Scale Betrayal

I've been working out like a fiend for the last few months. I've found over the last few years that it's the only thing that helps me beat the winter blues. Exercise equals endorphins, right?

I don't want to shoot anybody-- Legally Blonde is just proving my point. 

I feel better, my clothes fit better, I have more energy, and I'm an all around happier person. Plus, if I go to the gym fifty times within a six month period, my health insurance pays me. I've already gone forty-eight times and it's only been three months. Needless to say, I've been feeling really good about myself. I even weighed myself at home and the scale said I've lost six pounds. 

Or did I? 

I thought our scale was broken because it's old and the one never shows up on the screen, so I've been weighing myself on it over the last few months and just ignoring that it was "broken." Then, the Hubs texted me last week to let me know that the one on our scale hasn't been broken this whole time. Here's an excerpt from our rage-ful texts:

Hubs: I just realized our scale got set to kg instead of lbs... I was assuming the "1" was broken. AHHHHH

Me: NOOOOOOOO. My day just went from phat to fat.

 Stupid scale.

I hate you, scale.

F U, scale. 

I've written about my struggles with weight before. I'm up from where I was after my first season of triathlons. From the job change in 2013, to the stressful summer job of 2013, to eating my feelings due to other stresses, to this other job switch, I'm not where I want to be, but I felt like I was getting there before the stupid scale betrayed me. 

Then I asked myself, "Why do I CARE about this?"

At the beginning of this post, I said I've been working out like a fiend, I feel better, my clothes fit better, I have more energy, and I'm an all around happier person.

So, seriously, why do I put so much worth into the scale? 

Yeah, that's right you stupid scale. This is what I've been doing while you've been making me feel bad about myself:

Lifting weights and getting stronger.

Push-ups-- I can do those now.

Strengthening my core. Yeah, you stupid scale. I can do planks without crying now.

Swimming like a boss. I'm faster than last season.

Training for a 10k. Yeah, you dumb scale. I'm not the best runner, but I've been running outside while other people haven't been. In yo' FACE.

Yoga. I'm better at downdogs than you are.

Dance. Yeah, that's right you stupid scale. I've been shakin' my curvy self at the dance studio.

Going to hour long spin class twice a week and killin' it.

I'm done weighing myself for awhile. I'm just going to let my jeans fit better without the side of depression because the numbers don't match my body. I'm going to focus on eating foods that make me feel good instead of not eating anything to look good.

Peace out, scale. 

Inter Rockin' Race Report and a 2k Swim

Last Sunday, I won Athena Division at the Inter Rockin' Triathlon for the second year in a row! 

Woop!

Last year, I wrote about how I'm proud to be an Athena athlete and I still feel that way. I'm curvy and athletic and I love it. 

This summer has been a little difficult as far as my weight. I've been pretty stressed out due to my summer job and find myself eating my stress, but then I feel myself riding twenty miles to blow off steam and I know my old self wouldn't be able to do that. There's comfort in that!

Back to the race. 

The swim was my fastest yet. Last year's swim time was just over thirteen minutes and this year I came in at just over ten. The bike was smooth, but the run was ROUGH. Last year, I came around twenty-six minutes and this year, I came in at twenty-eight and a half. It was so hot and humid that I felt light-headed and almost passed out near the end. My feet were swollen and fell asleep after the first mile. Longest 5k ever! 

Despite the rough run, I beat my time of 1 hour, 23 minutes by two minutes!

Final time, 1 hour, 21 minutes. 

My favorite group of tri friends! 

 Three days later, I swam my second 2k race of the summer. Perhaps I'll swim the 5k or even 10k next summer? 

Despite my busy schedule, I'm making time for summer training and I'm having fun. I'm gonna keep moving at breakneck speed. Why not? 

