Weekends this summer have been full of workouts, laughs, love, friends and family ...but not a ton of rest! So you can imagine this past weekend was right along those same lines. ;)
My wife actually got up early on Sunday to get her 4 mile run in before we walked over to my 5k race and she quipped later that day: "Wow, I don't know how you do this getting up early to workout thing all the time."
It made me smile to myself. Now she appreciates the early mornings I put in so that we can have more time to spend together. :)
Sunday marked just two weeks until the Pumpkinman Half Ironman. Wow September 7 will be here before I know it. This weekend I needed to really buckle down and focus.
The workouts started bright and early Friday after a great weigh-in. Did you hear I am happily back in the 150s?
My goal on Friday was to get 4 hours in on the bike, but that didn't happen. Between a Recycle Studio Spin workout and a bike tide out to Bedford from Somerville - I spent about 3 hours in the saddle.
But I still haven't gotten 56 miles in on the bike and I need to do that before the race just to show myself I can do it. So guess what is on the docket for this upcoming week?
The bike is so mental for me. My body knows it can do it, but the mind gets nervous and overwhelmed. Time to shut the brain down.
The rest of the Friday called for relaxation and blogging. Isn't that what all the cool kids do on a Friday night? :)
I had an early morning on Saturday. I wanted to hit up the 8am Weight Watchers meeting and claim my Ace Your Summer Challenge bling for having attended 10 of the last 11 weeks of meetings. Woo!
It is such a nice and welcoming group. I am happy to attend their meetings and occasionally sub before I return to long run Saturdays this Fall.
I was smiling from ear to ear as members of the group talked about the fun they had attending the Nike Run & Walk Club that I have been helping to host. They talked about feeling welcome without thought of pace or fitness level. Exactly the kind of group I have been trying to create. :)
Full of motivation and inspiration, I headed to the pool to get my 1.2 mile time trial swim done.
During the entire swim I felt strong and like I could keep swimming for days. :) I guess that training is paying off. :P It was a great morning in the pool full of entertainment from the kids' swim classes going on on the opposite side of the pool from me.
Once I was out of the pool, I had to race home, quickly change and head to my cousin's wedding dress appointment. How cute are the cards our friend Lauren made to judge the dresses?
They are so my cousin. :)
Since I never did the wedding dress shopping thing myself (maybe some day), it was a complete learning experience. It really is a live version of Say Yes To The Dress. My cousin found a style she liked, but didn't say yes to a dress at the first location.
My cousin & I working the duck lips
She inevitably found her dress at appointment #2 of the day, which I wasn't able to make.
While my Saturday afternoons were canceled last minute, I wouldn't waste the time by getting in my BRICK workout with my #1 supporter the wife by my side.
She humored me while I blabbered on about nothing for two hours on the bike trainer and then jumped on her bike while I knocked out a quick 5k (26:34) to shake the legs out.
She also listened to me curse out the wind for blowing in my face for the entire run. Not sure I could've said: "Are you serious wind?" any more than I did. Haha.
We decided to cook in on Saturday night and enjoy a lovely meal outside in the backyard, while the pups played.
Please note: it is the wife who is drinking Pumpkin beer in August. #TheShame
The wife made Skinnytaste's Weeknight Skillet Sazon Chicken Tenders and it was delicious!! We paired it with our once a month treat of yellow rice (yum) and steamed broccoli.
After a fantastic dinner outside, we finally watched Muppets Most Wanted. It was cute but not nearly as good as the Muppet Movie from 2011.
Now while the wife got up early on Sunday to run I slept in until 7:15am - woah! Late I know. ;) But it was great to lounge around and snuggle some pups until she came home.
The Race To The Row 5k I was running on Sunday didn't start until 9:30am AND was located across the street from my house which meant a late departure time. Boy I wish all of my races were that close.
It was a fun morning with lots of friends. I will post a recap of that race shortly.
I wasn't sure how my body would handle the race since I had done a 1.5 mile swim, 30 mile bike and 5k run the day before.
But as you can see it was pretty speedy. I ended up 79th overall and 10th in my division. Woo! I never reach the top 10 in my division so that was exciting.
Following the race I had a couple of hours of downtime before we headed to a wedding celebration for my friend Nicole and her partner Melsen. It was a lovely afternoon in Brookline with friends.
They had a great spread and a make your own burritos area, which totally was up the wife's alley. I ate most of the large salad they had available. :P
Our crew has gotten older and maybe more mature? Okay not at all more mature, but it was fun to come together to celebrate love and friendship.
With a busy weekend in the books, it was great to come home and just vet out for the rest of the evening.
I went to bed Sunday night with a happy heart, a complete Weight Watchers food tracker and renewed energy for the week ahead.
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Since we know I am - for now - just enjoying adult beverages on the weekend, here are a couple of the local brews I tried:
Berkshire Brewing Company
Tap Brewing Company (Haverhill, MA)
Both were full of hoppy goodness...
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Two other notes for this week:
1) I have a $10 off discount code for the Max Performance Buzzards Bay Sprint Triathlon on September 14.
Use code: WOMSBUZZ14 (code expires Friday, August 29)
2) I am holding a giveaway for a free entry into the inaugural South Shore Half Marathon in Norwell, MA on November 2.
Feel free to enter here.
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How did you stay active this weekend?
