In the Pool

It's been a couple weeks since my last post -- primarily because I haven't had much to talk about. I've been, as was recommended, keeping ative and in shape without doing any real training.

I've gotten back in the weight room a couple times and kept up with teaching my regular BodyFlex class and Spinning class. I've also spent more time in the pool at the Y.

Boy, am I going to need help there! I'm working on increasing my endurance in the water, but I've got a long way to go. Brett, the Y's aquatics director, and I couldn't get our schedules to mesh for her to help me with my technique as we had planned. This is something we've got to do right after the first of the year.

For now, I'm just plodding along. This morning I plan on taking my first yoga class and tonight I'm teaching a "Christmas Carol" Spinning class (the remixed Bing Crosby First Noel is a killer.) I'll get one more time in the pool before heading to sunny, warm Wisconsin (he said, dripping with sarcasm) for Christmas. But I've already located a YMCA to get a workout in on the day after Christmas - something I never would have done a year ago!

Congratulations Andy!

A HUGE congratulations to my friend Andy, who just did Ironman Western Australia and beat his personal best by an hour and 40 minutes! Awesome! You are the man....um, make that the Ironman!

Back At It...and Exhausted

Having fully recovered from the marathon, I figured this week I'd get back in the swing of things, and stay active. I'd been advised to keep in shape through December but not do any real "training."

Well, I was a slacker for the first half of the week, but made up for it the past two days.

Yesterday I taught my usual 8:00am BodyFlex class at the Y. I hadn't taught in a few weeks so I stayed light on my own weights but leading 4 minutes of squats right off the bat did a number on my legs later in the day. Then I was looking forward to teaching my usual Spinning class, but because (a) it has gotten cold out and all the cyclists wanted to ride indoors or (b) my class is so darn popular (I prefer to believe the latter) there were so many people in class I gave up my bike and taught from the floor.

Yesterday afternoon I finally hit the weights after a far-too-long absence. I pretty much did a full-body minus legs workout and, of course, am paying the price today.

Not content to leave any part of my body less than exhausted, Meyer and I went swimming this morning. It was my first time in the pool since I can't remember when. I'm pooped and am ready for a long nap!

But it sure feels good!

Favorite Ads

If you flip through running or triathlon magazines, you'll find some really interesting or inspiring or well written or funny ads. (Sometimes they are all of the above.) So occasionally I'm going to share my favorites. Here's one that I read, and re-read, and re-read before running the marathon two weeks ago. Since the text is probably too small to read, this is what it says:

"If you ran without sacrifice, congratulations. You just jogged. Running hurts. It always has. Woolly mammoths didn't just roll over onto a plate and serve themselves up to prehistoric man with fries and a shake. They had to be caught - and running down woolly mammoths was a bitch. Guess what? Running is still a bitch. But one with a purpose. It teaches us that good things do not come easy. It teaches us that we are capable of more than we think. It teaches us that hard work will be rewarded and laziness will be punished. Don't expect to learn those life lessons from running's shiftless stepchild, jogging. Next time you suffer on the roads or trails, suffer proudly. It means you run like an animal."

I love stuff like this!

Video Time!

NBC shouldn't tease us like this. I know where I'll be the afternoon of Dec. 13...on the couch watching!

Clarification

In my posting about the marathon, I wrote that the temperature was under 30 degrees. Well, it was but...

I just read in yesterday's newspaper article about the race that it was only 22 when we started. 22 degrees!!!

Now What?

OK, the marathon is done.

I didn't think I'd feel this way, but I can't wait until my leg muscles get back to normal (still a little tight) and my knee pain goes away (nothing serious) so I can start running again.

I finally finished the 10-page questionnaire for my soon-to-be coach and am about to email that to him. I also talked with the YMCA Aquatics Director today about scheduling a few swim stroke technique analysis sessions. She also recommended joining our masters swim class, which I intend to do.

So now I just stay active until I start working with the coach in January, when he'll help me develop my racing schedule for 2009 (choosing races in addition to the half-Ironman, Ironman, and marathon I've chosen) and create a training plan for me for each of those.

I'm feeling great! Walking down stairs forwards is no longer a challenge, everyone at work has been asking how it went, and I just can't wait to be on the course again!

3:42:51 !!!

Cold. Snow. Wind.

