Week In Review

Ahhhhhhh January is all but a memory. Now I hate to wish time away as it seems to go by way too fast as it is but can I just tell you I'm so done with ice and all it's wonder coupled with continued thermometer readings in the teens. My driveway has been a complete sheet of ice for over 3 weeks now. Instinctively, I enter and exit my car in a way that my feet never leave the glass like smooth I'm-gonna-take-you-down surface. I'm actually getting good at it. I'm even ballsy enough to carry several items in BOTH hands while balancing hot coffee in the dark without even as much as a bobble. Impressive, I know!!!

I do feel bad for the UPS guy that comes to deliver a package in having to deal with it but I've noticed that my packages are placed against my garage doors and not flung from the street like a newpaper in protest of the ice so I thank you Mr. UPS Man and I just want you to know that if I am home and I hear your 2 tap on the horn greeting, I will RACE out and roll myself down the driveway to greet you first so that you don't have to do the *ice dance*

In other news, last Sunday I did The Hour Of Power with some other MIT Masters brave souls otherwise known as The One Hour Swim.

Me in my cheater suit

I was fairly pleased with my 4250 (1:24 per 100 average pace) considering I had taken a boat load of time off and really just started back swimming December 1st. Much more impressive was my friend Maggie's attempt who had (not kidding here) not been in the water since almost slicing off her thumb in July missing her LP Ironman. She swam over 3000 with no swim training AT ALL. Eeeeeeks!

Tomorrow is the Team Psycho Indoor Time Trial . It's a sold out event with several heats taking place throughout the day on a 9.3 mile Computrainer course. Sadly, there is no *HOTTIE HEAT* this year so my idea of having whoever was in my particular women's heat and getting them to sport some sort of prop ( red lipstick, a thong over their cycling shorts perhaps )as we've done in the past, will have to be shelved until next year. (sigh)

Happy training

and Superbowl spectating!

MAF running update

February 9th will mark the 3 month *TGP Sticks With The MAF Running Plan*

Here's some interesting observations I will share:

Although I've been frustrated at times with the concept of shuffling for 3 months, I'm thrilled I stuck with the plan as I've finally noticed the payoff of my disapline and patience.


1. Like clockwork, my body can easily rack on 7-10 pounds of extra weight from October into early spring. It's just a fact of life here in New England in the dead of winter that I've just come to understand for myself anyway. I am lucky in a sense that because I'm tall, I can usually hide this extra ass dragging poundage. On the contrary, I feel it when I run and worse, see it when I try to wear particular jeans or clothing I would never consider pulling over my hips in winter.
This year, not so much.
I am just about race weight right now and I've really done nothing in terms of my
eating habits. What I perceive to be happening, is my body has adapted to burning
my calorie intake more efficiently. By keeping my heart rate low, it has put me in a more efficient fat burning zone to be more specific.
I'll take it.

2. My body is able to handle 4 solid runs a week consistently with plenty of time and energy to devote to the other 2 disciplines plus 2-3 days of functional core training. I'm hoping to advance to 5 runs a week starting in February.



3. I can accomplish a long run (as today) 1:46 and not feel like a waste product for the rest of the day and even get in another workout of some kind if i feel inclined to do so.



4. My long run pace has dropped one minute entirely per mile since I started this type of running back in November. This is easy to track by just looking at my Training Peaks data upload and compare a few numbers and specific dates. Even though your heart rate can be affected by sickness, dehydration, lack of sleep or over training, I've tried to be cognizant as to not attempting a long run without being rested, hydrated, and feeling somewhat motivated to get myself out into the cold to do it.

5. Back in November, I would have to walk hills in order to keep my HR at it's required 140 bpm where as now, there is none of that. Also, I am able to run longer now at the faster pace.


Does anyone have Phil's address? I wanna bake him some low glycemic cookies and
drop them off with another success story.

Happy training!

Risk

Not too many people are willing to take it so this posting is dedicated to one who did,My sister Paula Davies and has never looked back.

TGP with Sister Paula



A self taught floral designer, she has become one of the top designers in the southern Maine/New Hampshire seacoast area. Just scroll down to see some of her work and you will agree! After honing her skills in a small retail shop in Portsmouth NH, it was time to put her own name on the artistic talents that
often are left behind in the back room when you work for someone else.

I thought it might be nice to take you, if only for a few minutes, into the world
of flowers and out of the dull drums of winter!!

Welcome to Twig and Fern Designs.

