We work hard for the MONEY!

This week I participated in a grassroots fund raising event with fellow triathlete-n-training, Nicole H! Laps for LLS.

Nicole and I went downtown and did a relay-style run thru the 9th and Grand skywalk during lunch hour. We traded off every 3 laps (15 laps=one mile) and proudly completed 60 laps. 4 miles between the two of us! While one "Nicole" was running, the other "Nicole" was holding a donation box and encouraging people passing by to donate to a great cause.

We had a blast doing it and raised over $100.00 in less than 2 hours! Not only did we raise money for our cause, we also got exercise and raised awareness for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Fun times!!

New reason to love running....

Ran outside tonight...I can't wait until it is nice enough for outside running everyday!

While I was running, after the initial "YAY! I'm running outside!" euphoria wore off a little bit I had the strangest feeling. I couldn't put my finger on it right away but after a few minutes I realized what it was.

I didn't have to think about "how to run" while I was running.

That might sound strange, but a month of swimming has really made me appreciate the ease of running.

While I am swimming, I am constantly thinking about swimming....focusing on my breathing, are my elbows up as my arm comes out of the water?, making sure my hand enters the water in the right spot, turning my hips over with every stroke, is my kicking regular?, was that my 3rd lap or my second? please, let it have been the 3rd!...on and on and on!

Running is so much easier....I am hoping that all those thoughts will eventually just fall away as I become a stronger swimmer (every day!), but I don't remember having to "think" so much about running when I first started.

I guess you really do learn something new everyday, especially when training for a triathlon!

P.S.~Eating is still going well, despite my intense desire for Papa Giorgio's pizza tonight, but Jeff wouldn't budge (GRRRR).....Still not thanking you for that one, dear...JUST SO YA KNOW! ;)

Starting the day off right!

Day 2 on my quest to eat like an athlete. Happy to report that I stuck to my meal plan yesterday, but due to an extra kickboxing workout and making a few substitutions on the meal plan (almond milk with cereal instead of regular milk) I exceeded my calorie deficit yesterday. I am supposed to burn 750 more calories than I consume...OOPS! I burned 3787 calories (over my 3050 target) and ate 1929 calories (under my 2300 target), creating a 1858 calorie deficit. Oh well, I guess if I am going to be off, that is the way to go, instead of eating more than I burn.

On to today....starting my day off right with a healthy and satisfying breakfast of 7 grain hot cereal with 1/4 cup dried fruit, one egg and a small glass of chocolate milk! I was just so proud of myself I had to take a picture!

Missing Piece

For the past couple of weeks I've been training like a triathlete....training has been going great (I did 500 yards straight thru 2 times on Saturday~250 had been my prior best). But something has been missing.

Today, I begin eating like a triathlete. I really don't mind eating right, it just takes so much planning that I often get tripped up. Well, I am fully prepared this week. I am back to logging my food thru my bodybugg program and am actually using thier recommended meal plans to help. I've already eaten 2 meals this morning 804 calories...holy moly...that is a lot of food!

I have my new BB program set up to create a 750 calorie deficit daily, which should lead to 1.5lb weight loss weekly. Because of my increased activity, my calorie requirements have increase as well....3050 calorie burn goal and 2300 calorie intake goal daily. Looking at my meal plan, I am concerned that I am not going to get all the food in everyday! Just in case you're wondering...here is my meal plan for today:

Meal 1 (7 am):
One scoop protein powder
8 oz 1% milk
1 banana
277 calories

Meal 2 (9 am):
1 egg
2 cups multigrain Cheerios
1 orange
.5 cup Almond milk (in cereal)
8 oz. chocolate milk
526 calories

Meal 3 (12 pm):
16 thin pretzel sticks
Turkey sandwich consisting of:
3 oz turkey
1 wedge laughing cow light cheese
Sara Lee Delightful hamburger bun
lettuce
472 calories

Meal 4 (3 pm):
1.5 cups Honey Nut Cheerios (more cereal? I am not complaining!)
8 oz 1% milk
282 calories

Meal 5 (6:30 pm):
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
.5 cup mixed veggies
1 cup brown rice
4 oz. chicken breast
576 calories

This is a little short of my calorie goal, but I like to create a little "buffer" just in case my measurements are a little off. I am sure I'll be sick of eating by the time the day is over!!!

