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!
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Monday, June 10, 2013
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.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
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!
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!
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Just Another Training Weekend
Not much to report this week except I am the proud parent of a HIGH SCHOOLER! Recovering from my PR at last week's race. I guess No News is GOOD NEWS right? This week on Monday, I attended a "Recovery Ride" led by pro cyclist Eric Marcotte who is also a chiropractor and focuses on helping athletes with wellness and prevention. He rode along my side and helped me work on techniques to help rid the muscles of waste products and drills to work on technique and cadence. It is just a shift in mindset to give up my day off for an active recovery. It is hard to judge the effectiveness of this method after working hard at a race vs. a regular training weekend as it still seemed to take a few days to recover and then this weekend was a bit of a struggle with fatigue and heat. The good news is I know I am due for a good weekend when I have a bad weekend, so hopefully the good weekend will occur next Saturday during my long course race, Deuces Wild in Showlow, AZ.
This weekend our local triathlon store held a ride to raise funding for ALS research which brought out a few riders from a number of triathlon and cycling clubs to raise money for this disease in memory of one of our local pro triathlete's mother. It is always nice to see the cycling/triathlon community come together to support a cause. It is great to take what you love to do, share it with others, and do something good by just pedaling. The course was perfect training for Deuces with a lot of climbing too.
This morning I went out for my long run for 2 hours and just went my standard turtle pace, slow and steady practicing nutrition along the way and hoping that I can put my body in auto pilot next week after swimming and biking and go 13.1 miles.
This week I attended a talk about heart concerns among Endurance Athletes. We had a panel of doctors and athletes that had various cardiac issues and discussion about if we should be concerned about long distance having a negative impact on our heart and if there are any special testing that we should undergo. Despite the recent press about the deaths that have occurred during Ironman Swim and the changes IM is proposing to make it safer, the consensus of the panel was that no additional testing was recommended in addition to routine physicals unless you are symptomatic or have a strong family history. It is great to have these opportunities to learn more about various triathlon lifestyle topics as science is always changing. For every study showing one correlation, there is a one with the opposite conclusion. You can make yourself crazy trying to find the correct method of training, nutrition and equipment of the times or you can just filter through all the information and find what works for you.
This week I will find balance and rest in preparation of Saturday's race. It is a building week and the race is for training to prepare for Vineman 70.3. I have also been researching opportunities in California while I am there and found another club to train with called Forward Motion Racing Club. I have received messages from several members giving me information about workouts and events happening in the area and they have 30 athletes going to Vineman. There are several events to choose from while we will be in town. One can never have enough TRIATHLETE friends in their life. I love being around the people, the lifestyle and bonding through sport, training and accomplishments. As I have said before, THESE ARE MY PEOPLE. I am thankful for every day I can swim another lap, pedal another stroke, and run another mile. May we all live long and prosperous and be able to tri for the duration! (Just saw Star Trek today, so I had to throw that in there).
This weekend our local triathlon store held a ride to raise funding for ALS research which brought out a few riders from a number of triathlon and cycling clubs to raise money for this disease in memory of one of our local pro triathlete's mother. It is always nice to see the cycling/triathlon community come together to support a cause. It is great to take what you love to do, share it with others, and do something good by just pedaling. The course was perfect training for Deuces with a lot of climbing too.
This morning I went out for my long run for 2 hours and just went my standard turtle pace, slow and steady practicing nutrition along the way and hoping that I can put my body in auto pilot next week after swimming and biking and go 13.1 miles.
This week I attended a talk about heart concerns among Endurance Athletes. We had a panel of doctors and athletes that had various cardiac issues and discussion about if we should be concerned about long distance having a negative impact on our heart and if there are any special testing that we should undergo. Despite the recent press about the deaths that have occurred during Ironman Swim and the changes IM is proposing to make it safer, the consensus of the panel was that no additional testing was recommended in addition to routine physicals unless you are symptomatic or have a strong family history. It is great to have these opportunities to learn more about various triathlon lifestyle topics as science is always changing. For every study showing one correlation, there is a one with the opposite conclusion. You can make yourself crazy trying to find the correct method of training, nutrition and equipment of the times or you can just filter through all the information and find what works for you.
This week I will find balance and rest in preparation of Saturday's race. It is a building week and the race is for training to prepare for Vineman 70.3. I have also been researching opportunities in California while I am there and found another club to train with called Forward Motion Racing Club. I have received messages from several members giving me information about workouts and events happening in the area and they have 30 athletes going to Vineman. There are several events to choose from while we will be in town. One can never have enough TRIATHLETE friends in their life. I love being around the people, the lifestyle and bonding through sport, training and accomplishments. As I have said before, THESE ARE MY PEOPLE. I am thankful for every day I can swim another lap, pedal another stroke, and run another mile. May we all live long and prosperous and be able to tri for the duration! (Just saw Star Trek today, so I had to throw that in there).
