May 2008

Long 10 hour work day, but after work got on my young green mare Whisper and I got her to trot around the entire round pen a few times each direction. HUGE accomplishment, as the day before we got only half way around the round pen trotting. She is a quick learner, so progress is fast.

Walked Quin and Tucker 5 miles to McCaffery Rd, everything takes longer with Quin the puppy in tow. But they seemed to have fun. Had first meeting of Cows and Llamas for Quin…he thinks he is intimidating, thank God I keep him on a leash (or he might have been squashed into a cow/llama hoof shaped impression). Hip hurts and day ran out, otherwise I really wanted to go on the eliptical for an hour and lift weights…have to wake up early and do a two a day work out tomorrow.

Workout:

• Type: Walk
• Date: 05/30/2008
• Time: 07:30:00
• Total Time: 1:30:00.00
• Distance: 5 miles
• Average Pace: 18:01.08/mile

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 05/29/2008
• Time: 19:00:00
• Total Time: 00:55:00.00
• Distance: 7 miles
• Average Pace: 7:51.2/mile

Gorgeous day, pretty much one long continuous hill ride. Was a leg burner for sure. Somehow got a flat tire, did not find this out until day of first triathlon of the year. Thank God for a sister with a spare tire tube and someone who noticed it before I got out on the course (they fixed it before my race and without me knowing because they had been transporting my bike around for me as it will not fit in my Toyota Yaris very easily). I didn’t even know it had been flat until after I was done racing…definitely need to be double checking tires for leaks and flats.

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 05/27/2008
• Time: 19:00:00
• Total Time: 1:00:00.00
• Distance: 12 miles
• Average Speed: 12 mph

Feel good, no stiffness, no sore muscles…makes me wonder did I try hard enough yesterday? Problem was it took my body quite a bit of time to loosen up between transitions, I couldn’t even really let loose my run until after I had gone three miles and only had a mile left to run. Finally my stride could lengthen out and I had lots of sprint left at the end which made me mad actually ( I shouldn’t have had that much left)! Interesting tidbit though, while doing the 14 mile bike portion I almost hit a deer…yes a whitetail deer and I got up close and personal.  Not that I have not hit deer in my vehicles and been close to them in nature, I just was surprised. Walked dogs today, they as always, had a blast.  Hips a little tight, that is only after effect of triathlon.

Workout:

• Type: Walk
• Date: 05/26/2008
• Time: 19:00:00
• Total Time: 00:30:00.00
• Distance: 3 miles
• Average Pace: 10:00/mile

Had my first sprint triathlon of the year and had a major improvement from my last year time in the same course, I shaved off twelve minutes! A huge success! It was a triathlon where you kayak 4 miles (flat water in sea kayak, though you can use any type of canoe or kayak you desire), bike 14 miles, and run 4 miles. Had a much better kayak than last year, a much better bike, and a decent (though I still think I can do tons better) run. I think all my swim training has really been paying off! Had rode my horse 25 miles the day before, so legs were not at peak moving power. Still I was happy to have taken off so much time from last year…I am in much better shape this year! Don’t have my splits yet, but I am happy!

Workout:

• Type: Other
• Date: 05/25/2008
• Time: 09:00:00
• Total Time: 3:20:54.00

Quick two mile walk this morning before horse race, and paced 3 mile walk this evening with dogs. Quin (cairn terrier) doing much better after being de-nutted (he doesn’t even know they are gone). Prep work for tomorrow done, excited about my first sprint triathlon of the year (kayak, bike, run). Should be fun, hope it doesn’t rain!

Workout:

• Type: Walk
• Date: 05/25/2008
• Time: 20:00:00
• Total Time: 1:00:00.00
• Distance: 5 miles
• Average Pace: 12:00/mile

Rainy, a bit chilly, trails were mush. But my horse had fun and we enjoyed the day anyways! My sister’s horse got the honors of Champion, my mother got second Light weight, our horses looked fabulous! Flame was all full of himself at the end, he didn’t care if it was rainy and cold he was out to have a good time (he was still prancing at the end, hopefully he was ready to go another 75 miles). First 100 mile endurance ride is in Ashland Montana, June 7… only two weeks away and I am scared silly! Will I make it? Sure. Will my horse make it? I do not know…he should, but if I have to run 50 miles….well I might be done for. You can condition and condition and still not be quite be prepared for such a ultra marathon test of you and your horse.

