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.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
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.
Monday, December 23, 2013
The Grapefruit Lesson
This is going to be another post about weight loss. Part of me does not want to be another triathlon blog about weight loss, because I do this crazy sport for so many more reasons than to burn calories. But this is where I am at right now. As I've mentioned in many a post before, I've been gaining weight. I am currently about 10 lbs over my old normal, and 20 lbs over my marathon PR race weight. My goal is to lose 15 lbs. I've successfully lost weight in the past and have enough knowledge on healthy eating and enough exercise that it shouldn't be a problem. So why have I been bitching about this for the past year and not done anything but make it worse?
It comes down to wanting an instant result, and I'm not getting it. On Biggest Loser, they lose 10+ lbs on the first week. And they aren't triathletes, so why not me? Ok, I know that is ridiculous and I know there are a zillion reasons why that doesn't work in real life, or at least for people with only 15 lbs to lose. My logical goal is to lose a pound a week. That is all I am shooting for. And yet, if that happens, I feel disappointed. A pound is so measely, barely beyond my scales fluctuations. The thought that I have to be disciplined all the time to get a little tiny one pound change gives me the excuse of "well, just this one time, it will only cost you a pound."
I had an epiphany grocery shopping the other day when I picked up a 3 lb bag of grapefruit. No, this isn't about the health benefits of grapefruit, though they sure are awesome, but rather what I realized when I had 3 lbs in my hand. You see, I don't have a car and have to carry whatever I buy the 2 blocks home, and then up the 3 flights of stairs. When I picked up the 3 lb bag, I was dreading it. Huh, 3 lbs is kind of heavy, isn't it? If I can just lose 3 lbs, think of how much easier it will be to run. It will be like I lost this sack of citrus. And on the flip side, if I pack on 3 more extra pounds, that will be like running carrying this bag of grapefruits. I don't want to run with grapefruits!
Somehow, this more concrete example stuck. We've all heard the gains you get in speed for every 5 lbs lost and whatnot, but this was a clear "wow, I don't want to run carrying that" experience. To make the point even more drastic, I pick up my dog, who ways 20 lbs. That is what I've gained. It's like the old skinny me is running carrying this dog. No good.
So it will be a slow process. I am sure I won't be perfect along the way, but my goal is that in 3 weeks, I will be down a bag of grapefruits. In a few more, take off a sack of onions. It comes down to the fact that those 3 lbs seem much more significant now, a baby step that actually will make a difference. I'm thinking this is the real reason grapefruits are referred to as a health food.
It comes down to wanting an instant result, and I'm not getting it. On Biggest Loser, they lose 10+ lbs on the first week. And they aren't triathletes, so why not me? Ok, I know that is ridiculous and I know there are a zillion reasons why that doesn't work in real life, or at least for people with only 15 lbs to lose. My logical goal is to lose a pound a week. That is all I am shooting for. And yet, if that happens, I feel disappointed. A pound is so measely, barely beyond my scales fluctuations. The thought that I have to be disciplined all the time to get a little tiny one pound change gives me the excuse of "well, just this one time, it will only cost you a pound."
I had an epiphany grocery shopping the other day when I picked up a 3 lb bag of grapefruit. No, this isn't about the health benefits of grapefruit, though they sure are awesome, but rather what I realized when I had 3 lbs in my hand. You see, I don't have a car and have to carry whatever I buy the 2 blocks home, and then up the 3 flights of stairs. When I picked up the 3 lb bag, I was dreading it. Huh, 3 lbs is kind of heavy, isn't it? If I can just lose 3 lbs, think of how much easier it will be to run. It will be like I lost this sack of citrus. And on the flip side, if I pack on 3 more extra pounds, that will be like running carrying this bag of grapefruits. I don't want to run with grapefruits!
Somehow, this more concrete example stuck. We've all heard the gains you get in speed for every 5 lbs lost and whatnot, but this was a clear "wow, I don't want to run carrying that" experience. To make the point even more drastic, I pick up my dog, who ways 20 lbs. That is what I've gained. It's like the old skinny me is running carrying this dog. No good.
So it will be a slow process. I am sure I won't be perfect along the way, but my goal is that in 3 weeks, I will be down a bag of grapefruits. In a few more, take off a sack of onions. It comes down to the fact that those 3 lbs seem much more significant now, a baby step that actually will make a difference. I'm thinking this is the real reason grapefruits are referred to as a health food.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Sick and Complaining
So remember when I vowed to workout hard about a week ago. Yeah, that worked. For 2.5 days. But this time it wasn't weak will, but the cold from hell. I know, I am a baby to whine and complain about a freaking cold. If that is my biggest ailment, I will count my blessings. But it has been absolutely miserable. Let me give the play-by-play for a moment to justify just how bad I've been feeling...
