tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74900700990322194922024-02-20T12:28:50.220-08:00Faster In WaterMelissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.comBlogger167125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-24505394954703866012016-08-19T13:37:00.001-07:002016-08-19T13:37:10.170-07:002nd Olympic Triathlon - Part 1I did this same Olympic tri 2 years ago and here were my results then (as I'll reference if I went faster or slower in each portion):<br />
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1500m swim: 29:57.3<br />
T1: 2:48.5<br />
40k bike: 1:42:47.3 (14.5mph)<br />
T2: 2:27.5<br />
10k run/walk: 1:22:59.4 (13:21/mi)<br />
Total: 3hours 41minutes 0.00 seconds<br />
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<b><u>2016</u></b><br />
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I had been training decently for this triathlon this time, as seen in my last post. However, in the weeks leading up to the tri, I was having semi-regular hip pain. (turns out it's my tensor fascia latae...close to the IT band, but not the IT band). The pain was from overuse of my quads and lack of glute use. Need to do more squats!<br />
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<u>Night before:</u><br />
I worked until 8pm the night before at my side job, grabbed a sub from Jimmy Johns, and went home to go to bed early. However, my roommate had rented a carpet cleaner for 24 hours and had to return it in the morning, so I had to suffer through that before I could go to sleep! :/<br />
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<u>Morning of:</u><br />
Tri started at 7:30am. Knew I needed to get there closer to 6am, but 6;15am would be fine. I decided to try something new on race day. I've had problems with my hair not staying in my cap (my hair is thin, but reaches to my shoulder blades) and I thought it might be due to oils in my hair/on my face, so I took a shower the morning of. Well, that put me behind and I ended up leaving my house 6:07am. Miraculously, I made it there and parked in 20 mins. I still had to get my cap, bib, bike number, , timing chip, get marked, rack my bike and put my stuff down!<br />
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During registration, they asked how good of a swimmer you are. I must have been feeling particularly good about myself because I put "I swim like a fish" (yes, that was the fastest option). So out of about 500 swimmers, I got #18. 18!!! This meant I was with very speedy people! The bikes on my rack were tri bikes with zip wheels! And here I was with my red road bike :) haha! When I got to my rack, it was FULL! So I tried to find a place to squeeze in and as I was asking a few guys to scoot theirs one way or another, I counted and there were too many bikes on the rack. One guy volunteered to see who was not supposed to be there and make him move. Soon enough, the offender left to go to his proper rack and I got a spot! <br />
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<u>Swim:</u><br />
The swim is point to point, ending at the transition area. So we have to walk a mile to the start line. I wasn't thinking, but I did walk the whole thing barefoot, which didn't feel great on my hip. I got down to the start line about 7:25 and went to put my hair into a braid and into the cap. I put the cap on and IT DID NOT FIT MY HEAD. Like I could have the back of my head covered with the front uncovered or have the cap on my forehead, but the back of my head was sticking out. By this time, they were already starting (they started one by one). I had jumped in line, but I kept moving back because I literally could not believe I could not fit this cap on my head! No one else was having problems, but I just decided that was the way it was going to be, so I knew I would probably end up losing my cap somewhere along the way.<br />
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I jumped in and started swimming. My legs felt a little stiff, but I told myself to keep pressing on and to use my arms as much as possible because they wouldn't be too much use in biking or running. About 500m in, my cap was ONLY on the crown of my head. I took it off my head while still swimming and shoved in my tri shirt. I was being passed and passing a few people, but I just kept on. Soon enough, I realized that my hair was coming out of the (loose) braid I had put it in. Uh, yeah, that happened. At about 1000m in, I had no cap and no hair tie. Just goggles on my head. Un-freaking-believable!!! I decided to swim the best race I could, hair be damned, and kept on. I was pretty embarrassed because there were spectators on both sides of the canal we were swimming in, most waiting for the sprint tri start. I felt like they were all staring at me, but what could I do at that point? <br />
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I got to the stairs and made my way out and was walking to transition while I tried to rip my goggles out of the tangled mess that I called my hair. I then realized two things. 1. Your swim time doesn't end until you cross the timing mats, and I had been walking :( and 2. There was a photographer taking pictures as people got out of the water. Great! (sarcasm!)<br />
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<b><u>Swim time: 30:09.7 (12 seconds slower)</u></b><br />
Can't believe there was such a small difference with such a crazy swim. Oh well, the race can only go up from here!<br />
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T1: 2:42.5 (6 seconds faster)<br />
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<u>Bike:</u><br />
I got to the rack and there were about half the bikes still left. So I felt good that not everyone had passed me at that point! I grabbed a few chews, but on my bike shoes, helmet, gloves and took my bike to exit transition. Unlike 2 years ago, I DID NOT drop my chain out of transition, so things were already looking up. I passed a few ladies in the first half mile and kept my pace to something that was challenging, but didn't hurt too much. I'm faster at swimming than the other two sports, so I get passed the whole time. And I'm okay with it. If you're passing me, you're either a slower swimmer than I am, or you're doing a shorter race than I am (these were my justifications!). The course is pretty flat and fast, but there's a few slight downhills where anyone would love to pick up speed, but the condition of the road is so bad, that you pretty much have to brake the whole time and ride single file in order to avoid a flat. I got to the turn off of loop 1/sprint finish in 45 minutes. The connection from the sprint turn off back to the start took 6 minutes, so I was about 51 minutes in starting the second loop. I knew I probably wouldn't make it back to my "A" goal of 1:30 for biking. The second loop had my groin muscle on my left side aching toward the end - so weird! That never happened during any of my training! But I just reminded myself that I put the work in and could accomplish more than I thought, so I kept pressing on. That bike finish was such a sweet sight! I still felt silly with my hair hanging all raggedy down my back,but I had a hat to wear for the run!<br />
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<b><u>Bike time: 1:35:56.5 - 15.5 mph (7 mins 9 seconds faster)</u></b><br />
I was VERY happy with my bike time. I had wanted to be over 15mph and to surpass my time from 2 years ago. This is probably the sport I trained the most/hardest for, so it felt good to take off over 7 minutes from my previous time. <br />
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To be continued...Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-629284314884009132016-07-28T12:07:00.002-07:002016-07-28T12:30:08.226-07:00Triathlon This Weekend!I'm SO ready for this triathlon to get here! <br />
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Not necessarily because I have trained perfectly for it or am feeling awesome, but because I have had some nagging pains/injuries. <br />
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It's been really funny how training for this Olympic distance triathlon has been different from the last one I did 2 years ago.<br />
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-2 years ago I followed the training plan to a T. If I missed a workout one week, I would make it up the next week. This time, if I missed a workout, I made sure it didn't happen again that week, but I didn't make it up OR stress about it.<br />
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-2 years ago I followed the training plan on a website of a specific triathlon. It was perfect. Training in minutes for each sport (ex: 35 min run or 105 min bike) instead of miles (I'm slow, so miles take me longer than minutes). This year, I started with that same training plan. It's a 16 week plan and I started on week 6 haha! And at about week 12, the website went under construction to a new format, which did not include the training plan. When I realized it, I emailed them immediately and was freaking out. They responded about 5 days later with what they had copied from the previous website. It wasn't the workouts, just the headings of each week. I had calmed down by then and remembered from the past what my biggest workouts would be. And I knew after that peak week, I would taper from there. So...I've been winging it!<br />
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-2 years ago I did yoga once a week during triathlon training and remained injury free. This time, I've come into training with a wrist injury and am working on fixing my hip issues. Yoga aggravated both of these things :( My Dr. has my wrist at about 95% and my hip...we'll get there eventually!<br />
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-2 years ago I did the majority of my workouts with friends or my triathlon group. This time, I've been swimming with friends (unofficial triathlon group) and doing occasional "runs" with them. If we "run" together, that means that we start at the same time, but I'm slower than they are, so I end up running on my own, which is fine!<br />
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-2 years ago, I worked out mostly in the afternoons or evenings. This time, aside from swimming with friends on Mondays, it's been all mornings. And I kind of love it. You just feel badass (and not as miserable with the temperature) when you're out with the other morning warriors.<br />
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-2 years ago I didn't run with music unless it was one of my longest runs (over an hour). This year, I've been using music every time. With only one headphone in when run in the park because I need to keep an eye and an ear out when I'm running in the secluded sections. <br />
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-2 years ago I dropped about 10-15 pounds while training. This time, I've stayed the same weight which is about 20 pounds heavier than 2 years ago. (yesterday I was at 212) I'm not mad about it. I wish I could fit in some of the clothes that I wore then, but I feel so powerful when I complete my workouts. Like, look what I can accomplish! I even took pictures of myself smiling and flexing. Yeah I have some saggy upper arms and my stomach hangs over my bike shorts, but DANG, I just killed that workout and I am proud of myself!!!<br />
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My prediction for the race is that my swim will be slower (noooooo!!! but I haven't been training as hard in that area). My bike will be faster (last time I dropped my chain right out of transition and had to get off my bike to fix it). And my run will likely be about the same. Since the bike is the longest distance, I'd like to see myself take off at least 5 minutes of my overall time. 2 years ago I finished in 3:41.00.<br />
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Hopefully I can get back on here and let you all know how I did!<br />
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Here's a photo dump:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikn8u9pRX_QNqCF9mkHxey9VTnYz_T-nixX9ixd5lQYUC-nZMe5NP5mgC0kmvGdzFIMuQ2yqnadMMpX785k-6ocXIB0pswGfcusLZgqUIIgAkAee_5ds1yrt0usxXByHJAg8WsWzhbRf8/s1600/KIMG0060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikn8u9pRX_QNqCF9mkHxey9VTnYz_T-nixX9ixd5lQYUC-nZMe5NP5mgC0kmvGdzFIMuQ2yqnadMMpX785k-6ocXIB0pswGfcusLZgqUIIgAkAee_5ds1yrt0usxXByHJAg8WsWzhbRf8/s320/KIMG0060.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This shirt made me feel like I was in the hunger games haha</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILw3XCX5V4eSbkSKUZ7Bx2yKE-rN_wYFYW95YGfStLJ7PMeHMrrje9ySvebCVdnKxHsCPGHJgTtN78imUnnJbfxyMpCutD_fySf6Bx5FmO5dxSOdc6WKBwdr-f7ImDBvW70WKKgue0Uo/s1600/KIMG0053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILw3XCX5V4eSbkSKUZ7Bx2yKE-rN_wYFYW95YGfStLJ7PMeHMrrje9ySvebCVdnKxHsCPGHJgTtN78imUnnJbfxyMpCutD_fySf6Bx5FmO5dxSOdc6WKBwdr-f7ImDBvW70WKKgue0Uo/s320/KIMG0053.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite workout shirt! And bright blue pants!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGm6X5oBM6zPn-hlYVfkExP_MDDQ-mfBB-ac1zNCaFP9b25pJnLR9OPf1E7us9fsWsL9aGp2qIz-LLhbSxs5gsomfIOo-JFTmZsuvpLCboWvThGDDm9iAIwaw0tfdxJc9ktM0XYS_H8E/s1600/KIMG0050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGm6X5oBM6zPn-hlYVfkExP_MDDQ-mfBB-ac1zNCaFP9b25pJnLR9OPf1E7us9fsWsL9aGp2qIz-LLhbSxs5gsomfIOo-JFTmZsuvpLCboWvThGDDm9iAIwaw0tfdxJc9ktM0XYS_H8E/s320/KIMG0050.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was just a little humid....</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHQlorVb7JsC5jjY1-fP9VTE7U9qDX4TeCvLgDD9ZYy39GUxdiuvdKpmi-jPzK2xHcsVPj2HBn6dKGQyWL6G5yE2W_WbmrPlOeYCXaoFtzAUKPXWOJdVBz7_NLnliWUvZh4_LRFZQvN0/s1600/KIMG0049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHQlorVb7JsC5jjY1-fP9VTE7U9qDX4TeCvLgDD9ZYy39GUxdiuvdKpmi-jPzK2xHcsVPj2HBn6dKGQyWL6G5yE2W_WbmrPlOeYCXaoFtzAUKPXWOJdVBz7_NLnliWUvZh4_LRFZQvN0/s320/KIMG0049.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soooo gross! Rained an hour later.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfb0tubnGkwYym9GyjdpB0AjpzLcJHLOKN_ECiJXuqB43z4Ir3blisoDGIFFq1eCLps4QLc9Q4dnPr_tfj62wtCOoq49b2xjZKpGjdWgKVobd6djGZF7tFDJJOfzgjaI4Arzvz2BDZk0/s1600/KIMG0043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfb0tubnGkwYym9GyjdpB0AjpzLcJHLOKN_ECiJXuqB43z4Ir3blisoDGIFFq1eCLps4QLc9Q4dnPr_tfj62wtCOoq49b2xjZKpGjdWgKVobd6djGZF7tFDJJOfzgjaI4Arzvz2BDZk0/s320/KIMG0043.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shoes and bag+contents drying out after a wet bike.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd3Cq2I-A_umm7mLTSRefqHeMVngBQEQPqww3lGFC7q09HI2AxeUgC0jnyFC8k4Z-Vo1_in-mIZkuAetP9Gb-asct64q4V_EkfuksPgPX0wEHi8FhSngmFt0_-MltD8tPstteydCCkX8c/s1600/KIMG0042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd3Cq2I-A_umm7mLTSRefqHeMVngBQEQPqww3lGFC7q09HI2AxeUgC0jnyFC8k4Z-Vo1_in-mIZkuAetP9Gb-asct64q4V_EkfuksPgPX0wEHi8FhSngmFt0_-MltD8tPstteydCCkX8c/s320/KIMG0042.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bike grease...not great for the manicure!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJGvCGFWnPups7xFLPj0XZaFgcOsc6tYAcyMOM2hiAtZrZ1MEDbEwUCot0FxFRNVGXl9EmrHI8MuH-YQCYkfAz1t8hKQv4bKULTqOQEf_eUUyBWEkTowVKRK4TCAYwHLcNtMiAjNdT04/s1600/KIMG0041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJGvCGFWnPups7xFLPj0XZaFgcOsc6tYAcyMOM2hiAtZrZ1MEDbEwUCot0FxFRNVGXl9EmrHI8MuH-YQCYkfAz1t8hKQv4bKULTqOQEf_eUUyBWEkTowVKRK4TCAYwHLcNtMiAjNdT04/s320/KIMG0041.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After wiping down my bike...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9g1rH9x4wkarlRZUYqOCCVhKn1KVUdEl8sRwEwE22rq3WxBoTGtJz5cq15vO_aCVEFTWsDSEh8ZzPYHIQYOTwPyY3tgAJpB9e4Y9UdQgn_wcjfRChWD6wDMRyGbBd7Jtl4WCIAt0pIM/s1600/KIMG0040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9g1rH9x4wkarlRZUYqOCCVhKn1KVUdEl8sRwEwE22rq3WxBoTGtJz5cq15vO_aCVEFTWsDSEh8ZzPYHIQYOTwPyY3tgAJpB9e4Y9UdQgn_wcjfRChWD6wDMRyGbBd7Jtl4WCIAt0pIM/s320/KIMG0040.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Definite sock line/dirty leg!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir1mJfGlH4-Ur8ua4fbGqNGWLGuvWxy1zHDD3IRMuwx7DgGBRLAl6RL1vB2gtR7s8FakXLXUne85ZRLcf3OH7BciiO7RpCKjZWt5tzPtZk3vv5M_TPG5hr3rrAYjEaq1uFc5d7e70oKVU/s1600/KIMG0038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir1mJfGlH4-Ur8ua4fbGqNGWLGuvWxy1zHDD3IRMuwx7DgGBRLAl6RL1vB2gtR7s8FakXLXUne85ZRLcf3OH7BciiO7RpCKjZWt5tzPtZk3vv5M_TPG5hr3rrAYjEaq1uFc5d7e70oKVU/s320/KIMG0038.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dirt all up the back!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjF2Tm7Ul4iugBnbzHTGpHjD25hxh0Ju59lfQqQbV1Ox3nUQQmcA7t3S6s8ZIkD_kMyJ1qHHwgpowyrIsM43vpKkbHNs_HygyZ2Nb6UPc4N8HWlJXZ_05rXgd1VjBTI73VKe7atO-nrs/s1600/KIMG0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjF2Tm7Ul4iugBnbzHTGpHjD25hxh0Ju59lfQqQbV1Ox3nUQQmcA7t3S6s8ZIkD_kMyJ1qHHwgpowyrIsM43vpKkbHNs_HygyZ2Nb6UPc4N8HWlJXZ_05rXgd1VjBTI73VKe7atO-nrs/s320/KIMG0005.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My workout buddy Liz, post-ride, before she moved to NYC :(</td></tr>
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<br />Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-17383988587754206652016-03-02T12:01:00.002-08:002016-03-02T12:01:42.482-08:00February In ReviewWell, well, well. Here I am again :)<br />
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Happy to be back blogging for a second, but not so happy to tell you all about the big gain.<br />
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I think my lowest was at 192 when I did the olympic tri in August of 2014. I've been around 215 for the better part of 6 months now. I chose to sit on the couch instead of workout. I chose to eat bad things instead of good. That simple! My life is waaaay too busy to make New Year's resolutions (plus, bday is in January!). Last month, I started being a lot more disciplined in my workouts. Here's a recap:<br />
