I had way more fun today than I thought I would...it was a really good race and an amazing course. I did pretty well following my mental notes from my race plan (for example, "Damn, my chapstick just flew out of my bento box...IN HAWAII," "One of the lenses from my sunglasses just popped out on the run...IN HAWAII..." "The water is salty and I think I swallowed a little...IN HAWAII").
Race day started when I heard Julie switch on the coffee maker at 4:00 a.m....snoozed a little, then got up and had plenty of time to caffeinate, eat a bagel, assess the wind blowing around the palm tree tops at the condo, and go to the bathroom at least 5 times. Then Glen took us to the race shuttle and we were off to the race as the sun came up. We had the perfect amount of time at Hapuna to prep and get body marked before the 7:00 start and it was a beautiful, albeit blustery, morning.
When I got to my bike and started getting situated, I noticed a very cute, small praying mantis on my bento box...I thought he was so cool that I had to show my next door neighbor triathlete, (#482). She seemed to think he was cute, too, and said that he was good luck...pretty soon another woman across the bike rack saw him and also said that he was good luck. I fussed over him a little longer, did not impede his progress at all as he walked around my saddle and top tube, and he did, indeed, turn out to be a good omen for the day.
Swim: I put 2 pieces of cinnamon gum in my mouth at the start...which did exactly nothing to combat the salt (IN HAWAII). I didn't notice my aversion to salt water quite so much today, however...swimming with about 1,300 other people in race conditions gave a few more stimuli to attend to compared to my totally solo swim earlier this week. It was a mass start and a clockwise course...not too much combat, but a bit of contact here and there. As we rounded the second buoy into the longest straight-away of the course, a healthy headwind kicked up...it was a pretty challenging swim. I also had a hard time seeing the buoys and was at the mercy of the pack to stay on course for a few minutes...fortunately, that worked well (i.e. somebody was going the right direction and not leading us all toward Maui) for the 2 buoys I couldn't sight and then I could see where I was going again. It felt like the field was fast and I didn't think I'd be in the front where I usually am, but this was the first grasshopper (ok, praying mantis, but grasshopper sounds better) gift of the day. I was 7th in my age group out of the water and 171 overall. Good swim and I actually saw some fish (wonder what they thought with 1,300 humans thrashing around their house).
T1: "Calm and efficient: mantra worked...a long way up the hill from the beach to the bikes with a shower on the way, but not bad at all. I didn't want to wear gloves, but was totally paranoid about flat tires on this ride since Julie has flatted here twice in prior races...and I have a hell of a time getting my tire back on even with gloves. So I figured I better take the extra few seconds and wear 'em just in case. Was the only nerd out there with gloves on, but...2nd grasshopper gift: no flats.
Bike: It was blustery in places...but honestly, I thought we got more than we gave in terms of wind benefit. A lot of sidewind that could be heard whistling through the spokes, but it really wasn't as awful as I'd anticpated, not by far. There were a few miles just before the turn-around when it was uphill with a headwind and I was pulling about 9mph (IN HAWAII)...but not for long, and seeing the other bikes flying on the way back--including Duncan who'd passed me long before at mile 12-- made it quite bearable since I knew we were paying it forward. A wonderful volunteer handed me a powerbar at the turnaround and I was flying back down that hill. Lots of pretty scenery and I kept trying to stay in the moment, take the gifts of the course (coast downhill!), and my other mantra of the day was "do what's in front of you..." Just one piece at a time, get it done. Some chunks definitely better than others, but I was happy out there riding in the sun and my legs showed up.
T2: Also pretty smooth...I actually changed my socks, but it didn't eat too much time. Also visited the porto on my way out of transition, but congratulated myself on the fact that this was necessary because it meant I'd hydrated well on the bike. Nutrition was spot on today...no stomach issues and enough energy throughout.
Run: One of the most beautiful courses ever...with the exception of purgatory imitating hell for 2 miles between 10-12, but we'll talk about that in a minute. The run course is a whole bunch of out and back loopy things, many of which are on the golf course. At one point, we ran along the pool/beach front of the resort and it is really beautiful. This course was extremely well supported with lots of great aid stations and friendly volunteers. I think I chomped through the equivalent of my body weight in ice out there. I walked through every station and got gatorade or cola, and took lots of the cold sponges and dumped water on myself. I also took a cup of ice along and ran with it every time... put ice in my hat and in my shirt...and in my mouth. It really helped to keep hydrating and to dilute/absorb the syrupy gatorade from the stations. There is nothing like an ice cold sponge...I was completely soaked the whole race from dumping cups of water and sponges on myself. Most people did the same and many of us could be heard squishing along in our wet shoes...when I took mine off at the finish, my feet looked like raisins!
The wind continued on a lot of the run and, at times, there were some clouds, so it wasn't completely killer hot the whole time. Yesterday at the athlete meeting, the guy had warned us about mile 9 and how "none of it was flat..." I remembered this and was bracing for it, but found that mile to be one of the most enjoyable of the course...up and down on the golf course. What they really should have discussed in more detail was the road Duncan had warned us about...the one I now call Purgatory leaning toward hell. At about mile 10 there is a llllooonnnggg out and back on a boring-ass hot not-fun road (I know, I know, IN HAWAII, but this one is a tougher sell). This is the only place the entire day where palm trees cannot be seen. They fool you by having some really great disco music at the aid station where this road starts...yes, I sang a little "Brick House" to the guy who handed me gatorade here...and happily trotted down the road hearing "upside down, boy ya turn me..." I thought the grasshopper was now providing a disco soundtrack. Unfortunately, the music faded long before the purgatory road did...things in my legs were getting tired and slower. I saw Duncan coming back on the road well before I turned around...I knew I had quite a ways to go. Just after the turn though, I saw this guy running about my pace in Hawaiian board shorts...very very cool. So I had to compliment the look (actually I asked, "dude, those are really cool, but aren't they chafing the hell out of you?" Nope, good news, he'd used lots of vaseline). Anyway, we chatted and ran together and, when finally approaching the disco tunes again, shared our affection for the 80's (he graduated high school 3 years after me), and we both sang a bit of "PYT" as Michael Jackson increased in volume. My pace really picked up on this mile. We agreed there should be a Rock 'N Roll 70.3 and we started to smell the barn and kept up the pace. The last mile I had some kick left and hit it hard for the finish...felt good at the end, but pushed really hard the last 50 meters or so and felt almost like I had asthma and almost couldn't breathe for a couple seconds when I hit the chip pad at the finish line. But it was really fun to feel strong at the end.
I came in just under 6:10 and was really really happy with all 3 segments of the race as well as my nutrition, hydration, transitions, and head game...It was a really really fun day! All 4 of us were happy with our races and none of us had flats!! Whoo-hooo!!
Swim: 34:16
Bike: 3:23:10 (Avg. 16.54)
Run: 2:04:28 (Avg mile pace: 9:30)
Overall, I felt really good through the whole day and had a lot of FUN. I'm a little afraid that this means I need to work harder on the bike, but for now I'll take it.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
Hawaii race plan
The day before a race is NOT my favorite kind of day and today has been no different...however, spending a day of escalation in Hawaii doesn't exactly suck. Today there has been a lot of lounging around...and I even turned on the TV at one point (French Open) when I was at a loss for sedentary activity (at least watching Serena running around was better than nothing). The 4 of us (Karen, Duncan, Julie, and me) also biked down to Hapuna to check in our bikes & helmets. This was a 30 minute/7 mile easy spin...well, easy except for the big fat gale force wind that was blowing us all over the road. I'm not sure if it's good or bad to have THAT in my head going into tomorrow, but I think it was probably good to spin a bit and get a handle on staying aero in the wind.
