So the learning never ends!!! Saturday - lesson 1: When stopping for a brief rest moment on your bike unclip your other foot once stopped. Or fall flat on your ass and laugh because yes - everyone saw you and for the rest of the day you will be reminded "uh oh Eva - coming up to a stop, don't forget to lean left"..... Saturday lesson 2: How to change your tube!! Awesome lesson (thank to Master Greg) and I managed to get down to 4:11 for time... Surprisingly not as hard as you would think - so long as someone who knows is showing you!! Sunday Lesson 3: You have to take your spare tube/CO2 cartridge etc. with you when riding to prove you know how to change the bloody thing....
Saturday was GORGEOUS - beautiful sunshine and warm! Got in 97K on the bike and then 2.5K run after.... Averaged 27.7kph on the bike so just over 3:33!! Getting stronger!
Sunday was again GORGEOUS!!!! Back for more torture, I mean training... What was supposed to be an easy 1:15 hour ride around the area turned into a series of sprints and kicking of one's own ass... But I was pretty well keeping up - until that sound.. Yes, the pop and then the hissing of air escaping from a tire tube.... But - hey - I learned how to fix this yesterday so I'm all good... Until that moment when I realize that all required tools and spare tube are sitting on my kitchen table where I placed them last night....
The rest of the gang is gone from sight and I am faced with a long walk back to the parking lot with my car in my bike shoes.... But the great thing about the group is they do eventually realize you're no longer with them... Luckily as well one of our fellow riders had looped out to put in some extra work came along with a spare tube and proper tools....
So - knowledge is power - if you have the spare parts!
What I am also realizing is that I can totally do this.... Off the bike on Sunday I did a 10K run in 1:11... That's uber slow for most but - last November I did the Angus Glen 10K race (on perfectly fresh rested legs) in 1:10.... Take the training the day before and the bike ride that morning, add those in as factors and not too shabby at all - getting stronger! And now when I transition from bike to run I don't feel like my legs are going to give out on me but - my hearrate still skyrockets and it becomes a mental battle for me to keep going... Lesson re-enforced yesterday by someone I was training with - this is training. this is the time to do it. Take some of your training and try to kill yourself to see how far you can push..... Then you'll know your limit.... And then you can push through that limit next time......
Monday, May 9, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Never Ceases to Amaze Me
What the body can endure that the mind doesn't think is possible... Quick summary of Easter weekend -headed north to the parents place, got in some good rides, an ok swim and an ok run.. And indulged.. Then off to Blue Mountain for a 2 day work offsite where far too much food, red wine, and beer was consumed.... So - when Friday morning rolled around and at 5:45 our monthly 3000m time trial was to be done I was a wee bit concerned... 1st time trial I did was 1:21, next time was 1:17. I wanted to shave some more time off this month but after missing 2 days of swim practice due to the holiday weekend + the over the top splurging I was nervous... 1:15 later I was done the time trial and had shaved 2 minutes off - and could have done better... Next time!!!
So Saturday rolls around at at 7AM I'm at the meeting place for a 3 hour ride on the bike with a group of guys lovingly referred to by some as the A team... But I'm mentally ready... I'm turning back early since I have plans with my sister and niece I cannot be late for... Plus I've got my regular back wheel on the bike and when I was in the shop last night doing that I also upgraded the rear cassette to a better one for climbing/hills... Went from an 11x23 to and 11x28... It was a perfect day to be out - crisp and cool when we started out but as the ride progressed and the sun kept climbing it warmed up nicely... Lots of uphills and downhills except the hills all seemed to be upwards on the way back... Needless to say 3:33 later I'm back in the parking lot and have completed just under 100km ride with an everage 27.2 km/hour pace... WOOHOO.... Right???
OOOPS - guess what's happening at 8AM on Sunday morning? I'm registered to run a 1/2 marathon... And I've told people I'm doing it so I can't not show or wimp out.... Even better I shared my time goal with a few people - my tri coach included so now I really have to be on...... So off to bed early I go...
