Connecting the Dots

Triathletes are supposed to take advantage of their off season and work on technique to become efficient as we are always looking for ways to conserve energy.  During this process, coaches often break our sports into parts and drill us.  Then some how, some way, you take that information and feedback and try and put it all together to become faster, stronger and better than you were before.  This is what I call "connecting the dots".  If only someone had numbered the dots, my picture might already be complete.  I am going to go out on a limb and say we learn more from the process of putting the pieces together no matter how long it takes to get there.  There are small moments of realization and eventually more of the dots are connected.  I am certain that athletes that stand on the podium are much better at connecting their dots!

I am feeling awkward and slow on my bike and run, but this week, I finally experienced what many call "feeling the water".  Swim was my strong sport, the one I was most comfortable with and it seemed to fall apart as I have spent the past year redefining my stroke.  If you allow a coach to dissect your stroke, be prepared for the work ahead in putting it back together.  As I am prepping for my base training, I am getting back in the pool and usually pick one thing to focus on at a time that coaches have pointed out and from ideas I find in books and on swim blogs I follow.  This week, I finally felt myself moving forward and producing some power with my arms.  I still feel a strong asymmetry that I am not sure where the root of is except for some tightness on my left side that I am going to try to even myself out with some stretching/yoga.  We keep finding possible culprits to my zig zagging and work on them, but in the end, I am still veering to the right.  I also found a paddle that was designed to help athletes "feel" the water.

The areas I work on are my head position, arm and hand position with high elbow, the pull and following through, extending my arms, hip rotation, and keeping my head close to my arm when I breathe.  The pieces are coming back together.

These small glimmers of hope are what keeps us going.  In my reading, YOUR BEST TRIATHLON by Joe Friel, he talks about being happy when you are coming back form your off season with decreased fitness/conditioning because that is where you should be.  You don't want to be performing at a high level all the time as your body cannot sustain the workload and the chance of peaking at the right time goes out the window.  So let all your friends pass you and smile when they do because that just means you are on track to begin your training.  It is not called a training plan for nothing....

Here is a poem I wrote in my head after one of my swims this week:
Humpty Tri-umpty Sat on a Wall
Humpty Tri-umpty Had a Great Fall
All the bike, run,& swim coaches & friends couldn't put Humpty Back Together Again

She reached out and "felt the water" today as though for the very first time
And Humpty Tri-umpty began to re-align
It is not easy putting delicate pieces back together
There may be hope for Humpty Tri-umpty even in this weather

2014 could be a fine year
From my pool to yours, wishing you many a good cheer.

CROSSING OVER from MULTISPORT TO SINGLE SPORT

If you are old enough to remember, most triathletes started out as something else.  We were swimmers, runners or even cyclists.  How many of us grew up tri-ing? (well I actually did one triathlon when I was in college and then my next was about 25 years later).  At some point, we watched TV coverage of Ironman but we never dreamed of attempting such an unimaginable goal, that was for the god like mutant people.  Starting as small local events in swimming pools and parking lots, it was not long before triathletes were coming in drones taking over the fitness scene.  For many of us, all it took was one race and we were hooked.  Today we see IRONMAN tattoos painted on people's bodies and 70.3 and 140.6 stickers popping up on cars.  Popularity of this sport has skyrocketed.....but let's not forget our roots.

Many of us were runners back in the day until we found triathlons.  We crossed over into the world of multisport and our lives have never been the same.  It is almost unheard of to go run 13.1 or 26.2 miles without a 56 or 112 mile bike ride right before (who does that?). Soon, runners and cyclists that wanted a piece of the action started signing up for adult swimming lessons so they could participate in these multisport celebrations.

Let the truth be known, on occasion triathletes have an off season depending where you live, but most of the ones I know, schedule running races during their off season thus crossing back over to that other planet.

There are some obvious differences when you attend a Running Event after doing running races the past 2 weekends.  You can easily identify the runner vs. the triathlete:

1. The runner wear short shorts and the least amount of clothing of bright color while the triathlete wears a form fitting tri-suit.
2. The runner wears their favorite race shirt and the triathlete wears their team uniform or their Ironman gear.
3. The runner tends to be longer and leaner while the triathlete has more body mass (though I am happy to see all body types participating in both events).
4. The runner uses safety pins to fasten their number on and the triathlete uses a race belt.
5. The runner travels light and the triathlete packs their own snacks.
6. The runners drink water and gator aide and 1 GU near the end of the race while the triathlete wonders where's the coke, food and the sponges.
7. The runner fights for a good spot at the start and sprints out of the chute and the triathlete starts in the back and starts off slowly as they know they have a long run ahead.
8. The runner is obsessed with their splits and winning and the triathlete is there for a training run.
9. The runner talks about what marathons they are doing this year and qualifying for Boston and the triathlete talks about which Ironman they tried to get into.
10. The runner logs 60 miles a week and the triathlete logs 15-20!
11. The runner elbows his competitors and the triathlete stops and make friends along the route.
12. Runners get faster and triathletes become slower runners.
13. BOTH ARE HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!

During today's half marathon, I felt exactly the same as I did at the end of my Ironman.  I find it very fascinating that one could be out there for 13 hours or 2.5 and still experience they same sensation.   It was an exercise of mental toughness and a baseline for how much work lies ahead.  I was faster than my triathlon times but far far away from my old PRs when I used to be a "runner".   So my first goal for the next 2 months is to get lighter and faster.  And then I will cross back over to the land that I love.......TRIATHLON!
 

Juggling Act

Life is a juggling act.  Juggling is one of those skills that I never quite got.  Even though I think I have pretty good eye hand coordination add two more balls and that spells trouble.  I consider myself to be a slow learner and what some people may learn after one or two attempts, I might get after 20 or 30.

I persisted in fitting my workouts in this week regardless of a schedule packed with work, chauffeuring, social gatherings, power holiday shopping and my first race since the summer.  As I was running the first few miles of the HOT CHOCOLATE RUN yesterday on a very brisk AZ morning (perfect for warm clothing and a cup of steamy hot chocolate), I thought to myself....."why do we (us athletes) keep signing up for these events, why do we pay money to do something that we can do for free in our backyard and why do we do it over and over again".  This was one of those races that you could consider a party and another smart business plan...motivating people to run using "CHOCOLATE".

People sign up for races for motivation to train, peer pressure, personal goals, to spice up their social life, or to help raise money for charity.  I was influenced by all of these for this race as a friend asked me to sign up, it would be motivation to work on my running (my slowest of the 3 disciplines) and it was a good cause (Ronald McDonald House which houses families of children receiving medical care)......not to mention the great sweatshirt, mug and chocolate all for 70 dollars.

I am not usually attracted to big races with lots of people but for the reasons mentioned above I decided to try this one out.  When I signed up my plan was to be prepared for running 9.3 miles by being well over the distance.  Somehow I got in the first corral and when the gun went off, I knew to hold myself back as I had not run 9 miles in over a month or two, let alone run faster then an 11 or 12 minute pace.  So I hung in the back and was happy to be close to a 10 plus min mile for the first 3 miles.  I knew this might not last for too long, but I felt ok.  I even had a girl drafting me (not even kidding, she ran directly behind me on my rear, I finally warned her I may be stopping), but we were friends by the end of the race because I kept saving her place every time she stopped at the aide stations and would catch up to me. I started having some cramping and tightness in my legs around mile 3 so I started taking some electrolytes and shortening my stride.  So much for a negative split as I slowed down a little bit over the 2nd 3 miles.  I even tried chocolate and gatorade at the 6 mile mark for a boost (No better time to test this out then on a hot choc run).  And finally over the last 3 miles my engine really struggled to maintain forward momentum.  I contemplated where I was and were I needed to go to be able to run a marathon at the end of an Ironman in less than 300 days.   I knew I was not really ready for this distance and was thinking how I probably should not run the half marathon I am signed up for next weekend.  But for the reasons stated above, I will probably show up and gather more baseline data.  It is fascinating how much slower I am in running then I used to be before I turned triathlete, but it really is not apples to apples.

Results:  1:36:38 ave pace 10:23 mph, 63 out of 132 in age group and 690 female out of 1330

Next weekend, I will probably go out a little bit slower, like a 10:15 to 10:30 pace and see if I can maintain that versus slowing down every 3 miles.  Oh and a little training might help too.  I sometimes wonder what it would be like to be just a runner again.  Would I be faster again?  I will probably never know the answer to that question as I like "Tri-ing" too much to go back in time.

This week I juggled 3 bike workouts (1 session on rollers, 16 mile ride, 26 mile ride), 2 swim workouts, and 3 runs (1 hr, 30 min, and 15K).  Slowly learning to juggle everything that life throws at me.

I am looking forward to a trip to Seattle over Christmas and reading my 3 new triathlon books by Joe Friel, "Going Long", "Your Best Triathlon", and "Triathlon Bible".  I will turn off all my technology and get a lot of reading in to move forward on the next journey to Ironman, Part 2.

Keep Calm and Juggle On!

How to Train for the Hot Chocolate Run in 1 day!

