Pedestrian Runner

HTFU!

2010-03-14T18:39:00.011-06:00

This week had it's highs and lows. I will start with the weekly workout and then get to the weekend.

Monday: A 2500 meter swim and core work.
Tuesday: A foundation run of 40 mins and then 4x10 sec strides.
Wednesday: A foundation run of 20 mins. Here is where the wheels fell off the cart. I should have done my speed work but I just couldn't do it. For some reason, my fatigue was high. Again, I believe I am not eating well enough. I have already started working on the changes!
Thursday: A rest day!
Friday: A foundation run of 35 mins with 4x10 strides.
Saturday: Today was the St. Pats 5k run and it was a blast. I had a great run. I don't have splits because I was more focused on running fast! I completed the race in 28:05. Yes, another PR!!!! This time the PR was by about a minute. My average pace of 9:02. I finished 22 out of 116 women in my age group. Big age group! After the race, my friends and I hit Jack Quinns to enjoy some great food and beer and Bloody Marys! A great day all around! Notice that today we are in shorts! The weather was beautiful!

My great friends and I at the St. Pat's 5K!

My hubby enjoying St. Paddy's Day the way he loves too!

Sunday: I started the day with yoga class. Man, I really love yoga. After yoga, I did 2300 meter swim with my new fins. Wow, that was really crazy. I was super fast. I just hope they help me with my kick. I did a timed 100 meter swim and did awesome and I did them without my fins. My time 1:45. I know still slow but great for me! After the swim, I went home and then ate. Then I suited up for the cold weather and went for a ride. Yea, I am an idiot. I did my ride outside in a small snowstorm. It was a like a rain shower but a little bit colder. I went to the Garden of the Gods and then came home. The ride was only 1.5 hours and I was supposed to do 2 hrs. Oh well, I think it was 2 hours when you add in the really cold weather. Okay, a girl can try. You can't tell from the photos but I am soaking wet and snow is caked on my helmet and my shoes.

After my ride today and yes I was cold!

Race Photos Suck!

2010-03-11T09:28:00.004-07:00

Okay, when it comes to race photos I am not photogenic at all! I always have a real serious dumb ass face on but believe me I am usually having fun. I think! Sometimes I even wonder when I look at my photos! The photos for the Pueblo Chieftain Spring Run-off are no exception. I look ridiculous and my lips look blue. WTF, I knew it was cold but really blue lips!

Training is progressing okay this week but not great. I have been extremely exhausted but I think that has more to do with nutrition than volume. I will fill you in with the week later on.

Until later keep running, riding and swimming!

Workouts for Last Week

2010-03-08T18:23:00.007-07:00

This week was the start of more intense ironman training and Coach L did not disappoint!

Monday: A short warm-up run of 2 miles followed by weight lifting. The next thing on tap was a 1500 meter swim. I swam 1500 meters straight through in 30:43. For me that is a pretty good time. I have really been improving in the swim.
Tuesday: I did a 40 min foundation run today with 4 x 10 second strides.
Wednesday: I did 2 x 1 mile intervals on the treadmill today. I did each mile at 7.0speed.
Thursday: The fatigue of the week was catching up to me today. I did a warm up on the treadmill for 1.60 miles and then did my weight lifting. I came home and then tried to do an hour on the bike trainer but that did not happen. I just did not have the legs.
Friday: Again, I did not feel well so I swam but I only did 1000 meters.
Saturday: I did my normal day before race workout. I did 20 mins on the treadmill followed by 4 x 10 second strides.
Sunday: The first thing I did was compete at the Pueblo Chieftan Spring Run-off. The weather was not so great but I still had a pretty good run. I started out really well and did great for the first 6 miles and then my wheels fell off. However, I am good with that because that just tells me I need to work on stamina and I can do that! Here are the splits based on my Garmin:
1 mile - 8:59 - Whoops I went out too fast but I was got off guard by the start. There was really no warning that we were beginning except all of a sudden everyone was running!
2 mile - 9:13 - Okay, I am starting to calm down.
3 mile - 9:21 - I am doing great and look I am going to catch up with one of my team mates.
4 mile - 9:04 - Okay, I am still feeling good.
5 mile - 9:45 - This mile was a little slow because I was trying to eat my Hammer Gu. I could not get it opened.
6 mile - 10:42 - Oh yea, I remember this part of the course from another race. I hate this area.
7 mile - 10:01 - Let's just get this done!
8 mile - 10:47 - Okay, I am not feeling well. My bum is hurting!
9 mile - 10:45 - I am still not feeling good. This seems to be going on forever
10 mile - 10:54 - Does this ever end? Where are we going to finish because I do not see the finish? Please be over!
The official time for this race was 1:39:38 and that was a PR by over 5 minutes. YEA!!!!

Well, after the race I went home and rested for about 1/2 hour and then it was out again. This time I went swimming with the Training Goals team. I wore my wetsuit to get some time in it. I did a 300 meter warm up followed by a very slow and consistent 700 meters. Again the swim was about getting used to the wetsuit and getting some lactic acid out my system. I was exhausted after all the activities but I still managed to hang out with some friends after all this. I had a great time with them and a great week of workouts. Let's hope that next week is just as productive!

Until later, keep running, riding and swimming...

10 Random Things About Me

2010-03-04T12:39:00.006-07:00

I have been tagged by Amanda so here it goes!

1. My color Du jour is purple. Bet you couldn't guess that from my blog theme!
2. I love jelly beans. Right now I am addicted to Sweet Tart Jelly Beans!
3. I am a huge science fiction geek. I love, love Star Wars (Personal fave - Princess Leia) and I was probably the only person in the world to like Dollhouse.

