Okay, it's training time again.

Here is my promise to myself.

Last year, I took time off after my last triathlon to allow my neck more time to heal and ended up fighting my way back into some modicum of being 'in shape.'

This time, I won't allow the same thing to happen. I have reached a point with my cycling that I am averaging 14mph on a solo ride. I can probably handle faster with a paceline. Climbing still hurts, but it has gotten better.

I have formulated a training plan for me, my sister and my hubby. We are planning to run a 5k together in november. For me, there will be walking involved as well, we will only be halfway through the training plan. Hubby used to be a runner and I believe will return to running quicker than Krista and I. We'll see though. I am excited to see what happens.

Until then, let's go. Time to train and time to have some fun.

Kara

Today

Heck Yeah!!!! Today was an awesome training day. And I mean AWESOME!!!!!

I jogged over the weekend i the rain. My pacing is horrible. I haven't been much of a runner since middle school. That's a long time ago. But now I am making an honest and legitimate attempt to improve my running and pacing. Right now I am at a 1:1 which for those of you who don't train it means I run/jog for 1 minute, then walk for a minute. it helps me control my breathing and my pacing. I am having the same issue with my Tib Ant on my right leg again. When I started training last year, I had problems with my tib ant. getting fatigued and then not being able to control my toe. It caused me to wreck during a tri last year.... ON THE FLIPPIN' RUN!!!! How the heck does that happen, aside from tripping on your own two darn feet.

The race crew chased me for a little bit after the fall to check and make sure I was okay. I told them to leave me alone... (I was more embarrassed than anything.) I usually use a t-band to work it and get a little more strength and get it used to being fatigued.

So today as I said was AWESOME!! As some of you know I've been fighting fatigue and exhaustion. I got the results back from my testing and there is no MS. I have slowly gotten back into work, doing massage, and training for my triathlon. I am in a bit behind in my training for my half-ironman bike, but I seem to be building my base back fairly quickly. I am running and cycling. My swimming is behind after giving up my gym membership. No pool available. I hope I can recover that quickly as well. So back to today.... again. I got home from my mom's tonight, got the squirt settled with her movie and went for a walk/jog. Finished 1.5 miles in 25 minutes or so. Cooked a nice healthy dinner, chicken in the frying pan with some EVOO and steamed carrots. NICE!! after taking the time to get the squirt down for bed, I set the bike back up on the trainer and went for a spin with intervals. I need more work on doing longer intervals, but that will come. Like I said nice training day. 30 minutes on the bike, 25 minutes on the run for the second run of the day.

I have a BIG bike ride on saturday, It's the spring fling in Durham. Come and join us if you can. The Spiritual Spinners will be riding in Colors. Look for Rainbow tye dye and our awesome wings on the back.

Streak over

I made it to 10 days on the streak, but following the weekend in Savannah, I really had a hard timr recovering. I had to take a couple of days off to get the mind and body right. Today was a 10 mile bike ride, against the wind. Winds are 16-21 mph with gusts even harder.

We had a great ride, despite the wind and I was even growling at the wind. The last time I faced headwinds that were similar were during my first MS150. Hurricane Ophelia was inbound at New Bern and we had 18-25 mph winds with gusts up to 40mph. Yikes. I went 45 miles that dad and had to quit due to cramps in my legs. I felt horrible that I quit when so many others couldn't even ride or walk due to their MS.

This year I am doing two MS events. Walk MS and MS Bike in September. I ride and walk for my mom and have ridden for her since 2005. This year she is walking in the MS walk with my friends team. Team Endure. My friend Jen started the team 5 yrs ago and this is my first year and mom's first year walking with Endure.

If you would like to be my valentine and support me for the walk, please do. Visit my walk page and donate. Even if it is only a couple of dollars, every little bit helps.

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/KPrater

Movin' right along

I figured my favorite muppet song as a kid was appropriate for today's title.

I am now 4/4 on my streak and 2/2 for february.

