Talking to a Nutritionist

Part of the welcome package at my new gym includes a 30 minute meeting with a nutritionist. I have never been to one before, so I gladly took advantage of the opportunity.

It was a really great session. We talked about my normal daily diet and my exercise levels, then talked about ways to change my diet to make it more nutritionally sound. I got some great pointers. She told me to add milk to my morning routine. For some weird reason, I eat my cereal dry. She pointed out that adding milk, a protein, would help me feel fuller through the morning. Since I was not getting enough dairy in my diet, it was the perfect fit.

Another great tip is to add protein to the afternoon snack. I usually eat fruit or veggies in the afternoon, but am still hungry by the time I leave work. She pointed out that I should have peanut butter, hummus, cheese, or some nuts (except macadamias) with my snack to feel more full.

We also went over portion control and being sure to have veggies and/or salads with dinner.

It was a really great session. I felt like I learned lots of good tips. I am so glad that our gym is really a wellness center and that we get these extra benefits to help us feel the best we can. I have my last session, the health evaluation, coming up soon.

Big Fat Check

We finally got our taxes done on Sunday. There is nothing like procrastination!! I wish we hadn't waited until almost the last minute. The man owes us money. Yes, we will be getting big fat checks from Federal and State. I can't wait to to get our money back. Now, we just need to decide how to spend it...

My First Duathlon

This morning, Bill and I participated in the Carrboro Classic Duathlon. What is a duathlon, you ask? It is a race that follows the sequence run, bike, run. we chose to do the super sprint race, so our course was a 2.4 mile run, a 12 mile bike, and a 1.2 mile run. It was a brand new experience for me, but a second duathlon for Bill.


It was a gorgeous day for a race. It was a bit cold this morning, but the sun was shining bright. I ran the first part of the race in a light wind breaker, but quickly warmed. The route was pleasant, with a slight downhill at the beginning and mostly flat for the rest of the course. I decided to go ahead and run the 2/1 intervals for this part of the race, so I would not tire myself. It worked quite well, and I finished running an average pace of 12.01 min/mile.

I was through transition quickly on on my bike. The road race took place on the rolling roads (that's a nice way to say hilly!) of Carrboro. We were away from the highway and on nice country roads. We passed many a cow pasture, horse fields, and even a chicken coop right by the roadside. Combine the bucolic scenery with the gorgeous day, and it was a nice ride. Of course, I was alone for a good part of the road race. At about mile 8, I began to realize that I could easily be hit by a car and carried away to never be seen again. While I knew that was highly unlikely, I also feared blowing a tire and being stranded in the middle of nowhere. Luckily, that did not happen, and I safely returned to the transition area after 55 minutes, 17.75 seconds.

I was at the hardest part of the race - the transition from bike to run. I hopped off the bike onto very wobbly legs. I ran as fast as I could to put up my bike, running into Bill (not literally) who had already finished the race (he was very happy with his run, but feels he needs to improve on the bike). I just decided to keep moving. It worked. My legs were killing me, but I just kept going and stopped for only one walk break. I finished the 2nd run in 16:53.

I felt great at the finish. It turned out to be a great race and so much fun. The food afterward was out of this world, too. I really, really enjoyed my first du, and both Bill and I are already planning to sign up for next year's race.

Tri and Suceed!

Today, my friend Heather and I did something new. We became triathletes. We participated in the Ramblin' Rose Women's Triathlon.

Our morning started very early. We were at the race site by 7am. It was dark and it was cold. We were bundled up in coats, gloves, and hats. We had no choice, though, as the transition area closed at 7:45. We picked up our chips, got body marked, and set up our transitions. Then, we waited. My swim time was 9:25; Heather's swim time was 10:00. We tried to find spots of sunlight and cheer on our fellow competitors. Soon it was time.

I stripped down and headed into the pool area. Thank goodness that it was an indoor pool. It was awfully cold when I took off my warm-ups and stood barefoot in my swim outfit. I met all the ladies who were swimming around me, and we talked about our tri experience. I was glad to know that I was not the only newbie to the sport. Then, I was in the pool. I loved the pool. The 250 yard swim went quickly. I soon passed 2 competitors, then I was soon passed by 2 more. I really liked the swim - I felt good and strong. I was out of the pool and on my way to transition. Yep, barefoot and wet into the transition area in the cold. No wonder after a 7:15 swim, it took me 3 minutes and 35 seconds to get ready for the bike.

I was off on my bike when I felt the chain slip. I thought I had a big problem, but luckily, I was able to down shift, then shift back up to get my bike going again. I was quickly passed on the first long hill, but I soon found my rhythm. I made my way through the gorgeous homes around the venue. I spent the time checking out the Obama vs. McCain signs in the yards (3 McCain signs and about 25 Obama signs). The wind was blowing and I was cold, despite my jacket, earmuffs, and gloves. I was still pretty wet after all. But, the nine miles passed quickly in 46 minutes and 47 seconds. I was back in transition.

Transition was much faster this time - 2 minutes and 1 second, but my legs were shot. I was very wobbly as I moved to the run. I was glad to see that about 80% of the women were walking at some point in the 2 mile run. I was one of them. I made it to the 1 mile turn around, and headed back. I think I got my legs back as I neared the finish. I was able to run strong toward the finish line. It was a great feeling to finish my first tri. Bill was right there to take pictures. I finished the run in 27:07.

We cheered on Heather as she finished. I was so surprised how much fun I had and how good I felt at the finish. It was a truly fun event. I will definitely train for my next tri (no more procrastination!) and I know I will beat my 1:26:44 time. After all, tri and tri again!!

216.54

That is the number of miles that I have run so far this year. Hard to believe, isn't it? It sure is for me.

Yesterday was my longest run ever. My Galloway group did 10.78 miles. We ran with an interval of 1/1 (1 minute running/1 minute walking) with a target pace of 13 minute miles. It was a long, but nice run. I had worn blisters in my feet by the time we finished, but I felt good. A girl and I had to break rank (the group is very big on staying together, but I had an appointment. My new friend, Frankie, was up for running to the end, so we went on our own). My legs were a bit sore later, but I found tequila and Motrin work well to ease the pain. I was a little stiff this morning, but have gotten better as the day rolls on.

I am so glad that I joined this program. Fifteen months ago, I could barely run .5 miles without stopping. I couldn't breathe, and my pace was pretty bad. Look how far I have come now! I actually look forward to these weekend runs, and am planning how I will keep up with the program while I am on vacation. People have even told me I look like I have lost weight. If there is such a thing as a running nerd, I think I am one.