Kitzzy's Latest Posts

Kitzzy A. posted a fitness workout

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:22:28 -0800

Around the World Abs + Bicep Curls

25 reps each of Around the World Abs (no plank dips or push up) + 3 x 10 Bicep Curls

Felt: good

Tags: abs, bicep curls, core

Kitzzy A. posted a fitness workout

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:58:51 -0800

Push Ups W6D2

W6D2 = 248 push ups (max = 60). This was REALLY hard. I warmed up with the routine in the "7 weeks to 100 push-ups" book, then got started. The first 8 sets were challenging, but I got through them ok: 22(x2) + 30(x2) + 24(x2) +18(x2). The 9th set is where I have to do as many as I can, but at least 58! WHAT? Even though I did 60, I didn't really make it all at once. My arms were on fire and trembling. I did 3 sets of 20 with a brief break between them. That's good enough for me.

Felt: good

Tags: push ups

Kitzzy A. posted a running workout

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:52:02 -0800

1: Lake Eola Loop

I did not want to get up to run this morning and almost went back to sleep, but I knew I would regret it if I didn't run. It was cold (< 60) and windy, so I bundled up in long pants, arm warmers, and my new headband. Knowing I would feel colder if I stopped to walk, I opted to run 30 minutes straight. I ran by feel and payed no attention to my pace, so I'm pleased it was a bit faster than Tuesday. I did pick up the pace a bit for the last half mile because I just wanted it to be over and return to the warmth of my apartment :) Garmin says I reached a max of 9:33 min/mi at some point, but I doubt that was for very long.

Distance: 2.54mi
Time: 00:30
Felt: great

Tags: lake eola, non stop, run

Kitzzy A. posted a cycling workout

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:47:45 -0800

Ride home from Sheila's

The ride home from Sheila's kinda sucked. We had to battle a head wind, full bellies, and darkness. Thankfully, it was a bit shorter. I really did not want to ride home and almost took the bus, but I'm glad I did because I needed to work off all that food I ate at the BBQ. This makes a total of 32 miles I rode today. I'm beat!

Distance: 12.84mi
Time: 01:04
Felt: alright

Tags: bike, commute, road bike

Kitzzy A. posted a cycling workout

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:45:34 -0800

Ride to Sheila's

We rode to Sheila's (near UCF) for a BBQ, with a slight detour to Publix on the way to get some food to grill. We had a tail wind most of the way and we took turns pulling and drafting, so we managed a pretty good pace. (I forgot to turn my watch back on after the Publix stop and rode about a mile before realizing it, so I estimated the time for that extra mile and included it here.)

Distance: 15.2mi
Time: 01:01
Felt: good

Tags: bike, commute, road bike

Kitzzy A. posted a cycling workout

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:25:31 -0800

Track Shack

Took advantage of the nice weather and rode the Jamis bike to Track Shack and scored a new pair of tri shorts for $22! I took the long way home -- I was going to swing by David's World but I hate riding on Princeton and I can't ever seem to find a bike rack near there.

Distance: 5.06mi
Time: 00:24
Felt: good

Tags: bike, commute

Kitzzy A. posted a core fitness workout

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:25:02 -0800

YOGAmazing for Abs

I wanted a little variety today, so instead of the "Around the World Abs" workout, I did YOGAmazing for Abs. This sessions is INTENSE, but I can definitely feel that my abs have gotten stronger since the last time I did this yoga session.

Time: 00:25
Felt: great

Tags: abs, yoga, yogamazing

Kitzzy A. posted a fitness workout

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:56:03 -0800

Push Ups

W6D1 = 220 push ups (max = 55). I've been dreading starting week 6 because it looked really intimidating, especially in column 3. I finally gave it a go today and it was hard, but I got through it. The last 55 were not exactly in a row, as I paused between each 10 or so, but I didn't outright stop. I think days 2 and 3 will be a lot easier since it is broken down into 8 smaller sets instead of the crazy 5 sets I did today: 45 - 55 - 35 - 30 - 55 with 60 second rest between sets.

Felt: great

Tags: push ups

Kitzzy A. posted a fitness workout

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:32:58 -0800

YOGAmazing for Back and Shoulders

My back hurt when I woke up, so I thought this yoga session would be the perfect warm up before attempting the push ups.

Time: 00:20
Felt: great

Tags: yoga, yogamazing

Kitzzy A. posted a running workout

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:02:19 -0800

2: LEH Hills

I felt crappy this morning and stayed home from work, but being stuck indoors all day got the best of me. I just had to get out, so I went for a short run around the block. I ran non-stop (no walk breaks) at whatever pace felt comfortable. I ignored my pace and just enjoyed running. It was so nice! Needless to say, I am pleasantly surprised that I managed to average so close to 12 min/mile without even trying. This makes a total of 4.5 miles for me today. Not too bad :)

Distance: 2.2471mi
Time: 00:27
Felt: great

Tags: non stop, run

Kitzzy A. posted a running workout

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:10:59 -0800

1: Lake Eola Loop

I was really dragging today, had cramps, and the muscle/nerve between my shoulder and neck started hurting so I called it quits after 30 minutes -- ran a few extra seconds to round up the distance to the nearest 1/4 mile =P

Distance: 2.25mi
Time: 00:31
Felt: good

Tags: lake eola, run

Kitzzy A. posted a fitness workout

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:47:39 -0800

Around the World Abs

Around the World Abs = 25 reps each (no side plank dips). I'm still a bit sore and generally fatigued, so I still have not started week 6 of the push up challenge, but wanted to at least get in some ab work.

Felt: good

Tags: abs

Kitzzy A. posted a yoga workout

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:23:55 -0800

YOGAmazing for Runners

Time: 00:20
Felt: great

Tags: yoga, yogamazing

Kitzzy A. posted a yoga workout

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:56:13 -0800

YOGAmazing for Runners

I'm a tad sore and tired from yesterday's 16 miler, and despite my best efforts I only slept in until 7ish.

Time: 00:20
Felt: great

Tags: yoga, yogamazing

Kitzzy A. posted a running workout

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:10:10 -0800

Galloway 1:1

This is a distance PR by 3 miles! The best part of marathon training is that every 2-3 runs is the furthest/longest run of my life! =) I was expecting to average closer to 14 or 14:30 or even 15, so I'm thrilled with this pace -- especially since we ran using 1:1 intervals! I'm glad next Saturday is low millage so I can recover a bit, but I'm exited for the 18 miler in 2 weeks!

Read more details of this run at my blog:
http://kitzzyfit.blogspot.com/2009/11/marathon-training-update-16-miles.html

Distance: 16.1mi
Time: 03:40
Felt: good

Tags: 1 1, galloway, long run, run

Marathon Training Update = 16 Miles!

Kitzzy — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:10:00 -0800

Wow! I can't believe I have not posted anything in over a month! (I still need to post my race report from the UCF 5 Miler, but since it didn't go so well I've not been in a hurry. You can read the recap at dailymile).

Marathon training has been a bit frustrating because my knee has been acting up, making me doubt whether I'll be able to make it to the start line without injury. I keep forgetting that training for marathon is more than a physical challenge and it takes a toll emotionally as well. I had a small break down yesterday because of my knee issues, but this morning's 16.1 miles run lifted my spirits and renewed my confidence that I can complete a marathon.

Highlights from today's run:

Stats:

16.1 in 3:39:31 @ 13:38 min/mile pace!
I was expecting to average closer to 14 or 14:30 or even 15, so I'm thrilled with this pace -- especially since we ran using 1:1 intervals!
Distance PR by 3 miles!
The best part of marathon training is that every 2-3 runs is the furthest/longest run of my life! =)

Weather:

The cool weather helped a ton.
I wore my arm warmers for the first 8 miles and was a bit cold when I took them off after that, but the temp was comfortable throughout.

Nutrition:

I tried a Vanilla/Orange GU Roctane Gel before starting, a Plain GU after the first 8 miles, and ate some shotblocks, sports beans, and fruit snacks throughout. I seemed to be always be starving.
I still don't love the gels, but they are tolerable and seem to really help fuel these long runs.

Pain:

The knee behaved for the most part. I wore a compression sleeve over it, and that offered enough support to keep it from hurting.
I had a bit of a scare at mile 9ish when I stepped wrong causing a shooting pain on my knee. I immediately stopped and walked, and it seemed to disappear by the next run interval.
The knee was a little achy/sore for the last 4-6 miles, but obviously not a show stopper.
I'm a little sore all over now, but nothing major. On the other hand, the chafing in unusual places sucks!

Route:

We ran to Brandywines and back for 8 miles, then returned to the school.
We then ran 2 miles to Cady Way, 2 miles on the trail, and 2 miles back to the school for a total of 14 miles.
I was the only one running 16, so I did an extra loop from the school to the lake and back.

I'm glad next Saturday is low millage so I can recover a bit, but I'm exited for the 18 miler in 2 weeks!

Kitzzy A. posted a fitness workout

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:57:30 -0800

Pushup Exhaustion Test

Pushup Exhaustion Test = 63 (modified) push ups in a row! Holy crap! Not only that, but I also did 50-60 more in a row before this, for a total of 113 - 123 push ups in 2 sets!

See, I was doing the test alone and I kinda lost track of the counting, but I am pretty sure it was 60. It was eating at me not knowing for sure, so I after a bit of a break, I did it again and had Jason count for me.

I was a bit worried the first attempt wore me out too much and I wouldn't do as well. I got to maybe 55 pretty easily. I was starting to feel it for the next 5 and #60 took some real effort, but I couldn't leave it there since 61 is the magic number to start in column 3, so I kept going. Those last 3 hurt! but I am so proud of myself.

This is almost 20 more than last week's exhaustion test, so I am feeling more confident that I'll be able to do 100 next week. After that, I'll start the program over with full push ups. I feel so strong!

Felt: good

Tags: push ups

Kitzzy A. posted a yoga workout

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:20:39 -0800

YOGAmazing for Runners

Time: 00:20
Felt: great

Tags: yoga, yogamazing

Kitzzy A. posted a running workout

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:42:11 -0800

1: Lake Eola Loop

Another easy run, but I managed to shave off 39 seconds from Tuesday. I'm sure this amazing weather helped. It's a little frustrating because I know I can go faster but I have to keep my eye on the prize and avoid injury so I can tackle the 16 miler on Sat. Wish me luck!

