The Home Stretch

Last weekend was the end of my build training.  I finished with 106 miles on the bike, 18 mile run, and 4300y swim.  It was so hot and windy.  I'm thankful for it because now I know I've trained in the worst conditions and if it's windy on race day, I know I can power through it.  Other than lead legs, I feel great!  I'm so blessed to have made it this far without any serious injury.

This is uncharted territory.  I'm trying so hard to trust my training.  I feel like I'm constantly doing the math in my head...how fast, what time, cutoffs, people, weather, OH MY!  I wish I was strong in at least one of the events....just one would be nice, but I'm not.  I'll be fighting the clock from the start.  Slow and steady wins the race...right?

With two weeks left to go, the swim weighs the heaviest on my mind.  I know, without a doubt that I can make the distance.  The questions is, can I make that distance with all those other people packed in like sardines?  And can I make it by the cutoff?  Just thinking about it wads up my nerves.  What will be...will be.

Praying that this is true!  Come what may...I will not give up!  I will not quit!  

Are We There Yet?

Four weeks out and yes, I'm scared!  Last week I looked at the final 5 weeks of my plan and freaked out!  My peak seemed to come too soon, my taper seemed too long, and I was clueless how to fix it.  I have experience with endurance, but this is a different animal.  I turned to my friend who has been doing IM for 10+ years.  He graciously jumped in with both feet and after a week of emailing documents back and forth and chatting about this and that, my anxiety level is back in check and I feel so much better. 

Yep, there it is, the last 5 weeks of this adventure.  Make that 4 weeks because I just finished my first of two big weeks by volume.  Yesterday I rode 85 miles (40+ into a nasty head wind) with a 3 mile brick.  Today I ran 16 and swam 3650.  I was supposed to swim 4000, but I've been sick and somehow at 3650 I just crawled out of the pool mumbling all kinds of stuff I shall not repeat. 

I've had a lot of time to try new things, do my own research, and kick things to the curb.  Here are the things I think are cool and work for me.

My Mizuno Wave Inspire 8's.  I have this awesome red, white, and blue, a spring white and purple, and a really obnoxious blue/green color.  I need to accessorize!  

The TYR Torque speed suit.  I am very doubtful that IMTX will be wetsuit legal.  I've heard that the lake is usually warm year round.  So I will be wearing this speed suit over my tri suit to prevent drag and compress my core a little more through the long swim.  

Goggles have been a pain in the rump.  I have been using the TYR NestPro for....like ever.  They are a great OW goggle with a good deal of comfort.  While swimming laps one day, my fairly new set began to leak.  So naturally I freaked out.  This can't happen on race day.  I did a ton of research and bought the latest technology and top of the line goggles.  Blueseventy, Aquasphere, Zoggs, and Speedo.  Aquasphere leaked horribly...even the small ones.  Blueseventy does not make a goggle small enough for my face.  Zoggs were ginormous.  Speedo worked for a few swims and then started to leak.  $100 later I bought a new pair of my old goggles.  Yep...they are the best!  To sum it up...this was all total nonsense.

 

This is the race kit I'll be wearing.  Sorry, no TRG.  My TRG kit is awesome for shorter races and I prefer a one piece kit, but for this event I think a two piece is really important.  I tried on a lot of new kits and SOAS was the best as far as female fit and hey....it's still TRG colors.

This little thing is sweet!  I'm not big into gadgets and it took me a while to learn how to use my 500, but the Garmin 900XT is AMAZING!  I learned how to use it in just a couple of work outs.  It's very user friendly and does all three sports.  Comfortable, not huge, and it swims!  Love it!

 

Hill Country Running Company held a Triggerpoint class put on by a sports medicine doctor.  I dragged a friend with me and although we both thought it was extremely painful, we could feel the benefits.  I bought a kit and have been pretty faithful with rolling out both before and after hard workouts.  I am a believer!

PB & J...I eat it every day.  I have my own jar in my classroom and yes, I double dip!  :)  I know some people have snubbed comments at me for not being social at lunch.  I eat in my classroom.  I'm kind of done with people starring at, questioning, and making comments about my food.  I have a hard time eating meals right now and pretty much eat all day long in small portions.  If I can't eat, I drink my food.  I've been able to maintain my weight quite well through this process and it's working for me.  Besides, it's my 20 minutes of peace and quiet.  Most of the time I can get one more thing done and that's one less thing I have to do at the end of the day. 

One more really heavy weekend is in my sights.  Even if I don't pull this thing off on May 19, I've done the training.  Every last little bit of it....3 am/4 days a week, 2 a days, 3 a days, and all that comes with IM training.  For that I am thankful for.  I HAVE trained for an IM.  That is something in itself.