Two women with a common goal paired with amazing artistic talent and the willingness to step out on a limb and make a go of it on their own.
Below is just a sampling of what my sister and her partner Heidi, can create for weddings and events.
She always breaths a sigh of relief when tears start to flow from the bride. Odd you might think, but a sure sign her client is overwhelmed to see a bouquet, so thoughtfully created with much attention to detail and artistic talent, hand delivered exactly, if not more than what she imagined.


I'm so proud of my sister and you too Heidi!!
Enjoy and if you take anything from this, FIND IT,GO FOR IT AND NEVER LOOK BACK!!

Cat Poop, Sugar Cookies And Other Ramblings....

It's Saturday! Woo Hoo! Gotta love the weekends. It's also January booooooooo. The worst month in New England followed by February the 2nd worst month of the year in New England. Might as well throw in March next 'cause that ain't no walk in the park either.
All the festive lights that distracted us in December are all but extinguished and we are thrown in a deeeeeeep freeeeze here with no end in sight for a while.(sigh) Everything is icy and the air is so dry it makes you cough.

Anyway, tonight is our Team Psycho year end party that was postponed from early December. Something fun to look forward to. It's rare to see all your team mates in one place and we are expecting 70 with catered food and flowing beer.
I was asked to bake something and this is all i could come up with.
Who the heck is going to be eating cookies at a bar anyway? I gather by 12am when people can't see straight and have been shut off for the night,the cookie pounding will begin.


I did get in a good trainer ride this morning and here's a fun little picture of it!
I decided I wanted to do a workout shaped like a cute little pyramid. HA!
I admit I'm a total tri gadget geek using my Computrainer and my PowerTap at the same time. I just want to make sure the wattage numbers match and then when I'm done, I can download my tri geeky workout from the PowerTap to my online Tri geek
data collection area better known as Training Peaks.

And lastly, I just know your on the edge of your seat for this one.

Cat poop.
I've personally only witness this in a tight compact form until today. This guy

obviously had some intestinal distress last night (lucky for me not in my bed) and if you have a cat and own one of these Litter maid, self cleaning litter boxes
then you would know that diarrhea and a Littermaid rake don't mix. So for all you non Littermaid/ cat owners out there, imagine mud like poop all intertwined

in the nice automatic self cleaning litter box rake.

All I can say is Thank you Jesus for the pilfered latex gloves from work and the triple pack of Lysol disinfecting wipes I just bought at BJ's yesterday.

Anyone want a loose stooled cat????

Change

Happy New Year!

I think I must have been on another planet while writing my last post when it was 60 degrees because now I'm back on Planet Reality where it's 43 degrees colder and I've slithered back into hibernation mode. My ass has been firmly backed up against my wood stove with cravings of mid day power naps and mac and cheese. I'm finding it hard to get outside to run especially if the temps are below 30 which is odd for me (I used to run in anything) and here's why. It's difficult to MAF run in the winter when it's icy cold outside, keeping your heart rate pretty darn low without getting really cold pretty darn quick even with a ton of layers. I've been stickin' with MAF running since November 9th TOTALLY dedicated to the plan with every run in the required zones. Thanks Kerrie for checking in and keeping me motivated when I've wanted to jump ship a few times and helping me stick to the plan by explaining stuff and answering my questions.

MAF running, I'm learning is all about discipline and the willingness to suck it up and resist the temptation of running too hard too much too soon. My goal is to get to February 9th which will give me 3 solid months of honest base run training. I'm hoping it pays off so that when it's time to add some intensity,I'll be primed and ready to roll.

I'm looking forward to 2009 and some of the changes it will bring. A few things are certain:

1. I will be racing my entire season in some capacity in memory of Margaret Nervegna

2. My season is planned but I will only blog POST race this season as I felt in some ways, discussing an upcoming race and it's importance beforehand felt like bad karma.

3. I need a fresh new blog template and need to work on this!

4. I have a new steed to ride for 2009 and it's currently sitting in a corner at the custom painters waiting for something er..... in pink????? Ha!

and finally,

I guess I really don't have any resolutions per say but will strive to take control of things that I can while simultaneously learning to let go of stuff that has no real importance, positive impact or truly matters at the end of a day. I'm hoping in doing this it makes me happier, stronger and gives me a sense of contentment which in turn can be redirected toward others around me in a positive manner. I think this is something that doesn't come so easy (for me anyway) and I will have to work toward this! So.....

here's to a fresh new year!!! I'm always up for a challenge, aren't you?