2006 Training Season--Data Analysis

As promised--graphs--the best part!

I realize we still have a few months left to go before 2006 ends. However, since my "off" season officially began last week, I decided to do this now. So 2006 was 40 weeks for me. It helps for me because the graphs don't lie. I can really see where my weaknesses are, why they're weak, and what to do about it.

First, there's total distance, summed up for the year. These numbers are pretty much meaningless. However, it's cool to think that I biked 1048 miles in 2006. And ran 352.6. And swam 34. In addition, the proportions are good--I'm biking the most, running in the middle, and swimming the least. However, I need to bump the swimming up...a lot (as supported by the other graphs, as well).

Then, there's average time and distance per week (with error bars). It's nice to get one large picture of everything. Again, I can see the proportions are correct. And that I need to get in the pool more. On average, my workout time was 4-5 hours per week. This, of course accounts off weeks and recovery weeks as well as the heavy volume weeks so it's a very broad overview. But it looks like I'm spending less than an hour a week in the pool, which needs to change. Can anyone guess which sport is my least favorite? I think it's just b/c the biking and running are easier to do and easier to fit into my schedule. No more excuses for 2007! However, I am happy with the biking since I used to be a running fiend (which was not good for my knees). This explains why I've gotten faster on the bike. Hmmm. I'm onto something here. Do more of something, get better at it. What a concept! Overall, I guess I wish these numbers were higher. However, I was coming back from complete inactivity at the beginning of 2006 and had to start from somewhere. Maybe the week-to-week graphs will give a better illustration.

Next up, total weekly time and distance. Actually, I kind of like it. I like how I consistently back down on the training volume every 4th week or so. Good for recovery. In addition, there was a steady increase in time and volume over the season as my fitness returned. The "crash" between wks 29 and 35 coincide with the diagnosis of the low thyroid. So there you go. And weeks 36-40 are after thyroid treatment begun. It's like a study for the effectiveness of thyroid replacement therapy! Anyway, the 'roids are working. Got my TSH tested last week, and it was 3. This is good! Very good!

And finally, the breakdown for each sport by week. Verrry interesting. I need to: GET IN THE POOL!


Everything seems very obvious now. Last season, running was my strongest, cycling was in the middle, and swimming was my weakest. Last season, I was running the most. This season, I've been biking more, which is good since triathlon emphasizes the cycling leg. However, my running has slowed down, and it's easy to see why. Less mileage. May be time to gradually build it back up. Most importantly, I can see why I feel so sluggish in the water: not enough TIME in the water. Endurance is very sport-specific, and I think this demonstrates just that. Well, at least now I know what I have to do.

2006 Re-Cap and 2007 Race Goals

Following suit of so many of you fellow bloggers out there, I wanted to review 2006, recap, and set some goals for 2007.

2006 was my 3rd year of triathlon. I was bit by the bug in 2004 and trained as much as I could, raced as much as I could, and almost burned myself out. In 2005, I was finishing up my thesis and getting ready to move to San Diego so I had much less time for training. Because it was so limited, it was always a treat. I had tons of fun and PRs in 2005 while "training" the least. Hmmmm. I see a lesson in this.

Then there was 2006. I moved to San Diego from St. Louis in Jan. and was like a kid in a candy store. Immediately, I began overdoing it. I suffered from multiple overuse injuries at the beginning of the year, including IT band syndrome, problems with the tendons in my foot, and even a bruised rib. I took it down a notch, rested, got some orthotics (and stopped falling out of kayaks onto rocks), and healed right away. Then, the races began. I did 12 races from February through October (not including club races), including 4 running races, 1 duathlon, 5 triathlons (3 sprints, 2 olympics), and 1 half marathon. Phew!

At one point, I was racing every weekend. Obviously, this is too much. I need to focus on the races I really want to do from now on and stop doing them just because I can and they're there. This is San Diego. There are multiple races every weekend in my own backyard. Case in point, I got a really bad stomach thing and fever that lasted for 2 weeks after racing 3 races in 4 weeks. Then the deep fatigue set in. That's when I was diagnosed with low thyroid. Obviously this contributed, but overtraining (or overracing) didn't help either. I had to scrap the first half marathon (America's Finest City) in August, only to get a cold for my "make-up" half in San Jose last weekend.

Hmmm. Maybe feeling too good from the thryoid medication and lack of self restraint led to overdoing it 3 weeks before the race:
weekend 1: Tri Club Aquathlon and Tri Club Pine Valley Duathlon (aka bike up a mountain)
weekend 2: Tour de Poway bike ride 24 hours after stomach flu; develop cold shortly after
weekend 3: Half Marathon.
Does anyone else see a pattern here?

Training Resolutions:
1. Exercise more self restraint in training and racing.
2. Follow more conservative race/training plan. I've had a training and race plan but it's always been too much.
3. Less is more. I was faster and fresher in 2005 when I was training and racing less. I need to find that happy balance. Clearly, my body has been trying to tell me something.
4. Don't take myself too seriously. San Diego triathletes are hard core! It's a challenging field of athletes out there. I have been humbled severely. What's kept me going is staying central to my core and focusing on my personal race goals, instead of comparing myself to the masses. There will always be (lots) others out there better/faster/stronger. It doesn't matter. That's not why I do this. When I go out there and enjoy myself and have fun with it, I want to come back and do it again tomorrow. That's my long-term goal. To keep doing it!
5. In addition, I don't have to P.R. every race or workout I do. That's just silly. Instead, I focus on staying in the moment and trying to feel good. Then, surprise! Maybe I'll just get fitter and faster too.

2007 Training Goals:
Okay, here they are:
1. Complete a half-ironman. (I've already signed up for one March 31st so no turning back now!)
2. Become stronger in Olympic distances (and faster in sprints). Last year was my first stab at that distance. However, going long also really has slowed me down. I realize I can't gain speed while training for a half-IM. But, maybe, when I return to the shorter distances, I can get faster there.
3. A little redundant but more specific: regain my running mojo (aka speed). I used to run 7:20 min 5Ks. Now, it's more like 9 min 5Ks. I want that back. Running is my strong suit. I haven't peaked yet! Track workouts anyone?
4. Become more comfortable in the aero position. I've become stronger on the bike this year. More mileage and hills have helped me there, plus great bike fittings and upgrades means I'm more comfortable on the bike. I'm very happy with my progress here. I just want to get more comfortable with my new gadgets.
5. Become faster in the water. I feel like I can swim all day but I just plod along. I haven't really gotten slower than previous years (like my running) but I haven't improved either. I think masters workouts are going to help here. Also, just more time in the water since I spend the least time swimming. It takes the most activation energy than the other two to get started!
6. Be stronger on the run off the bike. This one's simple. Do more BRICKS.

Updated charts and graphs (with error bars) from 2006 soon to come...

Tips & Framework for HIM Training

I woke up today feeling worse than Monday and Tuesday. It's catching up with me. THe soreness is just about gone but I'm exhausted. Guess I need the rest. Apparently, last weekend's running a half marathon with a cold and the weekend before--biking 44 miles after the stomach bug--may have been a bit much for me. I skipped spinning class Tues am and am skipping the club track workout tonight (although I will join them for pizza afterwards; is that cheating?). I'm just listening to my body. These next 2 weeks are just going to be rest for me. I'm not going to force myself to do anything I don't feel like doing because there's no point. Jason, on the other hand, is fine. He's going to the track workout and is perky and strong as ever. He ran the half in 1:58. Goody for him. As you can tell, I'm kind of cranky. Just goes to show how much I need this rest.

