I know it’s supposed to be hot in Texas, but August and September are particulary unbearable especially with the humidity this week staying in the 60 – 70 percent range.
Tomorrow I have my long run of 12 or maybe more miles and I will start at 5:30 AM and by the time I finish the temps will most likely be in the 90s. I get really crabby by the time I’m finished. I’ve been doing my short runs during the week with my treadmill PIMP. I know it’s cheating, but damn, I haven’t acclimated to the heat as well this year – even though I’m hydrating, electrolyting and wearing sunscreen. I’m such the good girl.
Because of this ridiculous heat (and stupid injury from the Austin Marathon) I’ve been supplementing my runs with leg torture, swimming, and cycling. (I only ran twice in Indiana and I need to make up some lost ground.) I’m still not a strong enough swimmer to get a good cardio workout in the pool, but I’ll keep at it – it’s a welcome relief. I only swam twice this week for 30 minutes because I started to choke and my fear of death took over. Leg torture is giving some strength back. It’s working and I LIKE IT. (Remind me sometime to tell you about my power-lifting extravaganza with my friend Cindy.) I am still in need of some endurance which, in addition to running, is where the cycling comes in. Also, when cycling that occasional lingering pain I still have in my left ankle when I run isn’t there. Is that a real sentence?
Even though I’m slow, the cycling does give me a really good cardio workout. My heart beats just as hard, if not harder sometimes, as when I’m running. (Is that wrong?) On Thursday I rode for an hour with my only goal being to figure out what the left gear was all about. I’m a little scared of the left gear because one time my chain fell off as I was shifting it and I nearly had a heart attack because I was in the middle of no where. Luckily I figured out how to get the chain back on, but up until Thursday it was the one and only time in the six years that I’ve used the left gear on that bike. I’m happy to report the left and I are getting along better. Especially going up hill.
Okay, so this was long and boring. Do you guys like the videos or are they retarded? And if you do like them, what should my next video be? I was thinking of maybe putting the camera behind my treadmill so you could critique my running form. Which has improved, but still also sucks.
(Oh, and a note for all of you who have made it this far into the post – I still have people asking how to comment since it’s not at the bottom anymore, it’s under the date on the left at the top directly under the bubble. Thank you for caring enough to ask.)
The left gear controls the big ring and the small ring in the front (you may have a 3rd ring depending on your bike). If you are going up a hill and because you are a beginner you probably want to stick to the small ring. The big ring is good for flats, going downhill, most rolling terrain and when you want power. Of course there is overlap between the two (or three). You should learn what cog set you have so you know your gear ratios (53×12, 39×15). The chain dropping was probably due to cross-chaining. If you ride too long with the chain in the big ring in the front and in the biggest ring in the back you are cross-chained and you run the risk of dropping your chain. Same holds true for being in the small ring up front and in the smallest ring in the back. You can usually tell you are doing that without looking because it makes noise. Until you get better at using both your big ring and small ring on a ride you will probably do that a lot. If you find yourself there on a ride shift the back cog FIRST(right shifter) to the middle cog for starters and THEN shift your front ring (left shifter) to the big or small ring as appropriate. From there you can shift again on the right to where you need to be to maintain your cadence. It sounds confusing but it becomes intuitive after awhile. Sorry comment so long.
That’s really interesting about the cycling workout. Somebody told me once that it takes awhile for your body to get accustomed to the biking action, no matter how fit you are in other sports. When you clip in, you aren’t just pushing down on the pedal (quad work) but you are also pulling up on the pedal on the return (ham workout) and those are some big muscles that will get your heartrate up, for sure.
I loved the videos. I’m a lazy beyotch so I didn’t comment then, but keep them up. Mostly so I can see how much smoother you get in later videos…you swim like I do, where we come mostly completely out of the water to take a breath! I feel like I’ll inhale water if I don’t! When you watch “swimmers” swim, they barely break water to breathe. It’s good stuff. Plus, I love your waterfall!
Love,
Mia
(who is, honestly, a wee bit bummed that the love you have for me is completely nonsexual, but who totally understands and loves you too!) 🙂
You should totally link my blog to yours…hahahaha who wouldn’t want to see naked plastic dolls!! I even got one of them a black convertible with leopard print seats!!
Anyway…HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!! Much too hot!
Loved the videos, and some Web weirdness prevented me from commenting on them earlier. Keep it up — they are incredibly motivating.
the comments when i view them are still at the bottom with a little blank box for me. it’s all very sweet.
i think you need to do some kick boxing vids.
I love the videos… I think you are incredibly courageous for doing them. I also like the idea of videoing the treadmill run, although I suspect your treadmill form is somewhat different than “regular” outdoor running form. It would be for me I think.
How do I get my picture in the box?
I enjoy the videos as well. Maybe something a little more scandalous 😉
Susan – posting a video of you running on the PIMP will only lead to more obnoxious comments about things like looking for your penis, considering how quickly all of us in Susan-land seem to digress. This, by the way, leads me to add that I never did see it, and I know I wasn’t the only one looking! But, I love the vlogging and I’m begging you to continue. I am working out vicariously through them, and that means if you were to discontinue I would be a lazy sow. ;-P
I like how you’ve burned the plates in your new masthead 🙂 Nice shoes too.
I’d like a side-on (as well as rear) view of you on the PIMP. I’m better at this than swimming.
Susan, perhaps the bubble needs some photoshop work for your dumb readers – you could write a miniature “comments” inside it.
i think you are getting excellent cardio on the bike because you won’t SHIFT down in front!! Have someone show you how to put your chain back on and you won’t be afraid. BettyBetty is the expert! I think i just learned something reading her comment.
So, you are now swimming, biking and running.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you. 🙂
I live the videos.
The cycling will make you a faster runner – it just works.
And though you claim all this cross training is all in the name of faster running some of us know what you are really up to – you are working up to your first triathlon. Mark my words. bwahahahahahahaha
-21stCenturyEvilMom
OMG! I will not complain the temps and humidity after seeing yours.