Back for more training!

After a week in Peru and a 3 hour long hike up Waynapicchu (see picture) in Macchu Picchu, I was thrilled to be back in the pool yesterday.

I went to the late night training session for swimming, and was really pumped to be back in the water.  We were working on various skills including swimming without your hands (fists only), and really working on getting a correct stroke, and using our forearms.  Today, I'm sore.  I also possibly may have fractured my toe.  In the excitement of getting time to do 5 minutes continuous in the water, I was really pushing myself and may have kicked the barrier at the very end.  My pinky toe is blue today, and I'm hoping the pain goes away.

I'm feeling healthier than I did before Peru, and I think the hike is to thank! At some point I'll post some pictures from the hike to show you exactly how treacherous the rock stairs were!

Baby steps!

Today was the first group run that I was able to attend. It was a great feeling, sprinting across Columbus Circle to join the swarm of people gathered by the main fountain at the entrance of Central Park. It is moments like this that I need to take more time to stop and take in. I am lucky. I have a blessed life, and I live a pretty awesome New York City life. We gathered in the dimming light of a great New York City sunset, with temperatures in the 70s. We completely missed winter, and the weather was beautiful.

Two years ago when I did the triathlon, there was a man named Ken who I used to see at several workouts, and on more than one occasion, spoke about his reason for doing the NYC Triathlon. His daughter was diagnosed with Hodgkin's, and as a family, they competed in the NYC tri, many tri's ago. I don't even know how many triathlons Ken has done at this point, but both he and his daughter are an inspiration. Today, Ken's daughter spoke during the mission moment. She'll be finishing college this year, and promised to come train with us once she was out of school. She called the triathlon a family event. I think its fantastic.

It is really beginning to feel like that for me. My own little NYC family of people of all shapes, sizes, colors, personalities, backgrounds, etc. We all have our stories, and we are all in the triathlon together. While TNT is a great way to get into shape for an event, it really is a whole lot more, and the fundraising is just one part, but  a major part of it. We are all blessed with the lives we lead, and for most of us, we are disease free, still experiencing life for all its worth, and have the flexibility to do anything. I'm happy to say that I have personally donated to the cause of LLS, and know that I really am a part of saving lives.

Today, we ran about 30minutes at a slow jog, before stopped in the open parking lot behind what once was the most fantastic location of a NYU semi-formal I went to (Tavern on the Green).  Again, more surrealness.  We did a half hour of lunges, squats, and baby running steps. (Literally, we ran in place, barely taking our feet of the ground, for a good 10 minutes.)  Then we did the same motion, edging forward across the parking lot, looking like a bunch of crazies moving in slow motion horizontally, and yet our feet moving at incredibly fast paces. We focused on relearning what its like to run and our foot placement, and really focused on those small details.  This time around, I'm really going to try to be the best I can be.  No cutting corners, no partying like a mad woman on a Saturday night and thereby nullifying all the hardwork I would have done that morning.  I'm in it, 2012, and I'm going to really invest in myself here.  It might take baby steps, and relearning everything I ever thought was right, but I'm really excited about what I can do.

Fun metrics of the day:

• Third day straight of working out for more than 30minutes (not sure when I last did this - 2010?)
• 1 day till my parents get here, and 3 days till my brother gets here, and...
• 3 days till I leave for Peru, with my entire immediate family & one lucky cousin!
• Fundraising is at 5% (I get an alumni discount on how much I have to raise, so I'm getting to that $2650 goal!)

First run of the season!

It has been really cold out these last couple of days, and with my seasonal winter ashthma, I have been making what the coaches call 'smart healthy decisions' to opt out of running outside. I've also been making excuses on how to get out of running indoors as well, ie cleaning my apt inside of running because of the impending visit from my parents and my upcoming trip to Peru requires more of my focus.

With that thought, I willed myself out of bed this morning to go for my first run! I am thrilled at how I paced:

1 mile = 8min 33sec
2 miles = 17min 58sec
3 miles = 28min 19sec
Overall pace = 9.4min/mile

I slowed down a little since it has probably been about 2 years since I ran 3miles (lame, I know), but I also had set the machine to cool down for the last 5minutes!!

You know you never regret a workout, and this one definitely makes me confident that I am going to have a really strong triathlon season!

Kickoff!

It's official, the triathlon traing season has officially micked off! And I am officially signed up for the NYC Triathlon!

So far I haven't done a whole lot of training yet, but I am prepping my body for a serious 15 weeks of training. I'm definitely eating better and Monday was the first swim practice. I am okay and can do the lengths but I was getting shooting cramps up my toes, feet and lower legs, and it was definitely not a good feeling.

Regardless, I am in it for this amazing cause, and my goal this year is to be a smarter, better athlete, and really commit to the workouts and the schedule. Who knows, this may be the year that I even begin to look like a triathlete!

Its good to see a lot of the old friends and faces back...
Kelli and Mo are both back in Brooklyn, and former colleague, Mark is my mentor this year. Lonergan, who was a first timer with me in 2010 is back as our super energetic co-captain, so I know having them all together is going to motivate me to do well. Of course, not everyone is back (jeanne, i already miss you!) but I am going to make the best of this season, even with all the traveling I have coming up!

That's all for now!