Wow. I made it through a tough weekend and I'm okay. Tired though...for now. I tend to bounce back quickly.
Saturday I swam 13 x 200 (about 1.6 miles), then biked 3 hours (~49), then ran 5.5. That took about 5 hours and it was HOT. The sun = no mercy. That was tough and I felt like toast. It was slightly upsetting...just because it was hard in the heat. The heat index ended up being 107 that day.
Sunday was scheduled for an 18 mile run - my first ever! I did it!!! Just finished a little over an hour ago. Topped that off with my Hammer Recoverite (which I'm obsessed with drinking immediately after this workouts - convinced it will help me feel better during recovery. It gets a ratio of carbs/protein back in the body quickly as cells start repairing after the trauma).
You can see my run route by the title link...it actually came out to 17.5 on that and then I ran and extra 1/2 mile along Lake Lenexa at the end. And if you know that area, it is HILLY on Prairie Star Pkwy. Really hilly. My Louisville tri friend Mike C ran 'with' me though he is faster and did 16. That helped. I didn't actually use my iPod till I had about 3 miles left.
The fatigue started to creep in at mile 11...then had 3 big hills (about a half mile each) finishing it off heading west. But once I have about 2 miles left, I perk up again and feel better. I did walk a little more each mile for 2 miles between 14-16. Even with all that walking, my avg was under 12 min/mile.
Okay so race day, I'd "only" have 8 more miles to go!!!! Ack :)
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
How you doin'?
Very well thank you!
Last weekend when I was running, a totally random thought popped into my head. "You are stronger than you realize. You are stronger than you know." That is really all I need to know.
There are some workouts where I have to drag myself out there and don't feel so hot, but there are many where I feel fantastic too. Basically in a nutshell, I feel like I can do this! I do my best to keep a positive attitude, and hope a self-fulfilling prophecy will take it from there :)
I feel a 'strange' sense of calm. Am I nervous? Of course. I always try to be a realist - and I certainly realize that Ironman is going to be a LONG and tiring day. Bad things could happen. Or not. I will likely be cranky at times, and maybe will want to cry. It will be up and down, and with each down I have to remember there is something good around the corner.
I have no idea what will happen, and it is out of my control. If obstacles get in my way, I'll figure out a way over them any way I can. All I can do is prepare, the best way to do that is doing what my coaches tell me and trusting them. So that is what I do. Keep it simple.
Had a good swim technique session with my coach Kathy last Friday. A couple of things I didn't know about...worked them in today and it feels a lot different, and faster. Could I be on the verge of a swim breakthrough? I hope so!
Carrying on...tomorrow is Shawnee Mission Triathlon. Short course :)
Last weekend when I was running, a totally random thought popped into my head. "You are stronger than you realize. You are stronger than you know." That is really all I need to know.
There are some workouts where I have to drag myself out there and don't feel so hot, but there are many where I feel fantastic too. Basically in a nutshell, I feel like I can do this! I do my best to keep a positive attitude, and hope a self-fulfilling prophecy will take it from there :)
I feel a 'strange' sense of calm. Am I nervous? Of course. I always try to be a realist - and I certainly realize that Ironman is going to be a LONG and tiring day. Bad things could happen. Or not. I will likely be cranky at times, and maybe will want to cry. It will be up and down, and with each down I have to remember there is something good around the corner.
I have no idea what will happen, and it is out of my control. If obstacles get in my way, I'll figure out a way over them any way I can. All I can do is prepare, the best way to do that is doing what my coaches tell me and trusting them. So that is what I do. Keep it simple.
Had a good swim technique session with my coach Kathy last Friday. A couple of things I didn't know about...worked them in today and it feels a lot different, and faster. Could I be on the verge of a swim breakthrough? I hope so!
Carrying on...tomorrow is Shawnee Mission Triathlon. Short course :)
Monday, July 5, 2010
First 16 Mile Run ever!
Continuing my effort to document the experience leading up to Ironman to keep the memories...
Sunday July 4th - a new milestone for me. Set out a little after 7 am for a solo 16 mile run, my longest ever! I made sure the route had plenty of places to get water or make a pit stop. Headed west for 6 miles and then jumped on the JoCo trail system and ended up just south of SM Park. The trail was looking gorgeous...I always appreciate having that amenity.
Split the run into halves and took the second half in 2 mile & mile by mile chunks. I was pretty exhausted. It was probably just "one of those days" where I was tired to begin with. Last week my 14 mile run was a little better, but my legs were pretty tired at the end.
Mentally, I hung in there and toughed it out. Couldn't help but think...at Louisville I'll still have 10 miles to go! Funny how that seemed hard, but possible at the same time. There were times I just had to throw pace out the window and relax...focused more on keeping on instead of how fast I was going.
I'm officially in territory I've never been before. I've biked a Century before (4 times now) but have never run a marathon. *THAT* is the part that has made me a little nervous - the long run. At least while biking I have my machine under me...with running it is all you and only you.
I've heard friends refer to the "Pain Bank" and yesterday I had some deposits. I just felt totalled.
Perspective is changing though. You complete a long workout and know you can get through it. It hurts, but then the next day you are back to normal. Ibuprofin helps!
Sunday July 4th - a new milestone for me. Set out a little after 7 am for a solo 16 mile run, my longest ever! I made sure the route had plenty of places to get water or make a pit stop. Headed west for 6 miles and then jumped on the JoCo trail system and ended up just south of SM Park. The trail was looking gorgeous...I always appreciate having that amenity.
Split the run into halves and took the second half in 2 mile & mile by mile chunks. I was pretty exhausted. It was probably just "one of those days" where I was tired to begin with. Last week my 14 mile run was a little better, but my legs were pretty tired at the end.
Mentally, I hung in there and toughed it out. Couldn't help but think...at Louisville I'll still have 10 miles to go! Funny how that seemed hard, but possible at the same time. There were times I just had to throw pace out the window and relax...focused more on keeping on instead of how fast I was going.
I'm officially in territory I've never been before. I've biked a Century before (4 times now) but have never run a marathon. *THAT* is the part that has made me a little nervous - the long run. At least while biking I have my machine under me...with running it is all you and only you.
I've heard friends refer to the "Pain Bank" and yesterday I had some deposits. I just felt totalled.
Perspective is changing though. You complete a long workout and know you can get through it. It hurts, but then the next day you are back to normal. Ibuprofin helps!
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