Compressions tights

Yesterday I did my first Indoor tri.
It was really non competitive, all though I was in the competitive division.  We had a 5 min warm up in the pool before we started.  The horn blew and off we started.  I had my own lane which was awesome. I started out completely comfortable and decided to stay that way.  Not wanting to get out of breath or over extend myself I just went easy peasy.  At the end I did 24x50yds in 20 min's or 1,200 yds total.  Not bad for going really easy I thought.  Each part was 20min's, swim, bike, run.  We were timed and laps were counted by volunteers.  The bike used was a cyclops with a power meter so it only showed you your watts and cadence.  I have no idea how many miles I did.
The run was laps around an indoor track.  I have no idea of the distance on each lap.  Someone was assigned to count my laps.
Overall everything was great, lots of volunteers and lots of fun.

Indoor tri done!

Indoor Tri

Tomorrow is my indoor triathlon.  I can hardly wait, 20 min's swimming, 20 min's cycling, 20 min's running.  There is a 10 minute transition time between the swim and the bike.  That's a long time if you're in a hurry.  This is just for fun though and we'll all be taking our time.  However, if you can run from your bike to the track in a minute there is a bonus time added to your overall time..schweeetttt!!! :))

On an other note, I saw some of the previews to the London Summer Olympics this year.  I totally love the Olympics, especially the summer events as that's what I can closely relate too.

What's your favourite olympic event?

XLVI

This was just erected here this week for the Superbowl.  Downtown is already becoming a nightmare.  There are tons of streets closed downtown as well as thousands more people around town and traffic will be crazy. 

I have to head to Los Angeles the weekend before valentines day, so next weekend (yes stupidbowl weekend), I made a secret get away surprise for my husband and myself.  We are going to Nashville, IN to a Border Collie retreat.  I found them on the net and we'll stay in a B&B.  We can even bring our BC for fun!!

This week has been a total slap in the face training wise.  I was all sharp and ready to go until my friend had a massive heart attack in class. He's only 54 and in amazing shape.  How many times have you heard.."so & so was out running in the best shape of his life and died of a heart attack"...just goes to show us, no matter how good we look on the outside, we may be crap on the inside.  Our friend is in ICU still and on ice ..I understand today they will start to bring him back around as long as his heart remains stable..thanks be to GOD!

Regardless, tonight we will head back to our cycling class, give a few minutes of silent reflection on our friend and get back at it.  I haven't swam once or ran once this week..total slacker.  BUT, I just couldn't bring myself mentally to doing anything since I was so traumatized by watching my friend collapse, have a heart attack..etc.

I will get back to it.

Sunday I have an indoor triathlon where I totally expect to SUCK! 

What the heck it will be fun right??

In shock!

What seemed like a normal night for spinning turned out to be anything but. 

We were setting up our bikes on our trainers last night a friend of mine set mine up as he usually does..sweet heart!  We had just gotten on our bikes and he was right behind mine when I heard a crash.  I looked behind me and there he was on the floor what looked like he was having a seizure.  I ran to his side and so did his best friend who just happens to be a critical care Dr. and pulmonolgist..the best in the USA I'm told.  His other friend and Dr. was in the restroom.  I ran to get him and of course 911 was called. 

As I ran back in the room my friend lost consciousness as well as his breathing.  They performed CPR on him until the paramedics got there.  They quickly put on an ekg and decided they needed to shock him..they did this twice.  His heart was in VT when they scooped him up and took him to the hospital.  I ran there with my husband and a group of stayed in the waiting room to find out how our friend was doing.  His wife and daughter came out later and we all went into a private room.  They showed us pictures of his heart where they had to go in and do a cathaterization to remove two major blockages. His kidneys were not working last night either.  He is in critical condition and they will keep him on ice for a couple of days to shut the body down basically is my understanding. 

It was a late night in the hospital for us and I think I'm still in shock..you just never know what is inside our bodies when on the outside we look like such fit athletes.  Pray for healing.

I just got myself a Road ID and you can too!

 

Hey Everyone,

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When I ordered, they gave me a coupon that I could pass along to my friends. Here's the coupon number:

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You can thank me later

SH%T Everyone says!!!

Busy weekend..

This weekend was exceptionally busy.  It started off for me making dinner and stying in Friday night.  I tried to bake an angel food cake.  How hard can that be for crying outloud, mine always looks like the pic below..I suck!
Saturday morning I was up and on my way down to the OneAmerica Building to do the annual Bop to the Top stair run.  My time was early and I warmed up as soon as I got there.  I went up at 8:40 and in total it took me 10 min's or so.  It was 36 floors which isn't crazy hard you would think, but by the time I hit the 16th floor my heart was pounding so hard and my breathing was uncontrollable.  I had to stop at the end of every other floor or so to try and slow my breathing down. It didn't help.  After I finished my throat and chest hurt so bad, like the worst case of bronchitis you ever could imagine.  I continued to cough and cough for the next two days.  The narrow stairwell is dry and hot.  Well that's a one and done thing.  I have zero interest in climbing stairs like this again.  My lungs just can't take it.  I've done 10 Ironman triathlons and I can't say I've ever had such pains in my chest from breathing so hard..ever!

