I can't seem to shake this hip/SI/thigh pain. And I'm also embarrassed that being a PT doesn't give me magical powers to find out exactly what is going on. Keep this in mind the next time I have a patient who cannot localize their pain. Argh!
I was going to run today. I ran a loop in the hallway at work to make sure I'd be good to go. Well, glad I did that before changing and heading outside. Ouch. But more alarming was it then hurt to walk for the next hour. The pain seems to originate from my anterior hip, but shoots down my thigh as well. A very jarring, "danger danger" type pain. My fears are that it is 1) labral tear; 2) stress fracture; or 3) that lovely diagnosis that likes to accompany IBD sometimes- ankylosing spondylitis. Now, 1) is something I've thought off and on for a while, I definitely have had impingement symptoms in the past, but not so much this time. My movement patterns are abysmal though, and my lack of glutes definitly set me up for issues. As for 2), I really don't think I've put in the mileage needed to cause that damage (the bright side of slacking), but the pain on impact is alarming. Still highly doubtful. Option 3) is definitely being alarmist, just that I've had this pain as well as increasing thoracic pain/stiffness. Really, it is most likely neither 1-3 but a simple tweaking of something that could probably be fixed with some of those exercises I know so well but don't do myself (oops...).
So my plan right now is to make a doctor's appointment. Just for peace of mind to rule out those scary options I listed. I am also going to start practicing what I preach. My plan is to start the Myrtl Routine of exercises as well as some yoga. I also need to have some bonding time with the foam roll, where I will curse and scream at a foam cylinder that non-athletes have no idea of how it could be so brutal.
My emotions are getting the better of me with this. I want to commit myself to training, and it is frustrating to not be able to do the runs. The all or nothing in me hates it, as much as I tell myself it is better to focus on biking and swimming right now instead of eating my feelings. Control what you can control, right? I want to get this down on paper because I am sure I have felt like this with past injuries. But memory is funny, and I don't remember anything seeming this bad in terms of pain or derailing in terms of effects on training. So this is how I feel today. I worry that it isn't going to get better. I worry that my training is going to hell. That this is ruining my season. That I am losing control of everything, despite this being a very small thing in the scheme of things.
But really, I am lucky that right now this is my biggest problem. Mind over matter, come on positivity!
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Mind Numbing to Toe Numbing
First outdoor ride of the season- check! And yes, this is my second post in one day, but the first seemed so negative and this is happy news.
I told my friends last night that this weekend would be my last rides on the trainer of the year. Then today just seemed like such a nice day, so why not now for the switch? First step- get the bike of the trainer and switch the training tire for the road tire. I usually dread changing a tire, and embarrassingly, it takes me about 30 minutes and ends in bloody knuckles and nightmares about having to change one on race day. Well, not anymore! Introducing...
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008UY1MXW/ref=pe_385040_30332200_pe_309540_26725410_item
This thing is magical. Easy off, easy on. Really nothing more to say than if you have ever had trouble changing a tire, especially getting that sucker back on, buy it! Might really be the best thing I have ever bought for my bike. Life changing! And really, that is not that much of an exaggeration. That fear of flat, even though I've changed one before, is always there in the back of my mind and can put a damper on rides. It reduces that independent, "I can take on the world" feeling I like to get out of long rides. So a little device that makes me feel more capable really is (kinda) life changing.
Anyways, the ride. Baby Beluga and I hit the open road (i.e. Lakefront Path) and was happy to see that we have not reached summer levels of crowding. The goal of the ride according to my training plan was an "Always Be Pushing" (ABP) ride- Zone 3. I knew this but I also just wanted to enjoy a day outside. My plan was to ride the lakefront path from top to bottom for a 36 mile re-introduction to outdoor riding.
The ride started out into the wind. Not too strong of one, apparently 10 mph, but I've been riding in 0 wind conditions since October. It was a good thing though, not enough to zap the legs but enough to get me in the ABP zone. Actually, my power was trending high, which I was happy about considering my legs were a bit toasted from yesterday's long ride. My Garmin died at about 45 minutes in, so I have zero data beyond that point. I just kept riding, trying to enjoy the day.
I try to never take for granted the amazing Lakefront Path. To be able to bike 18 miles in each direction with the lake on one side and gorgeous views of the skyline is truly awesome. What is annoying this time of year is that water fountains are still shut off and the bathrooms are boarded up. Bladder training!
I got to the South Shore Cultural Center and turned around for the return trip. The tailwind was awesome. I have no clue how fast I was actually going, but I felt like I was flying. I tried to keep pushing, not just coast, but it was definitely less effort. Seemed like no time before I was back home.
My two complaints are 1) my back was hurting! and 2) cold-numb toes. I should probably invest in some toe covers at some point. It took a really long time for my feet to warm back up once home.
So it looks like another year of the trainer is coming to an end. I use to hate the trainer more than anything, and now I'm a little scared to let it go. When I first got it, it was a struggle to stay on for 20 minutes. I remember what a rockstar I felt like when I did a 1.5 hr ride on it when it was storming one day during training for my first half ironman. When I was introduced to Sufferfest, it became more tolerable and more painful at the same time. Joining EN was the big game changer. I went from workouts that were mostly just "let's ride an hour" to very focused prescription of workouts. I'd hop on the trainer, hit my targets, enjoy some good TV or movie, and be done. I could do it any time of day. Don't get me wrong, being outside again will be lovely, but of grave concern is when will I watch all my TV? Kidding... sort of. My real worry is just how it is much harder to hit targets with all the variable in the great outdoors. I know a lot of people do one workout a week still on the trainer, which I'm keeping as a possible option, but I also need to get use to all the variability of outside and still try to keep my watts in check.
My next ride is Wednesday and it has some FTP intervals. I'm going to try it outside and we'll see. Yay for Vitamin-D!
I told my friends last night that this weekend would be my last rides on the trainer of the year. Then today just seemed like such a nice day, so why not now for the switch? First step- get the bike of the trainer and switch the training tire for the road tire. I usually dread changing a tire, and embarrassingly, it takes me about 30 minutes and ends in bloody knuckles and nightmares about having to change one on race day. Well, not anymore! Introducing...