Training schedule for the week:

Monday: 45 swim

Tuesday: 77 bike

Wednesday: 31 run

Thursday: 14 swim, 28 bike

Friday: 14 run

Saturday: 19 swim

Sunday: 37 bike, 19 run

Oh my. (and a race report and training update)

Woah. Last week was insane. It was my turbo-Jen schedule on crack. Turbo-Jen schedule is my school schedule plus a few meetings and working out. It's an eight to eight day. Last week I had a few eight to midnight days and it was almost too much. Trying to shove work and summer into my life will lead me to exhaustion, so I have to be careful.

The Summer of Social Justice is underway and DUDE... it is crazy. I'm not even going to get into my summer job, which more than I bargained for. Let me stop there and just tell you about a few great things last week.

Great thing #1: The Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros concert. 
My sis Sky and I were lucky enough to see ESMZ at the State theater in our hometown on Monday night.

Waiting for the band to start in what felt like a sauna.

This show ranks up there in my top ten shows of all time. The energy, the set list, the opening band, the crowd... it was fantastic and magical. These types of shows only come once every few years if you're lucky.

Stage lights=Magical

Crowd=Magical

After the show, I felt high on life. I wanted to hug everyone I saw. Sky and I lingered in the fresh air for a few minutes and then started walking to our car only to see a crowd blocking our sidewalk. "What the heck," I thought, "What is happening?" 

Alex Ebert, the lead singer of EWMZ was sitting on top of some equipment crates putting on an alley show with a portable mic and amp. 

 I've gone to A LOT of shows at the State Theater in Kalamazoo and I've never seen anything like that. It made me love the band even more. It didn't matter that I didn't get home until 12:30am when I had to work in the morning. Worth it. 

A lead singer who loves his fans=Magical

Great Thing #2: The Gull Lake Triathlon

 Yesterday, I completed my second sprint tri of the season. 

No medal, but shooooooot... I felt great. Funny because I was a little hungover when I woke up in the morning. I only had two beers the night before, but they were microbrews so... yeah. Then, my tri friend Tina and I were a little bit late to the race and I forgot my race belt, but it was one of my fastest times ever! Maybe I should be late, forgetful, and hungover for my next tri? Ha!

In a 500 meter swim, 16k bike, and 5k run, I came in 4th out of 10 women in my age group with a time of one hour, twelve minutes. Last year around this time, I did the Tri Goddess Tri, which had similar distances and I finished in one hour, twenty-two minutes-- that is a TEN MINUTE improvement!!!!! What?!?! I can't wait for the Interockin' Tri next weekend! 

Last Week's Training Plan

Monday- 14 run (Edward Sharpe Concert!)

Tuesday- 14 swim, 28 bike

Wednesday- 19 swim

Thursday- 37 bike, 19 run

Friday- Off

Saturday- RACE!

Sunday- Off, yoga

The Real Deal

Monday- No run, but I danced and sweat like a crazy lady for over an hour. It counts, right? 

Tuesday- No workout, more sweating.

Wednesday- 37 bike, 20 run

Thursday- 40 swim

Friday- Off

Saturday- RACE and I rocked it!

Sunday- Off, dog walk

On to this week! This week, I need to watch my eating and drinking. I want to see how my tri time improves from eating well and training. No dairy. My stomach has been gurgling since I decided ordering a cheese plate was a good idea a few days ago. I'm lactose intolerant and I need to admit that to myself! 

This Week's Training Plan

Monday- 31 run, 40 swim (this is an extra swim)

Tuesday- 14 swim, 28 bike

Wednesday- 14 run, 19 swim (this is another extra swim... I might cut it)

Thursday- Off

Friday- 37 bike, 19 run

Saturday- Off

Sunday- Interockin' Tri!!!! Time to beat: 1 hour 23 minutes. I can do it!

Training Update!

I was really proud of my ability to stick to my training plan this week. My body is less sore, I'm starting to feel faster, and fitting in the workouts has not been very difficult. I got my running mile back down in the nine minute range, so it's only a few more weeks before I'm back in the 8:30 range! I'm also down six pounds, which is making me feel a lot better about myself! 