Wednesday and Thursday I wasn't feeling quite right. Sore throat, tired, achey. Wednesday I cut my run short, Thursday I rested. I knew the crud some of my co-workers had and I wanted to avoid it. Rest is best. Friday was congestion, sore throat, and headache. Saturday was much of the same until that evening. Worst. Heachache. Ever. Throbbing, accompanied by dizziness with every movement. I did the sensible thing and called my mom to complain. She goes "you don't think it's an aneurism, do you?" Well, not till that moment! It was one of those things that I was 99.9% sure was not true, but it was a nagging thought in my head as I couldn't sleep that night. I was also incredibly nauseous, running to the bathroom repeatedly, but never actually throwing up. Sunday was a bit better, then Monday and today (Tuesday) was full on snot-fest. Ok, enough whining. It's a cold. I will survive.
This has put a wrench in my workout plans. The logical side of me knows it is not a big deal. I will work out through a lot, but not this, I could barely function. Maybe some tough guy out there would, but not me. I know it is December, a long, long ways from race season. But, it is suppose to be test week- time to find out what gains I have made in the 7 weeks of the OutSeason so far. And instead, I feel like I am losing every single gain.
The most frustrating part is that last Monday, when I resolved to workout hard, I felt so in control. This time was going to be different. I was going to get it together. And then this happened. A stupid little cold, but it knocked me off my tracks. I will get better, and I won't even remember this come race time, but right now, I just feel liking sitting in a corner and feeling sorry for myself. And that is exactly what I've been doing...
Wednesday and Thursday I wasn't feeling quite right. Sore throat, tired, achey. Wednesday I cut my run short, Thursday I rested. I knew the crud some of my co-workers had and I wanted to avoid it. Rest is best. Friday was congestion, sore throat, and headache. Saturday was much of the same until that evening. Worst. Heachache. Ever. Throbbing, accompanied by dizziness with every movement. I did the sensible thing and called my mom to complain. She goes "you don't think it's an aneurism, do you?" Well, not till that moment! It was one of those things that I was 99.9% sure was not true, but it was a nagging thought in my head as I couldn't sleep that night. I was also incredibly nauseous, running to the bathroom repeatedly, but never actually throwing up. Sunday was a bit better, then Monday and today (Tuesday) was full on snot-fest. Ok, enough whining. It's a cold. I will survive.
This has put a wrench in my workout plans. The logical side of me knows it is not a big deal. I will work out through a lot, but not this, I could barely function. Maybe some tough guy out there would, but not me. I know it is December, a long, long ways from race season. But, it is suppose to be test week- time to find out what gains I have made in the 7 weeks of the OutSeason so far. And instead, I feel like I am losing every single gain.
The most frustrating part is that last Monday, when I resolved to workout hard, I felt so in control. This time was going to be different. I was going to get it together. And then this happened. A stupid little cold, but it knocked me off my tracks. I will get better, and I won't even remember this come race time, but right now, I just feel liking sitting in a corner and feeling sorry for myself. And that is exactly what I've been doing...
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Why Wait Until January 1?
“A year from now, you will wish you had started today.”
-Katy Lamb
On January 1, millions (totally made up number here) will decide to start the year off right, beginning exercise and diet programs, determined to make 2014 the year. I am typically one of them, as I always look for a good time for that fresh start. In the short course of this blog, I have been on and off the exercise/health wagon more times than I can count, continuing to state that tomorrow I will... (give up sugar, run every day, not skip workouts, etc.). And yet, I continue to be unable to get in a pattern. While I could list off a zillion (again, accurate number here) excuses, there is really no one to blame but my faulty resolve, and it will be me who regrets it come next season when I am falling short of my dreams and potential.
So I'm not going to wait until January 1. From tomorrow until January 1, I am going to see how much work I can get in. I do not have a specific number in mind, but I am aiming to run, swim, AND bike every single day. Yoga and core in there too. I am not expecting to be perfect at this, but to remember that every minute counts. Maybe I won't have time for a 5 mile run, but I can get in 20 minutes. No time for a full out core workout, but why not a few crunches or planks. If I am going to watch tv, it better be on the trainer. I am hoping this will set me up for 2014 a little fitter, a little lighter, and already in the habit to get it done.
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