I had such grand plans

So my original thought for today's post was to synthesize the comments and suggestions I received on my blog and detail the changes I plan to make as a result.  As one of my professor always says, you shouldn't ask for opinions if you're not going to do anything about them!

Unfortunately between today's two workouts and finance midterm, my 6am wake up tomorrow, 3 hours of commuting, 30 minute group presentation, and Thursday's 12 page paper to edit and Quality midterm to study for, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed and drained. As such, while I agree with my professor, I also don't want to make promises I'm not sure I can keep yet!

So until I can get a handle on my life, we'll all just have to make due with the addition of the training totals tab & this selfie, just for Steve (which is also a shout out to him, so I guess I'm not so bad at responding to feedback after all)!

Holly helping me stretch after Sunday's run

***
Training plan - 29 minute run, 48 minute swim

Ok so, the training plan didn't actually call for 2 workouts today but it was the only way I could get these in!

My plan - I sketched out a plan for intervals this morning and planned to push myself with the run.  The plan called for 3 minutes fast and 2 minutes slow with 1.5% incline on the slower sections.  For the swimming portion of today's training I planned to do drills and work on technique instead of killing myself for 2 workouts!

Actual Running - I actually pushed myself a bit harder than I thought I could/would! I bumped up the speeds from my original plan and the incline as well.

MPH                      Min/Mile         Incline                      # of Minutes      Cumulative Minutes

 5.0                        12:00             0%                            2:00                   2:00

 5.5                        11:00             0%                            1:00                   3:00

 6.0                        10:00             0%                            1:00                   4:00

 6.3                         9:30              0%                            1:00                   5:00

 6.7                         8:57              0%                            3:00                   8:00

 6.3                         9:30              1.5%                         2:00                   10:00

 7.1                         8:30              0%                            3:00                   13:00

 6.7                         8:57              1.5%                         2:00                   15:00

 7.5                         8:00              0%                            3:00                   18:00

 6.3                         9:30              2.0%                         2:00                   20:00

 7.1                         8:30              1%                            3:00                   23:00

 6.3                         9:30              2.0%                         2:00                   25:00

 6.7                         8:57              1%                            3:00                   28:00

 6.0                         10:00            2.0%                         2:00                   30:00

With the 3 minute cool down I ran 3.46 miles, average 9:31/mile and felt great!

Actual Swimming - By the time I got to the pool at 11 I was running a bit behind and beginning to feel drained. I powered through my drills it was a struggle.

WARM UP

·       200 SWIM

·       50 KICK

·       50 SWIM

DRILLS

·       6 x 50 : 25m Thumb-to-Thigh drill, 25m swim

1      100m swim

·       6 x 50 : 25m Touch-and-Go drill, 25 yards swim. 

2      200m swim

·       5 x 100 : 25 yds kick, 25 yds Thumb-to-Thigh, 25 yds Touch-and-Go, 25 Swim·

COOL DOWN:

·        200 SWIM (more if needed for time)

         76 lengths total

Monthly Checkup

So it's been about a month since I resurrected the blog.  As anyone I've cooked for knows, I like constructive criticism.  I'm a big fan of feedback/data in general.

So, what's working? What's not? Anything you want to hear more about? Less?

Would love your thoughts!

This is the interactive part of the blog folks. Post publicly, anonymously, make a pseudonym, whatever works for you.

***
Friday's Training plan - 26 minute run

My plan - 2 minutes at 12:00, 2 minutes at 10:00, 2 minutes working up to at least 9:00; attempt 20 minutes at 9:00

Actual - That felt good!  Followed through on the plan above - 6 minute build up to an 8:57 minute mile, 20 minutes at 8:57 and then a 4 minute cool down (because I like even numbers).  I thought about adding in an ab workout but I don't have time (because I have just about every minute of my life planned out for the next week...it's midterms folks). This was also a relatively early workout for me (ran from 7:30 to 8) and it's nice to have my workout behind me for the day. Plus given my schedule and my internship(s) I might need to get used to working out even earlier!

