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The Countdown Begins May 31, 2005

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I think I may have overdone it this weekend. Saturday was 2 ½ hours – bike, swim, lift, bike, run. Sunday morning I did a 4 mile run in the morning, then that afternoon I rode to my mom’s 13 miles. Yesterday, I had to take advantage of the opportunity to ride Sunday’s race course so I did a 17 mile bike ride in the morning. And then in the afternoon I rode to the gym, swam a 1000, and then rode home.

I actually wasn’t tired yesterday but today I am tired and cranky. My ride in was okay…nice & cool. My legs felt good. But I am so irritable today. Argh. I just want to go home and crawl in to bed and pull the covers over my head. :-( Maybe I just didn't get enought sleep this weekend. If only I could find a place here at work for me to take a quick nap. I almost feel like crawling under my desk, but they would probably hear me…

My workouts actually went really well this weekend. My legs were definitely stronger this past week. Bike is great. Swimming is going well & I’m starting to lessen my stroke count. My speed is picking back up on my runs. And I did a little running after my 17 mile ride yesterday and my legs were still happy campers. I feel like I’m ready for my first triathlon on Sunday. Now, I just need to get some sleep and rest and I’ll be ready. :-) Just 6 more days! :-O

To end on a happy note…I finally got to see Star Wars yesterday. Woo Hoo!

Head winds May 27, 2005

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I really like where I live. But if there is one thing I would change it would be the headwinds. In the evening they are always blowing from the west and that's great for my ride home. I have the wind at my back. But when I run or go to the gym, that means I have to run/ride into them when I am tired. Last night, the wind totally drained every last bit of strength I had in me but I kept going and finished my run. My legs were so heavy and I was basically just going on autopilot…one foot in front of the other.

I'm still a little tired today but I had a good ride in this morning. Pretty strong and it was cool and foggy. Just the bike commute today, thank goodness. I am so looking forward to going to bed early tonight. I have a great weekend planned. If all goes well I should be able to ride my race course a couple of times this weekend. And I should be able to get an extra swim in on Monday since I don't have to work. Woo Hoo!

Hope you all have a great 3 day weekend! Enjoy the sun.

Excellent Swim! May 26, 2005

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Last night, I had a great workout. My legs still have really strong on the 35 min ride to the gym. Got there and found that I forgot my pass, but luckily one of the guys that knows me was at the front desk so I got to swim! Did 1×800 with 100 warm-up and 100 cool down. Went really great, I even shaved a minute and a half off of last weeks time. Did a PowerGel after the swim and still had tons of energy for the ride home. And the headwind didn't bother me at all. Woo Hoo. Really great day.

This morning's ride in to work was beautiful. Cool w/ clear blue skies. A zippy ride! I am so lucky to be able to ride my bike and not be stuck in a car. Cars…bleah! :-) Hope everyone else is having a great day too!

Noodle Legs May 25, 2005

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Last night after my ride home, me legs were noodles. Extreme noodle legs. And I have no idea why. I ate well yesterday. Had a snack an hour before I left work. Drank plenty of water…I think. Rode home at normal pace. A typical ride that I've had hundreds of times. Yet my legs had no strength left. What's up with that? I changed into my running gear and headed out for a 2 mile run after a 15 minute rest laying on my bed like a blob. I took water with me just in case it was lack of water. But it was only 76 with a cool wind so I don't think it was that. Run really wasn't much slower and when I finished they felt okay. Hmmm…

My legs felt great on the way the ride in to work this morning though. Really strong. And I shaved a few minutes off my ride without even trying. Swim tonight. Woo Hoo!

No rest for the wicked May 24, 2005

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Yesterday was supposed to be a rest day. I took my road bike in for a tune up to get it ready for the tri and it was done yesterday. I rode the bus to work, picked it up after, and was going to take it home on the bus. But I was so excited to have Blue back that I rode home instead. Told myself I would at least take it easy. Didn't. It was great weather and it felt so good to fly down the road. That's the only bad thing about owning two bikes…I can't ride them at the same time!

Weekend May 23, 2005

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Good workouts this weekend. Usualy Saturday workout and it went fine. I did a brick yesterday- 40 minutes on the bike followed by a 3 mile run. My legs didn't feel too bad. Maybe I didn't push hard enough on the bike. Or maybe I'm just used to it since I've been running after my bike commute home on Tuesdays and Thursdays. There's usually a 15-20 min break to change into running gear, feed my cat, etc. but I think it's helping.

