Workout Update #4 & #5

The last training update I gave was for weeks #2 & #3, which week #3 was a difficult week to get thru.  You can read why here.

Week #4 was SO much easier. I'm not certain if it was because of how much I struggled the previous week or if it was because week #4 was a recovery week. Recovery weeks are designed to maintain what you've built up to but not push for further gain. In essence, you sort of stay right where you were with the hopes of what was once hard is now easier and allow your body time to adjust and heal. For week #4's Saturday run I opted to ride my bike 8.5 miles to the park to play with my niece and nephew instead. I'm glad I did because it didn't feel like training. I was simply using a different method of transportation to go see some cute kiddos. I've said this before and I'll say it again, training is 90% mental and 10% muscle. The bike ride was the perfect mental distraction yet it was quit strenuous.

A little r&r on the marry-go-round was the perfect reward for all that biking!

Week #5 was also fairly easy. No real hiccups. In fact, I added yet another element of jogging/lunging a nasty hill on Monday. The hill is nearly a little over a quarter mile long with an elevation gain of approximately 500ft. My goal was to go down and up 3x, I made it 2x because my calf muscles were screaming in pain. but after doing lots of stretching and rolling my muscles with a foam roll Tuesday's run (run 20/walk 2/run 20) was a piece of cake, and Thursday's run (run 25 min) didn't even feel like a run.

I guess I'm making advancements slowly. I was beginning to get frustrated because week #3 really had me feeling like I was in terrible shape and that I wasn't making an improvements. But its in those really hard weeks when you don't give up that you make the most impact. It makes what used to seem hard actually easy or no big deal.

This week I'm feeling accomplished and pleased with my overall training. I look forward to next weeks workouts and the CF Cycle for Life.

~Doodlin'

Cycle for Life

Two years ago I signed up for what I thought was going to be a fun and easy bike ride in support of the CF Foundation. What I didn't know because I didn't check was how much uphill biking was involved. The day of the bike ride I was so excited. We got all dressed up in bike appropriate gear, loaded up our bikes and headed to the starting location. We got signed in, got our bibs and were ready to rock and roll.....err pedal.

It was B, my mother-in-law and I. We started off at a comfortable cruising pace and were enjoying each others company and the beautiful scenic route. Until the first hill came. I saw it as we approached it and immediately thought that there is NO way I was gonna be able to pedal my bike up this hill. I got as fast of a start as I could muster and made it. I was huffing and puffing and took a minute breather at the top but I had made it. We again causally cruised down the road, by this time the more experience riders were no where in sight. But I didn't start the bike ride with a predetermined finishing time.

Then the second hill came and I quickly found myself walking my bike up the hill. Every so often I would stop to catch my breath and cough. But again, I had made it to the top. I mean, walking uphill is a good workout too.

Then the third hill and fourth and fifth and to-many-to-count came in rolling succession it felt like. I walk all of them and felt so defeated. At one point I actually  wanted to cry. By the time we crossed the finish line I was spent. But I was also proud for not giving up. Sure I walked the hills but that's not giving up that's just changing it up and putting myself in position to finish. While I didn't beat any world records, I finished on my own accord, no one helped me.

Well, on July 28th I'm gonna do it all over again! I'm super excited and I hope to be able to ride up at least a few more hills than the last one. I'm sure I'll still walk a few but I'm okay with that. This year I'm prepared and know that walking isn't forfeiting. I also feel as though I'm over all in much better shape than I was the first go-around.

It will be an adventure for sure. This years route............

If you'd like to make a donation to our team to further advances in finding a cure you may do so here:
https://www.cff.org/Chapters/oregon/EventDonation/?idEvent=23881

I'll update you all on how I fared this year.

~Doodlin'

Birthday Adventure and Training Update

While I've committed to updating you on each week's training. I have already sort of fallen off the wagon. Last week didn't get an update because I was having too much fun celebrating my birthday with some awesome friends.

After much thought I decided to do something I've never done before and do it with friends. A friend had said that for your birthday they went Zip Lining in Warrenton, Oregon. After that, I knew this would be just the right adventure to celebrate turning 31.

So, we got started inviting some friends. Sadly, some couldn't make it, kind of a bummer. We booked the tour and then the hotel to stay in Seaside, Oregon. Being that my birthday falls in the period of time when the weather in Oregon isn't always in summer bloom yet still be stuck in the spring rain I was nervous that we'd be zipping in the freezing pouring rain.

The Oregon coast is temperamental when it comes to weather. You never know if its gonna be sunny with 80+ degrees or overcast with rain. This trip was gorgeous. It was hot not warm but HOT.  This adventure was something none of us had done before and we were so excited.

Once we got to the zip place we were outfitted in the safety gear and given a helmet that is labeled. They gave me "birthday girl" and appropriately so. B had "scarecrow", and the lovely couple who adventured with us were "honey badger" and "sugar". Quite comical.

I was totally completely beyond freaked out once I saw how high these zip lines are and that they went over water. But after the first zip (which they labeled the "bunny slope") I was so confident.

Little did I know that my hubby and friends had secretly asked the guides to "dunk" me thru the water on one of the low lying zip lines. Thank-goodness it was scorching outside because I was soaked. 

The views of the coastal line were gorgeous from the top of the platforms. The sky was clear blue and you could see for miles. B and I enjoyed experiencing yet another adventure together.

These two are like children when left to their own. Boys will be boys and us girls sun-bathed while the getting was good.

Bottom line, you should try it, if your a thrill seeker and not afraid of heights. It's fun and exhilarating.
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Training

Week #2:
Training was fairly easy. No real hiccups or obstacles and the amount of time running seemed rather fluid. Its hard to describe but it felt as though running was second nature and that my body was made for it.

Week #3:
This week was a far cry from week #2. It was hard. I was challenged both mentally and physically. Although I would say this week was more mental than physical. I struggled with the hardest part of exercise of any kind; putting on my shoes. Each training day I kept telling myself things like "I'll go in 30 minutes" or "just one more hour then I HAVE to run" or "I can run tomorrow early in the morning since its already so hot".......

Once I got running I kept peeking at my watch, which makes it feels like time is moving soooooooo slow. I'd feel as though I'd been running for 5 minutes only to find out 2 minutes had passed. It was such a mental battle to keep putting one foot in front of the other and to not look at the watch.

The schedule also ramps up the amount of time running and grossly decreases walking time. I also wonder how much stress I carried thru my runs last week because of the mental battle. I always try to pay attention to how tense my shoulders and arms are while running. Which I don't think I did a good enough job of since I was too obsessed with the watch. Today, I feel it.

I'm glad this last week is behind me and I'm preparing to make this week's workouts less mental. I'm also thrilled its a recovery workout week.

~Doodlin'