Five things Friday (okay it's Saturday)

1. Finally, I ran outside again! The other night I was down at the neighbors, barefoot. Occasionally, I like to trot home up the street. It hit me as I was trotting this time, that there wasn't any pain. None at all! So Friday I decided I'd do my 3 miler around the 'hood. Other than a couple of very minor twangs with a misstep, I think I'm back to being able to run normally again. Thankfully, fall temperatures are here which makes the accomplishment even more exciting.

2. I've applied for another job over in the maintenance department and this time, it feels pretty good. I had two good conversations with the hiring manager, who I've worked with before on projects with Ground Ops a few years back. I'm also excited to know that the director over him is my former director. I get her and like the way she works, even if she is tough. I need the change and this opportunity should be a good one for future career advancement. Interview is Monday morning. Fingers crossed.

3. I got a sweet card from a friend of mine who I look up to. It was a welcome surprise on a day that wasn't bad, but not great either. It's amazing how someone taking the time to do a handwritten note can make your day. Thanks, J!

4. Badminton. Who would've thought that such a genteel sport could be so ruthless? I learned to play last Sunday in order to get ready for the Corporate Challenge. My partner, Jade, was patient and really a great teacher. We ended up taking silver for women's doubles! I'm sore. LOL!

5. Swimming. I love swimming. Love it! Well one nice thing is that the sweat doesn't show when you're working hard. LOL! This week we did the Corporate Challenge and did a swim meet. The team didn't do badly at all; in fact, we took gold in the 4x50 mixed relay! I could've done a bit better in my 50 free, but missed the wall. Missed it! But I damn near caught up to the girl who passed me by the time we got to the wall.

Have a wonderful week, y'all!

Swim meet

So it's been 20 (cough, cough) plus years since my last swim meet. Needless to say I was a nervous wreck, but still excited. I was slated to do three events: 50 free, 50 back, and the 4x50 free relay.

SWA is making its debut in the Richardson Corporate Challenge and one of the events was swimming. We had a team of about 10 of us ranging from our early 30's to our early 50's. Making the master's requirement was no issue this year since most of us are over 40.

I've been working out fairly regularly, putting in 2-3 workouts a week in the pool, but doing mostly distance. I found a good website for creating swim workouts that have helped out a ton in not getting bored while still having strong workouts. I've been using them for triathlon training, but they have worked out just as well for the meet training.

The first race I had was the 50 free. I was pumped and only up against 3 other women in my bracket and age group. The gun went off and I could see that I was battling one other woman, but pulling ahead of her quickly on the first lap. I reached the end, did my turn and realized, "Oh shit!". I'd turned about 2 feet too early and missed the wall. (I was worried about this in practice 2 weeks before. That pool has a strange illusion to it that you think you're closer than you are.) I had to do sort of a dogpaddle back to touch the wall to make it legal. I was pissed!!! But that anger turned into energy. I had about a full body length to make up for in 25 meters and I nearly caught the girl. We touched the wall within a 1/2 second of each other at around 37 seconds. I wonder if I hadn't missed the wall how I would've done. Maybe around 33-34 seconds?

The backstroke went a bit better. I still was just a bit too far from the wall on this one as well, but was able to touch it and get a bit of a pushoff from it. I think I ended up at about :42 seconds. For me, I was content with this time because I'm not much of a backstroker.

The relay was the best event all the way around. We'd stacked our team with our fastest four, two of which were a couple who met and swam in college, Danee and Jason. Danee had won silver in the overall 50 free for women. The gun went off. Jim started us off well and got us about 2 body lengths ahead of the competition. I was behind him and kept the lead going with about the same distance. Danee smoked it and moved us further ahead. Finally Jason's anchor leg made us by far the leaders. We ended up taking home overall gold for the relay, a full 6+ seconds ahead of the nearest competition. Whee!

Fun stuff. Now I would love to get involved with Master's level swimming to see if I could compete more. Like I need another excuse for competition, right?

Five things Friday

I'll admit I've stolen this from another friend who blogs. I love how she takes five (sometimes more) good things that happened throughout the week and shares them. I'll try to keep it going.

