After a rough week of just not feeling strong, I found out my blood work came out a little out of whack. I went in to the doctors for my annual thyroid check to monitor my medication I take for hypothyroidism. I told my doctor how great I was feeling and he had complimented me on my weight loss this year. I smiled and replied, "IRONMAN TRAINING". Later in the week, my muscles just felt empty. On Friday, I learned my liver enzymes were elevated along with my white blood cell count and my dose of synthroid needed to be increased. My son came home not feeling well and was feverish and by Saturday morning I seemed to share his soar throat and achy body.
He can just chillax, take some allergy and cold medicine and rest for the weekend, but not an IMIT(Ironman in Training)! There are miles to log and heart rate zones to visit. And the question of how hard to push without risking ending up sick in bed all week lingered in my mind. I met a few teammates for a 3.5 hour ride around the McDowell Mountains. The directions we chose took us up some nice steep hills to warm up and up a famous route called 9 mile hill. I knew that I was going to probably return to being a turtle, on this day, but I had no idea that once again, my legs would feel heavy and weak and the open sunshine and higher than usually humidity challenged my mind and body for the entire ride. I had no choice but to finish because I was already half way around the mountain and the only way back was to complete the other half. Turning around would be the same distance. My friends were nice enough to wait for me at the big bike rest stop. I thought about abandoning the mission on several occasions especially when I rode by a turn off to my house. I also don't like holding people back, but I just did not have it in me to keep up today. It quickly went from a "long" ride to a "survival" ride. I had to fight muscle fatigue, sore throat, burning feet, a little discomfort in my back, and another upset stomach despite following my coach's recommendations to add more water and salt to my nutrition.
I made it to the end, but I was not sure what was going to be left for my Sunday run, so I decided to just wake up without an alarm and see what the morning would bring. I checked my watch at 3:19 am as that seems to be when my biological alarm clock has been going off and then I hit the snooze button in my mind for an hour and decided I would take motrin to take the edge off the sore throat and see what my legs had in them.
I left at 5am and enjoyed running the first 30 minutes in the dark. When I passed by a street light and saw a shadow in front of me and one by my side, I realized I was back with me, myself and I and this is exactly where I was supposed to be. The only person that you can rely on in Ironman is yourself and it was good to have this reunion with my self. Even though I was alone, I was surrounded by my mind and body. Would we work together today or would we be battling it out to the finish. I got away from obsessing with what mile I was on and what my heart rate was and just listened to my body and went a comfortable pace that I knew I could sustain. I did snack when my Garmin chimed and sipped on my Camelback the entire way. Today was about running through being under the weather and pushing the wall back. I texted my husband to give him the thumbs up as I knew I could make the 16 miles today and would not need a rescue. As long as I was in the shade, my stomach seemed fine. As soon as the sun came up, my stomach starts acting up. I really think I am allergic to the sun. Maybe I should sign up for a night triathlon. On the other hand, I will likely be running in the night on race day.
My body is now telling me to rest. I think I have pushed the wall back enough for one day and do not want to end up spending the week in bed, so I will stop while I am ahead and skip the swim. Hoping to talk to my coach about making some adjustments to my schedule and looking closer at nutrition.
This week RAISED some serious DOUBT in my mind. I felt like I was being tested over and over again this week on how I could find a way to move, when I had nothing left to give. I suppose that the triathlon gods are looking over me trying to prepare me for what is to come. Training can last forever as long as we are healthy, but there are only 17 hours in an Ironman. The question is how to get to the start line well trained, well nourished, and well rested so the swim, bike and run will all be in harmony on race day. Well my friends, there are 85 days left to figure this out.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Monday, August 20, 2012
Turn that Frown Upside Down: The Highs and Lows of Triathlon
When Sunday morning comes and I open one eye to check the time, I just want to roll over and go back to sleep. I wonder how my legs will support my weight when I try to stand up after another week of training and a 4 hour ride the day before. The week is not over until you finish your long run and final group swim. This is the hardest day of the week to rise and shine. So I manage to rise without the shine, because I know I have a teammate who is depending on me on the other side known as the parking lot. If we do not show up for each other, we would have to muster up super human will to go on. Thank goodness there are a few others like me.
