Thursday, August 22, 2013

Soon!

I believe I ran my first sprint triathlon almost 3 weeks ago!  I also believe I just did something REALLY crazy (yesterday).  Where are my blog posts about it, you may be asking??  My work is just really crazy and so is life with training for a marathon(s)...I haven't had time to blog lately! I'm so sorry and thanks to everyone that responded on my last post that I may not have replied to! 

I hope to have my triathlon recap up within the next...maybe...4 days (??)...  And maybe a post about the crazy thing that I did (that some of my run group friends already know about). 

Until then, bear with me and I try to figure out this crazy thing I call life!  Have a good weekend everyone!

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Go BIG or Go Home!

Hey there guys!  Sorry about not posting anything lately.  CRAZY busy at work right now (until the middle of September).  I did compete in and finish the Naperville Triathlon this past Sunday!  I plan on doing a recap but haven't gotten a chance to get it together yet. I had a great time though!  I'll get it by next week, I promise!

Earlier this year, my marathon goals were this: complete 2 fall marathons about a month apart.  I already signed up for the Fox Valley Marathon on September 22nd! In fact, I signed up for that in January.  But with the series of shoulder dislocations, etc, I decided to wait until later in the year to decide what my 2nd fall marathon would be, depending on how I felt, how my shoulder was doing... 

While waiting to decide, I debated on not even doing a 2nd fall marathon and just sticking to Fox Valley and call it a year.  I'm tired, stressed, lots of shoulder dislocations.  I thought maybe after Fox Valley, I would just have shoulder surgery.  But I will tell you, thinking about not doing a 2nd marathon was bothering me a bit. It's never fun when you make a goal and decide not to try to accomplish it.

My friend Julie had signed up for Fox Valley Marathon (9/22), Chicago Marathon (10/13), and the Chicago Lakefront 50/50 (doing the 50k, 11/2).  She's insane.  She mentioned she thought I should skip the 2nd marathon in late October and do the 50k with her (obvi!).  I said earlier in the year that I am 100% certain I never want to do anything longer than 26.2 miles.

While walking on lunch yesterday, I thought to myself that I have done a lot of "firsts" this year...Ragnar, Sprint Triathlon... I swear I thought there was more??  Anyway, I came to the conclusion on lunch that I was going to sign up for the 50k instead of the 2nd marathon.  Why?  Eh...why not?  Go big or go home, right! 

I just decided that I didn't know what the future would hold or when/if I will have surgery on my shoulder so I figured I might as well finish the year off BIG!  I will already be trained.  If I did it next year, I'd have to retrain.  It's only 5 miles more than a marathon I was going to do anyway if I did the 2nd marathon.  Might as well. 

Julie was super excited I signed up for it. She was worried that she would be doing it alone.  We are planning to do the whole thing together, not for time, just to finish.  Julie and I train together on a regular basis and we are the same pace (pretty much exactly), so I think this is a good plan.

Have you done any ultra marathons?  Is it on your bucket list? 

Thursday, August 1, 2013

July in Review

Figured I better get right to my "July in Review" before it's the middle of the month, like when I did my "June in Review."


JULY IN REVIEW

Total Run Miles: 101.65
Total Bike Miles: 48.75 miles (plus 4 spin classes)
Total Swim Distance: 0 meters


My June was so crazy busy with new acitivies but my July...not so much.  But I needed to start getting serious about marathon training so I needed to stop having fun screwing around and start logging those miles. 

I did make it over 100 miles for the month (barely).  I know I skipped some weekly runs or didn't run the full mileage some days during the week but I've tried to get much better about getting most of my runs in.  I did some speed work, some hills, and continued on with my personal training for some core and strength training workouts.  The weather was hot for a while and that made it miserable but I did notice a huge improvement in my running when the weather cooled off recently and I had to get in my 15 miler!  Felt so good. Now if that could happen on marathon day, that'd be great! 

Bike miles...these have been decreasing slightly but it's just because my running got into some serious marathon training.  I've been trying to ride on Sunday's but after my long run Saturdays...I only ride my bike between 10-13 miles and I'm spent.

Swim distance...well after I dislocated my shoulder yet AGAIN while rafting at the end of June/beginning of July, I wanted it to heal as much as it could.  I've been meaning to hop into the pool the last week or so but never managed. I wanted to "test" out my shoulder for my upcoming triathlon but, well, it's in a few days so does it really matter at this point?

That's my big news!  I have my first sprint triathlon this coming Sunday!  It's the Naperville Triathlon and I'm super excited and pretty nervous. Yes, I think I'll have a lot of fun.  Yes, I'll be cursing during the run at the end.  Ahhhh, can't wait!

Last news (yes, this is a short post, but I wanted to update you all on everything), I had a sick doggy recently. My dog lives with my parents (when I moved out, I moved to an apartment and therefore, couldn't take my dog with me. I now live in a house but have cats and my dog has remained with my parents).  My parents got home on Tuesday late afternoon and found my dog laying on the floor with vomit all over herself and in every room. She couldn't walk and my parents thought she had a stroke.  They rushed her over to the vet where I met up with them.  My dog is 14 years old and I thought this was going to be her last day.  We thought she was going to die.  In fact, I thought she would die or they would put her down before I got to the vet.  I was hysterical on the train but trying to maintain composure. 

Long story short, after tests and blood work, they said my dog most likely had Vestibular Disease, which is an inner ear problem.  Since it affects the inner ear, it causes dizziness and nausea.  They said that most people think the dog has had a stroke and the scene is usually horrific.  Luckily they said that she should get better within 2-4 weeks.  (P.S. If it wasn't that, they said a brain tumor in which case she'd get worse...we hoped for the first thing, which is what the doctors really seemed to think it was).  They gave her a lot of fluid because she was so dehydrated from vomiting (about 0.5 liters).

It was rough going and we are only on the 3rd day but she is slowly improving.  She wasn't eating for 2 days but the doctors suggested making chicken and white rice.  My mom did and she lapped that right up!  She loved it because we NEVER give her people food!  She is still stumbling and falling and dizzy but it seems to slowly be getting better.  I can't believe what a miracle that was for us and her.  I love my dog!