Sunday, January 30, 2011

Wonderful Team Ride

Today did not disappoint—God blessed us with almost as amazing weather today (sans sun) as we had yesterday. The following picture is the route we took. I'm not happy with the new mapmyride program, so there's no elevation to show and I couldn't incorporate the mileage (36.44 according to the application) into the screen cap, so this is what we have. If anyone knows of a better program/site to use instead, please let me know!


We rode a different route today than we normally do, and it was a great route. There were two additional sprint signs (I'm not sure where the 3rd one was because I totally missed that sprint), which made for a spirited ride . And all the people there made it more exciting (albeit very inconsistent time-wise): Lisa, Lisa, Parri, Catherine, Lee, Jonell, Anna, Valerie, and me from Team B; and Lynn, David, Dave, Andy, Robert, Jason, and Jeremy from various other teams. Stats:

  • 1:43:19, 33 miles, 19.2 avg (prob closer to 20, actually, since I rode until I hit 33 miles) (35 max), 1970 cal, 158 HR (189 max)

Then I had fun working on planning Lauren's birthday party (Amazing-Race themed, and I'm praying for no rain or snow because we'll be all over her neighborhood with fifteen 12-year-old girls!) and making some food for the week—I'm thankful for big pans!

Mmmm...all these veggies and chicken, mixed with rice, made 12 servings, which is 2 weeks' worth of lunches. Hooray!

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Outside!

I love being outside. Today was my chance. Forget that the kids had a snow day on Tuesday, have been to school maybe 10 of the last 40 days, and have already run out of built-in snow days in the school calendar. Forget that we've had more snow than normal and a lower average January temperature than normal. Today was different. I almost have tan lines on my arms from our ride this afternoon! But before I get to that, I'll recap today's fun D1 bootcamp.

Sarah worked us harder today than last week, and a lot of the same people were back for more. I introduced myself to a few, including Laura, Joann, Paul, and another guy whose name I can't remember. We started out with a few laps around the field and a quick dynamic warmup. Then it was right into the real workout: stations. Today we had 10 stations that I did in the following order: star jumps (while saying "I'm a star!"; Will would've been so happy), push ups, plank things where we jumped our feet onto a step 3 times then pushed the step 10 yards then repeated, biceps curls, throw downs where we threw the med ball hard onto the ground, triceps push ups, burpies and punches, side and lateral delt raises (10lb), mountain climbers, and squat with stick. We did 25 seconds of work, had 15 seconds to rotate stations, and went all the way through. Then after a short break we did some abs exercises. Stations, abs, stations, finish. The hour passed quickly, but I will be honest—it made me miss training with Will in the same room, making me work harder and harder.

As soon as I finished that, I headed to Lisa's house for a ride. I wore toastie toes for my feet, but I didn't even need high socks or arm warmers and loved it. Hopefully more of the same tomorrow! My ride was changed from what it should've been due to a flat tire around mile 8. Thankfully I had a spare tube with me and Wayne stopped to help me (good thing because whatever had punctured the tube went through the tire and he had a bill to protect the tube), but that meant we were separated from Lisa, Andy, Adam, Jon, and Kevin. We got in a good 1.5 hours or so, a kind of slow 27 miles (16 mph average, and 144 HR average), but I never really looked at my watch and my computer wasn't working, so I really was just out to ride. It felt like a nice recovery ride—not the endurance/slow-ish tempo pace Lisa had, but it was pretty much what I needed. Stats:

  • 1:40:06, 27 miles, 16.1 avg (yes, that's super slow!) (28.1 max), 1521 cal, 143 HR (177 max)

I've been kind of slacking on my other workouts (one of which I should be doing now but am blogging and planning instead), but everything I've done this week has been high quality and I'll still hit the 9 (or 10) workouts that seem to work well for me.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Party Party

Today was wonderful. So nice outside, great running with an amazing friend, a productive afternoon, and game night with previously known and new friends. Can't get much better than that for a Friday!

After a short morning at work, I headed to Anna's for a run through Edwin Warner park. The sun was out and it was warmer than it has been, and we thoroughly enjoyed the sunshine and God's goodness and faithfulness in both our lives. We ran a 5K and walked the rest of the way, completing about 5.25 miles. My HR looks high, but it was definitely a comfortable conversational pace. Stats:

  • 54:41 total, 5.21 miles, 10:29 pace (6:52 best), 571 cal, 149 HR (182 max)
  • Mile 1: 8:22, 165 HR
  • Mile 2: 8:16, 168 HR
  • Mile 3: 8:58, 168 HR
  • Mile 4: 9:17, 168 HR
  • Mile 5: 16:04, 120 HR
  • Mile 5.2: 17:25 pace, 111 HR

Then we headed back to her house to get ready for Josh's birthday party that night. Anna loves to plan and execute parties, and she did a killer job with this game-themed party. She had someone make the billiards balls cupcakes below, but then she made a dice (cheese ball with olives), dartboard dip (lettuce and tomatoes with beef and olives for the double and triple lines), apples with caramel (for Apples to Apples, which we didn't end up playing), suit-shaped lemon cookies, beef stew with alphabet pasta, and Scrabble-tile brownies. Sometimes I wish I were that creative, but God has given me some other great talents that I'm happy about.

Billiards ball cupcakes

Dart board dip, half-eaten

While enjoying the great food, we played a long round of poker. It took forever because we had 8 people and lots of chips. Even though I had horrible hands (I never would've won even if I'd stayed in long enough to get to that point), I enjoyed it. We played a couple rounds of Catch Phrase and called it a night. I'm so grateful for such good friends!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

CompuTrainer Class: Aerobic Training IV

Today's was a good class—I was definitely in my aerobic zone for the whole thing, and I like the feeling of working hard and sweating! It was the same workout today as we did Tuesday, and it felt about the same. Though I didn't do the same workout yesterday as I'd done Monday, so my legs felt slightly less weighed down.

I wasn't able to stay on the bike as long because I got there later than normal, but hopefully I'll make up for it with a nice long ride outside this weekend. Hopefully all the snow melts between now and then!

Today, Tuesday, Thursday.

  • 1:09 total workout, 164 avg HR, 181 max
    1:21 total workout, 158 avg HR, 180 max
    1:23 total workout, 152 avg HR, 176 max
  • 5-minute warm up to warm up the trainer, 103 HR
    9-minute warm up to warm up the trainer, 96 HR
    11-minute warm up to warm up the trainer, 101 HR (but I was on and off here)
  • 10-minute warm up, 155 HR
    10-minute warm up, 151 HR
    10-minute warm up, 144 HR
  • 17-minute aerobic effort with two 2-minute spikes in the middle, 169 HR; 2 min active recovery, 168 HR
    17-minute aerobic effort with two 2-minute spikes in the middle, 166 HR; 2 min active recovery, 166 HR
    17-minute aerobic effort with two 2-minute spikes in the middle, 159 HR; 2 min active recovery, 154 HR
  • 4 minutes of 1-leg drills, 170  HR; 2 min active recovery, 168 HR
    4 minutes of 1-leg drills, 165  HR; 2 min active recovery, 164 HR
    4 minutes of 1-leg drills, 158 HR; 2 min active recovery, 158 HR
  • 4 spin-ups, starting at 85 for 30 seconds, increasing to 110 for 1 minute, holding 110 for 1:30, going back to 85 for 30 sec (or maybe 2 min), then repeating (4 total times; big chain ring), 175 avg. HR; 3:30 active recovery, 163 HR
    4 spin-ups, starting at 85 for 30 seconds, increasing to 110 for 1 minute, holding 110 for 1:30, going back to 85 for 30 sec (or maybe 2 min), then repeating (4 total times; big chain ring), 172 avg. HR; 3:30 active recovery, 168 HR
    4 spin-ups, starting at 85 for 30 seconds, increasing to 110 for 1 minute, holding 110 for 1:30, going back to 85 for 30 sec (or maybe 2 min), then repeating (4 total times; big chain ring), 167 avg. HR; 3:30 active recovery, 160 HR
  • 1 minute at 95, 158 HR; 2 minutes at 110, 172 HR
    1 minute at 95, 160 HR; 2 minutes at 110, 171 HR
    1 minute at 95, 151 HR; 2 minutes at 115, 169 HR
  • 1 minute at 95, 172 HR
    1 minute at 95, 170 HR; 2 minutes at 105, 171 HR
    1 minute at 95, 165 HR; 2 minutes at 110, 166 HR

I had another workout for later, the same one I did Tuesday afternoon, which I did not do. I needed a rest, and instead I went over to Farkases' house and watched American Idol with Uncle John, Luke, and Savannah. Much more relaxing than training would've been.