Distance: 3.0mi
Time: 00:37
Felt: good

Tags: lake eola, run

Kitzzy A. posted a fitness workout

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:38:52 -0800

Strength + Core

Pushups = W5D3: 200 (50 max); Around the World Abs = 25 reps each including push ups (no side plank dips); 25 squats; 25 lunges

Holy crap! That last 50 push ups was hard, but I moved through them pretty quickly and barely paused. I think I may redo week 5 to make sure I am ready to proceed since the last set has been hard in each day, but we'll see how I do in the exhaustion test on Friday.

Felt: good

Tags: abs, core, lunges, push ups, squats

Kitzzy A. posted a fitness workout

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:17:10 -0800

YOGAmazing for Runners + Beginner Pilates

20 min YOGAmazing for Runners + 25 min Beginner Pilates

Time: 00:45
Felt: great

Tags: pilates, yoga, yogamazing

Links for 2009-10-12 [del.icio.us]

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 PDT

How To Be A Better Improviser

Race Report: Miracle Miles 15K

Kitzzy — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 10:45:00 -0700

I've been such a slacker about posting race reports lately, but I guess is better late than never :) I think I lack the motivation to blog about races because running has become such a routine that it feels like every race report is the same thing and I nothing special. But I'm still making progress by leaps and bounds, so I don't want to quit documenting it. So onto the race report! There are no photos of this race because Jason ran it too and there were no official photographers :(

Last Saturday, 9/26, I ran my first 15K race, and had a great time despite the heat and humidity that accosted us towards the end of the race. I had a couple of goals for this race, the main one being a sub-12 min/mile pace, because I wasn't sure I had being training for long distances enough to push it more. Secretly, I wanted to finish in 1:45 - 1:50 with a sub-11:45 min/mile avg pace. I pretty much met all my goals. If I pushed a tad more at the end, I probably would have come in under 1:45, but I am very pleased with my effort.

The race start was a little over 2 miles from our apartment, so we biked there. This is always a great way to warm up, and it helped us beat the traffic. I found a few people from the Galloway group at the start line and ran with them for a bit using 2:1. We were averaging 12 min/mi from the beginning, which had me worried I had started out too fast, but I was able to keep improving the pace for most of the race. One of the girls, Carlie, and I eventually ran ahead of the group and finished together. We took an extra walk break just before mile 8 then pushed it to the end. I was glad to have enough left for a nice sprint at the finish, and grateful for a running buddy to help me push through the rough patches. I wore my fuel belt with two bottles so I could drink whenever I wanted. There was plenty of water on the course, but I'm glad I had it so I could eat and drink on my schedule. I also brought some gels and shot blocks, and I can sure tell the difference when I take those. I think that's what got me through the last 5K.

According to the Garmin, I ran 9.42 miles in 1:49:50 @ 11:39 min/mi avg pace. This increases my confidence that with a little more training and speed work, I'll be able to run a sub-2:30 half marathon in December. I can't wait!

Mile Splits (pace) according to Garmin

12:02
11:59
11:42
11:14
11:23
11:34
11:52
11:33
12:04
10:21 (.42 in 4:19)

Official Stats

overall place = 1000 / 1260
age group place = 77 / 107
gender place = 488 / 676
clock time = 1:50:48
chip time = 1:49:50

Welcome Runner's Lounge - Yoga for Runners

Kitzzy — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:59:00 -0700

I'm today's host for Take it and Run Thursday over at the Runner's Lounge blog, and want to extend a huge welcome to everyone at the Lounge reading this. Before we get today's topic, here's a little about me.

About Me
I started running a year and a half ago after I finished a 2 mile race that I mostly walked. I sprinted to the finish, and crossing that finish line changed me. I decided then that I wanted to be able to run more than just a final sprint, so I started C25K. Since then, I've lost almost 30 lbs and finished over two dozen races: countless 5Ks, 2 10Ks, 2 half marathons, a duathlon, and a few triathlons. (You can read all about these experiences in my race reports.) I am now training for my first full marathon at the end of February 2010. I've been lucky to have a boyfriend and parents that not only support me, but run along with me :) We'll be doing a marathon relay in February.

For more details of my running journey, read My Evolution as a Runner. And check out the slideshow of my running milestones below, from my first race, to running with my parents, to my first half marathon, to my first duathlon and triathlon. You can also view the photos on flickr with commentary.

Today's Topic: Yoga and Running

I find yoga to be an excellent companion to my running to avoid injury, improve flexibility, and help relieve sore muscles after a hard workout or race. Tell us about your experience with yoga as it relates to running. If you have not tried it, why not? If you have, did it help? How often do you feature yoga in your weekly workout regime? What are your favorite yoga poses and routines? Pass on your recommendations for your favorite yoga DVDs, instructors, podcasts, online resources, etc.

I've written about this topic before, but I am curious about other's take on it. I try to do yoga whenever I can, at least once a week, on my rest day, but I often follow most hard workouts with a short yoga session, or whenever something aches I try to target it with yoga. I find it helps me recover faster.

YOGAmazing
I've been mostly doing Chaz's podcast from http://yogamazing.com and I love them. They are easy to follow, only 20-25 minutes, and targeted for specific needs -- such as yoga for runners, for knees, etc. You can download the last 20-25 for free from iTunes, or purchase older episodes from the archives for $1.99. I highly recommend them.

Rodney Yee
In addition to these, I still also use Rodney Yee's Yoga Conditioning for Athletes. This DVD includes a 1 hour practice geared towards athletes with pose modifications for all levels. It also has several sport specific mini workouts (cycling, running, golf, swimming, and tennis), about 5-7 mins each, that can be used as a pre/post run stretch. I also own several of his other DVDs, and I've yet to find any I did not like.

iYogaLife
Below is a list of some of my favorite yoga poses for runners (I'm sure I am forgetting many). Most of these are featured in the YOGAmazing for runners podcast. For details on these and other poses, check out http://www.iyogalife.com/poses/. This site is a great source for yoga poses, sequences, and specific yoga needs. Be sure to check out their Yoga for Runners section.

child's pose - this is a great pose of surrender and a nice back stretch. Chaz starts most podcasts with this to focus on breathing
downward dog - a great full body pose, and it feels great to stretch the legs and back
pidgeon - great pose for runners, and especially the hips
thread the needle - great twisting pose
runner's lunge - the name says it all :) There is a variation that is also a great hip opener
butterfly - another hip opener
cat-cow - great to stretch out the back

What's yours favorite pose?

Race Report: OUC Downtown Orlando Triathlon Relay (1:47:43)

Kitzzy — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:59:00 -0700

On yet another whim, I signed up for a triathlon relay this past weekend with my girls and had SO much fun! It was just what I needed to get out of the funk after the Trek didn't go as planned. This is the relay we were going to do initially, but we thought it'd be too soon after the trek. We were wrong! I'm now also addicted to triathlon relays :) Here we are, "MK^2 Impulse," before the start of the race. Can you guess who did which leg? ;)

Also at the race:

Kyle (owner of Kyly'e Bike Shop) and Kristi
It was his first tri and her 2nd

Jason and David aka "Spontaneous Combustion"
doing a 2-man relay, who placed 2nd in their division!

and Giles, who helped me get the confidence in my swimming to give this crazy sport a try.

Pre-Race

The race start was at Lake Underhill Park, 3.2 miles from our apartment. Since I'm training for a marathon at the end of February, and the training plan called for 10 miles that day, we ran to the race start at an easy pace to get some extra miles. Combined with the race distance and a 1 mile walk home, I got in a total of 8 miles.

We got body marked and I found the girls. The relay wave was last, starting at 8 am, so we had a lot of time to kill. When we registered on Thursday, we all put shirt sizes that were too big because we kept thinking how small the shirts we got at the Trek were. But we forgot that the Trek was a women's race with women specific shirts, and these tech shirts were probably unisex. We were bummed that they were so big, but we brought them with us in hopes of exchanging them for smaller ones if they had any leftover. They DID! And that made my day because I love this race's logo and wanted to be able to wear the shirt. I was more excited about this race than the Trek :) (Maybe because I didn't have to swim =P)

The Race is On!

We headed to the start and watched the other waves take off, then finally Kelly and Jason were on their way. Since I did the run, I was able to take pictures of everyone during the swim and see them finish. Between legs, the other relay members were herded to a tent to wait for our turn. This amused me, but it gave us a great vantage point to watch the other triathletes and cheer them on. Jason and I were both doing the run leg, so it was cool we got to hang out in the tent for a bit while David came back from the bike.

My Turn to Shine!
Run = 3.86 mi in 41:29 @ 10:44 pace

The run felt amazing! My left calf and hamstring were a little tight while I waited for MaryLynn to finish the bike leg, but I took off like a bat out of hell after we did the hand off. The first 2 minutes was at a 8:46 min/mile pace. I clearly started too fast, and I ended up with positive splits, but I pushed myself hard and far exceeding my expectations (I figured I'd average at best 11:30 min/mile).

I ran using 2:1 intervals, but pushed hard during the running segments, running most of them at a 9-10 min/mile pace. During the 2nd half, the intervals turned into run 2 minutes hard, walk 30 seconds, jog 30 seconds, then push hard for 2 minutes, then repeat. It certainly helped that it was overcast the entire time, even if it was still pretty humid. I also hydrated well and ate a gel during the run. I think that helped keep me going.

As I ran past the 3 mile mark near the Howard MS track at Summerlin, I saw the girls walking to the finish line and cheering me on. That brought a smile to my face and gave me the extra motivation I needed to push hard to the finish. They ran with me for a few seconds, and then I took off. As I rounded the last corner before the one to the finish line, I started to pick up the pace a bit more as I saw Jason cheering me on and running with me on the side walk. Alicia and Giles were at the last corner, and I dug deep, even deeper than at the Trek, and finished with an amazing sprint.

They held the tape for me to "break" as I finished. That was a really nice touch. I felt really strong and very pleased with my performance. My official time was 40:47 @ 10:28 min / mile -- not sure how that makes sense, but I'll take it. Maybe the course was long. I started my watch after the hand off while still in transition. This is close to the pace of my 5K PR, so that's impressive. I finished 414 / 507 overall and 13 / 15 in our division.

