Friday, June 28, 2019

Training for IMoo - Week Twenty-Five

Week Twenty-Five: 6.17-6.23

In which June continues to be meh. Also sorry for this being a few days late; traveling and completely spaced blogging on Wednesday.

6.17

Had a fun adventure mountain day, but did manage to get a quick and dirty little open water swim in at Sweitzer Lake State Park - one I visited last year that just called to me for swimming ... so we actually managed to find our way there and swim. It was great.

6.18

A very humid 3 mile run, but we managed.

6.19

I put my bike in the shop Tuesday and hoped to have it back by this day ... but nope. So no ride for me. Did get in my long swim of the week though, and my last super long swim before the birthday 10K of doom. 8K as 4x2000. That was rough.

6.20

Attempted track work. Had a much more successful warmup, but I don't think I'm strong enough to do 800s. Did a few 200/200s ... and I think I'll have to plan those instead in the future.

2019_junetrack

6.21

Had an oil change that morning, so decided to ride home and then ride back when the car was ready to get in our 30 miles. Did a bit of extra riding on the way home to be able to make it, but we did. 

Hoped to swim ... but got the car back a bit too late for that to be a thing, unfortunately.

6.22

Long run day of 8 miles. B had his leg blow up a little over halfway through (weird hamstring something) so it was a bit slower than ideal, but we got in all the mileage, so it was good.

6.23

Got in the pool to do my 6x600 ... and did half of it. Totally had poop all. As a result, skipped the planned ride that day too.

*****

This week was really all about survival, and we were mostly successful. Definitely not as many bike miles as I would have liked, but part of that was due to the bike shop (yes I'm complaining).

Weekly Numbers:
Swim: 10297.43m, 3:50:48
Bike: 30.26 mi, 1:58:21
Run: 12.65 mi, 2:30:47
Strength: 1:06

Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Training for IMoo - Week Twenty-Four

Week Twenty-Four: 6.10-6.16

In which I continue to try to hold on.

6.10

I was up super early to take B to the airport and then went straight from there over to the Bluffs to do hill repeats. They went ... okay.

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But I did jump because weeeeeeeee.

I in theory should have ridden too, but I was a bit too exhausted.

6.11

Should have swam. Didn't. Clearly super dead.

6.12

Long ride day. I woke up early to drive down to the Springs to be able to ride with friends. I finally did some of the infamous Fountain loop. I didn't get in my full 60, but did get in about 57 and a half ... and it was a lot speedier than I would have expected given the ride (rollers, a good stretch that was a false flat/uphill into the wind ...). The terrain down there is going to be some of the best I'm going to find for IMoo training, so I see more rides there in the future.

I didn't do my planned run because my hamstrings were killing me ... but such is life.

I also somehow misplaced my RoadID this day which I didn't notice for a few days and it's still missing. I did order a new one, though, because I feel so naked training without it.

6.13

Hey, finally swam. 4500 of 5x900. While I loved my 700s last week ... 900s? Suck.

6.14

Due to B's schedule I moved my long run to Friday. I then got invited to brunch with some speedy friends ... so I decided to drive up to Boulder early, get in my run, shower, and then meet up with everyone. So that's what I did. Had 14 on the schedule and it mostly went okay until it didn't. I could not keep my HR under control the last few miles (it did NOT want to recover) so it was a bit slower than I would have preferred, but I got it done.

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Brunch was also great - with our good friend Nic as well as Kristin, whom we've recently reconnected with. She got 2nd AG/OA amateur female at IM Boulder, earning her pro card, so that's super cool.

6.15

In which I should have gotten my long swim done ... but didn't. The Rockies shitting the bed and blowing a 6 run lead in the 9th inning (and then losing in 12) the night before meant I did not get to bed at any reasonable time (had tickets and yes, probably should have left early ... but didn't) and could not drag my ass out of bed. 

And then I lost my afternoon window due a freak out regarding B's flight schedule (totally my fault - misread what I wrote down) ... so no swim. 

6.16

Since clearly sleep was needed and we took a lazy morning, we decided to get in our ride on the trainer (and catch up on some "American Ninja Warrior"). We also ran a little off the bike, even if it was less than was on the schedule.

