Opted for sleep in the morning rather than getting up at 4:44 AM for swim team and the sleep was really good. Had pretty bad cramps so I left work early and came home to down half a bottle of ibuprofen and work. Got a quick spin on the rollers (and noticed how much stronger I am than the last time I was on them -- even increased the tension. Well, for a few minutes).

13 Miles @ 00:46:00 on Rollers

Then caught up a bit with Jeff over dinner and we both got pretty enthusiastic about RAMROD this year.

Woke up at 4:44 this morning and while that would have been great TOMORROW for swim practice, it was unwelcome this morning. Did manage to fall asleep again for about 40 more minutes until the alarm really woke me up.

Had a good core class. Tija, the owner was the guest instructor and her style is much different than Jon's although I appreciate both. I do need to work on my militaries though (could not do even one cleanly).

Upper Weights @ 00:30:00
Core Class @ 00:30:00

Today's run was a 4 x .5 mi on 3:50. I did them on the treadmill and kept them at a 3.33 pace. I also decreased my rest time in between to .15 miles. WU was 1 mile and CD 2.

5.75 Mile Interval Run @ 00:52:00

Had to work extra hard to meet my usual goal to see 400 kc burned by the end of the Spin Class. Not that the music was not at all inspiring (disco and 80's theme music) but I was just not feeling super energized.

Spin Class @ 00:55:00

Then I gave the Helene Madison Masters 6:30-7:30 Swim Practice a try. I had a tough time getting myself back out again into the cold but managed to get out. Got a lane to myself and did 2000 before heading out. All I could think about was DINNER and then I eyed all the women in the water aerobics class in the pool next to us thinking that there were many more of them than shower heads...

2000 Swim Practice @ 00:45:00

The snow this morning slowed down the bus a bit making it 10 minutes late. I made it to the gym then 15 minutes late leaving me with only 15 minutes to get in upper weights before core. Fortunately, Jon was out this week and her sub had bailed due to the weather so Tija, the owner taught the class but could only give us 15 minutes. Perfect. I then finished my upper weights.

Upper Weights @ 00:30:00
Core @ 00:15:00

I waffled a bit trying to figure out where to get in my run and finally opted for a run on the treadmill. I just was not into putting myself into the cruel cold world in my running shorts -- even for a short period of time.

3.2 Mile Treadmill Run @ 00:30:00

After months of e-mail invitations, I finally decided to try a long run with some co-workers and their friend. They planned a 13ish mile run in the Discovery Park area and because I had 10 on my schedule, I figured it was close enough.

And they took off at a pretty fast pace around the first loop of Discovery Park. I figured that this was my karmic payback for letting my Monday run count as my Tempo run. It took me the usual half hour to warm up and by the second three mile loop, I was feeling challenged yet comfortable. Then the route took us on the roads for a beautiful downhill and then uphill run before heading back to the park and doing the last three mile loop. By then I felt completely DONE and was not pleased with Laura's suggestion to sprint the last bit. I did it but it sure hurt a lot. Turned out that our pace was 8:08 -- pretty aggressive for a long hilly run and I was very glad to be done. And proud of keeping up with the fast kids :)

13.4 Mile Run @ 01:49:11
1:49a, 172m

Slept in this morning and went for a late morning run before my lunch date with one of my favorite former teammates, Jim :)

I was still digesting my breakfast when I started and the cold took my breath away a bit so I took it at an easy aerobic pace.

5.5 mile Run @ 00:52:12
134a

This morning's swim practice was focused on backstroke, and that is twenty million times better than when the focus is Breast Stroke. I have not yet bonded with another swim team yet but I know that I need to be more consistent about getting in my workouts so I can move up a lane. The lane I am in tends to take way too many breaks and waits for the coach to talk about every set -- even though it is already on the board and he went over it with the group! I think it's an excuse for resting and while I support that, it is not getting me any faster... :(

2000 Swim Practice @ 00:50:00

I am feeling a bit of a cold coming on so I was not terribly enthusiastic about spin class today -- especially since there was a substitute instructor. Even though I was not crazy about her at first (she was late and had this whole alterna-bitchy thing going on when she walked into the room...), I liked the workout by the end and thought she did a great job keeping us going hard the entire time. It helped that she had a racing/bike messengering background :)

Spin Class @ 00:45:00

Got in a good upper weight session in the morning (feeling strong) and then made it through another one of Jon's killer Abdominitrix class.

