SparkPeople

I haven't been here in a while, mostly because I lost momentum. I think I will start posting here again soon but in the meantime you can catch up with me at SparkPeople. 

I went on a search to find a way to plan meals so I could follow The Runner's Diet and I found SparkPeople. 

It is awesome because the nutritional goals are based on my fitness goals which is great.  I've lost 8 lbs since I signed up and the best part is it is FREE! 

DailyMile is still my #1 place to post my workouts but I am loving the Nutrition Tracker at SparkPeople. 

I also love my SparkPage and I have been posting to the blog daily.  I am using it more as a food tracker and I will use this site for race reports, and anything else I decide but until I make more progress on my weight loss you can follow my blog at SparkPeople. 

Applefest Run to the Edge Scenic 5K Race Report

This is my Applefest Scenic Run to the Edge 5K Race Report!  Yea, yea, the race was Sept 18^th but I’m just finding the energy to write it now.  In fact, I just viewed the results to this race published Monday online so in my defense I waited to get the official race times to write my report.  I have many things I’d like to report and I will get to them eventually but it’s just about time I write this one so here I go. 

I can’t believe it was three weeks ago.  It seems so much longer!  As I’ve reported before, since I ran the Ragnar Relay Great River and maybe before, I was having over training issues and I was in physical therapy for a “damaged” left leg.  The pain just seemed to migrate from one part of my leg to another but just as I was finally feeling better, on Sept 9^th I pulled “something” in my left calf.

I ran the Morrie Miller 5K on Sept. 11^th then a week later I ran this one.  I actually was sick for this one.  I spent an entire day in bed on Sept 17^th as I explained in my post SOWL Challenge #9 Get Back on Track.  So for this race, I would be happy to just finish. 

Cycling in Bluff Country

We are fortunate enough to live in one of the most gorgeous areas with miles and miles of country roads to cycle just outside our door.  We have some of the best hill climbing for cycling in the country.  We live in bluff country in south eastern Minnesota where nature abounds.  We have the privilege of riding some of the best roads both in Minnesota and Wisconsin for cycling. 

County Road 21 Winona, MN

Fall is upon us and soon we will have to bring in our bikes for the winter.  Since I have been concentrating on running I have not gotten out there as much as I would have liked this season and I have sincerely missed my bike.  

County Road 21 Winona, MN

These are some pictures from last nights ride. It was an amazingly warm 76 degrees when we set out.  We had to take advantage of the gorgeous fall weather before it is gone for the season.   I amazingly rode up CR 21 without stopping, straight up!! I have learned some tricks if the going gets tough but I was able to just ride it without stopping and without most of the tricks.  So excited!

Me! Excited I made it up the hill so strong!

I am amazed I even have climbing legs.  I am convinced it is all the running that carried me up that hill.  It isn’t a huge bluff, it is about 1.2 miles to the top but it is all up.  There are many more challenging bluffs but I haven’t been hill climbing since May so I wasn’t ready to take anything more plus this ride is one of our best, most versatile rides.  Once we get to the top we have 3 or 4 choices on how we go home.  This ride was an 18 mile ride.  We chose the shortest since the sun was setting fast. 

County Road 21 Winona, MN

I have a goal to get 100 miles in before the end of the season, before the bike comes in and sits on the trainer for the winter, but I hope to get more.  I can run all winter, I can swim all winter but cycling is a seasonal sport.  True, some people ride all winter long but that takes very expensive gear and special tires and we have plenty to keep us busy without winter cycling so until the weather dips below 50 we are going to get the miles in every chance we can get. 

Tri-Curious

Can you see what's on my mind?  I found this Beginner Swim Workout for people like me who haven't been lap swimming in a long time.  I have done some lap swimming in the past couple years as part of a fitness workout but never with any regularity.  It has been since high school that I've done any kind of actual lap swim workouts. 

I like this plan, I am convinced that the 400m endurance workout is going to knock me out the first time.  Maybe even for a whole week. 

