Realization

So, after my second 11-hour work day this week, I had a realization: it is simply unreasonable to expect me to have enough energy left after working an extended shift to still make it to the gym for a good workout at 8+ p.m.  (Yeah, I missed my workout again.)  So I have concluded that I will not stay late for overtime again until after my Ironman.  Even though I feel bad not helping my company out.  And even though none of my raters will be able to stay late if I don't.  And even though overtime pay would be really nice.  That's just how it's going to have to be for the next two months.  I feel bad and good about this decision.  Bad because of the things I just listed, but good because I know I'm prioritizing something that's really good for and very important to me.  I'm also really excited to use the next two weeks I have off to get ALL my workouts in and hopefully get into a routine for the remaining time before my race.  Bring it!

A-OK!

And... whew!  I felt infinitely better today!  I could actually breathe out of my nose, and I think I could count on both hands the number of tissues I needed today.  Praise the Lord!  I didn't sleep well last night, but I wasn't even too tired today, which surprised me.  So, no excuses NOT to go work out tonight!

When I got to the gym for my swim, I was excited to use the outdoor pool since it'll be closing after this week.  Unfortunately, that pool was closed because apparently someone pooped in it...  Uh, yeah.  Swimming inside should be just fine.  Here's what I did:

Warm-up
4 x 200  Swim/pull/kick/drill x 200

Main set
1 x 400  Free - pace
2 x 300  Free - pace
3 x 200  Free - pace
4 x 100  Free - pace

Cool-down
1 x 200  Free - sighting drill
1 x 200  Easy

In all: 3200 meters (2 miles) in 1:15.  Not too shabby!  And so far my shoulder seems o.k.  We'll see how it feels tomorrow...

Feeling Icky

Well, I woke up this morning feeling really congested.  Since then, I've been really sneezy and my nose has been running non-stop.  I seriously can't go three minutes without blowing it, and I've already gone through an entire box of 200 tissues today.  So, yeah.  My swim obviously didn't happen today, and I'm o.k. with that.  I'm not sure exactly what's wrong, but I'm praying that the medicine I just took and some sleep will have me feeling better by tomorrow...

IM Louisville

Well, the Hubby and I had planned on driving down to Louisville early this morning to go watch the Ironman there today.  I was really excited to see how everything was set up and just feel the excitement of the event.  I also thought I could write a couple of Yahoo articles about what I learned and saw.  But...  We went to bed pretty late, and I didn't think it was such a good idea to drive down there on only three or four hours of sleep, hang out in the sun all day, then drive home after the race ended at midnight.  And THEN to have to work bright and early Monday morning.  So, I've just been watching parts of it online today instead.  It's obviously not the same as being there, but it's still exciting!  This way, too, I could follow the leaders and see them out on the course.  And I could track my athlete friend Jess who was competing.  And I could get some housecleaning, grocery shopping, and cooking done throughout the day as well.  Good decision.  After all, being at the race might have been good mental training for my own race day, but getting ready for the coming week will do more to help me get through my all-important workouts.  So, let's do it!  Here's to a great training week!

Adventure!

Some of my college girlfriends and I have been trying to find a time to get together and catch up for awhile, and finally we settled on this morning at 10:00.  I wasn't thrilled about the time since I usually do my long rides on Saturday mornings, but I decided to make the best of it.  I searched on mapmyride.com and found a 36-mile route in the area where we were planning to meet.  With the 5.5 miles to and from my home, I figured 47 miles was good.  I planned to set out at 7:00 a.m. to have plenty of time to meet them at 10:00.  Of course...  I was tired and moving slowly, plus it was still a little dark out at 7:00.  I also had to stop at Kroger briefly to buy a couple Luna bars on my way out, so I ended up really starting my ride at about 8:00.

