Double day

We doubled up. It felt great.

We biked around neighborhoods, not really going anywhere specific. We followed a "bike path," which really just meant signs said it was a path, but instead, it was just a street with houses on both sides. It was a nice ride, especially because we explored new territory. It was low intensity, but not easy. We got a little lost at the end, so we ended up riding for nearly an hour until we made it to the pool...

We swam. It was good swim. I swam longer than ever before without stopping, which is way fun. 300 yards at one time, 950 total. Kayle did great swimming, too. She said today she thinks she's improving, which is really good!

After swimming, we rode the mile or so back to Kayle's apartment and did abs. I was tired, but I felt great.

I'm getting really into this triathlon thing the past few days because my workouts have been so good. Running yesterday wasn't too bad...I'm getting there! I've just felt good about this...

We're starting to pick our tri. We're thinking about this one in Galveston in April...but I'll be sure to keep you posted when we finalize it. Registration's coming up we think...

Inspiration

It's interesting how much people you've never met can do for you.

I've developed a relationship with a few of the bloggers I read about. They are awesome. They are inspirational, determined and help me stay motivated. Most of them are working out or training for a triathlon like me, but some have other interests of mine and are strong in a different way. I just love reading their blogs...and of course the blogs of two (kind of three) of my favorite people in the world - my sister and my best friend! Thank you all for everything!

I'd like to share another story, however, of someone I know practically nothing about, but he makes me smile every week.

I work weird shifts, so I only work Thursday and Friday during the actual work week. Both those mornings, I get off the highway and look for a certain man. He's walking with dumbbells both those mornings around 9 a.m. along the street. It's gotten to the point where I look for him, judge how late I am around him and get disappointed if I don't see him. A few weeks ago, I didn't see him either day and I got really worried something had happened to him. Perhaps he was sick or running late that week or something...he's since been back, and I always smile when I see him. I don't see him during the weekend, though. I come an hour later and exit on a different exit but he may still exercise those days, I'm not sure. I think he is awesome getting out there every day and doing that. Maybe he doesn't have money for a gym or equipment, but he's determined to work out and is consistent about it. I think that's why I always smile. I actually look forward to seeing him. I just think it's interesting how much a person you've never talked to, know nothing about, can be so influential.

Yesterday

I didn't feel well...all day. I had a headache and waves of nausea lasting into the late evening. I decided not to run because it continued to flare up. We are supposed to run today, too. Somehow, I'll have to figure out a way to make up for yesterday. I feel better today, though, somewhat.

Skinny mini me!

Yesterday, Nick told me I looked "skinny-mini," which is what we say in my family when someone's lost weight and looks thinner. That made me really happy! I weighed myself this morning and saw that I've lost five pounds since I started! I'm still five away from my pre-Spain weight (I went to Spain summer of 2007 and ate so much, especially bread and ice cream, and I came back 10 pounds heavier and haven't been able to shake it.), and 10 away from what I really want to weigh, but it's awesome.

I haven't changed my eating pattern really. I'm always trying to eat better than I do but never hard enough it seems. I haven't increased the amount I eat either though, so that's good. (Except I ate a big dinner...it was so good...but I feel bloated right now...)

I know I'll put on muscle, so I'm prepared to never weigh my "ideal" weight as long as I look like I do! It seems I'm making strides and that's really great. I feel better about this all. It may not be much of a change, but Nick noticed and he's not the most observant guy in the world! Thanks for the ego boost, hon!

Done and done.

Guess what I did yesterday?

I ran a mile. Yup. A mile.

Ten minutes, one mile. Done and done. That was the only time we ran yesterday in our 3 mile trek or so, but it's good...a mile!

We're supposed to swim today, which is good for me. Kayle hates it, unfortunately. Then doubling up tomorrow, which is always just a ton of fun (note the sarcasm).

So much for that

We did so well about being good...and then my work week started.

So much for that.

Thursday's are going to suck now. Kayle has class all evening and I have work all day. We're going to have to get up at 6 a.m. to swim before I go to work. Suck. Anyway, we decided to bike separately Thursday. She decided to see if she could run 3.1 miles (check out her blog about it) instead. I missed daylight because I broke my phone and had to go get one right after work (and the sun doesn't stay up much later than that these days), so I waited until 9 and she came over and we went to the gym and biked for about a half hour.

Neither of us wanted to wake up Friday or this morning to swim, so we just haven't. We will run tomorrow night and swim extra Monday, but we just aren't doing great about it right now.

AND, to make matters worse, my job is fabulous and decided to send me to the fair to eat a bunch of fried stuff on a stick for a story...so I did. I had about half of three different things and I felt so sick! I'm not surprised I felt sick, but still...I didn't eat all of it. I had deep fried mashed potatoes on a stick, cheese on a stick and deep fried Snickers on a stick. Amazing. It's the fair and I HAD to do it for work, it just won't make running tomorrow very easy.

