Day 50, Its Official!

I'm officially signed up for the 2012 Fleet Feet Sports Super Sprint Triathlon, on Saturday, August 25th!!!!

I meant to wait until I was done with swimming coaching/lessons, but excitement and anticipation zoomed ahead! I've proven to myself that I CAN DO IT! I can do all three parts and survive. I may not have the best time, but I will finish. And I do NOT plan on finishing last.

Honestly? A part of me was also waiting... wondering, if maybe, juuuuust maybe, I could do the regular triathlon with my little sister this year. Alas, NEXT YEAR is my goal. This year I'm a triathlon baby with a bum knee, weak abs, "I won't drown" swimming skills, and a brand new "gotta get used to me" bike.

Next year Kate, I'll race you! ;)

Day 49, Saddle

I'm looking at more comfortable bike saddles.... I love everything else about my bike, but the seat hurts my tooshie.  I'm sure part of it is that I'm not used to riding a bike outside, with all the bumps and jostling. The sidewalk is a killer!  It's also a men's bike with a men's seat, and I am not a man. ;)  My "sit bones" are not the same as a man's, especially after having kids.

Since my bike doesn't have the suspension of the comfort bikes either, I've been checking out sprung saddles for a little built-in suspension. The Brooks seem popular but they're a tad expensive. Google also brings up info on Velo, as well as a few that appear only sold in the UK. 

Did another short 2 mile ride with one of the munchkins. Its a touch warmer than yesterday, but still windy and overcast. I was pretty cold by the time we got back. I can't wait until nicer weather!!

Day 48, Swimming Lesson #2

I am finally getting the freestyle/crawl stroke! Today I had my second lesson and we worked on breathing, adjusting my shoulders to keep my body straighter (I lift my left should too much), more breathing, and then we did some laps in freestyle, backstroke, and breaststroke for practice.

Honestly, once I *got* the freestyle I'm amazed at how much faster it is then the breaststroke. I've also ordered the book Total Immersion Swimming for my Kindle and I'm looking forward to reading it and practicing the drills. Breathing is my #1 issue right now.

Its 40 degrees out today but I promised one of the munchkins we'd go for a bike ride once my husband gets home. :/ He just got a new bike yesterday and has been really looking forward to riding further than our parking area.

Edited to add: We did a quick 2 miles up and down the street. My hands were ice cubes. Brrrrrr.....

Day 47, BIKE DAY!

I have a bike!!!!! I am now the proud owner of a Specialized Sirrus Sport! It was a 2011, so I got nearly $200 off. :) It only took 5 weeks, hours of research, many many test rides, and random luck.

I was planning on getting the Trek 7100. It's comfortable and pretty. And $485. I also can't fit aerobars on it. :/ So I retested some bikes, and thought the Giant Escape 2 would work, and I liked the $389 price tag.

But, being the super crazy indecisive person I am, I wanted to re-retest them. I was a bit embarrassed to go back to the local nine shop AGAIN so I googled bike shops in a neighboring town. A quick stop turned into three more test drives and a 2011 model sale!

I'll probably get a more padded "comfort" seat for longer rides, but that's an easy fit. Everything else is great! Yay!!

Day 46, Weights

Its Thursday, and Thursday usually means Weight Lifting Day. Today we did drop sets and lots of movements combining upper and lower body exercises to make the most of my hour.

After weight lifting I hopped on the bike for a short 10 minute (2.5 miles) ride.

I'm also very excited to be BIKE SHOPPING this weekend!!! Its finally Sale Weekend! I'll be able to test ride the Giant Demo Fleet and the Trek bikes I've been considering. One of the munchkins has been asking for a new "faster" bike, so we'll be checking out kids bikes too.

Day 45, Laps

I'm not a "group sports" person. I like to do my own thing without having to socialize. Running, biking, even weight-lifting are pretty much solo sports. Put in earphones and go. No interaction required.

You'd think that swimming laps back and forth is also a solo sport. Nope! Swimming is actually a social sport. You need to talk to the person or persons that you're sharing a lane with. You have to look out for them and the people in neighboring lanes. There are no headphones, iPods, or TVs.

There's actually multiple websites all about swimming etiquette! And the park district pool I was at tonight broke most of them. I won't go into details in this post, but I'm seriously considering a short-term membership at a gym with pool and childcare.

Tonight I did 7 laps, which is about the distance in the race. :D 95% was breaststroke. I tried freestyle but I was too self-conscience. At this early stage I think building endurance is more important.

