The 2011 Season

Frederick HM Training and My Broken Feet

2011-05-21T07:41:00.000-04:00

The first serious trouble I had in my run training was the blister underneath my toenail that I developed during my twelve mile training run, one week before the race. I was worried about the final training runs and race day since this quite the injury, but I used my first aid skills to work through the issue. After all, I was going to run the half marathon unless my toe was actually falling off.

For the first two days, Sunday and Monday, I kept my toe (the second toe on my left foot) double wrapped with band-aids with bacitracin to help prevent infection. I skipped Pilates on Monday because I was worried about additional injury to the toe. Starting on Tuesday I laid off the bacitracin and just double wrapped. I found during my three mile training run that the band-aid going up and over my toe was rubbing other toes so I knew that wasn't going to work for race day. For the remainder of the week I decided on one band-aid wrapped around my toe. My Wednesday run I shortened from four to three miles because my toe was quite sore from Tuesday. My Thursday three mile training run I dropped completely because I figured it was more important to rest my toe for the race than put in the final training run (this was a good decision). I knew I was well-trained and ready to go.

My toe survived the race but I had additional aches in my feet from hot spots underneath my toes to additional blisters in those same spots to sore toes in general. Since this is similar to what I experienced last year, I think I need a different brand of shoe; probably at least a different style since I'm a midfoot runner. My current shoes do not have too much mileage on them so it's not that they are broken down, they're just not working for me at long distances.

After my shower I took a look at my toe and found that I would most definitely be losing my toenail. The skin had already pulled away from the nail in most places, and I found I could raise my nail up just a little bit off my toe (that made my stomach flip a little). So at this point it's all about managing my loose nail to make sure I don't rip it off suddenly. And that means investing in the bulk size of band-aids and always having one on my toe except in the shower. Every few days I check in with my toe to make sure there isn't anything funky going on (infection) or any freeloaders (debris). So far so good. It took my big toenail eight months to grow out so I'm giving this one three months due to it's relative size.

At some point the old nail is going to fall off, but I am certainly not going to force the issue. It is protecting the new nail and skin below so the longer it sticks around the better. If my nail was falling off due to infection or a fungus, that would probably be a different story. But it's not so I am not going to try to yank it off. I think I'll stick to home pedicures for the next several months; I am sure those women have seen it all when it comes to feet, but I don't need to wave this toe in their face.

So, here's to a new second toenail on my left foot! Two weeks down, ten weeks to go.

Frederick Half Marathon Recap

2011-05-21T07:12:00.000-04:00

I'm a little slow getting this recap posted, but it's here now. Yay!

Friday night I slept very well. Saturday morning I awoke at 5:00a. My plan was to leave the house at 6:15a, and I figured an hour and fifteen minutes would be plenty of time to do everything I needed to [spoiler: it was]. I warmed up my pasta, threw a little butter on it, and grabbed a cup of water. As I was getting dressed, I polished off my food and water. I checked twice to make sure I had everything, and headed out the door on time.

I was able to park on-site at the Fairgrounds which was great. I sat in the car and flipped through a few magazines; I had an hour and fifteen minutes until the race start so I had some time to relax. At 6:45a I took off my longs, tossed them in my after-race bag, and headed up to bag check-in. On my way up I saw a short line at one of the outdoor building bathrooms and jumped in line. Not too long later I continued on my way. I checked my bag, smoothed out my gear, and headed towards the start line. Since I took my time getting to the start line, the road was crowded and I stood in the Fairgrounds entrance waiting for the start, which happened to be around the pace group I was looking for. The gun went off right on time and I was at the start line two minutes later.

I made sure to pay close attention to my watch and be careful of my pace. The start is always exciting - the energy is high, and everyone feels good so it is very easy to go out too fast. I think that was part of my problem last year. I knew the course pretty well so I thought of the race in stages:

(1) First leg including Market Street
(2) Carroll Creek wind-around
(3) Friends and family! to Schifferstadt
(4) Schifferstadt loop
(5) East Street to the finish

The first stage went by uneventfully. I found myself unable to fully relax into my run since there were a lot of people around, so I relaxed as much as I could. The second leg was "annoying" as I had expected. There were a bunch of turns through neighborhoods as if the race organizers were just trying to "find some miles". The remainder of the miles were well organized so I can forgive them for a few annoying miles.

As I came out of the annoying miles I was looking forward to seeing my friends and family. I started moving left so they could see me, but I quickly discovered they would probably be standing on the right side of road based on how the race had been laid out this year (we didn't have the entire road, just the right side). So, I moved right and smiled and waved as I ran by my adoring fans. And then it was back to work for another five miles.

As I entered stage four I knew I had about two miles in the loop before I came out for the final two miles. This is when I caught up with the 2:30 pace group. I was expecting to finish in 2:30 so I knew I was in good company. The pacers were fantastic; they were chatty and energetic and I loved it so I stayed with them through the loop. The undersides of my toes had started to hurt and I found that they felt better if I ran faster, and this group was running just fast enough to relieve the pain. As we came out of the loop and we approached the eleven mile sign, one of the pacers told everyone that they had had a lot of fun with the group, but if anyone had enough left in the tank, then they would miss us but we should go ahead and take off. So, I did.

I wanted to leave everything on the course, and I felt great, so I picked up the pace. Mile eleven went by in 10:36. Just over halfway through mile 12, I ran by two of my friends/coworkers. This was on the way to a 9:48 mile and they noticed I was cruising. I had forgotten about the final hill leading up to the Fairgrounds, but I powered up it (I couldn't slow down or else my feet would hurt again), made the final turn onto the racetrack, and sprinted towards the finish. I heard someone say "don't let 2:30 show up on the clock" and I made sure it didn't happen. I crossed at 2:29:59. And that was when I remembered that it had taken me two minutes to get to the start. 2:27:59.

I had no one waiting for me at the finish so I grabbed my bag, took the moleskin off my feet, put on my longs, got out of my shoes, mixed and took in my protein drink, and headed for the infield where I grabbed my free "beers" (Michelob Ultra) and an Italian sausage with peppers and onions, for breakfast. Once I was done relaxing, I picked up my premium shirt and headed towards my car to drop off my bag. I called Jeff and found out when he and his brother were going to arrive for their 5k run and made arrangements to meet up. Since the parking area had cleared out, I moved my car closer to the start and met up with the guys. I watched them race, spent a little more time in the infield while they enjoyed their own beverages, and then we all headed out.

The race was perfect. The weather cooperated so it was just me against myself and I performed well. I pulled in mile times of 11:34, 11:36, 11:28, 11:37, 11:38, 11:29, 11:22, 11:27, 11:18, 11:23, 11:37, 10:36, 9:48, and 8:19 for the final 0.1 miles. Since I didn't have my Garmin last year I don't know what my pacing looked like, but I guarantee it was ugly. I finished 297/376 in my AG and 1428/3670 for my gender. This might be the first time I finished in the top 40% of a group. Yippie!

A body recap to follow.

Pre-Race Evening

2011-05-06T19:48:00.000-04:00

Just in case you're not an avid reader of my blog, last post's reference to losing my toe comes from my post-century ride in 2007 and the resulting toenail issues.

It's less than 24 hours from race start and the adrenalin is starting to flow. And a few nerves too. I headed to the expo at 4p (the expo ran from 3p - 8p) to pick up packets for myself, Jeff, and Zac. I perused the goodies and found a Fuel Belt pouch that is the perfect addition to my Fuel Belt. My complaint has been that I've needed a second, larger pouch and fewer bottle holders, and now I have it. I tried not to look too much since I'll probably be back after my half marathon is over and before the 5k starts. I ended up with a freebie cold pack too.

My outfit for tomorrow is finally chosen:

The only common pieces from last year are the shoes, Fuel Belt, and iPod. I didn't think any bad karma remained on last year's outfit; with it being a little chillier than last year I chose not to wear a tank. I just noticed that my Garmin Forerunner is missing from the photo; it was busy charging.

And speaking of weather, here's the forecast:

Overnight low of 47ºF. High tomorrow of 72ºF with a 20% chance of precipitation for the day. Sunrise is at 6:04a. The temperature at 7:00a is supposed to be 51ºF and at 10:00a is 62ºF with no predicted precipitation in those hours. In one word - awesome.

Since it's supposed to be super sunny, I decided to forgo a black shirt. And without all the heat, I'm leaving the visor behind too. No need to add unnecessary weight.

I'm done eating for the evening and will finish out the night with a few more glasses of water. I'm thinking I'll be in bed and asleep by 9:00p and up by 5:00a, but I'll have to listen to my body to see how that feels.

That's it for tonight. I'll post again after my race.

Gross! Gonna Lose the Toe! Part Two

2011-05-02T10:12:00.000-04:00

After my run on Saturday, the second toe on my left foot was terribly painful for the remainder of that day and the next morning. It was a little swollen and the nail appeared to be quite raised. The last time my nail looked raised, it was because I had keratin deposits that were building underneath. After several weeks of treatment with NonyX, my nail was no longer yellow and everything was back to normal. So, I only assumed that this is what it was and started treatment.

Sunday morning I started to scrape out the debris, just as I had last time, when something popped and some watery light yellow fluid came out. I have to say I was a bit freaked out because this was not what I was expecting. Okay, I was quite a bit freaked out. As I squeezed what I figured was a blister, there was more fluid and then a bit of blood. After I felt I drained everything out, I called Kristin and asked for advice since she has a lot of running experience.

The determination was that I had a blister underneath my toenail, and that it was possible I would lose the nail. Since it wasn't a blood blister and I was able to relieve the pressure, that was a good sign, but it's hard to tell how the blister formed underneath so I don't know how well the nail is secured to my skin and surrounding tissue. If I can make it through the next six days without an infection and with my nail, it can do what it needs to after that.

The cause was probably pressure from seam on my sock, the moleskin wrapped around my toe, and my toenail pressing against my shoe. The moleskin was there to protect the underside of my toe from the hot spots that had been forming during my long runs. In preventing one problem, I created another.

I currently have a dressing of two bandaids and ointment on my toe. I'm wearing open-toed shoes as much as possible to (1) prevent me from kicking things accidentally and (2) allowing my toe/nail to move freely without hitting anything. I'll be changing the dressing at least one a day, especially after my runs. For my weekday/short runs I'll wear my lightly seamed/seamless socks and no moleskin (that was for my long runs anyway) and keep a watchful eye on my toe. If I need to shorten or cancel a run, I'll do so since I know I'm ready to go for Saturday; I just need to "get through" this week. I'll be leaving the moleskin off the top portion of my toe for Saturday, but keeping it on the lower portion since that's where the hot spots crop up. And there will be a careful choice of socks for that day, too.

I have no idea how people run marathons! This is enough excitement for me.

Half-Marathon Dry-Run

2011-05-01T07:18:00.000-04:00

After yesterday's run, I'm not changing my estimated pace. If I had actually had a good run I may have been able to, but my run quickly turned into a survival, and survive I did.

My nutrition was off; way off. I could have probably eaten a steak dinner and felt better than what I did yesterday. I took in four things before I hit the door:

(1) One 5oz cup Amaretto coffee
(2) One serving No Yolk egg noodles with a small pat of salted butter
(3) Two servings raw almonds
(4) 8oz water

In hindsight, I should have kept to the noodles and water only. Maybe a few almonds, but not the two servings I pushed in. Unfortunately when I saw the almonds, I thought "yum, bland" instead of "protein, don't want/need it".

The quick back story is that I have a very sensitive stomach when it comes to running. I have to be very careful of the flavors of Bloks/Gu/Beans I eat because if they're too flavorful, I end up with heartburn, indigestion, stomach aches, runner's trots, or any combination of those. I also have to be very careful about what I eat before I run.

In the past I've generally eaten rice and a little butter pre-race, but I figured the volume from the egg noodles would be nice and decided to switch. No problem there. Water, a must to hydrate after sleeping was also a-okay too. The almonds were generally well accepted, although I did have a bit of indigestion in the last few miles specifically from them and will either limit my intake to just a few or cut them out all together next week. The killer was the coffee.

I felt like I had swallowed battery acid. Had I actually swallowed battery acid the pain would have ended much faster (because, let's face it, I would be dead). I knew I was in trouble at the 0.5 mile mark when the burning started, and for the next 11.5 miles I wanted to curl up and die. I was either:

(1) Nauseous
(2) Suffering from heartburn/indigestion
(3) Dry-heaving
(4) Putting my fingers down my throat trying to throw-up
(5) Looking for someone to toss my cookies as my stomach flipped and flopped
(6) Hoping I would throw-up
(7) Praying I would throw-up

Since I'm not practiced at making myself throw-up, #4 wasn't successful and I only succeeded in tightening up my throat muscles and putting myself in more pain. I felt good for about ten minutes of my twelve mile run and I never ever want to go through that again. Ever. Ever.

I mapped out a run that was around 13 miles because MapMyRUN seems to come up short as compared to my Forerunner and I wanted to make sure I had enough distance to prevent running circles around my house at the end. Well, this time they were pretty close so I called Jeff and asked him to come pick me up. There was no way I wanted to walk home after what I had just gone through. In fact, had I had even a mediocre run, I was planning on stopping at ZiPani and grabbing breakfast since they would have been on the way home. Oh well.

I spent the rest of the day dealing with a super pissed off stomach. I had egg whites and salsa to start and that went down fine. Since Jeff and his brother were outside working on our patio, I went and grabbed Chipotle. Jeff noticed I was pushing around my salad about half-way through and I told him that my stomach was "eh" again. I layed off the dressing and felt better, so I was able to finish it. Dinner was the local greek place and I stuck with chicken souvlaki although I really wanted a gyro. Eating was in between napping and general malaise so I was thrilled when it was bedtime.

This morning I'm feeling much better but I'm a little nervous about next Saturday. I think I'll go back to noodles and water and leave it at that. I took in a little bit of water and one Blok on the run and I know that wasn't good enough, so I need to clean up my pre-race act so I can intake what I should during the race. That's why you shouldn't try out anything new on race day; you'd much rather screw up a training run than the real thing.

Race Day is Only 8 Days Away!

2011-04-29T09:03:00.000-04:00

I received an email from the Frederick Run Fest that "Race Day is Only 8 Days Away!". You know, I really don't need reminding. I'm on the brink of going through my race day dry-run this weekend (I could potentially pull up my Sunday run to Saturday since I ran Friday's run yesterday) and the excitment and nervousness is really starting to build. I'm starting to put together the information that my spectators will need to find me, although I haven't picked out my race day outfit yet so that will have to wait until later. But, here's what I do know:

My pace should be about 11:30 minutes per mile. This was my estimated pace for last year, but after everything that that happened, I ended up at 12:01 minutes per mile. I could potentially run as fast as 11:00 minutes per mile, but I'll have to see how this weekend's run goes before I lay out my final estimate. With my Garmin Forerunner 405CX on my wrist, I should be a much better judge of my pace and not go out too fast like I did last year.

My house is around the eight mile mark, so that gives Jeff plenty of time to sleep and be up and out and ready to cheer by 8:58a. With the later start time and later location (our house was around the six mile mark last year), this gives me some incentive to pace the front end of the race properly and still look strong at that point. I wouldn't want to disappoint my fans! It was around the eight mile mark last year that things starting to melt down for me. Here's the pace chart:

The current weather prediction is an overnight low of 51ºF, 67% humidity, and 40% chance of showers. The race day forecast is 69ºF, 58% humidity, and 40% chance of showers. Sunrise is at 6:04a. The weather sounds pretty good although it would be nice if the showers would push off. Given the choice between showers and hazy/hot/humid, I'd take the showers as long as we're not talking about a miserable downpour.

So, I'll replan my pace after this weekend's run, and continue to keep an eye on the forecast. But that's where things stand today.

Sport Bean Snots and Face Plants

2011-04-24T10:46:00.000-04:00

Today's long run of eleven miles was a flashback of last year's half marathon. I left the house at 7:30a, the start time of the race this year, the sun was out and it was humid. The relished in the shade where I could find it, and could tell that the heat was wearing on me throughout. But much different from last year, was that I ran the entire time.

I experienced a little bit of "adversity" on this run, but nothing I couldn't handle. The first event was a Sport Bean that I almost shot out through my nose. Yes, that's OUT, not in. I was working on crewing my first set of two beans and in the process of swallowing one, I coughed and it hit the back of my throat and the bottom of my nose. That burned for a little while, but after some water and a clearing my throat a couple of times, I was back in business.

The second event was a near face plant with another runner. I bet the people in their vehicles who saw this got a good laugh out of it; I know I did! I had an eight foot brick wall on my right side and was going to continue straight past where the wall ended. The oncoming runner had the brick wall on his left and was coming towards me from my right. He was continuing straight past where the wall ended for him too. He hit the corner about a stride before I did and we both took evasive action to prevent a collision. He had time to stop at the intersection and feel silly; I was able to keep running (thanks to the intersection lights) and giggle as I reran the interaction in my head. I don't think there was anything we could have done differently except stop and walk past that area, and given that this was the first time this has happened in the dozen or so times I've run down that way, one time in twelve isn't a reason to stop and walk unless I start having nightmares about running into someone.

I'm glad to be finished. Hopefully that's the hottest run in the next two weeks.

Three Mile Tuesdays on Vacation

2011-04-12T14:34:00.000-04:00

LA Fitness opened a new location "just up the street" from their current location and I was excited by the prospects. Since this gym is further from work and closer to home, I could potentially go on the weekends. More importantly, if traffic is backed up, I can bail and go run instead of wasting time sitting in traffic before I get to the gym. Options are good.

The layout of the new gym is better - first of all it is not in the middle of a mall so the parking area is gym-attendees only. It IS on the back of a strip mall, but it is on one side out of the way. The internal layout is better as well with the mezzanine not looking over the entire gym, but just the front portion. The mezzanine in the other gym seemed to have been an afterthought with two rows of equipment; the new gym has three rows with more space in between so there are no worries of getting smacked by an elliptical when you're walking by.

I am having a love/hate relationship with the treadmills, though.

The good:
(1) Built-in three speed fan
(2) Personal television screen with closed captioning
(3) Good water bottle holders
(4) iPod connection
(5) Good variety of programs (I don't think I have ever used a program on a treadmill, besides manual)
(6) The stats are out-of-view so you don't have to cover them up

The bad:
(A) 60 minute limit
(B) When the television is not on, it is annoying to watch your reflection
(C) Cannot add time once the program is started
(D) Slow to respond to speed change on start-up
(E) No unique identifiers for each piece of equipment

(A) and (C) have bit me a couple of times so far, and (A) continues to be a concern because I am not the speediest and a five mile run pushes up against that limit. On those days I have to consider if I want to go to the older gym instead to prevent having to stop and restart my run.

Today my treadmill channel page buttons only paged through two channels instead of all available (about six) and did not accept my 60 minute run time. The channel issue had an easy workaround because I was able to manually enter what channel I wanted. During the third mile of my run the treadmill started to suddently slow down and I had no idea why; that's when I discovered the 30 minute (instead of 60 minute) limit. I stopped my run, tried "60" again, and restarted. This time I paid attention to the screen and saw that the treadmill had not accepted "60" for the second time. As I was cleaning up I made a note of what treadmill I was on and made sure to let the front desk know.

Each gym has its pros and cons and depending upon the day, I may choose one gym over the other if it makes more sense. With my Tuesday runs bumped up from three to four miles for the next couple of weeks, the newer gym will work fine, as long as the treadmill gives me the 60 minute limit that I want. Maybe I need to start executing an equipment verification procedure before I start my workout.

Half-Marathon Training Status

2011-04-07T15:19:00.000-04:00

I promise that I've only been a flake on my blog, not at my running. In fact, Tuesday started week four of training and I'm already half way through this week (and haven't missed a run yet).

Training has been going well. My runs in general have been good; my long runs are coming together nicely. I stepped up from six to eight miles last Sunday and the last mile was a little rough. I missed a cue earlier in my run and had to "go around the block" towards the end so I wasn't able to mentally relax as much as I was earlier in the race. Nonetheless, I finished strong and that was the only time I step up by two miles between long races, so no more big steps for the rest of training.

I was super-committed to getting in my training runs, so when Jeff and I went on a long weekend vacation for our anniversary this year, I made sure to find a hotel with a fitness center. There was no problem getting my run in on Friday morning, although my dinner from the night before was speaking to me while on the treadmill. The difficulty was with my Sunday run since I would not have access to a treadmill that day. I considered doing it on Saturday, but we had a late night on Friday and it was difficult to get up early and spend six miles on the treadmill.

I ended up not getting my run in on Sunday and started figuring out how to replan. Dropping a run really didn't cross my mind, so I pushed my run into Monday and left the other runs where they were. This meant I was doing a two-a-day on Monday with Pilates, and three runs in a row, but I was ready to do it.

And I did. Six miles on Monday. Three miles on Tuesday. Five miles on Wednesday. By mile thirteen I was sick of running on a treadmill, but it felt so good to almost be to a rest day. I popped out that last mile and boy did I have a big smile on my face - no runs missed. I'm awesome.

The Amazing Power of Coffee

2011-03-17T11:35:00.000-04:00

I started writing this post two months ago and put it away for a while, but I think it's about time I talk about my amazing "discovery". I feel like I'm the last person to figure this out, but I'm sure there are others who have yet to discover this.

I didn't start drinking espresso or coffee until a few years ago. I was "instructed" back in 1999 not to start drinking it because once you start, you're "hooked and doomed". So I followed that advice for years and didn't touch the stuff. When I finally broke into it, I started with espresso (and lots of milk, a.k.a. latte) occasionally on the weekends; nothing regular. Then I added in the occasional coffee (lots of milk, again) and found that it wasn't so bad either. I've graduated to straight espresso or coffee if it's a really rough day, but most of the time I put in plenty of milk. Either way, I probably take in a coffee beverage no more than once per week most weeks, so I'm a recreational user.

I never understood why runners would talk about having a cup of coffee before their morning races. I always though that was bizarre that they would do such a thing like take in caffeine before a race, especially a short race. What I didn't know about was the wonderful property that coffee has to get "things" moving in a short period. It wasn't until I drank some coffee to intentionally get things moving one morning that the lightbulb came on - it's not the caffeine, ah ha! Nothing is more stressful than trying to find a spot-a-pot minutes before a race, and coffee is a great way to take care of business before leaving the comfort of your home/hotel room. So from now on, I'll be joining the thousands of racers who already know about this and adding a cup of coffee to my pre-race routine. And now you know too (if you didn't already).

Recovery and Replan

2011-03-13T10:31:00.000-04:00

Earlier this year I was up to my elbows with my satellite working to iron out all the Mission Operations procedures and scripts. The on-orbit checkout was to take 45 days and I was ready to put my nose to the grindstone and make it happen. Unfortunately this meant that I was unable to run any races in the early part of this year because I wouldn't have time to train until mid-April at the earliest. Well, due to a launch vehicle failure on March 4th, I suddenly have copious amounts of training time and a broken heart that needs mending and a highly-structured lifestyle.

Last week I started considering the Frederick Half-Marathon. I did this race last year and was familiar with this territory; I was just a few weeks short of my original 12-week training plan and needed to kick things into gear ASAP. I took this past week to seriously think about the training schedule and such, and signed up yesterday with the confidence that I could pull this out in eight weeks. After all, my biggest issue last year was the amount of taper I ended up taking (two weeks) which knocked me off my mental game for the race. So, here goes nothing! Two races on the books; eight weeks to train for the first.

Susan G. Komen 3-Day

2011-01-23T17:18:00.000-05:00

I saw a television advertisement last week about the Susan G. Komen 3-Day For the Cure Walk. I decided to check them out online and found out that they hold informational meetings to provide information about the walk, and specifics about the local walk. I signed up for a meeting that was held yesterday and had no intention of signing up when I walked in (yep, you can see where this is going).

