The end of 2014 is just a few days away. Looking back, it was a damned good year. I trained hard and diligently, even if I did not quite reach my goal of getting a finishing time in the Epic 250K. I built a solid foundation and reached the start line healthy, well rested, and best of all uninjured. I trained hard without injury from accident or overuse. My cardio was great, my stamina was amazing, my body felt fantastic.
As disappointed as I was to not finish the Bike Leg in time, it taught me some valuable lessons, and reaffirmed my training: Know your race, know the speed you need to maintain and train accordingly (key for 2015 training). Be prepared, take more gear than you think you might need, and discard what you don't (I did this well, I think). I learned that I do have the mental toughness to push through the rough moments, but need to work on speed. Always remind yourself, "I am right where I want to be, right now."
I am coming to the end of my off-season training, letting myself back off from running and cycling, while really working on strength and power. During the last 3 months I have spent a lot of time sweating at the gym, working on strength training and flexibility. I have been managing 3 days a week each for Leg Day, and Upper Body Day. Yes, this is a thing for me. I have always loved weight training, and it seems that even when I am too tired to push the cardio, I always have energy to lift. A goal for 2015 is to continue with solid strength training throughout the season right up to Race Week. Yes, I did strength training last season as well, but this year I am dialing it up a notch. Actually, this year everything gets dialed up a notch.
I know that my training last year got me to the start line in good condition. My endurance was fantastic, but my speed needs work. The next few months I will focus on speed drills in the water, on the bike, and on the run. All three disciplines require just a bit more speed. If I can get out of the water 15 minutes faster, that gives me 15 minutes more to finish the bike. If I can increase my average speed on the bike by a measly 1 mile per hour that will get me to the start of the run in plenty of time. From there on, I have ample time to finish the run, but want to do it in style.
I had my nutrition dialed in to near perfection, during real life, training, and best of all during the race itself. There are a few tweaks I plan for 2015, mostly more plant based protein and edging closer to being vegan. I do rely on eggs as a daily source of protein, and don't want to give up what little bit of cheese I allow myself. I don't know if cutting these out of my diet would make much of a difference. I am hoping to have a better vegetable garden this year, since I will hopefully have more time this spring to get everything ready for a good planting. I want to be able to fill a freezer with fresh produce to make fall and winter eating all that much better. More berries for smoothies is always a good thing. And fresh frozen veggies hold a lot of their nutrition.
One wish is to get new front chainrings for the bike. I want a 56 tooth large ring, and a 32 tooth small ring. This will add just a bit more speed to my lowest and highest gears, and that will give me part of what I will need for a good finish time. The rest is all on me, and my legs and core. They say, "It's not the bike, it's the rider." This rider needs more strength, power, and speed in her legs.
2014 was a great year. 2015 will be even better. It will be a fantastic year.
Friday, December 26, 2014
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Swimming
I am trying to up the ante with my swimming. In the past I have not been comfortable with swimming so hard that I am pushing my asthma threshold. It is a bit panic inducing to have breathing difficulty when you are in the water, it is too reminiscent of drowning I think. But now, as I become more and more comfortable with my swimming, I am also finding it easier to push myself harder. The last few swims I have really pushed myself. I have been swimming laps with hand paddles and my shorty fins which elevates my heart rate and breathing far beyond my race pace, and the level I have been training at. Friday I was 22 laps into what would have been my fastest mile ever when I was informed that the gym closed at 8:00 on Fridays (it was 7:55), so I had to stop before I felt finished. I felt robbed. Tonight I headed in for a swim, but didn't feel quite as speedy as I did on Friday. I did push myself hard for the first 30 laps though, until I was having to breath on every stroke instead of every other stroke as I usually do. Then I switched back to strength drills for the remaining 30 laps. My challenge to myself: 10 swims in 14 days, while maintaining my regular workout schedule. With work ramping up for the holidays it is going to be a tiring few weeks. But I do love rising to a challenge.
Sunday, November 16, 2014
First Brick in Two Months
Today was my first brick workout since mid-September. I didn't really plan for it, but hell, strike while the iron is hot. It was a beautifully sunny day, with temps in the mid 40's so a bit on the chilly side. Yesterday I had vowed to myself that I would head out to Wildcat Road (aka "Kick-my-ass-and-leave-me-in-the-ditch-to-die Road") and run hill repeats on the first steep hill. Okay, all the hills on this road are steep, hence the nickname from my cycling outings on it. It is less than a mile from my front door to the foot of the first hill, a perfect warm-up distance. I decided to run to the top in sprint sets, with each set consisting of sprint 30 paces, walk 30 paces. It took me seven sets to reach the top. I considered running further, but since this is my first real hill repeat session I didn't want to over extend myself, so I turned around and ran for home. I was careful running the steep downhill, knowing just how hard downhills can be on my knees and quads. It gave me a chance to focus intently on technique, footstrike and stride rate. I admit, I really had a tough time motivating myself out of the door, and procrastinated until the sun was getting a bit low on the horizon and I knew if I didn't get going the light would fade and the temps would really drop. Of course by the time I was warmed up, and before I even started the hill repeats, I was feeling great, and glad to be out in the fresh, brisk autumn air. It was a good run, short but effective.
When I returned home I decided to get in a 60 minute spin session. I haven't been keeping up with my cycling quite as much as I would like. As with my swimming, it is so hard to return to indoor workouts after a glorious summer of outdoor training sessions. My route to work is the same road I spent so many hours cycling over this last summer, and as I drive my eyes wander the bike path on the shoulder of the road, wishing it was August and I was sweating my way up and down the hills. I know I can cycle outdoors even during the winter, but I don't have all the gear I need, and the wind chill can be brutal on a bike. I did pick up some basic gear before my event in September, just in case of inclement weather, but I didn't need it. I need to dig it all out and have it ready for the next dry weekend (granted, that might be in June).
I still haven't really filled out my training schedule as much as I would like. I have a few training days that are very specific: Monday and Friday are Strength Training with a focus on legs and core, Wednesday is Running Drills at the college track. The rest of the week is a little less focused: Tuesday and Thursday are dedicated Swim days, Saturday and Sunday are for Cycling and a Run workout. I am doing the Elliptical machine to warm up on Leg Day, and trying to fit in an extra run where I can. I'd also like to get in a third swim somehow. Yeah, yeah, it sounds pretty specific, but my cycling workouts are very generic, and not frequent enough, and I could say the same about my swimming. There really are not enough days in the week to fit in all the training sessions I would like. This is where I guiltily confess that I am looking forward to getting laid off from work so I can train more (terrible, I know).
I do have to keep reminding myself that this really should be my Off-Season, and I shouldn't have to be quite so obsessively focused. But my nature is to be obsessively focused, it is how I am, I seem to be hardwired for it. Maybe this year I will actually get a training calender, and keep a journal, or just do as I always do and keep it all up inside my noggin.
When I returned home I decided to get in a 60 minute spin session. I haven't been keeping up with my cycling quite as much as I would like. As with my swimming, it is so hard to return to indoor workouts after a glorious summer of outdoor training sessions. My route to work is the same road I spent so many hours cycling over this last summer, and as I drive my eyes wander the bike path on the shoulder of the road, wishing it was August and I was sweating my way up and down the hills. I know I can cycle outdoors even during the winter, but I don't have all the gear I need, and the wind chill can be brutal on a bike. I did pick up some basic gear before my event in September, just in case of inclement weather, but I didn't need it. I need to dig it all out and have it ready for the next dry weekend (granted, that might be in June).
I still haven't really filled out my training schedule as much as I would like. I have a few training days that are very specific: Monday and Friday are Strength Training with a focus on legs and core, Wednesday is Running Drills at the college track. The rest of the week is a little less focused: Tuesday and Thursday are dedicated Swim days, Saturday and Sunday are for Cycling and a Run workout. I am doing the Elliptical machine to warm up on Leg Day, and trying to fit in an extra run where I can. I'd also like to get in a third swim somehow. Yeah, yeah, it sounds pretty specific, but my cycling workouts are very generic, and not frequent enough, and I could say the same about my swimming. There really are not enough days in the week to fit in all the training sessions I would like. This is where I guiltily confess that I am looking forward to getting laid off from work so I can train more (terrible, I know).
I do have to keep reminding myself that this really should be my Off-Season, and I shouldn't have to be quite so obsessively focused. But my nature is to be obsessively focused, it is how I am, I seem to be hardwired for it. Maybe this year I will actually get a training calender, and keep a journal, or just do as I always do and keep it all up inside my noggin.
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Must Get Faster
I am at the computer searching for articles on ways to improve my performance next season. I must get faster. Absolutely must. In the swim, the bike, and the run. But especially on the bike. I have heard all too often, "It is not the bike, it is the rider." Well, g'damn it I wish I could blame it on the bike, but I know it is me. Oh I am sure there are things I could do to Joshua that might let me shave a few seconds here and there, but the reality is that I need to be faster. I knew going into my big event that I had the endurance, just not the speed. For so long I have said that speed is not my strength, my strength is my strength. I am a strong swimmer and cyclist. I do have excellent endurance and can find that "I can do this all day" pace. But that is not good enough. I got a DNF because I could not finish the bike leg in the time allowed. I knew going into the event that it would be a miracle for me to manage the 138 miles in less than 9-1/2 hours. I do wish I had found out what the time limit was a lot earlier in my training, it might have made me add more speed work to my training. Or not. I had to focus on base building. I followed my training plan religiously, taking the advice to go easy on the bike to save energy for the run. That is advice that crops up again and again in Ironman training, you have to go easier on the bike than you think you should because you have to get off the bike and run. But now I know, I still need to be faster. I don't know if I need another bike, not that I can afford one anyway (but a girl can dream), or if there are things I can do to Joshua to help improve our performance. He is a good, basic road bike. I just need to be faster all around.
I am working diligently on my strength training, since it is technically my off-season. I know that strength and power are key in both speed and endurance. I have always kept up a decent level of strength training, but in the past I have focused more on core and upper body strength which is vital to all three disciplines. Now I haev added a considerable amount of leg work. I make sure to have two days at the gym that are dedicated leg days with squat, lunge, deadlift, leg press, leg curl, leg extension, jump squat, wide squat, split squat, and a plethora of other leg exercises and stretches. I am also doing one day on the track with running drills aimed at strength and speed work. I do love the running drills; sprint, skip, high knee, butt kick, leap, crossover stride, and square hop. I am adding hill repeats to the mix starting tomorrow. I haven't been cycling as much lately, letting myself have a bit of a break, but I will be adding tabata drills, and threshold speedwork to try and make my legs get faster. I have to be faster. It is not an option, it is a requirement.
Off-season is not easy for me, but it is the time to research and study, seek new ways to train. I know I can improve my times,
I am working diligently on my strength training, since it is technically my off-season. I know that strength and power are key in both speed and endurance. I have always kept up a decent level of strength training, but in the past I have focused more on core and upper body strength which is vital to all three disciplines. Now I haev added a considerable amount of leg work. I make sure to have two days at the gym that are dedicated leg days with squat, lunge, deadlift, leg press, leg curl, leg extension, jump squat, wide squat, split squat, and a plethora of other leg exercises and stretches. I am also doing one day on the track with running drills aimed at strength and speed work. I do love the running drills; sprint, skip, high knee, butt kick, leap, crossover stride, and square hop. I am adding hill repeats to the mix starting tomorrow. I haven't been cycling as much lately, letting myself have a bit of a break, but I will be adding tabata drills, and threshold speedwork to try and make my legs get faster. I have to be faster. It is not an option, it is a requirement.
Off-season is not easy for me, but it is the time to research and study, seek new ways to train. I know I can improve my times,
Good News, Bad News
The bad news: I will be unemployed come January first. The good news: OMG just think how often I will be able to workout! No, seriously, this really was one of my first thoughts after hearing that they were closing my department by Christmas. I will be able to train like I have wished I could for a long time. Okay, hopefully I won't be unemployed very long, but I am going to try and make the best of it. Another great aspect of having a bit more free time is the ability to get caught up on my writing, finish a few of the works I have in progress and haven't been able to quite finish off, as well as start a new writing project or two. One idea I have swirling around in my over-active brain is a book on triathlon on a budget. I won't be more specific than that right now (don't want one of my 12 readers to swipe my idea *ha ha*). I think if there is one area of triathlon that I have a bit better than average knowledge it is how to do it on the cheap. I admit, setting up T2 and seeing all the glorious tri-bikes next to my old school road bike, I am inclined to feel a bit like the girl from the wrong side of the tracks. But I don't participate in this sport for glory or recognition, or to have the spendiest bike on the rack, I do it because I enjoy it, and I feel that by pushing myself to reach for what may have seemed impossible not long ago that I am making myself a better person. Hell, I am definitely in the best shape of my life (well, at least I was on September 20th), and plan on being even more fit come September of 2015. I don't have the qualifications to be a trainer, but I definitely qualify to help people find a bargain.
On that note, time to get my workout space organized so I can get in a bike and strength training workout a little later. Onward through the fog!
On that note, time to get my workout space organized so I can get in a bike and strength training workout a little later. Onward through the fog!
Saturday, November 8, 2014
The Big Day (Part Two)
It has been less than 2 months. 7 weeks. 49 days since my race, and I think about it every day. I wrote about the first part of the day, the glorious 3 mile swim in frigid 62 degree water that left me disoriented, slurring my speech, shivering harder than I ever have, and exulting in what a fabulous swim it had been. Onto the bike, shivering and hoping the lack of sensation in my hands and feet didn't make me crash before I got out onto the main road and into the sun.
It was a glorious day. As perfect as anyone could have wished. The sky was the bright blue that is a signature of the high desert. Heading out into the 138 mile bike course my legs were feeling leaden from the cold, but warmed up quickly. I felt great. My energy after the swim was good. I stuck to the plan and only consumed water for the first 20 minutes or so of the ride, then took a shot of honey. My game plan for energy on the bike was simple: Water, honey, and electrolyte capsules. I had experimented with different gels, chews, drinks, bars, and dried fruit through my training season and kept coming back to cold water, honey, and Salt Sticks. Simple. I had a few mocha Clif Shots and Blocks to break the monotony, knowing that after 9 plus hours on the bike I might get a little tired of honey and water. Anyhoo, on with the ride.
I had visited this route several times, the Cascade Lakes Highway where it rambled between Wickiup Reservoir and up the backside of Mount Bachelor. It is a road with no flats. There is a 2000' elevation gain in one 20 mile section, with one 5 mile section that is a solid climb. I felt fantastic. My energy was good, my legs felt strong, my lungs were happy. I couldn't have asked for better health and conditioning (given the time I have been training for ultra-endurance... next season I will be stronger and faster). There were a few points in the ride where I hit a bit of a wall, but I didn't let myself slack and pushed through. There were aid stations about every 20 miles with gloriously cold water, I fell in love with every one of the volunteers handing out this delectable ambrosia. At the first aid station I found out they were handing out bananas. BANANAS!! My favorite energy bar. My battle cry for the day became, "Woo hoo! Bananas!! Fuck yeah!!" The volunteers thought I was hilarious (so did I).
The glory of the the country I was cycling through was undeniable. Again and again I thought to myself, "I am exactly where I want to be, doing exactly what I want to do."
About 80 miles into the ride I finally looked at my watch (purchased just for this day). Doing a little quick calculation I realized that my concerns over being able to finish in 9-1/2 were coming to become fact. I was pushing myself to the point of leg cramps, and flirted with asthma a few times, and knew in my heart that at any given point I riding to the best of my capabilities, and I was still about 30 minutes behind where I needed to be. So I pushed harder, even though I knew it would not be enough, but I was not going to give up. I cycled on, though the gorgeous high desert day.
Halfway up my second trip up the backside of Mount Bachelor (the course was 1-1/2 times around the mountain, then down into Bend) I saw the medic van, and a scruffily handsome man stepping out to talk to me.
"Is this where you tell me I won't make the bike cutoff?" I asked.
"Yeah," he said apologetically, "I have a call in to the race director to see if you will be able to do the run course though."
"Okay, I'm going to keep cycling until you pull me from the course," I grinned at him and pedaled on.
"I will be leap-frogging you, if you don't mind," he said to my backside.
