I had been fighting a nasty cold last weekend and it lingered a bit. I was going to go the gym and swim Wednesday morning a little later than normal since I was off work. I decided to sleep instead. I did not sleep well and was still having a difficult time breathing at night. I woke up stuffed up again and not as rested as I would have liked to been. I did not really have the opportunity to exercise later on. I really felt drained by the female related health issues I have been dealing with. Plus I was playing cat and mouse with my doctor and the pharmacy to get my prescription filled before Thanksgiving. All in all the day got better by the afternoon. The female issues are finally getting under control again and I was able to get my prescription in time.
On Thursday Derek and I ran in the Keizer Turkey Dash--his third year running it and my fourth. I really did not run with him this fall as much as I would have liked. It has been really difficult working until 5 and then trying to run with him in the evenings. He is pretty active and could run 2 miles straight without stopping in October so I knew he would do fine. Still I wish I could have done some more runs with him. The weather was supposed to be terrible--lots of rain and wind. He did not have much running gear for rain. His shoes actually broke a few days ago. On Tuesday night I managed to get him a good pair of running shoes for a decent price. On Wednesday I was able to get him a long sleeve running shirt and polyester sweatshirt. The air temperature was in the 40's so I knew he would be OK. He wore a t-shirt, long sleeve shirt, sweatshirt, and his race t-shirt plus a hat and mittens. I just remember running with Hailey in a race in December when all she had on was a long sleeve shirt and running jacket...and she froze. Like we were concerned she had hypothermia and it was a little scary. It turns out he was overdressed, but I would rather de-layer than be freezing. He ran almost the whole 5K except for two little walk breaks that were probably 1 minute or less. By the aid station I helped him de-layer by shedding his sweatshirt, hat, and gloves. I didn't mind carrying them the rest of the race.
He got 32 minutes 46 seconds which is about 10 1/2 minute miles. He took about three minutes off his time from last year. I was pretty proud. He has the endurance down and he is really good on hills. He has dragged me up the huge Jones hill twice and he can run the whole way without stopping. He is more motivated to do hills than I am. Honestly it has helped me tackle hills this fall.
We are looking at doing an obstacle course race in February. Then I am hoping he can run with the Immanuel Track Team. If he can't, I want to be more proactive with running with him in the spring. I will probably run with Kara again as well in the spring.
Tonight I went to the gym. Rob & Hailey got sick with the same cold I had last weekend. There was not much to do at home. I decided to swim and push myself to swim a full mile. I did it and it took like 50 minutes. I did a combination of workouts and strokes. I felt so great afterwards. I really need to keep working on my swimming and pushing myself--I do get lazy with it.
I am going to do a long run this weekend and if I can do so pain free or mild pain, I will consider the holiday half. If I can't, I may do the Jingle Bell Dash 5K instead. I was not in pain doing Turkey Dash but I can feel my IT band is not as good as it was this summer. Here's hoping some rolling and stretching can heal it or at least keep it from getting worse. I think that's why swimming is so nice--so much easier on your body and you still get a great workout.
Friday, November 25, 2016
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Changing bodies
I've not been keeping up this blog at all but I have been exercising this fall pretty faithfully. I had a bad sore throat in late September that felt like strep. I did go in and it wasn't strep--just a nasty virus. That kept me out of the gym and running for a week. While were in Florida I also did not run, but we did tons of walking. This past week I caught a nasty cold from the day care kids but I was only out Saturday, Sunday & yesterday. Still could work yesterday and felt fine--just could not get up early and go to the gym.
I feel like since I am nearing 40 my body is not what it once was. That is hard for me to accept. I never used to call the doctor or go in for things because I never really needed to. Now I am dealing with a female problem that I am hoping will resolve itself. I have been having IT band again off and on when I run. I am not sure if it is that because it is not as intense as before. It is still pain and I question if my marathon running days are over and I can only do shorter distances.
Rolling, stretching, weight training really seems to help. My muscles are really tight from laying around most of the weekend. I have not stretched since Friday. This morning I ran with Tracy. It was one of those mornings where I did not have a hard time getting up and I felt energetic for once. While we were running my chest felt tight, breathing was hard, and I had a side stitch off and on which I don't usually get. My IT band started hurting around third mile. I got through it and completed four and a half miles. I need to use this blog to track how often the leg pain occurs. I am really enjoying running this fall--like I have been doing awesome on hills like never before. My speed was up. I am hoping taking better care of my body with good stretching, rolling, and strengthening my glutes will be enough.