I rode with a friend this last weekend who reminded me that I hadn't blogged in a while.  I wish I had more time, but I suppose if I did, I'd choose to sleep or love on my family just a little bit more.  Training isn't the problem.  Work isn't the problem.  Family definitely isn't the problem.  Time...there's not enough time!

I don't even know what week it is, but I do know I'm past the half way mark.  Training Peaks keeps me honest and thank goodness it's on my iPhone.  I check often to see what I'm supposed to be doing and when I'm supposed to be doing it.  Sometimes I'll pull up the date and suddenly gasp out loud, "What?" as if it's wrong or something.  But after a few minutes, I take it all in and convince myself that I can do it.

The weather has turned warm and humid.  It's like we had really cold weather...and now warm.  Why isn't there an in between? And if there was an in between, why can't it last for more than a day?  Well one thing is consistent for sure.  The wind by golly!  We've got wind and you can count on it all the time!  The humidity has zapped my times quite a bit and has left me feeling a little defeated on workouts that should have felt somewhat easy.  I guess I'm getting ready to embrace the SUCK.  :)  Race day is sure to be warm and humid and I'm counting on the wind to be there.

I must say training is going well.  I feel good!  I'm not "technically" injured in any way.  It takes me a while to get moving on my feet now and then, I have my "Oh my gosh that hurts" moments every week, but my body is holding together quite well....for the time being.  How ever far it let's me go....it will have been further than I've ever been in the past and that I am happy and thankful for.

Other things I am thankful for:  My husband that talks me out of crazy each week when I think I'm about to lose it.  My son who tells me it's OK to take a bite of junk food now and then.  My daughter who is swimming with me now and bless her heart she endures the long swims.  My dog who has done such a great job protecting me on dark early morning runs.  My dad who I so enjoy riding with and I can only win a sprint with if I play dirty.  My mom who just simply does not question my sanity.  My sister who I am more alike than I ever realized and it scares the crap out of me.  My friends who don't laugh at my goggle marks anymore.  My hair stylist who fought hard but finally cut all my hair off.  My riding group who doesn't expect something more from me.  My foot doctor who remains quiet, but knows the day is coming.  Kelly, who stops by my classroom now and then to make me laugh and remind me that it doesn't all need to be that serious!  I could go on because there is so much to be thankful for each and every day.  Most of all for Jesus Christ who will never change even though everything around me threatens to change daily.  He is my constant.  He is all I need.    

Week 7, done! Well, almost....

Wow!  A busy calendar, work stress, allergies, and oh yeah, that thing we call training has kept me from sitting down at a real computer and blogging.  So here's the update:

I have one long swim and one long run between me and a recovery week.  This recovery week will be the eighth week of my training.  Scary how time is flying!  The build weeks are tough.  The two a days are tough!  Getting the right amount of sleep to heal and recover is impossible.

During this last build week we had a ton of stuff on our family calendar.  All fun stuff, but a huge suck from rest and relaxation.  Then there's just that stuff that comes up.  Kid stuff, friend stuff, and responsibilities.  On top of that, my allergies have been slowly ramping up .  I appreciate their slow presentation, but I knew it was just a matter of time before they affected my work outs.  I always resist going to see the allergist.  I am showing a pattern of needing a strong steroid shock to the system every 3 to 4 months.  That shock is awesome because it works every time.  The down side is that I go in tweaker mode for a good week, don't get but 3-4 hours of sleep, and drive my family nuts with cleaning and doing laundry at 3 and 4 in the morning.  My allergist is awesome and is exploring options of trying to break this nasty little cycle.  I feel like a project of his.  He takes it personal when my numbers aren't good and I can't breathe on a simple work out.

So...how's training going?  My schedule is pretty cool because it builds at a pace I can handle.  I haven't missed any workouts yet, but have had one occasion where I had to really juggle and switch things around due to meetings and kids stuff.  With that being said, I only made it through 1 of 5 miles of last weeks interval run due to a stressful upcoming meeting that I let get to me and I almost puked on my run.  Life happens!  And let's add in there the ridiculous sub freezing wind chill of a ride yesterday that was to be followed by a 10 min. running brick.  The hot shower beat the heck out of the brick.  I hate messing up a perfect schedule, but am getting better at allowing myself some room for life to happen.

