Ironman challenge and last minute me

I have all kinds of excuses (weather, sickness, change in job schedule), but the fact remains I'm short of my goals.

You see, I'm doing one of those train the Ironman distances in a month challenge: Swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and run 26.2 miles. Right now I'm at:

• 950 yards (or a little over a half mile) for the swim
• 64 miles for the bike and
• 12 miles for the run

Oh, and I have until Sunday to complete it. So, here's the plan.

I'm taking a spin class Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. I'm averaging about 20 miles per class, so that'll nudge me right over the goal and then some.

On Tuesday and Friday, I'll run 5 miles each day and on Sunday I'll finish out the remaining 4.2 miles.

On Thursday, I'll swim 1,500 yards and on Sunday I'll finish it out.

I'm running out of time on this challenge, but by golly I AM going to make it! (That's right. You just read someone use the phrase "by golly.")

I joined the Pod

I'm heading in to my third season of triathlons. When I first started researching this sport, I quickly learned that audio devices (we'll just call 'em iPods for the purposes of this post) are illegal in a race and you can get penalized if caught using them. I also quickly learned to train like you race.

So, because you can't listen to an iPod during your race, I didn't want to train using one because I didn't want it to throw me off come race day.

With it being so cold and my reluctance to venture outside increasing, I started going to the Y to hit the treadmill. As usual, it's difficult to go even a half mile before I begin to daydream about the belt malfunctioning and me fatally hitting my head.

This boredom presented a dilemma. Because I'm training for a half iron distance, I need to be putting in more mileage and if the treadmill's the most practical place to get it done, I needed to find a way to make it work.

I decided to revisit my iPod philosophy.

I've heard so many say how much easier it is to get through a treadmill run with an iPod. Despite my aforementioned reasons for not using one, I went to Best Buy and purchased an iPod Shuffle.

WOW! Why did I wait so long? The first time I used it, I found myself at mile three with the desire to go even further! The only reason I didn't is because I had to get ready for spin class.

What a gift! I feel like my training has a sense of renewal and I'm hopeful about keeping up my running mileage the remainder of the winter.

Maybe I'll ditch the iPod when I go back outside running, or just practice running without it a couple weeks before a race.

What I will do is never, ever head to the Y without this little buddy in my pocket to keep me company.

Thank you all you technology people!

That's why I don't like rest days

I had written this on my GOTRIbal blog, but thought I'd bring it over here.

For me, the tragedy of a rest day exists not in not taking it but in taking it.

Unfortunately, I'm either on or off. When I get into a training groove, I rock it - for days. When I have to take my rest day (which IS, of course, absolutely critical), it's quite difficult to get back into my training.

First night: Legitimate rest day.

Second night: I really need a night to catch up on housework.

Third night: Gary's leaving for a couple days in the morning and I need to make sure he's got all he needs.

Fourth night: Gary's out of town tonight, so I'm just going to veg with the dogs on the couch.

RIDICULOUS...but that's how it goes. It is, though, not how it should be. I just need to find a nice place in the middle...

But, tonight, the middle's going to be on the couch between the Great Dane and the Yellow Lab.

CamelBak water bottle giveaway

I've got an unwrapped CamelBak water bottle to give away. I bought it from L.L. Bean back in December to reach the minimum for free shipping. By the time I bought the water bottle, I only had to pay $1 more. Not too bad for a buck, but I don't really need another water bottle - even a really nice one like this.

Anyway, here's how you can earn points:

• 3 points if you post about this giveaway on your blog (leave a comment letting me know you did).
• 2 points if you start following me.
• 2 points if you Tweet about it and leave me a comment letting me know about said Tweet.
• 1 point if you just started following me and leave a comment for this post.
• 1 point if you follow me already and leave a comment for this post.

You can have one chance to win, or up to six to eight chances to win. The choice is yours.

What are you waiting for? Enter the drawing today, start earning your points and this handsome baby could be yours!

GOTRIbal interviews me

I was excited just to get the call. I was humbled to have been asked the question.

It was Tanya Maslach, the founder of GOTRIbal, the awesome new organization aimed at empowering women through the journey of endurance sport.

Tanya was working on GOTRIbal's next monthly newsletter and she wanted to interview me for it. I told her yes and we scheduled a time for the interview.

You can read the short story here.

Chrissie Wellington is a big part of this group, too, as you can immediately see on the home page of its site. If you do any kind of endurance sport, triathlon, running, biking, etc., please come on over and check us out at www.gotribalnow.com.

Thanks, as always, for stopping by!