Sunday, May 19, 2013
FINALLY A PR!
Tempe International Triathlon May 19, 2013
Personal Record. Sometimes it is hard to compare 2 races to determine if you truly earned your personal best because distances and course design vary, but today I finally made my first sub 3 hour Olympic Race at Tempe Town Lake and posted my fastest time at an Olympic Distance Event 2:54:36 (unofficial). I will take it! When I arrived at the venue, I questioned how I even ended up at Tempe Town Lake again when I vow at each race at this venu will be my last. And especially when the heat is turned up and it is rare that these races start on time and today the race was delayed almost an hour which is not good when you start in the old lady group (one of the last groups). My group started around 8 am and the water temperature was barely wetsuit legal, but if you are to be competitive, you put your suit on to be like everyone else (besides I am consistently a few minutes faster with it on). I love playing the game, "pass the caps" where I see how many color waves I can pass. If they are going to make me start in one of the last waves, I am going to see how many age groups I can catch up to....green, yellow, red! The lead I gain in the swim does not last for long because I slowly get passed back up on the bike. The time gained was on my strongest event, the swim. I have been doing group swim workouts on Wednesdays which are like crossfit in the water, open water swims on Fridays, and a set of 4 lessons with Frank Sole, owner of Sole Swim Solutions. He seems to be helping me unlock some potential energy in the water! The time I gained in the water today, I probably lost trying to pull my wetsuit off. One area where I still feel so clutsy is the transition. 48 year old fingers and eyes don't work as good as they used to and a lot of fumbling goes on., Needless to say, I am happy to get my fins back and where I really need some speed is on the run. If I was equally strong in all 3 events, I would cut a significant number of minutes off my time. Today, I am happy to have finished a run in the heat at Tempe Town Lake without cramping. I was very conscientious about my nutrition and fluids today taking enough calories, salt, electrolytes and water over the head and sponges against my skin. I also have learned to hold back and find a steady pace where my body can sustain the work, but it is at the sacrifice of speed. I have thrown away my heart rate monitor for a while and I have been just listening to my body. It is liberating thing for me and I am more focused on using technique and strategy to sustain my workload. My bicyclologist, Jeff Lockwood has spent time working on Energy Management with me. I have a lot of words in my head and there is always something to think about. So maybe every 10 strokes in the water or on the bike, I go back to my technique. I want to go back to being in "Lala Land" when I TRI, but I go in and out of my own little world. It is great when you reach the point past where it feels hard to where you are on auto pilot where something that seems bigger than you takes over your body. Thus, 3 hours is just enough to get you started. And that my friends is why we go longer.
Sometimes we don't know what we are capable of, but slowly we chip away at our own outer turtle shell and create a piece of art within ourselves. Today gave me hope that there is still a lot of room for improvement and the great part is this is a sport that you can grow in at any age. Triathlon is a FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH! I would like to improve my time in a half IM distance race next. Now I know a sub 6 hour race is possible for me and something to strive for. I will have 2 chances coming up. I would have to shave off 20-30 minutes, so I will keep chipping away.
Satisfied, Happy Turtle!
