Still here!

Okay, I am a slacker on the blogging front but I am still here.

Training is going well, with the exception of the usual Christmas/New Year's craziness.

I am heading out of town next weekend on a course for work for three weeks - yippee. I should be able to get some swimming and running in, but I can't take my bike and trainer. I'll attempt to keep up with the training plan the coach sends me, but I really have no idea out busy this course will be...

Happy New Year everyone!

So far so good!

Well, one month of back to training done and things are going well.

The body is feeling good. It is nice to have that 'strong' feeling back that I get when I am training. Recovery is really good, I am crediting all of the yoga (hot and regular) that I am doing - my body feels almost too good for the level of training that I am doing.

The coach has definitely upped the game so to speak - more intense training this round, I know that it will be tough but I can do it (but I will admit to giggling with fear at a few of the workouts on my latest training block).

Zero stomach issues as well - life is good :)

And so it begins again...

Okay, break time is over. Back to training and base building.

That also means back to heart rate training - aerobic threshold, how I have missed you (not).

Seriously, things are going well. It feels good to be back on a schedule. I have even added hot yoga (sweaty, stretchy goodness) to my routine.

My chiro was very happy with the results of yoga, since I normally have very tight hip flexors from being on the bike and sitting in an office chair all day.

The shoulder has held up well in the pool, mostly I think thanks to my awesome massage therapist - she is wicked with shoulders!

Yes, it appears that I have a whole 'health care team' to keep me functional - thank goodness for health insurance!

Now, off to go do another workout!

Long time, no posts

Okay, I am way behind.

Most likely because I didn't want to admit defeat.

Calgary 70.3 sucked.

My shoulder had not fully recovered from the tendinitis and I had lost almost two weeks training from being sick at the beginning of July. Being that sick and the shoulder issues I was having just through my training for a complete loop.

I just barely managed to make the swim cut-off in Calgary but just could not make up enough time and missed the bike cut-off by five minutes - five freaking minutes.

I am going back next year. I love the course (it would have been nicer on the bike if it wasn't overcast and rainy). It is challenging, tough and I don't like being told no.

My husband was fantastic the whole weekend and was my rock when I had to deal with admitting that I failed. A few tears of frustration were shed on my part (I have I mentioned that I am stubborn?).

So, what now?

I have started strength training in order to fix up my shoulders. I always seem to let strength training be the first thing to go when I run out of time - I can't do that anymore or my body will stop me dead in my tracks.

Also, I have had to address some serious stomach issues (acid reflux from hell). I ended up in the emergency room on Canada Day morning for about 7 or 8 hours - not exactly fun. I have been on heavy duty meds to control the reflux, but they come with their own 'fun' side-effects.

In an effort to combat my stomach issues, I have at least for now switched to a vegan diet. The latest specialist that I was referred to told me that it could help (and thus let me reduce the dosage of my meds). I still may end up having surgery to fix my stomach but in the past couple of weeks, by eliminating meat and animal products I have been able to cut the dosage of my meds in half with no ill effects. Actually, my stomach is feeling better than it has since, well, I can't remember how long.

So that is it for now, rehab, get healthy and keep in shape until training begins again next month.

That and I'll try to keep up to date here!

Almost there

Only 40 days to go until race day, eek!

I think that I am over being sick, I had a really good 120 km ride a week ago. I took last week off as a bit of an impromptu 'mental break' week. I am not sure if the coach will be thrilled but the brain needed.

I had been so busy with work/Air Force Run stuff, then sick, then had a very full training week - mentally I was bagged and just needed to be a slug for a bit. I am feeling 1000% better this week and I am keen again to train and race again.

Coming up for this weekend is the St.Malo race weekend. http://stmalotri.blogspot.com/ I am only doing the Sprint, just a good warm up to the race season, practice transition, etc. It should be fun, as some friends are racing as well!

The past couple of weeks, meh

Things kind of fell off the rails for the past couple of weeks.

I was on the event committee for the 2010 Air Force Run (May 30th) and it ended up consuming way too much time in my life for the week around race day.

Immediately after the race, I got sick - ended up missing two days of work.

Feeling much better now and will test out the body with a run today.

Two hard build weeks coming up!

In the groove

Training has been going really well - too well to remember to blog.

Did my first outdoor ride of the season last night. I could have done it early (the weather has been that good) but my bike was in the shop for a tune up, so I had to wait. The ride felt strong, my heart rate was higher than I wanted it to be but I put that down to the first ride in traffic in over six months and a head wind.

It felt so nice not to be on the trainer!

