Friday Five: Fitness Snapshots

Oh please say it's the weekend!!  Work is burying me.  I am sticking my head out of the work bunker long enough to link up with the DC Trifecta's (You Signed Up for What, Mar on the Run, and Eat Pray Run DC) Friday Five with a really cute theme - fitness snapshots!!!

 

1.  Monday morning Mommy.  Time to go!!  My kids both won stopwatches at their triathlon over this past week (recap coming soon!).  My daughter now times herself (and me, and her brother, and the cat) at everything.  Bonus cuteness?  Her jammies coincidentally say "I race laps around my bed".  True.

 

 

2.  Most humid hill run ever.  I had very little time on Tuesday, so was debating on a run inside on the treadmill, or outside.  My coach's text to try to get outside and get heat acclimated came just as I was finishing.  I texted back, "Like this?"

 



 

3.  Coach texts back "Good triathlete. Pain is life!".  I text back "No.... kiddie pools are life!"  "Well played....."

 

 

 4.  Our first Date Bike Night of the summer - also our anniversary date!  We have a new babysitter - two actually (sisters.  Score!)  Wednesday night we biked 20 scenic miles together around a local reservoir and Old Stone Church historic site.  With work being so busy, I'm trying to really prioritize time with the Jedi and with the kiddos (who I haven't spent more than an hour or two with since Sunday.  Again, is it the weekend yet?)

 

 5.  Which is why last night, I rested.  Went with the family to an outdoor concert, picnic dinner, and saw some friends.  Rest counts as fitness too!!!

 

Have a great weekend everyone!

 

Also be sure to check out the new page on my site - Cupcakes & Recipes!  I gathered together all my recipes I've posted over the months, and added a bunch of my work photos, since I've had a few people ask about the "Cupcake" portion of my name.  That's why - enjoy!



Friday Five Things About Me

It's Friday.  Two days until my longest race to date - the New England Trifest Olympic Triathlon in Vermont.  "What's that Miranda?  You're doing a race? You haven't mentioned it at all yet... we are surprised and totally dying to hear you fuss more about it before you just go off and do the darn thing already...."  Shush people.  For the love.  It's hard enough to live in my own head lately.  Which is why I'm jumping on the DC Trifecta's Friday Five this week in an effort to kill a few more minutes of taper-crazy time.....

This week's theme is Five Things About Me.  I'm going to assume no one really cares about five things related to me and my upcoming race, so I'll try to back up a bit and find some more interesting to share.

1)  I wrote, illustrated and published a children's book before I became a parent.  

And have done very little with it since.  It's the story of a baby duck who gets swept away from his family down a white water river, and the animals that help him along the way.  Teaches some natural history, self reliance, and is generally kinda cute.  My friend from graduate school and I got the idea while watching a family of ducks out in Lake Tahoe, around the time that she was getting her white water certification. The media of illustration is watercolor and pen & ink. You can still buy it on Amazon!

2) I lived in Australia for seven months

I studied abroad at James Cook University in Queensland during my senior year (I use the term "studied" loosely).  I did a lot of diving on the Great Barrier Reef, traveled a lot, and got to participate in a research trip in the bush.  On this trip, I found a Blue Tongued lizard subspecies several hundred miles outside its previously known range, which was very cool.  We also trapped bats, did all kind of bird and reptile trapping (and release), went spotlighting (nocturnal surveys of wildlife.  Kangaroo eyes shine in the dark!).  It was one of the best experiences of my life.

Not my photo.  http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/

3)  I love birdwatching

Call it a hangover from my wildlife grad school, or from growing up with my mother who's also an avid birder, but I love birds.  We have a ton of feeders in our yard, and my 5 year old son can identify at least 30 species by sight and some by call.  Both myself and my husband keep a Life List of all the birds we've ever seen.  I'd love to go to Costa Rica or Hawaii some day on one of those Audubon Society led tours.  I also have a tendency to call out any birds I see or hear to my workout buddies while we are running or biking.  Some like this, some roll their eyes.  Love my birds.

Turkey strolling by our feeder a few days ago

4)  Biggest fear - Dinosaurs

I'm putting this as past tense, because since taking on the sport of triathlon, I've gotten pretty good about facing fears.  But for a good 15 years after seeing Jurassic Park in middle school, I was petrified of all dinosaurs.  I'd have recurring nightmares about being chased by velociraptors.  When my son was born I honestly cringed buying him jammies with cartoon dinosaurs on them (another reason I've become desensitized).  Actually animals that aren't extinct like spiders, snakes, sharks... none of these bother me.  But dinosaurs?  Ugh shudder.......

