10,000 Hours

My husband and I usually do double workouts at least twice a week, usually Wednesdays and Saturdays. Wednesday I met him at the gym at noon and did a warm up on the spin bike and then hit the weights - upper body.

Later that day, I decided that instead of driving from our house to our other gym (we are members of two different gyms - sad, but true. We are fanatics) for the second workout, I would run the 5 to 6 miles and then do core and squats. It was an awesome workout day. I need more of them! It's the way I use to always train.

The good thing about living in the St. Petersburg area is there are sidewalks, bike lanes and trails everywhere. I didn't have to run directly on busy roads although I did have to cross several which can get dicey with all the 80 year old drivers around here. I made it to the gym in 55 minutes, which gave me over an hour of cardio for the day. This use to be my standard, but the past six months it's been more like 20 - 30 minutes/day of cardio.

I did squats when I got to the gym, just to finish my legs off and make sure I wouldn't be able to walk for a few days and then core and stretched. My husband was nice enough to drive me home so I didn't have to run the 6 miles back.

My legs were not sore at all the next day and that surprised me. I did some pretty intense squats. I think that doing more weights all winter and increasing the reps and the amount of weight has paid off. I hope it shows during triathlon season. My first triathlon is at the end of this month and I haven't been on my tri bike or in the pool yet. 

Last year, all the strength training I did got me through the short sprint races without too much pain despite my lack of time on the bike or in the pool. All the work I did in the gym everyday seemed sufficient. I realize I wouldn't be able to do that in a longer race that requires more endurance. I would have to put in the training time to make it through one of those longer races fairly pain free. As if that's even possible!

But what's a little pain. After all "Pain is just weakness leaving the body, " right?

I admit that I am a little nervous because my first official race of the season is coming up at the end of this month and I've spent way more time reading and working on my writing than swimming and biking. I believe in the 10,000 hour rule that was introduced in the book "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell that says it takes at least 10,000 of doing something before you get proficient at it. Over the past 17 years I've put the 10,000 hours into swimming, biking, running and racing and now it's time to put the 10,000 hour rule to work in my writing.

The 10,000 hour rule not only means putting in the time, but it takes more than that as you can read about in this article HERE   that states not only do you have to put in the time, but you have to put in quality time as well.

Many years ago when I started biking I joined a local bike club. This got me not only riding longer, building up to Century rides, but also riding faster because I didn't want to get dropped out in no man's land and have to find my way home all alone.

When I started running, I ran with people who were a little faster than me so it forced me to go faster. Then when it came time to train for marathons, I had a small group to run and socialize with which made the time go by faster.

After learning the basics of the freestyle on my own and building up a small base, I started swimming with a masters group to help get my technique better and also get faster, since I think some of the people I was swimming with were part fish.

Recently, I started taking online writing classes to help me write better. I've also been reading a lot about writing and reading authors who write in the genres I'm interested in writing. I'm no where near the required 10.000 hours, I estimate that will take me about 7 years, but I've made the commitment and I'm on my way.

 I consider my blog writing as part of the 10,000 hours and I've been blogging for almost 3 years.

Have you used the 10,000 hour rule in your life and if so, what have you become more proficient in because of your commitment and time?

I Confess - I Turned The Alarm Off And Went Back To Bed (And Other Important Things)

What a week! I don't even know where to begin. The Murph's job offer in St. Pete? The Boy's eviction notice from his college apartment? Phantom, the cat's, bad, good, trying to get him to eat, drink and take his pills and supplement days? My half ironman training (that's not) days?

The 15 hours of continuing education real estate license classes I have to take so I can activate my Alabama license, so I can then get a reciprocal Florida real estate license without having to take the 60 hour pre-license class again. Searching online for a place to live in the Tampa/St. Pete area before we head back down there in a couple of weeks so we can see them in person.

That doesn't include all that's coming up next week. We are going back to Birmingham to clean out and pack up the house and then turn it over to a Birmingham realtor to sell for us. Hopefully, she will sell it quicker than we were able too. Being there to show it is key. That's hard to do when you're 4 hours away like we are. We weren't all that concerned about it until we discovered we were moving several more hours away. Any way, that's all next week.

This past week the Boy, who has Asperger's, called me from college while we were still in St. Pete saying he got an eviction notice from his apartment. This is after the fact that the Boy had gone down to the office several times to get this vendor form filled out for Alabama Rehab. AL Rehab has to have the form before they can pay the apartment complex. The Boy is eligible for a part of his rent to be paid by Alabama Rehab. Without their help, the Boy can't afford to live there. There have been a series of phone calls, emails from the Boy, me and Alabama Rehab to the apartment complex, but nothing has been done. I even called the corporate office and the Boy has been to the apartment office several times. Despite all of this, since rent is past due because the form hasn't been filled out, the Boy got an eviction notice.

This has FINALLY been straightened out (I think) so the Boy's okay for now. His classes were dropped also, when his financial aid wasn't applied to his account because of me. That was back a few weeks ago when I didn't know the difference between an income tax return and a transcript. This was taken care of as well so he's okay there too. Finally!

The Murph accepted the job offer and we are still waiting for everything to be finalized. We should know something this week. We already have a realtor trying to help us find a place to rent in Tampa/St.  Pete and I've been looking online. What a headache!

Me and Miss Mary

Phantom is doing pretty well. We had dinner with Miss Mary, an energy healer, who has been helping Phantom, last night. She's been sending Phantom healing energy and giving me other suggestions for him. She thinks he might be dehydrated. He was drinking tons of water when we were in St. Pete and not so much now that we are back in Pensacola. If you want to keep up with how he's doing he has his own facebook page here and blog here.