Life became busier than I hoped and crazier then I planned over the past few months.  I have slowly been adding workouts back into my routine after my last set back and here I find myself starting over once again.  Every time I am forced to miss multiple workouts, it certainly feels like whatever small gains made have slipped away.  Each time I have tried to build up my distance, start a strength training program, improve my nutrition or begin to add some interval training over the past few months, it seems some life event happens and pulls me away from my plan.  I guess you could say it has been 2 steps forward and 1 step back, but that still means I am ahead of where I started from, so we must be moving in the right direction.

This week, I made it to the pool 2 times, on my bike 3 times, and on the run twice.  Before my car accident, I was heading to get ready for a 9 mile and 13.1 distance races the next 2 weekends.  I was up to 10 miles running and 45 miles on my bike....but life happened again and it was a struggle to pull off a 30 mile bike ride and a 7.5 mile run this weekend.  The next 70.3 and 140.6 are going to be hard earned in 2014!

Today when I went out for my run, I decided I wanted to try to run for at least an hour.  The weather was cool and clear and I decided I was well enough I should push it out a little longer so the following weekend, I would only have to go 1.5 miles further than this weekend.  I knew if I paid a little more today, I would suffer a little less next weekend, so that is what I did.  It make me feel like I just trained for a race in 1 day!  Ready or not.....time to head back to the races.

ACCIDENTS HAPPEN

While driving home from work on Tuesday, I was asking myself whether I should go ride or run that afternoon.  The question was answered for me when I got rear ended on Tuesday and sustained a minor Whiplash Injury.  Stunned after getting hit from behind and being pushed into the car in front of me, I was able to get out of my car and ask the guy behind me, "WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR?".  When a motor cycle cop showed up at the scene within minutes, he directed us to pull off the road.  When I got back into my car, my neck locked up and I was unable to turn my head.  After being checked out by the paramedics and turning down the ride in the ambulance I was standing in the parking lot with a fat lip and stiff neck deciding what to do next.  Of course, my husband was out of town and I was unable to reach a friend to come pick me up.  As time went on, my muscles relaxed and I was able to get into my car and make the 3 mile drive home.  I knew going to the Emergency Room was in my best interest so a friend took me and we had "girls night out" in the ER.  The x-rays and CT scans of my neck and back confirmed that I did not have any fractures and that the muscles along my spine contracted to keep me safe and now I would have to deal with the consequences of the dreaded whiplash.  I received prescriptions for all kinds of muscle relaxants and pain relievers, but they did not realize that I was an IRONMAN!

So I laid on ice for 2 days and took my over the counter anti-inflammatories and slowly started moving around.  By the 5th day, I attempted a gentle spin on my trainer and a short swim both of which felt good, but today I am feeling the effects.  That is the thing with a car accident, you never know what you are going to get.  I am being optimistic that I will come back with a vengeance but will proceed with caution.   I am thankful nobody was seriously injured and the biggest headache is dealing with the insurance companies.  I am even more thankful that I was NOT on my bike when I got hit and that I am an Ironman which probably helped me avoid more complex injuries.  What's a little neck and back pain!  We overcome this every day.  I wish I could just take a protein drink and recover quickly, but I know this might be another small setback on the road because ACCIDENTS HAPPEN.
During this extended rest break this week, I was able to attend a talk by Joe Friel, Endurance Athlete Expert and Author on Five Training Tips for Endurance Athletes.  Here are the notes from the talk and what I am focusing on.  If you want more detailed information, pick up one of his books.   I am working on my goals as I type and looking forward to start reading his books.

FIVE LESSONS: TRAINING FOR ENDURANCE ATHLETES by Joe Friel

1. SET GOALS THAT ARE OUTCOMES: outcome-oriented, challenging, realistic, well defined and measurable

• small number of goals (3)
• sub goals=training “objectives”
• training objectives based on “limiters” (things holding you back)

2. STRENGTHEN YOUR LIMITERS: fix weaknesses, what is holding you back?
   Limiters are race specific weaknesses and can include: course, competition, length of course, endurance, etc.

• Race your strengths
• Train your weaknesses (what are yours?)
• Common Limiters

• training knowledge and methods
• time
• equipment
• physiology (increase VO2 mac, increase lactate threshold, increase economy/amt of fuel needed)
• nutrition
• body weight
• injuries
• motivation
• support

3. CREATE A PLAN TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS BEGINNING WITH TRAINING OBJECTIVES: 16-24 weeks cycle to your FIRST EVENT OF SEASON
   Training becomes increasingly like racing
   A. BASE PERIOD (8-12 weeks): focus on general fitness, limiters, aerobic endurance, muscle force (weight training), and efficiency (speed)
   B. BUILD PERIOD (6-9 weeks): focus on race specific fitness (novice=duration and veteran=intensity) and race like intensity
   C. PEAK PERIOD (1-2 weeks): taper duration, race specific simulation
   D. RACE WEEK (1 week): focus on rest and short race intensity
4. MEASURE PROGRESS TOWARD GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
   Example of what is measurable:

• Aerobic Endurance (Z2): Power/Pace/Speed divided by HR (if you use Power or Speed, number should increase)
• Anaerobic Threshold (Z4): 20 minute “FTP” test: how fast you can go in a 20 minute period (you can measure power, pace and/or speed): 9 mile hill good place to test yourself!
• Race Readiness: B or C-priority race performance
• Patience: always emphasize 3^rd quarter of your workout. Divide workout into 4 quarters and make Q3 your best.....all top athletes do “negative splits”

5. REFINE YOUR SKILLS:

Early base period: skills come before strength, speed, and stamina
Bike: Bike Fit, Engage the pedal earlier in the downstroke to increase average power
Run: Decrease ground contact time
Swim: Catch

Resources: TrainingBible.com/freeresources; jfriel@trainingbible.com; joefrielsblog.com

SPECTATOR SPORT

Who in their right mind would go out and watch a sport that lasts for 17 hours!  Who would get up before the sun rises to secure a spot to watch 2700 people jump into an urban lake and swim 2.4 miles at the same time.  The sight of 5400 arms and 5400 legs splashing through the turbulent sea created by humans trying to complete the first of 3 challenges fighting off blunt trauma from a kick in the head or an elbow in the eye.  The spectators run to the transition shoot to watch the athletes try to re-orient to a vertical position after being stripped of their wetsuits and run to the changing tent to donne their form fitting bike gear.  We run over to the 112 mile bike course where we count 3 loops and look for our friends as we admire the beautiful shiny vehicles on two wheels and the buzzing sound they make as they whoosh by.  We scream every time we see someone we know and even harder on the next loop as we know that muscles are tightening as legs reach their limit pedaling in circles and stomachs are churning as the athletes try to keep their carbohydrate stores topped off.  The spectator looks at their watch and decides to wait just a few more minutes (at least 10 times to try and give everyone that last needed cheer) before running to T2 where the athletes hand their bike to a stranger who has graciously volunteered to valet park their most prized possession and off they go to change into their running shoes to carry on the final task of the ultimate test, a 26.2 mile run.  We find different spots on the zig and the zag to call out their names (which are marked on their race numbers).  We even manage to find time to volunteer for a 6 hour shift at a run aide station handing out water to the parched who are struggling to push beyond their limits to achieve greatness.  You can see the conflict between pain and joy as each athletes strives to achieve a goal that they have set to cross the finish line.  For some making it to the start is a victory, but for most reaching the finish before midnight is the final payoff!

As a ONE time Ironman Finisher and a FOUR time Ironman Spectator, I can truly say, that SPECTATING and VOLUNTEERING are no easy walk in the park.  I have always been just as fatigued, if not more, when on the other side of the fence.  Spectating requires endurance and patience for being on your feet, being able to persevere over the desire to sit, eat, or take a nap, to be alert and ready to give the athlete the support or the boost of energy they need.  I don't think most of us could complete the 140.6 miles if it were not for our spectators and volunteers whether it be that cup of water, that word of encouragement, that understanding of the pain we are feeling at that moment, that distraction from the voice that is trying to tell us to stop, that cold sponge, sip of coke, drink of warm chicken broth, a sprinkle of salt, or just a simple smile can turn a race around for an athlete.

It warmed my heart when I saw an athlete who was stuck inside of themselves and you could provide them with a smile to help them through that moment.  (Even, if you could not see it on their face.).

This year spectating was even more fun being part of ONE Multisport's famous aide station on the run.  Last year it was the boost of energy on the lonely side of the lake that kept me going to finish my first Ironman and this year I got to be part of planning and executing this great aide station.  Ironman selects groups to operate the aide stations and the Ironman Foundation donates funds to a charity of their choice.  This year the theme was ONE CARES and we were supporting an organization called "PEPPED UP" (http://www.peppedup.org/) who donate electronic devices to children fighting cancer to help them stay connected to friends and family and help the time go by during treatments and hospitalizations.  We dressed in our club color scrubs and had great music and it was a great big party.    I think we PEPPED UP our runners as well!