***
Saturday's Training plan - 88 minute bike ride

My plan - I had such grand plans for this workout. It's been a while since I've done a long, outdoor, bike ride and I was especially looking forward to doing it at sea level!  I mapped out a 16.5 mile ride (and figured I could go further if I needed to for time) and planned to work in stops at my cousin's coffee shop and my other cousin's boyfriend's bike shop. But it's about 35 degrees here and pouring! So instead I thought I would go to a local gym, I even negotiated them down from $20 for a daily membership (because, really, that's ridiculous) to $10. But then I couldn't get my sister's car to start soo...

Actual - Most miserable 90 minutes on a stationary bike in the basement of my parent's house which is currently under construction and doesn't have heat, ever. I think the thing I found most frustrating about this workout experience is that not 2 hours earlier I had gone back and tracked all my times and distances for all my previous workouts, per my cousin's suggestion (PS - keep those coming), and the bike that I was on didn't track distance so... not really sure what I'm going to do about that one?  Ultimately, the workout happened (and it almost didn't) so, win!

***
Sunday's Training Plan - 44 minute run

My plan - Run through my town, along the beach in Spring Lake and turn around at Belmar gates, about a 5 mile run.  I had done this run twice while I was home over Winter Break and it's one of my favorites.

Actual - That was a good one folks! I do so love running at sea level.

12/21 Run Results

12/27 Run Results

Today's run!

The last few runs at this length averaged just over 10:00/mile but DC significantly more hilly than the Jersey Shore.  The elevation graph might be a bit misleading. The starting elevation was only 17ft and I maxed out at 47 feet.  All that is well and good but mostly I just wanted to point out the 8:23 mile, that's a record for me. And I shaved at least 20 seconds/mile off my last attempts at this run...and enjoy some scenery as I did so.

Also, apparently my cousin could track my progress through the mapmyrun.com app we both use.  Kind of creepy!  But since he's the only person I'm "friends" with on that site, I might leave that setting. A little extra accountability never hurt anyone...

Progress!

When I first started running a whopping 2 and half months ago I started by running 5 kilometers in the residential area behind my apartment.  I ran it maybe 4 times before heading home to New Jersey for winter break (one of the few perks of grad school). I haven't had a chance to run that same route since then.  But I have been running a lot more in general, running intervals and generally trying to improve my speed.

On Sunday, the last day of my "recovery" week was a 30 minute run.  So I decided to use that time to sort of test myself and see if I had improved my speed.

Route, Elevation & Splits

And I'm pretty happy with the results! I averaged a 9:09 mile and if it wasn't for that darn second mile it would have been even better.  And in general I felt really good.

But these numbers are less interesting if you don't know where I started:

12/3 First run in years...but not technologically advanced enough yet to have my running app downloaded on my phone

12/5: Second run in years! And where I started

12/10: Getting slower

12/17: Average

Since mid-December I've run quite a few more times and my times have bounced around quite a bit maxing out back at 10:00 and my best at 9:20 but probably averaging about a 9:30/9:40 minute mile.

but Sunday was:

I certainly don't expect to go out and run 9:09 every time now but it's nice to know I can. And I would still like to get that time down a bit.

Side note - the calories metric isn't accurate at all, although the general trend probably is.  Isn't sad how when you're pushing yourself more and become better at running/more efficient/healthier/etc...you burn fewer calories doing the same thing! Somehow it doesn't seem fair.

***

Training plan - 53 minute bike

My plan - I really want to get back out on the road with my bike but it's going to have to be in the gym and while I'm doing my reading for later in the week because that's the only way I can fit everything in!

Actual - 53 minutes on the bike with a 2 minute cool down (because 55 is a prettier number than 58) plus I added in ab ripper x. Huge thanks to Mike for helping me be productive while I was biking and sending me articles to read! I'm all about the multitasking...

Early but worth it!

As I know I have mentioned, I've really enjoyed getting back into swimming but it's been sooo long since I've done anything beyond a quick swim in the ocean to cool off in the summer.  Thus far I've just been swimming for the allotted time on the training plan and only recently even added intervals.  But as I've been swimming I have wondered about technique and form without any answers

Well I finally got some! And I almost didn't.

