Original post can be found here.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Race Report: Turkey Trot
Well, my race this weekend was nowhere near what Bill went through. The Wichita Turkey Trot involves either a 2 or 10 mile jaunt through Wichita's Riverside area. Lovely parks and paths, it's the perfect setting for a fun, late-season race (there are also some interesting trails that I can't wait to try out). The atmosphere at the Turkey Trot is fantastic. There's a traveling trophy that goes to whichever local school has the most student participants from year to year, so there are some really young runners, as well as mothers pushing strollers, groups of grade school children with matching shirts, and a few runners who have done all 32 Turkey Trots.
The atmosphere before the race was warm and intense. Not tense in the jittery, porta-potty filling way that the beginning of a triathlon is, but intense as in "Man, this is my first race ever! I hope my kid doesn't beat me." There was definitely an air of excitement and first-race nerves; as someone who runs/races more than the average person, it was fun to be around so many people--young and old alike!--who are just taking their first steps into fitness. Both the two mile and ten mile races started simultaneously, but at different places, so I don't know what the ten mile starting line was like (probably less crowded, with a greater average height for participants). But the starting line--or rather, the line of starters--stretched around the corner and down the road a bit. In fact, I couldn't even see the actual line; my dad and I arrived late because I had to teach a spinning class before getting my Trot on.
My race began with leaning forward at the sound of the airhorn, accelerating in super-slow motion as the hundreds of runners ahead of me began to pick up speed. At the beginning, I tried to run with my dad, but as a gaggle of older women ahead of us settled into a jog, I decided to make my move; after all, I knew I'd see him again in fifteen to twenty minutes. I started darting in between kids and old ladies, running off the road, dodging between little packs of joggers. It took probably a minute or two to get out of the thick of things and into enough open space that I could start setting my own pace. I knew that it was only two miles--less than twenty minutes!--but if I wanted to do well, I needed to be willing to hurt pretty bad for those twenty minutes.
The initial darting was enough to get my heart rate up into the 160s, but I wanted it to be higher for this race. I picked up my pace until I was sitting right at 175. Other runners fell away to my left and right, and more came into view in the distance. At a certain point, the runners in front of me stabilized, and I knew I'd found my race pace. My heart was still beating 175 times per minute.
It's amazing how slowly the miles seem to pass when there's only two of them. I haven't run just two miles in months, unless I'm just killing time on the treadmill or something. But when I passed the first mile marker, I thought, "Really? That's all?"
I had to stop twice: once to take off my long-sleeved T-shirt, once to shake out my shoulder. Sometimes when I'm running, I develop a catch in my right trapezius. It's been so bad in training runs before that I've had to ask a buddy to massage it for a few minutes until it settles down. It feels like a muscle spasm. I think it's particularly bad when I'm running at lactate threshold. At any rate, it hurt badly enough that I had to stop and stretch it against a tree. Which is embarrassing. I'm a triathlete, for crying out loud! Pain? What's that?
Needless to say, I got passed by quite a few folks (including one girl with a race belt on . . . you know what that means: fellow triathlete!), but I caught up again by the end. That final kick . . . I am definitely a kicker (by which I mean I almost always sprint to the finish; ask my spinning classes; I do the same thing with bike workouts), and I don't care whether you're running 2 miles or 26.2. The kick hurts. Once you really get into it, it's not so hard to maintain. I mean, it's not easy, but it doesn't provide the kind of gut-wrenching pain that the acceleration does. And that acceleration. Oofh. Every time I go for it, whether it's the end of a race or the end of a workout, I wonder if this is going to be the time where I keel over. Death by kicking. But then I get into it, and it's the best feeling in the whole world.
Results aren't up for the race, yet. At least, not the full results; a list of the top finishers can be found here. In fact, I don't know if they ever post the full results for this particular race . . . It's more a fun run than anything else. At any rate, I finished somewhere around 18:30-18:50. I didn't look at the clock right as I crossed the line. Either way, I ran something like a 9:20, which is about what I expected. It's not the fastest I've ever run, but it's a good place to start going into next season.
Honestly, I could have pushed myself harder at this race. I didn't quite achieve the level of hurt that I would have liked for a two mile race. After all, it's only two miles! And 16 minutes of pain never killed anyone. Or at least it wouldn't kill me. But, then again, this is off-season. And the Turkey Trot is not a PR kind of race. It's more like an excuse to eat a turkey brat for brunch.
The atmosphere before the race was warm and intense. Not tense in the jittery, porta-potty filling way that the beginning of a triathlon is, but intense as in "Man, this is my first race ever! I hope my kid doesn't beat me." There was definitely an air of excitement and first-race nerves; as someone who runs/races more than the average person, it was fun to be around so many people--young and old alike!--who are just taking their first steps into fitness. Both the two mile and ten mile races started simultaneously, but at different places, so I don't know what the ten mile starting line was like (probably less crowded, with a greater average height for participants). But the starting line--or rather, the line of starters--stretched around the corner and down the road a bit. In fact, I couldn't even see the actual line; my dad and I arrived late because I had to teach a spinning class before getting my Trot on.
My race began with leaning forward at the sound of the airhorn, accelerating in super-slow motion as the hundreds of runners ahead of me began to pick up speed. At the beginning, I tried to run with my dad, but as a gaggle of older women ahead of us settled into a jog, I decided to make my move; after all, I knew I'd see him again in fifteen to twenty minutes. I started darting in between kids and old ladies, running off the road, dodging between little packs of joggers. It took probably a minute or two to get out of the thick of things and into enough open space that I could start setting my own pace. I knew that it was only two miles--less than twenty minutes!--but if I wanted to do well, I needed to be willing to hurt pretty bad for those twenty minutes.
The initial darting was enough to get my heart rate up into the 160s, but I wanted it to be higher for this race. I picked up my pace until I was sitting right at 175. Other runners fell away to my left and right, and more came into view in the distance. At a certain point, the runners in front of me stabilized, and I knew I'd found my race pace. My heart was still beating 175 times per minute.
It's amazing how slowly the miles seem to pass when there's only two of them. I haven't run just two miles in months, unless I'm just killing time on the treadmill or something. But when I passed the first mile marker, I thought, "Really? That's all?"
I had to stop twice: once to take off my long-sleeved T-shirt, once to shake out my shoulder. Sometimes when I'm running, I develop a catch in my right trapezius. It's been so bad in training runs before that I've had to ask a buddy to massage it for a few minutes until it settles down. It feels like a muscle spasm. I think it's particularly bad when I'm running at lactate threshold. At any rate, it hurt badly enough that I had to stop and stretch it against a tree. Which is embarrassing. I'm a triathlete, for crying out loud! Pain? What's that?
Needless to say, I got passed by quite a few folks (including one girl with a race belt on . . . you know what that means: fellow triathlete!), but I caught up again by the end. That final kick . . . I am definitely a kicker (by which I mean I almost always sprint to the finish; ask my spinning classes; I do the same thing with bike workouts), and I don't care whether you're running 2 miles or 26.2. The kick hurts. Once you really get into it, it's not so hard to maintain. I mean, it's not easy, but it doesn't provide the kind of gut-wrenching pain that the acceleration does. And that acceleration. Oofh. Every time I go for it, whether it's the end of a race or the end of a workout, I wonder if this is going to be the time where I keel over. Death by kicking. But then I get into it, and it's the best feeling in the whole world.
Results aren't up for the race, yet. At least, not the full results; a list of the top finishers can be found here. In fact, I don't know if they ever post the full results for this particular race . . . It's more a fun run than anything else. At any rate, I finished somewhere around 18:30-18:50. I didn't look at the clock right as I crossed the line. Either way, I ran something like a 9:20, which is about what I expected. It's not the fastest I've ever run, but it's a good place to start going into next season.
Honestly, I could have pushed myself harder at this race. I didn't quite achieve the level of hurt that I would have liked for a two mile race. After all, it's only two miles! And 16 minutes of pain never killed anyone. Or at least it wouldn't kill me. But, then again, this is off-season. And the Turkey Trot is not a PR kind of race. It's more like an excuse to eat a turkey brat for brunch.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Off-Season Overlap
Did I mention that I work at an indoor rock climbing wall, in addition to teaching group fitness and coaching triathlon? Well I do. Which is great. I love climbing, I haven't been able to do it for a while, and it gives me a way to stay active in the off-season. And I recently found out that climbing might improve my multisport performance, as well.I was reading an article on NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association) about dry-land training for swimmers. It noted that the main muscles used for swimming are the rhomboids, the obliques (both internal and external), and serratus anterior. These muscles wrap around the shoulders and diagonally across the chest and abs. They produce diagonal force when they work together; this is called the Serape Effect. That's why it's so important to have a strong core, because strengthening the muscles between your shoulders and knees enables you to better use the diagonal, rotational force of the Serape Effect. The article also offers a few land-based exercises to train this effect, namely the stability ball log roll and diagonal cable chops.
The very next day, I was reading a training article about rock climbing. It also noted the necessity of a strong core in climbing, mostly for body tension and stability, especially in the obliques. The more I thought about this, the more it made sense. I always tell folks at the wall that skill in climbing comes not from upper body strength but from technique. And climbing technique involves using your arms and legs together in coordinated motion, finger strength, and body rotation (there are other trainable aspects such as confidence in your holds/rself to hold on, keeping a stable body, flexibility, keeping your center of gravity close to the wall, etc.). What I'm trying to say is that climbing engages some of those same muscles that are so crucial in swimming.
This leads me to believe that climbing is a perfect off-season activity for triathletes, for several reasons. First of all, there's the aforementioned advantage of training the Serape Effect by strengthening the obliques and rhomboids (I need to look up the serratus anterior before I can tell whether or not climbing can train it). There's also the improved arm strength and an increased awareness of the forearms, which will help with the catch phase of your swim stroke. The legs get some good training, too, as they do most of the work, and climbing can be as much an endurance activity as a power activity, so it will increase your muscles' tolerance of lactic acid. Furthermore, it helps to improve flexibility, particularly in the hips and knees, which will aid in injury prevention later in the season. Oh, and did I mention that climbing is hella fun?
I've finally finished my senior thesis, so I'm ready to start working on something new. I think I'll do a little more research on climbing as off-season training for multisport athletes, then I'll try to get it out there to other triathletes.
And if you're interested in climbing, here are some links to get you started:
http://www.bodyresults.com/S1Climb.asp
http://www.trainingforclimbing.com/
http://www.indoorclimbing.com/climbing_training.html
http://www.touchstoneclimbing.com/train.html
http://www.indoorclimbing.com/worldgyms.html
Sunday, October 28, 2007
The A to Your Q
Larissa asks:
Any tips for those of us who aren't necessarily training towards something, but simply trying to grow in general healthiness and discipline with good eating and exercise habits?
Yes! I do have advice! I think the best advice I can give you is to train towards something :smile:
I'm only half kidding; although I've seen (both in my own life and in others') that nothing motivates change like having an event you love to train for, I think you might be able to achieve the same affect by good goal setting. And while I think that "general healthiness and discipline with good eating and exercise habits" is a great goal, it'll probably be easier to stick to if you have a more concrete, specific goal. This could be something as definite as a 10 K, or as laid-back as weight maintenance. But here's the thing with "just working out": Do it long enough, and you're probably going to plateau. Now as long as you plateau at a healthy level, there's probably nothing wrong with that (besides the fact that it's boring). But if you have definite goals that you're targeting, you'll only get so far without goals and a definite plan as to how to achieve them. For example, if you're trying to lose weight but you're working out at the same intensity and eating the same amount of calories every day, then even if your caloric intake is initially enough to stimulate weight loss, eventually your body is going to adapt to that stimulus and it will begin to maintain instead of lose weight. Same thing with fitness gains. If you're trying to strengthen muscles or get your heart more fit, you have to keep varying the training stimuli in order to keep seeing improvement. Plus, setting and reaching periodic goals gives you a feeling of empowerment and achievement that keeps you engaged with your working out (which means you're less likely to burn out and turn into a couch potato). So even though it sounds uncharacteristically Type A of me, I am a big proponent of setting goals and making plans to reach them (gag, planning, I know).
Here are some tips for good goal-setting:
- Set goals that are measurable, achievable, and consistent with each other
- Have an overall, long-term goal and some small, checkpoint goals
- Your long-term goal should be meaningful for you. Because if you believe in what you're doing, you're going to be more likely to continue pursuing it no matter what happens. So, for example, if you really believe in taking care of your body because it's a gift from God, then that should be part of your goal.
- Your short-term goals are little steps that keep you engaged. They should be challenging enough that you're going to have to work hard for them. Here's what my text book says: "A challenging [short-term] goal is one that has about a 50% chance of success. Thus a well-constructed short-term goal represents a compromise between guaranteeing success, as in the case of a goal that is too easy, and requiring too much effort. Short-term goals are meaningless if they are not reasonably difficult; they will lead to going through the motions as opposed to investing real effort." Perhaps a bit dry, but concise and clear, no?
- There are three types of goals: Process goals (refers to the process, or the actual working out), outcome goals (where you're looking for a certain outcome that's somewhat out of your control), and performance goals (tied directly to your personal, subjective performance). You can have a high degree over performance goals, like if you set a goal to have a positive attitude when working out, or to practice good exercise technique; if you work hard enough and concentrate, you're going to be able to meet that goal almost every time. Outcome goals are all about social comparison, and as a result you have less control over achieving them. Like if you want to be the fastest runner in your family, you're only going to go so far by working hard, and after that, you're relying on everyone else in your family not working as hard (and not being genetically superior to you). And performance goals are harder to define . . . an example would be an interval goal, in which you want to reach a certain performance standard by a certain point, for example being able to increase your bench press a given amount over a given period.
- Set a time period of accomplishment for your short-term goals. If you don't achieve your goal, re-evaluate and adjust it.
- Establish rewards and consequences for yourself. If you meet your goal, reward yourself (for example, when I break a 3-hour olympic time, I fully intend to buy a new bike). And if you fail to meet your goal . . . well, I personally don't use negative reinforcement to achieve my goals, but if your personality works well with punishment-type scenarios, then it might be helpful to take away something you enjoy if you don't meet a goal. For example, if you miss a bunch of workouts one week, maybe the next week you sacrifice your favorite TV show.
I'll put up some more posts in the future about how to work exercise into a busy schedule, as well as tips on eating healthy, but I hope this helps to get you started.
