Rock Star Workouts!

Internet was down so I wrote this outside of Blogger with hopes to post Tuesday.  Monday was a good day as far as fitness goes.  First, it was crazy warm (mid-60’s for high) and relatively sunny (clouds came in later in the afternoon).  It was, however, fairly windy (20-30 mph).  But as I am a fair-weather biker, I decided I couldn’t let today go by without kicking some butt on the bike.  And I was feeling strong (mentally and physically).

Headed out about 1:00 and hadn’t really decided exactly which route I would take, but figured I’d go to my “usual” area and add loops if I was feeling it.  I went out to the interchange in what felt like record time even though I was being blown around a little on the bike.  Struggled a little getting up and over, but the relief of going back down eased that pain.  So I decided to turn right on Algoa and head towards Taos.  I used to turn around at the first driveway.  Later I went another couple of driveways up this rural road.  And once, late last fall, I went to the top of the first big hill.  But today I though, “Why not go a little further?” which led to “Wonder if I can make it to the highway intersection?”  The good news is that once you get up the big hill, there were just some little rollers and a lot of riding on the ridge (which with the wind wasn’t all that fun, but not particularly hard pedaling).  Before long, I was at the Hwy 50 interchange – wahoo!!

Turned around to go back and had one short nasty hill and some more of the rollers followed by a long downhill that was SWEET!  But so what, it has only been an hour and I was feeling good and the sun had been out and it was so pretty out today.  So threw in a loop around Scholastic and back on up the Wavco hill, in and out Wakoda Woods and on home.  All in 1:20:11.  Except when I got back home there was no internet connection for me to Map My Ride!  Grrr.  But it turns out that it was 14.02 miles. 

But it was so nice that when the kids got home, they had conspired to go for a ride with the neighbor kids that we share rides with.  So Tania (the mom) and I took five kids (KG, 2 x 2^nd, 5^th and 6^th) on a short ride into both Wakoda Woods Subdivisions and back to our house.  The older boys took off to play Airsoft or something and my daughter and I rode with the other family to their house and then back to ours.  So this added 2.3 miles.

I took my daughter out to dinner at Fazolis because she had some coupon for a free kids meal there that she got at school.  She was disappointed in their spaghetti (no surprise to me – should have told her to get the pizza), but liked the chicken broccoli penne I got (which I later gagged seeing the calorie load – oops).  We ran a couple other short errands and came home in time for….Stacy to come over!

Stacy came over and we did a bunch of Just Dance 2 songs (mostly fast ones and one “cool down” song that we hadn’t done before that was hilarious).  Then we did AbRipperX (ouch).  All in all, it was a little over an hour of working out.  Needed it after that heavy dinner. 

Was disappointed to find out that the internet was still not up as I want to share my successful day.  This morning I volunteered with Susan in our kids’ classroom for Teacher Appreciation Day.  We woke up to temps already in the 50's!  So I dressed for a run and texted Susan to bring her workout clothes.  After we were done supervising the 2nd graders for an hour, we met up at the Katy Trail North Jeff City trailhead.  We decided to go east this time with the idea we'd turn around in about a half hour.  We went to the 141 mile marker which turned out to be 4.4 miles round trip from the TH.  Yay!  It wasn't crazy fast as there was plenty of walking/chatting, but we tried to jog a fair bit too.

Got a little work done for my surveyor friend in Columbia this afternoon.  Tomorrow is housework day and I have some more projects to knock out for a couple of clients.  Can't believe it is the last day of January already (especially hard to imagine with the warm weather).

Freeze Your Thorns Off 5K Race Report



Thorny cactus or penis with stubble?



I found Adam's blog "The Boring Runner" fairly quickly when I first started my journey into blog land last summer.  And for anyone not familiar, you need to know that he is anything BUT boring.  And his love of running is borderline crazy.  So he decided to host another year of "Freeze Your Thorns Off" - a real and virtual race. 

He's even promised some prizes.  While I am never crazy enough to think I can really win a prize for being fast (that is more Adam's expertise), I have come to love virtual races and the way they scoot me out the door on days I'd rather sit in the recliner and read a book (which I also managed to squeeze in).

