2013 Running Goals & Preliminary Race Schedule

I typically make one post for all my goals for the year, including non-fitness goals, but since I have so many running goals I thought that deserved it's own post. I'm still thinking about other life goals and will post that separately later.

My main running goal for 2013 is to find a better balance between speed and distance. I still have lofty distance goals as I delve deeper into ultramarathons, but it's time to stop using the move as an excuse to slack off and work on some speed again. I also want to do more fun and unique races, and more trail runs. So yes, these are very aggressive goals and I may not achieve all of them, but making them doesn't cost me anything so I might as well aim high and see where I land. 

• Run + Walk a total of 2013 miles for Moon Joggers
• Run 1300 miles (108/mo; 25/wk)
• 1 mile in 8 minutes
• 5K in 28 minutes (9 min pace) or PR (sub-29:23)
• 10K in 62 minutes (10 min pace) or PR (sub-1:03:28)
• Half Marathon in 2:15 (10:15 miran pace) or PR (sub-2:18)
• Race with the Race Guards team
• Ultra longer than 50 miles
• Relay Race (like Ragnar Napa Valley or The Relay) 
• Volunteer for at least 6 races

Tentative 2013 Racing Schedule

This is still very much in flux because I'm still learning about all the local races, but I have already registered for the ones in blod and I'm strongly considering the rest, but will likely not do all of these and add a bunch more because I plan to run as many as I can with DSE and Tracy's Racing since they are nearby, inexpensive and with great company.

• [01.12] Goofy Challenge - Half Marathon - Done!
• [01.13] Goofy Challenge - Marathon - Done!
• [02.03] Kaiser SF Half Marathon
• [02.16] ZombieRunner SF Half (Winter)
• [03.09] Razorback 24 Hour Race - (Goal: 100K)
• [03.24 - 31] Crazy 8 Spring (8 Halfs)
• [04.07] San Francisco Rock 'n' Roll (with Race Guards)
• [04.20] Ruth Anderson Ultras
• [05.04] The Relay
• [05.19] Bay to Breakers (in costume)
• [06.01] ZombieRunner SF Half (Spring)
• [06.02] DSE 6H Distance Classic
• [06.16] San Francisco 2nd Half Marathon
• [07.13] Bryce Canyon Half Marathon
• [08.17] Run-de-Vous (100M?)
• [09.08] DSE Lake Merced Half Marathon
• [09.20] Ragnar Relay - Napa Valley
• [11.03] New York Marathon

What awesome race am I forgetting?

2012 Recap: Goals Update

Moving to San Francisco threw a wrench into life in general, so some of these goals suffered or I forgot about them. But considering such a huge life change, I did pretty good. 

Running

• Run 1000+ miles (80/mo; 20/wk) - Check! 1141 miles!
• Run a 5K in 29 minutes - Semi-Check: 29:23
• Run a half marathon in 2:15 or PR (sub-2:24) - Check! 2:18:03
• Run a marathon in 5 hours or PR (sub-5:22) - Check! 4:52:17
• Become a Marathon Maniac (3 in 90 days) - Check! MM #5026
• 30 day running streak (1 mile/day) - Nope

General Fitness

• Walk 500+ miles (42/mo; 10/wk) - Check! 600 miles!
• 30 day plank-a-day challenge - Check!
• 10 hours of yoga per month (2.5/wk) - I have no idea, but I doubt it
• Bike at least once a week - Nope, moving to SF threw a wrench in this one

Other

• Drive car < 6500 miles (541/mo; 125/wk) - I stopped tracking once we moved to SF, but since we don't drive here, it's probably a Check.
• Spend < $1000 at restaurants - Stopped tracking when I moved to SF, but with prices being so high in SF I doubt it. 
• Eat restaurant food no more than 100x (8x per month) - Probably failed at this too, but again stopped tracking when I moved to SF
• Do 1 new thing each month - Totally forgot about this one
• Read 6 books - Check! 9 books read/listened

2011 Recap: Goals Update

Run/walk 1100 miles (run 700) - Yup! I ran 922 miles and walked 430 miles for a total of 1352 miles!

Bike 2000 miles - I focused more on my running this year, so I only biked 884 miles. That's nearly half of what I biked last year, but my true love is running so that's ok with me. I plan to bike a little bit more in 2012.

Run a 5K in 31 minutes (or PR) - Yup! New PR is 30:26. I think 2012 may finally be the year for the sub-30 5K :)

Run 2nd Marathon - It wasn't pretty, but I did it! :)

Complete an olympic distance duathlon - I did a sprint instead. Maybe in 2012, but I want to focus more on my running again so we'll see.

Use car less than 4000 miles - This was a very aggressive goal and we did not quite meet it, but we drove the car 2,844 less than last year: 7,713 in 2011 vs 10,557 in 2010. This is actually really amazing when you consider that in 2010 we lived without a car for 4 months, so we made more efficient use of the car last year. When you average the miles per month, we drove 1,320/month over the 8 months when we had a car in 2010 vs 643/month over 12 months in 2011. That's less than half per month, so I'm really pleased with that.

