Training again!

I finally started training again today! Kayle and I ran a short distance, but ran and worked out nonetheless! I was great to get back out there.

I plan on doing more tomorrow and Wednesday since I'm busy Tuesday. I'm excited to get back on track and fit in as many session with my partner before I move!

I'm feeling more confident with my decision to take the job and I'm happier because at least one weight has been lifted, which makes me much more motivated to finish this out. I never lost my will to compete in and complete a triathlon, but the getting there part suffered momentarily. I think I'm back, or at least on my way there, so things are looking up.

Poll: Would it be weird to start a second blog about moving/living in a new town? Here's my reasoning: Blogs are good if you blog about something specific. I've got one about one thing I'm tackling, but since I've got another potentially major thing to deal with that's completely opposite of this, it would be weird to combine it but I feel like I should blog about it anyway. I don't want overkill, so let me know if that's crazy or too egotistical. As I type this, it kind of sounds like it. Please comment!

Jobless no more

I accepted a job today...unfortunately, it's an hour and a half away from where I live. So, I'm moving...

This means I won't be able to train with Kayle very often, which sucks big time. I loved our time swimming, biking or running together. I loved being able to see her nearly every day and how she pushed me to do the plank for a minute. I will really miss having such a great workout/training partner! I made her promise we're still going to run the tri together, though.

I'm also going to be in a different town than my wonderful, totally supportive boyfriend! We did the long distance thing for a year when we first started dating and it looks like we will again...boo! He's been so great dealing with me this week...I just want to give him props!

I meant to start my training back up (I haven't done anything in a week!) Thursday, but I was so stressed and depressed about trying to make this decision that I just didn't. This week has been too emotional!

I will start back soon...definitely after arriving in my new town in a few weeks. I'll need something to occupy my lonely time! I still really want to do this...I just haven't had motivation for much the past few weeks.

And I promise, I'll catch back up with all your blogs! I miss you folks!

It's been a week...

This week has been interesting. I've been up and down all week dealing with this job business. I've been in the car so much in the past 29 hours or so it's ridiculous. I'm looking forward to not driving or interviewing tomorrow. I've got some viable options, but I still need to decide what I want to do about it. That's what I'm dealing with now on that end.

Because of all that, my workouts have been inconsistent. Like, I didn't get home yesterday or today until fairly late and I was utterly exhausted both days, so I haven't worked out. The job search seems to be interfering. In fact, I may have to move, which is going to throw all this out of whack, so I just don't know. I understand how vague and unknowing I am today.

Notable things from this week:
-I doubled up on running and swimming a few days ago and it went really well. I ran nearly two miles! Like, the whole time. I've also discovered I'm close to enjoying running in the cold (Ok, it was in the 50s probably). It's always been so hot, but that day it was cool and windy. Felt great! After that, I swam and did a good job...about 500 yards without stopping. I actually realized I could do that all day. I turned over every 100 yards or so to breathe for a while, but I can do that. It just isn't fast at all. I need to work on speed with the endurance.

-I really want a path to run and bike on! Norman has nothing!

-I need to push myself better and actually follow the work out schedule...damn job hunt.

-We need to pick a tri so I can be working toward a markable thing...even if I can't afford the entry fee yet!

Ok, that's mostly just things I need to do, but we'll pretend it's notable. Perhaps the 2 miles was the only notable thing...

Just meh

This week hasn't been completely stellar, at least not yet.

The job hunt is going all right. Not great, not horrible.

We didn't work out Monday because both Kayle and I had had a pretty crappy day, so yesterday we just biked. It was short and not too intense. No abs.

Today is supposed to be an off day, but since we didn't do anything Monday, I've gotta double up today. Kayle has a big test and plans after, so I may have to do it all alone. We'll just have to see.

It's harder for me to motivate to do this right now. It was my "new challenge" when I was really happy in every other aspect of my life. Now, I have a whole new challenge (or old one, I guess) to deal with. I (only briefly) thought about holding off training until I found a job, but I thought that was silly. I need to be full steam ahead on this triathlon, it's just hard to motivate right now. I can't afford a tri fee, so we can't make anything official, which kind of sucks. But I should keep this going as a balancing aspect of my life. Working out really helps me relieve stress and having a specific goal and working toward that should (theoretically) help me too, right?

Update

So, where have I been? Mostly out of town. Partially hiding.

