It's been kind of a stressful week for me. My husband, Mr. Pi, has been so great. He's done more than his fair share of the household chores and taking care of the dog...he's also sent me funny little text messages throughout the day since he knows I've been stressed out. Then, last night, he brought me these...
Awwwww!!!!! Thanks so much honey! (P.S. Yes, they are in a beer boot cup since I can't find any of my vases.)
Despite the stress of the week, I've still been getting in good workouts. I rested Monday, good thing since I had to be AT work at 6:30 am!
This run was awesome! Amy and I met Jen at her place downtown and we headed out for the 4.5 bridge loop. If you ever come to Portland running the bridges is something you have to do. While I don't love running at night the lights of the city and all the runners on this route make it pretty awesome. It was pouring rain and chilly but I really have come to love that people in Oregon just do their normal routine in the rain. There were cyclists and runners galore. I can't say I love running in the rain but honestly it's not that bad anymore. Anyway, the run. I told Jen to reign me in if I went balls out at 9:00. We kept the pace a nice and comfy 10:15ish, that's right I said nice and comfy 10:15! At the halfway point we picked it up and dropped closer to a 10:00. We chatted some and moved to the right a lot for cyclists. (Seriously people, enough with the bells!) It was really a great run. The best thing about it was it didn't feel that hard and I felt like I could have kept going for another few miles. YAY running buddies! Run stats: 4.5 miles/45:33/10:07 avg
Wednesday: Dang it, still can't get up on Wednesdays!
I did have a great dinner with Jen, thanks for cooking me dinner chica! We had a great time chatting away. It's so fun to learn new things about people. I've know Jen for about a year now but we have rarely had the chance to talk about our families or our past. Jen, let's do dinner more often that was super fun!
After dinner I was treated to flowers and a GIANT hug from my hubby. I'd say Wednesday was pretty great!
Today: AM Weights/PM Run
I've been slowly up'ing my weights in weights class. Today my "light weights" were 6 lbs, medium were 7.5 lbs and heavy were 12 lbs. My arms and back are probably going to be sore tomorrow but it felt great. I also got the 100 pushups app and plan to start that program next week. It might take me awhile but dangit I'm going to hit (and hopefully surpass) my goal of 10 push ups for the year.
I've got a work dinner tonight but I'm hoping to get in a run before I have to go to dinner. My legs are feeling good and I still feel like I'm on a bit of a runners high from Tuesday. Yay running.
No biking or swimming yet this week. Swim is happening for sure tomorrow and biking probably just on Saturday this week. I still have another month of building before my Barb's Race training really starts up so I'm feeling good about easing into ramping up all three sports.
BIG Happy Birthday to my best friend, Kristen! She and I have been friends for 20 years. Thanks for being the best, best friend I could have asked for. I wish I had some fun old pictures to share but instead I'll share a few of my favorite moments, many of you won't understand them but she will! Hope this makes you smile chica! The running man, the 3rd grade loft, my campaign for treasurer against Morgan Tolle, mad libs, the biggen, camping, flannel, bodysuits, annette, the phase, the cult, "don't be up before the nice people at starbucks are willing to serve you coffee," ethics class, camp winthers, the big butt spider, sunny-d and vodka (we were rebels), socks, the flood and our science posters, Mr. Friedricks math grades, Disneyworld, Chattanooga dance, tevas, chi o, looney tunes, pen pals, grandma grace’s shoes, riding the train, DC, stranded in NYC…this list could go on and on. Luv ya sister—Happy Birthday!
I can already tell it's going to be a crazy week workwise, not in a good way either! Case in point, I was at work at 6:30am and both computers I tried to load a presentation onto didn't work. Crises was averted by laptop #3 and someone from the IT department but still, who wants a crises at 6:30am?!?!
Anyway, last week was a decent workout week but I think the extra volume of workouts (most especially weights class) was starting to take a toll on my body. My legs felt heavy all week and I was starting to get this weird leg pain. Thankfully, the leg pain went away but then, I started to get the numb toe/stabbing toe pain thing again. I spent some time on WebMD and other medical websites and I think I've settled on a self diagnosis: MORTON'S NEUROMA. Sounds bad, doesn't it? One treatment is wide shoes. Guess, I'll be wearing my granny shoes this week and hoping for improvement. (Gazelle, just don't look at my feet this week.)
