Activity: Running
Distance: 3.5 miles +/- 0.1 mi
Time: 30 min
Average: i dunno..about 9 min pace?
Weather: 70/68 it actually wasn't that sticky.

Jon and I woke up a little later than we wanted, so we went for a 30 min jog before heading out to Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach!

I love having a running companion! no iPod :) Jon and I couldn't quite remember where we were when we turned around at 15 minutes. That's why the distance and pace are estimated.

mood: BEACH - need i say more?
health: i think that we were both a little bit tired this morning (well, at least i was). this seems to be a theme of late, huh?

Activity: Running
Distance: 5.3 miles
Time: 49:25
Average: 9:19

Wow, I'm reporting on this run nearly a week later, and I can barely remember this training run! I do know that I wanted to stop into work to check on my model runs, so I stopped at Walker and then jogged home (not included in the time). On McCormick, I ran into Jon. He was heading to the library to find a book on tape for the trip, and I felt really shitty about making us leave late since he was ready to go. I think that I was showered and packed in 20 mins, tho I did have a few stops to make on the way out of town. oops!

Anyway, I believe that the run went well, although I vaguely remember being a little tired at the beginning. I started out really slow, I think (near 10 min mile pace on mile 1). I did speed up after that. I'm guessing that the reason I don't remember anything is there's nothing important to report. This post is really boring, huh?

mood: headin' down to NC for the weekend w/ Jon, and we're goin' to the beach!!!
health: a little bit tired at the beginning

ROAD PEDAL UPDATE: I didn't do an official bike workout today, but I DID practice clipping out of my bike pedals for about an hour. I'm pretty comfortable with my right foot, but I have a lot of trouble on the left. Near the end (and probably why I chose to stop), I went to clip out on the right, but I was leaning to the left. I clipped out on the right and took a pretty good fall on my left side. The bike was on top of me with my left foot still clipped in. I couldn't figure out how to get up for a second. oops! It didn't hurt too much, but it definitely squelched my confidence. I clipped in and out a few more times, then I headed in for some water and to stop shaking (I was a little nervous after my fall). I need at least one more intensive session like this before I head out on the road.

Activity: Swimming
Distance: 2350 yds
Time: 1 hour

Before I talk about today's swim workout, I got my road pedals put on and my bike fitted! Yay! And my road shoes are hot. Now I get to fall on my ass a lot :-D I also got some bike shorts so that my crotch doesn't hurt haha.

I tried out my very first swimplan.com workout!

Warm-up: 4 x (25 free/25 back)= 200
Build up: 4 x (50 streamline kicking/50 free push and glide)
Core: 5 min. time trial at a comfortable pace = 250yds in 4:45
6 x 50 free breathing on weaker side
1 X 100 IM
6 x 50 free breathing every 3rd stroke = 300
12 x 50 free (1-3 progressive, 4-6 progressive..., rest :20/150 yds)
Cool down: 200 slow

I modified the workout a little by adding in a 100IM and a time trial. I told the plan generator to include all of the strokes, but this workout only had free and back. I think that it's a good idea to continue to do at least 1 IM in each swim workout. Maybe eventually I'll be able to do a 100 fly again.

I counted my strokes too... when I swim at my comfortable aerobic pace (60-70% max), I do 20 strokes. When I swim at my endurance pace (70-80% max), I do 19 strokes, and I do 20 strokes when I'm sprinting. Is that backwards? I bet that my sprint is actually not faster than my endurance pace. I probably just end up getting choppier. Funny. I should time myself during my next swim workout to see.

mood: i'm really excited about my new bike shoes.
health: i feel like my swim endurance is getting back up there.

Activity: Running
Distance: 6.7 miles
Time: 1:00:04
Average: 8:57
Weather 66/50 sunny


Well, it feels like Monday anyway.

The original plan was to do a bike ride today, but I decided to do a bike ride later in the week after I get my clip-in pedals. I have less than 7 weeks to master clipping in and out, so I need all of the practice that I can get.

After deciding to hold off on the bike, I thought that it would be a really nice day for an outdoor swim. Unfortunately, the Nat was closed for a swim camp. I guess that I could have driven to Whipple Dam to try out the open water, but I really wanted to get into work. I finally decided to do a 10K run that ended at Walker.

I need to tone down the running in my weekly schedule. It's just so addictive. I love running! However, I need to have a more balanced schedule or maybe a slightly bike-intensive schedule. Once, I get my clip-ins, I should probably try to do 2 longer bike rides a week.

