Wow, it's been awhile. I'd get you caught up on what I've been doing, but it's mostly been a lot of work stuff that's either boring to anyone not directly involved or, like, confidential.
I did sign up for the Danskin Triathlon in Austin again, so I'm training for that again. I also ran/walked my first 10k yesterday (about 6.2 miles). I kind of thought I'd walk most of it, but I ran a lot! I couldn't believe it! Especially since the course was filled with hills, and I'd only ever jogged a 5k before. My race buddies Emily, Danielle and I finished at EXACTLY 1:27, which isn't bad for a non-runner's first 10k, I say.
I've gotten a lot of support and congrats for this race, for which I am so grateful. I have amazing family and friends, and I love them. It's also made me realize something:
If you want people to be impressed with your athletic prowess, spend a lifetime being a lazy-ass couch potato first.
Because, after all, I have plenty of friends who do races, and when they finish them and tell me about it, I always offer support and congratulations. But they don't always brag about it first of all, so I don't always know about it. But mostly, the friends I know who do races are kind of jocks already. So when they finish a race, it's kind of like, well sure. Of course you did that. Well done.
But I've realized that when I finish a race people are like, Wow! Good for you! I'm so impressed! It's awesome, amazing support and encouragement and, I'm not gonna lie, a big factor in deciding to do more races.
That said, it has occurred to me that all these encouraging people may not be solely impressed at my ability to clock a 14-minute mile. I'm thinking that perhaps that nagging doubt that I can't possibly keep this up when there's so much good TV on is a very real factor. People are inspired by the transformation from Couch Potato to Race Finisher.
And if you are, I say again (like I always do): If I can do it ANYONE can do it. Seriously.
As I continue to do more races, I expect the enthusiasm will die down, and that's fine. Much like I think of myself as a Short Hair Girl going through a Long Hair Experiment, I still think of myself as a Non-Athletic Woman Who Sometimes Does Races. As long as I, and others, still think of me that way, every race I take on will be impressive. (Hell, as long as there's always good TV on, I'll always be impressed with my ability to stick to a training plan.) When the people around me start responding to my endeavors, however, with "Well sure. Of course you did that. Well done," then I'll know that I have truly changed.
And by the time that point in my life rolls around, who knows how long my hair will be?
Showing posts with label triathlon madness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label triathlon madness. Show all posts
Monday, February 09, 2009
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Dinah: 1. Death: 0.
I finished!
I thought I was gonna die, but I didn't. Dinah: 1. Death: 0. As for the whole rundown of how I did, I warn you now--it ain't pretty. Oh, and it's a long story, so if you just want to skip ahead to my slow, slow times, they're at the bottom.
Race Day started when Mac & I left the hotel with plenty of time to get to the race site, get me into the transition area & set up my gear, and call/text all my race buddies to make sure we could meet up. Then, we got lost. I ended up getting into the transition area with about 5 minutes to set up all my gear and get the heck out. I found my friend Loren, who suckered me into this in the first place, and ended up hanging with her until our wave started. Just as we were waiting to get into our swim corral, my friends Susan & Hilary found me! After many hugs and high fives all around, it was time to swim.
I'd done one other open water swim before this, but nothing prepared me for this. The water was super choppy and there was a strong current pulling everyone to the left. I started off with my nice long stroke and my "I'm a superhero!" mantra (I know it's silly, but it usually works), and then there'd be water in my face, in my mouth, up my nose. Then I'd realize I'd been pulled by the current and I'd have to get back on track. Then I'd get kicked in the face. I didn't experience any bad anxiety, thank God, and I never needed a noodle to hang on to, but the whole thing was a struggle. After all my careful training, I did a whole lot of doggy-paddle & sputtering. My best time in the pool was around 27 minutes; this swim took 37.
Still, finishing the swim was thrilling! I hauled my dizzy butt through my first transition slowly and still managed to forget my sunglasses (a big bummer on bike on a sunny, windy day). And then I was off on the bike.
First of all, the bike course was full of more hills than I ever expected or trained on. Second, the hybrid bike I rented was easily 50% heavier than my bike at home. Third, it was super windy out there. So, not the best conditions ever. BUT I biked up most the hills (and walked/pushed my bike up a few steep ones, because, OW), and used the downhills and flats to pick up speed. The wind was a little scary, but knowing how hard the uphills would be I knew I'd need the momentum (and help on the time), I just decided "No Fear!!" and peddled and went as fast as I could. It was a beautiful course, as well. Had the course been a little flatter, I probably could have done it in a nice, respectable time. As it is, I finished the bike in an hour and 16 minutes.
By the time THAT was done, I was exhausted. Had it not been Race Day, and someone asked me to even go on a light, breezy walk, I would have been like, "Um, no. The only left on my agenda today is a bath, some ice cream and a good book, THANKS."
But it WAS Race Day.
God Bless Loren Faye in this moment. Because as I pulled into the transition area, there she was, waiting for me. She'd kicked my butt in the swim and the bike, and now had a super-long transition time waiting for me so we could do the 5k together. When started walking she asked, "Are you still going to be my friend after this, since I talked you into one of the Hardest Races Ever?" To which I replied (in between panting), "Um, DUH." And here's where we were just really slow (totally my fault) and walked pretty much the whole 5k. Even when I got my legs back, I just couldn't do it. Y'all it was HOT. The high for the day was 99, so we had to be walking in about 95 degrees of blazing hot sun. And as much as I was super hydrated and fueled with proper nutrition & sports drinks, the heat was just really brutal. (My friend Susan warned me about the heat and I tried to train in heat & acclimate before the race, but our lovely Southern California weather never went over 80/85 in the last weeks leading up the race.) There was a long hill at the end of the course (what sadist plotted THAT out, I'd like to know??), and the heat actually HURT. But with Loren's help, and the ice cold water of some fabulous volunteers, and all the support I knew I had to finish, I just kept plugging away.
I would have liked to have done more jogging this whole time (Straight up: I jogged for the cameras, and that's about it). In the end, my legs aren't as wrecked as I actually think they should have been. And I keep looking back at this part and feeling frustrated that I didn't get to do all the jogging I'd trained.
But when we finally spotted the finish line I finally just thought, "F--- it," and jogged the last, like, 50/100 yards of the course. I got a double high five from Danskin spokeswoman and professional hard-core triathlete Sally Edwards as I crossed the finish line, got my medal and my water, and seriously felt like I might throw up. I think if I'd done any more jogging in that heat, I definitely would have thrown up, if not passed out. So it's probably best for my health that I didn't jog, I guess, but my final time for the 5k was a super-slow 55 minutes. UGH.
(Also: after doing the whole race and feeling more hot & exhausted then I've ever felt before, we had to walk about 1.5 miles back to the car. I thought I was gonna die.)
Overall, this event was the hardest thing I've ever chosen to do. It's also one of the BEST THINGS I have ever chosen to do. First of all, I made some awesome new friends by doing this (What up TEAM QUESO!!) But mostly, throughout the whole event, I kept thinking, "This water is really choppy (blrargh/garrgle/spleft/mloey/pleh/sputter) . . . but I'm gonna do this anyway." "Trying to bike up these hills on this bike, in this wind, is really super painful (Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow.).... but I'm gonna keep peddling anyway." "Just walking in this brutal heat, after everything else I've already done today, is one of the most exhausting things I've ever done, and I really want to stop. (OMG I'm dying!) But I won't stop; I'm going to keep walking anyway."
It ended up being this profound experience. The medal we all get when we finish the Danskin says, "The woman who starts the race is not the same woman who finishes the race." Truer words were never printed on a pointy metal award. After all, the next time I find myself in a tough spot, faced with doing something I'd rather not do, I think I'll be a whole lot less likely to quit. I think I'll just plow ahead and do it anyway.
So. Will I do it again? You bet your sweet bippy I will. (And I'm taking some of you with me, so look out!!) This event has not only taught me so much about training, and what I need to do for the next one. All my training for this one didn't really prepare me for all the conditions of the course, but it did prepare my overall strength and stamina. And willpower, for that matter.
This race has also forced me to give up my old mantle of "Most Un-athletic Person I Know." Which, aside from raising money for breast-cancer research, is the main reason I wanted to do this. I just got tired of being this sad sack of couch potatoes, moping around going, "I'm just not athletic/coordinated/good at sports. I can't do athletic things." I set out on this journey to prove to myself that I CAN do athletic things if I want to. I might not be the fastest or strongest, but I can do it if I want to!!
And now I am officially a tri-athlete. I haven't signed up for any other races yet, but I will. I want to keep up my training, of course. Plus, man, I have GOT to get a better time. And then a better one, and then a better one....
Finally, I just want to say THANK YOU to all of you who have been reading along this journey for all your love and support and prayers--they helped so very much. Also: Thank you to Amy for introducing me to Athleta, home of the world's cutest workout gear. Thank you to Matti, for all the travel-sized beauty products that really came in handy this whole weekend. A HUGE thank you to Team Queso, for all the supportive emails leading up to this race, for encouraging me when I thought I couldn't keep going, and for the actual queso (and cake, and beer) after the race.
