Stuff I'm Using: 2XU Compression Socks

I got the yellow and teal pair.

I got a pair of 2XU compression socks to try out from the 2XU rep who works with my Dick's Sporting Goods. They were free. I love my job more and more.

I've always been skeptical about the value of compression socks. Besides which, I thought they looked ridiculous on all the triathletes and long-distance runners who adopted them about four years ago.

I may be changing my mind, though.

I've only run in them once. It was a brief run, cut short by soreness in my calves (which I attribute more to a day spent on my feet than to the new socks). They didn't seem to help much, or make much difference.

But I've been wearing them to work, where I spend 8-12 hours at a time on my feet. And they make an incredible difference. I feel significantly less pain in my calves and feet when I'm wearing my compression socks. I can see how they would make a big difference in a long day. I don't know that a marathon--or even a 70.3--is long enough. But an iron-distance race? I could definitely get behind that.

I have a pair of the running socks, which differ from the recovery socks in positioning of support and compression. I gather that the recovery socks are better for walking and standing, where the running socks facilitate activities where more plantar flexion is involved. I may just go and buy myself a pair of recovery socks! I've worn the pair I got for free so much that they're starting to stink!

2XU has done a fantastic job over the past few years of widening their reach. They've moved from a niche brand marketed almost exclusively to triathletes to the kind of mainstream brand that you can find at a big-box retailer like Dick's.

Update: Weeks 6 & 7

After my first week of epic work schedules, I got terribly, horribly, awfully sick. I skipped every single workout of week 6. Every single one. And it was the right thing to do. I needed the recovery badly. I missed several days of work. The lumps in my armpit and elbow got much bigger and much more painful, so painful that they kept me awake at night. So I went to see a doctor last week, and she put me on antibiotics. She said it's most likely just an infection in the lymph glands; it happens sometimes; she's seen it before. It could also be something more serious, but she suggested that we try antibiotics first, and go from there.

So that was week 6. Stayed home from work, and did absolutely no exercise.

Week 7 brought recovery again, which was a good thing. My first day back after being ill, I meant to do a short hill interval session, but my body felt weak and tired after the warm-up, so I kept it to a 45-minute recovery ride. Got a swim in on Wednesday. The swim felt reasonably good, and my times were passable, but something felt a little off. I felt like my arms were weak, not from sickness, but from lack of strength training this winter. So I did a long pull set! My Wednesday night run didn't go well at all, though. It had been relatively warm during the day, so I didn't dress warmly enough for the icy wind and snow that began shortly before my run. It was my first run in the Brooks Ghosts, and my achilles tendinosis made itself known in the first quarter mile. I'm not blaming the Brooks; it could just as easily be lack of warm-up, or the fact that I'd spent the whole day on my feet.

Speaking of which, standing all day takes a toll on my body. Plantar fasciitis, achilles tendinosis, and a wicked case of piriformis syndrome that's shooting pain down my left leg. I'm not sure what to do about it, though. I've been rolling on a tennis ball and stretching. I don't want to prop up my aching body with insoles; that will just make it worse in the long run. I may just need to work in more therapeutic exercises.

My armpit lump is still swollen and painful. I swam today, and I can feel the lymph node stretching painfully every time I raise my arm overhead. I'm worried about it. My roommate thinks I need to take it easy with my training until the lumpy armpit resolves itself. I don't want to take a break, of course. After all, exercise is supposed to be good for you!

That's where I am right now. I'm disappointed with the lack of consistency in my training, and fearful of the prospect of missing even more. So we'll see how this week goes.

Spinning Workout: Variety Workout

I put this workout together for a Springsteen fan, so it has plenty of music by The Boss. The workout profile follows the same pattern I use for a standard spin class. It gives you a good, high-intensity workout with plenty of variety.

Variety Workout

All the Old Showstoppers - The New Pornographers (93 BPM)

Dani California - Red Hot Chili Peppers (98 BPM)

You Make Me - Avicii (124 BPM)

American Land - Bruce Springsteen (140 BPM)

The Monster - Eminem (111 BPM)

Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen (148 BPM)

Always - Erasure (103 BPM)

Born in the U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen (117 BPM)

Hall of Fame - The Script (85 BPM)

Further on up the Road - Bruce Springsteen (138 BPM)

Note: After purchasing the workout, I will send you an e-mail with instructions on how to download.

This is one of my paid workouts. Looking for the free workouts? Go here!

Well poop.

I got sick. I think I've been working too hard, and too much. The stress made me susceptible to sickness. And now I'm sick, unable to workout! Currently, I'm on my second day of sick leave from both jobs, and my third day of missed workouts. Hopefully, I'll be well enough to go back to work tomorrow, but I'll probably take my training easy for a few more days.