Anyway, the run went much better today. I wasn't as tired as I have been in previous runs. Note that the distance was a bit longer than a 10K. I couldn't remember whether I was supposed to turn around at Shortlidge or Bigler, so I ended up runnning a little bit farther. My legs feel really good though, and the weather was so beautiful :-D

mood: it's so great to be able to run again!
health: my right deltoid is a little sore from rafting. it's kinda nice to be sore tho.

Activity: Running
Distance: 8 miles
Time: 1:17:23
Average: 9:40
Weather: 79/57 a little bit of rain at the end

so my iron definitely is low. It's so funny how my running performance is a gauge for my iron levels. Hopefully, I can get my iron back up before the screening test for the running study next week!

It was really wonderful to do a longer run today. Those dinky 3.5 mile loops in Boston weren't enough to satisfy my running fix. I was really dragging, though I sped up a little after mile 4 when my runner's high kicked in. It was only two weeks ago that I ran a 10 mile at 9 min pace - I almost felt like I was getting back into the running shape that I was in before the marathon. I was seriously struggling on today's run tho. I'll have to up my iron supplements to 1/day.

My Camelback is leaking! I don't know what I did. It was definitely screwed on tight enough, but it was kinda dripping out a little and getting my butt wet. I'm kinda in love with my camelback, so I'd be seriously sad if it died :(

I can totally tell that my leg muscles are back. Even the left calf is nearly back. I seem to build muscles very easily. My legs were so dinky over the winter when I couldn't run because of the stress fracture. I wonder if my arm muscles have shrunk since I haven't been swimming as much?

I don't think that there's much else to say. I guess that Central Penn Racing is not having a meeting this month. Either that or they haven't updated their website. Hopefully I can do a bike ride with the group soon! Maybe Sunday?!

mood: rafting and camping tomorrow!
health: low iron is a drag.

Activity: Running
Distance: 3.75 miles
Time: 34:58
Average: 9:22 man, i'm running slow it must be the lack of sleep or something
Weather: 61/58 cloudy

I know the quote was lame. What do you expect of a tropical meteorologist tho?

I can't believe that I only ran 3.75 miles. I coulda sworn that it was about 4. oh well. I felt more energetic this morning. The houses on Westfield St were ginormous, so big that they had servant houses. Dedham reminds me of Sewickley a little. Westfield St would then be the equivalent of Blackburn Rd. There was even that same stone wall thing on the side of the road.

Brandy's comin out to visit me! It will be interesting to see what people say or how they act when she walks into breakfast with her bike gear on! I can't wait to see her! I'm so excited that she's moving to an area where I can visit her and park my car on the road (even tho I'll miss being in downtown Boston).

mood: really, my mood should be 11 since I get to see Brandy today :-D
health: besides that fact that i'm moving at a tortoise pace, i feel great. i should have brought my iron supplements with me. oops.

Activity: Running
Distance: 3.5 miles
Time: 57:34
Average: 9:21
Weather: 61/56 sunny

I'm in Boston! Yay! Unfortunately, I'm 10 miles or so outside of the city, 30 minutes by car. The MIT Endicott house is so overtly opulent though. C'mon, the land surrounding it is called the 'grounds'. Plus, this expression really fits. There's a pool, tennis court, horseshoes, badminton, volleyball, and a really old weeping birch tree. Too bad we're inside all day. I'm going to start calling my parent's backyard the grounds. ha.

Anyway, I did a little loop that I mapped out online. It took me into the town of Dedham which was very cute. The roads around here are so strange. There's this kinda sidewalk, kinda shoulder. Then it will end abruptly and reappear on the other side of the road. I wonder how expensive the houses are here. I imagine that they are insane. Despite being so close to the city, it has a very town feel. In fact, I feel like I'm on a remote island when I'm on the grounds of the Endicott house.

mood: i'm in boston
health: i really needed more sleep. i was moving so slow.

Activity: Biking
Distance: 19 miles
Time: 2 hours
Weather: 70 sunny

I was hoping to leave for this ride much earlier, but I somehow lost my valve in the front tire. I have no idea what the hell I did. I was pumping it up. Then, I went to remove the bike pump, and there was a popping sound. The bike tire quickly deflated, and I was so confused. I called up the bicycle shop, and the said that I might have had a faulty valve or something. Anyway, I learned how to change a bike tire which is kinda important.

WOW, I guess that this was my first official training bike ride, and it was sooo wonderful! I cannot put into words how beautiful the ride down Nixon Rd was. There was such a fantastic view of Tussey ridge. I felt truly free :-D

I probably passed 10 bikers that were going the other way. I guess that I did the loop backwards or something. OR (as I would prefer) I was so fast that the bikers that were going the same direction as me couldn't catch me! Ha that makes absolutely no sense! Then I would have passed at least one or two bikers. Maybe I'm the 'just right' speed.