That's how the day started. It was less than 30 degrees at 7:00am when the marathon began. I was amazed at how "bundled up" many people were. I had my shorts, long-sleeved tech-top, a running baseball cap, and a fleece pullover that I planned to pull off at mile 4.5 when I'd see Meyer and Julie.

Everything went amazingly well. My first three miles were paced exactly where I wanted them to be. I started to speed up in mile four, dumped the pullover, and hit the trail strong. I was surprised that when I hit the halfway point, I was still feeling great. A couple miles were directly into the wind and were ridiculously tough, but once I got through that, I was ok again.

When I hit mile 18 in 2:30, I knew I was going to beat 4 hours. I got back on the trail and kept it steady on the last few miles. I crossed the finish line and looked at my Garmin. 3:42:51!

Julie had to wait forever for her relay partner to finish the first half, but once she did, Julie took off and had a great 13.1. She came through with a sub-two-hour half-marathon.

Meyer was awesome in his role as support crew. He took photos, handed me a bottle of Accelerade exactly when I needed it, and was waiting at the finish line.

I am ecstatic about this run. I'm still walking a little funny, but the legs should be back to normal soon.

Here are some photos:

Me at mile 4.5. (Notice my fleece pullover flying out of the way for Meyer to pick up.)


Just past the finish line.


Post-race with Julie at the beach.


The proof! (Somehow my Garmin tracked .16 additional miles.)

Brrrrrrrr

Baby, it's cold outside!

So the marathon is three days away, and we're in the middle of a cold snap. And Saturday is supposed to be the coldest of the next 10 days, with highs around 40. Yikes! At least it is supposed to be sunny.

Also, many people who read this may know that I am a Spinning instructor. And as of yesterday, I've had enough continuing education and passed the exam to move up from a "Star 1 Instructor" to a "Star 2 Instructor." In my current job this doesn't mean squat, but for Spinning enthusiasts, it carries a certain cache. My ultimate goal is to become a Master Instructor, but that's much further down the road.

Ready!

I'm feeling ready.

Today's workout was a one-hour run. And even though it was only 50 degrees and winds were holding steady at 20-25mph, I felt great! No shin problems, no knee problems, no hamstring problems. I did almost 7.5 miles in the hour time frame, and even had the energy (and breath) to carry on a short conversation in the last mile with another runner who is doing the marathon - her first also.

Julie's travel plans are almost set. She'll be here to run the half-marathon relay with a partner yet to be named. (We'll hopefully get that from the race officials soon!)

This is a take-it-easy week, with just a couple short runs.

I'm looking forward to Saturday!

10 Days 'til 26.2

An odd thing started happening this morning. Every time I think about the marathon, or read an email (lots of email traffic about night-before dinner), or hear someone talk about it I start getting nervous. My heart starts beating faster and I feel a bit of anxiety. Usually I'm pretty calm up until the day before. It's never happened this far in advance.

I've just got to keep telling myself that I'm prepared. I've done what I needed to do, and I'll be fine on race day.

Oops!

I realized that I left something out of my "Stuff" post - my BodyGlide. And the reason I remembered it today is because I forgot to use it today. BodyGlide is one of those things that reduces chafing, so it's a good idea to use it during long runs. I'm glad I only went 13 miles today. If it had been longer, I might have had a problem!

Video Time!

Anyone who has done a mass start in a triathlon knows how much you get kicked and hit by other racers. It isn't (for the most part) intentional. It just happens when you have dozens, or hundreds, or more people running into the water and trying to swim together.

This is quite possibly one of the funniest comercials I have ever seen. I've watched it over and over and I still laugh every time.

Stuff

After my last post I started thinking about the things that I've purchased at the running store and how much stuff I use when I run. Remember when you used to be able to throw on a pair of running shoes, shorts and a tee and go?

So here's all of the stuff I use when I go for a long run: shoes (which have a few hundred miles on them so they will be replaced by a new pair after the marathon), ID and cell phone in case of emergency, water bottle belt with a handy pouch for the ID and cell phone, medical tape to tape my toes so I don't get blisters, chest strap to record my heart rate, Garmin Forerunner to get the information from the chest strap as well as GPS satelites to record my speed and other things, hat to keep the sun off my face (but it also has a special liner that sucks up sweat), and GU - that wonderful who-knows-what's-in-it product that gives you a boost of energy.

