I Have Hamstrings!

In the soreness aftermath of the tri I discovered that I have hamstrings and that they hurt badly right now! Strength training today didn't really help any either. Why must they always up my weights? Why can't they leave it at the same weight for one session after you reach your goal? I know, because I get stronger if they keep pushing me all the time. They must really hate me because I always say how much I don't like certain machines. After this week I think I maybe only have 2 sessions left. But anyway I did the hamstring machine today which just killed! I'm hoping that it will have helped to get some of the stiffness and soreness out, but it burns in the mean time. Like I said last week, I really understand now that it takes days for muscles to recover from extreme usage. I think my hamstrings were so sore from all 3 events combined in addition to the headwind biking and trail running w/ hills.

Fruit at the Finish Triathlon

I'm a Triathlete!!! I've done it, one down, one to go! The triathlon I did was the annual one held at my college every spring. I actually volunteered at this event 4 years ago and meant to do it 2 years ago, but didn't know how to run at the time so it didn't happen. It is a sprint triathlon with the following distances: 750 yard swim, 13 mile bike ride, and a 6k trail run. I got up at 4:45am! I think the last time I was awake at that hour was in Vegas but I was just getting back to the hotel from a night at Tao, not getting up! I got all my stuff together and headed north. My college is about an hour from where I live, but it's a really pretty drive and the campuses are beautiful, so it's all worth it.

I got all my stuff into place and checked in. The problem was that we were swimming in the pool (yeah!,) but the men and fast women were going before my slow person heat so I had to wait for about 7 heats to pass before I started. It worked out because I sat with some other alums from my class and we caught up while we were waiting for our turns. Finally more than 3 hours after I arrived on campus it was go time!

First up the swim. My goal here was just to be able to swim the entire thing without stopping at the walls and to not be the last person out of the pool. It's funny I worked for the swim team in college and yet I've never been in the St. John's pool, it's really nice! I'm really glad that I'm use to sharing a lane from my regular pool since we had to share here too. I ended up doing my swim in just under 20 min. which is at least 3 min. faster than I thought I was going to do it! I did freestyle the whole way! I transitioned as fast as I could by drying off with a towel in the hallway and put my crew (I rowed in college too) uniform over the suit. I ran barefoot to my bike, threw on socks, running shoes, and helmet, downed GU, powerade and water before taking off.

The bike course was very pretty! It allowed me to cover some ground that I wished I had when I was up there. There is a great cover bridge that goes over I94 between the two campuses that we went over almost right away. There were some really nasty hills on the first half, but we were told we could recover on the Lake Woebegone Trail. Ha! There was a really strong headwind on the trail so my quads were just burning! The last evil was a triple hill with about 2 miles left to go right after the trail (which is abandoned railroad bed by the way.) It was so evil that I ended up walking up the last bit of the hill. Even though I thought the bike would be my strongest, I was ready for it be over as I headed back into campus! I transitioned really quickly by just taking off my helmet, putting on my visor and have another GU and water.

Oh me no likey running after biking! It's not that my legs hurt it's just that they felt like jelly. It was cruel and unusual punishment to have the run start up a hill! That hill is lethal even though it's gradual. Needless to say I did alright with the run even though it was trail running (not my favorite) and I walked about 5 times (mostly up the last half of hills.) I was the last person on the course because I could hear the 4-wheeler behind me the whole way but I didn't let it chase me, I went my pace and did it right. Even though I was the last one on the course I don't think I had the slowest time.

All in all it was fun even though it was hard work. It was harder than I thought it was going to be, but I'll definitely do another one! I don't know about an Olympic, Half Ironman, or Ironman, but more sprint tris are definitely in my future!

Oh and my official time was 2:11:36, 2nd to last! I also had my fastest paced race run on record even though I felt like I was dragging.

On the Eve of My First Triathlon

Knowing that I had to get up super early was not helping me want to get one last workout in before the big day tomorrow. I knew I had to go since I hadn't ridden the bike since it's last tweak or tried out the helmet. So off I went for a quick lap around the lake just to get use to riding the bike again. The weather was perfect so I didn't really have anything to complain about there. When I got home Dad wanted to go out to eat since Mom and Jenn were still on their way home from Seattle. They had tons of car issues before they even left Seattle, so last I heard they were in western Montana. They should have been home this morning, but now it might even be Sunday. I HAD to run before I even thought about dinner. I did a quick (for me) mile on the treadmill and called it at day. Since it was my first triathlon in the morning, I wanted to do it right. Which meant some lean protein and carbo loading. Since Dad can't cook we headed for Noodles & Co. yum! Surprisingly Dad had never been there before but he did love it! We even sat outside, an early first for Minnesota spring weather. Mom & Jenn were home when we got back from dinner!!! They wanted me to help unload all of Jenn's crap, but I couldn't be bothered. I still had to put the bike rack on, load the bike, and pack all of my other things for tomorrow, not to mention get to bed early!

