4 more races

I have 4 more TRI races left for the season.  In some ways I just want them to be done!  That's probably nerves.  I do love doing them, but the training is always so time consuming.  I can run and bike right from home, but the swimming always takes effort - getting to the pool or lake, etc.  I have a race Thurs and have only swam once in 2 wks!  Oh boyyyyyy!  Here I was thinking of trying to beat my last 3 times.  We'll see!!!

I just want to go back to Step Aerobics!  Soon and very soon.  After a few months of that I'll be wishing I could be training for some more TRIs.

26 miles

I did a great 26 mile bike ride tonight.  Each week my average speed is going up.  I love that because I don't feel as strong on my bike as I do in swimming....(running has its own issues!!).  I'm finally starting to feel comfortable on my bike.  Maybe it's time to upgrade!!!

Ride instead of Drive!

Today I decided to ride my bike to the library instead of drive.  It only took me an extra 10 mins (total - 5mins each way!).  So why not - had to get a book AND got to exercise.  I highly recommend it.

It was actually my first time riding in the rain.  I always whimp out to ride my road bike in the rain.  Too slippery, etc.  Well I had no choice because I was halfway there & I needed a book!  It wasn't bad.  Can't say it was my favorite - rather be running in the rain than riding. 

So run, bike or walk to your next errand!

Stella

I think Stella Got Her Groove Back!  Really, I think I'm back and my training is going great.  What am I training for besides just the lifestyle of fitness....I suppose it's the Women's Triathlon in September.

I've said this before, but since I injured my leg in March, I was working out, but always in pain and I really had little motivation.  Last night, I felt like I was finally BACK and it felt great!!

Oh and to give you an update on my every other week TRIs:

1st time: 1:19:40
2nd time: 1:18:17
3rd time: 1:16:23
Love that it keeps going down.  I think I can cut some more time out too.  We'll see in August.


Thanks for continuing on this journey with me!

Vitamin Water

As I read the label I found this interesting.....the serving size of the bottle of Vitamin Water I was drinking is 2.5 in ONE bottle.....so if you do drink the whole bottle which why wouldn't we.....you are getting 2.5 times whatever the nutrition facts say, so while there is zero calories the one I was drinking was 16g sugar per serving = 40g sugar.  Ugghhhh!!!!!!!!!

Watch your labels.

Toenail

Am I a true runner now.....my toenail has fallen off!  I sorta have a weak stomach so the sight of it maybe me nearly pass out......but now I'm sorta proud of it!

Swimming at 7:30am on Saturday Morning anyone?  anyone?

The Show Must Go On......

Well March/April was a tough time for me.  After I injured my leg it was just one event after the next.  I think I finally got some answers through a gait analysis appointment and a sports med chiropractor.  We're moving along......

Over the last few wks I've actually felt like I've been enjoying exercising again.  I've participated in 2 triathlons.  These TRIs are unique - they are more practice TRIs (a fraction of the cost to participate!!), but they are pretty much Spring TRIs at night.  They are great.  Both times had super cool temps - like 60s!  We'll see what the next few hold.

1st time: 1:19:40
2nd time: 1:18:17

My transitions weren't good 2nd time, so I know I can beat that aspect of the time for my next event.  My strongest part of the TRI is swimming and I love to swim so it's great!

I hope you are getting outside and exercising - no excuses with early bright mornings and late bright evenings!  (except for the 90s and humidity that we're experiencing at the present moment in New England!).

Still working out!

Just in case you thought I wasn't working out anymore.....still am!!  I find myself out and about more as the weather has turned much nicer and not on the computer as much anymore (which is always a good thing!).

Oh what does my workouts look like these days!  Last week.....hmmmm.......let me think.....actually that reminds me - I need to write down my workouts again.  I've gotten lazy lately and I need to get back into writing it down (I just print out a blank calendar and fill in the blocks!).  I know I ran, I know I biked and I did a circuit workout.

I'm going to try to do a lot of TRIs this summer.  There are several series and you can do them really cheap.  I'll probably do a few 5Ks.  I'm not sure if I'll do another 1/2 marathon this year.  Jon is doing the full in the fall, so I don't want to take away from that (or maybe I'll do the 1/2 and still have time to cheer him on for the full!).

