JANUARY TOTALS

Run: 47 miles

Swim: 8 miles (14,080 yards)

Bike/spin: 6 rides, 5.25 hours

Yoga/Pilates: 3 classes (3 hours)

Strength: 4 hours

Ab work: 3 x week (12 workouts), up to 125 of the 200 situp challenge.

One thing that has helped me be more consistent is the 2009 challenge at my gym for swim, bike, run for the year: swim 50 miles; spin/bike: 75 rides; run/walk 300 miles. So I've got a good start for the year.

February goals:

Run: 50 miles

Swim: 8-10 miles

Bike/spin: 8 rides, 8 hours

Yoga/Pilates: 4 classes, 4 hours

Strength: 4 hours

Ab work: Try to finish with 200 situp challenge

And let's not forget my double digit challenge: 2 miles on 2/2. Today is usually not a workout day other than maybe weights, and I almost forgot about the double digit challenge of my own, so after my weight workout I headed to the treadmill to crank out 2 miles. I figured I would end up walking some, but surprisingly, I ran the entire time, and my heart rate stayed acceptable until about 1.5 miles but still never went into my highest zone. There are a lot of theories here for this, but one I'm wondering about, and its something I did in the past, was doing a warmup before running, warmup meaning something with legs and upper body. Nothing heavy or long, just maybe 10 minutes. I think I am going to have to try that again. I'm thinking by doing the weights ahead of time, the heart rate has a chance to come up so by the time I start running it stays more consistent. I don't really know, but its going to be something I'll at least explore a little further.

Last week's recap:

Week 4, 2009 Triathlon Training:

Last week was a "rest" week after 3 fairly intense, but steady building weeks.

• Monday: off
• Tuesday: run 30 min., swim 30 min.
• Wednesday: Weight class
• Thursday: Run 30 min. swim 20 min.
• Friday: off
• Saturday: Run 5 miles outside
• Sunday: Spin 45 min., swim 1 mile
• Ab work T, Th, Sat.

This week I'll be adding one spin class, and am planning on the 7 on the 7th challenge on Saturday. I still plan to use Fridays for off days, and Mondays as well other than weights. I'm trying to pace myself so by spring I'll have a good base and hopefully most workouts will go outside by then.

On another note, sleeping has become more consistent. I have been taking the melatonin and while I don't sleep straight through the night without waking, I am able to go right back to sleep until the alarm, so that seems to be a big plus. I'll continue to use until either I forget and seem to not need it or become immune to it.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

SUPERBOWL XLIII

Having a Superbowl party today? Still looking for that recipe that will wow your guests? Look no further. Behold, the Bacon Explosion, the latest sensation for all you meat lovers out there. No more boring chips and dip or chips and salsa parties. You haven't lived (but you just might die) until you've tried this creation. (Watch the video. Blogger was not going to let me upload this today, and I don't want you to miss the chance to try this before the day is out.)

The recipe can be found here.

And what about dessert? My daughter made these Superbowl cakes for a work party:

Enjoy, and may the best team win!

10 MOST ANNOYING PEOPLE AT THE GYM

Only one more day to go and most likely all the resolutionists--you know, the ones who resolve to hit the gym running on January 1, but by or before January 31, they're long gone. I couldn't help but laugh when I read this story.

Maybe you have a list of your own. So let's hear them!

I'll start with mine from worst to worst:

1. Male locker room attendant who after repeated complaints about and requests to NOT clean the women's locker room at 8 am, 12 pm, or 5 pm, or noon on Saturdays, still manages to be there without fail at those times.

2. The sweater/groaner on the cardio equipment next to you, sweating so hard he's flinging it all over you, and groaning so loudly you're not sure if he's going to have a heart attack but definitely blocking out sound in your headphones.

3. Women who can't use a hair dryer without replacing it to its holder on the wall. Just how hard is it to place it in its holder rather than on the counter or letting it fall into the sink?

4. Locker and cardio rooms that are consistently 79 degrees. I have been battling this one since the beginning of the month. You can't do anything without breaking out in a sweat.

5. Guys (always) who can't lift weights without dropping them on the floor after a set. When you can hear the boom of weights dropping on the floor when upstairs and in the shower and wonder if there's an earthquake happening, something's wrong.

6. People who do not clean the cardio equipment or spin bikes off after use. Just how many people do you think want to share your sweat?? Don't touch that!

7. People who hog all the overhead TVs and get on a piece of cardio equipment with a TV. Just how many news shows do you need to watch at one time??

8. Opera man. Every Saturday without fail he's in the weight room near the basketball court with his blaring opera music while he bounces a basketball over, and over, and over, and over ad infinitum, with it echoing up the steps and jarring your brain, annoying every inch of your being, and all the while doing nothing other than bouncing it.

9. The old guy who parks next to the door (he owns the parking lot) and then has someone from his office come pick him up and take him across the street to his office, where there is another parking lot he owns.

10. The parking lot czar (see above) who tells you he'd join you in the pool and hot tub if he had a suit. (Eww. TMI.)

I'd like to hear other gym horror stories, because I know we all have them!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

(Dream on)

HAPPY MONDAY!

And yes, it is a happy Monday for me, because today is an off day from training. As for work, well its always a good day to get caught up on the blogs that I neglected all weekend. And I thought this beautiful flower was much better to think about than the snowy, freezing weather we continue to have. I'm thinking happy thoughts! Week 3 of 2009 triathlon training went like this:

• Monday: Swim 1200 meters (31:10)
• Tuesday: Pilates (missed a lot of sleep on the weekend and just was too tired to run)
• Wednesday: Spin class followed by a 2 mile run; weight training class
• Thursday: Swim 1200 meters (31:02); run 3.5 miles (hr training)
• Friday: Off. Had a family (uncle) funeral to attend so it was a good day to take off
• Saturday: 6 mile run; 2000 meter swim (52:13 and no Tai Chi man!)
• Sunday: Spinerval DVD, 1 hour 22 min. heart rate training zone

I finally started getting better sleep by Wednesday and hope it continues. Maybe the extra training has something to do with it; maybe its the melatonin I've been taking nightly. If it continues to work, I'll continue to take it unless I find something contrary to taking it.

Jan and I actually did an outside run on Saturday, looking like ninjas with our face masks and hoods. While we started out together, that didn't last long, since I was trying to do heart rate training and she desperately wants to get her speed back up again. So basically I told her to go ahead and do intervals, waiting for my slothlike self to catch up at intersections. We ran downtown mostly since those streets were the most cleared and even dry in some spots. It was cold (about 7 degrees), but no wind, much better than yesterday or today where it is once again in the minus digits. (Thinking spring, thinking spring, thinking spring.) I followed this with my 2000 meter swim. It felt so relaxing and warm getting in that water after braving the elements. I didn't push it at all, just patiently swam lap after lap, keeping pretty consistent with my pacing. I was hoping for 50-51 minutes but went over. The odd (and good) thing for me again is my first 1/2 mile is slower than my second. I just wish all this would convert to my run!

