Brunch

We decided to go on a brunch ride and invited the TriHawk Group.  No one took us up on the offer.  We went anyway.  We were running about a 1/2 hour later than we scheduled due to crazy scheduling.

We decided to go to Story City for brunch, like a nice healthy cinnamon roll  :)  I had been dreading this for a long time as there are noticeable hills on the way back that suck all energy from me.  The trip down was good, but I was hoping I hadn't pushed it too much that I would bonk on the way home.  We stopped and had a yummy breakfast for much longer than I had anticipated we would, but it was a good break.  I had a veggie omelet - great protein!  I had felt dehydrated before I even started so I tried to drink plenty.  That didn't work so well, but I did drink quite a lot at the restaurant.  I think that helped me get home.

Interesting observation today: my knees hurt when I ride.  Bill thought maybe it was because I use a higher gear than he does going up hills.  I don't know if it really helped.  My knee was nasty when I got off and tried to run.  About 1/2 mi into the run it felt better.  I felt amazing!  Question for Vardotrichic: Is it better to have more rotations at a lower gear or fewer rotations at a higher gear?

Thought of a 1/2 Ironman entered my mind for most of this ride.  I think this is a possibility if there isn't a minimum time requirement for the swim.

Temperature: 77 degrees
Weather: mostly clear, 8mph SSE winds 
Motivation level: 10
Energy level: 6
Today's Quote: "Running shouldn't be dreaded; it should be time to let go of everything and start over."

today's mileage: 27 miles riding; 1 mile running; 1 mile walking

weekly mileage:  1400m swimming; 1 mile running; 1 mile walking; 27 miles riding

monthly mileage: 13 miles running; 15 mile walking; 2 miles biking; 1.16667miles swimming

annual mileage: 156 miles running; 235 miles walking; 58 miles riding; 2.19792 miles swimming

TOTAL mileage: 430 miles

Come on in, it's beautiful!

That's how I'd describe the water today.  It was a beautiful day for a swim!  The water was a bit warm, but it was good swimming.

It seemed like there was so much going on during this swim today.  I don't think I was rotating well all the time so I consciously rested my arm on my hip and rotated to get my hand out of the water.  I also worked on my breathing.  It felt like I was a little panicky when I got water in my mouth or up my nose.  I tried to snort it out, but panic set in and I stopped swimming.  Darn it.

I felt like I could finally get to a point where I wasn't struggling to get from one end to the other.   It was like looking at the eye fooling pictures where you have to focus just right to see the picture and then BAM! it all of sudden pops in to view.  And just like that it's gone.  I got a glimpse of what Mr Vardotrichic told me last summer: think slow and calm.  I was able to relax and glide through the water.  The next lap I was working hard again, heart racing, out of breathe at the end.  I want that feeling back!

One thing I realized about my swimming today was that I totally stop kicking when I breathe.  What?  Yeah, I'm in glide mode with no forward thrust.  Another thing I realized was that my hand can pull a lot of water.  That's right, my shoulders are quite sore tonight.  So, Vardotrichic a question: what is the hand supposed to do in the water?  I noticed mine is pointed straight down as it pulls the water down and back.

I also worked on breathing.  I feel like my breathing has improved so much since last summer.  I've worked at breathing every 3 strokes.  This gives me a breath every other side each time.  Today I wanted to see how far I could push that.  I took 4 strokes to every breath.  This meant breathing about 4-5 times across the pool.  That felt amazing.  I want to do that again.

Overall it was a great swim, but I could tell when I was getting tired.  I did 28 laps, but really wanted about 32.  While I was a little short of my goal, I feel like I gained a lot today.  Too bad Morgan Freeman wasn't there.


