Finished!

My foot made it through. My anxiety is what got to me though. It seemed like I just could not catch a proper breath. People were probably thinking I was having an asthma attack!

My time was 32 minutes, but I finished 87 out of 117. Eeeks. That is okay though, I will get stronger and faster. This race was only the beginning.

Here is Kevin and I posing post race.

Pre-race

My foot is achy and I have a major case of anxiety going on. At least I look cute!

September 18th (just going by dates now)

Today is the big day! In a few hours I am running my first 5k. I am in agony over my left heel, but will fight through it as much as I can. I was able to fit my custom made orthotics in my running shoes, so I think that will help.

So excited to get back to the Y! I am starting up yoga again on Friday's.

Will report back with race results!

Day 103

I know that I have been MIA lately. Unfortunetly, I let my training slow done due to a few different reasons. However I am back on track.

I did not end up doing the Harbor run. I just was not ready.

Taking a trip to Fleet Feet (a great but be it overpriced) was exactly what I needed to get my butt in gear. That and all of the attention from people over my weight loss. It is frustrating; I am happy that people notice, but I am sensitive so when people say, "you look so amazing/great/etc"., I just keep thinking gee, did I really look that horrible before? I just feel the scrunity with these people. Because I am in a lull with my weight at the moment, I feel I am dissapointing people that the weight is not coming off fast enough. Or that if I am bloated due to my period, people will be quick to say, "oh look, she has already gained some weight back". It is truely making me miserable.

So.....anyway, I found another 5K that is about 3 weeks away. The registration has already been submitted and paid for so there is no backing out. The race is Sept 18th in B-ville. Kevin is doing it with me but will probably finish a good 8 minutes before me. I am not looking forward to it, but at least I have a goal to work towards. I think it is exactly the motivation I needed.

So I have just been focusing on running. My YMCA memberships starts back on 9/20 so I really look forward to getting in some cross training.

This post sounds really whiny, but it is how I feel at the moment. :-(

Day 85

Okay, I know it has been over a week. The post race blues has lifted and now I am on the back to school August manic pace. It happens every year, where I cycle into mania in mid-August, early September. This started the year Abbie went into Kindergarten. Year year I say that I won't let it get me, but it always does.

With that said, I am still working out at least every other day. One enjoyable thing I have been doing is taking my beloved doggie out to state land and running with her. It is great exercises for both of us and the scenery is pretty. I am running more and biking less. Kevin and I are doing the Inner Harbor 5k run in two weeks so I guess I am focusing on that for now. I have started a running log so that I can keep track of my progress. I am up to a 5.3 pace down to a 4.2 pace for about 60 minutes.

I have great news~I now have a training partner for next year's Iron Girl! My good friend Holly is going to do it with me. To hold her to it, I took her picture and posted it. I met her 4 years ago when our boys when to pre-k together. She also works at the Y, so I get to see her there as well. Thanks Holly~I really think we are going to rock it!

Day 73

Wow, I have been in a funk. I guess it is the post race blues. I am totally lacking energy and just feel like a slug. This past week I have only two runs and a long bike ride under my belt. It did not help that we went out with dinner and wine jazz with friends so I over indulged.

This week will probably not be any better since we are leaving on Thursday for a camping trip. My goal is to start fresh on the 9th and continue to work hard.

On a positive note, I beat my personal bike time by 10 minutes. 52 minutes for 9.3 mile. I realize I have a long road ahead of me, but at least it is a start!

Day 66

I am still on a total high from Saturday. Even though I was slow, I had improved on all three of the legs. I was about 7-10 minutes off of my anticipated time (1:24). Surprisingly, I felt great yesterday. That worries me a little. I keep going back to the bike portion and wonder if I pushed myself as hard as I could have. I think I was being extra cautious due to the heat and the humidity. I stopped and walked 3x, making sure to take these opportunities to drink water.

My poor husband. I cannot stop talking about it. I have told every single person I had seen in the last 48 hours.

Now I am going to focus on running so that I can participate in the Beaver Lake 5k run. Kevin and I will do it together so it should be fun. Right now it takes me 39 minutes to run 3.1 miles. I am not sure yet what my goal will be, but I will work hard to push myself past my comfort zone.

More pictures!

Here is my wonderful coach, and of course my amazing husband, Kevin. Thank you both so much for believing in me in times where I did not believe in myself.

Day 64; I DID IT!

Today was a huge victory for me. I completed my first triathlon. The best part of it? Even though it was 90 degrees out and humid as hell, I never wanted once wanted to give up. I was dead last in the bike leg, by at least three minutes. Did I let that discourage me? No, I kept going.

It was an incredible experience. It is something I can be so proud of. When I was running (more like walking!) my last trip around the track, another participant came out and ran it with me; giving me encouragement and the extra push I needed to get through it. I am so grateful to her.

