Here is my update for the week. Overall it was a great week. Looking forward to taking it up a notch!
TRAINING: I have finished a full week of the Be Iron Fit Intermediate training plan. I think it was the perfect week of training for me due to my knee injury. It will be interesting to see how this plan works. It was weird going so slow. It took a lot of control not to take off and let my heart rate go crazy. The only bad thing was that I didn't get into a pool. I HAVE TO FIND A POOL!
KNEE: My knee feels good. I only did my assigned work outs and nothing more. I also iced and elevated. Seems like it is working.
BIKE FIT: I went on an hour ride today. It felt like I was on a different bike. I can't believe how much higher I am sitting. It makes my positioning much more aggressive. I was a little spooked getting into my new aerobars. I haven't been down in them for over a year. I think it will be fun getting used to this new ride!
Monday, April 30, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
The Bike Fitting
My bike fitting this morning was very interesting. I got there and my black beauty had new red tape! I fell in love with her all over again. Pretty.
Ryan was my bike fitter. He was a young guy with a shaved head who knew a TON about fitting and the mechanics of biking. When I got on the bike he said, "Oh My. That is awful! How long have you been riding like this?" Ugh. Ryan said my seat was way too low and I my seat was far to small for my "sit bones". I didn't even know I had "sit bones"! I need to look at the other seats we have in the garage to see if they will fit the bill.
So Ryan raised my seat almost 2.5 inches. He said he could raise it even more but he was afraid that it might hurt my knee even more. He also put my aerobars on. They are different from my last pair. I think I'm going to dig it. I can't wait to try it out.
He gave me some interesting tips.
1. If you get pain behind the knee, IMMEDIATELY stop and lower your seat until the pain goes away.
2. You can't lock your arms. That puts too much pressure on your hands and they will go numb.
3. If your seat doesn't fit your "sit bones" it will put extra pressure on your lady bits.
4. Ladies make the mistake of getting too "comfy" of a seat. It ends up making the parts chafe and rub worse!
5. You should have your bike cleaned and tuned quarterly. The dry air and dust of Arizona grinds the chain and builds up dust. The dryness also can crack your wires.
6. Tires need to be checked before every ride. Pressure at 120!
7. Your knee should be at a 30 degree angle at your down stroke.
8. Core strength will make you more comfortable on the bike.
Ryan was my bike fitter. He was a young guy with a shaved head who knew a TON about fitting and the mechanics of biking. When I got on the bike he said, "Oh My. That is awful! How long have you been riding like this?" Ugh. Ryan said my seat was way too low and I my seat was far to small for my "sit bones". I didn't even know I had "sit bones"! I need to look at the other seats we have in the garage to see if they will fit the bill.
So Ryan raised my seat almost 2.5 inches. He said he could raise it even more but he was afraid that it might hurt my knee even more. He also put my aerobars on. They are different from my last pair. I think I'm going to dig it. I can't wait to try it out.
He gave me some interesting tips.
1. If you get pain behind the knee, IMMEDIATELY stop and lower your seat until the pain goes away.
2. You can't lock your arms. That puts too much pressure on your hands and they will go numb.
3. If your seat doesn't fit your "sit bones" it will put extra pressure on your lady bits.
4. Ladies make the mistake of getting too "comfy" of a seat. It ends up making the parts chafe and rub worse!
5. You should have your bike cleaned and tuned quarterly. The dry air and dust of Arizona grinds the chain and builds up dust. The dryness also can crack your wires.
6. Tires need to be checked before every ride. Pressure at 120!
7. Your knee should be at a 30 degree angle at your down stroke.
8. Core strength will make you more comfortable on the bike.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Bike Fitting
One more quick post. I bought my Specialized bike in January 2011 from DNA Cycles in Mesa. I opted to buy a road bike instead of a tri bike because I thought I'd get more use out of a road bike. To prepare for Ironman training I purchased a new set of aero bars and scheduled a bike fitting to make sure I'm properly set up. I am SO excited about it. The fitting is at 6am tomorrow morning. It is an early appointment but it will be worth it! To top it off, I'm losing the white tape and putting on some bright red tape to match my racing tires. (I don't like my tape to look dirty and the white is driving me crazy!) I'm going to be STYLIN'! Watch out!
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| Kate's Bike - Almost ready for action! |
Happy Training Day!! (My Knee - Part II)
Happy Training! Today is the first day of our 30 week training program. Lucky for me Day 1 was a "Rest" day. On the first day of IMAZ training I went to the doctor and was sent for an x-ray of my knee. The doctor told me everything I already knew.
(1) I'm getting old
(2) I am carrying more weight than I should be
(3) I was probably not properly trained for the race and my body is in shock.
Translation: I'm old, fat and out of shape!
I guess I need to be more careful when jumping into races. I get the message. UNDERSTOOD!
The doctor sent me for an x-ray and the results came back positive. Nothing is torn or ripped. He gave me some meds for pain and swelling and it really took the edge off. He said to rest a bit and ease back into training. Ease back into training. The doctor also recommended that I check my shoes to make sure they are not too worn.
For now, I'm icing and elevating. I'm going to be ready for action soon.
(1) I'm getting old
(2) I am carrying more weight than I should be
(3) I was probably not properly trained for the race and my body is in shock.
Translation: I'm old, fat and out of shape!
I guess I need to be more careful when jumping into races. I get the message. UNDERSTOOD!
The doctor sent me for an x-ray and the results came back positive. Nothing is torn or ripped. He gave me some meds for pain and swelling and it really took the edge off. He said to rest a bit and ease back into training. Ease back into training. The doctor also recommended that I check my shoes to make sure they are not too worn.
