The weather is truly cooperating by way of imitating IMKY, although it will probably be even hotter and more humid. YEAH!?
Tuesday was my last long(er) tri day. I did a 1500 meter swim, followed immediately by a 30 mile bike. Later in the p.m. (3:00) a five mile run. Running later after the s/b brick guarantees tired legs. They were a little tired, and it was 88 degrees. My friend, who is a level 1 tri coach, explained the logic behind it. I usually feel good the day I do the triple w/o. It's the day after that I'm a little wiped. I was a little tired and a lot hungry!
Slept really good last night. I would have gone to bed early, but I wanted/needed to see the rest of the Cubs game. Go Cubbies!
This morning was a sleep in/clean/shop before the run day. I started about 11:15 at Waterfall Glen. More of those darn hills! Did 5 miles backwards, 4 forwards, for 9 total. I ran/jogged slow, even for me. It was hot, but I was also fatigued from yesterday's workout. I don't do well with these back-to-back runs. Not many more left, thank goodness. Back to the fitness center for a good stretch/strength workout and an easy 1000m swim.
Tomorrow will be an easy 2 hour bike. Maybe a short swim. Friday is a 3 hour run and 2700m swim. YOW! Saturday rest. Sunday 103 mile bike, 25 minute run. Last tough day. Next week is recovery, then three weeks of taper. I think I'm going to like tapering after ironman distance training!
A big shout out of good luck to all you friends doing Steelhead this Saturday: Iron Snoopy, Moose, Waddler, Nick, Lisa, Kurt, Dan and anyone else I know but missed. It's going to be a hot day, but at least it won't rain! You guys are all awesome, have trained hard, and will do great! Can't wait to hear how you all do. Please let me know.
Too tired to write anything inspiring today. Just wanted to get the basics, for anyone interested. Have a great night and Thursday. I'm enjoying the summer (finally) weather!
Until next time--God bless!
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Finally Over Monday
Monday is over, good thing too. I'm not too proud to say I was tired after the long day/ride on Sunday. I tried to sleep in, but 6:30 was as late as I could do.
Cleaned a bathroom, went to WalMart, did my paperwork before taking Peanut to the gym. Drove over to LTF for what turned out to be the LONGEST swim (in terms of time) EVER:
200S; 200K,;200Pull; 200 S: 1900 ladder down from 300 (300,275,250, etc.); 10 x 100; 4 x 50. Whew! I did this workout once before, but I wasn't as tired when I started. The ladder doesn't look so bad, but it was hard yesterday, believe me.
When I was done, I was really tired (didn't help that the water was soooo warm--Ohio River warm?), and starving. I had two hours to kill before getting Peanut, so I ate (the lunch I brought with me) and sat in the gym and read/napped.
We had to stop for P.T. for Peanut on the way home. We left the house at 10:30 and got home at 6:00. It was a long day! Came home and made a good pasta dinner. Ate too much pasta and broccoli, and I had some light chocolate ice cream. I was too full when I went to bed at 10:30. Had to stay up to watch the Cubs win--YEAH!
Today is Tri Tuesday (last one!): 30 minute continuous swim; 90 minute bike. Later in p.m. a 45 minute run. Hoping the weather holds out at least until I get my bike done. If necessary, I can run on the TM at LTF this afternoon. My son likes to workout in the p.m., so that would actually work out good.
FYI--I read on the Team Louisville forum that the bike course is changed a little from last year--more hills. A big climb at mile 100. This from a member who rode the course over the weekend and completed the race last year. Just what I need--more to be nervous about. My husband keeps telling me I'll be fine, but to make me feel better, he changed my cassette last night. More easy gears. I'll train on the hills today and see how it feels. I have a feeling I'll use it at the race.
Hope everyone had a good Monday and has a good Tuesday!
Until next time--God bless!
Cleaned a bathroom, went to WalMart, did my paperwork before taking Peanut to the gym. Drove over to LTF for what turned out to be the LONGEST swim (in terms of time) EVER:
200S; 200K,;200Pull; 200 S: 1900 ladder down from 300 (300,275,250, etc.); 10 x 100; 4 x 50. Whew! I did this workout once before, but I wasn't as tired when I started. The ladder doesn't look so bad, but it was hard yesterday, believe me.
When I was done, I was really tired (didn't help that the water was soooo warm--Ohio River warm?), and starving. I had two hours to kill before getting Peanut, so I ate (the lunch I brought with me) and sat in the gym and read/napped.
We had to stop for P.T. for Peanut on the way home. We left the house at 10:30 and got home at 6:00. It was a long day! Came home and made a good pasta dinner. Ate too much pasta and broccoli, and I had some light chocolate ice cream. I was too full when I went to bed at 10:30. Had to stay up to watch the Cubs win--YEAH!
Today is Tri Tuesday (last one!): 30 minute continuous swim; 90 minute bike. Later in p.m. a 45 minute run. Hoping the weather holds out at least until I get my bike done. If necessary, I can run on the TM at LTF this afternoon. My son likes to workout in the p.m., so that would actually work out good.
FYI--I read on the Team Louisville forum that the bike course is changed a little from last year--more hills. A big climb at mile 100. This from a member who rode the course over the weekend and completed the race last year. Just what I need--more to be nervous about. My husband keeps telling me I'll be fine, but to make me feel better, he changed my cassette last night. More easy gears. I'll train on the hills today and see how it feels. I have a feeling I'll use it at the race.
Hope everyone had a good Monday and has a good Tuesday!
Until next time--God bless!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
If You Miss the Train I'm On........
........you can hear the whistle blow 100 Miles! For you old folks out there, you may recognize the words to the old Peter, Paul and Mary song, 100 Miles.
While I didn't hear the whistle blow, I did ride my bike 105.54 miles today! What a blast. I rode with my good friend--thank you so much for a great time, Jo. You're going to do it in Madison for sure!
The course was actually about 98 miles, but we, uh, missed the 50 mile loop that made the long route the long route. In our defense, while the Naperville Bike Club did a great job and put on a great ride, the markings at this particular point were a bit, well, not so really clear to a couple senior ladies. Also in our defense, we found a couple other young people who did the same thing.
The weather was absolutely perfect. Started out cool, but warmed up nicely, with just enough wind to keep us cool and honest. The course was really flat, so the wind challenged us just a bit!
It took us a long time....but, we did stop at three of the four rest stops for quite a bit. Lots of visiting and chatting. My friend knew about 2,000 people everywhere we went. I actually met a couple people I know, too. In fact, the young couple that missed the 100 mile loop--my husband and I met them in Appleton, WI when I did the High Cliff half iron tri. The nicest, cutest couple you'll ever meet. And, it turns out, they live just across the street (i.e., subdivision?) from my friend in Naperville.
A good time was had by all, at least I think so. Again, it was a long day, and after the ride I needed to do a 20 minute run, so my girl ran with me. It was so fun riding with someone--I normally ride alone and meet people on the way.
On the way home, I decided I just had to stop by the fitness center (I was practically driving right by it anyway) to stretch out good, do a little core work, sit in the hot tub and have a shower. It felt really good.
So, all in all a very good day. Also, a good confidence builder for IMKY. I'm really starting to believe that I'll be able to do this craziness I've been training for since January. One more long run (3 hours) and long bike (100 miles) next week, and I start recover/taper.
FYI--yesterday (Saturday) was a rest day. And boy, did I rest. Went to the library, post office, washed some clothes, and sat at the computer TV for most of the day. Did get to see the Iron Girl tri from Las Vegas. Interesting course in the desert!
Tonight I should sleep like a log. Tomorrow, just a 3900 meter swim. Should be a good day.
So, the totals for today's ride for anyone interested:
105.54 miles; Total time: 7:19; Ride time: 6:14; AHR: 129; Zone: 3; %MHR: 72; Calories: 3,650.
Week totals:
Swim: 4x = 8,300 meters
Bike: 3x = 168 miles
Run: 3x = 22 miles
Core: 3x = 80 minutes
Time: 21 hours
Calories: 9,300
Hope everyone had a good weekend and weather as good as we did!
Until next time--God bless!
While I didn't hear the whistle blow, I did ride my bike 105.54 miles today! What a blast. I rode with my good friend--thank you so much for a great time, Jo. You're going to do it in Madison for sure!
The course was actually about 98 miles, but we, uh, missed the 50 mile loop that made the long route the long route. In our defense, while the Naperville Bike Club did a great job and put on a great ride, the markings at this particular point were a bit, well, not so really clear to a couple senior ladies. Also in our defense, we found a couple other young people who did the same thing.
The weather was absolutely perfect. Started out cool, but warmed up nicely, with just enough wind to keep us cool and honest. The course was really flat, so the wind challenged us just a bit!
It took us a long time....but, we did stop at three of the four rest stops for quite a bit. Lots of visiting and chatting. My friend knew about 2,000 people everywhere we went. I actually met a couple people I know, too. In fact, the young couple that missed the 100 mile loop--my husband and I met them in Appleton, WI when I did the High Cliff half iron tri. The nicest, cutest couple you'll ever meet. And, it turns out, they live just across the street (i.e., subdivision?) from my friend in Naperville.
A good time was had by all, at least I think so. Again, it was a long day, and after the ride I needed to do a 20 minute run, so my girl ran with me. It was so fun riding with someone--I normally ride alone and meet people on the way.
On the way home, I decided I just had to stop by the fitness center (I was practically driving right by it anyway) to stretch out good, do a little core work, sit in the hot tub and have a shower. It felt really good.
So, all in all a very good day. Also, a good confidence builder for IMKY. I'm really starting to believe that I'll be able to do this craziness I've been training for since January. One more long run (3 hours) and long bike (100 miles) next week, and I start recover/taper.
FYI--yesterday (Saturday) was a rest day. And boy, did I rest. Went to the library, post office, washed some clothes, and sat at the computer TV for most of the day. Did get to see the Iron Girl tri from Las Vegas. Interesting course in the desert!
Tonight I should sleep like a log. Tomorrow, just a 3900 meter swim. Should be a good day.
So, the totals for today's ride for anyone interested:
105.54 miles; Total time: 7:19; Ride time: 6:14; AHR: 129; Zone: 3; %MHR: 72; Calories: 3,650.
Week totals:
Swim: 4x = 8,300 meters
Bike: 3x = 168 miles
Run: 3x = 22 miles
Core: 3x = 80 minutes
Time: 21 hours
Calories: 9,300
Hope everyone had a good weekend and weather as good as we did!
Until next time--God bless!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Easier Day!
Well, not so much. I thought today would actually be an easy day, but not really. I was so tired last night, I was asleep BEFORE 9:00. (You know you're either getting old or training for a long race when you hit the hay before your 10 and 14 year old kids!)
When I woke up at 5:30, I was surprised at how good my legs felt after yesterdays long run. Not bad for an old lady. Maybe I can get through this ironman thing after all.
So I headed over to the fitness center for some warm-up/core/stretch/strength work, followed by a VERY EASY 2.5 miles on the treadmill (i.e., flat--no hills). I then headed into the pool for a 4,000 meter swim.
The water at all the pools I swim in has been really warm lately. I decided to try the outside pool, hoping it would be cooler since it was earlier (8:00) in the day. No such luck. Still pretty warm, but I decided to stick it out. I've heard that the river in Louisville is really warm, so maybe a good race practice.
It took me longer than I had hoped (1:40 with water and potty breaks). I felt pretty wrinkled when I got out. Of course when I was swimming, a couple younger, faster ladies got in the pool and pretty much swam circles around me. Not really good for the self-esteem. I was able to hang with one or two of them for a little bit, but in the end......well, I'll never be mistaken for Dara Torres.
I have to admit I was a little tired when I got done. And SOOOO thirsty and hungry. I forgot how hungry swimming can make me. I tried to eat good today, and I did OK.
