With six weeks of coaching under my belt, I am happy to report that coaching is going extremely well. It is such a relief to not be second guessing myself all of the time -- Am I doing too much? Am I doing enough? -- and to know that each workout Coach Carole gives me has a specific purpose.
Intervals - check. Long workouts - check. Recovery - check.
The absolute best part about having a coach is being able to ask questions, to get suggestions and most importantly, to be challenged.
Carole and I have been spending a lot of time talking about nutrition lately and her latest advice was a major eye opener for me. You see, as a woman, I still struggle with the idea that I need to take in a lot of calories when I exercise. I say as a woman because I think many women struggle with this concept.
Don't get me wrong, I am very focused on nutrition when I train and race because I know how important it is to be able to achieve my desired results, but I was still thinking about it all wrong. Until recently, my thought process was, "what is the least amount of calories I can consume and perform?" What I realize now, thanks to Coach Carole, is that I need to figure out not how little I can consume but how MUCH I can consume and still perform. The better fueled I am, the better I will perform.
Think about it -- if I can get by with 200 calories an hour, but my body can handle 300 calories an hour, that extra 100 calories may be the difference between performance and peak performance.
I am still perfecting my nutrition plan, but I am doing so with a totally different mindset and I think my performance will be all the better for it!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Hours in a Day
At a post t-ball dinner recently, one of the other parents asked me about my training and, in what I perceived as perhaps a slightly accusatory tone, asked me whether my training takes up 30% or more of my time. Intuitively I said no, but admitted that training is a significant time commitment.
The conversation stuck with me and I decided to play around a bit in Excel to see exactly what percentage of my time I spend doing various activities in a given week. I am a total data nerd, I know ... so, how do you spend your time?
The hours left represent, well everything else, including quality family time - a big priority for me (one that I could not quantify by a daily time allowance). Thankfully, I also get family time during meal times, commuting (when I take the boys to/from school) and at church. I could have attempted to put in even more categories, but really, the remaining items are so diverse they would not make up a statistically significant percentage of my weekly time.
What this exercise showed me was that sleeping and working take up the majority of my time, followed by "hours left" -- and it really confirmed what I already knew, that is, that I make time for what is important to me.
The conversation stuck with me and I decided to play around a bit in Excel to see exactly what percentage of my time I spend doing various activities in a given week. I am a total data nerd, I know ... so, how do you spend your time?
The hours left represent, well everything else, including quality family time - a big priority for me (one that I could not quantify by a daily time allowance). Thankfully, I also get family time during meal times, commuting (when I take the boys to/from school) and at church. I could have attempted to put in even more categories, but really, the remaining items are so diverse they would not make up a statistically significant percentage of my weekly time.What this exercise showed me was that sleeping and working take up the majority of my time, followed by "hours left" -- and it really confirmed what I already knew, that is, that I make time for what is important to me.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Better Late Than Never - April In Numbers
The CPA in me gets frustrated when I don't do things in order, so before I can do anything else I have to, for my own sake, post my April report. Let's just pretend it isn't already mid-May!
For the first time since I have been tracking, year over year, my numbers were slightly down for the month, but with good taper and recovery weeks in the monthly totals for an April "A" race, I am not surprised.
April in Numbers
Swim: 18,912 yards in 7:32
Bike: 331.5 miles in 19:13
Run: 83.93 miles in 12:28
Other: 1:30
Total Time: 40:43
I committed to myself at the beginning of the year to revisit my goals once a month to see what sort of progress I have been making (or not as the case may be!) ...
Goal Tracking
1. Photography – April was a pretty good month behind the camera. Between bluebonnet photos and taking pictures every week at Andrew's t-ball games, I have been enjoying using my creative side.
For the first time since I have been tracking, year over year, my numbers were slightly down for the month, but with good taper and recovery weeks in the monthly totals for an April "A" race, I am not surprised.
April in Numbers
Swim: 18,912 yards in 7:32
Bike: 331.5 miles in 19:13
Run: 83.93 miles in 12:28
Other: 1:30
Total Time: 40:43
I committed to myself at the beginning of the year to revisit my goals once a month to see what sort of progress I have been making (or not as the case may be!) ...
Goal Tracking
1. Photography – April was a pretty good month behind the camera. Between bluebonnet photos and taking pictures every week at Andrew's t-ball games, I have been enjoying using my creative side.
Tyler & Andrew 
Gabe (t-ball friend) & Andrew
2. Nutrition – I focused on recovery this month using Ultragen and it is really working for me. If you are not using some sort of recovery drink directly after hard efforts, I highly recommend giving it a try. You will be amazed how quickly your body can recover if you let it. I still need an easy to make, healthy new dinner recipe - any suggestions?