After the Bop to the Top Saturday, we had tickets to go see the Knaptown Roller Derby Girls at the Pepsi Collesium..oh joy!!!  It was fun at first, but then pretty lame.  Next door was the Indy home show.  We thought that would be more exciting..and it was!  They had built a whole house inside the event.  It was beautiful and I even got to meet Rupert Bonehem from Survivor!! That was the hightlight of my whole weekend :)

My biggest supporter...love you hunny!!!

TGIF!

I've been kicking it in pretty hard this week.  I went to my usual Tues/Thurs cycling classes which were anything but "usual" as our coach always knows how to turn it up a notch!  We work hard.  Before we spin, we have 30 min's of core work which usually has my abs screaming "NO MORE"!

I've also been getting up at 4:20 a.m. to go swimming as well.  Running has been 2-3x's per week and i'll keep that up as well.  So, i'm starting to finally get into a routine.

Tomorrow I have 36 flights of stairs to climb at our local "Bop to the Top"...yay.  If you don't hear from me, you'll know I've died of a heart attack :))

Run painfree?

I wonder..is there such a thing?  Last night on my run it was in the upper 20's, and the sun was setting.  I was pretty bundled up except for my face.  I am amazed at how my runs typically start out.  I leave the house and walk for about 2-3 minutes, then start to jog for about the first 1/2 mile.  Then stop to stretch out tight sore calves.  Start to run again, stop to do more stretching.  The mental part starts to kick in here.  Well lets just run to the 1/2 way point, when I get there I say "lets just run a bit more..to that house over there"..okay fine I get there and turn around. 

On my way back last night I wonder..when does running become pain free, my hip hurts, my calves, my knee.  Nothing terrible, just little aches here and there.

My breathing feels heavy, not like on the bike when you know you're comfortable and in that sweet spot. Not like when I'm swimming and it just feels so natural. Why can't I get there with running?  Why does it always feel so difficult?  At what point does it feel like you're in the "zone". When does it feel easier?   I'm trying to figure this out. Does this ever happen?  Am I not fit enough? Am I too fat?  Am I running too hard?  So many thoughts run through my mind out there.  At then end when i'm home, I forget about all of this and go about my business.

Well...I guess I just need to run "more" and find the answers to my questions.  Unless you have some advice out there!

Have you seen these??

The are the coolest things going.  Compression wear + cold therapy all in one.  I love the fact that they are also giving a large % of their proceeds towards breast cancer research...how awesome is that?  You can see them here.http://www.110playharder.com/women-viewall

I'm heading to LA

..not until Feb 10th however.  BUT..i've never been on the west coast in my life. I'll be staying at the Marriott in Manhattan beach in LA.
Any bloggers live in that area?  I have no idea what LA is like other than what i've seen on tv.  I have no idea what will be in the area..what should I see and do???  I only have 3 days, so I need to cram as much in as I can..

Thanks for any ideas you might have...

Week one..

This is the start of my serious Ironman training program.  I'm running a 1/2 marathon in May, so this is even better motivation for me to get out there and run.  Yesterday in about 28 degrees of COLD, I ran 3 miles which is good enough for me.  I'm not a runner and I suck at it.  If only I had someone to push my butt I know I would be a better runner.

This morning in the pool I have a coach that pushes our butts harder and harder during our workouts.  Tues/Thurs nights we have a coach that leads our cycling group that pushes our butts to go harder.  If only I had that in running...guh.

I'm tired and today is going to be a loooong day!

Happy Birthday to our doggy Mr. Reagan.

There ya have it!

Two of the fastest races in Olympic Marathon Trials history took place on the same day Saturday in Houston as the six men and women who will represent Team USA in London earned their way on the squad. Shalane Flanagan set an Olympic Trials record of 2:25:38 in only her second marathon, while Meb Keflezighi earned his third Olympic berth by winning the Trials in a personal best time of 2:09:08. Flanagan led a Trials record five women under 2:30 while Meb led four men under 2:10 for the first time in Trials history.

Time Trial night

Last night after our huge wintry blast....LOL..we still had our cycling class. 

It was a time trial night.  We had originally done this back in early October to gauge where our fitness levels were and for our coach to be able to assign us some training zones.  I struggled last October as I hadn't really been training for quite some period of time.  My avg. speed after out 20 min TT back in October was 15.5 mph..pathetic I know.

