Hi, all! Yes, the training continued during the holidays... along with some overeating and presents. : ) Christmas Eve I did a nice bike ride because, well, I didn't feel like the gym on Christmas Eve and it was a gorgeous morning. Then after gorging ourselves at the Polish Wigilia dinner I made (with a little help from the Polish Deli up the road), Christmas Day was exercise free. Angelfish & Ladybug were super excited that Santa Claus had come and we had a blast seeing how excited they were and keeping them from seeing the tree until Grammie and Papa were up and ready. They loved the doctor's kit and golfing stuff that Santa brought them, and had a great time playing with those and reading the books that Uncle Rob, Aunt Sue & Cousins Laura and Julia gave them until Nanna and Poppop arrived. And then it was the unwrapping extravanganza! They were so excited about unwrapping presents that they were unwrapping every present they could get their hands on - even if it wasn't for them! We had to stop them, of course, but it was rather cute. I think they're favorite gift of Christmas was the kitchen that Grammie and Papa got them. Every night Ladybug tells us that she's going to make popcorn (her current favorite food) for Baby Jesus and picks up the toy kitchen phone at least once and calls God. Angelfish likes to play with the blender and serve up drinks and get the boiling sound going on the toy stove. She also assists in the cooking of popcorn for Baby Jesus. The two of them are a hoot!
The day after Christmas, I did another bike ride... in fact, I pushed myself and did my 40 minute route in 30 minutes. And then followed it with a 30 minute walk (shin splints are still acting up a bit). Then we watched "Belle & the Beast" as the girls' like to call it, and played on the playground a good bit, said good bye to Nanna & Poppop when they had to head home, and tried to find a nice, fake Christmas tree for a good price. All I have to say is that the Orlando shoppers do not mess around with the day after Christmas sales - everything good was gone and the stores were a bit messy!
Saturday, I have to admit, I did not work out... the girls woke up right when I did and I didn't want to miss the time with them, so we played instead by going to Cocoa Beach. Being spoiled by the white sands of my hometown's beach, Cocoa Beach paled by far in comparison, but it was a beach and the girls had a lot of fun jumping over the waves and "building Cinderella castles" in the sand.
My Sunday workout and subsequent activity may have made up for it a little bit! Sunday I did my first 3 sport brick ever and it was hard but great! I did a hard 3/4 mile swim training (working on technique and speed drills) followed by a 30 minute bike at 95-100 RPM, followed by a 10 minute run (and I ran the entire thing) and a 10 minute walk to cool down (plus stretching of course). This coming Saturday (I'm trying to rearrange my workout week so that from now on I have Sundays off instead of Mondays so I don't miss 2 mornings in a row of wake up and breakfast with the wonder twins. I love seeing their faces in the mornings!) will be my next tri brick with a little more time spent on the bike and the run. That afternoon we went to Sea World with the girls which was fun, but definitely not a good idea crowd wise after Christmas. We won't do that again! We got soaked by Shamu which was the big highlight for the girls I think (who didn't like it at the time even though we were able to keep them dry with a poncho we bought, but like to talk about it ever since and tell us that Silly Shamu got us wet!) But we walked all over and a lot of the time had to carry one of the girls. I think the best part was the dolphin show, which Anglfish slept straight through!
Monday was my off day and I needed the recovery time! The girls for some reason got up at 4:30 am and were playing in their room and while we got them back to sleep by around 5:30 am, they were up again at the usual 6:30 am wake up. (And we had a little trauma with Ladybug pooping on the living room carpet next to the Christmas tree... I still can't figure that one out.) So, we fed them and dressed them and Mr. Darcy took them to daycare (to keep with the normal routine) and after Mr. Darcy got back we slept until 10 am! I can't remember the last time that happened... then we went to daycare to chat with the administrator about giving Angelfish especially (but Ladybug too) more mentally challenging activities since they don't want to move the girls up to the next rooms and Amanda is appearing to need more challenge. We'll have to see how it goes... if they don't want to challenge her to the level she needs we may have to find alternate arrangements. They admitted that our girls are very advanced and that their teachers commented on that, but they just don't want to move them up because there are other children older than them. I had to explain that age doesn't mean much but that mental challenge is imperative. Anyway. We'll see how it goes. Afterwards we tried to see a movie, but everything looked like fluff or bad, so we skipped that and walked around the shopping area a bit and then watched "Becoming Jane" - the (fictional) movie about Jane Austen based on some true facts that Angelfish gave me for Christmas. It was really enjoyable and I'm glad she bought it for me!
Today was back to work... so this morning I did a 40 minute bike ride and could still feel some stiffness in my front quads during the ride. Hopefully that will be worked out for tomorrow's swim run. But it was a nice ride although you can tell more people are off than at work around here because the cars were still parked at the houses or people were just leaving while I was biking. A good ride even though it was in the low 50s. Of course, it will be in the 70's later in the day. We've been wearing shorts!
That's the update. I hope all had a very Merry Christmas!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
The weather outside is frightful/delightful...
I have "Let it Snow" stuck in my head, which is pretty ironic since the weather here is a little chilly (in the 50s) but not cold and super sunny with blue skies. But, there are worst things to have stuck in one's head! Unfortunately for me, I heard the song over and over again through my entire swim at the gym this morning - an entire 3/4 of a mile swim with that song. I thought I'd be done with it and then the song would return. (I was running behind today so I had to cut something down a little... more on that in a moment.) You would have thought it would have been wiped clean during my 20 minute walk/run because I was listening to the gym piped in music.... which made me laugh because almost every song I heard had a running theme this morning. My left leg is rather painful today - it even hurt while swimming for a little bit. But I think the pool water (which was a little cooler than usual today) may have helped some... that reminds me... I have to ice my legs in a moment here.
As for why I was running late, well we slept later than we should have. It was a bit chilly this morning and Bill was cozy. While Mr. Darcy offered to wake the girls and get them ready himself, I like seeing my children's faces in the morning and I hate not getting to do it. Even on days when they are grumpy and hurt my feelings by telling me they do not want me. Yes, that's the stage they're in right now. They love Mommy one minute and then the next tell me "I don't want you. Go away." Angelfish was pretty easy this morning - as she is most mornings. She was cheery and wanted to be held and talked to and was happy to choose the shirt she wanted to wear and have some yogurt for breakfast. Ladybug was not. She did not want to get up and was grumpy enough that I told her to just join the rest of us when she was ready. A few minutes she appeared and was happy for a couple of minutes but strangely part way through changing her clothes she got mad at me for no reason and ran off and told me not to touch her. I ended up having to wrestle her into her shirt after which she pushed me and told me, "Go away. I don't want you. " and then she started pushing my legs (I was standing up) and told me "Go workout. I don't want to see you." So, I picked up my stuff and told Mr. Darcy that Ladybug was being extremely mean to me and that either she needed a time out or that Santa needed to be told that she was being mean to her Mommy. And I left. Luckily, somehow the hose was in the way of the garage door this morning so I couldn't close it and when I came back into the garage I heard poor Ladybug screaming, crying and banging on the door to the garage. When I opened it she grabbed me and gave me a big hug and kiss. I don't know if she was worried about Santa not bringing her a gift or if she really was upset that she hurt my feelings, but it was nice to be able to tell her that when she says she doesn't want me or that she doesn't want to see me that it hurts my feelings and makes me want to cry and to ask her not to do it again.