There were a few places where there really wasn't a shoulder (ahem, Whitehall), but the cars really didn't scare me otherwise. I've never been down 45 toward Shingletown Gap. I can't believe that it's considered a town! The hill were rolling here, and even though the grade was not particularly great, my legs were really burning.

I think that I finished the first 15 miles of this ride in about 1:15-1:20 or so. Then, I got to the bike path alongside Atherton. I have always thought that this path looked like so much fun - quite the opposite tho. There was barely enough room to pass fellow oncoming bikers comfortably, the path was very uneven, and there were bushes and trees encroaching on it in many places. I hadn't really considered it, but riding by the shopping centers at noon on a Saturday was almost an attempt at suicide. There was one location where the view was obstructed: I couldn't see cars that were turning right. After sitting there for at least 5 minutes (the oncoming cars that I could see were clearly oblivious to the bike path), I got off of my bike and ran across the intersection. whew! I think that I will avoid the Atherton bike path at all cost in the future!

The rest of the ride was so pleasant though, and I can't wait to get my bike shorts and try out the clip-in pedals (once I get the shoes ha) that Brandy got me for my bday!! YAY!

mood: so beautiful
health: my legs are tired!

Activity: Running
Distance: 10K = 6.2 miles
Time: 57:34
Average: 9:16
Splits: 9:49, 9:19, 8:49, 9:09, 8:59, 11:26/1.2=9:13
Weather: 50/50 it felt cold at first, but i got kinda sticky and ended up taking off my long-sleeve around mile 2.5

Today, I set off with no real plan for my run. I almost did a 4 mile, then I almost did a 5.5 mile. I just kept running, and my legs always like to take me to the golf course bike path :) It was a pleasant run.

A 10K distance is nearing where I start bringing my water pack, and I kinda wanted it at the end when i was walking to cool off. Surprisingly, the hill on Park Ave alongside the golf course was not a problem. I don't know if I've ever run that whole hill without stopping for a water break? I've gotten much better about running hills!

mood: it's Friday! Sushi and Sake for Anke's bday!
health: a little bit of knee pain after the run. i really should be icing.

Activity: Swimming
Distance: 2300 yds
Time: 55 min

It's been nearly two weeks since my last swim, and I could definitely tell that I was slower, specifically on my 100 splits. During the winter when I was swimming 4 times a week, my 100 split for the fastest 100 was down near 1:30. Hopefully, I can get back into swimming shape before the triathlon!

1. 400 warm-up
2. 6 x (25 drill/25 swim)
3. 100 IM
4. 100 kick
5. 6 x (25 drill/25 swim)
6. 2 x (100 fast/100 faster/100 fastest/200 slow at 2:00)
7. 100 cool down

After getting back from my swim workout, I had an email from the Masters swimming list about www.swimplan.com (see my sidebar for the link!). The site is free to register, and it generates swim workouts that are tailored to your abilities! I hope to try out one of the workouts the next time I'm in the pool!

mood: i'm kinda nervous about this talk at the NE tropical workshop
health: little crick in my left shoulder

"If God invented marathons to keep people from doing anything more stupid, the triathlon must have taken Him completely by surprise."
~P. Z. Pearce

I finally bought a bike!

Isn't she beautiful? I'm basing my blog's color scheme on its powdery blue frame.. I need to come up with a powerful name for her...Blue Streak?! That sounds fast, right? Plus, it's a ride at my very favorite amusement park :-D

Aaaaand I signed up for the Lehigh Valley Steelman Triathlon!

I officially will be a triathloner in less than two months! That doesn't leave much time for me to get comfortable on the bike, but the best way to learn new things is to take the plunge (I hope!)

So here's the proposed schedule..I'm making myself very busy this summer!
June 17-20 BOSTON :)
June 22-23 Whitewater rafting & camping
June 28-? NC with Jon
July 7-8 Possibly in the burgh to see Lindz
July 14-15 Canoing with the Fam
July 21-22 Possibly whitewater rafting with Kalpana
July 27-29 Home in Pgh (Kalpana is visiting!)
August 12 STEELMAN: I'M SIGNED UP!!!
August 18 Possibly Kuhns Bros. Log Homes Sprint Triathlon in Lewisburg, PA
August 26 - Kentucky for Brandy's IRONMAN!
September 15-16 Reach the Beach

Brandy is going to develop a training program for me. I'll be back shortly to log my progress!