More Water

Got in the pool at 5:55 a.m. and at 6:00 thought that my body was going to tell me "NO MORE WOMAN!" but I settled in for 25 minutes of swimming, I know I lost count but it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 900yds give or take 50yds. I warmed up with a 50 free, 100w/pullbuoy, 25 breaststroke . Warm down with 50 with my head up more for sighting and 25 side stroke. Exhausted. I still don't really get this swimming thing but if my body is telling me right, I need to do more of it.

40 Acres of Hill

Hill. Hills. Hills, Water, More Hills and even MORE Hills. No joke. Russellville's FOP hosted an alternative Triathlon of run/paddle/bike with the proceeds from entry fees going to the Shop with a Cop program that takes underprivileged kids out Christmas shopping with a uniformed officer in a cruiser. How cool is that? So we pull in this morning and we're a little early, aarrgghh I could have slept longer. What surprises me is that I see a LOT of women. Usually races like this are very Male heavy. Cool. The field was small, limited to 30 people as single racers and 10 teams and I don't think they made quota for either one but I'm sure they will next year.

The transition is central so we get our bikes and gear laid out and get ready to run. I'm "smart" and wear a brand new pair of trail shoes because I've been having issues with my ankles in the ones I have. It could have been disastrous but luckily these shoes that I got at serious sale rack price rock! And yes they are Oscar the Grouch Green. The Run was to be 5 miles, the first mile was up and down off road trails then to some hilly neighborhood roads with one ugly hill about midway. We even had a dog come out and pace some runners (she was mine for a while) and that darn dog did the whole course. I finished the run in about 52 minutes which is actually a pretty good run for me considering the hills and race jitters. Joe says he knows I wasn't going hard because he heard me talking and knew I had thanked each and every volunteer on the course. I was the 4th place woman by the time we hit the water, but one of them was on a team and would not have to do the bike. My life jacket was too big and had a permanently attached camelback that felt like a lump in my lower back the whole time so I had to adjust a lot. The kayaks were a little slow-but I was able to pass two of the women competing as individuals and one team of women before the 3 miles was up. I think that leg took about 45 minutes. With transitions I'm up to an hour and 39 minutes. Off on the bike. I feel good for the first few miles some hills, rollers and general noiceness. This is a nice ride. And then the pain begins. A hill. A long hill. A long long hill with many false tops. And I'm dying. So when the nasty hill is over, I actually lay off to eat and drink. Then it happens. I get passed. By a girl on a team which means she has fresh legs because her partner did the run. GRRRR it's still not good so I decide I need to put on my big girl panties and at least keep her in sight. A couple of miles later, I get passed by one of the women I had passed in the kayak. Dang it. 8 miles to go but I'm hurting. I keep her in sight but just can't pull it out. Oh well. I settled in for 3rd place in about 2 hours 47min. That's unofficial of course. I got a warm down lap around the parking lot and was coming back to put my bike away when I see Joe coming. YAY Joe! I hopped off the bike so I could go cheer him in. I wish I'd had time to grab the camera but no.

Shooting the bull afterward, I found out the woman who passed me on the bike is a friend of our sweet Sarah. Not just a friend, a RIDING friend. One who does those same tortuous training rides with her that I avoid at all cost. One of her fellow monster riders. I feel better about getting passed. And of course, crappy for not "training" harder.

This is me and the pace dog. We're both "dog tired" hahahaha

Splits:
Mine- 53:32 47:33 1:08:23 1st place 46:49 47:35 1:07:19
Easy to see where my improvement needs to be. Short legs better learn to roll!
Joe's - 54:46 47:08 1:08:38 I guess same goes for him.

But I was Gonna...

Tuesday- back to the Biggest Loser workouts. I decided to haul out the trainer and get on the bike. I had TBL recorded so I rode while watching and skipping commercials. Once again, I forgot to look at the clock but it's a 2 hour show and I rode until they started the weigh ins so I figure I got less than but close to an hour of good riding in. I was disgustingly sweaty. It made the 12 yr old look at me and go EWWWWWW! She even refused a hug later on, unusual for her, she's a hugger.