Thanks to all who helped so much with their advice. I wanted to compile a summary from what everyone said b/c I think these tips are gold. Maybe others can benefit. Plus, since I've been too trashed to train (hmm "too trashed to train"--the title of a novel?), I've been doing lots of thinking and planning. Have the rough draft of my 5 month half-IM training plan written up so I'll go over the framework of that.

Framework:
My plan is roughly a 20-week plan, adapted from several different sources (see below). I've broken it up into 4 week periods, beginning in November:
Prep/Base1 (Nov-Dec)
Base1 (Dec-Jan)
Base2 (Jan-Mar)
Build1 2 weeks (Mar)
Taper: 2 weeks (including race week--3 wks)
Race Week: 3/31/07
Recovery--eat and sleep, baby!

Notes
"Off" season:
Ideally, I would be able to have 4-8 weeks for an Off season. However, I took a lot of down-time this summer when I was sick with the low thyroid thing. I was feeling really good this fall. I'm hoping I'll be able to completely recover in the next 2 weeks. If, I don't feel good when I start training, I'll take more time off.
Prep:
This period gets your body used to training again slowly and gradually after an off season. Because my off season is short, I don't expect to lose very much fitness. Therefore, the Prep period will be only 2 weeks before I start Base1. Of course, if my body is still tired at this point, I'll scale back and increase the Prep period.
Base1:
The most important part--building endurance. Training here will be long and slow. Stay in the aerobic zone. I'll still have a few, limited speed workouts thrown in for variation and to prevent staleness. Also, long, slow training makes long, slow athletes. Maintaining a small amount of speed sessions in should prevent that.
Base2:
More experienced athletes will do a Build period here. However, this is my first half-IM. Also, because of the funny time-line, my time is better spent continuing to build my endurance.
Build 1:
Leading into my taper, I will shorten the sessions and increase the intensity to build power and speed. Overall time per week will be similar to Base1.
Taper:
1st week--shorten total training time by 75%. Keep workouts intense, fast, and short. Begin recovery.
2nd week--shorten training time by 50%.
Race week--sessions should be very short and only to prevent stiffness. I want to be fresh on race day. I will spend the extra time honing my mental skills by daily meditation/visualization exercises.

R&R weeks--every 4th week, I will cut my training back and allow extra time to recover to prevent injury and keep my mind and body fresh.
Training time--6 days a week with 1 day completely off. If this is too much, I will train 5 days with 2 days off spaced evenly (say Mon and Fri)
Training Hrs--About 8-10 hrs a week (6 during R&R and less during taper).
Key Workouts--Most important is the long ride, the long run, and bricks. Because these workouts take a tremendous toll on the body, I will alternate long weeks with brick weeks. Due to my schedule, the key workouts will have to take place on the weekend. Although this is hard for recovery, it will prepare my body for having to bike and run long while feeling tired (pluses and minuses to the strategy of the "death weekends"). Friday will be an active recovery swim, Saturday will be my long ride or brick, and Sunday will be my long run with Monday being my "Off" day.
Frequency: I will aim for 3 runs, 3 swims, and 3 bikes a week. In addition, b/c I'm female and lean, I benefit tremendously from weight training. I will aim for 2 45 min weight sessions a week. I will also do 2 Yoga sessions a week on my Off day (Mon) and Active Recovery day (Fri) to reinforce a consistent stretching program. Yoga and weights should help prevent injury.
Adjustments:
Obviously, during R&R weeks, I will do less--1 weight, 2 runs, 2 swims, and 2 bikes. During the taper, no weights whatsoever and less running (since it's so hard on the body). If this feels like too much, I can always adjust. For instance, I can alternate the frequency of workouts: 2 runs, 3 bikes, 2 swims 1st week, 3 runs, 2 bikes, 3 swims 2nd week, or some variation of this. If weights 2x/wk is too much, that will probably be the first thing I will reduce (to once a week).
Nutrition:
Focus on eating lots of healthy foods. Fruits, veggies, fish (sushi is awesome), whole grains, smoothies, lean beef, yogurt, eggs, etc. Focus on eating balanced and small meals spread throughout the day. Do not restrict calories b/c I'll need lots and I don't need to lose any weight (I don't want to lose muscle). In addition, I'll need to determine my needs during training and practice. I'm figuring this out now but from what I've read, it seems we can replace 30-50% of calories burned during cycling and 20% during running. I have to keep my sensitive stomach in my mind. Electrolyte replacement and hydration is probably more important since this is the number one cause of fatigue in athletes. I'm looking into energy bars, gus, and liquids (e.g. CarboPro) for cals, and I've been using buffered sea salt and buffered electrolyte tablets for salt.
Sleep and Overall Health:
Keep my routine. I will need 8-10 hours of sleep a night. I will go to bed early in order to wake early. I will stretch for 10 minutes when I wake up and 10 minutes before I go to bed.
Mental Toughness:
I will spend 1 day a week (my off day) using meditation exercises and visualization techniques to practice the kind of focus/concentration/positive energy I will need on race day. 20 minutes should do it.
And above all, I will have fun!!!

Half-IM Training Tips (from my awesome fellow bloggers):
1. Take one full day of rest per week. Sometimes more if you need it. Really rest on rest days and R&R weeks.
2. Be flexible. Don't get locked into a cookie cutter plan and follow it verbatum. Listen to the feedback from your body and adjust your training plan accordingly. It's always better to undertrain than overtrain.
3. Periodize your training. Base for a few weeks, rest a week. etc. Increase hours/mileage by no more than 10%/week.
4. Base building is key to H-IM success. It should be long and slow and only in the aerobic zone. Along the same lines, long runs and bikes are the most important workouts to do for preparation.
5. Also, bricks are instrumental in preparing you for race day.
For some, a coach is instrumental in ensuring that you don't overtrain and also that your easy days are easy and your hard days hard.
6. Unlike an IM, you can actually do the different pieces of a half. Do the 1.2 mi swim, 56 mi bike, 13.1 mi run (separately) to help prepare you and build confidence.
7. Pace yourself. Go hard on hard days and easy on easy days. To help discipline yourself and stay in your aerobic zone during LSD workouts, heart rate monitors and coaches can be instrumental.
8. Nutrition--the 4th discipline. Practice what you'll eat/drink on race day to replace electrolytes and cals during training. Eat healthy and balanced when recovering and resting.
9. Group workouts can be great. Masters swimming, group rides, group runs, and spin classes are great workout options. At the same time, don't push past your limits either. Doing too many group workouts can alter you training plan if you're not careful.
10. Have confidence in your body and your ability to do the distance.
11. Include a stretching regime to prevent injury. Include weights if your schedule allows it.
12. Sleep!
13. Training hourse per week varies. The average is anywhere from 6 to 15. Experiment to see what fits your body best. Don't overdo.

Training Plan Resources:
a) my fellow bloggers including (but not limited to):
Jodi
Boulder
IM Mike
Cliff
BunnyGirl
Cookie Monster
Qcmier
Run Bubba Run
Tri Teacher
b) Craig Zelent
of Tri Club San Diego (our IM coach; has developed a very simple, basic plan specifically for CA 70.3)
c) Joe Friel The Triathlete's Training Bible (a must-have for all triathletes)
also his book with Gordon Byrn Going Long is also most excellent and a very good complement.
d) Triathlon Workout Planner
by John Mora (great for honing in on key workouts).
e) Tri Fuel--basic plan to give you an outline
f)Beginner Triathlete has a very good beginner plan that's also very in-depth
g) Tri Newbies--another free plan worth looking at
h)Terry Laughlin's Total Immersion system is invaluable for swimming.

