Take a few minutes to enjoy this

The following has nothing to do with running, swimming, biking or other triathlon stuff. It also has nothing to do with books or Badgers. Or even the life of me, Badgergirl.

It's just something I stumbled across tonight while I was putzing around on the Internet. I'd never heard of the guys, Jon Schmidt, before. But I watched this video, loved the music and wanted to hear more. So I checked out his Web site.

Good stuff.

Take a listen. You won't be disappointed.

A little running, a little scale talk and some bike news

Headed back out to the trail today for a run.

I just opted for the 2.6 mile run today. And it felt good. I felt like I was keeping a decent pace, but I was a bit surprised when I finished and looked at my watch. 31 minutes. Something like an 11:30 pace. Hmm. Oh well.

I'm still blaming my super slow pace on the extra weight I put on due to the medicine I needed to take to boot the Monster out of my head. But the good news is even though it's taken me longer than I was hoping, I'm starting to see some results. I'm down 11 pounds and I've got some goals in mind: drop another 5 pounds by the time the starting gun goes off for the High Cliff Triathlon next month and lose the last 15 to fit into a super cute dress I already own for my cousin's wedding at the end of August. Both do-able goals I think.

And on a non-running, non-weight loss front, I sent in my registration for the Strong Kids Ride at the end of the month. I toyed with going for the 30-mile route, but ultimately selected the 20-mile route. Maybe I'll be able to change my mind on the day of the ride. But at this point? I just need the nasty lake flies to go away so I can rekindle my friendship with my bike, which I've been neglecting all week. Eek!

The lake flies are still here

Those pesky lake flies are still here.

Grrr.

I even wished really really hard that they would just magically disappear overnight. Or freeze to death the other night when the temperatures dipped into the upper 30s. They didn't disappear or die though.

So I'm still stuck with them. Which means I've had to leave my neighborhood if I've wanted to run or bike this week. And of course, I had the urge to run last night when I got home from work. So I threw on some running clothes and laced up my sneakers and headed out to the Wiouwash Trail, the place where I logged so many long runs in preparation for the half marathon I did in 2007.

When I started my run, I was only planning on heading out to the first trail makers and then heading back. It would have been about a 2.6 mile run. Not too far. Not to short. Just enough to get me out and get my legs moving. But when I got to that marker, I still felt good. Like I could keep going. The next marker was about a half-mile away. So I kept running until I got to the marker. I still felt good but I knew I needed to turn back since I had another 2 miles to go before I was done.

I started on my way to the car. The first few minutes it felt good. My iPod was keeping me company with some Flogging Molly, I was running, it was nice out and there weren't any lake flies to bug me. Things were good.

Then it hit me.

The wind. Gusty. In my face. Steady. Strong.

Turns out the reason the first half of my run went so well? I had been running with the wind. Made it easier. Now I had to fight against the wind all the way back. Payback. I stopped momentarily, but then I sucked it up and started running again. Because even if I stood in one place for a long time, the wind was still going to be there. It wasn't leaving. So I ran. At times I felt like I was barely moving. But I ran. And eventually I made it back to my car.

And as I was driving home I realized, I had just run 4 miles. The first time I ran 4 miles since the days leading up to my half marathon in 2007. Obviously 2008 was not a good running year for me, blame it on the Monster. But I think things are looking up.

******

Moved the workout indoors today since it was stormy and the lake flies are still here. Spent some time in the pool with a 1,700 yard swim workout which went pretty well.

So this is what the other YMCA looks like

I find myself torn between two swimming pools.

The weather was crappy today. Cold. Cloudy. Raining. Oh, and did I mention the lake flies have returned? Because they have. And that means I'll most likely be moving my workouts indoors. Or to the other side of town where lake flies don't exist.

So since it was cruddy out, I decided I wanted to get in a an indoor run followed by a short swim. I could have done it at my downtown YMCA, the one I always use since I can see it from my office window, but I didn't want to get up super early this morning in order to make sure the swim was done by the time the pool closed at 11 a.m.

