Oh NO!

Can it be Thursday already. Wow how time flies when you're having fun. I can't believe I haven't posted all week.

Monday was a nice rest day.

Tuesday:
I did a tempo run. Running 6.8 miles or and 8:34/mile pace per hour until I reached my max heart rate, than after about 15 minutes I had to continue to lower how fast I was running to keep my heart rate below 146bpm. So all in all that was a good run. I then did my swim which totaled 1000m in drills 200 warm up; 100 pull; 100 kick; 12-25's rest for 15 secs; and 6 50's rest for 20 secs.
I also did my strength training.

Wednesday:
I rode my bike- but my legs felt like they were pushing cement blocks. I didn't sleep very well the night before, so I now know lack of sleep affects performance. I rode for 45 minutes.
I only had to swim for 15 minutes continually- swim part done. I did lots of stretching too.
I also saw my sports Chiropractor and massage therapist. Okay, so maybe the massage therapist part sound glam. But, it's not. He's working out the knots I have in my hip. OWIE. But, hey it feels better today. Sports massage is a part of training. Thank goodness insurance covers it and it's only $20 a trip. It helps prevent injury, I guess that's why it's covered.

Thursday (Today)
I ran for 30 minutes at a steady pace keeping my HR under 146.
Swim drills-
WARM UP 200
6 X 50’s - REST 20 SECONDS
1 X 300 - REST 1 min
3 X 100-REST 20 SECONDS
WARM DOWN
That's 1000m total.
I also strength trained and will do more stretching later

That's all for now!

Another week down

Aah. It feels good to have a had a great week of training. Our ride this morning was wonderful. We rode for 1:45 (approx. 29 miles) and I kept my HR under 143. I had to slow a few times, but the good thing is that I was pedaling at a pretty good speed before my alarm would go off.

Erin is here on spring break, and the Penman and McFeely ladies came over for breakfast, then we all went to Yoga. Sunday yoga is in it's 3rd straight week now. Andrea and I go. Jen usually works out in the gym. Erin joined us for yoga today. She felt weird doing the poses. I felt weird the first time I did yoga too. Andrea didn't think the class was as hard and isn't giving herself any credit. She's getting STRONGER. The class was just as hard. Andrea had an easier time of it because she's starting to build muscle.

I still enjoy yoga and it's doing wonders for my tight muscles. I got Cate from the amazing kids care all ready to take her swimming, but she was ready for a nap instead. I went home, and Cate didn't even make it to Chandler Blvd when she conked out.

That's all for now.

Ciao!

4:30am

Some of the information here may be a little gross to some. So if you get grossed out easily then don't read this post.

Time to get up and get ready for the run @ 6am.

There's a morning ritual that runners, and probably any endurance athlete has.

Mine is to get up at least 1.5 hours before run time.

Drink 16 oz of water, drink 1 cup of coffee and have 1 cup oatmeal with 1 tbsp of brown sugar. Then I get dressed and the entire time I'm hoping I'm able to hit the bathroom before I leave. Finally, that moment comes and I feel relief- the BM. I'm ready to run!

I met a group at the Pointe @ South Mountain this morning. There are various runners there. From someone whose training for the marathon Olympic trial to Tammy and I. We head up the rear. As I said I'm training with my heart monitor now. Today, we ran 7.5 miles and I kept my HR @ 146. That's just the top of my zone 1. Unfortunately, I again didn't set my watch correctly so I don't have all the cool stats I so look forward too. Very frustrating. So this is now my mission. To make sure my watch is set correctly!! What's the point of having one if it's not set.

My run was great. Tammy has done several triathlons and is a wealth of information.

My bladder has still not adjusted since having a baby. I guess I need to be more vigilant doing kegels. Once I stop running- I just might as well as pee right there. I practically did that today. I had to walk because my HR was getting high, then I stopped for a moment. Then ugh oh. I quickly found the nearest bush I could find and squatted right there. My shorts, got wet, my leg and the arm of my long sleeved shirt. YUCK. Thankfully, I had my water bottle and rinsed off where I could. This happened midway through the run, so I was dry by the time we got back.

My morning of exercise was done by 7:15am. YEAH!!!! I grabbed Caroline and Cate and we went to Einstein's for breakfast.

