Another Blizzard :(

It feels good to be training, and even better to ride outside. Over the weekend I was lucky enough to ride on PAVEMENT…so exciting. John and I met up with some friends to ride the hills in Bucks County. I loved every minute of it. In addition to a great weekend of working out I also got a ton of wedding stuff done. It is officially less than 3 months to go! I can’t wait.

This week is another crazy week. My training schedule looks like this.

Mon- Rest Day

Tue- Run (Intervals…love it)

Wed- Upper Body Weights and Core

Thur- Swim

Fri- Bike

Sat- Brick (Bike 35 mile and Run 8 miles)

Sun- Swim 1700 yards.

We are expected to get another snow storm starting tonight and ending Friday. The area where I live, north of the city is expected to get the most snow… lucky me! I am hoping the roads are nice and clean come Saturday so I can ride outside.

I also have been sick since last Wednesday, which is not fun. But this time I ended up taking antibiotics and am feeling much better. It does make it interesting swimming when your all congested. I think the travel to NY and body just been over worked caused for a low immune system. I am also pretty bad about talking vitamins, but I am making a bigger effort to do that.

My new favorite Vitamin Drink is Emergen-C Pink Lemonade Flavor. It is a mix you put into water, and it’s packed with 24 nutrients, antioxidants, electrolytes and 7 B vitamins. It’s filled with lots of good stuff while tasting yummy.

John and I are also taking Jordan to go look for his wedding suit this weekend, he is going to be so handsome looking, can’t wait.

Brides, Bodies and Bostons!!

Recovery week is over and I'm back into the swing of things with my training...boy am I happy about that. As much as I enjoyed the sleeping in, I missed the working out. I love the feel of a good hard workout.

This past weekend was a whirlwind of fun. It started on the train in Trenton where I met my sister Michele who traveled up from DC. We reached Penn Station, NY a little after noon, walked across the street to our hotel and quickly checked in (thanks to Michele's mad skills). The lobby of the Hotel Pennsylvania looked the an airport terminal.

The Westminster Dog show preliminary competition was this past weekend and our hotel was the host hotel, which meant...dogs everywhere. Michele and I were in heaven. Our Aunt Pixie and Aunt Maggie met us at the hotel before we jumped in a cab and headed to the Village where my appointment at JCrew was. At the time of the fitting I owned 2 wedding dresses, the same one just different sizes. With all the training I was doing I lost weight and needed something smaller. The dress fit great, just needed a few alterations. My Aunt Pixie works at the Lion King show on Broadway and her boss, Keld, was kind enough to do my alterations. So after a great lunch at John's Pizza in the Village, we headed to the Lion King for the actual fitting. We got to see the behind the scenes of the show, costumes, puppets and the best part was that we almost got taken out by a hyena running to her cue on stage!!

The rest of the weekend was filled with a crime scene on the subway, dinner in little Italy and shopping. I am exhausted and need a full day to catch up on my sleep!

This week starts the third phase of my training. This is the Aerobic Stage, 6 weeks long.

Mon- Swim
Tue- Weights
Wed- Bike
Thur- Run
Fri- Off
Sat- Swim & Bike
Sun- Run

I can't wait for the sun to come out and melt all this snow...we got more last night! I am ready for spring, ready to ride my bike outside and ready to BBQ!!!

blizzards, snowmen, poweroutage and more

 

  

  

 

So this blizzard that I had mentioned on Monday, it hit and it hit big and bad.

I lived in Havertown, PA until the summer of '89, when I was 7yeats old. I remember sledding, and jumping in big piles of leaves and lots of things at my grandparents house, but the rest I visit in Photographs. I have no memory of building a snowman or building a fort out of snow, or even having a snowball fight. I know it all happened, but I just don't remember.

Yesterday, I worked from home. It's hard working from home with all the distractions...dog, fiance, snow... you get the picture. First thing wednesday morning I built a snowman. it was great. Did some work. Built a snow fort while John went for a mountain bike ride and then had a snowball fight with some of the kids in our complex. Then back to work.

We lost power during Jeopardy last night... I love Jeopardy and it was the college edition so I'm guaranteed to get a lot of anwsers right!! I still had to take a shower, which I did in the dark and was lucky that there was still hot water. The storm hit us really bad north of Philadelphia where John and I live, the snow was up to my hip is some places.

I dug my car out late last night, I was bored, John went to bed so I did physical labor which I'm regretting now. My back aches and biceps are sore...guess I don't need to go to the gym! I had to go into work today and my coworker Sam was kind enough to take me in, I wasn't comfortable driving on the snow/icy roads.

I took yesterday off training, and will resume today and tomorrow. It's a good thing I was on a rest week when the storm hit. I leave Sat morning for NY with my sister Michele. We are taking the train to NY for my dress fitting. I can't wait. The wedding is 99 days away!!! It's almost here, which means Alycia's and Michele and Cara's (friend who is also having a baby) babies will be coming and of course.... THE IRONMAN. So excited for everything.

Thank you everyone for your support in this blizzard and throughout the training. Another storm is headed for us on Monday, lets hope it doesn't come. I don't know where they will put all the snow.

Winter Wonderland!!

 

  

 

The big Blizzard hit this weekend. The storm came from the south and when I spoke with my sister in DC on friday it had already started snowing there on friday late morning. They really got the brunt of the storm, but we still got alot. 24 inches is what the report was in Langhorne where John and I live. It is pretty to look at and play in but hard to train in, but we still managed.