I have bad news to report. I lost my job because of 10% cutbacks with the company. They got rid of 26 people in my department alone, 16 of whom took early retirement. That's a large number of people gone and I'm not quite sure how they expect to function with so many missing. Anyway, the news came at the end of my 6 day week, right before I was heading out of town for my mom's birthday. I've never been one to define myself by my job, but I had an overwhelming sense of emptiness. I still do if I think about it, I suppose. I didn't really hear anything said in the meeting after, "This will be your last day here." The only way I can explain how I feel is to say it's like getting dumped after four months with someone. But someone who you really liked, thought you clicked well with and could really see a future with. You aren't devastated, but pretty heartbroken nonetheless. Except now you have no income.

I'm starting research and resume fixing and everything today. I'm hesitant to start because I've been avoiding it all for a while now. Wish me luck!

But on a lighter note, when I was out of town hanging out with my parents, I did most of my training for this week.

-Wednesday: We went on a 10-12 mile bike ride with small hills the whole way. I thought it was a great ride, but it definitely challenged me. Toward the beginning, there is a nasty hill, one which I'm not sure I've EVER made it up before, but I fought through it and slowly made it to the top. Yay! Except that I couldn't breathe. My throat hurt from trying to take in so much air and my lungs couldn't keep up. Well, still at least 9 miles to go...So we keep riding. The small hills just kept getting me. They weren't too much for my legs, but it never gave my lungs a chance to calm down. They were sore the whole time. Around the turn around mark there was another tough hill. Less steep, but long. I start up it and immediately think "I can't do this..." then, without missing a beat, I told my legs to stop whining and said I would make it up the hill, no matter what. Well, I did! I pushed through the leg pain, lungs and throat pain and the thousands of gnats hitting me in the face. I didn't get off. It was a small victory.

-Friday: We ran. I was feeling a little sick. Apparently, egg salad and chips aren't great pre-running food! Who would have thought? (Please note the sarcasm.) Anyway, I ran for a couple minutes after I felt like I was going to throw up. I pushed, but then we hit a row of restaurants and the smell was horrible! I felt so sick. My legs and lungs had caught up with me and were ready to run again, but my stomach was in knots. Finally, I convinced myself to move and ran a bit more. This happened most of the 3 miles. My stomach did calm down some. I was running probably a half mile (I guess less than that...?) at the end and I decided to "kick it in" as Kayle calls it. I started running with bigger strides and then I just kept running faster. I'm not really sure how I did it. My mom caught on when I passed her and "finally got her heart rate up" the 51-year-old woman tells me. She tried to catch up, which may have made me run faster. I was surprised at my sprint, but could barely breathe after. Woo!

-Saturday: I went on a short, maybe 4 mile or so ride, just because I needed to get another bike in this week. My legs were tired, but it wasn't too bad of a ride. Nothing exciting to report with it. I'm still short a swim and Kayle and I are running today sometime. That's it!

Wow, this is a long post that seemingly ends abruptly. Bummer.

Why do people do triathlons?

I know a few of the peopole who read this are training for one or thinking about it. Why? How'd you get the idea and what motivates you to keep going?

I was thinking about it all the other day. Why do it? It's a hassle, it's time consuming and it's often times not fun. Why do I do it?

Here's what I've come up with.

I've told you the Shad Ireland story. Well, there's more to it than that. I've always wanted to run a marathon. I've never been very athletic, so I thought it would be cool to say I'd completed something reserved for top athletes. But as I grew older, it became very clear to me how much I disliked running and I never wanted to spend that much time doing something I didn't like. My dad ran one a few years back and I thought he was awesome for it, but it still wasn't the thing for me. Another inspirational story: In the Spring my parents started training for a 5k. They ran one during the summer and my mom came in three minutes under her goal for 30:00, basically, quickened her speed by a minute a mile! Not only that, but she came in first in her age group! She was exhausted fater finishing and it wasn't until she got some powerade and fruit in her that she got excited. Anyway, we are so proud of her and she felt so great after! I thought, "I want that."

I've always been a dancer, and I loved performing the most. Having the people you care about come out and see you show off what you've been working so hard for is just the greatest ever! I wanted it again and I wanted it to be something hard and uncommon that no one I knew had done, something athletic. The afternoon after my mom's race I started looking into triathlon's and realized I could do a Sprint distance. It would take training and would be hard, but it was doable. As often happens with me, however, I gave up a few days later.

Shad brought it back.

But it's more than all that even. I think I wanted, needed, a goal. Something to work hard for in my spare time. Something with a clear ending, achievement. I graduated from college, which I'd been working toward really my whole live, but four years officially. I got a job and, while there's a definite goal and chance to move up, it's nothing specifically 'do A and you'll get B.' I've always had some goal I was working toward, and in August I didn't anymore. I found it and I'm so stoked about it. I get to do something that top athlete's do, but doesn't require 3-4 hours or so of running! You should always have a goal, something to work toward in free time, something you've never done, something with a specific ending or accomplishment, something new to conquer. What are you working toward right now?