A Well-Earned R&R

I've been resting up after my killer half-marathon. My cold is steadily going away, and my knees are steadily feeling less achy. I've been sleeping a lot. I've decided all workouts the next 2 weeks are optional. I'll definitely get pulled into doing some fun ones but I don't want to push hard. I want my body to recover and I want my mind to be fresh for half-IM training. This is my R&R period. The lull before the storm.

All the comments you guys gave me about training were fantastic. I'm going to compile them into a post for all other fellow bloggers to learn from. While I'm resting, I'm putting together my training plan for the half-IM on March 31st. That will give me a solid 20 weeks of training, allowing me to start out slow and also for recovery weeks. In addition, carefully planning things out that far in advance will also give me flexibility to adjust things as I go. As we all know, stuff happens--injury, illness, family and career obligations. That way,I can take it all in stride.

It's funny how anxious I seem to get during R&R periods. I don't know how people take 4-6 wks off during their "off" season unless they're injured (I know; I know. The whole point is to avoid injury). But right now, I'm enjoying the naps and time with the bunnies (and Jason). All the best to all those out there resting right now. It's just as hard as training sometimes!

San Jose Rock and Roll Half Marathon Race Report

I woke up at 6:00 for an 8:00 am start. Late, but, with the cold, I needed all the sleep I could get. Plus, it doesn't seem to take me as much time to get ready for a road race as all the other events. Just me and my shoes and more time to shiver and stand in line for the Port-A-Potty.

Did not want breakfast but figured this was okay since I'd done all my other early am long runs sans breakfast and been fine. Figure in the future, it may be best to try and get the cals in my drink instead. My breakfast cocktail consisted of ibuprofen, sudafed (for my cold), Prilosec (antacid for my IBS), and my daily thyroid meds. By the way, I do not recommend this pre-race breakfast for most people. Oh, and for those who are wondering if sudafed gives you an unfair race advantage, it does not. At least, not when you have a cold handicap anyway. (And PMS too, as I found out later).

Jason and I were closing the garage door when my dad came rushing out, yelling, "Wait! Wait!" He desperately wanted to come to support us but we hadn't wanted to wake him. Poor guy. I waited a few minutes for him, joking that racers don't normally wait for spectators. I made an exception. Having an assistant/personal fan is always worth waiting for, especially when it's your dad.

I was worried we would be running a tad late to the race. The typical race butterflies were fluttering, which I took as a good sign. My voice was so hoarse, I could barely talk. Plus, I felt groggy and sleepy (more than usual at that time in the morning). My dad asked if I was still going to do "this thing." I nodded, yes. He (a physician) replied with a chuckle, "Man. You're going to be really sick." Not what you want to hear from a physician moments before the race. However, I knew I really wanted to do it. My grand finale for 2006.

I had time to go to the bathroom 3x before it was time to shed my polar-fleece sweatshirt and shiver up to our corral (like we're being rounded up like wild mustangs). Surprisingly, I didn't feel cold admist all the people (15,000 entrants). Body heat is amazing.

The gun went off, and in about 30 seconds, we started walking. Then, walking fast. By the time we crossed the start line, we were jogging slowly. I love that for half-marathons. Big crowds that force you to take it slowly at the beginning. Plus, we had given the race directors our predicted race times ahead of time so they had placed us in the appropriate corral. Everyone around us was shooting for a ~2:00 time. It was great because there weren't tons of people zooming past, and there weren't tons of people blocking our way.

Jason and I ran together the first mile. He clearly felt good, and I told him to go ahead. I didn't feel good, but I didn't feel bad. I've done so many long weekend runs that my legs just seemed to go on autopilot. It felt pretty routine.

Running when you have a cold is a foreign animal to me. I hadn't had a cold in 5 years. Seriously. So it felt weird. I felt oddly detached from my body. I felt as if my senses were absent. My sense of smell is very acute so without it, I feel like I'm deaf or blind. I don't normally even realize how present and in the moment this sense makes me but without it, I feel lost. I kept having these weird sensations that I couldn't identify. My body needs something. Something. What can it be? Oh. Maybe I'm thirsty. I pulled out a bottle of water enriched with buffered sea salt and squirted some into my mouth, feeling instantly gratified. Oh! I'm thirsty. That's what that is. Apparently, being sick turns off your normal "thirst" sensations. Great.

I passed mile 1, and my watch read 9:18. This is 18 seconds or more slower than my normal splits. I reminded myself 9:00 minute miles was just a target number, and that being sick gave me a good excuse to run slower. However, I was worried. Normally, at mile 1, I have to slow myself down because I start off too fast. Although this is not good either, I knew I didn't have my normal adrenaline rush. My normal race "spark" (like for the Spirit of St. Louis Half Marathon of 2005, where I felt awesome the whole way) was absen. I also was having a difficult time getting into my groove. I was having to focus especially hard. I knew it was going to be mentally tough.

I passed mile 2. 18:30. Okay. Keep it steady. It's okay. Okay to go slow. I just knew my body didn't have it in it that day to go any faster. Mile 3. 28 minutes. Damn. I ran the slowest 5K split ever. About this time, waves of self-defeat washed over me. Running is normally easy for me. Effortless. I feel like I can glide forever. This was hard. It felt like I had just biked 20 miles. Not fresh out of the gates. I became frustrated. I had never run that slowly before. I thought about walking. But I knew if I walked, I wouldn't be able to get running again. I felt tired. I felt groggy. Sluggish. Every step was work. And it was only mile 3. I even thought about dropping out.

Just for a second. At this point, I remembered why I wanted to do this. I had trained all season for this. Basically since June since I scratched the first half I signed up for in August due to a stomach flu. This was it for 2006. I wanted to finish. I had read about negative thoughts during a race. And how to quell them. That was what I was going to do. First, I told myself it was okay to run slowly. My goal had always been to finish and have fun. Not to push myself too hard. Not to PR. That wasn't what I trained for. Plus, the cold put me at a great disadvantage. No way could I expect my body to perform its best. I decided to let my body take me through it the best it could and just support as best I could. The cold could go to hell, in my opinion.

Then, I just focused on keeping my legs running. Since that was what I had trained to do, it wasn't too hard. Instead of thinking how far I had left to run, I thought about making it to the next mile marker. I kept waiting for mile 4 and the band at stage 4. Every time I heard the next band around the corner, my legs perked up and I felt a brief surge and remnants of the easy running feeling I normally get.

At every mile marker, I took a swig from my bottles. It was great not to have to stop at the aid stations. It was also great to keep running. I hate walking, personally, because it really interrupts my rhythm and flow. My gut would act up a little after I took a drink, but only briefly. I would just slow down a little, let it pass, and pick the pace back up. Then, I was able to even make up a little time because the fluid would make my body feel so good.

The bands were a lot of fun. I loved the entertainment. I only wish there had been more of them! They were my saving grace and motivation. It's amazing the effect music has when you run. The band at mile 6 matched my tempo exactlly and I even picked up the pace a bit and had a touch of (gasp) runner's high. Plus, there were cheerleaders doing flips and cartwheels at several points along the race. The venue was very pretty. We went through some gorgeous neighborhoods with very nice houses and rose gardens. Couples and families having tea and coffee and reading the paper out front in chairs while cheering us on. Very cool.

