I just finished up my second week of training since hiring a coach. I love having someone else lay out my training plan for the week. After my workouts, I download my data from my Garmin to the computer. This is what keeps me accountable! My coach can see where I ran or rode my bike, my speed, time, and heart rate zones throughout the workout. It makes it kind of hard to lie about what I did.
The biggest change in my training, besides the volume, is training in certain heart rate zones. I used to get out there and run and bike as fast as I could for as long as I could. It usually didn't take too long to bonk. Now my goal is to maintain certain heart rate zones. At first this was very frustrating, but I'm getting used to...and even liking it. I did a lot more training on my own this week because training with a group is pretty hard for me when I have to keep my heart rate in check. This is particularly true on the bike. If I'm going to keep up with the group, my heart rate is going to be way too high. My coach says that this will make me faster and stronger. I do find that I am able to get through my workouts, including a 2.5 hour bike, without being completely dead at the end when I stay in my steady state heart rate zone. This also allows me to train several days in a row.
Last week I logged over 13 hours of training, but this week the plan is about 7 or 8. Right now I'm pretty motivated in regards to my training, but I'm wondering if I'm going to have this same fire in a couple of months. I have to keep my eye on the prize...the finish line of Austin 70.3. Between now and October 23, I'm planning on doing about 4 or 5 smaller races that should help fuel the fire. In less than 3 weeks I compete in my first Olympic distance triathlon at Disco!
"Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it." Lou Holtz
Monday, June 27, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Yeah, I Have Issues
This week started out pretty great. I had a coach lined up by Sunday evening, and it just so happens that we grew up in neighboring towns in south Louisiana...love it. He immediately did VO2 testing on me and laid out the week's training plan....the week was off to a GREAT start!
I felt a strange pain in my foot Monday evening but chose to ignore it. I was then greeted by the stabbing pain as soon as I stepped out of bed Tuesday morning. I decided to suck it up and run anyway. The pain was sharp, but tolerable, and it even seemed to dull a little during the run. I don't go to the doctor until Tuesday, but I'm pretty sure it's planters facetious. So far it hasn't stopped me from running, but I would like to take care of it before it becomes a major issues. I've already dealt with nasty shin splints, pain in my leg from my hips being out of place, and IT Band Syndrome this season. I've been feeling pretty good for the last couple of weeks, so it was inevitable for another running-related issue to develop.
On Thursday evening I went out for a one hour bike ride. With about 10 minute to go, I clipped the side of the curb and took a hard fall. My head and shoulder took the brunt of the impact. Luckily I fell in the grass so I didn't get scraped up. I happened to be right by my car so I called it day. It's been two days and my shoulder is still a little sore. I'll have the Dr. check that out too next week.
This morning I headed out for a two hour ride, determined to stay vertical. A few miles into the ride I knew something wasn't right with my gears. A few minutes later I dropped my chain going up a hill. My friend Lee helped me put it back on, and off we went...for a few more feet. After I dropped the chain the second time I was done and told Lee to go on. My dear friend Liz picked me and my bike up off the side of the road and took me back to my car. Since I had a little time before the bike shop opened I moved my Sunday run to today. That, surprisingly, went great! When I got home and tried to upload the data from my work out to the computer, but my heart rate zones didn't show up. Darn! Coach would have been proud because I actually stayed in the zone he told me to.
I paid Plano Cycle a visit to get my ride fixed. I bent something on the bike when I fell on Thursday, but they were able to fix it while I waited. Since my helmet did such a nice job of protecting my head during the crash, I decided to retire it. They say helmets are designed to protect you once. Because I was buying another Specialized helmet, the company gave me a discount for turning my old one in...score! I've had my old helmet for three years so it was probably time for a new one anyway. That helmet has endured thousands of miles on my sweaty head.
While I did encounter a lot of issues this week, there was nothing too serious. Injuries heal and bikes can be fixed. The bumps in the road are just a part of the journey that I am so excited to be on. I can't wait to see what's in store next week!
"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming..." Finding Nemo
I felt a strange pain in my foot Monday evening but chose to ignore it. I was then greeted by the stabbing pain as soon as I stepped out of bed Tuesday morning. I decided to suck it up and run anyway. The pain was sharp, but tolerable, and it even seemed to dull a little during the run. I don't go to the doctor until Tuesday, but I'm pretty sure it's planters facetious. So far it hasn't stopped me from running, but I would like to take care of it before it becomes a major issues. I've already dealt with nasty shin splints, pain in my leg from my hips being out of place, and IT Band Syndrome this season. I've been feeling pretty good for the last couple of weeks, so it was inevitable for another running-related issue to develop.