I manage to get up and fill my Camelback with ice, fluid and fuel, reset my Garmin, and stuff a few snacks into my pockets. I tip toe into the garage and try to sneak out without waking the rest of the normal humans in my home who are still having sweet dreams. I head out in the dark trying to remember where I am going and what is on my training schedule. I look down at my car thermometer which reads 86 degrees. Oh, what a treat, we get to run in sub 90 temps this morning. I almost get to our meeting spot and a rabbit runs out from the middle of nowhere and I hear a loud noise. My heart aches for a moment and I roll on. The turtle does not want to beat the rabbit this way as it goes against everything this epic tale is all about. I arrive and exclaim, "I just killed a wabbit" and I was so upset, but knew that the turtle can not stop for anything (the run must go on). We did not see the rabbit as we took off to begin our short 12 mile run, so I was hopeful he miraculously might have escaped death (though later in the light, I observed that was not the case, unless someone else hit the maimed little fellow after me).
This particular Sunday was a reminder of how we come down after the "Highs" of Triathlon and experience the "Lows". The previous day was a 4 hour bike ride in our long zone on part of the Ironman Course. I managed to get 71 miles in with a moving average of 17.6 mph which makes me happy. You pedal until you get into your zone. Yes, your heart rate zone, but I am really speaking about the zone where you are just one with your bike and nothing else matters. You are at peace with yourself and the world and nobody can interfere with your special place...that is until you get a flat tire, have to stop at a traffic light, need to refuel or start to get an upset stomach....but when you are there, it is wonderful. I am sure only a drug user can relate, but this is a natural high that I can get by moving my body through space and time. The effects of this high last for hours even when you have stopped moving. It was not until the next day before the sun comes up and before the alarm chimes, do you question everything you are about and wonder how you are going to refill your tank so you can move forward for one more day.
This is where the Mental Training will come in very handy on Ironman Day. It is beyond where our motor programs can take us. It is the place that we have to store our mental and spiritual fuel to overcome fatigue, pain, mental barriers, free will, negativity, and convert them into determination and motivation to complete the task that we set out to do. It sure helps on the days where you think you cannot go on to have people waiting on the other side who can help you overcome these frown moments and find ways to turn them around. In 91 days, it is just going to be one person with all this stored information and endurance on the long path to the finish line. You will be surrounded by others racing against themselves, a clock and maybe a few others in their age group and the many loved ones, teammates and anonymous spectators cheering on the sidelines. I imagine the roars of the crowds will fall on deaf ears of the fierce and focused athletes, but I will keep my mind and heart open to using this energy to help me find my way to the finish line. One strategy that I will remember from my mental training bible is when in doubt SMILE as it releases tension and helps you get your head back in the game.
So literally turning the frown upside down when you are in the middle of your low will help you get back on top. I guess smiling is not so bad to practice. It is painless, free and contagious and you can throw a splash of laughter in while you are at it. The best moments on this journey are the hugs and laughter. So if your coach forgets to add this to your schedule, you should practice smiling while training in your long zone, when your Garmin beeps every mile, add a smile for 10 seconds to each interval during your track workouts and between swim sets, and don't forget to smile and hold it while you are flying down a hill!
See, don't you feel better already!
I manage to get up and fill my Camelback with ice, fluid and fuel, reset my Garmin, and stuff a few snacks into my pockets. I tip toe into the garage and try to sneak out without waking the rest of the normal humans in my home who are still having sweet dreams. I head out in the dark trying to remember where I am going and what is on my training schedule. I look down at my car thermometer which reads 86 degrees. Oh, what a treat, we get to run in sub 90 temps this morning. I almost get to our meeting spot and a rabbit runs out from the middle of nowhere and I hear a loud noise. My heart aches for a moment and I roll on. The turtle does not want to beat the rabbit this way as it goes against everything this epic tale is all about. I arrive and exclaim, "I just killed a wabbit" and I was so upset, but knew that the turtle can not stop for anything (the run must go on). We did not see the rabbit as we took off to begin our short 12 mile run, so I was hopeful he miraculously might have escaped death (though later in the light, I observed that was not the case, unless someone else hit the maimed little fellow after me).
