What is this world coming to?

Ok, so I have never seen anything like this in my life. Here's the background...I am in the worst grocery here in Lawrence, worst as in the people are sketchy, you always have to wait in line to checkout (that sounds snooty but there are other stores in town where you don't have to wait!) and it's not that clean...BUT it's close to the gym and I wanted to get home fast.

I am getting cheese from the deli...there is an older couple in the electric carts savoring their free samples of who knows what. For 'dessert', the woman picked up something that looked like a cross between green jello with marshmallows and cole slaw, I seriously could not figure out what it was. They are chowing down. I hate to judge, but it didn't look like these guys needed to be eating their dinner in the store in their electric carts. Here's the kicker...I look over at the lady and she has her toothpick in hand, IN THE OLIVE BAR. Enough said. So gross, I cannot stand ignorant people and this women really takes the cake...if there was a sample of one I am sure she would have. Ugh! (and you know that she can walk just fine, she wasn't hesitant at all to jump up to oogle at a baby she knew, probably spilling olive juice all over it)

Other news - TRAINING - Yup, it's now hard. We are putting in about 12-14 hrs. a week. We went to a swim/strengthening training last night. Just visualizing the muscles used while swimming really helped my swim tonight. February's schedule is about this. Swims are about 3,000 yrds x 3 times a week, biking is 1-1:15 hr. x 2 times per week, 2-2:50 hrs. on Sat. and the run is 1-1:15 hrs. x 2 times per week and 2 hrs. on Sun. Strength training 1-2 times per week. Needless to say, 2nd week in this schedule and I am ready for bed now, it's 8:30!

Back to watching the Olympics! Go USA! Go Lindsey Vonn and Shawn White!!!!

How times have changed...

Yeah, 1st 2010 1/2 marathon in the books. It was Heather a.k.a. Pandora, Patricia, Angie and myself. Woo Hoo, girls day! It was pretty cold in the am, but, I think we were all dressed perfect. The only snag before the race started was when Pandora 'lent' her 3-D glasses to 'Johnny'! The Topeka to Auburn run is a hilly course, so we all took it easy. It was a fun run AND 40 degrees at the finish! We all finished in the top 10 in our age groups! Now that's the way to start 2010!

The day after the run, Sunday, Heather and I had on our schedule, an hour an a half bike ride on the trainer and a 2500 meter swim. After my 'recovery' swim, I could only muster an hour on the trainer, it was torture! We had weights on the schedule today (I added in the Insanity - Sports Intervals...actually really fun!).

The weekend's run and following workouts made me think about my first 1/2...2005, Kansas City Waddell and Reed...time...1:54:03. I remember going to Henry T's (local sports bar and my place of employment during college) eating buffalo strips (or something very similar in fat content) and drinking either beer or Bloody Mary's after the race. GOOD TIMES! I remember telling my friend Donna, that I was not going to workout for a week, and I didn't. I fully recovered and it was great.

Ahhh, those were the days!

Here's to making new memories (minus the beer, chicken and recovery weeks)!

Guilt...it does a body good!

Guilt - is a cognitive or an emotional experience that occurs when a person realizes or believes - whether justified or not - that he or she has violated a moral standard, and is responsible for that violation. It is closely related to the concept of remorse.

I have heard you are not supposed to feel guilty if you miss a workout, because you make a conscious decision to miss the workout and you should accept the consequence and be alright with it. I believe this AND accept it.

However, it hit me this am when I attempted to tell myself that I could go back to sleep AGAIN after the alarm went off! The guilt got me out of bed so fast, you'd think there was a fire in the house. I am good with this type of guilt, the kind that keeps you moving towards your goals. And I have some moving to do!

Ah, and as my coach says...

You and you alone are the only person that stands in the way of your goals. Dig deep, find your focus and make every moment count.

Dig Deeper My Friends!

Day 12...the first day!

