Book Review - You are an Ironman

With a few weeks off at Christmas and some long hours in the car, I knew I needed to read something.  I honestly like any kind of book, but I really like reading about real people's lives.  With my new found hobby of triathlon, I had seen this one recommended on BeginnerTriathlete.  So, I downloaded it to my Ipad and was eager to start it!

This book is written by a man who has many friends who are part of a triathlon club.  The author himself has done a few shorter distance races, but not the Ironman.  He follows a few of them that are competing in the Ironman Arizona, both the year that they register and the following year where they compete.  This book follows six different people, regular Joe's by most standards, and their journeys to hear Mike Rice call their name and say the famous words, "You are an Ironman!"

I loved that this followed regular favorites.  Though I love to read and hear about the pros, I can't relate to them, as much as I admire them.  I have to juggle my training with being a full time wife, mom, and teacher.  I have can't dedicate the time to training that they do.  I don't have the sponsors throwing gear, bikes, and all kinds of training gadgets at me.  I am a regular "weekend warrior" who juggles this with the demands of a regular life.  That is exactly who the people in this book are.  They are regular men and women with families, jobs, insecurities, lack of financial resources to fix their cars, much less hire a private coach to design their training plans.    They are from all over the country and deal with illness, family issues, injuries, insecurities, and they are who might be next to any average age grouper at any given triathlon any given weekend.

Their stories fascinated me, and kept me interested.  I could relate to their frustration with bike crashes.  I could relate to the injuries that plague what would otherwise be great training.  I could relate to them struggling to stay motivated to train at all!

If you want a book where you can see how truly any one that wants to and has the drive to complete an Ironman while dealing with every day life, you will love this!  I think that given the range of people featured in the book, surely there is someone you could relate to.  I loved one quote from the book "The road to an Ironman is paved with LIFE".  It went to show that no matter how or what you are dealing with, you can still do whatever you set your mind to.

Time flies when you're having fun!

Wow! Has it really been since Thanksgiving since I posted? Since then, let me update you on my life in all things fitness and otherwise related.

First thing that has happened is that I completed my ATP program, or the program I am going though to get my teaching licensure. This greatly impacts my fitness/racing/Tri life in that it is going to free up a tremendous amount of time! I'm so excited to have my Monday and Wednesday nights back and not to mention all the time that I have returned to me with no more studying and doing homework! I look forward to being able to fit a few extra workouts in every week. Woohoo!

Second, I finished the Insanity workouts. They really kicked my butt! I ended up losing a ton of inches, and 13 pounds. It was really nice to go to Denver and see my Mom who actually made the comment that my butt looked smaller. Mission accomplished! Well, partially anyhow, I still have some work to do, but I am thrilled with the progress I have made.

Secondly, we had Christmas! It was so good this year! We went and saw my parents as I mentioned above and it was so fun. I even snuck in a few runs while we were there, and it is always fun to log miles in a new place. It was very cold though, as it is back here in Utah, so that affected my motivation to get out the door as well as my speed. However, one benefit of Insanity is that it allowed me to be in the comfort of my own home and not need to brave the elements. That is about to end now that SBR training is back in full gear!

Speaking of SBR, here is the Tri related gift I am most excited about.....drum roll please....I got a new trainer! I used some of the money we got for Christmas and bought it. I must say that I did have some reservations about getting one. The first of which is that I know how much I hated the dread mill that I used to have and I wondered if this wouldn't be the same thing. But, unlike running, biking is not doable with the ice and snow. I can navigate much better on my feet through it all and can do sidewalks, etc on foot. On bike, however, it just doesn't seem safe. So, if I want to train at all on my bike, this was my only option. I set it up and tried it out for an hour this morning, and the time flew by as I caught up on my DVR! This is going to be great! I can hardly contain my excitement!