*****

Missed a bike, missed a run, and only swam once ... but there were definite bright spots to this week. Mostly my ride on Wednesday - I will absolutely take a 17 mph average for about 58 miles. I'm surviving right now. I'm not crushing training, but I'm getting through good chunks of it, and I'm okay with it.

Weekly Numbers:
Swim: 4500m, 1:37:46
Bike: 93.52 mi, 5:28:18
Run: 19.11 mi, 3:53:36
Strength: 1:07

Friday, June 14, 2019

Training for IMoo - Week Twenty-Three

Week Twenty-Three: 6.3-6.9

In which things go ... better.

I'm also a few days late because CenturyLink decided to have an outage in our neighborhood all of Wednesday afternoon/evening after I got back home from riding that morning soooooo ...

6.3

Outside ride with B. In theory 50; in actuality, we ended up doing 33 miles of hills. Which is okay, since I also had 25-30 of hills scheduled. So it worked. Also we ended up getting poured on, so even better that we cut it short.

6.4

Was supposed to run 5. Ran a very terrible 3. I think my legs were still trashed from both the race and the tough ride the day before.

6.5

Didn't ride, but did do the 4700 I had planned. Took me about 1500 to get into that swim. Grossssss.

6.6

Chose to do my long ride today. Went up to Boulder to Tom Watson and then rode all around. I also ran into Katie on the bike so I took a mid-ride detour to pet puppies. No regrets there.

2019_june50miler

I also needed to run, so I attempted to do it off the bike. It didn't go that well. I only got a mile in, but that's better than nothing, right?

6.7

Long swim day of 7000. Did 10x700 and I felt awesome for 4900 of it, which I'm really happy with. I also enjoyed that set a lot. Note to self: 700s are a good thing.

6.8

Long run day ... that got split into two. I had 12 on the schedule and was grumbling about it and texting Brandon while I was taking my HR-induced walk breaks. He needed to get in a run too ... so I decided to do only 6 that morning and then do the rest of it after I picked him up. This actually worked as it forced me to actually get in the second half of the run.

(I feel if I tried to do this on my own I wouldn't go back out.)

We also did the shortest of open water swims because I bought me a new wetsuit thanks to ROKA's Memorial Day sale!

2019_junewetsuit

Definitely will need to get in the water more, but I think I already like it better than my ancient old one.

6.9

In which the planned day didn't go so well. We did wake up to swim ... but poor B forgot his swim trunks and then I decided to be a bad triathlete and not swim without him. We also in theory should have done a lot more strenuous (and involved) trainer workout than we actually did, but oh well.

We also spent the afternoon up in Boulder so I could cheer on all the people I knew racing IM Boulder (in its' last year, as we found out). An old Run CO friend finished 2nd overall amateur so she earned her pro card!

*****

Skipped a swim, basically skipped a run ... but overall, a turn in the right direction.

Weekly Numbers:
Swim: 11907.57m, 4:32:56
Bike: 89.99 mi, 5:35:03
Run: 16.22 mi, 3:12:33
Strength: 1:07

Friday, June 7, 2019

Race #2 of the Season: Colorado 5K

... as well as the annual Skirt Sports Ambassador Retreat.

I didn't take too many photos at the retreat this year, so I'm not going to do a separate post solely about the retreat. However, it was once again an amazing experience and I got to see lots of old friends, and, weird for me, make lots of new ones. 

(whaaaaaat? me be social? ... i'm working on it ...)

I started off by going up Thursday for cake (caaaaake ... if there is Kim and Jake's, I will be there). Then Friday for pie and the opening evening, where we heard from head Skirt staff and Mirna Valerio and also had the annual Skirt awards.

IMG_1778
Shenanigans were had.

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A quilt was presented that will be auctioned off for Running Start. I may need to save money for this ...

IMG_1783
... as well as one that was gifted to founder Nicole DeBoom.

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We also got a sneak peek at the future. The new "plaid" print that's coming out? Must have it in EVERYTHING.

Saturday morning started with a hike and I got to be one of the hike leaders.

IMG_1790

(Really I just followed Nicole's group a few minutes back so we wouldn't get in trouble for having a group larger than 25 on the trail.)

We then convened for speakers and workouts and a ton of inspiration. The theme of the weekend was "Together" and I felt that it fit us well. I definitely do feel closer to my Skirt sisters after this weekend ... and not only because I stripped during the vintage fashion show that evening.