At mile 7, I negative thoughts arose again. How am I ever going to do a full marathon when a simple half is so hard? And how am I ever going to make it through March's half IM, if I can't even do this? Stop. I'm not doing those things. This is what I'm doing NOW. Focus on now. Stay in the moment. Focus on the task at hand. Think about mile 8. These positive statements became my mantra. You've probably heard that racing is 80% mental? After this race, I've decided it's true. I had to totally talk myself through it. Instead of feeling totally defeated because I was running so slowly, I lifted my spirits by thinking about a recent 10 mile run around Lake Miramar, where I had felt like a colt let out to pasture after a long, cold winter in a dark barn. I felt fast and fresh and could have gone forever. I focused on how I had felt that day. It actually made me feel better.

Mile 8. My knees and hips began to bug me. This is not new for long runs although it did seemed achier than normal. Plus, I had blisters because I had worn the wrong socks. Too thin, and there was slippage. They began to really sting. I could feel them sliding around. Ouch. The hip felt like a soft tissue thing but the knees felt like a joint thing. Bone grinding on bone. Ugh. Maybe it's time to try the chondroitin sulfate/glucosamine supplements again. Had some luck with them in the past.

Mile 9. Pain the same. I took stock. Breathing--easy. Very easy. As a matter of fact, it was just general fatigue from the illness that was bugging me. Okay. Good. Hydration. Pretty good. Drinking every mile. Not sweating too much or feeling too thirsty. Feet--they're just blisters--ignore it. Knees and hips--will need rest and ice after race but nothing is permanently injured. Just a warning sign. Pain was a 3-4 out of a scale from 1-10. Okay. Not too bad. (Blisters bugged me more.)

Mile 10. Really great band (don't know the name; sorry). I picked up the tempo. Everything went numb. Usually, this is the point where it gets hard, not easy, so I felt elated to get my runner's high at this point. I felt good. No pain anymore. Joints, hips, feet--great. No problem. I hit my groove and knew I was going to be able to finish. This is when I realized my troubles were mostly mental. If I hadn't been physically fit or well enough to do this, I wouldn't be feeling this good at mile 10. My confidence built and my runner's high just accumulated. Awesome. I knew I could easily do the "mile countdown" now.

Mile 11 went by very quickly. Mile 12. Oh. 2:00. My other half marathons were all under 2:00 so I was a little disappointed. Stop. We've already been here. We're running slow today. Oh, yeah. Okay. Funny but it seemed that it took forever for mile 13 to appear. I'm really going to have to start doing some mental training b/c I can't believe the difference it makes.

I saw the finish and almost wanted to cry. I've never been that emotional at the finish before but I think it was such a challenge mentally for me that I truly felt wonderful that I could finish. I just wanted to throw my arms in the air, shout hallelujah, and cry. I was so happy. I had done it, despite it all. I feel good about my 2:10 time. I ran the whole way, despite a cold and finished in a respectable time. My base fitness is awesome because it can get me through something like that.

Aftewards, I actually felt less congested. I think running had something to do with that. My parents were astounded that a) I ran it with a cold and b) I seemed to feel better after running than before. Jason and I drove back to San Diego a few hours after the race so we could get to work on time Monday morning. I don't recommend taking an 8 hour road trip shortly after running a half-marathon. People at the gas stations must have thought I was crippled or something the way I hobbled into the bathrooms. However, I proudly sported my half marathon t-shirt (with the most awesome logo, by the way). Today, I feel pretty good. Tired and sore but the cold is almost gone. I just need some good old-fashioned R&R.

What I learned from this race:
1. Running with a cold is hard.
2. Racing tests your mental toughness as well as physical.
3. Know why you're doing the race before you enter.
(You may have to remind yourself during. I just wanted to finish for the pure accomplishment of running 13.1 miles).
4. Have several race goals. One that is optimal (if I had felt good, it would be to run 9 min miles), a second that's in the middle (run the whole way), and a third for sub-optimal conditions (finish).
5. Have a mantra to keep you in the moment. Mine was "Stay in the moment." Or, "Stay in the now." "Just keep running."
6. When negative thoughts creep up, stop them in their tracks. Replace them with confidence-filling thoughts. I kept telling myself it was okay to feel like molasses since I was sick. I told myself I was doing great. I focused on past runs where I had felt great and visualized them.
7. Break the race into small portions. I began to think, "Oh, God. I have 10 miles left to go." Or, at mile 7, I freaked out b/c I knew I still had an hour left to run. Instead, I thought, where's the next band? Where's the next mile marker? That helped. A lot.

Title IX Threatened

First off, half-marathon went as well as could be expected (with a cold). Didn't need an ambulance and was able to run the whole way. Race report coming.

However, a more pressing matter has come to my attention. It appears that the Bush administration is proposing legislation that would threaten Title IX, which provides equal rights for women in sports. You can read more about this here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35362-2003Jan23.html

If you have the time, please go to the website below and sign the petition to prevent our society from allowing women's rights to slip back to the 1950s. It's hard enough for us gals out there!
http://www.titleix.info/content.jsp?content_KEY=1787&t=t9info_campaign.dwt

Half-Marathon vs. Head Cold--Who Will Win?

Guess we'll have to wait until the weekend's over for the answer to that one. Came down Wed. with a really sore throat, which turned into major congestion by Thursday evening. I've been doing nothing but drinking O.J. and sleeping. Today, I actually feel better, although I'm verrry stuffed up. All in the head, not in the chest, and no fever so as far as everything goes, I think the worst of it is over, and Sunday's half-marathon is still a go. I really want to do this one after missing out on my last one b/c of illness. All that crap they say about training hard depressing the immune system? Apparently, it's true. Great way to find out.

I'm in San Jose seeing my folks and resting up for Sunday. By the way, descending from 30,000 on a jet with a cold is not fun, even if I did take 2 Sudafed before boarding. I seriously thought my head was going to explode and blood was going to start dripping from my ears. I landed over an hour ago and have yet to hear properly. C'mon, ears! Pop already!

Have a great weekend everyone. Wish me luck on Sunday's San Jose Rock 'N Roll 1/2 Marathon. I'm excited. It's kind of like my "make-up" half-marathon.

Need Your Advice

Thanks for all of your support. That's awesome. I'm definitely going to need it over the next 6 mos. I'm currently in the process of writing my goals for 2007 down and breaking them into steps (after seeing many of you do the same thing--great idea!). Obviously, my primary goal will be completing my first half-IM on March 31st. If all goes well, I may even contemplate doing a 2nd one later that summer (e.g. Vineman, late July, or Big Kahuna, Sept.). But first thing's first.

Now, I'm going to do a dangerous thing. I'm going to ask for your advice. Dangerous, b/c it's all too easy to be overwhelmed with advice. However, many of you have done a half-IM or longer. I need your help. I'm starting out and feel like I don't know what I'm doing. If you could give me some input on your experience in training for a longer-distance triathlon, I would really appreciate it!