So, is IRONMAN a spectator sport?  Only for those who have the endurance and the guts to appreciate the beauty of the sport, respect for the challenge of combining 3 endurance events into one day, and are inspired by the story of each athlete behind the journey and the fight.  To those who dare to come see what it is all about to watch, to cheer, to track, or to volunteer at the race, do so at your own risk, because this is where most IRONMAN get their start.....it's a very contagious sport and as far as I know there is NO KNOWN CURE!

Muscle Memory: Tri-ing to Remember!

As Arizona Ironman is approaching in less than a week and there is a lot of bottled energy waiting to be released on the course, I reflect back and think about that day and the journey to get there and this song runs through my mind.
(I wanted to post more pictures from my day, but my blog is not cooperating)

Memories
(from the WAY WE WERE, lyrics by Michelle Lewis),

SUPPORT CREW: Back to the Assembly Line

This week was about putting the pack of Lifesavers back together, the people that will support me through the next 11 months on the road to Chattanooga.

This week I met with my bicyclologist (my bike fitter and instructor), Jeff Lockwood from Lifesport, Inc.  He is the most brilliant bike guru in the area in my opinion.  We took time to get a baseline to see where I was starting from with a spin scan on the Compu-trainer.  The good news is that I improved from 68% to 98.2% efficiency from my initial assessment on my old bike from almost 2 years ago to present time.  The bad news was that although my technique was still improved, I had some corrections to make due to losing power midway in my pedal stroke and wasting energy.  A little instruction goes a long way to smooth out my spin scan and we reviewed the pedal stroke and used a little biofeedback on the video screen, then moved on to the dreaded ROLLERS that Jeff has wanted to put me on for a while.

Once I learned to balance on the rollers that Jeff uses between 2 walls with wooden platforms built up to roller height for quick exit and little training wheels on the front to prevent your bike from sliding off to the sides, I fell in love with my bike all over again.  You have to learn how to use your core to make corrections and it helps you pedal more evenly in a complete circle.  Jeff's goal for the session was to get me up and riding on rollers and to my surprise, he had success (as I am not the most coordinated cyclist on the block!).  Afterwards, he had me ride around the block outside to feel the effects and I can only describe the feeling as flying to the moon on my bike like ET!  I felt like I was floating.  I returned home later that day and told my husband we need to get some ROLLERS (and the little training wheels and platforms too!).  Jeff and I agreed that I could benefit a lot from doing some more sessions on the rollers.  So happy to finally make it back to work with Jeff and look forward to him helping me recoup and surpass my previous level of peak performance on my bike.  I also had Jeff help me find the RATTLE on my bike that was driving me crazy for the past few weeks.  Between Jeff and the mechanic, Mike at Curbside Cyclery it was determined that my crank was loose and a bearing needed replaced due to rusting out.  I got the double lecture about making sure you take your seat post after your bike gets wet and letting the insides dry out.  Jeff also felt that this may have been affecting my performance on my rides.  I am more inclined to believe it was my fitness level, but I will take any advantage I can get and hope that having my bike in tip top condition will only make me pedal better.

The next person that I have drafted for my team this year is Brooke Schohl of Fuel to the Finish Endurance Nutrition Coaching to help me get my nutrition back on track.  Her philosophy is trying to make endurance athletes more metabolically efficient by training the body to burn more fat.  My first goal was to get back down to a good training weight and Brooke is patiently trying to help me cut back on grains and combine nutrients and increase my protein and healthy fat intake.  My body weight has been directly related to the amount of exercise that I do which is a great side effect of endurance training, however, when the miles go away, the pounds return.  Weight control has been a struggle my entire life and I seem to lose the same 20 lbs over and over again.  Hopefully Brooke holds the magic key to helping me get rid of the excess as a lighter leaner athlete is a faster athlete.  I find that knowledge is one part, but action is the other part.

So I have hooked up with a friend (and new Ironman finisher herself) from a past support group and we have agreed to be accountability partners to help each other achieve our goals.  She also invited me to an online support group that are doing a Holiday Challenge since November and December are always challenging months for weight control with sweets all around.

Next week, I will return to the pool and restart my swim workouts on Wednesdays with my triathlon group and a few private lessons with Sole Swim Solutions (with the great coach Frank Sole).  I feel like I can slack on the swim, but it is always a nice toning, conditioning and recovery sport that I don't want to be away from the water for too long.  I made a pact with another IMIT to resume early morning swims!!!!

So for now, these are my current life savers.  My TRI CLUB, ONE MULTISPORT is like the wrapper that holds all the flavors together.  I just renewed my membership to a great club filled with all levels of triathletes who share the same passion whether it is to GO FAST AND HAVE A BLAST (according to founder, John T. Dean) or TO GO SLOW AND ENJOY THE SHOW (according to the Turtle with Wings).

This week I fell short on the number of workouts I would like, but that is ok after 2 race weekends in a row.  I did a 7 mile trail run and a 42 mile bike ride.  I signed up for a few running races in the next 2 months and am still working on putting together a training plan for IM Chattanooga.

JOKE:  What do triathletes do in their off season
ANSWER:  Train for a Marathon.

Well, I have tossed the idea of a marathon around, but my common sense is telling me to try and stick to the half marathon distance and save the marathon for IM....we shall see.  Especially after today's attempt at a long run when I bonked at 6 miles, walked 4 and called for a ride home for last 1.5.  It is always good to get a baseline check to measure "where you are today".

TEAM ASSEMBLED:  Time to clock in for work!

TRIATHLON TRAINING CONFUSION

This week after attending a workshop on Nutrition and Psychology for Endurance Athletes and doing a book search for the latest triathlon books, I realized how confusing making the best training choices can be.  As a self coached athlete, I want to research the latest and greatest training programs, nutrition plans, race strategies and gear.  Once you start digging into the different areas and networking with other triathletes and coaches, you really see how trendy these areas are.  Everyone thinks they have the latest and greatest approach to gaining an edge on their competitors.  Many people and professionals think they have come up with the best plan to help athletes reach the finish line or achieve a new PR.  Look around and see some athletes getting leaner and faster.  Look the other way and see other athletes getting injured and struggling with nutrition.  Sometimes, one area improves, while another takes a nose dive.  Many are starting over again after having to take an extended vacation from the sport due to injury, illness, work, family, or burn out.

While I take on the daunting task of choosing the best strategies for myself, I am lost in triathlete confusion.  One trend is to mix things up to trick your body into being prepared for the stresses placed upon it and not to repeat the same old routine, while another coach may recommend a consistent program to train your body through memorization ("muscle memory").

The other night I attended a talk where there were 4 different approaches regarding nutrition.  I will focus on this area when discussing TRIATHLON CONFUSION because it is one of my greatest needs to get leaner for Ironman Training.  Each member of the panel had strikingly different approaches to eating for performance and health.
Approach Number 1:  Raw Foods:  Eat 80% raw foods to get the greatest benefit from foods in their most natural state so the body can break them done.  You need amino acids vs protein so you can find the essential amino acids through a plant based diet.
Approach Number 2:  Paleo:  Return to simpler times when diet came from sources in their most natural form without chemicals, additives or preservatives.  This way of eating includes meat, fish,  organic veggies and fruits, and nuts (excluding peanuts, legumes and grains).  People that practice this diet are often into CROSSFIT training where you do short burst of continuous high intensity exercise.
Approach Number 3:  Metabolic Efficiency:  Teaching the body to utilize fats more efficiently by minimizing intake of grains, increasing healthy fats and proteins and reducing sugar and eating a combination of nutrients together during meals.
Approach Number 4:  Eat a balance diet 80% of the time without eliminating any food group.  Shop on the exterior of the grocery store and indulge 20% of the time.
PSYCHOLOGY of NUTRITION For Endurance Athletes:  Eat to Live/Train, Do not Live/Train to Eat, Avoid the Ripple Effect (doing everything because your teammates are doing it), and Life is a Journey, Not a Guilt Trip so if you are going to indulge, enjoy it.  Food should not be a reward for training, it should be used to fuel your body.  If you are struggling with weight, look at what you are eating and why.  If you are craving the same foods, underlying emotional issues need to be addressed vs craving a variety of foods, your body may actually need to be replenished.

I wish I could be as committed as each of the panel members to a specific diet, but there is something about each plan that I feel I could not "LIVE WITHOUT".  I love vegan food, but I do not want to give up meat.  I love healthy fats, but I do not want to give up grains.  What in the world is wrong with whole grains and lean meats.  And give up sugar......the whole world is made up of sugar and a spoonful helps the medicine go down!  It seems that triathletes are trying to move toward low carbohydrate diets for more fuel efficiency in burning fats and runners are still eating carbs, just choosing healthy whole grains.  I would love to just go exTREME (to the raw side, to the meat side, to the fat and protein side, and to the outside of the grocery store), but my history and personality won't allow me to put up too many boundaries (ask my family...I turn into a horrible monster).  I think I am still exploring what will work for me with the help of a nutrition coach and plenty of books.  I know the deeper I get into training, the better food my body craves.  I think Approach Number 4 fits my philosophy the closest, but I will continue to study the forever changing science of nutrition and the latest and greatest in how it affects performance.  I just know that I am carrying around a 20 lb weight trying to run, bike and swim and it is going to be so much easier to move when I can shed my fat suit!