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008UY1MXW/ref=pe_385040_30332200_pe_309540_26725410_item
This thing is magical. Easy off, easy on. Really nothing more to say than if you have ever had trouble changing a tire, especially getting that sucker back on, buy it! Might really be the best thing I have ever bought for my bike. Life changing! And really, that is not that much of an exaggeration. That fear of flat, even though I've changed one before, is always there in the back of my mind and can put a damper on rides. It reduces that independent, "I can take on the world" feeling I like to get out of long rides. So a little device that makes me feel more capable really is (kinda) life changing.
Anyways, the ride. Baby Beluga and I hit the open road (i.e. Lakefront Path) and was happy to see that we have not reached summer levels of crowding. The goal of the ride according to my training plan was an "Always Be Pushing" (ABP) ride- Zone 3. I knew this but I also just wanted to enjoy a day outside. My plan was to ride the lakefront path from top to bottom for a 36 mile re-introduction to outdoor riding.
The ride started out into the wind. Not too strong of one, apparently 10 mph, but I've been riding in 0 wind conditions since October. It was a good thing though, not enough to zap the legs but enough to get me in the ABP zone. Actually, my power was trending high, which I was happy about considering my legs were a bit toasted from yesterday's long ride. My Garmin died at about 45 minutes in, so I have zero data beyond that point. I just kept riding, trying to enjoy the day.
I try to never take for granted the amazing Lakefront Path. To be able to bike 18 miles in each direction with the lake on one side and gorgeous views of the skyline is truly awesome. What is annoying this time of year is that water fountains are still shut off and the bathrooms are boarded up. Bladder training!
I got to the South Shore Cultural Center and turned around for the return trip. The tailwind was awesome. I have no clue how fast I was actually going, but I felt like I was flying. I tried to keep pushing, not just coast, but it was definitely less effort. Seemed like no time before I was back home.
My two complaints are 1) my back was hurting! and 2) cold-numb toes. I should probably invest in some toe covers at some point. It took a really long time for my feet to warm back up once home.
So it looks like another year of the trainer is coming to an end. I use to hate the trainer more than anything, and now I'm a little scared to let it go. When I first got it, it was a struggle to stay on for 20 minutes. I remember what a rockstar I felt like when I did a 1.5 hr ride on it when it was storming one day during training for my first half ironman. When I was introduced to Sufferfest, it became more tolerable and more painful at the same time. Joining EN was the big game changer. I went from workouts that were mostly just "let's ride an hour" to very focused prescription of workouts. I'd hop on the trainer, hit my targets, enjoy some good TV or movie, and be done. I could do it any time of day. Don't get me wrong, being outside again will be lovely, but of grave concern is when will I watch all my TV? Kidding... sort of. My real worry is just how it is much harder to hit targets with all the variable in the great outdoors. I know a lot of people do one workout a week still on the trainer, which I'm keeping as a possible option, but I also need to get use to all the variability of outside and still try to keep my watts in check.
My next ride is Wednesday and it has some FTP intervals. I'm going to try it outside and we'll see. Yay for Vitamin-D!
DNS
This morning was the ChiTown Half Marathon. And I was a DNS (did not start). I know it was the smart choice. But unfortunately, just because it was the smart choice doesn't mean it makes me happy as I sit here instead.
That hip/SI pain that had kept me from running for two weeks seemed to be resolved. On Tuesday night I did a 20 minute run on the treadmill. Apart from feeling really out of shape and slow (tough to hang on to 9:15 min/mi), I had no pain. Score. Friday I ran again, this time a tougher run of 1 hr with 4x800s. I came in at 7.25 miles and was thrilled. The run had felt great. No pain, and I felt in shape. Then Saturday came and I paid for it. It really didn't seem to bad, but my whole thigh was sore, especially laterally, just proximal to my knee. A bit of hip pain, but definitely widespread soreness. I got a 2.5 hr bike done and that actually seemed to help loosen me up. I went to bed last night (late) planning on running this race.
When I woke up, it was clear that wasn't going to happen. Even lying in bed, I had significant anterior hip pain that radiated down my thigh when I internally rotated my hip. Once out of bed, I had pain with every step walking. Nothing life shattering, but strong enough that 13.1 miles would be hell.
I know there are times to push through the pain. My first marathon was an extremely painful experience where I spent 16.2 miles cursing my IT band (I got the first 8 miles painfree). Yes, it teaches you some things, that you are stronger than the pain, that you can persevere. All that mental toughness stuff. But there is also just the "stupid" factor. At this point, I have nothing to prove. This would be different if this had been my A race and I'd devoted all my time and energy to it. But it was suppose to be a fun training even, perhaps a bit of redemption after a bad race in New Orleans. Pushing through the pain would've meant a miserable 13.1 miles.
Even more than being miserable while racing, I know this was the smart thing to do for training overall. I know how much pain I have from that 7 mile run, I really don't want to know what tomorrow would've felt like if I did today's race. I know that being able to train this week, including running hopefully, is more important than getting through a half marathon today.
So the frustrating thing is that I know all of this, but it still doesn't make me happy with my choice. I still feel like a cop out. I am still disappointed. I still wish I could have that glow all day of "why yes, I started my day with a half marathon, what did you do." But for now, I will have to just move on, so that when it comes time to really race, I will be ready.
That hip/SI pain that had kept me from running for two weeks seemed to be resolved. On Tuesday night I did a 20 minute run on the treadmill. Apart from feeling really out of shape and slow (tough to hang on to 9:15 min/mi), I had no pain. Score. Friday I ran again, this time a tougher run of 1 hr with 4x800s. I came in at 7.25 miles and was thrilled. The run had felt great. No pain, and I felt in shape. Then Saturday came and I paid for it. It really didn't seem to bad, but my whole thigh was sore, especially laterally, just proximal to my knee. A bit of hip pain, but definitely widespread soreness. I got a 2.5 hr bike done and that actually seemed to help loosen me up. I went to bed last night (late) planning on running this race.
When I woke up, it was clear that wasn't going to happen. Even lying in bed, I had significant anterior hip pain that radiated down my thigh when I internally rotated my hip. Once out of bed, I had pain with every step walking. Nothing life shattering, but strong enough that 13.1 miles would be hell.