Any tips for those of us who aren't necessarily training towards something, but simply trying to grow in general healthiness and discipline with good eating and exercise habits?
Yes! I do have advice! I think the best advice I can give you is to train towards something :smile:
I'm only half kidding; although I've seen (both in my own life and in others') that nothing motivates change like having an event you love to train for, I think you might be able to achieve the same affect by good goal setting. And while I think that "general healthiness and discipline with good eating and exercise habits" is a great goal, it'll probably be easier to stick to if you have a more concrete, specific goal. This could be something as definite as a 10 K, or as laid-back as weight maintenance. But here's the thing with "just working out": Do it long enough, and you're probably going to plateau. Now as long as you plateau at a healthy level, there's probably nothing wrong with that (besides the fact that it's boring). But if you have definite goals that you're targeting, you'll only get so far without goals and a definite plan as to how to achieve them. For example, if you're trying to lose weight but you're working out at the same intensity and eating the same amount of calories every day, then even if your caloric intake is initially enough to stimulate weight loss, eventually your body is going to adapt to that stimulus and it will begin to maintain instead of lose weight. Same thing with fitness gains. If you're trying to strengthen muscles or get your heart more fit, you have to keep varying the training stimuli in order to keep seeing improvement. Plus, setting and reaching periodic goals gives you a feeling of empowerment and achievement that keeps you engaged with your working out (which means you're less likely to burn out and turn into a couch potato). So even though it sounds uncharacteristically Type A of me, I am a big proponent of setting goals and making plans to reach them (gag, planning, I know).
Here are some tips for good goal-setting:
- Set goals that are measurable, achievable, and consistent with each other
- Have an overall, long-term goal and some small, checkpoint goals
- Your long-term goal should be meaningful for you. Because if you believe in what you're doing, you're going to be more likely to continue pursuing it no matter what happens. So, for example, if you really believe in taking care of your body because it's a gift from God, then that should be part of your goal.
- Your short-term goals are little steps that keep you engaged. They should be challenging enough that you're going to have to work hard for them. Here's what my text book says: "A challenging [short-term] goal is one that has about a 50% chance of success. Thus a well-constructed short-term goal represents a compromise between guaranteeing success, as in the case of a goal that is too easy, and requiring too much effort. Short-term goals are meaningless if they are not reasonably difficult; they will lead to going through the motions as opposed to investing real effort." Perhaps a bit dry, but concise and clear, no?
- There are three types of goals: Process goals (refers to the process, or the actual working out), outcome goals (where you're looking for a certain outcome that's somewhat out of your control), and performance goals (tied directly to your personal, subjective performance). You can have a high degree over performance goals, like if you set a goal to have a positive attitude when working out, or to practice good exercise technique; if you work hard enough and concentrate, you're going to be able to meet that goal almost every time. Outcome goals are all about social comparison, and as a result you have less control over achieving them. Like if you want to be the fastest runner in your family, you're only going to go so far by working hard, and after that, you're relying on everyone else in your family not working as hard (and not being genetically superior to you). And performance goals are harder to define . . . an example would be an interval goal, in which you want to reach a certain performance standard by a certain point, for example being able to increase your bench press a given amount over a given period.
- Set a time period of accomplishment for your short-term goals. If you don't achieve your goal, re-evaluate and adjust it.
- Establish rewards and consequences for yourself. If you meet your goal, reward yourself (for example, when I break a 3-hour olympic time, I fully intend to buy a new bike). And if you fail to meet your goal . . . well, I personally don't use negative reinforcement to achieve my goals, but if your personality works well with punishment-type scenarios, then it might be helpful to take away something you enjoy if you don't meet a goal. For example, if you miss a bunch of workouts one week, maybe the next week you sacrifice your favorite TV show.
I'll put up some more posts in the future about how to work exercise into a busy schedule, as well as tips on eating healthy, but I hope this helps to get you started.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
So What's the Plan, Stan?
With my first half marathon under my feet and the Genesis Multisport Club going strong, it's time to turn my attention to my second (third?) triathlon season. I feel like I've got a really good handle on how to plan a season, how to periodize my training, and how to get the most out of myself, so the prospect of looking forward is downright thrilling.
A new season . . . a new chance to prove ourselves. Anyone else feel like they have to rein themselves in, this time of year? We've just gotten past the ITU and Ironman world championships; we've seen the best of the best do their best against each other on some of the toughest courses around. And they make it look so darn easy! I watch Sam McGlone powering through mile 20 of her marathon, her arms and legs swinging easily along, one foot in front of the other, and I think, "I could do that."
It's disorienting when I actually get out on the track (or treadmill) and realize that, even though I feel as good as she looks while running, I'm setting a 9:20 pace. Which is nowhere close to the 7:00-minute miles I would probably need to clock if I were to get anywhere near the top spots in a sizable race; I just don't have the kind of speed to be on the podium.
But as I go into a time of recovery this off-season, the back of mind is whirring like the cogs in a tiny, homemade clock. Now if I just base build here and start my speed work here . . . if I really work on technique . . . if I buy a new bike and really put in those long hours . . .
The impossible suddenly seems achievable.
With that in mind, I have this crazy, empty-headed notion that this year I'm going to be competitive. This year I'm taking my hopes beyond Oh God I hope I can finish this thing, which is what I experienced in my first (and only) Olympic distance. This year, I have the knowledge, commitment, and desire to take my training and racing to the next level. And if that's not enough, then it will provide that much more fuel for the 2009 season.
As to the brass tacks . . .
April 22 - Spring Migration Tri (super sprint, priority C)
May 5 - Wildflower (Olympic or half, I haven't decided yet, priority B)
June 3 - Flint Hills Tri (Olympic, priority B)
June 16 - Topeka Tinman (Olympic, priority A)
July 1 - Town and Country Tri (super sprint, priority C)
July 18 - Shawnee Mission ("Long," priority A)
July 28 - Mudwater (sprint, priority A)
August 11 - Salty Dogs (super sprint, priority C)
August 25 - Splash 'n' Dash (super sprint, priority C)
September 9 - Midwest Meltdown (Olympic, priority B)
September 22 - OKC Redman (Half Iron, priority B)
That's a lot of races for one year, and I'm sure--absolutely positive!--I'll pare it down. For one thing, it'll probably be too darn expensive to do all of them (my spreadsheet tells me almost $800 just in entry fees). But I love racing, I want to do as much of it as I can, and this plan is only tentative anyway.
A new season . . . a new chance to prove ourselves. Anyone else feel like they have to rein themselves in, this time of year? We've just gotten past the ITU and Ironman world championships; we've seen the best of the best do their best against each other on some of the toughest courses around. And they make it look so darn easy! I watch Sam McGlone powering through mile 20 of her marathon, her arms and legs swinging easily along, one foot in front of the other, and I think, "I could do that."
It's disorienting when I actually get out on the track (or treadmill) and realize that, even though I feel as good as she looks while running, I'm setting a 9:20 pace. Which is nowhere close to the 7:00-minute miles I would probably need to clock if I were to get anywhere near the top spots in a sizable race; I just don't have the kind of speed to be on the podium.
But as I go into a time of recovery this off-season, the back of mind is whirring like the cogs in a tiny, homemade clock. Now if I just base build here and start my speed work here . . . if I really work on technique . . . if I buy a new bike and really put in those long hours . . .
The impossible suddenly seems achievable.
With that in mind, I have this crazy, empty-headed notion that this year I'm going to be competitive. This year I'm taking my hopes beyond Oh God I hope I can finish this thing, which is what I experienced in my first (and only) Olympic distance. This year, I have the knowledge, commitment, and desire to take my training and racing to the next level. And if that's not enough, then it will provide that much more fuel for the 2009 season.
As to the brass tacks . . .
April 22 - Spring Migration Tri (super sprint, priority C)
May 5 - Wildflower (Olympic or half, I haven't decided yet, priority B)
June 3 - Flint Hills Tri (Olympic, priority B)
June 16 - Topeka Tinman (Olympic, priority A)
July 1 - Town and Country Tri (super sprint, priority C)
July 18 - Shawnee Mission ("Long," priority A)
July 28 - Mudwater (sprint, priority A)
August 11 - Salty Dogs (super sprint, priority C)
August 25 - Splash 'n' Dash (super sprint, priority C)
September 9 - Midwest Meltdown (Olympic, priority B)
September 22 - OKC Redman (Half Iron, priority B)
That's a lot of races for one year, and I'm sure--absolutely positive!--I'll pare it down. For one thing, it'll probably be too darn expensive to do all of them (my spreadsheet tells me almost $800 just in entry fees). But I love racing, I want to do as much of it as I can, and this plan is only tentative anyway.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Race Report: Wichita (Half) Marathon
Well. That wasn't the hardest thing I've ever done. It's probably only the fourth or fifth hardest thing.
The world of running is new to me. I didn't come into triathlon from a solid endurance sport background. So this is my first straight-up running race since my dad made my brother and me do the River Run, which was when I was seven or eight. In other words, I had no idea what to expect.
The experience was totally different from a triathlon. First of all, there's the wake-up call. With no transition area to set up and no body marking and no wiggling into a wet suit and no warming up three separate ways, there's really no need to arrive any more than fifteen minutes before the start. Add that to the fact that my dad and I each ran half of the race and I ran the second half (i.e. no pre-race warm up at all for me), and I ended up taking pictures at the starting line; I may as well have been an observer.
Along with all that, this is the first race I've done in Wichita, although not my first Kansas race. Since the only marathon I've really been fully exposed to is the L.A. Marathon, which is a haven for the unexperienced and those looking for a challenge, I think of a marathon as a pretty manageable endeavor, something that takes some stamina and training, but not at all superhuman (and I think the current literature, for example, the "Marathoning for Mortals" phenomenon, reflects that attitude). I could have guessed that the Wichita Marathon would betray quite a different point of view. See, the L.A. Marathon serves the city as a mechanism that reduces the distance between the gods and mere mortals; true, the elites still finish the "race" six hours faster than the slowest Angeleno marathoners, but they all finish the same race. Wichita, as of yet, has no such mechanism; the gap between the superhuman and the everyday is much, much wider.
So while I was expecting at least a thousand participants--I figured people would come from all around because the race was advertised as a flat, fast, "qualify for Boston" kind of course--there were actually about 400. And hey, nothing to be disappointed in; that's 400 bad-ass Kansans. Nowhere near the 20,000 who turn out for the L.A. 26.2 every year, but as I said, not disappointing. Intriguing, but not disappointing.
From a personal perspective, all these differences between the Wichita Marathon and, say, a collegiate tri added up to a very laid-back race day for me. I had already established that I was not going to be able to do this race fast, and I had made my goal simply to finish. I had made my peace with that decision, telling myself that I can run fast when I go back to 5K. Thus, in my mind, the only objective was to keep putting one foot right in front of the other.
And it added up to one of the most pleasant race experiences I ever had. The miles flew by. Well, the time flew by; the miles did not, in any sense of the word, fly (unless you know some object that can go airborne at 5-6 MPH). In fact, as I passed mile 21 (my mile 8), I thought to myself, "This is the easiest long run I've ever done!"
Until mile 10.
At mile 10, my legs turned to lead and my hamstrings and quads pulled up into my pelvis like testicles on a cold day. "No no," they seemed to say, "you can do the rest of this race without us!" I wasn't wearing a chronograph, and the Wichita Marathon uses neither chips nor mats for timing, so I have no idea what my pacing was like, but I would bet that I was running sub-11-minute pace up until mile 10. Since my overall average pace was just under 12, I figure I must have been running slower than 13-minute pace by the end. It was horrible. It hurt so bad just to put one foot in front of the other. The time passed as if it were covered in molasses and crawling on its elbows through jello. It took every ounce of discipline and masochism I've managed to cultivate in the past year and half not to start walking (although the tall, strapping guy about a block ahead of me who was walking sure helped my resolve). We all know how it is; we've all had those moments (multiple times!) where our bodies hurt and our souls are crushed and we just want it to be over . . . but we've trained, and we know we'll hate ourselves if we stop now, and we know that if we can just keep moving, it will be that much easier to overcome this pain next time. It's what makes these crazy endeavors we undertake beautiful and ineffable and ethereal. I'm pretty sure it's what keeps us coming back for more.
Anyway, fortunately there were volunteers and/or supporters every block or so, each one shouting encouragement and praise at me (after 5 hours on the course). There was one guy who said, "Just five more blocks, and you have a tailwind!" and I thought, "What the hell? No I don't! It's blowing right in my face!" But inane comments aside, the supporters were great. And as I ran into Old Town (on bricks, I might add--the streets, not my feet) and heard the music and microphone-enhanced celebration of (five-hour) finishers, I willed myself to pick up the pace. My parents came into view, my dad holding a camera as I started to use my poor, shrunken ham- and quad-sicles to rotate the lead weights coming off my hips a little bit faster. I shouted at him, "You better make it a good shot, because you're only getting one!" Then I was around the corner (still on bricks) and within view of the finish line and the crowd. With about 50 yards left, I gave it all I had left and sprinted full speed across the line. "Jamie Morton, you are . . . " the finisher of a half marathon. Hurray! (maybe someday with the Ironman thing. I've got time, ya know.)
Looking back, it was a great experience. Oh sure, there were some hitches . . . I forgot my heart rate monitor, and my chronograph. I came into the race with a weird pain in my left foot (from teaching water aerobics, of all things) and ankle. A cold front moved into the area within half an hour of the race start, causing temperatures to abruptly drop 5 degrees and bringing a biting north wind that persisted for the remainder of the day (actually, it's still persisting). I started off with a long sleeve t-shirt which I had to shed by mile 3 (but hey, a triathlete would always rather over-prepare than under-prepare, right?). I did something to my knee on a downhill that involved lots and lots of pain through miles 5, 6, 7, and 8 (I considered stopping at several of those aid stations, asking myself, "Is this annoyance, or real, dangerous, I-am-your-ligament-and-I-am-torn-and-shriveling pain?"). I forgot sunscreen. Oh, and I can't walk down stairs or move in pretty much any manner without encountering severe pain. And after the race was over, as I was scarfing down bananas and Gatorade, my dad and I discussed how we seriously don't like running. It hurts and it's hard and it sucks and we don't think it's for us and we don't want to do it ever, ever again . . . ESPECIALLY not for 13.1 miles. And definitely never, ever for 26.2.
Today we got a brochure in the paper for the annual Turkey Trot (November 17). We're debating whether to do the 2 miles or the 10.