Then you have other training decisions to make like distance, intensity, frequency, weight training, flexibility, power, agility with thousands of approaches.....go long, go short, skip the meaningless miles, etc etc.  We will save that for another day.  What voice do you listen to?

This week, I also learned that sometimes all you have to do is SHOW UP, to be a WINNER.  I met my friend from Seattle in Tucson and we raced in the USA Duathlon World Championship Event held in Oro Valley.  She wanted to qualify for World Championships in Spain.  I was not training for this event, but I did not want to sit on the sidelines, so I decided I would just train on the course and I signed up for the race.  They invite the top 17 athletes in each age group to participate in Worlds and so everyone in my age group was invited as there were only 16 (and I finished 15th!).  It was a humbling experience because without a swim, I cannot get a head start on the fast runners and the field was filled with fast athletes who came from all over the US to compete for a spot.  I had to just enjoy being out there and accept bringing up the rear on a beautiful fall day, on the rolling course with the rugged rocky Catalina Mountains in Tucson. 

It then dawned on me, that I would be in my new age group in two short months even though my birthday is not until August.  Thinking about moving up into the 50s and it actually happening are scary and exciting at the same time.  I have to accept that I am getting older, but I don't have to accept that my performance will not improve.  Look at the 89 year old who was the final finisher who crossed the line with a crowd of cheering athletes welcoming him home.  They save the best for last.  So back to training we go!  I had a great training weekend with a 3 mile run Thursday night on the duathlon course, 10 mile run with some hills and 11 mile ride on Friday, Duathlon on Saturday 5K run, 35K ride, 5 K run and finally a 10 mile climb up Mt. Lemmon (20 mile round trip) while my friends made it to the top for the cookie.  No cookie for me today.....but there will be a cookie in my future because I am getting HUNGRY!

HomeBaked Triathlete: Starting from Scratch

 

It may take more time and patience to produce a recipe from scratch rather than buying the "just add water" mix, but in the end home baked always tastes better.  This is the journey I am choosing to take this year to reinvent myself by starting over from scratch and right now I am shopping for the right ingredients and then I will figure out how to combine them into a final product that I can be proud of at the finish line.

I felt broken down at the end of my summer season followed by 6 weeks of forced time out.  My mind and body were out of sync.  When my mind was ready to get back to work after signing up for my next Ironman, my body gave out and my immune system could not keep up with the demands and then as my health finally started returning, my head was no longer in the game.

I was doing everything in my power to find motivation including posting my Ironman Finisher Picture everywhere, studying books and magazines, cut and pasting train logos to remind me Chattanooga is a coming and living vicariously through my friends upcoming Ironman.  My body and mind seemed to be rejecting my efforts at rebuilding stamina to workout and the motivation to overcome the mental and physical fatigue.  I felt defeated like I would not be able to return to that place I had gone before where you reach deep within your soul to be all that you can be.

What is the best way to cure a sick triathlete you might be wondering.  Just like a dead battery, sometimes we need a jump start.  I was signed up for a sprint triathlon in San Diego, so I had to cram for this race in a few weeks.  I almost did not even want to go, but these are the times that you need to "JUST DO IT" the most. 

So I managed to put in the minimum training to get through a sprint course.  I was pretty convinced that 1/8th of an Ironman was going to "feel" like the full distance at this moment in time.  To my delight after a relaxing run around the bay in San Diego, even though it did not feel like heaven, my pilot light was reset.  I came to terms with where I am at that moment and had hope that I could start this process over from scratch.

By accepting this, it made it easier to go enjoy the "SPRINT" and I was pleasantly surprised that sometimes cramming for a test pays off.  It was a great pre-test to assess "where I am" and "where I want to go".  I was pleased with the results and enjoyed the opportunity to use the sprint distance to refresh and rejuvenate.  The experience reminded me about the spirit of triathlon.  It was a great dress rehearsal, transition practice and speedwork all wrapped up in one.  Since it was an Esprit de She Event, it was fun bonding with old and new female triathletes.  There is something powerful about tri-ing with a herd of women!  I ended up pulling off a decent race finishing 11/56 in my age group and 119/417 overall (3/56 in the swim and 12/56 on bike (ave 18.6 mph) and 11/56 on run (ave 9:11 pace).  Now that I got a jump start....off to the shop I go for some base training, basic maintenance and maybe a few new parts!

Sometimes you have to clean out the closets and throw away the old stuff to make room for the new stuff that triathletes are made of.  Now time to go shopping!  What do you think should go into my recipe?

UNFIT

Inside the turtle's shell are cramped quarters with little air.  One must slow their breathing down, close their eyes, and quiet the mind in order to survive under the shell.  It is usually a place we go for protection while we are resting or recovering, but sometimes it can be an escape from the world.  This writer usually leaves out the darkest moments of her life as she does not like to write in the dark.  Perhaps this is dishonest or may be it is only half the story being revealed.  Today, the only word that really strikes me is UNFIT, if even that is a word.  Spell check has not told me otherwise, so we will just go with it.

This week, I started breathing better.  I had hope that I was finally regaining my health and I could finally start training for my next Ironman.  I have been trying to stock up on motivational strategies to generate excitement and motivation for training including:  posting my previous Ironman Finish all over the place, changing my profile picture, signing off with the train whistle to get ready for IM Chattanooga, and watching the IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS in KONA on my new Smart TV.

I went out yesterday on a 37 mile bike ride which is the longest ride in the last few months and finally felt like my legs were connected to the rest of my body .  For that I was grateful, but then the truth was revealed in how difficult the ride was for me.  It was not too hot, too cold, too hilly, or too flat, it was simply that I am UNFIT.  What would once be an easy short ride took a great deal of time and effort.  It is not something I am unwilling to give, but it is certainly discouraging to look back at your abilities a year ago, especially when you see other athletes preparing for their Ironman races.  (I also ran 1 hour and swam 30 minutes this week..so sad that those feel like the IM distance at this very moment).  You are almost willing to KILL for that feeling of determination, strength and invisibility for just one more day.  But that feeling is EARNED.  Even the pros rarely give up a few days of training to sustain the ability to be at the top of their game at the right moment.

Life happens and keeping up an Ironman pace of life for a recreational athlete is not always top priority.  Instead of looking at being unfit as depressing and staying inside my shell, I know I need to FIGHT and earn back the fitness that makes you strong in mind, body and spirit to TRI another day.  It is just hard when you are knocked down to the ground.

I am trying to remember this bottom of the barrel feeling so each month when I look back, I don't get discouraged as I am slowly climbing back to the top of my game.  Let me imagine now what it will look and feel like in 50 weeks when I am 50 years old and competing in my 2nd Ironman race fit and strong and ready to go.  It is a hard image to focus on, but I am going to create this picture in my mind until my painting comes to life!  In the mean time.....I JUST KEEP TRI-ING!

WHISTLE WHILE YOU TRI


High Ho, High Ho, Back to Work We Go
With a Hee Hee Hee and a Ha, Ha, Ha
High Ho High Ho High Ho

With a swim, swim, swim and a run run run
And a pedal pedal pedal, being unfit is so not fun
High Ho, High Ho, Back to Tri We Go

It is dark inside this shell! Still trapped!

Well as my husband would say in the IT world, problems take a while to solve.  Computer guys are so patient in trying to figure puzzles out.  I think my patience is wearing thin.  My Reboot is not going so well.  You try different ways to close out your frozen screen and one of these times, magically everything will come back fresh and new and work like it is supposed to.

This week has been filled with trying out different remedies as the gunk I have been gagging and choking on for the past month seems to have miraculously relocated to my sinuses.  My smoker sounding cough has been extinguished (never smoked one in my life as I was violently overexposed as a child by my parents and had a strong aversion to anything you light up!) with the remnants now residing in the dark cavities of my shell.  In lieu of a return doctor's visit to scold my doctor for not listening to me the first time around, I evaluate and treat myself daily for free (minus the cost of home remedies and future bill for my deteriorating mental health).  No fever and fluids still clear with slight color and thickening, treat self for congestion and find some draino.  So, I stocked up on Emergen-C Immune Plus,   Allegra, Zicam Cold Remedy, and NeilMed Sinus Rinse.  I think the rinse is the most effective tool so far, but as soon as I take a clear breathe, more fluid drains and gets trapped.  I can deal with the gunk and manage the symptoms, but the chronic fatigue really gets in the way of being a triathlete.  Luckily the events that are coming up in October were supposed to be fun short races and fun get a ways.  Even a short workout seems to take a lot out of me, but the benefits outweigh the cost, because I need my daily fix.  Every day, I tell myself I will wait one more day before going back to the doctor as we know just showing up at a doctor's visit scares away all the symptoms and the doctor cannot find anything wrong with you.  It might be worth the 120 dollar office visit that I pay out of my pocket to scare the symptoms away. 