My trainer Kelly, did an amazing job of planning and coordinating the event. Her words of encouragement and support were crucial to my success. Having my husband and kids there cheering for me was icing on the cake.

Honestly, it was a lot of fun. I can see how people get hooked on racing once they do their first. It was a great race and I really look forward to competing in Iron Girl next summer.

For the immediate future, I am going to focus on running. Kevin and I want to do the Beaver Lake 5k together.

I am a triathlete. No turning back for me.

Day 62

The practice race is less than 48 hours. I have been fairly calm all week about it, but then yesterday I had my meltdown.

We were given the map of the bike course. Since the kids were at camp, I was able to drive to Cato (about 12 miles) and take a practice run. It was HILLY! At least for me. It actually starts out with a steep hill, then it is rolling hills from there. The very last part of the race is a hill. I had to walk it for about 60 seconds both ways. The course is 8.3 miles. It took me 55 minutes. Of course this is the time where I am relaxed and my body feels good. I can't imagine what it will feel like on Saturday.

I went again today to bike the course, and on the very first hill the chain comes off in the middle of shifting. I tried for at least 20 minutes to get it back on, but it wasn't happening. So I had to walk the bike down RT 370 to get to my car, which I parked as far away as I could. I put the bike back in the car and went to the track to see how I would do. It was 80 degrees out, and the sun was just beating down on the track. I walked 3/4 of the way and it took me 20 minutes. Again, that is the stand alone time; without swimming and biking. I had to get out of the heat, so I went to Beaver Lake and power walked the 2 and the 3.1 mile loops.

So now I am worried about two things; the chain coming off the track (especially if it happens 5 miles into the ride) and the weather. It is supposed to be 88 and humid. Ugh. The race starts at 11 a.m. which means I will be on the track about 12:30. It will be hot. Knowing my luck, I will get heat stroke or something. My dad is afraid I will have a heart attack in the heat (thanks Dad!).

My plan is to treat each individual leg seperatly. If I am swimming and thinking about biking, I will panic. If I think about running while I am biking, I will probably cry. I just have to keep my nose to the grindstone and not freak out when everyone passes me. I can't worry about looking like I do not belonge there.

So I am done training until the race. There is nothing more I can do. I just need to relax and have fun.

Day 59

Wow, what a difference a week makes. I am happy to say that I was able to get over my slump. I worked really hard last Wednesday and Thursday, then took Friday and Saturday off because we went camping.

I am starting to see a little improvement with the bike. I went out on a quick hilly 5.3 ride this morning, and it only took me 30 minutes, which is good for me. I am enjoying biking more with the exception of the wrist and palm pain.

The practice run is this Saturday! I am actually very calm about; as opposed to last week where I was riddled with anxiety.

The plan is to get in two workouts a day until Thursday; then take off Friday and get a good night's sleep for Saturday.

Day 53

I am just flat out disgusted with myself today. I have let my training take a serious nose dive. Summer is hard. Too many temptations to take a day off. I did not do anything over the weekend. Kevin's race went great and I am so proud of him for finishing his first 15k. The runners looked like they were having a blast. Maybe I will make it a goal to run it next year.

Back to my dismal training; I was able to get in a "run" (on the treadmill) yesterday and went backwards in terms of progress. Last week I was able to run 10 minutes non-stop, and yesterday it fell back to 7 minutes. I was still able to finish 1.5 miles in 20 minutes though so that is at least good.

I took a long bike ride this morning and my speed is just not improving. I know I should be riding every day and I just have to give myself a kick in the ass to get it done. I am leaving for the Y in a few minutes to get a swim in. I am really hoping I did not slide in swimming indurance seeing that I have not done laps in a few weeks. Now that the kids are in summer camp for a few hours a day, I will have the time to practice more. However the race is now in less than two weeks, and this weekend we are going camping.

I am just going to relax and focus on doing each individual portion of the race; not thinking ahead to the next part until I am there. That is the best I can do. I have only been training for less than 2 months so I am cutting myself a break.

Off to swim!

Day 47

Wow, time is flying by. I did not get much training last weekend due to the holiday. Now that I am ready to run and bike outside, it is over 95 degrees out. I did get in a 9.3 bike ride yesterday before it became to unbearable to ride outside.

I am coming to the acceptance that I simply have not trained enough, therefor will not be ready for the mini sprint. I am still going to do it though. I figure it will take me about 2 hours, probably at least a 1/2 hour more or longer than anyone else. But you know what? I don't care. Of course I do not want to the humiliation of having people drag myself around the track, but it is what it is. It is a shame that I am so slow on the bike. When I went out yesterday, a girl passed me so fast; it made me feel like a turtle.