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<tr style="height: 78px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2," "]" style="color: #2962ff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 240%; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"> </td><td colspan="3" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,1]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"FEBRUARY 2016"]" rowspan="1" style="color: #2962ff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 240%; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">FEBRUARY 2016</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,1]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,1]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,1]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,1]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 16px;"><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #2458e6; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #2458e6; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #2458e6; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #2458e6; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #2458e6; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #2458e6; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #2458e6; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 30px;"><td style="border-right: 1px solid #2458e6; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"SUNDAY"]" style="background-color: #2962ff; border-bottom: 1px solid #2458e6; border-right: 1px solid #2458e6; color: white; font-size: 110%; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom; vertical-align: middle;">SUNDAY</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"MONDAY"]" style="background-color: #2962ff; border-bottom: 1px solid #2458e6; border-right: 1px solid #2458e6; color: white; font-size: 110%; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom; vertical-align: middle;">MONDAY</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"TUESDAY"]" style="background-color: #2962ff; border-bottom: 1px solid #2458e6; border-right: 1px solid #2458e6; color: white; font-size: 110%; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom; vertical-align: middle;">TUESDAY</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"WEDNESDAY"]" style="background-color: #2962ff; border-bottom: 1px solid #2458e6; border-right: 1px solid #2458e6; color: white; font-size: 110%; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom; vertical-align: middle;">WEDNESDAY</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"THURSDAY"]" style="background-color: #2962ff; border-bottom: 1px solid #2458e6; border-right: 1px solid #2458e6; color: white; font-size: 110%; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom; vertical-align: middle;">THURSDAY</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"FRIDAY"]" style="background-color: #2962ff; border-bottom: 1px solid #2458e6; border-right: 1px solid #2458e6; color: white; font-size: 110%; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom; vertical-align: middle;">FRIDAY</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"SATURDAY"]" style="background-color: #2962ff; border-bottom: 1px solid #2458e6; border-right: 1px solid #2458e6; color: white; font-size: 110%; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom; vertical-align: middle;">SATURDAY</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \""]" style="border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \""]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42400]" style="background-color: #fafafa; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #999999; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">31 </td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"AM: Bike 40 mins"]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">AM: Bike 40 mins</td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \""]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42403]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">3 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \""]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42404]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">4 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \""]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42405]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">5 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \""]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42406]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">6 </td></tr>
<tr style="height: 60px;"><td style="border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="background-color: #fafafa; border-bottom: 1px solid #cfd8dc; border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"PM Swim 2500 yds - 1 hour"]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">PM Swim 2500 yds - 1 hour</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"PM 1 hr yoga"]" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">PM 1 hr yoga, 30 min walk on treadmill</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"AM swim 2000 yds"]" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">AM swim 2000 yds</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"AM 1 mile run + weights"]" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">AM 1 mile run + weights</td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #cfd8dc; border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #cfd8dc; border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" style="border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42407]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">7 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42408]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">8 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42409]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">9 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42410]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">10 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42411]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42412]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42413]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">13 </td></tr>
<tr style="height: 60px;"><td style="border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #cfd8dc; border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #cfd8dc; border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"AM 1 mile run + weights"]" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">AM 1 mile run + weights</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"AM swim 1 hr"]" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">AM swim 1 hr</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"53 min run/walk treadmill 3.65 mi"]" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">53 min run/walk treadmill 3.65 mi</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \""]" style="border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42414]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">14 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42415]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">15 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42416]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">16 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42417]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">17 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42418]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">18 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42419]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">19 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42420]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">20 </td></tr>
<tr style="height: 60px;"><td style="border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"PM swim 1 hr 15 mins 3000 yds"]" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">PM swim 1 hr 15 mins 3000 yds</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"AM hot yoga"]" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">AM hot yoga</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"AM bike trainer 45 mins"]" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">AM bike trainer 45 mins</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"AM 1 mile run + weights"]" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">AM 1 mile run + weights</td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #cfd8dc; border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #cfd8dc; border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \""]" style="border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42421]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">21 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42422]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">22 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42423]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">23 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42424]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">24 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42425]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">25 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42426]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">26 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42427]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">27 </td></tr>
<tr style="height: 60px;"><td style="border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #cfd8dc; border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"PM swim 1 hr 2300 yds"]" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">PM swim 1 hr 2300 yds</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"AM 1 mile run + weights"]" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">AM 1 mile run + weights</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"AM 1 mile run + weights"]" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">AM 1 mile run + weights</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"AM bike trainer 45 mins"]" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">AM bike trainer 45 mins</td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #cfd8dc; border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"50 min run/walk treadmill 3.36 mi"]" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">50 min run/walk treadmill 3.36 mi</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \""]" style="border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42428]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">28 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42429]" style="border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">29 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42430]" style="background-color: #fafafa; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #999999; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">1 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42431]" style="background-color: #fafafa; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #999999; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">2 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42432]" style="background-color: #fafafa; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #999999; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">3 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42433]" style="background-color: #fafafa; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #999999; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">4 </td><td data-sheets-numberformat="[null,5,"d\" \"",1]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42434]" style="background-color: #fafafa; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #999999; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">5 </td></tr>
<tr style="height: 60px;"><td style="border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #cfd8dc; border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"PM 1 hr swim 2300 yds"]" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; color: #263238; font-size: 100%; padding: 2px 3px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">PM 1 hr swim 2300 yds</td><td style="background-color: #fafafa; border-bottom: 1px solid #cfd8dc; border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="background-color: #fafafa; border-bottom: 1px solid #cfd8dc; border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="background-color: #fafafa; border-bottom: 1px solid #cfd8dc; border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="background-color: #fafafa; border-bottom: 1px solid #cfd8dc; border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="background-color: #fafafa; border-bottom: 1px solid #cfd8dc; border-right: 1px solid #cfd8dc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 32px;"><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td colspan="7" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,1]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"NOTES"]" rowspan="1" style="color: #2962ff; font-size: 140%; font-weight: bold; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">NOTES</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 32px;"><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td colspan="7" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"18 workouts, 17.3 hrs of working out"]" rowspan="1" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(207, 216, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #263238; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">19 workouts, 17.6 hrs of working out</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Not bad! An average of 4 workouts a week. I was sick a little bit here and there and just plain tired other times. I think I was on drugs on Feb 2nd with the treadmill after yoga. That's a lot!<br />
<br />
What did I the scale show me in return? NO change. <br />
<br />
Really?<br />
<br />
Yep. <br />
<br />
Workouts were good, but my eating was not stellar. At. All.<br />
<br />
I tracked my food spending all month and got a little lenient with the ice cream both around one of my bestie's 30th bdays and then again when I had a sore throat.<br />
<br />
Moderation is key, but ice cream is the devil.<br />
<br />
I just really, really love ice cream. I did keep some blood orange sorbet around for like a week, but that was mostly because it was so sour that it hurt my taste buds if I had a normal serving. <br />
<br />
Plan for March:<br />
-Keep up the good workouts<br />
-For the love of God, eat better<br />
-Crazy schedule = crazy rest (be responsible with my free time)Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-34713312470544111852015-05-03T18:32:00.001-07:002015-05-03T18:32:15.214-07:00Triathlon Training Weeks 1 and 2The first two weeks are down! I'll be honest, I feel half hearted at this point, but hey, I will press on :)<br />
<br />
<b>Week 1:</b><br />
Needed: 2 - 20-30 minute biking, 2 - 20 minute runs, 2 - 15 minute swims<br />
<br />
Monday: 1 hour swim<br />
Tuesday: 25 minute bike, 30 minute run<br />
Thursday: 25 minute bike, 30 minute run<br />
<br />
I was really liked doing my runs from last year with my run 4 minutes, walk 1 minute ratio, so I've stuck with that for now. I did my biking and running inside, in the morning, as it was still chilly this week.<br />
<br />
<b>Week 2:</b><br />
Needed: 1 - 20 minute bike, 1-30 minute bike, 2 - 20 minute runs, 2 - 20 minute swims<br />
<br />
Monday: 1 hour bike <br />
Tuesday: 54 minute run<br />
Wednesday: 1 hour swim<br />
Friday: 1 hour swim <br />
<br />
I decided that it would be no harm in combining what I was supposed to do into one session at this juncture. That's why I only rode my bike and ran once. I wanted to get in a full 40 minutes of running, so I did 3 min warm up walk, ran 4 mins, walked 1 x 10, warm down 2 minutes. The last 5 minutes were awful. 5 minutes before I was done, the treadmill next to me was occupied by a man who smelled strongly of axe body spray. Which was gross, but then I got a whiff of what he was trying to cover up - pot. I had to breathe through my mouth the last few minutes, it was so gross!<br />
<br />
There was a crazy big half marathon in town on Saturday, so the rest of the people I swim with on Friday morning (from my triathlon group) were resting up. We usually do mostly freestyle, but my coach let me do more of other strokes. I warmed up 400 yds, 10 x 100yds odds IM, evens freestyle, 50yds slow, 20 x 25yds 5 butterfly, 5 backstroke, 5 breaststroke, 5 freestyle odds easy, evens hard, 250 yds cool down. Man, I was really tired after that workout!<br />
<br />
This next week I'm taking a couple of days to hang out in the windy city, so I will have to be creative in fitting my workouts in!Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-49565539733037541002015-04-22T16:29:00.000-07:002015-04-22T16:29:29.504-07:00No Where To BeToday, I was at the grocery store and the gentleman in front of me asked if I would like to go ahead of him. We had the same amount of groceries so, I said, "No, thanks. I don't have anywhere to be".<br />
<br />
When was the last time I had no where to be?<br />
<br />
I'm finally ready to admit it: I over commit myself!<br />
<br />
I think I've gotten pretty good at managing a busy schedule, but as an introvert, I still need to block out time for me to do nothing. So, today as my cramps are awful and I'm sore from my workout yesterday and work was not pressing, I took a half day.<br />
<br />
There are plenty of things I wanted to do - grocery shop, laundry, plant seeds for my garden this summer, BLOG. :) I just haven't had time. When I ordered my seeds, I was so excited for them to come in and now they've been here for almost 3 weeks and I haven't planted them! (going for zucchini, crooked neck squash, a couple of types of tomatoes, jalapenos, lettuce, and maybe an onion or two)<br />
<br />
This week started my Olympic triathlon training - week 1 of 16! :) Monday I got my swim on. Since the first couple of weeks have short bike rides and runs, I combined them and yesterday I got up early and ran for 30 mins (run 4 mins, walk 1) and was on the bike for 25 minutes. Then I rewarded myself with Starbucks. hahaha. a venti pike place, but I can't drink all of that in one day. It will last me at least 3, maybe 4. I'm going to try to run/bike again tomorrow morning and then swim Friday morning and my 6 "workouts" of my first week will be done.<br />
<br />
Still hoping to get that race recap from AUGUST up. Someday! LOL<br />
<br />
I've got to work on meal planning and keeping my eating on track. I either do bad for me convenience food or no food until I'm starving and then eat a bunch of stuff that doesn't go together. This past weekend was busy, as usual, but I was gushing over my new sweet little niece, Ellie. Love that kid, but oy eating out and hospital food has not made me feel awesome this week.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlzydwB33ImVDheebRsSFbFafufQlV-DUSY35QHFelK1x87VvrdTcFjsyCR-_6SVKf6DeVhd4Pyr3LKsx1WyoPZjzXdxFNKllfjsSfcfW11lPxqMLhxyFCnsJfhoJXxplI7184RieF4U/s640/IMG_20150421_141838_886.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My "I need to go to the grocery" Lunch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlzydwB33ImVDheebRsSFbFafufQlV-DUSY35QHFelK1x87VvrdTcFjsyCR-_6SVKf6DeVhd4Pyr3LKsx1WyoPZjzXdxFNKllfjsSfcfW11lPxqMLhxyFCnsJfhoJXxplI7184RieF4U/s1600/IMG_20150421_141838_886.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzvGptpOoNp5_zvUdRNbSS1C58RGqI6Hv1VMwaYptUAwS_eXPKYjd6i6ZsnwI5rR2zlExQ5QQ6F_5Mu11DFtJq7f__YXClIs-nSkBwykBLvC1X4kwSYXWlTBQ6F9-TJsyxTmdu1mMtuw/s640/IMG_20150419_142352_849.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and sweet baby Ellie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzvGptpOoNp5_zvUdRNbSS1C58RGqI6Hv1VMwaYptUAwS_eXPKYjd6i6ZsnwI5rR2zlExQ5QQ6F_5Mu11DFtJq7f__YXClIs-nSkBwykBLvC1X4kwSYXWlTBQ6F9-TJsyxTmdu1mMtuw/s1600/IMG_20150419_142352_849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-71641694843118373802015-03-06T19:16:00.000-08:002015-03-06T19:16:01.114-08:00Healed...in the name of Jesus!<br />
<br />
That's an inside joke. My dad does some amazing impressions of TV evangelists. I'm sorry you all don't get to see it. I'm always doubled over laughing when he does it.<br />
<br />
So...my foot is healed!<br />
<br />
So far this year, I've done plenty of yoga, 2 bike sessions, 2 runs, and countless swims. yeah, a lil bit lazy!!!<br />
<br />
Around August, I was holding steady at 192, but a couple of trips to Cleveland and the holidays later, I actually saw 202 on the scale. And that didn't make me happy. I did feel more sluggish and my clothes weren't fitting as well. I put in a couple of weeks of hard work and was down to 198. I decided to do another Adv*ocare Cleanse (I had done one last year).<br />
<br />
I stuck to the cleanse really well and lost 6 pounds in 10 days, back to 192! I think the part that frustrated me the most is that at 192, I am only 2 pounds away from 100 pounds lost. You would think that would be motivation, but I guess it's not.<br />
<br />
I love where I live now, but I'll be honest, I'm a little bummed when talking about tri training. Where I lived before in the 'burbs was ideal for tri training. Bike lanes, wide sidewalks, trails. Here in my part of the city, we don't have any sidewalks. I can get to the main trail in town, but I have to take the road with no sidewalks. I haven't done that yet because that really scares me. especially with the amount of potholes we have right now. <br />
<br />
I don't feel as motivated last year and that's partly because I'm lazy and partly because I'm busier.<br />
<br />