It started off well, though at one point I got a little lost because I didn't see a road sign on a subdivision I was supposed to ride through.  But I called home and the Hubs looked at a map online for me and got me back on track.  From Sharonville, I rode through West Chester, then to Fairfield.  I caught a cute little bike trail from there up to Hamilton, then looped my way back down to West Chester to meet my girls.  With getting turned around a couple times, having to look at my directions every few turns, more hills than I'd been expecting, and of course my late start, I didn't make it to the gathering by 10:00.  It was actually more like 11:00, and one of the girls had to leave soon after I arrived.  But at least I got to see her briefly and catch up with the other two for another hour or two after that.k

All in all, it was a fun little adventure!  I rode 47.2 miles in 3:12.  Not fast at all (I think I averaged 14.6 mph), but it was still a good workout.  I loved the freedom of just riding from my house rather than having to pack up my bike and drive somewhere, even if the roads near home aren't the greatest for cyclists.  I also loved riding in a new part of town, having a purpose in where I was eventually trying to end up, and having the accountability to get me out the door before it got too late and I got lazy.  The only bad thing about the day was the sunburn I got on my face and chest...  I'd put sunscreen on, but apparently not enough.  After all, I hadn't planned on sitting out in the sun for an extra two hours while we all chatted!  Oh, well, though.  No biggie. :-)  And I did NOT make it to the gym for a swim today, since it was already close to 2:00 when I got home.

Nada

So, I didn't wake up early for anything, and I didn't have any energy left after work to do anything this evening either.  Guess I'll just be lazy today and hopefully make up for it tomorrow...

Ride Anyway

So I didn't lift after the ride tonight, but at least I rode!  We did about 25 miles in 1:45.  Not much else to report!  My shoulder is pretty sore after my swim yesterday, so I don't know if I'll want to swim again already tomorrow.  Perhaps I'll just lift instead since I didn't do it today.  Then maybe I can swim Saturday afternoon after my ride...  We shall see!

Back in the Water!

Yeah, no lifting this morning again...  But, for the first time in I can't remember how long, I actually woke up feel well-rested and ready to get up!  It was fabulous!

I did swim tonight, though.  For the first time in almost two weeks.  It felt great to be back in the water!

Here's what I did:

Warm-up
4 x 400  Swim/pull/kick/drill x 400

Main set
8 x 100  Easy/build/easy/hard x 25
8 x 50    Sprint through turn, easy back

Cool-down
1 x 200  Free - sighting drill
1 x 200  Easy

The two miles took 1:20 rather than my usual 1:15, but that's not bad after two weeks off.  Plus, speed days always seem to go a little slower because of the extra rest time.  Ah, well.  Now, to bed!  Planning to sleep in again tomorrow and just lift tomorrow night after my ride.

A Tie Anyway

Well, surprise, surprise.  We didn't get up to go to the gym this morning.  So the plan is to try again tomorrow...  We shall see.

I did, however, go to my time trial tonight as planned.  I didn't feel particularly strong out there, but I picked it up on the second half and managed to tie my PR of 28:44.  I'll take it!

Ticked

I was actually really proud of myself for waking up early and heading out for a run this morning.  And I was thrilled to discover how cool it is in the mornings these days!  Unfortunately, my foot wasn't very happy with me...  It didn't hurt too bad, but the pain never went away.  It never got worse either, though, at least not while I was out there.  I only ran one lap, 2.6 miles in 32:17.  Pretty slow, but not too bad all things considered.  With my warm-up and cool-down walking, I got about 3.5 miles in, though it took me 50 minutes.

After the run, my foot hurt bad.  I was limping around the house all day, even after stretching and icing it.  I tried this Kinesio taping thing I heard about recently, too, but it didn't seem to make any difference.  Boo...

Tonight, I went to the gym for my first swim in almost two weeks.  I only needed an hour, so I planned a 2800-meter speed workout.  Unfortunately, after I got my suit and cap on and unpacked all my gear at the side of the pool, I realized that I didn't have my goggles!  They were still with my stuff from the tri last weekend.  :-(  I can't swim without goggles, so I just had to pack everything up, shower, and head home.  What a waste of a trip to the gym!  And so disappointing that I messed up my first day of what I had hoped would be a fantastic week.  Oh, well.  At least I had time to make tomorrow's dinner tonight.  Plus, I can go to bed early so we can hit the gym for a strength session in the early a.m.  G'night!