And, of course, Big Love and gratitude to my dear friend Loren, for talking me into this in the first place, and then waiting for me and sticking with me that whole walk. I am so proud of us for crossing that finish line together--We Rock Shut Up!!
And, last but not least, my fabulous husband Mac, who encouraged me on the days I didn't want to go to the gym, who listened when I went on and on about all my training endeavors, who didn't bat an eyelash no matter how much I spent on gear (this sport ain't cheap, y'all), and who never once wavered in his belief in me, that I could do this.
Thank you thank you thank you everyone! And don't forget, the next time I do this, I'm taking you with me!
--
My Results
I thought I was gonna die, but I didn't. Dinah: 1. Death: 0. As for the whole rundown of how I did, I warn you now--it ain't pretty. Oh, and it's a long story, so if you just want to skip ahead to my slow, slow times, they're at the bottom.
Race Day started when Mac & I left the hotel with plenty of time to get to the race site, get me into the transition area & set up my gear, and call/text all my race buddies to make sure we could meet up. Then, we got lost. I ended up getting into the transition area with about 5 minutes to set up all my gear and get the heck out. I found my friend Loren, who suckered me into this in the first place, and ended up hanging with her until our wave started. Just as we were waiting to get into our swim corral, my friends Susan & Hilary found me! After many hugs and high fives all around, it was time to swim.
I'd done one other open water swim before this, but nothing prepared me for this. The water was super choppy and there was a strong current pulling everyone to the left. I started off with my nice long stroke and my "I'm a superhero!" mantra (I know it's silly, but it usually works), and then there'd be water in my face, in my mouth, up my nose. Then I'd realize I'd been pulled by the current and I'd have to get back on track. Then I'd get kicked in the face. I didn't experience any bad anxiety, thank God, and I never needed a noodle to hang on to, but the whole thing was a struggle. After all my careful training, I did a whole lot of doggy-paddle & sputtering. My best time in the pool was around 27 minutes; this swim took 37.
Still, finishing the swim was thrilling! I hauled my dizzy butt through my first transition slowly and still managed to forget my sunglasses (a big bummer on bike on a sunny, windy day). And then I was off on the bike.
First of all, the bike course was full of more hills than I ever expected or trained on. Second, the hybrid bike I rented was easily 50% heavier than my bike at home. Third, it was super windy out there. So, not the best conditions ever. BUT I biked up most the hills (and walked/pushed my bike up a few steep ones, because, OW), and used the downhills and flats to pick up speed. The wind was a little scary, but knowing how hard the uphills would be I knew I'd need the momentum (and help on the time), I just decided "No Fear!!" and peddled and went as fast as I could. It was a beautiful course, as well. Had the course been a little flatter, I probably could have done it in a nice, respectable time. As it is, I finished the bike in an hour and 16 minutes.
By the time THAT was done, I was exhausted. Had it not been Race Day, and someone asked me to even go on a light, breezy walk, I would have been like, "Um, no. The only left on my agenda today is a bath, some ice cream and a good book, THANKS."
But it WAS Race Day.
God Bless Loren Faye in this moment. Because as I pulled into the transition area, there she was, waiting for me. She'd kicked my butt in the swim and the bike, and now had a super-long transition time waiting for me so we could do the 5k together. When started walking she asked, "Are you still going to be my friend after this, since I talked you into one of the Hardest Races Ever?" To which I replied (in between panting), "Um, DUH." And here's where we were just really slow (totally my fault) and walked pretty much the whole 5k. Even when I got my legs back, I just couldn't do it. Y'all it was HOT. The high for the day was 99, so we had to be walking in about 95 degrees of blazing hot sun. And as much as I was super hydrated and fueled with proper nutrition & sports drinks, the heat was just really brutal. (My friend Susan warned me about the heat and I tried to train in heat & acclimate before the race, but our lovely Southern California weather never went over 80/85 in the last weeks leading up the race.) There was a long hill at the end of the course (what sadist plotted THAT out, I'd like to know??), and the heat actually HURT. But with Loren's help, and the ice cold water of some fabulous volunteers, and all the support I knew I had to finish, I just kept plugging away.
I would have liked to have done more jogging this whole time (Straight up: I jogged for the cameras, and that's about it). In the end, my legs aren't as wrecked as I actually think they should have been. And I keep looking back at this part and feeling frustrated that I didn't get to do all the jogging I'd trained.
But when we finally spotted the finish line I finally just thought, "F--- it," and jogged the last, like, 50/100 yards of the course. I got a double high five from Danskin spokeswoman and professional hard-core triathlete Sally Edwards as I crossed the finish line, got my medal and my water, and seriously felt like I might throw up. I think if I'd done any more jogging in that heat, I definitely would have thrown up, if not passed out. So it's probably best for my health that I didn't jog, I guess, but my final time for the 5k was a super-slow 55 minutes. UGH.
(Also: after doing the whole race and feeling more hot & exhausted then I've ever felt before, we had to walk about 1.5 miles back to the car. I thought I was gonna die.)
Overall, this event was the hardest thing I've ever chosen to do. It's also one of the BEST THINGS I have ever chosen to do. First of all, I made some awesome new friends by doing this (What up TEAM QUESO!!) But mostly, throughout the whole event, I kept thinking, "This water is really choppy (blrargh/garrgle/spleft/mloey/pleh/sputter) . . . but I'm gonna do this anyway." "Trying to bike up these hills on this bike, in this wind, is really super painful (Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow.).... but I'm gonna keep peddling anyway." "Just walking in this brutal heat, after everything else I've already done today, is one of the most exhausting things I've ever done, and I really want to stop. (OMG I'm dying!) But I won't stop; I'm going to keep walking anyway."
It ended up being this profound experience. The medal we all get when we finish the Danskin says, "The woman who starts the race is not the same woman who finishes the race." Truer words were never printed on a pointy metal award. After all, the next time I find myself in a tough spot, faced with doing something I'd rather not do, I think I'll be a whole lot less likely to quit. I think I'll just plow ahead and do it anyway.
So. Will I do it again? You bet your sweet bippy I will. (And I'm taking some of you with me, so look out!!) This event has not only taught me so much about training, and what I need to do for the next one. All my training for this one didn't really prepare me for all the conditions of the course, but it did prepare my overall strength and stamina. And willpower, for that matter.
This race has also forced me to give up my old mantle of "Most Un-athletic Person I Know." Which, aside from raising money for breast-cancer research, is the main reason I wanted to do this. I just got tired of being this sad sack of couch potatoes, moping around going, "I'm just not athletic/coordinated/good at sports. I can't do athletic things." I set out on this journey to prove to myself that I CAN do athletic things if I want to. I might not be the fastest or strongest, but I can do it if I want to!!
And now I am officially a tri-athlete. I haven't signed up for any other races yet, but I will. I want to keep up my training, of course. Plus, man, I have GOT to get a better time. And then a better one, and then a better one....
Finally, I just want to say THANK YOU to all of you who have been reading along this journey for all your love and support and prayers--they helped so very much. Also: Thank you to Amy for introducing me to Athleta, home of the world's cutest workout gear. Thank you to Matti, for all the travel-sized beauty products that really came in handy this whole weekend. A HUGE thank you to Team Queso, for all the supportive emails leading up to this race, for encouraging me when I thought I couldn't keep going, and for the actual queso (and cake, and beer) after the race.
And, of course, Big Love and gratitude to my dear friend Loren, for talking me into this in the first place, and then waiting for me and sticking with me that whole walk. I am so proud of us for crossing that finish line together--We Rock Shut Up!!
And, last but not least, my fabulous husband Mac, who encouraged me on the days I didn't want to go to the gym, who listened when I went on and on about all my training endeavors, who didn't bat an eyelash no matter how much I spent on gear (this sport ain't cheap, y'all), and who never once wavered in his belief in me, that I could do this.
Thank you thank you thank you everyone! And don't forget, the next time I do this, I'm taking you with me!
--
My Results
| Oerall Rank | Class Rank | Swim | Swim Rank | Trans1 | Bike | Bike Rank | MPH | Trans2 | Run | Run Rank | Pace | Final |
| 2473 of 2592 | 327 of 376 | 00:37:33 | 2304 | 00:08:12 | 01:16:34 | 2473 | 09.4 | 00:05:49 | 00:55:45 | 2468 | 00:17:59 | 03:03:53 |
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Friday, June 06, 2008
Number 2785
I have an official race bib number. On Sunday, I will be Number 2785.
We got to Austin yesterday and went directly to the Whole Foods flagship store (aka Willy Wonka's Organic Foods Factory) for lunch, because they have the best salad bars you've ever seen.
Today, it is raining. Weather.com says it's going to rain until Monday, with possible thunderstorms on Sunday. Now the only thing I'm more nervous about than doing the race is not getting to do the race after all my hard work. Not that it would be canceled due to just rain, but I hear lightening around lakes is dangerous.