Official Team Results

rank = 460 / 507 overall; 12 / 15 in division
time: 1:47:43
swim rank = 482 / 507 overall ;14 / 15 in division
swim time = 16:13
t1 = 1:11
bike rank = 485 / 507 overall ;11 / 15 in division
bike time = 48:36 @ 14.4 mph
t2 = 0:58
run rank = 414 / 507 overall; 13 / 15 in division
run time = 40:47 @ 10:28 min/mil

Final Thoughts

I'm really impressed with this race and plan to do it again next year, either by myself or as a relay. Relays are awesome because you get to compete while still cheering on all your friends, and you can push yourself a little bit harder when you focus on one sport and because you don't want to let your team down. It's truly the best of both worlds. The impulsiveness of signing up for this at the last minute also added to the excitement and took the pressure off. We just wanted to have fun, and that we sure did! I can't wait for the next one in October -- unless we find another sooner ;) Great job team MK^2!

View More Photos on Flickr

PS - While waiting for Kelly to finish the swim, MaryLynn said someone recognized me and told her she followed my blog. That's so neat! If it was you, comment and let me know. I'd love to know which one of my readers was also at this Tri!

Race Report: Trek Women's Spring Tri (2:13:40)

Kitzzy — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 10:25:00 -0700

I finished my first full sprint triathlon on Sunday, 9.6.09 in 2:13:40, and I'm a little underwhelmed, but I had a blast with all the girls before, during, and after. I finished 796 / 936 overall and 84 / 96 in my age group. Here's the recap.

Saturday: Kids Run, Expo, and Pre-Race Dinner

We drove to Disney's Ft. Wilderness early Saturday morning to see Isa run her first race: 100 yard dash. She was adorable! We killed some time after the kid's race at the playground, then went to the expo to get our race packets, race shirt, and shop! Sports Beans was one of the sponsors, so I got many samples of my favorite running nutrition in their new resealable package. I bought a new tri top and got the girls matching bondi bands that say "tri like a girl" for us to wear at our triathlon relay.

After the expo, we checked into our cabin, I racked my bike, then went to Sweet Tomatoes for lunch with Lisa and Joe. We chilled in our cabin for a bit after lunch until dinner time. I also had to do a bit of laundry because I put some hershey kisses in my goodie bag that melted while we were at lunch covering the entire contents in gooey chocolate, including my race shirt and new tri top. Chris and David finally got back to the cabin from working the expo all day, then we headed to Giordanno's for the pre-race dinner. We had a blast catching up with friends and eating yummy food, and of course posting for quirky photos =P

Race Morning

Jason and I caught the shuttle to transition area and found MaryLynn on the bus. We got to the transition area just as Kelly was getting there, and got to work. After we setup our areas, we finished body marking each other and headed to the beach.

We quickly found Jason and Joe, and eventually saw the rest of the girls. I was not nervous about this race all week, or even this weekend, until we got to the beach and I saw the buoys. It looked SO LONG! We took some pre-race shots at the dock, where our camera men were stationed, then headed to the beach. While waiting at the beach, my mom and grandma found me and we took some more pics. It was great to see them there and helped calmed my nerves a bit, but not much. I was still freaking out about how far the swim looked.

Swim = 1/2 mile (880 yds) in 35:00 - 877 / 936

The swim took a little longer than I predicted, but I made it in one piece! I was freaking out while waiting for our wave to start, but once I got in the water I was fine and just kept swimming. I stopped a lot to tread water and see where I was going, switching to breast stroke and side stroke from time to time, but I never stopped completely to hold onto a swim noodle or kayak. It was a little humbling to see everyone I knew in the next wave past me, and before long I was swimming in a sea of blue and purple caps (my wave was orange), but I didn't care. Now I have an official time of 35:36 to beat next time :)

T1 - 00:04:16

We had a long run to the transition area after the swim, and I probably spent too much time putting on socks, shoes, and gloves. I was also a bit flustered and tired from the swim.

Bike = 12.13 mi in 52:00 @ 14.1 mph - 773 / 936

I'm really disappointed in my bike performance. This is my slowest pace in a race. I seem to get slower on the bike with every race I do. I intended to push hard on the bike to make up for the swim, but no matter what I could no go any faster and the hills didn't help. I'd like to blame this on the crowded field, or that I was too tired from the swim and maybe I kicked too much, but the truth is that I did not train properly on the bike the last few months. I commuted to work on my explorer bike, but didn't push myself and rarely did any speed work. I'm going to train specifically for the distance next time and do some drills to improve my speed/power. I'll probably also start wearing the camelbak for longer races as I think I'm wasting too much time reaching down for the water bottle. I think I use it as an excuse to take a break and it makes me lose momentum and takes a little time to get back up to speed. My official bike time was 53:15, but that includes 1/4 mile or more run to mount line.

T2 - 00:02:27

Not much to say here. I ran my bike to the back of the transition area, raked it, took off helmet, switched shoes, then grabbed hat and racing belt as I ran out of the transition area. I almost forgot to switch my watch from the bike to my wrist.

Run = 3.15 mi in 38 @ 12:03 min/mile - 620 / 936

The run went much better than I expected. I fumbled with my watch and never set up the intervals, but that worked out in my favor. I started running using 3:1 for maybe the first mile, but I felt good and reduced the walk breaks to every half mile or less -- usually just at the water stops. After the last water stop, I pushed it to catch up to Kelly and I seemed to find my stride so ran it all the way to the finish line trying to get to a sub-12 min/mile avg pace. Cheryl was there at the 3 mile mark and ran with me to end pushing me to dig deep for a strong finish. Thanks Cheryl!!

My Negative Splits pace:

mile 1 - 12:56
mile 2 - 12:23
mile 3 - 11:21
finish (.15) - 8:42!!

Final Thoughts

So it wasn't the race I was hoping for, and I was a little down about it on Monday, but I need to remind myself that a few months ago I thought a triathlon wasn't even an option for me. I could barely swim and the thought of even getting in a lake terrified me. Being able to complete this was a huge accomplishment, and it certainly will not be the last one. I'm completely addicted! The best part is that I got to share it with a great group of women, and I've met new friends along the way. Here is just a few of them. Thanks ladies and Jason for all your support, and for believing in me. I could not have done it with each and every one of you.

View more race photos

Magic Mile in 9:15

Kitzzy — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 04:11:00 -0700

I ran a 1 mile timed trial at the track last Tuesday in 9 minutes and 15 seconds! That's insane and over 1 minute faster than last year. This means that a sub-30 5K is closer than I thought, and I'm going to do my best to make that happen by the end of the year. I'm adding speed work to my running this year, so I hope to run my next half marathon a little faster. I'd by so happy with a sub-2:30 half marathon.

Below are my target race paces according to Jeff Galloway's predictor calculator based on my 1 mile time:

5K = 9:48 min/mile (30:23)
10K = 10:38 min/mile (1:05:57)
Half Marathon = 11:06 min/mile (2:25:25)
Marathon = 12:02 min/mile (5:15:03)

August in Review

Kitzzy — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 03:58:00 -0700

	August	July	June	May
run distance	31.64 miles	33.65 miles	21.16 miles	43.64 miles
longest run	6 miles	6 miles	3.75 miles	5.5 miles
avg run pace	12:49 min/mile	12:54 min/mile	12:05 min/mile	11:56 min/mile
bike distance	250.41 miles	190 miles	228.17 miles	161.86 miles
longest ride	30 miles	45.45 miles	50 miles	21.2 miles
avg bike speed	12.7 mph	12.1 mph	12.2 mph	13.6 mph
swim sessions	14	13	5	0
swim distance	6.63 miles	5.14 miles	1.7 miles	0

Accomplishments in August

Goals for September

Trek Women's Sprint Triathlon
Miracle Miles 15K - my first 15k!

Links for 2009-08-30 [del.icio.us]

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 PDT

Marathon Training Begins

Kitzzy — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 09:21:00 -0700

Today I officially started training for the Gasparilla Marathon on February 28. This will be the last year to run this marathon (they are replacing it with a 10k next year), so I hope I'm ready. I want to do this particular marathon as my first because 1) it is pirate themed and 2) they have a Marathon Maiden Voyage option:

Those taking their Marathon Maiden Voyage in Tampa will be issued a Special Marathon Maiden Voyage Race Number, and at the Gasparilla Marathon Finish Line, pirates will be waiting to present a Marathon Maiden Voyage Finisher’s Medal and ring the ship's bell to commemorate the crossing.

How cool is that!? And how cool is this medal?

I went for an amazing run this morning with the Galloway group--my first in months. We did 6 easy miles using 2:1 and I felt great. Next week it's the Trek Tri and that will suffice for my run, but the following week I run 10 miles. I haven't run that in a long time, so I'll take it slow and maybe drop down to 1:1 to ease back into it. I plan to continue biking and swimming for cross training, but will need to make running my focus to be ready for the marathon. My weekly training will probably consist of 2 bike to work days, 1 swim, 2 mid-week runs of 3-6 miles, and 1 long-run on Saturdays. I'll sprinkle other races in the mix to keep me motivated (and hopefully run a sub-30 5K), but I will have to hold back some in order to prepare for and recover from the long runs properly.

Here's my racing schedule (subject to change) until the Marathon:

09.06.09 - Trek Women Sprint Triathlon (1/2 mile swim - 12 mile bike - 3.1 run)
09.13.09 - Assault on Sugarloaf (31 mile bike ride on Clermont hills)
09.26.09 - Miracle Miles 15K
10.18.09 - U Can Finish 7 Mile Distance Dare (5 miler + 2 miler)
10.24.09 - Women's Tri Festival (Relay - Bike Leg - 12.4 miles)
11.15.09 - Founder's Day 10k (or 15K Distance Dare) OR Horrible Hundred (35 mile bike ride)
12.05.09 - OUC Half Marathon
02.21.10 - Breast Cancer Marathon Relay (5 or 6.2 miles)
02.28.10 - Gasparilla Marathon

Race Report: Central Florida Sprint Tri #3 (1:29:01)

Kitzzy — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 14:41:00 -0700

I signed up for this race on a whim this morning. Jason registered last week, and Friday morning I began considering joining him, but wanted to wait to see how I felt this morning before committing. I decided to go for it to get some experience swimming in a lake in a race environment. I took some pressure off myself by treating it as just another brick workout -- a very expensive one -- and I think that made the race much more enjoyable. I'm thrilled that I finished in under 1:30.