I have not been touched by breast cancer specifically, but I have lost too many family members to cancer, so the meeting was very touching for me when listening to the stories of survival and inspiration. The fund raising requirement of $2300 does not make me nervous one bit; the walk isn't for eight months so I have plenty of time to raise the funds. The thought of walking amongst a sea of pink is exciting. I was never a lots-of-pink kind of girl, but I do enjoy wearing a piece of pink clothing now and again. And that same sea of pink is going to be full of women and men walking for themselves, for their family, for their friends, and for people who they have never met. I'm sure plenty of tears and reflection will present over the three days. As for the mileage, I've accomplished a half-marathon and a century so I'm confident that I can train for 60 miles over three days

I ended up signing up for the Washington, DC walk at the end of the meeting. The final "straw" was when I found out that I could change walk locations if necessary. After the meeting I contacted a girlfriend in Colorado about doing the walk, and thought that we might do a more central location if she wants to do it. My excuse for not signing up was that I would have to do this first before registering, but since this was already an option, my excuse list was cut to zero. So that was that. And I have no regrets.

I suppose that since I will be entering a new decade this year, I'd also like to make sure that I'm making an impact on the world. September is my birthday month so if I hold to the Washington, DC walk it will be doubly special for me.

If you wish to make a donation, please go to my personal 3-Day website. I'm still working on putting the personal touches on it since my registration is less than 24 hours old. And please, forward on my link to anyone that you know. Thanks.

One 2011 Race Scheduled

2011-01-01T20:06:00.000-05:00

About three and a half weeks ago, myself and two friends put in our registration for the Warrior Dash in Mechanicsville. Last year I was considering the same race in October, but they moved it up to PA so I missed out.

The Warrior Dash is a different kind of race. There are twelve obstacles between the start and finish lines and there are ropes and mud involved. I'll have to find an outfit to wear that doesn't include anything I hope to get clean afterward, especially the shoes. I am thrilled that I have friends to do it with me; I usually train alone and race alone, which gets a little lonely. This year I'll become a Warrior!

This is the first race in hopefully a full schedule this year. I have to be careful with the first four months of the year because of work, but after that it's a free for all!

The Cholesterol War Has Begun

2010-12-31T22:13:00.000-05:00

On the 23rd I went to a new primary care physician to establish myself as a patient. My old GP was located 20 minutes away and I wanted someone who specialized in women's health more local to me. Not to mention more flexible office hours. In fact, they have several locations within the local area and have walk-in sick hours six days a week. Wonderful! I scheduled my appointment and looked forward to getting established.

I was called back to the exam room just as I was finishing my new patient paperwork, which was still about five minutes before my appointment. I was instructed to change into a fabric gown and I sat, waiting for the doctor, for around ten minutes. When she got there, she asked me questions about my family's health history and went over my new patient forms. She asked several times throughout if I had any questions or concerns, making sure to listen to what I had to say. The prime focus, other than establishing myself as a patient, was to determine my blood levels of vitamins to see how I should supplement and find out what my lipid levels were. A blood panel was ordered, and since I had not eaten yet that morning, I was able to have my blood drawn right there in the office. That was super convenient because I know how backed up the local lab can get during the day. I had my blood drawn, and waited for the results.

Four days later I got a call from the office. It sounded like my LDL was elevated and I asked for a copy of the results so I could pour over them in greater detail. I had my results from my July 2008 blood work and wanted to see how everything compared. Generally everything was about the same this time around as in 2008, except for my lipids.

In 2008 I had 174 total cholesterol, 85 triglycerides, 58 HDL, and 99 LDL (3.0 ratio of total/HDL). This time around I came in at 192 total, 86 triglycerides, 56 HDL, and 119 LDL (3.4 ratio). The good news? Based on the American Heart Association's website, my triglycerides are well below 150 mg/dL which is the upper end of the normal range. The bad news? Pretty much everything else (bad is relative here because I'm not terribly out of wack, yet).

My total cholesterol is 192 mg/dL; the upper range of desirable is 199 mg/dL, so I'm tickling that number now. Starting at 200 mg/dL I would be borderline high. My HDL went down by two points; no good since this is my good cholesterol. Less than 50 mg/dL is low for women, with 60 mg/dL and above being protective against heart disease. I'm doing okay right now, but I need to do better. My LDL at 119 mg/dL is near/above optimal, with optimal at less than 100 mg/dL. This is where the most improvement needs to be seen. If I dropped this number by 20 points, I'd be well in the normal total cholesterol range at 172.

So how did I get here? I don't think I can blame genetics. My father and brother have both struggled with high cholesterol (and blood pressure), but I have yet to notice any effects (case in point, my 2008 lipid results). I'm sure that things change as you age, but my brother was having issues years ago, and he's my younger brother. My body has always "appeared" to have been created from my mother's genes anyway, so I'll keep this card in my back pocket. Diet? I would say "no" on this front too. I'm careful about what I put into my body, so it's probably not this either. Exercise? Iffy. I trained the first half of this year, and have been keeping up with pilates at least once per week, so while lately I haven't been exercising as much as I should, I've still been up and moving around (e.g. working on a patio every weekend for several months).

So what could it be? My guess is stress. My job has been challenging for quite some time now, and it has only gotten worse in the recent past (and will continue to do so through about April of next year). A coworker who recently suffered a near-fatal heart attack learned that the body creates 200 - 300% more cholesterol during stressful events. If those events are prolonged, the body becomes loaded with cholesterol and catastrophic events such as heart attacks and stroke can occur.

What am I going to do about it? For one thing, I'm watching my intake of diary and meat products. I had already cut back in this area, so I'm making sure to be super conscience of which ones I choose. Second, I need to increase my soluble fiber intake to help clean out the bad cholesterol. Third, to get my HDL up, I need to increase my intake of fish (steering clear of the large, mercury-soaked versions) and probably take in a modest glass of red wine every day. And for all fronts, I need to get back to regular exercise. That's hard to do when work takes up many hours of my day, but it's important from the standpoint of my health.

I have to say that the wind was taken out of my sails when I got my lipid results. "Me? Are you sure?" But, anything can happen to anyone no matter how healthy they appear to be. I have one year to shape up before I go back for more blood work. I think I have a goal for 2011 - correct the path that my cholesterol ship is taking!

Chiropractic Care - Summary

2010-12-28T22:18:00.000-05:00

After my post at the end of July, I continued once-per-week appointments for two weeks, then had one appointment two weeks after, one appointment three weeks after, then to once-per-month maintenance appointments. At this point I am continuing the maintenance appointments and will do so as regular preventative care.

I am happy with the results (no more daily migraines) although my appointments did not really go as I would had hoped/wanted. I found Dr. Staley to be presumptuous at times and I did not have the chance to correct/explain things because I didn't have an opportunity to get a word in edgewise. One appointment moment that sticks out is his assumption about pilates. He suggested an exercise that is nearly exactly like one that we do during class because he incorrectly assumes that pilates does not engage the core muscles at all or very little which is the complete opposite of what goes on in class. There is a huge emphasis on working from the core and proper alignment for all exercises. I didn't have a moment to correct his assumption because he was already on another topic moments later.

Despite this, I am happy with the results. I learned how to treat my migraines without medication and have had the opportunity to practice the techniques on the few pains I have had since starting treatment. I know that I am vunerable to migraines if I don't stretch my neck on a regular basis because my migraines initiate from the back of my head which easily tightens from stress and exercise, so hopefully I can help prevent migraine pain from now on by simple stretching.

No Longer MIA, For the Moment

2010-12-28T21:27:00.001-05:00

Well, I don't know where to start. I last posted in July so it has been five months. I suppose there will be a lot of summarizing, hand waving, and bad rationalization.

Work was supposed to be difficult November through January with the launch of my satellite, but that period of my life has been moved to February through April. After the Frederick Half I was afraid to plan for any races due to the upcoming schedule, so I didn't. When the launch was delayed mid-year, I had a small window to find a race and train, but I didn't make the effort so I have continued to skate down the once-a-week workout path. More like slide, face first, down a rocky path to not-so-great health. *Insert melodramatic interlude here*

One thing I learned about myself is that I hate the heat. The hotter the summer, the more miserable I am. I hate to train in the heat. Hate hate hate. And that's not a word I use often. If I looked good in a bra top and booty shorts, would I not hate the heat so much? I'll let you know if that ever happens. I used to hate running; I think I need to work on this heat thing... Let the therapy begin!

And, I could use some pictures here. There are a lot of words; no pictures. I am pretty good about off-loading the race pictures and such from the camera; I just need to put some of them up here. So, call that a new years resolution. I should refine it into a more tangible goal with actual numbers so I can track my progress; resolutions without real numbers aren't real resolutions, just pip-dreams.

Now that I have broken the ice, I will close this post and compose a few more before I call it a night.

Killer Dunes 2-Mile Recap

2010-07-26T21:38:00.000-04:00

About a month before I was set to head to the Outer Banks, a coworker mentioned a dunes race that he and his brother were signing up for. I thought nothing of it, but it piqued my curiosity as I was driving to the Outer Banks on the 3rd of July and thought maybe I would be down there for it. So, I went online and found the Killer Dunes 2-Mile Footrace sponsored by the Outer Banks Running Club. I asked around my fellow house dwellers to see if anyone else was interested, but I was the only crazy one of the bunch (go figure!). I waited a little too long and was waitlisted as number 23 and waited to see if I would make it in. Sure enough, just a few days before the race, I was in and paying my fee.

The race was held Monday, July 5th at 9a. I arrived at 7:30a after a 45 minute drive from the house and was ready to go. But, I had to be patient and wait until 9a. Shortly before the race start I found my coworker and his brother, and before we knew it, we were off.

The race was probably the most fun I've had running in a while (then again, I haven't been running in a while). The dunes were challenging and made you question your judgment. I experienced some great camaraderie with someone cheering me on because she and I had already passed each other a few times and she told me to basically "get a move on" and pass her again. The water station was slow and that was my downfall (I should have carried my own water).

In the end, I'm crazy enough to do it again next year if I'm there.

Top female - 15:07
My time - 25:39 (5/15 in my age group, 153/235 overall)

That's my best AG finish so far and I'm proud of that performance. I should probably find a few more hills to train on beforehand next year...

Chiropractic Care - Week Eight and Nine

2010-07-26T21:22:00.000-04:00

After a week off of treatment, I went back to Dr. Staley for a Monday appointment last week. He said I was doing great and could cancel my second appointment for the week. [For those playing at home, that's four weeks of three-per-week and three weeks of three-per-week after being told to expect six weeks of each.] Now that I'm mostly past the healing phase and into the strengthening phase, I now have active homework as opposed to just "passive" stretching homework.

The first exercise is something familiar to those who do pilates or yoga. On hands and knees, extend one arm out straight at the same time as you extend the opposing leg out (so left arm/right leg or right arm/left leg). Since I was too good doing these on the soft (more challenging) surface of the table at the fast pace, Dr. Staley gave me two minutes per day of doing these at the slow pace. I have been less than stellar about doing these exercises due to a crazy work schedule so I have to work on these more.

This week the healing continues and the homework has increased. Now working on the vertical plane, I have five levels of an exercise to do this week, progressing to the next level only if I can finish the previous level.

(1) With shoes on, stand tall with my leg out in front either straight or with the knee slightly bent, whatever is most comfortable. Do this for one minute. Switch legs and repeat. Be careful not to watch my feet but look ahead; my feet aren't going anywhere.

(2) With shoes on, stand tall and extend one leg out. Trace out small letters of the alphabet. Switch legs and repeat. Don't forget to look straight ahead.

(3) Repeat the above exercise, but with larger letters.

(4) With shoes off, repeat the small letter exercise.

(5) With shoes off, repeat the large letter exercise.

And if I've completed the five exercises in five days, close my eyes and do exercises (4) and (5). In all cases, I should start with the vertical exercise then move to the horizontal exercise from last week. Since work should be light this week, I have no excuse for not doing my exercises. In fact, I SHOULD have made time last week for my exercises, but what's done is done.

Chiropractic Care - Week Seven

2010-07-26T21:03:00.000-04:00

Catching up a little after vacation and two crazy weeks at work...

During the week of July 4th I was at the Outer Banks through Tuesday evening, so I was able to keep to two treatments at the end of the week. My migraines had yet to return so my healing continues. I was instructed to keep up with my stretches as assigned before.

Of note was that the office was to be closed the following week so Dr. Staley could take a vacation. He told me that based on how I did with a week off of treatments, I may be able to drop to once per week. I signed up for two just in case I needed the second one, but my next time in the office he would evaluate and I could cancel if he didn't think I needed it. Yay!

Chiropractic Care - Week Five and Six

2010-07-03T17:49:00.000-04:00

The past two weeks I've been seeing Dr. Staley twice a week. My migraines have continued to be kept at bay so I'm thrilled about that. After some thought, I believe the cause of my everyday migraines was due my run training and a minimal amount of neck stretching after running. The build up of stress tightened up everything at the back of my head, thus causing essentially constant headaches. With the chiropractic treatment that I've been receiving, those muscles have become relaxed and the migraines have subsided.

I received more instruction on my neck stretching with the addition of another stretch. The new stretch is rotational and requires rotation of my chin to one side or the other, trying to get my chin over my shoulder. With this stretch and my other neck stretches, I'm now to incorporate proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching. In the case of this stretch, if I rotate to the left, I place my hand on my right cheek, press against my hand using my neck muscles, then release the press and rotate into the stretch a little further. What most people do when they stretch is called postisometric relaxation (PIR) stretching, and from what I understand, PNF adds another level to my stretching and can be applied to most stretches with little modification.

Dr. Staley continues to be amazed with how quickly my body is healing, but having known how well I have healed in the past, I'm not surprised. I hope that continues for many years, but I suspect that I'll see a decline in my rate of healing as I change age groups. But, I'm trying to stay healthy as best I can in my younger years in order to increase the chances of good health later in life. Here's to good health!

Chiropractic Care - Week Four

2010-06-19T10:48:00.000-04:00

This week was an interesting week in the chiropractor's office. On Monday I was identified as a "one of those mid-foot" runners. Dr. Staley clearly does not agree with mid- and fore-foot running and may have me bring my shoes one day to see how I run. I'm not terribly interested in doing so because I carefully evaluated my running a while back and found that mid-foot running was much easier on my body than a heel strike style and although I don't often say this - I'm not planning on changing. So, I hope to simply agree to disagree and move on.

On Tuesday, I finally had another homework assignment and this one I saw coming - neck stretches. Three times per day at 30 seconds per stretch means 7.5 minutes of time out of my day to improve the flexibility of my neck and surrounding muscles/tendons/ligaments. I have already noticed a difference in the ROM of the stretches so improvement is being made quickly. Since the stretches are easy enough to do seated at my desk, I have no excuse not to do them while working, watching TV, right after dinner, etc.

After an extremely long and challenging day at work on Wednesday, I had a twinge of pain on the left side of my head. I believe it was trigged by 50% stress and 50% dehydration, so I worked on my pressure points to try and relieve the ache and made sure to drink extra water. I had enough relief that I was generally pain-free during my drive home, but I knew the my migraine was still lingering when I went to bed. I woke up the next morning, and as expected, the pain was still there. I grabbed an ice pack and placed it on the back left side of my head and relaxed while I work my points again and drank some water. About 15 minutes later, the pain was gone for good. While this migraine didn't depart on its own, I was able to relieve it without medication and that makes me very happy.

And for my last appointment this week (I was expecting this too), Dr. Staley dropped me to two adjustments per week. His original plan was six weeks of three/week then six weeks of two/week then finally six weeks of one/week, but I am well ahead of schedule so there's no need to keep to that original plan. My body has always healed quickly so I'm not surprised that given the rough state I was in when I started chiropractic care, that I've already improved more than the doctor's expectations. Plus, I am willing to make some lifestyle changes including desk position modifications and stretching because I enjoy good health, so that definitely aids the in-office care I receive.

Now that I'm down to two appointments per week, I really need to put together my training plan and get moving.

Another Pilates Moment

2010-06-10T22:12:00.001-04:00

Monday's Pilates class was the 20th class of the "year". My first class was December 29th, so technically it's 19 classes this year, but this year started a little early for me.

I felt extremely "connected" during class that day. I take "connected" to mean balanced and strong as specifically related to the abdominals since that region is a focus of pilates. All throughout class my abs felt really strong, and I noticed a difference particularly during the forearm planks portion of class. Typically when doing a forearm plank I shake like an addict going through withdrawal from the moment both my knees are off the floor. This time I wasn't imitating an earthquake nearly so much and was able to do all the escalations making the planks tougher each round. The first round was simply to hold the plank position. The second round alternated touching each knee to the mat. The third, and by far the toughest grouping I have done, was to push up off your elbows on to your hands, then do ten push-ups. While I didn't touch my nose to the ground during the push-ups, I haven't done a push-up in ages and felt strong doing what I did (about halfway down).

I've noticed my increased strength on the bike already. My first commuter ride made me feel very strong in my abs and back because I was able to position myself very comfortably on the bike and hold that position easily. I believe my ab and back strength helped put me in the right position on the saddle and helped stave off too much saddle soreness.

At this point I believe it's time to start going to the equipment classes. The studio is adding an evening tower class that I'm seriously considering. I'm starting to get a little bored with the total fitness class, so it will be good for my mind and body to mix things up and challenge myself more. I love a good challenge!

Chiropractic Care - Week Three

2010-06-10T21:42:00.000-04:00

More of the same this week. Three more adjustments (nine total) and I'm continuing to feel better overall. I have had only one migraine per week for the past two weeks so that continues to be pleasant, although I had a spot of pain today that has thankfully resolved itself with a little pressure point work and some extra water. I'm not counting it unless the pain comes back tomorrow.

My neck is feeling limber and I should start neck stretches to continue my progress. After my ride on Tuesday I'm still a little sore so stretching and some light massage should help.

So that's about it for this week's care. Not much change this time around, but maintenance of where I am is good too, for now.

2010 BTWD and First Bike Commute

2010-06-10T21:25:00.000-04:00

I participated this year in Bike to Work Day on May 21st. It was a fantastic morning for a ride and this was my first ride of the season. As last year, I drove to work then rode out to a coworker's house and rode back with him and another coworker, which is an eight mile round trip. I checked through my BTWD attire and bottles and have found something from each year since 2005, except 2006. So, it's been four consecutive years of BTWD with five total under my belt. Yay!

Tuesday was my first bike commuter day and boy was it a great one, which was a bit surprising to me for the amount of success I experienced, but probably not all that surprising when looking at the big picture.

During my eleven mile ride in, I made sure to stand up and get blood flowing back to my saddle-touching parts to help stave off being super saddle sore for my eleven mile ride out later in the day. I made sure to keep my cadence up to prevent mashing the gears and burning out my legs. Once at work I didn't feel fatigued during the day, which is a usual symptom of my first commuter ride in. At the end of the day I hit the trail again and headed for my car.

I was a bit saddle sore for the ride out, but not nearly as bad as I've been in the past. The ride out is a lot of false flats with a head wind, and this ride was no different (about the wind; the terrain can't be changed). I have to check my times, but as usual my ride out was a little slower than my ride in. When I made it to my car I felt like I could have gone at least a few more miles, so I'm feeling great on the bike and am looking forward to putting many more miles on my bike and body. I was only saddle sore for a day after the ride, which is a good sign that I'll be able to adjust quickly to being back on the bike. Sweet.

Run Training - Lessons Learned

2010-06-10T20:31:00.001-04:00

So before I forget everything I discovered during my run training program execution earlier this season, it's time to list what I learned so I can apply it to my next training plan:

(1) By following the list of training plan rules that I established early on, my training plan fit perfectly.

(2) Taper for one week only. I tapered for two weeks and lost my mental and physical edge. Until I get to longer races (e.g. marathon, Half Ironman triathlon), a one week taper should be ample, unless my body tells me otherwise.

(3) Nothing feels better than finishing a run that's on the schedule that you don't really want to do but dragged yourself to anyway against your own will.

(4) Run in the rain, run in the heat, run in the snow and ice - it will make you feel tougher and will help you gain confidence. Just don't be stupid about training in adverse conditions.

(5) If it's hot outside, then it's extra hot on the mezzanine level of the gym where the treadmills are; run in the gym in the morning during the summer.

So those are the items I have to keep in mind when put together the rest of my training for this year. Now time to start putting together the aforementioned training plan...

06/13/10 UPDATE:
Forgot a few things:

(6) I yawn the first two miles when I'm relaxed and in the groove.

(7) If things are going well on long runs, I break out in song around mile six or seven.

(8) No beans/gels/etc. the first two miles or else GI distress will follow.

Chiropractic Care - Week Two

2010-06-08T08:36:00.000-04:00

I've noticed a change in my migraines, although there are many factors that could be attributed to the change outside of chiropractic care (yep, still skeptical). The frequency has decreased and I am very grateful for that. I had previously been experiencing one or two per month, but in the two weeks leading up to my first adjustment, I was having five or six per week. The past two weeks I'm down to one per week and hopefully that will continue to decrease. I had an interesting experience with the one migraine last week (an odd statement I must say); it went away on its own.

Never before have I had a migraine go away on its own; usually it will ease up, then come back the next day (and the next day and the next day) until I treat it with medication. After I left work with a stabbing pain in my head, I experienced an easing of pain during my drive to the chiropractor, then while I was enjoying the heating pad prior to my adjustment, two fingers to where it hurt finished off the pain. I didn't declare victory until I continued to be migraine free the next day. I have to chaulk up this change to my adjustments; while a frequency change can be due to other factors, a change in the the "sequence" is likely a change in my body and its response.

I'm also experiencing a change in the flexibility of my neck and surrounding connective tissues. When I first started my adjustements, I was very stiff and tight from run training. My first week of adjustments gave me short term relief; this second week is now providing longer term relief that is almost lasting between adjustments.

No additional daily life changes were suggested, and I'm working on applying the "how to improve my desk posture" suggestions provided two weeks ago. I think about my commuter posture as well since I'm in the car for two hours a day and feel I'm in good shape there, until proven otherwise.

Some additional progress was made last week from my two appointments (I had scheduled three, but Mother Nature had other ideas on how I was going to spend my Thursday evening).

Chiropractic Care - Week One

2010-05-31T09:01:00.001-04:00

Back in January, the Frederick Triathlon Club speaker was Dr. Robert Staley of Family Chiropractic Center. I was under the care of a chiropractor some time ago, but stopped going after my insurance stopped covering that doctor. I decided to go and listen to Dr. Staley's presentation and evaluate if I thought I should pick up chiropractic care again.

Dr. Staley seemed knowledgeable about working with athletes and seemed to have a total body approach instead of a spine-only focus. I decided that I would give chiropractic care a shot and scheduled an evaluation appointment.

At the evaluation, Dr. Staley asked about my history and completed a spinal exam. I mentioned two concussions when I was younger, and two recent rear-end accidents along with occasional migraines which hinted towards the tightness in my neck. I was given a prescription for x-rays and told to schedule another appointment once I had the films.

Three months later, once the running-centric part of my season was over, I finally scheduled a follow-up appointment and brought in my films. The films showed a loss of curvature in my cervical spine (in fact, my cervical spine almost curves backwards), the misalignment of my spinous process between vertebrae (the spinous process should be stacked one on top of the other but instead mine are all over the place), and some change in some of the spinal spaces in my cervical spine. And right on cue, I was also terribly stiff around my neck and shoulders and suffering almost daily migraines. Ouch.

As of today I have been through four chiropractic adjustments. I have noticed some temporary relief from my neck and shoulder stiffness and my daily migraines have eased (the weekend and day off today definitely helped). After my adjustment on Thursday, Dr. Staley recommended how to correct my desk position at work to help ease the stress on my neck. He's planning on addressing the top several things that I do the most (i.e. sit at a desk, sleep, commute in my car, workout, cook) to help with the care of my spine and body which should improve my long term prognosis of great health.