*cookie break*<br />
<br />
Oh, uh, yeah. My eating is not that great! I'd better get on that. :) I don't need to do anything new, I just need to do what I know. Plan my meals and snacks and stick to them.<br />
<br />
Good things: getting faster at swimming.<br />
plenty of NSVs<br />
enjoying life<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0httsfw57u3Rfgg3veVHXc0ObdrC7x3f1Etp3jfGU8pri9002B4ZAeGckHNMv5MC9R2TZkOsYdQrue0BzqEaw_i-uMnkvUHfasUNnQSG5lWNXT3sByejc7R8tIIKZymV2bgjct7nIDOU/s640/IMG_20150213_211302_385.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Awe, swim kid, my niece, is growing up fast!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0httsfw57u3Rfgg3veVHXc0ObdrC7x3f1Etp3jfGU8pri9002B4ZAeGckHNMv5MC9R2TZkOsYdQrue0BzqEaw_i-uMnkvUHfasUNnQSG5lWNXT3sByejc7R8tIIKZymV2bgjct7nIDOU/s1600/IMG_20150213_211302_385.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiADEniDlR0zW4RwCmIU0K1AxKXKx29fwHWumK9L5FHBrs7kFC96KBni7mdeivUVfSHtPVZjM2FLcg6NM6td6hcaWKBYIphZ-Ad49jy9q71Mk5hoDky8SRTIcBTIRajQCF-54a9a0WWpo0/s640/Snapchat--4559310507857910989.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chilly but beautiful mornings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiADEniDlR0zW4RwCmIU0K1AxKXKx29fwHWumK9L5FHBrs7kFC96KBni7mdeivUVfSHtPVZjM2FLcg6NM6td6hcaWKBYIphZ-Ad49jy9q71Mk5hoDky8SRTIcBTIRajQCF-54a9a0WWpo0/s1600/Snapchat--4559310507857910989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZACcYS8IKQ5jKuUgl4wf_QMO4f04gE7cpTN5qgL0aWov5lROO3D0jgEo3GYFWfjUbEMdQ_e4s-leP20LdOId3qVd9leiO3P-0gA2e_n256ZQwqpF67wW3E2MBO5GNp97xMC0JHWs-ebg/s640/IMG_20150302_204937_299.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't know why I love this meal so much. Eggs, peas, cilantro, garlic, dill, sea salt. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZACcYS8IKQ5jKuUgl4wf_QMO4f04gE7cpTN5qgL0aWov5lROO3D0jgEo3GYFWfjUbEMdQ_e4s-leP20LdOId3qVd9leiO3P-0gA2e_n256ZQwqpF67wW3E2MBO5GNp97xMC0JHWs-ebg/s1600/IMG_20150302_204937_299.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8uNl57APSxT4MMMQLyj6iDhtx9OpJNClLJbMQkxdx94OizfmqTAyQzH8WM2txFGpvWSIfjWzeeM6wTVN7IUGc6JZgEoy-182sINSHMDaL_urMwsfeUAOl8X3zOhgPinzTBEk5TjUzIE/s640/IMG_20150110_225949_762.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">30th Bday Selfie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-76549163511466852512015-01-04T16:03:00.002-08:002015-01-04T16:03:20.912-08:00Injured. Sigh.<div dir="ltr">
For the past 2 years, I have done a year end wrap up post and a new year goal post. </div>
<div dir="ltr">
Sadly, not this year. One of my goals for the past year was to remain injury free for tri season. I stretched, did yoga, followed my training plan. Tri season was great and I remained injury free. Since then (August) I've been working out several times a week, but not eating the best and have added back a few pounds that I lost. </div>
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And then, 2 weeks ago, I was leaving my house and one tiny misstep led to the storm door taking a chunk out of my ankle. It was pretty painful, but I NEVER want to be one to overreact, so I did what I often do: underreact. I didn't clean out the wound, just slapped a bandaid over it and went on with my obligations. And bled into my shoe. Blech.</div>
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Fast forward 10 days. Christmas had past. I had been doing hot yoga. And my ankle had not been healing. Oh, and the only shoes I can wear without pain are flip flops. In January. In the Midwest. Ha. So i consult a co-worker who used to be a physical therapist and therefore do wound care. She said I needed to go to urgent care that very day. The employee clinic across the street from my building only has morning hours. I took my boss up on the recommendation to go to an urgent clinic across town. So I go and they say its a 3 hour wait (plus a waiting room of full hacking people). I tried the employee clinic at another location. The doctor is on vacation. I went to another urgent care facility and was so irritated that my initial bp reading was 158/108.</div>
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The doctor ended up giving me a tetanus shot, antibiotics, bandaged my foot, and made me take my bp again - which was normal after I got over being so upset about the days events. And she told me no hot yoga, plenty of rest. Doesn't that sound great in theory? </div>
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I'm on day 6 of no exercise and I"m about to strangle someone. </div>
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Oh, and when I was waiting for my prescription to get filled, I found 75% off Christmas candy. And I had a mini-cold with a sore throat, of course I had to pick up ice cream. Ugh. The exercise has always been the easy part for me, not the eating right!</div>
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I'm about ready to look up some exercises for upper body or just not involving movement of the feet. I'm in a hurry to get this foot healed. I'm turning 30 this week and as much as I don't care about what others think of me, I WANT to wear cute shoes on my birthday. And go to one of those trampoline places. And swim. </div>
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Bah humbug! :)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not great eating: microwave pizza, salad with avocado and (plenty of) ranch, apple, pb and water!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In times of healthier eating!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ugly sweater party outfit (minus the pink jacket)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nerd. And proud of it.</td></tr>
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Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-33295292426682290492014-11-06T05:46:00.000-08:002014-11-07T10:09:52.106-08:002 Race RecapsI have a few minutes to breathe (read: blog) because I have the day off for election day. Did you all vote? I did not register after I moved here, so I'm not going to today :/ I am cosy-ed up on this rainy day with some laundry going, about to cook some soup and watching the third season of Luther.<br />
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Well, now that its fall, I might as well recap some of my races from this summer! Sprint Tri - In June I did a Sprint Tri in a super cute picturesque little town. It was my first tri of the year and I needed it under my belt to get my confidence up before my Olympic Tri in August.<br />
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I signed up for the Athena (165+ lbs) category. I was able to run some of the course a few weeks beforehand after my <a href="http://fasterinwater.blogspot.com/2014/06/busy-june.html">open water swim</a> at a nearby lake (the town is actually nicknamed "lake city" as there are so many in a small area). I tried to mimic my outfit as closely as possible during that run. Going into this tri I felt pretty good! The morning of, the usual nerves set in and I was running late, so I just brought my peanut butter and rice cakes with me (I had a pb and rice cakes phase over the summer!). I didn't get there early enough to park close, so I hauled all of my stuff the 3/4 mile to transition. I saw my friend's dad on my way to check in (sidenote: totally got beat by him!) and as I am a USAT member this year, I got to skip the long line and pick my things up just by showing id. It was nice! <br />
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I racked my bike on the far end of my row, which was set up in a parking lot and sat down to eat my pb and rice cakes. I am shy, but I did end up talking to a guy who put his bike next to mine. I asked how many triathlons he had done - he had a very nice bike with aero bars and his tri suit looked to be of good quality too. He told me it was his first ever - which I didn't believe until he asked how he was supposed to pin his bib to his tri top if it was going to get wet during the swim (answer: don't wear your tri top during the swim or use a race belt and put it on before the run). There was only a flimsy orange fence in between the transition area and the spectators. I went to the bathroom and came back to my spot right by the fence. A rather aloof spectator had his dog with him. And, of course, that dog had it's head under the fence licking the pb off of the knife i had brought and the jar. I am NOT an animal person, so I was extremely grossed out. I actually threw the pb away :)<br />
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They called all of our waves to the beach for the start. I got ready to go, but then I realized that the Athena group was starting with the 60+ women. One of the last waves - womp, womp! I probably waited a half hour before I got to start. I lined up in the water with my group and put my goggles on. Did I grab the old ones from my bag? These were awfully foggy. Oh well, I started off strong when they blew the whistle. I couldn't really see anything, and something else was wrong - very wrong. I had on my usual triathlon sports bra with my swimsuit over it. But....it was the same one as last year. As in, the same size as last year. I am not the same size as I was last year! "The girls" felt like nothing was holding them back and I had to stop swimming so I could make sure I didn't flash anyone, but I can't be 100% sure I didn't! Near the turnaround point it was getting really congested and not only was I running into/very close to my wave, but also the 60+ male age group that went right before us (sidenote: hello 60+ males! there are some in shape older dudes!). One the way back to shore, I could not see a darn thing. I had to stop and tread water a couple of times in order to lift my goggles up and look for the beach. I had a very bad feeling at this point. Swimming is my best sport of the three and I was bombing the swim!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnT39vkthdZd1XPA9ioduyHiTXQGBYs2k-U3Yd5mpDa5oIEtzJzcte04djL48zOeimFe3tB0mTuRbTKku1Py1x8FzH3IvbhccvWmZ_fwy4v1AEvTiPo93HQ-0eIs_H-uUB6Qp-_kUsqk/s1600/Optimist+Tri.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnT39vkthdZd1XPA9ioduyHiTXQGBYs2k-U3Yd5mpDa5oIEtzJzcte04djL48zOeimFe3tB0mTuRbTKku1Py1x8FzH3IvbhccvWmZ_fwy4v1AEvTiPo93HQ-0eIs_H-uUB6Qp-_kUsqk/s1600/Optimist+Tri.PNG" height="37" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Please note the age of this man who came in 1 spot ahead of me...</td></tr>
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I am pretty embarrassed at that swim time! In transition, I got to my bike and the gentleman I had been next to must have accidentally hit my bike while taking his off because my helmet, gloves, shot blocks and sunglasses were on the ground. Transition took a good chunk of time, but I was off and ready for this 13 mile bike ride. There is a decent hill on the way out of the small town we were in, then it was country roads until I hit the turn around at the next little town over. The ride was very interesting. The smells were definitely not what I smell here while biking on the city trails! A few people were cheering in their yards. The kids are always cute, but the lady who was apathetically yelling "better you than me!" was probably my favorite. The ride felt decently hard on the way out and was a little more comfortable on the way back. I really wanted to be under an hour on the bike, but I was just barely over. Probably would have been under, but there were some technical areas on the way back - downhill through a bank parking lot? Strange!<br />
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I got back to transition and the guy next to me was finished - as were plenty of other people. The majority of the run was what I had done when I visited after the open water swim earlier in the month. Through the paved trails, into and around a subdivision, back on the trails and a bit through town. I can't remember exactly how far the run was, but I think it was around 3.5 miles or so. I was getting closer to the finish and could hear the crowd so I started to kick it in. Unfortunately, it was a loud crowd and I was going way much faster than was comfortable, haha! My run time was a minute a mile faster than any of my tris last year. Very happy with that progress!<br />
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A cold washcloth at the finish line was wonderful! I entered the post race food area and was overwhelmed! I was asked what kind of pizza I would like - as in from which company. They had pizzas from 3 different places, and chicken, pasta, cookies, veggies, fruit, drinks, etc. wow! I got a plate and talked to some women I had started with in the athena category and had some laughs. The course is on the edge of a college campus, so I took a stroll afterwards and found a really creepy statue!<br />
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I headed for home and when I walked in the door, my sister asked when I would be ready to go to the lake with our family. No rest for me! I dropped off my bike and other triathlon stuff and headed out for the boat to spend the rest of the day with my family. I really, really liked this tri and will hopefully be back next year. I have some obvious areas of improvement, but it was a fun race despite my screw ups!<br />
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The next week I had a 4.5 mile race on the 4th of July. Luckily, this one was close to my house! Before the race, I had my pb and rice cakes, naturally and hung around the library until it was time to start. I lined up near the back and we were off! I don't usually think of my (old) town as hilly, but geez the little bit of rolling hills were not making me happy!<br />
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I started out at a good pace and tried to maintain the run 4 minutes, walk 1 minute ratio I had been doing all summer (in preparation for my Olympic tri). Soon enough, the crowd thinned out and I was leap frogging people on the main trail in town that is shaded. My first mile was about 12:30 and my second 13 something. Miles 3-4 were mainly uphill and I wanted to walk badly, but there was a parade soon after the race so there were a ton of people watching so I had to be accountable! Plus there were several kids running at my pace, I had to keep up what I had started!<br />
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We turned onto the home stretch with a quarter mile left. My main goal was to finish in under an hour. I ran that last stretch as hard as a could (this time passing a 70 year old man) and I saw the clock was over an hour, but I knew I hadn't crossed the starting line right away. I hit my watch as I crossed and there was the answer!<br />
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Yay! Mission Accomplished. Post-race, I grabbed as many freebies as I could. I love keeping a full "snack box" in my car if I need something before/after a workout and races usually keep it updated! I went home, grabbed my swim stuff and headed to the pool to get a swim in! Unfortunately, I had misplaced my swim cap and had to swim the entire thing without one, womp womp. The rest of the fourth of july found me with a carry out salad and a pint of ice cream. :) <br />
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Later that day, I was looking at the race results online and I saw that one of my good friends who lives HOURS out of town, and whom I had plans with later, had actually run the race with her family and had finished 59 seconds before me, but I NEVER saw her. How crazy is that? I guess it's a where's waldo situation when you have 950 running at the same time!<br />
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I can't wait to update my blog about my Olympic triathlon - it was quite an experience and I trained really hard for it. Since then, I have not been as active (let's be honest, the 6-7 workouts a week kind of took over my life!), but still maintaining the same weight as late August. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My precioussssss :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can't take me anywhere</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-race</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ah, cold wash cloth! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"running" down this hill verified that I am a weeny - so scary!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ah, so picturesque. Oh, an interesting statue...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DON'T BLINK</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post tri treat, yum!</td></tr>
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Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-8485179194191183172014-07-24T14:25:00.001-07:002014-07-24T14:26:12.677-07:00Different, but the same.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YTZYSxsl7-_1kDoo51T0L2ew0_yKMVjEVnaCLhQ73AORjAWyz7bGUiWOAiz86DROjENzSrUzdvzqVgguKsFU4stoHyepLVBid3OiDbYATq6lXuX16P-5b7uB1tR0Luc6QqZK0C70Jdc/s1600/Collage_Creator_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
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<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 117pt;" valign="top" width="156"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">27<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 130.5pt;" valign="top" width="174"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">29<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 117pt;" valign="top" width="156"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">275lbs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 130.5pt;" valign="top" width="174"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">205lbs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Happy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 130.5pt;" valign="top" width="174"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Happy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 117pt;" valign="top" width="156"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Walks a mile a couple of times a week<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Trains for an Olympic Triathlon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 117pt;" valign="top" width="156"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Loves her body<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 130.5pt;" valign="top" width="174"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Loves her body<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hasn’t been on a bike in years<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #f0f0f0; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 130.5pt;" valign="top" width="174"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bikes regularly<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thighs rub together<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thighs still rub together<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</a><br />
I wanted to write this for a little while, but am just now making the time. I am different than I was 2 years ago, but still very much the same. I feel like a lot of women are down on themselves for what they look like/their size. But you can truly be happy and still want to improve. I think the difference is your goal. My goal has always been to get healthy. Weightloss is a welcomed side effect. If you're not happy now, will you really be happy when you lose weight? We have to love ourselves first! Identify bad habits, then work on the issues that cause them. (Lord knows issues will still be issues if you only treat the symptom of the problem!)
I'm currently in the throes (sp?) of training. Next week is a very lovely taper and my BIG tri will be here before I know it!
I'm slightly sorry I'm not blogging more, but life is exciting and my computer is slow. Love you all tons!
Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-7859182446006611632014-06-24T19:10:00.002-07:002014-06-24T19:14:51.337-07:00Busy JuneWow, this month is crazy! I'm someone who loves their routine, but also the occasional adventure. June has had lots of adventures and I'm ready for life to slow down a little bit!<br />
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All charts brought to you by Bia Sport! So happy that I backed their Kickstarter campaign. This is my first GPS watch, so there may be some user error involved! <br />
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Workouts have been really consistent due to my Olympic triathlon training. My weeks are basically swim, bike, run x 2 for 6 workouts a week. I missed a ride over Memorial Day weekend, so I tacked it on to the first week in June. I have been running on a Monday-Sunday training week (aka my "week"starts on Monday)<br />
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June 2-8. Need: 2 swims, 45 min bike x 2, 35 min run x 2. + 60 min bike from previous week. (this was a scaled back week in training).<br />
Monday: supposed to run w/group. got rained out. Put in 30 min on the treadmill, 30 min on stationary bike at YMCA.<br />
Tuesday: AM swim, PM yoga<br />
Wednesday: Morning ride. Radar showed rain a ways off. It wasn't raining when I woke up. I got out the door and it started sprinkling. I wasn't going to let rain show me up! However, it was steady enough for me to only go a mile from home and ride some repeats down my favorite street. Only got 30 minutes in until the lightning/thunder got close and I had to bail!<br />
Forgot to start my watch until I was halfway through!<br />
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Thursday: AM swim with the new coach. Eh. I just wanted my coach who knows me and can push me. It was okay and pretty easy. PM 40 Min run. Felt awful. Legs were heavy, lungs were tight. Decent pace, though!<br />
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Friday: Glorious rest.<br />
Saturday: Garage sales :) ha!<br />
Sunday: 90 min bike trainer ride. I had those two 45 min bike rides to get in, so I just combined them. I got to space out on the bike trainer and it went pretty fast. Why didn't I use this more in winter?<br />
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June 9-15 Needed: Swim x 2, run 50/45 mins, Bike 75 min x 2.<br />
Monday: 45 min run. Slower pace once I hit trails instead of pavement.<br />
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Tuesday: 75 min bike trainer ride.<br />
Wednesday: Morning swim. Swam outdoors in a 50meter pool. Tried the GPS watch for kicks. I swam "a mile" 1500m (a swimmer's mile). The time was right and the distance was pretty darn close. (1500m=0.93 miles). But that GPS map! LOL<br />
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I think my flip turns threw it off, because that was when it was under the water. I swear I just swam down the black line in the middle of the lane!<br />
Thursday: Rest (AKA BOUGHT A CAR!!!)<br />
Friday: Rest.<br />
Saturday: 1 mile open water swimming race! A few posts ago I said I was doing this one, but could have done a longer one 50 minutes away. I'm glad I stuck to this one! It was great! It was about 2 hours away, but the drive wasn't that bad. I got to registration and got my stuff. Did the sunscreen thing, and then was hanging out near the beach. The race isn't huge, but the race director coming over and introducing himself was very nice. I warmed up and wasn't super confident because everyone looked so fast! But the water was a perfect temperature and remarkably clear. We had our pre-race meeting and I was off before I knew it!<br />
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Lord knows what I did to make this a "run"on my watch, but at least I got my time and the GPS looked a ton better than Wednesday's swim!!! I definitely believe I did 1.04 miles - sighting is hard! I was next to a man the entire time! In that first part of the triangle, out to the left, he was weaving in front of me and it was very annoying! So many times I tried to get ahead of him, but I just couldn't. Around the halfway point, i was in survival mode - soooo tired!<br />
<br />
I only got kicked on the last turn. There were about 4 of us turning at the same time at the buoy and I turned and then did 2 breastroke strokes to make sure I had sight of the buoy at the end. In that moment, the people behind me kept doing freestyle and my legs were under someone when I tried to kick and I got kicked as well. It was amusing to me! We got to the end and I had wanted to make it under 1/2 hour, but I knew i was probably over. I swam the best pace I could and the race ended on the beach. I swam till 2 strokes hit the sand, stood up, and jogged over the finish mat. And wouldn't you know it, that sneaky little bastard that I had been next to and was ahead of at the end SPRINTED out of the water and crossed 2 seconds before me? Rude. haha!<br />
<br />
I took off my timing chip, handed it to a volunteer and was promptly greeted by a congratulatory handshake from the race director. What?!? Small race in small town America - can't beat it! I felt awful and dehydrated, so I downed a gatorade and hung out near the finish. The race was supposed to cut off at an hour, but the last person was a few minutes over. Do you really think this nice race director would pull the oldest competitor out of the water because of the time limit? No! When she crossed the finish line, there was as much cheering for her as, I imagine, the winner. Made me happy! They got through the awards and door prizes - I didn't win any (I was hoping for a door prize!). I went to look at the results and found the sheet for women's results. I look down at the bottom half of the list..um..not there...kept going up and - holy smokes! I got 5/18! I was VERY happy with that. I wasn't anywhere close to the top 3, but was about 45 seconds behind 4th place. And the kicker - I recognized a girl's name I used to race against in high school...I beat her by a lot! :)<br />
<br />
Now, I was TIRED. And I knew I needed to run. I didn't see any good routes close to this lake. And if I got in the car and went to my dad's, I know I definitely wouldn't run. And I skipped the run today, I wouldn't do it tomorrow. But, if I did it today, in this town, I could get one of my favorite lunches that we don't have in the city! A light bulb went off! The people who did the timing was a running company from that town. I asked them for suggestions and they suggested a park with plenty of greenways 10 minutes away. Perfect!<br />
<br />
I had a banana, nutrigrain bar, and some water and I was finally feeling a lot better. My run started by feeling tired, but not impossible. I had bargained that I would do 4:1 run/walk ratios so that I wouldn't beat myself up if I was too tired to run for a very long time. The first mile wasn't amazing, the second mile was pretty slow, the third mile, for some reason, I picked the speed up and I was not impossibly tired, and the final 3/4 of a mile, I was determined to be "fast". Negative split the second half...not too shabby!<br />
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Reward meal earned! (Taco salad, chips & salsa, plus a pop, but the pop was gross)<br />
<br />
Sunday: Father's Day. I had SwimKid and we did the church thing then came home for a nap. At 6pm, we had to get in a hike (her request), go grocery shopping, do dinner, a bath, and I needed that final bike trainer ride. All in 4 hours. Yikes! Luckily I rushed her along in the hike and when we went grocery shopping she asked if she could pick out a snack. I was reluctant because we had froyo for lunch, but I said sure. And wouldn't you know it - that kid picked out a banana as a treat. Without prompting from me. Are we even related? She had eggs, broccoli, and a banana for dinner. I had leftovers of some pasta and garlic bread. Her meal wins! I got 10 mins of bike riding in while she was in the bath, then 40 more after she was out. Then I was exhausted and it was past my bedtime, so I scraped the remaining 25 minutes. Oh well! :)<br />
<br />
June 16-22. Need swim x 2, run 50/55 mins, ride 90 mins, ride 90mins+10 min transition run.<br />
Monday: 90 minute bike trainer ride. Felt good to have one crossed off the list right off the bat.<br />
Tuesday: AM swims (maps/yards were all over the place), PM yoga.<br />
Wednesday: 55 min run on the indoor track as it was storming out. Then bowling w/my small group.<br />
Thursday: There was like 1 bolt of lightning at 6am, so they closed the pool. I decided to do my other run, as I was going to do it after work anyway. It was a gorgeous morning, albeit humid!<br />
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Not awful for having run 12 hours prior.<br />
I was going to do a swim in the evening, but it was storming (again). So I just went home and will tack it on to the next week.<br />
Friday: Worked a conference. Childcare burns a lot more calories than sitting at my desk all day. #hungry<br />
Saturday: Same conference.<br />
Sunday: Half day at the conference. Came home, ate, text people about biking. No one was in, so I took a hardcore nap. I did a 90 minute ride later that evening with a 10 minute transition run. SwimKid was with me, so she was running in her pjs and flip flops, so my pace was far from stellar. At least I got it done!<br />
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June 23-29. Need Swim x 3 (1 makeup from last week), run 55/60 mins, bike 90 mins x 2.<br />
Monday: 90 min bike trainer ride. Finished Sherlock season 3. Really, BBC? Not a fan of that ending. I'm a huge fan of the books and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have done something like that.<br />
Tuesday: AM swim. Very threatening clouds, but no lightning! Yoga was cancelled due to tornado warnings!<br />
Planned: Wednesday: 60 min run w/small group from church<br />
Thursday: AM swim, PM nails done - yeah!<br />
Friday: Rest<br />
Saturday: Triathlon! 600 yd swim, 14 mile bike, 3.7 mile run. yeah, I'm counting this as 1 swim, 1 bike, and 1 run. I may ride a little Wednesday or Thursday because I haven't ridden outside since the beginning of the month!<br />
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Whew, just typing all that made me tired.<br />
<br />
I am not enjoying tri training as much as I did last year. This month has been hard because I've had a lot to do and my tri group from the Y has a very different training schedule than last year. Definitely excuses, but it is annoying. Last summer I had 1 activity every day and I was training for a sprint tri which meant 1 a day was good enough and whatever the group did was good enough. This Olympic tri means more training and this summer a lot of it is by myself. Wahhhhh....<br />
<br />
I don't know how people train for Ironman races!<br />
<br />
Food has been okay except for this last week. Let's take today for example. Breakfast was breakfast sandwich and veggies (decent), lunch was baked chicken and veggies (good!), I came home and had 2 breadsticks + marinara sauce, chips & hummus, half a hershey's bar, and more chips (freaking awful!). Sigh. Planning would be a good thing to do!<br />
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Sorry for a lack of real pics! My phone had so many amazing pics for this post, but it died on Sunday and I am not able to recover ANYTHING!!! Boooooo....<br />
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A gold star for anyone who actually finished this post. Let me know where to mail it :) Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-26913228052411694062014-06-06T06:53:00.001-07:002014-06-06T06:53:17.368-07:00A VERY HAPPY FRIDAY!<p>Onederland!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgykGdKGdkP4qlBhUc4wcIMqAeOMGnIDXDKnTukNUYDcitM5L55QceKOfM2jz1nga2fV8pHMHLUVrKL2VSdJS07ANjTmhdotQKCDLauhgAIGNyXl2c8BGf4SLLurcIolvfDSs-5olIETrk/s1600/IMG_20140606_072306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgykGdKGdkP4qlBhUc4wcIMqAeOMGnIDXDKnTukNUYDcitM5L55QceKOfM2jz1nga2fV8pHMHLUVrKL2VSdJS07ANjTmhdotQKCDLauhgAIGNyXl2c8BGf4SLLurcIolvfDSs-5olIETrk/s640/IMG_20140606_072306.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_LjTOp3SkMzK2YZsrwDJsGLPzwcoYDAMwR37Q74pBw4xdWjFGr1swjW7mTlh1JhUmWS7JgzY_6r2vUB2ZVGJV8T9Q_e0fm5udf4Xr-PMhZgqMl0GPYyb7B9RLif0tTgzBhQ6mRJdpuY/s1600/IMG_20140606_073446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_LjTOp3SkMzK2YZsrwDJsGLPzwcoYDAMwR37Q74pBw4xdWjFGr1swjW7mTlh1JhUmWS7JgzY_6r2vUB2ZVGJV8T9Q_e0fm5udf4Xr-PMhZgqMl0GPYyb7B9RLif0tTgzBhQ6mRJdpuY/s640/IMG_20140606_073446.jpg"> </a> </div>Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-43808875364086045912014-06-01T18:36:00.001-07:002014-06-01T18:36:45.908-07:00Changing things up<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1401671785784_3188">
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**oops! meant to post this like a week and a half ago....**</div>
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In the past week – and even the past 4 days, I have changed/added several things!<br />
I
don’t stick to goals a lot and just meander around. What can I say? I
like doing my own thing! But I have some goals related to my Olympic
tri in early August and my fitness in general that I would like to
achieve. Thus, I have hired a health coach. <br />
When
we met on Monday, I said that one of my goals was to remain injury
free. She asked what I was doing to work toward that goal. Uh –
nothing? I rarely stretch and although I do attend yoga once a week, I
can definitely be more proactive in this area. <br />
My
favorite question she had to ask was definitely about my pooping
habits. That answer/response puts your relationship to the next level!
Haha<br />
I have been around 205lbs for
quite a while now. I have always said my fitness comes first and
whatever weight I lose is great, but UGH I WANT TO BE UNDER 200 POUNDS.
The high 190s is what I was when I graduated high school/went to
college. It’s been a while! I took matters into my own hands and ate a
breakfast sandwich for…breakfast, delicious salad and an apple for
lunch and had my favorite soup for dinner every day last week. No
snacks. Only thing other than tons of water was spark once a day. Where
did it get me? Haha I did not lose weight last week! Now, there could
be several factors involved, of course. I wrote a whole post out and
included what I ate at every meal. And then to not lose weight was
disappointing. This is why I don’t like to focus on weight. <br />
So,
I joined a Diet Bet. Now, I’m fully expecting not to win. At this
point, 4% would be 8.2lbs and I don’t see that happening. But it will
be nice to have a goal with a time limit and cheer the other betters
on. <br />
If I were strict with my
diet and focused on that, I think I might be able to do it. But I
realized last week that my Olympic tri is ONLY 11 weeks (now 10) away!
Uh, training plan anybody? I had marked one down, but that plan had
weird rest days and would more often than not have workouts like
“Tuesday: 20 min swim, 40 min bike”. Which is fine, but that’s a lot
of gear to have at once and really – am I going to ONLY swim 20
minutes? Likely not! I was perusing Midwest triathlons last week and
came across this Olympic tri that had a training plan right on the
website. <a href="http://leonstriathlon.com/schedule-olympic-triathlon-training.php" id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401671785784_48" target="_blank">http://leonstriathlon.com/schedule-olympic-triathlon-training.php </a> The plan has you training 6 days a week, which I don’t intend to do, but I can definitely get 6 workouts in per week. <br />
I
love the flexibility of my single girl schedule. Monday I was supposed
to run, but had a horrendous headache and was in bed at 8pm after
meeting with my health coach and hanging out with my brother a bit.
Tuesday was the normal back to back yoga/swim sessions. Wednesday I was
supposed to bike, but of course it was storming! I decided I was going
to go to the indoor track at the local rec center and get at least my
35 min run in, but aim for the 60 minute run that I had scheduled for
Thursday evening. I wasn’t too excited about running that long on the
indoor track! It was pouring when I got in the car, but when I arrived
about 5 minutes later, the rain had ceased. It wasn’t clear skies, but
it was definitely clear for now! I decided to do a loop around the rec
center that I know is a little over a mile. About 15 seconds into my
run, it started raining, but it only lasted about 30 seconds. It was so
amazing to BE OUTSIDE and splish<br />
splashing through little puddles and there were tons of little wildlife
critters out. The first mile is always the worst, or so I say. About
1/3 of a mile in, I thought my hamstrings were going to give me serious
trouble, but they loosened up, thankfully! As I got back to the rec
center, it was still clear, so I decided to hop on the main trail and
head south for a half mile. There are very good quarter mile markers on
this trail and the streets intersect it every half mile, so it is very
easy to keep track. I got to the cross street to complete my half mile,
but the mile marker was on the far side of the road. So I crossed and
decided to go another quarter mile. As I turned around, it was soooo
gorgeous with it being in the low 60s and a little bit of sun streaming
through to the trail where trees cover most of it. It wasn’t until this
point that I saw another runner! This trail is usually packed! When I
saw how beautiful it was, I gasped<br />
“Oh my Jesus!” Haha, can’t stick to the normal exclamations!<br />
I
got back to the rec center at 3 miles and I knew that if I could go
another quarter mile out and back, I could match my longest continuous
run at 3.5 miles and stop for a rest/drink of water at the rec center. I
had to do a little running in circles around the entrance before my
phone said 3.5. It would have been fine, but there was definitely a
high school couple having out with some PDA right there. Oh well! I
paused my workout on my app and got a drink. I walked to the other end
of the rec center and restarted my running from that exit. I had 15
more minutes left of running. I didn’t know if I could run the whole
time, but I would try! When my app said I hit 4 miles, the pace said
10:41. Now, one thing is for sure – if I’m running a 10:41 mile, I will
only be running ONE mile! My app definitely paused the time, but
connected the distance from one side of rec center to the other! Good
thing I was running for time, not distance!<br />
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I
made it to the hour mark and then walked back to my car. It felt good
to accomplish that on such a beautiful interpass between storms (I may
have made that word up!) – it was pouring again not 15 minutes later! I
went home, made dinner, showered, and stretched and foam rolled.
Unfortunately, I’m super sore today. To be made worse by swim practice
this morning. I’m really tired! I still have a 50 min bike/35 min run
left to get in this week. I was going to do something else tonight, but
I am tired/sore and got asked to babysit, so I just might do an early
morning BRICK workout tomorrow. I thought about it this morning as I
was heading to swim practice – it was a perfect morning for a bike
ride! <br />
All of that to say, I need
my weekends to be weekends. I’m getting more involved at the church
and would like to have a social life too, and trying to fit in big miles
just felt like a ton of pressure. Again, just so thankful for my
single girl schedule where I can do what I want, when I want! <br />
Also,
I stopped going to Dunkin Donuts as my Saturday morning treat. Their
iced coffee was packed full of sugar and after drinking it, I would be
hanging out at the church after prayer and feeling so shaky/awful. Then
I would go home and lay down for a few hours to recover. Definite
sugar overdose! That also hurt my Saturday workouts, obvi. <br />
Lastly,
I have signed up for 2 races this week – a 5 mile race (the 5K option
was not timed – duh, I want to have a race timed!) It was only $18 and
for a branch of the company that I work for. A week from Saturday.
It’s a small race, so I’m 99% sure I’ll come in last, but hey I’ll be
good as long as they don’t close the course on me! Definitely going to
bring my own water bottle – just in case!<br />
The
other I signed up for is a sprint triathlon. I need to get a sprint in
and this one had been on my radar for a long while. A couple weeks
ago, my frenemy Will told me that it was SUPER hilly. But I’m not
trusting him 100%/in denial/going to be a big girl about this. It is
near my hometown and we are having my family reunion that weekend, so it
was really a no brainer as long as I get over my aversion of hills.