Sunday AM - alarm goes off at 5:30.. Why so early?? So I can have some breakfast and be "ok" on the run... Port a Potties on a race course are not always optimal places to be... But the sleep is lovely so it's 6:10 before I roll out of bed... Grab a quick bowl of cereal, forego the coffee, get dressed and jump in the car... I get 1/2 way around the circle and realize I have forgotten my Garmin watch and my sunglasses... So - back I go... Take the garmin off the charger, grab my sunglasses and back in the car.. Hit the power button on the Garmin and wait - the screen is still blank and no beeping noise???? What the ???? I NEED MY GARMIN.. How else can I keep pace and my walk breaks and know how I'm doing?? So I try again. Still no luck.. UUUGGHHHH.... This has NEVER happened before but - I head back to my house again. Grab a basic watch that the HR monitor is broken on but at least will keep my time.. But - no pace, no interval settings, no HR monitor.....
But - I know the pace bunny for 2:15 so if I stick with her then I can drop off a bit and still hit my goal of 2:20 which will shave 18 minutes off my last 1/2 marathon race.. OK - finally make it to the race location. Whew... Get my chip, check out general area, think about if there's a possibility of switching to the 10k race given that my morning has not started off well and I am doubting if this is a good idea or not.... Anyway- at one point in time I think I'll go back to my car and see if my Garmin might start now.... 1/2 way back the car I realize my sunglasses are missing off my person... Hmm - stop and think. Last place I know I had them was the washroom... Great... Back I go and luckily - THERE THEY ARE... Ok - sign from the higher power that this is all going to work out well...
Advice I took from a magazine article I read recently was - ignore the first 5 minutes of any workout... For me it's more like the first 10-20 depending.... But - 2:26 later there I was crossing that finish line!!! No Garmin to keep pace, lots of hills which were not a factor in my previous 1/2 marathon (it was all downhill in fact), and the bike ride the day before...... So 6 minutes over my goal BUT - I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I recently ordered a Road ID bracelet and had "Because I CAN" inscribed on it along with the pertinent medical and emergency contact info.. So true it is - put your mind to the test and the body will follow. It will groan and mumble, adn scream back at you. It will freeze up at times and you may think at some points that you are sucking the last bit of oxygen out of the air but.... You look ahead, pick a point that you're going to keep running to - you can't stop until you hit that point and somehow your legs keep moving, your feet keep pushing and YOU DID IT!!!!!
PS - I now know the trick for fixing my Garmin next time but hey - I also know I can do it without the technology and just my head....
So Saturday rolls around at at 7AM I'm at the meeting place for a 3 hour ride on the bike with a group of guys lovingly referred to by some as the A team... But I'm mentally ready... I'm turning back early since I have plans with my sister and niece I cannot be late for... Plus I've got my regular back wheel on the bike and when I was in the shop last night doing that I also upgraded the rear cassette to a better one for climbing/hills... Went from an 11x23 to and 11x28... It was a perfect day to be out - crisp and cool when we started out but as the ride progressed and the sun kept climbing it warmed up nicely... Lots of uphills and downhills except the hills all seemed to be upwards on the way back... Needless to say 3:33 later I'm back in the parking lot and have completed just under 100km ride with an everage 27.2 km/hour pace... WOOHOO.... Right???
OOOPS - guess what's happening at 8AM on Sunday morning? I'm registered to run a 1/2 marathon... And I've told people I'm doing it so I can't not show or wimp out.... Even better I shared my time goal with a few people - my tri coach included so now I really have to be on...... So off to bed early I go...
Sunday AM - alarm goes off at 5:30.. Why so early?? So I can have some breakfast and be "ok" on the run... Port a Potties on a race course are not always optimal places to be... But the sleep is lovely so it's 6:10 before I roll out of bed... Grab a quick bowl of cereal, forego the coffee, get dressed and jump in the car... I get 1/2 way around the circle and realize I have forgotten my Garmin watch and my sunglasses... So - back I go... Take the garmin off the charger, grab my sunglasses and back in the car.. Hit the power button on the Garmin and wait - the screen is still blank and no beeping noise???? What the ???? I NEED MY GARMIN.. How else can I keep pace and my walk breaks and know how I'm doing?? So I try again. Still no luck.. UUUGGHHHH.... This has NEVER happened before but - I head back to my house again. Grab a basic watch that the HR monitor is broken on but at least will keep my time.. But - no pace, no interval settings, no HR monitor.....
