Dangerous!

After yesterdays day of nothing but cleaning and organizing, I was anxious to get in a nice run today. I didn't want to follow my habit of the past two weeks.... running only once a week. Last night while watching the Olympics I worked on a new playlist with some fresh new songs. By the time I was done, I had 60 minutes worth of songs, and that is just what I was going to do... run for 60 minutes today.

I decided to do it on the treadmill, as it was overcasting and I didn't want to mess with the rain. About 20 minutes into my run I started making excuses. I remembered I had plans for lunch with ladies from work and started calculating the time I would have left after my run to get ready. Then, the iPod was on the tail end of it's life. The devil in me said if I make it to 3 that would be good. Deep down inside it was just a goal of mine to do 5 miles... and when I reached 5 miles I wanted to quit, but I went on and did the full 60 minutes. This was the longest run I have done since the Half Marathon in May... yikes. Not cool.

After I was done I felt great. No pain in the knees or shins and my quads felt strong. I even had time to write up this post before lunch! ha.

Today's Song: KARDINAL OFFISHALL feat. AKON - 'DANGEROUS' --->

ORN: 5.45 miles, 60:00, 11:00/mile average
treadmill

Just keep swimmin'

Michael Phelps reaction pretty much sums up my reaction to last nights 4x100M Relay. I was jumping up and down with excitement. Check out Badgergirl's post. I couldn't write it any better than she did.

Saturday I got up for a run. I really wanted to do the 8 miles on the 8th virtual race, but just wasn't prepared. After reading Nancy's race report, I knew I should have just done 5 more miles, even if I had to walk most of it!

Yesterday I went for a swim. The intention was to do a long swim, whatever that means. I was just hoping for atleast 2000M. For some reason I got into a good groove and didn't want to stop. I had plenty of time, and I wasn't getting hungry like I usually do in the pool. So, I kept swimming. However, it left me feeling very fatigued and tired the rest of the day. I really got to work on this post-workout proper nutrition stuff. Pointers?

This morning I was still a bit tired and decided to take the day off. I will eventually do my pushups (D1W5) sometime today. But, to be honest, Week 5 scares the crap out of me, even if I am doing column 1! ha!

As for the rest of the day... it has been raining pretty much all day. I plan to get some cleaning done around the apartment and then I will probably dive into a new book.

Only 1 more week and I am back at work... ah, the joy!

Happy Monday, y'all!

Saturday: Run 3.2 miles, about 40 minutes, a slow 12:30 pace;
76 degrees, feels like 76 with 64% humidity and 63 degree dew point, UV Index 5, sunny, with 9mph wind from the east.
41 pushups...for fun :)

Sunday: Swim 2600M, about 58 minutes, approx. 2:13/100M (making SLOW improvements)


UPDATE: Did W5D1 pushups... 126 altogether and there was NOTHIN' fun about it.

USA Basketball Team

In past Olympics, I have never really followed the USA Basketball team. Probably because they haven't been too impressive. But, this year, it seems as if they are concentrating more on their work as a team, than as individuals in the past. The following video was turned into a commercial and I just had to share it.



sung by Marvin Gaye

Update.... USA 101, China 70 .... wahoo!

Happy Sunday, y'all!

Swim.... Bike.... Run?

Wednesday I swam a good mile. It wasn't anything too impressive, but I swam a consistent mile and it felt great. I probably could have done more, but I was out of time.

I went into school to do some more organizing and rearranging. I didn't have any problem being productive this day. I was there for a near 6 hours and enjoyed it. Things are really starting to come together.

Thursday I biked. I was so pumped for cycle group ride and my friend and I went over there to meet the group and waited. and waited. and waited. No one showed up. It has been weeks since I last joined the group and I can't imagine that they don't meet any more. We still rode, except it was a very slow 17 miles. I need to figure out what happen to the group.

I also looked at a handful of houses today. It has been a few weeks since I last looked and I was super pumped. I found a couple I really liked but one is probably not in the best neighborhood. I have to look into that further. I am really trying to enjoy this house hunting process, but it can be so stressful.

Today I was supposed to run. Actually, I had been looking forward to doing the Virtual 8 miles on 8-08-08. I don't even know if I could do 3 today. For some reason my whole entire back is sore. It doesn't heart, but every muscle is sore. From what? biking? Swimming? pushups? doing my ab routine for the first time in a couple weeks?

But I did do my pushups today. W4D3 .... 105 pushups altogether! I will be moving on to week 5 for sure!

I have heard everyone's lectures on pumping my tires. I guess I knew that I should be checking them before I ride, everytime. I will be doing that from here on out. But, I bought this gauge the other day and I can't figure out for the life of me how to check my pressure without letting out all of the air at the same time. What am I doing wrong? And if it is reading it correctly, my tires are WAY too low. eeks.

