Saturday, December 12, 2009

Holidaze

i'm just not feeling it this year.

doing a pretty good job at faking it though. the tree is up and a few bits of Christmas are strewn about the house. i even put in my 2 cents when one of my sister-in-laws suggested that we NOT do secrete santa this year...give me a break! even i with no x-mas spirit at all this year can get it up for that...as far as i know no one is destitute in our family and keeping it under twenty bucks seems reasonable. this year T came home the biggest ass wreath i've ever seen....completely dominates the door....that's my man for ya bigger is better.

M and i did a 5k last month...her 1st! she decided to go last minute with me and my friend Monica and her dtr. Brianna. she's been keeping me to my word to get us to the Y 3x's a week and has been working hard on building her endurance and wants to do another 5k....which we will be at the end of january.

my running has mainly taken place at the Y and i have been trying to work more on core strengthening. at the moment my right trap is KILLLING me...i think i may have strained myself on the inversion table while rotating side to side with a 6 lb. medi-ball.

i hosted Thanksgiving this year and to be honest it fell a little flat. i really have no desire to see these people again for Christmas. T and M will drop off gifts on Christmas Eve....while i'm at work and Christmas morning we're driving to Gardnerville for a White Christmas with friends. looking forward to snow shoeing for the first time and maybe just maybe the spirit of the season will take hold. in the meantime i'm faking my way through a few hand made gifts and will take a crack at gingerbread.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Official race results for Tri4Real: 2:13:03

Went to Pilates yesterday. I'm sore in all sorts of new places today.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Tri4Real

No long winded report. Suffice it to say I had a ton a fun.

The water was almost warm at 7 am. While waiting for my wave to go (last) I chatted with a few other 40something women and one was at Pac Grove last week and we agreed that was one hell of swim and that today was gonna be way mellower. The ride was flat and fast with only one hill that didn't slow me down AT ALL. The run for all intents and purposes was not bad. I only got off course once but not by much, the 4 miles took about 46 mins.

Official results aren't up yet but I'm calculating somewhere around 2:11:00?
This is most likely my last tri for the season, a half mile swim, an 18 mile ride and 4 mile run felt like the perfect distance. I renewed my Y club membership, joined up with a local race club and I'd like to find a half marathon to do in a few months. More importantly I want to keep active. This summer was a good start and I'm feeling strong and positive about the future.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Momentum

Lastnight I registered for Shadow Cliffs Tri4Real this Sunday. It's a longer sprint 700 yd swim, 18 mile bike and a 4 mile run. Should be a fun workout. Recovery is going well. I walked alot Sunday at the Solano Stroll, took Monday off and I just got back from a sluggish 3 mile run, it's pretty warm already.

I'm not sure how to proceed with training at this point. The sprint will be my big workout this week so I guess I'll go light in the meantime. I'd like to swim sometime today because I may be going to the salon tomorrow if my hairdresser can get back to me ....I'm so close to the big chop!!

Monday, September 14, 2009

Pacific Grove Triathlon

i wasn't sure how to set the hotel alarm clock, so i requested a 4 am wake up call. when the call came, i was in the middle of some weird non-race related dream and was seriously disoriented. it literally took a few minutes for me to realize where i was and more importantly why and what i was doing there.

i jumped into the shower to wake up, quickly changed and hauled myself and gear down to the lobby in search of coffee. other team mates were milling around and after securing my star bucks and instant oatmeal, before i knew it we were headed out into the dark misty morning to ride the 3 mile path to the transition area.

i picked up my race packet the day before and listened to a few pointers on the swim from 2 pro athletes and went for a swim with a few team mates. the water was calm, much like it had been a few weeks earlier when we came down to practice. the race buoys weren't set up yet and there was much debate on the actual course. the uncertainty of the course stressed me out a bit, i just needed a visual. the buoys i could see were way the hell out there and i started to get uneasy. peter, one of the mentors took it all in stride and led the small ban of swimmers in a 30 minute swim. despite the uncertainty of the course, i grew less anxious, in the water i felt comfortable, the familiarity gained from previous practice and swimming in my Lake Anza assured me i was going to be fine.