I feel like since I am nearing 40 my body is not what it once was. That is hard for me to accept. I never used to call the doctor or go in for things because I never really needed to. Now I am dealing with a female problem that I am hoping will resolve itself. I have been having IT band again off and on when I run. I am not sure if it is that because it is not as intense as before. It is still pain and I question if my marathon running days are over and I can only do shorter distances.
Rolling, stretching, weight training really seems to help. My muscles are really tight from laying around most of the weekend. I have not stretched since Friday. This morning I ran with Tracy. It was one of those mornings where I did not have a hard time getting up and I felt energetic for once. While we were running my chest felt tight, breathing was hard, and I had a side stitch off and on which I don't usually get. My IT band started hurting around third mile. I got through it and completed four and a half miles. I need to use this blog to track how often the leg pain occurs. I am really enjoying running this fall--like I have been doing awesome on hills like never before. My speed was up. I am hoping taking better care of my body with good stretching, rolling, and strengthening my glutes will be enough.
Sunday, September 11, 2016
First Week of the School Year
I have not posted since the end of July. One of the main reasons is because I had not been doing much exercise-wise at all. I took a much needed break that I desperately needed. It was a harder summer compared to others. I am not going to say it was bad because we made some wonderful memories. I had to tackle some life lessons especially mid July to mid August. I dealt with increased anxiety I could not share about in detail. Even though this blog is mostly for me to track my exercise and mental health, I felt a pull to be private about my struggles. I did not share it with hardly anyone outside my family. I think that was a wise decision.
I read a very helpful book. It is not one of those how-to books with tips. Follow steps A - J and you will be a successful mom. It is simple and more of a bedrock foundation for parenting older kids. It is easy to implement every single day and it has helped me identify some of the reasons my anxiety was getting out of control. It did make a difference.
I am also seeing Dr. C in October in regards to hormonal imbalances. I probably should have done this years ago and kept putting it off. I did not think it was a big deal nor a huge problem. I was encouraged to do it. I have a consult and we will go from there. I may see a Naturopath as well but I was told to start with my own doctor. I do get the bad crazy hormone days but I have much better self control. I still hate them.
I did a little bit of exercise last week but this is the first week back into it. My goal is to run a half marathon in December. So here's what I did this week:
Monday (Labor Day) - We had a really nice family day. We went apple picking, went out the park in Keizer, shopping at Target and out to dinner. I took a long walk with Kara at the park. It was beautiful outside and a perfect way to end the summer.
Tuesday - Ran 4.14 miles with Tracy. I started at 5:25 AM and it was SO dark out. I have not run in the darkness in a long time. I thought it would be a struggle. I ran only three miles on Sunday and had a hard time. I felt out of breath and had to walk. This run was a lot better. We did go up some big hills, but I managed to maintain a 9:39 pace. I was slower on Sunday.
Wednesday - Swam 31 laps. It was great to be back in the pool again with friends. I worked on form and perfecting my stroke a bit better as well. We had a really good workout. This was my bad hormone day as I felt jittery, jumpy, anxious, and sweaty at times throughout day. I was in Target shopping and felt on the edge of panic. It is so hard to describe because it does not make a lot of sense. I had the day off from work and all the kids were in school--but I could not fully enjoy it because of what was going on in my body.
Thursday - Group Power. I woke up and felt significantly better. I increased my weight slightly from the week before and it was a very good workout. The day was much smoother because I did not feel nearly as jumpy or jittery. My brain could focus again.
Friday - Day Off. I did take Monday off but Friday will be my official day off so I wanted to stay on schedule.
Saturday - Group Ride. I like the 8 AM Ride classs. It is a good way to start a Saturday and I can be home without feeling I lost a good chunk of the morning. It was a pretty normal workout.
Sunday - Ran 3 miles at a 9 minute pace. I ran at 7:30 AM. If I can run Sunday mornings before church, I think it will help my Sunday schedule significantly. I felt much stronger than last week and could maintain 9 minute miles without feeling like I was dying.
Good first week back into it!!
I read a very helpful book. It is not one of those how-to books with tips. Follow steps A - J and you will be a successful mom. It is simple and more of a bedrock foundation for parenting older kids. It is easy to implement every single day and it has helped me identify some of the reasons my anxiety was getting out of control. It did make a difference.
I am also seeing Dr. C in October in regards to hormonal imbalances. I probably should have done this years ago and kept putting it off. I did not think it was a big deal nor a huge problem. I was encouraged to do it. I have a consult and we will go from there. I may see a Naturopath as well but I was told to start with my own doctor. I do get the bad crazy hormone days but I have much better self control. I still hate them.