So far so good. I'm still a bit skeptical about chiropractic care even though I experienced some results when I was last under care of a chiropractor. He was using a ProAdjuster and spent no more than 5 minutes with me doing simply the adjustment; no concurrent lifestyle improvements like Dr. Staley is doing. So, I'm keeping my mind open as I receive treatments. The three-per-week treatments are certainly cramping my workout style, though.

Frederick Half Marathon Recap

2010-05-25T09:39:00.000-04:00

It was 65 degrees F and 85% humidity the morning of the race...at 5:30a...still one hour before the race start. I knew it was going to be a rough day since this was my hottest run yet.

I awoke at 5:00a and started getting myself ready. I warmed up some basmati rice and grabbed some water to get things going. My running clothes went on - white tank top (never run in before that day), Livestrong yellow shorts, pink socks, Saucony shoes, HRM, and Fuel Belt. I grabbed my new white Under Armour visor and sunglasses as well. I packed my gu's and bloks and headed to the start at 6:00a.

At 6:15a I had dropped off my bag at bag check, adjusted my gear, and was headed to the start line comfortable and ready to go. Although headphones were not recommended, I wasn't running for prize money so I opted to keep them with me because that was how I had trained. I typically kept the volume down when running on the roads anyway so I knew I'd be able to hear any directions from race officials and police officers.

And the gun! It took me less than two minutes to get to the starting pad which I thought was reasonable given I was lined up for 11:00 pace. I kept my eyes out for the 5:00 hour marathon pacers as that's about where I wanted to be for the first half of the race. Unfortunately, for some reason I couldn't get off the tail of the 4:45 hour pacers. I haven't marked my miles during training runs so I don't know how "bad" of a pacer I am, but my first five miles were 11:01, 10:47, 10:41, 10:45, and 11:17. I felt all right those first miles but I knew I went out too fast and needed to slow up or else.

At mile 6.5 I knew there was a cheering section waiting for me. Sure enough my group was there and I was happy to see them, although sad at the same time because I knew I still had half the race to go and was starting to feel a little uncomfortable. I marked mile seven at 23:08. What?!? Then I figured out that I had missed mile six and was looking at a two mile time. Whew! Mile eight came in at 12:00 and that's when things started to fall apart.

My toes were burning and it wasn't just my usual blister spots; it was also underneath my big toes (as I found out after the race). My knees were aching, my hips were sore, and I was carrying A LOT of tension in my neck and upper back that was radiating up to my head. I decided that the adage "some times you have to go slow to go fast" came into play and I started to walk. The pain eased in my feet and knees but my hips, particularly my hip flexors, hurt worse to walk.

Through mile twelve I alternated walking and running and turned in times of 13:32, 12:09, 13:07, and 14:22. The sun popped out of the clouds for a bit during that time and I just wanted to stop, but I decided that I was too close to stop. At least I was still moving. Starting into mile thirteen, a face that I knew popped out of the crowd - one of my coworkers had come up to cheer me on with an awesome sign. I hated for him to see the look on my face because I knew it said "pain", but it turned out that he was sick as a dog and probably didn't notice since his own face was crinkled up in sickness. It helped egg me on to keep going.

Then I saw another familiar face a short while later, this time on his bike. One of my local biking buddies had come out and I stopped for a moment to chat and regain my composure. I was within a half mile of the finish and he gave me the last bit of encouragement I needed to make it to the end. His signature over-the-top cheering helped get the crowd around him riled and I couldn't help but smile.

I made the final turn and headed up the final hill. One final zig and I was in the fairgrounds. The male portion of my cheering contingent quickly came into view as they were walking towards the finish line. They yelled up to the ladies in front to grab the cameras as I passed by. I rounded the final turn on the track and had the finish line in sight. I heard foot steps behind me and decided that I was hitting the finish pad first, and I did. I stopped the clock at 2:37:24; 13 minutes off my expected completion time.

I finished, albeit a little slower than I had hoped. I guess I'll have to try again and see if I can run the whole thing next time.

Hello Saucony, Goodbye Mizuno

2010-04-21T10:19:00.000-04:00

When I started training for the half-marathon, I developed some uncomfortable blisters on my big toe and first metatarsal on both feet the first week. I chaulked those up to being a new runner and after several runs and several lancings, they went away and left a bit of a callus. Once back from Italy I experienced the same sequence and figured it was just my feet getting back into the swing of things. All was fine and dandy until I started hitting the longer Sunday runs.

Even though I had no/little discomfort on my short runs, I was noticing a marked amount of pain and discomfort on my longer runs. I wanted nothing more than to rip off my shoes after those runs, and that was usually the first thing that came off after I got back home. Looking at my training schedule and thinking about how many miles might be on my shoes, I headed to If The Shoe Fits, a Frederick Triathlon Club sponsor, and asked about getting a new pair of shoes. I figured this was a good time to start cycling in a new pair before I start my trithlon training.

When I told the shoe guy I was looking for shoes, he asked if I wanted to get another pair of Mizuno (I had them in my hands). I told him not necessarily because I was experiencing blisters and calluses with my current pair. He went back and brought out three neutral shoes (my current pair, Mizuno, are neutral) - Asics, Saucony, and Nike. I brought my OTC orthodics and made sure to slip them in each pair.

I first tried on the Saucony. I've had Saucony in the past, and this shoe was very comfortable. It felt lighter than my Mizuno's and I had tons of room in the toe box. I put it on the "possibility" pile. I next tried the pair of Nike's. This was my first time ever trying on Nike and I made this remark to the shoe guy. He said that about three years ago, Nike "discovered" that not everyone had narrow feet and maybe they should start fitting more of the population with their shoes. He then said that Mizuno makes their toe box a little smaller than most and that's when the "AH HA" moment happened. A too-small toe box was likely the cause of my discomfort. I didn't motice this last season because all my runs were short and I wasn't training as much as I am now. Ah ha! I had heel slippage on my left foot in the Nike's that was fixed with the magic lacing technique. I put them on the "maybe-possible" pile.

The last pair, the Asics, went to the "no" pile after feeling like I was walking on concrete (no cushioning in the midfoot). In the end, I went back to the Saucony and rounded out my purchase with some new apparel.

I laced up the Saucony as took them for a test run on Tuesday. They felt great. I'm getting used to the extra room in the toe box, and want to weigh my two pair of shoes and compare the difference because it feels like there's a difference. Maybe that's just the "new shoe" effect. I have to say that the new shoe smell is awesome; nothing is better than the smell of a new, unbroken pair of shoes ready to handle several hundred miles over the next several months. If I get enough time in them before race day, I'll be lacing them up for the big race. I'm tired of the blisters, calluses, and foot pain probably caused by a too-small toe box.

Ten Miler

2010-04-11T20:19:00.000-04:00

Today's ten mile run was a double loop in the shape of a lowercase "d". Instead of trying to be super creative and find ten different miles to run (and also trying to remember all those turns), I opted down the easy road and used my five mile loop twice. Before today, I told myself that running past my house would be a mean trick so I vowed never to do that; I was originally planning on using a block just before my house, but in the end I ran past the house for good reason.

This morning was 37 degreesF when I getting ready to gear up and go, and being very familiar with that temperature range due to all my previous chilly runs, I knew exactly how to dress. In fact, I purchased a light pair of gloves while in Italy that were perfect for running, so I even had gloves this time. In no time I was ready to go and headed out.

Shortly after mile two, the gloves came off. Shortly before mile three, my hat came off (I had an ear warmer underneath). This was the first time I had pulled clothes off while on a run; the gloves were easy, not so with the hat because of the ear warmer, headphones, and ponytail. I started unzipping my jacket around mile 3.5 and realized that I was a little too warm for my comfort (my HR was elevated). It was at that point that I decided I needed to run past the house and drop off all the extra clothing. Now I understood what "rapidly rising temperature" meant in the weather report that morning. I rearranged the items I would need from my jacket to my fuel belt, unzipped my jacket the rest of the way, and once at the house I dropped it off on the porch and headed back out for another five miles.

The second loop went fine with a little fatigue showing up. My last long run (eight miles) had been a month prior so I'm lucky I didn't spend any time walking. I managed a 55:04 split with a 1:51:13 final; a positive set of splits, but I'm happy to have been running the entire time.

It was 49 degreesF when I finished.

Running Sick

2010-04-10T08:20:00.000-04:00

For the first time probably ever, I've been training (running) sick. Just a cold, and not even the usual intensity, but enough to clog my nose and throat and make me somewhat miserable. Usually I just veg on the couch and use it as an excuse not to train, but with my recent hiatus from training due to my vacation, I can't afford to miss any more runs.

I know you're not supposed to workout with a fever, but other than that it's up to how you feel to determine if you train a particular day. On Tuesday I was feeling about 70% and had turned the corner (Monday night/Tuesday morning was the peak of my cold). My scheduled run was four miles. I asked Kristin what she thought and she recommended 45 minutes outside at whatever pace I could manage, including walking if necessary. Although I took the latter part of her advice, I chose to stick to the comfort of the treadmill. In hindsight, the fresh air would have done me better.

I managed 45 minutes with one three-minute (one song) walking session and completed 3.5 miles. My nose and throat were burning pretty bad at the end and was the reason I didn't try and complete the four miles in the plan. But, I was moving again and survived my first sick training session. Next up was five miles on Wednesday.

I felt better when I hit the treadmill on Wednesday, but I had another factor acting against me: GI distress. Coupling the last throws of a cold and poor diet for the day really did me in. I walked for one song after the three mile mark, then again for one song at the 4.2 mile mark. Mentally I thought I was closer to five miles when I checked the treadmill and saw 4.2 miles, so in order to keep my sanity and easy the discomfort I was in, I opted to walk the second time instead of just hitting the STOP button and throwing in the towel on five miles. I finished out my five miles at 60 minutes and was never so glad to be done. Again, fresh air probably would have been a better idea, so I need to start prepping my bag with my fuel belt and sunglasses. Yesterday's run was the best so far this week with no walking and nearly my usual pace, although I had a pretty wicked case of gut cramps that kept popping in during my run. The air was cooler in the gym since it was more spring-like outside which certainly helped.

So there's another experience in my book: training sick. I was thinking about completely bailing on my run on Tuesday, but after Kristin reminded me that I can slow day and take it easy, I decided that I had no excuse but to go and run.

Vacation Wrench

2010-04-10T08:04:00.000-04:00

When Jeff and I planned our third anniversary vacation, I knew I was going to butt heads with my training plan. But, I didn't think it was going to be as bad as it turned out to be.

I was given the envious task to pick any place in the world to travel to for about two weeks for our anniversary. In the end, after much thought and deliberation, my heart chose Italy. We booked our flights to leave March 17th and return on March 30th. I figured that with all the walking we were going to be doing, as long as I got in the long Sunday runs, I'd at least mentally be in good shape once we got back. I picked out hotels that had fitness equipment for those runs because running alone in another country seemed like a great way to get into trouble and lost.

Once in Italy, it was quickly evident that our days were spent waking up in the morning, walking around all day seeing the sites, then crashing at night for six or seven hours until we woke up and did it all over again the next day. Not quite the vacation personality that I was expecting (I thought I might have an hour or two to myself in the morning before Jeff got up), but I was thrilled that our days were jam packed with site-seeing. However, this meant no time for working out.

The first Sunday I had a high ankle sprain which may have prevented me from running anyway. We were walking on plenty of uneven surfaces for the days leading up, so my leg was feeling very tender and I had to watch the shoes I was wearing and how I was walking for fear of aggravating it. By Tuesday the sprain was gone and I was happy to be feeling better.

The next Sunday I didn't have access to any fitness equipment due to a hotel reservation cancellation date mix-up. So there went my two long runs. Then to add insult to injury, the British Airways cabin crew strike cancelled our flight out of Rome so we had to rebook for a Friday return. That took out two more run days. And to top it all off, I came home with a cold and didn't run my first Sunday home. In the end, I lost eleven run days in the heart of my training program.

Instead of throwing in the towel (it crossed my mind for a second, but I'm too tough for that), I chose to replan my training. I removed a taper week, made the weekend runs increase two miles instead of one, and removed one mile from my Week 9 Run #2 because I was sick. So, I have a plan again, and hopefully I can finish this one out.

Frederick YMCA Triathlon Clinic

2010-04-09T08:01:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, March 7th, I attended a triathlon clinic put together by Brett Jenner, a local triathlete. He invited Pro Triathlete John Kenny and John's fiance Kate to lead the swim portion of the clinic, followed by local Pro Triathlete and Ironman Herb Spicer for a bike and weights session. John and Brett lead two groups for a short run session.

I decided that I was going to complete my long (seven mile) run before the clinic just to keep myself on schedule. I enjoy getting out on the road and back before too many people are up, so I got up to an alarm on Sunday and headed out to get my run in. I got back to the house, grabbed my bag (packed the night before), and walked down to the YMCA for the 9a clinic start.

The swim session was eye-opening and stroke improving for me. We started with video-taping of our swim stroke from below, to the side, and in front. It took some time to get through everyone, so as I got chilly, I put in a couple of laps to warm back up. I was laned together with Ken Racine who puts on several local races, and we enjoyed chatting throughout the swim session.

With the video taping complete, we started with drills. The first drill was no arms - all kicking. Kick six times on one side with your arms by your side, rotating your body so one shoulder is aimed at the floor, then switch sides. Your head should be positioned as it normally would be and you breath as needed. Stepping up from there, you extend one arm at entry-level height (just below the water surface), execute the six kicks, then stroke to switch arms and repeat on the other side. Moving on from there, stroke three times between switching sides.

The next drill was catch-up. With one arm extended, you leave that arm there until the other one touches it, then complete the stroke, kicking and breathing normally. This is where I had a breakthrough. Kate and John had seen it in the last drill, and although not the focus of this drill, they told me that my hand was entering the water too close to my head so I was losing out on the propulsion from the front end of the stroke. With that corrected, I felt the acceleration on the end of my stroke. Brett even came over and said that he had noticed a huge change from the beginning of the clinic. I generally felt faster as well. Woo hoo!

The finger tip drill was by far my favorite. You swim "normally", except that you drag your finger tips across the top of the water as you extend your arm through the stroke. This can help cure the windmill effect if you swing your arms around instead of keeping them close to the water.

An additional drill they covered (while everyone relaxed in the whirlpool) was swimming with a fist/ball in your hand. This teaches you to use your arm cross-section for propulsion, not just your hands. Focusing on using your arms helps to put them in them in the proper location for catching the water on the front end of the stroke.

We transitioned from the water to the stationary bikes for a Lactate Threshold (LT) test with Herb. After a 10 minute warm-up spin, we rode for 20 minutes with the quads burning and heart rate monitors keeping track of the numbers. During the time on the bikes, Herb threw at us interesting information about heart rates and such. For example, since you really can't increase your maximum heart rate, decreasing your resting heart rate or increasing your lactate threshold heart rate is the way to increase your fitness (or is a result of increased fitness). A simple diet change (i.e. eating foods with little or no saturated fat) can help thin your blood which means less work on your heart to pump that blood thus lowering your heart rate and blood pressure.

After the ride it was time for a run, for eveyone else. The run was an LT run and after my seven miles in the morning, I wasn't about to go out again. They ran a six minute warm-up followed by 18 minutes of LT level followed by six minutes of cool down. I stayed back and chatted with Herb about training and such; it's the first time I've had some one-on-one time with a professional triathlete and it got me fired up about the season.

Right before lunch, Herb went over a few sport-specific lifting exercises. Swimming and cycling benefit directly from weight training due to the muscles (or amount of muscles, I don't remember clearly) used during the activity, and weight training for any sport should be specific to the sport and the motion of the muscles during that sport (a "wake-up" call for my usual style of weight training). You want to lift in a similar position/motion as the sport you are training for because of muscle memory - your muscles learn by practice and will perform the way that they were trained.

After the quick weight training session, we sat down to have lunch and a Q&A with the group. We closed out the clinic around 2:30p.

Overall I got a lot out of the clinic. It's my first triathlon clinic and with marked improvement in my swimming and drills to apply, I'm ready to hit the water now. The details of LT testing on the bike and run were helpful since it's a great way to judge fitness as the season progresses. Having a chance to talk with Ken and Herb was great as well; the conversations were two-way and I think they even learned something from me.

I can see some improvements to make the clinic even better:
(1) This being one of the few times that I've been to the YMCA, better directions to the entrance would have been helpful. Additionally, the inside of the YMCA is a bit like a maze, so something to help guide us between session (at least someone waiting to help guide us) would have been nice.
(2) Video after the swim session, if desired. I would have liked to have seen a tape of my new stroke after the improvements I made.
(3) Handouts! A list and description of swim drills. You don't retain much verbal information given to you during an LT bike test, so provide on paper the information that Herb talked about. A list and description of the weight training exercises.
(4) The run session was a little fluffy. A description of how to do a run LT test would have been enough for me; I didn't need a demo. How about some one talk about running styles, shoes, running clothing, etc. This presentation could be done during lunch.
(5) Better pre-clinic information. I got an email from Brett at 1a the morning of saying "oh by the way, you can bring your bike and trainer for the bike session". It was too late for me to prep my bike so I missed out on this option. Possibly include the menu for lunch. And speaking of lunch, it was originally scheduled for between the bike and run sessions before Brett realized that that was a bad idea and moved it to after the run session (and the impromptu weight session). I'm sure we were all starving and would have appreciated eating earlier (see number 4).

I'd definitely go to this clinic again, and to another. But maybe after some time in the pool improving my stroke. I need to practice what I learned.

Looking Back

2010-04-07T10:14:00.000-04:00

My running training so far this season has been an amazing period of discovery and accomplishment. It appears that all the mental training I worked on last season carried over, and that the down time between last season and this season allowed it all to sink in and become second nature. I feel more like a long distance runner than I have ever felt in my life. Boy is that strange to say.

One particular aspect that I had to work on briefly was to be happy with my run pace. I'm not fast and it takes time to work on getting faster - time that I'm currently devoting to building endurance. So at this point, it is what it is and I should be happy with that. And I am. In fact, I've actually either picked up the pace a bit, or realized what my true pace is, as I now have to use an 11:30 pace to calculate my estimated completion time for my runs instead of the 12:00 pace that I had been using for a long time. Sure I'm slow, but there are others who are slower, and given my previous running pace of "not at all", I'm thrilled to be able to that.

On one recent long run, I had a training bonus of rain. Two of my races last season were run in the rain, and boy did I feel like a wet slow rat when I was finished. At the end of my long run, I had discovered why - it takes energy to jump over puddles and avoid worms and debris. It seems like such a little expenditure at first, but keep doing those little leaps for eight miles and it really adds up. I probably used the energy of a ten mile run in those eight miles. And something else: it's not if your feet are going to get wet, it's when. My right foot stayed dry for about two miles; my left foot for a much longer six miles. But in the end, I had two wet feet, and a smile on my face for making it through the run. I'm getting tougher still.

Half Marathon Training Program

2010-02-23T21:24:00.002-05:00

When it was time to design a training program for a half marathon in May, I took to the internet. I probably should have turned around and also looked through the books on my shelf, but I didn't, so I'll have to do that when I look for a lifting and triathlon training programs later this season.

When designing a program, I took several things into consideration:
(1) The plan needs to fit MY daily/weekly/goal schedule
(2) Monday needs to be an easy day because I seem to have a problem getting my stuff together for gym training on that day
(3) The plan needs to fit MY schedule
(4) The weekend long run should (will) be outside around home and should be the long run
(5) I have Pilates class Monday evenings and that's not changing (see #2)
(6) I will start with a solid running (and pilates) program and will add in weights after a few weeks

I downloaded six training plans, specifically looking for "beginner" or "just finish" programs. Three of the programs made me cringe ("you want me to run HOW many miles in week one?"), so I settled on looking more closely at plans by Hal Higdon, About.com, and MarathonRookie. The first two programs upon looking more closely didn't pass a sanity check. Hal's program seemed to miss a taper at the end prior to the big race; About.com's program dropped off quite a bit at the end. I'm no training program guru, but neither of these sounded right for the last few weeks, and overall I wasn't feeling comfortable with how the weekly runs were planned out. MarathonRookie's ten week program won out.

I added two weeks into the program to bring it up to twelve with a start date of 02/09/10 for a 05/02/10 race, then asked Kristin what she thought. A few tweaks later and my training plan was born.

My run days are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. This takes into account the first five items of my requirements list. Why list the fact twice that it needs to fit my schedule? Because it if doesn't I'm setting myself up for failure no matter how hard I try to succeed. Unfortunately the first week didn't fit Mother Nature's schedule so I lost the first four training runs, but I'm back on schedule. It's about time I start developing my lifing program and add that in with week three or four.

First Training Run

2010-02-19T12:47:00.001-05:00

Wednesday was my first training run for my Frederick Half Marathon training program. After laying out a gorgeous plan the weather had other ideas so I'm already 1.25 weeks behind in training and I'm stressing a bit. Not a lot, but I'm out of running fitness (was I ever there?) so the more time on the road the better.

I'm trying out the whole "training after work" thing instead of going in first thing in the morning before work. I have had a bad habit of making some lame-o excuses for why I can't train after work so I'm trying to toughen myself up. Running after work means that I need to watch what I eat for lunch and pay close attention to my hydration level during the day. Even a small level of dehydration can give me a migraine, and that's the third thing I have to watch - if my head is starting to hurt, unless I've been banging it against my desk, it's probably a migraine and I need to treat it immediately. Running with a migraine, while it doesn't always feel too bad during the run, causes excrutiating pain afterwards to the point that I want to blow my head off with a shotgun (a handgun is not enough in this case). So no running with a migraine. Period.

On Wednesday I grabbed leftovers of seafood masala and rice. I had indigestion for the remainder of the day after eating it so I knew things weren't setting up well for my run. But I went anyway (feeling a little tougher). Since I was unsure of the local paved trail snow/ice status I went to the gym and hit up the 'mill. Around mile 1.5 my lunch paid me a visit. Thankfully it didn't get much higher than the back of my throat, but I decided that I'd finish out the remaining 2.5 miles walking to prevent another visit (and a big mess in the gym). Had I been on the trail I probably would have kept running until I finished my run; I have no hang-ups with tossing cookies in front of people and would have gladly done so if it had made my stomach feel better. And just think of the story I would have to tell!

Down the speed goes, and I decide that if I'm going to walk I'm raising the incline and keeping my heart rate up (a little tougher again). Around mile 2 the ball of my right foot is starting to feel pain. After a few steps it fades, but comes back even stronger. I make it through a few more cycles of pain before I'm limping on the treadmill because I feel like I'm walking on knives and the pain is no longer going away. STOP. Go stretch and hit the showers.

My guess is I now have a fourth thing to watch out for on run-after-work days: choice of shoes. I was wearing a modest heel, but the sole is thin and causes more impact to the balls of my feet (a spot that already seems to be highly sensitive) during the day. I generally don't wear crazy shoes, but I definitely have ones that create more aches than others so I'll have to consider my shoe choice when picking out my work outfit.

I'm still laughing about how poorly this first run went, so at least I'm still in good spirits. I just hope that the bad runs don't continue for too long; I need to experience at least some success to keep me motivated. If I continue having bad luck with afternoon runs I'll have to stick with morning runs and do other training in the afternoons, although I'm hoping to have the option in case I need to be at work in the early morning.

Pilates Breakthrough

2010-02-08T09:10:00.003-05:00

Last year I decided that if I wasn't going to do any swim, bike, or run training, I needed to at least be doing pilates or yoga. I have practiced yoga before and missed the serenity that it provided, but pilates was new to me. During my recovery from work at the end of December last year, I decided that it was time to find a studio. I found one that offered both pilates and yoga and signed up for my first pilates class on December 29th.