Yes, I own the 1977 version of this doll!

Why are all my favorite shows cancelled?!!

4. I am totally missing Mexico this week. For the first time in 5 years I was not able to make the annual trip. I hope my buds are having a great time! Of course,
they are. There are sunny beaches, Mexican food and cervezas!
5. I love college basketball. Rawk Chalk Jayhawks! So glad you beat K-State last night!

6. I have high blood pressure and high cholesterol despite remaining active and working on my diet. Thanks genetics!
7. I am addicted to Jimmy John's Turkey Tom sandwich with cucumbers added!
8. My house is like a frat house most days because I have an 18 year old son with lots of friends!
9. I loved being in the Army and sometimes miss the good ole days. HOORAH! Maybe I should have my son enlist so #8 would not be true anymore!

Go Army!

10. I secretly want to learn martial arts and boxing. I guess it is not a secret anymore!

I won't tag anyone in particular but I would encourage bloggers to continue the list! The list is really fun!

Until later, keep running, riding and swimming!

February Monthly Totals...

2010-03-02T07:12:00.010-07:00

Well, let me say first off this February did not jump in numbers like I had hoped. In fact, the numbers went down from January but all is still in good in the world. I am taking things as they come and just enjoying the workouts. FYI, this is a new attitude for me. Normally, February's numbers would have put me over the edge. New year, new attitude!!

Better living through pharmaceuticals!

Running:The running numbers were down by 30 miles but the runs still felt great. I did not make it to the final two Winter Series races. The third one was right after being in San Diego for a week and not working out. I was still very tired from the travel and running a 10 miler after having done nothing was a bad idea. My main concern was not hurting myself. I missed the final Winter Series race for no good reason and I will leave it at that! February Monthly Total: 62.11

Biking:The weather has not cooperated for riding outdoors so all of my mileage was on the trainer. I used by Spinervals for almost all the workouts and I am so glad that I have them. I am now waiting patiently for Spring. Okay, maybe not patiently but I know in March I will be able to get out. YEA!!! I am confident the number of miles will increase from this horrible February number! February Monthly Total: 25.00

Swimming:There was not much going on with swimming either. Whoops maybe I will be a little bit sad now that I see the numbers in print. Damn, anyway moving on. February Monthly Total: 4450.00

Weightlifting/Yoga:I had no weightlifting in February but I did continue to work on my core. I attended Yoga twice. Okay, I did not up my attendance in yoga but a new month is here and I will work towards that end for March.

Other activities:Skiing was the other workout I did this month. We went for one weekend and that was a great weekend of workouts. Skiing is a lot more exhausting than I remember!

So all in all February was a down month. I did not accomplish the goals that I had set for myself at the end of January. But now March is here. I have had a "rest" month if you will and I am ready to conquer all that awaits me in the schedule provided by Coach L. Here's to March, may it bring us all great weather and great training!

Bring on Spring!

Until later, keep running, riding and swimming!

Didn't you know this before?

2010-02-26T07:33:00.005-07:00

Well, obviously not. What is it I don't know, you ask. That good nutritional habits make you feel great 100% of the time. Yes, in theory I completely understand this concept. I do have personal experience with good nutrition thus resulting in great workouts and just an overall great feeling. But sometimes I like to do things the hard way I guess. So I do sometimes turn to the dark side. I did not plan on being stupid with my diet this week it just happened. I have no one to blame but myself. I have a habit of becoming completely lazy during the week. This time around my problem was that I did not go to the grocery store. One simple mistake and I am eating crap an entire week and I mean crap! I indulged in fast food, brownies, donuts, Cheetos, Fritos, all things I normally avoid. So friends take it from me veggies, fish and all the great foods I normal eat do make a difference in my day. And let me be completely honest, normally I would love a week-o-crap. But truthfully I missed my veggies.

So what did Christi learn this week? My stubborn mind recognized the link between food and overall well being and that it also applies to me! Sounds simple right, yeah not so much. So to my doctor, coach and nutritionist, I think I finally understand. Thanks guys for waiting so long for the epiphany to hit me!

Until later keep running, riding and swimming!

Yummy!!!!

Bikini Ski 2010 is in the books!

2010-02-21T19:06:00.006-07:00

I surprised a snowboarder! Sorry about the pic quality, no sun!

Here we are on Day 2. Yes, we were cold!

Yes, I have completed the task. Bikini Ski was a huge success!! Thanks to everyone who voted for the suit and for donating! I cannot begin to tell ya'all how much it meant to me to have so many people help me raise money for the Crohns and Colitis foundation. The warmth of your generosity kept me warm all the way down my run.

I completed the run on the very first run of the day, which happened to be right at the warmest part of the day. Yea, we were not organized when we left (Thanks to my teenager and the need for his iPod!) so we had a later than expected start. Plus, we encountered some bad roads on the way to the mountain. Anyway, we took the lift up and then I immediately went off to one side of the mountain to strip down to my bikini. That in and of its self was quit a chore. Luckily, I have great friends and a wonderful husband. I slathered some Vaseline on my legs and then I was off. I received lots of cheers and amazed looks. Many people wanted me to stop and take pictures with them. Yea, no! My mind was focused on getting down the hill and to the lodge! My husband got some pretty good video of the whole run but we are putting the finishing touches on it before I put it up. Once, I was done I ran into the lodge and tried to get to the fireplace. However, there were way too many people in the way so I had to settle for a quiet corner to warm up. My body was not cold but my fingers were in pain. Again my husband and Den came through for me. They held my hands until they were warm. FYI, acrylic nails really hurt when they get cold!