As soon as the heat wave breaks, I will do a brick workout at least every other day if not every day. I also want to get in another 3 swim practices before the race. It is 2 weeks from Saturday!

Kevin is running the Boilermaker in Utica this weekend. Despite being sick with Mono for over a month, he managed to get in enough training to do the 15k race. Kevin; you are awesome!

One last note; we went to Green Lakes over the weekend. After I jumped off the deck, I would swim around around as opposed to climbing up the ladder. It was a taste of open water swimming. I liked it! Granted it will be different next year for Iron Girl, but it is a start!

Taking the kids to the overcrowded, full of crazy kids public pool. Should be interesting!

Day 42

Well I did it; I biked, ran, and swam within a two hour span today. I started off with a bike ride up 370 (did not get far; ended up pulling into another subdivision and riding that route), then came home and ran/speed walked 3.5 miles, than did laps in my neighbors pool. I went swimming in the same outfit that I plan on racing in, and it felt good. I am now exhausted. It probably did not help that I was drinking rum and diet cokes last night like they were water. Note to self: stick to one drink while training.

My weight loss is moving along steadily. I have lost a total of 35 lbs since mid February. I was hoping to have lost more weight by now, but I am happy with it.

Kevin is training for his race (Boilermaker)so it is nice to have someone to commiserate with. I am trying to get him to do the "Y not TRI" with me but he is not confident with his swimming. I am hoping that by next year, I will be fit enough to run with him. It makes all the difference in the world to train with someone. My workouts are getting lonely!

This weekend I plan on getting in another brick workout and a long bike ride. The kids start their "playground summer camp" (with they are dreading) on Tuesday so I can start going back to the YMCA. Yea!

Day 39

What is my problem? Two days in a row now of lousy athletic performance. Yesterday I only did 15 minutes on the treadmill before calling it quits and today was not much better with 30 min. I really tried hard today but my lower back was really sore. The good news is that my bike is calling my name. I plan on doing the 9 mile loop after dinner tonight. I am enjoying biking much more. What I would love to do is to be able to buy a road bike. I think the mountain bike is slowing me down. Not on our budget though; we really want to get hard wood floors put in downstairs and that won't be cheap.

Tonight: bike ride. Tomorrow is a swim day if I can get a babysitter.

Day 37

The past of days have been busy. I was able to get a pool workout in on Friday and a nice workout on the treadmill yesterday. Last night was Abbie's birthday slumber party so I was happy to get in any excercise at all.

The day did not start off so great. I hit my neighbors car while backing out of my driveway. Of course I had a carful of kids with me. They were trumatized! The damage looks expensive. There goes the new kitchen floor I wanted.

At least Kevin talked me into a bike ride. We went 9.3 miles and it took about an hour. I felt great after it, but did not attempt to run since it was time to start cooking dinner. Now I have a new route to ride.

Tomorrow; repeat bike ride and attempt to run immediatly after. Even if I can only run a few minutes, it will be considered a "brick" workout.

Day 34

Happy Birthday to my big girl Abbie! I cannot believe that I have a 9 year old.

Today was....tough. I attempted my first long ride outside and I did not get far. Running outside is much more difficult than running on a treadmill; at least for me. I went about 2 miles and probably walked 90% of the way. It was really pathetic.

I am actually having some serious self doubt as to whether I can do a triathlon this summer. As my blog started, the goal was to do Iron Girl NEXT year. I might have bit off more than I could chew. The mini-sprint is 4 weeks from today. I just do not know at this point.

As my husband says, I just need to focus on the training and put the race out of my mind. I am going to see where I am physically in three weeks. If I am not ready, than I am not ready. I am not going to beat myself up for it. In the meantime, I will stay positive and keep plugging away.

Tomorrrow my parents are driving up from Watertown so that I can go swim at the Y. Yippee!

Day 33

Well it happened. I was out on a bike ride this morning when it "broke". I just knew this would happen sooner or later. Silly me for thinking it would not happen any time soon.

I was in the middle of doing two mile "loops" in my neighborhood. I was huffing away at a decent size hill when in the middle of shifting the chain came off. I did not realize that is what it was (obviously not bike savvy yet). So I had to do the walk of shame all the way back home (about 1/2 mile). Whenever a car drove by, I wanted to shout "I am not being lazy; the bike broke!".

When I got home, Kevin fixed it and showed me how to do it if it happens again. The funny thing is I did not realize that you could shift the bike on the left. I never noticed it. Here I am shifting on the right all this time. No wonder I am so slow! It will be interesting to go out again and see if this improves my time.

I was going to swim today but Kevin had to get a procedure done and the Dr. was late. Open swim is only from 12-3 so it is limited. Tomorrow I will do a long bike ride, and attempt to run right after (eeks, a "brick" work-out).