Things I've noticed:  I'm looking haggard in the face and see more wrinkles, I want to cut my hair super short (tired of always washing it twice a day and it never drying),  my waist and shoulders are getting thin but my ass and quads are growing (awesome, always wanted to be a pear), and my feet suck (nuf said).  I've really had to play around with my food intake.  Due to the 2 a days, I eat very small snack portions throughout the day.  I feel like I'm eating all the time.  I even let my students eat whenever they want in class, because It's just not fair for me to nibbling in front of them.  I have had some pretty sucky work outs due to not having enough calories on board, but then I've had some really bad heart burn and vurps due to me trying to eat a meal at lunch.  So now I eat a bunch of high protein snacks all day long and save the meal for night time.  And for all this working out....why doesn't my butt look like Mirinda Carfrae's yet?

My family is amazing.  My husband is so involved and with me every step of the way.  Always asking how things are going, how my work out was, how I feel, and he's helping out so much around the house it's awesome!  My kids don't complain one bit.  They are in it for the long haul and also have picked up a huge portion of the house responsibilities.  Mitchell saw me roll up on my bike yesterday and knew I was freezing.  I was trapped in my shoes from wearing wind booties.  He came out in freezing wind and ripped my booties off for me so I could get inside.  Janell has been getting my lunch, work ID, jacket, and hand bag ready every morning so I have my stuff all in one place when I'm ready to walk out the door for work every morning.  All this without me asking for a single thing.  My parents are amazing.  They understand the time I have to sacrifice and can't be with them.  They take my kids to school every day and are there in a pinch when the kids need them.  My mom is my class "room mom".  She's does tedious little teacher stuff for me that simply saves me the time I would have to take to get it done (stapling, cutting, organizing etc). I appreciate my family and realize this is just as much their journey and sacrifice as it is mine.

One more thing...my husband and family are my coaching and support system, but Jesus Christ Himself is my training partner.  He beats that pavement with me every mile and we've starred at that daunting black line at the bottom of the pool for many, many laps together.  He is my reason for being and I am reminded that my outcome is not my own, but His will.  To God be the glory for all that I am and all that I do!

Ready Or Not.....

I think I have butterflies just typing this post...No I DO have butterflies.  In fact, I think I'm making myself sick just sitting here thinking about it!  So let's make this quick.  I have a swim/bike brick to get done.


Last summer, after much thought and family discussion, I signed up to compete in the Texas Ironman.  Compete?  Check that....I will be swimming 2.4 miles, riding 112 miles, and running 26.2 miles all by myself.  At least in my head it will be all by myself.  Never mind the 2500 other athletes that may occasionally get in my way.  My first goal is to make it through 20 weeks of training injury free (with my sanity).  My second goal is to make it to race day without getting myself sick over nerves and dropping a ton of weight the week leading up to the event.  My third goal is to take each leg of the event one at a time and finish by midnight.


I've always wondered if I could do this and have had a desire to do this since my first half Ironman last April.  I never thought it was possible due to work hours and work stress.  My family thinks it's possible.  They came to me and said they would be my support team.  We discussed what it would take from them and they are on board 100%.  I am blessed to have them and know that getting me to that day will take all of us and I'm not in this alone.


So today is day 1 of my 20 week training program.  I'm a little ahead of the program as I have kept my half Ironman base since last April.  I will have one day off a week.  Three days of the week will be "two a days".  I work 10 hours a day and have a family to care for.  Sure....I can do this!  :-/


I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. - Philippians 4:13

People are awesome...now go find out what you are capable of!

Ramblings of a Lesson Learned

I've been meaning to sit down and post this little lesson, but sometimes when pain and misery is so fresh in your mind, it's best to wait.  So with my little experience behind me, but not forgotten, I feel better about confronting it.

Last summer the heat was awful.  I remember thinking how nice winter is going to be.  I just wanted it to be cooler.  I'm not as young as I use to be and my body is showing that it doesn't do so well in extreme temperatures anymore.  Winter is here and it's not cooler.  It's cold!  There is a huge difference between running in the cold and riding in the cold.  When I run, I know exactly how to layer for various temperatures and conditions.  Riding is a little different.  You have the wind that you create with speed plus weather factors.

A few weeks ago we did a ride that was so windy and cold.  Riders who showed up got back in their cars and left.  It wasn't exactly the safest conditions, but from the looks of the riders who were left, we were all experienced and I knew there wouldn't be any "squirrels" out there.  So I went for it.  It ended up being a very challenging ride, but a good one.  I wasn't too cold on the ride, and was able to warm my core afterward with a nice hot cocoa.

The following week I suited up as usual for another Saturday ride.  The temps were the same, low 40's, but the wind wasn't even close to being as bad as it was the week before.  I wore exactly the same layers as I had the week before.  I was thinking I might get a little warm, but I could always unzip.  We rolled out and it didn't take us long to warm up.  We stopped at our second meet up spot to wait for more riders.  I got instantly cold standing around and was happy to get rolling again.  We weren't even a mile down the road and someone flatted.  I told my husband that I would soft pedal to keep from getting cold.  So I pushed on with another rider knowing the guys would catch us.