The Plan

Monday- 23 swim, 43 bike

Tuesday- 23 run

Wednesday- 2k Open Water Swim (ooooo, my first open water swim competition!!!!) I'm nervous!!!!

Thursday- 62 bike, 31 run

Friday- Off

Saturday-39 swim, 77 bike

Sunday- 31 run

The Real Deal

Monday- 23 swim, 43 bike- I fit this workout in during a two hour work break. Now that's balance.

Tuesday- 24 run

Wednesday- Did my 2k swim in just under 40 min. I signed up for another one in July because now I want to beat my time.

Thursday- 37 run- It was a HOT one!

Friday- 61 bike that I neglected on Thursday

Saturday-35 swim, 64 bike

Sunday- 32 run

This week will be a challenge because I'm starting my summer job. We'll see what happens. Luckily, it is a fairly light week because I have a race (the Gull Lake Triathlon) on Saturday. I have another race the next Sunday! My mantra needs to be ice, ice, ice, stretch, stretch, stretch, and DON'T OVERDO IT! I also need to remember to stay away from dairy as it REALLY messes up my tummy. I remembered this yesterday after my romp with a hot fudge sundae. I've got this. 

This Week's Training Plan

Monday- 14 run (Edward Sharpe Concert!)

Tuesday- 14 swim, 28 bike

Wednesday- 19 swim

Thursday- 37 bike, 19 run

Friday- Off

Saturday- RACE!

Sunday- Off, yoga

Wish me luck this week! I'm feeling really anxious about my summer job and I want it to go well. I'm a (wo)Man on Fire:

Hehe... I'm really excited about this concert and had to fit this video in somewhere! 

Freaking Out and a Training Update

Empire Records is one of my adolescent self's favorite movies and over the last few weeks, I've been finding myself constantly making comparisons to Liv Tyler's character-- not the losing my virginity to Rex Manning part-- but the using every hour of every day to do something part... minus the speed. If I don't clear some space for myself, I'm going to FREAK OUT:

Oh man, that is some A+ acting... fer reals.

But seriously, I have been way too busy for the last two weeks. My expectation of what my summer was going to be compared to what it is is making me feel really overwhelmed. I just finished my eighth year of working in schools and teaching and I want to write down the lessons that took me six years to really learn so that I don't forget as I delve deeper into my summer work:

1. My family comes before my career.

2. My physical and mental health come before my career.

3. No teacher should strive to be a martyr.

Easy, right? 

Bwahahaha

Anyway, onto tri training and my week of workouts...

Going back to clean eating was fairly easy and it made me feel awesome. I slipped a little lot yesterday when we had people over, but it was to be expected and I'm not beating myself up over it. Plus, I rode 36 miles on my bike (more on that in a minute) so I didn't feel too bad about eating like crap. Back to it this week!

Training this week was a bit brutal on my body. I'm left with these questions:

When will the day come when I am no longer sore? 

What am I doing wrong? 

Is my body just not meant to be athletic? 

Should I stretch for longer than 15 minutes after my workouts? 

Kind of negative, I know, but GEEZ. I think I've been sore since January. 

The Plan

Monday: 23 swim

Tuesday: 46 bike

Wednesday: 31 swim, 62 bike

Thursday: 31 run

Friday: 39 swim

Saturday: 5K and 36 mile bike to South Haven

Sunday: Off! 

The Real Deal

Monday: 60 swim

Tuesday: 90 bike and yoga

Wednesday: 31 swim

Thursday: 60 bike, 35 run

Friday: Off (my low back was KILLING me from my run)

Saturday: No 5k due to the killer low back, 36 mile bike ride adventure to South Haven

Sunday: Off

Conclusions:

I need to run more and stretch for longer afterwards.