I know there are times to push through the pain. My first marathon was an extremely painful experience where I spent 16.2 miles cursing my IT band (I got the first 8 miles painfree). Yes, it teaches you some things, that you are stronger than the pain, that you can persevere. All that mental toughness stuff. But there is also just the "stupid" factor. At this point, I have nothing to prove. This would be different if this had been my A race and I'd devoted all my time and energy to it. But it was suppose to be a fun training even, perhaps a bit of redemption after a bad race in New Orleans. Pushing through the pain would've meant a miserable 13.1 miles.
Even more than being miserable while racing, I know this was the smart thing to do for training overall. I know how much pain I have from that 7 mile run, I really don't want to know what tomorrow would've felt like if I did today's race. I know that being able to train this week, including running hopefully, is more important than getting through a half marathon today.
So the frustrating thing is that I know all of this, but it still doesn't make me happy with my choice. I still feel like a cop out. I am still disappointed. I still wish I could have that glow all day of "why yes, I started my day with a half marathon, what did you do." But for now, I will have to just move on, so that when it comes time to really race, I will be ready.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Six Months to Go and In Control!
First of all, "six months to go and in control" rhymed much better when I was chanting it in my head then I realize it sounds now. But it is still my mantra for the past three days and I'm proud of it, whether it rhymes or not!
Friday was March 28. In a month with many days of significance (Pi Day, Ides of March, St Patrick's Day), March 28 probably doesn't ring many bells except for those of us gearing up for IM Chattanooga. It brought me both pessimism and optimism- the emotional rolling hills. The six month to go mark is odd. I can look at it on one hand and feel awful about myself and my training. I am not where I wanted to be in many respects. It is easy to feel doomed, like my race will surely fall flat and why should I even try. But really, six months is loads of time. 26 weeks. Half a year. A freakin' year! And really, regretting the past 6 months does nothing towards having an awesome next 6 months.
So on the heals of inconsistency in training, diet, and let's face it- life in general, I geared up on Friday to kick start this "six month" period. That didn't mean it was easy, or that I didn't have tons of excuses, but I battled each of them and have now had a very successful "first" three days of training.
On Friday I got home from work later than I wanted and more tired than I wanted. But no more excuses, right? If not now, when? I will do today what you don't so tomorrow I can do what you can't. Yada yada yada. Well, onto the bike trainer I went, armed with TrainerRoad and "The Dallas Buyers Club." The workout was 4x5min segments at 110% FTP. People in the EN haus swear this is the hardest workout. Being a glutton for punishment, I tacked on some Z3 work afterwards to get me to a two hour ride. Yep, how else do you spend a Friday night. It was hard. But rather than make excuses for it being hard ('I should ease in, go easy tonight', 'Don't want to ruin my legs for 'epic' workouts this weekend', etc), I accepted that it was SUPPOSE to be hard. I was suppose to struggle and push myself and find out what I'm made of (might have gone a bit far there). The good news? I was successful. I nailed each interval, almost on the dot! Then I hung on for that bonus Z3 work and finished feeling pretty darn proud of myself. Oh, and did I mention I also dragged my tush to the gym earlier that day to do some drills? If that isn't how you celebrate "6 Months to Go Day", I'm not sure what is.
Saturday might not seem as epic, but I'm pretty proud of it too. I got my butt in the water AGAIN. I had been doing some work in lab and was stressed and could've made the "I don't have time for this" excuse, but off I went. The workout was 2300 yds (or meters, no clue what my pool is), which is definitely pushing my swim endurance. I didn't have my watch on me, and could kind of sort of see the clock, and what I saw, I liked. These swim classes are paying off! The workout was a series of 8x50 hard, 400 at threshold, and repeat. I was focusing on really reaching out in each stroke, being long in the water, and reducing stroke count. My 50's were clocking in at :45 (if I saw the clock correctly). I was ecstatic. A guy joined my lane, looked pretty in shape, and I kept passing him. I felt smooth and fast. And my arms felt thrashed. Usually when I swim I get tired in a general sense, but more bored than anything. Not this time- I felt those arms working and fatiguing, which makes me think my stroke is getting more powerful. Several times during the workout I thought about calling it quits early- you know, working up to that longer distance. I reminded myself- now or never, and got 'er done. Might have only been about 50 minutes of exercise for the day, but man, I was proud!
And then today, Sunday, as I type this I'm feeling like a triathlete today. Up at 6:15am. On a Sunday. Like most triathletes, but not like the person I've been lately. As I was going to bed too late last night, I thought about not setting that alarm. But I had a brunch date and a busy day, so I knew it was first thing or not going to happen. On the books for today was a long ride- FTP work followed by Z3. I knew in the warmup my legs were a bit toasted still from Friday. I was way under my power, but reminded myself that a warm up is just that, and NOT the time to kill myself for every watt. I kept in mind those other times when I've felt flat warming up and gone on to have a great workout. Well, it wasn't quite like those times, in that I never felt "unflat", but I got through it. The first FTP interval was 10 minutes, which is a short enough time span to seem doable no matter what the legs are feeling. The second was 15 minutes, and was tough the whole time. The third is where it broke down. Just. Twelve. Minutes. I will admit I had to pause a couple times to recompose myself. I was struggling, but part of me was loving it- that feeling of challenge and pushing through. I haven't realized how much I've missed that! I was ready to quit then. It was a solid workout. I'd done the time. Right? But I reminded myself how good I'll feel if I make it through the whole thing. The Z3 work was broken into four chunks of ten minutes, which made it easier to digest, but not easy. I hung in. I kept reminding myself that a good ride wasn't one that felt easy and doable, but that challenged me and showed me what I could do. I ended up having to hop off with 10 minutes to go, but brunch was calling, and I can be pretty proud of 2:20 on the trainer. Thank you Netflix.
So I'm going to call that a solid start and good omen of what's to come. Note I haven't done any running, going on 10 days now, with my SI joint yelling at me with all it's got. But control what I can control, and I plan to keep on being a rock star with swimming and biking and run when my body gives me the green light. With control in workouts has come control with eating. These past three days have not been "perfection" but they've been a giant improvement. No crazy binges. And there has been stress, oh my, has there been stress! I love not feeling gross and mad at myself. I love eating good food. I love this new start.
