Skinny & Fast in California

That title has nothing to do with me and everything to do with California.  

I am moving!  I have decided I am moving to California where I think I would be skinny because I don't eat as much in the heat!  I would be a faster runner (which would help the skinny part) because the sun and warm weather makes me want to be outside!  And when it's warm and shorts weather your legs need to be in shape!  

It's clearly a WIN-WIN, right?

As I put my swimsuit I realized me legs are white and not just white...but scary, pasty white and not in SHORT and cute summer clothes shape...I was convinced more of the MOVE!

Ok so maybe those are lame reason, but after spending a few days in Palm Springs I was convinced that I would run more and swim more and bike more...wait, that makes me a triathlete, yah...awesome!

In Washington we have had foggy, cold and soggy weather...very DIFFERENT than Palm Springs.

Lunch at the Airport..excited for sun!

I was there for my husbands company meeting.  He works at Redfin...its an awesome online real estate company!  Headquarters are in Seattle and everyone that has come back from the company meeting has been sick.  I'm sure it's because of the extreme weather change from warm to cold!  Dry to wet...fun to lame...wait...maybe the last was a little extreme?

Touchdown in Palm Springs

Always happy to hang with Molly...

Our view from our room...breakfast and coffee!  Grapefruit trees all around...HEAVEN!

Pj's and flip flops...ahhh

Time for a run!

How could this ever get old?

An hour at the spa for a massage and more time at the spa pool...ok!

More of the fun spouses...WE LOVE Redfin and tagging along for these meetings!
More sun please!

We have to leave...but enjoyed the last few hours in the sun!

We came home to foggy, cold weather!  So I don't think my husband will let me move our life down to Cali yet!  But I'm totally jealous of you all who do!  I love the sun and warm weather!  Yes, I'm sure it would get old...but really probably not!  Since we've been home my oldest son has been sick and hasn't been to school all week.  Well at least I had a vacation before the week of sickness   

Wordless Wednesday!

Last week I enjoyed this...

 This...

 And time here!

 Then I came home and this has been our life...

Living the dream isn't always easy!  LOL!

Train Less, Tri Faster?

Like any good triathlete I have my training plan put together, well my friend put it together!  How nice is she?  Very nice!  When we met up to talk about Lake Stevens and our training schedule I was looking at it (coming off a 4-month break from any kind of serious working out) thinking 6-days a week?  Uh...

What happened to the Train less, Tri Faster?

Guess they don't have that for triathlons?

I asked where the 3-5 day a week training was?  My friend laughed and said that's an Olympic distance training plan!  Oh, so this is serious stuff, serious training?  Darn...so 70.3 is not a joke, it's not something you just happen to go do because you feel like it.  Many people could go out and do a sprint, make it through an Olympic, but 70.3, you have to be ready for that distance.

I am happy to report that last week I did 5-days and followed it very well and even put in some extra time.

Monday: Bike 25 minutes & Ran 15 minutes (I was only supposed to bike)
Tuesday: Swim 30 minutes (didn't know I was supposed to run too, good thing I ran Monday) 2-days...who knew?  LOL
Wednesday: Bike 20 minutes 
Thursday: Swim 30 minutes & Ran 20  minutes
Friday: Bike 25 minutes
Saturday:  Failed to Swim & Run
Sunday: Same as Saturday (Seahawks were in the playoffs)

I figured 5-days was a great way to ease into it, especially coming back from so much nothing for the last few months.

The plan my friend put together builds for 8-weeks and in March we will start the official 70.3 training.  I think this is great so we can slowly work our time and distance up at a nice, doable rate.  I love that it's about time and HR and not about pace and distance right now.  It's mentally easier running for 40-minutes and not worrying about 4-miles.  That training calendar can be intimidating to look at so the TIME training eases my mind a little ok, a lot.  Not that it will be easy, but I know I can handle it.

Here is to another 3-5 6-days of training!

