A few years ago I read MMA fighter Ronda Rousey’s book My Fight / Your Fight. It was a fascinating look into her life and the measures she took to be the best female fighter in the world. Her training (both of her mind and body) was relentless. One passage remains with me. It was about her body being sore and she wrote something like “Sore is just a way of life. I’m sore everyday and that’s just how it is. My body hurts when I wake up and I just go and do my workout.” That pretty much sums up how I’m feeling over here…
Totally worth it.
WEEK OF JANUARY 21, 2019
RUNNING
All the running has returned as I’m heading full force into duathlon training. At the national championship in April I will be running a total of 8.2 miles — 5.2 before the 25 mile bike and 3 after. It’s that last 3 that I really need to be prepared for and this is how I’m doing it:
Monday: run then bike | 2x (20 min Z2, 5 min Z3, 1 min Z4) | 6.48 miles | 8:02 average pace
Tuesday: bike then run | 3.29 miles easy | 8:17 average pace
Friday: long run then swim | 9 miles | 8:30 average pace
Total = 18.77 miles
CYCLING
Needless to say, I have been logging a ton of miles on my bike trainer. I actually really love riding indoors and it’s nothing like having to run indoors. I can only tolerate so much treadmill but I can bike for hours, and I do. Maybe it’s because I can watch Shameless (it’s back!), Ray Donovan and Grace and Frankie while the miles pass…
Monday: run then ride | 25 minutes hard | 7 miles
Tuesday: ride then run |NM + AC workout (trust me, you do not want to know what this grueling ride entailed!) | 55:13 | 15.1 miles
Thursday: long ride | 1 hour 40 minutes | 27.0
Total = 49.1 < – – I wish I knew I was so close to 50!
STRENGTH + SWIMMING
I had exactly one day of each last week, which was plenty. My long swim was after my long run, after a long week so I was a tad antsy to get out of the pool. My trainer continues to punish me in the best possible way but Wednesday’s workout definitely contributed to the numbing of my lower half.
Wednesday | strength training | 45 minutes
Friday | long run and swim | 40 minutes | 1,900 yards
THINGS I LOVE
Seeing this graphic as we prepared for yet another epic snowboarding and ski weekend:
Here’s the thing, I love winter. I love snow and snowboarding and getting outside in the winter, even if it’s just so I can warm up and sit around a fire afterward. I cannot stand how much people complain about the weather in New England. It fucking snows and is freezing for months on end. If you hate the cold, move.
This is not to say I love everything about freezing temperatures and months of icy darkness. I’m pretty terrified to drive through the smallest amounts of snow, running outside is sometimes impossible and currently our driveway is five inches of solid ice which makes getting the mail an adventure in staying upright.
All that said, I have made my peace with winter by enjoying it whenever I can and embracing mother nature because she doesn’t give one shit about what you want the weather to be.
THINGS I DON’T LOVE AS MUCH
Did anyone happen to catch this gem on Twitter? In case you don’t know Sally Bergesen is the founder and CEO of Oiselle. Full disclosure: I have a mixed history with the company.
As you can see, there were over 145 comments and most of them were push backs about how they love the Peloton community (one woman saying she found more inclusion there then in any other running group) and pointing out basically who cares if people love running on a treadmill or outside or not at all? I had to agree.
I have a general beef with anyone shaming a runner for where they run and I also think the whole #optoutside thing is kinda dumb. Sometimes the outside sucks and, just because you’re inside, doesn’t mean you’re not doing something amazing. Either way, do you and do it wherever you want to.
I do have to give old Sally credit for coming back around and posting this:
…although she was shamed into it. #ironic
READING
So I’m down to reading two and half books. The half is Catcher in the Rye which I’m kind of just nostalgically reading since its author, J.D. Salinger would have been 100 this year.
The book I’m reading most these days is Michelle Obama’s Becoming. In brutal honesty, it’s kind of boring. I mean the woman is a genius, grew up in a lower middle class family with parents who loved and provided for her, studied like a maniac, went to Princeton, then a law degree from Harvard, jobs in law then public service and, oh yea, this guy named Barack.
