Last week was a HARD week…I reached to complete fatigue! Lots of training, lots of emotions, lots of food, lots of exhaustion, lots of naps, lots of laundry, lots of balance…lots of imperfection, lots of lessons learned! Thanks to Coach Kelly for helping me get #trackcatstrong and pulling me out of the “quicksand” right before I sink.
Swim: 13,345 yards
Monday Morning Meters! What a beautiful morning for some #swimloveThursday morning meters!4100 morning meters to start my BIG training Friday!Pool shenanigans after a long Saturday!
Bike: 133 miles
Easy spin on the bike Monday!All the Watts ThursdayI’m in a big build…today (Friday) adversity had me sitting on the side of the road in tears with 10 miles to go. I had lots of thoughts and choices while sitting under the tree. I chose to get back on Mojo and continue to chase my dreams! As Coach Kelly says, “it is supposed to feel like that and that this is what it takes. :)” First solo century is in the books!While the Iron Hippie races Saturday, I do my recovery ride and finish just in time to see him come in off the bike!
Run: 36.4 miles
So happy + #grateful to finally put together a pretty solid long run despite the full sun, warm temps, + high dew point. Mother Nature put up a fight, but I won Wednesday!Thursday’s miles off the bikePut a fork in me! I’m done! Friday’s run off the bike did me in!Sunday’s split long run: AM 10 mile run + PM 8 mile run = most running miles in one day so far this year!Thank you WTForecast for this! With the heat index at 99*F, my split long run on Sunday was exactly as you predicted!My weather app was right! This split long run on Sunday gave me a “Sriracha enema” and it wasn’t pleasant, but it’s done! Bring on the recovery week!
Strength Training: 10 minutes of core strength daily
Weekly Totals: 20 hours & 22 minutes
Weekly Positives:
So much fun to watch dog jumping downtown this July 4th weekend!A much needed massage Wednesday to get everything ready for a BIG training weekend! Thanks Nick at Vitality Massage for keeping me healthy + injury free!So much fun to meet my Coeur Sports teammate, Michelle, Saturday and cheer her on to 1st place AG as she raced in Iowa last weekend!Spectating while the Iron Hippie races himself to a HUGE PR at the Accel Olympic-distance Triathlon! 2nd out of the water in his AG is AMAZING…he learned to swim 8 years ago!Turning social media friends into real friends is so much fun! So glad Jen and I connected in real life!
Quote of the Week:
“There is no perfect time. No perfect opportunity. No perfect situation. No perfect moment. You either make it happen, or you don’t.” ~Melissa Stockwell
With some storms last week, I had to juggle a few things around to get my training in…especially for swimming since it is an outdoor pool that closes with thunder and lightening in the area. If it is important to you, you’ll find a way to make it happen and last week I made it happen!
Swim: 7703 yards
I had to swim short course later in the day a couple of times last week because of morning storms, but was blessed to get to swim long course on Friday morning! Friday morning’s swim was a true testament to how much stronger + faster I am getting in the water! Thank you to Coach Kelly for helping me make these HUGE improvements in the water this year! #trackcatstrong
This is what grateful looks like post swimming Tuesday. It was a full contact kind of swim…good practice for #IMMT in less than 9 weeks!Swimming with my fave was a great way to end my #workforitwednesday!Happy Fri-yay morning!
Bike: 136 miles
First century ride of 2017 is in the books and I set a new PR for 100 miles! Thank you Coach Kelly for helping me to become #trackcatstrong on the bike this year also! 🙂
What a great day for some #bikelove intervals!Easy spin day!My fastest 100 miles ever in the saddle with these two!“Guilty easy ride” to end the week!
Run: 25.3 miles
My longest run of 2017 is also in the books…16 miles! It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t pretty, but I did it and am stronger for it!
Some days you’re the bug and some days you’re the windshield. Today I was the bug. SPLAT!20 minute run off the bike after 100 miles in the saddle…BOOM!Sunday run day was full of hills for breakfast with my favorite girl!
Strength Training: 45 minute + 10 minutes of core daily
Weekly Totals: 16 hours & 59 minutes
Weekly Positives:
Going Ginkgo! My Coeur Sports delivery makes my heart happy! I LOVE this design!Thank you Nick at Vitality Massage for keeping me injury free so I can do what I love!
Quote of the Week:
“If it is important to you, you will find a way.” ~Ryan Blair
Last week was my first full week of summer break and it FLEW by! Here’s a quick look at my week!
