Hydration

Sunday Sheila and I headed out on our 50 mile bike ride.  I started with two big water bottles, with half gatorade, and half water.  We filled up at BLORA, after going about 25 miles.  When we reached about 40 miles, we hit the guard shack to get on post, and I begged them to fill up my water bottles again.  By the time we finished all 50 miles, I was out of water again.

I still felt thirsty, and I am trying to figure out what I am doing wrong.  I did read an article that talked about excessive sweaters, and wondered if that was my problem.  I don't usually sweat excessively, or so I thought.  Granted I do live in Texas, and it did get hot, hot, hot.

I'm worried that I need to strap 20 water bottles on my bike, as well as a few camelbaks.  Granted the temps will hopefully be cooler when we race in October, but I am still concerned that I'll be passed out somewhere on the side of the course because even with aid stations I run out of water.  Is there something that I am missing on the hydration front?

What's the best way to approach this?  How do I ensure that I stay hydrated.  I did need to stop for a potty break at mile 25, but after the next 4 bottles and a giant gatorade when I got home, I didn't use the restroom again till about 2 hours after I got home.

I'm open to any suggestions at this point (you know, from the two people that read this!)

Sunday Workouts

I think I like Sunday workouts the best.

I have few commitments, and I often have the time to put forth the effort.

Today my training partner and I biked from Fort Hood to BLORA.  We did about 35 miles round trip before we hit the pool.  I know that we could have gone further, but it started to get hot.  Texas hot.  So we opted to end at 35.  Next weekend though, I think we will go at least 56 or just under.

I just discovered that mapmyrun allows me to customize bike routes too.  This could be dangerous.  Very dangerous.

Things that I thought about on our ride:
  1.  I need to work on nutrition.  What do I need to do during the race in order to be successful?
  2.  Training does work, and I am so much stronger than I was when I did my last tri at the end of June.  So much stronger.  It's amazing!
  3.  Maybe I don't suck at the bike as much as I thought!

I still have a long way to go, but at least I am making progress, and that makes my time on the trainer worth it.  Gunner mentioned getting a hard tire to put on my bike for the trainer, so we don't have to keep switching out the tire that I use on the trainer, to one appropriate for the road.  I guess it's one more thing that I need to do in all my free time time.

Gunner took the Jr and Em fishing tonight.  Maybe they will be able to satisfy my craving for fish tonight.  If not, I have salmon as a backup.  Tomorrow I hit the paleo program hard, and I am determined to get in fighting form.  My roomie from Baylor is going to be competing in the same triathlon, and she is a dorce to be reckoned with, so I have to be on my game!

Tomorrow I just have to run.....early or late.....that's the question right now.

Week 5

I'm on week 5 of our 18 week training plan.

Just completed 2 hours on the bike trainer.

Tomorrow at 5 it is the swim, then I am coming home for a run.  Crossfit at night.

Studying in between.

Mobility after crossfit, after I practice my pullups.  Must have one by end of summer.

In more exciting news, my second MRT project is almost complete, and my thesis proposal was approved.  Now I just have to make a few changes and submit a ton of paperwork.  Looks like I will graduate in December with Gunner, if everything goes according to his plan too.

I still suck at eating, but I am thinking about the whole family going Whole 30.  The kids will hate it, but they need better eating habits now.  It takes more prep work, but I'll fit it in somehow.  I always do.  I will also work on improving my sleep.  I know one pretty big way to do that, and it starts Sunday night!

This sunday we are going to swim 1.2 miles and bike 56.  I know I can do both of them, but I will be interested in my times.  I also need to buy a new pair of shoes since my NB minimalists are falling apart.

On the fun side this weekend, I think we are going to go hiking with the kids to Chalk Ridge Falls, and my Baylor roomie and I are going shopping in Salado!  Have to balance the work with the fun!

Barely above water....

Not only do I take on everything fitness related, but now all of my school stuff is coming due, and I am trying to balance it all.

I had to skip my swim workout this morning, because I spent half the night preparing for a professional development I had to give today on reading comprehension.  When all that was over, I had to meet with my professor to iron out the details for my thesis proposal.

Ran to crossfit, and then spent the rest of the night doing thesis stuff.  Tomorrow morning I am running.  I have to.  Then I have to work on thesis stuff as I am presenting to my committee that afternoon.  I also have to study for my Master Reading Teacher test, prepare a HUGE project where I am creating a new math and science reading comprehension curriculum, and do the plethora of paperwork in order to make sure my proposal gets approved and I can start planning it.

