Treadmill Torture

Because I love torture and grueling pain, I did the Treadmill Boot Camp class this evening. 

Wow. Wow. Wow. 

The class really puts it to you. The best part is, how hard you work is completely up to you. It's just you against the stop watch. If you ask me the stop watch was extremely slow today. 4 minutes felt like an eternity!  

This is what my workout looked like today.

- Run 4 minutes at a fast pace on an incline of 1.0, to simulate the outdoors. I chose 6.7 for rounds 1-3 and 6.9 for round 4. I almost died on round 4!

-  Take it back down to your base. My base is 6.0. Run for 1 minute. This is your recover time.

- Take the incline to 3.0 and run for 2 minutes at your base pace. Round two take the incline to 4.0, round three 5.0 and round four 6.0. 

- Take the incline to 0 and run for 1 minute at your base. This is your recover time. 

Do this 4 times... if you like to be tortured!

The reason why I put myself through this torture is to hopefully improve my speed and endurance. I have three major fitness goals (not including weight loss) this year that are going to take some torture and suffering in the gym to achieve.

They are:

1. Break my 5K PR time of 24:59.

2. I want the last leg of the Triathlon, running, to not be as hard as last year. I do not want my legs to feel like concrete! 

3. Beat my Incline PR time of 37:19.     

Starting Weight (2/28/11): 134.6lbs

Current Weight: 130.2lbs

Total Weight Loss: -4.4lbs

Goal Weight: 120lbs

Note: Great workout!

New Gear

This weekend I spoiled myself and bought some much needed new workout gear.

I have probably the smallest ears you have ever seen- seriously. They are so small that normal headphones or ear-buds do not fit. 

Check out my new headphone! They work great and don't fall off! Behind the ear is the way to go.

  








 

When I swam in the reservoir for the triathlon I quickly realized that my swimming goggles were too dark and constricting. Not ideal for a triathlon with people flopping all around you! The new goggles I bought are clear with wide lenses. They are perfect!

Race Calendar: 2011

Ashley and I officially have our race schedule set for 2011! Our goal is to run one race each month starting in March and ending in September.

The one exception is the month of May. Three major events are taking place in May- my little sis (who is all grown up now) graduates from college, Preston and I are going on vacation to... you guessed it Las Vegas and last but not least we have camping spots reserved at Pueblo Reservoir for Memorial Day! All of these events leave little to no room to train for a race.

At the beginning of the year Ashley and I talked about running a half marathon. We thought this would be our big 2011 fitness goal. But after reviewing our schedules, the half marathons available in non-freezing months and evaluating our true love to hate passion for running we decided to veto the half marathon. Maybe next year.

In its place we added... WARRIOR DASH!!!! This obstacle course type race will go down in Hollis/Fetter's history and be talked about for decades. Why do you ask? This will be Preston and Josh's first 5K!

I am already super excitednervous for the first race in March. It's more enjoyable and a little less nerve-racking to start a race with a pack of friends, let me know if you too are planning on running in any of the races!

My Moment

Today's #reverb 10:

December 3 – Moment.
Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors).
(Author: Ali Edwards)

Hands down the #1 highlight of my year was competing in The Tri For The Cure Triathlon. This moment was absolutely amazing! I was so happy I got to share this moment with my BFF and family.

This day happened all too fast, but let me try to recreate it. It started with my BFF and I getting up at an ungodly hour to find a parking spot and most importantly the perfect transition spot. We meticulously set-up camp and nervously waited for our heat to be called.

Sunrise

I remember standing in our heat line edging closer and closer to the water waving frantically at Ashley's dad. Before we knew it we were in the cold, murky green water counting down... 10,9,8... At 1 I plunged into the water kicking and swimming as fast as I could to distance myself from the pack. I had no idea where Ashley was or if I was making any progress. My goggles quickly fogged up and the bright blare from the sun made it difficult to navigate in the water. At times I would have to stop to maneuver around a stagnate swimmer. When I was training I imagined getting ahead of the slow swimmers and having no problem. But I didn't anticipate catching up to the nearly drowning swimmers from the prior heat. At times I would take a stroke and end up hitting a fellow swimmer. For the first half of the course I couldn't see much due to my crappy goggles and the sun. I had to stop and pop my head out of the water to make sure I wasn't swimming in circles- a huge fear of mine! After I passed the last turn I knew I was so close to home. I stepped up my stroke by giving myself a little pep talk, but for the most part I kept hitting people. I finally got out of the water and ran as fast as I could to my flip flops tearing off my swim cap.

