Week 15 - where has the time gone

I can't believe I'm over a 1/3 of the way done with this training program... What's more scary is that I'm more than a 1/3 of the way closer to Boulder. I'm finally feeling like I'm getting into a groove of things with my training, but my nutrition still has a way to go. I've finally "sucked it up" and accepted that I will have to spend long hours/runs on the treadmill, thanks to the wonderful weather Mother Nature is sending us. But it's weird, I'm getting comfortable on the dreadmill, that I'm just hoping this will actually make me stronger when i get out on the road.

I'm still concerned with my biking. I just don't feel like I'm getting what i should be getting out of my trainer at home. So i broke down this weekend and went out to get the Wahoo Kickr.  With what I spent on it I'm hoping it gives me the hill and resistance workouts I'm really needing.

I finally started to add in swimming to my regimine. I go 2-3 days a week. I bought a freestyle snorkel with a cardio cap to help simulate altitude. I even found a good FB page "Tri Swim Coach 21-Day Challenge" that puts out new challenges each month and that has really got me going on my swims. I'm trying to improve my TT (Time Trial) for a 1650m swim (1 mile). I just started week 3 Day 1 today and I'm finding that my major issue with my swim is the ability to pace myself in a long swim. For last week's 100 repeats I was keeping 1:35-1:40 100m pace, but for these 500's I either went out too fast and then slowed down too much in the middle or I would have too much left in the take after. How do you pace yourself in a swim??? I mean when I run/bike I can watch my Garmin and make adjustments as needed. Even though I wear my Garmin while I swim, checking my pace is not that easy to do.

Things for the trip are starting to come together too. The house is paid off, now just need to email out and let everyone know how much they each owe. Flights are booked and paid (thank to my SW miles Rich and I each only paid $5 for our flight). Due to a delay in planning the flights, Christin and Dave don't have a good direct flight so they will be coming thru Chicago and I'll meet up with Christin and fly in with her, and then Dave will go with Rich. And the car is rented. Christin and I are also starting to look at things to do out there and found a few fun stuff, then lots of micro brewerys for them since I won't be drinking until after the race. Now only to get my training and diet in order, then I should be right on track.

I'm still quite nervous and I just hope I finish. I need keep focusing on my weak areas and just make sure I don't ignore my strengths. Bad part is right now I don't feel like I'm strong in any discipline.

Week 7 done, 1/5 of the way there...

So reality is starting to hit. I made my final payment on the house we're renting and now trying to figure out travel plans. I know we'll be using Southwest (thanks to miles Rich and I will be flying for free) and I'm also looking for a car rental so we can check stuff out while we're there. Luckily, I found out that Christin will be flying out and back on the same dates as me. This way we have each other and I won't be too lonely or too scared, since I don't know when Stephanie I is coming out or even Rich. I'm so happy Christin is coming out, I think she's seen me at most of my big races than anyone else.

This week of training I really tried to hit all my bikes/runs as it says. It was hard thou, since we got snowed in over the weekend to below freezing on Monday and Tuesday, which forced me to stay home from work and work from home.  I didn't get a chance to go to spin class on Monday, so it was riding at home. Tuesday I finally got out of the house and went to run on the treadmill.Wednesday it was back to the trainer. This time I decided to retest myself, and ride the 20 min test I did the first week. I'm happy to say that I've been able to improve in the past 6 weeks. My cadence was up, my speed was faster and my heart rate felt more in control. I was really happy to see that I was improving, this work is paying off. Thursday was running on the treadmill (again) and I enjoyed my Friday off day. The weather seemed to be the biggest challenge for my training. On Friday, the rain started, which meant flooding and staying up late to keep up with the seepage. So Saturday's 9-11 mile run, the rain water and dropping temps, scared us off from running outside, so that means... UGH back to the treadmill. I didn't think I could do it. But Jay gave me the idea to do a 3 mile run followed by a 10 min rest. I opted to change it up and do a 3 mile run at a good/faster pace, then a 1/4 mile walk. After 1:48 on the freakin treadmill I did, I got in 9.5 miles. WOW!! I hope I never have to do that again.  Sunday, my last day, I decided to kill myself and make up for lost time.  Started the day with Yoga By Degrees Sculpt Class, then off to the pool for a swim. I swam 1700 non stop, followed by a 100 easy, where my mile was about 35 minutes and the it was on to the bike for a 2 hour ride.  That ride really really hurt. My legs were spent from yesterday and today's sculpt class. I could feel my knees throbbing and my quads were burning, but I pushed thru it and I got it done. I'm so happy this week is done and I'm happy that I hit all workouts.

I still can't believe I'm going down this path. It's a strange idea to comprehend. I'm scared that I won't be able to do this and there are times I cry because I'm scared what will happen if I don't. I sometimes feel so alone in this journey, and I know I have my team, but it's still lonely. Everyone is dealing with other things, personal and physical, that it's hard to get together to train. Yeah we had each other last year for Racine, but since it's only Stephanie I and I doing Boulder, I just feel weird talking my concerns and issues with everyone else, since they are not going to be racing with me. I feel so alone at times it scares me, but I know that I'm not. I don't know... I guess I'm just being weird :( Maybe once the weather starts to cooperate we can all be back out there together and I won't feel as lonely.