Restaurant food budget = $50/mo; $12/wk - Total Fail. My monthly average was over 2x that. I really want to cut down on our restaurant spending in 2012.

Cook 90% of my meals (restaurant meals = 9/mo; 2/wk) - I stopped keeping track, but we've been cooking a lot of our meals. I have 126 restaurant transactions in Mint, so that averages out to 10.5/mo or 2.4/wk so that's not bad. I know there were a few more outings that I did not pay for and thus don't have on my tally, but I don't think my average was more than 11/mo.

Complete 40 items from 101 Thing list (for a total of 75) - I haven't paid too much attention to this lately and have only completed 43 items total so far. I got a lot of catching up to do in the next 9 months.

Read 12 books - Nope. I don't think I read a single book in 2011 :-/ 

2012 Goals & Preliminary Racing Schedule

I'm still working on my 2011 recaps since we still have a day left, but based on the preliminary numbers I figured out my goals and began putting together my racing schedule for next year. Leave a comment if you have a suggestion for a race or goal I should add.


2012 Goals


Running

• Run 1000+ miles (80/mo; 20/wk)
• Run a 5K in 29 minutes
• Run a half marathon in 2:15 or PR (sub-2:24)
• Run a marathon in 5 hours or PR (sub-5:22)
• Become a Marathon Maniac (3 in 90 days)
• 30 day running streak (1 mile/day)

General Fitness

• Walk 500+ miles (42/mo; 10/wk)
• 30 day plank-a-day challenge 
• 10 hours of yoga per month (2.5/wk)
• Bike at least once a week

Other

• Drive car < 6500 miles (541/mo; 125/wk)
• Spend < $1000 at restaurants
• Eat restaurant food no more than 100x (8x per month)
• Do 1 new thing each month
• Read 6 books

2012 Tentative Race Schedule


I've already registered for the ones in bold; the others are just what I am considering but I will likely not run them all. I have a big gap between May and August, but it's usually too hot in Florida to race during those months so it's a good time for rebuilding base milage for marathon season. I may throw in a duathlon during that time, or maybe a 30-day running streak, but I haven't decided yet.

1. [01.01] DeLeons Half Marathon
2. [01.22] Ocala Marathon
3. [02.04] Lady Track Shack 5K
4. [02.12] 26.2 with Donna Marathon (BMC)
5. [02.18] Run Around the Pines 5K
6. [03.04] Orange Blossom Half Marathon
7. [03.11] Sarasota Half or Relay
8. [03.24] Winter Park 10K & 2 Mile
9. [04.07] North Georgia Spring Run (Blairsville) 
10. [04.12] Corporate 5K
11. [04.22] Iron Girl Half Marathon
12. [04.28] Run for the Trees 5K
13. [09.??] Puzzle Run 10K 
14. [09.??] Miracle Miles 15K 
15. [10.??] U Can Finish 5 Miler or Distance Dare
16. [11.??] New York City Marathon 
17. [11.??] Founder's Day 10K or Distance Dare
18. [11.??] Space Coast Half Marathon 
19. [12.01] OUC Half Marathon 
20. [12.??] Jacksonville Bank Marathon 

Half Marathon Streak

After my marathon in November, I want to run a half marathon per month until at least April/May. This will be a great way to keep up with my running, have some fun soaking up the race atmosphere, and qualify for level 2 of half fanatics. Who's up for the challenge?

So far, these are the races I'm considering.

1. November - 13.1 Fort Lauderdale (registered)
2. December - OUC (Downtown Orlando) or NTC (Clermont)
3. January - Ocala
4. February - BCM (registered)
5. March - Orange Blossom
6. April - Iron Girl
7. May - Flying Pig? (Cincinnati)
8. June - 
9. July - San Francisco?

I need suggestions for the rest of the year, preferably in Florida but I am willing to travel for a 1 or 2 of these. 

2011 Goals and Preliminary Race Schedule

2011 Goals

• Run/walk 1100 miles (run 700) = 92(58)/mo; 21(14)/wk; 3/day
• Bike 2000 miles = 167/mo; 39/wk; 6/day
• Run a 5K in 31 minutes (or PR)
• Run 2nd Marathon
• Complete an olympic distance duathlon
• Use car less than 4000 miles = 333/mo; 77/wk
• Restaurant food budget = $50/mo; $12/wk
• Cook 90% of my meals (restaurant meals = 9/mo; 2/wk)
• Complete 40 items from 101 Thing list (for a total of 75)
• Read 12 books

