Thanks to A Moment in Time Photography for taking photos at the Claytor Lake Triathlon a couple weeks ago. Here are the ones I found of myself. I raced the dude to the finish line…and won! My time was 1 hour and 33 minutes, a personal record for me. Maybe I can do TWO races next year!
I loved the New River Trail last week, so we’ll meet there again this week. Anyone who wants to come at noon for a short prayer and then we’ll take off to walk/jog/run or BIKE if you like. This week, I am going to bike hard 30 minutes, then jog 15 minutes immediately following (this is called a “brick” in the triathlon training world). BUT, you do what is best for you!
There is no cost for this, but there is a $4 parking fee for the State Park access. Just bring something to drink and think of your goal before you arrive so you know what you want to do for the day!
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I just registered for the Claytor Lake Sprint Triathlon that will be held September 12, 2015. It’s a half mile swim, 12.5 mile bike, and a 5k trail run. I have work to do!
My favorite resource for triathlons is “The Woman Triathlete” book. I need to get it out and make my plan for training. I have about 6 weeks till race day and my base fitness is good, but I need to work on intervals on my run and swim. The book has great workouts. I am going to pencil in my workouts on my calendar or I know I will not get to them.
I blogged on my personal blog a while back about Triathlon FAQs. Check it out if you have a minute. 🙂
My husband and I spent the weekend in Charlotte, NC for a charity flag football tournament he plays in every year (for several years). It was a beautiful, hot weekend – a nice little getaway.
We traveled with my husband’s friend and his girlfriend. While the boys played golf, we girls shopped a bit. I got a clock for our new house (finally) and plan to hang it today. That night, I got to sneak away and watch “The Grand Budapest Hotel” at this small theater all by myself. I love going to the movies and used to do it a lot before our son came along. The movie was good – I won’t say great, but I’m glad I saw it. Adrian Brodey’s performance surprised me – he was the villain and I’m not used to that.
Saturday, all 4 of us got pedicures, even the boys! I honestly about got sick when the pedicurists had to break out the cheese grater things for the boys’ heels…it was disgusting. But, it felt great and my toes are a pretty teal color now. We had sushi Uptown and then headed over to watch the games. Our guys played their first of three games in Panther stadium, then the last two games were on the practice fields. It was sunny and hot, so I bummed some shade off the medic tent. I don’t mind the heat, but being 6 months preggo in the blazing sun was a little risky. They ended up winning 1 of 3, which was good but not good enough to let them move onto the finals on Sunday.
My husband’s flag football team – The Highlanders
That night, we had dinner at McCormick and Schmicks Uptown and it was very good. They were having this cool road bike race which was right up my alley…made me miss being on my bike, but hopefully I’ll get to ride this fall after baby #2 arrives and I’m recuperated.
After a short trip to Trader Joe’s yesterday morning, we headed back home and were so glad to see our son whom we’d left with the grandparents for the weekend. It’s crazy how much you miss your kids when you’re away from them. I mean, I had the one with me (and he/she’s really moving so I was reminded that I was never alone), but I missed our 2 year old. It’s nice to have a little break from chasing a toddler non-stop, but it was really nice to see his little blond head and have him chattering all afternoon. We just love him so much.
I was tickled to see the Bradford pear trees have really blossomed and the grass is starting to grow in our dirt yard. AND, my tomato seeds have all popped up now, too! I’m waiting on the eggplant seeds to sprout and I’ve asked my husband to till our garden space beside the house sometime soon. I plan to plan around May 10 after the annual cold snap.
If you’ve never visited Charlotte, NC I do recommend it. I love the Uptown part which is what I’m most familiar with. We normally stay at the Double Tree on West Trade Street and it’s my favorite hotel there. We stayed at the Omni last year and it was just too loud. The Double Tree is a little removed and they give you cookies…yummy cookies!
Well, let’s get ready for a busy, full week at work…and cooler temps this week. Spring is here, thankfully, but this weekend was spoilingly beautiful!