Yoga is key

The better I eat, the more energy I have

Now, I'd like to expand on what I meant when I called yesterday's bike ride a "36 mile bike ride adventure."

I wanted to ride to South Haven to celebrate being what we like to call "Dirty Thirty." Here is the conversation I had with the park volunteer before we set out on the bike trail that gets people from Kalamazoo to South Haven:

Volunteer: Where are you riding?

Me: To South Haven

Volunteer: Didn't you read the signs? There are about 100 trees down between here and there.

Me: Well, we're gonna try it anyway.

And try it we did. It was truly a Dirty Thirty celebration. 

The volunteer was wrong. There were 185 downed trees. And we traversed the wilderness to make it work. What is usually a two to two and a half hour ride became a four hour riding and hiking adventure:

I'm fairly certain this ride did not help my low back issues... however, it was so fun that I threw caution to the wind. 

Getting our bikes through became a crazy obstacle course.

At one point we hit the road because the trees were too much. I may have turned to drink.

Then we were back to the trees!

We lost our man Joe when the derailleur was ripped off of his bike (the Hubs picked him up), Alyssa and I probably have poison ivy, Miche became a professional weight lifter to get her bike over branches, and DWebb lost a spoke and got stabbed by a branch, but it was all in good fun. I have really good friends, and despite the crazy overwhelming busy schedule, I got to spend a lot of time with them yesterday. :)

This week's the training schedule looks like this:

Monday- 23 swim, 43 bike

Tuesday- 23 run

Wednesday- 2k Open Water Swim (ooooo, my first open water swim competition!!!!) I'm nervous!!!!

Thursday- 62 bike, 31 run

Friday- Off

Saturday-39 swim, 77 bike

Sunday- 31 run

The Potential Race Plan 2013

Hey friends, I've got my potential race plan for this year. I'm trying to figure out exactly what I'm going to do so I can register early and save a few bucks. I've applied for a summer fellowship out of the country and on the very slim chance that I get it all of my plans for June and July will be completely different, but I figure that planning is a good idea. I just won't register until I find out in March.

I don't race to be competitive. Placing feels really good, but I'm really just thankful that I can finish a triathlon/trail run/5k/anything. I never saw myself as someone who was very athletic. Thankfully, I've got an amazing group of friends to keep me motivated! Doing all of these things is so much more fun when you are with a group of awesome people. I will never do a big run or tri on my own again. Let me give you a little 2012 fun-review to convince you West Michiganders to join me this year:

 It's always good to finish a race!

My favorite ladies to tri with. It's a blast!

We really just complete triathlons for what comes afterwards. I kid, I kid, it's just a bonus!

The races with an asterisk next to them are races I did last year and will definitely do again.

Indoor Triathlons:

All of these are in my hometown. I do indoor triathlons on my own and don't see the point of driving all over the state to do one. 

*Borgess- February 17

*IronBAC at Bronson- March 23 (My favorite indoor... lots of awesome raffle prizes and massage too!)

*Gazelle Sports- April ? 

Sprint Triathlons:

Most of these are within 30 minutes of home. The ones that aren't are planned vacations. 

*Double Time- June 1

*Tri Goddess Tri OR South Haven- June 23

Mark Mellon Memorial Triathlon OR Gull Lake- June 29

*Inter-Rockin (Or maybe my first Olympic?)- July 7

TRI Allegan- Late July, evening race

Shermanator- August 3

*3Rivers- August 17 (My favorite and hardest outdoor in 2012)

Open Water Swims:

A major goal I have this year is to swim a 5k!

Swim to the Moon (5k swim, hopefully I will find enough people to to the 5k Team)- August 11

Physically Strong (2k swim)- Late August

Runs:

I'll throw in some 5k runs and other fun runs whenever I can afford it. Runs are not my first priority. I will probably do the Color Run again depending on how many people will do it with me!