Note: go ride more hills! <br />
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As always, here are some pics! :) </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrXVO3eJbtDCZeD9QnQX79Fh0BOLnZq_YRsskg93rgR1n0e6zF5f_Q3JqnqPUlcTyoslQH2qUwN5XTQ2l6j3c2_FMQbXHuVD6IBJGOR3dz9MrlJoiYFg4HGe4GzlETUNMu96IZHYZk2SQ/s640/IMG_20140521_183354.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pics of the sky before my run - not too shabby this way</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little bit iffy this way</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite part - sorry wasn't going to stop running!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just me and the empty (blurry) trail!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Went to take a selfie and someone almost backed into me. This is my concerned face.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#rundrunk</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How did my biking the next morning go? Here is a hint...</td></tr>
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Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-35740826172257694532014-05-05T18:20:00.000-07:002014-05-05T18:20:14.519-07:00By RequestThis post brought to you by my friend Lindsay! We were having lunch yesterday after church and she totally segued out of a deep conversation with "...so, I've been reading your blog". haha! So here you go Linds!<br />
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Last 2 weeks in workouts:<br />
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Monday: Rest<br />
Tuesday: Yoga & Swimming<br />
Wednesday: Rest<br />
Thursday: AM swim & 2mi PM run<br />
Friday: AM Hot Yoga & 3mi PM hike<br />
Saturday: 4.5mi run - of which, I ran 3.5 CONTINUOUS MILES. Holy freaking crap, batman! I remember writing <a href="http://fasterinwater.blogspot.com/2012/07/non-scale-victories.html">this post </a>and how excited I was that I had run 6 minutes without stopping. My progress may be slow compared to others, but it is progress! <br />
Sunday: Rest<br />
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Monday: Rest? I'm pretty sure I cooked this evening<br />
Tuesday: Yoga & Swimming<br />
Wednesday: Planned to do weights and some treadmill time, but I ended up moving a lot of water, pop, and ice for a training my department was hosting. It was at a buiding on our property that some people walk to and some people drive, I walked there a few times to check on things and geez all that heavy lifting! I felt like my workout duty was accomplished! No official workout!<br />
Thursday: AM swim<br />
Friday: 2mi hike at my alma mater. Frolicked in the lilac groves. AMAZING!<br />
Saturday: Serve Day with the small groups at my church. I'm in 2 small groups, so I did one landscaping project 8-12, church picnic 12-2, cleaning bike lanes 2-4 with my other group. I then babysat at 6 and played basketball/scooter races with the boy after I put the baby down, which was another hour outside. I was EXHAUSTED. <br />
Sunday: I wanted a rest day, but my tri group with the Y was having their weekly bike ride and then going to a brewery afterwards to celebrate some birthdays. I got in 13.5mi in a little under an hour and 15 mins. I still stick out as the slow one...by several miles per hour! There is my 21 year old frenemy who was putting out crazy miles - 24 mph! I was happy to average 12. Kind of disappointed that I spent $ on my bike trainer but didn't use it a ton over the winter. Ah, well, time to pick it back up outside!<br />
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Today, I am resting because I am very tired! Plus tomorrow I hope to get a bike ride in and go to yoga. Oh yeah, I have tomorrow off because this little ole state is having primary elections. Holla! <br />
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Food: <a href="http://fasterinwater.blogspot.com/2014/04/three-things-thursday.html">See my last post</a>! Honestly, still eating the same things for lunch and dinner. Still delicious. I am sorely out of breakfast ideas and was being lazy and drinking meal re placement drinks for breakfast, but my shakers are both dirty and I couldn't remember to bring them home and actually place them in the dishwasher. So I have been eating cashews for breakfast. LOL and ewwww. Better than McD's at least?<br />
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I love this phrase that I have been seeing on FB and on other blogs:<br />
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<img alt="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/4a/0c/f9/4a0cf99cbaaea98e727e5db9ac6b2b77.jpg" class="shrinkToFit decoded" src="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/4a/0c/f9/4a0cf99cbaaea98e727e5db9ac6b2b77.jpg" height="602" width="602" /><br />
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We are each on our own journey and have our own strengths and weaknesses. Obviously what works for one person won't work for another, or else we would all take that one magic pill. I am so proud of all my blogging friends who work hard and get results. Whether it is 8 months to get to a goal weight or 8 years. Whether you ran for 30 seconds without stopping or you ran a marathon. I love it all and am so excited for every victory.<br />
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That's all for now! As always, here are some pics! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG3J_NgzpL5YiZcezz9mHaUSUY_QcMJtbLLokMjGt3KSZj_djO5E3xGfCZS9yN1rW0SboLwJ2LRdG2o9PczyWFfGqnSWT7DYiJSlQ6SrXHIIrBgCHIIVNvhdDZenAFbrLN-9gB1evY2AE/s1600/KINDLE_CAMERA_1396284003000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG3J_NgzpL5YiZcezz9mHaUSUY_QcMJtbLLokMjGt3KSZj_djO5E3xGfCZS9yN1rW0SboLwJ2LRdG2o9PczyWFfGqnSWT7DYiJSlQ6SrXHIIrBgCHIIVNvhdDZenAFbrLN-9gB1evY2AE/s1600/KINDLE_CAMERA_1396284003000.jpg" height="199" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New nose ring - a flower :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_uiOB_YQQ-MRfkMZ-3toxHBWKGUf5Glh4_6sIMd6jzp1JifqLy7FxSO9BLVUyMaw-wNH3T8NjWKf9s_W3vqXIL5GnWHsNnH5zNlk_NCCIzW93f0ctKFzrUEPce-gNhry_aE6JME04Qk8/s1600/KINDLE_CAMERA_1396272063000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_uiOB_YQQ-MRfkMZ-3toxHBWKGUf5Glh4_6sIMd6jzp1JifqLy7FxSO9BLVUyMaw-wNH3T8NjWKf9s_W3vqXIL5GnWHsNnH5zNlk_NCCIzW93f0ctKFzrUEPce-gNhry_aE6JME04Qk8/s1600/KINDLE_CAMERA_1396272063000.jpg" height="199" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TeenSwimSis did my makeup for Easter </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfEcxBvXnUcRJAUmTrHiCUUvWpf23OWrRwUDn7uewwXqn4netZeiEFUORN-q7MN673uta6voWplwvKmRmDM_Wc2Ci5V7OWWZdwV-6JzTLwtA-zWBMrQHwOYXdyLPTnSFT9kovFrSnnBg/s640/IMG_20140505_191553.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Today's Cinco De Mayo nachos! I added cilantro after this pic!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So freaking gorgeous. Looooove it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stopped frolicking to smell the lilacs!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiypfm3_-NJ6rv3dT6gbz_eMdrmYj_8LnYvNtsit8GU6IwaIw4BCr2d04fkeVYJS-eTBRFiYpyMm6m4DV1Gd-JVStERQURfMJSro3AXesPrHhtLqxK2aRRHf65ZoR_O8Uq99R3hN-NbwuU/s1600/IMG_20140502_183318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After my run in which I ran 3.5 miles WITHOUT STOPPING! PS face is the same color as my shirt!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was outside having lunch for an hour and a half tops and this is what happens! #pasty</td></tr>
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Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-26170776188682356402014-04-24T18:57:00.000-07:002014-04-24T18:57:18.853-07:00Three Things ThursdayWhew, when I don't blog...I don't blog - yikes. Only half sorry about that. Well, as my swim coach would say "sorry, not sorry!".<br />
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1. With this blog, and with running and biking, I have had a mentality of "oh, if I do it at all, I have to do a super long catch up post, or 6 miles running, or 15 miles on my bike". Then I don't do it at all! I have to remind myself that even a little bit is enough. I don't have to clear out an entire hour/hour and a half in my schedule to exercise. Tonight I did 2 miles - 26 mins and I was done! Enough to feel accomplished and a wee bit tired.<br />
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My exercise has been pretty solid these past 2 weeks. Working out 5/7 days. Last Saturday I was going to run/bike and I couldn't figure out which. So instead I laid in my bed and watched Netflix for a couple hours. :/ I ended up doing yoga in my backyard and it was perfect. Sunshine plus "afternoon grounding yoga" was awesome. I have started doing some you tube yoga workouts at home and I love the price and the convenience.<br />
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2. My food has been hit or miss. Here is a belated "what I ate Wednesday"!<br />
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Breakfast (not pictured - duh!): I had fruit punch Spark and meal re placement shake from my Advo care stash.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: left;">Lunch was hummus chicken (again) but w/chicken thighs. Not joking - 2 stores were out of chicken breasts around here on the day I grocery shopped! Plus zuchinni basil soup with asiago cheese. I used a bigger side on the shredder due to laziness and it just isn't the same. Finely shredded tastes better! (yes it is the same brand of asiago).<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinrNDh0NuZjX_QHth6caoHjJF4bKbUkLA_6l1l1YSjXPWPYlaVFbFSbOOPHEjZQD3tvrShMuelUxsUjozMv3pWbNWPqzZTbJ5fZcdEu5Az2KrpSwwa7ylAyNYZK58zn1rIb7rJc2eW-fQ/s640/IMG_20140424_142148.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
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2 after lunch chocolates from my admin assistant day gift. One was walnut yuck - super duper sweet. The other was dark chocolate carmel goodness. No, I don't know what the acutal names are! :) </div>
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Dinner:</div>
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My old stand by for the couple days before giving blood! Spinach and red meat to get the iron up! This is taco salad with ground beef, mushrooms, onions, mango habenero cheddar (ugh, too sweet), salsa, ranch, baby carrots and spinach. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAunkTQEGg63R_byH2cU4S3PYLxe2KjJz2UiYI1fm9mnp_NoQyul_dv08TxhHhBTalugy9Fo3UqEGLkhjOU2OT8OicGX55BE68865oIxNG9nouv_Vb1zhTQkgZIFR5PBIX5W4SbRG2RDQ/s1600/IMG_20140424_195659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAunkTQEGg63R_byH2cU4S3PYLxe2KjJz2UiYI1fm9mnp_NoQyul_dv08TxhHhBTalugy9Fo3UqEGLkhjOU2OT8OicGX55BE68865oIxNG9nouv_Vb1zhTQkgZIFR5PBIX5W4SbRG2RDQ/s640/IMG_20140424_195659.jpg" /> </a></div>
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Not pictured, but after this "dinner": a lone strawberry, half a piece of SwimKid's pizza, plus the crust of her first piece. Ugh, weak moment.</div>
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3. I'm signed up for an open water mile race in the middle of June.
Very excited! There are literally 2 of these races in my mostly
land-locked Midwest state. One opened up for registration in the middle
of last month and the other didn't even have their information updated
on the website (like no race date - just saying when last year's
was!). So I signed up for the open water mile. This other one is up to
a 5k - which would be awesome, so I just checked back last week. And
guess what...THEY'RE ON THE SAME EXACT DAY!!! Ugh, dagger to the
heart! I haven't checked the start time of each yet, so there is a very
small, minute chance that I would be able to do both.<br />
The only
other thing I'm signed up for right now is my big race of the year which
will be an Olympic distance tri at the beginning of August. It's
downtown, which should be flat (thank you Jesus!). I signed up to be in
the Athena category (women over 165lbs - still over 200 right
now...onederland soon?). I had scoured previous year's results and
there seems to be 0-3 women in this category every year, so if/when I
finish, I would likely place. Whereas I would definitely not place in
my age group. <br />
Still looking for something to do in July. <br />
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Why are there like a million
things to do in June and August, but July has like 3 events, none of which I want to do! Let's see
what other adventures await! <br />
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Some random pics:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After my first outdoor ride of the year - TERRIBLE winds. 7mph never made me feel so tired.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRaaaQRjJvuRaxJ4k-5xsntQECRnxFB8RPNVw_-gymS2UmNMu99SuL5qGKP590JufOZFEJxA8bkdw5N7NktyQVev_Q2a3MUEesMWRLJ_Onq7RAHUrNVa8jUil6U41-uKNntbDMbV374m8/s1600/IMG_20140412_184617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Obligatory dirty legs after cycling photo</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These plus tulips were my gift for secretary's day - my department is so generous!</td></tr>
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Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-90680264729026291492014-04-07T18:35:00.000-07:002014-04-07T18:35:46.130-07:00Losing SteamWell every since my last post I have been losing my desire to exercise while simultaneously increasing my desire for bad food. Blahhhhhhhhh.<br />
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Last week SwimSis & fam were on vacation in the nice Florida sun, so I had the place to myself. I went into full out lazy mode! I had 3 workouts all week - 2 yoga sessions and a 2 mile treadmill run on my lunch. I sat around sooooo much and had a million excuses for why I wasn't working out, and why I was indulging my food desires.<br />
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Even today, I brought my workout clothes to work, so I could go run or lift afterwards. Did I do either? Nope, just made a quick stop at Target (for something non-edible, at least!) and came home, had a good dinner, and now I'm blogging. Sigh.<br />
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I think I either need something that I find fun to do or at least something that is motivating.<br />
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I don't know what would be new or fun (perhaps this hip hop spin class? at the Y by my work?) or I might just sign up for the tri here in my town on the 26th of this month. I'll be honest, the cycling part might break me, but I might be motivated to train for the next few weeks if I do have a race coming up. We'll see!<br />
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One thing that I've been eating a lot is Chicken Tortilla Soup. My friend sent me the recipe years ago and I didn't make it until this year! I've changed the recipe to suit my tastes. This time, I was making some for me and a friend who want a veggie packed chicken based soup, here it is:<br />
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-2 quarts chicken stock<br />
-1 lb chicken<br />
-1 jar salsa<br />
-1 can of chickpeas<br />
-1 can of black beans<br />
-1 medium onion<br />
-20 baby carrots :)<br />
-10 stalks fresh asparagus<br />
-1 yellow squash<br />
-bay leaf<br />
-cilantro both to add and some to garnish with<br />
-shredded cheese for garnish<br />
-sour cream for garnish<br />
-tortilla chips <br />
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Add bay leaf, chicken stock and chopped onion to pot and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 45 minutes.<br />
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Cook chicken and cop into pieces. Chop rest of veggies up. Add chicken, veggies, chickpeas, salsa, and cilantro to pot. Simmer for 45 minutes.<br />
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Garnish with extra cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips as wanted. Enjoy!<br />
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I love this soup because it is delicious and super filling and doesn't leave me with cravings for bad things later in the evening.<br />
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I thought the squash soaked up the flavors so well and the asparagus was delicious too. Glad I added what I had on hand!<br />
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<b>Random Story</b><br />
My brother in law showed me how to use the grill last week, which is in our backyard up against the shed. The first day they were gone I decided to fire up the grill. I was going to cook some chicken thighs, which I had never bought before. I tend to be a worry wart about things so I told myself just to put the chicken on grill, go inside and wait 7 minutes - I was waiting till 8 minutes. I was just minding my own business, chopping up some lettuce so I could be a good girl and have salad and chicken for dinner. I heard a popping from outside. I ran to the back door and I saw...part of the shed ON FIRE!!! It wasn't a huge part of the shed on fire, but it was definitely ON FIRE. I ran to the front of the house again and grabbed the fire extinguisher. As I ran to the back, I pulled the pin and I wondered if I would actually work, so I squeezed the handle, it worked...inside...oops! Right after that I got to the back door and went to town putting that fire out.<br />
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Talk about my heart racing!!! So, I was like "well, I should grab the chicken off the grill". I picked up the tongs that had been sitting there the whole time and took the chicken off the grill. Sadly, those tongs were covered in fire extinguisher chemicals, so I had to go inside and throw it away! My dinner of salad and chicken quickly took a turn into ice cream and a brownie. It doesn't look too terribly bad, but when it was on fire...woah!<br />
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This was on April 1st, but thankful SwimSis and my friend know that I don't do April Fool's Day and this was real! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the daylight later in the week</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See the fire extinguisher chemicals there on the bottom piece of chicken?</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5WFaEcugRUDYnlaPJtYxg0xrcIq1AzQH3vuc9CR-Z-O8C7lXC1QW27rpT1XUUd2GuauWkydtKNDLgh_M2Jn1e03VoZdehAnsYRjQ_Gp_sxuzpCI3V1_QOE8O87EoGraKP_0nLzHXW_qk/s1600/IMG_20140401_205041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right after the fire was out!</td></tr>
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Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-61713984180795366322014-03-20T18:57:00.001-07:002014-03-20T18:57:23.298-07:00Marching on! <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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I might be the corniest person ever.</div>
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March has been REALLY hard for me! I had a mini burn out on my workouts and then just personal stuff that made me want to do something hilarious and irresponsible like drop pumpkins off a tall roof. (ok, most random person?!?) to relieve the stress. </div>
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I only worked out 3 days last week. Like whaaaat? When was the last time that happened? No clue. Sadly, I didn't feel more refreshed, but achy and stiff. Having more time to pour over my personal problems didn't help either. I feel better when working out consistently - got it!</div>
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I want to be running more. I was really getting into pretty good shape when I was running 3 times a week earlier this year. But I don't love running. When I have a run scheduled during the week, it is likely by myself, so I would stay at work waaaay to long and then either skip the run because i felt pressed for time or I would cut the run short. </div>
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This week has been a little chilly but full of sunshine, so here is what I have been up to:</div>
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Last week:</div>
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Monday: rest</div>
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Tuesday: 1 hr yoga, 1 hr swimming</div>
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Wednesday: Rest</div>
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Thursday: 6am swim. W/frenemy Will. "If i touch your feel while swimming, it just means you should go faster" uh, no. also we were supposed to do a really tough<a href="javascript:void(0);"> </a> set on a certain interval for us (6 x 150 yds (50 build, 50 easy, 50 hard) on 2:30). I made the first one with a few seconds to spare. Made the second one right on the money. And my last one slid all the way to 2:40 or 2:45. Will has an injury, so he stopped after 2 of those 6, but I had kept on going. I get out of the pool after practice and he goes "We really should have been making those on 2:30". WE?!? <i>I </i>did the whole set! haha what a snot nosed punk! </div>
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Friday: Rest</div>
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Saturday: 5 miles with the tri group from church. I was the only girl again. And the slowest. And I got lost because we had talked about going down a certain trail, but I didn't get the memo that we everyone else didn't go down that trail for a little out and back. I met back up with them in the parking lot. They said they had been worried. LOL they must not know I get lost easily! </div>
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Then I picked up SwimKid and we went on a "nature walk". 3 miles split in between pea gravel paths, raised platform paths, plain old dirt paths, and concrete. She wanted to run and race me a couple of times. The last time we "raced" was about 0.2 miles and she was faster than me and giggling the whole way. She was shouting "you're so slow! you're as slow as a snail!". She stopped at a bench to rest and I sat down with her. A few seconds later I asked if she was ready to go and she was not. Glad I still have the distance over her speed, but her sass is unmatched! </div>
