Weekend Rides

Little Blue wanted to stop and make a friend

Thanks to a significant amount of rain this weekend, I didn't get as many miles a as I was hoping to. I still got 112, to, and that was my main goal. Thursday I did the Firecracker 5K and then added 5 more miles.

Friday I met Kat and Amanda for 36 miles after I'd done 26 by myself. My first 26 miles were mostly dry but it was drizzling someso not completely dry. Our group ride, however, was quite wet. We pretty much got poured on for half the ride. On the plus side, it was warm and very pleasant.

It continued to rain. Saturday I spent a few hours at the Cool Springs Y on the step mill and the True elliptical machine. 45 minutes on each equals about 4.5 miles plus 8 miles. After getting a new phone and playing in it some, it was off to church for children's church. All us leaders were there and we had 9 kids, so as CC goes, it was actually pretty easy and fun (even tho we couldn't go outside because of the rain.

Sunday I got up early to go to church. Helping out Saturday nights means I can't go to the service; and I like to go back on Sunday mornings if I can. Then I headed out for a solo 50-mile ride around Brentwood and Nolensville. It was absolutely beautiful, so much so that I didn't mind being alone. Also that means 112 miles for the weekend and good Ironman miles!

I plan my routes around bubblers and right-hand turns

Muscular Endurance

Gift card from I Heart Kroger

This series at Endeavor is Muscular Endurance, and I think I am getting the most out of it that I've gotten out of any series (though the hill series we did last month comes pretty close). It is hard, and it hurts. But it also leaves me feeling like I've accomplished something. After a very restful weekend (that is, one during which I took a 2-mile walk and did two half workouts total), I was expecting to work hard and not sure how my legs would feel. Surprisingly, I did OK. Last week Thursday we did four 10-minute intervals, and I lasted 10, 5.5, 6, and 8.67 minutes of those intervals (and sprinted to 714W). This week Tuesday we did four 11-minute intervals, and I lasted 11, 8, 8, and 8 minutes of those intervals (and sprinted to 684W). During the third interval, I pushed myself HARD for the final 2 minutes, and I think those were the most rewarding 2 minutes because I really wanted to quit and didn't.

Notes from Tuesday/You know you've had a hard workout (or are going to have a hard workout) when:

• You can wring sweat from your sports bra, even after you've been off the bike for 10 minutes.
• You have to tell the person next to you that you hate to be rude, but there will be no more chatting for the rest of the evening.
• Half the class is trying to encourage you to continue...
• ...and you're wondering how they have enough energy to talk!
• Your W/kg are higher than they've been in the past and you're still alive.
• Your heart rate reaches its max bpm at least a million times during the workout.

Thursday's workout went even better than Tuesday's. I did only the 1st and 3rd intervals, but I did all 11 minutes of both and sprinted to 694W.

Mornings this week I've been on the elliptical or step mill, for 20-45 minutes depending on how much time I've had. I took a walk one day at work, walked on the stairs another day, and rode on the trainer one evening. The rides at T's are taxing, but I've been able to recover from them, so that's encouraging.

Weekly Recap

After a few long rides this weekend, Monday was a rest day so I ran all my errands: PO, emissions, grocery store, etc., and I made some treats for my coworkers.

Tuesday's magnet

Tuesday morning I spent a little time on the elliptical at the Y and swept the stairwell in my office building at lunch. I'd have rather been outside, but it was on my list of things to do and it needed to be done (no, I do not normally clean the building; however, that stairwell has not been swept in at least a year, probably longer, and it was grossly dusty and really bothering me). After work was a ride at T's. Same workout as the last couple weeks, and same hard effort. I can tell how hard it is by how low I'm sprinting at the end. This day was 616. After other workouts I can usually hit or exceed 700.

Wednesday I met Anna for a nice brisk, chilly walk before dinner. I did a short extreme slow workout in the morning and tried to work hard since I knew it would be the only one of the day. I took a quick trip to Kroger at lunch and got the following:

Kroger Trip (3-20-13)

Item (Quantity)	Regular Price  (multiplied)	Sale Price	Coupons	Final Price
Meat/Cheese platter (1)	14.99	7.19	--	$7.19
Coke 20oz (2)	1.69 (3.38)	1.25 (2.50)	$0.50/2 MQ (doubled)	$1.50
Clif Shot Blocks (2)	2.19 (4.38)	1.00 (2.00)	--	$2.00
3 Musketeers (2)	0.79 (1.58)	0.50 (1.00)	$0.50/2 MQ (doubled)	$0.00
Twix (2)	0.79 (1.58)	0.50 (1.00)	$0.50/1 MQ (doubled)	$0.00
Larabar Uber Bar (2)	1.79 (3.58)	1.00 (2.00)	$0.75/2 MQ	$1.25
Cookie	1.99	--	--	$1.99
Simple face wash	7.49	3.00	$1/1 Kroger eQ	$2.00
Simple Truth bar	1.00	0.89	free Kroger Q	$0.00
Totals: 14 items	$38.39	$21.57	$3.75 in MQs, $2.00 Kroger Q	+$1.63 tax $18.06 total (saved $20.33, or 53%)

I saved quite a bit in this trip, and I have lunch for a week! For some reason, my math never adds up. My receipt says I paid $18.06 and saved $11.25, but it doesn't take into account manager's specials (platter, face wash), so I always have to do it by hand. I don't know where I went wrong, but I know what I paid!

