Yoga, yoga, yoga

I miss Bikram Yoga. I haven't been for almost 2 years. Going while pregnant is obviously out at 105 degrees. Going while healing from a C Section is a very bad idea (and I would have probably fallen asleep anyway). Going while nursing is ill-advised (ew) but now is the time! It is starting to get cold and I am definitely back in shape. We are also done buying the Ferrari of formulas and so maybe, just maybe, I can talk my husband into $30 this month for 2, 90 minute, yoga sessions.
I was recently discussing the differences between Bikram and Vinyasa yoga. I, of course was in the Bikram camp and my friend was all for Vinyasa. We talked back and forth both understanding the other's love of yoga, both having been out of the practice for a while. She explained why she loved Vinyasa and told me about her experience with Bikram. As I listened, I began to see that everyone does yoga for a different reason. Every reason is just as valuable. She enjoys the spiritual aspect, the relaxation, and the not knowing what she will get with each instructor and each class. I began to realize that I loved all the opposite things about Bikram. I love that each time the poses are the same, that I can perfect my postures, and know exactly what to expect. I love that it is one heck of a work out. I love that I sweat like crazy. I enjoy the work. I love that there is no talking, no drinking, no paying attention to anything or anyone around you.
There is just nothing better than the cleanse from a Bikram yoga session and now I can't wait to go!

Papillion Triathlon Race Report

Well, I raced and I survived. That's all I really was hoping for.

I woke up with a throbbing headache. Not a good sign as I tend to get a headache after I race about 90% of the time. I got up, gathered my belongings, took two Aleve and was off. Oh and I managed to shut the back hatch of my Saturn Vue on my arm after I loaded my bike. That left a lovely bruise!

I got to the race and got set up. I picked up my packet and got body marked and I told myself I could do the swim and turn in my chip if my head was worse. I have been fighting some nasty headaches that seem to happen after I swim and I hadn't been in the water FOREVER. Swimming is natural for me and I wasn't worried about the swim itself but I was worried about how I would feel afterward.

The swim went well, I was slower than I would have liked but that was to be expected. I came out of the water with the same headache I went in with and so I got on my bike and took off. The volunteers were making everyone walk with their bikes in transition which slowed down both T1 and T2 a bit. The bike course is 3 hilly loops that weave through a narrow sidewalk trail, through a high school parking lot, and then on busy (closed) highways. It's a decent ride and I actually started to feel a bit better as I rode. I was passed by guys as usual and I was only passed by one girl! Yay! I came in off the bike and took off running. It was really really hot by now. 99 degrees at 9 am and a heat index of 107 degrees. Yuck. The run is out and back. The out section is flat and then uphill which makes the back part a tiny bit better. I was hurting and hot and had a headache and was a bit light headed but I didn't get passed by anyone and even made a few passes myself. I had chills coming into the finish line and I was glad to be done. I actually found out the next day that I had been fighting a UTI for over a week (oops - let that go a little too long) and started a round of antibiotic.

Time: 1:24:24
Overall Place: 47
Place in Gender: 4/86
Place in Division F3034: 2/21

Swim: 11:07
Tran1: 0:56
Bike: 45:45
Tran2: 0:56
Run: 25:43

So I'll take 4th place with a UTI and a doozy of a headache. Not bad and soooo glad to be back out racing.

Eeeek

I race tomorrow.
I think I forgot how.

Upcoming Sprint

It has been a very long time since my last triathlon, almost 2 years! I have a little local sprint coming up in a couple of weeks and I am curious to see how I will do. There have been very, very few brick workouts in my life but the good news is that, with the marathon training I have been doing, the 5K should be a piece of cake even after a quick bike ride. It's really the swim that worries me the most. I have been having bad headaches complete with dizziness the days that I swim masters. The kind of headaches that require throwing up and going to bed to get rid of. Suck. So I really haven't been swimming. I've seen two doctors and am headed in to an audiologist today to have custom ear molds made. Crossing my fingers that it helps! I love to swim and it is very sad to be out of the water for so long.

Additional Blog

When E man came along I decided that I wanted to keep this blog related to exercise, triathlon and workouts and start something completely different related to our adventures in parenting. If you are interested check it out here!

Turning it off

So I ran this morning. Don't get me wrong, I've been running. I usually tuck E man into the stroller with his hat, blanket, toys, and sunglasses. Then I round up the dogs and leash them up, get their collars, find doggy doo sacks. It's quite the production. This morning I snuck out of the house. I left Mr KT asleep in our bed upstairs, E asleep in his crib, and the dogs in their kennels. I slipped out the door into the drizzle and it was just me. Just two feet, two lungs, one heart beat, two arms pumping and a very quiet brain. No cell phone, no ipod, no baby, no animals. No worrying about work, or if the sun was in the baby's face, or if his hat had slipped over his eyes, or if the very favorite teething giraffe had been slung over the side of the stroller into a puddle a mile ago. No worry about making sure we still had two tiny socks, that the dogs weren't tangled up or about to bolt for a squirrel, or if the baby was chewing on his sunglasses instead of wearing them. No texts, emails, or phone calls. No need to manage a large herd on a small path. The ability to swing both arms! My head grew quiet. I watched two geese fly in for a water landing on the golf course pond. And then I ran home to fix a bottle and change a diaper and see that sweet baby's sleepy smile. Happy sigh.

Run momma run!

It was absolutely beautiful yesterday. After E's last nap we all set out for our run. Mr KT took the dogs and I pushed E. We don't run together really, more at the same time. Yesterday E and I just did 5 miles while Mr KT and the pups did the 10K loop. At about mile 3.5ish a college gal from UNO jumped on the trail in front of E and I. She was fit, tiny, muscular and moving! Apparently, I have a bit of a competitive streak so, we jumped in behind her and hung on. She knew we were there thanks to E man who was babbling happily away. And so she picked up the pace 7:30, then 7:15, then 7:00, then 6:30... and so did we. We followed her and her muscular I've-never-had-a-baby body for quite a while (10 minutes?) until she peeled off and we kept going straight. I totally hung with her! It's hard enough to pick it up and run intervals but add a stroller and a 17 lb, almost 7 month old and no arm swing and it ups the ante a bit. Oh and I had possibly the sorest glutes, hamstrings and adductors ever, thanks to lifting the day before. Ow. And so, I allowed myself to finally catch my breath at 8:45 miles (can't be huffing and puffing right behind her, didn't want her to know it was work!). We finished up our run and waited for daddy and the doggies to get home for dinner. All in a day's work.

Been running!

Woot! St Patrick's Day 5K with two friends who are new to running tomorrow. So excited to watch them finish their first 5K!

The weather is supposed to be gorgeous. I think I will run down to the race site at my own pace and then run the 5K with them. That should make for a nice moderate distance run.

I think I need some sweet green knee socks!

Time to get going

So last week, I swam with the Master's group on Monday morning before work. It felt great and I didn't drown. Guess I should probably go back.

Today, I am registering for a couple of half marathons, a couple of 5Ks, and a sprint triathlon. Time to start getting those long runs in again. Yay!

Oh, and maybe someday Omaha will unfreeze and I can get back on my bike. It's been a long time since I rode without being uncomfortable and pregnant!