Official Stats:

swim = 12:19 - 15/16 in AG
T1 = 3:09 - 8/16 in AG
bike = 33:47 - 14/16 in AG
T2 = 1:55 - 14/16 in AG
run = 37:53 - 15/16 in AG
total time = 1:29:01
gender place: 124 / 149
age group place = 16 / 16

The times and distances listed below are from my Garmin since the official results are based on the advertised distanced (instead of the actual distances I ran/biked) and include mounting and dismounting.

Pre-Race
Since I did same day registration, I got last month's shirt. It's a shame that they only had a medium because I really love the design. I think I'm going to finally use my sewing machine to make it shorter so I can wear it. The goodie bag also included a cool license plate cover that we've already put to use. I'll post pics later. After registering, I began my typical pre-race freak out and questioning what the hell I was doing. I got all my gear and headed to the transition area to find I had a great spot at the end of the rack and right in front of the entrance. They were really serious about the rules in this race, down to where and in which direction you racked your bike. We got a rules sheet in our packet describing all the penalties, and race officials were circling the transition area checking bike racks and that the bar ends were plugged. It was a little intimidating to say the least. While setting up my transition area, I met another member of the Trek Tri Meetup group. Registering for the Trek Tri is the best decision I've made, because I've met so many great ladies.

Swim = 400 yards in 12:19
This was my first real lake swim in a race environment, and I did not freak out like I thought I would. I did get tired pretty quickly, which makes me a little nervous about having to swim twice this much at the Trek in just 3 short weeks. I stayed in the back and avoided getting kicked, slapped or run over -- others were not so fortune -- and was 3rd to last out of the water in my wave. Several from the next wave caught up to me before I was done, but I'm ok with that. The swim for me is all about survival. I only turned over on my back 2-3 times, and my time was pretty close to what I predicted.

T1 = 3:09

We had to run a bit from the beach to the transition area, so I think that's where most of this time is coming from. I decided to try not rinsing out my feet and just wiping them on the towel. It worked ok, but I'm not sure I'll do that again. The transition area was on grass, so I had blades of grass and some sand stuck to my feet. The more I do this, the less stuff I bring. This time I decided not to wear cycling gloves and that worked out ok.

Bike = 8.10 miles in 32:49 @ 14.8 mph

The timing mat was at the exit of the transition area before we were allowed to mount. I started my Garmin after I mounted and began riding, so that's why the time from the official results is longer. We had to tackle a big hill at the very start of the bike course, and I saw several people off their bikes walking up the hill. Even though I was taking it easy in this race, I wanted to push on the bike and at least average 15 mph. The hills were not as bad as I expected, nor as frequent, but they were certainly a challenge. I tried to make up whatever time I could on the downhills and flat portions. At the end of the first 7 miles, I had an average of 15.3 mph, but then we had to climb one huge hill. I didn't have enough left to tackle it and my average plummeted. I passed at least 5 people, maybe more, but I lost track.

T2 = 1:55

I racked my bike and quickly switched shoes, took off my helmet, then grab my hat and racing belt as I began to exist the transition area.

Run = 2.95 miles in 37:53 @ 12:50 min/mile

I had a pain-free run on Thursday, but I was not taking any chances of re-injuring the foot, so I ran/walked using 2:1 intervals. This worked out well because 2 minutes was about all I could run without running out of breath or feeling exhausted. The run began with a hill, which I walked then ran downhill. The course had 2 out and back portions, and cruelly passed by the finish line just after mile 1. I think I drank too much water because I felt a bit sluggish, but I kept drinking every chance I got since it was so hot. I was hoping to average closer to 12, but I didn't feel like pushing myself more. I just wanted to enjoy this race and take it all in. I began cutting the walk breaks short after the 2 mile mark, and substituting 30s of walking with a slow jog, then I ran the last 1/2 mile to the finish line.

Post-Race
This was another race with a great post-race spread: bananas, chips, cookies, soda, and hot dogs. I really wish I had done the other 2 races in this series so I had something to compare it to, but I was just not ready then. I'll probably do the entire series next year. I am totally hooked on tris! :)

Race Report: Faces of Courage Reverse Triathlon (1:33:12)

Kitzzy — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 13:46:00 -0700

This is the first triathlon for which I registered. I was lured in by the pool swim, and at the time I thought this would be the closest I'd ever get to doing a tri because of my fear of swimming in open water. This is the same reason why I tried a duathlon. I've quickly come to realized that it's easier to get used to swimming in open water and doing a real triathlon, because the easy way out in trying to avoid it (reverse tri with pool swim or duathlon) were not so easy after all.

Official Stats:

run = 36:34 - 9/10 in AG
T1 = 1:46 - 4/10 in AG
bike = 43:47 - 7/10 in AG
run + bike total = 1:22:07 - 7/10 in AG
T2 = 5:14 - 9/10 in AG
swim = 5:53 - 8/10 in AG
total time = 1:33:12
overall place = 141/159
age group place = 7/10

Run = 3.14 miles in 36:35 @ 11:39 min/mile
I took it easy on the run and ran/walked using 2:1 intervals in hopes to keep the foot pain at bay. It still reared is ugly head, but the walking helped. Almost everyone in my wave passed me during the run, as well as most of the next wave (women over 40 are fast!), but I wasn't going to risk further injury to the foot. The course was beautiful, winding through a nearby neighborhood. Not surprisingly, I finished the run 9 of 10 in my age group.

T1 = 1:46
As you can see from the photo above, I already had my cycling gloves on during the run, so I just had to swap my hat for my helmet, switch shoes, then grab my bike and go. I had the 4th fastest transition in my age group.

Bike = 10.5 miles in 43:12 @ 14.6 mph
The bike was rough, and I am sad I didn't even average 15 mph, let alone maintain my previous race pace. For some reason, I had trouble catching my breath for the first few miles. I think the run took a lot out of me since I had not been able to run more than 1-2 miles in the past few weeks due to the foot pain. As I struggled to get through it, I remembered MaryLynn's goal of passing 5 people, so I set out to do that just for her :) I passed 7, including 1 guy! =D The bike course was also through a nearby neighborhood (a different one) and mostly flat. Even with the slow pace, I made up some time on the bike and climbed to 7th in my age group.

T2 = 5:14
It makes me laugh that my transition from the bike to swim took me almost as long as the swim itself. I was pretty tired when I finished the bike so I was moving a bit slowly. That still would have netted me a fairly fast transition though, were it not for the fact that I started running towards the pool the wrong way. Silly me, I ran towards the pool, but they wanted us to exit transition the same way we exited for the bike and run all the way around. I would estimate it was about 1/4 mile.

Swim = 200 yards in 05:53

I was exhausted when I got in the pool, but the water felt so good. I even passed one other swimmer! The pool was at most 5 feet deep, so I could stand up whenever I wanted, and I did a few times but not many. I didn't care for the course -- swimming down one lane, then up the next for a total of 8 lengths. Getting under that rope to switch lanes every length really disrupted my rhythm. Now I have an official baseline for my swimming, but I am sure I can do this a little faster when I don't spend 1 hr and 22 min running and biking. I finished the swim 8th out of 10 in my age group, but still hanged onto my 7th overall age group place.

View more photos on Flickr

Post Race
The post-race spread was the best I've seen yet: grilled burgers and hot dogs! I was feeling a bit ill when I got out of the water, so I didn't take full advantage. I felt better once I ate and we were in the car waiting to get out of the parking lot, but it was too late. After we checked out of the hotel, we feasted on lunch at Applebee's and I had a well-earned huge mudslide :) Even though I think this may be more difficult than a real triathlon, I'll probably do this race again next year. It's a nice change from the normal triathlons and I enjoyed the course.

July in Review

Kitzzy — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:58:00 -0700

July was a great month. I managed to up my run millage a little bit. I was on track to run more than 40 miles, but then I hurt my foot and have not been able to run much (1-2 miles at a time) for the past 2 weeks. My cycling has been hindered a bit due to Florida fall weather, but I am finally getting back to commuting to work.

My swimming has exploded! I swam 13 times in July, compared to 5 in June, and almost 3 times the distance! I am getting more confident in the water, and I always look forward to my swim workouts. I'm swimming 3-4 times a week now, and loving every minute of it. After completing a sub-sprint tri, and conquering my fear of the open water at Lucky's Lake, I finally signed up for my first full sprint triathlon. I am already hooked :)

	July	June	May
run distance	33.65 miles	21.16 miles	43.64 miles
longest run	6 miles	3.75 miles	5.5 miles
avg run pace	12:54 min/mile	12:05 min/mile	11:56 min/mile
bike distance	190 miles	228.17 miles	161.86 miles
longest ride	45.45 miles	50 miles	21.2 miles
avg bike speed	12.1 mph	12.2 mph	13.6 mph
swim sessions	13	5	0
swim distance	9046 yards (5.14 mi)	2992 yds (1.7 mi)	0

Accomplishments in July

Goals for August

Faces of Courage Reverse Sprint Triathlon
Celebration of Running 5K (maybe -- hoping to use this as a long run by running 2 miles there and back for a total of 7ish)
Sprint Duathlon at Fall Tri Festival (maybe)

Links for 2009-08-01 [del.icio.us]

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 00:00:00 PDT

Swim 0 to 1 mile in 6 Weeks

Links for 2009-07-30 [del.icio.us]

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT

Triathlon: Things a beginner might want to know about

My Evolution as a Runner

Kitzzy — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:34:00 -0700

When new runners tell me they are having trouble running long enough or far enough, I often advice them to slow down and focus on covering the distance, and that the speed will come with time. I am sure they compare my current 11-12 min/mile pace to their 14-15 min/mile pace and think, "yeah that's because you are much faster than me," even though I am still slow compared to more experience runners. I assure them I started just as slow and this improved paced did not happen overnight, but words don't mean much when you are frustrated with your progress. So, now I have proof!

Being the huge geek that I am, I created a spreadsheet charting each and every one of my milestone runs, including all 27 C25K sessions, and every new distance and race PR that led to me completing my first 2 half marathons. This allows you to see how my pace improved over time and how I sometimes had to run slower to run longer before I got faster.

