"no running for two weeks."
boo.
i go back in two weeks to re-xray and to make sure it's not displaced and is healing well. if it looks good, he will let me know how much i can do safely and how to progress. if not, we continue waiting.
see how he didn't tell me how to progress up front? methinks he knows i *might* try to progress on my own before getting xrays. danggit.
in the meantime, all my 'runs' will be replaced with the elliptical (insert sarcastic 'yay' here + eyeroll.) i'm also too sore to properly clip in and out, making me unstable. thus my scheduled 100mi ride/2 mi brick has been modified into a 5hr trainer ride with some hill intervals thrown in.
let's hope the buddy tape is strong enough to hold for 5 hours!
.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
this little piggy
is BROKEN.
.JPG)
yup. broke my left pinky toe at the joint. (aka a fracture of the articular surface of the left 5th phalanx)
let me break it down for you: i am a klutz. i walked past a cedar chest i've walked past 1,000,000 times before. this time, i accidentally kicked the leg. my pinky toe went left, the rest of me went right. cue lots of hopping up and down and swearing. cue immediate bruising, pain and swelling.
i tried to walk around on it for 10 minutes, but gave up and sat down on the couch to have a pity party. i knew it was broken. i've felt that particular brand of throbbing pain before (read note above: i am a klutz.) i was terrified and immediately ran through every worst-case scenario involving IRONMAN Louisville. my mom, the CTO, and some good (the best, actually) friends helped me keep my head on straight. made an appointment for the next day.
the next day, 3 xrays later, the doc gave me the OK to swim and bike as long as the toe is buddy taped. also got a super chic post-op boot to wear. PIN THAT, fashionistas!
doc was concerned about running with the break being at the joint, so i've got an appointment at a podiatrist/sports med office tomorrow to see 1) if i need pins to hold it together and 2) when i can get back to running.
coach is aware, and sent a fabulously calm, reassuring email. i'm glad i went with my gut on the coaching decision. coach Jason has been amazing, giving me exactly what i need, when i need it. the CTO and my momma (she's in town visiting/helping/cleaning) have been amazing too.
all in all it's not too terribly painful if i wear the silly boot--nothing a few advil can't handle. the doc offered me narcotics, to which i'd already started shaking my head "no" before he finished his sentence. he straight up laughed at me, and said, "oh i knew you'd say no. i just have to offer with the broken bone and all. us ironman types are all the same." (he is an ironman, and a former professional cyclist. so he really understood my concerns about getting back to training.)
i'm hopeful for good news from the foot/sports doc place, so i can get back to my running ASAP. running is my default favorite sport, so it's hard to imagine just giving it up cold turkey. i am legitimately SAD that i won't be doing my 16 miler this weekend. but i don't want to try and run on it too early and sign myself up for delayed healing, malunion, or other gnarly complications.
i'm going to be a good patient. i'm going to be a good patient. i'm going to be a good patient...which reminds me: it's time to ice again!
yup. broke my left pinky toe at the joint. (aka a fracture of the articular surface of the left 5th phalanx)
let me break it down for you: i am a klutz. i walked past a cedar chest i've walked past 1,000,000 times before. this time, i accidentally kicked the leg. my pinky toe went left, the rest of me went right. cue lots of hopping up and down and swearing. cue immediate bruising, pain and swelling.
i tried to walk around on it for 10 minutes, but gave up and sat down on the couch to have a pity party. i knew it was broken. i've felt that particular brand of throbbing pain before (read note above: i am a klutz.) i was terrified and immediately ran through every worst-case scenario involving IRONMAN Louisville. my mom, the CTO, and some good (the best, actually) friends helped me keep my head on straight. made an appointment for the next day.
the next day, 3 xrays later, the doc gave me the OK to swim and bike as long as the toe is buddy taped. also got a super chic post-op boot to wear. PIN THAT, fashionistas!
doc was concerned about running with the break being at the joint, so i've got an appointment at a podiatrist/sports med office tomorrow to see 1) if i need pins to hold it together and 2) when i can get back to running.
coach is aware, and sent a fabulously calm, reassuring email. i'm glad i went with my gut on the coaching decision. coach Jason has been amazing, giving me exactly what i need, when i need it. the CTO and my momma (she's in town visiting/helping/cleaning) have been amazing too.
all in all it's not too terribly painful if i wear the silly boot--nothing a few advil can't handle. the doc offered me narcotics, to which i'd already started shaking my head "no" before he finished his sentence. he straight up laughed at me, and said, "oh i knew you'd say no. i just have to offer with the broken bone and all. us ironman types are all the same." (he is an ironman, and a former professional cyclist. so he really understood my concerns about getting back to training.)
i'm hopeful for good news from the foot/sports doc place, so i can get back to my running ASAP. running is my default favorite sport, so it's hard to imagine just giving it up cold turkey. i am legitimately SAD that i won't be doing my 16 miler this weekend. but i don't want to try and run on it too early and sign myself up for delayed healing, malunion, or other gnarly complications.
i'm going to be a good patient. i'm going to be a good patient. i'm going to be a good patient...which reminds me: it's time to ice again!