Last Tuesday morning, I was up until 3:30 am or so after waking up about 12:30 am. Well, I’m at it again. I got woke up at 1 am by the darn cat meowing to go outside, then it was over. I was awake. I finally got out of bed at 2:30 and got me a bit of Greek yogurt, then created this spin workout for my class this morning…
Spin Class Workout – getting to know you
Warm up
0-4 minutes seated at moderate pace/intensity
4-6 minutes standing, add some gear
Main Set
6-12: Standing jog at high tension. Call out different month every 30 seconds. If your bday is in that month, you get to sit down and reduce gear a little. Must keep standing till birth month is called.
12-14: recovery flat
14-19: Hill climb. Start with lots of tension. Every 60 seconds call out different eye colors (blue, brown, green, hazel, other) – if that’s your color, you can reduce gear by 2 turns and hold it there.
19-21: recovery flat
21-26: Favorites. Go around the room and let each person choose the move for 1 minute (jumps, climb, sprint, etc.).
26-30: Q&A. Ask each question below – if it applies to the person, they have to do jumps for 30 seconds. If not, they rest:
26- Only child
26:30 – Oldest child
27- youngest child
27:30 – middle child
28 – lived in Hillsville more than a year
28:30 – moved here from somewhere else
29 – owns one or more dogs
29:30 – owns one or more cats
30-32: recovery flat
32-35: Music favorites. Ask each type of music – if they like it, they have to sprint for 30 seconds.
32 – country
32:30 – old rock n roll
33 – pop
33:30 – classical
34 – beach music
34:30 – opera
35-36: recovery flat
36-40: Weights. Grab med balls and do one minute of each of the following: tricep extensions, steering wheel turns, diagonal crosses, out and back at chest level
Cool Down
40-45: Reduce tension and slow speed for 2 minutes. Get off bike and stretch for 3 minutes.
Hopefully the class will like it and be entertained. I don’t know how much class I’m going to have because they are calling for snow to start around 8 am and we’re expecting a few inches. I know. Around these parts, everyone freaks out if there’s mention of snow. Too bad my cousin from NC couldn’t stay one more day! She was saying how much she’d like to see snow and she just went home yesterday.
When I was lying in bed, I was thinking about the darn couch for the new house. I love that patterned set I found today, but I wonder if I will get tired of it easily…I don’t plan to get new furniture for many years. I emailed the gal at the furniture store to see if she would send me a picture because I can’t find it online. Maybe if I stare at it and get reader feedback (hint, hint) that will help me make up my mind!
Well, let’s get to bed. Daylight will be here before you know it and I need my beauty sleep! 🙂
I created this workout based on one I found online and my class really enjoyed it yesterday. I only had 4 folks (3 gals and 1 guy) and the guy seemed to really enjoy it, which surprised me. Normally it’s the gals who like the complicated things. One gal said she was really sore today, which surprised me because she’s pretty fit. Maybe she’s not used to interval training and that’s what got her. Here’s what we did…
Spin Class with Weight Training
If participant doesn’t want to get off the bike, have them spin “freestyle” for that time (let them do whatever they like).
Equipment needed: bike, mat, medium weight dumbbells
0-5: Warm up – increase resistance by ½ turn each minute
5-7: Standing jog
7-10: Seated Sprints (30 seconds fast, 30 second recovery)
10-11: OFF BIKE – Weighted lunges across room & back
11-12: Back on bike at good tempo
12-14: Seated climb, moderate resistance
14-16: Standing climb, heavy resistance
16-17: OFF BIKE – upright row/overhead press combo
17-19: Flat ride, easier resistance
19-21: Jumps
21-23: Standing hover, moderate resistance
23-24: OFF BIKE – squats with hip abduction
24-26: Recovery flat
26-29: Seated climb, add ½ turn every 30 seconds
29-31: Standing climb, keep adding gear
31-32: OFF BIKE – bicep curls/triceps kickbacks
32-33: Recovery flat
33-36: 20 seconds standing, 20 seconds hovering, 20 seconds seated
36-38: Sprints, 30 seconds fast, 15 second recovery
38-40: Recovery flat
40-42: OFF BIKE- 30 second plank, 30 second rest, 20 push ups
42-45: Cool down stretches
I found that I needed more than 1 minute to do our weight training parts, so I would allot 2 minutes from here on out or it cuts into your next move. It takes a good 30 seconds to get on and off the bike, and you need to have at least a minute to do the moves.