The Big Bad Swim

arriving at the transition area at 6am, we were greeted with entirely different swim conditions. the tide was coming in, the water was anything but flat and calm. the swells were HUGE. i really really started having doubts about whether or not i would get in. watching the first few waves go out, bodies were bobbing up and down. my wave didn't go out until 9:15 and fortunately things had calmed down a little by then but the conditions were nothing like what they had been during practice and while the water wasn't churning like earlier, the swells were still really really BIG.

coach seth asked me what my strategy was and i too quickly replied, "get it done", he then suggested i take it easy until the second half of the bike. ....5,4,3,2,1 the gun goes off and it seemed that my fear gave way to adrenalin and before i knew i was rounding the first buoy, each buoy 225 yds apart. i made a mental note of coach seths advice to slow down and when i completed the first loop (the first of many on this loopy course) i was surprised to feel good and totally confident that i could complete the second loop of this infernal swim. i swam a mile for the first time only a few weeks ago and it took me an hour and a half, so i was really pleased when i got out of the water in 00:50:30.

T1 5 plus mins, my transition area was right near the bike out so that was cool,once my fingers regained some feeling i managed to get out of the wetsuit, grabbed a dry shirt...helped a girl get into her wet tangled singlet an then took off.

The Bike

i really fell in love with my bike this summer and the ride was pure bliss. i had a smile on my face the entire course which consisted of (4) 6 mile loops. i averaged 24 min loops and finished in 01:37:56 boo ya! i managed to forget my sun glasses but the overcast never burned off so it was all good.

T2 4mins pulling off my bike shoe, i noticed blood on my left big toe. i then decided NOT to change socks and crammed my running shoes on for fear of making something out of nothing...turned out to be a good call, later when i did take a look it was a teeny tiny blood blister ...it didn't bother me on the run...not that the run was pleasant by any means but the blister was not the culprit...just my lack of running in general.

The Run

off all 3 disciplines, running was most neglected this season and it showed. The (3) 2 mile loops were monotonous and i just wanted it to be over. i took a few walk breaks so i could finish with some semblance of dignity, run done! 01:12:12

i met my goal for under 4 hours by 10 minutes. i'm most proud of my swim, i really can't believe i did it. i free styled the whole time, not needing to roll over or back float once. not that there's any shame in that at all! hell, you do what gotta do but i've struggled for so long to get comfortable with swimming and i am still a stunned at the conditions i found myself in on saturday. i think i will be for a long time.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Pre Pacific Grove

after some fancy negotiating i was able to wrangle getting to work half day so i can head down to Pacific Grove for my BIG WEEKEND!

i'm filled with equal amounts of excitement and anxiety. i know i can finish the .93 mile swim i just hope i don't take a freaking hour and a half to do it! i'm hoping to get the bike done in 2 hrs and the run in 1 hr. i've seeded myself to finish within 4 hours so depending on when my wave goes out 9:15 am? with any luck i'll be basking in glory sometime around 1:00 pm. i know i'm cutting it close and i know i shouldn't get hung up on the numbers...but i still gotta have a goal right?

i'll try to check in over the weekend. TNT has a slew of events and whatnot planned for us over the next few days . what a fun summer it's been. i got back into shape while raising money for blood cancer. all the hard work is going to pay off when i cross that finish line!

Saturday, September 05, 2009

the last 2 nights or rather mornings i've been waking up around 3am. i guess i'm getting pre-race ansy a litle early. today we swim/run at shadow cliff...the same place i tri-ed in '06. i'm excited to see how much better i'll swim there this time around. every time i swam there in the past i could never get my face in the water. irregardless of what i could do in the pool it just never carried over into open water. now granted, in '06 i was just learning to freestyle and the first time i swam at shadow cliff it was late spring, cold as fuck and when i hit the water sans a wetsuit it occurred to me that maybe i had literally gone off the deep end.

My swim lesson with Liz was good. as i said before i wish i had gotten together with her sooner but i got some good tips and was able to carry a few of them over. my swim has come a long way but it still needs alot of work. it's so important to put speed and endurance on the back burner and focus on form first!!!

i bit the bullet and bought a tri back pack. my neon orange duffle bag worked fine in the past but it's hard to deal with on the bike. we have to ride about mile to get to the swim start, so a back pack will be easier to handle while riding. the triathlete store, while there was some confusion about available colors offered excellent customer service and a wide range of product at affordable prices.

my right thigh is still quite sore from last weeks hilly ride. i'm pretty sure it'll be fine by next week and if my massage therapist can get her act together and not overbook herself again ..like she did last night and had to cancel...i'll get it worked out. so for now the dreaded foam roller will have to suffice, ouch!

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

Butterflies

M goes back to school today. She's grown up alot this past summer and despite being a little nervous she's got the cool 8th grader vibe down to a tee.