Instead, I slept in and opted for an afternoon workout at the other YMCA across town. The super nice YMCA, the one with an indoor ice rink and soccer field, a ton of fancy new equipment and a super nice pool with eight lanes for laps.

I was in love.

I got there and reacquainted myself with the treadmill. I knocked out a 3-mile run in 32 minutes. Not bad. Actually felt good. And there was no one waiting for a treadmill, so I probably could have tacked on another mile.

But the pool was calling my name.

And we became fast friends. The water felt so good. And it was bright, unlike the downtown YMCA where the pool doesn't have very good lighting so you kind of feel like you're in a dungeon. And the big digital clock poolside which let me kind of keep track of how fast I was swimming.

Sigh. It was wonderful. So wonderful I completely spaced and forgot how far I had swam at one point. So I might have swam 1,000 yards. Or it could have been 1,100 yards. I'm not sure. But I do know it took me about 25 minutes. And even though this was only my second swim in forever, I could already notice a difference in my stamina. I didn't need as long of breaks every 100 yards and actually at the end of the workout, when I was tired, I swam 200 yards straight through. I think that's a good sign. And according to the big red digital clock, at one point I was swimming around a 2 minutes per 100 yard pace. Not bad.

Afterwards I treated myself to a little hot tub time, which was also wonderful.

My first trip to the cross town YMCA was good. I was glad I made it today. And I think I might try to figure some kind of schedule out so that I can do one of my swim workouts there each week. Because although I fell in love with this pool instantly, I do like my downtown pool, bad lighting and all.

****

Looking back at some numbers, I'd say I'm pretty happy with my week. Workouts six of the seven days. 41 miles on my bike. 2,700 yards in the pool and a 3 mile run. The only thing I'd change would be to have a few more miles in my running shoes. That's what I'll work on this week.

So this is what a pool looks like

Can you smell the chlorine? Because I can.

Yes my friends. I managed to find my way back to the pool today. And I'm already looking forward to a return trip.

I left nothing to chance. I packed my swim bag last night and had it sitting by my work bag, ready for me to grab when I left for work this morning. I took a shorter lunch today so I could leave the office a little early and take full advantage of the hour and a half I'd have until the kids swim team took over the pool.

I was ready.

After work I didn't think twice. I pointed my car towards the YMCA, like a girl on a mission to reacquaint herself with the pool.

I admit though, as I was walking from the locker room to the pool deck, I was a bit nervous. I hadn't dipped a toe in the pool since the beginning of March for the last indoor triathlon. And before that? It was mid-January for the winter triathlon. The last pool workout I did? Haven't got a clue. But I do know the High Cliff Triathlon is coming up quick. So tonight I walked in, grabbed a lane, put on my cap and goggles and jumped in.

It was just water. I can handle this, I thought. So I started swimming. Nice and slow. And you know what? It felt good.

I kept swimming. I didn't have a plan in mind as far as how far I wanted to go. I went into the workout with a let's just see what happens. I just swam. 100 yards then 200, 300 and pretty soon I was at 800 and I still felt good.

So I kept swimming.

There was an adult swimming lesson taking place in two of the other lanes and every so often I'd find myself swimming faster in order to catch up with one of the swimmers from the class. Most of the time I caught them and actually beat them to the wall. Made me feel good, like I still had the swimming bug in me.

I kept swimming, taking a short 30 second break after every 100 yards. Next thing I knew I was approaching 1,400 yards. That's when I told myself, shoot for 1,600 yards, that's just shy of a mile. Do it. You'll feel good about the workout you just did. And afterwards? You can treat yourself to some hot tub time.

So that's what I did. I finished off the 1,600 yards in about 45 minutes, which included my rest breaks, and then did a 100 yard cool down using the kick board.

It was a good swim. Made me realize I missed my pool time these last few months. And I'm already trying to figure out when my next trip to the pool will be. I'm thinking maybe Saturday morning.

photo courtesy http://www.nataliedee.com/

Should have just run

I thought I could outsmart Mother Nature today. And I failed miserably.

When I got up this morning I had a plan. One that included going for a run tonight after work. I wasn't planning a long run or anything, just a nice short run to work out some of tightness I was feeling after the two long bike rides I took.

