half ironman triathlon training

holy crap y'all...it's been way too long. seriously, the last time i posted anything in the blogosphere was thanksgiving 2012!?! ok, that's not entirely true. i've done several posts over here, so there's the proof i haven't been entirely lazy.

more proof i'm not entirely lazy? i'm starting to train for my first half-ironman distance triathlon. that's a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike ride, and then a 13.1 mile run to top it off. 70.3 miles of endurance fun. you might remember that i completed my first ever triathlon last summer and absolutely loved it! the difference between last summer's tri and the one i'll be completing this summer? approximately 40 miles. wowza! it's all good though. that's what training is for!

as i did when training for my first marathon, i'll be using my blog as a super original, never thought of before, way to track my training progress. i'll post weekly updates and post details on workouts, how i'm feeling, and probably tracking weight. i mean, obviously i have a TON of followers here on my blog and i know you are all anxious to see how it goes. put your seat belts on friends. it's going to get interesting.

below is the training plan i'll be using to train for the race i'll be doing. i have to switch some days around to fit with my work/life schedule better, but you get the idea. i'm excited about the race selection itself since it's within driving distance from our house, should be a relatively flat course, and it's just under 16 weeks away.

16-Week Half Ironman Training Plan

Week 1
Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: Bike 40 minutes moderate with 4 x 30-second sprints scattered.

Wednesday: Swim 800 yards total. Main set: 8 x 25 yards, rest interval (RI) = 20 seconds. | Run 4 miles moderate + 2 x 10-second hill sprints.
Thursday: Bike 40 minutes moderate.
Friday: Swim 800 yards total. Main set: 3 x 100 yards race pace, RI = 15 seconds. | Run 4 miles moderate.
Saturday: Bike 20 miles moderate.
Sunday: Run 6 miles moderate. | Swim 800 yards moderate.

Week 2

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: Bike 40 minutes moderate with 6 x 30-second sprints scattered.
Wednesday: Swim 850 yards total. Main set: 10 x 25 sprints, RI = 20 seconds. | Run 4 miles moderate + 4 x 10-second hill sprints.
Thursday: Bike 40 minutes moderate + 5 minutes comfortably hard.
Friday: Swim 850 yards total. Main set: 4 x 100 yards race pace, RI = 15 seconds. | Run 4 miles moderate.
Saturday: Bike 25 miles moderate.
Sunday: Run 7 miles moderate. | Swim 1,000 yards moderate.

Week 3

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: Bike 40 minutes with 8 x 30-second sprints scattered.
Wednesday: Swim 900 yards total. Main set: 12 x 25 sprints, RI = 20 seconds. | Run 4 miles moderate + 6 x 10-second hill sprints.
Thursday: Bike 40 minutes moderate + 8 minutes comfortably hard.
Friday: Swim 900 yards total. Main set: 3 x 200 yards race pace, RI = 15 seconds. | Run 4.5 miles moderate.
Saturday: Bike 30 miles moderate.
Sunday: Run 8 miles moderate. | Swim 1,200 yards moderate.

Week 4 (Recovery)

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: Bike 40 minutes with 6 x 30-second sprints scattered.
Wednesday: Swim 800 yards total. Main set: 8 x 25 sprints, RI = 20 seconds. | Run 4 miles moderate + 4 x 10-second hill sprints.
Thursday: Bike 40 minutes moderate + 5 minutes comfortably hard.
Friday: Swim 800 yards total. Main set: 3 x 100 yards race pace, RI = 15 seconds. | Run 4 miles moderate.
Saturday: Bike 25 miles moderate.
Sunday: Run 7 miles moderate. | Swim 1,000 yards moderate.

