wednesday rewind

It just came to my attention that my first race of 2017 is three days away.

THREE DAYS.

No big deal. I'll just sit here quietly and freak out. Maybe first I should figure out how many layers of clothing to wear considering yesterday we got nearly two feet of snow.

Training's been fun this week.

Remember how last week I wanted to do three bike rides, possibly two swims, and all my running miles? Well, I forgot we had our mini vacay planned. So one bike ride and the swims were off the table. 

Then we got to Burlington (in case you didn't guess) and it was -19° F outside with 20 mph winds. So the dreadmill it was. And with my streak still strong at 198 days, no run was not an option. To save my sanity I shortened up the runs and just got my mile in each day. 

As far as I'm concerned there's no shame in a short run.

This week, I'm back on track and sort of excited for race day Saturday. I'm just hoping it doesn't look like this up North...

Maybe it will be the perfect amount of snow for a pretty morning run backdrop. Let's just hope it's not as cold as balls.

This week, I'm focusing on nice slow runs in preparation for race day. I'm skipping the bike and swimming since I've added about thirty minutes of physical therapy exercises into my daily routine. While they're definitely helping my tailbone pain, we're still trying to see what it's doing for my "running" muscles.

What's on your plan for this week? Any new exercises you're incorporating? Any ones you're skipping this week?

Until the next rewind, peace out, lifers.

- Allison Rae

Fitness Flash

My Nana once told me, "There's no rest for the wicked." Thinking back on my life, it makes a lot of sense. 

Triathlon training has officially started and physical therapy is officially over. My procrastination at posting these is right on par.

But it's not like I actually procrastinate posting these, it's just that other things take priorities. Like long phone calls with friends, going through all my cookbooks one recipe at a time, and baking a boozy cake for St. Patrick's Day. It's a rough life.

Here's how last week shaped up:

Now that physical therapy is over, we're following one of Garmin's beginner sprint triathlon training plans. Although, Ryan's not too happy with the hour and a half long bike planned for Thursday, so we'll be switching it out for some high intensity interval bike training. Can't wait to feel that burn...

Now some of you may be eating corn beef and cabbage. Maybe drinking a Guinness in honor of today's Irish history. Ryan and I? We're eating chinese takeout. Sláinte!

From our family to yours, Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Fitness Flash

Well, it's official, Ryan and I are in triathlon training.

But that wasn't before we took nearly an entire week off and ate like shit for two days straight. Terrible? Yep. Glorious? Just a smidge. Regretted it later? Absolutely.

Last week wasn't all that bad though. Here's what how it shaped up:

This week is also my last week of physical therapy. I'm kind of sad to see it go but I'm going to incorporate the strength training I've been doing into the rest days of our tri plan.

Here's hoping I'm in a bikini by summer!

Just kidding. But really? Here's to eating an entire pizza without gaining a pound.

Fitness Flash

I'm the worst at posting this fitness schedule thing. Maybe this week I'll be better?

This week was our last swim lesson and I'm a little sad that they're over. Is it weird that I'm going to miss my hard ass teacher? She was pretty cool. Although, I know Ryan's not really going to miss it, something about he wasn't the "star pupil." Whatever that meant.

Ryan is pushing for this upcoming week to be lax since it's our last week before our actual triathlon training starts. I think the snow and the cold are helping his case, as much as I don't want it to. But when it's like negative bazillion degrees outside, I do not want to go outside any more than I have to.

Here's how I did last week:

I'm dying to take a few of the group classes at our local YMCA. I can't decide between my trusted zumba or doing something crazy like yoga. What do you think?

Fitness Flash

I'm officially running. Like full on running. I love it.

I'm also back into cycling. Like actually cycling. I'm still on those stupid stationary bicycles but I also did a workout back on my own bike in my own den of pain. It's glorious.

Okay and maybe just a bit painful. But in a good way, you know?

On Monday, I'm going to talk to my physical therapist about cutting back on the days I go in. Because as much as I love going, I have a solid plan for getting back up to my old 5k pace and distance, I have a set of stretches that work, and the $40 co-pay twice a week is starting to add up.

This week felt busy but I think it's a step towards how our triathlon training is going to be. Here's how it shaped up:

I love that I'm doing training workouts on my own bike. It's been so long and I felt like I was going through withdrawal. I know Ryan's tried some other GCN workouts but I've only ever done the one. I'm going to bother him about trying some of those other ones this week, though. 