So right now I'm praying for decent weather. Dry roads would be best for biking, but hey--I've biked in hail and I know how to work my brakes on a wet road. I can take a couple rain drops. Swimming in rain is... whatever, we're already wet. Running is fine, because at least it won't be a million degrees hot, which was the initial concern. I did a light, 30-minute walk/jog around the neighborhood where I'm staying, and either from rain or humidity or sweat or, like today, a combination of all three, it's just going to be a wet race. And that's fine.
I'm as ready as I'm going to get. I have a Race Plan (because when the Going Gets Tough, Dinah Makes a Spreadsheet), I have all my gear, I have a bike reserved, and I'm as trained as I can be. I might be doing a little more walking than I would like, but I'm okay with it.
All I need now is some last-minute encouragement to help quell the general anxiety & nerves I've been feeling all week. I'm going to collect them all and read them the night before my race, and remember that I am loved and supported and I CAN DO THIS!!
Thanks to everyone who has already called or emailed their support! Also, if you're feeling generous and want a little warm fuzzy for yourself today, feel free to click here and donate to the Team Survivor pledge program. This isn't like other races, where you have to commit to raise a certain amount of money. BUT there's no harm in kicking in a couple bucks for breast cancer research is there? If you want to do it in my name, then use the info below:
Name: Dinah McLean
Hometown: North Hollywood, CA
Race City: Austin, TX
Thanks everyone!!!
We got to Austin yesterday and went directly to the Whole Foods flagship store (aka Willy Wonka's Organic Foods Factory) for lunch, because they have the best salad bars you've ever seen.
Today, it is raining. Weather.com says it's going to rain until Monday, with possible thunderstorms on Sunday. Now the only thing I'm more nervous about than doing the race is not getting to do the race after all my hard work. Not that it would be canceled due to just rain, but I hear lightening around lakes is dangerous.
So right now I'm praying for decent weather. Dry roads would be best for biking, but hey--I've biked in hail and I know how to work my brakes on a wet road. I can take a couple rain drops. Swimming in rain is... whatever, we're already wet. Running is fine, because at least it won't be a million degrees hot, which was the initial concern. I did a light, 30-minute walk/jog around the neighborhood where I'm staying, and either from rain or humidity or sweat or, like today, a combination of all three, it's just going to be a wet race. And that's fine.
I'm as ready as I'm going to get. I have a Race Plan (because when the Going Gets Tough, Dinah Makes a Spreadsheet), I have all my gear, I have a bike reserved, and I'm as trained as I can be. I might be doing a little more walking than I would like, but I'm okay with it.
All I need now is some last-minute encouragement to help quell the general anxiety & nerves I've been feeling all week. I'm going to collect them all and read them the night before my race, and remember that I am loved and supported and I CAN DO THIS!!
Thanks to everyone who has already called or emailed their support! Also, if you're feeling generous and want a little warm fuzzy for yourself today, feel free to click here and donate to the Team Survivor pledge program. This isn't like other races, where you have to commit to raise a certain amount of money. BUT there's no harm in kicking in a couple bucks for breast cancer research is there? If you want to do it in my name, then use the info below:
Name: Dinah McLean
Hometown: North Hollywood, CA
Race City: Austin, TX
Thanks everyone!!!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
nutty
What a nutty day.
I love a 3-day weekend as much as the next girl, but this one was kind of exhausting. We went out to dinner, played Rock Band, went to brunch, went to a BBQ, saw Indy, and hosted a Memorial Day brunch for some of our nearest and dearest friends.
And can I just take this moment to gush over how awesome our friends are? Of the 12 possible attendees, 10 RSVP'd yes, and only two of those couldn't make it at the last minute. I was expecting maybe half to RSVP/show, for a small, cozy group. But even though there were 10 of us around the table in the end, it still felt small and cozy and fun and rad. It was like Thanksgiving, only with Egg Dish instead of turkey, and way less stress. And God bless my friends for letting me experiment on them and test out new recipes, most of which came out perfect. (The "I Don't Want Earl's Baby" Pie came out a little runny, but still tasted delicious.)
Anyhoo, today. Has been nutty with a trip to the vet, 3 appointments (1 canceled), several deadlines, 1 big Win, and I'm already tired even though I still have to train. Tonight I'm going to go to pair up my bike & run and see how wobbly my legs are walking/jogging after 12 miles on the bike.
I'm excited to go, though, and wear some of my new gear. Because the only thing I obsess about more than the triathlon training is my triathlon outfit, and how ridiculous I'll look. I'm resigned to looking pretty ridiculous since I'll be wearing bike shorts and, Helloooooooo, Thighs! That said, I think my new hat & sunglasses help make me look like an actual jock.
"Yeah, I do triathlons. You know, for fun. 'Cause I'm so tough & athletic & all."
ETA: I ended up going out later than I expected, so I only biked 6.45 miles before running 2.4 miles. I learned that I'm going to have to kick off my 5k with about 5 minutes of walking, and I learned that I can jog at a slow/easy pace for at least 25 minutes straight. I am hopeful that this training and these findings will help me sort out a decent run time in a couple weeks.
I also used my time on the bike to write the following alternate lyrics to Gwen Stefani's "What You Waiting For?" Stick 'em in the bridge where she goes off on Japan & shit.
"I can't wait to go,
Starting with the swim.
I don't even need no fins.
I switch to bicycle,
And then I'm gonna run
Right across the finish line.
Go!"
~ dedicated to Team Queso
I love a 3-day weekend as much as the next girl, but this one was kind of exhausting. We went out to dinner, played Rock Band, went to brunch, went to a BBQ, saw Indy, and hosted a Memorial Day brunch for some of our nearest and dearest friends.
And can I just take this moment to gush over how awesome our friends are? Of the 12 possible attendees, 10 RSVP'd yes, and only two of those couldn't make it at the last minute. I was expecting maybe half to RSVP/show, for a small, cozy group. But even though there were 10 of us around the table in the end, it still felt small and cozy and fun and rad. It was like Thanksgiving, only with Egg Dish instead of turkey, and way less stress. And God bless my friends for letting me experiment on them and test out new recipes, most of which came out perfect. (The "I Don't Want Earl's Baby" Pie came out a little runny, but still tasted delicious.)
Anyhoo, today. Has been nutty with a trip to the vet, 3 appointments (1 canceled), several deadlines, 1 big Win, and I'm already tired even though I still have to train. Tonight I'm going to go to pair up my bike & run and see how wobbly my legs are walking/jogging after 12 miles on the bike.
I'm excited to go, though, and wear some of my new gear. Because the only thing I obsess about more than the triathlon training is my triathlon outfit, and how ridiculous I'll look. I'm resigned to looking pretty ridiculous since I'll be wearing bike shorts and, Helloooooooo, Thighs! That said, I think my new hat & sunglasses help make me look like an actual jock.
"Yeah, I do triathlons. You know, for fun. 'Cause I'm so tough & athletic & all."
ETA: I ended up going out later than I expected, so I only biked 6.45 miles before running 2.4 miles. I learned that I'm going to have to kick off my 5k with about 5 minutes of walking, and I learned that I can jog at a slow/easy pace for at least 25 minutes straight. I am hopeful that this training and these findings will help me sort out a decent run time in a couple weeks.
I also used my time on the bike to write the following alternate lyrics to Gwen Stefani's "What You Waiting For?" Stick 'em in the bridge where she goes off on Japan & shit.
"I can't wait to go,
Starting with the swim.
I don't even need no fins.
I switch to bicycle,
And then I'm gonna run
Right across the finish line.
Go!"
~ dedicated to Team Queso
Thursday, May 22, 2008
I bike in hail!
So, listen. If you've been following the story, then you know that I have had my doubts about this whole madcap triathlon endeavor. Especially recently, as the event starts to loom closer and the panic about all the training I have NOT done starts to creep in.
So let's see where I'm really at, shall we?
Swimming:
Today I did the whole half mile without stopping in 32:50 and felt great. I did an extra two laps just because I could. Plus, let's face it, if my last attempts at open-water swimming are any indication, I'm not swimming this thing in a straight line, like, at all. So it will likely be longer than my practiced 1/2 mile distance. Knowing I can do the whole distance, and then some, is a great feeling. Also a great feeling: when I realized I wasn't nearly as winded as I used to be, then used that information to force myself to try and swim faster. I mean, I shaved almost 3 minutes off my time from just last Tuesday.
Goals: Shave another minute or two off, if possible; practice swimming in what I'll be wearing on race day (tri-shorts, sports bra, zip up jersey); practice Zen-ing out and visualize taking on the Fleshy Churning Spank Machine open water swim with calm and confidence.