Personal Record. Sometimes it is hard to compare 2 races to determine if you truly earned your personal best because distances and course design vary, but today I finally made my first sub 3 hour Olympic Race at Tempe Town Lake and posted my fastest time at an Olympic Distance Event 2:54:36 (unofficial). I will take it! When I arrived at the venue, I questioned how I even ended up at Tempe Town Lake again when I vow at each race at this venu will be my last. And especially when the heat is turned up and it is rare that these races start on time and today the race was delayed almost an hour which is not good when you start in the old lady group (one of the last groups). My group started around 8 am and the water temperature was barely wetsuit legal, but if you are to be competitive, you put your suit on to be like everyone else (besides I am consistently a few minutes faster with it on). I love playing the game, "pass the caps" where I see how many color waves I can pass. If they are going to make me start in one of the last waves, I am going to see how many age groups I can catch up to....green, yellow, red! The lead I gain in the swim does not last for long because I slowly get passed back up on the bike. The time gained was on my strongest event, the swim. I have been doing group swim workouts on Wednesdays which are like crossfit in the water, open water swims on Fridays, and a set of 4 lessons with Frank Sole, owner of Sole Swim Solutions. He seems to be helping me unlock some potential energy in the water! The time I gained in the water today, I probably lost trying to pull my wetsuit off. One area where I still feel so clutsy is the transition. 48 year old fingers and eyes don't work as good as they used to and a lot of fumbling goes on., Needless to say, I am happy to get my fins back and where I really need some speed is on the run. If I was equally strong in all 3 events, I would cut a significant number of minutes off my time. Today, I am happy to have finished a run in the heat at Tempe Town Lake without cramping. I was very conscientious about my nutrition and fluids today taking enough calories, salt, electrolytes and water over the head and sponges against my skin. I also have learned to hold back and find a steady pace where my body can sustain the work, but it is at the sacrifice of speed. I have thrown away my heart rate monitor for a while and I have been just listening to my body. It is liberating thing for me and I am more focused on using technique and strategy to sustain my workload. My bicyclologist, Jeff Lockwood has spent time working on Energy Management with me. I have a lot of words in my head and there is always something to think about. So maybe every 10 strokes in the water or on the bike, I go back to my technique. I want to go back to being in "Lala Land" when I TRI, but I go in and out of my own little world. It is great when you reach the point past where it feels hard to where you are on auto pilot where something that seems bigger than you takes over your body. Thus, 3 hours is just enough to get you started. And that my friends is why we go longer.
Sometimes we don't know what we are capable of, but slowly we chip away at our own outer turtle shell and create a piece of art within ourselves. Today gave me hope that there is still a lot of room for improvement and the great part is this is a sport that you can grow in at any age. Triathlon is a FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH! I would like to improve my time in a half IM distance race next. Now I know a sub 6 hour race is possible for me and something to strive for. I will have 2 chances coming up. I would have to shave off 20-30 minutes, so I will keep chipping away.
Satisfied, Happy Turtle!
Monday, May 13, 2013
EXTRA EXTRA Read all about it...Weekly Triathlon Tribune: Turtle Trilights
This week was full of miles and smiles along with a lot of time to think! So I thought I would do a short newspaper style entry this week.
IRONMAN INTRODUCES SWIMSMART INITIATIVE IN NORTH AMERICA:
Ironman pilots alternative swim starts and other enhancements to swim course at select North America events.
This announcement stirred up quite a reaction in the triathlon community. Several friends posted this article on facebook this week with very passionate discussions and debate amongst fellow triathletes. Many die hard and top notch triathletes feel very strongly about protecting the history of the event which includes a mass swim start where 2500 athletes start in the water together while many middle of the packers are concerned about safety and making the swim more a more pleasant experience. Some people feel that Ironman has become too readily available or achievable and feel threatened about the average person being able to complete the challenging course to earn the title of Ironman crossing the finish line in under 17 hours. They seem to feel that what once used to be an amazing feat is now as common as marathons have become and that by modifying the rules, it becomes accessible to more people. Other folks feel like the mass start and the rules from the original race is what makes the race challenging and weeds out the Iron Man from the Common Man. Times have changed and the original race has grown from 12 competitors to over 2500. Safety and liability are issues of the new Ironman generation. The average age groupers bring in the cash flow to pay for the pro prize purses and cover the cost of putting on these incredible events that require road closures, city permits, police support, liability insurance, race gear, signage and printed materails, awards, t-shirts, etc. and so on. Though a small group of elite athletes would like to maintain the integrity of the challenge and the rights to earn the title, it is great to see many people inspired by other triathletes to overcome personal challenges, to set goals that seem a bit out of reach, put together a plan, work really really hard and learn about themselves and what the human body and spirit are capable of. Since many more people are being inspired to sign up for such events, I think we should embrace, encourage and support them in their efforts. I also think it is necessary to evaluate the safety of the sport when allowing 2500 athletes on a course that has to be condensed to a small area to make the race logistics work. For me, I fully support the pilot program to make the sport safe for everyone. It was just interesting to hear the reaction to this announcement as I have been concerned about the mass start and wondering what it was going to take for change to happen. It personally did not enhance my Ironman experience, but for others it is an important part of the experience. For a moment I felt like I was amongst hockey parents again who do not recognize the medical research and new recommendations for concussion prevention in hockey with reactions saying "toughen up, if you can't take it, don't play" when there are kids out there with permanent brain damage and even death that return to sport too soon after a concussion. There is also research on professional football players now on the long term effects on repeated concussions and we have seen how this plays out with dangerous behaviors, poor judgement, Parkinson's symptoms and even suicide. I think as long as we are willing to pay to participate in Ironman Events, we should respect their efforts to making the sport safer for everyone. That is my opinion on the matter. I also think IM listens, so instead of whining, share how you feel with IM, but be willing to try out the pilot program. If it prevents injury or death of even 1 person, it is worth waiting a few more seconds to start your day at IM.
