Biking

Well, today proved that visualization works.

Last night, before I drifted off to sleep, I visualized me getting up energized, eating breakfast, going to the bike path and going for a ride. When my alarm went off, up I hopped. I ran straight to the kitchen and made my breakfast. When I got to the bike path, I waited around for the two people who were going to meet me there. I got stood up. :-(

Of course, it was raining. I headed out at 9 am sharp (like I pictured me doing) and had a great ride. Of course, I got a little discouraged when I had to ride through a flooded part of the bike path, but aside from a wet rump, no harm was done. I rode (slowly) and finished 15 miles. Now I can sit around the house and do nothing and not feel guilty! :-)

Tomorrow, running and swimming. I should start visualizing them now....

Motivatio shmotivation

Wow! I just realized that it's been almost a month since I posted. Dang! Training has been kinda crappy. (Almost non-existant.. two to three workouts a week) But I've been listening to a couple of podcasts that have helped re-motivate me. I've also learned that red wine (even formerly safe ones) can still give me migraines. Oh well. Beer and white wine from now on. :-) I've also learned that a glass of wine or a beer every so often isn't all that bad.
So, I won't drone on about the last couple of weeks of not training. I did do the "Real Beginner's Bike Ride" last Sunday. I'm actually pretty proud of that. It's just a workout, and I didn't do the whole thing, but I went, and when I had to turn around and head back three miles early, I didn't chastise myself for being slow and out of shape, I was happy that I realized I wasn't ready for it yet. So, I've put a call out to other slow bikers and am biking the shorter course again tomorrow. I had a number of people respond with interest for a slow biking (11-14 mph) bike ride. So, I'm going to set them up for us. If nothing else, I am more likely to go somewhere if I'm meeting someone.

So. My schedule for this week:
Sunday: Bike 12 mile on highway 56 bike path
Monday: Run - freeway to 8 k week one (I had been on week 3, but I need to restart)
Swim: JCC evening swim
Tuesday: Bike: Fiesta Island 3 laps
Wednesday: Run (week 1)
Swim: JCC evening swim
Thursday: Rest
Friday:Run (week 1)
Bike Sea World Bike Path
Saturday: Swim De Anza Cove
Run (trail)

I'm also adding a widget to my blog from the daily mile that will show what workouts I've done that day.

Back on the trail

After the tri, I actually went back out on the road for a run the next day. Boy was I slow! I found out why a couple of days later when I ended up being sick. I rested for a few days, and then ran again, and apparently became sicker.

Well, that's pretty much over. Hopefully I won't get sick again any time soon. A faint hope, as I work in the public equivalent of a plague ward. I swear, there are so many people who have yet to master the art of covering their mouth as they spew out a nasty, croupy, mucous filled cough. Ewwww... purel is my new friend.

This morning's run was amazing!! I'm using a new podcast, Podrunner. I had to give up Ullrey, as I'm running longer than his podcasts. Podrunner is a house music interval mix. What makes it great is that I actually lost track of a couple of blocks while running this morning. I was cruising along, cursing the fact that I ran in the fog with glasses on, when all of the sudden I realized I was about three blocks further along that I thought. It was kind of creepy, but cool. I actaully ran the whole loop! At first I was totally impressed with myslef because I thought I was running 7 minute intervals (7 min run, 1 min walk), which would have put me at close to a 10 minute mile. I was less impressed when I saw that I was running 8 minute intervals. But it was still cool to run the whole loop. Whoo hoo!!!

Asphalt vs Cement...

Another thing that I noticed today is how much running on cement sucks... On my route, I try to run on the street because it's easier on the knees. I hadn't realized how much easier is it until today. My goodness! Running on cement made me feel awful. Asphalt = long, smooth, strides cement = short choppy strides and shin pain. Ick!! I just wish there was a nice dirt path near my house. I'm going to have to hunt one down for a couple days of the week.

One other cute thing that happens from running in the fog is that you get WET. Not only did my glasses become so wet that they dripped water onto my face, but at the end of the run when I looked at the dogs, Nanner looked like she'd just hopped out of the pool! Poor wet, cold puppy! Since Ben's gone this week, I worry about the girls getting too bored. Nanner has also started looking a little scrawny from all the running. (Only one in the family who seems to be losing any dang weight... maybe I should switch to kibble...) So, I've been feeding the girls a higher calorie kibble. I also have been putting the "good" kibble in a treat ball. Of course, Meggie seems to end up with both of the treat balls, so I might have to re-think it.