This particular Sunday was a reminder of how we come down after the "Highs" of Triathlon and experience the "Lows". The previous day was a 4 hour bike ride in our long zone on part of the Ironman Course. I managed to get 71 miles in with a moving average of 17.6 mph which makes me happy. You pedal until you get into your zone. Yes, your heart rate zone, but I am really speaking about the zone where you are just one with your bike and nothing else matters. You are at peace with yourself and the world and nobody can interfere with your special place...that is until you get a flat tire, have to stop at a traffic light, need to refuel or start to get an upset stomach....but when you are there, it is wonderful. I am sure only a drug user can relate, but this is a natural high that I can get by moving my body through space and time. The effects of this high last for hours even when you have stopped moving. It was not until the next day before the sun comes up and before the alarm chimes, do you question everything you are about and wonder how you are going to refill your tank so you can move forward for one more day.
This is where the Mental Training will come in very handy on Ironman Day. It is beyond where our motor programs can take us. It is the place that we have to store our mental and spiritual fuel to overcome fatigue, pain, mental barriers, free will, negativity, and convert them into determination and motivation to complete the task that we set out to do. It sure helps on the days where you think you cannot go on to have people waiting on the other side who can help you overcome these frown moments and find ways to turn them around. In 91 days, it is just going to be one person with all this stored information and endurance on the long path to the finish line. You will be surrounded by others racing against themselves, a clock and maybe a few others in their age group and the many loved ones, teammates and anonymous spectators cheering on the sidelines. I imagine the roars of the crowds will fall on deaf ears of the fierce and focused athletes, but I will keep my mind and heart open to using this energy to help me find my way to the finish line. One strategy that I will remember from my mental training bible is when in doubt SMILE as it releases tension and helps you get your head back in the game.
So literally turning the frown upside down when you are in the middle of your low will help you get back on top. I guess smiling is not so bad to practice. It is painless, free and contagious and you can throw a splash of laughter in while you are at it. The best moments on this journey are the hugs and laughter. So if your coach forgets to add this to your schedule, you should practice smiling while training in your long zone, when your Garmin beeps every mile, add a smile for 10 seconds to each interval during your track workouts and between swim sets, and don't forget to smile and hold it while you are flying down a hill!
See, don't you feel better already!
Monday, August 13, 2012
Racing to Ironman: The Clock is Ticking
This weekend was a big milestone with the passing of 100 days left until IMAZ and the beginning of the fall race season leading up to the event. Friday was an exciting day marking the end of triple digits and a time for reflection on what we have been through since that cold and rainy morning last November when many people stood on line to sign up for this big adventure.
There have been 4 hours in the pool and 3 running and 3 bike workouts of varying speeds and intensity each week. We have layed bricks, done finales, biked up long hills, logged a lot of miles in our long zone, and eaten a lot of bagels, chews, jellybeans, gels, salt tabs, carb and electrolyte mixes...Not to mention all the miles we have driven in a car, just to get to a location to sit on our bikes and ride many more miles.
We have woven a tight knit team that is there to support each other whether it is laughing at 4 am when you are too tired to stand up let alone run, to rubbing out your teammates cramp, to lifting each other up when we are down, to encouraging someone to keep going when it hurts, to praising each other for their progress, to discussing private matters, to sharing life stories, to creating new stories, to sharing a passion between generations, to talking a friend off a cliff, to hugging someone when they cross the line, to enjoying a meal or movie together, and to just quietly being by someone's side when there are no words to be said. Together we stand, but each one of us has to travel to a very personal place to get into their own zone. You must go to a place that only you can reach which requires anchoring down, letting go, and digging deep. You find comfort in a familiar face along side of the road or another yellow jersey on the course and it makes you smile and then you return to that place inside where you contemplate, battle with yourself and find peace with yourself and the world. Sometimes it is like being stuck in a video game where you have to kill off the dragons that pop up along the way to get to the kingdom, but when you are moving fast and the demons stay off your path, riding through the wind brings you into a dream like state where you find your happy!