With all that said, playing tug of war with the mucus streams, I have managed to get 3 short runs in this week 20-30 minutes a piece, 3 bikes rides of 20, 30 and 15 miles, and 1 20 minute swim.  I have been researching different training programs and one site I came across talked about including 3 weeks during your pre-season training to focus on your weakest link in the tri-chain.  Surely, I can complete a sprint triathlon in 2 weeks.  I am sure it will feel like an Ironman to me, but it will only make my next IM in September 2014 taste that much sweeter after being knocked down to the lowest of lows.  Sometimes we need our bodies to take over and hold us back!  But it is dark in this shell and I am going to poke my head out soon, kicking and screaming.

My plan for the next 2 weeks is to try out "working on one of my weakest links", my bike and try and get fit for my first training session with my bicyclologist, Jeff.  I have had to cancel a lot of appointments this month, but if you don't have your health, you simply cannot reap the physical benefits of training.  It is time to put the POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING BACK IN ACTION.

"Let me out of here", the turtle screams.  "I do not like the darkness, that is unless I am running the marathon portion of an Ironman."

 

REBOOT

One year from today is another opportunity to find greatness within.  Today I proclaimed that I felt like being an Ironman was like being crowned Miss America.  You hold your title for a year and it abruptly comes to an end as someone else steps into your running shoes as that day becomes their turn at the title.  During your reign, you have a responsibility to inspire others by sharing your journey, wisdom and strength.  As time passes, and your fitness level dwindles further and further away from the day you tasted victory, the memories fade and you no longer feel invisible or worthy of your title despite the blood, sweat and tears you shed to win.  So, you sign up again to try to find greatness for a second time.  All the doubts that were once there on that first pilgrimage return and you have to go through the process again for another taste of victory.  There are no short cuts to the finish line.

Let the games begin.  There will be the ups and downs on this winding road and the self doubt and questioning of one's own sanity will haunt you for the next 365 days questioning the state of mind you were in when you clicked the REGISTER NOW button on active.com.

This faulty computer of mine needs to be restarted.  When I went to bed last night, I told myself I was DONE being sick and no matter what, it was time to REBOOT.  Sometimes when you can't fix the problems that you are faced with, you just have to turn the power button ON and OFF and reboot to clear out the bad and start with a fresh screen.

Ironman Chattanooga 2014,  HERE I COME.......CHOO CHOO!!!!!

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k284/nanagoat129/gifs/Picture958.gif

SUPERSTITION: 3rd time: curse or charm!

Do bad things really happen in threes or is the third time really the charm!  Call me superstitious like many triathletes who chose to wear their lucky socks, obsess over every calorie they ingest, and go through training and race day rituals that must be performed to a T for the planets to align in our universe.  My absence from my blogspot over the past month has been a sure indicator about my plans that came crashing down.  My training has been almost non existent over the past few weeks due to a chronic cough and fatigue which was my first strike.  Then as I was finally starting to feel like I could get back in the saddle, I made a wrong turn and my back was in knots, strike two!  I felt doom and gloom hanging over my head as I sat around feeling sorry for myself anxiously awaiting for the third and final strike so I could just get on with my training.  Then I realize how ridiculous this all sounds, when I think about how great the number 3 can be......TIC, TAC, TOE 3 in a row can mean victory; or it can mean TRIATHLON:  swimming, biking, and running which equals HAPPINESS, or it can represent 3 triathlons in a row in a Triple Summer Series.  Maybe 3 really can be great!  I am always looking for the message in everything but if you can put a positive spin on what feels like a curse, you will usually find your lucky charm.

Decisions, Decisions...what to work on next

I know, I know.  I let a week or two slide by without a post.  That must mean it is still off season and recovery from my summer season along with adjusting to going back to work and back to school.  One thing most triathletes love to do is PLAN or hire someone to plan for them.

Most of the planning is done for 2013-2014 as many important activities, commitments, deadlines and events are filling up the calendar, but getting back into a smooth and regular routine can be a challenge or a juggling act.  I was what I like to call, "the spoiled triathlete" during last year as I did not have much to juggle other than training, a few hours of work, and making sure my son got to his activities.  This year, I have taken on a little more work responsibilities and my son started high school, after school activities, and work commitments.  So now, I am more challenged as to when, where, and how to get all my workouts in with the days starting to get shorter. (I did not say cooler, because cooler has not arrived in AZ yet).

That will not stop me from doing what I love to do because I live to TRI, so one way or another, everything will get done.  The past few weeks have been overwhelming and my body is rebelling about getting back to "work" both as a physical therapist and a triathlete.  I am happy to still be in the recovery mode so there is no pressure about having to get in a certain number of miles or intensity.  While I take a deep breathe to pause, there are plenty of off season things to focus on like strength and conditioning, flexibility, technique, and nutrition.

Now of course there will be a few short races on the horizon including a sprint or two.  I also accepted an invitation to run PF Chang's Marathon this year on Team Wylder and will be posting more about this undertaking.  I have not had the desire to "run a marathon" unless it is part of an Ironman.  I could not pass up this invitation to honor a special little boy and help raise awareness and funds for NORD (national organization for rare diseases).  I will share more about this event in a future blog, so stay tuned if you would like to be a part of this day with me.

And the big decision is getting near.  I had decided that the best way to celebrate turning 50 next August was to do another Ironman.  One of my requirements was that it would have pine trees on the course, but after a lot of soul searching and research, it made more sense to go with a course that was more reasonable for my skill level and and a new race popped up on the circuit, IM Chattanooga in Tennessee.  It looks to be beautiful fast course with possible ideal conditions for a race.  It will include a river swim with the current, a rolling bike course through Northern Georgia, and a flat run through Chattanooga with average temps of 55-75, low humidity and little wind.  Who knows, there might even be pine trees.  I am not giving up on my vacation destination races in Tahoe, Whistler, Boulder and Coeur d'Alene, I just want to get leaner, stronger and more prepared for the difficulty of those courses.  So the decision is getting close and sign up for Chattanooga for September 2014 is getting closer.  I also will have to pick a 70.3 race or two along the way...so more decisions coming.

For now, I put those big goals to the side and focus on getting my energy levels back on track, my nutrition under control and build a strong base.  This is the fun stuff where you can take an hour or two out of your day to TRI before the wild ride begins for 2014.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: TRIPLE SUMMER LONG SERIES COMPLETE

What does one do after an IRONMAN or as some triathletes would put it, on a NON-IRONMAN year.  I was talking to one of my friends who decided to get a tattoo a while after completing his Ironman.  Most people get them right away as a remembrance of all the hard work and the title that was duly earned.  I have talked about a tattoo, but as time has passed, I started to feel uncertain about it and undeserving.  A race memory fades away over time.  You have to constantly find new challenges to maintain a feeling of toughness both mentally and physically.  Nothing compares to the mental and physical strength you acquire during the year you train for an IRONMAN and at the actual event.


This summer, I decided to put myself through a new challenge since I enjoy the half iron distance and I wanted to maintain a certain level of fitness and I signed up for 3 challenging long course events.  My original goal for my non Iron year was to go after a PR in the half and work on getting faster. 

What better way to spend a triathlete summer.  When I go to a beautiful place with my wetsuit, bike and running shoes, I want to savor my time out on the course.

Deuces Wild in Showlow, AZ; Vineman 70.3 in Sonoma County, CA; and Mountain Man in Flagstaff, AZ COMPLETE.

The series took on names like "Turtle's Long Course Summer Series" and "Triple Suicide Series" as I came to terms of what I had done by signing up for all 3 while many of my friends were just enjoying the cool summer destinations.  They were not 3 fast flat courses, they were 3 courses with lots of ups and downs and each had its own challenges and own beauty.

The final race in Flagstaff presented many challenges this past weekend.  It was the long course that so many suggested NOT to do and the SLOGAN for the race is "THE TOUGHEST RACE YOU WILL EVER LOVE".  I went into this race not so different then the others feeling a little under prepared.  When you do 3 in a row, you have to allow recovery time after each one and then there is not a lot of time in between to step up your training and taper for the next one, so the PR goal turned into a finishing goal.  The future Ironman events that I am considering are all more challenging than AZ as if you desire pine trees on your course, altitude and hills usually accompany them.  So Mountain Man was also a little test of fortitude to see if I could be IM Tahoe material.

Mountain Man ended up being my slowest half of the season.  I started the race feeling fatigued and bloated although I had taken the week prior very easy to try and get some of my energy back.  It is difficult to assess if the slow time was a product of the race being the final event of the season or the difficulty of the course.  It still was my favorite of the 3 courses and the great thing it is in my backyard only 2.5 hours away from my home in the desert.

This race was the last get a way of the season before returning to work.  I had to encourage my support team to join me for the weekend as my husband is tired of traveling and my son started school, but I was so happy to have them with me.  We enjoyed a few good meals and my husband got a 70 mile ride on the course in on Saturday.  We went to my Tri Club's pre-race party at one of the member's most beautiful homes in the woods.  With my belly full and happy exchanges between a great group of triathletes, I went to bed with a smile looking forward to a day in the pines.  Pre-race rituals are just etched in my brain and an Ironman can go through them in the dark while the rest of their family is getting their last few minutes of sleep before they transform into Super Sherpas.

