Hello Everyone!!! Ok, so I haven’t posted in while, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been training and working hard. It actually means I HAVE been training.
Just to give everyone an update of my race schedule this year, I have decided to let my two big races this year be the Louisville Derby Marathon on April 28th and the Buckhead Border Challenge Triathlon – Olympic Distance, located on the Riverfront of Jeffersonville, Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky. I was planning to do the Chicago Marathon, but right now, this year, that is just too much money to spend on entry fees and hotels and all the other travel expenses. So, maybe next year! However, I will do quite a few local sprint distance triathlons to get my “feet wet” in the world of triathlon.
My total weight loss thus far is now at around 157 – 158 lbs. I actually just ordered a men’s (size Large) triathlon shorts, which actually fit!! I have been training and trying to do a pretty good mixture of swim, bike, and run activities (mostly run though). Last week, my single long run was just over 14 miles last week. It was my first run over 11 miles in about two weeks and it felt great! I ran at a pace of a little under nine minutes a mile, which is not fast by any means, but it is over a minute faster per mile than my half marathon pace from last October so I am very happy with my progress. I am starting to incorporate “tempo runs” into my running workouts and my next step is to include sprints.
I am kind of nervous about the upcoming marathon, but I know that if I stick to my training, then I should be fine when I get to the starting line. Fortunately, the weather in Kentucky has been rather mild this winter, so I have not been derailed due to ice or other elements. One new thing that I have done is completely eliminate my headphones. I do not intend to wear them during the marathon, so I don’t think that I should train in them. I actually, really like running without headphones. I believe I am more focused on my running and pay more attention to my surroundings which is very important since I usually run at night or early in the morning.
As far as my swimming, I am finally learning how to swim “downhill.” The instructor that I went to a couple of weeks ago had me starting to swim more on top of the water within five minutes. It took a little while to get used to the endless pool, but I eventually got the hang of it. Now, when I go to the YMCA to swim, my workouts are a little easier, and faster, than they were before. I still am not a huge fan of swimming, but I don’t dread it as much as I used to, and that is saying a lot.
My biking has been held mostly to just spinning classes two to three times a week with an occasional 25+mile ride if I can fit it into a weekend. I really don’t like riding in the rain and nasty elements on my road bike, so I usually elect to keep my bike inside and just go to a spinning class. However, the forecast is looking clear and mild this week, so maybe a ride is in the near future!
Well, that is about all I have been doing since my last post. I have been doing as much as I can and also doing strength training and stretching. I have been learning a lot. I have been to a natural running clinic and am scheduled to attend a triathlon training class this Saturday. Also, in March, I am attending a running clinic designed to explain how to prevent and treat running injuries. Like I said, I am trying to learn about these sports “the right way.” I really enjoy doing this stuff and would hate to get injured because I was doing something wrong. I figure, the more I learn, the more I can determine what works and doesn’t work for my body.
I also found a quote that is very simple but motivational, at least I think so… See below
I hope everyone has a GREAT start to the week!!
So that’s me, learning these sports, loving every minute of it, and always running…
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