Catching up, tri-ing it

HI! I’m here.  What a lame blogger I’ve been.  Sad because I really have been thinking of turning this into something… Oh, me and my grandiose thoughts ;-).  We are going through a pretty stressful period in my house right now – a lot of really big things/decisions needing to happen all at once and it is really sapping us.  One thing about Hubs and I is that we tend to handle stress together really well. I think it is one of the big reasons I love him.  But this is really getting to us.  These are big, huge adult decisions that really impact our whole family.  And on a really tight timeline, we have to make them.  So, it’s been pretty… crazy.

But, the good news on that is that I definitely have not missed a workout.  I relish my time out as it gives me a very much needed release.  I almost wish I worked out at a different time in the day, later, so I could get rid of the tension, but I know whenever I get to get out and go, I will benefit ~ and therefore, my family will too..

I am halfway through week 2 of my marathon running program.  I researched a lot of programs and chose an intermediate level program (as opposed to a “first time marathoner” one) designed for runners that have done a few marathons.  Yea, I know I haven’t, but I think I would be really bored with the first timer one because of the level I am already training at.  It is a program that doesn’t focus on your TIME, because I don’t wear a watch (though I do get my pace by tracking it on my phone and looking afterward), but distance and intensity. I figure, if I decide to do more marathons next year, I can worry about the whole time thing… back to this being my “intro to being an endurance athlete year.”

I did have a bit of a “yuck” moment last Saturday, though.  My “long” run was a 9 miler and 3 miles through, I rolled my ankle coming down a hill.  If it were during a race, I would have kept going, but after another 2 minutes, I felt it better to abort the run.  I think that was a good decision because it has been just a bit tender ever since.  I’ve run on it now twice and it is fine, but I think not going another 6 miles that day was a good thing.

Next race is a half marathon on May 20 – the Marine Corps Half Marathon.  It’s a fairly challenging course, especially a nasty hill at mile 9.  But, I’m looking forward to the great adrenalin rush!  I haven’t run a race (besides a 5k a little while after #3 was born… ha!) in 5 years! Matt and Dad are running it too.  Feel bad Matt is doing it – he’s only been back off the injured reserve for 3 weeks, but he is going to get out and go!

Swimming is going much, much better.  I don’t dread getting up and going to the pool and find that my endurance is getting much better every time I go.  I think me deciding to not focus on my speed and to make the conscious decision to slow down was such a good idea for me. I know I definitely feel more comfortable in the water and even slowly finishing is better than not being able to finish at all.

The bike?  Eh… I just need to get out on it.  The great, wonderful, fantastic news is that after we get over this crazy time in our lives, Matt is going to buy a bike. He loves to ride and if we can go out together for 20-30 miles, I would love it. Unlike running, I would love to have a riding partner.  And my brother is going to start bringing his bike up when he visits, so the 3 of us can go out together.

I still usually get one day at the gym in, lifting. Sometimes upper body, sometimes loads of squats, and always abs.  It is so important to have a strong core because in every part of a tri, you are engaging your core to push through. 

Even food is going… better.  Not great because I, of course, am addicted to chocolate.  And I really do not intend to change that.  Maybe come June I will because I have two triathlons, one right after the other, but for now? I’m okay.  But I’ve been drinking 100-125 oz of water a day, I’ve been eating 5-6 times a day a good mix of foods, and for the most part, what I take in is pretty good. I’ve finally started to lose some weight, and that is good.  I SHOULD be losing some weight as I am holding on to fat in my butt and thighs.  It is due to how I have been eating. 

Now, I in NO WAY think I am overweight nor am I trying at all to lose weight. I’m perfectly happy with how I look and what I weigh. I am NOT dieting at all. I don’t count, I don’t journal.  I am saying this for those that know my past and that there was an unhealthy period for awhile.  I will tell you that I most likely will weigh equal or less than I did during that unhealthy period by the time the summer is over.  THAT being said, while I lived on bunless hotdogs and coffee then, I eat… and eat… and eat now.  And according to the BMI, I could lose like 20 pounds and still be “normal”. Now, personally, I think the BMI is a bunch of crap because I am a size 2-4 and I’m 6 pounds away from being overweight, so I’m calling bullshit. But my point is, I promise everyone, I’m eating, I’m healthy, and I’m NOT overtraining.  Because I don’t have the freaking TIME!

That’s a long post.  If anyone is on Daily Mile, I’m there, logging my workouts. Find me!