The first indoor tri of the year will be February 15, this year at a new venue from the past 15 years. It was a disappointment that the Y cancelled this event after more than 15 years. Suddenly they decide its not a money maker?? But fortunately, someone else organized it at a different and newer venue, so that's the good part, as well as not having to run up 3 flights of steps for each of the 3 legs or run on a track that is 19 laps to the mile.

Hope everyone had great weekends, and I'll be catching up with you today and/or tomorrow!

TAI CHI MAN

With all the new people either joining the gym or starting out the yearly one month gym marathon, the pool is now occupied most mornings. In the past, it was either me or another woman, and that was about it. Now, up to 3 people at a time. Its crowded! LOL! Actually, its only a 4 lane pool and its short, so when 3 people are in the pool, you get some serious wave action going on. Good triathlon training though!

A while back, on a day when there were 3 of us in the pool, suddenly as I was finishing a lap in the lane near the steps, a figure appeared it seemed out of no where. And here I was, nearly against the wall and suddenly this guy is squeezing himself in next to me. Doing something, not sure what, but it wasn't swimming. After observing underwater for a few more laps, I determined he must be doing some sort of water tai chi, if there is such a thing.

Since then, I've been on the lookout for Tai Chi man, but until today I haven't seen him. And wouldn't you know it, on a day when the pool was "full," he shows up. And squeezes himself between me and the wall. I moved over as far as I could but barely escaped his movements every time I passed him. If he was half as good looking as the guy above, it might not have been so bad, but to be swimming and observing underwater that closely to someone who, let's say, left a lot to be desired bodywise, wasn't any eye candy. Not only that, he seemed oblivious to the fact that someone was within inches of his lunges, turns, and other arm contortions. I thought Tai Chi was supposed to be fluid movements, but his were more lumbering. Which may be why he chose the liquid form of exercise for the day.

On a better note, my swimming has once again become consistent in the time department. And I've learned how to keep track of laps without crashing into the end of the pool because I'm so deep in thought trying to do calculations (yes, I've done that more than once! If there was a helmet for swimming, I'd need one). I know they have those pool lap counters, but its just one more gadget I don't really want to fuss with and likely I wouldn't be able to read anyway without stopping or getting a magnifying glass. My goal is to get back down to 30 min. for every 3/4 mile. When I started 3 weeks ago, I was at 33:42 and today I hit 31:02. Even with the distraction of Tai Chi man within inches of my face, I managed to keep focused, keep count, and get a little faster than the other day. Or maybe I was just hurrying to get out of there faster?

FEAR OF FREEZING

Many of us are experiencing extreme temperatures along with all the snow right now. Once the thermometer dipped below zero, whether actual or windchill, I knew I would be forced to run inside. When it hurts your face to go out and get the mail, that's pretty much enough for me. I made the mistake of going out once last year when it was minus 5 and that memory hasn't left my mind yet. I still don't know how I did this when I first started running, no matter the weather, the wind, the heat, the cold, always outside. Am I a wimp now or what?? Or do I just have more sense? I'm going on the second choice.

So this week's runs have all been inside. To fight the boredom of the dreadmill, I have to have some sort of planned workout to do, otherwise I can hardly bring myself to get on it let alone stay on it the entire planned time. At least then I am challenged to see if and how I do.

Here's how Week 2 of 2009 training went:

• Sunday: 1 hour on bike trainer, zones 2 and 3
  
• Monday: weights (30 min.); day 1 of 200 situps challenge (67--too easy)


• 
  
  Tuesday: Swim 3/4 mile (32:07); run/walk 3 miles (HR training); pilates/yoga


• 
  
  Wednesday: 1 hour weight training class; day 2 of situps (75)


• 
  
  Thursday: Swim 3/4 mile (31:29); run/walk 3 miles (Yasso 800s x 4) (HR training)


• 
  
  Friday: off (due to a family issue) (I was supposed to bike but didn't want to do it late in the day to not have back-to-back workouts running into my Saturday plan)


• 
  
  Saturday: Swim 1 mile (41:27); run/walk 1 hour (intervals) (HR training); day 3 of situps (100)

The hardest part of this? Getting enough to eat and getting enough sleep. I have not slept well in months, meaning I sleep a few hours, wake up, stay awake an hour or more, go back to sleep for an hour or so. Nearly every night. And I don't drink caffeine and have tried just about every non-prescription sleep aid out there, as well as chamomile tea at night. Sometimes I've taken things to help me sleep and I still don't sleep. My mind is not in turmoil so I don't understand it. I'm rarely exhausted so its not like I'm craving sleep. I just feel I would do better with a little more, and preferably uninterupted sleep. And trying to make sure I have enough food with me all day to avoid snack binging. So everyday I have to load up the picnic basket for work it seems.

My current training schedule calls for increasing long workouts again next week and then yipee, the next week is a drop back week. I just hope I can get some more runs in outside next week or I might just lose my mind!

Stay warm everyone!

HEART RATE TRAINING

Typical for me, I tend to panic about things when it seems like they aren't going the way they should. Not outwardly, but I dwell on something until either I get it right or figure it out. Its in my nature. By nature I am a "fact finder" on the Kolbe scale. That's how I am most useful at accomplishing something.

In this case, it was figuring out this heart rate training. I have read all the info there is out there; I have practiced it in the past but gave up early on; and it wasn't until just recently I actually decided to give it a try again and figure out my numbers, based on the newest formula out there. But there was a couple of things I hadn't factored in, and after discussing this with a trainer at my gym, doing some experiments, and Chia's own meritorious comment the other day, I have come to a better understanding of how this will work for me.

First, the trainer indicated that your heart rate will be lower when swimming--something I knew and noticed--because of buoyance--something I didn't know. Second, she also indicated that your heart rate sitting on a bike will be lower than running because? Because you're vertical and the heart has to pump the blood farther when vertical. With that in mind, I should not be concerned if my heart rate is higher when running. She also indicated that how I felt was a better way to judge, which basically is what I have been doing anyway, which is another reason I wasn't totally alarmed at my high numbers, just a little frustrated.

At the gym, they have started an 8 week weight loss challenge for spinning, which includes learning your heart rate numbers and finding out your anaerobic threshold and learning to work within those numbers. I have not joined this group--not that I couldn't lose a pound or 2--but the days they meet do not work with the rest of my schedule. Instead, I got lucky and listened as some of the women who are working within that group talked about what they did in the class and decided to adapt that to my own training.

And Chia's comment the other day to push myself and then rest and repeat that to train yourself to run at the median heart rate is something I had been testing out anyway, but giving it more thought and putting it to a test I discovered that while running a steady pace my heart rate continued to climb into what my numbers indicate is the 90% zone for me, even while running incredibly slow, but when pushing the pace for short periods of time my heart rate did not climb abnormally higher but instead sort of hovered just a little higher. With rest, it went back down and I felt good enough to do another interval, going until my number again went into and stayed in the 90% zone. Oddly enough, I actually felt better even in that zone when running the intervals than trying to run a steady pace.

