New training food?

Ladies and Gentlemen, I introduce KFC's new Double Down!

• 2 pieces of fried chicken
• 2 slices of cheese
• 2 pieces of bacon
• Some sort of "sauce"
  
• No bun
  

Apparently, a bun would be just too much. Who needs to eat 3 meals a day when you can have this slice of heaven???? I can get all of my calories (the 2 pieces of chicken come in at 740), fat (at least 42 grams), and sodium (2100 mg) all in one sitting! Not to mention the fries that I would HAVE to get with it. To balance things out, though, I'd get a diet Coke.

This.looks.gross. No wonder the U.S. has such a problem with obesity...

Meh, average...

Totals Week of 8.17-8.23, 2009

Swim = 6,720.21 yards
Bike = 20.90 miles
Run = 45.10 miles

Okay week for me. Started out really strong at the beginning of the week but workouts kind of feel to to wayside this weekend due to being tired and busy with the move (I will be so, so glad when the move is over with). I just didn't get in as much as I would have liked this weekend, but that's okay.

Started out this week with a 13.1 mile run at 5 am.....wooohoooo!

Tattoo or no tattoo?

I've never been into tattoos or thought about getting a tattoo. I had friends who couldn't wait to turn 18 to be able to legally get a tattoo without having to get their parents permission, but it never really appealed all that much to me.

However, recently, I started thinking about the possibly of getting the infamous "M Dot" Ironman tattoo once I complete Ironman C'ouer D'Alene. For any other event, I wouldn't even consider it (because, frankly, I hate needles) but for the Ironman it seems almost like a rite of passage. You complete [said] Ironman, you can wear the tattoo proudly as a remembrance of something remarkable that you have completed.

So, I'm thinking about it. Of course, I'm not going to go crazy and get tattooed on by bicep, but I'm thinking something small on my lower back or ankle. I dunno. I also thought about throwing a little creativity into my tattoo design and get something like this:

Cool, huh!? [For those of you who are like "huh?" it's the Univ. of South Carolina logo, my alma mater].

















I also like this pretty standard version of the Ironman tattoo:


Who knows, I'll probably chicken out and won't get anything, but.....

Since we're not spending all weekend moving as originally planned, I'm hoping to run with Run Tex in the morning then hop in the pool for a swim. I might try to jump in and ride with the Georgetown Cyclopaths on Sunday morning. But, we're meeting some friends we haven't seen in awhile downtown on Saturday night, so it all depends on what time we get home on that night as to whether I will be up and at 'em bright and early on Sunday, or if I'll opt to sleep in and just ride on my own....

Happy Friday!

Bragging Rights

I DID IT! I finally beat Dan in a swim (sorry Dan if you're reading this, but this may be a once in a lifetime feat for me).

Those of you who know me, know how ridiculously competitive I am. I hate losing, and am sometimes [okay, maybe often] a sore loser. While I love my husband, it drives me absolutely crazy that he is a faster swimmer than I. And, he doesn't even swim that often. Even after I took swim lessons last summer, and have been swimming at least 3x per week, I've never beaten Dan in the swim portion of any race.

Rewind to Tuesday evening of this week. Dan and I went to Austin for Jack & Adam's Splash & Dash, which is 750 m open water swim, followed by a 2 mile run. The Splash & Dash races are held once a month, and at the last few, I've been getting showing improvement and getting closer to his swim times. This Tuesday a miracle happened and I BEAT HIM. By like 25 seconds.

I'm hanging onto this dear sweet victory with my life because who knows if it will happen again.

By the way, by no means does this swim victory mean I am now a fast swimmer. I looked over the other day while swimming at lunch and noticed an old lady was breast-stroking at the same speed I was swimming freestyle. If that won't put your ego in check, I don't know what will...

Training for the Week Ending Aug. 16

Well hello friends.

I'm happy to report that training last week went MUCH better than the week before. Here are the stats for the week, Monday-Sunday.

Swimming total= 7,300 yards
Biking total= 91.90 miles
Running total= 51.90 miles

Saturday I got up an drove an hour north to Copperas Cove for an organized bike ride. I did the longest option, which was a 63-mile loop. There weren't very many people who did the 63-mile loop, so I ended up riding most of it alone, which was a good mental test for me. I averaged a little over 16 mph for the 63 miles, and I was pleased. It was a hilly course with some challenging headwind at times. Plus, it got just plain hot! Slowly but surely, I'm getting stronger on the bike. I was really enjoying the ride until around mile 50, where I started to feel a little dehydrated and just wanted to get the hell off of my bike.

So, Saturday's ride was just a little over half of the distance of the Ironman bike, and by the end I was so ready to be done. I can't imagine 112 miles. I've got some work to do on the bike to be comfortable riding that distance....

Great week running for me. I've started doing some longer runs during the week, trying to hit 12 miles in the morning on Monday & Friday, with a 10-miler on Wednesday and shorter (5-7 miles) on Tues/Thurs. The Baltimore marathon is in less than 2 months, and I feel good about where I am in preparation for that race right now.

This is a busy week since we're moving this weekend. Trying to pack in a lot of training during the week since I'm not sure how much I'll be able to work out this weekend or next with the [pain in the butt] move.

Dragged my caboose out of bed at 4:45 am this morning and knocked out a 13 mile run. Extended my lunch hour just a tad to get in 2,150 yds in the pool. Good way to start the week! :)

Happy monday!