Monday, May 27, 2013
race report - Boston's Run to Remember
yesterday i ran Boston's Run to Remember. with what felt like 20,000 other people. there were a few short and touching speeches about the marathon bombing victims, as well as Officer Sean Collier, the MIT officer who was killed. many runners wore his number, #179, as an extra bib on their backs. it was pretty cool to see and be a part of all that love and support.
.JPG)
the only other race i've done that was as crowded as the RtR is the Cap10k in Austin. that race traditionally brings 20-25,000 people out in sneaks and costumes to trot around downtown atx. the RtR wasn't much different--though the costumes were more patriotic.
my time for for the first mile was 13:15 due to the crowds. we were jam packed in there like cattle coming in to the corral. it was so crowded there wasn't even any use to weaving around to find more space. there just wasn't more space.
thus i sat back and bobbed up and down like the rest of the 20k people and waited for things to open up. things never 'opened-up' in the true sense--this was the most crowded HM i've ever done. but they did spread out sufficiently in mile two for me to settle into a nice, easy rhythm, whilst maintaining constant vigilance about not stepping on/into other people.
i had a blast cheering for the other runners and thanking the volunteers. i think my favorite part of the race was running along the half-mile stretch of memorial drive where patrol cars were lined up with lights flashing. in front of each car was a uniformed police officer with arm extended. policeman high-fives for half a mile? yespleaseandthankyou!! it was so much fun getting to see them smile and enjoy all of the compliments. "Nice uniform!" "thank you for your service" "i think i love you!"
my hand hurt by the end of the half mile, but it was totally worth it :)
mile splits went something like this: 13:15; 10:30; 10:00 and then between 09:20 and 09:50 (depending on runner traffic) for the rest of the race, with a final time of 2:11:30. it comes out to a 10:02 average pace, which is exactly what i was shooting for. and i kept my HR and RPE super low the whole time.
overall i'm very pleased with the race. yes, i know i could have run significantly faster and massively PR'd. no doubt in my mind there. but just knowing that is enough right now. 3 years ago, i was running about this pace, but i was pushing myself hard to achieve it. now i'm running the same pace as a long slow run, and i'm not even sore the next day. it is just TOO COOL to see my fitness changing. thank you, legs, for carrying me this far!
i wish i could leave this blog post as happy-go-lucky as it deserves to end, based on my race yesterday, but alas, 'tis not the case.
i got into a minor house-hold accident yesterday about 4pm (read: i am a hopeless klutz / have zero proprioreception abilities). i'm fixin' to head over to urgent care for x-rays, and will update you when i know what's wrong.
until then... send this girl some good juju, wouldya? besos xox
the only other race i've done that was as crowded as the RtR is the Cap10k in Austin. that race traditionally brings 20-25,000 people out in sneaks and costumes to trot around downtown atx. the RtR wasn't much different--though the costumes were more patriotic.
my time for for the first mile was 13:15 due to the crowds. we were jam packed in there like cattle coming in to the corral. it was so crowded there wasn't even any use to weaving around to find more space. there just wasn't more space.
thus i sat back and bobbed up and down like the rest of the 20k people and waited for things to open up. things never 'opened-up' in the true sense--this was the most crowded HM i've ever done. but they did spread out sufficiently in mile two for me to settle into a nice, easy rhythm, whilst maintaining constant vigilance about not stepping on/into other people.
i had a blast cheering for the other runners and thanking the volunteers. i think my favorite part of the race was running along the half-mile stretch of memorial drive where patrol cars were lined up with lights flashing. in front of each car was a uniformed police officer with arm extended. policeman high-fives for half a mile? yespleaseandthankyou!! it was so much fun getting to see them smile and enjoy all of the compliments. "Nice uniform!" "thank you for your service" "i think i love you!"
my hand hurt by the end of the half mile, but it was totally worth it :)
mile splits went something like this: 13:15; 10:30; 10:00 and then between 09:20 and 09:50 (depending on runner traffic) for the rest of the race, with a final time of 2:11:30. it comes out to a 10:02 average pace, which is exactly what i was shooting for. and i kept my HR and RPE super low the whole time.
overall i'm very pleased with the race. yes, i know i could have run significantly faster and massively PR'd. no doubt in my mind there. but just knowing that is enough right now. 3 years ago, i was running about this pace, but i was pushing myself hard to achieve it. now i'm running the same pace as a long slow run, and i'm not even sore the next day. it is just TOO COOL to see my fitness changing. thank you, legs, for carrying me this far!
