Day 2 - Woo-hoo!

After waking up so early yesterday, getting an hour-and-a-half of cardio in, and then working for 11 hours, I was, understandably, exhausted.  So I did a little work in the kitchen, but then went to bed before 9:00.  I read till 9:30, but that was it.  After all, I had to get up early again this morning!

Got up at 5:00 a.m. again, and made it to the gym a little after 6:00.  I lifted upper body first, then ran on the treadmill.  I did a 3/1 run/walk at 5.6/3.6 mph pace, 3.28 miles in 40 minutes (with a cool-down).  Felt as good as running ever does!  Mostly, though, I was just proud of myself for actually going, even when Derek decided to stay in bed (which he probably needed, but still).

Unfortunately, BOTH my feet hurt now.  I'm sure sitting at my desk for another 11 hours today didn't help, but seriously.  I'm sick of this plantar fasciitis already!  I know I realized before that treadmill running hurt a lot more than running outside, so I'll give it one more go on Saturday.  But if it still hurts like this after running outside, I think I'm going to have to quit running till I lose some weight.  I'll just focus on cycling and swimming and strength training, and of course eating right.  (Which has also been going well so far this week, by the way.)  Will keep you posted!

Relaxing now with a cheesy Lifetime Movie Network Christmas movie, but then to bed for another early wake-up call!  Spinning again tomorrow.

Fresh Start!

And...  My priorities went out the window after Wednesday of last week.  Didn't even work out on Saturday!

But Derek and I made up an ambitious and detailed workout schedule yesterday, so I started this week with renewed motivation and dedication.  Got up at 5:00 a.m. for my 5:45 spinning class.  And THEN I went down to the pool for a little swim.  Just did a mile since I had to get home for work, but it felt great!  Good to be back at it, and with a PLAN!

Priorities

So, even though I didn't go to spin this morning, I made it a priority to do it tonight after work.  Even though I should have been cleaning tonight for company coming tomorrow.  So now I'll have to try to do that while I'm working tomorrow...

Anyway, I did spin, and it was good.  And then I lifted upper body, which was only o.k.  The gym was so crowded at that time that I could find a bench and half the free weights were missing from the racks (I HATE it when people take them off somewhere, by the way!).  I still got it all done, but it was yet another reminder of why I should really do this in the morning...

Confirmation

Well...  Up WAY too late last night, so I didn't get up for the gym this morning.  Derek and I agreed to meet there for a swim after his exam (and I was going to go earlier, too, to lift and swim before he got there), but of course that didn't happen.  So, yeah.  But this is good actually!  Because it's just confirmation that I NEED to work out in the morning, but stuff ALWAYS comes up to make it more challenging or even impossible to get it done at night.

But even though I KNOW this already, I still haven't been able to do anything about it...  And I blame sleep!  Seriously, I would get more and better workouts in AND eat better if I weren't up so late and so tired all the time!  Now, how do I fix it...?

Plan A!

My alarm went off at 5 a.m.  I had NOT gone to bed at 9:00 last night like I'd wanted to, and I did NOT want to get out of bed when I heard the alarm.  I started trying to figure out other workout options for today, but I came up empty.  I had already decided I was going to work late, so an evening spin class was out.  Plus, I thought, my gym clothes are sitting right over there waiting for me.  And I know I won't have to scrape frost off my car since I made sure to park in the garage last night.  So, fine.  I'll go.

Made it there in plenty of time, and I realized just how much time I save working out in the morning because I don't have to fight the evening rush hour traffic!  Nice.  Good workout, hills today.  Good to catch up with my co-cycle-club-ride-leader-friend.  REALLY good to be done with my workout early and know that I didn't have to go out after work tonight!  Woo-hoo!

But I have been tired all day...

My original plan for tomorrow was to go lift in the morning, and maybe even swim while I'm there (I don't like the idea of driving to the gym twice in one day).  But tomorrow is Hubby's last stressful class, and he was thinking he might like to meet me for a swim and/or workout afterward.  If we do that, I'll probably just go a little earlier to get my workout done so that I can just focus on helping him in the pool when he arrives.

But that would mean giving up my "I really want to get back into a morning workout schedule again" plan for the week...  Hmm.  Guess I'll see what time I actually get to bed, then decide.

Lazy Busy Week

Well, after a pretty good week last week, I was excited to keep up the momentum.  However...  I let Christmas tasks consume me, and even on days when I had good intentions, I didn't make working out a priority, and, as a result, I often ran out of time or energy before I could get there.

Finally, on Friday, I made it to the gym for the 9:30 a.m. spinning class, then lifted upper body afterward.  I was NOT looking forward to a late work shift at the end of a long week, but I was determined to make good use of my morning off.  Felt good!

On Saturday, I slept in.  Till like 10:30.  Yeah, that's right, I slept almost ten-and-a-half hours Friday night.  And let me tell you: THAT felt good, too!  Then I made yummy pumpkin spice pancakes.  Mmm...  In the afternoon, I also made it back to the gym to lift lower body and swim, but everything was happening a lot later than I'd planned/hoped.  Which pushed other tasks off till today.  Which didn't all happen.  But at least I got two good workouts in; better than nothing.  And after a three-hour nap today, I'm feeling pretty rested.  Gotta be in bed in ten minutes so I can get six hours of sleep and still be able to get up for the EARLY spin class tomorrow.  I really need to get my workouts done in the mornings this week so that I can stay late and get a little overtime.

Anyway, when I swam yesterday, I only did a mile; I didn't want to push myself TOO hard my first time back in the water in a month.  Here's what I did:

Warm-up
4 x 200  Swim/pull/kick/drill x 200

Main set
1 x 200  Free - pace
2 x 100  Free - pace
4 x 50    Free - pace

Cool-down
1 x 200  Easy

Big plans for the coming week - spinning three times, lifting three times, running once or twice, swimming once or twice.  Let's see how much of that I can actually make happen!

Unheard Of!

Today, I wanted to lift lower body and swim while I was out running errands.  But when I looked at the weather forecast for tomorrow, I saw that it will probably be raining all day, so I decided to run today instead and try to swim tomorrow.

I was thinking I'd do two laps today, but very soon after I left the house I realized that I'd forgotten my water.  So, I thought, maybe just one lap again.  I did a 2-and-1 run/walk instead of the 3-and-1 I'd done on Wednesday (since I'd been planning on going twice as far), and it felt great.  The weather was perfect, a little chilly but bright, and I had my tunes to push me on.  When I finished the first lap, I didn't really feel like quitting, which is unheard of for me, so I thought maybe I'd do another partial lap to get 45 minutes of running in.  But then I thought, I could go out 3 intervals and turn around for 6 extra intervals, or I could just do the 10 it would take for a whole second lap.  So I just kept going!  And without water ever...  I know!

I was slower, but I just took my time and enjoyed it.  30:31ish for the first lap, a minute slower for the second.  But it felt great!

Now, however, after running a bunch of errands after the run, both my feet are in a bit of pain and I'm kinda stiff and sore all over.  I'm really hoping I feel better in the morning, and I'm REALLY hoping that this plantar fasciitis crap quits once I start losing some weight!

Day Off

Since I didn't lift or swim yesterday, I was hoping to make it tonight after a baby shower I attended.  But...  I didn't get out of there at 9 like I thought I would, and 10:30 seemed a bit late to go to the gym.  So Derek and I missed our swim lesson, and I missed a workout.  But it was the first day I missed this week, and I still have the weekend to catch up!

Somethin'!

Well, I DID get off work early, but instead of going to work out right away, I worked on the Christmas present I'm making for my mom.  I did go run, but not till 3 something, and by the time I was done with that, I didn't feel like going to the gym, too, to lift and swim.  Instead, I got the Christmas tree up and decorated. :-)

Anyway, regarding the run...  I only did one lap around the lake at Sharon Woods, which took me 29:29 for the 2.6 miles.  With my warm up and cool down, it was about 3.5 miles in 45 minutes.  Nice day for my first post-IM run!

Another Plan B

SO sore today!  Feels great. :-)

And... again I didn't get up early enough to spin before work, so I went this evening.  No problem, got it done.  Ran a couple errands on my way home, too, so I haven't been able to do the tree yet.  Fortunately, if my calculations are correct - PLEASE let my calculations be correct! - we'll be finishing work early tomorrow so I can decorate then  Yay!

Strength Training 101

Well, no surprise, but I didn't make it to the gym this morning.  I wasn't worried, though, since I had the evening to make up for it.  Unfortunately, it was raining when I was getting ready to head to Fleet Feet, so I bagged that plan.  I cleaned up around the house a little to get ready for the Christmas decorations, then went to the gym.  At some point, the rain had turned to snow, though, and everything was white when I stepped outside!  So pretty!

The gym was pretty empty and quiet, and it felt good to get back to lifting again.  I know it'll be good for me, I just need to stick with it!  I followed the Body for Life plan, starting with my upper body.  Then I did my abs, too, since I was still waiting for Derek to get to the gym.  I saw him come into the building just as I was finishing up, which was perfect, except that I didn't have any time in the pool alone before we started our "lesson."  But that's o.k.  Helping him was my priority tonight, and I still feel really good about the workout I did get.

