Another week bites the dust

My goals this week were fairly general as they were last but I decided on a whim to add a tad of structure.  It may be a little ambitious but I am going to try to stick with it.

I regularly read the TriSwimCoach Facebook updates and usually, they are pretty spot on to what I am feeling or thinking about in the swimming department at any given moment (fears of open water, getting faster, new drills, conquering boredom on long swims, etc.)  I decided to download their app (2.99) because they have training plans on there that I think could WILL be helpful to ramp up my "pseudo" training.

I chose the 70.3 plan because I really wanted to test the waters (pun intended) on whether I can "handle" it.  It ramps up pretty quick so I hope that I can hang on.  The time commitment to longer workouts can be less than feasible most of the time so I'll just have to play it by ear.

The Goals:

Run - 10 miles
Bike - 2:15 (time)
Swim - 5000M (before taking the training plan plunge)
Strength - at least 1 class
Yoga - 1 class
Brick - 1

The accomplishments:

Monday - Cancelled PowerOne class so I had to improvise.  15 min Ab workout & 15 min Dynamic Yoga workout on the Nike Training Club app + 30 min on the trainer.
Tuesday - 5 mile TM run
Wednesday - Day 1 of 70.3 training plan - 1700M
Thursday - Barbell Strength (3 weeks in a row coming to this one...it's tough but a great full body workout!)
Friday - The power went out in the whole building at work and they sent us all home...FREE DAY!!
Side note:  What would you do with your day off knowing that the weather will be sketchy the whole incoming weekend?  Sure I could have gone shopping (which I really need to do), run errands, get my nails done (Oh, yea, I shoulda done that) or just napped (aaahh...sounds good now) So is it nuts that I get excited at the possibility of cramming in all my workouts left in one day instead?! Hmm.

Ok, sorry.

Friday - 30 mile bike OUTSIDE!!, 5k run (OUTSIDE) BRICK!!+ a break for a sandwich and then 1250M swim.  I followed day 2 of the plan but had to cut it short...my daughter was hounding me to get to the school auction so I can bid on something for her! :/  I figured I'd done enough in the day that missing half a workout would be fine.

Saturday - Rest day

Sunday - 2 miles on the Mountain Bike pulling babies to the park and a late swim post more family fun.  Day 3 of plan with 2650M in!!  That's the longest I've ever swam!  Also, the plan calls for yards so I feel like a total overachiever! ;)  I also wanted to finish off my mileage goal and jumped on the treadmill afterwards for my last 2 miles (brick!).  I also wanted to check on my left ankle that I twisted while teaching my 3 year old how to play hopscotch.  Seriously, why did I even attempt it with my LEFT leg?  Ugh.  First jump and it folded like an accordion.  I keep forgetting how old I am and how ratchety my joints are.  :(

I forgot how many hours I spent doing this as a kid.

Good news is the ankle if fine and more so, I hit 95% of my goals!!

Run - 10 miles ---> 10.2! Yay! CHECK!
Bike - 2:15 (time) --->3:15 CHECK! OVER
Swim - 5000M ---> 5600M! CHECK! (OVER - good thing I cut that one one workout short! Ha!)
Strength - at least 1 class ---> barbell strength CHECK!
Yoga - 1 class ---> 15 min UNDER about 45 minutes
Brick - 1 ---> 2! CHECK! OVER
Extra:  Sunburn and awesome cycling tan lines.

But look at all the Overs!  I think I've over compensated for the yoga I missed out on so I am A-OK with that.   Plus, did I mention that I rode tricycles, played with bubbles, waterguns and almost to a fault, hopscotch too?!

It's been a great week, now to plan for the next and up the ante (and remember the sunscreen).

Have a great one and Happy Monday!

Valerie :)

Oh!  And congrats to all the awesome runners in Boston today with some serious "wicked" weather especially my awesome friend, Doan.  Her 39th marathon and 4th consecutive Boston...and she only started running a few years ago!  My inspiration and hero!  Way to go all...you guys rock!

P.S. - Thanks to the fine folks at Triathlete Blogger Network for picking up this little space of mine and mentioning it there. So super cool!  Welcome all!  Go check them out at their site and follow them @ChiTriBloggers.  Lots of great information for fellow newbie triathletes and experienced hardcore veterans too. :)

TGIF it's the 1st day of Summer and I'm All caught up! Here's week 24 update!