The big workout news for the week was that I finally got to ride OUTSIDE! Saturday morning Mr. Pi and I awoke to non-rainy, mostly sunny skies. We quickly packed up and hit the road for a ride out west of Portland. I only snapped one picture of the ride (below). It was a bit of struggle for me the first few miles, I felt like I was pumping my legs hard and not going anywhere. Halfway through I found my groove and really enjoyed myself. I can't wait for more outdoor riding!
Mr. Pi looking hardcore
Half way through the ride
Sunday, long run day was of course the exact opposite weather as Saturday--it was pouring. My run wasn't great but I finished. I ran with co-worker 2 (since now both of my co-workers run with me, I'll name them co-worker 1 and 2, hehe) the whole way, it was her longest run since she completed a half marathon 2 years ago. She did great and I have no doubt that she can finish another half in April, if she chooses to sign up. (I think Gazelle may have a few pictures from the run. I didn't take my phone since it was POURING!)
Other workouts:
Monday: rest
Tuesday: AM weights/PM Terwilliger Run with Gazelle (4.2 miles/45:00/10:42 avg)
Wednesday: PM Run with Wednesday run group (4.15 miles/45:37/10:59 avg)
Thursday: AM weights/AM Spin Class/Pm Zumba with Jen
Friday: AM Swim (2300 yds/59 min) with co-worker 1
Saturday: Ride with Mr. Pi! (22.5 miles/1:40/13.5 avg)/swim (2000 yds/48 min)
Sunday: Long Run with the crew (8 miles/1:30/11:25 avg)
I thought I’d review some of my favorite resources for swimming, biking and running. (Q & A post is coming soon...still time to ask more questions.)
Swimming: I got Swim Workouts for Triathletes for Christmas. It is such a great swimming resource. I really dislike coming up with workouts and printing them out, etc. I’m trying to save some moo-lah and not join masters until the spring. This book is a great way for me to stay motivated. I gotta say the workouts are tough. I don’t think there are any under 2400 yards, I’ve modified a few when I was crunched for time but I find the full workouts so satisfying. The book is waterproof too so you can leave it pool side and look back at it as needed. I’ve had several people at the pool ask me about it. I highly recommend it to anyone not in a masters program that wants a good swim workout resource.
Also, I can't say enough good things about www.swimoutlet.com! If you need a suit, cap, goggles, etc this is your place to shop. They have women's competition suits for $19.95! When I played waterpolo in HS and college I paid upwards of $50-$60 for my suits. Where was swimoutlet then?!?! It has a limited selection of Tri clothes too.
Biking: I really love our CycleOps Fluid trainer. Unfortunately, this isn’t the best time of year to be riding outside, at least not in the PacNW. The trainer has been a great way for me to get in bike workouts without riding in the rain or dealing with the crowds of new years resolutioners in spin class. We have ours set up in front of the TV so I can put in a DVD while riding. It’s pretty quiet so hopefully it doesn’t bug our grumpy neighbor too much.
I honestly don't have that many biking items yet. Anyone wanna send me some new tri or bike shorts or a bike jersey? JK!
I don’t have a lot of short sleeve wicking tops. When GoLite sent me this top I was jazzed about it. I loved the colors (mine is the inverse of what is shown above, mostly teal with some gray) and the feel of the material. I’ve worn this top running, to weights class, spin class and running! It’s lightweight and super quick drying. It’s long!!! Being long, is key for a tall girl like me. It’s snug but not super tight. I love it, absolutely worth $45.00, if you’re looking for a new short sleeve wicking shirt. Pretty sure it'll be the shirt I wear for my next race (my next race that I can wear short sleeves, that is). Thanks GoLite!