3. Strength Training – Strength training was spotty in April, but I am happy to report this will look better in May (cheating because I know the first half of May results!)
4. Swim Technique – I have been working on my turnover and finishing my stroke through to my hip. If you have a swim tip you think is helpful, I would love to hear it!
5. Fun goals – I PR’d the HIM! Woot! :)
Check out this photo of me riding in my cycling kit -- my buddy Ryan took the photo while he was riding too, I am impressed!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Ironman Texas 70.3 aka Lonestar HIM Race Report
For those of you who don’t want the nitty gritty details, here are the highlights:
Swim: felt better than my time reflects, not sure what happened there. Sighting was decent and swam freestlye the entire way.
Bike: a touch of hip pain slowed me down around mile 20, but I found a comfortable position and hammered it on the way back. Cross/head wind on the way out and cross/tail wind on the way back.
Run: I executed my plan and had even splits for the first 3 loops and opened it up the last loop.
Overall: I wanted to break 5:45:00 and I did it! That is an 8 minute PR for me on a similar course under similar conditions, I’ll take it!
Splits
Swim: 47:19 (43 of 76 in AG; 820 of 1337 Overall)
T1: 2:46
Bike: 3:00:17 – 18.6 mph (22 of 76 in AG; 630 of 1337 Overall)
T2: 1:59
Run: 1:51:57 – 8:33 pace (17 of 76 in AG; 328 of 1337 Overall)
Total Time: 5:44:18 (19 of 76 in AG; 452 of 1337 Overall)
Detailed Race Report
Pre-race
Packet pick-up and bike drop off were the night before the race, so we drove down to Galveston after a full day. I picked up my packet, dropped off my bike and got a short swim in on the course.
I have been using Trislide for anti-chafing with great success, but I was anxious to try it out with my wetsuit. I sprayed it on my ankles, wrists and neck to see how effective it would be come race day at aiding in wetsuit removal and I will never use anything else again! After my swim (which was spooky since I don't do a lot of open water swims solo), I was able to pull my wetsuit off without a struggle thanks to the Trislide. That was a first for me - normally I look like one of those "how many triathletes does it take to change a light bulb" jokes!
I also found out they cancelled the swim for the Sprint and Olympic distance races earlier in the day and was relieved that the forecast for the half looked much better.
Since we stayed in a smoky, dumpy motel, we only went back to the room to sleep. We ate our pre-race pizza on the seawall before calling it a night.
Race morning
I-Hop oatmeal for breakfast and then straight to transition for body-marking and getting situated. Then it was time for the waiting game. My wave went off 1:05 after the pros …
Swim
Waiting, waiting, waiting …
Still waiting …
My parents arrived and a quick hug and kiss later, it was time to go join the other blue caps on the dock. I had to take in some calories right before the swim since it had been hours since breakfast! When it was finally our turn, we jumped in and treaded water for a few minutes before the gun went off for our race.
Me with Parents
My wave getting ready
note: it is slightly disconcerting to see a swimmer coming in on a jet ski right before your wave starts!
The swim felt great. Yes, I was pummeled a time or two, but overall, I felt like my sighting was good and I was swimming strong. I was pretty disappointed in my swim time because I felt faster than that, but the good news was that my best two sports were yet to come!
I RAN toward the wetsuit strippers and saw Doug as I was headed into transition, which always gives me a sense of peace and calm as I get ready for the loneliest, most self-reflective part of the race.
T1
I am pretty happy with my transition time, although they can always get faster! I was 14 of 76 in my AG for this transition and within 30 seconds of the winner of my AG.
Bike
I saw Doug again right as I was mounting my bike (he should totally win the spectator award for running around to see me as many times as possible) and then I saw my mom as I was turning the corner to head out of Moody Gardens.
Bike Out
The course was a generally flat (minus bridges) out and back along the coastline and while there was wind, I would not call it a windy day. I guess all those rides this Spring into horrible winds paid off because I felt strong. I developed some hip/leg pain around 20 miles into the bike that affected my power, but shifting positions helped and it finally went away shortly after the turnaround.
There was definitely a bit of wind help on the way back in and I felt like I was flying. It felt great to be passing people left and right. My only pet peeve was that many riders were not staying to the right so to pass I had to go into the traffic lane. When I saw that I was within striking distance of my 3:00 bike split goal, I put the hammer down.
I drank First Endurance EFS on the bike and felt fantastic when I hit the dismount line, ready to run and knowing I had taken in plenty of electrolytes to keep me going. It was a warm day, so taking in plenty of sodium was key!
T2
Again, pretty happy with my transition time. 20 of 76 in my AG and again within 30 seconds or less of the leaders.