For now, I'm icing and elevating. I'm going to be ready for action soon.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
My Knees
I have found Annette's knee problems. I don't know when it happened but my left knee is swollen. I only noticed b/c when I folded my leg it "felt" swollen. This started about a week ago. Today when I ran the PAT TILLMAN HONOR RUN aka Pat's run, I REALLY felt that something was wrong. After the 5k (should have been a 4.2 mile run but we had to cut out short due to my kids basketball games) my mom saw me on the basketball court and said, "Kathlene, your knee is swollen!" Ugh. It must be bad if she can see it! All day long I noticed myself favoring it by putting my weight on the other leg. By the end of the day I was obviously limping. Now the other leg is hurting. I'm sure it is from over compensating. It is so bad, I think I'm going to break down and go to the doc. I wonder if my bike is off or my shoes are off? What ever it is, I do not feel like a champion. Need to fix this quickly!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Jinx
So there's one thing about this past race that I've been hesitant to mention for fear of jinxing it.
I secretly worried about how my knee was going to hold up. Several years ago I was diagnosed with patella femoral syndrome - Runner's Knee. This is when I chose to ditch running shoes and transitioned to Vibram Five Fingers. That transition took over a year, but I believe it has been worth it.
I was concerned during the race because I was starting to feel a hot spot on the ball of my right foot. Three days after the race my muscle healing is just about complete and best yet - my knee feels great!
I secretly worried about how my knee was going to hold up. Several years ago I was diagnosed with patella femoral syndrome - Runner's Knee. This is when I chose to ditch running shoes and transitioned to Vibram Five Fingers. That transition took over a year, but I believe it has been worth it.
I was concerned during the race because I was starting to feel a hot spot on the ball of my right foot. Three days after the race my muscle healing is just about complete and best yet - my knee feels great!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Next Race - One Month
I'm fired up and ready to sign up for another race.
I decided to sign up for Tempe International OLY. It is Sunday, May 13th. There is another race the week before with my favorite race company. That race, Rio Salado, is on a Saturday and it interferes with me coaching my kids basketball teams. Unfortunately, that is a deal breaker for me.
I figure I'll have about a month to train. I will do better. I am announcing my goals for the World to hear.
(1) Improve my times in all three sports.
(2) Weigh less.
Wish me luck!
I decided to sign up for Tempe International OLY. It is Sunday, May 13th. There is another race the week before with my favorite race company. That race, Rio Salado, is on a Saturday and it interferes with me coaching my kids basketball teams. Unfortunately, that is a deal breaker for me.
I figure I'll have about a month to train. I will do better. I am announcing my goals for the World to hear.
(1) Improve my times in all three sports.
(2) Weigh less.
Wish me luck!
Monday, April 16, 2012
Kate's Marquee ReCap
OK ladies. I guess it is my turn. Here is my race report from yesterday.
Pre-Race: I had a great sleep Saturday night, was packed and organized, and woke up right on schedule. This is a positive for me because I'm usually rushing around or overly tired on race morning. I picket Annette up at 5:30 and we headed down to the race. (Annette lives about a mile from me so she is a good car pool buddy.) We had time to chat, set up, take a rest room break and take in the scene before the race. We were in the first rack so we thought we'd easily spot Kim. No luck. I think we saw every one of our friends BUT Kim in that transition. We were right on schedule, no rushing and got in line for the swim.
In line I ran into an old Tri buddy named Debbie. She did IMAZ 2010 with me but didn't make the bike cut off due to wind. We got to know each other while training for ironman. We usually brought up the back of the pack so we would always cheer each other on. (She is also on our facebook Tri Group. She runs like a marathon a month!) It is great to see race buddies again.
Swim: The swim always makes me nervous. I had a horrible swim with Annette the week before. I'm glad I went with her b/c I was able to get in some deep water. I was pretty calm. I don't know why. I guess at that point I knew it would be what it would be. It seemed to take FOREVER! I kept swimming and swimming with no panics. Good progress.
My super secret goal was to get out of the water in less than an hour. Guess what my time was? 58 minutes. Good I met my GOAL but SAD my GOAL was so ridiculous!
T1: I'm usually pretty decent at transition. No major problems except that I put my helmet on before my shirt. It worked out ok though. T1 time was 2:48. I'll take it. Could cut time off by learning Annette's fancy shoe trick but I'm scared I'd fall!
Bike: I always fee pretty comfortable on my bike. I don't have my aerobars on yet so I had to stay in my drops. I was slower than I wanted to be. I averaged a 15.2 with transition. I wanted to be around 16. I can do better than this. I was able to catch Annette on this leg and caught glimpses of Kristin and Kim. This was the only time I saw Kim the whole day. One more thing, I had new bike sunglasses on and I loved them. My eyes normally tear during the ride. The new glasses protected them more.
My super secret bike goal was 1:30. I finished at 1:38. I can do better.
T2: This transition was slower than I would have wanted it to be but I was chatting with a guy who had just finished. He is captain of the ASU tri team and said he could help me with my swim. TOO CUTE! Unfortunately, I was too focused on getting out of there to get his number. I might have to track him down. T2 time was 2:27.
Run: My legs felt pretty good during the run. I think it helped I stayed in my drops. I was able to catch my friend Debbie during this leg. We chatted and then she told me to go on b/c I was faster than her. I trotted on by. Within a couple minutes she was next to me again. She said, "Kate, you were much faster than me 2 years ago! What happened?" UGH! I laughed and said, "Debbie, maybe you are much FASTER!" I then had to admit, that I did nothing all last year. She was right. I was much faster in 2010. (A sincere thank you to Debbie for making me admit what I already knew.) Debbie and I ran together for a while but I had to make a port-o-pottie break. This is a good sign for me b/c I knew I was hydrating properly. I usually don't do well in that department. I ended up walking and running in 6:1s and eventually down to 3:1s and 2:1s. I slowed down quite a bit at the end and finished 4 minutes behind Debbie.