So it appears that I haven't done a race plan for tomorrow yet... I just looked at my race report from Osoyoos last July since that's the only 70.3 distance race I've ever done. I haven't been biking as much yet this year and, for whatever reason, I'm not feeling as confident as (a) I did last summer and, (b) as I'd like. Plus, we just came from the (totally worthless) "mandatory athlete meeting," where I had the mandatory pleasure of sizing up the field and more of their bikes...which was damn impressive and intimidating, as usual. Karen and I did meet a guy, though, who did an Ironman 25 years ago and this is his first race since then. He also was diagnosed with lymphoma and had just come from a hospital/treatment and will assess in the morning whether or not to do the race at all...gives a little perspective.
So, regardless of how lousy and heavy my legs felt today, I am looking forward to getting out there. Taking into account the wind, heat, and early season, my super stretch goal time is about 6 hours. My time in Osoyoos was 6:19, so the idea of going faster than that is certainly a stretch. 35ish minutes in the swim, 3:30ish on the bike, and 2:00ish on the run would be great.
So, today, while I was poolside, I read one of the Tri magazines that actually had some good reminders and I decided to work on some mental training tomorrow (as recommended by Mark Allen, the guy obviously knows a few things). Of the 10 tips he gave, there were a few worthy of focusing on tomorrow:
1. Keep your mind quiet. OK, joke. Nevermind, we all know that one is unattainable for me. I'll continue reading "The Power of Now," which I left in Seattle, when I get home. NEXT.
2. Suspend judgment. I can work with this one...his advice is to let go of labelling each segment of the race (i.e. "I'm feeling good," "I'm going too slow," etc.). You don't have to feel good to have a good race. Hm. Let it go, don't spend energy assessing every single thing.
3. Break it down. I already do this, just a good reminder. Chop things up, especially the run. Yesterday when I did my short run, I was thinking that it was a quarter of the run distance and pretty painless...If I have to just make it to the next aid station, so be it.
4. Stay Calm. Another good reminder. I re-read one of my mantras from last summer that worked great. It was "calm and efficient," especially in transitions and whenever it's possible to get rattled.
5. There is no such thing as the perfect race. But you can race your race perfectly and deal with things as they come up (including feeling like crap and solving unexpected problems that inevitably arise).
6. Race with gratitude. Tatyana reminded me of this recently when she said that if/when I feel like crap out there, just remember I'm feeling like crap IN HAWAII. Good point. I am healthy, I am on a great Hawaiian vacation with really fun people, and...after meeting that guy today who had just come from the hospital, it seems my life is pretty damn good. Hopefully, it'll be good WITH a time of about 6 hours tomorrow, but I think it'll still be good regardless.
Is it time to start yet?
So it appears that I haven't done a race plan for tomorrow yet... I just looked at my race report from Osoyoos last July since that's the only 70.3 distance race I've ever done. I haven't been biking as much yet this year and, for whatever reason, I'm not feeling as confident as (a) I did last summer and, (b) as I'd like. Plus, we just came from the (totally worthless) "mandatory athlete meeting," where I had the mandatory pleasure of sizing up the field and more of their bikes...which was damn impressive and intimidating, as usual. Karen and I did meet a guy, though, who did an Ironman 25 years ago and this is his first race since then. He also was diagnosed with lymphoma and had just come from a hospital/treatment and will assess in the morning whether or not to do the race at all...gives a little perspective.
So, regardless of how lousy and heavy my legs felt today, I am looking forward to getting out there. Taking into account the wind, heat, and early season, my super stretch goal time is about 6 hours. My time in Osoyoos was 6:19, so the idea of going faster than that is certainly a stretch. 35ish minutes in the swim, 3:30ish on the bike, and 2:00ish on the run would be great.
So, today, while I was poolside, I read one of the Tri magazines that actually had some good reminders and I decided to work on some mental training tomorrow (as recommended by Mark Allen, the guy obviously knows a few things). Of the 10 tips he gave, there were a few worthy of focusing on tomorrow:
1. Keep your mind quiet. OK, joke. Nevermind, we all know that one is unattainable for me. I'll continue reading "The Power of Now," which I left in Seattle, when I get home. NEXT.
2. Suspend judgment. I can work with this one...his advice is to let go of labelling each segment of the race (i.e. "I'm feeling good," "I'm going too slow," etc.). You don't have to feel good to have a good race. Hm. Let it go, don't spend energy assessing every single thing.
3. Break it down. I already do this, just a good reminder. Chop things up, especially the run. Yesterday when I did my short run, I was thinking that it was a quarter of the run distance and pretty painless...If I have to just make it to the next aid station, so be it.
4. Stay Calm. Another good reminder. I re-read one of my mantras from last summer that worked great. It was "calm and efficient," especially in transitions and whenever it's possible to get rattled.
5. There is no such thing as the perfect race. But you can race your race perfectly and deal with things as they come up (including feeling like crap and solving unexpected problems that inevitably arise).
6. Race with gratitude. Tatyana reminded me of this recently when she said that if/when I feel like crap out there, just remember I'm feeling like crap IN HAWAII. Good point. I am healthy, I am on a great Hawaiian vacation with really fun people, and...after meeting that guy today who had just come from the hospital, it seems my life is pretty damn good. Hopefully, it'll be good WITH a time of about 6 hours tomorrow, but I think it'll still be good regardless.
Is it time to start yet?
Thursday, May 29, 2008
2 days to race day...
Well, it appears that this race is really going to happen soon (whether we all want it to or not!!). Yesterday we hit the little retail swag area where Julie and I bought some really cool fleece jackets (buying fleece in Hawaii = really wierd).
Today is registration and check in of the T2 bag (buh-bye running shoes)...tomorrow is bike/helmet check in and the mandatory race meeting at 3:00. Also, tomorrow I will taper my happy hour behavior from the usual 2 drinks at daily happy hour to 1 beer since it'll be the night before the race. Oh, the sacrifices we make.
Today I did my last short workout...a 30 minute easy run. I felt pretty good and the HR wasn't as high as the other runs I've done here...hoping I might be getting a little bit used to the climate (as if). Anyway, it felt good and a pretty minimal effort...taper on.
The rest of today will be a little sight seeing, more sun worshipping, and picking up my race packet...oh, and happy hour of course!!
30 min run
3.4 miles
143 Avg HR
Today is registration and check in of the T2 bag (buh-bye running shoes)...tomorrow is bike/helmet check in and the mandatory race meeting at 3:00. Also, tomorrow I will taper my happy hour behavior from the usual 2 drinks at daily happy hour to 1 beer since it'll be the night before the race. Oh, the sacrifices we make.
Today I did my last short workout...a 30 minute easy run. I felt pretty good and the HR wasn't as high as the other runs I've done here...hoping I might be getting a little bit used to the climate (as if). Anyway, it felt good and a pretty minimal effort...taper on.
The rest of today will be a little sight seeing, more sun worshipping, and picking up my race packet...oh, and happy hour of course!!
30 min run
3.4 miles
143 Avg HR
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Taper on...
Mellowing into the taper week quite nicely now...yesterday was my last bike ride with a little speedwork followed by some more "acclimating" (aka butt in the beach chair on Hapuna beach with a magazine)...and I've sampled many Hawaiian beers at the daily happy hour.
This morning, I went to Hapuna for an early morning swim...I was so early that the gate to the parking lot was still locked and I had to sneak in. I saw a couple of other people along the beach, but pretty much had the place to myself for a nice sunrise swim...water was calm and perfect. I tried swimming with some cinnamon gum and trying not to get too much salt water in my mouth, but it didn't really help much and my tongue still felt a bit swollen and gross by the end of a 30 minute swim. Oh, well...all things considered, it's not a high price to pay!!
