At home I am a *RoCk StAr*...

...but at Zumba I am the girl with no rhythm! Haha! My friend and fellow BB member, Lorri, has been trying all these fun classes and I wanted to go to Zumba so she said she would try it with me! I have actually done it before, about 3 years ago, but I was convinced that I didn't burn any calories or even get a good workout because I was so lost and stood there watching everyone. So this time I wore my Polar heart rate monitor and told myself, "just keep moving!" even if I am not doing the move right (there was a lot of that)!

Overall it was fun. I will probably go again next week! Especially since I have not been making it to my spin classes! Also, I feel like sometimes I get in a fitness rut and lose interest. I think by trying out all these fun classes it keeps me interested and moving! Plus, during Zumba I had a smile on my face the WhOLe time...whether it was watching myself in the mirror or listening to the ladies behind me laugh at themselves..it was fun!

Oh and I did burn some calories...about 60 of those are from a short run I did to warm up before class...so yeah! I also snapped a quick shot of the dancing feet! :)

26.2 miles or BUST

When people find out that I run, I usually get asked if I've ever run a marathon. My answer has always been "No...I'm just a half kinda gal." I have always had a hard time wrapping my mind around running 26.2 miles, so I've never attempted to train for a marathon. But, maybe, just maybe one day I will run a marathon. In the meantime, I will live vicariously through two BB ladies--Paige and Channa. 

Athens Classic Marathon

Paige was my training partner last year and we ran many, many miles together while she lived in Kansas. Then, 9 months ago (wow, I can't believe it's been 9 months), the military moved her family to Germany. Paige had the opportunity to run her first marathon this past November in Athens, Greece. Can I just say how AMAZING it is to be able to run your first marathon with such a historical significance! 




When Paige was asked to share the nitty-gritty, dirty details on running a (26.2) marathon.  What did you learn about yourself and marathons? How is racing different in America vs. Europe? This is what Paige had to say:
Don't forget to wear body glide. I am raw in several places; Bring toilet paper. I had to use my underwear to wipe and went the entire race 'commando'; When in Greece, do as the Grecians. I squatted beside some bushes at around mile 2 to pee. Although 25-30 people watched, I don't think anyone snapped a shot of my big white bootie. It's much more common for people to pee on the side of the road during races in Europe; Pace yourself. I took it easy my first half and I was able to enjoy the entire experience. My friend did not and she was miserable and bonked the last half; put your phone in a ziplock if it's hot. My friend fried her phone because it was so hot, she kept pouring water over herself and ended up getting her phone wet; Take the time to use the medics if you need to and they're available. I stopped 5 or 6 times to get my knees and hip sprayed and slathered up with something like Icy Hot and I think it definitely helped me keep going; Enjoy the people and scenery around you. Strike up conversations with folk near you, give hi-5's to children and adults cheering for you, dance to the music. It's a long way but you can make it enjoyable.

So, why am I talking about marathons when

Channa and I at the
Olathe Medical Center Women's Triathlon  Sept 2013

I'm training for a triathlon?Well, because I want to and sometimes one can learn a lot from someone else's experience.  The bonus is it allows you the opportunity to live vicariously through them. This brings me to my friend Channa. Channa, is running her first marathon in about two weeks. Last weekend, Channa was off running her longest run of her marathon training--20miles. Can I just say amazing! 20 miles and she did it! Since many of the ladies in our group have never run such a huge distance, we had to seek advice and tips. Here's what Channa had to say after her 20 mile training run:  

Training for my first marathon has truly been all about self-discovery. This journey has changed me in ways that I never thought possible. Each week, as I do my training runs, whether on the treadmill or battling freezing cold temperatures, brings me one step closer to my goal. The training runs are like quizzes, and the long runs are the test. It begins with balancing your meals and liquid during the week. That is why the BB challenge has worked perfectly for me. You have to continually put in X amount of mileage each week to ensure that you are successful for the long run. For nutrition, I have built up to 4 gels, a chunk of a protein bar, and have perfected my liquid (Gatorade and water) intake. But, all these skills were learned on the long run. I carry Gatorade and water with me, the whole time. It is important to stay hydrated and fueled up, or you'll crash. I run at an extremely slow pace, just ensure that I can get the mileage in without crashing or injuring myself. I usually run alone, and no one has gone the distance with me, so I rarely watch my pace. Getting in the mileage is my reward. I did not incorporate walking intervals because I didn't need to. My pace is so slow that I can keep going. However, when there is a hill that I must push through, I walk instead. Then, run down it! Honestly, I was not tired at all. More bored than anything else. It gets lonely. My feet started hurting from the constant pounding, but nothing too bad. After I cross that glorious finish line, I'll have some positive words of wisdom. My journey is still a work in progress. I love this journey! I love what I'm learning about myself and feel a wonderful sense of pride.

