Saturday, February 22, 2014

2 Miler Week

You'd almost think I couldn't seem to go further than 2 miles when you see how many 2 mile workouts I got in this week.  Between my brisk walks with my husband or 2 treadmill miles with my weights workouts - seems to be a common distance for me.  But it all adds up. 

2/14/14:  Had wanted to go out for a romantic evening, but at the end of the day we decided to go to the healthplex and bring the kids along for a family night out.  Weights + 2 treadmill miles + Culvers Oreo Concrete - how romantic!

2/15/14: 2 mile cold walk with husband

2/16/14: Off to the healthplex with my husband - god bless him for getting my butt out the door to do weights and 2 treadmill miles.

2/17/14: Had planned to go to the pool, but worked my way through time to go home and didn't get it done.  Feeling like I should give up on triathlon.  Ugh!  2 mile walk to keep the streak alive.

2/18/14:  Back to the healthplex for weights and 2 treadmill miles.  Such a shame when the weather finally turned warmer, but always nice to spend some time with my husband. 

2/19/14:  I think my bike was feeling neglected so I jumped on the trainer for 13.5 miles.

2/20/14: Almost muggy morning run (4 miles) with Susan as a warm front moved through and we had a windy time out on the greenway.  After work, my husband and I went to the healthplex and I got in my time with the weight machines, did abs on the exercise ball and even squeezed in another 1.5 miles on the track/treadmill.  Go me!

2/21/14: Warm weather prevailed and after a busy day of work and a quick dinner out with my family I went on a nice breezy walk with my husband for an easy 2 miles.

Swim = 2.47 mi
Bike =240.1 mi
Run/Walk =84.25 mi
Strength workouts = 17

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Keeping the Streak Alive!

I told my sister the other day that maybe my big goal this year is to keep my workout streak alive for a whole year - until Thanksgiving 2014!  I'm not sure about that though in general I've been feeling a little wishy washy about developing my BHAG and race schedule.  But I enjoy tracking all of it and feel pretty good about some of the mileage I've racked up.

Wednesday 2/5/14: Weights and 2 miles on dreadmill at Healthplex after two long snow days at home with kids
 

 
Thursday 2/6/14: 2 mile hike through the snow with my husband

Friday 2/7/14: fun family Friday night at the Healthplex = 2 miles plus weights
Me and my girl strengthening our core
Saturday 2/8/14: Walked 2 cold brisk miles in between basketball tournament games so we could go out afterwards to celebrate sis-in-law's 40th birthday


My girl playing her heart out

Hubs and sister celebrating at Paddy's
Sunday 2/9/14: Up early for basketball tournament game; off to scout mass at 11:30; catch breath in time to go to archery tournament (where both kids shot PRs - daughter got 2nd in 4th grade girls!); slip slide to McDs for celebratory cokes before cranking out 21 miles on the bike trainer.  BAM! Felt pretty good to rack up so many miles in just 8 days (62+10+21=93!)
Sparx Basketball girls
Daughter in the midst of shooting 240/300 - her best score ever!
Son also shooting a strong score
Monday 2/10/14: 2 miles on treadmill plus weights at the Healthplex

Tuesday 2/11/14: 2 mile cold walk with my husband; still a fair bit of snow on the sidewalks and streets, but we managed to get it done.

Wednesday 2/12/14: 10 bike trainer miles just before bed after crazy long, busy day - boy was this a day I really didn't want to get a workout in. But the workout streak lives and I had the 30 minutes before I went to bed.  Really no excuse not to get it done.
Some good speed on a night that I didn't even feel like getting on for more than half hour
Thursday 2/13/14: 5 mile run with Susan after sorting boxes of Girl Scout cookies for delivery;

Lots of cookies to deliver!
We got interrupted with a minor kid emergency, but she came back and we got it done - and with enough time to run out to Walmart for some easy valentines for my 7th grade boy who thinks the holiday is just short of stupid.

Swim = 2.47 mi
Bike =226.6 mi
Run/Walk = 66.75 mi
Strength workouts = 13

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Keeping On + SuperCentury 2014

Sunday 1/26/14: My friend Samantha texted me Saturday and asked if I would be interested in a training run with her.  She is training for an April half (while her husband is trying to BQ at the same race with the full).  She said 11-11.5 min/mi for 4 miles.  I thought I could probably do that, but it would be at the edge of my abilities.  I suggested an out and back in my neighborhood (where there is sidewalk for about half of it and only one big hill).  We went out kinda fast for my taste with the first mile in the 10's, the next in the 11's, but then we turned around - INTO the wind.  Ouch.  Tough to keep the pace so we walked as necessary and dropped to the more par for my course 12's with the final mile dropping even further with the big ass hill mixed with the wind.  Ouch.  I really felt this one.  And I didn't really enjoy it.