Swim: 8093 yards
It has been AWESOME swimming in the 50 meter outdoor pool! I love this pool and am so lucky to get to swim in it all summer!
Jumping back into my happy place!Thank you SBR Sports Inc for allowing me to enjoy some morning chlorine therapy and leave the chlorine at the pool!When you finish your swim MUCH stronger + faster than you started, you experience major #swimlove
Bike: 90.5 miles
I had a couple of trainer rides, but also got to spend 70 glorious miles outdoors on two wheels with very little wind on Friday! It was SO AWESOME!
An easy ride to test the legs post race with some Ironman Tri motivation on the wall. “Anything is possible!”While it may not look like it, I LOVED this ride getting to push it again!Major #bikelove on the trails today with very little wind for 70 miles!!
Run: 25.5 miles
With a few shorter runs throughout the week, I had a split long run on Sunday that I was so excited about…I crushed my goal pace and and averaged a sub 8:30 minute/mile pace for 14 total miles!
That was a hot, humid, and windy run! I think I’ll just lay here for a while to cool down!Jumping for joy because the heat index is much lower today and my run was amazing as a result!Morning miles with my favorite girl!Morning Run split on Sunday with the afternoon one being even faster on the exact same route!So giddy with today’s split run! 2×7 miles at sub 8:30 minute/mile pace left a HUGE smile on my face for run #2 today as I crushed my goal!!
Strength Training: 45 minute + 10 minutes of core daily
Weekly Totals: 14 hours & 12 minutes
Weekly Positives:
Post race massage on Monday was not nearly as painful as my massages typically are. Thanks Nick!
Our twin nieces came and stayed with us for a couple of nights! We had so much fun and didn’t even get it all documented!
Meeting my mother in the middle of no where Iowa to pick up the twins for a couple of nights!Helping to make dinner!Cleaning all the fruit!Playing games!Helping to prepare breakfast!Visiting Iowa State University’s campusVisiting Iowa State University’s campusEating Tropical Snow
Quote of the Week:
“Extremes are easy. Strive for balance.” ~Colin Wright
Last week had a theme of “just one more” and was the last week of school with students for the year! Hello summer!
Swim: 6100 yards
Wednesday’s swim = BOOM! I nailed it!
“Just one more” was the theme of this swim and it resulted in a few fist bumps and a little happy dance in the water at the end!
Thursday’s endurance swim was full of quiet + happy!
Rounding out the last day of the school year with students with some #swimlove + quiet time!
Bike: 130 miles
Last week started with a RIDICULOUSLY windy, long, solo bike ride (after doing something very similar the day before, it was tough physically, but even more tough mentally. With sustained winds over 20 mph and gusts close to 30 mph, this was a HUGE confidence builder! Just one more…mile!
Hello wind! Thanks for making my workout so challenging!“This is HUGE! Congrats. A back to back 4 hour ride is a great prep session for the Ironman build up. I’m so happy it went well and glad you do not back down in the face of adversity. You’ve evolved a lot as an athlete this year. I’m proud of you today. Good work.” ~Coach Kelly
Since I only had to work until noon on Friday, I rode my 2nd longer bike ride of the week Friday afternoon. It was a great day to be outside on two wheels!
60 miles of quiet time with Mojo, Mother Nature, and a few random strangers who wanted to chat while riding on the trail or needed help. #midwesthospitality #bikelove
Run: 29.3 miles
Last week also started with a tough run off the bike. The wind was brutal!
The run off the bike was just as tough thanks to the wind!
Wednesday started with another long run before work! I’m really lovin’ the long run mid week!
13+ morning miles! So grateful to have my favorite girl with me for the first 7 miles!
Saturday was a short EASY run! Hot + humid = Midwest summer is here!
Heat + humidity = race acclimating! Hello summer!
Sunday I had a double run day…this was a first for me! Until now, I’ve never done a longer run that was split into a morning run and an afternoon run. I ran in the morning with my main squeeze, and then ran in the heat of the day. Hello summer! Our morning run = hot + humid! My afternoon run was very hot, but the humidity had dropped and thankfully didn’t feel nearly as oppressive as the morning run especially since I had intervals during this run…just one more!
What a warm + HUMID morning run!92F afternoon run = good race day acclimatization!
I started the week with a TOUGH brick (thank you Mother Nature) and was so happy to have that workout done! #trackcatstrong
I’m SO glad my back to back long bricks are done! All that wind made it VERY challenging!!