Week 5

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: Bike 45 minutes with 8 x 1-minute hard efforts scattered.
Wednesday: Swim 1,000 yards total. Main set: 6 x 50 sprints, RI = 20 seconds. | Run 4.5 miles with 6 x 30-second hard efforts scattered.
Thursday: Bike 40 minutes moderate + 8 minutes comfortably hard.
Friday: Swim 1,000 yards total. Main set: 2 x 200 yards race pace, RI = 30 seconds. | Run 4.5 miles moderate + 4 x 10-sec. hill sprints.
Saturday: Bike 35 miles moderate + 10-minute transition run at moderate pace.
Sunday: Run 9 miles moderate. | Swim 1,400 yards moderate.

Week 6

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: Bike 45 minutes with 6 x 2-minute hard efforts scattered.
Wednesday: Swim 1,100 yards total. Main set: 8 x 50 sprints, RI = 20 seconds. | Run 4.5 miles with 6 x 45-second hard efforts scattered.
Thursday: Bike 40 minutes moderate + 10 minutes comfortably hard.
Friday: Swim 1,100 yards total. Main set: 3 x 200 yards race pace, RI = 30 seconds. | Run 4.5 miles moderate + 4 x 10-second hill sprints.
Saturday: Bike 40 miles moderate.
Sunday: Run 10 miles moderate. | Swim 1,600 yards total. Main set: 1,000 yard time trial.

Week 7

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: Bike 45 minutes with 4 x 3-minute hard efforts scattered.
Wednesday: Swim 1,200 yards total. Main set: 10 x 50 sprints, RI = 20 seconds. | Run 4.5 miles with 6 x 1-minute hard efforts scattered.
Thursday: Bike 40 minutes moderate + 12 minutes comfortably hard.
Friday: Swim 1,200 yards total. Main set: 3 x 200 yards race pace, RI = 20 seconds. | Run 5 miles moderate + 4 x 10-second hill sprints.
Saturday: Bike 45 miles moderate + 15-minute transition run at moderate pace.
Sunday: Run 11 miles moderate. | Swim 1,800 yards moderate.

Week 8 (Recovery)

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: Bike 40 minutes with 6 x 1-minute hard efforts scattered.
Wednesday: Swim 1,000 yards total. Main set: 8 x 50 sprints, RI = 20 seconds. | Run 4.5 miles with 6 x 30-second hard efforts scattered.
Thursday: Bike 40 minutes moderate + 8 minutes comfortably hard.
Friday: Swim 1,000 yards total. Main set: 2 x 200 yards race pace, RI = 20 seconds. | Run 4 miles moderate.
Saturday: Bike 35 miles moderate.
Sunday: Run 9 miles moderate. | Swim 1,400 yards moderate.

Week 9

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: Bike 50 minutes with 6 x 2-minute hard efforts scattered.
Wednesday: Swim 1,300 yards total. Main set: 6 x 75 sprints, RI = 20 seconds. | Run 1 mile easy, 8 x 600m at 5K race pace with 400m jog recoveries, 1 mile easy.
Thursday: Bike 40 minutes moderate + 15 minutes comfortably hard.
Friday: Swim 1,300 yards total. Main set: 2 x 300 yards race pace, RI = 30 seconds. | Run 5 miles moderate + 4 x 10-second hill sprints.
Saturday: Bike 50 miles moderate + 20-minute transition run at moderate pace.
Sunday: Run 12 miles moderate. | Swim 2,000 yards moderate.

Week 10

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: Bike 50 minutes with 5 x 3-minute hard efforts scattered.
Wednesday: Swim 1,400 yards total. Main set: 8 x 75 sprints, RI = 20 seconds. | Run 1 mile easy, 6 x 800m at 5K race pace with 400m jog recoveries, 1 mile easy.
Thursday: Bike 40 minutes moderate + 18 minutes comfortably hard.
Friday: Swim 1,400 yards total. Main set: 2 x 300 yards race pace, RI = 20 seconds. | Run 5.5 miles moderate + 4 x 10-second hill sprints.
Saturday: Bike 55 miles moderate.
Sunday: Run 13 miles moderate. | Swim 2,000 yards total. Main set: 1,500 time trial.

