TR....kinda

As I mentioned, I am going light on distance until after next weekend.  I would have loved to do more today, but I know I have a heavy training session in for me tomorrow....mini tri.  So I will be swimming, biking and running.  But even typing this, I feel guilty :)

It felt to get out early and get my run in alone.  I needed the coffee and the endorphins to handle the day :)

http://runkeeper.com/user/clyoungsey/activity/45470212

TR23: wimpy run (mommy duty calls)

As I said, I am really trying to focus on swimming for the tri, I figure not drowning IS important.  But peer pressure strikes again.  It was a ver legitimate question...Heather, one of my virtual running pals who is coming to Holland to do the Park2Park Half Marathon with Rhonda and I in September, asked how my runs were going this week.  I looked, it was Wed and I hadn't ran yet.  Swam, yes..lots.  Biked, yep...that too.  Running...nada.

So, I did my extra time after Hydration Hustle and ran after getting my swim in today.  It was only 2.5 miles, but I got it in.  I would have done more, but I had to pick up the boys from day care.

http://runkeeper.com/user/clyoungsey/activity/45342714

TR22: Hydration Hustle Virtual 5k

As time doesn't matter on this one, I invited a mommy gal pal who wants to get into running join me.  Like me, she struggles to find the time to do so.  We have 4 kids between us...a gorgeous day and a zoo with a 5k course.  Can you say perfect?  And FUN!?!?

We set out, took our time, visited exhibits, hauled butt to Africa (an exhibit that has a 1.5 mile walking or in our case running path with a huge hill in it)  She did great, the kids had fun and we got our 5k in in under an hour.  As she hasn't run in forever, or ever, not sure which is the case, we did kind of a couch to 5k style workout!

This was supposed to be my day "off" from training.  We did the zoo and then I took the kids for ice cream and the park.  As I was feeling guilty about the ice cream AND a little puppy was missing, the boys and I went on a 1.5 mile dog searching mission, so I got an additonal little run in :)

Momma freaks out

I am suspending the long runs for the half until I am done with the tri next weekend.  I am just very anxious about the swim portion and I need to focus on one thing.

When momma gets freaked, she gets busy.  Freaked pretty much describes how I am feeling about the swim portion of the tri.  The pool, I can handle; the lake is freaking me out.  How else can you explain how I can swim for 25 nonstop minutes in a pool and feel out of breath and freaked about the water in the lake?  I would say it is just easier, but I am using an endless resistance pool that is pushing water in my face continuously.  People freak me out, as do weeds, and of course the not being able to touch.

I have practiced swimming daily for the last three days and I am hitting the pool or lake again tomorrow.  Yesterday, I had an awesome pool workout and Monday was a nice 10 mile bike ride, down to the lake and back, where I struggled thru 750 yds of swimming.  I am guessing I will be in the water, during the tri, about 20 minutes unless I get an adrenaline rush or freak out. :)

Tri Panic Attack

Rhonda reminded me, I have 2 weeks till I become a triathelete.  This is both exciting and nerve-wrecking at the same time.  I actually had a moment of panic/anxiety the other night.

But, today, I had a little bit of an epiphany.  While struggling thru a swim session, I have to hold on to Teri's quote: 

"this is me, not caring"

I think that quote is my new mantra.  Hell, I ran in short shorts and a sports bra in heat induced craziness on Thursday, I am owning it.

Why?  I will be swimming literally over my head against much faster/skilled swimmers.  I have no doubt I can

do the distance, but it will not be pretty.  I will be thinking,  "this is me, not caring" as I side stroke, breast stroke and back stroke if I have to those last 150 yards...

And...  I will be smiling as I roll thru the bike section (because the swim is done) AND thinking, "this is me, not caring" on my 10 year old mountain bike (with knobby tires) may actually be better suited for the delightful road conditions that we will encounter.  This pic is not an exaggeration of the road quality:

And I may even really get into the "this is me, not caring" mantra if I am spent at that point and I run ala JG style, with a run walk style.