Passing by lots of friends and waves to people I have gotten to know over the past few years, I made my way to the water which is usually just a relaxing warm up to a long day.  The long distance race had about 130 athletes split into 2 waves.  Of course I was in the second wave, but I found it to be a little bit aggressive and full of better swimmers than most events.  It almost felt like an Ironman replay trying to get a space in the water and I did a lot of swimming around people because this "pull the athlete out of your way thing", does not work for me.  The water felt choppy so there must have been some wind and I did have a little more trouble breathing than usual in the altitude.  There were no spotting buoys in addition to the turning buoy which were impossible to see in the distance and with the glare of the sun, so it was a "follow the crowd" kind of swim.  My time was at least a minute slower than my last couple races, but still a reasonable start.  I felt tired coming out of the water, but excited to get on my bike.  It takes a good 30 minutes to warm up after a swim and I had to do that on an uphill bike course.  I knew to expect 3 rollers to the first turn around Morman Lake.  The scenery is beautiful with rolling hills and pine trees and wild sunflowers lining the roads.  The color seemed so vivid and I felt at times like I was probably in heaven.  The course was challenging with a strong head wind or cross wind when going around the first section of Morman Lake and then rolling and ending with a climb.  Then you turned right onto Lake Mary Road for a few more miles of climbing which was challenging but a beautiful section of road that we usually avoid due to not bike friendly without a shoulder.  At the turn around, you start flying full speed down the steep long hill.  I missed the first water stop due to it being at the bottom of the hill on a curve, but had enough to last me until we looped around the second time.  I quickly was surprised to find that the downhill ended and there were about 3 more steep sections of uphill rollers to get back to the turn off for loop 2 around the lake.  Those hills were not in my memory bank from previous training rides, but the good news is there was a beautiful tail wind that allowed me for the first time in my life to get the sensation of "spinning up a hill" and I felt like I was floating (don't worry, that did not last too long).  The second loop did not have the extra climb nor did it have the tail wind to help get up the hill.  Once you got to the lake turn off for the second time, you headed straight back to the transition which was mostly downhill.  My legs were pretty fatigued and I worried about making the cut off time set in this race, but I managed to finish that bike ride in less than 3:30 which is a slow time for me, but with the conditions, I could not beat myself up too much as I felt I used my energy management techniques that my coach is working on to get me through it unscathed.  So, I finished early enough to be granted permission to go out on the run course.  There was about 10 people behind me, maybe more, hard to count at that point and maybe a few who did not make the cut off.  The run course is famous for difficult with a 1.5 mile steep climb up a road off to the side of the main strip.  The Olympic Distance athletes, go up and down and turn back to the transition area, but the half distance athletes then turn to the right away from transition and have to put 7 more miles in of what they describe as flat (but it is rolling flat).  The aide stations did not provide any ice or sponges like most summer events, but mother nature was looking out for us with some nice drizzles and big lightening strikes.  I also started pouring water over top of my head at the stations which were every 1.5 miles.  I did fine on the hill and was able to run while many were walking, but my legs were shot at the bottom.  I was able to keep going, but every time I saw someone walking, I just wanted to stop.  I was able to fight that feeling up until the 2 mile to go mark.  My body just wanted to race to be over.  I finally gave into the urge and started walking/jogging and then jogged in the last half mile to finish in 6:50.  It was one of those races, where if I could just have a decent run, my time would be greatly improved, but often in a long distance event, you are just fighting to keep your body moving forward.  When I stopped running, my body was hunched forward like you see some runners finishing in Ironman.  My posture improved when I started running again but the fatigue, tightness and cramping was playing with my mind.  I had to prove that I was TAHOE WORTHY.  I ended up 2/4 in my age group...right in the 50th percentile that I usually find myself.  The lady that beat me was at Deuces Wild with me and training for her first Ironman, so I was proud to see how well her training was coming along.  I will take a podium finish, whenever the opportunity arises and I had to beat 2 athletes to earn my spot!!!

The crowd thins out quickly after the Olympic Event which most of the athletes partake in, but the cool thing is when I started the run and needed a pick up, I had people shouting my name from the side of the road and as they headed home in their cars.  Another athlete was struggling on the run and he said to me, "You sure have a lot of friends" and that made me smile.  TRIATHLON IS THE LIFE FOR ME!

What is left after Ironman?  There is so much more.  If you think you are going to just train for an Ironman and check it off your bucket list, think again.  Triathlon is life, so live it well!  And the people in my life are the best.  If you are feeling down, just go to a triathlete workout, race or a social event and you will get your batteries recharged.

SUMMER SUICIDE SERIES may have tried to kill me, but has made me stronger.  Now time to take a break and then search for my next challenge.  MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!  CHA-CHING!

HERE OR THERE

Could you would you ride a bike?
Yes, I could and would ride a bike.
Would you could you ride it here or there?
Yes, I could and would ride it here or there.
I would, I could ride it anywhere.

That is the great thing about a bike.  You can be near or far from home and as long as you have your bike with you or access to a bike, you can ride it here, there or anywhere!  If not your bike, your running shoes will do and perhaps a wetsuit too.

As of late, I have had to train here or there or anywhere.  For 2 months, I have woken up in different places from day to day and week to week, but I "tri" ed almost every day from San Francisco down to LA.  Anywhere included Northern, California with rides around the East Bay of San Francisco, San Jose, and Sonoma County for my Vineman race then down to Southern California at the beaches from Torrence to Santa Monica.  I was back home in Scottsdale for no more than one ride in the desert before heading up to Northern, AZ in Prescott and Flagstaff to prepare for my final long course race of the season at higher altitudes.  You can fold triathlon training up into a box and take it with you wherever you go.  It is much easier if you travel by car if you have room for your bike.    This is a simple life that I lead.  It takes only time and variable speed.

This week I had more scenic workouts in cooler temperatures surrounded by the trees I love, PINE!  I managed to complete an 80 mile ride on Lake Mary Road in Flagstaff and a swim in the chocolate Lake Mary.  Today I topped off another week with a beautiful 2.5 hour run on the Urban Trail in Flagstaff.  I got to share my workouts with other friends who were escaping the heat as well as enjoy a weekend of solitude before getting back on a schedule for work and school.

Well I have to say, I will miss "there" now that I am "here" and I look forward to the next time I am "there".  But, it is good to know that is does not really matter where you are because you can swim, bike and run and have all kinds of fun wherever you go and with whoever you know.

So just remember you too can do it here, there or anywhere!

There is No Place Like Home

There is no place like home and that is where we are on our way back to Scottsdale after six weeks away.  We pack our truck up, fill up our tank, and click our bike shoes together and close our eyes and say "There is No Place Like Home".  Unfortunately we won't get home as fast as Dorothy and Toto, but we will drive all day until we get there.  My son will be happy, my husband will just return to the rigors of work and I will get re-acclimated to training in the heat.  I am probably the one who is not looking forward to returning back to reality.

The fruits of our labor came together as we drove from Sonoma County to LA to follow our son on his music tour which was part of his camp at The Collective Sounds.  We were so thrilled to see what a great time he had this year and what a gift he was given to work with such a talented group of young musicians.  They named their band, Audio Picnic and they wrote and performed incredible music.  We got to enjoy 3 of the 4 stops on the tour and watch them grow stronger until the end.

My husband and I were a bit exhausted from the summer, almost too much to make the most out of our short days before navigating to the concerts.  We are not big fans of the traffic in LA.  We learned from last year to leave far in advance to get to wherever you want to go.

We did fit a bike tour along the beach trail for a 46 ish mile ride along the ocean weaving in and out and around curves and lots of people.  It was a nice way to try and cleanse the waste products out of my tired muscles.  The next 2 days I squeaked in a 50 minute run on the beach path and a 40 minute run with 3-2 min intervals and another shorter 24 mile bike ride on the path with less traffic.  I topped the week off with a 2 hour long run before we headed home.

The beach is alive between 6 am and 8 am on a Sunday morning and I was able to get one last run from Torrence to Manhattan Beach overlooking and along the ocean.  The beach is such a fascinating place.  I wonder why people like to stare at an endless body of water.  If I still had my choice, I would prefer to be surrounded by pine trees.  The water does has its own peacefulness as the sound of the waves crash onto the shore and I do love taking a nap by the sea with my feet buried in the warm sand.  As I squeezed in my last hurrah, I was both dazzled and disgusted.  All walks of life occupy the edge of the earth.  The richest folks monopolize the real estate along the strand with beautifully renovated ocean front property, but at the same time,  homeless and needy people with leathery skin from living outdoors rummage through the trash cans and urinate at the front doors of the wealthy.  The stench was horrendous and the boardwalk was sticky and I really wanted to jump into a soapy shower, however the allure of ocean attracts cyclists, runners, strollers, swimmers, surfers, scuba divers, stand up paddlers, and fishermen.  All walks of life congregate down by the sea.

