First Open Water Swim!

I am in San Diego for a couple of days, and this morning I attempted my first open water swim, in La Jolla Cove, often referred to as "one of the best open water swimming spots in Southern California."  Last night I was online reading things like "Unusually high number of shark sightings in La Jolla Cove this year" and such.  On the La Jolla Cove Swim Club Facebook page there was a video posted of a 7-foot shark (supposedly a Seven Gill Shark, which is generally harmless unless "provoked").  The comment posted in response was "Reminder swimmers: These sharks are always there.  Just because you don't see them doesn't mean they aren't there."  Awesome.

So around noon today, once the sun finally showed its face, I donned my wetsuit and bright orange swim cap (both gifts from Karin!) and waded into the cove.  I was actually more concerned about the frolicking sea lions than sharks.  They were everywhere!  I had seen some "playing with" a snorkeler.  I was actually not cold at all, which was a relief.  And I had plenty of mobility in my shoulders, which is a big concern when swimming in a wetsuit.  The neckline was choking me quite a bit, but I hope that will get better.  I was the only one out there for most of my swim, which was a bit disconcerting.  (Karin later told me that tourists near her were making comments like, "Look there is someone swimming out there!"  So it was pretty cool to be that girl for at least a few minutes.)  I kept spying frisky sea lions in front of me, so I veered off to avoid them.  I only swam a half mile (about 20 minutes), but I plan to go back tomorrow morning, hopefully when there are more swimmers out there with me!

It was a relief to get the first swim out of the way.  Now I know I can do it.  Also, the water was 63 degrees, about the same as Tempe Town Lake during IMAZ, so it is a huge relief to know that my wetsuit kept me plenty warm; the cold was not even an issue!

La Jolla Cove.  That tiny spot in the bottom left is me!  That round white thing on the right is the 1/4 mile buoy.

A day (or 2) in the life of a (lapsed) bike commuter

My brother and his wife were in town for a wedding, and I am letting them use my car.  This means that for a couple of days I was back to my bike commuter lifestyle.

Friday, that meant riding my bike to the gym for my long swim.  It also meant getting a flat tire on my way home.  Turns out I had just given Karin my last CO2 cartridge, nor realizing it was my last CO2 cartridge.  So I called my brother to come pick me up in my car.  I changed the tire while I waited for him, but had no way to fill it up, so we stopped at a gas station with free air on the way home.  That is another aspect of the bike commuter lifestyle--I can't procrastinate changing my (rear!) tire because that bike is the only way I will get to work tomorrow.

Yesterday my return to bike commuting meant waking up at 3:45 am to make sure I was pedaling out of the driveway no later than 4:15 am to clock in at work before my 5:30 am start time.  It also meant getting 3/4 of a mile from home and suddenly realizing...I have no helmet on!  So I pedaled back home and got my helmet. By then I was quite late, but I am a bike commuter and I have no choice, so I pedaled my heart out and clocked in at 5:29.

After work I pedaled to the gym where I met my friend, Kristin, to do a strength workout.  We did a plyometric routine followed by core work and arm exercises with free weights.  I love plyometrics!  They get your heart rate up while also building muscle and power.

Then I pedaled home, because that is what a bike commuter does.

So yesterday I got in 23 miles on the bike, 11 of that at a pretty fast pace because I was running late, and 8 of that on the way home against a head-wind, which I don't get on the trainer.

My training week has rebounded pretty well from my first couple of days when I was cutting workouts short because I was tired and weak.  I got in 3 swims, 3 rides and 3 strength workouts, and after Tuesday I felt great during all of them.  My only runs were my 15 minute transition run off the bike and my 10 minute warm up runs before strength training.  But now I am in San Diego for a couple of days, where I plan to do plenty of running, along with my first open water swimming in La Jolla Cove, where the water temperature is 62 degrees, which is about what the water temperature is in Tempe Town Lake in mid-November, so I will find out if a) I can handle that cold of water and b) if my wetsuit is up to the task.  Of all the things that concern me about race day, I think my single biggest concern is getting in that freezing cold water...and staying in it for a really long time, because I am really slow.

