pre-chilly hilly

Or lack there off. Our team did a pre-chilly hilly ride today. We were supposed to go around bainbridge island, which is apparently really hilly, and hard. But at 7 am my mom called and said it was cold, raining, and windy, and she wasn't going. And once she said that, I couldn't convince myself to go... So yeah. I'm a slacker.

I sort of slacked off this week too w/ training. I had different excuses most of the days... I did go a few times, but not 6... I'll umm... be better next week.

new bike

I had the day off work today (presidents day) so my mom and I went for a long bike ride. I tried out her road bike, since I was told that would add about 3mph to my biking ... and I was seeing if i could complete the half ironman in time.

We did a pretty easy, pretty flat route. It seemed like we went far and long... but when I went home and mapped it, I guess we just went slow... though we did at least 25 miles I think ? Mmm we stopped for starbucks 1/2 way too. Hopefully there is one of those enroute during the race...

The road bike felt ok. Its weird adjusting to a new position while riding... and 3/4 into the ride, I realized that pushing up on the right gear actually downshifted. (yeah it took me that long to figure it out...). So I suppose I will try out the new roadbike some more. Need to try some hillier rides. eek.

run run run

This morning we had a team trail run... We played this crazy game involving finding people carrying sticks, which you'd ten take and try to find someone specifici so you could exchange your sticks for booty... As long as someone else didn't find you w/ a stick, and steal it from you... then eventually, you tried to make a bingo w/ the stuff you had acquired.

This can all be summarized into.. We ran for about 1.5 hours... I'm not even sure what teams won. I do know we got at least one bingo?

then we had a "half way breakfast" (even though it seems like we're much more than 1/2 way).
They said our team has raised over $230,000 which seems so impressive!

Then I went home... and called kyle, who was about to go for a run. So I joined him. And we ran 3.5 miles about. And I wasn't even tired or sore...

So I did a lot of running today. Wohoo! if only didn't have to worry about the biking and swimming...

slacking

I've been slacking recently on posting blogs... I intend to write them.. and have some topics, then haven't gotten around to it. So hopefully I'm done w/ that phase now.

I suppose for now I'll just recap the last few weeks, then get back to normal blogging.

Last week I ran with "Sancho." He was different from past dogs, as instead of pulling, the whole way out, he kept wanting to stop and look back. and he always stayed behind me (though he did have his tail up, and kept up with me). I think he was wanting to know if his friends who he lived with were coming. (he was in a kennel with two other dogs). On the way back his pace was way faster, and he pulled me home just a little bit. Hopefully he still enjoyed the run.

Last week I fit in a bike ride one day and a run the next during lunch periods... Its hard to do enough biking during lunch.. I also discovered that the running route I used to do last summer now seems to short! yay. It was about 2 miles, and at the end of it, I feel like I've barely done anything. I suspect it is more a time thing (since w/ warming up and cooling down its only 30 min of running) than a distance thing.

I missed swim practice monday for a fundraiser, but did go swimming at lunch on tuesday. the pool was full of grumpy old people (I got yelled at for taking too long in the bathroom!), and some ballet swimmers who just kicked back and forth for 1 hour in the pool. It was hard to find an appropriate lane. (swim in the fast lane w/ one person where who i'm obviously slower than? or in the medium lane with like 6 people including a breast stroker and a kicker? why aren't they moving up? arg). Stupid public pools.

Last night we just did a 2 mile run where it was supposed to be "moderatly hard to hard" effort the whole way. Your body should want to slow down every step. But its hard to push yourself at the beginning of a 2 mile run, cause you don't want to slow down later... I did it in about 18.5 minutes but wasn't that tired at the end. So I definitly should have pushed harder... which I knew. but yeah. maybe next time.

Ok I suppose I'm mostly caught up now. trail run tomorrow, as well as a 1/2 way party. The triathlon is so soon! I'm making chocoalte muffins for tomorrow! mmm.

950

This morning I got up, laid out my goggles and swim cap. Got my swim suit and towel out of the dryer (where its been since last monday) and packed up and went to work. Then I went to the pool this evening, and unpacked. Only my swimsuit and towel was all I had. Apparently I left the goggles and swim cap laid out on my table. great.

I was tired and not excited to swim anyways. But I tried w/ no goggles. (I keep wanting to type google instead of goggle), and that was one of the worst laps of my life. It didnt' work w/ my eyes open or closed. So I borrowed some goggles, and still felt like I was swimming terribly. and I was hungry and tired. And of course this was the day that our workout included a 950 m. which is like more than double the length of anything we've done consistently.

We somehow all succeeded in finishing. when the distance is that long I was able to just forget about it (cause the end is nowhere in sight) and just keep swimming. I'll add that I wasn't swimming very well. My body suddenly forgot how to breath on the left side... but I swam decently I suppose. I mean. I didn't drown, and I kept going. so that is something right?