Tri Training: Cylcing PR

Hit the road on the bike today!  First time without kid baggage in awhile.  I must say, I am always amazed how "easy" it is ride when you are not pulling anything!  I had a little of a time constraint, nap time and the hubs was home early waiting to get his work out in as well.  So I hit it and wow, did it feel good. 

It was my longest ride to date at almost 8.5 miles.  I know it would have been faster than the 36 minutes I logged it in, but I had a lot of side of the road riding because of the route I chose, which definitely slowed me down.  I was shocked when my speed was consisitently announced as 15-19 mph, and I distinctly remember a 23mph split.

http://runkeeper.com/user/clyoungsey/activity/41318860

My experience with Jeff Galloway's Run Walk Program

OK, so a wonderful book sent me to check out Jeff Galloway's Run Walk Training Program.  Completely trusting the gals at Run Like A Mother, I googled, found it and went for it.  The philosophy behind it is that if you run and then walk for an interval you will in the long run, run faster and with less injury.  As I am currently training for a second half marathon and I got injured during training for the first, I was very open to sugestions.

Everyone who uses it will have a specific ratio based on their pace.  (See chart below)  When I run solo (no jog stroller) I typically am in the low 10's high 9's minute miles.  So when I run solo, I did the 4:1 ratio.  When I ran with the stoller, I did 3:1 (but 2:30 to 1 might be better)

Run-walk-run ratio should correspond to the training pace used:
8 min/mi—run 4 min/walk 35 seconds
9 min/mi— 4 min run-1 min walk (my solo ratio)10 min/mi—-3:1
11 min/mi—2:30-1 (my stroller ratio)12 min/mi—-2:1
13 min/mi—-1:1
14 min/mi—30 sec run/30 sec walk
15 min/mi—30 sec/45 sec
16 min/mi—30 sec/60 sec

How I felt:  The run segments felt much stronger and faster than straight running.  Think about it, anyone can run for 3-4 minutes; especially when you know that you will be walking for a full minute to recoop.  It changes your mindset and I found that I pushed myself harder for the 3-4 minutes and was able to recover and hydrate during the walk interval  And I didn't poop out at the end.

Runkeeper says:  Overall, my average time per minute was 9:45, I have never ran 6 miles at that pace.   Some of my fast running segments were around 8 minutes.   The runkeeper graph showed the intervals in segments representing what I felt:  first minute was fast and then progressively got a little slower toward segment 2-4.  The walk interval was only about 20 seconds slower than the run, so I mathematically I lost 1 minute and 20 seconds over the course of the run, but gained between 1-2 minutes per running segment because I was able to push myself knowing I got a break.  So that is how I ended up faster in the long run.

It was hard to find another 6 mile solo run, because lately, most have been with the jog stroller.  But here was one from Feb, which I know was solo:

http://runkeeper.com/user/clyoungsey/activity/41271798

And this is the one from this past Sunday: 

http://runkeeper.com/user/clyoungsey/activity/40928725

As you can see (and part could be from me just getting faster from doing it more) I am about 2 minutes per mile faster.  And when I was done, I felt amazing.  There was no fatique until about mile 5.

Rhonda, "Slow Mother Runner" also tried this method and she was on the treadmill so she could set her pace.  Here is her report.

Hope that helps explain it a little better!

TR14: If it blows...hit the trail

The weather report this morning called for 15-25 mph winds from the west.  The west is a flat field that offers NO wind protection whatsoever.  We dropped Greyson off at pre-school and then hit the trail in the 'burg.  It was sooooooo much calmer than at our house, as it is surrounded by trees. 

I adapted the JG run/walk method to the stroller, with a 3:1 ratio, which is pushing it a little, it is hard, especially in 15 mph winds!  As you can see, it really is pictureseque!

We parked at the local grocery store and ran to the trail and hit it.  It is about a 4.5 mile trek.

Here is the trail route:  http://runkeeper.com/user/clyoungsey/activity/41216629

I did forget to mention, this was yet another therapuetic run.  I had insomnia last night, was actually awake and online when the mommy of a very special boy posted that he earned his angel wings, after that...no sleep.  I ran because I was emotionally spent, so as we said in Evansville, "running is my therapy" ;)

TR13: Jeff Galloway, I may love you

Ok, so today, I set out for my first 6 mile run in I don't know how long.  Actually, I can say the last 6 mile run I ran was sometime in March.  Yes, I ran longer than that closer to now, but 6 miles, was in March.  Today, I did the Jeff Galloway run/walk training method, based on a 9:30-10 minute mile.  That put me at a 4 minute to 1 minute ratio of walking to running.  I did six miles in less than an hour and I am pretty stoked about that, as is my hubby who watched the kiddos while I ran!

