Sunday, February 9, 2014

Indoor Tri + Gym * ( Math + Birthday) = Very Full Day

Yesterday was pretty crazy. It was Grant's 12th birthday, the day of the 6-hour long "Math Counts" competition for both kids at Virginia Tech, and then we hosted six for a sleepover bday party. I had a two-hour indoor triathlon on the training schedule and wanted to get to the gym as well. I figured with some planning and efficiency I could *just* squeeze everything in!

We started the day with Grant's requested breakfast of biscuits, eggs, and bacon then the hubs drove kids to the math competition. I loaded workouts on the Garmin and commenced with the at-home workout:

SWIM: 30 min on Vasa Swim Ergometer including 3 x 5 minutes @ 90% of 400m TT wattage with 45s rest between. I don't really like what my HR had to do to maintain that power level, but I kept it up.


BIKE: 60 min on bike trainer
with 2 x 15 minute pyramids at specified cadences (build from aerobic to threshold and back down again while maintaining same cadence) and a 10 min upper tempo section. The pyramids could be cleaner. I sort of died after the first threshold then realized I was coming back down too quickly, thus the bump.

pyramids need a little work

RUN: 30 min easy aerobic run on treadmill

Afterward I ate some leftover eggs and a banana, quickly showered off, and headed to the gym, determined to keep up my 3x a week commitment to the routines DeWayne puts together. This week's workout includes pullups, reverse rows, one-leg pushups, lunges with kettlebells, very fun step-ups that incorporate a one-arm dumbbell bicep curl and shoulder-press (done on one leg at the top, not putting the other down), and more rolling, stretching, and core work.

I saw Coach Jim and his family as I left the gym and stopped for a quick chat but then I cut it a weeee bit close getting to the awards ceremony for Math Counts.

Spencer was Skyping me as I started the car, so I drove to campus and RAN to the ceremony just in case (good I was still in my gym clothes), and made it with about 10 minutes to spare before it began.

It was a very proud moment to see their school take first place and Spencer announced as one of six individual qualifiers for states.

mine are back right

We headed home at 3:00 and prepared for the sleepover party which involved, among other things, transforming the training half of the playroom to an indoor campground. At 5:00 it was time to party, which meant providing food but otherwise staying out of the way!

temporarily relocated equipment...

...to make way for indoor camping

Time to party ;-)

Days like that are gratifying - when you feel like you can do a pretty good job as both an athlete and as a mom (or dad). And to have happy kids with happy friends, that is simply the best!!!

It was an awfully good day!