Thursday morning I ran a friend to the airport, and then I played a game with my coworkers at lunch, so riding on the trainer in the afternoon was my only workout. It was a good one though. As Shannon and I talked about weeks ago, specificity is key, and on the trainer I can really focus and be specific. Then, of course, I had to see what was on sale at Publix.

Publix Trip (3-21-13)

Item (Quantity)	Regular Price  (multiplied)	Sale Price	Coupons	Final Price
Maybelline Eye Shadow (2)	2.99 (5.98)	--	2 x $1.50/1 MQ 2 x $2/1 PQ	-$1.02
Duncan Hines Frosting Creation	0.99	--	Free MQ	$0.00
Del Monte Green Beans (4)	1.39 (5.56)	BOGO (2.78)	$0.50/4 MQ (doubled)	$1.78
Pam Spray	3.27	BOGO (1.64)	--	$1.64
Dole Pineapple (2)	1.41 (2.82)	BOGO (1.41)	$0.50/2 MQ (doubled)	$0.41
Dove Dark Chocolates (2)	4.29 (8.58)	1.50 (3.00)	$1/2 MQ $0.50/2 bagged candy Kroger Q	$1.50
Eat Smart Veggies (5)	2.50 (12.50)	1.00 (5.00)	--	$5.00
Totals: 17 items	$39.70	$20.80	$6.99 in MQs $4.00 in PQs $0.50 in KQs	+$1.60 tax $10.91 total (saved $28.79, or 73%)

This was a good trip. Basically I paid for most of the vegetables and got everything else free. Woot!

Free chocolate (taking to work), fruit, makeup, etc.

Valentine's Box

My mom sent me a box for Valentine's day. It had lots of little gifts in it that I had fun opening.

What could be in all those packages?

When I opened it, a few things fell out, the lighted heart being one of them. Since it was lighting up just laying on the floor, I had to open it up first to see what it was. Super fun. Then I opened all the rest, and there was some fun little things in there that I will enjoy.

Everything opened...tasty and fun gifts!

Friday afternoon Kat and I met at PWP for a hike on the red trail. It was beautiful for February and I hadn't spent time with her in a while, so it was super fun.

Saturday morning I headed to the CSY at a time when I thought the movie in the cardio theater would be restarting. I was about 10 minutes early but started on a tready on the wellness floor until one of the workers came and got me to tell me they were restarting Million Dollar Baby. 2 hours, 14 miles, and a chat with Lisa S later, my work there was done. Well, except for a sufficient amount of stretching and rolling. Church with the kiddos was great and we had fewer than last week, but the energy level of pretty much all the kids was super high. I also ended up doing another 6 miles on the TRUE elliptical machine, so I finished with 20 miles for the day.

Sunday morning I happily slept in before the busiest 9:30 service, and later a big group of us went riding. Amanda, Anna, Cali, Kat, Kiki, Parri, Shannon, Valerie, Shawn, Jeremy, Matt, Billy, and I got in 37 cold miles, but thankfully the sun was out for part of the time and we didn't freeze too bad.

Sunday's route - hilly and windy!

Currently I'm sitting here blogging and listening to and watching five 13- and 14-year-olds practice some dance routines for my cousin's birthday celebration. Oh to be a kid again with no school tomorrow!

Kroger Pizza Deal

source

I ran to Kroger at lunch today and found a great deal on their store-brand pizza. Some were on Manager's Special, and they were causing a $1 KQ to print, so I did 4 transactions and bought the following for $11.31:

Kroger

Item (Quantity)	Regular Price  (multiplied)	Sale Price	Coupons	Final Price
Wholesome @ Home Pizza, cheese (2)	6.99 (13.98)	3.49 (6.98)	$1/1 KQ	$5.98
Wholesome @ Home Pizza, pepperoni (2)	7.99 (15.98)	3.99 (7.98)	2 x $1/1 KQ	$5.98
Good 'n' Natural Bars (2)	1.35 (2.70)	1.00 (2.00)	2 x $1/1 MQ (free-product Q)	$0.00
Hormel Pepperoni (2)	1.69 (3.38)	1.00 (2.00)	2 x $0.55/1 MQ	$0.90
Totals: 8 items	$36.04	$18.96	$3.10 in MQs $3.00 in KQs $3.00 catalina	+$1.45 tax $11.31 total (saved $24.73, or 69%)

Basically, I didn't pay enough to buy two of the cheese pizzas at full price, I have enough pizza to last me at least a month, and I still have a $1/1 pizza Q because they were still rolling :-)

I ran almost 3.5 miles on the elliptical this morning at the CSY because I have some stuff going on this afternoon. Hopefully I can still get outside later because it is absolutely BEAUTIFUL out today!