2014 - Bigger and Better

2013 was a good year, with many firsts for me, so that just means that I need to find a way to top it in 2014.

How better way to do this but with competing in my first Ironman. Well, yes, I already had this planned in 2013, paid and started training on it, but I just have to mention that his is my A race this year. To make sure that I can successfully compete in my race, I've made sure to keep my race schedule at a minimal. And now that I have paid for my last race, I have the following schedule in place for 2014.

5/2/2014 - Flying Pig's Half Marathon
6/8/2014 - Grand Rapid's Triathlon - Half IM
7/12/2014 - Muncie 70.3
8/3/2014 - Boulder IM

Pretty small compared to the last couple of years, but I have to make sure I remain healthy this year. I also have some fun events setup, which will help in my training or just for fun:

5/24-25/2014 - Blackhawk Country Roads Bike Ride
9/29/2014 - Apple Cider Century

In the end of all of this, I just want to be able to complete my IM and survive, to a point where I can say it was fun and I'll stick to Half IM's :)

So 2014... Bring It... I'm Ready for it!!!

2013... Year in Review

2013 was definitely a year of firsts, injuries and illnesses for me.

My first DNF
My first Olympic Triathlon
My first Half Ironman
My first Century Ride
My first ER Visit

I busted my butt all year to reach my goals and made it thru many obstacles. From quiting a race to stay with a fallen teammate until medical arrived to spraining my ankle just a few weeks out from my triathlon season started. Getting sick just days before major races, spring and fall half and my marathon. Plus having my first fall on my bike during the ACC. I overcame them all and finished the best that I could.

Yes there are things I would've changed but there also things I would've kept the same. I now know what I need to focus on for 2014 and what my goals will be. Keeping my race load low to focus more on training and avoid injury will be my top priority. Plus this helps with keeping my sanity during long training days/weeks.

I had a great support team the whole way and that I would never change. Rich helped where he could, doing long rides with me or the team. Even providing nutrition and a cold pool (thanks to Payton) for our long training day. The team stuck together as well, working with everyone, even if they weren't racing. We had Nancy join us on runs/rides to just be there, and Helen as our food/drink sherpa during out long runs in the early season runs. All in all, this season was great.

So my yearly review consisted of:

# Events	Event Type	Distance Covered	Duration
133	Runs	680.01 miles	138:10:27
127	Bike	2,382.52 miles	152:14:39
79	Swim	77.26 miles	46:26:57

Of which some of these miles were completed during the following events:

Spring Spring 10K(NDF)
Shamrock Shuffle 1/2 Marathon
Wisconsin 1/2 Marathon
Ride the Rock
Leaning Tower Triathlon - Sprint
Soldier Field 10 Miler
Bike the Drive
Color Run 5K
Pleasant Prairie Triathlon - Olympic
Racine 70.3
Gather Race The Lake - 90 miler
DeKalb Corn Classic 10K
Naperville Trails 1/2 Marathon
Marine Corp Marathon
Apple Cider Century

I do have to say that the real hardest part of all of this was not training or competing in my first half Ironman, but more the events after that and the training for it. I still have a century along with a marathon to get ready for. My body never had proper time to recover from all the other training that it just started to shut down on me. I got really sick before the Naperville's Trails racet that I ended up in the ER for dehydration. Even with being so sick, just 4 days out from the race, I managed to PR and run the whole 13.1 without any walk breaks.

Then just before the MCM I was sick again, no ER visit, but ended up losing over 6lbs just days before the race. Plus recovering from my fall at ACC, it just made for a bad marathon, I never reached some of my longer mile runs and when I pushed for it I would end up crying. I did finish the MCM, but at mile 23 I hit a wall and couldn't move forward. I cried and had to walk. I felt so bad but the support from the spectators and Marine's on the route I was able to push forward and keep moving, even finding the strength somewhere to run up the last hill and run thru the finish. I was so happy to finish and I cried when my Marine gave me my medal. It was definitely an experience, and as our shirts said ... "Always Earned. Never Given" that held true for this race. I earned this one because I pushed thru it all and made it across the finish.

2014 is a new year, with new challenges and new obstacles

2014 is our IRON YEAR!!!

