The Wetsuit

I've ordered my wetsuit. With custom TRIgirl logo, of course.

This will be the wetsuit that will fit so beautifully, I will overcome feelings of being suffocated.

This will be the wetsuit that will protect me from all things that go bump in rivers, bays, lakes and oceans.

This will be the wetsuit that will keep me warm during my first open water swim at Smith Mountain Lake on May 5th.

This will be the wetsuit that I will don at Eagleman, in the brackish Choptank River.

This will be the wetsuit that will keep me afloat during the two 1.2 mile loops at Panama City for Ironman Florida.

This wetsuit has a lot to live up to. Let's hope it is up for the challenge.

Fezzy vs. the Steps - by Fezzy

I have been a bit annoyed at Mommy recently.

After being gone all day at work and workouts, she finally comes home. She gives me a little bit of attention and then it is time to go upstairs to bed.

She used to scoop me up and kiss me all the way up the stairs. I would try to bite her nose or lick her ears in return.

But lately, she calls Buttercup and me, and says "Upstairs!"

Then she is gone,

WITHOUT ME,

and Buttercup gives me a sideways glance as she follows Mommy.

I would do a little tap dance, tilting my head ever so cutely. I would bark to remind Mommy that she forgot me. And up until now, Mommy would eventually come down to carry me up the stairs.

Well, today, Mommy isn't coming back down.

I see her peeking around the door and I hear her saying "Come on, Fezzy!"

I am waiting for you to come and get me, I bark at Mommy.

"Come on, Fezzy!"

Mommy seems very far away. I am so little. The stairs are so tall and scary.

But I know how to jump up one step - I've been doing that ever since I was a puppy to get into our playroom with all my toys.

I can even go up four steps. I learned that trick on our front stoop.

But, there are many, many steps to get to Mommy. I prop my front legs on the bottom step, but don't know what to do next.

OK, maybe I will try just a little push. Up go my back legs.

Hmmm - let me try that again. Front legs, back legs. I am past the second step!

I suddenly have momentum and am flying up the rest.

Before I know it, I am dancing in front of Mommy.

She scoops me up, gives me kisses - and I lick her ears.

As long as I don't have to go downstairs, I'll be OK. For now, I am tired and ready for bed.

Zzzzzzz.

Cravings

This week, I was reminded by Triathlonmom that we are halfway in our training program to Eagleman – and, thanks to her efforts, a very cool counter has been added to the footer of my blog where I can watch the days tick away to this major race.

I know our training is about to move up to the next intensity level. And I know that I need to seriously evaluate my nutrition plan – for both workouts and races.

Overall, I’ve made a few changes in my diet since my last nutrition post. I am eating more without gaining weight. Breakfast is becoming a regular occurrence. I’m remembering to take a sports bar or jelly beans for workouts that will be over an hour. Most of the time, my beverage of choice is water (well, and some wine, too).

Yet I seem to have predictable hankerings. For a post-workout breakfast (still can’t figure out how to eat anything more than a sports bar before early morning workouts), I really want a bagel. So I pick one up at Manna Café, the little food shop in my office building. Lately, I’ve been adding either a Naked Fruit Smoothie or V8 to my purchase to have as a mid morning snack. Yep, often a cup of coffee is on my receipt, too.

At lunchtime, you can usually find me online at Christopher’s Runaway Gourmet (and usually TRIgirl LD will be waiting with me). This is probably my most balanced meal of the day – low fat chicken salad, fruit or cucumbers, small piece of cheese and a slice of yummy, crusty bread – with butter. I can eat this stuff day after day to the amazement of some of my coworkers.

Dinner is probably my most unusual meal. I crave cheese and salt. So many nights, I end up cutting up some fresh mozzarella, seasoned nicely with some good ole kosher or sea salt. At least when tomatoes are back in season, I can add a few slices for a healthier and less bizarre supper.

While my overall nutrition is better, my guess is that it isn’t good enough. I know the drill - more fruits, veggies and whole grains. My main problem is that I’d rather skip a meal than waste calories on something I don’t want or won’t enjoy. And I think there may be a small fear that if I eat the healthier choice – let’s say whole wheat bread vs. the bagel – I’ll still want the bagel and will end up eating it – or something similar – before the day is done.

Small steps - and I’m ready to take the next one or two. Just need to figure out which ones are most important – or the ones I’ll be more likely to adopt.

A Blustery Day

With temperatures around 70 yesterday, I was itching to be outside - and played hookey from indoor bicycling to ride at West Creek.

The ride started off beautifully.

And then the lions of March started roaring.

I hit a few parts of the course where the wind either slowed me down or propeled me along. Which made for an interesting workout.

But, I should have paid attention to the warnings - like the leaves that were suddenly swirling about in mini tornado fashion.

Because when I soon thereafter hit a section of road with no buildings or trees to act as buffers, I found myself struggling to keep control of the bike. I was literally being pushed across the road by the strong gusts.

After about 15 miles, I'd had enough and decided to fit in a short run instead of completing a longer bicycle ride.

I guess it may have been good practice for Eagleman and IMFL - which I hear can be windy.

Flipping

For my past two swim workouts, I’ve been flailing about, attempting what are supposed to be flip turns.

I’ve had a few people say – why bother – there are no walls in the ocean.

Which is true – and if I really wanted to simulate an open water swim, I’d need to find a way to not push off the wall at all – nor take a little breather when doing a regular turn. Maybe remove the lap ropes and lines, generate some wave action, dump in a few gallons of salt and throw in some jellyfish.

And I think the biggest benefit of flip turns – well, when I can actually incorporate them smoothly into my swimming – will be that I won’t be able to take that additional breath or two. Which, I’ve come to learn, really makes a difference. Without that extra air, swimming, especially longer distances, becomes a wee bit more challenging and tiring.

Not to mention, they “should” help me keep up a little better with some of the faster swimmers – and maybe even improve my time in pool sprint triathlons.

So, this past Sunday and Monday, I tried to include flip turns for a least a quarter of each workout. It wasn’t always very pretty.

The baffling part is that I used to be able to do them when I was a teenager (or at least some version that may not have been “technically” correct, but fairly smooth). I’m very comfortable, even still, doing water acrobatics, from all my childhood practice when my friends and I would pretend the pool lap lines were balance beams and would create little gymnastic routines.

But, I’m hopeful about figuring this whole flip turn thing out. I’ve done some research online and am looking forward to my next swim when I can try out some of the tips I’ve found. For example, I think I am twisting way too soon. It sounds like I should really complete the somersault, then turn.

Once the basic form starts falling into place, I’ll work on stopping the little head bobbing thing I am doing now when nearing the wall to try and gauge at what point to start the turn (and to sneak the extra breath or two that I’d normally have taken with a regular turn).

Would welcome suggestions from the expert flippers out there…

Shamrock 8K - Race Report

And a great time was had by all...

OK, maybe that should have been the ending to this post, but it also felt like the right way to begin. With the Shamrock 8k as the first race of the season for 11 TRIgirls (and tomorrow's half marathon for a few others) this weekend's races have set the stage for a promising season.

Thank goodness the weather improved from yesterday's pouring rain. Thank goodness eight TRIgirls were able crash at TRIgirl MW's wonderful beach home. Thank goodness we had a great pre-race meal of yummy pizza and a healthy salad - and a relaxed, fun evening of fabulous conversation.