We had fun riding and chatting, something that doesn't happen too often because I'm usually just trying to breathe.  We were heading north into the wind.  If you are from TX, you know the north wind is always cooler and can be down right cutting.    I have to admit I wasn't really soft pedaling.  The rider I was with may have been, but she's super strong.  There was still no sign of the group behind us.  About 8 miles out from our turn around point, the temps dropped drastically.  I could no longer feel my feet, but I knew that the ride home would be with the wind at our back and by then I would have the boys to tuck between and I could draft most of the way home.

I was cold to the core.  I no longer wanted to talk.  I just pushed on as fast as I could into the wind, which wasn't very fast according to my Garmin.  The group caught us at the turn around.  We stopped to get fuel at the local store and use the restroom.  I hate gross public restrooms, but I was so cold, I actually didn't mind being inside and out of the wind.  The group stood around and talked a bit.  As I looked at each person, I could tell they were not suffering as I was.  I was miserably cold.  I started to get uptight and just a little pissed off that I still had 25+ miles to go before I would be in a hot shower.  I looked down and could see my quads shaking.  I jumped on my bike and rode off without the group.  I parted with, "Sorry, I gotta get moving."  I wasn't trying to be rude, I was just miserable.  I knew they would catch me; I'm the slowest rider in the group.

We were all back together in the first mile and we joked a little about me taking off.  I rode as fast as my body would let me, but I just couldn't keep up with them.  I kept looking at my Garmin and my pace was puzzling.  I couldn't understand why I was so darn slow.  I knew that once we made our last right turn, we would be headed south and I would have the wind at my back.  The group pulled ahead which left me out in the wind and slowed my speed even more.

Ahhh....the final turn.  "Smooth sailing from here" was what I expected, but what I got was, "Where the hell is the tail wind!?"  The wind shifted and we got a strong cross wind the whole way home.  Every time I got out of the saddle to push and try to warm up, my quads seized up.  I couldn't push the cranks, I still couldn't feel my feet, and I was getting pissed.

I've been an athlete long enough to have experienced a true BONK.  Not a bad day, but a true BONK!  I will admit that I've experienced it more than once.  So I'm pretty in tune with my body and can recognize the signs...each and every sign as they slowly creep up and progress.  "How on earth could this be happening?" It was cold, not hot, and I could not understand why I would be feeling this way in these conditions.  I was hydrated.  I was eating.  What was going on?

I asked the group to ride ahead and just leave.  I wanted to be miserable by myself.  I knew the way home.  I hated that every time I crested a hill, there they were.  I knew they were freezing waiting for me.  Sucks when people see you miserable.  What made me feel better is when another rider tried to get out of the saddle and groaned in pain.  He said his quads were seizing up.  Mean and cruel, this made me feel better.  

Just 5 miles from home and I felt like I was going to puke.  "Yep, it's happening.  I'm starting to BONK."  My husband asked me if I was OK.  That pissed me off because  I knew I looked anything but OK.  I couldn't afford to get upset or let my emotions run wild.  Pissed off and asthma don't mix well.

I made it home and hobbled into the house.  I still could not feel my feet.  I stood in the hot shower and my husband brought me a hot drink to start the warming from the inside out.  The cold soon left me, but the experience was still fresh.    I have some pretty vivid suffer experiences that stay fresh in my mind and this one is going to be one of them.

Looking back and reading my body I know exactly what happened.  I don't think I could have been warmer.  I dressed for the cold, but the cutting north wind won.  I regularly check the weather so I can prepare adequately.  I just didn't bank on the shift in wind and drop in temps.  My body was too cold for too long and was using excess energy to keep it warm.  That was the energy I needed to push the cranks and ride 50+ miles.  That's where the BONK started.  I wasn't compensating for the loss of fuel through warming.  I am so glad I didn't completely BONK.  I have yet to get in a car.  I have yet to quit.  I have yet to SAG.  This was the closest I have been to getting off my bike, throwing my bike down, and crawling into a ditch to get warm and waiting for someone to SAG me.

This ride isn't about the weather at all.  It's not about how to prepare better next time.  It's about suffering.  It's about suffering beyond what you think you can handle.  It's about going to a place you don't want to go to ever again.  It's about putting this experience in my little bag from which I know one day I will have to go to in order to get through another tough moment.  It's that bag of experiences that keep you going.  My average may have sucked, but my mental toughness grew.  This does not mean, in any way, that I'd like to do that again.  I'll be on the indoor trainer when it's windy and in the low 40's this winter.  :)