Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Workout results 6/30


"The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender." - Vince Lombardi

Today was wonderful. It kept my workout this morning light but still managed to get a good burn in and I felt accomplished. After lunch I headed to the pool for a swim and was pleased to see my times where good even though I was not pushing it 100%. My slow or easy pace is far faster than my race pace just a few months ago. It is always nice to see improvements. It keeps me coming back day after day knowing that someday I will reach my goals if I keep pressing on!

Totals for the day -
Time - 88 mins
Calories burned - 1,018

Daily goals -
1. Drink 1 gallon of water - done
2. Take all vitamins and supplements - done
3. PT stretches/ foam roller - done
4. Stay within calorie range - done - 1,809 calories consumed
5. Ice my knee - done

Workout 1 - Short brick - Bike 8.37 mile ride/2 mile run followed by a slow 1/2 mile walk for my cool down.
Time - 55 mins total ( bike and run time - 46:55 mins)
Calories burned - 648

Bike time - 27.50 mins/ 18.0 mph avg speed
Run time - 19:05 mins/ 9.5 mm avg
Brick followed by a slow walk - .5 mile - 9:34 mins

Workout 2 - Swim 1,600 meters (1 mile)
Time - 32:95 mins
Calories burned - 370

Easy 800 m free - 16:43 mins
1.05 mins rest

Time trial 400 m free - 8:16 mins
46 seconds rest

200 m pull buoy - 4:20 mins
16 seconds rest

200 m cool down - 4:06 mins

Total swim time - 32:95 mins ( time with rest between sets - 35:43)

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Triathlon #3 results....


I did it!!! I have just completed 3 triathlons in 29 days! I am super proud that I reached my goal and finished each race strong. My race today was good, I did well but my run was very hard on me and it was not fun! I did manage however to land for the first time in the top 10, I placed 8th out of 44 women in my age group!! Though I was heart broken to see that I missed 7th place by 3 seconds, but I will discuss all of that later. All in all, I was happy with this as I thought my run would ruin any chance of this happening but my swim and bike proved to keep my placing high.

My overall results are as follows - 201/552
Overall age group rank - 8/44 YEA!!! I finally made the top 10!!!

Swim - 300 meters - 6:18 mins/ Age group rank for my swim - 10/44

I did ok on the swim, though it was not by best time (5:48 PR). I felt as if I was holding back for the first 2 laps. I need to work on improving my pace as well as work on distance training for my next race, but overall I am ok with my time for the swim. I need to get in the habit of training all out on the first 100 meters or so to get used to the feeling of racing. I usually stay steady until the end and then it is an all out sprint. My breathing was good but there is still much in this area I need to improve. My next race has an 400 m lake swim which is shorter than the 600 m lake swim from my triathlon back a couple of weeks ago but I was way too slow on that one so I need to work really hard over the next couple of weeks on my speed for this next race.

T1 - 1:22 mins - This needs to be faster, I was SUPER slow putting on my shoes and getting my gear ready for my bike.

Bike - 10 miles - 29:47 mins/avg speed - 20.1 mph/ Age group rank for my bike - 4/44 - YEA!!! I am super happy about this!

I was so excited about the bike! I held a strong pace and ended up 4th fastest in my age group! The first girl came in at 21.5 mph so I as not too far off. I need to push it harder and I really have to get comfortable so that I can use my aerobars in my races to help with my speed. I have used them in training but I am too scared as of now to use them in a race with other riders around. It just takes time I guess to feel totally comfortable using them. This is my favorite leg of the race by far. I held my speed strong the entire distance though getting on the bike with my shoes is something I need to work on. I ran in my cleats, then mounted on my bike and had some trouble getting into my clipless pedals. I was paranoid I was going to fall so I took my time getting on my bike, the problem is that all of this was counting against me, so it slowed my time down a bit. During my ride I met a man who passed me around mile 3 and so I decided that he would be my target guy....you know the person in front of you that you try and beat. We passed each other back and forth through the whole ride. At one point while passing him I told him what an inspiration he was and he replied..." Your fantastic on that bike and you are giving me a workout this morning young lady!" After the race he came up to introduce himself and I found out that he did the Ironman in 2007 at the age of 56!!! He was very kind in giving me some encouragement to keep pressing on towards my dreams! He said I have the genes for this sport! Oh that meant the world to me! So thank you to Bob, # 202 my cycling motivator!! I will always remember you!

T2 - 1:37 mins - Again, I need to speed things up, my transitions are far too slow.

Run - 3 miles - 30:48 mins/ 10:16 mm/ Age group rank for my run - 20/44

Oh where do I start....This run was terrible. The course was fine, but I just bonked BIG time. I started off strong at around an 8.5 mm and felt ok, then I just crashed. I felt very hot, my head started to pound and I had NO energy. I slowed down to an 11:30 pace and knew this run would be one I would NOT want to remember. I kept pressing on and DID NOT walk which I am proud of. My run averaged out to an decent pace but it was way slower than my goal and it cost me in my overall placing in my age group. My swim and bike times where faster than the girls who came in at #5,6 and 7 and as I said earlier I was only 3 seconds away from 7th place in my age group! 3 little seconds. If I just had pushed it harder I could have done it but I tried, God knows I gave it my all but it was just not my day.