I think I’ll come up with some more classes like this. It seemed to fly by!
…of water, that is. A few weeks ago, I discovered that I was drinking my one bottle of water pretty quickly and then I found myself buying Diet Dr. Pepper or some other drink. So, I had a genius moment where I realized if I just bring TWO bottles of water to work, then I won’t be tempted to get something else when I run out of water. It’s working so far! I’ve drank 2 quarts today and there are still hours left. I finished off one bottle in spin class this morning – we were all dripping sweat after those hill climbs!
I used to bring a gallon jug of water to work and refill my cup when it got empty. That’s something I could pick back up. I have really good well water – I’m not a city water drinker. Yuck! Plus, I try to refill my plastic water bottles so I’m not ruining the environment.
What’s your trick for drinking water?
I made some good butternut squash soup last night. Well, it was good to ME, but my husband and son wouldn’t eat, the little boogers. So, I have still have a few servings of soup to eat. Let me tell you, peeling and cutting up a butternut squash is not an easy feat, but it made a good meal. I had the soup with a grilled cheese on whole wheat bread. Yum!
Then, I taught a kick butt workout in my 8:30 spin class this morning. It was inspired by IDEA Fitness Journal (Nov – Dec 2013). Went something like this:
I was happy that there was NO snow when I woke up this morning. I don’t mind snow when I have nothing to do, but when I have to be at work early, I’d rather it wait until the weekend!
It’s officially autumn for a few weeks now, but it feels like summer all of a sudden. Well, at my house, at least. It’s been in the 80’s for days and the nights have even been warm. But, it looks like tomorrow brings the 60’s and it will feel like fall again.
My husband and I took our son to a local pond the other day for some fishing. It was fun, but it was HOT! My husband caught one small mouth bass, which we threw back. It was funny, because our toddler wouldn’t have anything to do with the fish or the worms. He’s all boy, but he’s started to become hesitant of touching everything he sees. When he was smaller, he’d pick ANYTHING up and stick it in his mouth.
I took a 25 minute spin on our homemade cyclocross course a while ago. It is such an intense workout! After that, I did some triceps dips, lunges, squats, and push ups since I’d been lazy the past two days. I still need to practice before the race on the 19th so I can be somewhat ready. I intend for it to be something fun the hubby and I can do together, but it sure would be cool to place, eh?!
So, I got my car radio fixed yesterday (my speakers have been jacked up for about two years now) and I was listening to NPR on my way home from riding bikes. I heard an interesting story where this guy was talking about the human body. One of the topics he brought up was something I’d not yet heard of. He mentioned that food allergies could be caused by the use of too many antibiotics and it makes a lot of sense. I found an interesting article (I’m sure one of many) if you want to read more about it – http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/780023. So thankful that my son only had one round of antibiotics in his first year of life (almost going on two years).
Speaking of being thankful for a healthy kid…I’ve been lifeguarding for the 4th grade water safety program for the past few weeks and today I was astonished to see a little boy with one leg. He hopped out of the water and put on a life jacket all by himself while the other kids with all their limbs were asking for assistance. I said a prayer of thanksgiving for a healthy child (and self, for that matter).
Have you seen Google’s home page today? If not, it’s celebrating the 123rd anniversary of Yosemite Park. Wonder if there is a hidden meaning to that?
As I mentioned before, I rode bikes with my friend Nancy yesterday who owns this great candy factory in beautiful Meadows of Dan, Virginia (right off the Blue Ridge Parkway). October is her busiest month each year and if/when the Parkway closes due to the government shut down, I really think it could wreak havoc on her October sales.
All this government shutdown stuff reminds me of one of my favorite movies, “V for Vendetta”: “People shouldn’t be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people.”
Because Nice Matters 