Things were crazy around the house this afternoon. I thought I was going to have some "down time" but it never came. I took my son for his high school (yikes!) physical and stopped at the grocery store so I don't have to do THAT tomorrow. I hate almost all types of shopping (except I do love book stores)!
Tomorrow is a REST DAY. Very little house work, NO running around, maybe evening church service. I'm riding with a good friend on Sunday at the Melon Metric. We're doing the 100 mile route. My first 100 mile ride in, well, basically FOREVER. Hope I'm up to the challenge. I have another one planned for the next Sunday, so hopefully this one will go well.
Tired now and planning to plop down in front of the TV and watch a couple shows on USA. Hopefully I can stay awake until 10:00 tonight. No alarm tomorrow.
Hope everyone had a great Friday.
Until next time--God bless!
When I woke up at 5:30, I was surprised at how good my legs felt after yesterdays long run. Not bad for an old lady. Maybe I can get through this ironman thing after all.
So I headed over to the fitness center for some warm-up/core/stretch/strength work, followed by a VERY EASY 2.5 miles on the treadmill (i.e., flat--no hills). I then headed into the pool for a 4,000 meter swim.
The water at all the pools I swim in has been really warm lately. I decided to try the outside pool, hoping it would be cooler since it was earlier (8:00) in the day. No such luck. Still pretty warm, but I decided to stick it out. I've heard that the river in Louisville is really warm, so maybe a good race practice.
It took me longer than I had hoped (1:40 with water and potty breaks). I felt pretty wrinkled when I got out. Of course when I was swimming, a couple younger, faster ladies got in the pool and pretty much swam circles around me. Not really good for the self-esteem. I was able to hang with one or two of them for a little bit, but in the end......well, I'll never be mistaken for Dara Torres.
I have to admit I was a little tired when I got done. And SOOOO thirsty and hungry. I forgot how hungry swimming can make me. I tried to eat good today, and I did OK.
Things were crazy around the house this afternoon. I thought I was going to have some "down time" but it never came. I took my son for his high school (yikes!) physical and stopped at the grocery store so I don't have to do THAT tomorrow. I hate almost all types of shopping (except I do love book stores)!
Tomorrow is a REST DAY. Very little house work, NO running around, maybe evening church service. I'm riding with a good friend on Sunday at the Melon Metric. We're doing the 100 mile route. My first 100 mile ride in, well, basically FOREVER. Hope I'm up to the challenge. I have another one planned for the next Sunday, so hopefully this one will go well.
Tired now and planning to plop down in front of the TV and watch a couple shows on USA. Hopefully I can stay awake until 10:00 tonight. No alarm tomorrow.
Hope everyone had a great Friday.
Until next time--God bless!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
MENTAL MEGA MARATHON (Almost)
What a difference a day makes. I was wiped yesterday and went to bed at 9:00. Good sleep. Only woke up two times. YEAH! Woke up at 5:30 refreshed and ready to rock.
Had a good breakfast, packed up the car and Peanut and I were off. Dropped her off at the gym at 8:00 and headed to Waterfall Glen. The weather was absolutely perfect. Around 70 degrees and sunny when I started. I had a good plan. Run the entire loop (9.5 miles), stop back at the care to reload with fluids and gels, and do another 3.5 out and back, for a total of 16.5 miles. My plan called for an almost three hour run, and I figured I could get that done in just a little over three hours.
My legs were a little stiff when I started, but that's normal for me. I do better the farther I go. The first 3 miles are always the hardest. Ran into a friend triathlete on her bike. We stopped and chatted about our races last weekend. She did Harbor Lights and is doing Steelhead next weekend, her first half! She's going to do great. You rock, Lisa!
The thing about the path at Waterfall Glen--it is incredibly hilly. It seems like you are always running up or down, with just a smidge of flats in between. (Honestly, there really isn't much flat to speak of.) My goal was to run as much as possible, maybe walk up the hills and during nutrition/hydration breaks.
Well, I'm proud to say, I ran up every single one of those hills! EVERY ONE! The entire 16.5 miles I did not walk up one hill. I felt really good. I kept my heart rate exactly where it should be, and I only made one small error in my hydration plan. I stopped at my car after 9.5 miles, and instead of taking all four bottles, I only took three. I skipped the second one filled with only water. Bad mistake, but luckily it didn't cost me. I won't do that again. I have found that I need to drink water with my Nuun/Carbo Pro mixture, as well as my Thermolyte tablets and E-Gels.
It was a great run and I felt really good when I was done. My legs were tired, buy my stomach, etc. felt amazing. Nutrition/hydration is a really big thing for me, one that I'm most worried about at IMKY. I hope I'm getting it down. The two halfs and long rides/runs are helping.
After my run, I picked up Peanut at the gym and headed home. Had a good meal, then went with my son to the fitness center. It felt really good to swim an easy 1000 meters, sit in the hot tub and take a nice shower. (You remember I didn't get to swim yesterday because it took me SOOOOO long to complete my ride!)
As I'm writing, the Athlete Guide for IMKY is printing. YOW! It's really getting close. I'm both excited and nervous.
I hope to have another great sleep. Tomorrow I'm planning a warm up/core/strength/short run on the treadmill session (15-30 min.), followed by a 1:15 to 1:30 tempo swim. Should be a nice, easy day compared to the last five!
For you HRM number geeks, today's numbers are as follows:
Distance: 16.5 miles
Time: 3:06
Zone: 3 (mostly)
AHR: 145 (perfect range)
MHR: 189 (one of those crazy hills I'm sure)
% MHR: 73 to 95
Calories: 1,580
Hope everyone had as good a day as me! PTL!
Until next time--God bless!
Had a good breakfast, packed up the car and Peanut and I were off. Dropped her off at the gym at 8:00 and headed to Waterfall Glen. The weather was absolutely perfect. Around 70 degrees and sunny when I started. I had a good plan. Run the entire loop (9.5 miles), stop back at the care to reload with fluids and gels, and do another 3.5 out and back, for a total of 16.5 miles. My plan called for an almost three hour run, and I figured I could get that done in just a little over three hours.
My legs were a little stiff when I started, but that's normal for me. I do better the farther I go. The first 3 miles are always the hardest. Ran into a friend triathlete on her bike. We stopped and chatted about our races last weekend. She did Harbor Lights and is doing Steelhead next weekend, her first half! She's going to do great. You rock, Lisa!
The thing about the path at Waterfall Glen--it is incredibly hilly. It seems like you are always running up or down, with just a smidge of flats in between. (Honestly, there really isn't much flat to speak of.) My goal was to run as much as possible, maybe walk up the hills and during nutrition/hydration breaks.
Well, I'm proud to say, I ran up every single one of those hills! EVERY ONE! The entire 16.5 miles I did not walk up one hill. I felt really good. I kept my heart rate exactly where it should be, and I only made one small error in my hydration plan. I stopped at my car after 9.5 miles, and instead of taking all four bottles, I only took three. I skipped the second one filled with only water. Bad mistake, but luckily it didn't cost me. I won't do that again. I have found that I need to drink water with my Nuun/Carbo Pro mixture, as well as my Thermolyte tablets and E-Gels.
It was a great run and I felt really good when I was done. My legs were tired, buy my stomach, etc. felt amazing. Nutrition/hydration is a really big thing for me, one that I'm most worried about at IMKY. I hope I'm getting it down. The two halfs and long rides/runs are helping.
After my run, I picked up Peanut at the gym and headed home. Had a good meal, then went with my son to the fitness center. It felt really good to swim an easy 1000 meters, sit in the hot tub and take a nice shower. (You remember I didn't get to swim yesterday because it took me SOOOOO long to complete my ride!)
As I'm writing, the Athlete Guide for IMKY is printing. YOW! It's really getting close. I'm both excited and nervous.
I hope to have another great sleep. Tomorrow I'm planning a warm up/core/strength/short run on the treadmill session (15-30 min.), followed by a 1:15 to 1:30 tempo swim. Should be a nice, easy day compared to the last five!
For you HRM number geeks, today's numbers are as follows:
Distance: 16.5 miles
Time: 3:06
Zone: 3 (mostly)
AHR: 145 (perfect range)
MHR: 189 (one of those crazy hills I'm sure)
% MHR: 73 to 95
Calories: 1,580
Hope everyone had as good a day as me! PTL!
Until next time--God bless!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
You Know It's a Not Great Day When.....
You wake up every hour during the night to pee;
You stay in bed until 7:00 but don't feel rested;
You decide to clean 3 bathrooms, dust, and wash the car before the workout;
You break the light bulb in the work light in the garage because the wind slams the door and knocks it off the shelf when you're on your way out the door;
You start your bike ride already hungry and tired;
You realize at your potty break that you lost one of your water bottles and you have to go back to the car to get more water;
You can't remember hearing it fall off your hydrotail (because of the wind?);
The water bottle is the one you received for finishing Florida 70.3 (first half ironman);
You ride the course backward looking for the bottle;
You don't find it until AFTER you go up the hardest hills on the ride--for the second time;
You eat all the food you had planned for the entire afternoon during the bike ride because you're STARVING the entire ride;
You ride as slow as you can remember for 42 miles, and it feels like you rode 60;
You don't have time to swim and stretch out in the pool because it took you so !@#$ long to ride the %^&* 42 miles;
You realize that you have to get up and run for 3 hours at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow;
You're so tired and hungry you actually eat PIZZA for dinner--YIKES!!!!
You realize there are nine more hard training days until recovery/taper for IMKY;
You realize the movies are due back to the video store and you didn't watch the one you rented for yourself;
This is the best I can do for today's post!
So, that's it guys. It's been an interesting day. Hopefully I can make it through the three hour run tomorrow (15-18 miles).
Hope everyone had a better day.
Until next time--God bless!
You stay in bed until 7:00 but don't feel rested;
You decide to clean 3 bathrooms, dust, and wash the car before the workout;
You break the light bulb in the work light in the garage because the wind slams the door and knocks it off the shelf when you're on your way out the door;
You start your bike ride already hungry and tired;
You realize at your potty break that you lost one of your water bottles and you have to go back to the car to get more water;
You can't remember hearing it fall off your hydrotail (because of the wind?);
The water bottle is the one you received for finishing Florida 70.3 (first half ironman);
You ride the course backward looking for the bottle;
You don't find it until AFTER you go up the hardest hills on the ride--for the second time;
You eat all the food you had planned for the entire afternoon during the bike ride because you're STARVING the entire ride;
You ride as slow as you can remember for 42 miles, and it feels like you rode 60;
You don't have time to swim and stretch out in the pool because it took you so !@#$ long to ride the %^&* 42 miles;
You realize that you have to get up and run for 3 hours at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow;
You're so tired and hungry you actually eat PIZZA for dinner--YIKES!!!!
You realize there are nine more hard training days until recovery/taper for IMKY;
You realize the movies are due back to the video store and you didn't watch the one you rented for yourself;
This is the best I can do for today's post!
So, that's it guys. It's been an interesting day. Hopefully I can make it through the three hour run tomorrow (15-18 miles).
Hope everyone had a better day.
Until next time--God bless!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Three Plus Training Day
Today is Tuesday, so that means another brick plus one plus one more training day. Confused?
The plan called for a B/R brick: completed 21 miles on the bike, followed immediately by a three mile run. Done. Great weather, good hydration and nutrition. Considering I raced on Sunday and swam yesterday, I felt pretty good.
From the run, I drove to the fitness center and did 30 minutes of stretching and core work, followed by a 1300 meter swim (12 x 100 plus 100 cool down). I felt really good when I was done. Picked up my daughter from the gym and headed home for a relatively quiet afternoon.
Tomorrow I'm supposed to do a 45 minute run, followed by a 90 minute bike. I'm going to skip the run, because Thursday calls for a 3 hour run and Friday a one hour run. I can't run that many days in a row. Instead I will do a longer bike--2.5 to 3 hours, approx. 45 to 50 miles. If time permits, a short swim after. Hopefully, my legs will feel OK to do that long run on Thursday.
