109 Days and counting... And no flames today. :-)

So a blog-buddy asked a question on my post yesterday on an issue that has to this point gone un-noticed by me... Apparently I am showing some pyro tendencies in my photos! I will claim that it is a subconscious effort for my "burning desire" to compete, and nothing more! But I will go at least one day without using a flaming photo... Instead we'll use a pic of the cutest kid ever!

On to the goods! Yesterday was a good day:

Nutrition:

-Breakfast: One Nutri Grain bar, one peanut butter granola bar, 2 cups of coffee.

-Lunch: One bowl of vegetable beef soup, goldfish crackers.

-Dinner: Two small buffalo chicken sandwiches.

-Snacks: Handful of M&M's, string cheese, and some wheat thins.

Training:

30 minute run outside, with the munchkin in the stroller. Pace was slow (9:54), HR was pretty normal for the effort (159bpm). But considering I was pushing the stroller on a pretty hilly loop, I am quite happy.

Today, I squeaked in another good day.

Nutrition:

-Breakfast: bagel with peanut butter, 2 cups of coffee.

-Lunch: Chicken/Sausage gumbo, with goldfish crackers.

-Dinner: BBQ pork, green beans and potatoes, and 3 pieces of corn bread.

-Snacks: Handful of M&M's, wheat thins, and string cheese.

Training:

-30 minute run at 6.5 mph.

-Off to complete a 60 minute ride at RPE 4...

Happy Training!

110 days and... Christmas!

WOW! Another long layoff... The holidays certainly are glorious, but it makes it WAY too easy to lose track of training!

We are back, and hoping (planning, rather) on picking up the focus again. I hate to say it, but I kind of expected to drop off my training around Christmas. We had our annual Christmas Eve party with the gang, a quiet holiday as a family, and then had my mom visit for a week between Christmas and New Years. Overall, a WONDERFUL time!

It also served as a good mental break going into training in 2010, and yesterday was an awesome restart. Good diet, good training...

Nutrition:

-Breakfast: 2 nutri grain bars, 2 cups of coffee.

-Lunch: Can of chicken/sausage gumbo, goldfish crackers.

-Dinner: Hamburger and some Fritos.

-no snacks today (working off chocolate and beer from the break!).

Training:

-90 minutes on the bike, RPE 5, solid spinning effort, good cadence.

-30 minute treadmill run, 6.5mph.

-Lots of stretching!

Today is going to be an OUTDOOR RUN! I am excited, as it seems Seattle has dried out for about 24 hours... This afternoon we'll bundle up the munchkin and get some fresh air in the jogging stroller. It will also give me a chance to try out the new gift from SHW, a Garmin Forerunner 305!!

I lost my previous GPS unit in an unfortunate car accident (okay, I left it on the roof of my Jeep when I was driving to a bike ride and it got smashed in the street). This one has more features, is more user friendly, and is SMALL! I am stoked... And kudos again to SHW for being awesome. :-)

Here's hoping you all gave/got what you wanted to for the season, and are focused going into 2010!

127 Days and Counting... GO UTES!!

Monday and Tuesday were off days... Not by design, just out of last minute changes in plans. Was feeling sick, got busy with work and housework, and just lost my mojo! Tough time of year to try and get into the routine, but I am glad I am trying a race earlier in 2010. It's a new wrinkle, and it really isn't bad to be training with all the awesome food temptations that come with the season!

Today, I got on the dreadmill for 30 minutes, 7mph after a "subtle" reminder from SHW that it has been a few days... I love that! She laughs in my face every time I try to talk her into a full IM, but she never lets me slack for long. :-)

It was also a joyous day in our household, as the University of Utah beat Cal in their bowl game!! 9 straight bowl wins, and a great way to close out the season... It was also gratifying to see that the PAC10 is 0-2 in their bowls so far, and the MWC is 3-0.

But the BCS works GREAT. It works almost as well as a drunk ironman, anyway.

My diet, as mentioned, has NOT been great the last week or so. SHW had her 27th (ish) birthday and we went out for a bottle of wine, and some awesome Italian. Veal parmegana, fried calimari, fried zuchini, cheesecake, and creme brulee. Cookies at home don't help, and we're currently working on a 5lb. bag of M&M's. Tomorrow is our annual Christmas Eve bash with the gang and their kiddos. Wing Dome, chocolate fondue, chips and dip, with plenty of beer and wine.

This is not a recipe for success! But it is a recipe for a great holiday season, and a pretty good reminder of what we have to be thankful for... Good friends, good family, good food to share with them.

