Sloth By Design

I barely did anything this week, and that was on purpose.  After a lot of careful consideration and discussion, I've decided to pursue a higher volume training plan for the upcoming tri season, so just like that Sweet Spot Base training is over and this became a rest week.  It was nice.

Most of my body parts feel rested.  My stress levels are down.  My mind is clear and I'm ready to go.

Let's Do This!

5AM...the Miracle Hour?

The first week of Sweet Spot training was tough, but I kind of enjoyed it.  I feel like I'm finally starting to get back in the groove of working out consistently - and the whole 5AM Miracle thing is starting to get easier too.

Monday started with a 5AM wake up followed by a short yoga practice, and a full day at work.  After work, I scurried home, changed clothes, and hauled ass to the gym to get a run in before my training appointment.  I didn't have as much time to run as I wanted, but I made the most of the 20 minutes I had by running hard.  10 minutes into my training session, I was on the verge of fainting.  After a couple of questions from my trainer, it hit me...it was 6:40pm and I hadn't eaten a thing since noon...so my body was running on fumes.  After we finished our session and I hightailed it home for dinner. Note To Self: There's no such thing as being to busy to scarf a banana before a workout!

I'm never too busy for a banana!

After the near-fainting episode, the rest of the week went well. All workouts were done, yoga was practiced, and getting up on time happened every day but Thursday.  We swim late (starting around 8:45pm) on Wednesday nights, so I didn't get to bed at a reasonable hour and my brain decided that this was a good excuse to thwack the snooze button...until 6:30AM.  I skipped my yoga practice that morning, but still made it out the door on time. We'll leave a discussion of my really poor food choices on Thursday for another day.

I don't think I'll ever love getting up before the crack of dawn, but I am starting to see the benefits of going to bed at the same time every night and getting up really early.  Since I've started trying to follow the 5AM Miracle, I've had time for yoga, books, and breakfast before leaving the house every day.  On the day that I overslept, I felt completely out of sorts.  Eventually, I'd like to find a way to fit in my bike workouts before work too.  Am I on the verge of becoming a morning person?

I think I'm still in the Ostrich Stage

I may have made some poor food choices on Thursday, but can we talk about some of my good choices for a minute?  I was starving when I got off the bike on Friday night and talked myself out of going out for dinner. Instead, I put together this lovely concoction in under 30 minutes.

In the bowl:

• brown rice
• cuban style black beans (from Trader Joe's)
• shrimp cooked in hatch chili salsa
• a little shredded cheese
• salsa
• sour cream
• guacamole (not pictured because I forgot to throw it in there before taking a picture)

I'm pretty sure that these messy 'meals in a bowl' will become more and more common in the Rabbits and Runs household as tri training really gets under way.

I'm also getting reacquainted with my crockpot since it's a hands off way to make a bunch of food. Both Mr. R&R and I have been craving red meat for the last few days so I pulled out the crockpot to make Beef with Mushrooms and Red Wine Sauce.   I threw everything into the crockpot around 9AM (I used 2 packages of baby portobella mushrooms because I really like 'em), set it and walked away until dinner time.

I closed out Week 1 of Sweet Spot Training with:

Swim:    1200 yards (0.68 miles)

Bike:      40.3 miles

Run:       6.55 miles

Yoga:      5 practices (ranging from 10-50 minutes)

Strength: 1 session

Total Time:       7 hours, 11 minutes

Total Distance: 47.53 miles

Cumulative Distance: 68.86 miles (that's roughly the distance between my house and Madison, WI!)

What's your morning like?  Are you an early riser or do you prefer to snooze until the last possible second?

I Need Pre-Hab

What happens when you train almost nonstop from March through August?

A. You have get in great shape
B. You achieve monster PRs
C. You burn out and turn into a sofa spud

The answer is D: All of the Above

The Pinnacle of my 2016 Season

My return to triathlon was everything I ever could have hoped for and more, but by the time it was all over, I was exhausted.  The thought of doing anything swim/bike/run related sounded horrible.  I ran a little.  Hit the lake once (and had a fantastic swim). And couldn't even look at my bike without wanting to trade it in for something with fat tires and a squishy saddle.

Finally, when it stopped sounding awful and started sounding like what I wanted to do again, a bunch of stressful stuff started happening in my life, so rather than using sweat as a coping mechanism, I went for food/booze/tv/sleep.  Of course that lead to loss of fitness and a bit of weight gain since cheese and wine is far more comforting than water and a salad.  Some of the stuff that lead to my downward spiral is still going on and new stressful stuff is piling on, but it's time try a less self-destructive way to manage it - and I don't want to have to buy new pants!

I've already identified my 'A Race' for 2017 and in order to turn in an optimal performance, I need to get back in the pool/on the bike/running - and I have a plan.

My plan has 5 distinct phases and each phase is designed with one big goal in mind: CRUSH THE A RACE

The 5 phases are:

• Pre-Hab (6 weeks)
• Bike Power (8 weeks)
• Race-Specific Base (6 weeks)
• Race-Specific Build (6 weeks)
• Specialty (8 weeks)

The Pre-Hab phase is designed to get me back in the rhythm of training 6 days a week, rebuild some of my lost fitness, and shed the excess baggage I'm currently carrying.