Run time was 1:18. This wasn't great. I didn't know what to expect here b/c I didn't know how tired I would be after the bike. It isn't has fast as I would like but I'm happy I finished.
Total Race Time: 4:00:37.
Post Race: I felt the best I ever felt after the race. I think because I properly hydrated. Annette and I packed up our goodies and headed home. We decided this race was the perfect wake up call before starting Ironman training. Great timing.
The Race: I'm really happy with the race organizers. They changed up the usual transition, the run course and the bike course. It was good. We were able to ride more of the Ironman course. Best race t-shirt in a long time.
Pros:
- I have been losing weight. This helps. I am actually around the weight I was when I raced Ironman 2010. I'm hoping to drop another 10 before I start hard core training.
- My bike is better than the last bike.
- I am decent at transition.
- I can fight my nerves on race day.
Cons:
- I still have a lot of weight to lose.
- I need my aerobars put back on.
- I need to check my bike fit. It feels off.
- I MUST get more swim lessons and coaching.
After the race I took my bike to the bike shop, bought some aerobars, some sassy red tape and scheduled a fit. I'm excited to start Ironman training. I know I said it before but I really enjoy racing. I'm so glad I have friends to race with! Thanks for the support!
PS - My Polar watch must have got moisture in it during the swim. I could hardly see it the rest of the race. I need Kim's watch.
Pre-Race: I had a great sleep Saturday night, was packed and organized, and woke up right on schedule. This is a positive for me because I'm usually rushing around or overly tired on race morning. I picket Annette up at 5:30 and we headed down to the race. (Annette lives about a mile from me so she is a good car pool buddy.) We had time to chat, set up, take a rest room break and take in the scene before the race. We were in the first rack so we thought we'd easily spot Kim. No luck. I think we saw every one of our friends BUT Kim in that transition. We were right on schedule, no rushing and got in line for the swim.
In line I ran into an old Tri buddy named Debbie. She did IMAZ 2010 with me but didn't make the bike cut off due to wind. We got to know each other while training for ironman. We usually brought up the back of the pack so we would always cheer each other on. (She is also on our facebook Tri Group. She runs like a marathon a month!) It is great to see race buddies again.
Swim: The swim always makes me nervous. I had a horrible swim with Annette the week before. I'm glad I went with her b/c I was able to get in some deep water. I was pretty calm. I don't know why. I guess at that point I knew it would be what it would be. It seemed to take FOREVER! I kept swimming and swimming with no panics. Good progress.
My super secret goal was to get out of the water in less than an hour. Guess what my time was? 58 minutes. Good I met my GOAL but SAD my GOAL was so ridiculous!
T1: I'm usually pretty decent at transition. No major problems except that I put my helmet on before my shirt. It worked out ok though. T1 time was 2:48. I'll take it. Could cut time off by learning Annette's fancy shoe trick but I'm scared I'd fall!
Bike: I always fee pretty comfortable on my bike. I don't have my aerobars on yet so I had to stay in my drops. I was slower than I wanted to be. I averaged a 15.2 with transition. I wanted to be around 16. I can do better than this. I was able to catch Annette on this leg and caught glimpses of Kristin and Kim. This was the only time I saw Kim the whole day. One more thing, I had new bike sunglasses on and I loved them. My eyes normally tear during the ride. The new glasses protected them more.
My super secret bike goal was 1:30. I finished at 1:38. I can do better.
T2: This transition was slower than I would have wanted it to be but I was chatting with a guy who had just finished. He is captain of the ASU tri team and said he could help me with my swim. TOO CUTE! Unfortunately, I was too focused on getting out of there to get his number. I might have to track him down. T2 time was 2:27.
Run: My legs felt pretty good during the run. I think it helped I stayed in my drops. I was able to catch my friend Debbie during this leg. We chatted and then she told me to go on b/c I was faster than her. I trotted on by. Within a couple minutes she was next to me again. She said, "Kate, you were much faster than me 2 years ago! What happened?" UGH! I laughed and said, "Debbie, maybe you are much FASTER!" I then had to admit, that I did nothing all last year. She was right. I was much faster in 2010. (A sincere thank you to Debbie for making me admit what I already knew.) Debbie and I ran together for a while but I had to make a port-o-pottie break. This is a good sign for me b/c I knew I was hydrating properly. I usually don't do well in that department. I ended up walking and running in 6:1s and eventually down to 3:1s and 2:1s. I slowed down quite a bit at the end and finished 4 minutes behind Debbie.
Run time was 1:18. This wasn't great. I didn't know what to expect here b/c I didn't know how tired I would be after the bike. It isn't has fast as I would like but I'm happy I finished.
Total Race Time: 4:00:37.
Post Race: I felt the best I ever felt after the race. I think because I properly hydrated. Annette and I packed up our goodies and headed home. We decided this race was the perfect wake up call before starting Ironman training. Great timing.
The Race: I'm really happy with the race organizers. They changed up the usual transition, the run course and the bike course. It was good. We were able to ride more of the Ironman course. Best race t-shirt in a long time.
Pros:
- I have been losing weight. This helps. I am actually around the weight I was when I raced Ironman 2010. I'm hoping to drop another 10 before I start hard core training.
- My bike is better than the last bike.
- I am decent at transition.
- I can fight my nerves on race day.
Cons:
- I still have a lot of weight to lose.
- I need my aerobars put back on.
- I need to check my bike fit. It feels off.
- I MUST get more swim lessons and coaching.
After the race I took my bike to the bike shop, bought some aerobars, some sassy red tape and scheduled a fit. I'm excited to start Ironman training. I know I said it before but I really enjoy racing. I'm so glad I have friends to race with! Thanks for the support!
PS - My Polar watch must have got moisture in it during the swim. I could hardly see it the rest of the race. I need Kim's watch.