Day 44, Wine

I love wine. I drink 1-2 glasses of red wine nearly every evening. I blame my little sister, who introduced us to the local Wine Club a couple of years ago. Our tastes have slowly evolved from sweet desert wine to now enjoying most good red wines and a few white wines.


Tonight we went to our first Wine Club Members Event- Cooking With Wine. It was amazing!! Four courses, each paired with a never-ending glass of wine. Blanc de Blanc, Unoaked Chardonnay, Shiraz, and a Sparkling Sweet Red. This was definitely a "plan to call a taxi or a friend" night! On a Tuesday!


No workouts today, just rest. :)

Day 43, Better Biking

I biked 7.6 miles today in 30 minutes. I could have done more, but I got bored. ô_Ô I can't read while I'm on the stationary bike, and I took my glasses off (I don't like sweaty glasses) so I couldn't see the tv either... Soon I'll be able to bike outside!

Swimming tonight still tbd. Four lap lanes are open tonight from 5-8 pm. Hubby probably won't be home from his workout until 7, and if it's crowded I won't swim. I can't swim straight so I don't want to share a lane yet. I'd crash into the other swimmer for sure. :(

Day 42, School

I'm officially a college student again! Oh, to be back in my 20's. ;)

I am sick and tired of not being able to communicate with a portion of my patients, so I'm taking Spanish 121 (the lowest level) this summer. If that goes well I'll sign up for Spanish 122 later in the summer or in the fall.

Mom2Triathlon news: I can walk. Barely, but I can. This morning was the worst, but now that I've been up for 17 hours I'm warmed up and stretched out. :D I was actually amazed at how sore my butt was. All that kicking I suppose...

Tomorrow is Monday, a brand new week. In theory, I plan to start the day with a 6.2 mile bike and end the day with some laps at the park district pool. We shall see. ;)

Thursday I finally get a real bike!! I'm excited but starting to question my sanity... $500 for a bike?!

Day 41, Swimming lesson #1

I woke up this morning so stiff and sore from yesterday that I could barely walk. Fun.
I was a little nervous for my first lesson today. I had no idea who was going to be the instructor, and I was picturing a teenager who wouldn't be able to help much. They mostly teach kids who don't know how to swim. I know how to swim, I just need to learn how to do it better.

Yeeaaahhhh. The instructor WAS a skinny teenage boy. And yeah, he was expecting a kid. The expression on his face when they called my name and I stepped forward was priceless. And a little embarrassing. Couldn't they have put a little note by my name "ADULT"?

So I explained the purpose of my swimming lessons: survive a 0.25 mile swim in Lake Michigan for a triathlon. He asked where I have been swimming. Um, no where yet. [blush]

First we practiced kicking. Kicking wasn't too bad, it just needed to be a little smaller, more controlled, less knee bend. Then we did freestyle. I warned him that it was my worst stroke and it was going to be funny. Yuppers, he tried really hard not to laugh. I know the steps, but doing them is much harder then it looks. I really need to work on the breathing, because I only can make it 1/2 a lap before I feel like I'm not getting enough air. We worked on it for quite a while, and I need to back and practice.

Then we did the breaststroke, which he said was my strongest stroke, and the backstroke, which I also did decently (only needed to adjust my hands).  

The lesson ended with doing two laps any stroke I wanted. I started with the freestyle for practice, and ended alternating with the breaststroke and backstroke.

I raise a glass to all the swimmers out there! I was more out of breath after two laps than I am after a 6 mile bike!

Day 40, Gym

Hi ho, hi ho, off to the the gym I go....

An hour of weight lifting this morning, followed by a quick 4 miles on the bike (14:55, level 8). I'm feeling good. Sore, but good. My knee/shin spot isn't bothering me at all, so I know its got to be an impact thing. I was doing single leg presses with a good amount of weight for 3 sets of 15, with no pain.

Tomorrow is my first swimming lesson!

Day 39, Spray Park

Today is usually a weight lifting day, but my trainer had an emergency, so it's been moved to tomorrow. Which meant I was free to take littlest munchkin to an indoor spray park at a local park district! He loves the water, and I've been wanting to go for a while!

At first he didn't want to go in the water, but by the end I had to carry him out kicking and screaming.

It was lovely. There was a small group there of special needs kids with family members (moms, grandmas, and at least one older sister), and those ladies were SO calm and patient, and everyone was friendly. I'd love to go back when they're there again.