    Wednesday, January 26, 2011

    Busy Day at Work

    Today was pretty busy at work, and though I had a lunch break, I decided to not use it to go swim like I'd planned. Instead, I did one afternoon workout and called it a day. I did mostly the same workout as I'd done Monday, but I skipped the laps and the dead lifts and did lunge and standing ham instead. Definitely a good decision.

    These were all phasic exercises that will hopefully help me be fast (since they basically make you turn your muscles on and off as quickly as possible). This is another one I need Will to explain to me again. It was the same methodics for all exercises: 10 reps, 3-count rest, 15 reps, 3 rest, 20 reps, 5 rest, 25 reps, 5 rest, 30 reps, 10 rest, 35 rest, 10 rest, 40 reps.

    • Standing front delt
    • Bent over lateral delt
    • Leg curl
    • Leg extension
    • Bent over front delt
    • Biceps curl
    • Hip flexion
    • Hip extension
    • 1-leg dead lift, 30 each side, 45-lb bar
    • Lunge L (2:53), R (3:03)
    • Standing ham

    It was also a good day for grocery shopping. I haven't shared any of my shops lately, but this one deserves a post because I got some real food. Kroger has some good sales this week, too, and I'll likely be able to get more for less there. Here's what I got at Publix today:


    Here's the summary:

    • Spent $13.94, saved $23.27, or 63%
    • Morning Star burgers (4): $4.82 ($15.64 full price; used 4×$0.75 MQs)
    • Publix pasta: free ($1.15 full price; buy theirs, get ours Publix promo)
    • Mueller pasta: $0.94 ($1.49 full price; used a $0.55 MQ)
    • Publix eggs: $2.39
    • Publix baby spinach: free ($2.49 full price; buy theirs, get ours Publix promo)
    • Fresh Express baby spinach: $3.69
    • Publix sugar: $0.01 ($2.69 full price; penny item Publix promo)
    • Kotex (2): $0.36 ($5.86 full price; used 2×$2.00 PQs and a $1.50/2 MQ)

    Tuesday, January 25, 2011

    CompuTrainer Class: Aerobic Training IV

    Today's class was a good one. It was pretty much the same as last week except that we stayed in the big ring the entire time and I had my watts at 208 rather than 206. It was at 211 when I started, but since I know Todd doesn't want me up too high, I lowered it to where I'd been on Saturday. My HR was a little higher today than Thursday, and I definitely felt like I was working harder. I don't know it if was from the 1-leg dead lifts yesterday  or I'm just tired, but I made it through everything and kept my cadence where it was supposed to be even though it was super hard. And based on the stats below, my HR where it wasn't supposed to be since it was significantly higher than Thursday. Today, Thursday.

    • 1:21 total workout, 158 avg HR, 180 max
      1:23 total workout, 152 avg HR, 176 max
    • 9-minute warm up to warm up the trainer, 96 HR
      11-minute warm up to warm up the trainer, 101 HR (but I was on and off here)
    • 10-minute warm up, 151 HR
      10-minute warm up, 144 HR
    • 17-minute aerobic effort with two 2-minute spikes in the middle, 166 HR; 2 min active recovery, 166 HR
      17-minute aerobic effort with two 2-minute spikes in the middle, 159 HR; 2 min active recovery, 154 HR
    • 4 minutes of 1-leg drills, 165  HR; 2 min active recovery, 164 HR
      4 minutes of 1-leg drills, 158 HR; 2 min active recovery, 158 HR
    • 4 spin-ups, starting at 85 for 30 seconds, increasing to 110 for 1 minute, holding 110 for 1:30, going back to 85 for 30 sec (or maybe 2 min), then repeating (4 total times; big chain ring), 172 avg. HR; 3:30 active recovery, 168 HR
      4 spin-ups, starting at 85 for 30 seconds, increasing to 110 for 1 minute, holding 110 for 1:30, going back to 85 for 30 sec (or maybe 2 min), then repeating (4 total times; big chain ring), 167 avg. HR; 3:30 active recovery, 160 HR
    • 1 minute at 95, 160 HR; 2 minutes at 110, 171 HR
      1 minute at 95, 151 HR; 2 minutes at 115, 169 HR
    • 1 minute at 95, 170 HR; 2 minutes at 105, 171 HR
      1 minute at 95, 165 HR; 2 minutes at 110, 166 HR
    • 1 minute at 95, 169 HR; 4 minutes at 100, 173 HR
      1 minute at 95, 166 HR; 4 minutes at 100, 169 HR (moved to big chain ring)
    • 1-minute short cooldown, 172 HR
      1-minute short cooldown, 167 HR

    I had another workout for later, and boy were my legs tired from the morning ride and yesterday's dead lifts. And guess what? More dead lifts were on the schedule for this afternoon! This was similar to one I did February 1, 2010 (with Will) and again October 30, 2010. However, neither was preceded by what this one was! Somehow I keep combining or confusing dead lifts, 1-arm dead lifts, and 1-leg dead lifts. I think it's time for Will to explain it all again.

    • GHR 40 seconds; 10 quick-style squats; 1-leg dead lift RIGHT leg, 15 reps, 45-lb bar 20-lb bar; rebound 1-leg squat, RIGHT leg back, 30 reps
    • Switch legs, then repeat, doing 3 times each leg
    • 1-arm bench press, 25 lb, 3 breaths at top, 3 reps, switch arms, 6 sets of 3 each arm
    • Rebound bent-over 1-arm row, 25-lb bar (or less or 15-lb or so dumbbell), 3 reps, switch arms, 6 sets of 3 each arm
    • Crate crunch, 3×30 quick-style reps

    My pleasant surprise for the night was that Lisa S was at the CSY working out at the same time! None of my normal "posse" (her word ;-) was able to lift, so I switched Ys and hoped I'd see Lynn maybe or someone else I knew. It was great to be able to chat with her and still have both of us try to complete our workouts.

    Monday, January 24, 2011

    Monday Run (No Swim)

    Today's temperature was much to high to swim. It hasn't been 40+ degrees for a few weeks, and I just had to get outside. So I went to the DHY and ran 2 miles on the path out back. 15:13, 7:37 pace. My HR average was 176--yikes! The good news is that it took me only about 45 seconds to get it down to the 140s after I finished. Mile 1 was 7:49, mile 2 was 7:24. Mile 1 is mostly uphill, which of course means that mile 2 is mostly downhill, hence the significantly faster mile. But it's pretty comparable to the next (and maybe only this year) 5K I'll be doing, so if it stays above freezing I might decide to run instead of swim.

    For the afternoon workout, I did another that I'd already done but threw a little bit of running in between exercises. Just a few times around the MFY track each time, nothing to long or slow, just a mile total including my half-mile warm up.

    These were all phasic exercises that will hopefully help me be fast (since they basically make you turn your muscles on and off as quickly as possible). It was the same methodics for all exercises: 10 reps, 3-count rest, 15 reps, 3 rest, 20 reps, 5 rest, 25 reps, 5 rest, 30 reps, 10 rest, 35 rest, 10 rest, 40 reps.

