Triathlon Training : Week 4

Ok everyone- it's week four of training and I think I'm officially obsessed with biking.  This week, I managed to go three times, and I wish that I could go even more!  It's such a fun activity to do in the summer, and it's becoming more thrilling and enjoyable to me rather than just scary.  I guess that's a good thing to feel at this point in training, right?

Here's how my week of training went, which included my first brick workout, a new distance record for biking, and my first experience with biking in traffic!

Monday

12.5 mile bike

This was such a great bike ride!  I can really tell the difference in my comfort level now, because I was able to work on taking my hands off the handles (something I was terrified to do just last week), and worked on speeding through turns instead of braking.  Plus- it was my longest bike ride ever, and is the distance of my race (12 miles)

3.25 mile run

For some reason, Dan thought it would be fun to go running after the bike ride, so this was my first ever "brick" workout!  We ended up doing a little over a 5k.  It was crazy how my legs felt like jello when I started out...definitely have to work on this transition.

Tuesday

BarreAmped Express / 45 minutes

I had a wine club event at the Pittsburgh Winery after work, so I decided to sneak in a barre workout on my way there.  The class was really good and had me shaking the whole time!  During the ab portion, we put the little barre balls under our butts and did ab exercises while balancing on it.  It made it a lot harder but also more fun!  I was also happy to have Alexa doing this workout with me, so it was all around a great night.

Wednesday

Rest Day!

I was actually planning on swimming and made my way to the gym, but it started to storm as soon as I got there and the pool was closed for the day.  Bummer!! 

Thursday

7 mile run

I met up with Steff after work to go for a run around the lake. It was super warm and sunny out, but not much humidity, so it actually felt really great out.

Friday

Rest Day!

Saturday

1050 yard swim

I made it out to the pool in the afternoon to go for a 20 minute swim.  I was lucky to have an entire lane to myself, and had a great swim.  It's crazy to me how I'm able to swim this far non-stop now when a few months ago I could barely even do 100 yards with breaks at each end!

6.2 mile bike

Dan and I met up with my friend Amanda and her boyfriend Daniel for my first street riding experience!  We started out at the Millvale Riverfront Park, and made our way to Allegheny City Brewing.  It was such a fun ride and wasn't scary at all to go on the road.  Plus, the beers at ACB made the trip well worth it!

Sunday

2.5 mile run

I had a few things to do in the morning, so I was happy to have an excuse to wake up early and get in a run before it got too hot out.  Even at 7AM, it was already sunny and humid, so I took this run nice and easy!  I got to see a deer super up close and personal, and spotted a few cute bunnies and ducklings as well.

12 mile bike

Once again, Dan and I decided to bike for beer!  We were meeting up with my family for a late lunch at the Hofbrauhaus, and decided to park about six miles away in Homestead.  There's a trail that runs that entire distance (and is the start of the GAP trail!) so it was a great ride!  Plus, refueling with amazing German beer is always a good idea.

Do you like to bike commute?

What were your workouts like this week?

Top Five Friday : Blue Skies

Well guys, it looks like it's going to be one of those perfect weekends!  There is not a cloud in the forecast, and I'm planning on taking full advantage of this weather.  I see a lot of bike rides, SUPing, dog walks, and outdoor runs in my future!  Maybe even a summery cocktail on the hammock?  Who knows!  I hope you all enjoy your weekend, and hopefully there is sun in your forecast as well.

Here are my favorites from the week!

linking up with Erika, Heather, and Friday Five

Song

Ariana Grande - No Tears Left to Cry

I think that I found my official summer jam!  I absolutely LOVE this song and blast it when it comes on the radio.  Speaking of Ariana Grande- have you guys been following her whirlwind relationship with the guy from SNL?  $100,000 engagement ring after a few weeks of dating.  Celebrities..they're just like us.

Podcast

Need Suggestions!