Day 32

So happy to report that I did my second long bike ride this morning. I went a bit longer this time; going into Onondaga Lake Park. I somehow have to find a way to get my water bottle without stopping though. I guess I just do not feel confident enough on the bike yet to reach down for it without stopping. Here is the bummer part of biking; saddle sores. Yikes, they are painful.

Yesterday I tried to run in the afternoon, but I just ended up speed walking 75% of the time. My heel has been bugging me the past few days. I am hoping it is not my plantar facititis flaring up.

Tomorrow is a swim day. I wonder if I will be the only racer that wears nose plugs?

Day 30

I did it! My almost 9 mile bike ride has been succes! It had moderate hills, heavy traffic and I was able to keep up, just stopping once for water. It felt so good to know that I overcame my fears of open road biking. My tush was a bit sore by the end, but that is okay. I know my speed is not where it should be, but I will work very hard on that between today and race day. I realize I have to buy sporty sunglasses since my Coach ones aren't cutting it. Yet one more expense to add to the race! That is okay though; my husband has been wonderful about this and is cheerleading me all the way.

Tomorrow will be crazy; I am volunteering in the kids school all morning, than a lunch date. So my goal for tomorrow is to run 3 miles with several 1 minute walks in between. I am doing a long bike ride Tuesday morning at the Y so my focus tomorrow will be the run.

Day 28

I feel like crap. My throat feels like it is on fire and I am so lethargic. To top it all off, I am so stressed out. All I think about is the triathlon. Whether I can do it or will I drop dead in the middle of it. This is seriously taking over my life and well being.

All I did today was swim 500 meters, and than an hour of swim aerobics. The swimming went okay, but since I was sick I feel like I did not give it my all. If I feel better by this evening, I plan on getting on the treadmill for an hour.

Tomorrow; the plan is to get up early and take a long bike ride before it gets to hot. It is supposed to be in the lower 90's here, so I know that if I do not do it early in the day, it is not going to happen. Keeping fingers crossed that I do not have strep throat or anything worse than a cold.

Day 27

Progress! Today I faced my fear of biking on Rt 370. I only went about 4 miles, but at least it was a challenge with the hills. It was scary to have all of that traffic whizzing by me. I do not know if I was gripping my handles too hard out of fear or exhaustion, but the area above my wrist is killing me. It feels like carpel tunnel or something. Bike gloves are next on my shopping list!

Speaking of shopping, Tuesday night my husband brought me to a bicycle shop and bought two new tires (thinner treads; much easier to work with than the mountain bike tires), and a pair of tri-shorts. The shorts were $64.99! I guess no one said that this sport is cheap. I had to get them in a men's size since the selection wasn't as great. We probably could have gotten them cheaper some where else, but we try to support local B-ville businesses. I thought a pair of tri-shorts with the tight tri tip would frighten small children and adults alike, but it is not as bad as I pictured it to be.

Yesterday I did another mini brick workout. I biked for almost 2 miles (yes I realize I need to step up this mileage), than immediately came in and jumped on the treadmill. I was able to run the first 5 minutes, but after that 2 minutes of running was coming after 3 minutes of walking. My schedule on running for this week is 5:1, walking 1 minute after running 5 minutes straight. It is only Thursday. I have until Monday to meet that goal.

Tomorrow: swimming, biking AND running.

Day 25

Here is our picture at Disney Land. Just felt like posting it.

It is only 4 p.m. and I am very tired. I only received about 6 hours sleep because I am still on west coast time. 6 hours may seem decent but I need at least 8 or I just don't function how I should.

I met with Kelly today (triathlon trainer) and it went great. She is very positive and has confidence that I will be able to pull off the Cato race which is just 5 1/2 weeks away. We went over a training schedule which is doable. The only scary part is the biking. As per previous posts, I am terrified of the biking. I am going to start attending Kelly's 2x weekly bike rides. However, they are LONG. At least long for me. The minimum is 9 miles! I realize I have to do 9 miles for the race but it is still nerve racking.

Now here is what is really freaking me out. I was told that there are only 12 participants signed up thus far for the race. There is no way I am doing it if there are only 11 other people (sorry Kelly!). I can deal with coming in last (I am not in it for the competition, just to do this for myself), but I can not deal with coming in last 30 minutes or longer after the 11th person. Just too humiliating. Everyone will be done with their lunch and post race accolades by the time I touch the finish line. Seriously, the number of racers could be a deal breaker.

So anyway, today was a good exercise day. I spent 45 minutes on the treadmill, biked over 2 miles (yes, two miles is even difficult for me), then followed the bike ride with a run around the block. It was obviously a short distance, but at least I ran 85% of the way.

