I've been a fan of Simon's Cat since the first cartoon - "Cat Man Do." Releases of new cartoons are few and far between (usually 2-3 a year), and the latest was just released yesterday. It's more "Awwwwww" than the usual "funny," but enjoy:
Happy Easter Everyone!
Friday, April 22, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Team Triple Threat Tough
Got back from running errands to find a welcome package from my team on my doorstep. Hooray!
TRIPLE THREAT TOUGH BABY! GRRRRRRR!!!
If you want to join Team Triple Threat Tough, go to their website, hire Coach Karen, and tell 'em I sent you.
If you want to join Team Triple Threat Tough, go to their website, hire Coach Karen, and tell 'em I sent you.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Rest Week...Thank GOD!
My last rest week was a week early thanks to my canoeing vacation. (Not only that, I spent said rest week paddling HARD - 128 miles in 4.5 days in a fully loaded camping canoe.) After that and then four build weeks, I NEED a rest.
However, the FINAL icing on the "take me out 'cause I'm DONE" cake was the weather this weekend. I had my long bike and long run before I got my rest and I intended to go out strong. Unfortunately MOTHER NATURE intended to beat me the hell up. (Yes, I'm taking the weather personally now.)
I watched all week as the forecast for the weekend just got worse and worse. Saturday morning we were under a high wind warning with gale-force gusts expected. I decided the earlier I got out there the better and stuck to the IMLP run loop - not as tough training as doing the Tinman route but a hell of a lot safer and would allow me to bail out if necessary.
The first loop (each is about 12 miles) was okay - I was still getting my bike legs under me. It was windy, cloudy, and cold but nothing I couldn't handle. (Aside from not being able to feel my feet.) I started my second loop, hoping to get into my groove, and was feeling good when shortly after the turnaround to head back to the start, it began to HAIL. For REAL. Stinging your face hail. I was really hoping it would pass through, but when it showed no signs of stopping six miles later when I got close to home, I gave up and headed indoors for the rest of my ride. I was NOT pleased. Grrr.
The next day, it was eight miles on my feet of more of the same. I can run in worse weather than I can bike in, so I stayed outdoors, but once again it was in the 30s with hail and even worse wind than the day before.
So yeah, not feeling guilty about the sub-six hour training week I have. (And anyway, it goes right back up to more volume than ever next week.)
However, the FINAL icing on the "take me out 'cause I'm DONE" cake was the weather this weekend. I had my long bike and long run before I got my rest and I intended to go out strong. Unfortunately MOTHER NATURE intended to beat me the hell up. (Yes, I'm taking the weather personally now.)
I watched all week as the forecast for the weekend just got worse and worse. Saturday morning we were under a high wind warning with gale-force gusts expected. I decided the earlier I got out there the better and stuck to the IMLP run loop - not as tough training as doing the Tinman route but a hell of a lot safer and would allow me to bail out if necessary.
The first loop (each is about 12 miles) was okay - I was still getting my bike legs under me. It was windy, cloudy, and cold but nothing I couldn't handle. (Aside from not being able to feel my feet.) I started my second loop, hoping to get into my groove, and was feeling good when shortly after the turnaround to head back to the start, it began to HAIL. For REAL. Stinging your face hail. I was really hoping it would pass through, but when it showed no signs of stopping six miles later when I got close to home, I gave up and headed indoors for the rest of my ride. I was NOT pleased. Grrr.
The next day, it was eight miles on my feet of more of the same. I can run in worse weather than I can bike in, so I stayed outdoors, but once again it was in the 30s with hail and even worse wind than the day before.
So yeah, not feeling guilty about the sub-six hour training week I have. (And anyway, it goes right back up to more volume than ever next week.)
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Yet Another Swim PR!
Wow. Just wow. I don't know where these numbers keep coming from, but today's swim was a relatively light one - 100 WU, 2x900 Steady, 100 CD.
On the way to the pool I figured out that anything between 21:00 and 22:30 (2:21/100-2:20/100 pace) was reasonable and anything outside that range probably meant that I miscounted.
So I got in the water and did my warm up. I had that slow, clumsy "swimming in syrup" feeling the entire time. It was reflected in my time of 2:30. I wasn't too upset - I've had such amazing swim sessions lately that one bad one wasn't going to upset me too much.
I took my rest interval, too a deep breath, and dove in for my longest set since October. I went into what I call my "cruise speed." I wasn't even breathing hard until the end. When I finally touched the wall, my watch read 20:49 (2:18 pace). What. The. FUCK?!? I quickly debated whether that meant I missed a 50 and should leap back in. I finally decided that I had been swimming faster than THAT and that I'd take a "wait and see" on what my next 900 said. I REALLY didn't feel that I had lost count anyway.
So, rest interval over, I dove in for some more punishment. More than I signed up for, actually. Shortly after I started a bunch of little kids got into the pool and started splashing around, make waves. I tried to look at it as mass swim practice AND incentive to finish the hell up as quickly as I could. I really started to hurt at about 600 yards in when a "swim angel" appeared in the lane next to me going the perfect pace to keep me honest. I latched on and tried to hold on, which I did successfully until the final 50 when he kicked it and dropped me like a bad habit. Once again, I touched the wall at an astounding 21:27 (2:22 pace). To me, this confirmed my time for the first set.
I cooled down a bit quicker than I should have, but I was sick of being pummeled around by waves AND my goggles had started leaking.
So...unless I had a really bad day AND miscounted BOTH sets, I just killed it in the pool. Holy CRAP.