Running the Bike Into T2
Running Out of T2
Run
This is the one portion of the HIM that I felt like I had the most room for improvement. My first HIM was all about finishing. I ran the entire course, but it was hilly and I was conservative for the majority of the run because I didn’t want to compromise the finish. Run pace was 10:19 on a hilly course.
My second HIM I wanted to break the 6:00 hour mark and when I got off the bike, I knew what I had to run to break 6:00 so that it what I did. Again, a conservative move. Run pace was 9:37 on a course and in temperatures similar to Galveston.
For Lonestar, I wanted to throw conservatism out the window and see what I could do. My plan was to run the first 3 loops of the 4 loop course below 8:45 min/miles. I ended up clocking 8:35, 8:38 and 8:37 averages for those laps. For the last lap, I decided to not look at my Garmin, but to run however fast I could, simply using perceived exertion. With exactly 3 miles to go I looked at my overall time for the day to calculate what approximate pace I needed to finish under 5:45.
I am never great at math in my head, but definitely not at the end of a 70.3 while running towards the finish. My rough estimate was that I needed something close to an 8:00 min mile average for the last 3 miles to break 5:45 and I thought it was a long shot, but I decided it didn’t matter, I was running as hard as I could maintain for 3 miles. All I could think about at the time was how fast and light I felt in my Saucony Fastwitch 4s. Each mile got faster and I ended up with an 8:18 average for the last 3.275 miles.
I was running ...
I for one, really enjoyed the loop course. I loved the fan support and getting to see my family over and over again. It can be mentally challenging to pass the finish line repeatedly, but that is far outweighed by the excellent fan support, especially from my #1 fan (my amazing hubby) and my parents, who cheered louder than anyone on the course that day!
As I ran into the finisher’s chute I passed several people, well squeezed by them, and while I felt bad about it at the time, I have decided that in the end, this is a race and if that means passing people in the last 20 yards on the far side of the chute (to get around them), then so be it. This was further re-affirmed when reading Ryan aka White Hot’s account of his 2nd place AG finish at IM St. George – second by .05 seconds. It can be a sprint to the finish. All said and done they were actually faster than me overall because they were in an AG that started after me, but that doesn't change my approach to the finisher's chute.
Finisher's Chute
It was also great to hear the announcer call my name and see my family cheering for me as I crossed the finish line. When I finally stopped running (momentum is not your friend here), I pressed stop on my watch and saw that it was still 5:44 … holy cow, I did it! Douglas and I were equally excited about my finishing time and I got the best post-race hug immediately after crossing the finish line! This is huge for him because he is not a big fan of sweat, and let me tell you, I was sweaty!
Overall
It was a great first race of the season. The benchmark has been set for the season and I am excited to see where I can go from here!
My #1 Fan an Ironmate!
My Support Crew
Swim: felt better than my time reflects, not sure what happened there. Sighting was decent and swam freestlye the entire way.
Bike: a touch of hip pain slowed me down around mile 20, but I found a comfortable position and hammered it on the way back. Cross/head wind on the way out and cross/tail wind on the way back.
Run: I executed my plan and had even splits for the first 3 loops and opened it up the last loop.
Overall: I wanted to break 5:45:00 and I did it! That is an 8 minute PR for me on a similar course under similar conditions, I’ll take it!
Splits
Swim: 47:19 (43 of 76 in AG; 820 of 1337 Overall)
T1: 2:46
Bike: 3:00:17 – 18.6 mph (22 of 76 in AG; 630 of 1337 Overall)
T2: 1:59
Run: 1:51:57 – 8:33 pace (17 of 76 in AG; 328 of 1337 Overall)
Total Time: 5:44:18 (19 of 76 in AG; 452 of 1337 Overall)
Detailed Race Report
Pre-race
Packet pick-up and bike drop off were the night before the race, so we drove down to Galveston after a full day. I picked up my packet, dropped off my bike and got a short swim in on the course.
I have been using Trislide for anti-chafing with great success, but I was anxious to try it out with my wetsuit. I sprayed it on my ankles, wrists and neck to see how effective it would be come race day at aiding in wetsuit removal and I will never use anything else again! After my swim (which was spooky since I don't do a lot of open water swims solo), I was able to pull my wetsuit off without a struggle thanks to the Trislide. That was a first for me - normally I look like one of those "how many triathletes does it take to change a light bulb" jokes!
I also found out they cancelled the swim for the Sprint and Olympic distance races earlier in the day and was relieved that the forecast for the half looked much better.
Since we stayed in a smoky, dumpy motel, we only went back to the room to sleep. We ate our pre-race pizza on the seawall before calling it a night.