    • Standing front delt
    • Bent over lateral delt
    • Leg curl
    • Leg extension
    • Bent over front delt
    • Biceps curl
    • Hip flexion
    • Hip extension

    The last on the list was 1-leg dead lift, 30 each side, 45-lb bar. I used a 40-lb bar instead and did only as many as I could before I felt like the bar was about to slip, switch sides, repeat, until I reached 30 total.

    Sunday, January 23, 2011

    Sweatfest III

    I managed to stay on the bike for the full 2:30 today (with a 10-minute break). It was a great ride. I'm really liking the new ErgVideo program. We rode today with 7 guys through the mountains. The view was great, and I love riding with people because it pushes me more, and I worked pretty hard. Totals and stats:

    • 2:40, 156 HR, 182 max
    • 15-minute warm up to warm up the trainer, 128 HR
    • 1 hour, 26 miles, 163 HR
    • 21-minute climb, 170 HR
    • 6-minute descent, 156 HR (we don't get a break on the descent like the real riders do)
    • 19-minute climb, 168 HR
    • 3-minute descent, 158 HR
    • 11-minute break, 109 HR (but I was off the bike for most of this)
    • 25-minute rest of the ride, 159 HR

    I think I ended up with about 43 miles total, and I stayed pretty close to an effrot level 6. Maybe a little under, definitely not over, but it was a sweet spot I could've stayed in all day. The first part of the ride included two climbs and a few descents. The descents would've been fantastic if we were actually on the road. Unfortunately, we don't get the same recovery that the real riders get and still have to pedal through the descent. After the break, we rode 25 minutes with two 10-second bursts at 10 minutes and 20 minutes into the 25. I didn't look at my stats during that time, but I know I wasn't anywhere near the 540 or something watts I hit last week during the sprints.

    Saturday, January 22, 2011

    Boot Camp

    Today was supposed to be my rest day, but it wasn't. I like free things, and something free came along that I couldn't turn down—a boot camp at D1 Sport Training in Franklin. They typically train pro athletes like hockey and football players, but they also have lots of "executives" come in and out. And, periodically they train triathletes. Like back in 2008, maybe, when a group of us went there early mornings twice a week to train with the now well-known (at least for readers of this blog) trainer Will Roberts. I knew he was good and decided to keep training with him. Definitely one of the best decisions I've made in my athletic career; not only has he become a great friend, he has pushed me harder and made me faster than I could've ever done on my own.

    They boot camp today was pretty good. There was a group of 24 of us, all ages, both genders, and all levels of athletic ability. Our coach was Sarah, and she did well motivating us. We warmed up for a while, did 6 stations (30 seconds of work, 15 seconds rest, 30 seconds of work, then switch stations; walking lunges, some oblique plank/crunch thing, curls, crunches, kettle bell squats, and rows), pushed a tire or did planks, repeated the stations, and ran a couple laps to cool down. I enjoyed it, it was actually a pretty good rest-day activity, and I signed up to go back for 3 more weeks (all free, of course, and they won't be selling me on an upgrade).

    But, the best part of being at D1 was the chance to use a glute ham stand. Will has one in his gym, but since he's in Phoenix and I'm here in the Nashville area, I don't get to use his much. No Y that I've visited in the area has one--the DHY used to have one, but when they leased new equipment last winter they replaced it with other equipment and didn't upgrade the one they had. I was thrilled to be able to use one. Even if the roller pads are huge and not the best according to Will, it's the only one I have access to so I'll take it over nothing! I ran 2 laps, did 1 min at parallel, did 10 reps, then repeated, ending with 2 laps. I will enjoy this change for the next 3 weekends!

    Friday, January 21, 2011

    Real Quick

    I managed a run outside today. It was 28 degrees, but the sun was out and I had to get outside. I'm so glad I did! It was short, only 2 miles, but it was pretty quick by my standards. Especially considering the chill in the air! After running I did a few isos, 5 minutes of work, skipping the ones I didn't want to do. I do not work nearly as hard by myself as I do with Will.

    • Push up
    • Curl
    • Crunch
    • Lunge
    • Standing ham

    Also, we'll forget how long I was able to hold the lunge. Suffice it to say, I'm not at the 5 minutes I'm aiming for yet. That's still a work in progress.

    Thursday, January 20, 2011

    CompuTrainer Class: Aerobic Training III

    This morning was exactly the same as Tuesday morning. Well, as far the course goes. As far as difficulty goes, today was so much harder because of the other workouts I've been doing this week. They've begun compounding, and I'm already looking forward to resting this weekend (likely Saturday so I can enjoy a sweatfest Sunday morning).

    • 1:23 total workout, 152 avg HR, 176 max
    • 11-minute warm up to warm up the trainer, 101 HR (but I was on and off here)
    • 10-minute warm up, 144 HR
    • 17-minute aerobic effort with two 2-minute spikes in the middle, 159 HR; 2 min active recovery, 154 HR
    • 4 minutes of 1-leg drills, 158 HR; 2 min active recovery, 158 HR
    • 4 spin-ups, starting at 85 for 30 seconds, increasing to 110 for 1 minute, holding 110 for 1:30, going back to 85 for 30 sec (or maybe 2 min), then repeating (4 total times; big chain ring), 167 avg. HR; 3:30 active recovery, 160 HR
    • 1 minute at 95, 151 HR; 2 minutes at 115, 169 HR
    • 1 minute at 95, 165 HR; 2 minutes at 110, 166 HR
    • 1 minute at 95, 166 HR; 4 minutes at 100, 169 HR (moved to big chain ring)
    • 1-minute short cooldown, 167 HR

    Today I wore my Garmin and a Polar strap. Both worked, and wearing both will work so much better for me because then I actually have the data in a place where I can see it. Even though my legs were super tired today, I felt like I rode just as well as Tuesday—I didn't focus so much on how tired my legs were but rather on keeping my HR steady. That definitely worked well for me.

    For the afternoon workout, I didn't have nearly as difficult a time today making the adjustment from slow to fast as I did last time I did this workout. I'm not sure why, but I was happy about it. I did everything 3 times through, opting for that and beating the snow/ice home rather than 5 times through.

    • 1 minute lunge, each side; 50 hip flexor phasic reps; repeat the previous two 3–5 times
    • 1 minute GHR; 50 hip extension phasic reps; repeat the previous two 3–5 times
    • 1 minute push up; 50 row phasic reps; repeat the previous two 3–5 times
    • 1 minute scap pull up; 50 front delt phasic reps; repeat the previous two 3–5 times

    Tough Workout

    I went to the CSY to do it since I like their options for tall things to stand on. Plus I like their floor for landing on. I tried the altitude drop legs with my new toe shoes (which are super cool and blue—I'll post a picture eventually), but that did not work at all. My feet were freezing and the impact wasn't pleasant, and it felt like it was pulling my skin every time I landed. Thankfully I still had my good Pumas in my bag and could wear them! This workout was super hard because I was already sore from Monday (same workout) and Tuesday (12 minutes of wall squats) and tired from having ridden, but I attacked it and made my time in the gym worth it. All I needed was Will and it would've been perfect.

    • Altitude drop legs: 10×5 reps, 5 breaths rest
    • Wall squat: 1 minute on, 30 seconds off, 3 times
    • Altitude drop GHR: 10×5 reps (20 seconds rest)
    • Standing ham: 1 minute on, 30 seconds off, 3 times
    • Bench press: 65 lb, 10 deep breaths, 1 rep, 6 deep breaths, 2 reps, 3 deep breaths, 3 reps; 2 total times (breathe while holding bar up)
    • Dead lift: 75 lb, 10 deep breaths, 1 rep, 6 deep breaths, 2 reps, 3 deep breaths, 3 reps; 2 total times (breathe while standing holding bar)
    • Curl: 25 lb, 10 deep breaths, 1 rep, 6 deep breaths, 2 reps, 3 deep breaths, 3 reps; 2 total times (breathe holding bar at top)

    At lunch, I'd gone to the DHY for 22 minutes on the step mill. I needed something aerobic and short, and there's still no going outside to run for this girl—I need about 20 more degrees before I'd be comfortable running outside!