I did a 4:1 ratio, which means I ran 4 minutes, walked 1.  The time I ran, I felt stronger and faster than I have before.  The walk break re-energized me and I honestly didn't feel any real fatique set in until after mile 5.  I have to say that is amazing.  I looked uo my times, the last time I ran a 6 mile was in March and now I am 10 minutes faster, which is about a 9:44 minute pace, which again is just way faster than my times in March AND when I was done, I felt AMAZING!  I just may LOVE this man...

Here is my new 6 mile route, that I may never do again....http://runkeeper.com/user/clyoungsey/activity/40928725

That pitbull on the invisible chain scared the crap out of me at about mile 2; I swore he was going to break the chain and get me...I LOVED the route, hated the dog.

TR13....will happen ????

One of these days....I will get to run when I want to.  Not when the kids want me to, not when the hubs want me to, but when I want to.  I am not sure if I will run tonight, which would be the best case scenario for wanting to have a glass of wine, but hot as heck.  Or tomorrow, where there is a chance of rain and 78% humidity.  I think tonight I have a better chance of a solo run...so we will see.

I have it all planned out:


http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/38755952

six miles....

TR12: I did not want to run

I have a two-year old.  He is technically supposed to be 22 months (thank prematurity) but however old he is, he is getting terrible.  He is soooooooooooooooooo busy I cannot keep up with his naughtiness at times.  So today, the day after my mini sprint, I DID NOT WANT to run.  But I HAD to run.  I needed a shot of the street legal high that makes being a mommy easier.  So, I got my almost 3 in while sweating my ass off in 20 mph winds that wouldn't even let the jog stroller's canopy stay down.  (Running into those on the way home...ugh.)

But when I was done, I felt better and even rehydrated with water (and a glass...or two...of wine)  Mommy all better.

TR11: 3 in a mini sprint tri session

Today, I upped the brick to a mini tri, backwards like.  I ran 3, biked 8.5 and then swam 500m.  I burned a buttload of calories and felt really accomplished when I got it done.  Here is the lowdown.

I had a sitter so I could actually take the hour plus it took to do all of it.  It was all inside, so it would be what you call "ideal" conditions.

I began with 3 miles on the mill.  I ran at about 6 to 6.5mph, got my 3 miles in for half training and the amount of running most sprint tris would require in.

I then jumped on the spin bike, set it on hills plus, so that it wouldn't be just flat race.  I managed to get 8.5 miles in in 30 minutes.  By this time I was sweating at hog status.

So, when I got in the pool, the water felt AMAZING...I swam in the endless pool for 20 minutes.  17.4 minutes is supposed to be .28 miles, so I was a little over a 1/4 of a mile.

I got done and was spent...totally burned off the peanut m&m's I had chowed down for energy!

No cool routes to post since it was all inside...

TR10: HOT (deception, like Rhonda said)

Who would think 68* feels hot?  Me.  When running 5 miles, pushing a jog stoller...yep.  Hot.  Not sure if it was the humidity or the sun or that I may just be a wimp, but it felt hot. 

A few days ago I read Rhonda's blog and she mentioned the trickery of the humidity.  How the temp guage looks doable, but the humidity can be cut with a knife.  I have to think that this was the story this morning.  I headed out before 8 and was done a little after 9am, normally, at this hour weather is acceptable.

I am just glad I got it done.  It has been awhile since I ran 5 miles and I really needed to get it done.

http://runkeeper.com/user/clyoungsey/activity/39915878

Tri Training: Resistance Training

When the pedi tells you your 5 year old weighs 40lbs and is in the 25% for weight, you think, wow, that's pretty light....that is until he is in the trailer on your bike (along with the chunk-a-munk 2 year old)  Holy hell, that was hard.  I have been blessed to bike solo or only with Gunner in the trailer lately.  The two of them about killed me.

But, I got in 4 miles despite the HEAVY load that I was carrying.  It was slow, but I know that I am much faster alone, so I consider this resistance training.  Or dead weight :)

http://runkeeper.com/user/clyoungsey/activity/39754560

TR9: On the road again....

Tonight I hit the road, first time since the cold and the partied out weekend.  It felt good to run, but didn't have the time or stamina for the full four respiratory wise.  Not to mention on the days I work, I just don't eat enough to have the fuel to run at night. I feel out of energy and pushing a jog stroller didn't help. 