Biking:
When I first agreed to do this, I was focused on the running because I knew that was hard for me. Then I switched focus to swimming because I knew I couldn't do that hardly at all. I haven't spent nearly enough on my bike, and it's pretty obvious. On Sunday I tried to bike in the 95 degree heat and thought I was gonna die. (Lesson learned: hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!!!!) Today I biked a little over 12 miles (2.5 to the gym, 9.7 after my swim) and I wasn't clocking it super-specifically or anything, but I think the whole thing was around 1:08. As in, an hour and 8 minutes. So, I can do it, but I am hella slow. The fun part, though, was getting caught in a rainstorm on my bike. That's right: I am now a HARD-CORE ATHLETE, I bike in hail!
Goals: Get time under an hour (and who knows how much time I'm wasting at stop lights, dude); practice bike-to-run transition; do a couple more rides in the heat, if possible.
Running:
Oh, who am I kidding? I can't actually qualify what I do as "running." This is where I started my training, and it's still my weakest leg of the whole thing. I still get dizzy, the tiniest twinges can turn into full-blown muscle spasms, and I have to walk a lot. If I'm regulating my time, then I'm alternating 2-minute walks with 3-minute jogs for the whole distance. If I'm not regulating my time, then that means I'm pushing myself to see how far/long I can jog, and then getting exhausted, and then I'm all over the map. The good news is, I've at least picked up a little speed from when I started. The bad news is, I'm probably not doing this 5k in under 45 minutes any time soon. I mean, I do it in 42 minutes now. And I've paired it with the bike a few times with decent success, actually. Just not with the whole bike distance. So, yeah. I could be walking this thing.
Goals: Get time down to 41, maybe 40 minutes (so I can do it in 45 on race day); practice walking/jogging after full 12-mile ride; practice jogging in what I'll be wearing on race day, especially outside; do a couple jogs in the heat, if possible.
So if I were to do this today (and, hi, I did 2/3 of it today, HOLLA!!), then my total time will be about 2 and a half hours, I think? If I can manage a 35 minute swim + 60 minute bike + 45 minute run on race day, then it's 2:20, plus transitions. For a sprint, this is a VERY SLOW TIME. BUT. Considering that I was certain I couldn't do this at all before Lo & Susan talked me into in January? Or that I was convinced it would take me at least 3 hours just 2 weeks ago?
I'm kind of stoked.
So let's see where I'm really at, shall we?
Swimming:
Today I did the whole half mile without stopping in 32:50 and felt great. I did an extra two laps just because I could. Plus, let's face it, if my last attempts at open-water swimming are any indication, I'm not swimming this thing in a straight line, like, at all. So it will likely be longer than my practiced 1/2 mile distance. Knowing I can do the whole distance, and then some, is a great feeling. Also a great feeling: when I realized I wasn't nearly as winded as I used to be, then used that information to force myself to try and swim faster. I mean, I shaved almost 3 minutes off my time from just last Tuesday.
Goals: Shave another minute or two off, if possible; practice swimming in what I'll be wearing on race day (tri-shorts, sports bra, zip up jersey); practice Zen-ing out and visualize taking on the Fleshy Churning Spank Machine open water swim with calm and confidence.
Biking:
When I first agreed to do this, I was focused on the running because I knew that was hard for me. Then I switched focus to swimming because I knew I couldn't do that hardly at all. I haven't spent nearly enough on my bike, and it's pretty obvious. On Sunday I tried to bike in the 95 degree heat and thought I was gonna die. (Lesson learned: hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!!!!) Today I biked a little over 12 miles (2.5 to the gym, 9.7 after my swim) and I wasn't clocking it super-specifically or anything, but I think the whole thing was around 1:08. As in, an hour and 8 minutes. So, I can do it, but I am hella slow. The fun part, though, was getting caught in a rainstorm on my bike. That's right: I am now a HARD-CORE ATHLETE, I bike in hail!
Goals: Get time under an hour (and who knows how much time I'm wasting at stop lights, dude); practice bike-to-run transition; do a couple more rides in the heat, if possible.
Running:
Oh, who am I kidding? I can't actually qualify what I do as "running." This is where I started my training, and it's still my weakest leg of the whole thing. I still get dizzy, the tiniest twinges can turn into full-blown muscle spasms, and I have to walk a lot. If I'm regulating my time, then I'm alternating 2-minute walks with 3-minute jogs for the whole distance. If I'm not regulating my time, then that means I'm pushing myself to see how far/long I can jog, and then getting exhausted, and then I'm all over the map. The good news is, I've at least picked up a little speed from when I started. The bad news is, I'm probably not doing this 5k in under 45 minutes any time soon. I mean, I do it in 42 minutes now. And I've paired it with the bike a few times with decent success, actually. Just not with the whole bike distance. So, yeah. I could be walking this thing.
Goals: Get time down to 41, maybe 40 minutes (so I can do it in 45 on race day); practice walking/jogging after full 12-mile ride; practice jogging in what I'll be wearing on race day, especially outside; do a couple jogs in the heat, if possible.
So if I were to do this today (and, hi, I did 2/3 of it today, HOLLA!!), then my total time will be about 2 and a half hours, I think? If I can manage a 35 minute swim + 60 minute bike + 45 minute run on race day, then it's 2:20, plus transitions. For a sprint, this is a VERY SLOW TIME. BUT. Considering that I was certain I couldn't do this at all before Lo & Susan talked me into in January? Or that I was convinced it would take me at least 3 hours just 2 weeks ago?
I'm kind of stoked.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
I AM THE BIG WINNER.
Who's a big winner?
I AM. I AM THE BIG WINNER.
My first attempt at swimming was on February 8. I had to stop after every length of the pool to hold onto the side and breathe. Getting through all 18 laps took me 90 freaking minutes. By March 24 I was stopping to breathe after every lap, getting through the laps took a combination of freestyle/crawl, breast stroke and floating on my back, and 18 laps took 48 minutes.
I've been making steady improvements since then, putting more and more laps together without stopping, until on Sunday I did 10 laps, took one break in the shallow end, then did 8, and the whole thing took me 39 minutes.
Today I did all 18 laps without stopping in 35:50.
I'd say that's an improvement.
I AM. I AM THE BIG WINNER.
My first attempt at swimming was on February 8. I had to stop after every length of the pool to hold onto the side and breathe. Getting through all 18 laps took me 90 freaking minutes. By March 24 I was stopping to breathe after every lap, getting through the laps took a combination of freestyle/crawl, breast stroke and floating on my back, and 18 laps took 48 minutes.
I've been making steady improvements since then, putting more and more laps together without stopping, until on Sunday I did 10 laps, took one break in the shallow end, then did 8, and the whole thing took me 39 minutes.
Today I did all 18 laps without stopping in 35:50.
I'd say that's an improvement.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
the couch potato I'm trying to leave behind
If I'm being honest, I'm not all "Yay go me! I'm training for a triathlon! I CAN DO IT GO ME!" all the time. Or even half the time. I try to be positive as much as possible, but.
But then there are the other days. Like, yesterday when I realized that I hadn't trained in a week, and it wasn't just because the last 7 days were, like, Supah-Crazy-Towne-ExPRESS. I mean, I could have woken up earlier & squeezed it in.
I just didn't want to.
Because on these other days, I feel self-indulgent and give myself all kinds of breaks because, like, "my schedule is hectic and I deserve breaks!" Or I just feel more like the couch potato I'm trying to leave behind than the tri-athlete I'm trying to become. On these other days, I'll put my workout clothes on, enjoy their spandexy comfort, and never actually go to the gym and stay home and get caught up on How I Met Your Mother while eating pasta instead.
And, then, there are days like today. The day AFTER my little pity party, the day AFTER the week of no training, whatsoever, when the panic sets in. I become a deer in headlights in the face of, OH CRAP THIS SHIT IS A MONTH AWAY I'M NOT TRAINED ENOUGH HOW ON EARTH WILL I DOOOOOOO THIS?!?!?!?
Yesterday, I dealt with my panic by eating ice cream. Today, I'm getting back on the treadmill.
Because if I'm really being honest, this whole endeavor has way less to do with me getting fit and healthy than it does with me conquering a lifetime of giving in to the lazy, self-indulgent attitude that got me into this shape in the first place.
And, y'all, THAT is WAY harder than swimming.
But then there are the other days. Like, yesterday when I realized that I hadn't trained in a week, and it wasn't just because the last 7 days were, like, Supah-Crazy-Towne-ExPRESS. I mean, I could have woken up earlier & squeezed it in.
I just didn't want to.
Because on these other days, I feel self-indulgent and give myself all kinds of breaks because, like, "my schedule is hectic and I deserve breaks!" Or I just feel more like the couch potato I'm trying to leave behind than the tri-athlete I'm trying to become. On these other days, I'll put my workout clothes on, enjoy their spandexy comfort, and never actually go to the gym and stay home and get caught up on How I Met Your Mother while eating pasta instead.
And, then, there are days like today. The day AFTER my little pity party, the day AFTER the week of no training, whatsoever, when the panic sets in. I become a deer in headlights in the face of, OH CRAP THIS SHIT IS A MONTH AWAY I'M NOT TRAINED ENOUGH HOW ON EARTH WILL I DOOOOOOO THIS?!?!?!?