For anyone that has done pilates before, you'll know what I went through. Pilates was created by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century and focuses on strengthening the core muscles. You can either do a mat series or an equipment series - a reformer is part of the equipment required for the equipment series and many have seen this piece of equipment on TV. I chose to start with the mat class, but made a step up from the traditional mat class in that this class uses small weights, a resistance band, and the "magic circle" for added intensity (not usually all in the same class). I was sore a day or two after my first few classes, but not the usual sore; more like a deep inner soreness that felt closer to an ache than pain. It felt good.

Last week was my sixth class. I go once a week so that also means I have been doing pilates for six weeks (woo hoo!). I popped in to a semi-private beginner pilates mat class to make sure my form was good, and to a few yoga classes during the six weeks, but pilates has been my prime class. I walked away from class last week with a huge smile on my face and couldn't wait to tell Jeff about my class.

The instructor was not our usual instructor but she was great. Usually we choose our magic circle at the beginning of class, if needed, but this time she handed them out for us. There are two levels of resistance for the magic circles: the circle with the blue pads are less resistant than the black pads. She handed me a black pad circle and I smiled to myself since this was the first time using the tougher circle. I was ready for the challenge and had a great class with it. I'll probably stick to the black pad circle from now on.

The other "big smile" moment was at the end of class when we were doing triceps extensions. Standing with small weights in your hands and your arms down by your sides, you lift your straight arms up and back focusing on the triceps muscles. The instructor said "you should feel this in your triceps". She then looks at my arms and says "I can see it in your triceps". A goofy grin took over my face (and did again as I wrote this). Awesome.

I felt invincible during this class. My core felt strong and I don't think I can call myself a beginner anymore; it's time to stop doing the beginner modifications and start running with the big dogs. I'm looking forward to it. More proof was given to me during the three/four rounds of shoveling this weekend. I didn't fatigue like I have in the past, and focusing on using my core helped to prevent the usual one or two bad throws of snow that tear up my back. I'm loving my pilates class and my new-found core strength, and maybe in a few months I'll move up to the equipment classes.

Reflecting on 2009

2010-02-08T08:26:00.002-05:00

It's never too late to reflect on your past, so here goes:

2009, you were rough on me. April through October was spent as Test Director for a five week test. I lost my summer and the early part my of fall, and I'm still a bit bitter about that. The bitter is fading, though. I found some time to train and compete, but it certainly didn't go the way that I had hoped (really though, when does anything ever go as planned?). December was committed to work, putting in time almost every day in December up until the Saturday before Christmas. I didn't have time to enjoy the holidays as much as I wanted because I was always working, albeit for 8.5 hours a day instead of 14 hours, so I still had a bit of a life. But nonetheless, 2009 was all about work and boy did it feel like it.

For 2010 I'll be making an effort to leave work at a reasonable hour (when my eight hours are in, I'm finished for the day). If it can be done tomorrow, it will be. I need to take advantage of the slow periods so I have the energy to maintain through the fast periods where long hours will certainly be required. More commitment to training is a must. I'd like to make improvements to my appearance and increase my fitness, but I can't do that with a beer in my hand as I channel surf.

And now it's time to move on. A brand new season awaits!

Way Station Turkey Trot 5k Recap

2009-11-30T21:23:00.000-05:00

I awoke to 45 degrees and calm winds Thursday morning. Chilly and damp, but not rainy or windy so I was happy. I put on a light running shirt, new long sleeved running top, yoga pants, ear cover, and headed for the start.

Unlike the Pink Ribbon 5k, the Armory wasn't open for the race, so everyone waited outside for the start. That was where my dilemma started: yoga pants or no yoga pants. I toggled back and forth for quite some time before deciding to leave them on. I remembered back to the Urbana 5k where I was way too warm at mile 1.5 or so and was not keen to repeat that performance. I could have gone without them since I ended up a little warm, but I would have been quite chilly at the start. I just need to toughen up!

Prior to the race my last run was the Urbana 5k, so I had no expectations for my performance which was probably a good thing. It allowed me to relax and just run, so I did just that. I ran the entire race comfortably and ended up with a gun time of 34:17. Apparently I had a non-functioning chip because I show up nowhere in the results (I even checked the men's results). Estimating that it took me about 7 seconds to get to the pad, resulting in a 34:10 clock time, my results would have been:

AG: 62/111
Overall: 575/972

And that's all. It was an uneventful, peaceful run that I was happy to participate in. I guess it's now time to decide what I'm going to train for next...

Yummy Smoothies

2009-11-23T21:33:00.001-05:00

When Smoothie King moved into College Park, I was a college student in love. I probably drank at least one smoothie a month and cashed in on plenty of "buy nine get one free" cards. I knew the menu by heart and made sure to mix it up so I wasn't drinking the same one all the time. I made the occasional mistake of getting a smoothie larger than 20 oz (although I swore at the time that I had room in my stomach for it) and ended up in pain on the couch, but darn it was good going down.

I moved to Michigan and moved away from my beloved smoothies. I suffered from withdrawal for a time, but found new addictions to satisfy myself. Once back in the Washington, DC area I still wasn't near a Smoothie King, but I had been "sober" for a while so I didn't mind.

Within a few years of moving back I was living and working near a Smoothie King, so I occasionally wandered over and grabbed a drink. The location near work has been visited the most, and the most disappointing. One smoothie I bought was mixed so long that it was extremely thin; just like drinking water. My most recent smoothie was so much ice that it wasn't satisfying at all, and it was that smoothie that turned me off from the store near work (I won't penalize the location near home unless they do the same thing to me). When you're paying $5-6 per smoothie, it has to be made well. When you screw up two out of about a half dozen of smoothies, that's not a good record. So, I decided to open a new location in my kitchen.

Two frozen-then-thawed bananas, a cup of frozen-then-thawed strawberries, a half a cup of vanilla yogurt, two tablespoons of wheat germ, and a tablespoon of honey is my current favorite recipe. I use a hand blender to mix everything together since it is more convenient and less clean-up than a blender. I've also used frozen-then-thawed blue berries and POM Wonderful (helpful for thinning the smoothie when frozen berries are used). I've made a smoothie almost daily for the past two weeks and have enjoyed tinkering with the recipe, and certainly drinking them. Unless all the grocery stores close, I'm not sure that I'll be going back to Smoothie King. My concoction is more delicious and much cheaper than what I could get there.

Urbana Wicked Fast 5k Recap

2009-11-04T18:04:00.001-05:00

34:10. Enough said.

It was 59ºF and windy (12 mph gusts) Saturday morning; better than the Pink Ribbon race. I got to the race location well before the start and took my time doing my race prep. I lined up at the start line, and when the gun went off, I was ready to run.

Around mile 0.5 (yes, zero point five) I developed a deep stitch on my right side. I took some deep breaths and it faded away; I thought maybe my breakfast was talking back. Around mile 2 I had some very sharp cramps in my shoulders. I took about 10 seconds to walk and stretch my arms over my head, felt better, then picked the pace back up. The cramps remained for quite a while after my quick stop, but from all the walking I did at the end of the race, they faded as well. Around the 2.5 mile mark I was pooped and couldn't maintain my (already slow) pace. I pulled up and walked for what was probably about 5 minutes, but felt like an eternity. I finished out the last part of the race and went home with my head hung very low. A Chick-Fil-A chicken breakfast burrito helped to ease a bit of the pain, but my disappointment was strong.

Did I fail to set myself up, or set myself up to fail? Mentally I had one of the worse weeks I've had in ages, possibly ever. I couldn't stand to be around myself because of my poor attitude, but I couldn't figure out how to fix the situation. Usually that kind of attitude lasts a few hours at most, but this was several days. I had no motivation to do anything; everything in my life suffered. I don't know what put me in such a foul mood, but I'm certainly glad to be out of it, although I'm puzzled why I ended up like that.

All I can do now is start looking towards the next phase of training, whatever that may be at this point. I have the Turkey Trot coming up on Thanksgiving, but I don't know if I should consider that another "A" race, or leave it as a "B" and call my fall season over at this point. I'll have to figure that out soon.

Next race: Turkey Trot 5k on 11/26/09

CLIF BAR Voluntary Recall

2009-10-30T18:09:00.000-04:00

For those who enjoy CLIF BAR, LUNA, and MOJO bars:

http://www.clifbar.com/voluntary-recall

Hitting a Low

2009-10-27T09:29:00.000-04:00

Mentally I'm not strong enough (yet) to handle several poor runs in a row. Two weeks ago I had two out of two bad training runs leading up to my "okay" race that Saturday. Last week I had one out of one bad training runs; I didn't run two because after the one bad run I didn't want to do another. This week I have no motivation to run at all, even with my race on Saturday. I'm in a funk and I don't know how to pull out. I think I need professional help.

For a while, probably for four years now since my first triathlon season, I have been debating the coach/trainer question. Do I get one? Can I go at this training thing alone? Is it worth it? How do I find a good one? Am I really worth it? And for those past four years I have discovered that I do fine with a cycling program (2007 Seagull Century), with a basic running program (earlier this year), and I can put together an acceptable lifting program, but putting together a well-rounded training program isn't within my reach. I have had okay results at my races, but I don't feel like I'm putting in the time for proper training plan development to do better than okay at this rate, and I'm not sure that I have any more time to put in. Or want to put in any more time. I have to be honest with myself; there are other things I enjoy besides planning my training, training, recovering from training, and thinking about my next training session or race.

Kip has been a birdy on my shoulder since we worked out together in the summer. He has read my blog and has been encouraging me to come back and see him, and sent me a recent email that was singing my tune. I think he's finally pushed me over the edge since I'm not thrilled with my mediocre results and could use some encouragement when things are going poorly, as well as some help with a training plan. (Kip: White flag; you win!) I'm excited at the prospect of having his experience and knowledge on my side. Ultimately I have to be the one to do the training, but I know that and I'm pretty sure I'm ready.

The next several weeks are going to be interesting and I'm looking forward to the change. Plus, it'll be nice to have a better experience than I had at LA Fitness with their PT. I'll actually get something out it.

Blood Donations and Training

2009-10-21T21:51:00.002-04:00

The rattling is finally done so it's time to post. I eluded to questions about blood donations and training in a post earlier today. From the googling I've done, the short answer is as a submaximal athlete it shouldn't affect me much past the day of the donation, but from personal experience I would beg to differ.

DeAnza College provides most of the information I found online that doesn't involve personal experience when talking about donations and athletes (I believe personal experience is a stronger supporter of anything provided the story teller is truthful and doesn't emit any important facts). Part of the way down on the page is the heading "Can athletes donate blood?" that goes on to talk about athletes and cyclists. As an endurance athlete no effect should be noticed past two days after the donation, and for a casual cyclist no effect should be noticed. The problem is that they don't define what to be "casual" or "endurance". There is a lot of room from couch potato to ultra marathoner and plenty of room for different responses.

From an ARC website, the details are available to do some of my own calculations on the subject. The percentage of red blood cells in your system is a direct function of your hemocrit. You have to have at least 38% to donate (women can be as low as 36% and not be anemic, something I have experienced before resulting in a one day donation deferral). Plasma makes up 55% of the blood volume, leaving 7% for platelets. The adult human body has approximately 5 L of blood which is between 7 and 8% of a person's body weight according to the howstuffworks? website. Donating one unit of whole blood results in a 450 mL decrease in blood volume, or a 9% drop in overall volume.

Plasma cells are restored within two days following a donation, so at that point your blood volume is around 4% low. Platelets are back within two weeks, so you're 3.4% low at that stage. Red blood cells take between six and eight weeks to regenerate, so you won't have your volume back to 100% until at least six weeks following the donation. Volume isn't as much of a concern here as the red blood cells that carry oxygen to the body, although for people who have a normally low blood pressure or hypotension (90/60 or below), this loss of volume may have adverse effects on top of the missing red blood cells.

For a woman at 38% hemocrit at the time of donation, I would image that they would feel more of an effect than a man starting out at 47%. The athlete portion of the DeAnza site doesn't specifically divide men and women, but the cycling section details only a study with men. Given a woman's typically smaller size, lower hemocrit, and presumably lower blood volume, I'd like to see the numbers.

At 129 pounds, a blood pressure of 110/55, a resting heart rate of 76 bpm, and a hemocrit of 40% at the time of my donation last week, I felt the effects for approximately four days after the donation. I don't believe my race performance was affected, but my training was definitely in trouble. I don't believe I hydrated enough the remainder of the day following the donation (I stay well hydrated normally, but I didn't take in the extra volume I needed), which certainly could have added to the effects. I'm going to keep a careful watch over my next several donations and see what the effects our. If I properly rehydrate I may be able to stave off some of the effects, but I'll have to conduct that test in 6.5 weeks when I can donate again. I'll try not to risk a race performance again, though. I need to better plan my donations.

To read more personal experiences, check out For Beginners Only. To see the entire breakdown of blood components with details, check out another ARC site.

Pink Ribbon 5k Recap

2009-10-21T09:27:00.000-04:00

Race weather was 43ºF and rainy, not the ideal conditions for a race, but honestly how often do you have "ideal" conditions for a race? And isn't ideal different for everyone? I wasn't scared by the weather; I just needed to figure out what I was going to wear to keep myself as comfortable as possible. I chowed down on some Kashi cereal and water about an hour pre-race.

Out of my closet came: knit hat, running t-shirt, cold weather cycling long-sleeved fleece jersey, cycling rain jacket, everyday-wear gloves, running shorts, fleece running pants, ankle wool socks. The knit hat should have been a light ear cover and hat, the cycling jersey should have been a fleece-less version, the gloves should have been lighter, and having taller socks would have been nice, although not necessary. (I hear a shopping trip coming up!) So basically I was a overdressed, but I managed.

Instead of walking down to the race start (several blocks away), I decided to drive to help keep myself warm and dry longer. Had I known that the festivities were going to start inside the Talley Rec Center, I may have walked down as originally planned. We warmed up with a trainer from Gold's Gym, then headed out to the start line. I lined up about mid-way back in the pack.

For the first mile I felt pretty good. I found my stride and just worked on putting on foot in front of the other and watching out for puddles. Shortly after the first mile I stepped in some deep water and had two soggy feet. The wool socks quickly warmed back up and I didn't notice that my feet were wet for the remainder of the race. At around the second mile I was too warm, so the gloves came off, the jersey zipper went down, and the rain jacket zipper came down as well. I felt somewhat cooler, but not as cool as I wanted to be. Being too warm was wearing me out quickly so I prepared myself just to hang on that last mile.

Knowing the course ahead of time, I knew we were getting close to the final turn (the cheering crowd gave it away too). I made the turn and heard someone say to another runner "don't let 34:00 show up on the clock". My heart sank. My goal of a 10:00 pace was long gone. While I wasn't surprised due to the conditions and my training that week, a little part of me had held onto that hope. I put in a final kick and crossed the line at 33:47. Taking off a couple of seconds for my distance from the start line, I probably came in at 33:42.

I was overheated, wet, and exhausted. My calves were tight so I spent some time outside stretching them before heading inside for the closing festivities. I grabbed a half of chocolate chip bagel and bottle of water and went off to stretch. I resisted the urge to peel of any clothes besides my hat, and was thankful for that decision because a few minutes later I had cooled off and was fairly comfortable in my full gear.

I didn't have the greatest race, but I ran the whole time which is an accomplishment. I learned a lot about dressing for a running race in inclement weather (helpful since winter is coming up). I have two more 5k races remaining, and I'm hoping I'll be able to set a time goal and meet it for at least one of those races. I know I have plenty more learning to do, but I could use a goal-accomplishing race at some point.

Next Race: Wicked Fast Urbana 5k on 10/31/09

Pre-Race Week Workouts

2009-10-21T08:16:00.000-04:00

During race week, last week, my workouts gave me a lack of confidence and anxiety, neither of which I needed for a cold and rainy race.

I donated blood that Monday at 9a and I wasn't sure how that would effect me for the week (another post that's rattling around in my brain). My Tuesday 30 minute morning run was rough. I felt good for about half of it, but for the second half I felt run down, exhausted, and like my lungs were tied in knots. I pushed through it, but my confidence for Saturday was certainly not high.

Thursday's morning run didn't nothing to aid my confidence either. I think that run I suffered from 20% remains of the blood donation, and 80% from poor nutrition. I woke up hungry and should have eaten something during my commute in, but didn't and I really paid for it. At the 17 minute mark I had to quit (and that's the first time I didn't finish a workout). I was starting to feel woozy and my legs were turning to jello, so in my best interest I stopped. For the remainder of the morning my butt was dragging so I knew the lack of a morning snack was primarily the cause for my bad workout.

I tried to shake off two bad runs in a row, but it's hard to get over such a bad week with a race in sight. I certainly learned a lot though: (1) no donations the week of a race, and if it's a big race, no donations within two weeks at least, and (2) if I'm hungry in the morning, although I usually don't eat before my morning workouts, eat! And before the morning hunger happens again, decide what I'll eat so I'm prepared for when it happens again.

Week Ten - Twentyseven of Fourty

2009-10-12T19:00:00.002-04:00

After my last post about run training, my running world stopped. That Wednesday was the final day of testing and the last day of work hell that I would have to put myself through for a while. I can admit that I cuddled up with a bottle of wine that night (I chose white to avoid a hangover) and that was the best time I had had in a while. I thought about running during my down time, about hitting the road and doing my 13/2's then 14/1's, but I couldn't find the motivation. I was digging out of a hole of chores, shopping, relaxing, and basic everyday stuff that I hadn't been able to get to in weeks. Even if it had been swimming or cycling, I wouldn't have made the time either, so it was nothing against running specifically. I took two weeks off of work (the last several days were spent curled up on the couch with a cold) and returned feeling rested, although still a little germy. I considered running the first couple of days back, but my mornings were rough and by the afternoon I was wiped of what little energy I had. I decided that Friday morning (after a good Thursday morning), was going to be my day to either do a 14/1 set, or just go for the gold and run through all 30 minutes.

I got on the treadmill and spent four minutes warming the body up with a brisk walk. Then, I broke into a run and got things started. Around minute twelve I decided that I was going to go all the way. I needed the mental boost, and although I felt a little disorganized, I felt light and quick which are definitely feelings of a good run. Minute sixteen came and went, and I was cruising pretty steadily until minute 26 or so. The last throws of the cold were trying to keep me down, and although I was tired, I persevered and pushed through the aches and fatigue. After all, the end of a race whether it is a 5k, 10k, or marathon, will leave you tired in the end so I need to get used to running tired. I hit the "Stop" button at the 34 minute mark on the treadmill and a big smile came over my face. 30 minutes - done. I may be short of a full 5k if I'm above 10 minute pace, but I'm close if not completely ready for my race on Saturday. A couple more 30 minute runs before Saturday will make sure of that.

Sweet.

Kona, Chicago, and Motivation

2009-10-12T17:52:00.001-04:00

This was a big weekend for long distance athletes. Saturday was the Kona Ironman and Sunday was the Chicago Marathon. I took some time out of my weekend to watch some of each, and I have to say that I'm better for it.

I didn't start watching Kona until the men pros were entering T2 and heading out for the run (I had thought the race was Sunday). Watching the strength and endurance of the pros was fantastic. Of particular note was Chrissy Wellington who had the biggest smile on her face for the end of the bike and the entire run; her face mimicked what I have looked like during some of my long rides when I'm all alone and dreaming of crazy things in my head (yes, sometimes I even laugh out loud). She looked like she was out for a daily stroll down the block with her dog. Considering that she had almost 100 miles and several hours of swimming and cycling on her body at that point, all I could do was smile back (to my computer) in awe. I knew she was having an awesome race and would crush the course record. With such a big smile on her face, she almost had to.

Chicago was just as awe-inspiring. The men went out at better than world record pace and only 30 minutes into the race had dropped one of their pacers because the pace was so quick. Tera Moody took charge of the women and led the first several miles because no one else stepped up. She looked very smooth at 5:33 pace early on in the race. She ended up as the 9th woman to cross the finish line at 02:32:59.

Up until now I haven't looked to the pros for inspiration and motivation. I just assumed that their level of endurance and physical fitness was one that I would never be able to achieve as a "part-time" triathlete who's day job isn't being an athlete. But there's more to it than just that. They have learned valuable lessons along the way and carry with them a lot of experience and knowledge. Yes, I may never run a 9 hour Ironman or a 2:30 marathon, but maybe I can strongly finish each no matter how much time it takes. And maybe I can find tips and recommendations along the way from the pros (and anyone else for that matter) that help me achieve my own goals. Instead of ignoring the pros, I should look to them for motivation and inspiration (at a minimum). Read their blogs; check out their stories. I have a lot of learning left to do.

Market Street Mile Recap

2009-10-07T09:00:00.004-04:00

This past Saturday, Jeff and I ran the Market Street Mile through gorgeous downtown Frederick. As a first time participant of this event, I found the organization to be lacking and the amount of information provided pre-race to be poor. I did not know where and when packet pick-up was available on race day and I was not informed of the start and finish locations. All are pretty important items and I would have appreciated knowing these things before race day. Guessing that the race would end downtown and that packet pick-up would be available just before our races, we walked down Market Street until we found the start of the race - at the YMCA. The women's mile started at 10:00a, and the men's mile at 10:15a.

My goal was to not go out too fast. Knowing that it was a mile, I knew I could push harder than I have in my training runs, but I was aiming for negative splits so I needed to watch my start. My start was good as I let most of the field go out ahead of me and held my position up the gentle upward slope of the first few tenths of a mile. As we crested the hill I ran a check on my form and found that I felt strong and light.

A women near to my pace (and dressed in black) was hanging out in my near vision as the race continued on. I set a goal to pass her before the end of the race. I actually did much better than that and passed her within the next few tenths before the halfway mark. Halfway through I heard someone calling out times (a pleasant surprise) and I heard a 4:02 as I crossed his path. I picked up my turnover rate a bit and set my sights on the finish. I heard nearby footsteps and was "afraid" that I was being passed by the women in black, but it turned out to be someone else.

I heard the finish nearing as people cheered on the runners and caught a glimpse of the race clock: 7:50. What?!?, I thought to myself. I turned on the speed and was determined to stay under 8:00. I watched the clock seconds tick by and was in the finisher's corral at 7:57. I really didn't believe it; I don't think I have ever run a mile below 9:30. I grabbed some water and gatorade, met up with Maria-Giulia and Gianna who had come to watch, and turned around to wait for Jeff to come down the street.

My Results:
7:57
19/31 Women's Mile
86/148 Overall
6/7 AG (24-29)

Jeff Results:
6:09
30/47 Men's Mile
38/148 Overall
2/4 AG (24-29)

Jeff earned himself a trophy for his 2nd place AG finish.

Next Race: Pink Ribbon 5k on 10/17/09

Week Eight - Twentysix of Twentynine

2009-09-23T11:38:00.003-04:00

The last several days have been rough. Wednesday's run was kind of awful. I felt like an elephant on the treadmill and my lungs just hurt. I was so glad to be done after my last nine minute run period. I thought about the dinner I had had the night before and the morning's events, but nothing stood out as being detrimental to working out (unlike eating watermelon for dinner). So, I chalked it up to just a bad run and moved on.

I had a few windows for getting my weekend run in, but I didn't make it. On Sunday I was planning on going after work, but my mental and physical state were such that I wasn't feeling like a run. I was starving and on the order of an anxiety attack, so I decided to take care of myself first. By the time I felt good enough to run, it was dark outside.