Note To Annette
Dear Annette -
I am writing you a love note. Why? Because I want you to know how PROUD I am of you for: (1) signing up for your first OLY; (2) attempting your first 10k as part of an OLY; (3) fighting through your cramp; (4) FINISHING your first OLY and 10k; (5) sticking to your weight loss plan; and (6) maintaining a positive attitude. YOU ARE AWESOME! Keep up the good work.
The Biggest IronMom
Marquee race recap - Kristin
I'm supposed to by writing a paper right now, so naturally I'll take this time to blog about the races this weekend. (It's not the 11th hour, and I've got to keep with this procrastination thing that has worked oh so well for me! ;)
I have a special talent for taking really attractive race pictures. But if you look good at the end of a race you didn't try hard enough, right?
Wednesday night, I decided I'd take advantage of an opportunity to participate in El Tour de Mesa on Saturday for free. I'm such a sucker for free races, I can't turn them down. So despite the fact that I had only been on my bike once that week (and for who know how many weeks prior), I decided I could pull out an easy 28 miles before the tri. This I told myself I would definitely do easy so I could save my legs. Wrong. I couldn't stay at an easy pace. It was sooo cold, and sooo windy, that half way through I found a group of people I could draft off of and since I just wanted it to be over, I pushed myself to stay with them. Dumb.
Tired legs? Check. Saddle sore? Check. Another medal? Check!
So the tri. Duhm duhm duhmmmmm!!!
So the tri. Duhm duhm duhmmmmm!!!Well, I pulled out my wetsuit I hadn't worn since last year. For the Rio Salad Olympic to be exact. The tri I got a DNF in. :( Last year I was having an irregular heart beat (determined to be an anemia induced heart block - during exertion my heart rate would just drop in half), and during my swim my heart rate got so low that my vision actually started getting dark, and I had to flip over and float on my back for a minute so I could breath and NOT PASS OUT IN THE WATER!!! It was really scary. When my heart rate dropped into the 60s during the run I called it quits. My first Olympic tri, and I got a DNF. Well that was NOT going to happen this year. I'm on top of my iron and ready to go!
Swim - I struggled!! I think I either need to get a new wetsuit, or I need to cut the neck out of mine. I just kept struggling for breath. I'm sure that this helped contribute to my almost black out last year, and was probably not all the low heart rate thing.
I could get a good rythym going for a little bit, then I'd have to flip over and back stroke while I gasped for air.
But I did try something new. (on race day, dumb I know, but it worked!) I've been having water get in my ears during swimming that would drive me crazy!! So I got some ear plugs, and they were awesome. I highly recommend swimming with ear plugs.
Oh, but I do need to get something worked out for my goggles. I LOVE the Aqua Sphere Seal XPs but the bridge of my nose is so low that unless the goggles are pulled down really low on my nose, water will leak in. I had to keep readjusting my goggles. :(
Bike - I don't love it when 60 year old ladies fly by me on their super sweet tri bikes. I reallllly want a tri bike. Also, I felt my tired quads and super sore bum from the tour the day before.
I have tri shoes that I've been using. They have a big vent at the front of the foot so the water can drain off your feet, and air can go into the shoe to dry your foot off. Supposed to be a really great idea. But not when it's not 85º out, and you're not wearing socks. My feet froze!
Run - It's really hard to put numb feet into running shoes. And even harder to run when the fronts of your feet are numb. Literally, numb!!! It was so crazy. I just had to trust my rythym even though the sensation was all off. And then as the numbness wore off, my toes were throbbing. It wasn't until about mile 4 that I could feel my toes without all the pain.
When I run, I rely heavily on my Garmin. I grabbed it, hit the buttons to search for satellites, and it took so long that it went into power save mode. I tried it again, and the same thing happened. It didn't work my whole run! So I had to just go with what felt comfortable, and then push it a little beyond that. I was sure I was doing close to 10 minute miles. I was SHOCKED to see that I pulled off an 8:26 pace after that awful bike ride! But it was nice to pass some of the 50 and 60 year old ladies who flew by me on the bike.
And when I was running the last 400 meters, I couldn't help but think of Kim and feel sorry for her, having to run another 7 miles, and doing an additional 31 on the bike?! Then I started thinking, can I really do that? And that's only HALF of a full, can I really do a full Ironman?! Then I reminded myself that I've got 7 months to get ready, I won't be doing it alone, and HELL YA I CAN DO AN IRONMAN!!!
That's what I'm thinking in this picture-
I have a special talent for taking really attractive race pictures. But if you look good at the end of a race you didn't try hard enough, right?So, I need to figure out the wet suit choking situation. And do I need to try different goggles? And my tri shoes, I think they'll be okay for Rio Salad since it'll be warmer, but do I risk it?
I finished!
So that's the good news......I finished! ....and isn't that a victory in and of itself anyway? I'd say so.
I'm really glad that I went swimming the two weekends before the race. Recall that first weekend I wasn't in tune with my wetsuit. The following weekend was much better and helped the confidence level for sure. Come race time I felt much better. Now I want to focus more on efficient swimming technique. Like Kim, I had a couple run-ins with other swimmers. Nothing too bad like her though. I was first starting to think that I had missed the OLY turn around point so I would ask the canoe monitors, and they'd assure me that I wasn't quite there yet....but I was REALLY close. sure. I did execute the nifty buoy turn I learned from the open water clinic. During the swim, I was actually practicing a lot of things that I'd been reading about total immersion swimming, breathing, sighting, etc. etc. Getting out of the water was kind of scary - Didn't the water level seem kind of low? I wasn't confident that I could get out with just one person helping me, luckily another person reached under my arm and they yanked me out of the water. A bit wobbly - need to remember to re-engage the legs as I near the end. Next scary thing - wetsuit strippers. Again, didn't think I'd be able to get up if I sat down.....no worries as those ladies pushed be back, gently, they yanked me back up on my feet, gently. : )
Now to test my "new" move of keeping my bike shoes clipped on my bike. I saw how the Ironman pros did this in their bike set-ups, and I gave it a try. Worked really GREAT! Only downside was all the grass that was stuck on my wet feet, but a small price to pay for shaving 2 minutes from T1.