Week 11

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: Bike 55 minutes with 4 x 4-minute hard efforts scattered.
Wednesday: Swim 1,500 yards total. Main set: 10 x 75 sprints, RI = 20 seconds. | Run 1 mile easy, 5 x 1,000m at 5K race pace with 400m jog recoveries, 1 mile easy.
Thursday: Bike 40 minutes moderate + 20 minutes comfortably hard.
Friday: Swim 1,500 yards total. Main set: 3 x 300 yards race pace, RI = 30 seconds. | Run 6 miles moderate + 4 x 10-second hill sprints.
Saturday: Bike 60 miles moderate + 10-minute transition run at race pace.
Sunday: Run 14 miles moderate. | Swim 2,200 yards moderate.

Week 12 (Recovery)

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: Bike 45 minutes with 5 x 2-minute hard efforts scattered.
Wednesday: Swim 1,300 yards total. Main set: 6 x 75 sprints, RI = 20 seconds. Run 2 miles easy, 1 miles at 10K race pace, 2 miles easy.
Thursday: Bike 40 minutes moderate + 10 minutes comfortably hard.
Friday: Swim 1,300 yards total. Main set: 2 x 300 yards race pace, RI = 30 seconds. | Run 5 miles moderate.
Saturday: Bike 45 miles moderate.
Sunday: Run 10 miles moderate. | Swim 2,000 yards moderate.

Week 13

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: Bike 20 minutes easy, 20 minutes comfortably hard, 20 minutes easy.
Wednesday: Swim 1,600 yards total. Main set: 6 x 100 sprints, RI = 20 seconds. | Run 2 miles easy, 2 miles at 10K race pace, 2 miles easy.
Thursday: Bike 45 minutes with 5 x 2-minute hard efforts scattered.
Friday: Swim 1,600 yards total. Main set: 2 x 400 yards race pace, RI = 30 seconds. | Run 6 miles moderate + 4 x 10-second hill sprints.
Saturday: Bike 50 miles moderate + 10 miles race pace + 15-minute transition run at race pace.
Sunday: Run 10 miles moderate + 2 miles race pace. | Swim 2,200 yards total. Main set: 500 yards race pace.

Week 14

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: Bike 20 minutes easy, 25 minutes comfortably hard, 15 minutes easy.
Wednesday: Swim 1,800 yards total. Main set: 8 x 100 sprints, RI = 20 seconds. | Run 2 miles easy, 3 miles at 10K race pace, 2 miles easy.
Thursday: Bike 45 minutes with 4 x 3-minute hard efforts scattered.
Friday: Swim 1,600 yards total. Main set: 2 x 400 yards race pace, RI = 20 seconds. | Run 6 miles moderate + 4 x 10-second hill sprints.
Saturday: Bike 45 miles moderate + 15 miles race pace + 20-minute transition run at race pace.
Sunday: Run 12 miles moderate + 2 miles race pace. | Swim 2,400 yards total. Main set: 600 yards race pace.

Week 15

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: Bike 15 minutes easy, 30 minutes comfortably hard, 15 minutes easy.
Wednesday: Swim 2,000 yards total. Main set: 10 x 100 sprints, RI = 20 seconds. | Run 2 miles easy, 3 miles at 10K race pace, 2 miles easy.
Thursday: Bike 45 minutes with 8 x 1-minute hard efforts scattered.
Friday: Swim 1,600 yards total. Main set: 2 x 400 yards race pace, RI = 30 seconds. | Run 4.5 miles moderate + 4 x 10-second hill sprints.
Saturday: Bike 40 miles moderate + 10 miles race pace + 10-minute transition run at race pace.
Sunday: Run 12 miles moderate + 2 miles race pace (beat last week’s time). | Swim 2,400 yards total. Main set: 600 yards race pace (beat last week’s time).

