It's true..I've been pretty bad about keeping forward motion with training. When I was in Florida for a week, I took advantage of open water swimming nearly every day. Seriously, some of those waves were INSANE. My mom was worried that I would drown so she walked along the shore while I swam. Other than that 3 weeks ago, I've done one Tuesday Night Time Trial (TNTT) (Thanks, Andy, for putting those together!!), gone on a few runs, and done a whole lot of nothing.
That has to change. Tonight I run. Meredith's Manditory Monday Run restarts today.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Friday, April 4, 2008
Check out Andy!
Check out Andy's blog (actually Heather and I are writing it!) as he rides 520 miles in the Heart of the South 500 this weekend.
www.boyandhisbike.bloggerspot.com
Can you dig?
www.boyandhisbike.bloggerspot.com
Can you dig?
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Altered Training
Well, I was right. What started as a small cold quickly became bronchitis. (Personally, I blame all those dumb freshman for making out with one another then having the nerve not to cover their mouths in one of my two classes this semester.) Regardless of how I became sick, the doctor said I have to take 2-3 weeks off.
I've never been one to listen to the doctor. When the doc said I needed to stay off my knee back in 2006, I laughed and competed in Collegiate Nationals. When they said, "Seriously, Meredith, no more" I chuckled, completed a sprint tri, flew out to California, ran a marathon the next day, then hiked up a mountain the following day. What happened? My knee cured itself. Something I doubt would have happened had I bonded with my couch cushion.
So when the doctor says, "Meredith, 2-3 weeks off, and I mean it this time" I will only half-listen. I won't go hard. I won't swim (I'll leave the spreading of sickness to the underclassmen). I won't run in terribly cold weather that might upset my lungs. But that won't mean that I'll lose all my winter training. Tomorrow will be a day of lifting and one LONG walk. Nice weather and the safety of being in my hometown with my parents allows me that comfort.
Ironman Wisconsin training isn't postponed, it's just temporarily altered. Can you dig?
I've never been one to listen to the doctor. When the doc said I needed to stay off my knee back in 2006, I laughed and competed in Collegiate Nationals. When they said, "Seriously, Meredith, no more" I chuckled, completed a sprint tri, flew out to California, ran a marathon the next day, then hiked up a mountain the following day. What happened? My knee cured itself. Something I doubt would have happened had I bonded with my couch cushion.
So when the doctor says, "Meredith, 2-3 weeks off, and I mean it this time" I will only half-listen. I won't go hard. I won't swim (I'll leave the spreading of sickness to the underclassmen). I won't run in terribly cold weather that might upset my lungs. But that won't mean that I'll lose all my winter training. Tomorrow will be a day of lifting and one LONG walk. Nice weather and the safety of being in my hometown with my parents allows me that comfort.
Ironman Wisconsin training isn't postponed, it's just temporarily altered. Can you dig?
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Sickly Workout
Well, tonight is Tuesday Trainer workout and Andy picked a Spinerval DVD that had an intensity rating of 9.5/10. Sick. It was all about uphill climbing. Though only 45 minutes long, my muscles cried out and I even let a "BUGGERS!" slip as my anger towards Coach Troy rose because he said "Stand again!".
I feel a cold coming on. It came on pretty quick. Super achy, cough, overall 'blah' feeling. Nothing a hot shower and some Nyquil can't take care of. (Note: I generally steer clear of medicine, but I have a LOT coming up on my schedule and I don't want to take any chances.)
I feel a cold coming on. It came on pretty quick. Super achy, cough, overall 'blah' feeling. Nothing a hot shower and some Nyquil can't take care of. (Note: I generally steer clear of medicine, but I have a LOT coming up on my schedule and I don't want to take any chances.)
Monday, March 3, 2008
Feelin Good
As promised, I went grocery shopping today. My fridge is overflowing with healthy food--whoopie!
It's going to be a full day. My Mandatory Monday Meredith Run had to be pushed back to around 9pm, which is quite a bit later than I usually like seeing as Tues/Thurs I need to be up for work at 4:45am.