The Winnipeg Police Service Half Marathon is just over a week away and the coach has said "no limits – good pacing early and just keep getting stronger throughout the run", so I will see what all of this heart rate training has done for me. I am starting to get twitchy to race, so I am looking forward to this one.

It is kind of strange, today was a rest day and I am really tired (and it is only 8:25 pm) - maybe it is because the office was a sauna today. I don't think that they have switched from heat to AC yet - then again, this is Winnipeg in April and no one expected 25°C.

Ride and a run tomorrow, whee! I am enjoying the ride ;)

29 March to 4 Apr 2010:

Monday

Swim: 500m free warm up, 5 x 200m free with 1minute recovery between, 200m easy swim - good swim, passed a guy in the lane next to me. He didn't seem to like that and started churning up the water more - but it was fun to 'chick' a guy in the pool :)

Tuesday

Spin Class on Base - made them sweat. Some interval work, some standing - 60 minutes total

Wednesday

Run: 60 minutes: 15 minutes @ AET, 30 minutes @ 5 x 5 minutes @ AET + 10 BPM with 1 minute recovery, 15 minutes at AET - legs were a little tire from yesterday's spin to start but loosened up in the warm up. Intervals were good, had a little bit of trouble keeping the HR in check on the last interval. Felt good to go faster!

Thursday

Run: 45 minutes at AET - had a Mess Dinner at the Base Wednesday night, it went really late and the red wine tasted really good. Made Thursday my rest day.


Friday

Day Off - Run 45 minutes at AET - 3.21 miles, good run

Saturday

Run: 30 minutes at AET include 4 x 20 second strides - 2.18 miles, good run

Bike: 60 minutes @ 20 minutes at AET, 20 minutes at AET + 5 BPM, 10 minutes at AET + 10 BPM, 10 minutes warm down (cadence 90 to 100) - got a wicked sinus headache in the afternoon, couldn't shake it so the ride didn't happen until Sunday. Did the ride Sunday morning, felt good - nice and sweaty and the HR was good.

Sunday

Run: 3 hrs at AET - started at around 5pm, decent long run, forgot to stop my watch at red lights 11.33 miles (my last 3 hr run was done on the treadmill).

Overall, another good week. Legs were a little tired today but I was expecting that.

March totals:

Swim - 9.92 km 4 hrs 11 mins 50 secs

Bike (all trainer) - 10 hrs 45 mins

Run - 97.12 km 14 hrs 27 mins 04 secs

It didn't feel like I was doing a whole lot (guess that I am getting used to higher training volumes).

For April, I am finally getting to do some higher heart rate stuff on the run - yippee!

Left leg straightened itself on it's own, so just the normal chiro tune up at the end of the week :)

Editted to add today's run - oops.

Good recovery week

I always feel lazy on recovery weeks - especially when I get a rest day on the Monday. Don't get me wrong, it feels good but still lazy.

Monday 22nd

Day off - the body wasn't in too bad of shape, I was pleasantly surprised.

Tuesday 23rd

Swim: 1000m easy free - felt good, speed was surprisingly fast.

Wednesday 24th

Bike: 45 minutes at AET - legs were a little tired/stiff for the first bit and the HR was higher than I expected but everything settled down by 15 to 20 mins in to the ride.

Thursday 25th

Run: 40 minutes at AET - very hot cardio room and lack of sleep (only 4 hrs) made for a shitty run. 2.71 miles

Friday 26th

Day Off - got a good nights sleep, felt much better.

Saturday 27th

Run: 60 minutes at AET include 4 x 20 seconds strides throughout the run - did on Sunday, could not resist running in the beautiful Sunday weather. Really good run, 4.61 miles. Strides felt really good, nice to see that the speed is still in the legs.

Sunday 28th

Bike: 60 minutes at AET - good ride. Need to get the bike ready to get outside.

The body feels good, slight tightness in the left quad but I'll go see the chiro about it tomorrow (he has done wonders for my left leg issues).

Next up, a build week - haven't seen the next block of training yet from the coach but I know that by Friday, I will be very happy to have a rest day.

A really good week

I am really happy with how this past week went. All my workouts got done, on the day they were supposed to get done. This makes me a happy camper!

Here is what the week looked like:

Monday 8th

Swim: 300m free, 200m free, 1 km free with fins, 200m easy

Bike: 60 minutes at AET include 5 x 5 minute intervals at AET + 5 bpm with 2 minutes recovery, maintain high rpm

Tuesday 9th

Run: 45 minutes at AET

Wednesday 10th

Swim: 4 x 500m 1st and last 500m are free, middle 2 are free with fins, 1 minute recovery between each rep

Bike: 90 minutes include 30 minutes at AET + 5 to 10 bpm cadence between 90 to 100 rpm

Thursday 11th

Run: 60 minutes include 3 x 5 minute efforts at AET + 5 bpm with 2 minutes recovery between efforts.