The pain was brief but the experience was all worth it! In fact, I was still quite the conversation the next day. My husband rode up with a lady who saw me and asked my husband if he saw it. He had the privilege of telling her that it was his wife that was the crazy person. Thanks hon! Anyway, again thanks to all who supported me in the stunt. I had a blast! Who knows maybe I will make it a tradition!

Until later, keep riding, running and swimming!

Ironman Kansas!

2010-02-17T07:39:00.002-07:00

Wow, there are only 109 days until Ironman Kansas. There is still plenty of time to train but can nerves start this early? Oh yea, I can feel the panic attack coming on. Must begin my yoga breaths! I am slightly off this week because I did not train well last week while I was traveling and now I am starting to regret that. Whoops, just something to overcome. I will have to hunker down and train hard. I also just found out that on April 17th, there is a Ironman Kansas training camp. Should I do that? That is a long way to go for a day of training... Yea, my time would probably be better spent hitting the hills here in Colorado.

Don't forget this weekend is Bikini Ski 2010. If you don't know of what I speak, please check out this blog and don't forget to vote on the swimsuit I should wear. And thanks to all who have voted and donated. I am so glad that ya'all have chosen the skimpiest suit of all, she said dripping with sarcasm! :)

Until later, keep runnig, riding and swimming!

Top 10 Favorite Things

2010-02-14T08:54:00.016-07:00

This week I was in San Diego on a business trip. I spent most of my time in SD in meetings so I did not get do any sightseeing or working out for that matter. However, I will be traveling there quite a bit in the future so I will have other opportunities to see the wonderful sights of SD. So as to the workout front I only did a 45 min run this week.

Now onto better things. Coach Liz, a great blogger and a wonderful TNT coach, has tagged me to list my 10 favorite things. So let's begin...

Number 10 - Izze Blackberry drinks. The great bubbly taste of a soda but its a fruit juice!

Number 9 - My pets, Hannah and Tequila! They make coming home to an empty house so much easier! Plus, on occasion they are both very willing to help me stretch.

Number 8 - Shiner Bock beer! Enough said.

Number 7 - My local Starbucks! My name is Christi and I am addicted to Starbucks. My local Starbucks is great. Every single of one of the baristas and the manager are friendly. They love to hear about my workouts and they know my drink by heart. Plus, they supported my MS 150 fundraising last year by donating Starbucks items. Thanks Katie, Matt, Allison and everyone at the store!

Number 6 - Mexican Food and Tex-Mex. There is nothing I love more after a long ride or run than to come home and eat some great Mexican food. Unfortunately, Colorado Springs does not have the best places in the world. I mean there can only be one Texas! But we do have Amanda's Fonda which is pretty damn close to places we frequent in Texas.

Number 5 - My Orbea bike, Sadie! Sadie has provided me some of the greatest rides to date. She helped me conquer the hills of the Copper Triangle. She was there when I conquered my first triathlon last year and she will be my ride when I do my first 1/2 ironman this year. Sadie was a great purchase. Thanks Procycling and thanks Brad for letting me spend the money on her!

Number 4 - Coach L. Coach has been patient with me through this last year. I believe that I am probably a pretty annoying client and she has put up with all my stupid questions and decisions. And above all she has helped me to become a better athlete. Thanks Coach L!

Number 3 - My job. I know that sounds weird but I have never enjoyed a job so much in my life. I have only been at my job for a month and a half but I am doing exactly what I have wanted to do my entire career. I have finally found my calling and that makes everything easier.

Number 2 - My friends! I have the greatest friends in the world. They support all the craziness of my sport. Nic and Den are great teammates. Their hearts are both in cycling but they indulge my running and actually participate on occasion. Since I am an obsessed triathlete I do have the tendency to talk alot about my training. I try not to but my friends are great at understanding so thanks to Brinah, Janelle, Marilyn, Kelly and everyone else who suffers from my stories! I love all you guys!

Number 1 - My boys! My husband and son are my life. My husband is my biggest fan and I am so glad that he supports me in everything that I do. He makes me a better person. My son is a teenager and he is definitely teaching me patience but he is my favorite son! Oh yea, I only have one! I love both my boys so thanks guys!

Now, I must tag some bloggers:
1. Coach Liz because she tagged me and she has her list up already!
2. A Girl Named Sam is a great triathlete and ultrarunner from the K.C. area. I believe she has put up her list already also.
3. Caroline Gregory is a triathlete from the California area.
4. Choe is from the Florida area.
5. Amateur Tri Girl is from the San Diego area and a self-professed obsessed triathlete.
6. Steve in a Speedo has a great blog that always makes me laugh.
7. Tri Eric is from the Ohio area.
8. Tri Marni is a nutritionist and a triathlete. She always offers great nutrition tips.
9. TriTawn a California athlete and coach.
10. Views from the Mountain is a local, Boulder, triathlete and I love her blog.

Bikini Ski 2010

2010-02-06T10:40:00.005-07:00

Love ya Michelle!