View my Running Progression Spreadsheet

Notable Observations:

It took me longer than 9 weeks to complete C25K and hence run 3.1 without walking
I soon returned to run/walking as I trained for the 2 half marathons using the Galloway method.
My pace fluctuated a lot, and as I began running longer without walking, it slowed even more as I focused on covering the distance regardless of speed. Once I was comfortable with the distance, I then was able to push myself and improve my speed.
I rarely train at racing speed and save most of it for race day. However, I do push myself sometimes and do a few tempos here and there to get my body used to what it feels to run fast.
For even more insight into how I progressed and the decisions I made along the way, read my C25K Posts and Race Reports.

Misadventures

Kitzzy — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 01:45:00 -0700

Yesterday was an interesting evening. The short version: After biking 14.4 miles home, I locked myself out of the apartment (forgot to bring keys), so I could not go swimming, and had to find a way to kill 3 hours until Jason got home.

The long version, where things go from bad to worse, but I'm still in high spirits and laughing at myself the whole time:

Commute and Realization Sets In
I biked to work in my Jamis Explorer 2.0. It went better than expected (read ride report) and I wasn't as slow as I feared. Biking home was a bit taxing because the heat zaps all my energy. I felt like I was pushing much harder than in the morning, but my pace was 11.8 compared to 12.3 during the morning commute. Nonetheless, I was determined to pause at home just long enough to grab a quick bite, my swim gear, and head to the pool. Yeah, that didn't happen because when I got home I realized I didn't have my house key. doh!

Pondering My Options
This was problematic because Jason wouldn't get home until at least 9:30 after biking home from class, so I had to figure out how to kill 3 hours. I considered biking to the pool anyway, but I was wearing my bike shorts instead of tri shorts, and I didn't have my lock. For a brief moment I considered biking fast to Orange Cycle before they closed at 7 pm and buying a new pair of tri shorts to swim in, but the rest of my gear -- goggles, swim cap, buoy, fins, paddles--was safely inside my apartment, and I still had no lock. To add assault to injury, my phone was nearly dead, so I couldn't even kill time surfing the web. Arg!

Dinner at Panera
I rode my bike to Panera for some food in hopes that Tim and Chas would be home when I returned and let me crash in their living room and charge my phone until Jason got home. Not wanting my bike to get stolen, I brought it inside to panera while I ordered my food. I was expecting them to kick me out at any moment, but I got my order without incident and went outside to eat with my bike safely by my side.

The "Surely" Impenetrable Anti-Theft Table/Chair Bike Fortress
I filled up my water bottle, but put entirely too much ice in it. As I am almost done with my salad, I ran out of water. I didn't want to pack everything up and drag my bike inside of Panera again, so I built a fortress around it with the table and nearby chairs. The bike is pretty heavy, so this should at least slow down would be thieves long enough for me to get back (nevermind that I left my wallet in the basket *lol*) I rushed inside and filled the water bottle and made it back without incident.

Dead Camera Battery
Dinner did not take nearly long enough, but I rode back to the apartment to see if Tim and Chas were home yet. I decided that if they were not, I could go sit on the grass at Lake Eola and take photos with my point and shoot. I return home and they are in fact not home, so I get out my camera and snap a few shots of my bike, and the battery is nearly dead. Come on! I put it away and ponder what to do next. I turn on my phone and wonder how many calls I can make in the little bit of juice I have left.

Time for a New Plan
At this point, my neighbor comes out and asks if I am going for a bike ride. I explain the situation and he is sympathetic, but is about to head out on some errands. We try calling the landlord, but of course she does not pick up. I call MaryLynn, and she does not pick up at first, but calls me back a second later. I tell her my phone may die at any moment and ask if I can come over, explaining that I locked myself out. She of course starts laughing at me but gives me her address. I leave my bike outside while I go inside my neighbor's house to get directions to her place -- since my phone is nearly dead and I don't trust it will stay on long enough to use the map to get me there. The entire time that I am inside his apartment I am fearing that someone is stealing my bike -- because that is really the only thing left to go wrong.

MaryLynn to the Rescue
Armed with my low-tech written directions, I start biking to MaryLynn's place. Some moron beeps at me and passes me just to get to sit at a red light before I catch up to him. I determine that I am too tired to keep up any kind of decent pace on the road and deal with idiots--not to mention that I have no idea where I am going so I'm riding even slower--so I take to the sidewalk. I finally make it to MaryLynn's place, and get to meet her lovely husband and daughter. They come to the rescue with an ipod charger, so I am able to charge my phone and text Jason where I am so he can pick me up when he gets home. We have a great time catching up and telling stories about how we met our significant others, and even go to Publix so I got my grocery shopping done!

Home Sweet Home
Jason finally gets home after battling a headwind most of the way and picks me up. I am too wired from this crazy night, so I can't get to sleep right away, which of course meant I forgot to turn on the alarm and overslept this morning. I still got there just on time to run/walk 1.5 miles (foot still bothering me) and swim 700m.

What Happened to the Wagon?

Kitzzy — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:50:00 -0700

At the end of January of 2008, I realized how overweight I was -- I'm 5'2" and at the time weighed 152 pounds and wore size 12/14 pants. I didn't like what years of inactivity, seating in front of a computer, and unhealthy eating habits had done to my body, so I did something about it. I lost almost 30 pounds over nine months. By November 2008, I was at my lowest weight of 122.4 pounds. Even though that did not last for more than a day, I was under 125 for almost a month before the holiday season came and I began to slip.

Over the last 6 months, I've gained over 10 of those pounds back. As I slowly saw my weight creep up, I told myself I was just gaining muscle since I was very active--training to run a half marathon, biking 15 miles to work (one way), and training for a triathlon. I believe this was true for the first few pounds, since my size 2/4 clothes still fit comfortably. However, the more active I became, the more I let my healthy eating slip. We've been eating out a LOT lately, and I've even flexed on my "no fried food" rule. It's hard to say no to any food when you've just biked 45 miles or swam 1000 meters, but that is no excuse. This week, my size 2 clothes are uncomfortable, and I've hit the 135 lbs mark that I hoped to never see again. I refuse to go up a size in clothes (I wear size 4 from time to time, but I don't want to begin wearing size 6 again), so it's time to stop being delusional and do something about this.

Admitting you have a problem is the first step, so here I am admitting to the world that I've fallen off the wagon and slipped down the slippery slope a bit. I don't plan to see what's at the end of the slope. I intend to pick myself up before I slip further down this hill, and starting today begin making my way back to the wagon. I lost 30 pounds before, so I know I can lose 10 pounds with a little dedication, and a little help from my friends :)

I'll use this blog to post my goals, progress, and accomplishments every week, and ask that you help keep me accountable.

Current Stats:

Height: 5'2"
Starting Weight: 135 lbs (2/24/09)
Current Weight: 135 lbs (2/24/09)
BMI: 24.7
Current Goal: 125 lbs
Pounds to go: 10

Before Photo:

I can't believe I am posting this, but what the heck. I know I don't look that bad, but I'm not happy with the growing belly you see here. I don't really care that much about my actual weight, I just want to lose the extra fat and inches around my waist.

My Action Plan:

Stop eating fried food -- the occasional french fry is ok, but a whole order is NOT.
Limit eating out and processed food -- we're going to make a better attempt to plan ahead and cook most of our meals at home from scratch, with enough leftovers for lunch the next day.
When I do eat out, make healthy choices -- sweet tomatoes, seafood, steamed vegetables, NO fried food, and split a meal with Jason or save 1/2 for lunch the next day.
Limit sweets -- I'll only eat ice cream/sweets at the end of the day IF I've eaten all my fruit and vegetable servings.
Eat 3 small meals a day, specially breakfast, with at least one healthy snack between meals (fruit, veggies, yogurt, nuts).
Go grocery shopping regularly to keep fridge and office stocked with healthy snacks.
Log everything I eat and my weight at TWYE and My Pyramid Plan Spreadsheet (I count servings instead of calories).
Do at least 30 minutes of exercise a day -- this includes walking or yoga on rest days.
Log all workouts at Dailymile.
Set weekly goals to help me stay on track.
Post my progress on this blog once a week.

Weekly Goals

Meatless/Seafood Meals: 50% of main 3 meals/day (11/21)
Home Cooked Meals: 80% of main 3 meals/day (17/21)
Fruit/Veggies: 5 servings / day (35 servings)
Water: 64 oz / day (448 oz)
Follow Pyramid Plan: focus on fruits and veggies this week
Exercise: 30 mins / day - run 2x; bike 2x; swim 2x; yoga 2x

First Open Water Swim at Lucky's Lake

Kitzzy — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 02:47:00 -0700

This morning before work, I went to Lucky's Lake with Jason, Kelly, and MaryLynn, and I made the crossing! I swam 1000 meters, in a lake, and didn't drown or get eaten by a gator :)

Wow! I still cannot believe I really did this. My intention was to get in the lake, swim 50-100 meters out to get a taste for what it'd be like, then come back to the safety of dry land, but Kelly would have none of that! She was confident we could do this and her enthusiasm was contagious--not to mention I couldn't let her sign the wall alone =P

I had my pull buoy, so I wasn't afraid I wouldn't make it, I was just afraid I'd freak out. The turtles swimming near the shore, as cute as they were, did not help ease my nerves, but feeling that the water wasn't freezing helped calm me down a bit. I think I am more afraid of cold water than I am of the creatures that lurk below.

The dog barked and the vets were off. We got in slowly, considered turning around for a second or two, but finally began swimming after some more encouragement from Kelly. I took it easy and didn't freak out! This was probably because no creatures touched me lol. I don't think I could have made it without the buoy, or it would have taken all eternity -- this only took half of eternity ;) Our estimate is 40 minutes roundtrip--not counting the break at the beach on the other side of the lake before turning back. I need to work up to swimming without the pull buoy, but today was about conquering my fear of the open water, and not drowning, and I did that!

I had to stop several times, to tread water or get on my back, but I didn't do this as often as I thought I might and I was always in motion--even when on my back. This was partially because I can't swim straight to save my life, I kept losing where the dock was, and I didn't want to swim on my back for a 100 meters in the wrong direction :) I also felt I would freak out if I stopped for too long and let it sink in that I was in the middle of a lake, with several hundred meters between me and dry land, god knows how many miles from touching the bottom, and probably inches from all kinds of creatures.

