Week One

So I am calling this week one. It is the first week I have been able to complete all of my workouts on my plan without skipping due to pain. I am so happy about that. Very tired from the week. Which makes me laugh because the milage is just going to build and if I am tired now. CRAP!!!

It has been a tough week. It is totally freezing. Going to the pool and coming out my hair freezes the minute I step out the door. Good lord! I tell myself, "hey Kim there is such a thing as a hair dryer. It is an amazing invention it dries your hair". hahaha! But I always forget it.

The bike was tough this week too. I had a few hard workouts, that pushed me to my limit. But every time I feel like quitting or don't feel like doing something I say to myself, "Kim you are the idiot that got yourself into this", which helps a little. haha!

So bottom line first week was a success. Looking forward to the next 8 months getting stronger and better with every work out. The weeks will get tougher, more challenging and I will probably feel like throwing in the towel some days, I am sure. But I have a great support system in place to not let me get overwhelmed. So onto week 2!!!

So I am technilogically challenged. So What!!

Got this great new online program for my boring trainer rides. It is called Trainer Road. So I had figured it all out on Monday and synced my heart rate monitor, my cadence sensor and speed sensor to the program. I was so proud of myself. Well I should of known I would screw it up.

So last night I did a work out on the program. It wasn't registering my cadence and speed so I thought huh.. maybe it will display at the end. I wasn't understanding what was going on but figured I will just look at the data after the hour ride.

I was sweating so bad. I guess that happens when your trainer is set up right next to your furnace. Yup! First mistake but I am keeping it there. So I finish the work out and let my coach know I had completed the workout so she could log in and see how hard I worked. No cheating on this program..which stinks hahaha!  I go into the program and look at the data too, which is totally blank. What the hell!!! I thought I was so savvy with this and apparently I am an idiot.

There is a drive (ant stick) you have to put in the computer that talks with my garmin device and the trainer toad program to get my cadence and speed as well as heart rate. Well I put the device in the wrong spot on the computer. Instead of putting it in a USB port I put it in the place where you charge the damn computer. hahahaha!!! I was laughing and thinking to myself... It does take a village.

Oh well, repeat ride tonight. Hopefully I put the ant stick in the right location tonight.

But it was a good hard ride in the end. So I am happy about that.

Up at 4:30 a.m. to go swim class..

The alarm went off at 4:10 this morning. And I thought of the video above and laughed. Ugh!! Believe me I wanted to hit alarm off and go back to bed. Especially with it being a Holiday. But I did the opposite. I popped out of bed after a crappy night sleep. My son was up at 2:00 a.m. and 2:45 for what I don't know. He claims daddy was sleep  walking which could be entirely possible.



I get up do 20 minutes of my physical therapy exercises which I am realizing are key to being injury free. You need to warm up those muscles before putting them through intense work outs. I was half asleep. Done with PT got ready and out the door I go. I was the first one to get to the place. I was the only car there. So I am thinking to myself, is class canceled because it is a holiday. I would cry if that was the case.



After a few minutes other cars drove in and off to the pool we go. The workout focused on swimming form which was tough since it is not something you really think about when you are trying to get a workout in. So it was hard to think of what you are doing and do it while swimming and trying to breath. It gave the legs a workout because we had to wear flippers. The water and pool area were extremely warm, which also made it hard. We did drills for most of the class on swim form and then we went into speed work. Oy! I worked hard.



The speed swim consisted of 1x300 yards first 100 was easy the second 100 was a build up each 25 you got faster and the last 100 was an all out swim. Mind you we did this with a swim bouy between the legs so you couldn't really kick. We ended with all out hard swim. 75 yards with a 35 second rest and right into 100 yards with a 15 second rest. We did this 4x.



My body was spent. But I am so happy I got up at 4:10 in the morning to get it done. I know there are going to be a lot more early mornings like this through training so may as well get used to the early mornings now.

Back at it

What a great morning. Couldn't be happier with todays workout. With the excepting of the 10 freaking tabadas. Holy crap, I thought I was going to flat line. My heart rate was off the chart. I guess that is what happens when you haven't worked out in almost two weeks. Ugh!

Got there early. Did my physical therapy exercises and got on the bike. We rode for 1.5 hours which was a little over 16 miles with some hill work. It felt so good to be back. I am hoping this good feeling continues and the hurdles are behind me. But I am sure there will be a few more hurdles to get over. There always are.

The class started off with love songs which my friend and I were belting out. hahaha!! Got to have a little fun while you ride. Then the instructor changed the music to something more up beat. THANK GOD!!! I thought I was going to die listening to people singing about missing you, and giving up on you etc. All and all good morning. Got to get in a three mile run tomorrow and hoping that goes well too! Fingers crossed.

Goals are Goals!

We all have goals some big some small. I guess this is my first lesson in figuring out who I am through this journey. Goals are set for us to strive for something. No matter how big or small they are important to us. In achieving goals, there are bumps in the road. You can either let that bump get in your way of your goal or you can figure out what you “can” do to work towards your goal while still dealing with the bump. 