I did a little bit of exercise last week but this is the first week back into it. My goal is to run a half marathon in December. So here's what I did this week:
Monday (Labor Day) - We had a really nice family day. We went apple picking, went out the park in Keizer, shopping at Target and out to dinner. I took a long walk with Kara at the park. It was beautiful outside and a perfect way to end the summer.
Tuesday - Ran 4.14 miles with Tracy. I started at 5:25 AM and it was SO dark out. I have not run in the darkness in a long time. I thought it would be a struggle. I ran only three miles on Sunday and had a hard time. I felt out of breath and had to walk. This run was a lot better. We did go up some big hills, but I managed to maintain a 9:39 pace. I was slower on Sunday.
Wednesday - Swam 31 laps. It was great to be back in the pool again with friends. I worked on form and perfecting my stroke a bit better as well. We had a really good workout. This was my bad hormone day as I felt jittery, jumpy, anxious, and sweaty at times throughout day. I was in Target shopping and felt on the edge of panic. It is so hard to describe because it does not make a lot of sense. I had the day off from work and all the kids were in school--but I could not fully enjoy it because of what was going on in my body.
Thursday - Group Power. I woke up and felt significantly better. I increased my weight slightly from the week before and it was a very good workout. The day was much smoother because I did not feel nearly as jumpy or jittery. My brain could focus again.
Friday - Day Off. I did take Monday off but Friday will be my official day off so I wanted to stay on schedule.
Saturday - Group Ride. I like the 8 AM Ride classs. It is a good way to start a Saturday and I can be home without feeling I lost a good chunk of the morning. It was a pretty normal workout.
Sunday - Ran 3 miles at a 9 minute pace. I ran at 7:30 AM. If I can run Sunday mornings before church, I think it will help my Sunday schedule significantly. I felt much stronger than last week and could maintain 9 minute miles without feeling like I was dying.
Good first week back into it!!
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
I need a break
It has been a good week so far. I did about five miles with Tracy Monday morning. Aside from getting tangled in a blackberry bush that made the back of my right ankle all bloody--it was a great run. I felt pretty good for most of it. I had no knee, IT band, or glute issues. Yesterday I went to 5:30 PM Group ride. I don't think my bike was set up to my body size. I think I had to reach too far for the handlebars because my lower back and shoulders feel weird and sore today. It was still a good workout nonetheless.
I skipped swimming this morning. The early mornings in the summer are hard. The kids are not going to bed until 9--sometimes even later. Everyone is sleeping until at least 8. I can't function on a work schedule when I am not working. Plus I burned out in terms of training for things. I am craving rest right now and not pushing it as a runner/triathlete.
My plan for August is to exercise 3-4 times a week and do swimming, biking, or running. I am not going to do more than two (and most weeks just one) early morning. I am going to focus on the things I am not going to be able to do once school starts (like home organization, gardening, etc.) My plan once school starts is to start the 5-6 times a week and get back into Group Power for sure. Then come end of September I will see if training for a half marathon is possible. I feel really good about this. I really need just a break from pushing myself as well as putting extra of myself. It might constitute some of my anxiety. That could be related to other things as well. My anxiety has been better the last couple of days.
I skipped swimming this morning. The early mornings in the summer are hard. The kids are not going to bed until 9--sometimes even later. Everyone is sleeping until at least 8. I can't function on a work schedule when I am not working. Plus I burned out in terms of training for things. I am craving rest right now and not pushing it as a runner/triathlete.
My plan for August is to exercise 3-4 times a week and do swimming, biking, or running. I am not going to do more than two (and most weeks just one) early morning. I am going to focus on the things I am not going to be able to do once school starts (like home organization, gardening, etc.) My plan once school starts is to start the 5-6 times a week and get back into Group Power for sure. Then come end of September I will see if training for a half marathon is possible. I feel really good about this. I really need just a break from pushing myself as well as putting extra of myself. It might constitute some of my anxiety. That could be related to other things as well. My anxiety has been better the last couple of days.
Sunday, July 24, 2016
DeSchutes Dash and Long Range Goals
Last week Saturday I did Deschutes Dash and I finished in around 1 hour and 40 minutes. We decided to make a family weekend of it and stayed in Redmond. Karen offered to let me sleep on her couch in the cabin they rented. It would have been fine, but it was nice to have my whole family along. My swim wave did not start until 8:30 so we figured we didn't have to be there until 7:50 and we left Redmond by 7:30. I guess the rule of thumb is get there 1 hour before your wave because I almost did not get a spot for my bike. They were closing transition minutes after I was ready for the swim. When we got to the swim start (it was a bit of a walk) we only had a couple minutes until we actually started. We did play it a little too close.