Tomorrow is a swim day, with a bike ride in the afternoon. I am going out later to get new tires for my mountain bike. This should help a bit with the training. Let's hope I get a good nights sleep tonight so that I am super charged for a long bike ride tomorrow.

Day 34

Back to life...back to reality (or so the song goes). California was a lot of fun. I just love the ocean and showing it to my kids for the first time was amazing. It was a little cold but we still managed to play in the waves.

I did not do well with the working out or eating healthy. I did have two good workouts at the hotel gym, and of course we walked everyday (especially at Disney!). I came home with a 5 lb weight gain. That is actually not as bad as I thought it would be considering I ate lots of carbs and consumed alcohol on a daily basis. It is detox time!

We landed Sat. night and I was back on our treadmill by Sunday afternoon. I had a pain in my shin so I did not do as well. I ran/walked for 60 minutes with my maximum speed only being 4.6. In the end it came to about 4.2 miles or so. As much as I was dreading that first workout, it felt good. However, I am starting to lose my confidence. My husband is concerned that I am placing too much pressure on myself to complete the 1/2 sprint next month and that I should instead focus on the training. I can see his point. I meet with Kelly tomorrow to go over a tri-training plan. This will either give me the boost of confidence I need or it will make me realize that I am in over my head.

In the meantime, no alcohol, no carbs (except for veggies) and lots of water. I am still on west coast time so the sleeping is an issue but hopefully not for long. Workout schedule will resume tomorrow.

Day 22

Well I ofically did it. I paid and signed up for the 1/2 sprint triathlon. Only 56 days away. I feel scared and excited all at once. I also signed up to work with a triathlon coach, so that helps settle my nerves a little. Hi Kelly!

Woa, I am exhausted! I did get in the brick workout yesterday as planned. The problem is that I went from the bike to the treadmill. I realize I need to hit the pavement. I am just so embarrassed to run outside though. I need to get over the mentality that people would laugh at me. You never see big girls run, just the thin ones with the body of an athlete. I do not even like to run on a treadmill in the gym. I like the pool or the comfort and anyominity of my home. Something to work on!

Today I really rocked it. I think I am taking the stress of the trip and turning it into nervous energy. This morning I swam 400 meters without taking a break, and then another 400 with a few breaks. The life guard I adore was there today and he is always offering my friendly critiques. He says that I kick at the knee and need to work on kicking from the thigh. He suggested I use flippers to help me kick. I did try it and it did work. I just hate sharing a lane using them though; I am afraid I am going to kick someone in the face. Anyway, I then came home and did a quick two mile bike ride (big steep hill!) and walked at 4.0 mph for 60 minutes.

I do not think I will hit the Y tomorrow, but will get in one last brick workout before leaving for CA. The next time I blog, I will be sunkissed and ready to intensify the workouts!

Day 21

We are getting ready for our trip to California! I am super excited yet incredibly anxious at the same time. It is my first time flying with the kids at this age and I just hope it goes off without a hitch.

I was a little concerned about being able to get any training in over the course of the 8 day vacation. Our hotel has a gym and a nice sized pool, so I am hopeful to get in a few workouts. I originally did not want to drag my sneakers along, but I really have to. We will also be doing a lot of walking as a trip to Disney Land is included in our itinerary.

So over the weekend, I only got in a walk/run. I stayed consistent at 42.5 minutes for 3.1 miles. I have to realize that it takes a little bit of time to make strides. I also need to lengthen the run. Oh, almost forgot. I did a 90 minute (intense for me!) yoga workout with my step-mom. She is awesome! I on the other hand have to start going back to yoga on a regular basis. It is a great cross-training excersize as it dramatically increases your flexibility.

Today I plan on doing my first "brick" workout. I am going to attempt to bike for 4 miles, then run for 3. It is my first time biking for more than 2 miles, so it will be a challenge.

Swim laps tomorrow!

Day 18

Allergies! I am having a terriable time with seasonal allergies these days. I am double dosing both clariton and benedryl (not to mention prescription eye drops and nose spray) but nothing is working, thus the delay of bike riding AGAIN.

I did however make it to the pool this morning. Started off with 400 meters followed by an hour of swim aerobics. I felt so good after the aerobics that I did another 250 meters in the pool. I am really confident of my swimming abilities for the race in July. I can feel my endurance building up more every day.

I am a bit concerned about my upcoming trip to California. The hotel we are staying at has both a pool and a gym, but I wonder how motivated I will feel. Especially since we will be on the run every day sightseeing. I will bring my sneakers and goggles and hope for the best!

Day 17

Despite the insane heat here (90 degrees in May!), I did workout last night. I was going to go the Y for swim laps but I was just not feeling it. I had my bathing suit on and everything but was so tired that I had to pass. Not sure if I am catching mono from Kevin or just overtired. Feeling guilty for eating a couple of tootsie rolls, I fought against the fatigue and hit the treadmill. Honestly, I was not expecting much. I thought I would just get on and go for about 20 minutes.