Although I’m only about halfway through it, here are some interesting tidbits:
Her roommate’s mom called Princeton and asked that her daughter be removed from sharing a room with a black woman. WTF? What’s worse, the woman went on television (after Michelle became the first lady) and spoke about it, defending her choice. Just wow. < – – I had to immediately google how old Michelle is because I was thinking this must have happened in 1950. It didn’t. She’s 55.
Michelle went to middle school with Santita Jackson, daughter of the Rev. Jesse Jackson. They were such good friends that Santita was Michelle’s maid of honor at her and Barack’s wedding. < – – I also had to Google “is Jesse Jackson still alive?” He is.
Michelle had trouble getting pregnant and had to have fertility treatments. She wrote about becoming a mother in a way I think every woman can understand:
“I had sensed already that the sacrifices would be more mine than his. In the weeks to come, he’d go about his regular business while I went in for daily ultrasounds to monitor my eggs. He wouldn’t have his blood drawn. He wouldn’t have to cancel any meetings to have a cervix inspection[…]his only actual duty was to show up at doctor’s appointments and provide some sperm. And then, if he chose, he could go have a martini afterward.”
Amen.
Fertility treatments aside, I think every woman who has ever had the pleasure of being pregnant can relate to this. I had a ton of appointments and doctor visits because I was carrying twins and, at the time, I was still running my personal training business. I would have killed for a martini.
TELEVISION
My pick for this week may seem odd to you but, trust me, if you give this show a chance, I think you will love it as much as I do.
I have always loved Jane Fonda, since the days of my mom trying to keep up with her in those belted leotards and leg warmers to On Golden Pond, one of my adolescent favorites, to her recent documentary and now this. Oh and Lily Tomlin is also the best opposite Jane, not to mention the rest of the cast which includes Martin Sheen as Jane’s ex and Brooklyn Decker as Jane’s daughter, and stay at home mom.
It’s hysterical and comes in 30 minute bites of mindless viewing.
RANDOM PICTURE OF THE WEEK
Thanks to my neighbor for always posting the most hilarious things about this guy. If not for her posts, I would cry more often.
Here’s hoping everything in your week sparks joy from your sore, overworked body and mind to your harsh judgment of where people run, and even this icy, cold and dark weather. Shine on!
Are you generally sore going into your next workout?
Do you love or hate winter? Or love to hate it?
Reading or watching anything good lately?
Have you watched The Marvelous Mrs Maisel? She’s so cute and funny and well, you just have to see it. It’s on Amazon Prime. We’re hooked. I’ll have to check out Grace and Frankie next.
Oh, Jesse Jackson is very much alive. He’s on TV ALL THE TIME here. Chicago has a lot of racial tension and he has a lot to say about it.
I’m glad you’re enjoying winter. I don’t mind snow but what I do mind is the ridiculously cold temperatures. Here’s to moderation!
I have watched both seasons and I absolutely love that show!! I hope you enjoy Grace & Frankie as much as I have 🙂
That is too funny about Jesse Jackson. I mean, I haven’t thought about him in YEARS! And, when you live in a farm town that is 90% white, no one talks about racial tension. #sad
I hope you’re somehow staying warm. Cold is one thing but 50 below is quite another!!
I’m over the complaints about winter too. Last week we had snow but then it warmed up and rained. It pained me to hear, at least it’s not snowing! What?!? You’d rather have nasty cold rain then snow? No thank you! I’ve been reading Becoming too. It’s good but like you said, slow reading. And my legs are sore from my workout on Friday. Not to mention my knees are a pretty shade of purple thanks to ice and snowboards.
I know!! How could you possibly like freezing rain over snow? Insanity!
Glad you agree with me on Becoming. I mean, I love Michelle but it’s a little *yawn*
Hope your knees are healing my friend! That is the worst.
I’m one of the 1000+ Whi responded to Sally’s tweet… if I could only run at 5 A.M. when it’s dark because of my kids, I would definitely run inside. I’ll never run in the dark by myself.
I can’t believe you called Michelle’s book a little boring. I loved it! Brace yourself for getting 1000+ replies!
It seemed like a really stupid thing to tweet, especially when you’re IN the fitness industry. Hello???
And I know about the book but you have to admit the first half was a little slow… no? I have nothing but love for Michelle Obama, I swear!! 🙂
We enjoyed Grace and Frankie too! And then it took a back seat for awhile but I should get back to it.
