The Eagles, without a doubt, were one of my top five fav bands of the 70s and 80s. I adore their mix of country twang and rock, and to know the lyrics of their songs was kind of a badge of honor back in college at UT Austin (especially Hotel California--not that anyone understood what the song meant, of course, but to sing it all through, drunk or sober, was considered very cool). The first time I saw the Eagles in concert was 1975, and they were the BACK UP band for the Rolling Stones at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, where I and about 10,000 other weary souls stood, or passed out, as the case was, in 110 degree heat for 12 hours to hear the Stones play, but the Eagles were just as good IMO that day, plus they came on at a reasonble hour. Yeah, I was 18 and stupid, but it was good to be 18 and stupid. It's good to be 53 and stupid, too. Trust me.
One of their great jogging songs IMO is All She Wants to Do is Dance. If you can listen to that tune without moving some part of your body, you are in more trouble than I can help you out of. Great lyrics too--the Eagles actually knew how to throw in words on top of a tune.
I listened to that tune this morning ("Malatov cocktail, the local drink...and all she wants to do is dance....mix it up right in the kitchen sink...and all she wants to do is---" you know the rest, sing along here) as I headed out on an hour tempo run at 6:55 a.m., my reflecto bands glinting in the daylight savings time darkness. Very windy and humid--gonna be like that on race day, though, so good practice. Did a couple of hills easily, thinking, wow, after spending 5 days in Colorado clambering uphill in bulky ski boots, this is easy stuff (no wonder the pros live up there and come down to race). Of course, by minute 45, it wasn't as easy as minute 2had been, but it was okay, even in the howling wind.
Last night was a 2200 yard swim drill and the water felt great. 5 days away from swim-bike-run last weekend has re-energized my muscles, even though I spent 3 of those days doing some hard skiing (the hardest part was, as you know, putting on those dadgummed ski boots--busted 300 calories each time, I swear to you). I felt like I was gliding through the water, even during the 8 x 25 yard bust yer rear sprints. Never underestimate the power of going hard, and then going for a rest.
Broke down and ordered a new wetsuit today. My old one is fine, a used Zoot Fusion I snapped up for $85 on sale, but it has several (repaired) tears in it that are starting to think about leaking, and so now I'm going to sell it and get a new Quinta Roo Hydrofull (assuming I like it once I try it on). I realize back of the packers don't need to spend all this $$ on gear, but dernit, if I'm going to swim 1.2 miles I am going to be comfortable doing it. Plus I intend to keep doing this triathlon stuff for many years (although probably Oly and sprint distances until I hit work retirement). There. I've just justified spending money on something non-essential. I'm very good at that.
Now all I need is some new goggles--I can buy those locally--a haircut and a bike tune up, and a night next week pretending to fix a flat tire so I can remember how to do it if that becomes an issue on race day (I didn't train for a year to DNF on a flat tire!). Last long brick this weekend, and a long swim without stopping.
So today, I'm feeling good about the whole thing. All I want to do is dance! :-) I'll get my opportunity soon. Here's hoping for good weather and good health on race day.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
It Don't Come Easy-Four Weeks 'Til Race Day!
Back when the Beatles divorced, it was a shock wave felt 'round the world. Each member of the fab four then went on to have somewhat varying degrees of success alone. One would argue that John didn't have as much time as the others because his life was tragically shortened. Still, it's hard to deny that Sir Paul isn't the one that rose the highest after the great divide, if you can forgive some of that terrible bubble gum pop out of Wings.
Ringo, bless his nose, never rose very high above the post Beatles era, but he did have some good rockin' songs. It Don't Come Easy was one of the best, if not the most grammatical.
Last week was not easy. After a hard brick on Sunday (54 mile bike and 3 mile run) I had a long swim on Monday (2500 yards, pretty much straight through), spin class on Tuesday, a 7.6 mile run on Wednesday morning, and then back to back bricks on Thursday (I took the day off work for this fun)--90 minute bike followed by 30 minute run, followed by SECOND 90 minute bike followed by SECOND 30 minute run. By THursday night I was really tired, and we were leaving to go skiing the next day. Friday, a travel day, found me hobbling around with a terrible, terrible back ache that worried me immensely, but fortunately, Advil and a night's rest made it totally disappear. It would just be so bad to have an injury at this point.
Friday morning my heart rate was elevated from its usual 62 beats per minute to a 70 beat per minute, a classic sign of getting close to overtraining. I was glad to have some time off to recover.
We skiied hard the next 3 days, which certainly helped my cardio and strength, but I did no biking or running. After travel on Tuesday, I'm back in the saddle, or at least in the pool tonight, as my heart rate is back down to its normal state and I'm rested and ready for the next push.
I am starting to envision the race lately, trying to make it all come together in my head, which is hard since there is no way I can obviouly picture 8 hours in my head! But I am thinking about the swim start, how I pace myself in the water and keep myself from freaking out, how often I will lift my head to sight (about every six left arm strokes), where I will position myself (in the back to the right), how I will exit the water and what things I will take off wear, and how I will get onto the bike and out on the course. About this point, I tend to fall asleep while thinking about it, so I've not contemplated the run yet!
There's still a lot left for me to do to get organized, including buying a new bento box for the bike (the one I have is too floppy), getting a new pair of goggles (same brand, but mine are almost 18 months old and pretty scratched up), getting my bike cleaned up and tuned, getting a hair cut (really! Who needs hair in your eyes for 56 miles?), and more. I've made our hotel reservations, intending to stay over Sunday night after the race (as I told Patient Spouse, after 8 hours on my feet, I am NOT getting into a car for another 5!). In addition, of course, I have to keep training and working for a living. Oh, yeah, that.
If it came easy, everyone would do it.
Ringo, bless his nose, never rose very high above the post Beatles era, but he did have some good rockin' songs. It Don't Come Easy was one of the best, if not the most grammatical.
Last week was not easy. After a hard brick on Sunday (54 mile bike and 3 mile run) I had a long swim on Monday (2500 yards, pretty much straight through), spin class on Tuesday, a 7.6 mile run on Wednesday morning, and then back to back bricks on Thursday (I took the day off work for this fun)--90 minute bike followed by 30 minute run, followed by SECOND 90 minute bike followed by SECOND 30 minute run. By THursday night I was really tired, and we were leaving to go skiing the next day. Friday, a travel day, found me hobbling around with a terrible, terrible back ache that worried me immensely, but fortunately, Advil and a night's rest made it totally disappear. It would just be so bad to have an injury at this point.
Friday morning my heart rate was elevated from its usual 62 beats per minute to a 70 beat per minute, a classic sign of getting close to overtraining. I was glad to have some time off to recover.