I knew this likely meant I was the last cyclist. I didn't care, this competition was against no one but myself. I pedaled on, grinding my way up that 5 mile stretch of first gear, head down, constant incline. The medic leap-frogged me as promised. Finally, about 1 mile from the summit, with less than 30 minutes left to the cutoff time, and a solid 20 miles left of the course, he passed me, and got out of his van.
"The race director said that if you ride in with me, and get to the run start by 7 you can still do the run course. Or, you can finish the bike and not do the run."
I pondered for a brief moment. I had covered the hardest part of the bike course, I was one mile from hitting the long downhill into Bend, and I had really been looking forward to that particular stretch. I also knew there was no way I could cover that 20 miles in 30 minutes. Having covered 118 miles of a tough bike course, I really wanted my chance to run the 14 miles of the final leg.
"Okay, I'll ride in with you."
We put my bike in the van and took off. He told me there were several other cyclists on the road that weren't going to make the cutoff, but they were opting to finish the bike and skip the run. I was disappointed that I couldn't have eked out an extra mile per hour to cover the course in time, but I also knew I had cycled my best. I took a shot of honey, drank some water, and pushed aside any self-flagellation as I prepared my mind for the run.
We passed a number of cyclists, and I really did wish I was riding with them, but I had made my choice.
Once we got into the race venue I unloaded my bike and trotted to T3 to leave my bike gear and change to running gear. I had to relinquish my timing chip at this point, and accept the fact that I would get a DNF (did not finish). Okay, no time to dwell on that, I parked the bike and slipped into running shoes.
The run course was unexpected. It started out normal enough; sidewalks through a residential area, with aid stations every mile. The first surprise was that the flaggers and guides at intersections and course changes had packed up and left at sundown, so it felt like a bit of a crapshoot to stay on course. The second surprise was when the course turned onto a black asphalt path that led off through undeveloped land, with no street lights. That's right. No lights. None. At first, running through the gloaming, there was plenty of light to see. And by plenty I mean it wasn't pitch dark, yet. I came to an aid station, manned by teenagers who said, "The next aid station has head lamps." So I drank some water and ran on. I have good night vision, so was able to differentiate the path from the surrounding ground because it was a darker shade of black. At one point I saw the shapes of a doe and fawn wander across in front of me, since I was dressed all in black, they didn't see me until I was about 6 feet from them, and then they bounded off into the dark. I got to the next aid station and inquired about a head lamp. "We don't have any, but we heard the next station does." This was the story of the night. The lure of the elusive head lamp spurring me on from one aid station to the next.
Running by starlight I again had the thought, "I am exactly where I want to be, doing exactly what I want to be doing." It was a glorious night, moonless, but with the Milky Way spread out above me. The air was mild, but cooling rapidly, as it does in the High Desert. I ran on. My legs felt strong, my energy was great, my breathing was good. After about 4 miles I did have that realization that I was running through unknown land, with no lights, and no one around me. I was alone in the night. And the thought niggled its way into my brain and I started to get just a little spooked. I didn't have my cell phone, and didn't know where I was. If I ran off course, I could wander all night, as temperatures dipped to the 40's or lower. And then there was the paranoia that I had no idea what or who might be lurking behind every bush and rock. I ran as quietly as I could. My reassuring though on this point is that I am tall, broad shouldered, and relatively flat-chested when squashed into a sport bra. Maybe any would-be assailant would think I was a dude and let me run on past.
Then the asphalt disappeared, turning into an 18 inch wide gravel path. I ran on for a bit until I realized I was having such a hard time seeing the path I was likely to stray and roll an ankle. I slowed to a fast walk. The crunching of gravel underfoot made it sound like there was another set of footsteps behind me. I would stop, listening for my would be stalker. Nothing. Of course. At this point I had been laboring for more than 12 hours, and I think my brain was getting a little tired from the constant need to stay focused on the task at hand. Brain was wandering down loopy paths, populating them with the boogeyman.
Okay, this had to stop. I decided I would risk getting hit by a car, since there was no traffic anyway (I really did feel alone), and run on the road. I needed the security of smooth asphalt beneath my feet. On the road I realized I could make out the 6 inch wide, white fog line painted on the shoulder of the road, I kept my feet on the white line.
Now is when the run became even more surreal. It was so dark around me that the white line really was all I could see. Even my body, clad in black, was invisible. I felt like a Ninja, and focused on silent footfalls. The only sound I could hear was my own breathing. In the distance I could see the lights of the high school where the halfway point and finish line were for the run, but they were more of a hindrance to my night vision than a help. It did give me the comfort of knowing now that I wouldn't get lost and wander through the sage brush all night. But at this point I was feeling like the run was actually riskier than it should be. About a mile from the halfway point another runner caught up with me. She was even more dismayed at the lack of lighting and the disappearance of any on course guidance besides the aid stations manned by 15 year olds. We both knew that what little help there was now would likely be gone all together on the second lap.
I decided that I would only run one circuit. I was disappointed, with myself and with the race designers. I knew I had the physical energy to finish the race. I had the mental strength to finish the race. But I could not squelch the nervousness of the possibility of going off course and getting lost in the dark. And honestly, I think it was a justifiable fear.
As I ran the last bit towards the finish line I rounded a corner and heard my Mom call out my name, cheering me on. It brought tears to my eyes. As I ran towards her I told her I wasn't going to run the second lap. Even as I spoke the words they tasted bitter, I wanted to finish, but had to give myself permission to put my safety first.
At the very end I took an early turn and skulked down a side street to the area where my dry, clean clothes were waiting. It was not the glorious finish I had imagined, but I was proud of how far I had traveled that day: 3 mile swim, 118 mile bike ride over mountain roads, and a 7 mile run. 128 miles. Shy of my dream, but pretty damned good anyway.
Even while I was racing I was thinking ahead to next year, and what I need to do to improve my performance. My endurance and power were good all day long. I had the endurance to do the course, I just didn't have the speed. Next year I will have the speed. And a head lamp. I am definitely taking a head lamp.
It was a glorious day. As perfect as anyone could have wished. The sky was the bright blue that is a signature of the high desert. Heading out into the 138 mile bike course my legs were feeling leaden from the cold, but warmed up quickly. I felt great. My energy after the swim was good. I stuck to the plan and only consumed water for the first 20 minutes or so of the ride, then took a shot of honey. My game plan for energy on the bike was simple: Water, honey, and electrolyte capsules. I had experimented with different gels, chews, drinks, bars, and dried fruit through my training season and kept coming back to cold water, honey, and Salt Sticks. Simple. I had a few mocha Clif Shots and Blocks to break the monotony, knowing that after 9 plus hours on the bike I might get a little tired of honey and water. Anyhoo, on with the ride.
I had visited this route several times, the Cascade Lakes Highway where it rambled between Wickiup Reservoir and up the backside of Mount Bachelor. It is a road with no flats. There is a 2000' elevation gain in one 20 mile section, with one 5 mile section that is a solid climb. I felt fantastic. My energy was good, my legs felt strong, my lungs were happy. I couldn't have asked for better health and conditioning (given the time I have been training for ultra-endurance... next season I will be stronger and faster). There were a few points in the ride where I hit a bit of a wall, but I didn't let myself slack and pushed through. There were aid stations about every 20 miles with gloriously cold water, I fell in love with every one of the volunteers handing out this delectable ambrosia. At the first aid station I found out they were handing out bananas. BANANAS!! My favorite energy bar. My battle cry for the day became, "Woo hoo! Bananas!! Fuck yeah!!" The volunteers thought I was hilarious (so did I).
The glory of the the country I was cycling through was undeniable. Again and again I thought to myself, "I am exactly where I want to be, doing exactly what I want to do."
About 80 miles into the ride I finally looked at my watch (purchased just for this day). Doing a little quick calculation I realized that my concerns over being able to finish in 9-1/2 were coming to become fact. I was pushing myself to the point of leg cramps, and flirted with asthma a few times, and knew in my heart that at any given point I riding to the best of my capabilities, and I was still about 30 minutes behind where I needed to be. So I pushed harder, even though I knew it would not be enough, but I was not going to give up. I cycled on, though the gorgeous high desert day.
Halfway up my second trip up the backside of Mount Bachelor (the course was 1-1/2 times around the mountain, then down into Bend) I saw the medic van, and a scruffily handsome man stepping out to talk to me.
"Is this where you tell me I won't make the bike cutoff?" I asked.
"Yeah," he said apologetically, "I have a call in to the race director to see if you will be able to do the run course though."
"Okay, I'm going to keep cycling until you pull me from the course," I grinned at him and pedaled on.
"I will be leap-frogging you, if you don't mind," he said to my backside.
I knew this likely meant I was the last cyclist. I didn't care, this competition was against no one but myself. I pedaled on, grinding my way up that 5 mile stretch of first gear, head down, constant incline. The medic leap-frogged me as promised. Finally, about 1 mile from the summit, with less than 30 minutes left to the cutoff time, and a solid 20 miles left of the course, he passed me, and got out of his van.
"The race director said that if you ride in with me, and get to the run start by 7 you can still do the run course. Or, you can finish the bike and not do the run."
I pondered for a brief moment. I had covered the hardest part of the bike course, I was one mile from hitting the long downhill into Bend, and I had really been looking forward to that particular stretch. I also knew there was no way I could cover that 20 miles in 30 minutes. Having covered 118 miles of a tough bike course, I really wanted my chance to run the 14 miles of the final leg.
"Okay, I'll ride in with you."
We put my bike in the van and took off. He told me there were several other cyclists on the road that weren't going to make the cutoff, but they were opting to finish the bike and skip the run. I was disappointed that I couldn't have eked out an extra mile per hour to cover the course in time, but I also knew I had cycled my best. I took a shot of honey, drank some water, and pushed aside any self-flagellation as I prepared my mind for the run.
We passed a number of cyclists, and I really did wish I was riding with them, but I had made my choice.
Once we got into the race venue I unloaded my bike and trotted to T3 to leave my bike gear and change to running gear. I had to relinquish my timing chip at this point, and accept the fact that I would get a DNF (did not finish). Okay, no time to dwell on that, I parked the bike and slipped into running shoes.
The run course was unexpected. It started out normal enough; sidewalks through a residential area, with aid stations every mile. The first surprise was that the flaggers and guides at intersections and course changes had packed up and left at sundown, so it felt like a bit of a crapshoot to stay on course. The second surprise was when the course turned onto a black asphalt path that led off through undeveloped land, with no street lights. That's right. No lights. None. At first, running through the gloaming, there was plenty of light to see. And by plenty I mean it wasn't pitch dark, yet. I came to an aid station, manned by teenagers who said, "The next aid station has head lamps." So I drank some water and ran on. I have good night vision, so was able to differentiate the path from the surrounding ground because it was a darker shade of black. At one point I saw the shapes of a doe and fawn wander across in front of me, since I was dressed all in black, they didn't see me until I was about 6 feet from them, and then they bounded off into the dark. I got to the next aid station and inquired about a head lamp. "We don't have any, but we heard the next station does." This was the story of the night. The lure of the elusive head lamp spurring me on from one aid station to the next.
Running by starlight I again had the thought, "I am exactly where I want to be, doing exactly what I want to be doing." It was a glorious night, moonless, but with the Milky Way spread out above me. The air was mild, but cooling rapidly, as it does in the High Desert. I ran on. My legs felt strong, my energy was great, my breathing was good. After about 4 miles I did have that realization that I was running through unknown land, with no lights, and no one around me. I was alone in the night. And the thought niggled its way into my brain and I started to get just a little spooked. I didn't have my cell phone, and didn't know where I was. If I ran off course, I could wander all night, as temperatures dipped to the 40's or lower. And then there was the paranoia that I had no idea what or who might be lurking behind every bush and rock. I ran as quietly as I could. My reassuring though on this point is that I am tall, broad shouldered, and relatively flat-chested when squashed into a sport bra. Maybe any would-be assailant would think I was a dude and let me run on past.
Then the asphalt disappeared, turning into an 18 inch wide gravel path. I ran on for a bit until I realized I was having such a hard time seeing the path I was likely to stray and roll an ankle. I slowed to a fast walk. The crunching of gravel underfoot made it sound like there was another set of footsteps behind me. I would stop, listening for my would be stalker. Nothing. Of course. At this point I had been laboring for more than 12 hours, and I think my brain was getting a little tired from the constant need to stay focused on the task at hand. Brain was wandering down loopy paths, populating them with the boogeyman.
Okay, this had to stop. I decided I would risk getting hit by a car, since there was no traffic anyway (I really did feel alone), and run on the road. I needed the security of smooth asphalt beneath my feet. On the road I realized I could make out the 6 inch wide, white fog line painted on the shoulder of the road, I kept my feet on the white line.
Now is when the run became even more surreal. It was so dark around me that the white line really was all I could see. Even my body, clad in black, was invisible. I felt like a Ninja, and focused on silent footfalls. The only sound I could hear was my own breathing. In the distance I could see the lights of the high school where the halfway point and finish line were for the run, but they were more of a hindrance to my night vision than a help. It did give me the comfort of knowing now that I wouldn't get lost and wander through the sage brush all night. But at this point I was feeling like the run was actually riskier than it should be. About a mile from the halfway point another runner caught up with me. She was even more dismayed at the lack of lighting and the disappearance of any on course guidance besides the aid stations manned by 15 year olds. We both knew that what little help there was now would likely be gone all together on the second lap.
I decided that I would only run one circuit. I was disappointed, with myself and with the race designers. I knew I had the physical energy to finish the race. I had the mental strength to finish the race. But I could not squelch the nervousness of the possibility of going off course and getting lost in the dark. And honestly, I think it was a justifiable fear.
As I ran the last bit towards the finish line I rounded a corner and heard my Mom call out my name, cheering me on. It brought tears to my eyes. As I ran towards her I told her I wasn't going to run the second lap. Even as I spoke the words they tasted bitter, I wanted to finish, but had to give myself permission to put my safety first.
At the very end I took an early turn and skulked down a side street to the area where my dry, clean clothes were waiting. It was not the glorious finish I had imagined, but I was proud of how far I had traveled that day: 3 mile swim, 118 mile bike ride over mountain roads, and a 7 mile run. 128 miles. Shy of my dream, but pretty damned good anyway.
Even while I was racing I was thinking ahead to next year, and what I need to do to improve my performance. My endurance and power were good all day long. I had the endurance to do the course, I just didn't have the speed. Next year I will have the speed. And a head lamp. I am definitely taking a head lamp.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Off-Season
Oy vey. Life is busy and chaotic, as usual (I must like it this way, because it does seem to be the norm). I feel a bit ashamed that I haven't had time to write about the bulk of my day in the Epic 250K, because it was epic. Sadly, today is not the day to write it out either, it is late and I just have a few minutes to touch base and get some words spilled out onto the page.
It is officially the "Off Season" now, and I can't say I am liking it all that well. I did manage to take a full week off from training, and that was a certain level of suckage, lemme tell you. I don't take well to rest periods. With the closure of my local aquatic center I was without a pool, and I knew I needed to get back in the water sooner rather than later. After much searching and researching I settled on the gym at the local golf course/country club. Yes, I do feel a bit like that girl from the wrong side of the tracks, with my '94 Honda Civic with its geek-girl window stickers, my short skirts and combat boots, hair in pigtails, and a bag full of swim gear. But, it has a pool, narrow but the requisite 25 yards, and a jacuzzi to warm my bones after my swim. It also has a weight room, and a separate workout room with free weights, and yoga gear that I usually have all to myself. I have backed off of bike and run miles and am amping up on the weight training and plyometrics.
The hardest part of the off season is trying to reconfigure my food intake. I have managed to keep my weight down to what it was on race day, although I did dip a few pounds below for nearly a month after the race. I am trying to cut back on my carbs now that I am not putting in long hours of endurance training, but that is hard for me to do when I am on a plant based diet. I do eat a lot of whole grains, and carb laden fruits and veggies (bananas, yams, and potatoes... yum). I need to sit down and really research some new recipes for high protein, lower carb vegetarian dishes that I can pack for lunch. Dinners are easier, I tend to mold them around spinach, avocado and eggs.