Tentative 2011 Racing Schedule
I haven't registered for any 2011 races yet, but below are the ones I am considering. The plan is to emphasize local races that are within biking distance, or races I've never done before to get the new bling. There are a few repeats because they are close to home or a rare distance. Obviously I won't do everything listed here since some are on the same day, but I'm keeping my options open for now :)

• 02.05 - Lady Track Shack 5K
• 02.19 - Run Around the Pines 5K
• 02.19 - UCF Adventure Race
• 03.06 - Orange Blossom Half Marathon
• 03.12 - Catch Me if You Can 5K
• 03.20 - Gator Olympic Duathlon
• 03.26 - Winter Park Road Race 10K
• 04.14 - Corporate 5K
• 05.15 - Bay to Breakers
• June - Sept: Clermont Tri, Du or 5K
• 10.30 - Daytona Beach Half Marathon
• 11.06 - NYC Marathon 
• 11.27 - Space Coast Marathon (if not doing NYC)

2010 Recap: Goals

Goal	Status
Complete at least 30 items from my 101 things in 1001 days list.	Yes! I've completed 35 items so far, and have others in progress. I changed my approach to this a bit from the original plan, but it is still serving it's purpose well. I'll go into more details in a separate post.
Complete my first marathon!	Yes! Read the race report. It was an amazing experience and I cannot wait to do it again. I applied for the NYC marathon lottery again, and if I do not get in I hope to run the Space Coast Marathon in November.
Complete my first olympic triathlon	No. I only did one sprint triathlon, and it didn't go so well. I decided to focus on running instead. I may try an olympic distance duathlon  instead.
Complete the Tri 2010 dailymile challenge - run/bike/swin at least a total of 2010 miles in tri proportions: swim 60, bike 1568, run/walk 382	Yes and No. I covered a total of 2572 miles, but not in those proportions. My swimming was practically non-existant, but the biking and running more than made up for it. I'll post full distance/time stats and graphs for all sports in a separate post when Dailymile publishes the annual reports.
Do a long run of at least 6-10 miles/week (total of 12 - 18 miles per week)	Yes, for the most part. I am sure there were a few weeks when I did not, due to injury or some other conflict, but I kept up with running pretty regularly throughout the year.
Run/walk 700 miles (58/month; 14/week)	Yes! I ran 686 miles and walked 326 miles for a total of 1,012 miles.
Bike 1750 miles (146/month; 34/week)	No, but 1552 miles is still an improvement over the 1487 miles in 2009.
Swim 1 mile non-stop	No, I stopped swimming after the triathlon break up. I'll attempt this again someday, but not anytime soon.
Exercise 365 hours (1 hour/day)	Yes! 439 hours (37/mo; 8.4/wk; 1.2/day)
Run a 5K in under 30 minutes (or PR)	Yes! New PR is 32:10, and improvement of 1:02
Run a 10K without walking	Yes! My longest non-stop run was 7.5 miles.
Run a 1/2 marathon in under 2:35 (or PR)	Yes and Yes! :) I PR and ran 2 under 2:35.
Maintain my weight at under 125 lbs	Kinda. My weight fluctuates between 125-130, and I'm ok with that.

Week 13 Recap

This has been a very busy week and I think I may have over done it a bit, so today is a complete day off. I managed to sleep in until 9:30 am! I tried to do some yoga, but quit after 10 minutes. My body just wanted to be, so I let it be :)

Workout Summary
See details on Dailymile

• Monday - 30 minutes of cardio kickboxing; ran 3.11 miles in 36 minutes
• Tuesday - swam 1200 yd in 35 minutes; ran 2 miles in 26 minutes + walked 1.65 mile 
• Wednesday - bike to work: 29 miles roundtrip
• Thursday - swam 1500 yd in 42 minutes;  ran 3.2 mile run in 42 minutes
• Friday - bike to work (one way) - 14.4 miles; 
• Saturday - ran 10 miles in 2:13; 45 minute swim lesson
• Sunday - 10 min of yoga

Week Totals

• run/walk - 20 miles (4 runs + walks); longest = 10 miles
• bike - 48 miles (4 rides); longest = 14.5 miles
• swim - 2700 yds (2 sessions + swim lesson); longest = 1500 yds
• exercise hours - 10.5 hrs (avg 1.5 / day)

Goals for Next Week:

• run 3x; at least 12 miles
• run 10k without walking
• bike to work 2x; at least 34 miles
• swim 3x (including lesson); 3000 yds
• cross train 1x: yoga, kickboxing, core
• restart 100 pushup challenge using ful push ups
• 85% homemade meals 
• 4/11 - World Record Bicycle Parade

March 2010 Recap

Marathon recovery is going great, but you wouldn't know I just ran a marathon with the level of exercise I've been doing this past month. I started swimming 3 times a week and biking to work 2 times a week (soon to be 3), and that is on top of running 3-4 times a week, including long runs of 6-14 miles every Saturday. I've been neglecting yoga, core, and upper body strength though, so I need to juggle things around in April to fit those in.