Today then I really tested myself, doing Yasso 800s on the treadmill (mainly just a boredom buster but also one of my favorite workouts on a treadmill). After warming up for 10 minutes, I ran 4 x 800 (1/2 mile) at a pace about 1 min. per mile faster than my steady pace and never did I go higher than 85%. To rest, I walked until I got my heart rate back into the 70% zone, usually about 2 minutes. Of course, the pace was still nothing you would consider fast, but the object was to get my heart rate into a zone and try to hold it there. I am guessing with more practice that my pace will increase, but even if it doesn't, I'm happy going with feeling good the whole run and finishing whatever event I start.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

ONE WEEK DOWN, MANY MORE TO COME

First training 2009 week done:

• Sunday, 50 min. bike trainer, cadence
• Monday, weights
• Tuesday run 30 minutes; swim 30 minutes; pilates
• Wednesday, 1 hour weight training class
• Thursday, swim 30 minutes, run 30 minutes, intervals
• Friday, spin class
• Saturday, 45 min. run; 30 min swim

It was an easy week. Eventually, I will add another spin class. The hard part is getting the run/swim days done on work days. If I swim in the am, it is hard to get to the gym at lunch because I can always be guaranteed some crisis coming up and preventing me from taking a long lunch, leaving an evening run, when I am at my low point of the day, and it is an absolute stretch to get me on a treadmill at that time of day. Added to that, I am attempting still the heart rate challenge, meaning trying my best to stay within my zones, which is nearly impossible when running. Biking and swimming, no problem. Running? I max out every time, no matter how slow the pace. Please, someone, tell me this will pay off eventually??

200 SITUP CHALLENGE

Just what I needed to add to my winter challenges. Marci had this on her blog, the 200 situp challenge. I had actually started my own situp challenge back when I started the 100 pushup challenge, and had gotten to 100. Since then, I've been doing at least 50 at a time most days, and the weight training class I've been taking for the last 6 weeks also has an ab portion at the end of the class, where we devote 10 minutes straight to ab work, so I think I'm in good shape to start this challenge. There's nothing that helps you look better than trim abs and well shaped arms. So let the challenge begin!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

(the real reason for global warming)

A THREE TIGHTS RUN.

You've heard that saying "a three dog night"? Where its so cold you need 3 dogs to stay warm? Today was one of those days when it was going to take 3 pair of tights to stay warm. I headed out for my run at 6:30 am in my purple Barney the dinosaur coat (looks bad but its been the best coat ever) and 2 pair of tights. I didn't check the temperature ahead of time (its cold, what more did I need to know?) but wished I had. Within minutes, my quads were stinging from the cold, and my butt was feeling it too, even with the coat flap over it. I pulled up the hood on the jacket and that helped keep my face warm, since I hadn't put on my face mask either. But with no wind and the roads as dry as they were going to be over the next few days, I decided it was a good idea to get out there while the going was good. I am committed to running outside this winter as much as possible. I know, there will be days when I'll regret I did and days when I'll regret I didn't, but after 2 years of strictly inside treadmill running, I had reached my limit. I will still do speed workouts inside, but hopefully the long runs and shorter maintenance runs will be outside as much as possible.

I was glad I had put on my Yak Trax too, since the almost all day, rare appearance of the sun on Monday brought melting and overnight refreezing. For the most part, the sidewalks and streets were clear, but there were enough icy patches to make me feel smart for having put them on. The commitment to run outside also requires more caution, and running with Yak Trax is just one of those things I need to do. Surprisingly, the worst stretch of sidewalk was right in front of a public school. What's up with that? It was an ankle turner for sure. While most of the school yard was a glaze of ice, that stretch of sidewalk hasn't even been shoveled, and there's no excuse for that. With lawsuits in abundance these days, you'd think our public schools, struggling financially, would be more diligent in keeping their properties safe.

I am realizing that wearing an extra 10 pounds of clothes is a definite slow down, so I'm not worried about my time while out there, other than not staying out so long I get hypothermia, and definitely by the end of the 3+ mile run, my toes on one foot were numb and feeling the cold, a holdover from New Year's Eve standing out in the cold for 4 hours, and I could feel the cold penetrating right through the layers. I really don't know how much more I can wear!

All in all, a good run, and a good way to clear all that gunk out of my head and nose!

IT ALL BEGINS MONDAY.

The 2009 training season, that is. While I've been looking at various races that I want to tackle in 2009, I'm not yet ready to put things down on paper. I pretty much took the last week of the year off due to flu, holiday, and just needing to recover a little from the holiday season.

But I have been fairly consistent with workouts over the last several weeks, and even this week managed to get some workouts in.

I missed our annual Resolution Run due to sickness, but I did start my 2009 Double Digit Challenge, and ran one mile on 1/1. Outside. That's about all I was up to doing since I was still a little weak after not eating much for a few days. We also walked some after, so that will also count toward my gym's 2009 challenge: 50 miles swimming; 75 spin classes; 300 miles walk/run. I'm pretty sure I'll hit all 3 without any trouble this year. And for once I'll have another source of keeping track.

Friday I did a 30 minute bike trainer workout, despite the fact I still didn't feel that great with a head cold coming on. Actually, I think the whole stomach/head congestion thing is a virus and its not totally got me down, but I definitely didn't feel like more than 30 minutes. I pretty much go by the rule: if its above the neck, do what you feel capable and comfortable doing; below the neck, take days off.

Saturday, Don and I went for a short run and then walked again after. It was very cold and windy, but unusually sunshine-y with a bright blue sky. It was hard to not want to get out to enjoy that. Later, we went to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a very unique and interesting movie, starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, among others.

Today was 50 minutes on the trainer again, using one of my Spinerval DVDs. It helps beat the monotony.

So tomorrow the real training begins: 2 days a week of strength; 2 days a week swimming; 2 days a week running; 2 days a week spinning; one bike trainer workout followed by a run; one long bike trainer workout. This for at least 6 weeks. Then its onto another phase. More to come on this year's plans once I get things figured out totally.

Hope everyone had a great holiday season and weekend. And now, unfortunately or fortunately, however you look at it, its back at it again tomorrow.

NEW YEAR'S EVE ON THE GRAND

I'm a little slow posting on my New Year's Eve frivolities, due to computer issues at home. Here is a picture of our very own version of the ball dropping on New Year's Eve.

After spending 2 days at home confined to bed because of a flu bug that was going through the entire family, I started feeling restless and better late afternoon on December 31. Don and I had talked about going downtown to watch the ball drop, which was a very clever marketing scheme put on by the local radio stations to get people out and downtown for New Year's Eve. I wasn't sure I would dare venture too far from the bathroom until later that afternoon, so about 8:30 that evening we headed downtown. We had missed the first 2 bands that played so now realized we were going to be standing out in the cold (about 17 degrees, no wind) for the next 3.5 hours. Could we do it??

By all accounts, there were probably 20,000+ people partying on our version of Times Square, the Monroe Mall as its called. They had tents up and down the block where they were selling hot chocolate and coffee, but the bars in the area had lines up and down the block with people waiting to get in, either to get warm or as I would guess more likely to get in for beer and other drinks. No alcohol was allowed outside the bars, not that that didn't mean there weren't plenty of drunks roaming around. Don brought his "flask"--to keep warm as he put it, and me just getting over the stomach thingy wasn't in the mood for any drinking so took a water bottle filled with Sprite and one tablespoon of peach schnapps (which btw is the way to go to keep your water bottles from freezing in the winter).

