There is no "I" in TEAM: What it takes to get to the start!

Over the past few weeks, a sudden rise in panic began to set in about my upcoming Ironman with slow race times, sub par training, and gradual increase of overuse symptoms.  It was time to pull out the big guns and take advantage of the services that can help get me to the start line.

Bike:  My coach upped the ante with work to support peak performance by challenging me to once again GET OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE as he introduced me to 4-1 intervals, 4 minutes in zone 4 with 1 minute rest times 12 and empowered me to do this workout 2 times a week!

Massage Therapy:  I had to enlist a massage therapist to work out the kinks, too many areas to mention, but the main culprit being my right achilles.  My new LMT makes me cry and is also making me go outside my comfort zone to break up adhesions and get my tissues more mobile.  I KNEADED this badly!

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Yoga:  Time to get the muscles lengthened in order to handle the daily Ironman workload during the final build phase.  Going to class is forcing me to attend to my bike posture on and off my wheels and end the TUG O WAR going on in my body!




Track:  To toughen me up and basically to toughen me up since I can't seem to get Ironman to cancel the run.  Hopefully, track work will help me RUN THE RUN at Ironman.




Nutrition/Hydration/Heat Management:  A work in progress and taking bits and pieces from professionals and other athletes and finding out what works for me.  I have NOT given up CARBS, because they are my friend the night before a long workout.  I have discovered that Vega Pre Workout Drink seems to be helping me on my bike.  I gave up the salt sticks as I thought they might be making me sick and that I get enough electrolytes in my drinks and food (so far, so good).  I started using Osmo which was recommended by several friends (so far, so good).  I have tried out real foods like nut clusters and figs in addition to Honey Stinger Waffles, chews, and gels (which have been agreeing with my stomach...so far, so good) and adding a little caffeine near the end of a ride or run (so far, so good).  I seem to be faring well with 125 to 150 calories per hour beginning around 90 minutes and then taking in my calories at least 1-2 times per hour.  My body LOVES cold water and ice and if I can put ice down my back that is an extra and effective cooling method.  And ever since I started using Dr. Hyland's anti-cramping tablets, I have not had muscle cramping (knock on wood...not sure if it works or has a placebo effect, but who's counting)

My Village of Friends:  A true tri friend does not let you get away with cutting your workout short and pushes you to push yourself just a little bit further.  These are the people that also pick you up when you are down, push you forward and hold you up when you can't do it for yourself, and who cheer for you all the way until the end.


Family:  Even though there are 5 more weeks, an Ironman cannot be done well without the support of your family.  My brother Scott is going to be my Sherpa at Chattanooga because he knows this too as a 3 time Ironman and he will fill in for my husband who will be doing his own amazing feat.

This week was the bottom of my final build period and it went very well.  I had a shorter long run which I got to enjoy in the rain and challenging work on bike with intervals and hills and a track workout.  I had to swim 4000 in the pool because our lake was closed to do damage from the recent monsoons.  I had a great long ride/run and the bricks are starting to get laid!  I had my best ride working in zone 2 and 3 with an overall average of 17.4 (my IMAZ ave) and averages of 17.9 and 17.8 on loops 3 and 4 out of 5!

 I attribute the success of this week's training to my team above.  I believe this team is necessary to put in place to get me to the START LINE and then it will be ALL UP TO ME TO GET TO THE FINISH!

A HALF OF A CENTURY: Birthday Bash in the Pines

Well the big 5-0 finally arrived and the celebration is underway starting with a training weekend in the pines with close family and triathlon friends and will continue for the next 6 weeks culminating in Chattanooga Tennessee.

Some call us over the hill and I did spend a lot of time riding over hills this weekend in Flagstaff with a FULL CENTURY ride to celebrate the end of the first half of my life and the beginning of the second!

It was a fairy tale weekend in the life of a triathlete training in high altitude surrounded by pine trees, water, wildflowers, wildlife and lots of food, family, and friendship.  A 100 mile bike ride in high altitude puts you in the zone and reminds you of the high of tri!  It was a breakthrough weekend for me in so many ways pushing back walls on the bike and reaching the 50 year old mark.

Six weeks out from race day is time for fine tuning and one more round of pushing oneself to the next level.  Along with turning 50, it was time to find a massage therapist to assist me with the areas in my body that are protesting.  Time to step it up through the final training cycle before the taper.