My Nike Running Jacket. I’m not sure exactly what it’s called but it’s amazing. Since I live where it rains (A LOT) having a waterproof jacket is crucial. This jacket keeps me dry. The fit is snug so I don’t feel like I’m wearing a tent or garbage bag. It’s pink, which is great for me—it also comes in many other colors. There are nice pockets, including a big one in the back. The sleeves zip off (though I’ve never zipped them off) but I am thinking come springtime I may want to.
Other resources that rock---my awesome hubby who gives me pointers/suggestions on my training plans, all my wonderful PDX running/tri buddies and all of you bloggers near and far. Honestly, blogging really got me into training for races instead of just working out to work out. Thanks!
I was tagged by AJH last week to post 10 things that make me happy. This is an easy post, I have so many more things to add to this list but it said 10 so I’m giving you 10.
1. Mr. Pi! (aka my wonderful, supportive, hottie of a husband) 2. My family even though they are far away. 3. Zoey—best doggie ever. 4. My awesome friends (both near and far). 5. Training—I was going to say running but that doesn’t quite cut it anymore. All my training makes me happy, especially when I see myself improving. 6. SUNSHINE!!! 7. Coffee—That’s right, coffee makes a the same list as friends and family. 8. Getting my hair done. 9. My iphone 10. Vacation.
Hopefully the video below will help make your day a little happier too! Yay for cute puppies! (If you haven't met Bodger, Mica's new pup go check him out, he's a cutie.)
I’m still working on my Q&A post but I promise it’ll be up soon.I had a really great workout week this week.Sadly I don’t have any pictures from any of my workouts—fail.
Monday: Rest Day
Cooked dinner for me and Mr. Pi.Relaxed and had a good evening.
Tuesday: AM 1:00 weights class/PM run with Amy on Terwilliger
Amy and I kept saying to each other “man, this run is hard today.”Well, there was a good reason for that, we were running our hilly route FASTER than we normally do.Our route is about 4.2-4.4 miles and we normally run it around 10:45 pace but Tuesday we averaged 10:28!Go us.After the run, Mr. Pi and I went out to dinner with a couple of friends at a local place near us.I had been craving their artichoke and cheese tamale for days, sadly, the waitress got my order wrong. Boo!The pork tamale was good, but not what I wanted.Oh well!Run Stats: 4.20 miles/44:00/10:28 avg
Wednesday: PM run with lots of buddies
I really didn’t want to run Wednesday, I felt so grateful to have a running date with Amy, Sarah, Lisa and Andrew.We met at Lisa and Andrew’s apt and took off for the waterfront.I was supposed to be doing 5 miles with 3 miles of tempo.For the first mile, we all stayed together and we battled the street lights to get to the waterfront.Once we hit the waterfront I sped up to about a 10:15 pace.Andrew (who is a new runner) stayed right with me.We stopped once and waited for Sarah to catch up (she had Vaughn who took a potty break) and the three of us ran together most of the rest of the way.We stopped at 4 miles, which might be a record distance for both Lisa and Andrew—they both did great!Sarah, Amy and I huffed it back the mile to our cars.All in all it was a great run.My overall avg was about 11-something but I did hit the tempo miles close to my target (tempo miles: 10:15, 10:40 (when we wait for Sarah), 10:25). Run Stats: 5.0 miles/57:00ish/11:24ish avg
Thursday: AM 1:00 Weights/AM Swim/PM trainer ride
Weights class was rough, lot of arms and back work which I knew was going to make my swim painful.My swim was slow and short (only 1500 yards) but I got in the pool which is what counts.I really wanted to Zumba with Jen in the evening but I was at work late and knew I couldn’t make it home to let the dog out and get to Zumba so I took the dog for a walk and rode the trainer for 35 minutes.Swim Stats: 1500/29:00 Trainer Stats: 30:00 minutes (I don’t have a cadence sensor hooked up yet)