Now I always believe that there are lessons to learn and we have to look on the bright side of things. So despite the run, I had a great race and I learned allot. I can see where I need to improve and how my training is paying off. I need to remember that this year was my chance to get back into this sport that I love so much after a long 17 years away. It was my chance to loose the rest of my weight and celebrate where I have come from. I also need to remember that it was not that long ago I was having pain in my knee and my running was limited. If I look at where I am compared to just 4 short months ago, I am amazed at how fast I am improving. 2009 for me is one of self discovery and reaching goals I have set for myself, and yet I find myself getting stronger each race and that gives me hope that someday I will be the triathlete that I know is inside of me somewhere. I remember sitting in Russia when I signed up for what would be my first triathlon in 17 years, I was scared wondering if I could do this again. I can now say that this experience has surpassed anything I could of dreamed of. And so now I press on towards my next race which is in 2 weeks. I am VERY excited about it because it is my first super sprint triathlon! Thank goodness for 2 mile runs! LOL It is a 400 meter lake swim, 11 mile bike and 2 mile run! YIPPIE!! So the training continues! This is going to be a great week as well because I am starting the training for my half marathon in October! I want to thank each of you for all your support and comments regarding my training! It means so very much to me!

Always remember to.....Imagine with all your mind. Believe with all your heart. Achieve with all your might!!!

Training Schedule for Week 1 of Denver Half Marathon Training!!

Monday - Rest!
Tuesday - Bike 11/ Run 2 mile, Swim 1,600 m
Wednesday - Bike 11 miles, Swim 800 m
Thursday - Swim 1,600 m, Bike 11 m/Run 2
Friday - Bike 11 miles, Swim 800 m
Saturday - Rest!
Sunday - 4 mile run/walk

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Workout results 6/25


“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.” - Flora Whittemore

I spent yesterday doing some things around the house as well as some yard work. This morning I headed out for my last brick before my race. My ride was good, despite all the stop signs I pulled a decent avg speed of 18.2 mph. I then headed off for my run, my first mile was fantastic then I started to slow down a bit. I ran a hard course for my 2 miles with most of the run on roads with steady inclines. I thought it was better to train hard so that the flat course on the race will feel like a breeze....hopefully, right? LOL! My second run for the day was far better than the first, again it was not my fastest 2 mile time but after my workout this morning I was proud that I gave it my all and pushed through! After I was finished with my second workout for the day I headed to the natatorium for my swim. It was a short one today, 500 m just what I needed so close to my race. I ended up having a PR for my 300 m time! I have improved so much over the past 2 weeks! I went from a PR of 6:07 mins to my time today of 5:48 mins!

Overall today was amazing! My run times where not my fastest but I am so happy to have been able to do my best today. After seeing the video I posted yesterday, hearing about various sad stories in the news and remembering my great uncle who just passed last week, I feel so blessed to be able to live another day! I think so many times we get so caught up in times, races, weight loss, goals etc.... we loose sight of the incredible opportunity we are given every day we are able to simply live. We are so busy with life that we forget that each breath is a gift, every run is a chance to use our legs that we are blessed with and very moment we have with those we love is something to cherish. I guess it is good to step back sometimes and look at life from a different angle.

Daily goals -
1. Drink 1 gallon of water - done
2. Take all vitamins and supplements - done
3. PT stretches/ foam roller - done
4. Stay within calorie range - done - 2,014 calories consumed
5. Ice my knee - done

Totals for today -
Time - 103 mins
Calories burned - 1,137

Workout 1 - Brick 10/2 -
Time - 52.32 Bike/Run and 18 mins of warm up, transition, cool down and post run yoga
Calories burned - 734

Bike - 10.05 miles - 33.04 mins/18.2 avg mph/25.1 max mph
Run - 2 miles - 19:28 mins/ 9.64 mm

Workout 2 - Run 2.01 miles - 8.7 mm
Time - 23 mins - 17.57 run time plus 5 min cool down and stretch
Calories burned - 261

Workout 3 - Swim 500 meters
Time - 9:63 mins
Calories burned - 142

100 m warm up - 2:07 mins
300 m time trial - 5:48 mins
100 m cool down - 2:08 mins

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

99 Balloons. How precious life is....

I watched this video this morning on the Today show and was moved so very much. I just wanted to share it with you. Every day we are blessed with is truly a gift from God!

Make it a great day!
Jen

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Workout results 6/23

This morning I felt pretty good starting off for my ride. By the time I started to run however, I felt sick and my stomach was cramping something fierce. I pressed through the first mile and pulled a 9:40 mm, not bad but it is still one minute slower than last week. By mile 2 I had to walk and did so all the way home with short burst of jogging in between. I only covered 2.1 miles and it was not fun, I just felt terrible. I know you have good days and bad but this was by far my worst run ever. My swim this afternoon went well, which felt good as I was down from my run this morning. I am enjoying swimming in the natatorium here which has a 50 m pool.

I am hoping to get in another run tonight once it cools down, if that is even possible! LOL! I will come back later to post those results. Despite my hard run this morning I am happy with my overall results from the day, I pressed on and worked hard, what more could I ask for!

Daily goals - All goals reached for the day!!!
1. Drink 1 gallon of water - done
2. Take all vitamins and supplements - done
3. PT stretches/ foam roller - done
4. Stay within calorie range - done 1,895 calories consumed
5. Ice my knee - done

Totals for the day -
Time - 89 mins
Calories burned - 1,002

Workout 1 - Bike/Run
Time - 71 mins
Calories burned - 801

Brick- Bike 11.57 miles/ 40.02 mins
AMPH- 17.3 mph MMPH- 24.8 mph
Run/walk - 2.10 miles 23.38 mins/ avg pace - 11.16 mm
Mile 1 - 9:40 mins
Mile 2 - 1.1 miles - 13:48 mins ( felt sick had to walk)
Total time includes, ride with stop signs, transitions, run/walk and cool down

Workout 2 - Swim Freestyle (900 meters - .56 mile) at the natatorium with 50 meter pool.
Time - 18.22 mins
Calories burned - 201

300 m free - 6:15 mins
5 x 100 m free - All negative splits - yippie!
2:13 mins
2:09 mins
2:05 mins
2:04 mins
1.57 mins
Cool down - 100 m free slow - 2:19 mins

Monday, June 22, 2009

The start of a new week!

