Don't think less of me, or Weight just a minute!

2 months ago I weighed 203 lbs, now I'm 188. That's 15 lbs. of ME missing! Where did I go? Through a wormhole into hyper-space, light years away? I don't miss those 15 lbs. of me, but in a cosmic sense, since we're all "starstuff pondering the stars", I wonder if my weight loss has caused a cosmic conundrum, or rift in space time. I'm kind of hoping something like that will happen at IM Canada this year, when I'm climbing Richter Pass. Maybe my weight loss will create an Einstein Rosen bridge anomaly, and I'll instantly and effortlessly arrive at the summit? Perhaps not, but I hope the climb will be easier.

March totals:
Swim 4021.6 meters
Bike 1266.6 km
Run 141.3 km

April totals (so far):
Swim 3016.2 meters
Bike 1073.9 km
Run 160.8 km

May will be increase in running, as I have several 1/2 marathons and a 30k planned. That reminds me, I've got to get registered for those races.

Next race is this Sunday, May 2nd: Lake Minnetonka 1/2 marathon. I think I'll ride my bike to the packet pickup on Saturday, getting in about 60 miles. We'll see.....maybe I'll take a day off and rest!

Looking back and looking ahead...

Trail Mix 25k run last Saturday, nice weather, no ski hill this year (still snow up there) which made the course "easier". Nice new section in lieu of ski hill, a few rolling hills, but nice soft track.

This Sunday is MN Ironman Bike ride, I plan to do the 100 mile route, should be decent weather (slight chance of some showers). I'd like to do a little jog afterward, so I'll bring my running shoes along.

This Saturday, I'd like to get a long run in and an easy recover bike ride. I've got to get registered for races in May, June, July, and even any I might do in August. I may skip Grandma's and Afton Alps this year, because not enough time to recover for IMC.

Glad that ones over (Hopkins Hilly 25k)

First 7 miles at 9:10 pace, (not bad actually with all the hills), then the wheels came off. Quads tightened up, heart rate soared, and I didn't know if I could (or should) finish. Walked alot, finally felt better. Slow jog and walk to finish. Yuk!

Mantra last month: March into Fitness

I biked over 1200k during the month of March. Finished in 2nd place in Slowtwitch challenge. New biking challenge for April, but I do need to get some runs in too. I ramped up the bike miles this past week, and my legs are trashed. I have a hilly 25k run tomorrow morning, my quads ache, but it is what it is.

My plan is to start slow, walk the big hills, and finish. Long training run after a big week of biking.

Mantra for April? I won't be fooled again? I'll have to work on it and let you know.

Hopkins Hilly MDRA part I
Last Saturday I ran the hilly Hopkins 7 mile MDRA fun run. I had to walk a few times, lots of hills, but my last mile was sub 8, and I finished just over 1:01.

This Saturday (4-3) is basically the same course, but it's a 25k run, and they add an even bigger hill that we get to run twice. I'm glad I did the 7 miler, so I'll know the correct pace to make it through 15.5 miles. Great training for me, as I've been concentrating on biking in March, so my run numbers are way down.

I'm having fun this week reading Ironman Canada race reports. 5 months to go! I've lost about 10 lbs. so far this month. Basically, from all the biking I've been doing, I'm too tired to eat! And when I do, I'm eating healthy choices, and smaller portions. But I'm not hungry. Funny how you can change your body into an efficient calorie burner!

Still planning my training and racing strategy for 2010

March 24, 2010
The slowtwitch March Madness challenge and the awesome Minnesota Spring weather has allowed me to put in lots of outdoor bike miles. I should hit 1000k for the month of March.
MDRA 7 mile fun run on Saturday, March 27th, then a 25k MDRA event the next Saturday. April brings Minnesota Ironman 100 mile bike ride, and Trail Mix 25k (I might sign up for the 50k). Probably do the May 1/2 marathons again (Wells Fargo, New Prague, Apple Blossom, with the White Bear Lake 30k ending the month).

Twin Cities Marathon

Sunny but cool temps greated the runners on the morning of Oct. 4th. It began for me with a 3 o'clock wake up to eat some breakfast and stretch. Then drive to St. Paul, park at Sears, but I got there so early, there was lots of street parking, so I said what the heck, I'll save 10 bucks.

Hopped the warm bus at the Kelly Inn to the Metrodome, and no turning back now. If I wanted to get back to my car, I had 26.2 miles to run.

Filed into the Dome, and began the long "hurry up and wait". Last year I saw my friend Maureen, who did ran her first marathon with me. She has since qualified for Boston at least 3 times. Finally it was time to head out, stand in line at the portable toilets, then drop the dry clothes bag, and walk to the start. Frantic runners all around me rushing to the starting gate, if they only knew we had lots of time. I started nearly in the back, and slowly walked for several minutes before crossing the start line mats.

The race itself pretty uneventful, I felt pretty good the whole way, tighted up a bit during the hills on the St. Paul side of the parkway, and actually found Summit to be a peaceful jog. Got the big payback rounding Cathedral hill, and viewing the finish line. TCM finish has to be one of the best marathon finishes anyone. Time: 4:27. Not a PR, but 5 weeks after IMC, I'll take it.