lkagop's Training Group (Page 29)

Hi everyone. I'm bailing on the challenges this month and plan to just get through the marathon training as best I can.

Had a 20k run today that was an absolute pig but I did it so can tick that one off the list.

I went away with the kids for a few days to stay with my sister and her girls - we had a great time but there wasn't anywhere safe to run. Lots of snakes around (bad ones) and milk trucks flying along a dirt road that sent up clouds of dust so I'm glad I got a run in before I left.  

I have news though

On the first night we were at my sisters she took us to a large lake; apparently it was a volcano once upon a time and is so deep they can't measure the depth.  The lake was pretty black but nice and flat with a few power boats getting around.

I had packed my bathers and my goggles "just in case" and although I was scared I knew I would be really dissapointed with myself if I didn't get in and swim (my first ever swim outside of a pool).

Even though I was crapping myself I got in - I really had to push my fear aside because it was so black and deep. I swam along the shore in the deep water; they had some bouys out further but I was a bit anxious that there would be no-one to help me if I got in trouble.  I even dived off the potoon a few times and probably did a 100, and 2 x 200m. It was about 8.30 at night so it was getting dark. The cold took my breath away to start with then I got used to it and it wasn't so cold afterall.  I can't tell you how proud I was of myself.

Today when I went for my run around Lysterfield Lake I saw heaps of people swimming so now I'm pumped to go for a swim in there too - it is dark like the other lake and has lots of grass on the bottom but if I have someone with me I'll be ok.

The lake was gorgeous today and sooo busy. Mountain bikers use the track so they were there, hikers, walkers, runners and people swimming and kayaking on the lake - it was a hub of activity and really motivated me today.

2 more weeks of school hols and then I'll be more regular on here again.

Well done to you all on your tallys for the month so far xx

Hey Michelle,

Way to conquer that open water swim!  I was very scared my first time and I still get nervous before each one.  It's a totally different feel putting your head down in the water the first time and not being able to see anything!   

You SHOULD be proud of yourself, Michelle!  You didn't just conquer an open water swim, you conquered a black abyss!!!!

Totally.  Totally.  Awesome.

Thanks guys

Another 36 degree day here and it is HOT!!  Summer has been a slow starter but it is here with a vengence now!

36 degrees?  that is freezing here in Memphis!

Congrats on the swim and I want to hear about the marathon. That is on my goal list for next December!

OK.  So I was over on Tim's Log and he said he had to be in court.  I then realized that after about 9 months together, I don't know what everyone does for a living on here.

I'll start.  I do public affairs and grassroots lobbying for a very small firm in Dayton.  I've been doing that for 4 years.  For three years of that, I've also helped my husband with his political consulting and media relations firm, Abernathy Public Relations.(www.abernathypublicrelations.com).

Tim, are you an attorney?

Well, look at you.  Detective, huh?  We all knew you got a promotion, but that's just fantastic.  Thanks for putting your life on the line and keeping the streets safe.

36 degrees here is around 95 degrees over there

Hi everyone,

Tim and Lora I am very impressed with what you both do.

Tim I do have a special soft spot for police officers - some of my friends are police over here and I think they do such an awesome job.

I am CEO of my own company called Glow Women's Fitness Online (www.glowwomensfitnessonline.com.au if you want to check it out).  I have been doing this for almost 3 years and before that I owned gymnasiums and personal training studios along with a taekwondo school. I sold my taekwondo school in 2006 and still miss it and my students  everyday!!  I also did a stint as a business coach in my own business for a few years but the fitness industry pulled me back when I was training for my 4th dan (black belt) a few years back.

