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!!

Weekend of Coaches

This Past weekend John and I headed down to Washington DC. We actually left Thursday night. The car was packed with more workout gear than anything else.  3 Bags of workout clothes, 2 Bikes and 1 Boston Terrier! Since My brother Mike and Sister Michele live next door to eachother we will take turns staying at a diff house during each visit. This trip we stayed with Michele and Travis. I don't think Mike minds to be honest!!

This is how the weekend went...

FRIDAY-
7am arrive at CYCLELIFE for RMR Testing (Resting Metabolic Rate). This test I had to fast for, which I was not happy about but I wanted the most accurate results so I was hungry!
Josh Frick, Director of Fit Services did this test. The results showed that if I were to do nothing all day my body burns 1267 calories! I can afford to eat more food if I want...awesome.

8am still at shop and with Josh, it was time for my bike fit. The TT (time trial) bike I have now used to be a road bike that my brother Mike and Travis converted into a TT bike about 5 years ago. Being so petitie and at the time that the bike was assembled there wasn't much to offer a smaller rider in terms of equiptment, without spending $10,000. So they did a great job with what they had, and it was up to Josh to get it even better. He took video of my position on the bike and later superimposed it on top of the new position, and boy was is night ad day. I essentially used to ride like superman, which is not good. Now I have proper form and feel really fast. Pat and my brother Mike did a great job of putting the new compenents on my bike, making it clean and super fast looking, thanks guys!

Sometime in between i met with Colin Shah, he as a new coach at CycleLife and worked with me on some of my weight lifting routine. He also informed me on how inflexible I am...awesome. Looks like I will start taking some Yoga classes. He also arranged for me to work with his swimming coach on sunday..more on that later.

11am with the bike fit done it was now time for me to meet with Eric Sorensen, Director of the Athletic Performance Department and Triathlon Coach. First he performed the body fat test. I sat in this machine called the Bod Pod. Its done in a series of three tests and they take the average. I weighed in at 108 lbs with a BMI (body mass index) of 13.3%. This was great news. That is a great BMI for a female athlete. Once that was done it was time for the last test, my VO2 max. This will test the oxegyn output, and how efficient my body is. I ride on my bike with a mask attached to my face and it measures my oxygen intake and carbon dioxide output, in addition to a heart rate monitor measuring my heart. Eric increases the resisitance on the bike but i have to keep the wattage going, otherwise I won't be able to peddal. The test was hard and brother stopped working to come up and watch (he works there too!) John and arrived at this point as well. I didn't do as well as I would have like and it would have been a good idea to tell Eric about my existing oxygen intake problem..ie i don't take in that much..genetics. I learned from this test that I burn more carbon dioxide than i take in oxygen. which is not good. this means I have to be very aware of how much food i'm eating...which means i need to always be eating when i workout..lucky for me I already did that.

Sat slept in and then rode for 30 miles followed by a 6 mile run. Then off to Ikea for wedding stuff and hanging out with the girls. We had an awesome dinner at Micheles, cooked by both Michele and Alycia, chicken enchilada with a tomitilla sauce, fresh quac and chips!

Sun 10am meeting with the swim coach of AU, Mark. He took vidoe above water and underwater so we could watch my form. After watching the video i learned that my kick is good, but my left stroke is bad. He showed me a ton of great drills to work on to improve this. He was great.

I am exhausted from the weekend, defiently not relaxing, but super educational. 

I just want to say my biggest THANK YOU's to EVERYONE at CycleLife. As Travis says "you rolled out the red carpet for me". It was such a great oppertunity to have this done, I learned soo much and couldn't be more greatful. If you are ever in Washington D.C. you HAVE to go to CycleLife. This shop will change your life and the staff there is the real deal. 

CycleLife

3255 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007
202.333.8883

 I have to run, but will be back with more about this week.

Week 6 and mor fun to come

It seems like the older you get the less time you have. The weeks, days, years are flying by.

Over the weekend I turned a big 28. I don't feel any different or the sudden urge of "omg i'm almost 30 and i'm not married or having babies." There is alot of pressure on woman to have kids, a husband and a home before the age of 30. For me, I have the pressure of getting to Kona before the age of 30... I like my way better!!

I am so excited to get married, but John and I are in no rush to have kids together yet, the house would be our next step. But let's get back on focus, training.

By Sunday after a packed week I was done. The festivities started Friday night with Pat, Helena, John and I for sushi and Gelato. YUM! Saturday I changed my run from 4 miles to 10 miles. The weather was amazing and Helena and I miss running with each other. Sat afternoon, My sisters from DC arrived and we headed to my Godmothers for a big Post-Christmas/Surprise wedding/birthday party. Lots of food, family and Fun. We couldn't end the night if we didn't stay up to watch the Colts game. Sunday we did lots of wedding stuff and after my sisters went back to DC i still had to swim and ride.

Let's just say I was in bed at 8:30 sunday night. TIRED would be an understatement.

This week is as follows.

MON- Off
TUE- Turbo Sprints on Bike
WED-Swim 1200 yards
THUR- Upper body/core weights
FRI- Run and Testing
SAT- Swim
Sun - Bike & Run

This Friday John and will be in DC. Thanks to my brother-in-law Travis and his awesome staff at CycleLife USA they are doing all sorts of tests on me to see my wattage output, VO2max, lactatte threshold, body fat..etc and so much more. I will be sure to take lots of pictures of crazy things straped to my face and me sitting in the BodPod machine.

If your ever in DC check out CycleLife USA, it's an amazing bike shop/fittness center.

www.cyclelifeusa.com

have an awesome week.

Where does the time go

Today is the 5th week into my training. Somehow last week came and went before I knew it.

My week last week was pretty crazy. Early morning workouts, Swim test in the pool which I aced, work, too much wedding stuff and a great run in the FREEZING cold with my favorite running partner Helena.

This week poses the same craziness. I think from here until the wedding it will be crazy every week....awesome!

Workout at a glance:
Mon: OFF
Tue: Run
Wed: Swim and Weights
Thur: Bike (wind sprints)
Fri: Weights
Sat: Swim, Bike and MY BIRTHDAY!!!!
Sun: Run

I feel like the training has been going well. I am not hating the lifting as much. I am finally comfortable with using the free weights and don't feel so awkward using them. I probably still look like a dork though! I can feel a difference in my swim stroke from the lifting I have been doing which is always rewarding. And the best news of all is that I don't look like a body builder. That has been a big fear of mine lifting weights. I'm already very muscular and I didn't want to get bigger muscles, just stronger. It's important that when I walk down the isle that John sees a woman and not a sheeman!

I'm looking forward to the weekends festivities. Friday night John and I are going out for sushi with my Brother Pat and sister-in-law Helena. YUM!
Saturday is a big party at my Godmothers and my sister Michele and sister-in-law Alycia will be coming up from D.C. Lots of family, fun, food...and of course training.!

Next weekend is another packed weekend, I will tell you about that in a few days when I have more of the details hammered out.

Talk to you all soon.