All this for a couple hours of running? I'd really like to know how much faster or farther this stuff helps me run. Oh wait! I'll just check my Garmin.

Congrats!

Congratulations to my friends Mary Beth and Russ on finishing strong in the Florida Ironman this past Saturday. Mary Beth and Russ own the running store where I've dropped lots of cash over the last year. (But they've taken very good care of me too!)

Last Long Run

Today was my last long run before the marathon. Who knew I'd ever get to the point when I'd consider next week's 13-miler to not be a "long" run. But compared to today's 22, a 13 will be a welcome break.

While today's pace wasn't as fast as I was hoping for, it was still fast enough to finish in about 3 hours and 12 minutes.

And now I'm so tired I can't think of anything more to write.

Page 8, Question 3

Question #3 on page 8 of my questionnaire from my soon-to-be coach deals with staying positive when things don't go well during a race.

I didn't fare so well on this one today.

I started out slow and with some tightness in my shins. That continued for about two miles. I've run through that kind of tightness so it was no big deal. Once the shins loosened up, I felt better but I wasn't able to speed up.

I hit the trail at about the 5.5 mile mark and suddenly hit my stride. Miles 7 through 13 were much much better. But then I started dropping on mile 14. My energy was sapped and my legs were burning. By mile 16 I was jogging four minutes and walking one. I trudged through the last few miles and finished the 20 miles ready to drop.

I'm feeling ok now, 8 hours, some hard-core stretching, plenty of fluids, a hot bath and a generous application of muscle cream later.

I have one more long run left before I taper for the marathon (27 days away). I WILL do better next time.

The Countdown Begins

No, not the 12-day countdown to November 4. Nope, it's the 30-day countdown to November 22 - the Rehoboth Beach Running Co. Seashore Marathon.

I'm feeling good, both physically and mentally. I've got two more long runs before I begin to taper. Then I'll be all set. If you're in the area, please make plans to join the cheering section! Details to come...

I'm also working on completing the 10 pages of information reguested by my triathlon coach. I won't start working with him until January, but we're getting the preliminary information gathering out of the way now. More details on this to come too.

This Week's Long Run

This weekend a cold front blew (literally) into the area, bringing colder temperatures and high winds. I woke up this morning in time to hear wind blow the furniture across the bedroom deck. This morning's run was going to be a windy one!

Wind or no wind, I was ready although today is the first day I've had to wear some cooler-weather running gear. With temps in the low 50s (about 25 degrees cooler than a week ago) I wasn't quite sure how my body would react. After the first couple miles, however, I knew today was going to be fast.

I averaged about 8:31 per mile on the first four miles which was actually a little faster than I wanted to go. I have a tendency to start out too fast and lose steam by the 12th or 13th mile. I really sped up on the middle of the run, averaging 8:04 per mile for miles 5 through 12. I slowed down a bit on the 13 through 17, but still maintained an 8:17 pace. Now I've been working on making my last couple miles faster than the rest on my long runs, so I knew today would be a good challenge. Mile 18 was a 7:54, and mile 19 was a surprising 7:35!

The wind was annoying, but gave me a good mental challenge every time I headed into it.

I felt great...until I stopped moving. I could tell, even before I finished stretching, that my hamstrings were going to give me trouble. But now, five hours and a nap later, I feel alright.

Next week: Breaking 20 miles!

Good Luck Jules!

Good luck to my friend Julie, who is running the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco this Sunday. Julie has run marathons all over the place (even Rome!) and she's done them to raise thousands of dollars for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. Go Jules! (You run like a girl!)

Speedy!

Well, it may not be speedy for some, but it was for me today.

Last night I ran a quick 3 miles, but it didn't feel "right." Maybe it was too short to get in the groove, but I just didn't feel like it was a good run.

Today, having an early morning at work and an evening commitment, I decided to take some extra time at lunchtime to get in a run. My training plan called for a 90-minute run but I figured as long as I got in an hour, I'd do alright. As I started, I decided I'd do 7 miles and call it a day.

My first mile was 8:33, and I was feeling pretty good so I increased the pace a bit. Mile number 2 was 8:03. Mile 3 was even better. Everything felt great - pace, breathing, legs, energy level. I wrapped it up with a 7:36 last mile.

I have no idea where the speed came from, but it sure felt good. I ended up averaging 7:58 per mile. Let's all hope this kind of thing happens around mile 20 or so on November 22!

