Going to swim at 5:30 in the morning at an outdoor pool seemed at first to be lunacy. The water is chilly and I am still somewhat asleep.
Once in, the water is fine. As we swim in the darkness save for the lights in the pool, slowly the sun rises.
There are some clouds to cover the sun as it begins to expose it's weary face. They first appear dark and broody but as more light reflects against them they change to pink and orange, with rays of sunshine poking through. Streaks of rain in a faraway place create a great contrast of dark to light.
Coming up out of the water to face the sunrise is an uplifting experience. The combination of the crispness of the water and the warm colors of the sun on the clouds give us a euphoric feeling of accomplishment and promise for the coming day.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Hello Blog
It's a rainy morning here. Very nice although not cool. In fact it's very humid out.
Sunday's run was great! I ran with friends and did 5 at a relatively easy pace then ran 2 at a pretty fast pace and my knee continues to feel fine. I will soon be gearing up for a fall and winter of many races and I am excited to be healthy!
Cross training certainly agrees with me and I am now considering buying a bike. Yes I see triathlon in my future. Swim team is over and although it was difficult getting up at 4:45 I miss the workout. Swimming laps is just not the same. Thursday was our last day and so Monday I went to the pool alone and tried to just swim...one lap after another, it's a little boring. I enjoyed the team because we had drills to do as well as swimming laps all with a purpose. So I went online and bought a pull buoy and a kick board so that I can go alone and still do the team workouts.
For those of you who don't know a pull buoy is a float that goes between your legs and you use it to swim without kicking so that you can focus on your "pull" which is your stroke. The kick board is then used to focus on the kick without the pull. And then you put the stroke and kick together after doing drills and hopefully it helps you to bring the two into a swim that is efficient. I am excited to keep up the training.
Tuesday I ran 5 at a relatively easy pace and felt great even with 91% humidity. It's tough to breathe when it's this humid, not to mention dehydration!
Today is weights and I was going to swim this evening but it is raining so I am not sure I will get it in. If not I will go later in the week.
Tomorrow I am contemplating running at 5:30 am, Yoga on the beach at 6:30 am, and then Hot Yoga at 7 pm. That will be a long day so we will see how that all pans out!
Sunday's run was great! I ran with friends and did 5 at a relatively easy pace then ran 2 at a pretty fast pace and my knee continues to feel fine. I will soon be gearing up for a fall and winter of many races and I am excited to be healthy!
Cross training certainly agrees with me and I am now considering buying a bike. Yes I see triathlon in my future. Swim team is over and although it was difficult getting up at 4:45 I miss the workout. Swimming laps is just not the same. Thursday was our last day and so Monday I went to the pool alone and tried to just swim...one lap after another, it's a little boring. I enjoyed the team because we had drills to do as well as swimming laps all with a purpose. So I went online and bought a pull buoy and a kick board so that I can go alone and still do the team workouts.
For those of you who don't know a pull buoy is a float that goes between your legs and you use it to swim without kicking so that you can focus on your "pull" which is your stroke. The kick board is then used to focus on the kick without the pull. And then you put the stroke and kick together after doing drills and hopefully it helps you to bring the two into a swim that is efficient. I am excited to keep up the training.
Tuesday I ran 5 at a relatively easy pace and felt great even with 91% humidity. It's tough to breathe when it's this humid, not to mention dehydration!
Today is weights and I was going to swim this evening but it is raining so I am not sure I will get it in. If not I will go later in the week.
Tomorrow I am contemplating running at 5:30 am, Yoga on the beach at 6:30 am, and then Hot Yoga at 7 pm. That will be a long day so we will see how that all pans out!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Nice Weather
We had a "cool" front come through. Now "cool" is a relative term when speaking of the weather. For us, after weeks of 100+ degree days, 80's and 90's feel down right COOL!
With the cooler temperatures came a couple of days of good rain. Not enough to help the lake level rise but enough to give the yard some much needed natural nutrition.
Monday's swimming was tough. I'm not sure if it's because I ran long on Sunday or if it was just a hard workout. I made it through but was exhausted (oh and it was my birthday) so maybe that was the problem! And on Sunday we had a wedding to attend in the Dallas area. I love weddings but not because I enjoy seeing people get married, it's the cake. There is NOTHING I love to put in my mouth more than old fashioned wedding cake with really rich icing. So on Sunday a had TWO large pieces plus these great little chocolate mousse desserts. No wonder Monday's workout was hard!
