I Can Do Hard Things

 60  minutes of aqua running

I went to the rec center again this morning to swim in the deep end of the pool.  The swim team was there practicing (arghh...5:00am for a swim team practice is early!) and lots of retired folks and me.

 I aqua-ran for an hour.  It didn't seem as hard as it did last time nor am I as sore.  Maybe I am getting better?  Probably not!

It's so hard to figure how many running miles a swim/aqua jog is - hard to judge effort.  I *think* I swam about 6.5 running miles.  

50 minutes - 66 laps - just over a mile

They were doing an water aerobics class this morning, so there was only 1 lane open at the pool.  Some guy asked if he could share the lane - sure, no problem.  *I really don't know anything about swimming* but this guy had the messiest swim stroke ever!  Every time he went by, a flood of water swooshed over my face (I'm doing the back stroke).  No other swimmer has done that while sharing a lane.  It was like he was slapping the water with his palm. 

I swam faster just to get done and get out of there!

I totally slept in the morning and it was FANTASTIC!  

 I decided to try the recumbent (sp?) bike tonight.  My ankle was so sore after the spin classes a week ago - I guess the pressure of getting out of the saddle wasn't good for the ankle.  

 I rode for 30 minutes and watched the news.  I noticed the stair climber was open and thought I would try it for 10 minutes (or quit sooner if I felt any pain).  I did it and no pain.  Man that felt good - it gave me a ray of hope!  I feel like I can get as good of a workout on the stairclimber as I do when I run.

I finished up with 2 more miles on the bike.  The strange thing about tonight's workout:

1.  I was sweating (you don't do that in the pool)

2.  I got to listen to music (definitely not in the pool)

I'm going to try the stair climber again on Monday for 10 minutes again. Slowly build my way back up.  Back to the pool tomorrow.

I went to the rec center tonight to do a pool run.  It was crazy busy as usual.  This time (since I knew I was going to be there awhile), I wore a hat and put my I-pod under it.  I TOTALLY looked like a dork, but I didn't care because I had tunes!

I did a few intervals tonight just to see what it felt like in the pool (30 second rest in between each one):  

0:30, 1:00, 1:30, 1:30, 3:30 - then swim team practice was over and they took the big clock away.

I ran a total of 75 minutes.  I wanted to do an hour and 20 minutes but had to pee so bad I was going to wet my pants - why does swimming make you need to pee?

38 laps - 27 minutes

Today was an easy recovery swim - I would have NEVER thought that 30 minutes in the pool would be easy!  I wore my 5-year old son's goggles and they were so much better than mine,  Hooray for no more foggy lenses!

THIS EVENING:

I thought I would take my hubby's bike out for a ride.  It was a beautiful night and a good ride!  5.74 miles - 33:47

Swim - 96 laps (1.5 miles or 2400 M) - 1:17 (approx. 8 running miles)

Bike - 4.91 Miles - 27:09 (average heart rate 161 0 max 178) (approx, 3 running miles)

I had a hard time focusing on the first half of the swim.  It was the furthest I've swum.  I kept thinking 20 laps done - 80 more to go - urghhh..... that is a long way!  And my arms were very tired.  But the last 40 laps or so were faster and stronger probably because I knew I was on the homeward stretch.

I haven't really biked since my hubby took me to Moab shortly after we were married to "go on a little ride".  When we got there, I see this "World Class Biking" sign.  I rode his bike and the frame is too big for me.  But I did have a good ride and I finally used my HRM. 

 I am really tired and am going to take a nap.  I had In - n - Out for lunch and did not feel the least big guilty today :)

It is always hard to get out of bed on Monday mornings.  The pool water seems colder too!  I was excited about today's workout because it was only 64 laps (1 mile) and not 96 laps (1.5 miles) like Saturday's.  It seemed SO easy.  

I'm going to try to start to put my face in the water more.  I'm not sure why I have such a fear (I was water skiiing as kid and my contacts swam away and I couldn't see - maybe that is it).  But I am trusting my son's goggles and am going to try the front crawl.  Baby steps.

64 laps - 1 miles - 50 minutes (about 6 running miles)

It hasn't been the best day.

 I had to call a friend's parents and tell them that their child pulled their pants down at my house in front of my 4 kids and another friend.  I REALLY REALLY hate those kind of phone calls.  After much contemplation, I felt like I needed to make the call.  Parents need to know those kinds of things.

