Goals

Ok...time to think about the goals again.

1. Do a half-marathon sometime. I've been trying for the last two years to do this, but this may be the year since it no longer kills me to run 10 miles. It hurts, but not the way it did before. I may not get to this until the fall.

2. 180k bike ride in July. I did 160k a couple of years ago.

3. An Olympic-length triathlon: 1500m swim/44k bike/10k run. It'll be the swim that does me in. Again, it'll be late summer for this.

4. Jasper/Banff ride. 320k over 4 days.

5. Lose the last 30 (that used to be 15).

Spring! aka We Just Had a Snowstorm, so I Can't Bike!

Cycling season started the third week of April with a high of 26C! Yesterday we had about half a foot of snow and a blizzard with travel advisory, minus-something-or-other.

This year, I'm doing the Jasper/Banff cycling trip...and losing the last 30 pounds. I've said that before, and ended up with only the Jasper/Banff trip. Oy.

I don't think I'll be doing the Golden Triangle...it's in the reverse direction, which means up Spiral Tunnels and the other side of Sinclair and Vermilion. Much ouchier. I'm not fit enough this season yet to do that. I'd probably do it if it were the usual direction.

Just grateful...

Today I am grateful I can get out there and do stuff and that I have a whole bunch of supportive friends who either keep me company or cheer me from the sidelines.

It's sunny out there, I'm healthy, I can go run.

Reporting from under a pile of marking...

Well, I have lost about 4 of those 15 pounds I gained between Feb and the end of August. What's weird is that all I'm doing is homecooking all my meals and getting out there exercising a bit (about 3 runs a week). No Golden Triangles or 31k skis or 100k bike rides or triathlons. I'm so busy (again) that running is the easiest right now. Just get out there, then shower, then back to work.

I was reading an article awhile ago that said that sometimes when you exercise a lot, you underestimate the calories you take in. You think, "Eh, well, that 100k bike rides burns a gazillion calories! I'm golden!" And then you overeat. Part of it was not getting out too much in July and August because of some health issues. Of course, there go the excuses again. It was the food issues, *as per usual*, as my friend Mike would say.

You'll notice I'm not twittering. That's because I fell off the bandwagon again about three days after I posted that. I'd do better if I was twittering now, when my meals are pretty regimented: I cook on weekends, freeze stuff, make lunches, and go. What seems to work is what worked last year when I lost 12 pounds between Sep and Feb (having a deja vu): smallish breakfast and lunch with a lot of little healthy snacks so that I am not hungry in the day. Then I eat less at night and when I get home from work.

BF's first 5k...

Here we is...ain't we cute? We ran-walked it in 8 min run, 1 min walk. Took about 36 mins.

How I did with the goals...

-do an olympic triathlon near/at the end of the summer (1m swim, 40k bike, 10k run)

I didn't get that done...still don't feel fit enough. And don't want to be seen in a wetsuit for an open water swim. Urrgh.

-do at least 3 sprints (500k swim, 25k bike, 5k run)

I did one of those...spent a lot of money on bike trips, so fewer triathlons this year.

-do the Golden Triangle again (300k bike over 3 days and 3 mountain passes) (May long weekend)

Yup. Did that.

-do a couple of other overnight bike trips (100k/day)

We didn't have too many of those on offer this year. I did a few long rides 80-100k

-do the Jasper/Banff trip with my club (July long weekend)

Did that.

-MAYBE do a half-marathon by the end of the summer...10 mile runs still beat me up...I've been trying for this for about 3 YEARS now.

Still no half...back up to a 5 mile run, though.

-Do another century ride (This one's in July too)

Yup. Did that.

-maybe some 5k and 10k runs in there

Did a couple of 5ks (including the one within the triathlon, lol).

-I was going to do a 200k ride, but the local randonneurs start doing that RIGHT NOW...I've done only one ride of 60k so far, lol.


I still can't imagine doing this in April, when there's usually still snow and it's 0 celsius or lower sometimes.

Other stuff I've been doing this summer...

On the weekend I did my favourite women's tri...the one I've done every year for the past 3 years. Last year's time was 1:43 something...I didn't beat that. Sigh.

I did a metric century and two 300k weekend trips in the mountains, as well as a few longer weekend rides.

I've lost a couple of pounds, but I am still really peeved at myself for letting the weight back on. It's the usual...food issues. It's also not working as hard at the fitness.

I have made a fitness gain in my running...my average hr over 5 miles has gone down from 163 to 159.