Three thing Thursday- Muffins, Skirts and plans

1. Oh no it’s happening! You know that thing that happens when your training is cut back but your eating doesn’t? Yep the pounds are starting to creep on. Every day it seems my jeans are a little snugger, is that a word? This morning found me doing that little dance to get them on. The muffin top is not my friend. It won’t be long before I’m digging for bigger jeans in the bottom of the drawer. Something must be done and it must be done now. So first things first the decision on how to track what I’m eating. There are tons of different places to count calories. I’ve decided to use Calorie Count. They all work pretty much the same. One of the fun things about this site is that you can paste your recipes into it and it will figure the calorie count. It also grades different foods and lets you know what nutrients you are short on and what you are eating too much of. While I only pay limited attention to this it is kind of fun to see. So PLEASE tell me I’m not the only one that has this problem. Are you lucky enough to have your appetite adjust to your lack of exercise? How do you get back in the swing of watching what you eat and stopping yourself from the snacking that has become a part of your life?

2. This weekend is the Skirt Chaser 5k! I’m excited about this. It is going to be so great to see all of these women cross the finish line many of them for the first time. I can’t wait! It also sounds like the band that is playing after the race will be lots of fun. “That Eighties Band” I love me some 80’s music! So who’s going to be there? Anyone? I know that Beth from SUAR will be out there, several other people have said they might run also. By the way if you haven't seen Beth modeling some of the Skirt Sports clothes (go check out the Deal of the Day sales this week too!) make sure you see it! It’s going to be toasty out there Saturday as the temps are suppose to be in the 80’s and the race starts at 3 but that will make the beer taste just that much better right?

3. So let’s talk training plans... where does yours come from? Do you have a coach? Do you make up your own, or do you use one from some other source? This year I used a training plan from Beginner Triathlete for my 70.3 and for the ½ marathon I’m training for now (and in the past) I’m following a plan from the Smart Coach over at Runners World. Both of these have been pretty good I think. I really like the plans from Smart Coach. They incorporate your paces, include speed work and give you an estimated finish time for you race. So far they have been very close on all my races. If this one works as well I hope to get under 2:30 for my ½ marathon in November, which I understand is not all that fast but considering my first one was just barley under 3 hours it’s making progress and actually when I look at the pace it seems a little unreachable but I'm going to give it all I got.

Three thing Thursday – It’s all about running...

1.New shoes!!! Yea! I went to a new running store that of course, put me through their whole process of analyzing my gait, fitting me for insoles (which I didn’t buy), giving me socks to use for trying on and selling me on their $20 VIP program. All in all I thought they did an ok job although I thought that they should have one person take you through the whole process and then they should pay a little more attention to you. They guy who brought me shoes thought that he could handle 4 people at once. Not so much. I did take an especially long time trying to decide between the Saucony that I have been wearing and the Asics which felt really good too. In the end I decided to give the Asics a try. With the VIP Program (that I did purchase) you get 90 days to wear them and decide if you like them. So if they don’t work I will go back and get the others. They were both purty ..... :) What kind of shoes do you like?

2. Kick Start meeting this week. Very inspiring to see that all of the women were still participating and doing great! We started out with a 3 mile run/walk. They fed us and then it was time for inspiration! Nicole DeBoom (Ironman champion and Skirt Chaser founder) talked to us a little as well as Isabel the coach/leader of this group but mostly it was us, the motivators and the racers. Fun to hear how well they all have been doing. Some have had to adjust plans but all in all everyone was feeling so confidant and empowered. It was during this meeting, while talking about what would come after that one of the racers behind me said with a laugh “you mean we have to keep doing this?” I turned around to her and said “no you GET to keep doing this!” Skirt Sports gave all of the racers new outfits to wear. As motivators we also got tech shirts. And we all got really cool bags. Not sure if they are giving out the bags to all of the Skirt Chaser (the 5k we will all be running on the 1st) participants or if it was just for the Kick Start group. Another really cool thing that happened was many of the motivators belong to a women’s running group called Colorado Columbines and to help keep everyone running they gave us all a free 1 years membership. So I'm excited to check that out all though many of their runs are not real close to me.