We skiied hard the next 3 days, which certainly helped my cardio and strength, but I did no biking or running. After travel on Tuesday, I'm back in the saddle, or at least in the pool tonight, as my heart rate is back down to its normal state and I'm rested and ready for the next push.
I am starting to envision the race lately, trying to make it all come together in my head, which is hard since there is no way I can obviouly picture 8 hours in my head! But I am thinking about the swim start, how I pace myself in the water and keep myself from freaking out, how often I will lift my head to sight (about every six left arm strokes), where I will position myself (in the back to the right), how I will exit the water and what things I will take off wear, and how I will get onto the bike and out on the course. About this point, I tend to fall asleep while thinking about it, so I've not contemplated the run yet!
There's still a lot left for me to do to get organized, including buying a new bento box for the bike (the one I have is too floppy), getting a new pair of goggles (same brand, but mine are almost 18 months old and pretty scratched up), getting my bike cleaned up and tuned, getting a hair cut (really! Who needs hair in your eyes for 56 miles?), and more. I've made our hotel reservations, intending to stay over Sunday night after the race (as I told Patient Spouse, after 8 hours on my feet, I am NOT getting into a car for another 5!). In addition, of course, I have to keep training and working for a living. Oh, yeah, that.
If it came easy, everyone would do it.
Monday, March 7, 2011
I Will Survive: Five Weeks 'Til Race Day!
I was (and still am) very much into Motown and blues especially from the 60s and 70s (which of us from that era did NOT grow up learning the Supreme's hand motions for "Stop In the Name of Love?"). Gloria Gaynor actually cut her teeth singing disco (for which we will forgive her) and she released "I Will Survive" in 1979, just in time for me to learn the lyrics during studying for college graduation. Great lyrics for any generation. Great song on the iPod for working out.
Thus we continue with the hard workouts as we move closer to the 70.3, which increase in distance and intensity until taper time. Coach Claire is leading me up to the event by making sure I am ready both physically and mentally for the challenge. I'm finally convinced I can not only do this thing, but, barring injury or illness or something outside my control on race day, I can do it with a smile at the finish line (it may look like grimace to YOU, buddy, but to me, it will look like a smile).
This weekend was a short (one hour--when did one hour runs become short in nature?) run in the blast wind from the north on Saturday. The good news is that it was a north wind, which means my last mile home is downwind and that little push in the backside from a strong wind means a lot some days.
On Sunday, it was semi dress rehearsal day--a 3.5 hour ride and a 45 minute tempo run. The wind was still blowing, but not as hard as Saturday thank goodness (only about 10-15 mph, which is normal for this time of year). It was a chilly morning, and as I ate my oatmeal with honey and berries (thanks for the crock pot hint! it cooked perfectly all night long) I debated my fashion options. It would probably be best to wear tights, but I had just purchased a new pair of (expensive) carbon Tyr tri shorts that I wanted to tri out, because they are going to be my choice for the race if they worked right. So I decided on the shorts, but a long sleeved wicking shirt under my new (expensive, but not as much as the shorts) tri top and a medium weight bike jacket on top.
We arrived (the Patient Spouse and I) at White Rock around 9 a.m. and brrr it was brisk in that wind. I was grateful for my jacket and was happy to put on the bike helmet and gloves. The bike bento box was loaded with a hard boiled egg (cut in quarters, salted, and in a baggie), 3 gels in my squeeze bottle, some gummy bears, and a cut up Luna Raspberry Chocolate bar (cut into widdle bite sizes, and in a baggie), and my water bottles were loaded with Gatorade Pro (on the aerobar bottle) and water (on the seat tube). Two Advil were tucked in a small nose clip plastic holder and stuffed in the bento box just in case. My run fuel belt held my small Gatorade bottle, some gummies, and another gel. I flelt like a camel headed to the desert for two weeks.
Off into the cool wind we rode, trying to go easy pace but the chill making us want to pedal harder. Six times 'round the lake was my goal (about 9.1 miles each trip) for the 3.5 hours. Patient Spouse was going to do 2 laps and a short run (he's my sprint tri guy) and then take his car on home.
First lap was faster than I wanted, over 15 mph average for the 9 miles, and then I had to stop to use the portapot (I had hydrated quite well the day before, thanksverymuch), and we were off for lap 2. Patient Spouse took off on his sprint pace and all I saw of him was his north end headed south for awhile, and then he disappeared from sight. At 14 miles I took in a half gel, and was careful to ensure that I took a large hefty swig of Gatorade each time the Garmin beeped a mile.
Second lap done a bit slower, wind a bit stronger and the crowds a bit heavier to dodge, then guess what, off for a portapot visit again (some of this is good hydration. Some of this is old age. Being over 50 is not for the faint of heart) and quickly back on the bike for lap 3--halfway. Sun's out strong now, beautiful early spring morning with trees in bloom and flowers starting, heaving my way up the 4 hills and muttering only 3 more times to do these, trying to save my legs a bit for the run while still not puttering along too slowly. At mile 28 (halfway for 56, even I can do the math) I ate my hard boiled egg a little at a time, and it was VERY tasty, the salted egg just hitting the spot for me. Learned something: put a marble or rock in the baggie to weigh it down when empty or else the wind is going to try to snatch it away, and littering on a tri can mean a DQ. Remind myself not to eat the rock.
Third lap down. I managed to not stop at the portapot this time. Starting to get cross eyed at seeing everything for the FOURTH time and knowing there was more to come (oh, there is the dog park...again....). Decided that my gel bottle should go in my back pocket instead of the bento box since it's taking up too much room in there, and I can't reach my other goodies. Takes a minute to stuff in it there. Cyclists have to be so good at riding one handed while using the other to grab nutrition, stuff our faces with it, put away trash, change gears, wipe nose (what gloves are for!), scratch, etc. I wish I was better coordinated at all this.
Park getting more crowded and more people to dodge, more children to worry about, more oblivious walkers stepping out in front of you from nowhere. Feet getting numb. Wiggle toes, arch feet, point upwards. Butt getting numb. Making sure I stand up in the saddle on every small downhill, sometimes on the flat. Winstead Hill getting higher (okay I made this one up).
