Still Working : )

I don't really remember all the workouts from the last week and a half.  I can say that it's hard to believe August is here!  I have 6 weeks until the Triathlon!  Yay!

We were at the lake this week and I worked out Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Thursday:  Bike 9 miles, immediate run 3 miles(8:38/mile pace)  This was a favorite run because I ran with my friend, Shelly Atwood.  Due to her extreme aversion to running and sweating when we were neighbors a few years ago, I never dreamed I'd one day run with her.  A move to Anapolis and newfound dedication for regular exercise turned her into a runner!  Later in the day I swam at Sandy Beach while the kids played.  Not sure how far but it was enough.

Friday:   Swim laps until exhausted, then ran home from the beach (2 miles at 8:21/mile pace).  It was  2:00 in the afternoon and 100 degrees out, so 2 miles was quite enough : )

Saturday:  First time to do all three together!  Jeff and I got up at 7:00, put the bike in the boat, and headed to Sandy Beach.  We swam together 200m, then I biked 8-10 miles, followed by a 2.5 mile run.  Transitions were slow, but that takes work and I'll focus on them in the coming month.  I did almost half my triathlon and felt good, even the swim.  My body was achingly tired yesterday, and I'm still sore as I type on Sunday morning.  However, three days in a row of good workouts with the third being half my tri...I'll take some soreness.  Today is a happy day of resting :)

I have to brag on Jeff.  I had gotten all my gear ready on Friday night, but he cheerfully got up with me Saturday morning and supported me throughout the entire workout.  He loaded my bike and other stuff in the boat while I ate some yogurt and nuts.  Then, he set everything out on the pier while I went to the potty at the beach (in the potty, of course!).  He swam with me, then drove the boat home and changed into running clothes while I biked, then drove to pick me up.  He loaded my bike while I changed in the car, then ran with me.  He had brought water in the car, loaned me his sunglasses because I forgot mine, and encouraged me the entire time.  That guy is super awesome and I'm glad he's on my team : )

Not Much to Report : )

Went to the gym today for a swim.  I have no kids and plenty of time, so I spent a lot of time doing kick drills and working on that aspect.

After kick drills, I swam 50m freestyle/25m back and repeated that over and over.  I have been swimming 50 and then resting, but that's just silly and not helping anything.  I need to work on the backstroke anyways so doing that for 25m gave me the opportunity to relax and calm my breathing, but still keep moving and keep that heartrate up.

Improving little by little.  I am still feeling discouraged about the swim...I feel like the triathlon is right around the corner and I won't be able to make 500m in the lake and still have energy left for the rest of the race.  In reality, I still have about 7 weeks and that's plenty of time for it to all come together.  I just wanted it to all have come together already so I could be at the point of building endurance and strength.  Not happening yet, but I'll get there.

I am for sure getting more relaxed in the water, and getting stronger in general.  So that's something.

Relaxing in the Lake + Biking

First of all, biking is fun!  I love zooming around, exploring parks and roads.  Saturday I rode the Trinity Trail out of Benbrook and also all around the lake (Benbrook).  SO fun!  I am still learning how and when to shift the gears for maximum effectiveness and all that, so the area around the lake gave me a lot of practice.  Then I headed down the Trinity Trail and didn't turn around until I went under I-20...crazy!  I rode for about an hour and have no idea how far I went.

I got a good bike ride in at the lake last week, too.  Those hills are tough and Jeff's not a fan of me riding on the roads out there...no shoulder...so it probably will be only a rare treat to get to ride out there before the actual race.  

Now about that lake thing.  I swam short distances quite a few times on Thursday and Friday.  With the lake so low, I can walk out our little beach area and swim from there...that is much easier than jumping off the boat in the middle of the lake.  I can wade out to about thigh deep, relax a bit, and then start swimming.  I swam a little further each time and was able to stay relaxed.  Several friends were praying peace and relaxation over me during the first swim on Thursday and I am so grateful for the Lord's covering.  HIS peace is certainly supernatural and I could feel Him with me.  

I still need to get over the hump and swim further, but my goal for those days was to relax.  Short, relaxed swims...it worked.  I didn't freak out in the water one time!  