The world of running is new to me. I didn't come into triathlon from a solid endurance sport background. So this is my first straight-up running race since my dad made my brother and me do the River Run, which was when I was seven or eight. In other words, I had no idea what to expect.
The experience was totally different from a triathlon. First of all, there's the wake-up call. With no transition area to set up and no body marking and no wiggling into a wet suit and no warming up three separate ways, there's really no need to arrive any more than fifteen minutes before the start. Add that to the fact that my dad and I each ran half of the race and I ran the second half (i.e. no pre-race warm up at all for me), and I ended up taking pictures at the starting line; I may as well have been an observer.
Along with all that, this is the first race I've done in Wichita, although not my first Kansas race. Since the only marathon I've really been fully exposed to is the L.A. Marathon, which is a haven for the unexperienced and those looking for a challenge, I think of a marathon as a pretty manageable endeavor, something that takes some stamina and training, but not at all superhuman (and I think the current literature, for example, the "Marathoning for Mortals" phenomenon, reflects that attitude). I could have guessed that the Wichita Marathon would betray quite a different point of view. See, the L.A. Marathon serves the city as a mechanism that reduces the distance between the gods and mere mortals; true, the elites still finish the "race" six hours faster than the slowest Angeleno marathoners, but they all finish the same race. Wichita, as of yet, has no such mechanism; the gap between the superhuman and the everyday is much, much wider.
So while I was expecting at least a thousand participants--I figured people would come from all around because the race was advertised as a flat, fast, "qualify for Boston" kind of course--there were actually about 400. And hey, nothing to be disappointed in; that's 400 bad-ass Kansans. Nowhere near the 20,000 who turn out for the L.A. 26.2 every year, but as I said, not disappointing. Intriguing, but not disappointing.
From a personal perspective, all these differences between the Wichita Marathon and, say, a collegiate tri added up to a very laid-back race day for me. I had already established that I was not going to be able to do this race fast, and I had made my goal simply to finish. I had made my peace with that decision, telling myself that I can run fast when I go back to 5K. Thus, in my mind, the only objective was to keep putting one foot right in front of the other.
And it added up to one of the most pleasant race experiences I ever had. The miles flew by. Well, the time flew by; the miles did not, in any sense of the word, fly (unless you know some object that can go airborne at 5-6 MPH). In fact, as I passed mile 21 (my mile 8), I thought to myself, "This is the easiest long run I've ever done!"
Until mile 10.
At mile 10, my legs turned to lead and my hamstrings and quads pulled up into my pelvis like testicles on a cold day. "No no," they seemed to say, "you can do the rest of this race without us!" I wasn't wearing a chronograph, and the Wichita Marathon uses neither chips nor mats for timing, so I have no idea what my pacing was like, but I would bet that I was running sub-11-minute pace up until mile 10. Since my overall average pace was just under 12, I figure I must have been running slower than 13-minute pace by the end. It was horrible. It hurt so bad just to put one foot in front of the other. The time passed as if it were covered in molasses and crawling on its elbows through jello. It took every ounce of discipline and masochism I've managed to cultivate in the past year and half not to start walking (although the tall, strapping guy about a block ahead of me who was walking sure helped my resolve). We all know how it is; we've all had those moments (multiple times!) where our bodies hurt and our souls are crushed and we just want it to be over . . . but we've trained, and we know we'll hate ourselves if we stop now, and we know that if we can just keep moving, it will be that much easier to overcome this pain next time. It's what makes these crazy endeavors we undertake beautiful and ineffable and ethereal. I'm pretty sure it's what keeps us coming back for more.
Anyway, fortunately there were volunteers and/or supporters every block or so, each one shouting encouragement and praise at me (after 5 hours on the course). There was one guy who said, "Just five more blocks, and you have a tailwind!" and I thought, "What the hell? No I don't! It's blowing right in my face!" But inane comments aside, the supporters were great. And as I ran into Old Town (on bricks, I might add--the streets, not my feet) and heard the music and microphone-enhanced celebration of (five-hour) finishers, I willed myself to pick up the pace. My parents came into view, my dad holding a camera as I started to use my poor, shrunken ham- and quad-sicles to rotate the lead weights coming off my hips a little bit faster. I shouted at him, "You better make it a good shot, because you're only getting one!" Then I was around the corner (still on bricks) and within view of the finish line and the crowd. With about 50 yards left, I gave it all I had left and sprinted full speed across the line. "Jamie Morton, you are . . . " the finisher of a half marathon. Hurray! (maybe someday with the Ironman thing. I've got time, ya know.)
Looking back, it was a great experience. Oh sure, there were some hitches . . . I forgot my heart rate monitor, and my chronograph. I came into the race with a weird pain in my left foot (from teaching water aerobics, of all things) and ankle. A cold front moved into the area within half an hour of the race start, causing temperatures to abruptly drop 5 degrees and bringing a biting north wind that persisted for the remainder of the day (actually, it's still persisting). I started off with a long sleeve t-shirt which I had to shed by mile 3 (but hey, a triathlete would always rather over-prepare than under-prepare, right?). I did something to my knee on a downhill that involved lots and lots of pain through miles 5, 6, 7, and 8 (I considered stopping at several of those aid stations, asking myself, "Is this annoyance, or real, dangerous, I-am-your-ligament-and-I-am-torn-and-shriveling pain?"). I forgot sunscreen. Oh, and I can't walk down stairs or move in pretty much any manner without encountering severe pain. And after the race was over, as I was scarfing down bananas and Gatorade, my dad and I discussed how we seriously don't like running. It hurts and it's hard and it sucks and we don't think it's for us and we don't want to do it ever, ever again . . . ESPECIALLY not for 13.1 miles. And definitely never, ever for 26.2.
Today we got a brochure in the paper for the annual Turkey Trot (November 17). We're debating whether to do the 2 miles or the 10.
Monday, October 15, 2007
T minus 6
Well, I have much to say. About the results of Kona. About the 2008 season (which I've been busily planning). About plans and poems and pictures. About spinning workout 4, which I'll be uploading soon.
But for now, I'll just say that I'm running my first half marathon--my longest run ever--in six days.
Eee!
But for now, I'll just say that I'm running my first half marathon--my longest run ever--in six days.
Eee!
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Spinning Workout 3 - Cadence (45 minutes)
"Jamie, haven't you been promising us a new spinning workout for a long time?"
"Why, yes! I have! Here you go!"
Sorry it's been so long in coming. These things are time-consuming!
SPINNING WORKOUT 3 - CADENCE W/ INTENSITY & CLIMBING (45 minute)
Saturday Morning (2:57) : Warm up (3)
Brand New Hero (3:43) : Spin : +(4), up at 1st verse : pick up at chorus : down at 2nd verse : pick up at chorus : +(5) up at bridge : pick up at chorus : -(4) after chorus
100 Miles (5:03) : Time trial : +(5), up at B : -(4), down at second B
Crying Shame (3:06) : Time trial : pick up at guitar solo
Come on Eileen (4:08) : -(3), down, quick legs : high intensity, flats : +(5), up at chorus : down at end of chorus : +(5), up at chorus (stay quick!) : -(4), down, accelerate with music at bridge : up at "To me!" stay quick : -(3), down, recover through instrumental
Blood (2:51) : Begin climbing section : +(4) at intro : +(5), up at 1st verse : +(6) at 2nd chorus
Are You Happy Now (3:49) : Stay up, -(5) : down at chorus : up at 2nd chorus :
Breaking the Girl (4:57) : (5), stay up, match cadence : down, keep cadence at 2nd verse : +(6), up at bridge : --(4) at end
Thoughts of a Dying Atheist (3:11) : -(3), begin descent : pick up at chorus : +(4) at second verse : pick up at chorus : up at interlude : pick up at chorus
Crush (3:11) : stay up, on-off sprints : on-off sprints at 2nd verse : down at cut time, pick up at end : stay quick through interlude, push cadence through end
Crazy Life (4:17) : Cool down
The Toilet Song (1:24) : Stretching
Looking for more workouts? Go here!
"Why, yes! I have! Here you go!"
Sorry it's been so long in coming. These things are time-consuming!
SPINNING WORKOUT 3 - CADENCE W/ INTENSITY & CLIMBING (45 minute)
Saturday Morning (2:57) : Warm up (3)
Brand New Hero (3:43) : Spin : +(4), up at 1st verse : pick up at chorus : down at 2nd verse : pick up at chorus : +(5) up at bridge : pick up at chorus : -(4) after chorus
100 Miles (5:03) : Time trial : +(5), up at B : -(4), down at second B
Crying Shame (3:06) : Time trial : pick up at guitar solo
Come on Eileen (4:08) : -(3), down, quick legs : high intensity, flats : +(5), up at chorus : down at end of chorus : +(5), up at chorus (stay quick!) : -(4), down, accelerate with music at bridge : up at "To me!" stay quick : -(3), down, recover through instrumental
Blood (2:51) : Begin climbing section : +(4) at intro : +(5), up at 1st verse : +(6) at 2nd chorus
Are You Happy Now (3:49) : Stay up, -(5) : down at chorus : up at 2nd chorus :
Breaking the Girl (4:57) : (5), stay up, match cadence : down, keep cadence at 2nd verse : +(6), up at bridge : --(4) at end
Thoughts of a Dying Atheist (3:11) : -(3), begin descent : pick up at chorus : +(4) at second verse : pick up at chorus : up at interlude : pick up at chorus
Crush (3:11) : stay up, on-off sprints : on-off sprints at 2nd verse : down at cut time, pick up at end : stay quick through interlude, push cadence through end
Crazy Life (4:17) : Cool down
The Toilet Song (1:24) : Stretching
Looking for more workouts? Go here!
Friday, September 21, 2007
Surprisingly Delicious
I'm pretty sure this is delicious, although it's weird enough that I can't be sure. At any rate, it's been one of those nights where I come in from a run and eat anything that moves, so my judgment might be impaired.
Quinoa Peanut Butter Pilaf
1/3 cup quinoa (I use 1/3 cup because that's about as much as I can eat at one sitting)
1/4 cup all-natural peanut butter (unsweetened, unsalted)
1 Tbsp honey (good stuff, preferably organic and raw)
Salt to taste
Cook the quinoa by simmering it in twice as much water (in this case, 2/3 cup). It's done when the grains are translucent (you can see a tiny dot or squiggle in each one), the water's gone, and it's tender. Immediately add the peanut butter; you need the heat to melt it in. Then add in honey, and sprinkle with salt. I know it sounds weird (and it's not actually a pilaf), but it was pretty good. Unusual, but tasty.
Let me know if I'm truly crazy.
Quinoa Peanut Butter Pilaf
1/3 cup quinoa (I use 1/3 cup because that's about as much as I can eat at one sitting)
1/4 cup all-natural peanut butter (unsweetened, unsalted)
1 Tbsp honey (good stuff, preferably organic and raw)
Salt to taste
Cook the quinoa by simmering it in twice as much water (in this case, 2/3 cup). It's done when the grains are translucent (you can see a tiny dot or squiggle in each one), the water's gone, and it's tender. Immediately add the peanut butter; you need the heat to melt it in. Then add in honey, and sprinkle with salt. I know it sounds weird (and it's not actually a pilaf), but it was pretty good. Unusual, but tasty.
Let me know if I'm truly crazy.
Health is my Addiction
Health is like a drug. Two years ago, I couldn't run more than two miles at a time. I ate sensibly, but I would never think of counting calories or grams of protein. And I certainly would never have given second thought to the idea of a weird diet like all raw foods.
Yet I find myself strangely drawn to this idea of a raw lifestyle. What I've read about it seems really promising. As far as health goes, it seems like a wise move. And the recipes . . . they look pretty good. Besides, it's not like I have to go 100%, all-out raw (at least not right away).
What I'm realizing is that health is addictive. At first, I was just working out. Then I started becoming so healthy and strong. I loved being in tune with the contractions of my muscles
going up stairs and lifting groceries. It was a new feeling, and I really enjoyed it. I had a new rapport with my body, and so I wanted to take better care of it. Which means that I'm willing to go to greater and greater lengths to . . . let's call it detoxifying. Partly I've realized how much of what we, as modern consumers, put into our bodies is harmful. Unnatural. Toxic.
I want to cut all of that out, and make my lifestyle as natural as possible. But reading about what's involved . . . no cooked foods? Sprouting? Dehydration? Wheat grass juicing? I waver between "This is a bit excessive," and "No, this is the way things are supposed to be; this is natural."
So . . . natural lifestyle. I've decided on one raw meal a day, less sucrose, less sodium chloride, less gluten. Which means less bread. Sigh . . .
And new raw recipes coming soon!
Yet I find myself strangely drawn to this idea of a raw lifestyle. What I've read about it seems really promising. As far as health goes, it seems like a wise move. And the recipes . . . they look pretty good. Besides, it's not like I have to go 100%, all-out raw (at least not right away).
What I'm realizing is that health is addictive. At first, I was just working out. Then I started becoming so healthy and strong. I loved being in tune with the contractions of my muscles
going up stairs and lifting groceries. It was a new feeling, and I really enjoyed it. I had a new rapport with my body, and so I wanted to take better care of it. Which means that I'm willing to go to greater and greater lengths to . . . let's call it detoxifying. Partly I've realized how much of what we, as modern consumers, put into our bodies is harmful. Unnatural. Toxic.
I want to cut all of that out, and make my lifestyle as natural as possible. But reading about what's involved . . . no cooked foods? Sprouting? Dehydration? Wheat grass juicing? I waver between "This is a bit excessive," and "No, this is the way things are supposed to be; this is natural."
So . . . natural lifestyle. I've decided on one raw meal a day, less sucrose, less sodium chloride, less gluten. Which means less bread. Sigh . . .
And new raw recipes coming soon!
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
I'm Back!
Guess what! My keyboard is fixed! No more number/letter combos! No more deleting every other key! What does this mean for you, dear reader? It means that my excuse for not posting is gone! Which means that I'm back in the blogging mix.
So what's new? I'm working about 20 hours/week at my gym, and have officially taken over our tri training club. My coworkers are awesome . . . so supportive, so friendly and encouraging. It's only 20 hours a week, still . . . and that's only part classes. The other part is working (read: babysitting) at the club's rock wall on weekends. It's mostly a good thing . . . I love climbing, but haven't been able to really do a lot of it in several months. My hands and arms are definitely much stronger; I can already tell a difference in my finger strength. But it is boring, at times, since the traffic at the wall is so light. Most of the time I just sit there and watch sports on TV. The kids who come in are mostly nice and well-behaved. I make just a little above minimum wage (which is the lowest hourly wage I've ever been paid, in five years of working). But I think that the pros and cons pretty much balance out.
