Strength

Mondays are a "strength" day and I usually do an hour class, however
gym closed for Memorial Day. So, I took up the dumbbells at home
and did a few reps. Nice and easy.

First Thing

First thing this morning, got up and ran 45min. (that's just over 4 miles
at my pace). It's a nice feeling to get it over with and now I have the rest
of the day to play!

Salt Water

I'm now half way through training (triathlon is in 4wks!) and it calls for swim(30)/ride(30)/run(30). So, I took this opportunity to do a trial
run at Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester MA. Rented a 3/2mm wetsuit,
used friends car (thanks Amy!), packed swimsuit, running shoes, and
bike. Weather was gorgeous and the wetsuit soaked up the warmth of
the sun. However, as my face hit the 50 degree ocean water, I went into
a bit of a shock and my breathing was off. I didn't quite get into a
rhythm, but now I feel a little more prepared and hopefully will
manage the salt water when the time comes (ocean temps closer to 60
in a month). I then biked along the coast to East Gloucester and back,
put on the running shoes and ran opposite direction into Rockport and
along the boardwalk (a delightful find!) and back. I was happy that my
legs felt good and I could run at the end of all this. An hour long nap
afterwards on the beach was a perfect way to finish.

Hot

Today's training called for bike (45min.)/run (15min.) combo. So, I did
ride class, then treadmill at the gym and glad to be inside as temps are
climbing to 90! Even though inside, I went through extra water.
And, I can still feel the effects of yesterday's strength class (60min.).
Hopefully that will dissipate in the coming days (lunges with weights...
not my favorite).

Sun&Fun

If today's light breeze, sun, and 60 degrees is anything like the weather
for the triathlon, I'm going to be really happy. Did a nice 40min. run
today, while yesterday was a 45min. run right after a 30min. swim.
I bought a "sport" drink this weekend. It's 85% organic, gluten/dairy/
soy free and the flavor is Acai Berry. I might have been pulled in by the
wording used on the packaging like "energy, stamina, mental focus,
recovery"...but I was able to taste it and I like it!

Still Going

I sorda forgot about the blog. But, not the training.

Thu=ran 30min./strength class 30min.
Sat=swam 30min./spin class 45min.
Sun=ran 35min.
Mon=strength class 60min.
Tue=ran 35min.
Wed=spin class 45min./strength 15min.

If anything, the mental power might be more important than the
physical? The continual planning about when and where (home vs
gym vs pool) the training takes place in a non-stop activity. For
example, yesterday needed to get up early and run because I had
an 8:30am mtg (lv house by 8) and the rest of the day/evening was
booked! I've realized, no one is telling me to do this except myself.
I do feel good about it and believe it will help when the time comes.
However, there is something nice about knowing this will end.
In fact, less than 6 weeks!

Inspiration

Today I was suppose to swim (15) and run (30) before work, but I didn't feel so hot this morning and needed to go back to bed to recover. I was bummed. However, now I'm looking ahead to tomorrow which will be a run and strength class combo. A discussion at my studio tonight highlighted the question of "inspiration" and where did it come from to do a triathlon. I think there were many sources of inspiration and going forward with this felt similar to the way I approach creative endeavours --you know something good has started, but you might not know the outcome.

Regiment

Yes, I'm on a regimented schedule. Every day (except Friday) is some mixture of strength, swim, bike, and/or run. Designed by Hal Higdon for sprint triathlons. For example, today I was given a little hint what it might be like to transition from biking to running. Did a 45min. spin (bike) class, then casually changed my socks/shoes, stepped up to the treadmill and ran for 15min.
At the moment, the bike situation feels a little out of control because there's the bike I use for commuting (10-speed) and the gym (stationary). Plus, recently picked up the bike from a tune-up that I'd like to use for the triathlon (21-speed; owned for 12+yrs). They all feel slightly different. Oh well.

Movement

"Moms Run 5K Walk/Run for Cancer" in Somerville and I were doing a similar route this windy morning. It was great to see everyone out and moving. My friend, Britt, was in town visiting for the weekend and we did some moving around Boston, including walking and biking... it's all good!

Rain

Yesterday was a "rest" day. Love rest days. These are every Friday.
Rain and thunder today. Good morning to sleep in and make some
popovers. While baking, I did a quick 20min. run and back in time
just as they were coming out. Skipped the 30min. swim.
Too much water.

Mini Tri

Official kickoff for 8 week training began on May 3. I started with an hour strength class on Monday, run for 30min on Tuesday, another 30min strength and 45min spin class on Wednesday. Tonight, I actually did a mini triathlon! Biked 5.5 miles from work to the pool, 20min. lap swim, and 25min. run through Somerville/Cambridge. Didn't have a course in mind, which lent to exploring new streets and checking out hot spots for blossoming lilac bushes. When finished, I felt alright. Good thing I have some weeks to improve these running legs. And bonus, learned today my family is coming in from Minnesota to be part of the spectators!

To Begin With

I've never really thought about doing a triathlon. The idea came onto the horizon of thoughts only in November. Being on a journey of getting fit since last summer and having a goal to pull me through the winter workouts seemed like a good thing. I asked my friend Kathleen for suggestions of triathlons in the area. Quickly learned, signup deadline December 1. Decision made. Cohasset Triathlon on June 27. K came up with team name "Supah Stealth" (her brother and wife will be racing too). This will be an ocean swim, bike, and run event. I like to swim, but haven't done this in over a year. I bike for commuting at a nice leisure pace. And, I'm not fond of running. However, I've made a commitment to this thing. Yeah!