I got back to my transition station and threw on my bike shorts, shirt, socks and shoes, bike helmet and glasses and waited for Ashley. I remember saying to myself come on Ashley, come on Ashley. I knew she was close behind me, but I was getting nervous. I then saw her and we decided I would go ahead of her and she would catch up to me. 

I took off with my bike and ran. Once I jumped on I thought crap I forgot to adjust my bike pedal straps. They weren't tight enough so I couldn't pull and push as well as I would have liked to be able to. I peddled as fast as my legs would let me trying to pass one person after another. The bike portion of the race was amazing. It was so calming. I tried to take everything in as I biked by it. My only fear was not finding Ashley and getting a flat tire. Every person I saw on the side of rode fixing a tire I made sure wasn't Ashley, because I knew she would need my help if it was her. Luckily, we both made it through the bike portion without any problems!

I made it back to my transition station and put on my running hat and waited for Ashley. I didn't have to wait long, she was right behind me. We took off for the run realizing that this was the last leg of the race and we were almost done. What a relief! 

The run was grueling hard! At the very beginning our legs were heavy like concrete. It took everything we had to put one foot in front of the other. From the very beginning we said we wouldn't walk at all. We kept true to our word. The first part of the run was mostly uphill up the damn. Seeing The Hustler and my sister and Mr. and my parents was probably the best part of the race. It gave me a splurge of energy I didn't know I had left in me to jolt through the finish line. 

Crossing the line was the best feeling I have ever experienced. All I could think was we did it. We just completed our first triathlon!! We are triathletes!!! I was so overjoyed and extremely proud of myself!! I was so happy I could experience this wonderful moment with my best friend and family that came to support and cheer us on! 

Ashley and I after the race.

Ashley and I will start training for this same triathlon and a 1/2 marathon in January. I cannot wait to relive this experience. Anyone want to join us?

Funny Story

Here is a funny story for ya. Everyone who came to watch Ashley and I compete in the Tri for the Cure were convinced that I did not compete in the bike portion of the race. My mom actually had Preston call my cell phone to see if I was having problems at the transition area. Most everyone saw me come out of the water, but never saw me run by with my bike. Not only did they not see me start the bike portion of the race, but they also did not see me get off my bike. They were very surprised and relieved when they saw me starting the run with Ashley.

HERE IS PROOF THAT I DID IN FACT RIDE MY BIKE!

I AM A TRIATHLETE

Sunday was the triathlon that Ashley and I have been training for, for 7 long grueling months. This is the race that motivated us to many firsts. We started and completed P90X. We learned that we could actually run 1 mile and even competed in multiple 5k races around Colorado Springs. Ashley learned to swim 1/2 mile without stopping or feeling like she was going to drown. We bought road bikes and learned how to change a flat tire. Ashley committed to eating healthy from day 1 and lost around 13-15 pounds. We become strong enough to do doubles: swim and then bike or bike and then run. Since January we put training for this triathlon top priority over everything else in our lives.

WITHOUT A DOUBT, IT WAS WORTH IT! 

Tri for the Cure is a "swim, bike and run to benefit the Denver Metropolitan Affiliate for Susan G. Komen for the Cure and to end breast cancer forever." So much effort went into the race to make all of the women of different shapes and sizes and of different athletic abilities feel and believe that they could finish the race. An overwhelming number of volunteers, friends and family supported and rooted for each and everyone of us along the course. Because of the support and the great cause that this race benefits, I will most definitely participate in this event again next year. If you are thinking about doing a triathlon this is the perfect race for a beginner.