For the most part, we were able to keep fairly warm, wearing layers, heavy boots, hats, me two pair of mittens, and going into the hot chocolate tents now and then, and walking down to my work building to use the bathroom. The crowd was pretty lively, and the radio DJs were doing a great job keeping people pumped up. The crowd outside was mainly families and middle school and high school kids, all with no other place to go, but it was a great time for everyone. There was a lot of dancing going on and even a woman walking around in a band uniform with a tuba probably 30 years old (the tuba), decorated with Christmas lights.

Around 11 though, things started really getting crowded, and even standing outside didn't cut the heavy cloud of cigarette smoke hanging in the air. It was also very irritating when someone up against your back would light up and then blow smoke at you. I got pretty tired of this after a while, since it got to be more and more frequent as people started coming out of the bars and crowding the mall to see the first ever New Years ball drop in Grand Rapids. I finally told Don that at 11:40, I was going to get out of the crowd and make my way to the fringes where we could still see the ball but not get caught up in the stampede when it was over. But getting out of the crowd was harder than it seemed, and by the time we broke free and got a clear space, I was exhausted, as much from the exertion as from the weakness of not eating much for a couple of days. After a while, I just cannot take crowds, and with the smoking all around us, I was starting to get a major headache. At this point too, my toes were so frozen I was afraid if someone stepped on my feet, my toes would break completely off.

At 11:59, the ball began its descent:

It was great to be at an innaugural event in our city, although I can now say "been there, done that." And after spending over 4 hours out in the cold night, I no longer have any excuses for not running outside this winter.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

HERE COMES THE SUN!

Twenty-eight days and holding with no sun at all here in the frozen tundra of West Michigan. While we also live in the 21st cloudiest city in the U.S., this has also been the cloudiest month on record with 28 days of no sunshine.

All the weather horrors we've had this month fade away with the return of the sun. Where's my sunglasses!

On another note, the newspaper headlines today read: Potholes make early arrival in Grand Rapids area.

More winter weather woes for us. All the streets around my house that don't have speed bumps on them are filled with potholes. Its like driving through a mine field to dodge them. And it makes running in the dark that much more treacherous. If the snow or ice don't get you down, the potholes will certainly swallow you up or break an ankle or something! Sixteen cars were damaged Saturday on a street where I usually exit the highway to get home, but I purposely avoided it knowing the potholes would be bad and then found out about all the wrecked cars after.

And just another one of Michigan's greats: those Detroit Lions! Here's a shirt for all the Detroit fans:

Congratulations Lions! A perfect season: 0 and 16. Too bad the Christmas shopping is over!

Also today at the gym, being a weight training day, I tried the Cybex Arc Trainer that we are testing out. A little different than the elliptical. It was a hard workout in the short time I was on it, but also easier than running on the treadmill. By adjusting the incline, you can get 3-4 different workouts, but definitely it is not like running.

Just a reminder that starting in 2009, I will be doing the Double Digit Challenge, where starting on January 1, I will run 1 mile on 1/1; 2 miles on 2/2; 3 miles on 3/3, and so on. Just for the fun of it. Join me if you'd like!

WEEKLY WRAP UP

Like a lot of you, I've had this week off from work. But the only thing I really did for myself this week was to keep on track with my workouts. It makes it so much easier to fit those in when you have a schedule. I've only modified it slightly, mainly just because I ran out of time a few times to do the whole thing, but I still did more than go through the motions.

Where to begin?? Last week was VERY hectic, in so many ways. Monday I did actually have to go into work for a while to complete a weekly deadline we had, even though I had gone in on Sunday to avoid the Monday hours, but thanks to attorneys not wanting to work, things overlapped into Monday. Mlonday was also the day my daughter was coming in from New Jersey. She and her boyfriend were driving and had put off the trip for 2 days because of all the storms rolling through our area. And he had never had a white Christmas until this year, so he was in for a treat. Monday was also the day my son moved into his new home, after a stressful week before wading through the red tape of paperwork that got botched just before closing. Needless to say, it was a huge relief to have that hurdle worked out. They are expecting a baby soon and while waiting to move in had been living with her relatives, and basically wearing out their welcome, so he was stressed and wanted to come stay with me. I agreed, but thankfully didn't have to go there when they suddenly got keys to the house. Its a long a complicated story, but it ended up with a happy ending.

Tuesday I got up at my usual work time to hit the gym for my run and swim before taking my car in for some scheduled maintenance. Don picked me up and we went to breakfast, and the day was unfolding into yet another major winter storm. The car was supposed to be ready by 11 o'clock, and they were supposed to call me before that to let me know what they were doing and how much it would cost. By 10:45 I had heard nothing, so we waited a little longer and went back to the dealership, only to find a half dozen people all waiting for help of some kind and naturally only service person available. After waiting 15 minutes more, I was quickly told the brakes were okay but the car needed a battery soon. Okay, go ahead and do it. How long? 20 minutes. Fine. I sent Don on his way and started making calls to the kids to see who was up and what they were going to do. After 30 minutes I checked on the progress of the car. Has it been 20 minutes already? I was asked. Actually, its been 30. They check the progress, only to be told they didn't even have a battery and would have to order it from the parts store. Another 30 minutes then. All I could do was wait, and its one of those times when you have so much to do that waiting becomes almost intolerable. I still had to stop over at the new house to see what their progress was, was supposed to meet my daughter for lunch, which we cancelled, and still had other errands to do and go pick up Don and get back downtown for a 3 pm TSO concert. Long story short, the car took another hour to be completed only to find out after all that hassle that now my break light is out, but do you think they could notice that?? And changing my battery somehow reset my temperature guage to celsius, so now I have to do the conversion to know what the temperature is! And of course, the weather was the topic of the day again. Traffic was snarled, accidents were all over the place, and it was generally slow going. With 4 wheel drive, I still have to be careful, but it makes it a lot easier to get around. But my annoyance level was going up and up after getting stuck behind one car after another going 10-15 miles under the speed limit. The roads were bad but come on people! Get off the brakes.

The TSO concert was one of the best I've ever seen. If you ever have a chance to go, make the effort, spend the money. You won't be disappointed. We went last year too, and I would definitely go again next year if the opportunity comes up.

Wednesday was a weight training class day. Since they were still having the class, I went, and had plans to go to lunch that day with the girls after. Its been a great class, and after 4 weeks now I am seeing the rewards. A full hour of intense, using every muscle, lifting. Then it was lunch and picking up my daughter from work out in the traffic mess again (how did I get recruited for this??). All my shopping and wrapping was done, so I pretty much had the day to just get some goodies made and then all the kids went to their dad's side of the family for their annual Christmas get together, and Don and I went to our annual Christmas Eve athlete get together, which has turned into a white elephant giving party as well. That's where everyone brings a wrapped item that they no longer want and each person has the opportunity to choose a wrapped gift or "steal" from someone else. I ended up with an electronic dragon that I gave to Austin, and Don ended up with a puzzle which he gave to his mom, so basically we got rid of a couple of things as well as our regifting items.