Sunday Sheila and I met to do our early morning swim.  The pool was closed.  We did what any two crazy people do, and joined Gold's Gym for 7 days.  We hit the pool that morning, and then yesterday we did the hot yoga class.  I have only been to yoga a few times, and while I have always sucked at it, I was shocked how I did that night.  I was strong.  I managed all the poses, but a few times I couldn't master the advanced moves.  I.have.no.balance.  I sweated like a pig, and my clothing was drenched enough I could wring it out.  I now know the value of a yoga towel.

We couldn't just be satisfied with hot yoga, so we hit the exercise bikes afterwards.  We rode an hour, and our distance and avg mph was not great.  I am convinced it was because of the bikes.  On the road, I know we are faster.  We will be hitting the roads on Sunday, and getting in a 40 mile bike ride.  Then we will really know where we stand and whether or not our time on the trainer equates to what we ride on the road.  I'm actually pretty excited about it.  Weird, I know.

I really need to work on cleaning up my eating.  That's next on the list!

The Training Nazi!

I am the queen of not training, and signing up for long distances, and hoping for the best.

Tonight at crossfit I noticed a difference now that Sheila is making me accountable.

I am faster, I am stronger, and even at 40 years old, I am a rock star.

We swam at the crack ass of dawn, and what should have taken us a while was over in about half an hour, even with us extending the warmup and cool down.

We are getting fast.  Really fast.

Did I mention that we swam with our crossfit coach on Sunday?

Korin RX
Sheila RX
Ben DNF

He admits that it was hard.  Nice to finally beat him at something, not that I am competitive or anything.

I was up at 5 am to swim, and then after class all day I hit the WOD, then rowed for 2K, then did pullups.

I think I am on to something....

My new favorite food.....

I can eat almost anything but chow mein noodles and celery.

I am back in class this week, so I packed my healthy snacks and lunch, and headed off.  Class is from 9-3:30, then I tutored a student from 4-6, came home and hopped on the trainer for half an hour, and then headed off to crossfit.

Crossfit is always a good workout.  I was supposed to do another hour on the trainer when I got home, but I had to cook something to eat.  (No worries, I will make up that hour tomorrow!)

I threw together some stuff, and since I have no palette, it tasted absolutely wonderful.

My kids would never eat it, and I think my husband turned up his nose a little bit.  It was a pound of ground turkey, 2 cans of rotel, spicy cajun seasoning, a bunch of lentils, and topped it off with greek yogurt.  I already have some packed up to take for lunch tomorrow.  I really should learn to cook, but in the meantime, I will probably eat this three times a day for a week or two or three.

Tomorrow morning it is our 5 AM swim.  Ugh.  not looking forward to it at all.  Last time I survived the day by taking two naps!  If only I could learn to go to bed early....

Ode to my bike trainer....

Ode to bike trainer

O bike trainer, I do appreciate thee.
Always helping to tire me.
I always go to you when I need
to ride.
I trust you to toughen me,
Always sticking by my side.
I will always appreciate thee.
O bike trainer, I do appreciate thee.
I can depend on you for
making me sweat.
Thank you for ripping my back tire to shreds.
You rescue me from boredom.
Thank you bike trainer I do appreciate
thee.
~By FIT

Yes, I should be studying, or working on my thesis proposal, but after 2 hours and 15 minutes on that thing, I felt like it deserved an ode.

Got up this morning way before I had to, and hit the pool.  This time we brought along our crossfit coaches, who were going to do the half with us, but have opted after the swim, to check that off their bucket list at a later date.  I can understand that!  The swim is the most intimidating part for most people.

After a quick 1300 meter swim, working on distance, I hit the books for an hour.

I once bought one of those garmin attachments that went on the bike so you could see how far you were going while you were on the trainer.  I never was able to get it to work, so I just have to guesstimate on the length of time it takes me to ride the amount in the training plan.  Today was supposed to be 30 miles.  All I know is that when I finished, my cute little lululemon shirt was soaked, along with the rest of me.  I hung it up on the side of the tub and it was dripping sweat.  Gross!!!

It's also the reason I was on the trainer instead of outside in 100 degree heat trying to get in the mileage.    I ran last night at 8 pm, and I was drenched in sweat before I had even done a mile.  I managed 3.52 miles before I had to run home and get some water, and that a/c felt so good........I never made it back out.  Training fail.  The heat of Texas might do me in!

Something I did learn today is that the trainer wears down the back tire.  Thank goodness for google.  How did I ever survive without it?

My lunch of eggplant, chicken, and brussel sprouts has been served, with a black bean and greek yogurt puree.  We watch too much chopped in this house.  Tomorrow I am back in class, tutoring a student, and have a swim, bike, and hopefully crossfit to work into the mix.  Happy training!