Last night we performed another 20 min TT.  We had a nice long warm up of about 30 mins.  Then we stopped the pedaling, reset our bike computers and started.  I decided that the first 6 min's would be an easier pace and then I would ramp up my speed after the 10 min mark.  I ended up averaging...18.5 MPH..wow that's a huge improvement over last October for me.  I was happy!!!

Our cycling program ends in March.  I plan on being ahead of my training buddies on the bike at least as they are probably just starting their training, which is fine.  I just felt I really needed a boost this winter as last year was almost a total write off for me as far as training and racing went.

Well as they say.."onwards and upwards"....happy TGIF!!

It's Armageddon!!

Being originally from Canada I laugh at the weather men here in the Midwest.  We are expected to get MAYBE..1-2"'s of snow today.  You would think it's a horrible blizzard heading our way as the news goes all out forecasting and predicting our doom....it's panic that runs America I swear!

Even our cycling class tonight is extended to allow those who will have to drive slower to make it to class..really??? ughhh  I work maybe 2 min's away from where we hold our classes and I get off of work at 5, so he's extended out our start until 6:30..what am I going to do until then?

It just frustrates me how a little bit of snow totally freaks people out down here.

                                                    (cyclist in a blizzard LOL)

Back to cycling program

Last night we had our cycling class start up for the next 8 week session.  This is difficult and unlike any other class I've been too. 

We start off with a 30 min core build and stretching followed by 1 hour of on the bike sessions.  It's led by a USAcycling coach who just happens to be a VERY successful and competitive CAT 1 racer.  Besides all of that he just keeps us all very focused.  There's no playing in this class, just hard work.

I'm glad to be in some sort of routine again this year..well ..training for triathlons kind of forces ya..doesn't it?

Blame it on triaaaathlon BITCHES!

Is THIS a bad lunch choice?

I mean it has fruit flavored and all...just sayin.

Look what I got!

Well you know I had purchased a kindle for my husbands Christmas present. Obviously great minds think a like as he purchased one for me too...crazy. Now I just have to learn how to read :)

Fast weekend!

Friday night was a beautiful night to get a run in after work.  I decided to run by my house which is okay.  My husband bought me a Garmin 210 for Christmas and I just love using it now.  I've never been a techie, he is!  He'll research the heck out of anything.  I told him I wanted something "simple"...I operate better that way.  So it has HR, Pace, Time, distance..etc.  I have never worked on pace before and always went by either time or distance or both.  It's a great little tool for me.

Saturday I spent 10 hrs in a car.  I had to drive my son back to Canada.  Oh how i'll miss him.  He'll be back in June though to work and start college in the fall here in the USA..I sooo can't wait for that.

Sunday was another run, but at my favourite park which has all trails.  It was just wonderful and a huge workout as it's a lot of up and downs which had my HR through the roof, but it's good right?

This a.m. it was up at ohhhh dark 4:30 off to masters swim.  It's amazing how once I get going in the pool I feel sooo much better.

Have a great Monday!

How true...

I won't be riding today, but certainly this can apply to running.  It's going to be in the mid 50's here and sunny...who could ask for nicer weather in January?  Well maybe if I lived in Florida or Hawaii.  I'll take it for the midwest.

Happy Friday!!!

Bop to the top..

I registered this year to run up 36 floors of fun.  Bop to the top is a stair climbing challenge up the One American Tower in downtown Indianapolis. So I may have a heart attack, but it will be fun right???  What's your January challenge?

NYC Marathon..really????

I was one of the crazies who signed up for the NYC marathon lottery program.  Today I read the entry fee has been raised.  How much are you willing to pay to get to this race?

Sunny once again.

Yesterday it was a blizzard here, today it's sunny and getting warmer. It going to be 50 here on Friday just crazy.!! Good for running outdoors though right!

Masters Swim

Knocked out a good set this a.m. at Masters.  Only was there an hour, but was able to get in 3,000 yds.  Coach said I could increase tempo and that I had a really good stroke.  I'm not sure how you do that as I've always been told to try and glide more and decrease your stroke per length.  I'm so confused!!

Looks like a trainer ride tonight.

It's a blizzard out there. I'm not that hardcore of a runner to be out in that!!!

A fun Holiday, now it's back to reality!

My sons and I traveled to Chicago to watch the Blackhawks on the 30th.  I don't like Chicago primarily because of the driving.  I did like the shopping downtown however..but CRAZY!!!  So many cars, so many people.  I don't care to ever go back there.  I'll take my country living over the city any.day!

So I'm back at work today and it's crazy busy, but that's great.  I have the best job in the world and feel amazingly blessed to have it.

Today it's a snowy, windy, cold blustery day.  Perfect to be indoors and looking out at it.  BUT..after work it's pounding the pavement or riding the trainer indoors, haven't made my mind up yet, but it will be one or the other.

Hope you're back at it in 2012!