Week 16

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: Bike 10 minutes easy, 10 minutes comfortably hard, 10 minutes easy.
Wednesday: Swim 1,300 yards total. Main set: 5 x 100 sprints, RI = 20 seconds. | Run 2 miles easy, 1 mile at 10K race pace, 2 miles easy.
Thursday: Bike 45 minutes with 5 x 30-second sprints scattered.
Friday: Swim 800 yards total. Main set: 400 yards race pace. | Run 3 miles easy.
Saturday: Swim 10 minutes easy with 4 x 30 seconds at race pace. | Bike 10 minutes with 4 x 30 seconds fast. | Run 10 minutes with 4 x 20 seconds at 90 percent effort.
Sunday: RACE!

Source: 16-Week Half Ironman Training Plan

oh yeah...this is what it feels like

it's a feeling that i could do without for the rest of my life. the feeling of not being able to run and hating every bit of it. you know...the feeling i'm having currently. mid-september my running flat lined due to total chaos happening in my life. all good stuff, but running as a priority went out the window.

i literally ran about thirty miles the entire month of october and 26.2 of them were at the st louis marathon Emily and i ran (SO proud of her!). since then i haven't ran at all...until earlier this week. i finally had the energy/motivation/desire to lace up my abandoned running shoes and get out the door. and. it. hurt. not in an injury kind of way, but in a "running sucks" kind of way. i lost almost all of my endurance i had built up and can no longer go out and run several miles. i ran two and i felt like i used to feel after running closer to five. embarrassing? a little. motivating? actually, yeah...kinda. is that weird? probably.

you know i'm huge into setting goals and then CRUSHING them into little tiny crushed-goal-pieces. well, this gives me the perfect opportunity to regain my endurance. since i can barely bust out a couple miles i have my work cut out for me, but it's actually a little refreshing to know that i have to work back up to running for an hour at a time or more. although it's a drag i can no longer just hop into a half-marathon any weekend i want it's exciting to have to work back up to that level.

also...after running this last marathon (and after my first triathlon earlier this year) i've realized that my passion for running has decreased slightly and my new found passion for triathlon has skyrocketed. i've mentioned before that i will complete a full Ironman before i die. well...i'm not quite foolish enough to say that next year it'll happen, but i really hope to start focusing more on triathlon in 2013 and set goals accordingly. we shall see......

i finally gave it a tri

i completed my first triathlon this past saturday and it was amazing! it was everything i hoped it'd be plus more....no, literally...i actually got a medal! i placed 3rd in my age group. God really gave me the strength/determination to push myself hard and it felt amazing to check this goal off of my list. now i can't wait to do my next one!

i let myself get SO nervous before this race. more nervous than my fist race ever, or my even my first marathon. it was comical really...well, now it is anyway. all last week leading up to the race i was nauseous, full of anxiety, easily agitated, and i was training way too hard. thank God (literally) i didn't end up injuring myself last week while i was pedalling twenty miles, running a few miles and then running a few more later that same day. what was i thinking? oh yeah....i was thinking that i was going to drown at the swim start, wreck on the bike if i somehow made it that far, and cramp up on the run if i made it that far. see how i can let my mind work some times? ridiculousness.

so race day came and i woke up feeling great. no nerves, no anxiety, no stress. just ready to race. it was a great reminder of how God is in control and if i would just give my "stuff" over to Him sooner i could've felt that sense of calm days before...but i'm human and have to learn things the hard way every now and then.