Never a dull moment when you have two 2 1/2 year olds with a big vocabulary and a detailed sense of what they want (or don't want)!
BTW, I heard on the radio that the high on Christmas is supposed to be 80. 80? Yes, 80. Insanity. Christmas is supposed to be cold so that you can hope for snow! Oh well. Shorts it is.
As for why I was running late, well we slept later than we should have. It was a bit chilly this morning and Bill was cozy. While Mr. Darcy offered to wake the girls and get them ready himself, I like seeing my children's faces in the morning and I hate not getting to do it. Even on days when they are grumpy and hurt my feelings by telling me they do not want me. Yes, that's the stage they're in right now. They love Mommy one minute and then the next tell me "I don't want you. Go away." Angelfish was pretty easy this morning - as she is most mornings. She was cheery and wanted to be held and talked to and was happy to choose the shirt she wanted to wear and have some yogurt for breakfast. Ladybug was not. She did not want to get up and was grumpy enough that I told her to just join the rest of us when she was ready. A few minutes she appeared and was happy for a couple of minutes but strangely part way through changing her clothes she got mad at me for no reason and ran off and told me not to touch her. I ended up having to wrestle her into her shirt after which she pushed me and told me, "Go away. I don't want you. " and then she started pushing my legs (I was standing up) and told me "Go workout. I don't want to see you." So, I picked up my stuff and told Mr. Darcy that Ladybug was being extremely mean to me and that either she needed a time out or that Santa needed to be told that she was being mean to her Mommy. And I left. Luckily, somehow the hose was in the way of the garage door this morning so I couldn't close it and when I came back into the garage I heard poor Ladybug screaming, crying and banging on the door to the garage. When I opened it she grabbed me and gave me a big hug and kiss. I don't know if she was worried about Santa not bringing her a gift or if she really was upset that she hurt my feelings, but it was nice to be able to tell her that when she says she doesn't want me or that she doesn't want to see me that it hurts my feelings and makes me want to cry and to ask her not to do it again.
Never a dull moment when you have two 2 1/2 year olds with a big vocabulary and a detailed sense of what they want (or don't want)!
BTW, I heard on the radio that the high on Christmas is supposed to be 80. 80? Yes, 80. Insanity. Christmas is supposed to be cold so that you can hope for snow! Oh well. Shorts it is.
Monday, December 22, 2008
The weekend workout!
This weekend and today were full of good workouts. Saturday I went for an hour long bike ride and felt like I could have gone longer despite trying to keep a good pace. I love those rides! I rode through the neighborhood, out past Timbercreek Highschool and took a big loop that goes around and up to Bella Vida and the shops near there and then cycled back into the neighborhood and around here. I did about 12 1/2 miles or so. The weather was warm and nice, with super blue skies, so it was great! Then we got a lot of Christmas stuff done - we wrapped all of the presents for everyone except for the girls and got a shower in (very important after that 1 hour bike ride) before Rob, Sue, Julia & Laura arrived. We had a good time with them and the girls played really well together! And Angelfish & Ladybug even used the potty a time or two!
Sunday I did a 30 minute bike ride followed by a 20 minute walk/run (5 minute walk followed by 12 minutes alternating between running 3 minutes and walking 1 minute. I can run longer than the 3 minutes but my left shin doesn't really like it.) I think I'm going to have to do as much running as possible on the treadmill because my left shin was hurting pretty badly after the run. Ice is being applied and all will be well again at some point. And knock on wood, it's only my left shin. After the international triathlon is over, I may just train for the swim and bike aspects of the triathlon and then run in the races. I think if I lengthen the swim trainings I can probably keep up the endurance side for the running. We'll just have to see.
Today it was in the 40s when I biked. I couldn't bring myself to get to the gym to swim today. I wanted to actually swim, but I didn't want to pack my bag and have to get in the car to do it. Mondays typically are off days, but with Christmas on Thursday I am using Thursday as my off day from training. So I switched Thursday's run to Friday's swim & run (instead of swim & bike since I am adverse to doing my bike workouts on a stationary bike unless absolutely necessary - like when I start doing all 3 together on Sundays between now and my February 1st tri), took the bike from Friday and moved it to today. There's no way I'm missing the girls' waking up on Christmas morning all excited even if I do like training for my triathlons.
It dawned on me this morning that my workouts will be getting even harder after I finish my 1st triathlon in February. The reason? The next triathlon is a lot longer than the one in February... more than twice as long on the swim, more than twice as long on the bike and 3x as long on the run. I have to admit that at this point, I am a bit frightened of it. I think I'll definitely be able to do the swim and then the bike... it's adding on the run at the end that gets my nervousness going. But, as my primary goal is to raise as much money as possible for cancer research and to FINISH the race, I should be ok because even if I end up having to walk, I'll still be moving along and getting it done. My 2ndary goal is to finish the race and not only swim and bike but also to run the entire last 6.2 miles like you're supposed to since it's well, a run at the end. And my tertiary goal is not to come in last place out of all the entrants... but at the same time, even if I come in last, I'll have at least finished it!
Tomorrow is a swim and run (on the treadmill with lots of ice and walking too) at the gym, which is probably a good thing because it's supposed to be chilly the next few days! And it will help in preparation for the eating fest on Christmas Eve with the Wigilia! YUM!
Sunday I did a 30 minute bike ride followed by a 20 minute walk/run (5 minute walk followed by 12 minutes alternating between running 3 minutes and walking 1 minute. I can run longer than the 3 minutes but my left shin doesn't really like it.) I think I'm going to have to do as much running as possible on the treadmill because my left shin was hurting pretty badly after the run. Ice is being applied and all will be well again at some point. And knock on wood, it's only my left shin. After the international triathlon is over, I may just train for the swim and bike aspects of the triathlon and then run in the races. I think if I lengthen the swim trainings I can probably keep up the endurance side for the running. We'll just have to see.
Today it was in the 40s when I biked. I couldn't bring myself to get to the gym to swim today. I wanted to actually swim, but I didn't want to pack my bag and have to get in the car to do it. Mondays typically are off days, but with Christmas on Thursday I am using Thursday as my off day from training. So I switched Thursday's run to Friday's swim & run (instead of swim & bike since I am adverse to doing my bike workouts on a stationary bike unless absolutely necessary - like when I start doing all 3 together on Sundays between now and my February 1st tri), took the bike from Friday and moved it to today. There's no way I'm missing the girls' waking up on Christmas morning all excited even if I do like training for my triathlons.