Dilettante Triathlon 2013!

I'm slowly getting my race calendar together.  How about you? 

Here's some help!

Dilettante Women's Triathlon is on Saturday, June 15th!  This is a great race that is sponsored by Dilettante Chocolate!  If you place...you get Chocolate!  Yah, I said Chocolate!   And a great Medal!  Even if you don't place you get chocolate...a Medal and Chocolate!

All Running To Sanity readers are getting hooked up with a $10 off registration 

with code: INSANE13

Click HERE to register & Save!

*****

What BTO Multisport is saying:

We're happy to announce the return of the Dilettante Women's Triathlon for a second year!  Formerly known as the Five Mile Lake Women's Triathlon, this race is the perfect season opener for the novice or experienced athlete.  An exceedingly family-friendly race, we welcome all to come join us at lovely Five Mile Lake Park on Saturday, June 15th. 

For 2013, we have added an Olympic distance course (pending final approval).  We're happy to offer this longer distance for those looking to step it up!  

*****

I'm really excited that they are doing an Olympic distance in addition to the Sprint this year!  And it happens to fall on the same weekend that my 70.3 training plan call for an Olympic!  Win-Win!

I had a really FUN time doing this Tri and am looking forward to racing it again! (Read last years report, HERE)  It's a smaller, local race and is women only!  The course is great and they have amazing volunteers out their helping out.  The lake is nice and makes for a great swim.  Whether this is your first triathlon or your an experienced triathlete...this is a great race for you!  Give it a Tri!

Check out more information HERE and register HERE to save $10.

This race is put on by BTO Multisport.  Check out their website for more races HERE.

I'm excited!

Just swim! Oh I need to run too?

After getting up at 5am this morning and working until 11:30 all I wanted to do was take a nap!  I'm a baby when it comes to sleep...I like it...A-LOT!

I'm a PRO when it comes to sleeping!

Actually to be fair to myself...I have handled getting up at 5am for the last year way better than expected.  Plus it's only 2-days a week and I roll out of bed and go...not to shabby.

I planned to swim today, but something was wrong with the air at work and it was freezing as was the showers!  Ugh...swim was delayed!  But I knew I had to get it in since that's what week 1 of 70.3 training called for.

So to train for a tri I have to work out TWICE in ONE day?

Both Tuesday & Thursday called for a swim and a run?

Woops...didn't notice the run part on Tuesday!  Had to make sure to do both today!

So this brings me to 3-things/thoughts Thursday!

There is 3-things that I wanted/had to do this afternoon while Cole was in preschool.

Want 1...Take a nap, Did it!  It was short, but perfect!

Want 2...Read more of my friend, Chrissie's book...you know Chrissie Wellington's book, "A Life Without Limits"

Had to do 3....Go for a 20-30 minute run!

Getting out the door is usually the hardest part!

I text a couple tri-friends and told them I had to go run...my accountability group! They told me to go....so I listened and went! It was snow/raining...awesome! Plus I needed to keep my HR in check!  Wow, easier said than done...had to walk a couple times to make that happen.  But it was a great, easy run!  I wore my Polar HR monitor, not my garmin so I wouldn't get got up in pace or distance.

Done~

I was able to achieve all 3!  Perfect!  Boy can I manage my time...haha!  If only it were that easy!

Buy All Things!

My OCD continues!  I'm not in the market for a tri-bike, wait of course I am (I'm always in the market for any and all things), but not really!  But I came across this on the Swim Bike Mom Sell site...

It's like it was meant to be...just for ME!

So I emailed my husband the link and asked him if I could buy it?  He hasn't returned the email, YET, DARN!  I really just think he is ignoring me or he thought I was joking?  So there is still a chance?  

Well probably not, but I'm not giving up that easy.

$1600 seems like a lot of money for things, but for a tri bike...heck...so affordable?  What?  No?  Ok so it's still a million $$$!  Whatever, I can still dream.