As we arrived back in the Zone (Arizona), we were relieved that the Monsoon Gods are helping us ease back into the oven and spared us with a cooler transition then we were expecting.  Time to unpack and spend the next 3 weeks preparing for my final long course of the season up in Flagstaff and then it will be time to assess my training and my goals for the following year.

For now, I will cuddle up in my own comfy bed and be thankful that there really is NO PLACE LIKE HOME!

Vineman

Beth Kozura, “You are a Vineman!”. A new title to add to my list. I am a Deuceman, an Ironman, A Leadman and now a Vineman. I don't take offense to being a “man” as long as it has a catchy prefix attached to it.

Race 2 in my summer triathlon series was a success. Being away from home for the month prior to Vineman had its advantages and disadvantages. I had to be more adaptable with my schedule to work around our travels and other activities, but yet I had more flexibility to fit workouts in throughout the day. I so enjoyed living GREEN in California. I was able to get around by foot or bike during the day while my husband used our car to get into his office (which if he really wanted to, he also could have used the city trails and commuted himself). I got to train in a range of weather and terrain. I met some local triathletes along the way. Northern California is saturated with strong swimmers, runners, and cyclists and I think if I lived in these conditions I could only improve as an adaptation to the conditions.

I had a neutral feeling going into my race feeling a little under trained as I had not reached the distances on my bike that I usually do prior to a long course or as much high intensity work to improve my speed as I hoped, but I did put the hours in and had the opportunity to work on climbing on my bike and some short bursts of speed during my runs. I had been focusing mostly on technique in the pool taking in all the feedback I had received and trying to “feel” the water. My goal had changed a little bit since I was planning on completing 3 long courses this summer from pulling out a PR to making respectable finishes in all three and peaking on the last race. So I think I am on my way to completing the series.

When my husband and I arrived in Guerneville on Friday afternoon, we checked into the West Sonoma Inn and Spa and got our bikes out and went for a spin. He kept riding to the coast while I did an easy 40 minute spin and 20 minute run to loosen up. We got settled into our room and then found some dinner and walked around the town and checked out the river. The next day my husband took another ride through the forest and out to the coast to take advantage of the beautiful location we were in while I just rested my legs. We headed out to the expo for the 11:30 am athlete's meeting and between packet pick up, shopping at the expo, and setting up T2, we did not get back to our room until about 4 pm. At that point, we decided to forego our planned swim in the river. We hung out and enjoyed the vineyard views at our Inn and then headed to dinner.

The forecast was for THE PERFECT DAY and it was pretty much what weather.com had promised!

Everything came together on race day. I guess if adequate preparation is made and you have your health, you can always start your day with a positive outlook. The week prior had been very hot and the water temperature in the Russian River had reached 80 degrees. Luckily a cool front had moved in and the temperatures dropped. The race ended up being wetsuit legal and the temperatures started in the 50s with a chill in the air before getting into the water with nice mist and cloud coverage that lasted through the bike ride. The run was more in the open air, but a nice breeze helped make it tolerable.

We were staying a few minutes away from the start of the race, so there was no big rush to get out the door except that all my friends had different start times and I wanted to be there for morning greetings, so we slowly headed down to T1 with our bikes around 6:30 am. I set up my bike, talked to my rackmates, got body marked, and greeted my AZ friends. I had plenty of time to visit the potty, watch a few swim waves, and get my wetsuit on. Race Ready I was, there was nothing else to do besides wait.

The Vineman swim has to be one of the most beautiful on the Ironman circuit in the Russian River. It is a narrow river nestled between pine trees and other lush green foliage. We even had the treat of a bald eagle nesting high up in a tree right at the start. I always look forward to getting started as once the gun goes off, you can just relax! The swim goes off in age group waves every 6 minutes due to the very narrow river course. It is nice to avoid the trampling of athletes in water, but the start happened over a 2 hour period and I had the final women's wave only with 2 men's waves ages 30-35 following! There were 105 athletes in my group. I got an orange cap to add to my collection which goes nicely with my ONE Multisport wardrobe. “10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1....and the horn sounds” and off we go. It is a most scenic swim and I make a point of breathing both ways so I don't miss anything. This swim is also known for athletes standing and walking in the water as it gets shallow in certain spots and sure enough before we even approached the turn around, I saw a tribe of yellow caps (the wave in front of us) walking in the water. I was “not” going to walk if I did not have to as I can swim in pretty shallow waters (one of the advantages of short limbs and being a turtle!). I was not too turtle like on my swim as someone shouted out “10^th out of the water” and I knew that meant in my age group, but it made me smile. Sometimes I am 1 or 2 out of the water in AZ in my AG, but I thought that was pretty great in California after getting a taste of these athletes.

I ran my bike up the short hill that starts directly at the bottom of T1 as the majority of athletes were including the pros. And off we go for a scenic bike ride in the Vineyards. It takes a good 5-10 miles to

work out the swim effects on my body and get into a groove and miles 5-10 on this course are bumpy and hilly. My bike felt wobbly and I even stopped to check for a flat but it was just the terrain as far as I could tell and I just prayed I would not have to deal with a bike issue so I could just enjoy my ride. Of course after a while, you are in “the zone” and you are focused mostly on the road in front of you. I had to remind myself to look up and enjoy the view. The course continued to go up and down with several climbs. The most famous one that I was warned about was known as “Chalk Hill” which lasts for about a mile. Although CH had one steep section before the summit, I found a few of the other sections more challenging. At the top of CH was a fun long descent which I was comfortable going full speed on meaning it was steep, but not too steep! The course description claimed the ride was down hill for the last 10 miles and that is how it felt as I found myself passing people to T2. I had no idea what speed I was averaging because my clock on my bike failed and my Garmin was not accurate, so I had only “feel” to go on and I had sustained my efforts throughout the ride and had done the best I could on that given day.

I was so happy to arrive at T2 to see some familiar faces and to get off my bike. It was a bit of a run into the transition area, but the good news was I was in the second row. And then I was off to run the final leg of the race. I took it slow to try and get things stretched out and get everything all situated (salt and water in one hand and jelly beans in side pocket). The first 2 miles were gentle and the mile markers were approaching faster than I expected. But before I knew it, I looked up and the course was going up! More rolling hills...but I was happy to be climbing them on my feet and not my bike at that stage. Many people were walking the hills, but for me, if I walk, my run is over, so I do everything it takes to keep running. I use the same principles as I am learning on my bike, to slow up the hill and shorten my stride to conserve energy. I met an amputee who had completed 2 Ironmen and talked to him for a few minutes while I was getting in my groove (he was a dose of inspiration for me). I was feeling good and I had hopes of possibly being able to pick up my pace on the second half so I held back a little. The runners headed in the opposite direction had that look of despair so I took that as a clue of what was ahead. I was happy to reach the turn into the Winery for a 1 mile jog around the vines. We reached the half way mark in the fields and that was nice to know there were only 6.5 miles left. My legs were starting to tighten up but I was beginning to pass people slowly but surely. It was a progressive tightening of the legs and then right around mile 9 my left quad was fighting for the full blown cramp as I past others who were grabbing their cramping muscles trying to ward off the evil spirits. I was no more deserving then any other athlete, or maybe I was since I had worked really hard to stay hydrated and maintain a good level of electrolytes all day. My secret formula got me to mile 9 and the hills had taken their toll. I have secret weapons to ward the evil spirits away and though I had to stop for a split second while my quad squeezed itself into a knot, I shortened my stride and slowed down and somehow dragged my legs through the remainder of the miles. Right before mile 11, there was a sign posted stating “LOST CALF” which I thought was funny since a lot of triathletes left their calf muscles out there on the course, but since we were in the middle of property with livestock and the sign had a phone number to call, maybe it was referring to a baby cow. At the aide station at mile 11, they had run out of water, but still had gatorade, so that had to do. Soon a gal on a bike called out “only 1.5 miles to go, you are almost home!”. That gives hope that relief is on its way. My pace slowed a bit and on this day, I did not look down at my watch once as I decided it was more important to listen to my body than to try and push too hard to break a record and end up walking to the end. A half a mile from the finish, I saw my other ONE Multisport friends who screamed and energized me for a moment almost causing another major spasm, but I was once again able to ward off the evil spirits. The last group of volunteers screamed only ¼ mile to the finish line. I saw my husband and my friends a few hundred yards from the finish. I also had the opportunity to have a banner held up for me to run through at the end though the cameras missed that special moment (when will I ever have a banner to run through again). I looked down at my watch and was happy to learn that I broke 6.5 hours with a finishing time of 6:28:45. Another title in the bank....I am rich!

I concluded that in some ways it does not matter where you put your miles in during a race as your focus becomes intense and it is truly a challenge to enjoy the view the whole way through, but I would not trade the vines in for anything as this race is a must do for any hearty triathlete with an appetite for green trees, rolling hills, fine wine, and friendly people. You won't want to go home. And if 70.3 is not enough time in the vineyards, Vineman offers a race with a full distance Ironman, Aquabike and marathon later in July.