I look at this job as an internship; I never had one in school, and now I'm paying my dues. I'm investing in a company that I believe in with high hopes that someday soon it's going to work out as a full-time, secure job for me.
Kind of like training. You put in the time, deal with the pain, run when you don't want to run, keep your legs turning over when your muscles scream, continue swimming even when you're kicked in the face . . . and what drives it? It's an investment. Whether in speed or pride or lifetime fitness, it's an investment. And it's a really smart investment, at that. Have you ever found yourself, at the end of a race (or even of a workout) thinking, "That was so not worth it." Of course not! In fact, I would say it's much more likely that you might wish that you had invested more.
Anyway. Investment. I'm still investing. I'm investing in my half marathon training, I'm investing in my fitness career, and I am investing in this blog. To that end, I'll have some more of those spinning workouts up for download later this week.
So what's new? I'm working about 20 hours/week at my gym, and have officially taken over our tri training club. My coworkers are awesome . . . so supportive, so friendly and encouraging. It's only 20 hours a week, still . . . and that's only part classes. The other part is working (read: babysitting) at the club's rock wall on weekends. It's mostly a good thing . . . I love climbing, but haven't been able to really do a lot of it in several months. My hands and arms are definitely much stronger; I can already tell a difference in my finger strength. But it is boring, at times, since the traffic at the wall is so light. Most of the time I just sit there and watch sports on TV. The kids who come in are mostly nice and well-behaved. I make just a little above minimum wage (which is the lowest hourly wage I've ever been paid, in five years of working). But I think that the pros and cons pretty much balance out.
I look at this job as an internship; I never had one in school, and now I'm paying my dues. I'm investing in a company that I believe in with high hopes that someday soon it's going to work out as a full-time, secure job for me.
Kind of like training. You put in the time, deal with the pain, run when you don't want to run, keep your legs turning over when your muscles scream, continue swimming even when you're kicked in the face . . . and what drives it? It's an investment. Whether in speed or pride or lifetime fitness, it's an investment. And it's a really smart investment, at that. Have you ever found yourself, at the end of a race (or even of a workout) thinking, "That was so not worth it." Of course not! In fact, I would say it's much more likely that you might wish that you had invested more.
Anyway. Investment. I'm still investing. I'm investing in my half marathon training, I'm investing in my fitness career, and I am investing in this blog. To that end, I'll have some more of those spinning workouts up for download later this week.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Successes and Mistakes
Well, this morning I made a mistake; a couple of them actually. See, I've been very much enjoying yogurt smoothies for breakfast, lately. Today, I looked in the refrigerator and saw a very ripe mango in the crisper drawer. I think that it had been there for a while; the skin was a little wrinkly, and it was soft to the touch. But it was still good, so I decided that it would be the perfect ingredient for my morning smoothie.
Now, as I was making this smoothie, I thought that strawberry-mango sounded like a promising combination. But I decided to forego the strawberry element and stick with straight-up mango. To the diced mango, I added 1/2 cup yogurt (the last of it! I must buy some more!), a scoop of whey protein powder, and 1/2 cup of milk.
Or at least, I thought I did.
The blender didn't blend as smoothly as I am accustomed. It had to work a bit to get everything mixed up. Then when I poured the blended, um, "drink" into my cup, it looked a little . . . glooooopy. So I grabbed a spoon.
"Hmm," I thought, "This smoothie is really, really thick. It's actually more like mango/French Vanilla (flavoring from the protein powder) yogurt than a smooth drink. I guess next time I need to add more milk." And it was heavy enough that I couldn't eat/drink the whole thing at once, so I went to return it to the refrigerator until such time as I am hungry again. And on my way to the fridge, I saw my second mistake: 1/2 cup of milk sitting on the counter. Yep; I never added it to the blender. So I really was eating mango yogurt.
As for the first mistake, after I mixed in the milk, I realized that mango is just too sweet to be a good smoothie-maker on its own; it needs some tartness to balance it out, and the strawberries would definitely have done that.
But it hasn't all been mistakes! I've had a couple of original recipes work really well in the past couple days. For your gastronomical pleasure, I present:
Venison Mushroom Nu Ways
1/2 pound ground venison
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup finely chopped mushrooms
1 tbsp steak sauce (or BBQ or Worcestershire)
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and let them set for 15 minutes or so, enough to let the flavors mix around a bit. Brown the meat mixture in a skillet until it's crumbly and cooked through. Drain the liquid off, if you like (I don't, because both meats are so lean). Serve on whole grain bread with lots of mustard, and cheese, if you want it. Sliced onions are really good on top, too. I don't know how wide-spread the Nu Way restaurant chain is, but we have them in Wichita. A Nu Way sandwich is like a crumbly hamburger, and so this is a take on that idea. I use venison because it's very lean, much better for you than beef, and has a much stronger flavor. The mushrooms really highlight that slightly wild, gamey taste. A very healthy alternative to fast food. By the way, I used 5 oz ground venison and 3 oz ground turkey in this recipe, because I needed to get rid of the last little bit of ground turkey. Makes 2 servings.
Blawberry Smoothie
1/2 cup strawberries
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp turbinado sugar
Frozen berries are okay. Blend together. Add protein powder if you like.
Now, as I was making this smoothie, I thought that strawberry-mango sounded like a promising combination. But I decided to forego the strawberry element and stick with straight-up mango. To the diced mango, I added 1/2 cup yogurt (the last of it! I must buy some more!), a scoop of whey protein powder, and 1/2 cup of milk.
Or at least, I thought I did.
The blender didn't blend as smoothly as I am accustomed. It had to work a bit to get everything mixed up. Then when I poured the blended, um, "drink" into my cup, it looked a little . . . glooooopy. So I grabbed a spoon.
"Hmm," I thought, "This smoothie is really, really thick. It's actually more like mango/French Vanilla (flavoring from the protein powder) yogurt than a smooth drink. I guess next time I need to add more milk." And it was heavy enough that I couldn't eat/drink the whole thing at once, so I went to return it to the refrigerator until such time as I am hungry again. And on my way to the fridge, I saw my second mistake: 1/2 cup of milk sitting on the counter. Yep; I never added it to the blender. So I really was eating mango yogurt.
As for the first mistake, after I mixed in the milk, I realized that mango is just too sweet to be a good smoothie-maker on its own; it needs some tartness to balance it out, and the strawberries would definitely have done that.
But it hasn't all been mistakes! I've had a couple of original recipes work really well in the past couple days. For your gastronomical pleasure, I present:
Venison Mushroom Nu Ways
1/2 pound ground venison
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup finely chopped mushrooms
1 tbsp steak sauce (or BBQ or Worcestershire)
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and let them set for 15 minutes or so, enough to let the flavors mix around a bit. Brown the meat mixture in a skillet until it's crumbly and cooked through. Drain the liquid off, if you like (I don't, because both meats are so lean). Serve on whole grain bread with lots of mustard, and cheese, if you want it. Sliced onions are really good on top, too. I don't know how wide-spread the Nu Way restaurant chain is, but we have them in Wichita. A Nu Way sandwich is like a crumbly hamburger, and so this is a take on that idea. I use venison because it's very lean, much better for you than beef, and has a much stronger flavor. The mushrooms really highlight that slightly wild, gamey taste. A very healthy alternative to fast food. By the way, I used 5 oz ground venison and 3 oz ground turkey in this recipe, because I needed to get rid of the last little bit of ground turkey. Makes 2 servings.
Blawberry Smoothie
1/2 cup strawberries
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp turbinado sugar
Frozen berries are okay. Blend together. Add protein powder if you like.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Longest Run Ever
Not because it was difficult; I'd just never run 8 miles at once, before.
My training over the past few weeks has been mediocre, at best (and nonexistent at worst). I was out of town for three weeks, then when I came back, I started working my first 40 hour work week ever. I'm working at a gym, but still. Being gone from 8:00 to 6:30 every day makes it difficult to get in the kind of miles I need for my upcoming events.
But getting out and running today will (I hope) act in a revitalizing fashion. The climbing wall (which I'm staffing at my club) is cutting back to fall hours starting Monday, so I won't have to be there from 12-6 every day. Which means that I can get in some of those big rides and runs during the day, instead of having to get up super early or stay out super late. 8 miles wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be; I feel like 10k was the big hump, and after I did that (my first 10k training run was in April), everything else is cake. Although we'll see if that's the case as I get into 10 and 12 mile runs. Obviously, it's not easy to keep those legs moving after the miles start building, but it's possible. And it reminds me of that self-discipline that makes me love running so much; once I get going, I feel so strong, so empowered, so capable. And I think that reminder will keep me going over the next few weeks as I train for non-tri events (which, frankly, aren't as exciting to me).
I now know the importance of carrying band aids along with me on training runs. I actually had to stop at Walgreen's to buy some and bandage my blistered feet. I also really need to purchase some new running shoes; I've had my current pair since December. Including stops for band aiding, I was out for 1:51; without those stops, 1:36. That's about a 12-minute-mile pace, right? I guess that's okay. I'd really like to be between 10 and 11 for the race, but that might not be realistic. At any rate, this will be my first half marathon, and so my primary objective is to finish!
My dad is also training, although I think he's focusing more on his biking right now. I'm really looking forward to these endeavors. And I can't wait for my 10-mile long run next week!
My training over the past few weeks has been mediocre, at best (and nonexistent at worst). I was out of town for three weeks, then when I came back, I started working my first 40 hour work week ever. I'm working at a gym, but still. Being gone from 8:00 to 6:30 every day makes it difficult to get in the kind of miles I need for my upcoming events.
But getting out and running today will (I hope) act in a revitalizing fashion. The climbing wall (which I'm staffing at my club) is cutting back to fall hours starting Monday, so I won't have to be there from 12-6 every day. Which means that I can get in some of those big rides and runs during the day, instead of having to get up super early or stay out super late. 8 miles wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be; I feel like 10k was the big hump, and after I did that (my first 10k training run was in April), everything else is cake. Although we'll see if that's the case as I get into 10 and 12 mile runs. Obviously, it's not easy to keep those legs moving after the miles start building, but it's possible. And it reminds me of that self-discipline that makes me love running so much; once I get going, I feel so strong, so empowered, so capable. And I think that reminder will keep me going over the next few weeks as I train for non-tri events (which, frankly, aren't as exciting to me).
I now know the importance of carrying band aids along with me on training runs. I actually had to stop at Walgreen's to buy some and bandage my blistered feet. I also really need to purchase some new running shoes; I've had my current pair since December. Including stops for band aiding, I was out for 1:51; without those stops, 1:36. That's about a 12-minute-mile pace, right? I guess that's okay. I'd really like to be between 10 and 11 for the race, but that might not be realistic. At any rate, this will be my first half marathon, and so my primary objective is to finish!
My dad is also training, although I think he's focusing more on his biking right now. I'm really looking forward to these endeavors. And I can't wait for my 10-mile long run next week!
Monday, August 13, 2007
Still Alive
Back from Kaua'i. Ke3y6bo9ar4d st5i8ll br4o9ke3n. Hope to get it fixed soon, at which point I'll really update. Until then, i8t5's si8mp0ly6 t5o9o9 fr4u7st5r4at5i8ng t5o9 have3 t5o9 de3le3t5e3 e3ve3r4y6 o9t5he3r4 char4act5e3r4.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Back
Back from my week of working with high school students at a Mennonite summer camp. It was exhausting. And I'm extremely glad to be back in my house with a normal shower and bed. I'm also glad to be away from the delicious but deadly German food which I enjoyed all week (enjoyed far too much, in fact). Also, with all that meat, bread, and cheese, I'm looking forward to pooping again.
Although running around with a bunch of teenagers all week did keep me pretty active (and I was also driving back and forth between Cheney and Wichita to teach fitness classes all week), I didn't get as much training in as I would have liked. One of the other counselors (who's running for Friends University starting this fall) and I planned to run in the mornings, but we were so bushed that we never did. Probably a good thing; I'm sure it would have been difficult for me to keep up with her, no matter how slowly she ran. I did get out for one 2.5 mile run on Thursday morning, but it wasn't particularly useful; I was so mentally tired that I couldn't keep my legs moving. I wasn't fatigued or out of breath; I just didn't want to run.
And I find that my training once again lacks motivation; I enjoy swimming, biking, running, lifting, climbing, yoga, and whatever else I can find to do, but it seems pretty aimless right now. But I guess I felt the same way before my first race; I was working out a lot, but I didn't really have any concept of what was required. I guess it makes sense that the same would be true for the time leading up to my first half marathon. I'll probably finish super slowly, feel inspired to be better next time, and train my little heart out for my next long run. 'Tis the way of things.
By6 t5he3 w2ay6, my6 ke3y6bo9ar4d i8s act5i8ng u7p0.
Although running around with a bunch of teenagers all week did keep me pretty active (and I was also driving back and forth between Cheney and Wichita to teach fitness classes all week), I didn't get as much training in as I would have liked. One of the other counselors (who's running for Friends University starting this fall) and I planned to run in the mornings, but we were so bushed that we never did. Probably a good thing; I'm sure it would have been difficult for me to keep up with her, no matter how slowly she ran. I did get out for one 2.5 mile run on Thursday morning, but it wasn't particularly useful; I was so mentally tired that I couldn't keep my legs moving. I wasn't fatigued or out of breath; I just didn't want to run.
And I find that my training once again lacks motivation; I enjoy swimming, biking, running, lifting, climbing, yoga, and whatever else I can find to do, but it seems pretty aimless right now. But I guess I felt the same way before my first race; I was working out a lot, but I didn't really have any concept of what was required. I guess it makes sense that the same would be true for the time leading up to my first half marathon. I'll probably finish super slowly, feel inspired to be better next time, and train my little heart out for my next long run. 'Tis the way of things.
By6 t5he3 w2ay6, my6 ke3y6bo9ar4d i8s act5i8ng u7p0.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Too Much
Now wouldn't it be ridiculous if I got all overtrained when I'm not even (technically) training for anything?