Slow and Long

As I suspected might happen, no one really showed up for my 68-mile Cycle Club ride this morning.  The plan was to do something longer to help get everyone ready for the century next month, but I guess it didn't work out as we had planned.  I know some people had scheduling conflict and others were intimidated by the length.  Now, though, I'm wondering how successful the century will be!  We shall see.

At any rate, one of my co-ride leaders showed up, planning to ride on his own since he didn't have enough time for the long ride I had planned.  But since no one else was there (and because I was a little hesitant about riding on roads in the thick fog that blanketed the Little Miami area), he and I headed up the trail together.  In Oregonia, he turned back, but I kept going up to Corwin and beyond.  I ended up getting 67 miles in, but it took me almost four-and-a-half hours!  How is it that I did 56 miles in 2:38 last week, but today it took 4:15 to go 67?!?  Yikes.  Guess I still have a lot of work to do!

In other news, the Adamo saddle wasn't quite as spectacular today.  I think the fit is probably pretty good, but since I already have saddle sores which aren't going away anytime soon, it's still not comfortable for that long a ride.  Guess I just have to suck it up and take it, though...

O.k., now time for my nap!

Too Tired...

And, once again, my planned swim tonight didn't happen.  I was just exhausted after work, to the point where I couldn't even think about hopping in the pool for some laps!  So I vegged, and it was good.  I have my long ride in the morning, too, so at least I can be well-rested for that!

Another Demo

Tonight, we had our Lifetime Cycle Club ride again.  It was a great night with six riders.  We did 25 miles in 1:45 and had a lot of fun.  Plus, I got to try the new saddle out for the first time.  So far, I have to say, I love it!  I'm planning to use it on a 4+ hour ride this weekend as well, but I'm hopeful that this might be it!

Night In

So, again, I was planning to go swim tonight.  But the Hubby was home, and I wasn't feeling very motivated, and...  Yeah, I did nothing.  Again.  Somehow I feel justified since I had the race on Sunday, but I need to get back to my training soon!

ISM Adamo

Well, I was planning to swim tonight, but I'm still kind of preoccupied with finding the best saddle for the Cervelo.  After several athletes recommended the ISM Adamo, I decided that I just needed to get one to try.  Only one bike shop in Cincinnati carries them, and it's a place I'd never heard of.  But tonight, I drove out to Bike Fix in West Chester to check it out.

The owner guy, Dick, was great.  He patiently waited for me to get there through crazy rush-hour traffic, then spent close to an hour with me looking over my bike fit and getting the demo Adamo Road saddle on it just right.  I'm excited to try it out!

Official Race Results

Two years ago when I did this half, I came in at 7:20:37.  This year, I was hoping for 7 hours.  (They say you should be able to do a full in twice your half plus an hour, and I'm hoping for a 15-hour full.)  When we found out that the swim was canceled, I adjusted my goal to 6 hours.

My official bike split was 2:38:21, better than the 3 hours I'd hoped for, and remarkably faster than my 3:26:25 from 2009!  My run was a lot slower at 3:12:01, compared to 2:49:36 last time, but, yeah.  We've talked about that...  I still finished in 5:55:21!  If we'd swum, I would have finished in a little less than 6:45, even with my crappy run, which makes me happy.  Yep, I'm very pleased overall, just worried about the run in Florida...

Today, I'm super sore.  I knew my feet and everything would still hurt, but I was a little surprised to see how sore my muscles were, too, when I got out of bed!  (O.k., well, technically I'm still in bed, but I have gotten up briefly to use the bathroom...)   I don't know why I'm surprised; I guess I just forgot what this feels like!  I don't think I felt quite this bad last time, but that's o.k.  I'm going to take it easy this week, maybe just swim a few times and lead my Cycle Club ride on Thursday.  And plenty of sleep... :-)

2011 Ironman 70.3 Steelhead Race Report

For those of you who just want a brief synopsis: here ya go!  For the rest, read on.

Swim: Canceled due to strong winds, choppy waters, and rip-tide warnings.
Bike: Fast and fun!
Run: Slow and painful...

Total time: Just under 6 hours, which was my goal (without the swim).