So I managed to find 45 minutes (I told you I'm no speed demon) to go out and knock this thing out.  It wasn't all that freezing even though we got a slight dusting of snow last night.  Truthfully, it was 40° and sunny - but there was some wind that kind of sucked.  Funny how you don't feel that helping you on the way out nearly as much as you feel it working against you on the way back.  My daughter was happily playing with a friend and my husband and son had just returned from a morning of hauling wood for a friend and other errands.  He agreed to stand watch over the kids so I could git'r done!

I tried to run longer stretches and walk shorter ones, but the last few days have found me feeling super sore even though there have been NO workouts.  I felt beat up by the foam roller, the massage therapist who worked some wicked deep moves on my back and hips and thoroughly defeated after going to the pool last night only to find it closed for makeup swim lessons.  I was so hoping to loosen up with that swim.  Never mind the super disappointed 7 year old in my backseat.

I made it to the turn around in about 20 minutes, but it took all I had to get back in another 25 (in order to keep my word at only being gone 45 minutes).  The big ass hill on the way back was certainly a factor - as was the wind and me just getting more tired.  But as my house came into view, I could see I was just barely going to do this thing in 45 minutes so I tried to pick up the pace in the final stretch. 

Once I got home, my husband took off again for errands he didn't want to drag a kid along for.  I got my daughter to take this picture of me with my "race bib".  I like that Adam made us all number 1.  Maybe someone will mix up my pace/completion time with some of the speedier participants.  Check out that blue sky!  We don't usually get so many of these in the winter months (same with 40° days).  We've been very blessed this winter!  Of course, you can also see the wind in my hair.

FYTO 5K (3.34 mi in 45:30)

What about races is so motivating?  Just knowing that you don't want to be left out?  I'm not sure.  Do you like racing?  Have you done any virtual races?  Not nearly as fun as a real race or doing it with someone else, but I just couldn't get up the nerve to do the early morning group run with the JCRRC.  I'm still embarrassed by my crazy slow pace.  Maybe another day.

More Randomness...

Since I'm not afraid to share with others, I wasn't upset in the least about being tagged multiple times (sometimes formally and sometimes less so) for the 11 randoms.  Heck, I had to edit my last post down to only have 11 things.  No worries.  I'll answer all of their questions.

From Kovas:

He didn't include his own questions for others so I'll comment on his randomness:

1. I have no idea what an anagram of my name is.  I'll have to think on that.  I have all the major letters folks select on wheel of fortune so I should be able to make something good.

2. Kovas has been to the lower 48 states.  I would love to travel more.  I've been to MO, KS, AR, TX, AZ, MI, WI, NY, ME, NH (airport), UT, CO, NE, IA, IL, TN, KY, NV and Washington DC.  Lots more to go to!

3. My dad was very educated and going to college was never a question in my mind.  He told me until the day he died that I should go to law school too.  Since dealing with his probate, I am starting to wish I had.

4. I work for myself, but some days consider looking for a job.  There is one open right now that I'm half afraid to apply for because it would be hard to turn down.  But I've put so much work into starting my business I'm torn.

5. I used to file my taxes quickly, but starting my own business means I now have to have a CPA do it 5x/year and I'm not in a hurry to write a big check this year.

6. I work with a surveyor who wears "Jesus" sandals year round.  I think it is hilarious.  I would live in jeans and tennis shoes year round if I didn't have to look "professional".

7. I'm the baby of my family, but I find that I tend to have a "first born" personality. 

8. I was never in a band, but I did do a high school music contest in a quartet.

9. I hate moving and plan to never do it again if I can avoid it.  Just sell it all and move me into a nursing home.

10. I've never bodysurfed (nor on a board).

11. I was at a bar in KC one time when my friend ran over to me and said "Hey, that's Ronnie Dunn on the dance floor!"  Sure enough, Brooks and Dunn were just out at a bar hanging out before they played the MO State Fair one year.  Ronnie Dunn is TALL!  I ended up chatting with the bus driver who promised me free tix.  But I had a "family dinner" for my birthday and my dad yelled at me for trying to cancel so I sent my friends to the concert instead.  Never did see B&D in concert.  GRRR!