the swim start was about as crappy as i thought it'd be. one cool thing: i didn't get kicked in the face at the start! that didn't happen until about half way through the swim. HA! it was uber crowded at the very beginning so it took a good 100-200 yards before i could even get into a good rhythm but once i did i felt really good in the water. it felt even better running OUT of the water and heading into the transition area. what a rush! people lined both sides of a narrow path where all the athletes were running through cheering us all on. i was really excited about transitioning between sports since i have been reading tips/tricks on how to transition quick for the past several months. it seemed it paid off since i was out pretty quick on the bike. i averaged a little over 20mph on the bike for the 24 mile course and felt really great....oh, except around mile 18 when my chain came off. what the cuss!?! i freaked a little i won't lie...but i calmed myself down, hopped off my bike and fixed it quick. rolling back into the transition area was awesome. again, people lining the roads cheering us on. i even cruised by some of my fans (my sister, brother-in-law, and nephew!) and got to yell hello to them! as i quickly transitioned into the run it almost went so quick i felt like i was forgetting something, but i wasn't so i got moving....on my jello legs! it was brutal at first as my legs got used to doing something different. it took me a good quarter mile or so before i found my groove and then i just kept moving. i LOVED looking at all the other athletes faces while i was running the 5k course. the look of determination, the strength in their legs, just the complete look of success was amazing. it really helped me push it hard to the finish. oh and by the way...the finish was great! tons of people lined the narrow road as i ran toward the finish line and completed my first triathlon. of course, since i'm a total sentimental loser, i teared up a little as a finished ready to blame it on "sweat getting in my eye" if anyone asked. as all of my family came over to tell me how proud they were i realized something: i was actually proud of myself! i realized i was giving myself credit for something that i did. i trained hard, set a goal, and crushed it! praise the Lord!


here's a breakdown of each part of the race:

500m Swim: 12:29.8
Transition 1 (T1): 1:46.8
40k Bike: 1:13:07.8
Transition 2 (T2): 1:14.5
5k Run: 24:39.0

Total Time: 1:53:17.9





so who's up for doing a triathlon with me!?!

nutrition overhaul

most people who know me know me as somewhat of a "health nut". i used to think this was a lame title, and some people currently do, but either way you look at it...it's potentially a healthy way of life. i say potentially because being a health nut can really go two ways (in my opinion):

health nut #1: obsessive compulsive about what foods are or aren't consumed and it's on their mind every minute of the day.

health nut #2: aware of what foods are or aren't being consumed and base this solely on the fact that either the food is healthy or is not healthy.

i'd love to sit here and type out reasons why/how i am health nut #2...unfortunately, i'm not. i mean...i am now, but i wasn't before very recently.

emily and i have a friend who is a registered dietitian and she knows a lot about nutrition. she knows a lot about sports nutrition and more importantly...she is actually interested in it. there's nothing worse than talking to someone that knows a lot about something, but doesn't have any passion for it, so when they share the information it comes out robotic. does that make sense?

recently i've been realizing that i really need to recommit to my nutritional needs so i start getting the full benefit out of my workouts. for the past couple years i've been caught in a "restricted eating" mindset that all started when i lost all of the weight. this way of thinking has kept me pretty stagnant in my training for races and other goals i've set. most recently, my first full marathon experience when i was so concerned about not taking in too many calories that i wasn't properly fueled to run the marathon i wanted. result = totally bummed out.

so last week i was able to meet with our friend who is now my "sports nutritionist" and she's helping me understand my nutritional needs. my first need? eat more food. i found out last week that i should be eating about 1,000 calories MORE per day than i do now. whaahuh!?! the night before meeting with her, emily asked, "so...what will you do if she tells you to do something you don't agree with?" i proudly responded, "i'll do it. i've been trying it my way for a couple years now and it's obviously not working. she's smarter than me, so whatever she says i'll try." for some reason it was harder to commit to that way of thinking when my friend told me i needed to eat 1,000 calories more in a day. i think i almost said, "you're out of your mind!" but i resisted. fortunately, she's having me baby step up to my new goal and starting with just adding a couple hundred calories per day this first week.