Biking - O.M.G!! The wind I was concerned about from the day before was not as harsh, but there was still a side and headwind that made what is typically a "flat" course kind of icky. My fastest speed was 20 mph, and the lowest was 8 mph (going up the bridge on the way back). Race results say I averaged 13.6 which is about what I average on our weekend rides. I'm usually out of the water before Kate, and there was ONE TIME I was able to stay ahead of her during the bike last year. Not this time dangit! : ) I did see everyone else during the ride, except for Ms. Speedy Kristen McPhie. By this time I had no doubt I was at the rear of the OLY pack so my focus was just on finishing.
Got back to transition area and was able to dismount keeping my shoes clipped in - I love this technique! Makes running back to my spot much easier then trying to walk/run in cycling shoes. T2 took longer than planned because I chose to put on calf sleeves, and my Garmin then I had to use the port-a-potty which meant looking for one that still had tissue. So the 2 minutes I saved from T1 got used in T2. : \
I AM A RUNNER!!! I RUN WITH FREEDOM AND EASE.....DAG-NAB-IT!
So no secret that this was my first 10k, but it was also my first OLY Tri too, so big whoop. My plan was to do the 3:1 run/walk which I totally credit with getting me as far as I did. With just 1/2 mile left in the whole dang race, I got a quick little sharp calf spasm. After that I really didn't want to tempt anymore cramping so I chose to walk the rest of the way. I tested with a little bit of a jog, but could feel another twinge coming on so pulled back to the walk.
BIG NEWS - even though the run course did not include my nemesis Mill Street Bridge, the river crossing was the Scottsdale Road Bridge. When I started across it was during one of my run periods. About a 1/4 way across I made up my mind that I was going to run across the whole bridge without stopping simply in the name of principle. and like I said before - I AM A RUNNER! I made it all the way across that bridge by gum. WOOHOO!
Lessons learned:
1. Recreational "training" does not cut it. Intentionality is required.
2. Keeping the shoes clipped on the bike was great.
3. Need more wetsuit swimming.
4. Although it was my intent to mind my body for nutritional intake as far as calories go, I didn't pay enough attention on hydration and the need to replenish electrolytes, thus the cramping. During the bike I by-passed the performance drinks, and just drank my on-board water. Next time - take a couple performance drinks to prepare for the running, and during the running too.
5. Just more and more running.
I'd like to do another OLY before the SOMA Half-Ironman in October. Time to peruse the races coming up......
Thanks everyone for the good thoughts and congratulations! Your support was definitely felt out on the course.
I'm really glad that I went swimming the two weekends before the race. Recall that first weekend I wasn't in tune with my wetsuit. The following weekend was much better and helped the confidence level for sure. Come race time I felt much better. Now I want to focus more on efficient swimming technique. Like Kim, I had a couple run-ins with other swimmers. Nothing too bad like her though. I was first starting to think that I had missed the OLY turn around point so I would ask the canoe monitors, and they'd assure me that I wasn't quite there yet....but I was REALLY close. sure. I did execute the nifty buoy turn I learned from the open water clinic. During the swim, I was actually practicing a lot of things that I'd been reading about total immersion swimming, breathing, sighting, etc. etc. Getting out of the water was kind of scary - Didn't the water level seem kind of low? I wasn't confident that I could get out with just one person helping me, luckily another person reached under my arm and they yanked me out of the water. A bit wobbly - need to remember to re-engage the legs as I near the end. Next scary thing - wetsuit strippers. Again, didn't think I'd be able to get up if I sat down.....no worries as those ladies pushed be back, gently, they yanked me back up on my feet, gently. : )
Now to test my "new" move of keeping my bike shoes clipped on my bike. I saw how the Ironman pros did this in their bike set-ups, and I gave it a try. Worked really GREAT! Only downside was all the grass that was stuck on my wet feet, but a small price to pay for shaving 2 minutes from T1.
Biking - O.M.G!! The wind I was concerned about from the day before was not as harsh, but there was still a side and headwind that made what is typically a "flat" course kind of icky. My fastest speed was 20 mph, and the lowest was 8 mph (going up the bridge on the way back). Race results say I averaged 13.6 which is about what I average on our weekend rides. I'm usually out of the water before Kate, and there was ONE TIME I was able to stay ahead of her during the bike last year. Not this time dangit! : ) I did see everyone else during the ride, except for Ms. Speedy Kristen McPhie. By this time I had no doubt I was at the rear of the OLY pack so my focus was just on finishing.
Got back to transition area and was able to dismount keeping my shoes clipped in - I love this technique! Makes running back to my spot much easier then trying to walk/run in cycling shoes. T2 took longer than planned because I chose to put on calf sleeves, and my Garmin then I had to use the port-a-potty which meant looking for one that still had tissue. So the 2 minutes I saved from T1 got used in T2. : \
I AM A RUNNER!!! I RUN WITH FREEDOM AND EASE.....DAG-NAB-IT!
So no secret that this was my first 10k, but it was also my first OLY Tri too, so big whoop. My plan was to do the 3:1 run/walk which I totally credit with getting me as far as I did. With just 1/2 mile left in the whole dang race, I got a quick little sharp calf spasm. After that I really didn't want to tempt anymore cramping so I chose to walk the rest of the way. I tested with a little bit of a jog, but could feel another twinge coming on so pulled back to the walk.
BIG NEWS - even though the run course did not include my nemesis Mill Street Bridge, the river crossing was the Scottsdale Road Bridge. When I started across it was during one of my run periods. About a 1/4 way across I made up my mind that I was going to run across the whole bridge without stopping simply in the name of principle. and like I said before - I AM A RUNNER! I made it all the way across that bridge by gum. WOOHOO!