Friday 12th

Day off

Saturday 13th

Bike: 60 minutes at AET

Run: 30 minutes at AET

Sunday 14th

Run: 2 hrs 30 minutes At AET




For the whole week, my body felt strong and remarkably rested. I was a little tired this morning, the day after the long run but a swim at lunch fixed me right up.

Now, only if my body could get used to the time change - I really missed my hour of sleep this morning (note to self, change the clock in the bedroom tonight).

I slept in by an hour this morning, since I didn't realize that my husband had neglected to change the time on the bedroom clock (it is on his side of the bed). Luckily, my work is pretty good about letting us flex our time (within reason).

One more build week this week and then a recovery week (2 hard, 1 recovery), I just took a peek at the week coming up and I am pretty sure I will be a sweaty puddle of goo come Thursday's bike work out - I'll let you know how I fair!

Hopefully in a few more weeks, I will be outside for my bikes!

Interesting

Had an interesting comment from my office mate today.

On the wall by my desk, I have this picture posted:

I have it up as motivation and a reminder of the training I need to do to be ready for the Calgary 70.3 on August 1st.

I have worked in this office since April of last year and there are only about twenty of us in all for the whole office. Today, one of the guys saw my the picture on the wall (while I was at the gym doing a run) and asked if someone is doing that race.


My office mate, G told him that I do triathlon and that was the race that I am doing this summer.

Even though I am in the military and we are required to keep physically fit and are given work time to go to the gym, I still found it amusing that he had no clue about me.

I guess that I identify myself as a triathlete a lot more than I thought I did.

Might explain the wetsuit (currently in the closet in the midst of winter hibernation) along with the near constant stink of chlorine on my skin, the bike set up on the trainer in the living room/dining room and the numerous pairs of runners that I have scattered throughout the house.

Not much to report

Things have been going well, heart rate training is progressing.

I would love to be able to get the bike off the trainer, but this being Winnipeg, in February - that is not going to happen anytime soon. Time to stock up the dvd collection again.

I have the opportunity now to get some group tri training in, which will be a nice change - the only hiccup is that the tri group has a coach and I have my own (and I am not willing to switch). I will be able to swim with them and get some stroke correction, so that will be good - help save some wear and tear on the shoulder.

Long run tomorrow and it may be on the treadmill, as we are supposed to get up to 15cm of snow tonight/tomorrow and I am guessing that nothing will be shovelled tomorrow morning, sigh.

I miss summer!

Editted to add a picture out my front door this afternoon, post shovelling.

Um I'm an expert? When did that happen?

The Base has just stood up a triathlon team - woohoo for some group training and some stroke correction (get that shoulder doing what it is supposed to do).

I was asked by the club president (she is a friend) if I could bring in my race gear (wetsuit, bike, etc) so people could see the kind of gear involved. No big deal, right?

We ended up having around half the team show up (so, around 10) and they had some really good questions and seemed really keen. One also told me that he has been given my name by a few different people on the Base to talk to about triathlon.

I just love to know when I became this 'expert'!

Speaking of triathlon, off to go do a run...can't wait for spring and some warm weather, the treadmill is starting to wear thin.

Busy, busy

Still here, still training.

Temporarily off of swimming due to some shoulder tendinitis but things are on the mend.

Running and biking are going well, doing some HR stuff above my aerobic threshold (yahoo!).

Hypo Half is at the end of next month, which means that I get a two hour run this weekend - haven't decided whether it will be on the treadmill or outside. I will have to see what the weather is like (it is supposed to be nice) and what the coach wants me to do.

Now, if I could just get my diet in order (not too much 'bad' stuff, just too much in general) I would be happy ;)

Holiday indulgences have caught up with me...

And now I have a sinus cold. It hit just in time for New Years - too much, food, wine, lack of training and lack of decent sleep were too much for the body.

Why do I do this to myself, I know better. Oh yeah, Christmas food is really good, the wine is great and seeing all my family is even better!

Oil of Oregano seems to be helping, but it taste gross (think worse than Buckley's).

New training schedule starts Monday, supposedly giving the upper body a rest while the shoulder (tendinitis) heals up.

Apparently, I get to do some higher heart rate stuff (finally) - I am almost giddy!