Before heading out on my run, I took a nap. Or some might refer to it as an extended form of hibernation: 3 hours. I need that sleep considering the fact that I run my body down and I need to recharge it whenever the opportunity arises. Immediately following my nap, I ate an orange, drank a few glasses of water, stretched, then headed out on my run.
Tonight's run went well: the air was VERY cold and the wind was enough that it made me question that the temps read "Wind Chil 13". 13? Seriously? That was COLD! My feet were warm the whole time, but my hands were painfully numb even with my trusted Asics gloves that have carried me through much colder temperatures.
Running on the streets seems safer, so I stuck to medium-traffic roads. Keeping a moderate pace of about 9 minute miles, I moved through ISU's campus and around areas that I usually run during the day. Certain areas make me slightly more nervous running at night, but that just increases my motivation to keep moving forward.
Tonight, I decided, is the night to finish my audio book. I uploaded the files on to my iPod and listened to probably the most monotone voice ever reading me "What Should I Do With My Life?". Time management, folks, time management. I'm graduating in May and am taking advice from all areas...even books on tape. Don't judge.
Training Summary: Tonight felt great. My knees ached when I ran, but I attribute that to the cold weather. I ran for 40 minutes keeping my 9 minute-mile pace (or so I believe). The course was flat for the most part with one short downhill and one continuous uphill for about a quarter of a mile.
It's going to be a full day. My Mandatory Monday Meredith Run had to be pushed back to around 9pm, which is quite a bit later than I usually like seeing as Tues/Thurs I need to be up for work at 4:45am.
Before heading out on my run, I took a nap. Or some might refer to it as an extended form of hibernation: 3 hours. I need that sleep considering the fact that I run my body down and I need to recharge it whenever the opportunity arises. Immediately following my nap, I ate an orange, drank a few glasses of water, stretched, then headed out on my run.
Tonight's run went well: the air was VERY cold and the wind was enough that it made me question that the temps read "Wind Chil 13". 13? Seriously? That was COLD! My feet were warm the whole time, but my hands were painfully numb even with my trusted Asics gloves that have carried me through much colder temperatures.
Running on the streets seems safer, so I stuck to medium-traffic roads. Keeping a moderate pace of about 9 minute miles, I moved through ISU's campus and around areas that I usually run during the day. Certain areas make me slightly more nervous running at night, but that just increases my motivation to keep moving forward.
Tonight, I decided, is the night to finish my audio book. I uploaded the files on to my iPod and listened to probably the most monotone voice ever reading me "What Should I Do With My Life?". Time management, folks, time management. I'm graduating in May and am taking advice from all areas...even books on tape. Don't judge.
Training Summary: Tonight felt great. My knees ached when I ran, but I attribute that to the cold weather. I ran for 40 minutes keeping my 9 minute-mile pace (or so I believe). The course was flat for the most part with one short downhill and one continuous uphill for about a quarter of a mile.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Fresh Air Does A Body Good
Please keep in mind that temperatures have been wicked cold lately. It's not uncommon to wake up in the morning before work (at a lovely 4:45am) and see the wind chill reading -19. That's cold. Going to work this morning was cold, but not nearly as bitter as a week or so ago, temperatures were actually in positive digits. Hurray!
As a matter of fact, temps reached into the 50's today. There is a beautiful breeze streaming through all windows in my dingy apartment. With every deep breath, I feel better. It is almost as though I'm smelling freshness for the first time again. College kids were outside playing bags, starting pickup games of street hockey, walking in shorts and t-shirts, and of course there were the ones sitting along the side of the road with the sign "You honk; we drink!". Needless to say that my post-work nap had a soundtrack of various pitches of horns in the background of it.
I feel so much better now. Healthy foods, drinking more water, and breathing fresh air is making me feel alive. You know how a dog sticks his head out a car window and just looks like he's in heaven breathing in the air? Well, minus the shedding, I'm like that today. Every few seconds or so, I pull myself away from my laptop where I'm finalizing a study guide for my midterm tomorrow morning (and writing this as procrastination, of course), and fill my lungs until they are at full capacity. Too bad there isn't an invention where I can store up all the fresh air so that tomorrow morning when the next snowstorm hits, I can revert back to feeling alive again.
