Great Day for a Run

What a day for a mud run! It didn't really rain all week and we woke up to sunny skies! It was probably the least muddy run I did this winter...until the last 5 miles or so - then it was pretty yucky in spots but I truly don't think we would have made it to the end - at least not running if it had been as muddy as usual. I was hot as hell in the clothes I chose but since I had my pockets FULL of stuff I couldn't really take off my jacket. Glad I didn't wear my hat and gloves, tho! It was beautiful weather.

It was a tough course for us two newbies to trail races. It didn't help that right before mile 2 I took a nice strong jump onto a slick bridge and went down hard. I was in too much pain to even be embarrassed. I really did a number on my left hip and knee. My palms hurt so bad and my right elbow was wacky. My dad had a good time with my fall, though, as there are plenty of bridges on this trail and each time we came to one he would have some silly comment for me. Dad took a tumble into the blackberry bushes in one particularly slick spot, but his only other injury was from eating too many potato chips at the second aid station. We ran across the finish line together at 3:08:54 and were just thankful that we weren't doing another lap with my sister-in-law, Jeannie. Her 31 miles finished at just under 7 hours - OUCH!

So the first pic is Jeannie starting out at 8:00am for her 50k. Second pic is Dad and I trying to forget our pain with some beer - pizza and chips and more beer followed as we reminisced nonstop until boredom for my brother, mom and Steve. Third pic is of the men in skirts - something for people to chase ;)

oh - and the pic of me kind of shows my new short hair - but it's wet and unstyled, so....

40 Is The New 20

Julie turns 40 today

Leg Day

11FEB08

DB Curls
LT: 25/21 TT: 30/7, 30/3 & 25/4, 25/5RP
Stretch

Lying Leg Curls
LT: n/a TT: 80/8, 70/6, 70/6RP
Stretch

Hack Squats
LT: 180/5, 140/22 TT: 190/5, 160/16ss (Got a BAD way too intense headache doing my 16th rep so I stopped)

Seated Calves
LT: 70/6, 45/3 TT: 70/5, 45/6ss
Calves are not getting the workout they deserve. My feet are cramping up way before my calves are exhausted. Need to try a new pair of shoes on leg day.

30 mins on the bike.

Took my bike into RiverCity today to see what they can do to turn my mountain bike into a "tri" bike - at least as much that will get me up that mountain. I'm changing out the tires and getting clipless pedals. My chain is rusted so that will be replaced. Everything else seems to be working decent. I'm excited to get it back and give it a run.

12 Miler...Finally...

I wanted to drive out to Hagg Lake prior to race day so Dad and I knew for sure how to get there and how long it would take. Steve drove the kids and I out yesterday. There was still a bit of snow on the sides of the road from the storm a couple weeks ago, but the trails were just plain muddy. The kids thought it was great fun to run on the same trails that Grampy and Mama are going to race on in a couple weeks. Today I took Ki back up to Leif Erickson for our 12 miler we've been putting off. It was the best run I've had in over a year. Had a really good time. Tried out the waterproof socks I'll be wearing at Hagg Lake and they did great - a few little blisters but kept me nice and dry. Back to the gym tomorrow.

Hagg Lake Birthday Run in 2 Weeks

The Hagg Lake Mudd Run is two weeks from today. I think Dad and I are in for a very good time. Here is a picture of the trail from last year. THIS IS THE TRAIL!!!

Glug...Glug...

FRIDAY 08FEB08

Precor CP
LT: 130/12 TT: 130/16RP
Stretch

Incline Shoulder Press
LT: 90/20 TT: 100/11RP
Stretch

Overhead Rope Tri Ext
LT: 100/18 TT: 100/19RP

Close Grip Pulldowns
LT: 120/17 TT: 130/5, 120/5, 120/3RP

Low Rows
LT: 105/8, 90/? TT: 105/9, 90/10ss

Run/walk x 20 minutes (was supposed to go 40 minutes but wore the wrong shoes) and then about 25 mins in the pool which was painfully telling of my skills...glug...glug...glug. I wish I could take a photo right now of how I feel about swimming 1.2 miles, how I feel about doing the tri altogether so that I could compare it with how prepared I'll feel in June. Right now it all feels kind of impossible.

