Last Day

Today was the last day to sign up for a few races before the fees go up. I've been debating for a few days about when / if I should sign up for a full marathon this fall. My MAIN goal for the year is to complete the REV3 70.3 at Cedar Point in September. So, I just signed up for two half marathons - The Spirit of Columbus Half on Aug 28 (two weeks before Cedar Point) and the Akron Half on Sept 25 (two weeks after Cedar Point.)
I'm still debating about the Columbus Marathon in October. I don't know when the fee for that race goes up. ?? I also don't know if my legs, knees, and / or hips can handle all that so close together.
In family news, we made reservations for a trip to Disney World in April. It will be the boys' first trip on an airplane and their first trip to Florida (and Disney!) We're all very excited! :-) I'll do my best to run and swim while we're there because my official half ironman training will have started before we go.

Last week's training:
Tues - bike 1 hr 30 min and run 1.5 miles
Wed - bike 1 hr and run 3 miles
Thur - off
Fri - off
Sat - bike 1 hr 50 min and swim 1200 yds
Sun - swim 1050 yds, bike 20 min, run 3.3 miles

Online workout log, weight, food, and workouts

I checked out a web site someone mentioned last week, and so far I really like it for keeping track of my triathlon workouts: www.ontri.com I enter in my distance / times, and it tells me totals for the week, month, and so on, and it computes calories burned (I entered in my height and weight.) Plus, it's free! And it will tell me what workout to do every day starting April 12. (5 months til Rev3 from that day.) I found it while looking for 1/2 ironman workout plans. I have a few plans already that I can play with and combine into one I like, but I just don't like how they say to "Run for 40 minutes" or "Run for 90 minutes." I rather be told how many miles to run. I think I'd feel more confidant that I'm running far enough that way. When it comes to race day, I need to be able to run ALL the miles, not just so many minutes!

Do any of you use ontri? What web sites or plans do you use for 1/2 ironman or full ironman training???

Now, my weight. It's not bad for this time of year, but it's not where I wanted to be yet. (The really low # on the scale from a few weeks ago only showed up that one time. Guess I was dehydrated.) I'm doing quite well on avoiding junk (except for the doughnuts my husband brought home last week.) I've also been doing really well with buying and preparing healthy meals and snacks. The problem is that I just can't stop snacking. It's healthy food, but I keep eating and eating it... fruit, whole wheat crackers, yogurt, cereal, cottage cheese, potatoes leftover from beef stew... I feel like the more I work out, the more I need to eat. But clearly that's not helping me lose the 10 lbs or so that I'd still like to see disappear.

My last workout report took me through Jan 4, so here's the update since then:

Jan 5 - 11
Tue - Run 6 miles and lift
Wed - Bike 1 hr 50 min.
Thur - 1700 yds, Run 2.5 miles, and lift
Fri - off
Sat - off
Sun - Run 3 miles, Snowshoe 4.3 miles
Mon - Swim 2000 yds

Jan 12-18
Tue - Bike 1 hr 16 min, Run 1.5 miles
Wed - Bike 1 hr 30 min
Thur - off
Fri - Run 3 miles
Sat - Bike 1 hr 50 min, Swim 1500 yds
Sun - Run 3 miles
Mon - off

Jan 19-25
Tue - Swim 2000 yds and lift
Wed - Run 5 miles and lift
Thur - Bike 1 hr 40 min
Fri - Run 4.25 miles and lift
Sat - Bike 1 hr 55 min, Swim 1250 yds
Sun - Run 4 miles
Mon - Swim 2000 yds

Progress

For the last week I have become used to seeing a nice new number on the scale in the morning. It's a number that makes me happy. So, you can imagine my delight when I saw an even lower number this morning. Then, my husband (of course) suggests weighing myself without my clothes. I figured, naaa, what difference would that make? BUT, after I thought about it and I was changing anyhow, I did it. AND saw a number I haven't seen in 5 years - not since the summer after having my second child. Yippie! Progress is a great motivator!

