Sunday, February 28, 2010

Weekend Wrap UP

The week ended with a nice snow storm which yielded about 16 inches of snow. Who knew right? We went to bed on Thursday night and had about 4 inches, only to get up at 6:30 on Friday to walk the dog and she was up to her belly in snow! So it was a work from home day.

After work I got in a nice hour swim which looked like this:

3 x 800
1 x 400

all at TT+10

Then I got on the bike for a 2 hour Z1. After that it was Karaoke time! It was a friends birthday and we headed to Japas38 for a few hours of singing. After that it was back to our neighborhood to hang out a bit, then home to bed.

Saturday was a rest day since I was racing today, so I did exactly that. I sat on the couch all day and played Dr. Mario and ate. Then a good friend came over and we made some homemade tomato soup with garlic and swiss cheese bread floating in it, followed by fresh pasta with green squash and artichoke cooked in pesto. To keep with the theme for the evening, we then watched Julie & Julia.

Today was race day. I had a 4 mile race in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. I was supposed to take the first mile at 8:45 and then finish the last three at my best sustainable effort. So, I tried to do exactly that. I came in a the first mile at 8:25 (oooops!) and finished at 33:10. So in the end I ran 8:17 minute miles, which is my best race pace so far, with an average HR of 180. Not too shabby.

Now I am gong to head out to brunch and then watch the USA hockey game! Have a happy Sunday! GO USA!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Monster Set…

Yesterday was pretty uneventful and ended as most weekdays normally do with me passing out on the couch and waking up at 1am not knowing where I am, so we can just gloss over Tuesday, right to Wednesday. This morning was a 5:15am wake up, and all I wanted to do was hit the snooze button. As 5:30 rolled around with 3 snoozes already used, I went in for the fourth but was coerced out of bed by the whining and licking on my favorite dog alarm clock. I swear she will just sit right next to my bed and lick my face until I get up. And let me tell you doggy morning breath is worse than human, so out of bed I went.

After eating some Fig Newtons (my favorite pre workout snack) and turning on the coffee pot, I put on my swimsuit and took the dog out for a walk to the parking garage to get my car. On dark mornings she is my little body guard! Then it was off to the pool for the Monster Set. So here is how it went:

Warmup/Main Set:
o Pull 1000,
o 9 X 100
o 4 X 200 Paddles
o 5 X 100

I was allowed a 5-10 sec break between each set and that was it. Now the problem with my pool is that it is 20meters in length so in order to get close to the right sets I always have to go over by a bit. So when I am asked to record my times they always seem off. And it makes it really hard to compare yourself with anyone else, unless they are swimming in the same pool. Slightly frustrating but at least it is a place to swim for free.

Coach said it would take 59 minutes and I would be all good. I am not sure how they figure out times, but I am thinking they just ask the pros on my team how long it takes them. Because 59 min. for me, for that set, is not possible. So about 1:15 later, I crawled out of the pool and hit the showers. But not before the lifeguard on duty told me “You put in some work today! Come summer, your going to be happy you did all that!”, which made me feel a little better.

Then it was time for work. Tonight I have a 1:45 bike followed by a :25min T run. I wouldn’t mind it except it is freezing out! But I will just have to tough it out! Now it is back to work for a bit before I head out. Happy Hump Day!

Monday, February 22, 2010

What a weekend!

Friday night was early to bed, only to get up a bit later on Saturday, but I guess I needed the rest. We woke up around ten and I proceeded to make my pre-bike breakfast of whole wheat pancakes. I think they tend to work best because they just sit like lead in my stomach. Three pancakes and a cup of coffee later I got on the bike for a 3:17 Z1/Z2 ride. I went into the guest room with my Sony Reader with two books loaded, Juno ready to go on the computer, 2 packs of cliff bloks and 3 bottles of gatorade. The best part was about 2 hours in, my bf stopped in the room to let me know that I was now turning the guest room into a sweat box. After standing there and chatting for a few minutes, he let me know that not only was the sweat smell leaking into the living room, but that my sweat smelled like whole wheat pancakes! Gross right? Needless to say I finished one book and the rest of Juno and got ready to head out for my 25 min T run.

When I got back, I pounded my recovery drink and made some chicken sausages with some leftover bruschetta for lunch and made my way to the couch. And that is where I spent the rest of my day. Just me, my couch, my blankets, the dog and the Olympics. I am sure people stopped over for a while, but I was in such a daze that one of them could have walked over and punched me in the face and I wouldn't have noticed much!