After dropping her off, I'll be heading out for my private swim lesson with coach Liz. Unlike my cool 8th grader I'm more than a bit nervous, fortunately it's all the way out in Dublin and I'll have time to settle down. It's going to be fine as long as I can get past the thought of "WHY IN THE HELL DIDN'T I DO THIS SOONER!!" Whatever coach Liz has to offer isn't going to reveal itself on race day...it's less than 2 weeks away. I just need to be open to her direction and keep focused

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Swim Analysis

yesterday we were all video taped in the pool and then watched and received individual feedback from all 3 coaches.

1)when i roll to breath, i tend to look back (causing my head to lift too high..causing drag and zag).

2) as my arm is entering the water the opposite arm tends to "drop" vs staying elongated ...it was suggested that i practice the "catch-up" drill, my coach also described it like handing off a pencil, imagine as you reach out, that your holding a pencil and that hand stays stretched out (holding the pencil) until the other hand can grasp it.

3)my pull is premature, i need to wait until i see my forearm ...about chest level, then "push" the water towards my feet.

i've heard this feedback before, but seeing myself on tape was invaluable. instead of feeling overwhelmed by all the critique, i know exactly which drills to apply to self-correct. it makes so much more sense now. meeting monica at lake anza today, i will focus less on endurance and more on form.

trading a massage for a swim lesson with coach liz this wednesday. having spent some time in the water, the feedback is more meaningful now. there so many subtleties in swimming...i remember stressing out whenever i just read anything on technique it was all so foreign, not that i'm anywhere close to fluent but i'm starting to get below the surface and understand things better. i think i'll be more prepared when i see coach liz this week.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

in need of some hair-apy

my swim has improved alot over the last several weeks but i will admit that i'm under trained and i have what will appear to be an extremely lame excuse. i HATE getting my hair wet. more specifically, i HATE the drying and styling process afterwards. it's fine if i have say a couple of hours to spare which is seldom the case. so i've been swimming mostly on the weekends averaging 2 swims a week.

there's one other woman of color on my team and she keeps her hair really short which i just can't bring myself to do. lately i've been considering going back to nature. transitioning from straight processed hair to my natural curls.
just thinking about going natural again is stressing me out, my thick course wild child mane has been processed into submission for so long the very idea of going au natural is daunting. the curl isn't the issue, it's the poof factor. there's an administrator at work who has completely embraced her nappiness and while i totally respect the snubbing of conformity, i'm sorry but she looks like shit.

clearly, i've got some evolving to do.

i'm a sucker for product. i learned about OUIDA, hair care that claims to tame and enhance ones natural curliness. i'll share more after i've used it before going any further.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

FINALLY

I met Monica at Lake Anza today and swam 1 mile for the first time. it was slow going, i didn't pay too much attention to time or speed i just needed to prove to myself that i could go the distance. i'll roughly estimate and say i hit the water around 11:20 and was out by 12:38. i felt good upon exiting the water, totally ready to ride...not that i did...we're meeting for track tonight so we opted to sunbathe instead.

This past weekend some of the team met up at the race site down in Pacific Grove to swim and ride the race courses. the infamous kelp crawl was on the agenda. turns out i'm cool with the kelp...but i am of the opinion that the water in pac grove tasted saltier, brinier than aquatic park...which took some getting used to. we swam approximately a half mile and really focused more on sighting and swimming through "salad". The ride is a series of (4) 6 mile loops, a little disappointing considering all the gorgeous coastline in the area but the event is meant to be very spectator friendly.

not withstanding a generous donation to myself i met my minimum for fund raising....actually went over a little. $3,350.00 for Blood Cancer research, not too shabby if i do say so.

fundraising was both hard and rewarding, i'm pretty sure my next event will NOT involve fundraising but working out with TnT definitely reignited my love for this crazy sport and I made few new local friends who i will want to keep in touch with. i feel like a winner already. just a few more workouts and it will be showtime!

Friday, August 14, 2009

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Aquatic Park





this post is a little, the photos weres taken last saturday during our team open water swim in sf. after the coaches demoed how to don a wetsuit we got into ours and did a 20 minute swim and i tell ya it.was.AWESOME!

next to my fundraising (which is going well btw 1 hr. massages at 50 bucks a pop are getting me there) the swim has been most worrisome. after the initial shock of cold i acclimated pretty quickly and i started to swim. i was actually enjoying myself..the calm flat water and blue skies certainly helped and seriously, i was euphoric coming out the water. confidence is the greatest high!