Yesterday, I dealt with my panic by eating ice cream. Today, I'm getting back on the treadmill.
Because if I'm really being honest, this whole endeavor has way less to do with me getting fit and healthy than it does with me conquering a lifetime of giving in to the lazy, self-indulgent attitude that got me into this shape in the first place.
And, y'all, THAT is WAY harder than swimming.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
healthy
I had an epiphany in the pool today.
Somewhere around lap 15 I remembered that I'm in a very busy work week--getting caught up from vacation, prepping for staff flying in and client meetings and our party on Saturday, etc. As soon as it popped into my head, I felt weird.
And I realized: generally speaking, when I'm training, I don't think about work at ALL. In fact, I don't think about anything BUT training. I think about my breathing and I think about the fatigue (and sometimes pain) I feel in my body. I think about my triathlon, and how I'm going to get through it. If I'm running, I think about the song I'm listening to, and sometimes get so caught up I do a little dance move while I'm jogging (which I bet looks bizarre to the people around me at the Y). If I'm biking, I'm thinking about the cars around me, my speed, the pain in my butt, how thirsty I am (I don't have a bottle holder on my bike yet). Sometimes I just repeat a mantra over and over again in my head. Like, my swimming mantra used to be "Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming." My new mantra is, "Long. Strong." One word for each stroke.
The weirdness passed quickly as I went back to repeating my mantra, breathing, and keeping count of my laps. And making sure I kept kicking. And paying attention to my form. There's actually quite a lot to think about when you're swimming. It doesn't leave room for any of my other usual thoughts or worries.
And I love it. I mean, as hard as all this training has been, I really love it. Not only am I in better shape than I was when I started this venture, but my workouts have become this precious me-time. I might even love swimming most of all, because it forces me out of my own head and makes me focus on the moment.
Starting this, everyone said it's best to work out with friends, and I believed them. I lamented that none of my friends go to my Y, and none of my fellow tri buddies are even in LA, and why does this city have to be so damn spread out so it's freaking impossible to get together to work out anyway?? Now I realize just how valuable all this me-time has been.
Aside from today's epiphany, I've also realized a couple other things. One, I love exercise. Go figure. When we were in Hawaii I went on 2 4-mile walks, swam laps in the ocean (I'm guessing about 600 yards?), lifted weights in the hotel exercise room, and went snorkeling. Which, fine, is basically just floating and probably didn't burn many calories. But still! Moving, playing outside--I love it. I don't know yet if I'm going to become one of those people who's addicted to triathlons, but I'm definitely making a list of all the other stuff I want to try. Like, scuba diving for sure, maybe surfing, maybe tennis? Definitely rock climbing.
Unrelated to my training (but just as healthy), I also realized last week when I was in Hawaii that I was missing the annual Ticketmaster marketing & operations conference in LA. Which, yeah, I don't work there anymore, but I still have friends there who live around the country, and it would have been fun to crash one of their parties and see some of my favorite people.
Nothing against any of those people, but in retrospect I'm actually glad I missed it. It's been almost one year exactly since I left TM after 7 years, and it's been one of the most challenging and rewarding years of my life. When I think about the positive ways in which I've changed my life since leaving, it really becomes clear that the most important change I made was the leaving itself. Those friends I didn't see last week will still be friends, and we'll see each other again some other, better way. For me, it's best not to move back, but keep on truckin' forward.
Somewhere around lap 15 I remembered that I'm in a very busy work week--getting caught up from vacation, prepping for staff flying in and client meetings and our party on Saturday, etc. As soon as it popped into my head, I felt weird.
And I realized: generally speaking, when I'm training, I don't think about work at ALL. In fact, I don't think about anything BUT training. I think about my breathing and I think about the fatigue (and sometimes pain) I feel in my body. I think about my triathlon, and how I'm going to get through it. If I'm running, I think about the song I'm listening to, and sometimes get so caught up I do a little dance move while I'm jogging (which I bet looks bizarre to the people around me at the Y). If I'm biking, I'm thinking about the cars around me, my speed, the pain in my butt, how thirsty I am (I don't have a bottle holder on my bike yet). Sometimes I just repeat a mantra over and over again in my head. Like, my swimming mantra used to be "Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming." My new mantra is, "Long. Strong." One word for each stroke.
The weirdness passed quickly as I went back to repeating my mantra, breathing, and keeping count of my laps. And making sure I kept kicking. And paying attention to my form. There's actually quite a lot to think about when you're swimming. It doesn't leave room for any of my other usual thoughts or worries.
And I love it. I mean, as hard as all this training has been, I really love it. Not only am I in better shape than I was when I started this venture, but my workouts have become this precious me-time. I might even love swimming most of all, because it forces me out of my own head and makes me focus on the moment.
Starting this, everyone said it's best to work out with friends, and I believed them. I lamented that none of my friends go to my Y, and none of my fellow tri buddies are even in LA, and why does this city have to be so damn spread out so it's freaking impossible to get together to work out anyway?? Now I realize just how valuable all this me-time has been.
Aside from today's epiphany, I've also realized a couple other things. One, I love exercise. Go figure. When we were in Hawaii I went on 2 4-mile walks, swam laps in the ocean (I'm guessing about 600 yards?), lifted weights in the hotel exercise room, and went snorkeling. Which, fine, is basically just floating and probably didn't burn many calories. But still! Moving, playing outside--I love it. I don't know yet if I'm going to become one of those people who's addicted to triathlons, but I'm definitely making a list of all the other stuff I want to try. Like, scuba diving for sure, maybe surfing, maybe tennis? Definitely rock climbing.
Unrelated to my training (but just as healthy), I also realized last week when I was in Hawaii that I was missing the annual Ticketmaster marketing & operations conference in LA. Which, yeah, I don't work there anymore, but I still have friends there who live around the country, and it would have been fun to crash one of their parties and see some of my favorite people.
Nothing against any of those people, but in retrospect I'm actually glad I missed it. It's been almost one year exactly since I left TM after 7 years, and it's been one of the most challenging and rewarding years of my life. When I think about the positive ways in which I've changed my life since leaving, it really becomes clear that the most important change I made was the leaving itself. Those friends I didn't see last week will still be friends, and we'll see each other again some other, better way. For me, it's best not to move back, but keep on truckin' forward.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Endurance Girl I am not
So I have 9 more weeks to train for this triathlon. I am beyond nervous about it, to the point that I've started having nightmares about it. Specifically, the swimming. Last night I had to swim a labyrinth of lake and my feet kept touching the primordial ooze at the bottom of the lake and grossing me out. And, I was the last one to finish swimming and everyone else was done with the race before I even got on my bike. Another time I had to swim in the ocean, only when I got to the beach the ocean was overflowing with all manner of creatures--whales, those crazy eels from the Little Mermaid, turtles, dolphins--and I was too scared to go in and had to forfeit.
Anxious? Me? Noooo.........
At any rate, here's where I'm at with my training:
Swimming - I went swimming three times last week and will do the same this week. I figure I need to continue swimming at LEAST three times a week for the next 9 weeks in order to be prepared for this event. The half mile distance equals about 900 yards, or 18 laps in my 25-yard-long pool at the Y.
Currently, I can swim 18 laps in about 40 minutes, and I have to take a break to breath after pretty much every lap. I often have to flip onto my back and just kick in order to catch my breath. Endurance Girl I am not.
The director at my Y recommended this class to help me train, but, well. I went to check it out and chat with the instructor, and he had me swim just one lap for him before turning me away. He told me that once I could swim 200 yards in 2 minutes, I could come back to the class. Which was humiliating and devastating and led to me crying in the shower until I did the math, and realized...200 yards in 2 minutes. That's 4 laps. That's 30 seconds per lap, or getting from one end of the pool to the other in just 15 seconds. If I could do that, then I'd be swimming all 18 of my laps in just 9 minutes. And if I could do that, I WOULDN'T NEED THE STUPID CLASS IN THE GODDAMN FIRST PLACE!!! Upon realizing this, of course, I stopped crying, logged the whole experience in my workout journal, and went home.
So, I'm back to training on my own. Swimming 18 laps, three times a week, and hoping I eventually learn how to keep going for the whole distance without stopping and panting in the shallow end.
Biking - I bought a bike! Oh, I love it. It's so pretty and shiny and fast. I want to name it and buy it presents and write it love songs.
I do not look cool on my bike. I do not care.
When I tried it out at the store, I pushed off and just felt like a little kid again. The wind in my face, the thrill of the speed. There may as well have been streamers coming off my handlebars, it was so awesome. I went for a 9 or 10 mile ride on Saturday, and while I felt it for sure, it wasn't impossible to get through. I feel fairly certain I could muddle my way through the other 2 - 3 miles come June. As long as the course is fairly flat. Ahem. At any rate, biking 1 - 2 times per week should have me in pretty good shape for this thing, I think.