This weekend was the Mountain Man Olympic Triathlon in Flagstaff. It was another opportunity to escape the heat and assess how our bodies are responding to training. The race happened to be on my son's 13th birthday and my husband had to travel to Russia and could not enjoy the weekend with us. We were fortunate to have friends with a cabin at Morman Lake who hosted us and helped make my son's birthday a memorable one. I highly recommend staying in the pines as a pre-race strategy because I found myself to be extremely relaxed and calm. I picked up my race packet on Friday evening and just separated myself from all the pre-race excitement since we did not have to check our bikes in the day before the event. My son hung out with his friends and was in boy heaven playing in the woods with soft air guns and ATVs and other off road vehicles along with a boating adventure and campfires at night. He was happy and I was happy that he had a chance to really enjoy the outdoors. We just got to chill for the entire day. Well almost the entire day. I had a short brick workout to warm up for the race on Sunday and it was hard to keep it short because being in the pines makes you just want to go. I rode with the cows and ran with a deer and kept it short to save my legs for the race.
Sunday morning came and I got up before my 3 alarm system at 3:45 am and went quickly and quietly through the rituals because I did not want to wake up anyone else in the cabin. Off to the races in the dark I went. It was pitch black driving through the woods and then all of a sudden there were little spot lights and cars lining up on the side of the road and the pre-race festivities began! I parked a half mile away and stuffed all my gear into a small backpack and held a flashlight in my hand and rode my bike to the start. It was an open rack system and my team set up on 2 racks. It was fun and though the adrenaline was starting to flow, I felt an overwhelming sense of calm this particular morning. I was worried how I would do without butterflies in my stomach. After picking up our timing chips, body marking, donning our wetsuits and taking BEFORE pictures, we headed to the swim start. Ahhh, then my body started feeling a little whoozy, "oh good I am alive", I thought. Now, I am going to be ok if I don't get sick. The water is usually not a source of nerves for me so I decided to take the inside lane and we were off. My coach warned us about starting off too fast in high altitude so I made sure I went at a comfortable pace. The bouys seemed so far away today, but I just felt comfortable and made my way to the first green buoy. I did not deal with much congestion until the first turn and then I stayed on the inside to have a bit of a crash with another swimmer at the next buoy and she flipped out and screamed "WTF". I decided I was getting out of this "road rage" swimmers way and sprinted ahead. Not sure if she was upset with me or who got in who's path, but I was not taking any chances of someone that was falling apart in the water. Finally made it to the last turn and then it was a diagonal path to the finish. I could not see the bouy, so I just followed the other swimmers and hoped they were going toward the finish. The swims always start at sunrise so you always have the sun in your eyes in one direction and this time it was to the finish. I was satisfied with my swim and then fumbled as usual in the transition taking my wetsuit off and getting my bike gear off. I find this to be the most difficult transition trying to get your hands to work and balancing on your feet to get on your bike. My legs felt tired, but I had a lot of things to focus on since having another coaching session with my bicyclologist, Jeff, this month. We road this course 2 weekends ago, so I was familiar with what was to come. My legs came back and I enjoyed the rolling hills. The ups were a little harder this week after the swim and a bit more head wind and after getting passed by a few people on them, I came back stronger on the second half (plus it was a short ride for us being under 25 miles). I settled into my base heart rate zone which is not a place I easily get to. I was really happy to pass teammates in both directions and then a group of teammates screaming at the transition warms your heart. T2 went a lot smoother and I said I was taking my time, practicing a slower transition for IM, using reverse psychology with myself to try and relax. I looked at my watch on the way out and I was at 1:52. That meant I had an hour and 8 minutes to break the 3 hour mark and it was very doable if I could run the entire course so I contained my energy and started off slow. This course is known for its steep hill at mile 1.5. I had run it 2 weeks ago, so no surprises for me, but this time I had swam and bike before running it. I tried to enjoy the scenery, talk to myself to stay standing and say a prayer that my legs would not cramp. I sang happy birthday to my son and thought about some of my little angels that I carry with me on races to help me fly. The top of the hill seemed far away, but I knew at the turn around, it was going to be all down hill and the race would be mine. Only on the way down, I started feeling the pre-cramp twinges. Again, I tell myself all I have to do is stay standing up and moving forward. I shortened my stride. I felt good as though I could start running faster, but I knew I would risk a full blown cramp and I might be forced to walk. I did not want to walk. I realized that I did not take the salt tablets I had packed on my bike which might have prevented the cramping, but it was too late, so I had to just do what it took. I held off the major spasm until the last mile and even to the finish where my toes were curling and stuck together in my left shoe. This is what the Mountain Man race slogan was about "THE TOUGHEST RACE YOU WILL EVER LOVE". I looked down at my watch and I had done it, I had broken 3 hours on the hilly course in higher altitude with 3.5 minutes to spare. A gush of heat filled my face as I held back my tears and my brother ran up to me at the finish and helped me get water and walked me back to our tent so I could cheer the rest of our teammates on.