The rest of today's planned activities include hitting the start of the Expo for retail-o-rama and possibly group Henna tatoos in town...and, of course, more vitamin D production. Aloooohhhaahh.
This morning, I went to Hapuna for an early morning swim...I was so early that the gate to the parking lot was still locked and I had to sneak in. I saw a couple of other people along the beach, but pretty much had the place to myself for a nice sunrise swim...water was calm and perfect. I tried swimming with some cinnamon gum and trying not to get too much salt water in my mouth, but it didn't really help much and my tongue still felt a bit swollen and gross by the end of a 30 minute swim. Oh, well...all things considered, it's not a high price to pay!!
The rest of today's planned activities include hitting the start of the Expo for retail-o-rama and possibly group Henna tatoos in town...and, of course, more vitamin D production. Aloooohhhaahh.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Think I can swim with Tic-Tacs?
The week of Hawaiian paradise and tapering continues...yesterday was a fun, mellow day...I went for a walk, did a short weights workout in the condo mini-gym, and swam a whopping 20 minutes at Hapuna beach in the afternoon. By the time Seujan and I went to the beach, it was afternoon and a bit choppy, so I decided 20 minutes of bouncing around with the fish was enough. The water is as clear--and almost the same color---as a swimming pool, just gorgeous. The only thing I'm not so thrilled about with the swim is the gross salty-mouth situation...I really prefer open water swimming in fresh water. I was wondering yesterday if I could possibly do the swim on Saturday with tic tacs in my mouth...might try to experiment with that one before Saturday.
This morning I woke up before 5:30 again (crashed by 8:30 last night), and went out to do my interval run right away. It wasn't that hot yet, but definitely humid and my HR was pretty high. The first few intervals were OK, but by the last 2, I was glad there was nothing in my stomach as I think I'd have tossed it. Nice to have it out of the way...perhaps a swim later, but not much else on the vacation schedule...yea!
Run:
1 mile warm up (9:00, avg HR = 150)
5 x 2 minutes hard/2 minutes recovery (HR up to 176 max, Avg 158-166 on hard ones)
1 mile cool down (8:46, Avg HR = 159)
Total: 4.25 miles
36:47
This morning I woke up before 5:30 again (crashed by 8:30 last night), and went out to do my interval run right away. It wasn't that hot yet, but definitely humid and my HR was pretty high. The first few intervals were OK, but by the last 2, I was glad there was nothing in my stomach as I think I'd have tossed it. Nice to have it out of the way...perhaps a swim later, but not much else on the vacation schedule...yea!
Run:
1 mile warm up (9:00, avg HR = 150)
5 x 2 minutes hard/2 minutes recovery (HR up to 176 max, Avg 158-166 on hard ones)
1 mile cool down (8:46, Avg HR = 159)
Total: 4.25 miles
36:47
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Thanks, Pele'!
It's been way too long since I've been in Hawaii...but I fully intend to make up for it and today was a great start. We got here yesterday and after a day of travelling and eating the usual travel-fare of well, basically too much processed crap and nothing resembling a vegetable...I was feeling pretty gross internally and externally this morning. I barely made it till 9 p.m. last night and woke up promptly at 4:30 this morning (time zone)...and started the coffee for the troops. Before too long, Julie & Duncan stumbled out and we hung out with several more cups of coffee before Karen & Glenn, who'd slept till a more normal hour, also got up.
I'd dropped my bike off at the bike shop in town yesterday for re-assembly and a tune up and had to wait till this afternoon to get it, so I stayed at the condo while Julie, Duncan, and Karen took off on a ride of the race course. I had to move, though, and got in a nice 4 mile run. Then I napped at the pool and hung out at our HUGE residence (Julie & Duncan's master bathroom is bigger than the Shoebox, I swear) till they returned.
The group took me into town and dropped me at the bike shop this afternoon...they brought the bike box back to the condo for me and did a costco run for the household while I rode back. My 28 mile ride turned out to be a big 'ol gift from Pele' herself as the super island goddess breathed one of the biggest tailwinds I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing on me. I pretty much flew due north on the highway and averaged 19.5 mph with not much energy expenditure. I wasn't wearing my HR monitor, but I know it was low. This was probably the perfect ride for my first day here...I've been feeling really body tired lately and just being able to spin easy and feel fast was really fun. It almost never happens that the grass on the side of the road is bending the same direction as I am in the aerobars...LOVE THAT!!
This evening we had a nice happy hour in the palace, I mean condo, with some local resident friends of Julie & Duncan, and then went to a sunset gathering on the beach that the locals do once per month...it's kind of a combo of Hawaiian stories and cultural performance and really cool. It was a beautiful setting/ sunset and a great picnic potluck. To end a great first day on the island, we got ice cream on the way home...excellent!
I'd dropped my bike off at the bike shop in town yesterday for re-assembly and a tune up and had to wait till this afternoon to get it, so I stayed at the condo while Julie, Duncan, and Karen took off on a ride of the race course. I had to move, though, and got in a nice 4 mile run. Then I napped at the pool and hung out at our HUGE residence (Julie & Duncan's master bathroom is bigger than the Shoebox, I swear) till they returned.
The group took me into town and dropped me at the bike shop this afternoon...they brought the bike box back to the condo for me and did a costco run for the household while I rode back. My 28 mile ride turned out to be a big 'ol gift from Pele' herself as the super island goddess breathed one of the biggest tailwinds I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing on me. I pretty much flew due north on the highway and averaged 19.5 mph with not much energy expenditure. I wasn't wearing my HR monitor, but I know it was low. This was probably the perfect ride for my first day here...I've been feeling really body tired lately and just being able to spin easy and feel fast was really fun. It almost never happens that the grass on the side of the road is bending the same direction as I am in the aerobars...LOVE THAT!!
This evening we had a nice happy hour in the palace, I mean condo, with some local resident friends of Julie & Duncan, and then went to a sunset gathering on the beach that the locals do once per month...it's kind of a combo of Hawaiian stories and cultural performance and really cool. It was a beautiful setting/ sunset and a great picnic potluck. To end a great first day on the island, we got ice cream on the way home...excellent!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Ravenna Park run
Only about 13 hours until liftoff for Hawaii...not that I'm counting or anything...
Today's long run was (only?) 8 miles. I went out early this morning and created a route that ended up being exactly 8.0 miles...nice. I drove down the hill and started at Boyer and ran around Portage Bay, along the BG trail past UW, and circled through the Ravenna Park trail and back. That trail is so great...and it was very cool and green...I tried to soak up some of the shady coolness and store it up at least mentally for the race course in Kona. I felt pretty good up to about 6 miles and then slowed down a bit the last 2. Later in the day, I was really tired again and it kind of felt like I'd have run a lot longer than I did. Dragged myself through a light weights workout in the afternoon, but it was very under-inspired.
It is SO time for vacation!
8 mile run
1:11:00
Avg HR = 143
Today's long run was (only?) 8 miles. I went out early this morning and created a route that ended up being exactly 8.0 miles...nice. I drove down the hill and started at Boyer and ran around Portage Bay, along the BG trail past UW, and circled through the Ravenna Park trail and back. That trail is so great...and it was very cool and green...I tried to soak up some of the shady coolness and store it up at least mentally for the race course in Kona. I felt pretty good up to about 6 miles and then slowed down a bit the last 2. Later in the day, I was really tired again and it kind of felt like I'd have run a lot longer than I did. Dragged myself through a light weights workout in the afternoon, but it was very under-inspired.
It is SO time for vacation!
8 mile run
1:11:00
Avg HR = 143
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
2 days till palm trees
2 days till Alooooohhhhaaaahhhh! I can already see those palm trees and am daydreaming about eating dinner outdoors in shorts and not being cold. I'm also looking forward to the taper next week and sitting by a pool or on a beach with the next book club book that I have yet to start. Still a bit tired and wanting to relax a bit and let the training catch up.
