Sharing the Love

It's never a dull day when you are training for an Ironman. Lots of work, sweat and sometimes tears. 


My morning started early with a trainer ride at 5:50 am. That should read 5:30 am, but someone had a hard time getting her warm, comfy a$$ out of the bed today. Those first few minutes on the trainer are tough until you get the blood moving and the legs loosened up. Today's workout was a progressive workout starting with 75% effort increasing by 5% every 5 minutes and then bringing it back down. I tried and I tried but I couldn't get my legs moving fast enough to take on the 100% effort. Hmmmm. Must try harder!


I sent the kids off to school and I went to "work". How can I call it work when I enjoy it so much? Friday mornings mean Body Flow. My class was a little small today, but it worked to my advantage. We got into a huge discussion about nutrition due to a couple of the ladies gaining small amounts of weight in the Transforming Tremont competition. Yes, losing weight comes down to calories in vs. calories out, but there is so much more involved in it.


As a Type II Diabetic, I am constantly worrying about blood sugar levels and I believe EVERYONE should be concerned about it. Pairing protein (and eating it first) followed by a small amount carbs allows your blood sugar level to remain stable and prevents huge spikes. So many people today eat carbs without the protein to balance it out. The other issues we debated was the intake of water and sodium. A lot much has been written about the amount of water we need to drink daily. I'll just say this. I don't measure the amount of water I drink on a regular basis. I simply pay attention to how my body feels when I drink water instead of diet soda or even my morning hot tea. The pure, clean (hopefully) fluids really make me feel better. I feel as if I'm doing something right for my body when I drink water. I do tend to drink less water in the winter because I like it ICE COLD and let's face it: It's cold enough in Central Illinois. So drinking water in the winter is a major concern for me, but I try to constantly have a drink by my side to keep my body nice and hydrated. 

After Body Flow, I met Mr. Muscle & one of the Intimidators for a swim. Yes, it was time to face the demon and face him with a SMILE! On the way to the pool, one of the Intimidators said, 

"Yah I always hope when I get there that I'll realize I forgot my goggles and I'll have to go back home."

Wait a minute? Was he inside my head? That's how I feel....like every time I go swimming. Why is this sport so hard? I think it's because you are alone with your thoughts. When you are swimming, you are not able to hold a conversation with your workout partner. You just have to go. 


I started my swim with a nice relaxing 100 yard warm up followed by 2 sets of 500. My goal was to focus on relaxing my body and paying attention to my breath. Just this morning I read an article about triathletes who lift their head out of the water causing drag. They suggested keeping your head in line with your body as it rotates to the side leaving one goggle in the water so you are not lifting your head. I started my first set of 500 and again I had the negative thoughts invading, "Why are you doing this? Let's face it. Swimming sucks." So on and so on. At the end of my first 500, I took a 1 minute break and re-focused. Relaxed strokes. Breathe. That's all. 


The 2nd 500? A-PIECE-OF-CAKE. Seriously. I did the 2nd 500 and thought why was I so worked up about this? It's because of the distance. It's because I still don't feel confident in the swim even though I know I could swim 1600 yards continuous. It's because I'm a mental freak!


After the 2nd 500, I decided my triathlete ADD needed to kick in and I started working on speed work. I did 25 yards as quick as my little arms would take me counting strokes the whole time, 15 seconds rest, 25 yards back. After my 50 yards of "speed", I did 50 yards working on bilateral breathing...and then back to speed work back and forth. After my final lap of bilateral breathing, I slowed down for a 100 yard cool down just focusing on relaxing my body again enjoying the nice long glide as my arm reached out. Total: 1500 yards. 


Fear? I have no fear. The swim is mine. Until I face it again next Tuesday. I mean seriously. I think this is going to be a full 8 month battle. 


I am home now. Refueled. Resting. One last workout today...ZUMBA! Of course, I may need a nap in there, too!

Some days you are the windshield....

Some days you are the bug. 


Today I was the bug, only I visualized myself at the bottom of the Riverplex pool instead of against the windshield. 


I constantly find myself wondering when the swim will become my friend. Then I hear the answer NEVER. 


I went to the pool today with the PLAN of doing my warm up, 1000 yards continuous and then finish off with an additional 600 yards. The plan got thrown out the window within my first 400 yards. Let me back up. I think it got thrown out the window when I drove to the Riverplex.