i wish i could leave this blog post as happy-go-lucky as it deserves to end, based on my race yesterday, but alas, 'tis not the case.
i got into a minor house-hold accident yesterday about 4pm (read: i am a hopeless klutz / have zero proprioreception abilities). i'm fixin' to head over to urgent care for x-rays, and will update you when i know what's wrong.
until then... send this girl some good juju, wouldya? besos xox
Saturday, May 25, 2013
rest week + race prep
another rest week here and gone...and another race just around the corner. ie tomorrow.
resting this week has been great for the quad. my flexibility is back to 95% on that side, and i haven't felt any twinges or weirdness at all this week, though i was generally a little tired. but that's what a rest week is for, right?
tomorrow i've got 13.1 mi of running to do - at Boston's Run to Remember. the race is a tribute to Boston's law enforcement officers who have been killed in the line of duty. after the tragedy of marathon monday, the race sold out in record time. the security is supposed to be very tight this year, understandably. it will be interesting to see how they run it, and if/how it affects the race timing, atmosphere, and results.
before the quad strain, i was feeling in tip-top running shape. my secret/not-so-secret-if-it's-on-the-blog plan was to try and PR this race. i mean, c'mon! it was hard not to think that way. i hadn't felt that strong on the run, pretty much ever. so the prospect of a flat-ish 13.1 to test out my new fast(er) legs was sooooo tempting. i've been itching to go sub 2hrs for a few years now.
BUT. as scary/irritating as the quad strain was, it was a good reality check for me.
HELLOOOOO. this is, at best, what, a C race for me? and i'm considering running it really hard? for what? to injure myself? to prove that i can run that fast, even though i'll be guaranteed to run significantly slower during IRONMAN Louisville? nope. ain't gonna do it.
the plan is instead to run slow. treat it like what it is: a training run. though i know at this point i can run it in sub-9 minute/mi fashion, i will instead be shooting for a 10min/mi, which is nearer to what i plan to run at Louisville. a nice, easy long run pace. enough air in the lungs to cheer right along with the spectators, all while keeping the HR relatively low.
i've trained too hard thus far, put in too many hours away from the bebe and CTO to blow it all on a dumb PR on a race that isn't even 10% of the total distance of IMLou. no gracias.
OH. AND. i've officially RSVP'd for one of the supported iamtri training weekends in Louisville!! i'll be going in July (thanks be to the wonderful support of Grandmommy and Grandpa for coming up to help the CTO with the kidlet over the long weekend.) it'll be squeezed in a week after my 70.3 (NE Trifest) and two weeks before my mountain century (still feeling a little *eep* about this one), but coach thinks it's a great idea, so of i'll go! i usually get pretty nervous riding a course i've never done before...will i get lost (probably), will there be shitty people driving cars trying to kill me (probably), what if blahblahblah. riding it with the iamtri group, in a supported manner, will help ease those worries come race day. or so i tell myself!
any of y'all ride the course before your IM? or plan to do a course preview before Lou?
resting this week has been great for the quad. my flexibility is back to 95% on that side, and i haven't felt any twinges or weirdness at all this week, though i was generally a little tired. but that's what a rest week is for, right?
tomorrow i've got 13.1 mi of running to do - at Boston's Run to Remember. the race is a tribute to Boston's law enforcement officers who have been killed in the line of duty. after the tragedy of marathon monday, the race sold out in record time. the security is supposed to be very tight this year, understandably. it will be interesting to see how they run it, and if/how it affects the race timing, atmosphere, and results.
before the quad strain, i was feeling in tip-top running shape. my secret/not-so-secret-if-it's-on-the-blog plan was to try and PR this race. i mean, c'mon! it was hard not to think that way. i hadn't felt that strong on the run, pretty much ever. so the prospect of a flat-ish 13.1 to test out my new fast(er) legs was sooooo tempting. i've been itching to go sub 2hrs for a few years now.
BUT. as scary/irritating as the quad strain was, it was a good reality check for me.
HELLOOOOO. this is, at best, what, a C race for me? and i'm considering running it really hard? for what? to injure myself? to prove that i can run that fast, even though i'll be guaranteed to run significantly slower during IRONMAN Louisville? nope. ain't gonna do it.
the plan is instead to run slow. treat it like what it is: a training run. though i know at this point i can run it in sub-9 minute/mi fashion, i will instead be shooting for a 10min/mi, which is nearer to what i plan to run at Louisville. a nice, easy long run pace. enough air in the lungs to cheer right along with the spectators, all while keeping the HR relatively low.
i've trained too hard thus far, put in too many hours away from the bebe and CTO to blow it all on a dumb PR on a race that isn't even 10% of the total distance of IMLou. no gracias.