Temperature: 80 degrees
Weather: mostly clear, calm winds 
Motivation level: 3
Energy level: 9
Today's Quote: "I plan on having such an awesome run Morgan Freeman should narrate it."

today's mileage: 1400m swimming

weekly mileage:  1400m swimming; 3 mile walking

monthly mileage: 13 miles running; 15 mile walking; 2 miles biking; 1.16667

annual mileage: 156 miles running; 235 miles walking; 58 miles riding; 2.19792 miles swimming

TOTAL mileage: 430 miles

Kitties

I decided to take a different route, other than the Ethanol Loop, and wanted a little longer run today so we ran to Ellsworth.  Everyone decided they needed a potty stop so we went to Kum n Go for a brief rest.  We also stopped to see where a family member moved to.  While stopped, a kitty came up to Rachael and she liked it and was petting it.

The run back home was a little more difficult.  This route has some long, climbing hills.  Once we got back to town we finished up the 8 miles and yet another curious kitty came up to Rachael.  I really wanted to keep going.  I don't think a marathon was in the cards today, but easily a half was doable.

Steubenville has been a good trip for me and I have been more pensive.  This has made me rethink what my "false gods" are that I have been "worshipping".   It has been so self-lifting to not be on facebook, twitter, and other connections to the real world.  This really makes me want to quit my job and follow my real passion, ie lean in a different direction.  Unfortunately, it is also my necessary evil.  In the meantime I will continue to slowly lean that direction until life slows down.


Temperature: 72 degrees
Weather: mostly clear, calm winds gusting to SSE 8
Motivation level: 5
Energy level: 6
Today's Quote: "A tree falls the way it leans; be careful which way you lean." -Lorax

today's mileage: 8 miles running; 6 mile walking

weekly mileage: 13 miles running; 12 mile walking; 2 miles biking

monthly mileage: 13 miles running; 12 mile walking; 2 miles biking

annual mileage: 156 miles running; 232 miles walking; 58 miles riding; 1.03125 miles swimming

TOTAL mileage: 430 miles

Today

Today. Yeah, I have no great title today.  Just, today.  We have talked about getting off our laurels and hitting the pavement, but we finally were able to drag ourselves out.  The trip to/from Steubenville was brutal.  18 hrs in a bus nonstop.  ick.  I am finally getting recovered from the lack of sleep.

As usual, the first couple miles were not fun, but then I felt like I could go forever!  I love that feeling.  Glad the first couple are bad and they get better, not that the end is awful.  When I started running it was like that.  I had a good kick at the end, too.  I wish I could get myself past the usual 5 mile Ethanol, though.


Temperature: 68 degrees
Weather: mostly clear, calm winds
Motivation level: 8
Energy level: 6
Today's Quote: "I just want to spend time with you - love, you running shoes."

today's mileage: 5 miles running; 6 mile walking; 2 miles biking

weekly mileage: 5 miles running; 6 mile walking; 2 miles biking

monthly mileage: 5 miles running; 6 mile walking; 2 miles biking

annual mileage: 147 miles running; 220 miles walking; 58 miles riding; 1.03125 miles swimming

TOTAL mileage: 422 miles

Steubenville

Rachael and I attended a Catholic youth retreat last weekend.  After Reconciliation one night, Rachael called me and wanted to talk.  I asked if she wanted to go for a run.  It sounded like that was just what she needed.

We were all direction-turned so we didn't want to go too far, and the dorm was going to be locked in 30 min so we were limited by that, too.  We didn't really have running clothes, the Garmin or anything "necessary" for running, but we headed out.  Little did we know that this campus sat on top of hill.  No, wait, make that a mountain!  About 1/2 way down to the streets below I looked at Rachael, and said, "You know, what goes down must come up!"  I didn't think it could get any longer or steeper than the hill at the Camp Courageous Triathlon, but it did!  yikes.  I hadn't swam nor biked before this run and we still had to stop a couple times to get up that crazy hill, uh I mean mountainside.

I had no mental map so we would run down one street for a little bit and then turn around and come back.  I had set the timer on my phone to be sure we were back before they locked us out of the dorms. I really didn't want to sleep outside.  I figured we ran about 2 1/2 to 3 miles.  It was good to clear our minds and regain focus both mentally and spiritually.