So boo. Stupid sick.

Update: Week 5

Hurray for recovery! I feel much better after a week of relative rest.

This week, I began incorporating higher-intensity intervals, like short hill climbs, track speedwork, and fast 25s in the pool. I've never experienced such a dialed-in training plan; I feel like every interval workout challenges me the perfect amount--the first half are easy, the next quarter are tough, and the last few are almost unbearable. It's like I can feel my fitness increasing! I'm not sure if it's because I've got more room to improve, after two years of sporadic triathlon training, or if this is what it feels like to transition from the high-power, high-speed fitness that I associate with youth to the endurance peak in the mid- to late-thirties. I'm not even thirty yet, but I feel like my body is changing.

My training this past week wasn't perfect, unfortunately. I've mentioned previously that I got two jobs. One is full-time with Dick's Sporting Goods. The other is part-time with QuikTrip. Both companies hired me almost simultaneously, though, so both had my schedule as full availability. The result? Two fourteen-hour workdays in which I worked from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Dick's, then from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. at QT. I considered hitting the YMCA for a swim/run combo on Friday morning, but thought better of it. Twenty-eight hours of work in a 48-hour period stresses my body enough without adding two workouts, even of only moderate intensity. I missed three workouts this week--one in each discipline. I think I've got my availability tuned in for both jobs now, but it won't take affect until next week, which means that this week will be another bruiser. Still, at least I'm working and making money! I see a new bike, lots of races, and a trip to Switzerland in my future! Oh, and the opportunity to pay off some student loans.

I'm already experiencing one of the benefits of being a running specialist at Dick's: complimentary promotional shoes! I got a pair of Brooks Ghost 6 running shoes to evaluate! I'm liking this job more and more. If you live in the Kansas City area, come see me at the Zona Rosa Dick's sometime! We'll talk tri!

In other, somewhat-related news, I have a large, painful lump under my right armpit, with smaller lumps at my elbow. I think they're swollen lymph glands. The armpit one has been there for about a week, the elbow lumps for less than a week. This worries me. I speculate that the lymphatic pathway down my right arm is reacting to . . . something. No idea what. Something potentially serious, I fear. Or not. My roommate thinks it's just stress from too much work and exercise, not enough rest. I'm giving it another week or two, and if it doesn't go away, I'll get it checked out.

Additionally, my right shoulder, which I messed up in the business of being born, has slipped over into full-on shoulder impingement. Expect an article soon on how to deal with shoulder impingement. If I can get to it between two jobs and half-ironman training, that is.

Week 4 update

My body felt very tired after three weeks of exercise. After this first meso-cycle, all the others will be three weeks instead of four, so I hope that this is as tired as I'll be this year. I missed most of my running the third week because the weather was so gross. I know that sounds pretty lame to my readers who are buried under three feet of snow, but I didn't have access to a treadmill, and there were no safely cleared paths on which to run. So I didn't run. I also skipped a bike ride.

Week 4 provided some much-needed recovery. I skipped two of three swimming workouts, because I've had pain in my shoulders. After two years of minimal swimming, I think I've shocked my body with this sudden onset of swim training. So I gave my shoulders a break and skipped a couple of swims. My legs felt tired during my bikes and runs, too, but I got them done!

I hit my 1000m swim test, though; I did 1000m in 17:55! I know it's not a world-record time or anything, but it's one of my faster times. Not bad, considering I just started swimming again a month ago!

I also joined the YMCA in Kansas City last week. I wanted to join the community center where I've been swimming up until now, but their hours are more limited, and I've got two jobs now. The Gregg/Klice pool is open from 10:45 to 5:30, and I'm sure there will be days when I can't get there during those times.

It's nice to be making money again, and to have a job where I work certain hours and get paid for them. Self-employment exhausted me, as much as I enjoyed setting my own schedule and self-directing. It's refreshing to have someone else tell me what to do, at least for a while. I don't know how long I'm going to be able to combine two retail jobs, though, not to mention half ironman training. I may be overly ambitious.

Stuff I'm Using: TomTop Underwater MP3 Player

I got a job offer on Tuesday! But it's just for a part-time job with Quiktrip. Great company, great benefits, but not enough to fund my triathlon habit.

So I'm trying to monetize my blog just a little bit more. Please forgive the blatant commercialization.

I can't bear to endorse just any product, so I'll only profile things I actually use.

TomTop Waterproof MP3 Player


I can't believe how much these things have come down in price! I first used the Finis SwimP3 for underwater music, and it cost around $125. Then I got a cheap, made-in-China player a few years ago from Amazon, and it was $45, and the cheapest I could find. Now you can get one for $20! It works perfectly well, too. I don't imagine it will last for very long, but that's to be expected. Besides which, my expensive SwimP3 only lasted for 18 months, before the chlorine and water corroded the connections. A cheap, waterproof MP3 player makes a nice investment for long, endurance-y swims.

