Taking it to the Track

Track practice last night when remarkably better than expected - I held a fairly consistent lap time of around 2:10 - 2:20. We did a 3/4 mile warm up, then 3x2000s (five laps around the track) with 3 minute breaks between then a 3/4 mile cool down.

I was surprised at how "easy" it was for me. I suppose when you get to take a 3 minute break between 1.25 mile runs, it's not cardio strength you're testing, but instead, consistency. I was so incredibly mindful of pace, form, stride. It was a real eye opener, I actually felt myself speed up and slow down. When you're just trying to hit miles, you really lose this perspective. I really believe that track practice is going to improve my mile time. Oh, and I can't leave this out...having Coach T cheer me on every lap was a real booster. Man, I love having a coach. 

Another big change for me was the group workout. I know I'm a fitness instructor, so working out in groups shouldn't be anything new, but it certainly was. A track is a really intimidating place if you've never been and since this was my first track workout when it was busy (all my bootcamp experiences were at like...6am), I was really glad to have a team around me, even if we didn't run together, it was fun to belong to a little cluster and chat as we were leaving the track.

Since I kinda lambasted swimmers yesterday, I'll give y'all a few tips I learned last night about track practice, least I show favoritism. Runners, especially those on a track get irritable when some basic rules are broken.

When on the track, think of yourself as a car and the track as a highway. This means:

• Use caution when entering/exiting the track. Don't cut people off with sudden movements.
• Check your blind spot. Especially since a lot of runners are mindful to run quiet, you may not hear someone coming up in the lane you're about to move into. Look over your shoulder.
• Lanes determine speed. Crazy fast? Have fun in lane 1. Moderate speed? 3-4. Walking? Lane 5. Just like driving - faster cars to the left.
• Pass with care. Lane 2 is primarily for passing. Check your blind spot and make sure you don't ride up on the runners in front of you. No one likes a bumper rider.

Runners on a track are usually there for business. Get in, run your laps, cool off, get out. So, it won't be any surprise if you suddenly find a surly bunch of runners at the track. Friendliness is saved for long runs and solo runs. I have no idea why this is, but, there you have it. But, I promise to always give you a smile.

Also - go ahead and break out the neon. I was so in love with my bright pink arm warmers last night (thanks, Mom!)

And then I slept for 12+ Hours

Saturday's workout(s) were AWESOME.

I'm finding it easier and easier to get up near the buttcrack of dawn. Maybe I really am a morning person - who knew!

I met up with the distrance running group that Coach T trains at Peirce Mill. I've never been there, even though it's ridiculously close to my house, and had first run nerves. One of the traps I get into is not trying new routes. It's a lot easier, mentally, to have mental landmarks. But, this whole triathlon thing is most certainly about trying new things.

When I run on my own, I usually clock around an 8:40-9 minute mile time. This is slightly deceptive since I tend to take a walk break every 2-3 miles (I chalk this up to when typical water stops show up in races). But Saturday's run was 10 miles, averaging a 9:30-9:40 pace (no faster) and with the goal of not stopping. That was a mental barrier waiting to be destroyed.

I got to meet Victoria in person, which was really cool. She's a blogger celebrity and my own personal hero (especially for her swim prowess). She very kindly offered to run with me and not let me get lost on the trails. And off we went. It was a gorgeous day for a run, especially along Rock Creek. We finished up around 1:35 (she went on to do another 2 miles): average mile time: 9:30 - bingo.

I had my first back to back workout scheduled for Saturday, so I got home, ate some pretzels (yaay salt!) and headed down to the pool. What I didn't know was that from 9-11 at the pool is basically kids-a-palooza. Incredibly frustrated, I left, intending to call my coach and ask how to fix this situation. I had plans in Baltimore, then I needed to be available all the rest of the evening to support Chadd for the Ninja Warrior stuff. Thankfully, I had my times wrong on my Baltimore plans, so I walked back over to the Y and pulled off a very bad 45 minutes in the pool. I started out frustrated. My form felt bad, I felt slow (and was certainly the slowest in the pool, save for the gentleman in lane 3 learning to swim) and it was crowded and I felt like a huge inconvenience to everyone.

