Update: It's been a few days

It's been a while since I've written.  Not to worry though, I'm still around, and still training.  Jessica was in town last weekend so we went on a run on Sunday.  It was a little windy, and a little cold, but overall, not too bad.  I really enjoyed getting to run with a partner.  I've missed working out with someone. 

On another note, THANKSGIVING IS THIS WEEK!!!  I love Thanksgiving (it's hard to tell I know).  I'm going to my parents house tomorrow and will probably stay until Saturday or Sunday. Unfortunately, I have a paper and a test next Monday so I do have to be a little productive.  =(  

I also want to start looking for a club, or some type of group of people to train with.  I really don't like doing it alone all the time.  I came across the Okc triathlon club's website today.  I'm going to do more research before getting into that though.  Not only am I shy and would kind of want someone to join with me, I'm looking for a specific thing.  I don't want to join a group and then decide I don't like it (and waste my time and money). 

Anyway, sorry this post is a bit scatter brained, but I suppose it mirrors my state of mind right now, so it can't be helped. More to come soon!

Off day

Today was an off day.  It was amazing. Tim came over last night and we watched "The Blues Brothers".  We woke up, went out to lunch, and saw "Quantum Solace".  It was a good movie, but I liked the last Bond movie better.  I also did 7 minute abs again today.  They hate me now.  

I'm supposed to run tomorrow, but it looks like I'm going to go visit Jessica instead and she's swimming.  I might just swim instead.  Swimming's harder anyway.  

Against the wind

I woke up this morning to a beautiful fall day in Oklahoma. The temperature was around 60 degrees, no wind and sunny.  It was great!  I went to the store and bought a bike helmet and pump so that I could go biking after I taught my class at noon.

Well.

If there's one thing I should've learned about Oklahoma by now it's that the weather never stays the same.  Around noon today a cold front came in and with it a strong north wind.  Norman isn't exactly known for it's hills, but I can tell you from experience that the north/south winds here are incredible. 

So what did I do? I went biking on a north/south route.  Genius. The wind was so strong that I could hardly peddle against it.  I would have gone another way, but at that point, I would've had to ride against the wind almost as long just to find another route going east/west. So I toughed it out.  If I had to put a distance on the workout, I'd say about 6 miles (?) or so most of it against the wind.  It took me about 40 mins.  It's not far, and I wish I could've gone farther, but my legs are jello, so hopefully it did some good. 

When I got home I decided to try and look up the 7 minute abs video that my friend Melissa has been talking about lately.  I couldn't find it so I had to ask her.  This video is AMAZING. My abs have never hurt so bad during a workout before.

Here is the link in case anyone is interested:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVmjhNmvEwo

There are several different positions that they do for 30 seconds each 2 times. So you start out doing the ones that work your lower abs then work up to your upper abs and repeat the process.  I loved it so much I think I'm going to make it part of my daily routine.  

On a different note, I think I'm going to try and revamp my diet. I'm not sure what this means yet other than I'm a poor graduate student with extraordinary dietary needs (no really...it's incredible how much food I need) who eats crap, and I want to change that.  At this point, I'm eating spaghetti o's  at least 4 times a week.  I don't even know what's in those things!   I'm going to the grocery store today as soon as I get the motivation to get up.  I'll probably just buy some frozen fruit, yogurt, and some meat to cook with this week.   Anybody have any healthy recipes or suggestions? I'm really groping around in the dark on this one.  

Ok, I think that's about it for now.  Hope everyone has a great day!

The start of a long swim

I swam today.  It wasn't nearly as horrbile and painful as I remember.  =)  I got up, went to work, ran some errands then went to the pool.  Here is what I did:

4 sets of 200 yards: 25 yards of backstroke at least 50 of freestyle and at least 50 yards of breath stroke; the rest was either breath stroke or freestyle depending on how I felt. 

I did 50 yards of kickboard between each set. 

Like I said, it went alright.  I managed to only inhale water 2 or 3 times, and although I don't have the ability to see my own face, I can say with at least some degree of certainty that my face didn't turn blue.  Of course, that may very well be due to the fact that I did my medicine this morning. 

I tried to swim more laps using freestyle as I went along, but I got tired towards the end and the last set was mostly breath stroke (no backstroke though).  The good news is that (although it wasn't all at once) I swam half a mile, which I think is the distance I need to swim for a sprint tri.  So I should be able to work my way up to triathlon standards.  

Tomorrow I'm going to bike.  I went to check my bike yesterday and saw that my tires are really low, so I'm going to go buy a bike pump and helmet (finally) either today or tomorrow.  Until then...

Tentative schedule

Ok, so I feel like I have to get outside opinions on this.   Here's what I'm thinking: on Mondays and Wednesdays I have class from 8-2:15 in Okc which means I have to wake up at 5:20am.  So if I'm going to work out, it has to be after class (no earlier than 3).  The thing is, I'm completely and totally EXHAUSTED when I get home on those days.  Tuesdays are easier because I just have work from 9-10:15am and then from 6:30-9 pm.  Thursdays are the worst.  I've got work from 9-10:15 then class from 2-4:30 then work again from 6:30-9.  So if I want to get anything done on Thursdays, I'll have to do it before work in the morning, or go straight from work to workout.  Fridays are completely free with the exception of the one hour class I have to teach in Okc at noon.  Saturdays are off limits until football is over (sooner born and sooner bred baby!), and as far as Sundays are concerned, I'd really like to start going to church again, but even if I don't make it, chances are I'll be working anyways so mornings are off limits. 