Temperature: 62 degrees
Weather: overcast, light breeze
Motivation level: 9
Energy level: 4
Today's Quote: "You are never too young to start.  You are never too old to start.  Because running does not discriminate, it just lets you be a version of who you are."

today's mileage: 3 miles running; 6 mile walking

weekly mileage: 8 miles running; 14 mile walking; 3 miles biking

monthly mileage: 12 miles running; 40 miles walking; 14 miles riding; 1650m swimming

annual mileage: 142 miles running; 214 miles walking; 56 miles riding; 1.03125 miles swimming

TOTAL mileage: 409 miles

Happy Anniversary!

What a beautiful day!  We are celebrating our 19th anniversary today.  We got to sleep in.  Yes, our four children slept in so we got to sleep in!  It rained early this morning so we didn't feel compelled to get out of bed.  We let our bodies wake us up.  :)

We went out for an easy 5 miles, the Ethanol Loop backwards.  I feel like we have been in a rut running the same path for months now.  Never much more, never less.  We run to be together.  We run to release stress.  We run just to run.  It's routine.  sort of.  I feel like Grug, the dad in the Croogs, "Different is bad." Today I wanted to run it backwards for a new path.  Let's mix it up.

I think it worked.  We didn't talk about stressors, we didn't talk about school, about life, about nothing that bothers us.  We just spent time together.  Year 19 has been a stressful year to no exaggeration, the most trying we have had yet in our lives.  Maybe today starts a better year for us, a new stage for success!

Cheers to a fit mind and body!

Temperature: 70 degrees
Weather: scattered clouds, winds SW 8
Motivation level: 9
Energy level: 9
Today's Quote: "Runners come to appreciate early in their running careers that a fit body won't travel very far if there isn't a fit mind traveling along with it."

today's mileage: 5 miles running; 8 mile walking

weekly mileage: 5 miles running; 8 mile walking

monthly mileage: 9 miles running; 34 miles walking; 11 miles riding; 1650m swimming

annual mileage: 139 miles running; 208 miles walking; 53 miles riding; 1.03125 miles swimming

TOTAL mileage: 395 miles

An Unexpected Ride

We did our nightly walk after supper.  The dog was quite hot and tired so we brought her home and continued our walk, about 10 feet more.  We decided to get on the bikes.  Funny thing, we took out the crappy mountain bikes that sit outside all year and don't get any maintenance attention.  We were just going to bop around town, but it turned into something bigger.

We didn't have the Garmin, didn't have the HR monitor, didn't have a watch of any kind.  We just rode.  We rode fast, we rode slow, we rode together, we rode in a line.  We just went out on the road.

We started going out on our usual path, then decided to do the bike path (our road bikes don't like the limestone so well).  Bill asked if I wanted to do an Ethanol Loop, just to make it a real work out.  We came to our senses and given that we didn't have helmets on and the bikes were really not worth of anything outside of 1/2 mile from the house, we went to the Ethanol turn, about a mile out of town, and came back.  On the way back into town the bikes registered on the digital speed machine to warn drivers of their velocity.  We were only putzing around 8mph.  Had we known we could be registered on the machine, we would have gone faster!  Now we have a mission for later....

Temperature: 86 degrees
Weather: scattered clouds, winds SE 25
Motivation level: 9
Energy level: 9
Today's Quote: "There's a fine line between locating a satellite and starring at your wrist like an idiot."

today's mileage: 5 miles biking; 1 mile walking

weekly mileage: 1650m swimming; 20 miles walking/hiking; 1 mile running; 10 miles biking

monthly mileage: 4 miles running; 26 miles walking; 11 miles riding; 1650m swimming

annual mileage: 130 miles running; 208 miles walking; 53 miles riding; 1.03125 miles swimming

TOTAL mileage: 391 miles