Two Updates in One!

It's like a BOGO sale...only not.  Haha.

Summer was supposed to be great for training since I have extra time in the mornings and evenings. Apparently, Summeritis is contagious.  Those early morning alarms are easier to dismiss and going to the pool is more about hanging out and socializing than it is getting laps in. I completely forgot to update last week so I am way behind but I tracked it nonetheless.

Week 18 looked like this:
 (Another rainy week complete with flood closures and a sick baby to boot)
M - Work from home with sick baby - rest
T - Work from home again with healthy babies, daycare closed due to flooding.  Big kids babysat and I managed a 7 mile run at lunchtime.  They say running in the humid heat builds endurance so...yea I've got that going for me. :/
W - I have no idea what happened but I know no workouts made it to the log.
Th - ditto Wednesday.
F - Was feeling pretty low about how unaccomplished the week was until hubby (who got a new road bike) asked if he could ride with me. Yay!!  Our first Friday afternoon ride date!! 20 miles in and excited that this could be our new thing. :)
S - a blur.
S - An early start and a Father's Day gift for my dad...a double date ride!  34 miles and a stop for burgers on the way back.  Sweet!!

Not an active training week but 60+ miles is nothing to frown upon!

Week 19

M - getting the hang of resting on Mondays.  Sorta.
T - Sunset swim with hubby.  Coached him some and got 1700 in.
W - 5.2 run at lunch...the hardest time of day during a Houston Summer too.  (building endurance, right?)  :p
Th - Managed to get up early to meet Rox (it's been so long!)...2000Y swim (the shorter pool is much warmer and tolerable for this wimp)
F - Date ride!!  24 miles!
S - I could only muster a little over 4 miles...I felt beat and still had a weekend of swim meet heat exhaustion coming.
S - The intention to early swim or hit the Hot Yoga class at the gym was just that.  Intention.  By evening, my energy had returned but going outside for a trainer ride or run seemed painful so I somehow convinced hubby to do day 1 of P90X3 Synergistics with me.  "It's just 30 minutes!"  I had the pleasure of peeling the plastic off the package...it's been sitting in the console drawer for...I dunno.  I lost track.  I am not sure if we'll venture to do the whole 90 day program but I am certainly curious as to what the workouts look like.  Synergistics was fun and hard and covered some things that I am familiar with (yoga poses - chair squats, flying warrior, crescent lunges) and also some things that I despise that I really need for strength (varied push ups/pull ups).

Overall,  I got 5700Y of swimming, almost 10 miles of running and 24 miles on the bike and a strength workout too.

I am juggling as usual and hoping to get a few races in over the summer to prep me for 70.3! Officially training starts next week so...stay tuned to see my progress!  Fingers crossed that I can fight the urge to SLEEP and lounge around like the kids.

Hope everyone is enjoying the summer!  Happy Monday!

Valerie

27 weeks and SUP we go!

Nearing the end of the 2nd trimester and there's no denying, I'm feeling pregnant now.  The energy to get up and GO is not quite as abundant, however, I feel that more so when I am sitting for extended periods or with idle time.  It seems more difficult to get up and go DO something when I'm sedentary but once I'm "doing", I feel fantastic!  If I can only figure out that happy medium so that I don't have these wild swings from one end to another. :/

I did manage to keep a little active during the holiday break however, even trying out new fun things that the whole family could enjoy!  I've been wanting to try "SUP" (Stand Up Paddleboarding) for a couple of years now and was determined to get it in this year. Specifically, I wanted to try SUP Yoga - where you take a yoga class while on the board.  I figured I have to crawl before I walk so getting on the board first would be a big accomplishment.  Finding a place that offers this type of class may be a little more challenging but at the very least, I could attempt balancing into some poses (just to see if I could do it) if I can get myself on a board.

Two failed attempts over Spring Break and our early Summer vacation was making feel like it was just not meant to be (too windy or cold).  I knew the 4 day weekend would lend itself to give it another go but I also knew that it would require buy-in from the family (i.e. the other half).  Luckily, my other half is in tune with what I'm thinking and SO sweet and thoughtful that he kept this in the back of his mind and decided to surprise us (really, me) with a getaway to do just that...SUP! YIPPEE!!!  He did all the research on where we should go and even had a game plan (wha-what?)

I was pretty ecstatic particularly because I've been really yearning to be near the water.  Maybe it's the Florida beach girl in me that just equates summer with water fun.  Unfortunately, the beaches around here are...well, let's just say that they leave much to be desired (compared to what I know).  We do, however, have plenty of lakes.  Finding one that offers SUP rentals are few and far between though. We went to Austin where they are making a big splash with trying to get the word out about SUP, pun intended.  And when I say splash, I mean that at SUPATX , they have the largest paddle board fleet in the world!  They have all the boards and they have Canoes and single, double and triple kayaks too!

It was a trial run for us so we had a few boards and a triple kayak that we could switch off into and put the baby on that had a bit more stability (although she really liked being on the board too!) I really thought that I would have some serious balance issues and would end up falling off a bunch but I am happy to report that I never fell!  You basically start paddling slowly on your knees, find your balance and step up to standing with a wide stance and ta-da you are SUPping!  It's a bit of a slow movement but a great arm workout to get you going across the lake.  We pulled over and played in the water for a while.  The kids battled each other off the boards a la American Gladiator style and the baby eagerly jumped off the kayak to get in on part of the action too.  The water was very refreshing and cool on a hot and sunny Texas day and I honestly did not want to go back.  I could have stayed there all day.

My water camera is awful.  I can't believe the resolution is so bad on something we paid so much for. :( 

We managed to get our yoga challenge poses in for the day too (two checks off my wants list!) but before we could get more fun pictures, we realized the wind had drifted us downstream and we had a LONG way to get back. With a HEAD wind!  This is where the workout came in to play, big time.  Kayaking back with the baby was a breeze but keeping track of three very playful kids on their SUPs was a little more difficult.  The current was pushing them back so we were running interference to get them moving in the right direction.   I swapped out and paddle boarded all the way back and by the time we were done by shoulders were burning (oooh, so good!). :)

All in all, a great time was had by all and the next morning I heard "let's do that again!".  So now, I am searching for a lake that is in closer proximity so that we can make this a common weekend excursion throughout the summer.  I highly recommend giving this a try.  I, for one, cannot wait to do it again!

Ah, yes let's not forget our 27 week wrap up (via iphone screen shots):

That pretty much wraps up the second trimester (already?!).  I am really curious to see what the next trimester brings and how active I can stay.  Stay tuned! :)

~V