Bike Flair and One Month & Counting ...

My wheels arrived 2 weeks ago and I have done my last several long rides with them - and I have seen a .5 mph+ improvement in my pace over the long haul!

I am still loving my bike and am beyond thrilled with how great I feel riding it. I was very worried about the transition but it has gotten better than I could have ever expected. I had my first ride in the rain last weekend and the Tux handled like a champ.

Every tuxedo needs some flair -- like swanky cuff links -- or in the case of my tuxedo, race wheels!







In other exciting news, Cedar Point is one month from today!

Flights and hotel are booked. Now I just need a bike box and a rental car and we should be all set. I am really looking forward to the roller coasters -- it will definitely be a fun way to spend the days leading up to the race.

Mentally, I am in a much different place than I was with one month to go leading up to IMFL. I was excited and nervous and anxious. My every thought focused on the race. Seriously, it was all I could talk about and I think everyone around me was ready to puke ... on me!

Today, I am excited and nervous and confident, but most of all just focused on executing the rest of my training. I don't talk about the training or the race unless asked and I don't think anyone is ready to puke on me - although I know my family is ready for the off season!

What's the difference? I just don't think there is anything like doing the distance the first time. I remember when I was training for IMFL and I ran into a guy at the pool and we got to talking about IMs. He had done several and asked me what I was training for. When I told him it was my first, he was giddy with excitement for me. I didn't get it at the time, but I do now.

Don't get me wrong, I am excited and nervous, but I think I just have a better handle on my emotions than I did a year ago. I am sure the week of the race I will be a ball of nerves - and my goal will be to channel that energy into my performance.

Another difference? Coach Carole. It feels so good to have a pro guiding me through the process and her confidence in me makes me that much more confident in myself. I also know her high expectations of what I am capable of will push me that much harder on race day.

So, to all of you chasing iron (or any distance for that matter!) for the first time, enjoy the journey, because there is nothing quite like the first time.

Humidity Humor

Living in the great state of Texas, I have a love / hate relationship with heat and humidity.

I HATE to be cold...

Seriously, I would rather be sweating than shivering. A good sweat session is good for the soul too (not so good for my pores, but alas, life is not perfect). I enjoy finishing a workout and seeing my efforts in sweat, but even I have my limitations.

For instance, when I go for a long run (or any run longer than 30 minutes, really) and I am unsure whether it may be raining because drops of moisture keep pelting me, only to realize that it is not rain but actually my own sweat (true story), well, that is just funny.

My hope is that all of this Texas heat and humidity training in the heart of a Southern summer will give me a performance edge at Cedar Point. Executing my run plan in sub-100 degree temps will hopefully feel slightly easier than it does when the heat index is, oh, 105 degrees and I am drowning in my own sweat. No wonder I killed two iPods in less than a month (side note: the H2o Audio case works like a charm!).

Just a couple of more big weekends until the taper!

Thoughts on Recovery and July in Numbers

With Rev3 Cedar Point around the corner, I can't help but make comparisons between how I feel right now with just over 5 weeks (eek!) until race day and how I felt leading up to Ironman Florida last Fall.

Overall, I feel strong and I am happy with my training and progress. My volume is down slightly as compared to IMFL training, but my intensity is slightly up. I have to remind myself that it is quality and not quantity alone that matters. I am also doing something I did not do enough of leading up to IMFL - recovery! Coach Carole has been having me do some bigger weekends recently, which means my weeks have been lighter, with a focus on 1) recovery, 2) form and 3) intensity. I think that having adequate recovery makes my workouts later in the week better (big surprise there!) and overall, I am not quite as tired all of the time like I was training for IMFL.

I am also slightly less neurotic as I approach IM #2. I actually had to look up how many weeks are left until race day. I could have told you how many weeks, days and hours were remaining until IMFL at any given moment. It is nice to be in a calmer place now.