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Sunday: Rest.</div>
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Monday: 46 min walk in the sunshine. Sooo good! PS. I hate invisible fences. I think your dog is running straight for me and then it stops 2 feet from me on the sidewalk. Ugh. </div>
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Tuesday: Yoga @ work. Skipped swimming because I jacked up my neck (that bilateral breathing and flip turns don't compliment that injury well!). Survived 35 mins on the bike trainer after that.</div>
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Wednesday: SwimSis' birthday! I ate desserts and decorated the house with streamers with my trusty sidekick SwimKid (She's been upgraded from SwimTot). </div>
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Thursday: 6am swim. I was early! LOL I'm usually 10 mins late and today I was only 5 mins late! Still stayed an hour. My neck issues are still there, but we did a lot of backstroke, which is PERFECT for a neck issue. I did 2 flip turns the whole practice. I tried one at the beginning and decided to do touch turns. Later, I was trying to beat the person swimming next to me (Tri Coach Jeff!) and forgot I wasn't supposed to do a flip turn b/c of my neck...whoops!</div>
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Friday: ??? Maybe yoga at a new place, maybe running, but hopefully something in the morning! I've got dinner plans with a friend and no desire to squeeze in a quick workout before or after that. </div>
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To wrap up my first real post in the longest, here is a weigh in:</div>
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204.8</div>
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So close to onederland!!!</div>
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And of course a million pictures from my phone: </div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihmAnbP5jQQU5veEC8Oe76V9xSDXhoNc-hPDDNfn-AdKakz8Y3MlHNA6J8ypQRbrNnX1Cjv6YxqhTyMmAeqQCTZkRfwiP3VQf4JMFngqWFA6T-p90x7Q9M_WwzDH875g6EmePDfpIJnwM/s640/IMG_20140308_160735.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Excited about this workout tank fitting...after having it for 4 years!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihmAnbP5jQQU5veEC8Oe76V9xSDXhoNc-hPDDNfn-AdKakz8Y3MlHNA6J8ypQRbrNnX1Cjv6YxqhTyMmAeqQCTZkRfwiP3VQf4JMFngqWFA6T-p90x7Q9M_WwzDH875g6EmePDfpIJnwM/s1600/IMG_20140308_160735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjN2fvxrwBrrJBRGwIULXvwMmWBS222HGMPoiQA5x0I_LuhQsqEFqpNaPpJVH8pxTN2ip1ICZOuZC7QukzhoMXUT1hni0NiM5lbq4I8fRshMCxVEZ_I8iteQ6kaV-5ZsbzOuuWmr1dNh0/s640/IMG_20140308_155443.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After a 6 mile run with friends from church tri group</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjN2fvxrwBrrJBRGwIULXvwMmWBS222HGMPoiQA5x0I_LuhQsqEFqpNaPpJVH8pxTN2ip1ICZOuZC7QukzhoMXUT1hni0NiM5lbq4I8fRshMCxVEZ_I8iteQ6kaV-5ZsbzOuuWmr1dNh0/s1600/IMG_20140308_155443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY505FUV6jEGbjir_M8AadzTf14A-FgTZdUf4VXcQUhs5zSEvHogkY1_37htVzmNl-qEYLy74YbtFrqszqCMx5a5MqcVMorEovVP2RyF9z7-JyyQb5pEl8GU6ew1FpA1RUSB3R683gv6w/s640/IMG_20140306_221104.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TeenSwimSis came to visit!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXntgx2bOcxVFLspOHN0Qjahv4TZOEmFkxuweJaJUvmZlxOJys7XreUau8QDIm7crNWt1Nw5HTH-e9jkDwbqHMNQHZPhNYWP0NO2qKc7IlToHonWG-XJ16A3lxUJjo16uQtqy9eFvlJz0/s640/IMG_20140306_082244.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fruit punch spark</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXntgx2bOcxVFLspOHN0Qjahv4TZOEmFkxuweJaJUvmZlxOJys7XreUau8QDIm7crNWt1Nw5HTH-e9jkDwbqHMNQHZPhNYWP0NO2qKc7IlToHonWG-XJ16A3lxUJjo16uQtqy9eFvlJz0/s1600/IMG_20140306_082244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5kpMinCEiyCYQC926iHTvkV2l1YbG5Eu-w6hyphenhyphenKFrG2exQue4PBLL8_PTEKmMDK2iNGfHZavLGyLBjaQDYBlILS1WYxtuGzVNGOk48wO87sZ-FJwknViWQ53-N4UEtOH_QrL61sRnXdSM/s640/IMG_20140305_214556.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ooh, sassy face!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOa0FTg8d3XUl5mKWvekZj1w6NHeBhmOtxhiCCT4bMtBHmrq3ym_9UupZrh-rS2usDerd8dhLTw1thKl0HefuFP-66Qb5xyttgeZN7cYAAJMK806SyGo4yJCZ6Cy_m7fFtWDoCoWV1sAg/s640/IMG_20140305_084006.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast one day last week...delicious!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9IfcfW9b2WKI0xI8wA_PlDPWcRoOJwadDEftwAC4Xb5Z8nRq0R8ev-8LdzRvdJbXD8J7KrDeO518XjfYQI-HSFg4Pro-ynGajcAWzIXEn2UIwHVHSBS3OXC1OV6ShgxHzq1qfUldcaE0/s640/IMG_20140305_070936.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful sunrise after a terribly boring morning run</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj2DnQ34fd7OvhU86zNUkn5gC5lFm_gZJd9cC0pvEDAnS4Tto14-iTT2oxQEgev72ymG72CwLEZoz3InwqPlKEtKnbhHh5fIWkWrFnZBxnKisJQTkOD3g2OuApdmokrAQAA92HkvdKI1g/s640/IMG_20140226_131830.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hummus chicken and green beans, yum!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5KZBxR0KsfCETLxFeRW_rst546MwFrYdZE_H1YSIr3CMRvkTzv9mncL3xoQWwmSVQTiF0p5tht8tBWMwulTGNNq8euDByJ1T4xPTshW1_YyJ2O5i41vRb_W_UowbrjdEk7mZQoQUmtpk/s640/IMG_20140223_101918.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I tried this shirt on because it was funny...French bulldog pattern! Was so surprised that it actually fit! Shopped in a "normal"store!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAglNJgXSC7wxD9IjnCjKStIunmMoerZUtch413pcFQTGvaFH6b_QYdCwMDMLmHj-W5nVMDb4MU9_z7pdWAcoRgKEVqBuXMtUvLPyLaW64WzPknSnaDnRs0g5C5CQCEUG7OA8OffUtNpI/s640/IMG_20140221_195957.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lazy pizza...leftover taco fillings + veggies and cheese!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDIDDVJzSc4oOCS4PtpcupCpIVVlhgC_5ZfwguSS1-9nDa5a0Z5RirEr3-6M2eHrUPq4S8q2DjfgTxHCUpC9wJg1uvt_irp06WoHPNkRBxF3I7Fa7rmcEk72OlKgtN5-E1cKrsIGmVRc/s640/IMG_20140220_153711.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love this building!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwieTEE7fqpUZL-96tNYHLpZ8qPcMmgPy-F0t0mTJTlviyn6vUHo-4oKt037XRpCcijTYD22geKabspVAV_V-DEZ69NVnAhfBxhpFmRbUj6jKRBW_OxfZV2EkIbQlyfDpWJXtCUQvsREs/s640/IMG_20140218_190158.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New swim suit top!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtAPvC8D2tVDqVUJOm-lhrw4jp4WkHDu6YViGdV5rBgONDpb3BG4EXafS7YjfzGkW3-jMmSBTGzVN7glcVLzsmt_enuCvq0n1VQ4PWxnEA607aUeokaQy-SlrS7ufCg5NM1ORhPpDYbY/s640/IMG_20140218_185736.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second runner up</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXXisyZaZP6VAcXeZ-uxX5xmwgJGA6noS6M4y6_WRsVKPJpVHl0HLensPeVZZiJBH-F65-fw0agKhCQUdYLkg_ktie7YmETWqBm4fEw_tnc51SuZFFI9wV-VM60Z3cX169Ba2y0eCCpA/s640/IMG_20140215_130148.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slippers compliment every dress...no?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir9TJdl8aWW-3G3XwZheRyhX0YF987P-b8PGiuESBe_YJNI9Ea_3LRlGqLVZKwCzuqsJzJPXexpQgVN23bsk5ea8PVHVCqAvBrc8vWiJkSJhMeOTx5w62ITVbS8xBewuwYWsdTvmi-O6o/s640/IMG_20140215_125929.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So excited to finally fit I this dress!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxTRIEzEXs9iIZTDMZ4capp9rd9udLPK20swf3qjoinAryAlj4R60QPPcpmaOIQDl-mL2R8uRQpRDBSCN80tMWEkNEkPOWiiGkhYxVfocG9wregd1zE0QtlgRX3wEO12lARX8PkId6mg/s640/IMG_20140213_125820.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nails of the month...pink when warm...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj74yD8hdeX9OgCYCXUbWPuF3HTssELivx75mywEB5glYMq7NGJ_UgeNiVjqYgWSEN9KI8FOClGGo2YcPQ99pjEOmNdrkaf_WKFhElzv_wVTzC0Wn_UGIE9xqSAX_vbiCuyY5vRD_K08fA/s640/IMG_20140211_121149.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple when cold</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hummus chicken (again) and zucchini and basil soup!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46PETsgwfwvb3qtoknR-IDIK6aWoAyQqEMMjErQBk0ee2Gl_h1NcVysZJF-dhsbWscnUc-eGKRUP6plks-hdS9rDC63lDnUc4WpfMtlfRT_8qB-fl3DGcgGuyo1ZCRRx_mUx1qhQHI7Y/s640/IMG_20140205_083340.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">People don't know how to park if there are no lines to be seen...see them 3 deep in the back?!?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO7l2U8cGfK0JRNFE7IrncstuZGID89i7-KdtiNu1bR1IXEXWY2Cfwof02gwIP61Daf9an0Alm3hX965jlXa0Fkcv-p-8_87Z-60EXIEexrm_442PrYheLi0BK4BUYsyxbLl3jjhAQOZU/s640/IMG_20140204_173038.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was a whole lot of this in the past couple of months!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Rbl3fY7pnINzjEZvBszuPJMBcPRoFJ4gpCyaEu7V1lzyYiCu_qJzowtfeuf-5EEU-A2-AZDH2H0Y00ZvYRE3TnT6vnZWbK0Vk1ZyGdDCzadLVnR-QLTrhhEmeigIk3Ut2h3O5w97c0M/s640/IMG_20140203_220530.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The best Valentine's Present I saw :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMRdPZjEE1A5GdgBXauKqBogY8Htv_Jo_pFLGcU3ZJoxkVVdZ-e5CtaP3-3-gKTq3CX2tPl5tiIIad-jvdPh4MVYQzW9CpHKmnpsGxHE-HU1ASHNpCzvFABRgXNABINMoS-FOBMQQ9Ng/s640/IMG_20140131_204540.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Borrowing a kitchen while house sitting</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMaKBfN-xwc7fvHDjc120xvzaiL4atyvEct2EbAK46gTfNnuV7GheI8wSXCvaOfFrnpFzGD0Ojk_n-GaPSFc3N2l4rUtmpPBUNax7zZBh9zDYzF-mAGdYWI7TwcHjEEK601NDGB1Ax8k/s640/IMG_20140131_204119.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of course I made hummus chicken!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After my first 6 mile run. That is 6 in sign language...had to have a free hand to take the selfie!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My blues were matching</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sassy, again</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifgthF1r3LdfJyA2USI-3kcpQ4vpSCQu_ntedO3dpeAZshCJv3RhT0ouEVGi3Tpmu20fvuv_MhWy2HjPNfKAVvPWftfyvXnzZQM5oOUtN6pR8Yl-YAEagXg9DKVcohfweMo851qjy8gGw/s640/IMG_20140123_234615.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oops it's upside down! Got an amazingly cute hat from <a href="http://jennysnannydiaries.blogspot.com/">Nanny Jenny! </a><br />
It is cheap and adorable...go buy one from her!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Worked out after the babysitting kids went to bed...God bless monitors!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wasa crackers, tuna, shredded radishes, lettuce = nom nom nom</td></tr>
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Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-61764224822154710132014-03-09T19:54:00.000-07:002014-03-09T19:54:27.147-07:00My blog is 2!2 year blogiversay was last week. So much i want to say, but a picture is worth a thousand words :)<br />
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<br />Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-69649027742229185912014-02-18T18:40:00.000-08:002014-02-18T18:51:11.648-08:00Weird/Awkward Encounters in the Life of Melissa<p>This post was inspired by <a href="http://tyruns.blogspot.com/2014/02/a-fked-up-friday.html">this post</a> courtesy of the awkward happenings of Ty @ TyRunMan<br>
-At YMCA C, I always use a half locker. When I was there for the indoor tri the other week, I had more stuff than normal. After the 10 minute swim, we had a 10 minute transition time to change out of our swimsuits. 10 minutes is a good chunk of time, but its not enough to lollygag in the locker room. I didn’t want my wet swimsuits to get the rest of my stuff wet, so I found a top half locker open close to mine and threw them in there and went to the spin studio. When my ½ hour on the bike, and 20 mins on the treadmill was done, I made my way back to the locker room to collect my things. When I got to my spot, there was an employee mopping the area and muttering about people leaving their wet swim suits in the lockers and that they drip water all over the floor. I open my locker and act nonchalant about it, nodding at the end of every sentence or so that she’s going on. But then she starts opening lockers to see where the water is coming from and finds my swimsuits. She makes a comment “and they’ll probably never comes back for these either!”. Now, I have a REALLY bad poker face, so any normal person would be able to tell that those were mine, but she just kept on rolling. She put them on the bench and I knew she was going to walk out with them after she was done mopping, which was imminent, so I said “uh, actually….those are mine”.</p>
<p>And I told her the reason I had put them in there, etc. So she sits down on the bench, next to my wet swimsuits, and has a full 5 minute conversation with me about the triathlon and triathlons in general. I had everything packed up and was walking out the door of the locker room when she calls out to me – HEY! GREAT WORKOUT TODAY!!! Haha, uh, thanks lady that I just met who wanted to strangle me 5 minutes before!</p>
<p> -I give blood about every 8 weeks or so. I think its really important because if I were to need blood in an emergency situation, I would definitely want it! Luckily, the “bloodmobile” shows up at our workplace once every 8 weeks so I can give blood, have cookies for breakfast, then saunter in to work a little bit late. My iron levels are usually my only issue and as long as I eat spinach and some red meat in the days before I give blood, I usually have a flawless experience. Until Tuesday. I filled out the survey and sat down to do my little iron level finger prick, blood pressure, and temperature. My iron level was 12.8! (has to be 12.5) and the lady put the blood pressure cuff on my and started that machine going and went to put the thermometer in my mouth. She did, but it just hit me in the back of the mouth really funny and I fought the urge to cough so hard, but I did end up taking it out of my mouth and coughing. Then she was all up in my grill and asked me at least 5 times “Are you SURE you don’t have a cold?!?”. Yeah, lady, I’m sure you just jammed that in the back of my mouth weird! But this whole time I’m coughing and responding to her, the blood pressure machine is still going! Then I start laughing because that has to be such a crazy blood pressure reading. She had me do my temperature again – I got to hold the thermometer this time! And I asked if I could do the blood pressure again because I KNEW it said something crazy. She said I didn’t have to do the blood pressure part again, that it was fine. Well, I looked at what she wrote on the paper – 166/93!!!!! Then I was sort of mad because when I log on to the website next and it shows your blood pressure stats from the past year of giving blood, it’s going to show my blood pressure going down every time – and spiking up this time.</p>
<p> I should have taken that as a sign that today was not my day to give blood! So the phlebotomist was a younger than the rest and I did my usual, stare off into space while she's doing the thing w/her needle. And this time, it hurt while going in, never a good sign! So I’m sitting there, squeezing the little thing and the machine starts beeping a few minutes later. I’m usually fast at filling the bag, so I thought I was done. Nope, whatever she did, my blood was starting to clot and I wasn’t filling the bag. So that scenario happened about 3 times and 3 different people came over to “help” reposition the needle/my arm/whatever they could do. I don’t think they even got a pint out of me. At least I got cookies after that! And an ice pack. And now a nice bruise…<br><br></p>
<p>-I was really happy that they changed one of our swim practices for our tri group to 6am instead of 7am (I have to be at work at 8). That means I get 2 swim practices a week! Yay! So I go this morning (about 5 minutes late…) and I get to the front door, which is an automatic opening door. But it doesn’t open. So I do my best not to run into it and see a little sign that basically says “sorry our door is broken, we have called someone about it”. But it doesn’t say what to do/where to go. When they were re-doing the from doors over the summer they had us go in the gym door, but that didn’t look promising either/no sign. So I walk back over the front door and stare at it for a second and then this guy (thankfully!) comes out and pries the doors apart, we trade places and then he closes them. I said “soooo…you just have to ‘superman’ it?!?” and he gave a chuckle at my socially awkward comment. Then there was no one at the front desk, so I swiped my own card and walked in the “out” door. I was so weirded out by that experience that I forgot a towel and later had to walk back into the hallway to get one in my wet swimsuit. What a morning!</p>
<p>All in all...still not as crazy as Ty having a human obstacle in the pool the other week! </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOK8l8UZwV-83VKNKE4794bGzDHLW6llsV9M_njpc5A8m_gkSw8lBWW5u67cim6Nwz9qRJz7GrmN3Zhk_TpHQ0HEgFyapOzmBxgs7CiEzxnQ3ODmE2-xWzANyZFuZXOmv2qG6tHgQuZ0/s1600/Snapchat-20140217115333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOK8l8UZwV-83VKNKE4794bGzDHLW6llsV9M_njpc5A8m_gkSw8lBWW5u67cim6Nwz9qRJz7GrmN3Zhk_TpHQ0HEgFyapOzmBxgs7CiEzxnQ3ODmE2-xWzANyZFuZXOmv2qG6tHgQuZ0/s640/Snapchat-20140217115333.jpg"> </a> </div>Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-24953496381245688812014-02-11T07:40:00.001-08:002014-02-11T07:40:18.674-08:00February UpdateHello my blog friends! I have been having a ton of fun in real life, but have not had the time/energy to blog about it! Without further ado, let's cut to the chase:<br />
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Running: In my last post, I said I had started half marathon training. This is still ongoing, but I'm not following the training plan to a "t". The first 4 weeks was on one physical page (and I was doing the modified plan) and then the one the second page, apparently the modified plan merges with the full plan. This meant jumping straight from 6 mile long run to 8, then to 10 with midweek tempo and even speed runs being at least/around 5 miles. I'm a slow runner - my speed runs are at 4.5 on the treadmill! Those take me over an hour. <br />
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Even Tri Coach Jeff said he thought the plan was "aggressive" and that if I feel like doing my long run at 7 miles instead of 8, then to go for it. Duh, I want to do less mileage! The training plan has us running 3 times a week (speedwork, tempo, and long run) and then cross training 3 days. I've been running my required 3 and, depending on the week, cross training 2 or 3 days, whichever I feel like. <br />
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I've kept the long run and the speedwork mostly according to the plan, but tempo I have had to make my own and I use it as a time to run a certain distance/time frame without stopping. I still haven't done a 5k without walking, so I'm working up to that and I think I'm pretty close. Last week I ran 1/2 hour without stopping TWICE. Once on the treadmill and once on the indoor track, the latter was 2.75 miles w/o stopping. Math is a lot harder when you are exercising (my excuse!) and I would have done 3 more laps (1/8 mile track) to get a 5k in if I had realized I had been so close. <br />
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Basically, my legs are tired most of the time.<br />
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Swimming: Ah, my love! I had only been able to go to one of the two practices that my tri team has each week because of work, but they move the second one to 6am on thursdays, so I will be able to go. It is early, but misery loves company, especially in the pool :) On my birthday swim that I did, I did a timed set where I did some 200s on 3:30. I didn't make a single one. Last week we got snow in the evening, so I did my swimming in the morning and was making the 200s on 3:20 and getting plenty of rest. Was it a fluke or did I get faster? I don't know, but I like the trend. I talked to Tri Coach Ellen (swim coach) and she said she would be interested in doing open water races this summer too. She's faster than me at the point, but we are in different age groups. It would be a nice friendly competition!<br />
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Biking: They say biking muscles are complementary to to running muscles. Which means I should do more biking. I really don't have an excuse. My bike/trainer is in my room. If i look up from my computer, I see it! I finally was able to make it to a Sunday afternoon bike trainer group ride and when I walked in (late) I was met with cheers. That's embarrassing to know that you haven't been there in so long that everyone cheers when they see you. ha. Of course I set everything up and get riding and they are like "uh, what's wrong with your bike..it shouldn't be making that noise". My bike trainer is apparently not supposed to make that noise, but I had only ever ridden it alone, so I didn't know the difference. Good thing it has a lifetime warranty! Tri Coach Jeff is awesome, so he put my bike on his trainer and he grabbed a spin bike from the adjacent room. I only got in like a half hour ride, but my hammies are so sore! Should have stretched....bad Melissa!<br />
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Triathlon: We did our indoor tri on Feb 1. I was tired from my long run 2 days before! And running late. I jumped in the pool, got my cap/goggles on and then they said go! This triathlon is for time, not distance. I did 625 yards in 10 minutes. Slower than I wanted to go, but I was tired by 150 yards! Basically, we did that in practice in December and i got the same distance. Oops! We did a half hour on the spin bikes and I think I got around 13...they said it was miles but personally I think its kilometers. That would make more sense. Then for 20 minutes on the treadmill I got 1.48 miles. I think I was too conservative for the first 15 minutes! haha I never really push it going fast on the treadmill and got up to 5.7, which was doable for a short while, but very fast for me. The good news is that I saw improvements in all areas versus my distances last year. A quarter mile farther on the treadmill alone!<br />