Then I remembered the crucial swimming tip Victoria had given me: look down.

This sounds like an incredibly easy tip and one that I'm sure many of you have been doing without thinking. This was a huge lightbulb moment for me. My form improved dramatically. I still struggled with the endurance side of swimming, but at least my butt wasn't 6 inches lower than the rest of my body.

I guess this is the equivalent of when someone tells me they're struggling with running and I have 3 guesses on  form problems that, when fixed, dramatically improve the person's experience.

In case you were wondering, those tips are:
1. Run neutrally. I see a lot of people slumped forward, which cuts off your lung capacity. Sit up.
2. Tuck your hips under. This should take some pressure off your knees and engage your glutes. Big muscles give you a big hand.
3. Relax. Arms should swing naturally, shoulders away from the ears, look ahead.

I was surprised with how great I felt Saturday after both workouts. I jumped in the shower and felt awesome driving out to see some of my favorite Ragnarians (def: people who run Ragnar).

We gorged on wings and bbq: (seriously, do yourself a favor and go to Kloby's in Columbia)

Happy Ragnarians were we:

I jumped back in the car to Alexandria (my muscles weren't really happy with the hour plus I spent in the car). After watching Chadd do ninja stuff, we headed home. I managed to eat a little pizza (ok, a lot of pizza), and have precisely 1 beer before passing out at the amazing hour of 9:30. I had promised Chadd we'd watch more X-Files, but instead, I slept for 12 hours. Bless his heart, he didn't wake me and instead let me sleep until I woke up at 10 the next morning. Talk about starting a rest day off the right way.

Of course, why would one really rest on a rest day? I spent the majority of yesterday getting an unintended workout: Ikea. There's nothing like walking what feels like miles through DIY furniture and modular living land then spending 3+ hours in heavy lifting mode. But, the condo is almost re-done. Pictures when it's done, I promise!

A Tale of Two Swims

Part 1: The Bad Swim

Today was my "hang out and relax before I start the new job" day, but it wound up being anything but. Definitely enjoyable, but my day is better titled "how is it already 6 and why do I have to be in the pool again?"

I got up, put in my morning shift at Miriam's, then headed home to have a leisurely breakfast of a waffle, homemade apple pear butter (patting myself on the back for how amazing it turned out) and pears, courtesy of Washington's Green Grocer (if y'all are in the market for weekly amazing produce at incredible prices, I strongly suggest you check them out). And then I realized I needed to get some pool time in and fast if I was going to make it in time to have lunch with Chadd.

My pool workout was grueling. This must be what it's like for someone who is starting a couch to 5k program to be faced with running a 5 miler. I'm sure it didn't help that I spent last night working punishing my upper body with Blair (I hurt oh so good this morning).

I jumped in the pool a little after 11am, which is apparently geriatric hour. The upside is that everyone is very nice and has no problem chatting or splitting lanes. The downside is that my ego got a bit artificially inflated lapping the septuagenarian in my lane who was swimming with full use of 1 arm and 1 leg and questionable amounts of his other limbs. I suppose I shouldn't leave out that he wasn't huffing and puffing and clinging to the side of the pool every few minutes. You read that right. I got schooled by a retiree recovering from a stroke. Humble pie.

But, aside from 1 300 set, I did finish the workout. In total, the swim was 2300yrds. I don't know if that's a lot or a little, but it felt like a lot and I felt like a badass leaving the pool. It may have something to do with the awesome swim cap mom and dad got me for my birthday:

You should know I have a thing for pink and skulls.

After a lunch with Chadd where I calmly ate my sandwich (read: inhaled food like a vacuum), I ran to Costco, got my watch resized and other random errands...

Just in time to get changed for the pool. Again.

