Monday April 5th

My darling husband came home for lunch so that I could get a quick swim. Quick is the best word here, since I only had time for a warm up and two 200 m swims. Short, I know. Pathetically short. The good news is that my form is picking up. I was able to swim my first 200 in 4.28 and my second in 3.58. The trick will be to swim 1500 m in 30 minutes and still have energy for 24 miles on the bike and a 6 mile run. Sure is motivation to keep working out!

I popped on the trainer for a 25 minute spin after the kids were in bed. Biking sure burns some calories and I certainly need to improve...a lot. I think I need to pop on the trainer a little more often. T suggested that I sprint a minute, rest a minute, for 10 minutes. It was more like sprint a minute, rest for two...time flies when you want your heart rate to slow down and crawls as your heart is about to beat out of your chest.

Managed a tiny bit of yoga, but we're about to watch Chuck. Its the ONE show that we watch together. Its all about balance.

Off to the gym for an early morning workout before T heads to work : )

Pasadena Triathlon

My friend Jules and I completed the 2010 Pasadena Rose Bowl Reverse Triathlon a few weeks ago. We spent a night (sans children) in Pasadena and we both enjoyed taking care of only ourselves : )

Just bought a wetsuit for my next triathlon, an open water (lake) tri in San Dimas. Should be fun!

500 m swim - 24 k bike - 5 k run

Motivation

I run to be faster, stronger

I run to be strong, fit, sexy

I swim because I love the feel of floating on top of the water

I swim to be faster than the woman next to me

I ride because I love speed

Not as glorious as riding a horse, but it burns more calories

I do all of these things to be strong for my son, my daughter, my husband, everyone that loves me

I do it all for my body, for my mind

Just Do It

First Tri of the Season

I just completed my first triathlon of the season and I loved it. Okay, I didn't love the run this time, but I love the feeling that I get when I finish a race. Tim, Ollie and Charlotte were there waiting for me with a sign. Its important for me to set a good example for my kids and the feeling of accomplishment was that much sweeter when I saw my family's pride. Thanks for all of the support Tim!!

Results:
1:16:17
Run - 24:18.4
T1 - 2:24
Bike - 42:55.8
T2 - 1:46.7
Swim - 4:51.8

The Good:
Finishing under my goal of 1.30. The race director said that the course was fast (running/biking around a runway), but I didn't think that it would be THAT fast. Just over 8 min/mile is really fast for this Mommy

The bike was strong for me and I finished under my goal. I need to push it a little more during my next race...I could have given a little more, I think. I need to do a little course evaluation next time also. I really need to take advantage of the wind and use it for all its worth, especially when I have to face the wind head on the other side of the loop.

The swim wasn't super great, but I managed to stay mostly together. My goal is to breath on both sides of my body (not just my strong side) to prep for the open water swims (April, May, June, and October)

The Bad:
The sky opened up on us right as we began the run and continued to pour down on us through 2/3 of the bike. That wasn't actually as bad as the downpour that soaked the dry clothes that I put on after the race!

Lessons Learned:
Warm-ups matter. The gun fired for the run start and I went from zero to full on running. Folks just passed me from then on until I picked up the pace at the end. My run definitely needs some work. I need to get off of the treadmill and get out on the streets.

I'm also going to tweak my transition time to see if I can shave off some time there. A mere ten minutes separated me and the winner of my age division and its sure easier to shorten the transition than it is to shorten the run!

What's Next:
The next race is on March 20th in Pasadena. We'll be racing around the Rose Bowl, which should be fun. Its an early morning start, so another racer and I will make our way down the night before. While I wish that I had a night away from the kiddos with my husband, I will no less appreciate the break!!

Once again, a huge thanks to my fabulous husband for all of the support and to Amber, my race buddy. It was way more fun to have someone to hang with : )

My Motivation

So, here I am in California. After living in the UK for four great years, it was time for the family to relocate to the desert of So Cal for our next adventure. I know that there are those military spouses who relish change and love to move, but I am NOT one of them. I like my friends, I like knowing where to go without using a GPS, and I LOVED living in England (most of the time). Change is hard and moving sucks, but its a part of my life. I made the choice to make lemonade out of lemons and find the good things about southern Califor.blpnia and the opportunities here (very Pollyanna, I know). My bright idea to make this move a good one was to run some triathlons!

Here's my motivation:

1) After two kids, I need to get into shape. My BMI is not where its supposed to be. Its not about my weight, but my overall body composition.

2) Healthy Mom = Healthy Family. Exercise is great for many reasons...there is the obvious physical gain, but there are also great mental benefits. My mind clears and I feel like I can tackle the world (or at least my two small children) after a good workout.

3) Believe it or not, triathlons are fun. The nerves, the adrenaline, the atmosphere...I LOVE it!