This has got to stop already!!! >:-(

OK, after about a week of winds now I am starting to think that this might actually impair my marathon preparations. Last night was probably the "windiest" night so far this year (with only two days remaining, tight squeeze, ha) as we had gusts over 80mph and wind ripping apart my screen doors and windows. I was awake most of the night, pretending to be sailing in a ship (thanks to B's imagination) with the shinook (cute word, huh) winds hitting my house being the waves hitting the boat... I actually felt my bed sway back and forth at times, no joke. It was supposed to let up this morning I thought, but my run about an hour ago was the most pathetic thing ever. Not only did I have no oomph, the gusts would literally stop me in my tracks, and it took at least twice as much energy to move forward. The top gust at 10.30 A.M. was 73mph or something. Nice. Branches and parts of trees were strewn all over roads and trails, trash was scattered everywhere, and some construction site lost a good ton of styrofoam, as it decorated most of my neighborhood this morning. Big cleanup is on the way...

I am trying to find some info on the benefits of running in such a crazy circumstance; there has got to be something good about it. I am spent like I did a track workout after these runs and my hamstrings take days to recover, because apparently my knee lift goes beserk when I go into these headwinds. This must be the winter of wind, instead of snow. I am not sure which I prefer more...

Last Long Run and Chlorine

I did my last loooong run before the marathon today in rather frosty conditions, but am happy that I got it done, because with the weather here, you never know what's coming next and it could always be worse! I didn't think it would be as freezing as it was, but thanks to some fierce winds the real feel air temp was hovering right around 10 degrees. My gloves stayed on the whole time. I divided my run into three parts: run the first 80 mins by myself around my neighborhoods, then meet up with Brandon at his house and run for an hour from there with him (which ended up being the creek path) and then run back to my house and add on if needed.

The hour with Brandon was pretty easy so that I had enough left in the tank to pick it up a bit on the way home, despite nearly freezing my face off. All the ponds and lakes are frozen; people are using them to play ice hockey on (hopefully the ice is thick enough for that) and even my gel I brought along felt like I took it straight out of a freezer when I opened it. But hey, what doesn't kill you, will only make you stronger.

I finished the 3-hr run on a high note and then cooled the legs off in the pool for 30 mins, realizing once again that swimming is my least favorite of the three sports. I mean come on, what is enjoyable about forcing yourself out in temps hovering around 0, while your bathing suit is hardening up from the water (joking) freezing on it, and doing it all in complete darkness with the entire pool to just yourself. My thoughts seem to wander when I do these swims, and I usually end up getting some dumb song stuck in my head, repeating it over and over again, even though I can't stand it.

While we certainly have gotten our share of the frigid, nasty weather lately, the Pacific Northwest seems to have been hit a little harder, whilst less prepared. Apparently, most roads are iced over like skating rinks, with only major highways cleared and accidents just waiting to happen. My family is flying to Germany for the holidays tomorrow and left their house today to be able to make their flight out of SeaTac tomorrow. Hopefully it all goes without incident.

If you're a member of a health club with a locker room, you will probably know what I am talking about when I say locker room gossip. And I mean the kind women talk about. Lets just say that you hear the MOST interesting things come out of people's mouths, it almost feels like confession in there sometimes. Today I "accidentally" (it was loud enough for all to hear) eavesdropped on a woman complaining about the fact that she won't swim because of the chlorine in the pool and of how dry her skin gets afterwards. Ok lady, two things: sorry but you need chlorine in a public pool, otherwise you will not leave healthy after swimming, and second, there is lotion for that dry skin. It's funny how triathletes (and swimmers I guess) actually talk about how much they love the smell of chlorine on theirs and other bodies; and I must confess, smelling of chlorine after a swim is somewhat satisfying, almost like a deep cleanse, or a mark of achievement. I guess this comes to show just how freaky we ueber- endurance athletes appear to the general population.

Yes, it's freezing

note- picture of Antarctica, not Colorado, we don't have penguins here, although right now I think they'd love it.

Just to let the world know that Boulder has not frozen over yet, here is a post. After weeks of unseasonably mild (60s and even 70s) weather, I knew we were doomed for some major changes. Well those arrived this weekend, during Brad and Pete's annual holiday party (more on that in a sec) where it started to snow ever so slightly, increasing to a full-blown storm overnight. We awoke yesterday to temps that hovered around 0-5 degrees F in the morning and warmed up to about 10 maybe? Running in that was bearable, although not recommended for the weak of heart, as it took awhile to warm up. Due to the company I was running with however, opting out was not in the cards. It ended up being a snowy and uncertain adventure out towards the res via Wonderland Lake and Eagle Trail.

Today however was a whole different ball game. I set out for a run at 9 a.m., with my usual cold weather running attire, which really doesn't differ that much from temps ranging in the 30s to teens. I added gloves (fleece lined) and my headband (in hindsight I should have worn a hat on top of it, I know better..) and headed out. It was literally BITTER cold. The always trusty weather.com said at least 5 degrees so it seemed that would be similar to yesterday. 20 mins in my left hand got really cold, as in bitter cold, as in it wouldn't warm up. I tried all the tricks: blowing in my glove(dumb as it just turns the evaporated air to ice), putting my hand into a ball in the glove and covering it with my sleeve. Nothing worked and I just got colder. It started to really bite. I came to my last resort- taking my hand completely out of the glove and shoving it down my pants for a few seconds. That did nothing. Neither did the armpit. My only option was to book it back home. The catch in that however was that when you run harder, more blood rushes FROM your extremities, such as your hands. When I finally got back to my place, both my hands were frozen; I had to run water over them and then wait for the thawing to begin. Scary to say the least. Fortunately I came away unscathed, but refused to go outside the rest of the day. Later on the news I found out that we broke 2 records in less than 12 hours. Yesterday's low and this morning's low, which was freaking 19 below 0, and that's Fahrenheit! So I am going to take a wild guess and say that the temps during my run were around -10 maybe? I passed a guy who was also running, who had a snow mustache. Tomorrow sounds balmy as we are supposed to climb back up in the teens and 20s, woot!

Now back to Saturday night. I ended up yapping away in German for a good part of the ever-entertaining white elephant gift exchange with a certain double Kona winner from Germany. After doing several double takes, I came to the conclusion that it really was him and asked him what he was doing here in Boulder. Seemingly happy that he was able to speak in his native tongue, we talked about our Kona experiences this year (from not enough salt tabs to too many) and accepted white elephant gifts, one a little more risque than the other. After being talked into meeting up the following morning for an "easy" run (it's not that hard to convince me) I called it a night and went home, only to wake up to antarctic-like weather conditions. But I couldn't cancel, from one German to another, when we say to meet, we don't back out. And I did not want to come across a wimp. I survived the run better than expected and apparently even impressed the Norminator with my running "speed". ha. Fun times.

Falling off your bike trainer- talent or stupidity?

I managed to do it again. I did it last winter, although on a different trainer. I fell off the thing in a slow-motion trance. To paint the picture, I was sitting upright, reading Triathlete Mag's Jan issue (the one with my picture in it:-) about Saul Raisin's comeback after a brain injury (which btw is just incredible!); I can't read or focus on small print when I'm on trainer and the mag is sitting on my aerobars- too far away, and just got to the part about his rehabilitation and how he had no sensations in the left side of his body- when it slowly happened. I slowly tilted sideways. But I was so into reading this story and how this guy didn't have great balance, it seemed like I was living the story through him. Ha, CRASH, down I went, one foot still clipped in. I made a soft landing onto the carpet and nearby ottoman chair, but managed to chip some paint off the frame. Just how I do these things I don't know. I have yet to crash (knock on wood) outside, but have so far managed to do it twice inside.