It dawned on me this morning that my workouts will be getting even harder after I finish my 1st triathlon in February. The reason? The next triathlon is a lot longer than the one in February... more than twice as long on the swim, more than twice as long on the bike and 3x as long on the run. I have to admit that at this point, I am a bit frightened of it. I think I'll definitely be able to do the swim and then the bike... it's adding on the run at the end that gets my nervousness going. But, as my primary goal is to raise as much money as possible for cancer research and to FINISH the race, I should be ok because even if I end up having to walk, I'll still be moving along and getting it done. My 2ndary goal is to finish the race and not only swim and bike but also to run the entire last 6.2 miles like you're supposed to since it's well, a run at the end. And my tertiary goal is not to come in last place out of all the entrants... but at the same time, even if I come in last, I'll have at least finished it!
Tomorrow is a swim and run (on the treadmill with lots of ice and walking too) at the gym, which is probably a good thing because it's supposed to be chilly the next few days! And it will help in preparation for the eating fest on Christmas Eve with the Wigilia! YUM!
Friday, December 19, 2008
Run & Swim
Hey all! This morning I did a 20 minute run and a 15 minute swim. I was running a bit behind schedule (aka I overslept and so did Mr. Darcy and the girls) so things got abbreviated. But the good news is that I did a half mile in the 15 minutes I swam. I was pretty pleased with that.
My voice has not yet returned although it is partially back. Maybe it can't remember if we live in Atlanta or Orlando these days... the good news is that we finished the Christmas shopping and the rum cake is ready for tonight's party. Now if we can only get the presents wrapped, presents mailed and the christmas cards mailed we'd be in good shape!
Speaking of good shape, not only am I in better physical shape but I've evidently shrunk enough to wear the next size down. : ) So there's a happy side effect of all my training.
In other training news, both Angelfish & Ladybug were wearing underpants when they left for school today after they both successfully emptied their bladders from the night before into the potty! WHOO HOO! Let's hope they keep it up! Those Disney princess underpants were the best purchase I've made yet...
Tomorrow is a bike ride, so keep your fingers crossed that I will remain accident free. I feel like I need one of those OSHA signs "job site accident free for _ days" except in my case it would be "biking accident free for _ days"...
My voice has not yet returned although it is partially back. Maybe it can't remember if we live in Atlanta or Orlando these days... the good news is that we finished the Christmas shopping and the rum cake is ready for tonight's party. Now if we can only get the presents wrapped, presents mailed and the christmas cards mailed we'd be in good shape!
Speaking of good shape, not only am I in better physical shape but I've evidently shrunk enough to wear the next size down. : ) So there's a happy side effect of all my training.
In other training news, both Angelfish & Ladybug were wearing underpants when they left for school today after they both successfully emptied their bladders from the night before into the potty! WHOO HOO! Let's hope they keep it up! Those Disney princess underpants were the best purchase I've made yet...
Tomorrow is a bike ride, so keep your fingers crossed that I will remain accident free. I feel like I need one of those OSHA signs "job site accident free for _ days" except in my case it would be "biking accident free for _ days"...
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Back from Little Rock...
Angela's funeral was yesterday (Wednesday) and there was a visitation Tuesday evening as well. It was nice to be able to see those who knew and loved Angela and to be able to reminisce about the way she was. I got to know Bryan's parents a bit too (very lovely people) and one of Bryan's good friends from college. It was good to be able to spend time with them and not be alone waiting for the events to happen. We all have such wonderful memories of Angela, and at times I felt like she was just going to walk around the corner and say hey and sit down for a chat.
I think the eulogy I gave went well - many people said it was good and the best compliment was that I did Angela proud.... which was my aim. I feel a bit more at peace after the funeral and know that Angela is with God and is no longer in pain and is at peace... and if I play my cards right I'll get to join her in heaven some day too. : )
While in Little Rock, I worked out some. Wednesday morning I got up and swam a mile in a rather interesting pool. It was half the size of the pool I've been training in, so I had to do twice as many laps... and the pool went from 3 ft deep at the shallow end to 5 ft deep at the "deep" end. So there were times when I was dragging my knuckles on the bottom of the pool! It made me laugh a bit. This morning, I went on a 40 minute bike ride which was nice and invigorating and helped me get back in the swing of things on the bike. I must say biking is very fun and I've missed it. Of course, I started thinking how nice it would be to have a road bike instead of a hybrid, but I need to keep those thoughts at bay because road bikes are not exactly inexpensive.
Somewhere between leaving the church yesterday, flying home, and arriving home from the airport around 1 am last night I lost my voice. If you see it, please tell it that I miss it and would like it to come home! Tomorrow I hope to do a run and swim combo at the gym... maybe I'll find my voice along the road somewhere! : )
I think the eulogy I gave went well - many people said it was good and the best compliment was that I did Angela proud.... which was my aim. I feel a bit more at peace after the funeral and know that Angela is with God and is no longer in pain and is at peace... and if I play my cards right I'll get to join her in heaven some day too. : )
While in Little Rock, I worked out some. Wednesday morning I got up and swam a mile in a rather interesting pool. It was half the size of the pool I've been training in, so I had to do twice as many laps... and the pool went from 3 ft deep at the shallow end to 5 ft deep at the "deep" end. So there were times when I was dragging my knuckles on the bottom of the pool! It made me laugh a bit. This morning, I went on a 40 minute bike ride which was nice and invigorating and helped me get back in the swing of things on the bike. I must say biking is very fun and I've missed it. Of course, I started thinking how nice it would be to have a road bike instead of a hybrid, but I need to keep those thoughts at bay because road bikes are not exactly inexpensive.
Somewhere between leaving the church yesterday, flying home, and arriving home from the airport around 1 am last night I lost my voice. If you see it, please tell it that I miss it and would like it to come home! Tomorrow I hope to do a run and swim combo at the gym... maybe I'll find my voice along the road somewhere! : )
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Angela King Kinder
One of my best friends in the world, the one I have mentioned as my inspiration for my international length triathlon to raise money for cancer research, Angela King Kinder died Sunday, December 14th at 12:40 am. She is survived by her husband, Bryan; her father, her mother, her sister, and a step-father and many others who loved her very much.