Monday and Tuesday were work-centric. I didn't find the time before or after work to get in a run, and my mental state was not favorable for running anyway so it was just bad all around. This morning I made some time to get a run in, so I'm feeling better about things. This week took a jump from 9min/1min, repeat three times to 13min/2min, repeat twice. I was worried that the additional 4 minutes of running was going to be a bear, but it wasn't. I felt almost as good at minute one as I did at minute 26. This running thing isn't so bad.

Registering Fool

2009-09-17T14:29:00.004-04:00

I have been registered for the Market Street Mile for some time now, and decided that I needed to schedule the rest of my races to make sure I had something to look forward to (and to train for once I complete the ten week training program). I am now also registered for the Pink Ribbon 5k, Urbana Wicked Fast 5k, and Way Station Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 5k.

I made the mistake of registering for the Urbana race before deciding if I wanted to race the Run Through the Grapevine 8k the following day. Maybe that is a sign that I should stick with 5k's this fall and wait until the spring to race something longer. Or not; what kind of sign is that? If things go well next month, I may push and do both that weekend. There's also a 10k I'm keeping my eye on in December that I may do instead. Right now I'm feeling like I need something longer, and a 10k would be a great way to go into next season if I want to start doing Olympic-length triathlons.

There's no turning back now. I'm registered for the races and once I broadcast my running schedule to family and friends, I'll have all the pressure (and then some) to do my best.

Week Seven - Twentythree of Twentyfive

2009-09-14T08:00:00.004-04:00

One week after praying to the porcelain gods, I'm back on track. About Wednesday of last week my stomach was generally back to normal, although I stayed away from spicy flavors and stuck to milder meals for most of the week. The problem was, even though everything felt better from the stomach up, from the stomach down I was in knots. That finally cleared up over the weekend and I was able to get back to running.

Today's run felt like a usual Monday morning run - a bit tougher than later in the week since the time spent running was greater, but nothing I couldn't handle. I had a few mild cramps, but was able to run through them. The one minute rest in between goes quickly, but I'm supposed to be working towards running 30 minutes continuously, so it makes sense that I'm phasing out the walking periods. I was worried about losing too much fitness from being sick, but it looks like I held on to it. I don't plan on taking a week off like that again, though. No more getting sick!

Greatest Diet Ever

2009-09-08T18:09:00.003-04:00

I have just found the greatest diet ever - food poisoning! Yay! After eating a delicious dinner of duck, potatoes, green beans, salad, and biscuits, prepared mostly by Jeff (the salad came from his parents who had dinner with us), I found my stomach to be a hair upset, but nothing terrible. The fun started a few hours later.

I awoke from a nap on the couch and headed to the bathroom where I promptly revisited my dinner. I had some wicked stomach cramps and felt like I had been run over by a bus. After that session with the toilet, I went to bed. I really can't say that I slept because the nauseousness and cramps woke me up every hour or so.

The next morning I dragged myself out of bed around 9a; I needed a change in scenery. I hit the couch and curled up in the fetal position with a glass of water. Knowing that I was headed down the path of severe dehydration, I knew I needed to drink something, but even the water was rocking the boat. After about two hours of sipping water and upsetting my stomach more and more, I knew what I needed to do. Once Jeff was clear of the bathroom, I went in with my glass of water, took a couple of big gulps, and waited for the fireworks to fire off. I (re)revisited the remainder of my dinner and immediately started feeling better. The remainder of my day was spent eating Cheerios, sipping Coke, and eating a little chicken noodle soup when I got brave at the end of the day. I spiked a fever around 101ºF in the afternoon and treated my migraine, after which I started feeling more like myself again.

The next morning, out of curiosity, I shuffled onto the scale and found that I was about 2.5 pounds down from my most previous weight (about a week old). And after what little I've been able to stomach today, I'm probably still about that weight. And I'm not sure if tomorrow is going to be any better since I'm still feeling pretty crapping this evening.

While this has been "great" on the weight side of things (and really, I'm not advocating food poisoning as a weight loss program), it has hindered my running program. My body is so twisted in knots that I can't even thinking about running without wincing in pain. I'm hoping I'll feel good enough to run tomorrow, but I need to get some food and liquid on board if I'm going to have any success of surviving a workout without passing out. I certainly wasn't planning on this in my schedule.

Week Six - Twenty of Twentyone

2009-09-01T20:58:00.003-04:00

I'm running on all cylinders now and have found the zone. My first taste was Sunday after work when I hit the gym. I was watching the World Championships from Belin and Usain Bolt was running in the 4 x 100m relay. I also saw the world record get broken in the women's pole vault, and the men's 5000m. The closed captioner was absolutely terrible; I realize that there are a lot of international names, but they were screwing up the English too. But I wasn't concentrating on that; I was watching the races. I found myself not focusing on the time I was running, but on something else that allowed me to relax while running. And relaxing made running easier which made relaxing easier.

Monday gave me a better taste of the zone. I focused on a street sign across the parking lot from the gym. And a street lamp that was still on. I found the surrounding area of my vision become fuzzy and only the sign or the lamp was clear. I didn't notice the people around me or the others walking in the gym. That was until the clucking hens showed up.

A woman parked herself on the treadmill next to me (there were at least a dozen empty treadmills at the time). A little strange, but fine, maybe she wanted to watch the television program that was on that particular set. Then right before my last run session her friend showed up. Since the first woman was to my left, and her friend was to her left, the louder of the two friends (the one furthest left) had to face me to talk to her friend. I cranked up my music but my concentration was already broken. I got through the last run session, but it was not nearly as successful as the first two. I'm not ready to deal with having to drown out others so close to me; maybe in a couple of weeks, but not now. But I'm getting there, which is great.

Ankles Away!

2009-08-28T15:08:00.004-04:00

Since I worked out with Kip many weeks ago, I was acutely aware that something in my right ankle did not feel right. I found that when I did ankle circles with my back on the floor and legs tucked up, a tendon felt like it was popping on something. I did not investigate exactly what was happening until one recent gym visit.

I have a tendon that is popping onto and off of my fibula "ankle bone" (the outer bony protrusion) when I rotate/twist my ankle in a handful of specific motions. It feels like the tendon naturally rests behind the bone, but when put under tension it pops onto the bone, and back off once enough tension is released. There is no pain and this did not start occurring after an injury or misstep. It just is what it is, and when I think about it a little more, I think it has been like this for as long as I can remember being active. I talked to Kristin about it (she is, after all, quite the orthopedic specialist when it comes to ankles) and she suggested a doc to go see. I even puzzled her so she is curious what is going on with my crazy ankle (I am curious too, don't get me wrong). So, at the end of next month I am going to go see an ankle specialist and hopefully we'll figure out what is going on. Hopefully there is no surgery required; I will take weeks of PT over that any day. I just don't want to ruin my ankle in the short term because I am making good strides with running and I certainly don't want to screw things up for the long term because I only get one body to play with in this life.

Week Five - Seventeen of Eighteen

2009-08-27T20:11:00.003-04:00

I repeated Week Four last week and got three out of four runs in. Combined with the two out of four from the previous week, I'm giving myself a four out of four for Week Four. I am half way through Week Five and feeling more like a runner each and every run.

I have discovered that visual things can distract my brain more than audio things, which follows along with the fact that I am a visual learner. This now explains why, when I am on the bike, I look at signs and mailboxes and can distract myself for at least several minutes until I see the next sign or mailbox. I discovered this while watching closed captioning on one of the televisions at the gym. I found it much more distracting than the music in my ears, although if I visualized the words of the music I found it more distracting than just listening to the music. Yes, a little wild and wacky, but if I am going to be running miles at a time at some point, I need to be able to get out of my head and distract myself like I can in the pool and on the bike.

Five Toes, Five Fingers

2009-08-19T07:06:00.001-04:00

Kristin sent me a link the other day that reminded of a pair of shoes I saw a while back - the Vibram Five Fingers. With every "new" and "improved" technique and approach for this, that, and the other thing, there's always some swag that they want you to purchase, be it a video, books, clothing, or equipment. But this shoe is not that. Vibram is marketing a way to get back to being barefoot; to being more in touch with nature. They don't promote a particular running technique (although they do mention Chi Running on their website), but are instead marketing to those people who love outdoor sports and are looking for something different in their footwear. I can't get enough of being barefoot, so I'm considering a purchase myself (now if only I can decide on the color...).

There are four different styles ranging from the minimalist Classic to the cold weather more-like-a-regular-shoe Flow, with the Sprint and KSO in between. They have recommendations for the type of activies each shoe is good for, and have a modest price tag of $75 to $90. The 4.4 oz weight of the Classic (in almost my size so the weight is close) is quite appealing, although I'm curious to see what a light racing running shoe weighs and if it's a good idea to run in a lightly padded shoe for most of my training miles. Even if I don't end up using these for running, they look like a fun pair of shoes to wear especially when I don't feel like wearing shoes.

Fore-Foot, Mid-Foot, Or Heel Landing

2009-08-18T21:22:00.004-04:00

Since late last season I've been championing a mid-foot landing to those that are willing to hear me chat about my training. I first learned about it during one of my Tri Club meetings, then took some time to read about it on my own and decided that it sounded like the right thing for me. During the restart of run training a few weeks back, I kept up with the mid-foot landing that I had started at the end of last season.

The difference between a heel strike and mid-foot landing has made quite the difference in my running. I find running to be a lot less draining on my body and I don't have the joint pain like I had before. I don't suffer from as many chest cramps (but given that the cause of cramps is undetermined, something else may be in play) and I don't breath nearly as regimented (I'm much more relaxed) as I previously did. But there's another factor to consider - with my "new" landing style I've also shortened my running stride. Shortening a heel strike stride may as well have made a difference as I mentioned above, but that's one "style" I haven't tried and I'm not sure that I will because of the success I've had with a mid-foot landing.

Even though I've decided that mid-foot running is working for me and that's how I'm going to run, I'm still continuing to read about running because I'm a novice and I know I have plenty more to learn. I recently read a series of posts from The Science of Sport that discusses running technique. A couple of points that I took away from their "running technique" discussions:

- Science lags behind the claims that one running style is more efficient/better/less injury-prone than another (Running technique: The Footstrike)
- Findings of a study can be taken out of context and used to prove the point of the group who initiated the study (Running technique: The Footstrike)
- You can gradually change your foot strike, but what is the point (see point one above) (Running technique: The Footstrike)
- Higher volume and slower distance training improves running economy (the ol' "just do it" mantra) (Running Economy Part III)
- Strength training, particularly plyometric training, is good for economy (Running Economy Part III)
- Being inflexible in the core through legs improves economy because less energy is required to stabilize the body (Running Economy Part III)
- Loading changes with a different landing, and in Pose running there was an increased occurrence of calf and Achilles complaints, and loading on the ankle (Pose running reduces economy...the missing study)

So, while my eagerness to change my landing may have been ill-placed and without scientific proof, I have noticed a positive response in my run training and that has increased my desire and drive to run, and thus improved my mental game. There's something to be said for that. And given that there is no proof to support that one landing is more injury-prone than another, instead of knee injuries I'll need to watch out for ankle and calf injuries.

Fell off the Wagon

2009-08-17T21:52:00.004-04:00

Last week I got in two out of four runs. As I mentioned before, Monday's run was on Tuesday, Wednesday's run was on Thursday, and then it all went downhill from there. Friday I was exhausted from the work week, Saturday was hot and steamy and I was enjoying just sitting around doing little for a change, and Sunday was another work day (and a day spent getting ready for the next long week of work). So, that was that - my poorest performance so far.

I decided to stick with last week's workout again this week. I have a couple of spare weeks before I get to my goal race for the year, so I think I could use another week without increasing my run time. I'm very successful now with my running and I want to keep it that way. As long as I get in three runs this week, I'll erase last week's poor week and count this week's runs. I started off with a run today so I began this week with a good start, and it looks like I'll put in another run tomorrow which is a bonus. I may have fallen off the wagon last week, but I'm chasing after it this week.

Week Four - Thirteen of Fourteen

2009-08-14T21:52:00.005-04:00

I'm struggling this week to fit in all my runs. My Monday run was on Tuesday and my Wednesday run on Friday, so I have left to squeeze in a Friday and Saturday run on Saturday and Sunday. Eek. My work days consist of twelve to thirteen hours during the week and eight or nine hours on Sunday, and that's where the problem lies. Thank goodness for good friends (yay Kristin!) who live close, otherwise I wouldn't be running at all during the week right now and I'd be even more unhappy than I am right now. So here's to surviving a tough work schedule and (hopefully) not missing too many workouts.

Week Three - Eight of Nine

2009-08-04T10:55:00.007-04:00

I'm in week three of a ten week "Get your butt off the couch and running 5k" training plan. Instead of using the plan I "tried" before, I dusted off a running book, reread some sections, realized that it has a lot of great information, and found a training plan to follow. Without the distraction of other activities (read: swimming, cycling, and lifting) I've been able to commit better to the plan this time around. I'm running four times a week (I missed one running session, but eight out of nine is pretty good considering my track record) right now. I do a short core session after running followed by some stretching, then I'm into the shower and off to work.

I decided when I started that I would make time for the running, then add back in the other stuff (lifting first, then either swimming or cycling). Starting too much at once always seems to end up in a disaster of doing nothing, and I didn't want to repeat that. I found that I need to run in the morning because then I get it over with first thing and can't use "I'm too tired" as an excuse for not running after work. Plus, work is unpredictable so sometimes I end up staying late when I didn't intend to. This consistently puts me running at least three days a week, then one session on the road at home on the weekends.

I've been working on my mental training while working on my running. Using a gradually increasing mileage/time program is great for mental training because I can slowly incorporate positive talk into my workouts to see what works and what doesn't. I'm spending time working on getting out of my head as well; before all I would focus on when running was running (e.g. breathing pattern, each foot strike, my HR, etc.). Now I'm working on finding my zone. I can get into my zone very easily on the bike, and somewhat easily in the pool; it's time to be able to do the same when running.

I registered myself and Jeff for the Market Street Mile in October. While it's just a mile, it's a mile that I could probably suffer through right now, but would rather be able to run comfortably. So now I have at least one race on the books for this season. Here comes my comeback...

Fitness Evaluation

2009-08-04T10:46:00.004-04:00

I went to see Kip Jawish a few weeks back for a fitness evaluation. I was looking for an idea of how well my muscle groups were in balance to make sure my lifting wasn't causing any type of imbalance. Overall things are okay, but I'm lacking in several key areas: (1) my hamstrings are flexible but not strong, (2) my core needs work, and (3) I need to work out-of-plane with my legs to gain stability. I was a sad sight trying to do lunges and single leg squats and wiggling all over the place.

A minor adjustment that I need to make is that I'm slightly tipped forward (like a ski jumper) when I stand. Four years of marching band ingrained a very straight posture; now I just need to think about putting a little more weight on my heels instead of on the balls of my feet.

Kip gave me some ideas of core workouts to do and lunge exercises so I'm working with those now (well, at least the core stuff). He said that strengthening my legs will come a long with my endurance, and that's definitely what I'm lacking.

Last Stop on the Crazy Train

2009-07-09T22:19:00.005-04:00

When it comes to running I come with a lot of emotional baggage. It started back in middle school when I would huff and puff and wheeze after running not much more than 400m. So the assumption was made that I had asthma and that was that. Several medications and years later, nothing worked so I never ran more than I had to. Runs of a mile or longer I cringed at; I usually spent some time walking and most definitely brought up the back of the pack. I sprinted and did field in high school to avoid exerting myself for more than 800m at a time. 400's made me see stars; 800's brought me to my knees.

Jump a few years to after grad school once I had great health insurance and a full time job, and I was determined to come to the bottom of this "thing". Turns out that I don't have asthma; in fact, my lungs are in fantastic shape (better than most). How about that; there's nothing wrong with me. All the excuses I made for all those years were bunk.

So now I'm left with trying to overcome my hatred for and negative attitude about long distance running that I've built up over the past 15 years. This is a mountain that I'm going to have to take one step at a time and I need some guidance. Kristin gifted to me a book on my Amazon wishlist - "The Triathlete's Guide to Mental Training" by Ph.D. Jim Taylor and Terri Schneider. I'm almost finished and I'll be going back to reread sections and work through the exercises in the chapters. In high school I did some pre-performance imagery at the request of an instructor, but I never considered including regular mental training with my regular physical training. I'll be changing that now because I definitely need it.

Bike To Work Day 2009

2009-05-20T09:39:00.001-04:00

My goal for this year was to ride the full trip from home to work instead of the shortened ride that I usually take in. This would have been 50 miles round trip instead of the usual 22 miles. Unfortunately the weather had something to say about making that trip.

It had been raining for several days prior to BTWD and the ferry had been closed due to the high water line. The weather cleared up a couple of days before BTWD, but the water level hadn't come down enough and the ferry remained closed. Oh well. We're going to try and reschedule the trip and we'll make sure that it's a nice sunny day.

I needed to get going quickly after work, so I decided to do a slightly different trip this year: Herndon and back. One of my coworkers lives 4 miles from work so I decided to ride out to meet him, then ride back in together. He appreciated the company and I didn't mind it either. We had a nice ride and celebrated with everybody in the area.

It was "neat" that this was not my first ride of the season, and not even the second. I feel like I have at least a cycling leg up this year.

My Life is Not My Own

2009-04-14T19:26:00.003-04:00

Early in my career a boss and a friend of mine used to say ¨My life is not my own¨ when talking about how busy he had been with work. It took several years, but I now understand what he means and it's definitely not a good thing.

About early-March I finally came out of my "life is not my own" period. The downhill spin started in mid-October when I began rebuilding my engine. All my free time was spent working on my car or driving to and from when my car was located, 45 minutes from my house and work. Days before Christmas I was finally able to drive my car home. January was spent on travel for work or working some serious overtime. February was spent taking a short vacation, getting sick for several days from that vacation, traveling for work, then getting sick again from traveling, followed by getting rear-ended at the end of the month when I was finally starting to feel better.

My four week rest period turned into six miserable months. I regained all the weight that I had lost because I hadn't set foot in the gym except for a few yoga sessions. I wanted to get out on the bike during the winter, and I thought that was all lost, until I hit the trail on 03/30/09. It was the mid-40's and gusty in the morning, plenty cold for lots of cold weather gear. I've been on the bike twice in as many weeks and in the gym for yoga this week. It feels good to get back into the swing of things.

Now I just have to figure out what I'm going to do this season.

Still Here

2008-12-30T18:14:00.002-05:00

Oi. One and a half weeks after my last post my car lost compression on the #3 cylinder. Instead of purchasing a new car I decided to work with a friend of mine and rebuild the engine. Two and a half months later, my car is rebuilt and running well, but I haven't been able the think about working out since I started the rebuild. The off-season is dwindling and I need to get back into the gym. And pronto! I'm beginning to formulate my plan for next season and I'll be getting back into the gym very soon.

Second Yoga Class

2008-09-25T17:34:00.002-04:00

I had my second yoga class this week and the experience was quite different from last week. I was able to make it through the sun salutations without breaking a sweat, although I was comfortably warm as was expected. We then did the warrior poses like last class, and I was able to make it through the whole set of sequences without having to stop. My arms felt tired, but not exhausted and shaky like last time. A few poses later and we were back to side planks. I tried to lean on my scraped up elbow, but wasn't able to without pain. So I did the side plank from my hand and was able to hold the pose for the whole duration. We switched sides and since I was successful doing the side plank from my hand on the one side, I had to do the same on the other side.

At the end of the class I was tired, but not exhausted like last class. My obliques were sore the next day, and my shoulders were a little achy, but again, not like after last class. So, I think it's safe to say that I've made improvement, and I look forward to next class.

Yoga and Weights

2008-09-17T17:16:00.002-04:00

With my season over, I decided to let it all hang out last week. No tracking my food intake; no gym; no nothing. It was nice to let things slide for a few days.

As of yesterday I started my post-season/pre-winter phase which involves yoga once a week and weight training twice a week (and tracking my food intake again). My gym offers a couple of yoga classes and there is one class that is at a convenient time of day that I decided I should attend. Yesterday's class kicked my butt! My hands were sore after all the planks we did, and my arms were like jello. With my injured elbow I was a little limited because I couldn't do the side plank with my arm extended, but I could do it with my lower arm on the ground, but that involves leaning on the part of my elbow that's scraped up and still sore. So, I missed out on some of the poses, but for my first yoga class in several years, I accepted that.

Today my shoulders ache. That suggests that I am lacking in shoulder strength, but I'm not too surprised. I haven't done any weight training since April, and little of my exercises then involved shoulders, so they didn't get stronger. I'll have to make sure I change that this time around. Core strength is another area that I'm lacking, so I have at least two specific targets for this phase of my off-season.

Time For A New Zoot Suit

2008-09-09T12:41:00.001-04:00

A couple weeks ago I noticed that my swim suit wasn't fitting like it used to. It seemed to be a little loose; the stretched out kind of loose. I've had the suit for several years now - a Speedo reversible. I decided it was probably time to start looking, so I grabbed a couple of catalogs and looked online at TYR and Speedo.

In the meantime, while I was trying to figure out what numerical size I was, my suit seemed to exponentially get worse. I noticed that there were definite wear spots in places and the material was quite saggy. I was sad to see this since I really enjoyed using that suit. When I did my open water swim, I could see the sagging material when I pulled off my wetsuit.

So after trying on a few sizes, then thinking maybe I was ordering one too large based on the body measurements, I finally settled on a size 36 and color and placed an order. My new suit will be a TYR Green Elixir. I have retired my old suit and will drop it off for textile recycling when I head up to the recycling center one day soon. *Sigh* It was a good suit, but I must move on. I haven't had a new suit in a few years so the change will be nice. Maybe I'll even swim faster.

Update (09/17/08):
I picked up my suit today and it was blue. I had told them that green was my first choice, with the additional choices or blue or red if they were sold out of green.

Delaware Diamondman Sprint Recap

2008-09-08T15:03:00.004-04:00

I participated in the Delaware Diamondman Sprint Triathlon on Sunday, September 7th in Bear, DE. This was my first Piranha Sports Series event, and the closing event for my season.

My husband and I drove out to a local hotel after Tropical Storm Hanna had passed through the area. Packet pick-up and the first-timers meeting had been moved to earlier in the day so I decided to forgo getting to the Bear area in the afternoon and instead got there in enough time to check-in to the hotel, grab dinner, and get to bed at a reasonable hour. Dinner was at the TGI Friday's at the hotel and it did not agree we me. The Cherry Limeade with the Bruschetta Chicken Pasta didn't play well together and I thought my stomach might throw it into reverse. I kept everything down and hit the hay around 9:15p.

I awoke at 4:15a. I had brought Quinoa for my pre-race meal, so I heated up some of it and grabbed some water as well. I got my stuff packed up and headed off to Lums Pond State Park. I arrived at the park at 5:30a; it was pitch black. I wandered through a tree line and found the white tent where packet and chip pick-up was located. I wasn't told where the body marking and transition area was, and could see barely 10 feet in front of me, so as I wandered back to my car I asked a fellow triathlete and he confirmed that the buzz of flashlights I had seen a ways past the white tent was where it all was. I grabbed my gear, got marked, and set up my transition area. The sun was starting to come up at this point, so it wasn't as hard to see.

I had plenty of time to relax before the pre-race meeting at 6:45a, which didn't actually start until 7:00a. Following the meeting was the National Anthem, and then the walk down to the start of the swim. There's some discrepancy as to the distance between the end of the swim and the transition area; I've read 0.25 miles and 0.4 miles. Nonetheless, it was a long walk.

At this point I hadn't decided what to do about my wetsuit. At the race meeting we were told that the water temperature was 78 degrees the day previous; I was told by my body marker that the air temperature that morning wasn't as cold as the water was going to be, and it was chilly that morning. I didn't have a chance to touch the water before the start of the race, so I grabbed my wetsuit and headed down. Jeff, Kristin, and Jon were on their way, but not due to arrive a bit close to the start of my wave of the swim. I had my phone, keys, and sandals (for the long transition) and wanted to hand off the first two to someone. I realized while I was putting my cap on that I had forgotten my ear plugs back at home.