The weather has been great and should be for the rest of the week. YEA! Friday will be a one hour run and a continuous swim (doesn't specify time or distance!?). Saturday is a rest day. Sunday will be an organized bike ride and my first 100 miler (I have one planned for the next Sunday also!)
I'm a little nervous about the bike course in Louisville. I've been riding a lot of hills, I just hope it's enough. We wanted to go to Louisville and ride the course, but time and finances are not cooperating. It's a six hour plus drive and an overnight stay. Plus coordinating with someone who knows the course--more stress than I can handle now. I'll just have to trust in the training I'm doing. I like rolling hills, but I keep hearing about how brutal the bike course is! HELP!?
It was such a nice day today. The highlight was seeing a baby deer on the path during my run. They are so beautiful! It reminds me how awesome our God is!
I'm getting tired and need to eat. Hope everyone had a great Tuesday. I love receiving comments, suggestions, constructive criticism and encouragement!
Until next time--God bless!
The plan called for a B/R brick: completed 21 miles on the bike, followed immediately by a three mile run. Done. Great weather, good hydration and nutrition. Considering I raced on Sunday and swam yesterday, I felt pretty good.
From the run, I drove to the fitness center and did 30 minutes of stretching and core work, followed by a 1300 meter swim (12 x 100 plus 100 cool down). I felt really good when I was done. Picked up my daughter from the gym and headed home for a relatively quiet afternoon.
Tomorrow I'm supposed to do a 45 minute run, followed by a 90 minute bike. I'm going to skip the run, because Thursday calls for a 3 hour run and Friday a one hour run. I can't run that many days in a row. Instead I will do a longer bike--2.5 to 3 hours, approx. 45 to 50 miles. If time permits, a short swim after. Hopefully, my legs will feel OK to do that long run on Thursday.
The weather has been great and should be for the rest of the week. YEA! Friday will be a one hour run and a continuous swim (doesn't specify time or distance!?). Saturday is a rest day. Sunday will be an organized bike ride and my first 100 miler (I have one planned for the next Sunday also!)
I'm a little nervous about the bike course in Louisville. I've been riding a lot of hills, I just hope it's enough. We wanted to go to Louisville and ride the course, but time and finances are not cooperating. It's a six hour plus drive and an overnight stay. Plus coordinating with someone who knows the course--more stress than I can handle now. I'll just have to trust in the training I'm doing. I like rolling hills, but I keep hearing about how brutal the bike course is! HELP!?
It was such a nice day today. The highlight was seeing a baby deer on the path during my run. They are so beautiful! It reminds me how awesome our God is!
I'm getting tired and need to eat. Hope everyone had a great Tuesday. I love receiving comments, suggestions, constructive criticism and encouragement!
Until next time--God bless!
Monday, July 21, 2008
Why Do They Call It A Half?
Of course, I know why they call it a half. It's half the distance of an ironman race. Because Ironman owns the rights to that name, races are not allowed to call it a half ironman, unless it is put on by that organization. I don't know all the legal jargon, but you get my drift.
I would prefer it be called a 70.3 distance race. I think NAS owns the rights to that name, so that's probably not the answer either. Again, not up-to-date on all the legal stuff.
But my point is, those of us who complete races that include a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run complete an entire triathlon. Not half of one, or a quarter of one, but the whole dang thing!
When I started in this sport 22 years ago, I didn't know anyone who did an "ironman" race. But back then when you mentioned you did triathlons, most people associated triathlon with "that crazy race in Hawaii." When I first started, the most popular distance is what is now known as olympic or international distance. Sprints became popular for people who didn't think they could manage the international distance, but still challenging enough to require the training and commitment needed. I think race directors and sponsors also realized they could get a lot more people in the sprints, which is basically the bottom line, more interest, more money!
I've been involved in this sport a long time and have respect for all the distances. Each race has its own challenges. Sprints are difficult for me because I really "race" them--go all out, 100% for the entire race. I love the international distance. It's a challenge to go that hard for that long, and know how to pace enough not to burn out half way through the 10K.
Last year I completed my first 70.3. It was in Orlando and put on by NAS so it's actually part of their 70.3 series. I trained hard, but it wasn't until I actually did the race that I learned how different it was from the shorter distances. Swimming, biking and running are just the basics of this race. The training, rest, nutrition, hydration, strength work, these all play a huge part--at least for me. I need to be aware of all this to have a good "race day."
So now I'm preparing for my first ironman in Louisville. I'm nervous as heck, but I think I'll do OK. My first goal is to finish, of course. My next goal would be to have a decent "run" leg. How much actual running I'll do is left to be seen!
As for yesterday at Racine, I had a really good race. The swim was BRUTAL! No other way to say it. Everyone who was there knows just what I'm talking about. We went up on Saturday and I got in the water in the p.m. It was rainy, cool, really foggy, and the water was unbelievably cold. There were many people trying to decide if they were going to start the race.
When I first got in, I turned and looked at my husband and said "We're going home now!" But then my thoughts turned to all the people who would actually submit themselves to this torture, and I knew how miserable I would be if I bailed. I persevered, and was actually able to swim by the time I exited the lake.
As usual, I didn't sleep at all the night before. Worrying about the water temp didn't make matters any better. I just kept thinking, if I can just get through the swim, I'd be OK.
To make matters worse yet, the start was postponed an hour due to fog. The coast guard needed to make sure they could see the swimmers. Since the conditions were so bad, it was much better to wait and be safe. More time to be nervous!
We heard from the lifeguards on Saturday that the buoys had actually been moved closer to shore. There were two sprint tris on Saturday, and there were some problems during the swim. The lifeguard told my husband that it was possible to walk most of the course now. Considering how much panic could take place during the swim, this was a great comfort. We all felt better knowing we could stand up to catch our breath if we had to. And I did!
The course is basically a point-to-point. It was still a little hard to see the buoys when we started, but I could see them as I approached each one. But I didn't know how many there were. I did recognize the final triangular buoy. Some people missed this, and had to swim back out to go around it. I saw a lot of people swimming way inside the buoys. I don't know if this was on purpose or if they just couldn't see--I'm guessing the latter. I think they could have had more boats on the water, considering the conditions.
It was REALLY COLD! (I heard the temp at race time was 55.) Have I said that before? I never warmed up or got in a really good rhythm. I did, however, make really good friends with my wetsuit. I wore the bigger one, and while it's a little big in the legs and arms, it fits good in the chest and I was able to breathe pretty easily for the most part. I was really happy to be done. I heard the course could have been just a minute or so short, and that we may have had a current behind us. In any case, there were some fast swim times and lots of PR. I couldn't believe my time when I stood up and checked my watch.
Because we started late, I was starving when I got out of the water. I grabbed a bar on my way out of T1 with my bike. I always keep extra stuff in my tri bag and I was glad I did yesterday.
I had a good ride. The course was OK--it's fast and flat, but there were several roads that were REALLY BUMPY! The bike is my best leg, and I've learned that I need to leave something on the bike course if I want to have a decent run (for me). It's hard for me, because I would love to hammer the whole time, but I've learned that I have a better overall time if I take more time on the bike and leave more for the run. It worked great yesterday! I drank all my fluid, ate all my food, took all my Thermolyte tablets, and felt good when I got off the bike.
I knew that if I had a decent run, I would be able to break six hours. I grabbed an Erin Baker mini breakfast cookie on the way out of transition, strapped on my fuel belt (I didn't need all the bottles I carried--good to know for the next races, especially Louisville) and took off.
There are good and bad points to doing a double loop run. The bad part was when you finished the first loop at this race you were .1 miles from the finish line and could see it CLEARLY! Also, when you're running to complete the first loop, the spectators and volunteers are yelling, "great job, almost done, the finish line is just ahead!" WRONG! Still had one more loop to do. (It was worse in Flordia--there were four loops, but at least you couldn't SEE the finishe line until after the last one!)
The good thing is you know the course and you know exactly where the finish line is! I was really excited because I knew if I kept up my pace, not only would I break 6:00, but I could finish around 5:55, maybe even better.
I continued on my nutrition schedule--two Thermolyte tablets every 30 minutes, water/ice at every aid station (the ice was AMAZING! never had that before), sipped on my Nuun/Carbo Pro mix in my fuel belt at every aid station also. Ate one Power Gel. It worked well!
I felt good--I missed seeing the 11 mile marker, and I ran out of gas a little between miles 11 and 12. But at mile 12, I knew it was almost over. When I crossed the finish line, my watch said 5:49:15 (official chip time: 5:49:09). I was so excited. I was starting to feel really hot--I got really sunburned, as I know most of the racers did. (The fog cleared and the sun came out sometime when I was on the bike course.) I got some ice in the medical tent. I was a little tired, sunburned, hot, but I felt really good!
It was a well run race for the most part. There are some things they could change. The communication could be a lot better. There is no awards ceremony, so you have to wait until the times are posted to find out where you finished. They gave awards five deep, and I thought I might have a chance......turned out I finished 5th! WOW! There were some really fast times ahead of me--not that I consider my time fast, except for ME. I recognized the top two women--they just moved into the 50-54 age group. I can hang with most women on the swim and the bike--it's the run that always does me in. (I believe that the longer the race, the more important that run is. Check out the pro and elite times/splits, you'll see what I mean.)
Congratulations to everyone who did the race. My friends Nick and Kara kicked some major butt! Your times were amazing!
Jayhawk, congratulations on your first official 70.3 finish. Can't wait to read about it!
I slept like the dead last night and did a real easy 2000 meter swim today. Tomorrow it's right back to Louisville training. Two more "mega hours" weeks, a recovery week, and then two weeks of tapering. YIKES! It sounds really close, huh?
Hope everyone had a great Monday! The weather looks really nice for the rest of the week here in Bolingbrook, IL.
Week Totals:
Swim: 6x for 10,850 meters
Bike: 3x for 123 miles
Run: 3x for 126 miles
Strength: 2 - 40 minute sessions
Core: 3 - 30 minute sessions
Total: 19 hours
Calories: 8,800
Until next time--God bless!
I would prefer it be called a 70.3 distance race. I think NAS owns the rights to that name, so that's probably not the answer either. Again, not up-to-date on all the legal stuff.
But my point is, those of us who complete races that include a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run complete an entire triathlon. Not half of one, or a quarter of one, but the whole dang thing!
When I started in this sport 22 years ago, I didn't know anyone who did an "ironman" race. But back then when you mentioned you did triathlons, most people associated triathlon with "that crazy race in Hawaii." When I first started, the most popular distance is what is now known as olympic or international distance. Sprints became popular for people who didn't think they could manage the international distance, but still challenging enough to require the training and commitment needed. I think race directors and sponsors also realized they could get a lot more people in the sprints, which is basically the bottom line, more interest, more money!
I've been involved in this sport a long time and have respect for all the distances. Each race has its own challenges. Sprints are difficult for me because I really "race" them--go all out, 100% for the entire race. I love the international distance. It's a challenge to go that hard for that long, and know how to pace enough not to burn out half way through the 10K.
Last year I completed my first 70.3. It was in Orlando and put on by NAS so it's actually part of their 70.3 series. I trained hard, but it wasn't until I actually did the race that I learned how different it was from the shorter distances. Swimming, biking and running are just the basics of this race. The training, rest, nutrition, hydration, strength work, these all play a huge part--at least for me. I need to be aware of all this to have a good "race day."
So now I'm preparing for my first ironman in Louisville. I'm nervous as heck, but I think I'll do OK. My first goal is to finish, of course. My next goal would be to have a decent "run" leg. How much actual running I'll do is left to be seen!
As for yesterday at Racine, I had a really good race. The swim was BRUTAL! No other way to say it. Everyone who was there knows just what I'm talking about. We went up on Saturday and I got in the water in the p.m. It was rainy, cool, really foggy, and the water was unbelievably cold. There were many people trying to decide if they were going to start the race.
