Need your help - product advice!

I "sucked it up" and worked out again yesterday - holy cow! 3 days in a row! :) It was definitely worth it!

I went for a 35-minute run in the evening, and the weather was perfect - high 40's, calm wind. It was so refreshing! We (my "running buddy" and I") did an out and back - the way out felt great- my stride was still opened up from my run on Saturday- meaning I felt like I was running and not shuffling! The way back felt BETTER- like I was running downhill the entire time (I wasn't, I checked the elevation later haha!) It took me 19 minutes to go "out", and 17 minutes to go "back" (yes, that's 36 mins but I like to put round numbers in the training log haha). I hstill have some monster knots that have worked their way into my calves - maybe if I work out seven days in a row (that would be through this Thursday) I'll treat myself to a massage @ Aches Away...Don is the best!! If you are in Bloomington, you must go!

I followed this with a 35-min bike on the trainer- I wasn't wearing tri shorts, and oooh my bum felt it (from the saddle) - This isn't a bad thing, it will go away in about 2 weeks of consistent riding- just means I need to get in the saddle more!!

BTW, I've been riding an ISM Adamo saddle for the last 2-3 years, and I LOVE it (after 2 weeks of riding lol), I am confident I will still be able to have children- unlike saddles with traditional "noses" that press into my baby-making parts! I used to cry on rides over 3 hours haha! However, I wish they made one a TAD bit narrower - nothing unbearable, but the rubbage I sometimes experience on the inguinal crease could be avoided :) But 90% of the time it is perfect, and you should definitely try it out if you are not happy with your current saddle!

I am sooo glad it is spring break for school this week - it will give a chance to knock out all the items on my work/home/personal to-do list, get back into a consistent triathlon training schedule, and maybe even get ahead for teaching and planning ! (maybe, but not likely :) )

Now I need your help!

1. I am ordering a KESTREL bicycle - YAY!! I am debating on which one I will order - The Airfoil Pro (w/ Ultegra) or the 4000TT (w/ Ultegra) - What are your thoughts on these bicycles? If you have one or shopped around for one, please share your opinion - if you haven't ridden or shopped for them...check out the links and let me know what your review is!!
2. My doggie Winston is a GREAT running partner - he gives me so much motivation and he always likes to run just a LITTLE FASTER than me, which pushes me a tad...but the pulling is driving me nuts. I can keep it under control with commands/treats, but I'm wondering - is a better leash out there for jogging than a regular choke chain? He doesn't respond to the "pop" of the collar when I pull it. I'm not sure if I'm ready to go to the hands-free leash since he still pulls, but I've heard good reviews of head collars, and I've seen dogs with Martingale collars...help! Any ideas, reviews, or input?
3. With winter weather, I've been able to stick my iphone in a pocket fairly easily - but with warmer weather on the way, I will be losing my pockets! What kind of cases/armbands do you use that work well??

Thanks everyone! Have a great day!!

PS REV3 REGISTRATION CODE IS UP: On the left side of my blog, all the way at the top: Trakkers117 - $10 off any REV3 race!!

**Comments are at the beginning of the post** b/c I can't figure out how to move them here!

Makes it worthwhile

yesterday I went to Spin City Cycles in Decatur for their Open House - it wasn't just a big "sale" (although I did walk out with a pearl izumi back jacket and a pair of tri-shorts for less than $100!) - they had FOOD, group rides with demo powertaps, rides and talks with the ZIPP guys, Demo bikes from Scott, pedals from Speedplay, and Nutrition product from 1st Endurance. Shimano is brought a Di2 electric bike. Mavic brought some wheels. Felt is brought cool stuff. Pro mountain biker Eric Pirtle signed autographs.

