July 4th

Here we are starting off the day with a run and ocean swim...  Run 4 miles, then swim 30 minutes.  The ocean was perfect!

Catching up... our Century Ride!

Wow, it has been a long time since I last posted anything on this blog!  Keeping up with the workouts, 3 kids, husband, part-time job, house, laundry, etc... has been very challenging....  I'm not sure how things are going to work out once our training starts to ramp up significantly!  But thus far things have been pretty smooth sailing...  so far the workouts are reasonable.  Suzanne keeps telling us we're in the base building phase, so we're just plugging along.  We're doing about 2100 yard swims, 6-8 mile runs, and 70-100 mile bike rides!  More specifics on the training later, but just wanted to give an update and show off some pictures and videos of the past few weeks of training.  As I'm "catching up,"  I'll start off the next few posts that way so you'll know they're older updates until I'm caught up...

A couple of Sundays ago (4/17), we just completed our first century ride - ever!  Well, for Ana and me at least.  It was a great day for a ride!  Started off at Eastminster Church and took advantage of the wind and flew south down A1A at about 23-24 mph until we got to Ft. Pierce Inlet which was at about mile 50.  Couldn't believe how fast we were going!  Here we are towards the beginning of our ride in Sebastian Inlet:

Going over the Sebastian Inlet Bridge @ approx 23-24 mph

Here we are riding along the train tracks on Old Dixie Highway (US1) in St. Lucie County heading home.  Still feeling strong, although starting to feel the wind and our pace dropped down to about 18-20.  We were doing pretty good all taking turns pulling every few miles.

In St. Lucie County heading back.

We did it!  100 miles!  Me and Ana at end of ride still able to stand upright!

Here's a link to the map of our trip.  My iphone died at mile 92 which is why it doesn't show the complete loop, but as you can see from my bike computer above, we really did the full 100!

I guess the base building phase is working because I actually felt pretty good after the ride.  We took Monday off to rest, but definitely felt the fatigue in my legs the following Tuesday in the pool.  A week later, however, I am still dealing with saddle sores...  definitely need to test out more bike shorts!

Sunday AM Bike Ride

59 degrees and foggy this AM!  Met up at 6:30 at Eastminster and rode 53 miles round trip to Wabasso.  Fog never burned off, but at least it kept the weather cool for us.  Took us less than 3 hours to get back.  Rode 20mph average on the way down and 18mph back.

Beach Run

After our swim on Friday, we drove over to Millenium Park for our run.  What a great day for a run on the beach!    I took Suzanne's lead and took my shoes off for the run, but I hadn't been running at all on the beach.  So needless to say, I ended up with a blood blister on the bottom of my big toe, but luckily I was able to finish my 4-mile run.    The weather has been perfect here in Melbourne, FL! 

Nutrition Tip

Had to post this awesome lunch I made myself!  I know....  should have taken the picture before I started eating it, but I didn't think of it...  Anyway, Patti was telling me about the PBnS Sandwiches she used to eat (peanut butter and spinach, yes, spinach)!  I'll have to try that someday... but I did take her lead and toasted a couple of pieces of ezekiel bread, spread on some nut cheese I got from the Happy Healthy Human, and packed on some spinach and alfalfa sprouts...  yummmmmmmy!  I was really surprised at how good it was!  Filling and guilt free!

Happy Birthday, Patti!

Happy Birthday, Patti!!  Hope you had a good birthday swim and run!!  I did!

Gear Review: Louis Garneau Bike Shorts

Went to Petty's Saturday night to pick up dinner and spontaneously decided to walk over to Infinity Bike Shop to check out their bike shorts because I knew we had the 50-miler the next day.  Tried on a few pair and decided on the Louis Garneau Women's Alveo Zone 8+ shorts because the padding felt really good!  After getting home, I was having buyer's remorse because they were $120!!  Almost didn't wear them and thought about taking them back, but I was tired of being in pain after every long ride, so I decided to give them a try.  After Sunday's 54 mile ride, they were worth every penny!  LOVE THEM!   I wasn't in any pain at all!  After checking the internet though to get some pics to post here, I found a couple of sites that have them for a lot cheaper since they are last year's model:  Triathlete Sports, TriVillage.com, and MyCyclingGear.  You can also get the specs at one of those links if you're interested.  Looks like the updated model might be the Alveo 3K in case you're interested.