    Tuesday, January 18, 2011

    CompuTrainer Class: Aerobic Training III

    Today's workout was the following (slightly different from last week but still with a focus on lower aerobic effort):

    • 1:25 total workout
    • 10-minute warm up to warm up the trainer
    • 10-minute warm up
    • 17-minute aerobic effort with two 2-minute spikes in the middle; 2 min active recovery
    • 4 minutes of 1-leg drills; 2 min active recovery
    • 4 spin-ups, starting at 85 for 30 seconds, increasing to 110 for 1 minute, holding 110 for 1:30, going back to 85 for 30 sec (or maybe 2 min), then repeating (4 total times; big chain ring); 3:30 active recovery
    • 1 minute at 95; 2 minutes at 115
    • 1 minute at 95; 2 minutes at 110
    • 1 minute at 95; 4 minutes at 100 (moved to big chain ring)
    • Short cooldown

    During one of the spikes in the 13-minute effort and during a couple of the spin-ups, I actually felt like I hit a 6 effort level on a scale of 1 to 10. I didn't necessarily stay there, mostly because I was focusing on keeping my HR lower while still doing the same amount of work. Unfortunately, I have NO IDEA what my HR was, even though that was what I was supposed to be focusing on. Polar HRMs are not reliable for me; I know Todd's work well because Lisa, Cali, Jerry, and Tammy had no trouble with theirs today. Mine on the other hand kept cutting in and out and would frequently come back up saying my HR was about 42 or 62 or 82 or 51 or 218—it was registering all over the board, but I know I stayed pretty consistent, around 160 or 165.

    The afternoon one was one I'd done before, so I knew what to expect. Good thing, too, because it was HARD. Wall squats in general are hard, but doing a total of 12 minutes throughout the workout is almost ridiculous (I say "almost" because I did it, so it wasn't too crazy).

    The methodics looked like this: phasic 20 seconds, tonic 30 seconds, 5 deep breaths rest, phasic 10 seconds (PTP), followed by a 3 minute ISO. The exercise order was this:

    • Bent over lateral delt PTP, wall squat ISO
    • Bent over front delt PTP, wall squat ISO
    • Leg curl PTP, wide push up ISO
    • Hip flexion PTP, wide push up ISO
    • Biceps curl PTP, wall squat ISO
    • Bent over triceps extension PTP, wall squat ISO
    • Leg extension PTP, wide push up ISO
    • Hip extension PTP, wide push up ISO

    The wall squats were definitely tough, and I had a hard time finding a place for the push up (I ended up between two bikes in the women's only room at MFY). But it was a great accomplishment to finish!

    Monday, January 17, 2011

    Monday Swim

    Last Monday was a strange day, since we got 3–4 inches of snow in one night when we're used to about none all winter. I didn't go in to work, so I didn't swim; DHY is the best pool for me to swim in—there usually aren't too many people to swim around, it's temperate, it's close to work, and it makes me feel like I'm outside working rather than inside like I am all day otherwise.

    Today I headed back to the pool at the DHY for a 700. I'd wanted to get 800 in (100 more than last time) but got a late start and still had to run errands after, so it was definitely a short swim. Good thing I won't be needing fabulous long swim skills for this coming season!

    1:38, 1:51, 1:52, 1:50, 1:51, 40sec rest, 1:42 (without the pull buoy), 18sec rest, 19.33 sprint, 20sec rest, 19.38 sprint)

    After work, it was off to the MFY to meet Valerie to lift. I am going back to some of my old workouts and doing my stuff from Will and she is still doing her stuff from Todd so we're not lifting together, but we still met and did what we could in the same place so we could talk!

    • Altitude drop legs: 10×5 reps, 5 breaths rest
    • Wall squat: 1 minute on, 30 seconds off, 3 times
    • Altitude drop GHR: 10×5 reps (20 seconds rest)
    • Standing ham: 1 minute on, 30 seconds off, 3 times
    • 15-minute break on one of the stair steppers (not a step mill) while Valerie warmed up
    • Dead lift: 65 lb, 10 deep breaths, 1 rep, 6 deep breaths, 2 reps, 3 deep breaths, 3 reps; do 2 total times (breathe while standing holding bar); should've been 75 but I misread my note; I can do that much weight
    • Bench press: 65 lb, 10 deep breaths, 1 rep, 6 deep breaths, 2 reps, 3 deep breaths, 3 reps; do 2 total times (breathe while holding bar up)
    • Curl: 25 lb, 10 deep breaths, 1 rep, 6 deep breaths, 2 reps, 3 deep breaths, 3 reps; do 2 total times (breathe holding bar at top)

    Then I went to church for the first night of Financial Peace University. Today's lesson was all about why you should save and what the outcome is if you start saving early. Time to figure out how I can save more!

    Sunday, January 16, 2011

    Real Rest Day

    It's been far too long since I've taken a real rest day, so today's felt great! I took a little walk, but there wasn't must else athletic I did today unless you count a few pull ups and push ups. I spent some time reading and on the computer, took a little walk, watched some football, relaxed in the hot tub, talked to some friends and family on the phone, and ate some good food. A lovely day (that could've only been made better by a 40* increase in temperature outside).

    Saturday, January 15, 2011

    Sweatfest II

    Today's sweatfest at Todd's was another 2.5 hours of suffering. But it was great suffering today, just like last week. I had new goals and numbers to focus on, so I enjoyed it. And we were on a new course that made us feel like we were outside, so that was even more fun.

    It was mostly endurance pace, but for the last hour the intensity was a little higher and we did a few sprints—I missed the first one because we didn't know what it looked like on the computer, but I picked it up fast and nailed the second. The third, Valerie led me out for and that was fun. I'd just been thinking about how to practice more race-like sprints, and this was one way. Even though it was simulated and we had no idea who was where and going how fast, it still felt real and made both of us work super hard. The fourth was super short and I wasn't ready for it. But as soon as I saw the rider on the screen go, I reacted and was then happy with myself. I never did get my HR back down to a lower effort level, but I didn't care.

    Friday, January 14, 2011

    Trainer Ride

    After a short day at work today, I headed to MFY for a few minutes on the step mill and a few rounds on some of the weight machines. This will be my last time lifting (in the traditional way) for a while, so I just tried a bunch of different machines. Then I went to Anna's to watch Letters to Juliet, ride the trainer, eat supper, and play some games. They are great friends! Talked to Will about training again, and we're still trying to figure out what works for me. We're getting closer but still not quite there yet. Small steps are good steps though!

    Thursday, January 13, 2011

    CompuTrainer Class: Aerobic Training II

    Today's class was a repeat of Tuesday's except that it seemed even easier. Today, Tuesday.

