IT Band

    I've been whining about it for the last two days, mostly to myself, but g'damn IT Band! It has given me problems in the past, so I am always careful to treat it nice. But the last two days my left knee has been quite painful, and has actually made me curse and whimper more than a few times. I think I know the reason it is so pissed off at me this time. I've been increasing my base training, of course. I am back to two workouts a day, most days, but keeping them to 60-90 minutes.
    I have been increasing the intensity of my cycling workout with gear power pyramids: 15 minute warm-up at 90+ cadence; then with lower gear for 70-75 max cadence/higher gear for 90+ cadence: 1 min low/4 min high, 2 min low/3 min high, 3 min low/2 min high, 4 min low/1 min high, 5 min low, then reverse. followed by 20 minutes high cadence, and 10 minutes cool-down. I also do gearing pyramids, tempo work, and tabata drills, as well as 90 minute high cadence spins.
    I have eased back into running after getting waylaid with the respiratory crud that has been sweeping through the state. I still get the hacking cough cropping up randomly for a day or so, then disappearing for a week or two, before coming back like an evil birthday surprise. So I have had to keep my respiratory rate fairly low, to avoid flareups.
    I have also added kick drills to my swim sessions. I know I won't be using my legs much during my tri swims, but I need to increase my kick strength. If for no other reason than that it is good core work, and adds leg strength, and hip, knee and ankle conditioning.
    Okay, back to the IT pain, and the whining about it. Like I said, I've been increasing my base training, and trying to be fairly careful with stretching, specific strength training, yoga, and foam rolling. I have really increased my all around legwork the last few weeks. But here's what I think kicked my knee over the edge: fun times at the fire station. Yeah, I'm blaming my bunker boots. Wednesday night drill was Search and Rescue. I was assigned to E425 since my beloved Engine 485 wasn't invited to play. In the first scenario, our engine was first in, and there was a "victim" on the third floor that we had to find. The drill tower was full of smoke (non-toxic theatrical smoke that smells like peaches) and we were in full gear, respirators and all, so toting an extra 60lbs or so. The three of us scrambled in and up the stairs, on our knees since it was a simulated IDLH environment (imminent danger to life and health aka smokey and hot), and hauling a non-loaded hose line. We searched and quickly found the victim on the third floor of the tower, and hauled him out in record time. The second scenario was similar, but our engine was the ground floor search team so we were crawling on concrete hauling a loaded attack line, and once we found the victim it was all we could do to drag him out from where he was lodged. Our "victims" were very large cadets. These boys were easy 200 pounders. Then after the festivities there was much slogging around the drill grounds restoring engines and SCBAs.
    I really think that it was walking all over the place in my heavy boots and all the gear that made my knee finally throw up its proverbial hands and say, "I give."  It was already tired and feeling abused, then I go and add insult to injury by crawling around on the concrete schlepping heavy hose lines, then walking around carelessly in what amounts to 5 pound ankle weights and a 40 pound pack. My poor body. I'm surprised it doesn't just give up altogether and leave me on the side of the road.
    Now I am having to back off of my running for a few days, concentrate on what amounts to physical therapy, and hope I don't lose too much conditioning, again. Some days I think I am too old for this shit, then I think, "Yeah, but it's hella fun anyway."
 

Damned Virus

    I admit, my training has taken a bit of a hit the last two weeks. Ten days ago was the memorial gathering for my Grandmother, and that led to a whole week of family stuff, which threw a bit of a rock in the cogs. Just as I think things are getting back on track I come down with the most heinous cold/flu I have had in a decade. Generally, I am not one to allow a mere virus to get in the way of my training, but this is different on a number of levels. On the community service level, I don't want to spread my disease so I have avoided the gym. On the realistic level, it is making me feel a bit like I was rode hard and put away wet. On the yes-I-can-have-common-sense level, I know better than to put in a hard cardio workout which could have me sucking phlegm even deeper into my lungs. So my last run was Tuesday morning, just before the bug got its claws into me. My last swim was Saturday, and it was a good hard swim. Yes, I did do an hour of cycling and an hour of upper body/core conditioning Wednesday evening, and this morning I opted for 60 minutes of incline walking at 3.5 mph on the treadmill. I wanted to do cycling and legwork tonight, but don't feel up to full strength. I'm telling you, all I really want to do is eat carbs, drink copious amounts of herbal tea with honey, and sleep. I have slept 11 hours a night all week, which is not my style. I try to tell myself it is what my body needs, but g'damn it, I don't have time for this shit. I was already feeling like my training was slipping, then to go and get a bug on top of it. Not fair! I have to keep reminding myself that if I push myself too hard I will likely just be sick longer. The bugs going around this winter are evil little bastards that are really getting their hooks in people and not giving in without a fight.
    The best I can do is keep fueling for performance. I made a pot of veggie soup with garlic, onions, ginger, curry, cayenne, turmeric, and high protein pasta, and have been feeding off of it for two days. I've been religious about my spinach, blueberry, banana smoothies with mulberry/cranberry juice and vegan protein to make sure I"m getting the anti-oxidents and veggies I need. I've been drinking an herbal tea specific to immune boosting called, "Gypsy Cold Remedy" (it is delicious with honey btw). I roasted beets and yams so I can eat good carbs. And I admit, I am eating too much protein granola, but it is delicious. I know I am likely overeating since I am not training up to par, but I have to tell myself that for a few days it is okay to feed a cold. Just another day or two and I should be back to snuff. Hopefully. Damned virus.