Fourth lap down and two to go. Getting warm, had to stop and strip the bike jacket and (again) use the facilities. I am going to lose five or six minutes just visiting Mr. John. Can't be helped. I know the pros sometimes go on the bike--yes they do--but it's not gonna be me, babe. Quickly off for lap five, feeling it now in my legs a wee bit. Try to ease off on the 4 hills, seated climb and not standing, hunkering down low into the increasing breeze. Taking in more gel, some Luna Bar bites, a few gummies. Reach back for the gel bottle. Can't get it out. new shirt (Orca) that has flaps over the back pocketes. Great idea for not losing things; lousy idea for getting things out. Takes five minutes and six curse words to unleash the gel--put it in the bento box again. New shirt is now on the bad list.
Still feeling strong. Hit the bad hill and say ONE MORE TIME SUCKA to it.
Sixth lap coming up--last one! Butt really getting numb and so are toes. I can make the toes do okay by moving my feet around but the backside is just what it is. I love love the new Tyr carbon shorts but nothing short of getting off will make my rear get comfortable, let's face it.
Felt good to say to each hill that I won't be seeing you again. Still pedaling smoothly, no real issues, no real pain other than tired butt and numbish toes. Still over the aerobars so that tells me I'm not too tired. Reminding myself I have a run to do.
Parking lot coming up! 54.9 miles for the trip in 3:40, not too bad on time. If I can do 56 in 3:45 at the race, I'm way ahead of my time goal, so this is good news.
Stand up a bit in the pedals to get the blood flowing, shake my legs one at a time, come into the lot and unclip, GENTLY hop off the bike (learned the hard way that after a long bike, a quick dismount can lead to ugly things for shaky legs), into the car with it, on with the shoes and fuel belt, grab the Garmin off the bike and snap onto the wrist band, off with the helmet and gloves, and a quick trip (last one) to the portalet--and now I'm off running. Er, jogging. But moving.
Actually I didn't run all that slow. My running pace was between 10:30 and 11:15 min per mile pace, but I did run 8/walk 2 the entire time which is my goal for the first 4 miles of the real race (after that, I have to re assess how I feel; I may go to run 7/walk 3 etc). I did walk one other time when I turned up the area to the dam and forgot it was straight uphill so I gave myself 1.5 extra walking minutes and ran the rest of that steep uphill gritting my teeth. I continued to swig Gatorade and consume gel and Luna Bar each walk break, cursing at the flaps on the shirt pockets and wondering if I could sew them open later.
I was happy to see the finish line at 45 minutes (3.9 miles) but I wasn't falling over exhausted and could have kept going if I simply had to. I did note my mind was a bit fuzzy. Not uncommon for post race syndrome.
A great post workout stretch, some yoga, a burger and a Diet Coke put me back into mental swiftness. I didn't feel all that tired the rest of the day, and got some chores done, but was grateful for lights out that night around 9:45 p.m.
There's more to come, and I'm ready for it, but I've done part of the race already (I realize there wasn't a swim beforehand, and I only ran a little more than a quarter of the distance. Still. I KNOW I can do it).
Me and Gloria. We'll survive!
Thus we continue with the hard workouts as we move closer to the 70.3, which increase in distance and intensity until taper time. Coach Claire is leading me up to the event by making sure I am ready both physically and mentally for the challenge. I'm finally convinced I can not only do this thing, but, barring injury or illness or something outside my control on race day, I can do it with a smile at the finish line (it may look like grimace to YOU, buddy, but to me, it will look like a smile).
This weekend was a short (one hour--when did one hour runs become short in nature?) run in the blast wind from the north on Saturday. The good news is that it was a north wind, which means my last mile home is downwind and that little push in the backside from a strong wind means a lot some days.
On Sunday, it was semi dress rehearsal day--a 3.5 hour ride and a 45 minute tempo run. The wind was still blowing, but not as hard as Saturday thank goodness (only about 10-15 mph, which is normal for this time of year). It was a chilly morning, and as I ate my oatmeal with honey and berries (thanks for the crock pot hint! it cooked perfectly all night long) I debated my fashion options. It would probably be best to wear tights, but I had just purchased a new pair of (expensive) carbon Tyr tri shorts that I wanted to tri out, because they are going to be my choice for the race if they worked right. So I decided on the shorts, but a long sleeved wicking shirt under my new (expensive, but not as much as the shorts) tri top and a medium weight bike jacket on top.
We arrived (the Patient Spouse and I) at White Rock around 9 a.m. and brrr it was brisk in that wind. I was grateful for my jacket and was happy to put on the bike helmet and gloves. The bike bento box was loaded with a hard boiled egg (cut in quarters, salted, and in a baggie), 3 gels in my squeeze bottle, some gummy bears, and a cut up Luna Raspberry Chocolate bar (cut into widdle bite sizes, and in a baggie), and my water bottles were loaded with Gatorade Pro (on the aerobar bottle) and water (on the seat tube). Two Advil were tucked in a small nose clip plastic holder and stuffed in the bento box just in case. My run fuel belt held my small Gatorade bottle, some gummies, and another gel. I flelt like a camel headed to the desert for two weeks.
Off into the cool wind we rode, trying to go easy pace but the chill making us want to pedal harder. Six times 'round the lake was my goal (about 9.1 miles each trip) for the 3.5 hours. Patient Spouse was going to do 2 laps and a short run (he's my sprint tri guy) and then take his car on home.
First lap was faster than I wanted, over 15 mph average for the 9 miles, and then I had to stop to use the portapot (I had hydrated quite well the day before, thanksverymuch), and we were off for lap 2. Patient Spouse took off on his sprint pace and all I saw of him was his north end headed south for awhile, and then he disappeared from sight. At 14 miles I took in a half gel, and was careful to ensure that I took a large hefty swig of Gatorade each time the Garmin beeped a mile.
Second lap done a bit slower, wind a bit stronger and the crowds a bit heavier to dodge, then guess what, off for a portapot visit again (some of this is good hydration. Some of this is old age. Being over 50 is not for the faint of heart) and quickly back on the bike for lap 3--halfway. Sun's out strong now, beautiful early spring morning with trees in bloom and flowers starting, heaving my way up the 4 hills and muttering only 3 more times to do these, trying to save my legs a bit for the run while still not puttering along too slowly. At mile 28 (halfway for 56, even I can do the math) I ate my hard boiled egg a little at a time, and it was VERY tasty, the salted egg just hitting the spot for me. Learned something: put a marble or rock in the baggie to weigh it down when empty or else the wind is going to try to snatch it away, and littering on a tri can mean a DQ. Remind myself not to eat the rock.
Third lap down. I managed to not stop at the portapot this time. Starting to get cross eyed at seeing everything for the FOURTH time and knowing there was more to come (oh, there is the dog park...again....). Decided that my gel bottle should go in my back pocket instead of the bento box since it's taking up too much room in there, and I can't reach my other goodies. Takes a minute to stuff in it there. Cyclists have to be so good at riding one handed while using the other to grab nutrition, stuff our faces with it, put away trash, change gears, wipe nose (what gloves are for!), scratch, etc. I wish I was better coordinated at all this.
