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!

Lazy Days

Today was just one of those days.  My mind wanted to join my husband on a ride up Mount Diablo, but my body kept sending me little reminders that it really did not have much gas left in the tank.  This week was spent mostly doing workouts and being lazy.  Sounds like a conundrum (noun: a confusing and difficult problem or question; a question asked for amusement, typically one with a pun in its answer, a riddle).

I don't think I got as many workouts in as I hoped but I was trying to prepare for some of the conditions I will meet during my race at Vineman such as hills and heat and a few different combinations of brick workouts.  I intended on a 70 mile long ride this weekend, but I had a gal from the local tri club take me out on a ride on Friday and it turned into a 52 mile ride.  I was going to join the group ride the next day, but did not want to miss out on the family fun, so I just did a long run on Saturday and counted the ride on Friday as my long ride.  It was a great route through some rural farm land with windy, hilly roads and brown hills.

We spent another tourist day in San Francisco after a 2.5 hour run.  We packed up our bikes and found a parking spot on top of a hill overlooking the bay.  We had to ride our bikes down 3 steep hills to get to Golden Gate Park and we cruised around sight seeing for 10 miles.  We happened to find a Bicycle Music Festival going on in the park with a bike powered stage, meaning about 20 people were pedaling on bikes to provide power for the speakers and equipment.  The park was filled with cyclists and people just passing by, but it was too cool to pass up so we stopped by for a listen.  We made it back to the car after climbing up a steep curvy hill along the water.  My son managed to make it up on his bulky mountain bike (he is a natural born climber like his daddy!).  Then, we decided to head out over the Golden Gate Bridge to Muir Wood.  We found a little restaurant called Cafe del Soul for a healthy bite and then headed to Muir Wood to walk through a Redwood Grove.  The problem with sight seeing after a few days of hard workouts is your body starts fading fast and the aches in your legs and feet take some of the pleasure away from the beauty.  Besides feeling like we were standing inside of a fairy tale, there were too many people reading the same book!  We enjoy the sights, took some pictures, saw a big owl and dear, and drove back to Walnut Creek.

AND THAT LEADS to SUNDAY......Lazy Day for me.  My body is screaming ENOUGH!  I listened.  I feel like a woman suffering from post workout depression eating lots of sweets in my pajamas in front of the LIVE STREAM of IRONMAN Couer d'Alene all day long.  Today I have been following my best blog buddy Donna, who I met last year while training for Ironman.  We were both training for our first Ironman in AZ.  She was my most faithful follower and read every word of my blog and always send some words of encouragement.  As we were sharing the journey toward our first Ironman, Donna was sidelined with an injury and did not make it to AZ.  Today she came back with a vengence and completed her first IRONMAN, a bigger and badder IM at Couer d'Alene.  Congrats Donna.  So proud of your persistence of not letting a little injury get you down and being patient and smart to get to the start and finish of your first IM.  May we rock it together some day!

Once again IRONMAN brings people together.  Today I saw jerseys representing people and teams I know in AZ, WA, and CA.  The more I travel, the more people I meet and share this crazy way of life with.  Even if Sunday is a lazy day once in a while, the road is always waiting for your return and no matter where you are, you can take it on alone or with friends and acquaintances you meet along the way.

BEST OF THE BAY

Happy Father's Day!  Today my husband has earned the status of King for the Day or should I say King of the Bay!  When we were planning our summer trip to the bay area, I researched triathlon type events, activities and training opportunities.  I marked my calendar for one event that stood out called BOB: a bike ride known as Best of the Bay.  This ride was a century ride plus or minus 20 or 30 miles depending on what you were made of.  I did not really have myself in mind for this event, but my husband is a "cyclist" and enjoys "climbing" with his very lean physique and on his new carbon speedster, Cannondale Evo.  There were 10 climbs throughout the Bay area (the biggest and most popular cycling climbs) ending with the big daddy of them all totaling over 10,000 feet of climbing.  It took a little prodding to actually get him to agree to take a DAY OUT for himself because he did not want to sacrifice time with our son to show him around San Francisco, but in the end, he finally called to sign up a few days before the ride and they told him to just show up.

