From Fat to Triathlete

Running

1

In or Out?

June 30, 2010

Yesterday’s workout consisted of some time outside and some time in the gym.  I believe I got great benefit from both workouts.  I started with a 45 bike ride, taking the long way to the gym.  When I got there, I locked up my bike, threw everything in a locker and headed for the exercise bike where I completed my hour bike ride with 15 minutes on the trainer.  Then I stopped for a few minutes, drank some water and ate a packet of  Power Bar Power Gel Blasts, (affiliate link). sampling_box_img3The flavor was Strawberry Banana and when I opened the pouch, they looked just like banana slices with some strawberry gel coating.  I was skeptical.  But, I thought I would probably need some energy for my 30 minute run, so I ate them.  They were actually very tasty and I was impressed with how much energy I had to run on the treadmill.  I felt like I could go a lot longer and ended up bumping up my speed a few times.  In the spirit of full disclosure, I did not purchase these Gel Blasts, I got them for free.  However, it was a free sample offer that PowerBar is advertising on their website.  They did not provide them to me for free in order for a review.  If you would like your free sample, just go here.  All that to say, I will most likely purchase these and use them in the future.

I enjoyed the indoor/outdoor aspect of my workout.  I really like riding my bike outdoors, but with the heat the way it has been spending an hour and a half outside would have been overly taxing.  It was nice to be able to cool off and use a bathroom.  So, which do you prefer?  Indoor or outdoor workouts?

Todays workout was a 30 minute run which I did outside and was able to take Wrigley with me as it was cooler than it has been.

Still tri-in

Jenn

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: Cycling, Nutrition, Running
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Let the Countdown Begin

June 27, 2010

Today marks the official start of my 20 week half ironman training.  The program I am using is from BeginnerTriathlete.com and can be found here.  The plan calls for a 40 minute run and 40 minute swim workout.  I’m not sure about fitting in the swim today, but the plan is to go canoeing this evening and I think that will give me the arm workout I need.  This morning’s run was 2.5 miles in 40 minutes.  And it is hot, hot, hot out.  According to weather.com, it is 86 degrees with 77% humidity.  I know it’s been hotter, and this isn’t a complaint, (I complained about the cold, so I have a hard time justifying complaints about the heat too…..) just observations about this morning’s weather.  I don’t really mind so much for myself, but Wrigley begs to go with me, and who can refuse this face?

wrigley azaleas So, I let him run with me for 15 minutes.  We try to follow all the safety rules for running with your pet.  It’s not worth it if something were to happen to him.

Exercise is important for a healthy, well-behaved dog.  We love that we can take Wrigley with us when we go places and he will be a nice calm boy.  But, this didn’t just happen.  We exercise his body by running and playing and his brain by taking him to obedience and agility classes and working with him every day.  There are some guidelines to exercising with your dog that I think can’t be said enough.

  • Do not participate in vigorous exercise within 45 minutes of eating.  This can lead to bloat which is a very serous and potentially deadly condition.  Some of the signs of bloat are pacing, hard or distended stomach, panting and drooling and unproductive attempts to vomit.  If you see any of these symptoms, call your vet immediately.
  • Make sure your dog has plenty of fresh water to drink.
  • If it’s hot, try to exercise early in the morning or late in the evening.
  • Keep a close watch on them and stop if they seem to be overheated, panting excessively or are acting outside of normal.
  • Never exercise with your dog if they have a injury or medical condition.

As I read back through these tips, the advice is good for 2 legged and 4 legged runners, except for maybe the bloat part.  People can choose for themselves what works best as far as eating and exercise.  If you are new to exercising, especially in the heat, be safe and don’t overdo.

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: Running
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Little Things Mean A Lot

June 9, 2010

Yesterday I got in 2 miles of running in 34 minutes – 18 minutes for the first mile with Wrigley and 16 for the second on my own.  Evidently we take about 2 minutes for him to stop and smell the roses.  Today’s workout was one mile in about 18 minutes, again with Wrigley.  The one thing I did learn, and it should have been something that was completely obvious, was that if I drink a glass of water before I run, I feel like I have much more energy.  Again, should be something obvious, and I was good about drinking water when I came in from a run, but never before I left.  Mostly because I was worried that I would have to come in for a “natural break” somewhere in the middle of my run.  But I was somewhat surprised at the difference it made.   Now I am trying to get in the habit of having some water and stopping at the bathroom before I leave the house.  I’m sure it will continue to make a difference.  Such a little thing, but with a huge impact on my performance.

slower

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Week of May30th – Happy Memorial Day

May 30, 2010

It’s hard to believe we are almost halfway through 2010.  Time sure flies!

Don’t forget to take some time this weekend to remember the true meaning of Memorial Day (it’s not just the beginning of the summer vacation season).  Spend some time in remembrance of the men and women that have died fighting for our country.  We wouldn’t be where we are without their sacrifice.

This morning Wrigley and I ran 1.5 miles in 25 minutes.  It’s getting hot and humid out, but I much prefer that to the cold weather!