Upper Weights @ 00:30:00
Core Class @ 00:30:00

Because Monday's run ended up being tempo paced, I opted for a stair workout instead today and did the football stairs 4x alternating between running up single steps and walking 3 steps at a time.

Stair Workout @ 00:40:00

Got in a great workout at Spin Class today. I have been keeping consistent with my goal to see 400 or more calories burned at the end of each workout.

Spin Class @ 00:55:00

Last night was my first night in my old, yet so very new and empty space. I was worried I might not be able to sleep but was happily surprised to wake up at 5 AM refreshed. I drove into work today so I would have my car for an afternoon appointment and managed to make it to Jon's "Ultimate Conditioning" class at 6. It was okay, and a nice change from my usual weight routine. We did some "step" stuff on the BOSU ball as well as some upper body moves. Some of it was way too "dancey" for me and I attempted to wiggle as she did but merely looked like the very awkward Lego block I am.

I did the first half of the core class (didn't manage to skip out on partner obliques -- my least favorite of all) and left early because I had a work meeting to prepare for.

Weights/Conditioning Class @ 01:00:00
Core @ 00:30:00
_________________________________________

Got in a run after work from home, around Greenlake and back. It was supposed to be aerobic but I ended up working out some stuff churning in me and taking it at a tempo pace.

5.5 Mile Run @ 00:47:32

Katie's response to my invitation to do a 15 mile run with me was that she COULD do 15 but would much rather do 12. So I met her at her house and we ran from there down and around Lake Union and back. It was a good run but I got a bit competitive going up Stone Way after we passed two women. Katie was not happy with my choice to "sprint" up the hill. After dropping her back off, I then ran my last three around Greenlake rather slowly -- much slower than the clip we had maintained through most of it.

15.75 Mile Run @ 02:22:00

My legs were pretty sore after but fortunately, I had a very relaxing night planned at a B & B on Camano Island. My goal was to sit, quietly by a lot of water while Ruth finished moving so I could get out of her hair and give me some space and time to just be.

After another night of crappy sleep, I decided to just take it easy and swim only. Swam with the Helene Madison Masters and lucked out by getting a lane to myself. Did not have much after yesterday but am glad I moved my body at least a little. The rest of my workout today will be upper body as I am helping my friend Cara paint her new busines :)

2000 Swim Practice @ 00:45:00

Carpooled up to Mt. Vernon with Cheryl, Deb and Shaun this morning for the Nookachamps Half Marathon. It has been a few years since I did this race but remember enjoying it the last time. The weather was perfect -- not too cold and the rain held off through the run.

While waiting in the gym for it to start, some guy pranced by doing this run forward, backward kind of walk/warm up and while that alone is pretty goofy for such a little homegrown race, he was also an explosion of the latest most technical clothing and gear. We watched him continue to warm up with a set of stretches and I decided that even though my goal time was about a 1:50 finish, Mr. IpodHellyHanson,PearlIzumu,blindingwhite running shoes was not going to beat me. Nor was Ms. WearingBostonMarathonSwagTanningBedBrightPinkVestPerfectHair either. Dropped them both the first mile :)

And I actually ended up having a really good race and beat my 2007 Seattle Half Marathon Time by about 10 minutes with a 7:52 pace finish even after going out a bit too fast in the flat beginning part and paying for it a bit the last few hilly miles. This is actually a PR as my last PR was the 2004 Seattle Half @ 1:44:07 .

13.1 Miles @ 01:43:09
156a

Mile 1 @ 07:54
Miles 2 & 3 @ 15:18
Mile 4 @ 07:30
Mile 5 @ 07:55
Mile 6 @ 07:48
Mile 7 @ 07:27
Mile 8 @ 08:25
Mile 9 @ 07:44
Mile 10 @ 07:35
Mile 11 @ 08:24
Mile 12 @ 08:06
Mile 13.1 @ 08:53

Tomorrow is the Nookachamps half marathon so I am resting my legs today in anticipation. I made it in for an abbreviated quick weight session and core class. I did make the mistake of asking Jon how to really engage my lower abs as I realized how very weak they were on Wednesday and as a result, we got lots and lots of extra lower ab work. In addition to partnered obliques (a particular flavor of hell...)

She turned out the lights during the last 3.5 minutes of class and made us all lie still. I just could not turn my mind off, nor my body and fidgeted the entire time.

Upper Weights @ 00:20:00
Core Class @ 00:30:00

Swim practice this morning was no fun because the focus was on breastroke and I am TERRIBLE at breaststroke. I sulked in the back of the line and tried desperately to keep up with everyone despite my kick that actually propels me backward.