To top off the experience, post race celebration and wine tasting are a must. I enjoyed exchanging triathlete tales about the race and learning how everyone's day turned out. One thing, every one went to bed happy that night. The next day was spent wine tasting in style on the WINE O BAY GO tour in a luxury van that chauffeured us around to taste the treasures of the earth. It was a great way to see the country and taste the fruits of the crops. We left with stronger friendships, a renewed peace, and a few more bottles of wine. Vineman was ONE grape time!

ONE CYCLIST'S DREAM CAN BE ANOTHER CYCLIST'S NIGHTMARE!

Two cyclists pedaling through a storybook forest with all that mother nature has to offer and the pavement that man has layed down through it.  One cyclist thrives as the other one struggles on the very same road.  The first flies up the hills singing "The Hills are Alive" while the second is crying inside so nobody hears his pain.

The riders of Northern California cannot be 100% human!  It blows me away that my husband came here and a week later climbed up the 10 most challenging ascents around the Bay.  I did not really fully understand this until experiencing some popular Bay rides myself and especially today while we drove parts of the  Best of the Bay Ride.

Northern, California is saturated with cyclists.  Everywhere you go, they are out on all types of bikes and no road or trail is off limits.  They do not fear motorized vehicles, steep ascents, fast descents, hairpin turns or traffic.  They come out in drones.  If you are sight seeing on any scenic drive, you have to share the roads with the thousands of cyclists.  It is one thing, maneuvering on narrow, curvy roads, but to find the strength and endurance to maintain a bicycle on both wheels during a steep climb, boggles my mind and questions everything about my being on a bike!  Our bodies are amazing machines and adapt to the environment they are in, but I have questioned "how" let alone "why"? Why do some people have it and others do not?  How much is effort and how much is talent and how much can we change our skills be putting in more effort?  Have these athletes just adapted to this environment because this is all they know.  Then explain how my husband can come here and climb 10,000 feet like there is no tomorrow and I am left behind in the dust, walking my bike with my head down in defeat.

I know that it can't be as bad as it seems and there is a bright side to this story.  For the mere mortal rider, it takes time and technique to master the terrain.  Hopefully, even though I feel a bit broken down after this week and the past month, hopefully I will go home with a higher level of fitness then I started with.  I also have been reminded that if I am going to sign up for an Ironman with PINE TREES on the course, this was a sign of what level of training is going to be required to succeed.  I will have my work cut out for me and finishing a more challenging IM, will be sweeter than the first.  So time to brush off the dirt, swallow my pride and get to work!

As hard as this week was, it was the most beautiful week of all.  I swam in beautiful Del Valle Lake with a local triathlete who graciously picked me up and drove to the lake as we shared triathlon stories.  My husband and I skipped the big local 4th of July parade and opted for sighting seeing by bike, so we headed down toward San Jose and reunited with another tri friend who just moved to that area to ride a loop around Big Basin State Park near Saratoga Springs.  It was a beautiful ride through redwood forests and included my first challenging California ascent.  It was rated 4 out of 5 in difficulty and I questioned my husband's judgment about putting me in this cycling scenario.  The beauty of the redwoods and the surrounding terrain along with the good company made the 4 hour struggle worth the effort.  My husband and friend were proud of my efforts even though I felt like a dog with my tale between my legs, I motored through it because I had no choice.  Two days later, I needed a medium distance ride and I was concerned about going out too hard with a group or too far and I thought my husband had an easy alternative.  He took me to the first loop from the Best of the Bay starting in Orinda, CA around the San Pablos Reservoir.  We were flying down the hills and then onto a rolling country road through farmlands and then he took me on this back road through Lafayette and Orinda and the fatigue in my legs got the best of my body and mind.  The short steep climbs were too much.  This time, my cries were out loud.  My husband apologized as he did not remember the ride being challenging (which relative to the rest of Best of the Bay, it was a baby ride).  Somehow I survived and made my way home to swim while my husband road a few more hours.  I spent most of the remainder of the day stretched out in bed.  Finally, I ended the week with my my final long run on the prettiest part of the Ironhorse Trail through Danville and Alamo. 

We are in awe of the beauty of Northern, California.   We are reminded daily what is missing in Phoenix and that is TREES.  This week we traveled through hills, pine trees, redwoods, cliffs over looking the bay, views of the city, and the pacific coast.  Words or pictures cannot capture the beauty.  Every time we look, we see something different, a new landscape, a new view, and a new perspective.  We continue to discuss what we love about the area and what people here have to endure daily to live here.

I have a new RESPECT for this territory and the cyclists and triathletes that thrive here.  We are thankful for the time we have had here.  This week, I am going to rest my weary body and try to go into my race refreshed and ready to enjoy the scenery in wine country at the Vineman 70.3 race.

Let's hope that with more training, my cycling nightmare soon turns into my favorite dream!

Changing Perspective

Sometimes things don't always go as we planned.  Although my plan has been loosely woven this summer, a lot of modifications have been necessary.  It helps to be flexible and you have to be willing to change your perspective.

After Ironman, my hope was to rest my body, heal my shoulder, and work on my speed.  So 2 out of 3 ain't bad!  I have been training consistently, but not as long, fast or hard as I was able to do during my Ironman Training.  The things that I had hoped were going to happen during the first half of my California summer, have not exactly gone the way I had envisioned.  I planned on joining group workouts and getting speed work, hills, and long rides in.  My experience to date was that the California athletes are fast and the turtles are less apparent.  Even know, all levels are welcome to attend workouts, the bulk of people that train in this group are far in front of me.  Secondly, the groups often meet at 8 am and that is 3 hours later than we do in AZ, so beating the heat or traffic and family obligations do not appear to be on top of the list here.  The group workouts did not go along with my training plan.  And to top it all off, my body has been fighting off illness. 

Perhaps this is why a lot of triathletes, choose the every two year IRONMAN plan.  I had even considered every 5 years to prolong the life of my career, however, I am starting to get the 2 year "itch" and also a big life time event is coming up in 2014 when I will be turning 50.  I don't feel like 50.  I don't think I look like I am 50, but I think when we look at our self in the mirror, we still see the person we want to be,  a little girl,  someone that doesn't know it all, someone who has a lot of learning left to do, and a lot of goals to achieve and much more laughter and living to fit in.  Well, I intend on celebrating my first 50th birthday with another 140.6 miles.  The plans are under way.  The first objective is to determine WHERE the party will take place (Boulder, Co; Lake Tahoe, CA, Whistler, BC, CANADA and Couer d'Alene, IDAHO are all possibilities) and next will be TRYING TO MAKE RESERVATIONS for the PARTY (trying to get into one of these events...no easy task as you usually only have a few minutes to buy a spot!) and WHO to INVITE (which friends and family will come celebrate with me :) )

Needless to say, for Vineman 70.3, I did not peak in my training where I hoped to, but the TAPER must go on.  I like to put in above the distance on the swim, bike and run and more brick workouts before a long course event.  Weight loss and speed are not happening being away from home.   I had hoped that Vineman was going to be a PR race for me this year, but I realize I am not going into the race at my leanest or fittest or even healthiest condition and so my perspective is now to just "enjoy the view" during this scenic race through the vineyards....another vacation destination.  Sometimes by removing the pressure of performance and you are relaxed and rested, a good race can happen.  Luckily, I am satisfied with finishing a race and mostly just Happy to BE THERE.  Not that I don't sometimes wonder, how I can make my body move faster.

I have modified my goal to try and peak at my 3rd and final race of the season in Flagstaff (the final half IM distance in my personal summer series).

So between lots of hours nursing muscle aches, a sore throat, and a cough this week, I alternated between forced rest and working out.  I managed to get 3 swims in this week, 2 bike rides, and 3 runs.  I also have logged many more walking miles in getting around without a car (another 12 mile walk over the Golden Gate Bridge and getting around town for shopping, eating, and going to the movies.  I tried to get more time training in the warmer parts of the day as that is a strong possibility up at Vineman with my late start time.  Once again, I am looking ahead at Vineman as being a long training day in preparation for Mountain Man (and I am sure that race will turn into training for something else).

I am constantly changing my perspective.  As athletes conquering challenging tasks, we constantly do the dance with our mind trying to keep it in perfect rhythm with our bodies.  The conversation between the two is constantly changing and we always need to put a different spin on things to make peace between the two.  Our mind tests us during the course of a race, often questioning why or how we are in this predicament.  We have the power to change how our mind perceives any experience.  When things are not going your way, all you have to do is change your viewpoint and you will come out a winner, satisfied for what you were able to achieve at any given moment.  Instead of thinking about how I turned around on a steep steep climb yesterday, I will revel in the thought about how far I did make it!  Always check in when you allow your mind to drift into La La Land, becoming  Triathlete in Space.  If you can't change the circumstances that surround you, you have the power to change how you will respond.

Taper Time is fun no matter how you look at it.  Fine tune, keep your body loose, prepare for your race mentally with plans A, B, and C and rest!  Make yourself hungry for distance!