Lessons learned:
1. Recreational "training" does not cut it. Intentionality is required.
2. Keeping the shoes clipped on the bike was great.
3. Need more wetsuit swimming.
4. Although it was my intent to mind my body for nutritional intake as far as calories go, I didn't pay enough attention on hydration and the need to replenish electrolytes, thus the cramping. During the bike I by-passed the performance drinks, and just drank my on-board water. Next time - take a couple performance drinks to prepare for the running, and during the running too.
5. Just more and more running.
I'd like to do another OLY before the SOMA Half-Ironman in October. Time to peruse the races coming up......
Thanks everyone for the good thoughts and congratulations! Your support was definitely felt out on the course.
Marquee 1/2 Iron Recap
Let me start by saying that I knew I was under trained going into this race. And, I could definitely feel it during the race. The good news is that I finished and have one more 1/2 Iron under my belt in preparation for IMAZ.
I knew things were not going my way for this race starting at about 3:00 a.m. I woke up with an upset stomach. Then, about 45 minutes later, my daughter had to come home from a sleepover due to throwing up. I decided that my stomach upset was not due to race nerves, but probably something viral. Despite this, I decided to go ahead with the race. There aren't many opportunities to complete a 1/2 Iron in Tempe, and I really wanted to finish another one to boost my confidence.
The swim also started badly for me. I jumped in and hit the bottom scraping my foot. I have never hit the bottom of Tempe Town Lake before and I suspect it had something to do with the new swim start set up, but I can't be sure. This swim was also my first race in a full sleeved wetsuit. While I was happy to be wearing a wetsuit (the water temp was a chilly 64 degrees), I am not accustomed to swimming in one. Also, I never really felt like I warmed up during the swim, which made me feel stiff throughout. About 1/2 through the swim, I felt like I was hitting my stroke--then came the turn around. I really felt like I was swimming against a current (though I shouldn't complain--Tempe Town Lake is really about as calm as they come). There were also 2 swimmers who were swimming at roughly the same speed as me that were particularly frustrating (actually they were probably swimming faster than me, but weren't swimming straight). One swam next to/on top of me for about 1/2 the race. Finally, I said to her, "SERIOUSLY!!!" and she apologized and then moved to the outer edge of the course for the rest of the race. The other swam in a zig zag from the inner edge to the outer edge for the whole race. This meant that she plowed into me each time she zigged or zagged the other direction. I think I swam by one or both of these ladies when I did Soma--I recall the zig zagging particularly. My new swim goal is to improve my swim speed so that I am faster than these ladies in future races. Now, how can I be sure that I wasn't the culprit? One of the highlights of this race is that it was my first tri with my new Garmin 910XT--so after the race I pulled up my swim and I could see that I swam a pretty straight course. :) It's a great toy and I got really accurate splits and transition times with it. Also, I spot throughout the swim (probably too much, but I'd rather slow a bit with spotting than swim a bunch extra by veering off course!!).
Then, it was time for the bike. Let's just say that I was significantly under trained. I didn't feel good at any point on the bike. My shoulders and back were sore after the first 12 miles and I was so tired of being on the bike at the end that I could have just screamed. What did I learn from this? Well, if I am going to under train in any event--DON'T under train the bike!! One, it put me significantly far back in the pack and two, it put more pressure on me for the run. I need to get some serious miles in if I am going to finish the 112 during IMAZ and feel good about it.
Finally, it was time for the run. I have to say that this went better than expected given how terrible I felt after the bike. Now, by this time, my stomach was truly unhappy. I was taking Coca Cola at the aid stations in an attempt to settle my stomach instead of for energy. Still, I managed to run a large portion of the course, unlike during Soma where I walked most of it. One of the best parts of the run was that the temperature was still pretty cool. Red Rock Company does an awesome job of keeping aid stations stocked and staffed for everyone still on the course. I know that I (and probably the few racers that finished after me) truly appreciated that they still had plenty of supplies at all of the aid stations until the bitter end. And, I was motivated to keep going because there was a racer in my division still behind me that I didn't want to catch me. I still managed to finish with a nice padding between my ending and the course cutoff, which was a good feeling.
This race was largely about perseverance for me. There were so many points where I wanted to quit (or not even start). I kept thinking that no one would fault me for giving up since I wasn't feeling well or under trained, but another part of me kept telling that part to "shut the f*%$ up!" and keep going. I can't help it--I just can't quit--it's not in my DNA. So, I've kept up my streak of finishing every race I've ever started--and I don't intend on ending it any time soon!
I was completely exhausted after the race. I took a nice long soak in a Dr. Teal's Epsom salt bath (thanks again to Fit this, girl! for hooking me up with that). I had met with the nice folks at South Mountain Nutrition on Friday who set me up with a test run of Herbalife 24 products to use before, during, and after the race, which I think really paid off. Other than my stomach bug, I could tell that I felt pretty good in terms of energy and endurance. As a result, I am feeling pretty good today (still battling the stomach thing though). I can even walk up and down stairs like a normal person!
I'll let the other Ironmoms update you on the Marquee Olympic race--they all did great! One of the bummers with the way the race was set up (with the transition areas staggered as well as the start times--though I have to say I really appreciated this as it kept all portions of the race less crowded and more organized) is that I didn't get a chance to see them before the race--though I did catch Annette and Kate in passing during the bike. I think Kristin was going too fast--I am sure she passed me in a blur of speed. :)
 |
| So happy to be finished! |
I knew things were not going my way for this race starting at about 3:00 a.m. I woke up with an upset stomach. Then, about 45 minutes later, my daughter had to come home from a sleepover due to throwing up. I decided that my stomach upset was not due to race nerves, but probably something viral. Despite this, I decided to go ahead with the race. There aren't many opportunities to complete a 1/2 Iron in Tempe, and I really wanted to finish another one to boost my confidence.