Sunday, July 05, 2009

making it up as i go

it was time to inject a little fun into my training today. i wanted to go for an easy run so i headed for the BART trail. i wanted to keep things flat so i could try some fartlek. before i knew it i was at the pivotal turn that leads towards the Marina and quite a few lovely hills. i opted to go left and see what would happen. cruising towards COSTCO there are a number of side streets that are all pretty hilly. i then decided to do a few hill repeats. short but rather steep i pushed hard and recovered longer before repeating. i did this 4xs.

then on towards COSTCO again i slowed down for a good ways until i got past Golden Gate Fields and ran inland towards San Pablo. i would pick a landmark and alternated between running fast and walking the last mile or so. i ran a total of 5 miles averaging an 11:30 pace.

i got home and grabbed a quick bite and then swam for 40 minutes working on some drills and finally swimming 300 yds non-stop.

i'm taking a break at the moment, but the work continues as i tackle my disgusting kitchen floor. bleh! i'd rather be on the bike.

Saturday, July 04, 2009

Happy 4th of July

i met up with my team mate Ingrid today at the pool and got a few pointers on some of the drills that were included in our workout. She's a strong swimmer and has done the Pacific Grove Tri twice and will doing the Nation's Tri in DC. the swim went well today, just what i needed to offset the lingering stiffness from yesterday's ride.... an uneventful ride i'm happy to mention.

Happy 4th everyone, i'm gonna get the grill fired up soon. i've been marinating pork ribs since yesterday and can't wait to dig in.

Friday, July 03, 2009

sometimes......


it takes a weeks worth of lousy workouts to get to a really awesome one.

last week was my trial by fire so to speak.

my swim while greatly improved from the first time i TRI-ed is clearly my weakest link. i've been struggling with the workouts and feeling frustrated. the truth is i just need to back off and not get over anxious about getting faster and just focus on form, breathing, and endurance.

i learned a whole lot about fixing flats last week. i got not one but three flats. the first one occurred while hauling ass over a manhole....note to self remove sunglasses when riding in a shady area.

my first attempt to fix the flat took about 45 mins. i got about a mile down the road when i heard another pop. i didn't inflate the tube with air before placing it back into the tire and my guess is it got twisted or pinched. so, i walked about a mile or so to the bike shop (luckily i wasn't out in the middle of nowhere) i purchased another tube and attempted to fix it again. the bike peeps were ready to help but i insisted that i do it myself....by this time my kid is calling me wondering where i am and i'm explaining that she'll have to walk home from bart because i'm in the middle of a situation here...she's understanding initially but can't i been done in 30 mins to pick her up...i assure her that's a reasonable request however she's gonna need to walk the home)...

anyhoo, i'm spread out in the parking lot trying to fix the tire...ironically i have no trouble removing or putting on the the back tire...it's the removing, returning and filling the tube that's not going well. i manhandled the tube and the tire so badly that the tube popped and the tire ripped AND I HAD TO PURCHASE ANOTHER TIRE ALONG WITH A SECOND TUBE.

and don't even get me started on CO2 cartridges.

i was so irritated by this point that it over shadowed any embarrassment i was feeling earlier, i let the bike guy insert the third tube into the new tire and i placed it on the bike. so i am 50% competent with flats.

suffice it to say the bike and i haven't been too cozy this week and i need to ride today. i watched a you-tube video last night and from all the experience i got last week i think i'm ready to get back in the saddle.

i've been working out at the track with team on wednesday night. despite the mental conversation i have all day about whether i'll go or not , i go and it's always fun and hard. lastweek my period really drained my energy and the run on sunday was not enjoyable at all. my mileage has been low as we've been concentrating on drills and hill repeats. i haven't had the euphoric feeling that kicks in after a good long run in awhile. yesterday i put in 5 miles and most of it was hilly and while it wasn't super intense i did get a little taste of happy. about an hour later i kicked ass in the pool and had an awesome workout, felt relaxed and strong and got out of the pool in a good mood for a change.

i was thinking last night how training for triathlon is like raising kids. i'm the parent of an only child by choice, for our family one child is enough. with all the time and attention i'm giving triathlon, it's become my other family so to speak and i'm having to learn to divide my time and attention learning each "kids" quirks and personality. the more i swim, ride and run i am beginning to appreciate the ability to accept each one for what they are, the swim though she vexes me has introduced me to a completely different way of working out. we're getting to know each other better and i'm actually starting to like her.

the bike is a good reminder that riding is not mindless. it's not enough to ride well. i've been lax about the technical aspects of riding and need to work on the basics more. being 100% self sufficient is my goal.

the run has changed. i miss the long slow distance runs, but working with a coach and focusing on drills and STRECTHING PROPERLY (probably for the first ever) has made a tremendous difference. i'm still slow, but trusting the training and it seems to be paying off.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

TNT - wk 3


Mon - rest

Tues - masters swim class pushed hard 1.5 hrs 1700 yds

Weds - team track/ hill repeats - did not puke.