Sunday morning was a little more of the same thing. But I did switch it up a bit. I made Banana Nut Fiber Plus muffins and then a few eggs, then headed out for my first :55 Z1 run. When I got back I did my 45 min Tabatta drills and then put my Coq Au Vin in the crockpot. Then it was off for a nice long walk with the bf and the pooch, followed by some sandwiches for a late lunch. Once halfway digested I headed out for my second :55 min Z1. Now notice I said halfway digested. I proceed to burp up that fantastic sandwich for all :55 minutes!

After all the workouts were done, it was back to the couch for Olympics and dinner. Let me tell you before the Olympics I had football, but after them I am not sure what I am going to do with my time.

Early to bed, early to rise, right? I got up this morning to teach 6am spin and then went for a recovery swim. I use the term swim loosely. I felt like I was just trying not to drown the whole entire time. My arms were so tired, I could have just sunk like an anchor and been ok with it.

Now it is off to work to train a new employee, yes I am not only an event planner but also part of the HR staff at my company. Then back to teach spin again tonight. Then, you guessed it, Olympics! Happy Monday!

Friday, February 19, 2010

Friday Fun

So I woke up a bit sore this morning from my impromptu massage appointment last night. And the weird thing is that it really wasn't even a normal massage. I went to someone new because I made a last minute appointment, (after the week I have had at work, it was necessary) so the woman I got gave me more a rub than a massage. (Sounds kinda pervey doesn't it!) I mean she didn't dig into my muscles she just kinda rubbed them. So I am not sure how I woke up so sore, but I did so I am dealing.

After a few mind numbing hours at work I decided to go Hill Bounding on my lunch break. Oh the joy! After a 25 Z1 warm up I started the bounding process, but since I work in a relatively flat section of NY I had to bound on a treadmill. So basically, I turn the incline as high as it can go and slow my pace and run for 1 minute uphill, then I bring the incline back to zero, bring up my pace and run for 3 minutes. So 7 intervals later I was shot, only to finish up with another 25 min cool down. Then I threw on my clothes, sans shower, I don't really see anyone during the day so I don't care if I am bit sweaty for the afternoon, and headed back to the office.

Tonight is a night of relaxation and no thinking, and I am looking forward to it. I have a 1:20 ride and then we are cooking chicken bruschetta and pasta and watching TV all night and hanging with the pooch. I am not sure if I have mentioned her before. I have a 5 year old Pit Bull mix that I rescued 4 years ago. She is a sweet heart and phenomenal cuddler. Just what I need after a long week at work.

I have tons of workouts this weekend including all three sports and I am adding in steaming as the fourth sport. It is my reward as long as I get everything else done. So I am looking forward to weekend of protein bars and recovery drinks, and no joke, this weekend I am actually looking forward to it.

So I hope you all have a great weekend and enjoy a few days to relax and enjoy!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Long Day....and a Long Night Ahead

So today started off bright and early with some business meetings and then an event. Today was supposed to start off with an nice early morning swim. But alas, I set the alarm for 6:05am instead of 5:05am, which I thought I was doing in my Olympic viewing haze and although I woke up well rested, I now have a swim to make up tomorrow!

As for today, after this full day of work is over, I will be heading home for some bike drills. Best Sustainable Effort Drills, to be exact. More specifically a 30min ZR/Z1 warm up, followed by 3 x ten minute 55-60rpm intervals with 4 min easy in between and a 15 min ZR cool down. Once I am done I get to do a nice quick change and head out on the icy death trap of a sidewalk in my city and begin my 15 min T run with the first mile at Z2, which gives me approx 7:50-8:10 to slip and fall!

But there is a light at the end of the this work/workout tunnel. Tonight is sushi night with the girls! That means avocado balls and fantastic conversation all around! So, now let me just finish up the last few hours here and get on with it!

Monday, February 15, 2010

Mama I'm Comin' Hoooome

On my way back home today. Then I have a fun night of cleaning and planning out the week. Oh wait, and dreading going back to work after missing a few days last week. Nothing like killing myself to catch up from being sick!

But I plan to be back in full force tomorrow with a nice long ride. And I think my ears are ready to get back in the pool! So a recovery swim tomorrow bright and early!

Catch you on the flip side!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Health Hiatus

I have been down for the count for the past 5 days with the flu accompanied by a lovely ear infection! I am finally back at it. I attempted to work out twice during the past few days and I almost passed out! So needless to say I came back slow and steady today with a Z1/Z2 1:20 run. It wasn't my best, but I didn't fall off the treadmill, so that is a start.