Park getting more crowded and more people to dodge, more children to worry about, more oblivious walkers stepping out in front of you from nowhere. Feet getting numb. Wiggle toes, arch feet, point upwards. Butt getting numb. Making sure I stand up in the saddle on every small downhill, sometimes on the flat. Winstead Hill getting higher (okay I made this one up).
Fourth lap down and two to go. Getting warm, had to stop and strip the bike jacket and (again) use the facilities. I am going to lose five or six minutes just visiting Mr. John. Can't be helped. I know the pros sometimes go on the bike--yes they do--but it's not gonna be me, babe. Quickly off for lap five, feeling it now in my legs a wee bit. Try to ease off on the 4 hills, seated climb and not standing, hunkering down low into the increasing breeze. Taking in more gel, some Luna Bar bites, a few gummies. Reach back for the gel bottle. Can't get it out. new shirt (Orca) that has flaps over the back pocketes. Great idea for not losing things; lousy idea for getting things out. Takes five minutes and six curse words to unleash the gel--put it in the bento box again. New shirt is now on the bad list.
Still feeling strong. Hit the bad hill and say ONE MORE TIME SUCKA to it.
Sixth lap coming up--last one! Butt really getting numb and so are toes. I can make the toes do okay by moving my feet around but the backside is just what it is. I love love the new Tyr carbon shorts but nothing short of getting off will make my rear get comfortable, let's face it.
Felt good to say to each hill that I won't be seeing you again. Still pedaling smoothly, no real issues, no real pain other than tired butt and numbish toes. Still over the aerobars so that tells me I'm not too tired. Reminding myself I have a run to do.
Parking lot coming up! 54.9 miles for the trip in 3:40, not too bad on time. If I can do 56 in 3:45 at the race, I'm way ahead of my time goal, so this is good news.
Stand up a bit in the pedals to get the blood flowing, shake my legs one at a time, come into the lot and unclip, GENTLY hop off the bike (learned the hard way that after a long bike, a quick dismount can lead to ugly things for shaky legs), into the car with it, on with the shoes and fuel belt, grab the Garmin off the bike and snap onto the wrist band, off with the helmet and gloves, and a quick trip (last one) to the portalet--and now I'm off running. Er, jogging. But moving.
Actually I didn't run all that slow. My running pace was between 10:30 and 11:15 min per mile pace, but I did run 8/walk 2 the entire time which is my goal for the first 4 miles of the real race (after that, I have to re assess how I feel; I may go to run 7/walk 3 etc). I did walk one other time when I turned up the area to the dam and forgot it was straight uphill so I gave myself 1.5 extra walking minutes and ran the rest of that steep uphill gritting my teeth. I continued to swig Gatorade and consume gel and Luna Bar each walk break, cursing at the flaps on the shirt pockets and wondering if I could sew them open later.
I was happy to see the finish line at 45 minutes (3.9 miles) but I wasn't falling over exhausted and could have kept going if I simply had to. I did note my mind was a bit fuzzy. Not uncommon for post race syndrome.
A great post workout stretch, some yoga, a burger and a Diet Coke put me back into mental swiftness. I didn't feel all that tired the rest of the day, and got some chores done, but was grateful for lights out that night around 9:45 p.m.
There's more to come, and I'm ready for it, but I've done part of the race already (I realize there wasn't a swim beforehand, and I only ran a little more than a quarter of the distance. Still. I KNOW I can do it).
Me and Gloria. We'll survive!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Six Weeks 'til Race Day: Another Brick in the Wall
Pink Floyd was one of those rock groups that you either hated or loved, and there was generally no in between, except for me, who detested them except for that one popular song "Another Brick in the Wall." The reason I loved the song was the term "another brick in the wall." It just stood for so many things symbolically. Day's over? Another brick in the wall. Dishwasher unloaded? Another brick in the wall. I realize you can carry this metaphor too far and brick yourself into several literary corners, but I still use the dadgummed expression.
And with training bricks, here's another way to abuse the phrase all over again. Six weeks out and my weekend training is now focused on bricks--run based ones, bike based ones, hard ones, easy ones, and all sorts in between. "Bike-run-in combination." Hard stuff. Necessary stuff.
Last weekend was a killer. The wind in Dallas was blowing 40-45 mph and it was late afternoon before I could get on the bike, so you know it was really howling that time of day. Our windiest day of the year so far. Perfect conditions for my 2.5 hour bike/30 minute run on Saturday. But time and weather wait for no man, or woman, or triathlete, so I girded up my loins and loaded the bike for White Rock, where I watched EMTs rescuing capsized boats whilst I pumped my tires (this is a true statement. No one seemed to have drowned, but there were 3-4 small upside down boats that rescue craft had to go out and tow in with along with their damp owners).
Off we go, downwind for the first part of the ride, not too bad, crusing smoothly and then here's the first major turn and whammo! Blast winds straight into your face, causing that nice light bike to shimmy and shake and your sweaty palms to grip those tiny little areobars (why did I get the short ones???). Legs pedaling hard, but moving about 12.5 mph even downshifting like mad. Fun? I had four laps of the lake to contemplate with this fun.
I kept thinking the downwind portions (which logically should be about half the trip, but illogically, as Spock would say, seemed to only be about a quarter of the trip) would make up for the lost speed of the into the wind portions, but it really didn't. I would average between 15-18 mph on the downwind parts (sometimes a bit more if there was a slight downhill), but struggle around 12-14 mph on the upwind areas. My average pace for the 2.5 hour ride (37 miles) was around 14.2 mph which is slow (not creepingly slow, but slow). And that was pushing it on the windward portions, which you had to do or just topple over.
However, I told myself this: Self, if you can do this ride, you can handle anything that old Galveston tosses at you wind-wise, because anything stronger than this and it's a stupid tropical storm (looked it up. Tropical storm winds are above 38 mph. So really, I was already riding in one, at least from a wind standpoint). Great training ride for the real thing. And I did handle it. Not terribly fast, true, but within my parameters for my race (which is 14-15 mph for the 56 miles) and I didn't fall over and collapse from it either (although I did consider canceling my dental appointment next week since I felt that I had already had my teeth sandblasted clean). I managed to jump off the bike and still go for a 30 min run (2.7 miles) which wasn't terribly slow in nature, although I did take a couple of quick walk breaks during it, and I was pretty glad to see the Garmin hit the 30 minute mark.