Sketch of my plan:
1. Devise a training plan:
Currently, my first task is to write up a personalized training plan. I'm poring over other half-IM training plans and adjusting them to my physical/mental needs.
2. Recruit the help of others (i.e. Tri Club):
I've decided to forgo the expense of a tri coach and rely on the tri club since it's a fantastic resource. We have IM coaches that help first-timers as well as many members looking for others to train for the California 70.3. Plus, knowing my personality, I don't want to take myself too seriously. I like training in groups some and training solo some. Working with a coach everyday is something I'm not interested in (or can afford)....yet.
3. (goes with #2). Begin attending the tri club master's swim workouts. Duh!
4. Sign up for the Carlsbad 1/2 marathon (Jan. 21st) as a training race.
5. Find a half-century bike around that time to do as a training ride.
6. Plan rest days and down-time.
A long, type-A race in late March doesn't give me much wiggle room for an off-season. However, I need to figure out how to let my body recharge without losing fitness. Any suggestions as to how to do this would be greatly appreciated.
7. Have confidence in myself.
I think I'm ready. I did 2 Olympics this year. They were tough but 1 was in extremely hot weather, and I was dealing with low thyroid. Now, that I've fixed that, I'm feeling great. I'm uninjured and logging in a solid 8-10 hours a week without feeling trashed. Last weekend, I swam a mile in the cove on Friday (during rough conditions) and then did a 44-mile bike on Sunday. I felt tired later but not dead. I'm doing a half-marathon this Sunday (San Jose Rock 'N Roll), and I feel fit enough to have fun with it (not PR or anything). Moral of the story--I just need to put the pieces together.

If any of you have the time, could you please answer some questions below? I just want to use the blogging world and get some feedback.

1. What helped you most in training for a half-IM?
2. What training plan can you recommend?
3. What are some mistakes/traps to avoid?
4. How many hours a week did you train?
5. How much of a base did you have coming into the beginning of the training program (i.e. how long had you been racing; what was your longest race; number of hours/mileage before starting)?
6. How did you rest?
7. What kind of nutrition plan did you follow? (any of you out there with finicky stomachs?) How/what did you eat during the race?

You can comment on this post, or e-mail me (trigrrl@hotmail.com)

Ironman California 70.3

I JUST SIGNED UP FOR MY FIRST HALF-IM!!!!!

California 70.3 (Oceanside) March 31, 2007

What did I just do?

Keep going, and going, and going...

I'm on fire lately. I can't believe how much more energy I have. I bike commuted to work (which always makes me feel good--hey! it's 30 extra minutes of biking!). When I got home, I hurried into my running clothes and out the door before the sun went down. It's a race to beat the sun! Jason got home just as I was leaving with my new running shoes. Score! My old ones started to poop out last week, and my half marathon is this coming weekend! Perfect. I have just enough time to break them in a little without deflating the cushioning too much. (I hate how often I need new running shoes. Seems like every 3 months. But my feet can really tell the difference.) Out the door and down into the canyon. I passed so many walkers, hikers, people jogging with their dogs, and mountain bikers. It's awesome how active everyone is around here. Felt very comfortable the whole way. Trail running is hard though! I had to definitely slow it up and do some side-stepping and careful negotiations around rocks and ditches. It was kind of fun. I love the trail SO much more than the road. The entire way back was uphill, which always sucks. However, I was prepared this time. I just took my time. Made it out and back (10k) in sub-9 minute miles. That's good for me lately! Especially b/c of the trail running and the hills. Plus, the pace felt comfortable for me the whole time.

Showered, stuffed myself with scrambled eggs and salmon on toast (I love breakfast for dinner) and some dark chocolate (with skim milk). Mmmm. Crashed for 30 minutes on the sofa. Then, lugged myself off the couch and stretched and eased into some free weights for a good 45 minutes. Then, I don't feel so guilty about watching trashy t.v. (The Bachelor--horrible show, but I couldn't turn the channel!).

This morning, dragged myself out of bed at 5:30 to make it to our first spinning class at UCSD at 7:00. Ugh. So early! It was a blast though. Plus, I get to lab earlier so I get the day started earlier. Nothing is better than that feeling of starting the day off with an early morning workout.

Hoping to make it to a club track workout tonight for a final run (with some speed) before the half-marathon this Sunday. The rest of the week will be more relaxing. Some biking and swimming but nothing too taxing.

Tour de Poway

After my bout of stomach flu/food poisoning on Friday night, I felt well enough to do our planned bike ride Sunday in the Tour de Poway. We did the 44 mile option, which is a long ride for me (I know--it's slim pickin' compared to you other IM addicts).

A bit nervous about how my stomach would react, we geared up. It was very foggy to begin with as we began a steep climb uphill for the first 5 miles (We ended up climbing a total of 2000 ft with the beginning 5 miles at an 8% grade). However, compared to climbing Mt. Laguna last weekend with strong head and cross winds, it felt very doable. Funny how those hills don't seem so bad after climbing a mountain! I saw a few cyclists get out of an SUV at the top of the hill and then start riding. WTF? Whatever.

At the bottom of the hill, we had to wait 10 minutes for road construction. Road construction? Hello! What did I pay my $40 for? That was kind of disorganized. Whatever. It was amusing to watch some of the other hardcore cyclists zip out in front of the cop manning the traffic as the cop yelled at him, threatening to arrest him.

After that, we rode through parts of Ramona. By this time, the sun had burned off the fog, yet, thankfully, it wasn't too hot. Lots of rolling hills, farmland, cows, and horses, horses, horses. It was beautiful. Gardens, vineyards, more cows. Llamas, goats, a Brahma bull (which are really cool-looking!), and a bison (we rode past the wildlife rescue center). I love animals so it was a real treat. I felt like we were riding through a zoo. Also, the cacti are really cool. I don't know the different varieties but the shorter kind that are more like "bushes" have little round red fruit atop them right now, which is really pretty.

We began a very deep descent for the next 7 miles or so. I love downhill as much as the next guy but not on narrow, twisty, windy backroads. Pretty freaky. A bunch of ambulances, fire trucks, and cop cars passed us soon after, and we had to brake almost to a complete stop as we descended around a particularly nasty, blind switchback. A cyclist had been hit by a motorcycle. Ugh. I think the injuries were pretty minor, thankfully.

Jason and I stopped at one of the stops towards the end to nibble on some cookies and take a bathroom break. I felt very relaxed. I couldn't believe how quickly the ride was going considering how "easy" it felt. Yet, we were still riding at about 18 mph on the flats, which is great for me! I was a little disappointed at how much traffic (and stoplights) we had to deal with the final 8 miles as we rode back into town (plus the last two turns were extremely dangerous!) but all in all, it was a great ride. We finished in about 3 hours, feeling tired but not exhausted. And it was only 20 minutes from home! We stopped off for our usual post-workout Sunday bagels and coffee and was home by noon. I love that.

Sick Stomach Ruins Saturday Run

That's my headline for Saturday. I don't know if it was something I ate or swallowing too much salt water during the ocean swim Friday night but I woke up at 1 a.m. Friday night feeling verrry naseous. Without going into too much detail....well, let's just say it was a long night of my stomach rebelling. Maybe it was all the salt water. I still don't really know. (By the way, does swallowing salt water during your swim count towards electrolyte replacement?) Needless to say, I wasn't going anywhere Saturday morning, much less a 10 mile run. (on the beach with my friends...Damn!) I slept and nibbled all day. Chicken noodle soup. Saltines. Gatorade. My stomach apparently had finished its protest and, thankfully, left me alone.

I woke up Sunday feeling awesome and Jason and I headed up to Poway for an organized event--Tour de Poway. We only did the 44 mile option but that's pretty good for me! Especially after Friday night. So the weekend was definitely salvageable. More on the awesome bike ride later.

Hope everyone had an awesome weekend!

Another busy week...