On the Verge

   I have been on the verge of a few over-use or over-training issues lately. Of course it is my joints, no news there. I don't know how many times I've said, "If my joints and connective tissues were as strong as my muscles and bones I would be a fucking superhero." It's the truth. I've never broken a bone (knock on wood) despite the stupid shit I've done. And my muscles get stronger up to the point that my joints start crying "Uncle" and I have to let myself plateau. I'm at that point, where I have to let myself plateau for a bit (damnit). At least the pains aren't all on one side: flirting with runner's knee in my right knee, swimmer's shoulder on the left, my right hip keeps putting in its two cent's worth, my right collar bone has been aching, and my left elbow is painful to the slightest touch (which is a constant actually, so really shouldn't be on the "over-use" list since it screams like a bitch pretty much all the time).
     What to do about this litany of whines? Nothing. Not a damned thing. I don't have time to waste crying about my aches and pains. Honestly, I can't and won't stop training. What I can do is modify some of my workouts to relieve a bit of the stress. Case in point: today's leg workout. With my right knee giving me that all too obvious warning pain I opted to forego my squats, lunges and leg press today. Instead I added in single leg deadlifts, which don't put strain on the knee but help activate glutes, as well as work on balance. This is an exercise I have done regularly in the past, but had let it slide a bit since I was aiming at heavier loads lately. I also added an extra set each of weighted kick backs and high knees on the pulley machine. For my shoulder, I am focusing on maintaining good stroke mechanics at all times, really listening to my body and making sure I am not overburdening my shoulders.
    Swimming today I did a couple of experiments, just to satisfy my own curiosity. It is no secret that my kick sucks. I've been working on it, doing kicking drills with and without fins. I've been doing them to improve body positioning and hip rotation, but mostly because kick drills give me a hella good aerobic workout. Anyway, my experiments. I swam a couple of laps, freestyle sans pull buoy, in other words, the way most people swim. Funny thing, without the pull buoy, and doing a normal 2 beat kick, it takes me 12 strokes per length, and my breathing is elevated. Swimming with the pull buoy, which means upperbody only, no kick at all, it only takes me 11 strokes per length, and my breathing stays even and easy. In other words, I swim faster and easier if I don't use my legs at all. The other experiment I did was comparing a high elbow pull to a straight arm, deep pull. The theory is that the high elbow pull should use less energy, though the straight arm pull can be faster. The theory is half right, the high elbow pull is a lot easier, less fatiguing, and less muscle strain. The straight arm, deep pull is not faster though.  So, I will continue with my nice, high elbow pull. What these experiments boil down to is; Swim Smarter Not Harder  *duh*

Up The Intensity

    Okay, I am declaring my off-season to be officially over. I have increased my cycling workouts, keeping the time under 75 minutes each so far, but making each workout count. That is the key to avoiding early season burnout and overuse injuries: make it short and intense. Thursday and Friday I did three back-to-back workouts, this is when there is 12 hours or less between workouts, giving you the benefits of a longer workout but without the strain. Thursday evening I did a 70 minute high cadence spin. Friday morning I did a 45 minute tabata workout, 1 minute hard, 1 minute easy, with ascending and descending gearing. Friday evening I did a 60 minute high cadence spin followed by a 75 minute core workout.
    I am reintroducing my body to running. I got hit with a weird, dry cough in early December that was exacerbated by heavy breathing, especially in cold air, so I had to take a break from running until I knew the cough was gone. This cough was brutal. It was keeping me up all night, and I was coughing so hard it made me retch, and would come and go randomly. Totally gnarly. Anyhoo, Thursday I headed up into the foothills with my best bud Hugo (my big, red dog), and did a run/walk for about 90 minutes. When I say "walk" that is an understatement. We were on a gravel Forest Service road that was mostly steep, rolling hills. I climbed the hills at a hard walk, and ran the more level areas. It was probably harder on my knees than a regular run, but damn, it was great to be out in the woods. I am going to enter running at a slow-ish pace, I don't want to overdo it early in the season. That being said, my running felt good, my breathing was easy, and my legs felt powerful. There is a lot to be said about offseason strength training. I am going to start with 3 runs a week, allowing my body a few days for recovery between runs, and see how that goes. I want to get back to the run drills I was doing up until the cough sidelined me. I also have a great hill about 1/2 mile away for hill repeats.
    Tonight I had the best, and longest, swim I've had since my event in December. I went into the water with "fresh" arms tonight, which I haven't done in several months. That is one downside of arduous strength training, your muscles always feel in some state of fatigue. I have been doing hard upperbody strength routines nearly every other day for several months now. Yes, my shoulders are rock hard, and I have some nice deltoid definition, but it has made me mildly fatigued in the water. Last week I was actually feeling a bit of burnout, so slacked off on my swims a bit, dialing them down to just swimming a simple mile without any strenuous drills. Tonight I was aiming for 1-1/2 miles, with some intensity thrown in for kicks and giggles. I ended up swimming 2 miles, with a lot of intensity. I started with 20 laps with hand paddles. 5 laps of kick drills (remember, describing my kick as "weak" is an understatement, so kick drills are asskicking). 5 laps at race pace. 10 laps freestyle sprint. 5 laps race pace. 5 laps kick drills. 20 laps race pace. It was a good workout. The 10 sprint laps were right at my asthma threshold, and my shoulders were burning well before I was finished. The hard part about sprint drills is pushing through the last lap or two, keeping the pace hard and steady, and not letting myself slack at all. I had only planned on swimming about 45 laps, but I was feeling so damned good that I kept thinking, "Maybe just 5 more laps." The last 20 I swam at just above race pace, i.e. my I-can-do-this-for-miles pace, and felt really good. Honestly, I felt a bit stilted for a good part of the first mile, but just like running, "the first mile is a liar."
    I spent a lot of time on the bike this week, and am eager to start rebuilding my cycling base. I am really seeing gains from my months of strength training. I feel like my cycling power is up, as well as my cadence, and the smoothness of my pedal stroke. I have a small bike computer coming with a cadence meter and speedometer so I can really work on maintaining high cadence especially while I'm indoors on the trainer. And once I get back on the road I can really work to get my average mph up to where I need it to be for the Epic 250K come September. Today was a total leg rest day, which was one reason I swam so hard, but my legs recover quickly so tomorrow is run and cycle day, with a nice upperbody workout tossed in for good measure.
    Now is when it is all about intensity, whether that is speedwork or strength. Now it the time to up the intensity.