Back At It

So, last Monday, I ate great, worked out, and set a goal of losing one pound by today, even with Thanksgiving.  Well...  let's just say... epic fail.  I didn't work out any more last week (unless you count walking around for six hours during all the Black Friday sales), and I pretty much ate whatever I wanted.  And I gained a half pound.  But now I'm more motivated than ever.  I've got to get going on this!

Today I ate great again, and I made it back to spin class tonight.  Derek and I were supposed to go for our second swim lesson as well, but neither of us felt like it.  So we came up with a new plan, which I think I like even better: we're going to go to bed early.  Like, soon.  And we're going to get up early and go lift in the a.m.  Then we're going to meet at the gym for a swim tomorrow night after his classes.  He may try to get some other cardio in first, in which case I'll do some laps of my own before he joins me in the pool, and I may also go run with Fleet Feet before that, if this incessant rain finally quits.  But I won't hold my breath on that one...

Anyway, I'm hoping that by getting up early tomorrow, I'll be able to continue the rest of the week.  And if I can spin Wednesday morning, then I'll have all evening to decorate for Christmas!  High hopes for this week. :-)

It Begins Again...

As I mentioned, I really enjoyed my day in Florida.  When Derek asked me, just minutes after I finished, if I was going to do it again, I think I said, "Yeah... probably!"  Originally, I thought I'd only do one, but I enjoyed it so much, I didn't want that to be it!

But we had also talked about trying to start making babies next year, so I thought I'd at least take some time off.  Till two days after IMFL, on the way home, when Derek started talking about how HE wanted to try one.  And then I got excited to start another Ironman journey, especially if I could do it WITH him this time.

Unfortunately, we were a day too late to sign up for Florida, so we started brainstorming other options.  We knew Ironman Arizona was just two weeks away and that we could sign up the day after for next year's event.  So that became our plan.  Of course, these things sell out FAST, so we knew there was no guarantee we'd get in.  But it was still Plan A.  (Plan B was to pay extra for Ironman Foundation entries into next year's IMFL.)

Well, today was the day.  At noon mountain time, online registration would open for general entry.  Of course, hundred of athletes had already registered at the event this weekend, so who knows how many spots were even left when registration opened?  But we were poised and ready.

AND WE BOTH GOT IN!!!

It worked for me last year for Florida, and we both got in this time, too.  But there were plenty of people complaining on Facebook because they couldn't get in.  And ironman.com announced that it was sold out in less than 10 minutes.  So I guess we were pretty lucky!

I've already booked a room at the host hotel, too, since they expected to be booked within a day or two.  I'll keep looking for other options, though, since the host hotel is expensive and the rooms don't even have kitchenettes or anything.  We'll see!  But we're committed to the race anyway.

And so, training begins again!  I've taken the last two weeks off completely, though not necessarily by choice; I've had a cold almost since IMFL was over.  But tonight I went to the gym for a spin class, and we're getting ready to go back for Derek's first swim lesson.  That will be his biggest challenge.  Our other big priority right now is to lose some of this extra weight.  We probably both have 30-40 pounds to drop, which won't be easy.  But we're going to do this together, every step of the way!

Home!

Actually, I wish I were still at the beach...  Today is all about unpacking, doing laundry, going grocery shopping, etc.  But I'm so tired, I just want to sleep!  Still feeling a little under the weather, too, but I'm hopeful it won't become a full-fledged cold.  I'll just try to rest as much as possible and give my body a break for a few more days, though really I feel like I could go for a nice jog or ride any time.

I'm also going through a bit of Ironman withdrawal, which I hear is pretty normal after a big event like this, but talk of next year keeps my spirits lifted. :-)

Planning Ahead

So, we ended up spending most of the drive today talking about future races.  Because Derek wants to be an Ironman too, now. :-)  Since you have to sign up a year in advance in most cases, our only option for next year would be Arizona, if we can get in the day after this year's race in a couple weeks.  That would be a REALLY long drive!  But it would be an awesome adventure, and it would be nice to travel somewhere new and try a different course.  So I think that's our plan at this point, though we want to pray about it before diving in because it would mean putting off making babies and the possibility of going on a short-term mission trip next summer...  And it would have to be instead of the vacation we were hoping to take next year.  Wow!  But I'd be SO excited to train together for it!!!

Anyway, we made it to Tennessee today, and we should have about five hours to get home tomorrow.  Just in time to vote and get Derek off to class!  Unfortunately, my throat hurts pretty bad and I'm afraid I might be getting a cold... :-(

Feeling Surprisingly Good!

I didn't sleep great, up every hour to pee and drink more water.  But I felt pretty good this morning!  I was surprised (and thrilled) to find that after sleeping with my funny sock thing on last night, my foot didn't hurt any worse today than if I'd just run a couple miles yesterday.  Woo-hoo!  I have some chaffing from the wetsuit and some pretty painful saddle sores, but most of me escaped unscathed.  My body is tired, but I can walk, and I actually feel pretty good!  I'm more stiff than anything, so I'm trying to keep moving.  I should be back to normal in no time! :-)

First on the agenda today was IHOP.  Which actually turned into Bob Evans.  Regardless, YUMMY.  I was so hungry!  And it was cool to see so many Ironmen at the restaurant.  No wonder the wait was so long!

Next up on the agenda: tattoo!  Megan met us at the shop at noon, and we were out of there by one.  The actual tattooing part only took 15 or 20 minutes.  It didn't hurt too bad at first but got a little worse as she made her way back onto my achilles.  Still, not too bad.

And it looks pretty cool!

Not EXACTLY as I'd designed it, so I might want to have it touched up once it heals, but we'll see.  It still looks pretty awesome!!!

After that, we swung by the Ironman store to check out the finishers' gear.  I'd seen a bunch of people walking around with a certain jacket, and I thought I just might have to get one.  They were sold out of that jacket (pretty popular, I guess!), but they were taking orders.  But I got lucky: since it was almost closing time, they said I could just have the sample jacket in my size rather than having to order one and pay an additional $15 for shipping.  Sweet!

Back to the condo for a nap, then out for the most delicious pasta dinner at Sweet Basil's.  Seriously!  Why couldn't we have discovered this place days ago?!?

Well, better get to bed soon, 'cause we're supposed to leave first thing in the morning.  It's going to be a long couple of days home to Cincinnati!

RACE DAY!!!

I got up at 5:00 and headed over to transition at 5:30.  Dropped off my special needs bags, got body-marked, then went in to pump up my tires and put my water bottles on my bike.

Next step: find a bathroom.  Check.  Put on wetsuit.  Check.  Forgot to lube up at the condo, so...  Hmm.  Well, too late now.  My Bodyglide and Aquaphor all packed up in my transition bags.  I thought about asking a stranger to borrow some, but...  Nah.

Time to head out to the beach.  Yikes!  The pros will start in about five minutes, and the rest of us will follow ten minutes later.  Only time for one quick pic, a prayer and a kiss from the Hubby, and that's about it!

 

The gun goes off, but I hang back a bit.  No need to get in the middle of the madness!
 

I was actually surprised to find that the swim wasn't too congested, since I'd heard horror stories about the huge mass starts of Ironman swims.  Perhaps it was because I waited a little to get going, perhaps it was because we were all so spread out, or perhaps it was because it was easier to see in the clear water and easier, then, to avoid running into each other.  Regardless, I was thankful.

As I got farther out into deeper water, though, I started seeing jellyfish.  Lots of them.  Big ones.  Most were well below me, but every now and then I would look ahead and see one just in front of me.  I'd swerve quickly to the left or right, but it was crazy scary!  I think that's why I had more chaffing higher up on the back of my neck than I expected: because I was constantly looking left and right and ahead to avoid running into one of these "pink meanies."

Finally, I was heading back toward shore, back to shallower waters and fewer sea creatures.  Swimming in seemed harder than going out, though!  Finally, I made it to the sand.  But then I had to go back out to do the loop again!  Not thrilled with the two-lap swim course, but I was glad to get some fresh water in me after gulping several large mouthfuls of saltwater...

After the second lap, with my wetsuit down to my waist, the volunteers instructed me to sit on my butt, and they pulled it off the rest of the way.  They helped me up and handed me the wetsuit, then I rinsed off quickly in the showers before making my way to transition.  One volunteer shouted out my number as I came through, and another found and handed me my bag.

Into the building I went, where another slew of volunteers were waiting to assist.  I sat down, dried off, lubed up, changed shorts, put on my socks and shoes and jersey and helmet and gloves and watch and sunglasses...  And I was off!  (I make it sound quick, but I was actually in there for 20 minutes.  The way I figured, I'd rather take a few extra minutes now to be more comfortable for the next 6+ hours!) After a quick stop in the portapot, I got my bike from another volunteer and exited transition.