I also blew through the first mile and then had to run back...both ways in 12 mph winds.  Don't get me wrong, it felt good, but a jog stroller is kinda like a sailboat, catching wind and pushing me in the wrong direction.  Occasionally, on the way back the WNW would shift and let me feel more N than W,which gave me a little push, but for the most part it was much more W than N, which hampered my progress both ways.

So, was this run perfect or "great" no.  But was it forward motion in a faster pace than a walk...yep.

http://runkeeper.com/user/clyoungsey/activity/39714345

TR/W8: All my respiratory system could take

After crapping out on Monday, doing nothing due to nastiness of health and feeling slightly better today, I  decided to "speed walk" my miles as opposed to running them.  I could barely breathe to sit on the couch, much less run, so I thought that was a wise idea.

Gunner and I headed out into the perfect weather...low 70's with a nice breeze and some sun!  I managed to walk my 3 miles in 44 minutes, so that put me at less than 15 minute miles.  Nothing that I would be proud of it I was running, but walking...at about 4+ mph, not bad.  I was literally doing the math...thinking, if I can walk this fast, I better step up the running.

http://runkeeper.com/user/clyoungsey/activity/39442797

TE7: Any way you can get it in...

Apparently, Murphy has decided after raining on Rhonda's parade for the better part of a week, he might pay me a visit.  I have had a hell of an allergy season, haven't ever had to be this medicated to just function.  But now, on top of the allergy hell that I am living in, I have acquired a sore throat, congested ears and overall nasty summer cold.  Bites.

Thus, my 5 mile run that I planned became a 50 minute elliptical session.  I made it through it, but I am paying the price today. I am taking it easy, hoping to recoop and be ready to put some miles on the pavement tomorrow.

TR6: Tried for 4, Rained out...

I was inwardly cheering, "Yeah!  We beat the 60% chance of rain" until the last .5 miles...then little buckeroo and I got wet.  So we cut it a little bit short.  It was perfect running weather, 66* and overcast.  The 10 mph wind wasn't bad because of the route I chose, but it could have been a bear if I had went the straight, flat route right from my house that is my go to if in a hurry route.  I chose the more senic and shielded by trees route and it paid off with the wind!

The run with the stroller and wind felt good.  I think I am getting back into the groove!

http://runkeeper.com/user/clyoungsey/activity/38757472

TR5: 25/15

That's 25 minutes running (a little over 2 miles) and 15 minutes swimming. The endless pool took a bit to get used to, but I think I got it now. I think it simulates lake swimming more than a regular pool does. I have no idea how to gauge how I did, but I didn't drown. I swam 15 minutes at 300-400psi, which is supposed to be .27 miles. I don't know what that means. All I know is that I didn't drown and when I googled, I was right:

SWIM TRAINING IN AN ENDLESS POOL is like swimming in open water – no turns, no shared lanes, no stopping. By eliminating turns you get a better understanding of your true open water endurance.
 So it should be harder than a "normal" pool and it initially felt that way. Took me a bit to get back far enough that I wasn't getting a nasal cleansing from being too close to the waves. I actually had to turn it up, because to 300psi was too slow. I kept catching the current.

Here is what it looks like...

Tri/Cross Training: Solo bike

Whoo Hoo, I got to ride my bike by myself, without 75lbs following me.  I actually think the unofficial "resistance training" is helping me build muscle and speed and making it easier when I am on my own.  I have noticed it in the runs and now in the bike.  I was right around 4 minute miles for 6 miles, which means I need to kick it up a knotch to about 12 miles and drop my time by about 1 minute per mile.  The good news, I felt as though I could have done more, so I probably should have, but as always, mommy only gets so much time.

http://runkeeper.com/user/clyoungsey/activity/38381734

Back on Track, First Brick Workout Tomorrow

I am putting it out there in cyberspace that I am committing to doing my first multisport workout tomorrow. I have been avoiding the pool like the plaque because a) it is diefferent and new b) I didn't have the equipment (which I am getting today) and c) had no time without kids (we won't even get into the undesireable view of me in a one-peice suit). Tomorrow, the trifecta of excuses is done-so. I will have the time, equipment AND now accountability so I will do it.

I am planning a 3 mile run followed by a swim session in the endless pools at the college. Now that I have publicly announced that, I have to do it. Today, I start the insanity of getting the house ready for the dual birthday parties we will be doing on Saturday. I forsee me doing enough house/yard work to be equivilent to running a half-marathon calorie wise!