On Thursday night we traveled up to Rochester for the long weekend and it has been all about rest since we have been here. Tomorrow I will attempt to make up my long ride from Saturday when I get home and get in the pool for the first time this week. The ear seems to be feeling better and breathing is back to status quo, so I figure why not go completely nuts on my first full day back.

I hope you all have a lovely Valentine's Day. As for me, I will be heading out for a romantic dinner of pulled pork sammys and beer at Dinosaur BBQ in a few hours. Time to rest up and catch up on the Olympics.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Monday, Monday, la la la la la la la

Back to the grind! Not that I took anytime to rest this weekend! This weekend was chock full of workouts and fun! I got up super early on Saturday and made some whole wheat pancakes, since I knew I would need some super fuel to get me through my morning workouts. Then I started on my 2:37 Z1 ride, followed by a 20 min transition run and let me tell you, I am not one to run in the cold or snow and this weekend just confirmed that notion!

When I got off the bike I was drenched in sweat so I did a quick change and put on some cold gear. When I got outside, I remembered that my hair was also soaking wet, but not for long, it just froze right to my head, almost like an ice helmet. Then I set off on my run and all I could think was “Damn my head is cold!” and “Please don’t fall, please don’t fall”. I was so preoccupied by these thoughts, I didn’t have the usual my legs don’t’ want to move thoughts that I get when I start doing bricks.

After the work out it was right to the city with a group of friends for some fun times at McSorley's. Seeing as we went out so early in the day, I as happily home and asleep by 10pm, only to get up and start again!

On Sunday, I got up and prepared the house for a big day of eating and fun! I then did some Tabata Intervals on the bike, and then headed off to the gym for my 1:09 Z1/Z2 run. No way was I going to attempt the frozen run again! The run was actually quite successful. I was able to run relatively fast and stay in the low end of Z1 most of the time and Z2 was almost hard to get into for the first few minutes. So all in all a good run.

Then it was time, for the real deal! We invited over 20 of our closest friends and started to eat. We had everything from veggies and dip (those were just on the table to make everyone feel better) to baconators. Yes, they are as good as they sound! I had one guest tell me that they were going to skip on adult beverages all together to make sure they didn’t get too full and miss out on any of the food! We ate, we played games, we ate some more and by 1am I had to kick everyone out. I mean a girl’s gotta get some rest before the 5:25am wake up call for spin class!

Today is a recovery day, so I will just float around in the pool for 35 minutes and teach again. I am looking forward to a fast week, so if someone could make that happen it would be great!

Friday, February 5, 2010

To MP3 or not to MP3, That is the Question

This morning I got up nice an early after a late night of moving furniture with the bf and my little brother and met a friend for an early morning swim. Today she showed up with a shiny new toy, an underwater MP3 player. Now, I am all for shiny new things, but I am on the fence with this one. I feel like I multitask about 90% of my day and constantly have to deal with the background noise of life. Whether it’s the phone ringing, the printer printing or just the sound of my fingers typing, I am always hearing something. There is just something sacred to me about the quietness of being underwater.

I have to say I love going to the indoor pool on the roof of the gym, when the sun is just about to rise and taking some quiet time in my own head. I thoroughly enjoy the moment when I realize that I haven’t thought of anything besides, the sound of me exhaling through my nose underwater for about 20 minutes. So I am not sure how I feel about adding a soundtrack to it. But that is not to say that it isn’t the way to go, I just think right now, it isn’t the way to go for me.

So now, onto the actual swim. I started with a 900 warm up followed by 3 x 100 all out with paddles (torture devices in my mind) followed by a 200 easy pull. Then I finished up with 3 x 200 easy pull. So basically I am unable to lift my hands above my head today without feeling my shoulders burn. No roller coasters for me today I guess!

Tonight is a night in the house for me because I have to get up early for a 2:30 Z1 bike followed by a transition run. Hopefully this time I won’t feel like I got my ass handed to me when I am done! Then it is prep and cleaning for the Super Bowl festivities. I may be back on this weekend, but just in case I am not, have a great weekend and eat a buffalo wing for me on Sunday!

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Uno mas!