Friday was March 28. In a month with many days of significance (Pi Day, Ides of March, St Patrick's Day), March 28 probably doesn't ring many bells except for those of us gearing up for IM Chattanooga. It brought me both pessimism and optimism- the emotional rolling hills. The six month to go mark is odd. I can look at it on one hand and feel awful about myself and my training. I am not where I wanted to be in many respects. It is easy to feel doomed, like my race will surely fall flat and why should I even try. But really, six months is loads of time. 26 weeks. Half a year. A freakin' year! And really, regretting the past 6 months does nothing towards having an awesome next 6 months.
So on the heals of inconsistency in training, diet, and let's face it- life in general, I geared up on Friday to kick start this "six month" period. That didn't mean it was easy, or that I didn't have tons of excuses, but I battled each of them and have now had a very successful "first" three days of training.
On Friday I got home from work later than I wanted and more tired than I wanted. But no more excuses, right? If not now, when? I will do today what you don't so tomorrow I can do what you can't. Yada yada yada. Well, onto the bike trainer I went, armed with TrainerRoad and "The Dallas Buyers Club." The workout was 4x5min segments at 110% FTP. People in the EN haus swear this is the hardest workout. Being a glutton for punishment, I tacked on some Z3 work afterwards to get me to a two hour ride. Yep, how else do you spend a Friday night. It was hard. But rather than make excuses for it being hard ('I should ease in, go easy tonight', 'Don't want to ruin my legs for 'epic' workouts this weekend', etc), I accepted that it was SUPPOSE to be hard. I was suppose to struggle and push myself and find out what I'm made of (might have gone a bit far there). The good news? I was successful. I nailed each interval, almost on the dot! Then I hung on for that bonus Z3 work and finished feeling pretty darn proud of myself. Oh, and did I mention I also dragged my tush to the gym earlier that day to do some drills? If that isn't how you celebrate "6 Months to Go Day", I'm not sure what is.
Saturday might not seem as epic, but I'm pretty proud of it too. I got my butt in the water AGAIN. I had been doing some work in lab and was stressed and could've made the "I don't have time for this" excuse, but off I went. The workout was 2300 yds (or meters, no clue what my pool is), which is definitely pushing my swim endurance. I didn't have my watch on me, and could kind of sort of see the clock, and what I saw, I liked. These swim classes are paying off! The workout was a series of 8x50 hard, 400 at threshold, and repeat. I was focusing on really reaching out in each stroke, being long in the water, and reducing stroke count. My 50's were clocking in at :45 (if I saw the clock correctly). I was ecstatic. A guy joined my lane, looked pretty in shape, and I kept passing him. I felt smooth and fast. And my arms felt thrashed. Usually when I swim I get tired in a general sense, but more bored than anything. Not this time- I felt those arms working and fatiguing, which makes me think my stroke is getting more powerful. Several times during the workout I thought about calling it quits early- you know, working up to that longer distance. I reminded myself- now or never, and got 'er done. Might have only been about 50 minutes of exercise for the day, but man, I was proud!
And then today, Sunday, as I type this I'm feeling like a triathlete today. Up at 6:15am. On a Sunday. Like most triathletes, but not like the person I've been lately. As I was going to bed too late last night, I thought about not setting that alarm. But I had a brunch date and a busy day, so I knew it was first thing or not going to happen. On the books for today was a long ride- FTP work followed by Z3. I knew in the warmup my legs were a bit toasted still from Friday. I was way under my power, but reminded myself that a warm up is just that, and NOT the time to kill myself for every watt. I kept in mind those other times when I've felt flat warming up and gone on to have a great workout. Well, it wasn't quite like those times, in that I never felt "unflat", but I got through it. The first FTP interval was 10 minutes, which is a short enough time span to seem doable no matter what the legs are feeling. The second was 15 minutes, and was tough the whole time. The third is where it broke down. Just. Twelve. Minutes. I will admit I had to pause a couple times to recompose myself. I was struggling, but part of me was loving it- that feeling of challenge and pushing through. I haven't realized how much I've missed that! I was ready to quit then. It was a solid workout. I'd done the time. Right? But I reminded myself how good I'll feel if I make it through the whole thing. The Z3 work was broken into four chunks of ten minutes, which made it easier to digest, but not easy. I hung in. I kept reminding myself that a good ride wasn't one that felt easy and doable, but that challenged me and showed me what I could do. I ended up having to hop off with 10 minutes to go, but brunch was calling, and I can be pretty proud of 2:20 on the trainer. Thank you Netflix.
So I'm going to call that a solid start and good omen of what's to come. Note I haven't done any running, going on 10 days now, with my SI joint yelling at me with all it's got. But control what I can control, and I plan to keep on being a rock star with swimming and biking and run when my body gives me the green light. With control in workouts has come control with eating. These past three days have not been "perfection" but they've been a giant improvement. No crazy binges. And there has been stress, oh my, has there been stress! I love not feeling gross and mad at myself. I love eating good food. I love this new start.
Monday, February 10, 2014
Like a Fish Out of Water
This morning was a day I was dreading- the first time
swimming first showed up in my training plan. Now EN is infamous for
their "no swimming in the OS" philosophy, however, I honestly fall in
their "yeah, that doesn't apply to you since you are a rock" category.
Well, still, I considered those rare swims I've gotten in as bonus.
Now they are expected.
So I crawled out of bed at 5:30 to
leave for the pool in -4 degree weather. That is not exactly motivating
to want to get undressed and jump in a cold pool. I kept thinking of
how I could swim later, or tomorrow, but reminded myself I don't want to
start that path as I know where it leads.
When
I got out of the pool, I was approached by a man who
offered some advice. 1) I apparently am thrashing my head around a
great deal, and 2) I need to pull with my arms further out where I'll
get more power. He claims I'll see a 20% efficiency improvement. Not sure I believe that but definitely two things to work on.
Just keep swimming, just keep swimming!
Friday, February 7, 2014
2014 Rock n Roll New Orleans Half Marathon Race Report
Back in the fall, my best friend and I decided to sign up for the Rock 'n Roll New Orleans Half Marathon. I had been looking for a race to cap off my OutSeason Training Plan and have also always wanted to go to New Orleans. And when we registered, I had no clue how miserable this winter would be for getting in longer runs outside..
The race was last weekend and the short version is that I learned not to eat your way through New Orleans and expect to run a good race. Time- 1:55 something. My second slowest half marathon ever. Disappointed, yes, but really I should have expected it. In the scheme of things, it was a great weekend and I got a hefty dose of motivation to up my training (and diet), served up with some humble pie.