And a big happy birthday to TRIgirl TD!

Now on to the actual race report...

Pre-Race Registration and Expo - Smooth as silk - and great deals on sneakers and training gear (and yay - finally found my Mizuno sneakers - in pink - at a terrific price).

Weather - Chilly, windy, but clear. I'm guessing the temperatures were in the 30s with wind gusts up to 15-20 miles per hour. But the rain was gone - and for most of the morning, the sun shined down to warm us up just enough for good race conditions. A few times, the wind would whip between the buildings to surprise a bit, but overall, it wasn't too bad.

Course - Virginia Beach has a very flat course that runs through a "strip" of restaurants and shops, as well as a nice concrete boardwalk for the last mile or so. It was great to run with TRIgirl MW for the first half the race - until she picked up the pace a bit more than I thought I could handle. For the last few miles, had the weather been warmer or less windy, I would have positioned myself along the closest perimeter to the ocean. But since the wind was in my face at this point - I tried to plop myself in the middle of the boardwalk.

Times - I think every TRIgirl had a good race. Some ran the distance without walking for the first time - some took off signifcant times or had PRs. For me, the race was a PR - 48:27, including one mile close to my "new" tempo pace at 9:25 and two miles within reason to my old tempo pace of 9:40. My first mile was not very good - a 10:05 - but mostly because a group of us started so far back, that the first mile became a zig zag game to find an opening to get into the groove. My last .9ish mile, though I felt like I was pushing it, was also at a slower pace - probably around 10+/mile.

I went into the race just wanting to finish at a sub 10 minute/mile pace - which I did - possibly for the first time ever for an official race (there may be one 5K from my younger days, but I am not sure). But after hearing about the major gains by a few TRIgirls, I started to feel like my 3-5 minute improvement from previous 8Ks really wasn't a big deal. My progress in this whole exercise thing is so painstakenly slow at times.

And then I wondered if I just set the "bar" too low. I was a special education teacher for nine years - and became an expert at setting reasonable, reachable goals for my students, breaking down their learning tasks into realistic chunks that they could attain.

Am I breaking down my own training too far? Should I be setting goals a bit further ourside my comfort zone?

Then I decided to just stop over analyzing the situation.

Could I have ran faster? Maybe.

Did I have a better time than ever? Yes.

And, most importantly, did I have fun? Yes.

It was a beautiful day and I participated in an event with some of my favorite people. From piling into MW's SUV to find parking - to celebrating in the race tent with beers (just a sip or two for this wine loving TRIgirl) and at a local bagel shop for breakfast - I reminded myself of all the things I should be grateful for this race weekend.

...and a great time was had by all.

For Just One Day

For just one day, I’d like to run like Jackie Joyner-Kersee, swim like Janet Evans and bike like Lance Armstrong. To switch bodies and see what it feels like to be so amazingly athletic. To run with lungs that can accomplish a 4 minute mile. To swim with shoulders that cut through the water like oars. To bike with thighs so strong they can climb hill after hill after hill. To learn to what extent their power is true gift and how much is hard work. To see if what I consider “effort” compares to their ability to drive themselves through discomfort or pain. To experience their mental stamina and focus.

While it would be humbling (and probably depressing) to return to the world of back-packers, maybe I would have learned how to move with better technique or what it is like to truly push myself to the limit.

Holy Cramps!

Around 4 o'clock this morning, I woke to an impressive calf cramp. I haven't experienced one for a long time - though a few weeks back I wondered if they would start rearing their ugly heads again with all the training.

By the time 6:00 rolled around, I was a little sore and stiff getting out of bed. I did some mild stretching, grabbed two bananas, extra Gatorade and headed out to our workout - 3 miles of running, including my favorite "fast as you can half mile repeats," followed by two hours on the bike.

The workout went fairly well - I was a little cautious at times during the run and bike, pausing occasionally to stretch my calf if I felt like the muscles were teasing me with another possible cramp.

While spinning along mindlessly during the two hours, I remembered a story about my husband and leg cramps.

A little background...my husband is naturally athletic and spent his younger years excelling at a variety of sports before blowing out most of his joints. Handball, and I mean the New York one wall kind, was his favorite. He would probably play for 15-20 hours a week.

And a little more background...at the time of this story, we played cards every Sunday evening with friends. We'd have a huge spread of food and play Hearts, Spades and May I for hours.

So one Sunday, after my husband had spent most of the weekend at the handball courts, we were in our usual seats, dealing out the cards. All of the sudden, my husband was on the floor, gripping his leg, and shouting "Ow, oow, ooow." At first, we all thought he was kidding - overreacting to a bad card play. Then we realized it was a cramp. But before the one cramp subsided, another one attacked his other leg. So he was literally rolling around on the floor holding both legs. And even though we all knew it was a miserable and painful situation - watching him was just the tiniest bit funny at the time - and became a "remember when" story for many a future card night.

Indulgences

In many ways, I am a major tree hugging liberal. I don't mind (too much) paying taxes. I think quality education - whether public, private or home-based - is the key to our future. (As an ex-special education teacher, I cringe when people complain about teacher salaries.) I am a strong proponent of striving to make our environment as good, if not better, for future generations.

Give me a good book and wonderful music and I'll trade you our high definition television (just don't tell my husband).

I love to be surrounded by nature, whether experiencing a gorgeous sunset, an invigorating hike through the mountains - or even a walk through the neighborhood with Fezzy and Buttercup.

Though please make sure there is bathroom with plumbing somewhere within walking distance.

And, boy oh boy, am I a sucker for a good massage or a few hours in a hot tub.

My generous and kind neighbors have just invited me over for some hot tubbing. And my plans to stay home, while the hubby is out of town, to clean my closets, have flown out the window. My only goals now are to resist the temptation to drink too much wine or to stay out past 10:00 since we have a mega workout tomorrow starting at 7:00 am.

My Ever Changing Moods

Today’s run.

I woke up with the hope it would get me back on track with training. The antibiotic drops were relieving the pink eye. The chest cold was down to just an occasional cough. Even the road rash was healing to pinprick scabs. It was time to get back with the program.

We were scheduled to do a four mile negative split – two miles slow, two miles fast. Usually I check Garmin every half mile or so to see how I’m doing, especially when the little mile lap beeper goes off. Between starting in the dark and keeping the volume turned up on the IPOD, I kept missing the beeps to see my mile pace.

After finishing the four miles, feeling like I pushed myself reasonably hard for the negative split, I quickly looked at Garmin's workout history. 10:15, 10:19, 10:12 and 9:35.

I have to say I was disappointed, discouraged, disheartened, diswhatever; those times did not seem like a very good negative split.

Driving to TRIgirl coffee, I realized the math didn’t work out. I had finished all four miles in 39:28. Hmmmm.

So, after pulling into the Starbuck’s parking lot, I checked Garmin’s history again. Oh – lap one was really just my pace for 4 seconds (how that happened, I have no idea). Look at that – there was a fifth lap – with a 9:18 time.

And with that tiny realization that the fifth lap was really my fourth mile, it was like the skies burst open with singing angels, sunshine beams and vibrant rainbows.

I had a decent negative split. 20:35/18:53.

It seems so silly that such a small detail changed my whole mood – my perception of the workout – my sense of accomplishment. Like a day when the scale registers a pound lighter than normal – even when knowing it is water weight that will likely be back tomorrow.

