It's been awhile since I've blogged! :(
Here's what's new:
I got my Garmin! And I'm in love. I am still trying to figure it all out and as of writing this post even, am having issues uploading to Garmin Connect to see all my data. The actual using of the watch while I'm working out has been awesome. I love being able to see my heart rate, and know exactly how many calories I'm burning. It's also been nice to not have to carry my phone with me anymore. :)
On the weight loss front, I was holding on steady to a plateau for a few weeks. I was feeling pretty hungry and decided that maybe I wasn't eating enough so I made the decision to "up" my calories for a week or so. Well, I went WAY OVERBOARD for the first few days and was dreading weighing myself last Friday. Bam! Down 1.5 pounds. The human body is an amazing/crazy thing.
My 10K race was a few days ago. Leading up to it, I felt like my body was fighting off a cold because every workout felt super hard. So I didn't run much before the race. I will have a race report for you tomorrow hopefully!
Monday, September 17, 2012
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Progress and a Purchase
Today on my half marathon training schedule was a 25 minute, continuous, steady run with a 5 minute warm up and cool down. Since I am an overachiever sometimes, I decided that I was going to run for a whole 30 minutes instead. Then, mid-run, I decided that since running for 30 minutes would get me to about 2.5 miles, I should just run 3 miles and then be done. So that's what I did- 3 miles in 33:10. I'm actually starting to look foward to my runs to see how I've improved since my last run of a similar time/distance. It's also becoming less hard/tiring and more fun. <-----OMG, did I just call running fun?!? I definitely feel like I've made significant progress in my running since starting my training plan- yay!
A purchase?
I've been wanting/lusting after a heart rate monitor or gps watch combination for awhile now. A long while. I always switch my mind back and forth between just a simple heart rate monitor, like a Polar watch, or something with gps/hrm in one, like a Garmin watch. Pros for a Polar watch is that it would be less expensive and I could still just use the MapMyRide app on my iPhone for distance/pace info. Pro for a Garmin is that it is all in one (this really counts as like 13839183 pros since I love, love, love anything convenient). Cons for a Garmin, is that I knew if I went with a mid-range watch, it would still be pricey ($250) and I would still want a watch with a GPS function that worked in the water.
So as I was researching my options online and reading reviews the other night, of course I came across the MacDaddy (do people ever say that anymore?) of Garmin GPS watches. Enter the Garmin Forerunner 910XT, found on the Best Buy website. Of which I have a credit card for. That is currently paid off. That I can get no interest on for 18 months.
Of course I added that little beauty to my cart and happily paid (for fast shipping to of course, who wants to wait when they buy the MacDaddy of all fitness watches?).
I know, I know. I really shouldn't buy something that expensive. But I'm excited that I will have something so AWESOME for all three triathlon sports. I will be able to grow into the watch. And, I will actually be saving money in the long run (this is how I justify the purchase) because if bought a mid-range watch ($250) now, I would just sell it (ie-lose money on it) and buy the 910XT (or similar) within a year or so. So there. Don't judge.
It comes tomorrow. I don't think I will sleep tonight. :)
A purchase?
I've been wanting/lusting after a heart rate monitor or gps watch combination for awhile now. A long while. I always switch my mind back and forth between just a simple heart rate monitor, like a Polar watch, or something with gps/hrm in one, like a Garmin watch. Pros for a Polar watch is that it would be less expensive and I could still just use the MapMyRide app on my iPhone for distance/pace info. Pro for a Garmin is that it is all in one (this really counts as like 13839183 pros since I love, love, love anything convenient). Cons for a Garmin, is that I knew if I went with a mid-range watch, it would still be pricey ($250) and I would still want a watch with a GPS function that worked in the water.
So as I was researching my options online and reading reviews the other night, of course I came across the MacDaddy (do people ever say that anymore?) of Garmin GPS watches. Enter the Garmin Forerunner 910XT, found on the Best Buy website. Of which I have a credit card for. That is currently paid off. That I can get no interest on for 18 months.
