I did not feel very well today! Yesterday I kept my daughter home from school as she was not feeling so good. When this happens my schedule has to change. I no longer have my six hour window in which I like to do my training. So I got my long run in but I had to miss a swim workout which I now have to try make up on Sunday. I may have strep throat as my throat really hurts and I have no energy. I forced myself to go swim. I decided as I was swimming solo to do my long swim workout today, as I really did not think I could pull of the hard 100's. I got through half of the workout and was really battling. By 3500 I had to get out. I then made the decision to cancel my bike and go home and sleep. I took a 3 hour nap(which I never do) and woke up feeling slightly better. I got a 40 minute run in while my daughter was at dance. I am hoping I feel much better tomorrow as I have a really hard run day scheduled. They are calling for rain,sleet, and high winds. I wander where I shall run tomorrow???

Treadmill or cold????

Today I had to do a long run....thank goodness only an hour and forty minutes. I was quite excited that in NJ it was meant to be in the low 40's today. I awoke this morning with the sound of the wind howling...I looked outside the flag pole across the street was almost bent in half and the bay had turned into a narly ocean with whitecaps and big waves. Not too encouraging when you know you have to run long. The weather forcast predicted rain/showers and winds 30-40 mph with gusts going up to 50...Great! Well I had to make the decision to put on my ear phones and watch some good mindless tv and be warm and bored or too suck it up and just go run outside. Well, what would you do?

Exhausted!

I swam hard today,biked 3 hours in the woods, then ran on the trails for an hour! I am exhausted! Starting to feel stronger though!

Thank goodness for training partners!

I really try not think about what my next days workout entails as it can be too overwhelming! Somedays you really don't think you are going to recover ..then you feel fine the next day. Well today was a zone 4 tempo run. I love these workouts especially once they are done and executed well. I prefer to do them with people as you are all suffering together and you really have no choice but to perform. I do 90% of my training between the hours of nine and three when my kids are in school. Yet 90% of my training partners work therefore alot of my training during the week is done alone. Well today I got a nice surprise that Don a friend of mine was off work and was looking to do a long run. Being the good guy he is, he agreed to my workout plan and I was really happy as I knew he would be able to really push me. If there was any workout that I could use some company this week,it was this one. It was beautiful and sunny. We chose to run the boardwalk which worked out perfectly with the 15 mile per hour wind that was blasting us from the west. We pushed hard and ran well. We both felt awesome when it was done. I am always extremely thankful to have good company and people who are always eager to do any workout no matter how challenging. So Don, Joe, Patti, Maggie, Ed, Laura, Heather,Bernadette, Chris I am always very grateful to have you guys as training partners.

Mountain Biking! Mirror of Life!

I decided to make a quick change of workout plan this morning and instead of riding my trainer I decided to put my mountain bike in my car. They were calling for light snow so road biking was out. Besides it was chilly! I finished up my swim and headed for the woods. I had not made plans to meet anyone so I just jumped on my very muddy bike and headed out for an awesome ride. I love mountain biking. I really enjoy riding on my own too, much more so than road biking.

Any time you are on your own it gives you time to reflect on who you are and what hand life is dealing you. I find mountain biking to be a great mirror of life.
I never quite know exactly where I am going in the woods, but I find great enjoyment in the process of finding where I'm headed too and reaching a familiar path that will ultimately lead me to where I want to go. (either the porta john or my car) When given a choice of two trails that I'm familiar with I always choose the more difficult trail.
I love the excitement of the switchbacks, the faster the better.( If anyone has seen me drive or mtbike..they'll understand that one)
I like to challenge myself by trying all the jumps at least once. Once bitten twice shy(I think thats how the saying goes!)
I can be reckless at times.
I always see the beauty of the woods!I stopped in awe today as a deer and I stood eyeing each other. We both darted off in different directions.
I love the quiet but am always happy to see people out there.
I know my limits although sometimes I really want to do the North Face projects!(reckless!)
I like to have FUN!
Sometimes I feel like I'm the coolest mountain biker then I hit a tree...reality check!
Well if this didn't totally confuse you then hopefully it gave you to a little insight into me and why I shouldn't mtbike alone. Way too much time to think!

My Racing Slideshow!

Quote of the day!

Victory belongs to the most perservering! Napolean Bonaparte

Its a mind game!

