December Goals

I know we still have some days left in November, but I'm ignoring those.  I've decided they are going to be rough, let's pretend they don't exist and move on to some December goals.

My friend Erika was tired of hearing me complain graciously made me a customized training plan that starts December 1st.  If I added correctly (I might not have) there is a little over 7 hours on the bike, 33 miles of running, 6500 yds swimming, and 5 cross training days.  I still need to put in some core/strength training, I think.

Here are the goals:

Goal #1-Get in ALL my training sessions.  This is an ambitious goal, considering it's December.  I have family coming to visit, Christmas, and Penelope's birthday.  Plus the kids will be out of school, for what seems like half the month.

Goal #2-Lose 2 pounds.  Again, this is going to be tough. See above reasons and add Christmas baking and wine tasting.  I was going to go with 4 pounds but I figure 2 is realistic.  I might adjust to "don't gain weight" before I finish writing this.

Goal #3-Enjoy the holiday season!!  I can feel myself getting worked up about all the crap that has to be done.  I would like actually enjoy the family time, not spend it running around, doing what we think has to be done.

How am I going to achieve these lofty goals?!?!  Excellent question.

Plan to achieve goal #1

• Have a written schedule for each day.  If I don't have a schedule, I waste the day.  
• Tell my family (I'm pretty certain they don't read my blog) what my training plan is.
• Get new shoes, so I can run without hurting myself.
• STRETCH, so I won't get hurt.

Plan to achieve goal #2

• Wake up knowing what I'm going to eat.  I need to have an idea of what I will eat, each day.  And I need to have that food in the house.
• Tell my family I'm going to be eating healthy, and ask them to support me.  
• Stop eating the kid's leftovers.
• Lay off the grains.  They are my downfall (along with wine).  Once I start eating them, I can't stop.
• Speaking of wine. I'm not sure  I'm sure I'm not ready to give up wine for the month.  See Goal #3.  

Plan to achieve goal #3

• Decide what is important.  We have very few, if any, free weekends in December.  Pnut's surgery is Thursday, so I'm not sure how she's going to feel this weekend.  Then we have her birthday party.  Before you know it, it's December 15th and we have 2 weekends before Christmas.  
• Make a list of "would like to do" and "have to do.  If I get the have to's finished, we can move to the "like to's".

So, that's my December plan.  I have 3 days to get ready.

Week 4

Holy moly, what a crazy week!! We had friends in for Thanksgiving.  Five kids running around like lunatics!!  It was great.

Due to Thanksgiving, and having company (and any other excuse I can think of) my training was a bit lax.   The week started off great and went down hill from there.

Monday- Rode 16.8 miles
Tuesday-Ran 1.5/weights/stretching
Wednesday- Rode 15.5
Thursday- Ran 3
Friday- Nothing
Saturday- Nothing
Sunday-Thought about riding my bike.

I know I've said this 100 times, but I need a plan.  I will seriously get on that this week.

Speaking of this week...I feel like I'm setting myself up for failure.  I had a doctors appointment this morning and I have ART this afternoon.  Pnut is having surgery Thursday and will be home recovering Friday. Add that to the fact that both kids are coming down with something, and I'm getting worked up that I won't have time to do any training.  And I won't, if I don't plan ahead.  Like today, I was awake at 5:45, but I couldn't get out of bed.  At 7:00 I finally forced myself to get up.  That could have been an hour on my bike.  Instead, it was a wasted (all be it warm and comfy) hour.  I'm hoping to get my priorities in order.

Speaking of priorities, I need to make eating better a priority.  I feel like a bloated cow right now.  I ate my weight in cheese and pie over the weekend.  It's hard to feel like doing anything when you have a tummy full of cheese.  This is a rough month for eating right.  Things could easily spiral out of control.

This was me, minus the cleavage.
Actually found this at http://samantharentz.blogspot.co.uk/

Anyone have any tips to avoid starting the New Year, 10 pounds heavier than you were in October?  I'm thinking about starting Bob Harper's The Skinny Rules...again. Apparently reading it isn't enough.

Week 3

This was the best week yet! I know, it's only week 3.  But...I have rekindled my love for my bike.  Strangely enough I have discovered that having the trainer in the garage is awesome.  I thought I would hate it, but I love having the door open and feeling the wind (and sometimes blowing rain). In a few months, I might even get back to riding outside :)

I have been slacking on stretching and weights.  I need to remember that this is the time for that.  Putting in the time now will hopefully save me from injuries later.  Something else missing from my training....swimming.  I don't know what my deal is.  I love swimming, I just can't seem to get to the pool.

I need to come up with a plan and follow it.  I never know what I'm doing each day.  I feel like I'm kind of floundering.

On a side note, yesterday my friend Erika became an Ironman.  I spent the whole day tracking her and checking her husbands Facebook updates.  I was mesmerized.   I got choked up watching her cross the finish like.  I seriously almost cried.  She has inspired me.  One day soon.....


Here's how my week went.

Monday-4 mile run/core/stretching
Tuesday-rest
Wednesday- 24 miles bike
Thursday-14.7 miles bike
Friday-rest
Saturday-3 mile run/stretching
Sunday-12.5 mile bike

Want

My friend Erika is in Arizona getting ready for her first Ironman!!  I am super excited for her.  As I listen to her journey I get a twinge of jealousy.  For as long as I can remember I've wanted to do an Ironman.  I was thinking about this yesterday and it hit me....Wanting doesn't really get you anywhere.

Erika wanted to do an Ironman.  THEN she came up with a plan and trained her ass off for 40 something weeks.  If she stopped at wanting, she'd be back in Seattle with me.  Anyone can want something.  You need action and commitment to actually get it.  Erika made a commitment and took action.  She is an inspiration.

So yesterday, inspired and intent on action, I got on my bike and rode for 90 minutes.  I will not be afraid to go after what I want!!

Week 2

Week 2 was not a great one for training.  I had family in town, both kids had dentist appointments, and Pnut had an appointment with the ENT.  I realize there was time in the days to do all this and still get in my workouts, but I didn't have the energy.  It was one of those weeks where all I could do was get out of bed and do the necessities. I fed the kids, took them to school, made sure they had clean(ish) clothes....I was mentally exhausted.

Here's what I was able to do:

Monday-rest-(I need to stop the planned rest days. Something will always come up where I will have to rest)
Tuesday-2 mile run/weights/stretching
Wednesday-nothing
Thursday-nothing
Friday-nothing
Saturday- 3 mile run/weights/stretching
Sunday- 1 hour bike (15.7 miles)/stretching

I'm not happy with it, but I'm not going to beat myself up over it.  I'm hoping Next week will be better!!

There was a bright spot in the week.  My friend Erika (Who will be an Ironman this time next week) sent me these flowers to cheer me up.  Such a nice and unexpected surprise!!

Week 1

Started at 133 pounds.  Higher than I had been in the last few weeks.  Not sure what that's about.  I'd like to be closer to 125 when I start my training plan. We shall see....

Monday-30 min bike.  Stretching and core work.  Bike felt awesome.  I averaged 18 mph.
Tuesday-2 mile run. Weights/stretching
Wednesday-Ate my weight in Halloween candy

Thursday-See Wednesday :(
Friday-40 min bike-Intervals-5min hard/2 min easy- This was hard but felt good.
Saturday-nothing
Sunday-2 mile run/weights/stretching

Not exactly how I wanted the first week to go, but it's a start.  Hopefully I can get a solid couple weeks in before Thanksgiving.

On to week 2!!