I later realized after a careful inspection that I may have forgotten to tighten the bolts on BOTH sides of the trainer. Who knew these things were this complicated...

Last night we got more snow again, wet snow this time, making things a bit messier than last week. At 4 a.m. I was awakened by the sounds of a snow blower 7 ft below my window. Out of all noises to hear in the middle of the night, this is probably my least favorite. It might as well have been in my bedroom. Not to mention, why in the world would you do this at 4 a.m. while it's still snowing and people are asleep? Use a shovel next time! Earlier in the night I was treated to car alarms going off; why don't people whose car alarms are going off, do something about it??? Are they immune to the sounds and just don't hear them or are they trying to piss everyone else off? Anyways, it was a pretty restless night for sleep.

What follows snow...

...is the big meltdown. The temps have crawled back up in the 40s and 50s and Thursday's snow is rapidly decreasing- yay! I made the smart (or not so smart) choice to run at the res for my long run today, as to avoid any residual icy roads I may otherwise have encountered, had I done my regular LR route through Boulder. I figured that the res roads should be mostly cleared up by now, as the sun has been out for a while.

Well I got to the res and the dirt road was still covered in snow- hard, 'iced over in spots' snow. I know my trusty Adidas Bostons aren't the best for slippery conditions but hoped I wouldn't slide. Turns out the road had a foot wide exposed shoulder of dirt I was able to run on, until I got to 39th Street leading up to Nelson Road. That's where the muddy fun started. I caked myself in a thick layer of it and probably weighed 5 lbs more at the end of the run than when I started out. I had to snap some pics as my collection of grime was too impressive to not show off. Click on image to get all the muddy details.
It even caught the eye of two envious cyclists who were trying to get dirty by riding their cross bikes around the res. One gave me props for getting "dirrty". Um... thanks? All in all, I ran around like that for 22.5mi before I stopped and it all started itching real bad. Maybe I could make it the latest beauty trend? "Mud-caked skin, better than a chemical peel." hahaha.More mud than I ever accumulated throughout all of my XC running years

Say it isn't so...

Well, not quite as bad as my disappearing bug in this picture, but this morning I woke up to winter. Not only did we have a "chance of snow later today", we got about 4 inches overnight. While I do enjoy the whiteness of it all, I am not exactly a fan of it because a) my car drives like absolute crap in snow, I fear for my life every time I strap on the seatbelt, b) snow removal is foreign to Boulder, or at least using alternative means to get rid of the ice and snow on the road is, yes I can understand that salt is bad for the road, cars and environment, but I feel that safety comes first and if you don't have four-wheel drive such as myself, it really sucks! c) all my running routes are altered! Plus no riding outside for sure now! OK, we do live in CO, so it's to be expected, but I thought that just maybe we'd get a little less this year, and later on, it was 70 degrees after all, 2 days ago. Anywho, I guess I should stop complaining since this is a sign that not all is lost in climate change just yet.
Only 6 months till summer!!

In the meantime, it's trainer rides galore, snowy runs with snowstraps on my shoes,and lovely outdoor pool swims under the flakes (which is actually pretty neat once you warm up) Off to start layering up for my run, it takes forever to get out the door in the winter, doesn't it?My slip-proof feet ready to goTo run or not to run?

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So I went for that run, and am happy to report that my ankles and all other body parts are still attached to me and I am in one piece. About 30 seconds after heading out the door I heard the little voice inside my head telling me that this was a dumb idea. Even though I had my "grippers" on my shoes, I still slid into the road as I tried to navigate my way across. The brown slushfest that greeted me there, was even more fun for the cars that slid through it! Hesitant to look as cars were making turns or braking, I half blindly made my way down the street and realized that NoBO must really not be on any snow plow department's list. The roads looked treacherous and the sidewalks were shoveled only where a few kind souls got their own equipment out to clear their driveways/10ft of sidewalk. I trekked through the snow that was over my ankles on the sidewalk and made my way to the Cyclo Cross Course, only to find actual, fresh tire treads! Whaaat? Who would practice their bike in a foot of fresh snow? I guess I am just a wuss! My run proved to be quite a white-out, as I had trouble with depth perception from the icicles covering my eyelashes. My glasses had long given up and fogged up as soon as I brought them near my face. Snow blew left and right and in my face, which I repeatedly wiped in fear of the melted snow freezing to my cheeks and giving me frost bite, eek.Post-run purple lips, and no, it's not a dorky boy scout look Brandon! It's how you stay warm and keep flakes out of your eyes at the same time! (headband and hat!)

I also saw a mom on a bike with a trailer and her little 4 year old son following on his own lil bike. In the snow! In the blizzard! These people must be part Eskimo, I swear! She was even yelling at him because he was pushing his bike through the snow, instead of riding it. I think I will suck it up from now on and ride my bike in the snow! NOT! ha.

I got back home and shoveled a path to my car, in case I drive it at all this week, but the snow kept on falling and has already covered most of it back up. I am freezing to the bone, even after bundling up in a 6ft long scarf (see pic) and drinking hot tea. We are sitting steady at a "balmy" 17 degrees F!Ueber-scarf and still purple lips

Blueseventy Ad

I was informed a few days ago that I am featured in a Kona ad by blueseventy in Inside Tri's January issue, but was unable to see it since the magazine hasn't hit store shelves yet. Jax sent me a snapshot of the ad last night so I could see for myself. It's only about half the ad, as it spreads out over both pages, but it's so cool! They managed to completely capture my terrorized face prior to the swim start. It's a mix between fear, excitement and apathy. The ad is also in Triathlete's January issue I am told.

Running instead of Turkey

I like to celebrate this holiday by doing something that doesn't involve stuffing my face all day- such as running a race! With an abundance of Turkey trots to choose from, it's really hard to resist the urge to race on this day. I picked the CU Turkey Trot in town today, as opposed to bigger "money races" like the Volvo Thanksgiving Day run in Ft. Collins, which would have been an hour away. To win money there, you better be flying, and I don't think I am quite there yet... So off I went to the CU Research Park to run a 5k this morning. Last year I won the race in 18.39, a then PR at altitude. I got to the race site this morning and knew I would have a hard go at defending my title. People like Melody Fairchild (I just realized that this is her, this was a favorite ad of mine in college) and other really fast looking humans showed up. I warmed up for about 25 mins until I could feel my toes (Why do I always get so cold racing on this day? It wasn't even that cold outside, maybe mid to upper 30s?) and then realized it was close to start. I headed for the bushes on the creek path as the toilets had their usual waiting line and then got in line for the gun to go off. Solepepper Sports, run by Alan Culpepper helped put on the race, which further gave me a good chuckle, as former and current Olympians (of different sports) and IM/ ITU champs were mingling among the masses, hardly being noticed. Only in Boulder! Brandon and family came out to cheer and I reminded myself I should probably try my best to give them a reason to cheer for me out there!

The gun went off and I never looked at my watch to see what I came thru the first mile in. I am guessing it was around 5.30 as I died a slow death in the second mile, when eventual first place winner passed me and never looked back. The lady at the marker yelled out 11.32. Whoops, 6 min second mile? (I should really try to take it out a bit more conservative, I tend to forget how much altitude racing hurts in a 5k...) Cramps started setting in and on top of it a 10 year old boy, barely up to my shoulder, and maybe 60 lbs tops, passed me (he went on to run an 18.06!!) and my ego was stripped of any pride it had going into the race. I wasn't feeling springy like I had hoped and felt more and more girls creeping up behind me. I finished just a second faster than at the Rez two weeks ago, although I thought this course would be much faster. My friend Morgan came in third and did so with having to stop for an untied shoelace mid-race! The winner was in a league of her own, putting a good 15 secs on me in the end, and doing so at almost twice my age! Very impressive!

