It’s Sunday afternoon, and that means it’s time for the Weekly Wrap! This is how my week went down:
Monday: 45 minute strength training
Tuesday: 12 hour work day
Wednesday: 15.1 mile bike ride
Thursday: 3.1 mile run
Friday: 25.3 mile bike ride
Saturday: Rest day
Sunday: 400 meter swim, 13.3 mile bike ride, 3.1 mile run
It’s been a fantastic week! I’ve been pretty consistent with my workouts and added more miles on the bike leading up to today’s sprint triathlon, which I will recap later this week. The weather early in the week was much more pleasant, but once again it got extremely hot and humid these past few days.
So about that tri…
As I’ve mentioned in some recent posts, I can’t swim. Sure, I can stay afloat and paddle enough to save my life, but that’s about it. But being the person whose first race ever was a marathon (for which I didn’t train), I didn’t let that fact stop me. I signed up for this race last August and fully intended to get in a pool and learn. But I didn’t. And of course this was a sprint triathlon, not an IronMan. And I loved it!! So much so that I will be signing up for next year’s race later today!
As you might know, the Tokyo Marathon lottery opened on Wednesday, so of course I threw my hat in the ring. My hope is to do all the World Marathon Majors, and I’m not getting any younger, so I need to get these races in sooner than later! Word on the street is there is only a small chance of getting in (I read 17% somewhere), but since I haven’t hit the regular lottery yet, maybe this will be where my luck lies.
On Friday we attended the wedding ceremony of one of my eldest son Mark’s best friends (who happens to be a 2:35 marathoner, and whose new bride will be running with Mark at Chicago this year for his attempt at a 3:00 Boston-qualifying finish!) I snagged this photo from the groom’s mom’s FB page. These guys have been friends since elementary school and it just warms my heart to see all of them together. Three of the five of them have gotten married in the past year. It is so awesome seeing how these guys have grown up to be such fine young men!
My two youngest sons attended Lollapalooza this weekend (a huge annual outdoor musical festival in Chicago that spans four days). If there are photos of my youngest son, David, I haven’t seen them yet. But I had to share this photo of my son Michael here. Cracking me up since 1994.
How was your week? Are you still dealing with this relentless heat an humidity? Who all put their name in the lottery for the Tokyo Marathon?
I’m linking up with Wendy over at Taking the Long way Home and Holly at HoHo Runs for this week’s wrap-up. Be sure to check out their blogs, as well as those of some of the other linkers on their sites. You never know just what you might find!
Congrats on your triathlon! I would love to do a sprint tri but my swimming game is VERY weak! Looking forward to the recap!
And good luck on Tokyo!!
Thanks so much! I am beyond weak as a swimmer, but I’m not afraid of the water, which was a huge help. I did some swimming on my back and a little bit of breast stroke, and I got it done!
Fingers crossed for you that you get into the Tokyo Marathon. It would definitely be cool to complete all of the World Marathon Majors!
I sure hope I do, though the expense of getting in and getting there is a little daunting!
I’l be keeping my fingers crossed for you for the Tokyo Marathon!
Congrats on your first Tri! You re so amazing. You never let fear get in the way of anything you want to accomplish.
Thanks, Kim! I really don’t fear any new challenge!
Congrats on your Tri! Looking forward to reading your recap!
Thanks so much, Michelle! This is a recap I am really looking forward to writing!
I have been waiting to hear about how this tri went! They are so addictive aren’t they! Congrats friend
I was already thinking about signing up for next year by the time I got on the bike. I really loved the experience!
I am so impressed with the tri!!!! I want to do a tri some day (in the future), but there’s that swimming thing to conquer first of all (UGH). Good luck with Tokyo…hopefully your luck will get you through!
Thank you so much! I still can’t believe I did it!
May we both be part of that magical 17%! Wonder what the London odds are?? Can’t be any better than that. Probably worse. Can’t wait to hear all about the tri!
My “Lolla leftovers” as the train conductor called them this morning, rolled into the station at 8:08am and went to senior orientation. Haha!
Fingers crossed we both get in! My youngest son went to Lolla Saturday night only. He was in bed (at my middle son’s place in the city) before 1:00 a.m. His friends stayed out until 6:00 a.m. They all come over and vegged at our pool on Sunday. It was almost funny watching how exhausted they were! Amazing your daughter made it to senior orientation!
Good luck with your lottery entry!
Someone I grew up with recently started doing triathlons… he had been a runner and cyclist, but wasn’t a good swimmer… he joined a swim club locally and it has really helped his technique. Maybe an option for you too?