That's all for now. Wish me luck running tomorrow!

My partner...

...started a blog! Enjoy: http://kaylesvida.blogspot.com/

Running

Running Sunday was...well, running. Actually, running. More running than walking, which is a first, maybe ever.

I talked to Kayle about how to train and she just decided to push me. We ran first until I said stop, which was around 5 minutes. After that, she'd make me run after only a few minutes of walking (after I became less lightheaded) and then she'd make me run farther than I wanted to. It was unpleasant, but really good at the same time! I felt like I could do it, while I know it's still a long way away, I will be able to run this thing. She's talking about signing us up for a 5K in October. We ran again today...after swimming. It was tough, but I ran it. I can run for about 5 minutes before I have to stop, but as long as I don't walk very long, I'm happy with it. Today when I ran, my lungs didn't burn as badly, so I'm making progress...and enjoying it, while only slightly more.

We've done a good job of "hitting it hard" but we haven't done abs in the past few days. We need to start back with that. Our bike ride yesterday went well and I enjoyed our swim today. It's slow moving, but we will get there.

So, the big triathlon news these days is that J. Lo just completed her first triathlon...in Malibu. Tough life, huh J. Lo? Anyway, she finished a half mile swim, an 18 mile bike and a 4 mile swim in 2 hours, 23 minutes and 38 seconds. Kayle and I have decided we need to finish in less than 2 hours and 23 minutes. We are competitive at all. I think we can do it, though. In the same race, Matthew McConaughey finished in an hour and a half. We also decided if we were running a race with him, we might be able to finish in an hour and a half just to keep up with his shirtless body. Too bad he's a Texas fan...

That's the news folks...

Bout time, huh?

Wow, a lot has happened. I went to Tulsa earlier this past week, and my dad asked me how the training was going. I told him "not very good, actually." Here's the deal. I haven't really been pushing myself with the riding much. It seems like we always have to do those in the morning for some reason and then its a short ride through neighborhoods...nothing too exhausting. (We need better bike paths in my town! Tulsa is nicer in that respect.) The place I'm pushing the most is running, but I don't feel like I'm getting any better. It's just hard and not fun and I'm not very good at it.

While in Tulsa, I went running with my parents. We went 3 miles, but of course, I didn't run the whole time. It took 45 minutes, plus our warm up and cool down. I was pretty proud of that time though. Both my parents kicked my ass, which is a little embarrassing considering they are 30 years older than me. The next day we went bike riding. We decided to take it easy because no one felt well that day. A friend of mine came along. He hasn't biked in years. We went about 10 miles and it took us about an hour. It was a nice ride. I really enjoyed myself. It was leisurely and nice (for me, not so much for my friend). I told them I want a bigger challenge when I come in October. Don't worry, they have it for me.

Also, for my birthday, my parents bought me a bike seat and helmet, so I can be more comfortable and safe, and I got running shoes with money my gramma gave me (and they gave me a blister!). I'm all set...just about.

I talked to my parents about training, too. I got mixed opinions on how to best improve my run, so I might try a combination or trade off or something. I'll talk to Kayle. Mom said I needed to tell myself I was a runner, instead of saying I hate it and suck all the time. But I'm not a runner. I am a triathlete. A triathlete is way more badass and let's face it, easier for me to imagine myself. So there, I'm a triathlete.

Kayle and I haven't been able to work out together in more than a week. I was out of town, then Thursday just didn't match up, I had to leave again Friday for a funeral so we didn't have time then. Tonight we're going to run. I'm actually kind of excited about it.

We really need to "hit it hard" in the next couple of weeks because I feel like we've gotten off track already. I think we should pick a triathlon too, so we have something more concrete to work toward.

I feel like this post was scattered, but I had a lot of time to make up. I'll try to give more specific training details in the next few weeks as well!

I promise...

...I didn't give up.

...you will get a real post soon.

I've just been really busy and haven't gotten a moment to myself in weeks!...but I'm still training!

A little discouraged

I'm not a runner. I never have been. But I've always tried to stay phyiscally fit, which is why this is so hard.

We went running yesterday. We ran 2 minutes, walked 3, then ran 2, etc. It was bumped up 30 seconds from last week. I could barely do it! We did the rotation 6 times (I think), and toward the end I could barely do it. I felt like I was going to fall over. That is extremely sad! At one point, I'm pretty sure I sped up when I started walking.

So if, having sat at work all day, I struggled so much with that, how will I ever be able to run 3 miles AFTER swimming and biking so far???

I know we are only in the second week of training, I'm just having a hard time seeing it. I don't want to have to walk the last leg of the triathlon!

We bike today. We'll see how it goes.