I felt good as I began my 112-mile bike ride.  (This is my favorite part, because it's the only time in the race when I actually get to pass other people. :-)  The course was as flat as everyone said: not even many rollers except one bridge we had to go up and over.  The headwinds were pretty strong at times, though, and I wasn't sure I'd be able to maintain the average speed I needed to get finished in six hours...  Oh, well, I thought.  All I can do is my best, and what will be will be!

I drank Gatorade from my bar-mounted bottle, adding more super-concentrated Gatorade from my down tube bottle and water from the aid stations as needed.  Once again, the volunteers were amazing!  I rode right through the aid stations every 10 miles or so, and didn't stop till the midway point for my special needs bag.  I took some more ibuprofen and grabbed my baggie of Oreos, and on I went.  My bum wasn't feeling great, but I pressed on.  Out to the last check-point and back, over the bridge again at mile 100, and back to Front Beach Road with a nice strong headwind.  Lovely.  But I was almost there!  So close I could taste it!

Back at transition, I handed off my bike, grabbed my next transition bag, and went back in to change.  Same story: lube up, change clothes, stop at the portapot...  Out onto the run course.  And there's Derek!  O.k., I'll stop and talk a bit.  No need to run just yet. :-)  It was so good to see him and tell him about my race so far.  He tried to film me, but it was hard to hold the camera steady as we walked and talked.  Oh, well.  O.k., guess I should start running.  Bye, love!

I started with my usual longer-course triathlon 2-and-1 run/walk pattern, but my feet were kind of hurting by mile four, so I decided to switch to a 1-and-1.  That felt much better, so I stuck with that.  I even had no qualms about skipping a run here or there if I needed to eat something or stop off in the john again.  I figured I should be able to maintain at least a 15-minute-per-mile pace that way and still make my 15-hour goal.  I was feeling good!

It was starting to get dark as I completed my first lap and got my special needs bag at the midway point.  I tied my jacket around my waist because I didn't need it yet, but it was new and expensive, and there was no way I was going to leave it in the bag!  Deja vu as I headed back out on the course.  Didn't we just do this?  I don't really feel like doing it all again, but...  I've got to to get to the finish line.  And there's really no reason why I can't.  I feel o.k.  Just keep doing what you're doing, and you'll be fine.  One minute at a time, one mile at a time, one hour at a time.  I still have three more hours of this?!?  Sure, but in the grand scheme of things, you're almost there, you're 80% done!  Yeah, o.k.

And on I went.  I talked to more people on the second lap.  One guy was trying to earn the tattoo he'd already gotten, not realizing you were actually supposed to COMPLETE the 140.6 before getting the M-dot.  D'oh!  And I kept looking for Carla, the girl I'd swum and ridden with on Thursday, but I never found her...

As I was on my way back toward transition, I kept seeing people still making their way out toward the park.  At some point, I thought, I'll stop seeing people coming toward me, because they'll be out of time.  But even with only two or three miles to go, the latecomers were still heading out on their second lap.  I tried to calculate when they might finish, and I almost started to cry thinking that some of the folks I was passing wouldn't make the midnight cut-off...  But I was definitely on target to make my goal, so I tried to think about that instead.

When I made my last turn, I heard Derek call my name!  He was there, encouraging me, cheering me on, running me home.  I'd made it!  I was done!  I accomplished everything I'd been working all year to achieve!

I tripped as I crossed the finish line, so I didn't really hear my name. :-(  (I was too busy worrying whether they'd gotten a good picture of me...)  But I felt fine, and I was thrilled with my 14:38:01 time!  I got some water, my medal, a t-shirt, and a finisher's hat, then had my picture taken one last time.  I got some pizza, and Derek and I started walking back to the condo.  (He'd already taken my bike and gear bags back, so we had nothing else to do when I finished!)

<Sigh.>

I just wanted to sit and rest a bit before getting cleaned up and hitting the sack.  Halfway through the run, I thought I'd like to go back out to cheer for the last finisher's at 11:00 or 11:30 on, but now that I'm home, no, not gonna happen.  I'm exhausted.  Can't imagine why!  And my plantar fasciitis foot hurts pretty bad.  I think I'll need Derek to help me move from the living room to the bathroom and bedroom...  But I'm also overjoyed!  What a day!!!

Final Preparations

Today was a day of organization.  I gathered all of my gear and packed it up in the various transition and special needs bags.

Then I gave my bike a quick cleaning and took everything over to transition.

 

After a quick look around the Ironman Village, Derek and I went to scope out a few tattoo shops I'd been researching online.  First up was Panama Fox in Panama City, followed by Black Cat just a few miles down Front Beach Road.  We decided to go with a girl name Megan at Black Cat, who was willing to come in on her day off (Sunday) to do it.  I'll just text her tomorrow night or Sunday morning if I finish the race and we'll decide on a time then.  Getting SO excited!

We just went out to try to catch the sunset, but this is all we caught before the sun disappeared!  Still, simply beautiful.

And now it's time for me to get to bed.  I CAN'T BELIEVE TOMORROW IS THE BIG DAY!!!

Fun With New Friends

This morning, I met up with some folks I've been chatting with on iamtri.com for a practice swim in the Gulf.  It was great to put faces with the names I've been seeing for a few months, and I feel a bit better about the open-water, saltwater swim now, too.  The water was rougher today than it's been all week apparently, but I survived!  Hopefully Saturday it'll be calmer, but I should be ready either way.  Crazy cool how buoyant you are in saltwater with a wetsuit on!

Two women at the swim were also talking about going out to ride the run course afterward, so I asked if I could tag along.  After checking in, I came back to the condo to get changed and grab my bike, then headed back over to meet them.  We rode really slowly, like 10 mph on average, but it was nice to see the run course and to get to know them a little more.

Then tonight we had our welcome banquet dinner and mandatory athlete meeting.  It was really more of a pep rally than anything, which was cool.  They showed the same "you WILL do this" video that first inspired me a year or two ago.  They told us about the athletes who would be participating, including the oldest and youngest, those who had competed for ten or more years at IMFL, couples who were racing together, etc.  They gave some money to local charities and auctioned off a couple of autographed posters to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project.  As frustrated as I sometimes am with WTC, I was really impressed with them tonight and proud to be a part of this event.  After going over a few rules and regulations, we were released, and I headed back to the condo.

Great day in PCB!

We Made It!

We left Cincinnati this morning at 6:30, only 30 minutes later than planned.  Not bad at all for us!  I was really hoping to make it here before dark, and we almost did, but not quite.

The condo is nice and comfortable, though a strange layout.  The internet is also a little slow, but it should suffice.  I'm heading over to Walmart now for some food.  Should be back just in time for some Criminal Minds...  Nice. :-)

Seriously?!?

I struggled though my last day of work before the race today, then packed up my stuff for the gym.  I was planning on taking a spinning class, then getting an hour-long swim in.  But...  When I went to start the car, nothing happened!  Seriously?!?  I cried a little as I headed inside to call AAA, but I pulled myself together.  I should, after all, wait until I receive a diagnosis before I start to grieve, I thought.

When the AAA guy got here, he first checked my battery, but that was fine, he said.  Then he tried to start it, and he didn't sound too optimistic when he heard it.  But he tried again, really pumping the gas pedal, and eventually he got it going.  He turned it off and back on a few times, and it started without any trouble, so he guessed that maybe the fuel line had been clogged and that he somehow fixed it with the gas pedal thing he did.  Still, he said he wouldn't recommend risking it by trying to drive it through five states tomorrow.  In an ideal world, yes.  But my bike and all our stuff won't fit in Derek's car, and I really don't want to spend another couple hundred dollars for a rental minivan or SUV.  When I took it out tonight for some errands, I still had no problems with it, so I think we'll take a chance on it.  And maybe when we get there (assuming that we get there), we'll have the Hyundai dealer in Panama City take a look at it.

So, yeah.  That was my night.  I missed my last Cincinnati workouts, but I guess it couldn't be helped.  At least I got my errands run, and now I just need to pack and get to sleep.  Long day tomorrow, but I'll be so excited to finally get there!

Last Sharon Woods Run!

Tonight, I went out after work for my last hour-long run before the race.  It was the perfect temperature, 50 maybe, though it was strange to think that our high today was about the low in Panama City Beach...  I'm not thrilled with the predicted high of 78 down there on race day, but it's better than the 90s!  Plus, 0% chance of rain looks good.  Just hoping it's not a windy day!

Oh, yeah, so... my run.  I did two laps around the lake.  The first took 30:02, just shy of my typical 30 min/lap goal.  But the second lap only took 29:04!  Woo-hoo negative split!  Wish I could maintain an 11 or 12 min/mi pace in Florida, but I won't hold my breath.  Still, I felt great tonight!

Chill

Well, today was the last Lifetime Cycle Club ride I had to lead this year.  It was pretty chilly when I woke up, and I was pretty sure no one would show up.  Still, I had to go, and I'm glad I had to, otherwise I might not have gotten out of my warm bed.  And believe it or not, a first-timer actually came to ride!  Which was awesome, because if I'd been alone, I probably would have just stayed on the trail, and I'm kinda tired of the trail.

