Update of my hectic week!

So its been a week since I posted last and it has definitely been a whirlwind of a week....

Friday I met with my new coach...he seems great and I am excited to start with him...I sent him my schedule and will be starting my training at the beginning of October I believe.

Friday was a crazy day with hours of driving involved...after meeting with Greg I had to race to meet my mom at the running room in somerset....so far!! and since I was running late it was a short visit..then back up to valley ridge to pick up Phil (I had dropped him off in the am so I could take the car). We went to his mechanics in the NW and I got a call from my mom that my Grandma had fallen and broken her arm in a few places and her leg and was on the way to the hospital...so I called my sister and we picked her up and drove to the Rockyview hospital...called to see where everyone was and turns out they were going to Peter Laugheed instead...so we drove all the way up north again...called again and there were issues at the clinic and they hadnt left yet. I guess my Grandmas BP spiked and they were trying to get it back to a normal rate before they could move her....so we met my dad for dinner by the hospital and made it back just as the ambulance got there...Turns out she had dislocated her wrist and they were putting her under so they could adjust it...not pretty! Good news is Grammy is ok! She is banged up and in casts...but shes ok!

Saturday Phil and I spent time over at my Grandparents just helping clean the place, getting the laundry rounded up and brought over to my moms, feeding them etc....because of my Grandpa's illness he cant take her so its going to be an interesting 30 weeks (yes thats how long she has to wear the casts!!!) Right now mom is going over twice a day to put the aircast on Grammys foot on and off as Pa cant do it....

So by the time sunday rolled around Phil and I were both exhausted...I dont remember what we did Sunday but I do know that I had a great swim class...my instructor taught me how to keep my face underwater and I am so much better...all I had to do was hum...who would have guessed! Phil and I also did a 6.5 k run later...in the rain, lol...but it was fun! I think we will make it in the 10k but we are definitely NOT racing his sister and dad!

Monday was a recovery day, I was starting to feel ill again and since I did my run the day before I just vegged...

Tuesday I went for a quick run and then Phil and I went swimming....lots of kicking drills and I practiced swimming with my head under...not as good as on Sunday, but with practice I will be fine!

Wednesday was another crazy day!! We had a fire alarm at work and were evacuated...this is the second in two weeks which wouldnt be so bad but we are on the 25th floor and there are so many stairs down!! It takes forever!!! Atleast I could leave a few minutes earlier! Phil picked me up and we went for my bday dinner at Tony Romas, mmm ribs!!!! Then we went to meet Katy to look at the bike she was selling...it was so pretty!!! and fit so nice! I bought it :) Happy Birthday to me! :) It took longer than I thought so I was running late to my first night of Polish class, but thankfully I found my class and got seated before she started! I learned a lot and was able to teach Phil on the way home....it was fun! Going to be tough trying to remember all of this...but im sure I will get the hang of it!

Today is my BIRTHDAY!! YAYA!!! Phil gave me his gift this morning...the new Garmin Forerunner 405! It has a heart rate monitor and gps so I can track my runs...I have the Garmin 201 right now so this one is so much nice! And its bright green!! I love it...looks more like a watch and has a touch dial to change screens! Very cool! I will have to get the bike adaptor so I can track cadence and stuff too! Everyone has been calling and emailing me nice wishes all morning, haha Polly and May even had a teleconference to sing me their duet...hahaha too funny!

ALthough we wanted to run tonight its not going to happen, Phil got us tickets to the Flames Game! So excited...ill run the stairs in the saddledome instead :) So that is my birthday plans...

I am only working half a day tomorrow and going to go up to bowcycle to get shoes and stuff for my bike...then Phil can pick me up there and we can head straight out of town and to Canmore for my birthday weekend with the Family! Cant wait!

This weekends fitness will consist of an 8k run on Friday, a 4-5 hour hike on Saturday and more swimming on Sunday! I will check back in on Monday!

Do widzenia (goodbye in polish)

Sick boys suck!

Its half way thru my week and I wish I had better news...Phil got sick this weekend and passed it on to me...im fighting though!!! I am...I think thats why I was so tired earlier in the week...I have just been taking it easy, going to bed almost as soon as I get home...I actually only missed two days of training, so thats not so bad!

Last night Phil tried to pull the "im too sick to workout" card on me and to his surprise and horror it didnt work...I packed up our swim gear, loaded him in the car and off we went to the pool...I dont think he realized how bad I am so now he is all gung ho on getting me to the pool more often to practice! It was actually lots of fun! We had a lane practically to ourselves and were there for over an hour!! I practiced kicking mostly with a flutter board, just back and forth...man it was a long way!! I practiced lots putting my head under water and holding my breath...I know that sounds lame, but thats where I am at...need to start somewhere! I also just spent a lot of time working on the motions...I kept my head out but practiced the front crawl just to become more comfortable with it....pretty good for lesson 2!

Somehow we got lucky and got to swim for free!! We did buy a 10 pass so we can go more often! I think next time is going to be on Friday as tonight we are going BIKE shopping!!!!! BIKE SHOPPING YAY!!!!!

I am also meeting my new coach *hopefully* on Friday at 11am!! Wish me luck!

Get 'er done!!!

So I bailed on last nights bike...I was so exhausted I went to bed before 9!!! Sooo tonight I have to make it up..which means I have to run at lunch so I have time to bike tonight....sheesh!!! Wont do that again!

