I should have acknowledged it earlier in the week, but I was in denial. Even though I'm putting in a decent amount of hours training, with 3 doubles a week, I still don't feel like I'm doing that much. But when you add in work and life, I guess it does exceed what the average person does in one day. So when the week started off with me not being able to roll out of bed on Monday morning for my easy recovery swim, I chalked it up to me being too old for the beer fest I attended on Saturday and decided I'd make the workout up on Tuesday. I suffered through Monday feeling exhausted and blah but pushed myself out the door after work for an easy 4 mile run.
When Tuesday morning rolled around and I woke up from a horrible nights sleep (again), it was all I could do to drag my body down to the basement for an hour session on the bike trainer. My plans for making up my swim before the bike session, out the window. Usually missing a workout would upset me, but I was so exhausted I didn't even care. Again, I should have recognized what was going on. I got through the workout and Tuesday went just as miserably as Monday. I headed to bed super early in hopes of making up for lost hours the past 2 nights and waking up refreshed for a double first thing Wednesday morning.
While I didn't sleep well, I managed to be in the pool at 5am and followed the swim with a 5 mile run with speed work. I suffered through the swim, my back half sinking and breathing harder and louder than normal, hitting my moderate intensity effort by swimming like it was a recovery day. While my run felt good, when I left the gym, it felt like everything had been sucked from my body...and my mind. My spirit for training, completely gone.
I spent the day feeling really lonely. Wondering why I was training. Missing my running friends. Starving. Exhausted. Warm and sweaty in my frigid office area. And then the doozy...I actually said out loud to Andy "I don't think I want to train anymore." Hunh?? After that little outburst, I immediately sent myself up to bed.
I finally acknowledged what was going on when I woke up this morning at 5am and the first thought I had was, "I don't want to do an Ironman." I'm not even training for an Ironman (yet) and I'm already ruling it out? What was this crazy talk? But as I hiked up my sausage shorts and looked at the bags under my eyes, I shook my head and acknowledged what the signs had been pointing to all week. I'm a little burned out.
Rather than crawling back into bed and pulling the covers over my head, I marched myself down to the basement. The first 10 minutes on the trainer were misery but then the next 10 were better. And the next 10 even better. Then all of a sudden I felt like a weight had been lifted and I was pushing hard and enjoying it. When Andy came down to say good morning, I happily said, "I know what's been wrong all week. I've been burned out. But I just rode through it!"
Like I said, I don't feel like I'm doing too much, I really don't. But then again, I'm the type of person who will keep going and going until I can't physically go anymore. Something was definitely telling me all week that I needed a little break and I didn't want to listen. Maybe physically I was fine, but my mind needed a rest. Either way, I think the worst is behind me and I'm going to tackle the next 3 weeks before race day with a vengeance.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
No Pool Love
I was sitting here thinking about how good I feel. My body feels great and mentally, I'm strong and focused. I'm not sure what clicked but ever since the Sprint TRI, things just seem to be...right. I'm in the midst of one of my highest training hour weeks and I feel like I have a lot more in me. Running is going exceptionally well and when running by feel I'm knocking out some paces that are surprising me. What used to be my "sort of push it pace" is now my easy pace and my speed work paces are getting quicker, too. I'm feeling great on the bike and have learned how to really push the intensity and get a great workout. I'm even excited about my long rides on the weekend and am not sad I traded long runs for the bike at all! It all seems like it's coming together so nicely...with one exception. The pool.
I just don't love the pool. I know I'm not going to love everything, but the pool sort of sucks. On a good note though, I find the pool more tolerable on a hard workout day than an easy day. For some reason pushing myself to the point where I'm gasping for air and feel like I might hurl makes the time go by so much faster. And I guess I'm just a little frustrated because you can't see improvements with swimming as easily as you can with, say, running. Sure I can knock time off but if that sacrifices form, then I don't think it's worth it. I need to come out of the water feeling great so I have to find the balance between speed and form, where I'm not sacrificing one for the other.
I mentioned to Andy the other day my frustrations about swimming and that "I'm just not good in the pool." His response sort of shocked me when he said, "Good!" When I asked what the heck he meant by that he said he thinks it's good for me to not be good at everything, that it's not realistic and it's like a kid getting everything they want. I didn't bother to have a debate with him about this because we've had countless discussions about how I want to be good at everything I do. I'm not the type of person to do something and not try to perfect it. If I'm doing it, I want to be the best I can at it. So instead of discussing it further with him, I walked away knowing I'm going to keep at it until I AM good in the pool. I may not love it, but damn it, I'll be good at it!
Quick gluten free update...going great!! On day 4, feeling really good. Had a little stomach trouble early in the week but I know I need to give it more time. The only thing I'm struggling with is finding snack options for my late afternoon carb snack at work. I need to hit up the GF section at the store so I'm prepared for next week. If anyone has any GF suggestions for a healthy carb snack, can you let me know? Right now my staples are oatmeal, quinoa and brown rice as my carbs.