Monday 1/27/14: Took a cold walk around the neighborhood while the boys were at Scouts. = 2 miles.  My nose came back numb.  Not cool!

Tuesday 1/28/14: Went to the gym while daughter was at basketball practice down the street.  I knocked out a strength workout and appreciated the warmth of 2.5 miles on the treadmill. 

Wednesday 1/29/14:  My brother-in-law was only in town for a  few days before heading back to Virginia to be deployed for the rest of the year (and maybe into 2015) on the George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier.  After a full day of work, we cleaned house and then went to dinner with him.  After a nice evening of visiting, he finally left to go back to his dad's at 10:20.  I talked my husband into a quick 2 mi COLD walk to keep my streak alive.  God bless him!
Bro-in-law with his goddaughter/niece (my daughter) and his Christmas/bday gift to her
And yes, he totally looks like my husband (except younger)
Thursday 1/30/14:  Susan had a rough night at the hospital (on call pediatrician) and begged off of a morning run, but we saw each other at the Parent Lunch (for Catholic Schools Week) and agreed to try to hook up after she did her grocery shopping and before pickup.  I sat listening to the wind howl as I indulged in a bit of a novel before she texted me to confirm.  I thought about bailing, but the temps had inched up to about 40 degrees so I decided to suck it up.  We met at SaveALot and parked the cars heading out 2 miles down McCarty Street and then back. I actually felt pretty good on the run and was pleased to knock out 4 miles with time to spare and read my Runners World magazine while waiting to pick up the kids.  Funny how a run the same distance and even with a couple big hills could be so much better.

Friday 1/31/14: Long day of work (driving to/from KC area to meet with two clients and weather turning to crap throughout the day).  Got home in time to go for a brisk COLD walk with husband for 2 more miles.  But undid most of it with the crappy Burger King lunch and pizza night with the family.  Really need to figure out how to control my eating!

Saturday 2/1/14:  Not sure if I can really "count" this as a workout - but I am going to so I can say my streak continues.  I went out with my husband to see a local band that we like and I danced the night away.  Never mind the handful of margaritas that I also consumed.  I know I was sweaty so I'm counting it as a workout!

Sunday 2/2/14:  Ok, I'll just admit it.  I am a total wannabe when it comes to being a fan of Team Virtus.  I love that a couple of their team members are local to me and are just so stinking nice as well as super badass.  So when they suggest crazy things like knocking out a metric century on Super Bowl Sunday and calling it a "SuperCentury", I'm crazy enough to take that challenge and give it my best shot.  It's kinda "fun" to tweet and FB back and forth when we are all sharing in the sufferfest. 

Kind of a bad hair morning. Definitely regretted a couple margaritas the night before.
We talk about what we are watching and the breaks we have to take to regain bloodflow to our taints.  It feels pretty "epic" and I mean that in the way that "epic" usually involves not really having "fun" during, but having a great story to tell after.  In the past, I've tried to push myself a little when they've done these crazy stunts.  But I usually can't quite keep up.  I dug deep and almost 4.5 hours later (and with as few breaks as I could allow), I got 62 miles in.  My knees were sore, my legs were sore, my butt was sore.  But I felt pretty badass just knowing I'd stuck it out and accepted the challenge and done.  Still, I FB'd a bit of a "Screw You" to my Team Virtus friends (thanking them at the same time). 
Nothing special about my cadence, but pretty pleased with my speed (which actually increased as I went)
Monday 2/3/14: Another basketball practice, another strength workout at the Healthplex and a couple miles on their treadmills before picking her up.
Luke tweeted "Pics or didn't happen", but I was too late to include his teammate Adam
Here is me on the leg curl machine with the cardio area in the background
Tuesday 2/4/14: Snow day - home with the kids watching the world turn white.  No going to the healthplex.  No going outside.  Spent the better part of the day snuggled in bed reading.  Jumped on the trainer and felt pretty awesome when I knocked out a pretty fast 20 miles.  Still need to work on up'ing my cadence while still keeping my speed. 
Pain Cave = Garage (bonus that cool garage means no need for a fan)

Better speed than Sunday, but still struggling with my cadence.

Swim = 2.47 mi
Bike =195.6 mi
Run = 49.75 mi
Strength workouts = 10
Danced butt off to fun band = 1