I watched the blue cap wave (just before my wave) head out into the water a little earlier than I had expected, and I missed part of the pre-swim speech because I was waiting up the hill for my spectators. I called Jeff at 7:51a, left a message to tell him where my stuff was, the headed out for the swim. As I hit the edge of the water my heart sunk - the in-water start was way out in the lake. I paddled out as slowly as I could, but ultimately missed making it to the start area before the whistle was sounded. I put my face in the water and came out with two eyes filled with pond water.

I stopped using a latex swim cap when I started swimming in 2006. I got tired of the latex caps pulling on my hair when I wore them, so I switched over to silicone which I absolutely love. There's a big difference between those two caps, aside from the hair pulling - thickness. With my hair pulled lower than it usually is when I swim and the thickness of the cap much thinner, my goggles weren't as tight as they needed to be, and there was no way I could fix it while in the water. Lose a contact and I would be done (although I did have a spare in the car). To compound matters, my wetsuit had already started to wear me out from the swim out to the start area and what flailing I had done in the water after the start.

I took some time to catch my breath and try to make a reasonable decision. I was ready to call it quits. A fellow swimmer and one of the volunteers in a boat asked me if I was all right because I was breathing quite rapidly. I said I just couldn't catch my breath. Since the wetsuit was an issue, it had to come off, so I pulled it down to my waist. That helped me relax because the water was cool on my skin. Unable to put my face in the water because of my goggles and my rapid breathing, I resigned myself to the back stroke.

My goggles were severely fogged up because of the water that had gotten in them which made sighting hard to do, but some how I made it through the swim. I had a volunteer escort on the way in because I was one of the last swimmers to come in. Once I touched the silty bottom with my hand, I stood up and started wading through the muck. There were two volunteers in the water to help people step onto the hidden edge of the boat ramp. I got onto the ramp without a problem, and was thrilled to see Jeff waiting for me with my sandals.

I had a good 60 second cry once I was on dry land. I didn't have the energy to jog to the transition area, so I walked with Jeff and let out all my frustrations from the swim. A therapy session of sorts. I noticed in the transition area that I was one of the last bikes there. My heart sank again, but I knew there was nothing I could do about it now and I'd have to make up time on the bike and run. With my emotions in check, I was ready to head out on the bike.

The bike route was essentially a folded loop. We went out-and-back in one direction, passed by the transition area half way through, and went out-and-back in the other direction. It was nice to have the transition area ride-by because the spectators were able to cheer for you. I remember three woman who didn't know me screaming "Looking great 399!" and "You go girl!". That put a big smile on my face. Then I rode past my little group and they added to my motivation.

Everything was going great until... I came up to a part of the course where there were railroad tracks and a right-hand turn. There was a line of six or so cars backed up on the road, and the cyclists were hitting the shoulder per the officer's direction. The tracks were at an angle to the road, so I had to adjust my path of travel so I wouldn't get eaten up in the lines. No problem. At some point an officer gave the go-ahead for a car near me to make their turn down the road I needed to be going down. They apparently forgot which pedal was the accelerator. I slowed down as much as I could, didn't unclip thinking they would accelerate some time soon, but hit their passenger side bumper and fell to my left side. The officers asked if I was all right, and I told them "yes" as I gathered myself back together and headed off.

I checked myself over and found an oozing scrape on my left elbow and some road rash on my left knee. A mile or so down the road an officer pulled up next to me and asked if I was all right. I told her that everything felt fine She recognized that the officer at the intersection had goofed and there was nothing I could have done. She told me to "keep up the good work" and headed off. The rest of the bike was uneventful, but it made me wonder what was going to happen on the run.

I transitioned from the bike to the run with no problem. I was tired, but only had two miles left to go, so I put it in gear and headed off. The run was an out-and-back in the campground area. Shortly after getting through the tree line, I walked for 10 seconds to gather myself and grab a quick breather. I was pleasantly cheered on by the other runners, and I returned the favor. It was the last few miles of our race and we were all far from finishing in the top of our respective age group; we were just trying to survive. I hit the turn around point which had a water station, so I grabbed a water, walked so I could down a gulp or two, then continued on. I was thrilled to finally be rounding the corner of the tree line and headed for the finish line just 100m ahead. They called my number and name over the loud speaker, and everyone cheered me through the finish. I picked up my finisher dog tag, turned in my chip, and met up with my group. My race day was done.

Lessons learned:
- For goggles, the tighter the better
- Add ear plugs to the gear list
- No wetsuit needed in 77/78 degree water
- Do longer swims in the wetsuit
- One serving of Clif Bloks/Luna Moons is good for the bike (two is too many)
- Luna Moons have too many pieces to eat; Clif Bloks are less hassle

I haven't decided if I'll do this one again. The silty, marshy waters edge is tough to navigate, particularly with the boat ramp. The end of the swim to the transition area is longer than most races. The bike was flat and fast and fantastic; the run was nice as well. If I hadn't had the time and equipment issues in the swim, I may not have minded the things I mentioned.

Once I pull out my watch times and get the official chip times, I'll post them here.

Update (09/10/08):
Overall Place 166/177
Gender Place 70/75
Age Group Place 10/12

Swim - 0:39:35 (0.6 mi + long walk)
T1 - 0:03:13
Bike - 1:07:12 (17.5 mi)
T2 - 0:01:55
Run - 0:21:06 (2 mi)
Total - 2:13:00 (9.08 mph)

First Open Water Swim

2008-09-05T11:48:00.000-04:00

This morning I went to Greenbrier State Park to test out my open water swimming skills. It was my first time with the wetsuit on in quite a while, and my first open water swim practice. They have an area near the shore roped off for swimming. While it's not truly open water, it's a close enough approximation.

I didn't have any problems with the wetsuit or the sighting. I found that sighting after breathing was the technique that worked best for me because I could breath normally, then move my head to the front, sight, then put my head in the water where it belonged. I can definitely see how it will tire out your neck and back after a while. As well as the wetsuit wearing out your shoulders.

It wasn't as much practice as I wanted to get in before the race, but it'll have to do. It's better than nothing I suppose.

Ear Plugs Are Awesome

2008-08-28T09:49:00.002-04:00

In preparation for my race in just over a week, I hit the pool to gain confidence that I could swim 0.6 miles (1056 yards) in one shot. My last workout had been an 800 yard swim to get me close to my 1050 yard goal, and with how well that workout went, I thought this one would be a piece of cake. Plus, there was one annoying thing I needed to take care of in preparation for my race.

I found the sloshing of water in my ears became more annoying the longer I swam. As I got through 400 yards I could tolerate it, but as I moved into 600 and 700 yards, it was unbearable. And if it was bad at 600 yards, what about at 1000 yards and with many other swimmers kicking up the water? I just might go insane. So I dusted off the ear plugs that I purchased a few years back and decided to try them out.

My ear plugs look like this. I found it hard to get them in at first, but once in, they felt great. As I swam, the flow of water in and out of my ears was gone. And the pool noise was more subtle, which helped me concentrate on what I was doing (counting to two). When I was done, they hurt a little as they popped out, but I guess that's what you get when you have a water-tight seal.

I'm now an advocate for ear plugs when swimming. I might even use them every time I'm in the pool. Maybe.

I Need Rocks in My Pockets

2008-08-22T11:11:00.003-04:00

Ever since high school I've usually weighed between 132 and 135 pounds. And ever since high school I've never really liked my body. I inherited my Mom's genes which meant I was doomed to a short torso, but had the benefit of long arms and legs. To put it in perspective, the top of my hip is just a few inches lower than Jeff's, and he's 6'2" while I'm 5'5". My life may have been very different with those few extra inches. A pro volleyball player...an Olympic swimmer...

And back to reality... While I've been unhappy, I never really did anything to make myself happier. My eating habits weren't bad and I exercised some, but I didn't make an effort to improve on how I was treating my body. Until June of this year.

With Kristin's recommendation, I purchased the Vida One software for my Dell Handheld and PC and began recording what I ate. At first this took a bit of time because I'd have to enter all the nutritional information for every item, but as time went on the entering went quicker since the foods were already there to choose from. On June 23rd I started at 137.2 pounds. This was the heaviest I'd ever been and boy did I feel it physically and emotionally.

I set the goal of having my "race weight" as 130.0 pounds. This meant a 7.2 pound loss in just under 11 weeks; a very doable goal. I didn't want to go for anything drastic because (1) I was in training and didn't want to hurt myself and (2) I wanted my weight loss goal to be an added benefit to my training, not a stressor in my life that I obsessed over (and I have those tendencies). So I began tracking everything that hit my stomach.

At first I found I was eating enough to maintain my weight, so I had to start watching my portion sizes and cut 332 calories out each day. Some days I did better than others, but I didn't worry if ate too much one day; I eased up the next. If I saw that I had only 400 calories left for dinner, I tried to plan out a meal with about 400 calories, which one time meant putting away the extra bratwurst and bun and sticking with just one that night.

At first I weighed myself inconsistently. I'd try to remember after I got home from work, but I didn't always make it to the scale. Part way into my goal I read that weighing yourself in the morning provides you with your most accurate weight because you've been fasting all night, so I started doing that. Plus, it worked out well because I would jump on the scale before getting dressed for work. No matter what time, consistency (same time of day) is the important part.

My scale also measures body fat, and the morning is a bad time to take that measurement, so I try to get that number before I grab dinner. I needed to be careful because if my body fat percentage wasn't going down (or worse, was going up), it meant that I was losing muscle and needed to change something immediately. I started out at (an embarrassing) 31% when I started working out last November; when I started here I was down to 27.5%. That value is generally in the acceptable range, but 25% is the start of the ideal range.

As the weeks past I saw my weight come down gradually. On days that I did a hard workout I would allow myself a Chipotle salad without dressing (not every hard workout, of course). About 6 weeks in, the gradual decline leveled off. I kept up with what I was doing and after a week, my weight started going down again.

On Monday I was 130.4 pounds and beginning to realize that I couldn't remember the last time I saw 129 on any scale. At all the doctor's offices in the past several years it's been 130+ pounds (and all women know that those scales add pounds). During high school and college I didn't step on a scale much. I was excited to be on the cusp of breaking new ground. So on Tuesday I weighed... 130.0 pounds. I shook my head when I saw that number; I couldn't have gotten any closer to 129 pounds than what I did that morning. It was a sick joke played on me, so I laughed. I'd have to wait until tomorrow. Or in reality, yesterday.

I finally broke the 129 pound barrier (and was at 25.6% body fat as well). You'd think I was the guy that broke the 4 minute barrier for the one mile. I was absolutely thrilled, and made sure I woke up Jeff when I kissed him good-bye to tell him the good news.

I can definitely tell a difference in how I look. I'm not so soft around the middle anymore. My pants that used to fit tight in the thighs don't fit so tight anymore. In fact, I have one pair of pants that was a little on the loose side before I started, and now they practically fall off. I haven't taken my new body measurements since hitting this new mark, but will do so soon to compare with the measurements I took earlier. Jeff started noticing a change a few weeks ago and made sure to let me know that he noticed. Overall, I feel awesome. I think I'll keep this new body around for a while.

I think my ultimate goal would be to drop 10 more pounds to put me around 120. More importantly though, I want to continue bringing down my body fat percentage. Since muscle weighs more than fat, I may find that I can't get to 120 pounds, but if my body fat percentage is lower than it is today coupled with a lower weight, that's even better. I'll take it!

Missing the Mark

2008-08-20T11:42:00.000-04:00

And it's official: I've transferred my registration over to the Delaware Diamondman Sprint from the Half Ironman. With the reality of my long term goal (Ironman) fading off into the distance, I reevaluated my short term goal (Half Ironman). As of last night, I was capable of:

- Swimming a mile pool workout (not a continuous mile, but a workout totaling a mile)
- Biking for days (read: doing 56 miles with no trouble)
- Running 5 miles continuously

And this was each event individually. Factor in the sequential nature of the events, and the picture looks very bleak for the run, which would probably turn into a walk. I feel defeated by no one else but myself. I'm defeated, disappointed, and depressed. I could play the what-if game, but it won't get my anywhere. It was my choice not to workout "today" because of "this excuse" or "that excuse". I shifted my workouts to the morning and that helped, but that's only been for the last month or so. And while I can point the finger at work for a couple of weeks, ultimately it was my daily decisions that led me down this path.

Jeff was my first advice-provider last night when I began the dialog of switching over. Kristin was my second advice-provider this morning. I waited to make the final decision until I talked to Kristin, although I had a feeling that she'd be on the same page as Jeff, which is usually the case. She told me that she was wondering when I would come to the realization that I wasn't going to make it. I already knew I had a problem in May. I told her that I appreciated the fact that she didn't say anything until I was ready to hear it.

So, my new race is a 0.6 mile swim, 17.5 mile bike, and a 2 mile run. The swim is longer than my Hagerstown race and is open water, and the run is a mile shorter; I couldn't ask for anything better. I tore through 800 yards in the pool this morning in 22.5 minutes, so I expect I'll be able to tack on the 250 yards that I need without too much issue. I'd like to try and find an Olympic distance Triathlon to finish off my season with, but I'm not going to push it.

Moving My Sights

2008-08-19T15:00:00.000-04:00

A question came up yesterday as I was talking with someone about my Ironman plans - are you planning on working part time next year?

The question threw me for a loop at that moment (the answer was no), but later in the day it made me start thinking about the time commitment needed to do something like that. I will admit that my training plan has led me to a point that I think I'll finish the Half Ironman, but I won't be anywhere near competitive in my age group. Sure, I could have trained more, but realistically how much more? To the point that my training starts interfering with the really important things in my life like my marriage? Or to the point when my quality of life declines and I'm a miserable person? When is it too much?

It was just the other day that I calculated my estimated race time for the Half: 50 min + 3.75 hours + 60 mins = 5 hours, 35 minutes. Wow. Reality really sunk in then - that's a long time. And I want to double that time? Double the race time, double the training? Or triple the training?

The reason I got back into triathlons late last year was because I was successful with my century training plan. My bike skills and endurance were much better than 2005, and I knew I would do fine with swimming, so that left only one event that I needed to improve on greatly. Easier said than done. And since I always set my sights high, I looked all the way ahead to an Ironman as a goal, but put it two years out instead of just one since I knew one year would be tough.

Jeff came to the same conclusion that I did last night - focus on running a marathon first. I have done few foot races in my life (I think I total two 5Ks in all my life, excluding triathlons), and I'm not going to get any better if I have cycling and swimming (and life!) pulling at me all the time. Next season should be spent on improving my running skills. That doesn't mean I can't do any triathlons or centuries (the cross-training will be great for me). In fact, I don't think I could not do any triathlons next year.

So, I think it's time to put away the Ironman goal for now until some things change. I need to work closer than 45 minutes from work so I'm not wasting 1.5 - 2 hours everyday in the car; that time should be for training. And, I need to start out as a better runner than where I am now. So, I think it'll be a few years before I set my sights on an Ironman again.

*Sigh* Why must I be so realistic and logical?

Running Sweet Spot

2008-08-19T09:23:00.002-04:00

I took off for a 5 mile run last Tuesday in some nice weather. I decided to run around the neighborhood to break up the treadmill workouts, and was happy I did. I finally found where my good training zones are:

up to 185 bpm - Comfortable, run "forever" feeling
186-189 bpm - No wheezing, but feeling stressed
190+ bpm - Wheezing and very uncomfortable

What I mean by wheezing is strained breathing. I've been tested for exercise-induced asthma and know that I don't have it, but I sound like a wheezing asthmatic when I push things too far. My endurance is a huge factor because as my endurance increases, my heart rate decreases, so I have less cases of wheezing.

As I get tired, I start to wheeze a few bpms earlier so I have to be more careful where I am in my zones as my run continues. I feel better knowing where I need to be so I can better judge if/when I need to walk to recover.

And for the record, I ran the five miles without stopping (except for one light).

Long Training Session Nutrition

2008-08-08T07:34:00.004-04:00

I attending a nutrition discussion at Metro Run & Walk back in June. Rebecca Mohning works with many local athletes to make sure their nutrition is on-par before, during, and after their events. I figured it was a good way to get some free knowledge about what I should be eating and drinking while training and competing.

For the Hagerstown Sprint Triathlon I wasn't thinking much about nutrition. My main concern was my pre-race intake (which I messed up anyway) to make sure I got started off on the right foot. I had a bottle of Propel for the ride, and I popped down part of a Hammer Gel between the bike and run, drinking water on the run. I am much more concerned about my Half Ironman race coming up and for my long training sessions.

For my 40 mile, 3 hour ride last Saturday, my intake was:
- 21 oz Berry Propel
- 21 oz Lemon Propel

for a total of:
- 42 oz water
- 11.6g carbs (38 calories)
- 116mg sodium
- 0mg potassium
- 0g protein

According to the papers from Rebecca, I should have had:
- 54oz water at a minimum
- 66g carbs per hour = 198g carbs (792 calories)
- 300mg sodium per hour = 900mg sodium
- 120mg potassium per liter
- some protein for long training sessions

And I wonder why I had hunger pains towards the end... So, it's obvious that I am not feeding my body enough during long distance training rides. My stomach is very sensitive, so I think I've gotten into a rut of "well, this works so I'll stick to it" without taking some time to review what I'm doing. But now I'm reviewing.

When I was training for the century last year, I started using Perpetuem when my training mileage hit 50 miles or more. My stomach tolerated it just fine since the flavor was very mild. So, I have that to start figuring in since my next ride should be around 50 miles. That'll add the "some protein" needed for longer training sessions.

I can't mix my water any heavy than it is now. My stomach cramps at the thought of sickening sweet full strength Gatorade (I only drink the Frost line, or grab powder and mix it at half strength). So, I'll have to find a different way to get carbs using gels and the (awesome sounding) Clif SHOT Bloks. Since I love gummy bears, I think this is a viable consideration. Plus, it'll give me a distraction while I'm out riding around alone. I'm sure I can spend miles and miles trying to get the pieces of gummy out of my teeth while not using my fingers.

With the additional intake, I'll have to see what remains on the sodium front. I'm not a heavy sweater, so 300mg/hour should be plenty. If I'm still lacking, I'll have to take Endurolytes. And with all the upgrades, my potassium intake will be better, so I'll have to see if I'm still coming in low or if I'm good to go.

So in summary:
- Increase water intake by carrying larger water bottles and/or CamelBak
- Increase caloric intake by increasing nutrition (Clif SHOT Bloks)
- Increase sodium intake by increasing nutrition; add Endurolytes if necessary
- Increase potassium intake by increasing nutrition (Clif SHOT Bloks)
- Continue to use Perpetuem on rides 50+ miles for protein

More More More!!!

One Plus One Plus One

2008-08-04T08:52:00.005-04:00

I don't remember now who thought of the idea, but it's definitely a good one and something I'll keep in mind. A triathlon relay is a bit like cheating - yes, you complete all the events, but it's with a fresh person for each leg. Although, it is a great way to get some exercise with your friends and have a good time too. Our team is shaping up something like this:

Swim - Kristin or Me
Bike - Me or Kristin
Run - Jeff or Maria-Giulia

Maybe this will be something I pick to do at the beginning of next season - something to break the triathlon bubble early on (instead of waiting until the end of July like this season). That'll give Maria-Giulia plenty of time to break in her new feet, and for Kristin to continue working on her swimming (and hopefully biking too). Jeff can just go out and run forever, so he's ready to go anytime. How exciting! Having an all girl team would be awesome (sorry Jeff). I mean, how many times have you played soccer, softball, or some other team sport and not had enough women?

First Mile or Three Speeds

2008-08-04T08:10:00.005-04:00

My swim workout on Friday was just over a mile (1 mile plus 90 yards). Yippie! My first pool mile! During this workout (as well as my last), I discovered that I finally have the elusive third speed - warm-up pace. I have always had two speeds, training and sprint, but it's the warm-up speed that I've been looking to gain. Now when I warm-up, I'm able to keep my HR low(ish) and relax as I swim. Four strokes per breath the entire way and when I finish, I feel warmed up and not tired. That feels awesome.

An epiphany I had on Friday was the relationship between my flutter kick intensity and my overall endurance in the pool. I discovered that I was likely kicking too hard for an endurance length swim (considered anything over 100m). With those larger muscles engaged, my HR is higher than it should be which is wearing me out quicker than I would like, especially if I expect to swim 1.2 miles in a month. Plus, over the past few workouts I was discovering that my arms weren't as tired as they had been in previous workouts, suggesting that I wasn't pulling enough with my arms (or conversely using my legs too much). With a conscience effort to pull more and kick less, my HR stayed down and my arms were more tired coming out of the pool.

Now all I need is a video camera to help tweek my technique...

"Recent Triathlon Deaths Have Experts Searching for Answers "

2008-08-03T07:09:00.003-04:00

I'm posting the article here for people (like me) who don't want to register on The NY Time's website.

By CHRISTIE ASCHWANDEN

Published: July 28, 2008

WHEN 60-year-old Donald Morehouse and 52-year-old John Hobgood Jr. died in different triathlon events last weekend, they became at least the seventh and eighth triathletes to die during competition this year. Those deaths came just one week after Esteban Neira, 32, died during the New York City Triathlon.

While this does not imply an epidemic — triathlon deaths remain rare — the deaths do share a puzzling resemblance: Like all of the triathlon deaths recorded by USA Triathlon at its sanctioned events in the last two years, they happened during the swim portion of the event, which also includes biking and running.

It is always striking when an athlete dies during an endurance competition, especially a young or well-conditioned athlete presumed to be at the peak of fitness. When Ryan Shay, a 28-year-old marathon champion, collapsed and died during the Olympic marathon trials last fall, even his closest friends and family were shocked. (Tests later determined his death was brought on by an irregular heartbeat that stemmed from an enlarged and scarred heart.)

But what makes the triathlon deaths more mysterious is that they all occurred during the first part of the race. Deaths during marathons tend to be more evenly distributed over the course of the 26.2 miles, with the largest grouping in the last mile, said Dr. William Roberts, a professor of family medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School and the medical director of the Twin Cities Marathon, who has studied marathon deaths in the United States.

The deaths of Mr. Morehouse (at the Spudman Triathlon in Burley, Idaho, an event not sanctioned by USA Triathlon) and Mr. Hobgood (at the New Jersey State Triathlon) are under investigation by medical authorities, as is Mr. Neira’s. Hundreds of thousands of people have taken part in triathlons over the last four years, and with just 23 deaths recorded by USA Triathlon since 2004 (not including last weekend’s deaths), the timing could be a statistical anomaly. But this much is clear: 18 of those 23 deaths occurred during the swim portion.

“There have been some striking similarities among recent fatalities,” said Kathy Matejka, the director of event services at USA Triathlon, which does not track the total number of triathlon participants. At least seven of those who died this year, she said, were men with “some measure of experience with the sport.”

Despite these similarities, a precise cause of death remains elusive in many cases. News reports suggest that at least three of this year’s deaths were linked to heart problems, but it is unclear whether those problems were primed to happen imminently or may not have happened until later without the race as a trigger.

No one knows for sure why deaths are more common during the swim portion of triathlons, but researchers have some intriguing theories. Public accounts of this year’s fatalities indicate that the athletes seemed outwardly healthy, and in some cases autopsies turned up no obvious cause of death, such as blocked arteries.

The combination of apparent good health and a negative autopsy suggests a fatality caused by abnormal heart rhythms, said Dr. Pamela Douglas, a Duke University cardiologist who has studied triathletes.