I just don't love the pool. I know I'm not going to love everything, but the pool sort of sucks. On a good note though, I find the pool more tolerable on a hard workout day than an easy day. For some reason pushing myself to the point where I'm gasping for air and feel like I might hurl makes the time go by so much faster. And I guess I'm just a little frustrated because you can't see improvements with swimming as easily as you can with, say, running. Sure I can knock time off but if that sacrifices form, then I don't think it's worth it. I need to come out of the water feeling great so I have to find the balance between speed and form, where I'm not sacrificing one for the other.
I mentioned to Andy the other day my frustrations about swimming and that "I'm just not good in the pool." His response sort of shocked me when he said, "Good!" When I asked what the heck he meant by that he said he thinks it's good for me to not be good at everything, that it's not realistic and it's like a kid getting everything they want. I didn't bother to have a debate with him about this because we've had countless discussions about how I want to be good at everything I do. I'm not the type of person to do something and not try to perfect it. If I'm doing it, I want to be the best I can at it. So instead of discussing it further with him, I walked away knowing I'm going to keep at it until I AM good in the pool. I may not love it, but damn it, I'll be good at it!
Quick gluten free update...going great!! On day 4, feeling really good. Had a little stomach trouble early in the week but I know I need to give it more time. The only thing I'm struggling with is finding snack options for my late afternoon carb snack at work. I need to hit up the GF section at the store so I'm prepared for next week. If anyone has any GF suggestions for a healthy carb snack, can you let me know? Right now my staples are oatmeal, quinoa and brown rice as my carbs.
Monday, June 20, 2011
The GF Experiment
I am the Queen of stomach aches. It's rare that a day goes by where I don't get some sort of discomfort which can range from bloating to full on I-can't-stand-straight-up stomach pain. I've never been able to narrow it down to what causes it but I do know that I can NOT eat sour dough pretzels. I figured this out through marathon training as pretzels were my carb load food of choice the day before a race. That and twizzlers. :-) Anyway, within minutes of eating pretzels I'm in such pain I walk around hunched over and usually end up in the fetal position moaning. Andy and I did a little experimenting and while all pretzels bother me, sour dough are definitely the worst. So sad, they were my favorite.
After doing some reading about food allergies and knowing some friends who are gluten free, I saw a connection between some of the symptoms of gluten intolerance/allergies and what I was experiencing. On top of the stomach aches/bloating, I also have extremely dry, itchy skin that no lotion can help and some days it's all I can do to not scratch my skin right off. And every now and then I get waves of nausea out of no where after eating and on most days I'm dog tired. Now the tiredness could be training but even on light workout days, I'm still pretty exhausted. There are tons of sites out there citing different symptoms but here is a general list of symptoms of a wheat/gluten allergy:
• Abdominal pain & cramps (check)
• bloating (check)
• headaches
• foul smelling stools (hmmm, TMI??)
• vomiting
• osteoporosis
• diarrhea (probably more often than the normal pooping person)
• allergic rhinitis
• anemia
• muscle cramps (hell yea!)
• eczema (check)
• swelling around the mouth
• tingling in the feet and legs
• irritability (what? not me!)
• depression (check)
• hives (check)
So, I figured, what do I have to lose (besides not being able to eat bulgar which is by far my favorite grain)? I'm going to try a little gluten free experiment and see how things go. I'm not doing this for training purposes or anything thing like that because honestly I don't understand the connection between gluten free and performance. I'm simply doing it to see if the stomach aches subside and if there's any change in how I feel overall. I'm going to attempt no gluten all this week with the exception of Saturday since we're going to a beer festival. Come on, it's not a life or death situation. I can deal with the beer induced stomach ache for the sake of having fun!
I'll update mid week on how I'm feeling and post an example of what the food intake in a gluten free day looks like. I really hope this solves the stomach ache mystery and if it does, I'm going to be crushed I can't eat twizzlers anymore the day before a race.
After doing some reading about food allergies and knowing some friends who are gluten free, I saw a connection between some of the symptoms of gluten intolerance/allergies and what I was experiencing. On top of the stomach aches/bloating, I also have extremely dry, itchy skin that no lotion can help and some days it's all I can do to not scratch my skin right off. And every now and then I get waves of nausea out of no where after eating and on most days I'm dog tired. Now the tiredness could be training but even on light workout days, I'm still pretty exhausted. There are tons of sites out there citing different symptoms but here is a general list of symptoms of a wheat/gluten allergy:
• Abdominal pain & cramps (check)
• bloating (check)
• headaches
• foul smelling stools (hmmm, TMI??)
• vomiting
• osteoporosis
• diarrhea (probably more often than the normal pooping person)
• allergic rhinitis
• anemia
• muscle cramps (hell yea!)
• eczema (check)
• swelling around the mouth
• tingling in the feet and legs
• irritability (what? not me!)
