april highlights: back in the saddle, Smelling of Roses arrives, new fencing coach, Clara...
Tuesday, April 30. A little R&R.
Run and Ride that is. The run around Portage Bay felt better tonight, but certianly not spectacular. I took about a minute and a half off my last time but I'm still about a minute behind my best time. So, more work to do. I have one more run in my build up phase then I'm back into intervals. I did get lots of sun though.
Another good ride tonight, this time on Merlin. We did a bit of dressage and then did some work on learning three-point. Only rode for about 45 minutes, but it was a quality ride so I'm more than happy.
Monday, April 29. A sun run.
It was a beautiful day in Seattle yesterday, almost 70! So I had my first sun run of the season. Boy did it feel good...at least the sun part anyway. The run, around Portage Bay, felt so-so since I haven't been all that consistent in my running. After the run, I stopped by a my friend Mari's house. I used to row with Mari on the Seattle Yacht Club team. It was a fortuitious visit since the big SYC Opening Day Windermere Cup is this weekend and she and her husband James gave me a rosemary plan for my garden.
Thursday, April 26. "New"s of the day.
I didn't get my run in tonight because the old toilet in my old house finally gave in and I had to spend time getting it to work again...at least until my Dad can bring a new one up.
I had my first fencing lesson with Marshal tonight, my new fencing coach. Wow, it was an incredible lesson! I learned what should have been some pretty basic concepts all along...things like not leaning forward when I recover, letting my tip do the work, etc. I was pretty psyched after the lesson. Then, on the way to the barn, one of my favorite songs, Adia, came on the radio. Yes, I was singing it at the top of my lungs.
I rode a new horse tonight, Clara, a former 10 goal polo pony turned eventer. You could certainly tell she was a polo pony because she was all ready to go at the canter. We had some small battles over who was in charge but by the end the jumps were going pretty well. A great ride for sure.
Finally, while shopping for a sisiutl ring, the owner of the shop told me that I look like Prince Albert of Monaco...a "younger, handsomer" version of course. Seeing that he's the international President of UIPM I though that was pretty cool. I've been told I look like a couple other folks, but that was a new one.
April 23. And a triple play.
WOW, pulled off a triple today...shooting, swimming and riding. This was the first shoot in...well...a long time. I shot a 156 which isn't horrible or anything. Got two 10s and five 9s along the way. Not bad at all.
The swim felt a little sluggish but once again that's just because its been several days since my last swim. I did get asked to do some more swim coaching though at the YMCA so hey...at least I have a coaching career ahead of me.
The ride went quite well tonight. Pet Step was the lucky steed. No jumping, just getting in some more horse time.
April 22. A double play.
Wow, I pulled off a double tonight...fencing and running. The fencing was pretty short since I didn't want to overdo it condiering its been over a month since my last bout and I haven't had any lessons to get my muscles back in shape. I ended up only fencing one bout after a warm up. It happened to be with a girl from Australia who has done pentathlon and is interested in getting the UW fencing club - and maybe even a penathlon club - started up.
The run was pretty uneventful too. Just did a slow steady state run to get back into things. Felt pretty good, but I can tell I'm a bit out of shape.
April 19. Back in the saddle.
I finally made it back to the barn last night and actually had a really good ride considering its been a couple weeks. Laura has the thursday night riders doing some pretty technical stuff so I look forward to getting back into things. My biggest challenge right now is getting used to the short (correct length) stirrups. I had been riding with them long, almost dressage length, to work on a few things with Laura. My legs and knees aren't very happy with the change, but they'll get used to it. Should be back to my regular T, Th riding schedule now.
I was also going to have my first fencing lesson in a while buy coach was sick so get to try to get started again next week.
I also just got the Smelling of Roses: a biography of Jim Fox book that I picked up off of Ebay. I am absolutely loving it, what a find it was. I ran across it 57 minutes before the end of the auction. Stay tuned for more as I make my way through it.
April 15. Back from shoulder something.
I did some strange thing to my shoulder/arm last week while doing weights so laid off training for a bit since everything seemed to bother it. I started swimming again over the weekend and so far everything seems to be OK. I'll start back into other training this week and see how things go.
April 8. Lots of training, little writing.
Yes, I've been doing a poor job updating my journal again. But I have been doing a lot of training at least...swimming and running pretty regularly actually. The weights seem to be helping a bit in my swim. I've been doing 1:14 100yd sprints, still looking for my first 1:13 though. My runs have been feeling very sluggish though, so I haven't been doing any intervals...its hard enough getting my butt out to run at all. I've signed up for some more coaching in fencing and will start getting back into shooting this week too.
I also finally got a mpg of the pop theme song from the Sydney Olympics "Heroes Live Forever" by Vanessa Amorosi. Its a great motivation song. Even better than Ricky Martin's "Cup of Life" song possibly. We'll see if it helps me win the mind-over-mattress battle.
April 2. Weights and a track run.
Finally made my way back into the weight room today. I didn't do a full routine because I had a breakfast meeting to attend, but I did get in my ab section, as well as a little leg and arm work. I'll do the full Monty on Th.
I also started in on my track workouts again with two 400 on/off ladders (100 on, 300 off, 200 on, 200 off, etc.). I was running at a little over :85 quarter pace on the on intervals. I'll do two more of these then start keeping track of the times.
April 1. Swim, run, almost fencing.
Getting back into the swim finally. Did my new workout that includes a 200yd IM and a ladder of on/offs which puts me up a little over 1500yds. My sprint times are about where I left off. I will start swimming every other day though, doing weights on the opposite days. Still trying to figure out how to get some rowing back in to my schedule.
Did a run around Greenlake in the evening...just a slow, steady state run. Should start back on the intervals anytime. The plan is to do 2 track workouts, two standard runs with intervals and then a long run each week.
Dropped in on fencing to set up a regular coaching thing with Marshall. For now I'll do a lesson every other Th. then build up to once a week as the next pentathlon gets closer.