So, yeah.  It was pretty cold, but I dressed really well (except that I forgot my ear warmer) and was actually comfortable.  And the bike with fancy race wheels rode like a dream, even though I was a bit worried about the rear tire...  (When I took off the valve cap to pump up the tire, part of the valve apparently got stuck in the cap and came off, too.  So that most of the air came out in a few seconds' time.  Fortunately, we were able to just screw it back in, but I was concerned that it would leak or something since I don't think that part was supposed to come off.  Still not sure if I'll replace the tube before the race or not...  Maybe I'll ask someone there if it's really a problem.)

Anyway!  We only rode 26 miles, but it was perfect.  And I had just enough time to run two miles, too, before I had to get home for an afternoon shift.  Felt strong, and my foot didn't even hurt afterward either!  One week from today...

Ink

In other news...  I've really been thinking about an Ironman M-dot tattoo, and I'm 99% sure I'm going to get one if - no, when -  I finish.  I've looked at a ton of pictures online, and I know I don't want just the basic, iconic red M-dot:

I've seen some cool designs with the logo and a bit of embellishment:

And some that really spice it up:

But I wanted something uniquely mine.  So I only had one option: design it myself!  I've been sketching for a couple of days now, and I think I've finally perfected it.  Here's what I'm planning to get:

The M-dot will be on the back of my ankle with the design-y part wrapping around both sides.  I'm totally loving it!  And yay - more motivation to get me to that finish line!

Fun Run!

And no, that's not an oxymoron!

So, I wanted some overtime tonight, but I needed to run.  If I worked late, I knew I wouldn't have any daylight left by the time I got off, and I didn't want to run alone.  So I compromised: I worked only one extra hour, so that I could make it to Fleet Feet in time for their Halloween Fun Run.  And it was!  Fun, that is.  I forgot how enjoyable it is to run with other people, and it was nice to catch up with a few friends I've trained with in the past.  We went about 4.75 miles at an average 12:09 min/mi pace.  It was a little chilly out, but I loved it.  And I got to wear the new stuff I bought last night!  And I noted, too, that if it's supposed to get below 50 degrees by the time I finish the IM, I'll want a light jacket or long sleeves.  Good to know!

Lesson Learned

This morning, I got up super early to clean my bike (it was filthy!) and take it to my bike guy for a final tune-up before the race.  He was so great to meet me there at 7:30, long before the shop's supposed to open.  And we'll probably do the same thing on Friday when I go to pick it up.  Can't wait to try it out with the fancy wheels this Saturday at my last Lifetime Cycle Club ride!

Anyway, I said I couldn't work late again tonight so that I could get my workouts in.  And I actually got going pretty quickly since I had to get to the gym for a 6:00 spin class.  I love having the accountability of class to get me moving.  Still, having a trainer at home sure would be nice, too...  (We're looking for a used one - or two - but no luck just yet.)

Anyway, after the class, I got into my suit and went into the pool area.  Two lanes were occupied with the kids' swim team practice, and there were already two people in each of the other lanes.  I asked the lifeguard about the time of things, because I could have sworn that swim team used to be from six to seven, followed by the masters' swim class/practice.  But today, they were BOTH going on at the same time, hence the full pool.  But at least by asking I learned that none of them were going to be leaving in until the top of the hour, and I wasn't about to wait 45 minutes for a lane.  Yep, VERY frustrating, but now I've learned my lesson: don't try to swim on Wednesday nights!

So I just got showered up, then decided to hit Dick's to look for some last-minute run gear for the race.  I tried on tons of shirts and finally found the perfect tee.   (Bought two!)  And a jacket for if it gets cool when the sun sets.  Although...  If I put the jacket in my special needs bag, I'm going to have to get it even if I don't want to wear it, because otherwise I might not see it again.  And that's not an option since it was a $65 jacket.  So, yeah.  Still have to figure all my gear out, but I'm getting closer to having everything I need!

Double Dose

Yesterday, I was supposed to run after work.  But I agreed to work late, so that it was dark when I got off.  I was o.k. with that, planning to just go to the gym to swim instead.  But then I made plans to get the race wheels I'm borrowing for my race from my friend.  And after THAT, I was too tired for anything else.  So I came home and cooked a little and went to bed.

I vaguely remember deciding that I wouldn't work any overtime until after my race, but greed and guilt (greed for the extra money, guilt because when I don't stay late, no one on my team can stay late either) got the better of me, and I paid the price.  Why don't I ever learn?!?

Actually, I kind of learned.  I said I couldn't stay late tonight, and I went out for a run after work.  I was feeling pretty slow, and I only had time for one lap around the lake, but it's better than nothing!  I felt like calling it quits after that, but Coach (Hubby) told me I had to swim, too.  So, after a quick rest, I headed to the gym.

I felt pretty good in the pool, but more than anything, I felt like a triathlete again.  And THAT is a really good feeling!  Anyway, here's what I did:

Warm-up
4 x 200  Swim/pull/kick/drill x 200

Main set
1 x 400  Free - pace
1 x 300  Free - pace
2 x 200  Free - pace
2 x 100  Free - pace

Cool-down
1 x 200  Free - sighting drill
1 x 200  Easy

I kept miscalculating since I didn't plan my workout before I got there, so I thought I did more than the 2500 meters I actually swam, but that's still respectable: 50 laps in 60 minutes.

Forced

Surprise, surprise...  I didn't feel like going out to ride today.  But Coach (aka Hubby) reminded me how important this is.  So I took a quick nap after church (I've been SO tired lately!), and finally went out at about 2:00.  I obviously didn't have time for 4 or more hours, but I did ride 2.5, 40 miles.  And I felt pretty good about that considering that I didn't want to go at all!

Overcoming Inertia

Well, the good news is, I started feeling better shortly after my last post!  My cold was very short-lived and never moved from my head to my chest or anywhere else.  So I got lucky!

Unfortunately...  My week was already shot.  I had been at rest for a full week, and I was definitely feeling the inertia.

I was supposed to do a long ride (4, 5, 6 hours) today, but that didn't happen.  So, I figured I could run instead, then just do my ride tomorrow after church.  The Hubs and I headed out this evening; he was going to walk while I ran around the lake.  But then we were talking, and I realized I'd forgotten my watch (a very important tool for a run/walker), so... yeah.  I just walked with him.  Still, it's something.  I just hope it's enough to get me back on track tomorrow and next week!

The truth is...  I'm just really feeling unprepared for this race.  I know I haven't done nearly as much as I should have over the last six months, but I also know that there's nothing I can do to fix that now.  It's too late.  So I'm feeling stuck, aimless, lost.  But I'm going to race.  And I'm going to finish.  And it probably won't be easy or fun, but it'll get done.  The next two weeks of training won't really help me be more prepared physically, but they can ready me mentally.  So that's what I need to focus on now.

Blaaaahhh

Well, I thought we might hike a bit up at Hocking Hills this weekend, but instead we enjoyed a wonderful weekend of doing NOTHING.  I don't do nothing nearly enough!

Monday was our actual anniversary, but I was still planning on running before we curled up on the floor with a fire.  Instead... I brought some of the bedroom furniture in from the garage and put together our new bed (with Hubby's help, of course).  Not exactly a romantic evening, and not very useful workout-wise, but you know me: once I get something in my head, I've just got to do it.

Last night, I was planning on taking a spin class and swimming.  But I woke up with a stuffy/runny nose and was sneezing all day, so I wasn't sure how much I should exert myself.  Toward the end of my shift, I also started working in the kitchen, so I just kept at that into the evening instead of hitting they gym.  I made three complete meals that we can eat all week, so I reasoned that it was a good use of my time since now I have no excuses NOT to get my workouts in the rest of the week!

Unfortunately, I still feel pretty stuffy/sniffly/sneezy today, and I think I really am getting sick. :-(  I was thinking I'd run and swim tonight, but I'm not sure that's such a good idea.  Plus, Hubby's class is canceled tonight, so I'm thinking I'll probably just lie around and read and go to bed early.  There's still so much more I wanted to do workout-wise before my Ironman, but I guess it's much better for me to get sick now than race week!  Still, super frustrating.

30-Mile Brick

Well, after last week, when I only worked out three days but did really long workouts each time, I'm glad I was able to spread things out this week and do something every day.  Till today, anyway, since we're going out of town to celebrate our 2nd anniversary this weekend.  Proud of myself, too, for getting up and out relatively early to get a good brick in before we head out this afternoon.

I started with a 22-mile ride in 1:26ish.  It was chilly, and a bit annoying because the bike trail was almost completely covered with wet fallen leaves.  And I'm noticing more and more just how bumpy it's becoming!  So I was actually glad to get off the bike and put on my running shoes (having new pretty shoes does help, too :-)!  Then I ran 8 miles, the longest I've done in awhile, apart from the 13-mile runs in my half-IM races.  Most importantly, it was actually fun!  Nice new shoes, PERFECT running weather, flat, and I was able to maintain an 11:45 pace, which I'm very please with! <sigh>  Love days like this!