to most people understanding how important nutrition is in endurance sports isn't that complex, but applying it to my daily life is for some reason. somehow in the transition of being an obese, lazy, non-endurance athlete into becoming an endurance athlete i'm just now realizing how important sports nutrition is in reaching new levels. i'm really excited to see what my sports nutritionist will offer. of course i'll be tracking all of the numbers cause i'm a nerd like that and it's no shocker that i will of course update my blog on all of my new achievements. no matter what happens...at least it sounds cool when i tell people i have a sports nutritionist. next up...sponsorship!! is that free, too!?

dude...i'm giving it a tri

a couple saturday's ago i did something i sorta thought i'd never do. i got into a pool...and swam laps. i know to most people this is not a big deal, but to me it's pretty much awesomeness. i have a minor fear of water. mainly larger bodies of water where it's too deep to stand. this came about because i finally became a member of a local triathlon club. the cost only being twenty bucks a year was pretty much the selling point.
besides just sounding cool because i'm now a member of a "tri club" the twenty bucks gets me discounts to local shops, opportunities to group run with other members (and group bike rides), and even swim lessons from a swimming coach. yes, i am taking swim lessons. a few minutes in to being in the pool last weekend i literally thought, "man...i feel like a fish out of water here." then i thought, "wait a second...i mean, i feel like a human who doesn't like water in water?" (it was a lot funnier in my head...like a lot of things i am sure)

the good news: i actually really enjoyed swimming (and learning how) and my coach told me i'll have no problem getting it down as long as i focus on my breathing. it's true...i panic a little when it comes to learning how to breath properly while swimming. so, at this point in time i'm a guppie in the water but i'm waiting patiently for the day i'll be a shark in the water.

why? because some day i'm going to be an Ironman. for real. that's a life goal of mine. "it's on my bucket list" as some might say.

must have 3 of the following statements checked to become a triathlete:
X  i am a runner
X  i am a cyclist
    i am a swimmer

the plan: become a swimmer and complete a sprint triathlon in july!

1 in 1,000?

this post is a little late. sixteen days to be exact, i guess.

do y'all remember my goal last year being to run 1,000 miles in 2011? well...i achieved it and the crowds went wild...no, really...they did (don't worry...those empty seats filled up quick)!

emily's family and a couple friends threw a nice celebration ceremony for my achievement. i was even offered a gold medal, a gold shoe, and even a finisher's certificate to prove that i officially ran 1,000 miles in a year (oh, yeah...and flowers).

i was even inspired to give a speech and was sure to thank my mom and God.

to top off all of the loot i received for achieving my goal...i got a one hour sports massage to a local shop. my appointment is scheduled for this saturday (after a brick workout of course)!

this is why people achieve goals! TO GET STUFF!!

"so this is the new year...and i don't feel any different"

who knows that death cab for cutie song, 'the new year'? (see the video below if you haven't) i have tried to make it a tradition to play that song every new year's eve for the past several years. why? because i feel like making "next year" a new year is all up to us. if i simply say "2012 is gonna rock and great things will happen," but i don't actually go and do anything...ummm nothing will happen. it seems like common sense, but then again...so does not walking in the middle of the parking lot at walmart yet people still do it.

so, this year, the year 2012 (pronounced twenty-twelve btw) why don't we all do the things in life that we want to do and stop making excuses. i'm not making any resolutions for 2012. in my opinion, resolutions have a negative connotation. maybe it's because for so many years i was making "new year's resolutions" that failed? it doesn't really matter. fortunately, i don't have the power to go back in time and change anything that's happened. yes, i meant to say fortunately. although i'm pretty sure i would go back in time and NOT break my pinky playing basketball that one day (thanks Carp...terrible shot...no hard feelings)!