    • 1:31 total, 150 HR (171 max), 29 miles plus warmup
    • 1:30 total, 153 HR (173 max), 25-ish miles
    • 13:50 to warm up trainer, 127 HR
    • 10:40 warmup to warm up the trainer, 128 HR
    • 10-minute warmup, 142 HR
    • 10-minute warmup, 145 HR
    • 13-minute aerobic effort (157 HR), 2 minute active recovery (150 HR)
    • 13-minute aerobic effort (157 HR), 2 minute active recovery (151 HR)
    • 4 minutes of 1-leg drills (30 sec, 45 sec, 30 sec) (158 HR), 3 min active recovery (148 HR)
    • 4 minutes of 1-leg drills (30 sec, 45 sec, 30 sec) (159 HR), 3 min active recovery (151 HR)
    • 10 minutes, three 30-second spin-ups at 85 RPM, with 1 minute of increasing cadence to 110 RPM, then 1:30 at 110 RPM and 30 sec at 100 RPM (163 HR); 3:30 active recovery (149 HR)
    • 10 minutes, three 30-second spin-ups at 85 RPM, with 1 minute of increasing cadence to 110 RPM, then 1:30 at 110 RPM and 30 sec at 100 RPM (162 HR); 3:30 active recovery (144 HR)
    • 30 minutes of alternating cadence efforts: 95 (1 min), 115 (2 min), 95 (1 min), 110 (2 min), 95 (1 min), 105 (3 min), 95 (2 min), 100 (4 min), 95 (2 min), 105 (3 min), 95 (1 min), 110 (2 min), 95 (1 min), 115 (2 min), 95 (1 min); 159 HR
    • 30 minutes of alternating cadence efforts: 
      • 95 (1 min), 115 (2 min), 157 HR
      • 95 (1 min), 110 (2 min), 164 HR
      • 95 (1 min), 105 (3 min), 162 HR
      • 95 (2 min), 100 (4 min), 163 HR
      • 95 (2 min), 105 (3 min), 161 HR
      • 95 (1 min), 110 (2 min), 164 HR
      • 95 (1 min), 115 (2 min), 166 HR
      • 95 (1 min), 165 HR
      • 162 average
    • 3-minute cooldown, 143 HR
    • 4-minute cooldown, 147 HR

    After work, I went to MFY for a little run. I'm beginning to like its little track. Fourteen times around is one mile, and a guy who works there said it's a pretty accurate mile along the inside route. I ran 49 times around for a total of 3.5 miles. Well, that distance included some walking/recovery, but it was more running than walking. The first 1.5 took me 10:27 (3:41, 3:23, 3:21; it's so much easier to count 7 laps than 14!). I took a 3-minute, 3-lap rest, then another 0.5 mi in 3:18. Another 3-minute, 3-lap rest, then another 0.5 mi in 3:15. One more lap took me to 3 miles in 23:35—not bad for 6 minutes of walking! And having to fight for room on the track with people who were in a class doing things like squats. I couldn't understand why they were on the track when there is plenty of room along the side and off the running surface; I kept waiting for the instructor to tell them to move, but it never happened.

    Wednesday, January 12, 2011

    Quick Workout, Quick Recap

    Valerie, Jonell, and I lifted today. I warmed up on the step mill, and then we did a different workout from normal. Well, it contained most of the same stuff, but it was in a slightly different order and had more than we had been doing. It was better than I'd expected, because I wasn't super happy about lifting.

    But, before I started, I had a couple supportive, encouraging words from Coach Will on my voicemail that he'd gotten from the book The Fighter's Mind (what I've read of it has been good, and he's enjoying it, so I'd recommend it):

    The body can always do more than the mind thinks it can.

    He also reminded me to find what works for me. Because what works for others or what seems totally unconventional might work really well for me. On that note I hit the weights.

    Tuesday, January 11, 2011

    CompuTrainer Class: Aerobic Training II

    This is actually the third week in the series, but since last week was a test week, this gets labeled as #2.

    Today's class looked something like this:

    • 1:30 total, 153 HR (173 max), about 28 miles
    • 10:40 warmup to warm up the trainer
    • 10-minute warmup
    • 13-minute aerobic effort, 2 minute active recovery
    • 4 minutes of 1-leg drills (30 sec, 45 sec, 30 sec), 3 min active recovery
    • 10 minutes, three 30-second spin-ups at 85 RPM, with 1 minute of increasing cadence to 110 RPM, then 1:30 at 110 RPM and 30 sec or 1 min at 100 RPM; 3:30 active recovery
    • 30 minutes of alternating cadence efforts: 95 (1 min), 115 (2 min), 95 (1 min), 110 (2 min), 95 (1 min), 105 (3 min), 95 (2 min), 100 (4 min), 95 (2 min), 105 (3 min), 95 (1 min), 110 (2 min), 95 (1 min), 115 (2 min), 95 (1 min)
    • 4 minutes cooldown

    This was a pretty easy workout for me effort-wise, so we'll probably up my wattage slightly for the next class.

    The afternoon entailed a massage. It was very relaxing, and these muscles needed it!

    Monday, January 10, 2011

    Blue Lightning in the Snow

    We got an inordinate amount of snow last night! It's beautiful, and here's Blue Lightning (Dad named it) to give you some perspective:

    Christmas morning in PA...

    January 10 morning in TN...

    I headed to the Y, and my little car got me there safely, even though the roads were only half plowed. Thank you, God, for keeping me safe!

    Chocolate—so named because that's half of what it is!

    After work, Val and I headed to MFY before they closed to get a little workout in. We warmed up and then lifted, doing a few different things than normal that we'll probably feel tomorrow. And, since we were done earlier than normal, I had some time at home, which meant cooking and finding some good stuff in my mail!

    I've been craving donuts, so now it's time to get some free ones!

    Supper! Yum!

    And the best mail: My cycling license. Cat 3, with Team Belladium. It's going to be a great year!

    Sunday, January 9, 2011

    Sweatfest

    Today was the first day I've done a sweatfest at Todd's studio. It's 2.5 hours of suffering on the CompuTrainer. Thankfully half my team was there (Anna, Lisa, Parri, Lisa, Jonell) and the room was full (Jeff, Gerry, Cindy, Bain, Shawn, Mitch, Chuck), which made the trainer tolerable for that long. I ended up, with warm up, riding 2:45 minus 3.5 minutes when I got off to stretch. Todd gave us a 10-minute break, but we had only 30 minutes remaining and I just didn't want to get cold. So I was off just long enough to stand up and fill up my water bottles.

    After the suffering (Parri requested a hill, and we got a hill!), we cleaned up slightly and celebrated Parri's birthday. Team B knows how to feed a group! We had a great selection of food that of course we devoured after the hard class, the rest of the lovely ladies showed up, some husbands and kids joined us, and we discussed the snow that's coming tomorrow.

    For the 2:45 ride, my average HR was about 165, my max HR was 182, and my average watts was about 167. Todd said to stay between 160 and 191. That was a huge range and, other than the hill Parri requested and another longer but less steep hill in the middle, we rode flat or downhill most of the class. I found it very difficult to get and keep my watts up during the descents. And I found myself wondering whether it really mattered. Outside, you have the road to help you. Inside, you have nothing to help you—if you want to increase your speed, even on the downhill, you just have to pedal. Pedal I did, but it didn't do enough good and my watts still decreased at every downhill.

    Saturday, January 8, 2011

    Keeping Up

    Well. So much for my attempt at keeping up with blogging. This weekend I haven't done so, so it's time to catch up again. Friday I lifted solo at CSY and then spent the evening with Lauren. We had a finished the puzzle she'd started and then played a couple games of Sequence. Today I rode on a trainer for a while--just long enough to make it worth it. I would've stayed on for longer than the hour I managed but my feet were absolutely freezing and never warmed up regardless of the fact that I was working hard. So, that was it for that. Later I headed to CSY for a little workout: 10×10sec, 1 set. Will had 2 sets on the workout, but I did the first and wouldn't have been able to do another full set of that, so I just did 1 set of everything.

    • Lunge with RL
    • GHR to top
    • Squat with stick
    • Altitude drop curl
    • Bench (instead of pull up)
    • One more? Crunch maybe? I know I skipped pull up.

    At church, we were challenged to answer the question, "What do you know for sure?" It was a very interesting exercise. We had about 90 seconds to write down an answer, and I came up with the following in the short allotted time:

    Jesus came to earth—lived, died, and rose again in obedience to the Father. He has changed my life and saved me from the penalty of my sin, which would be separation from the Father and death. I will spend eternity with God. ...Jesus is my rock, but I'm not relying on Him for the little tings in my life. My parents and sisters love me. I love God, who is the Father, Son, and Spirit, and who loves me with an unconditional love.