So, help me wish Channa Good Luck and Speedy Feet because in two weeks, she will be part of a small group of people that call themselves Marathon Finishers. I'm so proud of her and all her hard work!

So I ran in my underwear...

...and it was fun! I can't believe I actually did it.

It all started about 4 months ago when my friend Mandy called and said she wanted to do a race...I told her to pick a race and I will do it with her! So for her first race she chose the Cupid's Undie Run here in DC. I was kinda scared...run..in February...in my undies...uh...ok. A promise is a promise...so we signed up! Eeekkkk!

Race day...it was cold (Yesterday it was above 50 and sunny) 36 degrees to be exact and a tad windy. But adrenaline kicked in and I was ok. Ok, so I had more clothes on than most...so I think I will just post pictures and let you enjoy. Eeeekkk....

 All the people lined up...ready to run...because we are freezing!

Here we go!

 Mandy and I posing for pictures!

 Running!

 In front of the Capital!

 What do you think the people who work on Capital Hill think of this!? Lol!

Congratulations Mandy on your first official race! You did fantastic! 

Aahh...a nice warm coffee while we watch the rest of the people from the race! 

Hot Yoga and inappropriate laughing...

Hi all, it's Sunny here. So my friend  and fellow BB member, Ginger, has been wanting me to try out her yoga class...she LOVES it, it's her down time, her time to clear her mind. I have been hesitant to try it out because I am that person...you know the one when things go really quiet, starts laughing. I can't help it. I think of everything funny that has ever happened to me and laugh. I have had only a couple of massages because I can't help it...I start laughing. The more I hold it in, the worse it gets!

Well, I finally gave in...mainly because the word "free" was involved...come on you know you like free classes. Oh, did I mention this is a HOT yoga class? That is where they kick the temperature up in the room to 105-110 degrees. Ginger mentioned something about humidity in the room..I think it was everyone's sweat. Eeewww...

So we chose Wednesday night to go and I also convinced my other friend and fellow BB member, Jen, to go! We arrive at the studio a bit early to fill out paper work and get our spot in the room.

We enter the room and find our spot in the room...man it is hot in there. I actually loved it, it was nice because I am so sick of winter. The class starts and a man comes in with tiny shorts on and he starts to do the breathing exercise...oh man I had to look away because I seriously was about to lose it and the class had not really even started yet. Ugh! However I looked away and got my composure back and focused. The class went well except for one time (ok 4) I could not cross/twist my arms right and confused my right arm from left arm...the instructor even laughed and told me I needed an extra class on that move.

Believe it or not I was so focused on getting the moves right I didn't lose it, I was focused! Yay! When the class was over, I felt fantastic. I felt refreshed and relaxed. I think I may have to go again.

The best part...a popsicle after class! Thanks, Ginger, for dragging me to an awesome class!

Recovery Week means Fitness/Baseline Tests

This past week was a recovery week for me which means shorter durations of all my workouts. Yay for recovery week! However, this week was also an opportunity to see where I am in terms of my fitness level in 2 of the 3 disciplines, essentially baseline tests. 

I scheduled my Swim Fitness Test on Thursday with my swim coach. The test would consist of a timed 1000yd (20laps) swim in the pool. After a quick warmup, I began when my coach started her stopwatch. I didn't know it at the time but she was writing my splits for each 50yds. After I finished my T1000, I did a quick cool down and then went over to talk to my coach. I told her I felt like I was swimming in molasses. But, my splits showed that I started out fast (which people normally do in a race), then I stayed consistent for the majority of the laps. With about 3 laps to go, I slowed down. Hmmm--I knew exactly why I had slowed down. Somehow, I had managed to swallow some water which was causing me to have trouble breathing. I just needed to cough but I didn't want to stop until I finished. Eventually, I lifted my head during one of my final turns and coughed. Ahhhh, I should have done that sooner. After that, my time splits resumed to my normal speed. Overall, my swim test results were no surprise. With continued practice on form and stroke, I should be exactly where I need to be on race day.