Overall, 1000 or more ran/walked, pushing strollers and walking dogs (which I am not a big fan of in races, especially when you are doing two loops of the course, it can get congested at the least), starting their day of feasting off right. I am glad I didn't have to slave over a turkey. Instead I made a much more animal-friendly ginger bread house last night. It's only a matter of days until I can't restrain myself any longer and eat it all!
From now going forward, I am in marathon mode. No more lung-busting 5ks, tempo runs yes, but none of this 5.30 pace stuff. My goal per mile for January is a bit slower than that! I came across this ad, the latest creation by Nike for their Air Pegasus (the only Nike shoe I actually run in), and it hits home (as most of their ads do), especially for all the lonely run days still to come. The parentheses is my mind talking back:

You pretended the snooze button didn't exist.(true) You dragged your butt out of bed while others slept.(usually always) While others ate their pancakes. You had a feast of protein, glucose and electrolytes.(uh huh) You double-knotted.( the only way to race safe!) You left the porch light on and locked the door behind you. You ran. 5ks, 10ks, 26.2 miles.(amen) Some days more, some days less. You rewarded a long run with a short run. And a short run with a long run.(pretty much) Rain tried to slow you. Sun tried to microwave you.(hell yes) Snow made you feel like a warrior. You cramped.(yes) you bonked.(ditto) You paid no mind to comfort. On weekends. On holidays.(for sure) You made excuses to keep going. Questioned yourself.(some days more than others)Played mind games. Put your heart before your knees.(only on uphills?!) Listened to your breathing. Sweat sunscreen into your eyes. Worked on your farmer's tan.(more like swimsuit lines for life) You hit the wall. (perhaps) You went through it. (hello Kona) You decided to be a man about it. You decided to be a woman about it. (hehe) Finished what you started. Proved what you were made of. (tough cookie!) Just kept putting mile after mile on your internal odometer...(that's what it feels like, yes) For 25 years, you ran.(only 11 for me so far) And we ran with you.(a few times) How much farther will we go? As far as you will.

Here is the link if you want to check it out online: Nike 25 Ad

Give thanks to your health, happiness, family and friends today. I am.

Not a good weekend to ride for weak stomachs/ animal lovers

So, since the weather was so nice this weekend (it hasn't disappointed all fall actually) and my body refuses to stay inside on days like this, I opted to ride both days this weekend, each one memorable in its own right. Yesterday started off harmless, I decided it would be a nice day for some climbing so up towards Jamestown I headed. Right past the first turnoff at Old Stage Road, I noticed something in the road: A dog. Silly boy was zigzagging all over both lanes, in a winding canyon! Saying his last prayers for him in my head, I got off my bike and tried to lure him over to the shoulder of the road. It headed in my direction, but then decided otherwise and turned back around, crossing the road and weaving in and out of oncoming traffic. I also had noted THREE plastic collars around his neck, one with what resembled an antenna- wtf? The poor thing looked like it hadn't eaten in weeks and it was just so lost it seemed. I followed him on my side of the road for a good 1/4 mi until a car stopped and asked if he was my dog... We had a brief conversation about his freakishly looking collars and then the guy decided to sack puppy in his car, which I was glad about- out of harm's way, but then said that he would just drop him off at his buddy's backyard, who lived up in Jamestown. Um, what if the dog wasn't even from up there? I told him to call Animal Control, it would be the best thing, but I am not sure he ever did. He closed the hatch in the back, and off they were.

I have no idea whatever happened to that poor dog, I hope he got some help, and someone cut those things off his neck, I mean he looked like he was being remote- controlled. Ugh, weirdness...

Today, I get 5 mins into my ride before I slow down for police and ambulances right out on 36 past Broadway. Assuming a "typical" (sad but true) crash, I was amazed to see a huge dog (Think Harry Potter) wrapped in a blankie with one of his legs bandaged, surrounded by people and a small pool of blood, along with a trail of bloody paw prints. I tried to make sense of this and thought that the poor thing somehow escaped from somewhere and then got hit. Then I noticed that the bloody paw prints continued on for another 2 miles or so! That's where more police and ambulances and a firetruck were parked. It dawned on me that the car I see in the ditch there (completely totalled, on its head) probably had the pup inside and when it crashed, he somehow escaped, but shocked, ran into traffic, maybe got hurt that way, or was already wounded from the crash but escaped. Either way, it was so incredibly sad, I wanted to turn around and go back home right then and there.

Car crashes are the worst, and I hate riding past the carnage, it spooks me out and makes me incredibly sad. I don't know what the cause of the crash was, and I don't know for sure the dog was connected, but it's a pretty safe bet. We will probably get to read about it in tomorrow's Daily Camera. As for my ride, it turned sour rather quickly, once I turned onto 75th heading out towards Carter. The winds were incredible and I was barely moving forward. Not yet ready to tackle Kona-like conditions again, I made the choice to turn around and head back home, avoiding the crash sites and taking 75th back to the Diagonal. When I passed the crash sites, my worst fear was cyclists being involved, it probably would have scared me out of riding again the rest of the year. I wish we didn't have to fear for our lives each time we step out for a ride, but it is always at the forefront of my mind, and even when I ride all the way to the right of the shoulder, some idiot driver still manages to come too close and scare the hell out of me. Please, the road does not belong to just cars or bikes)- let's put road rage aside and share the lane, it is not worth it ending up in the ambulance or even worse.

Ride safe and please watch for stray pets- their owners are looking for them and want them back home, so please call your nearest Animal Control or Humane Society, or if you don't have the numbers, just dial 911. My heart just breaks when I see these things. I would expect the same from someone if they saw my pet lost outside.

Panicking Poultry

Ha, that name cracks me up. Gobble, gobble. This morning I participated in the 7th annual Panicking Poultry 5k at the Boulder Res. Conditions were near perfect with mild temps and NO winds! I jogged a nice 30min warm-up accompanied by all sorts of weird aches and pains that I'll attribute to me wearing lightweight trainers for the first time since summer (and boy did it feel weird) and laughed at the absurdity of running a 5k as a first race back after an IM, and how the start of this race (9.30 AM) seemed so late to all other events at the Res, and how I wouldn't have to crawl into a wetsuit for once before race start! But once I toed the line I knew I would just try to run the best race I could, as several huge talents (runners) were lined up next to me.

My first mile was crowded, people everywhere. It almost felt like a swim start! Once we passed the 1-mile marker (in under 5:40- whoops) things stringed out a bit and pain settled in. Mostly into my lungs. I think the last time I ran this hard was at last year's CU Turkey Trot. After the turnaround, I saw a few girls behind me, with the first place girl way up ahead. Since she was the 5th finisher at the Olympic Trials marathon last April, I realized it would be impossible to catch her unless I rode a bike. I tried to keep my form fluid as best as I could, although the lactic acid wanted me to seize up. With half a mile to go I heard people telling me that I had second place but the girl behind me was gaining... Well, I couldn't let myself get beat right before the finish so I gave it all I had, and nearly ( as I usually do after a 5k- it's embarrassing really) collapsed. It hurt sooo bad, but so good! I ended up second place, over 80 secs back of first, but with a new altitude 5k PR, and all that after a race that took me over 11 hours to finish just 5 weeks ago! This was such a nice change, can't wait to do it again! Congrats to everyone else who raced today, over 900 people total!

Why Do We Race?