Really Not Loving the Community Pool

I got back into the pool today for one last swim before my tri on Saturday. The only problem is that the Maple Grove Community Center pool is only 5 lanes and is really busy after work becuase it's a good time and becuase the pool is shared with Lifetime Fitness. I thought I was going to have the last lane to myself, but some hot shot in a skin suit got in at the other end, so there went that theory! I was given permission from an instructor to jump into this other guy's lane who just wouldn't stop or acknowledge my presence. I know I've shared a lane with him before, but he was being really rude! I really think they need to label the lanes slow, medium, and fast so people can share accordingly. Anyway I only did a 400 and a 450 since I was so ticked and didn't want to burn out too bad. I was foiled again by Dad when I got home, we ended up going to Joe's Crab Shak for dinner where I at least got to watch the Twins game!

Dancing with the Stars Strikes Again!

Mom is gone this week. She's out in Seattle helping Jenn move back from her internship, so it's just me and Dad this week. I was beat at strength training, most likely from the 'race' on Saturday. I knew that it takes a while for muscles to recover but I really experienced how true that is today. It also didn't help that most of my weights had been raised since last time. I had every intention of doing something once I got home and had dinner, but I got sucked into Dancing with the Stars again and Dad too. He busted out the ice cream and I knew it was over for the night. This isn't going to be the best nutrition week for me, Dad doesn't cook!

I Found Hell on Earth!

The Trail Mix 25K is the worst thing physically anyone could do to themselves, expect for the 50K Ultra version of this race!!! I literally left blood, sweat, and nearly tears on the course and I only did 12.5K! I bailed out after one lap because I was in such bad shape! It had taken me over 2 hours to go 7.75 miles and I was getting lapped, which normally doesn't bother me. This course was cross country running at its toughest! I mean running up the back of a ski hill via a billy goat trail and then down the hill underneath the chairlift. There were at least 5 other, not quite so offensive, hills in the course that I was reduced to walking on. You know it's bad sign when you see the leaders of the 50K walking too! It was one of those courses where you finish, doesn't matter how you get there as long as you finish, a la the Western 100. This definitely wasn't the packed dirt, wood chips, and mowed grass that they described in the info and showed in the past photos! On the upside I was told, at the start line, that if I could survive this, Grandma's Marathon is easier. Needless to say me and and any kind of trail running are officially over!

Biking to Dinner

When I got home my parents decided that they wanted to go out to eat but I wanted to go for a bike ride since it was so nice out! We compromised and all biked from our house to Panera, about 2.5 miles away. This gave me a chance to check out my bike and all of its adjustments. My chain fell off twice, but we can correct that problem. We had lighter healthier dinners and then made the return trip back home just before dark.

Side Stitches, No Good!

Started running tonight and was feeling really good and got into a rhythm right away. After about 20 min. I got a stitch in my side that just wouldn't go away! I tried walking, breathing deeply, and drinking some water. None of which helped. So I stopped, not my best choice but I'd rather do that then continue on for another 6 miles in sever pain and possible hurt myself more from poor form and not paying attention. Must run outside tomorrow and do some hills before my bigger race on Saturday!

Mmmm Chlorine

The impossible was achieved today, I swam a mile! Who'd a thunk that possible? That's more than twice a far as I have to swim in my race in 2 weeks! Granted it wasn't all at once. I broke it up into chunks as follows: 100 kicking, 300 free (maybe 350 I lost track,) 350 free, 400 free, and 450 free. I actually felt really comfortable in the water and with my stroke. I didn't look like a drowning fish for once! I feel MUCH better about the tri after today's workout. I also tried out my new goggles, which rock! And I had a lane entirely to myself for once, awesome! I'm starting to get really excited!

Interference = Dancing with the Stars

More strength training today, good music again too! They upped a lot of my weights today as well. They said I was ambitious to be trying a 25K (15.5 miles) this weekend instead of a 1/2 marathon. The 25K is only 2.4 miles longer and I don't know anyone doing it unlike my option for the 1/2 where I know a lot of people who are very competitive and fast. I'm suppose to be at 15 miles this week anyway so I don't see what the big fuss is about?