FTP Bike Fitness Test: A few weeks ago, a friend of mine from the Tri club sent out a message looking for someone who wanted to do a bike fitness test using his new trainer with power meter. Surely, I thought plenty of people would jump on the chance to get this sort of data. However, when I saw him at our club meeting, he said he didn't have any takers. What? No takers!?! "Sign me up," I said. We scheduled my test for Saturday. 

A few days before our meeting, Bill (who I've nicknamed "gadget guy/BAM" because in my opinion he knows anything and everything about the sport), sent me a schedule as to what I would be doing:  FTP TEST: 15 minutes warmup including a few 30 second to 1 minute power bursts above 100 rpm.. Recover for several minutes then perform a 5 minute effort in zone 4 at about 95% effort. Recovery for 10 minutes. Finally perform a 20 minute time trial all out.  This test will be used to determine your functional threshold power or CP60.

Yikes, maybe this is why no one volunteered?! A 20 minute all out TT sounds extremely painful!

Here's me on Celo

Once the test started at each 5 minute interval, Bill asked how I was feeling. Honestly, cardiovascular wise, I felt like I could go on forever. However, my legs felt like they were on fire from the get go. At one point, all I could think of was that I would be lucky to make it to the 10 minute mark. I just wanted to quit because my legs hurt so bad. However, Bill kept talking to me and reassuring me that I could do it & to keep going. The only way I could keep my power output from dropping too much when I started getting tired was to shift down one gear for a few peddle strokes then return to the previous gear. This technique seemed to help the time pass a little quicker  because I was not longer focusing on every second of the 20 minutes. Whew, once I hit the 15 minute mark, I felt more confident that I would be able to successfully finish the test even though my legs felt like they were on fire. Ahhh, at the 20 minute mark, I was D O N E! The trainer automatically stopped the test and I was able to start my recovery. After my recovery, Bill and I discussed what my results meant. Though, the test itself wasn't pleasant by any means, it was definitely worth knowing where I am in terms of power output when pedaling. 

Smiling because it's over

Thanks Bill for your help! I'll see you in about 8 weeks for another test. Did I just say I wanted to endure this test again?!?!

Superbowl Sunday 10K

At about 12noon today, I get this text from Mary : "We are running on 20th Street today at 1pm because we couldn't run yesterday because of the weather".

I was in the process of making an unhealthy lunch since it is Superbowl Sunday and it's also my rest day. Whoa--did Mary know I was getting ready to eat a bunch of junk? Hmmm--What to do? What to do?  This was a perfect opportunity to stop myself from indulging in an unhealthy lunch. So, I texted Mary back saying, "I will be there!"  Since I had less than an hour before my run, I decided to eat a piece of fruit instead of what I was making and proceeded to get my running gear on.

The last time we ran 20th Street together was on MLK day and the weather was just right. Today, the temps were in the upper teens with a slight windchill which made it feel like it was in the single digits. Did I mention that it had snowed the day before and it's cold? Yes, yes... I'm whininng!

Frost on your hat means it's cold outside

We decided to run a 10K and Tacha started us out by setting the pace. About 2 miles into the run, the weather was no longer a factor as we had finally warmed up. Now, we were dealing with the icy sidewalk. Normally, we would run side by side so that we can talk. Today, we had to run behind one another because the sidewalk was narrowed by the snow and we talked to each other by the old timey "telephone" method.

Jane and Tacha headed back up the final hill climb

And in just an instant, they ran past me. Way to take the hills, ladies!

Mary and Lisa getting the last of their mileage in.
Way to go Ladies!!

I <3 my running buddies. These ladies are CraZy insane
for running in extreme weather conditions

6.2 miles completed and many, many calories burned. Time to bring on the Superbowl and the junk food!