I took this weekend off to rest as I have been struggling with pains since my fall. It "hit" me harder than I thought it would. Every day it is getting better but I need to rest as much as possible because of my race coming up. Today I am heading out for a swim and a light walk, then tonight I am going to do a yoga session. Hopefully this will ease my body into working out again and I can pull a good brick tomorrow.

Make it a great and successful week!

Daily goals - All goals completed!
1. Drink 1 gallon of water - done
2. Take all vitamins and supplements - done
3. Stretch with foam roller - done
4. Stay within calorie range - done - 1,637 calories consumed
5. Ice my knee - done

Totals for the day -
Time - 48 mins
Calories burned - 304

Workout 1 - Swim freestyle - 800 m
Time - 17.51 mins
Calories burned - 201

300 m free - 6.26 mins
100 m free - 2:05 mins
300 m pull buoy - 7:05 mins
100 m free - 2:15 mins

Workout 2 - 30 mins of yoga
Time - 30 mins
Calories burned - 103

Workout schedule for the week 6/22 - 6/28

Monday - Swim 800 m/ Yoga 30 mins - DONE!
Tuesday - Swim 800 m/Bike 10/ Run 2
Wednesday - Yoga 60 mins
Thursday - Swim 800 m/Bike 10/ Run 2
Friday - Swim 800 m easy/ Walk 45 mins
Saturday - light walk 30 mins
Sunday - RACE DAY!! TRIATHLON #3!!!!

Friday, June 19, 2009

Workout Results 6/19

I was able to do a short swim today. I figured it was better than sitting and getting stiff laying on the couch. It felt good to be out there, but my shoulder was hurting me a bit. I kept my swim steady and strong focusing on my stroke and breathing. I am hoping that after today's rest I will be good to go for tomorrows workout.

Thanks for all your comments regarding my fall yesterday. Your concern and support means a great deal to me!

Daily goals -

1. Drink 1 gallon of water - done
2. Take all vitamins and supplements - done
3. Stretch with foam roller - done
4. Stay within calorie range - will report back after dinner
5. Ice my knee - not yet

Totals for the day -
Time - 16.42 (with rest b/n sets)
Calories burned - 190

Easy swim - 725 yards ( .41 mile) - 13.41 mins
325 yards free - 6.19 mins
4 x 100 yards free
1. 2:08 mins
2. 2:02 mins
3. 1:56 mins
4. 1:56 mins

Taking it easy today, I am sore!

Well I guess after the adrenaline wore off I started to feel the effects of my fall yesterday. Last night I started to feel stiff and bruised along the side of my body. This morning it is worse so I am going to do the smart thing and take it easy today! If I feel better later today I may head out for walk and maybe a slow swim but nothing more than that.

As usual just because I am not hitting it hard with my workouts today I still have goals I want to reach. I really do feel that reaching these small goals that I set for each day add up over time! They are important and should not be overlooked!

1. Drink 1 gallon of water - done
2. Take all vitamins and supplements - done
3. Stretch with foam roller - not yet
4. Stay within calorie range - done
5. Ice my knee - done

Now I need to look forward to next week and what I want to accomplish! I have about one week until my race so I need to stay strong while tapering my workouts. I want to focus on swimming and getting in at least 3 more bricks. Here is my schedule for the next week......

Friday - recovery from fall ( slow walk/swim)
Saturday - Bike 30 mins slow/ walk - 30 mins post ride
Sunday - Bike 10/Run 3
Monday - Swim 3 x 300 m repeats/ Walk 45 mins
Tuesday - Swim 2 x 300 m/Bike 10/ Run 2
Wednesday - Yoga 60 mins
Thursday - Bike 10/ Run 3
Friday - Swim 3 x 300 m easy/ Walk 45 mins
Saturday - light walk 30 mins
Sunday - RACE DAY!! TRIATHLON #3!!!!

I will come back tonight to report back on my goals for the day. Hope everyone has a successful and productive weekend!

Keep reaching and working hard!!!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

What a crazy day!! Workout results 6/18 -


Well I knew it was going to happen sooner or later and today I came face to face with my fear.....falling off my bike! I really do not know what happen, I would like to blame it on my new pedals and shoes but I think I over estimated the turn I was on and BAM it happened. Here is the funny part. I was thrown off my bike right into someone's front yard! Smack down in their soft southern St. Augustine grass...LOL! The good Lord was truly watching over me in that I did not fall in an intersection full of cars or on the hard pavement. I got up and started off on my ride, covered in grass and banged up a bit but my spirits where still high. I was averaging 18 mph before the fall, so I ended up going slower for the rest of my ride but I was so thankful that I was ok and it was not worse. I am a bit nervous now after experiencing the feeling of falling but I am glad it happened so that I can watch closely my turns so that this does not happen again.

I was set to do a 3 mile run after my ride today, I stuck with the schedule and headed out for my run after my transition off my bike. As I started to run my knee was hurting a bit. I fell on my bad knee and so I started to worry about it. I figured it was better to be safe about it so I cut my run short and went home to ice my knee. I only got in a one mile run after my ride but I still managed to somehow pull a 8:44 mm. I was happy with that!

