It’s super exciting since I am now one step closer to my goal.  It’s a bit terrifying since it’s such a huge undertaking, but I’m up for it.  I feel pretty good about my training.  I feel great about my running, since I’m getting faster and stronger every week.  I’m not feeling so hot about my cycling.  I have got to get more hours on my bike.  Which is something I plan to start work on this afternoon.  Maybe I can figure out how to watch a movie while on my trainer…..

On a separate note, Gayle will appreciate anyone who is willing to come spend a few hours with her on October 20th.  While I am racing, her job as support is much more difficult (as in BORING).  She will just be sitting and waiting for me to breeze by for a minute or so, then she will be back to waiting.  So, if anyone is available to hang out with her, I’m sure she will love the company.

You can keep up with my training here on my blog.  I will keep it updated as best I can.

I want to say a special thanks to Bramble Berry for choosing me to be a part of their Bramble Berry Athletic Club.  It’s very exciting to be a part of this group!

Well, I’m going to get on my bike….it’s a great day for a ride.

Still tri’in

Jenn

And I know there are benefits to the trainer.  One being the ability to ride no matter the time of day or weather conditions, and another being the more intense workout you get because you don’t get the chance to coast.  The few things I’ve read say that you can add at least 50% or even double your time when you ride the trainer.  So my 30 minute workout on the trainer was equal to a 45-60 minute ride out on the road.  That might be enough to keep me indoors on my bike, at least some of the time.

But I can’t promise I won’t complain about it.

What it did for me was make me want to get some fun socks.  So last night, I spent some time looking for some fun socks.  I didn’t find many that were the knee highs like most people had on yesterday, but I did find some that I’d like to try.  It seems to me that the two largest “fun sock” companies, at least for running and cycling, are DeFeet and Gizmo Socks.  I am posting some pictures of the socks I really liked.  Does anyone have any experience with either of these companies?  Are their socks good?  Any feedback would be appreciated!  I’d like to try some, but hate to go out and buy them blind.  Although I’m feeling the need for some

fun socks, so I just might have to get them!

So, while starting out at warp speed and burning myself out is not recommended, I do need to develop a sense of urgency with my training.  I need to pick up the pace and not be satisfied with my slow times.

I do have numbers in mind for the times and speed at which I need to finish each section of the race.  And to my math loving brain it has been quite fun working those out.  In fact (true confession time) while I am running I like to do the math in my head (If I keep up a 12 min/mile pace on the run, how long will it take me?  What about a 12.5 min/mile pace?  And so on…)  It’s nerdy, I know.  But it makes me happy.

So, I have given myself a deadline.  I would like to be at my goal pace with both the bike and the run by June.  Then from June – October I will work on keeping that pace for extended periods of time until I am at the amount of mileage that I need to be to complete an IronMan.  That means that I want to be able to sustain a 10 min/mile pace while running for at least 5 miles and I would also like to be able to sustain a bike speed of 15 mph for at least 15 miles by June 1st.  Currently I can hold a 17 min/mile pace for three miles (which is better than where I was at the start of the year) and my average bike speed is around 10 mph for a 15 mile stretch.  So, I have my work cut out for me over the next few months.

Too bad I can’t strap on a rocket like this tortoise!

Well, I’m here to tell you today that it’s not out of reach.  And how do I know this?  It’s happened to me!  Last month, Gayle showed me a blog post from The Soap Queen.  She is the owner of Bramble Berry, Inc – a company that sells supplies to soap companies (like ours).  In this post Anne-Marie talked about how her company is committed to making charitable donations and also interested in helping others meet their fitness goals.  To that end, in 2012 they were starting the Bramble Berry Athletic Club (BBAC), a group of athletes that were interested in participating in a race that benefited a charity.  All you had to do to be considered for a spot on the team was send a e-mail describing the race you were interested in, the charity that it benefited and why that charity was important to you.  As a member of the team you would have your entry fee to the race paid for, plus an additional donation would be made to the charity.  Those chosen would also receive a BBAC shirt along with other surprises.

I’m sure you can see where this is going.  Gayle encouraged me to apply, I did and earlier this week the team members were announced and I was one of them!  So I can honestly say that I am a sponsored triathlete!  I’m super excited to have been chosen and also a little scared.  It brings the Beach2Battleship race that much closer knowing that the entry fee is taken care of.  But, I will be proud to wear my BBAC shirt and I’m sure there will be lots of pictures!