• depression (check)
• hives (check)
So, I figured, what do I have to lose (besides not being able to eat bulgar which is by far my favorite grain)? I'm going to try a little gluten free experiment and see how things go. I'm not doing this for training purposes or anything thing like that because honestly I don't understand the connection between gluten free and performance. I'm simply doing it to see if the stomach aches subside and if there's any change in how I feel overall. I'm going to attempt no gluten all this week with the exception of Saturday since we're going to a beer festival. Come on, it's not a life or death situation. I can deal with the beer induced stomach ache for the sake of having fun!
I'll update mid week on how I'm feeling and post an example of what the food intake in a gluten free day looks like. I really hope this solves the stomach ache mystery and if it does, I'm going to be crushed I can't eat twizzlers anymore the day before a race.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Weight and Training
I've been going to a nutritionist for several months now. I've gone before in the past because of disordered eating habits but this time around it was more my training that made me realize I needed some guidance. For years I managed through marathon training on about 1200 calories a day and as a result, zero energy. Now I never dropped down to a size 0 or wasted away because my body held on to everything so it could get through the next workout and daily activities of life. I lived in a constant state of exhaustion and didn't even trust myself to drive into work some days because it was that hard to keep my eyes open. There was even an instance where I passed out/blacked out/whatever you want to call it on a 22 mile run. That shook me a little but not enough that I made many changes to how much I was eating. In fact, I wrote it off for a long time refusing to admit it was my own fault that happened.
Well, when it came time to start TRI training, I knew there was no way I could get through it doing what I was doing, so back to the nutritionist I went. The first session was horrible and I spent days crying over my new eating plan, how many calories I was going to consume and the weight I feared I would gain. Since my body was so used to being restricted, the theory is that it will hold on to the food until it trusts it won't be restricted again, and then eventually the body will adjust to the appropriate weight. We upped the calories very gradually and surprisingly, after the first few weeks, I actually lost a little weight. What? Ate more and lost weight...yup, that's exactly what happened. Now, things were going well until I had the hiccup between Shamrock and Boston where I couldn't do a darn thing and I coped with my injury by eating like crud and graining more than a few pounds. I have a terrible "all or none" behavior pattern which needs to change and I'm working on it! Now while most of this has come off, of course there's always "just one more pound" that I'd like to lose.
Over the course of a few months, my caloric intake has gone from ~1200 calories to 2700 a day and we're still planning to add more. I'm pretty much eating non stop because it's hard to get that many calories when you eat healthy and overall, I'm feeling more energetic most days. It's been a struggle because I'm not at the training weight I'd like to be at but I know I can't focus on losing weight right now...even if that's always in the back of my mind. I need to trust what we're doing and remember that I'm not little, heck, there is nothing petite about me, and that I'll never be a size 0. Eventually my body will adjust and find its healthy, happy weight but until then I'll keep reminding myself that I'm a 3:35 marathoner and a triathlete. A few extra pounds may have settled in places I don't like, but they aren't going to slow me down!!
Where is all this coming from? I've just been struggling with the "trying to fuel my workouts" and "training weight" debacle. I know what I need to do; I got certified as a personal trainer, I'm educated in the subject. It's just hard to take your own advice some times, especially when you are as stubborn as I am. Each day though I'm trying to think of my workout the following day and what I need to do today to make sure I get the most out tomorrow. And to do that, I need to refuel. I'm not all the way there yet, and I may never be there completely, but each day I'm starting to follow my own advice a little more. Since I know I'm not alone in this, I just want to say that I'm proof that eating less during training does not equal healthy weight loss. All it gets you is less than stellar workouts and crankiness (at least in my case, just ask Andy!).
Well, when it came time to start TRI training, I knew there was no way I could get through it doing what I was doing, so back to the nutritionist I went. The first session was horrible and I spent days crying over my new eating plan, how many calories I was going to consume and the weight I feared I would gain. Since my body was so used to being restricted, the theory is that it will hold on to the food until it trusts it won't be restricted again, and then eventually the body will adjust to the appropriate weight. We upped the calories very gradually and surprisingly, after the first few weeks, I actually lost a little weight. What? Ate more and lost weight...yup, that's exactly what happened. Now, things were going well until I had the hiccup between Shamrock and Boston where I couldn't do a darn thing and I coped with my injury by eating like crud and graining more than a few pounds. I have a terrible "all or none" behavior pattern which needs to change and I'm working on it! Now while most of this has come off, of course there's always "just one more pound" that I'd like to lose.
Over the course of a few months, my caloric intake has gone from ~1200 calories to 2700 a day and we're still planning to add more. I'm pretty much eating non stop because it's hard to get that many calories when you eat healthy and overall, I'm feeling more energetic most days. It's been a struggle because I'm not at the training weight I'd like to be at but I know I can't focus on losing weight right now...even if that's always in the back of my mind. I need to trust what we're doing and remember that I'm not little, heck, there is nothing petite about me, and that I'll never be a size 0. Eventually my body will adjust and find its healthy, happy weight but until then I'll keep reminding myself that I'm a 3:35 marathoner and a triathlete. A few extra pounds may have settled in places I don't like, but they aren't going to slow me down!!