Race morning
I-Hop oatmeal for breakfast and then straight to transition for body-marking and getting situated. Then it was time for the waiting game. My wave went off 1:05 after the pros …
Swim
Waiting, waiting, waiting …
Still waiting …
My parents arrived and a quick hug and kiss later, it was time to go join the other blue caps on the dock. I had to take in some calories right before the swim since it had been hours since breakfast! When it was finally our turn, we jumped in and treaded water for a few minutes before the gun went off for our race.
Me with Parents
My wave getting ready
note: it is slightly disconcerting to see a swimmer coming in on a jet ski right before your wave starts!
The swim felt great. Yes, I was pummeled a time or two, but overall, I felt like my sighting was good and I was swimming strong. I was pretty disappointed in my swim time because I felt faster than that, but the good news was that my best two sports were yet to come!
I RAN toward the wetsuit strippers and saw Doug as I was headed into transition, which always gives me a sense of peace and calm as I get ready for the loneliest, most self-reflective part of the race.
T1I am pretty happy with my transition time, although they can always get faster! I was 14 of 76 in my AG for this transition and within 30 seconds of the winner of my AG.
Bike
I saw Doug again right as I was mounting my bike (he should totally win the spectator award for running around to see me as many times as possible) and then I saw my mom as I was turning the corner to head out of Moody Gardens.
Bike Out
The course was a generally flat (minus bridges) out and back along the coastline and while there was wind, I would not call it a windy day. I guess all those rides this Spring into horrible winds paid off because I felt strong. I developed some hip/leg pain around 20 miles into the bike that affected my power, but shifting positions helped and it finally went away shortly after the turnaround.There was definitely a bit of wind help on the way back in and I felt like I was flying. It felt great to be passing people left and right. My only pet peeve was that many riders were not staying to the right so to pass I had to go into the traffic lane. When I saw that I was within striking distance of my 3:00 bike split goal, I put the hammer down.
I drank First Endurance EFS on the bike and felt fantastic when I hit the dismount line, ready to run and knowing I had taken in plenty of electrolytes to keep me going. It was a warm day, so taking in plenty of sodium was key!
T2
Again, pretty happy with my transition time. 20 of 76 in my AG and again within 30 seconds or less of the leaders.
Running the Bike Into T2
Running Out of T2
RunThis is the one portion of the HIM that I felt like I had the most room for improvement. My first HIM was all about finishing. I ran the entire course, but it was hilly and I was conservative for the majority of the run because I didn’t want to compromise the finish. Run pace was 10:19 on a hilly course.
My second HIM I wanted to break the 6:00 hour mark and when I got off the bike, I knew what I had to run to break 6:00 so that it what I did. Again, a conservative move. Run pace was 9:37 on a course and in temperatures similar to Galveston.
For Lonestar, I wanted to throw conservatism out the window and see what I could do. My plan was to run the first 3 loops of the 4 loop course below 8:45 min/miles. I ended up clocking 8:35, 8:38 and 8:37 averages for those laps. For the last lap, I decided to not look at my Garmin, but to run however fast I could, simply using perceived exertion. With exactly 3 miles to go I looked at my overall time for the day to calculate what approximate pace I needed to finish under 5:45.
I am never great at math in my head, but definitely not at the end of a 70.3 while running towards the finish. My rough estimate was that I needed something close to an 8:00 min mile average for the last 3 miles to break 5:45 and I thought it was a long shot, but I decided it didn’t matter, I was running as hard as I could maintain for 3 miles. All I could think about at the time was how fast and light I felt in my Saucony Fastwitch 4s. Each mile got faster and I ended up with an 8:18 average for the last 3.275 miles.
I was running ...
I for one, really enjoyed the loop course. I loved the fan support and getting to see my family over and over again. It can be mentally challenging to pass the finish line repeatedly, but that is far outweighed by the excellent fan support, especially from my #1 fan (my amazing hubby) and my parents, who cheered louder than anyone on the course that day!As I ran into the finisher’s chute I passed several people, well squeezed by them, and while I felt bad about it at the time, I have decided that in the end, this is a race and if that means passing people in the last 20 yards on the far side of the chute (to get around them), then so be it. This was further re-affirmed when reading Ryan aka White Hot’s account of his 2nd place AG finish at IM St. George – second by .05 seconds. It can be a sprint to the finish. All said and done they were actually faster than me overall because they were in an AG that started after me, but that doesn't change my approach to the finisher's chute.
Finisher's Chute
It was also great to hear the announcer call my name and see my family cheering for me as I crossed the finish line. When I finally stopped running (momentum is not your friend here), I pressed stop on my watch and saw that it was still 5:44 … holy cow, I did it! Douglas and I were equally excited about my finishing time and I got the best post-race hug immediately after crossing the finish line! This is huge for him because he is not a big fan of sweat, and let me tell you, I was sweaty!Overall
It was a great first race of the season. The benchmark has been set for the season and I am excited to see where I can go from here!