This would get me running very fast...

5)  I'm a recovering band geek

Nope.  Make that just "Band geek". IN high school I played french horn, along with flute, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, and anything else I could get my hands on.  My music teacher was one of the most amazing human beings I've ever known.  After high school I played in the college band and considered a minor in music (biology proved too be too difficult to support a minor).  I've played in community orchestras throughout adulthood and am currently teaching my kids to play piano and can't wait until they are old enough to play an instrument regularly.  But not my French horn.  It's my baby - when I was 16 my parents gave me the choice of a horn or a car.  Best decision ever....

Never miss an opportunity to repost embarrassing
 throwback photos.  Me and my coach
at the marching band Halloween parade -
 I was the drum major (in costume as cheerleader).

There you have it.  Have a great weekend everyone!

Friday Five: What's in Your Gym Bag?

Thank goodness it's Friday.  I won't lie - this week has been really challenging, and I'm looking forward to a weekend (even if it is also super busy and the opposite of relaxing!).  Yesterday was mostly a wash after getting my cortisone shot.  I did make it out to Curriculum Night at my daughter's school and to dinner, but then was violently ill after and am still shaky today.  More rest. Bright side, my hip is starting to hurt less, so perhaps this will all be worth it.  Today I'm joining up with the DC Trifecta's Friday Five Link-up for a topic that was too fun to not participate in - what's in your gym bag????

Short answer is: what's NOT in my gym bag?  Most of the time I think I could survive for weeks on the contents of this bag, although I invariably forget to pack one thing.  Usually it is related to work (I usually work out before, during, or after the work day, so... there ya go.  That's what Target is for).  SO beside the obvious (clothes, water, towels, etc.) I thought I'd pull some of the more esoteric stuff to show off:

1.  My Garmin 310xt GPS watch and HRM

I get very, VERY upset when this isn't in my bag and I can't properly track my workouts.  Like the tree falling in the forest, if the workout wasn't recorded, did it really happen??  I recently left my charger at work over the long holiday weekend and was without this setup for two whole days.  Longest two days of training ever.....

2.  Almonds

My go-to snack.  I can't do GUs or other high-energy gels because of my hypoglycemia (they make me very sick very fast), so I always keep a tupper of almonds for emergencies in my bag.  Before, after, or during.

3.  All the jewelry I've worn for the last week or more

I am disorganized in the respect.  I need a little jewelry pouch or something, because everything gets taken off, tossed, in and then four days later when I want to find those earrings again I can't.  And yes, that is a necklace of rubber bands my daughter made me.  Yes I wore it out in public - it looked darn good!

4.  Swim kit

Swimming is the hardest sport for me to squeeze into my routine, because it involves going to the pool (or a lake, which requires I coordinate with friends).  The gym/pool I train at is 30 minutes from my house, and 20 minutes from work.  So I keep my swim stuff with me at all times just in case a spare hour pops up (and it occasionally does!) to squeeze in a swim set on the way to or from work.  For me, this include a suit (not pictured), cap, lap counter, goggles, and tempo trainer (also not pictured).  The tempo trainer is a little gismo that you stick in your cap and beeps like a metronome.  It helps me stay focused and steady on long swims.  I don't swim with fins, pull buoys, or other stuff, as Total Immersion is much more focused on maintaining balance and form (and therefore efficiency) in the water as the means to become faster.  So my swim gear is quite simple.

5.  Emergency kit

This plastic bag was lovingly packed by my husband, who put together everything he thought I might need in case of gym-related or workout related crises.  I've got Imodium, leg cramp pills, first aid supplies, wipes to wash sweaty self off with, bee sting wipes, and usually some extra GU, ibuprofen and the occasional package of peanut M&Ms (which I tend to eat frequently, so again - not pictured).  It has come in handy more than once, as my antis to take me far and wide and into various odd situations, both medical and non-medical!

So that's my five!  What do you have in your gym bag?  Any ideas on what I'm missing??

What's on deck for your weekend??