S3: Sole Swim Solutions:
Frank Sole coaches ONE swim workouts on Wednesdays at the Village. He owns a swim studio and also trains all levels of athletes. I think this S3 stands for Satanic Swim Solutions. And further more if you mention that the workout was hard, the coaches take that as a challenge to prove to you that there is always something harder waiting around the corner. So I have learned to keep the comments to myself (and hopefully he does not read my blog!).
THE THREE SISTERS:
Met up with a few ONE riders and headed for the hills. There are 3 steep hills to ride at the end of Via Linda known as the 3 sisters. I had heard about them but had yet to conquer. I have been up the common hill in the middle which I thought was hard, but little do I know, my friends saved the Queen of All Hills For Last. Watch Who You Follow or you might end up getting stronger!
THE LONG RIDE:
This week, I had to complete a 70 mile long ride in preparation for my upcoming Long Courses. I was on my own this week due to racing schedule this past weekend. My legs seem to be catching onto a little higher cadence on the uphills. I enjoyed one of my favorite loops through the town of Cave Creek ( a little western town) and then the climb past the Towers. I made this climb 2 times to prepare myself for the 10 mile climb on the Deuceman Course. I had intended to do a brick, but I was on empty when I returned home as it is heating up in AZ.
TESTING, TESTING....OPEN WATER SWIM at CANYON LAKE
On Saturday, I completed my brick workout by doing a short run before heading to Canyon Lake. I decided to enter an OWS event to practice swimming for a time and with more people in the lake. I had signed up for the 2000 meter open swim because I thought I had a better chance getting an age group award then being in the top 3 in the master's category. I had no specific time goal, but just wanted to work on improving my comfort and speed in the water while surrounded by other triathletes. I wanted to get my "swim" back. Before I started getting serious about triathlons, I felt very comfortable and smooth in the water when I first started open water swimming and then I started training with a group with coaching and training for IM and my swim seemed to fall apart. I was swimming more frequently, harder and longer distance along with trying to change my technique. Before Ironman, I developed shoulder pain that I just had to manage to make it to the IM start. My times slowed during the year, but I pulled off a decent IM swim of 1:12. I took some time off to try and let me shoulder heal after IM. I seemed to have an impingement syndrome and I had different people evaluate it. A PT gave me one helpful exercise to help get the glide back and manage the problem and I have been working with a new coach who has identified some different areas that I needed to work on. I have kept my workouts shorter, less frequent and focused on arm and body position. My weekly group workout is challenging and helping with conditioning. So the outcome of this swim was positive with a time of 36:32. Unfortunately I misunderstood about there being age group awards and I had finished 6th in the Women's Open, but they were not giving out age group awards so I left without a medal :( after being excited about my results. I would have finished 2nd in Women's Masters.....so next time I will take my chances and stick with the OLD LADIES!
I am reading the book SWIM SPEED SECRETS by Shirley Taormina. She was an Olympic Medalist and only 5'2 so I am excited to learn her secrets! Really in swimming size does not matter if you know the secret.
DAYDREAMER: How to Occupy the Mind on a 15 mile Run
Here we go again. A long run on very tired legs to prepare for the half ironman distance. What do you think about when you are just out there running for several hours. It is a dreamlike state where your mind travels to many places and when you wake, you forget most of where you have been. Here are some of the thoughts I remember:
1. I am going to sip water at every traffic light (no garmin, so I though I would try drinking at every light)
2. Plan an incentive plan for my son to work hard and get good grades in high school
3. Happy Mother's Day to Me!!!!!
4. What races am I going to do next.
5. Why am I so slow?
6. Maybe you just get slower with age.
7. What races am I going to do next.
8. Oh, I just want to be done.
9. How many weeks until Vineman? Try to do math while running, I dare you!
10.. Should I stop to go to the bathroom, should I stop? Don't stop. Mind over matter. Keep going.
What do you think about on your long run? All and all a good week on triathlon front. This week will be the beginning of the next phase so more rest and will end up with the Tempe International Triathlon where I will try to redeem myself for the flat at the last race and see what time I can post hopefully without any technical problems.
Don't forget to recycle your newspaper after you are done reading! Have a great newsworthy week tri peeps!
IRONMAN INTRODUCES SWIMSMART INITIATIVE IN NORTH AMERICA:
Ironman pilots alternative swim starts and other enhancements to swim course at select North America events.