My #1 Fan an Ironmate!
My Support Crew
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Meet My Coach
I did it - after 2 years of being a self-coached age-group athlete, I have turned over my training plan to a coach! I have been wanting to do this for quite a while but the control freak in me was hesitant.
What if I needed to make last minute changes to the plan and move things around?
Also, until now, I have been accountable to myself and no one else - what would a coach think of my training to date? What if the coach thinks I am an impostor? What if I disappoint my coach?
Those were a few of the things that made me nervous, but they were offset by my desire to improve and to get the one thing I was missing from my training -- FEEDBACK!
Once I decided I was ready for a coach, I had to find one, and luckily for me, I didn't have to look too far.
I met my coach, Carole Sharpless, through Team Trakkers. Carole is a professional triathlete and all around extraordinary person. Her blog regularly makes me laugh in hysterics or cry and it is definitely worth a read.
So, why did I choose Carole? First and foremost, when I approached her to ask questions about coaching we were immediately on the same page, plus, personality wise, we are two peas in a pod. She loves to laugh and to be silly but she is passionate about what she does, she is fiercely loyal and absolutely knows her stuff.
She realizes that coaching is dynamic and that those of us who do not do this professionally have other obligations that come up and our schedules change -- so we have agreed that when that happens, we will just modify the schedule to make things work. This was my biggest concern and it turns out, it really wasn't an issue at all.
She is already teaching me so much about nutrition and being an expert about every single thing I put in my body ... and best of all, I immediately felt like part of her family and that my success is her success.
With the first race of the season behind me (race report to follow soon) and Cedar Point just 4.5 months away, I am excited to see how far and how hard Carole can push me!
What if I needed to make last minute changes to the plan and move things around?
Also, until now, I have been accountable to myself and no one else - what would a coach think of my training to date? What if the coach thinks I am an impostor? What if I disappoint my coach?
Those were a few of the things that made me nervous, but they were offset by my desire to improve and to get the one thing I was missing from my training -- FEEDBACK!
Once I decided I was ready for a coach, I had to find one, and luckily for me, I didn't have to look too far.
I met my coach, Carole Sharpless, through Team Trakkers. Carole is a professional triathlete and all around extraordinary person. Her blog regularly makes me laugh in hysterics or cry and it is definitely worth a read.
So, why did I choose Carole? First and foremost, when I approached her to ask questions about coaching we were immediately on the same page, plus, personality wise, we are two peas in a pod. She loves to laugh and to be silly but she is passionate about what she does, she is fiercely loyal and absolutely knows her stuff.
She realizes that coaching is dynamic and that those of us who do not do this professionally have other obligations that come up and our schedules change -- so we have agreed that when that happens, we will just modify the schedule to make things work. This was my biggest concern and it turns out, it really wasn't an issue at all.
She is already teaching me so much about nutrition and being an expert about every single thing I put in my body ... and best of all, I immediately felt like part of her family and that my success is her success.
With the first race of the season behind me (race report to follow soon) and Cedar Point just 4.5 months away, I am excited to see how far and how hard Carole can push me!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Team Spirit
Triathlon is individual sport, as defined by USAT rules. That is why there is no drafting or outside assistance. We each must race our own race, but …
That doesn’t mean you have to be alone on the course or when racing. When I started racing I loved seeing all of the team kits, passing the team tents and hearing teammates encourage each other along the course, in fact I was a bit envious. My hubby does a great job being my personal cheerleader, but there is only one of him! That is one of the reasons that I got involved with Team Trakkers – the sense of team spirit and general fun associated with being on a team.
The Age Group team is made up of consistent podium finishers (not me!) and weekend warriors alike, and while we are spread out across the US, there is not a single day that my blackberry is not blowing up with great team emails! Plus, we are all coming together for the Rev3 races at Knoxville, Quassy and/or CedarPoint, so I am thrilled that I will have major team support for my A race this season.
If you are not a part of a team, I encourage you to check out your local tri scene – being in an active tri club can definitely create an even better training and racing atmosphere.
Along those lines, my super cool, fun AG team decided yesterday that we would challenge a couple of teams (Team Terrier and Dynamo Multipsort) racing Knoxville to a Team Challenge, similar to the Elite Challenge thrown down by Michael Lovato to the KSwiss/Trek Team. The Twitter and Facebook trash talk is hilarious, because let’s face it, there are lots of Type A's in triathlon!
Fan Trakkers on Facebook to follow along!
Check out these great photos created by my teammates (click on photo to enlarge):
Team Mascot, Winston
Trakkers Smack Talk
Don’t want to miss out on the fun? Remember you can save $10 by using code Trakkers102 when registering for any of the Rev3 events on Active.com .