Well I guess the 'roids are working (thyroid, that is). I'm officially doping. I can't believe how much better I've been feeling these past few weeks. I got a trim yesterday, and the stylist couldn't believe how much my hair had grown since the last time I'd seen him. He thought it was freakish. I take it as a good sign.

Monday was a day off. I was so sore from climbing the mountain and the dreadful 12 mile Penasquitos Canyon run Sunday, plus the snorkeling with the leopard sharks off La Jolla Shores in crazy, white-cap, choppy water.

Tuesday, we did our first club track workout. It was AWESOME. I was so sore afterwards though. It didn't help that I was sore when I started too. My legs felt like jello. We did a warm-up mile easy. 1 lap of "strides" which I later learned was just a quick, acclerating pace where you sprint on the long sides and shorten on the short sides. Then, we paired up and did a "baton" relay. We each ran 1 lap with the baton while the other partner rested before handing off the baton and letting our partner go. We did this 4x each before switching partners and repeating for a total of 3 sets (12x or 3 miles). It was great! I nearly died the 3rd lap, right off the bat, but felt stronger and stronger as I kept going. I was able to cut time off and then maintain it (fastest 1:15, avg 1:30, slowest 2:00). I guess all that base training really helped. Plus, it was a great way to meet people.

Wednesday, I did my own thing. A great free-weight session followed by a solid tempo ride on the trainer while watching re-runs of Lost. It's my first time. My sister got me into it. It's actually quite a captivating show they got going on.

Thursday, I eeked in a quick pool swim at the gym next to where I work. It's a cute, little gym that I recently "discovered." It's very well hidden and small so not a lot of people use it. I like having a whole pool to myself, even if it is only 4 lanes and 25 yards instead of meters. I did sprints followed by a solid 500m "endurance" set. I love sprints (well, okay--100m, not 200s, 200s suck)! They make me feel fast, even if I do want to puke by the end.

Friday, I snuck in a 4 mile run before rushing off to the cove for a swim with the tri club. Not a lot of people showed up. I guess the whole fall, less daylight, colder water, end-of-the-season, school-has-started thing. I went in anyway. FREEZING! It was 70 on Sunday (snuggly) and 60 today (ack!). Plus, the swells were huge. I swam out with a group to the first 1/4 mile buoy. Then, everyone else went back in b/c it was too cold and choppy. Wusses. I felt good at this point. Afterall, I was wearing my suit of armor er, wetsuit. So I kept going. Made it to the 3rd buoy. Swam towards the Shores a bit before turning back.

I always feel like going back is harder than going out. It was getting dark, and at this point, I realized I was all alone. Out there all by myself, in the middle of the great big ocean, with lots of waves. Ugh. I just kept swimming at this point. The whole swimming-in-the-ocean-in-the-dark thing still really freaks me out. I conjure "things" in my head and they "appear." A dark shape beneath. What was that!? The play of shadows on a wave next to me....was that another swimmer? Hey! I'm not alone! Wait...Was it....a creature?! AAAAAAHHH! Oh, it was nothing. Okay. I focused on the houses above the cliffs, and focused on slowing my breathing and taking long, slow strokes. I made it back, unscathed (and un-seasick!).

Tomorrow--we have our last long run planned before the big half-marathon next week.
And Sunday--we're biking the Tour de Poway. A hilly 44 mile ride. Yippee!

Somehow, all this activity, and it never feels like enough. Ack. I'm so sore....I like it that way.

Per Request--Bike Porn

By popular demand, I have provided the following pics demonstrating how I've pimped my bike. Enjoy...

1. new clip-on aerobars (specially fitted to the bike with me on it)



2. Compact cranks to replace the triple ring (so no more knee pain b/c the angle from my hip to knee is straighter; yay!)
3. The whole kit and kaboodle. Isn't she sweet?

4. Modeling the bike in the new-and-improved aero position, of course.

5. Last, but not least, upgraded Look pedals. Very zippy.

Busy, busy--catch up on recent events

I can't believe how busy I've been and how long it's been since I've had a chance to catch up.

The aerobars are great. Pics are coming soon. The aerobars were fitted to my bike (while I was on it) at a great local bike shop so I'm able to use it as a road bike and also enjoy the aero position at the same time. In addition, I upgraded my clipless pedals (Look) and swapped out my triple chain ring for compact cranks. I also got the whole thing tuned up, including cleaning, lube, new brake pads, and a new chain. I got new race tires a few months ago. Can we say pimped out? It's awesome. I'm lovin' it.

The thyroid medication has been working. I've leaped back into workouts at full throttle. Part of me wants to get back into shape (and lose the muffin top I've gained), and the other part (the main part), is just having a blast. I logged in 11 hours the week before and 8 hours last week, which is more than I've done all year! It seems like a lot but it feels right. I'm eating better, sleeping better, and sticking to a routine more consistently.

Last week, Tammy from Seattle visited and joined us for an ocean swim at La Jolla Shores. It was such a pleasure to meet another fellow blogger! I can't wait to do it again. My sister, Erin from UC Davis, visited for a long weekend last week, and we had a blast. The two of us went snorkeling at the Shores and saw tons of leopard sharks (harmless). It was awesome. They flock here to breed every fall. We were surrounded by them (up to 7-8 at a time), and they were very docile. Each one had slightly different leopard spots, colors, and patterns. Some of them were huge (~7 feet long)! The surf was really rough though, and we were buffeted about pretty badly. Thank God for buoyant wetsuits! I've never seen it that choppy off the Shores. We could see whitecaps all the way out to sea.

Saturday, Jason and I participated in the tri club's Pine Valley Duathlon. Basically, we drove up to this little town east of San Diego at 4000 feet and then biked up this mountain. We biked 17 miles up to Mt. Laguna in the Cleveland National Forest, reaching 6000 feet.

I know this doesn't sound like much for most of you who don't live at sea level but, believe me, my lungs felt it. Big time. Imagine biking straight up a mountain on windy switchback roads with no shoulder and a cliff to the right of you with speedy little sports cars doing their weekend joy rides to the left of you. Oh, and add hurricane-like gusts of wind coming down the mountain and sudden gusts coming at you from the sides, making a deafening squealing sound for the first 8 miles. It was like biking up a mountain in a wind tunnel.

It sounds like I'm exaggerating. Like I'm an old granddaddy telling his grandkids they have it easy, and when he was a kid, he had to walk uphill through the snow to school for 5 miles--both ways. And he had to eat nails for lunch. And he liked it! No, but seriously, that's what's so incredible. It's not an exaggeration. It was crazy. My upper body was sore from gripping the handlebars like grim death to keep the bike upright. I was scared, no terrified, a few times that I was going to be blown over.

And then my lungs started screaming. And my throat was burning. The air was so thin and dry, and the wind was bone-chilling. My eyes were watering and my nose was running, and my head was pounding from the lack of oxygen. A few times, the grade was so steep, I had a hard time turning the pedals over. 6 mph, the whole way up, in my lowest gear. We were afraid to stop because if we did, we weren't sure we could get enough momentum to get going again.

But then it started leveling off, and we realized we could clearly see the Anza-Borreogo Desert below us (a lot of dirt), and we were surrounded by pine trees and cows. I also saw a few turkey vultures, struggling to fly through the wind. I was just hoping they weren't waiting for us to keel over. At the top, the club had arranged a kick-ass picnic with chicken fajitas, sweet strawberries, all sorts of soda, Gatorade, fruit juice, and muffins, brownies, etc. Good thing too, because I had been hallucinating waffles and bacon just a few miles back. Giddy with the feeling of accomplishment for making it up the mountain (and lack of oxygen), we ate and chatted (I, on very wobbly legs).