The Murph and Miss Mary

I had to upgrade my computer system so I could take the online CE Real Estate classes. That was a pain since I thought I could do it myself and wasted several hours attempting it. Who knows what all I've downloaded on this thing now. I have a dinosaur of a computer! I've only gotten halfway through the first risk management class and have 5 classes (15 hours) total that I have to take. Boring!

Half Ironman training? Well, uh, yes, I'm sucking at it! I haven't swam in a couple of weeks or been on my tri bike. I've been indoor cycling, weights and lots of running, but shorter runs of between 3 - 9 miles. Okay, mostly just 3 miles.

Sunday was the Trigulfcoast's club members only practice triathlon for the Santa Rosa Island Sprint that is coming up in a couple of weeks. I was signed up to do the practice race which was going to be officially timed with a chip and everything. It would have been a great practice race and good overall brick workout. The night before I pumped up my bike tires, set my tri clothing out and packed all my gear into my transition bag. I set the alarm on my IPhone for 5:30 a.m and was all set to go!

My alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. just as scheduled. It was still dark outside at 5:30 a.m. That totally sucks because I terribly dislike getting up when it's still dark outside knowing that I have to swim. In the ocean!!

I got up, turned my alarm off, fed a snack to two of our curious, demanding cats, who were probably wondering what the crap I was doing, then I crawled back into my nice warm bed between my sexy husband (he has incredible body heat at 5:30 a.m) and our other four legged furry kitty, Ed, who likes sleeping on my side of the bed.

A few hours later, the Murph woke up, looked over at my sorry sleeping ass, laughed and asked me how I did on the race.

I told him it was an incredibly tough race! I had to stumble 10 feet to turn my alarm off, followed by a couple of hours of some marathon sleeping. It was grueling, just grueling! I even shortened my Sunday long run because of how exhausted It was from getting up at 5:30 a.m.

And did I feel guilty about being a no show?

Heck no!

Monday Motivation - Let's Get More Aero

Today I finally got my tri bike out, put my regular wheels on instead of the racing ones and got everything ready to go for a real live bike ride instead of the exercise bike ones I've been doing. The last time I was on the bike was at the Buster Britton Triathlon over a month ago. I can't believe it's been that long! How did it happen? Where did the time go? I spent at least 30 minutes getting the bike ready, put my helmet om, bike shoes, bike gloves, water bottle, etc.

 By the time I took off on the bike it began to thunder and lightening. I guess I didn't pay much attention to the clouds moving in while I was getting the bike ready. It's been raining on and off all day so all I got was about 5 minutes on the bike. I really do need to bring my trainer here!

And I'm so going to get one of those pointy aero bike helmets that guys wearing in the video! I need all the help I can get!

And you can read all about my training (or lack of training) if you follow my blog!

Don't Let A Little Swim Stop You!

So many times I have heard people say that they would do a triathlon if only they didn't have to swim. It seems that the swim part of the triathlon is what keeps so many people from attempting their first tri. I always tell them that the swim is short in a sprint. Anyone can do it. It's nothing! Don't let the swim stop you from doing one.

Image from oyster.com

Almost anyone, if they are motivated and in fairly good shape, can get in a pool or lake and swim 400 to 600 yards straight. In most sprints, that's all you need. In some of the sprints, the water is shallow enough that you can stand up and walk if you get tired and there are also folks in kayaks out there that will let you hang on and rest for minute if you need to. Almost all my problems in the swim have been when I have gone out too fast at the start. I've learned to relax even if I have to slow down for a minute.

Most people go into triathlons from one of the other three sports, running, cycling or swimming. Sometimes the strongest swimmers are not the fastest in a triathlon. I came into the world of triathlon through cycling. I was a fairly strong cyclist back then and doing regular rides with the bike club group, which consisted of several triathletes. I would see their race shirts and hear their race stories and wanted to try one for myself.

Image from fuelrunning.com

The only problem was I couldn't swim. Yes, I could dog paddle, tread water, float on my back and get from one side of the lake to the other in a haphazard manner, but I didn't know how to freestyle. I didn't know how to put my face in the water and breathe from side to side. My head was always out of the water when I swam or either I would be totally under water swimming. Way too anaerobic for a tri swim!

Image from tumblr.com

Image from tumblr.com

At that time I was working with a guy, S, who had sons that were competitive triathletes. He told me about some upcoming triathlons that were good for beginners. One was in June and was the Buster Britton triathlon at Oak Mountain State Park in Birmingham, AL, practically in my back yard. I signed up!

Image from blog.al.com

After three years of cycling, I was determined to give triathlon a try. I was too embarrassed to join a swim group so I went to the local library and got a book on master's swimming (similar here and here). I read about how to free style and breathe correctly. I found a time when the indoor pool at the JCC was empty and I took my book, my goggles and my swim cap and taught myself how to swim. It wasn't pretty! I recommend hiring a coach to work one on one with you if you can afford it instead of the way I did it.

Image from Amazon.com

The swim in the Buster Britton tri back then was 600 yards (now it's only 400 yards). It was March so I had three months to work on my swim. It didn't take me long before I could swim 600 yards without stopping. I went to work and told S that I had swam 600. He told me that I needed to swim two 600's before the race just to make sure I could do it and and to make sure I could cover any extra yardage when/if (but mostly when!) I got off course.