Yesterday I got up at 5:30-was in the pool just before 6, warmed up (barely) and swam until I was worn out and when I looked at the clock, it was only 6:25!! So I took a deep breath or 3, did one more slow 100yd and a 50 as fast as I could go before I got out. Had planned to do a very short jog/run interval during the work day but then let other things take priority.

Today is another rest day. I promise to take it easy and use the foam roller and drink lots of water. I've been so focused on the swimming thing that signing up for a run/paddle/bike that is oh so much tougher than the sprint tri route-now seems a bit stupid. But I won't die running (i'll just be darn slow) or biking and for the water portion, I'm sitting on top of it so it can't kill me. :)

Food Should Not be the Enemy

I've been having food issues and someone sent me an email about how women diet that kind of made me think I'm not the only one who does this. What happens is I'm good all day and then after dinner-it just goes downhill, I can't stop. That and the fact that we've used "celebrations"

as a reason to have 2 very heavy and decadent evenings out at Bosco's this past week...and I'm afraid all recent weight control gains have been erased. I don't know that. I'm boycotting the scale right now. I hate the scale. Back to workouts-

Friday-rest day along with the 2nd trip to Bosco's in a week, this time as a going away for C and M who are moving to Mississippi. And she thought she had issues with Arkansas being backwater. Ha. OMG I love Bosco's Black Magic beer. Did get an upper body workout holding a very wiggly and jumpy Emma in my lap. Emma is an almost 1 year old-not one of my coworkers but that could have happened too.

Saturday- a lazy morning and a long afternoon at Home Depot and Target led to a short night ride that was mostly slow and easy due to the traffic on the Big Dam Bridge and the lack of light on the return. Honestly I was still sore from Wednesday's workout. Man...won't do that again anytime soon. Did inspire me to finally go buy a foam roller!! I've been saying I need one for months. Feels good.

Sunday- started out a bit late but got in almost 5.5 miles of trail, most of it jogging/running with some fast hiking on the tougher hills in there. We set out on the Ouachita Trail, at the spillway so it was fairly rugged with nice rollers and a hill or two. I ended feeling stronger than going out. Went home and worked in the yard for a couple of hours. Had dinner and thus began the feeding frenzy. Guess I'm going to HAVE to start the food diary again, I can't hold myself accountable otherwise. Shrug.

Monday- back in the pool. I tried to pull some bilateral breathing today and ended up choking in the middle of the first lap. I'm glad the pool was relatively empty. I did a few laps with a pullbuoy, trying to breath on both sides, more to get myself to roll on my non breathing side-I don't know. This too will take work. Still not totally confident with my endurance. Spent about 40 minutes in the pool but spent time adjusting and trying out different things versus just going for as long as possible and I still came up breathing hard and could not stop sweating when I got out. Tried treading water because to be honest-I don't know how. That's hard. I felt silly but I have to learn somehow.

Workout Backlog

Too many other things going on to post a workout log so playing catch-up.

Sunday- after the clouds parted, it turned into a beautiful day. Spent time cleaning up limbs and debris from all over the yard then went out for our favorite trail workout-Pinnacle Mtn. The park was crowded. Started on the West side and took the "new" trail around, tried to run as much of it as possible to the East Summit for a good heart pounding climb and back down.

Monday- short 2 mile run on tired legs, tried to do pushups but the wrist was having none of it so I used the captain's chair for ab work and the gravitron for assisted pullups and dips

Tuesday-back in the pool the indoor pool has been reopened but it was like 80 degrees in there! Ugh. I was braced for a cold outside swim and would have preferred it. I got in a good 45 minutes with a few rests. Tried a 50 yd. sprint at the end of the workout. Fast is hard. It took a long time to get a rhythm going this morning. ?


EDIT/ADDITION

Wednesday- a Jillian workout that I should not have done. I tried her hardcore route of repeat circuits and failed out on the end. Couldn't finish though I was also running out of time. I am so sore. Let's just say it involved multiple sets of leg presses, jump squats, jumping rope, static lunges and one leg squats. And that's just the lower body-the upper wasn't much better. Ouch. These workouts need to hold off now until winter-I should be running or biking now.