When I first got in, I turned and looked at my husband and said "We're going home now!" But then my thoughts turned to all the people who would actually submit themselves to this torture, and I knew how miserable I would be if I bailed. I persevered, and was actually able to swim by the time I exited the lake.
As usual, I didn't sleep at all the night before. Worrying about the water temp didn't make matters any better. I just kept thinking, if I can just get through the swim, I'd be OK.
To make matters worse yet, the start was postponed an hour due to fog. The coast guard needed to make sure they could see the swimmers. Since the conditions were so bad, it was much better to wait and be safe. More time to be nervous!
We heard from the lifeguards on Saturday that the buoys had actually been moved closer to shore. There were two sprint tris on Saturday, and there were some problems during the swim. The lifeguard told my husband that it was possible to walk most of the course now. Considering how much panic could take place during the swim, this was a great comfort. We all felt better knowing we could stand up to catch our breath if we had to. And I did!
The course is basically a point-to-point. It was still a little hard to see the buoys when we started, but I could see them as I approached each one. But I didn't know how many there were. I did recognize the final triangular buoy. Some people missed this, and had to swim back out to go around it. I saw a lot of people swimming way inside the buoys. I don't know if this was on purpose or if they just couldn't see--I'm guessing the latter. I think they could have had more boats on the water, considering the conditions.
It was REALLY COLD! (I heard the temp at race time was 55.) Have I said that before? I never warmed up or got in a really good rhythm. I did, however, make really good friends with my wetsuit. I wore the bigger one, and while it's a little big in the legs and arms, it fits good in the chest and I was able to breathe pretty easily for the most part. I was really happy to be done. I heard the course could have been just a minute or so short, and that we may have had a current behind us. In any case, there were some fast swim times and lots of PR. I couldn't believe my time when I stood up and checked my watch.
Because we started late, I was starving when I got out of the water. I grabbed a bar on my way out of T1 with my bike. I always keep extra stuff in my tri bag and I was glad I did yesterday.
I had a good ride. The course was OK--it's fast and flat, but there were several roads that were REALLY BUMPY! The bike is my best leg, and I've learned that I need to leave something on the bike course if I want to have a decent run (for me). It's hard for me, because I would love to hammer the whole time, but I've learned that I have a better overall time if I take more time on the bike and leave more for the run. It worked great yesterday! I drank all my fluid, ate all my food, took all my Thermolyte tablets, and felt good when I got off the bike.
I knew that if I had a decent run, I would be able to break six hours. I grabbed an Erin Baker mini breakfast cookie on the way out of transition, strapped on my fuel belt (I didn't need all the bottles I carried--good to know for the next races, especially Louisville) and took off.
There are good and bad points to doing a double loop run. The bad part was when you finished the first loop at this race you were .1 miles from the finish line and could see it CLEARLY! Also, when you're running to complete the first loop, the spectators and volunteers are yelling, "great job, almost done, the finish line is just ahead!" WRONG! Still had one more loop to do. (It was worse in Flordia--there were four loops, but at least you couldn't SEE the finishe line until after the last one!)
The good thing is you know the course and you know exactly where the finish line is! I was really excited because I knew if I kept up my pace, not only would I break 6:00, but I could finish around 5:55, maybe even better.
I continued on my nutrition schedule--two Thermolyte tablets every 30 minutes, water/ice at every aid station (the ice was AMAZING! never had that before), sipped on my Nuun/Carbo Pro mix in my fuel belt at every aid station also. Ate one Power Gel. It worked well!
I felt good--I missed seeing the 11 mile marker, and I ran out of gas a little between miles 11 and 12. But at mile 12, I knew it was almost over. When I crossed the finish line, my watch said 5:49:15 (official chip time: 5:49:09). I was so excited. I was starting to feel really hot--I got really sunburned, as I know most of the racers did. (The fog cleared and the sun came out sometime when I was on the bike course.) I got some ice in the medical tent. I was a little tired, sunburned, hot, but I felt really good!
It was a well run race for the most part. There are some things they could change. The communication could be a lot better. There is no awards ceremony, so you have to wait until the times are posted to find out where you finished. They gave awards five deep, and I thought I might have a chance......turned out I finished 5th! WOW! There were some really fast times ahead of me--not that I consider my time fast, except for ME. I recognized the top two women--they just moved into the 50-54 age group. I can hang with most women on the swim and the bike--it's the run that always does me in. (I believe that the longer the race, the more important that run is. Check out the pro and elite times/splits, you'll see what I mean.)
Congratulations to everyone who did the race. My friends Nick and Kara kicked some major butt! Your times were amazing!
Jayhawk, congratulations on your first official 70.3 finish. Can't wait to read about it!
I slept like the dead last night and did a real easy 2000 meter swim today. Tomorrow it's right back to Louisville training. Two more "mega hours" weeks, a recovery week, and then two weeks of tapering. YIKES! It sounds really close, huh?
Hope everyone had a great Monday! The weather looks really nice for the rest of the week here in Bolingbrook, IL.
Week Totals:
Swim: 6x for 10,850 meters
Bike: 3x for 123 miles
Run: 3x for 126 miles
Strength: 2 - 40 minute sessions
Core: 3 - 30 minute sessions
Total: 19 hours
Calories: 8,800
Until next time--God bless!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
I SURVIVED THE COLD!!!!!!
Yes, I swam at Spirit of Racine. Yesterday, I had one main goal: survive the swim. Done!
Today I had several goals: Survive the swim, have a good bike but leave enough left for a good run, and MAYBE break six hours?!
Well, I accomplished all of the above. My final time was 5:49:09. WOW! It was a day of PR's for many of the racers.
I'll have a more complete report tomorrow. Right now I'm totally trashed, doing laundry, waiting to eat a decent meal, and the only shower I had was at the beach house with water.
Congratulations to everyone--Nicky, I love you, you ROCK! It was great seeing several other friends who also had great days.
Hope everyone had a great weekend of training/racing!
Until next time--God bless!
Today I had several goals: Survive the swim, have a good bike but leave enough left for a good run, and MAYBE break six hours?!
Well, I accomplished all of the above. My final time was 5:49:09. WOW! It was a day of PR's for many of the racers.
I'll have a more complete report tomorrow. Right now I'm totally trashed, doing laundry, waiting to eat a decent meal, and the only shower I had was at the beach house with water.
Congratulations to everyone--Nicky, I love you, you ROCK! It was great seeing several other friends who also had great days.
Hope everyone had a great weekend of training/racing!
Until next time--God bless!
Friday, July 18, 2008
It's Getting Colder....
Well, guys, things are looking worse. The latest temperature check showed that the water is now 50 degrees! YIKES, YOW, OMG, HOLY COW, GOOD GRIEF!
I spent most of today thinking about how I'm going to swim in water that cold. We'll drive up in the morning, I'll try it out and go from there. I talked to a good friend who did the race last year (and won our age group with a terrific time!) and she said it was cold last year. Swimming the day before helped her prepare for what lay ahead on race day. Can that work for me? If you believe in the power of prayer, please pray for me about this! THANK YOU!
So today was an easy 1500 meter swim, mostly just to move and do something. A little shopping, running around with the kids, packing and being nervous!
The forecast calls for maybe some rain on Saturday. High about 76. Sunday at 6 a.m. the temp is forecasted at 69, 30% chance of isolated thunderstorms (around noon?), high of 81. The weather should be great, if I can get through the swim.
I'm hoping to get a good sleep tonight, as I know I won't sleep at all tomorrow. Hope everyone had a great day and has a great weekend. To everyone who's racing this weekend--Good luck!
Hopefully my next post will be after a successful race, God willing.
Until next time--God bless!
I spent most of today thinking about how I'm going to swim in water that cold. We'll drive up in the morning, I'll try it out and go from there. I talked to a good friend who did the race last year (and won our age group with a terrific time!) and she said it was cold last year. Swimming the day before helped her prepare for what lay ahead on race day. Can that work for me? If you believe in the power of prayer, please pray for me about this! THANK YOU!
So today was an easy 1500 meter swim, mostly just to move and do something. A little shopping, running around with the kids, packing and being nervous!
The forecast calls for maybe some rain on Saturday. High about 76. Sunday at 6 a.m. the temp is forecasted at 69, 30% chance of isolated thunderstorms (around noon?), high of 81. The weather should be great, if I can get through the swim.
I'm hoping to get a good sleep tonight, as I know I won't sleep at all tomorrow. Hope everyone had a great day and has a great weekend. To everyone who's racing this weekend--Good luck!
Hopefully my next post will be after a successful race, God willing.
Until next time--God bless!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
55 Degree Water? PANIC TIME!
OK, panic has officially set in. I just checked the water temperature at the Spirit of Racine this Sunday--as of today it is 55 degrees! YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! Even with a wet suit (which I HATE WEARING--long, sad, boring story), that is way too cold for me.
I swam in that water temp in 2001 for 400 meters and was sure I would die! Oh my goodness, what to do?
Can the water temperature change between now and Sunday? It's Lake Michigan, so I suppose anything is possible, but.......
I just spoke with my husband. We planned to drive up Saturday a.m., check in and I was going to do a test swim with my wetsuit. I have two--one that's just a little too small, and one that's just a little too big. I had a bad experience with the smaller one in High Cliff, so I'm planning to use the bigger one. If I don't think I can swim 1.2 miles in that temp, I'll probably skip the race. I don't want to stay overnight, pay for a hotel, do everything involved to start, and not make it through the swim. I'm a good swimmer, I'm confident swimming in open water, but I don't do well in water that cold.
When I was younger (in my 30's), I swam in the Chicago beaches w/o a wetsuit when the water was that cold. But not now! I'm too old, and my RA would totally be messed up if I subjected my joints to water that cold.
If anyone out there has done this race and has experience with the water there, please send me a quick note. I need some help and encouragement!
So, until now, it has been a good day. Did a good, 42 mile bike this morning. It was warm and very windy. It was a little tough. I'm tired and looking forward to an easy swim tomorrow and a rest day on Saturday. I also did an easy 1000 meter swim--I was thinking how warm the pool water was, and how cold the lake will feel. Little did I know at the time there would be a 30 degree difference between the two. HELP!
Anyway, I'm going to try to calm down and get a good night sleep. Good luck with that!
Hope everyone had a great day and stayed cool.
Until next time--God bless!
I swam in that water temp in 2001 for 400 meters and was sure I would die! Oh my goodness, what to do?
Can the water temperature change between now and Sunday? It's Lake Michigan, so I suppose anything is possible, but.......
I just spoke with my husband. We planned to drive up Saturday a.m., check in and I was going to do a test swim with my wetsuit. I have two--one that's just a little too small, and one that's just a little too big. I had a bad experience with the smaller one in High Cliff, so I'm planning to use the bigger one. If I don't think I can swim 1.2 miles in that temp, I'll probably skip the race. I don't want to stay overnight, pay for a hotel, do everything involved to start, and not make it through the swim. I'm a good swimmer, I'm confident swimming in open water, but I don't do well in water that cold.
When I was younger (in my 30's), I swam in the Chicago beaches w/o a wetsuit when the water was that cold. But not now! I'm too old, and my RA would totally be messed up if I subjected my joints to water that cold.
If anyone out there has done this race and has experience with the water there, please send me a quick note. I need some help and encouragement!
So, until now, it has been a good day. Did a good, 42 mile bike this morning. It was warm and very windy. It was a little tough. I'm tired and looking forward to an easy swim tomorrow and a rest day on Saturday. I also did an easy 1000 meter swim--I was thinking how warm the pool water was, and how cold the lake will feel. Little did I know at the time there would be a 30 degree difference between the two. HELP!
Anyway, I'm going to try to calm down and get a good night sleep. Good luck with that!
Hope everyone had a great day and stayed cool.