This past Saturday I dragged myself out of bed with not nearly enough sleep at the way too early (for a Saturday) time of 6:45.  There were quite a few times Friday night and Saturday morning when I thought about just not going.  But the training program I'm participating in had scheduled these swim clinics for us to work on technique and it was going to be my only opportunity to do so. The session was led by Sarah Thorpe, Australasian National Open Swimming Champion and member of the Australian Open Swimming Team.  She offered some great tips on form and triathlon swimming.

Some key take aways:

• I need to be doing more drills to focus/improve form
• I need to get the most out of my arms as possible during the swim to save my legs for bike/run
• Relaxing my ankles will help with saving my legs
• I need to be better about alternating my breathing on both sides
• I need to think about/practice sighting in the distance more, won't have a black line on the bottom to follow on race day!
• Think about head/body location
• Use my core
• Rotate with the hips first for more power
• Use entire forearm for the "pull"
• Work on "high elbows" to engage the back muscles, shoulder above elbow, elbow above wrist, wrist above hand
• Arm should enter 2/3 extended with hand at 30 degree angle

So now in addition to long swims for practice for the race and swimming intervals for speed, I'm also going to mix in workouts with drills for technique.  Here is today's plan:

WARM UP

·       200 SWIM

·       50 KICK

·       50 SWIM

DRILLS

·       5 x 50 : 25 yards Thumb-to-Thigh drill, 25 yards swim. 20 seconds rest between each.

·       5 x 50 : 25 yards Touch-and-Go drill, 25 yards swim. 20 seconds rest between each.

·       4 x 100 : 25 yds kick, 25 yds Thumb-to-Thigh, 25 yds Touch-and-Go, 25 Swim

·       18 x 25:

o  25 yds L stroke, L breathe

o  25 yds L stroke, R breath

o  25 yds R stroke, R breathe

o  25 yds R stroke, L breathe

o  25 Touch and Go

o  25 Swim

COOL DOWN:

·        200 SWIM (more if needed for time)

70 laps/1750M total 

***

UPDATED:

***
Saturday's Sunday's Training Plan - 30 minute run

My plan - Run outside for 30 minutes, try to improve speed

Actual - Ran a 3.2 mile loop behind my apartment I had mapped out previously and run a few times.  Set a personal record for that course!  Also, inspired by classmate Steve who just started P90X so I added in an abs workout when I finished my run.

***

Today's training plan - 44 minute run

My plan - See above!

Actual - My plan might have a bit ambitious for 44 minutes the first time through. Vic and I did it together and ended up stopping to talk through the drills and some of the tips from the swim clinic which might have made it take longer.  I don't necessarily feel like it was a great workout, I rested a lot more than I do when I'm just swimming or doing intervals, but I do think it was helpful for working on technique.  Except for maybe that last drill, I was too busy trying not to look like a deformed dolphin than think about technique...

Here's what actually happened:

WARM UP

·       200m SWIM

·       50m KICK

·       50m SWIM

DRILLS

·       5 x 50 : 25m Thumb-to-Thigh drill, 25m swim. 20 seconds rest between each.

·       5 x 50 : 25m Touch-and-Go drill, 25m swim. 20 seconds rest between each.

·       4 x 100 : 25m kick, 25m Thumb-to-Thigh, 25mTouch-and-Go, 25m Swim
        2 x 50 : Swim

·       4 x 25:

o  25 yds L stroke, L breathe (R at side)

o  25 yds L stroke, R breath (R at side)

o  25 yds R stroke, R breathe (L at side)

o  25 yds R stroke, L breathe (L at side)

COOL DOWN:

·        200 SWIM (more if needed for time)

1600 M; 64 lengths total

Chicken Fajita Win

A few days ago my sister Paige "pinned"  recipe for Seared Chicken with Avocado because she knew it right up my alley.  Monday night I decided to make a batch of White Bean Chicken Chili to eat one night this week and freeze for nights when my classes run late. There was some overlap in ingredients I don't always keep on hand (avocados, cilantro, jalapeno) so I decided to make the chicken dish for dinner as well.

Or at least, I started out with that recipe.  I ended up with chicken fajitas. And they were awesome.