Part 2: The Good Swim

What makes my tale of two swims even worth blogging about is how different they were. I went to a swim clinic tonight that my coach and Mei Mei Connors put on. I was both excited and terrified. Excited because I really wanted to love the pool and swimming and fearing it because, well, I'd just finished a brutal workout and oh hell I was going back to the water.

I also learned this crucial tip: have two swimsuits. If you don't, when you put your same suit back on from this morning's swim, you will be cold and damp. I'm in the market for a bright pink swimsuit with skulls. Project Runway, get on that, ok?

After a couple of minutes of talking about pool etiquette, we changed into our gear and headed into the pool. In case you didn't know, the Wilson pool is HUGE. Like...50 meters kind of huge. I have a hard time making 25 yards in my pool at the Y. 50 meters looked like sure death.

I had a choice at this point: cling to the side like I did when I was 6, or sack up and swim. It's not very iron to IM your best training buddy (Hi Bryan!) and say "I wimped out on the swim..."

When Mei Mei told us to swim to the end of the pool, I took a deep breath and tried to think of nothing. I made it to the end, nails dug into the ceramic edges. Then back to the other side. I was proud of myself, but panting like a dog. Mei Mei reminded me that it's okay to be afraid, that my body's reaction is normal, and that it's going to get better. Then she told me to slow down. But how?? My new favorite swimming tip is to reach for an extra inch per stroke because once I did that, I slowed down. I found my happy pace. I actually...get this...loved swimming.

I feel like I've been sprinting my workouts instead of actually doing intervals. What a massive change this is going to make.

I left the pool excited to go back for my next workout and really excited that I've found a pool with a hot tub.

And thus...a slightly less paranoid swimmer was born.

A Lesson in Listening to Your Coach

My head feels like it weighs 50 pounds right now. My lower back has revolted - my spin is broadcasting that it's in about 3 pieces and I think I had the deepest sleep I've ever known last night. Further, my quads may have issued a hit on me (and I don't blame them).

In short - track practice was last night!

I really love track practice. There's something about being around a bunch of runners, all with the same goal in mind: speed work. The key, without giving away too much of this post, is knowing how much speed to use.

Last night's workout consisted of:
1x3200 at race pace (for me, this is roughly an 8:40-8:50 or a 2:10-2:15 lap time)
1x1600 at race pace
2-4x800 at threshold pace

After my 3/4 mile warm up, I went out for my 3200. "Keep your pace in mind," Coach T said to our group, "I'm keeping my eye on those of you who are going too fast." (Cue foreshadowing music)

First lap: 2:01 (hmm a bit fast)
2nd lap: 2:04 (come on, slow down)
3rd lap: 2:03 (no, still too much)
* join two other ladies running about my pace*
4th lap: 2:07 (come on, slow down)
5-7th laps: between 2:05-2:10.
8th lap: NO IDEA (Houston, we have a problem)

Y'all, I did my 3200 in something like 16:20. I run sub 8s when I am LUCKY and running down hill in a 10k. 10k pace was not the goal tonight. Marathon pace was the specific goal. Epic fail. It was so hard to stay in pace, though.

The 1600 was a similar story. I just really wanted to run with my two groupmates! Too bad they're hella fast. I KNEW there was bad news coming as I huffed and puffed through my last lap - specifically what Coach T told me NOT to do.

In all fairness, were you outside last night??? The weather was second only to how amazing it was tonight. Nothing short of perfect running weather.

Coach knocked me down to 2 800's because I was already trashed. I did those two sets at what SHOULD have been my 3200 pace. If I'd held on, I probably could have shredded 3 800's in sub 8's...but instead, I barely got through 2x800 and my 3/4 mile cool down.

Lesson learned, Coach. I promise I'll slow down!

Rest Week and BIG NEWS!

I don't know if that adage about how if sharks stop swimming they die is true or not, but let's pretend that it is.