Until next time--God bless!
But I Like the Heat!?
It's definitely July in the Chicago area. Yesterday was a hot/humid/high heat index day--close to 100 degrees heat index--90 plus temperature.
Planned to run around 11:00. The time worked for me, plus I'm training for Louisville--and I KNOW it will be hot on the run there!
It was hot--on the path I saw several cyclists, 4 walkers, 1 chipmunk, NO OTHER RUNNERS! Wonder why! If I weren't training to run in this weather, I would have run early (or later) with all the other sane people.
The plan called for 75 minutes. I planned to run about 8 miles. I knew it would be tough because I had finished running at 3:30 p.m the day before, also in high heat. But, I forged ahead with as much fluid as I could carry in my fuel belt.
The path I run on is about 50% shaded, and have I mentioned before that it is really hilly? The hills are what make running in the heat that much harder for me. I did good the first 5 miles--the last three were really tough. Lots of walking again. Finished in 1:30--UGH! Glad to be done. Thinking about Louisville run the whole time--CAN I DO THIS?
Went to the gym right after and did some good stretching/core/upper body strength work. Easy 1000 meter swim. Ate a good dinner. I was hungry again later, so I ate again--more good stuff.
Today calls for a 90 minute bike. Since I'm racing on Sunday (Racine) and won't get my long bike in (only 56 miles) I'm planning to ride a little longer. It's another hot one, but I do much better in the heat on the bike! I guess it's all that wind I generate--ha ha! (And I'm riding at 8:00 a.m.)
Hope everyone has a great day. Stay cool if you're in a hot place.
Until next time--God bless!
Planned to run around 11:00. The time worked for me, plus I'm training for Louisville--and I KNOW it will be hot on the run there!
It was hot--on the path I saw several cyclists, 4 walkers, 1 chipmunk, NO OTHER RUNNERS! Wonder why! If I weren't training to run in this weather, I would have run early (or later) with all the other sane people.
The plan called for 75 minutes. I planned to run about 8 miles. I knew it would be tough because I had finished running at 3:30 p.m the day before, also in high heat. But, I forged ahead with as much fluid as I could carry in my fuel belt.
The path I run on is about 50% shaded, and have I mentioned before that it is really hilly? The hills are what make running in the heat that much harder for me. I did good the first 5 miles--the last three were really tough. Lots of walking again. Finished in 1:30--UGH! Glad to be done. Thinking about Louisville run the whole time--CAN I DO THIS?
Went to the gym right after and did some good stretching/core/upper body strength work. Easy 1000 meter swim. Ate a good dinner. I was hungry again later, so I ate again--more good stuff.
Today calls for a 90 minute bike. Since I'm racing on Sunday (Racine) and won't get my long bike in (only 56 miles) I'm planning to ride a little longer. It's another hot one, but I do much better in the heat on the bike! I guess it's all that wind I generate--ha ha! (And I'm riding at 8:00 a.m.)
Hope everyone has a great day. Stay cool if you're in a hot place.
Until next time--God bless!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Swim, Bike........and Run
It seems like one day a week my training plan calls for a "tri day". Today was that day. I knew I was going to have a long day, and I was really tired last night, so I went to bed early. I didn't even finish watching the season premier of a TV show I follow.
Turns out I could have watched that show and two more, at least. What happened was what happens before every triathlon--I couldn't sleep. I couldn't fall asleep, couldn't stay asleep, NO SLEEP. Up and down every half hour. I tried to drink a lot yesterday so I could be hydrated for today, knowing that it was going to be a hot one. So, what happened was I got up every 45 minutes to pee! Ha! That'll teach me to drink so much at night!
The workouts went well, however. A 35 minute swim, followed immediately by an easy 25 mile bike (I had my bike in the car at the pool). Then a 45 minute strength/core/stretch session, followed by a shower.
I picked up my daughter from the gym, came home and did some stuff, made sure the kids had lunch, and headed out to run about 2:30. I went to a path near my house that has some shade. For being 89 degrees, it wasn't bad. I ran a little over 5 miles--I got a little lost on my way back--haven't run there in several years. Saw two people the entire time. I felt good--not dehydrated or anything. The wind helped in the sunny parts.
Good workout day in all. Tomorrow calls for a 75 minute run. I'll run around noon (good training for Louisville temp), then maybe do a short swim.
Nothing insightful to say tonight. This day flew by. Need to get ready for bed to start this stuff all over again tomorrow. Hopefully, a better night sleep.
Until next time--God bless!
Turns out I could have watched that show and two more, at least. What happened was what happens before every triathlon--I couldn't sleep. I couldn't fall asleep, couldn't stay asleep, NO SLEEP. Up and down every half hour. I tried to drink a lot yesterday so I could be hydrated for today, knowing that it was going to be a hot one. So, what happened was I got up every 45 minutes to pee! Ha! That'll teach me to drink so much at night!
The workouts went well, however. A 35 minute swim, followed immediately by an easy 25 mile bike (I had my bike in the car at the pool). Then a 45 minute strength/core/stretch session, followed by a shower.
I picked up my daughter from the gym, came home and did some stuff, made sure the kids had lunch, and headed out to run about 2:30. I went to a path near my house that has some shade. For being 89 degrees, it wasn't bad. I ran a little over 5 miles--I got a little lost on my way back--haven't run there in several years. Saw two people the entire time. I felt good--not dehydrated or anything. The wind helped in the sunny parts.
Good workout day in all. Tomorrow calls for a 75 minute run. I'll run around noon (good training for Louisville temp), then maybe do a short swim.
Nothing insightful to say tonight. This day flew by. Need to get ready for bed to start this stuff all over again tomorrow. Hopefully, a better night sleep.
Until next time--God bless!
Monday, July 14, 2008
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly (aka FAT!)
Let's start with the good: Did even better at the sprint yesterday than I thought! Had a really good bike and run. I'm happy about that. I felt good yesterday, although getting up at 3:30 a.m. and being done racing by 9:00 makes for a really long day! One thing I noticed--I was starving all day. I ate more than I usually do even after a long workout. I guess my body was telling me I needed more fuel.
The Bad: Well, not really much was bad. I'm really thankful for all the blessings I have in my life: a great, supportive family (husband and kids), my health (in all ways but the nasty RA), living in a country that I still believe in, and I worhsip and serve a God who I believe loves me and cares about me in every way possible.
But, if I were to nitpick: I had a SLOW swim yesterday. A minute slower than last year. What's with that? I felt really good--it was a pool swim and I seeded my self good so I wasn't crawling over too many people and they weren't crawling over me. We had to estimate our 400 meter swim time on the race registration. I put down the time I actually did last year. Now, I KNOW there were people who estimated wrong, either on purpose or just because they don't have a clue how long it takes them to swim 400 meters. That was evident by watching as the swim took place. It was a time trial start, and the fastest swimmers started first--theoretically, at least.
I felt really good, got into a good rhythm, and was really unpleasantly surprised at how slow I swam. Oh well, I wasn't going to let that bother me, so I just ran to my bike and starting riding as quickly and fast as I could.
Now for the ugly part: I DO NOT LOOK LIKE A TRIATHLETE! If you saw me on the street, or even at the start of a race, you really wouldn't think I was an athlete. I am short, have always been considered chunky, even as a kid. Now that I'm going to be 53, I can call myself fat. I KNOW I am fit--other than the RA, everything about my health is exemplary. Except I really don't like the way I look. Two years ago I worked really hard and lost about 30 pounds. I was about 10 pounds lighter than I am now. I was relatively happy with the way I looked then. I realize that at 52, having had two children late in life, and always fighting my weight, I'm not going to look like those professtional/elite women I see at races time after time. But, if I could just get those 10-15 pounds off, I would look so much better. When you're 5'2", 10-15 pounds makes a huge difference.
Believe me, it's not from lack of trying/working on it. I worked sooo hard for 18 months, and I haven't been able to lose a pound. Well, sometimes I'm a little bit lighter, but then the next time I weigh myself, I'm back to that same old crummy weight. I've worked with a nutritionist and a trainer, and they believe my problem is that I DON'T EAT ENOUGH! That is so hard for me to get my head around! Basically, when I started training for longer distances, I did not increase my food intake, put my metabolism in starvation mode, and my body is hanging on for dear life to the fat/weight I do have. I know in my head this is possible--I read it over and over in the triathlon magazines and in articles by nutritionists. But it's hard for me to translate this to my food.
I eat a very healthy diet--lots of all the good stuff--very little of the bad stuff. Now that I'm in the longest weeks of ironman training, I know I'm going to need to eat more. No matter what I do now, I know I won't lose any more weight before Louisville. Sometimes, I'm OK with it. Other times, I'm really depressed and sad about it. I keep telling myself I should be happy with myself, but it's really hard going to races and see so many "skinny" women, especially when they're my age or older. Plus, I know my run and even my bike could be faster if I was lighter.
(And the absolute worst is seeing myself in pictures at the races! I can't even look at them. I know that's how I look, and I just want to die when I see the pictures. I won't even look at them unless I'm in a REALLY GOOD MOOD! I don't even look at the pictures my husband takes of me because....well, you get the picture.)
Listen, I don't want to be a stick. I like women who look like women. We were made to be softer and rounder than men. Curves are good. Plus, I am extremely fit. I test very well, have a good AT and VO2 max. I have been told by those who know that I'm an "aerobic machine". I don't have a short twitch muscle in my body, but I'm really good in the "endurance" department. I want to look like a 53 year woman, but I want to look like one who does triathlons and does pretty good for an "old broad".
So that's it for the "ugly" part. Just wanted to vent and get that off my chest.
Also in the "good" column is that I had a really good swim this a.m. I swam 3,950 meters--which is more than ironman distance (2.4 miles is approx. 3,862 meters). I haven't swam that far since before I had my kids--we're talking over 15 years. So, now I know I can do it! YEA!
Hope everyone has a great Monday. Weather here today is perfect again!
Until next time--God bless!
The Bad: Well, not really much was bad. I'm really thankful for all the blessings I have in my life: a great, supportive family (husband and kids), my health (in all ways but the nasty RA), living in a country that I still believe in, and I worhsip and serve a God who I believe loves me and cares about me in every way possible.
But, if I were to nitpick: I had a SLOW swim yesterday. A minute slower than last year. What's with that? I felt really good--it was a pool swim and I seeded my self good so I wasn't crawling over too many people and they weren't crawling over me. We had to estimate our 400 meter swim time on the race registration. I put down the time I actually did last year. Now, I KNOW there were people who estimated wrong, either on purpose or just because they don't have a clue how long it takes them to swim 400 meters. That was evident by watching as the swim took place. It was a time trial start, and the fastest swimmers started first--theoretically, at least.
I felt really good, got into a good rhythm, and was really unpleasantly surprised at how slow I swam. Oh well, I wasn't going to let that bother me, so I just ran to my bike and starting riding as quickly and fast as I could.
Now for the ugly part: I DO NOT LOOK LIKE A TRIATHLETE! If you saw me on the street, or even at the start of a race, you really wouldn't think I was an athlete. I am short, have always been considered chunky, even as a kid. Now that I'm going to be 53, I can call myself fat. I KNOW I am fit--other than the RA, everything about my health is exemplary. Except I really don't like the way I look. Two years ago I worked really hard and lost about 30 pounds. I was about 10 pounds lighter than I am now. I was relatively happy with the way I looked then. I realize that at 52, having had two children late in life, and always fighting my weight, I'm not going to look like those professtional/elite women I see at races time after time. But, if I could just get those 10-15 pounds off, I would look so much better. When you're 5'2", 10-15 pounds makes a huge difference.