March Stats

• run / walk = 86 miles = 17 walk + 69 run; longest run 11 miles
• bike = 135 miles; longest ride 14.5 miles
• swim = 5 miles / 8100 yards
• total = 225 miles in 40h 25m (avg 1.3 hrs / day)

2010 Goals Progress

The year is 25% over, so anything around that percentage means I'm on track to meet that yearly goal. In some cases (e.g. swimming and biking), I know the totals are low during winter months but they will increase drastically during spring and summer and I'll make up the difference then. Full stats in miles and percentage of goal accomplished are below, followed by a chart for those who prefer visuals :)

• run/walk = 269 / 700 miles (avg 89/mo; 21/wk; 38%)
• cycling = 163 / 1750 miles (avg 54/mo; 9%)
• swimming = 5 / 60 miles (8%)
• tri 2010 challenge = 436 / 2010 (22%)
• total exercise hours = 110 / 365 hours (avg 1.2 hrs / day; 30%)
• 101 things = 7/30 done (23%); 11 in progress (details in separate post later)
• maintain weight around 125 lbs = spiked above 125 the last 2 weeks, but still mostly within "maintenance" range of give or take 2-3 lbs and I'm back to 124 lbs today.

March Accomplishments

• Winter Park Road Race - 8.2 miles Distance Dare - New 10K and 2 miler PR!
• Recruited 33 people for our Corporate 5K team at work (including a few friends and family)
• Began swimming again
• Began biking to work again

Goals for April

• run/walk 58 miles (14/week)
• bike 2-3 times per week, at least 146 miles (34/week)
  
• swim 3x a week and finish 0 to 1650 program (swimmer's mile)
• exercise 30 hours (1 hr/day)
• blog at least 3x per week
• eat vegetarian (or at least pescatarian) for the entire month 
• swim lessons every Saturday for next 4 weeks -- hope to learn breast stroke and bilateral breathing
• planned fitness events:
• 04/15 - Corporate 5K
• 04/11 - World Record Bicycle Parade
• 04/17 - Earth Day 12k or 5K (maybe - if I don't do the 6K)
• 04/18 - Dow Live Earth / Run for Water 6K
• 04/24 -  Run for the Trees 5K (PR?)

February 2010 Recap

February was a great month with lots of accomplishments and first: first adventure race, first marathon relay, and first marathon! :) March will be a step back as I recover from the marathon and ease into the next phase of training. I'm still deciding if I want to train for an olymic triathlon at the end of the season or just stick with sprints and focus on my running.


February Stats

• walking = 11 miles
• running = 63 miles
• cycling = 14 miles
• total = 88 miles; 27h 54m (avg 1 hrs / day)

Accomplishments
Click each link for race reports or relevant posts.

• Gasparilla Marathon!
• Breast Cancer Marathon Relay
• UCF Adventure Race 
• blogged daily for 30 days
• took a photo daily for 30 days
• organized a Corporate 5K Team and began training

Goals for March

• recover! :)
• begin swimming again
• 3/13 - Winter Park Road Race - I want to do at least the 2 miler, since it was my first race ever 2 years ago. I'd love to do the 10k since I've missed it the past 2 years, but may be too soon after the marathon for that. I'll see how I feel on Saturday and decide then.
• 3/21 - Valencia 5K (maybe)

January 2010 Recap

The end of January marks the end of marathon training and the begin of a 4 week taper. I've had a great running season, and I am more than ready to tackle this marathon, then switch my focus to triathlons for a bit. Thankfully, I have 2 races before the marathon to keep me busy and motivated.

I joined the YMCA this month to have someplace to swim, attend exercise classes like kickboxing, and begin incorporating strength training regularly into my workout routine. So far I am loving it -- been to a few classes and done a few machines -- but have yet to make it to the pool.

My running goal for January was to run 100 miles, but a few runs got cut short and that didn't happen. I almost went running yesterday to meet that goal, but realized how foolish it was to risk injury to meet an arbitrary goal -- not to mention that it's 109 when I add in the walking miles. Even at 97 miles, that's 10 more than last month and that's accomplishment enough for me. I also wanted to exercise an average of 1 hour a day (towards my goal of exercising 365 hours in 2010) and I exceeded that. Below are all the details.

January Stats

• walking = 12 miles; 3h 23m (I've been walking to the Y, which 1.2 roundtrip)
• running = 97 miles; 20h 36m (about 1/2 of all exercise hours was running)
• cycling = 14 miles; 2 hrs (includes trainer and spin class)
• swimming = 0
• other = 15hr 27m (includes yoga, core, strength, kickbox, etc)
• total = 123 miles; 41h 25m (avg 1.3 hrs / day)

Accomplishments

• 23 mile long run
• 24.4 mile long run
• Got my weight down and maintained it under 125 lbs for 3 weeks so far

Goals for February

• 02/06 - UCF Adventure Race
• 02/21 - Breast Cancer Marathon Relay 
• 02/28 - Gasparilla Marathon

PS - The photo of the day will be posted later to the 30 Days - February 2010 Flickr Set. I won't always post them to the blog too, so check there if you wan't to keep up with them daily.