The swim also started badly for me. I jumped in and hit the bottom scraping my foot. I have never hit the bottom of Tempe Town Lake before and I suspect it had something to do with the new swim start set up, but I can't be sure. This swim was also my first race in a full sleeved wetsuit. While I was happy to be wearing a wetsuit (the water temp was a chilly 64 degrees), I am not accustomed to swimming in one. Also, I never really felt like I warmed up during the swim, which made me feel stiff throughout. About 1/2 through the swim, I felt like I was hitting my stroke--then came the turn around. I really felt like I was swimming against a current (though I shouldn't complain--Tempe Town Lake is really about as calm as they come). There were also 2 swimmers who were swimming at roughly the same speed as me that were particularly frustrating (actually they were probably swimming faster than me, but weren't swimming straight). One swam next to/on top of me for about 1/2 the race. Finally, I said to her, "SERIOUSLY!!!" and she apologized and then moved to the outer edge of the course for the rest of the race. The other swam in a zig zag from the inner edge to the outer edge for the whole race. This meant that she plowed into me each time she zigged or zagged the other direction. I think I swam by one or both of these ladies when I did Soma--I recall the zig zagging particularly. My new swim goal is to improve my swim speed so that I am faster than these ladies in future races. Now, how can I be sure that I wasn't the culprit? One of the highlights of this race is that it was my first tri with my new Garmin 910XT--so after the race I pulled up my swim and I could see that I swam a pretty straight course. :) It's a great toy and I got really accurate splits and transition times with it. Also, I spot throughout the swim (probably too much, but I'd rather slow a bit with spotting than swim a bunch extra by veering off course!!).
Then, it was time for the bike. Let's just say that I was significantly under trained. I didn't feel good at any point on the bike. My shoulders and back were sore after the first 12 miles and I was so tired of being on the bike at the end that I could have just screamed. What did I learn from this? Well, if I am going to under train in any event--DON'T under train the bike!! One, it put me significantly far back in the pack and two, it put more pressure on me for the run. I need to get some serious miles in if I am going to finish the 112 during IMAZ and feel good about it.
Finally, it was time for the run. I have to say that this went better than expected given how terrible I felt after the bike. Now, by this time, my stomach was truly unhappy. I was taking Coca Cola at the aid stations in an attempt to settle my stomach instead of for energy. Still, I managed to run a large portion of the course, unlike during Soma where I walked most of it. One of the best parts of the run was that the temperature was still pretty cool. Red Rock Company does an awesome job of keeping aid stations stocked and staffed for everyone still on the course. I know that I (and probably the few racers that finished after me) truly appreciated that they still had plenty of supplies at all of the aid stations until the bitter end. And, I was motivated to keep going because there was a racer in my division still behind me that I didn't want to catch me. I still managed to finish with a nice padding between my ending and the course cutoff, which was a good feeling.
This race was largely about perseverance for me. There were so many points where I wanted to quit (or not even start). I kept thinking that no one would fault me for giving up since I wasn't feeling well or under trained, but another part of me kept telling that part to "shut the f*%$ up!" and keep going. I can't help it--I just can't quit--it's not in my DNA. So, I've kept up my streak of finishing every race I've ever started--and I don't intend on ending it any time soon!
I was completely exhausted after the race. I took a nice long soak in a Dr. Teal's Epsom salt bath (thanks again to Fit this, girl! for hooking me up with that). I had met with the nice folks at South Mountain Nutrition on Friday who set me up with a test run of Herbalife 24 products to use before, during, and after the race, which I think really paid off. Other than my stomach bug, I could tell that I felt pretty good in terms of energy and endurance. As a result, I am feeling pretty good today (still battling the stomach thing though). I can even walk up and down stairs like a normal person!
I'll let the other Ironmoms update you on the Marquee Olympic race--they all did great! One of the bummers with the way the race was set up (with the transition areas staggered as well as the start times--though I have to say I really appreciated this as it kept all portions of the race less crowded and more organized) is that I didn't get a chance to see them before the race--though I did catch Annette and Kate in passing during the bike. I think Kristin was going too fast--I am sure she passed me in a blur of speed. :)
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Marquee Plan
Well here it is the night before the year's first triathlon - Marquee Triathlon. Checked in the bike this afternoon. I'm worried because the weather has been really erratic the past few days. Really warm in the 90's and now really chilly with craaaazy wind and rain. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the weather folk are right and that everything is supposed to clear up tomorrow. Mid-70's.
I'm going to be trying a couple of things to shave some time off my transitions.....no taking naps! I also need to be mindful of my body and nutrition needs. This is an area where I really haven't been paying much attention.
This will be my first OLY distance which means my first ever 10k. I am a runner.....I am a runner.....I AM A RUNNER DAMMIT!!! : )
The official Ironman training also kicks off this week. We'll be following the Be Ironfit training plan. I'm already seeing areas where we'll have to customize. I think the best way to get the swimming workouts in is to head out to Saguaro Lake at least twice a month and increase as we get further into the plan. The sun is still slow in coming up for me to get an early morning ride started, but should be coming soon.
Running, running, running, and more running. This is my challenge event.
Post race reports coming!!!!!!
I'm going to be trying a couple of things to shave some time off my transitions.....no taking naps! I also need to be mindful of my body and nutrition needs. This is an area where I really haven't been paying much attention.
This will be my first OLY distance which means my first ever 10k. I am a runner.....I am a runner.....I AM A RUNNER DAMMIT!!! : )
The official Ironman training also kicks off this week. We'll be following the Be Ironfit training plan. I'm already seeing areas where we'll have to customize. I think the best way to get the swimming workouts in is to head out to Saguaro Lake at least twice a month and increase as we get further into the plan. The sun is still slow in coming up for me to get an early morning ride started, but should be coming soon.