This weekend was like a fountain of youth (must have been rejuvenated by the swim in Lake Mary aka "the chocolate lake")  as I feel like time was turned back as I feel rejuvenated and ready to train hard.  I am in a better state of mind then at the finish of last weeks race as the tough times only make you tougher and more prepared for the next step.









I had a session with my bike coach this morning after taking a rest day as he always works me hard.  I thought we would be doing an easy workout and practicing some gear cadence ratio principles and he came with a different game plan after analyzing my data from the long ride.  His objective for me was to work on peak performance and pushing myself outside of my comfort zone to get race ready.  Today he brought a rabbit with him to pace me and we did 12-4 minute intervals at 150 Watts which is my zone 4 with 1 minute rest in between.  I had to maintain 150 watt power level on a variety of terrain so there was lots of practice shifting to stay in the zone.  The moral of the lesson was that THE TURTLE can pedal stronger if she steps out of her comfort zone and has not yet come close to her potential.  There may only be a few weeks to go, but there is still room for growth.

So lets keep this party rolling with higher intensity workouts and more focused workouts and recovery.  Thank you to all those who sent me birthday wishes and shared in my birthday celebration. 

IF At First You Don't Succeed..TRI TRI AGAIN!

I can't tell you how many times I retired from triathlons during the Mountain Man Triathlon yesterday.  I have been told by more then one person that I am very "rigid" in my comfort zone and my tolerance for pushing myself to step outside those limits.  When you cross the finish line after a tough race and you start bawling because your body was pushed to the point of no return, you have to wonder if you gave it your all and how you possibly could have given more.  Triathletes live in a world of inner conflict.  The thought of going off the road into the forest and just lying down occurred to me more then one time during the long 13.1 mile run portion at the end of my race or hitchhiking back to the start.  I was driven by the fact that all I needed to do was reach the finish line to pick up my first place age group award since no other women in AZ 50-54 dared to compete against me.  All I had to do was finish.  I don't have any first place prizes in triathlon (only RAFFLE prizes).
Even the Pros Cry!

So what brought me to uncontrollable tears at the end of the day.  Besides, 50 year olds don't cry!  This was my last race before I turned 50, so perhaps we can factor that into this equation.  I drove up to Flagstaff with my friend Teresa and headed to packet pick up at Lake Mary, chatted with old friends, went to the ONE Multisport Pre-race party, and got to bed early.  We woke up in good spirits, had time for breakfast and taking care of business and everything went smoothly in transition.  I had my nutrition divvied up and ready to go and all my gear laid out just right along with some "extra" options like body glide, calf sleeves, water bottles and first aide if I so needed.  I hydrated with my pre-Vega workout drink I have been using the past few weeks and slathered myself with sun screen.

Headed to the swim start.  I noticed my wetsuit felt tighter then usual.  I was in the second wave of the swim start which was probably a group of 50 triathletes.  I got in the water 8 minutes before the start.  Water temperature was pleasant, took a few strokes and my arms felt loose.  I realized as I started shivering, I got in the water too early, but oh well.  We were off.  The course was a triangle with only 2 turning buoys and a finish buoy.  For the first time in my triathlon history, I felt like I could not breath.  I wanted to rip my wetsuit off as I felt like someone was strangling me.  I thought to myself, I don't want to be here and how am I going to swim at Chattanooga during those few seconds.  I thought about was I going to have to raise my hand or roll over on my back to get help.  I knew what was happening and I had a plan and coached myself to focus and relax.  I told myself that I do open water swim all the time.  (you always need a plan, what to do when different situations arise and I was able to retrieve the plan).  As I reached the first turning buoy, I started to relax.  This course is very difficult to swim straight because there are no spotting buoys and the sun although it is on your right affects your ability to see.  I was very much alone for a while and could not see swimmers or kayaks ahead.  I was relieved when I had 2 swimmers catch up to me and to see the Olympic turning buoy to find out I was on course and ready to reach my turning buoy and get out of the water.  It felt more like a survival swim and I had a hard time getting into a rthymn and recruiting my swim motor patterns.  The water was a bit choppy and I needed air every stroke, no time to relax.  My time was just under 36 which was reasonable but a little slower then I like.  I had no idea what my time was when I got out as I did not have a watch or see the clock.  I felt beat up, but not defeated!