Thursday, Christmas day, I was able to get to the gym for my run and swim. The kids were at their dad's and would be over in the afternoon, so it was a relaxing and easy morning. I was planning a sitdown dinner for about 2 pm: roast chicken with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, a ham, salad, biscuits, and desserts, all requested items from the kids. There were 11 of us so it was a houseful. The kids all had their new ipods or other electronic games, and after eating, it was time to unwrap presents! I rarely get to see what everyone gets its so hectic, but eventually the mess clears and everyone takes stock of what they have and what needs to go back. Fortunately, I keep all my receipts in one bulging envelope just for this type of thing.

Friday morning, I did have a massage scheduled. I haven't really felt a huge need to have one lately, but who can argue over the luxury of that? Friday was also a bike trainer day, but I only did 30 minutes hard instead of the 45 required. After the massage, I went to my sister's to give her her Christmas gift. Her sons were shoveling off their flat roof, since there was over a foot of snow accumulated and we were supposed to get heavy rain on Saturday. They also live on a cul-de-sac, and with all the packed snow on their road, its like driving on a dirt road in the winter--rough and bumpy. After a nice visit, it was time for me to hit the stores for more shopping. My sister and I and my girls were planning a double baby shower for the next day, since her daughter and my son's wife are both expecting about the same time. They wanted to do it while Renee was in town. I was in charge of the food and I still had shower gifts to buy, so spent the next several hours shopping, then going home to attempt to wrap all the stuff, running out of paper and one item I needed for cooking something for the next day, The weather was bad again, with heavy fog limiting visibility, since the temperature was warming up to the 40s, and with all the snow that causes ground fog. I decided to wait for the next morning.

Saturday, I woke up to pouring rain and heavy, heavy fog. The temperature was in the 40s and expected to rise, with rain scheduled all day. As you can imagine, with all the snow and all that rain and melting besides, there were many areas flooded out, with flooding along the river already, with homes partially under water. It was a huge sloppy mess. Saturday was also going to be another bike trainer day. I was scheduled to run 45 minutes and then swim, but I just didn't have time to go to the gym and then come back home and go out again, so it was get it done at home and switch the run/swim for Sunday. On the way to my sister's for the shower, it was raining so hard and the fog was so thick, it made driving difficult. The temperature was already in the 50s! Didn't we just have a blizzard 4 days ago?? The shower was a success, and I couldn't believe how much food got eaten! We had about 25 people and after we had our family Christmas get together, since most everyone was there for the shower anyway. Then it was party time with the family. The guys all played Texas Holdem, which seems to be their favorite game, while the women talked or played board games with the little kids. My one grandson and my sister LOVE to play board games, and according to Austin, he likes the "old fashioned" games, not the newer electronic versions my sister has. They probably have over 100 games of any you can imagine.

And that brings us back to Sunday. We are having high winds and more snow so the roads are iced up again. Looks like I'll be heading inside again for a workout and later we're going to see Marley & Me. We had a dog like this, only worse actually, when the kids were younger, so it should bring back some good laughs and memories. And now, I'm off to the gym! Hope everyone had a great holiday and weekend. Almost time for the new year and new goals and challenges.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

LIKE LIVING IN A GIANT SNOW GLOBE

Snow, snow, and more snow. Probably about 18 inches have fallen in the last 3 days. I lost track after 14. I could have braved the cold and snow and ran outside, but that's why I have a gym membership! When I think back to when I first got the membership in 2000, I realized that up until then, I had run mostly outside for more than 10 years and, even with having a treadmill at home, rarely used it. Even after getting the gym membership, for 3 years I rarely used it to run inside. If I didn't need to use a pool, I never would have joined at all.

But I'm all over that now, and am glad I have choices I can make--inside or out. So this weekend was all about inside workouts. Four miles on the treadmill Saturday followed by a half mile swim. My swim times have been dropping again, and I'm not sure if its just a fluke or because I have consistently been doing serious weight training again for the last several weeks. Saturday I felt really slow in the pool, and was seriously surprised to see I had taken 40 seconds off my last swim time.

Sunday was 45 minutes on the bike trainer, in the 70-75% heart rate effort, zone 3. I couldn't remember what my numbers were supposed to be but felt like I was not putting enough effort into the workout, so was surprised when I checked later to see that half of it was actually in zone 2, but by the end, I was steadily in zone 3. I am really getting into this heart rate training and can see some improvement due to its use. I'm not sure on the running though. I cannot seem to stay out of zone 4 even at a slow pace, but I guess it takes time to build on that.

I am starting to look ahead to 2009, and the only thing I'll say right now is that it is looking more and more like a triathlon year. 2008 was all about running, and while I accomplished quite a few races, I don't feel like my times improved at all unless I combined it with a swim and/or bike ride. So rather than beat myself up again all next year trying to improve on my running times, I'm figuring it might be more beneficial to do more serious triathlon training.

I got a gift card to a local book store as a Christmas gift, and my next purchase will be Gale Bernhardt's

This seems to have the most information that I'm looking for as well as training plans for every distance.

On the training agenda this week:

• Monday-weights (done);
• Tuesday-run 30 minutes, swim 1/2 mile;
• Wednesday-weights;
• Thursday-run 30 minutes, swim 1/2 mile (my gym is open 24/7 all year round so I'll be able to get in a workout even on Christmas day);
• Friday-bike 45 minutes;
• Saturday-run 45 minutes, swim 1/2 mile;
• Sunday-bike 1 hour.

Once I actually get the book, I am hoping to do base training (like this schedule) for the next several weeks and then move on to a specific race plan. Rather than start in June or July next year (like I typically do) getting ready for my summer A race, I am going to (hopefully) be smart and organized and get on the ball by late March/early April. I'm thinking if I'm not so worried about my running all winter, maybe things will go better by spring. I'm also hoping with specific training plans, it will be easier to stay motivated and focused even in the type of weather we're having now and will continue having for the next several months. So let it snow!

FRIGHTFUL FRIDAY

A play on the "Wordless Wednesday" theme. As you can see, another lovely day in "paradise." Most of Michigan is socked in with a major winter storm that started about 3 am this morning. The weather people fall short of calling it a blizzard. I'm not sure what determines the definition of a blizzard, considering we have 15-25mph winds, whiteout conditions, snow falling at about 2 inches an hour, and an ice storm that is imminent. Its like a storm right out of the past, like when I was a kid and we routinely had storms like this every winter and the snow piled up feet deep. And yet? We never got snow days! Two in all my school years and then only when we had more than 10 inches overnight. It still amazes me how people got around back then, without the 4 wheel drive vehicles. Of course, we had to put the snow tires on and could even use chains back then, so somehow everyone made it. Or you took the bus.

Below are pictures from my driveway. You would think these were taken last night or very early this morning. They were taken this morning, but at 8 am. Still dark. And my no zoom digital camera cannot take in the true effects because of the darkness and blinding snow.