Munchkin and I spent nearly the whole time going up and down the water slide. We did swim briefly, but then back to the slide. :D

Plus.... After a month of serious exercise and better eating, I rocked my bikini. Now I just need a tan. ;)

Day 38, Summer planning

First, no, I didn't get to the gym to bike like I planned. It was more of a "I'm frickin' exhausted from a crazy night at work" and "I still have a cold" day.

Yes, I realize they are excuses and I could have dragged my sorry butt to the gym if I reeeaaallly wanted.

Does chasing a two year old for 10 hours count? ;)

Anyhoooo, SUMMER PLANNING! You already know my summer plans. I've got little tickers counting down the days on the right side --->
Today was planning for the kiddos. I have one who is into science and sports, one who likes video games and goofing off, and the littlest munchkin, who is still content with water, dirt, and being outside. As of tonight we are officially signed up for two weeks of Gifted classes, and planning to sign up for Circus Camp, tennis camp, and vacation bible school. It's a little overwhelming! Of 10.5 weeks of summer vacation, I have 6-7 weeks already planned already. Ouch.

Oh, and have I mentioned I'm going back to school this summer for Spanish classes.....

Day 37, Better

Today was another day of resting, and now I can walk without hurting. I'm thinking Stationary Bike for tomorrow. And homemade parmesan pork chops for dinner. :)

Day 36, RICE :(

Yup. One run, and I'm in pain again. Dr Google has me thinking it's more a muscle or tendon pull. It hurts to stand, walk, or move. So rest, ice, elevation, and compression for now. No running for at least two weeks, maybe three. Luckily I'll be able to swim and bike while I'm recovering. But I'm thinking my distance running career is over before it's started. ;)

6:25 pm note: Damn, this hurts! I just can't get comfortable! Ice, ACE, pillow, grrrrr. Hot bath is next. I don't really want to take any medication. If I can have a baby without pain meds, I can handle a sore knee/shin/muscle/tendon thing.

Day 35, Back in the Saddle

After two days away from the gym, it was time to get back to training.


It was such a nice day that I decided to run outside. I estimated a route about 2 miles and set out with the MapMyRun app. I ended up doing 1.9 miles in 22:18 according to the app.

The first half was nice although I became winded much faster than I usually do. The second half ended up being against strong wind! I couldn't believe how hard it was to run against the wind.

This is a screen shot of the breakdown of my run. The first mile I averaged an 11 min/mile pace, while the second 0.9 miles was a 12.45 min/mile pace. LOL! See how much more difficult it was running AGAINST the wind?! (edited to add that a quick check at the Weather Channel told me we're having winds in the 25-35 mph range, with gusts up to 45 mph)

I will say though that I'm not 100% convinced with the speed accuracy. If you look where the speed (blue line) dips low, when I highlight it on the program it gives me numbers like 350 to 1000 min/mile, and I'm pretty sure I didn't walk that slow!

Swimsuit success!

My Athleta suit came yesterday, and I think it's going to work! It's long enough and fits pretty snug. And all one piece.

Everything is coming together. :) Swimming starts on the 21st and I get my bike on the 26th. Hopefully the extra days off have helped my knee too. I'm going to run today so we'll soon see.

Day 34, Sleep

Oh my gosh. I am WAY too old for 4:30 am bedtimes. (See yesterday's post.)

I spend ALL day today sleeping. First I slept in until 10. Then I woke up to a headache. Or more like a face-ache. My sinuses were killing me. I felt like it could be a sinus infection, but I didn't feel like calling the doctor. Sudafed and Advil seem to help. So I got up at 10, drank some coffee, grabbed a box of tissues, and climbed back into bed. Woke up around 1:30 when my sister texted me, ate some food, dressed, went to Walgreen's for more Sudafed, and went back to bed. Woke again around 3 or 4 and this time managed to stay awake, hang out with the kids, until I finally went back to bed for the night at 10 pm.

Day 33, Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th! And Girls Night Out! Whoohoo!  

I started the day feeling pretty miserable after working last night. Not only was it a crazy busy night, I had a patient with a huge bouquet of lilies. I am very allergic to lilies. I started sneezing just walking by the room, my eyes began to itch the first time I walked in the room, and 8.5 hours later I was a snotty, watery, sneezy mess.

Even after loading up on my allergy medications AND washing the pollen off, I was still pretty stuffy upon waking. Any other day I would have topped today off with an Ambien and gone to sleep early, But this was Girls Night Out, which comes around like twice a year. And I missed the last one due to snow. So I steamed my sinuses, added Afrin, and went out to Party!

