Whirlwind...

The last two weeks have been that indeed!  But in a good way, we needed this break so bad and it has done so much for us as a family to get away and spend some family fun time.  Was it hectic, tiring and at times brutal? Yes!  But did the fun out weigh all of that?  YES!!!  My training was more sporadic than I should have allowed for this time but I still got some in and I'm going to be ok with that.

So this happened:

Aiden's first plane ride, first time at the beach, first time at a sea aquarium, first time meeting his great uncle and some cousins, staying up past his bed and nap times, and lots more firsts!

Then this happened:

Aiden's first time to Cloudcroft (the town I grew up in), in a fire truck, at Whitesands, in the same car as a crazy dog for too long of a drive, and lots more firsts.

I did some trail running and man did my feet and ankles take a beating I need to get use to that again.  Hubs and I got to do a bike ride together and we hadn't done that probably since before the little guy was born.  The head winds were brutal and I got so burned out the last 4ish miles but I loved it!  Still been sticking to my Master's swim no matter how humbling and at times mortifying it has been.  So my progress towards my Olympic distance won't be anything that will get me on the podium but it will get me to the finish line and I am good with where I am in my life right now.  I think I've finally come to terms with my current level or lack of training and racing and I wouldn't change it because it would mean missing precious moments with my growing boy.  I'm contemplating signing up for a double half marathon weekend in the mountains if I can convince my runningBFF to do it with me but I've never done that.  One would be a trail half which seems daunting to me and the next day is the road half which they claim is a fast course.  How do I even train for this?  It's not until Oct. so I have time to think about it.

Happy Training!

Sometimes the road takes us where we need to be...

Hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend!  I had an amazingly awesome weekend all around! 

On Saturday I got to hang out with the kiddo while we ran errands together. 

 Then we went to a dear friends graduation party, where it was snowing!  Grandma came along with us and had fun!

Then I got to go do a fun yet windy and chilly 5k, Brew Dash, where I did better than I thought I would considering I had spit coming out sideways from my mouth at some points from the wind being so strong! :-) I finished in 26:30 which wasn't bad for me for the conditions and I think I was about 120 out of like 1100 but they don't have AG results up yet.  I also got to hang out with lots of fun friends that I hadn't seen in a while.  I joked with my husband that I need to get out more because I wouldn't stop talking and I hope they didn't get tired of listening to me!

Sunday I got spoiled with my breakfast of choice which I hadn't had since hubs and I got married because he hates grits and cheese.  So he made me cheesy grits with an egg and soy bacon on top.  I got an AWESOME gift which was a gift card to lululemon because hubs knows me too well and he knows that even though I love their clothes I never buy anything there because I can't make my self spend that much on exercise clothes so he figured this way I'd have an excuse.  We also went over to my parents house to have made from scratch sweet potato and squash ravioli, thanks to my dad with help from hubs and son, and made from scratch carrot cake, thanks to my brother.

I got to do a 24 mile ride on a beautiful sunny day with bright blue NM skies on Sunday also.  I was feeling pretty tired that morning due to my 5k evening run in the wind and indulging in a couple of post race beers and really wanted a flat ride but I knew I didn't have time to start from anywhere other than my house so hills it was.  I got to about 8 miles and thought you know what I'm just going to turn around early and call it good.  I mean it's mother's day I can justify taking an easy day right.  I kept looking for a break in traffic and it didn't come so I just kept riding through the light.  Then I thought Ok I'll go a little bit further but then I'll turn around before getting on the road towards Tijeras.  Then I saw a guy struggling with a little hand pump.  I asked him if he needed help he said only if I had a different pump.  I said I have cartridges, he was refusing to use my cartridges saying I'd need them and he would feel really bad.  I felt his tire and determined his pump wasn't even working and wouldn't take no for an answer and said I carried two for this very reason.  I noticed him struggling with English so I asked him if he spoke Spanish and he did and he started talking to me about all kinds of stuff.  He asked how far up I was going and instead of saying I was debating turning around right there I said I had about 4 miles to my actual turn around point but that I was slow because I was just getting back into it after 2 years off.  He said OK follow me for those 4 miles and push yourself.  So I did.  He kept checking to make sure I was keeping up, poor guy I'm sure was going way slower than normal for him.  That was the hardest I had pushed myself in quite a while.  So in the end I did the full amount I had intended to do and met a really nice person along the way.  The road just wasn't going to let me give up and short change myself. 

