A bump in the road...

Things with my training have been going great! I was following my training program (I am more then a little regimented) and feeling really good. Anyway, last Thursday I rode 22 miles outside for the first time this season. I felt fine during the ride, despite a fall (while stopped) and a bloody knee it was a good day. Then I ran 40 minutes Friday morning and by Friday afternoon my left heel had a hot spot and was swollen and tender. I thought maybe my bike shoes might have rubbed my foot the wrong way since it was the first time I had worn them outside, who knows. I worked at Pearson Ford Saturday (limping a bit) then biked Sunday about 20 miles outside again and it felt fine while I was riding but was even more swollen after wards. I SHOULD have taken Monday off, but I didn't. I swam and then covered the blister and did a spin class at the Y. By the time I finished and got home the blister was HUGE and filled with blood---gross! I could barely walk. I performed minor surgery to drain it and then kept it clean and covered. Tuesday it was much worse! So, I only swam Tuesday because I couldn't even put a shoe on. Then I went to the doctor and found out the spot was infected and if I hadn't come in it probably would have gotten into the bone! YIKES! I am on oral antibiotics and a topical antibiotic cream.

So, I am going to have to treat this week as a "recovery" week and take it easy and only swim, which is nice that I can still swim, but frustrating to me because I hate to miss my training! I am hoping by Sunday or Monday I will be able to run or bike. I just really hope it doesn't come back.

Anyway, that's the latest in the training. It's a bummer for sure, but a minor setback and sometimes these things happen:)

Cruising along...

I am moving right along on this training program and I feel great! I am a little nervous though because next week starts the base building, which means the workouts are going to increase in time and intensity. I always thought I was in good shape and now I am realizing that this is going to take me to a whole new level. Today when I looked at the training program and saw I needed to do a 60 minute run I was relieved, because that seemed easy and doable! HA! So, I ran 60 minutes on the treadmill because it was pouring rain outside. I ran a little over 6 miles and then had to immediately take Maggie to music class and to a doctor appointment so I didn't stretch or have a snack...by noon when we got home I was starving! I am eating a lot these days in order to fuel my workouts and not lose any weight. I have actually gained a couple pounds which was my goal!

I have yo-pi tonight which forces me to stretch and work on my core which makes me feel better with my other workouts. Its 45 min of power yoga and 30 min of pilates. I have been taking it since Maggie was a couple months old and I love it!

Thanks to some birthday money from my in-laws I bought myself a new suit from Athleta for working out and its great. I am doing my swim workouts with flip turns now and it allows me to get in the zone and tune out a little which makes the workouts go quickly! I really do love to swim once I get in the water, I dread the workouts because I don't want to get wet and deal with showering and drying my hair afterwards!

So Sunday begins week 5 of the training program, so I will see how these increased time in workouts fits into our schedule. I might have to start doing an early morning workout to fit everything in---yawn!

Week Three

I am on week three of the 20 week training program! I love when I get to turn the page in the little binder Paul put together for me with my training program all printed out. Every Sunday I have been looking over the week and try to schedule my workouts to fit into our schedule, so I don't do the training program in the order its printed for that week For example I had 2 hours today, so I did Thursday's workout (which was a swim of 20x50 yards with a 300 yard warm up and a 200 yard cool down and a 45 minute bike ride) because Thursday Josie has tumbling and I don't usually have as much time. But I have been able to fit in every workout during the week, just on different days. So far so good. I am running faster, swimming more, and biking (indoors) a lot! I haven't felt fatigued at all yet. I think a combination of non-stop eating, drinking tons of water, and getting enough sleep is helping. The first four weeks of this program are called "prep" so once I get through those I have a feeling the hours will increase as well as the intensity. Working out six days a week means that I am constantly washing my workout clothes, repacking my workout bag, and running around looking like I just came from the gym (which I usually did).

I am looking forward to getting outside more, maybe as March goes on. I have run outside a lot, but haven't been biking outside because of the snow/rain/ice we keep getting!