This morning, I commuted by bike for the first time. It's a 17 or 18 mile bike ride from my house to Genesis, which I didn't think was too bad. And I gave myself an hour and a half to get there, so I knew I didn't have to rush.
But I really should have thought better than to commute by bike to teach a spinning class.
As a result, I felt like the energy was way down for my class; this is the first time ever that I have not wanted to really push it in my spinning class, and I think it was hard for my students to go as far as they could have as a result. Besides which, I think the workout I planned was just too hard. Last week's was really difficult, too (but difficult in a way that was much more fun). So I think that next week I'll try to make my class more fun. Still intense, but more fun. Today felt like work, and I don't want it to be a place where clients enjoy being.
I guess I need to recognize that I'm not going to be perfect at this teaching thing (even though I think I'm pretty naturally suited for it). Some days, I'm going to mess up. And hopefully I don't chase a bunch of my regulars off. But maybe the small failures are worthwhile if I learn from them.
This morning, I commuted by bike for the first time. It's a 17 or 18 mile bike ride from my house to Genesis, which I didn't think was too bad. And I gave myself an hour and a half to get there, so I knew I didn't have to rush.
But I really should have thought better than to commute by bike to teach a spinning class.
As a result, I felt like the energy was way down for my class; this is the first time ever that I have not wanted to really push it in my spinning class, and I think it was hard for my students to go as far as they could have as a result. Besides which, I think the workout I planned was just too hard. Last week's was really difficult, too (but difficult in a way that was much more fun). So I think that next week I'll try to make my class more fun. Still intense, but more fun. Today felt like work, and I don't want it to be a place where clients enjoy being.
I guess I need to recognize that I'm not going to be perfect at this teaching thing (even though I think I'm pretty naturally suited for it). Some days, I'm going to mess up. And hopefully I don't chase a bunch of my regulars off. But maybe the small failures are worthwhile if I learn from them.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Recipe: Creamy Garbanzo Bean Soup
Found this recipe today, and just had to try it. I made half a batch ('cause it's just me tonight) using a can of Trader Joe's garbanzo beans, about a sixth of an onion, a full clove of garlic, and a quarter cup of cream. The soup is easy to make and delicious to eat. I recommend skipping the cumin oil unless you have real cumin seeds; all I had was ground cumin, and I definitely didn't make the oil swirled on top look as appealing as the recipe's creator. Besides which, the oil adds so much fat and so many calories, you're better off without (then you don't have to feel so guilty about the cream); just add about a teaspoon of cumin directly into the soup, or else sprinkle it on top. I'm eating my soup with a slice of whole grain bread, because that's all I have. But I bet it would be excellent with some crusty baguette, or maybe sourdough bread.
Eat a cup of it for 480 calories, 50 g carbohydrate, 11 g protein, and 27 g fat.
Eat a cup of it for 480 calories, 50 g carbohydrate, 11 g protein, and 27 g fat.
So What's Next
My triathlon season is officially over, now (although I've seriously considered looking for another race in the next few months). I've been racing since February, and have done something like half a dozen races here and there. And I feel like, for my first season, that's not bad. Now I have a new set of goals and ambitions that I'm hoping to accomplish, and I'm even looking ahead to next season to see what might be possible.
First up, I have a few more events on the horizon. The MS 150 is a two-day tour I'll be doing with my dad (whom I'm hoping to draw into triathlon this year) for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. By the way, if you'd like to check out my info and/or donate to my ride, you can visit my participant page. That's in September. After that, I'll be gearing up for my first-ever half marathon, which will be the longest distance I've ever run (I'm also doing that with my dad, unless he bails at the last minute; I don't think he believes that I really expect him to do it).
But besides the next races, I have a long list of off-season goals, the first of which is to build my aerobic base (hence the long races). I just can't compete with the folks who have been doing endurance sports for the last 10 years. I know that building that kind of aerobic base takes time and hard work more than anything else, but I want to do as much as I can in the next year to make sure that I have a solid base to start from. Core strength is another goal of mine; I'm so lazy when it comes to doing crunches. I'm already starting to do a lot of swimming and running drills, so that I can improve my form and be able to compete with better efficiency next year; I'm hoping that will set me up for some big leaps forward in my swim and run pacing.
I want to dial in my nutrition, so that I have that reliable habit of eating consistently well, and so that I can lose some weight and seriously reduce my body fat percentage (which my scale says is the same as last year at this time, and I have no idea how that is possible; I think the scale is inaccurate). At any rate, to that end, I've been keeping track of my nutrition fastidiously: Counting calories, fat, protein, and carbs, as well as various vitamins and minerals. Know what I've found? I get pretty close to my target consumption (1700/day), but in the wrong way. I haven't been able to get enough protein. Granted, I've only been paying attention to protein for 3 days now, but I've been far enough off (like 50 g off target every day, going by the 40-30-30 rule) that I suspect I lack protein in my diet. Which strikes me as odd; I've read that most Americans get roughly 300% the protein they need every day. Maybe that's not true, or maybe I'm not a very average American. At any rate, I need to get some more protein!
I've been trying to drink more milk and eat more cheese, and I've been eating more quinoa (although I discovered today that the glycemic index is a little higher than I might like for it). I guess I'm going to have to start doing the broiled chicken breast thing, too. It probably wouldn't hurt to cut back on my carbohydrate consumption, either, especially now that I'm not training as vigorously.
Anyway, training and diet aside, starting in September I'm going to be running the west side multisport club at the gym at which I'm working, and I'm very excited about that. I don't think I could possibly have as much fun with this team as I had with my wonderful USC team, but it will be excellent to train and race with other tri crazies again. Not to mention, I'll be getting paid for it. Not enough to pay the bills, but hopefully that will be worked out when I get my NSCA certification.
So that's what I have coming up during this offseason. Without the training, perhaps I'll have more time to post workouts and recipes.
First up, I have a few more events on the horizon. The MS 150 is a two-day tour I'll be doing with my dad (whom I'm hoping to draw into triathlon this year) for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. By the way, if you'd like to check out my info and/or donate to my ride, you can visit my participant page. That's in September. After that, I'll be gearing up for my first-ever half marathon, which will be the longest distance I've ever run (I'm also doing that with my dad, unless he bails at the last minute; I don't think he believes that I really expect him to do it).
But besides the next races, I have a long list of off-season goals, the first of which is to build my aerobic base (hence the long races). I just can't compete with the folks who have been doing endurance sports for the last 10 years. I know that building that kind of aerobic base takes time and hard work more than anything else, but I want to do as much as I can in the next year to make sure that I have a solid base to start from. Core strength is another goal of mine; I'm so lazy when it comes to doing crunches. I'm already starting to do a lot of swimming and running drills, so that I can improve my form and be able to compete with better efficiency next year; I'm hoping that will set me up for some big leaps forward in my swim and run pacing.
I want to dial in my nutrition, so that I have that reliable habit of eating consistently well, and so that I can lose some weight and seriously reduce my body fat percentage (which my scale says is the same as last year at this time, and I have no idea how that is possible; I think the scale is inaccurate). At any rate, to that end, I've been keeping track of my nutrition fastidiously: Counting calories, fat, protein, and carbs, as well as various vitamins and minerals. Know what I've found? I get pretty close to my target consumption (1700/day), but in the wrong way. I haven't been able to get enough protein. Granted, I've only been paying attention to protein for 3 days now, but I've been far enough off (like 50 g off target every day, going by the 40-30-30 rule) that I suspect I lack protein in my diet. Which strikes me as odd; I've read that most Americans get roughly 300% the protein they need every day. Maybe that's not true, or maybe I'm not a very average American. At any rate, I need to get some more protein!
I've been trying to drink more milk and eat more cheese, and I've been eating more quinoa (although I discovered today that the glycemic index is a little higher than I might like for it). I guess I'm going to have to start doing the broiled chicken breast thing, too. It probably wouldn't hurt to cut back on my carbohydrate consumption, either, especially now that I'm not training as vigorously.
Anyway, training and diet aside, starting in September I'm going to be running the west side multisport club at the gym at which I'm working, and I'm very excited about that. I don't think I could possibly have as much fun with this team as I had with my wonderful USC team, but it will be excellent to train and race with other tri crazies again. Not to mention, I'll be getting paid for it. Not enough to pay the bills, but hopefully that will be worked out when I get my NSCA certification.
So that's what I have coming up during this offseason. Without the training, perhaps I'll have more time to post workouts and recipes.
Look!
Photos, courtesy of my dad and my new (awesome) camera!
Pre-race
Reppin' USC!
Swim
I've never seen a close-up picture of myself swimming. It makes me aware that I need to work on my recovery.
T1
Man, I wish I hadn't run so hard coming out of the water. That hurt.
Bike
I swear there was more uphill than downhill on this course. I don't know how that's possible on a circular loop, but I swear it's true.
T2
Totally rocking transition
I'd like to mention that my race number ripped off my belt in transition, which is why it's on crooked here.
Run
Oh, so much pain . . .
Hanging with Sarah Reinersten!
Who is a USC grad, by the way.
Please, do not expect me to do anything for the next five or six hours
Pre-race
Reppin' USC!
Swim
I've never seen a close-up picture of myself swimming. It makes me aware that I need to work on my recovery.
T1
Man, I wish I hadn't run so hard coming out of the water. That hurt.
Bike
I swear there was more uphill than downhill on this course. I don't know how that's possible on a circular loop, but I swear it's true.
T2
Totally rocking transition
I'd like to mention that my race number ripped off my belt in transition, which is why it's on crooked here.
Run
Oh, so much pain . . .
Hanging with Sarah Reinersten!
Who is a USC grad, by the way.
Please, do not expect me to do anything for the next five or six hours
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Race Report: Shawnee Mission
Honestly, I haven't wanted to do this. My race didn't exactly go as well as I wanted it to. Well, in a way it did. Right after the race, I felt okay about it. I knew that I had given what I had to give. I knew (from my heart rate monitor) that I worked as hard as was reasonable for most of the race (and sometimes harder).
But upon reviewing my results, I've been supremely disappointed. That's not how I trained. Those speeds are not what I was prepared to race. And I keep telling myself that I've still improved by leaps and bounds over last year's performance. And that I've only been doing this for a year, and that I can't possibly compete against people who have been building an aerobic base for the last 10 to 20 years. And that I gave all that I had.
But I wish I had more to give.
Swim
Last year: 24:18
This year: 23:04
I have to say, I was very pleased with my swim. Standing in the water, waiting for the start, I was confident, excited, and calm. I think that, in terms of race preparation and mental state, this was my strongest start ever. I knew that, even though I'm a fairly slow swimmer (2:18/100? My goal would be 1:45/100), I can be a lot more competitive as a swimmer in Kansas, as opposed to California (where everyone, at some point, was on a swim, water polo, or synchronized swim team). So I stood in the front, and figured if anyone wanted to go around me, I'd rather they have to swim around me than I have to swim around them. But this swim was the first one where I'd really felt the infamous aggression of triathlon open swim starts. I was hitting someone or being hit (but more of the former, sorry fellow competitors!) for most of the 1000 meters. It was actually kind of fun, but a little frustrating while trying to swim around (sometimes over) someone else. I tried not to be too mean; I know how I would feel if I got mauled and passed in the space of a minute. Anyway, long story short, I had the 41st fastest swim (out of 57).
T1
Last year: 3:48
This year: 1:02
7th fastest.
Bike
Last year: 93:50 (11.5 MPH)
This year: 65:02 (16.6 MPH)
The day before (as I drove the course), I realized that I may have made a misjudgment of the course. Because I was so slow and undertrained last year, I built this idea that the course wasn't that hard; it was just my perception. Besides, when you're averaging 11.5 MPH, the smallest hills become mountains. But there are some sizable, very intimidating hills on that course. And I had to do each of them 4 times. And I simply wasn't in climbing shape. To be fair, there is absolutely no way to train hills around Wichita; we don't have any! But that wasn't very comforting when my speed dropped to 5 MPH on the Dam Hill (which lives in infamy for all Shawnee Mission Triathletes!). At any rate, my 40 MPH downhill speed and 26 MPH cruising speed (which I was able to sustain for the 1 mile of flat road at the end and 1/2 mile at the beginning of each loop) couldn't make up for my embarassingly slow ascents. 36th fastest time. But at least I wasn't the last one on the course this year!
T2
Last year: 1:39
This year: 0:50
Fifth fastest time!
Run
Last year: 55:26 (12:21/mile)
This year: 52:48 (11:54/mile)
When I looked up my results the other night, this was my biggest disappointment. I haven't run so slowly since Cal Poly, in March. Since then, I've broken my 10:00/mile a couple of times. And I've run most of my training runs closer to 9:20. Even on my brick workouts, I've been running 10:00 or 10:30, but never 11:54. Again, the course was harder than I remembered. Harder and hotter. Last year, I was just focused on keeping my legs moving, so much so that I never noticed the hills (we had to run up the Dam Hill, as well). And last year it was raining, so I never knew that most of the course is exposed to the sun at 10:00 a.m. The heat was just miserable. For the first time, I really, really wished that I had a fuel belt or a water bottle along on the run. I think if I had been better hydrated, I would have been better able to keep my heartrate down. My heart rate, by the way, stayed right around 181. Which makes me think that I've probably trained my lactate threshold higher. Because it was at around 184, but I stayed right below that for almost an hour. I was pretty excited thinking about that during the run. The course ended on a decent-sized hill. So that was fun, to run up that at the end. My HR climbed to 194, which (I'm pretty sure) is the highest it's ever been. I wanted to die, after that. I thought I was going to fall down and then throw up and then fall down some more.
But you know, writing it all out again, reliving it in my mind, I feel pretty good about it. Yes, I didn't achieve my goal of reaching the podium, or of being in the top 10 women . . . I didn't even meet my goal time. But I did go out there and I worked as hard as I could. Yes, I wish that could have been harder; I wish my body would have had a little more to give. But I gave what I had. I performed my best on Sunday. So I'm pretty proud of that.
Final
Last year: 2:59:10
This year: 2:22:44
Overall, I've seen a lot of improvement. I still have room to grow. And I keep remembering what one of my tri buddies said after UCLA's reverse sprint. We were looking at the results and he told me, "You know, out of everyone on the team, I think you're the one who's improved the most. And in a couple of years, you're going to be a really competitive age grouper." So yeah. I'm still improving. I took more than half an hour off my time from last year. I got to the start confident, calm, and collected. I rocked my transitions. I finished strong. These things have come with experience, practice, and hard work. So I'm going to keep working and racing, and I'm going to be back next year stronger and faster.