I have asked myself that question alot over the past season, especially towards the end, towards my first Ironman. Why on earth do people do races like that? And I still haven't quite figured it out, but I think it has to do alot with our sense of self- fullfillment and proving to ourselves how tough we really are. And sometimes we probably compete with others as well. I can't imagine a life without racing right now, I would feel a huge void without that sense of accomplishment. Is it bad or good? I think it's healthy, as long as you keep a balance. Everyone has at least a little bit of a competitor in them, some more than others. Those are probably the people who revel in sports, especially endurance events such as running and triathlon.

I guess it all started in high school senior year that I discovered racing and competing. Up to that point I was a swimmer, participating in races but not really caring all that much. My senior year I was introduced to running and after I proved myself to the XC team by leading most races for the team, I thought that maybe racing could be fun. I loved competing in XC, the purity of it, running through woods, unexplored terrain and redlining it most of the way. It was the only way I knew how to race. I went on to run track and was told by one of the coaches that I should give it a try in college. That part is covered in my previous post, and it taught me alot about myself, tactics in racing and how it all relates to life in the end.

Needing to feed the hunger for speed and accomplishment led to me joining a running team out of college, chasing my marathon dreams. But it was the small races I really loved. The 5ks and 10ks on a Sunday morning, where everything just clicked and I felt smooth as butter and everything felt effortless like I was floating. Those were the times I set most of my PRs that I am still trying to break now, 5 years later. But I think it was the feeling of effortlessness, lightness and personal pride that keeps me coming back to racing those small town events. After having now raced some of the longest events in endurance sports, a 5k is such a welcome relief to just let it all hang out and gut it out, wire to wire. Nothing like being in complete O2 debt for 3 miles. It hurts so bad, but it feels so good! All the more so up here at 5400ft.

So back to the original question, I guess racing just lets us feel like a child again, free and with possibilities and goals as wide as the horizon. Each time we toe that line, on land or in water, or even on a bike, we have a chance to do something special. For a moment we forget all the pain we put ourselves through to be successful, to get that new PR, and as the gun goes off, our chances are 100% to have the best race we can have.

So after all this rambling, I guess I am just really excited to do a 5K this Sunday, without any taper, equipment to worry about or other factors that so often let doubt creep into my mind in triathlon racing. This is pure sport and I can't wait!

The Marathon

Inspiration

I have decided I need a goal over the winter to keep from getting fat. I have decided to revisit the event that turned me towards triathlon two years ago. I am going to run another marathon this winter!

After 6 marathons that had me training myself literally into the ground, with times going up instead of down, and injuries reaching an all-time high, I put an end to the sky-high mileage three years ago after running yet another disappointing race. The next summer I was wetting my feet in my new sport, still running, but less, and cross training as a means of training for the other two, which as it turns out, actually has kept me mostly injury-free.

Marathoning was a natural progression for me post-college, and wanting to try something new and "outrageous" (when distance running means 3-10k prior) I signed up for the NYC marathon lottery and was accepted my first time around! I was so giddy when I found out, I dedicated the entire summer (sound familiar?) and half of fall to running, with no specific goal in mind, other than to finish. Ok, well I think I thought that 3:20-30 was manageable. I was doing workouts my college coach gave me, and she thought I could go 3:15 or under. Come race day, I pulled a 2:56 to the surprise of everyone, including myself. And the best part was that it felt easy, and after crossing the finish line, I felt like I could have gone another 5 miles!

At the time the Olympic Trials B qualifier was 2:48, something I thought was totally in reach. I trained like a horse, with triple digit mileage over the next year and hopped into the Chicago marathon in hopes of breaking 2:50. Not so much. I ended up running 3:01 on a somewhat warm day. Already signed up for NY again that year, I ran that marathon only 3 weeks after Chicago, with 'just running to enjoy it' attitude. After my disappointing run at Chicago, I wanted to run just to enjoy the moment, and besides, NYC was my favorite race venue. I jogged a 3:05 and raised some eyebrows for running so soon after another marathon. That year I qualified for Boston and toed the starting line there in April 2004. It was the second hottest day in race history, actually prompting the RD to finally move the start time back to earlier in the morning, instead of noon. I managed a 3:20 in upper 80s, after training in close to 0 degrees all winter. Heat exhaustion was just the beginning. I ended up in triage, sipping on chicken broth after an already 'hot as can be' run, and felt miserable. At this point, it seemed like my goal had slipped away for good. Clearly, the 2004 trials were out of the question.

IN 2005 I ran the Vancouver marathon in May with my mom and finished 7th overall ( I think) and 1st in my AG in 3:03 (I think) Again, just over 3 hours, and feeling slightly annoyed. That fall would be my last shot at the distance, at the Twin Cities Marathon, on a warmer than average day (notice a trend?) and once again, I disappointed in a 3:07. I had a reality check after this one, and decided my body needed a break from the pounding and the high mileage, and so started my current love, Triathlon.

I am really excited to train for a marathon again, especially now in the off season,
where I don't really need to worry about getting enough time on the bike or in the pool in. I can focus on my running and recovery and chasing that goal that has eluded me since 2003. In 2009 I will be wiser, have oodles more endurance, experience, cross training and miles in me, than I did back then. I shall make my return to the long distance running scene on January 18th with the Rock 'n Roll Arizona Marathon, and hope to finally set a new PR. It seems that half of Boulder will be there as well, it should be a good time!

Oh, and not to bring it up AGAIN (ha), but today is the 1 month anniversary (exact date) of me finishing my first Ironman and so I went for a bike ride this afternoon only to be reminded of the dark 6 hours I endured on the Queen K last month. It was windy, with enough cross winds to keep me on edge...

Happy (dark and cold) training!

Paula Inspires and Training Resolutions for Winter

It's events like this that get me all fired up to start running seriously again, well, as in turning in some good splits in running races. This morning was the ING NYC Marathon and although I couldn't be there again this year, I followed the race online and had massive flashbacks from the years I ran the marathon. There is nothing like coming into Central Park with 3 miles to go and having people cheer for you 5 deep on each side of the road to the finish. Imagine Ali'i Drive, only 2.5mi longer. The race reminded me alot of the 2002 one, my first, as the weather looked crystal clear but crisp, as many runners wore arm warmers and gloves. I had my best marathon in that weather, and watching the race on my computer this morning sure had me wishing I was there.

Paula won in a convincing fashion and after her horrible and devastating run at the Olympics this past sumer, I was so happy for her. She deserved a good race! What's almost more impressive was third place Kara Goucher, a CU Grad, who was running her debut and she was only 9 secs behind second place. To think that only 4 years ago we were supposed to hook up for some runs while she was still living in Boulder, and she emailed me saying she was only up to 45 mins a day and wasn't sure if she could keep up with me. Ha, after Beijing and now this, I think she would dust me after her warmup.

I can't wait to feel faster again on my runs and in races. I want to dedicate part of this winter to becoming a speedier runner again. Triathlon kind of makes you forget what it's like to run on fresh legs and the thrills a fast pace brings. I want to go back to the days where 6:45pace for 26 miles felt easy and I know I can go faster than that. The tricky part will be steering clear of injuries as they like to creep up when I increase my speed sessions. It will be interesting to see what kind of fresh marathon I can produce after taking almost 4 years off from racing that distance. I now have sooo much more endurance from Ironman training, so being on my feet for 3 hours or less should be a breeze! Ofcourse the pain will be there, it will be different pain, but it will hurt nonetheless.

I will complement my running with trying to get my swim up to speed as well, so I can hold my own in the water next year. Then there is also the bike that needs some work, sweaty trainer sessions are on the agenda as well. Well, I have my work cut out for me. Happy off season training and enjoy the rest of fall!