Evidence suggests that swimming may trigger a certain type of cardiac arrhythmia caused by a genetic condition called long QT syndrome, said Dr. Michael Ackerman, a cardiologist and the director of the Windland Smith Rice Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. About 1 in 2,000 people are born with a heart condition that causes a glitch in the heart’s electrical system, and the most common of these is called long QT syndrome, after the tell-tale interval on an electrocardiogram.

The long QT heart recharges itself sluggishly between beats, and that delay sets up the potential for a skipped beat, Dr. Ackerman said. When the problem strikes, the heart’s electrical system can go haywire, degenerating into a potentially fatal arrhythmia.

Dr. Ackerman’s research team has identified several genetic forms of long QT syndrome, and one of those seems especially bothered by swimming, he said. He’s still not sure why, but sees one clue in a Japanese study several years ago that found that irregular heartbeats occur more commonly during swimming than during the same level of aerobic activity on land.

"It’s not that swimming is horrendously dangerous and running is not,” Dr. Ackerman said. “It’s really a perfect storm that needs to happen.”

“It requires a second hit,” he said, “something to irritate it, and we know that swimming is one of those triggers, but it’s not going to be the absolute trigger.” An expert could detect most cases of long QT syndrome on an electrocardiogram, he said.

Whether a race begins with a swim or a run, Dr. Douglas said, the adrenaline rush at the start could aggravate conditions like long QT syndrome, because adrenaline and its related hormones can make the heart more prone to arrhythmias. Physical exertion won’t create a heart problem where none existed, she said, but it can create problems for people with underlying cardiac disease.

Any medical problem in the water is more likely to turn fatal than one that arises during a bike ride or a run. “Water is not a forgiving environment,” Dr. Douglas said. “It’s really hard when you’re swimming to sit down and say ‘I’m going to take a breather.’ ” Sudden fainting remains the classic warning sign of an underlying arrhythmia problem. “If you faint while running a race and your heart snaps back into sync 10 or 30 seconds later, you wake up,” Dr. Ackerman said. “If it happens in the water, even if your heart regains rhythm 30 seconds later, now you’re underwater.”

Many triathletes point to the swim as a triathlon’s most stressful segment. Most swims take place in open, often cold, water with hundreds or thousands of other swimmers vying for position. “Nothing can prepare a newbie for the start,” said Russ Evenhuis, a triathlete in Olympia, Wash. “It can be like jumping into a washing machine. You will get swum over, kicked, hit and banged into.”

A triathlon’s open-water swim hardly resembles the pools where most triathletes train, said Neil Cook, a New York City based triathlete and coach. “There is no wall 25 yards away, you can’t see the bottom and the 50 to 150 people around you are more than you’ve probably swam with in total during your training,” he said. “Oh, and you are wearing this wetsuit that’s tighter than a girdle and you can’t breathe.” Raise your heart rate and blood pressure under those conditions, he said, and “any weakness you have will become apparent.”

Fabian Quesada, 42, of Brooklyn prepared for the New York City Triathlon by taking part in an open-water training session with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program. “They have trained coaches who tell you what to expect,” he said.

Still, Mr. Quesada had a bout of anxiety his first time swimming in open water. “Even though the wetsuit keeps you buoyant, it’s very restrictive, and you panic because it’s tight,” he said. “You’re out in the open water where you can’t touch the ground. It can be an overwhelming experience.”

Triathlons normally hold meetings to brief participants on safety procedures, some of which are standard practice. For instance, “If you’re in the water and you have a problem, you’re supposed to stop and raise your hand,” said Dr. Doug Hiller, the chief medical officer for the International Triathlon Union, the sport’s worldwide governing body.

Ms. Matejka of USA Triathlon said her organization is committed to safety and will ask its experts to look for lessons in this year’s deaths, but as of yet, the group has no major changes planned.

“Speaking as a 20-plus-year triathlete, I wouldn’t change a thing,” said Andrew Hunt, the medical director for USA Triathlon.

“Do I think open-water swimming is inherently dangerous? No I don’t,” he said. Regarding the number of swim deaths, he said last week: “You can’t just look at the numerator, you have to look at the denominator — my guess is that that number is probably in the six figures. Six out of a hundred thousand isn’t that many.”

But no one really knows what the denominator is, because USA Triathlon does not keep records of how many people participate in its races. While the number of USA Triathlon members has risen from 53,254 in 2004 to 100,674 in 2007, those numbers don’t account for every person who races because nonmembers can buy a one-day license for individual events.

There’s no way to regulate away risk, Dr. Hunt said, and some triathletes say that’s part of the sport’s appeal.

“We want to push the limit of our comfort zone and experience life,” said Joe Bator, 37, of Boston, who has competed in triathlons for three years.

“Sure we want to minimize those risks,” he said. “But when it is time to race and put on that number, we need to be willing to push just a little bit more and get just a little bit more uncomfortable. If we don’t, we will never know what we are capable of achieving.”

Skipping A Beat

2008-08-02T05:49:00.006-04:00

As I was checking out CrossFit (something my boss had mentioned to me that friends of his were doing) the other day (07/31/08), I came across a link from The NY Times that discussed triathlon deaths. I was curious to see what it said, so I clicked and read on. Apparently 18 of the 23 deaths recorded (not including two recent deaths) by USAT since 2004 have occurred during the swim. These weren't inexperienced athletes, but people in good health with at least some experience doing a triathlon. There are theories as to what is happening, and they involve abnormal heart rhythms, a.k.a. cardiac arrhythmia. This got me a little nervous, so I read on.

An aside...Back in the summer of 2001 I started noticing that my heart felt like it was skipping a beat when I was at rest. It would take my breath away, so I would cough and my HR would return to normal. It went on for some time, then I decided it was time to see a doctor. After several tests, the cardiologist determined that I had an sinus arrhythmia and that it was nothing to worry about. I went on my way, and for six years I only had a few mild episodes, but this summer my symptoms returned with full force.

Last month I decided it was a good idea to get a physical amidst all this additional physical exercise I was getting. I mentioned it to my GP so he took an EKG. Everything looked fine except for the sinus arrhythmia that was evident. He requested I get the test result notes from my cardiologist so he could better understand the diagnosis, so I did (I was curious as well because I hadn't done much research when I was first diagnosed).

And back...Reading on in the article I learned that the likely arrhythmia causing these deaths is long QT syndrome. The heart is slow recharging itself which is a good setup for skipping a beat. There was a study performed in Japan that showed swimming causes more irregular heartbeats than the same level of aerobic activity on land. It won't cause problems where none exist, but the adrenalin and associated hormones can aggravate a heart with underlying cardiac dysfunction. And that was my cue to stop being nervous: adrenalin.

As I learned through later research, a sinus arrhythmia can be aggravated by the simple act of breathing. Generally these arrhythmias are benign and cause no issues except for the occasional episode of a skipped or sped up beat. My episodes occur when I'm sitting still - driving in the car, sitting in a meeting, watching television. I've never had an episode while working out, and since it is evident (from all previous tests) that I have no underlying structural problems with my heart that would cause other issues (yet, lets be reasonable), I'm good to go for a while. A Long QT heart is aggravated by exercise and adrenalin, a completely different situation. So while my heart may skip a beat or two while I'm vegetating, I have no worries while I'm pumping out 40 laps in the pool or 100 miles on the road.

Hagerstown Sprint Recap

2008-07-28T07:51:00.005-04:00

Saturday night brought fitful sleep, but at 4:30a my alarm went off and I started prepping for the race. Mentally I was far from being ready; it made me nervous. I could have easily gone downstairs and folded laundry and not have missed racing that day. But, I got myself ready.

At 5:15a, I hit the road to Hagerstown. I wasn't able to find my bike computer, but since I had another one, I hoped that it would suffice. I didn't have my usual Basmati rice for the pre-event feed, so I grabbed very stale Ritz. The ride up was uneventful, and I hit the park around 5:45a, grabbing a prime parking spot right near check-in and the transition area. I checked-in, got my body markings, and grabbed my bike so I could pick out a rack spot. I took my time setting everything up at my transition area since the race meeting wasn't until 6:45a, and I knew I would be sitting around quite a bit after that.

The race meeting came and went, and I got all my questions answered. I was all set...to sit around. I was about 227 people into the swim, and figuring that I'm an average swimmer at an 8 minute swim time, I had 2.5 hours before I would hit the pool (turns out I was pretty close; I hit the pool around 2:20). The weather at 7a, when the first swimmers hit the pool, was great. At 9:30a, the sun was out and it was humid. Yuck.

Kristin and Jeff came out to support me, and I got to chat with them a bit before I got called over to stand in the swim line. It was awesome that they came out. The woman next to me in line was doing her first triathlon and had fear and nerves written all over her face. She was my lane buddy for the swim, and I told her to do the race at her pace - whatever made her comfortable. And then it was our turn. We jumped into the water and had about 20 seconds to get ready. The water took my breath away (they had had a hail storm the night before), but I quickly warmed up to it and was ready to go. 3, 2, 1, go! After lap 2 I lost count, and that wasn't the best thing. At lap 3 I was expecting the one-to-go notice, but didn't get it. And then at lap 4 I didn't get it. I felt like I was swimming forever. At lap 5 I got the call, and was greatful to be almost be done. The water in my right eye google was annoying me the whole swim. I probably pushed a little harder than I would have liked, but remembering back to my swim in 2005, this was much better. I got out of the pool and headed for the transition area. I finally started my watch since I had forgotten at the start of the swim. Oops!

Socks, shoes, gloves, sunglasses, helmet, kiss for Jeff, and go. It took about 10 minutes to be rid of the disorientation of the swim and transition and finally relax into the bike. I was very aware of the sun being out since there was little to no shade on the ride. I now wondered if I had enough liquid. Turn after turn, mile after mile. I was passed by four people, and passed four, so I had a net of zero on the ride. Woo hoo! I pushed the last quick mile into the park and was back where I started 11.5 miles before.

Switch shoes, gu and water, gloves off, helmet off, number on, off again. I'm beat. I make it out of the transition area and grab a few walking moments to gather myself. I skip the 0.8 mile water stop since no one is handing out anything and I felt fine. Walking a little more. I see some spectators, so I pick up the pace. Kristin and Jeff are there, and Jeff wants the kiss that he didn't get at the transition. We succeed in exchanging a smooch without bashing faces while I'm running and he's standing still. How cute! I run to the next water stop, grab some water, and walk until I'm finished with the drink. Then I'm running again, but walking up the hills. Walk through the next water stop at 2 miles; 1.1 miles to go. I'm now mostly running, but grabbing a few moments of walking when my breathing becomes very labored. I walk through the final water stop at 2.5 miles and set off to finish the race. I have to grab a few moments walking to catch my breath shortly thereafter, but with the cheering on by another runner, I gather myself and head for the finish.

I finish strong, but I'm really beat (duh!). I get my bottle of water and sip it. Kristin and Jeff meet me at the finish and I get a hug and a kiss from Jeff. I'm about ready to rip my shoes off my feet. I don't, but instead I gather everything from the transition area and start heading to the car for the ride home. I did it - my first race since 2005 and I finished. Yay!

Lessons learned:
- Register early for this race
- Analyze my nutrition more closely, especially for the pre-race meal and bike
- No events the evening before (family thing this time); this should be prep time
- Heat does terrible things to my run; adjust accordingly (as I did)

Once I get my swim split and rankings, I'll add them here.

Update (08/02/08):
Well, between my cycling computer and the official splits, I have my times (they missed my bike end time which mucked up my bike time and T2 time). And here are the results:

Swim - 0:08:37 (300 m)
T1 - 0:01:32
Bike - 0:40:22 (11.5 miles)
T2 - 0:02:45
Run - 0:35:18 (3.1 miles)
Total - 1:28:34.2 (10.02 mph)

First Bike/Run Brick

2008-07-23T17:43:00.002-04:00

My first race of the season is in 4 days, so I figured that it was about time I did a bike/run brick to (hopefully) build confidence. I planned a 10 mile out-and-back bike ride and a 3 mile out-and-back run before work to make logistics easy. At 4:30a my alarm went off and it was tough getting up (I usually get up at 5:30a). But I rolled out of bed and got on the road.

The bike went fine, and as it turns out there's a great 5 mile out turn-around, so that was perfect. I wore my triathlon suit to do a test ride/run (I wore this suit in 2005) since I was particularly concerned with the thin layer of padding in the shorts as compared to my usual well-padded parts. The first 100m or so was a little tough as I wasn't sure I was actually going to be able to sit on my saddle, but after that I was all warmed up and had no issue sitting comfortably.

The "transition" was quick, and I was running within 2 minutes of getting off the bike. My ride was flat and quick, just like Sunday's race, and my legs felt fine coming off the bike. The problem I had was with my heart rate being a little high. It was a little humid this morning so I was up a couple of beats, and at 190 bpm I found it hard to keeping running. After walking for around 2 minutes, my HR came down and I got back to running. At the halfway mark, I was feeling stressed again, so I walked another 2 minutes or so and felt much better, and was able to finish out the run.

Overall I felt that this was a successful brick (I finished it after all!). While I did have to walk twice, it helped me overall because I was able to run longer and more comfortably. The numbers broke down like this:

10 mile bike - 35:54.6
Transition - 1:41.3
~3 mile run - 38:24.2

180 avg HR
194 max HR

I Could Have Been A Statistic

2008-07-23T12:45:00.002-04:00

All your life you get harassed - if you have siblings, it's from a brother or sister; in school - a bully, or maybe the popular kids if you're not one; as a teenager - parents. But then you become an adult and the harassment goes away, right? Wrong.

My accomplishment today (I'll write about that later) has been forever tarnished by what happened while I was out on the trail. I was in the run portion of my bike/run brick, on my way in on an out-and-back. There are usually several Hispanic young men who I see riding their bikes on the trail when I'm out, and I always look straight ahead and keep on running (the benefit of cycling on the trail is that I'm going much faster so my interaction is very little). I usually get a creepy longing stare I see out of the corner of my eye or a quick "hello" from these particular guys. The iPod makes it easy to ignore any remarks, though the music is low or not playing so I do hear them. A quick aside...

Anytime I'm out alone cycling, but more so for running, I'm always keeping an eye on the situation around me. I'm a confident young woman and I project that when I'm out. I generally don't make eye contact (I need to research and see if this is a good thing to be doing) with others unless I get a friendly greeting, and sometimes not even then. I consider every person a possible attacker and that keeps me on edge with my brain always thinking about where I am and what I would do to get away. I don't care what color your skin is or your gender, you could be an attacker. Back to my story...

So one of these young guys rides by me. About 100m down the trail he twists around on his bike, still rolling forward. I figure he's going for another look at me (pig). He twists back around and keeps going. Little did I know that his buddy was slowing down to interact with me. It went something like this:

[Young man slows down on his bike, although I don't know this since he's coming up from behind. I don't have my iPod since I'm training as I'll run on Sunday]

YM: Hey baby, whatcha doing?
W: (no answer, staring straight ahead)
YM: Hey, whatcha doing?
W: I'm out running, now keep on moving. (said with confidence)
YM: (says something else)
W: Keep on moving. (said with confidence)

The young man rolls away, albeit slowly; I think I'm in the clear, but I've already noticed that I don't see anyone on the trail in front of me and I'm not in a residential section of the trail. About 25 m down the trail I see him pull out his cell phone. I now think he's calling his buddies to intercept me further down the trail and I don't have my cell phone on me. I'm in serious trouble. After his call he turns back around and starts heading in my direction. Great.

YM: Hey honey.
W: (no answer)
YM: Hey honey. I know you.
W: (no answer)

He rolls on away from me and I don't look back. Shortly after the interaction I hit a residential section of the trail. Do I bail? No, there are people on the trail in front of me. I'm not counting on them to help me; just to deter an attach. So I keep going. I take the opportunity to look back and he's not there; nor is anyone else. I hit the next residential area; people on the trail ahead so I keep going. Each step felt like an eternity, and I was ever so glad to be back at my car. I relaxed and buried my face in my towel and had a good cry for a few minutes.

I took self-defense from a couple of Kung Fu instructors several years back, then went to their studio and continued my study. So, I'm trained in how to defend myself without the aid of anything, but with this being my first real interaction with a harasser/possible attacker, it really unnerved me. I maybe would have pretended to dial someone when I was first approached, and maybe gone to 911 after I saw him talk on his phone, but an attack occurs within seconds so maybe having my cell phone would have been mute. I feel like my confidence helped me out, but I am still a little shaken up. Why can't I be a 6'2" white male?

BPA and Me

2008-07-14T07:30:00.002-04:00

One of the most recent health scares has been bisphenol A (BPA). I'm not the type of person to jump on the out-of-my-mind-with-fear bandwagon and do whatever I hear is the best way to save myself, so I've been considering the sources and doing some of my own research to determine how I feel about the situation.

Anytime I look up research on the internet, I consider who funded the study or who is making the statements to determine their validity and where their opinion may be skewed. For example, take this website:

http://www.bisphenol-a.org/

They state that "Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the most extensively tested materials in use today. BPA has been safely used in consumer products and researched and studied for over 40 years." They site research that supports their claims. But go look at the media contact: American Chemistry Council. Hmmm. Would you expect them to say anything other than that BPA is safe? I think not.

Now lets go over to this website:

http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/media/questions/sya-bpa.cfm

I consider the NIH a pretty good source of good information. It is the government after all, so maybe there should be some skepticism because of that fact (there were government and non-government scientists on the panel). But, I'll stick with them to find out the truth with BPA. The panel summary says that for adults, there is "negligible concern for adverse reproductive effects following exposures in the general population to bisphenol A" and "for highly exposed subgroups, such as occupationally exposed populations, the level of concern is elevated to minimal". There's more to it than just that as the review of the Board's findings as well as public comments suggested that the type of lab research may not be enough to produce the real story and that the danger maybe be higher than the Board suggested, but it gives you an approximate level of concern.

So what am I going to do with my collection of Nalgene bottles? I'm not going to relegate them all to the trash today. The older ones, which I have read are more prone to leaching BPA, will probably hit the trash in the near future. I've also read that exposing the bottles to high tempertures (either by placing in the dishwasher or putting hot liquids in the them) increases leaching. Since most (or maybe all) of my bottles fit in one or both of those categories (and hence why I did the research), I'll slowly replace my collection with BPA-free bottles. Nalgene makes a new line of bottles made with the Eastman Tritan Copolyester, a BPA-free material, so I'll consider going down that road. I like the weight of PC as well as the durability, both of which you may not get in metal (but be careful of the type of metal) or glass bottles.

But what will they find wrong with Tritan in 10 years time (a question from Jeff, the eternal realist)?

Races for 2009

2008-07-13T12:08:00.013-04:00

Even though I'm in the middle of training this year, I need to start looking ahead to next year because registration is starting to open (and close!) for some of the larger events. Many of my triathlon club buddies are competing in races this year, and based on their race reports, I'm going to look into those same races for 2009. So, I'll use this post to track what others have done, and the races I have found, and tally a watch list.

SPRINT
05/04/08 - New Jersey Devilman (Cumberland County, NJ) 0.45 mi/23.5 mi/4 mi
05/18/08 - Little Pepper (Culpeper, VA)
06/01/08 - Cascade Lake (Hampstead, MD) 0.31 mi/15 mi/3.1 mi
06/17/08 - Tri-to-Win (Westminster,MD)
06/29/08 - Ladies Y-Tri (York, PA)
08/03/08 - Patriot's Triathlon (Bath, PA) 650m (0.4 mi)/15 mi/3 mi
08/17/08 - Lums Pond (Bear, DE) 0.5 mi/19.5 mi/3 mi
09/07/08 - Delaware Diamond Triathlon (Bear, DE) 0.6 mi/17.5 mi/2 mi
09/14/08 - Marshman (Downington, PA) 0.25 mi/12.5 mi/2 mi
09/28/08 - Cape Henlopen (Lewes, DE) 0.25 mi/14 mi/3.1 mi
10/12/08 - Brierman (Boonsboro,MD) 0.45 mi/21 mi/4.9 mi

OLYMPIC
05/18/08 - Columbia (Columbia, MD) Olympic
06/28/08 - Escape from Fort Delaware (Delaware City, DE) 1500m/40k/10k
06/29/08 - General Smallwood (Indianhead, MD) 1500m/40k/10k
07/12/08 - Diamond in the Rough (Perryville, MD) 1 mi/27 mi/5 mi
Current and light chop/wind waves, nasty mile 22 hill, flat run
06/29/08 - Spirit of Morgantown (Morgantown, WV) 1500m/40k/6.55 mi
07/20/08 - Suzuki Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA) 1500m/40k/10k

HALF LITE
08/03/08 - Patriot's Triathlon (Bath, PA) 1300m (0.81 mi)/41 mi/7.6 mi
10/12/08 - Brierman (Boonsboro,MD) 0.85 mi/40 mi/9.3 mi

HALF IRONMAN/70.3 Series
05/04/08 - New Jersey Devilman (Cumberland County, NJ)
07/13/08 - Musselman (Geneva, NY)
Full festival all weekend (Inside Triathlon highlighted as top event)
06/29/08 - Spirit of Morgantown (Morgantown, WV)
07/13/08 - Amica 70.3 (Providence, RI)
07/20/08 - Vineman 70.3 (Sonoma County, CA)
07/27/08 - Newfoundland 70.3 (Corner Brook, Newfoundland)
08/02/08 - Steelhead 70.3 (Benton Harbor, MI)
08/03/08 - Antwerp 70.3 (Antwerp, Belgium)
08/10/08 - Germany 70.3 (Wiesbaden/Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis, Germany)
08/17/08 - Timberman 70.3 (Gilford, NH)
09/07/08 - Delaware Diamond Triathlon (Bear, DE)
09/07/08 - Monaco 70.3 (Monaco, Spain)
09/07/08 - Singapore 70.3 (Singapore, Malaysia)
09/14/08 - Brasil 70.3 (Penha, SC Brazil)
09/14/08 - Muskoka 70.3 (Huntsville, Ontario, Canada)
09/21/08 - Cancun 70.3 (Cancun, Quintana Roo, México)
10/05/08 - Longhorn 70.3 (Austin, Texas)
11/08/08 - Foster Grant World Championships 70.3 (Clearwater, FL)
Qualification Only
01/18/09 - Cristal 70.3 (Pucon, Chile)
01/18/09 - Spec-Savers 70.3 (Buffalo City, South Africa)
02/08/09 - Snap Geelong 70.3 (Geelong, Victoria, Australia)
04/04/09 - Ford California 70.3 (Oceanside, CA)
04/05/09 - Ochsner 70.3 (New Orleans, LA)
04/19/09 - China 70.3 (Haikou, Hainan, China)
05/03/09 - St. Croix 70.3 (St. Croix, US Virgin Islands)
05/17/09 - Ford Florida 70.3 (Orlando, FL)
05/24/09 - Austria 70.3 (St. Pölten, Vienna)
05/30/09 - Ford Hawai'i 70.3 (Kohala Coast, Hawai'i)
06/??/09 - United Kingdom 70.3 (UK)
06/07/09 - Switzerland 70.3 (Rapperswil-Jona, Lake of Zurich)
06/13/09 - Boise 70.3 (Boise, ID)
06/14/09 - Eagleman 70.3 (Cambridge, MD)
06/14/09 - Kansas 70.3 (Lawrence, KS)
06/28/09 - Buffalo Springs Lake 70.3 (Lubbock, TX)
08/16/09 - Lake Stevens 70.3 (Lake Stevens, WA)

IRONMAN
07/06/08 - Frankfurter Sparkasse Ironman European Championship (Frankfurt, Germany)
07/13/08 - Austria Ironman (Klagenfurt, Austria)
07/13/08 - Switzerland Ironman (Zurich, Switzerland)
07/13/08 - Austria Ironman (Klagenfurt, Austria)
07/20/08 - Ford Ironman USA Lake Placid (Lake Placid, NY)
08/24/08 - Subaru Ironman Canada (Penticton, B.C. Canada)
08/31/08 - Ford Ironman Louisville (Louisville, KY)
09/07/08 - Ford Ironman Wisconsin (Madison, WI)
09/07/08 - Ironman UK Triathlon (Sherborne, Dorset, UK)
10/11/08 - Ford Ironman Championships (Kona, Hawai'i)
11/01/08 - Ford Ironman Florida (Panama City Beach, FL)
11/23/08 - Ford Ironman Arizona (Tempe, AZ)
12/07/08 - Ironman Western Australia Triathlon (Busselton, Australia)
02/28/09 - Lotto Ironman Langkawi Malaysia Triathlon (Langkawi, Malaysia)
03/07/09 - Bonita Ironman New Zealand (Taupo, New Zealand)
04/??/09 - Ironman China (Haikou, Hainan, China)
04/05/09 - Panthers Ironman Australia (Port Macquarie, Australia)
04/05/09 - Spec-Savers Ironman South Africa (Port Elizabeth, South Africa)
05/23/09 - Ironman Lanzarote Canarias (Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain)
05/31/09 - Brasil Telecom Ironman (Florianopolis Island, Brazil)
06/??/09 - Ironman Japan (Goto, Nagasaki)
06/21/09 - Ford Ironman USA Coeur d'Alene (Coeur d'Alene, ID) SOLD OUT
06/28/09 - Ironman France (Nice, France)

Ironman Series
Piranha-Sports Series

Perfect Storm #2

2008-07-09T14:05:00.002-04:00

The clouds have opened up again. Last week I spent two days away from the office (read: away from the gym) in software training, then five days working on the house in preparation for a special event on the 12th. Jeff and I ran on the 1st so it wasn't totally a dry week. Then this week I've been super busy (read: not getting enough sleep) with special event preparations because I'm getting on a plane in a few hours and heading across the country until Friday early-evening. This trip for work could not have come at a worse time. I'm spending more time in airports and on a plane then I will at the actual meeting. Ugg. Then with the event on Saturday and having to work on Sunday, I won't be riding this weekend. I'll probably get a day off later in the week next week, but I'm not sure that I want to be in the high-traffic areas of my ride on a weekday. I'll have to put on my cojones if I do, or shorten/change the route if I don't.

