Mid week progress update

It is only half way through the week but I wanted to update some of my workouts so I don't get too behind :-) It's been a great 3 days!

Monday

-Elliptical 30 minutes

-pushups/abs/planks

I was exhausted from the weekend workouts so I took it easy :-)

 

Tuesday

-Ran 4 mile route from work
-walk .25 then started watch
-ran 1 mile, walked .25
-ran 1 mile, walked .25
-ran 1 mile, stopped watch
-walked .25
= ran 3 miles, walked 1 mile
+arm workout with weights

It has been gorgeous weather this week (as always). Tuesday was a good run and back to a four mile route I had done a lot last year. Legs still tired but a bit over 10 minute miles for the three! It is about 200 ft of elevation gain, which happens in the first mile - so that was a bit slower, but still had a 10:21 pace :-) Wore the brace and ankle and leg muscles are feeling strong! No real problems with the hip either. (Side note: One of the dogs is dreaming and whimpering - its great)

 Wednesday
Lots of biking!
-7.5 mile course during work to Cherry Creek (CC) State Park and around
-abs/planks/pushups
-5 mile ride to downtown (to meet AA for ice cream)
-4.65 mile ride home (more direct I guess)
=17+ miles today :-)

I really enjoyed the ride to CC Park - the road from work to get there has a designated bike lane, which is great. I got a little lost (as you can see) so I didn't end up on the path I wanted till a little later. My goal is to eventually make it all the way around the lake! For now though, I wanted to scout it out and see what its like! The way there is great - and downhill :-)

 Then I got to do the route downtown again! It was a beautiful day for a ride. I left around 6:30 so there were lots of commuters. Again - a designated bike lane until I got to the Cherry Creek trail (which actually leads to the park above in the opposite direction). I was contemplating just taking the light rail home but I was feeling good - and got new lights for the bike!
So great bike day!

Tomorrow I am hoping to do the same run as Tuesday. Friday is up in the air. I am probably biking downtown after work. I might bike to PT from the light rail in the morning so I don't have to drive. We shall see though!

New Bike!!!

Even though it has only been a few days since the last post there is lots to update on!

Saturday
Aaron and I headed up to Bicycle Village in Boulder to check out the big sale! Bikes were advertised as 25-60% off. I knew the price point of the other bike I had my eye on at REI, so was thinking if I could get a bike with better components for a cheaper price, it was a good deal! Especially with lifetime maintenance. Aaron tried to teach me a few basics on bike buying. The big things to look at are the components. There are a few companies, but most of the ones I've seen are Shimano. Within Shimano there is a hierarchy of the components, so you can easily compare bikes based on the components, etc. 

So in Boulder, there was a huge tent outside with tons of bike styles! It was sort of whatever was on show was what was left - so you might like a bike, but it may not have your frame size. After checking out what they had, we found two bikes that seemed to fit the bill (and luckily had my frame size). Someone from the store helped us out and let us know what he thought the differences were and which was better. Luckily, we looked online what he said - because he told us the wrong thing! He said the more expensive bike had better components (which would make sense), but actually the bike I ended up getting was $150 cheaper with better componenets. The MSRP was within $30 of each other, but I think it is because I got the 2010 version versus the 2011. The bike I ended up getting is the FUJI ABSOLUTE 1.0. It has Shimano 105 (versus Tiagra on the other bike, and Alivio at REI) components, aluminum frame and disc brakes. They did a quick tune up and as we headed back to Denver as I was itching to get out! I must thank my Aunt Molly for the amazing birthday present! It is a 'special' gift because some may say she was convinced under duress - but that is another story :-) Before tax the big was $800 and the MSRP was about $1250!

Aaron and I decided to ride our bikes to the Hunger Games (which we had tickets for). I hadn't ridden downtown since we moved, so I was anxious to see how the ride felt! It ended up only taking 25 minutes and was about five miles! I forgot to wear my watch, but I have some from today's rides :-) I can't tell you how great the bike felt to ride! It is 80x better than my current bike and just felt very fluid. The is pretty much a road bike but with a hybrid twist. The small tires felt great and I it makes me more excited for the race now that I have some proper gear! So Saturday we got in 10 miles on the bike :-) (Also - Hunger Games was great!)

 

 

  
Sunday
Got a great nights rest and was up at 8:30 ready for the day! My hip hasn't hurt at all and I have been trying to do the stretches which must be helping. My ankle is also holding up well with PT and strengthening it. I wore my brace today and it felt good. AA (and Scarlet) and I were off to Wash Park for a run before it got too warm out! The course I ran this time (run to Wash, one loop, run home) was 4.5 miles. I ran 3.5 miles of it! Below is breakout:

Run 1 mile, walk .25

Repeat 2X

Run .5 miles, walk .25

= Run 3.5 miles, walk 1 mile

=Total time: 51:38 - pace of 11:29

I was extremely happy with how I felt! I didn't have the heart rate monitor on so I can't tell the exact splits with running/walking but my first mile was 10:21 and from the charts you can see my pace hovered right around 10 minutes per mile the whole time :-) I am hoping to run again Tues/Thursday of this week. Weather looks promising for outside runs too!