The car has never seen the inside of a garage. No, the garage is not for cars, just the lawnmower, snowblower, bikes, kayak, and all the other miscellaneous tools and junk you need for maintaining your yard. When there isn't all this snow.

But on a happy note, below are "dancing" snowmen, a picture my grandson took using some of my Christmas decorations!

LAYERS--How to Run in the Winter.

The weather was calm and 21 degrees, a virtual heat wave over the last few days. My schedule today called for 30 minutes of running. A quick scan of the roads and sidewalks, and it was decided: I was going outside. I figured I could survive 30 minutes outside over a dreadmill run any time.

One thing you have to plan for pre-run in the winter is how much time it will take to assemble all your layers of clothes and then put them all on. Plan to add 10-15 minutes for that at least! Here's my list of what I put on today to go out to run, in the correct order:

• Tights--2 pair. I can't tolerate the cold that penetrates through one layer, and shorts and tights together still doesn't work for me.
• Running bra--a given. Have to keep the girls warm.
• Turtle neck wick-a-way shirt.
• Regular wick-away shirt.
• Socks--I only need one pair of Thorlos cushioned. My feet rarely get cold.
• Vaseline--for the face, concentrating on around the eyes and nose, and on the lips. Nothing keeps the skin smoother and wrinkle free in this harsh weather like good old Vaseline.
• Shoes, a given.
• Headband or hat.
• Jacket. Mine is actually a reflective one so even if not quite warm enough, its an added measure of safety.
• YakTrax. I try not to put these on the shoes until almost ready to go out the door.
• Gloves.
• Face mask. I've gotten to really like that face mask. Now I can really go incognito.
• Fleece mittens.

Then, looking like the Michelin man's wife, I head to the door. And, like what happens with a little kid once you put them into their snowsuits and boots, I now have to go to the bathroom again! And I realized I forgot my heart rate monitor. Oh well, time's a wasting. Time to head out the door and go see whose been naughty or nice in keeping their sidewalks shoveled.

We've gotten probably about 5 inches of new snow over the last couple of days, about a third less than the lakeshore, so I really shouldn't complain. And today there was another new layer, making it still fairly easy to run on the sidewalks. Living by 4 churches and 3 schools, for the most part the sidewalks are kept clear, as long as I stay on the main street. Going off that, however, and you might want snowshoes.

For the most part, it was an easy run, but when my legs started tiring some, I used the unshoveled areas to slow down and give myself a break, never having to walk then. Just a short jaunt through the neighborhood, seeing only one other runner and a house for all seasons, with their pumpkins, campaign signs, Thanksgiving straw decor, and Christmas lights up all rolled into one. Surprisingly, their walk was nicely shoveled. Apparently that was taking up too much time to take all that old stuff down!

Not a bad run at all!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

WEEKLY WRAP UP.

Just like most of you, my week has been filled with working out, working, shopping, wrapping, and going to the numerous parties that come up at this time of the year.

Last Sunday, I did the indoor triathlon. Monday was a strength day. We are having a December challenge at our gym, and the main focus for the month is strength training. We need to achieve 12 workouts in the month (not hard for me) but 7 of them have to be strength training! I've accomplished the spinning, pilates, yoga, swimming, one cardio machine (actually I've done that 4 times) and I'm up to 4 strength training sessions. But I'm feeling pressured to do more of that than I have time or energy. Tuesday was my hill repeat day; Wednesday was a spin class in the am and a strength class in the pm; Thursday was elliptical and treadmill in the am; party in the pm; Friday was an off day--went shopping and out to lunch instead! Saturday was a bike trainer workout and core training in the am; Ironman party in the pm. And that gets back to Sunday. Today? Nothing. Another off day.

The weather is dreary, rainy, and windy, with icy patches everywhere on the sidewalks. Not very enticing to get out and run! I'm on a mission today to get the rest of my shopping done (close), the rest of the wrapping done (close), the house cleaned (close) and catching up on the laudry and meal planning for the week. But all this time gets me spending too much time in my head, about what I should be doing, what training I could be doing, what races I should be thinking of for next year, etc. and yet nothing definite is forming in my mind. Watching Ironman gets you so motivated and starts the mind whirring, but then common sense takes over and I back away. Or maybe its fear?

So for now, nothing much going on. Just everyday life.

WEATHER OF THE DAY.

Isn't that a colorful sight?? The different colors denote the variations in precipitation, from the green/yellow being rain/thunderstorms, to pink being freezing rain/fog, to blue being snow/ice. Like they say, you never know what you're going to get with Michigan weather. I live in the pink area.

But I did get my run in today--and outside no less. I was packing up the car to head to the gym but realized it wasn't all that bad out at 6:20 am--no wind, fairly mild temperature (under 30 degrees but above 25), and nothing coming down at the moment. So I took my stuff back in the house, put on some outside running gear (couldn't find the YaxTrax though) and off I trotted, carefully at first, to be sure there was no black ice under the layer of snow that had fallen overnight. Very easy footing. And most people so far have been keeping up with their shoveling, so nothing piled up to trudge through yet.

I hadn't gotten more than a block when I realized "if its Tuesday, that means hill repeats!" And while there are a few hills close by my house, the better ones are over a mile away. So I decided instead to stay closer by and do the longer gradual hills instead of the longer steeper hills, for convenience, and because I wasn't sure if the steeper hill would have a shoveled sidewalk.

Since I've been doing 5 repeats, today I had to do 6. I started up easy enough and it was nice because the snow was just a light covering on the road, no big ruts from cards yet, and no traffic AT ALL on that hill. In fact, I only saw one person out walking the whole time so I could enjoy my pain in privacy.

By the third repeat, it was starting to get a little more difficult, but I always love that "free falling" sensation going back down, giving me a chance to recover. And let's face it, no speed records were broken, so I was only out of breath and not dying yet. Two more repeats and I could sense a change in the feel of the snow under my shoes--it was starting to get slightly mushy--causing me to slip a little bit in spots. The last hill was going to be the last hill before heading back to the house, so before I did that I decided to circle the block to get back to that spot, only to realize that going around the block was hilly too and a much longer incline than the first five. By the time I got to the top of that one, I was slightly gasping, but again, I had a nice downhill to recover. The snow now was really getting mushy under foot, meaning it was warming up. This makes it harder to get your footing, and putting more strain on muscles unaccustomed to the lateral and back and forth movement in the mush.

I started seeing only my footprints again as I approached the last hill to home and had to laugh when I realized that they resembled the shape of a rabbit--not rabbit footprints but like a Peeps marshmallow bunny. I did see rabbit footprints also and a cat's that seemed to wander aimlessly (or maybe with a purpose) through the darkness.

Finally, the last hill, and it was becoming a slight struggle on the snow, but I was almost done and was pleased at my effort and getting out there. And looking at the rainbow of colors above, tomorrow is likely to be an inside day again.

AND NOW FOR THE LISTENING PLEASURE OF ALL YOU STAR WARS FANS...

Or maybe just someone who likes crazy things: Chewbacca sings Silent Night.