With my half marathon, the goal was finish.  I am thinking that this first tri, the goal is similar!

TR21: Effin Hot

Work blew, needed to run, was scheduled to run.  So, at 4 pm, on the hottest day to record of the year, I ran.  It wasn't pretty, lost my breath pretty much, but I did it.  I felt better, but it took me about an hour, even after a cold shower, I was still sweating.  2.5 miles of hell.

TR20: WTF was I thinking?

This morning I made the mistake of running when it is good for others, not me.  I was supposed to do 8 miles.  There was no way in hell (as in that is how hot it was) that I could do that.  I was hoping to make 5, but, OMG.  I seriously had to walk to prevent from passing out/getting sick.  I ended up walking more than running in the end.

When I left the house, I swear the temp on my phone said it was 71*, when I got back, some 48 minutes later, it was 84*.  It was just plain awful.  I looked it up...not only was it 84*, but it was also 87% humidity...ugh.

TR19: Hot Three...

Today, I took advantage of the offer of a child-free run from Mom.  It was great.  Of course, it was later than I normally would have went, which of course made it hotter, but still got it done.  Followed by 15 minutes of lap swimming.

So I have a few observations from my run today:

Despite the fact it said 71* running at 12:40 is not for me.  Holy hotness. 

Athens, a small (redneck/hillbilly infested) blinker town, has no GPS signal (missing sections of my map showed me this)

I run so I can look like something a redneck/hillbilly might want to say "G Damn" to...yes, I guess he liked my Cw-X... lol  Only in small town USA would a shirtless dude working on a roof cat call loud enough that said small town can hear it....all over the town!

My runkeeper app went in and out so many times, it shows 3 separate entries on my activities page.  So I had to manually map it...here it is:

http://runkeeper.com/user/clyoungsey/activity/43226437

Note:  Corner of North B Ave and E Mill - catcall location

TR18: Back to Back Virtual 5ks (plus .8 miles) or a 7 miler, you pick!

I signed up for two 4th of July Virtual 5k's and I was so sore from my 5 mile run that I really didn't get into it until today...and what the hell, when you have 7 miles to do, that is at least two 5ks!!

Ok, so I got up EARLY this morning...left the house before 7am as we had family zoo plans today.  I was blessed that my hubby got up early too, so he watched the guys while I ran.  I have never been happy to be snubbed by my kiddos till today...when the little guy refused a stroller ride with mommy.  A solo run, the first since last week...made me smile!

First 5k:  I started out for a routine training run, 7 miles.  Doing my now standard JG program.  I had used mapmyrun to plan exactly where my first should end as well as my second would end.  When I hit the end of the first, the Freedom 5K sponsored by Running Mate, I paused my running app and looked.  Holy hell, 27:12.  For me that is HUGE.  I ran my fist 5k in May.  I finished at 31:01.  After that, the fastest I got was 29 and some change.  So, PR baby!

Second 5k:  After celebrating, dropping an F bomb and starting running again, I began my second 5k, The Independence 5k at 28:00 into the run, hosted by Let's Move it Mommas.  I tracked my run, all going great until about 6 miles into the run when I noticed my middle toe on my right foot throbbing like a new blister was forming.  UGH, why?  So after my super strong first 5k, my second was rather uneventful, with a 30:27.

But how many folks can say, "I ran two 5ks in one day"?  ME!  :)

It was a great run.  Jeff Galloway is rocking my times faster and faster...and I love his technique.  The overall time was 1:04, which I am stoked about.  I maintained my 5k/5mile time for 7 miles and that is awesome!

http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/40641580

TR17: Just not feeling it

Yesterday, I ran my 3 miles (should have been 4) but I couldn't get my head into it.  It was the first day running since my 5 mile race and the first day that I was feeling physically able to do it. My quads were so sore for two days there was no possible running.