I likely won't be posting tomorrow, so happy holidays to all! I hope you have fun with friends and family, and take some time off of whatever training takes up your days!

130 Days and LAZY!

Not about training, about blogging... What's happened to me!? I used to be so good about my daily ramblings... Wait, no I wasn't. I guess I just wasn't this BAD! So, to catch you up:

Friday was a 50 minute ride, 10 minute run.

Saturday was a 30 minute run.

Sunday was a 65 minute ride, 20 minute run.

Monday was off.

As is the custom this time of year, the diet kind of takes a hit. My meals have been fine, but the cookies and the chocolates in between meals? They are awesome (and hard to decline!).


Some of my delay in posting is due to some good news our family got at the end of last week, that has been a bit distracting... I've kicked around the idea of grad school for the last couple years, and stumbled across a really great program at a great school. Wasn't sure I qualified academically, but after all my stuff was reviewed, I got the call Friday morning... I'll be a student at Gonzaga University, beginning January 12th!

I know this is another big commitment, and I am not sure if I'll do full IM after St. George in May (we'll see how this year goes), but I know I will at least do 70.3 races.... I can't give up cold turkey!! What else will I blog about? :-) If this year goes well with time management, we'll keep up the full IM schedule, but it is honestly a question mark for me now. I think subconciously I want to see how this year goes with a more modest training load (read: training as little as possible!), and if the race is still fun.

I think it will be. :-)

134 Days and Counting... And keeping it in the family!

Ironman is definitely and individual effort on race day, but I consider it a team sport... The only reason I've finished is because Smokin Hot Wife, my mom, my kid sister, and all the other friends/family that either show up at the race or support the habit. It takes a ton of good people in your corner to get through it all, and I am very appreciative of all the great folks who help me move along...

Tonight, the munchkin got her first chance to REALLY help Daddy with his training! It can be a LOT of time away from family if you don't plan your training well, and since I don't want to miss anything at home, I'm often on the treadmill or trainer instead of going outside. Granted the weather helps with that decision, but it is fun to be able to do this crazy stuff and still be within sightline of my girls!

Tonight, baby and I did 55 minutes on the trainer (see above), followed by a 10 minute treadmill run at 1.1 miles (Daddy did that one solo, munchkin doesn't walk so good yet).

Life... is good. :-)

135 Days and Counting...

Traveling for work today, so my workout was "hotel based." Read that as "a highly unfulfilling run on a 15 year old treadmill because the pool was smaller than a kitchen sink, thus unfit for lap swimming."

But, punching the clock again this week, just like we're supposed to!

Yesterday was a 30 minute swim, RPE 4. Arms felt GREAT. I also had one of my buffalo chicken sandwiches for lunch... Probably why the swim went so well!

Today was a 20 minute run on the hotel dreadmill, RPE 6, higher speed/intensity to make up for the shorter time (hotel gyms suck).

Ate pretty well today, but as is the habit after being on the road all day, dinner was a small step backwards. :-)

-Breakfast: Bowl of granola, 2 cups of coffee.

-Lunch: Last of the buffalo chicken from this weekend (only made 5 sandwiches this go around, instead of the 30 or so from last time!).

-Snacks: drank 1 can of mtn. dew on the road trip, and a chocolate chip cookie

-Dinner: Steak and baked potato, with a HUGE pile of broccoli, and 1 Bud Light.


Had a chance to talk to Smokin Hot Wife and the munchkin on the phone before everyone's bedtime(daddadababababphluupupfpppfpfpfpfffff), and now blogging my insanely exciting life for the world.

Today, was a good day. :-)

137 Days and Counting.... I'm back!!

WOW! After I promised I wouldn't bail out and take weeks at a time off of updating you what I ater for breakfast, I went and did it again...

SO MUCH has happened since my last post! Okay, not really. I have been pretty consistent on the treadmill (moved up to 40 and 60 minute runs 3-4 times a week, from 30 and 40 minute runs), and eating well (oh yeah, more buffalo chicken sandwiches this week!).

I finally got the bike set up this weekend as well (it took long enough), and got in a ride today. 50 minutes of mixed effort (easy spin, hills, moderate effort) followed by a 9:30 mile on the treadmill. Gotta make sure I don't forget how the legs work coming off the bike!

Only two real things of consequence mentioning today other than training.

1. I did try to convince another person to run an Ironman, a weekly occurrance for which I have had to apologize to a few strangers and relatives.

2. I wrote our Christmas letter! I had put if off for about 2 weeks, but got it done so Smokin Hot Wife can get the World's Cutest Christmas cards out into the mail.

Back on the Wagon, see you tomorrow!