I am no longer a tri neophyte.
But upon reviewing my results, I've been supremely disappointed. That's not how I trained. Those speeds are not what I was prepared to race. And I keep telling myself that I've still improved by leaps and bounds over last year's performance. And that I've only been doing this for a year, and that I can't possibly compete against people who have been building an aerobic base for the last 10 to 20 years. And that I gave all that I had.
But I wish I had more to give.
Swim
Last year: 24:18
This year: 23:04
I have to say, I was very pleased with my swim. Standing in the water, waiting for the start, I was confident, excited, and calm. I think that, in terms of race preparation and mental state, this was my strongest start ever. I knew that, even though I'm a fairly slow swimmer (2:18/100? My goal would be 1:45/100), I can be a lot more competitive as a swimmer in Kansas, as opposed to California (where everyone, at some point, was on a swim, water polo, or synchronized swim team). So I stood in the front, and figured if anyone wanted to go around me, I'd rather they have to swim around me than I have to swim around them. But this swim was the first one where I'd really felt the infamous aggression of triathlon open swim starts. I was hitting someone or being hit (but more of the former, sorry fellow competitors!) for most of the 1000 meters. It was actually kind of fun, but a little frustrating while trying to swim around (sometimes over) someone else. I tried not to be too mean; I know how I would feel if I got mauled and passed in the space of a minute. Anyway, long story short, I had the 41st fastest swim (out of 57).
T1
Last year: 3:48
This year: 1:02
7th fastest.
Bike
Last year: 93:50 (11.5 MPH)
This year: 65:02 (16.6 MPH)
The day before (as I drove the course), I realized that I may have made a misjudgment of the course. Because I was so slow and undertrained last year, I built this idea that the course wasn't that hard; it was just my perception. Besides, when you're averaging 11.5 MPH, the smallest hills become mountains. But there are some sizable, very intimidating hills on that course. And I had to do each of them 4 times. And I simply wasn't in climbing shape. To be fair, there is absolutely no way to train hills around Wichita; we don't have any! But that wasn't very comforting when my speed dropped to 5 MPH on the Dam Hill (which lives in infamy for all Shawnee Mission Triathletes!). At any rate, my 40 MPH downhill speed and 26 MPH cruising speed (which I was able to sustain for the 1 mile of flat road at the end and 1/2 mile at the beginning of each loop) couldn't make up for my embarassingly slow ascents. 36th fastest time. But at least I wasn't the last one on the course this year!
T2
Last year: 1:39
This year: 0:50
Fifth fastest time!
Run
Last year: 55:26 (12:21/mile)
This year: 52:48 (11:54/mile)
When I looked up my results the other night, this was my biggest disappointment. I haven't run so slowly since Cal Poly, in March. Since then, I've broken my 10:00/mile a couple of times. And I've run most of my training runs closer to 9:20. Even on my brick workouts, I've been running 10:00 or 10:30, but never 11:54. Again, the course was harder than I remembered. Harder and hotter. Last year, I was just focused on keeping my legs moving, so much so that I never noticed the hills (we had to run up the Dam Hill, as well). And last year it was raining, so I never knew that most of the course is exposed to the sun at 10:00 a.m. The heat was just miserable. For the first time, I really, really wished that I had a fuel belt or a water bottle along on the run. I think if I had been better hydrated, I would have been better able to keep my heartrate down. My heart rate, by the way, stayed right around 181. Which makes me think that I've probably trained my lactate threshold higher. Because it was at around 184, but I stayed right below that for almost an hour. I was pretty excited thinking about that during the run. The course ended on a decent-sized hill. So that was fun, to run up that at the end. My HR climbed to 194, which (I'm pretty sure) is the highest it's ever been. I wanted to die, after that. I thought I was going to fall down and then throw up and then fall down some more.
But you know, writing it all out again, reliving it in my mind, I feel pretty good about it. Yes, I didn't achieve my goal of reaching the podium, or of being in the top 10 women . . . I didn't even meet my goal time. But I did go out there and I worked as hard as I could. Yes, I wish that could have been harder; I wish my body would have had a little more to give. But I gave what I had. I performed my best on Sunday. So I'm pretty proud of that.
Final
Last year: 2:59:10
This year: 2:22:44
Overall, I've seen a lot of improvement. I still have room to grow. And I keep remembering what one of my tri buddies said after UCLA's reverse sprint. We were looking at the results and he told me, "You know, out of everyone on the team, I think you're the one who's improved the most. And in a couple of years, you're going to be a really competitive age grouper." So yeah. I'm still improving. I took more than half an hour off my time from last year. I got to the start confident, calm, and collected. I rocked my transitions. I finished strong. These things have come with experience, practice, and hard work. So I'm going to keep working and racing, and I'm going to be back next year stronger and faster.
I am no longer a tri neophyte.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
T Minus 1
I'm off to Shawnee Mission for my priority race and final triathlon of the season. My muscles feel packed with glycogen, I've gone over my race checklist (twice!), and I've tuned, oiled, and tightened my bike. I'm feeling a little tight, especially in my legs (maybe I went too hard on my "easy" run yesterday). But I'll stretch it all out before we get in the car, and then again after we check into our hotel.
Race report forthcoming. See you then.
Race report forthcoming. See you then.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
T Minus 4
Rest yesterday, rest today. Easy run tomorrow with short, intense intervals (just to remind my legs what to do). And packing! Because on Saturday I get to go to Shawnee Mission!
In other news, I got a call from the Multisport director at Genesis, today. We'll be meeting on Monday to discuss the possibility of me taking over the West Central Multisport Club. Which would be awesome.
I don't know what I'm going to do for spinning class on Monday; I doubt I'm going to be able to maintain the level of intensity I would expect from my students. Maybe a climbing workout is the way to go. With lots of climbing, my heart rate won't climb as high as if we do a lot of speedwork. I'm sure my heart rate will still be much higher than normal, but I hope it won't be so high that I can't set an example for intensity for my class.
In other news, I got a call from the Multisport director at Genesis, today. We'll be meeting on Monday to discuss the possibility of me taking over the West Central Multisport Club. Which would be awesome.
I don't know what I'm going to do for spinning class on Monday; I doubt I'm going to be able to maintain the level of intensity I would expect from my students. Maybe a climbing workout is the way to go. With lots of climbing, my heart rate won't climb as high as if we do a lot of speedwork. I'm sure my heart rate will still be much higher than normal, but I hope it won't be so high that I can't set an example for intensity for my class.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Workouts
Swim Workouts
Ironmom: "A Swim Workout to be Eager for"
Quick Catch
Please Pass the Calories
Speedwork
Back in the Saddle
Bike Workouts
Spinning Workout: Tabata Intervals
Spinning Workout 18: Rollers
GMC Indoor Workout 3/5/08
Spinning Workout 21: Building Cadence
Spinning Workout 4: Intro to Climbing
Spinning Workout 3: Cadence
Spinning Workout 2: Cadence
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
T-minus 6
Today was my first official day of taper. Besides teaching an ass-kicking spinning session (podcast will be available later this week), I did a low volume, high intensity session on the treadmill.
I wanted to keep it below 2 miles, so I did 1.5 in 15 minutes.
But I did the first mile at 8:40 pace. Which is about a minute faster than my usual race pace. It's about 40 seconds faster than my 80% effortst at the track. And it's way, way faster than the pace at which I run my tempo sessions. I won't even tell you how much faster.
Thing is, after that first hard mile, and then running some 1-2 minute intervals with walk breaks between, I felt great. I didn't want to stop. And, frankly, it's pretty unusual for me not to want to stop running; it's not my favorite thing to do.
What does this tell me? It tells me that I could--and should--be working a lot harder, because I could be running much faster. Have to keep that in mind as I get into my half marathon training in the next month or two. I was planning to hit a 10:00/mile pace for the half. But I think I should shoot for 9:30; I think to do less would be to underestimate my potential.
I wanted to keep it below 2 miles, so I did 1.5 in 15 minutes.
But I did the first mile at 8:40 pace. Which is about a minute faster than my usual race pace. It's about 40 seconds faster than my 80% effortst at the track. And it's way, way faster than the pace at which I run my tempo sessions. I won't even tell you how much faster.
Thing is, after that first hard mile, and then running some 1-2 minute intervals with walk breaks between, I felt great. I didn't want to stop. And, frankly, it's pretty unusual for me not to want to stop running; it's not my favorite thing to do.
What does this tell me? It tells me that I could--and should--be working a lot harder, because I could be running much faster. Have to keep that in mind as I get into my half marathon training in the next month or two. I was planning to hit a 10:00/mile pace for the half. But I think I should shoot for 9:30; I think to do less would be to underestimate my potential.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Blech
It has been raining all day. Quite literally, all day. There is a small lake in my driveway. So much for the bike-run brick.
And I know that I would feel much better if I were to just make the 30 minute drive through the driving rain to the gym and do an hour or so of technique work and an hour or so of spinning and an hour or so on the treadmill, but I just can't seem to summon the energy.
Blech. Too much food, too much rain, not enough sunshine and training. Maybe, after so many months in sunny L.A., the rain affects my psyche more than it used to.
And I know that I would feel much better if I were to just make the 30 minute drive through the driving rain to the gym and do an hour or so of technique work and an hour or so of spinning and an hour or so on the treadmill, but I just can't seem to summon the energy.
Blech. Too much food, too much rain, not enough sunshine and training. Maybe, after so many months in sunny L.A., the rain affects my psyche more than it used to.
Spinning Workout 2 - Cadence (45 minutes)
Here it is: my first spinning podcast. I wanted to share this workout because I know how convenient it is to have a prefabricated playlist, with appropriate tempos for keeping cadence and everything, but I've had trouble finding playlists with music that I actually like (for example, fitpod is a great resource, but I don't really enjoy the music). So I wanted to provide a full workout for people who don't have access to cycling or spinning classes, or who prefer to do their workouts outside.
By the way, this is the same workout that I taught the other day at Genesis.
The General (4:06) : Warm up
Inside Out (3:38) : Seated, (3), focus on cadence : Pick up cadence at chorus : +(4) on 2nd verse, time trial : Up on bridge, keep good cadence : Down, pick up on final chorus
Breathing (3:38) : Quick legs (3) : Pick it up at chorus : Up, +(4) at 2nd verse : Pick it up at 2nd chorus : +(5), quick legs : -(4), down at final verse : Pick it up at final chorus : Accelerate through last repetition of chorus to end (about :25)
Machine Gun Song (2:50) : -(3), back off, but still quick, even cadence : +(4), at first chorus (BANG BANG!), keep cadence going : +(5) at bridge : --(3) at coda : +(4) at chorus : +(5) at second bridge
She (4:01) : --(3), spin it out : +(4), cadence, power output : +(5), at chorus, maintain cadence : -(4), back it off a little at outro
Ammunition (3:46) : -(3), spin it out : Get cadence going at beginning of music : Pick it up at chorus : +(4) at 2nd verse : Pick it up at chorus : Pick it up at final chorus : Accelerate to the end
Standing in the Way of Control (4:16) : Back it off, leave at (4) : Quick legs : Accelerate at the refrain : Jumps on 2nd verse : Stay standing, accelerate at refrain : Sit down, back off to normal cadence at bridge : Jumps on 3rd verse : Sit down, accelerate through refrain
The Middle (2:45) : Back it off, -(3) : Quick legs : Sprint at first chorus (:12) : +(4), up : S sprint at 2nd chorus (:12) : Down at instrumental : Sprint to end (:24)
Redemption (3:06) : Back it off, -(3) : Quick legs : +(4) at chorus : +(5), up at 2nd verse : +(6) at 2nd chorus : -(5), down at change of section
I Wanna Be Sedated (2:29) : Climb in (5) : Jumps at chorus : +(6) at 2nd verse : Jumps at chorus : Up, stay up : +(7) at modulation : --(5), at 4th verse : Jumps at chorus
Everlong (4:10) : Descent with sprints
The Swimming Song (2:33) : Cool down
The Gypsy Kings (4:18) : Stretching
Note: Click on the title to be taken to the podcast audio file.
By the way, this is the same workout that I taught the other day at Genesis.
The General (4:06) : Warm up
Inside Out (3:38) : Seated, (3), focus on cadence : Pick up cadence at chorus : +(4) on 2nd verse, time trial : Up on bridge, keep good cadence : Down, pick up on final chorus
Breathing (3:38) : Quick legs (3) : Pick it up at chorus : Up, +(4) at 2nd verse : Pick it up at 2nd chorus : +(5), quick legs : -(4), down at final verse : Pick it up at final chorus : Accelerate through last repetition of chorus to end (about :25)
Machine Gun Song (2:50) : -(3), back off, but still quick, even cadence : +(4), at first chorus (BANG BANG!), keep cadence going : +(5) at bridge : --(3) at coda : +(4) at chorus : +(5) at second bridge
She (4:01) : --(3), spin it out : +(4), cadence, power output : +(5), at chorus, maintain cadence : -(4), back it off a little at outro
Ammunition (3:46) : -(3), spin it out : Get cadence going at beginning of music : Pick it up at chorus : +(4) at 2nd verse : Pick it up at chorus : Pick it up at final chorus : Accelerate to the end
Standing in the Way of Control (4:16) : Back it off, leave at (4) : Quick legs : Accelerate at the refrain : Jumps on 2nd verse : Stay standing, accelerate at refrain : Sit down, back off to normal cadence at bridge : Jumps on 3rd verse : Sit down, accelerate through refrain
The Middle (2:45) : Back it off, -(3) : Quick legs : Sprint at first chorus (:12) : +(4), up : S sprint at 2nd chorus (:12) : Down at instrumental : Sprint to end (:24)
Redemption (3:06) : Back it off, -(3) : Quick legs : +(4) at chorus : +(5), up at 2nd verse : +(6) at 2nd chorus : -(5), down at change of section
I Wanna Be Sedated (2:29) : Climb in (5) : Jumps at chorus : +(6) at 2nd verse : Jumps at chorus : Up, stay up : +(7) at modulation : --(5), at 4th verse : Jumps at chorus
Everlong (4:10) : Descent with sprints
The Swimming Song (2:33) : Cool down
The Gypsy Kings (4:18) : Stretching
Note: Click on the title to be taken to the podcast audio file.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Fshew
I taught my first cycling class yesterday, at Genesis Health Club. And wow. Teaching spinning classes is harder than taking them. I think I have this mentality where it's really important for me to model what I want people to do. So when I'm teaching, I push myself even harder than normal.