Then, we turned around and biked back down. It was awesome. Like a well-earned treat. I didn't pedal for 10 miles. No, I had to use my brand-spankin' new brake pads. I had to brake to 40 mph. I just didn't feel comfortable flying around the switchbacks (no shoulder) at a faster pace. It was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.

My legs, needless to say, were toast. Jason and I, stupidy, tried to do a 12 mile run in the Penasquitos Canyon on Sunday but we ended up walking a lot. It was hot, dusty, and my legs were very mad at me.

Earlier this week (Thursday), I did the club Aquathlon at the Shores (1000 meter swim/3 mile run), which was great. I passed a guy at the end who wasn't too happy about it, and he rallied with me almost to the end (don't worry; I kicked his butt).

Last weekend, I also had the chance to try out my new aerobars, which I love. I feel stronger and more efficient in them. I feel like I can go forever. It's amazing. I ended up going 37 miles and had only planned on going 20. Note to self: do not add Gu to your water unless you don't want to drink the rest of the way home. Bleck! It was very scenic--gorgeous horses that made my heart ache, hot air ballons, hanggliders, surfers, the ocean, pelicans swooping down the coast for the evening dinner patrol, a gorgeous sunset--doesn't get much better than that.

Aerobars

I got AEROBARS!!!! And I LOVE them!!!! (I'm pimpin' my bike.)

Triathlon and the Drill Seargent

There was an article in September's issue of Triathlete magazine titled, "The legend of Mr. Triathlon," that really struck a chord with me. In this article, the author describes trying to silence the perfectionist within and balance his competitive edge with being healthy and having fun. It's definitely easy to overdo it. Why else would we read so many articles on overtraining (and then write them off b/c they don't apply to us)?

There is a drill seargent that sits on my shoulder and shouts orders. I always feel compelled to obey, although I don't as much anymore (I have a couch potato on the other shoulder; some people have angels and devils; I have drill seargents and couch potatoes). He's always shouting, "Eat less! Work harder! Exercise more! Go farther, faster, harder! Be perfect!" Sometimes, I ignore him and am happy with what I can do. Other times, my drill seargent tears apart and tells me I'm no good.

I used to think I was alone in obsessing about the "perfect" body image, shape, and weight. That I was the only one in the gym for hours on end, ensuring I got my exercise in. Even though the AHA only recommended about 6 hours of physical activity a week (including gardening and cleaning), that didn't apply to me. No. That wasn't acceptable for me. I had to go above and beyond that.

I never actually had an eating disorder but I walked the line. I definitely had/have body image issues. Everyone has one body part they hate. My nemesis is my gut (on many levels b/c I also suffer from IBS). I can't stand the pooch that poofs out over my pants. I used to obsess about it (I still do to some extent). I wanted to have "Britney Spears abs" (before she had kids, obviously) and began doing several hundred sit-ups a day, upping the cardio, and counting calories.

Never mind that the actresses in Hollywood and models on the catwalks are unhealthy, all have eating disorders, and all have plastic surgery. Never mind that their bodies aren't naturally like that. I became obsessed with making my body conform to that image. And I'm a smart person. I know all about eating disorders, the media, the hype, that these bodies aren't "real." And I still tricked myself into this mindset. I love the recent news stories on the new restrictions on super-skinny runway models. (They won't be allowed to participate in fashion shows unless they have a B.M.I. of at least 18, which means the minimum weight for the average, 5'9" model is 120! Over 1/3 of them won't meet this requirement. Models with BMIs of 16 or below will receive medical intervention. The model agencies are arguing that this is discrimination against naturally thin people. Puh-lease! No one that eats well and is 5'9" or taller weighs 90 lbs!!!)http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2349467,00.html
http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,23663,20393440-5007192,00.html

The majority of the country is overweight or obese (statistics from the NIH, based on BMI). http://win.niddk.nih.gov/statistics/index.htm
There are people who really do benefit from nutritionists, balanced but restricted diets, food journals, etc. And everyone should exercise and eat healthfully. But then there are others who really should eat more. I've never been able to be happy at my "healthy" weight. At 5'8", 130 lbs., I'm naturally lean. I should be happy. My BMI (body mass index, which is height in meters squared, divided by weight in kg) is 20, right there on the low side of healthy, according to the NIH (Normal is between 19 and 24).
(You can calculate your BMI at the following website: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/)

However, I still have this damn "pooch" that I find unacceptable. I think my low point was on a hot, humid run in St. Louis one brutal summer day. I was pushing my pace, like always, and felt awful. I felt naseous and sick. Jason told me to stop, and I refused. He asked why I wouldn't just take a walk break. My answer was, "Not unless I fall down, pass out, or throw up." Then I actually began wishing for one of those things to happen in order to justify slowing down.

A few months after dieting and spending hours upon hours at the gym, I began suffering from minor overuse injuries from running every day. I started mixing in swimming. Then came the bike. Triathlon followed shortly after. It seemed like fun. That's a good thing. Like a great way to apply all that fitness I had been building at the gym. It also seemed like a great way to legitimize the unhealthy mindset I had adopted. "Oh, I can't eat that b/c I'm in training. I have to exercise this much b/c I'm training."

In my first season of triathlon, my largest week load was 18, and I was averaging 15, enough for an Ironman. I was doing sprints. After completing a few races during my first season, I suffered from fatigue, overuse injuries, and was fast-approaching burn-out. I read an article about overtraining and realized my symptoms fit to a tee. I realized if I didn't cut back on training and rest more, I wouldn't be able to keep it up, and my performance would suffer.

A transition ensued. Instead of caring about body-image, I focused on performance. Triathlon began transforming the way I perceived myself. It wasn't about how I looked, it was about what I could do. I have become much better at listenign to my body and allowing myself to cut back and rest when I need it. But I'm not perfect (hmmm. new concept). I still err on doing too much and beat myself up for not doing more.

Focusing too much on performance can also trigger my drill seargent. It's like swapping one obsession for another. I admit, I walk a fine line. It's great to have a competitive edge and strive to be healthy and active. But, especially with triathlon, there's a fine line that I must walk on--to do enough, but not too much. It's not like a drug addiction, where you cut the drug out of your life forever. I hope to always eat a balanced diet and lead an active lifestyle. But I'm learning when to ignore the drill seargent and listen to my body and when the drill seargent might positively motivate me to push my limits and see how far I can go and what amazing goals I can achieve.

Time to go for a run. Nothing makes me feel more alive than my heart pounding in my chest and the sweat dripping down my chin. Good music in my ears and the rhythm of my feet pounding the dirt beneath me. The smell of the salt water from the ocean and the sight of pelicans flying overhead. It's all about keeping it fun.

On a Break...

Been kind of taking it easy and relaxing a bit. Need to get this hypothyroid-thing under control. Everything's fine! Will be back up and blogging soon.

Thurs night swim, "maintenance" phase, and falling asleep tips

Took a late afternoon nap yesterday. So bad but felt so good. Woke up and dragged myself to the pool. I'm so glad I did. I had a great swim. It's great swimming the last hour before the pool closes because I took fewer breaks, trying to get in as many laps as I could before quitting time. (Stupid pool closes at 8; how lame is that?)