Running - I'm running the full 5k about once a week now, and last week I shaved another 2 minutes off my time. I can walk 2 minutes then jog 3 minutes consistently for the whole distance. My time now is 45:40 for 3.2 miles. At this point with the running I'm just trying to get stronger, so my legs aren't all wrecked after finishing the distance. I don't mind switching from running to walking, as it really works for me. However, I would like to be able to jog the whole distance. We'll see how far I get.
So, that's where I'm at. Not bad, but not great either. I am certainly doing more now than I was when I started this endeavor, so I've made progress. However, with only 9 weeks left to train, I really need to start sticking to a more stringent schedule (swim x3, jog x1 or 2, bike x1 or 2, every week). And, of course, I haven't starting putting these things together really at all. On Saturday I swam my whole distance in the morning, then biked for 9 or 10 miles later in the afternoon, and then my body was totally wrecked for the next two days and I couldn't do anything without risking injury. Which throws off my schedule--not good. I'm hoping I can start putting at least two of the distances together starting in May. We shall see.
As always, tips and encouragement are totally welcome!!
Anxious? Me? Noooo.........
At any rate, here's where I'm at with my training:
Swimming - I went swimming three times last week and will do the same this week. I figure I need to continue swimming at LEAST three times a week for the next 9 weeks in order to be prepared for this event. The half mile distance equals about 900 yards, or 18 laps in my 25-yard-long pool at the Y.
Currently, I can swim 18 laps in about 40 minutes, and I have to take a break to breath after pretty much every lap. I often have to flip onto my back and just kick in order to catch my breath. Endurance Girl I am not.
The director at my Y recommended this class to help me train, but, well. I went to check it out and chat with the instructor, and he had me swim just one lap for him before turning me away. He told me that once I could swim 200 yards in 2 minutes, I could come back to the class. Which was humiliating and devastating and led to me crying in the shower until I did the math, and realized...200 yards in 2 minutes. That's 4 laps. That's 30 seconds per lap, or getting from one end of the pool to the other in just 15 seconds. If I could do that, then I'd be swimming all 18 of my laps in just 9 minutes. And if I could do that, I WOULDN'T NEED THE STUPID CLASS IN THE GODDAMN FIRST PLACE!!! Upon realizing this, of course, I stopped crying, logged the whole experience in my workout journal, and went home.
So, I'm back to training on my own. Swimming 18 laps, three times a week, and hoping I eventually learn how to keep going for the whole distance without stopping and panting in the shallow end.
Biking - I bought a bike! Oh, I love it. It's so pretty and shiny and fast. I want to name it and buy it presents and write it love songs.
I do not look cool on my bike. I do not care.
When I tried it out at the store, I pushed off and just felt like a little kid again. The wind in my face, the thrill of the speed. There may as well have been streamers coming off my handlebars, it was so awesome. I went for a 9 or 10 mile ride on Saturday, and while I felt it for sure, it wasn't impossible to get through. I feel fairly certain I could muddle my way through the other 2 - 3 miles come June. As long as the course is fairly flat. Ahem. At any rate, biking 1 - 2 times per week should have me in pretty good shape for this thing, I think.
Running - I'm running the full 5k about once a week now, and last week I shaved another 2 minutes off my time. I can walk 2 minutes then jog 3 minutes consistently for the whole distance. My time now is 45:40 for 3.2 miles. At this point with the running I'm just trying to get stronger, so my legs aren't all wrecked after finishing the distance. I don't mind switching from running to walking, as it really works for me. However, I would like to be able to jog the whole distance. We'll see how far I get.
So, that's where I'm at. Not bad, but not great either. I am certainly doing more now than I was when I started this endeavor, so I've made progress. However, with only 9 weeks left to train, I really need to start sticking to a more stringent schedule (swim x3, jog x1 or 2, bike x1 or 2, every week). And, of course, I haven't starting putting these things together really at all. On Saturday I swam my whole distance in the morning, then biked for 9 or 10 miles later in the afternoon, and then my body was totally wrecked for the next two days and I couldn't do anything without risking injury. Which throws off my schedule--not good. I'm hoping I can start putting at least two of the distances together starting in May. We shall see.
As always, tips and encouragement are totally welcome!!
Friday, March 07, 2008
... no
Me: "Oh my GOD I am the Worst Swimmer EVER!"
Him: "Did you drown and die?"
Me: "... no."
Him: "Then you are not the Worst Swimmer EVER."
I love him.
Seriously, though, I suck at swimming.
Him: "Did you drown and die?"
Me: "... no."
Him: "Then you are not the Worst Swimmer EVER."
I love him.
Seriously, though, I suck at swimming.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
I freaking DID IT
Ladies and gentlemen,
I RAN A MILE!!!!!!!!!1!!!!elevenWoooooooo!!!!@
Okay. By "run" I actually mean "jog" and it was on a treadmill at 4.5 mph so it took 14:30 minutes, hi I'm slow. And then it kind of wrecked the rest of my time on the treadmill, 'cause after that I could only run in little 2 min bursts & still only ended up covering 2.8 miles in 45 minutes. BUT. I am ridiculously out of shape, and we all know this. I have a triathlon sprint coming up that entails me running/walking 3.2 miles, and I can't even do that yet. So my first goal in all this training was to get to where I could jog a whole mile without walking. Just one.
And today I freaking DID IT.
For those of you thinking, "Dude, a 14:30 mile is kind of .... slow." Well, you're right. I'm not going to let you get me down, though, judgey. Because that time also means I jogged for fourteen and a half minutes straight. I'm not even sure how.
I'll tell you another thing--I've been dragging ass the last couple of weeks. A hike here, a little elliptical there, but mostly I've been planning parties, hosting fabulous out of town guests, eating too much, drinking too much, generally feeling like ass and, oh yeah, I kind of threw my back out on Monday. Yesterday I was like, "I need macaroni and cheese and hamburgers right noooooowwwwww!!!!" (Hi, PMS.)
So today, when I was like, let's just see how much longer I could go. Let's just see how much further I could go. Hey, I'm so close now, I might as well keep going. Ooh look I just jogged a whole mile without walking!!!
Yeah. Pretty sweet.
I'd also like to add here, if I can do this? This whole exercise thing? Seriously, for real? As indulgent as I am, as out of shape as I am, as much ass as I drag?? ANYONE can do this. If you're even remotely thinking about picking up a little more exercise, then I say go for it. Just go for a walk, & see how you do. I bet you impress yourself.
I RAN A MILE!!!!!!!!!1!!!!elevenWoooooooo!!!!@
Okay. By "run" I actually mean "jog" and it was on a treadmill at 4.5 mph so it took 14:30 minutes, hi I'm slow. And then it kind of wrecked the rest of my time on the treadmill, 'cause after that I could only run in little 2 min bursts & still only ended up covering 2.8 miles in 45 minutes. BUT. I am ridiculously out of shape, and we all know this. I have a triathlon sprint coming up that entails me running/walking 3.2 miles, and I can't even do that yet. So my first goal in all this training was to get to where I could jog a whole mile without walking. Just one.
And today I freaking DID IT.
For those of you thinking, "Dude, a 14:30 mile is kind of .... slow." Well, you're right. I'm not going to let you get me down, though, judgey. Because that time also means I jogged for fourteen and a half minutes straight. I'm not even sure how.
I'll tell you another thing--I've been dragging ass the last couple of weeks. A hike here, a little elliptical there, but mostly I've been planning parties, hosting fabulous out of town guests, eating too much, drinking too much, generally feeling like ass and, oh yeah, I kind of threw my back out on Monday. Yesterday I was like, "I need macaroni and cheese and hamburgers right noooooowwwwww!!!!" (Hi, PMS.)
So today, when I was like, let's just see how much longer I could go. Let's just see how much further I could go. Hey, I'm so close now, I might as well keep going. Ooh look I just jogged a whole mile without walking!!!
Yeah. Pretty sweet.
I'd also like to add here, if I can do this? This whole exercise thing? Seriously, for real? As indulgent as I am, as out of shape as I am, as much ass as I drag?? ANYONE can do this. If you're even remotely thinking about picking up a little more exercise, then I say go for it. Just go for a walk, & see how you do. I bet you impress yourself.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
I've been cranky lately
I registered! I am officially committed to doing this triathlon sprint in Austin in June. I have so much work to do before then, OH MY GOD. Now, I am kind of scared. Holy crap.
In other non-triathlon/weight loss news, our Oscar party went swimmingly. I kind of wish it would inspire blogs like this one, but we did get some lovely thank-yous. I spent too much time on food this year, then got drunk too fast, so I didn't get to do as much socializing as I might have preferred. Such are the perils of hostessing. I'm going to start saving up now for caterers at next year's event.
Spring has sprung in Los Angeles, which means it's still cool & rainy sometimes, but mostly it's sunny and green and awesome. West Hollywood is starting to smell like jasmine & lilac, and I love it. We've started taking the dogs on these hikes up Runyon Canyon, and even though there's still a haze of pollution blanketing the city, it's still quite lovely.