    After church, Inversion went to Cabana Nashville for supper. I had a chance to talk to a few people I hadn't seen in a while (Valerie, Jonathan and Amy, Jen, Ray, and others) and to meet a few new people (Brett, Courtney, and others). It was a nice, laid-back dinner, and I'm really looking forward to the start of the new series: You Can Change.

    Thursday, January 6, 2011

    CompuTrainer Class: Torture Test III Part II

    This is labeled as another torture test (TTT) recap, but it's not really. I went to class this morning fully intending to complete the 5-mile time trial, but after the warmup and ramp ups that Todd has us do, I decided to tempo the ride instead. That is, keep my HR below where I was at Tuesday and ride steady the entire time. I kept my HR around 182 (I didn't look on Tuesday, but I'm pretty sure I was up around 194+), lower than last time, and I kept my cadence around 95 (I didn't look on Tuesday, but I'm pretty sure I was up around 97 or 98). That lower cadence was the tell for me that I shouldn't do the test; if I can't get my cadence up, I know I won't perform as well as I can. So, at the last minute, I decided to not go all out and to just cruise. It was actually quite fun watching everyone else suffer. It was not fun, however, seeing my time and wattage at the end!

    January 28, 2010, Torture Test 1: 14:22, 208 watts

    March 25, 2010, Torture Test 2: 13:56, 223 watts

    January 4, 2011, Torture Test 3: 14:06, 217 watts

    January 6, 2011, Torture Test 3 Part 2: 14:58, 185 watts (tempo ride)

    I'm actually quite curious to see the stats from both today and Tuesday, whether I'll be able to tell that I was riding all out one day and steady the other (without the watts and time, that is—with other things like cadence, HR, consistency, etc.)

    Anna and I headed to MFY after work for a quick workout. We warmed up for about 15 minutes, me on the elliptical and her on the step mill, and then did my 5-minutes-of-work workout: Push up, curl (10lb), crunch, lunge, standing ham, and wall squat. I got the push up, curl, squat, standing ham, and wall squat, so that means I only did not get the lunge (2:38 L and 1:38 R)—I finished the entire 5 minutes, but I had my knee on the floor for some of the time or stood up and restarted.

    Tuesday, January 4, 2011

    CompuTrainer Class: Torture Test III

    January 28, 2010, Torture Test 1: 14:22, 208 watts

    March 25, 2010, Torture Test 2: 13:56, 223 watts

    January 4, 2011, Torture Test 3: 14:06, 217 watts

    This morning's class was the sometimes dreaded, sometimes highly anticipated 5-mile "assessment," also known as the TTT: Todd's Torture Test. I'd done it twice before and had an idea what to expect from the TTT and from the warm up. My goal was to beat my time from March 25, and even though I didn't make it, I felt like I put forth my best effort and had fun. It didn't hurt that I went into it thinking that it was going to be the best test I'd done. Plus I expected a lot out of myself since yesterday I did the best I'd ever done on a 5-minute lunge: 5 minutes (R leg only; L was at 2:57, and my best for that leg is currently 3:10)! The last time I did the best I'd ever done I had the best ride ever in Todd's class, so that's what I was expecting today.

    It was hard, but I had a blast and did my best. Success!

    The time I want to work toward is Parri's time from today: 13:31. That's only about 30 seconds faster than my current fastest time, so I think I can get there. Maybe Thursday, maybe in 6 weeks, maybe later, but it's definitely my goal!

    Oh, and the 5-minute lunge thing is something I've been working on since December 6, when I was at 1:27L and 1:27R. It was one of my goals for this year that I just posted yesterday, but I started it early because I really wanted to attain it. And I did! Woohoo!

    More news (it's been a good last couple hours): My request to move up a category in cycling was approved, so I'll be starting out as a Cat 3 this year. That means I'll be better able to help Lisa and Parri dominate at every race :-)

    I felt so good today that I just had to run. It wasn't a long run, and it wasn't even outside because I didn't want to go home and I didn't have any reflective gear with me. So I went to the track at MFY (14 times around for a mile) and ran a couple miles. Mile 1: 6:54 with the half-mile splits at 3:36 and 3:18; 3 minutes rest; next half mile: 3:13; 3 minutes rest; next half mile: 3:04. Then I jogged enough to finish 3 miles. I would have run another half to get under 3 minutes, but a class started on one side of the track and took over the entire thing while they were jogging their warmup. I was so happy about the run that I did, though. Then I headed upstairs for a quick 5 on, 5 off thru 20 just to get some more work in: lunge on crates, standing ham, squat with stick, push up, pull up, curl.

    Monday, January 3, 2011

    2011 Goals

    I don't usually make resolutions; I make goals. This year was no different. Here are the highlights, with the unabridged explanations below:
    1. Accomplish a 5-minute lunge with both legs (hold a lunge position, working the entire time, for 5 minutes without putting my knee down).
    2. Decrease my time and increase my power in a CompuTrainer test (5-mile time trial on the bike).
    3. Better my time from the Knoxville Rev3 Olympic-distance triathlon.
    4. With my Team Belladium bike teammates, make a difference in every race.
    5. Glorify God in everything: races, training, life, cheering, etc.; have fun!

    2011 Race Preview

    The first race of the cycling season will probably be around the last weekend in March. I am for sure (Lord willing, that is—it’s a long time from now!) racing a tri the second weekend in May. That's in 5 months and seems like forever away, but I want to get stronger and faster over that time, so I'm thinking about it now. And I’m considering adding a half Ironman in the middle of August.

    The season (March through August) will be something like this: 1–2 tris, 16+ weekends of racing (25-40–mile road race on Sat AM, 2-9–mile time trial on Sat PM, 30-40–min criterium on Sun late AM), one 20-min crit per week for 10 weeks, and one 40K time trial midway through the summer. That's all for now, at least that I can think of; it sounds crazy (so far this year I've done ~20 total races). So 20+ races in 2010 vs. 40+/- in 2011. If ever I could learn to recover, this would be the time to do so.

    Here's some info about the individual race types:
    • Road Race: Ride this with a group of women up to maybe 40 at the most, down to maybe 15 at the least. Everyone starts together and goes for the predetermined number of miles (you know how long the race is long before you register, but it varies from race to race). Usually a couple laps of the same loop. First one to the line wins. Sometimes you all stay together, sometimes someone attacks and gets off the front, sometimes you have to react to every attack, sometimes you attack, sometimes you just sit back and watch everyone else work, sometimes you sit on the front and pull everyone, sometime you chase down the leaders, sometimes you're the one being chased. You always hope you win unless Todd says, "This is the game plan, so do it!" Usually around a couple hours, depending on the distance.
    • Time Trial: You're on your own. Sit on your bike clipped in while someone holds you upright. (Remember when you were learning and your dad stood behind you before you started to pedal? That's what this start is.) As soon as they let go, you'd better pedal or you're falling. Ride hard, and try to catch the girl who started a minute ahead of you and try not to get caught by the girl who started a minute behind you. Go all out the entire time. Aim to win every one. Who cares what Todd says. :-) Distance always varies, but usually under or up to 10 miles; the longest one is 40K (26-ish miles; 1:15 or less time).
    • Criterium (Crit) Race: The field for this race is usually around 20-40 women; the weekly crits will be about 15. Line up and go hard and fast the entire time. Ride a 1-kilometer loop for the allotted amount of time. Take every corner fast, take the straightaways even faster. Don't take any time to drink because you'll get dropped. Attack and react to every attack. Stay near the front as much as possible, then be the first to the line and win! Surge every once in a while in the middle of the race for various "primes" that are prizes meant to entice the group into riding faster or catching whoever is ahead of them. Win or help Lisa win every race unless Todd says, "This is the game plan, so do it!" Usually around 30 minutes, weekly ones are 20 minutes, some might be up to 40 minutes, sometimes you might do multiple in a day (I would do this if one were a Cat 3/4 race and one were a Cat 1/2/3 race and I thought I could win the 3/4 and help Lisa win the 1/2/3).

