Safari Run 8k

I didn't run this one but I was out there timing it with my partner in crime.  It was cold, rainy and muddy and there were some great runners out there.  As the runners came in with mud up and down their back sides I couldn't complain about how I couldn't feel my hands because they all did an awesome job.  I almost got puked on by one of the elites finishing while I was trying to rip the bottom of the bib off but it was all good.  This race has always been a fun one and for a great cause this year just didn't happen to have the best weather but everyone who braved it did awesome!  I am so glad that I didn't end up having to bring the little guy to this race because that would have been a disaster luckily he was safe and warm at home with his dad.  Needless to say I kept my workouts indoors this weekend but my poor son was going nuts having to be inside so much.  We took advantage every time there was a lull in the rain and went and ran up and down the side walk.  Here are some pics:

This is what each runner got pretty cool!

So my son did 1/2 a mile yesterday that's the farthest he's ever gone.  He walked, ran and wobbled.  That kid loves to be outside running around.  When we got to the end of the street I tried to get him to turn around to go home but he wasn't having it he wanted to keep going so I let him.  I also tried to carry him a little bit on the uphill when he seemed tired but he wiggled his way back down. 

Fitness Trends

So last week I read a piece on Fitness Trends 2015 on Bankers Healthcare Group blog.  If you check it out it brings up some points about the recent trends that have been dominating the training world.  Aside from enjoying endurance training and triathlons I also love being a personal trainer and group instructor.  I don't do it full time but I do keep doing it on the side because I find it very rewarding.  So I may not always stay on top of the latest trends but some are hard to miss, like CrossFit.  I do usually check out all the trends to stay informed and out of curiosity.  What I've found almost every time I check these out is that there can be some take aways from each, there is usually some pieces that are not new just the same moves with a new twist, and no matter what trend is popular at the moment please always always tweak it to meet your needs don't treat it as a cookie cutter fix all.  That's why it's called a personal trainer because they should "personalize" your workout to meet your needs.

Here are some things I've found to be some general rules I like to follow:

1. Going back to basics (oldies but goodies) sometimes it's the workouts that have been there all along that we need to get back in touch with.

2. Cross training helps prevent injuries (if all you do is run you will start to experience fatigue in certain areas) so why not supplement it with strength or balance exercises that will help keep you well rounded and injury free.

3. Interval training seems to provide me my biggest bang for the buck get your heart rate up often.

4. Change it up don't stick to only what you're comfortable with keep your body on it's toes by switching up your workout roughly every 6 weeks.

5. Balance, coordination, strength and brains these all need to be trained for a well rounded athlete.

6. I mix it up a lot with in the same workout try some circuit training maybe a little bit of plyos some bosu or balance ball just make sure the overall picture fits your goals.

Not my kind of move for my goals...

7. Use what's available to you and make it happen, a workout that is.  For example, have you ever found yourself huffing in the corner because that one person won't get off the last machine you need before you leave?  Why not try an alternate exercise to finish up that works the same muscles?  Or what if you don't have a gym available?  Would you know how to use your body weight to get a full workout in?  I've used the lines on a tennis court or parking lot to get some sprint work in.  Or some stairs to get my heart rate up.

8. Some things should be left to the pros like some of the crazy oh so popular videos that make their ways around the interwebs.  Yes most of the time they can be accomplished by anyone but with a lot of time and training.

I mean I could hurt my back picking up my 28 lb kid over and over if I don't do it correctly so you
  can imagine what a 100 lb bar could do?  But at the same time I want to be able to pick my kid up if he's crying so I make sure I do functional training to keep me fit and limber and able to do the everyday things we don't think could injure us as well as the triathlons that created the athlete I like to be. 

My two go to moves to strengthen my back and core for toddler lifting bridge and planks!

What's your favorite go to move?  

Happy Monday and Happy Training!!

Hug an alpaca!

Want to be cheered up go hug an alpaca!  No not really they are kind of skittish and don't normally spit but may if they get angry enough or scared.  We had to watch out for the pregnant one she was extra feisty.  We did get to feed them though and my son thought that it was hilarious when they ate out of his hand.  He laughed and laughed.  He didn't understand that you had to  open your hand up though so he kept trying to chase them around with a hand full of food but kept his fist clenched tight so the food wouldn't fall and was so confused why they wouldn't eat it.  He also got to see a rooster and a tractor which are now two of his favorite things!  Apparently this kid loves not only being outdoors but around animals and farms.  It was kind of a drive but totally worth it!  I did not get to get my workout in that day and I felt it was totally worth it.  My mom went with us and took the wonderful photos!  She's a trooper she had just flown in the night before at 10:30 pm she's got more energy than me I swear!  Later that afternoon I hung out with a friend that I hadn't gotten to bs with in a long time and she took me to get ice cream, her car washed, then a beer, quite the girl date right?  :-) The important part was we got to catch up and for once I wasn't anxious to get back because I knew I had just spent all morning with my son giving him a fun experience.  I also figured hubs had it covered for a couple of hours.