In fact, I just watched a video of myself swimming, which Karin was kind enough to film.  I thought that she had paused the video, but it turned out that no, that is just how slow I actually swim.  So I am going to be in that lake for a while.

Mental fitness

In my last post, as I looked back on my lackluster training week, I concluded that I was not any more fit, but at least I was not any less fit.  Turns out I may have overestimated myself.

My first 2 training sessions of this week left much to be desired.  I cut my trainer ride short after 35 minutes on Monday because it felt really hard and I was frustrated; and I cut my swim short on Tuesday for the same reason.  Everything just felt so hard.  I texted Karin and said, "I am having an Ironman crisis of faith.  Everything just feels SO HARD."  Her response: "Of course it's hard!!! Otherwise everyone would do it!!! Gotta work through the s#*t workouts yo."

So there it is.  Not quite as eloquent as the message above, which I found on my Facebook wall after I wimped out on my workouts.  My body may in fact not be any less fit than it was a week ago, but clearly my mind is.  Ironman training is as much mental as physical, and my mind was out of shape.

Today I did my long workout: 40 mile ride followed by 15 minute transition run.  Though most of my rides are basically out and back routes, I have noticed that somehow the back is always shorter than the out.  Today I rode 17 miles out, then came back the same general way, with a few slight variations that, if anything, should have added distance, and yet when I got back to the starting point I came up short.  I ended up adding some random loops just to reach my 40 miles!  The good news is: I ENJOYED THE WHOLE RIDE!  From the very beginning to the very end, I had a great time on my bike. 

I feel much better in my head.  I am ready to push through "tired" to get to "done."

My week in a nutshell:

Too much of this:

Not enough of this:

I fell off the "no sweets" wagon around my birthday.  Fell HARD.  Face first into donuts and cake.  And I have just now finally come up for air!  This past week was a doozy; lots of indulging, not so much training.  

In the past week I have completed the following workouts:

2 30 minute swims (with intervals and technique drills)

1 4 mile tempo run

1 full-body strength session

1 speed-interval bike trainer ride

1 40 mile outdoor ride + 20 minute transition run

Here is what is missing from that training week:

2 swims (one long)

2 strength sessions

1 interval run

2 bike trainer rides (one hill simulation)

Some quick math tells me I completed almost 50% of my training!  But the numbers don't even tell the whole story.  I went 10 whole days without a swim!  And the combination of more junk food and less training has naturally led to a few pounds of flab finding their way back home.  (Home is my body; specifically my mid-section, in case that was not clear.)

A few months ago a disappointing training week like that would have scared the crap out of me.  Fortunately, I now have enough consistent training under my (too-tight) belt that a bad week doesn't necessarily mean disaster.  It represents a lost opportunity for progress, sure, but not necessarily actual regression.  The good news is that although the quantity of my workouts was truly pathetic, the quality was fantastic.  Both of my recent tempo runs have been great, which is a huge relief after I found myself seeming to go slower and slower during "marathon training."  I got in my long ride and transition run, which is probably the single most important workout of any given week.

At the beginning of this new training week I don't feel any more fit, but I don't feel any less fit, so now I can just keep moving forward.

Long day

Today was my long workout day.  40 mile bike ride followed by 20 minute "transition" run.  True to form I hated the first few miles.  Around mile 4 I looked at my odometer and thought, "Is this almost over yet?  I can't believe I have to do this for 2 1/2 more hours."  But I told myself, "You know the drill.  The first few miles always suck.  It will get fun around mile 7.  Just deal with it."  And sure enough, right around mile 7, like clockwork, I started to relax, settle in, and enjoy myself.  It wasn't all fun and games after that, since it was very windy, and eventually I started to get tired and frankly, a little bored.  I was ready to stop at mile 30, at which point I was back near my car, but I planned to ride 40 miles, so I turned around and headed back out on the canal path to get in another 10 miles.  I expected to be super bored riding the exact same path I had already ridden out and back already, but it was actually the exact opposite.  Everything was familiar, so I felt very comfortable and even stopped braking on the way into the steep, dark underpasses.  I finished back at my car after 39.55 miles, then changed my shorts and shoes and ran for 20 minutes.