Unfortunately, this week I don't have any new podcasts to recommend!  I feel like I'm in a rut with them and don't really feel excited to listen to new episodes lately.  If you have a show you really like to listen to, please let me know in the comments!

Product

Jergens Natural Glow Instant Sun

I'm one of those people that doesn't really naturally tan.  For one, I usually burn immediately, and for another I slather myself is sunscreen constantly to avoid said burn.  So, for the last few years, I've been using various sunless tan products to make myself look a bit more lively in the summer.  I noticed a friend with a gorgeous tan at a party the other day, and she told me it came from this product!  I immediately bought it, and am in love with it.  You get an immediate color pay off, but it looks very natural, and doesn't leave your skin feeling sticky or smelling bad.  Plus- you can buy it at the drugstore so it won't kill your summer budget.

Random

First Garden!

For the first time, Dan and I planted a garden at our house!  For the past few years, we kept visiting nurseries and home improvement stores, but ended up going home empty handed every time.  This year, Dan did some research about different plants, and we finally picked some up.  We ended up getting a few perennials (azaelea and hydrangea) along with some annuals (inferno, impatien).  Along with a truckload of mulch, our front yard got a lot more curb appeal and I love it.


Do you take TV breaks during summer?
Who do you pick to win the French Open??

Triathlon Training : Week 3

Week three is now in the books for triathlon training!  With the big race only 2 short months away, it's starting to feel real. While I'm starting to feel more confident in my ability to actually finish the race, I'm still anxious about trying something new.  Training has been a ton of fun, though, so if nothing else- I've enjoyed the experience!

Here's a look at how my third week of training went-

Monday

1500 yard swim

This was my first swim where my average pace was under 2:00/100 yard (I snuck right under at 1:58!).  My plan for this was to swim easy for 10:00, then alternate 100 yards swimming hard with 100 yards easy for 800 total yards, then cool down until I hit 30:00.

Tuesday

Strength / 1 hour

I took a class at Beat Fitness, which is a boot camp/circuit-style class.  There were four different stations, and each station had two exercises.  We would do three 3:00 sets with a 30 second rest in between each set, for a total of 12 sets.  The exercises were all really fun and hit different muscle groups- dumbbell row, deficit lunge, bar row, weighted club swings, ski erg/rower, sit-ups, toe touches, and lateral lunges.  Another interesting aspect of the class was that we did the exercises barefoot, which made it even more challenging!  I really liked the class and the upbeat atmosphere, so I'll definitely be back.

Wednesday

 5 mile bike

After work, Dan and I went over to North Park for a loop around the lake.  This was my first time doing a full lap around, which I've always been a bit afraid of because at one point, there's only a small pedestrian lane and bikers ride out on the road.  Plus, it gets a bit hilly which means I'll be going faster!  Dan gave me a challenge of not braking on the downhills, but I ended up surprising myself by feeling completely comfortable the whole time!  My overall pace was a lot faster than usual, so I was really proud of myself for this ride.

Thursday

Rest Day!

Friday

1000 yard swimming

This swim felt really great!  I went after work, and the entire pool was pretty much empty.  I was able to swim non stop and added in a few sprints in the middle.

Saturday

10 mile run

I woke up nice and early to run with my run squad at the soon-to-open Pro Bike and Run at North Park!  There was an run organized by the store with lots of different course options, and we chose to do a lake loop with Irwin Road added on.  We had a mix of road and trail, and had a great run as always!  The miles always fly by when I run with those girls.

2 hour hike

After the run, Dan and Selma wanted to get outside too, so we went to recently re-opened Fall Run Park.  It was my first time there, and I loved it!  The trail was beautifully maintained, and the creek/waterfall was gorgeous.  I'll definitely be back. 

 

Sunday

1.5 hour SUP

Dan's dad was visiting for the weekend, so we all went down to the lake for kayaking and SUPing.  It was an overcast, slightly chilly day, so we were pretty much the only ones on the water.  It was a lot of fun!


What new experiences have you tried lately?
Are you a water person?