Go Team!
That doesn’t mean you have to be alone on the course or when racing. When I started racing I loved seeing all of the team kits, passing the team tents and hearing teammates encourage each other along the course, in fact I was a bit envious. My hubby does a great job being my personal cheerleader, but there is only one of him! That is one of the reasons that I got involved with Team Trakkers – the sense of team spirit and general fun associated with being on a team.
The Age Group team is made up of consistent podium finishers (not me!) and weekend warriors alike, and while we are spread out across the US, there is not a single day that my blackberry is not blowing up with great team emails! Plus, we are all coming together for the Rev3 races at Knoxville, Quassy and/or CedarPoint, so I am thrilled that I will have major team support for my A race this season.
If you are not a part of a team, I encourage you to check out your local tri scene – being in an active tri club can definitely create an even better training and racing atmosphere.
Along those lines, my super cool, fun AG team decided yesterday that we would challenge a couple of teams (Team Terrier and Dynamo Multipsort) racing Knoxville to a Team Challenge, similar to the Elite Challenge thrown down by Michael Lovato to the KSwiss/Trek Team. The Twitter and Facebook trash talk is hilarious, because let’s face it, there are lots of Type A's in triathlon!
Fan Trakkers on Facebook to follow along!
Check out these great photos created by my teammates (click on photo to enlarge):
Team Mascot, Winston
Trakkers Smack Talk
Don’t want to miss out on the fun? Remember you can save $10 by using code Trakkers102 when registering for any of the Rev3 events on Active.com .Go Team!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
I have a confession ...
Several confessions, actually.
First confession.
I do almost all of my long rides with one of a handful of my steady training partners. During IMFL training last year I did portions of long rides solo, but the majority of the time someone was nearby. Now, there are lots of good reasons to ride with a group, safety in numbers being a big reason, but I have another secret reason I like riding with my regular training partners.
Confession time.
I am not the most mechanically oriented person and I secretly worry that I will get a flat or have a mechanical issue that I cannot fix on my own. I normally ride with men and chivalry is definitely alive and well in Texas, so I feel taken care of on my rides. My amazing Iron Sherpa hubby is also my mechanic, so I will admit to being a bit spoiled.
This morning I went out for my last long ride before Lonestar 70.3 and for the first time this season I went out solo. I had a premonition that I was going to get a flat on this ride because I was alone. Sure enough, about 12 miles into my ride I felt a drag coming from my back wheel and I stopped to find my back tire flat. Great. Not only did I have a flat but it was on my back wheel. Ugh.
Now, confession two. I have never had a flat on the road. I have practiced changing tires at home (and not nearly enough) but I have always had Douglas looking over my shoulder.
So after diagnosing my problem (easy enough), I called Douglas for moral support and put my cell phone on speaker so Dougas could be my quick reference guide, if needed, and I got to work. Several people passed me and asked if I needed anything and I was tempted to be rescued, but I knew I could do this on my own ... AND I DID!
I know that I should not be so excited about doing something that I should have been able to do all along, but there is something about actually having done it and the confidence that goes with it that really gave me mental boost for the rest of my ride and going into my race next weekend (plus the new tires I am getting will provide a nice extra layer of protection). I know, lame ...
My ride and run today also went well from a pace and nutrition perspective, so I feel good heading into a recovery week. What I give up in workout hours I will spend mentally preparing for the race. I am nervous and excited about my first race of the season!
First confession.
I do almost all of my long rides with one of a handful of my steady training partners. During IMFL training last year I did portions of long rides solo, but the majority of the time someone was nearby. Now, there are lots of good reasons to ride with a group, safety in numbers being a big reason, but I have another secret reason I like riding with my regular training partners.
Confession time.
I am not the most mechanically oriented person and I secretly worry that I will get a flat or have a mechanical issue that I cannot fix on my own. I normally ride with men and chivalry is definitely alive and well in Texas, so I feel taken care of on my rides. My amazing Iron Sherpa hubby is also my mechanic, so I will admit to being a bit spoiled.
This morning I went out for my last long ride before Lonestar 70.3 and for the first time this season I went out solo. I had a premonition that I was going to get a flat on this ride because I was alone. Sure enough, about 12 miles into my ride I felt a drag coming from my back wheel and I stopped to find my back tire flat. Great. Not only did I have a flat but it was on my back wheel. Ugh.
Now, confession two. I have never had a flat on the road. I have practiced changing tires at home (and not nearly enough) but I have always had Douglas looking over my shoulder.