Ashley and I entered the race as Buddies, which meant we were guaranteed to be in the same heat. We got to Cherry Creek Reservoir around 5:30am, scoped out the perfect transition spot and set-up camp. The transition spot is very important. This is your home away from home where you run to and from multiple times. We were lucky to be on the outer rail only 3 bike racks down from the port-a-potties. Our transition area looked like this (thanks Dan for all of the great tips): our bike was on the rack facing in the direction of the bike start. On our bikes we had our water bottle and pouch with our tire changing tools. We taped an opened package of Shock Blocks near the handle bars. We had our bike/run shirt with our number already pinned on draped over the handle bars and our bike helmet and sunglasses ready. On the ground lay our hand towel with another water bottle to wash off our feet and a larger towel to dry them with. Our socks were rolled up ready to be put on. We put the no-tie shoelaces in our shoes so we didn't have to worry about tying them. We had our running hat and gum ready for the run. We also left flip flops near the exit of the swimming area to put on to make the run back to our bikes easier. I was very pleased with the layout of the transition area and the ease of it all. What added time to the transition was the distance from the transition area to the next timing chip mat at the start of the bike and run course. Because we were in the Buddie category we were the last heat to go out so we had about 1 1/2 hours to wait. We were able to watch the other heats go first and see what they did. But it also added to the anticipation and nervousness of it all. For those of you who know Ashley and I know that we are best friends and very close. We hold hands when we get scared and cling onto each other for support. We have always had this close relationship and I am very lucky to have a best friend that is truly like a sister. As you can imagine we were extremely nervous in the holding area waiting for our heat to enter the swim. We were holding hands and one girl said to another, "see I told you some of them would be here." This made Ashley and I laugh out loud! [Ashley and I waiting to enter the water] [Starting the swim]

  Anyways, they finally called our heat and we stepped into the water waiting for the horn to go off. We took the outer edge hoping to get away from the mass. For the most part it worked. But everyone seemed to stop at all 3 of the buoys. This was the most difficult area to navigate around. My goggles didn't help either. They fogged up and for the most part I couldn't see my surroundings very well. I should have listened to Ashley and got the slightly larger triathlon specific ones. Other than that the swim went pretty well. I finished it in 18:26.
[Me putting on my flip flops] 

I then ran out of the water put on my flip flops, took off my cap and goggles and ran to my transition area. I put on my shirt, helmet, sunglasses and grabbed my bike and ran. The hard part is you have to run your bike to the bike entrance which adds extra time to your transition time. the bike course was actually not that bad. There was really only one big hill. I was very grateful to be on a road bike. It allowed me to speed past so many people. I was a little worried about making sure I had enough legs left for the run. If I could go back and do it all over again I would push myself a little harder in this event. I think I had a little more in me. I finished the bike in 41:27. I jumped off my bike and ran it back to my home away from home. I put on my hat and Ashley was right there behind me ready to go. We jogged to the run start and took off. Our legs felt like concrete, but we pushed ourselves the entire way. We didn't stop once to walk. The way up the damn was slightly uphill. Obviously the best part was the way down and I even had some kick left in the end. The run was grueling, but thinking back I really don't remember it being that bad! I finished the run in 30:21 with a pace of 9:47.
[Ashley and I after the race]  

My overall time was 1:39:01!!

Before the race day, I questioned if I would become addicted to triathlons like so many claim to become after their first. A day later, I now see why. I have thought about the race many, many times. The memories I have is not how hard the swim was or how my legs felt like concrete in the run, but how much fun it was. I truly had a great time and it felt great to accomplish something as big as this.

I am proud to say that I am a triathlete!

Cherry Creek Adventure

Ashley and I thought it would be a good idea to do a trial run at Cherry Creek Reservoir before the big competition on the 1st. I had no idea what we were getting our selves into.

As it turns out Cherry Creek has a mean case of swimmers itch. The website warns you to wash off immediately after you get out of the water to avoid being infected with this nasty parasite. Ashley had to actually stop reading about the warning in fear that she wouldn't get in the water. Strike #1...

I, for some naive reason, thought we could swim in the exact same spot that the tri swim is going to be held. Turns out that you can put boats on the water so therefore you can only swim in the roped off "swim beach" area. The day was hot and beautiful so as you can imagine everyone and their mom and their children were catching the waves at the fake beach. The little roped off area was packed with people and children. We found that if we swam along the back roped off area people, for the most part, stayed out of our way. The frustrating part is we didn't know how far we were swimming. Strike #2...

The reservoir supposedly has a water filtration system. You actually have to pay $2 extra to get into the park to help pay for the purification system. Ashley and I couldn't see 2 inches in front of us. The water was greener and murkier than Pueblo. Strike #3...

On the last lap I swallowed an entire mouth full of nar-nar, Cherry Creek Reservoir, supposedly filtrated water. I about got sick right in the water. It took me a while to recover. All I could think about was swallowing geese poo, swimmers itch parasites, kiddie pee, and grease and oil from the boats. It was by far to most disgusting experience I have ever had. Strike #4...