I did this race in 2009.  Actually, that was the last triathlon I did.  I had hoped to worked my way back up to the half-Iron distance in the early part of this season, but my plantar fasciitis issues prevented me from doing so.  (My PT recommended that I stay focused on my main goal, my "A" race, Ironman Florida, and give my foot time to heal before pushing too hard.)  But as the summer wore on, I was still battling the PF, and I knew I wanted/needed to attempt the 70.3.  I had two main reasons.

First, I wasn't feeling much like a triathlete.  I hadn't completed a multi-sport event in two years, and I kind of forgot that part of my identity.  I didn't remember simple things like how to set up my transition area, but even more importantly, I didn't remember why I loved the sport.  I needed to get that back.

Second, I've sort of come to accept the fact that running is just going to hurt, at least for now.  I don't think there's any way my foot pain is going to simply go away before IM Florida, even with the custom orthotics I've ordered, so I really needed to see how bad it would be and if I could manage it.

So...  I got up at 4:00 this morning, showered, and headed off to Jean Klock Park.

There were so many cars pulling in to park.  Everyone was getting out of their cars, gathering up their gear, pumping up their tires, and heading to transition.  Excitement was in the air.  There were a few raindrops, too, and LOTS of gusty winds, so we were speculating that Lake Michigan was probably not going to cooperate for our morning swim.  Sure enough, one of the first things we learned upon entering the park was that the swim was, in fact, canceled.  Fortunately, however, they were NOT replacing it with another short run; we would just do a bike-run event.

I found my spot in transition and started chatting with some of the other ladies on my rack.  We were still awaiting news on how the time-trial start of the new duathlon would work, but we knew we had a bit more time to get settled.  I started feeling like a triathlete again (even though I wouldn't actually BE a triathlete today) as I laid out my gear and talked with the other women.  A couple of things I could have done better, though: I should have brought long sleeves and pants.  It was pretty chilly out that early, especially with the strong winds!  I should have brought a morning water bottle to keep hydrated before the race, especially since we were going to have to wait in transition longer without the swim.  And I should have brought more pre-race food for the same reason.  Lastly, I should have brought some tissues/toilet paper, since those porta-potties tend to run out at these things.  Anyway, nothing major, but just a note for next time.  (I also forgot my sunglasses - boo!  But Hubby was awesome and totally surprised me by going all the way back to the car to get them for me!)

The race finally began a little after 7:00 with the pros going off at 30-second interval.  That took quite awhile.  After they were all out, they had the age-groupers start lining up in twos by race number.  I'm not sure how quickly they were sending them off, but it was pretty slow-going at first, and considering my number was 1904, I settled in for a long wait.  They made an announcement at one point saying they'd have people go off one-by-one, but I don't think that lasted very long.  Things started picking up really fast a bit later, and all of a sudden our row was scrambling to get everything together to head down to the start.  They weren't paying much attention to our bib numbers or anything at that point, and were sending two riders at a time every few seconds.  I'm guessing they just realized it was taking too long and that they needed to get everyone out there.

And so, I was off!  I felt good on my new ride, and I was passing a lot of people right from the beginning.  I got passed a bit too, by strong guys on fancy bikes with deep-dish rims or disc wheels, but I was o.k. with that.  There were just so MANY people out on the course, though, that it was pretty congested!  Drafting is not allowed in these things - you're supposed to have at least four bike distances between you and another rider, and you must complete your pass within 20 seconds - but there was just no way to avoid it at times today.  For awhile, I was riding in this big clump, trying to get around people, but stuck.  I commented to another rider that I didn't realize I'd signed up for a road race, only a road race where everyone was in aero - not so safe!  He said the difference was that in a road race you couldn't cross the yellow line.  I didn't think we were supposed to either, but we all did from time to time and never got any penalties.

It started to separate out a little by mile 35, so I was on my own again.  I still felt pretty good, although I was missing my more thickly padded cycling shorts...  I fueled well, I think, drinking Gatorade instead of water and eating a Clif bar at mile 40 or so.  By the end, I was definitely ready to get off the bike, but I was very pleased with my 21+ mph average and my time of less than 2:40 (I was really only hoping for sub-3:00!).

Into transition... and out again a few minutes later.  Not sure how long I took, but I'm sure it was less than the almost 10-minute T2 I had two years ago!