Thurs - master swim class - i was tired took it easy swam 1.0 hr. 800 yds

Fri - rest

Sat - opted to sleep in and skip team workout, attended stroke clinic at MLK pool instead, i really benefited from this today, was introduced to butterfly for the first time...ugh!....breast but mostly freestyle...the subtler aspects of this stroke are making more sense...love my team mates but i appreciated the smaller class and more attention.

me at wed track....before the evil hill portion of the workout...

Sun - could run w/team or do a ride/run brick on my own.

T and M arrive back late tonight from NYC. I still need to get T something for Father's day and I'd like to swing by the grocery store for a few of his favorite things. That man just spent 4 days with our 13 y.o. daughter and all her fabulousity....I think a bottle Glenn Levitt is in order.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

swimming at sunset

tonight i swam with the masters group at my local pool....finally.

my pool has been closed for renovations and i had to go to one 2 towns over. the coach was very nice and while the tone was low key it was a very challenging workout. 8 easy 50s, 100, 50, 200, 50, 300, 50, easy 100. i felt my heart rate climbing and was a bit nauseous at the end.

i don't suppose the grilled chicken sandwich i ate an hour before had anything to do with it. normally i wouldn't of ate so much before working out but T and M were leaving tonight for New York and we wanted to have dinner together before they had to leave.

i started sneezing again and the headache kicked in shortly after but i pushed along. i'm sure the fact that i paid an extra buck for a structured workout help keep me on task. not sure what the headaches are about most likely a combination of dehydration and poor breathing.

on the way to the pool you could seen the fog hovering. as i worked my way up and down my lane the sun began to drop below the marine layer and rays of light pierced the waters surface. it's funny how light can transform a modest community pool into a sanctuary.

Monday, June 15, 2009

TNT PHOTOS

i would never do this it it weren't for charity!

Our first training ride out near Moraga Intervals at DVC Track....very nice and cushy i might add.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

kinda crazy


after yesterdays swim/run work out all i had gumption to do when i got home was shower, eat and take up residence on the couch ....the remainder of the day. i watched 3 movies and ate half a pan of brownies. they were thin!

as i mentioned , i showered but i was too tired to deal with my hair. if i don't blow dry or flat iron my hair it turns into an afro. this needless to say has caused many a revision in my swim schedule. i don't swim before work because of the time required to allow it to air dry for an hour first then blow dry with a comb attachment and then flat iron. women of color (i'm puerto rican) who opt for the straight look but want to swim understand the dilemma here.

yesterday i was too tired to deal with my hair and by 7pm i was looking pretty poofy. and i mean really poofy. in order to fit the bike helmet on i had to finally deal with it this morning. the irony here being, here i am drying and flattening and straightening my hair only to acquire the dreaded helmet hair.

kinda crazy, no?

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

bad swim

every so often a workout can suck monumentally.

i was actually looking forward to my swim practice lastnight. my usual pool was too crowded, the one closest to home was closed for maintenance so i had to go across town for a third option.

from start to finish everything was off and the fact that my allergies chose to kick in did not help at all. i sneezed pretty much the entire work out. i'm guessing the pool was extra chlorinated and i'm just sensitive to it. swimming is tiring enough without the added exertion of rapid fire sneezing every other lap.

seriously

needless to say i couldn't really keep track of my intervals. shit i can barely count laps when i'm not distracted.

i work half day and then have a team track work out tonight in pleasant hill. after last nights horrible swim i'm really wishing i hadn't agreed to carpool to tonight's training because i could go in early and swim at my most favorite pool in concord before track, oh well, hopefuly tonight's workout will go better.