I got in weights and an hour-ish ride yesterday to Seward Park and back...didn't break any speed records, but got it done.
Today started with swim team and a nice coffee klatch with Tatyana afterwards. Then I went on an errand festival around the east side wrapping up loose ends from TDC,which included picking up those 3 abandoned signs I noticed near Monroe on my ride on Sunday. Today, however, it was dumping rain and I got soaked each time I hopped out of the car to grab a sign and throw it in the back of my car. Again, I was thankful that the weather was stellar when those signs were necessary...
Later this afternoon, it was a little less rainy, but I still opted for the bike trainer. My legs weren't sure they wanted to pedal and I figured I could get more quality in less time here in the Shoebox and, if I gave up, I wouldn't be out there somewhere limping home. Fortunately, I had a tape of last week's Grey's Anatomy and, with fast forwarding through commercials, it helped me last 45 minutes. It was supposed to be an interval ride and I did 5 x 2 minutes hard/1 minute easy in the middle of all the surgeries and hookups in the show.
As I put my indoor bike and the trainer away, I had the very nice thought that I won't be biking indoors for at least a couple of weeks...did I mention I'm going to Hawaii day after tomorrow????
3000 yard swim
45 minute bike trainer:
5x 2 min hard/1 min recovery
Avg HR = 131
Max HR = 152
I got in weights and an hour-ish ride yesterday to Seward Park and back...didn't break any speed records, but got it done.
Today started with swim team and a nice coffee klatch with Tatyana afterwards. Then I went on an errand festival around the east side wrapping up loose ends from TDC,which included picking up those 3 abandoned signs I noticed near Monroe on my ride on Sunday. Today, however, it was dumping rain and I got soaked each time I hopped out of the car to grab a sign and throw it in the back of my car. Again, I was thankful that the weather was stellar when those signs were necessary...
Later this afternoon, it was a little less rainy, but I still opted for the bike trainer. My legs weren't sure they wanted to pedal and I figured I could get more quality in less time here in the Shoebox and, if I gave up, I wouldn't be out there somewhere limping home. Fortunately, I had a tape of last week's Grey's Anatomy and, with fast forwarding through commercials, it helped me last 45 minutes. It was supposed to be an interval ride and I did 5 x 2 minutes hard/1 minute easy in the middle of all the surgeries and hookups in the show.
As I put my indoor bike and the trainer away, I had the very nice thought that I won't be biking indoors for at least a couple of weeks...did I mention I'm going to Hawaii day after tomorrow????
3000 yard swim
45 minute bike trainer:
5x 2 min hard/1 min recovery
Avg HR = 131
Max HR = 152
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Had to throw up the white flag...
Well, the weekend finally caught up with me yesterday...I got up and went to swim team where I was fortunate to have my own lane and the coach was still out of town. I did a moderate workout, but just didn't have it to push much. I thought maybe I'd get in a second workout later in the day, but as the day went on, I just felt more and more wiped and the thought of my running shoes and/or my bike made me crave the fetal position. I'd returned a truck from TDC in the morning, so I was downtown without my car...usually, this would have made me quite happy as I'd have had a nice walk home. Yesterday, however, I located a bus schedule to get home as I couldn't even mobilize myself to walk up the hill...I threw up the white flag and asked the coach for a one-day raincheck on the hill repeat run yesterday. She relented and told me to do a more aerobic fartlek run today and skip the hard hill repeats. What a beautiful word, aerobic...
After a good night's sleep, I felt much better this morning and went out into the rain for a nice early morning run. Still sunburned from the weekend and 3 days from a trip to Hawaii, I had no complaints about the fact that it was pouring. At this point I'm so far in the bonus, who cares!!?? I went down into Interlaken and it was nice to be under the tree cover and hear the rain...I did a few small 1-minute surges and threw in 5 extra short hills, plus the .5 mile climb back up Interlaken, but kept it mostly aerobic (HR in the 150's, but not much and not for long).
I plan to get in the weight room later today and possibly do an easy spin on the trainer or outdoors if the rain stops.
5.75 mile run
51:39
Avg HR = 142
Max HR = 159
After a good night's sleep, I felt much better this morning and went out into the rain for a nice early morning run. Still sunburned from the weekend and 3 days from a trip to Hawaii, I had no complaints about the fact that it was pouring. At this point I'm so far in the bonus, who cares!!?? I went down into Interlaken and it was nice to be under the tree cover and hear the rain...I did a few small 1-minute surges and threw in 5 extra short hills, plus the .5 mile climb back up Interlaken, but kept it mostly aerobic (HR in the 150's, but not much and not for long).
I plan to get in the weight room later today and possibly do an easy spin on the trainer or outdoors if the rain stops.
5.75 mile run
51:39
Avg HR = 142
Max HR = 159
Sunday, May 18, 2008
TDC wrap and brick...
Well, I seem to have survived another successful Tour de Cure...kind of hard to screw it up when there's sunshine and record breaking temperatures, but there WERE a lot of moving pieces. Those pieces actually moved in synch for the most part and about 575 cyclists seemed to have a good day out there, although a few looked like they might wilt in the 90ish degree heat. "Evening Magazine" shot some of a show out there and we'll get to see how it all looks when edited professionally on Tuesday night's show. Pretty cool.
So...after a few 13 hour workdays (including yesterday which started with waking up at 3:30 a.m.) in the heat and a lot of lifting cases of water (incorrectly, of course, and thus getting a sore back), and carting various things in and out of trucks, the coach seemed to think that my celebratory reward should be a 5-hour workout today. And, of course, if it's on my color coded schedule, I follow the marching orders, even if reading the paper and laying in the sun sounded like a much better idea. I did get a cold beer, a good dinner (thanks, Seujan) and some good sleep after yesterday's event, so the idea of getting on my bike today wasn't toooooo bad. Plus, it was sunny again and in the 70s which is my favorite weather.
I went out to Marymoor (since my car almost drives there by itself at this point) and did chunks of the Tour de Cure routes with some other stuff thrown in. Today's brick was a 70 mile ride with 2x 5 mile TTs and then a 20 minute run. I took off with a nice tailwind and headed up to Snohomish where I did the 2x 5 miles on the Lowell-Larimer Rd., a totally flat 6 mile road with a big shoulder---perfect. Well, perfect except for the wind. My second TT was about 2 minutes slower than the first, but I figured that might be good practice for Hawaii. My legs didn't have enough to get my HR as high as usual on these, but my pace was OK.
After the Lowell-Larimer Rd., I went through Snohomish where there was a huge motorcycle rally happening....the whole downtown was closed off and the place looked like Sturgis. Since my 2 wheels had much less horsepower than the others in town, I went a few blocks around the downtown and then headed down the Old Sno-Monroe Rd. to Monroe, then picked up the TDC routes again there. I happened to notice 3 TDC signs that our crew must've missed when the sign pick up happened yesterday, but couldn't do anything about it on my bike...one more wrap-up task for work this week. By the time I got to about 40ish miles, I really lost enthusiasm (wait, did I have enthusiasm in the first place?), but hung in there...there were more windy spurts and more hills in the 2nd half of the ride. By mile 60 I decided I was buying myself sushi for dinner and that there must be a massage very soon...
The combo route I made up ended up being exactly 70 miles. I got back to Marymoor, did a quick transition, and headed out on the run. It was pretty tough at first (hamstring really hurting), but I settled in OK. A few minutes in, I looked at my watch to see if it was time to turn around soon and realized I hadn't started it...crap. So I guesstimated, hit the lap at my turnaround, and just doubled the second half to get the stats.
