just a perfectly crafted silhouette of who I am just the way God made me. Now only if I saw the real version of me that way. ::: sigh:::
As promised a while back, the much anticipated full swimsuit picture. Mariyn took it today and I have to say, it's not bad for 195lbs but my swimsuit covers a lot. My main problem area is my mid section.
Mission accomplished today, I swam 50 laps. 40 laps free style 10 laps back stroke. Each set of 10 laps took about 4 minutes. I'm not exactly sure the exact time, Mariyn timed me on my phone. I took short breaks between sets: checked on the kids, watched their tricks, whatever so I could get on to my next set. I still need swimming gear.
50 x 40 feet (length of the pool) = 2000 feet! 2000feet = 609.6 meters = about .38 miles! Improving already :) I'm sure I can swim the 400 meters required for the triathlon. I might not be the fastest but I know I CAN do it. Plus training and practice, I can only improve right?
Thursday, June 3, 2010
First Swim
Some thing funny has been going on with me lately - I keep getting light headed, or faint feeling while I'm working out. It's happened a number of times in the last week or two. I haven't changed up my routine really. I don't feel as if I'm pushing myself any harder. I'm not really sure what's going on. I wonder if it could be allergy related? There are a lot of pollens in the air right now. Or is it diet related and perhaps I'm not eating enough of the right things? Or something else?
After about 45 minutes of weights at the gym, I started to feel it again. Bad so I went to the locker room and relaxed for a few minutes until the feeling went away. Then I came back and finished up my weights. I ended up doing about an hours worth of weight training. I didn't do any cardio at the gym.
You are what you eat:
After about 45 minutes of weights at the gym, I started to feel it again. Bad so I went to the locker room and relaxed for a few minutes until the feeling went away. Then I came back and finished up my weights. I ended up doing about an hours worth of weight training. I didn't do any cardio at the gym.
The girls wanted to swim today and our pool is finally ready. We had to drain it and it's been refilling over the last couple of days. Mariyn has been so ready to swim so I figured I'd get my cardio in that way. Plus my next 5K is coming up on Sunday; I don't want to run too much before then. I let the girls play in the pool while I swam laps. At first I decided I would swim 10 laps. I've never been much of a swimmer. Don't get me wrong, I love the water but I've never been properly trained on technique. After I completed the first 10 laps, I decided on 10 more. Then 10 more. I'm not sure how long I spent swimming laps as I was constantly interrupted by the kids. You know them swimming in my path or saying watch me do this and well, just general parental supervision. ;-)
I ended up doing 10 laps free style, 10 laps back stroke, and 10 laps free style. My pool is 40feet. So I swam that distance 30 times. 40 x 30 = 120 feet. 120 feet = 365.76 meters. Which is pretty close to a 1/4 a mile and pretty darn close to the 400 meters I will need to swim for the triathlon in September! Not bad for my first time but there is plenty of room for improvement! I need to get a swim cap, goggles and ear plugs they would be helpful in my training.
After that, I swam with the girls and enjoyed the sunshine.
You are what you eat:
Breakfast: Protein and banana
Lunch: Chicken Salsa Salad
Dinner: Chinese Food - Mongolian Beef w/ Rice.
Snacks: Strawberries, Kiwi, Cherries, 1 spoon of peanut butter & 1 bite of ice cream.
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