Getting back to normalcy after the Thanksgiving holiday. I enjoyed staying away from the computer (a little) over the weekend but now it's back to nutrition write-ups. Lucky for me, people tend to gain weight over the holidays/off-season and people need my help. I've been getting great feedback for my videos on BeginnerTriathlete.com and I'm working on a nutrition video for 2+ hr workouts. I've been riding my bike in the later afternoons and although it is really windy, I enjoy riding as the sun is setting. There's something about starting a ride when it's bright and sunny out and coming home w/ the bike lights on and my arms feeling the cooler air. I had one of those days on Tuesday. You know, when you just enjoy being outside and you don't want the workout to end. For me, I'd hardly call what I'm doing a workout but I was totally enjoying riding my bike. I planned on riding my normal 20 mile out and back route along the pinellas trail but I decided to extend my ride and head toward Howards Park in Tarpon Springs. I really enjoy looking at big, beautiful houses so my bike took me to see some amazing houses by the water. I came home w/ 28 miles and an average speed of 15mph but I felt so refreshed after being on my bike for "such a long time" :) On the way out for my ride I saw a ice cream delivery truck (not the "ice cream man") on the side of the road w/ a sign reading "FREE Ice cream" beside the truck. A few people were stopping and i was planning on getting my dinner on the way home. You better believe I'd stop for FREE ice cream and I'd enjoy it for 4 miles on my bike. It was probably a good thing that I didn't see the truck when I returned home cause I'm sure I'd end up with more ice cream on my face and jersey than in my tummy. Wed. morning was great and my class out-spun me once again. I have been teaching spin at the Y for over a year and a half and I LOVE my spin class. I've had the same people since i started and I work them really hard. We have a lot of fun and they really make it easy to enjoy teaching my class so early in the morning. I'm happy to say that I've been running! yes-you heard it right....I CAN RUN! Ok, more like a jog but I'm up to 1-1.5 min (not miles!) jogs at 6.5 mph at 6-8% incline on the treadmill. I jog for a minute and then I walk. Today I did my longest walk/run of 3 miles on the treadmill. 30 minutes of walking and 15 min. of walk/jog works for me. I've always talked about people who work so hard for triathlons, but aren't racing Elite or feeling any bit of competitivness, and I commend these people for their passion for triathlons. More so, they work through pain of running/jogging and barely get through a swim w/ a few months of prior swim experience. Their biking skills are ok, but they are riding on an aluminum road bike which is far too big for their size. The soreness they feel during training is nothing compared to the pain felt after a race and well, I feel like "one of them" and I can't tell you how much I am loving it right now. I've been weight lifting with Karel on Tues and Fri and we are both incredibly sore. We walk around bow-legged and there is barely any bending of the legs. OUCH! And now w/ two days of jogging for a total of 10 minutes, I feel like I've just run a marathon! Ok, it isn't as bad as the days after the Boston Marathon (when I was walking down stairs backwards at the airport and in total sadness looking at non-runners walking normally in the hotel) but I feel the tenderness by just touching my quads.
Well, I love it. I am so thankful that I am finally healing and I can resume my ambitions and goals of my future w/ triathlons. I was beginning to think I'd make Karel extremely happy and give up triathlons to be a cyclist, but he knows that my passion and love lies deep in triathlons. Furthermore, my TriMarni blog would be rather boring if I didn't have triathlons in my life. If for some reason I couldn't do triathlons anymore, I would have to think to myself of my amazing career thus far and I'd want to help others pursue their dreams and be as happy as I am, knowing that there is a sport which becomes a lifestyle committment that is far more than swim, bike and run.
Have a great day!
Well, I love it. I am so thankful that I am finally healing and I can resume my ambitions and goals of my future w/ triathlons. I was beginning to think I'd make Karel extremely happy and give up triathlons to be a cyclist, but he knows that my passion and love lies deep in triathlons. Furthermore, my TriMarni blog would be rather boring if I didn't have triathlons in my life. If for some reason I couldn't do triathlons anymore, I would have to think to myself of my amazing career thus far and I'd want to help others pursue their dreams and be as happy as I am, knowing that there is a sport which becomes a lifestyle committment that is far more than swim, bike and run.
Have a great day!