After icing my knee I headed off to the gym to finish my run on the treadmill as it was not too hot for me to run outside. On the way to the gym I wanted to stop by the place where I fell to see if I could see what could have gone wrong. Maybe there was something in the road or on the turn. Now this is where my day got even more bizarre. As I was driving up to the turn where I fell, there was a dog in the road. He was panting VERY heavily and he did not have a collar. There are not any stray dogs around where we live so I knew the dog must have been lost. I got out of my car to see if he/she was ok and I picked the dog up and took him to the house next door ( across from where I fell of all places). No one answered the door so I moved on to the next house. A lady came to the door and I asked if she knew who owned the dog and would you believe it was hers! She said her husband took the dog out THAT MORNING and he must have forgot to get the dog back inside. The sad thing is that the dog was 13 years old and deaf and partly blind which I guess is why he was just standing there in the street. The lady asked me if I lived near by and I told her about my fall and how well it worked out because if I had not come back by to see where I fell, I would not have seen the dog, and in this heat I do not want to think what could have happened. So I turned out to be a positive end to a crazy morning!

After this I went to the gym and ran 2 miles and was able to pull another PR! I did not stop there, I then went to swim and would you believe I got another PR on my 300 m freestyle. I thought to myself that the fall must have given me special powers or something...LOL! I need to do this more often! Just kidding of course but it was a great way to end the day! I took my bike back to the shop and they made sure it was good to go for my race next week. They also fixed my aerobars and seat again as the angle was a bit off. I owe so much to the staff as they are amazing and so willing to help!

Well that was my day! I am so happy to say that aside of a few battle wounds from the fall, I am ok and that is a blessing! I am so glad that I did not throw in the towel and stop my workouts for the day. I pressed on and as a result I reached a few goals!

I guess one of my favorite old quotes is true......

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall” - Confucius

Totals for the day -
Time - 105 mins
Calories burned - 1,137

Daily goals -

1. Drink 1 gallon of water - did not reach goal
2. Take all vitamins and supplements - done
3. Stretch with foam roller - did not reach goal
4. Stay within calorie range - done 2,040 calories consumed
5. Ice my knee - done

Workout 1 - Brick - Bike 13.19 miles and 1 mile run
AMPH -17.0 MMPH - 26.6
Run - 1 mile - 8:44 mins.
Total time includes warm up, stop signs, my fall on the bike, run and cool down...
Time - 65 mins
Calories burned - 690

Workout 2 - 2 mile run on treadmill at gym
Time - 17:36 mins ( PR for 2 mile on tread) avg pace - 8.68 mm plus a long 6 min cool down walk and stretch
Calories burned - 257

Workout 3 - Swim freestyle - 675 yard intervals
Time - 12:59 mins ( 17 mins with rest intervals b/n sets)
Calories burned - 190

325 yards - 6:07 mins
100 yard pull - 2:11 mins
5x50 yard intervals ( 25 easy/ 25 sprint)
1 - 53.75 sec
2 - 54.15 sec
3 -52.91 sec
4 -51.96 sec
5 -52.02 sec

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Workout Results 6/17

Today was my first ride with my new pedals and shoes. It went well but I am still having to get used to it and I also need to get used to riding in my new form. Since they raised the seat it feels very different and so I am going to have to make sure I get more time in the saddle so that I can start working on improving times with my new shoes etc. I also rode for a long time today with my aerobars and that is a first. I am still slower in my bars because I am scared of crashing but I did manage to get up to 22.4 mph today! My high speed for my overall ride was 28.1 mph so I still have a long way to go improving my time in the aerobars.

Totals for the day -
Time - 116 mins ( includes 33 min of yard work)
Calories burned - 1,094

1. Drink 1 gallon of water - done
2. Take all vitamins and supplements - done
3. Stretch with foam roller - done
4. Stay within calorie range - done - 1,935 calories consumed
5. Ice my knee - done

Workout 1 - 15 mile ride broken up into 2 splits
Time - 53 mins
Calories burned - 676

First ride - 10.01 miles/ 35.06 mins/ AMPH - 17.1 MMPH - 28.1
Second ride - 4.99 miles ( with aerobars/higher cadence) - 18.39 mins/ AMPH - 16.1 MMPH - 22.4

Workout 2 - 2 mile power walk - 27.09 mins/ avg pace 13.36 mm plus a 3 min cool down
Time - 30 mins
Calories burned - 276

Revised schedule for the week -

Because I was unable to bike yesterday I have gone through and revised my training for this week. I have to balance what days I run and bike so that I am not overworking my knee.

Monday - Day off
Tuesday - Swim 1,100 yards, Run 1.5 miles and ST Upper body - DONE!
Wednesday - Bike 15 miles, post ride walk 45 mins - DONE!
Thursday - Brick - Bike 10, Run 3 miles, Swim 300m (TT)
Friday - Swim 1800 yards (1 mile), ST Upper body, Long walk 90 mins
Saturday - Brick - Bike 10 , Run 3
Sunday - Day off

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Workout Results 6/16

Well today I had an unexpected turn of events, but it ended up to be a good thing after all. This morning while getting my bike ready for my workout I somehow managed to loose the chain on my bike. I tried to fix it but I couldn't so I loaded it up in my car and headed off to my bike shop. They fixed the problem and while I was there they worked with me on my gears and aerobars on the trainer and they made some major changes to my bike. The seat was far too low and the handles need to be lowered as well. They also pushed my seat back and fixed my cadence computer. In addition to all of this I got clips and shoes put on which I am SUPER excited about! They take a bit of time to get used to, but I love them already. They are tri specific as opposed to standard biking shoes for road bikes. I went out tonight and started practicing getting in and out of the shoe and I managed to scuff up the back of one of the shoes already trying to get out of them while on the bike, my first training battle wound...better the shoe than me, right..LOL! I can tell this is going to take some practice before my next race, which is in 2 weeks!!