Final Post-Kona Thoughts And Other Stuff

Well, it's almost been three weeks and I have definitely had enough time to reflect on my race and learn from it. Although I had a time goal in mind originally (which I missed by oh, almost an hour) I managed to throw it out the window and still stay in the game mentally and physically after visiting the devil in hell for a brief hour or so when I first started my run. So, even though it wasn't the race I had hoped for, I did accomplish to finish, not quit, not to surcome to the pain and suffering, and for that I am a stronger person.

There were a few little things I should have paid better attention to before the race, such as how my bike would feel after reassembling it out of the box. Things did feel slightly off during the race, but I was way more focused on not falling off my bike than to realize that my seat was too low and too far back and my aerobars were too far forward. My one and only 40min test ride before the race failed to inform me of these things. It has taken me a few rides since the race to dial everything back in to where I feel really comfortable. Oh well, learn for next time. Otherwise, I think my nutrition was OK, although I don't advise meal replacement drinks in hot weather. I am amazed that the Ensure didn't make me puke. Will probably suck it up next time and eat solid food, unless it's a COLD race where my drinks don't heat up.

I have been easing back into training with some easy, short rides, runs and even the occasional swim. But since I don't need to swim right now, I haven't exceeded 2k most days. Ha. I am really enjoying this fall running weather and just love going out and running for fun, and seeing all sorts of wildlife and such since I am actually paying attention now, instead of trudging along half dead from training. Case in point, the other morning I went out for my usual morning run around the Wonderland Lake trails and was treated to one of nature's wonders. Well, I actually thought I was about to witness some gruesome animal brutality as a coyote was making his way over to a herd of 6 or 7 deer grazing up in the foothills. I was yelling at the deer to get moving (in my head) and realized I might be about to see some rather graphic display of mother nature. Low and behold, as the coyote nears the deer, they start charging towards him, chasing him up the mountain. I was so proud of them for bullying him away! I guess their superiority was in their numbers. 7 against 1.

Tomorrow is Halloween, and I am looking forward to a get together with friends around town. I am still due for a blowout celebration after Kona, ha! My costume does not involve spending a dime, so I will need to raid my closet to find something to be creative with. I'll have pics!

Not this year (again)

Well, after some contemplation and painful reconsideration, I have decided to give up my spot to run this year's NYC Marathon. This marks the second year in a row that I have signed up for the race and not competed. Last year I was going to race with my mom but she didn't qualify, and this year she did so we were going to run for sure, but then a little thing called Kona jumped into the equation, and most financial resources as well as physical were spent on that journey. My mom gave up her spot this year to come see me race in Kona, something only a mother would do! :-)

I seriously wanted to race NY, even three weeks after Kona, and I think I could have done it, but at last I could not afford another trip, so it's going to have to wait another year. I sincerely love the NYC Marathon, I have done it twice, but it has been too long, and I wish I could be there on Nov. 2nd. However, I know that I am also doing my body a favor in letting it rest for a bit, while I regain my power for next season. I am very excited about what is in store for me and I cannot wait until the next 4 months are over! Hopefully we are in for a mild winter, but probably not. It's CO after all!

It's funny now...

but it wasn't then... Here's some video about 2 hours or so after I finished. Notice the close proximity of the finish line.

Some Race Photos

Agony, Fear, Desperation and Bliss. Enjoy...

Time off and feeling nauseaous still

Going on day number two with post race soreness. I am coming to grips with the fact that I finished an IM. As they said last night at the awards dinner, which btw was rained out halfway through, it doesn't matter what time you did it in, you finished this race and that makes you an Ironman (Ironwoman). Although I had many ups and downs I stuck it out and finished, as did so many others out there. I went from terror and fear on the bike to utter despair and pain on the run (actually just the first 10mi until I left town and decided to give it another go) Then I went numb and ran the last 16mi on pure will power to get to that finish line and complete this day, no matter what my time would be. My goals for a time had gone out the window about 30mi into the ride when the crosswinds said hello. I am grateful that I didn't fall off my bike, as I was close to it a few times. I am grateful I felt good on the run for the most part, after regaining my composure, and although I had a hard time keeping up nutrition in the heat on the bike I diligently popped my salt pills which I credit with getting me through the day and not having me cramp up for the most part. Mme Pele has my utmost respect and I know she was out there giving us hell on Saturday as the temps were the hottest they had been all week and the winds were the strongest.

My legs are still broken and last night was hard to sleep as they were trembling in an effort to heal. I twitched all night long and woke up feeling no better than yesterday. I still experience bouts of nausea as I try to get food down only to feel sick after doing so. Today is a tourist day as we rented a car to go explore the island. I'll post more pics soon.

Funny thing is, although I swore off any other IM in my future as I was torturing my body throughout the day, I quickly changed my mind just a few hours after I finished and realized that this is a challenge I want to conquer. Starting off with the toughest of all will only make other IM races seem "easier" and my search has begun in finding one! I am looking at Coeur D'Alene as well as Roth, Germany! Would love to race on my home turf some day!

Quick post race update.. bc there is nothing else I can do when I can't move...

I am back at my hotel room, feeling a little less nauseaous after having a cup o noodle that took a good hour to eat. I am not sure if I can move my legs to walk back out to the finish line to cheer the final finishers on, there are 2 hours left, I'll have to force myself. I have never ever been this sore in my life.. especially not immediately after a race. An icebath would be good, but there weren't any offered, um ok.

My day did not go as planned obviously. I hit my swim goal time right on, which was nice because I felt super slow out there and people were swimming over and into the me the entire time. The bike is where things went downhill. As soon as we exited town, the winds picked up and the rest of the bike was a struggle to stay in my seat and to get back to transition. People have said that the winds today were some of the worst Hawaii has to offer, glad I got to experience the whole thing.. I had about 15 salt tabs on the bike and could not really ingest my Ensure, as I kept burping and it came up. I forced some food down, but not enough. I was so cramped up on that bike, trying not to fall off, it was pure hell! I think we had headwinds for 60 miles and cross winds for about 30. My arms are sooo tired I can't touch them. I barely rode in aero in fear of falling off my bike. I swerved into the traffic lane several times. The winds were like Boulder winds at their worst, for 100mi... Got into T2 totally spent and thinking about quitting. Yes I seriously didn't think I could go on. Dragged myself out of transition and shuffled on. After about 1/2 mi I started walking. I continued to shuffle/ walk for the next 8-0 mi through town. When I saw my family I cried because I didn't think I could finish and I wanted the pain to stop. I thought about having to walk the marathon and that I would finish in 13 hours at best. Once I got out of town for some reason I got a second wind and I hooked up with 2 girls, one of them Tracy who I race against in Boulder, and so we all shuffled on and I didn't walk the rest of the race. Although we were going super slow we were still passing people and that kept me going. The last 4 mi of the run were the longest ever and that downhill into town pretty much tore my quads right open. Not sure how I will move tomorrow.

Well, I am going to try and get out, the winners are out there too. Wow is all I can say, that Chrissie is something else. Really happy Crowie won too! Congrats to everyone I know who raced today. This ironman was a monster and I will need a few days to digest and recover. My throat is sore from the salt this morning on the swim!

Tanks again for rooting for me, I wish I could have a better result, but it's my first IM, and probably one of the hardest ones I'll do.. For now I might just stick to 70.3...

The day before the DAY

Quick post as I prepare for tomorrow. All that's left to do is check in my bike in later this afternoon, along with my gear bags. I'll probably be checking those another 5 times before I turn them in...