3.No biking*, no swimming it’s all running right now... I have been getting some strength training in, and my son is chomping at the bit to “train” me again. I really really want to get out on my bike this weekend. I’m missing riding something terrible! Things just seem to have been busy and then when I have had the time there was some other issue stopping me, sometimes just laziness. The swimming...well I just don’t see a lot of that happening until they open my pool again. And truth be told it’s pretty much my pattern to stop swimming for a few months, I would prefer it not be though....I know then don’t let it be right?

Edited to say I WENT FOR A RIDE! It was so beautiful on my way home tonight I just couldn't stand it. I was actually suppose to run but decided I would ride instead...just means I'll have to run 3 days in a row. :)

World Gratitude Day

Today is World Gratitude Day so I got to thinking about just what I’m grateful for today and lucky for you guys you get to read about it...

I’m grateful for...(in no particular order)

All of you who take time to read and share with me
My desk heater
My boys, they are really awesome!
That I have a job
Beans-or really any kind of Mexican food
Outlook reminders
The love and support of my parents
Coffee
The fact that I GET to do this (swim/bike/run... some people say they HAVE to)
Sunflower market
The ability to laugh at myself.....most of the time
My good health
My friends new and old
Online banking
A FANTASTIC summer!
Chocolate in any form

And many, many more things but I’ll stop here.

So tell me...what are you grateful for?

So why haven’t you volunteered yet?

I know I’ve talked about volunteering before but I just want to tell you again how important I think it is that everyone volunteer at a race once in awhile. I try to do at least one a year. Sometimes there are perks such as a free race entry or the swag bag and a t-shirt and sometimes not. But the most important part is it gives you a new perspective as well as some insights into why things are done the way they are and why they are important. It can also remind you of why it is you do this.

This weekend I volunteered at the Crescent Moon Tri. This is a very beginner friendly tri, in fact I believe I heard that they had a record number of 1st timers this year. I worked a variety of jobs which is kind of unusual. Most times you volunteer for one spot and that’s what you do the entire time. However as I stated before the RD was lacking some help. I started in packet pickup. I then moved briefly to body marking, that was kind of fun. You get the chance to interact a little more with the athletes. From there I went to back up timing, (I don’t know about all races but I would assume most, have a machine that you enter bib numbers in as the athlete crosses the line it then prints the number and the time on a roll of paper like a 10 key) at the swim in-run out and then finally when I went to find out about getting a lunch ticket, the RD was the only one there and seemed a little busy so I ended up helping out at the finish line taking off some timing chips and adding water to the ice.

So what came out of the day?

I was reminded that no matter what you should have confidence in yourself and be yourself. This from the lady who arrived in transition with the biggest reddest bike I have ever seen and was already dressed in her wetsuit despite the fact that she still had probably an hour before her swim wave. She also arrived in transition after the swim unable to remove her wetsuit and asking for help. Yet never did I see her confidence waver or her belief in herself diminish.

Everyone can be a hero? As I watched one man being cheered on by his wife and 3 children. I could see in their faces that they were so proud, awed and inspired by him.

Damn...some of those people are fast!

Everyone is new once, and even if you’re not new you sometimes make newbie mistakes. There were many, many people who wore their race numbers during the swim. Quite a few people who were not body marked, and 4 people we stopped from running out of T2 with their helmets still on.

Race numbers, both marking and bibs are important for the backup timing. If we can’t see your number, we can’t record it.

It’s always fun to cheer for your friends and make some new ones.

It can be overwhelming to do something you never thought you could. This from the girl who was sobbing at the finish line with happiness.

So I ask you

Why haven’t you volunteered yet? Chances are you will get more out of it then you could ever imagined.

Three Thing Thursday ...little of this, little of that

Seems three things is all I've got recently!

1. Now that Josh, my oldest son has been working out with the Marine poolies every week he is becoming well versed in different ways to torture a person, or at least his mother. When I mentioned last night that I need to do some strength training he said oh yea and promptly went out to the garage and got things set up. He was even good enough to get my water for me, and then for about 40 minutes he proceeded to kick my butt with jumping jacks, sit ups, pushups (oh god the pushups!) curls, high knees, mountain climbers and I don’t know what else. Every time I would say I can’t, he would yell, ok not quite yell, “yes you can! Do it!” It was a good workout.