OH. AND. i've officially RSVP'd for one of the supported iamtri training weekends in Louisville!! i'll be going in July (thanks be to the wonderful support of Grandmommy and Grandpa for coming up to help the CTO with the kidlet over the long weekend.) it'll be squeezed in a week after my 70.3 (NE Trifest) and two weeks before my mountain century (still feeling a little *eep* about this one), but coach thinks it's a great idea, so of i'll go! i usually get pretty nervous riding a course i've never done before...will i get lost (probably), will there be shitty people driving cars trying to kill me (probably), what if blahblahblah. riding it with the iamtri group, in a supported manner, will help ease those worries come race day. or so i tell myself!
any of y'all ride the course before your IM? or plan to do a course preview before Lou?
Sunday, May 19, 2013
big brick
welp, i survived this weekend's big brick (85mi/4mi), no disaster-title needed.
i was still slow (14-15mph avg), but i felt good coming off the bike to run. i need to keep doing my speed work, obviously, but i'm glad my legs felt strong for that long.
my lady parts were pretty unhappy, and thusly i was pretty unhappy, even with copious amounts of chamois butter, from miles 55-70. but magically around mile 70 i got relief. a non-medically induced pudendal block (careful, search is probably NSFW) kicked in, and it was all smooth sailing after that. the CTO tells me it's the cycling equivalent of a runner's high. i've never had one before, and i'm hooked! i will be sorely disappointed (ha! see what i did there!?) if it doesn't happen on the next long ride...
the only downside to this brick was my aero cages. they did not survive. POS is being retired right here, right now. y'all have any recommendations for good rear-mount cages that won't launch bottles at the hint of rough road? that aren't profile design? (booooo HISSS)
i was still slow (14-15mph avg), but i felt good coming off the bike to run. i need to keep doing my speed work, obviously, but i'm glad my legs felt strong for that long.
my lady parts were pretty unhappy, and thusly i was pretty unhappy, even with copious amounts of chamois butter, from miles 55-70. but magically around mile 70 i got relief. a non-medically induced pudendal block (careful, search is probably NSFW) kicked in, and it was all smooth sailing after that. the CTO tells me it's the cycling equivalent of a runner's high. i've never had one before, and i'm hooked! i will be sorely disappointed (ha! see what i did there!?) if it doesn't happen on the next long ride...
the only downside to this brick was my aero cages. they did not survive. POS is being retired right here, right now. y'all have any recommendations for good rear-mount cages that won't launch bottles at the hint of rough road? that aren't profile design? (booooo HISSS)
Saturday, May 18, 2013
according to the widget thingie---->
there are only 99 days left to IMLou. um.
oh
my
god.
some weeks i'm so deep into training and focusing on the tasks at hand that i sort of forget what i'm training for. this last week, however, i have full-on IM Crazy Eyes. looking up IM inspiration videos on youtube. re-checking and memorizing course maps and elevation changes. stalking race reports and other training blogs. customizing race gear checklists and a race week itinerary. i think most of this enthusiasm/obsession comes from the fact that no less than 5 of my friends & old training buddies from home are racing IMTX today.
[Yay!! Go Colin, Chris, Brooks, John, and Kim!!]
when IMTX first opened up in 2011, i assumed it would (eventually) be my first IM. i am from Texas, after all. and we have friends and family in Houston. but life dealt me another hand, and Ironman Louisville 2013 is in it.
i'm okay with that. but this whole 'less than 100 days left until race day' has me fixin' to have a heart attack. i'm finding myself freaking out about everything...will my nutrition plan work in the heat of the south? will this weird twitchy quad pain/strain (not sayin the 'i' word just yet thankyouverymuch) derail my race? will all my bricks be disasters? is this weird bump on my butt cancer? seriously, though, what is this weird bump on my butt? i'm sure Google search has nothing to do with the freak outs.
training makes me feel bipolar. some days are the worst days ever (see previous first world problems post) and some days end up with me on cloud 9 after an amazing workout. i go from daydreaming about a 13hr finish to having nightmares about not being fast enough and missing a cut-off. most days my nutrition is spot on--i'm eating the best i ever have. other days, i eat an ENTIRE BAG of Baked Lays (and then google 'why did i just eat a whole bag of baked lays'.) i also may or may not have eaten a pint of ice cream for dinner the other night. this is pure speculation, though, as there is no evidence [left].
my wise IM veteran friends have told me from the beginning that training is the hardest part. that there are many ups and downs. many moments where you doubt yourself. many where you feel on top of your game. i just didn't think they could all happen within a 15 min time span!
maybe i just need a mood stabilizer.
oh
my
god.
some weeks i'm so deep into training and focusing on the tasks at hand that i sort of forget what i'm training for. this last week, however, i have full-on IM Crazy Eyes. looking up IM inspiration videos on youtube. re-checking and memorizing course maps and elevation changes. stalking race reports and other training blogs. customizing race gear checklists and a race week itinerary. i think most of this enthusiasm/obsession comes from the fact that no less than 5 of my friends & old training buddies from home are racing IMTX today.