Where is all this coming from? I've just been struggling with the "trying to fuel my workouts" and "training weight" debacle. I know what I need to do; I got certified as a personal trainer, I'm educated in the subject. It's just hard to take your own advice some times, especially when you are as stubborn as I am. Each day though I'm trying to think of my workout the following day and what I need to do today to make sure I get the most out tomorrow. And to do that, I need to refuel. I'm not all the way there yet, and I may never be there completely, but each day I'm starting to follow my own advice a little more. Since I know I'm not alone in this, I just want to say that I'm proof that eating less during training does not equal healthy weight loss. All it gets you is less than stellar workouts and crankiness (at least in my case, just ask Andy!).
Thursday, June 9, 2011
I am a Triathlete! (and WINNER)
I think I've been smiling since Sunday. There was something about the TRI that clicked with me and I think once I get used to the open water swims, this may just be my new love. However, the memory of the swim is still burning in my brain and I haven't been able to get it off my mind. The panic I felt is still really fresh and a few nights this week I found myself having trouble falling asleep because I was thinking about it. Every seasoned triathlete I've talked to said what I experienced is completely normal and expected and that it does get better with time. I hope they're right because the next one is only 6 short weeks away....
The next 6 weeks of training are jammed packed with workouts but I'm feeling great and ready to tackle them. With the recent Achilles* flare up, my Coach and I decided that it's probably best to cut back my running. Going into the training I had requested to keep my long training runs because I wanted to stay in marathon shape. Because come on, you never know when you might need to run 26.2 miles!! Well, those long runs on top of all the other training weren't needed for my upcoming TRIs and were possibly (I'm not 100% sold) aggravating the Achilles. So, the schedule has been adjusted and the running has been cut back. I still do a fair amount of running, with my mid week runs being as long as 1:15, but there won't be any 20 miles in my near future. I've realized that it's more important to keep myself healthy than to rack up pointless miles. There will be plenty of time for marathon training come September 11th when my TRI season is over.
If you can't tell, I'm feeling really positive about things. A switch went off on Sunday after the race and brought me back to where I want to be. I've been slacking off a little and making excuses and I'm ready for the old me to come back. I've got my game face on and am determined to kill the next month of training. I'm going to swim, bike and run my ass off, because, well...that's what Triathletes do. And now I'm one of them! I've got a lot of work ahead of me and there are improvements to be made, but I'll get there and 6 weeks from now I'll be ready to crush the Olympic distance.
The winner of the Mondetta Performance Gear, pick randomly by number generator Andy, is # 24 -- Marisa @ the pace of my life. Marisa, email me at dclaffey76@yahoo.com.
*so I didn't take my doctors advice and go back into the boot. While the pain was there, I knew I wasn't at that point. Last week I took off from running, only did light swimming and biking, and stretched the hell out of my achilles and calves. I felt pretty good after the TRI and so far this week things are going well. Stretching is now a daily part of my routine and I think it's making a big difference. But I'm keeping my fingers crossed nonetheless.
The next 6 weeks of training are jammed packed with workouts but I'm feeling great and ready to tackle them. With the recent Achilles* flare up, my Coach and I decided that it's probably best to cut back my running. Going into the training I had requested to keep my long training runs because I wanted to stay in marathon shape. Because come on, you never know when you might need to run 26.2 miles!! Well, those long runs on top of all the other training weren't needed for my upcoming TRIs and were possibly (I'm not 100% sold) aggravating the Achilles. So, the schedule has been adjusted and the running has been cut back. I still do a fair amount of running, with my mid week runs being as long as 1:15, but there won't be any 20 miles in my near future. I've realized that it's more important to keep myself healthy than to rack up pointless miles. There will be plenty of time for marathon training come September 11th when my TRI season is over.
If you can't tell, I'm feeling really positive about things. A switch went off on Sunday after the race and brought me back to where I want to be. I've been slacking off a little and making excuses and I'm ready for the old me to come back. I've got my game face on and am determined to kill the next month of training. I'm going to swim, bike and run my ass off, because, well...that's what Triathletes do. And now I'm one of them! I've got a lot of work ahead of me and there are improvements to be made, but I'll get there and 6 weeks from now I'll be ready to crush the Olympic distance.
The winner of the Mondetta Performance Gear, pick randomly by number generator Andy, is # 24 -- Marisa @ the pace of my life. Marisa, email me at dclaffey76@yahoo.com.
*so I didn't take my doctors advice and go back into the boot. While the pain was there, I knew I wasn't at that point. Last week I took off from running, only did light swimming and biking, and stretched the hell out of my achilles and calves. I felt pretty good after the TRI and so far this week things are going well. Stretching is now a daily part of my routine and I think it's making a big difference. But I'm keeping my fingers crossed nonetheless.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Independence TRI - Race Report
I was going to break this up to keep it from being too long, but I wanted to capture everything while it was still fresh in my mind. So sit back and relax...