Micki, my coach, has given me some new running workouts, they are a bit different from what I've been doing and intended to strengthen my legs plus build endurance. Tuesday I walked 1 mile, jogged 2, then ran 2. That morning it rained hard until about 10, I got up and worked until a little after 10 when the rain stopped and went out for my run. I am sure you all know what happens when you live in a hot climate and it rains and then the sun comes out. Yes it got hot and steamy (and not in a good way). I was in the middle of my jog when it really warmed up.
Adding to the issue with the heat is my own perception of my "jog". In my head I KNOW that a jog means a very easy slow pace. However, getting my body to "jog" is tough unless I am running with someone who is going that pace. So my "jog" on Tuesday was not as slow as it needed to be. Thus my "run" was faster than it should have been because in my mind I had to do the last two faster than the two I jogged. That plus the heat was just not a good combination. I finished the run but had the chills and suffered from a bit of dehydration.
Wednesdays I usually swim but I could not get by butt out of bed and so I decided to do my Thursday run on Wednesday. This was a 2 mile walk, 3 mile jog, and 3 mile run. This time I knew to be more careful about my pace and I went early to avoid the heat. My jog was a jog and so my run was a good run at a decent pace and I felt good when I finished.
My knee is no longer hurting and the temptation to overdo is strong. If I can just keep with the plan Micki gave me I will continue to get my speed back. Patience....sigh.
Today was the last day of swim team and there were only two of us in my lane. We swam more continuously than before with little rest and having fewer people made it even more of an endurance workout. At first it was tough, always is with the warm up, but once I got past it I felt great and was able to keep going with little rest between drills. Over 4000 meters today.
The most exciting thing about today was that I was finally able to do the butterfly a full lap without stopping. I did that twice. I am sure it looked pretty bad but who cares! I made it all the way and THAT is an improvement.
My arms and shoulders feel like rubber. Lifting yesterday, swimming today, and tonight is Yoga. Tomorrow I will be wiped out.
With the cooler temperatures came a couple of days of good rain. Not enough to help the lake level rise but enough to give the yard some much needed natural nutrition.
Monday's swimming was tough. I'm not sure if it's because I ran long on Sunday or if it was just a hard workout. I made it through but was exhausted (oh and it was my birthday) so maybe that was the problem! And on Sunday we had a wedding to attend in the Dallas area. I love weddings but not because I enjoy seeing people get married, it's the cake. There is NOTHING I love to put in my mouth more than old fashioned wedding cake with really rich icing. So on Sunday a had TWO large pieces plus these great little chocolate mousse desserts. No wonder Monday's workout was hard!
Micki, my coach, has given me some new running workouts, they are a bit different from what I've been doing and intended to strengthen my legs plus build endurance. Tuesday I walked 1 mile, jogged 2, then ran 2. That morning it rained hard until about 10, I got up and worked until a little after 10 when the rain stopped and went out for my run. I am sure you all know what happens when you live in a hot climate and it rains and then the sun comes out. Yes it got hot and steamy (and not in a good way). I was in the middle of my jog when it really warmed up.
Adding to the issue with the heat is my own perception of my "jog". In my head I KNOW that a jog means a very easy slow pace. However, getting my body to "jog" is tough unless I am running with someone who is going that pace. So my "jog" on Tuesday was not as slow as it needed to be. Thus my "run" was faster than it should have been because in my mind I had to do the last two faster than the two I jogged. That plus the heat was just not a good combination. I finished the run but had the chills and suffered from a bit of dehydration.
Wednesdays I usually swim but I could not get by butt out of bed and so I decided to do my Thursday run on Wednesday. This was a 2 mile walk, 3 mile jog, and 3 mile run. This time I knew to be more careful about my pace and I went early to avoid the heat. My jog was a jog and so my run was a good run at a decent pace and I felt good when I finished.
My knee is no longer hurting and the temptation to overdo is strong. If I can just keep with the plan Micki gave me I will continue to get my speed back. Patience....sigh.
Today was the last day of swim team and there were only two of us in my lane. We swam more continuously than before with little rest and having fewer people made it even more of an endurance workout. At first it was tough, always is with the warm up, but once I got past it I felt great and was able to keep going with little rest between drills. Over 4000 meters today.
The most exciting thing about today was that I was finally able to do the butterfly a full lap without stopping. I did that twice. I am sure it looked pretty bad but who cares! I made it all the way and THAT is an improvement.