Runner's High: Game Day

Best part about running long on Superbowl Sunday afternoon?

You get the roads all to yourself.

Trihardist Workout: Pre-Season Yoga Part II

Last time, I shared my lower-body pre-season yoga routine. Here's the upper body routine. It focuses primarily on ameliorating my shoulder impingements and fixing my jacked-up right shoulder, elbow, and wrist. Being born messed up my shoulder, as that was the first part of my body that entered the world. I hyper-extended the elbow a few years ago playing rugby. In my first game ever. During warm-ups. Rugby didn't start auspiciously for me.

Anyway, here's the routine:

Ardho Mukha Svanasana for 6 breaths (Downward Facing Dog)
Plank for 6 breaths
Chattaranga Dandasana for 6 breaths (Yoga push-up)
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana for 6 breaths (Upward Facing Dog)
Repeat with 3 breaths, then with 1 breath
Dhanurasana (Bow)

Uttkatasana (Chair pose) + shoulder opening routine
Garudasana (Eagle's Nest)
Vrksasana (Tree) + Gomukasana (Cow Face) arms
Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III) + Gomukasana arms
Setu Bandhasana (Bridge)
Purvottanasana (Reverse Plank)
Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow)
Eka Pada Setu Bandhasana or Urdhva Dhanurasana (One-Legged Bridge or Upward Bow)

Parvatanasana (Pyramid)
Padmasana (Lotus) + Garudasana arms
Padmasana + Gomukasana arms

Bandha practice, pranayama, seated meditation

Half-Ironmman Training Plan 2014

I'd like to share my training plan for the first part of this year. There are plenty of sources for free training plans, of course; the one I've used in the past with some success is Ontri.com, but if you search online, you'll find a dozen sites offering a similar, free service. I purchased Triathlete Magazine's Essential Week-by-Week Training Guide by Matt Fitzgerald several years ago. Best $30 I've ever spent on triathlon. I have a few other training books, too: Triathlete's Edge by Marc Evans and The Triathlete's Training Bible by Joe Friel. I base all of my training plans around Fitzgerald's format, modifying based on Evans's and Friel's advice and my own experience.

I modify my training plans for my own needs, but if your needs are similar to mine, you may find my 2014 half-ironman plan helpful. Some details about my personal plan:

• I borrow heavily from Fitzgerald's interval recommendations; the base training plan is his, not mine.
• I write all my own swim workouts, but derive the substance of main set intervals from Fitzgerald's book.
• Most training plans follow a 3 week on, 1 week off pattern--that is, you spend every fourth week recovering. I've found that my body works best with a recovery week every third week. So my training plan gives you 2 weeks on, 1 week off. 
• It's a 20-week training plan, but (as you may notice) 20 does not divide evenly by 3. So the first training block is 4 weeks: 3 weeks on, 1 week off.
• There's a 2-week taper before the half-ironman race.

My training begins next Tuesday (Jan. 21); if you want to do Ironman 70.3 Kansas with me, yours should too! Here's the first training cycle; it covers the next four weeks.

2014 70.3 Plan (Meso-cycle 1)

And a few notes to help you interpret it:

• There are 3 workouts in each discipline each week.
• S=Swim, K=Kick, I=Individual Medley, P=Pull, so SKIPS means 100 swim, 100 kick, 100 IM, 100 pull, 100 swim. It's my favorite warm-up.
• I recommend always doing backstroke for cool-down, to try to reverse some of the repetitive stress on the shoulders from so much freestyle.
• The third sheet in the file has a chart for your heart rate intensities, but it's up to you to determine your training zones; do a quick online search, and you'll find plenty of articles on how to do it.
• This plan uses time instead of distance to set run and bike volume.

If you have any other questions, e-mail me or leave a comment below!

Immersion

Friends are a nice thing to have.

I want to immerse myself in triathlon.

I'm re-booting my fitness regime. I have big races on the horizon. In 2015, I'll turn 30. Five months before I do, I plan to complete my first Ironman in Zurich, Switzerland. To prepare, I plan to do two half-distance races this year.

I feel excited to train and race again. And I want to re-engage in the online triathlon community.

The problem is, I don't know how! I used to go to Trifuel frequently, and I've used Ontri, Buckeye Outdoors, and Beginner Triathlete to log my training. But all of those sites seem less popular and less active than they used to be. Most of the triathlete blogs I used to follow haven't been updated since . . . well, since I last updated mine. I feel like Tom Hanks in "Sleepless in Seattle," completely clueless about how to date women in the '90s ("When was the last time you were out there?" "Uh, Jimmy Carter? 1978.") Where do triathletes go to hang out online, now?!