A week on vacation can go two ways.  A relaxing vacation lends itself to open times to run, ride a bike, go to the hotel gym or even take a class at a local gym or at the resort. A family, big city vacation is more the workout itself with nonstop walking, climbing stairs in and out of subways, lugging backpacks and strollers and always on high alert (count the kids, one, two, three, one, two....oh, there he is, three!).  This vacation was the latter.  Although I managed to squeeze a run in on the tail end of last week, my desire to run in the big apple fell flat.  I did run the gamut of the city on foot, nonetheless, walking everywhere from Battery Park, Tribeca, Soho, Midtown, Times Square and up near Central Park by the museum district.  I even set out my running clothes and gear every night (even after midnight at times) in hopes that a surge of energy would come at dawn to get me out there.  I was just TOO tired.  My legs were pooped.  I felt it especially on that last day when we climbed two flights of stairs out of the subway station to rush to meet our car at the hotel. I was completely out of breath!  What?!

In any event, my "official" workouts were scarce but if you've ever travelled with kids, three no less and one under the age of 2, you would agree that the word "vacation" is anything but and a  whole lotta work!

I'll make the wrap up a pictorial just to fill the space. :)

M Yoga Challenge - Frog at Manchester by the Sea, North Shore Boston

T Yoga Challenge - Twisted Root Side Crow in the hotel hallway (did NOT think I could do this)

W Yoga Challenge - Hollowback Handstand in hotel hallway after getting in trouble with security for trying to do in the ballroom hallway (hey, I wanted a different background for our pics)

Not much of a Hollowback - afraid to fall!

TH Yoga Challenge - Standing Backbend with NYC as a backdrop (breaking my kid of public shyness) & AntiGravity class! (also walking forever and a day).





F Yoga Challenge - Standing Pyramid on hotel room window ledge, not to mention walking a gazillion miles.



S Travel day but not before walking another gazillion miles and coming home to Yoga Challenge - Both Big Toe boat.  Baby wanted a piece of this action so I couldn't help but include her in the pics. :)



 S Father's Day! Spent a better part of the day working out the congestion that flooded the family from allergies (welcome back to HTown!), unpacking and laundry.  Also got a little family time in for Father's Day which the kids always enjoy (although it was miserable hot!) - Got the Yoga Challenge in too - Chaturanga.

So there you have it.  Not a great work out week, but quite an active one nonetheless.

Happy Friday and first day of summer!!  Hope everyone gets to go out and enjoy it and keep moving!

~V

23 week wrap up, challenges, kids and vacation included.

Week 23 looked like this:
*Ab & Yoga are in reference to the challenges I mention here.

M - Ab (25 sit ups, 10 crunches, 10 leg raises & 15s plank) & Yoga

Wild Thing with my girls

T - Ab rest day, Yoga

Warrior II with bonus baby squatter

W - Abs( 30 SU, 12C, 12LR & 20s plank), Yoga  + 4.5m run

Upavistha Konasana (I have to really work on this one)

Th - Abs (35 SU, 15C, 15LR & 25s plank), Yoga + AerialTone class

Crow - I mean, Crow!!! I did it!!

Aerial Tone - Awesome back stretch

F - Abs (40SU, 20C, 20LR & 30s plank), Yoga + 1250M Swim

One legged, one handed headstand

Gorgeous day for a swim!

S - (Travel day) Ab rest day, Yoga

Forearm Sideplank

Dancer at the Boston Common

S - 5mi run, Boston city walk (countless miles) plus yoga. Ab halt.

Cambridge side of Charles River overlooking Boston

A fun, challenging, full week complete with the start of a new job!  Still feeling great at week 23, full of energy and ready to take on a week of an active vacation.  More on that week coming up next.

~V 

Peace

It's been an absolutely horrific news week.  Bombings in Boston, explosion in West, TX, Poison lined letters sent to the President...and that's just on American soil.  It's hard to watch the news, or click a link on Facebook or Twitter without tearing up.  And not just from the bad things that have occurred but for all the good that has come from it too.  It is easy to get choked up watching all the people running TOWARDS the disasters.  So many willing to help and a nation that are pulling together in a time of need.  This makes me so very proud to be an American.

My thoughts go out to all those affected by these tragedies and my gratitude goes out to all of those that have put themselves aside to help others.  For the nurses, doctors, EMS, firefighters, police officers, volunteers and just fellow brothers and sisters that reached out to help because they can.  

This is obviously not a fitness post but I did have my lunchtime Yoga class at the office.  Nothing could have been better.  A solid five minutes of meditation at the end to center the mind and soul in a time of so much turmoil.  Namaste friends.

I leave you with this:

http://youtu.be/lbHMRpdk3_4