I should teach some track classes.
I should teach some track classes.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Rounding it off
Shawnee Mission is so close I can taste it. I have trouble getting to sleep, envisioning race day. Mostly fantasizing about how much ass I am going to kick this year. Although I have to say I have little doubts sneaking in . . . In order to hit the top 10, I'm going to have to do the race in under 2 hours, if this year's field is anything like last year's. 20 minutes for 1000 meters is very ambitious for me. 18 MPH is (I think, at this point) entirely doable. And a sub-10:00 mile is . . . well, it might happen. But doing all of them together, with transitions and all, under 2 hours is very, very ambitious for me. And I find myself wondering . . . what if I'm not as good as I think I am? What if I'm not so fit? What if there's just too much depth in the field? Inevitably, I come to the conclusion that, whether I podium or not, whether or not I can claim the bragging rights of a top 10 overall finish, I will still kick ass. Because I am so, so, so much fitter this year than I was last year. And even if I don't kick everyone else's asses, I will still have kicked my own!
So with race day in clear view, I'm working in more bricks and some transition practice. Wednesday, I went to Pawnee Prairie Park (after picking my bike up at Bicycle Exchange, because one of my spokes broke and so I had that fixed) and did a 20-2 workout. 20 miles on the bike, 2 miles of beautiful trail running. I have to admit, I hadn't done a bike-run brick in a long time. Like, multiple weeks. I can't actually remember the last time I ran right off the bike, with the exception of races. Anyway, the brick was hell, I'm sure, but all I really remember was how completely awesome I felt after doing it. Not awesome as in, "Ah! I feel quite refreshed after that brisk jog!" More awesome like, "Yes! I am such a badass! Now get me into a shower."
I think the badass element is my favorite part of this sport.
Today, I've already done my 4-mile tempo run (39:18! yeah, sub-10-minute pace!) and I still have a swim-bike brick. So, with any luck, it won't rain and I'll be able to ride the 18 miles to Lake Afton, swim, and ride back. But even if it does start raining, I'll probably go. The only way I'd miss a workout, at this point, is for a full-on, thunder-and-lightning storm. Or a tornado, I suppose.
So with race day in clear view, I'm working in more bricks and some transition practice. Wednesday, I went to Pawnee Prairie Park (after picking my bike up at Bicycle Exchange, because one of my spokes broke and so I had that fixed) and did a 20-2 workout. 20 miles on the bike, 2 miles of beautiful trail running. I have to admit, I hadn't done a bike-run brick in a long time. Like, multiple weeks. I can't actually remember the last time I ran right off the bike, with the exception of races. Anyway, the brick was hell, I'm sure, but all I really remember was how completely awesome I felt after doing it. Not awesome as in, "Ah! I feel quite refreshed after that brisk jog!" More awesome like, "Yes! I am such a badass! Now get me into a shower."
I think the badass element is my favorite part of this sport.
Today, I've already done my 4-mile tempo run (39:18! yeah, sub-10-minute pace!) and I still have a swim-bike brick. So, with any luck, it won't rain and I'll be able to ride the 18 miles to Lake Afton, swim, and ride back. But even if it does start raining, I'll probably go. The only way I'd miss a workout, at this point, is for a full-on, thunder-and-lightning storm. Or a tornado, I suppose.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Checking In
Notes on the day:
Today is my first day back on training after a week of full recovery. I didn't intend to be so sedentary this past week. A combination of rain, wind, and no gym access has prevented my general training. Unfortunately, this week of recovery hasn't felt as good as I would like. I've been unexpectedly sore and achy, stiff and unenergetic. And then today I went for a 6-mile run and had an absolutely horrible time! I was running as slow as I reasonably could--12:00 min/mile--and my heartrate was still creeping up to 165, 170 bpm. And with my LSD runs, I would like to keep my heartrate under 150. But there was no in between; either I was walking until my heart rate came back down to 135 or I was running at 172. I couldn't run slowly enough to keep my heart rate down.
Normally, when my heartrate creeps up unreasonably like that, it's a symptom that I've been overtraining. But I just came off a week of recovery. The problem might be a lack of fitness, but I would be very surprised if I lost that much fitness so quickly, after just one week. So here's my theory: "‘That time of the month’ (or even the few days preceding it) is not the time when women run their worst. The hardest time for women to run fast is about a week before menstruation begins (a week after ovulation). That’s when levels of the key hormone progesterone peak, inducing a much-higher-than-normal breathing rate during exercise. The excess ventilation tends to make running feel more difficult." (link) I'm guessing that my decreased performance is related in some way to my menstrual cycle. At least, I hope it's that and not detraining.
I have two weeks of training left before I taper for Shawnee Mission. I'm starting to get nervous and excited. I really, really want to make the most out of these next two weeks, so that I'm at my absolute peak and can give my absolute best.
www.triathlon.org broadcasts live from its world cup ITU races. So I am watching the Round 7 race at Des Moines. Isn't great that we have the technology to be able to watch triathlons, track and field, swimming, and other sports ESPN thinks its too good for?
Today is my first day back on training after a week of full recovery. I didn't intend to be so sedentary this past week. A combination of rain, wind, and no gym access has prevented my general training. Unfortunately, this week of recovery hasn't felt as good as I would like. I've been unexpectedly sore and achy, stiff and unenergetic. And then today I went for a 6-mile run and had an absolutely horrible time! I was running as slow as I reasonably could--12:00 min/mile--and my heartrate was still creeping up to 165, 170 bpm. And with my LSD runs, I would like to keep my heartrate under 150. But there was no in between; either I was walking until my heart rate came back down to 135 or I was running at 172. I couldn't run slowly enough to keep my heart rate down.
Normally, when my heartrate creeps up unreasonably like that, it's a symptom that I've been overtraining. But I just came off a week of recovery. The problem might be a lack of fitness, but I would be very surprised if I lost that much fitness so quickly, after just one week. So here's my theory: "‘That time of the month’ (or even the few days preceding it) is not the time when women run their worst. The hardest time for women to run fast is about a week before menstruation begins (a week after ovulation). That’s when levels of the key hormone progesterone peak, inducing a much-higher-than-normal breathing rate during exercise. The excess ventilation tends to make running feel more difficult." (link) I'm guessing that my decreased performance is related in some way to my menstrual cycle. At least, I hope it's that and not detraining.
I have two weeks of training left before I taper for Shawnee Mission. I'm starting to get nervous and excited. I really, really want to make the most out of these next two weeks, so that I'm at my absolute peak and can give my absolute best.
www.triathlon.org broadcasts live from its world cup ITU races. So I am watching the Round 7 race at Des Moines. Isn't great that we have the technology to be able to watch triathlons, track and field, swimming, and other sports ESPN thinks its too good for?
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Recipe File: Quinoa Cucumber Salad
I've recently been reading about the many benefits of quinoa, and today I finally got my hands on some. I was sort of craving salad tonight, too, so I improvised this quick dinner using what I had in my kitchen.
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cucumber, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
2 cloves chopped garlic
feta cheese
fresh basil
fresh parsley
olive oil
lemon juice
mint (I used dried, but if you have it, use fresh)
Rinse and drain the quinoa, then put it in a pot with 1 cup of water. Heat it on high until it starts to boil. Turn the heat to low and let it simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes. You'll know it's done when all the water is absorbed and the grains become translucent. While the quinoa is cooking, dice the cucumbers, red peppers, and garlic and put them all together in a bowl. Add chopped fresh basil and parsley, then pour olive oil and lemon juice over it. Go slowly, as you'll need to do this to taste (I hardly ever measure) and you don't want your salad to be too oily or sour. Add the feta, and toss it until everything is mixed together well. Once the quinoa is done, pour it onto the salad. This will make the feta nice and melted. Toss everything together, then add the mint and toss again. Taste the salad at this point, to see if it needs anything more. I added some dry basil and salt to mine, at this point. Once your salad is seasoned to perfection, you can eat it, or chill it for about half an hour so it's nice and cold.
Diced tomatoes or kalamata olives would probably be a lovely addition to this salad. But I only put in what I had around my kitchen already.
Based on the caloric content of all the ingredients added together, I would say the whole salad probably holds about 930 calories. So if you eat half of it, figure the meal is 465 calories. I would say that, if you're eating this salad as a main course, eating a third of it would be reasonable, and as an accompaniment, eating a fifth would be best. So, the breakdown . . .
2 servings = 465 calories/serving
3 servings = 310 calories/serving
4 servings = 230 calories/serving
5 servings = 185 calories/serving
6 servings = 155 calories/serving
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cucumber, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
2 cloves chopped garlic
feta cheese
fresh basil
fresh parsley
olive oil
lemon juice
mint (I used dried, but if you have it, use fresh)
Rinse and drain the quinoa, then put it in a pot with 1 cup of water. Heat it on high until it starts to boil. Turn the heat to low and let it simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes. You'll know it's done when all the water is absorbed and the grains become translucent. While the quinoa is cooking, dice the cucumbers, red peppers, and garlic and put them all together in a bowl. Add chopped fresh basil and parsley, then pour olive oil and lemon juice over it. Go slowly, as you'll need to do this to taste (I hardly ever measure) and you don't want your salad to be too oily or sour. Add the feta, and toss it until everything is mixed together well. Once the quinoa is done, pour it onto the salad. This will make the feta nice and melted. Toss everything together, then add the mint and toss again. Taste the salad at this point, to see if it needs anything more. I added some dry basil and salt to mine, at this point. Once your salad is seasoned to perfection, you can eat it, or chill it for about half an hour so it's nice and cold.
Diced tomatoes or kalamata olives would probably be a lovely addition to this salad. But I only put in what I had around my kitchen already.
Based on the caloric content of all the ingredients added together, I would say the whole salad probably holds about 930 calories. So if you eat half of it, figure the meal is 465 calories. I would say that, if you're eating this salad as a main course, eating a third of it would be reasonable, and as an accompaniment, eating a fifth would be best. So, the breakdown . . .
2 servings = 465 calories/serving
3 servings = 310 calories/serving
4 servings = 230 calories/serving
5 servings = 185 calories/serving
6 servings = 155 calories/serving
Pre-Race Jitters
My next race is still a month away. Isn't it a little early for me to be having nightmares about the race?
Here was my dream. I was at a major triathlon, finally. Some of the competitors were staying in an elementary school gymnasium to save on a hotel. But it was really, really packed. Like cattle in stalls. Or . . . no, actually, I think the gym was part of a transition area. We had to run into the gym and get the stuff we needed for the bike, then run back out to our bikes and take off from there. Our running shoes were in a big pile across from the bike racks. And this was the race in which I wanted to be really competitive. But it didn't start well. I was warming up my swim in the lap pool (may have even been in the gym...) to, well, get warm, but also to check and make sure that my goggles (which I slammed in my car door at Lake Afton last week) still sealed properly. Good timing, right before the race start, right? And I only did one, 25-yard lap, which is a stupidly short warm up. Then I got out and wanted to change for the start of the race. Moments before the race starts, I'm not in my race kit. I'm wearing a swimming suit, nothing else. So I started pulling on my race kit over the swimming suit, and said casually to another competitor, "This is a great sport for buying tons of clothes, eh?" because I was wearing like four different layers at this point. Not only did she not laugh at my joke, she looked at me and suggested that I leave a couple layers behind. Then went off to the starting line. So I vacillated for a few minutes, taking things halfway off, pausing and saying, "No! I don't have time to change!" and putting them back, then repeating.
Jump to right after the swim. I come out of the water in good position. Not first, by any means, but towards the front of the pack. I sit by my transition area and start gathering the things I'll need for my bike. I dash out there, wanting to do this awkward transition as quickly as possible, sit and put my shoes on, and realize something terrible: Not only have I grabbed someone else's shoes, they don't even match; I have two different shoes, neither of which are mine. I run back in and start looking for my shoes. And now some really slow people are starting to pass me. Fat, awkward people are wheeling their bikes out of T1. I'm going to have to make up a ridiculous amount of time on the bike. And I can't locate my shoes, still! By the time I finally find them, upside down, with the pedals attached to them, for some reason. I am the very last one out of transition. And one of the race directors comes over to ask me if everything's okay (and at this point, for some reason, I seem to be wearing blue jeans and have to strip back down to my tri shorts). I explain that I grabbed the wrong pair of shoes. And then I wake up.
I tell myself that it's okay, it's just a dream. I remind myself that swimming, biking, and running are not the only things being tested come race day; it's also a test of how well you can prepare and how well you can react to shifting and challenging circumstances. And then I sit down to write it out, because it was so frightening and unpleasant.
By the way, Zach, my former team captain, was sort of present and in the background in full USC Tri Team regalia the whole time. Not sure what that means . . .
Here was my dream. I was at a major triathlon, finally. Some of the competitors were staying in an elementary school gymnasium to save on a hotel. But it was really, really packed. Like cattle in stalls. Or . . . no, actually, I think the gym was part of a transition area. We had to run into the gym and get the stuff we needed for the bike, then run back out to our bikes and take off from there. Our running shoes were in a big pile across from the bike racks. And this was the race in which I wanted to be really competitive. But it didn't start well. I was warming up my swim in the lap pool (may have even been in the gym...) to, well, get warm, but also to check and make sure that my goggles (which I slammed in my car door at Lake Afton last week) still sealed properly. Good timing, right before the race start, right? And I only did one, 25-yard lap, which is a stupidly short warm up. Then I got out and wanted to change for the start of the race. Moments before the race starts, I'm not in my race kit. I'm wearing a swimming suit, nothing else. So I started pulling on my race kit over the swimming suit, and said casually to another competitor, "This is a great sport for buying tons of clothes, eh?" because I was wearing like four different layers at this point. Not only did she not laugh at my joke, she looked at me and suggested that I leave a couple layers behind. Then went off to the starting line. So I vacillated for a few minutes, taking things halfway off, pausing and saying, "No! I don't have time to change!" and putting them back, then repeating.
