Workouts for Week 4

Lovin it. Fo sho.

Monday: Swim 1000 yds, bike 45 min
Tuesday: Swim 1500 yds (longest yet!), run 25 min
Wednesday: bike 45 min
Thursday:Swim 1250 yds, run 40 min
Friday: 30 min spin (optional)
Saturday: run 45 min
Sunday: Bike 60 min

***First week of classes***

Weeks 2/3

The last couple weeks have been busy, busy, busy! Aside from fitting in all my workouts I worked on a lot of wedding stuff, spent a couple weekends at Grandma and Grandpa's, made my way back up to Missoula and took a weekend class at the end of Week 3. I am convinced that things will be pretty crazy from now right up until August 15!

So, training:

Week 2 (seems so long ago now!)
After my very first swim workout (week 1) I set a goal for week 2 to complete all my swim workouts and make some serious progress with my swimming form. After the first swim this seemed like a goal that would be reachable but difficult. Turns out it wasn't too difficult...swimming is interesting. I've decided that being comfortable in the water is the most difficult obstacle to overcome and that just comes with time. By the end of week 2 I was very comfortable in the water and had my breathing down enough to concentrate on my strokes a little more. No more looking like a water polo player! Now that I could swim with my head completely under water and breathe well I asked Jim for some more tips. The main tips I worked on during week 2 were:

• Don't look straight down at the bottom of the pool, look ahead-this helped a lot becasue I think one reason I kept bringing my head out of the water was because I couldn't see where I was going and didn't like that


• My stroke with my left arm was good but the right arm slaps the water-I think because I breathe on my left side so I rotate well to the left but not enough to the right...still working on that a bit


• My legs kind of flail-hmmm...when I get tired my legs are definitely the first to quit doing what they should be


• My strokes cross my body and are too deep in the water-this was the last tip of week 2, kind of a hard one to correct


• Number one tip from Jim I get every day: RELAX

Anyway, swimming is going well and I'm starting to like it more and more everyday. Some days it is awesome and it seems like I just glide through the water so gracefully...other days it feels like I am dragging myself through the water instead (not so gracefully I'm sure). I think that will improve once I build up endurance-which is a process for sure.

Running and biking are still going well-no major issues to report which is a good thing. 60 minutes on a bike indoors is pretty killer though-I'm so ready for spring!

Week 3 was a recovery week so the workouts were basically the same as week one. The week went well and came at a great time because I left Billings for Missoula in the middle of the week. Lots of running around trying to finish things in Billings and then unpacking and getting back into school mode in Missoula, including a weekend class.

On Friday of week 3 I went to the Griz pool for the first time-the pool where the swim portion of the tri will be held. It was a little busier that I was used to at the Y, I had to share a lane which was new, but that's good because for the tri there will be 2-4 people per lane anyway. Better get used to it I guess and it will be good to get comfortable in that pool.

Wedding-wise I finalized the centerpiece designs I want for the round, banquet, and head tables and ordered/purchased everything I could to put the centerpieces together. One weekend in Big Timber we started cutting material for runners on the tablecloths and did some other random wedding things-grandma made an adorable ring bearer pillow, tied lots of ribbons for program fans, and have a pretty finalized guest list-finally! Save the dates can be expected in a couple months hopefully.

Sorry this post was so long-I'm going to try really hard to not have to fit 2 weeks into one post again. My bad.

P.S. It wouldn't be so boring either if Chels would tell me how to put pictures in my posts!

Week 1

Well my first week of training is officially complete and it went very well. My first swimming workout was definitely frustrating but I have improved since then with each swim and am very happy with my progress so far.

The first day I went to swim I was pretty nervous to say the least. I was pretty certain that I would be unable to complete the entire workout having not swam much since swim lessons when I was little. When I walked into the pool I became more nervous as I saw who was sitting in the lifeguard chair. The man sitting in the chair is named Jim and he helped me buy my new and awesome heart monitor. Jim has done triathlons for years so I didn't want to look like a fool. So I get in the pool and start swimming and I had barely even completed two laps and Jim is standing in front of my lane. "How far exactly is your swim?" he asked. I told him and he replied, "Well you have 14 weeks to learn how to swim with your head in the water then." I was pretty embaressed but I am actually really greatful that Jim was there-he helped me out and gave me some ideas to try. I just have a thing with water, I always have. I really don't like to have my head under water. I couldn't even snorkle in Hawaii! So, I was pretty frustrated with myself for most of my first swim workout but I am definitely beginning to get more comfortable in the water :)

The cycling and running workouts also went very well-legs a little sore by the end of the week but that's to be expected. Feels good! I'm excited for when I can bike and run outside though for sure.

Week 2:

Monday-Swim 1000 yds, Bike 45 min
Tuesday-Swim 1250 yds, Run 20 min
Wednesday-Bike 45 min
Thursday-Swim 1250 yds, Run 35 min
Friday-off
Saturday-Run 40 min
Sunday-Bike 60 min

Other than training, which was pretty consuming, I had a pretty good week. One big highlight was babysitting for some family friends (Amy and Keenan) with my mom. They have two adorable litle girls who I love and don't get to see as much as I'd like since I'm in Missoula. Anyway, they were a blast but the best part was definitely feeding Kenna (8 months) and rocking her to sleep. So precious. My mom and I went to Big Timber Saturday and Sunday to visit the grandparents and my mom, grandma, and I finished our wedding invitations! That was very exciting for me for sure. Cross that off the list!

Swimming is hard.

I have a lot of work to do. Swimming did not go so well yesterday but I know I can do it. I just have to learn how to swim from scratch. That can't be too hard, right?

Christmas "Break"

So far winter break has been anything but a "break." After returning from Tennessee I left the next day with my family for Vegas for Christmas. (Sooo glad I got to at least see Chels for 10 minutes at home before leaving for Vegas!) We were there for a week, one very busy week. The whole family came down for Christmas and we did plenty of my favorite things...namely shopping and eating! Also, the day after Christmas my sister and aunts threw a bridal shower for me that was perfect. We went to dinner at a great Mexican Restaurant and amazing dessert at another restaurant and played a few games. Apparently I don't know Chris as well as I thought-according to the ten pieces of the watermelon Bubblicious gum that I had to stuff in my mouth :) But seriously-the most played song in Chris's iTunes? Anyway, Christmas in Vegas was great. However, being the world traveler that I have become, after flying in from Vegas my mom, sister, and I left that same night to head to Spokane. The Gonzaga Women's basketball team was playing Tennesses the next day and my mom bought GU season tickets so we could watch Pat Summit coach. The trip was long for sure but mom was definitely in heaven. The day after the game we drove back to Billings and I am definitely glad to finally be home.

So, training...while in Vegas I ran in the mornings every other day but missed a couple days due to travel and the GU game. Now that I have been home I've been to the gym every day to build up my cardio and training officially starts tomorrow. I am very excited! Today my mom and I went shopping and I got 2 new swimsuits, swim cap, goggles, and a heart monitor. I am ready to go! The heart monitor is really cool. The main reason I bought it was to be sure I am working out within my aerobic heart rate zone. If I am working out too hard or not hard enough an alarm goes off to tell me. Pretty cool. *14 Weeks-Here we go!*

Week 1 Training:

Monday-Swim 1000 yds, bike 45 min.
Tuesday-Swim 1250 yds, run 20 min.
Wednesday-Bike 30 min.
Thursday-Swim 1000 yds, run 30 min.
Friday-off
Saturday-Run 35 min.
Sunday-Bike 45 min.