July in Numbers
Swim: 23,150 yards in 8:55
Bike: 608.28 miles in 34:57
Run: 111.45 miles in 17:02
Other: 0:15
Total Time: 61:09

Goal Tracking

I forgot to report my progress on my goals last month - likely because at this point, I am really only working towards one of them (Cedar Point). I referenced in my January 1st post on my 2010 goals that in previous years I have focused on just one goal per year and that approach has been successful for me. I think that in 2011 I will go back to that approach. Even though my 2010 goals are smaller and seemed more manageable, there are just too many goals on which to focus!

1. Bible/Church -- I was unsuccessful in my attempt to read the Bible cover to cover in 2010, but I have been dutiful in going to church on a regular basis. I have only missed two days this year (by comparison, I think I went to church 3 times in all of 2009!).

2. Photography -- I invested in a new lens earlier this year and it has been fun to play with, but I haven't worked out all of the kinks yet. I am looking forward to doing Andrew's 6 year old portraits soon as it will give me more time to play with the lens and work on photography.

3. Foam Roller / Stretching -- I do this as needed only now. I need to spend some more time on the foam roller right now.

4. Nutrition -- I have successfully been focusing on recovery nutrition and can see a difference in how I feel post workout and how quickly I bounce back.

5. Strength training -- I would love to do p90x, but I just can't train for endurance events and also focus on strength training. This is something I want to think about during the "off" season.

6. Swim Technique -- My threshold pace has gotten slightly faster, but I still feel like there is a lot more improvement available here. I really think I need a video analysis so I can see what I look like versus what I see others doing.

7. Fun Goals
- Sprint -- post IM, maybe?
- PR HIM -- Did it!
- Cedar Point -- 5 weeks to go!
- Ultra -- This Fall or defer to 2011

Have a a great training month!

The Maiden Voyage

Here she is ladies and gentleman, the “Tuxedo” …
(named by the hubby, a tux to replace my grey suit)


One of the reasons I love this bike is the red anodized components :)


I love her, she is just so beautiful, you can’t help but want to go for a ride!

With that said, our maiden voyage was not without difficulty.

Saturday we went for a 3 hour ride and Sunday we went for a 4 hour ride … but to give you an idea about our maiden voyage on Saturday, it took longer than Sunday’s 4 hour ride! Saturday’s ride started off well enough with me spending a lot of time really focusing on the fit. For example, I don’t like the aerobar pads that came with the bike because they are too slippery (I will be replacing those asap), but other than that I was surprised at how comfortable I was so quickly. About 2 hours into the ride, just as I was hitting my stride and excited to be headed back to the car, out of nowhere, I felt some resistance that I was not expecting … sure enough, I had a flat.

Seriously! On my first ride? Uggh.

I hopped off the bike with confidence to change the tire, not expecting the battle that was to come. The tire did not want to come off the wheel for anything in the world. I had to just laugh at one point because otherwise I probably would have cried. My fingers were blistered and the damn tire still would not budge. I have struggled with tires before but nothing like this! I finally got the tire changed right around the time my hubby showed up on a rescue mission. He brought the Continental GP 4000 tires I had purchased with the bike and that I normally ride and decided to go ahead and switch out the tire. He is a pro, so I decided to let him go for it, and even he said it was the hardest time he ever had changing a tire. That made me feel MUCH better. I hate the idea of being a damsel in distress (although technically, I had changed it all by myself, even though it took a friggin hour, thank you very much).

So, I am not sure if it the factory wheels or what, but I am anxious for my new race wheels to arrive to see how challenging they are to change (more to come on the wheels).

The good news is that my Sunday ride was fantastic! I switched out the aerobar pads and was infinitely more comfortable on Sunday and my GP 4000s performed flawlessly. I am getting used to changing gears on the aerobars and I am happy with the overall feel of the bike. I might need a few minor adjustments, but overall, I am thrilled with my purchase and how quickly the Tux has started to feel like an extension of me.