1. you have the skills to go pro in any sport (except running/triathlons). what sport would you choose? Tennis

2. what is your favorite vegetable? This squash medley that they serve at Jazz

3. they're making a movie about your life. what actor/actress would play you? Jeanine Garafolo (sp?)

4. last book you read? 50/50  by Dean Karnazes

5. last text message you sent? "I'll check into that" (after friend told me we could now sign up for 2nd grade spring volleyball)

6. what is your favorite meal/recipe to cook? Spaghetti

7. do you prefer dusting or vacuuming? (and when are you coming to do my house?) Vacuuming. What's dusting? (Same answer as Kovas)

8. if you could go on vacation to anywhere in the us or canada, where would you go? Hawaii

9. what something you love about where you live? Friends (and family) for neighbors.  We know everyone on our street and they are like family (plus my husband's sister is a neighbor too).

10. something you don't love about where you live? McCarty Street under reconstruction (though sometimes the same answer as 9)

11. what do you do when you have trouble falling asleep? Read.  Sometimes move to the couch.

XLMIC's questions:

1. What is your 'comfort food'? Peanut butter on toast - it was one of the few protein sources I could choke down during both pregnancies.
2. Do you exercise better when you are angry or happy? Guilty is the emotion usually.
3. Have you ever done anything to the point of puking? What?  I only drank to puking once.  I have eaten to puking a few times (not intentionally - just ate too much and couldn't keep it down).
4. Any embarrassing nicknames in your past? Spill it.  While I was in Jr. High/early HS, my dad called me "Snake hips".
5. Guilty movie pleasure?  Most romantic comedies - the more predictable the better. 
6. Do you like or dislike these tagging memes? Like (duh)
7. Why do you run? (might seem like a stupid question, but I'm curious) - to try to get better at it  
8. Would you rather be rich or famous? rich
9. If you could go anywhere tomorrow without any worries (everything would be taken care of perfectly for the duration) where would you go,  - Barcelona, Spain
10. with whom and  - By myself (though have a friend there)
11. for how long? - Week to ten days

Molly's Questions:

1. what is the one song you never tire of?  Happy Birthday to me!
2. what scares you? Failure
3. what's on your bucket list?  Mostly travel related - lots of places I've never been
4. salty or sweet? After a workout - salty, any other time usually sweet
5. what would you do with an unexpected day off?  Sleep, read, watch movie, get in a workout, read more blogs
6. boxers or briefs?  Boxer briefs (on my husband), briefs for me
7. what would you have for your last meal?  Grilled pork chop, loaded baked potato, Madison's combo salad (local joint), NE clam chowder, garlic cheddar biscuits and Olive Garden bread sticks (see a carb theme here?)
8. what is your favorite body part? my wrists; when I was younger it was my legs
9. what do you like best about your job? Flexibility
10. Giants or Patriots? Who cares.
11. what is your goal for 2012? Finish an Oly.

Keith's Questions

1. What moment of your life, if captured on video, would go viral? Driving through the McDonalds drive through at 4 AM while in labor
2. What do you most want to shout out at people? "LOSE (one "O") is not the same as LOOSE (two "O"s)!!"
3. How old were you when you lost your virginity? Too young with boyfriend who was older
4. Related to #3, did you respect yourself the morning after? Yes for the most part (not so much whe I looked back on it later in my life)
5. What is your comfort food? I said Peanut Butter above, but anything in the general pasta category often wins too.
6. If you couldn't live in your current country, where would you live? (Assume they would let you in.) - Probably Canada, but I really like living here for the most part.
7. What book do you most want to see made into a movie, and who plays the lead roles? Alternatively, what book should never be made into  movie?  Just about any non-fiction book about a triathlete (played by themselves).
8. What movie should never, ever be remade? Yes, I know it's too late for the Italian Job. - Most of the movies from the 80's.
9. Is there anything conceivably better than hot, willing, twin red-heads, with whipped cream and chocolate? Almost everything.
10. What is one thing that "they say" is bad for you, that you will not give up? French fries.
11. Would/do you clean your house before the cleaning services comes over? WHY? I don't currently use a service, but we had one for a short while when my son was an infant.  I picked up before she came because I wanted the surfaces underneath my clutter cleaned.