MVP SPORTS INDOOR TRIATHLON, Dec. 7, 2008

Thanks to Jan being sick and not attending and me being the oldest woman, I was able to easily take the age group award.

This fitness center is probably one of the most deluxe in the area, and I'm pretty sure the membership dues are reflected in that as well, one reason I don't belong. Everything is state of the art, but surprisingly their lap pool only has 4 lanes.

Jan has been sick with the flu all week and decided not to do the tri. I wasn't overly motivated, but at the same time was anxious to get started and get the show on the road. We were signed up for the last heat, at 9:14, but I was awake before 5:30 and pretty much just wishing I'd been able to get an earlier slot.

This was a perfect day to stay inside to work out--we probably have gotten about 8 inches of snow over the last day and a half and the temp was only in the teens this morning again with more snow predicted during the week and more cold, cold, cold weather to come.

So I got to the club earlier than I needed to for lack of anything else to do and just wanting to get going. I've done so many indoor tris now that I almost don't have to think about how things are going to go, but I decided for the first time to wear my bike shorts in the pool. Its so hard to get those things on when you're wet!

It looked to me like all the people from the earlier heats had already left, since there weren't many people in the club when I got there, and the parking lot was barely full, quite a contrast from usual when I drive past and the lot is packed all the way around the building.

I found the locker rooms, the pool, got ready, and then checked out where the bikes and treadmills were. Finally it was time to get started on the swim. The pool was colder than I'm used to and is surrounded by windows, so it was a little chilly most of the swim. And a new phenomenon here in the pool: I noticed right away that the music is piped underwater so you hear it when you swim. I thought at first it was my HR monitor chirping, but then I realized it was music! Wow, that might help with boredom doing laps or maybe even keep you moving a little faster.

The swim was easy. I worked hard but didn't push past my limits. One woman in the heat was lapping us all; the woman next to me went in fits and starts, sometimes breaststroking, other times sprinting. I lapped her once but she caught me and that was it. The other woman was ahead at first, but after 3 or 4 laps, I managed to lap her. I lost track of my laps for some reason, but with a lap counter it didn't matter. I ended up with 33. I'm not sure how this measures up to previous swims, but I was hoping to get to 32, so I was happy with that.

Then they gave us a whole 7 minutes to get from the swim to the bike. One reason I put my shorts on for the pool was to avoid the out-of-breath hustle you find yourself in during transition, but with 7 whole minutes, it was a leisurely change and walk to the bikes. We used some sort of life cycle and were instructed to put the resistance on 5. That seemed okay and again I kept within my HR limits for the most part. Don had come to watch and kept saying I should go faster. I told him I was already almost at my max heart rate and he said, oh that must be wrong. No, actually its right on. I love the fact that my monitor records on their equipment so I don't have to keep looking at my watch. The woman next to me was madly pedalling, thrashing back and forth, but she did end up with the highest bike total, so to each their own I guess! My total was 5.25 miles, with cadence in the 85-89 range, for 20 minutes.

Then it was on to the treadmills. Those were upstairs. The other women in my heat took the elevator. I took the stairs so I could stretch out some and I figured we had a whole 7 minutes to kill. So I was surprised when I got to the treadmill to find out we had less than a minute to transition. I didn't need the whole 7 minutes but I would have liked a couple of more minutes!

The treadmills were very, very nice, with built in TV screen and all the bells and whistles you can imagine. They even had these straps to hold you on if needed! What is the point of working out so hard that you get flung off?? Here again, I told myself I had to stay within my HR zone until the last few minutes and then I would crank it up and hold on for dear life. I have noticed its getting easier and easier to go from the bike to the run. I've been doing this for a while after spinning, if only for a mile, and being on the treadmill you can also control and maintain speed. So that's pretty much what I did but probably should have just cranked it up sooner to get in a whole 2 miles rather than the 1.89 I ended up with. Still, it was slightly better than I expected, which was 1.8. But, I didn't want to have to hang on the whole time and wanted to be able to run a pace I could hold for a few minutes at least.

After, there were free massages but very little else for the money we paid--orange slices, power bars, and an ugly green shirt. But I did get a nice AG medal!

And the race director then invited me (and others, I'm not thinking I all that special!) to join them on their training runs starting in January for the 25k in the spring. Just this morning I was thinking I really should join a group this year and try to break that 3 hour mark again by starting the training sooner rather than later, and trying to accomplish this in outdoor runs instead of all treadmill runs. I guess I'll have to see what kind of group shows up. If they're all gazelles, I'm not sure I want to pay for the humiliation of being the last one to finish all the time. But if I see a few older and slower women like me, then it might just be the thing I'm looking for. I have the impression that women who belong to this club are all fast, so we'll have to see how it goes.

I'VE BEEN TAGGED...

by Fe-Lady to list 6 things that make me happy. Most of these will include my kids:

1. Being able to help them out financially when needed. I have never been able to get over the guilt of putting them through a difficult childhood because of our financial troubles for so many years, both from internal and external reasons. They had what they really needed most of the time, but to be able to finally be in a position (for now at least) to help them when it really counts is one thing that makes me happy.

2. Being happy that despite some of the mistakes I made in their early years that for the most part they are succeeding as best they can and don't seem to hold any grudges against me for what I perceive to be my parental failures. I realize I am hard on myself about things that may seem trivial to others, but its that Catholic guilt upbringing I had that doesn't let me put things out of my mind until I feel they are resolved in a way I am satisfied with.

3. Being healthy enough to pursue whatever athletic goals I choose.

4. Living in this country and being able to freely travel wherever I choose.

5. Finally seeing gas prices go down!

6. Knowing all you bloggers.

I can't remember who may have played this before so if you feel like playing along, I'll pass it to you.

WHAT'S IN YOUR GYM BAG?

No, this isn't mine, but it was pretty cute. My point here today is all the stuff I carry every day, some to work out with, and some I need for my other life.

I always think of the post Kona Shelley wrote a couple of years back about her 100 pound gym bag she lugs every day. Today I think I surpassed that.

It always helps to pack your stuff the night before, but it gets to be such a chore I can hardly bring myself to come home, haul it into the house, unpack it, and then repack it immediately. I need time to decompress from all that stuff! And its particularly more challenging when you're involved in multisport--shoes for spinning, shoes for running, flip flops for the pool (and shower), heart rate monitor, toiletries, underwear, clothes for spinning/running, swimsuit, pilates/yoga, or weights, etc. Whew! I get tired just thinking of all that stuff.

So there I am this morning, madly stuffing all of the above stuff and then some into my gym bag, and finally get the bag jam packed and zipped, only to discover I had forgotten my makeup bag, my running shoes, and my underwear. I knew I couldn't fit one more thing in that bag and would be lucky to even be able to carry it, so I had to go to another bag and stuff that full besides!