The swim was COLD. I have never swam in water close to that temperature. Even with a wetsuit I was not ready for the intense cold. I started out and began to panic. I could not put my face in the water but I also am not very strong in breaststroke either. I also have a hard time swimming freestyle and breathing on the same side. I often get dizzy. I switched to backstroke and that was quite comfortable. Then I switched back to freestyle and switched back to backstroke again. I was trying not to panic. I could not see any kayaks. When I looked straight ahead the sun was very bright I could not see anything because of the glare. Once I got a good rhythm of freestyle, the swim was just about over. It was shallow enough that I could walk to the end of the swim. Karen was right ahead of me getting out of the water.
I ran to transition and starting to peel off my wetsuit while running. I forgot to unzip the ankles making it twice as hard to get off. It is intimidating when everyone is watching you in transition including my own kids. I could not get my helmet fitted right and someone said, "Your helmet is on backwards." I honestly think the shock and cold from the river jeopardized my thinking. Once I got all in my bike gear I was ready. Thankfully I clipped right into the pedals...no problems. I loved the course. It was a gradual incline for 6 miles and then turning around and going downhill. I got passed a few times, but I tried to keep a good pace going. I still struggle with drinking on the bike...I was little wobbly. Some of that might have been from being cold. My legs were numb the first couple miles on the bike. Karen was out of transition by the time I got back. She is a strong biker so I was not surprised.
I love the feeling of getting off the bike and getting ready for the run. Running is by far my strongest. This was run was hard though. It was all trail and pretty hilly at first. There were three big uphills and I walked up two. The course was also not clearly marked and I had anxiety about getting off course. I was really spent and depleted by the last mile. It reminded me of the Hagg Lake Triathlon where I had nothing left. The aid station was offering gu gel so I took one. I felt my energy bounce back quickly. There were a couple times there were no runners around me at all and that made it a bit lonely. Again I was second guessing myself I was off course. I passed Karen on the run course around the last mile. She only finished a few minutes behind me.
It was a great feeling finishing! I felt pretty good about my race and I loved having my family there the whole time. I don't think I drank enough or ate enough. I don't think I would have felt that depleted on the run had I not consumed more electrolytes and nutrients. I feel a lot more comfortable on the bike but I still think that needs to be my focus area if I do another triathlon.
We got home on Saturday and I rested most of Sunday. We had a church picnic and brought Hailey to camp. So it was somewhat of a busy day. We didn't do any major walking or hiking. On Monday I ran with Tracy and she was surprised I still wanted to run. I did not want to sleep in as I had quite a bit of work I had to do. We did about 4 and a half miles. I didn't feel too tired. I was able to keep up.
I took Tuesday off and slept later. I did go to swim on Wednesday. My goal was to push it a little more and I was able to do 1650 yards which is almost a mile and one of my longest swims yet. On Thursday I ran in the evening and pushed it again. I did a 6 mile run maintaining a little over 9 minute mile. I felt so strong and fast I felt like I could run forever.
On Friday afternoon I did a short six mile ride mostly off roading with Derek. We both got big Jamba Juices afterwards Derek is really interested in obstacle course racing right now. We looked into some local races he and I could do together. I was reading more about them on line in the afternoon. My stomach just started to feel nervous like and anxious. I was not sure if it was because I was overwhelmed by doing an obstacle course race or the Jamba Juice did not sit well (I have them all the time so that did not make sense). I was also reading a book about Ironman triathletes and their injuries and bike crashes. My stomach was like that off and on the rest of the night. My anxiety went up and that was almost worse than the stomach issues. I also started to get a sinus head ache and I felt fatigued. I started to feel irritable as well. Friday night I slept terrible. I skipped the gym on Saturday. I took it easy and did not do housework or garden work until late morning. My stomach felt better but my head still ached. I still felt overly anxious and irritable. Head ache cleared by the evening and again my appetite was normal. I slept bad again last night but I had caffeine at 7 PM. I felt pretty normal until the afternoon. We went to the park and I was playing frisbee with Rob. My sides ached like I could not catch my breath and my stomach felt off again. No head ache this time. Anxiety went back up after that. We have quite a few friends or who have or had sick kids this weekend. One of the girls in Hailey's cabin was sick. I think I caught a mild version of a stomach bug. I don't seem to be getting any worse, but it hasn't fully gone away either. We will see what this week brings. Hailey has felt fatigued all day and she says it from being at camp. I would not be surprised if she has a mild version of it too.