I ended up improving my time by at-least 5 or 6 minutes. I even ended up placing 3rd in my age group out of 14 which is quite an accomplishment for a HAPPY TURTLE. The first 2 places were quite a bit faster than me, but I was honored to be in the top three for a nice change. You never know what athletes are going to show up on race day. Even better, many of my teammates PRed. It is really cool to see everyone's hard work pay off. Not everyone has a perfect race, we wouldn't be here if we did. It is about overcoming each challenge as it presents itself and finding that happy place within and sharing it with others that seek it out.
We are well on our way. I still can't even imagine what is ahead in these final 14 weeks. The focus has to be on one day at a time, but us triathletes love to count and play with numbers. The clock might have stopped at the end of the race, but it is still ticking away on the count down to Ironman. Have you hugged your Ironman today?
There have been 4 hours in the pool and 3 running and 3 bike workouts of varying speeds and intensity each week. We have layed bricks, done finales, biked up long hills, logged a lot of miles in our long zone, and eaten a lot of bagels, chews, jellybeans, gels, salt tabs, carb and electrolyte mixes...Not to mention all the miles we have driven in a car, just to get to a location to sit on our bikes and ride many more miles.
We have woven a tight knit team that is there to support each other whether it is laughing at 4 am when you are too tired to stand up let alone run, to rubbing out your teammates cramp, to lifting each other up when we are down, to encouraging someone to keep going when it hurts, to praising each other for their progress, to discussing private matters, to sharing life stories, to creating new stories, to sharing a passion between generations, to talking a friend off a cliff, to hugging someone when they cross the line, to enjoying a meal or movie together, and to just quietly being by someone's side when there are no words to be said. Together we stand, but each one of us has to travel to a very personal place to get into their own zone. You must go to a place that only you can reach which requires anchoring down, letting go, and digging deep. You find comfort in a familiar face along side of the road or another yellow jersey on the course and it makes you smile and then you return to that place inside where you contemplate, battle with yourself and find peace with yourself and the world. Sometimes it is like being stuck in a video game where you have to kill off the dragons that pop up along the way to get to the kingdom, but when you are moving fast and the demons stay off your path, riding through the wind brings you into a dream like state where you find your happy!
This weekend was the Mountain Man Olympic Triathlon in Flagstaff. It was another opportunity to escape the heat and assess how our bodies are responding to training. The race happened to be on my son's 13th birthday and my husband had to travel to Russia and could not enjoy the weekend with us. We were fortunate to have friends with a cabin at Morman Lake who hosted us and helped make my son's birthday a memorable one. I highly recommend staying in the pines as a pre-race strategy because I found myself to be extremely relaxed and calm. I picked up my race packet on Friday evening and just separated myself from all the pre-race excitement since we did not have to check our bikes in the day before the event. My son hung out with his friends and was in boy heaven playing in the woods with soft air guns and ATVs and other off road vehicles along with a boating adventure and campfires at night. He was happy and I was happy that he had a chance to really enjoy the outdoors. We just got to chill for the entire day. Well almost the entire day. I had a short brick workout to warm up for the race on Sunday and it was hard to keep it short because being in the pines makes you just want to go. I rode with the cows and ran with a deer and kept it short to save my legs for the race.