Here is the plan for the rest of this week:

Monday - run 2.5 miles

Tuesday – run 3 miles

Wednesday – Rest day (walk one mile with Wrigley)

Thursday- run 5 miles

Friday - run 2 miles

Saturday – rest day (walk 1 mile with Wrigley)

The end of June is when my official 20 week half ironman training program begins.  The plan from now until then is to really build up my running mileage and gain some speed.

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1

The Mind Needs Training Too

January 31, 2010

Gayle and I were talking with a friend the other night who does some training for triathletes.  His name is Bruce Brown, and what he does is performance mental training through Quantum Results Coaching.  He helps people condition their minds to keep going during those long endurance races through relaxation, positive self talk, positive imagery and self hypnosis.  He is full of energy, and I’m considering at least taking one of his workshops.

What we were discussing was my speed.  Gayle and I were both wondering if he had some tips or mental exercises I could do that would help my speed increase.  I am not afraid of long runs or endurance events (I participated in a half ironman 2 1/2 years ago I was 2 miles from the end and would have finished if I hadn’t run out of time.)  But I can’t seem to get my speed up.  I continue to plod along at my pace, rarely wavering, and never getting any quicker.  And if I’m going to meet my goal of finishing an iron distance triathlon next year I need to increase my speed.

He had two tidbits of advice for me. The first was that maybe I truly, deep down, didn’t really want to go any faster.  And if that was the case, then I needed to be honest with myself and tell myself that it was OK to run at the speed that I was at.  Maybe I wouldn’t ever finish an Ironman, but that was OK too, if it was really what I wanted.  So, he suggested I take some time to figure out what it was I wanted…..deep down, and allow myself to pursue THAT want, even if it’s not what I originally thought I wanted.  I have spent some time thinking about this, but will continue to really ponder it.  As of now, it is still my deep desire to get faster and participate in that Ironman.  He did suggest I read The Passion Test as a way to clarify my passion.  Gayle got the book for Christmas, read it, loved it, and it’s on my things to do….I just will have to put it higher on the list.

His second bit of advice was to stop doing all my training with Wrigley because that was slowing me down.  Even though Wrigley is a much faster runner than I am, the time needed to watch out for him and make sure he is safe (and stopping to potty every few minutes) was actually slowing me down.  So I am going to try that.  He will still come with me on my warm up and for a mile or so, but then I will drop him off and continue to train alone.  We will see how that works.

I will keep you updated on how things are going.  Hopefully we can all learn something.  And if you are struggling with the mental aspect of any sport, give Bruce a shout!  He’s a great guy who is full of encouragement and energy.

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: Encouragement, Running, Training
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2

I am baaaaaack!

January 25, 2010

This morning was my first official “run” after being sick for way too long!  I didn’t go far, only about 1.5 miles and I certainly didn’t go fast.  But it really was the first time I felt interested in running in a few weeks.  Which is a very good thing.  (Wrigley thinks so too, he has not been sick and has missed the daily running.) 

I want to make sure that I don’t jump back in too fast.  I still have a slight cough and a runny nose (wish I could run that fast!).  So I will be easing my way back in, not trying to do too much.  I wanted to try and eek out that extra 0.5 miles this morning to get to 2 miles, but even though my mind said “Yes” my body was saying, “Well….”  I decided to err on the side of caution.  Which is totally my personallity, and I hope won’t get me in trouble and make me lazy.  But I have every intention of getting back to the level I was at and then increasing my fitness.   Hopefully all while staying healthy. 

I think my marathon plans will have to be put on hold.  I haven’t run longer than 4 miles since before Christmas.  I might go searching for a shorter run or a marathon that is later in the season.  I want to do something in the spring….besides just training.  I will have to see what’s out there.  Any suggestions?

Still tri-in! 

Jenn

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2

I am the Michelin Man

January 4, 2010
It is not supposed to be this cold in Wilmington, NC.  I don’t like reading that it is 30 degrees out.  I much prefer the 90-100 degree days!  I am counting down the days until summer.

Yesterday I went out to run and seriously underestimated the effect of the cold weather.  I wore my usual long pants and long sleeve shirt.  And it was not enough!  Wrigley and I gave up on the running after only a few minutes, did a quick stroll around the block and headed back inside where the hot coffee was waiting.  (I know, if we had kept running we would have warmed up quickly, but it was so cold, I just wanted to cry.)  This morning. I did a much better job at preparing…..which translates to layer upon layer upon layer.  After four layers of tops, three layers of bottoms, nice socks, gloves and a toboggan I was ready to brave the elements.  My friend said I probably looked like the Michelin Man

And we did much better.  After about 3/4 of a mile I was ready to lose the gloves, and before we were finished, the toboggan had to go too.  I felt much better about things.

 I read up on some tips about running in the cold, and I thought I’d share a few……most are common sense, but in this supposed to be warm climate, I usually don’t think of them.