Upper Body Galore

This morning I worked in the kitchen a bit because I volunteered to make a meal for a friend from church who just had a baby.  I took that over there a little after noon, then went straight to the gym.  I was planning to swim, but I wanted to do something else first to warm me up so that the water would feel like a reward rather than a punishment.  The only class at that time was kickboxing, so I figured I'd give it a try.  It was a little boring, but served the purpose.

After the class, I headed down for my swim - FINALLY!  Took me long enough to finally make myself swim this week!  Here's what I did (a speed workout):

Warm-up
3 x 400  Swim/pull/kick x 400

Main set
2 x 200  Free - pace
4 x 100  EBEH x 25
2 x 200  Free - pace
8 x 50    Sprint through turn, easy back

Cool-down
1 x 200  Free - sighting drill
1 x 200  Easy

I felt really slow, especially for the first half, but then again, it has been awhile since I've swum!  Must... be... more... consistent!

And tonight I'm going to pick up some bedroom furniture I'm buying off Craigslist, so that'll be a little more upper body work, as if I haven't gotten enough already today. :-)

Scary Run!

Again, not sure what I was doing all morning, but I didn't get out for my run till after my rescore shift this afternoon.  And even then, I was pokey getting my butt out the door, so I didn't head out till almost 6:30.  The first lap around the lake was nice, and there were a lot of people out before 7:00.  But it really started to get dark on my second lap!  Like, I could barely see the path or the few other runners/walkers who were crazy enough to still be out there.  Plus, I had my music on, so I was just praying that no one attacked me.  And they didn't.  Still, I learned my lesson: be done running before 7:00!

Loved the new shoes, though. :-)

A Quick Ride

I don't know why it took me so long to get going today, but I didn't head out for my ride until well after noon.  So even though I had wanted to swim after my ride too (since I didn't do it yesterday), I didn't have enough time before my Yahoo Sports online meeting thing at 4:00.  In fact, I got back from my 28-mile, hour-and-40-minute bike ride JUST in time for the meeting.  And I had intended to go to the gym afterward to swim, but, well, yeah.  That didn't happen.  Still, it was a good ride.

I also noticed something interesting today: my foot seems to hurt a lot more immediately after, as well as the next day(s), when I run on the treadmill vs. running outside.  I guess I must be doing something differently, though I can't imagine what.  At any rate, I'm glad I realized this now so I can make sure to do the rest of my run training outside!

I also got some new running shoes today, and I'm excited to try them out tomorrow.  I'll be trying the new Brooks Pure Cadence.  They are a lot lighter and have less cushioning and everything, so they're supposed to allow you to run more naturally, especially for mid- or fore-foot strikers.  They felt great when I tried them out at Fleet Feet, so I'm hoping they work out when I really run in them!

Treadmilling

I was supposed to run and swim tonight, but after 50 minutes and a little over 4 miles on the treadmill, I was starving!  I had tried to buy a bar in the gym's cafe when I first arrived, but I'd only brought in $2 and they were a little more than that.  Ripoff!  Yeah, just wasn't feeling the pool, so I headed home.  But at least I ran!

Looooong...

So, I was supposed to do a long (5.5-hour) ride today.  I really didn't feel like it since I was enjoying my book and just wanted to stay home and read.  But Coach (aka Hubby) told me I really needed to do it, and I knew he was right.

When I finally headed out, it was already after noon, though, so I thought I might just do 4 hours or so.  I started up the trail, and I just felt tired and slow.  But I pushed on.  I kept trying to figure out how far I should ride before turning around, and Corwin seemed like as good a place as any.  But when I got there, I hadn't even been riding 2 hours or 30 miles (which would make 4 hours or 60 miles round-trip), so I kept going.

I ended up riding all the way to Xenia, 42 miles, and I was pooped.  But I still had to turn around and ride back!  Not sure why my body was so reluctant to move, or why it took me 5.5 hours to ride 84 miles (an average of just over 15 mph - yikes!), but I AM glad I got the workout done.

Brick!

Well, I "wasted" my morning and early afternoon reading an engrossing Dean Koontz book, but I finally headed out a little before 3:00 for what was supposed to be a 4-hour brick workout.  My schedule called for a 90-minute swim, a 60-minute bike, and a 90-minute run, most of which I accomplished.

In the pool, I did 2 x 2000 meters with a 1-minute water break in between.  2.5 miles overall in an hour-and-a-half, so I'm maybe I really can do my Ironman 2.4 in the same amount of time, or at least close to it.

After the swim, I drove down to the bike trail and started part two.  When I set out, my legs (quads in particular) felt heavy and tired, so I tried to just spin a low gear.  I rode 18.5 miles in just over an hour, which I was pleased with.

Then I changed clothes and started my run.  I was feeling pretty tired and a little hungry at that point, and I considered calling it quits, but I really wanted to do this key workout well.  I was losing daylight quickly, though, so I only ran for one hour instead of the hour-and-a-half on the plan.  When I started, my foot was hurting a little, so I stopped to stretch, which seemed to help.  Both knees were also hurting, so I switched from my 3-and-1 run/walk to a 2-and-1 instead.  I wasn't sure how far I went so I didn't know what my speed was till I got home and mapped it out, but I ended up with just under 5 miles in my one hour, which isn't bad at all!

All in all, I'm very proud of myself for getting this done today.  I feel good!  Until I think about the fact that I only did 26 miles today and I have to do 140 in a few weeks...  Yikes!  Hopefully I can keep my momentum and motivation to keep training hard for one more month.

Back At It

Yesterday, the day after my race, I was surprised to find that my foot actually felt better than normal, rather than worse.  I could actually walk normally, and the only soreness was in my quads and other leg muscles, but that's a much better kind of hurt.  Still, I figured a day of rest was in order.  Today, though, I was right back at it.  Even though my work shift ended early, I rested for a bit (and fell asleep on the couch), so I didn't get going as soon as I should have.  But I finally got it done: first a 20-mile ride on the trail, then a one-hour swim.  Here's what I did:

Warm-up
4 x 300  Swim/pull/kick/drill x 300

Main set
6 x 100  Free, play with various breathing frequencies/patterns
3 x 200  Free, same

Cool-down
1 x 200  Free, breathing drills
1 x 200  Easy

For the six 100s, I tried breathing every 4 then 5 strokes, every 3 then 4, every 3, and every 2 then 3.  My speed didn't really change much: I was pretty consistently doing each 100 in 1:52.  I did feel a little different, though.  The 4/5 breathing seemed a bit long, and the 2/3 pattern seemed like way too much.  I tried a few different things with the 200s as well, the last one focusing on stroke length rather than breathing.  Interestingly, that was the only one where my speed improved, and it was last so I was tired.  Something good to keep in mind, though.  Perhaps I should be working more on my distance per stroke and worrying less about "proper" breathing patterns.

Deer Creek Fall Challenge

Well, despite a very challenging drive up to the park yesterday (stopped on the highway for an hour, turned around and drove the wrong way up the shoulder back to the last exit...), we arrived at Deer Creek just in time for me to register for the race today.  As I was signing up, though, I started wondering what I was thinking since it was COLD!  Ah, well.  More mental training than anything, I reasoned, and a chance to experiment with layering in case Florida is chilly as well.

After that, we checked in at the lodge where we'd booked a room for the night.  The lodge was very rustic and cute, and the room was fine.  Not sure it was worth $140, but at least I was able to sleep in till 7:00 rather than having to get up at 4:00 a.m. if we'd stayed at home.  Plus, it was kind of fun getting away for the night with my super-supportive coach and Hubby. :-)

This morning, Derek dropped me off at the park to get set up in transition.  He did not, however, get out of the car or come wait with me because it was so cold!  Can't blame him there.  Fortunately, I wasn't there TOO early, so I didn't have to stand around as long as I often have to for these things.  Plus, I was prepared this time with a jacket, hat, and gloves.  Unfortunately, I had to shed those and get into my wetsuit before too long, and that was rough.  My feet went a bit numb as I waited on the beach, and I just wanted to get going.

The water was warmer than the air at that point - 65 degrees versus about 39 - but it didn't feel warm when we got in.  On the other hand, it didn't feel particularly cold either, so I tried to just settle in and swim.  Again, I got into a rhythm and steadied my breathing before too long, but again, try as I might, I couldn't make myself pee while I swam.  Trying to relax enough to do so really slows me down, too, so I'm thinking I should just stop worrying about it and plan to use the bathroom in T1 come IM day.

Getting out of the water wasn't as bad as I'd feared, and I sat down to put on my socks and shoes and base layer and bike jersey.  Out on the road, it was chilly, but not unbearably so, and I was pleased with the clothing choices I'd made.  It was, however, windy.  The three-lap bike course was mostly flat, as I'd remembered, but the extra out-and-back for the half folks had a few more hills.  That, along with a stretch of road with fresh loose gravel and the WIND made the bike take a little longer than I'd expected.  Still, I came very close to making my three-hour goal, and I was glad to be off the bike.