It is so hard to shift gears after months and months of training a specific way. I am such a creature of habit, and don't make changes easily (or gracefully). But for now, I will focus on the training aspect, and reconfiguring my workout regimen, find a new rhythm and schedule to get me through to January when I can start into base building again. I need to find cold weather running gear, I don't want to lose my hard earned running base, but am not too keen on running in the cold and rain. Cycling is now relegated to the living room again, and there won't be any more century rides until spring. Swimming laps and drills are all good and well, but I am desperately missing my swims in The Cove. My wetsuit hangs in my bedroom and it makes me sad to see it unused and lonely. So, shifting gears, reinventing my training schedule, heading into winter training mode, and trying to not lose my mind. And it is only October.
It is officially the "Off Season" now, and I can't say I am liking it all that well. I did manage to take a full week off from training, and that was a certain level of suckage, lemme tell you. I don't take well to rest periods. With the closure of my local aquatic center I was without a pool, and I knew I needed to get back in the water sooner rather than later. After much searching and researching I settled on the gym at the local golf course/country club. Yes, I do feel a bit like that girl from the wrong side of the tracks, with my '94 Honda Civic with its geek-girl window stickers, my short skirts and combat boots, hair in pigtails, and a bag full of swim gear. But, it has a pool, narrow but the requisite 25 yards, and a jacuzzi to warm my bones after my swim. It also has a weight room, and a separate workout room with free weights, and yoga gear that I usually have all to myself. I have backed off of bike and run miles and am amping up on the weight training and plyometrics.
The hardest part of the off season is trying to reconfigure my food intake. I have managed to keep my weight down to what it was on race day, although I did dip a few pounds below for nearly a month after the race. I am trying to cut back on my carbs now that I am not putting in long hours of endurance training, but that is hard for me to do when I am on a plant based diet. I do eat a lot of whole grains, and carb laden fruits and veggies (bananas, yams, and potatoes... yum). I need to sit down and really research some new recipes for high protein, lower carb vegetarian dishes that I can pack for lunch. Dinners are easier, I tend to mold them around spinach, avocado and eggs.
It is so hard to shift gears after months and months of training a specific way. I am such a creature of habit, and don't make changes easily (or gracefully). But for now, I will focus on the training aspect, and reconfiguring my workout regimen, find a new rhythm and schedule to get me through to January when I can start into base building again. I need to find cold weather running gear, I don't want to lose my hard earned running base, but am not too keen on running in the cold and rain. Cycling is now relegated to the living room again, and there won't be any more century rides until spring. Swimming laps and drills are all good and well, but I am desperately missing my swims in The Cove. My wetsuit hangs in my bedroom and it makes me sad to see it unused and lonely. So, shifting gears, reinventing my training schedule, heading into winter training mode, and trying to not lose my mind. And it is only October.
Friday, September 26, 2014
The Big Day (Part One)
Okay, my Epic 250K is now 6 days in the past. I've had time to ruminate, but not a moment to sit down and write, until now. I will start at the beginning.
Of course I had a hard time sleeping the night before, but fortunately had gotten in a solid 9 hours the previous night. The morning of the race I had my alarm set for 4:00 am, so I would have plenty of time to have a light breakfast of smoothie and toast (Oudi's gluten free white bread, almost zero fiber).... Okay, I think I need to step back even a bit earlier. For a sold 48 hours before the race I ate a high energy, low fiber diet. As a matter of fact, the last few weeks leading up to the race I dialed in my nutrition to near perfection. I ate nutrient dense foods, plenty of fresh fruits and veggies, raw almonds, eggs, good carbs, little sugar, no refined foods. Every meal, every snack was consumed with the knowledge that I was pumping my body with rocket fuel. The only slight flaw in my planning was the day before the race, there was so much running around to be done that I did not eat quite as regularly as I could have wished. Yes, I had a specatularly large breakfast of French toast (again, Oudi's GF bread) with agave nectar, and a high protein smoothie. Then, with foresight, I packed a bag with bananas, almonds, Clif Mojo Bars, a few electrolyte capsules, and plenty of water. So, although I could have eaten a bit better, I definitely did myself no harm.
Okay, back to race morning. With my alarm set for 4:00 am, of course I woke at 3:15, after a night of decent, though fitful sleep. I felt good, started coffee, made myself eat, and was out the door and headed for the school that was both the launching point for the bus ride to T1, and the start and finish for the run. I was on the second bus out, and had a pleasant seat mate, a woman from Moscow, Idaho who was doing the Epic125. We chatted for a while, as did most of the other athletes on the bus. About halfway through the 45 minute ride though, we all fell silent. I know I was inside my head, focusing inward, keeping calm, letting my mind roam over what my day would be like, and I am sure that the 40 other athletes were all doing the same. Just as we approached the turn to Cultus Lake there was a weird light through the fog ahead of us. Only 6 of us saw it. It looked like headlights coming up behind a hill, reflecting on the fog, but that is not what it was. We had no idea what it was, really, we joked about UFOs coming to steal us out of the water. I took it as a good sign.
Once we arrived I went and checked Joshua, making sure his tires had stayed inflated overnight (not everyone was so lucky). I filled my bento bag with the tube of honey, salt sticks, chap stick, and eye drops, and put my water bottles in place. My bike was ready.
Then I went into the changing tent, a gloriously warm accommodation that was a pleasant new addition this year. Since there were only 8 women doing the 250K and we had plenty of space we made the decision to lay out our cycling gear, instead of having to dump it out of a bag and sort through it after the swim. Then it was time to gear up. I felt a tiny bit sheepish with all my extra gear to fend off the cold, I was definitely more heavily dressed than anyone else there. As a matter of fact, one woman did the swim without a wetsuit. I was stunned to see her and wondered if she would make it, but she had a good swim and finished the race in good time. The water was colder than I had expected, and I had expected it to be cold. We had to swim out about 100 yards to the swim start, and I needed every bit of that time to adjust. There were 85 of us, so I was told, a nice crowd. The sky was pale blue with wispy orange clouds, the sun had yet to show itself over the eastern mountains when the starting horn blared. We plunged into the frigid, clear mountain lake and swam. The water was crystal clear, I could see the bottom of the lake with absolute clarity. At one point I swam through a cluster of volcanic boulders that seemed a bit too close for comfort, but were beautiful and gave me a sense of strength. About halfway down the length of the first lap the sun crested over the surrounding pine trees and blazed gloriously, turning the water golden. It was a breathtaking moment, and I knew that there was no place else in the whole world that I would rather have been than right there, at that very moment. I took that feeling and held it in my heart and mind for the rest of the day.
The swim, 5K, 3.1 miles, was glorious. I felt strong and smooth. There were a few very brief moments when I lost my rhythm for a split second, either from getting hit with a wave up the nose, having another swimmer run into me, or having to reorient myself on the next buoy. The buoys seemed few and far between, making it difficult to stay on course a few times. And the first 1/4 of the swim seemed the longest (doesn't it always?). I barely remember finishing the first lap, when we had to come out of the water and cross the electronic sensor that would guarantee that we did our second lap. I do remember getting back into my rhythm though, and feeling smooth and easy as I headed out for the second lap. I felt a bit cool, but not cold,. Not for one split second did I regret my extra gear. I felt really strong in my swim, and my pacing seemed perfect. I never felt fatigued or stressed. I did stay with the pack, though towards the rear. It was a truly great swim for me. As I headed down the homestretch, I did have a little trouble finding the swim out and had to keep popping up to find out where I was exactly, then once I saw it for sure I made a strong beeline for the ramp. I do know there were about a dozen 250K swimmers behind me, so I felt damned good to not be the last one (as I have been in the past). As my feet hit solid ground and I started climbing out of the water I realized that I was far colder than I had thought during my swim. In the early stages of hypothermia I was disoriented and off-balance, what we would refer to as "an altered mental state" in EMS terms. As I slow jogged towards the changing tent I began to shiver, and my teeth started to chatter. By the time I got to my cycling gear I was shaking so hard I could barely get out of my wetsuit. There was another woman changing gear and she was in a similar state. We talked, kind of checking up on each other, and I realized that I was slurring my speech. As I fumbled into my gear I decided I needed some fuel so grabbed a Clif Shot, my hands were shaking so hard I could barely hold onto the little packet of sugary goo. Part of my mind was appalled, and part of it was fascinated. I have never been so cold in my life. I did have the concern that now I was going to have to get on a bike and ride, without crashing, with my brain and body in such a state. The muscles in my neck and shoulders were tightening so hard from the cold and exertion that I could barely turn my head. The next few minutes would be interesting.
I did manage to get fully dressed, without forgetting anything, get all my swim gear stuffed into the red bag so it would be transported back to Bend and be waiting for me after the race, and get to my bike. All without damaging myself or breaking anything. Once I was on Joshua I focused all my mental energy on relaxing, cycling easy to let my muscles warm up, and trying very hard to not crash. It took about 8 miles for my teeth to stop chattering, and another 20 before I was warm enough to shed a layer of clothing. But I felt great. My energy was high, my body felt fantastic, and it was a gloriously beautiful, perfect day. But with another 110 miles of cycling ahead of me, my favorite Star Wars quote for such a situation kept popping into my head, "Don't get cocky, kid."
To be continued.....
Of course I had a hard time sleeping the night before, but fortunately had gotten in a solid 9 hours the previous night. The morning of the race I had my alarm set for 4:00 am, so I would have plenty of time to have a light breakfast of smoothie and toast (Oudi's gluten free white bread, almost zero fiber).... Okay, I think I need to step back even a bit earlier. For a sold 48 hours before the race I ate a high energy, low fiber diet. As a matter of fact, the last few weeks leading up to the race I dialed in my nutrition to near perfection. I ate nutrient dense foods, plenty of fresh fruits and veggies, raw almonds, eggs, good carbs, little sugar, no refined foods. Every meal, every snack was consumed with the knowledge that I was pumping my body with rocket fuel. The only slight flaw in my planning was the day before the race, there was so much running around to be done that I did not eat quite as regularly as I could have wished. Yes, I had a specatularly large breakfast of French toast (again, Oudi's GF bread) with agave nectar, and a high protein smoothie. Then, with foresight, I packed a bag with bananas, almonds, Clif Mojo Bars, a few electrolyte capsules, and plenty of water. So, although I could have eaten a bit better, I definitely did myself no harm.
Okay, back to race morning. With my alarm set for 4:00 am, of course I woke at 3:15, after a night of decent, though fitful sleep. I felt good, started coffee, made myself eat, and was out the door and headed for the school that was both the launching point for the bus ride to T1, and the start and finish for the run. I was on the second bus out, and had a pleasant seat mate, a woman from Moscow, Idaho who was doing the Epic125. We chatted for a while, as did most of the other athletes on the bus. About halfway through the 45 minute ride though, we all fell silent. I know I was inside my head, focusing inward, keeping calm, letting my mind roam over what my day would be like, and I am sure that the 40 other athletes were all doing the same. Just as we approached the turn to Cultus Lake there was a weird light through the fog ahead of us. Only 6 of us saw it. It looked like headlights coming up behind a hill, reflecting on the fog, but that is not what it was. We had no idea what it was, really, we joked about UFOs coming to steal us out of the water. I took it as a good sign.
Once we arrived I went and checked Joshua, making sure his tires had stayed inflated overnight (not everyone was so lucky). I filled my bento bag with the tube of honey, salt sticks, chap stick, and eye drops, and put my water bottles in place. My bike was ready.
Then I went into the changing tent, a gloriously warm accommodation that was a pleasant new addition this year. Since there were only 8 women doing the 250K and we had plenty of space we made the decision to lay out our cycling gear, instead of having to dump it out of a bag and sort through it after the swim. Then it was time to gear up. I felt a tiny bit sheepish with all my extra gear to fend off the cold, I was definitely more heavily dressed than anyone else there. As a matter of fact, one woman did the swim without a wetsuit. I was stunned to see her and wondered if she would make it, but she had a good swim and finished the race in good time. The water was colder than I had expected, and I had expected it to be cold. We had to swim out about 100 yards to the swim start, and I needed every bit of that time to adjust. There were 85 of us, so I was told, a nice crowd. The sky was pale blue with wispy orange clouds, the sun had yet to show itself over the eastern mountains when the starting horn blared. We plunged into the frigid, clear mountain lake and swam. The water was crystal clear, I could see the bottom of the lake with absolute clarity. At one point I swam through a cluster of volcanic boulders that seemed a bit too close for comfort, but were beautiful and gave me a sense of strength. About halfway down the length of the first lap the sun crested over the surrounding pine trees and blazed gloriously, turning the water golden. It was a breathtaking moment, and I knew that there was no place else in the whole world that I would rather have been than right there, at that very moment. I took that feeling and held it in my heart and mind for the rest of the day.
The swim, 5K, 3.1 miles, was glorious. I felt strong and smooth. There were a few very brief moments when I lost my rhythm for a split second, either from getting hit with a wave up the nose, having another swimmer run into me, or having to reorient myself on the next buoy. The buoys seemed few and far between, making it difficult to stay on course a few times. And the first 1/4 of the swim seemed the longest (doesn't it always?). I barely remember finishing the first lap, when we had to come out of the water and cross the electronic sensor that would guarantee that we did our second lap. I do remember getting back into my rhythm though, and feeling smooth and easy as I headed out for the second lap. I felt a bit cool, but not cold,. Not for one split second did I regret my extra gear. I felt really strong in my swim, and my pacing seemed perfect. I never felt fatigued or stressed. I did stay with the pack, though towards the rear. It was a truly great swim for me. As I headed down the homestretch, I did have a little trouble finding the swim out and had to keep popping up to find out where I was exactly, then once I saw it for sure I made a strong beeline for the ramp. I do know there were about a dozen 250K swimmers behind me, so I felt damned good to not be the last one (as I have been in the past). As my feet hit solid ground and I started climbing out of the water I realized that I was far colder than I had thought during my swim. In the early stages of hypothermia I was disoriented and off-balance, what we would refer to as "an altered mental state" in EMS terms. As I slow jogged towards the changing tent I began to shiver, and my teeth started to chatter. By the time I got to my cycling gear I was shaking so hard I could barely get out of my wetsuit. There was another woman changing gear and she was in a similar state. We talked, kind of checking up on each other, and I realized that I was slurring my speech. As I fumbled into my gear I decided I needed some fuel so grabbed a Clif Shot, my hands were shaking so hard I could barely hold onto the little packet of sugary goo. Part of my mind was appalled, and part of it was fascinated. I have never been so cold in my life. I did have the concern that now I was going to have to get on a bike and ride, without crashing, with my brain and body in such a state. The muscles in my neck and shoulders were tightening so hard from the cold and exertion that I could barely turn my head. The next few minutes would be interesting.
I did manage to get fully dressed, without forgetting anything, get all my swim gear stuffed into the red bag so it would be transported back to Bend and be waiting for me after the race, and get to my bike. All without damaging myself or breaking anything. Once I was on Joshua I focused all my mental energy on relaxing, cycling easy to let my muscles warm up, and trying very hard to not crash. It took about 8 miles for my teeth to stop chattering, and another 20 before I was warm enough to shed a layer of clothing. But I felt great. My energy was high, my body felt fantastic, and it was a gloriously beautiful, perfect day. But with another 110 miles of cycling ahead of me, my favorite Star Wars quote for such a situation kept popping into my head, "Don't get cocky, kid."
To be continued.....
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Slightly Scrambled, But Packed and Ready
I skipped my swim this afternoon, it would have been my last visit to The Cove this year (unless I sac up and do a cold weather swim). I decided I needed to be able to shop and pack without a time crunch. Yes, I am feeling a bit slovenly for not working out, but I needed to know all my gear was packed and ready. I can't believe it is down to the wire now. All my race gear, and most of my food is now packed in the car and ready, all else is incidental. I just have to get through work tomorrow, then drive to Bend, find my motel, get in a 30 minute spin session, eat, and collapse into bed. Friday will be sign in and packet pickup, then off to Cultus Lake to get Joshua set up in T2. Depending on the day, I am tempted to try and get in a quick swim, but then all my swim gear would be wet, and likely not dry in time for my 7:30 am race start. So many little, loose ends to keep from fraying, loose ends and nerves, all frayed.
It has been a tough week, with more than my fair share of external and internal stress making my focus be less than ideal. Too many things going on that have my head near to exploding. The stress seemed to hit its peak yesterday at work, drama coming at me, not my drama, but sucking me in. It was rough enough that it totally pushed my dodgy digestive tract totally over the edge. It left me teetering on the edge of nausea, and made me think I was coming down with a stomach flu, but no, it was just stress. I'm still feeling the effects, but at this point I am so used to my delicate system that I just keep dumping nutrient dense food into my gullet regardless of how I feel. I had an epiphany though, regardless of how much drama swirls around me I will not allow my focus to be ruined. I will rise above all else, keep my head in the moment, and make sure that I am doing the best I can at any given moment throughout the day. It will be a great day.