Anyways, duathlon was good.  Tough.  First run - great/best 5K time, Bike - long and HILLY - got about what I wanted to do, last run - horrible - my leg hurt and it was just so painful to run.  I think it's just my leg issues and a bit of dehydration too.  (I'm going to see a new person on Thurs!  Hope they can help me with my issues!!).  Below are my stats and a pic!!!

6/14 in age group: R1 23:34, T1 1:16, Bike 1:01, T2 1:16, R2: 28:53 (leg hurt!!) = 1:56:35

2 more days!

That's all I have until The Shamrock Duathlon.  5k run, 26k bike, 5k run.  Jon and I signed up together.  I'm so looking forward to doing this with him.  I'm totally no where near where I should be for training for this event, but we'll have fun anyways!!

Look forward to pics and results on Sunday Afternoon!

Jen.

Stressed Out?

Are you stressed out?  I was today, so I went for a run.  Boy it felt good.  No IPod; just me and nature and a few tears!

Don't hold it in, don't sit in bed, don't eat a bag of chips - EXERCISE!

Jen.

Workout Wednesday in the rain?!

Don't ever let rain keep you from exercising.  Do you know 1/2 the races I ran last year were in the rain?  It's actually kinda fun and I didn't get sick from any of them! 

I hadn't done anything since the 5K on Sunday, so I needed to GET OUT THERE.  Child #3 was napping, Child #2 was coloring, Child #1 was at school......so I decided to jump and run!  I did 100 jumps with my jump rope and then ran a 1/4 of a mile.  Because I couldn't leave my 'house' I did 1/4 mile by doing a few laps in the road in front of my house.  It was great.  The rain came and I just kept at it.  I jumped 600 jumps and did 1 1/2 miles.  After that I went to my front stairs and did a step workout for about 5mins and then ran for 5 mins and then step for 5 and ran for 5. 

All in all I had a good workout!  I have 3 kids (2 were home) and I still got a workout in!  You can't give me the kids as an excuse....so what's your other excuses?

Get out there PLEASE!

Mother's Day 5K

I love to sleep, so my top two choices for a great Mother's Day would be sleeping in or running a race.  With the lovely rain on Saturday Morning baseball was canceled so I got to sleep in, so when Sunday came I got to race!!

My first 5K of the season - time 23:43.  The funny thing is that is my best time and that was the SAME EXACT time I got at my last 5K of 2009.  Interesting!

I hadn't really been doing a lot of running lately and I didn't do my normal race routine days before the race.  In fact, I decided the night before to run.  It was fun.  Jon and the boys came with me and I ran.  It was SUPER cold and windy. I wished I had more layers and a hat.  All in all I was happy with my results.

Looking forward to the Shamrock Duathlon in a few weeks.  Jon and I are doing it together.  I'm not really ready for it, but I'll go give it my best try.

A few pics from the race:  Running and then the finish with my boys.

Back at it!

After the 1/2 I was still recovering from a leg injury and so I just slowed down.  In fact, in a month I think I ran twice, so there is your mileage update for April - probably 17 miles (that includes the 1/2!).  I really focused on my eating.  I was able to maintain my weight without too much exercise besides the day to day routine of running after the 3 boys.

I was told by my dr a few wks ago to start doing more cross training.  So I swam last week and got on my bike a few times.  My leg felt great and so I'm back at it again!

It was brutal yesterday - 90 degrees!  I decided to run 2 miles and then bike.  Well I was thinking the bike was going to last longer than it did.....I only lasted 3 miles.  It was soooo hot.  Tonight I took a nice 3 mile run.  While it was still hot it was bearable. 

Before my run I was waiting for hubby to get home from baseball with our eldest.  I jumped about 600 jumps with my jump rope while the kids road their bikes.  I love doing things like that.  I need to be outdoors with them, but when they are on their bikes they don't need me, so I can still watch them while exercising.  So many people complain or comment about - how do you have time, you have all those kids - I fit it in!  I make it a priority.  If you don't have a jump rope - get one or you can do squats or jumping jacks.  I then got on my bike and we all road bikes together.  I also practiced a few transitions in preparation for my upcoming race.  They love being a part of my practice sessions.