The run was better than I expected.  I was still slow, but my foot was barely hurting at all.  I was tired, especially after the challenging bike bit, but even though I didn't really want to keep running, I realized that I really had no reason not to.  And so I plodded along.  I utilized a 2-and-1 run/walk, and pretty much stuck to that throughout, except when I needed a little more time to eat.  I felt weak and hungry at a few points, so getting calories in became a priority whenever I had the chance.  On my way back on my first lap, I passed Russ, a guy I ran with a couple of years ago with Fleet Feet and who I met again on my century ride a few weeks ago.  He was actually part of the reason I decided to do this race, and I was encouraged that I wouldn't be the last person out there.  We slow folks have to stick together!  I passed him a couple more times on the run, which was nice, but I was just ready to be done at that point.  Derek drove past me as I was running back in on the second lap.  He even had my bike on the car and informed me that he'd packed up all my gear so I didn't have to worry about that when I got through.  How sweet. :-)

Anyway, my total time ended up being about 7:15 rather than the 7 hours I thought I would be close to achieving: 53 minutes for the swim, 3:05 for the bike, and just over 3 hours for the run, plus transitions.  I'm o.k. with that.  I've been hobbling around the rest of the day, just sore and stiff, but thankfully my foot doesn't feel too bad!  I feel much better than I did after Steelhead, but I AM a little worried about having to do TWICE that in Florida...  What was I thinking?!?

Finally!

Yay!  I finally had a plan and stuck to it today, and I got two workouts in for the first time in ages!

First of all, though, a report on my foot:  After I got home last night, my heel was killing me.  I actually started crying a little in the shower when I had to stand on my bad foot to shave the other leg.  This morning, it was still pretty bad.  If I owned a pair of crutches, I would have used them.  But as the day went on, it started feeling a bit better, though still not great.

Now that my Thursday evening ride is over, I was looking forward to taking a spin class instead, mostly because it's shorter and easier not to have to lug my bike around.  Plus, I really liked the Thursday teacher when I took his class before, and I was looking forward to talking triathlon with him again.  So I was bummed to see that a different teacher has replaced him.  And my bum was NOT liking the spin bike seats!  Made me so thankful to have found my ISM saddle. :-)  Actually, riding inside was pretty painful, and not just because of the saddle.  It's just so boring!  I'll have to get creative to get as many of my remaining training rides done outside as possible.  Made me wish I had a trainer I could use instead, too...  I couldn't really stand when instructed to do so because it hurt my foot, so instead I did some drills which I usually ignore when I ride outside.  I did single leg drills, 3 x 30 seconds each leg, then 3 x 45 seconds, then 3 x 60 seconds.

Anyway, after that, I headed down to the pool for two miles:

Warm-up
4 x 250  Swim/pull/kick/drill x 250

Main set
6 x 100  Free - Pull-B-3, 4, 5, 6 x 25
3 x 200  Kick - Choice, w/fins
6 x 100  Free - Pace

Cool-down
1 x 200  Free - Sighting drill
1 x 200  Easy

I don't think I'll get a workout in tomorrow since we're going to see that new Courageous movie with some friends from church, and I don't think I'll do anything on Saturday besides walk around the Renaissance Festival.  Well, maybe I'll ride my bike over to the park from the lodge to sign up for the race...  Getting excited for it again.  I was really looking forward to it till the pain from my run, but now that it's feeling better, so am I!  It will be chilly, though: low of 35 Saturday night, 39 by race start (water's supposed to be 68, though), 44 when I get (wet) on the bike, high in the upper 50s by the time I finish.  Yikes!  I'll have to figure out how to dress for this one...

Runnin'

So, I planned to run for 30 or 45 minutes, then swim a couple miles.  But I felt pretty good on the treadmill, and I didn't feel like getting home as late as I would if I swam, too, so I just kept running for an hour.  I tried something a little different, too: consciously thinking about using more power as I brought my leg down to the ground rather than relying solely on my feet and toes to push off at the tail end of the stroke (can you call it a stroke with running like you do biking and swimming?).  It felt good, and I was running a little faster that way, but I wasn't sure if it would help the foot pain any.  Guess we'll find out tomorrow!

One Second!

So, I was supposed to do a long ride - five hours - on Saturday.  But... I slept in instead.  Which was awesome.  But then, even though I didn't really feel like it, I loaded up my bike to go out for a 2- or 3-hour ride at least (that's all the time I had before we were supposed to head up to Columbus for a Crew-Galaxy game).  But... it was kind of chilly and a little rainy.  So I just ran a few errands with my bike on the roof of the car, then came home to be lazy.  Sunday we spent the entire day driving to St. Louis, watching a Rams game, then driving home, so that was another workout-less day.  Felt pretty guilty about that, but what can you do?  After that crazy weekend of driving and getting home at about 3 a.m., I was also exhausted yesterday, so I opted for going to bed early instead of swimming after work.  Much needed!

Today, finally, I got back on schedule.  Inertia was taking its toll, and I really didn't want to drive out to Cleves for my time trial, but I knew I needed to since it was the last one for the year and I had that 28-minute goal to try for one last time.  I didn't get there in time to do much of a warm-up, so my legs felt heavy and tired as I started out (and really, throughout).  My tummy was also feeling a little funny, and I was having a bit of trouble breathing because the air was so much cooler than I'm used to.  Basically, I didn't think I was riding very well.  I passed three (albeit very slow) riders, and was passed by only two, which surprised me.  When I glanced down at my watch toward the end, I thought there was no way I was going to reach my goal, but I figured I'd be happy as long as I was in the 28s.  When they read off the times, I learned that I finished in 28:14, one second faster than my previous PR from last week.  Not the 27:59 I was hoping for, but still a PR!  I'm not sure what the record for my age group was this year, but I'm pretty sure I have a long way to go before I can really "compete" with the other women who do this.  Ah, well, a goal for next year!

A Walk in the Park

I wasn't feeling particularly motivated to work out today, but I did really want to try speed-walking to see how my foot would feel afterward.  So I dragged the Hubby out for a brisk stroll around the lake at Sharon Woods.

In theory, I thought it would be possible to walk about 4 mph, which would be a 15 min/mi pace.  So, I reasoned, we should definitely be able to do the 3.5 miles in 1 hour.  We started off a little slower but picked up our pace as we went along, and we finished in about 1:04 I believe.  Not too shabby!

I didn't feel like it was a great workout, but it served a purpose and was better than nothing.  (Mostly, I just enjoyed walking with my favorite teammate and coach. :-)  And I really don't WANT to just walk, for my race or in training.  Now, too, it seems like my plantar fasciitis IS aggravated with walking as well as running, though maybe not as much.  Eh - guess I'll just stick to the run/walking I've been doing!

Last Thursday Ride

Well, as much as I've enjoyed leading rides for Lifetime's Cycle Club, I'm kind of glad to be done with those responsibilities for the season.  We had a perfect night for our last Thursday evening ride, and I was thrilled to see two regulars waiting when I arrived (so I could ride outside instead of taking that spinning class).  We got back just before the sun went down, though, so I think it's good we're done with these night rides till next summer.

Tomorrow I plan to swim after work, but I also really want to take a brisk walk soon to see how quickly I can make it around the lake and if my foot hurts after walking like it does after running.  Realistically, I know that won't happen tomorrow morning, and I doubt I'll have time tomorrow night if I'm also swimming.  That would leave Saturday, but I'm supposed to do a five-hour ride then.  Though will I really do that if it's raining, like it's forecast to be?  Hmm... So many questions!

Just Keep Swimmin'...

Well, my foot was still hurting today, so I didn't even wanna try a power walk.  I did, however, finally get back in the pool, even though I didn't feel like going out after a long, boring shift.  But I went!  I had planned to do my usual two miles, but I ended up just doing 1.75 because it was getting late and I was tired and I wanted to get home for Criminal Minds. :-)

Here's what I did, a variation of an old standby:

Warm-up
3 x 200  Swim/pull/kick x 200

Main set
1 x 400  Free - pace
2 x 300  Free - pace
2 x 200  Free - pace
2 x 100  Free - pace

Cool-down
1 x 200  Sighting drill
1 x 200  Easy

Tomorrow's the last night for our LTF evening rides, but I wonder if anyone will show up...  If not, I'll probably take the spin class instead and maybe lift afterward.

Another PR!

Tonight at the time trial, I managed to beat my old PR by almost 30 seconds!  I'm down to 28:15, and I'm kinda hoping I can take 16 more seconds off next week to come in just under 28 minutes.  Not sure if it's possible, but I'll give it a shot!

In other news...  I read a few interesting articles today:

• This one on plantar fasciitis explains why traditional treatment is ineffective and how we should deal with it instead.
• This one describes an interesting experiment in which deception enabled cyclists to out-perform their previous best efforts.
• And this one talks about how athletes can find peace with food.

Good stuff!