Of course I added that little beauty to my cart and happily paid (for fast shipping to of course, who wants to wait when they buy the MacDaddy of all fitness watches?).
I know, I know. I really shouldn't buy something that expensive. But I'm excited that I will have something so AWESOME for all three triathlon sports. I will be able to grow into the watch. And, I will actually be saving money in the long run (this is how I justify the purchase) because if bought a mid-range watch ($250) now, I would just sell it (ie-lose money on it) and buy the 910XT (or similar) within a year or so. So there. Don't judge.
It comes tomorrow. I don't think I will sleep tonight. :)
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Mind Games
Today I did my first ever hour long run. 60 minutes. Of running (with a little walking). Of sweating. Of praying to God that I wouldn't collapse. Of hoping that it wouldn't start randomly raining (hello, this IS Michigan we're talking about). And you know what? I succeeded.
This was a big hurdle for me to cross. The longest run I've ever done was 4 miles/48 minutes. For me, the thought of running for 60 minutes seemed so daunting and like such a long time. And then, on the flip side, I realized that it's only 12 minutes longer than what I've ran before. 12 minutes. That's half of a sitcom on TV. I realized that I needed to just get over the "mental" part of it and I would be able to do it no problem.
I slept in this morning, ate my breakfast of peanut butter and toast and coffee and just chilled on the couch for awhile. I felt pretty gooddespite eating a whole box of Cheeze-It Snack Mix last night, oops! and knew I just needed to get it over with before it started raining or it got really hot. So I put on my running clothes and geared up with an energy gel and my water bottle. I made sure to use the water bottle I got at the Grand Haven Triathlon so that anyone who passed me would know that I am hardcore. ;)
My half marathon training plan said to do four repeats of 3 minutes walking, 12 minutes steady running. This seemed very doable to me once I got my mind wrapped around the whole 60 minute thing. My goal was #1- to follow the plan exactly (ie-no extra walk breaks) and #2- to average a 12:00 min/mile pace. I had mapped out a 5 mile route the night before so I wouldn't be running in circles around my neighborhood (boring).
I started out and felt good. The first running interval was great. I had a good rhythm going and was happy to just sing along to my music. During the second interval (it was a little hilly-er)(I have such great English skills), I had to play some mind games with myself to keep going. I went through the alphabet in my head and made myself think of a person's name for each letter. Twice. I've found that playing mind games like this takes up time and makes me focus on something other than wanting to stop running. The third interval was definitely the hardest. At one point I looked at the time thinking I had only 2 minutes left and still had over 5 minutes left! I pushed through and promised myself that if I did, and the fourth one was too hard, I would let myself stop running early. Well, once I got to the fourth interval I was on a stretch of road that I run all the time and knew I was close to home. I focused on a keeping nice, steady pace and just went for it. I never stopped early and finished my run with a great sense of pride and accomplishment.
I achieved both of my goals in this run! I followed the plan to a "T" and averaged a pace of 11:40 min/mile. This run made me really excited for my 10K run coming up in 2 weeks. My goal for the race is to not have to stop to walk and to finish in 70 minutes. And of course, I am excited for my half marathon too...7 weeks to go!
This was a big hurdle for me to cross. The longest run I've ever done was 4 miles/48 minutes. For me, the thought of running for 60 minutes seemed so daunting and like such a long time. And then, on the flip side, I realized that it's only 12 minutes longer than what I've ran before. 12 minutes. That's half of a sitcom on TV. I realized that I needed to just get over the "mental" part of it and I would be able to do it no problem.
I slept in this morning, ate my breakfast of peanut butter and toast and coffee and just chilled on the couch for awhile. I felt pretty good
 |
| That's right- I did a triathlon and have a water bottle to prove it = I am hardcore. |
I started out and felt good. The first running interval was great. I had a good rhythm going and was happy to just sing along to my music. During the second interval (it was a little hilly-er)(I have such great English skills), I had to play some mind games with myself to keep going. I went through the alphabet in my head and made myself think of a person's name for each letter. Twice. I've found that playing mind games like this takes up time and makes me focus on something other than wanting to stop running. The third interval was definitely the hardest. At one point I looked at the time thinking I had only 2 minutes left and still had over 5 minutes left! I pushed through and promised myself that if I did, and the fourth one was too hard, I would let myself stop running early. Well, once I got to the fourth interval I was on a stretch of road that I run all the time and knew I was close to home. I focused on a keeping nice, steady pace and just went for it. I never stopped early and finished my run with a great sense of pride and accomplishment.