Well some days are really just a test of your commitment to your training. It 2 pm and I have been going since 8am. I did an awesome masters workout this morning, around 3500 yards.I did 10x 50's leaving on 45 10x 150's leaving on 2.30. My arms were pretty tired after swimming 5 consecutive days. I swam pretty strong though and I am therefore happy. Yesterday I had a bright idea to convert my tempo run into a track workout. My legs were paying for it today. It was cold and windy and i was hoping to hold 6 minute miles. It ended up being 4x 6-6.15 pace. I did my workout on the treadmill last week and it was so much easier. (I wonder why???) This was suffering!
Well today, thank goodness for good friends! I had a three hour ride with hills and I managed to take a few friends for the ride. It was freezing,and on a bathroom stop we stood around sharing a quick cup of hot choclate mixed with triple caffeine coffee. It was delicious and it gave us a little boost for a while. It was actually a great ride but by the time we got back we were all tired and quiet and our feet were freezing. Everyone quickly jumped in their cars and went home to warm up. This was round about the time I started having a little mental breakdown. I was cold and hungry and I wanted to get my workout done yet my feet were numb. So I went into our gym and sat with my feet in the hot tub for ten minutes. By then I was ready to take a nap. My whole body wanted to jump in the hot tub. So I started writing this post and then pulled myself away from the computer and decided I needed to get the work done and get home! I got another cup of coffee and took it to the treadmill.( sipping coffee as your form of fluid replacement 4 hours into your workout...while running indoors in the heated gym...not recommended! I actually ended up having a decent run as I started watching the Australian Open Tennis match with Federer. These guys played am amazing four hours of tennis. Taking it into the 5th set and Federer finally winning 10 games to eight. It was such good tennis and held my attention to get me through my run.
Some days are tough. I guess to be a part of the HTFU group...I really need to toughen up!

Working hard!

I was whining to Paulo last week that it seemed like I was the only one that was not working hard. Well say no more...for the last ten days I have been going non stop! I really am quite exhausted. I feel like winter takes so much more out of you. I am happy to say I have now adjusted to training in the cold...and I am now opting to road ride outside as much as possible. My rule is 30 and above, the sun helps alot too. This weekend is meant to be in the teens so road biking is not an option for me. I have 5 hours scheduled for the weekend so I will probably go mountain biking and ride on my trainer at least one of the days.
It is bad enough that we have to bike and run in the cold but all week our outdoor bubble pool we swim in was freezing as the heater broke. So the option was to swim in the 74 degree or below water ,(which for some may not be cold..but for me is freezing) or to go swim indoors with all the senior citizens doing water aerobics.
Well I opted for the indoor pool on Monday. It such a temptation as there is heat and a hot tub,steam room and nice locker rooms but then their is the smells and the terrible chlorine. The air quality is awful and the very much not competitive water aerobics classes, blaring the best of broadway hits, are not very motivating! Well I almost threw up twice. In the middle of a hard set, I took a big breath and consumed the aroma of Chanel no 5 perfume to the left and Charlie to the right. Why do people not shower before entering the pool....its there in big letters...PLEASE SHOWER BEFORE ENTERING POOL!!!! So I hung on the edge of the pool trying to catch my breath and avoid embarressing myself by hurling all over the pool deck!
Hence the next day I was back in the cold pool with two bathing suits and two caps swimming away. Today I was tempted to wear my wetsuit, but guess what? They got the heater part in and the pool had gone up to a slightly uncomfortable but very much more enjoyable temperature.
Yay! I guess this is what winter training is all about!

Quote of the day!

SOME PEOPLE DREAM OF SUCCESS... WHILE OTHERS WAKE UP AND WORK HARD AT IT! (unknown)

January 9th and 70 degree's in NJ

I love it!!!! I feel like we skipped right through winter. All week I have been biking and running in shorts...today I stripped down to a sports bra!Whats going on???? I am certainly not complaining! This makes the winter so much more tolerable when you a get a week like this here and there. You can push so much harder when it is nice out and you don't have that chill in your bones!
Today I had a hour and twenty minute run which I did at the Manasquan Resevoir. It is a scenic 5 mile trail with a few hills. It was super windy so an excellent choice to execute my first long run of the year. ( I know 10 miles does not seem long to alot of people but right now....it felt like a lonnngggg run with the week I've had!)
After my second Ipod conking out on me..I borrowed a good friends Ipod...filled with some great eighties music and got a great run in. I had half an hour of Zone 3 running which kept me around 7-7.10 minute pace. My legs were really not feeling to good after yesterdays hard bike intervals but I pushed through and was happy with my effort!
We may have 2 more warm days,although they are saying it is meant to rain..so we'll see. I hope to get another good biking day in tomorrow!
A week like this feels like i'm away at a training camp!Awesome!!
Talking about training camp. I just booked 9 days in Las Cruces New Mexico where my coach,Paulo lives and Jonnyo and Zach Ruble are training. I look forward to these weeks where I can really just focus on training without all the everyday craziness that goes on. My good friends Mariana and Andrea shall join me out there too. I have a month to get myself into some sort of shape. Well I will keep you posted on the rest of the week!

Yay....The Holidays are over!

I have had a crazy couple of weeks and I am so ready to just settle down and get back into my training for Ironman Arizona. This time of year is always hectic but fun having to balance all the social events and training. I hear all year how dedicated and commited I am to training so I really like to let loose over December! My kids have been off school so I like to do as much as we can together but with still trying to fit all my workouts in.
Finally after a really late night New Years Eve I am done....no more!!!! I need to be totally focused now until Ironman in April. The winter is not the most motivating time around here. Today is 12 degrees and I have just finished running for an hour on the treadmill and I am dreading the walk to the outdoor bubble pool where I will swim. Therefore I thought let me delay the process and write a quick blog just to say Happpy New Year to all my friends! I shall write soon with my goals for 2008 and race plan for the year. Hope you all have a great 2008 filled with lots of good training and even better races!