Good morning!
Last night I got some exercise after all. :) Eric and I took our bikes out for a spin around the block. I am SORE though. Not from my groin muscle, but from sitting on the seat! I think I am going to need to invest in some padded bike shorts! Does anyone have any recommendations? The seat is even padded too, but it didn’t seem to help much.
Otherwise, it was a great bike ride!
Ahhhh…Spring, how I love thee.
Everything is just so fresh.
Including this juice I made…
I had some random things to use up in today’s juice: Celery, beet, carrots, ginger, grapefruit.
Along with a mix of delicious Four O’Clock Japanese Sencha and White loose leaf tea:
Cleaning out the loose leaf steeper is such a pain in the butt! That is why I love this huge loose leaf pot because I can make a huge batch of it at once. The tea gets cold, and yes I drink it anyways. ;)
I made another bowl of delicious Vegan Overnight Oats last night!
Coconut Maple Syrup Vegan Overnight Oats
Last night I threw into a bowl:
- 1/3 cup regular oats
- 3/4 cup almond milk
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 mashed ripe banana, leave a few chunks
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 scoop Amazing Grass Chocolate Amazing Meal Powder
- Tiny pinch of sea salt
Directions: Stir the above ingredients and place in the fridge (covered) overnight.
In the morning, throw together this quick and delicious topping…
This is one of my favourite pancake toppings and it is so easy.
Reduced-Sugar Overnight Oats/Pancake Syrup:
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Mix together and pour overtop!
I actually enjoy this topping much better than nut butter! It is soooo good. The syrup coats the oats and you get a taste on each bite. I highly recommend it!
Triathlon Talk
Last night Eric and I started to plan out our TRY-A-TRI training. :) We have under 6 weeks until our Try-A-Tri.
The course consists of:
- 375 meter swim
- 10 km bike ride
- 2.5 km run
The course is very hilly (think murder hill), but luckily we can train on the actual course and prepare ourselves.
Now that my groin muscle is feeling better, it is time to get back into the training.
It will be about another month until we are able to do open water swims (and even then the water will be frigid), so Eric and I looked up a local indoor public pool that is about 15 minutes from us.
Confession: Eric and I are both grossed out by public pools. We seriously hate them. I have a huge fear of hair and band-aids and it takes a lot to get me into a public pool! However, we are in this together and are going to support one another! We will get over our fear…
After looking at the Adult Length Swim schedule, we decided on swimming twice per week:
- Monday night, 8-9pm
- Wednesday night, 8-9pm
The days might vary here and there, but we are going to try to stick with Monday and Wednesday nights to have some consistency. There are some great swim drills/workouts online that we can try once we have built a bit of a base up.
I also need to get myself a swimsuit for swimming laps asap. A bikini will NOT cut it.
I was doing some reading on Triathlons last night and I came across the Brick Workout.
The Brick workout “refers to training on two disciplines during the same workout, one after the other with minimal or no interruption in between, just as you would do in a race. Usually when people talk about bricks they refer to a bike/run workout, but bricks could also refer to a swim/bike workout or to a run/bike workout.”
I will likely be incorporating some Brick Workouts into each week. Because I have a half marathon just 1 week prior to the TRY-A-TRI, I will need to make sure that I keep up with my long run each week and then incorporate some brick workouts here and there.
I feel like there is SO much I don’t know about triathlons and I feel like I have a lot to learn. It will be a huge learning curve, but I kind of like the challenge of trying something new!
Today’s question- Have you ever taken up a sport or activity and had a big learning curve at first? What was it?
Updates:
- New reader Green Monster recipes are up!
- Is anyone still having problems posting comments? Eric thinks he fixed the issue, but email me ([email protected]) if you are still having problems.
I’m off to do some bakery training! :)
lululemon just came out with the nicest looking bike shorts I have ever seen! they are called the Zoom bike short: so they make you feel speedy and they do not give that diaper bum from the padding. They are not yet on the website, but the stores have them and they are fab. Just invested in a pair myself and was not sore at all after my first spin of the summer!
Just adjust your bike seat. You probably need to adjust the angle of the seat which is easy to do. You’ll need an allen-wrench to loosen the bolt, tilt the seat a little forward or backward, then tighten the bolt.
I’ve realized that if I don’t do spin class over a period of a few months and then I get back into it that my bum and inner thighs are a bit pained. However, once I attend class a few more times, I must get used to it because the pain doesn’t occur anymore.
Definitely running and bike riding. I’m always learning new things about each and new things about myself.
I REALLY want to do a triathlon, but I feel so lost, more so about how to deal with the transitions and the idea of swimming in open water, than the training. There’s a triathlon club around here, so maybe I just need to get with them.
Hi Angela! I read your blog all the time and I love it! I don’t comment much but I thought I’d tell you that Shebeest has awesome padded shorts for biking! They are the best I’ve ever tried. They have really cute capris for biking too.
Also your oats look so good! I can’t wait to try that combo!!