Jump to right after the swim. I come out of the water in good position. Not first, by any means, but towards the front of the pack. I sit by my transition area and start gathering the things I'll need for my bike. I dash out there, wanting to do this awkward transition as quickly as possible, sit and put my shoes on, and realize something terrible: Not only have I grabbed someone else's shoes, they don't even match; I have two different shoes, neither of which are mine. I run back in and start looking for my shoes. And now some really slow people are starting to pass me. Fat, awkward people are wheeling their bikes out of T1. I'm going to have to make up a ridiculous amount of time on the bike. And I can't locate my shoes, still! By the time I finally find them, upside down, with the pedals attached to them, for some reason. I am the very last one out of transition. And one of the race directors comes over to ask me if everything's okay (and at this point, for some reason, I seem to be wearing blue jeans and have to strip back down to my tri shorts). I explain that I grabbed the wrong pair of shoes. And then I wake up.
I tell myself that it's okay, it's just a dream. I remind myself that swimming, biking, and running are not the only things being tested come race day; it's also a test of how well you can prepare and how well you can react to shifting and challenging circumstances. And then I sit down to write it out, because it was so frightening and unpleasant.
By the way, Zach, my former team captain, was sort of present and in the background in full USC Tri Team regalia the whole time. Not sure what that means . . .
Monday, June 11, 2007
2006 ITU Cup - Doha, Qatar, Elite Women
Whenever the ITU cup is hosted in the Middle East, I wonder what the locals think of a bunch of women running around in bathing suits.
By the way, the 2006 ITU series as shown on television is now up on Google Video. Just search "triathlon."
Dreams
This afternoon I took a nap, and while sleeping, I dreamed that I went for a jog around USC's campus. And after a few minutes' running, I decided that if I was running, I might as well run really, really fast. I leaned over and let my stride stretch out behind me, and flew over the ground so fast that my eyes could barely register the terrain beneath me. I ran around students and over benches and up stairs, all with the grass blurring under my feet. The feeling of the wind rushing past me and the sheer exultation of moving so quickly left me feeling fresh and energized, if winded. And I had never gone so fast!Not a bad way to start off a recovery week.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Late Workouts
Those were awesome workouts. I decided to start by swimming, but as I warmed up with an easy 100 yards, I realized my heart rate was coming up unusually fast. I must be worn out from yesterday's workout, still. So I backed off and decided to change gears; instead of an endurance workout, I decided to do technique work. And it was great. I haven't felt so smooth in the water in . . . actually, I've never really felt that smooth in the water. It felt like my swim is really coming together, which is an amazing sensation. I swam for about an hour without keeping track of yardage, times, or heartrate. I just swam back and forth performing whatever drills I thought would work what I felt was lacking. One-arm drills and fingertip dragging drills were particularly useful. Also, I'm finding that the principles about which I read in Chi Running are also very applicable to swimming. Actually, I think they're more applicable to my swimming than my running.
Speaking of which, I did a brief run at a little below tempo. It felt amazing, and I think I could have kept going for a good hour . . . If I hadn't been on a treadmill. Running on a treadmill is so boring! I usually can't stand it for more than 20 minutes at a time. But the wind is still crazy, and it's probably not safe to run around alone at 1 a.m., even in Wichita. And the indoor track is really, really small. I'm not even sure how small. I would guess 200 meters, maybe less (200 yards?). So I didn't want to put my knees through the agony of running in very tiny circles for 30-45 minutes. And the treadmill got the job done.
I'm very glad that Bill Anders recommended this video. This midnight workout was great.
Speaking of which, I did a brief run at a little below tempo. It felt amazing, and I think I could have kept going for a good hour . . . If I hadn't been on a treadmill. Running on a treadmill is so boring! I usually can't stand it for more than 20 minutes at a time. But the wind is still crazy, and it's probably not safe to run around alone at 1 a.m., even in Wichita. And the indoor track is really, really small. I'm not even sure how small. I would guess 200 meters, maybe less (200 yards?). So I didn't want to put my knees through the agony of running in very tiny circles for 30-45 minutes. And the treadmill got the job done.
I'm very glad that Bill Anders recommended this video. This midnight workout was great.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
The Prize
I don't often talk about my personal life on this blog. That's not what this particular web journal is for. But I'll provide just a little bit of backstory for this post.
Recently, I've been rethinking my spiruality. It's become so hard to even believe that God exists, and that's pretty basic if you're going to live your life in service to him. On Sunday, I found myself thinking about my training, about how my best training is done when I have a clear goal in mind. I want to podium in my age group at Shawnee Mission; I want to come in the top 10 women overall; I want to break 2 hours. These are very clear, specific goals, and I know that I'm going to have to work very hard to get there. And when I first began training for triathlon, it was a huge boon to my spirituality. I was able to embrace discipline and endurance in a way I'd never experienced (especially as a football player, hyuck hyuck).
Recently, I've felt myself losing focus both in my training and my spirituality. On Sunday, I actually prayed about this (which is quite a step when I'm not even sure there's a God there to hear me). I felt like I received comfort . . . I still don't know what the prize is, but I can keep running until I crest this hill and see that the race is still worth running.
And I think I just found what will reinvigorate my training. It's a video of the recent Columbia Triathlon in Columbia, Maryland. Watching those competitors arrive, greet each other, ready their equipment, swim, bike, and run . . . Seeing the spirit and the dedication, the commitment, the willful embracing of pain . . . Remembering what it means when all that hard work pays off.
I'm ready to work. Hard. And even though it's 10:45 p.m., I think I'm going to head out to the 24-hour gym and get in those workouts I skipped today because of the wind.
I am reaching for the highest goal
That I might receive the prize
Pressing onward, pushing every hindrance aside, out of my way
(By the way, my favorite part of that video is when the woman asks how much time she has left, then replies, "2 minutes?! Eee!")
Recently, I've been rethinking my spiruality. It's become so hard to even believe that God exists, and that's pretty basic if you're going to live your life in service to him. On Sunday, I found myself thinking about my training, about how my best training is done when I have a clear goal in mind. I want to podium in my age group at Shawnee Mission; I want to come in the top 10 women overall; I want to break 2 hours. These are very clear, specific goals, and I know that I'm going to have to work very hard to get there. And when I first began training for triathlon, it was a huge boon to my spirituality. I was able to embrace discipline and endurance in a way I'd never experienced (especially as a football player, hyuck hyuck).
Recently, I've felt myself losing focus both in my training and my spirituality. On Sunday, I actually prayed about this (which is quite a step when I'm not even sure there's a God there to hear me). I felt like I received comfort . . . I still don't know what the prize is, but I can keep running until I crest this hill and see that the race is still worth running.
And I think I just found what will reinvigorate my training. It's a video of the recent Columbia Triathlon in Columbia, Maryland. Watching those competitors arrive, greet each other, ready their equipment, swim, bike, and run . . . Seeing the spirit and the dedication, the commitment, the willful embracing of pain . . . Remembering what it means when all that hard work pays off.
I'm ready to work. Hard. And even though it's 10:45 p.m., I think I'm going to head out to the 24-hour gym and get in those workouts I skipped today because of the wind.
I am reaching for the highest goal
That I might receive the prize
Pressing onward, pushing every hindrance aside, out of my way
(By the way, my favorite part of that video is when the woman asks how much time she has left, then replies, "2 minutes?! Eee!")
Wreaking Havoc
"...Wind Advisory remains in effect from 10 am this morning to
10 PM CDT this evening...
South winds of 30 to 40 mph... with gusts up to 50 mph are
expected today. The very strong winds will continue into the
evening hours across the advisory area. The strongest winds are
expected west of a line from just west of Emporia to Arkansas City.
A Wind Advisory means that sustained winds of at least 30 mph
and or wind gusts over 45 mph are expected. Winds this strong can
make driving difficult... especially for high profile vehicles. Use
extra caution."
Well this absolutely wreaks havoc with my training schedule. 'Cause no way I'm getting out on my bike for 20 miles if it involves 50 MPH gusts.
10 PM CDT this evening...
South winds of 30 to 40 mph... with gusts up to 50 mph are
expected today. The very strong winds will continue into the
evening hours across the advisory area. The strongest winds are
expected west of a line from just west of Emporia to Arkansas City.
A Wind Advisory means that sustained winds of at least 30 mph
and or wind gusts over 45 mph are expected. Winds this strong can
make driving difficult... especially for high profile vehicles. Use
extra caution."
Well this absolutely wreaks havoc with my training schedule. 'Cause no way I'm getting out on my bike for 20 miles if it involves 50 MPH gusts.
Speedwork
This was my swim workout for today. I enjoyed it, thought I'd share it for those who need help coming up with workouts. I tried to strike a balance between endurance and speed, so I have some long repeats, with speed work at the end.
200 SPK
6x300 @ 6:30
4x50 drills
6x50 @ 90%, 20 sec RI
100 EZ cool down
The main set is fairly small (2100), but if you need something longer, you can always add more repeats. Also, choose a sensible interval; if 6:30 is too slow for you, cut it down; if it's too fast, don't kill yourself. You want your heart rate to be up for the 300's, but you don't want to be near your lactate threshold.
Notes (for those who don't understand swim workout lingo): SPK means 200 yds swimming, 200 yds kicking, and 200 yds pulling. 6:30 refers to the interval on which you start your 300's. If I start my first 300 at 5:30 on the clock, I need to leave for the next one at 12:00. So if I swim the 300 in 6 minutes, I get 30 seconds to rest before the next set. Some drills I like to do are bi-lateral breathing, fist swimming, and one-arm pulling. The 90% can refer either to heart rate (as a percentage of your lactate threshold) or perceived effort. RI is rest interval, so you should rest for 20 seconds between 50's.
Also, you shouldn't do this workout until you have a solid aerobic base built up. Which means if you're just getting started with training, you should take a good three weeks to do long, slow swims before you get into speedwork.
If you have any questions about the workout, or need tips on how to build a swim workout, leave a comment.
200 SPK
6x300 @ 6:30
4x50 drills
6x50 @ 90%, 20 sec RI
100 EZ cool down
The main set is fairly small (2100), but if you need something longer, you can always add more repeats. Also, choose a sensible interval; if 6:30 is too slow for you, cut it down; if it's too fast, don't kill yourself. You want your heart rate to be up for the 300's, but you don't want to be near your lactate threshold.
Notes (for those who don't understand swim workout lingo): SPK means 200 yds swimming, 200 yds kicking, and 200 yds pulling. 6:30 refers to the interval on which you start your 300's. If I start my first 300 at 5:30 on the clock, I need to leave for the next one at 12:00. So if I swim the 300 in 6 minutes, I get 30 seconds to rest before the next set. Some drills I like to do are bi-lateral breathing, fist swimming, and one-arm pulling. The 90% can refer either to heart rate (as a percentage of your lactate threshold) or perceived effort. RI is rest interval, so you should rest for 20 seconds between 50's.
Also, you shouldn't do this workout until you have a solid aerobic base built up. Which means if you're just getting started with training, you should take a good three weeks to do long, slow swims before you get into speedwork.
If you have any questions about the workout, or need tips on how to build a swim workout, leave a comment.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Quick Summary
I haven't really bothered with a play-by-play on my training, but for the sake of catching the world up on my endeavors, I'll share a few paragraphs about the past week.
My schedule called for a week of strength building this past week, so I hit hills on the bike (high resistance on spinning bikes) and run (incline work on the treadmill) for my standard tempo workouts. Honestly, I wasn't sure how to adapt my swim workouts to build strength, so I'm working by trial and error and reading up on swimming drills. I also reinstated a pretty intense weights routine, including high volume deadlifts and squats, which left my upper legs spent for most of the week. That's the primary reason why I was feeling so overtrained by the end of the week.
This last week has also been one of readjustment, particularly to the humidity level here in the middle of the country. I go to spinning class and find perspiration beading on my arms to the point where it looks like I've been riding in the rain. And the heat and humidity seriously impacted my track workout last Monday.
Speaking of which, I definitely feel the lack of coach and teammates, especially during my track workouts. It's so much harder to motivate myself to run faster. I clearly need to find some training partners.
Fortunately, joining a team seems within reach, since I've landed a job at a local gym teaching group fitness, beginning with spinning class. I'm very excited to start that, and in conjunction with my classes, I plan to publish spinning podcasts. My style involves lots of shouting, so if you've been wishing for someone to really kick your ass on your cycling workouts, I will make that option available to you very soon.
I feel like I've lost focus, a little bit. I need to just take a couple hours and think through the whole Shawnee Mission race in my mind; that way, I'm not doing it to maintain a particular lifestyle (so that I continue to be a bad-ass triathlete) or image. Because I don't like just working out to maintain a certain body type or general fitness, especially with this race coming up. I want to compete. I want to completely own at Shawnee Mission. I want to be one of the top competitors, not just to prove to myself how far I've become, but because I really, really want to succeed. I think if I refocus my mind on that very important race, it will reinvigorate my training as I go into a week of speed work before recovering for a week.
My schedule called for a week of strength building this past week, so I hit hills on the bike (high resistance on spinning bikes) and run (incline work on the treadmill) for my standard tempo workouts. Honestly, I wasn't sure how to adapt my swim workouts to build strength, so I'm working by trial and error and reading up on swimming drills. I also reinstated a pretty intense weights routine, including high volume deadlifts and squats, which left my upper legs spent for most of the week. That's the primary reason why I was feeling so overtrained by the end of the week.
This last week has also been one of readjustment, particularly to the humidity level here in the middle of the country. I go to spinning class and find perspiration beading on my arms to the point where it looks like I've been riding in the rain. And the heat and humidity seriously impacted my track workout last Monday.
Speaking of which, I definitely feel the lack of coach and teammates, especially during my track workouts. It's so much harder to motivate myself to run faster. I clearly need to find some training partners.
Fortunately, joining a team seems within reach, since I've landed a job at a local gym teaching group fitness, beginning with spinning class. I'm very excited to start that, and in conjunction with my classes, I plan to publish spinning podcasts. My style involves lots of shouting, so if you've been wishing for someone to really kick your ass on your cycling workouts, I will make that option available to you very soon.
I feel like I've lost focus, a little bit. I need to just take a couple hours and think through the whole Shawnee Mission race in my mind; that way, I'm not doing it to maintain a particular lifestyle (so that I continue to be a bad-ass triathlete) or image. Because I don't like just working out to maintain a certain body type or general fitness, especially with this race coming up. I want to compete. I want to completely own at Shawnee Mission. I want to be one of the top competitors, not just to prove to myself how far I've become, but because I really, really want to succeed. I think if I refocus my mind on that very important race, it will reinvigorate my training as I go into a week of speed work before recovering for a week.
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