3 weeks under my belt

3 weeks in and I feel great. I've started to easily add 10 to 15 minutes to my workouts. It feels so good to be on the road to optimum health while raising money for such a great cause!

Some fun things we're doing:

1. Every Thursday night is group swim. Afterwards is group sushi. This is also Todd's and my date night. Perfecto.
2. Every Saturday is a group workout of either running or bicycling. Last Saturday we hammered out 12 miles around Sauvie Island - flat beautiful farm land ride. This was also the first time Todd had been back on his bike since I foolishly took him on a 40+ mile vineyard (read: hilly) ride when I was training for Cycle Oregon (400+ miles over a week). Let's just say he does not have fond memories of biking. This ride felt good to him - I was happy! This Saturday was a 17 mile ride on the West side of Portland with rolling hills. I LOVE my bike and it feels incredible to be back in the saddle.

The garage has become my personal training center and I don't think I could be doing this without it. We have a treadmill, flat screen TV and a bicycle trainer set up.

I have started to enjoy my 5am ritual: get my cup of French Vanilla Cafe International coffee (mix), wake up at the computer by checking email and facebook, head to the garage for dynamic stretches and then my 45 minute work out of the day. I noticed that getting up and moving that early gets my brain moving and energized for the day ahead. It also means I'm ready for bed by 9pm most nights!

Mara has also noticed that Mama is working out. One morning she was up at the crack of dawn and found me in the garage on my bicycle (trainer). I was only 20 minutes into my workout and needed 30 more minutes. So I hopped off the bike, got her a pop tart, juice water, a blanket and told her we were going to have some fun. She sat on the treadmill and watched "Handy Manny" while I finished my work out.

At one point she turned to look at me and said, "Mama, you're going to have to settle down a little bit after you finish riding that bicycle. You're going real fast!" I felt good...

Today I met Sarah at the pool for a little 1:1 swim lesson which proved to be VERY valuable. I sometimes feel like I'm playing golf while learning to swim. The parallel? So many things to think about and it is pure magic when they all come together to propel you through the water. Here is my mental list: head up, legs extended/straight, roll to breathe, every three strokes breathe switching left or right, keep fingers together not apart, bend elbows at ninety degree angles when stroking the water... I'm sure I'm forgetting something.

And if at any time I wonder how I'm going to finish that mile swim I think of Scott who is undergoing both radiation and chemo right now. He doesn't complain and he keeps fighting.

Here's to the wolf slayer.