Tomorrow is a rest day before I get in another 5 miles on Saturday.

Things I Learned Today

I ran 17 miles today - my longest run yet! Here are some things I learned:

1) If you're older than a third grader, it'll take you at least 10 minutes to figure out how to set the 1-mile-lap-alarm feature on your Garmin Forerunner. If you're a third grader, it'll probably take you about 30 seconds.

2) Don't let your mind wander. Your legs will slow down.

3) Once you get Rhianna's "Shut Up and Drive" in your head, it will not leave.

4) If someone who has actually finished an Ironman passes you on the trail, don't try to keep up with him.

5) Other runners around North Shores all say, "Good morning." Very few cyclists in Lewes wear helmets. All drivers in the area have no respect for runners or cyclists on the road.

6) When you start getting tired, focus on your cadence and keep it smooth. That'll keep your speed up.

7) No matter how long the run is, the last mile is always the toughest.

Today exceeded my expectations. I felt very good throughout the run (and afterwards) and ended up averaging 8:27 per mile.

Video Time!

There are a ton of great videos that provide motivation, inspiration or umm...hmm...ah...fear. Here's one.

Note to my mother: I know you don't like to think about your son pushing his body too far. So don't watch this one.

Going Solo

A while back, a friend of mine asked why I trained by myself.

Simple answer: because I want to.

I've got plenty of opportunity to train with others - the Grove Park running club on Tuesday nights, an informal speed-work group on Wednesdays, another group that meets behind the outlets Thursday nights, and the long run group on Sundays. But I've found that running is my escape. It give me time to enjoy the solitude and just be alone with my thoughts. Much of my job as Fitness Director at the local YMCA is focused on customer service. I'm interacting with members throughout the day, as well as class participants when I teach classes and personal training clients of mine. When I want to "get away" I use running. At the Y we focus on the mind and soul in addition to the body. Running is my time to focus on all three. If I were to run with others, I would feel compelled to join conversations (or listen to them) or adjust my pace above or below what I really want to do.

My training time is my time.

Another Long Run

The moment I stepped outside I knew today's run would be a little difficult. The air was heavy with humidity, which has always given me breathing problems. So I took it a little slower. Still, by the 2-mile mark, I was already drenched in sweat and breathing heavily. I slowed down a little more.

Somewhere around the 5-mile mark I finally hit my stride and started feeling alright. The sun came through the clouds which was a mixed blessing. It "burned off" the heaviness of the air, but also seemed to increase the temperature by several degrees.

I made it to the 8-mile turn-around point, downed a strawberry-banana Gu, and trudged on. By mile 12 I was feeling sluggish again so I decided to do a little walk/jog combination - walk for 30 seconds, jog for 5-6 minutes. That got me through the rest of the way, and I finished 16 miles. I just downloaded my Forerunner information and somehow I still ended up averaging less than 9 minutes per mile.

Now, an hour later, I feel better than I did last week after 15 miles. And I'm off to start eating - I've got over 1,800 calories to make up!

You Want Fries With That?

I'm a huge advocate for healthy, mindful eating. I try my best to model good eating behavior by keeping my intake of red meat, sugar, salt, fat, and alcohol low. Lately, however, it seems like it doesn't matter what the food is. I'm eating it. All the time.

In addition to all of the nifty things (pace, heart rate, elevation) my Forerunner data tells me, I get the total number of calories I expend during a run - based on my weight, pace, distance, etc. And Sunday's run cost me over 1,700 calories. That's about half a pound!

So to keep from losing weight I'm eating everything in sight. I know I need to make a significant effort to ensure those extra calories are the "right" ones - from foods that are nutritious and won't be detrimental to my training or health. But that cheeseburger at the Summer House last night was too tempting to resist! (But I didn't have fries with it!)

Another Good Run

I was up with the sun this morning to get in a 15-miler before it got too sunny or warm. During previous runs I felt that I spent too much time focusing on my pace by looking at my Forerunner (which tells me my speed, heart rate, total running time, etc.). So this time I settled into a challenging but not uncomfortable pace and kept it there.

Aside from a little fatigue towards the end, it was a good run. And when I got home and downloaded all the info from the Forerunner to my laptop, I discovered I had averaged an 8:20 pace and I hadn't fluctuated very much from that throughout the run. I am surprised...and pleased!

