Indoor Tri

    Next week is the "Big Week" in my training cycle, which means pushing myself further and harder. Gearing up for it this week I did an "indoor triathlon" on Tuesday. It all started at the pool, of course. Actually, let's go back to earlier in the day, when I got the smashing idea of squeezing in all three disciplines into one day. I had a free(ish) evening, my cooking for the week was done, my house was clean(ish), I had no studying to do, no place to be except home. Okay, back to the pool... I am taking my swimming down a notch, now that I am ramping up cycling and swimming as I head into spring. Swimming was my workout mainstay through the winter, I really wanted to finesse my technique, and build a solid base, both goals accomplished. Now I am swimming to maintain, not build, in an attempt to not wreck my shoulders before September. So Tuesday I only swam 40 laps, and did some strengthening drills, and some speed laps, for a total of 75 minutes in the water. Then shower, race for home, feed the menagerie, brush the dogs a bit (they are blowing coat, all over the house), and into my cycling shorts.Okay, that was probably the longest transition ever, but I made up for it in T2. I cycled hard, at a high cadence for a solid 30 minutes, entertaining myself with a documentary on marathon running. Straight from the bike to the treadmill for 30 minutes of alternating slow jog with speedplay at about 110% of my race pace. I finished with 20 minutes of stretching and torturing myself with some myofascial release self-massage with a tennis ball (I can make myself cry). This made for a great workout, one I am planning on fitting into my schedule with some regularity, increasing time and distance as I close in on my A Race.
    As for next week, the Big Week, I am not quite sure what kind of exquisite torment I have in store for myself. Looking ahead at my real world schedule it might make better sense to do next week in a similar vein to this week, with some good, solid workouts, and make the following week Big. I have a little time to think it over, I am a flexible coach, and know I have to work with my real world schedule if I want to optimize my training. Today; Trail Run. It will be fabulous. Tomorrow cycle and/or run, and strength/core workout. Sunday, I have no idea. But I am flexible that way.

The Fourth Discipline

    I think everyone knows the Three Disciplines of Triathlon: Swim, Cycle, Run. So what is the Fourth? It is nutrition. It is the rocket fuel that allows a body to perform at its best, and not bonk from lack of sustainable energy. In a long course Triathlon, whether a half or full Ironman, it is an acknowledged fact that the body is burning fuel faster than it can replenish. Yes, you could eat enough calories, but a body under stress will not process them and you will end up with cramps, nausea, and possibly vomiting. But even before The Big Day, there is much to know and understand about eating for optimum training. There is a plethora of experts, reports, and articles out there just waiting to be Googled. It is an avalanche of knowledge, with plenty of contradictory advice. As with all things, I read as much as I can get my hands on, let the information rattle around in my subconscious for a bit, then formulate my own plan of attack. Yes, it would be great to have a nutrition coach to analyze my body chemistry, or blood type, or whatever it is they use to build an optimal eating plan for an endurance athlete. It would be nice, but it is not reality. I am self-coached, from the ground up. I plan my workouts, I push myself, I self massage, and I feed myself, all to the best of my abilities.
    I do have one great advantage over a lot of athletes, I am a damned good cook. I love to find new ways of preparing healthy, satisfying, delicious meals for myself. Over the years, and especially this last year, and most definitely the last 6 months, I have been refining my knowledge, perfecting what I prepare to go into my gaping maw. I am nearly vegetarian at this point, but I do like meat so use it sparingly, and then only super lean bits, added more as a flavoring than as a main course. I am eating a lot of whole grains, legumes, raw nuts, fresh fruits, and raw vegetables. I have eliminated refined flours, refined sugars, artificial flavorings and additives, high fructose corn syrup (which I have referred to as "The Devil" for years), artificial sweeteners, prepackaged foods, junk food, and fast food. I am nearly wheat and dairy free. The only dairy my body will allow these days is cheese (thank the gods... what would life be without cheese?). My sweeteners of choice are evaporated cane juice, and Agave syrup. I will not consume artificial sweeteners. I am not saying any of this to be Holier-Than-Thou, it is just fact, and what I know I need to do for my body. I wish I did not need to be so particular about what goes into my body, but I am doing what my digestive tract, and common sense, dictate.
    All that being said, what training and race day fuel boil down to is finding the right balance for an individual body. I am learning that what works for me is three main meals consisting of whole grains or other complex carb like sweet potato, a small to moderate serving of protein, and fresh, raw fruits and vegetables. I do not skip breakfast. I also eat 3 or 4 healthy snacks daily, usually fruit and raw nuts, maybe a slice of gluten free, whole grain bread (homemade, of course) with a schmear of peanut butter. I do a lot of smoothies that turn out thick and green, and looking like something that should be bubbling in a cauldron, or glopping up out of an impact crater in a bad sci-fi movie. My body is rewarding me for my vigilance. I am disinclined to get sick, my energy level is good (though I am always sleep deprived these days, my fault, not Body's), and I am doing decently long, arduous workouts daily.
    I am putting every bit as much thought into The Fourth Discipline, as I am the other three. Maybe more so. I know now that my poor performance in the Portland Tri was very likely due to poor fueling. I don't want that to happen again. I want to toe the start with as much in my arsenal as possible. I want to be trained as well as I am able, and fueled as well or better than my competitors. I have the discipline. The Fourth Discipline.