Anna's Results!

Anna had a great run!  She started with a 6:45/mile and let up a bit as the distance got longer and the hills appeared.  Her lungs were what slowed her down.  How could she have fixed that: more interval/speed training.  Unfortunately her tendinitis was keeping her from that the last few weeks.

Final Time: 24:50 and she placed 2nd in her age group!

This was for a great cause: Uganda Water Project.

Great Job, Anna!  Remember - she's a MOM of 2 little ones!!  Another Shout Out to Corrie Tanner, also a mother of 3 little ones, who also ran the same race.  She did extremely well, too and I think this was her first 5K.  YAY, Corrie!!

The Week before the Race

Anna Finley's 5K adventures continue:

Anna is suffering from a 6yr old tendinitis issue.  She's still going to run - that's my girl, but knows she needs to play it safe....This is what she's doing this week:

Monday: 3 miles (avoiding hills)
Tuesday: 2 miles in the a.m. and 1 3/4 miles of intervals in the evening: 1:40/1:53 for 1/4m splits w/200m rest/walk
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Light run and a few intervals
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Race Day!  She's hoping for 8min/miles now due to her injury. 

We'll have to wait and check out her results on Saturday.  Anna, we want pics!!!  (Josh, take pics while taking care of the boys, please!!)

On the Side

So I've started something new lately.....I not only get the dressing on the side with my salad, but I also get the cheese on the side.  When you are living a lifestyle of portion control (or a trek to fitness!) everything counts.  I think it makes a big difference.  It's fun to see the amount of cheese they bring you.  It's so much more than I'd ever put on my salad.  I still put SOME on, but definitely not all of it!

Every little bit counts - for better or for worse!

More on Anna's Trek to Fitness tomorrow!

A Running Mama!

So I'm not the only Mom that is on her Trek to Fitness and loves to run......let me introduce you to:

Anna Finley: wife, mother of 2 boys, and a runner

Anna likes to run 4-5 times a week.  She ran in high school and could do 5:45/miles.  She is running a 5K race this Saturday with hopes of doing 7:45/miles.  It stinks to not have that same speed as in high school!  I could do a 1:05 100m swim and now I'm lucky do to a 1:20!  Life sure does change, but it's fun to still be doing the things you love even after age, babies and all that good stuff!

Anna uses interval training to increase her speed.  She picks a pace and runs that pace 1/4, 1/2 or 1 mile and then a 200m walk and then repeat.

Her pre-race meal will be:   Ezekiel Toast with butter and sliced cheddar cheese and coffee.  Tip for you:  Anna says the meal you eat 2 nights before should be your carb loader meal.

I'll update you in the next day or two to let you know what Anna's training is going to look like before her big race on Saturday.  Good Luck, Anna.  You are going to do great!!

13 miles

I guess I did a 1/2 marathon on my bike today!  My time was much better than my 1/2 marathon run!!  My leg is feeling better.  Ultrasound and xray says nothing.  I do have REALLY low white blood cells and the dr says stay away from anyone sick because I don't have much to fight back with.  This has been going on a month now.  Will go to another dr soon if the pain and issues continue in my leg.

However, I did enjoy my biking today.  I have high hopes to do a duathlon in May - run, bike, run!

Enjoy your day!
Jen.

Cool!

Thought this was cool!  They sent me this today!!

Salty Thoughts

I found some interesting salt info/alternatives in the latest Weight Watchers magazine:

Soy Sauce:
1T packs 800mg of sodium (about 1/3 of the recommended daily amts for adults)
Better Option: Low Sodium Soy Sauce (cuts sodium in 1/2) or use fresh lemon juice or use a few ice cubes to dilute your soy sauce (I like the last suggestion!).

Pickles:
Dill Pickles contain about 800mg of sodium.
Better Option: Sweet Gherkin (or better yet - a fresh cucumber!)

Low-Fat Cottage Cheese:
Some brands have more than 900mg of sodium
Better Option: Cup of low-fat Greek Yogurt which is about 150mg of sodium (I've been eating the Yoplait Greek and it has 0g fat, 95mg sodium, 19g carbs and 12g protein).

I did ride my bike 7 miles today.  Going to the drs tomorrow.