I am so a shark in my life. I've talked over and over again about my worst habit: all or nothing, but this week is definitely right there with the NOTHING part of that all or nothing lifestyle.

I should start with a positive announcement. I'm going to Miami next week - Tuesday - Friday early morning. Why, you ask? Oh, I was missing Florida and thought some beach time would be good...and....

CHADD GOT INVITED TO NINJA WARRIOR TRIALS.

My boss very graciously gave me the time off to go watch Chadd compete. I won't be able to tell you what happens at trials until NBC says we can, but I can tell you this - I am so proud of Chadd. If you want to know what true dedication is, all you have to do is look at Chadd. After Metro Dash last May, he went all out. Working out, training, finding opportunities to practice a sport that is still rare. This isn't running, biking, swimming, aerobics, crossfit...it's a specialized practice with huge risk (see: our 6+ hours in the ER one night) and skill beyond my wildest imagination. He's spent countless hours in the gym, beating up his hands, his shoulders, everything. I thought losing toenails was awful...you should see the blood on his hands and fingers after working on the cliff hanger. And it's not just dedication, Chadd has a natural gift for this. To see him go to Miami and be given the time off to go with him is just a dream.

Wish him well next week! When we can tell you what happened, we will!

Back to rest week...

It's been a trip to have a rest week. And, even more strange, is that I think of a rest week being 5 workouts. Monday, I had a second rest day. Tuesday morning, I had to give up a morning workout (pool) because of our crazy thunderstorm. I'm not 100% certain, but at least in Florida, if there is electricity in the air, indoor or out, the pool is closed. I slept in. I had to stay crazy late at work, but I got my swim in.

PAUSE.

I swam...wait for it. 1.25 miles. Y'all, that is my long swim EVER. And it felt GREAT! I left the pool at 9:30, feeling not like I'd gotten my ass kicked, but that I'd OWNED that swim. Is it possible that I'm becoming a confident swimmer? I think so.

Resume.

Yesterday, I was going to sneak in my cycle workout, but by the time I got to my track practice happy hour, I knew it wasn't happening.

Tonight, I did get my 45 minute restorative spin in and it felt good. 45 minutes on a bike these days = nada.

I did an important thing today, though. I took my beautiful bike into a bike shop in Ellicott City - CycleSport. The shop comes recommended from one of the guys in my coach's tri programs who knows the owner. Adam did me a huge favor and reached out to Paul, the owner, and asked him to check out my bike personally.

I rolled my bike in during my lunch break and Paul came to check it out. "Wow" he said "a LaPierre, I haven't seen one of these in a while." OH? I asked if this was a good or bad thing and he said that LaPierre's are a great bike...and that buying it for $500 on Craiglist, especially for the shape it's in and the upgrades the previous owner did...I made out like a bandit.

He's putting white SPD pedals on my bike (TO MATCH) and is going to see if he can track down some pink handlebar tape for me.

If your bike needs a tune up, head out to Ellicott City and ask for Paul. I trust him, my teammates trust him, and when I get my bike back, I know it's going to be in slick shape.

This week may not be the most balls to the wall workout week, but I have my best friend ever, Katie, coming into town, Blair's wedding (!!!!) and Chadd heading to Miami on Sunday.

Unlike my last bust week, I feel good about this one. I'm still making the workouts happen, but this time, with an eye on real life getting in the way...and being ok with it.

Maybe I'm more like a dolphin. Still moving a lot, but I'm learning to not feel like I'm going to die (or slip on my training) when I have a rough week.

5 Random Thoughts

Goodness. What happens when you go on vacation and come back to a new office policy banning social media (blogger included). I need to get better about finishing my posts at night instead of leaving the editing to the morning.

Anyway - Miami was great - thanks to everyone for your support and well wishes! We had an awesome time and Chadd did really well. 

I have a post coming, probably this weekend, that I'm REALLY excited about, so maybe that will make up for the brevity of this post and the lack of posts for the past couple weeks.