So, yeah.  I started my watch on my usual 3-and-1 run/walk interval.  My legs felt slow and heavy coming off the bike, and my foot hurt already.  (It actually hurt before the race ever started with all the walking we had to do to get to the park, and it hurt throughout the bike leg, too, though not unbearable so.)  Still, I managed close to 12-minute miles for the first two miles, which was my goal.  Shortly after that, however, I started to lose it.  My right (PF) foot was hurting pretty bad, and it wasn't long before pain appeared in other parts as well.  Most notably, my left knee and hip started hurting, probably because I was running funny to keep some pressure off my right foot.  Anyway, it wasn't fun.

I switched to a 2-and-1 run/walk interval and I slowed way down, but it didn't really matter since walking and shuffling and jogging and everything all pretty much hurt the same.  People were passing me left and right, and I'm sure the grimace on my face spoke volumes.  But still other athletes and spectators shouted words of encouragement like "You're looking great!" and "You can do it, you're almost there!"  I get pretty bitter on long, painful runs like this, and these people irritate me a little.  I think (but never say) "I do NOT look strong!  I look like I'm in a crapload of pain, because I am!"  And "I know there are only two miles left, but that is NOT almost done, and I really don't know if I CAN do it since every step hurts."  But thanks anyway.  Actually, the only people I like at that point on a run are the ones who are in just as much pain, though there weren't many people left out on the run course with me by then...

Anyway, the run today was more a lesson in pain tolerance than anything.  There were definitely a few tears, a lot of self-talk, and some honest prayers.  But I finally finished my 13.1 miles in 3:10 or 3:15.  I should have been able to do it in 2:30, or at least 2:45, but I've never run through so much pain before, so I really didn't care about my time after a certain point.  I am pretty worried about the full IM now, because I really don't think I could suffer through 26.2 miles in that much pain.  So, not sure what will happen with that, but for now I'll wait for my orthotics and just pray they help at least a little.  At this point, I have no plan for my run training between now and November.  I'll talk to my PT, try out the orthotics, and see what happens.  Even if I have to walk the entire marathon, I could probably still finish the race, but it would be close and definitely not at my 15-hour goal.

Anyway, it was nice to hear my name at the finish line.  And I wasn't even too upset with the Hubby for not being there.  I got in line for my free post-race pizza, then sat on the sandy sidewalk somewhere to eat.  Goodness, it was so nice to just sit...  I still couldn't find the Hubs, so I went to collect my bike and everything from transition.  I hobbled through the crowd, but he was nowhere to be found.  I finally asked a random girl if I could borrow her phone, and luckily I remembered Derek's phone number!  (It's hard to remember people's number these days when you never have to actually dial them...)  He was just arriving, parking, and walking over, so I rode my bike down to meet him.  Unfortunately, we didn't have time at the point to go back to the motel for a shower, but at least we could start the long trek back to Cincinnati.

Back to Benton Harbor

Well, we left Cincy about 9:00 this morning and got to Benton Harbor about 2:30.  After checking in to the same dump of a motel that I stayed at for this race two years ago (the ONLY hotel/motel within 20 miles that I could find a room at), I headed to the race check-in.  Got my numbers, chip, T-shirt, and other goodies, then took off.  I planned to drive over to the park for a pre-race meeting, but a pretty good storm was blowing through, so I decided to skip that step and just head back to Panera where I'd left the Hubby.  We ate, then went back to the motel.  I cleaned up my bike, affixed all of my number stickers, prepped all my fluids, and here I am!  Just need to get some ice, then it'll be to bed for me.  I'll get up at 4:00 to shower, then head out by 4:45.  I should have an hour in transition to set everything up and get to the swim start by 7:00, though my wave doesn't go off till 7:32.  Still, I don't want to be in a hurry, plus I saw a sign at the check-in saying there'd be a pre-race prayer meeting before the 7:00 start, and I'd really like to go to that!  So, yeah!  Later!

Resting Up!

I thought about going to the gym for a pilates or yoga class, but I decided that sleep was more important.  We'll call it part of my taper. ;)

I did, however, return the Terry saddle and buy a new pair of tri shorts.  So I think I'm ready gear-wise!

