Monday, August 25, 2014

August 25 - August 31

Monday - 6 miles

Yay!  6 miles.  My goal was to get to 6 by this week.  Good run.  Had to walk a little on the Mildred hills.  Took me a little longer than I hoped, but still made it.  Beautiful morning.  Perfect weather!

Tuesday - Rest

Wednesday - Swam 1 hour

The pool was busy--most of us had to share lanes for the first 1/2 hour.  It was a tough workout...pretty intense.  I was actually sore afterwards.  It was great to push myself too.  Also played street hockey at night--last night.  :(

Thursday - Yoga 1/2 hour

I wanted to go to Centergy, but with swimming yesterday, the school picnic, and hockey--it was a full day.  I slept the extra hour and did another yoga video on You Tube.  It actually felt really good to stretch my sore muscles.

Friday - Ran 3 miles and Group Power

Rob was gone all day with the kids. I ran 3 miles around 4 PM.  It was a really good run--maintained a good speed.  Then I went to 5 PM Group Power.  There was a very low turnout like 15 people.  It was an intense workout and I did almost all the push ups on my toes.  The biceps and shoulder track killed me again.  I was so glad I went.

Saturday - Stationary Bike - 42 minutes

I didn't bike outside because it was really rainy and I didn't want to get up early for Ride.  So I did the stationary bike at Level 4 and did rolling hills.  It was hard, but I got a great workout in.

Sunday - Ran 3 miles

I got in 3 miles before church.  Perfect cool running weather.  The mornings are so great this time of year for running.  Lots of people out too.  I did the Sumpter Park route.

Monday, August 18, 2014

August 18 - 24

Monday - Ran 5 miles

New day.  New week.  Doing better today.  Saw two other wonderful friends today I have not been able to hang out with since earlier in the summer.  So incredibly refreshing to be with them.  More at peace.  Rob & I both had very bad insomnia last night.  We both fell asleep around 11:45 and I slept until around 12:30ish and woke up to Rob tossing and turning.  When he can't sleep he is all over the bed and extremely restless--he felt bad and went to the couch so I could sleep.  But I couldn't sleep.  We should have stayed up and watched movies since we were both so awake.  I finally caved and took a Unisom at 1:30 AM hoping I wouldn't wake up overly groggy.  I didn't fall asleep until after 2:15.  Woke up to the cat meowing--turns out she had no water.  I ended up locking her up in the laundry room around 4:30 AM.  Finally slept uninterrupted until 7 and then slept another hour until 8.  Crappy, crappy night.  Some of it was anxiety--I couldn't get my mind to stop racing.  Some of it might have been I took a longer nap later in the afternoon and that screws up my sleep. Rob is still not all the way better and coughing and congested.  I got it mildly.  I've had a scratchy throat at night and very mild cough. Thankfully I was not too groggy in the morning--I had an extra cup of coffee and that helped.

There was no way I was going to get up and run but I was able to do an evening run at 7:30.  It was hot but not unbearable.  I went through a whole little bottle of Gatorade.  I did five miles.  Good run.  Hopefully good sleep.  I hate Unisom and sleeping pills in general.  Most of the time I sleep wonderfully and have not had the insomnia I struggled with as a kid and then had here and there in high school and college and when we lived in the Fruitport house.

Tuesday - Track Workout at Wendy Kroger Park--intervals and about 3 miles total

We both slept last night.  It was just hard to get up because we were so tired from losing all that sleep the night before. So I didn't run in the early morning.   I was busy all morning with a dentist appointment, swim lessons for the kids, and watching my friend's kids for two hours.  I wanted to take the kids to the track because they need to run too if they are going to race next month.  I knew more than likely the track would be in use with soccer tryouts or football or both.  I kept putting it off.  Rob said he wanted to go to karate and suggested I take the kids running at the park.  The path at Wendy Kroger is 0.17 miles so six laps is a little over a mile.  Derek & Kara ran three laps and Hailey ran six without stopping.  She's doing better.  I modified the track workout from the triathlon club for this week by cutting it in half and then tailoring it to Wendy Kroger's path versus the track.  It worked out really well.  I got a good workout in.  I did 6 lap warm up, 3 laps with 1 lap recovery. 2 laps with 1 lap recovery, 2 x 1 laps with 1 lap recovery, 3 x 1/2 laps with 3 1/2 lap recovery, and then 3 laps cool down which equals just under 4 miles.  Not bad.  The kids ran, rode their bikes around the loop, rode their bikes on the trail, and played on the playground.  It was perfect.

