Sandy Hookers

Back in February (I think February) when I sat down & started to think about how I was actually going to start training for triathlons, I got some good advice form friends & joined a triathlon group - the Sandy Hookers.  If you get the chance, check out their website.  They have links to tons of races & a lot of great information too.   http://www.sandyhookers.org/  So far I've met a lot of fun people & gotten great advice from my new friend Doug, whom I bother with stupid questions all the time.  He's really good to me & even fixed my bike, which Greg was so nice to give me!  Here's the pic of the bike:

It's quite patriotic!  & it's the right size for me too, which is amazing since I am so short.  It's pretty amusing when I go to spin class & I adjust the handlebars & the seat.  Sometimes I get a funny look like, that's pretty low.  Hey, I have short legs!

On top of all the new things I have been learning as far as fitness goes, there's even way more stuff to learn about the equipment.  The bike rack was pretty easy to figure out, but I'd really like to figure out how the bike works.  I learned pretty quickly that you need to know how to change a tire!  I knew something was wrong when I rode over the Rumson/Sea Bright bridge & I felt something weird with the tire.  Yeah, that would be the air rushing out.  But, there was really nothing that I could do even if I knew how to fix it because one of the spokes had punctured the tube.  See all the new things I'm learning!  Every day it's something new..........

Half Maraton Training Plan v. Half Ironman Training Plan

I started researching some plans.  First I found a few 1/2 Ironman Training Plans, then 1/2 Marathon Plans.  Mostly 5-6 day workout plans.  They seem very similar.  The running plans incorporate 2 days of cross training (biking/swimming).  This is perfect!  However, 6 days of working out just really isn't possible for me.  & no, this isn't me backing down from a challenge, but it's hard to fit all this into a day.  Some weeks I can do it, but I work full time & try to have somewhat of a social life.  As it is I haven't picked up my dry cleaning in a month, who has time to do all this?  Weekends are the best, as I really can do a 2 hour workout or brick workout.  Monday nights seem to be the most motivating for me.  Probably because I ate like a pig all weekend & have to get back to the gym to make myself feel less piggish!



WEEK 1 - 1/2 Marathon Training Plan

MON: 35 min moderate 13 mile bike ride - 50 minutes
TUE: 30-40 min XT  40 min run on the treadmill at the gym 3 miles (I think further, see previous blog entry)
WED: 40 min easy  tonight is pilates & a short run
THU: 30-40 min XT  Thursday is my off day this week!  Going to Maine!
FRI: Rest  More biking w/ Sue in Maine
SAT: 6 miles conversational  This is the hardest - maybe a 3-4 mile run in Maine
SUN: Rest - Yes, more rest!

WEEK 1 - 1/2 Ironman Training Program

MON:  Bike 60 mins
TUE:   Swim 45 min/Run 30 mins
WED:  Bike 90 mins
THU:  Swim 30 mins/Run 30 mins
FRI:  Bike 90 mins w/ hills
SAT:  Run 50 mins w/ hills
SUN:  OFF

This could prevent a bit of a challenge.  Deciding which plan will get me to my goal.  Either way, I think I have a good base.  I can do all these things so far.  I just need to get better at running.  Thanks for reading!  I'm off to Pilates.

Tuesday Night Workout

Well, I should have never posted my workout schedule for the week because I have not followed it at all.  Tonight I was planning on running then going to spin class, but didn't have enough time to do that & get poor Louie from daycare.  Here's Louie, look how tired he is from 12 hours of playing with the doggies.

He's one tired dog!  Anyway a 40 minute run was all I could get in tonight.  Tomorrow is definitely Pilates & maybe another quick run as well.  I have to talk to my friend Katie about her 1/2 marathon.  I need to know what she did to train for the event this past summer.  I will also have to start researching 1/2 marathon training plans.  Tonight the treadmill only said 3 miles, but I think that the pedometers on those things are so off!  When I run for 40-45 minutes outside on the boardwalk, I can definitely make 4 miles (thanks to the Gmaps pedometer & the handy GIS computer) so I am really skeptical of those treadmills.  Oh well.  Feel free to let me know what you think about that topic!

Monday Workout

OK so I went on my bike ride.  13 miles.  Not very far, but you have to start somewhere.  Yeah, when you start something, you should probably do it in the morning, not at 6 pm at night in the dark with no light on your bike.  Mental note, get flashy light for bike.  At least I had a white shirt on.

I was trying to incorporate a run into tonight's workout, but that didn't work.  Had to work late & then I knew that it would be dark on the last part of my ride.  So I will run tomorrow before spin class.

& here's something new.  On the top of my blog, if you click next blog, it takes you to someone else's blog.  Interesting.  My first click brought me to a nice pic of a winnebago (the entire site was in Spanish) which I should have saved that website to figure out what was going on.  2nd click?  Some pic of a Nazi pedophile.  I kid you not.

I took some pics on my bike ride through Rumson.  Since I am new to this, I hope you can see this one of Barley Point.  :)

Workout schedule for the week of 10/25 - 10/31

Sunday - 1 hour hike with Mike & Cym in Huber Woods.
Kinda tough, but I should try & run the trail.

Monday - bike/run
Should take that running class w/ Chris, but I have to work tonight.  Too many things to get out of here before I leave on Thursday.

Tuesday - spin
Wednesday - pilates
Thursday - off day - going to Maine
Friday - biking in Maine w/ Curly Sue
Saturday - run in Maine.  Must remember to bring sneakers

Hey people.  Any workout ideas will be greatly appreciated.  :)

October 2009

I started this blog a few months ago, but never wrote anything.  I guess I figured facebook could say it all for me.  & forget Twitter, it's so one dimensional. 

So now it's October 2009 & I  have to explain my reasoning for finally starting this blog back up again.  I have to hold myself accountable for this whole triathlon thing.  Back in the beginning of 2008 I started running.  April 2008 to be exact.  It was the only thing that I hadn't tried (in a long time) to help me lose weight.

I had run years and years and years ago (1997) & I think that is when I was my skinniest.  Dieting & random days at the gym wasn't working.  OK, so I am not the best runner.  I suck actually, but I am starting to understand what people (mainly real runners) mean when they refer to "runner's high."   It's true!  I do feel great after a workout!  Even a stinky run when I can't drag my butt up the boardwalk is better than nothing.

So after 8 months of running I thought to myself, what am I going to do now?  Am I going to just keep running?  Especially since I wasn't very good at it.  & then I thought I will sign up for a triathlon.  I seriously don't know how I thought of it, or what made me want to sign up.  But I did.  So now it's the end of 2009 & I did 3 sprint triathlons this summer.  One in July, August & September.  I'm not that great at them. Some parts better than others, but my goal this year was to just finish them.  & I did.

Next year is the big one. The 1/2 Ironman.  This winter will be devoted to getting stronger, faster!  & I guess I am starting the blog, to keep me honest.  A diary just seemed so 7th grade.   :)