So that is what he did.  He took his bike and hopped onto the BART from Walnut Creek to the Orinda station where the event started.  It went from the northern part of the bay and traveled south via 10 different scenic climbs.  I was on my own scenic ride with a local triathlon group and had separated from the group doing my own climb between Moraga and Castro Valley and I felt a hand on my shoulder and look over and there was Dennis on the 43rd mile of his ride.  I was surprised to see him as I did not look at BOB's route and was just focusing on trying to stay on my own course.  He stayed with me for a few miles and then he headed off to the next portion of his ride while I regrouped with my people from the Forward Motion Race Club.

I returned home and waited for the phone to ring to find out how he was faring.  Finally around 4:00 pm I got a return call to learn he had done it, the whole thing!  We agreed to meet at the BART station and go to a concert that we had planned on seeing directed by my son's middle school choir teacher who happened to be out in San Francisco with the Phoenix' Children's Choir.  I brought him baby wipes and deodorant and he got to do the car shower like us triathletes often do after a race.

He quickly summarized his day of 116 miles with a final loop on Sierra Road only for the most extreme and fittest of them all.  As he finished this last challenge, they handed him a pin.  So for 9 plus hours in the saddle over 10K of climbing, all he got was a dinky little pin.  I guess you cannot summarize a ride through a piece of metal or a trophee any way, but I think he earned bragging rights over the IRONMAN in our house, at least for a day.  Since it is Father's Day, I think he deserves to be KING OF THE BAY!

I think there should be a hat or a tattoo for BOB, so the glory lasts longer.  I bask in my IM glory every time I wear my IM clothes.  I notice the looks I get when someone sees the words on your jersey, sweatshirt, hat, or arm warmers.  I even had a car stop at a stop sign yesterday while I was on my bike wearing my IMAZ jersey and they said, "Did you really do that?"  My new bike friends were calling me "ARIZONA" and "140.6".  Runners smile when you pass by them in your hat.  You can look a runner, cyclist or swimmer in the eye and you just know, but it helps to have the gear or a tattoo to grab someone's attention.  We share a mutual bond and respect with others that take on the challenge.  I think knowing inside what you are made of is more than anyone else can ever know.  But, hopefully Dennis can have that feeling inside when he thinks of 10 climbs and the beautiful landscape he got to enjoy on two wheels.  And now when I look at him, I know what he is made of.  It makes us relate on another level where few people go.

I asked myself this week, how long glory should last.  If you tattoo it on your body, will it last forever?  The clothes will eventually wear out.  I wondered to myself, is once not enough, because to be Iron, you have to be able to perform at that level and how quickly we are stripped of achievement through inactivity, lack of training, injuries, periods of recovery, and life.  The question of whether this title needs to be repeated or renewed for you to hold this honor because in the future if you don't keep tri-ing, you might feel like you "USED TO BE an IRONMAN".  If you continue to "tri"  maybe you can always be an IRONMAN.  I am somewhat tormented about what makes you IRON and what keeps you IRON.  This is the journey I am on.  Is once enough or must we maintain the status.  Do you have to renew your IM title once every year.  Some people take on IM every other year and for me I was considering once every age group.  Does IM come with an expiration date....you be the judge.

In the meantime, on this Father's Day, we have one sleepy dad with DOMS (delayed onselt muscles soreness), but a guy made out of steel or some form of extraordinary materials in his legs to climb so long and hard.

I had a great training week in California.  Trying to balance vacationing, sight seeing and training is a bit of a challenge, but I have another month to try and work it out.  We are amazed by the feeling of "life" outside.  It is never quiet.  The little towns are in motion by foot, wheels or rails.  There are cyclists and runners abound in every direction on street bike lanes and rural bike paths.  Everything is connected here by paved and dirt paths and public transportation.  The parks are full of activity with yoga in the park, strollers, runners, dog walkers, roller bladders, bikers, rugby matches.  On my Saturday ride, there were endless groups of cyclists climbing over the mountain pass on the curvy country roads.  I think I have died and gone to bike heaven.

Happy Father's Day to all the great father's out there especially the ones that are always TRI-ing to be the best father to our sons and daughters.  May you all be KING FOR THE DAY!