I swam one 600, rested a few minutes, swam another 600. I did that at least twice before race day. I also started running and worked my way up to three miles before the race. The sprint was a 600 yard swim, 16 mile bike ride, and a 3 mile run. I had the bike part down since I'd been biking in century rides, MS150 rides and 30 to 70 mile group rides with the bike club.

Before the race I went out to Oak Mountain to practice swimming in the lake and had a canoeing friend spot me. I didn't swim long, maybe 5 minutes tops and thought I was going to drown! Then I did a short bike and run on parts of the course. I knew I could do it if I just settled into a rhythm during the swim and stayed calm and focused on breathing and moving forward. Moving forward would get me to the end and out of the water! That was my goal for the swim. Then I would kick ass on the bike.

On race day I started out too fast in the swim and got out of breath and panicked, but managed to calm down and finish the swim in about 12 or so minutes. The bike part was a breeze even though I was a little tired from all that swimming. (ha!) The run was hot, but I finished the race in under 1 hour 30 minutes (1:27:00 I think) and placed 2nd in the beginner category. That was 1999. I was hooked!

After the race, I had a little more confidence in my swim ability so I started swimming with a master's swim group 3 days a week at the JCC. It was much more fun swimming in a group than by myself. The coach corrected some things I was doing wrong and the other swimmers pushed me to go faster.

That is why I cringe when I hear people say they can't do a triathlon because of the swim. I know if I can do it anybody can! The biggest part of a triathlon is the bike segment. Being strong on the bike is key if you want a chance at being competitive or not. You have to hold your own in the swim and the run, but you don't have to be a fast, expert swimmer to get to the finish line. You just have to be good enough to get through that part and onto the next. Believe me! I suck at swimming, but in sprints I usually place in the top 10 of my age group, if not the top 3.

So please don't let the swim stop you! I have now been training and racing for over 14 years. It has helped me deal with the anxiety, stress and depression of divorce, raising a child on the autism spectrum, financial and career struggles and just general everyday life stuff. Not to mention the being tone and fit part. That part rocks!

I can't say I like the swim training part or even that I do it regularly anymore unless I have a big race coming up, but I never let it stop me. Triathlon training and racing is a great way to stay fit and feel good about yourself in an endorphin-induced high kind of way! I came into the sport in good health and had been continuously exercising for years before I started swimming. If you have been inactive or are not in good shape, I would get to a doctor for a check up first before attempting to swim or race.

Image from iamtri.com

That being said, the swim is really not that bad! It's really not. I wouldn't lie to you!

And for all you males out there who haven't discovered tri shorts...

Image from facebook.com

Thank you!

The Best Way To Recover - Beach Time!

I've spent a lot of time here with my toes in the sand the past two days recovering from the triathlons I did Thursday and Saturday. Sure they were short, but I raced them as hard as I could as that was the plan to see where I am in my training, what I need to work on, etc (which is swimming and biking.) and I was a little sore.

Also, my asthma was acting up and I had some trouble breathing. The race Thursday I was really having a hard time breathing even though I had done my inhaler before the race. Saturday it wasn't as bad, but my throat and lungs were sore from the breathing struggle on Thursday. I was very surprised because I haven't had a problem in a long time. I'm thinking it may be the humidity causing it.

After the race on Saturday, I went to the gym and did some time on the spin bike and did upper body weights and on Sunday I did lower body weights, but no long run. Monday I actually swam in the ocean for a few minutes until my imagination started working over time and I imagined big, menacing fish with large teeth sneaking up behind me.

Totally creeps me out!

I don't know how to work through that fear. I never think about it during a race since there are so many people in the water with me. Okay, maybe I do think about it a little, but it doesn't stop me or creep me out or anything and during Ironman Florida and Gulf Coast half we swam straight out about 1/2 mile into the ocean and back. Once during Gulf Coast I tried new goggles during race day and they kept filling up with water and I couldn't see a thing. I totally got off course and didn't know where I was or which way to go and had to keep stopping to pour the water out of my goggles and try to spot a buoy and get back on course.

Now THAT was creepy!!

Anyway, Monday I swam. For about 5 minutes. In the ocean. Hey, you have to start somewhere!

I also did upper body weights, the elliptical and a mile 1/2 run. My legs felt tight, but I'm hoping by Wednesday they will be back to normal for my next run. Tuesdays for me are biking days.

The cats have settled in nicely and are getting along somewhat despite all the Murph's worries. I reasurred him that I had a plan and it is working. Phantom the bad cat has his "territory" in the guest bedroom. This is where his litter box is and where he gets fed and sleeps. We close him in there at night and when we leave the condo.

Ed and Cadence have their own litter box in the half bathroom and get fed in the kitchen. They can go anywhere in the condo except Phantom's room. Cadence can go in there sometimes if Phantom allows it, but it's not a good idea for Ed to go in there. That would be kitty suicide!

Their nightly routine is chilling out to some nice jazz. Last night I got this video of their typical evening.

We'll probably have to take Phantom with us when we go back to Birmingham for a few days. He has to have heart meds everyday and the Boy has started his summer "job". He was one of the few computer students who was selected to help some professors with a research project this summer. It is such an honor for him and he is so excited. He gets so focused on these things that I'm afraid Phantom might get neglected and his meds forgotten.

The Boy did a really great job taking care of him a couple of weeks ago when we went to Birmingham to get the other two cats and more stuff, but he was finished with classes and not working yet. Now I think the cat would be too much so he'll have to go with us. He's a pretty good traveler when he's in the cat carrier and not lowering windows with his paw.

Besides he'll get his jazz fix all the way back.

Been There Done That

Today I finally pulled my triathlon bike out, dusted it off, oiled the chain and changed the wheels to get it ready to ride.

