What's My Excuse????

I can give you a long list of excuses for why I haven't been exercising the way I should be and the way I want to be:
                I didn't sleep well
                It's too early to work out
                It's too late to work out
                I feel bad leaving the puppy in her kennel all day and then while I'm working out too
                I have to clean the house
                I have dishes to do
                I have laundry to fold
                I have to make dinner
                I was asked to go to dinner with friends
                I'm tired
                I want to spend time with family and friends
                I have a lot of work to do
                I have parent teacher conferences
The truth is:
                I've been LACKING MOTIVATION!!
                I've been LAZY!!

There are no more excuses!!  In order for me to get back into a regular workout routine, I have established the following schedule that I am going to keep:
                Monday:  5:30 am group ride
                Tuesday:  4:30 am strength training and 5:30 pm group run
                Wednesday:  5:00 am swim and 4:30 pm basement ride
                Thursday:  4:30 am strength training and 4:00 pm run
                Friday:  5:00 am swim and 4:30 pm group ride
                Saturday:  morning run followed by a strength workout
                Sunday:  Basement ride

Thanks to some friends and upcoming races I am registering for this coming week, I am starting TODAY!!

Who took my wagon?

It has been quite a while since my last post.  What has been happening you may ask...Not much in the area of exercise.  My exercise wagon got hijacked, but I think I may have found it.

I have come to some realizations while my wagon was MIA.
1.  I have gained 34 pounds since Ironman Wisconsin 2011 and this is not acceptable.
2.  I have let myself get so out of shape that it is a struggle to start back up...this is also not acceptable.  I am not happy with myself in who I have let myself become.
3.  I have goals, but little motivation to start working toward achieving those goals.  What ultimately motivates me?  Paying for and signing up for races that CHALLENGE me!!  Going out and doing a 5K or a 10K race is not a challenge for me.  Yes I could say that I want to get faster at these distances, but that is not a challenging enough goal for me to get out of bed or off the couch and get to work.  I NEED something BIG!!

So...What races have I signed up for to start pushing myself and get back the person I so want and need to be?  You'll have to check this out in my next post...coming yet this month...

Brochitis

Unfortunately my training has been derailed lately due to bronchitis.  I have tried cycling and strength training with bronchitis, but neither of which were very successful.  I became very winded and light headed during both workouts.  I haven't given up hope and will be running tomorrow morning.  As long as my lungs hold up, I should be good.  Only time will tell :)

I am hoping to get a couple more good weeks of training in before I have to taper for Ironman 70.3 Branson.  With only 5 weeks to race weekend, I have 3 more weeks of solid training left.  Now if I can just get the body back in order so that I can successfully complete my last big race of 2012!!

Eat to Train vs. Train to Eat

Many people train so that they can eat whatever they want.  This sounds like a great way to justify unnecessary calories... "I just burned 3600 calories during that 5 hour bike ride...bring on the Swiss Cake Rolls dipped in Nutella with whole milk to wash it down!!"  (And yes...I have witnessed this exact indulgence after a day of cycling on RAGBRAI!!)

Just for the record...donuts are NOT something I would ever choose to eat...YUCK!!

Your body is a machine and like most machines, it requires proper fueling.  If you put dirt in the gas tank of your car, you probably aren't going to get very far.  Likewise...if you put junk into your body, you aren't going to feel good and your training/racing efforts will not be at their peak.

I've decided that for Ironman 2013, I will EAT TO TRAIN (a phrase I first heard coined by Bob Seebohar)!!  I will be limiting my intake of refined sugars and processed foods.  When I get home from a tough/long workout my body's immediate response is to refuel.  I want to make sure I'm properly refueling my machine for peak performance during training and racing.  By preparing meals/snacks from fresh foods before I leave for my workout, I won't be tempted to go out to dinner, indulge in unhealthy calories or eat more calories than are necessary when I return from my workout.

I will also be cutting alcohol from my diet for the entire year before Ironman 2013.  For me, this means that from September 9, 2012 through September 8, 2013 (race day) I will not be consuming alcoholic beverages.  Alcohol has many adverse affects on the human body.  During training and racing, these adverse effects are not worth the few pleasures that come with alcohol consumption.  I will have one year of alcohol abstinence to help promote good overall health, favorable training sessions and peak racing performance.

Properly fuel your machine...Let's EAT TO TRAIN and feel like a CHAMPION!!

