A Training Funk, my tv shows, and my 3 favorite wines right now

My life in bullet points:

• 4 weeks until Summer Break (and Summer TRAINING!).  April is a rough month.
• Time Trials: HAVE BEGUN!!  I competed in the John Fraser Memorial Time Trial again, and improved my time and effort by almost 2 minutes! I was 3rd overall female again the second year in a row, awesome!  I was really happy with my SUPER consistent power output throughout 10-mile the course.  2 days later,  I participated in the practice-run Tuesday Night Time Trial on my home course, and despite being almost 3 miles longer, I only averaged 10W less. I'm already riding super strong this season, I'm excited to see improvement!
• With all the hard riding I've been doing...I've been going through my Pearl Izumi cycling and tri-shorts like crazy!  They are the perfect length, with the perfect chammy, with the perfect matching cycling jacket, with the perfect adorable cycling tops (you get the idea...)
• LOVING some new product- I'm totally digging my Swiftwick Aspire Zero and 12in compression socks- they are very comfortable and get the job DONE!!  On a 60mile ride my husband, father-in-law, and I did on Easter, all 3 of us were wearing our matching black swiftwick compression socks... so cute!  Here's what Swiftwick had to say LOL:  My husband has been complaining of some serious calf soreness and foot blisters after running...both went away after I bought him 3 pairs of Aspires! Sweet!
• Speaking of hard riding... focusing on HALF-iron distance training is a lot HARDER than Iron-distance training... everytime I get on the bike I can expect to hammer through at least some hard intervals of various intensities and duration... and surprisingly I like it!
• Foot recovery... I actually feel like there is some REAL progress going on...I'll be able to talk more about this a few more runs... but the day-to-day pain is subsiding a little bit, and I can run FASTER with the "same amount" of push-off pain...I've been consistent with PT, at-home exercises and stretching, and anti-inflammatories...
• swimming... I haven't really gotten in a consistent groove in a couple weeks... my own fault...it's going to be important that I get in the water CONSISTENTLY, and not trying to "crash" swim a bunch of days in a row after procrastinating swim workouts until the end of the week.
• SPEAKING OF CRASHING/CONSISTENCY...
• Last week, after a scheduled day off on Monday, I was struggling to get ready for my FAVORITE workout of the week... Tuesday Night Time Trials of course!  But I was NOT into it, I was DREADING it...weird.  Even though the weather was crappy, I usually consider that an "advantage"... so Jen (my coach and I) agreed that I would swim instead... but that swim didn't happen.  Or any workouts the next day.  In fact, in the last week, I've only done two runs.  
• I had NO desire to workout/train at all...I don't feel that my "body" shut down, but rather my "mind" did.  I'm not sure what brought it on...maybe it was the crap weather, a little anxiety about work/home, not sleeping well for a couple weeks,  or truly just needing a "break."  
• Whatever the cause of the funk, I am DONE with it!  I've enjoyed my weeklong break, I feel rested, and I'm ready to get my endorphins and training-high back tomorrow starting with a swim and then, what else?  Tuesday Night Time Trials!! :)
• On a different note, here are TV shows that I love and don't miss an episode (thank goodness for DVR): The Firm. Grey's Anatomy.  New Law & Order SVU.  Modern Family.  The Voice.  Impractical Jokers.
• Wine:  A very important topic.  I am a BIG fan of spicy, dark, and/or unique flavors.  Besides ANY Shiraz, Syrah, or Malbec, here are 3 midwest wines that I LOVE that you should try:
• Acquaviva Winery- Piacere.  I am not a skilled wine taster, so I cannot describe this incredibly unique and awesome flavor!  I bought this wine with my JFTT winnings! :)
• Seven Springs Winery- Norton.  I've been obsessed with and can't stop thinking about this one...even though we bought and drank the bottle in January.
• Lynfred Winery 2009 Pinot Noir Reserve.  This one surprised me!! I am NOT usually a big Pinot Noir fan, but I LOVED this flavor!
• I've been experimenting with a little running/triathlon coaching with a few friends and family members... and I'm super pleased with how it's going!  Here's a few shout-outs:
• My brother Don is going to be racing the Illinois Half-Marathon next week.  He has been prepared for and nailed every.single.workout that I have asked him to do!  He had little expectations of himself going into training, but with his progress he's made over the last month or so I cannot WAIT to see him surprise himself next week!
• My husband Dan and our friend Steve have been doing a lot of training together, and last weekend they raced the Springfield 1/2 Marathon- even though it was on a hilly course, they both PR'ed by a long-shot with a 1:41 !!! They finished 9min faster they predicted, and came with 2 minutes of their FLAT course goal time for the Illinois Half next week!  I'm so excited!
• I would love to add pictures... but THIS is why I cannot blog consistently- it takes me SO LONG!! :)

"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 :)