Bike Search Update

Let me start this post by saying that I know this post is worthless without pics ... and I promise that they are coming, but I want to wait to post the photos until after my fitting tomorrow.

So, drum roll ...

I am the proud new owner of a Felt B16 Tri Bike and am currently searching for a set of 650c race wheels!

I tried to love the Cervelo P2, heck, I wanted to want the Cervelo P2, but ultimately, I was just much more comfortable on the Felt. I chose to go with the B16 instead of the B12 so that I could put the money savings towards a set of wheels.

I am anxious to get my final fitting tomorrow (although I have 6 months to go back for adjustments) and even more anxious / excited / nervous to ride this weekend to see how she feels on the open road.

My Giant, aka the Grey Suit (see this post item #33 for the name reference), is looking sharp as the hubby gave her a good cleaning -- even a wax job! -- so I can put her on Craigslist. She has been so good to me and I am hopeful to find her a good home.

I am almost feel legitimate now ... almost!

Decisions, decisions ...

Another weekend of back to back rides - to the tune of 170 miles - and I handed my very dirty bike off to my mechanic for some TLC.

My mechanic, aka, the hubby, informed me that I need to replace the drive train on my bike -- and that, plus the regular maintenance that she needs (cables, chain, etc), puts the cost of said new components and maintenance at a point where I have decided, with the recommendation of my mechanic of course, to put the money into a new bike instead. Yeah!

So, now for the hard part. Which bike? Do I upgrade my wheels? I don't want to rush my decision, but I have a big race in less than 2 months so I want to be training on my new bike by this weekend. I am excited to be moving from my modified road bike to a tri bike, but I am also nervous because my bike is so comfortable. In fact, it is like a perfectly worn in pair of blue jeans.

It is going to be a crazy, bike shopping week!

You know your training is ramping up when ... & June Recap

How do you know when your training volume is ramping up?

- At the end of the week you have used nearly all of your training clothes

- Your audio book only lasts through the weekend

- Your family knows not to schedule anything prior to lunch

- You can't keep enough nutrition in the house (EFS, Ultragen, etc)

- You eat a lot. Ok, all the time.

- A pedicure lasts a week - maybe

- You use the word "only" in front of anything shorter than a 4 hour ride or 2 hour run.

- You stop doing non-essential things, which is why I am way behind blogging, housekeeping and the like (family, work, training, sleeping, eating are essential)

- You are too tired to finish this list

June in Numbers
Swim: 31,450 yards in 12:35
Bike: 505.35 miles in 28:51
Run: 131.16 miles in 19:21
Other: 1:40
Total Time: 62:27

Milestones

I had the biggest bike volume training week ever in June - back to back bike days sure rack up the miles!

I also killed my new iPod, yes, you read that right, the brand new one. I bought this case for my new, new iPod to ensure that I will not have to replace the new, new iPod again due to my sweat (ewwww!). For the record, a ziploc bag will not protect your iPod ...

Where has the month of July already gone???

Happy Training!

Ironman Texas

Hell has frozen over ... Ironman is coming to Texas.

There has been talk of this happening for years, given the large triathlete base in the state, but until now it was all just talk. So, when 3 to 6 months ago, rumors started to circulate that Ironman was coming to The Woodlands, triathletes got excited yet again, but were not optimistic. That is, until 3 weeks ago, when the governing body in The Woodlands (suburb outside of Houston) posted the agenda of its upcoming meeting and Ironman was on the agenda. Apparently, per statutes the agenda and other information are public records and had to be made available.

You can imagine the local excitement about the race ... Although there was plenty of whining about the date, May 21, 2011 (myself NOT included). You see, Texas in May can get pretty hot and the humidity is back with a vengeance by that time of year. Despite all of the whining, when the official announcement was made, Texas triathletes put on their big girl pants and signed up at Noon on Friday, myself included. $630 friggin dollars. Ironman raised their already high prices!