It has been a tough week, with more than my fair share of external and internal stress making my focus be less than ideal. Too many things going on that have my head near to exploding. The stress seemed to hit its peak yesterday at work, drama coming at me, not my drama, but sucking me in. It was rough enough that it totally pushed my dodgy digestive tract totally over the edge. It left me teetering on the edge of nausea, and made me think I was coming down with a stomach flu, but no, it was just stress. I'm still feeling the effects, but at this point I am so used to my delicate system that I just keep dumping nutrient dense food into my gullet regardless of how I feel. I had an epiphany though, regardless of how much drama swirls around me I will not allow my focus to be ruined. I will rise above all else, keep my head in the moment, and make sure that I am doing the best I can at any given moment throughout the day. It will be a great day.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Closer and Closer
24 hours left before I need to be packed to head out of town and I can't quite wrap my brain around everything that needs doing. Yes, I've made lists, and run through all the scenarios in my head a thousand times. Yes, I do have most of my gear packed into a convenient bin, each discipline with its own bag, and a separate bag for cold/wet weather cycling gear. Of course, since I invested about $50 into special gear for cold, wet weather it does look like the weather is going to be just about picture perfect: morning lows in the 40's, highs in the upper 70's. I can't ask for better, really.
I am winding down on my workouts now. Last night was my second to last swim in The Cove, and although only about 3/4 of a mile, it was a near perfect swim. I piled on all the extra gear I will need to fend of the chill, and even so, the water is now cold enough to make me gasp when I slip in. But the afternoon was hot and calm, the surface of the water was smooth as glass. The extra gear kept me deliciously comfortable as I slid through the water, feeling smooth and effortless. It was the perfect confidence boost I needed. I ran for a bit after, but a large forest fire burning about 20 miles to the east made for poor air quality, so I kept my run short, and filled in with plenty of stretching. I think I have perfected my swim gear, relieving me of the fear of freezing my ass off during the 5K swim. I will swim once more, tomorrow, another easy 3/4 mile swim, to keep my muscles loose, and my mind happy.
In 48 hours I will be settled into my motel room, likely fidgeting, feeling amped up, and possibly a little nauseous. I still can't quite wrap my brain around the fact that four days from now, from this very minute, I will be running the last few miles of the race, finally truly understanding what it means to "Give 100 percent." So close.
I am winding down on my workouts now. Last night was my second to last swim in The Cove, and although only about 3/4 of a mile, it was a near perfect swim. I piled on all the extra gear I will need to fend of the chill, and even so, the water is now cold enough to make me gasp when I slip in. But the afternoon was hot and calm, the surface of the water was smooth as glass. The extra gear kept me deliciously comfortable as I slid through the water, feeling smooth and effortless. It was the perfect confidence boost I needed. I ran for a bit after, but a large forest fire burning about 20 miles to the east made for poor air quality, so I kept my run short, and filled in with plenty of stretching. I think I have perfected my swim gear, relieving me of the fear of freezing my ass off during the 5K swim. I will swim once more, tomorrow, another easy 3/4 mile swim, to keep my muscles loose, and my mind happy.
In 48 hours I will be settled into my motel room, likely fidgeting, feeling amped up, and possibly a little nauseous. I still can't quite wrap my brain around the fact that four days from now, from this very minute, I will be running the last few miles of the race, finally truly understanding what it means to "Give 100 percent." So close.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Race Week
Six days and counting. I am now officially in Race Week and, as is apparently quite common, having minor panic attacks that I am not prepared. I remind myself that I have trained as much as my body could withstand, and have been very diligent in my training often to the exclusion of all else. The only way I could have trained harder is if I did not have to work for a living, but I am not that fortunate.
I have gone to the venue twice to ride sections of the bike course. It is a brutal course, viciously hilly, mountainous actually. My second trip over I rode the full loop around Mount Bachelor. There is a fabulously long downhill cruise, steep enough I flew along faster than I could pedal. Then it turned on to a forest service road of rough pavement and rolling hills. It was so rough the vibrations up through the bars was wreaking havoc on my hands, arms and shoulders. I decided to forego any thoughts of remaining aero and went more for an upright cyclocross style, but it was not speedy going. Then I hit a hill, not as steep, nothing like the long haul on the backside of the mountain, but long. I kept rounding corners, hoping to see the end of it, but it went on and on. I was running very low on liquids and knew I was dehydrating (it is nearly impossible to carry enough fluid for 70 miles of tough riding, at least with my standard setup). I admit, I almost wept out of fatigue, thirst, frustration and feelings of inadequacy. I wanted to stop. But I didn't weep or stop, I kept going, and now I know that hill is there and I am mentally prepared for it. Also, there are several water stations so I can replenish my supplies. It is not going to be easy, but if it were easy everyone would do it, right? Actually most people would say, "Fourteen hours, are you fucking kidding me? No way."
I am still concerned about keeping warm in the swim, but I have acquired some gear to help me cope. I have neoprene swim socks, not as thick as I wanted, but with the layering of wool socks, plastic bags, and swim socks, my feet stay decently warm. I have cut down the upper half of my old shorty wetsuit into a heavy neoprene vest to wear under my Selkie Suit. I swam with this setup on Saturday and it helped considerably. I did have some odd breathing restriction though, so trimmed down the vest even more. It changes my buoyancy a bit, but not in a bad way, I just need a few more swims to get the feel of it.
Yesterday I did what amounted to a Sprint distance Tri as my final "big" workout. I actually cut the ride back a little bit since the weather was hot and my legs still held some residual fatigue from my ride around the mountain seven days earlier. My legs felt great for a short run, I've been nursing a tender Achilles' tendon the last week or so, so haven't been able to run as much as I would like. But this late in the game staying healthy is more important than trying to add any endurance.
Now my focus is exactly that, staying healthy. Just a few more days. I have ramped up the quality of my nutrition, not that it has been lacking in any way, but I am dialing it up a notch. With my workouts winding down I do have to avoid overeating, but I also need all the building blocks I can manage to make sure my body is repaired and rested, and fueled to the max. My weight has been drifting between 153 and 155, and I want to keep it down there. It is all good and well to spend thousands of dollars to shave a few pounds off of your bike, but it is far better to shave weight off your body.
My mind is scampering about like a squirrel on crack, making packing (and writing) a challenge. My digestive tract has been giving me grief for several days now, making me fluctuate between nauseated and famished. I keep eating, despite what my stomach and intestines are doing. Race nerves. I think I will be fine once I hit the water. Race Week, dear gods I can't believe it is here already.
I have gone to the venue twice to ride sections of the bike course. It is a brutal course, viciously hilly, mountainous actually. My second trip over I rode the full loop around Mount Bachelor. There is a fabulously long downhill cruise, steep enough I flew along faster than I could pedal. Then it turned on to a forest service road of rough pavement and rolling hills. It was so rough the vibrations up through the bars was wreaking havoc on my hands, arms and shoulders. I decided to forego any thoughts of remaining aero and went more for an upright cyclocross style, but it was not speedy going. Then I hit a hill, not as steep, nothing like the long haul on the backside of the mountain, but long. I kept rounding corners, hoping to see the end of it, but it went on and on. I was running very low on liquids and knew I was dehydrating (it is nearly impossible to carry enough fluid for 70 miles of tough riding, at least with my standard setup). I admit, I almost wept out of fatigue, thirst, frustration and feelings of inadequacy. I wanted to stop. But I didn't weep or stop, I kept going, and now I know that hill is there and I am mentally prepared for it. Also, there are several water stations so I can replenish my supplies. It is not going to be easy, but if it were easy everyone would do it, right? Actually most people would say, "Fourteen hours, are you fucking kidding me? No way."
I am still concerned about keeping warm in the swim, but I have acquired some gear to help me cope. I have neoprene swim socks, not as thick as I wanted, but with the layering of wool socks, plastic bags, and swim socks, my feet stay decently warm. I have cut down the upper half of my old shorty wetsuit into a heavy neoprene vest to wear under my Selkie Suit. I swam with this setup on Saturday and it helped considerably. I did have some odd breathing restriction though, so trimmed down the vest even more. It changes my buoyancy a bit, but not in a bad way, I just need a few more swims to get the feel of it.
Yesterday I did what amounted to a Sprint distance Tri as my final "big" workout. I actually cut the ride back a little bit since the weather was hot and my legs still held some residual fatigue from my ride around the mountain seven days earlier. My legs felt great for a short run, I've been nursing a tender Achilles' tendon the last week or so, so haven't been able to run as much as I would like. But this late in the game staying healthy is more important than trying to add any endurance.
Now my focus is exactly that, staying healthy. Just a few more days. I have ramped up the quality of my nutrition, not that it has been lacking in any way, but I am dialing it up a notch. With my workouts winding down I do have to avoid overeating, but I also need all the building blocks I can manage to make sure my body is repaired and rested, and fueled to the max. My weight has been drifting between 153 and 155, and I want to keep it down there. It is all good and well to spend thousands of dollars to shave a few pounds off of your bike, but it is far better to shave weight off your body.
My mind is scampering about like a squirrel on crack, making packing (and writing) a challenge. My digestive tract has been giving me grief for several days now, making me fluctuate between nauseated and famished. I keep eating, despite what my stomach and intestines are doing. Race nerves. I think I will be fine once I hit the water. Race Week, dear gods I can't believe it is here already.
Monday, September 1, 2014
My First Trip To The venue
The race is getting closer. I can almost hear a giant clock inside my skull ticking away the minutes. I fluctuate between, "I got this," to "Oh my gods, this is going to kill me." I know in my heart that I can do each leg of the race without injuring myself. I even know I can do all three in one very long day. But I also know that I am going to have to reach deep and give it abso-fucking-lutely everything I've got. Everything. There will be nothing left when I cross the finish line. I am still worried over my ability to finish the bike leg before the 7pm cutoff time, but there really isn't anything that I can do about my average speed. I will do my damnedest, and I will not allow myself to waste any time in transition or in stopping along the route, but it will be a close shave.
This saturday I drove to Cultus Lake, the starting point of the race, to familiarize myself with the surroundings and the bike route. Of course it was the one day in the last two months with poor weather conditions. It rained during my drive through the Cascades, but dried out as soon as I got into Central Oregon. I assured myself that it would stay dry, after all, this is High Desert country. My ride started well enough, I decided to ride the steepest section, the back side of Mount Bachelor. This is the section of the route that will be done twice. And when I say steep, I am not even remotely exaggerating. As I rode, blissful in the quiet, the only sounds being the wind through the pines, the cadence of my pedaling, and my own breath, I knew that despite the arduousness of it, it was still a beautiful place to be. It did feel like a constant climb for 26 miles, with one 5 mile section being solid first and second gear, head down, and grinding hard. When I was done with the ride, I did check my sport tracker app, it was truly nearly 26 miles of climbing, going from 4450' to 6400' above sea level. During the outward, westward ride I had dark clouds ahead of me and the sun on my back. When I hit the turn around I decided to put on the thermal jersey I had tied around my waist "just in case." Good thing I did. Within the first mile of my return trip the wind shifted and blew hard and cold down off the mountain. Then the rain hit. Hard. I had hoped it would be a brief squall. But no, it was there to stay. I was quickly soaked to the skin, buffeted by cold wind, and making myself ride the downhill with as much energy as I had used battling my way to the summit. I pedaled hard, and was cruising the downs at a decently 28 to 35 mph. At one point I did have the thought, "Hmm, bike brakes do not work so very well when wet," just as a mule deer wandered onto the shoulder of the road about 100 feet ahead of me. I braked as best I could, the deer saw me and decided to flee, but I still gave the spot a wide berth as I passed, just in case. The cold was penetrating my extremities, and I realized that as cold as it was I was very likely going to do myself more harm than good if I extended my ride beyond getting back to my car. So I decided to let the cold light a fire under my ass and I pushed myself harder than I would dare during a longer ride. So many moments I had to remind myself to keep pushing, never let up, never stop. It was tough, and uncomfortable. My hands and feet were numb with cold, my thighs ached from the combination of massive exertion and severe wind chill. My shoes were full of water, rain pelted my face and ran in a steady stream off my helmet and down across my eyewear. I let myself grin in the face of it all, remembering one of my very first lessons as a firefighter, "It is only water." Despite the sense of victory in the face of adversity, I was so happy to get back to my little car. 54 miles in 4 hours, not my best ride, and definitely about 30 miles shorter than I had planned, but it did encompass one of my Worst Case Scenarios.
Back at the car there was no time to squander with pleasantries. I needed to stow the bike and get into my running shoes. I powered down an energy bar and took some large swigs of water while I dried my feet and tried to put on dry socks and shoes. My hands were cold, clumsy, and weak. My toes were so numb I couldn't feel them while pulling on my socks and got my pinky toe tangled up to the point that if I had been a bit less attentive I might have dislocated it. And the whole time my quads were shrieking at me, angry at the abuse I had heaped upon them, and threatening payback with a hint of muscle cramps. But I managed. Shoes on, I headed out for a short run. I had to really watch my footing because my feet were almost like dead lumps at the bottoms of my legs, I could not feel the ground beneath them, just the impact coming up my legs with each stride. But it didn't take long for the blood to flow and sensation to return. After that the run was easy and without incident. I only ran 2 miles, wanting to go more, but also knowing I needed to get out of my wet clothes to avoid making myself sick. Back at the car I stretched, my quads no longer angry with me, but still a bit chilly.
Then I wandered down to the dock, to look out across the stormy expanse of the large body of water that is Cultus Lake. Looking out over it I was a bit alarmed at how big it is, and how diminutive the Cove would look next to it. I know I will be doing two 1-1/2 mile laps around this lake in three weeks, and that scares me just a little. Looking at the enormity of the lake and trying to imagine swimming it's full diameter even once is intimidating. Then I reminded myself that very likely we are not swimming the full diameter, there will be buoys marking the course, as there always are, and it will be fine. I lay down on the dock to feel teh water, and it was much warmer than my mind had built it up to be. Yes, it will be a cold swim, but not horrifically so, my Selkie Suit will protect me.
I have decided to make one more trip to the site, next saturday, to ride that same uphill stretch, and come down the front side part of the loop around the mountain, then run, and finally put on the wetsuit and climb into thee water for a short swim. I will make this course my ally. I will connect with the earth, wind, and water. I can do this, one section at a time. I will keep my head firmly in the present, giving my best effort at any given moment. I will endeavor to not beat myself up over things that are out of my control, and I won't worry about what has yet to come. Head in the moment. I can do this.
This saturday I drove to Cultus Lake, the starting point of the race, to familiarize myself with the surroundings and the bike route. Of course it was the one day in the last two months with poor weather conditions. It rained during my drive through the Cascades, but dried out as soon as I got into Central Oregon. I assured myself that it would stay dry, after all, this is High Desert country. My ride started well enough, I decided to ride the steepest section, the back side of Mount Bachelor. This is the section of the route that will be done twice. And when I say steep, I am not even remotely exaggerating. As I rode, blissful in the quiet, the only sounds being the wind through the pines, the cadence of my pedaling, and my own breath, I knew that despite the arduousness of it, it was still a beautiful place to be. It did feel like a constant climb for 26 miles, with one 5 mile section being solid first and second gear, head down, and grinding hard. When I was done with the ride, I did check my sport tracker app, it was truly nearly 26 miles of climbing, going from 4450' to 6400' above sea level. During the outward, westward ride I had dark clouds ahead of me and the sun on my back. When I hit the turn around I decided to put on the thermal jersey I had tied around my waist "just in case." Good thing I did. Within the first mile of my return trip the wind shifted and blew hard and cold down off the mountain. Then the rain hit. Hard. I had hoped it would be a brief squall. But no, it was there to stay. I was quickly soaked to the skin, buffeted by cold wind, and making myself ride the downhill with as much energy as I had used battling my way to the summit. I pedaled hard, and was cruising the downs at a decently 28 to 35 mph. At one point I did have the thought, "Hmm, bike brakes do not work so very well when wet," just as a mule deer wandered onto the shoulder of the road about 100 feet ahead of me. I braked as best I could, the deer saw me and decided to flee, but I still gave the spot a wide berth as I passed, just in case. The cold was penetrating my extremities, and I realized that as cold as it was I was very likely going to do myself more harm than good if I extended my ride beyond getting back to my car. So I decided to let the cold light a fire under my ass and I pushed myself harder than I would dare during a longer ride. So many moments I had to remind myself to keep pushing, never let up, never stop. It was tough, and uncomfortable. My hands and feet were numb with cold, my thighs ached from the combination of massive exertion and severe wind chill. My shoes were full of water, rain pelted my face and ran in a steady stream off my helmet and down across my eyewear. I let myself grin in the face of it all, remembering one of my very first lessons as a firefighter, "It is only water." Despite the sense of victory in the face of adversity, I was so happy to get back to my little car. 54 miles in 4 hours, not my best ride, and definitely about 30 miles shorter than I had planned, but it did encompass one of my Worst Case Scenarios.