Believe me, it's not from lack of trying/working on it. I worked sooo hard for 18 months, and I haven't been able to lose a pound. Well, sometimes I'm a little bit lighter, but then the next time I weigh myself, I'm back to that same old crummy weight. I've worked with a nutritionist and a trainer, and they believe my problem is that I DON'T EAT ENOUGH! That is so hard for me to get my head around! Basically, when I started training for longer distances, I did not increase my food intake, put my metabolism in starvation mode, and my body is hanging on for dear life to the fat/weight I do have. I know in my head this is possible--I read it over and over in the triathlon magazines and in articles by nutritionists. But it's hard for me to translate this to my food.
I eat a very healthy diet--lots of all the good stuff--very little of the bad stuff. Now that I'm in the longest weeks of ironman training, I know I'm going to need to eat more. No matter what I do now, I know I won't lose any more weight before Louisville. Sometimes, I'm OK with it. Other times, I'm really depressed and sad about it. I keep telling myself I should be happy with myself, but it's really hard going to races and see so many "skinny" women, especially when they're my age or older. Plus, I know my run and even my bike could be faster if I was lighter.
(And the absolute worst is seeing myself in pictures at the races! I can't even look at them. I know that's how I look, and I just want to die when I see the pictures. I won't even look at them unless I'm in a REALLY GOOD MOOD! I don't even look at the pictures my husband takes of me because....well, you get the picture.)
Listen, I don't want to be a stick. I like women who look like women. We were made to be softer and rounder than men. Curves are good. Plus, I am extremely fit. I test very well, have a good AT and VO2 max. I have been told by those who know that I'm an "aerobic machine". I don't have a short twitch muscle in my body, but I'm really good in the "endurance" department. I want to look like a 53 year woman, but I want to look like one who does triathlons and does pretty good for an "old broad".
So that's it for the "ugly" part. Just wanted to vent and get that off my chest.
Also in the "good" column is that I had a really good swim this a.m. I swam 3,950 meters--which is more than ironman distance (2.4 miles is approx. 3,862 meters). I haven't swam that far since before I had my kids--we're talking over 15 years. So, now I know I can do it! YEA!
Hope everyone has a great Monday. Weather here today is perfect again!
Until next time--God bless!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Free-Friday, Soggy Saturday (a.m.), SUNsational SUNday
It was a good weekend. I stuck to the PLAN!
Friday included: sleep in until 7:00 a.m. (LAZY!); have a terrific one hour massage from Laura at LTF; tons of grocery shopping (three different stores). I was beat at the end of the day. More tired than I am when I have a hard training day. Went to bed EARLY and slept well. (And, I ate a cheeseburger--something I do MAYBE four times per year.)
Saturday started off crummy. Woke up early to ride with Snoopy, Moose and Waddler to Crystal Lake for the two mile open water swim. The weather: rain, thunder, BIG lightning. We all decided, based on the radar, we should pack it in. I waited for a while, and went and swam 3250 meters inside. Now, this is the second time I've blown off an event this year, and as it turned out, the weather cleared nicely in Crystal Lake, the swim started on time, and the sun even came out! It figures--I'm sure that if we would have driven 2.5 hours round trip, there would have been a delay or even a cancellation. Oh, well--as I've learned--it is what it is!
Spent the a.m. running around with the kids. The p.m. watching a couple rented movies. Tried to go to sleep early. I slept from about 9 to midnight. Finally got up at 3:30 and headed to Schaumburg at 4:30. My wonderful, supportive hubby drove (on very little sleep due to his crazy work schedule now)!
It's a small, local race, run in a very residential area. The swim is a 400 meter pool swim; the bike is about 15 miles of constant turning (which makes it a rather slow course); the run is a 5K through the neighborhood. There are two transition areas, and there were NO RACKS IN T2. Last year, they put the racks in T2 and had none in T1. I did not relish putting CP on the ground at transition. But at least they had chip timing this year. Last year the timing/awards were a mess/disaster. This year they did a very efficient, great job.
AND, the weather was perfect. Cool to start (about 60), sunny, a little breezy, high temp around 72 degrees. Can't ask for more on a summer day in the Chicago suburbs!
I did win my age group. I know there were at least three of us, because they gave out three awards! It was fun, but every time I do a sprint, I realize how hard it is to go at 100% plus for 1:20. I enjoy the longer races more, and now I'm really looking forward to Racine next weekend.
Met a lady in my age group who is doing Lake Placid next week. I told her I was doing Louisville, and her response was "why would you EVER want to go there for an IM?" My response was--I like the heat? Well, time will tell.
Week totals:
Swim: 5x = 10,150 meters
Bike: 3x = 96 miles
Run: 3x = 22.5 miles
Strength: 1 - 60 minute session
Core: 3 - 30 minute sessions
Total Time: 15:36
Total calories: 7,200
Hope everyone had a great weekend.
Until next time--God bless.
Friday included: sleep in until 7:00 a.m. (LAZY!); have a terrific one hour massage from Laura at LTF; tons of grocery shopping (three different stores). I was beat at the end of the day. More tired than I am when I have a hard training day. Went to bed EARLY and slept well. (And, I ate a cheeseburger--something I do MAYBE four times per year.)
Saturday started off crummy. Woke up early to ride with Snoopy, Moose and Waddler to Crystal Lake for the two mile open water swim. The weather: rain, thunder, BIG lightning. We all decided, based on the radar, we should pack it in. I waited for a while, and went and swam 3250 meters inside. Now, this is the second time I've blown off an event this year, and as it turned out, the weather cleared nicely in Crystal Lake, the swim started on time, and the sun even came out! It figures--I'm sure that if we would have driven 2.5 hours round trip, there would have been a delay or even a cancellation. Oh, well--as I've learned--it is what it is!
Spent the a.m. running around with the kids. The p.m. watching a couple rented movies. Tried to go to sleep early. I slept from about 9 to midnight. Finally got up at 3:30 and headed to Schaumburg at 4:30. My wonderful, supportive hubby drove (on very little sleep due to his crazy work schedule now)!
It's a small, local race, run in a very residential area. The swim is a 400 meter pool swim; the bike is about 15 miles of constant turning (which makes it a rather slow course); the run is a 5K through the neighborhood. There are two transition areas, and there were NO RACKS IN T2. Last year, they put the racks in T2 and had none in T1. I did not relish putting CP on the ground at transition. But at least they had chip timing this year. Last year the timing/awards were a mess/disaster. This year they did a very efficient, great job.
AND, the weather was perfect. Cool to start (about 60), sunny, a little breezy, high temp around 72 degrees. Can't ask for more on a summer day in the Chicago suburbs!
I did win my age group. I know there were at least three of us, because they gave out three awards! It was fun, but every time I do a sprint, I realize how hard it is to go at 100% plus for 1:20. I enjoy the longer races more, and now I'm really looking forward to Racine next weekend.
Met a lady in my age group who is doing Lake Placid next week. I told her I was doing Louisville, and her response was "why would you EVER want to go there for an IM?" My response was--I like the heat? Well, time will tell.
Week totals:
Swim: 5x = 10,150 meters
Bike: 3x = 96 miles
Run: 3x = 22.5 miles
Strength: 1 - 60 minute session
Core: 3 - 30 minute sessions
Total Time: 15:36
Total calories: 7,200
Hope everyone had a great weekend.
Until next time--God bless.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
A Day Off
Tomorrow will be a REST day for me. No swimming, bicycling, running, strength, core, stretch--nada, nothing, ZIP! I'm going to sleep until 7:00, eat a good breakfast, GET A MASSAGE, and do some much needed grocery shopping. My body is ready for a break. Saturday is a two mile open water swim; Sunday a sprint distance triathlon. Next Sunday is SORT (half iron distance).
Today was a very challenging day. After the long bike yesterday, I didn't have much time to recover, refuel and rehydrate. When I started on my run, I felt pretty good. Had all four bottles on my fuel belt (that's all it holds). I needed to run 2:10, and I was pretty sure I wouldn't have enough water, but was hoping...
It was warm and humid, but the trail I run on is mostly shaded (and quite hilly). It really wasn't the heat that did me in. If I had had enough fluid, I would have been OK. I had Nuun in my water and took plenty of Thermolyte. My legs were tired, but it was more my stomach and head that pooped out on me (the same thing happened last year at the Florida 70.3). The last two of the 12 miles involved a lot of walking. Total timed turned out to be 2:16.
I drank a ton of water when I was done and headed straight to the pool. I had a gel and actually had a really good swim. The workout was 6 x 400; I did an additional 100 to make it 2500 meters. I felt tired but good when I finished.
So after a good pasta dinner, I'm going to bed early. And I WON'T FEEL GUILTY TOMORROW! (Yeah, right!)
Hope everyone had a good day.
Until next time--God bless!
Today was a very challenging day. After the long bike yesterday, I didn't have much time to recover, refuel and rehydrate. When I started on my run, I felt pretty good. Had all four bottles on my fuel belt (that's all it holds). I needed to run 2:10, and I was pretty sure I wouldn't have enough water, but was hoping...
It was warm and humid, but the trail I run on is mostly shaded (and quite hilly). It really wasn't the heat that did me in. If I had had enough fluid, I would have been OK. I had Nuun in my water and took plenty of Thermolyte. My legs were tired, but it was more my stomach and head that pooped out on me (the same thing happened last year at the Florida 70.3). The last two of the 12 miles involved a lot of walking. Total timed turned out to be 2:16.
I drank a ton of water when I was done and headed straight to the pool. I had a gel and actually had a really good swim. The workout was 6 x 400; I did an additional 100 to make it 2500 meters. I felt tired but good when I finished.
So after a good pasta dinner, I'm going to bed early. And I WON'T FEEL GUILTY TOMORROW! (Yeah, right!)
Hope everyone had a good day.
Until next time--God bless!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Just When I Thought It Was Over...
I realized yesterday why I was feeling so wiped out the last couple days. You know, I'm going to be 53 in a couple of weeks, and I REALLY BELIEVED I was done with this whole menopause thing. I did not have my monthly "visitor" since last July, and guess what happened yesterday? Yeah, what in the world is with THAT! You are officially "done" when you've gone 12 months. I went 11. HELP!! Well, I'm hoping it's just a fluke thing, and no more visits for the rest of the racing season. Of course, I have events planned Saturday and Sunday! YIKES!
I had a really good, long bike today, inspite of the cramps, etc. I rode almost four hours--65 miles. I wanted to do 70, but I ran out of fluid and forgot to bring money with me! (See, I really am getting old!)
Tomorrow will be challenging: an early 2:10 run, then a 2400 meter swim. I should be OK, provided I get my butt in bed at a decent time tonight!
This weekend, watching the Olympic swimming trials, I was really glad I wasn't 41 years old or younger. Do you believe Dara Torres? That woman is unbelievable, for any age. What an inspiration. I figure if she can train that hard and swim that fast, I should be able to complete my ironman. (There really is no logic to that--it just sounds good when I say it in my head).
Still have a lot to do, and it's getting late. Hope everyone had a good day!
Until next time--God bless.
I had a really good, long bike today, inspite of the cramps, etc. I rode almost four hours--65 miles. I wanted to do 70, but I ran out of fluid and forgot to bring money with me! (See, I really am getting old!)
Tomorrow will be challenging: an early 2:10 run, then a 2400 meter swim. I should be OK, provided I get my butt in bed at a decent time tonight!
This weekend, watching the Olympic swimming trials, I was really glad I wasn't 41 years old or younger. Do you believe Dara Torres? That woman is unbelievable, for any age. What an inspiration. I figure if she can train that hard and swim that fast, I should be able to complete my ironman. (There really is no logic to that--it just sounds good when I say it in my head).
Still have a lot to do, and it's getting late. Hope everyone had a good day!
Until next time--God bless.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
A Good Change of Plans
I'm guessing that many of you in the triathlon world tend to be what's known as a "type A" personality. I definitely am. When I make a plan to do something, very little can keep me from doing it. (Most of the time, anyway. That did change a lot when my kids were little!)