 THEN, I had a teacher bale on me for teaching a Relief Society class next week.   SO I get to teach the class.  FUN!

I need to get a workout in today and relieve some stress.

40 minutes aqua running

22.52 minutes bike ride (3.99 miles - average HR 156 - high - 180)

Tonight for my aqua run I did:

5 min warm up

5 x 2:30 with a 30 sec rest in between each

2 minute rest

5 x 2:30 with a 30 sec rest

It kicked my tail!  I couldn't believe how hard I was breathing!  It felt good to run hard!

Swam a mile this morning in 48 minutes.  Felt great, but my arms a little sore this afternoon.  The tooth fairy came to our house last night for the very first time EVER.  So my kids were up bright and early to tell me that Annie got a dollar.  Hence my after the gym morning nap was short.  I'm tired!

I did another aqua running workout this morning with all the geriatrics (well until 5:30am, then other age groups joined in :)  ).  Felt good and I was definitely breathing hard!

Here was my workout:

5 min warm up

1 min hard - 1 min easy

2 min hard - 1 min easy

3 min hard - 1 min easy

4 min hard - 1 min easy

4 min hard - 1 min easy

3 min hard - 1 min easy

2 min hard - 1 min easy

1 min hard - 1 min easy

1 min hard - 1 min easy

5 min cool down

Aqua run (6 running miles)

5 min warm up 

8x5:00 with a 1 min rest 

5 min cool down

I had a hard time judging my effort today in the pool.  I couldn't go "all out" for the entire 5 minutes, but I tried to maintain a higher heart rate.  I think! 

Got home and went for a bike ride.  I am REALLY slow on a bike; running is way easier!

7.09 miles

40:47 minutes

Average HR 157

Max HR 180 

Off to help at a funeral for a lady in our ward this afternoon - fun :( 

Today is my first official day of training for Grandma's Marathon and it was spent in the pool.  Frustrating!  I have 2-3 weeks left of recovery and then I get to SLOWLY come back.  

Pool workout (52 minutes or about 6 running miles):

5 min warm up

1:30 x 10 (30 sec rest)

2 min rest

1:30 x 10 (30 sec rest)

5 min cool down

Hoping to get a bike ride in when my hubby gets home from work.

Marathon Training Day 2:

I had a hard time focusing this morning (keeping up the speed, how many sets I was doing) and I was having problems with my ipod.  I will admit, I am getting "bored" with aqua running.  I will continue to do it because I want to continue to train, I just hope it is for nothing!

Aqua run (45 minutes - 5 running miles)

5 min warm up

11x2:30 min

5 min cool down

No bike ride today (Tim has YM) or yesterday (it was raining yesterday and I still not that comfortable on a bike)

No workout today!  Bummer....maybe!  I taught my whole wheat bread class and other things you can make with the bread dough.  It was a semi-ok turnout, but lots of good treats (cinnamon rolls, soft pretzels, pizzas, taco bakes, and bread).

I am NOT going to weigh in tomorrow. I have to give my body a few days to loose all the bread I've eaten tonight.

Off to bed!

20 minutes on the stair climber (2.2 miles)

35 minutes on the bike (3.5 miles)

Half mile swim (32 laps 27 minutes) (3 miles) 

It felt so good to sweat and breath hard tonight.  I'm officially 6 of my 8 weeks for stress fracture recovery (I will still have another 4-5 weeks of comeback).  I still don't know if I will be able to get ready in time for my marathon in June.  My marathon expectation has dramatically dropped to  "I just want to finish".  I don't even care about a time. 

 Time will tell!

 

My ankle feels good after yesterday bike and stairclimber.  Hooray!

Recovery aqua jog (37 minutes or 3.5 running miles)

5 min warm up

1 min hard, 30 sec rest, 2 min hard, 30 sec rest, 3 min hard, 30 sec rest, 4 min hard, 30 sec rest, 4 min hard, 30 sec rest, 3 min hard, 30 sec rest, 2 min hard, 30 sec rest, 1 min hard, 20 sec rest, 1 min hard

5 min cool down

I am in "deep cleaning" mode at my house.  I've been working on memory boxes and came across this old Nike poster from high school:

"Sooner or later the serious runner goes through a special, very personal experience that is unknown to most people.