In other news, that insufferable egomaniac Nader has announced he's running for President again. Really. Going to create some false dichotomies, some bullshit arguments that only you can win so you can try and look all forward-thinking and liberal without actually having to DO anything, Nader? Going to try and help jack up another election for the Democrats by trying to make some kind of "statement" again? GOD. I hate this guy, and have no respect for anyone who votes for him. Seriously. It's not like he actually wants to BE president of the United States, and he's certainly not qualified. (Foreign policy, what??) He just likes to be a pain in the ass, listen to himself talk, and get his ego stroked, and I'm over it. Well, I'm not, I hate him, but I'm just done blogging about it. For today.
If only because, I've been cranky lately. If you wanted to push my buttons & piss me off, now would be a really easy time to do it. Stuff that works really well: don't follow direction, don't stick to the schedule, don't trust me, don't listen to me, be bossy, make shit complicated that doesn't need to be complicated, and/or transform yourself into technology of some sort then stop working for no reason. So, basically, unless you're Captain Awesome or Miss Moneypenny, beware. (Mac is also in the clear, as he's been super-awesome-understanding-patient husband during this time, and I don't know how he does it but I'm sure glad I married him.) Mercury is in retrograde, I have taxes due and no idea how to do them, I've got a million reports to do, look over & fix, and I gained a rather stupid amount of weight over the Oscar weekend and it has totally bummed me out. So, cranky. And if you're reading this wondering.... Is she talking about me? Oh, probably not. Well, maybe, actually. But, you know, it's a foul mood. I'm sure I'll get over it soon.
Maybe I'll go to the garden store this weekend & get some jasmine for my yard.
In other non-triathlon/weight loss news, our Oscar party went swimmingly. I kind of wish it would inspire blogs like this one, but we did get some lovely thank-yous. I spent too much time on food this year, then got drunk too fast, so I didn't get to do as much socializing as I might have preferred. Such are the perils of hostessing. I'm going to start saving up now for caterers at next year's event.
Spring has sprung in Los Angeles, which means it's still cool & rainy sometimes, but mostly it's sunny and green and awesome. West Hollywood is starting to smell like jasmine & lilac, and I love it. We've started taking the dogs on these hikes up Runyon Canyon, and even though there's still a haze of pollution blanketing the city, it's still quite lovely.
In other news, that insufferable egomaniac Nader has announced he's running for President again. Really. Going to create some false dichotomies, some bullshit arguments that only you can win so you can try and look all forward-thinking and liberal without actually having to DO anything, Nader? Going to try and help jack up another election for the Democrats by trying to make some kind of "statement" again? GOD. I hate this guy, and have no respect for anyone who votes for him. Seriously. It's not like he actually wants to BE president of the United States, and he's certainly not qualified. (Foreign policy, what??) He just likes to be a pain in the ass, listen to himself talk, and get his ego stroked, and I'm over it. Well, I'm not, I hate him, but I'm just done blogging about it. For today.
If only because, I've been cranky lately. If you wanted to push my buttons & piss me off, now would be a really easy time to do it. Stuff that works really well: don't follow direction, don't stick to the schedule, don't trust me, don't listen to me, be bossy, make shit complicated that doesn't need to be complicated, and/or transform yourself into technology of some sort then stop working for no reason. So, basically, unless you're Captain Awesome or Miss Moneypenny, beware. (Mac is also in the clear, as he's been super-awesome-understanding-patient husband during this time, and I don't know how he does it but I'm sure glad I married him.) Mercury is in retrograde, I have taxes due and no idea how to do them, I've got a million reports to do, look over & fix, and I gained a rather stupid amount of weight over the Oscar weekend and it has totally bummed me out. So, cranky. And if you're reading this wondering.... Is she talking about me? Oh, probably not. Well, maybe, actually. But, you know, it's a foul mood. I'm sure I'll get over it soon.
Maybe I'll go to the garden store this weekend & get some jasmine for my yard.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
victories
I just wanted to announce to the world (and by "world" I mean the 7 lovely people who read my blog) that my health and fitness endeavors are paying off!
Around mid-January I hit a record high that I'm not going to publish because I'm a lady. (And, admittedly, easily shamed by the numbers on the scale. Stupid patriarchy.) So I started eating better, exercising more. I committed to a triathlon, and introduced a whole array of different exercises into my routine. I went swimming. I lifted weights.
I started this endeavor only 6 weeks ago. As of this morning, I've lost a total of 12 lbs. My gut is smaller. I'm starting to see muscle definition in my upper arms.
12 lbs is especially victorious considering that on Thursday night I went way "Off Plan" and indulged in Godiva chocolate truffles, fried calamari, steak and potatoes, chocolate mousse, and too much good wine. And then on Friday I ate a whole plate of baked macaroni & cheese at a client lunch. And then I felt the old indulgent, "I'm grown! I can if I want!" attitude slip back over the weekend, when I ate pasta and helped Mac finish off the truffles.
But here's what's different: I also went hiking Thursday morning. My Valentine dinner was delicious, but I didn't eat until I was so full I felt sick--there was still food on the plate when they took it away. Mac and I split the mousse dessert, instead of each getting our own. Friday's rich lunch actually did make me feel sick (and took care of the mac & cheese craving for at least a few months), and I ate lightly for the rest of the day. As for the indulgent weekend, 1) We didn't order any Chinese/Thai/Pizza, which is kind of huge, and 2) I snapped out of it yesterday. Just like that. I went back on plan, I went to the gym.
So, yeah, 12 lbs is a huge victory for me, for sure. But I think the bigger victories so far lie in the overall changes in attitude. The fact that I could see my muscles working while I was on the pectoral fly machine yesterday, and it almost made me squeal out loud with glee is, in itself, a huge victory. And on this next Sunday we're throwing our big annual Oscar party, complete with a vast array of delicious food and baked goods. And I already know that I'm going to sample pretty much everything on the table, and probably eat more than my share of brie because that's just how I roll. I also know I'll send cookies home with people and I'll be at the gym the next day. Just knowing this is a win.
Next goals:
I also need to buy a bike. Any recommendations?
Around mid-January I hit a record high that I'm not going to publish because I'm a lady. (And, admittedly, easily shamed by the numbers on the scale. Stupid patriarchy.) So I started eating better, exercising more. I committed to a triathlon, and introduced a whole array of different exercises into my routine. I went swimming. I lifted weights.
I started this endeavor only 6 weeks ago. As of this morning, I've lost a total of 12 lbs. My gut is smaller. I'm starting to see muscle definition in my upper arms.
12 lbs is especially victorious considering that on Thursday night I went way "Off Plan" and indulged in Godiva chocolate truffles, fried calamari, steak and potatoes, chocolate mousse, and too much good wine. And then on Friday I ate a whole plate of baked macaroni & cheese at a client lunch. And then I felt the old indulgent, "I'm grown! I can if I want!" attitude slip back over the weekend, when I ate pasta and helped Mac finish off the truffles.
But here's what's different: I also went hiking Thursday morning. My Valentine dinner was delicious, but I didn't eat until I was so full I felt sick--there was still food on the plate when they took it away. Mac and I split the mousse dessert, instead of each getting our own. Friday's rich lunch actually did make me feel sick (and took care of the mac & cheese craving for at least a few months), and I ate lightly for the rest of the day. As for the indulgent weekend, 1) We didn't order any Chinese/Thai/Pizza, which is kind of huge, and 2) I snapped out of it yesterday. Just like that. I went back on plan, I went to the gym.
So, yeah, 12 lbs is a huge victory for me, for sure. But I think the bigger victories so far lie in the overall changes in attitude. The fact that I could see my muscles working while I was on the pectoral fly machine yesterday, and it almost made me squeal out loud with glee is, in itself, a huge victory. And on this next Sunday we're throwing our big annual Oscar party, complete with a vast array of delicious food and baked goods. And I already know that I'm going to sample pretty much everything on the table, and probably eat more than my share of brie because that's just how I roll. I also know I'll send cookies home with people and I'll be at the gym the next day. Just knowing this is a win.
Next goals:
- 5 more lbs, which should get me into more of the clothes in my closet.
- Still need to run a mile (I keep pulling muscles and injuring myself, so I've been walking a lot).
- 3 sets of 10 reps on the "push up" machine without feeling like I'm going to cry.
I also need to buy a bike. Any recommendations?
Monday, February 11, 2008
HAPPY STORY/SAD STORY
HAPPY STORY TIME!
What I really want to write about today is how I registered for my triathlon over the weekend, and am super ready to go. Unfortunately, registration isn't open yet. Registration for the first city they opened up closed in just a few hours, so now I'm super nervous about getting shut out. Think positive registration thoughts for me, would you? Thank you, I really appreciate it.
That said, I'm proceeding as though I'm already registered/committed. Since announcing my commitment to this endeavor on January 30, I've started working out about five times a week. Mostly I work on my running, since I can still only jog in short bursts. I've also taken the dogs on a hike through Runyon Canyon with one of my employees, looked extensively at bikes, and gone swimming once. (Note: me trying to put on a swim cap for the first time = PURE COMEDY. Very Mrs. Bean.) I didn't work out yesterday and, even though it was probably good for my body to take a day off, I missed it. I've become obsessed with the exercise. I even bought a book about training for triathlons.