I was parked in a shopping center parking lot, in a quiet back area.  I had to change from my bike shorts (designed to be worn without underwear, to prevent chafing) into my running shorts (also worn without underwear, with the "brief' built in).  So, essentially, there was a period of time when I was bare-assed in the front seat of my car.  Naturally, of the entire sprawling parking lot, the car parked next to me is the one that has a guy in it.  Not entering or exiting the vehicle.  Just sitting in the driver's seat, innocently reading his Kindle.  Really?  The whole parking lot!  The guy who sits in his car and reads is the one who parks next to me!

I managed to change with no indecent exposure and go for my run.  I think I did a great job fueling during my ride because I felt great on my run!  Last time I did a 36 mile ride and during the transition run afterward I felt weak, even lightheaded, and actually stopped to walk a couple times.  But this time I felt great.

At the end I had averaged 14 mph for the 40 mile ride, which is not good.  That is not gonna cut it.  It was very windy, and not a head wind out and tail wind back.  It was a crazy cross-wind that was often hitting me hard from the side and changing direction, so that I occasionally got an awesome tailwind, but not even close to half the ride.  It really surprised me that I averaged 14 mph today, on a path without traffic or stoplights.  On the Ironman course I averaged 16 mph, and about 12 miles of that was scary nervous traffic riding.  But about 11 miles of that was also downhill.

I clearly have a lot of speed to gain, but for now I am just happy to be getting in long rides, getting more comfortable on the bike, and actually enjoying myself from time to time!

Location, Location, Location

I went shopping at Performance Bike today.  Performance Bike in Chandler is where I test rode the tri bike...right into the ground.  Today I went to the Performance Bike location in Peoria.

Notice anything?  URGENT CARE right next door to the bike shop!  Brilliant!  This location is where I will test ride bikes in the future!

Running in new cities

One of the things I love about traveling is running in new places.  Now, many of the places I travel to are not particularly conducive to running (India, Nepal, Ghana, Egypt to name a few).  Also, the way I typically travel is not conducive to running (everything has to fit in a small backpack; showers tend to be inconsistent).  However, on domestic trips, or the occasional trip to a more developed country, I love to run around a new place.  It is a great way to get a feel for a place, and it usually results in a great run because of new scenery and, often, great weather.

On a trip to Europe with my dad several years go, jet lag had me needing a nap at 4 in the afternoon, but on the upside I was wide awake before 6 every morning.  It gave me a perfect chance to run around places like Frankfurt and Amsterdam before the crowds filled the streets.  On a trip to Norway one summer, Karin and I got to do training runs for our first ever half marathon along forested paths around beautiful lakes at 10 pm, since the sun never really sets there in the summer.

Amsterdam

Running path on outskirts of Oslo, Norway

A couple of days ago Karin and I went to Portland, OR for my birthday.  Our hotel was on the waterfront of the Willamette River, and as we were walking to the hotel, I was already excited to go running!  (Non-runners tend to be baffled by this impulse.)  There was a beautiful path right along the riverfront, and there were multiple bridges crisscrossing the river, all with pedestrian/bike paths.  I didn't get in a run on my birthday because I was too busy sampling the culinary delights of Portland...

Who needs birthday cake?! Waiting in line at the
famous Voodoo Donuts.

Happy Birthday to me!

Getting pad Thai at one of Portland's many food trucks!

                                                                                 
Fortunately the next day, once I recovered from my birthday food hangover, I got in an awesome 5.5 mile run along the Willamette River.

Riverfront running path

Running across one of many bridges that cross the river.