So after diagnosing my problem (easy enough), I called Douglas for moral support and put my cell phone on speaker so Dougas could be my quick reference guide, if needed, and I got to work. Several people passed me and asked if I needed anything and I was tempted to be rescued, but I knew I could do this on my own ... AND I DID!
I know that I should not be so excited about doing something that I should have been able to do all along, but there is something about actually having done it and the confidence that goes with it that really gave me mental boost for the rest of my ride and going into my race next weekend (plus the new tires I am getting will provide a nice extra layer of protection). I know, lame ...
My ride and run today also went well from a pace and nutrition perspective, so I feel good heading into a recovery week. What I give up in workout hours I will spend mentally preparing for the race. I am nervous and excited about my first race of the season!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Chewing Gum Theory and Other Ramblings
Chewing Gum Theory
I have made an observation on my last two runs – I run faster when chewing gum. I am sure it doesn’t look pretty while I am running, but I work the gum while I run, chewing hard or popping it as I run along. Somehow channeling my pain or tiredness into my gum allows me to run faster. I don’t regularly or purposefully chew gum when I run, but I might start, just to see if it makes a difference. I will definitely have some gum waiting for me in T2 of my race next weekend. So, does anyone else agree with my theory that chewing gum makes you run faster? If you can’t walk and chew gum at the same time, this question does not apply to you! ;)
Coach Search
My coach search has gone really well and I think that I have found someone – stay tuned! I am very excited about the prospect and I appreciate the encouragement to find someone. I think for me the most important factor was finding someone that I trust AND with whom I have good rapport. More to come!
Marathon Moms
I am on the Runner’s World email distribution and their latest email had a link to an article titled “Marathon Moms.” I found it to be a humorous, honest read. There are 3 short articles back to back – the first two on the dynamics between spouses, one on spouses who both run and another on a spouse who does run and the other does not and the third on a mother’s view of running and its effect on her children. Definitely worth the read – especially the third one which completely resonated with me. Check it out and let me know what you think.
I have made an observation on my last two runs – I run faster when chewing gum. I am sure it doesn’t look pretty while I am running, but I work the gum while I run, chewing hard or popping it as I run along. Somehow channeling my pain or tiredness into my gum allows me to run faster. I don’t regularly or purposefully chew gum when I run, but I might start, just to see if it makes a difference. I will definitely have some gum waiting for me in T2 of my race next weekend. So, does anyone else agree with my theory that chewing gum makes you run faster? If you can’t walk and chew gum at the same time, this question does not apply to you! ;)
Coach Search
My coach search has gone really well and I think that I have found someone – stay tuned! I am very excited about the prospect and I appreciate the encouragement to find someone. I think for me the most important factor was finding someone that I trust AND with whom I have good rapport. More to come!
Marathon Moms
I am on the Runner’s World email distribution and their latest email had a link to an article titled “Marathon Moms.” I found it to be a humorous, honest read. There are 3 short articles back to back – the first two on the dynamics between spouses, one on spouses who both run and another on a spouse who does run and the other does not and the third on a mother’s view of running and its effect on her children. Definitely worth the read – especially the third one which completely resonated with me. Check it out and let me know what you think.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Team Trakkers Kick Off
The Team Trakkers Elite Team came down to Austin, Texas for a training camp and for an official team kick off.
Living a mere 2.5 hours away, I had to make the trip to see the crew and meet the sponsors, if only for a 2 hour Happy Hour! I took Friday afternoon off of work and the family and I headed to Austin. Doug and the boys spent the evening at a car show and I spent it getting to know my Elite teammates and my Saucony and First Endurance sponsors!
I have to say, it was pretty freakin' incredible to be hanging out with some of the very best in our sport. Everyone was so nice too and it was a total honor for me to be introduced as one of their teammates!
Me and Pro Carole Sharpless aka "Mama Bear" to the Trakkers Team
After a great team kick-off party (pizza and beer!), the family and I headed out to our favorite Mexican food haunt before driving back to Houston. We made it home around 12:30 AM, which ensured that I was able to get my long ride in Saturday morning, despite the crappy weather.
There are great photos and two great write ups so far on Ironman.com -- check them out here and here (it was a pleasure to meet the photographer and writer, Jay as well)!
You can see my green shirt in the last photo (under the Jack and Adams tent with my hand on my face, on the right side of the photo :) ) on the first article.
I am also really excited about the team challenges, it will make the races that much more exciting to watch. Not sure what I am talking about? Check it out in this story.
Excerpt:
Michael Lovato: Team Trakkers is calling Trek-KSwiss to a race. We bet $5k our team beats yours at in Knoxville May 9. Be there, or we win!
Trek/KSwiss Tri Team response? Said team co-manager Nick Howe on his handle, TrekSpeed: Anywhere, Any time. Any day. We gladly accept.