We got out of the water and found a shower to wash off in. Next we went to the other side of the reservoir to practice the bike ride. We were under the impression that signs were posted marking the tri bike route. Defiantly no signs. The streets weren't even labeled even though our tri map referenced the street names. Employees didn't even know the names of the streets. Strike #5...

We hopped onto our bikes and I soon realized I had a low back tire. Of course we didn't have a bike pump with us so we headed over to the marina. The men were very nice and tried to help us. Turns out our bikes take a special tire pump nozzle that they didn't have. Strike #6...

A day later I came down with an ear ache, possibly swimmers ear. Strike #7...

After this adventure, I expect our tri experience will be great! Our expectation are pretty low and we now know what to expect!

TIME TO KICK BUTT

It's time to really hit the training hard. The Tri for the Cure is only 28 short days away... I am scared out of my mind. This is why... Ashley and I swam in the Pueblo Reservoir yesterday. It was a lot harder than I expected.

First of all the water was murky green and almost impossible to see through. The water was a little choppy. I couldn't swim in a straight line. I might have drank some before the swim which might have had something to do with the problem above. I became tired very quickly and had to stop multiple times. I had to switch between the free style and the frogy stroke more than once.

The Tri for the Cure updated their website to include a full training calendar. It is great information- just what Ashley and I have been looking for only... a couple of months late. Nonetheless, we are committed to following the workout regimen up until the race. I start Day 1 tomorrow. On the schedule is hills. To save time looking for the perfect hill I will be doing this on the treadmill utilizing the incline, which I rarely use. The workout should be interesting... Ashley did it Friday and said it was the hardest workout she has done in a long time not to mention that she almost puked! The goal is to do 8x1 minute hills at an incline of 10 with a 1 minute jog in between each hill. I will let you know if I survive! The scary part is this is probably the easiest workout on the calendar. I better get my mind set if I want to do this!

Michael Phelps is in the House

Tonight Ashley and I did our first block training. We biked 12 miles on a stationary bike and then ran 3.2 miles on the treadmill. I am happy to report we both finished the session without quitting in the middle. 

It wasn't easy though. I am not very good at biking. I don't know why or what I am doing wrong, but I suck at it. I finished the 12 miles probably 5 minutes after Ashley. Her legs were peddling at 115-120 mph and little legs were struggling to keep it above 100 mph! 

Any input would be greatly appreciated!!! 

We then moved onto running. Before our vacations we were both running pretty well. Now our endurance and stamina is nonexistent. It is so frustrating what a couple of weeks of relaxation can do to your fitness level. We both made it to 3.2 miles, but it felt harder than it should have. 

My goal is to run as much as possible to get ready for the Sailin' Shoes 5K on Saturday, June 19th.  

The Next Michael Phelps is in the House...  
Tonight I swam 1/2 mile in 15 minutes. I am pretty excited about this time, not gonna lie. If I can swim this fast in the Triathlon, I will have a pretty competitive time. 

Here are the top 4 "buddy" times from last year.

Swim---Transition--Bike---Transition--Run---Pace-----Final 17:20------ 5:55-------36:39-------5:27--------23.21----7:32-----1:28:43 17:54-------4:31-------38:48-------3:23-------25:78----8:12-----1:30:05 17:36-------4:23------39:12--------3:38-------25:19----8:10-----1:30:11 14:27-------6:46------37:21--------3:47-------27:56----9:00-----1:30:19

Not sure if I will have enough legs to run a 9 minute mile, but I can wish can't I? What should my goal swim, bike and run times be? And why did it take 6:46 to transition from swimming to biking and 5:27 for another person to transition from biking to running. What am I missing here??

Memorial Day Bust

The Memorial weekend was hard on me. It all started with my cousin's high school graduation party in which I ate Puppy Chow, M&M's and Fondue. Saturday I did a little better and actually turned down Pizza. Then Sunday and Monday I indulged in a couple of beers and some restaurant food. Pretty disappointing to say the least. My will power basically sucks. So yes this means that I have not reached my 10 pound goal and yes I have had more than one cheat meal. Yikes!! Today I ate pretty well with only minor indulgences at Dan's birthday party. I also got in a 1/2 mile swim that felt great. My legs and arms were actually on the same page working TOGETHER for the first time in a long time. Too bad they are closing the pool for a little over a week to do some maintenance. Tomorrow I will be running and biking. It feels good to get back into the grove of working out on a consistent basis again. I am pretty excited to weight myself tomorrow morning. It is always motivating to see the scale change.