But that isn't it! Aaron and I had an orientation for volunteering for the NCAA in Denver for the Women's Final Four next weekend so we decided to bike that downtown as well! We pretty much took the same route as on Saturday but came home through Wash Park for part of it after the Cherry Creek trail home. The park (where we also ran this morning) was SO CROWDED! Not in a bad way! The outside running path at Wash Park is about 2.6 miles and the whole inside is grassy areas, 2 lakes, a rec center, play grounds, and an inner loop that is paved for bikers, etc. The fields in the center have hundreds of volleyball nets that people set up each day, lots of cook outs, picnics, etc. It was great to see as a random weekend in March :-) It seemed like it should have been Memorial Day! So today we did another 10 miles. The way there (slightly downhill - was a pace of 4:30) and the way home was a pace of 4:58 (slightly uphill). Needless to say I am tired after a great weekend of activities!

So a great weekend - new bike, riding bike, running, no injuries, beautiful weather :-) 20 miles already on the new bike and a great run too!
 

Small setback but big strides!

Well last Thursday (March 15th) I went for a great run outside at work! I did the 3.2 loop - 1 mile run, .25 walk; repeat; .7 mile run = 2.7 miles running, .5 walking - very pleased! That was the 3rd run of the week and had 2 good bike rides at work so I didn't work out on Friday or Saturday. Then Sunday I woke up with a horrible pain in my hip!! It was the outside part of my left hip (same as bad ankle) almost seemed to be the part where hip connects to leg! All Sunday and Monday I was limping. I was so upset since I didn't know what it was and had been over two days since my last workout. I took some ibuprofen and iced it. I tried running Monday just incase it miraculously went away...but after 1/2 mile I couldn't run any more! I dropped to PT once a week (Fridays) so I had a while before I was going to see the doctor. I continued to ice it throughout the week. I continued to bike/elliptical and even got in a swim on Tuesday night (which didn't hurt at all). Fast forward to this morning at PT - after some movements to see where the stress was coming from, the doctor said the pain seemed to come from my socket as my hip moved inwards. He showed me some stretches to do for the hip flexor and wasn't too alarmed. This was the first time it has happened and was hopefully it was just because I am getting back in to things. It has felt 10x better and I was able to run yesterday! My first mile was actually sub 10 minutes! I had to double check my watch :-) The rest of the run felt great too and finished a minute faster than the previous two runs!

I was also very excited to get back to the pool this week! There was only one spot open (fast lane) so I decided to go for it. I ended up doing 36 lengths and a third person didn't ask to join. I felt out of place, but so much more confident than the first time I was in the fast lane. Lap swim starts at 6:30 and I think I got in the pool around 6:40? It seemed more clear at 7. I think I either need to be there right at 6:30 or wait until 7 to go!

Today was actually a great workout day too. I had PT at 6:30am, and while I only do a 10 minute elliptical workout, I know my ankle is strengthening. I then dropped my car off for an oil change and decided to bring my bike so I wouldn't have to wait around. It was only 2 miles - but they count! I had a great bike during lunch at the gym at work. I decided to stand up and pedal for the really hard hill in the middle of my course, at level 13, for over 3 minutes! That ride ended up being almost 7 miles (30 minutes). Plus 2 more miles back to get my car and a mile each way to Wash Park to meet my friend Dolan for dinner = 13 miles! One mile past what I'll need for the biking section of the tri :-) My car said it was 80 today, (76 officially) so it was nice hang out at Wash Park for a bit!

Tomorrow will be a rest day! 5 days in a row, I am tired! BUTTT big news is that I am hoping to get my bike tomorrow! I shared the Marin I have my eye on at REI. There is also a bike sale at Bicycle Village in Boulder tomorrow that I want to go to. If I find something better I'll do that - free maintenance for life! Otherwise I'll go for the Marin, I am really excited! I already ordered a U bike lock and new bike lights to go on it :-)

Waiting for AA to get home from work :-) Tomorrow we are having breakfast with our friends Matt and Casey and Baby O and hopefully up to Boulder! Then Hunger Games at 7! We already have our tickets too :-) The weekend weather is in the mid 70s, can't get enough! Hopefully a Sunday morning run and then riding the (new?) bike up to a volunteer meeting in the old neighborhood! Might be 30 minute ride or so?

I never put up a picture of my new shoes (which are great)
Saucony Triump 9. They are still feeling great! I would add a picture of the run, but it's the same route :-) I'll have to see if I can overlay two runs and compare my paces! That'd be really fun in a few months!

