Determined

So since my life has turned into a crazy mixed-up bag of drama and general crap, I've decided that the way to get through it is to start training hardcore (well, and i need to anyway), which means two-a-days (at least).

This means (hopefully) that I will:

• Be at the gym only to swim, elliptical it and lift, unless inclement weather
• Run outside (a lot), which also includes stairs at Red Rocks as soon as lung-ly possible
• Get my bike in to get tuned so I can start doing the C-470 bike trail AND bike to work
• Go to the park to do sprint workouts AND the return of the plyometrics
• Act like a kid and hula-hoop and jump rope - both good for me, but also a way to keep it fun

This is the plan, at least - hopefully I'll stick to it. I may also run on the treadmill at the gym since my lungs seem to like the treadmill a bit more than outside - well that, and the treadmill forces the legs to keep moving. However, I should actually go back to the rec center and run on their track, too - still get just the plain running stuff but without the crap outside that makes it worse on the ol' lungs.

Oh, and Amber's doing the 5k on May 5th with me so YAY!

Anyone Up for a Training 5k?

Sooo ... anyone up for a pre-tri 5k? Saw a pamphlet at work for the "10th Annual 97.3 KBCO Kinetic 5K Race Around the Rez" which apparently takes place in Boulder on Saturday, May 5. The race is at 9am, is $15 before May 3 (no shirt), $20 before April 27 (with shirt) or $25 on race day (if spots available). Info is on the KBCO Web site, where you can also register (without mailing in something). I'm crazy and thinking of doing it ... partially because it will mean I get to take the day off from work - woo!

In terms of training updates, stupid vacations throw me off like whoa. Also crappy is I'm apparently one of those people who can't take more than two days off in a row without completely killing any progress I've made. Boo. Oh well, just more motivation to kick my own ass I guess ...

"TAG"-G=T&A

I dunno T, I think we'd better find out what Gen's plans are, pronto! I'd much rather be known as a member of TAG than the A in T&A...

P.S. Today is cardio interval day, but I have zero motivation to drag my A to the gym since it's raining cats and dogs outside. Although I did go by Runner's Roost to buy new running shoes yesterday (got the treadmill gait analysis and everything). Damn I love how I just signed my entire paycheck over to Tri-training tools. I guess I don't really need to eat for the next two weeks... : /

It's Official ...

... I'm in too. I just paid my $80 entrance fee so no matter what, I'll be at the starting line. Now if we can find some news on Gen (since the loser still hasn't posted in the blog :-p), we'll be all set.

In regards to training, I had a minor setback when I went to Minnesota for the WCHA Final Five tournament for work. I had every intention of working out when I was there, going so far as to getting an IHRSA Passport card and finding a gym, but sleep ended up winning out. I did manage to run some one day, so we'll count that as a small victory.

Now that I'm back home, however, I'm back to training as best as I can. Since the weather's getting better, I also hope to add in some sprint workouts outside and integrate plyometrics back in to the routine. Once mid-April rolls around (that is, end of the college hockey season), I'm also going to start going hard-core on the swimming, including probably finding a coach for a lesson or two for some much-needed help.

One good thing to report though - flexibility seems to be getting much better! I've been a good girl and stretching every day when I work out (after first session of cardio and before other sessions of cardio and weights) and I can reach further than before, so woo hoo!

$$ Spent... hope it's worth it!

So I paid my entrance fee and signed up for the Tri! It's official, I'm in! I also decided that my measley sporadic workouts weren't gonna cut it... so I sucked it up and slapped down a ridiculous majority of my last paycheck for a 12-pack with my new personal trainer, Kristen (that's 2x a week for the next 6 weeks, ladies and gentlemen!) In my first session we did cardio intervals (10 minutes on the treadmill, 10 on the stairstepper, and 10 on the elliptical... and let me tell you, I've never sweat so much in my entire life, it was pretty sad but awesome that I could kick that much ass in a 30 minute workout). So on Thursday we are doing upper body weights. I don't lift weights. I'm a total girl when it comes to working out. Kristen's gonna kick my ass... and I'm scared. But excited. Hopefully it'll be well worth it come August (Not to mention I'll be good and ready for bikini season! Woo-hoo!)

Wanted: Money ...

... for a personal trainer! I just learned that one of the trainers at work can do some swim coaching and used to do triathlons. Talked to him this morning and he said that he could help me out. He can't actually do in-pool training (work's weird like that), but can help with form and all that stuffs.

While I'm still debating about getting a couple lessons with an actual swim coach, I'm leaning toward this since my employee discount actually works on training sessions. Still, with my pathetic swim knowledge (or lack thereof), someone in-pool might be better.

Anyone more knowledgable on the subject have any thoughts?

Progress Update

Don't worry people, no updates doesn't mean no training (at least in my case). I sadly still haven't started swimming yet (boo), but as I think I mentioned before, I'm going to wait until hockey season is over so I can actually focus on swimming since that will be my weakest part.

In other good news ...

• Been able to do 12 minutes running on the treadmill (random, level 2, 5.7mph; last two min. at 6.0 and 6.5 mph, respectively) without the lungs bothering me too horribly much. For those who know, my issue with running isn't my legs - it's my stupid sports-induced asthma so while my legs say I can still run, my lungs say otherwise. This is an improvement over the 7 minutes I had been usually doing. I did do 15 the other day to burn off some stress, but the last few minutes were a struggle and I was doing the rusty pipe organ breathing thing.
• Even though I was sore as hell today (cardio/legs tues., cardio/arms/24 hour fit dance class wed., turbo kick-boxing/hockey last night), I still managed to do a little over 7 miles in 20 minutes on the bike (!). I found this a bit odd since I've been averaging between a 3 and 4 minute mile on the bike (sport-specific, level 8 or 9) lately and I thought that big of a jump was weird. In any case, I'll take it.

In bad news ...

• On a random whim, decided to have my bodyfat percentage tested at the gym (one of the trainers had five minutes to help me out). I hadn't had it done since senior year in college when I had it tested before and after taking a weight training class - was 26-something before and went down to 23-something after. Weeeeeelllll ... now I'm at about 29. Yuck. Said trainer helping me out said she was about the same, but really, I thought I'd be in a bit better shape since I graduated especially since I work out more. Part of it could be that the two tests were slightly different (school did caliper measurements on tricep, side, quad; gym did tricep, bicep, side and back), but still. Ew. Oh well, just another motivational tool, right?

So, that's my update. Since my workouts have been good (despite lack of swimming-ness), my next step is to start eating better (and less, in some cases. oops.) to add an extra push.

Happy training!