2010 Goals and Preliminary Race Schedule

I can already feel that 2010 is going to be a great year. I have very lofty goals, yet I think they are attainable. After reviewing my data from 2009, here's what I've come up with to continue to challenge myself and keep things fun and interesting :)

2009 Goals Update

1. sub-30 5K - No - PR = 33:12
2. sub-70 10K - didn't run any 10Ks
3. sub- 2:35 Half Marathon - No
4. first Sprint Duathlon - YES!
5. first Marathon - training now for Feb 2010
6. (maybe) first Sprint Triathlon - YES!

2010 Goals

1. Complete at least 30 items from my 101 things in 1001 days list
2. Complete my first marathon!
3. Complete my first olympic triathlon
4. Complete the Tri 2010 dailymile challenge - run/bike/swin at least a total of 2010 miles in tri proportions: swim 60, bike 1568, run/walk 382
5. Do a long run of at least 6-10 miles each week during triathlon season (will increase starting in June when I begin training for my 2nd marathon -- WHAT?) This should give me a minimum of 12 - 18 miles per week.
6. Run/walk 700 miles (58/month; 14/week)
7. Bike 1750 miles (146/month; 34/week)
8. Swim 1 mile non-stop
9. Exercise 365 hours - this includes all sports and cross training (1 hour/day)
10. Run a 5K in under 30 minutes or at least a new PR
11. Run a 10K without walking
12. Run a 1/2 marathon in under 2:35 or at least at a new PR
13. Maintain my weight at under 125 lbs

Tentative 2010 Racing Schedule
(this is very tentative and will change, especially the triathlons or anything after May. Items in bold are confirmed.)

• 01/23 - 26 mile Marathon Training Run
• 02/06 - UCF Adventure Race
• 02/21 - Breast Cancer Marathon Relay (5 miles)
• 02/28 - Gasparilla Marathon
• 03/13 - Winter Park Road Race  Distance Dare (10K + 2 mile)
• 04/15 - Corporate 5K
• 05/08 - Muddy Buddy Orlando
• 06/19 - Heartland Triathlon
• 06/27 - Morton Plant Mease Triathlon
• 07/17 - Central Florida Tri Series #2
• 08/14 - Athletes Who Care Reverse Triathlon
• 09/12 - Florida Challenge Triathlon (olympic distance)
• 10/31 - Athens Classic Marathon (in Greece! I hope I can make this happen)
• 11/13 - Urban Dare Orlando
• 11/?? - Space Coast Half Marathon

So that's my plan for now. I'll adjust it as the year goes on and racing calendars are finalized at the various sites. If you have a suggestions for a not-to-be-missed race, or goal I overlooked, post it in the comments.

101 Things in 1001 Days

Running for 1 hour straight is the first thing I'm checking off my 101 Things in 1001 Days List. I planned to start tackling the list in the new year, but now this means it starts today, 12/13/2009, and ends on 09/02/2012.

• My list is now final, and you can view it at RTM: http://www.rememberthemilk.com/home/kitzzy/13317910/ (this link will give you access to other features, but it's a bit more cluttered. For a quick glance at the list, view the print version.

• I've already completed 3 of the tasks, and you can see them and details about them by clicking the "completed" link in the box to the right of the list or view the print version here.

• Select the checkbox to the left of any of the tasks and more details will appear in the box to the right of the list, such as tags and notes. 

• If you click on a tag, you can see a sub-set of all items on my list related to that tag.

• Items with an asterisk (*) are things I've done before but not in a long time or that I want to make sure to do again soon.

If you are doing this too, let me know in the comments and post a link to your list. I can't wait to read everyone's list and see your progress!

Marathon Training Begins

Today I officially started training for the Gasparilla Marathon on February 28. This will be the last year to run this marathon (they are replacing it with a 10k next year), so I hope I'm ready. I want to do this particular marathon as my first because 1) it is pirate themed and 2) they have a Marathon Maiden Voyage option:

Those taking their Marathon Maiden Voyage in Tampa will be issued a Special Marathon Maiden Voyage Race Number, and at the Gasparilla Marathon Finish Line, pirates will be waiting to present a Marathon Maiden Voyage Finisher’s Medal and ring the ship's bell to commemorate the crossing.

How cool is that!? And how cool is this medal?