2. Zumba! Yes I did Zumba this evening! They were offering a free class so "my racer" and I went. It was kind of fun, but very hard, just as I would figure out a step it would change. I'm not sure if it's something I would want to do again or not. I may give it a try, I have a feeling that after getting to know the moves it could be much more fun.

3. I’ll be volunteering out at a small sprint tri this weekend. The Crescent Moon. I would much rather be racing it but this is the next best thing and I’ll have the chance to cheer on some friends. I’m excited about it. I really do enjoy being able to help out and it was funny when I called, pretty much last minute today, she was so relieved. She told me she was just worrying about what she was going to do. I will be doing packet pick up and then moving over to backup timing in transition. Make sure to say hi if you’re out there!

Thursday Three--- Hill YEA!

1. This has been the week of hills. I rode this past weekend with Kathleen again, as she continues to train for IMAZ. We spent the first 2 hours just riding around Chatfield Reservoir. And then we decided to climb up Deer Creek Canyon

Over 2000' climbed much of it in one 5 mile stretch. It just kept going up and up. Unlike other climbs I've done it never seemed to have those stretches that leveled out it just kept going up! I finally gave up and told Kathleen I was going to have to turn around, we really had no idea where we were headed nor did we have a destination in mind, so we headed back down and froze! The weather has taken a turn toward fall in the last week. We then finished up the 4 hours on a little flatter ground and finished the ride with 50 miles. We will go back and try to go farther up.

2. I'm going to start to incorporated some more hill work in my runs too. As I've mentioned I'm a little nervous about the Rugged Maniac coming up. The run sounds like it will be very hilly (as if the obstacles won't be enough!) So this was my 4 mile run yesterday.

This is my neighborhood. Plenty of hills to run. It went amazingly well. Not fast but steady. I ran the whole thing without having to walk any of the hills. I've learned the key is to not look up to the top of the hill, only look a few feet in front of you and you can't really tell you are going up hill. :)

3. I want to wish lots of luck to those of you racing this weekend, especially those of you out there riding the hills at the Harvest Moon long course! I had hoped to make it out to cheer you on but I don't think it's going to happen, but I will be thinking of you!

Three Thing Thursday-New beginnings, new things, New Year....

1. Update on being a Skirt Chaser Kick Start Personal motivator....things are going well! At least I hope they are. I’m impressed with the progress “my” racer has made in the first 3 weeks! We were able to do a total of 2 miles- running for 10 minutes and then walking for a bit and running again. We would have gone a 3rd time but the rain came in and along with that lightning. We felt it best not to continue to run around the lake. It’s been fun to be reminded of the feelings that I experienced when I was first starting. The pride and confidence that you gain each time you go a little further or push a little harder then you thought you could. She is doing a great job at being consistent in getting out and that is the key I think. Now, because of course I need a skirt to wear for the race on October 1st. I ordered one to match the top that I purchased at the Boulder 70.3 expo.

Skirt Sport Cover Girl Skirt

It came yesterday and after the UPS guy rang the bell I seriously ran upstairs to try it on I was so excited! LOVE IT!

So if you were going to encourage someone to start and keep running how would you do it? What would you tell them? Any words of wisdom or quotes to share?

2. New tires and tubes!!!!! This should take care of the flat issue! I went with a thorn resistant tube this time around...wow those suckers are thick. I can’t wait to get out and ride! I did just a short test run and I could tell that the new tires have a completely different feel! NIICCCCEEE!!!


3. Are you planning your 2012 season already? I just realized yesterday that I signed up for the Boulder series for this year in October of last year. Which means if I have plans of giving it another go next year I will have to be making that decision soon. In past years it has been almost as cheap to sign up for the whole series as is it was to do the 70.3 only. Not sure that I want to face that $%#%$#%# hill again in the Boulder Peak, that scares me far more than doing the 70.3 again. :)