The Cap City 1/2 marathon is this weekend so Team in Training is gearing up for that. I will be coaching my walkers in that race so I won't be able to train with my triathlon team that day. I'm hoping the weather cooperates so I can get in my 35 mile ride on Sunday instead. We'll see how my legs feel after the 1/2 marathon also!! I've had to get a little creative with my training schedule lately because of work and coaching but I'm still plugging along! I ran 5 miles for the first time EVER on Friday at the gym (darn rain!) and then ran 4 miles on Saturday. By the time I walked 6 miles with the Cap City team on Sunday, I was more than ready for my scheduled rest day on Monday! I was back in the pool last night though and swam a whole mile! (32 laps or 64 lengths of the pool!!) That was reassuring but I continue to be pretty slow on the bike. I made it 16 miles in about an hour tonight. Slow and steady will have to be my motto for this race! I'm guestimating that whole race will take 3.5-3.75 hours. Maybe I should think about how "easy" that will seem compared to my marathon PR of 6:46....

It was another tough training week! On Saturday the Team went on a 30 mile bike ride in 25mph+ winds! It is the furthest I've ever gone on a bike and with the wind, there were times I didn't think I'd make it back to the car! I was pedaling but not covering a lot of ground. My legs were extremely tired the rest of the day but I had to do a track workout on Sunday! I wasn't coaching so I was able to join my teammates for my first track workout which consisted of a timed mile (10:24) and several drills. I was surprised that I was able to run 400 (1 lap around the track) in 2:12! That would be under a 9 minute mile! I certainly can't run that fast for a whole mile yet but it did make me realize that I'm not the slowest runner known to man and I do have more than one pace. I'm getting super close to my fundraising goal! Thank you so much for your support. It really means a lot to me and it makes a difference. If you are interested in Team in Training, let me know! We are getting ready to start recruitment for the Columbus Marathon, Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco and the Nations Triathlon in DC.

I've been slacking in my training updates but I certainly haven't been slacking in the actual training. We are now working out 6 days a week (Monday is the rest day!! I'm beginning to LOVE Mondays!). The intensity really picked up this week. Our group swim practices are now lasting a full hour and I ran 4 miles on Friday! That is the furthest I've EVER run before so that was exciting (and slightly painful). I can racewalk 26.2 miles in a marathon but running 4 miles was monumental! Saturday was the hardest workout though! We had our first brick workout as a team. A brick is doing 2 sports back to back (swim-bike or bike-run). I started the workout by falling off my bike. Graceful as always. I was still in the parking lot talking with a teammate with one foot on the ground and the other foot clipped into my pedal. I somehow lost my balance and tipped over to the side with my foot clipped in and couldn't get out fast enough. Once I dusted myself off and fixed the bike, I rode 18 miles! That is the furthest I've been since last summer. Immediately following the ride, I put the bike in the car and headed out for a 3 mile run. After hopping off the bike, your quads feel like concrete and running is REALLY hard. I made it a mile and a half before needing a walk/water break but then ran the whole way back! YEAY! I coached the Cap City 1/2 Marathon team yesterday. I was pretty sore but still managed to walk 3 miles out with our fastest walker (a few years ago I couldn't keep up with this person for even a few yards but I can now hang close for about 3 miles!!) and then I ran 3 miles back and waited for the rest of the team to finish 10 miles. It is their last "long" workout before the 1/2 marathon! Now they begin to taper and rest for their big race. Coaching while balancing my tri training has been a bit of a challenge but my walkers always provide lots of inspiration and support. I'm getting so close to my fundraising goal also! I'm less than $600 from my goal! Please feel free to pass along my website to your friends and family!!

I think I've gone off the deep end! I finished my third workout in 24 hours. The weather has been beautiful so I have felt like I have to take advantage of it in case it doesn't last! Last night after work I finally got my bike of the trainer in the basement and went for a 16 miles ride. I couldn't believe how much more power I have now after riding all winter on the trainer and 6 weeks of spinning classes. This morning was another 6 am swim practice with the triathlon team. Some of the drills are really hard and I sometimes feel like I just want to climb out of the pool and go back to bed. But I made it 1200 yards (which is 48 lengths of the pool) and somehow managed to keep my energy up all day (with the exception of 2-3 pm which is when I drag on normal days). The marathon teams are now meeting during the week on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the weather was so nice that I decided to join them! I ran with the team for 2.5 miles (with some cheerleading from some wonderful alumni to get through the last .5 mi when my legs felt like concrete blocks). That is EXACTLY why I do this with a TEAM because they keep me going when I don't think I can.