This announcement stirred up quite a reaction in the triathlon community. Several friends posted this article on facebook this week with very passionate discussions and debate amongst fellow triathletes. Many die hard and top notch triathletes feel very strongly about protecting the history of the event which includes a mass swim start where 2500 athletes start in the water together while many middle of the packers are concerned about safety and making the swim more a more pleasant experience. Some people feel that Ironman has become too readily available or achievable and feel threatened about the average person being able to complete the challenging course to earn the title of Ironman crossing the finish line in under 17 hours. They seem to feel that what once used to be an amazing feat is now as common as marathons have become and that by modifying the rules, it becomes accessible to more people. Other folks feel like the mass start and the rules from the original race is what makes the race challenging and weeds out the Iron Man from the Common Man. Times have changed and the original race has grown from 12 competitors to over 2500. Safety and liability are issues of the new Ironman generation. The average age groupers bring in the cash flow to pay for the pro prize purses and cover the cost of putting on these incredible events that require road closures, city permits, police support, liability insurance, race gear, signage and printed materails, awards, t-shirts, etc. and so on. Though a small group of elite athletes would like to maintain the integrity of the challenge and the rights to earn the title, it is great to see many people inspired by other triathletes to overcome personal challenges, to set goals that seem a bit out of reach, put together a plan, work really really hard and learn about themselves and what the human body and spirit are capable of. Since many more people are being inspired to sign up for such events, I think we should embrace, encourage and support them in their efforts. I also think it is necessary to evaluate the safety of the sport when allowing 2500 athletes on a course that has to be condensed to a small area to make the race logistics work. For me, I fully support the pilot program to make the sport safe for everyone. It was just interesting to hear the reaction to this announcement as I have been concerned about the mass start and wondering what it was going to take for change to happen. It personally did not enhance my Ironman experience, but for others it is an important part of the experience. For a moment I felt like I was amongst hockey parents again who do not recognize the medical research and new recommendations for concussion prevention in hockey with reactions saying "toughen up, if you can't take it, don't play" when there are kids out there with permanent brain damage and even death that return to sport too soon after a concussion. There is also research on professional football players now on the long term effects on repeated concussions and we have seen how this plays out with dangerous behaviors, poor judgement, Parkinson's symptoms and even suicide. I think as long as we are willing to pay to participate in Ironman Events, we should respect their efforts to making the sport safer for everyone. That is my opinion on the matter. I also think IM listens, so instead of whining, share how you feel with IM, but be willing to try out the pilot program. If it prevents injury or death of even 1 person, it is worth waiting a few more seconds to start your day at IM.
S3: Sole Swim Solutions:
Frank Sole coaches ONE swim workouts on Wednesdays at the Village. He owns a swim studio and also trains all levels of athletes. I think this S3 stands for Satanic Swim Solutions. And further more if you mention that the workout was hard, the coaches take that as a challenge to prove to you that there is always something harder waiting around the corner. So I have learned to keep the comments to myself (and hopefully he does not read my blog!).
THE THREE SISTERS:
Met up with a few ONE riders and headed for the hills. There are 3 steep hills to ride at the end of Via Linda known as the 3 sisters. I had heard about them but had yet to conquer. I have been up the common hill in the middle which I thought was hard, but little do I know, my friends saved the Queen of All Hills For Last. Watch Who You Follow or you might end up getting stronger!
THE LONG RIDE:
This week, I had to complete a 70 mile long ride in preparation for my upcoming Long Courses. I was on my own this week due to racing schedule this past weekend. My legs seem to be catching onto a little higher cadence on the uphills. I enjoyed one of my favorite loops through the town of Cave Creek ( a little western town) and then the climb past the Towers. I made this climb 2 times to prepare myself for the 10 mile climb on the Deuceman Course. I had intended to do a brick, but I was on empty when I returned home as it is heating up in AZ.