But - I know the pace bunny for 2:15 so if I stick with her then I can drop off a bit and still hit my goal of 2:20 which will shave 18 minutes off my last 1/2 marathon race.. OK - finally make it to the race location. Whew... Get my chip, check out general area, think about if there's a possibility of switching to the 10k race given that my morning has not started off well and I am doubting if this is a good idea or not.... Anyway- at one point in time I think I'll go back to my car and see if my Garmin might start now.... 1/2 way back the car I realize my sunglasses are missing off my person... Hmm - stop and think. Last place I know I had them was the washroom... Great... Back I go and luckily - THERE THEY ARE... Ok - sign from the higher power that this is all going to work out well...
Advice I took from a magazine article I read recently was - ignore the first 5 minutes of any workout... For me it's more like the first 10-20 depending.... But - 2:26 later there I was crossing that finish line!!! No Garmin to keep pace, lots of hills which were not a factor in my previous 1/2 marathon (it was all downhill in fact), and the bike ride the day before...... So 6 minutes over my goal BUT - I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I recently ordered a Road ID bracelet and had "Because I CAN" inscribed on it along with the pertinent medical and emergency contact info.. So true it is - put your mind to the test and the body will follow. It will groan and mumble, adn scream back at you. It will freeze up at times and you may think at some points that you are sucking the last bit of oxygen out of the air but.... You look ahead, pick a point that you're going to keep running to - you can't stop until you hit that point and somehow your legs keep moving, your feet keep pushing and YOU DID IT!!!!!
PS - I now know the trick for fixing my Garmin next time but hey - I also know I can do it without the technology and just my head....
Monday, April 18, 2011
Ahhh - Monday.....
Start of a new week and so far a good one!! Ok fine - it isn't even noon yet but.... In the pool at 6AM and made it throught the entire workout with 10mins to spare!! Stayed in the pool though and did more drills!! Then tonight back on the bike - in the basement on the trainer though... It's still cold and damp out and supposed to be mixed rain/snow this aft.... Please tell me summer is really coming???? Had an email from a friend we met in Costa Rica at Christmas, it was one of the standard quotes and baby pics but a few items stuck out for me... So:
" The pursuit of happiness is the chase of a lifetime"
"It is never too late to become what you might have been." ** This one is especially cool and meaningful!!
"Life is too short to wake up with regrest.. So love the people who treat you right.. Forget about the ones who don't. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands. If it changes your life let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it."
Happy Monday!!
" The pursuit of happiness is the chase of a lifetime"
"It is never too late to become what you might have been." ** This one is especially cool and meaningful!!
"Life is too short to wake up with regrest.. So love the people who treat you right.. Forget about the ones who don't. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands. If it changes your life let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it."
Happy Monday!!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
What's up Mother Nature???
Ok - it's mid April, daffodils are blooming and snow is falling? Yup gotta love Canada.... Yesterday was cold, rainy all day, and crazy windy... Then this morning - first thing when I woke up it was sunny and warm looking from inside! WOOHOO - weatherman was dead wrong and it's gonna be a nice one.... 8AM, in my car driving up to the Running Room, it's now grey and snowing.... 8:45AM start running, the flakes are getting bigger and the wind is picking up..... 1 hour later no snow, the sun is out in full force and I'm actually questioning how many layers I have on... And it happens to be just about turnaround time.... Well, 10 minutes later I'm running into a head wind from hell and it didn't stop the whole way back...
But - 18KM later, I DID IT.. Oh and it started snowing again... It's been like this all day but soon, soon it will be summer!!!!
My Mom sent me an awesome card with a quote that I LOVE:
"Within each of us is a hidden store of energy - energy we can release to compete in the marathon of life." Roger Dawson
I love it!!! And I love that I somehow managed to find that hidden store inside of me and am tapping into it!!!
But - 18KM later, I DID IT.. Oh and it started snowing again... It's been like this all day but soon, soon it will be summer!!!!