As far as workouts go, I know I need to work out at least 5 days a week.  There are 3 events I'm training for so each of those needs to be done twice a week (one day will double just like it was with Jessica).  The only huge change I might be considering at this point would be doubling up on Fridays instead of Tuesdays.  On one hand, I have less to do on Fridays, and potentially more daylight to work with.  On the other hand though, I kind of like having Friday as my lazy day, and only having one activity on that day leaves the weekend more open for trips (that I never end up taking).

Well, I may have just wasted my time writing all of this out because I don't think I'm going to change anything just yet.  I'll change the times for sure though.  There isn't enough daylight to work out in the evenings, and I don't have to wait for Jessica to get off work so there's no reason for me to wait anyway.  I think I'll do my doubling up on Tuesday's after my first "class".  I'm out of the house and I usually haven't showered for the day yet. Wednesdays and Saturdays I'll keep as off days.   The rest I think I'm going to keep identical to Jess and my schedule, just earlier.  

 I might also try to make swimming a more constant activity.  I'm a horrible swimmer. Anyone who knows me, or reads this blog, knows that.  But I feel like if I don't start swimming more than once or twice a week, it won't get better.  I really want to make running like that.  I can run forever. I love it, and I'd love running to be something that I just do every day...like showering or eating.  However, my running doesn't need as much work.  Don't get me wrong.  I'm out of shape.  My lungs can't handle running right now any better than my great grandmother's lungs can.  Swimming is harder.  If I can make my lungs handle swimming, running will come because it's so natural for me.  I don't know though.  I mean, do I hate swimming because I suck at it or do I hate it because I hate it?  If it's the latter, then I don't want to spend more of my time doing something that I don't enjoy.  Thoughts?

Well, as you might have guessed from my incessant rambling, I'm sitting at work, bored. But I think it's time that I stop subjecting everyone to this and just call it quits and attempt to pay attention.   

OK

I'm getting back on the horse. I'm going to start working out again today. I'm not fully recovered from being sick, but I haven't done my breathing treatments either so I don't care.  I want to work out.  

Since I don't have Jessica around to push me in the pool any more (and because my knowledge of swimming workouts is awful), I've been looking at beginner swimming workouts online.  I still have no idea though.  I'll probably just end up thrashing around the pool for an hour and go home. 

I'll probably end up changing my workout schedule too. When I was working with a partner, we each had to make little sacrifices to fit the other's schedule.  Now I don't have to do that.  I'm not sure what the schedule will be just yet, but I'll post it when I figure it out. 

Sometimes the best way to deal, is to put your head down, and just keep swimmin' (so to speak haha).  So until next time...

On the eve of all things different.

Jessica moves away tomorrow.  She's got a really awesome attitude about it. I think she's kind of excited to be in a new town with a new job.  And I know she's glad to be rid of the unemployed stress she's been dealing with over the past month.  I'm really going to miss her. She doesn't want to talk about it, and I shouldn't.  I'm happy for her.  I'm excited she got a job. She'll be great at it.  I have yet to read any story of hers that wasn't well written. 

As far as training goes, I know Jessica's planning on working out as much as her unknown schedule will allow.  I'm just hoping to survive. School and work are really crazy right now. My grades have actually suffered quite a bit in the last couple of weeks. It's alright though.  I'm sure I'll pull it off. Winter's always a physical challenge for me too. I'm thinking about asking for a Huff membership for Christmas so that I don't fry my lungs trying to run in the cold (oxymoron I know).  Jessica was teasing me today about my less-than-stellar swimming abilities.  I'd admit that she was right... except that I have this damn competitive streak in me.  Admitting that we're halfway through our training and I can't swim would be detrimental to my psyche.  Therefore I think the only logical response would be to start swimming more and kick my cocky partner's ass the next time we swim together.  ;)  Oh ya guapa, it's on. 

Ok, this is the part where I'm supposed to sum up the post in a deep and meaningful way.  Here it goes. So tomorrow, I help my best friend move away.  Then, hopefully, in the midst of all things tumultuous and painful I will have as an immovable constant, the burning desire to dispel any notion that my swimming is in any way sub-par by way of severe swim ass whoop-age.  =) 

I was never good at deep philosophical statements anyway.

I promise I'm not dead.

Well where do I start? 

It's been a long time since I've posted anything, and a ton has happened. I don't mean to say that I've been crazy training and now run marathons on a weekly basis.  I mean quite simply that my world is changing rather rapidly, and training has been no where near my top priority. 

In the last month or so, I've worked out on occasion, but nothing difficult, and my heart hasn't been in it in God knows how long.  It's true that I've been sick, and yes being sick makes it really hard to work out; it's not impossible though, and I haven't the motivation to do it. 

So what's up with me? Nothing really.  I'm a wuss.  There's a lot of turmoil in the lives of those closest to me.  My partner, Jessica, is moving to Stillwater to start a new job next week, and my boyfriend, Tim, is graduating (and moving) in December.  I personally have very little going on in the next couple of months. My schedule will be much of the same: work and school work and school.  The only difference is that I suppose I'll actually be studying out of pure boredom. 

I think I've talked about my incredible lack (or need) of motivation during training before.  Since Jessica still wants to do our tri next spring, I'll have to train alone.  I hope I won't disappoint.