[Yay!! Go Colin, Chris, Brooks, John, and Kim!!]
when IMTX first opened up in 2011, i assumed it would (eventually) be my first IM. i am from Texas, after all. and we have friends and family in Houston. but life dealt me another hand, and Ironman Louisville 2013 is in it.
i'm okay with that. but this whole 'less than 100 days left until race day' has me fixin' to have a heart attack. i'm finding myself freaking out about everything...will my nutrition plan work in the heat of the south? will this weird twitchy quad pain/strain (not sayin the 'i' word just yet thankyouverymuch) derail my race? will all my bricks be disasters? is this weird bump on my butt cancer? seriously, though, what is this weird bump on my butt? i'm sure Google search has nothing to do with the freak outs.
training makes me feel bipolar. some days are the worst days ever (see previous first world problems post) and some days end up with me on cloud 9 after an amazing workout. i go from daydreaming about a 13hr finish to having nightmares about not being fast enough and missing a cut-off. most days my nutrition is spot on--i'm eating the best i ever have. other days, i eat an ENTIRE BAG of Baked Lays (and then google 'why did i just eat a whole bag of baked lays'.) i also may or may not have eaten a pint of ice cream for dinner the other night. this is pure speculation, though, as there is no evidence [left].
my wise IM veteran friends have told me from the beginning that training is the hardest part. that there are many ups and downs. many moments where you doubt yourself. many where you feel on top of your game. i just didn't think they could all happen within a 15 min time span!
maybe i just need a mood stabilizer.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
first world problems
so i realize that the pathetic blogopsychobabble that is about to follow is me complaining about my teensy first world problems.
i have food to eat, money in the bank, a car we could afford to buy outright, a healthy & happy child, a healthy & happy husband, and a career i love.
that being said, today was a shit-storm of a day. in a first-world-problems sort of way.
to get to a work meeting in Concord on time, i had to drop the kiddo off at daycare early, which meant a super early wake-up. except, the kiddo was up all night teething and crying, and i was up trying to soothe him. so the early morning wake-up turned into an early morning stay-up. then we got stuck in traffic on the way to daycare, and the kiddo cried bloody murder when i dropped him off. then i got stuck in traffic again, and was late to the meeting. the meeting ended up being a giant un-paid waste of 2hrs. no one seemed to know what was going on, what they were doing, or what we were supposed to be doing. awesome. got back in the car and got stuck in traffic again on the way to my workout. drove around for 45min trying to find parking, only to stop halfway through the workout because of what i've self-diagnosed as a quad strain. grumped my way back to the car to get stuck in traffic AGAIN on the way to pick up the kiddo.
4 HOURS OF SITTING IN TRAFFIC TODAY, PEOPLE.
pick the kid up, and daycare tells me he didn't nap at all. which is basically code for "HAHAHA good luck lady you are SCREWED." he cried all the way home, all the way through dinner (which just ended up on the floor), all the way through walking the dog, and all the way through our bedtime ritual.
notice in there that i didn't eat? yup. so, once the kid was in bed (still crying of course) i get out a bagel to toast. end up slicing the shit out of my thumb. a half hour later, my thumb is wrapped and sufficiently nursified, but i am still hungry and in the grumpiest goddamn mood i've been in since, well, the disaster brick.
.JPG)
GRUMPpidygrumpgrumpBLAH. ready for all of this not-awesome to turn into awesome. whenever you're ready, universe.
i have food to eat, money in the bank, a car we could afford to buy outright, a healthy & happy child, a healthy & happy husband, and a career i love.
that being said, today was a shit-storm of a day. in a first-world-problems sort of way.
to get to a work meeting in Concord on time, i had to drop the kiddo off at daycare early, which meant a super early wake-up. except, the kiddo was up all night teething and crying, and i was up trying to soothe him. so the early morning wake-up turned into an early morning stay-up. then we got stuck in traffic on the way to daycare, and the kiddo cried bloody murder when i dropped him off. then i got stuck in traffic again, and was late to the meeting. the meeting ended up being a giant un-paid waste of 2hrs. no one seemed to know what was going on, what they were doing, or what we were supposed to be doing. awesome. got back in the car and got stuck in traffic again on the way to my workout. drove around for 45min trying to find parking, only to stop halfway through the workout because of what i've self-diagnosed as a quad strain. grumped my way back to the car to get stuck in traffic AGAIN on the way to pick up the kiddo.