Then I got home from work. And it was windy. And I didn't really feel like running. And plus my toe hurt. I know. I know. Apparently I was looking for any excuse to get out of the run.

So I thought I'd go for a short bike ride instead. Sounded like a good idea to me.

Apparently I forgot about the windy. Which had become quite gusty and stiff in the 5 minutes it took me to change into biking clothes. Hard to ride south in and it felt like I was going nowhere. I briefly thought about turning around and heading back. But nixed that idea, thinking someday I'll appreciate this short 5 mile ride into the gusty winds.

So the ride wasn't the greatest - and it takes a lot for a bike ride to fall into that category for me - and in hind sight I probably should have just stuck with the run. Oh well. Maybe I'll sneak that short run in tomorrow night if it isn't raining.

After I get home from the pool. Because that's the plan for tomorrow. I become a fish again. Stay tuned.

I only have energy for bullet points

It's the end of a fabulous 3-day weekend featuring gorgeous weather and lots of fun things to do. And because all of the excitement has left me dead tired. I'm giving you bullet points.

• For starters. I love monkeys. So when I heard the local zoo here was having a baby baboon as one of its exhibits this year, I knew I had to see him. So when the zoo opened Saturday, a friend and I went over to check out the Baby Baboon. And he was adorable. And very hard to photograph since he obviously didn't know how to sit still for more than 2 seconds. I tried. And I will be going back to check in on the Baby Baboon.

• After checking out the Baby Baboon and having a very up close encounter with a large tortoise, who apparently gets to roam around the zoo grounds, we took my friend's puggle over to the dog park and got to check out the doggies. It was the first time I've been a dog park. Very fun. Kind of makes me want a dog.
• I snuck in a 14-mile bike ride before I took a road trip to Madison on Sunday. A friend and I had tickets to see Jason Mraz play. Good times. Well worth the trip down. The Plain White T's opened and were really good. And Jason Mraz? Amazing. If I hadn't left my camera in the car, I might have had some pictures to share with you since our seats were pretty close. But my camera? It was hanging out in my backseat underneath my fleece.
• Since I knew last night would be a late night, I took a day of vacation today. I took another 14-mile bike ride this morning before heading to Appleton to hang out with my Mom and The Rugrats. We played outside. Walked over to school to pick up my niece (and I think the walk justifies me missing the run I had planned for this afternoon since I was pulling the wagon with the two boys. A wagon ride that featured many, many hills). And then spent the rest of the afternoon at the park. Spent the entire day outside. I'm not sure if they were exhausted. But I am.
• And on a random note. Today the odometer in my car flipped over to 100,000 miles. Just 18 days shy of its 7th birthday.

Hopefully I'll return to non-bullet point posts next time.

An April reading recap

Where'd April go? Actually, where'd the first four months of the year go?

Even though I'm not quite sure where the last 30 days went, I apparently spent some of those minutes reading. I finished 3 books in April for a total of 1,048 pages. That brings the yearly total to 8 books and 3,298 pages.

Given what I've been able to read so far, I'm on pace to finish 24 books and 9,894 pages this year. Not exactly the 40 books I set out to read at the beginning of the year. Hmmm. Maybe instead of the swine flu, I'll catch a reading bug and put a dent in the 40-book goal this month.

Anyway. What'd I read? Take a look:

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
Mistaken Identity: Two Families, One Survivor and Unwavering Hope by Don & Susie Van Ryn and Newell, Colleen & Whitney Cerak
Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde

I was actually looking forward to reading Mistaken Identity. It's about the Taylor University student who was misidentified after a bus crash on an Interstate in Indiana back in 2006. It was a bit weird when it happened, and again when I read the book, since I could vividly picture the crash scene. It was about a half hour from where I lived in Indiana and I drove passed it many times when I was living in the Hoosier state and on my way to high school sporting events for work. It was a good, quick read. Inspiring too.

And Jasper Fforde? A friend recommended I try the Thursday Next series, which book of the Jasper Fforde books I read this month are part of. And she was right. I really enjoy them. I'm currently trying to get my hands on the third book in the series.