My arms and shoulders feel like rubber. Lifting yesterday, swimming today, and tonight is Yoga. Tomorrow I will be wiped out.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
H-O-T
Yes it is HOT. 85 degrees when I ran at 7:00 this morning. Only 50% humidity which is a blessing.
One weather report says it will be 107 here today. I don't like the heat, but what can I do?
Yesterday was a tough Yoga session. It felt great, today I am sore. My run today felt good and no knee pain. The yoga made me a bit sluggish as did the heat but I still got the miles in and felt good.
I need to get up earlier and run, it's just hard to so. With swim team I get up at 4:45 to be in the pool at 5:30, on run days I just want to sleep until 6:00. I may have to change that though, the heat is a killer.
One weather report says it will be 107 here today. I don't like the heat, but what can I do?
Yesterday was a tough Yoga session. It felt great, today I am sore. My run today felt good and no knee pain. The yoga made me a bit sluggish as did the heat but I still got the miles in and felt good.
I need to get up earlier and run, it's just hard to so. With swim team I get up at 4:45 to be in the pool at 5:30, on run days I just want to sleep until 6:00. I may have to change that though, the heat is a killer.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Update
Wow, has it really been since June 23rd that I blogged? What is happening to me? What have I been doing? How is my running progressing? Am I still swimming? What about kayaking?
Well things are good. The swim team is still happening although I never compete as you know I only work out and whew those workouts are killer. It totally wears me out and yet has made a huge difference in my upper body as well as adding strength to my legs. And so I keep going even though most of the time I dread getting up at 4:30.
I am swimming twice a week and running the other days, yoga once or twice a week and lifting twice a week. I keep pretty busy. And add to that I borrowed a kayak from a friend who races them. I've done that three times in the last three weeks. I don't go fast really but I do try to paddle hard so that I get a good workout. I enjoy getting out on the lake in a nice quiet boat and most of the time it's nice and peaceful out there.
The heat is getting to me some, over 100 most days and humid. I run about 6:30 and should go earlier but I have yet to get myself up to go. I just put up with it and carry water with me or run where I know there will be fountains. Have to stay hydrated!
My knee is improving and I now run most runs without pain. Occasionally the hills will get me and it will be sore but nothing like the pain I was having, I am thrilled. I ran a 5K race last weekend and ran an 8:30 pace. AND I got 3rd place in my division, always nice. Terry got 2nd in his. There is something to be said for living in a small town. :)That is not as fast as my old pace but considering I have not done any speed work, it was hot and humid, and I've been working on this knee, it was a great pace and I am very pleased. I am getting better all the time.
I have dropped out of El Scorcho, the midnight 30K next weekend. It's just too many miles without a slow work up to the miles. My coach did have it worked in my plan but she was very concerned that it would put me back so I dropped. It's not like it won't be there next year and I would rather be healthy and pain free to build up to the half distance soon.
And with that all is caught up!
Well things are good. The swim team is still happening although I never compete as you know I only work out and whew those workouts are killer. It totally wears me out and yet has made a huge difference in my upper body as well as adding strength to my legs. And so I keep going even though most of the time I dread getting up at 4:30.
I am swimming twice a week and running the other days, yoga once or twice a week and lifting twice a week. I keep pretty busy. And add to that I borrowed a kayak from a friend who races them. I've done that three times in the last three weeks. I don't go fast really but I do try to paddle hard so that I get a good workout. I enjoy getting out on the lake in a nice quiet boat and most of the time it's nice and peaceful out there.
The heat is getting to me some, over 100 most days and humid. I run about 6:30 and should go earlier but I have yet to get myself up to go. I just put up with it and carry water with me or run where I know there will be fountains. Have to stay hydrated!
My knee is improving and I now run most runs without pain. Occasionally the hills will get me and it will be sore but nothing like the pain I was having, I am thrilled. I ran a 5K race last weekend and ran an 8:30 pace. AND I got 3rd place in my division, always nice. Terry got 2nd in his. There is something to be said for living in a small town. :)That is not as fast as my old pace but considering I have not done any speed work, it was hot and humid, and I've been working on this knee, it was a great pace and I am very pleased. I am getting better all the time.
I have dropped out of El Scorcho, the midnight 30K next weekend. It's just too many miles without a slow work up to the miles. My coach did have it worked in my plan but she was very concerned that it would put me back so I dropped. It's not like it won't be there next year and I would rather be healthy and pain free to build up to the half distance soon.
And with that all is caught up!
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