Sunday, June 07, 2009

Time Trials


after being on the fence about wednesday night's track workout i finally decided to go despite the fact that i HATE to run late in the day especially when i happen to not work on said day and the idea of working out at the end of said day is not so appealing. however, NOT having to be on my feet all day at work NOR having to rush from Kentfield to Pleasant Hill turned out to be prety good reasons NOT to skip it, besides I needed the push myself out of the old comfort zone.

coach seth had us warm-up, one of the other trainers ran us through a few goofy looking drills and then coach seth's evil plan for us was revealed. we were going to do a 2 mile time trial. 2 miles in 20 minutes being the goal. i immediately regretted not having my Garmin, i distinctly recall choosing not to bring it because i was afraid it would appear showy. now faced with a time trial, i wasn't so sure of my pacing skills to pull things off.

we were told to keep track of our laps while coach would call out our times . the 3/4 mile warm-up i did prior apparently did me some good cause i felt loose and connected with my stride. i did my best to keep things slow and even , i really was regretting not having my garmin because i can't recall any of my lap times but with coach calling them out each time i passed i was able to adjust my pace. as i passed a couple of women one of them was nancy, my new mentor and she called out, " you look like a runner!" that felt nice to hear. even after such a long break in consistent training, compared to the other two disciplines i feel more like a runner than a swimmer or cyclists.

i haven't pushed for a sub ten minute mile in a while and by lap 7 i was really working hard to keep focused , my breathing was labored but by no means out of control, my form may have shifted a bit because it was right around that time that my old mentor pulled up and started yacking away about coordinating steps with breathing and how a smile on ones face wouldn't hurt. at which point i flashed him a fakey grin and spewed out something to tune of "yeah, maybe i'll smile when this isn't so hard" he kept yacking away, about form or whatever the hell and well needless to say i found him to be more distracting then helpful and i let know it.

as i passed coach on lap 7, i knew i had a good shot at sub 20 if i cranked it up. i completed 2 miles in 19:25. as i cooled down i was really glad i timed all my eating well that day BECAUSE I ALMOST HURLED. i took a few minutes to compose myself before reporting to another trainer the # of laps and my time. i think not knowing that we were doing time trials probably was an advantage because i tend to have performance anxiety. for someone who normally doesn't like surprises it turned out to be a good thing, . i should also add how NICE DVC's track is, spong-o-liscious.

on saturday, meeting up at Miramonte HS for a swim and a ride. we did a bunch of drills. i have a tendency to lift my head too high during a breath which causes my hips to sink...coach actually called on me to demonstrate this to other swimmers in my group, it was embarrassing but effective because my form was better after that..... and then coach seth surprised us again with another time trial. the goal was 16 laps in 8 minutes. i completed 10:16 in 8 minutes. slow but with improved form. yay me!

we broke up into 3 groups for the ride, i rode with the intermediate grp. from the school we rode out to canyon through moraga, only 15 minutes out and back but a few good hills to remind me that i need to work on the bike more, as lately i've been focusing on my swim the most.

last night T and i went for a walk and we noticed our brother in-law Neil and a couple of his friends standing outside of T-Rex a local watering hole, one of his friends had a Arizona Ironman T-shirt on, Neil was quick to introduce us and we had a nice chat talking about all the great places to ride in the east bay. we seemed to have the same philosophy, content to be fit enough to play. not fast, no hard-core competition, just happy to participate. awesome!

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

i packed my swim bag this morning but realized i forgot to bring dry clothing to change into after wards on the way to the pool after work, uhg! that meant by passing the pool going home to get a change of clothes than backtracking to the pool. i really try to avoid going home first because there's always that chance that i won't go back out but fortunately my grouchy teenager made it easy to not want to stay home and after grabbing a few things i headed back out....finally M's moodiness served some good!

with my workout in the clear plastic sleeve compliments of TNT i fumbled through the drills, similar to the ones we worked on on sunday. i felt tired and sluggish. i was suppose do 100 strokes every 25 yds. but kept losing count because apparently it requires skill to count and swim simultaneously.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

drills baby drills

christopher turned out not be a psycho and we arrived in plenty of time to watch the trainers warm-up in the pool before we participants got started. i seeded myself with the beginners in the shallow pool and we all worked on the basics. our coach mary jo was fun and was in the water with us demonstrating each drill. other trainers stood on deck watching us from the surface. there were trainers in each lane waching us as we worked our way down the lane to give advise as well.

i'm still a beginner but i'm so much further along this season...i already saw improvement just with a few tips here and there today. it's good to be past the frustration i felt when i was first learning to swim. my left arm seems to have a mind of it;s own...lazy, weak, definitely NON-DOMINANT. coach said the side we tend to breath on is our stronger stroke side.