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Food: I need to write up my review of Diet to Go that I did in January! I won 5 days of food from Double Chin Diary and the results were great! <br />
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I'm currently doing Advo*care's 24 dayy challenge, which is okay. I learned a lot in the first 10 days (cleanse) about my food portions and my food urges (wanting rewards). Now I'm just kind of bored, but will stick it out till the end. But seeing the scale go down is a nice effect as well.<br />
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PS I'm cheap and would probably never do these two things on my own. I won the first thing (as stated) and then a friend bought my the second as a birthday present. <br />
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2014 is great so far...minus the 2 times I've had to get my car repaired :) hahaMelissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-70437351822504664792014-01-20T19:00:00.002-08:002014-01-20T19:00:33.339-08:00January MadnessSoooo...I have a blog :) My blog will be 2 in a few months and I just told one of my best friends about it a couple of weeks ago. That's the only IRL person I have told! I know she hasn't read my blog, though, because I told her in the midst of cocktails and shots on my birthday, so she likely has no recollection of that event! <br />
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January, January. The year started off with a 5k! It was supposed to be an event where you ran a 5k, got a medal, and then could get an extra medal for jumping in the lake, but apparently they nixed that. I 100% would have done it, but I'm not going to say I didn't feel relieved. My time was 41:08. I was going to stick to my plan to run the first mile, then walk. Well, they didn't have mile markers, only kilometer markers and I ended up running till the turnaround point. <br />
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My friend Laura from the bible study/running group that I attended in the fall did the race too and bless her heart she ran with me. When I stopped to walk, she went on ahead and as I was nearing what would have been the 3 mile mark, I saw her jogging back my way. I totally thought she had finished and then just come back as a friendly jog, but she went to the finish, turned around and came back to run it in with me. Super sweet and unnecessary, but I did appreciate it. Fairly certain that was her slowest 5K/however far she ran ever. (That was my second fastest time...first 5K that I had not PRed!). Honestly, my goal was to not to have any bowel emergencies while running. Check!<br />
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My tri group had a break over the Christmas/New Year holidays and only had informal gatherings. As <a href="http://fasterinwater.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-abcs-of-ymca.html">YMCA "D"</a> was completed in August, I took it upon myself to set up a little weight lifting routine. I would run/walk on the treadmill for about half an hour and then lift weights. It was a little intimidating at first, but I feel no shame in asking for help or demonstrations from the staff! Because the walls are mirrored and I would rather look at myself than make awkward eye contact with people, I was examining my body and came to this conclusion: chubby, but strong. I don't even like the word chubby (sounds like we're in middle school), but that's what came to mind. Happy with my progress!<br />
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My bike had a bolt missing on the crank arm (major uh-oh!) and I went to get it fixed the day before the snow storm/polar vortex. They said they didn't have the part and would have to order it and that my bike was pretty unsafe (on the trainer) without the bolt. Sullenly, I went to swim (which made it a little better!) and when I got home, I had a voicemail that they had actually found the correct bolt instore, installed it, and that I could come pick it up. I was so very thankful! I got in several bike trainer rides while snowed in and I know I wouldn't have lifted a finger to exercise otherwise. Plus, they only charged me for the price of the bolt...$6.75. AND the mechanic put on a spare tire on the back so my red/black one wouldn't get worn down. I was thinking about trying to change it myself, so I'm glad I had an excuse to take it in and have them do it. Pretty sure I learned my lesson about the bike shop - if the manager is not there, the bike mechanics will not charge me labor/tire change fees. And this particular one is not bad looking - always a bonus! <br />
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As my tri group is gearing up/changing things this year, there are a lot more opportunities for running. I've never really felt one way or another about running (other than "running is the worst!" when in the midst of the first mile). Tri Coach Jeff emailed us a few weeks ago and said that <a href="http://fasterinwater.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-abcs-of-ymca.html">YMCA "C"</a>, where my tri group is based out of, was offering the half marathon training program to tri group members for free. It is usually $85, so I decided to check out the information session. The program is lead by an older gentleman named Cecil (love it!). Cecil told us his story. He used to be 220 pounds, got a YMCA membership for his kids, they didn't go, but he did. He started walking, then running and now he is super speedy and runs Boston every year. Sounds simple, but when he was telling us his story I was like "let's get out of here and go run RIGHT NOW". Inspiring!<br />
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The group is training for a specific half marathon in May. I got worried looking at the schedule, which is only running 3 days a week (cross training 3 more). I was so proud of myself for running over 2 miles at YMCA "D" before weight training. The runs in the very first week were all 3 plus. We all know I can't run a 5K. I laid out all my concerns in an email to Cecil and told him I wasn't running the half marathon, but I would give this training thing a shot. He was cool with it. <br />
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I did my "long run" of 4 miles last Friday, which was the longest I have run/walked unless you count the<a href="http://fasterinwater.blogspot.com/2013/10/first-half-marathon.html"> half marathon</a>/1 training run I did in the fall. Today, I was supposed to do a treadmill run. Warm up, 3 miles at mid tempo pace, cool down. I wanted to run as much as I could of that 3 miles, but my mind could not get wrapped around the time it would take to do that on the treadmill/boredom I would encounter. I went back to where I did my long run - my local rec center (not YMCA) that has the free indoor track that is 1/8 of a mile. I didn't pay too much attention to my pace, but I can tell you that I walked a warm up lap, ran 12 laps (1.5 miles), walked 2 laps (0.25 miles), then ran 10 laps (1.25 miles), and cooled down with walking 2 laps (0.25 miles). <br />
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Holy cow I was so proud of myself! I mean, I've been able to run 1-1.5 miles without stopping before, but never the distance that I did after a walk break. Those 10 laps that I did after the walk break were hard. My legs felt fine, my hip was achy, my diaphragm/lungs were angry, but I freaking did it! The whole thing took me about 46 minutes, which was actually <a href="http://fasterinwater.blogspot.com/2012/06/5k-pr-aka-my-first-5k.html">my first 5k </a>time. If I'm ever feeling down about where I am currently, I know I can look back and see the progress I've made. And that my friends, is priceless. <br />
<br />Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-23307759918032853602014-01-12T18:46:00.003-08:002014-01-12T18:46:54.381-08:00Quick post!Hey guys! 2014 is already flying by!<br />
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The year started off rough when I stepped on the scale, saw a number higher than I liked, got pissed about it and decided to eat 3 huge sugar cookies with frosting. Uh.... I've always said that if things like the scale start to effect my mental health, then I will drop it on the spot. My mental/emotional/spiritual well being is always my priority. So I stopped weighing myself daily, have been exercising regularly, and eating better. I have no idea what my weight is, but life is great right now!<br />
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I had a bday and it was a blast! I got in a morning swim with a special workout written by the tri group swim coach. My arms and legs were very tired from weights the evening before, but i managed to eek out a 2900 yd workout in an hour and five minutes. I then headed on over to the church for a prayer and worship service - life altering. So, so, so good! <br />
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I then got lunch, got a mani/pedi with my bestie, then we had some afternoon refreshments and a local watering hole (haha!) and hung out till we went to dinner with my family. I recieved some great presents like some of my alma mater's apparel and a mug, and a smart phone! Welcome to the 21st century, Melissa! lol<br />
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Things are getting set up for this next season to tri training group, so we shall see what that holds! I have been having a blast running on the treadmill (okay that part not so much) and lifting weights at the Y right across the street from my work. There's no excuse when you can see the Y from your office window. I've been using some free weights and some intimidating things like the 45 degree leg press!<br />
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I've been working on a 30 before 30 list that I will definitely share when it is complete - any suggestions? I only have about 23 right now! <br />
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Also, I made up a preliminary triathlon/race schedule the other day and my first tri is an indoor tri on Feb 1. Woot! I am looking forward to doing some open water swim races as well. It is obvious that I love swimming, but 400 yards during a triathlon doesn't really cut it. I'm looking at a 5k swim or two this year. I was looking into one in Chicago in Sept but I have a wedding to go to a couple of states away that day...bummer!<br />
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2014 is looking bright and shiny...all I have to do is keep my head up and stay injury free! :)Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-35760792458112662652013-12-30T18:20:00.001-08:002013-12-30T18:55:36.323-08:002013 Goals RevisitedWhat a year! I am getting lots of praise from those around me and it feels great. As one of my best friend's mom said the other day "Look who came to visit! Half a Melissa!" haha! <br />
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One gesture I'm sticking to comes from a sermon last Sunday where the pastor was talking about relationships and said something to the effect of "Praise people for how far they have come, don't berate them on how far they have to go". <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghf4RUuYsou7TXLBAIb2a1l7pwvCgiUD_gXVvQHYAA15NfqzzLpsa7hXHKP_eAescgUXY-t5YRR6zHuQx3yWWxT9JLjx3pQGYL7u9yfLp4P9fny6fehVLA-OTY6d-antNJMUPlDTwT9ok/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage1213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghf4RUuYsou7TXLBAIb2a1l7pwvCgiUD_gXVvQHYAA15NfqzzLpsa7hXHKP_eAescgUXY-t5YRR6zHuQx3yWWxT9JLjx3pQGYL7u9yfLp4P9fny6fehVLA-OTY6d-antNJMUPlDTwT9ok/s320/PicMonkey+Collage1213.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Definitely lost a chin or two in 2013!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Fitness:<br />
<b>1. Lose as much or more weight as I lost in 2012 (34lbs)</b><br />
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<span style="color: red;">I only had 3 pounds to lose with a month to go, but I know that is not going to happen. I'm 100% fine with it...more on that later!</span><br />
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<b>2. Swim twice a week, at least one morning a week.</b><br />
<span style="color: red;">Ha! Once in the morning! I'm pretty sure I became even less of a morning person in 2013! But generally I swam once a week, twice if I was lucky.</span><br />
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<b>3. Strength train once the Y thins out (after new year's resolution-ers don't come as often)</b><br />
<span style="color: red;">I was dragging my feet big time on this! I started strength training in late November, but I have a good routine now!</span><br />
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<b>4. Strength train at home in the meantime (as much as one can with light weights)</b><br />
<span style="color: red;">This probably happened once!</span><br />
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<b>5. Do a race longer than a 5K.</b><br />
<span style="color: red;"> I jumped from a 5K straight into a <a href="http://fasterinwater.blogspot.com/2013/10/first-half-marathon.html">half marathon t</a>his year!</span><br />
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<b>6. Swim in an open water race.</b><br />
<span style="color: red;">Yes! In place of a triathlon. <a href="http://fasterinwater.blogspot.com/2013/09/your-words-have-power.html">Recap here.</a></span><br />
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<b>7. <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Run a race/just plain run downtown</span></b><br />
<span style="color: red;">I walked a 5K downtown for a work related event. It was so uneventful that I didn't blog about it, but I'm counting it because I got to enjoy the downtown area!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri;">8. Get a bike</span></b><br />
<a href="http://fasterinwater.blogspot.com/2013/04/exercise-stuff.html"><span style="color: red;">BOOM!</span></a><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri;">9. Ride said bike</span></b><br />
<a href="http://fasterinwater.blogspot.com/2013/04/triathlon-whirlwind.html"><span style="color: red;">Eventually!</span></a><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri;">10. Ride bike w/o fear of falling off/losing control<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b><br />
<span style="color: red;">It was longer than I expected, <a href="http://fasterinwater.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-good-bad-annoying.html">if we're being honest</a>!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri;">11. Do a triathlon, even if it is just by myself at the Y. </span></b><br />
<span style="color: red;">I completed an indoor tri in late January/early February, then went on to do several more this summer!</span> <span style="color: red;">Recaps: <a href="http://fasterinwater.blogspot.com/2013/02/super-tri.html">Indoor tri.</a> <a href="http://fasterinwater.blogspot.com/2013/08/my-first-triathlon.html">First Triathlon. </a> <a href="http://fasterinwater.blogspot.com/2013/08/2nd-triathlon.html">Second Triathlon.</a> <a href="http://fasterinwater.blogspot.com/2013/10/wet-wild-triathlon.html">Third Triathlon. </a></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri;">12. Try some new, more hardcore workouts</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: red;">Still trying to get into different workouts, but spinning was a big one...running on the treadmill (I had a treadmill fear), BRICK workouts for sure! Let's see what I can get to in 2014! </span></span><br />
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2124" style="font-family: Calibri;"><b id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2199">Financial:</b><br /> <b id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2205">Pay off credit cards</b> – <span style="color: red;">Yes! Paid both of them off by May.</span></span><br />
<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2124" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: red;"> </span><br /><b id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2204">Get student loans under XX,XXX</b> – <span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2200" style="color: red;">Sure did. But I’m slowly realizing how long it is going to take to pay these off, I will up the ante in 2014!</span></span><br />
<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2124" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2200" style="color: red;"> </span><br /><b id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2210">Accumulate X,XXX in savings</b>. – <span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2203" style="color: red;">I
only accumulated about half of what I wanted to, but it might be enough
to pay off another debt or go towards a new car in the future.</span></span><br />
<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2124" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2203" style="color: red;"> </span><br /><b id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2211">Only eating out once a week unless special occassion or asked by friend</b> – <span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2202" style="color: red;">First half of the year – this was great. Second half, not so much. </span></span><br />
<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2124" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2202" style="color: red;"> </span><br /><b id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2185">All money from church job goes toward</b> debt – <span style="color: red;">Except for a month or two, this one was right on.</span></span><br />
<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2124" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: red;"> </span><br /><b id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2123">No buying things on whims/bc they are on sale.</b> – <span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2225" style="color: red;">Surprised myself and did pretty well on this.</span></span><br />
<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2124" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2225" style="color: red;"> </span><br /><b id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2221">Only buy if you really need</b> <b id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2223">them </b>– <span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2212" style="color: red;">Hehe…easier said than done!</span></span><br />
<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2124" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2212" style="color: red;"> </span><br /><b id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2213">All purchases from CVS stay below $10 unless they are a need</b> – <span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2224" style="color: red;">I sorta stopped couponing at CVS, so this is not really all that applicable.</span></span><br />
<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2124" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2224" style="color: red;"> </span><br /><b>Keeping avg groc budget to $50</b> – <span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2214" style="color: red;">I started shopping at Aldi, so this has been no problem!</span><br /><br /></span><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2217" style="font-family: Calibri;"><b id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2216">Emotional/Spiritual<br />Keep doing things like working out/going on walks/run outdoors. (Things that make me happy) </b>– <span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2218" style="color: red;">Yes and no. What makes me happy in terms of exercise is continually changing. I just have to keep doing what I love!</span></span><br />
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<b id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2220"><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2219" style="font-family: Calibri;">Do
something special every week that makes me happy (take time to watch a
sunset, volunteer, get my nails done, read a book, etc) </span></b><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2250" style="font-family: Calibri;"> - <span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2249" style="color: red;">Not every week, but yes I did take more time for me
(instead of mind numbingly reading through my FB news feed!)</span></span><b id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2248"></b><br />
<b id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2248"><br /><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2247" style="font-family: Calibri;">Find a church to go to, go regularly and get involved.</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> – <span style="color: red;">I’m going to the church I have previously worked at and starting to get involved – yay!</span></span><b id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2246"></b><br />
<b id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2246"><br /><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2245" style="font-family: Calibri;">Have quiet time w/the Lord. – </span></b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am very proud of this accomplishment. Right now its only like 5-10 minutes a day. But I am getting there!</span></span><b></b><br />
<b><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Count your blessings. </span></b><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2244" style="color: red;"><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2243" style="font-family: Calibri;">– Not enough!</span></span><b id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2242"></b><br />
<b id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2242"><br /><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2241" style="font-family: Calibri;">Don't be so introverted, keep in contact with family/friends.