Tonight is a random assortment of thoughts.

1) I really love Fitocracy. If you aren't on Fitocracy, you're missing out. It's basically a social media network for fitness people and I love it. And there's a forum that I totally love and am geeking out over. Here's the link to sign up - and we'll automatically follow each other. Leveling up is literally why I'll do another set of anything. And it's free. So, there's no reason to not do it. 

2) I really love track practice. Since it's spring break, those pesky students aren't having games on the track (must you have spring sports?) so we don't have to run around a block. Tonight we did 4x1200s. Goal was to start slightly lower than threshold and get faster with each set. My times looked like this:

1 - 6:02

2 - 6:06 (oops)

Coach said before our third set that if we couldn't get faster on this third set, this would be our last set - no fourth set. 

3 - 5:48 (f*ck yeah.)

4 - 5:49

One of the girls in my group said "there's no motivation like telling an endurance athlete 'you can't'" and isn't that the truth. I felt like I was freaking flying on those last two sets. 

3) My coach is the greatest. We had our one on one tonight post track workout to go over the approach to the Flying Pig Marathon (more on that later), how things were going currently, and to hang out. I love the fact that my coach takes a very personal approach to training. We went to Rocklands BBQ and sat outside with our food and a beer. I mean, really. How do you not love a coach like that?? If you're training for any major event, I strongly recommend a coach (specifically, my coach) because it takes the pressure off, mentally. I am not responsible for coming up with my workouts and worrying about if they're the right ones or if I miss one what will happen. I am simply responsible for doing my best and keeping my coach informed. Talk about a load off of your shoulders.

4) My weekend workouts are making me scared excited...which I am dubbing scaxited. Go with me here. Saturday I have my first real brick workout - 1-1:15 group bike ride, 20-30 minute run. I am still scared of my bike even though I'm in love with it (in scove?). Fear is a powerful motivator so I'm really stoked to get on the bike and conquer gears and clipping in/out. And then Sunday, after I figure out how to fit in my Easter celebrations at the church, I have a 15-16 mile run. I am anticipating not feeling amazing on Sunday afternoon in terms of energy, but pretty freaking awesome in terms of perceived invincibility. 

5) If you haven't read my how-to on track etiquette, please do. Or stay off the track before you or someone around you gets hurt. Also: DON'T TEXT MIDTRACK WORKOUT. Augh some people...

And that's all!

T-Minus Three Days to Flying Pig

Hi. I'm not dead. 

I've just been a terribly non responsive member of society lately. Aside from my day job, most emails have gone unsent, volunteer work has not been done, planning or writing or anything has been on hold.

Why? 

I don't know. It's like I suddenly stopped caring. Perhaps I reached that edge where having a lot on my plate was suddenly not a motivator and instead, it was a paralyzing factor. Or maybe it's because I really enjoy training and after I train, all I want to do is sit on my butt and think about training/watch tv. Whatever the reason, if my begging off on my friend/volunteer/teammate/anything duties affected you, I'm sorry. I came home on Monday night and had a small cry about how I let everyone down and all this that and the other. Chadd got ready to go to the gym, told me to make a list, lock the cats out and just go one by one down my task list. It's embarrassing how little time it took to do everything.

So, now that I've put my big girl panties on, it's time to talk about a big event that is happening in 3 days:

My third marathon.

I chose the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati because...I have no idea why (honestly). My recollection is that part of it was timing (late Spring marathon!), part of it was that Runner's World said it would be fun (if you love hills!), and partly because I had just spent too much time at the Marine Corps Marathon Expo when picking up my 10k bib. 

This has been a really weird pre-race experience. It's all jumbled in my head, so let's try to break it down:

1) One is the Loneliest Number. This is the first time I'm doing a major race (read: marathon) without support crew. The first time, my mom, my then boyfriend, and Chadd were there. My second marathon, Katie and Chadd came out...but this time...it's me and the road.