On Sunday I had to get up and do a 60 minute run. Friends and neigbors, I am here to tell you that I was tired on that run. I know part of the training is teaching your body how to run tired (so it won't be so shocked when you ask it to do just that on race day), but this was not easy--and the wind was still howling, making my downwind running legs just delightful. Still, I stuck it out, doing the planned run 8 walk 2 the entire time, and never really bonked or hit the wall, just felt tired and a bit heavy legged.
This week I get two days off (yeah!) in preparation for the Big Rehearsal on Sunday. This will be a 3.5 hour bike (very close to race distance) followed by a 45 minute tempo run. I will sleep, pack, dress, eat and hydrate as if it were race day morning. I'll try to hit the trails about the same time of day that I estimate I will hit the bike portion on the triathlon (around 8:45 a.m. or so) so I know how my body reacts to things at that time of day.
I'm praying the wind gods go elsewhere this weekend, but if they don't, I'll manage!
And with training bricks, here's another way to abuse the phrase all over again. Six weeks out and my weekend training is now focused on bricks--run based ones, bike based ones, hard ones, easy ones, and all sorts in between. "Bike-run-in combination." Hard stuff. Necessary stuff.
Last weekend was a killer. The wind in Dallas was blowing 40-45 mph and it was late afternoon before I could get on the bike, so you know it was really howling that time of day. Our windiest day of the year so far. Perfect conditions for my 2.5 hour bike/30 minute run on Saturday. But time and weather wait for no man, or woman, or triathlete, so I girded up my loins and loaded the bike for White Rock, where I watched EMTs rescuing capsized boats whilst I pumped my tires (this is a true statement. No one seemed to have drowned, but there were 3-4 small upside down boats that rescue craft had to go out and tow in with along with their damp owners).
Off we go, downwind for the first part of the ride, not too bad, crusing smoothly and then here's the first major turn and whammo! Blast winds straight into your face, causing that nice light bike to shimmy and shake and your sweaty palms to grip those tiny little areobars (why did I get the short ones???). Legs pedaling hard, but moving about 12.5 mph even downshifting like mad. Fun? I had four laps of the lake to contemplate with this fun.
I kept thinking the downwind portions (which logically should be about half the trip, but illogically, as Spock would say, seemed to only be about a quarter of the trip) would make up for the lost speed of the into the wind portions, but it really didn't. I would average between 15-18 mph on the downwind parts (sometimes a bit more if there was a slight downhill), but struggle around 12-14 mph on the upwind areas. My average pace for the 2.5 hour ride (37 miles) was around 14.2 mph which is slow (not creepingly slow, but slow). And that was pushing it on the windward portions, which you had to do or just topple over.
However, I told myself this: Self, if you can do this ride, you can handle anything that old Galveston tosses at you wind-wise, because anything stronger than this and it's a stupid tropical storm (looked it up. Tropical storm winds are above 38 mph. So really, I was already riding in one, at least from a wind standpoint). Great training ride for the real thing. And I did handle it. Not terribly fast, true, but within my parameters for my race (which is 14-15 mph for the 56 miles) and I didn't fall over and collapse from it either (although I did consider canceling my dental appointment next week since I felt that I had already had my teeth sandblasted clean). I managed to jump off the bike and still go for a 30 min run (2.7 miles) which wasn't terribly slow in nature, although I did take a couple of quick walk breaks during it, and I was pretty glad to see the Garmin hit the 30 minute mark.
On Sunday I had to get up and do a 60 minute run. Friends and neigbors, I am here to tell you that I was tired on that run. I know part of the training is teaching your body how to run tired (so it won't be so shocked when you ask it to do just that on race day), but this was not easy--and the wind was still howling, making my downwind running legs just delightful. Still, I stuck it out, doing the planned run 8 walk 2 the entire time, and never really bonked or hit the wall, just felt tired and a bit heavy legged.
This week I get two days off (yeah!) in preparation for the Big Rehearsal on Sunday. This will be a 3.5 hour bike (very close to race distance) followed by a 45 minute tempo run. I will sleep, pack, dress, eat and hydrate as if it were race day morning. I'll try to hit the trails about the same time of day that I estimate I will hit the bike portion on the triathlon (around 8:45 a.m. or so) so I know how my body reacts to things at that time of day.
I'm praying the wind gods go elsewhere this weekend, but if they don't, I'll manage!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Time of My Life: Seven weeks 'til race day!
Although I am of the firm belief that, with a few exceptions, all good music happened sometime before 1980 (before, for example, "Disco Duck" and "I Don't Bump No More Big Fat Woman," both of which were I believe highlights of the 80's music genre), I have to admit that a few of the modern tunes manage to make their way onto my playlists and into my jogging songs. Although I am one of the few Americans that has never, ever managed to watch a single episode of "American Idol," that doesn't mean I don't know some of the songs from it, or from the singers who are plucked from obscurity into singerdom. I happen to like the song "Time of My Life" by Adam...oh, you know his last name. Second place to the other Adam who won, who has tattooed eyeliner and painted fingernails. For simple working out lyrics, nothing beats "I'm out on the edge of forever ready to run...." Well, of course I am. Right now, I have to be.
I had a long weekend of long workouts and there was a brutal, nasty, howling SW wind all weekend with gusts up to 35 mph. Well, okay, the 70.3 I'm entering has brutal, nasty, howling winds (you know it's gonna be bad when the race's own website describes the bike course as "flat but windy."), so this was simply practice for the real thing. Right. I came away from the weekend with most of my skin sandblasted off me, and two extra pounds packed on me (I'm swearing it could not possibly have been the dessert I ordered while eating out Friday night).
Saturday was a 3 hour bike. I did this in my 'hood, as Coach Claire, playing Cruella De Ville :-), suggested I do some hills, along with 3 hours of riding into the wind. So I did. About 12 of them, all but 2 into the wind (or it seemed that way) and 9 miles long. Actually, only about 3 of them ate my lunch enough to make me shift into the smaller chain and keep searching for a lower gear that woefully just wasn't there (that is always such a fun feeling, clicking the gear shifter and having the bike say, nope, this is all you got, so learn to live with it). But riding on the flats headed due south into that hurricane was pretty tough--sometimes I was lucky to average 11 mph during those segments, and I was really hunkered low over the aerobars, trying to make myself into Frodo size. I kept thinking I would make up for that when I turned downwind, and I did make up some of it, but not as much as I would have liked.