Kate's Questions: 
1. Did you have a favorite teacher in school?  Who and why? Mrs. Trabue (3rd homeroom and English, 5th and 6th English) - She was one of the few that really challenged me.  I loved her creative writing assignments and how she commented in our journals about what we wrote.  I also really loved Mrs. Ford (5th homeroom and science plus did the gifted program my 6th grade year) - that was until she called me my sister's name several years later when she ran into me (said sis only had her for science one year).  But I won a reading challenge in 5th grade (took a rocket ship around the moon - one space for each book) and she let me pick my prize - an OP (Ocean Pacific) T shirt I wanted so badly (and kept for YEARS - I may still have it in a box).  All the "cool" kids had one and I didn't and I was so proud of it.2. Suggest a great new blog for me to read.  Seems like you follow most of the ones I do.  Steve in a Speedo or the Boring Runner?  Not sure if you read them, but I think they are both hysterical.3. What's a favorite race memory? Finishing my first tri.
4. What kind of car do you drive? 2002 Silver Impala5. What do you imagine doing when you retire? I don't know that I'll ever completely retire, but probably do some traveling.6. Tell me a happy memory of yours.  Rocking my babies to sleep on my chest after feeding them when they were really small infants - the way they curled their legs up into a ball on my chest and just "fit" perfectly.7. What's something that has surprised you about yourself?  That I haven't given up on this fitness thing even though I seem to be sore ALL of the time.8. Do you have brothers or sisters?  If so, are you close to them?  Sister, generally yes though our relationship has ebb'd and flowed.  Very close as children, less so while I was in HS and college, moreso after she moved away (weird), then less so again as we had busy lives and now a bit closer with us both having children.9. Patrick assures me he'd come rescue me if I ever again got lost in the woods. Can I count on him?  Probably, but I live closer so call me first.10. What's something you like to make for dinner?  Anything pretty easy that I have the stuff handy in the pantry, fridge or freezer to assemble.11.  What's a good piece of advice you've received.  My sis-in-law told me when I had my kids "Do what works for you and your kids - we are all different."  Pretty generic, but it really is true. 
OK, you should know enough about me now.  I'll stop.  :)

Foam Roller - Friend or Foe?

Well, I finally broke down and purchased my very own foam roller.  I had decided this would be the week when I saw them on sale in the Target ad.  Still $17 for a glorfied piece of foam, but better than $25 (though I may wish I had splurged on the longer one).  It came with a little 15 min DVD with a few exercises demonstrated by a Gumby-like Indian yogi-looking guy.  I also proceeded to check out a few other exercises on Youtube and try some out that were supposed to "cure shin splints in 1-2 days". 

But here is the thing...OUCH!  First, I had no idea how tight I was in so many places.  I thought it was just a few spots on my legs, but turns out I need to be stretched on a machine like one of those medieval racks.  I watched some TV and rolled and rolled.  I had tears come to my eyes more than once and had to lay off.  Then I'd hit it again.  Will I be glad that I did this?  Or will I suffer more? 

So tell me - is your foam roller a friend or foe?  Either way, which moves do you the most good? 

Slightly less sucky run

Susan bailed on me today and my motivation slipped more than a little.  I did manage to get a little work stuff done today plus some laundry and ran the dishwasher.  So I decided since it was in the 30's and pretty sunny (with minimal wind) to literally "run" my errand to the bank - yep, you got it - another Walmart 5K.  I felt pretty good going out - like I ran a little more than I walked.  I was kind of a sweaty mess once I got to the bank.  I drank a full cup from their Culligan cooler and made my deposit.  Then I turned around and sucked some wind going home.  I tried to push it a little, but that darned shin pain was still there (though not as crippling as the other day).  But my knees and butt hurt a little too.  Ugh.

I failed to get an accurate time on the run to figure out my pace.  I started the watch when I left, but failed to pause it when I went inside Walmart, then realized that and paused it for part of my transaction time, but then forgot to start it again at the door and finally started it again after I had ran a couple of minutes.  The time said 34 minutes, but I haven't run that fast yet so it was probably more like 38-40. 