I totally underestimated how awesome it is to have crew. During the RnR National Half, I saw Chadd at 6, accidentally saw Cyndi at 10, and my coach just after 12. And every time I got tired between those, I started to think about how I would see someone soon and that powered me on. This is not to discount the friends I'm going with (including Justin, Ayla, and Amanda - some of my Ragnar rocks). But these amazing friends will be running their own races. 

I suddenly feel naked.

I've been told that this is a VERY friendly marathon. I think it may be one of the reasons I saw in the RW article. They apparently close the course down after the allotted time, but they continue to support runners after they've moved them to the sidewalks. Now THAT is friendly.

2) Holy Hills, Batman. So, in a moment of true intelligence, I didn't look at the course elevation profile prior to registering. And now that I've looked at it, I have the pre-race nervous pees. I'm amazing with rolling hills. Probably because of my spinning, I'm totally cool with glorious rolling hills. May go towards explaining why I loved the RnR National Half course. What I do not particularly love is a 3+ mile incline. This gives me flashbacks to Ragnar PA where I had 10+ miles up Mt. Pocono. There is actually a photo of me somewhere slumped on the ground, considering death after that.

Ah. There they are.

Y'all. My COACH had a temper tantrum in 2010 when she did this race. Granted, she also placed second in her age group...but, yikes. The positive to this is that my coach knows this race and has been able to give me a lot of insight into it. We've agreed that I shouldn't go out trying to bank time in the first half. Instead, I'm going to hold a 9:30 for the first half, check my watch at the 10k, the half, the 18 and the 22. The back half of the race is my strong suit - again, cue rolling hills.

3) As in...Sub-4. This may have been the wrong race to try and have such a strong PR. But I WANT that sub 4. I mean, that's the real reason I'm running another marathon (or that's my publicly facing reason, I could keep a shrink in business forever if we went into my addiction to endurance sports). 

I keep telling myself that the last marathon I did, I did not run a smart race. I ran without regard for strategy. I got a late start in the wrong corral, I fought my way back to my group and was totally spent by 20. 

4) Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger. It's weird to have a marathon simultaneously be a non-event and cause me anguish. I've been impressively nonchalant about it in the past months. Mostly because I spend all of my anxiety time thinking about the 70.3 in August. Maybe it's also because I've distracted myself with unemployment, two job changes, and a bunch of other stuff. It's not like worrying MORE about a marathon makes it easier. It's not like this is a part of training, but in the back of my mind I feel like I'm behind on worrying. It's almost like I haven't gotten over my worry process and now I'm not going to be prepared.

In reality, I should be confident. I haven't been worried because I have this awesome thing called a coach. Coach T has taken all the pressure off of me because all I have to do is what she says. And I've done just that. I haven't been sore after any of my runs. I have comfortably held 9:30's and below on all my training runs. I need a steady 9:07 to pull this out of the bag, which means I trained at the right pace and I should be able to pull out a sub 4. I will run a smart race because I was smart when I was training.

5) The Future. Unlike the last two times I've trained, I haven't gotten sick of training. Sure, I wasn't stoked about going out for 18 miles, but it's not been the same imposition as it's been in the past. I've actually enjoyed it. I'll credit my coach with a big part of this. I've already started thinking about marathons for the fall if I don't hit sub-4 (and let's be honest...even if I DO hit sub 4...). So, unlike the last times where I've had goals (a time goal AND a goal to never do a marathon again if I made my goal), this time I just have one goal: sub 4. And if I don't make it, I just have to try again.

So, in just 3 days time, you will see a very brief post. It will hold the results and probably another marathon goal - sub-4 or not.

Let me know if you'll be in Cincinnati! I'd love to say hi!

Victory! Or, the week I started training (in earnest) again

2013 started out, in a word, crappy.

Early January, my foot was swelling at the end of long runs. I'd had ankle issues for a while now, but I mostly ignored them...until January. By early February, my entire ankle was made of #RAGE. It got to the point where running was totally out of the picture. Soon, cycling was too much, and swimming wasn't doing anyone any favors. I could literally hear grinding in my ankle and the back of my heel was turning shades of purple unknown in nature.