Blackened Chicken Fajitas with Guacamole
Adapted from: Seared Chicken with Avocado; Blackened Seasoning; & Alton Brown's Guacamole Recipe

Guacamole Ingredients:
1 avocado
1/2 lime
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp caynne
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/2 jalapeno
3 campari tomatoes diced
Lots of chopped cilantro
2-3 cloves of garlic

Blackened Chicken and Pepper & Onion Ingredients
7.5 ounce chicken breast
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 onion sliced
1 red pepper sliced
2 La Tortilla Factory Low Carb Tortillas
1/4 cup fat free sour cream


Blackened Seasoning Ingredients: (not 100% accurate/I'm never going to be able to recreate this)
heaping 1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp ground cayenne papper
a decent amount of black pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cumin

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375

Make the guacamole - scoop avocado into bowl, squeeze 1/2 lime on top, add remaining ingredients and stir to combine (without overly mashing avocado); set aside at room temperature for 1 hour

Gently squeeze 1/2 lime over chicken breast; top with blackening seasoning; bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes

Saute peppers & onions in olive oil

When chicken is done, let it rest for a few minutes; set aside peppers & onions and heat tortillas in the same skillet

Assemble fajitas, top with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Take pictures, text them to people to brag and then write a blog post about it.

***
Training plan - run 18 minutes

My plan - warm up 2 minutes; run 18 minutes, cool down 5 minutes; try to maintain at least 9:30 for the 18 minutes

Actual - Ended up pushing hard than I thought I would/could! Ended up running intervals with no interval slower than about a 9:00 mile and I added in some incline this time around. I felt pretty good while doing it as well!

MPH                      Min/Mile         Incline                      # of Minutes      Cumulative Minutes

 5.0                         12:00               0%                         0:30                   0:30

 6.0                         10:00               0%                         1:30                   2:00

 6.6                          9:05                0%                         3:00                   5:00

 7.5                          8:00                0%                         3:00                   8:00

 6.7                          8:57                1.5%                      3:00                   11:00

 7.5                          8:00                0%                         3:00                   14:00

 6.7                          8:57                1.5%                      3:00                   17:00

 7.5                          8:00                0%                         3:00                   20:00

Cool down             various              0%                         5:00                   25:00

That darn second mile

So it was no 11 miles like my cousin's run this past weekend, but I'm pretty happy with how my Sunday run turned out.  It was definitely one of those workouts where you start out hating every moment of it and not wanting to do it at all but ending up feeling great.

I set out just to complete the bare minimum of the training plan, a 40 minute run, with no particular destination or length in mind.

I ended up deciding to run for 20 minutes down Custis Trail aka the least scenic route in the area (it runs along the length of a highway).  I figured I could run for 20 minutes in one direction, turn around and run back.  When I did turn around I was starting to get into it so I picked up the pace and decided to weave back to my apartment through a residential area instead of along the highway.

Overall, I felt pretty good! And I pushed myself to run faster which I need to be better about. I ended up running 4.6 miles in about 43 minutes with an average of 9:29/mile. And this was even along a particularly hilly route.

But that darn second mile! Why do I still spend a good mile of my runs hating the sport and wanting to stop? Not only was running it miserable but I slowed down to 10:15/mile (to be fair, that mile was also pretty up hill, gaining an elevation of about 70 feet and included a category 5 hill)

***

Training plan - Recovery week! 30 minutes swim

My plan - swim freestyle for 30 minutes

Actual - Swam 54 lengths in 30 minutes, I had thought I would be able to get lengths done in 30 minutes but I was feeling pretty drained at the end. I think part of that might have been awkward timing between meals? Trying not to feel bad about it because it is the recovery week anyway.

Giving Credit Where Credit is Due!

My cousin ran 11 miles yesterday!  Apparently I'm holding the kid back! I was pretty impressed with our 7 mile run a few weeks ago but Vic set out to run for 90 minutes yesterday which apparently translates into 11 for him.

He also averaged a 8:35 minute mile.  I think I'm more jealous of his speed than his distance!  I'm 1/2 bummed we didn't run together this weekend...1/2 really relieved because I definitely could not have run 11 miles and never run an 8:35 mile, let alone the sub 8:00 mile he did!  I do feel bad that when we run together I slow him down but at the same time, I like that he pushes me to be faster and run further.

But since we're not running together today...I'm just looking to hit my training plan goal because I am not feeling it!