Basically, thank you to global warming, or El Nino, or Mother Nature, or whoever is responsible for today because this temporary escape from winter weather was exactly what I needed. My body thanks you!
As a matter of fact, temps reached into the 50's today. There is a beautiful breeze streaming through all windows in my dingy apartment. With every deep breath, I feel better. It is almost as though I'm smelling freshness for the first time again. College kids were outside playing bags, starting pickup games of street hockey, walking in shorts and t-shirts, and of course there were the ones sitting along the side of the road with the sign "You honk; we drink!". Needless to say that my post-work nap had a soundtrack of various pitches of horns in the background of it.
I feel so much better now. Healthy foods, drinking more water, and breathing fresh air is making me feel alive. You know how a dog sticks his head out a car window and just looks like he's in heaven breathing in the air? Well, minus the shedding, I'm like that today. Every few seconds or so, I pull myself away from my laptop where I'm finalizing a study guide for my midterm tomorrow morning (and writing this as procrastination, of course), and fill my lungs until they are at full capacity. Too bad there isn't an invention where I can store up all the fresh air so that tomorrow morning when the next snowstorm hits, I can revert back to feeling alive again.
Basically, thank you to global warming, or El Nino, or Mother Nature, or whoever is responsible for today because this temporary escape from winter weather was exactly what I needed. My body thanks you!
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Coach Troy made the entire week PAINFUL!
But it was the GOOD kind of painful. Sort of. :-) We did a Spinverival DVD that wasn't necessarily LONG, but HARD. The description given at the beginning of the workout was very accurate: your legs will be shaking by the end of it. (Next time, I'll put chocolate milk in a small water bottle and rest it on my legs, because between the shaking legs and the cold from the garage, I bet a delicious milkshake could come out of it, and trust me, after that workout, you DESERVE a treat!!) Hard gears pushing hard, followed by getting off the bike for squats, then repeat. Ugh! Deliciously painful.
The next day, sore sore sore sore sore! Muscles I believe haven't been used since I used to work on that orange farm using my knees as the orange juice press were being whipped back into shape. (Wonder if that farm is hiring again, I bet my production level is getting higher now).
The next day after that? SORE SORE SORE SORE SORE. I may have had issues walking. Just a little bit. Oh well. Still totally worth it.
The recovery ride we all did one week later seemed like a joke. Looks like it was supposed to be done the day AFTER the hard spin. Oops. Learned for next time!
Would I do it again? You'll know a few weeks when that DVD gets through the rotation, but odds are, yes. Yes, I will do that over and over again.
Oh and as far as diet is concerned, March 1st is the kickoff date for nutrition boot camp (aka me kicking my own butt for not eating properly). Why? March 1st seems like a solid day. It's 6 months from Ironman Wisconsin, my milk expires 2 days after that, so clearly I have to go grocery shopping for more milk, might as well get some veggies and fruits while I'm there, and I get paid the following Monday, so at least I'll be happy in one aspect of my life considering my stomach will miss its best friend: ice cream.
The next day, sore sore sore sore sore! Muscles I believe haven't been used since I used to work on that orange farm using my knees as the orange juice press were being whipped back into shape. (Wonder if that farm is hiring again, I bet my production level is getting higher now).
The next day after that? SORE SORE SORE SORE SORE. I may have had issues walking. Just a little bit. Oh well. Still totally worth it.
The recovery ride we all did one week later seemed like a joke. Looks like it was supposed to be done the day AFTER the hard spin. Oops. Learned for next time!
Would I do it again? You'll know a few weeks when that DVD gets through the rotation, but odds are, yes. Yes, I will do that over and over again.
Oh and as far as diet is concerned, March 1st is the kickoff date for nutrition boot camp (aka me kicking my own butt for not eating properly). Why? March 1st seems like a solid day. It's 6 months from Ironman Wisconsin, my milk expires 2 days after that, so clearly I have to go grocery shopping for more milk, might as well get some veggies and fruits while I'm there, and I get paid the following Monday, so at least I'll be happy in one aspect of my life considering my stomach will miss its best friend: ice cream.
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