Sunday's Ride 2/13/2011

What a difference 4 hours makes!! I got up to a cold 41 degrees and the wind blowing 5-10 miles per hour. Praying for that text from Suzanne that tells me it is too cold...not going today! Never materialized....left my house at 6:20 (don't want to get there one minute too soon) for the church parking lot..for a 6:30 ride....My birthday ride....(54 miles)....you can figure it out....I can't lie...I was thinking I was going to ride by myself on the way back...I was with some super good bikers....but it was so great....we all stayed together and had a lot of laughs. A little scary over the Eau Gallie bridge riding East....so windy! So I pulled into my driveway about 10:30 and it had turned into a beautiful day (still windy though)....that is what the 4 hours means...I need to start posting more.....I want to be able to look back and laugh at the posts of us only running 30 minutes and riding 54 miles, and swimming for an hour....I could not do this without all the help (mentally) I am getting....thank you all for that ride Sunday!

Patti's Birthday Ride

Jackie, Belinda, Ana, Patti, Rachelle, Katrin, Tim, Suzanne

Today's Sunday ride was in honor of Patti celebrating her, ummm, birthday!!   Again we proved the concept of "the Power of Partners."  After speaking to some of the others today on our bike ride, I found out we were all eagerly waiting beside our iphones to get the text from Suzanne that our Sunday AM ride was cancelled due to weather.  I woke up this morning at 5:45AM and immediately checked my phone for a text.  Still no text...  Next, check the weather.  41 degrees with 10-12mph winds.  Check for text again...  STILL NO TEXT!  So I get out of bed and get ready to meet everyone.  Everyone was there ready and waiting...   So again, off we went in the freezing cold.  It turned out to be an AWESOME ride.  Rode North from the Melbourne Causeway to Cocoa Village a little over 25 miles one way.  Ended up with a total of 52.64 miles.  We all managed to stay together too.  Great job everyone!! 

Happy 40th, Ana!

The birthday dinner was fun...  Glad we were able to celebrate with you!

40 for 40!!!

We rode as usual this Thursday morning, but since it was Ana's 40th birthday, we rode 40 miles in honor of her!  What a great ride!!  Happy Birthday, Ana!!

Luckily someone was awake that morning(ME) otherwise Rachelle would have been following the guy that was riding with hundreds of light but he was going north. It was a nice ride, mama bear ( Suzanne) came to the rescue on the way back home to help with the pull. This time the trees really were moving (it was windy)
Well my workout yesterday was: I run 46:16 minutes, 4.21 miles, very slow pace of 10.35 but I love my run. It's my favorite thing to do of all three. This was my first long run since my knee dilemma so I'm back and I feel good today, second workout yesterday was Yoga with Kathy at the gym. It was very nice but hard for me to do yoga. The whole time I was thinking I'm so stiff I need a massage ! and my third workout was 1 hour of lifting weights upper body. See Alisha I guess I have a lot to say :)

The Power of Partners

Sunday's schedule:  Meet at EastMinster at 6:30AM for 40 mile bike ride.

Text Messaging Conversation at 6:15AM: 

  *Suzanne:  Running Late

  *Me: No prob..  we'll wait

  *Suzanne: Go ahead - I will head out later

  *Me:  Really? How late will you be ? (But what I was thinking was: "Really?  You want us to go out by ourselves?  It's too cold, windy, dark, and rainy to go out by ourselves..  Maybe she meant to send that message to someone else..."

Turns out the message really was for us...  So, if it wasn't for having my workout partner there yesterday morning, I'm sure I would have bagged the ride and went back home to my warm bed...  But instead, as Ana put it, "we were already dressed, so we're going to the party!"  So we headed out in the dark by ourselves and our crappy bike lights and got in a 40 mile bike ride before 9AM!  Thanks, Ana!

By the way, Suzanne did make it out and we met up with her on our way back and rode back with Suzanne!  Great ride, girls!!

On A1A south of the Sebastian Inlet Bridge.  Just turning around to head back, but stopping for a potty break first.

Suzanne's 50th Bday Festivities Continued...

 The birthday "festivities" continued throughout the day...  There was a 50-minute run and 50-minute core & more class that I missed unfortunately due to work, but the next thing was the 50-minute swim which I did make it to...