I tried some different nutrition on the bike for fun; I made some biscuits with raspberry jam and put them in small baggies in the bento box. Although they were very tasty and fairly easy to eat (in small bites) they didn't seem to fill the hunger hole in my gut like the old hard boiled egg does, so I'm afraid they aren't going to make the final cut (so far, the final cut is a hard boiled egg, several gels, gummy bears, and two small peanut butter sandwich cutouts made with a round cookie cutter--and go easy on the PB as it can cause you to choke if you swallow too much of it).
The annoying thing about riding the 'hood is how many stoplights I have to stop it, and it messes up my bike time. I know I will go faster on the average when I don't have as many stops and starts. Still, it gives me a chance to rest my weary rear off the saddle. Right now, the plan for the 70.3 is to ride straight through to 28 mile (halfway) and then get off for two minutes and stretch and use the portapot (hoping there is one at the turnaround point for us old ladies), and then back on for the second 28 miles. I don't need to get off at all if I don't want to, but if I'm on target for my time, IMO it's a good idea for me to get the blood flowing to all the nether regions again at halfway. I've got a long run coming up after the bike is done!
Sunday was a 2 hour brick, an hour ride followed by an hour run, and the winds were even stronger on Sunday and it was also getting rather warmish (again: told myself good practice). The bike was slow, rode with Patient Spouse on his new carbon rig's maiden voyage (and he needs to have the chain adjusted), just cruised a bit and then did a couple of major hills before cruising home, hopped off and did a 2.5 minute transition (majority of time was spent yanking off the long sleeve bike overjersey as the day had heated up considerably), and off for the run into the wind. I planned to go slow if need be, but I felt pretty good and did my run 8 minutes/walk 2minutes the entire time and ended with an 11:23 mile average and plenty of gas. I hydrated well both during the bike and the run, and took in a gel about halfway through the just over 5 mile run. Patient Spouse had bought me a gel squeeze bottle which I found I loved, other than finding room where to stash it. I put it in my jersey back pocket, but it was big enough to want to try to fall out and also to get in the way of me twisting around my fuel belt to get to my sports drink (no room for both it and my drink bottle in the fuel belt). I think I will try to use it. It's soooo much more convenient than having to open gel packs and squirting yourself in the face with them, and then ending up with sticky hands plus an empty gel pack that you have to carry or stash until the next trash bin. You can fit up to 7 gels into the bottle which should be all I need for the race (if I'm lucky), along with my egg and my PB cookie sandwiches and my sports drink.
I felt strong after the brick but I gotta admit that Sunday night I hit the wall around 9:15 p.m. and was happy to see my bed soon after that.
I'm happy with my progress so far. Yes, I believe I can fly (maybe not fast, but hey, who watches birds with a stopwatch anyway).
I had a long weekend of long workouts and there was a brutal, nasty, howling SW wind all weekend with gusts up to 35 mph. Well, okay, the 70.3 I'm entering has brutal, nasty, howling winds (you know it's gonna be bad when the race's own website describes the bike course as "flat but windy."), so this was simply practice for the real thing. Right. I came away from the weekend with most of my skin sandblasted off me, and two extra pounds packed on me (I'm swearing it could not possibly have been the dessert I ordered while eating out Friday night).
Saturday was a 3 hour bike. I did this in my 'hood, as Coach Claire, playing Cruella De Ville :-), suggested I do some hills, along with 3 hours of riding into the wind. So I did. About 12 of them, all but 2 into the wind (or it seemed that way) and 9 miles long. Actually, only about 3 of them ate my lunch enough to make me shift into the smaller chain and keep searching for a lower gear that woefully just wasn't there (that is always such a fun feeling, clicking the gear shifter and having the bike say, nope, this is all you got, so learn to live with it). But riding on the flats headed due south into that hurricane was pretty tough--sometimes I was lucky to average 11 mph during those segments, and I was really hunkered low over the aerobars, trying to make myself into Frodo size. I kept thinking I would make up for that when I turned downwind, and I did make up some of it, but not as much as I would have liked.
I tried some different nutrition on the bike for fun; I made some biscuits with raspberry jam and put them in small baggies in the bento box. Although they were very tasty and fairly easy to eat (in small bites) they didn't seem to fill the hunger hole in my gut like the old hard boiled egg does, so I'm afraid they aren't going to make the final cut (so far, the final cut is a hard boiled egg, several gels, gummy bears, and two small peanut butter sandwich cutouts made with a round cookie cutter--and go easy on the PB as it can cause you to choke if you swallow too much of it).
The annoying thing about riding the 'hood is how many stoplights I have to stop it, and it messes up my bike time. I know I will go faster on the average when I don't have as many stops and starts. Still, it gives me a chance to rest my weary rear off the saddle. Right now, the plan for the 70.3 is to ride straight through to 28 mile (halfway) and then get off for two minutes and stretch and use the portapot (hoping there is one at the turnaround point for us old ladies), and then back on for the second 28 miles. I don't need to get off at all if I don't want to, but if I'm on target for my time, IMO it's a good idea for me to get the blood flowing to all the nether regions again at halfway. I've got a long run coming up after the bike is done!
Sunday was a 2 hour brick, an hour ride followed by an hour run, and the winds were even stronger on Sunday and it was also getting rather warmish (again: told myself good practice). The bike was slow, rode with Patient Spouse on his new carbon rig's maiden voyage (and he needs to have the chain adjusted), just cruised a bit and then did a couple of major hills before cruising home, hopped off and did a 2.5 minute transition (majority of time was spent yanking off the long sleeve bike overjersey as the day had heated up considerably), and off for the run into the wind. I planned to go slow if need be, but I felt pretty good and did my run 8 minutes/walk 2minutes the entire time and ended with an 11:23 mile average and plenty of gas. I hydrated well both during the bike and the run, and took in a gel about halfway through the just over 5 mile run. Patient Spouse had bought me a gel squeeze bottle which I found I loved, other than finding room where to stash it. I put it in my jersey back pocket, but it was big enough to want to try to fall out and also to get in the way of me twisting around my fuel belt to get to my sports drink (no room for both it and my drink bottle in the fuel belt). I think I will try to use it. It's soooo much more convenient than having to open gel packs and squirting yourself in the face with them, and then ending up with sticky hands plus an empty gel pack that you have to carry or stash until the next trash bin. You can fit up to 7 gels into the bottle which should be all I need for the race (if I'm lucky), along with my egg and my PB cookie sandwiches and my sports drink.
I felt strong after the brick but I gotta admit that Sunday night I hit the wall around 9:15 p.m. and was happy to see my bed soon after that.
I'm happy with my progress so far. Yes, I believe I can fly (maybe not fast, but hey, who watches birds with a stopwatch anyway).