after swimming we gathered around another trainer and watched him change a back tire. very good stuff know how to do for sure. on the way home i showed christopher the 3 bears bike route, i hadn't been there in a while and couldn't recall how far it was. turns out to be approximately 13 miles of mainly long gradual climbs.

and we're off

it's almost 6am sunday morning. i'll be leaving shortly to meet christopher, a guy i met at yesterday's TNT kick-off. we'll be meeting the rest of the team for our first swim practice out in moraga. i just met him yesterday, when he mentioned to the group he needed a ride so i offered. i hope he's not a psycho! haha, truth be told i'm more concerned with the not-so-subtle pressure i picked up on to surpass my minimum fund raising goal of $3,300.00. that's a whole lotta georgies! in a weird way though being more worried about the money than the swim is kinda refreshing, go figure!

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Classic Me

about 40 minutes into yoga class my mind started to wander and i was struck with the thought that i needed to be somewhere else...that somewhere else being the TNT Kick-Off at the oakland convention center. for some weird reason i had 2 dates rolling around in my head 5/25 and 5/30. considering how yesterday was neither one of those dates you may wonder what my deal was?

i've been away from bikram for a while now and all i can attribute my lack of orientation to was feeling dizzy and under hydrated. i tried to push the thought out of my head not entirely convinced that i was forgetting something as important as Kick-Off but clearly i was distracted and as my mind wandered so did my sense of balance and when the instructor (who totally rocked) said "if you find yourself not focusing, think about what your thinking about." i took that as my cue to cut yoga short and see if i could at least show up for the end of Kick-Off. of course i went home to check my dates and saw that Kick-Off wasn't until next Saturday. classic me. i then decided to watch my total immersion video and go swimming.

As i stepped onto the pool deck my cell phone rang and it was my TNT mentor Peter. we chatted for a bit as it was our first contact. we talked mostly about the swim, mentioning of course that i just getting ready to workout. i admitted my concerns about open water and i liked what he had to say about getting into a groove and swimming uninterrupted. i added pool vs open water as compared to treadmill vs trail. i think his call was well timed because i pushed myself and swam 1000 yards, my longest swim so far.

i rode out to the berkeley marina this morning then ran 4 miles along the BART trail. my right calf started to stiffen up again about 1.5 miles but i was able to keep going with out pain, it's just tight.

after my run i grabbed Brandy and walked around the neighborhood during which i noticed the beginnings of a hot spot on the ball of my right foot, i looked down and realized that i threw on the wrong running shoes and just ran 4 miles in a long retired pair of asics!

don't i just oooze coolness!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Wordy Wednesday

"Be tenacious, keep your vision even when your injured"
-coach emery


i've been working on my swim and i completed 700 yards today, woohoo! not without short rests every 75 yds. or so, which by the way is AWESOME for me. i felt pretty good about my left side breathing something clicked the other day and though i still have to sneak up on it by finding my rhythm on the right first things are started to get bilateral.

i noticed pain in my right calve after my 6 mile run a little over a week ago. it had me limping a bit after wards and i took a few days off of running. when i ran on Sunday, because it was so hot and i was shuffling more than running i hadn't noticed anything wrong but when i ran yesterday about a 1.5 miles into it i had to pull over stretch for a good while before i could resume running and it was not pleasant i assure you.

in a rush at home to get to work i foolishly secured an ice pack directly onto my calve with an ace wrap, not taking time to wrap the ice pack in something first and i ended up giving my self an ice burn...brilliant! working in the rehab industry i have access to helpful modalities and did a little ultrasound on my leg at lunch. i need to find my foam roller.

coach emery isn't my coach per se he's a lifeguard at the my pool and has a just a very good vibe about him. i never mentioned my leg injury, nor was i limping on deck when i walked up to him to chat a little after my workout today. he just has a knack for saying the right thing because truthfully i was feeling a bit down about my leg.

i had my teeth cleaned this morning and my hygienist while not an athlete herself is very active with the oakland tech high school runners and is going to LA this weekend with the team for the LA marathon, she was very excited for me and had positive energy about my event. both hers and emery's comments were very appreciated as some peoples reactions have been a bit mixed. true it's going to hard and scary but that's kinda the point, no?

i rode my bike to the pool and after the workout i rode the longer hilly way home, my leg feels a little stiff but i can fully weight bear and i'm feeling much better about everything.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

ah yes, it's coming back to me....

that wobbly feeling you get from trying to run after a ride, even though i'm not sure i'd call it an actual brick i rode for about an hour came home changed at a leisurely pace and than ran 3 miles. the ride was cool, the run not so much and i use the term "run" liberally as it was more of a shuffle...mind over matter my legs wanted to stop but i kept going. we bay area folks are currently experiencing a mild heat wave and i'm dripping and panting as i write this post. swimming 3 days a week at el cerritto pool, i'm almost feeling good enough to hang with the masters 6am group soon.

