I have found my people!

Today I had my first ride with the new training group I decided to try. It is a training group designed to get women ready for a local women's metric and full century ride in April.

It was awesome.

Yes, I finally had a group cycling event that, not only wasn't horrific, it was enjoyable. Some may even say it was fun. Hale-freaking-llujah!

We had an orientation and then just a 20 mile ride, but I had fun and I met some nice gals. I even met a woman that did her first Ironman at Louisville this year.

This was a true, mixed ability group, unlike all the lying son of a bitch triathlon groups in this area that claim they are mixed ability groups and then drop your ass. Well, they can all just suck it! I found a group for me! Ha! Drop that bitches!

This time I was actually the front of the back of the pack. For those of you who think that is a bad thing, that is a HUGE move forward for me. I have always maintained that I am not a "back of the packer". The back of the pack usually passes me pretty early on and I swim/ride/run alone. I actually had people to chat with!

It rocked. I so needed that.

Week 2: Where's the freaking pizza?!

I have now completed my second full week of Ironman training (pre-Ironman training? Ironman base building? I don't know what it is, but I know it is going to get MUCH worse). I am STARVING all the time. This is not a good sign. I have 5 months (and a shit load of more miles to cover) before I race at this thing. At this rate I will have to buy two plane seats to get there. One for each ass cheek.

Last weekend I ran part of my long run with LA Run Buddy. She was up for the weekend. She is building base miles after a knee issue and had run 6 miles the day before, so she was only doing 3 miles and I was doing 10 miles. We went to the Baylands Wildlife Sanctuary. It was a gorgeous and great run. Here are some pictures:

I REALLY love that I always look like a fucking man when I take pictures with
my gorgeous LA Run Buddy. Awesome.

The pelicans were back!!



It is my blog and I can post as many pelican pictures as I want.


The coots wading in the mud leaving cute little cootty tracks!

I wish I could tell you that she was excruciatingly stupid and mean to old people, but she is just as smart and kind as she is beautiful. Bitch.

The Palo Alto Duck Pond which really should be called the Palo Alto Seagull Pond.


Case in point

This walkway went out over the marsh to the bay. Beautiful views of the Bay.


Case in point.

There was a tiny airport that has the runway terminate right at the Baylands. Very cool. (Included for airplane buff, Willie's enjoyment)

Plane landing at the Palo Alto airport.

Work was crazy because it is the week before finals and I have had reviews with AP students every night in addition to this training schedule:

Monday:
Bike 45 minutes (12.5 miles)

Strength Training class 1 hour (I did 51 pushups in under 4 minutes! Holy shit. Even now, four days later, I still can't brush my own teeth or put my hair in a pony tail , but it's still pretty cool, right?)

Tuesday:
Run 4 miles (45 minutes and 23 seconds of the shittiest run ever. Seriously, actual shit was jealous of the shittiness of this run.)

Swim Masters 1 hour (Things you don't want to hear from your masters coach: 1. That is the exact opposite of what I want you to do. 2. Your backstroke is.... well, we will work on that. 3. We aren't in the old ladies leisure pool. Yep, swim masters continues to be one joyful, uplifting experience after the next.)

Wednesday:
Bike 1 hour ride scheduled (18 miles, 1:21. There were supposed to be hill repeats? Oops.)

Strength Training class 1 hour (We did Crazy 8's, 8 sets of 8 reps of 5 exercises. It is supposed to be 8 exercises, but we are beginners so she took it easier. It was for time. I was dead last. This has started to not phase me. I think that is growth.)

Thursday:
Swim Masters 1 hour (*sigh*)

Run 4 miles (45:01. It tried really hard to be as shitty as Tuesday's run, but it fell short. Just a little short. It was a close second.)

Friday: Rest (Thank sweet baby Jesus)

Saturday: Long Ride (on schedule 3:00, planned 20 mile ride First ride with the Cinderella training group)

Sunday: Long Run (on schedule 2:30, planned 15 miles)

I didn't sleep very much this week, and I had lots of things I want to bitch about but I am too tired. I will say this to all the husbands out there (mostly mine)

Just because a woman is hormonal does NOT mean that you are not being an asshole.

I'm just saying...

Week 1: Whoa

The first week in a long while that I did all of the trainings on my schedule instead of reading the training plan and saying, 'Weight training' must really mean 'go out with friends for pie and coffee.' 'Swim' must really mean 'have another piece of cake and put your feet up, you earned it.'