Double Dose

Well, I went to see my PT today to have molds made of my feet for some custom orthotics.  Not too exciting, though it take me back to my youth when I had to have casts made of my whole midsection for my scoliosis back braces.  Ah, memories...

Anyway, after that, I went over to the gym for my first real swim of the week.  And I actually got to complete the whole workout!  3600 meters in 1:20.  Here's what I did:

Warm-up
4 x 400    Swim (w/sighting)/Pull/Kick/Drill x 400

Main Set
1 x 1900  Free - pace  (1.2 miles straight to practice for this weekend)

Cool-down
1 x 100    Easy

I went home after that, ate, took care of some things, then got ready for my Cycle Club ride.  I was excited because the weather was PERFECT, plus I was looking forward to trying out the Terry saddle I'd borrowed.  It was a great 29-mile ride!  The saddle was better than the Fizik, but not as good as the Cobb.  O.k., well, one more down!  I'll use the Cobb this weekend, but then I really want to check out the Adamo...

Saddle Search

So, I tried to call Wheelie Fun to find out if the Terry Butterfly demo saddle was back, but even after a couple of hours, no one answered.  So finally I figured I'd just have to drive out there to see what was up.  Well, all I found was a sign on the door saying "We've moved all our inventory to our Cycle Sport and Tri location..."  Grrr...  They couldn't put that information on an answering machine?  They couldn't mention it on their website?  What a waste of time and gas money!  But anyway, I drove out to Cycle Sport, and the Terry saddle was in, so I took it.  I kept the Cobb as well, though, since I wasn't sure how the Terry would work and I needed something to ride this weekend.  After that stop, I drove home to drop off my bike, and started looking up some saddles online.  Time kind of got away from me, and before I knew it, it was almost time for the Hubby to get home!  I didn't really feel like heading back out after that, so I skipped my swim.  Frustrating, lazy day!

Three Seconds

I rode a 28:47 at the time trial tonight, just three seconds slower than my PR two weeks ago.  Not too shabby!  Not sure if I'll ride next Tuesday, two days after my half IM, and even if I do I won't expect much.  But I'm really enjoying these again with the Cervelo!

Thwarted By Thunderstorms!

Boo!  It was getting a little dark as I drove to the gym for my swim tonight, but I didn't think much of it.  I got everything together and headed outside.  Unfortunately...  After one-and-a-half laps, I heard whistles.  I guess the lifeguards heard thunder, so they made everyone get out of the water.  What a waste of time!  Had I known I might not be able to swim, I would have brought workout clothes to do a strength session, or just stayed home.  Instead, I basically drove to the gym to take a shower and go back home.  Oh, well.

Sleep...

Well, as well as I did with my workouts in New Jersey, I failed today.  I was so tired after that quick, busy trip that I came home exhausted.  Plus, I didn't sleep well last night.  So, after church, I came home and took a nap, and didn't wake up till after 5:00.  Sure, I could still have gone out then, but I was still sleepy.  Plus, then it got really dark and windy and started raining, so I'm glad I didn't go!  It's clear and sunny now, but definitely too late for a long ride.  I had wanted to get three hours in, but maybe I can still get a long ride in Wednesday or Thursday before my race on Sunday.  I also really want to try out my new wetsuit, and I'm hoping I don't have to swim alone...  But since I need to go during the week, we shall see.

I'm proud of all I managed to get done this week, considering I was in NJ half the time.  But I am a little disappointed that I missed this ride today and only got in eight hours of the 12:15 I had scheduled.  Oh, well.  That's life, I guess!

Longest Run

So proud again!  I actually woke up early enough to run eight miles before breakfast and my work meeting at 9:30.  Took me a little more than an hour and a half.  As usual, my foot hurt a little when I first started, then calmed down a bit.  It started aching more as I continued, and has been pretty sore since, but I survived.  I'm scared, but hopeful that I can at least make it through the half marathon next Sunday.  I wanted to beat my HIM time from two years ago, but I'm not going to hold my breath for that, not with the way this foot's been hurting.  Still, I feel pretty confident about the swim and bike legs.