Maybe the mile times shouldn’t have mattered – but I have to say the actual ones were a relief, a welcome sign that maybe not too much ground was lost these last few weeks.

Setbacks

But don't you ever give in
Taking one step forward, slipping two steps back
There's an empty feeling that you can't forget
Reaching out, reaching out for a helping hand
...
But now I'm the one to decide
Who needs, well I don't need, who needs you?
(from "Who Needs You")

These Queen lyrics have been stuck in my head - like my own personal soundtrack.

Was it just a few weeks ago I was so happily and proudly writing about PRs?

Before the nasty chest cold. Before the bike fall. And before today's appearance of some gunky eye weirdness. Things I didn't need if I had my druthers.

Yeah, I've plugged along through about 80-90% of the workouts - but they haven't been great. A medium distance run instead of intense repeats. A horrible first swim after being out of the water for a week and a half. A pathetic long distance run at a slower pace than I've done for over a year.

Maybe it is my own fault. I try to ignore being sick. Usually I think it works to my advantage. With the help of a few over-the-counter drugs, life seems normal. And before I know it, the irritating symptoms have disappeared. But not always. More than once, I've stubbornly tried to do it all, wheezing and coughing, to only later end up in the doctor's office with a diagnosis of pneumonia. Today, TRIgirl LD looked at my eyes with concern suggesting I might have pink eye. To which I said - and believed whole heartedly - nah, I think it is just allergies. (I still am not convinced it is pink eye and reserve the right to wait till tomorrow before even considering it.)

Positive thinking - I am a firm believer that it is just as, if not more, powerful than any drug.

In the meantime, I'm itching to feel strong again. To continue making progress. To stop worrying that these annoying interferences are causing major setbacks that will take my backpacker, non-athlete self, weeks to regain.

I'm hoping, that maybe instead of taking one step forward and slipping two steps back, I've accomplished two steps forward and have only slid one step back.

I'm really hoping.

Share the Road!

This past weekend I joined a few of my wine club and triathlon training friends for an impromptu getaway in the Outer Banks. Since an important workout was planned for the weekend, I hitched Amarone and TRIgirl DL’s bike onto the back of my car and kept my fingers crossed that they wouldn’t fly off during the three hour trip.

The schedule for Saturday’s workout was an hour bike, followed by an 8-10 mile run. A quiet “beach road” ran parallel to the main road and appeared to have a nice shoulder. Heading out, we realized that by riding on the side closest to the ocean, we would miss most intersections and not have to worry about traffic lights.

It felt great to be on the bike. First, because after three months of spinning on an indoor trainer, being outside was such a pleasure - cruising past quaint beach homes and glimpses of the ocean. Second, because after three months of spinning on an indoor trainer, riding on a flat road, without the added resistance of a trainer, felt effortless. Even with a strong crosswind, we maintained an easy to moderate exertion level – at a pace that was somewhere between 16-17 miles per hour.

After a half hour, we turned around, still staying on the ocean side of the road, though now we were going against traffic. In the distance, I noticed a wide RV approaching. As he got closer, I waited for him to move over. But he didn’t. He kept on charging down the road, hanging over the lane and the shoulder. I had two choices – to cross over the other side of the street or to move further into the shoulder, where the dunes had overflowed excess sand. I chose the dunes. As RV man sped by – I could feel the breeze from his extra large vehicle whizzing by. Then I noticed I was in deep sand and my back tire was skidding out. A few seconds later I was on the ground.

After picking myself back up, I started to get angry. Did RV man not see me? Was he trying to teach me a lesson? Did he think I was on a mountain bike and could handle the dunes? My knee was split open and I had an impressive six inch road rash on my shin, but overall, I felt OK and resumed riding, trying to shake off the fall. Ironically, a mile or two down from the mishap, a sign was posted with a picture of a bicycle and the message “Share the Road.”

Yeah – RV man – guess you didn’t see that sign? Share the road!

About a mile or two from the house, TRIgirl DL got a flat – so I finished the rest of ride by myself to get the car and pick her up. As I put the bike rack on the trunk, I noticed my hand was feeling jammed up and a throbbing bump was appearing on my right outer thigh.

After cleaning out the sand and grime, TRIgirls DL, LD and I started the run. At first, I felt pretty good, telling myself that moving would keep the blood flowing. After about three miles, I started to slow down a bit. After six and a half, I started feeling lightheaded and very dehydrated. I walked a bit till I found an open store - a hair salon - where I grabbed some water. I felt a little better, and pushed myself to finish the 10 miles, jogging for a little over 8 total, at a sloooow pace.

I spent some time mulling over why I felt so miserable on the run - worse than I had in a long time. I had really wanted to run the full 10 miles – but just didn’t have it in me. Could the blood accumulating in the scabs and bumps drained me? Did the adrenalin rush from the fall wear me out? Did I just not drink enough water? Were the antibiotics I had started taking to finish off the lingering chest cold wreaking havoc with my system? Some combination of the above?

Regardless, I was just happy the workout was over. I took a long shower and wondered what RV man would have done if we had been riding with the traffic. Would he have moved over or would we be hanging off the side of his camper like squashed bugs?

What would it have taken to get him to share the road?

Before and After

Alas, this is not a post about amazing triathlon related makeovers.

Sweet Fezzy, at just over five months old, completed his puppy shots yesterday. Assured he would not catch kennel cough or some other puppy ailment, we scheduled his first grooming for today. All the way home from swimming, I was smiling thinking about his transformation.

Check out his before picture:




















And his after shot:



















He is absolutely adorably handsome with his new haircut. It is nice to see his expressive eyes - and to actually be able to detect his little tail wagging. And there is nothing like the smell of a freshly groomed furkid.

But I have to say, I loved his sheepdog style, too.

Bragging Rights

Wow, my nieces can swim - FAST.

They were both in the Senior Short Course Championships held in New York this weekend - and I just shook my head in awe when looking at their results.

B placed first in the 100 yard breaststroke finals with a 1:08:19 time, qualifying for sectionals. And S did so well with her 100 yard freestyle time (55:30) that her coach placed her in the "A" relay - and her team came in 5th place. At the meet, Jenny Thompson made an appearance and swam freestyle and breaststroke - breaking the pool record and inspiring quite a few young swimmers.

The last time I saw the girls swim I think they were about seven or eight. I remember their enthusiasm - and energy - as they raced each other and the rest of the family countless times across the length of their family pool. I really hope that we'll get the chance to attend one of their meets and see firsthand just how much they have grown and matured into amazing swimmers.

I've teased my sister-in-law that we may have future triathletes in the making. And if they ever do decide to take on a triathlon - I want them on my team!

Wipe Out!

Put me in a roller coaster – one that goes every which way, as fast as possible – any day or time – and I will love it.

Or let me ride as a passenger on a motorcycle or plane while someone else navigates its dips and turns – and I’ll think it is cool.

Place me on a bike with clipless pedals - and I’ll start envisioning being splayed out at a traffic light in front of a truck.