The kids are done with school and I only have one day left! Summer is ALMOST here! Whoop! Whoop! One of my students made our girls some homemade rope toys as a “thank you” and they LOVE them!
Mya loves her homemade rope toy that one of my students made her!Basil also loves her homemade rope toy that one of my students made her!
I had a massage between my two runs on Sunday! Thanks to Nick at Vitality Massage for taking such good care of us!
Pre-race massage between my Sunday runs. Thanks Nick for taking such good care of us!Enjoying a quiet outdoor lunch while Tim got his massage!
Quote of the Week:Â
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” ~Thomas A. Edison
Last week was the last FULL week of school! We still have a few crazy days of school left, but this school year has no more full weeks left in it! Wahoo!
Swim: 10,700 yards
I got a LOT of #swimlove in last week!
Trying to find my mojo again!Washing away the self doubt one stroke at a time!#chlorinetherapy with my fave! Thanks SBR Sports Inc for helping us leave the chlorine at the pool!#swimlove is the pefect way to round out the work week!
Bike: 79.6 miles
With a longer, outdoor bike ride last Sunday, I also got #bikelove in last week! Hello two wheels, the open roads, fresh air, LOTS of wind, time with my fave, and sunshine! I’m excited to say that I dominated another long WINDY ride again today…two 70 mile bike rides in 2 days with ridiculous winds will definitely make you stronger!
Soaking up some vitamin D during my recovery ride Thursday!Sunday was a windy day on 2 wheels, but any day with my fave, Mojo, and the open roads is a great day! Lucky for me I get to do it all over again tomorrow!
Run: 19.8 miles
I LOVE that my long run has been moved to the middle of the week instead of the weekend! I feel more fresh and less fatigued by having the long ride + long run on back to back days on the weekend. I had a few other runs, including off the bike on Sunday!
13.5 miles with my fave is the perfect start to the day on Wednesday!Morning miles with my girl on Friday!Run off the bike Sunday didn’t go as well as I’d hoped, but I added hay to the barn
Strength Training: 45 minutes + 10 minutes of core daily
I’ve been asked to do a post on some 10 minute core ideas that I do each day. I promise it is coming and in the works! Be looking for this post in the next couple of weeks when I’m out of school!
Weekly Totals: 13 hours & 42 minutes
Weekly Positives:Â
Last week we got back into a more “normal” routine at home, and Basil’s typical behaviors, such as walking across the coffee table, have returned!
Basil rules the roost now that the visiting dogs have gone home.
Because my long run has been moved to the middle of the week, I get to find creative ways to wear my compression tights to work for proper recovery!
Compression tights are a must after long runs, so I decided to pair them with a dress for work.
It was a massage week also! Thanks to Nick at Vitality Massage for keeping me healthy and ready to tackle another tough workout!
It always feels better afterwards! #recoveryisimportant
Mother Nature forced us to switch some days around on the weekend, so Saturday was full of prepping for 2 long back to back outdoor rides on Sunday and today as well as taking a rest day. I took full advantage of this and after going to breakfast with my fave, I incorporated a 2+ hour nap into my schedule! When it says “rest” on the schedule, I take it to heart and do exactly what it says! 😉
There was so much fog on Saturday morning that we couldn’t even see the house across the street!#saltyballs are prepped and ready for some long outdoor rides the next two days of this 3 day weekend!
Quote of the Week:Â
“That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.” ~Friedrich Nietzsche (and my mama!)
Last week was full of fun, but there was also some pain involved!
Swim: 11,200 yards
I had 4 swims last week, making this week my largest swim week in 2017! I’m still working on my flip turns, but have a LONG way to go for consistent results…sometimes I push off the wall, sometimes I miss, and I’m almost always off center and rotated when I flip! I’m not going to give up though…just keep swimming + practicing!
Soaring into the new week with 3800 yards of #swimlove on this #motivationalmondayStarting #workforitwednesday off with a splash!Friday night #swimlove is my fave!Finishing off the week with 3600 yards of #swimlove and staring at this line!
Bike: 104 miles
I gained a LOT of self confidence last week on the bike! On Tuesday morning, I had some intervals that pushed me WAY out of my comfort zone…since I am pushing higher watts at my FTP, I have to work SO MUCH HARDER! It will definitely be worth it on race day! Saturday’s long solo ride, was my first ever long solo ride. I was nervous about going out by myself on the open roads, but I chose safe roads, and had a great ride despite my stomach acting up! I synced my phone up with the Iron Hippie’s phone before I left, so he was tracking my every move…safety first!