I went for an amazing run this morning with the Galloway group--my first in months. We did 6 easy miles using 2:1 and I felt great. Next week it's the Trek Tri and that will suffice for my run, but the following week I run 10 miles. I haven't run that in a long time, so I'll take it slow and maybe drop down to 1:1 to ease back into it. I plan to continue biking and swimming for cross training, but will need to make running my focus to be ready for the marathon. My weekly training will probably consist of 2 bike to work days, 1 swim, 2 mid-week runs of 3-6 miles, and 1 long-run on Saturdays. I'll sprinkle other races in the mix to keep me motivated (and hopefully run a sub-30 5K), but I will have to hold back some in order to prepare for and recover from the long runs properly.

Here's my racing schedule (subject to change) until the Marathon:

• 09.06.09 - Trek Women Sprint Triathlon (1/2 mile swim - 12 mile bike - 3.1 run)
• 09.13.09 - Assault on Sugarloaf (31 mile bike ride on Clermont hills)
• 09.26.09 - Miracle Miles 15K
• 10.18.09 - U Can Finish 7 Mile Distance Dare (5 miler + 2 miler)
• 10.24.09 - Women's Tri Festival (Relay - Bike Leg - 12.4 miles)
• 11.15.09 - Founder's Day 10k (or 15K Distance Dare) OR Horrible Hundred (35 mile bike ride)
• 12.05.09 - OUC Half Marathon
• 02.21.10 - Breast Cancer Marathon Relay (5 or 6.2 miles)
• 02.28.10 - Gasparilla Marathon

July in Review

July was a great month. I managed to up my run millage a little bit. I was on track to run more than 40 miles, but then I hurt my foot and have not been able to run much (1-2 miles at a time) for the past 2 weeks. My cycling has been hindered a bit due to Florida fall weather, but I am finally getting back to commuting to work.

My swimming has exploded! I swam 13 times in July, compared to 5 in June, and almost 3 times the distance! I am getting more confident in the water, and I always look forward to my swim workouts. I'm swimming 3-4 times a week now, and loving every minute of it. After completing a sub-sprint tri, and conquering my fear of the open water at Lucky's Lake, I finally signed up for my first full sprint triathlon. I am already hooked :)

	July	June	May
run distance	33.65 miles	21.16 miles	43.64 miles
longest run	6 miles	3.75 miles	5.5 miles
avg run pace	12:54 min/mile	12:05 min/mile	11:56 min/mile
bike distance	190 miles	228.17 miles	161.86 miles
longest ride	45.45 miles	50 miles	21.2 miles
avg bike speed	12.1 mph	12.2 mph	13.6 mph
swim sessions	13	5	0
swim distance	9046 yards (5.14 mi)	2992 yds (1.7 mi)	0

Accomplishments in July

• 45.5 Miles Ride to Wekiva Springs 
• Enjoyed Running in the Rain
• 1st Sub-Sprint Triathlon
• Lucky's Lake 1000m Open Water Swim
• Registered for Trek Women Triathlon

Goals for August

• Faces of Courage Reverse Sprint Triathlon
• Celebration of Running 5K (maybe -- hoping to use this as a long run by running 2 miles there and back for a total of 7ish)
• Sprint Duathlon at Fall Tri Festival (maybe)

What Happened to the Wagon?

At the end of January of 2008, I realized how overweight I was -- I'm 5'2" and at the time weighed 152 pounds and wore size 12/14 pants. I didn't like what years of inactivity, seating in front of a computer, and unhealthy eating habits had done to my body, so I did something about it. I lost almost 30 pounds over nine months. By November 2008, I was at my lowest weight of 122.4 pounds. Even though that did not last for more than a day, I was under 125 for almost a month before the holiday season came and I began to slip.

Over the last 6 months, I've gained over 10 of those pounds back. As I slowly saw my weight creep up, I told myself I was just gaining muscle since I was very active--training to run a half marathon, biking 15 miles to work (one way), and training for a triathlon. I believe this was true for the first few pounds, since my size 2/4 clothes still fit comfortably. However, the more active I became, the more I let my healthy eating slip. We've been eating out a LOT lately, and I've even flexed on my "no fried food" rule. It's hard to say no to any food when you've just biked 45 miles or swam 1000 meters, but that is no excuse. This week, my size 2 clothes are uncomfortable, and I've hit the 135 lbs mark that I hoped to never see again. I refuse to go up a size in clothes (I wear size 4 from time to time, but I don't want to begin wearing size 6 again), so it's time to stop being delusional and do something about this.

Admitting you have a problem is the first step, so here I am admitting to the world that I've fallen off the wagon and slipped down the slippery slope a bit. I don't plan to see what's at the end of the slope. I intend to pick myself up before I slip further down this hill, and starting today begin making my way back to the wagon. I lost 30 pounds before, so I know I can lose 10 pounds with a little dedication, and a little help from my friends :)

I'll use this blog to post my goals, progress, and accomplishments every week, and ask that you help keep me accountable.