Here's a picture of Cate enjoying her bagel.

It always feels good

when your workout for the day is completed.

Cate is doing better, so I was able to make it to the Y. I rode the bike for 50 minutes and kept my HR in zone 1- zone 1 for me means 115-142 bpm. Even though I stayed in zone 1 around 130ish, my legs were hurting. So I guess I need to get my legs stronger. That will come in time. Following the bike, I got in the pool and swam continually for 15 minutes. I was getting tired toward the end and my left calf is acting up. BUMMER. What the heck did I do to it? But, the swim felt GREAT! Could I actually be liking the swim? Who knew?

Cate is napping. I just finished my lunch. A yummy casserole of brown rice and lentils topped with cheese. I added avocado and salsa on top of that. It really is quite yummy and filled with carbs- the energy I need to go go go.....

Time for my chores around the house-

Ciao

A Sick Baby and little sleep

Makes for a difficult day. Bruce was off to work and I was off to work here as the COO of the Penman-Ozer Clan. Cate was MISERABLE.

When Cate took her nap this morning I did my running workout on the treadmill. I warmed up for 8 minutes, ran for 3 miles and then cooled down for 5 minutes. I now train using a heart rate monitor. I needed to keep my heart rate between 119 -146 beats per minute. I kept it steady @ 130. Today is supposed to be an easy work out day. It was easy.

I had planned to go to the pool later when Sara got home from school. Unfortunately, when Cate woke up from her nap she still was running a fever and was not her usual happy camper self. She was MISERABLE. So, I called the triage nurse, and they told me to bring her in. Sure enough our little baby cake has her first ear infection. We stopped at the pharmacy and got her antibiotics- motrin and around dinner time she seemed happier. Thank goodness!!!

I still had planned to go to the gym to swim. The pool at the Y stays open until 8:30pm. Well not tonight! It was raining with thunder and lightning. The pool was CLOSED. That's okay. I'm exhausted from lack of sleep. Sleep is probably more important. I hope we ALL sleep better tonight.

JUST DO IT

The famous Nike slogan. It's true. Now matter what your goal is. JUST DO IT.

The weeks of my struggle in the pool are paying off. It's suddenly easier. And over time I know I'll be faster. As my friend KK reminded me (an old wise triathlete with weathered skin, a long braided pony tail, and a gentle kind voice) I'm not trying to be a swimmer. My goal is to be a triathlete. True. But, shouldn't try to be fast at swimming? Eventually he said. Right now, if I kick too much during the race I'll never make the run. I think he was kindly trying to tell me that I'm not a 20 year old. That I'm a "master" (that's what they call the "old folks") So just give it time. Okay, so I'll JUST DO IT and will just give it time also. Time for my body and mind to get stronger. It's a process. But a process I do seem to enjoy.

I did my swim workout today. I did intervals including a 200 warm up. I forgot the intervals- but, I swam for about 50 minutes. I can really feel it in my upper back and arms. I also biked 12 miles today. It was windy- but the ride was good.

So Andrea, Jennifer, Donna and Alyssa: If you're reading this. JUST DO IT- you'll love yourself for it. Bruce, I know you're reading this so JUST DO IT- or I will end up beating you on the bike. :)

It's Tuesday

And today I swam almost 30 laps I think. I swam 8, and then the gal in the lane next to me was chatting about her upcoming race and my upcoming race. I had a little rest, and then just continued to go to almost 30. I lost count. I felt relaxed and was just concentrating on gliding the pool.

I also ran for 30 minutes today and tonight Bruce and I strength trained at the gym.

Bruce was kind enough to let me get a Triathlon Coach. It's with Gage Total Training- this will be the team I will be on for the race. I just received my calendar of workouts and I must say I'm glad I decided to get a coach.

That's all for now. It's time for bed.

Happy Anniversary!

We were up early and out the door by 6:50am to meet the group for the group ride. We were doing a time trial today. I really was feeling tired physically. Sunday is my 6th day of training and I always look forward to Monday. My day of rest.

Sunday is also my FAVORITE day to train because it's the only day Bruce and I can ride together. Riding our bikes together is probably one of my most favorite things to do. I can't wait until Bruce's project is over. Maybe he'll start training for a sprint triathlon. I hope so. That would be so much fun.