And a side note, I used this little drawstring bag/backpack that I've used to run errands on my bike before.  It does NOT work well when running.  It kept slipping down to my elbows.  Very annoying!  I will have to go back to a fanny pack when I need to carry small stuff on the run.  All I had was my deposit, phone, ID, credit card and grocery list.  I had thought about picking up the handful of things I needed at the store there at Walmart, but after being annoyed the whole way there, I couldn't imagine having a can of corn, sour cream and a couple of other things making it worse.  So off to the store I go tonight.

Bah Humbug Workout

I know you say "Bah Humbug!!" when you don't like Christmas.  Does it go for workouts too?  Stacy came over and we did some arms, shoulders and back work with good ole' Tony Horton.  Though it is a bit of a fail because I really don't own heavy enough weights to push it nor a chin up bar nor the bands I can hook on the door to simulate owning these things.  But I still felt it and will still be sore at least in my biceps tomorrow (since I can already feel soreness there).

I wanted to sweat.  I should have just said so.  But I was in a mood and didn't communicate effectively my need to work out some "issues" tonight.  So then I was just annoyed to be doing an hour of freakin' arm work.  Oh well - I've sent a message to Susan to see if she is up for a run tomorrow.  If not, I'll go anyway.  I need to shake this crappy mood.  Probably nothing that another four or five days and a box of Tampax won't cure, but I'd like to at least be less pissed off at the world.

11 + 11 Random Things

I'm an oversharer so I wasn't worried when Christi, the Pedestrian Runner, tagged me for the random posts that are going around. Glad these things get folks like Christi who haven't been posting much to get busy and write something for us procrastinators to read.  Here is what we have to do.

1. Post these rules
2. You must post 11 random things about yourself
3. Answer the questions set for you in their post
4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer
5. Go to their blog and tell them you’ve tagged them
6. No stuff in the tagging section about you are tagged if you are reading this. You legitimately have to tag 11 people!

11 Random Things About Me:


1.  I mostly listen to country music in my car.  But I have a wide taste in music - and it gets even more eclectic when I am looking for something with a fast enough beat to work out to (which country music often does not).  I like country music because I like simple melodies and lyrics I can sing along to.  But to work out, club music like "Party Rock Anthem" or "Dynamite" can be fun.  I also am ashamed to admit I like a lot of the Nick and Disney music stars - Victoria Justice had a few songs recently added to my run playlist.

2.  I love to cook, but I hate to meal plan.  I wish a little fairy would just tell me what to make every day and ensure I had all the ingredients at home (and thawed).  However, my favorite meal is typically any hot food I didn't have to cook.  You are likely to find me rubbing my stomach in discomfort from being full if mashed potatoes are included, tortilla chips and cheesey dip was on the table, or pizza was involved.  And others have pointed out that my "go to" is often a burger.

3. The other day when I was grocery shopping, I bought 14 loaves of bread because they were on sale for 50 cents each.  My deep freeze is stocked and I can make sandwiches for my whole family for 2-3 months!  However, my husband's favorite saying when I tell him I got a great deal on something is "You aren't saving money if you are spending it."

4. I don't particularly like sports of any kind.  At best, I only watch the occassional Cardinals baseball game and the Super Bowl.  Though I did watch a fair bit of Kona streaming live this year though couldn't find it on the TV when the special was on in December.  I think this must make me the worst MU Tiger alum because I don't tailgate or pay to watch any of their games.  I have actually been in Faurot Field more times to see my high school team play (state championships were played there in the early 90s) than to see the Tigers.  Both times I saw the Tigers on the field, I got in free (first night game and first game with the new press boxes which my brother-in-law wired and the contractors got free tix).

5. I'm an engineer and becoming one is probably one of the things I am most proud of.  I had folks tell me that they didn't think girls should be engineers.  I had times I told myself I wasn't sure I could do it.  But I love what I do and passing the P.E. exam was one of my proudest achievements (though I am a stress eater and gained 20 lbs in the two months I studied non-stop for it). 