I didn't work out today because I was up last night thinking about her and trying to put the finishing touches on her eulogy and got little sleep. Tonight I'm up making plans for flights, cars, and hotels without it seeming real at all. Everything is a bit numb. We took the girls to Disney today because Megan has been talking about it for almost the entire week without any prodding from us, and we took them to see Santa for the 1st time. (Megan marched right up and sat with him but Amanda who had been chomping at the bit to see him while in line had to be held next to him.) It was fun to see their faces light up, but at the same time it seemed surreal and as though I wasn't truly there. I know Angela would want me to live each day to the fullest, but I guess I just need some time to grieve. The only solace I have is that she is now at peace and is whole again and truly cancer free. But I will miss my dear friend... her emails and calls, and having our mid-life crises together (whenever that will be) as we had always planned. For a long time we talked via email at least once a week, and I will miss her insight and her wit.
Once I have mourned my loss, I will celebrate her life. Her favorite holiday was Halloween and I will be certain to do Halloween up right every year from now on. And at some point, I will take my children to Japan because it was a place that Angela always wanted to visit but did not get a chance to go. And I hope in some way I will be able to spread awareness of sarcoma - the cancer of the connective tissue that in 1/2 of its victims is completely resistent to chemotherapy and radiation - like it was in Angela. There's not alot known about sarcoma because only 10,000 people each year get it in the United States so not much research is done about it. The problem is, that statistically 50% will die and depending on the type of sarcoma you are diagnosed with (in Angela's case high level, undifferentiated sarcoma) you're the ones who will make up that 50%... and many times it's not even diagnosed in time because it's thought it might be another kind of cancer at first. It doesn't have to mestastize to kill either. You have one tumor and have a biopsy done before removing it, and that seems to be enough for this killer to spread. Angela's started with a tumor in her forearm. After a 2nd biopsy, intensive radiation and chemotherapy (which left it unchanged), it was removed. 3 months later it appeared for the 1st time in the lining of her lung. Then a 2nd time. And during the surgery to remove the 2nd lung tumor, as it was being removed it burst. Her chest cavity was flushed with water to remove and cleanse as much as possible, but a short time later another tumor appeared on her lung and one on the connective tissue surrounding her heart. She had a 2nd round of terribly intensive chemotherapy (the 1st was with the one in her forearm and had been coupled with radiation) which did nothing to stop the tumors from growing but made her violently ill (despite the anti-nauseas medicine). When the scans showed that the tumors had continued to grow and that the one on her heart was essentially the size of her heart now, she decided to take the remaining time she had and life it to the fullest she could. She ate sushi at her favorite place (several times), had a peach cobbler a neighbor made her, and spent as much time as she could with her husband. And about 1 month later she passed away. She was so brave in her decision and her only fear was that she would upset those she loved, especially her husband, in wanting to end chemo. But he knew she was in pain and miserable and didn't want to be that way at the end and his love for her supported her decision.
So, as you see, my triathlon training is nothing in comparison to what she and he endure(d). May she rest in peace for eternity. She will live in my heart all my days.
Love to all.
I didn't work out today because I was up last night thinking about her and trying to put the finishing touches on her eulogy and got little sleep. Tonight I'm up making plans for flights, cars, and hotels without it seeming real at all. Everything is a bit numb. We took the girls to Disney today because Megan has been talking about it for almost the entire week without any prodding from us, and we took them to see Santa for the 1st time. (Megan marched right up and sat with him but Amanda who had been chomping at the bit to see him while in line had to be held next to him.) It was fun to see their faces light up, but at the same time it seemed surreal and as though I wasn't truly there. I know Angela would want me to live each day to the fullest, but I guess I just need some time to grieve. The only solace I have is that she is now at peace and is whole again and truly cancer free. But I will miss my dear friend... her emails and calls, and having our mid-life crises together (whenever that will be) as we had always planned. For a long time we talked via email at least once a week, and I will miss her insight and her wit.
Once I have mourned my loss, I will celebrate her life. Her favorite holiday was Halloween and I will be certain to do Halloween up right every year from now on. And at some point, I will take my children to Japan because it was a place that Angela always wanted to visit but did not get a chance to go. And I hope in some way I will be able to spread awareness of sarcoma - the cancer of the connective tissue that in 1/2 of its victims is completely resistent to chemotherapy and radiation - like it was in Angela. There's not alot known about sarcoma because only 10,000 people each year get it in the United States so not much research is done about it. The problem is, that statistically 50% will die and depending on the type of sarcoma you are diagnosed with (in Angela's case high level, undifferentiated sarcoma) you're the ones who will make up that 50%... and many times it's not even diagnosed in time because it's thought it might be another kind of cancer at first. It doesn't have to mestastize to kill either. You have one tumor and have a biopsy done before removing it, and that seems to be enough for this killer to spread. Angela's started with a tumor in her forearm. After a 2nd biopsy, intensive radiation and chemotherapy (which left it unchanged), it was removed. 3 months later it appeared for the 1st time in the lining of her lung. Then a 2nd time. And during the surgery to remove the 2nd lung tumor, as it was being removed it burst. Her chest cavity was flushed with water to remove and cleanse as much as possible, but a short time later another tumor appeared on her lung and one on the connective tissue surrounding her heart. She had a 2nd round of terribly intensive chemotherapy (the 1st was with the one in her forearm and had been coupled with radiation) which did nothing to stop the tumors from growing but made her violently ill (despite the anti-nauseas medicine). When the scans showed that the tumors had continued to grow and that the one on her heart was essentially the size of her heart now, she decided to take the remaining time she had and life it to the fullest she could. She ate sushi at her favorite place (several times), had a peach cobbler a neighbor made her, and spent as much time as she could with her husband. And about 1 month later she passed away. She was so brave in her decision and her only fear was that she would upset those she loved, especially her husband, in wanting to end chemo. But he knew she was in pain and miserable and didn't want to be that way at the end and his love for her supported her decision.
So, as you see, my triathlon training is nothing in comparison to what she and he endure(d). May she rest in peace for eternity. She will live in my heart all my days.
Love to all.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Attack of the Stomach Virus...
No, I'm not becoming slack with my workouts even though I've only gotten to workout once this week. Unfortunately, we've had a household of sickies this week. Ms. Amanda has been home since Monday morning. The poor thing fell at school on Monday and had to get liquid stitches under her chin. Tuesday morning she woke up with a fever and headcold and has been home until this morning (Friday). Wednesday evening Bill threw up a few times but then was fine in the morning, but Thursday morning Megan threw up and stayed home. Yesterday morning I didn't throw up but I wish I had... I suffered with very painful stomach cramps all day long and other stomach issues, which have for the most part subsided. But, in the night Megan started coming down with Amanda's headcold. She hasn't had more than a 99 degree fever yet, but that's exactly how Amanda started.
So, the likelihood of my running the 5K run tomorrow in Maitland is about 5% at best. But, I'm hoping that if I feel better by the end of the day today, I'll at least be able to get back on the workout scene. I have been missing it something awful! Besides, I need to be able to do my triathlon in February without making a fool of myself... not to mention making sure I'm in some kind of decent shape to start my Teams in Training training!
Wishes for good health to everyone!