This weekend?

Maybe!

I haven't been on the bike since the Alabama Coastal triathlon (Here) last September so it still had the racing wheels on it. I changed them out and aired them up and now the poor neglected bike is ready to ride.

Since September I've been either on the exercise bike at the gym or on my bike trainer at home. I don't like riding outside in weather under 75 degrees F, or in the rain, or on bad air days so I don't mind the indoor training at all. In the past when I was a little more obsessive about training I rode in the rain, in the freezing cold, in the dark at 5a.m. and in the dark at 7p.m and on days when air was so bad I coughed for days afterwards.

I don't do that anymore. Been there, done that!

I will say, however, that for the first time since training for Ironman Canada 2010 that I'm actually motivated and excited about getting back out on the roads. With all this indoor training I've been doing for two years, I am fully caught up on reading my stack of People magazines, I've seen an embarrassing number of episodes of Hoarders and Toddlers and Tiaras and I know more about Kim and Kourtney's taking of Miami than any normal person should.

It's time to take it outside before I lose my tentative grip on reality.

And I love to bike! Really, I do! I just don't love the traffic or the distracted drivers or the lack of adequate bike trails/lanes in this city. There's some folks around here that just don't like cyclists taking up space on their roads not one bit and they're not afraid to let you know it.

And I'm not just talking about my brother.

I use to ride with the bike club, now the triathlon club every Tuesday night during the spring and summer. I rarely missed a Tuesday night ride ever and if I did I felt bad. Nowadays, I rarely make it to a Tuesday night ride and I never regret it. Last year I did make it to a couple of Wednesday night rides at Oak Mountain State Park with a group of cyclists that's a little less competitive than the Tuesday night group and really enjoyed the more laid back ride.

When I showed up for the first ride, someone asked me where I'd been riding because I guess nobody had seen me out riding in awhile. I didn't no how to answer because there was where I had been riding. It was my first ride since Santa Rosa Triathlon (Here) seven months earlier and the only reason I was out riding that evening was because I had signed up to do a race that weekend and I wanted to make sure I could still ride without training wheels.

That was last year. This year it's going to different. This year I'm riding my bike and not just during races. I don't know when I'll add swim training to my schedule, but I am biking. There was a time back in the day when I actually got up and was at the Y as soon as they opened so I could swim a mile before work. For extra motivation to make sure I got up to swim, I would sleep in my swim suit. When 4:30 am rolled around, I woke up ready to go.

I don't know who that person was but I can almost promise I will NEVER do that again. Been there done that! And it was insane!!

I'll swim once or twice before the races I do this summer to make sure I still can. In the meantime, I'll do "dry land" training and no sleeping in swim suits!

I Never Should Have Gotten That Flu Shot...

I never should have gotten the flu shot because now I'm sick.  If I had never gotten the shot, I'm sure I would be fine now.  The Murph doesn't believe in the flu shot and he didn't understand why I got one without first consulting him.  I had to laugh about that because I'm not that use to consulting anyone about my shots unless he's a doctor.  He got the last laugh because I'm the one sick and he's all "I told you so!"

I don't think I have the flu, but since I just got the flu shot a week ago, I'm blaming it on my illness.  I've spent most of the day napping with the cats and drinking plenty of fluids because I feel terrible and dehydrated.  To top things off I'm still extremely sore from the race Sunday.   That doesn't help matters.  I'm sick and sore and dehydrated.

photo from littlerockmarathon.com

Being sick hasn't stopped me from trying to find another race to do.  I wanted to do Little Rock Marathon this spring, but just discovered it's sold out.  Crap!  I wasn't sure how I was going to fit the 20 mile training runs in and do Mercedes half marathon two weeks before Little Rock full marathon and not get injured, but it would have been doable.  Now I'm thinking of giving up the idea of running a spring marathon and look for an Ironman 70.3 to do.

Picture from ironmanstore.com

 It takes a long time for my legs to recover from running a full marathon and I don't want to mess up triathlon season recovering from a marathon.  It has to be planned out well ahead of triathlon season.   A March marathon would have been ideal.  I'll get back to looking for an Ironman 70.3 to do that's not full yet.

First I need more Advil.  And another nap.

Last Workout Of The Year

 The Murph and I just got back from workout of the day number 2 at the gym.  As we were leaving, I realized that this was our very last workout of the year.  I mentioned this to The Murph and he mumbled, "Yes, that's why I did such a terrible one."  I guess he means that tomorrow starts a new year with some serious gut busting workouts, not these little sissy workouts we've been doing for the past month or two. With all the holiday foods and easier, shorter workouts, I've gained six pounds since the Chickamauga marathon in November.

As I sit here typing on the computer, eating cookies and drinking sweet tea full of high fructose corn syrup and saturated fats, you can see I'm really concerned.  Not!

Tomorrow is a new day!

I already have my 2013 race schedule planned out, but I'm not doing the early registration so they could fill up before I register. I'm still going to take the chance of the races filling up and sign up for most of them at the last minute.  I figure that's better than registering now at the lower rate and then not being able to do the race.  The lower fees are not that much lower anyway.

My race schedule for 2013 looks like a half marathon in January and one in February, a marathon in March, one or two sprint triathlon races in May and June, an Olympic distance triathlon in July, USAT Nationals in August which is a sprint triathlon that I qualified for last summer at the Coastal triathlon, a sprint in September and a sprint in October and maybe, just maybe a 70.3 half Ironman triathlon at the end of October.  Then a marathon in November or December.  The marathon I really want to do is in December if I can make it out there.  It's sort of far from here and I don't know where we will be living.