The worse part was about 100 meters from the shore -- I think, I have no perception of distance out there -- where I could see the end so close, but it seemed that no matter how hard I tried it just wasn't getting any closer. I finally made it to the other side and felt a little queasy. We rested for a bit, then headed back. There were far less people in the water now, but Lucky's house is HUGE so it was easier to keep in my sights than the tiny boat ramp. The way back felt easier, and I seemed to find my groove faster. I guess I was warmed up by then and had more confidence now that I had already done this once.

I finally reached the beach and was ecstatic that I had done it! We signed the wall, took some photos, then were off to work, still in awe at what we had just done. I am so glad Kelly didn't let me back out, or I would have regretted. Kelly, you are the best training buddy ever!

Links for 2009-07-21 [del.icio.us]

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT

13.1 Atlanta

Links for 2009-07-20 [del.icio.us]

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT

Introduction to Bricks

6 Miler Long Run + Speed Play

Kitzzy — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 05:14:00 -0700

Jason and I woke up early and drove to Lake Baldwin for a long run. I'm trying to slowly build up my millage again to be ready to start half marathon training in September after the Trek Women Triathlon. I went a total of 6 miles in 1 hour 16 minutes (11:43 pace). I haven't run this far in a long time, and it felt great.

I took it easy for the first 2.5 mile loop to see how my body would react after yesterday's punishment: 1m run, 30s walk for most if it, then ran the last 1/4 mile to the car. I stopped for a quick break to refill the 2 water bottles on my hydration belt, then I was off for another loop. I finished this loop in 33:35 @ 13:23 avg pace.

I changed it up for the 2nd loop to get in a bit of speed play and speed up my average pace:

1m run at an easy-med pace
30s hard run
30s walk
30s slow jog
repeat (with some variations when I lost track of the intervals or needed an extra 30 seconds of rest--walk/jog).

At the 4 mile mark, I extended the intervals and ran a 1/4 mile before walking with 30 second sprints every few minutes. I finished the 2nd loop in 30:45 @ 12:19 pace. During the last mile, I ran 1/2 mile with some 30s sprints, walked for a minute, then ran the last 1/2 mile with 30s sprints. I finished the last mile in 11:50.

This was a great workout, but my quads are hating me a bit for doing all those sprints (and residual aches from yesterday's hilly ride). We got started at 7 am this time, so the weather was nice for most of the run. I really like changing up the pattern and throwing in the sprints after the first loop (which I use as a warm up). It really helps get my legs used to running fast, and it gives me something to focus on and distract me, so the time flies. I'm hoping to do 3 loops, 7.5 miles, next week.

Race Report: Lake Louisa Sprint Tri (55:44)

Kitzzy — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 04:46:00 -0700

I did it! I completed my first sub-sprint triathlon yesterday in 55:44 and came in 83 out of 105 overall. I didn't drown and met all my goals! w00t!

But the best part is that I got to share this awesome experience with Kelly and MaryLynn. I think it's awesome how take turns freaking out so there is always at least one to talk the others off the ledge :) We make a great team, and we're considering doing a triathlon relay together real soon!

Due to the low water level in the lake, this really should have been called a duathlon with a water run =P This was a very small, low key race; I'd say it was the tri equivalent of a fun run. We didn't even have numbers, so no bibs or body markings :( But what we did have was tons of fun and a great workout. I am already hooked and in search of my next full sprint tri!

Pre-race

Jason and I woke up at 4 am, had the car loaded, and were on our way to Clermont before 5 am. As we approached the park, MaryLynn called saying it was pitch black with no one around, and she did not know where to go, so she waited for us at the guard house. We made the trek together into the park to find the transition area. It was a LONG way and very dark. We finally found them and began unloading our stuff. We got there before 6 and had our pick of bike racks, so all 3 of us had our bikes next to each other.

Swim + T1 = 10 minutes (estimate)
What swim? They were not kidding about the water level on the lake being low. We couldn't really swim and just walked/jogged most of the way, though I did try swimming a bit to get a taste of what it would be like swimming when there is no visibility. I am not even sure this was 1/4 mile as the marker--an inflatable alligator--was upon us before we knew it.

Bike = 6.7 miles in 25:51 @ 15.6 mph
I pushed hard and was making good time, even beating my average pace from last time, but then I hit the hills and I lost a lot of time. I did manage to pass quite a few people, including some men! After the last turn around, it finally dawned on me to get into a high gear and peddle on the downhills and use that momentum to go up the next hill. That worked and managed to get my average pace back up to 15.6 mph but it was too late to make up much more time. Clearly, I need to do some hill training before the next one. Overall, I'm pleased with my performance on the bike course. Here is a graph of the hills:

Run = 1.5 in 17:56 @ 11:43 min/mile
The run went much better than at the duathlon and I ran the whole time! I was tired but determined to gut it out for the short 1.5 mile run. I took it easy for the first half and simply shuffled along and slowed my pace when I felt the need to walk. After the initial minute or so at 9-10 pace, I settled into a 12ish pace. After the turn around, I tried to pick up speed a bit and managed to average under 12, but I didn't have enough in me for much more than that.

Post-race
They gave us a popsicle stick with a number as we finished. That corresponded to our standing and we could match it to our official time on a piece of paper. I came in 83/105, which means I beat 22 people! We were exhausted, but thrilled at what we had accomplished. MaryLynn had to head back home, but the rest of us went to Cracker Barrel for a much deserved breakfast feast!

View more photos on Flickr

1st Triathlon Predictions

Kitzzy — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:00:00 -0700

I can hardly believe that I will be participating in a triathlon tomorrow morning! Remember when I thought I wasn't a runner? Yeah, I though I was even less of a swimmer. Not only have I learned to swim with my head in the water in just 5 short weeks--and 13 swim sessions--I am actually enjoying it.

Tomorrow I will conquer my fear of open water! I am terrified, but I think I am finally more excited than scared =) My inaugural tri race is the Lake Louisa Sprint Tri #4: 1/4 mile swim, 7 mile bike, 1.5 mile run.

My main goals for this race are 1) don't drown :P 2) finish with a smile on my face ... in an upright position ... doing something that resembles a running motion =D I know I shouldn't have a time goal for my first tri, but it would be awesome if I could finish at or under 1 hour. This may be tight, but 1:05 - 1:10 is totally doable.

I think I stand a chance of meeting the 1 hour time goal, or coming real close, if 1) I don't completely freak out in the water, 2) if I can push hard on the bike, 3) but not too hard that I can't run. Here is the breakdown of how I see each leg playing out:

swim: This is the leg that concerns me most, but I have a feeling (I'm hoping) the adrenaline will kick in, and I will surprise myself. Everyone says the lake is shallow and I can stand up, but I really want to try to swim as much as possible--even if "swimming" means doggy paddling or rolling over on my back to catch my breath :) Once I exit the water, and the swim is behind me, I'll be on top of the world and the rest will come naturally. I'm allocating this leg 20 minutes--what I hope is a gross overestimation.

bike: I averaged 15.5 mph on the bike for 13.4 miles at the duathlon (after running 2.5 miles), so I am hoping I can push it to 16-17 for these 7 miles, especially since I won't have to slow down to round a corner every 1/2 a mile. This would mean 25-28 minutes on the bike.

run: I'd like to run the entire 1.5 miles, but I may have to walk a bit if I push too hard on the bike. I'll just try to start slow and pick up the pace as I go. I think I can gut it out for such a short distance and just slow down instead of walking if I need to. My estimate for the run is 16-19 minutes.

So yeah, 1 hour will be really tight, especially once we throw in an additional 5 minutes for the transitions. No matter how it turns out, I'm going to give it my all and have fun!

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Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT

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Possible 2009 Race Schedule -- am I nuts?

Kitzzy — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:39:00 -0700

Below is a list of the races I am considering for the rest of the year. Some of these may be too close together and will get scraped (or swapped for others), but I really want to do a 2nd duathlon and my 3rd half marathon before year's end. Am I crazy to try to do 3 multi-sport events with only 1 week between them?

Thoughts?

This is not set in stone at all, so if you have a recommendation for a better race, I may swap :)

7/18 - Lake Louisa Sub-Sprint Tri (registered)
8/8 - Faces of Courage Reverse Sprint Tri (registered)
8/22 - Sprint Du at Moss Park (Fall Tri Festival)
9/6 - Trek Women Tri (contingent of the results of Sat's OWS)
9/26 - Miracle Miles 15k
10/18 - UCF Distance Dare (5 + 2 miler)
10/24 - Women Tri or Du at Moss Park (doubtful)
11/14 - Orlando Urban Dare
11/15 - Founder's Day Distance Dare (10K + 5K)
11/26 - Turkey Trot 5k
11/29 - Space Coast Half Marathon
12/13 - Reindeer Run 5k

Mock Tri Turned Aquabike

Kitzzy — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 13:35:00 -0700

I think I overdid it this week, and I am paying dearly for it now. Ow! :( Let's recap:

Sun - biked 45 mile to Wekiva
Mon - are you kidding? NOTHING!

Actually, that's not true, swam 100 m and biked 1.7 miles -- see, nothing ;)

Tue - swam 500 yds + ran/walked 3 miles (easy)
Wed - 30 min kickboxing
Thu - 6 workout madness: run, swim, bike, swim, bike, yoga
Fri - are you kidding? NOTHING! For real this time!
Sat - ran 5 miles + played kickball for 1 hour
Sun - swam 500 yds + biked 5.45 miles

I'm dead now! *thunk*

So today I planned to do a mock tri in preparation for my first (sub)spring triathlon next Saturday at Lake Louisa: 1/4 mile swim, 7 mile bike (on hills), 1.5 mile run. Things did not go quite as planned. I failed miserable at swimming 9 consecutive laps. Ok, maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration, but I kept loosing my rhythm and messing up my breathing. I had to pause at the wall a few times and several times I stopped mid-length to tread water or get on my back and catch my breath. I think I can do better when I am not so tired and don't have the wall there as a crutch, but I will probably freak out at being in a lake and surrounded by all those people instead =P

After the swim, MaryLynn and I went for what was supposed to be a 7 mile bike ride. I was hurting from the beginning. Let it be known that I shall never again underestimate the exhaustive power of childhood sports (kickball). We rode from Cady Way park and turned around at the end of the trail (before you cross the street to go to Cross Seminole Trail) for a total of 5.45 miles. MaryLynn forgot one of her running shoes, so that was a good enough excuse for me to skip the run too ;) I was really beat and now everything hurts and my skin is burning/radiating heat.