I am putting the finishing touches on my race plan for 2013. I am really excited about it, and will reveal more later. One thing I have decided though, I am not racing with any company that doesn't provide medals. Any of you that read this know I am all about the race bling, so I am sticking with races and organizers I know that do them. Shallow, I know, but it is what it is. Call me bitter about only getting ONE Tri medal out of four possible last year, but I have to add to my bling :)

More coming soon, but in the mean time...

Happy training all!

2012 Year in Review

2012 was a great year.  It was the first year I branched into the triathlon world and quickly found my new addiction.  I ended up completing 4 tris this year, and it was great!  Here are my top moments, from my perspective of 2012:

BEST RACE MEDAL:  I'm all about the race bling.  I think that I was most excited about my first tri medal EVER (even though it was my fourth tri) at Ogden Valley Sprint.

HARDEST EVENT:  I must say Wildflower Pedalfest.  I know that I was prepared.  I had no idea how hard getting my arse and bike up Big Mountain would be.  I have never been so wasted (tired) after a race/event.

LEAST FAVORITE RACE:  Meh, I loved them all for various reasons, but I could have taken or left the Daybreak Tri.  It was just okay.

FAVORITE EVENT:  St. George 26.2 continues to be my favorite race.  I love everything about it. From the organization, the course, the crowds, everything.  And to crossing the finish line at a marathon never gets old, and no other finish line compares (that I have done anyway)

FUNNEST EVENT:  Bear Lake Brawl Oly.  So much fun to be there with my new found TriBuddy peeps! We stayed in a cabin, cheered for each other, and hung out afterward.  So excited to do that more in 2013!

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A RACE:  I can't top St. George 26.2.  I mean really?  A PR by 21 minutes and a course PR of 27?  Nothing else I did this year compares to that.

WHAT I LEARNED:   I love triathlon.  I love my bike.  I love open water swimming.  I love pushing myself to the limits. I'm a strong swimmer. I'm a crappy runner.

FAVORITE TRI ADDITION OF 2012:  Other than acquiring my chariot, I have to say finding my tri group, TriBuddies, was the best thing to happen to me.  I love having friends with the same interests, and people that I can talk races, injuries, chafing issues, or training plans all day long and they actually can relate :)  So excited for upcoming events with them!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Turkey Day!  I started my day by sleeping in (if you consider 6:30 am sleeping in) then hit the scheduled Insanity Workout for the day - Max Cardio Recovery.  The word "recovery" should be taken VERY lightly there.  It was 45 minutes of strength/yoga style stuff that kicked my trash.  I finished a half hour ago and my quads are STILL burning.  I will probably attempt a 3-4 mile run later this evening, to help counter today's calorie overload!

BUT...I did get on the scale this morning and found I finally broke past 151 on the scale leaving me at 150.5.  I haven't seen anything under 151 in well over 8 months! WOOHOOO!

I have so many things to be thankful for, but since this is a sports/training/running/triathlon/fitness blog, I will focus on those kind of things I am thankful for today.

Number 1 - I am thankful for my body.  I am thankful that it is healthy and strong and can take the abuse that I regularly put it through.  I seem to like pushing the limits on things, with a "Go big or go home" attitude.  I am not good about easing into anything, often leading to my own burn out, injury, or frustration.  I am thankful for my body for taking this abuse and it keeps going!  I am thankful for the fitness I have that I am able to go and do the things I love...swim, bike, run, Insanity, run and play with my kids like I am their age, or just put up with the demands of working full time and being a wife/mom/sister/friend.  I am amazed at the human body and its capabilities and so grateful for my health!

I am thankful to have discovered triathlon this year!  I feel like I have been in the sport for much longer than I have, probably because I have always been interested in it, studying it, etc, and just barely this year tried it!  It seems like the Women of Steel Tri, my first, was just a month ago!  As much as I loved running in my pre-tri life, and I still do, triathlon has brought me more challenges, fun, friends and experiences than I could have even imagined and I am just one season into it!  I already have tons of big ideas for 2013, none of which are official (in the form of a registration that is) but I can't wait to see what it brings.

Have a great Thanksgiving!  Be safe, and Happy Training!

