Week 8; Day 4: Thursday (plus catch up)

Daily learning / random notes: As I suspected, I have not had a lot of time or energy to train this week. I have a big creative event happening on Saturday and my energy is going into preparing for that.

I got a whole bunch of books from the library and have been working my way through them. As someone who is training for her first triathlon, some books were less meaningful than others. One of these books, which is more appropriate for someone who is not on her first triathlon, is called The Triathlete's Training Bible by Joe Friel. I did find a great quote in this book that really struck me, "Swimming, cycling, and running reduce life to its most basic elements---breathing and movement." The quote is in a section called "Training to Go the Distance" and is all about why people do triathlons. What it says is that it is less about the races and more about the training. Having not actually competed in a triathlon, I cannot comments on this but it resonates with me.

I signed up for a Master Swim class at my pool. It will be only one of the 3 swimming training days each week. I do think it is exactly what I need to make sure that a) I am swimming correctly and b) I can figure out how to get faster (I am s-l-o-w). This added to the total training cost but I think it will be worth it. It doesn't start for a couple of weeks though. I will report back after it begins.

Total training cost: $198.50

Total distance swum: 11150 yards. (6.33 miles!)

Results of past few days:
Monday - Swam 32 laps, ran/walked for 15 minutes as my partner couldn't go.
Tuesday - Supposed to bike but did not because I had to watch kids for spring break.
Wednesday - Swam 22 laps, ran/walked for 60 minutes. Not motivated today but trained anyway.
Thursday - Today is supposed to be my day off but I need to change my training schedule because I am not getting to work out on Sundays. According to that, I should do a 10 mile bike ride. Ok - done. It took me 48 minutes and 40 seconds. I was in traffic for part of that. And coming home there was a huge headwind. Yuck. This is the first time I have ever timed myself. I really like riding by the river.

Week 5; Day 7: Sunday

Daily learning / random notes: Because I got a cold, this week was not a very intense week for me. But I feel like I finished strong...

I am struggling with what to do about the cost of swimming. It may actually make sense for me to join the health club where I have been swimming. I need to do the math.

Another question I have is about neck tension while riding a bike. How do you not get it? Where are you supposed to be looking? What is the proper neck angle. More research to do.

Total training cost: $89.50

Total distance swum: 6850 yards.

Activity	Distance	Results
Swim	Off	n/a
Bike	4 miles	Biked ~9 miles today. I biked to the path that runs along Marine Drive which was almost 3 miles just to get there. I did have to go over a bridge where there is not much room for a bike but it was ok. I am sure I will be sore tomorrow.
Run / Walk	Off	n/a

Week 3; Day 7: Sunday

Daily learning / random notes: I really, really, really, really, really didn't want to go for a bike ride tonight. I was tired and grumpy and very demotivated. My DH gave me a pep talk and a shoulder rub and I decided to go anyway. (Thanks W!). I am still tired and grumpy but at least I rode my bike.

I cannot believe that I am at the end of Week 3! I feel that I have done pretty well with my program so far. I am worried about money and I know that I will continue to have expenditures. Swimming in a pool will cost $234 - $507 depending on which pool I go to. Sadly - I am not crazy about swimming in the lakes and rivers around here. And even if I wanted to, I would need to wait until the weather gets warm enough so that I would not need a wetsuit. Also, there is an entry fee of $60. I am not counting anything else at all and I am sure there will be other expenditures (for example, I suspect that before this is over, I will need a new bathing suit). I wish I could find a free lap pool close to home open hours I am available...sigh.

Total training cost: $89.50

Activity	Distance	Results
Swim	Off	n/a
Bike	4 miles	Biked 4 miles on my mountain bike because I was biking at night and I have lights for my bike.
Run / Walk	Off	Hiked today with the family. While stopping for a snack ran up and down a hill a few times for the heck of it.

Week 2; Day 4: Thursday

Daily learning / random notes: Today is my weekly training day off. I am still sore from my boot camp class on Monday but it is starting to subside. I know that having a day off is a good thing but I am eager to keep training. I think this is a good thing. I am super excited to try out my friend's bike this weekend. I hope it is a good fit.

Total training cost: $89.50

Week 1; Day 7: Sunday

Daily learning / random notes: Sometimes you just have to go with the flow. I knew I couldn't do my bike ride late at night because I was having a band jam so I had to figure something else out. I like the solution I came up with. It got my butt in the seat anyway.

Total training cost: $89.50

Swim - off

Bike - 2 miles

Bike Results: Ended up riding my two miles on an upright bike with my daughter on her "tag-a-long" bike. LOL. I thought it would be easier with her pedaling but I didn't factor in the very heavy extra bike plus her weight. It was a good workout and I got to spend time with my daughter as well. Plus we ran an errand and bought a kid's birthday present as well.

Run - off

Week 1; Day 6: Saturday

Daily learning / random notes: I am glad I have friends to exercise with!!!

Total training cost: Holding steady at $89.50
Swim - off
Bike - off
Run / Walk - Walk for 25 minutes

Run / Walk results: I thought that I would get a walk in during the day but it just never happened. So I called my walking friend and she was available to do a late night walk with her dog. It was a little cold when we started but ended up being a beautiful night. Thanks P! We did a brisk 45 minute walk. I have been trying to stick to the program but in the area of walking, I have already been walking about 1 hour two times per week. It seems silly to walk less because the program tells me to.

Week1; Day 2: Tuesday

Week 1; Day 2: Tuesday

Swim - off

Bike

• 2 miles

Bike Results

• Got my bike map out and figured out a 2 mile route then I rode a little over 2 miles

Run - off

Daily learning:

• Don't wear wide leg pants while riding. I didn't have an accident but I was very focused on not getting my pants caught in my bike.

Total training cost:

• Didn't spend any money today so still $20.50 total. I am worried about what I will do for a bike though. I currently have a mountain bike which I understand will not cut it for a triathlon. Right now I am trying to manifest borrowing a perfect bike for the event.

Do you have a road bike to lend me until August?

Week 1; Day 1: Monday

Yesterday was Week 1; Day 1 in my triathlon training program. I downloaded a free training program called "Michael Pates Total Sprint Program" which I decided to follow. The subtitle of the program is called "22 week program taking you from the couch to the finish line". While I do not think of myself as a couch potato, I did think that it would be a good idea to be gentle with my body in preparing. I may find as I get into it that I can step it up but for now, this is my program.

Week 1; Day 1: Monday

Swim

• Warm up
• Freestyle 50 yards
• Cool down 50 yards

Swim Results

• Swam 10 laps. I thought this would be easy but it was not easy at all. The nice lifeguard at the pool gave me some pointers which is good since I have not had swim lessons for about 30 years!

Bike - off

Run

• Walk for 20 minutes

Run Results

• I did not actually do this. What I did do, which totally kicked my butt, was a one hour boot camp class. I don't feel like I cheated.

Daily learning:

• Some gear is worth purchasing. I have a swimsuit but I did not have goggles. Since I wear contacts, I really need goggles. I ordered them last night and they were very reasonable. I also ordered a swim cap which I am not at all sure I will need but only cost $6.

Total training cost:

• $20.50 for goggles and swim cap. Swimming was free the first time. (I am taking fee based boot camp class but I am not going to factor it in here as I would do it anyway.)