I woke up during the night to thunder and heavy rain. So I'm thinking, maybe I won't have to worry about riding today or not. Maybe it will be pouring rain in the morning, and the decision will be out of my hands. I'll go run on the treadmill, do some strength training, swim a little, and that will be that. I figured I'd ride long tomorrow (Wednesday) instead.
Yea, right. I woke up and the weather was OK. Looked a little cloudy, but I knew I could ride if I really wanted/had to. But, I decided I would LISTEN TO MY BODY! So, I compromised. I ran outside--a little longer than I was supposed to--I got a little lost on the trail because I ran it backwards for the first time. There aren't many people out on a weekday at 8 a.m. to follow. It was muggy, buggy, overcast, I was bitten by flies--all in all A GREAT RUN!
(Side note--I was gabbing with a guy in the water waiting for our wave to start before my last half iron race. He had a couple cool IM logo tatoos. I told him I was thinking about getting one if I make it through Louisville. I said people would probably think someone as old as me with a tatoo was crazy. He laughed and said, "You do triathlons and you're training for an Ironman. They already KNOW you're crazy!")
Inspite of the great run, I was still feeling guilty about missing that two hour bike ride. "Karen, you've got to get over it" I kept telling myself. So instead of dwelling on the guilt of the missed ride, I started thinking about stuff I could share on my blog.
The comments have been great and really encouraging. It's really exciting hearing from others about their experiences. Keep the comments coming!
I really felt good when I finished running. Had a great strength/stretch/core session. And a really nice, easy 1500m swim in the outdoor pool. While I still feel a little tired, I'm not all achy and stiff, etc., etc.
Tomorrow I plan to ride for about 3.5 hours. This will help make up for the ride I missed today. (See, I still can't let that go.) Since I'm racing on Sunday, I won't get the long 4 hour ride in. I have a very good bike base, so I'm not really worried about missing a ride or two. Besides, I keep hearing/reading that it's always better to go into a race a little undertrained rather than overtrained. I believe that is true!
Hope everyone had a good day of training. Keep reading--I'm going to add a couple more things in the next couple of days. Kind of a "Life of Trihardchik" for anyone who wants to know how I got to this point in my life.
(Side note two: When I was waiting in line for a porta potty at the 4th of July ride, a woman looked at me and smiled. She said "Don't you work out at Lifetime in Romeoville?" I said, "Yea, I do." (She looked a little familiar). "You're that lady that's always singing and dancing when you're running and working out. I love to watch your enthusiasm." I told her that I'm sure many people, like my kids, think I'm nuts. But almost everywhere I go I meet someone I know. I guess I'm just that kind of person. So, if you ever see me at the store, working out, or at a race, please feel free to say hi!)
Until next time--God bless.
I woke up during the night to thunder and heavy rain. So I'm thinking, maybe I won't have to worry about riding today or not. Maybe it will be pouring rain in the morning, and the decision will be out of my hands. I'll go run on the treadmill, do some strength training, swim a little, and that will be that. I figured I'd ride long tomorrow (Wednesday) instead.
Yea, right. I woke up and the weather was OK. Looked a little cloudy, but I knew I could ride if I really wanted/had to. But, I decided I would LISTEN TO MY BODY! So, I compromised. I ran outside--a little longer than I was supposed to--I got a little lost on the trail because I ran it backwards for the first time. There aren't many people out on a weekday at 8 a.m. to follow. It was muggy, buggy, overcast, I was bitten by flies--all in all A GREAT RUN!
(Side note--I was gabbing with a guy in the water waiting for our wave to start before my last half iron race. He had a couple cool IM logo tatoos. I told him I was thinking about getting one if I make it through Louisville. I said people would probably think someone as old as me with a tatoo was crazy. He laughed and said, "You do triathlons and you're training for an Ironman. They already KNOW you're crazy!")
Inspite of the great run, I was still feeling guilty about missing that two hour bike ride. "Karen, you've got to get over it" I kept telling myself. So instead of dwelling on the guilt of the missed ride, I started thinking about stuff I could share on my blog.
The comments have been great and really encouraging. It's really exciting hearing from others about their experiences. Keep the comments coming!
I really felt good when I finished running. Had a great strength/stretch/core session. And a really nice, easy 1500m swim in the outdoor pool. While I still feel a little tired, I'm not all achy and stiff, etc., etc.
Tomorrow I plan to ride for about 3.5 hours. This will help make up for the ride I missed today. (See, I still can't let that go.) Since I'm racing on Sunday, I won't get the long 4 hour ride in. I have a very good bike base, so I'm not really worried about missing a ride or two. Besides, I keep hearing/reading that it's always better to go into a race a little undertrained rather than overtrained. I believe that is true!
Hope everyone had a good day of training. Keep reading--I'm going to add a couple more things in the next couple of days. Kind of a "Life of Trihardchik" for anyone who wants to know how I got to this point in my life.
(Side note two: When I was waiting in line for a porta potty at the 4th of July ride, a woman looked at me and smiled. She said "Don't you work out at Lifetime in Romeoville?" I said, "Yea, I do." (She looked a little familiar). "You're that lady that's always singing and dancing when you're running and working out. I love to watch your enthusiasm." I told her that I'm sure many people, like my kids, think I'm nuts. But almost everywhere I go I meet someone I know. I guess I'm just that kind of person. So, if you ever see me at the store, working out, or at a race, please feel free to say hi!)
Until next time--God bless.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Overtrained?
Overtrain/Overtraining/Overtrained--Could be the story of my week.
I read a great article in the latest Triathlete magazine. "Beat the late-season blues" by Mark Allen. I believe it was put in my lap providentially.
After a great run yesterday, I went to bed tired, woke up tired, and am still tired. My legs are tired, my feet are tired, my hamstrings are tired. Uh, I guess I'm just a little tired.
This is supposed to be a tough week, but I decided to shorten it because I'm "racing" Saturday and Sunday. After reading the above-mentioned article, I'm actually going to "cut back". I plan to take Friday off and get a massage. Ha! All the other training advice I follow seems to work, so I'm thinking the "rest and recovery" thing should work also. I'll let you know.
Did a quick, easy 16 mile spin on the bike. A steady 2500 meter swim, and a ton of the "carpooling the kids all over the place" today. (I actually needed to be two places at one time.)
I'm going to bed early tonight, honest! My plan is to ride 2 hours, and run 1 hour tomorrow. The weather may be iffy. It it's raining, I may skip the ride (horrors!) and run inside on the treadmill. I've been doing a lot of hill running, and I think my body is objecting just a little bit.
Hope you all had a great "back to work/the real world after a holiday weekend" Monday.
Until next time--God bless.
I read a great article in the latest Triathlete magazine. "Beat the late-season blues" by Mark Allen. I believe it was put in my lap providentially.
After a great run yesterday, I went to bed tired, woke up tired, and am still tired. My legs are tired, my feet are tired, my hamstrings are tired. Uh, I guess I'm just a little tired.
This is supposed to be a tough week, but I decided to shorten it because I'm "racing" Saturday and Sunday. After reading the above-mentioned article, I'm actually going to "cut back". I plan to take Friday off and get a massage. Ha! All the other training advice I follow seems to work, so I'm thinking the "rest and recovery" thing should work also. I'll let you know.
Did a quick, easy 16 mile spin on the bike. A steady 2500 meter swim, and a ton of the "carpooling the kids all over the place" today. (I actually needed to be two places at one time.)
I'm going to bed early tonight, honest! My plan is to ride 2 hours, and run 1 hour tomorrow. The weather may be iffy. It it's raining, I may skip the ride (horrors!) and run inside on the treadmill. I've been doing a lot of hill running, and I think my body is objecting just a little bit.
Hope you all had a great "back to work/the real world after a holiday weekend" Monday.
Until next time--God bless.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Now That's More Like It....
Today was a good Sunday, workout wise. (I'm a little bummed that my 2nd favorite tennis player of ALL time, next to Pete Sampras, lost in the Wimbledon final. Roger Federer put up a great fight, sending the match to more than five sets, but Rafael Nadal was just a little bit better today!)
Woke up feeling much better than yesterday. Decided to run 11 miles, not 10. The path I run on is about 5.5 miles long (Springbrook Prairie). I waited as long as I could before I started running. I needed to be done by about 10:20 so I could pick up my son from church. My daughter and I went to service last night and it rocked. We had a guest speaker, and the previous worship leader came for a visit and played some amazing piano.
Started running about 8:15. Had a real good run. Took lots of Thermolyte tabs (at start, 4 and 7 miles). Had one gel at 5.5 miles, one at 9.5 miles, and drank all my Nuun (4--8 oz bottles). As usual, I started out slow, finished the last 4 miles at a 10 minute pace--really good for me on this long of a run. Total run time was 2:00:45, which included one bathroom stop, two stops for traffic, and one stop when Peanut called to let me know we were out of milk! I would have broke 2:00 if I didn't have that phone call! So, totals for the day: 11 miles, AHR 148, MHR 174, zones 3 & 4, 78-92%, 1200 calories.
Felt great after the run. My left calf is a little sore. If I don't warm up before I run, or bike or swim first, it does bother me on longer distances. I have to remember not to forget to do that!
Recovery week totals:
Swim: 5X for 8,650 meters
Stretch/Core: 3-30 minute sessions
Total Time: 15:57:38 hours
Calories: 7,218 calories burned
Next week will be tricky. I have a 2-mile swim "race" on Saturday, and a spring tri on Sunday. I also have some "kid" stuff that will make me adjust my training a little. More on that as it occurs.
Hope everyone had a safe, relaxing and good weekend.
Until next time--God bless!
Woke up feeling much better than yesterday. Decided to run 11 miles, not 10. The path I run on is about 5.5 miles long (Springbrook Prairie). I waited as long as I could before I started running. I needed to be done by about 10:20 so I could pick up my son from church. My daughter and I went to service last night and it rocked. We had a guest speaker, and the previous worship leader came for a visit and played some amazing piano.
Started running about 8:15. Had a real good run. Took lots of Thermolyte tabs (at start, 4 and 7 miles). Had one gel at 5.5 miles, one at 9.5 miles, and drank all my Nuun (4--8 oz bottles). As usual, I started out slow, finished the last 4 miles at a 10 minute pace--really good for me on this long of a run. Total run time was 2:00:45, which included one bathroom stop, two stops for traffic, and one stop when Peanut called to let me know we were out of milk! I would have broke 2:00 if I didn't have that phone call! So, totals for the day: 11 miles, AHR 148, MHR 174, zones 3 & 4, 78-92%, 1200 calories.
Felt great after the run. My left calf is a little sore. If I don't warm up before I run, or bike or swim first, it does bother me on longer distances. I have to remember not to forget to do that!
Recovery week totals:
Swim: 5X for 8,650 meters
Bike: 3X for 107 miles
Run: 3X for 18.5 miles
Strength: 1-60 minute sessionStretch/Core: 3-30 minute sessions
Total Time: 15:57:38 hours
Calories: 7,218 calories burned
Next week will be tricky. I have a 2-mile swim "race" on Saturday, and a spring tri on Sunday. I also have some "kid" stuff that will make me adjust my training a little. More on that as it occurs.
Hope everyone had a safe, relaxing and good weekend.
Until next time--God bless!
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Day That Required Mental Toughness...
This morning I woke up tired. I fogot to take my "Tylenol PM" at bedtime. I was so tired, I fell asleep without it, even with the fireworks going every five seconds continually.
As soon as I woke up, I realized why I hurt. I have rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and the drug helps me sleep and not feel so stiff in the a.m.
I woke up around 5, stayed in bed until about 6:15. For the first time in a really long time, I didn't feel like working out. I only had to swim, but it was going to be a tough one: 250 wu; 1000 time trial; 1000 easy pace; 350 cool down. 2600 meters--UGH!
Made it to the pool by 7:20. Had a great chat with Waddler! You go girl! Can't wait to see how great you do at Steelhead.