Can anyone help me out? Where do you hang out with other triathletes?

Racevine Re-boot

Way back when I was blogging regularly (I'm trying to get back at it), I mentioned Racevine, a site that provides a forum for athletes to review races and events. In previous years, I've used TriFind.com to find races. Racevine provides a community-driven source for events, plus reviews of events that may help you determine on which ones you should spend your hard-earned dollars (or euros or pounds sterling).

Racevine just re-launched their website with a nicer UI and more features, including over 35,000 races (they add them manually), new user profiles, a new race search (helpful for discovering new races nearby), and new event information.

I've never found a site that provides a good aggregate of race information, which seems strange to me, given how many triathletes are involved in IT and web design. I imagine it has more to do with the transience of many races--especially small, community-based races and events (5ks, 10ks, road rides, crits); and most sites rely on event organizers to report them. Racevine attempts to feel that space, and does an admirable job by using crowd-sourcing techniques. It's not quite there yet--it doesn't include cycling events, which are admittedly more of a niche activity--but it's a great resource. Check out their new site.

By the way, I did win a few canisters of salt tablets in a Racevine race report competition, and they sent me a free technical shirt by way of promotion. That was several years ago, and I haven't had any contact with the site directors since then. I'm just promoting the site because I think it's a cool resource.

Trihardist Workouts: Pre-Season Yoga

I haven't trained intensively since my half marathon in 2012. I've done races since then, but I haven't competed; I haven't reached for a PR or chased a podium since then. And, since I've left Genesis, I haven't gotten as much strength and flexibility training. Retrospectively, I don't remember working out that much as a personal trainer. But then, I suppose doing 2-3 reps of 8-10 exercises 4-8 times per day enhanced my fitness more than I realized at the time.

All that to say that I'm out of shape.

Okay. Relatively.

I find it difficult to lift and carry heavy things. My fingers no longer reach my my toes. My pants are tight. If I'm gearing up for a 70.3 in June, I need some preparatory work.

I sat down with a notebook to pencil in what I need before I start my training plan in March. Here's the low-down:

1. Reduce and prevent inflammation in plantar fascia
2. Loosen and reduce inflammation in piriformis
3. Align shoulders, especially the right one
4. Stabilize ankles and reduce/prevent achilles tendinosis
5. Stabilize core and lumbo-pelvic area

To accomplish all that, I put together a yoga routine. It's short; takes less than 20 minutes, and that includes time to lay around and meditate. And, being the generous, loving trainer and coach that I am, I recorded my routine for you, so that you can join me!

Trihardist Workout: Pre-Season Yoga (Lower Body)

I provide cues for proper alignment and activation in the workout, but I don't tell you how to do the poses, step-by-step. If you're not familiar with yoga, you will need to study these poses to get the most out of the workout:

Ardho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)

Crescent (High Lunge)

Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)

Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I)

Trikonasana (Triangle)

Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon)

Parsvakonasana (Side Angle)

Parsvottanasana (Intense Side Stretch)

Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolving Triangle)

Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana (Revolving Half Moon)

Hasta Padangusthasana (Hand to Big Toe)

Parsva Hasta Padangusthasana (Side Hand to Big Toe)

Parivrtta Hasta Padangusthasana (Revolving Hand to Big Toe)

Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Extended Hand to Big Toe, arms overhead)

Savasana (Corpse)

Download and enjoy! I hope this helps each of us prepare for our next big race!

New Year, New Dreams

I've fought through a tough year.

My Jamesport farming internship ended badly, not at all like I'd hoped and expected. I found myself abruptly unemployed, without a location to meet with my personal training clients, with no source of income on the horizon. Moving back in with my parents in Wichita became a real possibility.

Things are getting better. I've found an apartment in Jamesport, and the landlord lets me pay in labor. I've scraped together enough odd jobs to pay the bare minimum in bills, food, and gas. I live in a building with central heat, instead of a yurt with a space heater and no insulation. I'm coming to terms with the changes of the past year, some good, some bad. I'm re-discovering myself, and the things I enjoy. I'm remembering that I get to choose who and how to be, and I'm establishing in my mind the kind of person I am at the core, and the kind of person I want to become.

I'm also getting back to triathlon.

Here's my plan:

In 2014, I want to race Ironman 70.3 Lawrence in June and the Rev3 half-distance at Cedar Point in September. I have family in Kansas and family in Ohio, so both races make sense geographically. I like that they'll book-end the 2014 season for me. And doing multiple 70.3 races in 2014 will prepare me for . . . 

Ironman Zurich in 2015.