It is hard to know what to do after a triathlon. I am not going to do another one this season. I also don't want to do nothing. I am not very motivated unless I have some sort of goal or target. I think as of right now I am going to try to do Power (haven't been since May) once or twice a week, biking at least once a week, and running 2-3 times. I may hit Wednesday swim when I can but not every week. This will carry me through for the rest of the summer. I want to maintain a base but get back into Power especially if I do this obstacle course race with Derek. Once the end of September hits, I will ease off on the biking. I want to train for the Holiday Half Marathon again. Then I can focus on biking and swimming as we get closer to tri season. Ideally I would love to do a fall 2017 marathon for a charity. That's the big plan but it always seems to change.
I have had no IT band issues which I am forever grateful for. I need to be really good about stretching and taking care of myself. For now I just want my stomach to be back to normal.
The swim was COLD. I have never swam in water close to that temperature. Even with a wetsuit I was not ready for the intense cold. I started out and began to panic. I could not put my face in the water but I also am not very strong in breaststroke either. I also have a hard time swimming freestyle and breathing on the same side. I often get dizzy. I switched to backstroke and that was quite comfortable. Then I switched back to freestyle and switched back to backstroke again. I was trying not to panic. I could not see any kayaks. When I looked straight ahead the sun was very bright I could not see anything because of the glare. Once I got a good rhythm of freestyle, the swim was just about over. It was shallow enough that I could walk to the end of the swim. Karen was right ahead of me getting out of the water.
I ran to transition and starting to peel off my wetsuit while running. I forgot to unzip the ankles making it twice as hard to get off. It is intimidating when everyone is watching you in transition including my own kids. I could not get my helmet fitted right and someone said, "Your helmet is on backwards." I honestly think the shock and cold from the river jeopardized my thinking. Once I got all in my bike gear I was ready. Thankfully I clipped right into the pedals...no problems. I loved the course. It was a gradual incline for 6 miles and then turning around and going downhill. I got passed a few times, but I tried to keep a good pace going. I still struggle with drinking on the bike...I was little wobbly. Some of that might have been from being cold. My legs were numb the first couple miles on the bike. Karen was out of transition by the time I got back. She is a strong biker so I was not surprised.
I love the feeling of getting off the bike and getting ready for the run. Running is by far my strongest. This was run was hard though. It was all trail and pretty hilly at first. There were three big uphills and I walked up two. The course was also not clearly marked and I had anxiety about getting off course. I was really spent and depleted by the last mile. It reminded me of the Hagg Lake Triathlon where I had nothing left. The aid station was offering gu gel so I took one. I felt my energy bounce back quickly. There were a couple times there were no runners around me at all and that made it a bit lonely. Again I was second guessing myself I was off course. I passed Karen on the run course around the last mile. She only finished a few minutes behind me.
It was a great feeling finishing! I felt pretty good about my race and I loved having my family there the whole time. I don't think I drank enough or ate enough. I don't think I would have felt that depleted on the run had I not consumed more electrolytes and nutrients. I feel a lot more comfortable on the bike but I still think that needs to be my focus area if I do another triathlon.
We got home on Saturday and I rested most of Sunday. We had a church picnic and brought Hailey to camp. So it was somewhat of a busy day. We didn't do any major walking or hiking. On Monday I ran with Tracy and she was surprised I still wanted to run. I did not want to sleep in as I had quite a bit of work I had to do. We did about 4 and a half miles. I didn't feel too tired. I was able to keep up.
I took Tuesday off and slept later. I did go to swim on Wednesday. My goal was to push it a little more and I was able to do 1650 yards which is almost a mile and one of my longest swims yet. On Thursday I ran in the evening and pushed it again. I did a 6 mile run maintaining a little over 9 minute mile. I felt so strong and fast I felt like I could run forever.