• 2 runs per week
• 2 trainer rides per week
• 2 swims per week
• 1 strength training session per week
• Eat more 'clean' than 'dirty'

I'm probably a little insane for starting this in the weeks leading up to the biggest eating/gym-closing holidays of the year,  but if I wait for the 'perfect' time to start, I'll never do it - and my goal race is only 8 months away.

So do me a favor, if I start slacking, please give me hell in the comments!

Where I've Been and Where I'm Going

It's been a while.  Again.  Sorry to keep pulling a disappearing act, but something always has to fall below the Suck Line (I really love her for this post) and it seems like my blog is usually one of the first things to get pushed below the line.  As usual, I'll try to be better about it, but I'm not making any promises.

So, where've I been?  Well...

In mid-April, Mr. R&R and I jetted off to Puerto Rico for 5 days of pure relaxation, fun in the sun, and to celebrate his birthday!

I could tell you all about it, but I think the pictures say more than I ever could.

View From Our Room

Blue Skies and Palm Trees...All Day. Every Day.

Lunchtime Libations

The Rice Alone is Worth The Trip

When we got back, I started running again because just like every year. around this time..it's training season.  If you're ready to follow me through the ups and downs of another training cycle, stick around.  It's going to get sweaty around here, because I really want to add to my collection of race bling!

Take A Hike: Zillmer Loop Trail

It appears that we skipped spring this year and went from an unusually mild winter straight into summer.  We've had several days over 80 degrees- and it's only March.  While I shudder to think what this could mean when summer actually arrives, neither The Husband or I like to let good weather pass us by. We took advantage of the unseasonably HOT weather last Sunday and drove up to the Northern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest to do some hiking.  After a quick stop to procure our annual state park admission sticker and a quick consultation with the forest ranger, we settled on hiking the yellow section of the Zillmer Loop trails. 

(source)

It was 80+ degrees when we set off from the Northern trailhead and after only a few minutes we came upon a 'scenic viewpoint'.

That was the last time we saw a road for our entire hike.

We only saw a few other people in our 5.32 mile adventure, but we did manage to see some critters.

The things I do for the sake of this blog...I HATE snakes!

Future butterfly?

 

 

 

 

 

All too soon, we were hiking through the last pine plantation and up the final hill.

Distance: 5.32 miles
Time: 1:40:46
Avg. Pace: 18:56/mile

I can't wait to come back and try running on this trail sometime!  It's kind of a haul just to go for a run, but there are only a few big hills (as opposed to the humungous hills at Lapham Peak and Scuppernong), so it would be a great place to do some trail running.

Speaking of running (and all other things training-related), here's what I've been up to since my first outdoor bike ride of the year on March 12th.

Tuesday, March 13th: Successfully dragged myself to yoga.

Thursday, March 15th: Running
Distance: 3.58 miles
Time: 35:08
Avg. Pace: 9:49

Sunday, March 18th: Hiking
(see stats above)

Monday, March 19th: Indoor Trainer Ride
Distance:  10.55 miles
Time: 45:00
Avg. Speed: 14.1 mph

Wednesday, March 22nd: Running
Distance: 2.09 miles
Time: 20:05
Avg. Pace: 9:37

Thursday, March 23rd: Running (since my planned brick workout got rained out)
Distance: 3.50 miles
Time: 34:28
Avg. Pace: 9:52

And...since you've made it this far...how 'bout a gratuitous rabbit picture?

Hitting The Road

Spring seems to have arrived in Wisconsin, so after work today, The Husband and I took full advantage of the warm weather and the extra hour of daylight and went for a bike ride.  That means I took the road bike on the road for the first time.  I. Was. Terrified.  The last time I attempted to ride a road bike outdoors was a few years ago when I 'test rode' one in a bike shop parking lot. That ended when I crashed it about 5 seconds after getting on it.  Looking back, that bike shop sort of set me up to fail by sending me out on a bike that didn't fit me at all.  Anyway,  I made sure my tires had air, loaded the supplies to fix a flat into the little bag under my seat, strapped on my helmet (never ride without one), and attempted to ride. 

I'm sure I looked ridiculous as I tried to get both feet into the cages on my pedals at the same time.

(source)

I think this is an art form it's going to take me a while to master, but I intend to make it work since I'm nowhere near comfortable with the idea of switching to clipless pedals (special shoes lock you to the pedals) anytime soon.

After a few instances of wobbling, we took off on an easy 5 mile ride just so I could get the feel of riding outside. By about the second mile, I was getting a little more comfortable and was able to pick up some speed and really see what my bike is capable of.  I definitely think it's going to take me a while to get used to the way the bike shifts since it's very different than my old Beast, but I liked it a lot, which is good since the road bike (which is still without a name since we're still in the 'Getting Acquainted' stage) are going to be spending a lot of time together in the next few weeks.

My short little ride outside today gave me a short list of things I want to get in the near future. Namely a proper cycling jersey and a pair of cycling gloves.  My hands were freakin' sore!