Workout plan for the day:
3 mile run (done)
45 minute kickboxing class (done)
30 minute driveway shoveling (this is happening so frequently lately, I am counting it!)
45 minute kickboxing class @ 4:30 today~maybe...we'll see!

Growing up

Almost exactly one month ago I posted Baby Steps about my swim workouts. I struggled to finish one continuous lap without floundering.

Today, a breakthrough. We did an 250 yard (that is 5 WHOLE laps) interval workout. Workout went as follows:

Warm Up: 250 yards

250 yard steady swim

250 yard pull swim*

Repeat....Repeat....Repeat....you get the picture

*"Pull" swimming utilizes a pull buoy, which is basically 2 pieces of foam that you put between your legs so your legs float and you are basically just using your arms to swim.

I started off slow and had to take a potty break halfway thru, but I am PROUD to say I was able to complete 5 full intervals this morning. In one month I have accomplished what I thought was impossible and more...not only completing one whole lap, but 4 at a time x5 times (Actually, 7 counting the warm up and cool down).

I could have kept going, but just ran out of time.

Not surprisingly, I have found that it has been my mind that has been the biggest obstacle to overcome in swimming. There was a point during every interval where my mind wanted to quit. Then I would ask myself "Exactly why do I think I need to quit?" The answer was never more than "Because I've never done this before, it might not be possible".

I went thru the same exact mental block last year when I started to run and it sounded a little something like this: "I have never ran for this long before, maybe I should stop" "Why? Are you hurting?" "Well, no" "KEEP GOING!!!"

And I did.....then and now!

Excited to Swim?

Yes, I really am excited to get into the pool tomorrow (if this snow will let me out of the house in the morning!). Had a great swim practice on Saturday...learning more with every swim and it is great. Everyone in the Altoona Triathlon Club has been so great! I don't know where I would be without them right now!

I am now learning that the reason that I am getting so tired after 25 meters is because I am kicking like a madman, which is wearing me out! I think I also mastered the art of rotating my hips, something that I was good at on the right side, but really REALLY bad at on the left!!

I am really encouraged at my progress just within the past month. I am going to add an extra day of swimming to my weekly schedule to work on my endurance. New swimming schedule is Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday!

Believe it or not, I am becoming a swimmer!

Still plugging away....

It has been a busy week, but I haven't had much to "blog" about. But that doesn't mean I have been slacking on my training. Just so you know I've been keeping busy, here has been my training schedule for the past week:

Saturday 1/30: 7 AM: 40 minute Altoona Triathlon Club (ATC) swim...this is serious business because you are doing drills in a lane with 3-4 other people, so you have to hustle to keep up...but it is fun.
8:45 AM:5 mile indoor track run, better than a treadmill, but still not as good as outside.

Sunday 1/31: REST! YAY!

Mon 2/1: 5:15 AM: 3 mile treadmill run
6 AM: 45 minute Farrell's Xtreme Bodyshaping (FXB) kickboxing class

Tues 2/2: 5:15 AM: 45 minute swim at the Campus
6:15 AM: 30 minute express cardio/strength training class (RIPPED) at the Campus
7 AM: Instructed a 45 minute upper body resistance class @ FXB

Wed 2/3: 5:15 AM: 3 mile treadmill run
6 AM: 45 minute FXB kickboxing class
5:45 PM: 50 minute spin class

Thurs 2/4: 5:15 AM: 40 minute swim
6:15 AM: 30 minute RIPPED class
9:30 AM: 45 minute lower body resistance class @ FXB
4:45 PM: 3 mile indoor track run w/ Jeff
7:00 PM: 1 hour tap dancing class!! Not really exercise, but it is FUN!!

Fri 2/5: 6 AM: 45 min FXB kickboxing class
7 AM: Instructed 45 min FXB kickboxing class

WHEW! I am not done for today, I'd like to get another run in this evening, if I can fit it in!

Hopefully I'll have some words of inspiration for myself next week!