TESTING, TESTING....OPEN WATER SWIM at CANYON LAKE
On Saturday, I completed my brick workout by doing a short run before heading to Canyon Lake. I decided to enter an OWS event to practice swimming for a time and with more people in the lake. I had signed up for the 2000 meter open swim because I thought I had a better chance getting an age group award then being in the top 3 in the master's category. I had no specific time goal, but just wanted to work on improving my comfort and speed in the water while surrounded by other triathletes. I wanted to get my "swim" back. Before I started getting serious about triathlons, I felt very comfortable and smooth in the water when I first started open water swimming and then I started training with a group with coaching and training for IM and my swim seemed to fall apart. I was swimming more frequently, harder and longer distance along with trying to change my technique. Before Ironman, I developed shoulder pain that I just had to manage to make it to the IM start. My times slowed during the year, but I pulled off a decent IM swim of 1:12. I took some time off to try and let me shoulder heal after IM. I seemed to have an impingement syndrome and I had different people evaluate it. A PT gave me one helpful exercise to help get the glide back and manage the problem and I have been working with a new coach who has identified some different areas that I needed to work on. I have kept my workouts shorter, less frequent and focused on arm and body position. My weekly group workout is challenging and helping with conditioning. So the outcome of this swim was positive with a time of 36:32. Unfortunately I misunderstood about there being age group awards and I had finished 6th in the Women's Open, but they were not giving out age group awards so I left without a medal :( after being excited about my results. I would have finished 2nd in Women's Masters.....so next time I will take my chances and stick with the OLD LADIES!
I am reading the book SWIM SPEED SECRETS by Shirley Taormina. She was an Olympic Medalist and only 5'2 so I am excited to learn her secrets! Really in swimming size does not matter if you know the secret.
DAYDREAMER: How to Occupy the Mind on a 15 mile Run
Here we go again. A long run on very tired legs to prepare for the half ironman distance. What do you think about when you are just out there running for several hours. It is a dreamlike state where your mind travels to many places and when you wake, you forget most of where you have been. Here are some of the thoughts I remember:
1. I am going to sip water at every traffic light (no garmin, so I though I would try drinking at every light)
2. Plan an incentive plan for my son to work hard and get good grades in high school
3. Happy Mother's Day to Me!!!!!
4. What races am I going to do next.
5. Why am I so slow?
6. Maybe you just get slower with age.
7. What races am I going to do next.
8. Oh, I just want to be done.
9. How many weeks until Vineman? Try to do math while running, I dare you!
10.. Should I stop to go to the bathroom, should I stop? Don't stop. Mind over matter. Keep going.
What do you think about on your long run? All and all a good week on triathlon front. This week will be the beginning of the next phase so more rest and will end up with the Tempe International Triathlon where I will try to redeem myself for the flat at the last race and see what time I can post hopefully without any technical problems.
Don't forget to recycle your newspaper after you are done reading! Have a great newsworthy week tri peeps!
Sunday, May 5, 2013
For Every Up Hill, There is a Down!
A solid week in triathlon training to report with a good ending. The lesson that I was reminded of this weekend racing and training in Prescott, AZ for every up hill, there is a down hill. For every struggle, there is a reprieve. Life is just like that. So after a hard long ride last weekend, my body came back stronger this week. I am still trying to find more ups then downs or a way to make the downs less steep. The more hills you climb, the stronger you get, both mentally and physically.
This week included 3 swims (1 pool workout to practice technique, 1 tough group workout in the pool, and 1 open water swim in choppy waters), 3 bike workouts (1 hill workout, 1 easy, and 1 very hard medium distance) and 3 runs (6 mile, 3 mile, and Whiskey Row Half Marathon). The weekend portion was challenging and I am left with very sore muscles, but a big confidence boost.
My friend Alveratta and I went up to Prescott for some altitude training. We ran the 35th Annual Whiskey Row Half Marathon which is probably one of the hardest courses in Arizona. For the first 2 miles the streets were lined with bumper to bumper runners and I found it a little hard to breathe as we slowly climbed the first gradual hill and then I reached a steady state when we turned into a neighborhood with several challenging rollers. Every time you made it to the top of one peak, another steep section was waiting for you, teasing you that it would level off only to round a bend for more punishment. The course climbs 1000 feet to 6200 ft at the turn around and then it is all down hill (minus a few short steep climbs). The thought of what would happen at the turn around was motivating because there was a reward waiting for you.....a 6.5 mile downhill. People were going all out on the downs, but I knew I had to show some restraint because there were a few steep rollers waiting right where we left them on this out and back course. I averaged between an 11 and 12 minute mile on the way UP and a 10 minute mile on the way DOWN. Yes, I did a NEGATIVE SPLIT! I was estimating about a 2:30 half on this course and finished in 2:22 (a little bit faster than my Ironman Marathon Pace). I find it fascinating that I move around the same pace no matter what distance I go. There is for sure room for improvement in my speed, but I am hoping that I am heading in the right direction. My body just does not seem to have the fast gear anymore. (my fast used to be between 8:30 5K, 9:00 10K to 10 minute marathon pace). I am most definitely in the back of the pack in running these days, though steady as can be. I cannot go any slower unless I walk (And that is just a bad thing mentally for me to do). I was annoyed by the people who were walking up the hills and passing me sprinting down the hills, especially this women who was in her 70s I would say...she would speedwalk up and then she would scream her head off while sprinting down. I was just trying to enjoy the serenity in the pines and I finally dropped her after the first half, but I was happy she was so strong for her age and hoped I would be out there when I am in my 70s and beyond.....I just wish she would have saved her enthusiasm for her solo runs. My legs did start to fatigue on the last mile but I was able push through the shortening that was happening in my muscles. My friend Al finished strong about 5 minutes ahead and me and we enjoyed some post race refreshments, a snooze on the grass, and lunch. The race motto was "ARE YOU TOUGH ENOUGH" and the question was answered at the finish and on our shirts....YES, WE ARE TOUGH ENOUGH! They had a few signs on the course that were so funny right before the hills, like "WHAT THE HILL IS THAT". The runners and volunteers were fun and I enjoyed the section that was on a forest road in the pines and took the time to take it all in. Our friend Cory was there who is running the 50 in 50 (50 marathons in 50 states) just doing an easy run between marathons. He is going to write a book called......"Just Another Long Run". I feel privileged to have taken a few steps with him at the start I spent the rest of the day hanging out at my parent's house recovering. The true test would come the following day.