Speaking of money!  My husbands car broke down today!  Now it's at the repair shop getting fixed.  $900-$1500 for a car repair!  I hate cars, I hate repairs and I hate spending money on both!  How do people live?  

Life is expensive and so are Tri-Bikes!

Why does everything I like cost money!  I remember when I thought running was expensive and then I became a triathlete...that thought is now funny to me!

OCD, maybe a little?

My personality can DRIVE me BONKERS!  I have been so unmotivated the last 6-months since my Olympic Triathlon.  So typical for me to have a goal, work towards the goal, complete the goal...

THEN SIT ON THE COUCH!  

What, this isn't normal?  

Well not for most of the bloggers I read and the friends I know (I envy you).  Well some can relate and you know who you are!  I'm not alone, but I still don't think it's acceptable behavior, for ME.

But,

What's crazy is the minute I make a GOAL, I'm all in and totally become OCD, OBSESSED!  Like for example this picture at work this morning!  I'll let you be the judge, but you might see what my goal is, right? Do ya?  Ok then...

Since I had to give back my friends bike trainer over the summer (wait, maybe that's why I took a break for 5-months from doing much activities? Uh, probably not) I decided to get my own, since I'm going all KONA Ironman on ya!  Well, I'm working on it at least!  What I mean is that triathletes need a bike trainer, so I got one...of my own.  No more borrowing, begging and stealing from friends!

Oh and I have stocked all my tri friends blogs to check out their past 70.3 or 140.3 experiences/race recap posts.   Oh and if you've done Lake Stevens Half Ironman...I've probably read your bike report a couple million times in the last week (the hills scare me)!  And bike and swim too...sorry, slight stalker!  (Don't be scared, Ericka...you're not the only one)

With all that said, I'm back, I'm ready...and even though I'm sitting on the couch typing this, that doesn't mean that I don't mean business, but I haven't ordered my Bike Trainer Desk...YET!  

Still waiting for the reviews on this bad boy! 

BEANO might be needed!

Why does the New Year always help me get back into the groove?  I don't have the answer to that, I'm just glad it DOES.

I feel overweight, soft, fat and gross!  Just being honest here!

I'm not going to step on the scale, I will judge it by me jeans and how they feel!  I hate tight jeans!

A major change I started in July was eating more of a whole foods/plant based diet. My friend always told me I could be a vegetarian.  I like a good steak sometime, but most of the time I could leave it!  So when I made this change I thought it would be SO HARD, but shockingly it was the easiest thing I have ever done.  I loved ALL the food and found new ones to LOVE.  What's even CRAZIER is that it brought out a whole creative side with food that I have never had!

*Plant-based diet is a general term that refers to an eating pattern dominated by fresh or minimally processed plant foods and decreased consumption of meat, eggs and dairy products.

I don't know, maybe this looks boring to you?  But I love it!

I followed it really well during July & August and felt better than I have in a long time.  I felt lighter and didn't crave bad foods, which is a HUGE deal for me.  If you struggle with craving and addiction to things like sugar...you know what I'm talking about.  I went on vacation and did pretty well until the end and kind of stopped thinking about what I was eating and never got back on track when I got home (and then the weight gain happens), until now.  Oh and I took a break from working out...uh, not good! Amazing how we have the tools to make good choices, but we choose not to practice them.  It's like having a treadmill, but not using it.  

BEST Veggie sandwich ever!
Whats funny is I ordered this months before
I even started eating a plant based diet

The first thing people ask about is Protein, especially for athletes.  You would be shocked, as I was that there is PLENTY of protein in a whole food/plant based diet.  (*Warning/CAUTION: Beano might be required for eating like this since it's a high fiber diet.)  

It's amazing how your taste buds start to change and you do crave healthy food and not the processed stuff that never satisfies or fills you up.  Also the benefit of eating food your body needs and how it actually satisfies you, example a 5-bean salad and Quinoa will always fill you up and make you feel good, but it takes 3-pieces of pizza to make you feel full and then you don't feel good...hmmm!  