Sometimes life just really irritates me, but at least I'm living it. At least this will only be a two week dry spell; I have a race on the 27th and I don't want to perform at it like I did in the 5K.

Normal is Boring

2008-07-05T08:51:00.002-04:00

Kristin sent me a link a few weeks back about someone else who strives to be different. Her name is Roz Savage and rowing solo across the Atlantic Ocean wasn't good enough for her, so she decided to row solo across the Pacific Ocean, which is what she's up to right now. You can read all about her adventures here. She decided that her day-to-day life wasn't what she wanted it to be, so she left it all behind and set sail.

I'm not sure how my century ride measures up to what Roz is doing, but I suppose it's a start. It's not only a physical journey, but psychological and emotional as well. When I stood at the start line last year, I had a moment of trepidation as I knew 100 miles lay in front of me with unknown consequences and rewards. One mile at a time I rolled along and several hours later I shed a tear as I completed my first century. I currently have my next "crazy" goal of completing an Ironman. But what after that? I heard raising kids is pretty insane. ;O) Maybe another century or four, or maybe a double century? Many people complete a century, but fewer ride a double. May the Death Valley double. Yikes! Put me in a straight jacket and save me from myself!

I chatted with Kristin after she sent me that link, and we decided that we would be each others right-hand woman for something crazy. It's much more fun to share something insane with someone else, and Kristin is the best person for me. We're loosely thinking of riding across the United States on our bikes. We'll have to have a purpose - something to raise money for and make people aware of. We'll need a SAG wagon, and we'll have to meet as many people along the way as we can. There will be a website for blogging and tracking our journey. Plus plenty of other logistical things that I haven't even begun to considered. It's a thought somewhere on the back burner. Kristin needs to get healthy, and we'll need to be sick of our jobs. In due time.

VidaOne Two Three

2008-07-04T22:44:00.007-04:00

I began to wonder, with all the working out I was doing (or at least imagined I was doing), why I was seeing little change in my body other than a few extra muscle lines. Kristin recommended a program for my Dell Axim X50v, so I thought I would give it a try. It's the VidaOne MyPersonalDiet software (I also purchased the VidaOne Diet and Fitness for my laptop so I could sync everything in case I lost one of my systems). It's all right, but I've noticed a few bugs. I think I'll keep a running list here, and then send them all to Tech Support at some point down the line. Feel free to skip that section since it's probably boring until you have the program.

For the overall picture, I have entered a diet goal to be 7.2 pounds lighter than my weight on 06/23/08 (137.2 lb) for race day, 09/07/08. I figured it's something simple to shoot for. I'm already OCD enough with weighing out my foods and tracking what I can; I don't need something else like losing lots of weight to drive me to insanity. What I found after tracking myself for a few days is that I'm eating enough to sustain, not to lose weight. So, I need ease up on the food a bit, and exercise more. More of the exercising more thing than the eating less thing.

Bugs:
(1) If I enter 8.4 or 8.9 into the Total Carbs category, it turns into 8.400001 and 8.900001, respectively. If I enter 9.4 into the Calcium category, it turns into 9.400001.
(2) After entering a diet goal, I had a message that said "Congratulations, you have gained 0.2 lb and are on track with your diet...". My goal was to lose weight so this is definitely NOT what I was looking to be congratulated on.
(3) When starting on Jun 28, 2008 on the Health Record screen and using the right blue arrow, I jumped to Saturday Feb 06, 2106 then Thursday Jan 01, 1970 then Monday Jun 23, 2008. This is a result of having a Health record entered on 02/06/2106 (not me!) and no Health record on 01/01/1970. There were no Health records entered after 06/28/08 at this point, and there had been a syncing error recently (see 4)
(4) Currently I can't sync the Health records between my computer and handheld due to a database issue and runtime error. I reported this to Tech Support 07/04/08.
(5) When I choose to display my body fat "From state of diet", "Past 30 days (by week)", "Past 3 months (by week)", "Past 6 months (by week)", or "Last month" it says -1.8%, but the graph points show an increasing slope.
(6) When adding a food and adding the nutrients, if I choose to edit Calcium (at the bottom of the scroll bar), the bar that shows which nutrient I'm editing will jump down to Iron and remain there until I enter the number I want and choose another nutrient, at which point the bar will jump back up to Calcium. The number gets entered correctly, but the jumping bar is an issue.
(7) If I scroll too fast across the screen, the display gets jumbled (words mashed together). I have to exit and reenter that screen to correct the issue.
(8) Looking at a graph of my Calorie intake from 07/04/08: "The goal is to lose 332 cal and you lost 306. The goal is met at this moment." Eh, not really. What is the tolerance on the number of calories? Apparently at least 16.

Annoyances:
(1) I saw a diet result saying "You have gained 0.0 lb since you started your diet...". I neither gained nor lost weight, so this message should read differently.
(2) There is no way to browse the foods in the library without adding a meal or editing one already entered.
(3) You can't change the time of an entry after it's entered. If you goof on the A/P character, this means you have to delete the whole entry and start over.
(4) There is no way to delete the foods that came with the program. Chances are that I'm not going to eat many of these so I'd like to make the food list as short as possible (consider giving the user the option to import these foods or starting clean).
(5) I can only track: Calories, Fat, Cholesterol, Sodium, Potassium, Carbohydrates, Protein, Calcium, Iron, and Phosphorus; what about all the other vitamins and minerals out there?
(6) The diet results are summarized, but they don't always say over what interval ("On average..." over what period?). I'd like to see these explicitly written out.
(7) After choosing a date and time for a meal, if you go back to edit the meal, you cannot edit those fields. Thankfully I've only done it a few times, but it's annoy to have to delete a meal because it was at 12:30A instead of 12:30P.
(8) The serving sizes include conversions into ounces which don't always apply. For example, 1 cup IS 8 fl oz, but a cup of lettuce is NOT 8 oz. This is an issue when nutrients are entered, specifically fat, protein, and carbohydrates, and the resulting calorie count is heavier than the ounces of the serving. The program MAKES you change something, which means that the serving size isn't necessarily what you want it to be.
(9) I'd like the option of the serving size to be # "something"; 1 roll, 1 slice, etc. I've been reduced to using 1 ounce (of 1 cup, 1 liter), then including in the notes that 1 ounce/cup/liter = 1 piece of sushi, for example.

3.1 Down, 10 to Go

2008-07-04T11:36:00.003-04:00

Running outside is much better than in the gym. Well, for the most part; in the gym I don't get whistled at, but that's what my iPod is for. Jeff has been doing some running in recent weeks to help out with his soccer endurance, and he's asked me if I wanted to go. Knowing that my recent running has been lackluster, I've told him to go without me.

On June 27th I went out for a run. Again, it was the hottest day of the week like my June 10th run. I was trying to think more positively, so instead of "I'm not a runner" it was "I can do this". I was able to sustain 2 miles, followed by 0.5 miles of walking to relieve cramps, followed by another mile of running. It wasn't much compared to where I need to be, but it was something and it ignited my belief that yes, I can do this. The next day I hit the road for a 28.5 mile ride, and boy was I hurting that night from those two workouts. It was a good hurt though.

On Tuesday Jeff asked me if I wanted to hit the road with him. With my recent success, I said "sure" and that I wanted to do a 5K. He planned out a route and off we went. Mile 1 came and went. At mile 2 I was feeling my "mile 2 cramps" although less severe than before, and I was able to run through those. We had the option of taking a street near the house, or one a block over; I opted for a block over because I didn't want the temptation to turn home. Mile 2.5 came and went and the end was in sight. Neither of us could remember if the route had been 3.1 miles (we were guessing 3.03 miles), so we turned towards the house and ran past it (oh the pain!) to the end of our block. And 3.16 miles were in the books.

I Needed That

2008-06-16T12:25:00.002-04:00

After getting home at midnight Friday night, I decided that hitting the road Saturday morning wasn't in the cards, so I moved my ride to Sunday morning. Sunday morning started like every other ride prep with waking up early (5:00a this time), and spending an hour getting gear, drink and food together. I hit the road at 6:00a with a 22.4 mile route planned out.

This was my first ride since Bike to Work Day on May 16th. That trip was a 22 mile round trip, so I didn't think matching that mileage would be a problem. What I didn't realize was how "not a problem" it was going to be.

My first test on this route was at 4.5 mile hill, aptly named because this is a very common route out to the Frederick countryside, and it hits me right about 4.5 miles into the ride. I knew this hill needed a name since it and I have quite the history. When I first started riding last year, I would end up with my heart rate pounding at 200+ bpm at the top. After learning how to properly climb hills, I was able to keep my HR under 200, and based on my fitness level, it continued to drop. Sundays result? 187 bpm and feeling like a champ. I didn't have my heart rate monitor when I rode this hill the week before BTWD, but I know I didn't feel as good as I did yesterday.

As I continued on, I found myself laughing, talking to myself (which then caused me to laugh more, mostly at myself), whistling, playing games with the squirrels in the road, and generally having a grand ol' time. I'm still astonished at how relaxed and mentally calm I was. I hope this is something that stays with me. This was a great time for this kind of thing to happen because I've been on the fence recently about whether or not I would make it to race day. With my swimming and cycling strong, I just need to push harder on running and I'll be golden. Easier said than done. But my cycling is strong.

Hot Hot Hot!

2008-06-13T08:05:00.002-04:00

I decided after my unproductive treadmill run last week that my biggest issue now was running on a treadmill. There are things inherently wrong with running on a treadmill such as lack of air flow, the surface, and the monotony (not to say that running isn't monotonous, in my opinion). It seems I can't move beyond a 30 minute treadmill workout, so I decided it was time to hit the paved W&OD trail behind work.

I decided on Wednesday that I would run before work since it had been so toasty lately. Well, even at 6:30/7:00a, the dew point was elevated, it was humid, and it was hot and sunny. I did a 3 mile out-and-back, and the first half was brutal. I was working through a cramp that started at my clavicle and stretched down to my lower ribs on the right side. This made me begin to doubt why I had thought I could be a runner and that I should stick to cycling and not this fancy triathlon stuff. On the way back things felt better, and I let all the bad thoughts fall onto the trail. There was a lot of walking overall, but considering the weather, I let it go.

Hopefully getting out of the gym will help me extend my runs (or rather, walk/runs) and build up my endurance. I'm tired of hammering myself for not being able to run 3 miles straight, but if I start walk/running 4 or 5 miles, those first 3 miles should become easier. Here's to hoping.

Boy, I am so NOT a runner.

Swim Times

2008-05-29T13:19:00.003-04:00

So I finally remembered to grab my HRM watch and figure out my 100 yd and 450 yd times this morning. I'm looking at:

100 yd (not fresh, after the 450 yd swim) - 2:11
450 yd (projected from 100 yd time) - 9:50
450 yd (fresh, actual) - 10:31

Comparing my sprint triathlon time to today's 450 yard time, I see:

Sprint Tri - 33.3 m/min (36.5 yd/min)
Pool Workout - 39.1 m/min (42.8 yd/min)

If I used my 100 yd time, I would have 41.9 m/min and 45.8 yd/min, but that's more indicative of a sprint rather than a longer endurance swim which is why I went with the 450 yd time.

Nonetheless, what I see is that I'm faster than my triathlon time. I don't remember doing any swim workouts at that distance before the triathlon and I was nervous and excited and all those race-day emotions so I was a hair panicked in the pool. A small victory.

Doubts Setting In

2008-05-28T10:59:00.003-04:00

Today is May 28th. My goal race is September 7th - 14 weeks, 4 days away. I'm beginning to have doubts that I'm going to make it. Take a training plan, insert life, and you end up with a haphazard arrangement of workouts that create some improvement in distance/efficiency/endurance/strength, but not enough to make it to race day.

At what point do I admit defeat? Do I throw in the towel now and find another race? Do I hold on to what hope I have and continue to train, only to break down in tears the night before the race when I'm in the arms of defeat? I can't tell yet. I need to look at my training plan and see where I am, then make projections of where I'll be nearing the race. The golden rule is no more than a 10% increase in distance/intensity/speed in a week. If I can't make the necessary distances by race day staying within that rule, I think I'm done.

The one glaring problem with my training plan is not training for intermediate goals. As I heard on the radio, setting general goals sets one up for failure; setting specific goals allows one to measure progress against a tangible effort. Back in November I said I would do this race, but didn't pick any intermediate races to allow me to gauge my progress. Sure, I had the 5k, but that was just after "life" got in the way and I performed poorly. What if it had been a few weeks earlier, or later? I've added the Hagerstown sprint triathlon to my race schedule, but that's a sprint towards the end of July; I should be doing sprints now and Olympic distances then.

Is it too much too late? Have I learned my lesson too late this season to make a full recovery?

2005 South Carroll Swim Club Sprint

2008-05-28T09:21:00.004-04:00

The only triathlon I've completed was the South Carroll Swim Club triathlon held Father's Day weekend in 2005 (June 19th). It was a 400m outdoor pool swim, a 14 mile ride through the hills of Mount Airy/Westminster, and a 5k out-and-back run. While they didn't calculate the splits, I think I have my numbers pretty close to right, and they looked something like this:

0:12 Swim (33 m/min)
0:04 T1
0:57 Bike (14.7 mi/hr)
0:05 T2
0:36 Run (12:00 mi pace)

For a grand total of 1:54 (1:53:55 chip time), 9.14 mph. This put me 7/8 in my age group (20 - 24) and 218/243 overall. Considering I was under trained for this event, I was hoping only to not come in last. I did even better though - I pretty much hit my marks for biking and running, with my swim time about 2 minutes slow. The event is now closed for this year, but I really wasn't looking forward to riding the big hill again, although with my triple on my road bike I may have actually done all right. Maybe next year.

The Road to Hell...

2008-05-28T08:54:00.004-04:00

I meant to write this entry two weeks ago but I didn't make the time to type it out. So here it is, two weeks late.

May 16th was the annual Bike to Work day. I participated in 2005 and 2007, so it was no surprise that I registered for it this year. Typically that ride has been my first of the season, for whatever season I was participating in that year (rock climbing, completing a century, doing a triathlon). Flash back now to October 6th, 2007.

I completed my first century that day. I told myself that I would take one month off to let everything heal, then it was back on the bike (and probably on the trainer) for the winter. Well, flash forward to May 10th. That day was my first bike ride since the century. All winter long I said "I'll pull out the trainer and ride today" or "It's a nice day, I'll ride outside today". A proverb comes to mind: "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." I had good intentions of riding during the winter, but alas my butt didn't hit the seat until the spring.

During the May 10th and 16th rides, I felt pretty good, unlike previous years where my first ride wiped me out. I kept at least some of my conditioning it seems, or else the gym time over the winter, helped me out. Whatever the reason, I'm in okay bike shape.

More Like A Survival, 5K Recap

2008-05-05T09:24:00.008-04:00

Saturday morning brought a not-so-sick feeling and hopes for the race that night (Frederick Twilight 5K). I decided about mid-afternoon that I felt good enough to compete, so Jeff and I made our preparations for the 7p race and headed over there with time to pick up our packets, chips, and shirts and get to the start line.

It's funny the differences in our race preps. Considering this is Jeff's first organized race in a while, and he is hardly the believer in a structured sequence of events to prepare oneself for the best possible race (in due time), I'm not really surprised. His prep: nap until 6:00p (when I woke him up), eat a bowl of granola with 2% milk, chow down a whole wheat bagel and lite cream cheese during the 10 minute trip to the fairgrounds, race. My prep: small bowl of basmati rice with a small pat of butter at 6:00p, race. I have a very sensitive stomach and if I eat something with too much flavor, I hear about it. Jeff, on the other hand, appears to have an iron stomach because he suffered no gastrointestinal distress from his heavy, diary-containing meal. If he gets serious about training, I'm not sure how long he'll be able to keep up his rebel eating style. I suppose this may be a case of trying to help out before he finds out the hard way, but if he doesn't listen, helping him out after he's prayed to the porcelain gods (or to the neighbor's mailbox). Who knows - he may even surprise me and be able to keep this up.

Jeff stayed with me the entire race. Well, not really a race for me, more like a survival. We finished with exactly the same time (aww, how cute). Some how I ended up below him in the rankings, though... ;O) Alphabetical, maybe? Anyway, it all broke down like this:

Weather: Hazy, 69ºF, wind N 6mph

Chip Time --> 34:52.75
Total Pace --> 11:15/mile
Overall Place --> 447/637
Gender Place --> 217/359
Division Place --> 37/58

Half Rank --> 423
Half Time --> 18:21
Half Pace --> 11:50/mile

Finish Rank --> 481
Finish Time --> 35:20
Finish Pace --> 11:15/mile

I'm not sure what the finish rank is reflecting since it doesn't match my overall place. I know the finish time is gun time and my finish pace matches my total pace. I'm not really worried though; I understand what everything else means, especially the NEGATIVE split. I ran an 18:21 then a 16:32; a -1:49 split. Jeff and I picked it up towards the end, but I don't think it had that much of an impact. Looking at my watch, this is how my race went:

10:23 run
2:00 walk
6:24 run
4:02 walk
2:57 run
4:09 walk
5:11 run

I walked following the half-way point (also a water stop), so the 4:02 walk is about the start of the second half. I marked time from my first running step (after the gun but before the chip pad) so my final time of 35:06 is between my finish time and gun time. I just about split walking and running in the second half, and ran about half as much as the first half, so what the heck was I doing in the first half?? I doesn't make sense, but it all adds up. Trim off the extra 0:13 (difference of watch and chip time) from the first run portion, and I'm still questioning my watch-operating skills, even though I know I'm within a few seconds of when I started running or walking. I'll have to check this out more closely at home tonight.

So there's my new PR for the season. It's a bit of a cheat since it's my first 5K in ages, but a PR is a PR. I'll take it - another first.

Perfect Storm

2008-05-02T04:51:00.002-04:00

I'm not sure that I'll be running in the Frederick Twilight 5K this Saturday evening. For the past three weeks I've been working 12 hour 12a - 12p night shifts, which with a 45 minute commute and needing to eat something right after leaving work adds up to no time to workout. So, I haven't worked out in three weeks. That didn't bother me as much as what started up on April 29th - a cold.

I felt the gunk materialize in my throat as I drove home after eating "dinner" on the 29th. When I woke up for my Wednesday overnight shift, I was a goner - my throat was rough and my nose had taken off for a long run that the rest of my body wasn't invited to. I survived my shift, but was severely congested, had treated a sinus headache, and my neck was very sore. I made it home fine, and after filling my tummy with food, I passed out.

I've moved mostly past the runny nose stage and am now in the coughing stage. The crap in my throat is starting to loosen up, which is good. I mowed the lawn yesterday, a 20 minute affair, and my lungs were burning when I was finished. Not good.

I've never had a cold "attack" my neck musculature like this one. I'm typing one-handed because my other hand is holding a heating pad around my neck. Depending upon what I've been doing, my whole neck could be mildly sore, or part of it could be severely sore. I'm suffering the latter since I slept on one side last night. I had to get up because my coughing and sneezing was starting up and I didn't want to wake up Jeff. At least it was later than the 2a that I got up yesterday.

I'm trying to hold onto a little hope that I'll be able to run Saturday night, but I'm also trying to be reasonable. I need a small miracle to overcome this perfect storm that is spinning around me.

04/12/08 Food Record

2008-04-13T06:10:00.003-04:00

Different day, same story. I ate and drank:

- Ginger Hemp Granola, Skim Milk
- Hummus and Pita
- Chicken Gyro, Chicken Shawarma (1/2 each)
- Cappuccino
- Champagne
- Cantaloupe

Yes, I'm missing a meal. I'm in the middle of changing my sleep schedule over, and wasn't hungry for dinner after a big lunch, so I didn't eat. Sometimes this happens (the not hungry for dinner part), so I was curious to see what the totals would be. Drum roll...

1469 calories
49.7 g fat
171.2 g carbohydrates
47.1 g protein

My fat intake just about hit the goal amount, but is probably estimated high due to the nature of splitting something with someone else. I don't believe I got as much of the tzatziki sauce as would normally be present on half a gyro, but it's a decent estimate. So, this day was high in fat, and low in everything else. I needed to pump some pasta and lean meat into myself.

I think this'll be the last food record entry for a while. I'll continue to record what I'm eating and drinking, but until I change my workout intensity/amount, notice something interesting about my diet, or drop a significant amount of weight (not planning on it), I'll keep my numbers to myself.

04/11/08 Food Record

2008-04-13T05:46:00.004-04:00

Same story, different day. I ate and drank:

- Biscuit and Sausage Gravy, Scrambled Eggs and Cheese, Bacon
- Tums (breakfast didn't sit well)
- Ham and Cheese Sandwich
- Diet Coke and Chips Ahoy Thin Chips
- 3 Maki, 2 pieces Salmon Nigiri, Hand Roll, Green Tea

And the totals?

1706 calories
72.8 g fat
174.8 g carbohydrates
84.2 g protein

My carbohydrate intake is worse this day. I ate a lot less carbohydrates at breakfast and it seems I put myself into a deficit I couldn't get out of, even with sushi for dinner (I had 62.5% of my carbs at dinner). My fat intake is about 20 g over (I had 53.5% of my fat at breakfast). My protein intake is 8 g over, which I think is acceptable. Learning from this, I should have left off the cheese and/or bacon (dropping the fat about 8 g and the protein 6 g for each) and picked up some fruit. Doing so may also have helped with the heartburn I experienced after breakfast.