Today, I just didn't have it for a bike ride. So, rather than push my legs harder and burn myself out early, I decided to go for a little yoga. My legs now feel like a limp noodle or stringy stretched out rubber bands. I am now remembering the feeling I had early in my training last season... after a two hour training session, I saw the yoga class forming and decided to give it a go. Normally after that long and hard of a workout, I would have been sore for days. I got up the next morning and moved along just fine. No soreness or stiffness. I enjoyed that feeling and the exhilaration of the post-yoga workout.. stretch. I am not one to stretch, but I like this. The other thing I noticed tonight was the burn in between my shoulder blades. That is where my pt was getting me to work to help with my neck. Maybe I should do the yoga more often. What do you think??

Let me know.

Okay, I'm Back

After an emotional couple of weeks and illness, I am finally back in the swing of things.

I did a one hour walk yesterday and felt the muscles this morning from trying to maintain my balance on soggy, uneven torturous ground covered by snow. Even more fraught with dangers. You don't know what's under the snow... including holes and branches that could roll an ankle. I felt my inner thighs, groins, back and quad muscles.

Today I decided it was time to get back up off my FAT ASS and move. I got up, put Ironman in the dvd player, turned it on, climbed on the bike and did intervals.

I found a great thing on iTunes, which is also available online. It's at www.cadencerevolution.com

Each week they upload alternative music, with a 10 minute warmup, about 40 minutes of cardio paced music, and then 8-10 minutes of cool down music. I did the first workout with it today and it helped a lot.

Here we go again.

Well, today I went back to work for the first time in two months and did two massages.........

AND I FEEL GREAT!!!!

When I went back in October and tried to go back to work, I did two massages and was wrecked for about two weeks after. I couldn't move. I think I have found the trick, but I won't reveal for the fact it might backfire on me.

Monday begins my triathlon training season, I think I am in a good position for it. So far this is how my schedule looks for the triathlon season.

May 2, 2009 or May 9, 2009 White Lake half-ironman. I am doing this as part of a relay. Jen F is swimming (1.2 miles), I am cycling (56 miles) and a gentleman from our gym is doing the run (half-marathon.) WOOHOO, my first ironman type event, even though I am relaying it.

May 23, 2009 Skirtchaser 5k - - Women start in a catch me wave, 3 minutes later, here come the guys in the skirtchaser wave. Mitch and I are both planning on doing it. His only requirement is catch me and then stay with me. I suck at running, but a friend of mine runs marathons, and she is going to help me train for my running. I need the help.

June 28, 2009 Smile Train triathlon - - Benefitting the Smile train. Helping kids with cleft lip and cleft pallate in countries where the parents can't afford the surgery.

September 11, 12 - - MS150 in New Bern, NC Benefitting the National MS Society, ENC chapter.

October 11, 2009 - - Ramblin' Rose women's only triathlon - this will be my second year racing in it. I hope to improve my time, but most of all, enjoy myself.

I am hoping to do well, have fun most importantly and go from there. I want to lose a little weight and tone up the body.

So, Here we go again. Let me know what you think of the schedule.

Here we go again

It is amazing how short your off-season is, when you decide to do an Olympic distance triathlon. I have decided to step it up this year and do One Olympic distance and two sprints. All of them benefit a charity of some sort...but the only one I know for sure is the smile train. A friend of mine runs the one here and I wanted to do it this year...but the neck and time precluded me from doing it. I am also doing the Ramblin' Rose again...Which benefits Girls On The Run. Neat charity...google it and check them out.

So....any suggestions in the southeast for a decent, but not killer Oly. I am considering the Nautica in Miami as I have a friend who lives down there and I could combine the trip.

Kara

Back from Vacation

Okay, sorry for the long layoff, if I actually have any readers. Hubby and I headed to Ohio with ML for a week long vacation. We hadn't spent a week with his parents in Ohio since 2002. We make frequent trips up and back, but, we haven't spent a week in 6 years. I was able to get in a couple of training sessions on the bike on the trainer while we were there.