I slept in on Friday (sort of) since I had to be at a meeting off site by 7:30.My day was super busy at work and all I really wanted to do was go home and curl up on the couch.It was rainy and dreary out too (double bummer).Again, its days like Friday that I am so thankful for running buddies.I met Jen at her apt and quickly changed into my running clothes.It was pouring out by the time we hit the road.I didn’t know what to expect from this run.Jen and I haven’t ever run together besides side by side treadmills and she is MUCH faster than me so I knew it was going to be a tough run for me.I figured I would just go as fast as I thought I could sustain and let her do all the talking.It was great!She was super motivational and since I didn’t want to let her down and be a slow poke I kept up my speed as best I could.My Garmin batteries died so we went off her watch.Honestly, so being a speedy run for me, it felt hard but not so hard that I couldn’t have probably gone a little farther.I think running with someone faster than me really helps my mental game.I didn’t want to disappoint so I picked it up.3.0 miles/28:30/9:30 avg
Saturday: Swim/Trainer
I have really been itching to get out on the roads on my bike but alas I live in Oregon and we’re in the “rainy season.”Instead of biking this morning, I spent the morning with Mr. Pi and Zoey walking around the neighborhood.Around 2:00ish I decided I better get to the pool and swim.I was pleasantly surprised when I got there and the pool was empty!It was lovely.I started Endurance #5 in my Swim Workouts for Triathletes book (more on this book in future post).It was 2500 yards with a 600 pull in the middle, lots of kicking in the beginning and a TON of 25’s at the end of the workout.Speedwork at the end of a swim workout, especially one with a lot of pull yards is just mean. I finished the swim spent but not totally dead.Swim Stats: 2500/59:16 (not super fast but considering all the rest intervals and pull yards, this isn’t too bad)
I came home and Mr. Pi was about to hop on the trainer so I decided to take an extra long transition and wait for him to finish his workout.He finished and I hoped on for 40 minutes.The trainer is HARD—nuf said. Trainer Stats: 40:00 minutes (I don’t have a cadence sensor hooked up yet)
Sunday: Long Run
We had quite the group today for our long run. Sarah, Amy, Mr. Pi, me, CilleyJen, co-worker Sarah, Lisa, Andrew, Amy’s friend the Cheetah and another friend from work G.It’s awesome to see our group growing.I won’t lie, this run was hard.The route is challenging (i.e. hilly).Mr. Pi ran with the Cheetah for a bit until she split off for the shorter route.Lisa, Andrew, co-worker Sarah and CilleyJen took off for the shorter route and from the reports I've heard everyone did very well!G, Sarah, Amy, Mr. Pi and I took off for Tryon park.Tryon is really a great place to run.I’ve never been on the any of the side trails but the main paved trail is nice.It’s got some rolling hills but it’s not super hilly.We took some walk breaks up the hills but really the pace was comfortable, a bit slower than last week but this was a MUCH harder route.Run Stats: 9.0 miles/1:49/12:06 avg
Breakfast as always is the highlight of any run.I split my Challah French toast with Mr. Pi and in return got some of his omelet and rosemary potatoes.YUM!If you’re in SW Portland try Seasons and Regions.It doesn’t look like much from the outside but it’s sure tasty.
Whew, that was my week!Q&A coming up sometime soon and I’m also going to be reviewing some of the awesome stuff I got for Christmas and my cool gift from GoLite.
I’m certainly not an expert on training, equipment or really anything BUT I’ve gotten a few questions lately and I thought I’d dedicate a post to Q & A sometime this week. So, if you have any burning questions you’d like to ask me, I’ll add them to the list. So far, I’ll be answering questions about my bike trainer, Zumba, RnR races and music. Ask away…
On another note, one of my 2010 goals is to run 1000 miles I’ve joined the Tall Mom 1000+++ club! Nothing like a group of inspiring runners and a fab club host to keep me going toward my goal.
Slowly, I’ve been getting back to my training plan.I’ve been battling a cold and a really busy work week but for my first week of my initial training I think I did pretty well.I certainly didn’t do all my workouts but I did most of them.
My biggest dilemma right now is biking.Since the weather isn’t great here this time of year (and won’t be again for awhile) I’m worried that training on the bike will be difficult.Spin class is great and I got a bike trainer for Christmas but neither is quite the same as riding outside. I think once I hook up the cadence sensor for the trainer I’ll feel better because I’ll know how far I’ve gone.Any advice from other triathletes out there about bike training in the winter?