I'm planning on 3x a week, switching between endurance and form workouts and swapping for a speed every 2-3 weeks.  So endurance, form, endurance then endurance, form, speed every 2-3 weeks.  I think I found a plan I can work with until I am ready to move beyond the 1200m distance.  

I think the pool is a 25 yd length.  I don't think it is a metered pool.  I'm not sure about the one at the University where they do the masters swim workouts.  I might eventually join masters but not until I can graduate the pre-beginners workouts.   

Morrie Miller 5K Race Report

After finishing the Morrie Miller 5K Race

I don’t know how I keep doing this but I managed to damage my calf on the Thursday before the race doing absolutely nothing.  I was rushing between activities to get ready for Yoga and pop! I could feel something in my left calf let go.  Then it felt loose and I couldn’t put pressure on it…just lovely.  

Just a day before, my first pre-race run was a two mile run on Wednesday which went quite well.  I wish I had more training before the race but I’m recovering from injury, I’m glad I got out there and had a good run.

For this race, I was just determined to finish even if I had to walk.  I had somehow encouraged Mr. Man to get back out there. He was training for this one so I was doing it; this race was for him.  His previous PR was 24:31 and he was determined to try to beat it.  He had let work get in the way of health and taking care of him and it was my influence that pushed him to make the active lifestyle a priority again. 

2011 Events

Polar Dash 10K, January 1, 2011, 1:22:07,
13:14 pace

New Years Resolution 5 Mile, January 8, 2011, 1:00:57,
12:11 pace

Cabin Fever Dash 5K, February 5, 2011 32:50,
10:35 pace

Valentine's Heart Throb 5 Mile, February 12, 2011 55:06,
11:01 pace

Get Lucky Triple 7K, March 19, 2011

Fools Five 8K, April 11, 2011

Root River Triathlon, May 21, 2011

Minneapolis Half Marathon, June 5, 2011

Trinona Triathlon, June 12, 2011

Grandma's Marathon, June 18, 2011

Catfish Days 10K, July 10, 2011

Cardinal Man Sprint Triathlon, July 16, 2011

Ragnar Relay Great River, August 19-20, 2011

Minneapolis Duathalon, August 28, 2011

Morrie Miller 5K, Sept 10, 2011

Applefest Run to the Edge Scenic 5K, Sept 17, 2011

TC 10 Mile, October 2, 2011

Autumn Woods 10K, October 8, 2011

Warrior Waddle 5K, October 15, 2011

Wisconsin Dells Half Marathon, October 23, 2011

Minneapolis Monster Dash Half Marathon, October 29, 2011

Chicago Monster Dash Half Marathon, October 30, 2011

Hot Chocolate 15K, November 5, 2011

Rails to Trails Half Marathon, November 6, 2011

Turkey Trot 5K, November 19, 2011

Jingle Bell Run 5 Mile, December, 2011

2010 Events

Catfish Days 10K, July 11, 2010, 78:58.0
12:44 min/mile

Ragnar Relay Great River, August 20-21, 2010
Team: Better Than Bond Girls
Overall Place: 277/286
Start Time: 7 a.m.
Total Time: 33:33:28
Team Average Pace: 10:30

Morrie Miller 5K, September 11, 2010, 36:22.0
11:44 min/mile

Run 2 the Edge 5K, September 18, 2010, 40:00.0
12:54 min/mile

Autumn Woods Classic 10K, October 9, 2010, 1:14:20
 11:59 min/mile

Warrior Waddle 5K, October 16, 2010, 35:45.0
11:32 min/mile

Monster Dash 1/2 Marathon, October 30,2010, 2:34:20
11:41 min/mile

Rails to Trails 1/2 Marathon, November 7, 2010, 2:48:46.3
12:47 min/mile

Turkey Trot 5K, November 20, 2010, 35:27.10
11:26 min/mile

Jingle Bell Run 5 Mile, December 4, 2010, 1:09:44
13:56 pace

Rotary Lights 5K, December 12, 2010, 37:48
12:11 pace

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