Only one more day to go in this work week! And let me tell you, I would pay for it to just be over right now. I currently work as an event planner for a non-profit and just finished up one of the largest events of the year, which takes about 5 months of nonstop work to plan and execute. Now that it is over, I am having post-event stress. When you go from being busy all the time to not being even remotely close to busy, it is enough to make you want to run around the office screaming. Which I am considering, but I haven’t been pushed to that level yet. Again, thank god there is only one more day to deal with it!

This morning I let myself sleep in, which was nice! I had intended on going hill bounding, but I will have to save that public embarrassment for tonight. What is hill bounding you say? It is running/leaping up a hill like an idiot, only to quickly run down hill with tiny, tiny steps like a frantic idiot, then take off into wind sprints when you hit the bottom, like a total lunatic. Basically you look like a spastic freak going out for a run! And lucky me, one of the only hills I can do this on is located right next to classrooms at the college in my town. So I entertain college students once a week with my antics! But alas, I really wanted the extra hour of sleep this morning, so entertain I will!

After hill bounding it is chicken fajita salads and then a 1:15 tempo ride in my guest bedroom on the trainer. Nothing like sweating all over my area rug, but what can you do, it is freezing outside!

I think we will finish off the night by doing some fun Thursday night entertaining. I have to get rid of some old bedroom furniture, so my brother is planning on picking that up and then we will most likely be joined by a few friends for some adult beverages and tv. But no sleeping in tomorrow, I’ve got a full morning of resistance swimming ahead of me!

Only 3 more hours until I can go home…….

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Work, Life Balance….I’m working on it…

So last night’s, BST bike drills and T run, were very interesting, and slightly painful. It is always funny when someone else sees you doing this type of work out. I always get the same reaction, “Why do you do that to yourself?” To which I have no answer. Now if they followed up with me in 5 months, I might be able to give them some insight but in the first few months of training, I can not answer that question, because usually I am asking myself the same thing.

After biking, it was time for some oven fried chicken strips and a random Indian side that I had in my pantry from Trader Joes. It was random food night, because I was totally uninterested in having another left over dinner, so I decided to mix it up and eat the leftovers tonight. Yep folks, This is my excitement during the week, planning meals!

This morning I got up for a very long swim. The workout is called the “Big Swim” and there is no argument there. It consisted of a warm up, 2 x 400 TT separated by a 100 pull, then a 200TT followed by a 100 pull, then 5 x100 getting faster as you go with the last being a TT. Needless to say by the time I hit the steam room, I could hardly lift my arms!

This afternoon promises a recovery bike and recovery T run. I am going to try and get it done at lunch so I can have a free evening to go food shopping for this weekend’s party. You would be surprised how many grocery stores run out of Frank’s Red Hot before the Super Bowl. And I gotta get my fix! Then a friend is coming over for a glass of wine and some TV.

And there you have it! My first attempt since Jan 1 to create some balance!

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

I've Fallen Behind and I Can't Catch Up....

So here I am, after saying at I wouldn’t fall behind on things, and I have fallen behind! Work life has gotten in the way this month, well not so much in the way as it has totally taken over! But I am reclaiming my life! I had a friend tell me that 2/1/10 is the “New” New Year’s Day, so here’s to getting back on track!

Yesterday, I taught two spin classes, one at 6:00am and one at 7:30. Can I tell you that I almost passed out during the night session! How embarrassing if the instructor drops dead during the class! In between the two classes, I took on a 30 minute recovery with 4 x 50 Golf. I can feel my freestyle stroke getting stronger which is a good thing. I will test it out tomorrow with the 3 x 400TT I have to get in during my next swim. Let’s see how I do.

Today I have 1:20 bike, which includes some not so fun intervals, 35 minutes in, followed by a 10 min T Run. Which I totally wouldn’t mind, except it is freezing out! And I seem to be getting mixed reviews in terms of which groundhog saw what! So now I have no idea if spring is coming or not!

And now, for something a little more fun, this weekend I am hosting my annual Super Bowl Party, which is basically an eat-a-thon. There are very few days throughout the year that I think it is ok to do this. I don’t do it for Christmas or Thanksgiving because I am not a fan of that kind of food. But what I am a fan of is, bar food! Buffalo wings, assorted dips, pigs in a blanket, chips and of course the veggie crudités (you need to throw some greens and fiber in there!). So really this weekend is about the food! I vow to get my work outs in, but I also vow to use Sunday as my cheat meal! (Yes, I may have just referenced a whole day as a meal, but come on, it’s only one day a year!)

As part of my new 2010 resolutions, I will see you here tomorrow! Same place, same time!