Run Date

Tonight after work, the Hubby and I headed out for a run together.  I can't remember the last time we ran together, so it was pretty exciting!  Actually, without him, I probably would have been completely unmotivated, so I'm really thankful he was up for it.  I'm also thankful that the rain we had most of the day stopped before he got home.  It was a cool, comfortable evening, if still quite humid.  My legs felt heavy - perhaps because of the century ride this weekend? - but we made it.  Of course, my foot is killing me now...  And I just couldn't bring myself to drive to the gym for the swim I was supposed to do, too.  Guess the run'll have to be enough today.

Super Fun Century!

So, I offered to lead this century ride for my gym's Cycle Club.  We did it last year, and it was a lot of fun, but I was mostly looking forward to recruiting some company for one of my long training rides. :-)  There were five of us from Lifetime, along with six other cyclists who heard about the ride from the Cincinnati Cycle Club ride line.

It was a fun group, and having so many people to interact with along the way really made the time pass quickly!  We rode up the bike trail from Loveland to Yellow Springs and back, for a total of 104 miles.  We averaged 15.7 mph, but the ride took a full eight hours with all the stops and our lunch break.  I felt so much better than I did after last year's century, though, including my seat.  So I'm super excited about my new bike and saddle!

Another Run

Again, I planned to run and swim this morning before my afternoon work shift, but I only got the run done.  I was pleased with my time, 28:42ish per 2.6-mile lap, but my foot hurts pretty bad now.  Again, frustrated with my body, and ticked that I wasted another chance for a good workout.  But at least I ran.

Back In the Saddle

So, after the tri last Sunday, my foot hurt a little, but knee was crazy sore.  It was swollen so that it hurt to bend it a lot, and I couldn't straighten it all the way either.  So obviously I needed to take a few days off.  It started feeling o.k. a little before today, but I was lazy...  I was pretty ticked at my body for not cooperating, and just at myself for wasting a valuable week off, but... yeah.  I failed.

Anyway, tonight was the first time I got back to my workouts.  I had to lead the Cycle Club ride, which was 26.5 miles.  I had planned to swim afterward, too, but it was pretty cold out, and I just couldn't bring myself to get in a cold pool when I was already shivering from the ride.  So, yeah.  At least I rode, though!

Not Quite Last...

I was a little worried about the weather when I signed up for this race, but the forecast improved before I left this morning.  It did rain briefly on my way up (and the way back, actually), but it was clear and sunny the rest of the day!

It was still dark when I arrived at Hueston Woods, and I could barely find my way to the transition area or check-in tent.  It seemed a little disorganized, as they were still "training" the volunteers what to do 30 minutes after check-in was supposed to have begun, but I got my "packet" quickly.  I was surprised to find that I only received a wristband for me and my bike, no number for my helmet or race belt or anything, and there were no assigned racks in transition.  Ah, well.  I found a good place near the bike exit/entrance and set up my stuff.

Rumor had it that the water was pretty warm, and some people had decided not to wear their wetsuits.  As long as they were legal, though, I was going to wear mine, since that was one of the main reasons I signed up for this "race."  I met a nice girl named Mary while we waited for the race to begin and talked a few other athletes about their Ironman experiences.  I was glad to not be rushed, but ready to get started.

They had a minute of silence to remember 9/11, and a girl sang the National Anthem.  Then we headed to the duathlon start for a quick prayer.  They were off, and all the triathletes made their way to the water.

The sprint waves started first, and the Olympic women began at 8:31.  I was breathing hard as soon as we ran out into the water, but I made myself slow down and relax.  By the time I rounded the first buoy, everyone had spread out and I could kind of do my own thing.  I think I sighted well, and I really liked the feel of my new sleeveless wetsuit, but I wasn't feeling particularly fast, especially when I found myself alone out there.  I'll be curious to see my time when the results are posted...  Though the swim split will also include the "run" up the beach and through the grass to transition, so that won't help anything.

Anyway, the bike course started with a nice steep climb out of the park, and I was crawling.  My legs felt heavy and sore from my ride yesterday, and my knee was still hurting.  A lot of the sprint-distance racers were also finishing their bike as I was heading out, which was a little depressing.  The 24 miles were pretty hilly, and I was just slow.  I just kept thinking "HOW did I average 21+ mph at my half when I can't even get to 15 today?!?"  I never actually looked at my average speed, but I know I was NOT passing people like I did in Michigan.  Again, pretty lonely out there, and I was seriously considering skipping the run and just heading home.  But I've never DNFed, and I didn't really feel like starting today.

So, back in transition, I got ready for my run.  We had to start running through the grass, which is NOT my favorite.  I was worried the whole run would be off-road like that, and I was still thinking that I might quit.  But I got to the pavement soon, and just decided to see what I could do.  I was surprised that my foot wasn't hurting too bad, not like in Steelhead, and my knee even seemed o.k.  So I kept going.  I did my normal three-and-one run/walk, and kept that up the whole way.  The course was weird, back and forth through the parking lot of the park's marina, but it was easy enough.  There were still quite a few people out there on my first lap, but I was almost alone again on the second!  There were at least four people behind, one of whom was speed-walking the whole thing, but that was about it!  Still, I pushed through the pain, stuck to my plan, and finished the race.  Whew!


I was thinking the 1500-meter swim would take 30 minutes, then an hour 15 each for the bike and run.  But...  Yeah.  I'm not sure how everything actually took, but I'm pretty sure the swim and bike were slower than I expected, even though the run was close.  Overall, I'm NOT feeling very confident about the Ironman now, and I'm not sure whether I should try Deer Creek in a few weeks, Olympic or half.  We'll see.

Fortunately, my foot doesn't seem too bad, and I'm assuming my knee will go back to normal with a little rest.  Fingers crossed anyway!  This is supposed to be an intense training week...

Excellent Ride

After all the rain we've had this week, I was thrilled with the cool, dry morning I woke up to today.  Perfect morning for a ride!  Only two other members of the Cycle Club showed up, but we rode 35 miles on some of my favorite roads out of Loveland, to Morrow, and back through South Lebanon.  My right knee started hurting on some of the long hills, but it seems o.k. now.  We climbed 810 feet today; tomorrow's bike course has only 650.  But fewer miles, too, so it might be comparable, though I think they are mostly shorter hills, hopefully rollers.  We shall see!

Now to clean my bike and pack up for tomorrow...  Then out for Chinese for dinner. :9

Longer Run

Can't really call it a LONG run, but it's longer than I've been running!  Did two laps around the lake today.  The first took 30:22, the second 31:08.  With my warm-up and cool-down, I got just about a 10K in in 1:15.  Not great, but I'll take it.

My foot seems to be hurting a bit worse than after my shorter runs, but I guess that's to be expected.  We'll see how it holds up for the Olympic-distance tri I just signed up for on Sunday!

I had planned on swimming today as well, but my upper body is CRAZY sore after yoga yesterday!  I'll just rest up for the race this weekend.

Morning Workouts!

Usually on Thursday nights, I do a ride with my gym's Cycle Club.  But the forecast didn't look very good for today, plus there was a Queen City Wheels board meeting I was hoping to attend tonight, so I decided to get my workouts done before my four-hour shift this afternoon.  First, I took a spin class, then I went to yoga.  I thought the yoga would be good to help stretch out my hamstrings, calves, and plantar fascia, but I also figured it could count as a strength session since I usually get pretty sore afterward.  I'm not sure if the stretching will help my foot at all, but I can already tell I'm gonna be sore tomorrow!

The teacher was trying to help prepare people for a special 90-minute, 108-sun salutation yoga class later this month, so we did about 35 sun salutations today.  Not the easiest first yoga class back after six or eight months off, especially after that long, hard swim last night!  Yikes...  Some of the warrior and balancing poses were tricky, too, with my sore heel, but in general I did fee a bit looser and more relaxed after the class was over.  Mostly notably, the pain I'd felt in my lower back and right hip since yesterday's run were basically gone.  I'll take it!  I finished up with my eight-minute abs routine, then headed home.

It's always so nice to get my workouts done early.  Why don't I do that more often?!?

Coach's Encouragement

I was glad to have a dental appointment scheduled this morning, because it forced me to get out early for my run.  Even though it was rainy...  Still better than 90-degree temperatures and scorching sun, though!  It was actually nice, if a little wet.  And I did the 2.6-mile loop around the lake at Sharon Woods in 29:15.  Not too bad for only my second run in a few weeks!  Though I am a little worried about the distances I have to cover in the next two months...