Here is a pic of my new shoes!



So I had a great time at the bike shop and I am forever grateful for their help and guidance. While they were working on my bike I headed out for a run but the heat proved to be too much for me. I ran 1.5 miles then called it quits as I started to feel sick. I then headed to the pool for my swim, and finally the gym for a quick but hard ST session.

It was not the day that I had planned but I worked hard and was able to get a few good workouts in, but more importantly I was able to spend some time learning more about my bike and I now have my clips and shoes! I hope each of you had a successful day and you reached all your goals!

Totals for the day
Time - 76 mins
Calories burned - 807

Daily goals -

1. Drink 1 gallon of water - done
2. Take all vitamins and supplements - done
3. Stretch with foam roller - done
4. Stay within calorie range - done - 1,359 calories consumed
5. Ice my knee - done

Workout 1 - Run - 1.5 miles - 13:55 mins/ 9:18 mm
Total time - 19 mins - includes warm up and cool down
Calories burned - 190

Workout 2 - Swim - 1,100 yards/.63 mile
Time - 24 mins time including rest between sets and cool down
Calories burned - 280

21:22 mins - 1,100 yards

325 yds - 6:16 mins
325 yds - 6:27 mins
325 yds - 6:35 mins
125 yds cool down - 2:44 mins

Workout 3 - ST Upper body
Time - 33 mins
Calories burned - 336

Pushups -
Wide fly - 20 reps
Diamond - 20 reps
Close grip - 20 reps
Standard - 20 reps

ALternating Bicep curls - 2 sets of 16 reps with 30 lb DBs
Reverse fly on balance ball - 2 sets of 10 reps with 10 lb DBs
T to I position on balance ball - 2 sets of 8 reps with 7.5 lb DBs
Dip Machine - 2 sets of 8 reps at 105 lbs
Horizontal body chops - 2 sets of 10 reps on each side at 30 lbs
Lat pulldowns - 2 sets of 8 reps at 135 lbs
Seated rows - 2 sets of 8 reps at 135 lbs
One arm DB rows - 2 sets of 10 reps for each side with one 40 lb DB
Leaning lateral raises - 2 sets of 10 reps for each arm with one 10 lb DB

A few motivating thoughts of Tuesday....


As I was getting ready to workout this morning I once again found myself reading motivating quotes and watching my favorite inspiring sports videos to give me a much needed boost for the day. I wanted to share a few of the quotes with you, some are old favorites of mine that I read often but they always help me start my day off in the right direction.

Let's do our very best today! If you have skipped your goals the past few days or weeks, do not worry, today is your chance to grab hold of what you want and to start fresh. It's a brand new day, which to me is the biggest blessing and I intend to make the most of it!

Reach high! Work hard!


Even if I don't reach all my goals, I've gone higher than I would have if I hadn't set any. - Danielle Fotopoulis

I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again. - Stephen Grellet

If one advances confidently in the direction of one's dreams, and endeavors to live the life which one has imagined, one will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. - Henry David Thoreau

It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting......Before a dream is realized, the Soul of the World tests everything that was learned along the way. It does this not because it is evil, but so that we can, in addition to realizing our dreams master the lessons we have learned as we have moved toward that dream. That's the point at which most people give up.... [At this point] Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity.- Paulo Coelho

Life is a big canvas, throw all the paint on it you can. - Danny Kaye

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence.
Talent will not; nothing is more common than
unsuccessful people with talent.
Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.
The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve
the problems of the human race. - Calvin Coolidge

The credit belongs to those who are actually in the arena, who strive valiantly; who know the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spend themselves in a worthy cause; who at the best, know the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if they fail, fail while daring greatly, so that their place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. - Theodore Roosevelt

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, gifted ability, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home.The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace from that day. We cannot change our past, we cannot change the fact that people will act in certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing that we can do is play on the one string that we have and this string is, Attitude. I am convinced that life is ten percent what happens to me and ninety percent how I react to it. And so it is with you....We are in charge of our Attitudes. - Charles Swindoll

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. - Mark Twain

Monday, June 15, 2009

Daily goals 6/15

Today is my day off but I still want to accomplish a few goals -

1. Drink 1 gallon of water - done
2. Take all vitamins and supplements - done
3. Stretch with foam roller - did not meet goal
4. Stay within calorie range - done - 1,458 consumed
5. Ice my knee - done

Training Schedule 6/15 - 6/21

Monday - Day off ( yard/house work)
Tuesday - Swim 3 x 300 m, Bike 10 miles, Run 3 miles, ST upper body
Wednesday - Run/walk 90 minutes, ST legs/ core
Thursday - Swim 1800 yards (1 mile), Walk 60 minutes, ST upper body
Friday -Swim 3 x 300 m, Bike 10 miles, Run 3 miles
Saturday - Walk 60 minutes
Sunday - Day off

Friday, June 12, 2009

Workout Results 6/12

Today was my longest bike ride so far! I felt good and maintained a strong avg speed despite the stop signs and increase in distance. I have improved so much over the past 2 months with my riding. It is hard to believe and is encouraging to see. On April 21st I had my longest ride of 25.23 miles and my average was 14.7 mph. Today, I did 33.22 miles, with hills and still pulled a 16.6 mph avg! I came home from the ride and went for a .51 mile swim and then did some yard work. It was the best way to end a fabulous week!