So, the likelihood of my running the 5K run tomorrow in Maitland is about 5% at best. But, I'm hoping that if I feel better by the end of the day today, I'll at least be able to get back on the workout scene. I have been missing it something awful! Besides, I need to be able to do my triathlon in February without making a fool of myself... not to mention making sure I'm in some kind of decent shape to start my Teams in Training training!
Wishes for good health to everyone!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Back to Training!
My hiatus from training was a little longer than I had hoped, but things happen in life. I had a very difficult weekend with my friend. I spoke with her on the phone the Thursday before I left to see her and we had a nice 2 hour call. Unfortunately, by the time I got to see her Thursday evening, she was slipping alot. She is no longer able to have a conversation and while she seems to be aware of what is going on around her in some sense, she spends 95% of her time with her eyes closed seemingly asleep and is on oxygen "as needed" but even on oxygen she is restless and has some difficulty breathing. While it was very difficult to see her that way, I am still very glad to have gotten to spend time with her and to be able to say goodbye. She completely shocked me when I was leaving to go to the airport because I'd been talking with her and sitting with her on and off all weekend without much of a response, and when I told her my goodbyes and was about to leave the room she opened her eyes and asked me to wait (her voice is low and it is hard to hear her these days when she does talk) and after starting her sentence and falling back asleep a few times she finally got her question out - she asked me to do her eulogy. I promised her that I would and promptly burst into tears. I am so honored that she asked me and it is obviously something that she must have been thinking about a good bit. I think leaving was one of the hardest things I've had to do. This whole stupid cancer thing is just completely unfair; the only thing I can guess is that God agrees with me that she is super wonderful and wants her home earlier than we would like.
I didn't work out Monday because it is traditionally my off day and I was exhausted from my trip and from not getting home from the airport until 11:30 pm or so the night before and decided to give myself some slack. Unfortunately, Tuesday morning Amanda woke with a fever and was feeling miserable, so no work out yesterday. Today Amanda is still sick but Bill had a meeting near the house at 9 am so I was able to wake up early and get to the gym by 6:15 and home by 7:45 so I could work out and he could still take Megan to school and head to his meeting. Hopefully Amanda's cold will break soon.
Today I walked 5 minutes, ran 3 mins/walk 1 minute for 15 or 16 minutes and then walked 5 minutes and then hit the pool and swam about 3/4 of a mile. I had to cut it a little short to get back to Bill and the girls, and I was a little sluggish in the pool today. Since Bill is going to work from home after his meeting ends, I am hoping to get a bike ride in at lunch time too. I really missed the workouts the past several days and am happy that I'll be back at them and am even more determined to do so after seeing my friend. We have to find a cure for cancer. This stuff really is awful and painful to see someone (and their family) go through.
On the potty training front, Megan was climbing in our pantry this morning (not allowed, but it was when I wasn't home) and found some princess underpants that I was hiding to use for her Potty Party (if we ever have a weekend that I can do it... perhaps this weekend if Amanda is better by then). We've been having a time and a half to get her to use the potty in the mornings and have been sending her to school in pullups. Well, she saw those panties and marched into the bathroom and went potty so she could wear a pair! Then Amanda wanted to wear some too and she went poopy in the potty! So, we have 2 little ladies in princess underpants today! Let's hope they want to keep wearing them so they keep them clean! : )
I didn't work out Monday because it is traditionally my off day and I was exhausted from my trip and from not getting home from the airport until 11:30 pm or so the night before and decided to give myself some slack. Unfortunately, Tuesday morning Amanda woke with a fever and was feeling miserable, so no work out yesterday. Today Amanda is still sick but Bill had a meeting near the house at 9 am so I was able to wake up early and get to the gym by 6:15 and home by 7:45 so I could work out and he could still take Megan to school and head to his meeting. Hopefully Amanda's cold will break soon.
Today I walked 5 minutes, ran 3 mins/walk 1 minute for 15 or 16 minutes and then walked 5 minutes and then hit the pool and swam about 3/4 of a mile. I had to cut it a little short to get back to Bill and the girls, and I was a little sluggish in the pool today. Since Bill is going to work from home after his meeting ends, I am hoping to get a bike ride in at lunch time too. I really missed the workouts the past several days and am happy that I'll be back at them and am even more determined to do so after seeing my friend. We have to find a cure for cancer. This stuff really is awful and painful to see someone (and their family) go through.
On the potty training front, Megan was climbing in our pantry this morning (not allowed, but it was when I wasn't home) and found some princess underpants that I was hiding to use for her Potty Party (if we ever have a weekend that I can do it... perhaps this weekend if Amanda is better by then). We've been having a time and a half to get her to use the potty in the mornings and have been sending her to school in pullups. Well, she saw those panties and marched into the bathroom and went potty so she could wear a pair! Then Amanda wanted to wear some too and she went poopy in the potty! So, we have 2 little ladies in princess underpants today! Let's hope they want to keep wearing them so they keep them clean! : )
Thursday, December 4, 2008
My Poor Bike...
So today I woke up and thought to myself, I should not work out today. I didn't sleep well last night and didn't fall asleep until after 1 am. (I think it may have been the coffee I had around dinner time, now that I think about it.) So I stayed in bed until we got the girls up and got them ready and fed them breakfast. .. I was still in my pjs when the girls and Mr. Darcy left. But then I felt guilty because I may not get to work out the next few days while I'm in Arkansas. So, I decided to go for a bike ride because it was cool but not all that cool.
While I was riding, it seemed like something was a little off. Either me or the bike, I wasn't sure. And a few minutes before the incident, I almost just biked home. But, I still didn't listen to my gut and kept going. A white cadillac pulled out in front of me rather quickly so I slowed down some and when the car pulled to the stop sign and stopped I was far enough away that all was well. The car started to turn and then for some unknown reason slammed on its brakes... at which point I had to slam on my brakes. For yet another unknown reason, I braked with my left hand instead of my right like I normally do. (The left brake controls the front wheel, the right brake the back wheel.) This caused the front wheel to completely stop and throw me over the top of the bike on to the road (thank goodness for my padded biking gloves and my guardian angel) and the bike to then come over top of me and land on me. Again, my shoes unclipped from the bike pedals (thank the Lord because it could have been very ugly if they hadn't) during the crash. Other than a nasty cut on my left elbow (which again could have been worse if I hadn't been wearing a thick long sleeve fleece), I just have one or two minor scratches (no blood even) on my legs and had a lot of bike grease all over me. A very nice man stopped his car and asked if I was ok and looked rather concerned. I thanked him and told him that I was ok (which amazingly I am). The car that caused the problem however just kept on going and didn't even notice that I was laid out on the road. (All I will say about that is... I believe in karma.)