That's right. I'm shooting for a full-distance race in 2015, and I'm rewarding myself (and my significant other) with a trip to Europe. I'm socking away as much money as I can spare (I am still mostly unemployed, after all), and hoping that I find gainful employment in time to save for the trip. I've got a year and a half to do it. So if you hear of any job openings, please let me know.

If you're interested in training along with me, I will post all of my training plans online for free use. I will try to get those up in the first week or two of the new year.

I hope you all had a fabulous holiday season. Let me know in the comments or on Facebook about your goals for 2014!

70.3 Kansas 2014: Week 1

First training week is over! I got through all nine workouts. I found a nice, cheap place to swim, went outside in sub-zero wind chills for a ride, and explored Midtown Kansas City via running. I feel very accomplished. Neither aches nor pains have troubled my training; so far, my body seems okay with the suddenly increased training volume. Except for my crotch. My crotch objects strongly to the sudden increase in bike saddle time.

I'm swimming at the Gregg/Klice Community Center near the Crosslands District of Kansas City. A swimming day pass costs only $2. There are no lap lanes, but so far I've had the pool mostly to myself. There were two women playing water basketball right next to me, the other day. They got into the pool in my lane just as I was swimming past the ladder. If they'd waited for five seconds, I would have been out of the way. Ah well. Can't expect everyone to know and follow basic pool etiquette. The lifeguards there have been fantastic, though. And I can get a month pass to swim there for only $15.

I did my first ride, power intervals, on the trainer. For the second ride, a simple one-hour bike, I ventured outside on my cyclocross bike. My parents gave me some terrific thermals for Christmas--very warm! I figured they would be enough to protect me from the negative wind chills. I wore bike shorts, my new thermals, a jersey, a heavy cycling jacket, a balaclava, my ninja mask, two pairs of socks, and snow gloves.

Bike ninja!

But it wasn't enough! My eyes started watering and stinging as soon as I started moving. After half an hour, my feet were freezing. I started worrying about frostbite. I needn't have worried. When I got back, my feet hurt like the skin was being peeled off in strips. But they were fine within five minutes. For my third ride, I got to explore the Brush Creek Trail in Kansas City. And the weather was much nicer, with temps in the high forties, minimal wind, and a cloudless, sunny sky.

My three runs all went well, although I'm slower than I like, this early in the season. I'm enjoying running in Midtown KC; much easier than biking in Midtown. I've found such a nice swimming facility, and I've found good running areas, but I'm still figuring out the best places to ride in Kansas City. If you know of any good cycling routes, or any riding groups that will tolerate a rider in the 16-18 MPH range, please leave me a comment letting me know!

So that's my training so far this year. Have you started training yet? How is it going? Let me know in the comments!

Race Report: St. Louis Hot Chocolate 15k

Not Photoshopped at all.

A client asked me to sign up for this race with her. We trained together, and good thing, because I wouldn't have run much if I hadn't had the accountability of a fellow athlete. She said she would have balked at the last minute if I hadn't agreed to go. Good thing we had each other.

Several days before the event, the race organizers sent out an e-mail warning of dangerously low race-day temperatures in the St. Louis forecast. They made changes to the start times and start orders, and warned of temperatures barely above 0* F. I dislike running in anything below 16*, taking into account wind chill and all. Besides which, I'd blown off my last two weeks of training, and wasn't feeling very enthusiastic about running 9.3 miles.

My enthusiasm waned further after a few hours worth of snow and sleet accumulated the Friday night before the Sunday race. We had planned to leave from Chillicothe around noon on Saturday. Since it took nearly twice as long as usual for me to drive from Jamesport to Chillicothe, we didn't leave until closer to 1, and the drive to St. Louis was harrying and dangerous. Since there was no race-day packet pick-up and we were running terribly late, we asked a friend to pick up our race numbers and goodie bags from the expo.

Race morning wasn't nearly as cold as I had expected, primarily due to a lack of wind. I dressed for super cold weather, though: thermal tights, t-shirt, arm warmers, fleece cycling coat, two pairs of socks, wind-proof gloves, hat, and ninja mask.

Biking ninja!

I totally overdressed.

I lined up in Corral A feeling profoundly out-of-place. I seeded myself at a 9:00/mile pace, wildly exaggerating my own ability. I found myself surrounded not only by the runners who think they're fast (you know who I'm talking about), but by the the ones who actually are. I, in contrast, am not fast. Especially this year. I am slow. Painfully so.

The race started, and other runners streamed past me for the first two miles. After that, the streaming was slower, but still consistent. I ran slowly, allowing my body to warm into the distance. After the first half mile, the road sloped steadily up. That's where my feet and calves started hurting. By the top of the hill, about a mile in, I had already pulled down my running mask and peeled off my jacket. In the next mile, my hip flexors started talking. After 2.8 miles, the 5k and 15k courses split. I seriously considered taking the shorter, less painful path; my body was already screaming for me to stop. But I gritted my teeth, and kept left at the fork for the full 15k.