I will leave you with this video. The song is one of my favorites and every time I listen to it, I just want to soar and now they put it with an Ironman trailer, well you can imagine how thrilled I was to see this! I cannot get enough of watching these phenomenal athletes living out their dream! I just keep thinking that each of them had to start somewhere, and maybe just maybe with hard work and dedication, I to can live out my dream!




Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Totals for the day -
Time - 137 mins
Calories burned - 1,270
Calories consumed - Will report back after dinner...

Workout 1 - 33.22 mile ride - avg 16.6 mph/ max 25.6 mph
Time - 1:59 mins
Calories burned - 1,069

Workout 2 - 900 yard swim (822 meters/ .51 mile)
Time - 18:38 mins
Calories burned - 201

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Workout Results 6/11

I am feeling much better today though this morning my headache came back. I pressed through my ST workout as best I could and after awhile it went away. My lifting went well, I am lowering my weights and increasing my reps for the next few weeks. After my ST I came home and went for a 2 mile run outside and much to my surprise I ended up with a PR! I am so happy about this as It was out of the blue, I did not intend to push it or try for a record, but I made it! I am slowly seeing progress with my running and my knee is constantly getting better. I guess these things take time and I just need to keep working and I am sure that my runs will continue to get faster!

Totals for the day -
Time - 110 mins
Calories burned - 1,147

Workout 1 - ST upper body
Time - 46
Calories burned - 346

Military pushups - 2 sets of 15 reps
Bicep curl to arnold press - 2 sets of 15 reps with 17.5 lb DBs
Plank rows - 2 sets of 16 reps with 17.5 lb DBs
Side plank to DB raise - 2 sets of 15 reps for each side with one 7.5 lb DB
Reverse flys on ball - 2 sets of 10 reps with 10 DBs
Reverse T to I on ball - 2 sets of 10 reps with 5 lb DBs
Standing lateral to front raise - 2 sets of 10 reps with 10 lb DBs
Alternating bicep curls - 2 sets of 16 reps with 27.5 lb DBs
Runners curls - 2 sets of 30 reps with 15 lb DBs
DB chest press on ball - 2 sets of 15 reps with 25 lb DBs
DB flys on ball - 2 sets of 15 reps with 17.5 lb DBs
Lat pulldowns - 3 sets of 15 reps at 105 lbs
Reverse fly machine - 3 sets of 15 reps at 50 lbs
Leaning lateral raise - Set 1 - 10 reps for each side with one 15 lb DB and Set 2 - 15 reps for each side with one 7.5 lb DB

Workout 2 - 2 mile run outside - PR!
Total Time - 18:07 mins/ avg pace - 9:04 mm
Mile 1 - 9.41
Mile 2 - 8.26 (PR!)
Calories burned - 295

Workout 3 - 13.01 mile bike ride @ 65% of max.
Total time - 46.29 mins/ avg- 16.8 mph/ max - 24.8 mph (windy conditions, flat course)
Calories burned - 506

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Taking the day off...

No workouts today. I am feeling ok I just have a headache and so I am taking the day off.

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Workout Results 6/9

I feel pretty good today. My knee is a bit sore but overall, I feel strong and well rested. Today was my first day back to ST after my break for my races. I also went for a recovery ride working on riding with my aerobars and doing some cadence drills. I am starting to feel more comfortable on my aerobars but I still have a great deal of practice before I feel good enough to ride in a race with them.

I have 3 weeks to get ready for my next race!! I found this video and it inspired me to keep going strong!!!! Hope it gives someone out there a much needed boost as well! You cannot watch this and not be motivated!




Workout results -
Time - 135 mins
Calories burned - 1,130

Workout 1 - Light ST with stretching
Time - 34 mins
Calories burned - 226

Lateral raise - 3 sets of 15 reps with 10 lb DBs
Bicep curl to Arnold press - Set 1 - 15 reps with 17.5 lb DBs/ Set 2 and 3 - 12 reps with 17.5 lb Dbs
Arc trainer HIIT - 3 mins
Pushups between sets - 39
Step ups - 2 sets of 10 reps for each leg
Lat pulldowns - 2 sets of 8 reps at 120 lbs
Front raise - 2 sets of 15 reps with 10 lbDBs
One arm rows - 2 sets of 10 reps for each arm with one 35 lb Db
Dip Machine - 2 sets of 15 reps at 90 lbs

Workout 2 - Recovery ride with aerobar practice and cadence drills - 18.10 miles/ avg speed - 16.8 mph
Time - 64.30 mph
Calories burned - 613

Workout 3 - Evening run/walk with husband - 2.43 miles
Time - 37 mins
Calories burned - 291

Training Schedule 6/8 - 6/14

Monday - Recovery from race
Tuesday - ST, light bike ride with walk
Wednesday - Swim 1 mile, Bike 10 miles, Run 3 miles
Thursday - Bike 20 miles, ST and
Friday - Swim 1 mile , ST
Saturday - 4 mile run/walk
Sunday - Rest!

Monday, June 08, 2009

Triathlon #2 results....


I am happy to report that I did well and learned a great deal. I finished in 1:22 mins and placed 17/32 in my age group and I am happy with that considering there were some fast girls out there! I was just honored to be racing along with them. The morning of the race I was not feeling so well but after awhile I started to shake it off and focused on just making it to the finish line. I was bound and determined to race and nothing was going to stop me.