My bike, however, is not as happy. The chain is no longer on the gears, my handle bar extenders (since I can't get the aerobars because of my hybrid bike's handlebar structure, I got these) are scratched up, there are a couple other scratches on the bike, and the brake lines were all tangled up (but have since been untangled). Luckily I was only about 1.75 - 2 miles from home because at first I had to carry the bike because I was slowly working on the brake lines (I couldn't wheel the bike at this point). But after about 1/3 of a mile, I put the bike down twice and they untangled enough that if I had the front wheel backwards I could wheel the bike. And then I noticed that I could probably move one of the lines and it would fix the issue (as I was walking) and tada! the front wheel could now face forward and be wheeled instead of carried.
Bike shoes are not meant for walking long distances... so the walk home was a little interesting. Doable but interesting because bike shoes lean you back a little so your weight while walking is on your heels and mine also angle the ball of the foot area so that you have maximum impact on the wheel and are the most efficient while biking. This is not the same as efficient while walking, but when I ran the last little bit of the way home the running wasn't so bad. The irony was that on my walk home, I remembered that when I got hurt skiing a few years ago (I pulled my IT band and was airlifted from the mountain because they thought I broke my femur... my only helicopter ride so far and I didn't get to see a thing!) I had thought to myself that morning, I should take the day off from skiing and guilted myself into going because it was toward the end of our trip and we had paid a decent amount for the ski lift passes. So, I have duly noted that I need to listen to my gut instincts on these things !
I am hoping that my darling hubby will be able to take my bike to Orange Cycle tomorrow on his lunch hour or on the way home from work... it's not far from his work and that way they can fix up my bike in time for me to use it when I return from my visit to the Central Time Zone. But, we shall see! I will write more when I return from Arkansas!!
While I was riding, it seemed like something was a little off. Either me or the bike, I wasn't sure. And a few minutes before the incident, I almost just biked home. But, I still didn't listen to my gut and kept going. A white cadillac pulled out in front of me rather quickly so I slowed down some and when the car pulled to the stop sign and stopped I was far enough away that all was well. The car started to turn and then for some unknown reason slammed on its brakes... at which point I had to slam on my brakes. For yet another unknown reason, I braked with my left hand instead of my right like I normally do. (The left brake controls the front wheel, the right brake the back wheel.) This caused the front wheel to completely stop and throw me over the top of the bike on to the road (thank goodness for my padded biking gloves and my guardian angel) and the bike to then come over top of me and land on me. Again, my shoes unclipped from the bike pedals (thank the Lord because it could have been very ugly if they hadn't) during the crash. Other than a nasty cut on my left elbow (which again could have been worse if I hadn't been wearing a thick long sleeve fleece), I just have one or two minor scratches (no blood even) on my legs and had a lot of bike grease all over me. A very nice man stopped his car and asked if I was ok and looked rather concerned. I thanked him and told him that I was ok (which amazingly I am). The car that caused the problem however just kept on going and didn't even notice that I was laid out on the road. (All I will say about that is... I believe in karma.)
My bike, however, is not as happy. The chain is no longer on the gears, my handle bar extenders (since I can't get the aerobars because of my hybrid bike's handlebar structure, I got these) are scratched up, there are a couple other scratches on the bike, and the brake lines were all tangled up (but have since been untangled). Luckily I was only about 1.75 - 2 miles from home because at first I had to carry the bike because I was slowly working on the brake lines (I couldn't wheel the bike at this point). But after about 1/3 of a mile, I put the bike down twice and they untangled enough that if I had the front wheel backwards I could wheel the bike. And then I noticed that I could probably move one of the lines and it would fix the issue (as I was walking) and tada! the front wheel could now face forward and be wheeled instead of carried.
Bike shoes are not meant for walking long distances... so the walk home was a little interesting. Doable but interesting because bike shoes lean you back a little so your weight while walking is on your heels and mine also angle the ball of the foot area so that you have maximum impact on the wheel and are the most efficient while biking. This is not the same as efficient while walking, but when I ran the last little bit of the way home the running wasn't so bad. The irony was that on my walk home, I remembered that when I got hurt skiing a few years ago (I pulled my IT band and was airlifted from the mountain because they thought I broke my femur... my only helicopter ride so far and I didn't get to see a thing!) I had thought to myself that morning, I should take the day off from skiing and guilted myself into going because it was toward the end of our trip and we had paid a decent amount for the ski lift passes. So, I have duly noted that I need to listen to my gut instincts on these things !
I am hoping that my darling hubby will be able to take my bike to Orange Cycle tomorrow on his lunch hour or on the way home from work... it's not far from his work and that way they can fix up my bike in time for me to use it when I return from my visit to the Central Time Zone. But, we shall see! I will write more when I return from Arkansas!!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Another day in the pool and on the treadmill
So, the treadmill. I have to say that while my legs do not hurt as badly while using the treadmill, it is boring. I miss the scenery and the outdoors while running... which is somewhat odd because I never thought that I noticed the scenery and the outdoors while running because running is very difficult for me. I think my ancestors must have been more of the aquatic kind than the land kind way back when because put me in the water and I'm great, but land based sports are more difficult for me (although I like them just the same - even running has grown on me). Or maybe it is just because the first sport that I did as a child was swimming and I did it for a few years (from 3rd through 7th/8th grade) that were physically formative. Thoughts to ponder. But the treadmill was boring... I did 20 minutes- 5 minute walk to warm up, a 3 minute run alternated with a 2 minute walk for 10 minutes, and then a 5 minute walk to cool down. The other people in the gym probably thought I was nuts because as I was walking down the stairs from the cardio section to the locker room (you have to go through the locker room to get to the pool), I was putting on my swim cap. I got a few strange looks, but hey - it saved me some time!
Then I got down to my bathing suit (I'm not brave enough to run in my bathingsuit or my triathlon clothes at the gym just yet) and jumped in the pool. The pool was crowded today (compared to some of the other days)... with me at the pool every lane had a swimmer and when I left the pool someone came to replace me. I was glad I was leaving when I did because I don't really like having to share a lane, but I do it if I have to (of course). One of the regular swimmers was booking it today too. I didn't lap him once and he looked like he was giving himself a hard swim - he was drinking water on his breaks! Perhaps that's a good idea, I don't know, but I don't think I could ever drink water while pausing between laps. Of course, I'm the person that prefers to swim with nothing in her stomach and then eat afterwards. The interesting habits of fellow swimmers and gym members. The other interesting thing I saw today was a woman on a treadmill with the incline really high to the point that she was holding on to the front of the machine in order to walk. Maybe it's just me, but it seemed a little silly because she's getting help to do something that she obviously couldn't do on her own. Maybe she should build up to it?
Anyway, it was a good workout and I felt nice and refreshed afterwards (especially once I realized that I had put my locker key in the OTHER shoe not the one I was looking for it in.... the workout must have made me a little forgetful. AHH. Another topic to research - does cardio activity make you forgetful for a short period of time after stopping? I know that long term memory is supposedly increased by cardio activity, but what about that 5 -7 minutes just after stopping???)