I am a firm believer that how you approach things, your mindset, will affect the outcome. I went to the pool filled with dread. I knew my last swim on Friday wasn't stellar. My confidence of a couple of weeks ago was shattered. 


So, yes, my plan was derailed by my attitude. I did my warm up and then started toward my goal of 1000 yards. In the first 300 yards, I heard a voice in my head screaming, "Why did you sign up for Ironman? You are going to drown!"  Nice, huh? Reassuring? Not quite. 


I paused at the end of the pool to gather my mental strength again. Once again the doubts came barging in within a few more laps. What was the deal?  


I finally finished my first 1000 yards and I suddenly turned the corner. Only 600 yards left. It is amazing to me how much better I felt knowing I was on the downhill. 


I decided I need to break any further long swims down into smaller chunks. Yes, the goal is 1600 yards, but mentally I need to call it 4x400 without a break. Maybe that will help.


Here's hoping. 

All work, No Play

Since I just signed up for IMLOU last Tuesday, I guess you could technically call this my first week of Ironman training and it has been a long one. I guess that's a sign of what is yet to come. 

My typical day:

• Wake up
• Breakfast
• Get kids ready for school and drop off Princess
• Teach group fitness
• Work on ZUMBA (launch is Monday YAY!)
• Complete my first IM workout
• Lunch
• Complete my second IM workout
• Shower
• Kids come home from school
• Snack
• Run to kids' evening activities
• Some time in there find time for dinner 

You would think that with all of my working out the pounds would be dropping off of me; however, I hear Jillian Michaels' voice ringing in my head. I need to eat a lot more food in order to make that happen. I'm hoping to spend sometime today "REST DAY" (do you hear the angels singing?) working on my nutrition plan for the week. The last ten pounds have got to come off before summer. 

Here  is my actual workout report for last week:

Monday: PUMP (8:30 am), worked on ZUMBA (9:30 am), 60 minute trainer ride following the Winter Bike Plan from Beginner Triathlete (1  pm), adult volleyball (7 pm)

Tuesday: FLOW (8:30 am), interval run 10-20 min warm-up, 2x1200 @6:32 pace <2:00 RI>, 4x800 @4:18 pace <2:00 RI>, 10 min cool down (10-20 min warm-up, 2x1200 @6:32 pace <2:00 RI>, 4x800 @4:18 pace <2:00 RI>, 10 min cool down) (11 am), Swim 2x800 (1 pm)

Wednesday: Gave a practice ZUMBA class (10 am), 90 minute trainer ride (2 pm), FLOW & PUMP followed by more ZUMBA (am I obsessing too much?)

Thursday: PUMP (8:30 am), 2 hour nap (2 pm), Run on treadmill (1 mi easy, 2 miles @ mid-tempo pace, 1 mile easy, 2 miles at mid-tempo pace, 1 mile easy) (7pm)

Friday: FLOW (8:30 am), 40 minute trainer ride (10:45 am), 1000 yard swim

Saturday: PUMP (9 am), 8 mile treadmill run (11:30 am)

Sunday: Grateful for rest day. I thought about working on ZUMBA again tonight, but as of now I am going to take the rest day and thoroughly enjoy it. 

As much as I am eating, I definitely need to up my calorie intake. I need to find ways to increase my caloric intake without adding too many carbs and balancing my nutritional needs. I'm going to review my "Making the Cut" book by Jillian Michaels and see if my hero can help me out here. 

I am also a firm believer in listening to your body. On Thursday, I was so tired I decided to  lay down for a catnap which turned into a two hour nap. Obviously, my body needed the rest. So I don't feel guilty about it at all. 

On Friday,  my plan was to do another set of 2x800 at the pool; however, when I got there, I just couldn't get my body into a nice freestyle groove. Instead I worked on speed drills (counting strokes for each 25 yards) and using the breast stroke to site where I'm at in the pool. 

Listen to your body. It's key. If you don't, you may end up with an injury which will set you back several weeks. 

Marketing vs Nutrition Labels

It's time we start paying attention to our food labels. This video is over 7 minutes long, but well worth it when you learn about the way food companies try to sell you on their "healthy" foods...made from artificial colors, hydrogenated oils and liquid sugars. It's time to take a stand and ask "Where are the blueberries?" 

Please watch and learn! 

Blueberries faked in cereals, muffins, bagels and other food products - Food Investigations - NaturalNews.tv

Certifiable

I did it. I belong in the looney bin. Yes, yes, I do. I am just crazy enough to NOT be able to walk away from a challenge.