No one knows what caused it. No one had any perfect solutions. By mid-March, I was apoplectic every time I saw someone running (which, in DC, is frequently). But I still did my best to support runners at the RnR Half.

Finally, things started to change. My podiatrist re-fit my orthotics with a higher arch. I started seeing Erin twice a week for active release therapy, I continued to foam roll and use the stick like my life depended on it...and...I bit the bullet and took up yoga. I know, I know. But, much like my experience with Crossfit, yoga wound up surprising me. I used to be a mix of "this isn't making me sweat" and "w.t.f."

I signed up for a 6:30am flow yoga class with Yoga District in Dupont. I should say, up front, that Kat is a GREAT instructor. I'm not flexible and I'm really impatient, but class flows (ha) at a pace that keeps me moving, engaged, and focused. I loved starting my day SO much with yoga that I went ahead and signed up for Tuesday morning...and then Friday morning. Yoga feels a lot more like this:

aka: badass.

Ayla, if you want to gchat me with "I TOLD YOU SO" ^ infinitum, go for it.

A brief #miacooks interlude: my new favorite breakfast is a very simple protein shake. I use Vega protein powder at the recommendation of Christine. I do a banana, frozen strawberries, heaping tablespoon of greek yogurt from the market (no, do not buy that from the grocery), a scoop of Vega, and some almond milk. Boom. Awesome post morning workout breakfast.

I also went back to Crossfit this week. Since CFDupont is no longer (unicorn tears), I went ahead and gave Crossfit DC a shot. I got back from my first workout and talked Chadd's ear off. I said I might look around at other boxes, but I knew I'd already made up my mind.

So, come to Crossfit DC. Best box in DC. Chris and Tom know their stuff. They care about everyone there. The equipment is great. The space is epic. The vibe is like coming home. Or maybe I just missed Crossfit. Or both, who knows, but I'll go with it.

Better yet - Lindsey came to town! I was healed up in time to workout with her before she moves back to California.

This was for a photo opp. Let's not judge my form more harshly than I have.

On Wednesday, I was allowed to run precisely 1 mile at track. I'm sure my time was shameful, but my ankle didn't swell. I woke up Thursday feeling NORMAL (hence: all systems go for Crossfit).

This weekend is my first brick since...a long time. Wish me luck and enjoy the weather this weekend!

Victory Lap

This morning, I woke up naturally around 6 am. Normally, I can go back to sleep, but this morning, I lay awake, thinking about my impending brick workout.

I got out of bed, ate a quick breakfast, put on my ridiculously uncomfortable bike pants (seriously, this padding thing is awful), took off my ridiculously uncomfortable bike pants (never, ever forget to wear bodyglide) and got the Blue Terror down to the car...and spent a good 15 minutes cursing at my bike rack.

I got to Peirce Mill a little late (sorry guys) and after some frantic tire pumping, Rachel, Victoria, and I set out on Beach Drive. It all clicked. I know I need some start/stop work, but I didn't fall over. I remembered how to clip in/out without screaming or nearly falling. We took an out and back to Connecticut Ave.

Riding a bike is, in fact, just like...riding a bike. It comes back to you pretty quickly.

I couldn't keep up with my teammates, but they're far better athletes than I am, and at the very least, I am excited to say I pulled 17.17 miles in around 1:04. I don't know what my first hour bike ride distance was, but I'm fairly certain it was many miles shorter than that. My endurance isn't entirely gone!

Rachel and Victoria had longer bricks, so I swung back by Coach, dropped off my bike, and did a very short, 15 minute victory run lap.

I nearly made it 20 because I wasn't paying attention to the time. Slow, yes, but running felt natural. My ankle didn't seize up. My arch wasn't swelling. I was simply running.