What are your plans for this week? Are you trying anything new?

Fitness Flash

Can I just say I'm glad that Valentine's Day is over?

There was so much fooooooddd. And I ate it all. Like all of it. Every last delicious bite.

That's what I did last week. Clearly, the three pounds I gained was an indicator I should have done more. I mean it's not like I could've eaten less. That would've just been impossible...

Why is there so much good food? And why is it all fantastically photographed and put on Pinterest? Don't you people know I'm on a diet! The struggle is real.

Fitness Flash

Sometimes, my life is crazy. 

This past week kind of reinforced that. It was full of snow, work, family, and more snow. I mean, it's crazy, in a good way. If you can imagine that.

And there was lots and lots of driving. Like LOTS of driving.

During the week, I led a résumé and cover letter workshop at my alma mater, SUNY Potsdam. I was really nervous. I was incredibly nervous. But it was awesome and I think the kids got a lot out of it. The ten kids who showed up got to hear me ramble on about résumés, one of my favorite subjects. Seriously, I love talking about résumés. I think it's a problem.

I really love visiting Potsdam and giving back. I mean, they gave me a husband and a good education. The least I can do is come back and talk.

Unfortunately, Potsdam is 200 long miles away. Our normal three and a half hour trip took four and a half with all the snow that's been coming down. Don't get me wrong, it made for pretty landscapes but terrible roads.

Fortunately, Potsdam is a hop, skip, and jump away from Norfolk, where Ryan's parents live. So we were able to stay and spend time with them. We even got to hang out with his sisters and our nephews.

It was a fantastic way to end the week.

Even with all this craziness, I still got my work out on. My physical therapist had me run on Wednesday, which was the first time I've run since like Thanksgiving. It still hurts, but I think it's a different type of pain. I just hope it all gets me back to running with no pain. 

Here's how I shaped up this week:

Sometimes I feel like I need to zone out from weeks like these. Even my mom told me I should slow down and take an hour to myself. But man, what a great, crazy life I live.

Fitness Flash

Last year, Ryan and I really got into biking. Over the course of the summer we biked 1,000 miles. We brought our bikes on our vacation to Connecticut and rode around Mystic. We even bought new fancy bikes on a vacation in Maine with a stop in New Hampshire. 

Then our awesome friends, who have both finished two ironmans a piece, encouraged us to do triathlons. So we started running. After a 10 week intro to running program, we competed in our first 5K EVER in early November.

We ran our second 5K on Thanksgiving morning a few weeks later. Then the pain started. Every time I would run, I would be faster, but I hurt. For days my hip would ache. It would go away. I would run. Then it would hurt again.

So I stopped running and Ryan did too. We gave it time but the ache wouldn't go away. It was ever present in the background, ready to pop up when I would do the easiest of things. The doctor suggested physical therapy and I started right before Christmas.

It turns out that my butt (as large as it is) was weak and the muscles supporting my hip weren't sturdy enough for the activity I was hammering on my body. Six weeks through PT and I'm making tremendous progress. Some days it still aches, but if I stretch it out, my hip feels much better. I can actually do my daily stretches with little to no pain. I'll just feel a good burn from it.

I'm not allowed to run yet, but I'm working up to it slowly. I'm itching to though. My physical therapists, Beth and Don, have cleared me for moderate cycling and full blown swimming, since that doesn't aggravate the pain.

Since Ryan and I are still set on completing triathlons this year, we've focused our efforts on swimming while I'm healing. While we both love swimming and hanging out in the pool each summer, it's definitely our weakest part of the triathlon.

When we joined the local YMCA, we got in the pool right away. After talking more and more with other swimmers, they suggested taking the adult swim stroke class to help tweak our technique. After our first class this past Sunday, I can honestly say that I'm going to love it. Our instructor is helpful and insightful with her directions. I can't wait to see the difference at the end of the lessons.

For now, our training schedule is busy. We're trying to keep our muscles engaged and in shape for each of the three events. Here's what I did this past week:

Ryan's schedule looks a little bit different, you know, since he's not broken. On the days I do physical therapy, he does a bicycle trainer workout. When I workout before our swims, he runs on the treadmill.

By the time May comes around and brings with it our first triathlon, we're going to be BEASTS. Full on triathlon machines. At least I hope.

A girl can hope, right?