I work for Target as a Corporate Investigator dealing with Safeness, Theft and Fraud. Basiclly, I go after the organized, professional shoplifters that steal for a living. I make the case against them by gathering evidence, doing surveillance, digging through their trash, whatever it takes to build a case and then present it to law enforcement (too bad we aren't closer Tim). Our goal is to apprehend a bad guy in the act of the theft, interview him prior to handing him over to law enforcement (I do not have to mirandize him) and then use what he tells me to convinve him to work with Target and LE. Then we work with LE to wire up the informant, give him product and let him sell merchandise to his buyer. Then we obtain arrest and search warrants through the State or Feds and go wake them up very early in the morning and give them a new pair of shiny silver bracelets! (Meaning they are arrested and handcuffed)

I also deal with Internal employee theft, pretty much doing the samething, building the case for prosectution.

That's incredible and interesting work.  What's the longest you've worked on one particular case?

Well, since we have some LE and LE-ish people on here, I'll tell you what I did before politics.  I adminstered my firm's forensic psychological evaluations program and went on to create the marketing position for the firm (www.claymanassociates.com).  I'm not a psychologist, but I had to make sure all the paperwork (court orders, medical records, etc.) and scheduling was in order so that the psychologists could do their jobs.  If there were 100 claims of mental illness or defect, only 2-3 of them actually were.  My boss was so good at being unbiased, that when he actually found someone to be incompetent, the prosecution took his word for it and didn't fight it in court.

I loved, loved, loved my job and the only reason I'm not there is because we had to move.  I'd probably be finishing up my Masters in psych and training to be a forensic psychologist myself if we hadn't moved.

Anyway...

Thanks guys, my job means a lot to me and it feels good when you see people who you have truly been able to help.  But we really do have a good diverse group of people/jobs on here and we haven't even heard from a lot of the new guys/gals.  I always wonder what it would be like having other jobs...being able to work from home, running your own business, etc...and what I would've ended up doing if I hadn't gotten into my line of work. 

You guys have to drop by my logs and have a look at the temps here!!!

Today was close to 40 and the forecast is 40 plus till Sunday. Those poor tennis players at the Australian Open!! Anyone watching??

Holy smokes!  I will stop complaining about cold Massachusetts winter now   Seriously, I can always get out and run in the snow if I push myself, but I just melt walking to the office when it gets anywhere NEAR let alone OVER 100ºF!  Poor tennis players, indeed!

Wow, and are you still training for a marathon in this????  Hope you're getting out for a jog before dawn when it's a little cooler!

Home stretch for those doing the Jan IM Challenge... how's everyone wrapping up the month?

Bike: Two or three more bike sessions and I think I'll actually finish it this time!  Big accomplishment for me since I had almost no bike base before.

Run: I was originally planning on double run, but my knee issues have me back to physical therapy and off the running for a while but completing one IM isn't too shabby.

Swim: Almost hit double on the swim since I did the Masters One Hour Postal Swim on Sunday and racked up 3360yds which I was VERY HAPPY about!  Two days later my arms still feel like jelly.   Will probably do one more swim to double up the IM.

How bout everyone else?

Challenge three complete!  SOmetimes I think I am better at training for a race than I am at racing a race!

I'm doing my week day runs later in the evenings and my long runs first thing Saturday mornings - so far so good but this week will be testing as the temps won't drop below 20 or so during the night and will heat right back up as soon as the sun comes up.

Well done on your targets guys - well done.

The marathon training is going well for me at this stage. Did a 20k on Saturday that felt really comfortable - like I had another 5 or 6 k in me so that is a good sign and the first time I have felt that in a long run in a while. I step back to 16k on Saturday before I head back up to 24k or so.

Your totals look great, Mina!

I've exceeded my swim so that's done.  I have 6.2 miles left on the run, and I have 30 miles left on the bike.  I registered for 3 spin classes this week to top off my biking, but had to cancel this morning because of bad weather.

The Y's about 4 miles away, so maybe I should just run to my spin classes the next couple days since I can't drive!  My gosh...I'm not even joking.  I love being a triathlete.

Hey - I've got Yaktraxs and Gortex sneaks just for such an occasion!  My motto this year is NO EXCUSES... it's nice cause it means you get more toys

Awesome work so far, and good luck finishing up on the bike!