Excuses? We all got em!

Well, my work outs for the last two weeks have been pathetic.  But then again, I had a good reason. I was sick with strep throat.  I FINALLY started feeling better on Thursday of this week.  Then yesterday, a friend facebooked me and asked if I wanted to join her on a 10 mile run this morning.  I said yes immediately.  I got off the phone, and was like "What am I thinking?  I haven't run in 2.5 weeks, I haven't worked out PERIOD in 2, this will kick my butt!"  I figured even if it did, I was going.  What better to put me back in the routine, right?

Then I was really tired last night.  I wasn't feeling it.  I realized the morning temperature was going to be around 18.  I was going to have to go really early, while still dark.  Yada, yada, yada.  I was glad I knew a friend was waiting for me, so I got out of bed at 5:20 on a Saturday to go meet her.  We had a great time!  I was so glad I went, it wasn't bad at all, and the miles FLEW by!

My gloves turned out to be not quite warm enough and my fingers did lose all feeling the last hour.  I had frost forming on my eyelashes.  I got a side stitch towards the end.  BUT  I also felt really good that we got it done!  I was on with my day feeling good about myself, proud of what we had done, and the important thing was  I SHOWED UP!

I have heard that more than half of the battle with running, working out, training, etc, is just SHOWING UP.  I was so glad I did that today. I felt good that after a dismal two weeks I could still crank out 10 miles like it was nothing.  That is something to be proud of, dangit!  Another quote that I love it by Bob Harper and he says, "True motivation comes when excuses cease to exist".  So true. 

Happy training!  Just do it!

Ironman Kona - What is my excuse?

I watched for the first time coverage of an Ironman event, which happened to be the coverage of the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.  AMAZING!  They of course put alot of the coverage on the pros competing, but I was more touched by the non-pro people the covered.  You know, the more every day people that are all completing it for one reason or another.  They had one man that was a double leg amputee from a car accident that finished.  Another woman who had just 3 years earlier been well over 300 pounds.  A 50 year old who had spent the year battling aggressive stage 4 colon cancer.  There were a ton of people 70+ that were doing it!  If you can watch that with completely dry eyes and not be touched you are not human!  It made me think, what the heck is my excuse?  I don't have one.  Mark my words.  I will complete an Ironman someday.  My goal is by the time I am 40, so it gives me a few years.  I still need to get a bike for my first sprint for Pete's sake! 

One thing that it did accomplish for me was to really motivate me to get back to my off season training.  I have been sick this week, pretty sure it is strep throat, and have just felt like crap, so the work outs have been non-existent.  This just gives me extra motivation to shake it off and get back to work!  I am just that much more fired up and ready to get into this whole tri thing.  I can't wait for Women of Steel in May!

So what about you?  What is your goal?  What are you working for?  Even if it is to work out regularly, do your first 5k, or complete  as many push ups as you can in a minute, the key is JUST DO IT! 

Happy training all!

Santa, I have been SOOOO good this year!

I have been thinking about what I really want for Christmas this year, and BOY!  I hope Santa has a big sleigh to bring me the stuff I want!  Yeah, this is the "if money is no object" list.  But a girl can dream right?

Yeah, basic, but I need a bike helmet.  Not necessarily this one, but it might be nice as I enter the cycling world...

And, what good is a bike helmet with no bike?  That would be just silly, right?  Yeah, this is my dream ride below, except in red or pink...LOL

And, I wouldn't mind a new Garmin, since mine has been dead the last few months.  I soooo miss it!

 And I am sure seeing this butt picture is weird, but these are padded bike shorts.  The last bike ride I went on, I remember being quite "saddle sore" for days after.  So, this might help a bit...but I wouldn't mind the butt that they are on either ;)

 I think Ken is getting tired of me hanging all my race medals on the corner of our bedroom mirror.  One of these would be cool!

 Yes, I want this coat in this color.  I would love to be as bright as a Christmas tree when I do my evening/early morning runs, and if all I had to do was put a coat on (minus the reflective vest, the flashing LED light, etc) I would be a happy girl!