Needless to say, tomorrow WILL be a rest day :)

Below is my plan for the rest of the week. All workouts should be done at an easy pace OR optional ;)

Mon - REST! And possibly some relaxing yoga
Tue - Run/Swim at Cady Way before work
Wed - Bike - to/from work or on trail after work
Thu - Lucky's Lake to get the freaking out over with AND/OR run/swim after work (maybe) OR REST/YOGA
Fri - REST! YOGA!
Sat - RACE DAY!!

Whose idea was it for me to do a triathlon in the first place? And whose idea was it to do it next weekend? Ack! =)

Today's Madness: Run, Swim, Bike, Swim, Bike, Yoga

Kitzzy — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:06:00 -0700

Yup, I did 6 workouts today. I have no idea where I summoned the energy from, but I somehow still had some left when I got home so I threw in some yoga for good measure. Before the details, here is a summary.

Morning

run: 2.5 miles in 28:08 @ 11:15 min/mile

swim: 300 meters (long course)
work: 8 hours

Afternoon

bike: 6.4 miles in 32 minutes @ 12 mph (ride to pool for meetup)

swim: 900 yards

bike: 6.44 miles in 42 minutes @ 9 mph (ride home after swimming)

yoga: 25 minutes - YOGAmazing for triathletes

AM Run
I got up early to meet Kelly and the Trek meet up at Cady Way park for a morning run and swim at 6:30 am. We ran out and back on the trail (away from the scary bridge) and I did not walk once! I started at an easy pace and threw in a few farklets on the way out, then slowly sped up on the way back with a few more farklets. We ran out for 15 minutes, then turned around and ran back to the park. I stopped at 2.5 miles, just short of 30 minutes, because I like nice even distances :) We had a light sprinkle for the first few minutes of the run, but that didn't last. It got a little humid, but not too bad since most of the run was under trees. This was a great change of pace from my usual Lake Eola loops.

Before we headed to the pool for the swim part of our morning workout, our meetup organizer Chris gave us all awesome goodie bags. They had some very informative booklets, a gu sample, a water bottle, and a multi-tool! Thanks Chris!

AM Swim
I hurried to the pool since I had to get back to get ready for work. I swam the long course, 50 meters, and it was wonderful. It was really crowded, but the right lane is really wide so we just swam in a row staying to the right on the way out and in the middle on the way back. I took it nice and slow, and I really focus on my stroke and breathing. I was able to make it the entire 50m length all but once, with only a short break before heading back. The one time I couldn't make it all the way was only because I inhaled water, not because I was tired. I like the long course better because I can get a good rhythm going and it forces me to pace myself. In a 25 yds lane, I tend to stop at the wall just because is there.

These two morning workouts were a great, with a great group of ladies, and gave me tons of energy for the rest of the day. Kelly and I plan to make this a regular workout so we can swim the long course at least once a week.

PM Bike
The weather cleared up just in time for Kelly and I to bike ride to the afternoon meetup for another swim :) We've been going to this meetup for a couple of weeks now and love it. Kelly still needs to buy her bike, so she rode my Jamis while I rode my road bike. We made pretty good time and kept a 12 mph pace on the way there, which is the fasted she's ever ridden. Yay! Go Kelly! On the way back though, we were pretty spent from the swim so we took it easy. Kelly was such a trooper even though she was exhausted, and I even got her to throw in a sprint at the end.

PM Swim
After the bike ride, the water felt amazing! I somehow still had tons of energy and I was just dying to swim. The morning swim was just a little teaser, but I couldn't do more because I had to go to work. I think since my stroke is improving, swimming has become so much easier and I'm actually having fun. We did a combined 12 laps, and we only stopped between laps instead of lengths. Yay! We tried to do drills with some of the group, for we were too tired so just focused on laps at our own pace. Giles took another look at my stroke and video taped me. Once I get the video, I'll post the before and after so you can hopefully see my improvement. He said I've made huge improvements and now I just need to fine tune it. My biggest improvement, of course, is swimming without the nose plugs and learning to breath so I don't inhale water every stroke. It still happens occasionally, but it is the exception and not the rule.

Yoga
I still had an abundance of energy when I got home, so I thought I'd do some yoga to mellow me out and get me ready for bed. I've been neglecting yoga lately, but I really needed it today after all I put my body through. It felt amazing and did the trick. (My eyes are getting heavy as I finish typing this.)

So that's my ridiculous active day -- oh yeah and I worked 8 hours between the AM and PM workouts :)

The Joy of Running in the Rain

Kitzzy — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:59:00 -0700

I read a lot of running blogs and occasionally come across a post where someone is raving about how much fun they had running in the rain and splashing through puddles. I always thought they were a little crazy--aren't all runners a little crazy? I gave them props for running through it, but thought "that'll never be me."I also thought I'd never be a runner, and we all know how that turned out. :) (I should never say never.)

Today I had an epiphany that changed everything. The thing about running is that you have to learn everything the hard way. (I guess this is true of most things in life.) We read and hear all sorts of things from runners more experienced than us, but we never truly believe it until we experience it ourselves.

I met Kelly and Jessica at the Cady Way pool, we swam 500 yards, then rushed over to Baldwin Park to meet a running group. A storm brewed in the horizon, but we thought we'd finished before it materialized. We started our run/walk around the lake, and immediately felt the humidity begin to drench us. We almost begged for rain to cool us off. As we trekked along the 2.5 mile loop, our silent wish was granted near the halfway point. It started as a light sprinkle, but it quickly turned into a downpour.

It was still warm out, so the rain felt really good--it was refreshing, not chilling. We couldn't stop our run because we still had to make it back to the car, so I figured I might as well make the best of it. At first, I dreaded when it was time to walk; I figured that the faster I ran the sooner I'd be back at my car and out of the wet clothes.

As I came to terms with my predicament, all those blog posts of people splashing through puddles while running in the rain filled my head, and I almost got giddy. I started to spin around with my hands above my head and just enjoying the moment. Then I realized that my shoes were soaked anyway, so I might as well see what the fuss is all about with the puddle splashing. I splashed through a few and found that I was having fun, so I started seeking them out and splashing through everyone I came across. I was practically skipping! I got the girls to join me in my quest and it made the time fly. I was almost disappointed when the rain stopped, and the puddles became scarce.

So I guess I am a convert, and I now like running in the rain. I think I didn't like the idea of running in the rain because I always associated rain with being cold and wet. However, on a hot summer day, you might as well be cool and wet from the rain than hot and wet from the heat/humidity.

45.5 Miles Ride to Wekiva Springs

Kitzzy — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:54:00 -0700

We (Jason, Tim, Lisa, Joe, James, and I) rode our bikes to Wekiva Springs State Park, where we met our saner friends (Chas, Jessica, Lori, and Karl) who drove there with our gear and food. If we were to drive to Wekiva from downtown Orlando, it would be a 30 minute or 16-mile drive. But that's just too easy. Oh no, we took the LOOOOONG way there and biked 3 times as far and 7.5 as long via the Cady Way to Cross Seminole to Seminole Wekiva trail in 3.75 hours.

First 24.5 Miles - Cady Way to Oviedo to Soldier's Field

Jason, Tim, and I started the trek from our apartment in downtown Orlando. We got a late start and left closer to 7:15 am, which meant we had to ride a little faster to meet the rest of our crew (Lisa, Joe and James) in Oviedo by 8:20. We made up some time and averaged 13.5 mph for the first 15.5 miles, arriving in Oviedo only about 5 minutes late, but before 8:30 am. Unfortunately (or fortunately for the 3 of us), Lisa's bike had technical difficulties so we had a nice 25 minute break until they arrived. My pace drop a bit, but I still maintained a combined average of 13 mph for the first 24.5 miles with some sprints thrown in here and there to catch up to the boys.

Last 20 Miles - Long Stretch to the Springs
Lisa, Joe, and I took a 15 minute break at Soldier's Field while Jason, Tim, and James played in the dirt trail (I rode my road bike). My pace went downhill after this break for the remainder 20 miles. It slowly declined as the temperature rose and exhaustion set in. I'm still impressed we averaged a pace above 12 mph for this distance -- last time for this distance we averaged 11.7 mph with a breakfast break before the last 15. We also had a lost more hills, or bridge crossings, this time.

At Wekiva Springs State Park
When we got to the park, about 1 hour later than planned, we went to the springs but they were COLD! So I didn't make it in past my chest and opted for food instead. We grilled hot dogs and burgers, and ate them with chips and yummy pasta salad. I haven't eaten a hot dog in over a year and it tasted SO good after such a long ride. Any food is so awesome after biking that long. We had lofty goals of doing all kinds of things at the park, but we were all too tired by then, so we drove back shortly after lunch. Jason and I planned to ride back, but I don't think my butt would have been too happy with me and we didn't wanted to eat up the rest of our Sunday.

I really wanted to ride an extra 5 miles to make this my longest ride in one day, but it was still an awesome ride and the longest I've ridden at once. I'm already scheming a trip to the West Orange Trail for more punishment ;)

Stats:

distance: 45.5 miles
active time: 3:43:51
speed: 12.2 / 22 mph -- 55 minutes @ 14+ mph
cadence: 76 / 111 rpm
heart rate: 134 / 168 bpm
total time from departure: 5:02:18 -- this is 1 hour and 15 minutes of downtime, but I can only account for 50 minutes. I guess the other 25 is a combination of all the street crossings and such.

June in Review

Kitzzy — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:53:00 -0700

As you can see from the stats below, compared to last month, I almost doubled my cycling. This resulted in me running half as much. I guess this makes sense since biking is substantially more prominent in triathlons than running, but I still need to find a better balance between the two. I need to begin building and maintain a base of at least 1 6-mile long run per week in preparation for when I begin half marathon training in September. I also swam 5 times and I am starting to get more comfortable with swimming. So much so in fact, that I may try a triathlon with a 1/4 mile open water swim next month.

	June	May
run distance	21.16 miles	43.64 miles
longest run	3.75 miles	5.5 miles
avg run pace	12:05 min/mile	11:56 min/mile
bike distance	228.17 miles	161.86 miles
longest ride	50 miles	21.2 miles
avg bike speed	12.2 mph	13.6 mph
swim distance	2992 yds (1.7 mi)	0

Accomplishments in June

Goals for July

Maybe complete my first triathlon at Lake Louisa?