 Some call it euphoria.  Others say it's a new kind of mystical experience that propels you into a elevated state of consciousness,

A flash of joy.  A sense of floating as you run.  This experience is unique to each of us, but when it happens, you break through a barrier that separates you from casual runners.  Forever.  And from that point on, there is no finish line.  You run for your life.  You begin to be addicted to what running gives you."

2.5 miles on stair climber (22:50  minutes)

13 mile bike (42:57 minutes)

1 mile swim (64 laps - 55 minutes)

Approximate total running miles 12.1 miles

Aquarun 56 minutes or 5.6 running miles

5 min warm up

7 x 1:30 (30 sec recovery) - I did this 3 times

5 min cool down

Ankle is achy today.

Aqua run 50 minutes (5 running miles)

5 minutes warm up

6 x 2:30 minutes (30 second recovery)

2 minutes recovery

7x 2:30 minutes (30 second recovery)

5 minutes cool down

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am in deep cleaning mode at my house.  I found several boxes of my old high school track/cross country stuff.  I was really excited to find all my old training logs.  Then the excitement when down the drain when I saw how fast I USED to be.  I'm NOT going to grow old - I refuse :) (I will report more of my finds later)

Pool run - 48 minutes (4.8 running miles)

Swim - 40 minutes (4 miles)

I went to the pool at the rec center after my kids were done with gymnastics.  It was CRAZY busy.  I felt like I was dodging little kids doing swim lessons, swim team, folks there to swim laps, and teenagers hanging out.

Pool run:

5 min warm up

12x2:30 minutes (30 sec recovery)

5 min cool down

Swim:

40 minutes (I have no idea how many laps - I was having to dodge lots of little bodies).

Felt good, but the ankle is still a bit achy.

Bike 10 miles in 33 minutes (3.3 running miles)

Elliptical 1 mile in 10 minutes (1 running mile)

Swim 32 laps (half mile) in 27 minutes (2.7 running miles)

I thought I would try the elliptical over the stair master to test my ankle.  It felt good, but I didn't want to push my luck.

Today, my 4 kids official ate 1 ton of food - I swear it!  30 minutes after breakfast, they were complaining of being hunger.  They ate HUGE adult sized portions of left over from last night, plus a fruit for lunch.  Then tonigh,t there was NOT a drop of food left.  They must be going through a grow spurt.  This "spurt" is going to cost me a fortune in food :)

Aqua "recovery" run (46 minutes or 4.6 running miles)

5 min warm up and cool down

1 min - 2 min - 3 min - 4 min - 5 min - 4 min - 3 min - 2 min - 1 min - 1 min - 2 min (30 sec recovery)

I met calliej at the pool this morning (I'm a lucky duck because she is my cousin).  I can always count on her for a good time.  She even braved wearing a hat with an Ipod - she totally looked cool.  It was awesome to have a workout buddy.  I miss that - not many people want to pool run :)

So in my "deep cleaning" mode, I found my old track and cross country stuff (I think I already mentioned that). 

During the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta (I was living in ATL and was entering my senior year in high school), I was an "apparel carrier" for the USA track trials and the Olympic track events.  So I carried all the stinky and smelly warm up clothes in a "shopping basket" from the starting line to the finish line.  It was AMAZING as you can imagine (I could probably write a book on all the neat stuff I saw, but not today!).

So one day, an official asked if anyone liked BYU.  I quickly raised my hand.  He threw me Frank Fredricks BYU jersey; it was still stinky. 

 I found the old BYU jersey, my shopping basket and a few other Olympic memorabilia. I will make one more post later about my thoughts on the Olympic games (past and present).

Bike:  13 miles-33 minutes 

Elliptical: 10 minutes (just to test ankle and it felt good)

Pool run: 68 minutes

5 min warm up

8x5 min hard (1 min recovery)

10x45sec hard (15 sec recovery)

5 min cool down

Workout with my coolio cousin, calliej.  I was a rock star and told Callie to meet at 6:30 - BUT the gym didn't open until 7:00am. I kept waking up last night because I thought I had missed my alarm.

 I could REALLY get used to have a pool buddy! 

My arms were super tired during the 8x5min and my whole body felt like lead during the 45's.  Hooray for being over!