</span></b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">– The more you do it, the easier it is. This past month or two has been a lot better on this.</span></span><b id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2240"></b><br />
<b id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2240"><br /><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2239" style="font-family: Calibri;">Make new friends by trying new activities. – </span></b><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2238" style="color: red;"><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2237" style="font-family: Calibri;">Yes! Through my tri group and my small group at church I have been meeting people. Go introverted me</span></span><br />
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2238" style="color: red;"><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2237" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Back to goal #1 all the way up there. Even though it took me from early July to late November to lose 10 pounds, I am definitely okay with that! As I've said many times before on this blog, my focus is the to be healthy and increase my fitness level. In that span of early July to late November, I completed 3 triathlons, a 3K open water swim, a 20 mile bike ride, 39 mile bike ride, and a half marathon. What a kickass year! Last year at this time I would have NEVER thought I would complete all of those things, let alone in a span of a few months. </span></span></span><br />
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2238" style="color: red;"><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388454271645_2237" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">So, thank you, 2013. You showed me what strength and determination really are and that even if you are the slowest one in your training group, you are still swimming laps, riding circles, and running marathons around the people who are sitting on the couch. 2014 - let's do this! </span> </span></span>Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-78188199161243370542013-12-28T14:52:00.001-08:002013-12-29T06:36:54.136-08:00Holiday Food Temptation Fails & Successes<div class="yiv8300518347MsoNormal" id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388270452174_3641" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388270452174_3640" style="font-family: Calibri;">I meant to post this the week before Christmas...whoops!!!</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388270452174_3640" style="font-family: Calibri;">Last week was AWFUL food-wise. For
starters, I fell head first into a tub of $15 cookie dough that I had
no business ordering in the first place (from a co-worker’s daughter’s
school fundraiser). Then there were holiday treats all over the place at work, not to mention two work holiday celebrations last week. One was lunch at a pub. I, like a dummy, ordered fish and chips. The second I ate whatever was there. Nibble, nibble, nibble. And last week, I felt so run down too. I got 8 hours of sleep a night, but felt exhausted
everyday. Melissa…could it be the crap you are putting into your body?!? Duhhhhhhh!</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388270452174_3647" style="font-family: Calibri;">This week had to change things! I vowed not to eat any sweet treats or other nonsense set out at work. How my office is set up, the majority of the treats set out for anyone is next to my cubicle. When we got the deliveries of popcorn, chocolate covered pretzels, candies, chocolates, and nuts, I became a thief. And I don’t even care! If
I am the one that has to sit with all of that in my line of
(peripheral) vision, then I should be the sole heir to the entire (5oz)
fortune of pistachios. When no one was around, I snuck them over to my desk and popped them in my drawer! This
proved to be a wise decision.</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388270452174_3678" style="font-family: Calibri;">My boss had gone to a cookie swap party and came in with this giant monstrosity.</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388270452174_3674" style="font-family: Calibri;">I got a whiff of the deliciousness every time someone put the lid back on. :/</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388270452174_3681" style="font-family: Calibri;">Then on Tuesday, my coworker made cookies before work that morning and they were still warm. This is the lady that believes in extra butter and sugar in nearly everything and her cookies are the size of your hand. Still, I resisted.</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388270452174_3671" style="font-family: Calibri;">On Wednesday, a coworker’s mother has been in town for the holidays and decided to bake. There were 4 giant trays filled with at least 6 different things. It legit smelled like a bakery in here. </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388270452174_3692" style="font-family: Calibri;">I have stayed away from all of it and feel pretty good about that. No new stuff has arrived (yet) for today. Tomorrow we are having a holiday brunch, of which, I hope to be smart about. I will not get xyz just because my friend made it (and I know I don’t really like it!). I will sit down and enjoy my food rather than shoveling it in! </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388270452174_3686" style="font-family: Calibri;">The comments have been rather funny. I hear some people say “oh, I’ll just eat whatever I want and worry about it after the first of the year”. I feel sad for those people. The co-worker who made the cookies said “I don’t trust anyone who loses weight during the holidays!” Her
food is the most delicious I have ever had (because of the extra butter
and sugar that often finds its way into her food), so if I were eating
her cooking, I would probably say the same thing too. </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388270452174_3707" style="font-family: Calibri;">Other things have made me more hopeful. Some people just walk by and get a “look” before leaving and going back to their healthy food at their desk. And more come by, check out what food there is, and say “It looks good, but not that good”. We
have a “maintain, don’t gain” program run through our HR dept which is a
really good thing and is keeping a good amount of people accountable. There is no prize, just accountability to yourself and others. I kind of like that. Weeds out the people who really care from the riff raff. Anyone knows I do anything for the
possibility of a prize. Guess I’m the riff raff!</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388270452174_3713" style="font-family: Calibri;">(PS I won a week’s worth of meals from Diet to Go from <a href="http://doublechindiary.com/">Double Chin Diary</a>’s blog. Holla!)</span></div>
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Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-36589753429700368552013-12-09T19:09:00.000-08:002013-12-09T19:09:54.755-08:00Thanksgiving NSVYes, I should have posted this sooner, but that is okay! I really needed to get that last blog post done because my tri team consultant had been pressuring me to write it. Well, I did and posted it on my tri team's fb page and no one said shit! haha at least with a blog I'm doing this for myself and not for other people, but anyway...<br />
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Thanksgiving was both good and bad. Good food, not too much though. Bad (aka really delicious) desserts were left, but for the good, I got some other people to take some home. Good was getting up at 5:25am to go to hot yoga, then putting in 2 - 22 min sessions on the bike trainer in the evening. Bad was getting $100 stolen from me by my brother in law's brother. Asshat.<br />
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But the best? The day after Thanksgiving! I got on the scale to see:<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">215!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yay for 215</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Why yes, that <i>is </i>the weight I have on my driver's license! That number has been a lie for soooo very long! I was giddy, and still am, to be honest! Hoping to lie about my weight by being under 215 soon! Reminds me of <a href="http://fasterinwater.blogspot.com/2012/09/6-month-weigh-in.html">this post </a>from September of last year. I wonder what my face would look like in another license pic now! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Another </span> </span>NSV happened when I was home last weekend for my friend's wedding. I thought, I might have my silver heels in my little sister's closet still, so I was head first in this closet full of crap and found the coat I bought my freshman year of college. It is a very nice pea coat and I felt like I paid a million dollars for it (it was $100). It is an 18/20 (I went into college as size 16 - ha!gained that freshman 15 pretty fast!). I pulled it out and tried it on. It fits perfectly! Near my senior year, I always used to wear a hoodie with it because it would no longer button, far from it in fact. I tossed it on TeenSwimSis's bed thinking maybe she would wear it, but when I came back a day later, she had tossed it on the floor. I had really been wanting a new winter coat, but couldn't stomach the cost, so I was glad to have found this one. It really is a lot warmer than my other coats/jackets. Hooray for fitting into it again 10 years later<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wedding hair and makeup</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rehearsal dinner hair and makeup - and weird smile! :)</td></tr>
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I'm so excited it is December! I'm looking forward to spending time with family and friends and being choosey about what sweets I eat! I have already been looking at 2014 races. I would like to do more open water swims, a couple sprint tris, and I'm hoping to make my first Olympic triathlon a reality! I want to do some around my area, but maybe travel for a couple too. Definitely ones around my hometown, even though I HATE the idea of racing in front of people I know, I would love to race with some of my family members in that area. But what is up next? Getting my USAT (triathlon) membership! Woah, when I set goals at the beginning of last year, I NEVER thought I would do more than one triathlon, let alone get a USAT membership!</div>
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<i><b>How have you surprised yourself? </b></i>Oh, I forgot to mention, I CAN do a half plow now! That pose haunted me in yoga last year!</div>
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<i><b>Anything exciting on the horizon?</b></i></div>
Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7490070099032219492.post-75641674359208602202013-12-02T19:58:00.001-08:002013-12-02T20:36:39.740-08:00Full Moon 5K My running small group from church did a 5K together! I usually just do a 5K by myself or with one other person. But it was so much fun knowing many people! My far off goal was to run the 5K without stopping. I haven't been running that much (once, twice a week at the most!), so I didn't see that happening. Again, I would have liked to run 2 miles w/o stopping, but i didn't really see that happening either. Basic plan = run at least the first mile and walk as little as possible.<br />
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This was an afternoon race in a scenic park area. The park is named after a picturesque pedestrian bridge. The race officials had us walk across the bridge where we would be starting and coming back across to the actual course. The timing mat was about 20 yards from the finish line, so we would run over the bridge then cross the timing mat. Being the genius and serious athlete that I am, I decided not to start running until I crossed the timing mat. Why waste the energy?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxdGKFW7kl7xbr_d1nkc_4W7E7zlrj0XQL5k-mKy4YDS6iIToN1p0nj57JDg2A1sPcMhWwaJpgxKCE45ftDGnDJqaUUNx3BVedUnsXT08cqKzvnszDMIyHCVZ03JmXVog-rEv4fQHDB4/s1600/pb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxdGKFW7kl7xbr_d1nkc_4W7E7zlrj0XQL5k-mKy4YDS6iIToN1p0nj57JDg2A1sPcMhWwaJpgxKCE45ftDGnDJqaUUNx3BVedUnsXT08cqKzvnszDMIyHCVZ03JmXVog-rEv4fQHDB4/s320/pb.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bridge and the finish...majority of the run was to the left...timing mat just out of sight!</td></tr>
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We stood around for a minute and the signature of this race company - a cannon blast, signaled the start and startled a majority of the runners as they did not mention it and it was not within our line of sight. I did start jogging a bit before the timing mat, but only due to peer pressure from people behind me/fear of getting trampled! I started my watch as I crossed the timing mat. The route was an out and back on a paved path winding next to the river. I was trying to stay toward the right in case others needed to pass me. Before we were even a quarter mile in, a woman came up with a gigantic double stroller on my left. I made plenty of space between us...I think runners with animals or strollers are annoying in races if you don't have the right tact/handling skills. <br />
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The path was winding and some runners trying to pass walkers were 3 or 4 across, taking up the whole path. As the stroller lady didn't announce her presence or intent and could not easily go around the pack, she simply said loudly "Excuse me!" to which the woman running in front of her slowed almost to a stop and turned around, causing stroller lady to run the front tire of the stroller up this poor woman's calf. It was weird and embarrassing to watch. The almost road kill woman looked shocked and just nodded at the apology stroller lady tossed her way. From that point on, stroller woman could be heard from a distance yelling "STROLLER ON YOUR LEFT!!!!!". I'm pretty sure my jaw was hanging open for a minute after that! It definitely reminded me of the time <a href="http://fasterinwater.blogspot.com/2012/11/in-which-i-step-on-worlds-cutest-dog.html">I stepped on the world's cutest puppy</a> while on a run. A "did that really happen?" moment!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAYoc1QCLm9Uel7_yMMw7ti60IQZW9VL6w4zknwMphKlvgnWEBV1OnIQIUTUqxSFHmKIS4YVQ3kdilJnc9zMMdMImcWTo8iXuN71a9_mDJuouP7vrU25IgfyQN0d1QXAnIXouuhsMaukc/s1600/stroller+culprit.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAYoc1QCLm9Uel7_yMMw7ti60IQZW9VL6w4zknwMphKlvgnWEBV1OnIQIUTUqxSFHmKIS4YVQ3kdilJnc9zMMdMImcWTo8iXuN71a9_mDJuouP7vrU25IgfyQN0d1QXAnIXouuhsMaukc/s1600/stroller+culprit.PNG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stroller woman in the second half of the race, for the visual you need for that story!</td></tr>
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I was enjoying the course, but running felt hard, as it often does for me. The course had some curves and dips that would pop right back up that kept it interesting, but trees are trees and I wanted to walk...I knew I wasn't running the whole way or even to mile 2. C'mon mile 1! I was thinking "um, I think I've been running for like 20 minutes, maybe I missed the mile marker". Cue 1/2 mile marker. Seriously??? Running is the worst! Ah, well, just remember that the first mile is always the hardest in a 5k. (Those are my running mantras! haha. I routinely think/say "Uuuuuugh! Running is the <i>worst</i>!" But then it gets better. Especially in triathlons when the "Brick" feeling wears off")<br />
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My watch ($5 sports watch from CVS! but I have ordered a <a href="http://www.bia-sport.com/">Bia watch</a> for all my training/racing needs) said 11:38 at the mile marker. Ummm....wasn't that my time at one of the mile races this summer? Felt like I took it out too fast! So I walked for a minute and arrived at the water station where I noticed my shoe was untied, so I drank my water and stopped for that. Around this time, the photographer caught a rather unfortunate shot of me! See below! I started to see my speedy friends coming back on the course, which had opened up so I could see the turn around in the distance. I started running again and kept an eye out for anyone I knew for high fives. And of course high fives for any race volunteers.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Derp!</td></tr>
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After the turn around, my mouth started getting filmy and I felt the need to spit. I did the best I could to get ready hock it to the side, but the wind was against me and I am very ungraceful, so it ended up in a dribble down my shirt. Put that on my list of things to practice for my next 5k! Luckily, I had just passed a group of people and the there didn't appear to be anyone around me. I was back at the water stop soon and walked while I had my water and thought of my strategy into the finish. I would only let myself walk once, so I had to make it count! My legs were burning and those small dips seemed a little bit bigger! I focused on catching up to the person in front of me and then to the next person, if possible.<br />
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I walked for a minute with half a mile left and I was alongside a woman who was running her first 5k after knee surgery! She said she wasn't fast, but she was getting it done - damn right you are getting it done! That was impressive. I could hear the finish and I kicked it in, and smiled a huge Cheshire cat grin while I passed my friends cheering for me. I crossed the finish line and hit my watch as it said 39:31. I tried walking immediately off the path to get out of the way and was pulled back to receive a medal and have my timing chip taken off. Ha, sometimes I miss the obvious. I grabbed some water, a cookie, and a banana and went to find my friends. With the small amount of class I possess, I announced to my group a Goonies-esque "HEY YOU GUYS!!! I THINK I JUST DID MY FIRST 5K UNDER 40 MINUTES". Which was met with much congratulations.<br />
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I didn't have long to hang out as #1 it was freezing and #2 I had to get cleaned up for a dinner downtown that involved me and $56 steak and I wasn't the one paying. Definite priority: food.<br />
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I checked the website for my official time that night, the next day, that night, etc. A couple of days later I thought to look and was scrolling down the 30s. 37....38...ooh...39...where is my name....oh...almost....there......why am I at 40....wait, what? 40:28 as my official time. Um...no!<br />
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When my small group convened the next week, others agreed that their times were slower than their watches had captured. The consensus was that it was a gun start and a chip finish. Which is the biggest load of crap in my book! Sooo....that means if I didn't walk at the start of the race I may have really, officially finished under 40 minutes? Ah, live and learn, Melissa! It was PR anyway!<br />
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Alright sub-40 - I'm coming for you next time!!! Oh, and the stroller lady? Just 1 spot ahead of me. Figures!Melissa @ Faster In Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05745512524720350123noreply@blogger.com3