Thursday- Went for a late afternoon swim. Was going for distance after warming up but got interrupted at 400yds by a guy needing to share a lane. Then he started lapping me. I got in about 1000 yds total, albeit with rests. The water is WAY too warm. Heard others complaining too.

This is my husband all dressed up and treating me to a night out on the town. Regrets: not doing it often enough.

This is the same husband, dressing me in spandex, lycra and any other stretchy breathable fabric that holds the smell of sweat longer than any fabric has the right to so that we can go outside and be idiots. And he taught me to love it. I think he might regret that.

Unless we're doing this. Then it isn't idiocy. It is our way of relaxing. Which means carrying 40lbs of crap on our backs for miles and miles of rough terrain so we can sleep outside with no one but the critters. And he taught me to love it. I know he doesn't regret it.

Thanks for all of the above. And Happy Birthday.

Love,

Your ever adoring wife, with no regrets.

EDIT: Had dinner at Bosco's on the River last night. Good Beer, Good Food, Good Company. I'll be working off yesterday's calories all week long.

I Like Ike? Not so much.

This weekend Arkansas was again reminded that we are still a southern state where the weather in the Gulf of Mexico affects us, whether we want it to or not. Before the moon has completed her phases, we have been smacked with the second plate of hurricane leftovers. Luckily the rainfall was much less than anticipated and the wind damage, though in some instances enough for structural damage, wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been. But.
We were ready for a sprint triathlon on Sunday morning. Ike was supposed to be hitting us late Saturday night, wee hours of Sunday. Because a race of this size requires a good number of police/EMS/citizen volunteers, it was decided on Saturday morning that the risk was too great. To have the community left with less protection during a potentially hazardous weather situation was not worth it. Not to mention the fact that some people are insane and will go out in all kinds of foul weather to race and not consider that it means that others have to be out there to make sure you aren't a total bonehead who gets themselves maimed or killed. It's okay. I am both disappointed and yet relieved. I need more pool time. So I'm using the next 3 weeks to continue my journey to NOT PANICKING IN THE WATER. I had to yell because that's what is going on in my head when I'm swimming laps. A lot of internal yelling.
Also, about the time we found out the tri was cancelled- J picked up a news release about an alternative tri much like one of our favorites- The Rugged Man-triathlon. Except this one looks tougher on the bike and run where the paddle might not be quite as bad as RM. 5.5 mile on/off road run, paddle across Lake Dardanelle, 17 mile road bike. Yowzah. I haven't signed us up yet because I already signed up for a replacement Tri, the organizer of the cancelled tri then sends out a message that he MIGHT be able to reschedule, which means if I sign us up for Rugged Man, we could potentially be racing 3-4 weekends in a row. And off we go....WEEEEEEEE
I'd better start training for real.

So much for weather forcasts

It was a bright sunny day today. I guess the 45% chance of afternoon rain was really a 55% chance of no rain but I never see it like that. I'm a glass was half empty till the damn cat knocked it over kind of gal. In my always fuzzy but usually rather interesting workout logic, I decided at 2:30 today, when the heat index was 97 due to 90 degree weather plus 57% humidity, that I would go out for one of those runs I've been NOT doing for the last 5 weeks. Idiot. I had a great pace (for me anyways) and the legs felt good and even the breathing was pretty okay but the heat and the lunch sitting on my stomach got the better of me so I quit at 2.5 miles lest I lose said lunch on the parking lot.
Because I have an issue understanding that whole taper thing, I think mostly because most of the races or events we've been doing are really not much more than a hefty workout for me because they're all short- I went to the pool after work and swam for 30 minutes. Knowing I'm an idiot and probably shouldn't have tried to squeeze in "just one more swim" I also got in the hot tub for a few minutes to try to relieve the muscles a little. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh I did try. I have reduced the intensity but not necessarily the frequency of the workouts this week. I think that qualifies as tapering. I may even take 2 rest days in a ROW. But probably not. Because I'll eat fried chicken or something and feel guilty. HA

Fear or Laziness?