Took my road bike in for a tune-up on Saturday. It should be ready for me to pick up after work. So I took the bus this morning and walked the last mile into work. Missed my morning ride though. I don't know why I'm so nervous about riding my road bike in the tri. Two weeks to go now…

Fish Issues May 20, 2005

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Ok, I did 1×800m in the pool on Wednesday night. Had to battle myself the whole time…"you did a hundred, just take a rest and do 8×100", then at 200 "take a rest and do 4×200". But I kept going…made a deal with myself to get to 400 and see how I feel, then to 600, and finally told myself at that point that I might as well do the whole 800. I don't know if I should have since my tri is so close…In training for the centuries, I never did a full 100 until race day. But 800m just doesn't seem like that much and I HAD to see if I could do it and what my time might be. Alas, I may be a Penquin running, but certainly not in the water! But I did it! And that calmed some of the jitters I've been having about the race. If only I were a fish…that would solve my fish issues too.

Yesterday I went for a run at sunrise. Legs felt good. Am wondering if my speed will improve since I have only been doing "trail" running the past couple of months (knee issues so I stopped all speed, hill work, and road running). How does "trail" running translate to "road" running? Today, is only the bike. Pretty good weekend planned though-regular Saturday workout-bike to the gym, swim, lift weights, bike home, run. I hope to do a brick on Sunday. Have a good weekend all! :-)

Tomorrow I turn 37! May 18, 2005

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Today is my last day as a 36 year old. On my ride into work I was thinking about the past year and everything that has happened and I have to say, it was a darn good year…I started commuting by bike last May, running in August, and swimming in February. I ran my first 5K in December. And signed up for my first tri which is now just 18 days away. If anybody had told me a year ago, that I, Lisa (ex-couch potato), would be a triathlete @ 37, I would have said they were nuts. But guess what? It's who I am. Woo Hoo!

So…the past two days all I've done is bike and I'm feeling a little more rested. I did walk 1.5 miles over to my friends house last night though instead of letting her pick me up. Tonight after work, I am going to ride to the gym to swim 900. Kinda excited about it because it's been going really well. Tonight I am going to do a test swim to see how I'll do at the race. It's really the only unknown portion of the race for me.

Tomorrow, I am going to celebrate my birthday by going for a sunrise run on the old railroad tracks. A weekday treat for me. I think I'm getting the spark back. :-) I hope 37 is even better. :-)

Yeah…sleep May 17, 2005

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Slept straight thru the night for the first time in weeks. I was so tired, I fell asleep before 8! So I got almost 10 hours of sleep and today I feel more refreshed than I've felt for a while.

The weather here is cool again. Great ride this morning on the way to work. Slight headwind but it will only make me stronger, right? I decided to skip my run tonight and hang out with friends instead. I could use another easy day but I don't want to make it a habit. Of course, I always forget I'm supposed to be taking it easy and still push on the bike (I commute by bike to work - 30/35 min each way). Last night, a guy on a road bike flew by me and I thought if I only I were on my road bike instead of my mountain bike…It's so hard to take it easy sometimes.

3 weeks! May 16, 2005

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It's 3 weeks until my first tri. Less than 3 actually! And I've hit some kind of wall: don't want to train, eating way too much, not sleeping. I'm not really tired, in fact, I've been doing less than usual since the "knee incident'. I just seem to have lost the "spark".

Actually, training isn't going too bad. The swimming is coming along…finally. Bike is good. Running is good. I'm sticking to my schedule. But instead of "Woo Hoo, I get to swim/bike/run!", it's "well, might as well" or "dang it, get out there!".

Yesterday helped a little. I went to the LBS and bought tri shorts and a top to wear so I'll have plenty of time to break them in. And I tried on a wetsuit for the very first time. What an experience! It took me 20 minutes to get it on the first time and when I walked out to show the guys that it didn't fit, they informed me I had it wrong and had to start over. Start Over?!?! I was already hot, sweaty, and tired from the first time. :-) But the second time only took 8 minutes so I'm getting better…and it was a lot of fun talking to them about tris and training. It was a little shot in the arm. Today, it's faded a little. I really have to find my enthusiasm again. Hello? Come Back!