Wednesday: Swim 1600M, approx. 40 minutes
W4D2 p/u = 96

Thursday: Bike 17 miles, 1:32:17, 11mph
80 degrees, sunny, slight breeze
20 minute ab workout

Friday: REST
W4D3 p/u = 105

Today's Song: Timberland w/One Republic - Apologize

Brought to you by the number 15

It still may be allergies affecting me, but I took some OTC drugs last night and felt ten times better this morning. However, I went to bed with the worst stomach ache and felt like throwing up. I dealt with stomach issues every time I ate this weekend, but thought that was gone! What in the h-e-double-hockey-sticks is going on?

I went into school this morning but was only there for a short time. I just had the hardest time being productive and there is still so much to do. Afterwards I had to hit up scheels for an air pump for my bike. I noticed the last time I rode that my back tire was getting a bit low.

Once I filled the tires, I changed and was out to enjoy the sunny day! I just realized that no matter how hard I try to avoid it, there is always going to be the issue of wind. I also realized that in ND, no matter what direction the wind is blowing, your going to feel it whether you are going north, south, east, or west. The wind today was only 8mph out of the WNW direction and when I was heading north at one point I ALMOST fell off my bike. For reals. for really reals. On that stretch of the road, the speed limit was 40 and it happened right after a huge semi-truck passed me. I am sure it had to do with the combination of the wind and the truck passing me.

But, I pushed hard through this ride and reached an average speed I have never reached before! 15 miles per hour! I was so pumped. At one point I was averaging 16 for about 5 minutes, but then the wind got the best of me.

Cheers to a beautiful Tuesday!

OCN: 10.8 miles, 43:36, avg. 15 mph
81 degrees, winds from WNW at 8mph, UV index 7

Today's Song: P.Diddy (featuring Keyshia Cole, Pharrell, & T.I.) - Last Night
(in sidebar)

allergies or just a fluke?

Not only did I sleep through my 6am alarm this morning (finally waking at 745) but I woke with a nice sinus headache right behind the eyes and forehead. I am hoping that it is just a fluke and not allergies related. However, I usually deal with allergy side affects this time of year; itchy face, itchy nose, sneezing, sinus headache, watery eyes, etc. and they usually coincide with combine season. It is definitely that time of year again. While traveling through North Dakota last weekend for a beautiful country wedding, it was apparent that combine season is definitely starting up again. It just seems too early. The following picture was taken here in North Dakota. Beautiful!

This weekend I did my "retest" for the pushup challenge to see where I would fall for week 5. Unfortunately I didn't do as well, and figured I would start back at week 4 again on the second column rather than the 1st collum. Yippee!

Today's Song: Craig Morgan - International Harvester
(Click on link, as I was not able to embed it into my sidebar)

OSN: 1200M, approx. 25:00,
200M w/u, 2x400M, 200M c/d
W4D1 pushups: 91

Wedding #2 of 3

My sister and brother-in-law rolled into Fargo Friday afternoon to pick up me up their way to the Bis. We got home that evening and enjoyed a couple drinks with the family at a bar just off the Missouri River. It was a nice night, but a thunder cloud was definitely rolling in. Saturday morning we slept in a bit, grabbed some coffee and lunch, and were on our way to my Dad's hometown.

The wedding was at Mouse River Park in a large gazebo. The weather was nice; sunny but very warm. Something to be thankful for with an outdoor wedding.From there the wedding reception and dance took place at the fair grounds in a quanset about 15 miles away. It was a great night for a beautiful wedding. Here are a handful of photos from the rest of the night.

....family photo

Very much a country wedding: outdoors, brown suits, quonsets, barbed-wire decorations, a lot of bud light/coors light/keystone and red-eye (everclear concoction) consumed, country music, and yes, the bride did wear her cowboy boots all day long.

Wedding number 3 won't take place until labor day weekend. I look forward to that one, but for right now, I am looking forward to next weekend... first weekend home in 5 weeks!

Busy busy busy

Yesterday I spent quite a bit of time at the school, again, cleaning out my room... about 8 hours. But, I just got on a roll and didn't want to leave it for next week. Unfortunately, I was wiped out by the time I left at 5 and didn't have anything in me for a workout, let alone a 20+ mile group ride. It was a day of rest... or was it?

This morning I went out for a run. I didn't have any specific distance in mind, I knew I just wanted to do more than a half hour. It was cool when I left with a bit of a breeze, but the last half of the run was very warm as the sun was shining down directly in my face.

I have a 4 hour training this afternoon for work (a new internet-based IEP program) and then I leave town, again, for another wedding! This is my cousin's wedding... all outdoors, with a country western theme in northern North Dakota. Hopefully I will have some great pictures to post when I return!

Have a great weekend, y'all!

ORN: 3.77 miles, 45:36, 12:05/mile avg. 60 degrees, 65% humidity, sunny
W4D3 pushups = 83
they were freakin' hard today

Today's Song: Bellamy Brothers - Redneck Girl