I felt great the whole run, no doubt due to the temperature in the high 40's and lack of withering desert sun, as well as the fresh scenery.  It felt great to run on "fresh" legs...actually, fresher than they should ever be during Ironman training...I had planned to take my birthday off from training, but I accidentally also took the 2 days before my birthday off from training as well.  Oops!  Worse yet, I certainly did not take those days off from eating!  My diet has been atrocious the last few days, and consequently I was surprised I felt so good on the run.

Now it's back to regular training in Phoenix, but there are plenty of runs in other cities in my future.  Thanks to my job with the airline it is actually completely realistic for me to fly to another city just to go for a long run.  So once I start doing long runs over 10 miles, which will be right around the time thermometers in Phoenix stop going below 90 degrees, even at night, I will be heading out of town for the long runs.

Some favorite running cities I hope are in my future:

Seattle

 

San Fransisco

San Diego

Happy Birthday to Me!

April 11th

What happens when an Ironman turns 35?

She enters a new age group! [35-39] here I come!

Evolution

Let's review the evolution of my Ironman training "plan" since I began this adventure:

Then:
Training to race a marathon requires a good deal of run-specific training, which detracts from your overall triathlon training, as well as a long recovery after the race.
Now:
I guess I am running a marathon!

Then:
Usually my training runs include a tempo run and repeats or intervals each week, in addition to a long run.  But I was so worried about getting in the mileage for the marathon that my speed workouts have fallen by the wayside.
Now:
I should focus on strength and speed in the early part of my training, and worry about building endurance as I get closer to the Ironman.

Then:
I am ashamed to admit that I have not been on my bike since the Tour de Palm Springs, 12 days ago.

My goal for the rest of my base training phase, which will last until the end of May, is to just get on my bike and ride as often as possible.  I am not going to worry about too many speed workouts. 

Until I build up my comfort and confidence on the bike I can't really focus on building the speed and power I need.

Now:
I have actually read that riding on a trainer (an actual road bike mounted on a stationery stand) can be a more effective workout than riding an actual bike on the road, because there is no coasting, no stopping, no tailwind; and you can completely focus on your workout without petty distractions like trying to stay alive.  

I am thinking the best plan for my training for now may be to do 2 rides a week on the spin bike and just do my weekly long ride on the road, so I can build my strength and speed indoors and still improve my bike handling skills outside. 

Now and Then:
My fear of the bike has reached epic proportions.

I felt much more comfortable on the bike.  By the end of my ride, I had actually ENJOYED myself.  There is hope for me yet!

That is when I made another discovery: the first few miles of every ride suck.  

It seems the biggest evolution has been in my approach to training on the bike.  And now it is changing yet again.  I am sticking with my most recent plan to work on strength and speed first for running and biking, and frequency and technique for swimming.  My current IDEAL weekly plan is this:

4 swims (3 short technique/speed focused, 1 long endurance-building)

3 runs [1 speed, 1 tempo (portion at race pace), 1 long]

3 rides (1 speed indoors, 1 hill simulation indoors, one long outside-followed by short "transition" run)

3 strength sessions (2 weights, 1 plyometrics)

But now I will be replacing the long run with an extra bike session for the rest of my base training (until July 1st).  There are several reasons for this change.  1. Running is the only one of the 3 sports in which I will improve by doing the other two.  Biking and swimming will make me a better runner, but running will not make me a better biker or swimmer.  2. I have the biggest background in running, so I already have muscle memory and a base to draw on, which will make it easier to build my running efficiency more quickly, whereas improvement in the other sports will require more time. 3. My efficiency in the swim and the bike will set me up for a successful run, which makes improving in those 2 areas almost more important than becoming a better runner.  4. The weekly run I will be eliminating temporarily will be the long run, which is designed to train your body to continue working efficiently when tired.  Running a few miles immediately after a 3 hour bike ride will effectively do the same thing.  The shorter, more intense runs will actually go farther toward improving my form and running efficiency.  (Also, on a side note, I will be on vacation for almost 2 weeks in June where I will only be able to run and swim, so I want to build as much bike fitness as possible before that.)

