BRICK

 

 

 

 

 

A “brick” is a type of workout used during triathlon training where you train on two disciplines of the race during the same workout.  This is done back-to-back, with minimal or no interruption in between the two disciplines.  This is trying to mimic race day as much as possible.

When you switch from biking to running your legs feel very heavy and flat out weird, hence “brick.”

Well ladies and gents (if there are any of those out there) I completed my first brick today.  And my legs do not feel like bricks they feel like pain, and lots and lots of pain.  I biked a total of 12 miles and then decided that it would be oh so much fun to just jump on the treadmill for 3 miles.  I was like, “idk how I am doing this right now, but I am still going… so might as well go until you hurt, right?”  Wrong-O my friends, wrong-O.

Don’t get me wrong, I am very pleased with myself and how I did on my first brick.  I did not expect myself to be able to run half a mile after that bike ride, but somehow I just kept on going.  I figured out how to run on a treadmill though… finally.  {{I run in front of the mirror and watch my pony tail swish from side to side.  Dead serious.}}  Even though I did pretty well on my first brick, I don’t want to push myself beyond my limits constantly.  I do not want another snap your Achilles tendon and be in a boot for 3.5 months incident again.  So even though I did very well today, I am going to small brick it from now on with the intense bricks thrown in along the way.

I read on a website that instead of doing such lengthy legs of each discipline at once, you should break it up throughout the workout.  So instead of biking 12 miles and then running 3 miles… I should bike 5 miles, then run 1 mile and repeat 3-4 times in one workout.  That will help your legs get used to adjusting quicker.  {{Neat tip, thank you guy who WordPress won’t let me post your link}}

And for all of you that were around during my whole “my mind hates running” phase just a few short weeks ago, I am starting to enjoy running!  For reals yo.  I kind of am a self bully though… “you keep on running Katelyn or you will get fat… you better not stop those legs or they will lose all of their tone… that foot BETTER get in front of the other one and that’s all I have got to say about that!”  Stuff like that, but hey! it works!

I also purchased my BFF for the next month an a half… my GRE practice test book.  My cousin and my CIL are sending me some GRE vocab cards and other prep stuff to get prepared.  I am going knock this ish right out of the water, and then I will be well on my way to Grad school!

Please excuse my brick hair.  I sweated off about 5 pounds… when your legs start dripping sweat you are working hard.  I deserve this ugly hair picture.

Well y’all, I am off to bed!  I have my first day of coaching in the morning!

Katelyn

Dreams to Reality

As we all know, I have been having what many would describe as an identity crisis career wise.  What do I want to do with the rest of my life?  THIS or THAT?! It changes every single week.  But, if you have been a constant reader over the past few weeks I let everybody know that I was seriously considering going back to school to become a high school English teacher, and that I knew that I really wanted to be a coach.

Well folks, considering I pass a rigorous background check, I will be an assistant volleyball coach for my old high school!  I just up and emailed my old coach and asked if there were any positions available.  Low and behold help was needed!   I could not be more excited to go back and work with my old coach.  We sat in her office for a good hour just talking about my life now that I am a 22-year-old college graduate, how much the volleyball program at Calvary has changed, and how happy she is that the alumni are coming back and working at their Alma Mater.

Just one thing… practice starts on Monday!  Yes, as in three days away from now!  The one thing about playing a fall sport is that your summer is cut a few weeks shorter than everybody else.  No, you don’t have to go to school, but you pull two-a-days and go to early tournaments and scrimmages, but that is the price you pay for being a fall athlete.  {{I don’t mind though… I am just glad I get to write “first day of school,” in my planner.}}  My August schedule is ridiculous though.  You will more than likely not see me here in blogland very much, because I do not have one day off the entire month of August between coaching and life guarding.  I even have to work the afternoon after my triathlon.  Lord help me.