Sunday morning came and I got up before my 3 alarm system at 3:45 am and went quickly and quietly through the rituals because I did not want to wake up anyone else in the cabin. Off to the races in the dark I went. It was pitch black driving through the woods and then all of a sudden there were little spot lights and cars lining up on the side of the road and the pre-race festivities began! I parked a half mile away and stuffed all my gear into a small backpack and held a flashlight in my hand and rode my bike to the start. It was an open rack system and my team set up on 2 racks. It was fun and though the adrenaline was starting to flow, I felt an overwhelming sense of calm this particular morning. I was worried how I would do without butterflies in my stomach. After picking up our timing chips, body marking, donning our wetsuits and taking BEFORE pictures, we headed to the swim start. Ahhh, then my body started feeling a little whoozy, "oh good I am alive", I thought. Now, I am going to be ok if I don't get sick. The water is usually not a source of nerves for me so I decided to take the inside lane and we were off. My coach warned us about starting off too fast in high altitude so I made sure I went at a comfortable pace. The bouys seemed so far away today, but I just felt comfortable and made my way to the first green buoy. I did not deal with much congestion until the first turn and then I stayed on the inside to have a bit of a crash with another swimmer at the next buoy and she flipped out and screamed "WTF". I decided I was getting out of this "road rage" swimmers way and sprinted ahead. Not sure if she was upset with me or who got in who's path, but I was not taking any chances of someone that was falling apart in the water. Finally made it to the last turn and then it was a diagonal path to the finish. I could not see the bouy, so I just followed the other swimmers and hoped they were going toward the finish. The swims always start at sunrise so you always have the sun in your eyes in one direction and this time it was to the finish. I was satisfied with my swim and then fumbled as usual in the transition taking my wetsuit off and getting my bike gear off. I find this to be the most difficult transition trying to get your hands to work and balancing on your feet to get on your bike. My legs felt tired, but I had a lot of things to focus on since having another coaching session with my bicyclologist, Jeff, this month. We road this course 2 weekends ago, so I was familiar with what was to come. My legs came back and I enjoyed the rolling hills. The ups were a little harder this week after the swim and a bit more head wind and after getting passed by a few people on them, I came back stronger on the second half (plus it was a short ride for us being under 25 miles). I settled into my base heart rate zone which is not a place I easily get to. I was really happy to pass teammates in both directions and then a group of teammates screaming at the transition warms your heart. T2 went a lot smoother and I said I was taking my time, practicing a slower transition for IM, using reverse psychology with myself to try and relax. I looked at my watch on the way out and I was at 1:52. That meant I had an hour and 8 minutes to break the 3 hour mark and it was very doable if I could run the entire course so I contained my energy and started off slow. This course is known for its steep hill at mile 1.5. I had run it 2 weeks ago, so no surprises for me, but this time I had swam and bike before running it. I tried to enjoy the scenery, talk to myself to stay standing and say a prayer that my legs would not cramp. I sang happy birthday to my son and thought about some of my little angels that I carry with me on races to help me fly. The top of the hill seemed far away, but I knew at the turn around, it was going to be all down hill and the race would be mine. Only on the way down, I started feeling the pre-cramp twinges. Again, I tell myself all I have to do is stay standing up and moving forward. I shortened my stride. I felt good as though I could start running faster, but I knew I would risk a full blown cramp and I might be forced to walk. I did not want to walk. I realized that I did not take the salt tablets I had packed on my bike which might have prevented the cramping, but it was too late, so I had to just do what it took. I held off the major spasm until the last mile and even to the finish where my toes were curling and stuck together in my left shoe. This is what the Mountain Man race slogan was about "THE TOUGHEST RACE YOU WILL EVER LOVE". I looked down at my watch and I had done it, I had broken 3 hours on the hilly course in higher altitude with 3.5 minutes to spare. A gush of heat filled my face as I held back my tears and my brother ran up to me at the finish and helped me get water and walked me back to our tent so I could cheer the rest of our teammates on.
I ended up improving my time by at-least 5 or 6 minutes. I even ended up placing 3rd in my age group out of 14 which is quite an accomplishment for a HAPPY TURTLE. The first 2 places were quite a bit faster than me, but I was honored to be in the top three for a nice change. You never know what athletes are going to show up on race day. Even better, many of my teammates PRed. It is really cool to see everyone's hard work pay off. Not everyone has a perfect race, we wouldn't be here if we did. It is about overcoming each challenge as it presents itself and finding that happy place within and sharing it with others that seek it out.