Improving a little each day!

Killer Run + 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Lake Swims

We went to the lake on Monday.  It had been raining a lot so I figured the bike ride was out of the question.  If I can't keep the bike upright in a smooth, dry parking lot...well, I have no business riding on slick, wet roads.  

So I skipped my much anticipated first hilly bike ride.  Jeff and I went for a run instead.  It was in the 60's outside (in July...what???) and raining.  The run was awesome.  

We ran 4.7 miles at an 8:34 min/mile pace.  Big hills and small hills, no flats.  It was awesome and I felt so strong.  

Apparently cross training and running hills does increase one's pace.  I've been irritated at my near constant 10 min/mile pace and have had no luck changing it.  Running hard or running easy...my pace stays within 10 seconds of that 10 minute mard.  

Until now.  Since I've been swimming and running hills, my pace has picked up without me even trying.  Gotta love that : )

Now, about this swimming thing.  Good gracious is it freaky putting my face in the lake water.  

Really.terrible.freakiness.  Terrifying.  Panic inducing.  

It's awful.  I determined to do it but turned right back to the ladder and climbed up onto the dock to regroup.  

Later, Jeff took me out in the kayak and dropped me off.  Swim back or die.  There's no climbing into a kayak in the middle of the lake.  I made it about 50 yards on 1st attempt and there was A LOT of doggie paddling.  

The next day, I swam before doing any other exercise.  He dropped me about 100 meters out and I swam in, still a lot of doggie paddling.  

Recover on the dock.

100 meters again...the second trip out on the second day I managed to make it about 50 m before the paniced doggie paddling took over.  

We are going back tomorrow.  

My goal is to swim 100 meters without doggie paddling.  This will require supernatural peace from the only One who can give that.  It will be a big deal.  

All Three

Got up early this morning to swim a big.  I didn't swim much, but did get in the water and did some laps.  Nothing special.

But then, my sweet friend and I drove over to FW to bike and run on the Trinity Trail.  We did about 8 miles best guess and who knows the pace.  We were just riding.  I was working on figuring out the bike and gears, etc, and focused on not crashing.  Happy to report that I did not even teter today!  Yay!

We put our bikes in the car and right away ran 2 miles at a (apx) 9:30/mile pace.  After biking, it's a big deal to run...kinda feels like you are wearing concrete shoes and running through mud.  Takes about a mile to feel "normal."

Fun times.

The big news is that I did not grab a hamburger on the way home.  I wanted one, but restrained myself.  I'm growing up : )

Good Run

I had a great run today.  On a very hilly course, I did...

3.52 miles an 8:35/mile pace.

Much faster than my usual, not sure why.  I was even running alone.  Must have been the good ol' rock n roll music I had playing.

After running, I had about 30 minutes before we had to depart the area, so I tried to squeeze in a swim.  I was just too tired...legs were burning from the hills, arms aching from pumping my legs.  The swim was a bust so I just worked on helping Laura put her face in.

Tomorrow will be my first day to do all three...here goes!

Bike

I got a road bike today.  I haven't gotten on a bike in years and years.  Mountain biking was a college thing, then babies, and now this stinkin' triathlon.

I've been shopping for a while.  Bikes are pricey!  I'm a mom of 3 who may or may not stick with this triathlon thing and I refused to spend a thousand dollars on componants that I didn't need.  When people started throwing those words out and talking about carbon vs. aluminum and all that, I kinda shut down.

I needed a bike with two tires and two pedals.  And I got one!  It is an entry level road bike.  Nothing fancy.  But guess what, it's way faster and more responsive than my mountain bike.  So that's something.

Sad thing is, I did not know it was actually different than riding a mountain bike SO I am that girl who crashed her bike in the parking lot of the bike store during the test ride before she even bought the bike.  It's got a scuff already.  I felt sooooo stupid.  I tried to turn around and then wham!  It went out from under me.

I need to learn how to ride a bike.  Tomorrow will be a big day for me.  I so, so hope that I do not crash and burn and have these terribly large road rash scabby things on my arms and legs all summer.