Since this was my first full week on the new schedule I’m going to do a little recap.
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Weights class AM/run PM (Weights class with a friend, super hard everything hurt!I had to miss my run due to a really long day at work.)
Wednesday: Swim AM/run PM (Missed the swim since I was at work until 9pm the night before and needed some extra sleep.Ran with Sarah along the Westside esplanade and had a good windy run!)
Thursday: Weights class AM/Spin Class AM/Zumba (Weights class again, kicked my butt.I missed the spin class b/c it was FULL—lame new years resolutioners crowding the classes!I didn’t have time to do a trainer ride in between work and Zumba with Jen.Zumba was again harder than anticipated, it’s such a good/fun workout.)
Friday: Swim AM/Run PM (I took Friday off due to exhaustion and my cold flaring up.)
Saturday: Long Swim AM + Spin Class AM (both went great)
Sunday: Long Run AM (8.15 miles in 1:29:37/10:58 avg. Good long run with quite the crew today. Mr. Pi, the overachiever, ran to our meeting spot and totaled 15.5 miles for the day. The rest of us did a fun 8 mile loop through a part of Portland I’m not all that familiar with. We ended with a stop at the Grilled Cheese cart where you eat your meal in a school bus! AWESOME! Since pictures of food are better than pictures of running I leave you with pictures of the bus.)
Slowly, I've been starting to think about things I'll need for the rest of the training season. I just bought this:I am thinking I'll probably order this, for my bike:After my swim on Saturday I realized that my bathing suit was getting a little thin in the butt. I have a few speedo suits but they are all a few years old so it might be time for a couple of these:
I've been searching for a new Tri top. The two I have now I like but they both ride up during the run portion. The last thing I need during Barb's race is to have to pull my top down for 13.1 miles. Jen wore this top for the IM and said it didn't ride. I've read a ton of reviews and this really looks like a good top. It's design resembles my favorite tri shorts, which are made of a slightly different material, less slick but still fast drying. I can't afford all of these things at once so I'm going to slowly collect them throughout the year.
I also didn't get a bike jersey for Christmas so I'll probably want one of those too before too long. Gosh this post makes me sound so materialistic. This new hobby is expensive!
What's still on your list that you didn't get for Christmas?
This post is a little belated but why not keep the Christmas spirit going since the rest of winter is depressing because there aren’t really any holidays to look forward to and spring seems sooooo far away.Christmas was good to Mr. & Mrs. Pi this year.When is it ever not, we always get spoiled rotten.
From Mr. Pi I got some awesome wool biking socks so my feet don’t freeze and probably my most special gift.He made me these:
If you can’t see the pictures very well, it’s a collage of all my running pictures and tri pictures from the year. (He even said he'll help me update it every year.)I folded the race bibs I have here (I have a few at my parents house too) around the outside of the collage and I plan to hang my medals too but I need Mr. Pi to help with that part.Mr. Pi is so creative and thoughtful.I love you, thank you so much!
Here are a couple of pics of other fun running/triathlon related gifts:
I'm so glad that my family supports my active lifestyle. That IronFit book is just to keep me thinking ahead I guess, hehe. It's actually full of really good tri information in general that is applicable to all tri's not just IM's. No intention of doing one anytime soon.
Yep, that’s a bike trainer! Wooo-hoo! I’m going to need it to train during the rainy months here in the NW.
I also participated in Morning Runner’s blogger Xmas exchange.I was paired with Lisa.If you don’t read her blog, you should, it’s great!Lisa is from Michigan but lives in NYC so I got a little something from both of her “homes.”Ahh, thanks Lisa!
Mr. Pi loves puzzles, here he is not even a week after he cracked this one open.
Christmas morning is almost entertaining as Mr. Pi’s family keeps growing and growing.Here are a few fun shots of the chaos!
GIANT pile-o-presents.
Mid-chaos! Zoey is there somewhere lovin' life.
Mr. Pi posing for me. There is little Zoey looking for some wrapping paper to chew.
If I haven't mentioned it already, I really love Christmas. Already looking forward to Christmas 2010!