IMG_1811
Nicole and I were the most naked there. Her shirt doesn't really have a back. I started in a skirt and essentially t-shirt ... stripped down to a tri tank ... and then to this ancient swimsuit. Also yes, I'm very pale.

While this was going on, Brandon actually was getting back home and having to ride share home from the airport.

He didn't really want to wake up the next morning for the race, but decided he would.

Good thing too ... but I'll get there.

As I wrote in the IM weekly recap this week, the plan was to race the 5K and then run another 6 cheering people on. Instead ... I sort of raced the 5K, hit the porta potty very soon after, got cake ... and kind of disappeared. I skipped out on the brunch we always have post-race as the unofficial retreat end, too. Dang gut.

Anyway, the race. 

I could tell starting out that I just didn't really have it. I had calf tightness, I was having trouble getting a good breath ... it was pretty terrible. B left me when I stopped to walk for the first time, figuring I'd just catch up to him later (spoiler: this did not happen). 

This race is pretty hard anyway - start in the Home Depot parking lot, run up a hill to Davidson Mesa, turn around, run back down the hill.

First mile was way slower than expected. I was able to pick it up somewhat back to a decent pace in the second mile. I was running fast on the downhill - in the 6s! - but I couldn't sustain diddly squat.

I was so hoping to do better in this race (and hit a sub-30 again dangit), but it was not to be.

IMG_1832

Final Stats:
Time: 30:41.4
2/48 AG (F30-39)
9/214 gender
15/234 overall

The funny thing is, two of the three times I actually raced this 5K (on a different course), I got third with faster times. Okay, I got a faster time each time.

In reality, it should have been fifth, but top 3 females in the 5K were also in my AG, so they got pulled. Nice how that works.

And Brandon who didn't want to get out of bed? He also got second AG.

AUYM1201

Not too shabby of a morning after all, and I guess it's not the worst that I'm disappointed with the results. I'll take sub-10 per mile as that hasn't really been happening much lately.

Wednesday, June 5, 2019

Training for IMoo - Week Twenty-Two

Week Twenty-Two: 5.27-6.2

Still struggling with the bike. Still not hitting everything. Trying not to get frustrated with myself.

5.27

Well, the week started off well. I had considered doing the BOLDERBoulder, but *someone* never got back to me about running it (even though the socials said that it was a thing), so my run ended up being by myself at home. The just-shy-of-10K that I did also probably ended up being a lot faster than had I been up in Boulder, so there's that.

I also got in a nice 4K in the pool (doing the Linsey Corbin strip set again) before heading to my brother's for food.

5.28

In theory should have gotten on the bike. In actuality, dealt with home repair crap all day and didn't have the chance.

5.29

Scheduled 3 miles was the easy/harder/easy ... but it definitely just ended up being a steady run instead. Oof. Also didn't swim like I should have.

5.30

... swam this day instead. 6500 in pyramid form. Neg split it all except for the final 50. Was supposed to ride, too, but this knocked me out.

5.31

The three I had on the schedule turned into two since I had absolutely nothing. The ride (of whatever form I needed to do) ended up being short and on the trainer but that day, I figured that SOMETHING was better than NOTHING, so that's what got me through.

6.1

Knew I would be up in Boulder all day at the annual Skirt Sports Ambassador Retreat, so only scheduled a hike ... which I did (I was one of the leaders). And while I didn't log them, I also ended up doing some yoga and Zumba, the latter of which was actually really fun.

6.2

Original plan was to race a 5K and then get in another 6 miles cheering along the course. 

Actual plan ended up being race the 5K and then feel so crappy that I skipped out on everything else (brunch with everyone (although that was also partially because B got back into town), scheduled swim, extra running ...). I swear I pooped six times this day - something in my body was just very, very unhappy.

(More on the retreat/race on Friday ... including photos.)

*****

Once again ... a mediocre week. I'm just thankful that even if I skip a swim, my swim numbers still look halfway decent.

I ordered a new wetsuit thanks to Memorial Day sales, so hopefully I get to try that out sooooooon!

Weekly Numbers:
Swim: 10500m, 4:04
Bike: 10 mi, 32:03
Run: 14.3 mi, 2:39:47
Strength: :58
Other: 1:20 (hike)