March stats and April Break

March actually went well. I am still not getting rid of any weight but I am working out more. By the last week of the month, running didn't hurt (so exciting - new shoes seemed to make a huge difference), swimming was actually faster than it has ever been (not sure why), and my bike was still on the trainer throughout March (too cold outside). I realized this month that I can't keep looking back at last year and trying to replicate it or exceed it as I ended up injured and was sick every 3 weeks last year so that isn't worth replicating. I need to go at my bodies level and continue on my journey with the idea of being healthy throughout this journey.

April started out really well as I was on vacation for the first 11 days of the month and had fantastic weather. I was out on my bike which is just awesome. I started as a mentor at Fleet Feet for their No Boundaries program which means I am able to run before, with the new athletes, and then again after with friends. I am enjoying the idea of training with others especially while running and I have found a few people who are training at my pace which is so exciting. The pool has been great too. I have been doing such tough workouts in the pool so that I can be mentally ready for the swim and be faster in the water - I just want to be slightly faster everywhere to make sure I am giving myself more time during the bike and hopefully get back to the oval before 5pm this time around. I do need to get back into yoga. I just have been so excited to be home at a normal time that yoga has taken a back seat.

I have also decided what my goal is for next year. I have decided that the Country Music 1/2 marathon is my destination next April and then I will do one olympic distance triathlon in late summer!! I also thought that after NYC Marathon this year I may just take off a full month of working out just because I have been working so hard for the past year. Hey, you never know what I will end up doing but I want to feel healthy and happy entering the new year and need to plan to make sure that happens. I say that I want to not workout but who are we kidding, I don't ever see myself taking that long off from working out. My joints would just yell at me!!

Only 15 weeks until Ironman!!! I can do this!!! I will be an Ironman again!

Stats for March:
Swim: 4.01 miles
swim time: 2 hrs 45 min
Bike: 171.41 miles
Bike time: 13 hrs 5 min
Run: 40.31 miles
Run time: 7 hrs 27 min
Total miles: 215.73 miles
Total time: 23hrs 17 min (almost a full day!!)

February Stats

I have finally gotten back in the pool - Yippie!!! I am so happy with that. Not only am I back in the pool but I feel like I am training appropriately for Ironman again. In all but one week this month, I was working hard and getting in workouts that I should be doing. My ability to recover has also improved which was half of my problem before. My bike miles are up, my run is coming along although not quite where it should be. I am thrilled with my athletic progress right now. I am not exactly where I was last month but I am close by (only 7 miles difference between last year and this year). I have faith in my abilities and my determination.

On the other side of this, I am not taking off any weight. I am working out hard, I am watching my food intake, I am drinking a lot of water, but I am not changing at all. This is one thing that scares me - I do not want to be carrying around this much weight on Ironman day - it was hard enough when I was 10lbs lighter. I don't want it to be harder being heavier. I will continue to work on this and hopefully, I will see change.

February 2010 stats:
Swim: 2.09 miles
Swim time: 1hr 25 min
Bike: 172.27miles
Bike time: 14 hrs 1 min
Run: 30.66 miles
Run time: 5 hrs 44 min
Total miles: 205.02 miles
Total time: 23 hrs 10 min

Ohmmmmmmmmm

I would love to know what I actually look like during yoga. I was laughing at myself tonight and I couldn't even see all that I was doing. I am sure it had to be entertaining as I was scrunching my face up because I couldn't figure out where my body needed to be during the pose but trying so hard to figure it out, I was raising my leg out straight (it was supposed to be straight), my arm was up in the air, and I was balancing on my ear and my other hand next to my head. It had to be interesting looking. I also try so hard not to look at the others so that I can keep my balance but through my peripheral vision I can see others moving and I have to concentrate even harder to make sure I am working appropriately! It is fun and exciting every week!!!

Olympic Spirit in Lake Placid

Joe and I spent last night in Lake Placid. It was fantastic. The spirit of the olypics was just amazing. I love being in Lake Placid. It is one of my favorite places to be especially when there is a large athletic event going on. There were people out playing hockey on the ice, they had both the Canadian and American tv stations so you got lots of olympic reports. At the Lake Placid Pub and Brewery they had a new beer named for all of the local athletes in the olympics called Local Gold which was fantastic. It happened that there was a little snow flurry this morning when I went for my run around Mirror Lake too. The snow felt nice and soft under my feet. The crunch of the snow was something I love to hear. Plus, there were so many runners out around the lake - I miss seeing others runners out when I go for a run. Everyone was so friendly and excited about the games. More people than usual were headed to the Mt VanHovenberg Olympic complex and Whiteface Mountain too. The olypmic speed skating oval was busy with people trying out their abilities on the ice. It was a fun place to be during a really exciting time in the world.

On another note, since the olympics have been on, I have loved watching while on my trainer. Watching people race makes me push even harder on the bike which has been hard for me to do otherwise. I do wish we had more snow so that Joe and I could head out on the cross country skis!!! I do miss cross country skiing.

Gotta go and do my second workout of the day!! My bicycle is calling for my attention! Enjoy the olympics everyone, I know I am.

Post-script to earlier post

I think that half of my training problem is that I have felt lost since I finished Ironman. I haven't really raced so I have been separated from the running community. I haven't felt good enough to train as I would normally train. I think that everyone expects me to be in fantastic shape and I am not right now which makes me less likely to be around other athletes so I feel like this is a vicious cycle. I had a great week this past week and it has made me feel so much better. 46 miles of biking and 11 miles of running with 1 hour of yoga is a step in the right direction. I will figure this out!