My fear of clipless pedals started about five or six years ago when I first purchased a used pair for Vinho Verde. I expected to fall a few times. The problem was I kept falling. When trying to stop, I’d push my foot down, twist and end up mangled on the curb. When climbing a hill, I’d reach a point where I couldn’t turn the pedals fast enough to keep moving forward and would perform an oh so graceful little dance of slowing to a crawl on the incline with my handlebars veering right, then left, before plummeting to the ground. Note the amazing aero form and pedal power from my early triathlon days. (Thank goodness for all the bike class training which will hopefully help with making it up those hills - or at least with taking a better photo.)

After about six months of embarrassing spills and countless bruises, I gave up, and put the pedal cages back on Vinho. As a matter of fact, probably a few months after that, I put Vinho in the garage for a few years for all but an occasional outing.

Until a little over two years ago, when Vinho and I started to hit the road again after joining TRIgirls. At first, I didn’t even notice who was riding what. And then, when I did, it was just the hard core folks with the upscale bikes who would be clipping in and out. But after more and more members of the group were dressing up their bikes with the clipless pedals, I started to feel the pressure and decided to give them another try.

This time, I purchased a new set - and a well known brand – after hearing that my problems may have been exacerbated by using a defective or worn out used pair. And I haven’t fallen – yet. Then again, I have only taken my bike on very safe and protected roads – places where I could clip out yards (and I mean yards) before needing to turn or stop.

But I want to feel comfortable using them. Like Mundy, who recently took a tour, not only through the hills of Brooklyn, but also across the Verrazano Bridge. Like my seventish aunt and uncle who ride together nearly every morning for 20 or 30 mile trips, with a regular donut stop along the way.

So, I’ve practiced clipping in and out – at various stages of a pedal stroke – during bike class the last few months.

Yesterday, we had a particularly tough class with Coach B. Lots of speed and intensity intervals. All of a sudden, the person next to me had a problem - her bike fell off the trainer - and was heading my way. It was one of those split seconds where a bunch of thoughts start flying through your head.

Oh my gosh, is she going to be OK?
Aack – she is falling onto me.
That can only make her fall worse.
Can I break her fall?
Can I stop myself from falling?
Are we both going to break our legs?

Next thing I knew, my training buddy (who I hope will please forgive me for posting this on my blog) was sitting on the ground – my bulk may have possibly slowed down her fall a little. Her elbow had a nasty cut and her back was a little sore, but overall, she was OK.

After the excitement died down and class was about to resume, I realized that I never did fall. I had made it through - still standing with my left foot out of the pedal. I didn’t remember consciously thinking about pulling my foot out. And I don't know if this whole clipping thing has become instinctive yet, but who knows, maybe it will after a few more scares on my trainer...

More Vacation Training - Swim, Cough, Run

After the 8.5 mile run (at a surprising 10:08 pace) early Saturday morning, the rest of my girls-weekend-mini-vacation featured an unusual triathlon training regime – swim, cough, run.

Saturday, we headed out to the Miami Seaquarium for a dolphin swim. Several years ago, I set a few lifetime goals. One was to do a triathlon. Another was to swim with the dolphins. Last year, I had my first opportunity to share the water with these amazing animals – and was really looking forward to repeating the experience. How often do you get to accomplish a life goal more than once (well, other than triathlons!)?

I just love dolphins. In general, I am fascinated by animals - and am a proud anthropomorphist. Spending time up close and personal with four beautiful dolphins was a highlight of the trip for me. They flipped, jumped, twisted and waved for us. We even received a few kisses. One of the dolphins was a proud new mother – and we watched as her baby swam nearby, keeping close tabs on her Mama. Most memorable were the “rides” with the dolphins – one on the dorsal fin and one on a boogie board as the dolphin propelled us forward by our feet. If only I could latch onto a dolphin in Panama City next November!

Sometime between the dolphin swim and Sunday morning, the cold I had been fighting for a few days took a turn for the worse. Major sore throat, chest phlegm, sneezing, coughing, yada, yada, yada. Thankfully, TRIgirl MJW (she and DL were also feeling under the weather) was equipped with Zicam and aspirin – and I was able to pump enough meds into my body to still enjoy the great dinners (loved Bed, Nobu and Opa!), dancing, shopping – and even a few hours of beach time.

South Beach has one of the most fabulous oceanfront boardwalks I’ve ever seen – it seems to go on forever – with views of the gorgeous aqua waters, white sands, swaying palm trees and upscale hotels. On Monday morning, I decided I wasn’t going to let some stupid cold force me to forgo my last chance to run along it – especially because the weather was finally warming up a bit. So I joined TRIgirls MJW and DL for a five mile run – including a 4 mile negative split. And while my negative split wasn’t so hot (20:45/19:45) – it was still one of the most beautiful and enjoyable runs I’ve ever experienced.

Now it is back to reality – and a tough, slightly guilt-ridden decision to take a rest day to send this cold off on its merry way before slipping back into the normal training schedule.

Vacation - A New Definition?

How did it happen?

I am on a girls’ weekend trip in South Beach, with two other TRIgirls. Are we hopping the bars? Are we dancing in clubs? Are we on the beach (OK, surprisingly, it is pretty chilly here in Miami to be anywhere near the ocean)?

Nope.

We are tucked in our beds, since about 10:00 pm, winding down for an 7-8 hour slumber.

Why?

Because we are all in agreement that we want to wake up early tomorrow for our scheduled 8 mile training run.

We’ve also planned a run for Monday before we head back home.

Our IPODs and Garmins are charging. We packed our workout gear and sneakers with as much deliberation as our beach and nightlife outfits.

And if the predicted chilly temperatures end up being just bad weather predictions, we have our bathing suits in tow for an open water swim.

I’d write more, but my other training cohorts are fast asleep – and I best wrap this up so I will be just as chipper as they will be when our wake-up call rings at the crack of dawn.

Think Pink!

To celebrate Valentine’s Day – and the first official TRIgirl run of the season – here are some new pink items I’ve added to my repertoire.

After misplacing my goggles after Monday’s guppy class, I was forced to buy new ones. My Dad had sent me an Amazon gift certificate (Thanks, Dad!) – so I browsed their selection. Lo and behold – pink goggles!

Since I had a more left to spend, I decided to check out athletic wear sunglasses. I’ve resisted this long, but think with the upcoming ultra long workouts – it might be a good idea to give them a try. I found a pair online that matched my criteria (pink and cheap). They seem like too much of a good deal with an $80 discount – but what the heck.

Finally, the hubby surprised me with a cool Valentine’s Day gift – a pink MP3 speaker case for my IPOD. I’m already envisioning bringing it with me to the beach and pool, post-workouts.

Too much pink? Never!

Happy Valentine’s Day – and a big welcome to all the new TRIgirls who came out for our first workout. You all looked wonderful and strong. Speaking of today's run – I had a PR for one of my ½ mile repeats – 3:46! (Must have been the after effects of lots of yummy chocolate sent by my brother and sister-in-law!)

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

A few TRIgirl members and coaches have been sharing several Ironman video clips available on the internet.

Coach B. found this one – a slick little movie – definitely conveys the excitement and energy of the race. Plus there is the glimpse of a pink bike:
http://www.nasports.com/mediacenter/index.php

TRIgirl CD spent some time online and uncovered the following on YouTube – which, as she noted, “Not only does it show some of the details about registration, race packets, hotel setup, etc. for Ironman Florida, it's also REALLY inspiring because it shows three women -- all of whom seem to be able to relate to those of us who may be in the category of ‘first-timer,’ ‘might have to walk it’ or ‘love to breaststroke!’”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QAPuXx2-DA

Finally, a few months back, right before finalizing my decision to register for IMFL, Coach G sent out a clip about Team Hoyt. Their story reminded me that there are far greater challenges out there than my own – and that with the right motivation and determination, people like the Hoyts overcome the impossible to inspire us all:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPSUrR3ipQc&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D52rJd9GX10&NR

Surviving the Repeats

It is over. For this week, anyway.