Actually, four of the races I want to do are not close by.  It will require flying or a really long drive and I've only flown with my bike one time and it was tough getting it into that little box.  The other times I've either driven to the races or used Tribike Transport which is a really great service.  They pick up your bike at a designated bike shop near you and have it at your race all put together and ready to go.  They did not offer this for Hawaii, but I did use them when I competed in Ironman Canada.  It was great.  I just left my bike at the local bike shop and picked it up at the race venue, did the triathlon, then turned the bike over to Tribike transport after the race and a few days later picked it up at my local bike shop ready to go.

I think I'll let the bike shop take my bike apart and pack it in the bike box next time.  I could use Tribike Transport again, but now I have the bike box so I should probably use the box.  When I tried to pack the bike up for Hawaii, I left gaps in the box and some bike parts slipped out in transit.  I ended up having to purchase replacements parts.  This meant I had to go into town in Kona, Hawaii to find the bike shop and buy the part.  Then we had to take it back to the guy at the race expo who was putting my bike together because he couldn't leave the expo.  They were very busy putting bikes together.

This would not have been a problem if my bike and luggage hadn't arrived two days after I did and on the day it arrived I had a little mishap while doing a warm up swim that required stitches.  I got into a fight with some coral and the coral won.  Something that could only happen to me!  The Murph and I had to find the hospital, which was on one end of the island, so I could get stitches in my hand and elbow and then rush to the other end of the island to find the bike shop and then bring the part to the bike guy so he could have my bike put together and race ready in time for me to get it checked into transition in time.

This is me getting out of water with my hand and elbow cut up and bleeding,
 but The Murph doesn't realize it yet as he snaps away

I barely got the bike checked in transition in time and didn't get to test ride it except for the 20 minutes that it took me to ride from the hotel to the race start.  The seat was too low and my hand hurt, but there wasn't much I could do about it at that point.  I will say the Hawaii 70.3 was an awesome race in the most beautiful place in the world and I can't wait to go back and hopefully one day do the full Ironman.  Hopefully, without stitches in my hand and with plenty of time to ride my bike and test everything out on the course before race morning.

I don't know if I will actually do a 70.3 in 2013 or wait until 2014, but it keeps calling me.  I'm nuts!    I'm addicted!  What can I say...

Happy New Year!

Upcoming Sprint Triathlons -Yes, I Committed!

Yes, today I signed up for two different sprint triathlons that are coming up at the end of this summer.  Both of them are in Alabama, one in August in north Alabama and one at the coast in Gulf Shores, Alabama in September.

I try to do at least three triathlons minimum a year.  This year I decided to do only short ones, no half-Ironman or Ironman triathlons.  I am thinking about signing up for a half Ironman next year though.  Right now I am looking at a new half in Puerto Rico unless it fills up.  I'm not committing to it yet, so there is a good possibility it will fill up before I commit.

I am also still looking for a marathon to run this fall.  Since the wedding is in October, I am looking for a November or December marathon.  I haven't done a long run in two weeks, but I have been running several shorter runs.  I ran 6 miles Sunday in the heat at the beach.  I did lower body strength training Monday at the gym and then ran last night after we got home.  My legs are pretty sore right now despite not doing a long run.  It was the strength training.

The first sprint triathlon I signed up for is in two weeks.  It is a 600 yd lake swim, 16 mile bike ride and 5k run.  It's short, but fast.  I need to swim at least a couple of times before the race.  Probably need to get on my tri bike too.  Wouldn't be a bad idea.  I have been doing this race almost every year for about 12 years now.  I've only missed maybe 2 years since I first started racing.

The lake swim course use to be so shallow you could walk it if you didn't know how to swim or didn't swim well.  Beginners would do this race and actually walk all or part of the swim course.  The race director did NOT like this at all so she changed the swim course so now you have to swim out further and come back in instead of just out a little and then parallel the shore and back in.

Now you are forced to swim because it gets too deep to walk.

I never walked the swim course,  but I've bumped into walkers on the swim course a lot.  I'm glad the race director changed the course so racers can't walk anymore.  It's funny every year though, whenever she warns racers at the beginning of the race that everybody is going to have to swim.  No walking, so you better have a decent back paddle, free style or a good doggy paddle, cause if you don't you will be in trouble!  Big trouble!

Memory Lane

I was going through all the songs on my Ipod today and I came across this one called "Low" from Flo Rida.  You may or may not remember it from 2007/2008.  Talk about songs bringing back old memories!

The minute I heard this song, I immediately thought of all those times several years ago when I use to get up at 4 a.m and get to the YMCA as soon as they opened the doors so I could swim laps before work.  Getting up at dark to go swim mindless laps = not fun memories, but back then I was a machine and HAD to do it before getting the boy to school and myself to work.  This would free up my evening for running and biking.

Why this song brings back those long ago insane swim memories?  Because almost EVERY SINGLE MORNING without fail, when my alarm radio would go off, this song would be blasting.  Coincidence?  I don't know.   I think back then, this song was just so popular the radio stations played it every 20 minutes round the clock.

I thought the song was kind of fun, but I never really understood some of the lyrics.  Those lyrics about jean fashion. (and Reebok's with straps)

I mean 20 laps in the pool later and I'm still wondering what the heck are apple bottom jeans with the fur???  Apple???  Fur???  Is this a sexual reference?  A certain part of the anatomy?  Or some special kind of jean with apple bottoms and fur? 