Back at the car there was no time to squander with pleasantries. I needed to stow the bike and get into my running shoes. I powered down an energy bar and took some large swigs of water while I dried my feet and tried to put on dry socks and shoes. My hands were cold, clumsy, and weak. My toes were so numb I couldn't feel them while pulling on my socks and got my pinky toe tangled up to the point that if I had been a bit less attentive I might have dislocated it. And the whole time my quads were shrieking at me, angry at the abuse I had heaped upon them, and threatening payback with a hint of muscle cramps. But I managed. Shoes on, I headed out for a short run. I had to really watch my footing because my feet were almost like dead lumps at the bottoms of my legs, I could not feel the ground beneath them, just the impact coming up my legs with each stride. But it didn't take long for the blood to flow and sensation to return. After that the run was easy and without incident. I only ran 2 miles, wanting to go more, but also knowing I needed to get out of my wet clothes to avoid making myself sick. Back at the car I stretched, my quads no longer angry with me, but still a bit chilly.
Then I wandered down to the dock, to look out across the stormy expanse of the large body of water that is Cultus Lake. Looking out over it I was a bit alarmed at how big it is, and how diminutive the Cove would look next to it. I know I will be doing two 1-1/2 mile laps around this lake in three weeks, and that scares me just a little. Looking at the enormity of the lake and trying to imagine swimming it's full diameter even once is intimidating. Then I reminded myself that very likely we are not swimming the full diameter, there will be buoys marking the course, as there always are, and it will be fine. I lay down on the dock to feel teh water, and it was much warmer than my mind had built it up to be. Yes, it will be a cold swim, but not horrifically so, my Selkie Suit will protect me.
I have decided to make one more trip to the site, next saturday, to ride that same uphill stretch, and come down the front side part of the loop around the mountain, then run, and finally put on the wetsuit and climb into thee water for a short swim. I will make this course my ally. I will connect with the earth, wind, and water. I can do this, one section at a time. I will keep my head firmly in the present, giving my best effort at any given moment. I will endeavor to not beat myself up over things that are out of my control, and I won't worry about what has yet to come. Head in the moment. I can do this.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Four Weeks Out
I am now 4 weeks out from my big event. I've been getting little flashes of nerves now and then, mostly when I realize just how long of a day I will be facing. I figure it will likely take me about 14 hours of constant motion to get from starting line to finish line. Fourteen Hours. At Least. G'damn, what have I gotten myself into? I have pushed my riding to the point that I can do 100 miles in 7-1/2 hours, and get off the bike for a short transition run without difficulty. Yeah, sitting on the bike that long makes my delicate girly bits feel a bit hammered, or as a friend put it, "Like the girly bits have been punched in the face." Yeah, like that.
I haven't been swimming quite as long as I would wish, but I am doing three open water swims a week, and swimming about 2 miles each swim. Honestly, it is my gut that is preventing me from staying in the water longer. As embarrassing as it is, I have to admit, swimming seems to make my intestines go into high gear. No, I haven't shit myself, but it has been a near miss. Actually, I've figured out what causes it. Swimming really activates the core muscles, which does constrict all the lower internal organs. I figure it is just squeezing me like a tube of toothpaste. Fortunately, on race day I will have been on a very low fiber diet for at least 24 hours preceding the starting gun, there will be nothing in there to squeeze out. Oh, the weirdo dilemmas of an ultra-endurance athlete. On that subject, I actually chuckle over the fact that one beauty of riding the same training course on the bike is that I know where all the good places to go to the bathroom are. It is a fact of life. So, there is one of the down and dirty elements of spending hours and hours of training.
As I have lamented all summer long, my running is still not where I would wish it to be. My knees just will not handle the amount of miles I would like to do. But I can easily run 6+ miles, and can run after a long bike ride, so I know I can run the distance I need to come race day. Yeah, it will be tough. And yeah, it's really gonna hurt the day after. But, I know I can gut it out and do the run. Even if I have to do a run/walk system, I know I can do it.
Today, as I was hammering through my abbreviated, recovery weekend ride, I was thinking just how far I have come since last summer. I have doubled my swim and bike distances. I am running consistently 4 days a week, and have been for quite some time. I am actually getting so that I enjoy my 6am, pre-work runs. I am in the best shape of my life. I feel great. My training regime has given me swimmer's shoulders, a runner's butt, and cyclist's legs. I have hit my race-weight goal of 155 without even trying, which is a solid 10 pounds lighter than I was at last summer when I did my 70.3. I have managed to stay very consistent with my training and nutrition, I haven't broken training all summer long. Now, here it is, the final countdown, I just have to stay the course. This week begins my Peak Period, upping the ante just a bit, but factoring in more rest. Then, finally, Race Week. It is exciting, but I need to stay focused. Swim smart. Bike strong. Run tough.
I haven't been swimming quite as long as I would wish, but I am doing three open water swims a week, and swimming about 2 miles each swim. Honestly, it is my gut that is preventing me from staying in the water longer. As embarrassing as it is, I have to admit, swimming seems to make my intestines go into high gear. No, I haven't shit myself, but it has been a near miss. Actually, I've figured out what causes it. Swimming really activates the core muscles, which does constrict all the lower internal organs. I figure it is just squeezing me like a tube of toothpaste. Fortunately, on race day I will have been on a very low fiber diet for at least 24 hours preceding the starting gun, there will be nothing in there to squeeze out. Oh, the weirdo dilemmas of an ultra-endurance athlete. On that subject, I actually chuckle over the fact that one beauty of riding the same training course on the bike is that I know where all the good places to go to the bathroom are. It is a fact of life. So, there is one of the down and dirty elements of spending hours and hours of training.
As I have lamented all summer long, my running is still not where I would wish it to be. My knees just will not handle the amount of miles I would like to do. But I can easily run 6+ miles, and can run after a long bike ride, so I know I can run the distance I need to come race day. Yeah, it will be tough. And yeah, it's really gonna hurt the day after. But, I know I can gut it out and do the run. Even if I have to do a run/walk system, I know I can do it.
Today, as I was hammering through my abbreviated, recovery weekend ride, I was thinking just how far I have come since last summer. I have doubled my swim and bike distances. I am running consistently 4 days a week, and have been for quite some time. I am actually getting so that I enjoy my 6am, pre-work runs. I am in the best shape of my life. I feel great. My training regime has given me swimmer's shoulders, a runner's butt, and cyclist's legs. I have hit my race-weight goal of 155 without even trying, which is a solid 10 pounds lighter than I was at last summer when I did my 70.3. I have managed to stay very consistent with my training and nutrition, I haven't broken training all summer long. Now, here it is, the final countdown, I just have to stay the course. This week begins my Peak Period, upping the ante just a bit, but factoring in more rest. Then, finally, Race Week. It is exciting, but I need to stay focused. Swim smart. Bike strong. Run tough.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Pre-Race Anxiety
Gads, life has been so busy I barely have time to eat, much less sit down and write. Today I have been having some serious anxiety about my ability to finish the bike leg of my impending race before the time cutoff of 7pm. It has been a niggling concern since the moment I knew of the time limit. I actually emailed the event coordinator, expressing my concerns. "Oh, don't worry, no one has missed the cutoff." Gee, no pressure there. There is always a first. Along the way I have told myself that all I can do is ride my best, and if I don't make it, it won't be from lack of trying.
But today, for some reason, I have been feeling the stress. It has raised it's ugly head and glared at me with red, beady eyes. It has taken me nearly all day to calm my fears. I remind myself that I can swim the distance, bike the distance, and run the distance. I know I can. Last saturday I rode 101 miles and my legs felt great. Okay, my hands and feet were aching by hour 6, but pain and discomfort are just part of the game. I know that I have trained as hard as I can without crossing the line into potential damage. I have trained to the edge of what my poor joints can withstand if I am to get to the start line healthy and whole. I am training more than 20 hours a week at this point, with saturday being a nearly all day affair as I cycle for hours and hours. I know the actual day of the race I will push myself harder than I have in training, that is to be expected. I have trained. I have made nutrition truly the Fourth Discipline. The only area that I have not been as diligent in is sleep, I am always just a little sleep deprived. I am at the slimmest and fittest I have been in my adult life.
So here is where my head is now: All I can do on race day is to race to the best of my ability at any given moment. There will be good moments and bad moments, and all anyone can do is take each moment and make the best of it. If I don't make the bike cutoff, there is always next year. Yes, I would be disappointed, but this really has been far more about the journey, physical and mental, than about the actual destination. I love the training that I do, enjoy finding my boundaries and pushing against them. I have done the best I can to train my body to Swim Smart, Bike Strong, and Run Tough. Just over a month and I will toe the line and truly test my mettle.
But today, for some reason, I have been feeling the stress. It has raised it's ugly head and glared at me with red, beady eyes. It has taken me nearly all day to calm my fears. I remind myself that I can swim the distance, bike the distance, and run the distance. I know I can. Last saturday I rode 101 miles and my legs felt great. Okay, my hands and feet were aching by hour 6, but pain and discomfort are just part of the game. I know that I have trained as hard as I can without crossing the line into potential damage. I have trained to the edge of what my poor joints can withstand if I am to get to the start line healthy and whole. I am training more than 20 hours a week at this point, with saturday being a nearly all day affair as I cycle for hours and hours. I know the actual day of the race I will push myself harder than I have in training, that is to be expected. I have trained. I have made nutrition truly the Fourth Discipline. The only area that I have not been as diligent in is sleep, I am always just a little sleep deprived. I am at the slimmest and fittest I have been in my adult life.
So here is where my head is now: All I can do on race day is to race to the best of my ability at any given moment. There will be good moments and bad moments, and all anyone can do is take each moment and make the best of it. If I don't make the bike cutoff, there is always next year. Yes, I would be disappointed, but this really has been far more about the journey, physical and mental, than about the actual destination. I love the training that I do, enjoy finding my boundaries and pushing against them. I have done the best I can to train my body to Swim Smart, Bike Strong, and Run Tough. Just over a month and I will toe the line and truly test my mettle.
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Sleep. Eat. Train. Eat. Work. Eat. Train. Eat. Sleep.
Sleep. Eat. Train. Eat. Work. Eat. Train. Eat. Sleep. The current story of my life. If friends and family thought I had dropped off the face of the earth before, now they will likely think I have disappeared from the universe. I have reached the point where my life revolves around training. Each meal is either in preparation for training, or recovery from training. I am getting to work early so I can run the paths around Gladstone before work, to beat the heat but also because I have no good areas for running just outside my front door. I am aiming for five runs a week, with one run being a short transition run after cycling. My running is improving nicely, although my knees don't want me running more than five miles a day.
I am swimming The Cove again, and aiming for two open water and one pool swim a week. I had forgotten how much more fatiguing open water can be. There is the emotional factor, that slight tinge of fear and excitement that adds to the exhaustion. There is also that little bit of resistance from the wetsuit to the forward part of my stroke, not a big deal if I only had to do it a few hundred times, but after 2000 or so strokes it starts to wear down my shoulders.
Cycling is what is taking the most time. "Cycling is a blue collar sport, you have to put in the miles." No shit. Right now I am aiming for one long ride a week, five or more hours, about 70 plus miles, and then two or three indoor sessions of steady state spinning for two or three hours at a shot. It is time consuming. My ride yesterday was cut short when a 30 minute pre-ride bike fix took closer to 2-1/2 hours, so I got out the door late. Then a flat tire at the 40 mile mark, on my way back towards home on what would have been the first lap of a long ride, made me opt to cut the ride short since I had plans for sushi with a friend (and c'mon, sushi is a perfect recovery and carb-load meal). The real reason was that I don't like to be far from home with no spare tube. So today I will be going long, with two spare tubes, and a system jacked up on sushi.
Life has a way of interfering with my training plans. Last weekend my long ride was preempted when I got paged out at 4:30 am to go out on a fire. Yes, it was epic to break open a door and crawl through the building hauling a hose, find the fire and get to "put the wet stuff on the red stuff." But five hours later, when I finally got home, I was starving, dehydrated, and tired. A big meal and a three hour nap restored me somewhat, but I was sure how my endurance would be out on the road. I didn't want to be 30 miles from home and totally gas out, so I opted for a solid three hours of strong spinning at home. My endurance ended up being fine, but damn, I lost four pounds that day.
That is another factor; maintaining my weight. A day or so of not eating a lot of nutrient dense calories and my weight drops. I weighed in at 152 pounds monday morning, which is too light right now. I know [art of it was dehydration, but not all of it. I won't mind stepping up to the starting line at 152, but I don't want to be there now. I almost hate to admit that I had to add daily doses of peanut butter dipped in dark chocolate chips to get my weight back up to 156.
And now, speaking of cycling being a blue collar sport, I need to get out the door to get miles in during the cool of the morning instead of cycling during the heat of the day. Okay, I will still be cycling in the heat of the day, but at least the first hour or two will be cooler.
I am swimming The Cove again, and aiming for two open water and one pool swim a week. I had forgotten how much more fatiguing open water can be. There is the emotional factor, that slight tinge of fear and excitement that adds to the exhaustion. There is also that little bit of resistance from the wetsuit to the forward part of my stroke, not a big deal if I only had to do it a few hundred times, but after 2000 or so strokes it starts to wear down my shoulders.
Cycling is what is taking the most time. "Cycling is a blue collar sport, you have to put in the miles." No shit. Right now I am aiming for one long ride a week, five or more hours, about 70 plus miles, and then two or three indoor sessions of steady state spinning for two or three hours at a shot. It is time consuming. My ride yesterday was cut short when a 30 minute pre-ride bike fix took closer to 2-1/2 hours, so I got out the door late. Then a flat tire at the 40 mile mark, on my way back towards home on what would have been the first lap of a long ride, made me opt to cut the ride short since I had plans for sushi with a friend (and c'mon, sushi is a perfect recovery and carb-load meal). The real reason was that I don't like to be far from home with no spare tube. So today I will be going long, with two spare tubes, and a system jacked up on sushi.
Life has a way of interfering with my training plans. Last weekend my long ride was preempted when I got paged out at 4:30 am to go out on a fire. Yes, it was epic to break open a door and crawl through the building hauling a hose, find the fire and get to "put the wet stuff on the red stuff." But five hours later, when I finally got home, I was starving, dehydrated, and tired. A big meal and a three hour nap restored me somewhat, but I was sure how my endurance would be out on the road. I didn't want to be 30 miles from home and totally gas out, so I opted for a solid three hours of strong spinning at home. My endurance ended up being fine, but damn, I lost four pounds that day.
That is another factor; maintaining my weight. A day or so of not eating a lot of nutrient dense calories and my weight drops. I weighed in at 152 pounds monday morning, which is too light right now. I know [art of it was dehydration, but not all of it. I won't mind stepping up to the starting line at 152, but I don't want to be there now. I almost hate to admit that I had to add daily doses of peanut butter dipped in dark chocolate chips to get my weight back up to 156.
And now, speaking of cycling being a blue collar sport, I need to get out the door to get miles in during the cool of the morning instead of cycling during the heat of the day. Okay, I will still be cycling in the heat of the day, but at least the first hour or two will be cooler.