Just a fun kinda wish list.  If you have a triathlete on your Christmas buying list, take note!  Whose going to send this to Ken?  LOL

Masters Swim

So, tonight was my first official branching out from running into a real swim work out.  I went the the Aquatic Center for their Masters Swim group.  Basically, it is a structured work out with a coach, though people there are at all levels, and you can really do anything you want to do, follow their work out, or not.  Pretty flexible and laid back.  I met the coach right off, I think she zero'd in on me since I was the only girl their with like 18 guys.  I told her I hadn't swam in ages, really swam anyhow.  She gave me a run down of how it went, and explained the work out on the white board, and that was that.  I looked at the total distance of the swim work out and it was 2150 meters.  This seemed like a ton to me since I haven't done a structured swim work out in 20 years.  I figured I would just go as far as I could and then call it good.  I did have a few questions here and there, but it went well!  I surprised myself by being able to finish the work out in just under an hour.  But that was stopping for several breaks, visiting here and there with other people around me, and getting pointers from the coach.  She had good feed back on my kicks.  She said that she was impressed and I wasn't as bad as she thought based on what I told about how long it had been since I swam.  Is that a good or bad thing?  Anyhow, I felt good about it!

I will definately go again next week.  I liked how it was structured, but pretty welcoming.  It was kinda wierd being the only girl there, but I'm not complaining :).  Plus, I am kinda used to that with marathons, not as many women doing the fulls.  People were friendly and it was a good experience.  I am just basically trying to get myself familiar with the water again, and working on my endurance.  But, for not knowing exactly what to expect, it was great!  Definately going to make this a weekly ritual!

Bike Hunting

So, I think I failed to mention one very important part of my journey into the Triathlon world.  I don't have a bike.  One MINOR detail.  I know what I would like, but then there is the whole budget thing working against me as a more important set of wheels (my 1998 Explorer with 275,000 miles on it) needs to be replaced.  I am hoping Santa knows just how good I have been this year and brings me one under my tree!

I have been looking through the classifieds trying to find some overly anxious person with a huge wallet that bought a bike they never ended up using and are selling it for practically nothing just to make room for their skis or something.  No such luck just yet. I do need to stop into Bikers Edge by my work and have them even tell me what size of bike I would ride!  This is all so new to me I have no clue!  Anyone have tips they would like to share?  I know nothing about this.

I think the area that I am weakest in for the whole tri thing is the cycling.  I a strong base for running, know enough to build on the swim, but cycling....nada.  I have been reading all I can on tri in general, but also cycling as much as I can.  That is what I did when I got into running, read Runner's World, and tons of running blogs that I still follow.  Anyone that has recommendations for me, I am all ears!

Wish me luck, I am going to need it!

The Beginning....

I have had a family blog now for four years. I have loved it!  My favorite thing is when I print the annual blog book and it is like having a family year book of everything we did that year.  When I took up running just over two years ago, I started adding that as well.  However, as much as I like having a public running blog (because I LOVE reading them) it doesn't work when you want your family life to be private.  I had quite the eye openning experience to Google my kids and see hundreds of pics of them pop up, all of which had been on my blog.  So, we still have that one, and it is private, and this one Run and Tri Mommy was born!  It will basically be all about my training and running experiences, and my adventure of entering the triathlon world!

I considered copying and pasting some of my running entries off the other blog, but that would take forever.  So, it all just starts now and here!  I am way excited about it!

I have completed 3 half marathons, 5k's, and 3 full marathons.  I also completed the Ragnar Wasatch Back 200 mile relay this past year.  I have loved what running has brought to me.  It has literally changed my life, with the physical benefits being the least of them.  I feel like I always need new goals to reach for and when it comes to the athletic side of me, I feel that now that I have conquered the distances in running that I can (or care to...no ultras for me) I have decided why not tri?  I have the running part down.  I swam in junior high and swam laps regularly for exercise all through college.  The only area that I have no experience is the cycling aspect, but I have always wanted to, so here we go!  I have officially registered for the Women of Steel sprint triathlon in Lehi on May 19, 2012.  I am so excited!  A sprint tri is usually around 300-500 meter swim, a 12-15 mile bike, and a 3.1 mile run.  This particular one was attractive to me for many reasons.  One, it is an all female event.  I have had a few friends complete this one and they said it was great.  Then, who can beat a race where they have chocolate, Diet Coke, and silver finisher's necklaces instead of medals?  Not that I mind medals, I am becoming quite fond of my collection :)

So, over the next few months I will be branching out from my running to incorporate swimming and cycling to my routine.  I am currently doing strength training with Jillian Michaels videos every morning, and may even try Insanity after the first of the year.  But for now, thanks for following my journey!