Hurt the Dirt (10k)- April 27

Timbertown (10k)- Early August

Here are the websites I use to come up with my training plans:

Beginner Triathlete 13 Week Plan and 16 Week Plan- For Sprint Triathlons

Tri Newbie 18 Week Plan- For Olympic Triathlons

If you have any other suggestions of how to put together training plans or good FREE resources, please let me know! 

Also, let me know if you will be participating in any of these races OR if you know of fun ones in the area or state that I'm missing out on. 

Happy training! My hope this year is to stay injury free. 

Self-Portrait Saturday/Triathlon Training/Birthday Weekend Super Update!

Let's begin this massive insta-update...

1. Saturday Self-Portrait: Birthday Weekend Edition

In case you haven't noticed, I'm the happiest when I'm playing outside. The first picture is from after a training run. The second is from lounging around on the grass with my lil' Nipsy. 

2. Camping! Summer is on, it's SO ON.

Playing outside with a plastic bat and a super ball followed by tetherball. My friends are the best.  

Guitar singing followed by reading the dirty parts of Fifty Shades of Grey around the fire with emotion. 

Pods!

One dog. One string of drool. No towel. 

Attempting to use one of our dogs as a pillow. 

Ladder ball in the dark.

Wet cooler birthday cake! Ah well, it's the thought that counts. And what a sweet thought it was.

Hannah Bear dug a spot under the trailer because she had too much camping fun.  

Toffee almonds and sister love. I ate almost the whole bag... worth it.

I did not get to swim across Rose Lake this weekend. Between the white caps and the boat traffic I decided I wanted to live to celebrate my 30th birthday. ;) I've got all summer!

3. Training Update: Week 5 of 6

Ahhhh! We are one week out from the tri!

Monday: 21 minute swim, 42 minute bike- Got it done thanks to D-Webb, the best training partner ever. 
Tuesday: 23 minute run- Done on a trail. I think I'm going to keep trail running on Tuesdays. It just flows, ya know? "Trail Run Tuesday?" I ended up running for 35 minutes. It was just so beautiful outside!
Wednesday: 77 minute bike- I rode to the lake by our house, practiced in the open water, and rode home. The swim was about 15 minutes long and the bike took 80 minutes. I also did something embarrassing that you can read about here.
Thursday: 31 minute run, 39 minute swim- The run happened outside in 88 degree weather. Whew!!! The swim happened inside and it was fabulous. 
Friday: Off- I didn't do anything on this day except take a nap, eat a vegan oatmeal whoopie pie, and see The Hubs play a show later in the evening. It was a great Friday!!
Saturday: Off- I ran for 35 minutes around our camping area. It was hard to want to run once I got to the campsite and saw my cooler sitting there and calling my name. However, I did it!
Sunday: 39 minute run- This didn't happen. It was rainy and blah outside.

Monday: 14 minute swim, 28 minute bike- Part of this happened. I practiced open water swimming for 20 minutes. Much more refreshing than sweating in 95 degree heat! And guess what?!?! I'm 29 now!!!! WOOOO!!!! This is gonna be the best year ever!

The Plan: Week 6 of 6 AKA THE WEEK BEFORE THE TRI!!!!!!!

I am attempting to taper this week. I've never tapered before and it seems odd to cut way back but I'm going to try it out so I don't injure myself. I want to ensure that I'm totally ready. 

Tuesday: 30 minute run

Wednesday: 46 minute bike, 14 minute run

Thursday: 19 minute run, 30 minute easy swim

Friday: Relaxing and eating some carbs (any suggestions on night before race meals?)

Saturday: IT'S HERE!!!!!!! AHHHHHH!!!! I'm so excited.

Sunday: I'll be resting from kicking so much ass. 

Two weeks left until the end of the school year. I am about to be crushed by a crazy mountain of grading. I need to mentally prepare myself for the amount of grading I'm about to do. On the bright side... by the end of the week I hope I will be able to say that I finished a sprint triathlon! Woo!