Saturday, July 19, 2014
I Did It
I did it. I actually did it. I have officially entered the Epic 250K. The countdown is on, 9 weeks. NINE WEEKS!! Holymotherofallthegods. Just thinking about it makes me just a little queasy. I admit, when I hit the "submit" button for my registration and payment my hand was trembling just a little bit. Okay, more than a little. This is a huge step. Yes, I could still walk away from it all and be out my $321 entry fee. Or I could bail partway through and get a DNF (did not finish). But in all honesty, I don't plan on either of those as being options, especially the idea of not even starting. True, there are a lot of things that can go wrong between now and then, and between the start of the event and the finish line. More than a few athletes have been stopped in their tracks by injury or illness, or equipment malfunction, or crashing on the course, or.. or.. or... The list is actually quite endless. The same could be said for life in general, you really never know when the gig is up, when fate may throw you a whammy. So I will continue to train just as I have been, no more or less committed than before. Now the only difference is that there is money on the line. And after all it's only money. Time to train.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
So Much To Do
I have had a few doubts about my ability to do the challenge I have set before me. It is hard to devote so much time and energy to something that I know will be long, painful, and exhausting in the extreme. But at the same time, I am really digging the difficulty and challenge of it all. I do think I have more than a little trace of masochism running through my veins. Yesterday I set out on my long ride of the week. I set my sights on 70 miles, which is what I had planned on doing last week, but maps lied and my right knee was being bitchy. I know how many miles it is from Mulino through Oregon City to Canby so I decided to add distance to that route. It is a favorite route of mine, I love hill climbing much more than the tedium of cranking a decent cadence in a high gear on endless sections of asphalt. I started from my house and headed across country roads instead of heading straight north on highway 213, thus avoiding log trucks, dump trucks and semis on narrow road with no shoulder. True, I was on narrow roads with no shoulders, but far less traffic. The only close shave I had was grinding uphill on a blind S-curve when a truck hauling a flatbed with a tractor and disc came up behind me. He was careful though, and missed me by several feet. I watched the flashing "Wide Load" sign disappear around the curve with no damage to me except for a slightly elevated heart rate.
The ride was great. My legs felt fabulous. Once in a while my left knee would start whining but I would tell it, "None of that," and it stopped. The main discomfort I had was in my hands and wrists, which has galvanized my desire to install the ergo bars I bought a few months back. I need a different stem to mount them, so this week I will make a trip to a bike shop for a stem, handlebar tape, and maybe some gel gloves. The other problem I am having is with my feet, they really start to hurt after a bit. I did manage to lengthen my confort zone considerably with the addition of some $3 gel insoles that only pad the ball of the foot. I was 65 miles into teh ride before I got seriously uncomfortable. This has made me decide I need the next size up in shoes, so I am on the hunt. Sadly, add the word "triathlon" to any pair of Shimano cycling shoes and the price nearly doubles. Damn it anyway.
I have a list of necessary gear that must be bought soon: stem, handlebar tape, gel gloves, cycling shoes, running shoes, socks, racing tires. Not a long list, and not particularly expensive, but I am the budget triathlete, every penny counts.
High on the list of expenditures is a bike tune-up. I need to have this done so I am not wasting valuable energy fighting against my beloved bike. I don't know if I am losing watts to a mucked up crank, or goobered wheel bearings, but I can't afford to waste any energy. The downside, I can't afford to have any time away from my bike, and I imagine that I will have to leave him with a mechanic for a several days at the very least, and that just isn't acceptable. This will be a question for the bike shop when I go in for my stem.
It is getting down to the wire, just over two months remaining until my day of judgement, and there is so much to think over, get taken care of, and spend money on. I get little twitchy attacks of nerves now and then at the enormity of it all. I wish I had a manager to handle all the details so I could just focus on the training. While I am wishing, I wish I had a coach, a masseuse, a cook, and a housekeeper. And while I'm at it, a sponsor, so I could take 6 months off to train with no other distractions. Oh well, I have no one but me, so I need to just keep forging ahead.
The ride was great. My legs felt fabulous. Once in a while my left knee would start whining but I would tell it, "None of that," and it stopped. The main discomfort I had was in my hands and wrists, which has galvanized my desire to install the ergo bars I bought a few months back. I need a different stem to mount them, so this week I will make a trip to a bike shop for a stem, handlebar tape, and maybe some gel gloves. The other problem I am having is with my feet, they really start to hurt after a bit. I did manage to lengthen my confort zone considerably with the addition of some $3 gel insoles that only pad the ball of the foot. I was 65 miles into teh ride before I got seriously uncomfortable. This has made me decide I need the next size up in shoes, so I am on the hunt. Sadly, add the word "triathlon" to any pair of Shimano cycling shoes and the price nearly doubles. Damn it anyway.
I have a list of necessary gear that must be bought soon: stem, handlebar tape, gel gloves, cycling shoes, running shoes, socks, racing tires. Not a long list, and not particularly expensive, but I am the budget triathlete, every penny counts.
High on the list of expenditures is a bike tune-up. I need to have this done so I am not wasting valuable energy fighting against my beloved bike. I don't know if I am losing watts to a mucked up crank, or goobered wheel bearings, but I can't afford to waste any energy. The downside, I can't afford to have any time away from my bike, and I imagine that I will have to leave him with a mechanic for a several days at the very least, and that just isn't acceptable. This will be a question for the bike shop when I go in for my stem.
It is getting down to the wire, just over two months remaining until my day of judgement, and there is so much to think over, get taken care of, and spend money on. I get little twitchy attacks of nerves now and then at the enormity of it all. I wish I had a manager to handle all the details so I could just focus on the training. While I am wishing, I wish I had a coach, a masseuse, a cook, and a housekeeper. And while I'm at it, a sponsor, so I could take 6 months off to train with no other distractions. Oh well, I have no one but me, so I need to just keep forging ahead.
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Enjoy The Journey.
Slowly building my time and distance, but it isn't easy. My body rebels against me, and I don't blame it. My current workout schedule is a bit neurotic, as it must be at this point: Swim 3 times per week, run 5 times per week, cycle 4 to 6 time per week, strength training and core work twice a week. That is, let's see... 14+ workouts a week, and about 20+ hours a week. Damn. But I am making it work. I am swimming 2 miles on the nights I do technique drills, and 2-1/2 miles on my straight up distance swim. I am running after every swim session, not far, about 3-1/2 miles, as well as running after every cycling session. When I run after my long bike I only run for 10 to 20 minutes, not wanting to abuse my body too much. I want to be boosting my cycling time more, right now my long rides are just under 4 hours and about 55 miles, mostly hills. Today I had mapped out a 78 mile ride, but Mapquest lied, it was only 50 miles. It was probably for the best, as my right knee decided to start giving me grief at about mile 45. If the knee seems okay tomorrow I will try to get in another longer ride, maybe 3 hours or so. I have got to get my miles up! I had told myself I needed to be able to do 100 miles with relative comfort by mid to late July. I am running out of time. I will be disappointed if I can't manage to get my body to cooperate for this race, I have invested a lot of time and energy. Don't get me wrong, I love the investment of both time and energy, but I will feel like I failed. Like I didn't train hard enough, or push myself far enough.
But you know, as I train I can't help but think how much I am enjoying this journey. Yes, it is difficult. Yes, I am pushing myself further and harder than I thought imaginable. In the process I have discovered just how motivated I am, even if it does border on the compulsive. I am tired all the time, but it is a well earned fatigue. I wake in the night and my muscles feel hot, nearly burning, but it is not an unpleasant sensation. It is as if my muscles are regenerating, and glowing with the effort. I love that I train alone, with little distraction. This is all on me, there is no one else to factor in, either as a support network, or as an unknown element that might derail me. I love the solitude, the time spent inside my own head as my body toils and sweats. I count cadence; swim stroke, run pace, pedal speed. The counting, the metered rhythm, is soothing, peaceful, calming. There is a Zen to all of it, it is my meditation. I don't wear headphones when I run or bike, I don't want the distraction of music, instead I listen to my body. I hear what it has to say, we interchange information on speed, tempo, rhythm, breathing. I feel my heart and lungs working in harmony. I truly am enjoying this journey, no matter what the end result.
But you know, as I train I can't help but think how much I am enjoying this journey. Yes, it is difficult. Yes, I am pushing myself further and harder than I thought imaginable. In the process I have discovered just how motivated I am, even if it does border on the compulsive. I am tired all the time, but it is a well earned fatigue. I wake in the night and my muscles feel hot, nearly burning, but it is not an unpleasant sensation. It is as if my muscles are regenerating, and glowing with the effort. I love that I train alone, with little distraction. This is all on me, there is no one else to factor in, either as a support network, or as an unknown element that might derail me. I love the solitude, the time spent inside my own head as my body toils and sweats. I count cadence; swim stroke, run pace, pedal speed. The counting, the metered rhythm, is soothing, peaceful, calming. There is a Zen to all of it, it is my meditation. I don't wear headphones when I run or bike, I don't want the distraction of music, instead I listen to my body. I hear what it has to say, we interchange information on speed, tempo, rhythm, breathing. I feel my heart and lungs working in harmony. I truly am enjoying this journey, no matter what the end result.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Eyes On The Prize
Today is the Clackamette Cove Triathlon. I feel I should be there, it is my "local" event, and The Cove is my watery home away from home where I do all my open water training. Thinking about the event this morning, as well as the triathlon at Blue Lake two weeks ago, and the events that are coming up in the next month or two I realized that I am not into this sport for the competition with others, I am in it to compete against myself. It isn't so much a sport as it has become a lifestyle. For me, at least this year, it is not about getting to do a number of small events throughout the summer, it is about continually striving to be better tomorrow than I am today, all the while looking ahead to the ultimate challenge. I have made the decision that am indeed doing the Epic 250K, I'm not even considering doing the 70.3 that I did last year. Maybe that is the problem with pushing boundaries, once they have been pushed I look around for new boundaries to push even harder. It is hard for me to want to repeat a major event, kind of a "been there, done that" attitude. I do miss the fun of the adventure runs, and next year they are definitely going back into the roster, but as for the mundane road races, I don't know that I will do many of them. As I see events come and go, especially races I have done in the past, there is a certain wistfulness, but I look ahead, Eyes on the Prize, and know that right here, right now, my training is too focused to be distracted by taking time out of my schedule to race them properly. And, in a statement that makes me feel as if I am sounding frail and paranoid, I don't want to risk an overuse injury from pushing myself too hard at the wrong moment and possibly derailing my training. I did that last year, several times, and suffered the dire consequences during my A Race. This year, with a bigger, tougher challenge awaiting me, I am feeling the need to coddle my body, not take any unnecessary risks, and get to the starting line well trained, well rested, and ready to beat the holy hell out of my body for 12+ hours. So as the small events come and go, I squelch the little voice that wants to go compete, and instead sit back, plan out my uninterrupted training schedule, and keep my eyes on the prize.
Monday, June 9, 2014
Training Trumps Real Life
As the season progresses, and I have to spend more time training, time management is always on my mind. I find I am having to prioritize in ways I never have before. Oh sure, in the past I have had to adjust my life to make room for hobbies and projects, but this is different on many levels. Not only do I have to try and eke out more minutes in my day for training, my training is reaching the point where I need to have recovery time as well. Yes, I can do lightweight work when I am fatigued from a major training session, but the time will come when I will likely have to sleep to recover, not mow the lawn. I am training 14 to 18 hours a week, as well as working overtime at work on a nearly daily basis, this does not leave a lot of spare time for things like writing, reading, or a social life. So far, I have managed to find some balance, at least between training and keeping my home somewhat in order. "Somewhat" being the key word here. But as the season progresses I will be spending more time training, especially on the weekends, therefore spending less time on pretty much everything else except for work. This is where Training Trumps Real Life. I have to allow myself to train enough hours to succeed, and not feel too much pressure to keep a tidy home and garden. Yes, I am planting plenty of fruit and vegetable plants which will take a certain amount of tending, but I feel that is essential for my health, so actually falls under the auspices of the Fourth Discipline: Nutrition. What this boils down to is a furious need to get my affairs in order before training hits its full head of steam. This is why I have been having manic bursts of activity, trying to get my house and garden in order before summer is upon me, and with it time sucking training sessions like 8 hour bike rides, and 3 hour brick workouts. This won't be easy, but then nothing worth while ever is. I'm gearing up, mentally preparing myself, getting my home squared away, because soon training will trump real life, and all I will be able to do is grit my teeth and go with it. Now, for the Fifth Discipline, the one I am poorest at: Sleep.
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Gear For Thought
As my training season progresses I am starting to think of the new gear I will likely need between now and September. I have already ordered new training tires for my bike, since my current Vittorias are pretty thin. I am getting Vittoria Rubino III Wired tires, since they get excellent mileage, and are puncture resistant. In late July I will order my Continental Grand Prix 4000 S tires so I can have a month or so of ride time before my race.
Tires are just the beginning, though a vital beginning. I will need new running shoes by then, my Sauconeys are holding up okay, but they will be pounded down soon enough. I can't afford to not have good foot protection. I have decided to race in Sauconeys, they are zero rise but offer some padding to absorb the pounding of running on pavement. That is why I bought my current pair, and they have done right by my feet. Yes, I do prefer a minimal shoe for trail running, but this year I am having to be more event specific in my training, so trail running is on the back burner for now.
My cycling shoes are in sad shape. I bought them used at Next Adventure, and I do love them, but a certain dog, who's name will go unmentioned (*cough* Sadie *cough*) loves them too, and they are showing that love in a missing strap and some teeth marks. I am hoping to find another pair of Shimanos at Next Adventure so I don't have to pay full price. Cycling shoes are a little easier to buy used, I think, since they don't take quite the abuse of running shoes. I plan on looking into custom insoles since my feet will start to hurt after a few hours on the bike.
Cycling shorts are on the list as well. My favorite pair are getting a lot of use and I don't want to be riding 138 mile on mashed down padding. They will be a little harder to replace, I've realized I'm pretty specific when it comes to fit and padding in my shorts. And fit and padding are vital if I don't want my delicate girly bits getting beat to hell.
I still need the proper stem so I can change out my handlebars. I have an awesome pair of ergonomic bars just waiting to be installed, but they won't fit my current stem. I am still debating getting a shorter stem to bring my arms in a bit, but in all honesty I can spend a lot of time on my bike very comfortably. In long course triathlon comfort trumps aero to a degree. My bike handles well, I am comfortable, and get good power in the way I have it set up now, so I kind of hate to mess with success. Yes, I want the new bars because the one thing that starts to hurt are my hands, so I want/need to get the new bars installed with new padded tape.
The wish list can get vast if I let it: new aero bars, better gloves, bigger bento box (this is actually important, I need to be able to pack enough fuel), new seat, padded tape, Under Armor underwear (actually, kind of important to avoid chafing), Body Glide (also to avoid chafing), socks, shirts, water bottles, a water bottle rack for between my aero bars with a tube so I can drink without taking my hands off the bars. The list could go on an on.
Even being a budget triathlete can be a very expensive endeavor. I haven't even paid my race fee yet, since I am waiting to know if I can complete the longer distance. I am becoming more certain with each passing week, although my running keeps getting derailed with injuries and aches. My cycling and swimming right on course, and those are essential, especially the cycling. But 138 miles, g'damn, that is a long ride.
Tires are just the beginning, though a vital beginning. I will need new running shoes by then, my Sauconeys are holding up okay, but they will be pounded down soon enough. I can't afford to not have good foot protection. I have decided to race in Sauconeys, they are zero rise but offer some padding to absorb the pounding of running on pavement. That is why I bought my current pair, and they have done right by my feet. Yes, I do prefer a minimal shoe for trail running, but this year I am having to be more event specific in my training, so trail running is on the back burner for now.
My cycling shoes are in sad shape. I bought them used at Next Adventure, and I do love them, but a certain dog, who's name will go unmentioned (*cough* Sadie *cough*) loves them too, and they are showing that love in a missing strap and some teeth marks. I am hoping to find another pair of Shimanos at Next Adventure so I don't have to pay full price. Cycling shoes are a little easier to buy used, I think, since they don't take quite the abuse of running shoes. I plan on looking into custom insoles since my feet will start to hurt after a few hours on the bike.
Cycling shorts are on the list as well. My favorite pair are getting a lot of use and I don't want to be riding 138 mile on mashed down padding. They will be a little harder to replace, I've realized I'm pretty specific when it comes to fit and padding in my shorts. And fit and padding are vital if I don't want my delicate girly bits getting beat to hell.
