Swimming? Riding? Running?

Yeah, so I feel like I fell off the face of the earth...hehe...I've been doing a little swimming, riding and running - just haven't done anything that is noteworthy I guess.

Since Blue Lake, I took a week of from pretty much doing anything physical. I celebrated a birthday, ran the 4th of July run in Ridgefield and went to Salem with Tom to participate in the Cycle Oregon Weekend ride.

After I decided I was done resting, I started running again. Now THAT has been going slowly! I haven't been really consistent with my run days...some days I hit the road and all is well, then other days it's not that great. I'm trying though. It's that mental struggle that I'm fighting most of the time.

With the All Women's Event this coming Saturday I am hopeful that I can get settled into a running routine that will still allow my cycling habit and also leave me with the time (and energy) to do some Open Water swims...my goal is to do better in the next triathlon I sign up for. Which will be Stumptown Tri and Du in just over a month!

So, this week is just a run week...no other activities to get in the way of trying to get my legs used to running.

 

 

This is my run chart for July - pretty pathetic!

I think I may have missed recording a couple of days of running - this just looks pathetic! I'm sure that I got out and ran during the week of July 11 - I think.

Posting this chart here will be motivation for me to keep on running. If I'm going to run a half marathon I need to get serious about this running stuff. Also, I'm getting tired of feeling like I'm not improving, but I know I can do more than 5 miles...I've done it before. I just need to keep at it! So, I'll be posting run charts more regularly after All Women's event.

This blog is to keep me motivated to continue improving...so I need your help to keep me going!

I've been running...honest!

I decided to add a gadget from the runningahead.com website where I log a lot of my workouts. It looks like I haven't been running a lot this year, but I think I have...really. Now that I'm in run mode - looking to do a half marathon before the end of the year, I think there will be recording more miles in my log.

Today was the Ridgefield Runner's 4th of July run. The course is out and back which seems to do nothing but climb after 3/4's of a mile. The good thing is that it's down hill from the turn-around - then another climb and flat all the way back. I walk most of the hills because there's no shame in walking! I did manage to run part of the hills, but only where it wasn't too steep. The chances that I'll run a good time at this particular race is pretty slim, but at least I get out there and do it!

Tom ran great this morning, completing the course in 25:50 (I think). Way to go Tom!

Open Water Swim

A beautiful body of water(?)

Yesterday was to be a open water group swim session with a group that swims with the Tornadoes coaches at Klineline Park.

Since I didn't see any swim type people in wetsuits and all, I decided since we paid the $3 fee to park, I should probably put my wetsuit on and go for it. I did see another guy and later found out he was just swimming on his own. So, after donning my suit, I made my way into the water and gave it a go.

At first when I started to swim, I immediately stopped...it seemed like I didn't have my goggles on, but I did. The swim wasn't all bad, but it is different being in an open environment. Also, there was a lot of plants growing in the pond. There was a spongy spot that just was plain icky. Note to self, aqua shoes...a must when swimming at Klineline!

After I swam out to a pylon, not too far out a couple of times, I decided to call it good. Definitely felt like $3 worth of swimming.

Even though it wasn't a great swim, once I got out and thought about it a while, I decided that I liked it. I'm looking forward to the next open swim session on Tuesday...looking to practice and get some more endurance and to actually learn how to swim in open water properly.