On Friday afternoon I did a short six mile ride mostly off roading with Derek. We both got big Jamba Juices afterwards Derek is really interested in obstacle course racing right now. We looked into some local races he and I could do together. I was reading more about them on line in the afternoon. My stomach just started to feel nervous like and anxious. I was not sure if it was because I was overwhelmed by doing an obstacle course race or the Jamba Juice did not sit well (I have them all the time so that did not make sense). I was also reading a book about Ironman triathletes and their injuries and bike crashes. My stomach was like that off and on the rest of the night. My anxiety went up and that was almost worse than the stomach issues. I also started to get a sinus head ache and I felt fatigued. I started to feel irritable as well. Friday night I slept terrible. I skipped the gym on Saturday. I took it easy and did not do housework or garden work until late morning. My stomach felt better but my head still ached. I still felt overly anxious and irritable. Head ache cleared by the evening and again my appetite was normal. I slept bad again last night but I had caffeine at 7 PM. I felt pretty normal until the afternoon. We went to the park and I was playing frisbee with Rob. My sides ached like I could not catch my breath and my stomach felt off again. No head ache this time. Anxiety went back up after that. We have quite a few friends or who have or had sick kids this weekend. One of the girls in Hailey's cabin was sick. I think I caught a mild version of a stomach bug. I don't seem to be getting any worse, but it hasn't fully gone away either. We will see what this week brings. Hailey has felt fatigued all day and she says it from being at camp. I would not be surprised if she has a mild version of it too.
It is hard to know what to do after a triathlon. I am not going to do another one this season. I also don't want to do nothing. I am not very motivated unless I have some sort of goal or target. I think as of right now I am going to try to do Power (haven't been since May) once or twice a week, biking at least once a week, and running 2-3 times. I may hit Wednesday swim when I can but not every week. This will carry me through for the rest of the summer. I want to maintain a base but get back into Power especially if I do this obstacle course race with Derek. Once the end of September hits, I will ease off on the biking. I want to train for the Holiday Half Marathon again. Then I can focus on biking and swimming as we get closer to tri season. Ideally I would love to do a fall 2017 marathon for a charity. That's the big plan but it always seems to change.
I have had no IT band issues which I am forever grateful for. I need to be really good about stretching and taking care of myself. For now I just want my stomach to be back to normal.
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Bullet Point Update
I have not been recording my workouts. Being at camp one full week, home two days and then all over the Midwest for eight days made it hard to have any kind of exercise routine. While in Michigan/Chicago I did a four mile run and a ten mile bike ride with my dad. Those were my only regular workouts but I did go swimming in the lake with the kids and hiking around the dunes. We have been back for a week now, but I still feel fatigued. My thoughts are all over the place so I will just put them in bullet points.
- I am doing the Deschutes Dash Sprint triathlon on Saturday. I did not get as much training is as I would have liked, but I know I can complete it. I am just going in with a good attitude and going to have fun. I am not trying to break any records.
- My friend asked me if I wanted to do an olympic distance tri in late August. Part of me wants to because this is the distance I originally wanted to do in the Deschutes Dash. The distance is not much further than what I do now in regular workouts. I would probably have the money for it. Part of me is sick of training and I don't want to commit to anything for a few months. I probably should make a decision soon.
- I did my first ride with the Salem Bicycle Club on Saturday. We did 13 miles in the Ankeny Refuge area on country roads. I was with all retirees and they were very sweet...and fun. They really made me feel super welcome. I had no trouble at all completing the ride and I biked in clips the whole time. I am hoping to do another ride with them soon.
- I ran with Tracy on Monday and I did a little over 5 miles. I feel my IT band acting up again. I think it started on vacation with all the walking and running in the sand...the uneven surfaces irritated it. I really hope I don't have to nurse a big injury again. I am trying to roll it regulary. It feels higher this time like almost in my glutes. Does not hurt at all when I bike.
- I did a casual ride with Hailey on Sunday and we did about six miles. I am really liking riding with the kids. Kara is off training wheels so it won't be long when we can all bike together.
- I have been seeking the Lord about my running and whether I should do a marathon in 2017. If so--which one and if I should run for a cause again. God has put Type 1 diabetes on my heart especially because my friend has two kids with Type 1--one who is friends with Hailey. Hailey also has two camp friends with Type 1. I've learned so much more about it. The Juvenile Diabetes Foundation has a couple of runs and rides, but I would have to take on a pretty hefty fundraising campaign. If my IT band continues to act up and make running miserable, I may have to switch to a ride.
- My moods have been terrible today. PMS stinks. I have had the fatigue, head aches, general crabbiness. I still think of seeing a natural doctor, but not sure it is totally necessary.
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Last 2 weeks
After I swam with Erica now almost two weeks ago I did not do any exercise the rest of the week. We had our church weekend retreat at Camp Tadmor. I was active enough but did not get any runs or rides in. Rob left for Ukraine on Memorial Day.