We set out to do a 2+ hour bike ride and I had a course in mind that takes you from downtown Prescott on Highway 89 over a mountain pass to the town of Wilhoit. I have done this ride about 6 times (including 3 Skull Valley Loops). Today was my best climb back up 89 from Wilhoit even on tired running muscles. I remembered the first few times a did this ride with my old steel bike with my 650 wheels. I have felt pain on this ride and suffering, but today was different. I was practicing what Jeff, my bicyclologist taught me during my last lesson where we worked on hills and trying to incorporate his teachings into my pedaling and shifting. My legs did not burn on one hill and what looked and felt so steep in the past, did not feel so bad. It still looked scary when you saw what was ahead, but when your wheel met the hill, it did not feel so hard. Slow and steady I went up the 3 climbs. When you ride the Skull Valley Loop, you have already gone 40 miles before you get to this part, but today was out and back, so I had only gone 14.5 miles before we had to turn around and climb back out (although I think the half marathon from the day before might count as the 40 miles of riding time). The SCOTT FOIL had been berry berry good to me and learning to ride with better form and shifting has got to be helping. Or just maybe it was my day! The UP after the DOWN or is it the DOWN after the UP. My motto today when we saw our sag vehicle (Al's husband...thanks John).....was "FOR EVERY UP, THERE IS A DOWN" as I chugged on by. When we reached the summit at 6100 feet, my work was done and I got to enjoy 5 miles of fast downhill through the scrumptious pine trees. Did I mention, I love pine trees.
Everything was aligned and that is a good way to end a weekend because that is where our mind travels to a place where it believes we believe the message it is sending.....I THINK I CAN. I am feeling better about my upcoming Deuceman Race (half IM distance) on June 1 where altitude will be a factor. ALTITUDE AND HILLS WILL MAKE YOU STRONGER......But as my friend Cory pointed out, all you have to do is change one letter and it turns into ATTITUDE which maybe is what really makes you stronger.
Did I mention that I am very sore now.....so perhaps tomorrow is a good day to try out the RECOVERY RIDE that ONE is fortunate to have on our schedule with one of the top AZ cyclists leading on Monday mornings. It is worth a try at least ONEce. My new club ONE has me going on puns with the word ONE in it. So bare with me. Remember for every uphill, there will always be a down. Never stop on a hill for you will miss the greatest reward, the exhilaration on the way down!
This week included 3 swims (1 pool workout to practice technique, 1 tough group workout in the pool, and 1 open water swim in choppy waters), 3 bike workouts (1 hill workout, 1 easy, and 1 very hard medium distance) and 3 runs (6 mile, 3 mile, and Whiskey Row Half Marathon). The weekend portion was challenging and I am left with very sore muscles, but a big confidence boost.