Strength Training - A Triathlete's Best Friend

I've always included strength training in my training plan so it isn't exactly something new that I just started doing a couple of years ago.  What changed in my training in January 2011 is that I went from only doing strength training twice a week for 30 minutes to at least 5 or 6 times a week for 15 to 30 minutes.  I can't believe the difference it has made in my muscle strength and endurance.

I always thought in order to have endurance, I had to spend hours on the bike or in the pool or running for miles and miles.  I know I still need to do that if I am training for a half Ironman or Ironman triathlon or a half marathon or marathon.  You have to put the time in or it will hurt!  But for short distance, I am getting by with less time on my real bike and pool and more time in the gym doing weights.

And the difference is amazing.

One thing that helps is that I have been riding, running and swimming for years and years, probably 16 or 17 years now.  I can do transitions in my sleep.  I spent a lot of time on my bike, in the pool and on the road back in 2010 when I was training for Ironman Canada.  After the race, however, I was totally burned out.  This happened to me in 2004 after I did Ironman Florida as well.  I would love to be one of those triathletes that stay focused and motivated and can compete in one Ironman after another and several half Ironman triathlons in between, but I'm not.

Fifteen months is the amount of time it takes me to get over from burnout after I complete an Ironman. I've tried to trick myself into continuing on with training after an Ironman by signing up and committing to another one immediately, but it doesn't work.  I am so unmotivated that you would have to drag me to the pool and throw me in to get me swimming.  Biking for long distances too.

Running is about the only thing I can force myself to do and that's because it's easier, requires less planning and I love it. (besides there's the Running Nazi to contend with).    I love biking too, but it requires a little more planning and equipment.  And I am extremely lazy when I'm unmotivated.

After IM Canada in August of 2010, I had already signed up for Ironman Coeur d'alene for June 2011 and Hawaii 70.3, also in June of 2011.  I made it to Hawaii and was able to finish that race with very little training, but I knew better than to attempt to do a full Ironman with no training so I bowed out.

During that time after IM Canada, when I should have been biking and swimming in preparation for Hawaii half Iroman, I was in the gym doing weights and on the exercise bike.  I only rode my real bike three times during those months and I got in the pool a total of 5 times (okay maybe 4 times) to make sure I could swim the 1.2 mile swim without drowning.

One reason I was able to not only finish Hawaii 70.3 and not be so sore the next day I couldn't move, I blame entirely on the increase in weight training and core training, done every single day in the gym.  No 3 hour bike rides or 1 hour swim session.  I did 13 mile runs with the Nazi once a week and the rest of the time, I was in the gym.

I still haven't been on my tri bike much this summer or in the pool at all, but I did do a sprint triathlon last month and was only 1 minute slower than the last time I did that triathlon two years ago.   And my bike time was faster than ever.  It was my run time that was slower and it's the only thing I been doing consistently outside the gym.  I think that is because I haven't done speed work in a while and I've trained for and run two marathons which automatically slow me down.  Overall, I was very happy with the results and my first place age group finish.

I blame my increase in weight training on the Murph.  It's all he does and he's in great shape.  My job is to get him doing more cardio.  This hasn't worked.  He can be very stubborn and hates cardio.  It's amazing how he and the Boy can come up with a zillion excuses when they don't want to do something.

My new training schedule will more than likely have to change to include more time on my actual bike and certainly more time in the pool if I'm ever going to do an Ironman or half Ironman again (which I am),  but for now this plan is totally working for me.  I do 30 minutes on the exercise bike, elliptical or treadmill and then 30 more minutes on weights, stretching and core every single day.

I am loving not having to drag myself to the pool to swim mindless laps for an hour.  The sprint triathlon was a short 400 yard lake swim.  I wasn't fast, but I was the same as two years ago and my arms weren't tired at all.  They are very strong thanks to the weight training.  I love it!  Once I combine the two, swimming laps with the weight training, I should be a much stronger swimmer than ever.

Thanks Murph!

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Iron Girl Gone Bad

The pool is shaping up nicely

It seems like I spend more time these days taking pictures of bodies of water (such as swimming pools) than actually getting in them and swimming laps.  I realize at some point this has to stop if I am going to race this year.  I'm always in the pool a couple of times a week by now.

 I could use the excuse that I am no longer a member of the Y and my new gym doesn't have a pool.  I could also say that the pool in the back yard has looked more like a fungus filled mud hole until a couple of days ago.  It looks very inviting now, but it isn't quite long enough to swim a good lap in so there's my excuse for that.

I have always been a pro at good excuses to get out of swimming too much.  In fact, the only time I have ever put in a consistent 3 days a week, at least a mile or more swim is when I have signed up for at minumun a half ironman.  More if I am training for an Ironman.  But not much more.  I just make one of my swims a long 2 hour straight swim.  Sprints, not so much.

I realize I could do so much better in a race if I got in the water on a regular basis.  My lack of water time was never much of an issue when I was a stronger biker.

That's the other problem.  In order to be a stronger biker, I know I need to put more time in on the saddle and that doesn't mean just trainer rides, exercise bikes or spin classes.   I love (loved) biking so I don't really have any reason for not riding except I'm just being bad.  I'm an Iron Girl gone bad.  It's a simple as that.

Donuts, alcohol, chips, sugary sweets combined with no swimming and very little biking.

Put me in time out!

Cream filled Dunkin Donut....

I eat way to much sugar including pigging out on Dunkin Donuts this week along with other kinds of sweets.  The other day I recklessly started tweeting about all the Dunkin Donuts I was eating and the next day the" Find Healthy Snacks Girl" was following me on Twitter.  Coincidence or is "big brother" watching?   Was this a sign that I need to become a healthier snacker or else??