How to Cure Soreness?

I am extremely sore from yesterdays Incline workout. Actually I think what made me sore was the run down the trail. My ankles and shins are on fire. 

So what do I do to cure the soreness? The answer is RUN! Today I decided to run on the treadmill in addition to the P90X Chest, Back and Ab workout. I am a little worried about the 5K this Saturday at the Garden of the Gods so I have been running as much as possible to prepare.

I am really proud of the effort I gave on the treadmill today. I ran the 3.2 miles at a speed of 6.7 and higher (I usually run it at 6.5 with little increases at the end). I finished the 5K in 28 minutes which is my personal best on the treadmill. I then pushed through the P90X workouts. I have eaten pretty good today (as long as we don't count the Grande Non-Fat Vanilla Late and Arizona Tea). For dinner I made a Black Bean Tostada from the Clean Eating Magazine. It was actually really good! 

Here is the recipe and nutrition info: 

Ingredients 
- 1 cup cooked black beans 
- 1 tsp chipotle pepper, minced (I could not find this) 
- 1/2 tsp cumin, ground - 2 tsp fresh lime juice, divided 
- 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
- 1 multigrain sandwich thin, toasted (I forgot to toast)
- 1 oz low-fat cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 cup frisee, wash, dried and torn (no idea what this is)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (I added red onions and the green Tabasco for extra flavor) Instructions

1. In a food processor or medium bowl, puree or mash beans. Add chipotle, cumin, chile powder, and 1 tsp lime juice and mix. Add bean mixture to small pan and warm (be careful not to burn).
2. warm corn in another pan.
3. Divide bean mixture between 2 halves. Top with other ingredients.

Nutrients per 2 open-faced sandwiches
Calories 467 Total Fat 4 g Sat. Fat 2 g Monounsaturated Fat 1 g Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g Carbs 82 g Fiber 25 g sugars 9 g Protein 31 g Sodium 399 mg Cholesterol 6 mg

Tomorrow is day one of the Triathlon Training. I am also starting the Shakeology 3 Day Cleanse. I will write more about what the cleanse involves tomorrow.

Just what I was looking for.

Just last night I was thinking how much I missed working out in a group setting. I like that I get uber competitive and push myself like non other. The Biggest Loser reminded me of all this. I love the intensity and determination that Sam and Koli bring to all of their workouts. They are able to feed off of each other and work harder than anyone else, well maybe except for O'Neil.

As I was about to go to bed last night I remembered seeing a poster for a triathlon training group at the gym. Today at the gym I checked it out and signed up! So far there are 4 of us in the group. The group will workout together every Tuesday and Thursday starting next week for 8 weeks. We will work on stroke technique, transitions, block training and well I have no idea what else. I am soo excited! The group training days fit perfectly into my P90X schedule! I am about to start Phase 3 next week so there is no way I am quitting the program now. I can't wait to update you all on everything I learn in the triathlon training sessions. This may be what I have been looking for to kick my butt into gear.

Oh yeah, I just realized last night that Preston and I are officially going to Las Vegas May 14th for his billiards tournament. So if that's not reason enough to get to my goal weight, I am not sure what is.

Time Is Dwindling Away

Time is slipping away. The triathlon will be here before I know it and if I don't be careful I won't be as prepared as I would like to be. So with that said, it is time to step-up the training. The game plan is to continue P90X in the PM (as normal) and add running, biking and swimming in the AM. My goal is to do two-a-days at least 3 days a week, to start out with. I also need to watch and carefully monitor my calorie intake to make sure I am eating enough to keep up with this intense schedule. On that note all Easter candy needs to leave the house immediately!

Here are my goals for this week:
- Continue with P90X
- Workout twice a day, 3 days this week
- Log and track all calories
- Drink at least 64 ounces of water per day

Friday is going to be a challenge for me. I am going to the Rockies Opening Day with some co-workers. I know this will involve beer and ballpark food that I know I will not be able to pass up. I am just going to have to be okay with this and make sure I eat super-duper clean and work hard the other 5 days. Tomorrow I am getting up early to swim, then P90X Plyo (my favorite P90X workout) in the PM.  

No time for procrastination!!!