Ok, so the 12th day of the new year and I finally accomplished one of my 2010 goals! Yiiiippppeeee! I got up at 5:00...5:30...6:00 and actually went back to bed. Until a little voice in my head said, "you will feel like a goob if you actually lay back down when you are awake"...Thank you Tracy from Tracy.bonics for the words of wisdom! I am not a goob and don't want to be a goob, so I got up and did my Insanity - Plyometrics.

OH...MY...GOD...

Not enough swim/bike/run can prepare you for this 40 MINUTE workout.

OUCH...

I wasn't even able to keep up with the video...maybe if I keep doing it, it will get easier...maybe.

Hope everyone's goals are going as planned for 2010!

New Year, New intervals!

Ok, so I have posted that by the end of the year, I wanted 10 x 100's on 1:40...so that didn't happen by the end of the year but 5 days into it! I had a hell of a swim last night. Loving it! Walked out of the gym on cloud 9! And to top if off, I swam 2500 meters in 50 minutes...guys, that's good for me!

As far as the getting up at 5 am goal...not happened, once...My dog has been sick, poor pup, and keeping us up all night. He's getting so much better, so hopefully tomorrow is the DAY!

Hope everyone is having a great week and keeping up with 2010 goals!

This is it...

Welcome 2010, farewell 2009.

It's all getting real now. 6 months and counting to my first Ironman. This is where I start acting like a triathlete. No more, "this can wait til after the first of the year"...cause it's here. Finally...maybe, it's a relief that it's here and the excuses can stop. It's time to suck it up and be accountable for what I signed up for months ago. Not to say I haven't been training, cause I have...a bit. I am keeping the fire simmering, ready for the big flame come June. So out with the celebrations, out with the wine, out with the sleeping in, out with the excuses and bring on the getting up at 5 to get my first of 2 workouts in for the day, in with eating like an athlete, in with going to bed early, and in with Ironman!

That being said, I am holding myself accountable by posting my goals for the next year. Additionally, I am making weekly challenges for myself.

Fitness - No excuses...wake up early everyday. My goal is 5 am. This way I can either get my workout in, or even better get an extra one in. Whether it's to the gym or to the living room, this needs to be done.

Weight lifing, needs to be done more often. Let's burn some fat with muscle. Easy.

I hired a coach to get me to Coeur d'Alene. Do not skip/miss the workouts! I hired him for a reason! Oh, and I will log all of them.

Fashion - I will wear my workout clothes everyday, but not all day. I will make an effort to dress up when going out (going out this year means dinner with my hubby, or maybe a movie, not going to the bars!) I won't be that girl watching the KU game out of the house still in her workout clothes. This one will be difficult, but needs to be done.

Health - Eat for energy! Eat like an athlete. Eat to lose weight. Another reason for the weight loss is to race lighter, for every extra 10 lbs you carry, your body needs to use 6% more energy. I could use that 6% to take me to the finish line, not to carry my extra flub!

Ok, so now I am accountable...NO MORE EXCUSES!

Happy New Year Everyone!

Swimmin' 'Fast'

I seriously need to start swimming faster.

Last night I had an awesome swim…even given the fact that I had tri-camp the night before and my muscles were trashed. Claudine, my swim coach gave me intervals 5 x 100 on 1:50’s (50 of the 100 backstroke, ugh) and 5 x 100 on 1:45’s and I actually made them (well only a few and I was super close on the others, but still!).

I think I was just showing off for my friend Donna, who is the best swimmer EVER. Here’s how crazy fast she is. She’s kicking…with a kick board…no fins…no goggles…and lapping me (ok, almost lapping me)…What? I was booking it to try to keep her from lapping me while I am supposed to be swimming ‘fast’! I remember thinking to myself, holy cow, I have triceps! Where did these come from? I don’t remember feeling them while swimming before! Did I work them too much the night before?...maybe…was I working them hard during this swim?...heck yes!

I now know the secret to swimming faster…swimming FASTER! (OK, I always knew that, but don’t practice this ‘fast’ too often!). So, I am setting new interval goals (10 x 100 on 1:40’s) by the end of the year, I do want to swim ‘fast’ (steady and confident) at Coeur d’Alene right?

Here’s looking to the next pool session in the manana! Happy Friday!