Wednesday Night = Running + Skating

It's Wednesday so that means TNT training runs and figure skating. I was a little late for the run but I was already there and dressed so I just went for it. I was quite proud of myself for just doing it instead of going home. Another lap around Lake Harriet, I was feeling pretty good and was thinking for going for 2 laps, but my knee felt a little goofy at the end of lap 1. Then I went skating for almost an hour working on wearing down my edges. I did lots of crossovers and hockey stops to start noticing a difference.

Slow Road Back to Figure Skating Glory

I had my first lesson at the Free Skate 1 level, which is spinning and jumping, and no I'm not doing double axles yet! Problem is that I still can't stop, so forget a lot of the new skills I'm suppose to be doing. My skates are still too sharp so they just cut into the ice. You stop right now! I'm just getting really frustrated because I was getting so good, but now I've been put back so far.

Sub-Zero Running & Lunar Eclipse!

Pretty sweet night! I've officially crossed to the dark side of running. I survived and enjoyed an outside night run at zero degrees, definitely sub-zero wind chill!!! We had a TNT training run around Lake Calhoun, sister lake to Lake Harriet. The great thing about Calhoun is that there are amazing views of the Minneapolis skyline across the lake. So there I was running in sub-zero temperatures on the squeaking snow (yep snow squeaks when it gets cold enough) and loving every minute of it! Ah crap, I'm a hard core runner now! In case you're wondering what one wears when running at sub-zero temps here's the run down: knit hat, knit scarf around my face and neck, crew windbreaker from college, fleece zip-up, technical long sleeve shirt, gloves, long underwear pants, yoga pants, regular socks, and my running shoes. As if this miraculous feat wasn't enough it was all as the lunar eclipse was going on! I did a bit of skating again tonight to work on those darn skates.

Playing Hookie...

So my sister is in the hospital and I really didn't want to go to work, perfect excuse, I think so! After a trip to Jenn's apartment to feed Gandolf (Jenn's big grey cat) and pick up some stuff and a stop at the hospital, I was off to work out a little to try to lighten my spirits. First I went skating to try to brake in the blessed skates some more, a bit more luck but still a way to go on them. Then I swam some laps since I'm technically into the triathlon training schedule now too. Over all I felt my better after a few hours of sweating. Worth playing hookie for!

Evil Figure Skates

I had gone skating after my run on Wednesday but BROKE MY SKATE!!! So after a quick run around to get me some new skates, I was back in business. I was lucky enough this time to get the traditional white leather variety that I was after a year ago. Unfortunately my new skates were not my best friends yet. We definitely were not speaking the same language, I mean I nearly fell just trying to turn! Stopping was impossible. So for the time being I'm back to the basics while my skates and I get use to one another. Until then, STAY AWAY from my on skates!

First Team in Training Group Run!

Tonight was my first group training run with TNT and it was a really cold, windy night! Seriously I think it was maybe 15 degrees outside and who knows how bad the wind chill was! All I know is that I thought my face was going to freeze and fall off it was so cold. Seriously, I thought I was getting frostbite! It was a good run around Lake Harriet, which for those of you who are not familiar with the Twin Cities is just outside downtown Minneapolis. After the first mile I was warmed up and was enjoying the beautiful winter night. There is sometime very peaceful and serene about a cold winter's night in Minnesota, everything's so still and calm. This run tonight made me conquer my fear of running outside at night in the winter in Minnesota.

Fundraising Go Day!

I had a TNT Shoes & Gear meeting tonight and decided to for go training to focus on my fundraising letters. I printed, labeled, and stuffed about 150 letters and look at the mess I made in the process!

Procrastination Master

My dedication to my training is still being tested. Having the will power and determination to do the training right is something I'm working on this time, because I didn't do it right last time and paid the price. Case and point Wed Feb. 6 - Sun Feb. 10. Let's see, did I do any training Wednesday? No, unless you count dancing at the MIKA concert. Which was fabulous by the way (see video.)

Thursday I took a wellness/exhaustion day and was in bed by 10! Friday I neglected training yet again by going to an Irish pub with my cousin for a Strongbow and dinner, going to the Minnesota Swarm lacrosse game and partying with fellow CSB/SJU alums & the Swarm team at a karaoke bar downtown St. Paul. Although I did take walks during lunch both Thursday and Friday, Saturday morning could only mean one thing, figure skating! I skate every Saturday morning for two hours which I love, but it is slightly conflicting with my Team in Training (TNT) long training runs. Which I then make-up on my own. Skating is only another 6 weeks or so and not all runs are Saturdays. I'm really looking forward to training with people this time. I just really hope someone runs as slow as I do. Clearly I have good intentions but sometimes other things take precedence. Sunday was out because I worked a 13 hour shift supervising at Canterbury Park.

Obligatory Miles

Not much to report today, another night run on the treadmill. Why is it that 2 miles on the treadmill seems like forever when it barely feels like getting going outside?

Robin Hood to the Rescue!

So I decided that I needed to leap back on the training horse ASAP! So I started right after work by swimming 1000 yards. Definitely getting better and faster but still can't do flip-turns. Once home, it was on the treadmill since running outside was just asking for a broken ankle (fresh sloppy snow over ice, not good!) My attention was help by one of my favorite movies ever, Disney's Robin Hood! It was the perfect length too! My feet keep loosing feeling/going to sleep/tingling while I'm running and I've loosened my laces numerous times. Any suggestions??? Also my calves were starting to feel like they were going to cramp, something new for me. Not the best run ever but not bad for 5+ miles this early in the season.

Spinning & Jumping

Today our normal skating teacher wasn't there so class was run by two of the assistants. I was not real happy about this since I'm determined to pass both Basic 7 & 8 this session. If we're going to spend the whole session working on Basic 7 stuff I'm not going to get to work on the few things in Basic 8 that do need to work. Needless to say I did figure out the one-foot spin and the mazurka today!

After skating was the kick-off meeting for Team in Training, so it's official now I'm registered for the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in San Diego and raising $3,700 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.