I achieved both of my goals in this run! I followed the plan to a "T" and averaged a pace of 11:40 min/mile. This run made me really excited for my 10K run coming up in 2 weeks. My goal for the race is to not have to stop to walk and to finish in 70 minutes. And of course, I am excited for my half marathon too...7 weeks to go!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Race Report: Girl's Best Friend Triathlon
Ah! This was such a great race, I'm so excited to tell you about it! The Girl's Best Friend Triathlon is put on by 3 Disciplines Racing. This was my first 3D event and I only have wonderful things to say about them! Everyone was so friendly and helpful, and they really knew what they were doing. The event was well organized, and they did a great job keeping participants updated leading up to the event, and during the event. If you have the chance to do any 3D event, in the words of Nike, JUST DO IT!
First of all, I had such a great, normal week leading up to the race. I was on my normal schedule, and was able to stay on track (mostly!) eating healthy and not drinking (not even one drink!). Despite being crazy busy at work all week, my body felt great going into the race.
I woke up around 5:15, had a quick breakfast of overnight oats, put on my racing gear, and left for the race. The park was only about 20 minutes from my house so it was a quick drive. Since I got to the park so early I got a great parking spot (it sounds silly, but for my last race, I had to park really far away) and headed over to registration. Once I had all of my relevant information, I went and just hung out in my car for awhile since the race didn't start for another hour or so. About half an hour before transition closed I got my bike out and set up my area. After that, I headed down to the waterfront.
The lake for the swim was great. It was pretty warm and the water was clean. The swim start was in the water. I loved this because it eliminated the problem I had last time of wasting all my energy running into the water. I did much, much better in the swim portion this time. I was able to swim in proper form most of the time and even passed a few people! Coming out of the water I glanced at my watch and it said 11:04...I was happy with that!
The transition area was just a short run away from the water's edge and I made my way up there and onto my bike. I flew on the bike course. It was flat as a pancake and awesome. I also had some extra motivation. Another competitor in my age range and I played cat and mouse the whole time on the bike. I'd pass her, a few minutes later, she'd pass me, and so on and so on. It really encouraged me to work hard and go as fast as I could!
Once back in transition I switched my shoes and was off for the run. I was looking forward to the run since I've been doing more running for my half marathon training. Well, I bonked the race because of the run. It was mostly trail running (ew) and had a lot of short, steep hills (double ew). There really isn't much to say about the run, so this paragraph is over.
Anyways, I was so happy to cross the finish line! My official finish time was 1:34:11. My goal was 1:30, so I wasn't too far off. There were some great post-race snacks after the race, so I stuck around for a bit and enjoyed those. :) They posted some of the times while I was still at the race. I was VERY HAPPY with my swim and bike times compared to others. Out of 196 participants, my swim time was 36th and my bike time was 38th. Not too shabby at all for my second tri!
Official race results were posted later in the evening and I was excited to see those. Everything was listed just in order of finish, as opposed to age groups. So it was all one big list, like this:
So, being the nerd that I am, I made myself a separate Excel file with just the people in my age group so I could easily compare. Here come some numbers, so get ready...out of 11 girls in my age group, I finished 5th overall. My swim time and bike time were each the 2nd fastest. My run time was the 8th fastest. In the overall race, I was 89 out of 196. High five for this chica!
While reflecting on the race, I am sad the triathlon season is over for me this year. I did so well in the first two sports, I just want the chance to do well in the run again and have a blowout race overall! Running is definitely my weakest area when it comes to the sport of triathlon and I plan on devoting a lot of time to improving during thewinter off season.