My transition went smoothly onto my bike, and I started off slowly to try and recover from the swim.  This is why dress rehearsal is important, because it is one thing to ride your bike 56 miles but another to swim 1.2 miles first!  I was in practice mode for Chattanooga ready to try out my new faster cadence and gear cadence ratio and hill work that I have been working on with my bike coach.  I noticed some improvement on my uphills, but I lacked upper body strength to help the legs out as much as I would have liked. I noticed the hills went by faster, but I was always happy when I finished a steep roller thinking I only had to do that section one time, but then I learned that there were some rollers that I forgot about on the loop section that had to be conquered twice.  I felt pretty strong on my first loop and managing the hills until I reached the final uphill section before you repeated the loop and my mind went south again questioning how I was going to get through this section again and how I was going to go twice the distance on a rolling course in Chattanooga.  In addition, the wind picked up making it more difficult, but I took the words of my coach to stay in the moment, focus and get the job done.  I treated the wind like hills and went into my small ring and down into aero and pushed through.  There were many moments of silent tears on the bike, but overall I was pleased with how I handled it and disappointed with my slow average of only 15.8.  I learned that my timing with changing gears is still an issue especially when I reached the peak of an uphill and needed to pick up my cadence and get back into my big ring faster to take advantage of the downhills.  The other area that still needs work is having the ability to eat while I am working hard on my bike.  I probably took in less than 200 calories and 2.5 bottles of liquid including electrolytes.  I think I paid for the low calories later on the run which was probably short for being out there for 3.5 hours.  It was a tough ride in altitude on a tough course, so now I am tougher!

At the end of my bike ride, I got bitten or stung by some insect and my right Achilles (who should be known by the name "STINGER"} started burning.  So in transition I decided to take the time to put the calf sleeves I laid out just in case on to provide some compression and it did not act up again until later in the run.  I also decided to go with carrying a water bottle so I could sip when I pleased.  I was just happy to be off my bike and I was patient with my body and gave it time to switch into the running mode.  My running garmin was not finding a signal, so I could not judge where the first mile was and there were no mile markers until you got to the 10K turn around, so I had to wing it and then I was able to start my watch around 3 miles.  At 1.5 miles there is a steep hill with 1 hairpin turn.  My teammates were stationed at a few locations on that hill which was so helpful to give energy and motivation.  Many people walk up the hill and I had been on tougher hills at June Lake.  I was determined to run, because for me once I start walking my run is over.  I longed for ICE and some appeared for just one moment.  The aide stations did NOT have ICE or any FOOD.  The water got progressively warmer at each aide station.  I was happy to have my own bottle so I could drink as needed and mix my own electrolyte mix.  I went back to trying an old method of eating 2 jelly beans every mile or two.  These even had electrolytes and caffeine.  I felt a little surge every time I took them.  Then signs started to appear saying 9 miles left to go, 8 miles to go, etc...all the way to 4 and then there were a few missing.  The race thins out at this stage of the game and a few of us back of the packers are out there in the open sun trying to get to the finish.

Thoughts on the RUN: my brain was fried and I could barely breathe going up that hill to getting into a rhythm on the way down, every step forward is a victory, I can run the run, If I can run today I am set for Chattanooga, to I can't go on, please give me some Ice, Do you have ICE, Can I just throw up, I want to go lie under those trees (beautiful pine trees, but they were off the road and not providing shade), to moments of humor, tried to tell the cops helping us cross the road a joke about why the triathlete crossed the road and I wanted to say the punch line to get to the other side, but they were not interested....so I crossed and was not sure how I would walk the last 5 miles back to the finish line.  Nobody was asking if I wanted a ride back, but I did want one.  On the other hand, if I have to walk in Chattanooga, I should practice "the walk", plus all I have to do is cross the finish and I am FIRST IN MY AG!

After thinking I was going to be able to continue running, I ran out of steam with 7 miles to go and so began the long walk home.......20 steps jogging, walk for a few minutes, 20 steps jogging, etc. I made it to the finish.  Overheated, exhausted, out of sorts about having to walk and knowing the reality of the challenges that lie ahead trying to get to the start line at Chattanooga healthy and make it to the finish line before mid-night.  Dress rehearsal is about going through the motions before opening night and getting rid of the kinks.  So here is hoping that the 3rd big race is going to be the CHARM and if at first you don't succeed....TRI TRI again!
 

WARNING: 50 days to celebrate 50 is coming to a blog near you!