I made it through this morning’s workout due in part to:

• An observation made last night during a play session with Fezzy. As I threw his various toys about 50 feet across our house, I watched his exuberance and joy as he charged down his stuffed frog and squirrel. He happily ran as fast as he could – and while his splayed leg transition turns may need some technique work, his efforts made me smile. He played long and hard – never giving up the chase. And made me realize that maybe I needed to approach the repeats with a little less of a “training” perspective – and with more with a “hey, let’s go for it” kind of spirit.
• An email from my sister-in-law – whose twin daughters are competitive – and I mean like regional and national caliber – swimmers. From the email “Good luck with tomorrow's workout! If it makes you feel any better, the girls will already be in the pool at 6 am, which means a 5:15 am rise time, 15 minutes later than they do all week for school. They will swim and do dryland until 8:30 am.” And it did make me feel better. I remembered being their age – and sleeping late on weekends till 10 or 11 o’clock – and thought – if they can have such discipline and commitment at their young ages, the least I can do is stop whining and work on a better attitude.

So, I went to bed fairly early. When the alarm buzzed at 6:15, I stole a few extra winks, but resisted the urge to find some sort of excuse to stay in bed until bike class. During the car ride, I chuckled as the car temperature gauge dropped from 28 to 22 degrees - when I pulled into the Maramarc parking lot, a few minutes late, but before the group had headed off to start the run drills.

First was the timed mile. Honestly, it was cold. It was tough. My breathing was less than great. And I wouldn’t have minded stopping about half-way through. But I finished with a more consistent pace than some earlier attempts and with a 20 second gain after the first drill in December – an 8:20 mile time.

After a few minutes rest, it was time to start the four half miles. My first one was rather awful – a 4:30. The next three were consistent, better and within an acceptable deviation from my target pace - 4:19, 4:20 and 4:18.

My legs were a wee bit more tired than usual during the subsequent hour and a half bike. And afterwards, while heading to TRIgirl coffee, I realized, in the midst of the relief that the workout was over, that I was relishing the idea of a nap.

An idea I happily indulged a few hours later.

Gearing Up for Saturday

I am trying to get in the right mindset for Saturday’s workout.

It’s not the hour and a half bike that concerns me.

It’s the darn timed mile, then four half mile repeats, at the crack of dawn, in the freezing cold, before getting on the bike.

OK, I won’t be hearing any roosters crowing at 7:00 am – but waking up at 6:15 on a Saturday morning, to arrive on time for what promises to be a torturous workout, seems pretty early and unnecessarily evil to this sleep loving TRIgirl.

And maybe it won’t be quite as cold as the past Tuesday and Thursday when I ran with temperatures in the teens, but I have a feeling it will not be the most pleasant running conditions.

Then there is the “go as fast as you can” factor. I have done enough timed miles and repeats to know, all too well, the burning lung, lactic acid and thigh exploding feelings integral to these workouts.

Plus, it is just plain hard for me. To go fast. As fast as I can. Which really isn’t very fast at all.

So far this year, the "running fast" drills have probably been my least favorite part of this Ironman training experience. Up until now, I’ve only done two half mile repeats in a row. Not sure if I mentioned – this week - we are slated to do four repeats – after the 1 mile timed run. I’d rather do the 1 hour bike, 8 mile easy run, workout planned for a few weeks from now. I'd possibly rather do an hour of sculling.

Rant aside; I’m going to spend the next 32 hours trying to:

• Enjoy the day off from workouts.
• Focus on the good training week I’ve had so far. Two PRs – for a six mile run last Saturday that even started off at my easy pace (60:26) - and a 300 meter swim even after six 50 meter sprint drills on Tuesday (6:03).
• Visualize feeling strong and capable, running effortlessly for the timed mile and 4 repeats. (I have a feeling this will be a slightly amusing and unrealistic vision – but if I can daydream about winning the lottery…)
• Remind myself that what seems hard now, will seem easier in a few weeks. If I completely screw up this Saturday – hopefully – I will have nowhere to go but up the next time this workout is scheduled.
• Appreciate that so much of the progress I have seen is due to pushing myself during the drills I dread the most.

With any luck, maybe the worst part about this coming Saturday will be dragging my sorry body out of bed when the alarm clock sounds.

Battle Wounds

“What happened!” has been the reaction of several folks who have seen me in a bathing suit the past two days.

Lovely bruises of various colors, shapes and sizes decorate my hips and upper thighs – with very nice symmetry on both sides of my body.

I wish I could say they resulted from an impressive bike crash or from an over zealous pre-Super Bowl game of football. I can’t even blame a fall down the stairs or some other more normal cause.

Instead, this Pollock style body art is due to the hour and a half I spent in my neighbor’s hot tub on Friday night – rotating from side to side in front of a powerful set of jets. What felt wonderful at the time must have been a little too much for me – as I’ve been bruised by a four pound Fezzy walking on my arms to wake me in the morning.

Anyone know of remedies to help bruises heal quickly?

Snow! Snow! Snow!

Or not. Or maybe not yet.

All I know is that after last night's weather report and a few emails back and forth with Coach G, I was looking forward to a run this morning with dainty little flurries drifting by my face. I’ve read other bloggers’ recent postings about a jog through the snow – and thought it sounded so whimsical and lovely.

Instead, I had a later than planned start due to a slightly upset tummy. I did make it to the course, but must have arrived between the TRIgirl groups – because it was me and about 10 other non-TRIgirl folks, braving the elements (aka a cold, but not bitterly so, 7 o’clockish run, with about twenty snowflakes total if I counted the tiny little white droplets that I could see by squinting at the still mostly dark sky).

Less than stable stomach and all, I had a decent run, with a warm up mile at a 10:12 pace, mile two at a 9:43 pace and mile three at a 9:10 pace. I fit in one ½ mile repeat at a 4:13 pace. Considering I missed Tuesday’s run because my body needed a break and yesterday’s workout due to a work commitment that went longer than expected, I felt that I was getting back on track (no pun intended) and was close to meeting my target paces.

After the run, I went to work, still waiting for the predicted white stuff to start falling. A few hours later, the much anticipated snowflakes began to twinkle down. So much so that I thought the bad weather might interfere with the evening's wine club. So much so that during an email exchange with Coach B – I wrote that I hoped the snow would end in time for Saturday’s workout – and he told me that a trail run in the snow would be great fun. So much so that I was looking forward to getting home to see how Fezzy would react to snow.

Well, as of now, looking outside my window to a completely dry and clear evening, it seems that the weatherman was a bit off. But part of me is still hopeful that maybe it is a timing issue, and I could wake up tomorrow to a big ole blizzard!

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – Chapter 1

When I first started this blog, I mentioned there would be times when I’d share the good, the bad and the ugly. The past few days have seen a little of each.

The Good
90 minute bike class on Saturday – Tightened my trainer to almost Coach B’s standards. One and a half hours in aero position. Actually enjoyed the standing drills at levels 9 and 10. After class, Coach B said I did well in the aero. Felt strong.