Towards the end of mile 4, I pulled down my arm warmers and yanked off my hat. I was running in tights and a T-shirt, my jacket tied around my waist like a fit Kurt Cobain. I'd badly overdressed. The coat, with my arm warmers and gloves zipped into the pockets was heavy and unwieldy, and contributing to the spasms in my hips. I usually get a second wind during miles 5-7, but in this race, it lasted from mile 5 to mile 5.5. Mile 6 was a long, steady, unending climb. That's where I started mentally swearing, and where I took a few walking breaks to let my hip flexors unwind.

The race became mentally easier after that long uphill; I realized that I would hurt just as much running slowly as running fast, so I may as well get through the pain as quickly as possible. That thought kept me going until the last mile, when my body almost shut down. My hip flexors and calves cramped so badly that I could barely keep moving forward. I shuffled my feet off and on, fighting through the pain on the last hill, then pushed hard for the last quarter mile, crossing the final timing mats and staggering to a stop. With cessation of movement, my body immediately cramped, and I started getting cold. I grabbed a bottle of water and a cup of Gatorade while I waited for my friends to cross the line.

After the race, we got souvenir bowls that held a cup of hot cocoa, a well of melted chocolate, and some snacks for dipping. I drank the hot cocoa as we started our walk back to the hotel (we stayed within walking distance of the start and finish lines to avoid traffic and parking issues the day of). By the time I got back to the hotel room. My chocolate had frozen solid. It was still delicious, though; I dug it out with my pocket knife one bite at a time.

I took a shower, and the hot water washed away the remaining muscle spasms. I'm not sure what caused me to cramp like that; it was probably a combination of the cold weather and hilly course. Whatever it was, I haven't hurt that badly while working out since . . . I don't know. At the time, I was convinced that I'd never experienced such pain. But you know how that goes. I probably think that at some point during every race.

I'd never done a 15k before, so I can proudly claim that I set a new PR at this race. I got a cool sweater in my goodie bag. Also, CHOCOLATE! Chocolate is a great reason to do any race.

St. Louis Hot Chocolate 15k

1:36:36 (10:22/mile)

978th place (80/143 age group, 548/1081 female)

Race Report: OMC Women's Triathlon

I signed up for this race shortly after completing the Shawnee Mission Triathlon in July. I've set some goals (which I'll share in subsequent blog posts) that have compelled me to dip my toes back into triathlon. So I'm training again, and enjoying it, and I can justify racing (because I know that I'll enjoy that, too). I've never participated in the OMC Women's Triathlon, but I've been to the race before, to support a client who chose the OMC Women's Tri as her first multisport event. I was impressed with the race that I saw, and I've had good experiences with the Johnson County Department of Parks and Recreations before (Shawnee Mission is another of their races). So the OMC Women's Tri seemed to suit my needs.

Pre-game
I went to the Olathe Medical Center to pick up my packet on Friday afternoon. Packet pick-up was . . . interesting. You know how at most triathlons you wear your most epic race shirt, because you need everyone to see that you've completed an Ironman, or a 70.3, or a 50-miler, or whatever? It's a very specific brand of posturing. That's the dynamic that I'm used to at packet pick-ups, and it's what I was expecting on Friday. Instead, I arrived at packet pick-up noticeably underdressed. 80% of the women I saw were wearing bermuda shorts, polo shirts, and full make-up! I felt a little out-of-place. The volunteers were a little snarky, too. They acted impatient with me the whole time. I've never had an experience at any triathlon even remotely similar to that!

After picking up my packet, I went to the gym with a friend for some light weightlifting and stretching, then out to a nice dinner at McCoy's in Kansas City. I put all my TriTat stickers on my equipment, and saved the tattoos for the next morning. I didn't get to sleep as early as I should have, and I had trouble waking up the next morning. But it didn't take much time to get everything together.

I arrived at Kill Creek Park and set my stuff up within 10 minutes. After I laid out all of my equipment, I realized that I'd left my timing chip at home. I've never done that before. I indulged in about 5 minutes of heavy stress before I went to the same-day packet pick-up desk and confessed my sin to the volunteer there. She got me a new timing chip, gave me a new number, and told me to take off my race number tattoos and apply the new ones. And that was it. Very manageable consequences for a very stupid mistake.

Also, the packet pick-up volunteers on race day? Super friendly and helpful! Maybe it was something about the packet pick-up location . . . maybe medical centers make people nervous.