I still need the proper stem so I can change out my handlebars. I have an awesome pair of ergonomic bars just waiting to be installed, but they won't fit my current stem. I am still debating getting a shorter stem to bring my arms in a bit, but in all honesty I can spend a lot of time on my bike very comfortably. In long course triathlon comfort trumps aero to a degree. My bike handles well, I am comfortable, and get good power in the way I have it set up now, so I kind of hate to mess with success. Yes, I want the new bars because the one thing that starts to hurt are my hands, so I want/need to get the new bars installed with new padded tape.
The wish list can get vast if I let it: new aero bars, better gloves, bigger bento box (this is actually important, I need to be able to pack enough fuel), new seat, padded tape, Under Armor underwear (actually, kind of important to avoid chafing), Body Glide (also to avoid chafing), socks, shirts, water bottles, a water bottle rack for between my aero bars with a tube so I can drink without taking my hands off the bars. The list could go on an on.
Even being a budget triathlete can be a very expensive endeavor. I haven't even paid my race fee yet, since I am waiting to know if I can complete the longer distance. I am becoming more certain with each passing week, although my running keeps getting derailed with injuries and aches. My cycling and swimming right on course, and those are essential, especially the cycling. But 138 miles, g'damn, that is a long ride.
Friday, May 30, 2014
Small Deposits Fill The Bank
I have been getting frustrated with my running. I can't manage to get my mileage up without injury. I have decided to go with the minimalist approach, the idea that "small deposits still fill the bank." I wish I could be running 8 to 10 miles on a regular basis, with my long runs reaching 15 or more miles, but my body just can't withstand that kind of beating. Last year I pushed myself too fast and too hard without a proper build up and I paid the price later in the season with over-strained muscles that cramped easily. Starting next week I am going to start running a few miles before work. I know, mornings are not really my thing when it comes to finding the high motivation I need to run, but it is the best time slot I have for a shorter workout. My plan is to get to work 45 to 60 minutes early and take advantage of the great pedestrian pathways that are all around the neighborhood. I had been planning on running these pathways after work, but I have so many pressures for time in the afternoons as it is, and I have been fretting over how to fit in regular, shorter runs. With my earlier work schedule I couldn't quite bring myself to get up early enough to get in solid bike time, but I think that if I run right before work the drive time will give me the chance to digest breakfast and get Brain and Body awake enough to function. Ideally I would run monday, wednesday and friday, but I really don't want to have to get up any earlier on monday than is absolutely necessary. So, tuesday, wednesday and friday will be my morning runs (hopefully) I will really have to commit to this because it will mean getting to work by 6:30 at the latest. But, I can wear my running tights under my jeans, which will keep me warmer on the motorcycle anyway, and all I will need is my running shoes, and a dry shirt to change into after. I think this is a do-able plan, with some serious effort anyway. This will give me daily double workouts, which I need, and keep my afternoons free for swim and bike endurance. I still plan on doing bike to run to bike workouts, as well as short runs after my long bike workouts. It is essential that I practice the bike to run transition. Not just essential, but vital.
This all brings into play the Fourth Discipline: Nutrition. I am going to have to tweak my eating a bit, but not much. My first breakfast is a smoothie with pea protein, which has been shown to be excellent fuel for long workouts. My second breakfast will have to be tweaked a bit, maybe larger (currently it is a Clif Bar and a banana) and earlier. Hell, This might have me fitting in an extra meal between second breakfast and pre-first-lunch snack (yes, I eat 2 breakfasts and 2 lunches with a snack between). Of late, I am trying to reduce my sugar intake. No, I don't eat a lot of sugar, mostly it is in the form of my daily Clif Bar, fruit juice for smoothies, fruit, yams, and my evening dose of very dark chocolate, but I do worry that maybe I need to cut back somehow.
Everything needs to be dialed in. More and more so as the season progresses. For now, I will keep pushing my swim and bike as hard as my body allows, since these two disciples are more gentle on the body, and I am having an easier time building time and distance. And my run I will gently build, one small deposit at a time, to fill the bank without breaking it.
This all brings into play the Fourth Discipline: Nutrition. I am going to have to tweak my eating a bit, but not much. My first breakfast is a smoothie with pea protein, which has been shown to be excellent fuel for long workouts. My second breakfast will have to be tweaked a bit, maybe larger (currently it is a Clif Bar and a banana) and earlier. Hell, This might have me fitting in an extra meal between second breakfast and pre-first-lunch snack (yes, I eat 2 breakfasts and 2 lunches with a snack between). Of late, I am trying to reduce my sugar intake. No, I don't eat a lot of sugar, mostly it is in the form of my daily Clif Bar, fruit juice for smoothies, fruit, yams, and my evening dose of very dark chocolate, but I do worry that maybe I need to cut back somehow.
Everything needs to be dialed in. More and more so as the season progresses. For now, I will keep pushing my swim and bike as hard as my body allows, since these two disciples are more gentle on the body, and I am having an easier time building time and distance. And my run I will gently build, one small deposit at a time, to fill the bank without breaking it.
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Nice Hills
Finally managed to get out on a decently long training ride today. I had planned on a 50 mile loop around the Valley floor with its nice, gently rolling hills. Instead I did Hwy 213 between Mulino and I205. For those of you who have never driven this route, which is very likely all of you, it is all hills. All. Hills. Very long, decently steep hills for about 12 miles. I drive this every day to work, and have been eyeballing it as the perfect training route for the bodaciously hilly ride that is the the 138 mile stretch of the Epic 250K. I admit, it is a bit of an intimidating stretch of road, this jaunt I took today. That is why I have procrastinated, I was afraid it would kick my ass. I opted to do just one circuit, out and back, with an 8 mile warmup tacked on at the beginning. I parked in Mulino and headed south for 4 miles, where the road is gently rolling, then turned back north. By the time I was back in Mulino I felt like my legs were warm enough for the first, brutal climb up out of Mulino. It is a long, first gear grind of several miles. It is steep enough that the log trucks and tractor-trailer rigs climb slowly with their hazard lights on. I know, I see it every single morning. But I have always known that speed is not my strength, my strength is my strength. And by the gods, I can climb hills. The 12 mile ride to I205 was fantastic, at several points I was clipping along a heady speed (my sport tracker app said my top speed was 35 mph, I have my doubts, but I did feel like I was really flying). The return 12 miles was interesting, one aspect that you don't notice in a car is that the hills heading south are shorter but steeper. We're talking a first gear, standing in the pedals, head down, grinding hard to reach the crest kind of steep. I did it well though, and felt good when I got off the bike. The long hours on the trainer, and hours of gearing pyramids throughout the long, dark days of winter have paid their dividends. I have been feeling a little nervous about the cycling leg of the 250K, because it is all hills, and over a mountain pass, twice. The beauty of hills: there is always a downhill side. Granted, my little jaunt today was only a quarter of what I will need to ride in September, but today's ride was a confidence booster nonetheless.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Like Having a Second Job
I am a little dissatisfied with my ability to increase training time. I do blame life for interfering, just a bit, it is difficult to slate enough time at the end of the day, and to have enough energy after a 9 hour day on my feet. But that is just an excuse, a flimsy excuse. This last week I did manage a few decent bricks. Tuesday I swam 2 miles, with over a half mile of individual medley in the middle (alternating laps breast stroke, back stroke, and crawl). I followed the swim with a 3-1/2 mile run. My legs and body felt, but pollen was making my asthma freak out just a bit. I kept a moderate pace, and practiced the run/walk protocol that I will likely be using in the Epic 250K (run 10 minutes, fast walk 30 to 60 seconds), this does help keep an asthma attack at bay, mostly. I do hate that I have to run at what I call my "asthma threshold," it keeps me from being able to pick up my pace. And, oddly enough, I have noticed that 3 miles is about the limit of how far I can run before I feel the throat constriction begin. Always, 3 miles. It is weird.
Wednesday I managed to slip in a 60 minute gearing pyramid on the bike before having to head to the station for drill. I know a lot of people probably wonder why I spend so much time cycling indoors with my bike up on the trainer. It is simple: time. The area that I live is not a very safe spot for cycling; narrow country roads with absolutely no shoulder, high traffic, log trucks, farm equipment, rednecks in giant 4 wheel drive trucks. So in order to ride I have to load my bike in the truck, drive to a different local, and ride out from there which is not an option after work (besides, my dogs have been home alone all day, and I don't like to leave them in the evening). Yes,, I will be doing this, starting next weekend, as a matter of fact. But for now, if I want to get in bike time, it is indoors or nothing. Next weekend I will be doing the long hill ride on Highway 213 between Molalla and Oregon City. Long, long hills. Great training for the ride around Mount Bachelor that I will be doing in September.
Thursday I had another nice brick. I swam 90 minutes, doing a power pyramid; 15 laps of varying stroke style to warm up, then with hand paddles 50 yards easy/50 yards hard, then 100 yards, 150 yards, and 200 yards. Followed by 200 easy, then same power pyramid with no hand paddles. Finished up by swimming regular to finish up 2 miles. Came home and did a 60 minute bike gearing pyramid.
I admit, friday was a tough day all around, I came home with the intentions of getting in a solid bike workout, but my mom showed up. I did manage 60 minutes of high cadence/moderate gear before just throwing int the towel. I did start saturday with a solid 2 hours on the bike, and 2 sets of gearing pyramids. I pushed myself hard. I followed this with a day of hard yardwork, so I figured that would substitute for an upper body/core workout.
I guess I shouldn't be so hard on myself, I am getting in a lot of solid workouts. But, g'damn it, I just don't know if it will be enough. Training at this level, even though I know I need to increase my time and output, is already like having a second job. Don't get me wrong, I am loving it. I have found a sport that suits my introverted, loner nature to a tee. But the dedication required is immense, and it has to take precedence over so many other activities. I have even found myself thinking of more mundane activities as, "Should I do that? It might strain my shoulder, or knee, or roll an ankle, that would set back my training." This year I am limiting how many events I enter; no obstacle course races, no trail half marathons, few trail races. Each of these poses a bit of a threat, having injured myself last year with a rolled ankle and various muscle strains that I know caused some problems when the time came for my A Race. This year I have to stay focused. This year, my scope of training has narrowed, intensified, and become dialed in for a very specific outcome. Like I said, it is like having a second job.
Wednesday I managed to slip in a 60 minute gearing pyramid on the bike before having to head to the station for drill. I know a lot of people probably wonder why I spend so much time cycling indoors with my bike up on the trainer. It is simple: time. The area that I live is not a very safe spot for cycling; narrow country roads with absolutely no shoulder, high traffic, log trucks, farm equipment, rednecks in giant 4 wheel drive trucks. So in order to ride I have to load my bike in the truck, drive to a different local, and ride out from there which is not an option after work (besides, my dogs have been home alone all day, and I don't like to leave them in the evening). Yes,, I will be doing this, starting next weekend, as a matter of fact. But for now, if I want to get in bike time, it is indoors or nothing. Next weekend I will be doing the long hill ride on Highway 213 between Molalla and Oregon City. Long, long hills. Great training for the ride around Mount Bachelor that I will be doing in September.
Thursday I had another nice brick. I swam 90 minutes, doing a power pyramid; 15 laps of varying stroke style to warm up, then with hand paddles 50 yards easy/50 yards hard, then 100 yards, 150 yards, and 200 yards. Followed by 200 easy, then same power pyramid with no hand paddles. Finished up by swimming regular to finish up 2 miles. Came home and did a 60 minute bike gearing pyramid.
I admit, friday was a tough day all around, I came home with the intentions of getting in a solid bike workout, but my mom showed up. I did manage 60 minutes of high cadence/moderate gear before just throwing int the towel. I did start saturday with a solid 2 hours on the bike, and 2 sets of gearing pyramids. I pushed myself hard. I followed this with a day of hard yardwork, so I figured that would substitute for an upper body/core workout.
I guess I shouldn't be so hard on myself, I am getting in a lot of solid workouts. But, g'damn it, I just don't know if it will be enough. Training at this level, even though I know I need to increase my time and output, is already like having a second job. Don't get me wrong, I am loving it. I have found a sport that suits my introverted, loner nature to a tee. But the dedication required is immense, and it has to take precedence over so many other activities. I have even found myself thinking of more mundane activities as, "Should I do that? It might strain my shoulder, or knee, or roll an ankle, that would set back my training." This year I am limiting how many events I enter; no obstacle course races, no trail half marathons, few trail races. Each of these poses a bit of a threat, having injured myself last year with a rolled ankle and various muscle strains that I know caused some problems when the time came for my A Race. This year I have to stay focused. This year, my scope of training has narrowed, intensified, and become dialed in for a very specific outcome. Like I said, it is like having a second job.
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Back To Backs
One way to cheat time just a little are Back To Back workouts. It is difficult for me to have a much needed four hour block of time for a cycling workout, but by splitting it into two workouts of two hours, performed within about 12 hours of each other, I can get a similar benefit. I've been following this practice for several months now, and I can definitely tell it is helping me increase my stamina and endurance. An added bonus is that since I am still restricted to indoor workouts at this point (which is changing as of next weekend, I hope) it is really difficult for me to cycle for longer than about two hours without about losing my mind. Indoor cycling is boring. Boring. B-o-r-i-n-g. But, indoor cycling makes me pedal at a high cadence, mashing a high gear, nonstop. It is great endurance training. Nonstop pedaling doesn't happen out on the road, there is always coasting at some point, if you go up a hill, you have to come down. It is said that the energy expenditure for cycling indoors for two hours is the same as cycling on the road for three hours. Last night I did a strong two hours, and my legs felt great. I felt strong and tireless. This morning I got on the bike and did 90 minutes, again, feeling strong and tireless.
I have been fretting a little about getting my cycling up to the needed volume. A mountainous 138 mile ride is waiting for me at the end of summer, and I will be hard pressed to build my base enough to be ready. 138 miles is a long, damned ride. Twice around Mount Bachelor. That means climbing to the summit twice. It will be brutal, there is no way around that. Brutal, but not impossible. I have been doing a lot of gearing pyramids in 5 minute sets: 4 minutes high cadence high gear, 1 minute lower gear, increasing one gear each set. It is good for building climbing strength and increasing muscle endurance. But I need to get out on the road, start hitting some long climbs. Highway 213 between Mulino and Interstate 205 is all long climbs or long descents, and is a 17 mile round trip. It also has a good, safe shoulder, unlike the rest of 213. That is on my agenda for hill practice. At several points this summer I will have to make the trip to Central Oregon and ride the route, get an idea of what I'm getting myself into. I did this for my 70.3 last year and it alleviated a lot of my concerns about the bike leg. Until then though, I will continue with my Back To Backs, add in some long road rides, and get in my hill climbing. If I put my head down, get serious about long rides, I know I can do this. 138 miles? Yeah, I got this.
I have been fretting a little about getting my cycling up to the needed volume. A mountainous 138 mile ride is waiting for me at the end of summer, and I will be hard pressed to build my base enough to be ready. 138 miles is a long, damned ride. Twice around Mount Bachelor. That means climbing to the summit twice. It will be brutal, there is no way around that. Brutal, but not impossible. I have been doing a lot of gearing pyramids in 5 minute sets: 4 minutes high cadence high gear, 1 minute lower gear, increasing one gear each set. It is good for building climbing strength and increasing muscle endurance. But I need to get out on the road, start hitting some long climbs. Highway 213 between Mulino and Interstate 205 is all long climbs or long descents, and is a 17 mile round trip. It also has a good, safe shoulder, unlike the rest of 213. That is on my agenda for hill practice. At several points this summer I will have to make the trip to Central Oregon and ride the route, get an idea of what I'm getting myself into. I did this for my 70.3 last year and it alleviated a lot of my concerns about the bike leg. Until then though, I will continue with my Back To Backs, add in some long road rides, and get in my hill climbing. If I put my head down, get serious about long rides, I know I can do this. 138 miles? Yeah, I got this.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Still Never Enough Time
I am beginning to worry that I will not be able to squeeze enough time out of my week for proper training. I am having a difficult time getting more than 2 hours a day for training, even on weekends. Try as I might, real life seems to interfere with my ability to find large blocks of time to devote to true endurance workouts. There is always so much work to be done around the house, and there is no one to do it but me. I am trying to get my garden tilled and planted, yard debris burned while it is still okay to burn, and parts of my house painted. Not to mention housework, and the day to day chores of living. Plus, work has been kicking my ass lately. I am starting at 7:00 am so I can't manage a morning workout anymore. Theoretically, I should be getting off work at 3:30, which would, in theory, give me longer evening workouts. Theory and reality though, are two separate things. I have yet to get off work on time, instead I am putting in 9 hour days, which are kicking my ass and not leaving me with a lot of energy to devote to training. Delusional as I am, I keep hoping that things will improve, that I will manage to readjust something to make it so I am out of work on time. But that hasn't happened in 6 weeks. I admit, the overtime is great, I need the money, but it is getting to the point that the money is not worth it. Especially if it interferes with my ability to train enough to be ready for the Epic 250K.