Running, running, running, and more running. This is my challenge event.
Post race reports coming!!!!!!
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Marquee Mantra
I am a runner......I am a runner......I am a runner......I am a runner
I am a runner.....I am a runner......where the hell is that port-a-potty?!?!?! I am a runner....I am a runner.....
I am a runner...
I am a runner.....I am a runner......where the hell is that port-a-potty?!?!?! I am a runner....I am a runner.....
I am a runner...
Monday, April 9, 2012
Race Time!
As Kim and Annette have posted, it is race time. I like Kim am not as ready as I would like to be. I feel good about doing the OLY. It is going to push me but is doable. The biggest obstacle is the Swim. I had a ROUGH swim with Annette. Thank goodness she encouraged me to practice! I am normally a pretty optimistic person but when it comes to swimming I just can't find it. I have an hour cut off for my 1500 meter swim. After my practice swim, I will need every minute of it! Why have I not practiced since Ironman? Just think of how much better I would be if I would just get in the water!
As scared as I am about the swim, I am really excited about the race. It will be fun to get out there again. I'm especially excited about seeing the other moms in action. I'm hoping we get some good pictures to post.
Keep you all posted.
As scared as I am about the swim, I am really excited about the race. It will be fun to get out there again. I'm especially excited about seeing the other moms in action. I'm hoping we get some good pictures to post.
Keep you all posted.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
April!
I can hardly believe it's April!! I have a few big races on the calendar that I feel undertrained for...the story of my race life! I am signed up for the Marquee 1/2 iron distance tri next (yikes!) weekend, the Tour d' Fire 139 mile bike ride at the beginning of May and the Medcity marathon at the end of May.
I am hoping for cool weather for these races--with that I am certain I will make it.
Also, April marks the "official" start to Ironman training. I am looking at ways to get in 2 workouts a day. I am also committing to drinking a green smoothie to start out each day! This is probably my biggest challenge as I am not a morning person and we're usually scrambling to get out the door as it is.
Here's to iron training!!
I am hoping for cool weather for these races--with that I am certain I will make it.
Also, April marks the "official" start to Ironman training. I am looking at ways to get in 2 workouts a day. I am also committing to drinking a green smoothie to start out each day! This is probably my biggest challenge as I am not a morning person and we're usually scrambling to get out the door as it is.
Here's to iron training!!
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Necessary evil. Ok, not evil....
So I went to an open water swim clinic on Saturday at Saguaro Lake. Beautiful day, great people and instruction. This was my first opportunity to try out my wetsuit.....never swam on one before. Ummm...not totally horrible and I didn't get that constricted panicky feeling some people experiencemy All in all.....hated it!! The bouyancy of the suit was messing my ability to swim at all. Now I totally appreciated the keeping me from freezing to death aspect of the experience, but its gonna take a lot more practice to get the hang of that thing. So my first time comment is BLECH!
On a sad note, the world of ultra running lost a unique character over the weekend. Micah True, aka Caballo Blanco, died doing what he loved best - running a trail in a wilderness. Still under investigation but his body hes been found in the Gila Wilderness in southern New Mexico. I first learned of Caballo Blanco, like many people, in the book "Born to Run." He was definately a character. I lent my book to my dad in Montana (he's still "reading" it), and I sent him to a lecture by Caballo Blanco in Missoula. He was promoting his annual Copper Canyon ultramarathon. Luckily my dad took my book with him and had Caballo Blanco sign it for me. That book helped me get where I am today.
Several years ago I made up my mind that I was finally going to become a runner. Like most beginners, I went to a running store seeking advice and shoes. I got set up in some expensive running shoes engineered to correct the over pronation the saleslady declared me to have. Fast forward a few short weeks and I'm in my doctor's office barely able to walk. Diagnosis - patella femoral syndrome. The dreaded Runner's Knee. Months of physical therapy, crutches then a cane later I could kinda walk again. Then I saw an interview with Chris McDougall, bought his book, tossed the shoes in the back of my closet (they were expensive after all) , and now only run in VFF's. It took over a year to transition to running in the VFF's, but I know I'll never go back. Actually can't, I tried and my knees said, "HELL NO!"
So I was sad to learn of Caballo Blanco's passing but grateful for his inspiration and motivation to not give up on becoming a runner. Rest in peace Micah True and I'll know you're running with me when I feel the breeze on my face.
On a sad note, the world of ultra running lost a unique character over the weekend. Micah True, aka Caballo Blanco, died doing what he loved best - running a trail in a wilderness. Still under investigation but his body hes been found in the Gila Wilderness in southern New Mexico. I first learned of Caballo Blanco, like many people, in the book "Born to Run." He was definately a character. I lent my book to my dad in Montana (he's still "reading" it), and I sent him to a lecture by Caballo Blanco in Missoula. He was promoting his annual Copper Canyon ultramarathon. Luckily my dad took my book with him and had Caballo Blanco sign it for me. That book helped me get where I am today.
Several years ago I made up my mind that I was finally going to become a runner. Like most beginners, I went to a running store seeking advice and shoes. I got set up in some expensive running shoes engineered to correct the over pronation the saleslady declared me to have. Fast forward a few short weeks and I'm in my doctor's office barely able to walk. Diagnosis - patella femoral syndrome. The dreaded Runner's Knee. Months of physical therapy, crutches then a cane later I could kinda walk again. Then I saw an interview with Chris McDougall, bought his book, tossed the shoes in the back of my closet (they were expensive after all) , and now only run in VFF's. It took over a year to transition to running in the VFF's, but I know I'll never go back. Actually can't, I tried and my knees said, "HELL NO!"
So I was sad to learn of Caballo Blanco's passing but grateful for his inspiration and motivation to not give up on becoming a runner. Rest in peace Micah True and I'll know you're running with me when I feel the breeze on my face.
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