Five mile easy run on Sunday – Met up with TRIgirls DL, Devil Face, TD, SJG, and LD at my favorite local park for a two loop run, including hills. Was my best time of day to run (late morning) and my preferred weather conditions (cool and dry). Finished up the last mile of run with TRIgirl SJG at a 9:15 pace – and, for once, felt like it was a little push, rather than a major effort, to keep up that stride.

The Bad
Missed the Saturday pre-bike run - Made the choice to stay in bed for an extra hour instead of doing dreaded half mile repeats. Little bit of guilt, but I got over it.

The Ugly
February’s schedule – Received our schedules for February. Runs are gearing up – several 6 and 8 mile brick workouts. Did I read that right – is there a day where we do 6 half mile repeats?

Floor work during this morning’s swim – Knew it couldn’t be good when the other guppies started groaning when Ironwoman Canada laid down mats at the far side of the pool. Boy, were they right. Swim 50 fast, plank pose for a minute, swim 50 fast, “V” kick for a minute, swim 50 fast, wall sit for a minute, swim 50 fast, push ups for a minute – repeat from beginning. And, oh, did I mention, throw in some sculling afterwards for good measure? Could barely lift myself out of the pool after the hour.

Tag, I'm It!

Alas my slow running has caught up with me once again. I was tagged on my blog by Ironmom with the following game of Tri Blogger Tag. I'm going to tag some of the people in my favorite blogs list:

Triathonmom, TriJinx, TriDi, I’m TRI-ing, Florida-Bound and Nancy Toby.

If you've been tagged, answer these six questions, then tag six more folks.

1. Describe a memory from your first triathlon ever
2. Describe a memory from your most recent triathlon
3. What's the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you in a tri?
4. What's the most thrilling thing that's happened to you in a tri?
5. What is something you discovered about yourself by doing triathlons?
6. What is The Big Goal that you're working towards?

My answers:

1. Describe a memory from your first triathlon ever
My first triathlon was in 2000 – I registered for an open water sprint in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Doing a triathlon was a life goal – and I trained on my own and with a friend – without a real coach, group – or even reading a book. I had no idea what to expect. I remember not sleeping much the night before. I remember thinking how cool it was to receive a race packet with a swim cap. I remember being surprised about having my race number magic markered on my arms and legs. I remember that I had never practiced a transition – and just kind of strolled through them, smiling the whole time. Most of all, I remember the feelings of accomplishment, exhilaration – and exhaustion – after finishing.

2. Describe a memory from your most recent triathlon
My most recent triathlon was the ACAC Sprint in Richmond last October. Overall it was a great race – my best performance in my age group. But I can still feel the cold – it was a bitterly chilly morning. I remember the swim to bike transition, so grateful for a towel wrapped around my shoulders, kindly provided by TRIgirl LD who had volunteered during the race. I remember the hill from Hades that soon warmed up my frigid bones. And I remember finishing the race, with an amazing sense of support and encouragement from the other TRIgirls and Coach G – and joining them to cheer in the others who crossed the finish line after me. Oh yeah – there was an awesome and delicious celebratory, pig-out brunch that followed at Hondo’s – uh waiter, another mimosa, please.

3. What's the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you in a tri?
Ah – my unsuccessful wetsuit experience from the Very Big Nut triathlon. Please see my blog entry if you want to hear the gory details as it is too embarrassing to have to relive again!

4. What's the most thrilling thing that's happened to you in a tri?
There are usually points during the swim and bike, where I overcome the worry about finishing – and begin to get into a groove - enjoying the experience of feeling one with the water or noticing the beautiful scenery around me. I start appreciating the race – and concentrate on thanking all the volunteers – or at least giving them a big smile of gratitude. I’ll try to commiserate, in an encouraging way, with other participants who may be struggling worse than I am.

But, if I had to pick one moment – it would be crossing the finish line at Naylor’s Beach with TRIgirl Devil Face. We had both had a tough race – from the grueling heat and humidity to an unplanned change in the race course. Running those last few hundred yards together recharged my spirit, as well as my very tired and dehydrated body.

5. What is something you discovered about yourself by doing triathlons?
I’ve learned that this asthmatic, approaching middle-age, non-athlete has the willingness, drive and determination to accomplish tough physical (and mental challenges). While many of the natural athletes from my childhood have grown inactive or out of shape, this “tortoise” from their past may actually finish the race ahead of those “hares” – or at least will be in the race as they lounge about on their couches.

6. What is The Big Goal that you're working towards?
Ah, an easy one to answer – Ironman Florida! The absolute biggest and scariest goal I’ve ever set for myself.

I Forgot to Eat

I am not doing so well with the “fourth” leg of the triathlon – nutrition.

I knew the whole “eat during a race thing” was going to an issue. Haven’t even started to address that yet.

What I didn’t realize, until a few weeks ago, is that incorporating healthy habits during training would be a challenge.

Before I go any further, please know, I do not lack for overall caloric consumption. I am a social eater – and, especially recently, allow myself to enjoy the whole food experience with friends and family. So, I splurge, probably more than I should, at parties or evenings out. I’ve lost my holiday pooch – but the pounds are not melting off my body. There is no reason to worry.

On a regular, nothing special planned type of day, I’ll sometimes forget to eat. This is a habit developed from years and years of struggling to keep my weight down by focusing on non-food related activities. With training dominating more of my time – fitting in meals or snacks is further pushed to the wayside. I’ll forget my resolution to grab a piece of fruit on my way out the door to work. On weekends, I’ll submerge myself in house chores – and discover it is 2:00 pm and nothing besides water, Gatorade and a Starbucks latte has crossed my lips – even after a two hour bike/run workout.

Take a recent Monday, when I woke up early for a Guppy lesson, proud that I grabbed a bag of sports jelly beans to munch on during the drive to the pool, swam for an hour, headed off to work, ate a sandwich and a fruit cup for lunch, went to a two hour weight and bike workout with just a Gatorade in my stomach – and arrived home around 8:30, not feeling terribly hungry, nor tempted by anything in our rather scantily clad refrigerator. But about three hours later, my belly finally reminded me, with big hearty growls, that it was empty. I didn’t want to eat. I’d tried eating after a late workout – and that kept me up, too – in a much more uncomfortable way – between the adrenalin still pumping through my body and the food working its way through my digestive track.

So I need to figure out – and, more importantly, carry through – a meal plan that provides enough sustenance for training, but that works with my busy schedule - as well as my reluctance to eat too close to a workout. To realize it is just as important to plan for small, healthy snacks throughout the day as it is to plan my weekly training. To take the time to pack my lunch bag as well as my gym bag. And to incorporate greater consistency, with more food on a regular day and less binging during social outings.

Could it Be?

After the past two swim classes, I am wondering, is it possible, could it be…am I getting a little faster?

Just the tiniest bit, maybe?

At Coach S’s class yesterday, we ended the main set with seven laps - 25 meters easy, 25 meters fast. I really tried to push myself during the fast lengths, kicking and pulling harder, while still keeping a controlled stroke. And there were a couple of times, for half a length here or there, where it felt “right” - like I was putting all the pieces together, remembering all the little and big form mechanic details - and gliding through the water.