Breathing is Essential

    I have said it before, and I will say it again; I love trail running!! I do, I truly do. When I am trail running it feels as if I can go forever. Yesterday afternoon I headed to an old favorite of mine, a trail I had not visited in several years. The weather was perfect Pacific Northwest Spring weather; mild, slightly overcast, soft breeze, the scent of new green and blossoms in the air. Having been plagued with minor injuries and pains this year I took my time warming up, walking for a solid 15 minutes before breaking into an easy run. I ran a bit gingerly at first, waiting for new pains to reveal themselves, but they did not. Just a few minutes into my run I was dancing through the woods feeling lithe, graceful, and light-footed. I am sure that much of it was in my mind, but I know that when Brain believes, Body will follow. I ran to the end of the trail, dodging branches, leaping logs, prancing through rough terrain, feeling wonderful. At the end, a bluff overlooking the river, I reluctantly turned and ran back.
    I wanted to give my new allergy inhaler another test, but was a bit hesitant. It is not fun to feel my throat constrict, and once the issue arises it is not easily suppressed. There is a short, steep hill at the trail head, I knew this would be the test. Up I ran, legs and arms pumping easily. Lungs working beautifully, laboring but not straining. At the top, lungs still working, I wanted to do a happy dance, instead I ran on, slowing a bit to control my breathing. I was actually waiting to feel something, some hint that I was on the verge of breathing issues, but no such panic inducing feeling visited. I felt inspired, energized, almost delirious. I decided to do 15 minutes of Fartlek speedplay. I would pick a tree up the path a bit and sprint to it, then slow to normal, then find another target and sprint.
    My legs and lungs were feeling great. I am hoping this is a breakthrough for me. To be able to run relatively pain free would be a happy making thing for me. But to be able to run and breathe is like a gift from the gods. Maybe, just maybe, I can start building a solid base for the running leg of my A Race *knock on wood*. Running is essential, and a little pain is to be expected. Breathing is essential, just essential, no ifs, ands, or buts. I love trail running. Truly.

Hitting The Trails

    I managed to get out on a short trail run last friday, my first since late last fall. Today I will run again. This time I am returning to my old stomping grounds at a local state park. I used to visit it daily with my dogs, back when we lived "in town." I have had to rein in my running the last few months, I have been nursing a few painful issues. One thing that has been most disconcerting, and painful, has been the pain and cramping I have been having in my calves. No matter how careful I have been of technique and distance, my calves start to burn and hurt just minutes into a run. It has not been what I would consider "normal" pain in any way. No matter what I tried, the situation was not getting any better. Finally I turned to myofascial release self massage with a tennis ball and roller. I have to say, I can make myself cry. Deep tissue massage is painful. But just a few sessions and already the issue seems to be resolved. I am not going to take this as a sign that I can suddenly increase my running distance by great bounds, but it will let me start rebuilding my base. I was running decent distances last fall, and even into the winter on my treadmill, but have had to back off so much that I know I have back-slid.
    The other issue that has prevented me from being able to push myself has been the annoyance of my asthma. I got a prescription for a rescue inhaler last summer, and it did help some, but not enough. There were too many times that I was running with the inhaler in my hand, stopping to suck on it too frequently. And worse still, knowing the finish line is 100 yards away, mustering the last dregs of energy to sprint for home, only to have to pull up short and take hits on the nebulizer to prevent myself from passing out due to lack of oxygen. Having your airwaves constrict to the point of feeling like you are being strangled, is not a feeling I would wish on anyone. It is panic inducing. As of this last friday I now have a different inhaler, with stronger medication, that should prevent not only the actual restricted bronchial tubes, but will also alleviate the chest congestion I have always gotten when I do a hard cardio workout. According to my doctor, that chest congestion is inflammation brought on by asthma, and can cause damage to my lungs. Who knew?
    So, calves feeling healthy. Lungs feeling better. I should be able to start base building again. Tonight I will hit the long trail along the river. My goal is to run 6 days a week, even if just for 30 minutes. Half Marathon, here I come.
 

Not A Cheetah

    I know that I am a runner. I realized this a year ago, when, after years of telling myself and others, "I am just not a runner," I had the sudden epiphany of, "Why the hell not?!" This does not mean I suddenly woke with the grace of a cheetah, I was still in a body that had never really spent much time moving faster than a power walk pace. But I started running, on a treadmill and on the roads. It has been slow going, literally and physically, skirting the edge of injuring this 51 year old body. It is hard to build a decent running base going from zero to eventually completing a half or full marathon, but I know I can do it. And I am not a particularly fast runner, though I love the short, nimble sprints of speedplay. I have been trying to put in time on the road, but I am not enjoying it as much as I could wish. Because of this I have decided that for the next month or two I am going to return to trail running. I love trail running. Really. It feels natural, and is far more interesting, as well as seemingly easier on my body. This afternoon I will hit a trail on the edge of town on my way home. It is not a long trail, maybe half a mile, but I can run laps, and switch directions. I do know it is a beautiful path and well maintained. I am excited and eager to lace up my shoes and hit the dirt. On a trail I do not have to think of myself as cheetah, cheetahs are Savannah creatures, sprinting in the flat, wide open spaces. Instead I can think of myself as a wolf padding along under the canopy of fir trees, with the scent of wet leaves in my nostrils. A wolf runs for distance with an energy conserving lope, that is my goal. Not to be the cheetah, but to be the wolf.