I am struggling...I SHOULD have gotten up to swim today but I stayed in bed. It looks like the rain will prevent any swimming before the Tri on Sunday (the indoor pool is still closed), and it looks like the TRI may end up a DU because Ike is going to dump on us this weekend and the forcast shows Sunday as 70% chance of Tstorms. I don't know whether to be relieved or disappointed. I'm both. But all my focus has been on learning to swim...I was reading another article today about using crosstraining to make you faster by utilizing muscles that don't get a lot of attention and giving others more rest. I wonder how my JMbuttkicker workouts/swim focus will affect my speed on the bike and run?

Water Water Everywhere

Monday and Tuesday- Got up at the godawful hour of 5 a.m. Yes on purpose. Managed to get in almost an hour of water time both days but today was better because there was just me swimming laps for almost the entire time- J came on Monday and we tried not to distract each other.
Today I tried to practice sighting more, doing some more desperation moves-discovered that side stroke is a LAST resort as I can't even pretend to go in a straight line, it's awful- breast stroke is a maybe and the best is a log roll, 6-8 front strokes then 4-6 backstrokes and I can sight as I turn over. I'm still scared spitless of the water but whatever.

Brick

11 mile bike ride- 18 mph avg
2.5 mile run (jog)

I'm exhausted from this week. Following a long weekend of camping/bad sleep/cleaning up and putting away then I've had a few good workouts, a house with no electricity, a couple of busy nights along with 4 days of driving the carpool bus which is most certainly a workout in itself. Last night I sat on my bed to start a new David Baldacci book I just checked out and I fell asleep about 9 p.m. That is almost unheard of for me. Got up at 11:30-took shower and brushed my teeth and went back to bed until 7:30. AH sleep.

Fish sweetly inquired about my feelings on the upcoming Triathlon adventure. I'm nervous, I know it's a mental thing and I'm working on it. The bike and run are yeah, whatever. I am however seriously afraid of dying in the water. I did some dog paddling and treading water type stuff in the pool on Friday as a test of "desperation" moves. My biggest thing will be reminding myself that finishing alive (or at least finishing and not requiring a rescue boat) is the goal, not finishing fast, necessarily. I do have a goal-knowing that my swim will be very slow, of less than 1hr 40 min. I know the average in my age group from last year is closer to 1:25-1:30 so I'd prefer to be in there but the swim is a big ?? and I wonder how the mental part of the swim will affect the rest of the race or if it will?

Another Butt Kicking Jillian Workout

This morning- one long swim in an outdoor pool today I tried not to use the pool sides-I barely touched or didn't touch at all trying to keep from using the push off as a crutch. I didn't count- and there was no clock outside but I got to the pool about 20 minutes earlier than usual and left at the same time or maybe even later than usual so I got in a good 45-50 minutes. My new goggles suck. They leak. Bad.

Yesterday:
Each time I do a new one-I have to figure out the right weight so I make notes to remind myself to push harder next time I do this one.

no warm up

med grip underhand pulldowns to failure - started w 30lbs x 20 too light
seated cable row to failure 50lb x 11
jump squat x 15
one leg pelvic thrust to failure 20 x ea leg

wide grip pulldowns 25lb x 20, too light
squat swings (15 lb dumbell in both hands, follows squat movement to over head) x 12lb too light
jumping lunges to failure 10 ea leg

plank rows 12lb x 5 ea arm
supermans x 20
squat w/bicep curl 12lb x 10
1 min uphill run 12% @ 5mph (was supposed to be 15% but the treadmill didn't go that high)

Hack squats (body ball between back and wall-ouch on the quads) 20 x slow
seated hamstring curl to failure 40lbs x 22- little light
hammer curl 12lbs x 10 ea arm
jump rope fast 2 min

crossover lunge w/ hammer curl 10lb x 20
ball crunches x 25
hanging ab twist x 12
1 min uphill run, found a treadmill that goes to 15%- did 5mph but was supposed to do 5.5

warm down- 10 minutes on the elliptical, 1:1 min forward and backward low resistance and 5 minutes forward medium resistance.

