So. It's Monday. Time to post my week in review:

57% completion rate

So. Not great. Not at all. Unfortunately, due to my training schedule, this month is not shaping up to be stellar. The sad thing is...I knew the # would not be that great and yet I still took today off ('cause my coach scheduled it). I need to find a balance of getting things done BUT not at the expense of my sanity. I'm going to focus on the positives of the week. Like getting 2 hours on the bike trainer done! Like really enjoying a night out with friends. A very late night I might add. Like surving my first week at a new job. These are the things to be proud of. Not the fact that I missed my scheduled 17k run on Saturday. Or the fact I took Friday off....I'm gunning for at least a 70% completion rate each week until the new year...

My upcoming week looks like a 7.15am swim and evening yoga Tuesday, 6am spin class on Wednesday, lunch hour run and evening yoga on Thursday. I commit to these. Friday is an 18km run. I'm really not sure how to make that happen; maybe 9k in the AM and 9k in the pm? Saturday is an all day stroke correction clinic with a 2.20 trainer ride on Sunday. I may need help completing Friday and Sunday's workout...if anyone (Kate?) is out there that can help make either of these happen...lemme know!

Again, a random photo to break things up: Or not. It crashed....

g'night!

I survived my first week. It was long. It was frustrating. It was tiring. It was....it was so many things.
A quick snapshot (in point form) to remind myself that I'm alive and surviving:

supervisor is nice and has a sense of humour BUT I would not want to get on the wrong side of her
trainer is nice. not sure that it is necessarily the technical skills the employer will miss BUT it is her knowledge of who does what and why and all the history...g'eesh...that kinda sounds familiar, no?
driving to and around Burlington sucks
trying to be alert and taking in info for 8-10 hours a day is tiring
trying to remember peoples names, positions and if they even work for the city is tiring
trying to fit in ironman training around such days is tiring
trying to not pooch former employee while I'm trying to figure out new role is tiring
trying to be a nice person at home while trying to maintain the above is just NOT HAPPENING!

I need new clothes. The new employers idea of business casual is VERY different than the old and while it is great that I have shape shifted over the past year...not so great when I go to pull out the dressier clothes from the back of the closet. I look like a sack of potatoes and that just won't gel with the fashion plates I now work with. Seriously, I think they have a pair of shoes for everyday of the week! I am sooo jealous of their pulled together look. The only thing pulled together about me is my pony tail after I quickly get ready after a work out.

Other than that. Things are going great. Just great! I'm just tired.

I have to run (or maybe I should type, I am supposed to run) 17 km today and that just feels overwhelming right now. I am not sure where I'm going to get the energy or inspiration from...
I think I'll start with the mountain of laundry that is waiting for me.

Alright. So...where was I? Oh right! In the middle of shaking up my life. It's tiring, that.

So. Last week was another 90% completion rate. Missed a 5 k base run but the big news is that I survived MEGADAY! Not only did I survive MEGADAY, I survived the fast paced 55 minute run with the energizer bunny afterwards. Man that girl can run. She kept claiming I was setting the pace...hahaha! Legs were like lead after a 2.5 hour spin class and I failed the talk test miserably.

The 8 k run on Sunday was not as bad as I feared. I spent 4 hours avoiding it and when I finally couldn't avoid it any longer...the legs felt quite fresh. I'm not convinced on my new runners. My ankles and knees have been sore and tender since I made the switch. I wonder how deep the old stand bys are buried? Oh how I miss thee...

week in review coming soon

How does Monday morning roll around so quickly? Sunday was supposed to be long and leisurely...not so much. Chores, chores, workout and chores kinda eat into the day.

On the drive into work this morning, I realized that one week today I will be sitting at a new desk. With new co-workers. And a new schedule.

Shit!

Damn you change! Damn you!

At least I get to check into today with a 'week in review' that is much more pleasant to look at.

A 90% completion rate.

Only missed one workout and that was due to being at the pub. Actually, I spent an awful lot of time at the pub last week...The 'being nice to my body because I'm asking it to move 140.6 miles' took the back seat last week.

Good thing I tend to change jobs once every 12 years...

I'm posting a picture to break up the text. Demonstrating randomness at it's best...

Wheeew. Saturday is over and done with!

15 k done
best coffee ever consumed (even came clean about drinking the second one destined for home)
eyelashes tinted
65th party set up & support
dinner party

I was exhausted by the time we arrived home. Straight to bed and asleep within seconds!

Have a wee bit of a niggle in my left ankle this morning but other than that...new shoes seem to be ok.

1 hour of trainer is on schedule. The plan is to hop on the mountain bike and go for a 'leisurely' ride on the trail.

The rest of the day is catching up on newspapers and laundry. Bliss!

7.30am. Summoning the energy required to complete the 15km run on tap. Good thing I have running mates to meet at 8.30...
Long day ahead BUT the world's best coffee awaits me on the other side of the run...YUM YUM.

So I submitted my last weeks work out completion rate to my coach on Monday. Totally the kick in the pants I needed. It was a dismal 63% AND that included work outs that were modified (either not the correct distance or switched to a different day).

An excerpt from my email:
"I totally realize that excuses won’t get me to the finish line BUT I’m still going to tell you that last week was ‘off the wall’ for me with the offer of a new job, negotiations and finally accepting the new role…however, please note that I am not happy with this number and don’t plan on seeing a number like that again."

So far, this week has been bang on with a spin class thrown in there at 6am as penance for missing my Sunday ride...who knew that such an innocent stat could have such an influence over me?

Wow. It's Sunday evening. It feels like the weekend went by in a blink of an eye and yet when I look at what I learned and what was accomplished...was it really only 2 days?

• 13 km run and a 1km walk/coffee break
• Consumption of the best coffee ever ~ 2 days in a row
• Mardi who is a carbon fibre bike is now creakless
• Carbon Fibre bikes should not be used in trainers
• Found another bike to use for trainer and modified to fit
• Investigated and purchased new running shoes
• My old stand by running shoes with a kazillion miles on them are currently in the garbage*
• Final mow of the season has been completed
• Donated plants have been planted
• Plus a whole slew of 'work' related issues that will be turning my life upside down over the next month...

What hasn't happened was a 'long' ride. I have been so intent on the upcoming changes that other than the 14 km run...I didn't know what was on tap. I am going to make up for my transgression tomorrow evening on the trainer.

Monday is going to be a long day! Run, tendering my 'official' resignation, vet (cat's insulin has been recalled & she needs transitioned to a new type) ride on trainer

*It is everything in my power to not go rescue them. What if they are cold and scared. And what if the new pair aren't what they are cracked up to be...

Right. Time to get my 'Ironman' house in order. I need to:

• arrange tune up for Mardi to address her creaky crank
• investigate a 'rim' for the indoor trainer I have been loaned
• investigate, purchase & install aerobars

I am open to any input or suggestions anyone may have on the rim and aerobars. What to look for, avoid and such.

Today is a 8k run with 4 reps.

1 rep = 3 mins at threshold followed by 2 mins of recovery

What support looks like:

In an effort to make a 6am cyclefit class. My clothes (work out and work) were laid out for me the night before...
AND
I didn't make it. Woke up at 12.38am and did not get another wink of sleep. I was stewing about work and my lack of sleep. In hindsight, I should have dragged myself to class. Would've been a much happier camper I'm sure.
Off to get a swim in before 9am. My office mates will appreciate the effort!

PS notice how artfully the clothing is arranged?

EDIT: good thing I didn't make the supreme effor this morning...turns out the instructor called in sick!