When I got home, I started googling and calling...and in just over an hour, I will be on a massage table at Massage Envy. I wonder how much they'll charge me if I sleep on the table until Wednesday. I still haven't unwrapped the newspaper...
70 mile ride:
26 miles
5 mile TT: 14:12, avg. pace = 21 mph, avg HR = 142
1 mile recovery
5 mile TT: 16:16, avg pace = 18.4, avg HR = 143
32ish miles
Total ride:
4:24
Avg pace: 15.8
Avg HR = 122
Run:
22 minutes
2.5 miles
Avg HR = 145
So...after a few 13 hour workdays (including yesterday which started with waking up at 3:30 a.m.) in the heat and a lot of lifting cases of water (incorrectly, of course, and thus getting a sore back), and carting various things in and out of trucks, the coach seemed to think that my celebratory reward should be a 5-hour workout today. And, of course, if it's on my color coded schedule, I follow the marching orders, even if reading the paper and laying in the sun sounded like a much better idea. I did get a cold beer, a good dinner (thanks, Seujan) and some good sleep after yesterday's event, so the idea of getting on my bike today wasn't toooooo bad. Plus, it was sunny again and in the 70s which is my favorite weather.
I went out to Marymoor (since my car almost drives there by itself at this point) and did chunks of the Tour de Cure routes with some other stuff thrown in. Today's brick was a 70 mile ride with 2x 5 mile TTs and then a 20 minute run. I took off with a nice tailwind and headed up to Snohomish where I did the 2x 5 miles on the Lowell-Larimer Rd., a totally flat 6 mile road with a big shoulder---perfect. Well, perfect except for the wind. My second TT was about 2 minutes slower than the first, but I figured that might be good practice for Hawaii. My legs didn't have enough to get my HR as high as usual on these, but my pace was OK.
After the Lowell-Larimer Rd., I went through Snohomish where there was a huge motorcycle rally happening....the whole downtown was closed off and the place looked like Sturgis. Since my 2 wheels had much less horsepower than the others in town, I went a few blocks around the downtown and then headed down the Old Sno-Monroe Rd. to Monroe, then picked up the TDC routes again there. I happened to notice 3 TDC signs that our crew must've missed when the sign pick up happened yesterday, but couldn't do anything about it on my bike...one more wrap-up task for work this week. By the time I got to about 40ish miles, I really lost enthusiasm (wait, did I have enthusiasm in the first place?), but hung in there...there were more windy spurts and more hills in the 2nd half of the ride. By mile 60 I decided I was buying myself sushi for dinner and that there must be a massage very soon...
The combo route I made up ended up being exactly 70 miles. I got back to Marymoor, did a quick transition, and headed out on the run. It was pretty tough at first (hamstring really hurting), but I settled in OK. A few minutes in, I looked at my watch to see if it was time to turn around soon and realized I hadn't started it...crap. So I guesstimated, hit the lap at my turnaround, and just doubled the second half to get the stats.
When I got home, I started googling and calling...and in just over an hour, I will be on a massage table at Massage Envy. I wonder how much they'll charge me if I sleep on the table until Wednesday. I still haven't unwrapped the newspaper...
70 mile ride:
26 miles
5 mile TT: 14:12, avg. pace = 21 mph, avg HR = 142
1 mile recovery
5 mile TT: 16:16, avg pace = 18.4, avg HR = 143
32ish miles
Total ride:
4:24
Avg pace: 15.8
Avg HR = 122
Run:
22 minutes
2.5 miles
Avg HR = 145
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Here comes the sun...
Whew, busy week and 2 days to TDC...but it appears to be coming together and the weather forecast is fantastically accurate. It was beautiful today and the next 2 days could be record high temps in the 80s with sun, sun, sun!
In between week of event stuff like "truck gymnastics" and picking up thousands of bottles of water, boxes of fruit, donated hard boiled eggs and the like, I've managed to get in the training on my "recovery week" schedule with a little extra credit thrown in. I swam yesterday and today I got in a run, a quick weights session, and a short bike ride in the sun...not bad for crunchtime.
Wednesday:
Swam 3,100
Today:
5 mile run
43:09
Avg HR = 145
19 mile bike
1:14
Avg pace = 15.5
didn't wear HR monitor
In between week of event stuff like "truck gymnastics" and picking up thousands of bottles of water, boxes of fruit, donated hard boiled eggs and the like, I've managed to get in the training on my "recovery week" schedule with a little extra credit thrown in. I swam yesterday and today I got in a run, a quick weights session, and a short bike ride in the sun...not bad for crunchtime.
Wednesday:
Swam 3,100
Today:
5 mile run
43:09
Avg HR = 145
19 mile bike
1:14
Avg pace = 15.5
didn't wear HR monitor
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Another indoor bike ride
I slept in a little this morning and turned on the coffee and the news about 6:00...to hear that today was to be a rainfest. DANGIT. I'd planned to do my last "route development" on the TDC 45 mile route this afternoon...instead I went to work at 7:00 a.m. and pretty much sat there till 4:00 when I got restless leg syndrome and HAD to move. I was still thinking about biking outdoors, but when the rain hit the windshield on the way home, I knew it was a trainer day.
Got on the bike trainer with Oprah and survived through part of the news. I was shooting for 2 hours, but lost enthusiasm at 1:45...while watching the forecast for 80+ degrees and sunny on Friday and Saturday. Didn't help much today, but if that forecast actually happens, I could be quite the happy event manager in a few days!!
Bike Trainer:
1:45
Avg HR = 128
Max HR = 136
Got on the bike trainer with Oprah and survived through part of the news. I was shooting for 2 hours, but lost enthusiasm at 1:45...while watching the forecast for 80+ degrees and sunny on Friday and Saturday. Didn't help much today, but if that forecast actually happens, I could be quite the happy event manager in a few days!!
Bike Trainer:
1:45
Avg HR = 128
Max HR = 136
Monday, May 12, 2008
Monday recovery day
OK, I'm sore. Nothing like the day after IMC or anything, but I'm feelin' the legs a little. Must mean I did it right yesterday.
Today is not the usual killer double Monday, but a nice recovery day...had a good swim this morning and did not kill myself. Then I did weights at lunchtime. That'll be it for today in workout-land...hoping my legs will be up for a bike ride tomorrow.
Swim: 3,050 yards
Today is not the usual killer double Monday, but a nice recovery day...had a good swim this morning and did not kill myself. Then I did weights at lunchtime. That'll be it for today in workout-land...hoping my legs will be up for a bike ride tomorrow.
Swim: 3,050 yards
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Kirkland Race Report
I got the PR! I had a good run today in Kirkland, although I had a stomach ache most of the race...I had some restaurant food yesterday for both lunch and dinner and didn't think any of it was that odd, but it must have been. My stomach was just not happy this morning. Fortunately, my legs and other things were OK and by the time I was running, I had made enough trips to the bathroom and portos that I know it was just uncomfortable and I wouldn't have to stop...let's just say there probably couldn't have been any reason to by the time I was running...
Anyway, got to the race a good 40 minutes before the start, leaving plenty of time for several trips between the portos and the car where I could stay warm and read a little of the newspaper. My stupid GPS never "found the sateillite" so I ditched it and used my old watch with no HR monitor. Oh, well...good that I had the back up watch.