Race Fueling

    In my never ending quest to improve my nutrition I am researching healthy, whole food alternatives to the standard on-the-go, race day, sports-geek consumables. The vast rainbow array of artificially colored and flavored, prepackaged beverages, gu, shots, blocks, chews, gums, powders, and pills promise vigor, vitality, energy, recovery, and race day prowess for the endurance athlete. Mostly, I think they promise to be chock-a-block full of chemicals and high fructose corn syrup. Not only does Brain rebel against the idea of putting such chemistry kit experiments into our system, Body also rebels, sometimes rather violently. The cleaner I eat, the cleaner I have to eat. And I am okay with that. So I search and research. Products as well as recipes and ideas. Fortunately, I am not the only athlete in the world that is concerned with the purity of the fuel that goes into Body. There are several companies that provide clean, organic, healthy supplements and on-the-fly tasty morsels.  Being me, though, I want to create my own pre-race and race day foods and beverages.
    So far, this is where I am at (this is a short list, a new vein of study), knowing I need easily absorbed carbohydrates, minimal fat and protein: Onigiri, Japanese Rice Balls. Sweet Tea with lemon, Agave, and a pinch of salt. Bananas, you just can't improve upon this perfect food, and I eat one before and after swimming so I know my body can handle it when under stress. I have been successfully playing with gluten-free, whole grain quick breads made with cooked pumpkin, squash or yams to replace most of the oil.
    It is hard to come up with ideas for calorie dense, low fat, low protein foods that my body can assimilate while racing, and that won't upset my delicate digestive system. It is quite limiting, really. It also limits my ability to purchase prepackaged products no matter how wholesome they may be. I have five months to dial in a good nutrition plan. I think this weekend I will make Onigiri.

Nervous? Hells Yes.

    It is no secret, I am feeling more than a little nervous about having registered for, and committed myself to running a Half-Ironman. "Committed," key word here... should I be committed? Sent away to an asylum to protect me from myself. Maybe so. I do push myself too far too often. The crux of it is that I know I need to be able to push myself, this is no simple 10K or Sprint Triathlon I am gearing up for, but I am damn near damaging myself. Brain is having to monitor Body very closely these days, there are too many little tweaks that could end up being major issues that cause major downtime. But instead of finding myself committed to the local Institute for the Athletically Insane I am finding that I have committed myself to a worthy endeavor. I  have written my name on the register, tossed my hat in the ring, toed the line, and more importantly, I have sucked it up and paid the entry fee. Let me tell you, paying the fee hurt. Triathlons are not cheap, and the further you go the more expensive they get. I am hoping to be able to afford three shorter distance Tris this summer as preludes to the Big Event, but if not, I will make myself map out a route and do them on my own. I will at least do one Tri in July, an event I have looked forward to since last summer, and I will do the Olympic distance.
    Running will be the key. I need to continue to build my running base without injuring myself. Happy to say, my knees seem to be holding up decently. The problem that has plagued me for nearly 2 months now is my strained piriformis muscle, my "Pain in the Butt" strain. It has caused a pinched nerve so I am getting tingling and numbness down the back of my left leg all the way down to my heel. It feels extremely weird to run on it when it is acting up. I am not even sure when/where/how I strained it. But I try to ignore it, and am doing a lot of stretching and strengthening exercises in an attempt to remedy it. So far, nothing is helping. So I run anyway. If I am not hyper aware of it when I am running it will make me alter my stride just enough that I have had a few calf muscle issues to add to the list. Like I said, I do push myself too far too often. I must be careful.
    I continue to swim, and love the water. Open water swims are next on the aquatic agenda. I need to get out and get my face into the phobia-inducing murky water, and to quell my "Monster-in-the-Deep-waiting-to-grab-my-leg-with-slimy-tentacles-and-drag-me-into-the-weeds-to-suck-the-flesh-from-my-bones" concerns. I know. I am a dork. Too many late night scary monster movies in my youth has obviously wrought permanent damage to my psyche.
    Cycling is the one area that gives me the fewest qualms. Yes, 50 miles is a bit of a ride, but it is something I can train for easily enough. And I have Joshua up on rollers in the living room so I can put in time, work on my cadence, and build stamina and endurance. A bike on rollers will work the same muscles as a bike on the road, unlike running on a treadmill which does help with running to a degree but cannot replace road runs.
    I will continue to push, trying to ride the rim of  Too Much without falling into the morass of pain and injury. The best way to get a grip on my nerves is to know in my heart that I have trained to the best of my abilities, and am as ready as I can be when I step into the water at 8am for the swim start.
    Nervous? Hells Yes.   Excited? Abso-fucking-lutely.