The Weekend (minus the race)
I got into New Orleans on Thursday night, after my original flight was cancelled. My friend wasn't getting in until the next day. We were staying at Hilton Garden Inn French Quarter/CBD. I arrived a bit scared since I kept hearing that if you step one foot off the main drag, you will be mugged/raped/killed. The hotel was nice though and perfectly located- close to the French Quarter, race start, and the trolley line.
My friend got in Friday morning and we were immediately off to breakfast at Red Gravy. Cue the delicious eating. I had an amazing omelette with sausage and veggies and tomato sauce. We walked down to the French Quarter, where we walked around a bit and got pralines at Leah's Pralines. Praliens are good, bacon pecan brittle is better. Wow. We sat on the riverfront and ate way too many. It was surprisingly chilly that day. Then we took the St Charles Trolley to the Garden District and did a walking tour of the cemetery and neighborhood. The cemetery was really cool- learning about all the burial customs and seeing tombs in varying conditions. The Garden District was also awesome- so much different architecture, and we got to see some famous people's homes including Sandra Bullock.
On Friday night we ate at Oceana, another delicious and way too big meal. Then we went to see Rebirth Brass Band at The Howlin' Wolf. They didn't get on stage til almost midnight! It was really cool to see live jazz in New Orleans, and we stayed until about 1am, way past my bedtime.
Saturday was a bit more chill. We just had breakfast at the hotel and then made our way to the expo, a much longer walk than we expected. Then we were off to the zoo. The zoo was located in a beautiful park, and just seemed perfectly southern. I love zoos, and the added bonus here was the alligator, just chilling in the algae swamp. We definitely were on our feet more than would probably be recommended, but I would've regretted not seeing New Orleans otherwise. We ate dinner at the hotel, and then watched a movie and bed.
Sunday morning was the race (see below) and then we went to brunch at The Columns Hotel. We got to sit out on the porch and enjoy a gigantic 4 course meal. I got beef tournedos (expected a funnel cloud of beef) with poached eggs over mashed potatoes. Damn. Creme brulee wasn't too shabby either. My friend left after brunch, and I spent the rest of the day relaxing with a very unhappy GI system. Before leaving on Monday morning, I walked around the French Quarter a bit (and had some more pralines).
The Race Itself
We woke up at 5am and left the hotel at 6:15. I had a yogurt and banana for breakfast, with a bit of coffee. We were just a few blocks from the race start, which was great. Found a porta-potty with a surprisingly short line, dropped the bag at gear check, and went to the corrals. We started at the front of the third corral with the 1:45 pace group. I had a gu about 15 minutes before the start. It was a staggered start, but we started pretty close to the end of the 2nd corral. The pace leaders went out pretty fast and I panicked- no way I was going to be able to hold that pace. Then it calmed down a bit and it was hard, but doable. The 8 min/mile pace had been my threshold pace in training, so I hadn't done more than 1.5 mi at a time at it. I was hoping the motivation of the race would make it possible. It was about 100% humidity, which didn't make me any happier. I was hanging in there until the first water stop. I still haven't mastered running and drinking, and really love the mental break of walking the water stops, so I got behind the group at that point. I then kept them in sight until mile 3 when my race started falling apart.
I mentally turned off. I realized it was going to be hard and hurt, and I shut down. I just gave up. I slowed down, then walked. I stopped to pee because I was slightly uncomfortable. There goes my goal. From mile 3 on, it was pretty pathetic, especially in hindsight. I completely shied away from discomfort. Because running a half marathon should be unicorns and rainbows, right? Yes, my stomach was legitimately upset (see above on what I ate- makes me nauseous thinking about it), and that might have been a limiter regardless, but I didn't even try to push through. Walking leads to walking.
Maybe I am making it sound worse than it was. I did run most of it, but just kept giving up over and over again, which is honestly hard to think about looking back at it. The main limiter was definitely just my mental resolve, followed by cardiovascular. My legs felt pretty good until the end. My mood went from bad to worse, as I was then upset with myself for my performance.
Nutrition wise, one of my only complaints about the race would be that the aid stations were almost 2 miles apart. Maybe I'm just spoiled by the fact that most of the Chi-town races have buffet tables every mile or so, but in the heat this seemed rough. I took water at every aid station and gatorade at a few as well. I had a gu around mile 5 and then mile 9. Nothing I'd change there.
The course wasn't all that exciting. Most of it was an out and back along one road. Didn't really matter, as it was so humid that my glasses were fogged and I had no clue where I was. Strangely, the humidity suddenly broke around mile 9, and there was on and off drizzle. Spectator support was ok, some good areas, some empty. I know there had to be frequent music since it was a Rock N Roll race, but I honestly didn't notice most of it, I was so miserable.
I think the half is a tough distance for me mentally. I am so accustomed to my 10 mile runs (even though they've been few and far between this year). I am use to 5 miles being half way, not 8 more to go. When I was at 6.5 miles and realized I was just half way, I wanted to cry. My stomach was also going crazy at that point, and I made a couple portapotty stops that also slowed me down and threw off my rhythm, if I had one. I tried to rally for the last few miles, and was somewhat successful, but still giving up on myself. That last mile seemed to stretch on forever. I do know that I was limited by fitness as much as mentality towards the end, as I could not get myself to sprint those last few meters no matter how much I wanted to.
I should mention that my Garmin went nuts the whole race. It was just beeping non-stop. I tried to stop it, but apparently it had a mind of its own and wouldn't stop, just kept beeping. I did pause it a few times though, so the beeping wasn't even giving me anything accurate. I crossed the line having really no clue how I did, thinking between 1:52 and 1:55.
The medals were awesome- on Mardi Gras beads! I grabbed my post-race food and found my friend at the reunite area. She ran a 1:40:xx, so that was good for her. We got our gear and walked forever to get to the shuttles back to the start line.
My stomach stayed pretty upset the rest of the day. The following day I was pretty sore, which surprised me as I pretty much just did a pathetic long run, rather than actually race. The reality is sinking in that while I did just give up, I really was in just not that great of shape. My physical demise showed when I got my race photos. Not only did that capture many of me walking, but in those where I am running I am rotating at my trunk like crazy. My core just fell apart along with the rest of my race. I need to be more aware of this in my long runs (and finally do those core exercises...).