TR4: Virtual Insanity 5K: Race one, Therapy

I planned on running this morning early to avoid heat and it is my little man's big day, he is TWO!!  Today he woke me up at 5:50, a half hour earlier than normal, when I planned on taking him for a birthday run...but he sweetly fell back asleep until 7:00am, which allowed Mommy a solitary run, that I needed so bad.

The time resonated with me, reminding me why I started running (a MOD benefitting race) and also as the time I would wake up in the morning at the hospital for a blood draw, morning monitoring, and attempting to get a clean catch of amniotic fluid to determine the maturity of his lungs.  He was born at 5:05pm so the numbers were significant as well.  We all fondly remember the birth of our children, but when you have a preemie, it is a bittersweet memory plagued with PTSD type memories of the whole situation.

I had been on bedrest for six weeks at the hospital when he was born by emergency c-section, about an hour after I noticed it wasn't just amniotic fluid I was leaking, it was blood.  So today, I am reminded of the mantra and slogan Rhonda came up with, "the NICU made me crazy, Running is my therapy"  And I really needed some therapy this morning on the bittersweet day of his birth.

Not to mention, I had a PR.  34 minutes for 3.8 miles, which put me at under 9 minutes for each mile.  But as I said, today was about therapy and mental cleansing, not time.

http://runkeeper.com/user/clyoungsey/activity/38194846

TR3: For Kennedy

My sweet neice has been involved in Girls on the Run through her school. She has made such progress and is loosing baby fat like crazy! I am soo proud of her. I found out about this in March, and secretly planned on running it with her. I bought us matching GOTR bondi bands and was totally psyched. It was initially scheduled for the 26th of May, which ended in cancellation as it stormed.

We were all set to go on the 2nd, when Kennedy got a nasty stomach bug that put her out of the race. How sweet is this girl? The only thing she was worried about was disappointing me. So tonight, I ran for Kennedy.

http://runkeeper.com/user/clyoungsey/activity/38272444

TR2: Road to Redemption

So the highlight of my memorial day weekend was having some other parents over after the storm and eating and drinking more than I should have. It was a lot of fun.  Today, it wasn't that much fun.  Thinking I could just get back on the horse and go, was a mistake.  I huffed, puffed and walked some of the 3 miles I did.  It was hell. 

It was about 85*, humid as can be, my allergies were out of control (which they still are...nothing is touching them), I had Gunner, so I had to push the jog stroller, and to top it off, the wind was gusting (warm but strong).  It wouldn't have been so bad if I wasn't a) dehydrated from alcohol and coffee and b) bloated from good tasting, but crappy for you food.  I was a HOT MESS.

But I think I needed that.  I needed to know you can't just put crap into your body and not get crap out.  That is exactly what I got out...crap.  3.1 miles in 37 minutes and it isn't even so much about the time.  It just was NOT pretty.  So if you saw my last post, you know why, I am on the road to redemption.

TR 1: Confessions of an Avoider

I have not been avoiding blogging because I haven't been exercising, although that is my normal MO.  If I don't do it, I don't write about it, think about it or talk about it.  I just don't do it and avoid it.  But honestly, I haven't missed a workout since I can remember or had a day off since I can remember.  That means on the exercise front, I am doing great.  I have ran, biked, rollerbladed or hit the elliptical for the last 3 weeks daily.

Those three weeks are important, because that is the time I have had off from work.  I have had time to exercise, but no real time for me.  I am home with the guys everyday, minus one day a week, and it is hard.  How a SAHM does it, I don't know.  They are busy, don't want to take naps, and are at the same time the loves of my life.  But the change from working mom to home mom has been hard.  During those three weeks, I have been eating and drinking as though I am burning about 1000 calories a day, when realistically, it's more like 300-500.  When Brian gets home I usually have a glass of wine and because I don't have to go to work the next day, will continue to do that.  So I am basically drinking or eating more calories than I am burning and I am steadily gaining weight.

WHEW...there went the confession.  I am getting heavier instead of lighter, despite all this exercise...and it pisses me off.  Thus, the avoidance.  Welcome, diet overhaul week.  I am doing a modified SB diet with more healthy carbs on running days.  Cutting alcohol for a week or two and keeping up with the butt load of exercise I am doing.  Especially since the endorphin rush reduces stress, which plenty abounds when I am home with rambuncious boys!  It is my only free moment of the day.

So wish me luck...and expect to hear from me now!