Workout:

• Type: Other
• Date: 05/24/2008
• Time: 08:00:00
• Total Time: 5:30:00.00

Had fun with the dogs at Herron Park, they had a fun chasing everything (except Quin was on his leash as he is a wild man).

Workout:

• Type: Walk
• Date: 05/23/2008
• Time: 16:00:00
• Total Time: 00:45:00.00
• Distance: 3 miles
• Average Pace: 15:00/mile

Got good quick walk in with the dogs.

Workout:

• Type: Walk
• Date: 05/22/2008
• Time: 18:00:00
• Total Time: 00:40:00.00
• Distance: 3 miles
• Average Pace: 13:20/mile

Flat water kayaked for first time of season, arms felt strong, going out again tomorrow.

Workout:

• Type: Other
• Date: 05/21/2008
• Time: 06:30:00
• Total Time: 00:36:00.00

It was a pleasant temp day, but the evening rain was not about to let up so my sister and I went for a 6 mile run. Mostly flat with one long hill (about a mile long, gradual grade). We are getting along again, which is nice, but we have a love/intense dislike relationship. If my sister and I were not blood…we would probably not be friends, but I love the crazy girl. Didn’t get to give my filly Whisper a workout like I wanted to today, rode her yesterday and I am really excited about her! She is very intelligent, a little frisky, but quick to want to please me. Letting my campaign horse Flame have the week off as we have a 25 mile competitive trail race on saturday this week. Day after 25 mile competitive trail ride I have my first triathlon (kayak 4 miles, bike 14 miles, run 4).  Haven’t been kayaking since last summer, but I have been building up my arms alot all winter with swimming and weights. I will get in my kayak tomorrow evening as was my plan to do today, just the rain was a downer.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 05/21/2008
• Time: 19:00:00
• Total Time: 00:50:00.00
• Distance: 6 miles
• Average Pace: 8:20/mile

Just tried out my new clips on my road bike, it was a nice quick bike with some hills that felt great!

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 05/21/2008
• Time: 00:26:22
• Total Time: 00:15:00.00
• Distance: 5 miles
• Average Speed: 20 mph

Second of two recovery days from 1st 50 mile endurance ride on my horse, legs still feel a bit beaten but are coming back to life. Took my two dogs and my mothers 3 dogs for a 4 mile walk, was a beautiful day. Sunny, wonderful…got me thinking about starting a dog walking gig as so many people asked about my bountiful pack of canines. Biking and swimming have been bad for a week or so, coming back to my parents for the summer is hard on my training but I am getting up earlier to train (5 am) so I have energy to and so I can work after. Motivation is tough right now with my sore legs, just barely hanging in there. First kayak, bike, run triathlon is in 7 days..eek!

Workout:

• Type: Walk
• Date: 05/19/2008
• Time: 10:00:00
• Total Time: 1:00:00.00
• Distance: 4 miles
• Average Pace: 15:00/mile

90 degrees, dry, very little shade, first fifty of the year was completed in 11 hours (which is under the alotted time of 12 hours). Was a steep course, which took alot out of the horses, got off and walked or jogged what I could to help my horse, but it was quite the shock for my horse who had been being rode in 40 to 50 degree weather. So it was perhaps toughest 50 mile endurance ride I have experienced yet in my 4 years of endurance riding. Good pulses for my horse, he ate good, and drank good. All I ate all day was mini wheats, three Luna bars….was dying for regular food for dinner (finally got lasagna, salad, and well-deserved pie!). Good day, wanted to strangle my sister whom I rode with all day(along with my mother, who is always a good riding buddy) and she was grouchy and not so nice all day.