Wednesday - Swam 1 hour

Nice to be back in the pool with the girls.  We were all there.  We did a workout they call "Oreo" where you do steady, fast, steady and then repeat it again with the pull buoy.  I tried to focus on speed with the the fast tracks.  It was really good.

Thursday - Ride

I wanted to go to Centergy in the morning.  I decided I am going to make Centergy more of a priority until after Christmas and try to go to Power Wednesday or Friday afternoons or Saturday mornings instead of Power.  If there are weeks I can't go then--I just won't be able to do Power.  I really wish they weren't offered at the same--it stinks.  This week I can't go to Power on Friday or Saturday because we have too many other things going on and I'm back to doing child care on Fridays.  :(  However during the night the cat was making all kind of ruckus because she somehow got locked in the girls's room so at 2:30 AM she was so loud scratching the door and meowing.  After I figured out what the noise was, I got her out.  Then I was awake for like well over an hour.  So I slept in until 8 instead of getting up.  I hate insomnia.

Our schedule worked out that I could go to Group Ride at 5:30 PM.  I have not been to Ride in months.  I really really enjoyed it.  I know the inside cycling is going to help me so much with the outside.  I really pushed myself and kept my gears high.  I learned about better form with biking and how to keep my shoulders more relaxed.

Friday - Yoga 40 minutes

Since I couldn't make Centergy this week, I opted to do 40 minute yoga video instead.  Wow my legs are so tight--it hurt in some spots.  The flexibility training was good and a great way to start the day.

Saturday - Rest

Sunday - Ran 3 miles

It didn't feel hot out when I started, but it was hot.  Dry cleaners said 86 and Insurance Co said 93.  Probably high 80's.  Felt really thirsty and too warm.  Glad I only did a short run today!

Thursday, August 14, 2014

August 11 - 17

Monday - Half hour open water swim

We spent a good part of the day in Bend & Sisters.  It was SO hot in Sisters--felt like high 90's.  We got back to our campsite around 6 PM and went right to the lake.  It was pretty dead compared to Sunday when it was jam packed.  The kids were very content to play & swim (the water is pretty cold so they played by the shore most of the time).  I was able to do an open water swim which was amazing!  Suttle Lake is much clearer than the reservoir and VB's lake.  Reminded me more of Hagg Lake. Very little lake weed too--I was so happy I was able to get a swim in.

Tuesday - 40 minute run on the beach

We got to Lincoln City early afternoon.  I went running around 4.  It was in the 60's but warm enough to run in shorts and t-shirts.  No rain, but pretty cloudy.  Love running on the beach!  Always feel like I'm in my element.

Wednesday - 50 minute run on the beach

Ran around 5 PM and went the opposite way towards Newport.  A little bit easier as they weren't many streams to jump over.  And less crowded because I was going away from the city and the big resorts.  It was very very foggy--could hardly see a quarter mile ahead.  No rain though and still a great run.

Thursday - Bush Park Race--5K--around 26 minutes

My friend's son who was in my kid's running club was doing the mile run.  I wanted to go see him and then do the 5K afterwards.  The kids were staying home with Rob as they were pretty tired from the trip.  Starting the 5K I didn't feel as good as normal--dry throat and fatigued.  The air felt so humid to me even though I don't think it's overly humid.  It's only in the mid 70's so not extremely hot.  Once I was about seven minutes in the race, I felt better.  I found a pack to run in which was mostly high school cross country girls.  I always get passed on the downhill as it's not strength.  In the last mile the lady in my age category that kept trying to pass me walked so I stayed ahead of her the rest of the race.  I felt really good because some of the girls were slowing down and walking and I was able to hold my pace.  I finished around 26.  I usually am around 24 or 25--but this course is mostly grass and trail with some big hills.  I stuck around because I thought I placed.  Turns out I got second in my age group!  There are so many elite runners at this race I never come to close to placing--was excited that I did this time.

Friday - Power

I went to 5 PM Power and I love the instructor.  She pushes us hard and it's so good.  Except I am so incredibly sore today.  Back, triceps, biceps, legs.  I pushed it pretty hard.  The shoulders track was by far the hardest.  Struggled on triceps and biceps as well.  It was really good though.