I was so worried that the Murph and I checked our blood sugar levels with his dad's diabetic kit when we were in New Jersey a couple of days ago.   I was relieved to find that despite all the sugar, desserts, pasta and alcohol I had consumed all that day, my blood sugar was normal.

 But now what?  It is May and I haven't been in the pool since last October.   I have only been on my bike a handful of times and here I am wanting to qualify for the Ironman World Championship in Kona.  I am also planning on doing some races in June.  Less than a month away.  I know I can do it even without all the training and discipline I usually have by now because I have been racing for almost 15 years.

Will it be painful?  Yes.  Will my time totally suck?  Yes.  Do I need to get my procrastinating butt in the pool and on my bike?  Hell, yes!  Enough already.

I have a Running Nazi to hold me accountable for running.  I just need to find a Swimming Nazi and a Bike Nazi.  Then I will swim way more than I want and bike more than I want.  Then I will get on here and write blog posts about them cussing at them to make me feel better.

It's a perfect solution cause then I will get all the training I need and lots of writing practice too and they will never know that I blog about them.  The Running Nazi doesn't know unless I tell her and she doesn't care anyway.  (I don't think she cares)

My goal is to get faster.  To get faster I need to go shorter distance first and then get longer and try to stay fast.  Then I will be fast enough to qualify for Kona.

 I'm already fast enough in my dreams.  Blazing fast.  In my dreams I swim every single night.  At some point during REM sleep between frantically searching for my bike helmet, goggles, race number, and various other race gear (during my dreams for some reason I always forget my racing gear) and getting lost along the course.

 Getting lost on the course is a recurring dream since that time last summer when the Nazi and I got lost running without fluids in 90 degree F. temps in what should have been a familiar neighborhood.

Then the cat usually wakes me up from this dream/nightmare by pawing me in the face.

My plan is to just slip in and start training like I've been doing it for months.  Hopefully, my body won't notice.  I have been running fairly steadily thanks to marathon training so the running part is easy.   I have also been working out at the gym doing weights and at least 30 minutes of cardio every single day for over a year now.

It's all mind over matter anyway.  This should work, right?

Wire Hangers

My legs are finally about 90% recovered, especially my poor beat up calves.  They weren't hurting at all until I attempted to run on the treadmill today.  Then it felt like little fists were pressing right into the middle of each of them.  I did almost 30 minutes easy on the treadmill, then did 15 minutes on the exercise bike and stretched.  Ken and I went for a 30 minute walk later today and I think these walks are really helping me recover faster, but I still need some miracle recovery drink at this point.  Who stays this sore for over four days after a 1/2 marathon?  A full marathon I would understand, but not a 1/2.  It's absurd!

The Running Nazi and I have a 13 miler to run and we were going to do it tomorrow, but I'm thinking I should just do a shorter 5 to 7 mile run tomorrow (ha) and then the 13 miler on Sunday just to give me more recovery time and to keep on the training schedule.  Since I'm backing out of the 13 mile run tomorrow, she will probably run 13 by herself tomorrow and then another 13 miler on Sunday.  She's an animal.  I'm just old and worn out.

I did make some progress on the other bedroom closet and now the floors in both closets are visible.  I still have some work to do on the top shelves and rearranging my clothes in some sort of organization, but they both look much better.

Somehow I have wire hangers in the closets again.   A couple of years ago I made a futile attempt to do away with all wire hangers.  Sort of Joan Crawfordish in "Mommy Dearest" only I didn't beat the Boy with the hangers or wake him up in the middle of night yelling at him because he used wire hangers or anything like that.   I just bought some wooden ones for one of my closets and pink plastic ones for the rest of them (except blue ones for the Boy).  I was going for a more uniform look in the closets.  It was my first real attempt at closet organizing.

My clothing must multiply over night, but the wooden and plastic hangers stay the same, so the wire ones manage to get back in the closets again.  The wire ones are always everywhere.  I need to put a ban on them in the house and just toss them or send them back to the cleaners as soon as I find one.  Otherwise, they end up back in my closet.  I don't like them.


Phantom looked a little confused when he saw his favorite closet, the one with all the shoes.  He's never seen it that organized.  He didn't know what the floor looked liked.

I think maybe we should get the carpet cleaned next....

This Strange Addiction

I ran into a fellow runner as I was running in the neighborhood this afternoon.  We are both training for the 1/2 marathon that takes place this Sunday.  She did a race last weekend, the one that I missed due to a stomach virus, so she was power walking to taper for this weekend.  I haven't run on anything besides the treadmill for the past week so I felt like I needed the outdoor run today on some hills.

We had a very short conversation since she was going in one direction and I was going in the other, but it got me to thinking about why I do these races.  Especially the long triathlon ones. (aka the Ironman)  She mentioned running in this same upcoming race last year.  I remember last year.  I was in major burn out from all the Ironman Canada training I had been doing all summer.  I haven't figured out how to continually train long and utilize the endurance I have for other races after competing in an Ironman.  I could do the physical part, but it's the mental part that I haven't been able to control.  The mental part is the most important part.

Also, Ironman training just trained my legs to run slow.  All that running on tired, dead legs after biking 50 - 100 miles or swimming for a couple of hours, then biking , then running.  Slow, tired, worn out legs.

So last year, six months after doing Ironman Canada, I was miserably facing this 1/2 marathon and cussing the Running Nazi for "talking me into" signing up. (she didn't really, but I have to blame someone, otherwise it all just doesn't make sense)   It's ironic that this year I was cussing her because she signed up early and didn't tell me. (can't wait to show the Running Nazi the bridesmaid dress I picked out for her.)  I signed up Tuesday and by Wednesday the race was full.  Barely made it!  Last year I would've jumped for joy that I didn't make it!  Guess I'm not burned out anymore.