Here were my workouts for the week:

Monday: Strength Training class 1 hour

Tuesday: Swim Masters 1 hour

Wednesday: Bike 1 hour 20 min (18 miles)/Strength Training class 1 hour

Thursday: Swim Masters 1 hour (OMFG! He tried to kill me)/ Run 5 miles (51:28)

Friday: Rest

Saturday: Long Ride (on schedule 2:45, planned 35 miles)

Sunday: Long Run (on schedule 1: 50, planned 10 miles)

Here is my conundrum, I did not get in the scheduled yards for the swim because in Masters I did a series of drills that, while making me feel like my lungs were going to pop and I had swallowed 9 gallons of pool water, were significantly lower in overall yardage than if I just granny-ed it up and swam some laps like usual.

For example: My scheduled yardage for this week was 5200 yards and my actual was only 2500 yards.

Does this mean I have to swim again this week (and every fucking week thereafter) to get in the total yards?

She asks with a quivering voice and sad upturned face, hoping to God you and her coach say, "No. You have worked hard in the pool, which is much more valuable than distance.
Go have coffee and pie with your friends."

Now, I must get ready to go for a bike ride. Alone. Again. *sigh*

The tri team called and begged me to come back to the group ride and be a pace leader, but I told them that I have to think of my own training first and I can't carry them along. Sorry.

* I am totally being facetious. If you have not read my blog before click the 'tri team' link to get the sarcasm.

Rock. Star. Status.

Rock. Star. Status.

Monday night I went to my first strength class. I sat in the office area waiting for the class to start with the five guys and three skinny bitches (here is where I would do strike though if I knew how, because I know that is wrong to say) err... I mean, other women that were going to be in the class. My heart was in my throat and EVERY fiber of my being wanted to bail.

But I stayed and you know what? I was the only girl that did regular pushups and one of only two in the class (yep, including the guys!) that went all the way, chest to floor for all 10. The instructor even gave me a "Hell yeah!"

I did, however, get my ass handed to me on all the other exercises, but I survived and I will go back on Wednesday.

Wait! There is more!

Today I went to my first Level 2 Masters swim class (I am not good enough to be in Level 1. Seriously, even the pre-masters coach agreed) so they started this intermediate level for the "middle people" like me. Well, I found out today that I am low-middle, since I am the slowest and most inept of the 'middle.'

I did find out that my old Team in Training coach is the Level 2 coach for Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. That was WAY cool!

Anyhoo, that is not why I am a rock star. I am a rock star because I went and I did all the drills including speed work.

Speed work!

In the pool!

Me, who HATES swimming.

Like I said...

Rock. Star. Status.

When will I learn...

Every few years, they get me again. They are fun and cute and offer me promises that they just can't keep.

They mock me, "This time it will be different, you will look cute and flirty. We will be comfortable AND look good, go ahead try it."

Fucking capri pants.

In my mind they will look like this on me



However, in reality, I have a 4 inch inseam and two Butterball turkeys for thighs. Therefore, in capris I look like a troll doll in high waters.

Although, I do think I have nicer hair

The Under Armor compression capri running tights I just bought were no exception. In addition to making my statuesque 5'2" frame look like 3'8", they were somewhat low rise.

Awesome.

Now I am a troll doll, with dun lop disease (as in "the fat dun lop over the top of these stupid, fucking capris")

My two runs and one long bike ride this week were somewhat less enjoyable than running in these pants, alternately pulling up the waist and pulling down my shirt to keep from flashing a flesh belt.


2009, not off to a rousing start

2009: RBR a work in progress

Goals for 2009

*yes, another list of goals. Sorry, but it is that time of year.

Fitness

1. Do the training necessary to complete Ironman Coeur d'Alene in under 17 hours. 16:59:59 would be fine by me! (Winter -Spring 2009)

Bike and Run:
See previous post for bike and run plans and milestones in training

Swim:
Masters Level 2 twice a week starting Jan 6th
At least 7 Open water swims with at least 3 of full Iron distance

2. Start strength training. I used to be just naturally really strong (almost freakishly so) and now as I get older I can see that I am losing strength. I want my strength back. Every time I try this I get intimidated by the hardbodies in the gym and stop (or more often, don't start). It is time to get over it. (Start Winter 2009)

My only bar to measure strength by is when I was screwing around on the park course and realized how bad it had gotten. Here is the current and goal totals:

Currently: I can do 10 regular pushups (not on knees/chest to floor) in a row.
Goal: 25 pushups in a row

Currently: I cannot do a full pull up (ugh! I used to be able to do 5 in a row)
Goal: 1 full pull up

Currently: I can do 1 full bar dip (parallel bars/dip to chest)
Goal: 3 full bar dips

School

3. Study for and pass my comprehensive exams to finish my Masters in Molecular/Microbiology (Fall 2009)

4. Keep pushing my AP students. I have an amazing group of kids and I really want to give them the best opportunity to excel on the AP exam and rock the hell out of college biology.