Rob is getting over being sick.  Super congested and fever.  Kara had it so mildly for only a day.  It hardly affected her energy level or her sleep.  He got hit hard.  Curious if anyone else is doomed or if it's isolated.  We've not had a pass around sickness in a very very long time.  My throat is mildly sore right now, but I have had on and off allergies basically all summer.

Saturday - Rest

Sunday - Approx. 40 minute bike ride

Yesterday was a very cruddy day and I can't really go into details why--except that it had nothing to do with the kids or our church or our families or Rob--just an isolated event.  We're slowly dealing with it.  I am thankful for my awesome summer friend who was there at the right time by God's grace and sent me an encouraging e-mail this afternoon.  I just NEEDED to get out the house and think and I think best when I'm in motion.  So I biked at Minto Brown.  I hadn't ridden my bike since the triathlon.  It helped a lot.  It was a good ride.

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

August 4 - 10

Monday:  Ran 3 miles

I slept really good and felt very awake at 6:30 AM.  I just did a simple three mile run, but it was nice to be out there.  It felt great.

Tuesday:  Track workout:  1 mile warm up, 800, 600, 400 with 400 recovery, 800 cool down

I did the triathlon club workout of the week--I just cut it in half.  I was hoping to get to the track by 6, but it was more like 6:30.  At least I got there. There was another group running.  They were not elite runners--I think it was a walking group because they didn't run very much.  The problem was they didn't follow the track etiquette.  It's my understanding Lane 1 & 2 are for fast runners and the rest for slow runner and walkers. That's the way it is when the tri club practices. They wouldn't move over for me at all.  It wasn't that big of a deal, but I had to maneuver around them all the time and keep changing lanes.

Wednesday:  Centergy

I was able to go to day centergy because Rob is off this week.  My friend Karen was there too because she's on a 21 day membership.  It felt so incredibly good to stretch.  The ab workout was good too.  The room just feels so hot to me.  I sweat almost as much as in Power and it's not as intense of a workout.

Thursday:  Power

Alarm went off and I was going to back to sleep.  I was awake and knew it would be awhile before I'd fall back asleep if I ever did.  So I made it to Power and it was great to be there.  I pushed myself and kept my weight around the same it was when I went two weeks ago.

Friday:  Swam half hour

I did a plan off swim plan.  It was so much lighter than the last one.  I almost needed more of a workout.  I'm sore from Power and tired today so I didn't push myself too hard.  I also worked on breaststroke a little bit.  I had been informally practicing in the pool when we take kids swimming.

Saturday - Rest

 Sunday - 3.9 mile hike

We were in Suttle Lake and the kids wanted to do the hike around the lake.  It's relatively flat--just a few ups and downs.  We said we'd go one quarter of it and decide to either turn back thus doing half or keep going and complete it.  The kids were doing really well.  Kara actually hiked the best and complained very little "when she could be the leader" and set the pace.  I was wearing my Nikes, but for some reason my left little toe hurt almost like it was blistering.  It hurt and was forced me to go slow at the end.  Still a great hike though.  I love Suttle Lake!

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Goal for next week...

The past week I have felt like singing Bruno Mar's lazy song--"Today I don't feel like doing anything--"  What turned into a week off became two weeks off.  I got a lot done around the house.  I played street hockey, gardened, rafted on the Deschutes for six hours, took the kids swimming almost every single day.  In terms of exercise--just didn't have it in me.  I didn't run with Rob.  I took the kids to the track and watched them run and timed them--but didn't run myself.  I just didn't want to.  Rob said not to feel guilty because I am not training for anything and rest is really good.  My moods have been up and down roller coaster like and I think exercise or lack thereof affects it.

Next week I hope to get back into it again.  Even though the following week we're on vacation--I can still run and maybe even do a swim in Suttle Lake.  My goal for this coming week is:

Monday:  Run at the track
Tuesday:  Run in the neighborhood
Wednesday:  Swim with triathletes
Thursday:  Centergy
Friday:  Group Power
Saturday:  Long Run

I am not going to focus on biking much until this winter.  Once school starts I might try to go to Group Ride once a week and increase that to twice a week after Christmas.  Until then I am going to try to get to Centergy once a week--I might not have time for it after Christmas once I go to Ride more often.