First Outdoor Ride and Week 18

Today I did my first outdoor ride of the season!

Yesterday I was a bit nervous for the ride, but everything worked out great :).  The kids left for Walnut Creek with my parents yesterday, so instead of getting a pedicure and drinking margaritas, I got ready for my bike ride today.  I got new tires on my bike (trainer has made my back tire really smooth and flat - thought it was time to get some new tires).  Also, got all my food/clothes ready.

Honestly, I was a bit nervous.  A cyclist was just killed on the bike route I do every time I ride.  And I think that always messes with your head.   They aren't exactly sure what happened yet - but he was riding in the bike lane doing the right thing.  A car just hit him somehow - I think it's being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  I stopped at his memorial on the way home (and rode on the sidewalk for that stretch of the rode).  Eric Billings was his name - RIP.

I went about 51.48 miles total - the first half being flat/slightly downhill - towards the ocean.  And the second half a climb with some pretty good hills.  I surprised myself at how well I felt the whole ride.  Here is me at mile 44 (yes, dork, i know):

Here is my view at mile 44:

After my ride, I did a 15 minute run through the neighborhood.  Legs felt heavy and I went slow.  I am already above the 10% rule in milage this week (really don't want to get injured)!

My sons will be gone this week and we'll be driving up north to Walnut Creek on Friday to get them.  I am hoping to get a lot of training done this week - and other stuff done also.  But I miss them:

Here are my workouts for Week 18:

Monday - 45 min trainer ride followed by 15 min transition run

                 61 min swim - 2700 yds

Tuesday - 45 min strength (P90X Chest & Back)

                 54 min run

Wednesday - 1 hour trainer ride with 3 X 5 min hard

                      37 min swim

Thursday - 7 mile run

                   Opps!  Was supposed to do 30 min strength session - but watched Law & Order SVU instead.....

Friday - 75 min run (8.07 miles)

Saturday - REST

Sunday - 3 hour 40 min ride outside

               15 min transition run

Total - 11 hours and 30 mins of training this week!!!

Only missed one workout - strength training and 23 mins of my swim workout on Wednesday (because I forgot all my stuff!!)

Full Vineman Training - Week 16 (Mar 18- 24) and 17 (Mar 25th to Mar 31)

Oh my goodness, I am a blog slacker.

I am still training for full Vineman in July, although Jan and Feb was touch and go in terms of training.

On Jan 6th, my knee started hurting on an 11 mile run.  I knew I should have not run that day - my body and mind were exhausted.  But I pushed through it because I wanted a good time at Napa Marathon and sure enough ....injury. My knee felt like I had bruise on the anterior top of my knee cap and under the knee cap.  There was also a burning feeling under my knee cap.  I stopped running for 5 days thinking it would go away.  It did not.  In Jan/Feb I could run up to about 2.5 files before it would start hurting.  I finally went to the doctor and he told me "Patella Chondromalacia".  Yikes - Sounded horrible.  The Doc thought I just inflamed something under my kneecap and it just needed time to heal.  So he told me to keep cross training, but only run 1 mile below the point that it started hurting.   and run on flat.

I knew the Napa Valley Marathon was out.  My husband and I went anyway - dropped our kids off at my parents.  Of course my older son ended up in ER because he ate a whole jalapeno!!  I guess it didn't agree with him. We drove to the ER (only 30 mins away in Walnut Creek) to be with him:

He was feeling so bad here....

At the ER - Poor guy, he felt so bad - at this point he is feeling better.  I am exhausted in this pic - it's about 2 AM.

Around the beginning of March,I was able to run further.  This morning I was able to run 8.07 miles and didn't feel my knee - although I think if I had gone further or faster it might have flared up again.

I also dealt with the following in Feb:

1) Bad Sinus Infection - unable to work out for 10 days.

2) I think I had a broken pinkie toe - it hurt pretty bad for about 6 weeks - but I was still able to run/bike/swim, so I didn't do anything about it.  I just wasn't able to wear certain shoes.

3) I irritated my eye really bad looking for a ripped contact - and had to go to the eye doctor a couple times.  It is still not normal, but I am hoping it will get back to normal soon.

