"Spring" Training!

Spring Break has come and gone!!! :)  The countdown to summer begins!

Dan and I didn't plan any big trips (we are saving and biding our time for SUMMER!), but I was thrilled  for an unstructured week (with GREAT weather to boot!)

My triathlon coach Jen Harrison however, had some VERY STRUCTURED plans for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed "Spring Break Camp"!! It was 75-80+ degrees every day, and I happily put in a ridiculous amount of training in for March, especially on the bike!

Dan and I went to Madison for a quick 2-day trip- totally worth it!! We did some hilly riding, some lakefront/trail running, and cruised State Street...

We found this fantastic little shop that sold us on some divine chocolate truffles and cupcakes... now I'm usually not a cupcake person... but the "Irish Car Bomb" intrigued Dan and myself.... Guinness cake, Bailey's icing, with Jameson filling... surprisingly, it was delicious!!

Swimming was a challenge, since the ISU pool was CLOSED FOR SPRING BREAK....GGRRRRR.  I endeavored the icy waters of Wesleyan a few days...

There was some running involved, all "easy."  I can "run," yet I cannot perform a single heel lift or a true "push-off" on my right foot.  It will come, it will come, I just need to be PATIENT and understand that a HUGE CHUNK OF BONE WAS REMOVED from my heel, and it will take time for it to heal... I'm doing some physical therapy and exercises, just need to stick with it and be consistent...

I'm living vicariously right now through my REV3 teammates who have some exciting stuff going on...

FIRST, as I mentioned before bunch of them are going to be starting their RUN ACROSS AMERICA in a few short weeks...they are currently training HARD to kick Cancer's A$$ !!  To help out, you can donate ANY amount, no matter how big or small by clicking on the "Donate" link on the right column of this blog... or even better, visit Laura M.'s blog and enter for a chance to win some fabulous prizes!  A small $5 donation is all it takes to be entered into the raffle!

I'm also insanely JEALOUS (for myself) and HAPPY for my teammates who had a fabulous time racing in Costa Rica this past weekend!!  This REV3 race looks amazing and is definitely on my bucket list...

With the amount of training I've been doing...and how busy my day-to-day schedule is with work and training...I've been fortunate enough to have PLENTY of convenient, delicious, and effective nutrition!!

This year as a REV3 athlete I'm supported by Powerbar!! SO excited!!

Let me chat a little bit about the bars... I'll save the gels, bites, blasts, and drinks for a different day...First of all, the harvest bars, Triple-threat bars, and protein bars are just TASTY.  Obviously that's important when choosing nutrition... of any kind!!  Secondly, the bars are CONVENIENT for pre/during/post workouts... and lastly, I haven't had any GI distress at all, even when I chow down on a solid bar on my way to a swim... wow!

My favorite harvest bars to take on the bike (since they don't melt) are the strawberry crunch and the apple cinnamon crunch bars!

My favorite pre-workout bars are the toffee-chocolate harvest flavor, as well as the Triple-threat bars.... YUM!!!  Smore's and the caramel chocolate.... those boxes are loooooong gone!

Post workout..The chocolate protein bars...pure brownie.  Cannot WAIT to try the dulce de leche flavor!!

I keep a box of fruit&nut naturals in my work office... GREAT snack and filling too!

What a SOLID week!!  Winston and I definitely celebrated our success by kickin' it on the back deck on Sunday... can't WAIT for summer!!  This week was such a tease :)