I spent mile one cursing myself thinking "wow, this sucks", mile two thinking "when can this be done" and mile three thinking "I am probably mind f-ing myself by thinking all these negative thoughts".  It was pretty much ugly.

But the reason I have document the ugly along with the good is that even though I felt like it was a crappy run, I got the most supportive comments from other mommas who know how hard it is to just get a run in!

• "sounds like my run on Tuesday! Hoping for a better 4 miler today!"
• "At least you did it...good job!!"
• "This was totally me yesterday. So not interested. You will get back into it! Good job with the 3 mi! You inspire me to get back out there."

So I guess the moral of the srtory is, like I have heard a MRTT say "No matter how slow you run it is still faster than someone sitting on a couch. ..."

http://runkeeper.com/user/clyoungsey/activity/42319179

TR16: Firecracker 5 Miler

Just another training run...ummm, NOT.  That was the attitude that I had going into the race.  I was treating it as a training run.  I was going to use the JG program...even in a race.  I was going to do my own thing and have fun with it.  It's just a small town 4th of July tradition...when I looked around there were another almost 400 people around me, I realized, not just another training run!

I was a little intimidated because I was one of about 3 people that I saw with a hydration belt on...I said oh well, "I was going to do my own thing and have fun with it."  At mile 3 when I saw two guys, more avid runners than I, doubled over with medical attention, I was like, yep...glad I have it.  I was also intimidated because there were so many "obvious" runners.  I don't really look like a runner.  But it was good.  Doing my own thing.

Here is the route:

http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=125868

They had timers at mile 2, 3, and 4.  Mile 2 split 18:something, Mile 3 medical emergency, Mile 4 38: something, Mile 5, finish 48:47 chip time (49:37 with starting lag).

As I said I used the JG plan.  Seeing it in a race made me see the value of it.  I explained it to my husband as this:  "with it, I beat "faster" runners."  I would pass them, they would pass me on the walk and this went on about 2-3 times (12 minutes) then they never passed me back.  I was able to pace my runs with men, who typically run faster than women.  I was able to run at fastest part of my runs 7.5+ mph at the slowest 6.5ish.  Both of these are faster than when I run 5 miles straight.  I usually average 6.2mph on a 5 mile run.

Was I the fastest out there?  Nope, but when I crossed the finish line and saw a sub 50:00 I was STOKED!  I literally came around the corner where I could first see it and said "holy crap"

268   312 Christi Young           36   F Vicksburg       MI   49:37   48:47  9:46

On other notes, I am sore as hell, my quads are screaming at me :)

TR15: Brought to you by Fla-Vor-Ice

This was probably one of the least relaxing runs I have had in awhile.  I had both boys with me, which not only means 75 lbs of dead weight in the jog stroller, but also the incessant chatter of a 5 year old with a bad sense of direction (which he gets from me).  He insisted that we were going away  from home, when we were on the way back.  Insisting in the form of crying, whining, and pouting.  Thank God that just about the time this began, I was hitting an endorphin rush.

It has been a long time since I have had 2 boys in the stroller, so I adjusted my JG ratio to a 2:30 min run to 1 min walk.  I ran just under 2.75 miles in under 28 minutes.  I ran/walked an under 9 minute mile the first mile!!!  So I am thinking that I swear by his method.

It averaged out to be about a 10:27 minute mile, which pushing a jog stroller with 75 lbs in it, it's good with me.  Not sure if it was the rush to escape the whining, trying to beat the impending storm (it was thrundering in the distance) or to get out of the 90% humidity....but I felt good and I know at one point in time I heard my speed announced at 7.2 mph (this was at the end when I was feeling drops)

The run was quiet for the first mile and for that, I would like to thank an unofficial sponsor, Fla-Vor-Ice popsicles...a perfect low sugar bribe to get my oldest into the stroller so I could run!


http://runkeeper.com/user/clyoungsey/activity/41521935