Along those same lines... Somehow it has ended up that I'm always doing my "back" lifting on days that I swim. (and I lift AFTER I swim.) Well, I've seen some good results from lifting, but the other day it was really good. I was running, so I started with my lifting, which was "back" that day. I was doing pull ups (on the machine with some 'weight' that helps lift you) and it was too easy where I usually set the weights. So, I took off 5 lbs. Still too easy. I took off 5 more. Wow! I even got through that set just fine. Yet again, progress is a great motivator! Now I just need to get back to where I can do pull ups with NO assistance!!!

A couple of days ago I added up my running mileage for the last week of Dec, the month of Dec, and for all of 2009. I'm happy to say I ran more miles in the last week of the year, than any other week of all of 2009! (the treadmill at home has been a life saver!) I also ran more miles in Dec of '09, than any other month of my LIFE - AND, more miles in all of 2009 than any other year of my life. :-) I know I don't run as far as most of the runners I know, but I'm proud of myself for the improvements I've made.

I'm now officially signed up for 3 races this year: the Cleveland 10K, the Greater Cleveland Triathlon - Olympic distance, and the Rev3Tri 70.3 at Cedar Point. I also just renewed my CTC and USAT memberships for 2010. I hope this year is my best one yet. :-)

2010 is officially here, and so is the SNOW. Thankfully, I now have a new treadmill in my basement to go along with my bike on the trainer. Now I can do duathlons without ever leaving the house, which is great for these very snowy days. We've also inherited a Bowflex machine, so I can even do some lifting here at home. :-)
Eating better as of Dec 26 has been so-so. I haven't had any REALLY bad days, but I have had too many little junk food snacks that I said I wasn't going to eat AT ALL. (like leftover peanut butter fondue and angel food cake.) So, I still need to do better there. I've been buying even more fresh fruit and veges and doing a good job with my meals, now I just have to make sure no more junk food comes into the house!
I've been working out like crazy lately, which has thankfully been enough to get my weight down a few pounds, but of course I'm not where I want to be yet. I'm not worried though, I still have a few months to get there and stay there.

For anyone interested here's a round up of late Nov through now:

Nov 27 - Dec 4
Fri - Bike 31 min
Sat - Run 5.4 miles
Sun - Bike 45 min
Mon - Swim 2000 yds and run 3 miles
Tue - Bike 50 min and Lift
Wed - Run 4 miles and Lift
Thur - Bike 40 min, Run 1 mile, and Lift

Dec 4 - 10
Fri - Swim 1500 yds and Run 3 miles
Sat - Bike 1 hr and 23 min
Sun - off
Mon - Run 5 miles and Lift
Tue - Swim 2000 yds and Lift
Wed - Bike 1 hr and 12 min
Thur - Run 5 miles and Lift

Dec 11 - 17
Fri - Swim 1250 yds and Run 2 miles
Sat - Bike 1 hr and 31 min
Sun - Bike 42 min
Mon - Run 5 miles and Lift
Tue - Swim 1250, Run 1 mile, and Lift
Wed - Run 5 miles
Thur - Bike 30 min and Lift

Dec 18 - 24
Fri - off
Sat - Bike 2 hours and Swim 500 yds
Sun - Run 5.5 miles
Mon - Run 3 miles
Tue - Swim 2000 yds and Lift
Wed - Bike 60 min and Lift
Thurs - Run 3 miles

Dec 25 - 31
Fri - off
Sat - Bike 1 hr and 57 min and Swim ~1500 yds
Sun - Run 6 miles
Mon - Bike 30 min and Run 1 mile
Tue - Swim 1500 yds, Run 2.5 miles, and Lift
Wed - Bike 60 min, Run 1 mile, and Lift
Thur - Run 5 miles and Lift

Jan 1 - today
Fri - Run 3.1 miles
Sat - Lift
Sun - Bike 60 min
Mon - Swim 1600 yds and Lift

The more I can post on here about my eating, my weight and my workouts, the more accountable I think I'll be.
I need motivation to keep working hard. Having others know my goals and what I've really been doing should help me do that.