Really, it was a great night! As my brother-in-law says, "Beer cures everything." A couple beers and martinis, and I felt great!! Fun company too! Girls Night ended about midnight, so I headed over to my sister's to hang out until I was able to drive home. We had such fun talking, eating a middle-of-the-night snack of tuna fish, etc, that it was 4 am before I finally left! The last time I saw 4 am on purpose was probably an all-nighter 10 years ago. 4 am should be only seen when a baby or child wakes me up. Otherwise it should not exist. ;)

Training.... didn't go to the gym. :( I know, I know.
Eating.... actually, aside from a few onion rings and chicken tenders at the bar, I ate very well today. I haven't updated my food diary, but even adding in the alcohol, I'm pretty sure I"m not much over my goal.

Day 32, Back to the Gym

Good day. :) It was weight-lifting day AND I rode the bike afterwards.

First we did legs, chest, back, and abs. 10 reps x 4 sets. I'm going to be climbing those obstacles like Curious George! ;) My abs protested but I feel pretty good right now.

Then I was hemming and hawing. Do I rest and go home? Attempt a run? Bike? With a little prodding from Max, I ended up biking a quick 4 miles. In 15 minutes. While checking Facebook. ;)

Two and a half more months until my 5k obstacle course! And only 4.5 months until the Chicago Triathlon! It's so exciting!

Day 31, a Month!

It's been a whole month since I decided to train for the Super Sprint Tri and 5k. And I'm still training! This is a huge accomplishment for me! The last time I tried to make a workout/fitness goal, I only lasted two weeks. :)

Today was swimming suit shopping/"trying them on for size" day. First I went online and checked sizing charts, took my measurements, and determined a size "40" should fit well.

I then went to my local sporting goods store. I tried on six different styles from Speedo, Nike, and one I can't remember. I tried on sizes 38-40.

It was hilarious. First, those competitive swimsuits have no support. No shelf bra, nothing to hide headlights, nada. Second, I just can't fit into them... They're sized by torso length, but the width goes up too. The largest size they had was 40, and the length was still too tight, while the rest of it was baggy. Third... my favorite part... since the suit was being pulled up so much, my scar from December was clearly visible. I can wear a tiny low-cut bikini and not see it, but a modest 1-piece showed it off. Ironic. I'm sure it'll be fine in a properly fitting suit, but I was like, "seriously?!"

I still have one from Athleta coming in the mail. Otherwise I'll be the swimmer competing in a tankini. :)

Day 30.....

I'll post tomorrow. Today hasn't been a good day.

Day 29 1/2, Swimsuit shopping

Now that I'm officially signed up for lessons/coaching, I really don't want to do laps in my "I look cute on the beach as long as I don't move much" bikinis. So I googled "tall swimsuits" and got a list of sites from Walmart to Macy's. In the reasonable under-$80 category there was Athleta, Lands End, and a few random other sites. I've owned suits from both major sites, so I'm starting there.

At Lands End there were three suits. THREE. Total! I liked the Grecian one, but at $115, it was more than I want to spend right now.

At Athleta, they had six. Two were "one piece/dresses," so those were out. I liked the Shirrendipity One Piece, but I had scary visions of the back tie coming loose... and viola, me all to see! I decided on the Amrita 1-piece for now. Athleta has a great return policy if it doesn't end up working. I hope it fits because swimsuit shopping is cruel and unfair.

My sister reminded me of something else today... wetsuits. I'm going to ignore that until the last minute. ;)

Day 29, Swim lessons, Check!

I did it! I registered for private swimming lessons! I have 5 lessons set up starting April 21. I can swim, just not well. I tend to use the breast stroke and back stroke, and I'd like to work on freestyle (front stroke). I also would like to improve my form so I can swim faster with less effort.

If the 5 weeks of lessons go well, my sister is talking me into joining a Master Swim group a few towns over, which would give me the opportunity to practice a few hours a week with a coach and team. The next session there starts after Memorial Day, and goes until the end of July.

In other news, I did another 2.2 miles today on treadmill. I ran the first mile at 6 mph (10 minutes mile), got a stitch in my right side which took almost 0.7 miles to walk out (3.8-4.0 mph), and then finished running the last 0.5 miles at 6 mph. Just under 26 minutes.

My knee is still sore, and was pretty painful after my run. After talking to a few runner friends and consulting Dr Google, it seems like I've just been over-training and need to take a longer break from running until it heals.

Its ironic.... last year I didn't want to work out, and now that I have to take a few days off I don't want to. :)

Day 28, Happy Easter!

Easter baskets were a hit with the kids, and now it's time to head to see the extended family and enjoy a late lunch.