As I was running my short four mile run today,  I was thinking about the total burn out I felt this time last year.  Even all through this past year, I have done a few races and not much training.  Why do I keep signing up?  I thought maybe it's just an addiction.  Maybe I have no control.  But what if I overcame the addiction and then didn't race or train anymore.  I don't think I would like that too much.  I love being fit.  I use to love biking and I do love how running makes me feel.  At first I wished I could just stop doing any of it and not feel bad that I'm not doing it anymore.  Then I realized it's not that I don't want to do it anymore.  I just want to be fast.  I use to love racing and training more when I was fast.  I would love it again if I could just get faster.

So during that run while I listened to sappy love songs on my ipod, I figured it all out.  I just need to get fast again.  Then I will love it all over again.   All that training - love swimming, love biking, love running for hours and hours and hours.  Love, love, love all the hours and hours and miles and miles.

 It's not an addiction at all......

Survived the Santa Rosa Island Triathlon!

All  I can say is I finished the triathlon today, not as fast as I would have liked, but overall I did all right (I think) for someone who hasn't been biking and swimming like I should.  Somewhere in the middle of the run I made a mental decision that either I was going to have to start training harder or stop doing these races.  I know it was short, but sometimes the short ones hurt the worse if you give it all you got.  I gave it all I had except I didn't throw up (that's when you know you REALLY gave it your all).  I won't be walking really good for the next few days though.

The Murph said I was crabby yesterday before the race.  He says I have an evil twin that comes out during stressful times and PMS that he has named Corpus.  (he got my childhood stories screwed up to come up with that name... long story!)

My overall time was 4 minutes slower than the last time I did it, but the swim course was short back then so they say.  I was really disappointed with my run.  It's the ONLY thing I have been consistent with in training and I was over 2 minutes slower.  I guess my legs were worn out from the bike.  I did the 600 yd swim in 14 minutes (+/-),  the 18 mile bike in 56 minutes and the run in over 26 minutes.  I was 6 out of 42 in my age group.  Not too bad for somebody who hasn't trained properly.

The Murph was out there to cheer me on and take pictures. (yes, actual pictures, not videos!)  He says he is proud of me and he thinks I was the cutest one out there.  Ahhhhh..... That's all the counts!

Love you, Murph!

Getting ready at the start.  It was a little CHILLY!

Warming up!

Swimmers.

Purple flag - Beware of jelly fish!

Me in bike to run transition

About to cross the finish line.  LOVE that feelling!

Triathlon Training

I had a great workout Sunday morning in preparation for the sprint triathlon coming up this Saturday.  I rode 20 miles on my bike as hard as I could and then got off and ran a mile and half.  It was hot and tough! My legs were still a little sore from Saturday's lower body weight workout and a 4 1/2 mile interval run on the treadmill. I need to increase my bike average to at least 2mph for the race.  It's going to be tough.

Today I did weights (upper body only), then ran a mile on the treadmill as hard as I could and then I got in the pool and did some fast 50's and a timed 600 for a total 30 minute workout.  My 600 was slower than what I wanted.  It was about 15 minutes instead of 12 minutes, but what can I expect when I haven't been swimming much since last summer.

I haven't done a long run in almost two weeks so I will probably wait until after the triathlon Saturday to do a 13 mile run.  I'm not doing a run longer than 8 miles this week.

I feel like I am ready for the race this weekend, but don't know if I will improve my speed much more than what I did in 2009, which was the last time I did the race.  It is a 600 yd swim, 18 mile bike, 3.2 mile run.  My time to beat is 1 hr 37 minutes.  I am hoping to get in under 1 hr 30 minutes.  Fingers crossed!

Running with the Running Nazi, Rocking chairs and Snuggies...

My triathlon training is going REALLY well right now.  I actually did a 10 mile run today with the Running Nazi.  It was my first long run in over a week (last long run was when I did 13 miles with her over a week ago).  I did do a few hard 3 to 5 mile runs at the coast last week.  The Running Nazi did a 20 on Sunday and a 7 miler yesterday, then a 10 miler with me today.  She will probably do another 10 to 13 miles tomorrow after spin class.  She did spin class and weights today before she ran with me.  I feel like a slacker cause I just did weights before the 10 mile run.  I am soooo lazy!

The Murph and I are back at the coast.  We decided to leave Ed and Boo at the house with a sitter for now.  Ed's happy and not getting bitten and attacked by Phantom, so that's good.  Ed was doing "wierd" things to Boo, but they are "just playing" according to the Murph (yeah right!).  The Jazz Cats, Phantom and Cadence were happy to see us.  I am happy to see them and get back here for sure!

Tomorrow we go shopping for a bicycle for the Murph and a rocker/recliner for me.  It's a necessity.  I can't sit still for anything!  I have had the same wooden rocking chair since I was a teenager.  It has followed my everywhere for the past 25 years.  It was the only piece of furniture we had when I married my first husband.  He didn't dare try to sit in it either buddy!  Sadly,  I decided to leave the rocker at the house instead of lugging it down to the condo.   The only problem is, I can't sit still without a rocker.  It's the only way I can sit through a television program or stay in the same room for over 15 minutes.

Go ahead, call me Granny.  Call me whatever!  I'm burning more calories while I watch tv than you are and YES, I have a snuggie too!  A pink one, of course.