Friday Five: 5 Reasons to Include Yoga in Your Training

Happy Friday everyone!  This has been a super long week and I am thrilled that tomorrow is Saturday. I can't wait.  Phew.  In the meantime, I'm joining up with the Friday Five link-up hosted by Cynthia at You Signed Up for What, Mar at Mar on the Run, and Courtney at Eat Pray Run DC for this week's Friday Five topic - Five Reason to _____________!  Hmmm... Five reasons to sleep in... Five reasons to eat more chocolate.... Five reasons I really should get a pedicure.... getting off track here.  So I settled on: 

Five Reasons to Include Yoga in Any Training Plan

1.  It is the perfect counterpoint to endurance training.  High impact, repetitive activities like running and biking take a toll on your joints and muscles.  A regular yoga practice stretches and strengthens the muscles that support your other activities, increasing performance.

2.  Injury prevention.  This is a prime example of do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do.  I try to do yoga on a regular basis.  However, I'm 100% confident that if I was better about it I wouldn't have nearly the number or severity of running-related injuries I do.  Tight muscles that are never released, imbalances in your muscles, weakness in your core - all of these lead to injury.  Yoga is a reset button that prepares your body to repeat your workout the next day.  Without the reset, these imbalances and tight spot build up and turn into injury.

3.  Peace of mind.  The meditative aspect of yoga is tremendously powerful.  I find a yoga class to be one of most calming activities in my weekly routine.  While there is something to be said for the endorphin-driven stress release of a hard workout, it's just not possible to always push it hard in order to de-stress.  At some point your body revolts.  Having a way to calm your mind while restoring your body instead further stressing it (physically) is a valuable tool to have in your arsenal.

4.  Building good habits.  Even if you are training for an IronMan, chances are you're only actively training 15-20 hours a week.  But you breath, sit, walk, and move around in your body 24/7.  Yoga teaches an awareness of your body, your posture, your breathing, and your mind that you can practice any time.  Sitting at your office desk, waiting for the train, getting ready for bed - you can "practice" yoga anywhere.  I've said it before - I'll say it again - It's all mental.  Yoga is very helpful for the mental aspect of training.

5.  Variety.  Did you know there are several kinds of yoga?  Power yoga offer quick transitions through poses for a tough strength workout while you build flexibility.  Bikram (hot) yoga is the same sequences in a specific order in a warm, de-toxifiying room.  Restorative yoga focuses on injury prevention.  Yoga for relaxation.  Yoga for runners (my favorite DVD).  Prenatal yoga.  Iyengar. Hatha.  So many kinds of yoga to try, and so many to use depending on what your body needs on a given day.  Moreover, while classes are ideal, there are a plethora of DVDs and free videos on various internet channels, so you can practice at home.  My most common practice space is my kids' playroom.  The biggest challenge there is getting them to clean it for Mommy.....

Do you do yoga?  What is your favorite kind?

Friday Five - Things I Love About Being a Coached Athlete

As most of my readers know, I took the plunge around New Year and hired my long time friend and awesome triathlon coach, Anthony Bagnetto, to be the keeper of all this hot mess.  A coach is something that most triathletes wish they had - even the beginners.  But it is an expense - added onto the existing bills of being a multisport athlete it is something that is often passed by as being too hard to finance.  Though really, coaching fees can break down to be about the same amount that you might spend on having the neighborhood kid cut the grass each weekend, or on your morning cup of coffee at D&D (not that I'd advocate anyone going without coffee.  Just make it yourself).  I'd like to share my reasons that it is 100% worth it, and what I've gained in my last 4 months of being a coached athlete.

1.  Confidence.  I no longer hem and haw endlessly about what I should be doing for workouts.  I don't waste hours pouring over plans on beginnertriathlete.com wondering what I should pick, and what will happen if I pick incorrectly.  My coach knows me, my abilities, and designs my workouts to fit my goals.  letting someone else drive this one aspect of planning my life takes a lot of weight off my mental shoulders.

2.  Time - see the above.  I have my work projects to schedule, my kids various activities and appointments to schedule, I even occasionally (rarely) have a social life to schedule.  Turning my fitness calendar over to someone else means that I don't have to worry about all those boxes.  I just have to execute what is written.  Yes, I still have to DO the workouts, but the planning is easier.

My week in training peaks.

3.  Injury prevention.  As my coach stated in his interview earlier on this blog, a big mistakes that beginner athletes make is over-training.  Trying to do too much, too fast.  I am flagrantly guilty of this - landing myself on crutches for weeks with an overuse injury at the end of last season.  One of my primary goals if this training season is to not repeat that mistake - to stay injury free.  My coach, having years of experience, can keep an eye on my shenanigans and watch for over-training.