I’m sore right now, after chasing a speedy friend over all the hills yesterday, but typically I’m not sore. It feels good to know I worked hard!
Good to know I’m not the only one under 50 enjoying it 🙂
Glad you’re not sore but you’re right – it does feel good sometimes!
I love winter. I love snow even more. But marathon training through it, especially the polar vortex aspect, sucks. But you do what you gotta do and come out the other end a better, stronger person for it.
I did see that tweet. Yikes. I kind of hate that people felt they had to defend their choice of running on the mill. I so agree with you on the optoutside thing. Why does one need to be greater or lesser? Who cares?? I’m excited for your duathlon! My money’s on you to kill it!
SO true about marathon training though a hard winter. I have done it many times and it truly SUCKS. You have to be overly prepared for everything!! But you are killing it so keep it up over there 🙂
Thanks for your agreement and the vote of confidence!!! xo
I love summer and everything about it (including the heat and humidity). That said, I can tolerate winter, but it’s definitely not my season of choice. I’m in Iowa, though, and I know I’d miss the change of seasons if I lived elsewhere. Although I try to get outside everyday, it’s just been too extremely cold here recently…and I have discovered the lure of the elliptical. I have been watching Cheers while getting my sweat on with the elliptical. I need to check out Grace and Frankie….sounds fun! I hear you on the duathlon training. I have only done one (so I am not an expert), but that final run AFTER 20 miles of hilly biking was so humbling LOL I’d love to do another, but they are very rare in my area.
I love that you’re watching Cheers on the elliptical!! So many great episodes and I went to Boston University so it’s close to my heart 🙂 And I think brutal cold is so much worse than snow…most of the time you don’t get both but I’ll take the snow any day!
I hope you can find another duathlon. They are so fun and challenging…but that second run is brutal.
I love winter. We actually tried the moving thing and somehow ended up back here (oh, because winters in Seattle sucked the joy from everything). Once I realized I didn’t mind the cold and enjoyed the snow, it was a game changer – I just had to get out there and try first. I’m glad to see you enjoy it as well!
Also, as someone who used to live in Seattle…. it’s such a Seattle thing to say. They think 30 degrees is cold and snow days happened for a mere dusting. This week it will literally be so cold here that a few minutes outside are dangerous. You go run in -40 degree windchills, Sally, and tell me how that feels. And I’m that insane person who went snowshoe running in a snowstorm this morning, but I’m not about to be an idiot in dangerous conditions.
You are the best. I hope you know that. I just love your honesty! And I really didn’t think Seattle would be an ideal place to run (or for anything else!) because I’d rather run in 10 degree weather then rain any day 🙂 Keep snowshoeing in the snowstorms!! I love it!
I’m a peloton groupie, but I just use the app for all their workouts. Sally could lower her high end running clothes as well….I see peloton and oiselle as one in the same
There is definitely some truth in that. I feel like Oiselle had so much potential and then it took a sharp turn in the wrong direction for me, but you make an excellent point.
And why would she even complain about NFL overtime rules? *sigh*
And I went to check it on myself and she was complaining about the NFL overtime rules….
I don’t mind winter, but I do wish we got more snow and less ice here in this part of Virginia.
Good luck with your training!
The snow really is the best part of winter. I hope more comes your way! Thank you.
I would love to try snowboarding one day. I used to ski a lot and loved it – I LOVE winter!
I also featured Sally’s tweet on a previous blog post. I have a Peloton bike, which I love, and I also have a regular treadmill, so I was pretty darn annoyed with her tweet!
OMG the Trump poster almost made me spit out my coffee – so funny! I’m a huge fan of the Tidying Up show too.
Oh I hope you get to try it! I was a skier for years before I tried snowboarding and then I fell in love!
Thousands of people were annoyed with her tweet so, you were in good company! I honestly do not know what she was thinking. Does she know many of the people on those Pelotons are wearing her clothes???
So glad you enjoyed the Trump sign as much as I did. Hilarious!
I want to learn to snowboard so I can snowboard with you! Great job rocking the duathlon training! You are going to crush it! That tweet about Peleton and treadmill users is nuts. Who cares how you run? Nutty!
If you can surf, you can snowboard! I’m positive you would be great at it and would pick it up quickly.
Thanks so much for your positivity on the duathlon training!! xoxo