Swim - 600 yard swim - 15:05 mins

This was an open water swim in a lake which gave me a chance to experience a whole new type of swimming. Years ago, my first triathlon was an open water swim but I have not experienced that in some time so I was a bit nervous. The start was fast, super fast in fact and it took me by surprise. I held my own for a bit and started to focus on just getting through the pack despite the kicks and congested feeling. I started to cramp up and panic set in for me. My breathing was off, and I felt out of control so I flipped over on my back and started doing the backstroke. I waited until I calmed down and then I started swimming freestyle again and finally got into a rhythm. I was so focused on my stroke and trying to ignore my stomach pains that I slowly began swimming off course! I would look up every 10 strokes or so but once I got into my zone, I forget to look up....BIG mistake, I lost a great deal of time to get back on track but once I did I held my pace strong until finishing. My swim was very slow compared to my trial times. Now, I have learned that trial times in a pool DOES NOT mean that you can count on that pace in a lake/ocean with others swimming around you.

Things to work on with my training for the swim -

1. Train in a lake/ other form of open water environment as much as possible
2. Work on fast starts, then dropping back to a slower pace
3. Work on sighting while swimming ( even in a pool) to get used to the stroke and looking up
4. Keep practicing...over and over and over!

Bike - 12 miles - 35:40 mins/ avg speed - 20.2 mph ( PR!)

I was so excited with my bike time! I did something stupid while on the ride but again I learned from the experience so I guess it was a good thing! I was reaching to place my water bottle back on my bike and dropped it in the road. Now, we were instructed to make sure we picked up anything we may drop on the course and there were bike marshals which were un-marked on the course, so I wanted to make sure I picked it up so that I did not receive a time penalty and also to clear the road to make it safe for the other athletes. So I stopped and biked back to get my bottle but as a result I lost a bit of time, so my average was a bit slower than it would have been. I was so motivated to make up the time that I rode really hard the rest of the course so maybe it made me work harder and therefore was not necessarily a bad thing! I did not use my aerobars for this race as I am still learning how to ride with them, maybe I will be ready for my next race but for now I am pleased with how fast I am improving with my times. The bike is by far my strongest leg and one I look forward to working towards improving.

Run - 3.1 miles - 29:00 mins/ avg pace - 9.40 mm ( PR!)

This is my fastest tri run so I am super happy! I held my pace strong through the run. I once again was trying to balance pacing myself and trying not to go all out too fast. It is something I am going to have to really work on. I may need to do some more tempo runs and maybe some track work. I finished strong, not as fast of a sprint as last weeks race, but I passed a few people along the way and ended it with my hands raised in victory!

All in all, It was a hard race for me with how bad I was feeling in the beginning but I learned a valuable lesson...to keep pressing on! I told myself that I was going to keep going and not give up even though the swim was rough, and I felt so sick, and as a result I ended up with 2 PR's and a lifetime of knowing that I completed 2 triathlons in one week and no one can take that from me!

Friday, June 05, 2009

Workout Results 6/5

Today was fun! I did a easy 3 mile run followed by a 600 yard swim at the local outdoor pool. All the community pools here where we live are now open for summer so it was a nice change to be outside swimming as opposed to inside the gym, and the pool lengths are the same, which is convenient as well! Tomorrow my husband and I are driving the race course for Sunday and will be picking up my race packet and number! Cannot wait to do this race, no pressure, just FUN! Have a great weekend! I will report back Monday on how I did with my race! My goals are similar to my last one....just to cross that finish line strong with a BIG smile!

Totals for the day -
Time - 42
Calories burned - 579

Workout 1 - 3 mile run
Time - 29:11 mins/ 9:44 pace
Calories burned - 445

Workout 2 - 600 yard freestyle swim
Time - 12:44 mins
Calories burned - 134

Thursday, June 04, 2009

Workout Results 6/4

I had a good ride and swim today, nothing ground breaking but I did manage to hold a good long 20 -24 mph on some straights today on my ride. I hit a few steady inclines that gave me a bit of a challenge so I had to drop my speed and averaged 11- 15 mph on the tough spots. Overall I did well and managed to pull at 17.5 mph on my first ride despite all the stop signs. The second ride was more of a recovery/cool down ride home. My swim was good today, I kept the first 300 light and then swam about 75% max effort for the rest. I am trying to balance getting in a few more workouts before race without over doing anything. Tonight I am heading out for a long walk and some pilates as well as the dreaded foam roller! I just cannot stand that thing but I know I have to do it for my ITB. Some of you may have noticed I am not logging my calories consumed on this blog as well as my food blog but I am playing around with race week nutrition. I do not want to have too large of a caloric deficit the week of my races. I am still eating well and keeping it light but it is something I am experimenting with, and I will be back logging as usual on Monday after my race.

Off to work in my garden! Hope everyone has a great day! Keep going STRONG!

Totals for the day -
Time - 127 mins
Calories burned - 1,108

Workout 1 - 600 yard swim freestyle
Time - 12:42 mins
Calories burned - 145

Workout 2 - 17.03 mile ride
Time - 60.71
Calories burned - 628

Ride 1 - 12.01 miles @ 75% of max effort - avg mph 17.5 with stop signs
Ride 2 - 5.02 miles @ 60% of max effort/recovery ride - avg mph - 15.1 mph with stop signs

Workout 3 - Evening walk - 3.25 miles
Time - 53:10 mins
Calories burned - 335

Workout Results 6/3

Nothing much to report. Yesterday I did an easy run/walk for 5 miles. I only have 3 more days until my triathlon! Today I am heading out for a bike ride, 12-15 miles then a walk after my ride followed by a swim, 600 yards. No running today since I ran yesterday as well as Tuesday. I need to keep my knee strong for Sunday.