Current Stats:

• Height: 5'2"
• Starting Weight: 135 lbs (2/24/09)
• Current Weight: 135 lbs (2/24/09)
• BMI: 24.7
• Current Goal: 125 lbs
• Pounds to go: 10

Before Photo:

I can't believe I am posting this, but what the heck. I know I don't look that bad, but I'm not happy with the growing belly you see here. I don't really care that much about my actual weight, I just want to lose the extra fat and inches around my waist.

My Action Plan:

• Stop eating fried food -- the occasional french fry is ok, but a whole order is NOT.
• Limit eating out and processed food -- we're going to make a better attempt to plan ahead and cook most of our meals at home from scratch, with enough leftovers for lunch the next day.
• When I do eat out, make healthy choices -- sweet tomatoes, seafood, steamed vegetables, NO fried food, and split a meal with Jason or save 1/2 for lunch the next day.
• Limit sweets -- I'll only eat ice cream/sweets at the end of the day IF I've eaten all my fruit and vegetable servings.
• Eat 3 small meals a day, specially breakfast, with at least one healthy snack between meals (fruit, veggies, yogurt, nuts).
• Go grocery shopping regularly to keep fridge and office stocked with healthy snacks.
• Log everything I eat and my weight at TWYE and My Pyramid Plan Spreadsheet (I count servings instead of calories).
• Do at least 30 minutes of exercise a day -- this includes walking or yoga on rest days.
• Log all workouts at Dailymile.
• Set weekly goals to help me stay on track. 
• Post my progress on this blog once a week. 

Weekly Goals

• Meatless/Seafood Meals: 50% of main 3 meals/day (11/21) 
• Home Cooked Meals: 80% of main 3 meals/day (17/21) 
• Fruit/Veggies: 5 servings / day (35 servings) 
• Water: 64 oz / day (448 oz) 
• Follow Pyramid Plan: focus on fruits and veggies this week 
• Exercise: 30 mins / day - run 2x; bike 2x; swim 2x; yoga 2x

1st Triathlon Predictions

I can hardly believe that I will be participating in a triathlon tomorrow morning! Remember when I thought I wasn't a runner? Yeah, I though I was even less of a swimmer. Not only have I learned to swim with my head in the water in just 5 short weeks--and 13 swim sessions--I am actually enjoying it.

Tomorrow I will conquer my fear of open water! I am terrified, but I think I am finally more excited than scared =) My inaugural tri race is the Lake Louisa Sprint Tri #4: 1/4 mile swim, 7 mile bike, 1.5 mile run.

My main goals for this race are 1) don't drown :P  2) finish with a smile on my face ... in an upright position ... doing something that resembles a running motion =D I know I shouldn't have a time goal for my first tri, but it would be awesome if I could finish at or under 1 hour. This may be tight, but 1:05 - 1:10 is totally doable.

I think I stand a chance of meeting the 1 hour time goal, or coming real close, if 1) I don't completely freak out in the water, 2) if I can push hard on the bike, 3) but not too hard that I can't run. Here is the breakdown of how I see each leg playing out:

• swim: This is the leg that concerns me most, but I have a feeling (I'm hoping) the adrenaline will kick in, and I will surprise myself. Everyone says the lake is shallow and I can stand up, but I really want to try to swim as much as possible--even if "swimming" means doggy paddling   or rolling over on my back to catch my breath :) Once I exit the water, and the swim is behind me, I'll be on top of the world and the rest will come naturally. I'm allocating this leg 20 minutes--what I hope is a gross overestimation. 

• bike: I averaged 15.5 mph on the bike for 13.4 miles at the duathlon (after running 2.5 miles), so I am hoping I can push it to 16-17 for these 7 miles, especially since I won't have to slow down to round a corner every 1/2 a mile. This would mean 25-28 minutes on the bike.

• run: I'd like to run the entire 1.5 miles, but I may have to walk a bit if I push too hard on the bike. I'll just try to start slow and pick up the pace as I go. I think I can gut it out for such a short distance and just slow down instead of walking if I need to. My estimate for the run is 16-19 minutes.

So yeah, 1 hour will be really tight, especially once we throw in an additional 5 minutes for the transitions. No matter how it turns out, I'm going to give it my all and have fun!

Possible 2009 Race Schedule -- am I nuts?

Below is a list of the races I am considering for the rest of the year. Some of these may be too close together and will get scraped (or swapped for others), but I really want to do a 2nd duathlon and my 3rd half marathon before year's end. Am I crazy to try to do 3 multi-sport events with only 1 week between them?

Thoughts?