I warmed up with a nice, relaxing 50m each of breast, free, back (x3). Then did some drill work to get back to basics and think about form. I'm much stronger and more balanced on my right than on the left. On the left, I tend to sink more. Plus, I'm trying to work on recruiting my core muscles when I twist to give me a little extra propulsion through the water. On the right, this works out well; my body seems to know what I'm talking about. On the left, it's not quite there; I actually jerk backwards a little before twisting forward from the hips. I'm going to have to work on body positioning a bit more on this side.

Followed drills with a set of 500m free at medium pace. Felt easy and strong. Then, did a stroke counting drill where I swam to the right 25 meters, back to the left 25 meters, and then repeated trying to take 1 off each time. Counting every time my "breathing" arm hit the water, I was able to manage 9 to the right, and 9.5 to the left. Again, gotta work on the hip twisting thing.

Finished with a very short sprint set--3 laps (150). It was awesome. Definitely the most fun. I focused on long, sleek strokes and gliding through the water. I remembered watching the pros for some championship on t.v. last weekend and how high they rode on the water, as if they were on top of a wave. I tried to find that wave and propel my body just on top of the swell, letting the water carry me through. Again, to the right, the swell was slightly more pronounced than the left but the overall feeling was amazing. Like a dolphin...like a dolphin.

I would have liked to do 2 more sets of this but everyone else had gotten out and the 2 lifeguards were standing over my lane, waiting for me to get out. It really creeped me out so I finished up and got out. Sigh. The best part was how fresh I felt at the end. I couldn't believe it.

Since my season is just about over, I'm trying to hold back and go into a "maintenance and recovery" phase. I'm still working up to a half marathon in October but I feel my base is solid enough that I won't have to work too hard to get through it. I want to be well rested and fresh when I start thinking about next season so right now, I'm trying to hold back and enjoy myself. Do a workout 6 days a week and have fun with it. Then, I'll reassess draw up new goals, and begin working on my weaknesses during a long base phase for the off season. I think it's a good sign I'm rarin' to go but I'm holding back after my long illness.

On a side note, that damn nap I took really made it difficult to fall asleep last night. Let's review falling asleep tips:
1. no caffeine late in the day (that includes soda and many power drinks or gu).
2. no naps!
3. wind down an hour before bedtime.
4. get things cleaned up and organized for the next day so it's not "hanging over your head."
5. journal for 5-10 minutes to clear your head.
6. take a hot shower or bath to let your core temp drop.
7. sip some hot chamomile tea spiked with skim milk (not too much or you'll be peeing all night).
8. turn off the t.v., dim the lights, and read for 15 minutes before turning off the light and drifting to sleep.
9. if you find your mind racing, I do the following exercise:
Picture the colors of the rainbow individually, starting with red and ending in violet.
Focus on one color at a time and only that color. Other thoughts may drift in and out but they are only
background noise.
Let that color fill your mind until it is so vivid, you are surrounded in it and feel as if you can reach out
and touch it.
To help, think of objects that are that color--for red--an apple, cherry, or fire engine.
Let the objects fade and the color bleed over and fill up the empty space of your mind. Let your mind
soften as you would let your vision soften to increase peripheral vision, and the color should grow very
quickly.
You may fall asleep before you reach violet, and that is okay. If your mind begins to drift, let it. You're
trying to fall asleep so that's okay. The color focus exercise just stops your mind from racing.

Okay, since I have falling asleep down so well, can anyone out there tell me how to wake up? I have such a struggle...even with an alarm clock!

Totally Awesome Wed Bike Ride

I posted this earlier, but I think it got buried so I moved it up. (Comments were moved to the bottom of the post).

To be honest, I like training solo. It allows me to meditate and stay in my zone without worrying about anything else. Plus, I can do it on my schedule. That's why it's been hard to motivate myself to go to some of the great club workouts.

Rode my bike in this morning in my work clothes. Wrapped things up at a decent time. Ate half a Pria bar to quell a small but growing hunger pang in the stomach. Filled up the water bottle halfway and clip-clopped out the door all suited up in my bright purple jersey with a little baby yellow chick on the front with the words "Biker Chick" on the front. Aren't I cute? Took off down the road.

Only problem with riding down Hwy 101 at 5:30 is the rush-hour traffic. Somehow, I'm invisible to cars at this time. I can't believe how many cars I had to avoid as they decided that the bike lane was a third lane that no other vehicle was in but they had the magical privelege to go in to zip down and rush past the standstill traffic. Plus, drivers hate to see cyclists zipping past them when they're sitting still. It's like, "Hey! That's not fair." Hey! It's called bike commuting. Look into it! Oh, and there were also the cars parked on the right-side of the bike lane that decided to run through the bike lane into traffic without looking for the invisible cyclist (why do I bother wearing these hideously colored jerseys if drivers are going to ignore me anyway?). Oh, and then there are the cars that decided to pull over in front of me and cut me off and then back off into me. What is this? Do they have a hit out on me? Let's try to hit Rachel day! But I digress...

I managed to avoid the harrowing traffic and melt into a zone. I felt very quick and strong. I tailed 2 cyclists for awhile and then took off in front when the traffic thinned, much to the dismay of the younger male cyclist. He later sprinted past me at a stoplight. Whoa. I'm impressed. You just risked life and limb so you could pass a girl. How cool.

I reached Encinitas and had to avoid a few surfers darting across the road with their surfboards. Sigh. Only in Cali do cyclists have to watch for surfers. However, I did enjoy watching them catch waves in the Pacific on the way back. Like sharks in the sea, they bobbed up and down, dotting the surf as the sun set in the background. How poetic.

There was a great stretch in Solana Beach where it was relatively flat and I was able to go up into my big gear at 94 rpm and 23 mph and sustain it for a period. Ah. Felt so good. I relished being able to cycle like one of the pros. Or dream I was. But I felt strong. Normally, I ride in that in-between zone where I want to shift the small chain into a gear too hard for the middle ring but too easy for the big ring. I've been in limbo like that for months. I'll shift into 3rd and try to sustain it but my rpm will drop into the low 80s. Then I shift back into 2nd and my rpms are around 110. I'll shift up in the small ring and my chain rubs. So I go back and forth. It was so nice today to be able to stay in the big gear for more than 30 seconds. I'll just have to keep working on it.

Turned around at Swami's in Encinitas. Was it just me or can I ride farther in a shorter amount of time? Seems like it. My training rides used to be only 15 mph. Today, I averaged 16-17 mph and that included the tough climb up Torrey Pines (which wasn't as hard as I remember; is this possible?) Coming back was very nice. The sun setting over the ocean to my right. Hot air balloons in Del Mar on my left. Hang gliders by Black's Beach. Surfer's galore everywhere. Runners. Cyclists. Egrets in San Elijo's Lagoon. The line of pelicans flying over the beach at 6:30, making their routine evening feeding rounds. Like clockwork. I never feel alone out there.

I didn't need Jason to make it home this time (out and back is pretty fail-safe). He's making a great steak dinner (great post-ride recovery meal to feed those muscles!) and complaining that I stink as I type this. Gotta go hit the showers.

Comments (from earlier):
At 4:46 AM, Jenö said...
Well done and well posted! I love reading about rides/runs where things just seem to work and leave you wanting more. Good job!
At 6:40 AM, Jodi said...
There is something so peaceful about a workout by yourself. I used to love my morning runs when I lived in Melbourne, Australia. I saw the same things everyday and it was so soothing! Seeing the hot air balloons go up, the buses go by, the same people going to work. It really helped me get into a groove.I'm impressed that you braved that traffic. I've become a little bike-shy since I crashed last month. Need to get that back!