Here is this weeks plan:
M - Rest
T - 5K Run, 25 min Bike
W - 5K Run, 1h Swimming Practice
T - 30 min Bike
F - 35 min Bike, 1h Swimming Practice
S - 7 K Run
S - 1h Swimming lessons, 4k Run

I am going to go to Bowcycle on Thursday to get a bike!! They are open until 8 so that will give me time to hopefully find one! I have also been emailing Greg at Legend Coaching and will be meeting with him on Friday to discuss training with him...I have already filled in his questionairres etc. so I will call today to set up a time to meet!

Week summary

I wanted to post earlier but I have just been so busy lately! Not to mention exhausted!!! My body is still adjusting to this exercise.....

So I made most of my goals last week...just a few changes....

Tuesday I did 25min bike instead of 15 mins....my legs were feeling good so I pushed it
Wednesday I did my 4k run, Thursday I actually had a dinner with my family and never biked, so Friday I biked for 20 mins to make up for it and then went for a 3.5k run in the rain!!! Saturday I started to do my 6k run but Phil called and wanted to do it with me so I turned back and only did 4.75k...no bike....Sunday I had my first swimming lessons and man were they tough! So I swam for an hour and then attempted my 6k run but unfortunately I got shin splints and only made it 4k....now my legs hurt!!

So first I just want to say how proud I am of myself...I really tried my hardest...and running in the rain...that shows dedication :) My apologies to all the wormies I killed...there were just so many!!!!

Swimming went so well...although it did make me realize how far I still have to go! I did progressions to learning three different strokes. We would start out with a flutter board, then a flutterboard with motions and head in the water and then the stroke...I learned that i freak out when I have to put my head in...oh dear! So this week I am supposed to just practice putting it in while swimming...lets hope I can get over that fast! Phil and I found another pool closer to the condo that has better hours so we may pop in there a few times this week to practice.

We also went looking for my bike...unfortunately only cyclepath was open on Sunday and they didnt have any road bikes....well they had a few but they were for tall men...I was so dissapointed! I hope we can get up to bowcycle this week and look there...otherwise it will be late november before the new models are in...I really cant survive on the gyms stationary until then...someone is ALWAYS on it and its always lined up too...I had to use the recumbrant last week and there is really no point to even using that one!

I dont have this weeks schedule with me but I will post it later...I know today I have to bike for 30mins and tomorrow I am running 5k....thats as far as I have looked ahead though!

First official week of training

So here are my original goals for this week....

Mon - 4k Run
Tues - 15 min Bike
Wed - 4k Run
Thurs - 20 min Bike
Fri - Rest
Sat - 6k Run, 15 min Bike
Sun - SWIMMING!!!

I did make it for my run last night but only managed 3.5K....Phil has my car today so I may have to do wednesday's run tonight and hoof it to the post office to pick up my Ironman training books. Should be a good hour run there and an hour back....will be interesting to see if I can make it or not!

We are officially signing up for the 10k on Monday (pay day) so then its official...I know a month is plenty of time to train....I just need to get up to that 10k distance and I will be fine!

I start my swimming lessons on Sunday and I cant wait!! I am going shopping for goggles this week and hopefully Phil is going to start swimming on Sunday too!

Part of me keeps thinking this will get easier, then I have to remind myself that this is only the beginning and I have a long way to go...my 'plan' is to get prepared for the ironman in time for the half ironman, so I will be able to perfom well and then its a matter of increasing my speed and stuff for the ironman next year....I am driven and cant wait to start seeing improvements.

This will be an interesting next two years for sure!

So it begins...slowly...

So far the training is going well. I have been on two runs this week, about 3 k (5k in total) each...I know thats not much but its what I can do without screwing up my knee. Phil even came with me on one which was a totally new and very exciting that he wants to help and participate. I was scheduled to do a 5k run today for my long run but we ended up hiking for 7 hours yesterday and I am tooo sore! Not to mention the blisters....I think the long run will have to wait until Sunday.

Tomorrow we are heading home so that means an entire day in the car....a right off. Nothing else is planned for this week. Next week I will increases my run distances to 4k and plan on running three times. Twice at 4k and one long run for 6k. I am also starting swimming next sunday so I have to go shopping for a bathinsuit and goggles. Oh and biking....next week I plan on biking 8k twice and biking 10k once. I dont have a bike yet so I am stuck with the stationary one in the gym. Next week I will start looking into getting one.....I am also going to get a big calendar and write my training schedule down so Phil can follow along. He told me if he sees a schedule up he will do the workouts too...yay!

Time to start!

After contemplating and lots and lots of research I have decided its time to start training. I orginally wanted to do the Ironman in 2009 but I think giving myself two years will be much better. I have spoken with coaches, read training blogs from other competitors, read some trianing books and came up with a schedule.

This week probably isnt the best week to start as we are in Summerland visiting Phils family.I came prepared to tell them the news but to my surprise only 5 mins after arriving they annouced that they would be running in the 2010 Ironman...So its official now, I will be there aswell! Gives me even more drive now knowing I have to keep up with them!

Phil is on the wall....he doesnt know if he wants to or not, its a lot of money and more time spent training, but he is going to try!

Next week I start my adult swim lessons and the local pool. I know how to swim, but not how to swim well so I want to work on technique, endurance and speed. Should be fun!! Phil wants to start swimming again so it will be nice to be able to do this together.

I have started my running already....its not easy...but I am taking it slow and using my running room training to build my time up. Right now I am not worried about going fast, just trying to work up the cardio and endurance and once I can complete the distance I will worry about speed.

I have also started researching bikes and will hopefully be getting one later this month. It will be too cold to use outside (its already snowing at home!!) so I will also get a fluid trainer and some spinervals dvds so I can train inside.

My workouts are planned, although they dont seem like too much right now. I know in a year from now that will be a different story!

So here we go!!!