The next challenge of course is getting all that stuff into the car and then a little later into the gym all in one haul. Of course along with the gym bag/s, I also have my lunch, which is as big as a picnic basket (when you're gone all day, including breakfast, and sometimes doing 2 workouts in a day, you just need your snacks!), my clothes for work on hangers, my purse (also jammed packed with snacks that don't fit into the lunch bag--and which my kids say resembles a bowling bag), and last but not least is the hot coffee. And then try to get all that into the building which requires one hand free to use the access card and shlepp all that stuff into the gym without dropping it! And of course then there's the old man at the gym who thinks I'm afraid of him (no, actually, I really don't like you!) and wants to make an issue of that every time I see him, while I'm trying to hustle all my stuff into the locker room before either my arms rip out of their sockets, or something falls and I have to bend over to pick it up, or get scalded with the hot coffee!

I really consider all that one workout for the day. Everything else after that is a cakewalk!

TREADMILL RUNNING vs. OUTDOOR RUNNING

Which is better?

Today, it was a treadmill run that won out. After doing a complete 360 degree spin out in my car on the way to the gym--in my neighborhood no less, the decision was made to stay inside to run. It wasn't all that cold or windy; in fact, it felt pleasant--when I wake up in the morning, I am VERY warm, so the cold fresh air felt good. But the deciding factor was the black ice. Lots of accidents here again today. I lucked out and didn't hit anything; another time this happened to me was on the highway and I didn't hit anything that time either, but it was probably one of the scariest moments in my driving career. You don't realize how little control you have over your car on ice until it happens. Having dealt with this before, I knew enough to just let the car go until it stops. But I soon got dizzy waiting for it to stop spinning. And then it was almost impossible to straighten out the car to get going again because of the ice. Just a light dusting of snow over the top of an ice skating rink.

Today was also supposed to be a hill repeat day. And while most of the downtown streets have the heated sidewalk factor, those areas are completely flat. To get to the hilly area, it is dark and mostly lacking in pedestrian or car traffic at that time of day, so it isn't the most practical place to be running on an icy cold morning. And I'm not sure how clear those sidewalks are on a day like today.

I started reading about treadmill v. outdoor running, and which is better. I really hate to start wimping out this early in the season by staying inside, but the safety factor is more important to me than anything else. So here's the scoop on indoor v. outdoor running:

1. Speed control: Controlling your speed is key to running consistently for a distance or time. For those new to treadmill running, this is a tough one. When you’re new to running, controlling your speed is difficult. I find that most people run faster on a treadmill than they would on the road, so while running on the treadmill allows you to set the speed and let things roll, its important to keep a consistent speed, and that can be a challenge. Treadmills do, however, help you develop speed control. Thats one up for the treadmill.

2. Real motion: I’ve yet to come across a treadmill that feels the same as running outside. They might be close, but running out in the open is an experience that is hard to simulate-the exertion, the feel of the ground, and the exact muscle work. The hardest thing to simulate is running form. From all I've read and practiced, I find it is easier to do the Chi Running slight lean and run towards the front of the machine, rather than running totally upright. It forces you to adjust your pace that way so that you don't have to hang on or get thrown off. But when you add to that the acclimation to the temperature, you want to train in weather you're likely to race in. To simulate the exertion of running on ground, its recommended to keep the treadmill at a 1% incline. So, this factor one goes to running outside.

3. Simulating new geography: If you live in a flat area, and want to train for hills, the best way is to run on a treadmill at a hill incline. Or vice versa, if you’re in a hilly area, its hard to simulate flat runs. So, treadmills wins this factor hands down. Today's hill repeats were done at a 2.5% grade. Five repeats of only .10 distance, but I will work up to the .20 distance recommended and start sooner into my run.

4. Speed Change-Sprints/Intervals: Sprints and interval training are a great workout to incinerate your fat. Intervals on the treadmills can be distracting, since you have to keep pressing those buttons at the end of every interval, to change your speed. Its kind of annoying than just using your legs to slow down, where you would actually use more muscle in running on the ground, to increase or decrease your speed. In fact using your legs to increase or decrease your speed actually helps to work more muscle. Its even more annoying to simulate sprints on a treadmill. Sprints are a fantastic way to burn fat! So, this one goes to running outside.

5. Climate/Environmental Control: And last but not least, weather and location play a big factor in which is the best choice for me. For obvious reasons, indoors for me in this climate in the winter is better; even sprints/intervals are easier inside than out. But I do think the cold weather helps burn more calories in the same amount of time when running outside. Safety is also a factor, whether its running alone in the dark, morning or night, or slipping or falling on ice or snow. So this one is an obvious one for me.

Its always a long winter season here, but at least I'm feeling somewhat better and less wimpy about running inside. I do hope to get some outside running in, especially long runs, but I never know how the season will go. Last year it was so snowy and icy; the year before extremely cold and recovering from injury, so not much outside winter running these last 2 years. They say global warming is happening, but I have yet to believe that's true for this part of the country. But it would be nice just once to have a balmy, sunny, and warm winter! No excuses then for not continuing regular fitness.

WINTER OFFICIALLY ARRIVES IN WEST MICHIGAN

So now the outside running becomes more challenging. Sunday, Don and I went to the track again, for our official weekly run "together." Neither of us was too motivated to get out there early. It was cloudy and dreary and I figured it was colder than it was. But my main goal was to get it done before the snow started, even though it wasn't predicted to start until late afternoon or evening.

We got to the track about 11:45 and as luck would have it, we barely finished one lap and the wind picked up and the flakes started falling, slowly and lazily at first, with a full blown blizzard raging by the time we finished. We probably got 3-5 inches of the wet slushy variety, and dozens of schools are closed today. I remember when I was a kid only having 2 snow days in all my school years, and that's when we got 2 feet or more of snow at one time, yet they close for 3 or 4 inches now, without much hesitation it seems.

My plan this time was not to do fast/slow intervals but just a sustained effort for 3 or more miles. I have been wearing the heart rate monitor faithfully now and wanted to see when running only (not spinning/running) where my HR numbers would go.

I did pretty well the first 2 miles, with my heart rate only spiking when running into the wind on the east side of the track. With the winds coming directly out of the east, I knew it would be a little worse than usual storm. And by the end of the 2nd mile, the snow was falling heavily and the wind was raging! It was forceful enough that it was like running on a treadmill for a few seconds whenever it gusted, meaning you went no place fast.

By the time I was halfway through the last mile, my heart rate was spiked the entire time but went higher still whenever I ran into the wind. That was a strange observation to note. In fact, I went over my max HR and the monitor blinked and beeped at me so I knew it without even looking. I had set my max to be about 5 beats lower and I easily went 5 over. My time wasn't stellar by any means but again, the goal was only to try to keep a sustained effort for at least 3 miles with no walking. Since I haven't run a 5k since last summer, not once have I run steadily without walking since then. Doing longer races I allow myself walk breaks, and probably far too often, so while not stopping was challenging, it was also easier than I had expected.

That will probably be the last track run we'll do until next spring again. Next week is the indoor tri, and after that we're into the middle of December. My next goal will be to do a 4 mile sustained effort run, which I hope to accomplish before our New Year's Eve run. In the meantime, its back inside this week, spinning with running to practice for next week's tri. Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Oh, and I did manage to get the tree up. Still working on the decorations, but I'll do a little here, a little there. And got a lot of shopping done even. It was a successful long weekend!