I Better Be Pregnant and Not Bloated

These are the things you tell yourself when you don't want to admit you have put on weight.

It wasn't until I received a phone call from one of my best friends that I got the inspiration to get on my bike trainer.  I had called Nicole earlier and left a message.  She couldn't answer her phone at 8:30pm because she was RUNNING on her treadmill!  WOW!  She is beginning her training to run her first 5K.  Inspiration runs both ways!  WOW - so proud of her!

As much as I was proud of Nicole, I was so pissed off at myself.  I was home the entire day - making excuses all day long, telling myself that I couldn't run outside because it was raining too hard.  That I was going to get on the treadmill shortly… and then it was getting too late, I would wait until AFTER dinner.  Nope.  It wasn't until I heard that Nicole got her workout in that I got my butt in gear.  I turned on Idol and biked for an hour and I feel good.  I'm sweating like a pig and my crotch is numb, but at 10:09pm my workout is done.  Biked for a full hour and training called for only 45!  Cha ching!

The moral is - get your workout done early in the day, but if you don't, if you have the time to watch TV, you have the time to work out - be it weights, jump rope, push up's - whatever, do it!  Do it now or people will be asking...when are you due?

Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming

This weekend I was surprised at how many people, okay only four, asked me how my training was going since I hadn't posted anything in my blog.  I was shocked that anyone was reading it, except for Death-Hills Janice who is my only official follower.  So I'm back.

Yes, I trained last week and as I tend to do, I write my blog in my head during my swimming, biking and running, but it just never seems to make it to my computer.  I swear my thoughts are really super inspiring while I'm training.  SUPER!  So tonight I will try to remember the thoughts racing through my head during today's swim, but first - last week!

Actually, I can't remember what I did last week except I went on meds for strep and I ran with Death Hills Janice, did a weights video with On Demand and finally got my butt on my bike!  Yea me!!!  I even figured out how to take the bike off my trainer and pump up my own tires!!!  Yes, that's right - I'm excited about my seemingly small accomplishment of pumping up my own tires, but as sexist as it sounds and is, I got married for the small benefit of never having to ever again pump up tires, pump gas, pump anything and there you go...So after a few attempts of totally deflating my tires, I figured out the tire values and I was good to go.

Ah the bike!  It's really pretty and I'm still very, very scared of the clip-less pedals.  Jack adjusted the pedals to the lowest setting and I've watched the You Tube video a million times "heal down and twist", but really I am just scared to death of falling into traffic and being run over by a car and dying.  So instead I rode my bike for the specified 45 minutes with my sneakers on top of the pedals.  I know it is inefficient.  I know I am stupid.  I don't want to hear it.  I'm just not ready.  I'm just plain scared to death.  And if you envision yourself falling you will fulfill the prophecy. 

Today began Week 4 of training - 20 min swim with weights.  I did 1/2 mile/36 laps in 25:38:81.  I will also have to swim on Friday and I will set a goal of 50 laps.  I know this training is just to "finish" but I don't feel that swimming only 20 minutes is going to prepare me for a 1.2 open water swim.  I personally would feel much better swimming the 81 laps/1.2miles each training swim.  Of course I'm making this statement dry, fully clothed and sitting on the couch.

I'm going to do weights now while watching Dancing with the Stars.  I'm also going to do push-ups and sit ups.  Watching the dancers and their sprayed tanned abs pisses me off and therefore good motivation.

As for inspiration, I don't have anything mindblowing to report.  Training is hard.  Getting motivated and staying motivated to actually do my training is tough.  It sucks ass no doubt about it.  Why am I doing this?  Because I KNOW I CAN!

Week 2 - getting motivated

I had technical difficulties with my post this week, loosing Tuesday’s post when uploading, so this post will detail the entire week of training.

This week was about getting motivated.  This is my third year of running the Walt Disney World Marathon (2^nd Goofy!!) and I normally have a tough time continuing training during February and March.  I normally sit on my ass and do nothing.  I tend to put on weight.  This year, my running group kept me more focused with planning a ½ Marathon the beginning of April, but other than that, I was over running.  I was bitching up the hills and really not wanting to find the will to get up and out of bed on the weekends.  That’s no fun.