Oh and what made me make this change?  I watched a documentary called, "Forks Over Knives".  Have you seen it?

Coming from a family that deals with a history of health issues relating to heart and cholesterol, this documentary spoke to me.  I had high cholesterol most of my life, until I started training for my marathon.  I have realized over the last few years that my heart health is significant, it's not just about the number on the scale.  Of course this is not new news, but it is hard to change your thought process on that!  This way of eating really helps with heart issues!  PERFECT!  Happy to see healthy results so quickly.

I have not forced my family into this way of eating, but the are pretty open to what I make and have enjoyed most of the dishes!  Kids seem more open to trying new things over my husband.  Seems that adults have a hard time trying new things!  Funny how that is?  Making dishes for everyone can be a challenge, but we're making it work.

If you haven't tried one, an ALMOND MILK LATTE is amazing, but only if it's made correctly.  Truly AMAZING!

I'm anxious to see how this way of eating will work with 70.3 training?  I will keep you updated!

2013 and My PLAN!

I've been lazy, but if you've been reading my BLOG long than that won't surprise you!  You know I like my couch time and I have enjoyed being lazy for the last 6 months and especially for the last 2-weeks!  But knowing the new year was around the corner I wasn't worried.  Something about January always gets my moving again and back on track.

I tend not to blog much if I'm not doing much, hence the 6-month break, yah!  I always go back on forth with continuing my blog since I go through posting and non-posting periods, but I always tend to come back when new goals arise.

2013 Goal, Check!

To be honest, 2013 was going to be year with no races, figured just run, swim and bike, enjoy the summer, don't have any commitments.  Yah and then I changed my mind!  Shocker, I know!

My BIG-OUT there goal is an IRONMAN!  Why not, lol!  That's funny, right?  I will do one, but 2013 won't be the year for that.  Going to wait for both kids to be in school full time before attempt that one.  So I think I will prepare for my BIG-OUT there goal by training for a HALF Ironman this summer!  What's even better is that a local friend wants to do one too, which means I can train with someone!  This is COOL and makes me even more excited about it.  I haven't decided which one, but would like to do something local to save money, but who knows?  That's yet to be determined   I'm really bummed that Rev3 isn't going to be in Portland this year!  Bummer...but the bike course was brutal so maybe I'm not too bummed...hills scare me!

Now on to 2013...Bring it!

Any idea's on a GREAT half in Washington or near by states within driving distance?

I also might try and volunteer at an Ironman, figured that would be a great way to see how it all goes down!  Let's be honest, just watching Ironmans make me nervous, but the finish line makes up for it all!  Amazing to see what people can do.

Just purchased my very own trainer (this one), figured I should buy my own instead of borrowing since I will be doing this long-term.  Back to Masters Swim!  And running and some major CORE work!  Last years season made me realize that CORE is a big part of triathlons, I need to really work on that.

Time to train and get focused and get this body in shape for what's about to happen!  I'm excited, looking forward to the 2013 Tri season!

Where we left off...

Fall is hibernation for me, not a planned one, but that seems to be my routine with my blog the last few years.  Some days I think whats the use, what do I blog about if I'm not running.  But then January comes around and I feel the need for goals which always make me want to blog about it.

But lets rewind before we get this party started?  A July post in January..that's totally normal!

Last time we spoke I was getting ready for Ragnar!  I was nervous for this race and was shocked that I actually ended up doing what I did last year as far as my times go..how did that happened?  I have no idea!  And I didn't wear my Garmin...even CRAZIER!  Thank you JESUS for giving me speed when I hadn't been working on it.  Our team came in 14th, I think and our time was 26 hours, 53 minutes!  Pretty darn good if you ask me.

So that was it for my race season of 2012!  

Now for 2013!