Luckily, I proved myself wrong. I beat my time again! 3.1 miles in 42.5 minutes. Another whole minute off my time. I was walking at 4.1 and up to running at 5.3 miles per hour.

I did not go to the pool again today either. I had to mulch for two hours in the humidity of over 80 degrees. Kevin is banned from working out or doing any extraneous activities, thus me doing the mulching. That is hard work! Going to try to hit the treadmill tonight and pool in the morning. Until the heat dies down, the bike will wait.

Day 15

It has been a crazy few days here. Kevin was diagnosed with mono yesterday after he had been feeling ill for over a week. Fingers crossed that the virus does not spread and that he feels better by the time we leave for California.

Yesterday I swam 200 meters (8 laps) straight. It was exhausting! I then did 90 minutes of swim aerobics. Today Kevin and I went for a long walk at state land (wooded area) with Maisey for over an hour. When we got home, it was 85 degrees. I have been putting off riding my bike for any significant amount of time, so I decided to go for it today. I rode a two mile path around my neighborhood with a decent size hill. At least it was a decent start!

8 weeks to go before the mini-half sprint. I am leaning towards doing it. What will I wear for it though, that is the question. I tried on sports bathing suits at the store today, and lets just say that Nike and Speedo bathing suits are not kind to the well endowed!

Day 13; a new goal?

My workouts have been uneventful over the past few days with the exception of improving my running/walking time. I gained a whole minute; going from 3.1 miles in 44.5 minutes to 33.5 minutes. I had to really push for that extra minute though. At about the 22 minute mark I felt like I was going to give up. However I was determined to make it. "Dig deep" I kept telling myself.

I found out a few days ago that the YMCA is offering a 1/2 sprint triathlon race in late July. It would consist of a 400 meter swim, 9 mile bike ride and a 1.5 mile run. I am seriously thinking of going for it. My foot has been doing okay and my endurance keeps getting better. I am going to start taking my bike to the park to practice riding. I also have another bike ride route I am going to try that would be around 8 miles. The deadline for entering the race is July 10th, so I figure I will keep going at this rate and see where I am in early July. I really want to do this so I will have to start really pushing.

Tomorrow: 400 meter swim; no time limit.

Day 10

I beat my run/walk time! I was able to do 3.1 miles in 34.30 minutes. That is a whole 30 seconds off my last time. 30 seconds might not seem like much, but in the running world that is a nice little improvement.

Instead of biking (I know, I am totally avoiding it), I went hiking with a friend. It was very nice but my allergies are horrible today. My right eye is swelling up. Tomorrow it is supposed to be almost 80 degrees out, so I have no excuses for not excercising outside.

Tomorrow's goal: Swim 450 yards, bike 2 miles.

Day 9

Not feeling so hot today. At least I dragged myself out of bed and went to the Y. I was lucky enough to have an open swim lane to myself. I used a pair of flippers to work on my kick. They worked great; to bad they are not allowed in a thriathlon! My goal was 600 meters but only went for 400. I just did not have it in me. Same for biking. I used a spin bike at the gym directly after swimming. The seats on those are horrible! After just one mile I was ready to quit just because my tush was getting sore. I went another mile but it was a struggle.

I came home and took a nap. I was then inspired to take my dog Maisey and run/walk in the woods. That inspiration did not last long. We ended up taking a 25 minute trail and I walked the whole way. Maybe I am getting sick? My husband has been sick all week so I am wondering if I caught anything from him. If not than I do not know what my problem is.

Tomorrow: run/speed walk 4 miles, and bike for 2 miles.

Day 8

Yesterday was my day off. For some reason I was feeling very sluggish this morning so I did not go to the Y for swim laps. I was achy and had a sore throat. As they day went on I started to feel a bit better, so I decided to get on the treadmill.

Big improvement since Sunday! I pushed myself to run (up to 4.8) and speed walk (3.9) for 3.1 miles. As I think I blogged before, the goal is to do a minimum of 3.1 miles again and again to improve my time. The race states I must complete the run leg within 60 minutes. Today I made it in 45 minutes, 20 seconds.

If it wasn't for my lack of experience on the bike, I would seriously consider doing a triathlon in August. There is one Cayuga Lake; not too far from where I live. I am going to see where I am physically one month from now; it may be a possibility!

Tomorrow: swim 600 meters and bike 3 miles.

Day 6

Went for a good 1.5 hour walk in the woods with the family. Scary thing though; we were walking with Maisey and out of nowhere a rottweiler ran up and attacked her. Everything felt like slow motion; it took about 15 seconds to separate the dogs. I was so scared. The owner did get his dog off, but not before Maisey was cut under her eye. I love dogs to death but if you know your dog is aggressive then LEASH them.