So I needed motivation to get moving once again.  I do not weigh myself regularly, but I took out the scale and found that I had moved up from 134-136 to 142!!!  UGH!  I secretly knew this to be true, I have a muffin top hanging over my size 27 jeans - and don’t even think about breaking on the 26’s.  But I continue to pour myself into these pants, not because they feel good, but because I need to acknowledge the fact that I’ve fallen off the wagon. 

Worst to my self-esteem, I took out my bathing suits.  Enough said.

Monday – Day of Rest!!!!  Did nothing except sit on my butt (and went to work).

Tuesday – My training schedule for my first Half Ironman is designed just to finish and not for performance.  Training was supposed to be a 30 minute run, but I did weights with a 20 minute swim.  I actually did ½ mile swim in 26:17:11.  The pool had three lanes open and was full with 2 swimmers in each lane.  I’m not a “swimmer,” barely consider myself a “runner” so instead of jumping into the pool, I asked the lifeguard for the correct swimming etiquette on how best to approach the swimmer to join them in their lane.  He told me than there are two ways of swimming laps in a group – circle swimming or just staying on your side.   Circle swimming is when you swim in a circle, counterclockwise.   My lane-mate and I decided just to split the lane keeping on our side of the black line. 

A crowded pool is great practice for close, open water swimming.  I got kicked, hit and took in water a few times, but I was sure to return the favor!  I was supposed to do only 20 minutes, but ending up doing 36 laps or a half mile.  The Half Ironman’s swim is 1.2 miles and my goal is to leave the water in a hour of less.  It is going to be tight.

Wednesday – Switched yesterday’s swim with a run for today.  I met my running partner, Janice, and headed out for 6 miles.  It was a great run, but as we were running the skies began to darken and we could feel the cold-front coming.  At mile 4.5 the sky opened up and it started to pour!!!  Only 5 miles, but way more than the 30-minute training I was supposed to do.

Thursday – The training called for 45 minutes of bike.  I worked a 12 hour day and did absolutely nothing – although I did pack my gym bag.  Looser.

Friday – moved my run for Sunday to today.  The run was for 45 minutes and we did 6 miles!  Came home and napped!

Goal for the weekend is to get my bike off the trainer, pump up the tires and ride!

Day 2 - Didn't Want to Do it

I set the alarm for 5am today in hopes of getting up and going to the YMCA, but I also set the 2nd alarm for my normal wake up time...so you know what happened.  I didn't get up, but I'm proud to say that I did make it to the Y and swam my laps (between shifts at work)!  Yea!  Today's training was 20-minutes of swim and weights.  I did a 1/2 mile swim in 24 minutes (so slow - it's painful) and I'm watching IDOL and doing my weights now!  Trenair would be so proud of me.  Who says you don't have time to train?  Make the time.  You have it - all you need is the will.

Ironman Training Begins Today

I officially began Ironman training today.  I'm registered to "compete" in the 70.3 Ironman Providence on July 10, 2011.  This tri entails a 1.2 mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1 mile run.  Professional athletes will finish in around 4 hours.  I'm just hoping to finish alive and in the up-right position.  I'm actually preparing myself, and so is my husband, for the pain of my first Marathon.  I will cross the finish line.  It will not be pretty and I will be crawling and crying, but I will, because I know I can, because you always have the power if you want it bad enough.

Having just run the WDW Goofy Challenge in January, I have been burnt out from running since March and took a week off last week.  To psych myself up for the quest, I tried on all my bathing suits and skinny jeans.  I also stepped on the scale last week and I have gained 5 pounds of pure belly fat.  Today I start with a clean slate, a new positive attitude and brand new running shoes!!!

Just like my marathon training in 2008, I am going to embark on the triathlon journey alone.  I have purchased Tom Holland, "The 12-Week Triathlete - Train for a Triathlon in Just Three Months" and begun Half-Ironman Distance Program - Finish - today.  It was an easy day - just run for 30 minutes.  It did take all morning  for me to get motivated though, I didn't start out until after Regis & Kelly.  I also ran without my Garmin.  It has been sent back to Kansas to be fixed :-(.