My dad is out of town again this week so it's just me and my mom. So we get to do and watch all the things that Dad doesn't like. Dancing with the Stars for instance. Once we sat down to watch that I knew it was over as far as running outside in the beautiful weather was concerned. So once it was over and dark out I resigned myself to the basement and the treadmill to get a few miles in. Must stop running on treadmill when it is finally so nice out!!! Use the VCR Christine!

Running of the Pigs

I'm confirming the fact that once you stop something, it is very hard to start again. Didn't do anything until Sunday when I ran another 5K. The St. Paul Saint's Running of the Pigs. The race felt pretty good considering how bad I had been the last two weeks. My slowest 5K time, but still faster than my paces for the longer races last year. The Saint's mascot is a pig named Mudonna and she did the race as well, in roller skates! I must do better this week because I have a 25K on Saturday, 4 mile race on Sunday and the sprint triathlon next Saturday!

Slowly Getting Back on Track

I had my last figure skating lesson tonight, boo. I passed out of Adult 2 and will be in Adult 3 this summer or fall, whenever I take the next session. Skills worked on: forward one foot glides (distance,) backward stroking, power pulls (left foot only,) front crossovers (both directions,) backward crossover (both directions,) mohawks, and footwork sequences. For those you looking for the humor, I totally fell on my ass today!

I went home and ran for a little while on the treadmill just to got some running in today. Nothing too surprising to report. Although Applebee's isn't the best pre-training food.

Bad Christine!!!

I've been horrible this past week! Since last Tuesday all I've done is horseback ride Saturday and strength training Monday. The good news is that I'm not completely shot after strength training anymore! I might tell them to really push me next week, although I don't want to be sore for 4 days again! I did fix 3 of the 4 problems with my bike on Sunday, so that was progress too. I still need to get road tires and a helmet.

The bad news is that we have snow on the ground again! I'm 2 months out from a major marathon and there's snow on the ground and below freezing! Not uber-inspiring for training. As such I sent myself down to the treadmill to get some kind of milage in today. I ran for an hour which actually felt pretty good and I was starting to quicken the pace which went better than expected considering my week off and slow normal pace. Also note: I did not get sick at all even though I had eaten half of a Papa John's large pizza less than 2 hours prior, impressive!

Uff Da!

I got caught walking down the stairs backwards at work today and had to explain myself. Chad taught me after the Louisville 1/2 Marathon that walking down stairs backwards is a lot easier then the forwards when you have sore leg muscles and knees (especially these for me!) He learned it after the Boston Marathon in 2005. Between Sunday & Monday I nearly ran 17 miles! I think that should suffice for not being able to train today or tomorrow. Hopefully my impression of the Tin Man will subside before the baseball game tonight!!! I'm going to the game with friends and family for my birthday today!

Perpetual Sorness

Walking was a bit difficult Monday at work, I'm really glad I'm taking the supplements for my joints though! There was no way I was going anywhere near stairs today! I had strength training again today, which went pretty well. Really worked my arms, which need it, but burns! My sore hamstrings weren't really happy with me either. I gave myself a chance to eat dinner and stretch since I was wiped after the workout. Later that night I ran another almost 5 miles on the treadmill. I had to since I won't be doing anything besides sit-ups the next 2 days. I went nice and slow and it went well, sore hamstrings and all. Yeah for watching the Amazing Race! Nothing like international travel to keep me motivated. I'm guessing no stairs tomorrow either.

I'm taking tomorrow off since it's my birthday and I'm going to the Twins game! Wednesday I have to work both jobs, so nothing that day either. See you Thurday!

Don't do a 1/2 marathon on a treadmill!

Friday: Took off to recover, just sooo exhausted

Saturday: Uberbusy and never got to training. Did a lot of moving around so that helped with the perpetual soreness I've been experiencing for about the last 4 weeks.

Sunday: 12 miles is a VERY long way to go especially on a treadmill! Started out alright, but then started stopping a lot, something was going on with my left ankle and my right hamstring was really sore. I managed to make it through though. It was way more painful than my 1/2 marathon, which is just a little farther distance wise. Now I'm not a fan of the treadmill. I watched all of A Knight's Tale and most of The Cutting Edge, he he he. Even with two bottles of water and gu I was in desperate need of refueling after that. Showered and crashed into bed (quite literally.)