    2011 Preseason

    I still have the 4-wk schedule Will gave me back in February 2010. I plan to ride hard in class Tuesdays and Thursdays, ride OK-hard and slightly longer on Fridays and then again with Team B Sundays (hopefully getting faster/stronger each week). Maybe I'll run twice a week. And I'll try to swim once a week. Since everyone thinks I look like a swimmer, I gotta stay in the pool at least a little; plus, it will be good cross training (or so they say).

    One of my weaknesses is that I'm not the best climber. Getting a lighter bike will help, but Todd also says that getting stronger (and lighter; are those two possible?) will help as well. So I want to get stronger. But I know that I can't do so much that I'm totally exhausted, even if that's the only way I'll get to the top (as in, pro); I hate being tired all the time and not being able to train well and right.


    2011 Goals (12-07-10)

    Life Goals (10-24-09)
    1–4 Top secret unless you ask ;-)

    Life Performance Goals
    1. * Become a pro triathlete by age 30 (well, find out how to first).
    2. * Qualify for the Olympic trials in triathlon (well, find out how to first).
    3. * If I complete number 2, try out for the 2016 Olympics.
    4. Qualify for the Kona Ironman.
    5. Do an Ultraman triathlon.
    6. Do a race (a race of any sort, like running, triathlon, cycling, etc.) in every state.
    * Currently on hold while I race with Team Belladium

    Season Performance Goals
    1. ** Accomplish a 5-minute lunge with both legs.
    2. Decrease my time and increase my power in TTT.
    3. With my Team Belladium teammates, make a difference in every race.
    4. Better my time from the Knoxville Rev3 Olympic Triathlon.
    5. Glorify God in everything: races, training, life, cheering, etc.
    6. Make 110 RPM easier to do for longer periods of time; or, feel better about doing so even if it doesn’t really feel easier.
    7. *** Win the NashvilleCyclist.com Crit Series.
    8. *** Win the state crit jersey.
    9. Lose weight if possible.
    ** Prompted by Iron Will :-)
    *** Dependent on Todd and his plan for Team Belladium

         Season Performance Goals
                   Stepping-Stone Goals
    1. ** Accomplish a 5-minute lunge with both legs.
      1. Prompted by Iron Will :-)
      2. Trust Will when he says I can do it.
      3. This must be unaided and unassisted by water.
      4. The timeframe for this is the end of March, 90 days from January 3.
      5. Start where I’m at and just keep improving.
      6. Do this at least once per day, alternating which leg I start with.
      7. Start at different times on my timer so I can pretend I’ll know what it feels like when I get to 3+ minutes.
      8. Remember the following:
        1. It will help me turn my legs over quicker in cycling and running.
        2. It teaches my muscles to work in their “extension” or “lengthened position,” allowing them to absorb a lot of force and work without fatiguing.
        3. Longer muscles do not get as tired nor injured.
        4. Long muscles are healthy, efficient, and strong.
        5. Get better every day.
    2. Decrease my time and increase my power in TTT (Todd’s Torture Test).
      1. This is a 5-mile time trial on the CompuTrainer.
      2. Currently I’m at 13:56 and 223 watts (tested March 25, 2010), which is an improvement from 14:22 and 208 watts (tested January 28, 2010).
      3. We will test the first week in January, 2011, and again a few months later.
      4. Sit next to Parri and match her on the screen; she finished in 13:14 in March, but this is not the best time if I remember correctly—Cali might have bettered it.
      5. Secondarily, watch Anna, since she beat me in the 2-mile TT in November.
      6. Go out hard and maintain that speed and power.
      7. Remember that it’s only 5 miles, less than 14 minutes, and even though it’s going to hurt for a few minutes, it will pay huge dividends and you will feel great at the end.
    3. With my Team Belladium teammates, make a difference in every race.
      1. Listen to what Todd says to do, and do it.
      2. Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing—race your race.
      3. Have a plan going into each race; usually that will be Todd’s plan, but if for some reason he gives us freedom, make your own plan and stick to it.
    4. Better my time from the Knoxville Rev3 Olympic Triathlon.
      1. Sunday, May 15, 2011
        1. 2:41:06 total last year; 8/16 AG, 42/111 females, 169/365 OA
        2.  AG winner finished in 2:18:28.
        3. First female finished in 2:03:48.
      2. This is likely the only tri I’ll compete in this season, unless I add a half Ironman toward the end of the season. So I have to make it the best one!
      3. Decrease my swim time.
        1. My swim was 23:47 swim (1:39/100) last year, 2:10 T1.
        2. It’s a point-to-point swim with the current, so use the current.
        3. Find a pack and stick with it.
        4. Go hard for 22 or so minutes because it’s the only time you’ll need to use your arms and you’ll be good and warm for the ride!
      4. Decrease my bike time.
        1. My bike time was 1:21:59 (18.55 avg) last year, 2:10 T2.
        2. I was pretty chilly during the ride, so definitely pack and dress better.
        3. I wasn’t riding to race—I was riding to ride and even helped someone with his flat tire.
        4. Focus on racing and doing my best.
      5. Decrease my run time.
        1. My run time was 50:52 (8:12 pace) last year.
        2. My feet were freezing for the first mile or two, but those two were better than the rest because I wasn’t thinking about running (I was thinking about getting warm).
        3. Remember that I can run faster than 8:30 miles!
        4. Practice, at least a few times before the race, running off the bike at race pace.
    5. Glorify God in everything: races, training, life, cheering, etc.
    6. *** Win the NashvilleCyclist.com Crit Series.
      1. *** This is dependent on Lisa S and her goals and on Todd N and what he wants our team to accomplish.
      2. Line up in the right spot at every race, and clip in right away.
      3. Tag and be ready to react to anything Sandra does.
      4. Out-sprint Olga if necessary by getting an earlier jump than she normally would.
      5. Rely on my teammates to do their job.
      6. Do my job, whatever Todd assigns.
      7. Practice sprinting and reacting to other’s actions.
      8. Note what everyone else is doing—learn their tells and use them to their disadvantage.
    7. Make 110 RPM easier to do for longer periods of time; or, feel better about doing so even if it doesn’t really feel easier.
      1. Continue working toward a 5-min lunge.
      2. Remember the purpose of a higher cadence: It trains you to spin at an easier gear and thus use less energy but allows you to spin that fast at a harder gear if necessary. That is, if your opponents attack, you will be able to match them without having to shift because you’re used to spinning up to a higher cadence. And, if they don’t attack, you’ll be able to out-ride them because you can go fast in easier gears and even faster in harder gears.
      3. Stay in good shape.
      4. Practice this on the trainer by trying some of the following:
        1. 1 minute of 110 RPM every 5 minutes
        2. 2 minutes of 110 RPM every 10 minutes
        3. 5 minutes of 110 RPM every 10 minutes
        4. 10 minutes of 110 RPM during one workout
    8. *** Win the state crit jersey.
      1. *** This is dependent on Lisa S and Todd N and what he wants our team to accomplish.
      2. Race in lots of crits, and win them all; or at least, place in all of them to increase points and experience.
      3. Get in every break that looks dangerous.
      4. Trust my teammates to do their job.
      5. Watch what everyone else is doing, and pay attention to other teams’ strategies.
      6. Race the Cat III and Cat IV races (that is, if I am a Cat III).
    9. Lose weight if possible.
      1. A lower weight should be easier to race/climb at.
      2. I have no idea where to start here except for eating less, but I already know I don’t eat enough calories.
      3. I’ve been at the same weight, +/-5 pounds, for the last 10 years, which makes knowing where to start even harder.
    ** Iron Will Sports and Fitness 90-day challenge
    *** Dependent on Todd and his plan for Team Belladium

    **** Time Chart

    Good news: My previous current time (before 2010’s season) for Olympic Swim was 30:31, and my first goal was 22:31. I met and exceeded that goal this year! So, I moved my other goals over and added another. I also went from 1:19:30 to 1:09:55 in Sprint Triathlon and from 1:19:40 to 1:07:48 in Olympic Bike Current Time (Pace). Everything else stayed the same.