So, as I was driving to Ironwoman Canada’s class this morning, I was a bit curious how my arms would hold up. Usually there is a slower lane (where I am almost always the slowest of the two or three guppies assigned) and a faster lane. Today, the folks who sometimes share my lane were not there, hence no apparent slower/faster lane. For a couple of the laps during the 1300 – 1400 meter set (I lost count today), I was able to keep up with the others, and there were a few other laps where I didn’t lose too much ground. (OK, the longest drills were just 100 meters, but still…)

My weakened arms were further put to the challenge – of tackling five laps doing various “sculling” drills using a buoy. Ironwoman Canada’s interest in adding sculling to our workouts was sparked by a magazine article. Sculling - "the way a swimmer moves through the water by using only the hands and forearms" – was a new concept to me. I found an article online that explains the drills better than what I could put into words.

All I can add is that sculling is exhausting – and my arms felt a burn similar to what is typically experienced during weight lifting. For one drill – where we sculled feet first on our backs, it seemed like I was hardly moving forward at all – and it took forever to get to the wall.

Anyway, I am actually supposed to start paying attention to my times during various drills at Masters class, so I should know more in a few weeks if I’m really any quicker or if it just feels I like I am faster because I am working so hard!

Changes to My Race Calendar

My credit card saw some action this weekend as I registered for several races.

After some debate, I'm in for the Shamrock and Roll 8K the weekend of St. Patrick's Day. Coaches G and M had figured out a way to fit the half marathon into the full and half ironman training progams. But after some discussion - and even a little back and forth between the coaches, I'll still be doing the 8K. Right now, working on increasing the miles at a pace closer to my tempo pace is a bigger challenge than running 13 miles - so I'm aiming for a sub 10 minute/mile as my goal for the race.

TRIgirl Devil Face and I were orginally going to skip the Shamrock, until another TRIgirl offered us a place to stay (there tends to be a three night minimum at most hotels for the race - and it seemed like quite an expensive hassle to participate in an 8K). So, we concocted the idea for a local alternative - fun (emphasis on fun) St. Patty's run. We're still planning on coordinating this race - with festive beverage stops along the way - but it will probably be the weekend before or after the Shamrock.

Soon after the Shamrock (and the *hiccup* fun run), TRIgirls will be participating in teams for the Monument 10K. I guess that will be another chance to try and hit the sub 10 minute goal - but I'll see how the 8K goes before setting this objective in stone. There are about five teams of five TRIgirls each - so there will be lots of pink charging down Monument Avenue this year. We are also looking for ways to raise donations for the Massey Cancer Center as part of our committment to the race.

The last charge on my credit card for the weekend was for the Smith Mountain Lake Sprint triathlon - a recent addition to the race schedule - but a good one - as it gives us another opportunity for an open water swim.

There is one more race I may throw on the card before the work week begins - the Shady Grove Sprint - but I'm waiting to hear back from Coach G to see if it fits into our taper as it is scheduled for the weekend before Eagleman. Keeping my fingers crossed since I like this race because it is less than 10 miles from my house - and I'm curious if all the training this year will help improve my times from 2006.

Better go update all my calendars!

Growing the Family

TRIgirls has a new program - Big Sister/Little Sister.

TRIgirl KB is my fabulous new little sister - and I couldn't be happier. Being a back-packer, I don't have much to offer in terms of training advice - but I hope to be able to support and help answer any questions as she embarks on her first year as a TRIgirl.

TRIgirl KB and I share several similar experiences and outlooks. We both turn 40 this year. We both perviously worked with children. We both are currently employed by the same company. We both want to live life to the fullest. And, we both believe in striving to be the best we can be. Oh, and of course, we both love wine!

My little sis will be giving Vinho Verde some much needed love and attention this year. We've also started meeting a few minutes before Sunday swim classes to spend some time reviewing stroke concepts. I truly believe she not only will be the embodiment of TRIgirls, but will be inspiring me, with her humor and wisdom, over the upcoming months.

Active Wear vs. Slacker Wear?

Wow – it has been awhile since I’ve been able to get my act together to post something new.

Last Friday was a rest day – a much relished day of relaxation. Yet, the remainder of the holiday weekend included over six hours of swimming, biking and running. As a result of this gradually increasing training, my active wear wardrobe has started to get more and more use – as I’ll wake up on weekends or holidays and throw on exercise clothes, even if my workouts are scheduled later in the day – like Sunday’s 5 pm swim practice. This gives my gym bag a slight break – and may also reassure my dad - who sent me a very funny email, “never thought my little girl would ever be a ‘bag lady’ ha ha. You are doing great!!!”

So in addition to my emerging hobo habits, I find myself running all over town in my workout attire between training classes. On Monday, after a lunchtime swim but before the evening's weight training and bike class, I made a quick detour to pick up some groceries - still bearing lovely raccoon goggle eye marks, wet swim cap hair and no make-up. As I was leaving the store, I heard someone call out my name. I reluctantly turned around to discover it was one of my clients. As we stood there talking, I thought to myself - we’ve compared running races in the past – there is a chance he might chalk off my less than stellar appearance to training – ugh – but there is also the embarrassing possibility that he might think I am just some slacker who can’t pull it together on a day off. While we chatted, I tried to figure out a graceful way to drop a “Oh, I just came from the gym – I don’t normally look like this – I’m training for an Ironman so I have an excuse” type of comment into the conversation, but the right opening never materialized.

Then I had an even scarier realization – he had recognized me right away – in a quite out of work context. Yikes!

Some Pomp and Circumstance, Please!

Yesterday, I arrived at Masters swim class and Ironwoman Canada gave me a “400!” welcome. As I started to put on my cap and goggles, she pointed to the second lane.

I have spent the past two-three months in the first lane (well, actually it is probably the last, but since it is the first when looking from left to right, I consider it lane one). This is the “special lane” – where I’ve been fortunate enough to receive quite a bit of Ironwoman Canada’s individualized instruction to improve my form.

I said, “You want me in THAT lane?” and Ironwoman Canada and a fellow Guppy began teasing me about how I had graduated.

And yes, there are still four or five more lanes, occupied by other Guppy alumni and ex-collegiate swimmers, to aim for future commencements, but for now I’ll proudly add a tassel to my swim cap and give it a good ole flip to the side.

Why My Gym Bag is Tired

Sunday – Put on bathing suit, sweats, flip-flops. Pack gym bag with dinner clothes, shoes, socks, make-up, brush, comb, shampoo, conditioner, hair dryer. Go to swim practice. Swim 1300 meters with Coach S and TRIgirls. Shower at gym. Wrap wet bathing suit in towel. Put in gym bag with swim cap and goggles. Meet friends and hubby for dinner. Go home. Unpack gym bag. Hang bathing suit up. Cross fingers that bathing suit is dry by next morning. Repack gym bag with work clothes, make-up, etc.

Monday – Put on bathing suit, sweats, flip-flops. Breathe sigh of relief that bathing suit is mostly dry. Go to Guppy swim lesson. Swim 1400 meters. Spaz out during drill using tennis balls and buoys. Shower at gym. Wrap wet bathing suit in towel. Put in bag with swim cap and goggles. Go to work. Meet friends for dinner. Drive home. Unpack gym bag. Hang bathing suit up. Repack gym bag with bike shorts, shirt, bike shoes, socks. Realize another bag is needed for tomorrow’s work clothes. Pack second bag. Lay out running pants, fleece, sneakers, socks and Garmin for next morning’s run.