***

Training plan - 40 minute run

My plan - do multiple searches for a good 5 mile run, map out my own five mile run, change my mind between running inside/outside 3 times, etc; at this point I just need to start running!

Actual - 4.6 mile run in 43:31

The things I do for family...

Yep, on my tip toes

Today is my cousin's 25th birthday!  It is for that reason, and that reason only, I ran almost 6 miles outside today.  It is about 3 degrees here (ok, 30, but still) and I had already ready mentally committed to getting today's training run in on the treadmill. In fact, I had mentally committed to not running outside in temps under about 45!  But Vic wanted to run around the Mall today so run around the Mall we did.

We set out with no grand plan in mind or distance in mind. That was actually nice, I usually know how far we're going to run and then start feeling "over it" when I'm about two-thirds of the way through the run, whether it's a 3 mile run or 6 mile run.

Miles 2 & 3 miles were a real struggle for me.  The first mile was fast but then I was hating life by the second mile. Eventually I got into it and actually really enjoyed the run.

Other than the first few minutes when I turned my tracking app on before Vic was ready...my pace was actually pretty consistent (except that darn 3rd mile).

Because of the tracking app issue my overall speed is incorrect but I feel pretty confident it was below a 10 min/mile!

Training plan - 36 minute run

My plan - treadmill run, shooting for something longer than 36 minutes

Actual - 5.7 mile birthday run!

Poll Results...Don't tell my professors

So as approximately 6 of you know, I've been running a poll the last few days to find out if people love or hate the Facebook statuses I post when I have a blog update.  

Let me just start off by saying, there are so many things wrong with this poll. My professors would be so disappointed... oops.

I'm asking a very biased sample, specifically people on Facebook and more specifically only those who actually click the link and access the blog to vote. Very much set up to get the answer I want (confirmation bias anyone?).  If you consider my "Facebook friends" the sample (and not a good sample at that, certainly not randomized) and the fact that only 6 people voted, there is definitely some nonresponse bias going on here too.  Not to mention, 6 votes is probably not statistically significant. Oh, and I'm sure there are problems with the wording/order/etc of the poll question.  Plus people generally  tell you what they think you want to hear (a little "social desireablility effect for good measure).

Anyway, putting that all aside the fact remains the 6 of you (Thanks family!) voted to keep the status updates. So you, and everyone else, are stuck with them!

In actual triathlon training news:

Training Plan - 22 minute run, HR zone 1 - 2

My plan - 45 (ish) minute run outside to take advantage of the temps being above freezing, get my butt kicked by the hills and my HR wayyy above zones 1 to 2.

Actual - Completed a 4.79 mile run in 47:32; averaged 9:55 minutes/mile and an average HR of 170 (about 88% max/zone 4). Lessons learned: Just because the map says there is a road there, doesn't mean there actually is. Also, those charts showing elevation aren't just an intellectual exercise, you really have to run them. And they suck.

Doing everything I know I shouldn't...

So I mentioned the other day that I was having some residual foot pain from the 7 mile run my cousin and I did last weekend. In actuality, I've had some level of pain in that foot for approximately the last three years. A few years ago I saw a podiatrist about the issue who thought it might have been the sesamoid bones.  I had X-rays done which did not show any issues and was basically told to wear Danskos all the time (note, I'm 26, 5 feet tall and female...clearly that didn't happen).

Over the last few months as I've been more active my foot has only bothered me more and more. I put off scheduling another appointment for quite a while, mostly because I've been scared of what I was going to be told! But I finally bit the bullet and scheduled an appointment with a sports medicine specialist through Student Health. (How weird is it that I'm back to going to "student health" and that they have a sports medicine specialist on staff?)

The doctor I met with took me a bit more seriously than the last, which I appreciated. As a first step she sent me over to the hospital to have x-rays taken and we scheduled a follow up appointment for next Friday. If she cannot determine the cause of my pain from the x-rays I will then, likely, need to have an MRI.

Fortunately I was able to get right over to the hospital and have the x-rays taken. Naturally I also requested a copy of them to bring home....

So now I'm googling x-ray images of healthy feet and comparing to my own. This kind of stuff is why past doctors have explicitly forbidden me from googling or researching on my own! This one doesn't know me well enough yet...