I tried not to go out too fast, but my split for the first mile was 8:10. Oops. I slowed down what I thought was a little, but my next split was my slowest of the day at 10:23...I was really wishing I had the GPS to see if the mile markers were accurate--there were a few that seemed too far or not far enough. But whatever, I just went on RPE and kept a steady pace without trying to push too hard. My new cue word for myself up the hills was, "float." The climbs weren't exactly easy (esp. the ones in miles 11-12), but I had the confidence of hill training behind me and tried to convince myself that I was floating up the hills. I did pass a few people and could hear some of them breathing harder than I was, so that was nice. In the middle, my stomach thing was really annoying and I thought I might not make my goal time...but tried to keep the steady pace going and hoped it would be enough. Miles 8 and 9 were a LOT of downhill (as I'd remembered from last year) and I tried to take advantage of it and let it go as much as possible on the descents. I got a nice complement around mile 9 when a woman said to the guy she was running with, "There's another one who makes it look easy..." I was glad it looked like that to her, at least...I wasn't pushing out of my mind, but easy it was not. I also had a nice chat with a guy who started talking to me about mile 10...he didn't know how many hills were going to be on the course, so I got to inform him that guess what, they aren't over yet. As soon as we hit the one coming up Market St., he told me to "have a good finish...." I wished him the same and said, "Go ahead and drop me, I know you're going to..." Well, he kept running right next to me and then I dropped HIM (aw, yeah, the float was working), and I didn't see him again.
I pushed last mile/fast mile and my 13th mile was a 7:44. Felt good about that.
In the middle of this race, I remember thinking, "I don't think I ever want to run a marathon...I need to remember that I'm thinking this later..."
It was a good hilly race and I'm really happy I hit the PR I wanted...it was about 1:30 faster than Tucson, my prior fastest (and Tucson was an all downhill course, btw) half and about 12 minutes (!) faster than my time on this course one year ago. Yea!
It took a while for my stomach to be interested in food...I certainly did NOT go for the Pizza Hut booth at the finish...but by the time I got home and showered, I was ready for a good mountain of food and will happily continue feeding throughout the rest of the day today.
Total time: 1:52:02
Mile Splits: 8:10
10:23 (don't think this was marked correctly)
9:20
8:46
17:44 (missed a mile marker, so this was 2 together)
7:37 (no way was that distance marked correctly, either)
8:07
8:27
8:11
8:32
8:07
7:44 :45ish seconds for the last .1
Anyway, got to the race a good 40 minutes before the start, leaving plenty of time for several trips between the portos and the car where I could stay warm and read a little of the newspaper. My stupid GPS never "found the sateillite" so I ditched it and used my old watch with no HR monitor. Oh, well...good that I had the back up watch.
I tried not to go out too fast, but my split for the first mile was 8:10. Oops. I slowed down what I thought was a little, but my next split was my slowest of the day at 10:23...I was really wishing I had the GPS to see if the mile markers were accurate--there were a few that seemed too far or not far enough. But whatever, I just went on RPE and kept a steady pace without trying to push too hard. My new cue word for myself up the hills was, "float." The climbs weren't exactly easy (esp. the ones in miles 11-12), but I had the confidence of hill training behind me and tried to convince myself that I was floating up the hills. I did pass a few people and could hear some of them breathing harder than I was, so that was nice. In the middle, my stomach thing was really annoying and I thought I might not make my goal time...but tried to keep the steady pace going and hoped it would be enough. Miles 8 and 9 were a LOT of downhill (as I'd remembered from last year) and I tried to take advantage of it and let it go as much as possible on the descents. I got a nice complement around mile 9 when a woman said to the guy she was running with, "There's another one who makes it look easy..." I was glad it looked like that to her, at least...I wasn't pushing out of my mind, but easy it was not. I also had a nice chat with a guy who started talking to me about mile 10...he didn't know how many hills were going to be on the course, so I got to inform him that guess what, they aren't over yet. As soon as we hit the one coming up Market St., he told me to "have a good finish...." I wished him the same and said, "Go ahead and drop me, I know you're going to..." Well, he kept running right next to me and then I dropped HIM (aw, yeah, the float was working), and I didn't see him again.
I pushed last mile/fast mile and my 13th mile was a 7:44. Felt good about that.
In the middle of this race, I remember thinking, "I don't think I ever want to run a marathon...I need to remember that I'm thinking this later..."
It was a good hilly race and I'm really happy I hit the PR I wanted...it was about 1:30 faster than Tucson, my prior fastest (and Tucson was an all downhill course, btw) half and about 12 minutes (!) faster than my time on this course one year ago. Yea!
It took a while for my stomach to be interested in food...I certainly did NOT go for the Pizza Hut booth at the finish...but by the time I got home and showered, I was ready for a good mountain of food and will happily continue feeding throughout the rest of the day today.
Total time: 1:52:02
Mile Splits: 8:10
10:23 (don't think this was marked correctly)
9:20
8:46
17:44 (missed a mile marker, so this was 2 together)
7:37 (no way was that distance marked correctly, either)
8:07
8:27
8:11
8:32
8:07
7:44 :45ish seconds for the last .1
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Race Plan
I haven't put too much thought into my race plan for tomorrow (until this morning)...this is partly due to the busy-factor lately and I also, I must admit, it's probably because I didn't want to freak myself out. My running has been faster and stronger in the last couple of months than it has been in years, so I'm half excited to get out there... and half feeling a bit of internal pressure to get out show some good numbers. I'm also 3 weeks out to the Hawaii Half Iron, so I want this to be a confidence-builder.
I just re-read my half marathon archives from the last couple of years (5 of them) and my race report from this race one year ago. Looking at my race times, and my last few long runs, I should PR this race tomorrow. There, I said it. I'm still really trying to figure out how to wrap my head around the idea of "racing" a half marathon as it still feels like the kind of distance one must simply "survive" more than race, so this race can be an experiment in mentally re-framing this whole idea and pushing a little more. It's also my first race in a few years that is totally solo without anyone else on the course or in support.
OK, the race plan. The course is hilly and starts with a bit of a climb in mile 1 and just after mile 3. I want to go out a little conservatively and think "confidence" on the hills, but start and maintain a pretty consistent pace...I've trained on hills and they don't scare me like they used to. The fastest miles are 8 and 9 where there is a lot of downhill where I want to relax and re-charge without putting on the brakes...who cares if I'm sore on Monday, I want the help of the descent. There's another uphill at about mile 11/12 where I want to try to push a little before the last descent to the finish. I will go through every aid station and hydrate...not planning to carry anything and I've practiced drinking a lot of different sports drinks, so whatever they serve up will be fine. The plan is to negative split which should be possible with the hills at the beginning and the descent in the last mile.
I want to average an 8:30 - 8:40 pace and finish in 1:54 or better.
Now I just have to make it through the taper day...can't I go NOW, please???
I just re-read my half marathon archives from the last couple of years (5 of them) and my race report from this race one year ago. Looking at my race times, and my last few long runs, I should PR this race tomorrow. There, I said it. I'm still really trying to figure out how to wrap my head around the idea of "racing" a half marathon as it still feels like the kind of distance one must simply "survive" more than race, so this race can be an experiment in mentally re-framing this whole idea and pushing a little more. It's also my first race in a few years that is totally solo without anyone else on the course or in support.
OK, the race plan. The course is hilly and starts with a bit of a climb in mile 1 and just after mile 3. I want to go out a little conservatively and think "confidence" on the hills, but start and maintain a pretty consistent pace...I've trained on hills and they don't scare me like they used to. The fastest miles are 8 and 9 where there is a lot of downhill where I want to relax and re-charge without putting on the brakes...who cares if I'm sore on Monday, I want the help of the descent. There's another uphill at about mile 11/12 where I want to try to push a little before the last descent to the finish. I will go through every aid station and hydrate...not planning to carry anything and I've practiced drinking a lot of different sports drinks, so whatever they serve up will be fine. The plan is to negative split which should be possible with the hills at the beginning and the descent in the last mile.
I want to average an 8:30 - 8:40 pace and finish in 1:54 or better.
Now I just have to make it through the taper day...can't I go NOW, please???