Padded shorts are a must, but from what I hear, no amount of padding really stops the sore crotch situation.
Hi Angela
I’ve been reading you blog for the last 3 weeks and am very excited to hear you are doing a tri! Congrats! I recently started a company called Swimcation — it’s basically an adult swim camp in a tropical location. This year’s hot spot is Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Would love to offer you some swimming tips or workouts if you are interested in gaining endurance in swimming. Let me know if I can be of any help and check out my site www.goswimcation.com when you get a chance. Keep up the fabulous blogging!
Pretty spring pictures. I made one my desk top background :) Thanks
Love the juice! Beautiful color! I’m freaked out by public pools too…..I never go in them or hot tubs.
Oh, and as for sports for learning curves…..I’ve been surfing for 16 years and I still suck at it. lol
I can’t wait to do some overnight oats when it gets warmer here!
I was a pole vaulter. My first year was absolutely awful, I was the worst one in our bunch, then the next year I broke the school record three times and went to state!
That mug is gorgeous! Yeh, I worked at a Water Park back when I was 15…people are nastayyy.
Your comment about public pools made me laugh out loud! Ever since I was a little kid at summer camp I have always been so grossed out at pools! ESPECIALLY by band-aids and hair – ahhh!!!!
And when I started running not too long ago, I definetly experienced the whole learning curve thing – I used to suck at it and I hated it. Now I run 4-5 times a week and am going to sign up for my first 5K this summer :)
Good luck with the public pool thing- I definitely share your sentiment. I’m very impressed with your determination in training for your TRY-A-TRI.
I think the biggest learning curve for a new sport or activity for me was when I decided to try out (don’t laugh) flying trapeze. I could not lift my arms above my shoulders for 2 weeks!
best of luck. when its all done you will ,it will be a huge accomplishment for you both.
mm the daffodils <3 spring has sprung!
I love swimming. I’m not great at it, but it’s such a stress reliever for me!
Don’t say scary things about the pool!!! I like to live an ignorant life when it comes to the pool germies I choke on!!!
Bike shorts can be a benefit and save your butt. It’s good to get used to how the bike seat feels though. My fave tri shorts are the Pearl Izumi. They have a bit of padding, and they dry really quickly on the bike.
When i started with the tri group, it all took some time getting used to. I wasn’t very active prior to joining other than weight training. I felt very out of my comfort zone, but the other tri-trainees were helpful, supportive and the best cheerleaders! In the two years on training together, we now have 2 people who have actually competed in the Ironman Series and have done fatastically well!!
Keep it up and have fun!!
There are some really good books out there for beginner triathlon training – which include sample training programs. I found them really useful when preparing for my first race – and they also give you lots of useful information re transitions etc!
If it helps at all, I have found after about 2 weeks your body does adjust to the bike seat pain. I learned that one from Spin Class :)
I think it’s so cool that you all are tackling the Try a Tri together :)
good luck and I can’t wait to read about it.
I’m so with you with public pools! They gross me out soooo much. Good luck with them & shahower after! haahah
If you’re serious about riding, forget the padded seat. Your butt will be sore no matter for awhile, then you’ll get used to it.
A good pair of padded shorts are useful to keep you comfortable and blister free if you are going to ride more than 20 mi or so regularly. For a spin around the block (or a regular 10 mi ride), don’t bother.
If you do get padded shorts, splurge. Count the number of panels. Get an 8 panel pair.
And get over your public pool problem.
Ahh I am SO happy a blogger finally made a confession about public pools! They totally gross me out. The gym I belong to has a public pool and I refuse to go in it but I love to swim. I still haven’t figured out how to get over my fear, but if you can so can I :)
Hey Angela! I just wanted to let you know that I saw a link to your post on Fitsugar. Maybe this happens to you a lot, but I am a newer reader and thought it was exciting!
Here is the link: http://www.fitsugar.com/Sarah-Silverman-Fat-Women-8197663
I am an avid cyclist, and I feel your pain. When I first started getting really into cycling, I had the same problem. You do become conditioned to it though. Also, I don’t know if you mentioned having a female saddle (“seat” in bicycle lingo). Female-specific saddles make a big difference!! I also feel that padding on the shorts works much better than padding on the saddle.
Also, just an FYI (you may already know this) please take your road bike to a reputable shop and make sure it is fitted to you properly (seat forward enough, high enough, etc. Hopefully your bike frame is the right size, too). This makes a HUGE difference in your performance, and will prevent you from killing your joints. If you have any knee pain at all during biking, something isn’t adjusted properly. Also, learning how to use your gears effectively and efficiently makes a huge difference.
Again, you probably already knew… but I couldn’t help myself!
Good luck with the gross pool. When we were really little, my brother tottally POOPED on the side of the pool. (he was 4, and didn’t want to miss any fun – so he not-so-discreetly just went in the pool!) I’ve had a bit of an issue with public pools ever since!
Best of luck on your tri! I’m sure you will do AMAZING
Hey!