I won’t lie, I’ve had a google document going for a few months called “2010 races/events.” Readers of this blog already know that my big “A” race of the year is Barb’s race in July. (It’s a 70.3 triathlon. It’s part of the Vineman series in Northern California.) After reading this post, I got to thinking about races and how many my body, mind and wallet really want to do in 2010. I just finished my Barb's race training calendar (and got the blessing from my Tri Guru). Since Barb's is is my “A” race for the year, I wanted to make sure that my other races don't interfere too much with this race needless to say there are so many fun sounding races out there!
Here is my preliminary event/race calendar for the year:
March Bidwell Classic ½ marathon or 5k—Sarah is coaching a running group for this run and my sister-in-law is making this her first 5k ever. Plus, it’s really close to my in-laws in California, who doesn’t love an excuse to see family?! I’m leaning toward the ½ marathon but haven’t committed myself yet.
April
I have several sprint tri’s on the list. All of them have pool swims, not sure how I feel about that yet. (Beaver Freezer, ICE Breaker Tri (in Cali), WOU Sprint)
Big Sur Marathon –Spectate only! Mr. Pi is running this race and I know Roadbunner and Aron will be there too. I’m not ruling out a relay but I am leaning toward running my own long run and spectating the finishers!
May Couple of tri’s on the calendar. These have open water swims which means, I need a wetsuit! (Duck Bill Thrill, City of Gold (in Cali))
Eugene Marathon—Spectate only! Several PDX’ers will be running either the half or full. I spectated last year and had a blast. I plan to be out on the course with a cowbell and new signs!
June Blue Lake Sprint or Olympic Tri-If I’ve completed one sprint by June, I will go for the Oly distance. If not, Sprint it is!
Dunlap Family Vacation to Maine—I said it was a races AND events calendar. I have been scouring websites for events, places to run and swim while on vacation. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to take my bike. The vacation will fall right before my peak time which makes me a little nervous about not being on my bike (especially since I consider that my weakest leg) but this just means I’ll have to be more dedicated and committed before the vacation.
July Barb’s Race 70.3
August
Skyline 50k--Spectate only! Mr. Pi's first Ultra marathon!
I haven’t planned any races after Barb’s race. I am not ruling out a fall or early winter event but I want to get through tri training before I tackle anything else for the year.
I have a great list of events/races, several of which correspond to my goals for 2010. Ta-da…here are my top 10 goals for 2010:
1. Finish my first Half Ironman! 2. Set a new 5k PR (which means I have to run at least one 5k)--which means I'll probably be looking to do one in the fall if I don't do the one in March. 3. Set a new Half Marathon PR (I'm hoping maybe Kristen can help me with this in April since she's flying up for Race for the Roses--yay!!!) 4. Continue crazyweights through mid-March (if I can fit it into Tri training then through July, it's tentatively on the calendar but I just don't know how my body will handle all the tri related training) 5. Call/email my parents more often (once every other week or more frequently just to “check in”) 6. Add more money to my monthly savings deposit 7. Go to Bend with Mr. Pi 8. Go snow shoeing (Portland Monthly Magazine had a great article about places to snow shoe around Mt. Hood) http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/travel-and-outdoors/articles/mt-hood-1209/2/ 9. Host a dinner party or post-run brunch (who cares if I have a grumpy neighbor who probably won't like it! I love hosting and I haven't really had much opportunity to host since moving to portland) 10. Ten REAL pushups
A few others that didn’t quite hit the top 10. Most top 10 lists contain at least 5 runner ups, right?:
11. Run 1000 miles (since I didn’t quite (less than 40 miles off) hit this goal for 2009 I’m adding it to 2010) 12. Swim 100 miles 13. Bike a lot! (I don’t even know what would be a reasonable goal here. 1500?) 14. Try 12 new recipes (one a month, that’s doable right? Hopefully I’ll remember to post the outcome here.) 15. Go visit my great aunt in Port Orchard, WA (hopefully squeeze in a meet up with her and her while I'm there)
Here's to making 2010 another great year full of fun times and great training.
I don’t have a lot of short sleeve wicking tops. When 