Workout:

• Type: Other
• Date: 05/17/2008
• Time: 05:00:00
• Total Time: 11:00:00.00

Day before my first 50 mile endurance ride of the season on my horse Flame, ran medium pace with sister on pavement in Rock Creek Canada. Had spend previous day (12 hours) in truck travelling to Rock Creek, so a little rusty feeling. Hot, around 85 degrees, and it was supposed to be 90 degrees the next day…such a temperature shock! Went from 40 degrees to 90…yikes!

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 05/16/2008
• Time: 10:00:00
• Total Time: 1:00:00.00
• Distance: 7 miles
• Average Pace: 8:34.29/mile

So I mountain biked 15 miles, mostly hills with my little dog Tucker for company. Brought fig newtons, a snickers bar, gatorade, smart water, and water, which was just enough to see me and Tucker through the adventure. I am not a super mountain biker, because I have only been doing it for a short time so I am slow on the up hills and wary on the down hills (ie. slow all around). Still it was a good learning experience and my thighs really got a good work out. Also ran 4 miles at 6 in the morning with my close pal Cassie, two good paced miles, one slow mile, and one mile of 60 second sprint/60 second walk segments…good hard workout day!

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 05/13/2008
• Time: 11:00:00
• Total Time: 4:00:00.00
• Distance: 15 miles
• Average Speed: 3.75 mph

Was tough getting up at 5 am to go for 6 am run, not a morning person but I am trying to learn how to be one! Good run, not necessarily a good training run, but fun to run with my friend Cassie!

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 05/13/2008
• Time: 06:00:00
• Total Time: 1:00:00.00

Workout:

• Type: Walk
• Date: 05/13/2008
• Time: 01:30:00
• Total Time: 1:00:00.00
• Distance: 3.5 miles
• Average Pace: 17:08.57/mile

First sprint tri (kayak, bike, run) is less than a month away and I am already pumped with nerves and adrenalin. Is that crazy? Just planning tomorrows run and mountain bike workout has got me all excited. Extreme tri geek here just freakin a month in advance (ok half a month). So far have two tri-sprints in June, one in August, one in September and hopefully an half Iron or whole Iron at the end of September! All I need is a sprint or Olympic distance one in July and I should be good to go! Plus I have oodles of horse endurance races planned for weekends when I don’t have tri races…it will be a packed summer! Took dogs for three and half mile walk today before swim, puppy Quin (cairn terrier) acted sore later when I picked him up…kind of odd (wonder if he ate something bad, puppies try to eat everything you know).

Workout:

• Type: Swim
• Date: 05/13/2008
• Time: 14:45:00
• Total Time: 1:00:00.00

It was a hard day to be working out today…don’t know why perhaps just a mental block today. Wanted to swim an hour and half..didn’t happen. Plan on going for a hike with my dogs later today Finals have drained my soul this week it seems, hope to bounce back this weekend!

Workout:

• Type: Swim
• Date: 05/09/2008
• Time: 11:45:00
• Total Time: 00:30:00.00

Workout:

• Type: Walk
• Date: 05/09/2008
• Time: 05:40:00
• Total Time: 1:00:00.00
• Distance: 3 miles
• Average Pace: 20:00/mile

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 05/09/2008
• Time: 19:30:00
• Total Time: 00:45:00.00
• Distance: 11 miles
• Average Speed: 14.67 mph

Good four mile run, felt a little off…haven’t ran for a week (been studying for finals like a mad woman). Tomorrow is my most simple final, so I am not overly put out. Also took dogs for hour long slow walk, then mountain biked around town working like a mad woman at making sure I could get my clips undone. No near fatalities, so I tried to make sure that I was prepared well before each stop light that I was unclipped and ready to stop. It is pleasant not to be worried about being road kill, makes a bike ride more enjoyable! Biked 11 miles, thank goodness for my new bike pedometer/mph device (I got up to 22 mph on flat portions). All in all a wonderull day.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 05/09/2008
• Time: 16:30:00
• Distance: 4 miles

I swam for an hour today 20 min warm up, 15 minute moderate pace (mostly freestyle). Then I did four laps of sprints at 40 seconds each with a minute and half rest period between each. Then I swam cool down the remainder of the hour. I felt good after half an hour, but the first half hour was a little off (ate dinner an hour before swimming, won’t do that again, made me feel like I was swimming with a brick in my stomach). Was told twice today that I was “fast” by other people at the pool..which made me feel wonderfull!