That is an interesting title don't you think! Well, it only gets more intriguing. Here is the story. I have a sister-in-law, Michelle that suffers from Crohns Disease and just recently she has really suffered from its debilitating effects. She has been in the hospital twice that I know of in the last 2 months. It really sucks! She lives in Pennsylvania and Brad and I live here in Colorado Springs so there really isn't anything that I can do to help her at least until now. I got an idea from Bree Wee who suggested that she and her friends want to ski in their bikinis sometime. Well, I took that a step farther. I will ski in my bikini in the middle of February (a very cold time of year!) if I can raise enough money for the Crohns and Colitis Foundation. If I can raise $300-500 I will ski one run in my bikini at Monarch on Feb 20, 2010. If I can raise $1000 I will ski two runs in my bikini! There will be photographic evidence of my stupidity. My husband and friends will make sure that video and pictures are taken. Please help me make a small difference for my sister-in-law by donating. I have put up a link on my sidebar. Also keep checking back to my blog because I will also let you guys vote on which swimsuit I will wear on my ski run!

Thanks in advance to any who donates! If you do donate, please leave me a comment with your donation amount so I can keep track of the numbers. Plus, I may have some give-aways with this stupid Christi trick!

Until later keep riding, running and swimming!

Skiing at Monarch!

2010-02-01T18:53:00.008-07:00

Waiting for everyone to get their skis!

Hanging with Nic!

Nic and Den on the lift

The gang!

Yesterday was the first day in years that the family and I have skied. WOW! We had such a great time. The weather was great as you can see from the pictures. We had sunny skies with only a little wind. Though the temps were rather chilly but not too bad. The best thing, I did not come home sore! Man, yet another reason to love being in shape! Now I can't wait to go again!

As to my long run on Saturday, it sucked! I had a two hour run on the schedule. I started out earlier than the team because I had an appointment after the run. Yea, it was nails but I gotta do the pampering! The first 45 mins of the run I just did not have my mind in the game. So I decided to turn around and just call it a 90 min day and be done with it. However, if I felt good I would do the remaining 30 mins. I felt good after the last 45 mins so I decided to continue to run. Bad idea! I bonked and I thought I would never be done. Yes, it was a bad run. However, I am glad that it happened because it takes a bad day to make the good days all the better.

Until later, keep riding, running and swimming...

Sorry for the long wait...

2010-01-29T20:11:00.005-07:00

Winter Series Race 2

Okay, I had every intention this year of blogging more often and then life took over. I will offer no excuses but will try to get better from here on out. Let me give you some updates on each of the tri disciplines.

Swimming: Wow, I never thought that I would say this but I am loving swimming! I have made some great progress through the month of January. Coach L has started team swim workouts. We meet twice a month at an outdoor heated pool at Flying Horse Ranch. The workouts are really fun. Imagine swimming outdoors when the temps are 30 degrees or below! Anyhoo, she works with all of us on our form and gives us some great workout ideas. She said one thing to me at the first workout and my form has improved tremendously. Note, that tremendously is relative considering that I started at a very beginner level last year. Anyway, every since I incorporated her comment I feel much more confident in my form. My confidence was boosted also during the second workout when Coach L said on multiple occasions that I was swimming so much better. Yah, I am sucker for positive feedback. I like, I love, I want some more of it! Next month is going to be a great swim month. Coach has upped my projected swim mileage for the month! Bring it on! January's monthly total: 15350 meters

Running: A great running month is occurring also. I have completed two of the Pikes Peak Roadrunner Winter Series Races. The first race was run at Cheyenne Mountain State Park and the course was rough. The course was on a trail which was hilly,snow-packed and icy for the most part. The total mileage for that race was a long 10K. I ran it in 1:23. A much better time than the last time I ran at CMS Park with the team. The second race was run on the Santa Fe trail. The weather that day was sunny but cold and windy. Luckily, we had the headwind in the first half of the race. The race was an 8 miler and I ran it in 1:19. Yea, not much different than the first race but the courses were way different. As to my weekly running, I am getting faster. I am running at higher speeds on the treadmill and I am not pushing it. I also completed a field test for Coach L this month. I almost completed a full mile during the 8 min run, .97 mile. Again progress from the previous field test. January's monthly total: 92.36

Biking: I have not been able to get outside on the bike much this month. The weather is really not cooperating in this regard. I did get a great ride in with my neighbor but nothing else outside. Good thing my husband got me Spinervals for Christmas because that is what I have been doing in the biking realm. I had never done these tapes before but I am really loving them. The tapes make it so much easier to get on the trainer! January's monthly total: 74.16

Weight lifting/Yoga: Okay, so these are not tri disciplines but each is very important for our sport. I have successfully implemented each of these activities into my schedule. I weight lift at least once a week and hope to bring the count up to twice a week. As far as yoga, I also have started doing every Sunday morning and hope to do it at least twice a week next month. Now if I could just get the core work done on a more consistent basis.

In other news, my job is going great! I totally love the position and the schedule is very flexible so I am able to get my workouts done. That is a big plus for me! The job also includes some travel and I went on my first business trip this year and the plus here is that I did not let it interfere with my workout schedule. As Coach L says, "Have shoes will travel!"

So all in all I think my training towards Ironman Kansas is progressing along great. I am showing the best consistency and commitment ever! And with consistency comes progress. Woo hoo!

Until later, keep riding, running and swimming!

Great Workouts!

2010-01-02T18:09:00.004-07:00

I am welcoming the New Year in with a bang! Yesterday, my friend and I did the El Paso Search and Rescue, Rescue Run 5K. We had great weather for that run, which from what I understand is very unusual. The course is run at Palmer Park and the first 1.5miles is uphill. I made it up the hill with only a brief walk and I am ecstatic about that. My hill running is definitely getting better. The remainder of the course was downhill. Woo Hoo! I finished with a pretty good time given the course. Here are the details:
1. Overall Finish Time: 31:40
2. Gender Place: 58/216
3. Age Group Place: 16/61
4. Overall Place: 168/425

Nice!