This is where I am finding myself now. I have a goal to finish an iron distance triathlon in September. I have a bump in the road (hip pain) that I have to deal with. The bump is consuming me, stressing me, making me think this goal is not attainable. After speaking with a good friend this morning she helped me realize this is just a goal. Yes it is a big goal that I have committed to but I need to let the goal go for now and figure out how I can get myself in a good place and stronger to eventually achieve what I originally had set out to do. Many of you that know me well, know I stress. I stress about myself, my friends problems, family, work, etc. It’s who I am. I care about people and always have. It’s a good thing and a curse. Well stressing about my hip and this race that is 8 months away has been a curse. 

My first step in self-discovery is to learn to relax, what is that saying “don’t sweat the small stuff.” This is easier said than done. I am committing to myself and my friend to work on this. Yes, I have a goal but things happen that I can’t change. I injured my hip so I can be angry about it yes, but I need to focus on what I can do and still work towards the goal. Trying not to focus on the negative has been hard because it has been injuries on and off for over two months. I need to let the big picture sit on the back burner, it will be there and I will get there. I need to focus on taking care of me. Sleep, eat well and let go of some stress. This is going to be difficult but I am committed to bettering myself to reach my goal. I have to remember I have a strong support team both friends and professionals that want me to succeed who believe in me. Now I have to believe in myself. Believing in my self is a hard thing to do but I am committing to doing it. 

Ups and Downs

I expect with training for a Iron distance endurance event there would be some ups and downs. Actually a lot. But never did I expect so many downs before I ever get to some ups. I completely frustrated and sad, but working on being positive. Back in November, I hurt my achilles spent 4 weeks taking it easy and holding back. Finally it healed and what happens I go to pick up a laundry basket and throw out the ole' back. Ya so moral of the story no house work for me... hahahaha.

So with the back getting better i noticed a hip pain. It didn't hurt to bike or run just from seated to standing position. Well now it is at the point where it hurts to put pressure on it in the a.m. I am so depressed. It has been a roller coster 8-10 weeks and does not look good for the near future.

Am I worried my goal of Iron Distance race may not happen yet. I am really nervous. Just trying to be positive and get fixed. The good news it Thursday I have not 1 but 2 of the best physical therapists in Western Mass working on me. Yes it takes a village.

Reality

Well it has started... training. I think reality is starting to set in. It has gone from a race I signed up for to OH SHIT I have to do what. Good news is I have a great support team which I call the "village." People who have been here, done it or just want to support me by going out for a run or a bike. Shit or even change my tire since I don't know how to yet. I probably should get on that. haha!

It's really week one of workouts and today's packed a punch. I had a bike ride it was only 45 minutes and I bet your saying 45 minutes of biking that is nothing. Well it was something. I had a 10 minute warm-up with 3 30 second high cadence (or leg spin) intervals, 20 minutes of hard gear riding steady which I call sweat like a piggy 20 minute ride, then a 15 minute cool down with 5 1 minute high cadence or 110 rotations a minute. It was hard and I was spent. Heart rate was high which was good. It means I was working hard.

I figured out how to upload the data by myself. Yay me!! Shared it with my coach. She said "you owned it." Thank god because I felt like death. That moment if you push harder your going to puke. Yup that was me.

Now I am icing and heating my hip while on the couch. Yes bad hip I will tell all about that in another post later. FRUSTRATING!!

Want to race?

Snowy, cold day here in Massachusetts. I struggled with leaving the house to go to the Y to swim. But I kept telling myself it's game on, get your ass there woman. So off I go. Needless to say the pool was pretty packed.. Happy new year right? Everyone working on the resolution to work out. So I had to share a lane.
I definitely chose the wrong lane. First off, this guy made waves when he swam like a wake behind a boat. Ok tiny exaggeration. Oh but it gets better. So I do my 100 meter warm up, look at my work out and begin my drills. After my first set go drills the guy stops to chat, which isn't out of the norm.  Then I thought I heard him wrong but I didn't he asks "want to race for 100 meters." Ahhhhh...what no! I just want to do my workout. Off I go.
After a while we both stop again. Out of breath from my swim, he asks me why I don't flip turn off the wall. He then proceeded to attempt to get me to have him show me how to do it. I told him I was all set and that every time I try it I miss to high and whack my ankle (true story) and I was fine. Let's just say for the next 900 meters I did not take a break so he wouldn't talk to me anymore! Jeepers, I just want to swim!!!

Happy New Year

Well it is 2014! I can't believe it. Yup... turned 39 and rang in a new year last night. Well what I remember of ringing in the new year.. shhhhhhh... It was a rough night but knowing I have to be a good girl for some time well why not go out with a bang! literally...

So here we are day one of January 2014. I sit here and write overwhelmed by what is to come in the next 8 months. Eat sleep and breath training. It is going to be challenging but I got this... I think. I have my village.... or have started to collect my village of people who will train with me, see me weep tears and celebrate with me in my accomplishments. I am sure if you are reading this you are probably one of them. 

I don't think people realize what goes into training and sacrifices you make. Some people look down on me doing it saying it takes away from my family, and yes it will a bit but you make it work. I am committed to making it work. One of the reasons I do this is for Sean. I want him to be active and enjoy the outdoors as much as I do.  We all sacrifice and I couldn't do it without John he is my biggest supporter and fan.

I am starting this blog to share with you my training bloopers, successes and failures. I want you to laugh and experience the journey with me.

Happy New Year. Keep living the dream and achieving your goals. With all my love... Kim
Below is a picture of me and professional triathlete Cait Snow 3 years ago at Timberman. Love her. Local Brockton (south shore girlie). So down to earth and a true inspiration.