Overcoming self doubt + working WAY out of my comfort zone = HUGE confidence booster on this #timetrialtuesdaySome #bikelove on this #workforitwednesdayFirst long solo ride on Saturday! HUGE confidence builder!What goes down, must come up!
Run: 23.1 miles
Last week the temperatures started to feel more like late spring, early summer here in central Iowa. This made for some heat acclimation this week! Little by little, I will acclimate to the hot, humid summers that engulf us here in the Midwest!
Oh…and a smokin’ fast brick run with the sunrise Tuesday morning made me giddy!Hill repeats with the sunrise is a perfect way to start the day! #rememberingTRJBrick run to follow Saturday’s long ride!Sunday run day! #courageovercomfort
I had good variety in my strength training this last week. Tuesday’s strength session left me with some DOMS that stuck around longer than normal, but Nick with Vitality Massage got me back on track just in time for the weekend’s longer workouts!
Weekly Totals: 16 hours & 17 minutes
Weekly Positives:
I decided to throw my comfort to the wind this weekend and run in just a sports bra and shorts. This is a HUGE step for me as I am very self conscious, but am working to become more self confident!
Nick worked all the kinks out of my legs Friday night and then I headed to the pool to see if some active recovery would help me bounce back from my massage quicker.
Working out the kinks!
We have two of our favorite fur friends staying with us this week, which means 4 big dogs with LOTS of lovin’!!
Puppy play time!
I love my evening snuggles with Basil! She is so calming and relaxing!
Last week was an easy week in preparation for my 1/2 marathon on Saturday.
Swim: 4950 yards
I had 2 swims last week where I spent some time working on my flip turns. They are far more complicated than I think they should be! My goal is to get them mostly under control this month so I can use them more frequently when we get outside in the 50 meter pool!
Going in for the flip…and I missed the wall. Guess I have more practicing to do!Flippin’ Friday night!
Bike: 27.1 miles
I had some good bike rides last week, but nothing with a lot of intensity as I was preparing for the Drake 1/2 Marathon on Saturday. I even had a scheduled run off the bike this week! First brick of the season! 🙂
Why the big grin?! 15 minutes of Z3 work today was above my threshold watts going into Ironman Wisconsin 7 months ago and it felt easy!! Thanks to Coach Kelly for helping me get stronger on the bike this year!!#workforitwednesday + #bikelove with my fave!First scheduled brick of the season done and dusted!!
Run: 15.9 miles
I had a short run off the bike on Thursday to shake out the legs before Saturday’s race. My race didn’t go quite as planned, but I’m still very happy with my official finish time of 1:51:43 on a VERY hilly course! Lesson learned: I think my pre-race massage on Wednesday was too close to my race. My legs felt like lead…even during my shake out run for about 10 minutes on my way to the race start. Unfortunately that lead feeling didn’t go away once the race started. I started off at a pace that I wanted to maintain for the entire race, but at about mile 6, the wheels fell off. I kept talking out loud to my legs hoping they would start to feel light as feathers, but they just wouldn’t listen to all the self talk in the world! I kept pushing as hard as I could throughout the entire race and finished about 3 minutes faster than last year…positive! The rain also held off until after we were done…another positive! While it wasn’t the race I was hoping for, there are still positives and lessons learned for the future. I have already scheduled my pre-race massage for my 70.3 a full week out from the race…lesson learned! 😉
Not quite the race I was hoping for, but I pushed as hard as I could all the way through! Grateful the rain held off until after I finished! Another Drake 1/2 is in the books!
I had a couple of good strength training sessions this week. I really want to get back to yoga, but my left knee is still deeply bruised from my fall a couple of weeks ago. It isn’t ready for me to kneel on it yet!
Weekly Totals: 7 hours & 4 minutes
Weekly Positives:
We had some special deliveries this week from Sound Probiotics and Barnana…SO awesome to have these amazing sponsors supporting us this year!
Special delivery from Sound Probiotics to keep our guts healthy!Someone is eyeing all of our Barnana goodness that arrived this week!
I had a pre-race massage this week and Nick really worked out some tension from my tight muscles! While it was a little too close to my race, it was a lesson learned and I’ve scheduled my next pre-race massage to hopefully avoid the same outcome!
I ended the week with puppy snuggles with my favorite girl! She makes the best pillow!
Sunday snuggles with my girl!
Quote of the Week:
“Never regret anything that has happened in your life, it cannot be changed, undone, or forgotten. So take it as a lesson learned and move on.” ~Author Unknown