Last bit of news - all signed up for the Bolder Boulder! I think I may have already shared this. But it is a 10k over Memorial Day weekend. I just found out this morning my Uncle James is going to be joining Aaron and I to run it! It will be great - he was a big inspiration for my running as he went to barely being able to walking a mile - to having completed 4 marathons to this point (and one under 4 hours to reach his goal)! It took a long time of hardwork and determination but it showed me that anyone can get up and run. You  may have to start out walking, and walking, and walking more. But eventually that walk turns to a jog, jog to a run and then a longer run :-) We got to run his last visit last May in Wash Park (I think I only made it 3 miles!) so this will be great to do!  

Ok maybe one chart! My pace! I would say it is pretty consistent - you can see the two dips where I walk. The one at the end is waiting for the traffic light :-) I think around the middle is where I hit the hill but it doesn't change too too much.

 

Back to running feels great :-)

I got to run outside at work today! It was amazing. It was in the mid 60s when I ran at about 10:30am - you couldn't ask for better weather at the end of March. I was all geared up - Native sunglasses, ankle brace, garmin forerunner watch, new sneaks!

My runs over the past 2 weeks or so have been going well so doctor gave me the green light to keep trying. On Sunday I had done 5 min walk/8 min jog intervals for 38 min. Today I decided to bump it up to 5 min walk and 10 min jog. I walked to the start of the course outside work and ran the first mile (10:17 pace!) and then walked out till I hit 15 minutes (.3 miles). I ran the next mile (including hill!) and only walked out .2 so I could ran the last leg (.7) back to work. My ankle felt great 'synched' up by the brace and with high socks I didn't get a blister like last time!  No pain while I was running - feels a little weak now, but that is OK to have. I did my band exercises in the gym after and I definitely felt that! It was 3.2 miles and I finished in 36:30 :-)

I just downloaded some views from my run today

 The route goes through a little park and then loops back on the side walks - but I only have to cross the DTC Blvd street which is awesome!

 Maybe it is just because I love to analyze things...but I think it is neat! You can see for the first mile my pace (blue) is pretty steady. I think at .2 miles I had to wait to cross the street! My pace increases as I walk from 1 mile to 1.3. Then you can see my pace stays fairly steady at the big hill! I gain a bit of momentum and you can see my walk again from 2.3 to 2.5

I couldn't have asked for a nicer day to run outside! 

Aaron and I also got out on Sunday and ran to Wash Park! Same as last one - but it was also a beautiful day, and I love when we are able to do that (semi-together!). 

After today's run I got excited it wasn't causing too much pain - so I signed up for the Bolder Boulder 10K over Memorial Day weekend! I am really excited :-) Aaron is running it as well!

REI dividends came out today so I will probably go get a bike soon! I took my current (from high school) out and rode to meet Kelsey for lunch - I got/had a flat tire! I guess now is a good time to learn how to fix it :-)

Aaron made me a 'welcome back' playlist which I just downloaded to my iPod and am sampling now. I can't wait to listen to it on Thursday. I need to get creative for my run since I also have a doctors appointment with the orthopedic guy - maybe I can go in a bit earlier so I can take 2 breaks during the day. It is supposed to be another great day so I want to run during the day :-)

Time to go do my band stretches!

I worked on cleaning my old apartment the past two nights - so I am hoping next week I can finally get back to swimming :-) Hartford Jen wants to do some of the 5k pub runs that start in a few weeks - so that will be good too!
 

Quick update - more detail tomorrow

I've been off the grid for a bit! Doesn't mean training has stopped though.
Aaron and I moved in to a new apartment last week so it has been crazy busy! Swimming has NOT happened :-( I am hoping to do that again next week.

Physical therapy has been going great. Two times a week before work. I like the exercises and it's nice to really be focusing on strengthening my weak ankle and muscles!
PT doctor (Rob) gave me green light for 'trial' run over the weekend. AA and I went around new neighborhood (which is amazing). I did 5 minutes of walking, then 5 of jogging and repeated two additional times. 2.4 miles in 30 min. It felt GREAT to get back out! No problems running in new sneakers or othodics! (Pic of new shoe tomorrow!)

I have still been getting in bike/elliptical at work. Yesterday's bike I was tired - I'm guessing from move and first run!
Today I had jury duty! I wasn't selected so I got to enjoy the 70 degree weather and do walk/jog intervals over to Wash park! Its the coolest park and amazing for running. I love its only one mile away now! Did 3.16 miles in 40 min. Love the watch for mileage. It didn't connect to my computer though so I haven't downloaded stats.

I am super excited to at least be jogging. Can't overdo it though! I have been doing band exercises two times a day and started icing today too. As long as I do well over the next few weeks I'm hoping I can still run the Bolder Boulder 10k over Memorial Day. Good training for tri - before the tri!

REI dividends come out this month so I'm  aiming to use that towards the new bike!
The 70 weather was amazing - snow forecasted tomorrow - gotta lover Colorado!!! I gotta check out bike route from new house to work - it'd be beat to do that some days rather than light rail!!!