Race Report: Baldwin Park Duathlon (1:56:57)

Kitzzy — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:34:00 -0700

I did it! I finished my first duathlon in under 2 hours and met all my race goals! I placed 3rd in my age group (only because the 4th girl didn't finish, but I'll take it!). This was a really humbling experience, as I finished in the very back of the pack, but I am in awe that I ran over 5 miles and biked over 13 all in a span of 2 hours.

Official Duathlon Results:

Total Female Finishers = 24 + 2 DNF
Total Finishers = 65 + 5 DNF
Leg -- Time -- Gender Place -- Overall Place

Run1 = 0:27:42.951 -- 21 -- 61 (11 min/mile)
T1 = 0:01:35.581 -- 13 -- 37
Bike = 0:51:43.290 -- 19 -- 57 (15.5 mph)
T2 = 0:01:47.649 -- 14 -- 45
Run 2 = 0:34:07.580 -- 22 -- 62 (13:20 min/mile)
Total = 1:56:57.051 -- 21 -- 61

Run #1

The first run went well, even though it was already hot as hell. I tried to take it easy, but still managed to average 11 min/mile. I ran most of this and only stopped to walk for less than a minute at the 2 water stops. I was 2nd to last for most of the run, but passed a few people at the end to finish 5th from last. I was trying to hold back to save something for the bike and 2nd run and because the heat was quickly zapping my energy. The hill we had to climb into transition was cruel.

T1

This was pretty easy. I already had my cycling gloves on, so I yanked off my hat and put on my bike helmet, switched running shoes for cycling shoes, put on the camelbak, unracked the bike and was gone. I had trouble clipping in at the mount line, but I was on my way pretty quickly.

Bike

As I was finishing the first run, all I could think of was how I was going to bike 13+ miles when I was already feeling tired. I took in plenty of fluids and pushed really hard on the bike and was pleased to maintain a consistent average of 15.5 mph (20.6 mph max!) and 83 rpm (110 rpm max!). I tried to take it easy for the first few laps and vowed to give it all I had during the last lap, but I didn't have much left by then. I passed quite a few people, but I also got passed by a ton of ridiculously fast people. I was really glad when I got to the 5th loop because by then all the speed demons were running :) Of course, I got a wicked headwind as I finished the last lap when I was exhausted. At one point I feared I had a flat tire and stop to check, but it was all in my head. This cost me since I then had to negotiate getting back into the flow of bike traffic.

T2

This was a tad slower because I was exhausted. I got off my bike and slowly walked to rack my bike as I tried caught my breath. As I sat down to switch my shoes, I wondered if that was such a good idea and if I'd be able to get back up *LOL*

Run #2

The 2nd run SUCKED. I was hot and could not catch my breath. I had a side stitch for about a mile and was cramping up. I walked a great deal, hence my pace, but I was not about to risk heat exhaustion for a race I wasn't going to win anyway =P I was disappointed I had to walk so much, but the heat was insane and I had pushed really hard on the bike. I knew I'd make it under 2 hours, so I didn't care about anything else. The finish was a bit anti-climatic because I felt defeated and that I hadn't pushed hard enough to justify the final sprint. I'm still very proud that I did this and will be sure to do more brick workouts for the next one :)

Now What?

This was incredibly difficult (in big part because of the heat), but I am hooked! I'm already looking for the next one and more dedicated than ever to get over my fear of swimming because a du may actually be harder than a tri since I had to constantly use my legs for 2 straight hours. I think I'm going to register for the Lake Louisa Super Sprint Triathlon next month.

View more photos on flickr.

day005: inside Alcatraz

nobody@flickr.com (Kitzzy) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:38:44 -0800

Kitzzy posted a photo:

It was a cold and foggy day in San Francisco, with a constant drizzle/mist falling over us all day. How appropriate that we should spend such a gloomy day touring Alcatraz. It was a great trip, but I wish I had taken the cell house audio tour as I apparently missed out on a lot. I will take it next time we go. Oh yes, there will be a next time :)

See full set: www.flickr.com/photos/kitzzy/sets/72157612176002333/

day004: Alcatraz

nobody@flickr.com (Kitzzy) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 19:05:44 -0800

Kitzzy posted a photo:

We walked to the Golden Gate Bridge and I took way too many pictures of it and of Alcatraz Island. I've always had a fascination with Alcatraz. This is my favorite shot.

day003: reality check

nobody@flickr.com (Kitzzy) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 18:07:07 -0800

Kitzzy posted a photo:

I saw this sign in the stall inside the bathroom at the California Academy of Science and it really spoke to me. I've been trying to live more "green" lately, and I wish everyone heed the warnings that we are destroying our planet.

See the full set at the Academy: www.flickr.com/photos/kitzzy/sets/72157612073321847/

day002: Pacific Coast Highway

nobody@flickr.com (Kitzzy) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 07:53:18 -0800

Kitzzy posted a photo:

We drove up the Pacific Coast Highway from LA to San Francisco. Jason really enjoyed the drive, while I mostly slept to avoid getting motion sickness and not fear for my life as Jason drove around the winding roads.

See the full set: www.flickr.com/photos/kitzzy/sets/72157612051625751/

day001: Tristan

nobody@flickr.com (Kitzzy) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 18:11:28 -0800

Kitzzy posted a photo:

Our first stop in California was LA and we stayed with my dear friend from high school Raquel. This is her gorgeous 6-month-old baby, who quickly stole my heart :)

See more pics of Tristan: www.flickr.com/photos/kitzzy/sets/72157612002467007/

New Gloves/Mittens

nobody@flickr.com (Kitzzy) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:48:23 -0800

Kitzzy posted a photo:

I found these on sale at Target. I love how versatile they are and how quickly I can have access to my fingers if I need to use my iPhone or take a picture. I also love the little button to secure the mitten and keep it from flopping around. Lastly, it has a hook to attach the two together so I don't misplace one away from the other.

day365: It's over!

nobody@flickr.com (Kitzzy) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 06:20:04 -0800

Kitzzy posted a photo:

This is the last picture in my 365days project! w00t!

Even though I missed 19, a 95% sucess rate is not bad at all :) I have no intention of making up for those missed shots, because the entire set--misses and all--is a true representation of my year, and we all have ups and downs.

It was a fun project, but very frustrating at times--especially towards the end. I'm relieved that it is finally over, but very glad I undertook this challenge because I learned a lot about myself. I'm convinced it was seeing myself in all these self portraits that finally made me realize I needed to shape up, lose weight and get fit. Now I am a runner and have never been happier.

I'll be starting a new project on January 1st, but it will not be self portraits. I want to step behind the camera and explore the world now instead.

Thanks to everyone who followed along in my journey. I could not have done it without you. I hope we stay in touch as I venture into a new journey next year and I look forward to following your journeys as well.

Jason the Flickr gangsta

nobody@flickr.com (Kitzzy) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:51:34 -0800

Kitzzy posted a photo:

day358

nobody@flickr.com (Kitzzy) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:20:26 -0800

Kitzzy posted a photo:

day357: out for a spin

nobody@flickr.com (Kitzzy) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:45:04 -0800

Kitzzy posted a photo:

For FGR and Portraits with umbrellas

Before and After

nobody@flickr.com (Kitzzy) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:28:45 -0800

Kitzzy posted a photo:

Before Photo:
- date: 3/13/2008
- pant size: 8
- weight: 143 - 146 (7-8 lbs lost).

After Photo:
- date: 12/5/2008
- pant size: 2
- weight: 125-126 (25-26 lbs lost)

I've come a long way and I am so proud of what I've accomplished during the last 8 months :)

day354: how far I've come

nobody@flickr.com (Kitzzy) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:12:09 -0800

Kitzzy posted a photo:

On March 13, I took a similar photo, day087: earth tones, wearing a brand new size 8 pair of pants, which was already several sizes down from the original 12/14 I wore before I started losing weight in February. At that time, I weighed somewhere between 143 & 146 and had lost about 7-8 lbs.

I've been meaning to retake that photo for a while, but never got around to it--until today.

In today's photo, I'm wearing a size 2 pair of jeans that are low rise, or at least lower rise than I usually wear and I love how they look/feel. I now weigh between 125-126 lbs and I've lost over 25 lbs.

I've come a long way and I am so proud of what I've accomplished during the last 8 months :)

day353: Wink Wink, it's Bed Head!

nobody@flickr.com (Kitzzy) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:38:53 -0800

Kitzzy posted a photo:

For FGR's "Wink Wink, it's Bed Head!" - combining Wink Wink and Beadhead

I didn't really like this shot this morning and uploaded it because it was the lesser of all evils, but it is growing on me now. This was probably about a dozen takes later, so I was wide awake by then. I didn't want to look like I was just half asleep and yawning, so I had to make it clear it was a wink, hence my apparent display of enthusiasm.

Random fact: I can only wink with this eye. If I try to wink with the other, I look like my face is distorted or I just had stroke.

day352: Cheers!

nobody@flickr.com (Kitzzy) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:00:23 -0800

Kitzzy posted a photo:

For FGR's "I Propose a Toast to the Hat" -- combining groups: I Propose A Toast! and Headwear Wednesday

This took entirely too long to shoot and I had to enlist Jason's help.

Disney's Race for the Taste 10K Splits

nobody@flickr.com (Kitzzy) — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 18:12:04 -0700

Kitzzy posted a photo:

Read the full race report

Race for the Taste Goodies

nobody@flickr.com (Kitzzy) — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 09:13:23 -0700

Kitzzy posted a photo:

This was the contents of the race goodie bag, along with my personalized bib and my finisher's medal. (see notes for details)

Jason playing "What's Your Problem?" at Epcot Innoventions

nobody@flickr.com (Kitzzy) — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 08:06:46 -0700

Kitzzy posted a photo:

Jack Skellington & Zero Drawing

nobody@flickr.com (Kitzzy) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 12:54:49 -0700

Kitzzy posted a photo:

Jason Krueger

nobody@flickr.com (Kitzzy) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 11:02:16 -0700

Kitzzy posted a photo:

@ Crazy Buffet

My Pluto Drawing

nobody@flickr.com (Kitzzy) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 11:26:23 -0700

Kitzzy posted a photo:

We had so much fun drawing Mickey last week, that we went back to Hollywood Studios to try again today. This time we got to draw Pluto.