After that I did not really feel like working out. I played on the computer and read a bit, totally wasting time. The guilt got to the better of me so before dinner I hit the treadmill. I was hoping to break my 6 minute run endurance. No such luck. However I was walking at a 4.0 between sprints with an incline of 3.0. I was able to go 2.2 miles in 30 minutes. The Iron Girl has a time limit of 60 minutes for 3.1 miles, so my confidence is growing.

No, I did not get on the bike today. I am just so afraid of looking like an idiot riding around in my sub-division. My fear is that I will not be able to bike the hills and all of my neighbors will see the defeat of my walking my bike as opposed to riding it. I'll get over it; eventually. Tomorrow is another day.

Day 5

Improvements!

Today started off with at frigid soccer game (my husband and I coach 7 & 8 year olds). I had tears running down my face; that is how cold it was. However I did burn 245 calories according to my fancy new watch/chest band (Christmas gift that I am just getting around to using)

Came home from the game and went right to the workout. I was on the treadmill for 45 minutes. The big improvement was that I went from running 3 minutes straight to 6. Yea for me! I only went 2.66 miles. My plan of attack is to always run (mainly walk at this point) at least 3.1 miles and see how my time improves.

I decided today that I am going to participate in the IRON GIRL Triathlon. Yup, Iron Girl. How cool does that sound? It is one thing to tell people you ran a triathlon, but an "Iron Girl" sounds much more impressive. The only difference is that the bike leg went from 12 miles to 18.6. Piece of cake (ha ha). The race is in August so it gives me 2 additional months to train.

This exercises is getting addicting. I no longer want to chug down a glass of wine or two when the kids stress me out. My diet has to change though. I have been doing low carb for weight loss but triathlon training requires carbs.

Tomorrow is will be my attempt at a long bike ride. I am more scared of the bike leg than the swim or running. We will see how it goes.....

Day 4

I am not going to blog every day; my daily training is just not that exciting. I will every few days to begin with and then will go down to once a week.

Yesterday I attempted to ride my mountain bike. Like last time, I did not get to far. It was cold and I was not dressed right. One thing that I figured out is that I have to start some weight lifting to increase my thigh strength. I am just not a strong biker; I think it will be the weakest link.

I took Maisey out to state land for a jog/walk (okay, more walking than jogging). I did not hit the treadmill yesterday as I was still sore from the day before.

Now today was a kick ass work out. 350 meters for laps and 90 minutes of water aerobics. I will attempt to do the treadmill tonight, however I am having drinks with a girlfriend beforehand we will just see how that goes.

I finished reading a fantastic book. It is called "Slow Fat Triathlete" by Jayne Williams. Here is the link: http://www.amazon.com/Slow-Fat-Triathlete-Athletic-Dreams/dp/1569244677/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273866066&sr=8-1-spell It is perfect for anyone going from the couch to the starting line. There were times that I would burst into tears while reading it; just out of sheer anxiety over what I am going to do. Deep breathes....

Day 2

Oh.my.god. I am sore today. The weird thing is that it is not in the legs or arms but my tush/tailbone. I ended up walking/very little running last night. Since I did not start until almost 8 pm, I was already wiped. At least I got off the couch. Exercising to "Biggest Loser" helps.

Although my training schedule calls for a 15 minute bike ride today, I went and did laps again. It is rainy and dreary here today so I just could not motivate myself to get outside. Double time tomorrow!

The swimming went okay. On my 4th or 5th lap I started to get really tired. When I get tired my strokes are sloppy. When my strokes are sloppy I tend to swallow water. Not good. While I was panting heavily at one end of the pool during a break, I made a new friend. His name is Jack and he is 76 years old. I have seen him every time I go to the pool but I have never got to chat with him. He asked me what I was training for; I told him. His responded by saying that "You young people work hard". Since I am pushing 40, it was nice to be called "young". It will be nice to have someone to chat with when I collapse at one end of the pool.

After my laps I attempted swim aerobics. My legs felt like rubber. Now I realize I have more than 365 days to go, but it freaks me out to think of swimming/biking/running back to back. I realize it is all about endurance and it will take time. Lots of it.

What is funny is that I was not pushing myself physically since I joined the YMCA last September. My thought process was "when I get thinner, I will be able to work out more". What an excuse that was! If I kept waiting until I reached my goal weight, it would not be any easier since my muscle mass would be questionable. I am not one of these people (like my husband) who gets high off the endorphins of working out. In fact, most of the time I hate exercising with the exception of my swimming or little hikes here and there. I am hoping this experience will turn me into an addict. One who has to get in her 60 minutes a day. We will see.

