...and so it begins....

My tri went well last Saturday, I loved every second. With my tri ending my half marathon training and Ragnar Relay training has officially begun. I'm runner 10 and get to run the last 4 miles of the Ragnar. Yummm.

Which means I need to start doing some serious hill workouts. This morning Manda and I did hill sprint repeats with a mile cool down. 30th street you kill me. Oh hills... I have a forever love/hate realtionship with you. I love the burn, yet I hate the burn. I love the crest where you know you're almost ready to run downhill, but that cresting also seems to last forever and the downhill never comes. I know hills asre 99.9% mental and I'm hoping to whip my brain into shape over the next 7 weeks.

It was a great workout and I even spanked Amanda up the hill twice. Yes that's right, I beat her! Too bad all that did was fuel her to KILL me for the rest of the workout. Awww such fun. So, welcome us back to the land of race training and the land of blogging. Tis going to be fabulous!!!

The end of a run theory

I am always amazed and displeased at the fact no matter how far the distance of a run the last little bet is always a push. If the run is 5 miles the last quarter mile is a struggle. If the run is 15 miles (depending on the day) the last mile is a stretch. See the pattern. Whatever the distance is that I program my mind to do, the finial stretch is always a feat of endurance. For so long all I had told myself is; "I just need to make it to third week in April, and then things will be easy." Well here I am and I find myself looking at the next month the same way I do when running the last mile of whatever the distance might be. I therefore have now titled this pattern: the end of the run theory- Think I can get a noble prize for my discovery in the world of emotional science?

New Work Out

Ladies it's time. We need a new work out that we can all participate in...pregnant, or not pregnant, motivated or not motivate, tired or...who am I kidding? We're always tired. But one way or another we can all do this exercise in our own homes. It's going to take years off girls! A renound plastic surgeon in San Francisco said so...

Half Marathon in TWO WEEKS! Triathlon in FOUR!

Hey friends.  Well it's hit that "now or never" point in my training... errr...thinking.  My training has taken a significant hit the last few months.  For as excited as I am to move across the country I think I'm in denial about how sad I am.  I went on my final long run from my cute house in Ogden on Saturday and it was soooo sad for me.  Amanda and I ran the Bonneville Shoreline, it was a gorgeous day.  I wish Amanda and I felt better, we both were fighting our bodies, but it was still worth making the effort for our 10 miler. It was finally warm enough to wear short sleeves, but cold enough that the wind felt great. I was so bummed as I ran down the foothill to my house for the last time.  I know I'll still run the trails for the next two months, I just won't be able to step out my front door and in 3 minutes be at the base of the trails I've come to love so much.  Nor will I be 6 minutes from my bff and running partner.  Ahhh sometimes changes suck.  So, I am now fully embracing the fact that I'm sad and that it has negatively effected my training.  

It HAS been fun to be in denial, eating everything in sight, and just sleeping. BUT I've only got two weeks to make it up for the half --not much-- but right now I can squeeze in 6 miles without it totally kicking my rear.  I figure I can do the half.  I'm glad we have another half marathon scheduled for May or I'd feel like I was "going out" on a bad note for Utah racing.  As far as my triathlon training, I actually feel quite confident in my swimming ability, it's taken off in the last month. My running doesn't scare me, maybe I'm over confident with that... but it's the biking... the dreaded biking that looms like this scary little monster.  Now that I live up in the valley with miles and miles and miles of farm land and horses (okay.. there ARE cars, but like 80% less than Ogden) I can really hit the road and practice road biking.  The spin classes have been good for me to build a base and I just need to get out and hit the road.  My focus the last two months has been on swimming so for the next month I'm focusing on biking.  Here's to hoping!!!

.....and I'm starting to get that itch.  It always happens every. blasted. year.  the dang I-want-to-run-another-marathon-itch.  There is a marathon in Atlanta in November.  I'm thinking about it.  Marathons take so much time and effort: physically, mentally, and they are very time intensive. for the training.  Could I do it with Van in school?  Would I have the will-power to train by myself?  

what to do.... what to do..... 

Two days down....

Monday I had a gut busting swim workout.

Today I had a decent 3 miler. 

Tomorrow I'm planning on riding the bike down to the gym, lifting, and riding back.  

I'm back ladies... I think.... I hope.... how have your first two days gone?

This Weeks Meeting

Hi, my name is Lori and I'm an exercise quitter for the first time in my life.  I stopped exercising daily approximately 10 days ago.  I've tried exercising three times since then and I usually am able to talk myself out of it (or we've half-cracked it.... a 4 mile run? naah lets do a 2 mile walk).  Finding justification has been simple with all that's going on in my life. I can't deny that the sleep has felt nice.  I can't remember when I've had so many nights of 7-8 hours of sleep.  However, this action has created quite the negative impact otherwise: I'm more tired, feel crappy, find myself losing my motivation, and miss hanging out with Amanda at the butt-crack of the morning.  

I now call this meeting to order.  All of us exercise quitters... and exercise blog quitters.... need to band together and overcome the funk.  Ready?  I am.  Who else is in?

Pretty sure this is Amanda every night/morning

If I could tape Amanda sleeping/waking up this is what it would be:

tee hee hee.