Day 27, Knees

My knees feel old today. I iced them after my run today. My trainer suggested it might be the crazy weather shifts we've had lately, but I blame the two hours of bouncing yesterday.

Even sore, I did my 2.2 run/walk today in 26:55, about the same as my last time.

Now I'm heading to work for another 8 hours on my feet.

Tomorrow I bike. :)

Day 26, Playtime

Today was Date Day with the older munchkins while littlest stayed home with Daddy. We went to Pump It Up, which is a bunch of inflated bounce houses, obstacle courses, climbing towers, rock climbing walls, etc. They encourage the parents to play with their kids (unlike Monkey Joe's, which doesn't allow adults on the play centers).

I spent two fun-filled hours bouncing, climbing, sliding, and yes, getting some exercise! My favorite was this tower that was divided into levels with crisscrossed elastic bands. You had to climb up and through each level to reach the top, and then take a huge slide down. Munchkin #2 and I must have climbed it at least a half dozen times!

Here are two pictures, one of the tower, and the other of the view down from the top level:

Day 25, Pyramids

It was weight lifting day, and according to my trainer, we did pyramids. :) A set of high reps (20) with a moderate weight, followed by a set of low reps (10) with a higher weight, in a circuit of 2-3 exercises. We did mostly legs and back with some arms in functional exercises (using the whole body).

Seems more like a zig-zag than a pyramid, but I was exhausted and sweaty, so it worked.

Day 24, Dragging

As in, "I'm dragging my butt to the gym, when I'd rather drag it back to bed."  Running on 4.5 hours of sleep and a pot of coffee.....

However, after years and years and years, I've gotten used to no sleep. I managed to do the 2.2 run/walk I was aiming for in 27 minutes. I ran at 5.5 mph, and when I did walk here and there, it was at 4.0 mph.

After that I did triceps (35 and 40 lbs, 10 reps each weight for 3 sets), biceps (same routine but with 40 and 45 lbs), and plank pull-overs (abs).

The littlest munchkin is taking a rare nap right now, so I'm debating on dishes, laundry, or a nap too...

I think the nap wins.

Day 23, Recovering

I usually run on Tuesdays and take Wednesdays off, but since I was so sore yesterday I decided to take today off to give my legs a rest. Well, as much rest as possible with working 9 hours this evening...

A friend of mine on Facebook suggested an article about running and training, which turned out very informative. A Fundamental Foundation. I really liked, "As a general guideline, most runners can handle an increase in mileage of 10 to 15 percent every two to three weeks." Since I'm comfortably running about 2 miles, I'm going to aim to increase my distance by 10-15% every 2 weeks and not focus on my times yet.

My lovely sister also told me about "bricks", which I'll eventually need to start doing too. Basically, its running after biking, and so named because your legs feel like bricks. LOL! Fun fun fun.

Facebook official!

Yes, this blog is no longer being written on the "down low." I posted it on the almighty Facebook. Please, be kind. ;)

Happy running!

Day 22, Challenging

I've been training for three full weeks already! Wow!

Today's run was tough. My legs are so sore, every step was an effort. I was going to push myself, but then I figured there's no need to risk an injury this early into training.

I wonder if I need to adjust my workouts now that I'm consistently running 2 miles a day plus 2-4 miles biking. Either alternate running and biking, or mixing up the distances, or more days off to recover. And I still need to work swimming into my schedule. Lessons are scheduled to start this week, so I need to pick a place ASAP.

Today I did a short 0.84 mile run in just under 10 minutes, followed by the full 6.2 mile/10k bike in 21:50 (on level 8).

I saw this picture on Facebook, and it was encouraging.

Happy Monday!

Day 21, Burning

The Burn!

Nope, not my muscles. Not my lungs. No, this burn was worse. It was Heartburn. While running. I nearly died.

Today's lesson: Do not eat spicy salsa before doing cardio. Ouch.

Aside from that it was an OK day at the gym. My sprint time was a little faster, but my motivation was really low today. I just couldn't get into the "rhythm of running." I watched the treadmill dashboard constantly: Has it been 1.55 yet? OMG, its only been 7 minutes?! I'm not going to make it! Ok, now I'm at a mile.... I can do a little more...

- 1.55 mile run in 17:29, about 5.6 mph
- 2 mile total in 22:50, a little bit faster
- Bike, level 8, 2 miles in 7:30

I should have biked more, I can and usually do. Tomorrow I'll have to make up for it by doing at least 5 miles on the bike after running. Heck, how about I aim for all 6.2 again? Just kidding.... April Fools. ;) Tomorrow is a running day.