Floundering Without a Schedule

    My final visit to the gym and pool for 2014 was a bit lackadaisical. I did a good leg workout, but skipped all but 10 minutes on the elliptical. Then I hit the pool and realized just how tired and sore my upper body was. Normally it only takes about 10 laps to warm up, 20 at the most. Tuesday I swam 45 laps and never did lose the soreness in my arms and shoulders. To make it a bit easier on my body I did slow down and work on form. I am trying to have a more solid grab and pull, and keep my elbows higher, but it is tiring to tweak form. The whole time I swam all I could think of was how much I wanted to just be sitting in the hot tub. My realization during all this was that I had reached that point so often talked about: Burnout. Not hardcore, more subtle than expected, but burnout nonetheless. Now I am struggling with the idea of taking a few more days off from swimming, which I hate the thought of. Or should I hit the pool later today for a short, focused swim?
    (Insert a little back story here) January 31st was my last day of work. My department was closed permanently. I was told nearly two months ago that we were getting closed down, and I thought I was emotionally prepared for the reality of it. But these last few weeks have held more than a twinge of depression and sadness. I am in mourning for a job that I really enjoyed, even as I look forward to having some freedom to lead a more productive life for a while. Part of me is whooping it up at the thought of being able to train like a professional athlete this season, even though money will be tight. Also, my grandmother passed away on the 30th, quietly, in her own home. It was expected, and in some ways a relief for her, but that doesn't make the loss any less poignant. Also, this last weekend my son and his family moved out. They had been staying with me for a bit while they were getting back on their feet after moving back from the east coast. Yes, it was crowded and chaotic, but I got to know his family better, and his step-children got to know me too. Now the house seems achingly quiet. So in reality, it has been a draining week on nearly every emotional front. On the one hand I revel in the prospect of new opportunities and returning my home to its previous relatively serene state. On the other hand I am unemployed, home alone, it is bitter cold outside, and I am facing the onset of seasonal affected disorder. All that being said, it is no wonder my training is taking a hit.
    Okay, enough of the pity party. I did get in a good 70 minute cycling workout New Year's Eve, and a great 90 minute upper body workout starting at 9:30 last night. Yes, it was rather late in the day to start a workout, but I was feeling blue and weepy, and it's not like I am on a schedule right now.
    Speaking of schedules, that is where I will need to focus, starting Monday. I need to realign my training schedule. For the last... well, seemingly forever... my work life has dictated my training schedule. I had to be up at a specific time to get out the door, gym and swim bags packed the night before, and training was regulated by what time I got off work. Now I have no base schedule to work around and I feel lost and adrift. I am a creature of compulsive habit and routine, and that has all been tossed out the window. In order to get my training back on track I need to rebuild a schedule for my life or I will flounder and get nothing done. That would be tragic, and depressing. Not to mention a spectacular waste of a golden opportunity. I could make excuses, like, "but it has only been two days since leaving my job behind," or "but it is the holidays, everyone gets to slack off and be lazy." No excuses. No fucking excuses.
    I do not make New Year's Resolutions, but this I resolve: Get my ass in gear, devise a schedule for training and life in general, and make 2015 as productive on every level as I possibly can. Sink or swim, now is the time.

2014 Was a Great Year. 2015 Will Be Even Better!

    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.

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.