Swim
500 m in 9:47 (1:48/100 yd)
The 29-and-unders went off last in the swim waves. They sent us off in pairs, ostensibly to reduce congestion at the swim start. If that was the primary aim, it totally failed. That said, I should have pushed my way to the front of the line, to avoid having to swim through all the athletes in front of me who walked as far into the lake as possible before they started swimming. I dove in right away and swam as far to the side of them as I could. I never got much clear water; it was always arms, legs, and torsos to either side and sometimes right under me.

Several times, I swam right on top of women who were doing the head-up breaststroke before I even realized they were there. Poor women. They probably freaked out when they felt me on their backs. I literally had to pull myself over and around these women. I don't know how to solve this problem, but the race organizers definitely need to re-evaluate the procedure for sending off swimmers. We all signed a waiver acknowledging that we can do at least 50 m of swimming, but something needs to be done to separate out the women for whom that represents the upper limit of their swimming abilities.

All that said, my pace was the fastest I've ever swam in any race! Yay!

T1
1:46
Not a long run to transition, but it was uphill through sand! Ew! And I broke my sunglasses. They fell off of my helmet while I was putting it on, and the lenses split right down the middle. But I fiddled with them until they stayed on my head, and I was off!

Bike
10.6 mi bike in 40:26 (15.7 MPH)
I thought that Shawnee Mission had the toughest bike course around, but I learned otherwise on Saturday! The OMC Women's Tri course is an absolute leg-buster! It features continuously rolling hills plus wind. The hills are spaced just far enough apart to guarantee that you can't get into a rhythm, and can't use the momentum of one hill to get up the next. Plus, wind! I haven't had to deal with significant wind since . . . well, since the last time I rode out on Kansas roads! Shawnee Mission provides a more sheltered environment, relatively free from the dreaded Kansas Hill (i.e. the wind). This race had Kansas Hills AND actual hills! It was an unfair combination. And it shows in my average speed!

T2
41 seconds

Run
3 mi run in 27:09 (9:03/mile)
By the time I got through transition, my legs were already cooked. I sped through T2, but as soon as I hit the actual run course, the reality of the bike ride caught up with my legs. The run course almost equaled the bike course in shear brutality. We started with a long, gradual uphill, then a long, gradual downhill. The downhill sounds great, but in reality all I could think was, "I have to run back up this hill later." There was lots of support and cheering on the entire course, though. And even though the course was difficult, it was also a great run course--challenging, with varied terrain. Plus, the finish line was at the bottom of a hill!

I'm surprised by my run time. I swear I wasn't running better than a twelve-minute pace for the whole run. But this is the best pace I've posted in at least the last year. Yay again!

Total
1:19:47, 5 out of 42 F25-29, 64 out of 337 overall
I'm really happy with my performance, and with the race itself. It was a challenging race, a fun race. I'm not sure how I feel about the all-female field. I think it's a great notion, but I don't know that I want to do a race that's geared solely towards women. It's a little too girly for me. Although the women's cut race shirt was a very nice change from the bulky, sheath-like shirts I normally get at races. And it was great to see women of all shapes and sizes and ages competing, whether it was their first time or their fiftieth. It's also great to see how I stack up against the other women in this area, without the interference of the less-fair sex. And I got a trophy!

I'll probably do this race again, although not next year--I have my eyes set on a different race for September 2014. But I'll have to tell you more about that later.

Spinning Workout: Short Set 1

I created this workout for athletes who don't have much time, but still want a hard workout. It provides an intense, 30-minute workout with a focus on accelerating to pass. Since the RPMs stay fairly low, it works well on an indoor trainer, although it's also great for use on a spinning bike. Plan to warm up and cool down on your own.

Short Set 1
Wake Up - Alanis Morisette (98 BPM)
Desperately Wanting - Better Than Ezra (100 BPM)
Walk Like an Egyptian - The Bangles (102 BPM)
Walk This Way - Aerosmith (104 BPM)
Cocaine - Eric Clapton (105 BPM)
Are You Gonna be my Girl - Jet (105 BPM)
Black Horse and the Cherry Tree - KT Tunstall (104 BPM)
If I Ever Leave this World Alive - Flogging Molly (105 BPM)



Note: After purchasing the workout, I will send you an e-mail with instructions on how to download.

This is one of my paid workouts. Looking for the free workouts? Go here!

Olathe Medical Center Women's Triathlon

I signed up to do another race! I think I may have caught the bug again.

Anyone else out there doing the Olathe Medical Center Women's Triathlon? Wanna hang out after the race?

Race Report: Shawnee Mission Triathlon, 2013

I signed up for Shawnee Mission this year in hopes that having an event on the calendar would inspire me to train.

It didn't really work.

The result was that I went into the race without having trained much. I wasn't worried about it. I would be slower than I have been in the past, and I was okay with that. The main thing was to go out and have a great time.

