It's Just A Hill...

Lots of fun and training this past weekend to finish up Build Week 2. This past Saturday we had our first team ride at Zuma Beach. Finally weather was on our side. Sunny and warm 2.5 hour ride along the coast followed by a 30 min run on the beach. Makes training that much more enjoyable! 

Saturday night brought some murder mystery fun, 1920's style. Such a great time! I didn't solve the murder but got to dress up in fun flapper attire and even got to play dead. Thanks +Jennifer Fidelman and +Jennifer German for a fun night!

     

Sunday came early - 4:30am wake up call to head to the Tinkerbell 1/2 Marathon to cheer on some friends. Then had to get in a hilly, trail 9 mile run when I got back. Starting at 2pm makes for a hot and difficult run but I made myself do it and luckily had some company - +Brad Hall, +Holly M, +Elizabeth Ryan, +Elisabeth Waller-Scott . It wasn't pretty getting up to Inspiration Point but the view was stunning. 

"It's easier to go down a hill than up it but the view is much better at the top." - Henry Ward Beecher

Now headed into Build Week 3 and started out with a rockin swim set thanks to triathlete Andy Potts. Got some tired arms and tired legs but recovery is just a few short workouts away...

High Fives & Hot Springs

It's hard getting up early when it's still dark, cold and you don't really need to be getting up. The luxury of working from home is working out when you want to. I didn't want to get up. Then I saw a post from a teammate from 30 min earlier with a virtual high five from a fish as she was getting ready to lead the charge with several other teammates at a different pool. So I got up. Put my suit and parka on and headed to the pool. In the dark. And the cold. But I knew my teammates would be waiting for me and that's motivation to get yourself there.

Friday High Five. Happy Swimming! 

Motivation at its best compliments of +Emily Conlon 

Luckily the splash pool at SMC was like swimming in a hot springs. Balmy 90 degree water temps this morning. Way too hot for a swim but if you want to just hang out, it's great. But alas we swam anyway because that's what we do. We swim in the rain. We swim in the cold. And we swim in hot water temps! It's the middle of January and I'm swimming outside - life could be worse!

Timeout is O.V.E.R.

This week I was struck down with the plague that everyone else seems to have. And when I say plague I mean the nasty cold and cough that doesn't seem to want to go away and is just annoying enough to take you out for a few days. 

For probably the first time in my life I followed the right path and fought the urge to workout. I put myself in timeout for 2 days. Drank lots of tea, got some rest, took the occasional cold & sinus drugs (although that didn't do anything). And what do you know? I was back in the saddle this morning. Was it a great workout? No. Was it awful? Not at all. Maybe taking it easy isn't such a bad idea. Better to learn late than never. 

The morning started out a brisk one - a whole 37 degrees out in Griffith Park. I had no feeling in my fingers and toes for most of the morning. Trying to brake going downhill proves a bit challenging when you have no feeling in your fingers. 

It was triple brick day - 6 mi bike/3 mi run. And...repeat 3 times. But in the midst of all that, we flatten everyone's tires as they're out running. Seems mean, sure. But it provides the coaches lots of pleasure and of course gives the 'pants great experience changing a tire under pressure. I made all 3 bikes and runs although not speedy. Took it slow as the cold air induced the lovely cough I have goin on, but just told myself to keep moving forward. 

Motto of the day.

Now on to an evening filled of TNT friends at the infamous Man v Bar fundraiser. First time being able to go and I'm not up to normal standards. So early night for me but it will be amusing for awhile :)

"Oh What A Night"

Saturday, Jan. 5 was a long day but great day. It started at o'dark thirty up in Westlake Village for Ironteam practice in 33 degree weather. Frozen fingers, frozen toes but that doesn't stop us from biking and running. 24 mile bike followed by 2 mile run and we finished just as the sun started to thaw us out. Then it was time for the Justice League of Coaches to make an appearance. Work hard, play hard...that's how we roll. 

Whoever thought it was a good idea to run a half marathon at 9pm should be shot. Oh wait...it may have been me...along with 50 of my friends. But what makes it better? COSTUMES! Superheroes were in full affect. Definitely the most fun 13.1 miles to date...if that's even possible.

Robin (me), Batman ( +Emily Conlon ), Wonder Woman ( +Elizabeth Ryan )

The race was in Downtown LA and who wants to deal with traffic, road closures and expensive parking. So we took the metro. This was my first metro experience and coming from a city where I relied on public transportation, I decided to give this a shot. And what a surprisingly great easy and great experience it was. Can't wait til they build the line further on the westside. Definitely will start riding it more. 