Workout:

• Type: Swim
• Date: 05/08/2008
• Time: 17:00:00
• Total Time: 1:00:00.00
• Distance: 1,760 yd
• Average Pace: 3:24.55/100yd

Can’t seem to do much except study and walk the dogs this week…yesterday got to work out and even though I still got some excersize today, did not get enough. How do college athletes compete and keep from failing all their classes? I am having such a rough time this week..only three more tests to go and I will be done with the semester!

Workout:

• Type: Walk
• Date: 05/07/2008
• Time: 08:48:00
• Total Time: 1:00:00.00
• Distance: 4 miles
• Average Pace: 15:00/mile

Question is which Ironman is the most easy for a beginner? Should I start by doing half an Ironman? Which competition is the best for a newbie? I am not yet ready for one but by late summer/early fall I think I could perhaps be ready for an 70.3, by next spring ready for an Ironman.

I am seriously befuddled by my clip on shoes. Here I was trying to spin at the University Rec Center, and I can not get my clip on shoe to come off the bike. Problem was the clip part was loose and thusfore I really had to wrench my shoe to get it off. How often is this a problem? Should I be checking these clips all the time for being loose? I am scared this could happen at a race and then I would be royally in trouble!! Help, much advice is needed!! Upped biking section by 20 minutes today, was happy about that!

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 05/05/2008
• Time: 19:00:00
• Total Time: 1:20:00.00

So I got my new clip in pedals today…I tried getting out of them a few times and thought ‘no prob/piece of cake’.  No, no not really. First off rode with one foot off the clip, then was daring and clipped in both feet…

Speeding along on the way to the gym I managed to time almost all the stop lights perfectly. Did you notice the work ‘almost’? Well I get to the last stop light and all of a sudden I was at a red, and I was brought to a quick stop. I was in the air, feet stuck to the pedals (rear tire came up). I could not get out!! The pavement didn’t look appetizing, so I snuck through the red light on the shoulder..feeling like death had stared at me today.

Good workout today, took it easier still worked out a good portion of time, but I have been feeling like my shoulder is way out of alignment so training has been brought back a bit (not time, but definitely intensity has gone down).

Studying going okay for finals…stressed but not terribly so. I am at peace with life and realize school is not life or death, I will survive through the tough and come out better for having done so.

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 05/02/2008
• Time: 19:00:00
• Total Time: 00:40:00.00
• Distance: 7 miles
• Average Speed: 10.5 mph

Workout:

• Type: General Cardio
• Date: 05/02/2008
• Time: 19:30:00
• Total Time: 1:50:00.00

It was an easier pace day, still long-ish workout, but good for me mentally to stay on the cycle longer. I really need to pick up my time on my bicycle. Got to looking at triathlon magazines…got a little dis-heartened.  So much gear to buy…so little money. Ugh well I will just have to get competitive and hopefully then can find some sponsors, or win the lottery. Still waiting for my local bike shop to get in cycling shoes…and am getting a little fed up. I am about to go out and buy cycling shoes from online, even though I would really like to support my local shop. Still I have spent large amounts of money (in my mind). Oh well, it is hard to spend money when you have so little (and I would rather spend money on competitions).

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 05/01/2008
• Time: 16:00:00
• Total Time: 1:01:00.00
• Calories: 460
• Distance: 18 miles
• Average Speed: 17.7 mph

Stair stepper, was not very high intensity, but got a good sweat.

Workout:

• Type: General Cardio
• Date: 05/01/2008
• Time: 05:00:00
• Total Time: 00:30:00.00

walked with Q and T, not as long as I wanted to give them, but it was better than nothing.

Workout:

• Type: Walk
• Date: 05/01/2008
• Time: 15:30:00
• Total Time: 00:30:00.00
• Distance: 1.5 miles
• Average Pace: 20:00/mile