I emphasized IDEAL in CAPS, bold and italics because that ideal week, thus far, exists only on paper.  In reality I have not managed one yet.  I have gotten very close, very consistently for the last 5 weeks or so.  I think I have hit all 3 key bike workouts each week since I added indoor riding.  I am usually missing either a run, a swim, or a strength session.  In fact I am almost always missing at least one key run session, so I suppose I am not so much replacing a run with a ride, but just adding a ride to my actual (as opposed to ideal) training week. 

To recap: My new plan is still get strong and fast, but now bike more and run less.

Happy (early) Birthday to me!

My birthday is still a few days away, but I already got my present!  Actually, more than one.  About a month ago Karin gave me these:

Swim paddles add resistance to improve strength and technique.

It's not her fault.  She had to give them to me early because I bought my own, and she had already ordered these online.  So she had to tell me about them so I could return the ones I bought.  And once I knew about them, well, she couldn't very well keep them from me!

Then 2 days ago I came home after a 15 hour shift at work and walked into the bedroom to find this:

My first thought, naturally, was "Why is my bike inside?"  Then I got a closer look and realized why...

Attached to my bike was a brand new BIKE TRAINER!  This is how you ride your bike indoors!  As I am sure I have mentioned before, indoor riding is very effective training.  Until now I have been trying to do a couple indoor training rides a week, one focusing on speed (intense intervals) and one focusing on strength (intense hill simulation).  I have been doing them on this:

This is the spin bike at the gym.  It is great for training, as it allows me to set resistance and speed and is quite close to the positioning of my road bike.  What this really is, quite simply, is the second best choice for indoor training.  I do just about everything in my life with the second best equipment available, because I am cheap.  More accurately, I am very careful about how I prioritize my limited financial assets.  Indoor cycling trainers are expensive.  I already dropped $700 just to enter this Ironman, and there are many expenses involved that are not optional.  I need a wetsuit. (62 degree water for 2.4 miles)  I need padded shorts.  I need good running shoes.  It is absolutely ideal to train indoors in the comfort of my own home on my own schedule, but more importantly, on the actual exact bike I will ride in the Ironman.  But ideal is not my area.  Second best is my area.  That is where I am comfortable.  That is where I feel at home.  That is where I save my money for necessities.

Luckily I have Karin.  Karin loves to get me the things that I really, really should have, but that I will never get for myself.  Because these things tend to be extravagant (by my standards), she sometimes has to convince me that I really, really should have it.  

Six years ago, when I sold my car and decided to make a bike my sole transportation, Karin surprised me with this:

My beloved commuter bike

I was convinced this was an unnecessarily extravagant gift, because my sister had (indefinitely) loaned me her Madwagon 3-speed beach cruiser, complete with fat white-walled tires and a big metal basket in the front.  Braking required pedaling backwards.  Basically I looked like the Wicked Witch of the West riding this thing to work at the airport.  It seemed to get flat tires constantly, which were a pain to change without a quick release, but it did the job, and that is all I needed.  So I thought.  Needless to say, the bike Karin gave me made my life a lot easier and became my constant companion for the next four years until I got this:

This was not a gift from Karin.  But I digress...

The bottom line is, often Karin knows what I need more than I do, and as a result has made my life a lot easier along the way.  A lot of what I own will always be the second best option, aka the one within my budget.  But every once in a while (aka birthdays and Christmas) I move into the best option bracket.  It takes me a while to get comfortable in that neighborhood, but once I settle in, I sure love it there.

Lesson learned

The long workouts in Ironman training are about more than just conditioning my body to workout for a long time.  They are a chance to learn about how to fuel my body come race day.  Today I learned a lot!