 The the 50-minute P90X yoga on Suzanne's back porch...

Even Jensen joined in the yoga! 

And of course, lastly, the finale at Sands in Melbourne Beach to put back on all the calories we just burned off!  Happy 50th Birthday, Suzanne!  Hope you enjoyed your day!  It was so much fun spending it with you!

For more pictures, click here:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/danrachbutler/sets/72157625974860510/

Happy 50th Birthday, Suzanne!

This pic was taken yesterday at our Noon Swim @ Gleason...

 The pictures below were taken this morning on our Thursday AM Bike, but in honor of Suzanne, it was a 50 mile bike ride!  They started out at Paradise Beach Park at 6:15AM (I met them on A1A so I only got in 42) and went down to somewhere around Pelican Island in Indian River County.  Heading South was awesome because we had a tail wind and we were able to keep a 22-23mph pace!  My fastest speed clocked in at 25!  woohoo!  Coming back though was a different story...  Major headwind so our speed was anywhere between 15-18mph.  Great ride nonetheless...

 Lisa, Suzanne, Jackie

 Rachelle, Lisa, Suzanne, Jackie

Stay tuned for more on Suzanne's 50th birthday celebration.  Next on the schedule is a 50 minute beach run, 50 minute core and more class, lunch, 50 minute swim, 50 minute yoga class  and then 50 shots at Sands tonight!

Feb. 3, 2011

Feeing good today...not sore at all. I think we are training the right way...missing the 50 mile everything today! Stop feeing guilty...instead think about going to Austin! and seeing real athletes in their element! These girls are soooo good at what they do! (Swim)

Wednesday, Feb. 2

Happy Groundhogs's Day!

A great swim today...and 30 minute run on Tropical Trail I like this run the best...missing the big birthday celebration tomorrow...leaving for Austin in the morning (Senior night for Katie). Taking my running shoes...running twice in Austin. If I write it down I will do it. :) Patti

Sunday morning ride

Great ride yesterday morning with the most beautiful Florida morning blue skis. I loved it, even more because I was able to keep up with these incredibly strong women, well at least the first 20 miles :) I need more practice riding with the wind on my face, but the weird thing was that it feels Windy when we were riding but none of tree were moving, humm. I also love my new bike shoes, huge different on my riding.

Bike Sunday and Weekly Wrap-up

Our "long" ride of the week - Met at Eastminster Church @ 7:30AM.  Was chilly at about 50 degrees, but not as cold as earlier in the week!  Beautiful, sunny day - great day for a ride!  Rode south to McLarty Museum just over the Sebastian Inlet Bridge and back for a 40 mile ride.  

Weekly Wrap-up:
* Swim:  4,050 yards (T, W, Fr)
* Bike:  82 miles (Th, Fr-Spin, Su)
* Run:  9 miles (M, W, F)

Bike Thursday

For years, Suzanne and her "groupies" have been doing the "Thursday morning bike ride" EVERY Thursday.  I started with them back in 2001, but they had been riding way before I started.  So, today, as usual we rode south on A1A.  We are incorporating this ride into our IM training, and today it was only Patti, Suzanne, and I.  Ana is probably riding as I am typing this.

It was cold at 6:30 this morning at a chilly 45 degrees!  But we layered and got through it pretty easily actually.  We rode 26 miles and averaged about 19-20mph heading south and about 16-17 heading north - a little bit of a headwind coming back!

Thursday, January 27 2011

A chilly morning bike ride today....a small tailwind....so colder coming home. Aquarina and back....that is our Thursday ride....

Patti

Monday, Jan. 24 2011

Day 2 of our training...Sunday was too cold to ride....except I did show up...didn't read my e-mail...so I walked 4 miles with my dog (Lola).

Today we ran for 30 minutes...not too bad....just getting it into our heads we are really doing this baby....Patti

What did we get ourselves into ??

We actually did it... we signed up for a full Ironman race. I guess it's about time...

Since both Patti and I were out of town until this week, our first training day didn't officially start until Friday, January 21st. We started the day with Suzanne's 6AM spin class and 7AM stretch class. Then we met up at noon at Gleason Park for our first pool swim of the season. I had not been in the pool since the Amelia Island Race back in October, so it was slow and easy for me! Immediately afterwards we did a 30 minute run... not too bad for our first day!