I was not sure if I would be able to do anything while he was away. I am not comfortable leaving the kids yet while I go running. They are not old enough yet. They are always a little off anyway when Rob is gone. I had Tuesday afternoon off and I left Kara in after care. I biked to Turner and back following a route from the Salem Bicycle Club. It was an amazing ride and so incredibly beautiful off. The roads were not too busy and the rolling hills were perfect. I put in nineteen miles and made great time. I did bike in my clips because I was not sure how much start and stop I would have. I could do it in clips as there were very few intersections. I saw a couple other bikers as well. It really boosted my confidence when it comes to biking.
I had planned on swimming Wednesday and my friend was going to come and watch my kids. She texted a half hour before she was supposed to arrive saying she was very sick. Turned out she had pretty severe bronchitis and could not sub for me the following week either. By about Thursday I hit "survival mode" and doing the bare minimum while Rob is away. I could not get any exercising in at all. I worked in the garden a lot and played with the kids. We went swimming at Turner pool on that Saturday. It is very difficult for me to completely give up running while Rob is away. Rob made the point that come fall I could probably leave the kids for a half hour. If my work schedule stays the way it is--I will have some days or afternoons off.
Rob came home late afternoon on Monday. It is always a rough transition when he comes home and I can never put my finger on why. My anxiety is always high when he's away but I suppress it so I can get by without overreacting to things. It explodes when he comes home. Monday & Tuesday were not easy. We really had to sit down and talk openly and deeply about things, but we made so much progress. I was able to put my finger on some of the things triggering my anxiety. I was able to run about four miles with Tracy Tuesday morning. I had not run in awhile and I could feel it. I could maintain my normal pace. It felt really good to get out and run. I skipped swimming on Wednesday because I was overly anxious Tuesday night. Rob & I had to work through that. I slept terrible both Monday & Tuesday night even having some bouts of insomnia. By Wednesday night I was feeling pretty normal again. I played hockey and had a great time. I'm enjoying hockey more than I did in the spring. I'm getting a little bit better at it. Hailey plays the whole time now so it is a good way to spend time with her.
Thursday was a crazy run around day. I worked from 7 to 4. Then I had to bring Derek to a birthday party downtown, drive to the gym back on our side of town, drive back to downtown to pick up Derek, go to the library, and then pick up dinner for Rob & I. I was not home until after 8. I was late to Group Ride at the gym because of traffic but I got most of the workout in. There were plenty of bikes open so I didn't have to fight for a bike.
Friday I had planned on swimming in the afternoon but then realized the pool is closed for swim lessons on Friday afternoons. I was going to run but I had this short time window between work and leaving to go to Portland with friends. I knew I was going to be gone all night so I wanted to spend time with the kids. People often asked me how I could train for marathons when I had baby and toddlers. In some ways the timing is easier. They nap for hours in the afternoon or go to bed early. Sometimes they wake up later. I would do long runs on Saturdays and Sundays during their afternoon naps. I would put them down and go run leaving Rob with them of course. By the time I got done with my run they were waking up. It was the same with bedtime. I would put them to bed at 7:00 and then get ten miles in. Now they are older and we take advantage of the afternoons they are home and they can stay up until 9 at night. The advantage is I can get up earlier since I am sleeping through the night. After Rob being away and getting off schedule, my anxiety high etc. early mornings were next to impossible.
I had planned on going to a ride with the Salem Bicycle Club on Saturday but I did get home until 1:30 am early Saturday morning. I woke up with a head ache and severe female issues. I felt overall yuck. I knew I was not that sick because I had somewhat of an appetite. I took it easy all morning and early afternoon. By late afternoon I felt normal and only a slight head ache.
Rob is still jet lagged at night. He gets really fatigued starting around 9:30 PM. I need to transition to going to bed earlier and getting back to earlier mornings this week. It is my last week of work and a pretty normal work week for Rob too. I did sign up for the Deschutes Dash but chose the sprint tri so I am in. I need to exercise more the next four weeks. The problem is we are gone quite so bit so I have to at least run while we are away. I am not good about doing that while we are on vacation. I know I have a good base load of exercise. If I had to do the sprint tomorrow I could. But I need to be a little more consistent.
After the triathlon I am going to maintain a base of swim, bike, running. And then possibly transition into more running and less biking/swimming in the fall. If I can avoid major IT band issues, I may consider a 1/2 marathon in late 2016. It is hard to plan beyond the summer. As of right now I am back to working less hours again in the fall similar to what I working last fall. But I am also taking a couple of classes. I usually get client inquiries in the summer...so it is hard to know what the fall will look like. I just want to enjoy the time off before start planning.