Rockstar Rants

I came across this quote and love it.

There are times when you're an hour into a run...after a five hour bike ride....and it's only 2pm on blistering Saturday afternoon when you turn to your training partner and say "THIS is what makes us fucking rockstars".

Well said.

One of those weeks...

last week was one of those weeks for me, and not the good ones...

The weeks where you struggle to get out the door for every workout, where you question your goals and why you are training, where you consider just quitting.

The numbers don't look so bad when you put them on paper, but if you were in my head last week, you would have seen a big mess. I didn't want to run, I actually skipped a run for no reason except that I just didn't want to go (I think that's a first ever for me), and I just really was struggling mentally.

I was about 15 miles short of my planned long run on Saturday and didn't swim. Instead, I went for an easy 3.6 miler with Dan and called it a day. Sunday, I opted to sleep in, go to brunch and shop for furniture, taking a big fat zero for all workouts that day. I stayed inside the air conditioning all weekend instead of training and didn't feel guilty at all about it.

On a positive note, I got to spend some good, quality time with my husband, which will be few and far between over the next few months as both of our work schedules get crazy busy. We got a lot of packing accomplished in preparation of the move, and I got lots of sleep both nights, which usually doesn't happen.

I started to feel twinges of guilt last night when I thought about the workouts I missed, but decided to put it past me and start fresh this week. I set my alarm for 5 am this morning, resisted hitting snooze and knocked out a hard 12 hard mile run. It felt great! So during those bad days, weeks, runs... just remember, the only place you are going to find your spirit and heart is out on a run, bike or swim. You just gotta keep getting out there to find it and it will come back to you, even if it takes a little time. It came back to me today.

Stats for the week:
Run - 40 miles
Swim - 5,300 yds
Bike -0 miles (oops)

friday :-)

I'll keep this short and sweet today. I'm tired and frankly do not have anything witty or that interesting to say. This week has been a run-focus week for me [read: I have not been on my bike once this week because truth is, training in this hellish inferno all summer has taken a toll on me emotionally and has show up in my motivation level to get on the bike]. I'm aiming to get up to 60 miles this week running, and think I can do it as long as I get in my planned 18-miler in the morning. I've also gotten in some good swims yardage this week and a few core workouts, so I'm happy.

I'm hoping this weekend will productive with both training and packing (we're moving!). Plan is to run 18 miles with Run Tex in the morning, followed by 3,000 yds in the pool. Sunday is an 8-10 mile run and a 40-mile bike. Keeping my fingers crossed it actually happens. :)

Have a great weekend!

an open letter to my iron sherpa.

Dear Daniel (my Iron Sherpa):

Two (2!) years ago this was us!

we clean up pretty nice, I'd say.

and while I could go on [and on and on and on and on] about how wonderful you are in all aspects of my [and our] life(ves), I'll keep this tri / running related. [um, and let's be honest... most of my life right now IS tri related!]

You traveled across the country to San Diego with me to watch me "race" my second marathon ever, the San Diego Marathon, in June of 2005. And you never told me that I had absolutely no business being there, although we both knew that was the truth.

You were there with me at my first triathlon to support and cheer me on (Longhorn, Oct. 07). This was before I had any idea that wearing bagging shorts over a swimsuit would only create drag.

You had faith in me and were waiting at the finish line of my third marathon [San Antonio, Nov. 2008) as I qualified for the Boston Marathon.

You cheered me on for over 6 hours in the hot sun while I competed in my first half-Ironman [Longhorn, Oct. 2008] while carrying my pink transition bag the entire time. And you did it again in June for Buffalo Springs Half-Ironman without complaining once.

You traveled across the country with me again, this time to watch me run in the Boston Marathon. and you didn't even get mad when the guy taking the picture thought you were my dad.

anyone who knows me knows how much I value your support. you are my chauffeur, photographer, cheerleader. you [rarely] complain about how much money I've spent on gear, clothes, and races. you listen to me babble on about my training schedule and my bike and my nutrition plan. you commiserate with me when I have a bad training session and celebrate with me when I have a good one. you know the exact distances of an Ironman and have never once complain about ending our nights at 8 pm so I can go to sleep early.

simply put,
I could not train or race without you.

or, maybe I could, but it wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable.

looking forward to this journey - Ironman - and seeing you, my iron sherpa, at the finish line at C'ouer D'Alene, beer(s) in hand, and knowing that I could not be there without you.

[happy anniversary]
[oh, and proof that we have a photo together where I'm not wearing spandex]
all my love,wifey.

Happy Monday!

Well loyal readers, I managed to eat healthy all weekend and knock out three good days of working out in a row. And, I feel soooo much better after doing so.

Sunday was a relatively easy paced 10 mile run followed by a 25 mile bike ride. I wanted to go longer on the bike but it felt like a swamp outside, so I cut it a little short.

This morning I ran with Jill's Monday Morning Girl Group. We did 6 x 1 mile repeats plus a one mile warm up & one mile cool down, good for 8 miles. It was just what I needed to start my week! At lunch, I will hop in the pool for a swim.

Have a great Monday!

Back on the workout wagon

I'm back. Dragged my butt out of bed at 5:45 am to run with RunTex. Got in a 15 mile run followed by a 3,100 yd swim at the Rec. Oh yeah! Feels good to be back on the workout wagon.