So, with all these things happening all at once, I was having some serious doubts if the Vineman was doable.

March has been a good month and I have done almost all of my planned workouts and feel that Vineman is doable again.

Also, on March 2nd, my big project went live, so no more 6 AM meetings everyday!!!  I had 6 AM meetings everyday for about 3.5 months (minus the holidays).  It really got in the way of my morning workouts.  Now that those are over, it is easier to get workouts in.  I am hoping work stays this way though June - my new project is not as intense or time consuming - so here's to hoping :).

Also, here is a look at my training for the last couple of weeks:

Week 16 (Mar 18- 24) -
Monday - 1 hour swim - 2750 yards
Tuesday - 5.47 mile run and P90X Chest and Back
Wednesday - 1 hour trainer ride and 53 min swim
Thursday - 7 mile run and P90X Legs & Back
Friday - REST
Saturday - 2 hour trainer ride
Sunday - 6.64 mile run


Week 17 (Mar 25th to Mar 31) -
Monday - 45 min trainer ride w/ 15 min transition run.  54 min swim - 2450 yds
Tuesday - 4.9 mile run and P90X Chest and Back
Wednesday - 1 hour trainer ride and 60 min swim (2700)
Thursday - 4.9 mile run and  1/2P90X Legs & Back
Friday - REST (was supposed to do 3 hour ride - but too tired)
Saturday - 6 mile run
Sunday - REST - Easter!

Week 5 and 6 of Ironman Training - and doubts about this adventure

Week 5 went really well.  I made all but one workout - a strength training workout.  But 6 and 7 are really not going well at all.

Week 5
Mon - 
Swim - 1650 yds.
Bike - 35 mins
15 mins pull ups and push ups
Tues - 60 min run (3 X1 mile repeats)
Wed -
Bike - 45 mins
Swim - 45 mins - 2200 yds
Thurs - Unintentional REST (work got in the way)
Friday - 62 min run - FARTLEK
I was exhausted on Friday.  I really don't think I realized how fast I ran until the end of the day.  My legs were exhausted.  I must have gone a bit too fast.
Sat - 60 min trainer ride
Sun - 11 mile run 

I should NOT have done the Sunday run.  My legs and body were just too tired and I did not listen to my body. Everything went downhill after that run.  On my Sunday long run of the 5th week, my knee started to hurt.  It felt like a bruise, so I had **hoped..prayed** that it was because I hit my knee.  I didn't run for 5 days in week 6, but that Saturday I decided to do 5 mile run.  My knee was not hurting anymore and I assumed it was better.  Around mile 2 it started burning and I knew something was wrong.  I finished the 5 miler because I was already almost 2.5 miles out.

I tried the trainer the next day and although the pain wasn't bad at all, I knew it probably wasn't good for my knee.  So I quit after 30 minutes (should have been 90 min ride).  

I have self diagnosed my knee pain as Quadriceps Tendentious. Pretty bummed right now. I have had so many injuries that has derailed my training ever since I signed up for IM Arizona in Nov 2011 - bruised tailbone, fractured wrist, broken toe, and now injured knee. Calling it the Ironman Curse and thinking maybe I was not meant to do another one.....

My motivation is at a low and not sure how to get it back.

Here is my training for Week 6 -

Monday - REST
Tues- 25 min pull-ups and push-ups
Wed - 
35 min bike
35 min swim
Thurs - 45 bike
Fri - 47 bike
Sat - 5 mile run
Sun - 30 min trainer

This week I have not worked out yet - we are getting carpet and work is so busy right now. It is so hard to fit my workouts in with all these 6 AM calls.  I NEED to get back into it.  Maybe a week off would help...but I am started to freak out.

It's funny, all this pressure to do these long-distance events is all on myself.  No one else cares in the world whether or not I do one.  In fact, it would probably make my family happy if I didn't.  Why or why do I desire to do these long-distance events. Maybe that is something I need to figure out.