So What Went Wrong...
1) Nutrition- My food intake leading up to the race is a ridiculous example of what not to do. And my long term nutrition had me heavier that would be ideal by a long shot.
2) Lack of endurance- I haven't run longer than 10 miles since the Ironman, and only a few 10 mile runs at that. While I have done some speedwork, being on the treadmill and bored has limited my long runs this winter. The long runs that I have done have been similar to my race- lots of giving up. Yes, I got them done, but I'd probably "pause" every mile or so due to something- stomach cramp, adjust hat, etc. I need to train like I race, or at least want to race. In addition to the long run, my overall mileage has been low. Lots of skipped runs, some for legitimate reasons, some not. Consistency is key, and the opposite of what I've been.
3) Pacing- I went out too fast. 1:45 was definitely a lofty goal considering #1 and 2. And when we went out even faster than that, I just burned out. I should've at least started at a more realistic pace, and sped up if possible. The fast pace and how I felt trying to keep it definitely contributed to me just giving up. Also, my broken watch was no help with pacing. Garmin, you'll be hearing from me.
4) Mental weakness- This was the biggie. I've known it, but here it showed itself again. I need to get comfortable being uncomfortable. I think part of the problem too is that I know I am not in my peak shape, so my chances of actually PR-ing are pretty slim. That doesn't help to encourage me. I think I need to just get more racing experience and see that I can survive the hurt.
The Good:
First, it was a great weekend, even with the marathon. And, I still ran 13.1 miles, and under 2 hrs, which is a goal I realize many strive for. So I really shouldn't complain. I was extremely happy that my shins didn't hurt at all. That was a huge victory. Sign that I can up the running? But most importantly, this was a motivator. When I got my time and saw that it was slower than 1:55, part of me was crushed, but I realized I had no one to blame but myself. If I want to do better, I have to be better. The fire has been lit.
Today I registered for the Chi-Town Half Marathon on April 6- hoping that will have a very different outcome!
The race was last weekend and the short version is that I learned not to eat your way through New Orleans and expect to run a good race. Time- 1:55 something. My second slowest half marathon ever. Disappointed, yes, but really I should have expected it. In the scheme of things, it was a great weekend and I got a hefty dose of motivation to up my training (and diet), served up with some humble pie.
The Weekend (minus the race)
I got into New Orleans on Thursday night, after my original flight was cancelled. My friend wasn't getting in until the next day. We were staying at Hilton Garden Inn French Quarter/CBD. I arrived a bit scared since I kept hearing that if you step one foot off the main drag, you will be mugged/raped/killed. The hotel was nice though and perfectly located- close to the French Quarter, race start, and the trolley line.
My friend got in Friday morning and we were immediately off to breakfast at Red Gravy. Cue the delicious eating. I had an amazing omelette with sausage and veggies and tomato sauce. We walked down to the French Quarter, where we walked around a bit and got pralines at Leah's Pralines. Praliens are good, bacon pecan brittle is better. Wow. We sat on the riverfront and ate way too many. It was surprisingly chilly that day. Then we took the St Charles Trolley to the Garden District and did a walking tour of the cemetery and neighborhood. The cemetery was really cool- learning about all the burial customs and seeing tombs in varying conditions. The Garden District was also awesome- so much different architecture, and we got to see some famous people's homes including Sandra Bullock.
On Friday night we ate at Oceana, another delicious and way too big meal. Then we went to see Rebirth Brass Band at The Howlin' Wolf. They didn't get on stage til almost midnight! It was really cool to see live jazz in New Orleans, and we stayed until about 1am, way past my bedtime.
Saturday was a bit more chill. We just had breakfast at the hotel and then made our way to the expo, a much longer walk than we expected. Then we were off to the zoo. The zoo was located in a beautiful park, and just seemed perfectly southern. I love zoos, and the added bonus here was the alligator, just chilling in the algae swamp. We definitely were on our feet more than would probably be recommended, but I would've regretted not seeing New Orleans otherwise. We ate dinner at the hotel, and then watched a movie and bed.
Sunday morning was the race (see below) and then we went to brunch at The Columns Hotel. We got to sit out on the porch and enjoy a gigantic 4 course meal. I got beef tournedos (expected a funnel cloud of beef) with poached eggs over mashed potatoes. Damn. Creme brulee wasn't too shabby either. My friend left after brunch, and I spent the rest of the day relaxing with a very unhappy GI system. Before leaving on Monday morning, I walked around the French Quarter a bit (and had some more pralines).
The Race Itself
We woke up at 5am and left the hotel at 6:15. I had a yogurt and banana for breakfast, with a bit of coffee. We were just a few blocks from the race start, which was great. Found a porta-potty with a surprisingly short line, dropped the bag at gear check, and went to the corrals. We started at the front of the third corral with the 1:45 pace group. I had a gu about 15 minutes before the start. It was a staggered start, but we started pretty close to the end of the 2nd corral. The pace leaders went out pretty fast and I panicked- no way I was going to be able to hold that pace. Then it calmed down a bit and it was hard, but doable. The 8 min/mile pace had been my threshold pace in training, so I hadn't done more than 1.5 mi at a time at it. I was hoping the motivation of the race would make it possible. It was about 100% humidity, which didn't make me any happier. I was hanging in there until the first water stop. I still haven't mastered running and drinking, and really love the mental break of walking the water stops, so I got behind the group at that point. I then kept them in sight until mile 3 when my race started falling apart.
I mentally turned off. I realized it was going to be hard and hurt, and I shut down. I just gave up. I slowed down, then walked. I stopped to pee because I was slightly uncomfortable. There goes my goal. From mile 3 on, it was pretty pathetic, especially in hindsight. I completely shied away from discomfort. Because running a half marathon should be unicorns and rainbows, right? Yes, my stomach was legitimately upset (see above on what I ate- makes me nauseous thinking about it), and that might have been a limiter regardless, but I didn't even try to push through. Walking leads to walking.
Maybe I am making it sound worse than it was. I did run most of it, but just kept giving up over and over again, which is honestly hard to think about looking back at it. The main limiter was definitely just my mental resolve, followed by cardiovascular. My legs felt pretty good until the end. My mood went from bad to worse, as I was then upset with myself for my performance.