On Thursday evening I went out for a one hour bike ride. With about 10 minute to go, I clipped the side of the curb and took a hard fall. My head and shoulder took the brunt of the impact. Luckily I fell in the grass so I didn't get scraped up. I happened to be right by my car so I called it day. It's been two days and my shoulder is still a little sore. I'll have the Dr. check that out too next week.
This morning I headed out for a two hour ride, determined to stay vertical. A few miles into the ride I knew something wasn't right with my gears. A few minutes later I dropped my chain going up a hill. My friend Lee helped me put it back on, and off we went...for a few more feet. After I dropped the chain the second time I was done and told Lee to go on. My dear friend Liz picked me and my bike up off the side of the road and took me back to my car. Since I had a little time before the bike shop opened I moved my Sunday run to today. That, surprisingly, went great! When I got home and tried to upload the data from my work out to the computer, but my heart rate zones didn't show up. Darn! Coach would have been proud because I actually stayed in the zone he told me to.
I paid Plano Cycle a visit to get my ride fixed. I bent something on the bike when I fell on Thursday, but they were able to fix it while I waited. Since my helmet did such a nice job of protecting my head during the crash, I decided to retire it. They say helmets are designed to protect you once. Because I was buying another Specialized helmet, the company gave me a discount for turning my old one in...score! I've had my old helmet for three years so it was probably time for a new one anyway. That helmet has endured thousands of miles on my sweaty head.
While I did encounter a lot of issues this week, there was nothing too serious. Injuries heal and bikes can be fixed. The bumps in the road are just a part of the journey that I am so excited to be on. I can't wait to see what's in store next week!
"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming..." Finding Nemo
Monday, June 13, 2011
Suck It Up!
This was my first official week of summer vacation! I didn't exactly hit the training as hard as I would like. I did get my usual training in, but that's about it. I joined a new masters swim program, the Wetcats. I would love to say that I'm so excited about it, and that I LOVED the swimming I did with them this week. Honestly, the swims were fine, the coach seems pretty good, and the other swimmers were nice,but I like swimming with my fellow North Texas Multisport people. Also, the Wetcats swim for an hour at a time, and I'm used to practices that last 90 minutes. This is just one of those times when I have to suck it up and do what I have to do. I'm saving money by swimming with the Wetcats, and I have more opportunities to swim during the week, which gives me more flexibility in my training. The practices are also closer so I'm saving on the gas. This really is the best move.
Another "suck it up" situation is realizing that I really need to hire a coach. While I would love to use that money in other ways, the truth is I really need someone to tell me what to do each week and hold me accountable. I need someone to tell me "Suck it up," when I really don't feel like doing it. My goal is to have a coach lined up within the next few days. Luckily, there are lots of great coaches around. I knew when I signed up for the half Ironman that sacrifices would have to be made. No pedicures this summer...suck it up! Cooking more and eating out less...suck it up! Cutting my own grass...suck it up! Driving my car that is paid off instead of getting a new one...suck it up! Early morning workouts...suck it up!
Sometimes those "suck it up" situations turn out to be pretty great. Last year I did not have a good ride at the Collin County Classic rally, so when it came around this year I wasn't interested in participating. Well, my usual Saturday ride was canceled due to the CCC ride, sooooo I had no choice but to do it. I ended up doing the 60 mile route. It turned out to be a pretty good ride. There were several groups of NTM riders out there, so there were plenty of people to ride with. For a little while I actually got ahead of the group I was with....that never happens. I was feeling pretty good so I just kept going. I figured it was good training for Austin. In races you don't get to ride with your friends; you ride alone. It wasn't long before I found my way with one of the groups again. I had a strong finish and had a much better ride than last year. The hills seemed smaller this year....hmmm. Even though I am not where I want to be, I have come a long way over the past year. So, what started out as a "suck it up" day, turned into a pretty good bike ride. Now, I just have to ride like I did today AND be able to run 13.1 miles after.
"The will to win means nothing if you haven't the will to prepare." - Juma Ikangaa, 1989 NYC Marathon winner.
Another "suck it up" situation is realizing that I really need to hire a coach. While I would love to use that money in other ways, the truth is I really need someone to tell me what to do each week and hold me accountable. I need someone to tell me "Suck it up," when I really don't feel like doing it. My goal is to have a coach lined up within the next few days. Luckily, there are lots of great coaches around. I knew when I signed up for the half Ironman that sacrifices would have to be made. No pedicures this summer...suck it up! Cooking more and eating out less...suck it up! Cutting my own grass...suck it up! Driving my car that is paid off instead of getting a new one...suck it up! Early morning workouts...suck it up!