Week 4 is off to a good start

Breaking Records in Week 2

Training has been going pretty good, to a point. I started to add in yoga after the first week and that has really helped me with my ankle strength, which then leads to better running. This was proven in my week 2 of running. Since Dave heard that my weekend 1 mile repeats were in a 10:10 he decide that just meant I had to push it harder during my track workout of 1 mile repeats. I warmed up on my run from the store and a 1/2 loop on the track. Then I did my 1 mile repeats with about a 30+ sec rest. My first mile was a 9:48... wow. For the second one, Dave had me to it with the group, and I managed to do a 9:37. Double WOW. Now everyone was starting to cool down and I still had one more to do. So he had the boys, Lou and Ed, run with me. They were to keep me at a 9:30 pace and make sure I was working hard. Well I did warn them, I had a Cesar salad for lunch, so if they push me too hard, it would not be a pretty sight. After Dave sent everyone back to the store, he joined us and started to say I was talking to much and shouldn't be talking if I was really working it. Well so I started to push it, really hard, and on the final turn it happened. I felt that wonderful salad and had to stop for a quick spit up. Dave felt bad, made a comment about me pulling back, but then I just picked up my pace again and finished strong, a 9:27...HOLY CRAP I broke a 9:30. I didn't event think that was possible.

Cramping to the max in Week 3

Well after that run, I started to not feel too well. My foot was hurting, the heal in part. Then I started to cramp more and more in my feet and at times in my calves. I'd have good days, and then bad days. During week 3 I finally got back into the pool, after a 30 minute run on the treadmill and I got the worst cramp ever. My leg went into full rigor and I couldn't move. I was hurting I was crying and I couldn't get to the wall to try to stretch it out. Eventually I managed to get it to lessen and then I got out of the pool. It really hurt and for about 2-3 days my calf was tender like hell. I had posted on FB about it and was advised it was probably due to dehydration. I then started to add coconut water into my regimen and it seems to be helping. Week 3 didn't finish as it should, I only got in a 1/2 mile of swimming and missed 1.5+ miles in my Saturday long run,due to snow and not having clear roads.

Back on Track in Week 4

And now here I am at the start of week 4... I went to my spin class which was a challenging climbing and rolling hill ride. I wanted to get in 60 minutes, so I stayed a bit after class to get in my time. I felt great. Then it was a quick change of shoes, cleaning off of my bike, and searching for a treadmill. I wanted to get in the miles I missed on Saturday. Really not knowing what to expect, as this would be my first brick in a long time. So I got on the treadmill, starting at a 11:45 pace, and set to run 2.5 miles on the rolling hill program. As I got comfortable I would start to increase the speed, slowly and steadily, regardless of the hill. I ended up finishing at a 10:37 pace and feeling like I could go longer. I stopped instead of pushing it. I was amazed that in no time, did my legs feel like logs or did I feel like I couldn't go on, let alone no pain at all. Even as I sit here, I feel great and feel no aches or pains or cramping.

It's been pretty weird not training much with anyone, I miss my team but with the holiday's, schedules, and other issues, it makes it hard to work out. I just need to remember that I have to train for me right now, and hopefully after the holiday's we can try to get back on track and training again. I need to keep up with my workouts and make sure not to push it and avoid injury.  I'm only at week 4 and I have to get to 36 and get there without any major set back. I just need to get back into the pool one of these day :)

The journey has just begun... 1 down... 35 to go

Well the first week of IM training wasn't too bad. And likewise it shouldn't have been as it was a "preparation" week. Most of the workouts were simple and getting some baselines together. I did pretty well with keeping to the plan, made some slight adjustments to the schedule to suit my needs but in the end it came together. The only part I slacked on was the swimming.  I really don't feel like I need to be overly concerned with that right now. Plus I added in 3 days of yoga to compensate. Let me tell you that yoga really beat the crap out of me but I really enjoyed it.
My first 2 runs were on the treadmill cuz I couldn't bear to run outside. But my first outdoor run, was 3 1 mile repeats I totally kicked butt on them (11:10 10:10 10:10). I've never done that well I was so happy.
Bike had been spin class or on the trainer. This week I'll be setting up for trainerroad.com and see how that works for me.
So my week I review was:
11 workouts
32.09 miles
7:56:17
3264 calories

Now off to week 2

Rest... Rest... Rest...

After it's all said and done, rest was the best thing for me.  After all the training and racing I put my body thru I took about 3 weeks off from training to relax and recoup and heal up. I thought it would be hard, but I actually found enjoyment in doing nothing unless I wanted to. I didn't run for 3 weeks, as I had a ligament strain in my foot. I then found out that the pain in my neck was due to my fall at ACC, which caused a trapezious muscle strain, and had to get a cortisone shot at the base of my skull. I only swam on Tuesday after MCM and biking, well I started taking spin class with Rich on Monday nights. I took a few yoga classes and loved it, realizing I really need to work on my stretching. I did what I wanted when I wanted. And when I did that first run with the group, this past Wednesday, it felt great. I kept a 11:20 pace for 3.5 miles. I just thought of my accomplishments this past year. All the obstacles I overcame. The fun time and the pains. And then realized that the fun will soon end as Boulder IM training will be starting soon.

And the fun now ends... Tomorrow I start my 36 week program towards Boulder IM.  I feel confident that I can do this race, as long as I improve on my bike.

Can I do it, I sure hope so.
Am I scared, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't
Will I do it, oh hell yes, or die trying.

BOULDER IM 2014... HERE I COME!!!