Saturday, May 02, 2009

Pacific Grove Olympic Triathalon

well, it appears that i've finally gone an registered for a race...my first olympic distance triathalon with the team in training....though, i don't think my head has actually registered with it just yet.....between the .93 mile open water swim or the fund raising commitment i can confidently say i've got some challenges ahead of me this year.

a good cause

while i've been running purely for pleasure and thoroughly enjoying myself it's been haphazard and i've had a hard time tapping into "race mode". when kate mentioned she was going to a Team In Training information meeting conveniently located in my city i was intrigued. when katrina got interested my curiosity grew. so i'm going just to check it out. the thing i'm most worried about is the fundraising as i have very little experience with it. we're all interested in doing the half-marathon but i'm not ruling out another triathalon. so we'll see....

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

happy feet

there ain't nothing like a good running shoe. the fine folks at TRANSPORT on solano turned me onto to a new brand. normally loyal to asics, i tried on saucony's progrid omni 7 ultimate. we've been running together a couple of months now and during today's 5 miler when fatigue started to creep up i'd check in with my feet and they felt damn good. the weather today is GORGEOUS just perfect for a run....i know we need the rain....but nobody was happier than me to be outside in the sun today. not even the ipod batteries pooping out after the first mile could alter my good mood......and things just got better when i called in for jury duty and didn't have to serve. woohoo!

Saturday, February 21, 2009

welcome to the middle of the road

the comedian dana carvey said it well when he pointed out the as one enters middle age you can get hurt doing absolutely nothing.

last year just before thanksgiving towards the end of my shift i was careless about body mechanics and strained my back while transferring a not-so-small brain injured marine back to bed. luckily i had requested friday off so i had 5 days to recover...i never said a word to my employer. i returned to work after my holiday cautious but able to resume my duties. the incident was however a wake up call that i really needed to get myself back on track with exercise and especially core fitness.

not long after i discovered bikram yoga. i've been to 10 sessions since i started in mid january and the 90 minute sessions are tough. the running is still not where i want it to be but but about halfway around ceasar chavez this morning i caught a glimpse of hope that i'm still a runner and just have to build up again.

so back to my opening comment, on monday about 15 minutes into my shift i was at a patients bedside and as i reached to adjust his pillow my right upper back seized up and a sharp knife like pain swept along the my intercostals.......wtf! i was in agony and all i did was extend my right arm, no lifting , no twisting, again wtf!!!

i had to speak up this time and make the walk of shame to occupational medicine and get checked out. the most obvious limitation was trying to twist to my left side ...it hurt allot! my doctor, who looked about 20 and more like a model than an MD was despite my immediate disdain for her quite sweet and after a few other choice moves that hurt like hell gave me a slip for modified duty and a bottle of ibuprofen...800 mg of course.

so i iced and ate ibuprofen the next 2 days, on wednesday morning i woke up at 5 am in pain and decided to go the 6 am yoga class and it totally blew. i forced myself to stay the entire session and i just did what i could. after wards i wallowed in self pity for a few hours and then i re-read some of my past blog entries and a few others and before i knew it i was picking myself up and dusting myself off. i've always said a shitty workout is often better than no workout.

friday i awoke pain free and when i went to occ. med for a check-up i was given a clean bill of health and am back on regular duty. i went for 3 miler this morning and took a few walk breaks with no weird ego issues, just glad and grateful than i can move and work and be active.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

still around

in the last few weeks i've managed to climb back on the fitness train. i'm not interested in registering for any races still but i've been getting in 2 pre-dawn runs a week. i broke up with "Y" and found an awesome bikram yoga studio in el cerritto...i crave heat and have taken to this form of yoga like a duck to water.

my laptop has been in the clutches of repair for weeks....don't ever send your computer in for repair over the holidays...slow, slow, slow.........so at i'm at M's mercy when she's in a rare good mood to use hers...arrgg, meanagers! happy belated new year to anyone who still stops by....i try to check in when M is not looking....when i get my laptop back i'll write more about my comeback, HA HA HA!!!