4 HOURS OF SITTING IN TRAFFIC TODAY, PEOPLE.
pick the kid up, and daycare tells me he didn't nap at all. which is basically code for "HAHAHA good luck lady you are SCREWED." he cried all the way home, all the way through dinner (which just ended up on the floor), all the way through walking the dog, and all the way through our bedtime ritual.
notice in there that i didn't eat? yup. so, once the kid was in bed (still crying of course) i get out a bagel to toast. end up slicing the shit out of my thumb. a half hour later, my thumb is wrapped and sufficiently nursified, but i am still hungry and in the grumpiest goddamn mood i've been in since, well, the disaster brick.
GRUMPpidygrumpgrumpBLAH. ready for all of this not-awesome to turn into awesome. whenever you're ready, universe.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
week 15
i can't hardly believe it. week 15 of IMLou training is here, and here's what it's going to look like:
Mon: rest
Tue: 16mi run
Wed: anaerobic swim (600wu, 8x200 sprint main set) + anaerobic bike (8x2min sprints main set)
Thurs: aerobic bike (1:15 85-95rpm) + 50min run
Fri: aerobic swim (500wu, 12x225MI main set)
Sat: BIG BRICK - 85mi ride + 4mi run (fingers crossed no disaster-brick this time)
Sun: aerobic bike (1:15 85-95rpm) + track workout (12x400 sprint main set)
please please please send me all the super smooth non catastrophe bike ride this weekend. imma do a route i know...
have a great training week, people!
Mon: rest
Tue: 16mi run
Wed: anaerobic swim (600wu, 8x200 sprint main set) + anaerobic bike (8x2min sprints main set)
Thurs: aerobic bike (1:15 85-95rpm) + 50min run
Fri: aerobic swim (500wu, 12x225MI main set)
Sat: BIG BRICK - 85mi ride + 4mi run (fingers crossed no disaster-brick this time)
Sun: aerobic bike (1:15 85-95rpm) + track workout (12x400 sprint main set)
please please please send me all the super smooth non catastrophe bike ride this weekend. imma do a route i know...
have a great training week, people!
Sunday, May 12, 2013
oh yeah--RACE REPORT!
so, i totally had a race today. New England Season Opener Tri. short-ish sprint distance.
heh.
my goal for IM Lou, and all of the training & races in between is to have fun.
for me, this means not being a crazy person...being the first one in transition, checking and re-checking my times, speed, splits, etc. for the most part, i accomplished the non-craziness. i didn't do ANY recon on the course. didn't ride it, didn't drive it. i didn't even know which way to turn out of transition (for the run or bike...) and i showed up to transition on race day 15min before closing time. i was amazed to get in and out in only a few minutes. i forget how little you need gear-wise for these sprints! such a breeze.
found my buddy Erica, walked over to hear the announcements, and immediately was shuttled toward the docks to start. walked into freezing water. no hyperbole here, people. that water was 59 degrees!! gun goes off! swim swam breath shudder shiver swim swam 4 bouys gone and i'm out! such a short swim, 440m i think?
quick out of the wetsuit (the heavy downpour helped with this), onto the bike. immediate uphill and crazy descent all in rain i can barely see 100m in. took it easy on the bumpy downhills. i'm kind of (VERY) scared of downhills anyways. without a downpour. without aero bars. without big bumps and cracks. so i took it easy, feathered the brakes, and tried to stay upright/alive. hammered my brains out on the uphills, flying past all the crazy people who flew past me on the downhills. got passed by loads and loads of people, mostly cray men (one of whom crashed on the next turn. dummy.) i almost let it get to me, but then i reeled myself back in. my training race. my IM training. no one else's. focus. and then back into transition before i know it (only a 10mi bike).
rack the bike, out on the run, back up the big uphill again. but you know what? i catch a glimpse of my bebe and the CTO and i feel like i'm flying. i've never felt so strong on a run before. head down reciting my running mantra up the hills, flying and smiling ear to ear on the downhills. felt a skosh twingy in the R hammy and quad in the last few 100m, but nothing too scary. finished with a giant smile on my face, feeling like i could do it all over again (a few times.)
it's amazing how in just a few months my fitness has changed so much. i've never felt this awesome during (or after) a race before. and i went h-a-r-d. racing on mother's day was also a ball--my hot husband and sweet kiddo on the sidelines, cheering me on. one hamburger patty, one coke, a bunch of grapes, and a fizzy water later and i'm ready to head home.
don't know my time. don't know my splits. the race results board said i was 11th in AG. shme. i could have been 111th and i would have been just as happy--that shit was FUN.
hope y'all have a happy and fun mother's day!
heh.
my goal for IM Lou, and all of the training & races in between is to have fun.