In Tandem: A Bicycle Built for Two

 

Tandem Ride Across the Golden Gate Bridge

We arrived in the Bay Area where we will be for our summer break (well it is break for my son and I and work for my husband).  This is my second extended trip to the area and last year I called it my  "Ironman Training Camp", but this year, I will just call it "Triathlon Summer Camp".   When we were driving through the desert, hills and plains to get to the water, the temperatures ranged from the 80s to the 100s peaking at 106 and we were questioning how this could be as we are here to escape the heat.  Apparently there are usually 10 very hot days each summer in the East Bay and we just happened to arrive on one of them.  The very next day was in the 60s and 70s.  In the city, it is usually in the 60s and they don't call it the windy city for nothing!  My first morning run was on the Ironhorse Trail which connects all the towns on the East Bay was a pleasant confirmation of the reason we are here, for the cool cool weather.  I managed to get a 2 hour run in to explore sections of the trail and find the closet aquatic center.  Then my son was anxious to visit the city (my husband corrected me when I said let's go "downtown" and told me they call San Francisco "the city") so we hopped on BART and headed to the city.  We learned how to purchase and use our tickets and found our way to the Embarcadero on Market Street.  We ate lunch on the water (a very pricey lunch in the city) and strolled down the piers toward Fisherman's Wharf.  We passed the venue for the American Cup which takes place July through September and passed by a few museums.  My son spotted a submarine museum, so we took a quick tour.  It is one thing being trapped in your mind during a long swim in the open water, but the thought of being on a tiny tubular vessel in a tiny room shoulder to shoulder with 75 other comrades would make me go out of my mind (not to mention they were on the vessel for 80 days without a shower!).  I will stick to swimming on top of the water where I am free to pee wherever I like and I can move away from my fellow triathletes by swimming faster. 

Next we found bikes to rent from "Bike and Roll" one of the many companies that loan bikes out for a small fee to ride over the Golden Gate Bridge.  My husband and I wanted to ride a Tandem and my son was adamant that we should not try it because it would be hard to handle (not to mention, we might embarrass him in the process).  We decided to try it anyway!  They forgot to tell you that tandem means riding one behind the other in sync with your partner.  This means that the two parts must work together for the greater good of the whole.  My husband took the front seat and I the rear as the more powerful cyclist should lead.  This also means he should communicate with his partner.  This was going to be a good exercise in teamwork for two very independent people who like being in control.  The front person should drive, steer and call the commands to his partner as well as warn the other people on the road of his intentions.  He should call what side that he is dismounting and mounting from as the bike cannot lean in both directions at one time.  The rider in the back had to give occasional reminders for communication strategies.  Besides the front guy forgetting to call out what foot to put down or when he was switching gears and the back rider almost falling off or losing her footing on the pedals, it was a delightful ride on a bicycle built for two.  We had to work together to get up the hills and to maintain an upright position on the very windy bridge.  In the meantime, while we were trying to stay in sync, we lost our 13 year old on the bridge.  He was up ahead of us and we never saw him actually get on the bridge, nor did he wait for us.  The winds were so powerful and we grew rather concerned about where he was while we were being blown around over this rough body of water below.  Contact was finally made by cell phone as he was waiting for us on the other side.  We proceeded to a cute little seaside town called Saulsalito and hopped on the ferry back to Fisherman's Wharf.  Sometimes a slow scenic ride is just what the cycling doctor ordered.  Eight miles on a tandem through tourist traffic by foot and pedal can be just as exhausting as a century ride.  What a great way to sight see and get a different perspective of something that looks so grande.

My desire for ocean swimming came to a screeching halt as we traveled back on the ferry.  The water looked very uninviting and rough and that old question popped in the back of my mind "WHY".  Hopefully I will not start asking "WHY NOT?" as I think I am just fine with lake swimming and pine trees over white caps, sharks and jelly fish.  We returned out bikes and I had a conversation with one of the guys that worked at the bike place about Ironman because he saw my IMAZ sweatshirt and he handed me his triathlon business card.  He said he just moved to the area and took this job so he could have weekends off to race.  He will be volunteering at Vineman and I told him I would look for him.  My husband looked at me in amazement as once again, he witnessed the connection between triathletes around the globe!  Even know TRI means 3, we are all 1!