My Mom sent me an awesome card with a quote that I LOVE:
"Within each of us is a hidden store of energy - energy we can release to compete in the marathon of life." Roger Dawson
I love it!!! And I love that I somehow managed to find that hidden store inside of me and am tapping into it!!!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Slow and Steady
Running is not my uber favorite pastime. Swim - anytime. Bike- absolutely.. Run- do I have to??? Although that is changing once I get my butt moving I'm finding. Like last night.... Yesterday was swimming in the morning and 40 - 45 minute run at night... On the drive home I was actually looking forward to getting out there and breaking in my new shoes... Rushed to get changed, grabbed a quick snack for energy and off I went.... 3 minutes into it I'm already questioning why I'm doing this..... But I keep going... 35 minutes later I'm feeling amazing, have been maintaining a steady pace (except for the emergency bathroom break... I really need to figure this pre-run snack thing out), and am actually thinking I could just keep going....
So what do I need to do to get through those first 10 minutes where I question my sanity and then start to question my abililty????? One thing I know I did wrong last night was the route - coming out of my neighborhood I chose to take the slight hill route to start and it just knocked the air right out of me from the start.... WARM UP before hitting hills/inclines, or if I don't have a choice then slow down the pace a bit for that first one and build momentum.....
Anyway - not terrible overall... Average pace including walk breaks I took was 7:01..... Compared to others I know that's kind of sad but for me it's a sign of progress!!! I can use other people's abilities as a benchmark of where I want to go but I do need to be realistic about what I can do now.....
So what do I need to do to get through those first 10 minutes where I question my sanity and then start to question my abililty????? One thing I know I did wrong last night was the route - coming out of my neighborhood I chose to take the slight hill route to start and it just knocked the air right out of me from the start.... WARM UP before hitting hills/inclines, or if I don't have a choice then slow down the pace a bit for that first one and build momentum.....
Anyway - not terrible overall... Average pace including walk breaks I took was 7:01..... Compared to others I know that's kind of sad but for me it's a sign of progress!!! I can use other people's abilities as a benchmark of where I want to go but I do need to be realistic about what I can do now.....
Monday, April 11, 2011
Another neuron firing....
A funny thing about losing all the weight and becoming healthy and active was when my hormones went back into normal balance and started operating as they were meant to.... Suddenly I started noticing those lovely monthly signals of PMS and yes - I would become irritated, and frustrated with trivial things, and moments of self doubt would creep in... It was my running joke that I lose the weight and start a better life journey and in return God/Fate whomever blesses me with PMS.....
In the past when it was "that time" I would sometimes avoid working out - using various excuses why it was best not to... Or I would force myself into my spandex gear, start a workout and give up within 10-15 minutes....
But this morning that neuron snapped.... I'm in the pool at training, we're just at the beginning drills and I've decided our coach is trying to definitely kill us... But there's no way I'm wimping out... Not with all these people.... Then we get into the main set - 6x200 alternate swim and pull buoy progressively faster 200's... And there I am feeling bloated and like a really slow whale in the pool... But - instead of giving up when the thought crossed my mind and the excuses started formulating, I made a deal with myself... Stay in the pool, do the entire set but use the swim paddles to kick it up a notch! Before I knew it I'd completed the set and went on to swim another 200m with the extra time....
Not a major earth shattering event but one more nugget found on the journey!!!!
In the past when it was "that time" I would sometimes avoid working out - using various excuses why it was best not to... Or I would force myself into my spandex gear, start a workout and give up within 10-15 minutes....
But this morning that neuron snapped.... I'm in the pool at training, we're just at the beginning drills and I've decided our coach is trying to definitely kill us... But there's no way I'm wimping out... Not with all these people.... Then we get into the main set - 6x200 alternate swim and pull buoy progressively faster 200's... And there I am feeling bloated and like a really slow whale in the pool... But - instead of giving up when the thought crossed my mind and the excuses started formulating, I made a deal with myself... Stay in the pool, do the entire set but use the swim paddles to kick it up a notch! Before I knew it I'd completed the set and went on to swim another 200m with the extra time....
Not a major earth shattering event but one more nugget found on the journey!!!!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Off to a good start.....
So yesterday, April 9th, I kicked off my outdoor bike training with a bit of a challenge... I had a chance to go out and ride with a group that is faster/better/ and far more experienced than I am at the training /Triathlon world... Nervous is a bit of an understatement to explain how I felt going to bed on Friday night but.... I had decided that I would go out there and do my best, have fun, enjoy finally being outside, and if I needed to fall back I would... And so it was I found myself at 8AM checking tires and gearing up to hit the road in Mt. Albert......