This is not set in stone at all, so if you have a recommendation for a better race, I may swap :)

• 7/18 - Lake Louisa Sub-Sprint Tri (registered)
• 8/8 - Faces of Courage Reverse Sprint Tri (registered)
• 8/22 - Sprint Du at Moss Park (Fall Tri Festival)
• 9/6 - Trek Women Tri (contingent of the results of Sat's OWS)
• 9/26 - Miracle Miles 15k
• 10/18 - UCF Distance Dare (5 + 2 miler)
• 10/24 - Women Tri or Du at Moss Park (doubtful)
• 11/14 - Orlando Urban Dare
• 11/15 - Founder's Day Distance Dare (10K + 5K)
• 11/26 - Turkey Trot 5k
• 11/29 - Space Coast Half Marathon
• 12/13 - Reindeer Run 5k

June in Review

As you can see from the stats below, compared to last month, I almost doubled my cycling. This resulted in me running half as much. I guess this makes sense since biking is substantially more prominent in triathlons than running, but I still need to find a better balance between the two. I need to begin building and maintain  a base of at least 1 6-mile long run per week in preparation for when I begin half marathon training in September. I also swam 5 times and I am starting to get more comfortable with swimming. So much so in fact, that I may try a triathlon with a 1/4 mile open water swim next month.

	June	May
run distance	21.16 miles	43.64 miles
longest run	3.75 miles	5.5 miles
avg run pace	12:05 min/mile	11:56 min/mile
bike distance	228.17 miles	161.86 miles
longest ride	50 miles	21.2 miles
avg bike speed	12.2 mph	13.6 mph
swim distance	2992 yds (1.7 mi)	0

Accomplishments in June

• Rode 50 miles in one day
• Finished 1st Duathlon
• Began swimming regularly
• Bought 2nd bike

Goals for July

• Maybe complete my first triathlon at Lake Louisa?

Duathlon Race Goals & Mental Dress Rehearsal

I picked up my bib this afternoon, got body marked, and took the guided course tour, which really helped put my mind at ease of where I need be when. With one less thing to think about, its time to make some predictions and do a mental rehearsal of the transitions.

Race Goals

• Finish! - Since this is my first duathlon (and multi-sport event) my main goal is to just get through it.
• Have fun and finish with a smile on my face! :)
• Finish strong and sprint across the finish line - this may be a bit harder than in the half marathon as I'll be exhausted from the bike and I don't feel I've had enough brick training, but I'll do my best.
• Finish in sub-2:15 - By all my conservative calculations, this is more than doable but I have no idea how long the transitions will truly take, or how much the heat will affect me.
• Finish in sub-2 hours - I would be thrilled if I can finish in under 2 hours. This also seems very doable if I can push as much as I intended to on the bike and my 2nd run doesn't suffer too much as a result of the exertion on the bike and the insane heat at 9 am, when I anticipate starting the 2nd run.
• Place in my Age Group - there are currently only 4 women registered in my age group, so it would be nice to at least beat one of them and place, but I am not holding my breath. This is my first multi-sport event after all.

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Mental Dress Rehearsal

Pre race

• Wake up at 5 am and eat breakfast: banana, bagel with peanut butter.
• Lube feet and other hot stops, and get dressed (don't forget heart rate monitor).
• Check tire pressure and contents of saddle bag, then load bikes on roof of car.
• Recheck pre-packed bags and checklist, then load bags and buckets into car.
• Drive to race no later than 6 am.

Setup Transition

• Rack bike, place water bottles on bike cages, and place helmet on bike seat.
• Place big bright towel next to bike w/bike shoes, camelbak, and snacks (and maybe a bucket to sit on).
• Verify watch is configured to use multi-sport mode and relevant alerts.
• Put on sunscreen and run gear: headband, hat, watch, spibelt w/BIB (and maybe sports means and phone), bike gloves (so I don't have to put them on during T1), sunglasses, wrist sweatband
• Grab 8 oz water bottle w/sweatband and bag of sport beans, turn on watch, then head to pre-race meeting.

Run 1

• Meet at start line at 7:15 am for pre-race announcements and eat a few sport beans with some water.
• Start watch when I start to run.
• Start slow and listen to my body: either run using 5:1 or just walk at the water stops (every mile).
• Eat some sport beans with water at each water stop.
• Try to average an 11-12 min/mile pace.

T1

• Press lap button as I enter transition, and switch watch to the bike mount.
• Put on helmet on top of hat, change shoes, and put on camelbak.
• Eat some sport beans or granola bar w/water as I walk bike to mount line.

Bike

• Press lap button as I leave transition and enter bike course.
• Push as hard as I can on the bike and try to maintain at least 14-15 mph average.
• Drink plenty of water throughout ride and listen to my body.

T2

• Press lap button as I enter transition, and switch watch to the wrist mount.
• Rack bike THEN remove helmet and camelbak.
• Change shoes and eat some sport beans w/water as I head out of transition.

Run 2

• Press lap button as I leave transition and enter run course.
• Start slow and try to run the whole thing, but take walk breaks as needed (either 5:1 or at each water stop).
• Eat sport beans w/water at each water stop or as needed.
• Try to average an 11-12 min/mile pace.
• Sprint to the finish!

I think I'm ready! Any last minute tips?