I just wanted to send out a warning that I plan to celebrate my 50th birthday for 50 days beginning this Saturday and ending with a big party at Ironman Chattanooga on September 28th.  You are all invited to participate in this party by doing something with the number 50 for yourself or someone else to help me celebrate.  I am accepting suggestions for 50 Epic Things to do during these 50 days.  Then I will tip toe quietly out of the spotlight and begin the second half of my life or take a long nap.

Guest Blog Spotlight from Challenge ROTH

Challenge Roth 2014--Race Report and Epilogue by Scott Sherman (aka The Turtle's big brother)

Hi Friends and Family,

Well, I finally made it back to Phoenix.   It was quite an adventure to say the least.  Thanks so much to everyone for their texts, emails and calls before and after the race.  They really mean so much to me.   The Race was July 20th but already seems like a year ago.  I really haven’t thought much about the race since crossing the finish line because I was too busy having fun with Zach and my Cousin Heidi in Salzburg, Innsbruck and the beer gardens of Munich!   Of course, a 14 hour plane ride (along with several hours in taxis, trains and sitting in airports) gives one ample time for reflection.

Pre-Race Week:

I arrived in Germany on July 15th and met my Tri-Travel “Team” for the week leading up to the Race.  Our base of operations was the picturesque town of Guzenhausen.   There were about 80 athletes with the team.  Most of these guys and gals were from Australia but there were also athletes from the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and a few of us Yanks thrown in for good measure.  Not surprisingly, the triathletes from other parts of the world are just as obsessive about triathlons as we are in Phoenix!  Most of the team had done multiple Ironman races all over the world.   Challenge Roth was a bucket list race for all of them!  I will give props to the Australian athletes because those guys institute beer drinking as an integral part of their training and pre-race preparations.  I made some great new friends and look forward to seeing them down the road.

Interestingly, we had an Australian celebrity couple as part of our group.   I did not realize we had anyone famous in the group, but learned that we had the host of the Australian Dancing with the Stars, Daniel MacPherson, and his girlfriend actress Zoe Ventura.   Daniel is a top age group triathlete and Zoe, well, she is just smoking hot!

Daniel MacPherson-- http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0534205/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

Zoe Ventura---http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2191570/

Our base was about 45 minutes from Roth, Germany, the site of the triathlon.  We had to check in for the race and attend the Welcome Dinner.   Of course, the only drink at the Welcome Dinner was bier (that is German for beer mates!)  

The pre-race generally went smoothly, except for one minor little detail…..my bike, the Red Dragon, was MIA.  Finally, the Red Dragon stormed into town on Friday and I finally found her!   

Zach and Heidi arrived into town the day before the race!   As my personal savior Larry the Cable Guy says:  We were ready “to get er’ done!”

Race Day:

I remember something I said to friends and family back in April 2008 before my first Ironman---“Today, will be the toughest day and the best day of my life.”   What was true then, was doubly true at Challenge Roth.   I started the race, with a finishing time goal of sometime between 12 and 13 hours.  It became apparent relatively quickly that I was not going to reach that goal and the new goal was to simply finish before the 15 hour cut-off time.   (In an Ironman Race, you have 17 hours to finish the race, however, in Challenge you only have 15 hours to be an official finisher).

I felt very calm before the race started.  I really thought I would have a good race even though the weather called for unseasonably hot and humid conditions.   I was in the last swim wave with the rest of the slow, old guys.  I had a very comfortable 2.4 mile swim.  My swim time was around 1 hour 21 minutes which was a little slow for me but acceptable.

Unfortunately, the Red Dragon must have had jet lag or something because I could not get her to go very fast!   Despite my slow time, the bike course was awesome.  Basically, you biked from one little picturesque German town to another.  There were 3 major hills on the two loop course, but the crowds on the hills allowed you to fly up the hills as they chanted  “HOP, HOP, HOP….(which apparently means Go, Go , Go…or maybe they thought I was a freaking bunny) and “SUPER, SUPER!”   That part was actually really fun and I had big smiles going up the hills!   My bike was over an hour longer than it should have been.  Not sure if it was the heat or the humidity or what but I felt terrible the last 30 miles on the bike and started to doubt whether I could or even wanted to go on.   I finally got off the bike and really thought about ending the day then….did I really want to do a marathon?

