IM benifits

I am either eating, or thinking about what I will be eating next. That is a huge bonus of IM training. I haven't been on the scale in forever, I think I'm weighing in about the same, but I am finally getting tight again after a few months of post-IM squishy legs etc. So, here is my FAVORITE thing right now, my quinoa blend pasta mixed w/ som olive oil, parmesan cheese & spinach. I am eating it by the truckload right now. That and candy. Oh yeah and I just had to order a huge amount of $$$ worth of Hammer Nutrition stuff. Yummy : )

Outside the Box

How many times in a normal day or week do we get the chance to really get to step outside the comfort zone & challenge ourselves? I think I fall into the comfort zone all to often and then something comes along and reminds me to challenge myself beyone the 'easy.' I don't mean running harder than usual or doing a longer swim, those are a challenge but not exactly what I mean. Going to a group swim when that terrifies you (go Anne) or riding outside when you are scared you won't be able to clip out or in (go Nina) or even running the whole time at Girls on the Run instead of walking (go Madelyn) - really challenging your comfort level & proving to yourself that you can really do it.
So, this week I challenge myself (and anyone else reading) to do atleast one thing that is uncomfortalbe for you. Prove to yourself that you can.

Conversations w/ my legs

It sounds quirky (those that know me well would say that quirky is an accurate description) but it's so true. I forgot how much of IM training is bargaining w/ your body to do a little bit more, go a little bit faster or farther. Today went something like this:
Climbing up mill mountain:
me - uh, come on this is just the beginning - you can't be tired yet!
legs - hello, do you remember running yesterday, the day before or the day before that?
me - just a little bit further . . .
legs - lies.

On my run:
me - o-k, just a short 3.5 mile run
legs - hell no
me - o-k, how about we skip the last hill and do a 3 mile run
legs - hell no
me - we're doing the run
legs - hell no
me - there's chocolate chip cookies at home
legs - well, o-k, maybe just 3 miles . . .

I think I might be delirious from exaustion!

Reporter Questions

Sunday afternoon I was interviewed for an article the Roanoke Times is doing on my Ironman & the Janus Charity Challenge. They are doing an online video piece to go along with the written story & this was the video interview. I am sure I sounded like a huge dork. It was weird being interviewed. She (Jessica my reporter) asked what I use as inspiration during the long workouts. I mumbeled through something about thinking about Renee & Garrett (see previous post - First Race of the Year). Today I saw a video Scott (Renee's husband) made of Garrett. Watch this . This is what I will think about when the going gets tough, or I want to skip a workout or start feeling sorry for myself. Wow, again I think that 140 miles is nothing compared to the journey some people face.

Reflections on Week 1 of IM training

Well, week 1 of official IM training is almost done & I have to say I am very hopeful. A few highlights:
-The majority of my training was done during the week. Over the summer I guess this will have to switch & I'll have to go back to the monster weekend training. : (
-I rode the SML bike course twice through at a faster pace & lower heart rate than I did for the race (only 1 loop) last year. Hopefully that means good things to come for the race in 2 weeks!
-My swim was slow, I have got to get my lazy butt in the water more!
-Oh yeah, my running was slow too. I guess I need to do some more of that too!
-Out of my 103 miles ridden this week all but 18 were outside! And my average pace was higher than my ironman average with a lower average heart rate!
-So, it seems that I have succeeded in becoming a better cyclist but have let the run & swim slip. Luckily those are easier for me to improve upon. How to improve upon those while maintianing my bike, cleaning my house, taking care of my kids & having a relationship with my husband. Hmmm. . .

Racing for Garrett & Coming in First

Today was the first race of the season. The Angel's Race was in Lynchburg and is always a favorite of mine. One special thing they do is ask each racer to pick an 'Angel' to race for. This can be someone you are honoring or someone you are remembering. I raced in memory of Garrett, of Garrett's Wings.
I started the race with a plan. My 8 yr. old daughter was swimming the swim leg of a relay. Because the swim is a pool swim, start times are based on your estimated swim time, the faster folks going first. Anna specifically asked if I could be there to watch her swim. For a girl who is a huge daddy's girl to ask mom to be there with her was a big deal. So, knowing that I started racing at 8:31 and Anna began her swim at 9:52 I made my plan. If I got off the bike in 51 min. (total time from the start of my swim) or less I would have plenty of time to finish the run then make it back to the pool to watch Anna swim.
My swim was a little slow, I just couldn't get in a good rythm with my stroke. I was about 20 sec. slower than last year, which wasn't a particularly good swim either! My bike felt o-k, I was really feeling fatigued & that dang wind kept beating me up. So, my time was ticking away and I started to see that I was going to miss the cut off.
I started to go thru in my mind how I was going to deal with not finising the race. I had expected to be dissapointed if faced with a DNF. Not at all. I went through in my head - folks might remember for a couple of days if I came in first but Anna would remember much longer if I missed her swim. It was a no brainer.
Anna was amazing!! She was swimming in this big 6 lane pool full of growns ups. She was tired, but she just kept going. After the swim she laced up her running shoes and finished my run with me by running a 5k! The whole thing! I can't wait to get the pictures of us crossing the finish line together!
So, driving home I thought - hey, I really did honor Garrett today. I put caring for my baby first, just like Renee did. I enjoyed the time that I had with my child & it was priceless. I found out at the award ceremony that if I would have continued on the run after the bike I would have easily won my age group. I ended up coming in last but reading Anna's post race report I'd have to say I definitly came in first.