I got in a total of 55 minutes on the trainer in two sessions. Considering we had plans on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday I was still able to get some seat time in. I actually got some interval training in. Friday night was 25 minutes of interval training on the trainer, then tuesday was 30 minutes on the trainer for more intervals. I think I scared the MIL when I came back in on tuesday. I did the training mid-day in Ohio with some serious humidity and NO FAN!! I was dripping wet and had left a puddle in the garage. My FIL just got the hose out and hosed the sweat off the garage floor.

BTW, We also played 3 games over 4.5 hours for a bit of cross-training. I remembered on Sunday why I liked playing softball. It was a lot of fun and playing with our friends that we miss and don't get to see all that often.

K~

Training and Tour de France

two days worth of training. I wish I could get better about posting and keeping track for you all, but I do the best I can.

Yesterday I did 25 minutes on the bicycle on the trainer. Had to stop sooner due to chain issues. I have been having issues with my chain since I got a tuneup in April before my triathlon. I had to get cables replaced, I guess it has to do with the wear of the new cables and the fact that they stretch. It's still frustrating when you are cruising along and having a great ride and all of a sudden you are dropping gears and not able continue your pace and normal shifts.

Today was pickup soccer for 1:15 hrs. I was worn out and exhausted and then had an eye migraine on top of it, by the time I made it the 3 miles to my parent's house, I had lost probably 1/3 of the vision in my right eye. I hate it when i get them, but I was able to get some excedrin in my system and sleep for an hour to try to knock it out. I woke up and for some reason, still had the aura, I thought I was going to vomit, but fortunately, I did not.

Two training days post

Wednesday was not an official training day, but what I did was to do some bareback horseback riding. It was a smaller horse, but a type of pack horse. So, even though it was a short his, it was a strong horse. Thankfully. Bareback is a wonderful exercise for your inner thighs...LADIES!!! I would love to do it more.

Today (Thursday) was pool day. I got in 700 yards in the pool, mostly freestyle, but I also spent a 100 working on my backstroke and my breaststroke. I probably need to spend more time on my breast stroke seeing as I with my last triathlon I had an asthma attack in the pool. I ended up slowly breast stroking the whole pool. THAT SUCKED!!! Tomorrow I plan to do at least 14 miles on the bike if not more.

K~

Training

Okay,
So, I have been a little slack. I am back to training, Last night was jogging and lifting.

1 mile in 16:24 and then leg press, leg curls and extensions.

So, on the jog. I haven't been able to jog in quite a long time due to 3 knee surgeries and a broken leg with a steel plate. It took me 6 months to get where I am in jogging. That's saying a lot. I am up to jogging 2 minutes and walking one minute. I am getting better each week, my right knee is allowing me to jog, thanks to my physical therapist. I had to go through physical therapy earlier this year after having been diagnosed with chondromalacia of the patella. That plus a week quadriceps had my patella tracking incorrectly and causing me pain. After strengthening my leg back up, I noticed one other issue that was residual from my broken leg and subsequent repair. I have some slight nerve damage that remains even 7 yrs later. If you touch a spot on my lower leg, I get tingles on my big toe. Weird feeling. Well, when I was training for my first tri and trying to run, I'd make it about 1/3 mile in jogging and walking and my toe would start to drop. Then I would have to lift my right leg higher to compensate for the toe. It made things very difficult. All of a sudden, I am able to jog and walk without issue, the toe drop has resolved itself. Now I am able to work on my cardio and since the first of June, I have been able to go from a jog/walk of 1/1 to 2/1. I plan to be able to run my tri in October the full two miles. I'm Looking forward to that.

Back to Training

Okay, so I have been incredibly lazy.