    DistanceCurrent Time (Pace)First Goal (Pace)Second Goal (Pace)
    5K22:10 (7:06)20:30 (6:34)18:59 (6:20)
    10K46:36 (7:30)40:36 (6:45)37:59 (6:20)a
    Half Marathon1:48:30 (8:16)1:35:00 (7:15)1:25:00 (6:29)
    Marathon4:07:12 (9:26)3:59:59 (9:09)3:40:00 (8:23)
    Sprint Triathlon1:09:55**********
    Olympic Triathlon2:31:102:16:102:00:00
    Half Ironman5:28:264:58:264:28:26
    Olympic Swim22:2119:0017:00
    Olympic Bike1:07:48 (20.8)1:05:001:00:00
    Olympic Run (10K)50:22 (8:15)44:00 (7:02)40:36 (6:45)
    ******40K TT (Bike)1:07:481:04:451:00:00

    **** These are obviously not exhaustive goals. When I achieve what I have here, I’ll make new ones.
    ***** This is really hard to gauge because every course is drastically different.
    ****** I’ve never actually done a 40K TT; this is from Memphis in May’s Olympic-distance tri. However, I’ll be racing at least one this season, so it should be on my goals.


    Quick swim at lunch (750), then lunge and standing ham in the afternoon are all I did today in anticipation of the TTT tomorrow. Except that it wasn't just a lunge—it was all 5 minutes on my right leg. So I've already accomplished half of my first goal! Woohoo!!!

    Sunday, January 2, 2011

    New Year--2011!

    I have definitely not been good about keeping up with the blog lately. So, I'll just recap the long weekend and hopefully get back on track soon.

    We don't get much snow here (though I heard there was a white Christmas), so I usually come up with my own. This year is no different, so here's my living room window:


    New Year's Eve was spent with Josh and Anna, and we played games and really enjoyed just relaxing. Then New Year's Day was spent with Aunt Renee and Lauren and the rest of the fam. We de-Christmas-decorated the house, made and ate some good food, watched the Badgers lose the Rose Bowl game, and watched Despicable Me (Lauren's favorite movie).


    As far as training, Thursday was Todd's class in the morning and lifting with Valerie in the afternoon (I increased the weight to 40lb per side for the squat and think that I'll stop adding when I get to 45lb per side). Friday was beautiful outside, so Lynn, Kevin, Shawn, Jonell, Anna, and I rode a short 2 hours outside. We got in 30 miles and averaged about 18, which is pretty good considering the wind we had to deal with. Thank you, Shawn and Kevin, for doing most of the pulling!

    Saturday I did 6-6-6 EDI, manual holds with Kyle from the Y, then ran a couple miles outside. It was chilly, but it felt great to get outside for even a short run. Sunday I should've ridden outside but did not want to freeze, so I headed back to the Y for some time on the step mill and a 3×30, heavy, workout.

    Saturday, January 1, 2011

    2010's Races Aggregated

    These are all the races I recorded in 2010, along with results, links, etc.

    Crits: 1
    TTs: 0
    RRs: 0
    Circuits: 0
    (Total bike races: 1)
    Triathlons: 8
    5Ks: 9
    8Ks: 1
    10Ks: 2
    10mi: 1
    Half marathons: 1
    Marathons: 0
    (Total running races: 14)
    Relay races: 1

    Resolution Run 5K
    01-01-10; 23:56; 4 of 40 (AG); 21 of 376 (females); 121 of 754 (OA)

    Predators Fangtastic 5K
    2-06-10; 22:58 (23:12); 3 of 174 (AG); 14 of 660 (females); 86 of 1,206 (OA)

    WSM Online Springer Mountain Farms 5K
    3-06-10; 23:09; 2 of 112 (AG); 4 of 303 (females); 25 of 502 (OA)
    female winner: 20:26, then 21:49, then 22:34, then me

    Tom King Classic Half Marathon/5K
    3-13-10; 23:17; 3 of 46 (AG); 10 of 239 (females); 47 of 430 (OA)
    female winner: 20:00, then 20:58, then 21:06

    Purity Moosic 10K
    4-10-10; 49:06; 8 of 83 (AG); 26 of 366 (females); 102 of 627 (OA)
    female winner: 38:10, then 42:08, then 43:51

    Team Belladium Cycling Camp
    4-16-10 thru 4-18-10

    Crazy Legs World 8K; Madison, WI
    4-25-10; (unofficial results) 38:26; 55 of 1,363 (AG), 289 of 6178 (females), 1,956 of 12,893 (OA)
    female winner: 26:48

    Rev3 Knoxville Olympic-distance Tri
    5-09-10; 2:41:01, 8 of 16 (AG), 39 of 107 (females), 164 of 359 (OA)
    female winner: 2:03:48

    Memphis in May Sprint-distance Tri
    5-22-10; 1:09:55, 8 of 20 (AG), 24 of 120 (females), 102 of 350 (OA)
    female winner: 59:38

    Memphis in May Olympic-distance Tri
    5-23-10; 2:35:49, 25 of 56 (AG), 92 of 388 (females), 395 of 1,119 (OA)
    female winner: 2:05:55 (this amateur beat the pro women!)

    Rev3 Quassy Olympic-distance Tri
    6-05-10; 2:53:05, 6 of 25 (AG), 23 of 134 (females), 112 of 375 (OA)
    female winner: 2:27:58

    Bell Buckle 10-miler
    6-19-10; 1:26:33; 9 of 70 (AG), 46 of 348 (females), 202 of 786 (OA)
    female winner: 1:06:36

    Old Hickory Lake Sprint-distance Tri
    06/26-10; 1:10:45; 1 of 19 (AG), 10 of 126 (females), 42 of 383 (OA)
    female winner: 1:06:45

    Andrews Cadillac Firecracker 5K
    7-04-10; 23:42; 6 of 60 (AG), 40 of 488 (females), 186 of 990 (OA)
    female winner: 19:07

    I Run for the Party 5K
    7-05-10; 24:39; 2 of 50 (AG), 5 of 274 (females), 40 of 500 (OA)

    Chattanooga Waterfront Olympic-distance Tri
    07-11-10; 2:41:26; 13 of 68 (AG); 57 of 406 (females), x of 1,234 (OA)
    female winner: 2:13:41; AG winner: 2:28:57

    NashvilleCyclist.com Criterium
    7-24-10; 40 minutes; 7 of 15; won 2 primes

    Music City Olympic-distance Tri
    07-25-10; 3:09:12; 11 of 28 (AG); 60 of 125 (females), 140 of 422 (OA)
    female winner: 2:14:22; AG winner: 2:34:33

    Mountaineer 5K, Kannapolis, NC
    07-31-10; 24:32, 3 of 10-ish (AG); no chip timing, so no linkable results, but I set a new mile PR: 6:20!

    Fall Creek Falls Olympic-distance Tri
    8-15-10; 2:31:10, 2 of 12 (AG), 11 of 98 (females), 75 of 309 (OA)
    female winner: 2:17:23; AG winner: 2:31:06 (yes, 4 seconds)

    Franklin Classic 10K
    9-06-10; 48:32, 4 of 42 (AG), 21 of 381 (females), 157 of 908 (OA)
    female winner: 39:12; AG winner: 46:39

    Women's Half Marathon, Nashville
    9-25-10; 1:48:30 (not registered so no official results)

    Ragnar Relay (Chattanooga to Nashville)
    11-05-10 through 11-06-10

    Turkey Trot/Pumpkin Pie Run, Nazareth, PA
    11-25-10; 24:02; 6 of 43 (AG), 50 of 361 (females), 173 of 706 (OA)

    Jungle Bell 5K
    12-04-10 (not registered so no official results; didn't finish because I wasn't registered)