for me, this means not being a crazy person...being the first one in transition, checking and re-checking my times, speed, splits, etc. for the most part, i accomplished the non-craziness. i didn't do ANY recon on the course. didn't ride it, didn't drive it. i didn't even know which way to turn out of transition (for the run or bike...) and i showed up to transition on race day 15min before closing time. i was amazed to get in and out in only a few minutes. i forget how little you need gear-wise for these sprints! such a breeze.
found my buddy Erica, walked over to hear the announcements, and immediately was shuttled toward the docks to start. walked into freezing water. no hyperbole here, people. that water was 59 degrees!! gun goes off! swim swam breath shudder shiver swim swam 4 bouys gone and i'm out! such a short swim, 440m i think?
quick out of the wetsuit (the heavy downpour helped with this), onto the bike. immediate uphill and crazy descent all in rain i can barely see 100m in. took it easy on the bumpy downhills. i'm kind of (VERY) scared of downhills anyways. without a downpour. without aero bars. without big bumps and cracks. so i took it easy, feathered the brakes, and tried to stay upright/alive. hammered my brains out on the uphills, flying past all the crazy people who flew past me on the downhills. got passed by loads and loads of people, mostly cray men (one of whom crashed on the next turn. dummy.) i almost let it get to me, but then i reeled myself back in. my training race. my IM training. no one else's. focus. and then back into transition before i know it (only a 10mi bike).
rack the bike, out on the run, back up the big uphill again. but you know what? i catch a glimpse of my bebe and the CTO and i feel like i'm flying. i've never felt so strong on a run before. head down reciting my running mantra up the hills, flying and smiling ear to ear on the downhills. felt a skosh twingy in the R hammy and quad in the last few 100m, but nothing too scary. finished with a giant smile on my face, feeling like i could do it all over again (a few times.)
it's amazing how in just a few months my fitness has changed so much. i've never felt this awesome during (or after) a race before. and i went h-a-r-d. racing on mother's day was also a ball--my hot husband and sweet kiddo on the sidelines, cheering me on. one hamburger patty, one coke, a bunch of grapes, and a fizzy water later and i'm ready to head home.
don't know my time. don't know my splits. the race results board said i was 11th in AG. shme. i could have been 111th and i would have been just as happy--that shit was FUN.
hope y'all have a happy and fun mother's day!
Sunday, May 5, 2013
weekend sufferfest
this weekend, as you may remember, i had two big workouts on my list.
#1: 14mi run immediately s/p an 8hr nursing shift. this nursing shift was straight from the 7th circle of hell, aka i didn't sit down once. needless to say, i didn't feel too fresh and peppy when i got started. and i have a cold, so i was snotty enough that my t-shirt could stand up on it's own by the end (i haven't mastered the whole snot-rocket thing.) but it was a beautiful day in Concord, and that helped lessen the pain a bit. 2:24, on busted legs. could have been worse.
#2: BIG BRICK 70mi ride/4mi run. time to put the big girl panties on! it was 40 degrees when i left. did a route i'd never done before. [hint: this is foreshadowing]
turns out 7 mi of said route was 'under construction,' which in this case means there WAS NO ROAD. just dirt and rocks for 7 miles. took me forever and a year to snake my pretty princess tri bike through that mess. this route also had 1500+ ft of climbing. i did that part on purpose, and it wasn't too bad really (especially compared to TX hills) even on tired-from-the-day-before legs.
then i got lost. twice. then my GDDAMNED POS left rear aero cage broke! stupid rough "road" unscrewed the screws and buh-bye cage! then i got lost again.
i had planned for the ride to take me about 4:45. it took me SIX AND A HALF HOURS. between getting lost a bagillion times, stopping to check GPS because apparently there's no law requiring western Mass towns to LABEL THEIR EFFING STREETS like the rest of civilization, and trying to fix the water bottle cages, i added two more hours (and 5 more miles!) to my already loooongass brick. yay.
this mean that by the time i got off the bike, it felt like my vagina had been punched repeatedly with barbed-wire brass knuckles.
and this also meant the poor CTO and bebe had to wait around for me at the park for two hours! i was such a grumpy goddamn mess when i finally met them, i'm surprised they stuck around to run with me. all grumps aside, it felt surprisingly good to be off the bike and running, even with heavy legs that could only carry me 1:30 min/mi slower than my usual pace. i'm just glad i did it and didn't give up.
also, did i mention i have a cold, or allergies, or sinus AIDS? i had yellow goo running down my face/neck for all 6.5 hrs. in 40 degree weather. so i basically looked like this:
tell me, olde internete friends, are these long bricks supposed to suck? do they get better? or do you just get used to the ouch-factor? i was doubting my ability to do the IM for a little while today, not going to lie! (i pulled myself together, though. after surviving today, i figure IMLou will be manageable.)