I don’t think that you need padded shorts. I suppose that you didn’t ride your bike in some time, so your bum isn’t “used” to it, but will get better soon! This at least is my experience. It hurts the first time and maybe the second and then it’s over =)
Oh, and to make you feel better: I never had any bad experiences in public pools.
If you really want to save some money on a swim suit, search for “Grab Bag” on swimoutlet.com. You’ll get 2-3 discontinued suits for around 20 (USD, that is). They will be ugly as SIN (you don’t get to choose, just put in your size and they’ll ship whatever’s available), but they’ll work…I have one that’s bright orange camoflage print and another that’s purple with bright yellow flowers…it looks like something you’d see in a senior aqua aerobics class with a matching swim cap.
Oh, speaking of swim caps–I found a couple great tips for protecting your hair in the pool. Before getting in the water, get your hair wet and work in some kind of conditioning treatment (leave-in conditioner works). After your swim, rinse your hair in the shower with some apple cider vinegar. I usually pour just a couple ounces of ACV in a water bottle, fill the rest with water, and bring to the gym. The smell washes out pretty quickly and trust me, it’ll make a WORLD of difference.
Training for a triathlon was a big learning curve for me! I still don’t have the bike seat figured out- I have a padded seat AND shorts and I swear it still hurts. The more consistent you are about biking the better it gets, but take a couple of weeks off and you are back to serious pain again. What is up with that?
Do you guys have TJ Maxx in Canada? That’s where I got my swimsuit for training, nice and cheap. Not a fan of public pools either, I haven’t swam once since my triathlon last summer oops!
I will be posting tomorrow about all of the new bike gear that I JUST got. I already told you about the shorts, but padded gloves are a must too! I recently bought a swim cap…TYR brand . A good pair of goggles are important too. I had an old pair that left bruises on my face. I have a new pair that I love! The swim cap is REALLY important because my hair would always come out of my pony tail holder and actually drain water into my mouth. It was a pain to get on the first few times, but I love it. My one-piece rocks and was the cheapest at the store I was at. The more expensive ones did not feel good! I’ll talk about my swim gear tomorrow too :)
I’m grossed out by public pools too :/ I know they use a ridiculous amount of chlorine though so they’re probably pretty clean!
Caitlin at Healthy Tipping Point has a great page on cycling and all the gear you would ever want!
http://www.healthytippingpoint.com/tips/tips-for-cyclists
Your butt will get use to riding over time! Been there, done that, but it does get easier with time!
Oh gosh, I have SUCH a fear of stray hair(s)… the thought of a strand floating in a puddle of stagnant pool water is making me gag right now. Eeewwwww!
It’s probably been mentioned in earlier comments but here’s another one to gross you out. 3 years ago when I was training for my first triathlon I drove to the pool as usual and found out it was closed. The sign on the door read” Pool closed due to fouling” Found out the next time there someone did a #2 in the pool!
My learning curve was bigger than yours because I crazily signed up for the Olympic distance tri. Lucky for you you’re just doing the tri a tri because you only have 6 weeks till it? Maybe you’re both crazy too :-)
Bricks are great. Definitely try at least one swim to bike brick so you’ll have an idea of what it will be like in your first transition (T1). As for the bike issue – definitely get some bike shorts. I spent about $80 on mine and they’re fabulous. Buy ones with a thick pad! I also found bike gloves to be super helpful. The ones that have ulnar nerve padding helped the numbness in my fingers from long bike rides!
There are so many chemicals in a public pool, that it’s a miracle we don’t all get out pickled. ;) Really, there are some bad pools out there, but most of them (and I’m sure the one you’ll be using), are usually just fine. Good Luck! I’m exciting/jealous of your new challenge.
I’m not entirely sure they ship to Canada, but I think both of these do: performance.com and nashbar.com Both have great deals on bike gear, including shorts!
Yes! While not a fashion statement, padded bike shorts are a MUST, especially if you are looking at any distances over 15 miles! I will caution you, cheap bike shorts are NOT as good. The tush padding is thinner and the spandex can also be thin (aka SEE THROUGH!) and irritative! I have had tremendous luck with Pearl Izumi bike shorts and also Quest bike shorts.
Another thing to consider. Buy the smallest size bike shorts you can wiggle into. When bike shorts are too big, they move around while you bike. There is no need for that padding to make it halfway up your back on a 30 mile ride!! :o) Good luck and happy biking!!
your overnight oats look to die for! I definitely have to try this recipe this week.
The activity with the biggest learning curve that I have ever done was go treeplanting! Hubby and I planted for 2 years before having our baby girl. It is soooo hard at first but we both love it. It’s like an intense workout all day with so much to learn. We hope to make it back into the bush someday.
Your butt will get used to it, but padded shorts do help. Also my entire groin area has gone NUMB on a couple of really long, hard rides, it’s a little weird! lol
Hey Angela, I bought a seat specifically made for a woman from a bike store. It is pretty narrow and not soft at all but it worked! I was still sore for a couple days, but after that it was fine. Good luck!