Tomorrow is another run day with some weights afterwards (if I have time for them). Then there will be a small hiatus (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) for the blog because I leave tomorrow in the late afternoon to go visit my friend who is dying of sarcoma for the weekend. It's funny writing that because I don't think of her that way, but I don't want to use her name for her privacy and it's the only way I know how to describe her for my blog readers. To me she's really this awesome woman that I've been friends with since I was 12 who I can say anything to and who can say anything to me. We've had squabbles but always made up... if I was ever to have a sister, I can imagine based on my other friends with siblings, that she would have been mine (without the jealousy of wanting affection from Mom and Dad though). I have a ton of great memories with her and am annoyed that she is dying. I'm not angry with anyone, just at the fact of it. I know it is somehow part of the big plan that is life/God/etc., but it just really annoys me that someone so wonderful is going through so much and despite her positive attitude can't defeat the cancer hanging out in her lung and on the connective tissue that surrounds her heart putting her in a lot of pain, making her short of breath, depressing her heart rate (although at the moment it is in the lowest range of what is considered ok) and increasing her pulse rate. GRR. But the thing that makes me happy is the fact that I will get to go and spend some time with her and perhaps that is all I can ask for right now.
Until tomorrow...
Then I got down to my bathing suit (I'm not brave enough to run in my bathingsuit or my triathlon clothes at the gym just yet) and jumped in the pool. The pool was crowded today (compared to some of the other days)... with me at the pool every lane had a swimmer and when I left the pool someone came to replace me. I was glad I was leaving when I did because I don't really like having to share a lane, but I do it if I have to (of course). One of the regular swimmers was booking it today too. I didn't lap him once and he looked like he was giving himself a hard swim - he was drinking water on his breaks! Perhaps that's a good idea, I don't know, but I don't think I could ever drink water while pausing between laps. Of course, I'm the person that prefers to swim with nothing in her stomach and then eat afterwards. The interesting habits of fellow swimmers and gym members. The other interesting thing I saw today was a woman on a treadmill with the incline really high to the point that she was holding on to the front of the machine in order to walk. Maybe it's just me, but it seemed a little silly because she's getting help to do something that she obviously couldn't do on her own. Maybe she should build up to it?
Anyway, it was a good workout and I felt nice and refreshed afterwards (especially once I realized that I had put my locker key in the OTHER shoe not the one I was looking for it in.... the workout must have made me a little forgetful. AHH. Another topic to research - does cardio activity make you forgetful for a short period of time after stopping? I know that long term memory is supposedly increased by cardio activity, but what about that 5 -7 minutes just after stopping???)
Tomorrow is another run day with some weights afterwards (if I have time for them). Then there will be a small hiatus (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) for the blog because I leave tomorrow in the late afternoon to go visit my friend who is dying of sarcoma for the weekend. It's funny writing that because I don't think of her that way, but I don't want to use her name for her privacy and it's the only way I know how to describe her for my blog readers. To me she's really this awesome woman that I've been friends with since I was 12 who I can say anything to and who can say anything to me. We've had squabbles but always made up... if I was ever to have a sister, I can imagine based on my other friends with siblings, that she would have been mine (without the jealousy of wanting affection from Mom and Dad though). I have a ton of great memories with her and am annoyed that she is dying. I'm not angry with anyone, just at the fact of it. I know it is somehow part of the big plan that is life/God/etc., but it just really annoys me that someone so wonderful is going through so much and despite her positive attitude can't defeat the cancer hanging out in her lung and on the connective tissue that surrounds her heart putting her in a lot of pain, making her short of breath, depressing her heart rate (although at the moment it is in the lowest range of what is considered ok) and increasing her pulse rate. GRR. But the thing that makes me happy is the fact that I will get to go and spend some time with her and perhaps that is all I can ask for right now.
Until tomorrow...
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
A dark and rainy Tuesday...
Well, that's how it started out anyway... oh and cold. We woke up this morning to a bit of rain and a cold front that was moving on through Orlando. It was about 50 degrees this morning and windy, but it had stopped raining when I set off on my 40 minute bike ride (I did about 8 miles... so I'm getting a little faster without too much effort). With the wind, it was a bit chilly which my legs complained a bit about until they got a little numb. I still plan to buy the long winter bike pants, but it's just difficult to pay for them because they're a bit expensive. In one of the books I read, it said that triathlons are an expensive sport because you need some gear and then get to wanting stuff that can make you faster, sleeker, etc. I've been trying to resist the urge for the faster, sleeker, but numb legs may be starting to fit into the needed gear category... but $110 for a pair of pants is a bit much, and even when you find a $60 sale pair, it's still hard to swallow. Besides, I haven't gotten pneumonia yet so I probably don't really need them that much, right? Perhaps Santa Claus will be nice to me and they will magically appear under the tree. Of course, I also asked santa for racing sunglasses that I can wear while running and biking (I feel a bit like a diva when using my normal sunglasses so I don't wear any right now and it's sunny alot here in Florida), a bigger and better workout bag, and a new travel cosmetic bag... so the odds probably are not high on the biking pants - especially after Mr. Darcy's reaction when I told him what I found on line in the biking pant arena. Oh well.
Back to the ride itself. It was really great, although I think a lot of people are returning to work (and running a bit late) today because there were more cars out and about in the neighborhood this morning. After being honked at by a car because I was riding on the side of the road and being yelled at to get on the sidewalk by the same motorist, I am even more cognizant of the fact that people do not realize that by law bicyclists are supposed to ride on the ROAD not the sidewalk... plus I don't trust people driving to pay attention (especially those on their cellphones) and not run me over! Luckily I have not had a bad experience first hand, but I have seen motorists almost hit bicyclists before. YIKES! But, I returned unscathed to the house with the sun shining but still a bit of chilliness. : )
Some good news is that my legs don't hurt today - even after running on the treadmill a little bit yesterday. YAY! I'm icing after every workout and am supposed to before bed too (I keep forgetting to do it before bed though) and am doing calf and shin strengthening exercises and more calf stretches too. So there is hope for running after all! (Which is good because it would completely stink to swim, bike and then have to walk the run!) So, there is hope for tomorrow's run and swim workout!
Some bad news is that Ladybug is refusing to use the potty in the mornings and this past weekend and yesterday wanted to only wear pullups. I'm tempted to go cold turkey with underpants and no pullups with her, but they say not to push the potty training. So, my hope is again that Ladybug and Angelfish (who is showing sporatic interest only in the potty) will be potty trained by the time they leave for college. : ) They're a hoot though. Ladybug likes to pose while sitting on the potty and asked me to take her picture the other day. Angelfish likes to poop in the potty, but evidently doesn't mind being wet because she avoids peeing in it most of the time (which tells me that just like her adversion to crawling when she was younger, it's not that she doesn't know how it's more that she doesn't want to... so we have to get a motivator for her. Too bad stealing toys won't work on potty training like it did to get her to go straight from refusing to crawl to walking in just a short period of time.) The girls are also smart enough to use it as a tactic to delay going to bed at night too. Of course, I'm happy to be blessed with intelligent children although sometimes I have to remind myself of that when I realize I'm being played like a fiddle by 2 1/2 year olds!