Sometimes those "suck it up" situations turn out to be pretty great. Last year I did not have a good ride at the Collin County Classic rally, so when it came around this year I wasn't interested in participating. Well, my usual Saturday ride was canceled due to the CCC ride, sooooo I had no choice but to do it. I ended up doing the 60 mile route. It turned out to be a pretty good ride. There were several groups of NTM riders out there, so there were plenty of people to ride with. For a little while I actually got ahead of the group I was with....that never happens. I was feeling pretty good so I just kept going. I figured it was good training for Austin. In races you don't get to ride with your friends; you ride alone. It wasn't long before I found my way with one of the groups again. I had a strong finish and had a much better ride than last year. The hills seemed smaller this year....hmmm. Even though I am not where I want to be, I have come a long way over the past year. So, what started out as a "suck it up" day, turned into a pretty good bike ride. Now, I just have to ride like I did today AND be able to run 13.1 miles after.
"The will to win means nothing if you haven't the will to prepare." - Juma Ikangaa, 1989 NYC Marathon winner.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Let's Break it Down!
This morning was the race I've been waiting for since January. Playtri Festival was the first race I signed up for, but it ended up being my third triathlon. I did the sprint distance: 500 meter swim, 12 bike, and 3mile run. The run actually ended up being 2.8 miles. I placed 5th out of 10 in my age group. My swim time was 9:27, bike was 40:14 (average 17.9 mph...I can do better), and the run was 28:43. Not to toot my own horn, but I did have the fastest T2 (this is the bike to run transition time) time in my age group. I would rather have the fastest bike or the fastest run.
The swim! I was a nervous wreck thinking about the open water swim. My wave started over an hour after the first wave. This gave me a lots of time to sit and think about this part of the race, and that is not a good thing. I watched other swimmers start and finish. I saw one guy stop and stand near the wall for a while after he panicked. This was not what I needed. I finally made it into the water without throwing up. We had to tread water for a few minutes before starting. I thought about moving over to the side where I could stand, but decided that treading was the closest thing I would get to a warm up. The official yelled "Go!"
and we were off. Within a few seconds my nerves calmed down and I realized that this would not be a repeat of the Tri For Humanity swim 4 weeks earlier. I swam straight, was able to sight, and kept contact with other swimmers to a minimum. Other swimmers swam on my feet a few times, but they seemed more bothered by it than I was. It was a very comfortable swim. I didn't "race" it. My pace was steady and I was even able to think about my form. At one point I even let myself think about what might be in the water. No, I wasn't thinking about the creatures living in the water. I figured the other swimmers had long scared them off. I was thinking about the fact that some people "relieve" themselves during the swim. Luckily, I didn't hit any warm patches, so I wasn't too grossed out. As the green steps at the swim finish came into sight I got really excited, but I was careful to keep my pace and heart rate steady. Finishing the swim without freaking out was a huge victory. My swim time was about 2 1/2 minutes faster than the last race, and it was 100 meters longer. I didn't have time to celebrate, though, because I needed to shift my focus on the bike.
The bike course was pretty good. There were slight elevations on the course, but nothing too bad. For every ascend, there was a descend, which gave my legs a little break. I tried to keep my heart rate under control, but I think I let it stay a little higher than I should have. About half way into the ride I felt like I could use a little boost, so I downed a pack of Stinger gel and chased it with some Accelerade. This, I believe, hurt me later. I was passed by many people, but I also got to do a little passing. I even exchanged pleasantries with few racers. Several pretty fast guys passed me toward the end on their decked out tri bikes. I loved it! I always enjoy watching them. They were obviously finishing up their second loop of the Olympic distance. One even called out, "Good job number 856 (that was my number)" while passing me. As I made my way back to T2 I heard a couple of people call out my name. One was a guy from my tri group and another was a friend from work, Thuy. I had no idea Thuy would be out there watching, so it was a very nice surprise. She was there supporting a friend doing her first triathlon, but I'm hoping that she'll stop supporting and start racing. I think there's a triathlete in her soul.
As I ran out of T2 I had to climb a grassy hill to get to the road. This was not a fun way to start. I wasn't feeling great as I began my run. My legs didn't want to move, and my stomach was not happy with the Stinger gel inside of it. I made the mistake of letting myself walk a few times. On a long run this probably isn't so bad, but on a sprint you should just suck it up and go. My pace ended up being over 10 minutes. I don't think I've ever had pace that slow. The run course was pretty hot. I took only water at the aide stations, even though my muscles were screaming for the Poweraide. My muscles and my stomach were having a nutrition battle and my stomach won. The course was an out-and-back. There were runners running in the opposite direction from me the whole time. I usually like to cheer on my friends when I see them on the course, but I couldn't muster up the energy. Some got a weak sounding "Good job," while others just got a thumbs up.The heat definitely made the running more challenging. My body is no where near acclimated to the heat. I crossed the finish line knowing I had a bad run, but I didn't let that take away from the other successes of the day.