Yesterday I went for a quick ride on the Queen K and noticed that no car looks to their right before turning. I almost got run over 3x while trying to make a turn and a car cut me off. I got some ART done today on a rib that got jammed during my massage two days ago and was causing me some major discomfort on the run. Brock helped save my race by doing a simple adjustment, now I am pretty much worry free. He even made me sign a poster for his office, my first autograph signing! :-)It also appears that most people are finally taking a day of rest after running around like mice in a wheel since I got here. I am counting on my over rest to pay off tomorrow! I feel about as hard as a marshmallow right now, haha.

I also just did my last mini swim and was treated to a sea turtle sighting as I exited the water, wow! The turtle looked older than half the competitors. Upon entering the water I found myself standing right next to Natasha as she was chatting with some fans. If I didn't have such a keen eye for "celebs" I would have never noticed her, she is super down to Earth and very soft spoken, not to mention tiny! I hope she has a successful day tomorrow!

I'll post some quick pics of the sights outside the hotel, as well as in the room. I shall return sometime later to give a full report of my day tomorrow!

messy room
view of the swim course from hotel restaurant
the finish being set up- heart is beating fast...
turtle!

My 100th post- Aloha!

What could be more fitting for my 100th post than a '1st day in Kona' update!? We arrived late last night after a rather adventurous trip to the Big Island. Let's start at the beginning. The first flight from Denver to Seattle was rather uneventful until a lady who was in line to use the bathroom, fainted and everyone around her started yelling "hey, hey" in unison as if that would bring her back. It ended up being nothing serious and a little drink and oxygen helped her back on her feet. Blood pressure rose for sure for a while but otherwise things were going smoothly. Once in Seattle we met up with my sister who informed me that our flight to Maui was delayed by 2 hours. Awesome. We finally boarded the plane when it sunk in: I had no real food in me and the flight would last around 6 hours. Um, yeah, not really the time for a diet I know. I refused to pay for a meal on the plane so I stuffed myself with tomato juice, which also served as a healthy helping of sodium. Once in Maui we had to get off the plane, just to get back on half an hour later, for our connecting light to Kona. 30 mins later we were finally here, whew. One thing I found of note was a family of 7 traveling behind me, with 5 kids under age 5.... Wow! Lets just say I tried to keep the headphones on for most of the trip. 4 boys and a 5mo-old girl, my hats off to the parents. They had been traveling from the East Coast and probably spent close to 24 hours on the trip over. Dedication!

Since it was 10.30 at night, nothing was open so we all went to bed hungry. Oh well. The morning started early with a run down Ali'i Drive- and wow, what a show that was! Tons and tons of athletes running or biking along, some at 5min pace and some at 10, but all determined. I kept my pace honest and was delighted by the abundance of oxygen, sometimes heavy to take-ha... The air is thick as expected, no dry mouth during workouts here, but the air is also thick from the vog, which has been abundant this year due to some Volcanic activity on the island. After my 40 min run I resembled a swimmer more than a runner, but it felt good! I am looking at the race as a looong cleanse! haha. All in all, it never got that "hot" today, clouds and vog cover kept the temps in the low 80s.

After the run it was time for some overpriced food and drink and Lava Java, where every other person just happened to be a current or former world champ, runner up, or other public known athlete. Wow! Fuelbelt had a super sweet deal and was giving away free belts to racers. I got a pink one, yay!

The race expo was interesting, it featured some Endless pools to try out, some famous triathletes talking (no one was even paying attention, jk) and bike envy everywhere you looked. We also ventured off to Safeway, Wal-mart and a sub place to get some grub, I don't think I have walked this much in a while. But I am ready to go, just need to attend the meeting tomorrow.

Tonight I tried out my swim skin and had my first ocean swim experience. And you know what, it wasn't bad. I think I might have a slight fear of some water creatures lurking in the dark, deep waters, but I made it out to the 5th buoy and then back to shore in about 20 mins. The current was a bit choppy coming back as I put more effort into it and ended up even splitting. Tomorrow I will swim in the morning and see what the current is like then. The fish I saw under water were amazing and it felt like I was swimming in a giant aquarium. Wish I had an underwater camera to take some pics.

Well, that is all for now. I am off for a massage and dinner, and feel ready to explode with pre race energy. Thanks to everyone for the well wishes. I appreciate every singe one of them! :-) Pics to follow soon. I forgot to take some today, was too intrigued to take any- oops.

The Countdown Has Begun

Well, it's here, I can't believe it. I leave for Kona tomorrow morning and I think until I get there I will still be in slight denial. In denial that I will do 140.6mi in water and on land in about 5 days! I have tapered to the best of my abilities, hopefully not too much, as my daily workout time has been cut in half at least over the past few days. I hope my body remembers how to ride 112mi and then with some Island magic, run 26.2.

I am almost packed, the bike is ready to go, I am constantly eating (nerves, body storing up for Saturday- I hope..) and getting pretty excited. If I manage to stay within myself during race week, I think I'll be alright. It is easy to get overly excited and do something stupid.. such as going for a bike ride just a little too long or a run just a little too hard. Most of all, I will make friends with the ocean. I have never swum in ocean water (unless we count playing around as a kid) and much less worn a swimskin doing it. My swimskin is arriving belated when I get to Kona- I hope it will fit! I heard the winds were kinda bad this week, well I can only hope for the best, and if it does get windy like it's said to get, then I will just need to be tougher.

I'll try and post some pics as I get into town, although it might be sparse, due to limited internet access. I am in for an adventure, and I can't wait!
www.ironmanlive.com will have race updates on Saturday throughout the day. Kona, race number 1733 is on her way!

Rest is (probably) Best

I am trying really hard not to let the nerves get the better of me and I have even quelled a sudden urgency to go for a swim on a sunday night and have sat right back down on my couch after the voice inside my head yelled at me that now is the TIME TO REST UP! Contrary to popular belief, it's quite hard to hit the taper right, and it's probably harder than the actual training, because once we pull back we start to wonder how much fitness we are going to lose by doing less, and how yucky we'll feel from doing so. Well, this past week has been a roller coaster ride with holding back, feeling like crap and reminding myself that this is normal. Hmmm, another week of this is about all I'll be able to handle. Then after that, I don't plan on sleeping much, especially once on the island. Everything will be real!

With all this extra time and energy, I have dedicated myself to a different hobby, something pretty new, but since I have the supplies I might as well make use of them. I painted a picture. It was inspired by one of many countless rides up Lefthand. Last week I saw a little leaf twisting and turning in the air next to me as I was riding uphill. And it looked so pretty doing its little ballet in the air, under a crystal blue sky. I decided to paint a few and name the painting "Leaf Sequence".
Also, this was pretty impressive last night on SNL, and no I don't mean the Sarah P.(Her last name shall not be spelled out on this page) skits. This brought out the LOL's for sure, especially since I feel like this about IM right now... Watch:

I wish fall could last forever btw. However soon all leaves will be off the trees and the warm temps will be replaced with chilly weather and the dreaded dark swims and cold bike rides will commence. And then the snow will fall. I might have to move...

Boulder Half Marathon

I decided on a whim saturday night to run the half marathon yesterday morning, as a supported training run with aid stations and company of 1500 other runners. The plan was to run a little before and after to get a total of 20 mi or so for my last big run before Kona. And what better way to split up boredom than to throw a half marathon in
the middle?