Saturday was not my normal pre race day filled with relaxation and a whole lot of nothing. Instead I attended a pre race meeting for TRI newbies and ran around taking care of some bike issues that arose at the last second. They left me completely flustered and cranked up the nerves but finally around 5:30pm I was all packed up and able to get off my feet and relax for a bit. Thankfully, I managed to shut my brain off and got some solid sleep before the alarm went off at 4:30 this morning.
I bounced out of bed feeling completely refreshed and calm and the nerves stayed at bay until we were about a mile from the park entrance. At that point I started taking deep breaths and sighing and might not have put up a fight if Andy turned the car around and we headed home. But once we parked and started unloading, I settled down.
We made our way over to the start and I set up my very first transition area! We had about 18" of space and man; some people really go nuts with what they cram into that tiny spot! I saw buckets of water, PAM cooking spray, wardrobes, etc. I brought just the bare essentials and set up everything up in the order I was going to need it.
After a quick pre race meeting and the national anthem, we headed down to the water. It was already a cool morning with overcast skies and the temperature around 60 degrees and when we got to the water, the breeze picked up and it was even cooler. I was shocked to see so many people in wet suits as this was only a 1/4 mile swim. I personally didn't see the point for a 1/4 mile swim and thought it was more of a waste of time than anything.
The wave start for this race was backwards with the woman over 40 and Athenas starting first. This was previously a women only race and I heard the race director wanted to honor the females and keep with the tradition by letting them enter the water first. As the first wave entered the water, I stood on the edge covered in goose bumps but surprisingly calm. When it got close for the first gun to go off, I worked my way to the edge of the water and was shocked at how warm the water felt. They said the temperature was around 70 degrees and it felt great considering the air was cooler. I eased my way in (it was an in-water start) and was completely grossed out by the feel of the bottom and the long sea weed type things wrapping around my legs and arms. I took the opportunity to pee and then exactly 3 minutes after the first wave took off, it was go time for wave 2.
I had positioned myself towards the front of my wave because I knew things would be crowded no matter what with the reverse wave start. We would be catching the first wave and the men starting after us would be catching us. As soon as we started I found a nice little rhythm and couldn't believe how calm I felt. It was such a surreal feeling...I was swimming in this murky lake and I was completely under control. Well, flash forward a minute or two and everything was the complete opposite. Holy panic! I don't know what happened but I was freaking out. I was searching around for the nearest rescue boat and thought for a second that I was going to flag them down. Instead I kept my head above the water and did whatever stroke I could just to stay afloat. I was breathing so hard I thought I was going to hyperventilate and felt completely helpless. It was the longest seconds/minutes/I have no idea of my life and all I wanted was to catch my breath and not sink to the bottom. I eventually talked myself down and kept myself moving. But all my good form and bi-lateral breathing went out the window and I just swam to survive. Once I rounded the buoy and was headed back to the beach, I felt so much better. I just kept thinking, "get me the hell out of here." As I exited the water and almost killed myself doing so on all the rocks, Andy asked if I was ok. I mumbled, "that was the worst experience of my life."
From swim start to T1 entrance - 11:06
I hustled up to transition and was just so happy to be out of the water. I didn't rush too bad as I wanted to regroup and make sure I was composed before heading out on the bike. I threw on my helmet, sunglasses, race belt and shoes, grabbed a sip of water and took off. Andy was already at the T1 exit and as I ran by, I smiled and said, "no worries, I'm never doing an Ironman."
T1 - 1:34
The bike portion started on a hill, yes a hill, which sucked. Thankfully I was prepared for this from the pre race meeting the day before and had practiced with my gears set how I wanted them. It actually took me two tries to mount my bike and get started but it didn't set me back. We had a long gradual climb out of the park before we turned onto a closed road for the majority of the race. From the second I got on the bike, I felt strong. Going into this I knew the bike was going to be a weak spot for me because of how scared I am of crashing and because of how little time I've spent on it. I think I had 3 rides outside going into this race, so I wasn't exactly prepared. The course was all hills and definitely challenging, but I pushed through. I thought for sure I'd be holding my breaks going down the hills but instead I found myself flying down them without a fear in the world. At one point I said to myself, "who are you?" Had you seen me prior to today, you wouldn't have known it was the same person. Going into this I was convinced I'd have no brake pads left by the time it was over because I was so scared of going downhill! Anyway, I hurt myself on the bike portion by not changing between my big and small ring (I stayed in my small ring the entire race) for fear of popping a chain and getting confused between gears. I'm just not that comfortable on the bike yet and this was one way of keeping it a little less stressful. After all the hills I was so happy to see the final turn around and the downhill entrance back into the park. With this being my first one, I had no idea how hard to push on the bike and still save something for the run and I just hoped I saved enough. I dismounted the bike on the downhill, managed not to fall, and ran into transition. With no shoe change I was in and out in a flash and even remembered to take my helmet off!!