Back to the ride itself. It was really great, although I think a lot of people are returning to work (and running a bit late) today because there were more cars out and about in the neighborhood this morning. After being honked at by a car because I was riding on the side of the road and being yelled at to get on the sidewalk by the same motorist, I am even more cognizant of the fact that people do not realize that by law bicyclists are supposed to ride on the ROAD not the sidewalk... plus I don't trust people driving to pay attention (especially those on their cellphones) and not run me over! Luckily I have not had a bad experience first hand, but I have seen motorists almost hit bicyclists before. YIKES! But, I returned unscathed to the house with the sun shining but still a bit of chilliness. : )
Some good news is that my legs don't hurt today - even after running on the treadmill a little bit yesterday. YAY! I'm icing after every workout and am supposed to before bed too (I keep forgetting to do it before bed though) and am doing calf and shin strengthening exercises and more calf stretches too. So there is hope for running after all! (Which is good because it would completely stink to swim, bike and then have to walk the run!) So, there is hope for tomorrow's run and swim workout!
Some bad news is that Ladybug is refusing to use the potty in the mornings and this past weekend and yesterday wanted to only wear pullups. I'm tempted to go cold turkey with underpants and no pullups with her, but they say not to push the potty training. So, my hope is again that Ladybug and Angelfish (who is showing sporatic interest only in the potty) will be potty trained by the time they leave for college. : ) They're a hoot though. Ladybug likes to pose while sitting on the potty and asked me to take her picture the other day. Angelfish likes to poop in the potty, but evidently doesn't mind being wet because she avoids peeing in it most of the time (which tells me that just like her adversion to crawling when she was younger, it's not that she doesn't know how it's more that she doesn't want to... so we have to get a motivator for her. Too bad stealing toys won't work on potty training like it did to get her to go straight from refusing to crawl to walking in just a short period of time.) The girls are also smart enough to use it as a tactic to delay going to bed at night too. Of course, I'm happy to be blessed with intelligent children although sometimes I have to remind myself of that when I realize I'm being played like a fiddle by 2 1/2 year olds!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Walk/Run & Swim to Start Monday Off Right!
This was a little bit of a rough morning to get going. I didn't want to get out of bed, Mr. Darcy was sleepy, and Ladybug at first refused to get out of bed and then spent the morning crying or arguing about getting ready for school and breakfast. She even hit and kicked her Mommy and told her to go away! Angelfish even said that she was sleepy when I woke her up, but after a few minutes was her usual cheery morning girl. She even tried to share her muffins with Ladybug to help Ladybug feel better about getting up.
But, once I finally got out of the house (after Angelfish pointing out I had on my swim suit and then pointed at my running shoes and said "you go running in swim suit") I headed to the gym. I did 20 minutes on the treadmill and discovered I like running outside better, but my legs seemed to like the treadmill a little bit better than the road. It was a 5 minute walk, 10 minutes of alternating 1 minute walk and run, and then a 5 minute cool down. Then straight to the pool (note to self, I will bring my goggles and swimcap to the treadmill so I can bypass the need to go into my gym locker before the swim) where I swam about 3/4 of a mile. I would have done a full mile but was running short on time and didn't want to be late to work. I have to say that it felt good to lap a guy who was swimming while doing a 100 m pull (that means I wasn't even kicking). Of course, it was interesting to notice that for a few laps after he was swimming harder and trying to keep up with me. I won out in the end. : ) Yes, that competitive streak comes out. Just be glad we're not playing monopoly! My Teams in Training coach gave me some calf strengthening exercises to do as well as an icing regimen.
Normally, this would be a Sunday brick, but I took this coming Sunday's workout and moved it to today because I leave Thursday evening to visit my friend in Arkansas and will be gone until very late on Sunday. I'm going to try to walk/run while I am there, but we shall see. I want to focus on spending my time with her, but hope I won't tire her out either. I'm a little nervous about the trip because I want to have a nice visit but it's a little odd to have the fact that she is dying of cancer putting an odd perspective on things. I got to talk to her the other day which was wonderful. Unfortunately her voice is not back fully so she sounded like she had larygitis pretty badly, but it was still great to hear her perspective on things (politics, etc.) as well as just catching up on life. (Hopefully I didn't bore her with stories of the girls and their antics.) I am very much looking forward to seeing her! And I bet Little Rock will be a bit colder than Orlando...
Oh and btw, my bike is just fine. Mr. Darcy and I figured it out and all is well. Yeah! Until tomorrow...
But, once I finally got out of the house (after Angelfish pointing out I had on my swim suit and then pointed at my running shoes and said "you go running in swim suit") I headed to the gym. I did 20 minutes on the treadmill and discovered I like running outside better, but my legs seemed to like the treadmill a little bit better than the road. It was a 5 minute walk, 10 minutes of alternating 1 minute walk and run, and then a 5 minute cool down. Then straight to the pool (note to self, I will bring my goggles and swimcap to the treadmill so I can bypass the need to go into my gym locker before the swim) where I swam about 3/4 of a mile. I would have done a full mile but was running short on time and didn't want to be late to work. I have to say that it felt good to lap a guy who was swimming while doing a 100 m pull (that means I wasn't even kicking). Of course, it was interesting to notice that for a few laps after he was swimming harder and trying to keep up with me. I won out in the end. : ) Yes, that competitive streak comes out. Just be glad we're not playing monopoly! My Teams in Training coach gave me some calf strengthening exercises to do as well as an icing regimen.
Normally, this would be a Sunday brick, but I took this coming Sunday's workout and moved it to today because I leave Thursday evening to visit my friend in Arkansas and will be gone until very late on Sunday. I'm going to try to walk/run while I am there, but we shall see. I want to focus on spending my time with her, but hope I won't tire her out either. I'm a little nervous about the trip because I want to have a nice visit but it's a little odd to have the fact that she is dying of cancer putting an odd perspective on things. I got to talk to her the other day which was wonderful. Unfortunately her voice is not back fully so she sounded like she had larygitis pretty badly, but it was still great to hear her perspective on things (politics, etc.) as well as just catching up on life. (Hopefully I didn't bore her with stories of the girls and their antics.) I am very much looking forward to seeing her! And I bet Little Rock will be a bit colder than Orlando...
Oh and btw, my bike is just fine. Mr. Darcy and I figured it out and all is well. Yeah! Until tomorrow...
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