First of all, I had such a great, normal week leading up to the race. I was on my normal schedule, and was able to stay on track (mostly!) eating healthy and not drinking (not even one drink!). Despite being crazy busy at work all week, my body felt great going into the race.
I woke up around 5:15, had a quick breakfast of overnight oats, put on my racing gear, and left for the race. The park was only about 20 minutes from my house so it was a quick drive. Since I got to the park so early I got a great parking spot (it sounds silly, but for my last race, I had to park really far away) and headed over to registration. Once I had all of my relevant information, I went and just hung out in my car for awhile since the race didn't start for another hour or so. About half an hour before transition closed I got my bike out and set up my area. After that, I headed down to the waterfront.
 |
| Transition Area |
The transition area was just a short run away from the water's edge and I made my way up there and onto my bike. I flew on the bike course. It was flat as a pancake and awesome. I also had some extra motivation. Another competitor in my age range and I played cat and mouse the whole time on the bike. I'd pass her, a few minutes later, she'd pass me, and so on and so on. It really encouraged me to work hard and go as fast as I could!
Once back in transition I switched my shoes and was off for the run. I was looking forward to the run since I've been doing more running for my half marathon training. Well, I bonked the race because of the run. It was mostly trail running (ew) and had a lot of short, steep hills (double ew). There really isn't much to say about the run, so this paragraph is over.
Anyways, I was so happy to cross the finish line! My official finish time was 1:34:11. My goal was 1:30, so I wasn't too far off. There were some great post-race snacks after the race, so I stuck around for a bit and enjoyed those. :) They posted some of the times while I was still at the race. I was VERY HAPPY with my swim and bike times compared to others. Out of 196 participants, my swim time was 36th and my bike time was 38th. Not too shabby at all for my second tri!
Official race results were posted later in the evening and I was excited to see those. Everything was listed just in order of finish, as opposed to age groups. So it was all one big list, like this:
So, being the nerd that I am, I made myself a separate Excel file with just the people in my age group so I could easily compare. Here come some numbers, so get ready...out of 11 girls in my age group, I finished 5th overall. My swim time and bike time were each the 2nd fastest. My run time was the 8th fastest. In the overall race, I was 89 out of 196. High five for this chica!
While reflecting on the race, I am sad the triathlon season is over for me this year. I did so well in the first two sports, I just want the chance to do well in the run again and have a blowout race overall! Running is definitely my weakest area when it comes to the sport of triathlon and I plan on devoting a lot of time to improving during the
Friday, August 17, 2012
Racing Spree
I went on a racing spending all my money on races spree last night and signed up for three events in the next three months. It was very overwhelming/exciting/inspiring all at the same time! The races are a sprint triathlon, 10K run, and the half marathon I had previously mentioned.
Up first is the sprint triathlon. It is only a little more than a week away...eek! I feel pretty confident going into the race even though I haven't been specifically training for it. I did a brick workout last weekend (13 mile bike ride, 3 mile run) and felt AWESOME when I finished. I was tired and felt like I had worked hard, but didn't feel as though I was going to pass out. That is always the best way to finish a workout. I also think that this course will be a lot easier than the Grand Haven triathlon and that will obviously help me do better. And, as much as it was nice to have vacation leading up to the triathlon earlier this summer, I didn't eat very healthy and I drank probably more than I should have. This time around, I will be on my regular schedule and it's always easier to be healthy when that is the case. I'm really looking forward to this triathlon and can't wait to crush it!
Up first is the sprint triathlon. It is only a little more than a week away...eek! I feel pretty confident going into the race even though I haven't been specifically training for it. I did a brick workout last weekend (13 mile bike ride, 3 mile run) and felt AWESOME when I finished. I was tired and felt like I had worked hard, but didn't feel as though I was going to pass out. That is always the best way to finish a workout. I also think that this course will be a lot easier than the Grand Haven triathlon and that will obviously help me do better. And, as much as it was nice to have vacation leading up to the triathlon earlier this summer, I didn't eat very healthy and I drank probably more than I should have. This time around, I will be on my regular schedule and it's always easier to be healthy when that is the case. I'm really looking forward to this triathlon and can't wait to crush it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)