I rode 36 miles today, followed by a 2.5 mile "transition" run, which is designed to get my body used to running off the bike.  The ride took about 2 1/2 hours, most of it on city streets, but with a bike lane almost the whole way.  For fuel I brought along animal crackers, a granola bar, and some energy chews, which are specifically designed for endurance sports (according to the ingenious marketing at least); for hydration I had a 22 oz. bottle of water and a 22 oz. bottle of mostly Gatorade mixed with water.  I finished both bottles, but only ate some animal crackers.  I should aim to get 200-300 calories an hour on the bike, and I think I probably only got about 250 calories total during the whole 2 1/2 hours.  Also, it was in the mid to high 80s during my ride and I am sure I should have drunken more than 42 oz. of liquid over 2 1/2 hours.  I was covered in salt and at no point during my ride did I feel even the slightest urge to pee.  I felt okay most of the ride, though the last 10 miles or so I was very tired.  But it wasn't until I started running that I immediately noticed my mistake.  I had fueled myself on the bike, to complete the bike ride.  In triathlon, you fuel yourself on the bike for the run.  Probably the most important aspect of the bike leg is to set yourself up for a good run, in large part by fueling yourself adequately on the bike when it is easier to ingest fuel.  I didn't even think about the run until I was off the bike, and I felt it immediately.  I felt weak and tired for most of the 2.5 mile run.  The good news is, my legs felt great!  So it was a good indicator of my physical ability to transition, and it was a great learning experience for what to pay attention to next time.

The Ironman Arizona bike legs includes a 10-11 mile gradual hill, which we cover 3 times each way, so 3 uphills and 3 downhills.  This means that for me to be successful I need to get both stronger (for the uphill) and BRAVER (for the downhill!).  On my last long ride, which was on the Ironman course, I was going upward of 27 mph on the downhill without even trying.  If I don't have the balls to take advantage of gravity come race day, I am literally giving away free speed!

Today's workout

Getting ready to snowboard at Park City, UT

I always try to get in, at the very least, a few days of snowboarding each season.  Since I fly for free, and Park City in Utah gives a free lift ticket with a same-day boarding pass, I usually get in several day trips snowboarding in Park City, for just the price of a shared rental car and gas.  This year I did not make it up there at all until today.  This will be my only day of boarding this season, but at least I got there once!  This season has been different than most years, with my focus on Ironman.  Every time a day came around that I planned to go, I would have to get up so early to catch the flight, and then I would be gone all day, when often I just wanted to spend days off training.  (Of course, those were usually the days I ended up doing things like crashing a tri-bike.)  Next season will be different.  I will get on the mountain a lot more.  But this year is...THE YEAR OF IRONMAN.

Let's talk about running shoes...again!

So many shoes to choose from!

I have been in the market for a new running shoe for quite a while now.  I have spent a ridiculous amount of hours online looking at different running shoes, and the reason is that you really cannot figure out what running shoe you need online.  You need to go try shoes on.  That is the only way.  But since I have been unable to put in the actual foot work (pun, unfortunately, intended), rather than spend an hour at the running store I have spent 20 hours online getting no closer to finding my shoe.

What kind of runner am I?  Let's find out!

Finally on Monday I managed to get myself to Road Runner Sports where they not only have every variety of running shoe but a fancy system of figuring out how you run and what kind of shoe you need.  I went in and did the tests, and it turns out I have a fairly wide foot and a medium arch, I am a mid foot striker (landing on the middle of my foot, as opposed to heel or forefoot), and I overpronate (my foot rolls slightly inward after it strikes the ground).  I had suspected all of these things about myself, so it is nice to have some objective confirmation.  So I proceeded to try on just about every shoe they had for a runner like me.  I ran laps around the outside of the store, sometimes with a different shoe on each foot.  And after all that, this is what I found:

The Mizuno Inspire 9.  Size 10 WIDE!

They cost $103!  I have never ever ever spent that much on a running shoe before.  But the way I look at it I was paying for the expertise and the opportunity to really effectively compare various shoes side by side.  So now that I know what I need and like, when the new models come out and the old ones go on sale, I can get the old ones online super cheap.  So clearly it is an investment in my future.  Another way to look at it is this: After driving Karin crazy with inconclusive, ridiculously detailed running shoe talk for the last several months, I finally paid people to talk with me about running shoes!  And now Karin can rest in peace for about 6 months.