We got another bite to eat and listened to some jazz music and then took the long walk back to the BART and headed to our new temporary home in Walnut Creek.  It was most fun to see my son experience city life and try new things from food to riding a bike over a bridge to riding BART to walking to get everywhere!  In some ways it is just like being in a giant amusement park.  I know in a few weeks, I will desire solitude again, but I think it is important for kids to experience different lifestyles so they can choose for themselves where there place is in the world.  It is nice to experience it in TANDEM.

Warm Up for Vineman Complete...6 weeks and counting!

How many triathletes prepare for their half Ironman Race with another 70.3 in the altitude, wind, and heat?  Well, a turtle does, because the turtle does not fear the elements.  It always has it's shell for protection.  I returned for a replay of one of my favorite courses from last year called Deuces Wild in Showlow, AZ.  Last September, I completed my first half ironman distance in preparation for Ironman, AZ at this event called Deuceman.  With my PR at my Olympic race 2 weeks ago, I thought I might be able to improve on my time from last year.  It is really hard to compare any two races because even on the same course conditions can be very different along with many other factors.

The event was moved back to June 1 this year and another company took over the event and raised the price.  I love being in the pines while tri-ing, so I was willing to pay the price.  The price even includes cold water, altitude, wind, and heat!  I am getting better at managing all the elements, but you have to be ok when your time does not come out as you wished for.  Most people described the race as difficult and there was a lot of pain and sufferage on the run.  Somehow, you feel better, not being the only one.  We endure pain, because we know it will end.

My race went pretty smoothly and it was just about getting a "progress report" for where I am today with my fitness.  I think I have a strong base and now it is time to spend a few weeks fine tuning.  I would rate my midterm grade as a C+.  It was not an easy day, but it was a great day.  Who ever said triathlon was easy?

The race went like this....On Friday night, we picked up the race packet and walked around the lake and the transition area.  We could see there was a little bit of disorganization at that point.  I walked down to the lake where there were a few people testing the water out and they were trying to get the buoys up.  The race director was giving instructions to the guys in the boat and said they put the bouys in the wrong place.  I did not have a very good feeling about what was going to happen next.  I asked for a water temp and she yelled out to me "62" as she raced off to trying to get the event all set up for tomorrow morning.  They had canceled the pasta dinners and the big raffle (so my dream of bringing home a new wetsuit this year was shattered.  Last year I won Skins recovery gear and bike gloves).  So we were on our own for finding a simple dish of pasta in Showlow which is no easy feat.  What can go wrong with a bowl of spaghetti (oh, please don't ask).   Early to bed and early to rise as all triathletes do, we got a VIP parking pass so were able to load the car and drive up close to transition.  Dennis helped me get everything to transition and I set up my spot, got acquainted with a few of my rackmates (the people's who had their bikes parked next to mine).  Transition is a fun time to meet new people, share training and race tips, and prep the body for the next 6 hours or so!  I always allow 30 minutes for getting my wetsuit on and then we headed down to the water.  The Long Course Race went off first.  I counted only 25 women, so I knew it was going to be a long lonely day.  The swim is always fun for me.  The course was different this year and was 2 loops counter clockwise in a triangular pattern.  I could not tell how I was faring among the other athletes because I normally pass a lot of people and I only passed a few blue caps (men, who started 5 minutes before us).  I had one of my fastest times in the swim.  I always hate getting out of the water, because it is where I am most comfortable.  I really need to be the swimmer on a relay team and go all out one of these times (there is a plan in the works to do a relay with my husband and friend).

Transition was uneventful and I am even getting faster, but you can only make a turtle go so fast and they are still slow.  I got on my bike and told myself to just start off easy.  Easy never came.  I had rode this course 2 other times and I recall the first 10 miles being very fast, but it was one of my rides where I felt like I was pedaling through chocolate pudding and apparently the winds were not in our favor.  My legs were sore when I tried to stand and I knew what was going to be up ahead after the fun roller coaster ride......HILLS.  I focused on nutrition and taking in salt because I have cramped on this ride badly in the past.  I alternated between fig bars, honey stinger chews, and Ironman Perform.  My goal was 200 calories an hour.  I have been using the non technical method of listening to my body and I even listened to my biological clock instead of looking at miles and time for nutrition and it seemed to work very well for me.  I started feeling better after the first water stop and enjoyed the rollers.  I was passed by about 10 people during the ride and I felt like I was out in the middle of nowhere all by myself.   It was very cool being on a road with nothing and nobody.  I thought someone should take my picture for RAVE RIDES (Runner's World does Rave Runs).  Then as you hit the town of Taylor, it is time to start climbing.  I recalled there would be about a 10 mile climb with 3 sections and I decided I would do HILL DEDICATIONS for people that have inspired me for challenges they had endured.  First hill I thought about the beautiful article one of my friends wrote about her beloved pet she just lost.  The second hill was dedicated to the same friend who is battle thyroid cancer and the third climb was for my little friend who lost his battle against a rare disease.  I might have underestimated the number of uphill sections because I had to repeat the dedications and add a few more.