Today was another great workout day and I am feeling it right now as I write this blog. My legs are tired. I guess I should be in a hot bath tub! The day started out with me meeting the training group at 8a. Again we had great weather to run in. We just played the run by year. We did about a 60 min run which was about a 5 mile run. This was more of a running get together than a training run and that was a nice change of pace. After the run I met up with my neighbor and we did a 2 hour ride. Back story here is that I had just met my neighbor within the last week. She is another triathlete so we have decided to do some training together. I have to thank my crazy activities for one thing. They have done a great job of getting me over my shyness! I now love meeting new training partners! Anyway, back to the ride. We did a easy ride or at least for my neighbor it was. I was struggling a bit to keep up with her. That too is a good thing because now I have someone to push me. The route was from our houses to 30th to Colorado Ave, to downtown, to Mark Dabling and then a return via Woodmen Rd, or what I like to call it Mount Woodmen. Woodmen Rd is a nice never ending up hill climb and it always kicks my butt! Yes, hill climbing is a goal for the year so I just have to ride them until I get better, right? For most of the ride we had great weather. The sun was out and the temps were good. However, that all changed in the last 1/2 hour. The winds and snow kicked up right in time for the hills. So I felt pretty hard core once I completed this ride.

Overall, I am very happy with the last couple of days but I am also looking forward to tomorrow. Tomorrow is yoga day! I may do some swimming also but I want to see how well my body feels in the morning! I can't overdo it at the beginning of the year!

Until later, keep running, riding and swimming...

Year in Review...

2009-12-31T08:40:00.007-07:00

Okay, I am sure you want to see another blog about the year in review so I am here to oblige. I am happy to give this review because it has been a great year. Let's start with some of the healthy goals that I set for myself.

1. Work on stress level either through yoga or meditation. Okay, I did not do so well on this one but I did make some changes at the end of the year to correct the stress level. First, I got a new job. I will no longer have the stress of my old job dogging me. Plus, I finally will be doing a job that I want to do and it does not involve software coding! Second, I did start yoga but I have only gone twice to date. However, I am proud of that because it takes a lot for me to get out the door and try something new. Soon, going to yoga on Sunday mornings will be a habit. I will call this goal 1/2 completed!

2. Try to get off my cholesterol meds. This one did not happen at all and in fact my dosage was upped. However, that is not necessarily a bad thing. I did do other great things to work on lowering my cholesterol. First, I have cut out all red meat. Second, I have put more veggies and fruits in my diet. I am actually enjoying this particular change. I even sometimes crave veggies. All I can say to that is WOW! On another note, I did get off my Lunesta. I now sleep all night long without taking a drug to do it. YEA! Finally, I changed my blood pressure med and it has been great. I was on a beta blocker and it was inhibiting my workouts and ability to train to my best ability. Now, I am on an ace inhibitor and only 5 mgs. My training times are better and my blood pressure is normal. I will call this goal a work in progress.

3. Break 2 hours in the half marathon. Okay, I did not meet this goal but I did knock off some time off my 1/2 marathon time. My San Antonio 1/2 marathon time was 2:14 sans potty stop. I know that next year I will conquer this goal!

4. Break 4 hours in the marathon. Well, since I did not run a marathon this year, I did not meet this goal. However, I believe that I can do this in the future.

That was the defined goals that I had for the year. Now lets go over some of the other 2009 highlights.

1. I was able to set some new running PRs:
- Cherry Creek Sneak 5 mile 49:34.
- Snowman Stampede 10 mile 1:48:43.
- COS Mayor's Cup 15k 1:33:44.
- SA Rock n Roll 1/2 marathon 2:21:01. This was the official time with the potty break.

2. Another running highlight was conquering the Turkey Trot 5k course this year. I finally got the time down to a reasonable time of 30:18.

3. I completed my first triathlon at the Rocky Mountain State Games. I am now hooked!

4. I swam the swim leg of a 1/2 ironman. That was a blast but a clear indicator that swimming is not my best sport.

5. Now let's look at the total mileage numbers for the year as compared to 2008.
- Running 818.06 miles. I ran 286.74 miles more than 2008. YEA, that totally Rocks!
- Biking 1049.07 miles. I biked 112.70 miles less than 2008.
- Swimming 66225 meters. That number is a lot higher than 2008 because I had only started swimming at the end of 2008.

6. One other important number for me is my weight. My weight has bounced around this year but now I am closer to where I want to be, 127.8. I have lost 7.4 lbs since 2008!

7. Finally, one other great thing happened this year. My husband joined me and my friends on some of our biking adventures. This was great! I loved having him around during the rides and I hope this continues in 2010!

2009 was a year of change and excitement. I am looking forward to some of the same in 2010. I am still reviewing my goals for 2010 but I will post them soon.

Until later, keep running, riding and swimming...

Some Pics from a Ride at the Air Force Academy

Holidays Are Here!

2009-12-24T19:45:00.002-07:00

Merry Christmas to all my friends, family and my new blogger buddies! I hope everyone gets to spend a wonderful holiday season with the ones you love!

And to all the troops away from home this holiday season, Thanks for serving and Merry Christmas to all of you! You are my heroes!

Its Official I am a Bad Swimmer...