Packing for the race felt really odd. I had almost nothing in my bag, no equipment at all. I was done in 5 minutes! Race morning I made my way to the rez super early (well, 7 a.m. but it feels early now with the sun just rising) and had flashbacks of the tris from the summer, with cars piling up all the way up 51st to Jay Road. Luckily I was on bike and passed everyone. The weather was splendid crisp and overcast, perfect for distance running (not so much for Kona training) Ran an easy 30 mins upon arrival and had just enough time to scout out the bushes for number 1s, as every one of the porta potties had a line of about 20 waiting in front of them. (this always puzzles me and makes me wonder if these people will actually make the race start)

I lined myself up towards the middle of the front, off to the side, and really looked forward to running on my training grounds. I wore my trainers to remind me I was not racing, should the urge set in. The gun went off and I found myself running right next to Desiree who seemed to use the race for the same reason as me. There was only one girl ahead of us, along with maybe 10 guys. For a race of over 1500, I was rather surprised to find myself running that far up ahead.

Keeping the pace controlled and working on turnover, I started to feel really good at around mi 3 and decided to go with the flow. I would stay about 1/2mi back of the first girl, but kept my place throughout the race. After the turnaround I was cheered by everyone who was still headed out, which really made it a fun run. Ofcourse there was the guy who didn't want to get chicked and would not let me pass him. Instead of wasting energy to ask him what his deal was, I tucked in behind him and held out until the road cleared a bit and then made my pass. He did not pass me back.
I cruised into second place overall and noticed that I didn't fall over, needing assistance, like I do when I finish triathlons. I think tri training really makes you tough, and makes running seem easy in comparison. The run went just as planned, smooth and controlled, although I was told at the finish by Desiree to make sure I rest and recover as this race counts as a serious session, especially at altitude. From now until race day, sleep and recovery will take precedence over actual training.

the finish

Things that signal full blown IM training

I have slowly come to notice some subtle changes that have taken place within me and around me, all due to a little thing called Ironman Training. Since this is all new to me, and the longest event I ever trained for up to now were marathons (well, halves I guess but they only involve 90 min long runs and 3-3.5hr bike rides for me, as opposed to 2-3hr runs and 6hr rides) Here's a list of these "things" I am experiencing. In no particular order:

You know you're really training for an IM (especially your first) when:

1) 15mi at 7:10 pace feels "easy and relaxed", not to mention "short". And 25mi don't faze you either, heck a training marathon feels doable any day of the week.

2) same for rides, anything under 3 hours "doesn't even really count".

3) Swimming 5k in the pool definitely takes some getting used to, but once you're there, you might as well keep going and keep tacking on 1000's- if only I wasn't so slow and it wouldn't take up half my day...

4) You don't feel like you have done any kind of workout if the total time doesn't exceed at least 3 hours.

5) Your clothes start to fit a little more loosely, and you are finding it hard to find a pair of jeans that don't need a belt.

6) You eat a ton, and you still manage to drop some pounds.

7) You find yourself obsessing about D-day every day.

8) You get uneasy as the temps get cooler, even though you had wished for this to happen all summer long- now all of a sudden you would love to drip, drip along on your runs and rides.

9) Chamois cream becomes a must before EVERY ride.

10) Your sink is cluttered with more water bottles than dirty dishes.

11) If it wasn't already, coffee has now become a part of your staple diet, and you crave it first thing every morning before you can do anything else- kind of like engine oil for your motor.

12) And speaking of beverages, you as a self proclaimed health freak, have developed a deep craving for soda, especially Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, and on occasion Sprite- nothing quite like it when you take that first sip!

13) You eat alot more pizza than you ever anticipated since it was in your "bad food category".

14) You freak out at every little sign of minor aches and pains, as these could foreshadow injuries.

15) You don't go out. Ever.

16) Keeping the house clean becomes a monumental task, even when broken down into smaller chores.

17) Sometimes you wonder if IM training eats your brain as you seem to be able to focus on almost nothing as you stare into space on your couch after your workouts.

18) Your family thinks you're nuts for training as much as you do.

19) You think there is absolutely nothing wrong with it and feel like you could always do just a little more. In fact, you wonder if 7 hr rides are better than 6 hr rides.

20) You constantly struggle with the thought of finishing 140.6 miles and go from excited to nervous to disbelief to doubt to absolute confidence and pride and back again.

Whew, well I am ready for my taper, I can tell my body is too. Bring it! Less than a month to go!

Something to think about on a rainy day

I am procrastinating getting out the door for training, since it's not pretty out there, and if anyone else feels the same way, here is a link to check out, to procrastinate a little further. In the wise words of Letterman, "Yes, we are screwed!"
And yet, there are people out there who believe that Global Warming doesn't exist, won't affect them or is just an excuse for political parties to stir up debates. But I don't want to get all political on here, this is a tri-blog after all...

Check out the link below for a surprisingly opinionated Dave Letterman piece on Global Warming: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/09/david-lettermans-global-w_n_125090.html

It's Getting Serious

Well, after taking yesterday 'off' to balance my life with some culture in Denver, I got back with a vengeance today. I felt refreshed and good after a 10 hr sleep, which is supposedly how much I should get every night during intense training-ha, and set out to try and ride the IM distance today. It would be a good day to do so because the "Ride the Buffalo" Cycling Classic was also going on, in the same direction I was headed. Pretty much all day. Yay, company! Although the century riders started their trip at 7 a.m. and I started mine after 10, I found some stragglers to keep me company for most of my ride. Weather was flawless, but a bit cool for my upcoming race conditions. I guess Sauna workouts are up next.

I am not sure where I rode to, but I stopped after I was going uphill at 6mph for oh, a good 20 mins? Dropped trou at the top of the hill to do a #1, and sure enough, a motor cycle comes zooming by. Luckily I think they were too fast to see my exposed, white moon. Today also marked the day I would try to 'simulate' race day, by wearing the suit I plan(ned) on wearing, as well as the nutrition I'd be using. Wearing a bathing suit under bike shorts can be risky, due to the uncomfortable rubbing factor, but less than 2 hours into my ride, I seemed to have gone numb anyway, so that solved that issue. My other task today was to stay on top of my nutrition. I packed 2 Ensures into a water bottle, had one Gatorade, one Coke and one Water Bottle, as well as a granola Bar, Clif Bar, Clif Bloks, and a gel. Doing the math, this amounted to about 1000 cals if all eaten.

I LOVED the Ensure! It worked so well, and I wasn't turned off, not at mi 50, not at mi 90. Yay, I found nutrition that might just work for me! I didn't touch the gel, and only had half a clifbar, but the rest I ate, and drank! Small Success on the "I usually feel like shit after a long ride" front. I got off my bike after 115 miles, feeling downright GOOD! Back to that in a bit.

I turned around at 50 miles, atop of that hill where I mooned the motorist, turned back around to ride past Masonville (people there HATE cyclists, wonder how they felt about the 1000s riding through today) and Carter Lake, into familiar territory. On the way I passed more cyclists who were also making their way back, put some in place as they tried to race me (come on now... you obviously did not ride hard enough if your testosterone is still kicking) and ended up at 28th and Jay at 92 miles. Damn! I passed my house and rode back up 28th, down 36 to Lefthand. The miles ticked by very slowly as I rode up to the turn-off for Ward. The whole time I was feeling pretty good, not like my usual trance-state-like self at around 100 miles.

I zoomed back down Lefthand, and then got a reality check. A little bee flew right into my jersey top, into the bathing suit! I could feel it walking on my skin! Immediately came to a stop as if my life depended on it (which it kinda does, depending on what stings me) and ripped off jersey. Problem: Bathingsuit does not allow for easy access. I watched in horror as the little critter made its way to my left boob and proceeded to sting me there. Great. With my head practically in my suit I tried to squish the thing without it stinging me again. It fell down to my stomach, further out of reach. Awesome. Another sting on my stomach. I finally got a hold of it and squished it with both sides of the suit before it fell down, down down, and out my left short leg. Um, so nevermind the discomfort of the saddle while wearing this one-piece, how about the danger of bees flying into the top end and getting you in places you will never be able to reach to get rid of them? Decisions... I know bees are a factor in Kona. Perhaps I need to re-think my race-day outfit, and go back to tried and true?