Family/Friends (not listed last because it is less important, just because it is the hardest area for me to admit my shortcomings)

5. Date night once a week (we'll try it again. We have been much better than years past, but once a week is not too much to ask of either of us)

6. At least two Girl's days out with Mom (one already planned in April to see 'Wicked')

7. 3 day fastpacking trip with Dad on John Muir trail. (Let me preface this with the fact that I have NEVER even camped. This ought to be exciting) (Summer 2009)

2008 Wrap up: The year of the runner

2007 vs 2008: This is the first time that I have 2 years of relatively consistent exercise to compare.

2007
Run: 430.15 miles
Bike: 108.26 miles
Swim: 2037 yards
Number of races: 2

2008
Run: 851.2 miles (increase of 421.05 miles)
Bike: 1538.3 miles (increase of 1475. 04 miles)
Swim: 65,990 yards (increase of 63,953 yards)
Number of races: 25 (increase of 23 races)

Jan 1 of 2008
I wrote out a summary of one of the toughest years (2007) I had had in a while and the beginning of my quest to turn it around. Then I set down a "List of Shit I would like to do in 2008" (I have a horrible track record with "resolutions" so I lie to myself and say they are not resolutions when really, aren't goals and resolutions the same thing?)

Let's see how I did: 2008 Goals and Actual

Fitness Goals

1. Run 800 miles in 2008 (a little over 15 miles per week average)

Actual: I ran 851.2 miles

2. Complete the Napa Valley Marathon and at least one other marathon, at least one half marathon, and at least two other races including the Pacific Grove 2008 triathlon and a 10 K with my friend Shelley.

Actual:

Ran 4 marathons, 1 - 50K Ultra-marathon, 6 - 1/2 marathons, and 9 other races of varying lengths, including the 10K with Shelley and Andrea! Completed: 2 sprint distance triathlons (one was a long sprint at 3/4 mi swim, 16 mi bike and 5 mile run), 2 olympic distance triathlons, and 1 half iron distance triathlon.

RBR Girls after I ran the entire Napa Valley Marathon March 2008

Completed: a 65 mile bike ride at Solvang.

LA Run Buddy and I after Solvang Metric Century

25 races total. WAY exceeded what I thought I was ever capable of. I had an absolute blast and I met a ton of people both online and in real life that inspired me to keep on keeping on. Decided to register and train for Ironman Coeur d'Alene.

3. Swim lessons, starting in June (after school gets out until the Pacific Grove triathlon)

Actual: Joined pre-masters class and completed two open water swim clinics.

4. Do Pacific Grove Triathlon in under 4 hours

Actual: FINALLY did the Pacific Grove Triathlon in under 4 hours!

Team RBR after The Triathlon at Pacific Grove

School Goals

5. Be a whole lot closer to finishing my masters degree. (i.e. be finished with classes and research and be writing thesis)

Actual: Done with classes. No research, no thesis. Chose committee members and taking Comp Exams in Fall 2009.

Family/friends

6. At least three vacations with hubby (Africa and Seattle are planned for summer 2008, then one weekend get-away)

Actual: Africa, Seattle, Lompoc mini-vacation from hell, and Hawaii.

Hubby and I in Hawaii 2008

7. Date night with hubby once a week at least 3 weeks out of the month

Actual: Maybe once a month. More likely once every other month. Serious room for improvement.

8. Lunch/breakfast with Mom and/or Dad once a month.

Actual: Nope. Not even close. But I saw them a lot more than the previous year.

My Dad and I after Dammit Run 2008

9. Send all family and friends' birthday cards ON TIME!

Actual: Nope. Most family cards sent on time. LA Run Buddy's card was miserably late and I totally bailed on several other birthdays. Did not send Christmas cards at all this year. HUGE room for improvement.

All in all an awesome year. I traveled more, did more, and had more fun than I have in my entire life. I accomplished more than I ever thought remotely possible and I did the unthinkable

I became a runner.