So, anyway we did a 5 mile warm up and then we did the time trial along Pecos. I forgot to turn on my watch. DUH! So unfortunately, I have no stats of my own. I'm so bummed.
Bruce figured out I rode 10 miles in 29:06. Pretty good for my first time trial. He was actually pretty impressed. He's thinking that if I keep training he won't be able to keep up with me. Go figure.

He's an amazing bike rider. He rides 1 day per week (that's all his schedule will allow right no) and he smokes everyone. Well, except for a little gal who is super speedy.

Oh and today is our second anniversary. I feel like I've known Bruce my whole life. That's a good thing. We'll be going to our favorite pizza joint for dinner. In May we're going to Vegas to see the Cirque du Soleil show LOVE. That's our anniversary present. I can't wait.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

I'm happy to report that I wore green on my run this morning! I didn't have the best run ever, but hey I finished 6 miles. My legs are sore. I guess because I didn't stretch after my ride yesterday. Bad! Very bad. The group I ran with ran 7. I stopped at 6 because of my calf being so tight. Tammy swung back and got me, so I did end up jogging another .25 - .5 mile back to the Y. But, I didn't turn my GPS back on for that.

Here's my route. Think Green!!!!! Everyone is IRISH today.

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/episode/view.do?episodePk.pkValue=2261204

This is cool!

No, not the temp in Phoenix today. But, this very cool way of showing everyone the routes I take on my runs and bike ride. Today I biked. Here's my route:

Maggie's Ride

Click on the link above and take a look. So, I'm not sure if this will give you all the stats. And I'm a little pressed for time. So, I guess I'll figure that out tomorrow.

TIRED

I felt tired today. I have not been sleeping well these past few nights and I think it's catching up with me. So, my run today was a little poor. I ran on the treadmill and I must have had too much coffee because I needed to keep on taking bathroom breaks. Annoying! Especially because I was only spending 30 minutes on the treadmill. I try to make my Thursday runs easy because I see the sports chiropractor and a massage therapist on Wed. I see them for my IT band issues and for the stiffness in my left hip. I'm positive that if I haven't been going to them, I wouldn't be training. I would be injured!
So, then we all went to the Y. Me and all the girls. The big girls played pool, and the baby girl went to play with all of her little friends.
I swam 20 or 22 laps today. That's a 500 or 550. I felt better swimming than running today. Go figure. But, I did sit on the edge of the pool for 5 or ten minutes just staring at the water. Not wanting to get in. Finally, I got in and off I went.
After my swim I gathered all the girls and we all went swimming for a little while. I forgot Cate's hat so I didn't want to stay too long and get her little Irish/Scottish head burnt. So, we showered and then off to lunch we went- Chipotle. Yum Yum. Then home and all the girls took a much needed nap.

I had company

Today my sister Barb drove all the way from Surprise to join me for a swim. What a treat. Wow, such a long drive. I hope she enjoyed the swim. Unfortunately, there was no time for chit chat since I only have 2 hours to keep Cate in the child care- and I've only left her there for 1.5 hours at the most. We needed to get to work right away.

So, in the pool we went. I swam 20 laps and I did have to do breast stroke for 2 laps. Otherwise I did freestyle. Then I did a 50 kick. I need to work on my kick. I have a weak kick. So maybe on Friday I'll spend more time doing that. I did a 150 with fins, a 100 with the pull buoy and I think that was it. I sort of lost track. Barb did breast stroke and then finally got her hair wet with a little freestyle with the pull buoy toward the end. She kept on saying how relaxing it was. I on the other hand was gasping for air- to me it's really hard............ I guess when you're still in your twenties it must be easier. It's crazy to think I'm 13 years older. Geez.

So it was 30 minutes in the pool, Barb had to go back and work- and I hit the bike for 30 minutes. I was able to spin between 98 and 107 rpm at a level 9 and I made it 10 miles. Then I did a little ab work, and it was time to get Cate. We came home and had lunch- and now I'm about to put her down for a nap and hit the shower.

I think I've got

the swim down. At least a better feeling for the endurance part of the swim. I swam 20 laps today which is 500m. Then I did 100m with a pull buoy and 200m kick (but I used fins for that) A pull buoy is something you put between your thighs. You don't kick- you just use your arms. I use it to help me get better at my form. I'm sure as time goes by I'll understand this swimming thing more and all of the correct lingo.