After what seemed like another 30 miles, even though it was only 10, I arrived (still breathing) back at my door step. And I felt good! After the bee stings I got a second wind and I felt sharp, focused and ready for an IM run! Ha. I rode over race distance in 6 hours, at 19mph avg, which I find pretty exciting. After gulping down ice tea I was out the door for an impromptu 60 min run, because I felt good! ( I had planned to swim after, oh well..) My legs felt swift, my back was tight, but I had hydration and I was feeling good! So my 60 min run turned into 80. Mostly easy and relaxed, paying attention not to overdo it with a tight lower back ( I will have to figure that one out for race day..) I am very proud to report that I for sure outdid my weekly car mileage by my ride-run mileage of 125.5mi today! I feel it coming together, and the thought of that is really exciting!

Big, huge props to Kristin C. who raced her first IM at Wisconsin today and killed it! Looks like someone found their race distance! Looked like a nice day there, good job to all others who raced as well.

Besides Coffee, this training also induces a craving for beer! Anyone that knows me, knows I don't like beer. Well, not anymore, I am about to have one now as part of my new balanced diet :-)

Labor Day, literally

After the little hike-get-away on thursday, I was back in full swing of things by friday. With my Kona ticker inching a day closer to D-day every day(!) I thought it'd be best to start getting serious about this "little" race coming up. And so I did. It finally feels like I am going to actually do this. I did a long run saturday, followed by an easy, crappy bike, no swim. Sunday was an easy run and long swim, no bike because too busy with social obligations (sigh). I am really trying to get my butt in the pool but for some reason it's becoming less and less the more I start picking things up.

Today was supposed to be my long ride, which I didn't do yesterday. I had every good intention, loaded up with plenty of fluids and food, after a super duper breakfast of French Toast, made by yours truly, Chef B.

Within the first few pedal strokes upon leaving my house I knew it was going to be a long ride. I felt flat from the start, legs tired and unwilling to move. Things would loosen up surely, as they always do. Well the only thing that "loosened up" was my HR, which felt too high, but then again I was only guessing, caveman style if you will, since I forgot to put my HR monitor on (however I was not the least bit worried as I rarely ever wear it), so who knows what it was. All I knew is that my sweat rate was high, very high! Everyone I passed going up Lefthand to Jamestown was greeted with a drip or two of my sweat as I went by. It is quite annoying actually, as I can't wear my sunglasses because it just drips down my face, into my glasses, onto my top tube and down on the road below me. When I reached the "downtown" Jamestown area, I stopped because I needed to wring my helmet out and clean my glasses. My legs were dripping out of every pore as well, but they would dry in the headwind going back down.

Foregoing the notion of riding to Ward due to my sweat annoyance, I decided to ride back down and venture out on the roads for a few hours. During the first half hour I stopped to call my massage therapist, Jeff, whom I just remembered to call back about scheduling an appointment. Ditto, got a slot for 5 p.m., which left me with just enough time to ride and get home, rest a little and leave again. (I was shooting for a 5 hr ride here) The whole time I am not feeling right. I get to some rollers out in Berthoud and get a strange sensation on my hamstrings, wtf? My rear water cages have loosened up and are hanging upside down with my water bottles still in them. Um, great. Good thing I thought ahead and brought my tools. Half an hour and two tries later, I am back in the saddle, still cursing the damn cage. Cages seem not to like my bike very much, as this is not the first time something like this has happened, I guess I need to check the screws every time I go out...

Feeling much like absolute crap, I decide to cut my ride short to 4 hours. That is about all I want to handle. I don't know why I can't feel better, but it must just be one of those days where you just go through the motions. After a stop to get some brain juice, aka Mtn Dew, at my favorite little convenience store ever in Hygene ( today was the second time I got a free drink, I must either look REALLY thirsty or they are just feeling sorry for me) I was in better spirits and could smell home from there.

Once home I had to take a seat immediately to let the crappiness come out in full effect. Are these the dark moments in Ironman training that no one ever talks about? I seriously felt like I was going to pass out. I made myself a homemade frappuccino in the hopes of snapping out of this funk, rested a half hour and then attempted a quick run which in hindsight was a dumb idea. I was lightheaded, had the chills, and just felt even more like Sh*t. Hmm, off to see Jeff for a dose of pain.

Jeff (Massage therapist extraordinaire!) tells me that my face is looking a little gaunt and that I am turning into the typical IM looking athlete. We discuss (through many pauses, pain inflicted) nutrition for Kona, the heat and sunscreen. Jeff convinces me to try Ensure for meal replacement on the bike, knowing I have a hard time stomaching solids. So I venture over to Target after the extra long pain session to get some of this magic stuff. I am actually pretty excited to try and see how I do with it on the bike on my next ride. I will ofcourse have to follow it up with a run to see if it mixes well with my stomach.

On my way out the door at Target I saw a mini can of Chef Boyardee's Ravioli (some of the most disgusting, and processed food ever, I know) and it looked so damn good, I bought a can! And I could barely wait to eat it! Wow, I guess I am following my body's orders on what it craves. It surely isn't the healthiest at times...

Anyways, I am taking away from today that there are bad days in training, and they might happen for no apparent reason, no matter how much rest, sleep, food you get. I just hope I don't catch one of those days when it really matters. For now, I must have my dose of chocolate and then bed.

Cross Training up Gray's Peak

Yesterday, Brandon and I decided to do a "little hike" up Gray's Peak, from the less traveled side. We camped out near Keystone the night before, had some tasty dinner thanks to Brandon's excellent cooking skills, slept hard and woke up to get some legwork in.
We started out casually at 8:30 A.M. and reached the bottom of the actual climb pretty quick, even with Brandon's shortcut that wasn't really a shortcut, but I digress. Ha. That is where the trail stopped. The next 2 miles up were free territory for us to navigate. We headed straight for the top, although not the highest peak, since that ascent looked a little too technical for us (me) with loose rocks all the way up. (I hate those loose rocks, especially on a 50% grade)The climb up to Gray's. This looks easy, but it wasn't.

After getting on all fours to keep balance while seemingly going up a rock wall, we finally made it to the ridge, the top, and I was happy. The way back down was a piece-a-cake compared to going up, as we took the scenic route (the ridge- it was so awesome, I recommend everyone hike Gray's this way) and had less rock mess to deal with. The Ridge.

A 7-hour roundtrip with some stops and we were ready for dinner. I ate my first ever Beau Jeau's Pizza in Idaho Springs (very inneresting town), and wasn't even full. I was hungry all day long today actually. And sore. Wow! It is amazing how fit you think you are, until you do an activity you don't usually do. My legs are sore to the touch and will probably need a few easy days. I am glad we made the trip though, as I am still going to count those 7 hours as training hours (ha), time on my feet= time training.
It's rather tough to balance in the wind, hence the less than perfect alignment of my gymnastic skill.

Tonight I hit the pool for the first time in a month for masters, got about 5 minutes into it before my SI joint tightened up and frightened me enough to pull the rest of the workout. I really, really wanted to swim, but no, SI joint decided it was going to rebel (probably due to the hike) and so I immediately took all precaution not to have it lock up completely. If that had happened, I would have been limping around for a good month. It's like walking on egg shells right now. I constantly need to be aware of what my body can handle. With my biggest block still to come, I need to make sure I do every little bit to recover and feel good. 43 days.