My parents drove up from Wichita just to see me race, too! It was an opportunity to race, and a great chance to spend time with my family.

Pre-Game
I drove up to Kansas City on Saturday, after checking the cows and sheep. I got to spend most of the afternoon and evening with my parents. We went to Minsky's Pizza for dinner. My dad and I enjoyed watching le Tour on Versus in their hotel room. I am a fan of any hotel that offers Versus as part of its cable package! I stayed up too late, though; I didn't leave them until almost 10:00 p.m., and then had a good half hour drive back to my friend's apartment, where I was spending the night.

I barely slept all night, but that's normal. I make a point of getting extra sleep for several nights before a race, because I always have trouble sleeping the night before a race. Starting time was later this year, because the Challenged Athletes got the earliest start times. As a result, we took our time in the morning, and didn't arrive at the race site until about 6. I drank some coffee on the way, and felt the effects about the time we were pulling into the parking lot. I wanted to walk down with my family, but ended up zooming down on my bike to find some port-a-johns!

Set-up in the transition zone was seamless. The pre-assigned rack spaces were the most spacious I've ever seen at any triathlon! We all had plenty of room, which reduced the stress of setting up my space. I must be getting old, though, because I could hardly stand the banter of my age-group. Too chipper too early in the morning. I went to hang out with my friend, Karlene, in the old ladies' rack space. Karlene drove up from Wichita for the race. I didn't know she was coming, so it was a real treat to see her at packet pick-up on Saturday!

Swim: 21:56 (1:01/100 yd)
My last pool swim was back in March, at the Chillicothe YMCA (I'm not a member, but my friend Claire is). My main concern had been endurance, but after knocking out a 500 with no problem, I figured I didn't really need to train. I did get in some lake swimming in May, and I've played around in our ponds on hot days. I hadn't done any serious swimming in months.

My main issue was not endurance, but flexibility. About 600 meters in, the right side of my neck started cramping. I went to bilateral breathing, and had trouble turning my head to the left at first. After it loosened up, the bilateral breathing helped. Considering how little swim training I had going into this race, I was pleased with my performance. This is only 32 seconds off of my swim PR at this race!

T1: 1:25
As always, a long, uphill run to the transition area. I took my swim cap and goggles off on the run up, grabbed two GUs and put on my helmet, and then I was off onto the brutal, 18-mile bike.

Bike: 1:05:39 (16.4 MPH)
Compared to previous years, I lost the most time on the bike. In my best year, 2011, I completed the 18 miles in 56:24! Like with my swim, I hadn't been cycling for at least a month. My heart and lungs had the fitness, but my muscles lacked the strength, especially on this tough, hilly course.

Perhaps just as significantly, I sold my Specialized Transition to bolster my savings for my move to the farm last July. My Fuji Ace weighs in at 23 lbs, a full 5 lbs heavier than my Transition. I probably brought an extra 5 lbs to the hills this year, too.

Shawnee Mission is always brutal on the bike, but I was only there for fun, so I tried to stay light and easy on the steep hills and enjoy the downhills. I tried to tamp down my competitive instinct, and not chase every woman with a "25" on her calf who passed me. I resigned myself to a middle-of-the-pack finish, and prioritized having fun over kicking butt.

T2: 58 seconds
For the first time ever, a volunteer told me to speed up coming into the dismount area.

Run: 52:08 (11:37/mile)
Ick. The Shawnee Mission run course takes it out of me every year, but over 11:00/mile? Yeesh.

I hadn't run in over a month. Go figure. The best I can say about my run performance was that I didn't walk.

Much.

Total: 2:22:03
In 2011, my best year, I finished in 2:02:29, almost 20 minutes faster than this year! I don't mind, though. This race was for fun. I dipped my toe back into the pool of triathlon, to see if I still like it, and the race accomplished its purpose. Well, it accomplished that purpose. The original purpose was to keep me motivated to train, and that totally didn't work.

I didn't bother staying around for the awards. I figured that, with my performance, I didn't need to bother. But--lo and behold!--I got an e-mail from the race organizers last week, asking where to send my trophy! I finished 4th out of 8 in my division (better than I expected, honestly), so someone in my division must have placed overall.

I finished 31 out of 51 females, and 185 out of 229 athletes. In the bottom half of the results, in other words. Doesn't seem like I should get a trophy for that, does it?

I wanted to see if I still like triathlon, if I should still do it. I didn't have the burning bush revelation that I wanted. But I realized that I still enjoy racing, and I think it's worth continuing to spend a little bit of time and money and energy on it.

Triathlon makes me a bad-ass. But women's rugby and farming are also pretty bad-ass endeavors. So if I let go of one bad-ass endeavor, it's alright; I have back-ups.