2000 Swim Practice @ 01:00:00

When changing for spin class, I realized I forgot my HR monitor and strap. It was a gift because by about 30 minutes into the class, I was having a really tough time. I think the week of being sick and not getting proper sleep has taken its toll and I had to back off quite a bit to make it through. I also drank a huge amount of water -- disproportionate to the effort I was exerting.

Spin Class @ 00:55:00

Made it to both weights and core class this morning. She focused on lower abs and that was a humbling and painful experience. During lunch, I went to a talk about Chi running and my main take away was to work on foot strikes per minute (goal is 80-90) and move my arms but push back through the elbows. It was informative and I am eager to learn more about it from my friend Ann, who is taking a day long training on it.

Upper Weights @ 00:30:00
Core Class @ 00:30:00

I was not able to get in a run during the day so instead I got in a run after my appointment after work. I had a 5 mile tempo run on the schedule and decided to do it as an out and back on Lake Washington Blvd starting in Madrona. It was super dark and it was a interesting metaphor for my life at the moment. I had to trust the path yet take it at a pace that pushed me. Not sure where to go from there except it was not easy, not clear and yet I did it.

6+ Mile Tempo Run @ 01:01:18

WU @ 10:40

Tempo Pace Out @ 00:22:34
151a, 156m

Tempo Pace Back @ 00:22:39
153a, 158m

CD @ 05:23

Went to Greenlake swim practice this morning and was a bit disappointed that the focus on Tuesdays is IM :( But I made it.

2200 Swim Practice @ 01:00:00

My manager called a meeting right in the middle of my spin class (have to work on that) so I did my own spin workout instead -- the same one I put together for myself in December.

15 Mile Spin @ 00:58:00

Today was tough on many levels. Started the morning with a damn head cold and could not get my act together fast enough to catch the early bus, even though I had over half an hour of lead time. I did not get in weights before core class but did make it to core even though the workout was not her usual killer due to the New Year's Newbies crowding it.

Core Class @ 00:30:00

Then I had so much to do at work that I saw my weights and running workout slip away as I was tied up with meetings -- and then there was the last minute meeting Howard called that took away my last hope of a workout.

Fortunately, even though my last meeting went over 10 minutes, I managed to squeeze in a quick treadmill run and abbreviated weight session before meeting friends (an hour late) for dinner and conversation.

3.2 Mile Run @ 00:30:00
20 Minutes Upper Weights

I picked Katie up at 8:30 and we went for a trail run in Discover Park. I had 10 miles on my plan but since I am coming down with a head cold, I opted for a 1 hour run and any beyond that was gravy.

We ended up running down and up the equivalent of two cliffs (and passed the lighthouse twice) so I was fine with just a hour.

6 Mile Run @ 01:01:33

Got in my longest bike in months on the rollers and we watched first, a taped TV show and then Ironman Kentucky. I even mastered standing!!! I alternated by sitting and spinning for 15 minutes and then interval jumps for 15 minutes (my longest stand was 1.5 minutes...it was my first time after all).

25 Mile Bike @01:50:00

Went to the Greenlake Swim Practice this morning and was happy to see that the lane I swam in last month was empty. I hopped in and did my warm up while only two others joined me (whoop whoop).

That lasted until the end of the warm-up when the coach came over and let us know that we were in the fastest lane (a rotation had happened since December) and we sheepishly trotted off to our appropriate corrals while some rather unamused very fit looking swimmers silently glided over and reclaimed their lane.

I was happy that the first set was a 10 x 50 kick and informed the group that kicking was my strongest stroke. They were more than happy to make me lead and I kept it as a reasonable 1:10. Later on in the workout, I was also eventually pushed to the front and did an okay job with it. I am going to try to swim with them for the quarter as it can be pretty convenient transportation-wise although the 4:40 AM wake up time is brutal.

2400 Swim Practice @ 01:00:00

Yesterday got out of control pretty quickly so I was not able to get in a run after my morning core/weights.

I did get in an interval run this morning on the treadmill. My interval workout was:

2 x .5 miles @ 3:45
2 x 2 minute interval (I did 6.8 pace)
1 x 5 minute interval (I did 8 pace)

5.5 Mile Interval Run @ 00:45:00

Had a good spin class. My goal is to have 400 calories burned at the end of class on my HR monitor so there is NO slacking for me.

Spin Class @ 00:55:00

Today, Yeff and I did our now annual Resolution Run tradition complete, of course with a drip. Looking forward to seeing the pictures from it soon!

3.1 Mile Run @ 00:31:04