Nutrition wise, one of my only complaints about the race would be that the aid stations were almost 2 miles apart. Maybe I'm just spoiled by the fact that most of the Chi-town races have buffet tables every mile or so, but in the heat this seemed rough. I took water at every aid station and gatorade at a few as well. I had a gu around mile 5 and then mile 9. Nothing I'd change there.
The course wasn't all that exciting. Most of it was an out and back along one road. Didn't really matter, as it was so humid that my glasses were fogged and I had no clue where I was. Strangely, the humidity suddenly broke around mile 9, and there was on and off drizzle. Spectator support was ok, some good areas, some empty. I know there had to be frequent music since it was a Rock N Roll race, but I honestly didn't notice most of it, I was so miserable.
I think the half is a tough distance for me mentally. I am so accustomed to my 10 mile runs (even though they've been few and far between this year). I am use to 5 miles being half way, not 8 more to go. When I was at 6.5 miles and realized I was just half way, I wanted to cry. My stomach was also going crazy at that point, and I made a couple portapotty stops that also slowed me down and threw off my rhythm, if I had one. I tried to rally for the last few miles, and was somewhat successful, but still giving up on myself. That last mile seemed to stretch on forever. I do know that I was limited by fitness as much as mentality towards the end, as I could not get myself to sprint those last few meters no matter how much I wanted to.
I should mention that my Garmin went nuts the whole race. It was just beeping non-stop. I tried to stop it, but apparently it had a mind of its own and wouldn't stop, just kept beeping. I did pause it a few times though, so the beeping wasn't even giving me anything accurate. I crossed the line having really no clue how I did, thinking between 1:52 and 1:55.
The medals were awesome- on Mardi Gras beads! I grabbed my post-race food and found my friend at the reunite area. She ran a 1:40:xx, so that was good for her. We got our gear and walked forever to get to the shuttles back to the start line.
My stomach stayed pretty upset the rest of the day. The following day I was pretty sore, which surprised me as I pretty much just did a pathetic long run, rather than actually race. The reality is sinking in that while I did just give up, I really was in just not that great of shape. My physical demise showed when I got my race photos. Not only did that capture many of me walking, but in those where I am running I am rotating at my trunk like crazy. My core just fell apart along with the rest of my race. I need to be more aware of this in my long runs (and finally do those core exercises...).
So What Went Wrong...
1) Nutrition- My food intake leading up to the race is a ridiculous example of what not to do. And my long term nutrition had me heavier that would be ideal by a long shot.
2) Lack of endurance- I haven't run longer than 10 miles since the Ironman, and only a few 10 mile runs at that. While I have done some speedwork, being on the treadmill and bored has limited my long runs this winter. The long runs that I have done have been similar to my race- lots of giving up. Yes, I got them done, but I'd probably "pause" every mile or so due to something- stomach cramp, adjust hat, etc. I need to train like I race, or at least want to race. In addition to the long run, my overall mileage has been low. Lots of skipped runs, some for legitimate reasons, some not. Consistency is key, and the opposite of what I've been.
3) Pacing- I went out too fast. 1:45 was definitely a lofty goal considering #1 and 2. And when we went out even faster than that, I just burned out. I should've at least started at a more realistic pace, and sped up if possible. The fast pace and how I felt trying to keep it definitely contributed to me just giving up. Also, my broken watch was no help with pacing. Garmin, you'll be hearing from me.
4) Mental weakness- This was the biggie. I've known it, but here it showed itself again. I need to get comfortable being uncomfortable. I think part of the problem too is that I know I am not in my peak shape, so my chances of actually PR-ing are pretty slim. That doesn't help to encourage me. I think I need to just get more racing experience and see that I can survive the hurt.
The Good:
First, it was a great weekend, even with the marathon. And, I still ran 13.1 miles, and under 2 hrs, which is a goal I realize many strive for. So I really shouldn't complain. I was extremely happy that my shins didn't hurt at all. That was a huge victory. Sign that I can up the running? But most importantly, this was a motivator. When I got my time and saw that it was slower than 1:55, part of me was crushed, but I realized I had no one to blame but myself. If I want to do better, I have to be better. The fire has been lit.
Today I registered for the Chi-Town Half Marathon on April 6- hoping that will have a very different outcome!
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Hello 2014!
All across the internet, and by internet I mean triathlon blogs, people are listing their 2013 training totals and accomplishments, as well as what they plan to accomplish in the coming year. While I am big on the fresh start implied in the new year, I am not going to do such a reflection in detail. Mostly because it depresses me.
In many ways, 2013 was not my year. I faced challenges professionally that wore me down. I coped not by exercises but by sitting on the couch and eating. I paid the consequences of gaining weight and losing fitness. But I also saw that despite my sub-par nutrition and training, I was capable of picking myself up and doing incredible things. Or thing. Ironman Wisconsin. In many ways I felt I didn't earn that finish line, as I didn't put in the work I had planned and while I am happy with my finish, it is not what I initially imagined. However, when I look back on 2013, that is above all, my crowning achievement. There is so much negative energy that could have defined me in this past year, but I came out of it an Ironman, and nothing can ever take that away from me.
While I have a long list of New Years Resolutions, ranging from consistently doing core work and yoga to being better at turning out the lights at home, my overall resolution is to not let perfect be the enemy of good. Like many triathletes, I am a perfectionist, and while I am a pretty relaxed person at times, there is no hiding that part of me that is Type A. I love mapping out training plans, making Excel spreadsheets to track metrics, menu planning, etc. I have also realized this past year that I am an all-or-nothing type of person. Well, I plan to break this this year. The triathlon example is that past-me would have planned a 10 mile run. Then something happens and that just isn't feasible. Old me would likely have not run at all, while it would be entirely possible to get in 3-4 miles. Perfect (10 miles) gets in the way of good (3-4 miles). A real-life example is how I go about cleaning (or not cleaning) my condo. I always tell myself that Sunday (or whatever day) I will spend all day and do a really good deep cleaning. Yeah, I don't have to tell you that that rarely (or never) happens. So I end up doing nothing. The dishes stay in the sink, the dog hair continues to accumulate, etc. But what if instead of being perfect, I just try to be good- spend 15 min vacuuming, do a few dishes, wipe down the counter. Might not be perfect, but it is better than nothing.