In another “omg-my-life-is-starting-to-fall-into-place-praise-the-Lord,” moment I registered for the GRE!   For those of you who don’t know what the GRE is, it is the graduate school entrance exam.  Basically, the SAT for grad school.  I also found a program that I am very much thinking I want to pursue.  Yes, I have to get into the program first, but this is the one I want to apply for!  I could not be more excited to see my life to start falling into place.  It is just a relief to finally gain an understanding of who you are outside of college, what you want to be, how you want to get there and all that jazz.  I could dance around my room.  {{Actually… I have done that a lot over the past week.}}

The program is at a college close to home, UNCG.  It is a Masters of Arts program in Writing & Editing, along with getting my teachers certificate in secondary English.  It shouldn’t take more than a year, because it is only a 30-36 hour course load.  {{10-12 classes}}  So, that is where I am at right now!  I am so excited to see what the future holds.  {{It only took me about half a year to get to this point, but at least I am here right?}}

Katelyn

 

Hot.Hotter.HolyMotherIAmMelting.

I have had a pretty action packed past couple of days.

And when I say action packed, I mean living at the pool… melting.

I am dumb, and cannot figure out how to “back track” on The Weather Channel app to find how hot it was earlier today and past days.  All I can say it has been as hot as three hells outside this week.  Consistently hitting 101 degrees-103 degrees with the heat index.

You know the kind of hot where all you can do is sit inside your house, sweating  in front of a fan, starfished, half naked, praying to God above that the sun will go down, or that a breeze will blow {{because you dang well can feel that breeze inside your house}}?

That hot.

Lucky for me, I work outside.  Also, lucky for me, I work at a country club where they have money to burn, and heat their pool water {{are you freaking kidding me?!}}, so when anybody jumps in you are practically taking a bath.  All the adults have started cooling of in the pee baby pool, just because it has colder water than the big pool. Again, that hot.

And we get to do it all over again next week!

{{83 isn’t bad, but notice it was taken at 9:15pm}}

And we can just go ahead and tack on 10 degrees for heat index.  Heat index factoring in the humidity and telling you how hot it feels like outside.  Clean to sticky in .05 seconds after you walk out your front door?  I think so.

So after having my vent session about the heat… I will tell you about my weekend! Yay! for happiness!

Earlier this month I told a friend of mine that I would go with her to a local bands concert in DT Winston-Salem, but I forgot to check my work schedule, because I mean how early do I have to get up to guard a pool right?  10am tops?  Wrong-O. Try 5:30 am.

This weekend my pool hosted their leagues Championship Meet.  This meet was broken up into two parts, Friday night and Saturday morning.  On Friday night the meet lasted longer than expected, and the guards could not figure out how to turn on the pool lights… It was getting dark out, and so something needed to be figured out. {{we close at 8 when the sun is still all nice and shining… never needed to know before}}  So, one of the brilliant guards was like, “hey y’all! Pull your cars up around the pool and shine your head lights so we can still swim!”  A lifeguards dream come true is to be blinded by headlights and unable to see swimmers, let me tell you.  It has been referred to as the “white trash pool meet,” on multiple occasions, by multiple members of this country club, but I don’t know how White Trash it is to be swimming under the lights of all your mommy and daddy’s Lexus’, Mercedes’, Bimmers and Land Rovers.  Forgive me.

Don’t get me wrong, I love all of the parents and kids at my pool, they take very good care of me.  {{One of my pool moms even brought me coffee this morning}} But there is nothing white trash about these people, or this place.  Gold Plated White Trash possibly, but not straight up, spit chewin’, Bud Light drinking {{at 9am}} blaring country music out stereos you took out of your old Pinto and tied to your umbrella outside your trailer, White Trash.

So, 5:30am came ungodly fast after my whopping 3.5 hours of sleep, but you know what the only thing that kept me going was knowing that I was about to reward myself before the day even started with a group of other guards at the best place ever.  AKA: Bojangles.

If you are from an area without a Bojangles, I will happily weep for you.  And then go eat a biscuit or four in your honor.

A group of guards, and a swim coach, met at 6:15 this morning for some fun bonding time before we had to be at the pool for the meet.  It was a lot of fun and you definitely get to know people when they have gotten the most minimal amount of sleep possible, with crusties still in their eyes, chowing down on some good biscuits.  You know its acceptable to drink sweet tea {{or in my case Dr. Pepper}} at 6:15am when you know you are about to guard for 7 hours in 101 degree weather.