Reading Lately #4

Lately I've been going through a reading phase.  This usually happens when I'm taking the bus a lot, because it's the best way to pass time (or at least feels more productive to me than watching Netflix).  It seems like I'll go through one of these phases, add a bunch of library books to my Overdrive queue, then have them all become available at the same time, with only 2 weeks to get them read.  Does that happen to anyone else?

So, today I wanted to share what I've been reading lately!  With so many books on my list (and being kind of a slow reader), I've adopted a system of only reading books that I like through the first chapter.  If it's not catching my attention, I move on to the next one on my list.  With that being said, you'll notice that I mostly only have good things to say about all of the books.  If you're looking for good summer reads, I would highly recommend all of these (except maybe Deliverance...a bit dark). 

Deliverance - James Dickey

This was one of the books on the Times Best Novels list, and I honestly didn't know much about it.  Funny enough, right after I finished, I started seeing lots of references to the novel.  This was a pretty easy read, with a few graphic and intense scenes.  It kind of scares me away from ever wanting to go on a kayaking trip though!  

Flat Broke with Two Goats - Jennifer McGaha

One of my favorite genres to read is autobiographies, and this one is always in the "most popular" section of my library's Overdrive.  Without knowing anything about it, I just checked it out and jumped right in.  The story follows a husband and wife who lost everything because of some bad financial decisions, and end up living in a cabin in the woods and pick up two goats (among various other farm animals).  The book is a very easy read with lots of interesting stories, and I love how the author sprinkles in recipes at the end of each chapter to tie together what she just talked about.

Almost Missed You - Jessica Strawser

I actually wanted to read this last year, after reading about it on Modern Mrs. Darcy's 2017 Summer Reading Guide.  The premise drew me in right away- a seemingly perfect couple go on a vacation, where the husband ends up kidnapping their child and the wife has no idea what secrets he's hiding.  The story jumps around timelines and narrators, but it's really easy to follow (thanks to a relatively short list of characters).  While the ending isn't jaw-dropping and the novel doesn't have too many twists, it's an easy read and fun book.

The Selection - Kiera Cass

I found out about this book from the podcast by Young House Love, and when it was described as the Royal Wedding meets The Bachelor I had to check it out.  The story follows a society years in the future after America becomes a new land with royalty and a new caste system.  The royal family puts a call out for young women to enter "The Selection" to get the chance to marry the prince.  We follow a feisty main character who is caught in a love triangle.  Since this is a series, we are left with a major cliff hanger at the end, and I'm eager anticipating my turn with the book!

Born a Crime - Trevor Noah

Another great autobiography!  This one follows comedian Trevor Noah's childhood living in South Africa during apartheid.  Since his mom was black and his dad was white (which was illegal), he was-as the title suggests-born a crime.  The stories he tells are both horrifying and hilarious at the same time, and he takes on such an intense subject matter in a light-hearted way.  This is SUCH a great read, and I highly suggest it.  Plus- the book is being made in to a movie, and Trevor is working on a second book!

You - Caroline Kepnes

Honestly, this book is REALLY creepy and made me feel uncomfortable pretty much the entire time.  We follow Joe, who meets an aspiring writer at the book store where he works.  What starts out as a simple Google of her name turns into stalking and there are deadly consequences.  The book has so many insane moments that made me question encounters that I've had in my life, but I still couldn't put it down.  Apparently the book is now being turned into a movie, which I think would be interesting to see how some of the narrative details can translate to screen.

What should I read next?
What is your favorite genre? 

Triathlon Training : Week 2

Week two of training is officially in the books!  I hit a few milestones this week during training, in both my longest swim and longest bike ride.  Since I don't have much experience with either, pretty much every week is going to be a new PR!  It's been so much fun training so far, and I love the mixture of all the different activities.  

Here's a look at how my week of workouts went:

Monday

4 mile bike

I went out for a quick nighttime bike ride with Dan.  It was great and nothing too exciting happened!  We did get to see a pretty sunset, though :)

 

Tuesday

Rest Day!

