Tag Archives: training

Gearing up for triathlon season!

18 Jan

Since going to Mexico, I’ve been a big lazy bum. I worked out twice in Mexico (swimming and elliptical) but since then, I did nothing except take Katy on walks (which is better than nothing). It’s only been a week and a half and I didn’t gain any weight (amazingly, even in Mexico where I felt like I was stuffing my face!) but when I stop exercising, I just feel soft and flabby. I like how exercise makes me feel fit and firm because I’ve used my muscles.

So last night, Travis and I finally went to the Rec (after much hemming and hawing) and then I swam with D this morning. It’s always easier to exercise again when you’ve pushed yourself to just do one exercise session. I realized last night that since I am currently unemployed, soon to have a part-time job, I can take advantage of the classes at my gym that occur in the middle of the day. Yay! There’s a  Yoga class that meets a couple of times a week and a Mat Pilates class on Tuesday. Hopefully those work out (pun not intended)!

Swimming this morning also reminded me of how much fun I had training for triathlons last year. After the half-marathon in November, I was all psyched up to start training for a triathlon but then I lost my job and the reality of me getting a tri bike seems further and further away so all of my motivation fizzled. But I don’t need a tri bike to do another tri. I did 2 last year with my crappy mountain bike and I can do it again! Plus, the triathlon I’m planning on doing with D, the Greeley Triathlon on June 12th, is only a 10-mile bike. And it will be at least a month or 2 before I start biking outside again and who knows, hopefully I’ll have an income by then so I can get a new bike (that would be SO exciting!!)

Now that I have a triathlon picked out, I need to get my training schedule together and figure out when I need to actually start exercising with a purpose. Until then, I will definitely enjoy doing the elliptical, taking yoga/pilates classes, and running when I feel like it. 😉

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Week 1 of Marathon Training

16 May

So this past week was officially week 1 of my training plan. Well, not really. I did go on 2 runs – one 4 miles and the other 5. But that was about it. This week is the first one that I’m actually following a training plan. But I started my marathon training plan including last week so I’m counting it. 🙂

Travis and I have about 99% decided to do the Malibu Marathon on November 14. It sounds like a cool one (you get to run along the coastline!) and the first weekend of November didn’t work (Minnesota deer season opener is that weekend).

Here’s my training schedule:

That's a lot of running!

I used Hal Higdon’s 18-week Novice marathon training program but modified it to be a little longer. I also highlighted the weeks in light purple that I would be out of town and possibly not able to run at all (definitely not long distances at any rate). The pink cells are the most important runs because they’re the longest ones. The green Race in the middle is the Mt. Sneffels Half Marathon that I’m planning on doing August 29th.

I also included a key on the bottom so that if I have to shuffle workouts around due to my schedule, I knew what kind of workout I was supposed to be doing on which day. Sundays and Thursdays can alternate between rest days and short run days, depending on the week.

I bought 2 running magazines at the store today. I feel like I know a decent amount about running and training since I have done races before. But I haven’t done anything even close to a marathon, reading about running gets me excited and I’m sure there is more I can learn.

Woohoo!

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Elevation makes a difference!

11 May

People have said that running at lower elevations than Denver (which is a mile above sea level) is so easy. They feel like they could run forever.

Well, I tried running in Minnesota one summer and it sure didn’t feel any easier. But then I thought, maybe I was trying to run at too fast of pace or the humidity was just as bad as altitude.

I’m pretty sure it was one of the two because this morning I went on a run in St. George, UT, which is about the same elevation as Minnesota and I felt absolutely AMAZING!! The first half of the run was even uphill but I felt great.

This experience has made me even more optimistic that training at altitude for a marathon at sea level will work out in my favor. I just have to be very careful that I don’t try to run too fast and end up screwing myself over like I did when I ran my half marathon 2 years ago.

I am SO excited about marathon training… it feels good to have a goal again.

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