Bike - 37:08
T2 - 30 seconds
My legs were heavy but they were also ready to run. I had practiced some bricks before and knew I handled them pretty well but today shocked me. I felt really good and the leg turnover was there. I had decided not to wear my Garmin since today wasn't about time and just ran by feel. I honestly thought I was running around an 8:30-9:00 min pace and was wondering why I was passing everyone. I felt like I was hardly moving yet I was breathing pretty good. I grabbed a sip of water at the turn around point and headed back to the finish. Not knowing how fast I was running bothered me because I kept thinking if I knew I could push myself harder. Well, before I had any more time to worry about it, I turned the corner and saw the finish line chute. I pushed a little further, saw Andy cheering on the side, and crossed the line with the biggest smile on my face! It wasn't until I saw the results that I realized how fast I was running...so much for that 8:30ish pace!
Run - 13:20 (6:41 pace!!)
So many thoughts after this race, my mind is swirling. Yes, I enjoyed it. Yes, I'm insanely happy that I placed in my first TRI. Can I imagine doing roughly 5x this distance for the Half Ironman? No, I can't. But I will. And when that's done, I'll take it a step further and double the distance. So much for my comment to Andy as I left T1...
Saturday was not my normal pre race day filled with relaxation and a whole lot of nothing. Instead I attended a pre race meeting for TRI newbies and ran around taking care of some bike issues that arose at the last second. They left me completely flustered and cranked up the nerves but finally around 5:30pm I was all packed up and able to get off my feet and relax for a bit. Thankfully, I managed to shut my brain off and got some solid sleep before the alarm went off at 4:30 this morning.
I bounced out of bed feeling completely refreshed and calm and the nerves stayed at bay until we were about a mile from the park entrance. At that point I started taking deep breaths and sighing and might not have put up a fight if Andy turned the car around and we headed home. But once we parked and started unloading, I settled down.
We made our way over to the start and I set up my very first transition area! We had about 18" of space and man; some people really go nuts with what they cram into that tiny spot! I saw buckets of water, PAM cooking spray, wardrobes, etc. I brought just the bare essentials and set up everything up in the order I was going to need it.
After a quick pre race meeting and the national anthem, we headed down to the water. It was already a cool morning with overcast skies and the temperature around 60 degrees and when we got to the water, the breeze picked up and it was even cooler. I was shocked to see so many people in wet suits as this was only a 1/4 mile swim. I personally didn't see the point for a 1/4 mile swim and thought it was more of a waste of time than anything.
Check out the stink eye from the chick in the wet suit behind me.
The wave start for this race was backwards with the woman over 40 and Athenas starting first. This was previously a women only race and I heard the race director wanted to honor the females and keep with the tradition by letting them enter the water first. As the first wave entered the water, I stood on the edge covered in goose bumps but surprisingly calm. When it got close for the first gun to go off, I worked my way to the edge of the water and was shocked at how warm the water felt. They said the temperature was around 70 degrees and it felt great considering the air was cooler. I eased my way in (it was an in-water start) and was completely grossed out by the feel of the bottom and the long sea weed type things wrapping around my legs and arms. I took the opportunity to pee and then exactly 3 minutes after the first wave took off, it was go time for wave 2.
that's me waving to Andy; I was making sure he was keeping a close eye on me!
Wave 2 start; I'm in there somewhere!
Thinking my TRI career is over. There was a closer shot of me coming out but it involved an exhaling gut and insanely large nips so I'll spare you.
I hustled up to transition and was just so happy to be out of the water. I didn't rush too bad as I wanted to regroup and make sure I was composed before heading out on the bike. I threw on my helmet, sunglasses, race belt and shoes, grabbed a sip of water and took off. Andy was already at the T1 exit and as I ran by, I smiled and said, "no worries, I'm never doing an Ironman."
T1 - 1:34
The bike portion started on a hill, yes a hill, which sucked. Thankfully I was prepared for this from the pre race meeting the day before and had practiced with my gears set how I wanted them. It actually took me two tries to mount my bike and get started but it didn't set me back. We had a long gradual climb out of the park before we turned onto a closed road for the majority of the race. From the second I got on the bike, I felt strong. Going into this I knew the bike was going to be a weak spot for me because of how scared I am of crashing and because of how little time I've spent on it. I think I had 3 rides outside going into this race, so I wasn't exactly prepared. The course was all hills and definitely challenging, but I pushed through. I thought for sure I'd be holding my breaks going down the hills but instead I found myself flying down them without a fear in the world. At one point I said to myself, "who are you?" Had you seen me prior to today, you wouldn't have known it was the same person. Going into this I was convinced I'd have no brake pads left by the time it was over because I was so scared of going downhill! Anyway, I hurt myself on the bike portion by not changing between my big and small ring (I stayed in my small ring the entire race) for fear of popping a chain and getting confused between gears. I'm just not that comfortable on the bike yet and this was one way of keeping it a little less stressful. After all the hills I was so happy to see the final turn around and the downhill entrance back into the park. With this being my first one, I had no idea how hard to push on the bike and still save something for the run and I just hoped I saved enough. I dismounted the bike on the downhill, managed not to fall, and ran into transition. With no shoe change I was in and out in a flash and even remembered to take my helmet off!!