I feel very lucky to have such a great family and a wonderful community to live in.  This Mother's Day was everything I expected it to be and then some!  I've been feeling very supported with my training endeavors and hubs and I have been really clicking lately when it comes to giving each other breaks when we need it or understanding when something doesn't go as planned.  This morning I accidentally set off my panic button on my car as I was getting ready for 5 am swim practice and hubs didn't get upset just teased me a little later.  Luckily he's the only one it woke up!

We go on vacation to Florida in two days!!!  WoooHOooo!!!!!

Happy Training!

Show off runs (knowing the course)

Do you have that one run or bike course that you do so frequently you could do it with your eyes closed?  I have a run that I did this weekend that I do all the time for many reasons.  I leave right from my house so it saves time, I know it by heart and know when to give or take for optimal performance on this course, and for some reason it always makes me feel really strong, and it's one I do sans stroller and dog.  It's only 4 miles and if you haven't ran it before you aren't aware it's slightly downhill on the way out but as soon as you turn around and feel the uphill you realize.  I do this one when I can run alone because it's near traffic so I can't take the dog cause she goes nuts near cars but it means I get to run solo and go at my own pace not worrying about pee stops or spilled sippy cups.  When I happen to run it with a friend that is close to me in splits I usually do better but only because I know the course so well.  I always push myself on the way back too on the uphill part mostly because I want to get it done but also because I'm confident in the fact that I know exactly how hard I can push myself without dieing before the end. 

So with this little theory in mind you'd think that I would make sure that any time I do a triathlon I'd know the course.  At least drive it before hand or look at some course maps to know whats coming right?  Because based on this it would benefit me to know when I should take advantage of a downhill or when I should save some energy etc.  But no I usually prefer to go into a race blind, not know what's coming that way I can't dread it.  I've been taking that approach for more years than I'd like to admit.  Well, I think that I am changing my mind and approach!  Yes, you heard me right I am admitting I was wrong.  I usually sign up for races to keep me motivated to keep training and stay in shape.  But maybe if I try to change my mindset I could actually train to I don't know actually race a race?  :-)

Views from my ride

That being said I'm already going to contradict myself.  I'm signing up for an Olympic distance race at the end of June that I'm pretty sure I will be under trained for because I didn't officially start my training plan for it until this weekend.  When hubs finally found out he could watch the kiddo for me on the day of the race I had to decide do I sign up or sit it out due to lack of time to train?  I decided I'm going to sign up and just hope for the best.  Besides then I'll pick another sprint race to do right after and I'll be trained up for that one.  These days I have to take advantage of opportunities whenever they present themselves and it may not always be in the ideal situation but I make it work.  Kind of like people say if you wait until you can "afford" to have a baby you'd never have one!  Well if you wait until you have enough time to "train" I'd never race.  But I will take a look at the course and see what it holds for me and try to train accordingly.  I did get a nice solo run in this weekend and a ride on the actual road outdoors with sun and hills and all!  It was only 19 miles but that's a nice start to my training!  8 weeks and counting!

I started going to a master's swim group this morning at 5 am and hope to stick to it because there is just no other good time with pool schedules and work etc to get it in.  My plan is to go twice a week.  If I'm feeling really ambitious three times in one week might happen. 

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Just please please tell me waking up at 4:30 am gets easier!!!

How do you train?  Do you train specific to your course and do you know your race course by heart or do you just go for it?

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!!