I have the next 10 weeks off work for summer vacation. This is the perfect opportunity to build my strength and endurance and allow my body to acclimate to the heat. My next race is Disco on July 16, just 6 weeks away. This will be my first Olympic distance triathlon, and I'm pretty sure the weather won't be any cooler than it was today. Hopefully I can find a race nutrition plan that makes my muscles and my stomach happy.
"You can quit and they won't care... but you will always know" John Collins-Ironman founder
The swim! I was a nervous wreck thinking about the open water swim. My wave started over an hour after the first wave. This gave me a lots of time to sit and think about this part of the race, and that is not a good thing. I watched other swimmers start and finish. I saw one guy stop and stand near the wall for a while after he panicked. This was not what I needed. I finally made it into the water without throwing up. We had to tread water for a few minutes before starting. I thought about moving over to the side where I could stand, but decided that treading was the closest thing I would get to a warm up. The official yelled "Go!"
and we were off. Within a few seconds my nerves calmed down and I realized that this would not be a repeat of the Tri For Humanity swim 4 weeks earlier. I swam straight, was able to sight, and kept contact with other swimmers to a minimum. Other swimmers swam on my feet a few times, but they seemed more bothered by it than I was. It was a very comfortable swim. I didn't "race" it. My pace was steady and I was even able to think about my form. At one point I even let myself think about what might be in the water. No, I wasn't thinking about the creatures living in the water. I figured the other swimmers had long scared them off. I was thinking about the fact that some people "relieve" themselves during the swim. Luckily, I didn't hit any warm patches, so I wasn't too grossed out. As the green steps at the swim finish came into sight I got really excited, but I was careful to keep my pace and heart rate steady. Finishing the swim without freaking out was a huge victory. My swim time was about 2 1/2 minutes faster than the last race, and it was 100 meters longer. I didn't have time to celebrate, though, because I needed to shift my focus on the bike.
The bike course was pretty good. There were slight elevations on the course, but nothing too bad. For every ascend, there was a descend, which gave my legs a little break. I tried to keep my heart rate under control, but I think I let it stay a little higher than I should have. About half way into the ride I felt like I could use a little boost, so I downed a pack of Stinger gel and chased it with some Accelerade. This, I believe, hurt me later. I was passed by many people, but I also got to do a little passing. I even exchanged pleasantries with few racers. Several pretty fast guys passed me toward the end on their decked out tri bikes. I loved it! I always enjoy watching them. They were obviously finishing up their second loop of the Olympic distance. One even called out, "Good job number 856 (that was my number)" while passing me. As I made my way back to T2 I heard a couple of people call out my name. One was a guy from my tri group and another was a friend from work, Thuy. I had no idea Thuy would be out there watching, so it was a very nice surprise. She was there supporting a friend doing her first triathlon, but I'm hoping that she'll stop supporting and start racing. I think there's a triathlete in her soul.
As I ran out of T2 I had to climb a grassy hill to get to the road. This was not a fun way to start. I wasn't feeling great as I began my run. My legs didn't want to move, and my stomach was not happy with the Stinger gel inside of it. I made the mistake of letting myself walk a few times. On a long run this probably isn't so bad, but on a sprint you should just suck it up and go. My pace ended up being over 10 minutes. I don't think I've ever had pace that slow. The run course was pretty hot. I took only water at the aide stations, even though my muscles were screaming for the Poweraide. My muscles and my stomach were having a nutrition battle and my stomach won. The course was an out-and-back. There were runners running in the opposite direction from me the whole time. I usually like to cheer on my friends when I see them on the course, but I couldn't muster up the energy. Some got a weak sounding "Good job," while others just got a thumbs up.The heat definitely made the running more challenging. My body is no where near acclimated to the heat. I crossed the finish line knowing I had a bad run, but I didn't let that take away from the other successes of the day.
I have the next 10 weeks off work for summer vacation. This is the perfect opportunity to build my strength and endurance and allow my body to acclimate to the heat. My next race is Disco on July 16, just 6 weeks away. This will be my first Olympic distance triathlon, and I'm pretty sure the weather won't be any cooler than it was today. Hopefully I can find a race nutrition plan that makes my muscles and my stomach happy.
"You can quit and they won't care... but you will always know" John Collins-Ironman founder
Saturday, June 4, 2011
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