2009-12-23T10:04:00.004-07:00

Okay, so I have know for sometime that I was not the best swimmer in the world. I am no Michael Phelps or Dara Torres. I am just a lowly triathlete trying to get a semblance of form so I can finish the swim in a reasonable amount of time. Well, yesterday I was suffering through a horrible set of 6x150s. Thanks Coach L! Anyway, there were very few of us in the pool and some guy in the hot tub spent almost the entire time watching us. I thought it was kind of creepy but I just ignored. Well, that is until he decided to come offer his critiques of my form. He indicated that I was not following through well with one arm and that I was cutting my stroke short with my breathing arm. Okay, I appreciate the advice but it caught me off guard. I was starting to get some confidence in my stroke and abilities. So now I am going to try and fix these other things. I will spend more time looking on the web for good form and techniques to mimic. I hate having to think when I swim because then I don't feel like I am doing anything right.

Oh well, enough about my swimming insecurities. Here is what else I have been up to since I am became a woman of leisure.

Saturday - 90 min run on the trail with Teamtraining Goals. I followed this up with the swim workout I was supposed to do on Friday.

Sunday - A two hour ride out to Manitou Springs and back. We had a rare break in the weather so the ride was perfect. The temps were tolerable and the roads were clear. FYI, I wore my new Nike shirt and it worked perfectly as a under layer.

Monday - Another ride outside. This time I rode to Garden of the Gods, did a loop and then returned home. After the ride, I took Sadie to Procycling and got hooked up with some aero bars and got a new fitting. Thanks Branden!

Tuesday - I swam and had the great critique in the morning. Later in the day I went back to the gym and weight lifted.

Today will be a 45 min sustained pace run. Of course, that is once I get my butt off the computer and on the dreadmill. Yes, the weather has changed. We now have snow and cold. Merry Christmas!

Here are some pics of Sadie with her new aerobars!

Until later, keep running, riding and swimming...

My new favorite running shirt!

2009-12-17T08:00:00.005-07:00

Nike Dri-FIT Half-Zip Women's Running Top

This is the softest running shirt that I have ever owned! I cannot extol the virtues of this shirt enough! However, I will try. On the Nike website, the shirt comes in many great colors, eight colors to be exact. Personally, I bought the Persian Violet with Reflective Silver. Purple brings out the color in my eyes and well it is the only color they had at Boulder Running Company! I was lured into getting this shirt because of the softness but the fit is also nice. The length of the sleeves is great. I often have trouble finding shirts that fit in arm length because I have monkey arms! The sleeves are also canted at the end so this will allow complete coverage from the wind. Just remember that this is a Nike shirt so it will run a little bit smaller than other brands. I bought a medium and it fits great. However, if I want to put a layer underneath it will have to be a thin layer. Of course, a layer would not allow me to feel its silkiness! Note, I have not wore this shirt on a run yet but it is Dri-fit. I will update you on the wicking capabilities soon! I would definitely recommend purchasing this shirt for the runner in your life, even if it is yourself!

Until later, keep riding, running and swimming!

Recap of Last Week...

2009-12-14T08:27:00.003-07:00

Here is to a good week of training. I only missed one workout because of prior commitments so next week will be an attempt to get them all in correctly!

Monday - 35 min Foundation run
Tuesday - 20 min Warm up run, weights and a swim (300 warm up, 1x300 [7:05 mins], 2x200 [4:40 and 4:48 mins], 3x100 [2:10, 2:20, 2:18 mins] with 60 secs between the 300 and 200 meters and 30 secs between the 100 meters. Finally a 300 meter warm down. Yes, I am a slow swimmer!
Wednesday - 15 min warm up run, 6x1 min Fartlek intervals with 5 min jog between and a 10 min warm down run.
Thursday - A swim with a 300 meter warm up, 10x25 with 20 second rest between [26, 28, 28, 27, 27, 28, 28, 28, 28 and 28], 10x50 with 20 second rest between [56, 1:00, 1:03, 59, 1:12, 1:00, 58, 58, 58, 59] and a 300 meter warm down. Yes, that 1:12 50 meter interval there sucked! I swam into the rope and then was all messed up in my stride! I followed this up with some weight lifting at home.
Friday - Rest day because I went out to Girls Holiday Happy Hour! Whoops!
Saturday - I competed at the Stocking Shuffle 5K. I finished with a time of 30:31. I could have broke 30 mins but I had to watch the trail for snow and ice patches. I went home and did 90 mins on the trainer. This was really hard because of the boredom! My new Christmas wish is a set of Spinnervals!
Sunday - Yoga. That was an interesting experience. I was not flexible or serene during the class but I am going to try again next week!

I think it was a good week and I can't wait to start this week!

Here is my good news...

2009-12-08T08:57:00.003-07:00

Okay, I finally have some time to update the world on what is going on here in Colorado Springs. I have been very busy but not necessarily on the work out front. Though, I have had some great things happen there as well.

First I will start with the Turkey Trot 5k race report. In one word, awesome! That is how I would describe the race. We had beautiful weather which is quite unusual for this race. I believe last year we froze our hind in's off! This year though was unusually warm. A friend of mine and I decided to do the race. There were only the two of us but that was okay. We headed out fairly early, made it to the race and got our race chips. Race chips were a new thing this year. I ran into a training goals buddy. We chatted and did our warm up together. Though, we lost each other later. The race started at 9am and I was ready to go. The first mile I settled into a pretty good pace. I had done a tempo run the night before so I was trying to match that stride and I was doing a pretty good job of it. The second mile I was starting to feel the hills. This Turkey Trot is in a very hilly neighborhood and probably the hardest 5K course I have run. I walked for just a brief moment around mile two to adjust my shorts. They were kind of riding up on me. Not something a 41year old woman should be showing the general population! I then took off again because I wanted to conquer this course! The last mile was difficult but I kicked it into high gear and ran as hard as I could. I hit the .1 mile left and I tried to kick it up again. That was hard but somehow I managed to find another gear. My Garmin read 29:46 but my official time was 30:18. I was 22 out 67 in my age group! WOO HOO! That was the best time I have ever had on this course. In fact I got a 4 min PR. I felt incredible! My training goals buddy also had a great run. She got 3out of our age group! Go KP! My training from this summer is continuing to pay off.