The next day I went with my son and my brother to the botanical gardens for another meetup and for some photo ops.  Of course my son had decided to kiss a rock the day before and had a little scratch on his cheek but we take the good with the bad.  Another fun filled day.  I did manage to get a run in that afternoon finally around 5pm only three miles but that's better than nothing.  I figure I need to stop stressing about my work outs and enjoy this time that I have with my son.  If it means I'll be a little slow for the next couple of years I'm going to find a way to be ok with that.  Sometimes that's hard to remember in the moment.  And it's crazy to think that with all this fun it was also a stressful weekend.  Not all the errands were ran and hubs and I butted heads a little.  But in the end it all comes together for the little guy the one we do it all for.  As long as he's happy we're happy.  It may be a rough Monday morning and my future may feel uncertain but in the end I come home to that smiling face and as he grabs my finger to show me something new that he's super excited about or wraps his arms around me for a big hug and kiss the rest melts away.

Team Hoyt was the grand marshal at the Boston Marathon!  Talk about inspiring all those brave runners that worked so hard to get there and who better to start them off!  Those are lessons I hope my son learns from the sport one day.  Perseverance!  Don't sweat the small stuff!


Happy Training!

Triathlon Blunders

We've all been there, you can admit it!  Don't you love that feeling of being the rookie?  I'm a rookie at the beginning of every triathlon season even if it's my 25th season in the game.  But as long as we can look back and laugh about it we're all good!  I remember crossing the finish line of a duathlon and I was so tired because the winds were so strong and happy to cross the finish line that I forgot to clip out when I stopped and fell right over!  Then two helpful spectators felt sorry for me and came over to help but didn't get that I was still clipped in and were trying to rip my bike apart from me! :-)

Yup been there!

This is like one of those things out of a Highlights magazine "how many things can you spot wrong?" Illustration by Hunter King.

Ever eat a full meal in transition?

Ha!  This screams Ironkids Nationals for me in Dallas about 20 year ago we saw kids like this and it was so intimidating at the time. 

Spring Fling Triathlon Race Recap

Wow what a weekend!  Lots to do, fun packed, and exhausting but the good kind even if it means you're not quite ready to go Monday morning!  Ok about this Spring Fling Race Recap here we go.  Let's start with the good!  This was a very well ran race that was well organized in my opinion.  I didn't see anything missing (except for maybe some post race fuel but I didn't look that hard either).  The course was fun we ran through the campus and biked out towards the snake heads which meant there were a couple of nice hills and it ended in the olympic pool.  We usually have to do reverse tris when there is a lack of open water.  This usually works in my favor since running is was my weakest sport and it's good for me to start with that while I'm fresh, more on that later.  I was super excited to do this race because it was going to be my first one since last Mother's day and before that I hadn't done one since Dec. 2012.  So you can see it's been a rocky two plus years getting back into the sport since my son was conceived.  I have been doing lots of running races in between there because it's usually the easiest to train for since I can take the stroller when needed.  Wow did that show during the race.  Usually I just get by on the run and really make up time and get my place during the bike then maintain during the swim. This time the only good part of the triathlon was the run!  I was toast for the rest of the race I don't know what happened!!  I was so not ready for this feeling. My son captured my feelings pretty well in these photos:

Pre race - excited, a little nervous but let's do this

Mid race - Huh? What's going on here?

Post race: whaaaaa!  That did not go as expected at all!!!!!

Me in the blue cap, yes letting someone pass me I'm pretty sure doing breast stroke!!

Packing the night before a triathlon when you are taking a toddler a) pack your gear b) pack enough stuff for your son to stay fed and entertained c) tell your husband you love him and love the fact that he's taking your son to cheer for his mom but that he's on his own for breakfast that morning (he handled it all like a champ I really appreciate that he went to support me)






So I learned a few things from this race and it turns out it's a good thing I did this early season race as a wake up call I learned what I've been doing right and what I've been doing wrong. 
1.) The extra running I've been doing is paying off and I can get faster with some extra interval training.
2.) I way overestimated my fitness level and I'm no where near recovered from having a baby even though I feel like I am and should be.
3.) I need to get on the actual road for my bike training at least once a week being on the trainer is no where near the same as being on the road and hills and it showed in my bike time which if I would have been where I'm use to being I could have placed I totally messed up on this leg of the race
4.) I was toast on the swim I'm usually somewhere around 8 mins. this one took me almost 11 min. I could not feel my feet or arms for almost half of the swim, part was due to me being a little cold from the bike ride and part was because I'm not use to feeling this toasted by the end of the race
5.) I have awesome friends and family that support me my husband was amazing during and after this race, he had my son clapping for me every time I ran by, he kept my son happy and entertained during, and he put up with my foul mood after the triathlon
6.) I need to find more time to train and train more intensely during the time I do have to train!
7.) I still love this sport and it's good to get my butt kicked every once in a while to get me back on track.
8.) There were a great group of athletes out there that did awesome and I was so happy to see some good triathlon friends out there again and I'm so thankful for being part of this community
9.) I need to stay on top of my nutrition and shed a few more pounds off that I let creep back up and I was so dehydrated it wasn't even funny, trying to hydrate just the day before is not enough!
10.) I did leave it all out there I pushed as hard as I could I just didn't have any more in me! I felt like I was going to puke twice out there...

Afterwards we went to a fundraiser for some lunch and live music and my son danced his little booty off!

Happy Training!!