Okay, what else- oh after my swim I took Cate for a swim. SHE LOVED IT. She was laughing. I don't remember Caroline or Sara being that excited their first time in the pool. I remember them being a little scared. Looks like we're going to have some fun with Cate in the water. Of course I forgot my camera- so I'll have to remember that for tomorrow.

Also as part of my training I ran for 30 minutes and did my strength training. So I'm done for the day! YIPPEE!!! Cate is napping- so I better hurry and get my chores done.

Ciao

A Day of Rest

From exercise anyway. When you're a mom and wife I don't think you ever get a day of rest. Unless of course you go away alone, not telling anyone where you are and you conveniently leave your cell phone at home. :)

First Brick Down

This was a good weekend. The kids have started spring break and are off in CA with Grandma, Aunt Esra and their Dad. It's just Bruce, Me and Cate at home. On Saturday, I met a group at 7am for a 6 mile run. It's so much easier to run with a group of people. We end up chatting the entire way and before you know it we're done. The route was filled with rolling hills, so I was working in 80-90% of my max heart rate for about 35 minutes of the hour we ran. I was TIRED at the end, but felt great to get a pretty decent run in.
Thanks to Daddy for watching Cate in the morning so I could meet with this group.

On Sunday, Aunt Jennifer came over bright and early 7:15am to watch Cate while Bruce and I met up with a group of people to ride. We did a 20 mile ride and then immediately following I ran a little over a mile. This is called a brick. I was surprised that I ran it at a 9 minute pace. I thought I would be really tired, but my legs kept moving. We had a fun group to ride with, and they shared some very valuable information for me to have under my belt when I finally do my first race. Thank you Mitch and Julie!

Big thank you to Bruce for getting my bike ready and then being close by in the car when I did my run. I couldn't have done it without you babe.

Lots of Snot

Still feeling congested and dealing with the annyoning post nasal drip. Today I swam. I swam 16 laps of the pool and took very little rest.(That's 400m) That's a first for me. So, going to the pool 4 days per week IS paying off. I'm excited now. I can see that if I keep on practicing the swimming thing does get better.

Oh and about the snot. My sinuses decided to drain while was swimming. So along with the pool water there was lots of snot. I don't even want to think about what other fluids are floating in that pool water. Chlorine is a good thing.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get in my bike ride. Family comes first- and today I needed to get the girls packed for spring break, and then take them shopping for some new duds. Sara has grown like a weed- and has outgrown all of her shorts from last year.

That's all for now.

10 weeks to go

It's hard to believe that there's only 10 weeks left to race time. I missed 2 weeks of training due to illness and this is my first week back.

Today I ran 3 miles on the treadmill while Cate was sleeping, then off to the Y we went. I swam 700m. Cate and I had lunch, then I put her down for a nap. I still need to do my strength training.

Cate was eager to get to the Y. She has fun playing with some kids her own size. We were lucky enough to run into some friends. Tammy, Stacey, Susan, Cate, and mom. These ladies are super athletes. I'm lucky to know them. Hopefully, some day I'll be as strong as they are.

Okay, time to finish stuff around the house before Cate gets up.

Why?

Running only just got boring. I needed another challenge- or shall I say I needed something else to motivate me to be active. I thought, I love to ride my bike, I like running, but what about swimming. Well now I'm swimming. Not well, but I'm doing it.

I'm registered for my first sprint triathlon on May 20th 2007. It's a 400m swim in Tempe Town Lake, a 12 mile bike and 3 mile run. Yes, one right after another.

My training goes something like this:
Monday- Rest
Tuesday- Swim/Run/Weights
Wednesday-Swim/Bike
Thursday-Swim/Run/Weights
Friday- Swim/Bike
Saturday- Run
Sunday- Bike and maybe a short run if I feel like it

I will try to be as funny and as creative as the other Penmans. But, since I married into this family, I'm afraid it will take quite some effort to be funny since it doesn't come naturally for me. Geez, that sounds depressing. Okay, I've been told all my life I'm too serious. So maybe that's why I'm not funny. But, at least I understand humor and I naturally laugh at all of my husbands jokes. He IS the funniest man I know. He even said so on our first date.