I have set a few time frames for myself. The key factor will be my cycling stamina and endurance. I have decided that I need to be able to complete a Century ride (100 miles) by early July. As of yet, I have not gotten out for much riding, instead I am putting in diligent hours inside on the trainer. The upside of this is that I am training my legs to grind a hard gear at a high cadence for long periods of time without stopping. I can peddle nonstop for a solid 2 hours without much difficulty. This will pay off when I finally get out on the roads, which needs to be soon. I will just have to block out time for long rides once the weather is more cooperative. Fortunately, it's not like there are people who expect anything out of me once I am home. There are definite bonuses to intentionally having no social life.
My running is coming along decently. I have decided to go with a Run/Walk protocol, since my asthma seems to be a definite inhibitor for me increasing my mileage. I've noticed that even at an easy pace, once I have run about 3 miles my asthma starts to flare up. I have not been using my Qvar inhaler, I don't like the idea of continually pumping steroids into my lungs. I will, however, return to using it regularly when I get closer to my main event. A Run/Walk protocol is exactly what it sounds like: Run some, walk some. I am doing a 10:1 ratio, 10 minutes running, 1 minute power walking. This is actually a highly recommended method for novice athletes in ultra-endurance events, and I am definitely a novice.
Of course my swimming is right on track. I have upped my weekly swims to 2 miles each, 2 or 3 times a week. Last week I only swam twice, but it was because I forgot my swim bag on thursday, but I have hit the pool 3 times a week for the last month, increasing my weekly miles from 3 or 4 miles weekly, to 6 miles weekly. I am not worried about increasing my mileage much more right now, that will happen when the Cove warms up and I can swim after work.
I am trying to focus attention my my limiters, the areas that I need improvement. Swimming was a past limiter, now it is where I am most comfortable with my current rate of training, as well as my endurance, strength, technique, and sheer love of the activity. Cycling, I am getting nervous about the miles I need to be able to start clocking, as well as the needed hill training, and altitude training. Running, yes, definitely my weakest link, but I also know that I can gut out the run leg if I have to. I am increasing my run mileage gradually in the hopes of avoiding the problems with tired, strained muscles that lead to such severe leg cramps in both the Hagg Lake Trail Half, and in run leg of my 70.3. I am trying to build my cycling and running base slowly and solidly, avoiding strain and injury. I will not allow myself to cripple myself with my zeal, not this year. But I have got to increase the time I spend training. Somehow I need to make more time, but there never seems to be enough time.
I have set a few time frames for myself. The key factor will be my cycling stamina and endurance. I have decided that I need to be able to complete a Century ride (100 miles) by early July. As of yet, I have not gotten out for much riding, instead I am putting in diligent hours inside on the trainer. The upside of this is that I am training my legs to grind a hard gear at a high cadence for long periods of time without stopping. I can peddle nonstop for a solid 2 hours without much difficulty. This will pay off when I finally get out on the roads, which needs to be soon. I will just have to block out time for long rides once the weather is more cooperative. Fortunately, it's not like there are people who expect anything out of me once I am home. There are definite bonuses to intentionally having no social life.
My running is coming along decently. I have decided to go with a Run/Walk protocol, since my asthma seems to be a definite inhibitor for me increasing my mileage. I've noticed that even at an easy pace, once I have run about 3 miles my asthma starts to flare up. I have not been using my Qvar inhaler, I don't like the idea of continually pumping steroids into my lungs. I will, however, return to using it regularly when I get closer to my main event. A Run/Walk protocol is exactly what it sounds like: Run some, walk some. I am doing a 10:1 ratio, 10 minutes running, 1 minute power walking. This is actually a highly recommended method for novice athletes in ultra-endurance events, and I am definitely a novice.
Of course my swimming is right on track. I have upped my weekly swims to 2 miles each, 2 or 3 times a week. Last week I only swam twice, but it was because I forgot my swim bag on thursday, but I have hit the pool 3 times a week for the last month, increasing my weekly miles from 3 or 4 miles weekly, to 6 miles weekly. I am not worried about increasing my mileage much more right now, that will happen when the Cove warms up and I can swim after work.
I am trying to focus attention my my limiters, the areas that I need improvement. Swimming was a past limiter, now it is where I am most comfortable with my current rate of training, as well as my endurance, strength, technique, and sheer love of the activity. Cycling, I am getting nervous about the miles I need to be able to start clocking, as well as the needed hill training, and altitude training. Running, yes, definitely my weakest link, but I also know that I can gut out the run leg if I have to. I am increasing my run mileage gradually in the hopes of avoiding the problems with tired, strained muscles that lead to such severe leg cramps in both the Hagg Lake Trail Half, and in run leg of my 70.3. I am trying to build my cycling and running base slowly and solidly, avoiding strain and injury. I will not allow myself to cripple myself with my zeal, not this year. But I have got to increase the time I spend training. Somehow I need to make more time, but there never seems to be enough time.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Bike Tires and Stuff
A friend (a very knowledgeable bicycle-geek friend) told me that there is a huge difference in bicycle tires. That the weight and rolling resistance of tires varies greatly and can make a huge difference in how much energy you expend getting from point A to point B. Honestly, I had never given this much thought, thinking a tire was a tire, y'know? Now, as the season begins to ramp up, his words are coming back to me, and I knew that research was needed. The internet is an amazing device, a marvelous mine of information if you can wend your way through the blah blah blah and get to the nitty gritty. I started with reading reviews of racing tires. Three names lead the pack: Continental, Michelin, and Vittoria.
My bike, my beloved Joshua, was built by a guy that really knew his shit. Joshua has a Bridgestone Mile 112 frame, a "high end Century" frame, which is classed as vintage, but still gets great reviews online for weight, durability and comfort, as well as its basic engineering. The rims are Mavic CXP22 which are nice aluminum alloy rims, with decent aero styling, and given great reviews for durability and for not contributing to flat tire issues. It has the Shimano 105 Groupset (crankset, derailleur, cartridge, click shifters) which ranks pretty high in durability, light weight, crisp and fluid shifting, and overall functionality. Yes, you can spend another $500 on the Ultegra and save 8 ounces, and get a little stiffer cranks, but the 105 set is pretty darn fabulous. Now, all that being said, and acknowledging that Joshua is pretty damned awesome, I come to the part I have been researching: Tires. Joshua sports the Vittoria Rubino, considered to be a fantastic "training" tire. In other words, it is durable, decently light, and with okay rolling resistance. But, it could be better. After reading multiple reviews from a myriad of sources both high-end mainstream and underground forum, I have decided on the Continental Grand Prix 4000 S. Everything I have read and heard about it class it as a great all around tire: lightweight, low rolling resistance, grippy tread, durability, aerodynamic. It is said to make a great endurance race tire because it is puncture resistant due to its Vectran Belt, which is 5 times tougher than steel. It is a bit spendy, about $70 each, but to me that seems a very low price for what amounts to free speed. Anything that you can do to your bike to make it roll easier is going to save energy and increase speed, hence, "Free Speed." I for one know that when I am on a 100 mile or more ride, anything I can do to save energy is a bonus. And if I don't have to worry about a flat every time I hit some debris on the shoulder, so much the better..
Now, off the subject of tires, I recently picked up some "gently used" FSA RD-250 ergo handlebars for a super low price on eBay. They have the comfy flat spot in the drop which is going to save me a lot of discomfort on long rides. They weigh next to nothing. I want to get a new, shorter stem before I install them, to shorten my reach just a bit. I do love Joshua's height, which suits my long legs, but the reach to the bars is just a wee bit longer than I would like. I would like to get it done sooner rather than later, but I have to find the right stem. I also have in a bid for a different set of aerobar clip-ons. I currently have the cumbersome, one piece style that are too wide for where my hands want to be. The set I am bidding on are individual bars, so I can adjust the width. I am not confident riding on the aerobars for long distances on unfamiliar roads, they are too unstable, which is a definite criticism of the clip on style. Since Joshua is not a Tri bike, he really is not engineered to be stable with aerobars of any kind. But, he is engineered for comfort, which is of extreme importance when you spend more than a few hours in the saddle.
I am excited for long summer rides and have already mapped out a few. I've also been keeping tabs on a few local riding groups, so I can get in on a few longer rides with them. I think having witnesses will likely keep me pushing through a long ride a little better than on my own. All this talk of new components makes me want to clean and lube Joshua, but I just did that last weekend.
My bike, my beloved Joshua, was built by a guy that really knew his shit. Joshua has a Bridgestone Mile 112 frame, a "high end Century" frame, which is classed as vintage, but still gets great reviews online for weight, durability and comfort, as well as its basic engineering. The rims are Mavic CXP22 which are nice aluminum alloy rims, with decent aero styling, and given great reviews for durability and for not contributing to flat tire issues. It has the Shimano 105 Groupset (crankset, derailleur, cartridge, click shifters) which ranks pretty high in durability, light weight, crisp and fluid shifting, and overall functionality. Yes, you can spend another $500 on the Ultegra and save 8 ounces, and get a little stiffer cranks, but the 105 set is pretty darn fabulous. Now, all that being said, and acknowledging that Joshua is pretty damned awesome, I come to the part I have been researching: Tires. Joshua sports the Vittoria Rubino, considered to be a fantastic "training" tire. In other words, it is durable, decently light, and with okay rolling resistance. But, it could be better. After reading multiple reviews from a myriad of sources both high-end mainstream and underground forum, I have decided on the Continental Grand Prix 4000 S. Everything I have read and heard about it class it as a great all around tire: lightweight, low rolling resistance, grippy tread, durability, aerodynamic. It is said to make a great endurance race tire because it is puncture resistant due to its Vectran Belt, which is 5 times tougher than steel. It is a bit spendy, about $70 each, but to me that seems a very low price for what amounts to free speed. Anything that you can do to your bike to make it roll easier is going to save energy and increase speed, hence, "Free Speed." I for one know that when I am on a 100 mile or more ride, anything I can do to save energy is a bonus. And if I don't have to worry about a flat every time I hit some debris on the shoulder, so much the better..
Now, off the subject of tires, I recently picked up some "gently used" FSA RD-250 ergo handlebars for a super low price on eBay. They have the comfy flat spot in the drop which is going to save me a lot of discomfort on long rides. They weigh next to nothing. I want to get a new, shorter stem before I install them, to shorten my reach just a bit. I do love Joshua's height, which suits my long legs, but the reach to the bars is just a wee bit longer than I would like. I would like to get it done sooner rather than later, but I have to find the right stem. I also have in a bid for a different set of aerobar clip-ons. I currently have the cumbersome, one piece style that are too wide for where my hands want to be. The set I am bidding on are individual bars, so I can adjust the width. I am not confident riding on the aerobars for long distances on unfamiliar roads, they are too unstable, which is a definite criticism of the clip on style. Since Joshua is not a Tri bike, he really is not engineered to be stable with aerobars of any kind. But, he is engineered for comfort, which is of extreme importance when you spend more than a few hours in the saddle.
I am excited for long summer rides and have already mapped out a few. I've also been keeping tabs on a few local riding groups, so I can get in on a few longer rides with them. I think having witnesses will likely keep me pushing through a long ride a little better than on my own. All this talk of new components makes me want to clean and lube Joshua, but I just did that last weekend.
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Creature of Habit
It is no secret that I am a creature of habit. On the plus side, this is the driving force behind my often envied ability to workout daily, and train as hard as I do (though I know I need to be training harder). It really is not so much motivation as it is sheer habit. I have been working out almost daily for most of my adult life, and especially the last 15 years. Another plus are my eating habits. I am inclined to find small, specific set of foods and eat them almost exclusively. This saves a lot of time and energy when grocery shopping, or deciding what to eat. Yes, it borders on the obsessive. The downside is that it is very difficult for me to shift gears, especially where my workouts are concerned. My new work schedule has thrown me for a loop on so many levels, and I am having a tough time readjusting all my habitual behaviors back into their tidy little lines.
One simple, yet important shift I am having to implement is the banal aspect of when to eat, and how much. For the last several years I have eaten a late, large lunch at about 2:30 or 3:00, which has given me about 2-1/2 hours to digest before swimming. Lately, I am in the pool at about 4:30, which has meant swimming on a fairly full stomach. No, I am not concerned about stomach cramps making me drown, that is an old wives' tale. But do any strenuous activity, especially one that really fires up the core muscles, on a fairly full stomach and one thing that is certain, you will likely feel like puking at some point. No, I haven't puked in the pool, but g'damn it has been a close call a few times. I have finally managed to readjust how I am eating, even if it means eating a full meal, standing at my shipping area, while ass deep in work so I can have a few hours to digest before swimming. This may seem like no big deal to a lot of people, but for a creature of habit, like myself, this is a major undertaking. I don't mean to seem inflexible, but my habitual nature has saved my sanity on a multitude of occasions.
I am also having to shift my workout schedule. I'm having a tough time putting in the daily hours I need. Just a few weeks ago I was managing a solid 60 to 75 minutes cycling several mornings before work, so I was regularly able to do a two a day workout plan. Now that is reserved for weekends. So, once again, mental shift.
I am beginning to get a grip on it all. I did have a spectacular swim Thursday night; 2 miles in 70 minutes. Then came home for 75 minutes of cycling, doing two power pyramid sets. Last night, I admit, by the time I got home and mowed the lawn, and had a quick snack it was already 8:30 before I got to my workout so I kept it to an hour of grinding at lower rep, higher gear. This morning was a solid 2 hour cycling session, maintaining decent cadence in higher gearing. Tonight I slipped in an upper body and core workout. Hopefully tomorrow starts with a cycle to run to cycle set before I start the day's festivities of painting my shed.
The changes at work are driving home my need to get a calender and plan out my training schedule. Time is passing all too quickly, I have goals and deadlines looming and I need to be able to get back on track, realign my habits, I am a creature of habit, after all.
One simple, yet important shift I am having to implement is the banal aspect of when to eat, and how much. For the last several years I have eaten a late, large lunch at about 2:30 or 3:00, which has given me about 2-1/2 hours to digest before swimming. Lately, I am in the pool at about 4:30, which has meant swimming on a fairly full stomach. No, I am not concerned about stomach cramps making me drown, that is an old wives' tale. But do any strenuous activity, especially one that really fires up the core muscles, on a fairly full stomach and one thing that is certain, you will likely feel like puking at some point. No, I haven't puked in the pool, but g'damn it has been a close call a few times. I have finally managed to readjust how I am eating, even if it means eating a full meal, standing at my shipping area, while ass deep in work so I can have a few hours to digest before swimming. This may seem like no big deal to a lot of people, but for a creature of habit, like myself, this is a major undertaking. I don't mean to seem inflexible, but my habitual nature has saved my sanity on a multitude of occasions.
I am also having to shift my workout schedule. I'm having a tough time putting in the daily hours I need. Just a few weeks ago I was managing a solid 60 to 75 minutes cycling several mornings before work, so I was regularly able to do a two a day workout plan. Now that is reserved for weekends. So, once again, mental shift.
I am beginning to get a grip on it all. I did have a spectacular swim Thursday night; 2 miles in 70 minutes. Then came home for 75 minutes of cycling, doing two power pyramid sets. Last night, I admit, by the time I got home and mowed the lawn, and had a quick snack it was already 8:30 before I got to my workout so I kept it to an hour of grinding at lower rep, higher gear. This morning was a solid 2 hour cycling session, maintaining decent cadence in higher gearing. Tonight I slipped in an upper body and core workout. Hopefully tomorrow starts with a cycle to run to cycle set before I start the day's festivities of painting my shed.
The changes at work are driving home my need to get a calender and plan out my training schedule. Time is passing all too quickly, I have goals and deadlines looming and I need to be able to get back on track, realign my habits, I am a creature of habit, after all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)