Fit Test #3

So, today was the start of Week 6 of Insanity, thus the third Fit Test.  Here are the results:

Switch Kicks:  108...up from 105
Power Jacks:   53...up from 51
Power Knees:   89...up from 86
Power Jumps:  37...down from 44
Globe Jumps:   12...same as before
Suicide Jumps:   21...down from 22
Plank Jacks:  49...down from 53
Lower Plank Oblique:   60...up from 58

I was up or the same for most of these.  This was done at 4:00 in the morning, and I was sore from last week's work outs.  And, I can't hide the fact that I did pretty much skip Week 4, though I did a good job making up most of those work outs last week.  So, it is what it is.  In other news, I did lose weight last week, and am down a total of 8 pounds since starting this whole thing.

This week starts the beginning of Month 2, which everyone I know that has done Insanity has told me is by far the worse. Apparently the work outs are longer, and harder.  I am hoping that is true, as I still feel that I need my butt kicked.  I did the Fit Test this morning, and will do the official first work out of the week tonight after my son's choir performance.

Happy Training all!

Life happens

Well, this was supposed to be week 4 of Insanity.  I only did one of the 6 workouts this week.  I had a week of several early morning meetings and then class this week with some projects due, and then the other mornings, lets face it, I was too damn tired to get my fat apple out of bed.  So I hit the work out today and it killed me!  I guess that is what I get for taking a week off, I don't just get my butt kicked like normal, I get killed!

Luckily with looking at the calender, this coming week is supposed to be a "recovery" week with some light yoga every day, and nothing too bad.  I have decided to make up the workouts I missed in the mornings, then do the yoga in the evenings, and be back on track.  It isn't too hard to double up on these work outs if some of the recovery ones are the second one of the day.  Stupid me for slacking off though!

In other news, I have decided to try a new product.  I am doing the Total Lean 7 day FAST from GNC.  I think the reason this appealed to me is that I have hit a weight plateau, and needed something to kick start it. This is a cleanse, but not one where you stop eating.  You still stick to a 1500 calorie a day diet (for some this may be a huge restriction, but it is what I have been aiming for) but you use their protein shakes 2x a day, plus some vitamins, and other stuff as well.  I will let you know how it goes, it starts tomorrow!

So back on the wagon for me.  I really enjoy these work outs...when they are done:)  I just had a crazy week, was lacking in motivation, and now to get back at it :)

She's missed me....

It has been way too long since I have been on my Chariot.  I can even tell you what times in the past 2 months.  Since Wildflower Pedalfest, which was August 18, I have been on her two other times.  The Bear Lake Brawl, and the Ogden Valley Tri.  I aggravated my shoulder pretty good on the Pedalfest, so I stayed off to let it heal only getting on for those other two races, then once those were over my focus turned solely to the St. George Marathon, and then to Insanity.  So, long story short, she has been neglected.

I got up this morning and did two Insanity work outs, but as the day went on, it was just gorgeous out, and I knew I wanted to get out.  The fam was all occupied, I got the clearance to be gone for a bit from the hubs, and I got her out, checked the tires, and headed out to Antelope Island.

I couldn't have asked for a better ride!  The weather was awesome, it was only windy a long the cause way (but really, when is it NOT?) and there were buffalo all over.  It was sunny, and I thoroughly enjoyed being on my bike.  I did notice my shoulder getting sore, but I didnt' care. I noticed that the biking seemed effortless after 3 weeks of Insanity!  Seriously, an hour and a half on the bike, it seemed so easy compared to what I have been doing!  I didn't push it too much, but it was great.  Hopefully this will continue and I will see improvements when I get back to swim and run as well!

The forecast is calling for cooler temps and snow next weekend, so this may very well be the last outdoor ride for awhile.  I am hoping because I have been such a good girl this year, that a bike trainer is in the works for Christmas, and once Insanity is over, I can ride the Chariot inside in the mornings :)

But, I think she has missed me as she was so good to me today.  And honestly, I have missed her as well.