Heading into T2
Bike - 37:08
T2 - 30 seconds
Out for the run!!
My legs were heavy but they were also ready to run. I had practiced some bricks before and knew I handled them pretty well but today shocked me. I felt really good and the leg turnover was there. I had decided not to wear my Garmin since today wasn't about time and just ran by feel. I honestly thought I was running around an 8:30-9:00 min pace and was wondering why I was passing everyone. I felt like I was hardly moving yet I was breathing pretty good. I grabbed a sip of water at the turn around point and headed back to the finish. Not knowing how fast I was running bothered me because I kept thinking if I knew I could push myself harder. Well, before I had any more time to worry about it, I turned the corner and saw the finish line chute. I pushed a little further, saw Andy cheering on the side, and crossed the line with the biggest smile on my face! It wasn't until I saw the results that I realized how fast I was running...so much for that 8:30ish pace!
Run - 13:20 (6:41 pace!!)
Overall stats:
1:03:41
63/269
3rd in Age Group
Best husband in the world and my biggest fan. Loved knowing he was at each transition.
I'm a triathlete!!
First time I actually got to stand on the podium, no other races I've placed in before have done this.
Double bling! The bigger one on the right is for the AG win.
Don't forget to enter the Mondetta Performance Gear GIVEAWAY!
Friday, June 3, 2011
GIVEAWAY!!! - Mondetta Performance Gear
I have to be honest, I had never heard of MPG before they contacted me to do a review. When I first checked out their site I was a little taken aback by the selection of clothes they offered to work out in. But as I took a look around and learned about the company, I was excited to try some stuff out. Some info taken directly from their site:
The second sentence there, could not be more true! You think a zip hoodie is a zip hoodie? Well, so not true! The Paragon performance hoodie (which I'm wearing in the pic below) is the most comfortable hoodie I've ever worn. My only complaint is that it's white and I know it's just a matter of time before it's grungy from me wearing it all the time! It fits absolutely perfect and is not bulky and unflattering. I actually wear it out on the weekends because I like they way it looks better than a jacket.
I also tried out the Stance capris. Um, love them! I have to admit, I haven't even worked out in them because they are too comfortable to just lie around in. I will say, they stay completely in place, no sliding down from the waist or riding up at the knees. There's even a little zip pocket on the butt cheek. Not that I do yoga, but I would think these would be the perfect pants for it. They are made with moisture wicking, quick dry material so they could definitely stand up to a sweaty workout.
You have to go check out MPG! They carry both men and woman apparel as well as outerwear and gym bags. I feel their pricing is really reasonable, especially after living in this hoodie for weeks now. For those women out there what are looking for some fashionable workout clothes, this is the site for you.
Now, for the fun part!! MPG is offering one lucky follower anything from their active or lifestyle tops and bottoms collection (no outerwear). All we ask is that you "like" MPG on facebook and leave a comment to this post. I'll pick a winner towards the end of next week. And for those of you who can't wait to find out if you won, MPG is offering my readers 25% off a one time purchase until July 11th if you use the code deniselovesmpg
GOOD LUCK!
MPG is a brand of clothing which fuses fashion sensibility with performance function.
In our drive to develop the ultimate active apparel, we have achieved garments that feel and look so great on, you will want to wear them for everyday use. MPG has effectively blurred the lines between fashion and performance.
The second sentence there, could not be more true! You think a zip hoodie is a zip hoodie? Well, so not true! The Paragon performance hoodie (which I'm wearing in the pic below) is the most comfortable hoodie I've ever worn. My only complaint is that it's white and I know it's just a matter of time before it's grungy from me wearing it all the time! It fits absolutely perfect and is not bulky and unflattering. I actually wear it out on the weekends because I like they way it looks better than a jacket.
I also tried out the Stance capris. Um, love them! I have to admit, I haven't even worked out in them because they are too comfortable to just lie around in. I will say, they stay completely in place, no sliding down from the waist or riding up at the knees. There's even a little zip pocket on the butt cheek. Not that I do yoga, but I would think these would be the perfect pants for it. They are made with moisture wicking, quick dry material so they could definitely stand up to a sweaty workout.
I don't know how you guys take pics of yourself, it took me almost 10 tries to get something half decent!
Just got out of the shower after my brick workout this morning, which is why I look so pretty. Have to mention it because I got through 15 min of swimming, biking and running w/ almost no pain!! Resting up for Sunday!! eeeek!