Now I just have to get my bike up to this level.
On the way to the pool I figured out that anything between 21:00 and 22:30 (2:21/100-2:20/100 pace) was reasonable and anything outside that range probably meant that I miscounted.
So I got in the water and did my warm up. I had that slow, clumsy "swimming in syrup" feeling the entire time. It was reflected in my time of 2:30. I wasn't too upset - I've had such amazing swim sessions lately that one bad one wasn't going to upset me too much.
I took my rest interval, too a deep breath, and dove in for my longest set since October. I went into what I call my "cruise speed." I wasn't even breathing hard until the end. When I finally touched the wall, my watch read 20:49 (2:18 pace). What. The. FUCK?!? I quickly debated whether that meant I missed a 50 and should leap back in. I finally decided that I had been swimming faster than THAT and that I'd take a "wait and see" on what my next 900 said. I REALLY didn't feel that I had lost count anyway.
So, rest interval over, I dove in for some more punishment. More than I signed up for, actually. Shortly after I started a bunch of little kids got into the pool and started splashing around, make waves. I tried to look at it as mass swim practice AND incentive to finish the hell up as quickly as I could. I really started to hurt at about 600 yards in when a "swim angel" appeared in the lane next to me going the perfect pace to keep me honest. I latched on and tried to hold on, which I did successfully until the final 50 when he kicked it and dropped me like a bad habit. Once again, I touched the wall at an astounding 21:27 (2:22 pace). To me, this confirmed my time for the first set.
I cooled down a bit quicker than I should have, but I was sick of being pummeled around by waves AND my goggles had started leaking.
So...unless I had a really bad day AND miscounted BOTH sets, I just killed it in the pool. Holy CRAP.
Now I just have to get my bike up to this level.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Oops!
*dusts off blog*
*dusts off anyone who actually is still reading this poor neglected thing*
What can I say? It's been a crazy busy month. Shortly after the last entry Dr. Z and I went on our annual canoe camping trip down the Buffalo. It was awesome - 126 miles in 4.5 days AND I kept up my run training. (Since I have from February to June to go from zero running to HIM (all with a very conservative increase in mileage), Coach Karen decided I couldn't afford to take the week off.
Since we've gotten back, it's just been shear craziness. Work has been INSANELY busy and as promised, Coach Karen REALLY ramped up the training in April. All this means that my house is currently a disaster area.
So, here's a summary of how my training in the three disciplines is going:
Swim: This is what I've been working the hardest (especially since it will be hard to find a place to swim next month, but that is a different entry altogether), and it shows. Before I was busting ass to try to stay sub-2:30/100 on anything longer than 100 yds, and now after a bunch of 3K workouts my new "cruising speed" seems to be 2:21/100, even for 600 yd sets. (Haven't done anything longer yet.) I also set three PRs last week, including an insane (for me) 58.22 50 yard.
Bike: This is currently my weakest area (says a lot about how much my swim has improved that I'm saying this!). What little time I spent in the saddle over the past few months was too easy, as I found out once I got off the trainer. I definitely don't have the engine I had at this time last year. Even Roo can't give me speed out on the road right now. It's all good though - Coach Karen assures me that as much as this is Swim Month, next month is Bike Month. If she can do for my riding what she's done for my swim, I will be more than ready to go for Tinman.
Run: This goes. I'm back up to 10:30 miles (the fastest I'm currently allowed to run) and my heart rate averages have slowly been dropping. In other words, I may have to keep the running easy, but I AM getting my run fitness back. I'm still run-walking my long runs though.
So that's the past month in a nutshell. Hopefully I can be a bit better about updating.
*dusts off anyone who actually is still reading this poor neglected thing*
What can I say? It's been a crazy busy month. Shortly after the last entry Dr. Z and I went on our annual canoe camping trip down the Buffalo. It was awesome - 126 miles in 4.5 days AND I kept up my run training. (Since I have from February to June to go from zero running to HIM (all with a very conservative increase in mileage), Coach Karen decided I couldn't afford to take the week off.
Since we've gotten back, it's just been shear craziness. Work has been INSANELY busy and as promised, Coach Karen REALLY ramped up the training in April. All this means that my house is currently a disaster area.
So, here's a summary of how my training in the three disciplines is going:
Swim: This is what I've been working the hardest (especially since it will be hard to find a place to swim next month, but that is a different entry altogether), and it shows. Before I was busting ass to try to stay sub-2:30/100 on anything longer than 100 yds, and now after a bunch of 3K workouts my new "cruising speed" seems to be 2:21/100, even for 600 yd sets. (Haven't done anything longer yet.) I also set three PRs last week, including an insane (for me) 58.22 50 yard.
Bike: This is currently my weakest area (says a lot about how much my swim has improved that I'm saying this!). What little time I spent in the saddle over the past few months was too easy, as I found out once I got off the trainer. I definitely don't have the engine I had at this time last year. Even Roo can't give me speed out on the road right now. It's all good though - Coach Karen assures me that as much as this is Swim Month, next month is Bike Month. If she can do for my riding what she's done for my swim, I will be more than ready to go for Tinman.
Run: This goes. I'm back up to 10:30 miles (the fastest I'm currently allowed to run) and my heart rate averages have slowly been dropping. In other words, I may have to keep the running easy, but I AM getting my run fitness back. I'm still run-walking my long runs though.
So that's the past month in a nutshell. Hopefully I can be a bit better about updating.
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