We are well on our way. I still can't even imagine what is ahead in these final 14 weeks. The focus has to be on one day at a time, but us triathletes love to count and play with numbers. The clock might have stopped at the end of the race, but it is still ticking away on the count down to Ironman. Have you hugged your Ironman today?
Sunday, August 5, 2012
The Olympics
As I sit and watch the Olympics, I find myself analyzing body types, training programs, techniques and what for, not to mention the stories about individual athletes and what it took to get them here? I was watching women's gymnastics as I once competed in this sport back in the day where dance, style, originality and creativity were a big part of the sport before they put springs under the floor exercise mat, turned the horse sideways and started tumbling on and off of it, widened the uneven parallel bars and started doing full tumbling passes on the balance beam. Gymnasts used to be scored based on a 10 and after Nadia Cominiche scored a perfect 10, the sport took a turn and became exTreme. Not only has the level of difficulty and danger skyrocketed, but the scores are based on how many points you included in your routine and then how you execute those points. It is way complicated and the rules don't make sense. And the girls who perform these extremely difficult skills still pay for any slight bobble, leg separation, and extra step with hundredths of a points separating them from each other.
As I sit and watch athletes strive for perfection and how sports sciences have become so technical, I decided the reason I participate in sports is not to be perfect and not to win. Only 1 person can win and if that is all you dream of, most days will be disappointing. In triathlon, the only person that you have to beat is yourself. You can win all the time by just making it to the start line and better yet, crossing the finish line. Not to say, that competition is not exciting, but it is not everything. There is room for both types of athletes in our sport, those that TRI to win and those who just TRI. I do want to improve and get faster, but more important to me is all the positive things that I get from tri-ing such as good health, improved fitness, discipline, clarity, focus, setting and achieving a goal, and lots of good friends. Despite being challenged by one of my cycling coaches when asked if I want to improve my skills or just be a participant, I respond to that as I want both. I just want to be out there with the appreciation for the experience.
With that said, I still am watching the Olympics with a more watchful eye on details from uniform design, strategies, team work, and how athletes respond to the environment and the mental pressures of competition. All these things, I am contemplating in my own life and it is nice to be able to be a part of a sport and a team again. It takes me back to younger days as an athlete, so it is never to late and I would venture to guess, I am adding years to my life or a lot of fun times any way!
I had a quick week back in Phoenix readjusting to higher temperatures and then left again for a training weekend in Flagstaff, AZ to train in higher altitude and cooler temperatures. It was in the 60s and 70s for our workouts and we trained on parts of an upcoming race course in the pines called the Mountain Man Triathlon.
Then I returned for another week of trying to get back to life in AZ. There is no other way to say it, but it is just HOT, no matter how you stack it. My coach says that heat training is just like altitude training and it will make us better athletes. So I have been working on finding the magical formula to help my body endure the heat and even more humidity that comes with our monsoon season. I seem to be adapting to the short workouts, but there is no reprive from the high temperatures right now. It is getting the right mixture of electrolytes, carbs, and fluids that will fuel your muscles without creating havoc in your stomach. This weekend, I had a brick workout bike/run and a 14 mile run. I added 400 calories of electrolytes and carbs into my camelback with water and ice and took 2 sports beans every mile after the first hour and that seemed to keep me in a steady state. I am also taking salt sticks which I have definitely seen a decrease in the salt covering my body and less cramping. Now if I could make my stomach bigger to hold all the fluid and foods, that would be nice. I feel half IM ready and will have my first crack at that in a few more weeks.
Not as though, IM training does not give you enough to think about, my husband was offered another position in the company he works for in California which will require us to relocate. So between counting calories, carbs, miles and beats per minute, I am thinking about all the things I need to do. The best thoughts are not having to train through another hot summer in AZ, but the worst thoughts are leaving our family, friends and especially teammates behind. The move won't happen until some time after Ironman. It is just another reminder to live in the moment, one step at a time. The moment only lasts for just that and even though you train for months and will be out on the road for hours on race day, crossing the line will only be just one moment in time.