I'm also wondering if I might be able to get my custom orthotics before the race.  I'm currently scheduled to have the mold made next Thursday, but I'm going to see if my PT could possibly squeeze me in after work tomorrow then have them rush to get them back by Friday.  Not sure, but worth looking into anyway!

As Close As I Could Count!

Well, I skipped the strength session this morning.  I was still tired, and I figured the extra hour of sleep would serve me better if I really wanted to get my evening swim and tomorrow's long run in.  And even though I was still tired at the end of my day o' meetings, I did make it to the gym for my swim.  And since I had plenty of time there, I decided to swim a little more than my usual two miles.  To get a feel for what my half IM 1.2-mile swim next weekend will feel like, as well as the full IM swim in November, I hopped in, swam 42 laps (1.2 miles in a 25-yard pool), took a quick rest/water break, then did another 1.2 miles.  I'm not sure if I've ever swum more than two miles at once, and it actually only took five minutes longer than my usual two miles in 1:15!  (Well, as close as I could count, anyway, since I may have been off by a lap or two by the time I counted to 80+ laps!)  I feel pretty good about that. :-)

And on my way back to the hotel/conference center, I stopped for Chinese and found this fortune: "All the preparation you've done will finally be paying off!"  LOVE it!

Gettin' 'Er Done

I was SO tired yesterday after waking up early, traveling, and visiting with Debbie till late at night.  So I totally let myself sleep in.  And as much as I really didn't want to, I made myself go run when she went to take her daughter to school.

I mapped out a route around her neighborhood, which should have been 4 or 5 miles, but when I got out there, I could tell I was getting to places a lot quicker than I should have been if the map were right.  So I stopped worrying about that and decided to just run my 45 minutes.  When I got back to the house, I plotted everywhere I went, and it said it was almost 7 miles, but there's no way that was accurate since it took me less than an hour and I was going pretty slow.  I'm guessing it was 4.5 or 5 based on the time, 53 minutes.

My foot still hurt, of course, at least when I started, but it wasn't unbearable.  And the temperature was much better today after the rain we had here yesterday!  I felt a cool breeze as I came up over this one hill, and it just felt wonderful.  I didn't have water with me, either, but it was o.k.  (Shhh...  I almost enjoyed it and kind of wanted to just keep running...  But mostly that would have been just so I didn't have to do my long run early on Saturday before our meeting, so I just stuck to my plan.)

So, yeah!  Proud of myself again!  Tonight I was thinking of trying some yoga in the room after dinner, but my roommate is already in bed, and I'm heading there myself now, too, so that I can get up and lift in the fitness center here in the a.m.  Shouldn't be too bad since it's not even 11...

SO Proud!

So, I was worried about working out this week with my work trip, but I made a plan, and today, I actually stuck to it!  I knew the only way to get something in today was to do it EARLY.  So I got up at 5:15, made it to the 5:45 a.m. spinning class, then ran on the treadmill a bit before heading home, showering, packing and getting to the airport.  I can't remember the last time I actually woke up for an early morning workout, so I'm really proud of myself for actually making it happen!  Now, let's just see if I can stick to the rest of my plan this week...

2 Out Of 3 Ain't Bad

Well, I was supposed to run and swim yesterday...  But I didn't get up in time to run, then I worked all day, then I had to run some errands (which took a lot longer than I anticipated), and then I was just super tired and too overwhelmed with everything I have to do before I leave on my business trip to want to work out.  So I did nothing.  Again.  Boo...

But TODAY...  I lifted after my PT appointment then swam 2 miles.  Got 2:30 in, which makes up a little bit for yesterday.  I also planned to go to the time trial tonight, but I just didn't have time with making meals for the hubby for when I'm gone.  So, I skipped that.  Instead, I think I'll spin and run tomorrow morning before my flight.

Anyway, here's what I did for my swim:

Warm-up
4 x 200  Swim/pull/kick/drill x 200

Main set
1 x 400  Free - pace
2 x 300  Free - pace
3 x 200  Free - pace
4 x 100  Free - pace

Cool-down
1 x 200  Sighting drills
1 x 200  Easy