Now I need some help: What do you do to get ready for a triathlon? What do you eat the night before? For breakfast? What is something I need that I might not know I need?

Ah! Embarrassing Biking Moment!

Today I ventured out on a bike ride and my first open water swim. It was only my fourth time going out on my friend's road bike (which she graciously lent me for the triathlon next weekend) and I was workin' it. I was going up and down hills, got over 30 mph, and felt my self-esteem about biking slowly rising.

I stopped at a lake close to our house, talked to the people working in the park about whether or not it was safe to swim, kind of got the okay, and jumped on in. It was strange swimming in open water. You can't really see in front of you so a bloated dead body fish could just pop into your periphery under water and you wouldn't know it until it brushed your toe. Do you see how my anxiety manifests itself into thinking weird things like that?! Once I got over my horrible imagination because I swam with my eyes closed the swim went really well. I'm so pumped for the tri next weekend!

Gorgeous day for a murky yet satisfying swim.

I left the lake for the rest of my bike ride and everything was-- as I mentioned-- going well. That is, until I decided to cut through a neighborhood on my way home. While I was singing the Black Keys' song Gold on the Ceiling to myself and not paying attention, I took a turn too fast and all I saw was gravel and sand.
"It's cool," I thought, "I'll just pedal through it, right?"

Wrong. So wrong.

I felt my bike coming out from under me sideways and I panicked. I turned onto someone's front lawn away from the gravel and thought, "Whew, that was close." Ha. I wasn't safe yet. The next thing I saw was a large piece of wood the people put in their yard to mark parking. I couldn't stop because I've just learned how to brake and I couldn't get to them fast enough.

"What is this?!?! I thought, "DoubleDare?!?!? Legends of the Hidden Temple?!?!?! GUTS?!?!"

I hit the wood and flew through the air (well, I felt like I was flying through the air), landed, and kept going. When I (miraculously) landed I was still on the bike and the thud that sounded was DEFINITELY FELT through my very padded shorts. I screamed out some expletives and dragged my feet on the ground until I was FINALLY able to reach for the brakes. I finally stopped after a few more expletives.

I opened my eyes (see earlier example of me closing my eyes every time I'm nervous) to see that I was almost to this anonymous person's front door. The wheel of my bike was almost in their garden. I was way too close to their house.
         "OH MY GOD," I whisper-screamed to myself. "My ass!!!!" Then I laughed because I always laugh when I do something weird and klutzy.
         "Hey," said a voice from the window directly in front of me, "Are you okay?"
       
I shook myself out of my ass reverie and quickly rode away, laughing all the way home. I hope I gave the window dude a story to tell for the evening because now I'm going to need one of these:

[via]
Sweet relief.

Learning how to ride a road bike is hard.

Training Update

Week 3 of 6 AKA The Week I SUCKED!
Monday: 21 minute swim, 42 minute bike: Done indoors
Tuesday: 21 minute run, weight lifting and core workout:
This is when my week got complicated because of the Salomon Trail Run Tour. We met up with the Salomon truck at a local trail and I tried on what I thought were these beauts. We embarked on our trail run in a pair of sample shoes. About a mile in, my arches started hurting. I ignored it. Around the end of mile 2, I felt like KNIVES were STABBING my arches. I think my friend Joe thought I was over-exaggerating because I took in a sharp intake of breath every time my foot hit the path. 

I was like Elton at min 1:11 in this video. It really hurt. 