Oh, and I've also lost about 3 lbs, bringing my total weight loss for 2008 so far to almost 10 lbs. I'm so close to 10 lbs lost, in fact, that I'm already plotting out how I'm going to run the gauntlet of Valentine's meals/treats and client lunches this week. Because, I'm going to eat the truffles and the petite filet and drink the champagne. So, I make sure I'm doing 60 minutes of cardio every day instead of my average of 45.
Yeah, I don't know what alien took over my mind & body either.
SAD STORY TIME.
In unrelated news, I went to see In Bruges yesterday, which was ridiculous and wrong and surprisingly gory and funny as hell. I went to the bathroom before it started, and as I walked into my stall, I heard a young woman saying, loudly,
"Oh my god, do you think anyone will know I'm bulimic??"
And my stall door shut. I think we both realized we were in adjacent stalls at the same time, and she freaked out.
"Oh my god, IS SOMEONE ELSE IN HERE??"
Her friends responded, essentially, yeah, numnuts, it's public bathroom and you're not alone in here with your stupid eating disorder.
So she proceeded to throw up her lunch anyway.
There's really no sound more depressing than that of a young woman wretching and forcing out her lunch in the stall next to you.
I tried to finish quickly so I could avoid her at the sinks. At the same time, I wondered what I would say to her if I did have the chance. I came up with the following:
"You can't just go to the gym like the rest of us?"
"Oh yeah, bulimia's hot. Except for the swollen glands, the hair falling out, the chronic bad breath, the rotting teeth and that pesky little risk of STOPPING YOUR HEART. Dumbass."
And the meanest of all,
"You better keep it up, girl, or you could end up looking like me."
What I really want to write about today is how I registered for my triathlon over the weekend, and am super ready to go. Unfortunately, registration isn't open yet. Registration for the first city they opened up closed in just a few hours, so now I'm super nervous about getting shut out. Think positive registration thoughts for me, would you? Thank you, I really appreciate it.
That said, I'm proceeding as though I'm already registered/committed. Since announcing my commitment to this endeavor on January 30, I've started working out about five times a week. Mostly I work on my running, since I can still only jog in short bursts. I've also taken the dogs on a hike through Runyon Canyon with one of my employees, looked extensively at bikes, and gone swimming once. (Note: me trying to put on a swim cap for the first time = PURE COMEDY. Very Mrs. Bean.) I didn't work out yesterday and, even though it was probably good for my body to take a day off, I missed it. I've become obsessed with the exercise. I even bought a book about training for triathlons.
Oh, and I've also lost about 3 lbs, bringing my total weight loss for 2008 so far to almost 10 lbs. I'm so close to 10 lbs lost, in fact, that I'm already plotting out how I'm going to run the gauntlet of Valentine's meals/treats and client lunches this week. Because, I'm going to eat the truffles and the petite filet and drink the champagne. So, I make sure I'm doing 60 minutes of cardio every day instead of my average of 45.
Yeah, I don't know what alien took over my mind & body either.
SAD STORY TIME.
In unrelated news, I went to see In Bruges yesterday, which was ridiculous and wrong and surprisingly gory and funny as hell. I went to the bathroom before it started, and as I walked into my stall, I heard a young woman saying, loudly,
"Oh my god, do you think anyone will know I'm bulimic??"
And my stall door shut. I think we both realized we were in adjacent stalls at the same time, and she freaked out.
"Oh my god, IS SOMEONE ELSE IN HERE??"
Her friends responded, essentially, yeah, numnuts, it's public bathroom and you're not alone in here with your stupid eating disorder.
So she proceeded to throw up her lunch anyway.
There's really no sound more depressing than that of a young woman wretching and forcing out her lunch in the stall next to you.
I tried to finish quickly so I could avoid her at the sinks. At the same time, I wondered what I would say to her if I did have the chance. I came up with the following:
"You can't just go to the gym like the rest of us?"
"Oh yeah, bulimia's hot. Except for the swollen glands, the hair falling out, the chronic bad breath, the rotting teeth and that pesky little risk of STOPPING YOUR HEART. Dumbass."
And the meanest of all,
"You better keep it up, girl, or you could end up looking like me."
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Clearly, I have gone insane.
Earlier this week I told two of my girlfriends that I would do this women's triathlon with them, and I wasn't even drunk. Clearly, I have gone insane.
That said, I've already started "training" in that I've done 40 minutes of "running" (ahem, walking) and 20 minutes of "biking" (stationary, easiest possible setting) twice this week, and already feeling like a freaking gladiator. Mind you, I haven't been swimming in, oh, YEARS and am already scared that I'm going to drown. (Seriously, what the hell was I thinking???)
So here's the big question: who's with me? They have events all over the country, including one in SoCal, but I've chosen to meet up with a couple kickass women I know in Austin, TX. If you're thinking, why the hell would I be interested in doing this, Dinah? Here are the incentives:
* The women I'm doing this with are super chill and not competitive. I've already started hearing rumblings that some of them will be walking the 5k running bit. Mostly we're all going to be really impressed with ourselves if we just finish the damn thing.
* There are 4 months to train, and the distances really aren't that bad. Okay, the .75k (1/2 mile) swim has me all kinds of scared, and that's going to require a lot of work on my part to just be able to do it without dying. That said, the bike bit is only 12 miles, and the running bit is only 3. These things are totally doable. In 4 months.
* Did I mention that the women I'm doing this with are really, really cool? We've already made plans for some guilt-free queso and Mexican martinis after the race. You know you want to join us.
* If you've never been to Austin, it's totally rad. The food is particularly tasty--breakfast tacos, queso, BBQ, and so many other yummy things. And if you come for a triathlon, then you can be all like, Whatever, I just did a triathlon, I'm eating this entire pot of cheese, I don't even care!
* If you're looking to lose weight, this could be a great way to stick to a really awesome, well-rounded exercise plan. I mean, as long as you don't justify entire pots of cheese every day, of course. But running, biking, & swimming are all really awesome ways to knock out some cardio, introduce some variety into your workout, and tone your muscles. Just think of how smokin' hot we'll all be when we roll into Austin. Right??
In conclusion, you have two choices:
1. Do the triathlon with me. We'll coach each other every week, hold each other accountable, cheer each other on, it'll be awesome! And we'll meet up in Austin and party like rock stars, baby, yeah!
2. Hook me up when I ask you for money. The whole thing is to raise money for breast cancer research, after all, and if I, the most out of shape, unathletic person I know, complete a FREAKING TRIATHLON then you'd best pony up some cash.
Go here for more info. Registration starts February 7.
That said, I've already started "training" in that I've done 40 minutes of "running" (ahem, walking) and 20 minutes of "biking" (stationary, easiest possible setting) twice this week, and already feeling like a freaking gladiator. Mind you, I haven't been swimming in, oh, YEARS and am already scared that I'm going to drown. (Seriously, what the hell was I thinking???)
So here's the big question: who's with me? They have events all over the country, including one in SoCal, but I've chosen to meet up with a couple kickass women I know in Austin, TX. If you're thinking, why the hell would I be interested in doing this, Dinah? Here are the incentives:
* The women I'm doing this with are super chill and not competitive. I've already started hearing rumblings that some of them will be walking the 5k running bit. Mostly we're all going to be really impressed with ourselves if we just finish the damn thing.
* There are 4 months to train, and the distances really aren't that bad. Okay, the .75k (1/2 mile) swim has me all kinds of scared, and that's going to require a lot of work on my part to just be able to do it without dying. That said, the bike bit is only 12 miles, and the running bit is only 3. These things are totally doable. In 4 months.
* Did I mention that the women I'm doing this with are really, really cool? We've already made plans for some guilt-free queso and Mexican martinis after the race. You know you want to join us.
* If you've never been to Austin, it's totally rad. The food is particularly tasty--breakfast tacos, queso, BBQ, and so many other yummy things. And if you come for a triathlon, then you can be all like, Whatever, I just did a triathlon, I'm eating this entire pot of cheese, I don't even care!
* If you're looking to lose weight, this could be a great way to stick to a really awesome, well-rounded exercise plan. I mean, as long as you don't justify entire pots of cheese every day, of course. But running, biking, & swimming are all really awesome ways to knock out some cardio, introduce some variety into your workout, and tone your muscles. Just think of how smokin' hot we'll all be when we roll into Austin. Right??
In conclusion, you have two choices:
1. Do the triathlon with me. We'll coach each other every week, hold each other accountable, cheer each other on, it'll be awesome! And we'll meet up in Austin and party like rock stars, baby, yeah!
2. Hook me up when I ask you for money. The whole thing is to raise money for breast cancer research, after all, and if I, the most out of shape, unathletic person I know, complete a FREAKING TRIATHLON then you'd best pony up some cash.
Go here for more info. Registration starts February 7.
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