A really cool highlight was a "Triathlon Mythbusters" presentation by Chris Sweet: He presented us some questions such as "Does lack of electrolytes cause cramping? Will your tires blow up on a hot day? Is sex before a race really detrimental?"...and then told us if these myths were busted or not based on published research! REALLY COOL, check out this guy's blog- he should be doing a clumn for triathlete magazine :) He's also the same guy who's holding the "Don't Suck" sign in my profile picture on my blog! :)

All this cool stuff gave me extra motivation for a workout - yesterday I ran 1:25 minutes followed by a 45 minute bike! Winston was SO excited to run with me - especially since the temperature was above fifty degrees! That means that I won't dress him up like this:

and I won't make him wear THESE to go running in!!

haha! It was such a great run though! I figured out how to manage the cords from iphone + Winston's leash + treats ( you know how awkward it is to try to juggle all that...) and the treats totally works - Winston wasn't pulling as much...and there were was section of the run where I was on a trail and there was a field all around us, so I could let go of the leash and Winston could let off some steam! Then on the way back something amazing happened - I got my legs back! My hips let me open up my stride, the sunset was so soft and pretty, I had my running buddy with me, I had some great music playing (see my previous post)... I didn't want this run to end! I was originally going to end the run at 1:20, but we got back early and did an extra lap around the lake...

but I still had to end it early- my poor joints and muscles are not trained for this kind of distance pounding yet :)

It was this kind of run, when everything falls into place, that makes all the "bad" training days worthwhile :)

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IPOD chill playlist

When my doggie got up from his nap when I got home from work, he was REALLY BORED watching me respond to emails and grade....

...So I uploaded a 1:20 "chill" playlist to my IPOD  and Winston and I went for a run today (a 45-min. one)...check it out!

1. Bleeding Love Leona Lewis
2. Break Even The Script
3. Bubbly Colbie Caillat
4. Come On Get Higher Matt Nathanson
5. Down Jay Sean ft. Lil Wayne
6. Fallin For You Colbie Caillat
7. Hey Soul Sister Train
8. The Little Things Colbie Caillat
9. Look After You The Fray
10. Love Story Taylor Swift
11. Lucky Jason Mraz ft. Colbie Caillat
12. Need You Now Lady Antebellum
13. No Air Jordin Sparks ft. Chris Brown
14. Realize Colbie Caillat
15. Replay IYAZ
16. Slide Goo Goo Dolls
17. Stop and Stare One Republic
18. Teardrops on My Guitar Taylor Swift
19. Two is Better Than One Boys Like Girls ft. Taylor Swift
20. Viva La Vida Coldplay
21. You Found Me The Fray

Little background on some songs:

Bleeding Love and No Air remind me of "So You Think You Can Dance"... summer of '08 baby!  The awesome Tri House in Clermont Florida WHAT?!?

Break Even and Hey Soul Sister  are in my head ALL the time!  I love it!  However, they also reminds me of a heartbreak a friend is going through  :(

Bubbly Oh this is an easy one... Dan's perfect proposal in Estes Park Colorado!  Check out the Youtube video I made right after we got engaged :)

Come On Get Higher Dan told me that this was the song playing in the car when he was on his way to climb Long's Peak for the first time...so now it reminds me of mountains  :)

Down  Fun song reminding me of the months leading up to our wedding - almost was our intro song

Here's a story about two songs on my list...For our first dance song, Dan and I could not agree on a song...he loves 80's and really cheesy old love songs (ie Love of a Lifetime, anything by Rod Stewart, Elton John, etc.)...while I like cheesy NEW love songs!  My first choice was  Realize...he tried to compromise and pick something completely new that not many people had heard at the time (Two is Better Than One)...and that was the decision, until LAST MINUTE, like, at our cocktail hour, we asked Dan's cousin Roger who has an AMAZING voice, to sing "Unchained Melody" for us for our first dance!  Perfect!  Another wedding song is Viva La Vida, it was our intro song, as it is a typical Coldplay song at every Ironman  :)


Other choices include amazing artists I can't get enough of, like more Colbie Caillat, Taylor Swift, the Goo Goo Dolls and The FRAY!


What songs are on your CHILL workout playlists?? I will definitely post sometime revealing my other side... I may seem sweet and grown-up, but I listen to the most ghetto, inappropriate music when I'm ready to rock out a hard ride or run!! ;)