So day 2 is done. On a side note, I am officially at the 30 lb. weight loss mark. :-)

Day 1!

I went out this past weekend and purchased my gear to get me started. I bought new running shoes (economy level, but hey, at least they are specific to running), a swim cap, goggles and nose plugs. I was good to go! I plan on training on my mountain bike. I will not worry about the rest of the gear until next spring.

According to my training schedule, I was to do a 200 meter swim. Yes, that is it. A 200 meter swim is 4 laps.

I was so nervous driving to the YMCA. Sure, I have swam in the lap lane; when it was empty. As soon as the pool would fill up and it was apparent I had to share my lane, I was out of the pool in a flash. Today, it did not matter. I was going to complete day 1 of the training no matter what.

Sure enough, when I got there today, there was only ONE lap lane open and there were two women already in it. Did I let this deter me? No! I adjusted my goggles, put in my nose plugs and dived in.

After I finished my first lap (and trying to catch my breath at the shallow end), the lifeguard approached me. We have always said hello to one another; he just seemed like a friendly guy. He even commented on a new bathing suit I was wearing a few weeks ago!

Keyhen (his name) stopped by me and asked me if I was upgrading my pool workout (he is used to seeing me in the aerobics class with all of the 65+ year old's). I said yes and told him not to laugh, but I was starting my year long triathlon training. Instead of scoffing and saying, "yea right, nice one", he said "why would I laugh? That is great". That put me at ease. Maybe I was not looking like such a fool after all! I told him that I wanted to take swim lessons to master my strokes. He asked if I wanted to swim for him and take a little criticism. Sweet! I need all the help I can get. After completing 25 meters, he suggested that I work on my kick (kicking from the knees) and to make sure my left arm came completely out of the water. He said my form was good. He suggested practicing with flippers on to perfect my kick.

After completing my 200 meters, I went for another 200. Then another 200. By then I was wiped! After I got out of the pool and walked around, I was ready for swim aerobics.

So officially I have completed Day 1. I plan on power walking/running a minute or two here tonight. Even though the training schedule says to swim only twice a week, I will go 3-4x a week. I am already at the Y anyway, so I might as well practice, even if it is only for a couple of laps.

Day 1 is done!

Background

Let me first start by saying, that I am literally starting from square one. I am about 40 lbs overweight, so this is also my weight loss journey.

Even though I do swim aerobics and walking on a regular basis, I am still so out of shape. I have struggled with my weight forever, but especially so in the past 4 years. This past February, I decided to tackle it once and for all.

Since I have tried the low-fat diet without success, I decided to go for the low-carb diet. I was successful with it back in my 20's (I am now 38), so I thought I would give it a shot. Between the diet and the mild exercise, I am down about 25 lbs.

The main challenge that I have been working with is my left foot. Specifically plantar fascitis and some nerve damage on my heel. This has limited my exercise greatly (thus the water aerobics). I have tried every treatment available and will have to settle to have it surgically corrected. I am postponing the surgery until September so that I am not laid up all summer.

So, to get to the triathlon part! I am insecure with my place in the world. I have a wonderful family and am very lucky to be a stay-at-home mom. This lends itself to the challenge of "I do not have a career, what are my accomplishments, etc." I was soul searching for something big that I could do for myself. Something that would boost my self esteem. My husband is a runner, and is currently training for his first race. I was racked with jealousy that he could use our new and very expensive treadmill. The treadmill that we purchased a year ago with the promise that all of the exercise would just melt off my extra weight. Unfortunately, the plantar fascitis started acting up just months after the purchase, forcing me to stay off my feet for any pounding repetitive exercise.

Since I have a surgery date, I see a light at the end of the tunnel. It was then that I started thinking about my future and what I want for my life. I want to be physically fit and be able to hike, bike, run, etc. It was now or never. Between having a surgery date and my general insecurities about my life, I came up with the idea of doing a triathlon. A triathlon would be the ultimate accomplishment of my life (of course after having smart, well behaved kids). It was something I could do for myself and myself only. Yes, it would be hard but dammit, I thought to myself, I can do this!

Okay, a triathlon consists of a 800 meter swim, 12-15 mile bike ride, and 3.1 mile run. I have 12 full months to train. I am following the AARP (yes, for people over 50...hey, have to start slow!) recommendation training schedule.

The first thing I needed to do was to take a baseline of what my current athletic abilities.

Currently, I can do the following:

-Swim 3-4 laps in a 25 length meter pool. (stopping several times and towards the end collapsing; clinging to the side of the pool).
-Ride my mountain bike 3 blocks around the corner, huffing away at the smallest of small hills
-Run 3 minutes straight.

So as you can see, it is a good thing I am taking a year to train.