RAGBRAI 2012

On Wednesday, we rode part of the RAGBRAI (Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) route.  We donned our bikes at 5:40 am in Ames and rode north to Story City where we picked up the official RAGBRAI route.  At the start of the day, the temperatures weren't too bad...yet.  We refilled our water bottles in Story City and then set off for the 6 mile ride to Roland.  In Roland we stopped for some breakfast.  I had a very yummy breakfast burrito in the air conditioned community center.  We filled up our water bottles and road the 6 miles to McCallsburg.  We decided not to stop in McCallsburg as it was only about 5 more miles to Zearing.  We did stop in Zearing and refilled our water bottles before cycling the next 8 miles to St. Anthony.  We did have some tough headwinds during this stretch, but we pushed on.  We did not stop in St. Anthony, but pushed on for about 3 miles to Clemons.  We did stop in Clemons to refill our water bottles as the last stretch would be 16.5 miles.  The temperatures were increasing, so we were trying to get into our final destination, Marshalltown, before noon.  We did stop along the way to Marshalltown to get a frozen snickers and a free icy at a local vendor.  We also stopped at Beekman's Ice Cream for those who can tolerate lactose to enjoy a tasty treat and enjoy the breeze in the shade.  We then finished our trek into Marshalltown with some rolling hills and some windy stretches, but overall had a great ride with great friends!!

Great friends after a great day of cycling in Iowa!!

Harassing the hubby while he loaded the bikes in Marshalltown.

Total Distance: 71 miles
Ambient Air Temperature: 100 degrees Fahrenheit
Heat Index Temperature: 108 degrees Fahrenheit
Winds: South/South West 13-18 mph

Overcoming Obstacles

Sunday, July 22 I completed my 4th 1/2 Ironman Distance event at the Chisago Lakes triathlon...1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run.  Each race is filled with new experiences and challenges...this race was no exception!!

I woke up mentally focused and ready to have a great race and have fun!!  I had my race bag already loaded and decided to put air in my tires before leaving the hotel.  The rear tire inflated like a champ, but the front tire was not cooperating...obstacle #1.  I decided to hold off on doing anything more with it until I got down to the race site hoping there would be bike support who would be more knowledgable regarding the Presta valve stems in my race wheels.

After loading up our gear and bikes, we headed down to the race site.  We had to park about a 1/4 mile from the race site location, so we wanted to make sure we had everything we needed for the day with us.  We got into transition, I set up my transition area and then took my bike to the bike support area.  The bike support crew said I would have to completely deflate my front wheel and then inflate it again to get the pressure up to about 105 pounds.  With only 2 hours before the race, this is not a good idea.  They did say that I had enough pressure in the tube and should have no problems with it on the bike leg during the race.  I then went to get my body marking before heading back into transition with my bike.  As I was returning to transition, I was stung by a wasp on my right ankle...obstacle #2.  OUCH!!!  Off to the med tent I went.  Med support asked if I was allergic...I have NO idea...I've never been stung by a wasp before. They cleaned it up and sent me on my way.  I have been stung by many mosquitoes and a bee a time or two, but the pain that comes with a wasp sting lingers for days!!

I had plenty of time before the start of the race, so I decided to take my bike for a spin to make sure everything was working properly and to know which gear I should be upon leaving transition after the swim.  My cadence sensor was not working on my computer...obstacle #3...back to bike support I went.  This time, they were unable to help me...Oh well...I've gone without cadence before and I'll do it again.  I put my bike back in transition and did one last check over my transition area before heading down to the swim start.  OH CRAP...I forgot the water for my bike bottle in the car...obstacle #4.  Easy fix...my husband and I were sipping on water bottles, so I used both of them to fill my water bottle on the bike.

I gathered up my wetsuit, goggles and swim cap and headed down to the beach.  After struggling with my wetsuit to get into it (the air temperature was too warm to be struggling to get into neoprene, but the water temperature was suitable for it...so...the struggle continued), I conducted a prerace swim, which felt really good.  At this point, the nerves started to build...what is going on?!?!?!?  I haven't had nerves before a race in quite a while..."YOU ARE STRONG!!  YOU WILL HAVE A GREAT RACE!!  YOU WILL HAVE FUN!!"  I repeated this over and over to myself...mental fortitude and motivation!!

As the horn blew for our wave to enter the water, there were a lot of people around me...so it is going to be that type of swim...rugby in the water...I can play this game!!  I felt like I swam really well despite a little trouble siting on the way back into the beach.  Overall my swim was strong and I finished the swim in 43:33.  Not my best, but I'll take it!!