60km later I rode back into the parking lot, alive, smiling, and feeling AMAZING!! Oh goodness yes they were faster and I got used to seeing them from afar but - they're also a great group of people who would stop and wait for me to catch up at points and every once in a while would circle back and ride along for a while before whipping off.... I certainly don't expect that for future rides, and oh yes I will head out for future rides - you dont' get better by training with people at your level all the time...
Wow - I guess this past week really has been one for challenging myself. On Wednesday our lanes were full at swim training and the next lane up a level only had 1 person in it.. She kindly accepted my query to join her and after the group drills when we moved onto the lane drills I chose to do the ones set up for that lane. A little harder than the ones set out for the lane I normally swim in, and I didn't quite make it through them all in the allotted time but.... I pushed myself and it felt great!!! Oh believe me - the following Friday I was back to my regular lane!!!!!!
What this has all helped prove to me is that yes - I've come a long way but... The road to Muskoka 70.3 in September is getting shorter and I've still got a long way to go... I dont' just want to finish the race, I want to do well in it!! So yes - going from a 5K walk to a 1/2 marathon walk to 2 Tri a Tri's, a 15K run, a 1/2 marathon run, and the finishing touch of hitting a personal best so far at the Angus Glen 10K run 1year later from starting this athletic journey is awesome.... But getting off my bike yesterday after 60K and running for 10 minutes reminded me of what's ahead!! It's funny I guess when you no longer think - yes that was ok but look where I came from and instead are thinking - that was ok but I need to do better!!!
Rule of thumb though is that I have to enjoy it too!!! So while it felt totally odd - I took today off... Slept in, lounged over breakfast and read the weekend paper.... Caught up on some household chores, got some more trim painted in the guest bedroom, watched movies, and yes - updated my blog... It was hard thunderstorms earlier which made me even happier not to have to go out and run but here it is , 4:30PM and the sun is shining and I actually want to go for a run.. Until I look at my training schedule from Brent and I don't get another full day off until Easter weekend so..... I'm taking full advantage of today!!!!
60km later I rode back into the parking lot, alive, smiling, and feeling AMAZING!! Oh goodness yes they were faster and I got used to seeing them from afar but - they're also a great group of people who would stop and wait for me to catch up at points and every once in a while would circle back and ride along for a while before whipping off.... I certainly don't expect that for future rides, and oh yes I will head out for future rides - you dont' get better by training with people at your level all the time...
Wow - I guess this past week really has been one for challenging myself. On Wednesday our lanes were full at swim training and the next lane up a level only had 1 person in it.. She kindly accepted my query to join her and after the group drills when we moved onto the lane drills I chose to do the ones set up for that lane. A little harder than the ones set out for the lane I normally swim in, and I didn't quite make it through them all in the allotted time but.... I pushed myself and it felt great!!! Oh believe me - the following Friday I was back to my regular lane!!!!!!
What this has all helped prove to me is that yes - I've come a long way but... The road to Muskoka 70.3 in September is getting shorter and I've still got a long way to go... I dont' just want to finish the race, I want to do well in it!! So yes - going from a 5K walk to a 1/2 marathon walk to 2 Tri a Tri's, a 15K run, a 1/2 marathon run, and the finishing touch of hitting a personal best so far at the Angus Glen 10K run 1year later from starting this athletic journey is awesome.... But getting off my bike yesterday after 60K and running for 10 minutes reminded me of what's ahead!! It's funny I guess when you no longer think - yes that was ok but look where I came from and instead are thinking - that was ok but I need to do better!!!
Rule of thumb though is that I have to enjoy it too!!! So while it felt totally odd - I took today off... Slept in, lounged over breakfast and read the weekend paper.... Caught up on some household chores, got some more trim painted in the guest bedroom, watched movies, and yes - updated my blog... It was hard thunderstorms earlier which made me even happier not to have to go out and run but here it is , 4:30PM and the sun is shining and I actually want to go for a run.. Until I look at my training schedule from Brent and I don't get another full day off until Easter weekend so..... I'm taking full advantage of today!!!!
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