More Happy Items

More happy list things:

• Nina ran a 28 min. 5k - that's almost 4 min. faster than 6 months ago!
• Terry DID do great in his Duathlon - he finished & said it was a "Blast" & all in under 2 hours!
• More happy things to add tommorow!

My Happy List

Here's my happy list for the day:

• I got a little sunburn (not much thankfully) & sunburn means sunny days! Time to pull out the sunscreen for OUTSIDE BIKE RIDES : )
• My #1 client (sorry honey) my daughter dropped 2 min. & 5 sec. off of her 300 swim time - WOW! She started at a 10 min. 300 and on Tues. did it in 7 min. & 55 sec.
• Ragan has lost OVER 25 pounds! YAY!
• Anne has not only become an excellent athlete, but this weekend becomes a TRIathlete : )
• Dennis ran a 6:45 mile AND has dropped :30 seconds off his 300 time!
• Robin started running a year and a half ago - she thinks she's slow running 8 min. miles - it took me 4 years to get there! She is FAST & maybe someday she'll believe me when I say that!
• Michelle has been taking the time for herself to get her workouts in, not an easy task when your job demands more, more, more. Plus she has learned to swim with her LATS!
• Terry is doing his first Duathlon this weekend & he will do wonderful - I know it even if he's not yet convinced!
• Brad is getting settled in Arizona AND still getting his workouts done. Sounds like some exciting runs out on the trails!
• Nina is willingly going for rides out on the road with me! Plus she is now running 11 miles wonderfully, 3 months ago 6 miles was a long run . . .
• My dear husband is swimming faster and faster. His swim stroke has improved by 100% and I am sure I don't take the time often enough to tell him how wonderful he is doing.

YAY for everybody!

Weekly Miles

Well, the week is done and the miles turned out pretty good. Not as much swimming & running as I would like to be doing, but with 2 full days off here it is:
133 miles on the bike (2/3 on the trainer)
15.5 miles running (missed a big run this week)
2600 yards swimming (missed my long swim this week)

The best part was I was able to spend some family time & get all that done & didn't get sick! YAY!

Official IM training Begins

I was just writing workouts for next week & got to my own & realized - it's here! Official IM training begins next week! We are 20 weeks out as of next week! Time to start ramping up the mileage & really begin training in earnest. I am hoping I am almost done w/ the mono & my body will do o-k w/ the increased training.
Ironically next week is also my first race I am scheduled to do. I'm supposed to be doing the Angel's Race in Lynchburg. I am torn on whether I should race or not. Not only am I worried about going too hard & wearing myself out, but I also really want to watch my daughter do the swim leg of the race. She is on a relay team, swimming a 300 meter swim. Not much to grown ups but in a big pool filled w/ other swimmers it seems like an awful lot to me. My sister will be there to help her if I am racing but still, it's my baby girl - how can I miss that!

Bike Commuting

Today I was a bike commuter! O-k, well I rode my bike to work for a few meetings then rode it home. My total count in 21 miles were 4 cars that chose not to stop at stop signs & instead almost ran me over, 1 'hey baby' from our local homeless man, 3 dogs that tried to eat me (o-k, really they just barked really loud & scared me to death) & 3 ambulances - wow they are loud when you are on your bike.
It's nice to be able to incorporate training into every day life but boy is it hazzardous!

I was feeling better yesterday & this morning but after a really busy & long day I am wiped w/ another sore throat. Mono sucks.

First Race of the Year

Hopefully not indicative of the rest of the year, my first race of the year was as a spectator. My husband, brother in law & 2 friends all did MAP in Huntersville, NC last weekend. Because I have been sick I got to watch & play support crew. I thought it would awful & hard to not race & just watch but really I had a blast.
First I got to cheer my husband on, which I never get to do because I am always racing with him. I screamed at him a lot along the way, too much I am guessing he would say. He had a fantastic race & I was very proud of him. Ditto for my brother in law, he is just fast & continues to get faster.
No offense to the boys but the highlight of the race was being there to cheer my dear friend Renee on through her first triathlon. I am doing my Ironman to support the charity Renee and her husband started http://www.garrettswings.org/ through the Janus Charity Challenge after they lost their son to Infantile NCL in December.
It was so cool to see her perservere, in many ways - first she went through 6 months of caring for a terminally ill child, and the last three months of grieving for the loss of her child, second she began her training not knowing how to swim or ride a bike, and finally the weather was HORRIBLE - wind, cold, rain & HAIL - and she kept going.
She rocked. So, even though I was on the sidelines it was an awesome day!!