You have to go check out MPG! They carry both men and woman apparel as well as outerwear and gym bags. I feel their pricing is really reasonable, especially after living in this hoodie for weeks now. For those women out there what are looking for some fashionable workout clothes, this is the site for you.
Now, for the fun part!! MPG is offering one lucky follower anything from their active or lifestyle tops and bottoms collection (no outerwear). All we ask is that you "like" MPG on facebook and leave a comment to this post. I'll pick a winner towards the end of next week. And for those of you who can't wait to find out if you won, MPG is offering my readers 25% off a one time purchase until July 11th if you use the code deniselovesmpg
GOOD LUCK!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Not the B Word...
I got in to see a foot and ankle specialist on Tuesday at Temple Sports Clinic. I was so excited for the appointment and was really hoping they would help me figure out why this keeps happening. I'm not willing to accept that it's too much running (I've only been running 3/week); my body needs a rest, and all that other crap. For one, I was fine after coming out of the boot last August. I ran 3 marathons within 8 weeks last fall and didn't have an issue. Then I trained harder than I have before for that 3:35 at Shamrock and everything was fine during training. It wasn't until mile 20ish when things started feeling funny. So once again, I went back to PT and took the month off between Shamrock and Boston. Came out of Boston feeling good and thought everything was pretty much back to normal. Then WHAM, it happened again.
So I went into this appointment thinking we'd figure out a solution to this issue. I don't know, maybe my feet are jacked up and I need orthotics, maybe my gait is a mess, anything that would explain this and help keep it from happening again. But that isn't exactly how it went down. Instead, within minutes of being in the office I was told my options for surgery (to lengthen the tendons in my extremely tight calves, which are a cause for the injury), blood plasma treatment, and then the dreaded "B" word was spoken. He suggested I go back into the boot for 6 weeks with NO activity and stretch like my life depended on it. Last time around I was able to swim and bike while I was in the boot but he said I could do neither this time. In fact, he suggested I see a psychologist to help me get through this rough time. Needless to say, I was very upset in his office so he could tell how devastating this was for me. He also ordered another MRI so we can see where I'm at now compared to last year and I have that scheduled for tomorrow.
As for his advice...I listened, I cried, I got angry and then I pulled myself together. Last year I knew it was time for the boot. I knew it for weeks before I even went into it. This time, I'm not at that point. Yes, Saturday I had a lot of pain and swelling but each day has gotten significantly better and according to Dr. Andy, who checks the bump/thickness every day, it's improving. Side note -- that's pretty much how the doctors check your Achilles; they check the thickness of it and how pliable it feels.
Now where does that leave me for the TRI on Sunday? I'm doing it. I've taken it easy this week and swam one day and biked another, both without pain. I've been stretching like there's no tomorrow and even flicking the heck out of the tendon to try to increase blood flow. I've even enlisted Andy to give me calf massages to try to loosen them up. The distance of the TRI is short enough that I know I can get through this without much trouble. Worse case, I shuffle the 2 mile run portion. Either way, I'm ready and determined to become a Triathlete this weekend.
From there I'll decide what the next step is....
I'll be posting a GIVEAWAY tomorrow for MPG Sport clothing!!
So I went into this appointment thinking we'd figure out a solution to this issue. I don't know, maybe my feet are jacked up and I need orthotics, maybe my gait is a mess, anything that would explain this and help keep it from happening again. But that isn't exactly how it went down. Instead, within minutes of being in the office I was told my options for surgery (to lengthen the tendons in my extremely tight calves, which are a cause for the injury), blood plasma treatment, and then the dreaded "B" word was spoken. He suggested I go back into the boot for 6 weeks with NO activity and stretch like my life depended on it. Last time around I was able to swim and bike while I was in the boot but he said I could do neither this time. In fact, he suggested I see a psychologist to help me get through this rough time. Needless to say, I was very upset in his office so he could tell how devastating this was for me. He also ordered another MRI so we can see where I'm at now compared to last year and I have that scheduled for tomorrow.
As for his advice...I listened, I cried, I got angry and then I pulled myself together. Last year I knew it was time for the boot. I knew it for weeks before I even went into it. This time, I'm not at that point. Yes, Saturday I had a lot of pain and swelling but each day has gotten significantly better and according to Dr. Andy, who checks the bump/thickness every day, it's improving. Side note -- that's pretty much how the doctors check your Achilles; they check the thickness of it and how pliable it feels.
Now where does that leave me for the TRI on Sunday? I'm doing it. I've taken it easy this week and swam one day and biked another, both without pain. I've been stretching like there's no tomorrow and even flicking the heck out of the tendon to try to increase blood flow. I've even enlisted Andy to give me calf massages to try to loosen them up. The distance of the TRI is short enough that I know I can get through this without much trouble. Worse case, I shuffle the 2 mile run portion. Either way, I'm ready and determined to become a Triathlete this weekend.
From there I'll decide what the next step is....
I'll be posting a GIVEAWAY tomorrow for MPG Sport clothing!!
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