6. I was born in Kansas - so maybe that is why I am a bad Tiger fan.

7. Unlike most people I read about, the open water swim was not the most scary part of my first triathlon.  I hadn't before that day ever ridden 16 miles on a bike.  I cried a little in the last mile of the bike leg.

8. I have not traveled extensively, but would like to.  It would definitely be how I'd spend some serious lottery winnings (if I ever played and if I ever won).  Top ten destinations right off the bat:  Spain, Germany, Australia, Hawaii, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Niagra Falls, Southern California, Orlando, and Austin.  Some because I think everyone should see certain places at least once and some because I have friends near there plus I think they would be cool places to visit.

9. I liked school as a kid and wish my son did too.  I had some great teachers and some less than great teachers, but my dad always taught me that you get out of an education what you put into it.  And that most kids can get a decent education anywhere they are if they choose to.  That said, my kids go to parochial schools because it is important to my husband.  I suffered some humbling moments in college.  It was the first time I wasn't one of the brightest people in the classroom - and often I wasn't even in the top half (which can be depressing in a lecture hall with a few hundred kids).  By the time I was out of college, I decided that "B" or "C" was acceptable enough for a person with multiple jobs trying to get through school without debt.

10. I get a hair cut about every 6-8 weeks.  Every other time that I go in, I also get a color because otherwise I would have a grey "skunk" streak.  My hair is colored close to my natural color to cover up the fact that I have one small patch of grey.  I hate that my sister who is 4 years older still isn't graying.

11. I was 22 (plus a day) when I got married.  At the time I didn't think that was young, but now I look at kids in their early 20's and think I was probably wrong.  I picked a good guy so it all worked out in the end.  I think we were really wise to wait several years before having children though.

**BONUS** I actually had started a random post because I felt left out, but Christi tagged me so I could use up some of my random thoughts. She is so sweet!

Now here are my questions for those that I tag:
1. Which actor played James Bond the best?  Sean Connery with Pierce Brosnan a close 2nd.

2. Are you a cat person or a dog person?  Dog

3. What is your favorite race to date? Jingle Bell Run (because it didn't feel hard with friends)

4. Do you prefer beer or wine? Wine (don't drink beer at all, only sweet wine and would pick margaritas over both by far)

5. What is the first race that you ever completed? I think I did a St. Pat's 5K in the late 90's in Columbia, MO

6. Do you have a coach to help you with your training? No

7. If you could compete in any long distance triathlon and race fees were not a factor would you choose IM or Rev 3 races?  Tough call - there is a part of me that feels like I'd do an IM but I am impressed with the way Rev3 runs their business so I'm probably solidly on the fence.

8. How many blogging friends have you met in person? 0, but intend to change that this year.  However, I have a group of moms that I've been friends with online since we were all pregnant with our first children (all due May 2001) and I have met several of them in person.

9. Who is going to win the Superbowl, New England Patriots or New York Giants? Who cares.  I'm just looking forward to the time with friends and snacks and snacks that are friends.

10. If you could meet one person alive or dead, who would it be?  Chrissie Wellington.  She appears super down to earth and sweet.  Wouldn't that be cool!?

11. And finally the big question, do you prefer Star Wars or Star Trek? Star Wars

Now here are my questions for those that I tag:
1. What is your favorite vegetable to eat?
2. What made you sign up for your first triathlon?
3. Do you spend more time on Twitter, Facebook, or Blogs?
4. If you could go for a run with anyone, who would it be?
5. What is at the top of your wish list right now that is under $100?
6. What is at the top of your wish list right now that is over $1000?
7. Where will your next vacation actually be?
8. Where would you like your next vacation to be?
9. What is the one characteristic or piece of knowledge that you hope to pass on to your kids (existing or planned children)?
10. What is your favorite candy bar?
11. What motivational saying do you have on your Road ID (or similar product) or what will it say when you get one?

I seriously would love to see posts from any of my followers or any of the blogs I follow on this.  I tried to sort through and figure out who hadn't been tagged yet, but it was crazy hard so I'm throwing it down to whoever feels compelled.  I know this is cheating, but I hate making folks feel obligated if they aren't crazy oversharers like me. 

P.S.  I have no idea why I can't get the above text to not be bold.  LOL