Race goal: have fun! No pressure, just go out and have a good time. And that's exactly what I did. It was a TNT reunion out on the course. Peeps were all over the place. Lots of high fives going on...especially while climbing all those mountains! And running alongside Batman, Captain America (decked out in TriTrain gear) and Wonder Woman couldn't get any better, especially as we got several shout outs along the way. 

And of course we can't forget our amazing Mile 11 Angry Bird Cheer Squad. Great boost to get us the last 2.1 miles home. Thanks +Elisabeth Waller-Scott and +Holly M for making the trek to cheer on all the crazy people who thought it was a good idea to run a late night half marathon dark streets of shadyville LA. 

All in all it was a successful weekend. Sure my glutes and hammies and quads were barkin on Sunday but after a little Monday spin and Tuesday swim, all is back to normal. 

First NYE 1/2 Marathon: 0    Holly: 1 

2012 is out...2013 is in!

A new year is here. Things are ramping up and it's only the third day. After 2 weeks at home for the holidays with the fam in NY and a great new years in Atlanta with friends, it's good to be back and get back into a routine. Lucky for me my parents have a midgie gym in the basement equipped with a stationary bike and treadmill so I didn't have to brave all those 30 degree days outside. But there's nothing fun or glamorous about 2 hr bike rides and 9 mile runs on equipment that doesn't go anywhere. Thank goodness for TV and SVU marathons!

Yesterday was a long day. Up at 5:30am east coast time to head back to LA. Worked the rest of the day, got in a swim before coaching swim practice and finally got to bed at midnight - west coast time. Yes that was almost a 24 hr day but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Today shaped up to be a good one too with a little double workout action. Great 18 mile bike ride this morning along the ocean with my mentee +Christine Concepcion...and ended the day with the weekly glow run and extra bonus - some celebrating for +Marvin Tabangay b'day! Yay for tacos and ice cream! 

Looking forward to a weekend of craziness...team practice bike ride on Saturday and the first annual New Years half marathon Saturday night with probably 50 of my friends. We're gonna take this one easy and have some fun. I'm sure a costume of sorts will be sported!

So the year has started off crazy but fun. And it's only gonna get crazier. Bring. It. On.

Just Keep Swimming...

Week 6 begins and I am tired. I already know it's not gonna be a banner training week and the week just started with a swim today. That's supposed to be the easy part. Yes the weekend was fun but I am too old for this nonsense. Don't get me wrong...it can't get much better than a holiday party with a bunch of friends and late night karaoke dance party but the recovery time is not what it used to be. But we make the decisions we make and have to accept them!

Swimming is always the workout I look forward to. It's the easiest part for me which makes it that much more enjoyable. I'm lucky it's 70 degrees in December - it makes swimming outside that much more pleasant. So I shouldn't be complaining. But a sub par workout is a sub par workout, regardless of the beautiful weather. My already messed up shoulder is cranky and that never makes for a good swim.  But I pushed through...maybe not the fastest workout on the books but I finished.

I'll be back at the pool tonight but not for a double workout. I'll stand on the sidelines and impart whatever knowledge I can to the impressive IronTeamers that signed up for an Ironman or 1/2 IM and to raise $ for blood cancers. Some of them didn't know how to swim 6 weeks ago and now most can do 1,500 yards. That's what I call impressive and inspiring.

Let's Get Ready to Run....

Although it's dark and a bit cold, Thursday night glow runs are where it's at. All decked out in head lamps and glow necklaces, we set off every week for an Amalfi Loop...plus a little extra. For those of you that haven't had the pleasure of running Amalfi, let's just say it's full of hills through some of the prettiest streets in Santa Monica. A year ago I couldn't make the full 6 mi loop without walking most of the hills. Tonight I ran the loop plus an extra 3 miles. Feels bueno!

Glow run Thursday has turned into a bit of a weekly tradition the past 2 months. The best part - post run tacos at Frida's followed by Sweet Rose ice cream...especially when they have my fave dairy free flavor. I even brought my own gluten free cone tonight! I felt like such a kid :) You know it's a problem when they start tweeting you and stay open late just because they know you're coming!

The loop isn't quite long enough for the prescribed 75 min mid-week run so I started early with EWS and got picked up the last 2 miles by BHall. Although he made me run sooo much faster than I wanted to :) It may be dark, it may be cold....but it's always nicer running with other peeps!