Friday, May 09, 2008
Friday
Today I did the usual Friday swim and weights. I would have liked a bit more sleep this morning, but I definitely was not dragging as much as I am on some Fridays...the slight taper is kind of nice. Tomorrow is a rest day before the half marathon race on Sunday and tonight appears to be a mellow night at home...the activities planned for my evening in the Shoebox include a netflix DVD and another attempt at a self-pedicure.
I picked up my packet and shirt today for Sunday while I was running around on another errand-fest to the east side for work. I haven't pinnned on a race number for anything since the Seattle Half...holy cow, that means it's been 6 months without a timing chip! It's definitely time to get back out there...will have to think more about the race plan tomorrow.
Swim: 3,000 yards.
I picked up my packet and shirt today for Sunday while I was running around on another errand-fest to the east side for work. I haven't pinnned on a race number for anything since the Seattle Half...holy cow, that means it's been 6 months without a timing chip! It's definitely time to get back out there...will have to think more about the race plan tomorrow.
Swim: 3,000 yards.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Taper-esque run
I got in yesterday's swim today...nice to be back in the pool. It was just Anna and me in the lane this morning and a fairly no-nonsense workout...good start to the morning.
Since it's a taper-ish week, the "long" run today was supposed to be only 3 miles...nice. I went out at lunch and did 4 since that's my regular route at work. I figured a 4 miler with a few hills wouldn't kill me, especially since I'll be off my legs now until the race on Sunday. I haven't exactly had time to create a race plan for Sunday, but will try to make that happen by Saturday...
Swim: 3,200 yards
4 mile run:
35:23
Avg HR = 142
Since it's a taper-ish week, the "long" run today was supposed to be only 3 miles...nice. I went out at lunch and did 4 since that's my regular route at work. I figured a 4 miler with a few hills wouldn't kill me, especially since I'll be off my legs now until the race on Sunday. I haven't exactly had time to create a race plan for Sunday, but will try to make that happen by Saturday...
Swim: 3,200 yards
4 mile run:
35:23
Avg HR = 142
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Wed. hill repeats
I didn't swim this morning...Cascade's bike-to-work breakfast was this morning and I didn't want to cut a swim short, so I moved today's swim to tomorrow. I must admit that I was totally lame and drove down the hill with my bike in my car (!) and then walked a few blocks over to the breakfast. It was a fun event, as usual.
I went out on my bike at lunch to do my prescribed hill repeats. Since it was the only exercise of the day and I knew I'd be at work late, I added some extra miles after I did 5x hills up and down Interlaken and got in about 22 miles. I had been feeling sluggish all morning (let's see, pizza for dinner last night at book club and then the heavy breakfast this morning, plus a bit of work stress...no wonder), so I really needed to get some fresh air and pedal for a while. I felt much better after getting out for a while and moving and ended up staying at work until almost 7:00 p.m. (a workday length usually against my religion) and was really glad I took the long lunch ride earlier.
22.5 mile bike:
3ish mile warm up
5 x Interlaken Hill (.6 mile)
All were between 3:02-3:07 and avg HR of about 146 (157 max)
2ish minute recovery
14 mile ride
Total
22.5 miles
1:38
Avg pace 13.8
I went out on my bike at lunch to do my prescribed hill repeats. Since it was the only exercise of the day and I knew I'd be at work late, I added some extra miles after I did 5x hills up and down Interlaken and got in about 22 miles. I had been feeling sluggish all morning (let's see, pizza for dinner last night at book club and then the heavy breakfast this morning, plus a bit of work stress...no wonder), so I really needed to get some fresh air and pedal for a while. I felt much better after getting out for a while and moving and ended up staying at work until almost 7:00 p.m. (a workday length usually against my religion) and was really glad I took the long lunch ride earlier.
22.5 mile bike:
3ish mile warm up
5 x Interlaken Hill (.6 mile)
All were between 3:02-3:07 and avg HR of about 146 (157 max)
2ish minute recovery
14 mile ride
Total
22.5 miles
1:38
Avg pace 13.8
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Busy Tuesday
Just the facts...crazy busy work day...11 days till TDC and getting slammed.
Did an hour on the trainer when I got up today...smooshed a quick weights workout at the gym in between things.
Bike trainer:
1:00:00
Avg HR = 128
Max HR = 136
Did an hour on the trainer when I got up today...smooshed a quick weights workout at the gym in between things.
Bike trainer:
1:00:00
Avg HR = 128
Max HR = 136
Monday, May 05, 2008
Half Marathon week
Had a good rest day yesterday...and a few extra helpings of wine last night, oops. But I was up before the alarm and ready to start sweating it off in the pool...I had a good swim and, apparently, Savingnon Blanc can be converted to fuel (who knew?).
I was out buying first aid supplies for the Tour de Cure rest stops this morning and had the opportunity to swing by Greenlake to do my interval run on the way back to the office. It's kind of a taper week since I have the Kirkland Half Marathon this coming Sunday, so the coach (aka "No Mercy Marek") backed off a little and didn't assign a super killer workout this week...just garden variety hard. It was 5 x 2 minutes hard/2 minutes recovery and I did them around the outer loop of Greenlake. It was perfect out, about 60 degrees and sunny...and I did my lunges and planks in the grass afterwards. I hit each interval really consistently and jogged (didn't walk at all) each recovery.
Good Monday!
Swim: 3,100 yards
Interval Run:
1 mile warm up: 8:30
5 x 2 minutes hard/ 2 minutes jogging recovery
Each interval was .29 or .30 with Avg HR of 156-160 and max of about 165
Each recovery was .21 with Avg HR of 146-149
.7 mile cool down: 6:21
Total: 4 miles
32:52
Overall Avg HR = 142
I was out buying first aid supplies for the Tour de Cure rest stops this morning and had the opportunity to swing by Greenlake to do my interval run on the way back to the office. It's kind of a taper week since I have the Kirkland Half Marathon this coming Sunday, so the coach (aka "No Mercy Marek") backed off a little and didn't assign a super killer workout this week...just garden variety hard. It was 5 x 2 minutes hard/2 minutes recovery and I did them around the outer loop of Greenlake. It was perfect out, about 60 degrees and sunny...and I did my lunges and planks in the grass afterwards. I hit each interval really consistently and jogged (didn't walk at all) each recovery.
Good Monday!
Swim: 3,100 yards
Interval Run:
1 mile warm up: 8:30
5 x 2 minutes hard/ 2 minutes jogging recovery
Each interval was .29 or .30 with Avg HR of 156-160 and max of about 165
Each recovery was .21 with Avg HR of 146-149
.7 mile cool down: 6:21
Total: 4 miles
32:52
Overall Avg HR = 142
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Brick day
Ah, Sunday...I'm leisurely drinking coffee and thinking about the people (Cheryl, Nancy, Julie, Ann, etc.) who are running the Eugene Half/Full marathon right now...and I'm on a rest day!! But I definitely feel that earned and need it.
Yesterday was a long ride/brick day. We had a Tour de Cure training ride scheduled at the Issaquah Chipotle, so I went out there to do the first part of my ride with the group. It was raining when I left the Shoebox, but Issaquah was dry with dry pavement...for a little while. We had about 20 people and Ed and I took them on an out-and-back to Marymoor via East Lake Sammamish...I got about 8 miles down the road before the consistent pattern of showers/dry/cool/warm/repeat started (and continued the whole day) There were a lot of stops for lights, re-grouping, Saturday strip mall traffic, helping a dude put his chain back on, and sheep-dogging the strung-out group, but it was OK. We got back to Chipotle where the group got their free burritos and were happy with their 25ish mile ride...I had one of my brief longings to be a "normal" person and throw my bike in the car, but practiced thought stoppage, ate a banana, topped off my bottles, and took off for more miles. I did the Rte. 900-May Valley-Issaquah Hobart loop and then went around Lake Sammamish through Marymoor again. With all the repeats of East Lake Samm and the sheep dogging the first round, I know I passed the same dead smooshed racoon at least 3 times. Not very creative on the route, but who cares, I got the miles.