1. Packages in the mail. Love 'em. This week I got 5 in the mail, though 3 were books for school ordered off Amazon. The best was a surprise care package of goodies from St Croix from Greg and Deeann. Now I have stuff to make me think of my old home away from home. Sigh.

2. Finally a 3 mile run without stopping. See the previous blog.

3. Got an "A" in Marketing. I wasn't sure I'd end up with one, but made it, no problem.

4. An opportunity at a job change. A manager who used to be one of my customers is leading a team over in the maintenance department. He called me last Friday to tell me a job on his team was opening up and he wanted to give me a heads up. I talked to him for about an hour this week about it. I'm brushing off the resume again.

5. Survivor started. Dang show. I love it. I'm not hot on anyone in the cast just yet, but who cares, the game is still a blast. To top it off, all the other new shows are starting up so it's going to be tough to keep up with them all, work, workout, and still fit school in. Whew!

Week 1 - 79 days to go

To some of you, this may sound silly, but today I ran 3 miles. Granted it was still on the treadmill but the milage is done. No walking. It's a small accomplisment, but for me right now, it's huge! I'm excited.

This week, I officially started my half marathon training for the Las Vegas Rock-n-Roll Half in December which I will be running with my fabulous friends, Greg and Deeann. It's just what I needed to keep me going since I deferred my Toyota Triathlon entry until next year.

I did about 2 minutes of walking, then kicked the belt up to about 5.8 for the first 1/2 mile. After that, I'd increase by .1 each 1/4 mile up to 1.5 miles. Then I upped the speed by .1 every 1/2 mile so I ended the last 1/2 mile at a 6.3 (9:21-ish pace). I like these workouts as it leaves the speed for the end. I think I'll start doing more speedwork on the treadmill in a few weeks, but don't want to risk more damage for now.

This weekend, I need to get in 4 miles. I don't think it will be a problem. Yay!

Looking forward

So a while back I decided that next year I would do my first half Ironman. I chatted it up with a few of my girlfriends (many of whom did a wet, muddy, crazy 50k in the rain this weekend) and started digging for a good one to do.

I had a few requirements to look at. I didn't want it too difficult or too crowded (I hate big crowds). I didn't want a mass start in the water and I really didn't want a double loop of either the bike or run. One loop is enough, thank you. I initially wanted to make a trip of it and enjoy some scenery and make a vacation out of it, but moved that down on the priority list because I'd like to do RAGBRAI again next year. So, then I wanted it to make it within a day's drive.

So we narrowed it down to the Gulf Coast Triathlon in May next year or the Kansas Half IM in June. Fresh water and rolling hills won out over salt water, beaches and flats. We're on for Kansas on June 10, 2010.

So here we are and this blog will start to become more devoted to the ups and downs of the training. Along the way, I have a half marathon in December, a bum knee to contend with, and who knows what else to hurdle. I hope you stay with me and throw in good advice or tell me to suck it up when you think it's needed (and it will be needed for sure).

Now it's time to start planning and training and worrying. Gah!

Decision and deferral

It's been a while since I've posted and for the few who are reading, I apologise. I know I should be using this blog as a source to vent frustrations, but I prefer to use it for happier times.

As you guys know, I've been trying to nurse a torn ligament in my knee and hoping that I could get it healed in time to do a the Toyota Olympic Triathlon here in Dallas next month. I've been continuing to ride and swim; hoping that I could be in enough shape to gut out the 6 mile run at the end. I've even been able to so some running on the treadmill. But today I decided to let this one go.

The knee really started bugging me again this week, almost as if I'd reinjured it again. I did a few miles on the treadmill last weekend and it wasn't bad at all. Sure, it twanged in the beginning, but it loosened up well after about 1/2 mile. It still hurts mostly after I wake up in the morning. Maybe it's the way I sleep, but this week, it's gotten worse again.

Knowing that I don't want to screw up a 1/2 marathon I have planned in December with Deeann and Greg, I decided that today, I'd look to see if there was a way to defer my tri entry until next year or even get a partial refund. Thankfully, I'm able to defer it and did. I'm really disappointed because I was really looking forward to this, but it's the right thing to do.

Live to run another day. Now I can start to think about the half marathon in Vegas in December and if that goes well, I'm looking at doing a half Ironman triathlon in May or June next year. Keep your fingers crossed that things will be better by then.