Anyone know how to read x-rays?

Looks like a foot to me?

Unfortunately I don't have a medical degree so none of this actually means anything to me. Seems like I'll have to wait until next week to learn more. Oh and bonus, the doctor mentioned what I thought was a bruise could potentially be either a result of this foot pain...or melanoma and may need to be biopsied. So the waiting this week is going to be fun. 

Time to go run now...(I wasn't told I couldn't)!

Learning to like running

I have always been vehemently anti-running. Growing up on the beach my sisters, friends and I always participated in Junior Lifeguards. I used to tell my instructors I was sick to get out of running at least once a week (to be fair, running on sand is hard)!

When I was in high school and on the field hockey team we were required to run an 8 minute mile. I ran past those same instructors, years later, on the boardwalk. They were so shocked they stopped what they were doing, dropped what they were holding and started clapping. That hockey season was probably the last time I ran. And even then, once we reached an 8 minute mile we didn't have to run laps in practice any more, plus I was the sweeper so I didn't have to run the field quite as much. (And I got to tell the defensive players what to do, pretty much my dream sports position).

So flash forward almost 10 years, my cousin suggests a triathlon and I find myself agreeing. I was fine with the idea of biking and swimming but the running had me scared. In early December, when we were still just contemplating this, I decided to attempt running a 5K to see if I even could!

I can't believe I stopped at 599 calories!

Turns out I could! And no, it didn't take me more than an hour to run 3.1 miles, I felt so good after my run I ended up doing another 30 minutes on the elliptical.

Since then I've run quite a few times and increased my runs from 3 miles to 4 or 5 and most recently 7. Not only that, I've almost even enjoyed them.  It's helps that I'm incredibly fortunate enough to run past some great views.

I particularly enjoyed running along the beach (note, not on the sand because again, that's hard) while I was home for the holidays.

And DC offers it's own impressive views (if you just tilt your head a bit).

Because you can't stop at 6.93...

So as I mentioned yesterday my cousin and I decided to attempt a 10k as our Saturday workout.  I found a 6.2 mile run already mapped out on mapmyrun.com which started at my cousin's house and has us running through the District. This was the route we set out to do:

This is the route we actually ran:

In general we stuck pretty closely to the route.  It was beautiful day and in just a few miles got to see quite a bit of DC.  We ran past embassies, ambassador's houses, the Vice-President's residence, through residential, urban and historical areas. Turns out it's really difficult to follow a route on your phone while running though so there was a detour or two. It all worked out in our favor because it actually pushed us to run 7 miles.  I contemplated walking at 6.5 and doing the last 1/2 mile as a cool down but I'm really happy I pushed through that. (Dad, before you say anything, we did do a cool down/stretch but I turned the GPS tracking off for that).

We certainly didn't set any speed records but I'll take an average 10:00/mile.  Also, that last mile or so was all uphill. Oh, and these are just my times. Vic had to show me up and sprint up the last hill. We got back to Vic's house with 6.93 miles behind us, so clearly couldn't stop until we hit an even 7.

It was definitely a challenge but I was pretty happy with the pay off. (Although a little bitter Vic burned more than 300 calories more than me!)

Blackened Tilapia Tacos at Surfside!

So here's how this should work

The last few weekends my cousin, Vic, and I have set out on various longer workouts, more on those later. This week we're attempting a 10k or 6.2 mile run.  In fact, I should be getting ready for that instead of typing this post!

I wasn't kidding yesterday when I said this was my first time running 5 miles. I actually maxed out at 5.5 miles while I was home in NJ over winter break. As my Dad can attest, I've always been vehemently anti-running so I'm going to need that peer pressure I mentioned to get me through this!

Here's the route we're planning to run today:

It is a 6.2 mile route through parts of DC including Georgetown, Glover Park, Woodley Park and West End.

It has a total ascent of 229.66 ft and maximum elevation of 301.84 and includes a "Category 5" climb.  These are things that make me particularly nervous since the longer runs I've done were at the beach in New Jersey, essentially flat and at sea level!

The plan is to stop typing up this post, get my butt in gear (running so far behind) and start this run in the next 40 minutes.  Ideally I'll be back here in the next day or two with details on how it went!