I wondered if you had to pay for the sample shoes if you bled through the footbeds. Thankfully it was only a 3 mile run and when it was over, I sat down to take the shoes off. I was laughing deliriously because of the pain in my arches. The shoes came off and I definitely bled through my socks. The Salomon reps felt horrible, but I told them I should have been fitted instead of running in the first pair of shoes that felt good while standing. I've been dealing with the consequences since Tuesday night. I would post a picture, but I hate feet with a passion.
Wednesday: 28 minute run, 35 minute swim: No run. Swam for 45 minutes instead.
Thursday: Off for parent-teacher conferences: Didn't do anything except develop shin splits from walking all weird-like on my damaged feet because I just had to wear high heels so I could look professional. Ha.
Friday: 70 minute bike: Went out of town. Ate whatever I wanted. Kept walking around on the outside of my feet because Tom's have super high arches and I shouldn't have worn them. Drank a bunch of wine because I was sad about it. Training fail! I have to get it together or I'm gonna hurt myself on June 2nd!
Saturday: Off: Should have done the bike ride here but we babysat the Niece and Nephew instead. Chasing after toddlers is the same as riding a bike for 70 minutes, right?
Sunday: 35 minute run: My feet are mostly healed so I slapped on some band-aids under my socks and got it done. I even went for 45 minutes instead of 35. Then we rode bikes to get a fatty--yet delicious--deep dish pizza. 


Basically over the last two weeks I've started off really well and ended each week horribly. I've got to get it together!! I know I said that last week, but I am 3 weeks out from my first outdoor sprint triathlon and I HAVE to make it through without crying, hurting myself from a lack of training, or negative self-talk.

This could be me in three weeks after not only a 5k (this is pic from last week), but a swim and a bike ride.  I have to get moving. 

Plan for Week 4 of 6 AKA The Week Jen Gets it Together. Is there a pill besides Xanax for "getting it together" and if so can I have one of yours?
Monday: 21 minute swim, 42 minute bike
Tuesday: 23 minute run (on the trail again because I will CONQUER it), weight lifting and core workout
Wednesday: 39 minute swim (the weather is supposed to be awesome, so I'm hoping to go for an open water swim)
Thursday: 31 minute run, but I might bike if my knees are hurting me.
Friday: 77 minute bike
Saturday: Off, but I will do anything I miss on Thursday or Friday. I also get to chaperone prom on this day! This is my favorite part of Senior Season besides watching them walk across the stage.
Sunday: 39 minute run


I think I've totally got this.

Training Update

Week 2 of 6
Monday: 21 minute swim, 42 minute bike: Done indoors
Tuesday: 21 minute run, weight lifting and core workout: I did the run indoors for 30 minutes instead of 21 minutes.
Wednesday: 21 minute swim: I took today off because my classroom was 82 degrees all day and I felt sick when I got home. I was also overcome with general malaise. 
Thursday: 28 minute run: I didn't run... I swam for 45 minutes instead. My coach had me doing sprints and it hurt. 
Friday: 42 minute bike: I didn't do this! I got lazy this week. I'll be back on the saddle this week. 
Saturday: Off: I took it off, but I also went to neighborhood garage sales and walked around for an hour  carrying my finds. That must be some sort of work-out. 

My latest favorite pre-workout breakfast

Sunday: 35 minute run: I rode my bike to the Kalamazoo Marathon site from our house, ran the 5k in 27:16, cheered on my buddies in the half-marathon, and rode my bike home. I also took the dogs on a two mile walk in the woods because the weather was so beautiful today!

Start of the race... TONS of people!

                                                              Exhibit A                                                      Exhibit B

End of the race... I don't take normal pictures when I'm excited.

Exhibit A: I heart pickles and there was a pickle table at the finish line. Happiness ensued.

Exhibit B: My student and I were extremely happy that we reached our time goals so we ate a few more delicious pickles. Hilarity ensued.

Ended the day with my babies on the trail. Lilacs are blooming on every path and everything looks and smells fresh. Michigan is so lovely right now.

Here is the plan for this week...

Plan for Week 3 of 6
Monday: 21 minute swim, 42 minute bike
Tuesday: 21 minute run, weight lifting and core workout
Wednesday: 28 minute run, 35 minute swim
Thursday: Off for parent-teacher conferences -_-
Friday: 70 minute bike
Saturday: Off
Sunday: 35 minute run