 

Wednesday

4 mile run

This was such a hot and horrible run!  I was definitely struggling the entire time and took a few walk breaks.  Still adjusting to that heat, but I'm trying to remember how awful the winter was. That helps me not complain too much about the heat.

1425 yard swim

My plan was to swim for 30:00, which is my longest swim ever!  Every 500 yards I would take a quick break to walk a lap of the pool, but otherwise I swam nonstop the entire time.  I was really proud of myself for this swim! 

Thursday

Rest Day!

Friday

4.11 mile run

If you ever want to run early in the morning- make plans with friends!  I planned out a run with Jessie earlier in the week, and by the time I woke up on Friday morning the last thing I wanted to do was go for a run.  But, I couldn't ditch her, so I complained a bit and got out there.  The weather was pretty cool but humid, but by the end we were both happy to have a run out of the way.  If it was up to me, I would have gone back to sleep and then probably skipped my run later in the day!  Yay for friends!

Saturday

8 mile run

Once again I got out of bed early for a run in the humidity by making plans with friends.  I ran with Jessie and Maddie for 8 miles along the river (and ran into speedy Annette and Crystal!).  It was great to catch up with both of them and enjoy all the hungover people in their boats getting ready for the Kenny Chesney concert.

Sunday

10 mile bike

This was my first double digit ride, and it was so much fun!  I basically did the same route as my run (plus two miles), and it was a perfect day out.  I practiced standing up while pedaling up hills and riding through rough terrain.  I had my mom and Dan along with me too, so it was a great ride all around.

1 hour Barre

In the evening (after doing some gardening) I went to a local studio for a barre restore class.  We did about 45 minutes of barre work (working the core, arms, butt, and legs in different segments) then 15 minutes of stretching.  It was a great way to end the week!

Do you like to bike ride?

Do you run with friends?

Top Five Friday : Change is Coming

It's the weekend!  I love short weeks, and this one is even shorter because I'm at home today to get new windows installed.  Yay for home ownership!  This was kind of a stressful week with some big projects going on at work and a vendor meeting that I was in charge of, but luckily everything went pretty well.  Now I'm looking forward to spending more time outside, and hopefully getting in some gardening, and overall relaxation.

Have a great weekend!

(also, just about missed this, but HAPPY JUNE!!)

linking up with Erika, Heather, and Friday Five

Song

Road Trip Playlists

I'm a big fan of all of the pre-made playlists on both Amazon Music and Spotify, and lately I've been listening to a lot of their "road trip" playlists.  They're also perfect for listening to during work or on a run, and I don't even have to worry about selecting a good mix!  One of my favorites is Classic Rock Road Trip, which has over an hour of fast and slow rock songs. 

Podcast

The Habitat

I recently found out about this podcast, which follows a group of astronauts who are living in a controlled habitat in Hawaii to prepare for life on Mars.  The group has to stay inside for a year, and the podcast is a set of recordings that they make.  There's drama (as to be expected) as well as a bit of romance.  The episodes are really easy to listen to and each one has a different theme about life in the Habitat.

Product

Garnier Pure Clean Detangler

I don't typically blow dry my hair, especially in the summer, so I'm always looking for good air dry products to use.  In this humidity, my hair can get pretty frizzy and messy, so I was hoping that this product would help out.  The verdict- I love it!  Not only does it help get knots out easier and make it easier to brush, but it somehow makes my hair look sleek and freshly washed when it's dry.  There's also a light scent when you use it that also smells clean, so overall I'm a fan.   

Shows

Spring/Summer Break

This summer, Dan and I decided to take a break from shows and have a little Netflix/Hulu sabbatical.  There are some outdoor projects that we want to work on, some trips planned, and want to spend more time outside in general.  So- no show updates for me for a while!