Friday- Since I had a double workout and I wasn't sure when the snow was coming, I went to the gym before work. The gym was extra packed, I think everyone had the same idea that I did. We were able to leave work a little early on friday to get home, but still no sign of snow. It didn't start for us until late late friday night.

Saturday- woke up around 10 and the snow was there!!! It was still coming down...hard and fast. I woke up not feeling well with a pretty bad headache. I laid around for most of the morning, rode the trainer for a bit before John and I attempted to go sledding...Attempted is the key word. We got to the sledding hill with our sleds to find out that they don't go down the hill...so much for that. Since I was itching to be outside I deceided to go for a run. John had already ridden his mountain bike for 3 hrs today and I was really Jealous, He came with me on my 5k run. so sweet!!

Sunday-Got up early to hit the gym for my swim then home to ride the trainer. My swim was great. Just a continuous 15 min. I loved that. The bike was not so great, just boring. I can't wait to get on the road. After the workouts John and I did some wedding stuff and then took a nap. I still had that headache from sat that never went away and no it wasn't a hangover! I think it was coffee withdraw! We were having John's younger brother Dave over for the superbowl so instead of ordering out I thought to make all the favorite football foods. Homemade onion rings, homemade buffalo chicken tenders and chicken and bean nachos. My house now smells like a grease ball which is awful. I felt so gross cooking everything that I made a salad to eat instead!! The food did come out good though, I don't think I will be cooking that ever again!!

This week- ACTIVE RECOVERY!!! Great week for me!


Since we are getting another snow storm tomorrow I have to move my workouts around and double up.


Mon- Run & Core
Tue- Bike
Wed- Moved to monday, day of snow storm
Thur- Swim
Fri- Run
Sat- Off
Sun- Off

This weekend my sister Michele and I are going to NYC for my Wedding Dress Fitting!!!!! I am so excited. We are meeting my Aunt Pixie and Aunt Maggie up there. More details later!

enjoy your week, I know I will.

The big EPIPHANY!!!

Last night, when I was walking Puma I had an epiphany.  I know I have said before that I don’t feel like I’m training, that I’m not working out enough and that I should be doing more.

I know this sounds crazy. I’m working out 6 days a week. I sweat, get my heart rate up, have sore arms and legs and do it again the next day. But yet, I still don’t think I’m doing enough. I’m worried that in less than 30 weeks I’m not going to be ready for the Ironman.

So what’s the problem. I finally put to and to together and it is…

The NORTHEAST and The WINTER……big shock!

So I’ve been in Philadelphia for 4 years going on 5 this May. When I moved up here I was still bike racing. I soon stopped that because I could not handle the cold weather, so I tried running. I really took to that and my body was able to handle the cold better running than the bike. Marathon training was easy, I could run in pretty much anything. I loved it.

With the Ironman training it’s hard. Since the training has started I am in the gym or on the bike trainer in my living room 5 out of the 6 days I’m working out.

I AM GOING STIR CRAZY!! I feel like I need a heat lamp to stair in to take the depression away and restore my bodies vitamin D. Do they have that for indoor training?

As I write this, another snowstorm is heading our way. Looks like my weekend plans to ride my newly set-up time trial bike OUTSIDE has vanished. So I’m preparing myself mentally for my 3 hr training ride indoors. Instead of watching my favorite Thursday night TV shows, I’m saving them for my ride. It’s gonna rock. I hope to that I can get to the gym to swim so I don’t have to do laps in my bath tub!

If anyone has any connections with the weather God, can you please ask him/her to get warm soon, I don’t care what that stupid groundhog says about the winter being longer. I’m having faith that the warm air is coming soon.

Enjoy the sun for me mom and dad and send the heat my way:)

Congrats and Throwbacks

 

FIRST SPRINT TRI (9th in novice)

2nd SPRINT TRI (3rd in age group) (sister michele is holding sign)

  

8th grade track and field!!

Junior Varsity Cheerleading (my dad loved me cheering..NOT)

Last week came and went just as fast as the week before. Workouts were great. Feel like my stroke is really coming along which makes me happy. Saturday was a big workout for me.

2150 yards in the pool followed by a 3 hr bike ride. John and I had planned to ride with his dads club in NJ, but since the temps would be 0 degrees when we would be waking up we changed our plans. I was going to suck it up and ride the trainer. After my swim at the pool I headed straight home and got on my bike. I had tons of shows recorded so I was able to get caught up!

Did I mention I rode the trainer for 3hrs!!! Just checking.

On to a new week...WEEK 8 of training

This is the last week of Phase 1, next week is a recovery week:)

Mon- Rest
Tue- Bike (1hr)
Wed- Lower Body weights & Core
Thur- Swim (1550 yards)
Fri- Upper body weights & Run
Sat- Swim & Bike (easy swim followed by 3hr on bike)
Sun- Trail Run

If you haven't heard me before say how supportive my family is then let me just say...my family rocks. I was going through some photos and came across a few of the tri's I did back in 2001&2002. Man I had some bad hair! I'm starting to look at plans for the Ironman, travel, sleeping arrangements and seeing which family members would like to come. My sister Michele was planning on coming which made me so excited, but it made me even more excited when she told me she was having a BABY!!!! Since she is due in August she won't be able to come but will be their in spirit.

My brother Mike and his wife Alycia are also having a baby if I didn't mention that either. They are having a girl, Izabella Ellen Esmonde.....SO EXCITING!!

Congrats to everyone.

On a training note I think everything is going along great. I still feel like I'm not doing that much since it's spread out over many days, and I miss my long runs, but I know I just have to be patient because the big workouts are to come.

Life is good though..really good! Enjoy the pictures and please don't judge any of us for the bad hair!!