#1: 14mi run immediately s/p an 8hr nursing shift. this nursing shift was straight from the 7th circle of hell, aka i didn't sit down once. needless to say, i didn't feel too fresh and peppy when i got started. and i have a cold, so i was snotty enough that my t-shirt could stand up on it's own by the end (i haven't mastered the whole snot-rocket thing.) but it was a beautiful day in Concord, and that helped lessen the pain a bit. 2:24, on busted legs. could have been worse.
#2: BIG BRICK 70mi ride/4mi run. time to put the big girl panties on! it was 40 degrees when i left. did a route i'd never done before. [hint: this is foreshadowing]
turns out 7 mi of said route was 'under construction,' which in this case means there WAS NO ROAD. just dirt and rocks for 7 miles. took me forever and a year to snake my pretty princess tri bike through that mess. this route also had 1500+ ft of climbing. i did that part on purpose, and it wasn't too bad really (especially compared to TX hills) even on tired-from-the-day-before legs.
then i got lost. twice. then my GDDAMNED POS left rear aero cage broke! stupid rough "road" unscrewed the screws and buh-bye cage! then i got lost again.
i had planned for the ride to take me about 4:45. it took me SIX AND A HALF HOURS. between getting lost a bagillion times, stopping to check GPS because apparently there's no law requiring western Mass towns to LABEL THEIR EFFING STREETS like the rest of civilization, and trying to fix the water bottle cages, i added two more hours (and 5 more miles!) to my already loooongass brick. yay.
this mean that by the time i got off the bike, it felt like my vagina had been punched repeatedly with barbed-wire brass knuckles.
and this also meant the poor CTO and bebe had to wait around for me at the park for two hours! i was such a grumpy goddamn mess when i finally met them, i'm surprised they stuck around to run with me. all grumps aside, it felt surprisingly good to be off the bike and running, even with heavy legs that could only carry me 1:30 min/mi slower than my usual pace. i'm just glad i did it and didn't give up.
also, did i mention i have a cold, or allergies, or sinus AIDS? i had yellow goo running down my face/neck for all 6.5 hrs. in 40 degree weather. so i basically looked like this:
tell me, olde internete friends, are these long bricks supposed to suck? do they get better? or do you just get used to the ouch-factor? i was doubting my ability to do the IM for a little while today, not going to lie! (i pulled myself together, though. after surviving today, i figure IMLou will be manageable.)
Friday, May 3, 2013
the dark side of training
i'm not even all the way through with my first week of my first month of build training, and i'm already seeing the dark side of training that i feared so much.
due to conflicts with the CTO's schedule, i didn't get to leave for my swim today until 5:30pm. which means i didn't get to put my bebe to bed.
tomorrow, i get up at 5:30am to go to work, which (Nurse Gods willing) finishes at 3:30. work will be immediately followed by a 14 mile run on a route i've never done before. so, best case scenario, i'm done with my run and ready to drive home by 6:15pm. it takes 35min to get home with no traffic. and the kiddo has been going to bed between 6:45-7pm these days. which means i probably won't see him AT ALL on Saturday.
this realization made me cry as i said goodbye to him today.
but that's not all, folks. on Sunday, i have a longassmuthafuckin brick (70 mile ride + 4 mile run), for which i'll leave the house no later than 6am (again, before bebe wakes up). if i'm lucky i'll be done by 12.
if he's awake when i get home, that will be 42.5 hours that i have not seen my son.
this breaks my heart! i knew it would be hard, i did. especially starting work. but owie. i'm working on figuring out how to rearrange my schedule so i don't spend DAYS away from my child.
any working parents out there have tips for maximizing time with the kidlets? and poor CTO...he gets less time with me than the kid does :/
due to conflicts with the CTO's schedule, i didn't get to leave for my swim today until 5:30pm. which means i didn't get to put my bebe to bed.
tomorrow, i get up at 5:30am to go to work, which (Nurse Gods willing) finishes at 3:30. work will be immediately followed by a 14 mile run on a route i've never done before. so, best case scenario, i'm done with my run and ready to drive home by 6:15pm. it takes 35min to get home with no traffic. and the kiddo has been going to bed between 6:45-7pm these days. which means i probably won't see him AT ALL on Saturday.
this realization made me cry as i said goodbye to him today.
but that's not all, folks. on Sunday, i have a longassmuthafuckin brick (70 mile ride + 4 mile run), for which i'll leave the house no later than 6am (again, before bebe wakes up). if i'm lucky i'll be done by 12.
if he's awake when i get home, that will be 42.5 hours that i have not seen my son.
this breaks my heart! i knew it would be hard, i did. especially starting work. but owie. i'm working on figuring out how to rearrange my schedule so i don't spend DAYS away from my child.
any working parents out there have tips for maximizing time with the kidlets? and poor CTO...he gets less time with me than the kid does :/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)