goals are much better than resolutions. it's not that resolutions cannot be achieved and don't offer us the feeling of success, but i just think goals are smarter (why do you think they created S.M.A.R.T. goals). goals take motivation, determination, ambition, drive, will-power, and self-confidence (to name a few), and i feel like making a resolution just takes words. sure i could say, "my resolution is to be the best dancer in 2012" (done), and if i just say it but don't take the steps to do it...it's meaningless. doesn't it seem like people don't take new year's resolutions serious anyway? i mean...you see it every year: workout equipment and gym memberships are advertised EVERYWHERE and what happens by late january and february? well, if you're in the market for a good deal and a barely used treadmill just go to craig's list and find out for yourself. it takes making obtainable goals first. 'baby steps' for all you 'what about bob' fans out there. check this link out if you want to run a 5k in a month (trust me, it works!) it happens in the green industry, too. people say, "i'm totally going green in 2012!" for about two weeks they go green and realize it costs more and then don't bother finding ways to make it more affordable/manageable (here's an easy way to get started).

i'm not intentionally trying to slam resolutions. and maybe the words goal and resolution are synonymous with each other and i'm just typing circles here. either way...i think goals just sit better with me. i feel like i commit more to a goal and am more laid back when it comes to a resolution. honestly, if you make new year's resolutions every year and love doing it...by all means, keep doing it! good luck at keeping them, too! if you're more like me and have made plenty of resolutions but let them fizzle out by february...try making some goals. start small and work your way up to changing the world. seriously.

good luck and i wish you a happy, goal-crushing 2012!

the forty-four day challenge FINALE

it's done, friends! it's in the bag! that's all she freakin' wrote. you want one biscuit i'll give you two. you'd think i was from the show me state...cause i showed you i could do it? that was awful! anyway...it's done and done. i officially ran 200 hundred miles in 44 days!! feels good. which brings me to my next point...
I RAN 1000 MILES IN 2011!!!!!!!!!!!

accomplishing goals is the BEST feeling ever! errvvverrr!!

now to come up with my list of goals for 2012.........any ideas!?!

the forty-four day challenge UPDATE

wee-hoo...i'm almost half way done with the infamous self-declared 'forty-four day challenge' and i feel pretty good. i have officially logged 887 miles so far in 2011 with only 113 left to go between tomorrow (when i run yet another five miler) and december 31. my body is holding up well with the increase in miles. i was struggling to hit 20 in a week, so bumping it up closer to 30 was a bit of an increase. especially since they say to increase mileage "smart" it should be no more than 10% each week. my knees are just a little achy...mainly in a "dude...why are you doing this to us" sorta way, but other than that i feel grrrrrrrrrreeaatt!

so, if you're ever in the peoria area and want to go out and run a five miler with me...chances are i'm out somewhere so let me know and we can run together! seriously...my routes are getting boring.
click on the photo below (or else) and you can check out my training log. trust me...it's the most interesting/exciting thing you will ever see. ever.

welp...see ya later.

the forty-four day challenge

i made this goal last year in 2010 to run 1,000 miles. i failed (it's cool, i'm okay with that. side note: not really). i had an injury that really set me back and to be honest...i just wasn't that great of a runner (am i now?). so as you can imagine it made my list of goals for 2011. about a week before thanksgiving i realized that i had logged exactly 800 miles with only 44 days left in 2011. i did the math (which i'm not that great at) and it came out to roughly 4.5 miles PER DAY until the New Year. my initial thoughts weren't the best/most optimistic. then i started thinking about it more and more. i started realizing that it might be a fun cool challenge to present myself. so...i took it on.

i "officially" started the "forty-four day challenge" (brilliant name, i know) on friday november 18th with 800 miles logged. i took a random poll on my facebook page to see what people would say/recommend and it was cool to see the responses i got. it seemed pretty split but of course my eyes were only worried about the ones that read, "GO FOR IT" or "YOU CAN DO IT" and that pretty much sealed the deal.

it's going to be great tomorrow when i can get a sweet thirty-one day countdown going. as of today i have 854 miles logged. i've been doing 5 milers most days to give myself a few days off between now and the New Year. i can't imagine how awesome the run will feel on New Year's Eve! i'm just praying i don't injure myself or have anything else happen that can keep me from hitting my goal.