{{Forgive me, I didn’t take a picture of the beauty.}}

We all reported to the pool at 7am where we immediately started sweating and got ready for the meet!  I was triple fisting at one point… two coffees and a Dr. Pepper… oh, yes I did.  There were kids e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e.  I got a few “you aren’t my mom”‘s, a few “we can do this at my pool”‘s and the classic look at you, shake your head, “yes lifeguard,” smirk and then turn and run in a dead sprint away from you while you just stand there and yell “really kid” in their general direction.  Just another glorious day on the job.

It was fun getting to see the kids you have guarded and watched swim all summer at their final meet, working their hardest for their team.  I also got to see a lot of my friends since they are coaches at pools around the area.  Overall, it was a good day, nobody bled, nobody passed out and nobody drowned. 

success.

Katelyn

It’s All Mental

In high school my old soccer coach, John, AKA: the man that made me run until I thought I was going to die, always told us that running was mental.  That if your mind told itself that you couldn’t do it, you were going to convince yourself that you could not do it.  He would drill into us that we could as a matter of fact, no matter how much we doubted ourselves, keep going.  Sometimes we kept on going because he told us if we didn’t run harder/faster/longer we would be running more afterwards.

When you run your mind is your worst enemy.

Your legs will move if your brain tells them too.

I am having issues with my mind telling my legs to move.

And I don’t have a coach to make me do it anymore.

“It is very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners.  Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit.”

The hardest part for me to train for during my triathlon training is the running.  Yes, I am fully aware that is only two measly miles, but I loathe running.  I would swim a mile and bike for an hour before running a half a mile.  Seriously.  I don’t know what it is about it, I don’t know if I am just being a chicken, sissy, whiny baby or what, but I just cannot convince myself to get into it for running.  And I am also fully aware that running is the last leg of my triathlon, thus being the hardest leg since I will be fatigued.  I used to run, and I mean 5-6 miles on a daily basis… easy peasy.  So, I just have to get passed the fact that I have mentally defeated myself before I even step out on the pavement.

{{and it will be pavement, treadmills were created by the devil}}

I need to put on my Brooks, I need to go outside in the 98 degree, 110 heat index, North Carolina morning and I need to run.  I need to sweat, I need to hurt, I need to get stronger.  I just have to tell myself that I can.

If I can do RPM and Body Pump back-to-back, I am pretty sure I can run two miles.

If you are a runner, how do you beat your mind?  How do you mentally prepare for something like a big race, or a long run?  I know I can do it, its just the while I am doing it I need to know I can do it.  Is there a certain thing you go through, or do you just keep on saying “I can, I can, I can, I can” until you honestly cannot?

Help the mentally challenged.

Katelyn

My Moment

Have you ever been so busy that the second you get any down time you just want to turn into a lazy piece of mess?  That you work, work and work to the point that you feel that you are getting physically ill, and then you have a blessed moment of I have a billion other things I need to do, but it can wait nothing to do and you just collapse?

That is exactly how I was this past weekend.  I feel like I have been living at The Y, and that I have sold my soul to the aquatics director this summer.  Like I said earlier, my trip to the lake this weekend was very spontaneous and unexpected, but so needed.  I was so worn out from working this week that I didn’t even get on a jet ski or ride the tube.  I was perfectly content with riding in the boat with the wind in my hair and being behind the camera.  My uncle and I even took the Chris Craft out and just rode around the lake for about an hour.  We didn’t say a word, just drove the boat.  It was probably one of the most relaxing things I have done, ever.  I love the wind blowing through my dirty lake hair, feet propped up, eyes closed and head tilted back enjoying that small moment.  It is a small act, being on the boat enjoying God’s creation, but it is one of those small acts that I feel defines who a person is.

Some peoples moments are standing in their stilettos looking in the middle of their big city and feeling the energy pulse through their veins.  Other peoples moments are running trails or running period.  My moment is the silence and peace I feel on the water, letting the boat take me away.  I get the same feeling standing on the beach listening to the waves.  There is just something about it that takes it all away.  It is hard to define it.  All of the stress of work, boys, anything at all just evaporates and I enjoy the fact of being alive, of being on the water and just being.  I sure hope I can have some more of those peaceful, quiet moments this summer.  Sometimes you just need them, like they save you, and I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I needed my moment this past weekend.