Tuesday – Put on running clothes. Run 3 mile negative split. Go to gym near work to shower. Go to work. Drive to bike and weight training. Change out of work clothes into bike shorts, shirt, sneakers, socks packed in second bag. Do weight exercises. Run back to gym bag, take off sneakers and put on bike shoes. Shoot, forgot towel. Bike on trainer for one hour. Hit level 10 for first time. Go home. Unpack both gym bags. Repack one gym bag with towel, bathing suit, swim cap, goggles for tomorrow’s Masters class.

Realize that I haven’t showered at home in three days.

And that I’ve been getting dressed from clothes stuffed in a bag way more often than from hangers or drawers.

Yummy!

At least once or twice during bike or weight class, Coach M will call out a resounding “Yummy!”

But it has never been about food.

Nope, his yummies are about how he and the other coaches have concocted new devious ideas to take training up a notch (or three).

Let’s do push-ups resting our hands on an exercise ball. Yummy!

How about with two exercise balls? Extra Yummy! (I’m convinced one day I am going to nose dive right down between those balls and land smack on my face.)

Chest presses lying on the exercise ball – using a tough weight. Yummy!

Now let’s hold the dumbbells up in the air instead of down by your chest during the rest part of the press. Extra Yummy!

Four sets of 30 second intervals on the bike trying to hit 50 or more revolutions. Yummy!

Why not a fifth set for a full minute? Extra Yummy!

Level 5, Level 6, Level 8 – oh, how about Level 9 - on the bike trainer? Yummy!

Level 9 – and stand up. Extra Yummy!

So, I guess what happened at TRIgirl Devil Face’s birthday dinner (Happy Birthday, TriJinx!) shouldn’t have been a complete surprise. Devil Face had selected a fabulous sounding restaurant to celebrate. Even during the morning bike class (yes, the one with the infamous fifth set mentioned above) we were drooling with anticipation for the delectable meal that awaited us. TRIgirl Molly Who? reminded us about the number of Weight Watcher points our classes burn up – so we had already justified picking whatever we wanted on the menu.

I ordered a pasta dish with wild mushrooms and truffle sauce. Giddy with excitement as the garlic smell permeated the air, I grabbed my fork, gingerly wrapped the pasta around it, carefully selected a mushroom – and took my first bite.

“Yummy!” I exclaimed.

And what did I start thinking about? The lovely flavors in my mouth? A sip of wine to make my tastebuds even happier?

Uh, no, I envsioned exercise class – and the torture that usually follows after hearing a “Yummy!”

I’ll be looking up synonyms for “yummy” to use at my next restaurant outing.

First Attempts at Our Running Goals

This week’s training included two runs using our new paces.

On Monday, to ring in the New Year, I attempted the first workout - running one mile at the easy pace – and then two miles at the daunting tempo speed. I tried setting up a “workout” in Garmin to warn me if I was off pace. It sort of worked, but I need to play with it some more. I focused on slowing down for the easy pace – and was pretty close to achieving my tempo target with 9:42/mile. By the end, I felt I could go a little further at that pace, but still thought the idea of running six miles was preposterous. It is a lovely dream, though – especially with the Monument 10K scheduled as our first race for the season. Let’s see – at a 9:40 pace I’d finish in just nudge under 60 minutes. To be honest, I’d be thrilled if I can get in the 62 minute range.

Yesterday I joined TRIgirls Molly who?, DL and MJW for our second run drill – two ½ mile repeats, with a 4-5 minute break using our easy pace. Since we met at 6:00 am, it was still dark when we started. The course we run is quite lovely – packed dirt gravel – easy on the joints – and there is a marker exactly at the half mile point – (Garmin consistently says .50 every time). There is one little hill I’d like to see demolished when we do the repeats, but other than that, the course is flat with nice winding turns surrounded by pretty trees.

We did an easy warm up first mile, giving a little moon howl about halfway through. Then it was time for the repeats. Feeling nervous because I hadn’t slept well the night before – and it had been a few months since last doing the repeats – I just sighed and told myself to do my best. With one last look to kick-off Garmin – we were off.

About half-way through the first one, I was ready to stop – and slowed down a bit – so I resigned myself to not hitting the time – except that I did. Not only did I hit it, but I beat it. And not only did a beat it, but I had a PR for a ½ mile with a 3:55. All four of us did great.

We finished the 5 minutes of the easy run – and as we approached the mile landmark to get ready for the second repeat, we ran into Coach G – and took a break for a few minutes to chat with her – and share our exciting results.

As tempting as it was to call it a day, we gritted our teeth for the second one. Since the first one went so well, I was ready to accept that the second one would be a mess, figuring I exerted myself too much and would be tired for the next go round. Again I started out faster and slowed down a bit about half-way through. After crossing the half mile post, I almost choked when I looked down and saw my time – 3:53 – even better than the first one and a new PR. Maybe it was the unofficial break – maybe it was running with our speed demon, TRIgirl MJW – or maybe it was the adrenalin from the excitement of the first repeat. I don’t know, but I wish I could bottle it for the future.

Happy that the worst was over, we jogged the last of the three miles. At the end, TRIgirl MJW jumped in to run with me (she’d finished quite a bit ahead of the rest of us) and – I hesitate to use the word – but it felt like – a sprint - for the last few hundred yards. I seriously don’t think I’ve ever run that fast for any distance – and so appreciate MJW’s pushes and little tips of what my body should be doing when running faster.

Now if I can only figure out how to keep my pace more consistent so I’m not slowing down halfway through the repeats…

Remembering It Is 2007

Happy New Year!

It usually takes a month or two for my brain to completely realize it is a new year. I’ll subconciously write checks or date documents with the previous year and end up with a nice ole stack of extra recycling.

I wonder if this year will be different. Because of IMFL, I’ve thought much more about the upcoming year as Father Time graciously waited for Baby New Year these last few months. Starting this week, our IM training picks up intensity, easing me one step closer to hopefully crossing the finish line in Panama City. And because of Fezzy, I have an extra reminder to appreciate every moment – and not spend too much time daydreaming about what is ahead. He has already doubled in size and I know by the end of 2007, the wonderful puppy period will start to be a memory.

I’m not one to make formal New Year’s resolutions – my latest goals for IMFL might count to some degree. But there are two things I think I’ll add to the list.

• Improve my eating habits. I lost 17-18 pounds in 2006 as a result of training hard and eating 1 ½ meals during my weight loss period. I’ve been working on eating more often – but it is hard to break old habits. So, I’d like to focus on consistently incorporating some sort of breakfast (besides coffee or juice) and a healthy snack or two during the day.
• Keeping work in balance. I love my job, but for about six to eight months of the year it can be extremely demanding. For a significant chunk of the past year, I easily clocked in over 60 hours/week – with many weeks closer to 80 hours. There are several reasons for the long hours – the main one simply being a very heavy workload. While I am still driven and eager to give my best for my company, I really believe “my best” would be improved by ensuring a better ratio of “quality vs. quantity.” There will be times when an 80 hour week is necessary - but figuring out strategies to make sure it isn’t happening so often that it causes burnout – is important – especially with future training weeks of 20-25 hours in the picture!

Wishing everyone a wonderful 20067!