I was supposed to do 70 miles and had to add a short out-and-back near the car to get to 65, but my legs were really done, so I figured I could round up from 65. I was never miserable, but it was a hard ride and with the off and on showers all day, it wasn't exactly a ride I'll remember as "fun," either. I got back to the car for a quick transition and ran toward the back of the strip mall...right away I found a cool little running trail (who knew there was a scenic trail behind Target?) and I had a nice little 20 minute run. In the middle of the run, I felt really good (much better than I'd felt on the bike) and considered running longer, but then my body reminded me that I was hungry and had to pee so I promptly bagged that idea and stuck to the original agenda. It was a bit of a long day and close to 4:00 p.m. by the time I got done.
When I got back to my car in the strip mall, I inhaled the usual V8 recovery drink and went into the Panera Bread store for a snack...wow, walking into that place after a 4+ hour workout is a little overwhelming...mountains of bread, muffins, bagels...a regular wheat/carb festival. I managed to choose a bagel from the mountain of options available and it held me over until a BIG guac cheeseburger a couple hours later...and a lot of chips...and some chocolate chip cookies...
I got in about 13.5 hours of training this week...good week and I was really body-tired by last night, for sure.
Brick:
65 mile ride:
4:05
Avg HR = 122
Avg pace = 15.9
20 min run
2.3 miles
Avg HR = 135
Yesterday was a long ride/brick day. We had a Tour de Cure training ride scheduled at the Issaquah Chipotle, so I went out there to do the first part of my ride with the group. It was raining when I left the Shoebox, but Issaquah was dry with dry pavement...for a little while. We had about 20 people and Ed and I took them on an out-and-back to Marymoor via East Lake Sammamish...I got about 8 miles down the road before the consistent pattern of showers/dry/cool/warm/repeat started (and continued the whole day) There were a lot of stops for lights, re-grouping, Saturday strip mall traffic, helping a dude put his chain back on, and sheep-dogging the strung-out group, but it was OK. We got back to Chipotle where the group got their free burritos and were happy with their 25ish mile ride...I had one of my brief longings to be a "normal" person and throw my bike in the car, but practiced thought stoppage, ate a banana, topped off my bottles, and took off for more miles. I did the Rte. 900-May Valley-Issaquah Hobart loop and then went around Lake Sammamish through Marymoor again. With all the repeats of East Lake Samm and the sheep dogging the first round, I know I passed the same dead smooshed racoon at least 3 times. Not very creative on the route, but who cares, I got the miles.
I was supposed to do 70 miles and had to add a short out-and-back near the car to get to 65, but my legs were really done, so I figured I could round up from 65. I was never miserable, but it was a hard ride and with the off and on showers all day, it wasn't exactly a ride I'll remember as "fun," either. I got back to the car for a quick transition and ran toward the back of the strip mall...right away I found a cool little running trail (who knew there was a scenic trail behind Target?) and I had a nice little 20 minute run. In the middle of the run, I felt really good (much better than I'd felt on the bike) and considered running longer, but then my body reminded me that I was hungry and had to pee so I promptly bagged that idea and stuck to the original agenda. It was a bit of a long day and close to 4:00 p.m. by the time I got done.
When I got back to my car in the strip mall, I inhaled the usual V8 recovery drink and went into the Panera Bread store for a snack...wow, walking into that place after a 4+ hour workout is a little overwhelming...mountains of bread, muffins, bagels...a regular wheat/carb festival. I managed to choose a bagel from the mountain of options available and it held me over until a BIG guac cheeseburger a couple hours later...and a lot of chips...and some chocolate chip cookies...
I got in about 13.5 hours of training this week...good week and I was really body-tired by last night, for sure.
Brick:
65 mile ride:
4:05
Avg HR = 122
Avg pace = 15.9
20 min run
2.3 miles
Avg HR = 135
Friday, May 02, 2008
The $10 loaf of bread
My mom used to have a saying about "The $10 loaf of bread," which was basically the experience of going to the grocery store for a loaf of bread, but ending up with a whole bag of stuff...obviously, the $10 figure is a little outdated as now the loaf itself would be almost that much, but you get the idea. Anyway, I think I've one-upped the $10 loaf of bread with an $1,100 oil change at the Toyota dealer. I took my car in yesterday for an oil change and got it back today with a new timing belt, water pump, radiator hoses...and a list of several more things that should eventually get done, too, but were not mission critical. Holy crap! Then, of course, the car was almost empty and I had to go right to the Chevron to throw $45 more at gas to feed it. Fortunately, I have another TDC/Chipotle thing for dinner tonight and will eat free burritos for the 3rd night in a row!
Clearly, the pain that Toyota inflicted on my cash reserves was far greater than the swim workout this morning, although Emily did throw out a set of 10 x 125's that kicked our butts. We had 4 people in the lane today and it was a really good swim. I also got in a walk to work and the usual Friday weights. Feels like Friday and I'm hoping to rally for tomorrow's long ride/brick if the weather is decent.
Clearly, the pain that Toyota inflicted on my cash reserves was far greater than the swim workout this morning, although Emily did throw out a set of 10 x 125's that kicked our butts. We had 4 people in the lane today and it was a really good swim. I also got in a walk to work and the usual Friday weights. Feels like Friday and I'm hoping to rally for tomorrow's long ride/brick if the weather is decent.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
May Day
It says May on the calendar...and they are giving free tulips away in our office building for May Day...but I ran this morning with gloves, tights, and long sleeves which does not exactly scream "May," in my opinion. Oh, well...at least there is daylight early now and it wasn't snowing. I had to take my car into the shop this morning on Lake City Way by 8:00, so I was up at 5:00 to get in a 10-mile run first. I trotted away from the Shoebox at about 5:20 a.m. and was happy to have daylight from the get-go this time...did the capitol hill downhill weave to Broadway, down the Howe St. stairs...down to Eastlake, over Boyer, down through the arboretum and back, finishing UP Interlakken and that nice (not) long hill toward the end. My legs were a bit tired, but I felt fine...didn't push, didn't slack, just steady and kept about a 9:30 avg. mile pace.
Today's beverage of choice was good old Gatorade, although I chose a new Tiger Woods' flavor called "Quiet Storm." I suppose the Gatorade marketing dept. thought Tiger's face and "quiet storm" would sell better than a more accurate description like "synthetic purple somewhat resembling fake grape." It wasn't bad...much better than the junk I used last week.
I also test drove some new running socks that my buddy, Joel, gave me for my birthday. He swears by these "Injinji" toe socks and I must say I liked them and understand the appeal, especially for blister prevention. Comfy. Not sure I'd want to deal with the toe sock format in transition during a triathlon, but I'll very likely use them for the Kirkland Half next weekend...they're pretty cool.
10 mile run:
1:34:38
Avg HR = 140
Today's beverage of choice was good old Gatorade, although I chose a new Tiger Woods' flavor called "Quiet Storm." I suppose the Gatorade marketing dept. thought Tiger's face and "quiet storm" would sell better than a more accurate description like "synthetic purple somewhat resembling fake grape." It wasn't bad...much better than the junk I used last week.
I also test drove some new running socks that my buddy, Joel, gave me for my birthday. He swears by these "Injinji" toe socks and I must say I liked them and understand the appeal, especially for blister prevention. Comfy. Not sure I'd want to deal with the toe sock format in transition during a triathlon, but I'll very likely use them for the Kirkland Half next weekend...they're pretty cool.
10 mile run:
1:34:38
Avg HR = 140
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)