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Taking Care of Business: 8 weeks until blastoff
Bachman Turner Overdrive (BTO) was a sort of bubble gummish rock group that had a couple of hits, and IMO if they had found a better lead guitarist, they would have been a much better band. But you can't deny the fact that their song "Taking Care of Business" has a pretty strong backbeat and thus it has made my iPod jogging songs list. You just gotta get past the cheesy words.
I'm less than 8 weeks out from my 70.3. This means my workouts are getting longer, harder and there is, yes, some suffering involved (Chrissy Wellington, a Kona champion and one of my idols, said in an interview once that yes, training for winning does involve some suffering. Well, yes).
Saturday was a delightful brick, not because of the brick itself (2 hour bike followed by 30 min run) was delightful, but because for the first time in weeks the weather let me get outside. A bit on the breezy side, but sunny and warmish. I was pleased to notice my bike speed for the 2 hours was 15.1 average and I was trying hard to go slowly. Followed this up Sunday with a 7 mile easy run (note to self: now matter how hard you try, 7 miles is never gonna be totally easy. There was some suffering involved) that pushed me a bit since I was tired from the day before, and a delightful southwest wind was knocking me around a lot during the entire run. Then after I caught my breath, I went to the pool for 20 50 yard sprints. Yes, I am doing this for fun. I remember that.
I feel quite confident that I am going to finish this race, although the cutoff times still worry me inside that head space labeled 'worry about these things.' If there is a strong strong wind on race day (in Galveston, chances are about 93.43 percent there will be a strong strong wind from the southeast, unless it's a strong strong wind from the southwest) I worry that biking into it will fatigue me to a point that I can't recover sufficiently to go hard enough to make time. But I will worry about that tomorrow.
I'm starting to try to plan a bit in detail for the race; I've made hotel reservations, my bike gear is in good order, I've planned nutrition (mostly) for race day, and I've visualized the race in my mind several times. I've seen the run course so I know what to expect there; I've also seen a small part of the bike course. The swim still concerns me --not the swim itself, but the beginning of it as I'm very fuzzy on the details about the swim start (I know it's a deep water start, and I've seen photos of the start areas, but I'm not sure how you GET to the start line since I hear that the bottom of the bay is full of oyster shells that will cut your feet so no wading out--I think you enter the water from the pier, but I don't know if you climb down ladders or dive in, and if so, how and where do you warm up and get back out afterwards--or is that not permitted? These kind of little things can drive me nuts not knowing about them).
Patient Spouse was kind enough to buy me a gel squeeze bottle this weekend (Valentine's Day gifts for athletes are soooo romantic. OK, he did get me flowers, too). I managed to shoot gel into my hair, my bike and my sunglasses this weekend by squeezing a gel pack a bit too hard and the remainder of the bike plus the follow up run was a bit, well, sticky. If I can find ROOM for the gel bottle in the back of my jersey (it won't fit in my fuel belt which carries a water bottle, phone, and gummies, and has always been able to carry 2 flat gel packs), it looks like it might be less messy than gels, and it keeps me from having to carry a used gel pack around until I find a trash station. I plan to try it out on my 3 hour bike this weekend (please let the weather cooperate!).
Tonight's a spin class with Barbarian Bob, who will fill me in on all the Grammy award details that as an old rock n roller, I happened to miss....
I'm less than 8 weeks out from my 70.3. This means my workouts are getting longer, harder and there is, yes, some suffering involved (Chrissy Wellington, a Kona champion and one of my idols, said in an interview once that yes, training for winning does involve some suffering. Well, yes).
Saturday was a delightful brick, not because of the brick itself (2 hour bike followed by 30 min run) was delightful, but because for the first time in weeks the weather let me get outside. A bit on the breezy side, but sunny and warmish. I was pleased to notice my bike speed for the 2 hours was 15.1 average and I was trying hard to go slowly. Followed this up Sunday with a 7 mile easy run (note to self: now matter how hard you try, 7 miles is never gonna be totally easy. There was some suffering involved) that pushed me a bit since I was tired from the day before, and a delightful southwest wind was knocking me around a lot during the entire run. Then after I caught my breath, I went to the pool for 20 50 yard sprints. Yes, I am doing this for fun. I remember that.
I feel quite confident that I am going to finish this race, although the cutoff times still worry me inside that head space labeled 'worry about these things.' If there is a strong strong wind on race day (in Galveston, chances are about 93.43 percent there will be a strong strong wind from the southeast, unless it's a strong strong wind from the southwest) I worry that biking into it will fatigue me to a point that I can't recover sufficiently to go hard enough to make time. But I will worry about that tomorrow.
I'm starting to try to plan a bit in detail for the race; I've made hotel reservations, my bike gear is in good order, I've planned nutrition (mostly) for race day, and I've visualized the race in my mind several times. I've seen the run course so I know what to expect there; I've also seen a small part of the bike course. The swim still concerns me --not the swim itself, but the beginning of it as I'm very fuzzy on the details about the swim start (I know it's a deep water start, and I've seen photos of the start areas, but I'm not sure how you GET to the start line since I hear that the bottom of the bay is full of oyster shells that will cut your feet so no wading out--I think you enter the water from the pier, but I don't know if you climb down ladders or dive in, and if so, how and where do you warm up and get back out afterwards--or is that not permitted? These kind of little things can drive me nuts not knowing about them).
Patient Spouse was kind enough to buy me a gel squeeze bottle this weekend (Valentine's Day gifts for athletes are soooo romantic. OK, he did get me flowers, too). I managed to shoot gel into my hair, my bike and my sunglasses this weekend by squeezing a gel pack a bit too hard and the remainder of the bike plus the follow up run was a bit, well, sticky. If I can find ROOM for the gel bottle in the back of my jersey (it won't fit in my fuel belt which carries a water bottle, phone, and gummies, and has always been able to carry 2 flat gel packs), it looks like it might be less messy than gels, and it keeps me from having to carry a used gel pack around until I find a trash station. I plan to try it out on my 3 hour bike this weekend (please let the weather cooperate!).
Tonight's a spin class with Barbarian Bob, who will fill me in on all the Grammy award details that as an old rock n roller, I happened to miss....
Monday, February 7, 2011
Time Is On My Side
I am one of those that think the Rolling Stones were the greatest rock band of all time (yes, eclipsing the Beatles and the Who), if you could stand to watch Mick Jagger, that is. To this day I have problems watching him prance around the stage in a grown up version of hot pants, but if I close my eyes (which I did back in 75, the year they came to the Texas Cotton Bowl and it was so hot everyone fainted anyway), the music they make is rockin'. Put on Jumpin' Jack Flash and try NOT to dance.