After the great race, I was ready to talk to Coach L and discuss my 2010 goals. I also wanted to get an idea of how my 1/2 ironman training will go. I am a real control freak so not having a long term schedule is very hard for me. I love to tweek, compare, analysis, etc but that is not how Coach L works. She provides my schedule on a month to month basis. I have had to learn to give up some control and well it make sense since I hired her to help me train! Anyway, we got together and she gave me the big picture look of what I will be doing over the next 6 months. Let me tell you, I am so excited! I can't wait to start doing brick workouts, swimming, weightlifing and all that great ironman training. I almost feel like I belong in the group! So now it is time to follow through on my excitement and do the work! That will be hard but I know I can do that as well!

Another great thing is that Pro Cycling has finally gotten clip-on aero bars in my size. I will finally be able to get Sadie, my lovely Orbea road bike, ready for our triathlon adventure. I would love a tri-bike but it is not going to happen this year. I am hoping that when I start prep for 2011, which is when I will do my full ironman (Ironman Arizona), that I will get my tri-bike then! Hint, hint, Brad!

Finally, the next great thing is not fitness related. I have got a new job! I am so excited about this one. I have found my dream job and the company recognized the fit between me and the job! I cannot begin to say how ecstatic I am for this one. I will start my new job on Jan 4 and will quit my old job on Dec 18. That means I have 2 weeks to enjoy the holidays and do some great workouts. 2010 is going to be a great year!

Well, that is great news from this front. Check back soon, when I hope I will be able to post another PR race report from the Stocking Stuffer 5K that I am running this weekend.

Until then keep running, riding and swimming...

Great Things a Coming...

2009-12-02T11:32:00.003-07:00

There are many great things happening right now! Great PRs, great life changes and many other exciting things! I will update with all the action very soon.

Until then keeping running, riding and swimming...

P.S. If you need Xmas presents for the cyclist in your life, check out this website!
http://www.sharethedamnroad.com/

San Antonio ROCKS...

2009-11-17T08:38:00.003-07:00

Okay this blog will be a prime example of what not to do when getting ready for a PR! My team and I managed to do everything wrong! So please don't do what I do! First things first, my family and I lived in San Antonio from 1990-1996 so every time we go back it is like a homecoming. We see old friends, visit old haunts and gorge ourselves on the best Tex-mex in the world!!! These are probably not ideal conditions for getting the best out of yourself in the run. In fact often times the run is almost secondary. This year was no exception. We arrived on Friday afternoon and immediately hit our favorite Tex-mex joint for lunch. After that delicious meal we hit the expo and perused the area. We checked into the hotel and briefly napped before setting out to the river walk for more food and unfortunately loads of alcohol. Yea, I did it! I got blasted two nights before a race. What can I say? The stress of the last couple of weeks caught up with me and I overindulged. Whoops! I had a great time though!

Saturday I didn't feel great but I did get up and do my 20 minute pre-race run. I ran randomly through the streets of downtown and felt pretty good. My legs did not feel the lingering hip injury and I could breathe so easily! A good start! We headed out to get breakfast and again adventure ensued. We ended up walking all over downtown trying to find food. In fact that became the motto of the day. We spent way too much time on our feet and not enough time sitting back and enjoying the day. By the time the day ended I was paranoid that the PR was not going to happen. However, a good night's sleep later and race day was upon me.

My husband and friends dropped me off at the runners drop-off and I began the trek to the start line. I finally get there and I have to stop at the porta-potties along with everyone else. I am standing in line when the national anthem starts playing and the starting gun is going off. So much for starting with my corral, corral 13. I ended up starting with corral 20. This would prove to be very annoying when the walkers were in my way. Next time, leave earlier! I was feeling good during the first six miles. Unfortunately, I had to take another potty break! 7 minutes later I am back on the course. Around mile 9 I am beginning to fatigue. Right at the same place as last year. I briefly walk but then I begin to talk myself back into the race. I have to PR! Miles 10-12 were not great but I talked my way through them. I was not going to walk this year no matter what in the last miles and I did it! My final official time was 2:21:01. I had PR'ed by one minute, despite my porta-potty stop. If you take the stop out of the time I was at 2:14:53, which is what I had on my Garmin. That is awesome and I am over the moon about my time. Despite doing everything wrong I had come in and conquered SA! I now totally believe in myself and my running skills! I know that I have a sub-2 1/2 marathon in me and it is going to happen in 2010! Let the challenge begin!

I want to take a minute and thank all my support. Thanks Coach L for all the great words of advice! You are the best! Thanks to Diane my acupuncturist, you got me to the starting line 95% healthy! Thanks to my husband and friends, Nic and Den! You guys are the best cheering squad ever! I totally loved seeing you on the course and would have not been able to do this without you! I will post all your pics tomorrow on the blog! Thanks to everyone who believes in me. You make me the strong one!

Until later, keep riding, running and swimming!

Thanks Chuckie V on Xtri.com

2009-10-23T09:31:00.001-06:00

Here is what we need to remember...

There are no shortcuts. Nor is there a hidden path to success (though there is a lonely one). There is no easy way. There are no "breakthroughs" in training (and if there were, they'd only come after long spells). Quite simply, there isn't anything that will help your cause other than old-fashioned hard work. The harder, the better. So roll up your (compression) sleeves, losers.