I put this resolution into practice yesterday. I like to say I have a tradition of running the year in miles on New Years Day- i.e. 14 miles for 2014. While I say this is a tradition, I've only actually done it once, back in 2011, and blamed the weather in subsequent years. Before you go thinking I'm soft, while I don't remember the weather at all in 2013, I can tell you that 2012 was downright frightful. Well, yesterday, the weather wasn't so great either. Snow. Lots of it. I am not sure if the path was plowed at all, but the snow was falling throughout the day. It might have been the sissy way to go, but I didn't want to spend my New Years Day trampling through snow, being careful not to trip, and just having a miserable time. I definitely agree there is a time and place for those miserable workouts, but this (to me) wasn't one of them. So I decided on a new tradition- I'd swim 2014 yds.
I trudged through the snow to get to the gym, which shockingly wasn't crazy. I guess resolutions start on the 2nd, after the hangover has worn off? I got in the water, and those first few laps felt tough. 2014 yds started to seem like a very long distance, and compared to what I have been doing, it is. But I got through it. January 1 is not the time to quit for no good reason. I ended up at 2050, since stopping at 2014 yds is kind of tough to do in a 25 yd pool. But no worries, I'm not seeing that as an excuse to put off swimming until 2050.
Next up was running. My plan called for 6x400 at Z5 pace. While I haven't retested my run, I assume Z5 is around 7:30ish. I planned to do a 1.5 mile warm up, hit the intervals, then cool down for another 1.5 miles to hit a total of 6 miles. Sounded quite doable. I got on the dreaded treadmill and started. My legs felt off. Nothing really hurt, just they felt off. Excuses were flooding my mind. Even justifications- skip the run, go home and do the bike instead. But I was already there. I told myself to just get through a mile. I could do that. When a mile came up, I decided to try an interval. Bumped up the speed and off I went. And it was challenging, yes, but I started to feel good in that "hurts so good" type of way. I knew I could do it, and the victory would be sweeter since I powered through those excuses on January 1st of all days. I alternated a quarter mile at 7:30-7:35 with a quarter mile easy at a 9:15ish pace. I got through all six intervals, when I originally wanted to quit before half a mile. No, I didn't get all 6 planned miles in, but I hit the guts of the workout and got in a quality 4 miles. Not perfect, but pretty darn good.
In many ways, 2013 was not my year. I faced challenges professionally that wore me down. I coped not by exercises but by sitting on the couch and eating. I paid the consequences of gaining weight and losing fitness. But I also saw that despite my sub-par nutrition and training, I was capable of picking myself up and doing incredible things. Or thing. Ironman Wisconsin. In many ways I felt I didn't earn that finish line, as I didn't put in the work I had planned and while I am happy with my finish, it is not what I initially imagined. However, when I look back on 2013, that is above all, my crowning achievement. There is so much negative energy that could have defined me in this past year, but I came out of it an Ironman, and nothing can ever take that away from me.
While I have a long list of New Years Resolutions, ranging from consistently doing core work and yoga to being better at turning out the lights at home, my overall resolution is to not let perfect be the enemy of good. Like many triathletes, I am a perfectionist, and while I am a pretty relaxed person at times, there is no hiding that part of me that is Type A. I love mapping out training plans, making Excel spreadsheets to track metrics, menu planning, etc. I have also realized this past year that I am an all-or-nothing type of person. Well, I plan to break this this year. The triathlon example is that past-me would have planned a 10 mile run. Then something happens and that just isn't feasible. Old me would likely have not run at all, while it would be entirely possible to get in 3-4 miles. Perfect (10 miles) gets in the way of good (3-4 miles). A real-life example is how I go about cleaning (or not cleaning) my condo. I always tell myself that Sunday (or whatever day) I will spend all day and do a really good deep cleaning. Yeah, I don't have to tell you that that rarely (or never) happens. So I end up doing nothing. The dishes stay in the sink, the dog hair continues to accumulate, etc. But what if instead of being perfect, I just try to be good- spend 15 min vacuuming, do a few dishes, wipe down the counter. Might not be perfect, but it is better than nothing.
I put this resolution into practice yesterday. I like to say I have a tradition of running the year in miles on New Years Day- i.e. 14 miles for 2014. While I say this is a tradition, I've only actually done it once, back in 2011, and blamed the weather in subsequent years. Before you go thinking I'm soft, while I don't remember the weather at all in 2013, I can tell you that 2012 was downright frightful. Well, yesterday, the weather wasn't so great either. Snow. Lots of it. I am not sure if the path was plowed at all, but the snow was falling throughout the day. It might have been the sissy way to go, but I didn't want to spend my New Years Day trampling through snow, being careful not to trip, and just having a miserable time. I definitely agree there is a time and place for those miserable workouts, but this (to me) wasn't one of them. So I decided on a new tradition- I'd swim 2014 yds.
I trudged through the snow to get to the gym, which shockingly wasn't crazy. I guess resolutions start on the 2nd, after the hangover has worn off? I got in the water, and those first few laps felt tough. 2014 yds started to seem like a very long distance, and compared to what I have been doing, it is. But I got through it. January 1 is not the time to quit for no good reason. I ended up at 2050, since stopping at 2014 yds is kind of tough to do in a 25 yd pool. But no worries, I'm not seeing that as an excuse to put off swimming until 2050.
Next up was running. My plan called for 6x400 at Z5 pace. While I haven't retested my run, I assume Z5 is around 7:30ish. I planned to do a 1.5 mile warm up, hit the intervals, then cool down for another 1.5 miles to hit a total of 6 miles. Sounded quite doable. I got on the dreaded treadmill and started. My legs felt off. Nothing really hurt, just they felt off. Excuses were flooding my mind. Even justifications- skip the run, go home and do the bike instead. But I was already there. I told myself to just get through a mile. I could do that. When a mile came up, I decided to try an interval. Bumped up the speed and off I went. And it was challenging, yes, but I started to feel good in that "hurts so good" type of way. I knew I could do it, and the victory would be sweeter since I powered through those excuses on January 1st of all days. I alternated a quarter mile at 7:30-7:35 with a quarter mile easy at a 9:15ish pace. I got through all six intervals, when I originally wanted to quit before half a mile. No, I didn't get all 6 planned miles in, but I hit the guts of the workout and got in a quality 4 miles. Not perfect, but pretty darn good.
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