I will have to check out the local swim clubs. Thanks for the great advice!
My oldest was also at Lolla and he said he’s not going anymore–he said there were so many weird people there. Of course, he has viral conjunctivitis so I’m not sure what he’s talking about…
Oh! I forgot to congratulate you on your triathlon!
Thank you, Wendy!
My oldest son (and his wife) said multiple times they were glad they were not going to Lolla. It seems for lots of people it’s become more of a ‘teenager’ thing. Go figure!
Congratulations on your first tri! It’s awesome that you were able to overcome the swimming to get it done! That’s a huge accomplishment!
You had so much fun this week, too!
Good luck on Tokyo!
Thanks, Jenn! It’s definitely been a fun week. I think key is that I’m not afraid of the water!
Oh, wouldn’t it be fun if you and Marcia ended up in Tokyo together! Deborah is trying to get me to try a tri but I really don’t swim – I can, but don’t 😉
I am so hoping Marcia and I both make it in to Tokyo! That would be so much fun!!! Funny, you can swim but don’t; I can’t swim but do!
Woo Hoo triathlete! Didn’t you feel so accomplished at the finish? I took the sprint tri plunge (literally jumped off a steam boat at the start of one) in 2016; horrible swimmer. Dog paddling would be a flattering description. The exhilaration of the bike legs made up for my lack of swimming skills. Wow — You certainly have some handsome sons. Thanks for linking!
I definitely feel accomplished, especially because of my lack of swimming skills! I’ll definitely stick with the sprint distances for now. And thank you!
Tokyo would be SO COOL, fingers crossed you get in. I mean, someone has to! I’m in the lottery for London again, so looking forward to receiving another Running Top Of Disappointment – or maybe a place!
Still hot here in the UK, ugh. I have to practise with my rucksack for Saturday’s race tonight as I missed my run on Sunday.
Oh, good luck with London! Also on my wish list. I think most everyone is dealing with this terrible heat and humidity. I guess misery loves company.
Wow!! How awesome!! I’ve always flirted with the idea and have several clients who have done one. So inspiring!!
Thank you! Now that I’ve done one, I’m anxious to do another. I’ll definitely need to stick with the sprints until I can up my swim game.
Yahoo for finishing your tri!! Swimming is my weakest part of a tri. They don’t really applaud the doggy paddle, haha!
Good luck with Tokyo lottery! That would be amazing to run!
We still have had a lot of humidity down here in Texas, but that is not surprising! Haha
Have an awesome week!
Thanks so much! I loved the fact that there were swimmers of all capabilities at this race. I certainly wasn’t the slowest! Hoping this heat and humidity will break soon for all of us!
Congratulations on the sprint triathlon! Friends are always trying to get me to do one but I’m not much of a swimmer. Maybe some day…
Good luck with Tokyo, that would be awesome!
I definitely need to up my swim game if I’m going to do any more of these!
Congrats on the tri!
I’m in for Tokyo Marathon as fundraising, I never have luck in lotteries 🙂
Thanks so much! Fingers crossed on Tokyo, but it sounds like my chances of getting in are pretty slim.
I’m so impressed you did a triathlon and you say you can’t swim!!! It almost impresses me enough to give it a go! Almost…
Love Lollapalooza! Bet your son and Caroline had a GREAT time!
I was totally distracted by your Tokyo entry that I had to quickly go an sign up as well. I had it in my calendar too! I was supposed to get an alert! Oh well. Luckily I read your blog and was reminded 🙂
the weather has been so awful here. today was good. we had a storm (FINALLY) last night (where I found myself at 1:30 am bringing the laundry in from the line…) so it was cooler today. apparently it will be horrible again next week. Yippee?
Fingers crossed we both get in to Tokyo! I would love to meet you in person and it would be such a fun trip! It’s extremely hot and humid here in Chicago (again) today. We are expecting heavy rain in the next few days, so hopefully that will improve things for next week.
Congrats on finishing your first tri! What an incredible accomplishment! Fingers crossed that you’ll be able to continue your celebration with an acceptance into Tokyo.
Thanks so much! I’m hoping for Tokyo, but it will be quite a surprise if it happens!
Congratulations on your triathlon! I’ve never done a tri and the swimming is what keeps me away. I can swim ok but I really don’t like murky water. Lol I have done several duathlons and love those!
Good luck with Tokyo. Wouldn’t it be cool if you and Marcia both got in the same year! Fingers crossed!
The water was murky, but it wasn’t ‘open water’ so not like a typical tri. I really thought about switching to the duathlon in my moment of panic the night before! I would so love it if a few of us could get in to Tokyo together!