How Hard Can It Be? Round 4

[spindizzy]

Congratulations! Looks like a beautiful course. Thom sure knows how to get some awesome shots!

[Veronica]

Congrats on the accomplishment! I just read the blog post about the tri. Looks beautiful, and you had a great result.

SheFly

Congratulations! Looks like a beautiful course. Thom sure knows how to get some awesome shots!

Thanks very much!

One of the tricks to good photos - good editing! He started off with over 100 shots and we whittled it down to those 8. We looked at all the swimming photos for the one with best splash and arm position and the least dorky look on my face. He had a lot of practice shots of other riders cresting the hill or going through the corner. I wish I could look as happy climbing as Chris Horner does!

I'm lucky because he enjoys the challenge of getting good photos.

Veronica

[Veronica]

Tweaked a muscle in my back yesterday at mile two of my planned 7.5 mile run. I went on for another mile and a quarter and it kept hurting more and more. I was running to the gym to meet Thom, so I called him and he picked me up.

Planned on a tandem bike ride today, but I think I'll be sitting around the house icing.

I don't think it's that big of a deal right now, but I need to keep myself healthy. A day off today won't kill me.

Veronica

[Veronica]

Will May ever end?

I have felt lackluster since my race on May 8. It's been hard to motivate myself to follow through on my workouts and to stay away from all the sweet stuff that finds its way to school. Stress is such a buzzkill and it's not just typical end of year stuff. My coworkers are contributing a bit as well.

I finished up my spinning goal for the month this morning. I've been doing my "easier" videos - Zoot Challenge, Hillacious and Uphill Grind rather than Dropping the Hammer. It was my mental compromise to actually get my butt on the bike. Weird thing though, I've switched the screens around on my Garmin to show HR and speed, rather than cadence. Trying to maintain a certain speed is tremendously motivating. Little changes in cadence wouldn't worry me, but a change in speed... gets those legs churning.

I've got three more runs to do this month though - "Fun Run" this afternoon, long run on Saturday and intervals on Tuesday.

Shawna, my trainer, has been whipping my butt on Monday and Wednesday mornings. Monday's killer was plank position, elbows on a Bosu, held for three minutes, followed by an isometric squat on the Bosu, holding a 5 pound weight out in front of you, held for two minutes. Repeat!

Wednesday was side plank with top arm and leg extended, hold for a minute, then do the other side. Repeat two more times. That one was mixed in with some other exercises.

I've only swum twice this month and once was my race. Of course that was 500 yards longer than it was suppose to be.

Last day of school is June 9th. June's challenge will be to find a schedule that works when I don't have a schedule. You'd think it would be easy... but the lure of sitting around drinking coffee and riding a book is strong.

And oh my goodness, next race is June 5th!

Veronica

[Blueberry]

You'd think it would be easy... but the lure of sitting around drinking coffee and riding a book is strong.

I think your subconscious is trying to tell you something

I know what you mean about schedule. I have a lot more flexibility than I used to - but I also have to deal with all of the emergencies (which have been eating up too much training time).

[Veronica]

I think your subconscious is trying to tell you something

I know what you mean about schedule. I have a lot more flexibility than I used to - but I also have to deal with all of the emergencies (which have been eating up too much training time).

Ha! Too funny! You're probably right. And I read over that post three times before submitting it!

I try to do my most important training first thing in the morning. So that "other" stuff doesn't keep it from happening. It's hard to get out of bed at 3:45, but... most days I do.

Veronica

[Veronica]

Got my running mojo back. 6.77 miles this morning at an average pace of 10:04 and it felt great! Love those endorphins.

Veronica

[Blueberry]

Yay for a good run! I did the trainer today - but at least I did it!!

[Veronica]

Saturday's mantra was "easy and light." It worked very well for me to keep focusing on those two words. Saturday afternoon when I was reading Born to Run I got to Caballo Blanco's advice to the author - focus on easy, light then smooth and you'll get fast. It just seemed so prophetic.

Went out for my last run of the month this morning on my own at 4:30. Early AM runs have a tendency to be difficult and uncomfortable for me - breathing and stomach issues. But until I'm done with work I can't run at 8AM every day - the primo time! It was a good run. I run a couple of the hills a little too hard, but I was able to recover on the flats and a keep a decent pace. It wasn't as fast or as far as Saturday's run, but I'm coming to the conclusion that it's an unfair comparison. Early morning is just not as good as after breakfast and that's the way it is.

8 more work days! Field trip to Sacramento today.

I have an Olympic tri this upcoming Sunday and a sprint tri on the 18th. I'll have the last three weeks of June to really get in some significant training before we head to Glacier for a vacation.

Veronica

[Veronica]

Yesterday was our 25th anniversary. Thom took the day off and went to my trainer session with me in the morning. Monday is legs and plyometrics day. It was fun to have him there. We did a lot of jumping, kicked the boxing bags some and isometric wall squats in addition to regular weight work. Those wall squats were "fun". First round was just to squat for three minutes. Second round was squat for 90 seconds with one foot up, then switch for another 90 seconds. The first minute of that wasn't bad, but then the burn kicks in and the last thirty seconds goes by so slowly.

Went for our regular Tuesday morning interval run. It was nice - 69 degrees at 4 AM and a big moon. We did 6 three tenth of a mile intervals. Fastest was the third one at a 7:25 pace. I blew up on the 4th one and thought I was going to hurl. I took 5 and 6 "easy" but still averaged in the low 8s for both.

Veronica

[Crankin]

Veronica, do all of the squats, etc. affect your legs when you ride or run? I have terrible issues with this, any time I try to do lower body strength stuff when I am doing a lot of riding. I am thinking of re-joining a gym and I am not sure if I want to wait until near the end of the cycling season.
Probably just my age and my "delicate" muscles. I know everyone is different, but this bugs me.

[SheFly]

Yesterday was our 25th anniversary.

Happy Anniversary! Did you get married when you were 10?

SheFly

[Veronica]

Veronica, do all of the squats, etc. affect your legs when you ride or run? I have terrible issues with this, any time I try to do lower body strength stuff when I am doing a lot of riding. I am thinking of re-joining a gym and I am not sure if I want to wait until near the end of the cycling season.
Probably just my age and my "delicate" muscles. I know everyone is different, but this bugs me.

I definitely feel the leg work from Monday when I run on Tuesday. That's why I also plan a yoga session on Tuesday. I only do legs once a week, so I plan my longer rides and runs to be later in the week. A hard ride on Sunday does make the leg workout on Monday tough sometimes.

Happy Anniversary! Did you get married when you were 10?
SheFly

Nearly so.

Veronica

[jobob]

Happy anniversary, V!

[GLC1968]

Happy Anniversary! Did you get married when you were 10?

SheFly

Heh, I was wondering the same thing!

Happy Anniversary, V! (and Thom!)