Thankfully, I heard Zach and Heidi cheering for me as I got off my bike!!  That gave me the boost and strength to put my ASICs on and just keep going.  Every time I had a doubt, I would think of all the hard workouts over the last year and all the sacrifices made.  I knew this was going to be my last FULL Iron Distance Race.  I did not want to let down my sherpas who had come so far to support me at the race.  I didn’t want my last race to be a DNF.   I thought about my triathlon hero Macca’s words of wisdom “Embrace the Suck” and mostly I thought about the  words of my daughter……”keep smiling Dad, even when it hurts….and never, ever give up.”  Somehow, some way, just keep moving forward.    (Good life lessons)

The run was a combination of walking and running for me.  The markers in Germany were in kilometers instead of miles so it was constant math to try to figure out what I needed to do to finish in 15 hours.   At this point, just finishing the race would be the victory. . . forget about time goal, forget about running a good marathon . . .just survive!   There were at least a dozen times when I thought I would not make it.  I made it to the final 10k and thought there was no way I could make it unless I picked up the pace .   The mind is a powerful tool….I had also done a number of long runs where the last 2-3 miles Coach Nick would have me pick up the pace to mimic finishing strong.  (While I think he had in mind finishing strong-- as in meeting your goal time-- I knew I had to finish strong, just to finish).

It was rainy and dark that last hour of the race.  The rain actually cooled things down and allowed me to pick-up the pace as it was my fastest 10k of the marathon.   I was 4k from the finish and still not sure whether I would make it in time.   A race official on a bike rode next to  me and told me that I had 4k to go and to pick it up!  I knew “It was going to be close!”  I was totally focused at this point in putting everything I had into trying to finish this race and leave every bit of guts, love, pain, toughness into beating the clock.

About 3k from the finish line, a long haired, bearded figure started running next to me….I had no idea at the time but it was my former boss (Scott Schuff, picture attached) who ran with me for about 100 meters shouting words of encouragement!  I just thought it was some good Samaritan who was trying to help me finish the race!

I saw the 40k marker….2 k (1.2 miles to go)…..still wasn’t sure what the time was because it was very dark.   I could hear the finish line ahead….it sounded like a rock concert!   About 200 meters before the stadium, like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, the red carpet to the finish line appeared……Zach and Heidi were waiting for me!  They were literally like Angels at the Pearly Gates!     One really cool thing about the Challenge Races, is they let you run down the finish chute with family members.   Ironman used to allow this (and Zach and Sammie crossed the finish line with me in 2008), but stopped it in 2009 due to “safety concerns.”     At this point, Zach told me that I was going to finish and I tried to take a breath and take it all in as we ran together into the stadium!!!!

Running into the stadium was like nothing I had ever experienced in my life.  Because I finished later, the stadium was packed because they have a huge fireworks show!  We entered to lights, music, and 5000 screaming fans.  I was getting and giving high fives down the remaining 200 meters of the finishing chute….Over the loudspeakers they were welcoming me to the finish!!!!!    I did it!    I made it!   I could not believe it but I was proud that I stared down my deepest demons and finished the race in 14 hours and 50 minutes.

Victory has a lot of meanings.   Although my time was A LOT slower than I wanted, in a lot of ways it was the most satisfying and coolest finish of a race I ever had.   Just finishing and overcoming adversity on that day was a sweet victory for me!  To finish in that atmosphere made it all worthwhile, and to have my son cross the line with me is something I will remember until the day I die.  I was able to finish what I started.  Not a bad way to go for your last Iron Distance race!  I am at peace with it!

Epilogue:

Post- race, I did make a trip to the medical tent and got an IV.   I wasn’t able to get any food down after the race but more than made it up for it over the next week with a steady diet of beers, big soft pretzels and brats!!!!  Salzburg, Innsbruck and Munich were awesome days of climbing the alps, listening to music, touring museums, castles and drinking and sampling local cuisine!  I did not do any running post- race but we did a ton of walking.  On our last day in Munich, we did a bicycle and beer tour.  I volunteered to be at the end of the line to make sure everyone got from point to point.  For my reward, I got the official “Assman” Frisbee for bringing up the rear!  I will display it proudly next to my finisher medal and beer glass!

I have attached a few pictures and have a lot more to show (along with some more interesting stories about the trip….which I will tell you about when I see you ).   Looking forward to another few weeks of recovery and catching up with friends and family! 

All my best!

Scott