i'll keep you posted because i am 100% surely positive you are going to want to know that i am running daily!

because no runner has heard, "run forrest run!" enough...here is my inspiration to run everyday:

ready to give it a tri

i think i'm ready? i am not ready. YET!

you know by now that i have this "baby step goal" program going on, right? it all started with a little weight loss and a 5k later the goals were in place. i'd start out by conquering a 5k race, then move onto a 10k race, then onto a half-marathon and then a full marathon and then...wherever my baby steps take me.

originally, my plan was/is to do a triathlon next. it's the next step! it's either that or an ultramarathon and i think i'd rather do that later in life. it'll be the next step after the triathlon. so for now my focus is completing my first triathlon. my brother-in-law, josh, is big into cycling and has recently started running and he's agreed to do a tri with me (sucker) so that definitely helps ease the nerves a little. not really, but that's what i'm going to say for now.

here's the deal: i'm freaking out! i do NOT like water. i don't mean "i don't like water" like some people say "i don't like vegetables." i'm saying "i don't like water" like most people would say "i don't like murder." the bright side/good news is that just last weekend emily and i went on a little getaway to michigan with our small group from Church and we all went to the beach a couple times and guess what? both times we were there i got in the water. we're talking lake freakin' michigan, people!  i even got some tips/advice on how to float and swim properly from a couple of pro's. ;) combine that with my new found love for cycling and i'm on my way to training for a triathlon...baby steppin' style (i'm trademarking that phrase).

so like the cheesy/cliche title to this post states...i'm ready to give it a tri. (raises glass) here's to the training to come and the many days that i'll be asking myself what the crap i am doing and to the aches and pains but most importantly...here's to me going after another goal!

"goals are dreams with deadlines"

running is one of my favorite things to do. it's a stress reliever. it helps me get some fresh air. it gives me quality time with God. and to top it off...i burn quite a few calories doing it, which is always a plus.

i started running during my weight loss era and it actually stuck with me. before i got "healthy" my mom always worked out and ran and did that lame stuff, but i never paid any attention to it. then, my dad (who was a bit overweight) started getting into running and really liked it...and ended up losing a lot of weight, too. still, at this point, i wasn't buying it. my infamous saying was, "i only run if i'm being chased." fortunately for me...i rarely got chased, so things worked out pretty well for me as far as running went.

it was one of the best things to happen to me though: mentally, physically, spiritually, even emotionally...running has been a great experience. the hardest part is getting started. it sucks in the beginning. who am i kidding...it can suck pretty bad once you're in it for awhile, too. it's just like anything else though...you gotta stick to it and keep at it.

right now emily and i are training for a half-marathon that's on august 21 (12 days 21 hours 22 minutes 39 seconds away.) my dad also made the mistake of saying he'd do it with me, so he got signed up for it as well. when i got serious about running i made it a goal to do a 5K, 10K, a half, and a full marathon. finally, we're at the point in this post where you figure out what it's all about: goals. according to wikipedia (the official online encyclopedia/information know-all of everything that is good and is always 100% accurate) a goal is "a projected state of affairs that a person or a system plans or intends to achieve." i think it's so important for people to have goals in life. it gives you something to work toward. it gives people a purpose. no matter what happens...you're striving to reach your goal(s) and nothing can stop you, right? mostly. i'm more of a believer in the saying, "only you can prevent yourself from reaching your goals." but there aren't too many feelings out there better than reaching a goal you've set. maybe during the summer in the middle of the night when you flip over your pillow to the "cool" side...you know what i'm talking about. other than that though...nothing.

so...the challenge is: set a goal. a short term goal or a long term goal. or both! and then, achieve it! if you've just recently achieved a goal...AWESOME!! how'd it feel? that's great...now set another! life is all about setting goals.

was this a really cheesy, wannabe motivational post? sorry.