Week 4 (31 weeks to Ironman)

Tomorrow is 2013 and I really believe what you do on New Years Day defines how you want your year to go.  I always love going for a run on New Year's Day - I think the best way to start the New Year.  So tomorrow is a run with mile repeats :)

I got a short trainer ride in tonight as the boys watched football.  Yes, I am a dork riding on a trainer on New Year's Eve.

We haven't gone out on New Year's Eve in years.  Not sure why....I guess as you get older the thought of going out with a bunch of drunks loses its appeal.

I started watching Deadwood tonight...I really hope it's a good seris!

Week 4 - This week was not very eventful - 1 bike and 3 runs. I had a really good run on Sunday though and made me feel confident about the Napa Marathon coming up. It would be nice to break 4 hours again.

Monday - REST - well, kind of. Made dinner for 12 guests at our house - didn't get a workout in.

Tuesday -  REST - Christmas Day - Didn't get a workout in on this day either.

Wednesday - 
Bike - 1 hour trainer ride.  Woke up to pouring rain and decided to ride instead of run.

Thursday - 
Run - 1 hour run in the morning  - Z2, not too hard.

Strength - got in pull ups and pushups at the park

Friday - Whoops!  Put off my trainer ride hour after hour.  Until it got to 8 PM and just couldn't get the motivation to get on it.

Saturday - 
Run - Another hour run in the morning - ran faster and felt really good. Maybe all these rest days are helping!

Sunday - 
Run - Great 13.1 run.  This run felt great and held a 9:07 pace for a 2 hour 1/2 marathon.  Felt like I could have kept going at the end.

I am currently on the 1st week of the Be Iron Fit 30 week plan.  I really want to get every planned workout in.  So far so good :)

Whew - Weeks 2 and 3 of Ironman Training (33 and 32 weeks to go)

Really, where does the time go???   Merry belated Christmas!!

This Monday, December 31st, will start the 30-week "Be Iron-fit" plan.   Let the craziness begin....Actually, the craziness will begin the week of Jan 7th when the kids go back to school.  The early, early mornings, the zombie-like evenings as I try to get the kids to bed.  The trying to squeeze a workout in between meetings.  The craziness that I hate to love :). 

I really am going to try to get all my workouts that I plan in during the next 3 weeks.  I think the key is planning correctly.  Sometimes I plan a workout and say I'll squeeze it in during the day, knowing I probably won't - BAD PLANNING.  Need to plan for each workout when I know I can get it in.  I know stuff will come up out of my control - sick kids, sick mommy or daddy, etc.  But need to get all the workouts in that I CAN CONTROL. 

Week 2 - Over all a pretty good week.  I am having problems getting the swims in because of my 6 AM calls every morning.  I got one in right before I picked up my 4-year old from school (pool is right next to his school).  If I continue to have 6 AM calls, will need to do this more often.

Monday - REST

Tuesday -

Run - 6.7 total miles with 3 X 1 mile repeats.  Adding speed run training early because of Napa Marathon

Strength - 25 minutes of strength training - pushups, weights.

Wednesday -

Swim - 34 mins - 1700 yard easy swim

Bike - 30 min trainer ride - easy Z2

Thursday - 

Bike - 53 min trainer ride - Z2

Friday - 

Bike - 60 min trainer ride - Z2

Saturday - 

Run - 5 mile Z2 run

Sunday - 

Longish run - 10.37 run Z2

Total - almost 7 hours of training

Week 3 - Yikes,no swimming and hardly any strength.  Need to plan better :)  Again, I had 6 AM meetings every day.  Ugh.

Monday - REST

Tuesday - 

Run - speed training - 6.76 miles with 3 X 1 mile repeats.  Feels good to do speed!  Although hard to get fast at 5 in the morning.

Wednesday - 

Bike - 45 min trainer ride - Z2

Strength - 100 pushups

Thursday - 

Run - 7.31 Z2 miles.

Friday - 

Bike - 60 min trainer ride

Saturday - 

Bike - 30 min trainer ride - squeezed this in during the afternoon while kids had wind-down time.

Sunday - 

"Longish" run - 10 mile run 

Total - 6.5 hours of training

Week 31 is almost over, so will post the results soon.  I treated it as "recovery week" (I LOVE recovery weeks) so not much to report. :)

Happy running!!