I soaked for a while in a hot bath and now I'm going to take a well-deserved nap.

Tomorrow is a rest day - and I'm going to take full advantage of that!

Back On the Road

I finally got back to my regular running schedule after 10 days of no running. I only did 3 miles (which was all my training plan called for) today but it just felt good to be out again. I ran for a bit along the beach and thought, "This is why I love living here."

Wallet In (see first post)

Well, the wallet is now in. The email came with my registration instructions and I got my time off from work approved for next September. The hotel reservation is made and I just completed the registration process, including paying the hefty entry fee.

Now I just need to get this body in shape for one wild ride!

No Run Today

I would have done a 15-mile run (longest one thus far) today but...

The past 3 days have wiped me out. Yesterday was the Dewey Beach Sprint Triathlon, which benefits the local YMCA, which is where I work. So I worked some pretty ridiculous hours, and then spent about 8 hours yesterday doing physical labor in the hot sun with very little food/water. So when I finally ate a real meal last night my body rebelled - big time.

So today is a recovery day for me. I'll be back to my regular running schedule by Tuesday and look forward to my long run next Sunday.

Reason for My Title

I got the idea for the title of this blog from a video I saw. It's hard not to want to do this when you see the video.

The Plan

To do something this big, you've got to have a plan - and anyone who knows me well knows that I rarely do anything without a plan.

So right now I'm focused on my running because I'm doing my first marathon this November. My longest training run thus far has been 14 miles, although I'm adding 1 mile to that this coming weekend. Once that is done, I'm going to add swimming and cycling back into the mix to work on technique and building a good solid base over the winter. I also plan on hiring a swim coach to help me with my stroke since the swim is definitely my weakest event of the three.

To help me prepare for the Eagleman (half-Iron) in June and the Ironman WI next September, I plan on getting a triathlon coach. I need the expert advice on this one to keep me strong and injury free.

So that's the plan - in general - for the next year. Of course, there'll be little races here and there, but those three big ones are on my A-List.

What Is It?

So I realized after my first posting that some of my friends or others who may read this may not know what the Ironman is. (I can hear other friends gasping, "What?!? Not know about Ironman?")

In 1978 some Navy Seals were debating which among them was the fittest athlete. Commander John Collins suggested that the best way to decide would be to combine the Waikiki Rough Water Swim, the Around Oahu Bike Race and the Honolulu Marathon. Fast-forward 30 years and you've got 22 Ironman events throughout the world, including Madison, Wisconsin.

The Ironman race consists of 2.4 miles swimming, 112 miles cycling, and 26.2 miles (a marathon distance) running - a total of 140.6 miles. Participants must finish in 17 hours or less to be considered an Ironman. The winner of the Ironman Wisconsin on Sunday finished in 8 hours, 43 minutes, and 29 seconds.

There are also 31 events in the Ironman 70.3 Series, which are essentially half-Ironmans. I am also entered into the Eagleman 70.3 race next June - kind of a warm-up for the Ironman.

Head? In. Heart? In. Wallet? Not Yet.

Yesterday was the day I'd been looking forward to for quite some time. I was visiting my parents in Wisconsin and I had set the alarm clock for 1:00am, but woke up just before midnight and decided to get going an hour earlier than planned. By 12:10 I was out the door and headed to Madison. By 1:20 I was taking my place - sixth in line - outside the convention center at Monona Terrace, just a block from the state capitol. Over eight hours, very little sleep, and several new friends (also waiting in line) from around the country later, I had my spot reserved for the 2009 Ironman Wisconsin.

Why eight hours in line? Even though you don't have to qualify to get in, just getting a spot in the Ironman is pretty difficult. First, all the 2008 participants had the chance to re-up for 2009. (I hear about 700 did.) Then, the 2008 volunteers get to register. (Again, nearly 700 did.) Finally, they open it up to anyone else for in-person registration - which meant getting there early to get my spot (which, by the way, was 3rd). If there are any spots left after in-person registration, then it opens up online. I'm not sure if that happened for this one. Looking at the hundreds of people in line after me, I'd guess it didn't. I went online this morning and saw that it was listed as SOLD OUT.

So now I'm partially committed. And I say "partially" because my spot is just reserved. Now I have to wait a few days for an email telling me how I can actually register and pay the entry fee. Then my wallet will join my head and my heart and I'll be fully committed.