Even though it was a very relaxing weekend for me, there was of course some fun involved at Camp Garlow.

{{no tri training, just good times.}}

Katelyn

In the Fabulous Life of Katelyn Garlow!

I just arrived at Flat Top Lake… two hours after I should have been here, and am gorging myself on chocolate eclair cake.  Yes, please.  My plans to go to Raleigh this weekend were thwarted when my friend Chris decided to get deathly ill.  Man, was I hoping to get to the bookstore and get a new Alumni sticker.  It might be a good idea that I didn’t get to though, because it seems those Alumni stickers bring bad car luck.

Once I realized that I would not be going to Raleigh, I packed up and headed up to WV for some relaxing lake time, and of course to watch the USA women’s team play in the WORLD CUP FINALS with my family!!!

How about them apples.

USA! USA! USA!

I am pretty sure this is exactly what my face looked like too.

I still can’t watch it enough on You Tube.  Ridiculous.

I also had the pleasure of going and seeing the final Harry Potter movie at midnight Thursday night with my friend Brown.  It was so much fun, and I so enjoying being able to see “the end” with all the other heavily Potter obsessed.  I might have cried at the end.  Let’s put this into perspective for everyone.

1997- When Potter began

and 2011-When it ended {{or the final movie was released.  I will be re-watching and re-reading this movies/books until the day I die}}

It may not be the best picture of me… but it is necessary.

But let us talk about something, Neville Longbottom.  Yes, nerdy please.

I am so glad Neville got his fair share in the movie.  I was worried that they wouldn’t show case him in part two like he was showcased in the final book.  And dayum did he rock that grandpa sweater and canvas shoes like nobody’s business.  Please, Lord in Heaven, let me marry Matthew Lewis.  {{I have a thing for nerds… obviously}}  I will never look at another picture of Jake Gyllenhaal, Ryan Reynolds, Jude Law or Robert Downey Jr. ever again if I can have Matthew Lewis {{complete with his sweater}}.

My uncle got a new boat this weekend!  It is a 2006 Sea Doo Speedster Wake boat.  It is awesome.  It is also black and red, so I call it my NC State boat. {{He is the die hard WVU fan, but he has a lake house in Raleigh county and has a black and white boat… I think he is trying to tell us all something here.}}

The angle of the picture makes it look pretty small, but it is a 20 footer, and super duper awesome!

I have officially registered my death sentence on August 21, 2011.  I didn’t think it would be that hard, but every one around here that I talk to keep telling me that this sprint tri is pretty difficult.  And when experienced triathletes tell me that… I get a little worried.  Pray for my survival.

The weather is pretty chilly up here at Flat Top Lake, but I don’t really mind.  I am just excited that I had the time to sit down and write a blog, read a book, not have to worry about being on time to work, not guarding screaming kids at camp and not dealing with The Real Housewives of Salem Glen.  {{That is what we call all the rich, trophy wives at the pool}}

I’m going to relax now!

Katelyn

Swing, Batter, Batter; Swing {{Dance?}}

Hello y’all!

I have dearly missed you, but I have been busy having lots of fun here at home!  I have barely had time to even read all of the wonderful blogs I subscribe to!

I have taught and guarded enough this week to last me for the rest of the summer!  Guess that is a little too bad since I have to keep on doing it until I find myself a “big girl job.”  {{Which I am working on, by the way!}}

I have also been playing a lot of baseball.  Not playing, but more like “training.”  Yeah, it’s a big joke, I am not a trainer by any stretch of my any ones imagination, but I have been helping with batting practice and outfield work!  I am learning the difference between the different types pitches, and I finally have started keeping my back foot down when I swing.  Hard core.  I know.  I am so tough.  What can I say?

This past Saturday, I went swing dancing.  Yeah, Miss fall flat on my face all the time, drop things, run myself into walls on accident  Grace over here went Swing Dancing. Get it.