15 weeks to go. On one hand, I feel stronger and can go longer, on the other hand, I am more tired and have moments where I question if I can go just one more mile. This mornings long run was a great example. I woke up at 3 am to start the rituals to go for a 4 am run. My body felt weak and I wondered where I was going to find the strength to make it through 14 miles. When we started, I did not think my legs would hold my body up. We were slap happy and when I made a joke, we could barely continue as the laughter was going to knock us off our feet. After a few miles, my legs felt connected to my body again and we seemed to get into a rhythm. This run gave me hope and made me believe that the Ironman will be possible. As I continue to have the Olympic coverage on and the individual stories are told, I continue to write my own story.
The suspense keeps me turning the pages, but you can't skip to the end because it is not written yet.
As I sit and watch athletes strive for perfection and how sports sciences have become so technical, I decided the reason I participate in sports is not to be perfect and not to win. Only 1 person can win and if that is all you dream of, most days will be disappointing. In triathlon, the only person that you have to beat is yourself. You can win all the time by just making it to the start line and better yet, crossing the finish line. Not to say, that competition is not exciting, but it is not everything. There is room for both types of athletes in our sport, those that TRI to win and those who just TRI. I do want to improve and get faster, but more important to me is all the positive things that I get from tri-ing such as good health, improved fitness, discipline, clarity, focus, setting and achieving a goal, and lots of good friends. Despite being challenged by one of my cycling coaches when asked if I want to improve my skills or just be a participant, I respond to that as I want both. I just want to be out there with the appreciation for the experience.
With that said, I still am watching the Olympics with a more watchful eye on details from uniform design, strategies, team work, and how athletes respond to the environment and the mental pressures of competition. All these things, I am contemplating in my own life and it is nice to be able to be a part of a sport and a team again. It takes me back to younger days as an athlete, so it is never to late and I would venture to guess, I am adding years to my life or a lot of fun times any way!
I had a quick week back in Phoenix readjusting to higher temperatures and then left again for a training weekend in Flagstaff, AZ to train in higher altitude and cooler temperatures. It was in the 60s and 70s for our workouts and we trained on parts of an upcoming race course in the pines called the Mountain Man Triathlon.
Then I returned for another week of trying to get back to life in AZ. There is no other way to say it, but it is just HOT, no matter how you stack it. My coach says that heat training is just like altitude training and it will make us better athletes. So I have been working on finding the magical formula to help my body endure the heat and even more humidity that comes with our monsoon season. I seem to be adapting to the short workouts, but there is no reprive from the high temperatures right now. It is getting the right mixture of electrolytes, carbs, and fluids that will fuel your muscles without creating havoc in your stomach. This weekend, I had a brick workout bike/run and a 14 mile run. I added 400 calories of electrolytes and carbs into my camelback with water and ice and took 2 sports beans every mile after the first hour and that seemed to keep me in a steady state. I am also taking salt sticks which I have definitely seen a decrease in the salt covering my body and less cramping. Now if I could make my stomach bigger to hold all the fluid and foods, that would be nice. I feel half IM ready and will have my first crack at that in a few more weeks.
Not as though, IM training does not give you enough to think about, my husband was offered another position in the company he works for in California which will require us to relocate. So between counting calories, carbs, miles and beats per minute, I am thinking about all the things I need to do. The best thoughts are not having to train through another hot summer in AZ, but the worst thoughts are leaving our family, friends and especially teammates behind. The move won't happen until some time after Ironman. It is just another reminder to live in the moment, one step at a time. The moment only lasts for just that and even though you train for months and will be out on the road for hours on race day, crossing the line will only be just one moment in time.
15 weeks to go. On one hand, I feel stronger and can go longer, on the other hand, I am more tired and have moments where I question if I can go just one more mile. This mornings long run was a great example. I woke up at 3 am to start the rituals to go for a 4 am run. My body felt weak and I wondered where I was going to find the strength to make it through 14 miles. When we started, I did not think my legs would hold my body up. We were slap happy and when I made a joke, we could barely continue as the laughter was going to knock us off our feet. After a few miles, my legs felt connected to my body again and we seemed to get into a rhythm. This run gave me hope and made me believe that the Ironman will be possible. As I continue to have the Olympic coverage on and the individual stories are told, I continue to write my own story.
The suspense keeps me turning the pages, but you can't skip to the end because it is not written yet.
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