Started out slow; started feeling good halfway through the first 1000; the second 1000 went really well. I did the cool down in the outside pool--the water was actually cooler than inside and the sun was wonderful! Total swim time: 1:06; AHR 118; Zone 2-3; 533 calories.
Felt much better after the swim. After breakfast, I actually worked on the "landscaping". This consists mostly of half-dead bushes and lots of weeds. I pulled all the weeds, trimmed the bushes, and my husband put down some more rocks. It actually looks better! YEAH! I CAN do more than swim, bike, run, eat and sleep!
Need to sleep, take my PM drug and get ready for a 10-mile run in the a.m. Hope I feel better tomorrow!
Until next time, God bless!
As soon as I woke up, I realized why I hurt. I have rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and the drug helps me sleep and not feel so stiff in the a.m.
I woke up around 5, stayed in bed until about 6:15. For the first time in a really long time, I didn't feel like working out. I only had to swim, but it was going to be a tough one: 250 wu; 1000 time trial; 1000 easy pace; 350 cool down. 2600 meters--UGH!
Made it to the pool by 7:20. Had a great chat with Waddler! You go girl! Can't wait to see how great you do at Steelhead.
Started out slow; started feeling good halfway through the first 1000; the second 1000 went really well. I did the cool down in the outside pool--the water was actually cooler than inside and the sun was wonderful! Total swim time: 1:06; AHR 118; Zone 2-3; 533 calories.
Felt much better after the swim. After breakfast, I actually worked on the "landscaping". This consists mostly of half-dead bushes and lots of weeds. I pulled all the weeds, trimmed the bushes, and my husband put down some more rocks. It actually looks better! YEAH! I CAN do more than swim, bike, run, eat and sleep!
Need to sleep, take my PM drug and get ready for a 10-mile run in the a.m. Hope I feel better tomorrow!
Until next time, God bless!
Friday, July 4, 2008
Happy 4th!
Today was a fun day. Dad took Peanut to the Hinsdale 4th of July parade. Her gymnastic team was marching in the parade. They had a good turnout and great weather!
I had a great ride at the JBC 4th of July ride. Perfect weather (a little windy on the way back)! Cool to start out, beautiful to finish. I saw a few friends at the start, but ended up riding by myself.
About two miles into the ride, I saw someone was on my wheel. When I commented "Hey, someone's behind me", he said, "It's OK. I'm just enjoying the ride back here." We rode together to the first rest stop--18 miles. He was a really nice guy, born in Scotland, lives in Darien. He gave me more info about the IM Canal path. I hope to try it out next week. We talked most of the way, or should I say I talked most of the way! We split up, and I didn't see him again.
I rode the rest of the ride solo--which is really my preference. Racing is solo, and I've always trained that way, so I enjoy it. I did get several men drafting me for a while. They like to tuck behind me, then when I slow for a stop sign, etc., they race by me. Ha! I usually end of passing them again anyway. Some guys have such HUGE egos.
Total ride distance was 62 plus miles, total time 4:00 hours, total ride time 3:30. Average speed 17.5 to 18.5 mph. AHR 130; MHR 154; zone 3; 2,044 calories.
As I sit here typing, I'm listening to all the fireworks being shot off in my neighborhood. One of my biggest pet peeves. This will go on well past midnight, I won't be able to get to sleep until late, and it makes me crazy that the police can/will do nothing!
This is a sad time for our family. We lost Filly, our Siberian Husky of 14 years the beginning of July, 2006. She was really sick for a couple years. I remember how much the fireworks scared her, so I'm glad she's not here to hear all the noise. Someday I'll post a picture of her, when I figure out how to do it!
So, hope you all had a great fourth! Until next time--God bless!
I had a great ride at the JBC 4th of July ride. Perfect weather (a little windy on the way back)! Cool to start out, beautiful to finish. I saw a few friends at the start, but ended up riding by myself.
About two miles into the ride, I saw someone was on my wheel. When I commented "Hey, someone's behind me", he said, "It's OK. I'm just enjoying the ride back here." We rode together to the first rest stop--18 miles. He was a really nice guy, born in Scotland, lives in Darien. He gave me more info about the IM Canal path. I hope to try it out next week. We talked most of the way, or should I say I talked most of the way! We split up, and I didn't see him again.
I rode the rest of the ride solo--which is really my preference. Racing is solo, and I've always trained that way, so I enjoy it. I did get several men drafting me for a while. They like to tuck behind me, then when I slow for a stop sign, etc., they race by me. Ha! I usually end of passing them again anyway. Some guys have such HUGE egos.
Total ride distance was 62 plus miles, total time 4:00 hours, total ride time 3:30. Average speed 17.5 to 18.5 mph. AHR 130; MHR 154; zone 3; 2,044 calories.
As I sit here typing, I'm listening to all the fireworks being shot off in my neighborhood. One of my biggest pet peeves. This will go on well past midnight, I won't be able to get to sleep until late, and it makes me crazy that the police can/will do nothing!
This is a sad time for our family. We lost Filly, our Siberian Husky of 14 years the beginning of July, 2006. She was really sick for a couple years. I remember how much the fireworks scared her, so I'm glad she's not here to hear all the noise. Someday I'll post a picture of her, when I figure out how to do it!
So, hope you all had a great fourth! Until next time--God bless!
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Tired Of This Recovery Stuff
I'm glad this recovery week is nearing the end. I feel more tired (and hungry) working out less, than I do during a heavy week of training. And I haven't slept really well the last couple days.
The weather has been great the last couple days. Wednesday I had a great run in the warmer weather. Did 45 minutes (about 4.5 miles) at Waterfall Glenn. After, a 4x300 recovery swim. In between, I did a 60 minutes strength/core/stretch session. I'm trying to get one day of full body strength training in per week, at least until the real heavy training hours start (like the next two weeks!) I stretch and do my core work about 4 or 5 times per week. When you're my age, it's really a necessary part of the training!
I started this workout about noon. I was tired, because I was up at 5:30, and just hung around until I brought Peanut (my daughter) to gymnastic practice. She practices Monday through Thursday in the summer. Monday and Wednesday--11:30 to 3:30; Tues./Thurs.--8:00 to Noon. I try to plan my workout during her practice. (Keeps the driving/gas consumption at a minimum!)I can usually get everything done during that time--at least for now. The longer rides/runs are done Friday-Sunday.
Today, Thursday, called for a 60 minute spin. The weather was cool and windy, and I rode about 75 minutes (about 20 miles). A short stretch/core session (30 minutes) and a very easy 1350 swim topped out the day. Spent the rest of the day running around with the kids: dentist, allergist, shopping, took my son to the gym for his workout. Ugh, more tiring than the workout for sure.
Tomorrow is the 4th, and I'm doing the Joliet Bike Club's 4th of July Metric Century ride. My training plan calls for a 90 minute ride, and a 2550 swim. I was thinking of riding longer than the 62, but a 4 hour plus ride will be good enough. I'll skip the swim, and do it on Saturday instead.
Sunday calls for a 15K race. Since I wasn't able to find a race, I'm going to run 10 miles at a hard effort.
Hope everyone has a great weekend. Have safe and fun workouts/cookouts/family/travel time.
A special wish out to Snoop Dog and Moose. Have a great trip!
The weather has been great the last couple days. Wednesday I had a great run in the warmer weather. Did 45 minutes (about 4.5 miles) at Waterfall Glenn. After, a 4x300 recovery swim. In between, I did a 60 minutes strength/core/stretch session. I'm trying to get one day of full body strength training in per week, at least until the real heavy training hours start (like the next two weeks!) I stretch and do my core work about 4 or 5 times per week. When you're my age, it's really a necessary part of the training!
I started this workout about noon. I was tired, because I was up at 5:30, and just hung around until I brought Peanut (my daughter) to gymnastic practice. She practices Monday through Thursday in the summer. Monday and Wednesday--11:30 to 3:30; Tues./Thurs.--8:00 to Noon. I try to plan my workout during her practice. (Keeps the driving/gas consumption at a minimum!)I can usually get everything done during that time--at least for now. The longer rides/runs are done Friday-Sunday.
Today, Thursday, called for a 60 minute spin. The weather was cool and windy, and I rode about 75 minutes (about 20 miles). A short stretch/core session (30 minutes) and a very easy 1350 swim topped out the day. Spent the rest of the day running around with the kids: dentist, allergist, shopping, took my son to the gym for his workout. Ugh, more tiring than the workout for sure.
Tomorrow is the 4th, and I'm doing the Joliet Bike Club's 4th of July Metric Century ride. My training plan calls for a 90 minute ride, and a 2550 swim. I was thinking of riding longer than the 62, but a 4 hour plus ride will be good enough. I'll skip the swim, and do it on Saturday instead.
Sunday calls for a 15K race. Since I wasn't able to find a race, I'm going to run 10 miles at a hard effort.
Hope everyone has a great weekend. Have safe and fun workouts/cookouts/family/travel time.
A special wish out to Snoop Dog and Moose. Have a great trip!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Recovery Week So Far.....
The first two days have gone good. Monday, just a good 2500 meter swim. Felt good to stretch out after a long bike on Sunday. It was a beautiful day, and I swam in the outside pool. One of my favorite things about summer is swimming outside. I love to swim, and outside makes it even more perfect.
Today, was a short(er) workout of all three disciplines, plus a little core/stretch work. Training called for a 90 minute bike (25 miles for me); 30 minute run (I ran for 35 minutes--I always run a little longer because I'm so slow). I think I did about 3.2 miles. This was actually a brick, because I brought my bike to Waterfall Glenn, rode on the roads, then ran on the path. That path is really hilly!
After, I drove to Lifetime and did stretch/core work for about 20 minutes. Then an easy 1000 meters in the indoor pool. I try to be careful about the sun, and after being out for two hours, I figured inside was best.
So, I felt really good after the workout. Starving....one of my biggest problems is not eating enough during my workout times. I'm doing better, but it's really hard. (More on the weight battle another time!)
Tomorrow calls for a 45 minute run and a 1200 recovery swim. I think I'll also do a little strength and core work--I'll have the time and probably the energy. The weather calls for more heat and humidity, and I don't plan to run until around noon--good training for Louisville!
Hope everyone had a great day. I'm still trying to figure out how to cusomize this sight and add more fun stuff.
I also decided to add up my totals for June, just for fun:
Swim: 38,700 meters
Bike: 617 miles
Run: 71 miles
Core/Strength: 17 sessions
Total Training Time: 79.25 hours
Calories Burned: 37,265
HOLY COW! Sounds like a lot, but I'm not sure.....
Today, was a short(er) workout of all three disciplines, plus a little core/stretch work. Training called for a 90 minute bike (25 miles for me); 30 minute run (I ran for 35 minutes--I always run a little longer because I'm so slow). I think I did about 3.2 miles. This was actually a brick, because I brought my bike to Waterfall Glenn, rode on the roads, then ran on the path. That path is really hilly!
After, I drove to Lifetime and did stretch/core work for about 20 minutes. Then an easy 1000 meters in the indoor pool. I try to be careful about the sun, and after being out for two hours, I figured inside was best.
So, I felt really good after the workout. Starving....one of my biggest problems is not eating enough during my workout times. I'm doing better, but it's really hard. (More on the weight battle another time!)
Tomorrow calls for a 45 minute run and a 1200 recovery swim. I think I'll also do a little strength and core work--I'll have the time and probably the energy. The weather calls for more heat and humidity, and I don't plan to run until around noon--good training for Louisville!
Hope everyone had a great day. I'm still trying to figure out how to cusomize this sight and add more fun stuff.
I also decided to add up my totals for June, just for fun:
Swim: 38,700 meters
Bike: 617 miles
Run: 71 miles
Core/Strength: 17 sessions
Total Training Time: 79.25 hours
Calories Burned: 37,265
HOLY COW! Sounds like a lot, but I'm not sure.....
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