Though I am fighting off a nap before yoga with Rachel, I can only say that I feel amazing. And I am so glad to be back.

Training Update

I'm so afraid to say that I'm officially "back" to training because it seems like every time I said "sweet! I feel great!" over the past few months, my ankle has taken that as a sign to swell up and turn purple. 

So I won't say anything.

However, week two of a normal training schedule just flew by and now that I have something to talk about, you get to see my workouts again.

Monday - Morning Yoga. (1 hour) This was a total cluster on my behalf. I did my first hot yoga session with Rachel the previous weekend and my mat was either still damp or I was just extra sweaty on Monday morning. This was technically a rest day, but my dedication to not screwing up my ankle is paramount. 

Tuesday - Spin. (1 hour) Again with the cluster. My playlist felt off, I couldn't get my groove going - the universe was not right. I was supposed to swim, but since I had to teach, I switched my workouts.

Wednesday - Morning Yoga. (1 hour) Much better this time around, but I also slipped enough that I invested in a yoga towel. 

Wednesday - Track Practice. (1 hour) This was my first track practice in months. Of course, it was just in time for the track to be occupied by the high school lacrosse team, so we took to the block around the baseball fields. I felt terrible. My warm-up, admittedly, was WAY too fast. I came in from a 1.2+ mile warm up holding under 9 minute miles. I couldn't hold the 4 loops around the block - so I cut out on the third to stretch, then joined Rachel for a tempo pace final loop. 

Total mileage: just over 4 miles. 

Ankle status: normal. 

Thursday - Friday: I blew it both of these days. I have a mind block on going to the pool. I don't know why. It's not even that I hate swimming - I just loathe getting to the pool. Maybe now that the weather is changing, I'll actually get my time in the water.

Saturday - Modified Brick (2.5 hours) I had to work all day at the Cherry Blossom Expo. If you stopped at the Ragnar booth, you likely talked to me. It was a blast to talk about my passion, hear from other Ragnarians, and talk to the other vendors. I even picked up some new shoes:

Pearl Izumi EM Road N2

I got home as the sun was starting to set. I knew I was exhausted, had plans to see the Cherry Blossoms with Chadd on Sunday morning, plus a bunch of errands and FitCo work... so I did the next best thing to an actual brick. 

I went to the gym and parked my butt on the spinner for somewhere between 1:45-2 hours. Did you know that the spinner computer turns off after 90 minutes? I didn't and suddenly realized I'd been spinning around Z2 for...ever. 

I had a half hour for a run and, not wanting to risk it on the road or lose too much time in "T2", I just jumped on a treadmill. The dreadmill did not, surprisingly, suck as much as I remembered. Please recall that I haven't been on one for more than 2 years. I started slow, somewhere in the 9:30 range, ramped up to 9's, then up to 8:30s, 8:15s, then I held steady on 7:30's for a good 10 minutes. Treadmills are notoriously bad judges of speed, so I'll just say this: I felt great. I felt like I had my speed back, even if I jumped off that death machine with my chest heaving. 

Sunday - Yoga. (1 hr 15 minutes) More hot yoga with Rachel! I'm not ready to try bikram (if I will ever be ready), but I enjoy the challenge of these classes. I also really love the instructors over at The Studio DC - I've never had an instructor ACTUALLY do a hands on assist. So enlightening.

Sunday, Fun Day: 

I'm working with a cool group of people to make fitness more accessible to all types of people in the DC area. If you want to learn more about us, check us out here: www.fitdc.co 

Better yet - just search Fit DC on Facebook and friend us! We had our leadership team photographs on Sunday. Our photographer is AMAZING and better yet - most of my photos are yoga poses. I know most of you find this hilarious since I am the least yoga person ever.

Our launch party is next weekend! Come grab a free class with us out in Arlington: http://fitdclaunch.splashthat.com/

In summation, I had just under 8 hours of training last week - including a TON of yoga (which, I have learned) is actually quite the workout. And a big fat fail on Swimming.