  • layers – a wicking layer close to the skin, a windbreaking layer farthest out and, if needed a warm insulating layer in between is best
  • keep your head covered – most body heat is lost out the top of your body, so keeping a hat on keeps that heat in longer, and if it covers the ears…even better
  • make sure you stay hydrated – it might seem like drinking water is the last thing you want to do, but it is very important to keep from getting dehydrated
  • mittens are better than gloves  – let your fingers share the warmth with each other
  • it will hopefully never get this cold in Wilmington, but if you are in a colder climate, make sure you are close to warm shelter at all times during your run; a long 10 mile run away from civilization might sound nice, but could be very dangerous

With that last one in mind, never ever leave on a run without some form of identification.  A Road ID or just a dog tag with identifying and contact information on it can be a lifesaver.

Here is my schedule for the week, as the marathon in March is fast approching.

Monday – 4 miles

Tuesday – rest

Wednesday – 4 miles

Thursday – crosstrain ~ 30 min (might pull out the bike)

Friday – 4 miles

Saturday – crosstrain ~ 30 min

Sunday – 6 miles

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Is Running the Cure for the Common Cold?

December 23, 2009

I have not been on a run since last Wednesday.  Instead, I’ve been coughing, blowing my nose and trying to breathe.  It’s a common occurance for me this time of year, the dreaded cold.  Usually knocks me out for a week or so.  But this year, since I’ve been doing more training and running, I feel like a total flake for skipping workouts.  Yesterday I tried to walk, made it a mile and then needed a nap.  I know there are some suggestions for working out in the midst of a cold, but I’m not sure what exactly they are, so I went to my trusty friend Google.

One article I read said that if your symptoms were all above the neck, it was ok to go ahead and exercise, but if you had a fever or symtoms below the neck – just stay on the couch.  It went on to say that even if you just have a head cold, be careful.  It didn’t take much for the cold to turn in to something more serious such as a sinus or bronchial infection.  And exercising with a sinus infection could lead to pneumonia or (in rare cases) respiratory failure. 

After further research, it seems that the advice given above is common to most exercising/health websites.  The final word on the subject seems to be that you should listen to your body.  If you just don’t feel up to it, don’t try.  All you will do is possible exacerbate the illness or at least prolong recovery.  With that said, I think I’ll head back to bed!

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Running in the Rain (or not) – Podcast Edition

November 13, 2009

I made it out in the cold today for a short 2 mile run.  I was able to practice some speed work, getting my heart rate up and even sweating some.  The other day, during Wilmington’s welcoming of Tropical Storm Ida, I stayed bundled up in the house.  I just couldn’t bring myself to run in the downpour. 

I’ve enjoyed reading everyone’s race reports following the Beach2Battleship.  It seems like you all had a great time, even if you were participating in a iron distance triathlon.  It just adds to my excitement to participate myself in 2 years.

Hope you enjoy my new podcast.  Thanks to Gayle, it is now available on iTunes.  Head over and subscribe so you won’t miss an episode.  In this episode I talk about the Beach2Battleship triathlon, my marathon plans, and a new calf stretch I discovered after Thursday’s run with achilles pain.

[podcast]http://fat2triathlete.com/podcast/VA030_016KBPS_091112_091356.MP3[/podcast]

Have a great day!

Still tri-in’

Jenn

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2

Beach2Battleship Triathlon

November 9, 2009

This weekend we were able to volunteer at the 2nd annual Beach2Battleship Triathlon here in Wilmington.  The tri has both a half and a full Ironman distance race.  If you ever get the chance to volunteer at any race of any distance, I would highly reccommend it!  The athletes are so inspiring and they are working so hard.  And I know from racing that the little bit of encouragement received from the volunteers is always appreciated and sometimes desperately needed.  It’s also a great way to see just how things work. You can watch the participants and pick up tips on things they are doing that you might not have even thought of.  And you can see things that you thought would work that seem to bomb.

All in all, we had a great day directing cyclists, watching finishers, and cheering for all!  Congratulations to everyone that finished both the half iron and full iron distance!  Next year I will be among the half ironman finishers.  We were even able to pick up 4 participants leaving the battleship and give them and their bikes a ride to their hotel in Wrightsville Beach.  They did not need to try and get across town after finishing a half ironman!  We really enjoyed talking with them and getting to know them a bit during the 30 minute drive.

Speaking of next year, I am still training.  Saturday was a scheduled rest day so Wrigley and I walked 2 miles in the morning.  Sunday we ran 3 miles disappointingly slow.  My average for each mile was 19:29.  And boy was I consistant, the first mile was 19:28, the second was 19:30 and the final mile was 19:29. 

Today we ran 2 miles and the pace was a bit better, an average of 18:45 min/mile.

I do have sort of a goal change for the next 5 months.  On Friday we were at Bike Cycles, a local bike shop, picking up our volunteer t-shirts and I noticed a flier for the inagural Wrightsville Beach marathon to be held in March of 2010.  Well, I decided if I’m going to train, I might as well run a marathon!  So, I found an 18 week marathon training plan online and counted 19 weeks until the marathon and figured it was fate!

With all that said, here is my training plan for the rest of the week.

Tuesday (11/10) 3 mile run with speed work

Wednesday (11/11) rest day

Thursday (11/12) 6 mile run

Friday (11/13) 2 mile run

Saturday (11/14) rest day

The six miles on Thursday kind of scares me, but I’ll make it through.  I’ll let you know how it goes…..

Still Tri-ing!

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