When I got to my bike, I had a pretty fluid transition from the swim to the bike...3:06...now onto the open road!!  AWESOME...my cadence sensor is working...I don't have to go without cadence after all!!  I knew it was going to be a hot day and proper hydration and electrolyte intake would be key, so I immediately took my salt tablets...obstacle #5...stomach cramps.  UGH!!  I should have taken in some nutrition first and not taken my salt tablets on an empty stomach...I am NOT going to let this get me down!!  "YOU ARE STRONG!!  YOU WILL HAVE A GREAT RACE!!  YOU WILL HAVE FUN!!"  Once the stomach cramps hit, I started to drink more water to dilute those salt tablets in my stomach.  I would need this with the hot weather conditions we were experiencing.  As I approached mile 20 on the bike, I had nearly consumed all of my water and was looking forward to replenishing my water at the first water station just ahead...obstacle #6...they were out of water.  YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!  "YOU ARE STRONG!!  YOU WILL HAVE A GREAT RACE!!  YOU WILL HAVE FUN!!"  Problem solving mode...there were many water bottles that had been thrown on the side of the road with some water still in them...yes other athletes have drank off of them, but it is water and there is no way I can ride 36 more miles in this heat (did I mention it was a hot day...ambient air temperature was 92 degrees Fahrenheit and full sun) without water.  So I stopped on the side of the road and refilled my water bottle with a few of the partially full water bottles.  I kept moving forward and was having fun!!  I continued to drink my water since there would be another water stop at mile 32.  On the way to this second water station there were a couple of really fun descents, which also made for some rather challenging ascents...part of the fun of cycling are both the ups and downs :)  As I approached the second water station, I heard the volunteers stating that they were out of water...obstacle #7.  UNBELIEVABLE!!  I was nowhere near the back of the pack, so this was very poor planning on the part of the event director!!  I again stopped on the side of the road and refilled my water bottle using some of the water bottles that were partially full and had been thrown by previous athletes.  I was shocked to see that more people were not taking advantage of this and were completely passing by the water altogether.  "YOU ARE STRONG!!  YOU WILL HAVE A GREAT RACE!!  YOU WILL HAVE FUN!!"  I pushed on and got back to transition in 3:22:29, which I was pretty happy with.  

After a rather quick transition (2:07) I went out on the run.  I felt really strong off the bike and knew that I would do what it took to continue to have a great race.  At about mile 5 I started to feel the effects of chaffing...EVERYWHERE I had clothing...obstacle #8.  I was chaffing in places that one should NOT chaff!!  That burning sensation was rather uncomfortable, so I decided to try a run/walk method...the burning sensation was present whether I was running or walking, but with the heat and full sun, I decided to continue with this method.  I was feeling really good...other than the chaffing.  "YOU ARE STRONG!!  YOU WILL HAVE A GREAT RACE!!  YOU WILL HAVE FUN!!"

The clock time was from the start of the event.  I was in wave 4, so there was an 8 minute delay between the clock and my timing chip.

I came across the finish line in 6:32:44, which was a 3 minute personal record (PR)!!  I was VERY PROUD and HAPPY with my MENTAL TOUGHNESS and RACE EXECUTION for the day...the PR was just icing on the cake!!

The Child Within

This coming Sunday I will be competing in the Chisago Lakes 1/2 Ironman distance triathlon.  In preparing for this event, I have asked myself the following question:

"Why do I race?"  After all, I can swim, bike and run without having to actually race...don't I?!?!?!?!

The answer:
I grew up swimming in Lake Okoboji nearly every day (during the summer months of course...Iowa winters aren't really conducive to outdoor swimming) and LOVE the freedom swimming provides!!  There is a lot of time to be in one's own head when swimming, but this is when I can focus on my swim stroke, mental training and improving my swim times when I have speed work thrown in the workout.

I began riding a bicycle when I was a kid and though I ride much differently now than I did when I was younger, I still LOVE the feeling of the "open road" and the wind blowing in my face.  I love the opportunity to get to ride with other people and push myself to new levels.  I also enjoy those solitary moments when I get to visualize a race where I am on the top of my game and having the time of my life!!

I started running shortly after I learned to walk.  I have to admit that I haven't always been a long distance runner...this has developed as I have gotten older, and with age has come the realization of just how much I LOVE to run!!  I love the social aspect when I run with a group and at times I love the solitude and opportunity to be in my own head when I am on a solo run.

Triathlon encompasses all of the activities...swimming, cycling and running...all of which I learned to do as a child.  Activities I loved then and continue to love now.  Racing triathlon provides me with a reason to go out the door and train, an opportunity to combine the activities that I LOVE into one event and the opportunity to problem solve as each unique race provides me with new and different challenges.

So despite the challenges that the upcoming Chisago Lakes 1/2 Ironman distance triathlon will provide this Sunday, I am VERY EXCITED to get another opportunity to combine the activities that I LOVE into a RACE!!  I am racing for the child that I still have inside me!!

"Somewhere behind the athlete you've become and the hours of practice and the coaches who have pushed you is a little girl who fell in love with the game and never looked back...play for her."

Mia Hamm