Totals for the day -
Time - 62 mins
Calories burned - 682

5 miles run/walk- 2 mile warm up walk/cool down
3 mile run - 29:33 mins/ 9:51mm

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Workout Results 6/2

I kept things light today. I had aerobars, a water bottle to place between aerobars and a mph/cadence computer put on my bike today!! It was fun riding with them but a bit scary as your stability is quite different. I will need to get used to this type of riding but as of now I am enjoying them! I only made it up to 20 mph on the bars and just over 24 mph off of them. So I need a bit of practice before I can go faster and feel safe. If anyone uses aerobars and has any tips, please let me know!!

My run today was super short and slow, due to my knee. I did not want to over do things as my race is in 5 days ( hard to believe). I did a walk/run combo for a mile after my ride. My swim today was a slower one as well. 900 yards of steady strokes where I was really focusing on extending my stroke as well as my pull. All in all, it was a great day of easy, fun stuff along with a chance to burn more calories!

Thanks SO much for all the comments regarding my last race! Keep pressing on!

Totals for the day -
Time - 69 mins
Calories burned - 941

Workout 1 - Morning swim 900 yards
Time - 19.39 mins ( with rest b/n free and pull set) Total time - 21:50 mins
Calories burned - 234

600 free - 13:08 mins
300 pull - 6:31 mins

Workout 2 -
Total time - 49 mins
Calories burned - 707
11.22 mile bike ride - first ride with aerobars!!! Avg speed - 16.9 mph Max speed - 24.3 mph/ Time - 39.46 mins
Post ride run - 1 mile - walk/run due to knee - 10:27 mins

Monday, June 01, 2009

Training Schedule for week prior to my 2nd Triathlon....


Monday - Recovery from Sundays race!

Tuesday - 800 yard swim /12 mile bike/ 3 mile run

Wednesday - 1200 yard swim/ 3 mile run

Thursday - 800 yard swim/12 mile bike/2 mile run

Friday - 1200 yard swim/90 min walk

Saturday - Easy 5 mile ride/ light run 15 mins

Sunday - Triathlon!!!! GO JEN GO!!

Triathlon results...

I have spent so many days and nights thinking about the day I could say with pride, that I crossed the finish line strong! I have now reached this goal and I could not be happier. This day has been on my mind for some time. As some of you may know, my first triathlon was in 1992 when I was 15 years old. I enjoyed this sport as well as running and continued doing races until 1995 when I left for college. It was at this time I started to gain my weight and I lost sight of who I was and what my dreams were. I only became heavier as the years went by and I slowly moved further away from any chance of doing another triathlon again. I used to tell my husband so many times that I wanted to race one more time someday when I lost my weight, and now, I have! I may be slower, bigger and older than before but for me it felt as exciting and meaningful as the first time. Crossing that line was more than just a means of finishing the race, it symbolized for me the completion of a long journey of weight loss, injuries, and ups and downs, and the feeling of wanting to quit so many times. All of my hard work was well worth it when I raised my hands in victory with the biggest smile on my face knowing that once again, I was a Triathlete. I was no longer the fat girl, I was no longer the girl who was wearing pregnancy clothes and not even pregnant. Instead, I was the girl who worked hard, changed my life and reached a dream that was once started 17 years ago.

The race was hard. I was well prepared and going into it I knew the bike was going to be a challenging one. There were hills, many hills and not the fun ones! Instead they where long, constant inclines that gave my thighs a BURN I am sure to remember! If I look ahead at all of my races this year, this course is by far the most challenging so I have relief in knowing the worst is over! I did not reach my goals in terms of time for this race. I was slower on each event than I had wanted and my swim and bike where by far my slowest times, since I started training. I am ok with this as it gives me a baseline to work from for the year.

Swim - This was terrible for me. The pool was very crowded and I did not like having to slow down with people in front of me. I ended up doing the breast stroke for awhile until I could pass and continue with my freestyle. So it was not an ideal way to start off but again I was just so happy to be there!

300 yards - 6:27 mins
Transition 1 - 2:50 mins ( way too long...)

Bike - I have a love/ hate relationship with this course. On one hand I am so happy that it was challenging because it made me feel so accomplished when I was done, however when I was on the road I was dreaming of a nice flat course and how great that would feel! The hills where brutal for me and I trained with hills to get ready for this course but it was not enough. This really drained me and left me zapped for my run.

15.2 miles - 52.15 mins/ Avg 17.5 mph
Transition 2 - 0:36 seconds

Run - This is where I really struggled. My pace was far slower than where I had trained. The course much like the bike was a challenge and it proved to me that all 5k's are not equal! It also showed me that I need to work on running with hills so that I can be more prepared next time. The first 1.5 miles or so where all up hill and I could see well trained, seasoned triathletes walking up ahead but I told myself that I could slow my pace down but I could not walk under NO circumstances! I pressed through it, my thighs still on fire from the bike where really burning now, but I can say that during the entire 5k that I reached my goal and did not walk, and held my pace until the end when I sprinted through the finish line (passing a girl in front of me, yeah!) Again, it was one of my worst runs in terms of time but if I look my determination and spirit during this run, it was one of my greatest moments!

3.1 miles - 32:05 mins / Avg pace - 10:21 mm

Total time - 1:34 mins
Age group - 9/17
Overall placing - 158/249
Female placing - 42/86


Now I have to look ahead to my next race, which is in 6 days!! I have a triathlon on Sunday!!!

600 yard lake swim
12 mile bike
3 mile run

I am using this as a training run for a triathlon I have on June 28th. My goals are once again to finish strong, focus on the lake swim and getting used to the feeling of another type of swim and having that experience under my belt for some races later this season. I will have some photos posted soon as well as my race report and photos from Sundays race! Here I go again!!!

Thanks for all your support and encouragement!