Second Verse...

This week has been a runners dream weather-wise!  If you had ever said to me that the lows would be in the upper 50s in Memphis in August, I would not have believed you for a second, but I can testify!  It has been absolutely gorgeous running weather this week, which has really helped me get back on track with my running. I have Ragnar TN coming up in October and my plan legs of the run are in the 5-6 mile range each. So my plan was to be at a comfortable 5 mile run by the first of September, and I feel like I am there.  My running partner (we have two teams this year) is going to be faster than me, so I need to start working on speed as well. If this weather stays like it is (and I am hoping this blog post doesn't jinx it) I plan to be in the 7-8 mile range by the end of September.

So now to address the title of this post. Second verse, same as the first...

I am back on an ab/core challenge again. I have done this several time before and never completed it, so I guess I should titled this more like 14th verse, but never mind that, cause this time I am serious! And heres how Ima gonna do it!

I challenged some other triathletes I know through social media to join me. I find I am more accountable when I have others working with me.  So I put it out there and there are actually a few people that said they were on board. I started 2 days ago (no six pack yet) and I really want to see this through. At 43 (fixing to be 44 in a few weeks) I am not sure if washboard abs are in my future, but I know a solid core will help me in many ways. Here is the plan I am using:

This is actually a combination of two plans I found on the net and morphed them together and came up with this. It is also on my IG account if you can't see it. I am really hoping having others work along side me will get me to day 30. Time will tell won't it!

Thanks for reading!

30 Days

90 Day Challenge- Join me???

Welcome 2015 and welcome all the "new" me's and better eating habits we will all have this year. As with every January, I have been hit with several challenges to start off 2015 the right way. I really looked into these challenges and I have finally focused on a couple (meaning 3) that I am going to participate in and I have one I want to share with you!!! But here are the two challenges I have accepted for the next 90 days, beginning Jan 5, 2015.

1.  The church I attend has issued a challenge to read one chapter of the Gospels everyday for 90 days. This doesn't sound all that difficult does it? Many years I have always tried to read the Bible through in a year and I have failed. I struggle with finding a quiet time, but I can always find time to train!  That seems messed up right?
2. Drink water with all my meals. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will all have a big O glass of agua to wash it down. (Okay, I count coffee as my water for breakfast). I always agree with people when they say I should drink more water, but somehow I am tricking myself into drinking by saying I am going to have it at meal time, and not totally giving everything else up.
3. 90 Day Plank Challenge or 90 Core Challenge- This is most likely more up your alley as readers. I am going to really work on my planking for the next 90 days to build up my core strength, because I know a strong core will benefit my swimming, my biking and my running, plus it will make me look good! I have thought about doing Day 1 picture and then day 90 pictures, but I make no promises.

Here is how my planking challenge is going to work:

• On Sunday, will do a max out on plank time. Each Sunday, every Sunday.
• Monday through Saturday I will plank 5 times, letting me have one day to rest.
• I will take my max plank time and divide it in half, and then do 3 sets of planks for that time.
• Example: Last night I planked for 2:30. So my weekday workouts, which I will do on MTWTHF will consist of three (3) 1:15 planks, as my max time increases, then my weekly time will also increase!

Sounds simple huh? Will it work? I have no idea. All I know was that when I was serious about my core, I was doing 5 minute planks. I want to go longer. I honestly think I can get to a 10 minute plank. It might take longer than 90 days, but you never know. If I do hit 10 minutes, I will video it and out it on my blog! Who is with me???

2015 Anti-Resolutions

This is the time of year that most, if not all people start to write their new years resolutions for 2015. I would bet you that if you went back on this blog, you would see a few posts at the beginning of the year where I listed out things I wanted to accomplish in the upcoming year. I will say that I honestly had good intentions, each and every year, but I can say with certainty that I most likely did not accomplish any of them. Without even looking back, I can almost bet that those goals included the following at one point:

• six pack abs
• sub 20 minute 5K
• PR every race
• learn the guitar
• save money

And probably a few more are on my lists of failures. I heard a stat that only 8% of people keep their New Years Resolutions! So with this in mind, I have decided that I am going to set my anti-resolution goals for 2015. Basically it is things that I plan on starting, but I have serious doubts that I will complete. So when I do not complete them, I will have succeeded!  Brilliant huh? So here are my 2015 anti-resolutions:

1. Lose 20lbs- Yes, I would love to hit 175lbs before Redman 140.6, but I doubt I do it!
2. Have a DR. check out my wrists- I have had some wrist pain for quite some time, but I am afraid of what he might find out, so I doubt I will even have them checked out!
3. Six pack abs- who does not have this on their list? I think it is required, but hey, I am 43, so it is highly unlikely.
4. Eat healthier- I really would like to eat healthier overall, but I love Taco Bell, BBQ and I have 3 kids, so this won't happen.
5. Drink more water- this one is totally doable, and I can do it for a week or so, but it won't stick, never has, never will.

Wow, that was so much easier than trying to figure out what I am capable of, and then actually trying to do it! By setting up what I am not going to do in 2015 really takes a lot of pressure of me honestly. And please, do not hold me accountable to not doing these 5 things, it will not help me at all if you do, but they say accountability is the best way to hit goals! I already feel like I have not accomplished so much this year!!!!

Gonna Change Things Up!

I am talking about my training plan. I am not changing the pace or distances or even the workouts, but I am changing the days around. I have found that on Wednesdays, it is tough for me to do a run in the morning, go to work, get to church at 5 PM (I have been working with the middle school group), get home around 8 PM. I am usually starving by then, so I have to eat and help get the kids in bed, so it is 9:30 or so before I could even start! Wednesday calls for a medium bike ride, so we are talking around 20 miles usually. I have been so tired on Wed nights by the time I get home, that sometimes those bikes get skipped!  I know!!! I think out of all my workouts, the one segment that I do not need or want to miss is a bike session! So I looked over my plan and see no issue with moving my medium bike to Thursdays. That means on Wednesdays, I will be getting up early for my medium runs and that is all. Thursday will now be a swim and bike day, which is totally doable.

I was looking over my totals for the month and comparing them with my totals at this time from last year. Here they are through Feb:

2012
Run: 85.1 miles  12:49:05
Bike: 279.1 miles 13:06:40
Swim 32,402 yards  10:44:20

2013
Run: 102.05 miles  15:38:20
Bike: 264.13 miles 14:52:54 (one bike left tonight)
Swim: 20,750 yards 7:15:35

I knew my swimming numbers would be lower, but since I am only swimming twice a week, I am good with that. I am glad to see my mileage is slightly up, but I am wondering about the time spent running and biking, I am surprised that it appears I am going slower. It breaks down to a pace of 9:02 in 2012 and a pace of 9:11 currently. Maybe I am over thinking it!

IN OTHER NEWS:

** I will have met my goal of 7,000 crunches in February. Yes, I have pictures, but I have decided to wait until April to post them, because I am going for another month of crunches. Goal is 10,000!

** I have officially added another race to my schedule! The Ragnar Relay TN on Oct 25-26!  a 196 mile relay from Chattanooga to Nashville!  This is going to be loads of fun!

** I have an awesome giveaway in the works that I will be reviewing and writing up soon.

** I also have a cool giveaway for anyone that wants it, everybody will win! That is coming very soon as well!