All it took was a little bit of being in the right place at the right time and a lot of just going for it.  Yes, there were moments of doubt when I was convinced that no one would pick me for an “athletic team”.  But I pushed away those doubts and reminded myself that I am no less worthy than any one else.  So, be on the lookout for those opportunities.  You never know where they will come from (a soap company?) and you just might be surprised.

My running buddies

My morning runs usually consists of running a mile with Marshall, then a second mile with Wrigley.  It gets them both some needed exercise as they are young energetic dalmatians and it gets me to run twice as far.  Unfortunately, for the past few days Marshall has been sick.  He was throwing up, very lethargic and dehydrated.  He has not been up for running.

So, even though I can work out when I’m sick, I have a difficult time running when one of my running buddies is sick.  (There is probably a blog post about the importance of workout partners somewhere in there).  Needless to say, Wrigley and I have been doing some walking, but not much.

This morning I decided I just needed to do it, with or without my running buddy.  Every day missed is one day closer to my Ironman with no preparation.  Wrigley and I ran a mile and then I did the second mile on my own.  I must admit I was a bit apprehensive about running by myself.  But I did it, and it had good and bad aspects.

Good – I was actually 2 minutes faster over the course of the mile.  I will chalk that up to not having to stop at every bush, tree and mailbox along the way.  The chart of my pace from Map My Fitness shows that my pace was relatively consistent over that mile, which makes me happy.

Bad – There was no one to talk to.  I actually was lonely.  And it’s not the same talking to yourself.  However, that is a feeling I will have to get used to because during the race I will be alone most of the time.

All in all, I’m glad to be back to training after a few days off.  Marshall is feeling better and will be up and running soon, but even so, I can run with just myself for company.

On another note, this past Saturday I participated in the Polar Plunge to raise money for Special Olympics.  You can read all about it here.

I was very pleased with the outcome both days. On Sunday I shaved over three minutes off my average time for the two mile distance. That’s more than a 1.5 minute decrease in my pace. Today I was able to shave another 10 seconds from Sunday’s pace (which granted is only 20 seconds off my total time for the two miles, but still…..it’s faster!)

I keep telling myself not to get too excited, because there will be days where I am slower for whatever reason. But I am still going to take a few minutes to be proud of my efforts.

On a somewhat related note – yesterday I was able to wear a pair of jeans that were a size smaller than my usual size. They had been in the bottom of my drawer for about 2 years, and I decided “What the heck, I’ll give them a try!” and they fit! A big tighter than I usually wear my pants, but definitely wearable.

So, those are my two brags of the day.  If you are worried that you are too slow or too fat to do anything, just get out there and start.  Do a little something everyday and I think you will be surprised at how you progress without even realizing it.

I did some research on how to get faster, and here are a few tips I’ve learned:

1. One of the best ways to gain speed is with fartleks.  A fartlek is a workout where you run faster for a certain length of time, and then go at a slower pace to recover and then pick up the pace again.  The most common method is to pick a landmark in the distance, race to that landmark, and then run at recovery pace for a while, then pick another landmark and repeat.  It’s a fun training method because it can be varied throughout the workout which reduces the risk of boredom.
2. Stay hydrated.  An easy way to get cramps is to work your muscles while dehydrated.  This will sidetrack any workout.
3. Stretch.  Not much to be said about this one, it’s vital to keep muscles loose.
4. Hill workouts.  This is a difficult one here at the beach where there aren’t many hills, but a good hill workout can increase your speed.
5. Beach workout.  Now this one would be easier for me.  Running in soft sand will increase muscle strength and speed.

I definitely want to start with the fartleks first, because that can be incorporated into my daily workout right away. I know I need to start drinking more water and stretching. I would love to get to the beach to run, and might have to try and plan something for the near future. And to round it out, maybe I should start planning a vacation to a hilly destination……

Of course, they are chauvinistic pigs and I’m training for a triathlon, but I made the connection nevertheless. It’s a great feeling to know you have accomplished your goal, even if it’s just a small step on the way to a larger goal.

One of the big things I’ve learned in the past month is that even though it may seem difficult, or that I just wasn’t getting any faster or stronger, when I look back I’ve really come a long way. Just by putting one foot in front of the other and not quitting. I know I have a long way to go, but I also have the confidence that I can get there one step at a time.

I’m still extremely excited about the Beach2Battleship.  I keep up with my countdown and even though 262 days seems like an eternity – it will be here before I know it!

My goals for February are to keep up with the running and to add in cycling and swimming.  I have to get new tubes for my bike tires and a swimming pass, which should happen next week.

Here are some January highlights (and lowlights)