Ki Graduated!!

6FEB08
Well, the 10-12 mile run did NOT happen last night. My legs were SOOOOOOO sore from the leg press on Monday.

First group swim was today. I LOVE it, but I suck - I'm a guppy in a pool full of sharks. Guess I know what I'll be doing most mornings from now through June - laps before anyone even knows I've left the house. I figure if I'm to the gym by 5am, I can be back home by 6 and get all my regular stuff done before the kids wake up.

Today was crazy - downtown for swim at 6:00a.m. - home at 7:30 in time to wake the kids up to meet Tracy at the gym by 8:30 for Upper body and a 60 minute bike ride. Then the regular take kids to school, pick 'em up, take dog to dog park, take dog to her last puppy class (hooray!!) and she graduated and I made her take a funny photo and I'm plain pooped and ready for bed. Swim tomorrow comes early...

HS Chest Press
LT: 100/12 TT: 100/17RP

Cable Upright Rows
LT: 100/22 TT: 110/18RP

Straight Bar Pushdowns
LT: 110/17 TT: 120/6, 110/5, 110/3RP

HS Pulldowns
LT: 140/14 TT: 140/15RP

HS Low Row
LT: 120/9, 100/13 TT: 130/5, 100/9ss

60 minutes on bike

MONDAY AND TUESDAY WORKOUTS

Monday was LEGS and Biceps

Precor Bicep Curl Machine
LT: n/a TT: 45/17RP

Toe Press on Leg Press
LT: 180/8 TT: 180/9ss

Leg Press
LT: 450/8, 360/20 TT: 500/6, 410/15ss (I had some wierd twinging in my left hamstring so I stopped) I've got my mud run in less than 3 weeks so I babied myself.

Seated Leg Curls
LT: 80/26 TT: 90/27RP

TODAY:
1 hour bike ride (DONE)
TONIGHT:
10-12 mile run - slow

First OUTDOOR Training Ride

First OUTDOOR Training Ride with my new helmet. I have a feeling I'm going to suck at the bike part. I just ordered a cateye astrale cadence counter which I think will help tremendously!

Ok - first run, done! first bike, done! First swim...to come on Wednesday.

Snow Day

We had our second team run today up at Forest Park at Leif Erickson. For some reason I thought it would be too warm today to wear my fleece. I headed out fleeceless and as soon as I got downtown it started snowing. My gas light had gone on as soon as I left the house but I didn't have time to stop or I might not make it in time to run with the team so I just kept on moving - only had $3 on me anyways. So I'm puttering around on fumes, running late and dressed for Summer on what turned out to be a very snowy run.

We ran for an hour today. It was slushy for the first 1/4 mile or less (see us at the start in the picture) and full out snow the rest of the way up. It was beautiful! I wish I had taken my camera on the run! I struggled a bit getting into a groove but of course a fellow teammate showed up by my side and before I knew it we had talked and talked our way into 4 miles and it was all downhill from there (literally downhill...my favorite part of Leif Erickson is the 2nd half!!). Right shoelace came untied with a 1/2 mile to go and the left one followed at 1/4 mile but I said NO WAY am I stopping so I made it to the finish with both shoes flopping off my feet. It was a great way to spend a Saturday morning!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO HAS DONATED THIS WEEK!!! Knowing you believe in me and in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's mission is HEARTWARMING to say the least. Love you all!!

Had a fun time with Mai at the mall today. Mai and Jack watched Shark Boy and Lava Girl yesterday and decided they needed their own journals...so our first stop was Barnes & Noble for Jack's Dream Journal and Mai's Field Journal. Mai just plopped her self down on the floor at REI and filled up her journal pages and let me shop and shop and shop. I needed a bike helmet for our first team ride tomorrow so I got that out of the way. I also needed goggles for my FIRST EVER REAL SWIM on Monday. I wanted a sleek blue but the only ones that felt good were baby girl pink, which I LOVE, but Steve says look silly (see them on Mai above) so that's what I ended up with. The rest of the time was spent "window shopping"...or sports lusting - THAT STORE KILLS ME!!! I LOVE IT!

Hopefully I'll report back with only good stuff about my first bike ride tomorrow...