Julie Dibens: Can’t sleep! Woke myself up laughing cos I dreamt I saw Michael Lovato crying like a baby at the side of the road in Knoxville! Bring it ML.
Lovato: Hey Julie, those were tears of joy you saw. I always get emotional after a crushing victory.
Lovato: Hey Julie we hope u get your mojo back soon, we don't want Trek-KSwiss to race without their strongest athlete.
Dibens: Michael you are trying to kill me with kindness! I like your style… but I won’t fall for it!
I am totally inspired for my workouts this coming week!
Living a mere 2.5 hours away, I had to make the trip to see the crew and meet the sponsors, if only for a 2 hour Happy Hour! I took Friday afternoon off of work and the family and I headed to Austin. Doug and the boys spent the evening at a car show and I spent it getting to know my Elite teammates and my Saucony and First Endurance sponsors!
I have to say, it was pretty freakin' incredible to be hanging out with some of the very best in our sport. Everyone was so nice too and it was a total honor for me to be introduced as one of their teammates!
Me and Pro Carole Sharpless aka "Mama Bear" to the Trakkers Team
After a great team kick-off party (pizza and beer!), the family and I headed out to our favorite Mexican food haunt before driving back to Houston. We made it home around 12:30 AM, which ensured that I was able to get my long ride in Saturday morning, despite the crappy weather.
There are great photos and two great write ups so far on Ironman.com -- check them out here and here (it was a pleasure to meet the photographer and writer, Jay as well)!
You can see my green shirt in the last photo (under the Jack and Adams tent with my hand on my face, on the right side of the photo :) ) on the first article.
I am also really excited about the team challenges, it will make the races that much more exciting to watch. Not sure what I am talking about? Check it out in this story.
Excerpt:
Michael Lovato: Team Trakkers is calling Trek-KSwiss to a race. We bet $5k our team beats yours at in Knoxville May 9. Be there, or we win!
Trek/KSwiss Tri Team response? Said team co-manager Nick Howe on his handle, TrekSpeed: Anywhere, Any time. Any day. We gladly accept.
Julie Dibens: Can’t sleep! Woke myself up laughing cos I dreamt I saw Michael Lovato crying like a baby at the side of the road in Knoxville! Bring it ML.
Lovato: Hey Julie, those were tears of joy you saw. I always get emotional after a crushing victory.
Lovato: Hey Julie we hope u get your mojo back soon, we don't want Trek-KSwiss to race without their strongest athlete.
Dibens: Michael you are trying to kill me with kindness! I like your style… but I won’t fall for it!
I am totally inspired for my workouts this coming week!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
So “Flipping” Excited
Today was the second swim practice that I tried to incorporate flip turns into my set for practice. To say that I started out horribly would be an understatement! Up until today I had only attempted flip turns in the indoor pool and I was swimming in the outdoor pool this morning, which is much shallower than the indoor pool and at 6:00 am is still dark. Apparently, this made things difficult for me!
Last week I had perfected the turn and push off, but had not been able to figure out how to get from streamlining on my back to twisting to my stomach and ready to swim again. This morning my timing and pace were off and I was barely able to get the flip in and the push off was abysmal … but I kept at it. I was determined to get back to where I was last week, perfecting the flip turn and streamlining on my back, not worrying about twisting to my stomach. Mission accomplished. Once I felt like my timing was right, I decided to work on the twist and before I knew it I was swimming 100s doing proper flip turns – streamlining past the flags like I do on my open turns!
Some turns were straighter than others – and some left me desperate for air – but I am happy with my progress. I will keep incorporating them into my workouts until I am doing all of my freestyle laps with flip turns. Maybe after I master the flip I will start thinking about butterfly …
I know flip turns are not necessary for triathlon, but they are fun and help to break up the monotony of swimming laps – and that in and of itself is enough for me!
Last week I had perfected the turn and push off, but had not been able to figure out how to get from streamlining on my back to twisting to my stomach and ready to swim again. This morning my timing and pace were off and I was barely able to get the flip in and the push off was abysmal … but I kept at it. I was determined to get back to where I was last week, perfecting the flip turn and streamlining on my back, not worrying about twisting to my stomach. Mission accomplished. Once I felt like my timing was right, I decided to work on the twist and before I knew it I was swimming 100s doing proper flip turns – streamlining past the flags like I do on my open turns!
Some turns were straighter than others – and some left me desperate for air – but I am happy with my progress. I will keep incorporating them into my workouts until I am doing all of my freestyle laps with flip turns. Maybe after I master the flip I will start thinking about butterfly …
I know flip turns are not necessary for triathlon, but they are fun and help to break up the monotony of swimming laps – and that in and of itself is enough for me!
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