I have also been sick. So starting tomorrow, I am back on track. The MS150 is coming up in September, my next Tri is in October. I have done some cycling and some jogging, but no swimming in quite a while. I am working my training plan from my favorite site, http://www.beginnertriathlete.com They are amazing. You can build your plan and tweak it from one of their basic plans. I used a basic plan to start for my first tri and now I will build from that to go on for my October Tri with a heavy bike load. I need a heavier bike load with the MS150 a month before. I may be doing a tri the week before as part of a relay. It is a club(gym) challenge. We'll see if I get a team. I want to do the bike, but if I can't get a team, I won't do it. I won't do a full tri, sprint or not, the week before the MS150.

In previous summers I have devoted the whole summer to training for the MS150 and nothing else. This year has been different, I have already done several rides, hosted a ride, done a triathlon, lots of training and lost 26 lbs. I have already had quite a year. I will take a week off to go to Ohio for vacation in July. I won't even take the bicycle as I have in years past, but I will probably jog. Taking 3 pairs of tennis shoes. My running shoes and two pairs to kick around in.

Todays training

So today was a relatively easy training day. This week was my first week back to training after the triathlon. Earlier this week I hit the pool and had a good pool workout, I rode for 10 miles last night and today was the jog. I am NOT a runner, haven't been since my freshman year in high school. My first knee injury at an indoor track meet. I went one way, my knee went another. I gave up track at that point. I was never going to be a track star. My max distance was 800 meters. Last I heard, I was still 2nd on the record board at my middle school 2 min, 53 sec. 25 hundredths.

Now, I jogged 3/4 mile today and it took me 15 minutes, but I had the dog with me and he pooped and I dropped my iPod twice and had to drop the dog off because he was killing me. He kept wanting to stop and smell the roses, which would jerk me backwards. So, included in that 15 minute time is probably 2-3 minutes of dead time scooping poop and picking up my iPod, putting the dog in the backyard and letting him in the back door.

Now here is the interesting thing. 6 yrs ago, when I thought I was in decent shape, I had a friend in town who stayed here and she wanted to go jog, (pre-kiddo time for me.) I couldn't even do a full lap at a jog. I quit. I watched her and my hubby run it and make several laps, feeling like an abject failure and knowing that I would likely never be able to run again. Today, for me to do 3/4 mile and do if fairly consistently, if not slowly, gave me a sense of accomplishment. I couldn't do that last year, I couldn't do that 6 yrs ago. Now, 5 months into training for sprint triathlons, I CAN!!!!

I am considering doing a triathlon in Wake Forest June 29. I hope to improve on my 2hrs 7 minutes, which shouldn't be hard considering it's shorter in the pool and I know more what to expect. I am doing a 5k on June 7 which I was given a slot through my gym's triathlon club. Not bad. I am becoming quite the multi-sporter.

Here it is.

I had some complaints about me posting about my triathlon training and the actual race on my other blog, so I have created my new blog. I hope to inspire others to get off the couch or transition as I have from a single sport to a multi-sport athlete. I haven't used the term athlete in terms of me in such a long time. I was an athlete in high school and college, even after college, I could still say I was an athlete, I played softball 3-4 days a week, I could run and fitness was not an issue. I was an anaerobic athlete. I was a fast-twitch athlete, every sport I ever played was a fast-twitch sport. Even my swimming was fast-twitch, I was a sprinter.

So, my first triathlon was on May 10. It was a horrible disaster. I had trained the swim for 5 months, hit the water and had an asthma attack. I spent the swim breaststroking, getting passed, but I hung in there...then there is the bike. I went out of my comfort zone and went to the western portion of the state where there are more hills and more severe hills. I tried not to burn myself on the bike, but every time I thought about the time lost in the pool (more than 3 minutes) I caught myself ramping up my cadence. By the time I got off the bike, my hamstrings were screaming. I couldn't have run if I tried. So, I walked a majority of run, I was finally able to jog the final quarter mile. I finished in a jog. I don't think I could have done anymore than that.

When bringing all things into consideration, I really did a great job for my first triathlon. I plan to purchase a wetsuit for the swims, depending on the water temp. I have started jogging more around the neighborhood to try to get better at my jog/run. I think this is something I can do. I used to run, but after 3 knee surgeries, can I still do it. We shall see.