Week One

I am almost done with week one of my 20 week training program. The first four weeks are basically the same because it is the "prep" period. The workouts have been doable and I have been doing them with no problems. The total workout time for this week is 7 hours, which doesn't seem like so much considering I will be doing many weeks of 9 and 10 hours a week of working out. Today was 40 minutes on the bike and then a "speed" workout in the pool which was a 400 yd warm up and then 8x100. I am not a big fan of speed workouts and it kicked my booty a little bit. I am fine swimming 800yds or even 1200, but I don't like going pushing my speed, but I know it helps improve your overall performance.

I am excited for the Spring weather which means soon enough I will be able to bike and run outside. I am going to recruit some of my spinning class friends to ride outside with me this spring. I am hoping to run outside tomorrow while Josie and Maggie are at school:)

I have met a few other people training for this race, so its nice to know I am not alone. One mom I met at the Y who is doing the same race as me has twin 6 year olds and a four year old and her husband is training for the race too--wow!

One week down and 19 to go! Hope I can keep this up. One thing is for sure this isn't for the faint hearted, its a big commitment, but one I know I can do and hope to look back on with pride.

Almost time to start...

my 20 week training program! I have been working out these past few weeks trying to up my endurance and get back in the swing of swimming, biking, and running. I have joined a swim team called the NASTI's (Noblesville Adult Swim Team of Indiana) and so far so good. Within thats swim team there is a Tri team called the TRI NASTI's. They swim at a high school a number of times a week and then on Sunday's as the weather gets better we will run or bike after the swim workout. The workouts are tough! The members are great swimmers and have been giving me some tips on my form to improve my speed which is much needed! Last Sunday I swam with the team (we swim for an hour all doing the same workout that someone prints out and puts at the top of each lane) and then I ran four miles outside with a couple of the TRI NASTI people...it was cold--probably about 20 degrees! I felt good though.

Anyway all the women on the team have gotten together to order Tri tops with the team logo on them, its fun to be around other people who are training for the same event as me or similar events. They don't think all my working is crazy---some of them work out way more then I do.

In a couple weeks my training program officially starts, which will be hard, but nice to have a specific workout schedule to follow. I know I won't be able to do every workout every time, but it will be nice to have a guide.

Running and Gear

I have been running a lot lately, because its my go-to exercise and its so easy to get out the door and run. Its been very cold though and snowy too, which makes it more challenging at times, but still feels very good when I am done. Friday I ran three miles with Luna (our 9 month old Husky) and it was snowing lightly and very pretty. Today I ran 6 miles. I layered and was warm enough and had a good run!

On to gear...Triathlons require some gear, some you can do without, and some is just fun to have! Paul and I are going to invest in a Garmin GPS/heart rate watch. We both run enough even when not training for an event that we will get a lot of use out of this. It will be cool to be able to train knowing my heart rate because I don't want to be anaerobic and I don't want to go too easy either. I am excited to get it and start using it. My aunt Jaquelin is a big biker and swimmer and runner and is going to let me borrow some gear including a helmet ( I have a helmet, but its pretty beat up and falling apart), some bike shorts, and some tri tops! YAY! I have a bike I bought from my neighbor and of course I have goggles, a cap, and suit.

First Swim of many...

I swam today for the first time in months. I like swimming, I don't know why I don't do it more for exercise. I think its the whole getting wet and cold and having to bring a change of clothes, etc every time. Anyway, the training program I am following is 18 weeks, but I have about 26 weeks until my race, so I am following the program, but not doing the whole amount yet. Today called for 45 min and 45 min run. I swam 40 min and ran 30. I need to figure out if I can split workouts into two times a day when I don't have the time to devote to one long workout. It felt great to swim again and I shared a lane with an Indy SwimFit coach (a group of swimmers you can join in Indy) and she said my stroke looked great and I was smooth in the water! It was nice to hear. Then I ran on the treadmill...slow...I should have eaten a banana before my swim or an energy bar because I was hungry during the run.

And all the people at the gym made it hard to get a treadmill...New Year's Resolutions are great and all, but for the people who work out all the time all year round---its annoying! I like the gym a little less crowded;)