I am officially (well, on Wednesday) two months away from my 70.3. This means the countdown has begun. There will be some suffering between now and then, no doubt about it, as I need to ramp up me and my workouts to a higher, stronger, faster, level (and surely the Olympic creed isn't trademarked?). I'm still very slow on the bike and I swear some days that with every ride I get slower. I was doing 15 mph average last summer and suddenly it's taking all I got to hit 14 mph average. OK, I am riding more hills and longer rides, but the brain doesn't process that kind of information. It just says YOU ARE FREAKING SLOW.
My running is definitely slower; I finished my half marathon on the 29th in 2:31 gun time, my slowest half ever, and I didn't feel like I was running all that slow (my fastest half was 2:21, but trust me, ten minutes is a big difference in a race). It was a good race, great weather and hardly any wind--my kind of conditions--but I just couldn't get the feet to go any faster than they did. I was pleased mostly with my nutrition but I think I didn't hydrate enough. I carried my own bottle and sipped from it and it was a warmer day than expected and I should have partaken of the water/gatorade offered at the many aid stations as well (although they never seemed to be at a location where I was taking a walk break, and I can get kinda obsessed about not taking walk breaks until the clock says TAKE ONE). Still, although slower, my running form has improved and my distance ability has improved--I had plenty left in my tank after the 13.1 miles, although my legs didn't necessarily agree with that idea.
My swimming is much better; I am so much more confident in the water and swimming a wee bit faster than I used to swim all the time now--instead of 3 minutes to do 100 yards I can now swim a 2:45 100 at an easy pace, and swim an even faster 100 at a moderately fast pace. I am not worried about the swim time so much as I am about (a) inhaling half of the Gulf of Mexico, and then disgorging it later at inappropriate times and locations and (b) high waves, smackdowns with other swimmers, and freaking out mentally in the water.
So. The bottom line--ain't it always the bottom line?--is in the next 2 months I have to work very hard to improve my bike and run times and distances (especially the bike) along with brick work and other fun and interesting throw up opportunities. Yesterday after all the snow and ice from last week (I never missed a workout, although the runs were all done on the Dreadmill), I actually got outside on the bike for a couple of hours. There was a little ice left on shady streets where I had to gear down and glide with my heart up where my helmet is at, and the north wind was blowing a pretty cruel rip that tore me up on the north Los Rios hills, but it was so good to be outside again for a change that I actually didn't mind all that. I was hoping for a bit faster ride than 14.1 mph average for 30 plus miles, but with the ice, snow, lights, stop signs and north wind in my face, it just didn't happen. I know in my heart if you take out all the stopping and slowing I have to do on the streets of northeast nowhere that I'm actually posting better times, but of course the only time I think of looking at my computer is when I'm battling a slight uphill into the howling wind and seeing 12.1 mph and therefirescreaming to myself THIS IS AWFULLY SLOW. I rarely glance at it when the wind is at my back and I'm humming along on the flats or downhill because hey, who cares then? :-)
I worked very hard my last 3-4 workouts to be sure I'm putting 100 percent of me into them--there can be no slacking the next 60 days. I realize an easy ride or easy run means EASY--you can't just go all out all the time--but when it's not easy, I can't back off. The start line is coming soon. I will be ready for it.
And a final shout out to my Packer fan friends--the Pack is back!
I am officially (well, on Wednesday) two months away from my 70.3. This means the countdown has begun. There will be some suffering between now and then, no doubt about it, as I need to ramp up me and my workouts to a higher, stronger, faster, level (and surely the Olympic creed isn't trademarked?). I'm still very slow on the bike and I swear some days that with every ride I get slower. I was doing 15 mph average last summer and suddenly it's taking all I got to hit 14 mph average. OK, I am riding more hills and longer rides, but the brain doesn't process that kind of information. It just says YOU ARE FREAKING SLOW.
My running is definitely slower; I finished my half marathon on the 29th in 2:31 gun time, my slowest half ever, and I didn't feel like I was running all that slow (my fastest half was 2:21, but trust me, ten minutes is a big difference in a race). It was a good race, great weather and hardly any wind--my kind of conditions--but I just couldn't get the feet to go any faster than they did. I was pleased mostly with my nutrition but I think I didn't hydrate enough. I carried my own bottle and sipped from it and it was a warmer day than expected and I should have partaken of the water/gatorade offered at the many aid stations as well (although they never seemed to be at a location where I was taking a walk break, and I can get kinda obsessed about not taking walk breaks until the clock says TAKE ONE). Still, although slower, my running form has improved and my distance ability has improved--I had plenty left in my tank after the 13.1 miles, although my legs didn't necessarily agree with that idea.
My swimming is much better; I am so much more confident in the water and swimming a wee bit faster than I used to swim all the time now--instead of 3 minutes to do 100 yards I can now swim a 2:45 100 at an easy pace, and swim an even faster 100 at a moderately fast pace. I am not worried about the swim time so much as I am about (a) inhaling half of the Gulf of Mexico, and then disgorging it later at inappropriate times and locations and (b) high waves, smackdowns with other swimmers, and freaking out mentally in the water.
So. The bottom line--ain't it always the bottom line?--is in the next 2 months I have to work very hard to improve my bike and run times and distances (especially the bike) along with brick work and other fun and interesting throw up opportunities. Yesterday after all the snow and ice from last week (I never missed a workout, although the runs were all done on the Dreadmill), I actually got outside on the bike for a couple of hours. There was a little ice left on shady streets where I had to gear down and glide with my heart up where my helmet is at, and the north wind was blowing a pretty cruel rip that tore me up on the north Los Rios hills, but it was so good to be outside again for a change that I actually didn't mind all that. I was hoping for a bit faster ride than 14.1 mph average for 30 plus miles, but with the ice, snow, lights, stop signs and north wind in my face, it just didn't happen. I know in my heart if you take out all the stopping and slowing I have to do on the streets of northeast nowhere that I'm actually posting better times, but of course the only time I think of looking at my computer is when I'm battling a slight uphill into the howling wind and seeing 12.1 mph and therefirescreaming to myself THIS IS AWFULLY SLOW. I rarely glance at it when the wind is at my back and I'm humming along on the flats or downhill because hey, who cares then? :-)
I worked very hard my last 3-4 workouts to be sure I'm putting 100 percent of me into them--there can be no slacking the next 60 days. I realize an easy ride or easy run means EASY--you can't just go all out all the time--but when it's not easy, I can't back off. The start line is coming soon. I will be ready for it.
And a final shout out to my Packer fan friends--the Pack is back!
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