Random

French Open

One week into the second Slam of the year and there's already so much drama and action! Unfortunately I haven't been able to watch any matches live (time zone / work problems) but hopefully I can catch some this weekend.  On the women's side, I'm pulling for Halep (and of course Serena, even if she doesn't seem fully back to her regular level yet.  But WOW that superhero outfit and comeback yesterday!!).  For men, it's not as exciting to follow since it seems destined for Nadal to win again (or at least make his way with no problem to the finals).  That's the beauty of tennis though- you never know what'll happen!


Do you take TV breaks during summer?
Who do you pick to win the French Open??

Triathlon Training : Week 1

Ok everyone- it's official..I'm training for my first triathlon!  Not going to lie- I'm kind of terrified and very intimidated.  I'm still not a great swimmer, and I'm learning to be comfortable on my bike.  But, I know how to run, so I'm already 1/3 of the way there, right??

I decided on a local sprint triathlon in August, so training starts now.  There are a few good things about this race- the swim is in a pool, and the course is right by my house so I can practice the bike and run as much as I want.  I have about 11 weeks until race day, so it's time to get myself in gear!

I'm following a beginner triathlon plan, and will also be training for a half marathon in the middle of July.  Should be interesting to mix the two, and I'll be sure to talk more about my plans for both sometime soon.  For now, here's how week one of tri training went!

Monday

1 hour SUP

Honestly, my plan for the day was to go for an easy swim.  But, the weather was beautiful and Dan wanted to go out to the lake with Selma, so I changed up my plan and we did some paddleboarding and kayaking!

Tuesday

3 mile bike

For this ride, I stuck around my neighborhood and did a nice loop around.  I'm working on getting comfortable with going faster, so today my goal was to not brake going down hills.  It was definitely scary for me and I got up to 25 MPH (super fast for me) but it's a work in progress!

Barre/Yoga class

I went to one of my favorite classes via ClassPass for my second workout of the day.  Sadly, the studio is closing so this will be my last class with them.  It was a great one to end on- the barre portion was really challenging and worked every muscle, and the yoga flow had lots of balance and good stretches (my favorite).

Wednesday

Rest Day!

Thursday

4.75 mile run

This was the first time in a LONG time that I ran before work, and it was so great.  The weather was perfect (mid 50s and all sun) and I even remembered to bring water along!  I kept the pace nice and easy which ended up at around a 9:30 pace.  This was definitely one of those runs where everything clicked.

Friday

20 minute swim

I headed to the gym by my work to swim during lunch, and sadly it's the final day it'll be open!  Unfortunately the gym has to shut down, so I have to find a new place to go in the next few weeks (as you can tell I'm not having good luck with my favorite workout spots staying open).  On a positive note, I had a great swim and pushed myself to go non-stop for the entire 20 minutes.  I managed to get in about 900 yards, so I'm pretty happy with that!

1 hour SUP

I got out of work a little early thanks to the holiday weekend, so I grabbed Selma and headed to North Park for some paddling.  She was doing great for the first half, but quickly became bored and decided we should both go for a swim.  Fun times :)

Saturday

2.5 hour kayak

Dan and I headed up north to Moraine State Park for a nice kayak ride.  I've actually never been to the park before even though it's only about a 45 minute drive.  The lake is huge, so we barely got anywhere in 2.5 hours!  It was such a beautiful day and we had a great time though.  Definitely want to go back again soon.

5.25 mile bike

The weather was perfect when we got home, so I decided to go out for a quick neighborhood bike ride.  I kept it nice and easy and just enjoyed the great weather and all the pretty flowers and trees in bloom.

Sunday

7 mile run

Dan and I got up pretty early to get in a run before it got too hot out.  We did about 2 miles together then I did 5 by myself.  It was really humid out, and kept raining off and on.  I love to run in the rain, and it helped pick up my pace a lot.  My final two miles were both under 9:00- loved feeling some speed coming back.

Have you ever done a triathlon?? I need advice!

What's your favorite way to cross train?