Regurgitate Regurgitation

Yesterday I repeated the OMG I'm going to Puke workout. Warm up was 5 minutes of walk-jog-run and cool down was a 7minute run that should have been longer but I had to get back to work. Man this one is a toughie for me.

I'm seriously freaking out about the upcoming Sprint Triathlon. Because the indoor pool at the gym we've been using closes for maintenance every year after labor day- I have no place to swim. They usually just switch to the outdoor pool but it's closed due to the constant rain. I needed every minute I could get in the pool. Please oh please let it stop raining soon. I feel like a fool for not swimming more in the lake after the "failure" to complete the planned test swim. Deep breath. Okay- I may have to be rescued out of the pool but I'll look like I know what I'm doing since I found a Zoot Triathlon suit on clearance at Sierra Trading 60% off! Cheaper than a new pair of tri-cycling shorts.

Another Packed Weekend

Joe posted this entry about our long holiday weekend. We had a good time but it once again reinforced my desire to avoid crowded campgrounds and "social" camping. I just don't like people that much. I think I am way too territorial for campgrounds.

Geocaching: I had yet to look at the Notice boards around the park or I would have seen the trail description much sooner. Caddo Bend Trail, 4.5 miles, difficulty rating Strenuous, allow 3 hours: wish I'd noted that BEFORE heading out. Instead I was distracted by a cache at the trail head and didn't even look at the board. We got tired, hungry and didn't have enough water but it would have been a fantastic hike had we been better prepared. I would love to do this trail again sometime without the caching. It would be a crazy good trail run/speed hike. We did find some cool caches though, we even got 2 "STF"s. We had to explain to the girls what first to find and second to find meant, I think they were bummed to have missed out on the FTF too. We found a travel bug and a cache that was about 5 years old so it must be one of the first in the park if not the first. The log book cover was even partially melted with a note from park personnel explaining that the cover was damaged in a leaf fire.

Swimming: J said it was interesting. I still don't know how I feel about it. I learned a lot. Like I can't really swim. I thought I could but I can't. I didn't make it 500 yards, I turned over on my back more than once and apparently I can't site worth a darn and kept going in zig zags. It did not improve my confidence any but I've signed up so there's no backing out now.

Entertainment: The girls both spent a lot of time up to their butts in the lake, messing with fish, messing with each other and a bit of messing around with the tandem kayak. Man was it so much better to have 2 kids to entertain each other. Luckily they are both readers too so we all spent some time in our books. The evening Owl Prowl was interesting. I'm glad the owl finally decided to pay us a visit. I think both girls had a good time AFTER the hike in the dark which had my kid worrying about getting eaten (silly) and the other one talking about hallucinations in the dark. Cool activity- the interpreter handed out post it notes and an unwrapped crayon nubbin and asked us to write down what color we had. I was close, it was purple but I wrote blue, J had green and wrote brown but that doesn't count because he can't tell the difference in the daytime. I think Mc's friend Al got hers right and Mc was close with orange for red.

Mid America Museum: J says the bodies creeped him out. I thought it was fascinating and could have stayed at least another 1/2 hour in there but ... I understand where some would find it disturbing if not downright gross.

Food: Oh man. What we brought to fix ourselves to eat wasn't bad. I had made a cold pasta dish ahead of time, and some muffins. We had "low fat" mac n cheese with the obligatory side of grilled spam for lunch and a no fat refried bean, organic black bean , low fat cheese burrito w/chips and salsa dinner. It was the McDonalds french fries, iced mocha on Friday with the big mac (me!) meal after geocaching Saturday and the root beer float and nachos (not at the same time) at Magic Springs Sat night. Then there was the GINORMOUS burger and fries AND onion rings at Magic Springs on Monday afternoon. UGH. Did not need that. It might have been okay if we hadn't decided it was a good idea to go ride the gauntlet too soon after that.




at the last second- Mc's friend A backed out. We all decided she got the award for "smart" since we ended up leaving the park shortly after that.

After unloading the car and sitting down for a well deserved turn in front of CNN, I made a small dinner of grilled chicken and brown rice trying to make up for the junk food weekend. I'll spend the next couple of days catching up on laundry... it'll be worth it... another good weekend outside.