So, after my appointment, I ran some more errands and did some work around the house.  I kept putting off my swim (mostly because it was so cold and dreary out that I really didn't feel like hopping in a cold pool), and before I knew it, the Hubby was home.  I tried to convince him to go out to dinner with me, but he (a.k.a. Coach) insisted that I go swim since I am, after all, an Ironman-in-training.  Thanks, Coach... I guess. ;)  But it ended up being a really good swim.  I was supposed to do an hour-and-a-half, so I planned a 3800-meter (2.4-mile) workout.  Here's what I did:

Warm-up
1 x 1 x 400  Free - loosen
1 x 1 x 300  Choice - drill/swim x 25
1 x 1 x 200  Choice - swim/kick x 25
1 x 4 x 25    Sprints @ 0:45

Main set
3 x 1 x 200  Choice - full speed w/fins
3 x 1 x 200  Recovery w/above
1 x 10 x 50  Choice - work distance/stroke
4 x 1 x 25    Choice - sprint through turn
4 x 1 x 125  Recover w/above

Cool-down
1 x 1 x 300  Sighting drill
1 x 1 x 200  Easy

Afterward, I soaked in the hot tub for a few minutes before getting cleaned up, stopping by Kroger, and heading home.  It was after 10:00 by then, so we just went to bed after a quick bite to eat.

No Excuse

I was really looking forward to this and next week because I'm not working much, so I had no excuse to not get all my workouts in.  I picked up a shift today, but there was very little work left, so we actually got done at about 10 a.m.  Yay!  All the time in the world to get to the gym to lift and/or swim and still have time to rest before the time trial!  Or...  I could just lie around the house and do nothing.  Yeah, that's right.  Even after a long holiday weekend, I was still super tired and needed a day of doing nothing.  And it was wonderful, even though I felt guilty for wasting a perfectly good workout day.  Ah, well, there's always tomorrow.

Orthotics

Today, Labor Day, we did NOT labor.  We slept in.  And it was wonderful!  Everything I imagined it could be and more. :-)  We had originally talked about heading back to Cincinnati at 10 or 11 in the morning, but we didn't even wake up till then!

We did still head out for a quick run shortly after noon, though.  It was SO cool and comfortable!  I only wanted to run two miles, just to try out the new orthotics, so that's all we did: a quick and out back.  My foot felt o.k., though not perfect, as we ran.  I'm not really sure I could feel the difference between these and the old inserts I used for years, but hopefully my feet will be able to tell the difference.

Later in the day, my foot was really sore.  Like, even though we drove to Youngstown and planned on checking out the Canfield Fair, I wasn't sure I wanted to go because it would require a lot of walking.  I'm sure being cooped up in the car for hours didn't help either.  Curious to see how it feels tomorrow...

Adventure!

So, I was REALLY looking forward to camping with the Hubby this weekend at Mammoth Cave, KY.  And I was even planning to take my bike so I could get a long ride in.  I found a loop around the park that I could do twice, and I was actually looking forward to the little adventure.  But then... We decided not to go camping because it was supposed to be 100 DEGREES!  Trying to sleep outside in that, without A/C?  No, thank you!  So we figured we'd just go home to visit family instead.

Yesterday was crazy busy with work, packing, and driving to Akron, so I didn't get any workouts in.  And then we didn't get there till after midnight but still spent a little time visiting when we arrived, so we went to bed really late.  Needless to say, I didn't get up as early as I'd hoped.  But even though it was in the 90s, I still headed out for a long ride.  I had planned a 60-mile trip out and around the Portage Lakes, part of which was the bike course for the Portage Lakes Triathlon that happens every September.

It was hot.  And hilly.  And I was really glad I didn't agree to do that tri with a couple of friends like we had talked about.  I was so tired...  And dehydrated.  I decided to skip the second loop of the tri course, and I had to stop at a gas station for more water, but I made it home o.k.  I only ended up with 47.5 miles, which took 3 hours, but it was still a pretty good effort considering the conditions!

Double Dose

There was only one other rider at my Cycle Club ride tonight, but it was fun.  Hotter than it has been, but not too bad on a bike.  Actually, I appreciated the heat for one reason: it motivated me to hop in the pool for a quick swim after the ride!  At first I was thinking I'd get my full two miles in, then I thought maybe I wouldn't swim at all since I had to get food for our camping trip this weekend.  But then it was hot, and I thought it would feel good...  And it did!

I only swam for 35 minutes, one mile.  It wasn't much, but better than nothing, I reasoned!  I have a tendency to think that such a short workout isn't worth it, but it's still something.  Proud of myself for making that happen tonight!

Realization

So, after my second 11-hour work day this week, I had a realization: it is simply unreasonable to expect me to have enough energy left after working an extended shift to still make it to the gym for a good workout at 8+ p.m.  (Yeah, I missed my workout again.)  So I have concluded that I will not stay late for overtime again until after my Ironman.  Even though I feel bad not helping my company out.  And even though none of my raters will be able to stay late if I don't.  And even though overtime pay would be really nice.  That's just how it's going to have to be for the next two months.  I feel bad and good about this decision.  Bad because of the things I just listed, but good because I know I'm prioritizing something that's really good for and very important to me.  I'm also really excited to use the next two weeks I have off to get ALL my workouts in and hopefully get into a routine for the remaining time before my race.  Bring it!

A-OK!

And... whew!  I felt infinitely better today!  I could actually breathe out of my nose, and I think I could count on both hands the number of tissues I needed today.  Praise the Lord!  I didn't sleep well last night, but I wasn't even too tired today, which surprised me.  So, no excuses NOT to go work out tonight!

When I got to the gym for my swim, I was excited to use the outdoor pool since it'll be closing after this week.  Unfortunately, that pool was closed because apparently someone pooped in it...  Uh, yeah.  Swimming inside should be just fine.  Here's what I did:

Warm-up
4 x 200  Swim/pull/kick/drill x 200

Main set
1 x 400  Free - pace
2 x 300  Free - pace
3 x 200  Free - pace
4 x 100  Free - pace

Cool-down
1 x 200  Free - sighting drill
1 x 200  Easy

In all: 3200 meters (2 miles) in 1:15.  Not too shabby!  And so far my shoulder seems o.k.  We'll see how it feels tomorrow...

Feeling Icky

Well, I woke up this morning feeling really congested.  Since then, I've been really sneezy and my nose has been running non-stop.  I seriously can't go three minutes without blowing it, and I've already gone through an entire box of 200 tissues today.  So, yeah.  My swim obviously didn't happen today, and I'm o.k. with that.  I'm not sure exactly what's wrong, but I'm praying that the medicine I just took and some sleep will have me feeling better by tomorrow...

IM Louisville

Well, the Hubby and I had planned on driving down to Louisville early this morning to go watch the Ironman there today.  I was really excited to see how everything was set up and just feel the excitement of the event.  I also thought I could write a couple of Yahoo articles about what I learned and saw.  But...  We went to bed pretty late, and I didn't think it was such a good idea to drive down there on only three or four hours of sleep, hang out in the sun all day, then drive home after the race ended at midnight.  And THEN to have to work bright and early Monday morning.  So, I've just been watching parts of it online today instead.  It's obviously not the same as being there, but it's still exciting!  This way, too, I could follow the leaders and see them out on the course.  And I could track my athlete friend Jess who was competing.  And I could get some housecleaning, grocery shopping, and cooking done throughout the day as well.  Good decision.  After all, being at the race might have been good mental training for my own race day, but getting ready for the coming week will do more to help me get through my all-important workouts.  So, let's do it!  Here's to a great training week!

Adventure!

Some of my college girlfriends and I have been trying to find a time to get together and catch up for awhile, and finally we settled on this morning at 10:00.  I wasn't thrilled about the time since I usually do my long rides on Saturday mornings, but I decided to make the best of it.  I searched on mapmyride.com and found a 36-mile route in the area where we were planning to meet.  With the 5.5 miles to and from my home, I figured 47 miles was good.  I planned to set out at 7:00 a.m. to have plenty of time to meet them at 10:00.  Of course...  I was tired and moving slowly, plus it was still a little dark out at 7:00.  I also had to stop at Kroger briefly to buy a couple Luna bars on my way out, so I ended up really starting my ride at about 8:00.

It started off well, though at one point I got a little lost because I didn't see a road sign on a subdivision I was supposed to ride through.  But I called home and the Hubs looked at a map online for me and got me back on track.  From Sharonville, I rode through West Chester, then to Fairfield.  I caught a cute little bike trail from there up to Hamilton, then looped my way back down to West Chester to meet my girls.  With getting turned around a couple times, having to look at my directions every few turns, more hills than I'd been expecting, and of course my late start, I didn't make it to the gathering by 10:00.  It was actually more like 11:00, and one of the girls had to leave soon after I arrived.  But at least I got to see her briefly and catch up with the other two for another hour or two after that.k

All in all, it was a fun little adventure!  I rode 47.2 miles in 3:12.  Not fast at all (I think I averaged 14.6 mph), but it was still a good workout.  I loved the freedom of just riding from my house rather than having to pack up my bike and drive somewhere, even if the roads near home aren't the greatest for cyclists.  I also loved riding in a new part of town, having a purpose in where I was eventually trying to end up, and having the accountability to get me out the door before it got too late and I got lazy.  The only bad thing about the day was the sunburn I got on my face and chest...  I'd put sunscreen on, but apparently not enough.  After all, I hadn't planned on sitting out in the sun for an extra two hours while we all chatted!  Oh, well, though.  No biggie. :-)  And I did NOT make it to the gym for a swim today, since it was already close to 2:00 when I got home.