My friend Alveratta and I went up to Prescott for some altitude training. We ran the 35th Annual Whiskey Row Half Marathon which is probably one of the hardest courses in Arizona. For the first 2 miles the streets were lined with bumper to bumper runners and I found it a little hard to breathe as we slowly climbed the first gradual hill and then I reached a steady state when we turned into a neighborhood with several challenging rollers. Every time you made it to the top of one peak, another steep section was waiting for you, teasing you that it would level off only to round a bend for more punishment. The course climbs 1000 feet to 6200 ft at the turn around and then it is all down hill (minus a few short steep climbs). The thought of what would happen at the turn around was motivating because there was a reward waiting for you.....a 6.5 mile downhill. People were going all out on the downs, but I knew I had to show some restraint because there were a few steep rollers waiting right where we left them on this out and back course. I averaged between an 11 and 12 minute mile on the way UP and a 10 minute mile on the way DOWN. Yes, I did a NEGATIVE SPLIT! I was estimating about a 2:30 half on this course and finished in 2:22 (a little bit faster than my Ironman Marathon Pace). I find it fascinating that I move around the same pace no matter what distance I go. There is for sure room for improvement in my speed, but I am hoping that I am heading in the right direction. My body just does not seem to have the fast gear anymore. (my fast used to be between 8:30 5K, 9:00 10K to 10 minute marathon pace). I am most definitely in the back of the pack in running these days, though steady as can be. I cannot go any slower unless I walk (And that is just a bad thing mentally for me to do). I was annoyed by the people who were walking up the hills and passing me sprinting down the hills, especially this women who was in her 70s I would say...she would speedwalk up and then she would scream her head off while sprinting down. I was just trying to enjoy the serenity in the pines and I finally dropped her after the first half, but I was happy she was so strong for her age and hoped I would be out there when I am in my 70s and beyond.....I just wish she would have saved her enthusiasm for her solo runs. My legs did start to fatigue on the last mile but I was able push through the shortening that was happening in my muscles. My friend Al finished strong about 5 minutes ahead and me and we enjoyed some post race refreshments, a snooze on the grass, and lunch. The race motto was "ARE YOU TOUGH ENOUGH" and the question was answered at the finish and on our shirts....YES, WE ARE TOUGH ENOUGH! They had a few signs on the course that were so funny right before the hills, like "WHAT THE HILL IS THAT". The runners and volunteers were fun and I enjoyed the section that was on a forest road in the pines and took the time to take it all in. Our friend Cory was there who is running the 50 in 50 (50 marathons in 50 states) just doing an easy run between marathons. He is going to write a book called......"Just Another Long Run". I feel privileged to have taken a few steps with him at the start I spent the rest of the day hanging out at my parent's house recovering. The true test would come the following day.
We set out to do a 2+ hour bike ride and I had a course in mind that takes you from downtown Prescott on Highway 89 over a mountain pass to the town of Wilhoit. I have done this ride about 6 times (including 3 Skull Valley Loops). Today was my best climb back up 89 from Wilhoit even on tired running muscles. I remembered the first few times a did this ride with my old steel bike with my 650 wheels. I have felt pain on this ride and suffering, but today was different. I was practicing what Jeff, my bicyclologist taught me during my last lesson where we worked on hills and trying to incorporate his teachings into my pedaling and shifting. My legs did not burn on one hill and what looked and felt so steep in the past, did not feel so bad. It still looked scary when you saw what was ahead, but when your wheel met the hill, it did not feel so hard. Slow and steady I went up the 3 climbs. When you ride the Skull Valley Loop, you have already gone 40 miles before you get to this part, but today was out and back, so I had only gone 14.5 miles before we had to turn around and climb back out (although I think the half marathon from the day before might count as the 40 miles of riding time). The SCOTT FOIL had been berry berry good to me and learning to ride with better form and shifting has got to be helping. Or just maybe it was my day! The UP after the DOWN or is it the DOWN after the UP. My motto today when we saw our sag vehicle (Al's husband...thanks John).....was "FOR EVERY UP, THERE IS A DOWN" as I chugged on by. When we reached the summit at 6100 feet, my work was done and I got to enjoy 5 miles of fast downhill through the scrumptious pine trees. Did I mention, I love pine trees.
Everything was aligned and that is a good way to end a weekend because that is where our mind travels to a place where it believes we believe the message it is sending.....I THINK I CAN. I am feeling better about my upcoming Deuceman Race (half IM distance) on June 1 where altitude will be a factor. ALTITUDE AND HILLS WILL MAKE YOU STRONGER......But as my friend Cory pointed out, all you have to do is change one letter and it turns into ATTITUDE which maybe is what really makes you stronger.
Did I mention that I am very sore now.....so perhaps tomorrow is a good day to try out the RECOVERY RIDE that ONE is fortunate to have on our schedule with one of the top AZ cyclists leading on Monday mornings. It is worth a try at least ONEce. My new club ONE has me going on puns with the word ONE in it. So bare with me. Remember for every uphill, there will always be a down. Never stop on a hill for you will miss the greatest reward, the exhilaration on the way down!
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