(source)

Distance: 5.31 miles
Time: 31:45 (stupid having to wait for traffic)
Avg. Speed: 10mph
Avg. Cadence: 64 (this needs to improve to around 80)

After we returned home and I returned the bike to it's position in my trainer, the husband challenged me to go for a really short run just to see what it felt like to transition from one sport to the next.  That was quite the experience.  At first my legs were numb, so I didn't really notice how heavy they felt, just that they were a little jello-y. After about half a block, I felt like I was running on two lead sticks and my muscles were protesting loudly.  The Husband took off with about half a block to home (show off!) and I dragged jello-legged self up the driveway about 30-45 seconds later. 

Distance: .44 miles
Time: 3:53
Avg. Pace: 8:45

I guess this means I've done my first brick (a week ahead of schedule).  This duathlon training thing just got very real and I realized just how much work I have in front of me.  Bring it!

Spin Cycle

I decided that tonight was definitely a cross-training (read: trainer ride) kind of night since it's pretty cold and crappy outside.  I'm really loving having the bike/trainer combo in the basement for days like these. It allows me to get a workout in without having to leave the house and, as a bonus, I got some laundry done in the process.

I threw in a load of clothes, got my laptop set up so I could watch and episode of Sex and the City while I rode, climbed on the bike, turned on my Garmin, and discovered that the battery was pretty much dead!

I ran upstairs, threw it on the charger and waited 20 minutes, hoping it would charge up enough to get through a short ride. I had really been hoping to ride for about 45 minutes, but decided that in the interest of eating dinner before 8pm that I'd cut it short.

With my semi-juiced Garmin in hand, I returned to the basement, hopped on my bike, and proceeded to pedal for the next 30 minutes.  One episode of SATC later, my laundry and my workout were done!

Total Time: 33:00 minutes
Distance: 8.03 miles
Avg. Speed: 14.6mph
Avg. Cadence: 82rpm

Think Spring

My spring/early summer racing schedule is definitely ambitious.  I'm registered for the Madison Half Marathon in late May (#11 if you're keeping track), the South Shore Rock 'n Ride Duathlon on June 10th, and the Warrior Dash on June 16th.  Yes, I'm a glutton for punishment, but I figure you only live once and in that time you should

(source)

To that end, it's time to start training for all this epic goodness.  I'm armed with a shiny new training plan and I'm ready to go.  Now granted, a training plan is just that - a plan.  It's an outline of what workouts I would do if my life existed in a vacuum.  I assure you, it does not.  There are going to be days that I just can't squeeze in a workout and there are going to be days where I flat out just don't want to. I've also built in some step-back weeks, rest days, and done a little rearranging based on events that are already on my calendar.  As long as the "I Can't" and "I Won't" days don't outweigh the "I Will" days, I should be race ready.

I'm not too concerned about my ability to finish the half marathon, but I'm going to have to work my butt off if I want to finish well. I've run the Madison half twice before, and although the course has changed immensely since then, I remember it being somewhat hilly.  I guess I'd better get over my hatred of hill training!

I know I'll be fine at the Warrior Dash.  This one's all about fun, not speed. I'm just looking forward to a fun, muddy weekend with The Husband and our friends.

The duathlon, however, has me a little nervous.  First of all, I've never done one before, so the 'newbie factor' is definitely coming into play here.  Second, I'm getting comfortable with my new road bike in the safety of my basement, but taking it out on an actual road is freaking me out a little. I'm terrified that I'll get penalized for drafting, crash, or just generally piss off the more experienced athletes. I guess I'd better suck it up, face the fear, and do it anyway!

So here goes nothing!

I wonder if I'll be adding to the 'retired shoes' pile after all of this!

Make It Happen

(source)

I said I was going to be better about working out and taking care of myself.  I tend to be more consistent when I have a goal - and a training plan. So here it is:

Goal #1: Run the Run Into The New Year 10k on 12/31/11.
-I don't really have a goal time for this race. I'm doing it to give myself a reason to run and a time to beat, which leads me to

Goal #2: Run the Great Lakes Expo Run 10k on 01/29/11 in under an hour (or at the very least improve on whatever I do at the New Year's Eve race).

Today is Day 1 of my 8 week training plan.  I got home from work and promptly crawled under the covers for 45 minutes in an attempt to get warm (and let the joys of rush hour traffic dissipate). Finally, I couldn't stall any more.  I pulled my winter running clothes out of the closet and laced up a new pair of Adizero Tempo running shoes since my old ones are due for retirement.

Woo...glistening white running shoes. Must get them dirty!

I headed out into the cold for 3 miles.  The first mile and a half sucked pretty bad due to a not-so-gentle wind in my face, but after a while I was so cold I stopped caring!  The second half of the run was a little better since the wind was at my back.  Overall, it was an okay run.  My pace was a disaster, but that's to be expected since I haven't been running at all lately.  I've got my work cut out for me!

Distance: 3.11 miles
Time: 31:05
Avg. Pace: 9:59

I've got 7 weeks and 6 days left to make this happen.  Wish me luck...and kick my ass if I start showing signs of slacking!