4.  Mental release.  Triathlon can take a tremendous amount of headspace.  The minutia of how my training is going: how my morning run felt, if/when the cramp in my calf is going away, and the exact average time of my 100m swim split is information that is really only interesting to me.  Sure, my husband is greatly supportive, as is my family and the few remaining friends than haven't been driven off by seeing me in spandex.  But having a coach means that there is someone that is JUST as interesting in these things as you are, and that you can talk to.  Sparing unnecessary strain on all the other non-triathlon relationships in your life...

5.  Inspiration.  My coach is currently training for his second Ironman race in July - IM Lake Placid.  (He seems to go for the hilly courses.  Crazy man!).  It is pretty difficult to whine about feeling tired after your 3 mile run and 10 mile bike when your coach rebuts with statements like, "Yeah I biked 50 miles today" or "I'm still sore from my marathon this past weekend".  While I don't aspire to his level of athletic feats, it is pretty awesome to have someone to look to.  Or someone to text with when we are both tired and nursing well-deserved beers on Sunday nights after our long runs.

Shameless plug - Anthony is accepting new clients, both in person (NYC area) and as online clients (as I am).  Check him out at: http://www.anthonybagnetto.com/fitness/

Have a great weekend everyone!

Friday Five - Fitness Goals

Fitness goals.  We all have 'em.  Or we should have 'em!  I find I am forever reassessing and remaking my goals, both in fitness and in life.  After all, you have to stay dynamic, right?  If you stay on a path too long you may find it takes you somewhere you didn't actually want to be..... Ok perhaps I'm shading into non-fitness life.  So without further ado, my Friday Five Fitnes Goals (of the moment) are:

1.  Get up earlier

I used to be good at this.  Last tri season I got up around 5 at least three days a week to train.  I'm not sure what has happened between then and now, but I am really, truly struggling to get myself going in the morning.  So far the family has been good about letting Mommy work out her way home from work or running at lunch, but if I'm gonna be the Swim Bike Running machine I want to be going into the triathlon season, I need to get myself out of bed.

2.  Get more sleep

This goal is in direct opposition to Goal #1.  Hmm.  What is a girl to do?  I recently downloaded this nifty app for my phone "Sleep Cycle" that monitors your sleep, lets you put in potentially confounding factors like alcohol, stressful day, working out in the evenings, and then lets you know which has the most bearing on getting a good night's rest.  I love data, and am searching for the magic formula to make me wake up rested.

Last night's shut-eye

3.  Fix my running form

I talked a bit about this in my last post, but I feel like I finally have the (intellectual) keys to making running less painful and more efficient.  Faster cadence, stronger core, quick foot turnover.  Hopefully all of this will lead to less pain (I'm still struggling to run after this past weekend's half) and actually enjoying this aspect of triathlon.  Enjoying running?  No sir.....

4.  Strength strength strength

This is also a bit problematic.  I should have been doing more strength training during the "off season".  Well, I spent the off-season learning to walk and run again after being on crutches for 5 weeks, and then getting ready for my spring half marathons.  I had every intention of doing at least one strength class a week, and that kind of fell away.  So now I'm learning that my core, glutes, and hips need a lot of work in order to avoid [further] injuries.  Plus (and please do not judge me for being shallow), I'd like to get some pretty arm definition so I look nice in the summer.  If summer ever comes up to the Frozen North.....

Not me.  But I'd take her arms.... ;)

5.  Bike more

My favorite sport has been sorely mistreated and neglected this winter.  I love to ride my bike so very much.  It is like flying.  It is like nothing else.  I get more relaxation and enjoyment out of my bike rides than any other sport.  Naturally, it's my strongest sport so this winter I focused on running and swimming.  But I miss my bike.  What is the point of fitness if not to have fun??  Plus, the Jedi is also an avoid biker.  Last summer we had a standing weekly bike date with a babysitter - it did wonders for our marriage.  We joined a couple of riding groups.  I know that I should probably continue to focus most on swimming and running, but honestly I'm thinking a 3 ride a week schedule sounds pretty nice right now.  It is the longest leg of the race, after all......

Our bikes are in love

Bike Date = Happy Date

What are your fitness goals heading into this race season??