Everything is bigger in Texas, and I could not resist racing in my backyard. Are there potentially better dates for a Texas IM? Sure, but the date is what it is and I decided there was no sense in complaining about it. In a sense, it would be like whining that my diamond shoes are too tight -- if you have diamond shoes, what the heck are you whining for? Also, Kona is pretty darn hot from what I understand!

I am most excited that I will be able to race in front of a home town crowd, especially my friends and family.

Anyone else out there considering IM Texas?

iPod, oh, iPod ...

Well, I have killed yet another iPod. I am not sure if I sweat more than the average athlete or living in such a humid climate breeds sweat, but I have not come up with a way to keep my iPod Nano protected while running or cycling.

Let's skip the conversation about whether one should be training with an iPod all together and let's just agree to disagree.

I am now the proud owner of the latest generation iPod Nano and would love suggestions on how to prolong its life. I tried using Ziploc bag this weekend and it worked cycling, but not so much running. After my run, the bag was saturated and my new Nano was just stewing in sweat. Urrgh.

Why a Nano and not a Shuffle?

Well, I love listening to audio books and that is much harder on a Shuffle. I have just finished up The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire and highly suggest those titles if you have not read them. I am just about to start the last book in the trilogy, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest and I can't wait!

Besides keeping my mind occupied during long training hours, audio books make me happy because I get to multitask. I don't have much time to sit with books so audio books let me maximize my time. If you have book suggestions, leave me a comment.

I listened to the entire Twilight series last year training for IMFL and listened to Angels and Demons, Born to Run and Freakonomics earlier this year. As you can see, I like a diverse group of books so let's hear those suggestions!

Happy Training!

p.s. Cedar Point is less than 3 months away now and I just completed another solid 15 hour week (even with a business trip to Boston -- where I lost my Lonestar hat in the wind -- with late nights out). 90+ mile bike ride and 15 mile run completed this weekend ... ahh, rest day tomorrow!

May In Numbers

With Cedar Point just over 3 months away (how the heck did that happen????), here is what training has looked like for the last month...

14 bike rides
10 swims
15 runs
5 rest days
1 vacation day
1 holiday
1 forgotten helmet (I borrowed one)
1 forgotten pair of shoes (my AMAZING hubby dropped them off in my car while I was riding)
Countless showers and loads of laundry (again, done by my AMAZING hubby)

May in Numbers
Swim: 25,500 yards in 10:15
Bike: 578.38 miles in 32:58
Run: 88.34 miles in 13:21
Other: 2:31
Total Time: 59:05

I have referenced this before, but I am still amazed at how different I feel training for my second iron distance race. Don't get me wrong, the training hours are just as long, I get just as tired and I eat just as much (if not more!), but the fear and stress associated with the unknown is not there.

To some extent, there is less excitement about the race... but not because I am not excited to race. Traning for IMFL was all about the end goal -- in a sense the journey was about the destination. What I learned after finishing IMFL though, is that for me, the training is the journey and the race is more of a celebration of how far you have come.

I am very excited about meeting up with the rest of the Trakkers team in September, chilling out at one of America's best amusement parks and racing 140.6 miles -- but that is not what gets me out of bed in the morning or in my bike saddle for hours on end. I actually enjoy it.

I don't know if I will do 140.6 every year, but I do know that I will do something challenging every year, as long as I can.

Goal Tracking
1. Photography – May was a slow month on the photo front, but look for fun things to come in June!

2. Nutrition – I am dialing in my race day nutrition and enjoying my Ultragen recovery drinks. I still need a healthy and fast dinner recipe. What is your favorite?

3. Strength Training – I am happy to report that I am back on the wagon! I am looking at picking up a couple of the P90x DVDs for more variety on the core / abs front. I am borrowing the DVDs from a friend this month to see if I like them.

4. Swim Technique – Just keep swimming ...

5. Fun goals – I need to find a Sprint tri just for fun, maybe after Cedar Point???