I was not sure if I would be able to do anything while he was away. I am not comfortable leaving the kids yet while I go running. They are not old enough yet. They are always a little off anyway when Rob is gone. I had Tuesday afternoon off and I left Kara in after care. I biked to Turner and back following a route from the Salem Bicycle Club. It was an amazing ride and so incredibly beautiful off. The roads were not too busy and the rolling hills were perfect. I put in nineteen miles and made great time. I did bike in my clips because I was not sure how much start and stop I would have. I could do it in clips as there were very few intersections. I saw a couple other bikers as well. It really boosted my confidence when it comes to biking.
I had planned on swimming Wednesday and my friend was going to come and watch my kids. She texted a half hour before she was supposed to arrive saying she was very sick. Turned out she had pretty severe bronchitis and could not sub for me the following week either. By about Thursday I hit "survival mode" and doing the bare minimum while Rob is away. I could not get any exercising in at all. I worked in the garden a lot and played with the kids. We went swimming at Turner pool on that Saturday. It is very difficult for me to completely give up running while Rob is away. Rob made the point that come fall I could probably leave the kids for a half hour. If my work schedule stays the way it is--I will have some days or afternoons off.
Rob came home late afternoon on Monday. It is always a rough transition when he comes home and I can never put my finger on why. My anxiety is always high when he's away but I suppress it so I can get by without overreacting to things. It explodes when he comes home. Monday & Tuesday were not easy. We really had to sit down and talk openly and deeply about things, but we made so much progress. I was able to put my finger on some of the things triggering my anxiety. I was able to run about four miles with Tracy Tuesday morning. I had not run in awhile and I could feel it. I could maintain my normal pace. It felt really good to get out and run. I skipped swimming on Wednesday because I was overly anxious Tuesday night. Rob & I had to work through that. I slept terrible both Monday & Tuesday night even having some bouts of insomnia. By Wednesday night I was feeling pretty normal again. I played hockey and had a great time. I'm enjoying hockey more than I did in the spring. I'm getting a little bit better at it. Hailey plays the whole time now so it is a good way to spend time with her.
Thursday was a crazy run around day. I worked from 7 to 4. Then I had to bring Derek to a birthday party downtown, drive to the gym back on our side of town, drive back to downtown to pick up Derek, go to the library, and then pick up dinner for Rob & I. I was not home until after 8. I was late to Group Ride at the gym because of traffic but I got most of the workout in. There were plenty of bikes open so I didn't have to fight for a bike.
Friday I had planned on swimming in the afternoon but then realized the pool is closed for swim lessons on Friday afternoons. I was going to run but I had this short time window between work and leaving to go to Portland with friends. I knew I was going to be gone all night so I wanted to spend time with the kids. People often asked me how I could train for marathons when I had baby and toddlers. In some ways the timing is easier. They nap for hours in the afternoon or go to bed early. Sometimes they wake up later. I would do long runs on Saturdays and Sundays during their afternoon naps. I would put them down and go run leaving Rob with them of course. By the time I got done with my run they were waking up. It was the same with bedtime. I would put them to bed at 7:00 and then get ten miles in. Now they are older and we take advantage of the afternoons they are home and they can stay up until 9 at night. The advantage is I can get up earlier since I am sleeping through the night. After Rob being away and getting off schedule, my anxiety high etc. early mornings were next to impossible.
I had planned on going to a ride with the Salem Bicycle Club on Saturday but I did get home until 1:30 am early Saturday morning. I woke up with a head ache and severe female issues. I felt overall yuck. I knew I was not that sick because I had somewhat of an appetite. I took it easy all morning and early afternoon. By late afternoon I felt normal and only a slight head ache.
Rob is still jet lagged at night. He gets really fatigued starting around 9:30 PM. I need to transition to going to bed earlier and getting back to earlier mornings this week. It is my last week of work and a pretty normal work week for Rob too. I did sign up for the Deschutes Dash but chose the sprint tri so I am in. I need to exercise more the next four weeks. The problem is we are gone quite so bit so I have to at least run while we are away. I am not good about doing that while we are on vacation. I know I have a good base load of exercise. If I had to do the sprint tomorrow I could. But I need to be a little more consistent.
After the triathlon I am going to maintain a base of swim, bike, running. And then possibly transition into more running and less biking/swimming in the fall. If I can avoid major IT band issues, I may consider a 1/2 marathon in late 2016. It is hard to plan beyond the summer. As of right now I am back to working less hours again in the fall similar to what I working last fall. But I am also taking a couple of classes. I usually get client inquiries in the summer...so it is hard to know what the fall will look like. I just want to enjoy the time off before start planning.
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