Again, in training---and life---there is work and there is rest. And if you want to reach success (a level of success beyond enjoyment, which itself is vital) you will need lots of them both.

--Chuckie V, There are NO Secrets, Xtri.com

How Do I Swim Again?

2009-10-15T08:02:00.002-06:00

I swam for the first time in a couple of weeks and it is if I had forgotten how to swim. Is my form right? Have I always been this slow? Does the black line always feel this long? Can I cheat on this set without getting in trouble? Yes those were the questions going through my mind as I did my swim workout yesterday. I felt totally out of synch with the whole process. So I went back to basics. I tried to focus on my form and that included slowing down to make sure I was doing the right things. I did not cheat on my sets! I knew the only one I would be cheating would be me. Of course, I used Coach L as the reason but I really knew it was because I could not live with myself if I cheated! I just did the best that I could given the circumstances. Here is what the workout consisted of: 300 WU, 200 kick, 200 pull with buoy, 5x100 with 30 sec rest between (Here is where I wanted to cheat!), 200 kick, 5x50 with 30 sec rest between and 200 WD. Not bad for the first day back in awhile. I look forward to the next workout!

Prior to my swim I ran 25 mins. I also did the same thing on Tuesday. A short 25 min run at 5.7 on the treadmill. This should have been a recovery run but I could not bring my heart rate down when I was running so it was a little bit harder than a recovery run. During these runs my right hip felt fine. I have been doing everything that coach has said and I am starting to feel the difference. But that is not to say that I am not doubting the plan. My hyperactive need to do more is overtaking me. I am already looking at my total numbers for the week and can feel disappointment that they are not as high as in the past. Yes, I know I am recovering but it is hard to rationalize. I was enjoying the rush of the big miles if only mentally. So I am continually reminding myself that it takes discipline to recover and that I will be better off if I do what I am told. Let's hope I can do that! I will be emailing Coach L today to see what if any miles I get to do over the weekend. I have 2 hours and 45 mins on the plan for Saturday but that was before the hip. I still want to do it but I know that is probably not a good idea. Oh well, we will just see what Coach says...

Until later keep riding, running and swimming!

Hills make me stronger...

2009-10-13T08:32:00.002-06:00

That was my mantra on my ride yesterday and I had many opportunities to recite it. I started from my house and rode to Garden of the Gods. I did one lap through the Garden and then booked it back home. The hills in the Garden can be quite intimidating but there is one small hill that really kicks my butt. It was on this hill that my mantra came to me and I recited it over and over until I kicked the butt of that hill! The weather today was cold but much nicer than the previous two days. I bundled up and just kicked some bicycling a$$! The total ride time was 1 hour and 12 mins and the mileage was 15.55 miles. I am so happy with those numbers. I have not lost my hard fought conditioning from this year!

In other news, my right hip is starting to feel better. After a conversation with Coach L we believe that it is my ITB flaring up. I am on the NSAIDs, foam rolling and light running plan for the remainder of this week. Coach L also agrees that I should not do the full marathon in SA. I am somewhat disappointed with this but I also don't want to lose the great fitness and speediness that I have acquired this year by injuring myself worse than I already have! 2010 is going to be a big year for me and I want to be on 100% for that! Good things come to those who wait right? Well, waiting is not the right word because I will hardly be waiting for something to happen. I will be training hard and making my own destiny.

Today will be a 20-25 min run followed up with stretching, rolling, core exercises and more NSAIDs. So until later keep riding, running and swimming!

Cold Weather Running is Here...

2009-10-11T09:26:00.002-06:00

Today was a 2 1/2 hour long run but the catch was the weather. The temps were in the mid-20's. A slight wind was blowing and sleet was constant. The run started at the Colorado Running Company. I was running a few minutes late and just missed the training goals group. I ran another long run on my own. I ran on the Santa Fe trail to the North. Right now you don't run the trail south alone because of the homeless tent city. I found a pretty good pace and just tucked in and ran. I did an 1 hour and 15 mins towards the north. The weather was not a factor during this portion of the run but I had to be very careful on the trail because there were sections of ice. The second half of the run was running back south. At this point my right hip was killing me but I just wanted to keep going and get the run done!! The weather appeared to be getting colder and the trail was getting sloppier. In fact, I passed a very nice women who reminded me to be careful. I said thanks and then not less than 5 minutes later I fell on my ass. So much for listening to my concerned walker. I was hoping to run 15 miles in the allotted time for this run but things did not work out that way. But I did get in 13.49 and I matched my Colorado 1/2 marathon PR at 2:26,unofficially of course. By the time I finished the run I was caked in ice and could barely move my right hand. I had a hard time starting my car and then scraping my windows.

Despite the weather, I am very happy with this run. I had a great time and I am feeling very mentally strong. Now I just wish I could say the same about my body. My right hip is really bothering me and that is very unusual. I think I made the decision during this run that I am not going to do the marathon in SA. I will stick to the 1/2 marathon and make the goal to PR. I am not giving out goals times right now but I will before the race.

The rest of my week was not as good as today's run. I had a bad workout week but for very good reason. I was fighting a cold and a lot of fatigue. Monday I did a recovery run but the rest of the week was a bust. I did not work out again until yesterday. I am sure that this week will be better because I am feel much better. So here is to a great workout week.

On another note, Congrats to Craig Alexander and Chrissie Wellington for their repeat wins in Kona!!! And Congrats to Bree Wee for her great rookie performance in Kona. Bree finished 18th and I think that is awesome!!!!

Until later keep running, riding and swimming...