New to Triathlons, New to Shropshire. An Orthotist tracks her training with a love of spreadsheets, graphs, photos and prose.
Showing posts with label garmin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garmin. Show all posts

Monday, February 8, 2010

Bike ride AND a run - goodness!!

So today is my first 'its not Monday'.  In that, this is the first Monday where i am unemployed.  So far so good though.  I decided what with all the food I ate yesterday throughout the football, and i mean throughout; i don't think i stopped eating until 15 minutes after the game finished, that a good long cardio session was in order.  I had 20 minute speed circuits on the menu but i wanted to get my bike out and hit the roads.  I love cycling outside, as opposed to my insane hatred to both bike trainers and stationary bikes.  So i did an easy 6.5 miles.  I say easy as it was an easy pace, but felt hard in some spots. It was a mild interval session and it felt great to feel my glutes working.  

My plan was to get home and run this afternoon, doing it in 2 sessions as i really didn't think i could run after riding.  But i got my bike in the foyer and thought 'WTF, why not go out now?'  My muscles are warm (though i was getting cold) so i locked up and set out. I shortened the run i normally do but i only had 2miles planned for today as they were going to be speed circuits.  But i just ran it.  Though i didn't properly time myself, i left on the 45minute and stopped on the hour so with my non-digital watch it was pretty accurate at 15 minutes.  When i put the rout in to DM it said i did a 8.46 minute mile.  But i know that's wrong. There is no way! In hind sight, i wish i had ran more, i really wasn't spent.  That is my problem, i create limitations, i set a route and when i get home, i come in.  I think this will be solved when i get Sally (read on) because i can just run, it will clock it all, as long as i have a general idea so i'm not over doing it, it will provide freedom.  My limitations in to dust.


And yes you guessed it, i am a lucky girl i'm getting a Garmin Forerunner 305 for my birthday in March.  AND I CAN"T WAIT!!!!!  I have been spending a lot of time in putting my miles, time or pace in to websites and they aren't particularly accurate either.  And i have been doing it on several sites, as i find new ones, i test them out.  I like Dailymile.com(DM), mostly for its cute looks but also for the widget, and the easier more accurate mile/route tracker. But i noticed that you can sync the Nike+ system but nothing for the Garmin. I have an Actice.com account but see no advantages over DM, and the mapping system isnt as good. I was first a member on taketothestreets.com but it doesn't appear to cater or entice you to use it as a social networking site too.  Which, now i just typed it, realize that i like that part of DM.

No one i know of is a runner per say, but then i found out Kerri does on her post-partum fitness drive. We're not close but we have befriended each other on Dailymile, so its like we are training together somehow.  And she plans to do the Blarney run with me if she is free.  I bet she will kick my ass though, she has been running and stuff way longer than me.  Good motivation, to see if i can keep up!

I was chuffed when she accepted the envite for DM.  Its nice to have supporters out there, people to pat me on the back so to speak.   So i'm waiting, until i get my Garmin, (already she has a name and its Sally.  I have no idea why, i just think a Sally could help me run). When i get her, i will see what is the easiest and nicest website to use.  Though i doubt i would drop DM as i have a flesh friend on there :)  With this blog i also hope to get a bit of inspiration, whether just by having a place to track where i have come from.  Some where to see the path i took to get to where ever it is i end up.  Or by followers comments.  So if i do have any followers, please do drop me a line of support, advice or even just to say hi!

Later that month/four post later.....i just discovered this bike run combo is called a Brick Workout. I like it!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

7 weeks to a 5k

on march 13th here in milwaukee there is the blarney run. a 5k run or 2k walk. i managed to recruit a friend to join me (we're running!), she's fitter than me as she has been loosing her baby weight, but it will be at least nice to start with someone and have someone there at the end to take a photo of me with the number pasted to my shirt. its sad i know, but i have coveted those numbers for years, years and years. i have never been in any kind of race, apart from school so never had one.


just nipped out at lunch to buy my trainers. i tried on 3 pairs that mr shoe fitter chose, according to what he saw of my feet; bare foot walking, doing a crouch and just stood up. as he correctly diagnosed, i have normal to high arches, and strong feet (as opposed to fallen and flexible). with this diagnosis, i am supposed to wear a more flexible shoe. i bought asics gel-cumulus in a 10.5 in lightening/pool/storm  they are really comfy and available world wide.  why is that worth mentioning?  because you are supposed to wear the same type of shoe once you get used to it, and i will be buying more of these in japan when im ready to run again.  slightly excessive to have two new pairs of running shoes in less than 6 months, esp when i won't have put 500 miles on this pair, but i also don't want to kart around asia, a pair of shoes that i won't wear for two months.

after work im hitting somewhere else to buy some cold weather running gear.  just one set, i can wash and wear them.  until i know that i'm really gonna do this, im trying to not spend too much money.  i really want a garmin 350  (i'm a gadget freak) but i am only gonna allow myself that luxury if i run a half marathon, then i know i'm running seriously enough to warrant that expense. until then, im buying a $5 digital watch off ebay so i can time myself. (finding the link to the garmin, made me just find it for a much lower price than i had come across previously, which makes it harder to resist and may make me change when i can buy myself it - darn!!).