I do apologize to all of you, because I some how managed to not get one picture of the whole entire night.  I even had a really cute outfit on and everything.  My skirt even twirled.  I know, I am a Dumb Dumb.  {{The capital D’s were necessary}}  Maybe I will go again sometime this summer and then I PROMISE I will take pictures.  It was actually a lot of fun.  I was a little skeptical at first, I mean swing dancing, but I had a really good time with the group I went with, and I had a good teacher.  I mean all the girl has to do is twirl and hop at random types anyways.  It was a great time with some really fun new people.  We also went to Ihop after… can’t really go wrong with that now can you.

On a much more exciting note…

55 days until NCSU Football Season Starts

I have just spent the last forever decorating my new planner and one of the first things I did was write the entire NC State football schedule.  I have yet to miss a home football game, and I don’t plan on missing any even though I am not a student anymore.

Everybody knows Alums party harder anyways.

Katelyn

I’m Legit.

Heck, yeah.

Katelyn

A Special Treat

The only thing that can make the Garlow’s run like the wind are these three things:

1. The famous last words- “Hey y’all, watch this!!”

2. Power Tubing

3. Chocolate chip cookie dough

and now… Chocolate Eclair Cake

Yummmmmm… Chocolate Eclair Cake!

{{Please forgive the terrible pictures you are about to see.  I had to fight off the crowds to get the few pictures I did get.  Nobody was going to wait on this baby… if you waited too long it would be gone.}}

Here is the recipe.  It is so easy my Mimi even said that I could make it.  So it is really simple.

What you need:

2 (3 3/4 oz.) French Vanilla Instant pudding mix {{can replace with light for all you folks watching your figures}}

3 cups of milk

1 (9 oz.) frozen whipped topping {{also can replace with light}}

and some Graham Crackers

What you do:

- Combine pudding mix and milk.  Mix well. Fold in whipped toppping and beat two minutes and medium speed.

Butter 9×13 pyrex dish {{or whatever 9×13 pan you have}} and place layer of whole graham crackers in dish.  Spread half of pudding over crackers.  Top with a second layer of crackers and then second half of pudding mix.  Top a 3rd layer of crackers and then pour cool chocolate topping over crackers.

Chocolate Topping

1/4 cup of milk

1/3 cup of dry cocoa (3 table spoons)

1 cup of sugar

1/2 tsp of salt

1 stick of butter

1 tsp vanilla

Combine milk, cocoa, sugar and salt in pot and boil for one minute.  Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Mix well. Cool.

What you get is heaven in your mouth.

Now, go flee to your kitchens and make it.  I promise you it is greater than or equal to chocolate chip cookie dough. gasp. I know. Flee.

Katelyn

Camp Garlow: 4th of July Edition

Many exciting things have happened over yonder at Camp Garlow this weekend.

My cousin Beth’s husband, Nick, was officially inducted into the Garlow family when he shaved his head.  {{official, official=half in challenge, but us women wouldn’t let that happen to poor Nick}}

My younger cousin, Sarah, and her boyfriend got engaged. Yeah, engaged. You heard that right. I cried like a little sap.  All us women cried, except for Sarah herself.  hahaha My cousin is getting married!

We took took the boats out and watched the fireworks over Flat Top Lake.

Ate. Ate. Ate. and Ate some more.{{I even have some recipes for y’all!}}

Took a family portrait.  {{That feat takes hours here at the Garlow house… and we are still missing 7 members}}

My 83 year old Papa, that is terrified of water, rode the jet ski, and so did my Mimi!

We acted a little bit ridiculous. Or, I did at least.

We read some books, and tanned.  My grandma told me that she was about to ship me off to Costa Rica, cause I don’t fit in this pale family.

In the end, we were all just tired.

And most importantly… nobody cried tears of pain and hurt, and little cousin Johnny did not go into serial killer mode.  There were emotional tears of course, all of us sentimental saps in one house, but nobody was injured enough to the point of tears.  That in itself made this weekend a success.

In all seriousness though, it was a great weekend with my wonderful family.  These memories we all will be able to treasure forever.  I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family that appreciates me, supports me and most importantly loves me unconditionally.  If you need a little love, just come visit my family!  We have plenty to go around.

Katelyn