Monday night I came home and decided I would see if my nerve would hold out when I tried to get through the registration process. I entered my name, age, contact info, emergency contact info (PLEASE I hope they don't need to use it!) and.....

** List athletic achievements & background (what?)
** Significant personal achievements (really? Can I list NONE?)
** Why are you registering for this event? (Cause I.M.STUPID)
** Please share significant information about your training or participation. (Insert cricket sounds)

At 10 pm at night, I did not have the creativity to complete these questions...and I was a chicken. So I exited the registration form.

My Facebook status:

Why does WTC make registration do hard? Name, age, contact info should be all that's needed but NO! This is for an Ironman. We want to know your life story do we can add dramatic music & have Bob Costas add dramatic pauses to your story. Too tired to be creative - click

Tuesday afternoon....I hear a voice coming from deep inside my head....Carla....you've been talking the talk, can you walk the walk?

What do you know? About 10  minutes later after bullshiting my way through my significant achievements,

I AM REGISTERED!!!

I tried to call Camo-Man to see if he would talk me out of it, but he didn't answer the phone! So I guess I had no choice but to hit . WHAT WAS I THINKING????

Registration Details
Confirmation #:

60690774-011012130509

D-Day is now 227 days away.....I better go get on my trainer!

Workout Plan for 1/9/12

This will be another crazy week as I study, study, study, work, work, work to prepare for launching ZUMBA next Monday!

The plan for the week:
Monday: PUMP, ZUMBA, Trainer Ride, Adult Volleyball
Tuesday: FLOW, Swim 2x800, Run
Wednesday: ZUMBA, Trainer Ride, FLOW, PUMP
Thursday: PUMP, Run
Friday: FLOW, Trainer Ride, Swim 2x800
Saturday: Run 8 miles
Sunday: Glorious Day of rest, maybe a little ZUMBA because I'm sure I'll be freaking out about launch  MONDAY!!!

I'm using the Run Less, Run Faster half marathon training plans for my runs. So I'll have to look up what I'm supposed to be doing this week and gitter done. I'm following the Beginner Triathlete Winter Bike Training Plan for the bike and just praying and slugging it out in the swim. So far so good. It's slowly starting to come together as I adjust my schedule to make sure I can handle all of the training I will be doing for the next several months.

Weekly Workout Report

The Tremont Triathlon Team  is having a point challenge to help members become accountable for working out through the long winter months. Here is how it is structured: 

Run - 1pt for each mile
- (Brick-run that starts within 10min of an outside bike ride) - 2pts for each mile

Bike - (Outside) - 1pt for each 5 miles
- (Trainer) - 1pt for each 10 minutes

Swim - (Pool) - 1pt for getting to pool and getting into the water
- (Pool) 1pt for each 300 yards
- (Open Water) 1pt for each 200 yards (2 pts per lap @ Windemere)

Other Cardio (P90x, Gym Class, or similar) - 15min = 1pt

My week is as follows:

Sunday: Rest day after my 7 mile run Saturday

Monday: Bike trainer for 55 min <5>, practiced ZUMBA ALL DAY LONG, but only took credit for 1 hour <4>.

Tuesday: Ran 4.55 miles on the treadmill at a pace which made me want to PUKE <4>, ZUMBA another hour<4>

Wednesday: A great big confidence builder day. I actually swam 1 mile in the pool.....in 2 sets of 800, but really the break was small and I felt great!!! Score a big one for me<6>, PUMP <4>

Thursday: ZUMBA for most of the day AGAIN <4>

Friday: Bike trainer for 60 minutes <6>, ZUMBA, yes again! <4>

Saturday: A crazy, crazy day. I taught PUMP first thing in the morning <4>. I came home for a snack to head out for my 7 mile run only to get sideswiped by a dear friend who came into to town. So I cut my run to 3 miles so I could meet her for lunch instead <3>. I thought I was doing a ZUMBA Jam session all afternoon, but I had the wrong date! Otherwise I would have saved the run for after lunch and completed the full 7 miles, but instead I showed up at the gym and  was told I was out of my fricking mind!!!

Sunday: ZUMBA Jam Session - 3 hours of dancing and learning new choreography, but at least I feel good about launching next week! <8>

Totals for the week: BIKE = 17, Swim = 6, Run: 7, Other Cardio: 32====> 62 for week 1!!!