There was a helper today going up the hills and that was the wind.  In some cases Wind can be your friend and the hills were easier then they had ever been (or maybe I should say less difficult).

I had an uneventful transition from bike to run and knew what I had to do on the run.  The goal I had to run faster was impacted by heat and fatigue and my goal quickly changed to just run the whole way and finish and the time will be the time. (In Leadman, I walked and once I walk, the run is over for me).  Many athletes claimed it was the altitude, but I did not feel bothered by it.  I just felt hot and my legs were tired.  It is very hard to prepare yourself to run after you have been out there for over 4 hours.  I wondered how I did this at Ironman (and faster at IM too!).  I was thankful for all the volunteers who provided amazing service at the aide stations and for the cool sponges and wind.  I took a new sponge and filled up one bottle from my new fuel belt every mile and continued taking 1 salt tablet every 30 minutes along with 2 jelly beans every mile.  It has been my winning formula.  After the first loop and an extra hill climb before the second loop, my mind started questioning the purpose of this day and I was not looking forward to the last 6.5 miles.  I started worrying when I felt my face and it was dry and salty, but I did my best to stay cool and hydrated.  Ofcourse by the last 2 miles, my stomach was not happy at all and the question was can I keep moving forward without cramping.  My quad started squeezing tight on the last mile, so I just shortened my stride and slowed down (it is hard to slow down when you are already at bottom speed, but if anyone can do it, a turtle can).  I was going to be happy to finish and then evaluate what I need to work on to perform my best at Vineman on July 14.

I finished in 6:40:49 about 7  minutes slower than last year.  My comparison of the 2 years were a different swim course with a faster swim time by 1:20 minutes, transitions about the same, 4 minutes slower on the bike (wind, less fit, at heavier weight), and slower on run by 7 minutes (weight, heat, altitude).  This race was earlier in the season with less altitude training.

We took off after, showered and then headed over to a barbeque with my Triathlon Club to recover and share stories from the day.  The awards were later that evening and I wanted to go because the race was small and I thought there was a good chance I might have picked up an age group award and maybe walk home with a good raffle prize.  I ended up 2nd in my age group and had to beat a few people to earn that, so I left happy with a picture on the podium, a rare experience for turtles.  The race had its glitches and needs some improvement, but it is on the top of my list and I hope the new company can keep it going.  Don't let the altitude scare you.

Today I only can ask myself (and get some direction from my bike and swim instructors) since I am using the self coaching method.  Over the next 6 weeks, how can I get ready for my "A" Race, Vineman 70.3.  I will need a few days of recovery this week and then I will take 3 weeks to build more strength and speed and get a few more long rides and runs in and focus on nutrition.  6 weeks is not a lot to make significant changes, but in triathlon weeks, a lot can still happen.  I am hoping to find a new PR at Vineman, but in the end, just being out there is what makes me happy!  I will also taper more for this race, so I start feeling fresh and strong.  We leave for my California Training Camp next Friday (6 weeks out of the heat).

The best part of this weekend was sharing it with my new club and getting to know everyONE.  I loved volunteering at the xTerra event  as well and learning how to be a "wetsuit stripper" where being on the other side of the mat was kind of exhilarating.  I loved hanging out with the athletes and sharing stories.  I also love how everyone cheers for everyone else and has good friends they support on different teams because we really all are ONE triathlon community and your biggest competitor is always yourself.  I am happy to be a part of such a great community.

Now it is time to FOCUS!  And have some summer fun with my family.  Family first, triathlon second??????  As long as my fun includes time to swim, bike and run.....LIFE IS GOOD!