Seriously, I have been trying to get this post out all week and keep having too much other stuff to do . . .

So here you go!!!!

So last Tuesday I went out for a 3-4 mile run with a nice group of ladies.  Makes me very happy to know that 9 + 1 kid all came out and got the run that we each needed.  🙂

I was so happy that I ran the entire time and was decently consistent.  I’ve been better but with my hip and leg, I will take this 🙂

On Thursday I was planning on meeting several friends for a bike ride but that fell through and I  ended up making sparkle skirts for others instead.  Whoops!!

Swimming:

I’ve been in the pool for the last three weeks in a row and can already tell I’m getting stronger.  The week before I managed 900 yds in 35 min during my lunch break.  This week I did 1100 yds in just under 35 min 🙂

This weeks workout was:
100 warmup

200 freestyle (the entire 300 yds was done in under 10 min which is my tri distance – nice to have a benchmark)

50 rest/floated on my back

150 kick drills

100 stroke drills (using a pull buoy)

100 kick

100 stroke

200 slow consistent stroke – 50’s at a time trying to keep them all the same amount of time and concentrating on my entire stroke

100 cool down

This week I concentrated on keeping my left arm from getting lazy.  As I get tired, my left arm doesn’t want to do the stroke properly and starts to flop instead of  slicing into the water.  A friend posted an article about the anatomy of a good freestyle stoke (or something like that) and the one thing I knew I was having trouble with/needed to work on was not flopping into the water with my hand/arm after you pull back and out of the water.  So I just worked on slicing my hands into the water after coming around.  My friend that is an awesome swimmer (and an unofficial swim coach) said she has a new drill she wants me to do that will also help with this and teach me to get my elbows up higher.

Bike:

So I was suppose to meet up with my friend (the swimmer) for a bike ride on Sunday.  We were also going to follow another friend that needed to get 10 miles in that day.  The weather decided to throw us a curve ball.  The rain came in and we couldn’t go.  They went to the gym (I would have gone but I don’t have a membership and I had other stuff I needed to do) and I helped the hubby with shopping.  We divided the list and he went to Sam’s with the big boy and I went grocery shopping with the little man.  When I got back, I did this –

I finally pulled out my trainer and put my bike on it.  I’ve had it for months.  I found a used one on Craigslist right where I live and I got a deal.  Well like most things, the first time you do something scares you/intimidates you/or you just procrastinate until you finally do it.  What’s funny is that I am so self conscious about “working out” in front of my husband but I was OK with riding my bike in front of him.  So I hopped on and rode for an hour.  It’s harder than I thought, guess I didn’t think about when you go down hill you get to rest.  When you are on a trainer, you keep pedaling.  So now that I’ve done it, I know I will do it again.  🙂

Finally – The Donna half & full marathon:

First – No I’m not running in it.  I am Director of Support Services 🙂

A month ago, I was tagging along on my bike (b/c of my hip) with running friends doing 19 and 20 mile runs.  I could easily ride along while they ran, loosened up my hip and I provided apparently hours of entertainment 🙂 They loved it so much that they asked if I could come with them to the race and bring my bike.  So after all the details were hashed out, I’m now headed down with a plan, a bike and a backpack.  I’m going to scoot ahead at 3 mile increments to cheer them on, take pictures, hand off or pick up stuff (extra layers) or whatever they need.  I’m as excited as they are.  I’ve got a spreadsheet with all their splits, a map of the course and my backpack that will probably be packed to the gills.  they keep asking if I have a trailer I can pull too.  lol  

I think I’ve got enough pink.  We have logos on the front and back and we are wearing skirts (with pink mostly).

We had a planning meeting on Wednesday night to iron on decals, make final plans, and an excuse to get together.  I also brought my sewing machine.  I stitched on breast cancer ribbons on the fronts of our shirts, made one more sparkle skirt, made a headband and took in another friends tank top that was too loose in the top.

Here is almost all of us.  One more was off visiting family for the week.

My work table.  🙂
We meet up tomorrow morning to head to Jacksonville, Florida.  We are all excited, nervous, and everything in between.  I can’t wait to see how awesome these ladies are and be there when they cross the finish line.  So stay tuned, I will try and post at least a few pics as we go through the weekend.