Ready, Set, Pale-GO

It is Monday, April 30th.  Today marks Day #1 of my second Paleo experiment.

And it started with a cook off!  Ok, not so much.  But five hours in the kitchen prepping, cooking, packaging, and eating must count for something.  I'm really hoping mass prep helps alleviate some stress this time around.  

I'll be posting weekly Paleo updates with how it's going, what I'm eating, and other random food thoughts.  So please feel free to ask me any questions you might have.  This whole endeavor is an experiment, and the more questions I can answer with it, the more productive it will be.

One question I'm sure someone will be wondering...

Q: What's for breakfast?!

A: Well, I can't eat cereal, oatmeal, no peanut butter to go with my banana, orange juice...  It's funny.  The last Paleo stint left me without any desire to go back to "normal" breakfast food.  So this morning I went back to my old Paleo favorite - fish and veggies!  Odd, I know, but it does the trick.  I throw in a mandarin or clementine to sub for my orange juice and a banana too.  Then I'll snack on nuts 'till lunch (after I make a trip to the store later today to buy them).  I'm sure you're thinking "What about eggs?!"  I plan on having them Tuesdays and Fridays, but I got sick of eggs last time around. 


Here is a question from Sam @ Chasing the Black Line to Ironman that I felt worth sharing (plus, I don't have her email to respond directly).

I was wondering what your 'carb load' meal will be the night before race day? And do you allow GUs etc into your plan as I guess it falls outside of the Paleo guidelines. 

You're right.  GU doesn't exactly fit the Paleo mold.  However, I will allow GUs and/or other race day nutrition, but only during training.  Nutrition is the part of triathlon I feel the furthest away from grasping, so I certainly will be doing some testing in the next five weeks.

Will I carbo-load?  That will depend on how I feel on Paleo.  If in three weeks I feel I have enough energy on my long training days/weeks, then I'll forgo carbo-loading.  However, the alternative is that I will add in carb-heavy paleo foods the week before the race.

In addition, one thing I want to say is that I fall into the category of people who feel carbo-loading the day before (within 24 hours of your race) is only detrimental to your race.  From what I've read, it takes up to 48 hours for your body to store carbs as glycogen in your body.  Therefore, what you eat the 2-3 days (or for safety sake, the week) before your race is much more important.  In my opinion, meals within 24 hours of your race should be light, easily digestible, and energy/nutrient focused (fruits, veggies, lean meats, light on carbs). Just some food for thought!  (*pun intended*)

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Questions

1.  When's the last time you experimented with your own diet?

2.  Do you like to try new things or do you stick to a set habit?
I always used to stick to my go-tos, but have become much more experimental in the last four years.  


Swim fast.  Bike smart.  Run hard.  

Training Week Review (04/23 - 04/29)

Recovery Week #3

TOTALS
Swim -5250 yards (3.0 miles)
I started doing longer workouts.  I have to keep doing 3000+ instead of only 2000 where half is a warm up & cool down. 

Bike - 32.91 miles
Even I'm not proud of that!  With car issues and recovery week, I ended up missing two short rides.

Run - 19.41 miles
Despite not running until Friday, I'm was happy with this week's running. 

MONDAY

OFF

TUESDAY

EXPERIMENT
Retested my cadence
(*Should have a post about that up soon*)

SWIM
2250 yards

 500 FBB
5x 50s on 0:50
4-3-2-1 swim
5x 100s on 1:35
5x 100s on 1:30

WEDNESDAY

BIKE
(trainer)
11.68 miles in 30:14 at 23.18 mph

THURSDAY

OFF

** My car decided not to cooperate with me Wednesday afternoon
so I had to deal with it's hissy fit and get it fixed **

FRIDAY

RUN
5.5 miles in 39:20 at 7:09 pace

** Hill, hills, hills, hills, hills!!

I was very happy with that time given over 350 ft of elevation change **

STRENGTH
Legs

WU: 10x body squats, step up, lunges, burpees

Circuit #1 (2 sets of 10)
Goblet Squats (40lb)
Weighted Step Up (60lb)
Weighted Forward Lunge (60lb)
Single Leg Squat on bench
Burpees

Circuit #2 (2 sets of 10)
Thrusters (75lb)
Goblet Side Lunge (30lb)
Weighted Raised Single Leg Squat (60lb)
Box Jump
Over-Box Jump

SATURDAY

RUN
6.01 miles with 10k running group

BIKE
21.23 miles in 1:14:36 at 17.07 mph

** Exploratory ride around town **

SUNDAY

SWIM
3000 yards

500 FBB
10x 50s on 0:50
1500 Swim (23:05 = 1:32/100yd pace)
500 FBB

YOGA


RUN
7.9 miles in 59:46 at 7:34 pace

** The first 4-5 miles went great.

Then my lunch started bothering me.

I'm hoping Paleo takes care of the running GI issues. **

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Questions

1.  How was your training week?  


Swim fast.  Bike smart.  Run hard. 

The Second Coming of Paleo

Remember the 30 Day Paleo Experiment (START & FINISH)?  Remember how one of my 2012 goals was testing Paleo under training conditions?  Well...

Paleo is back!!  

Ok, I'm lying.  It'll be back officially as of 0:00 Monday morning (yes, I use military time!), but I'm in full preparation for it.  Two stops today at Aldi's and Stop & Shop.  I just need to stop at Price Chopper after tomorrow's morning swim for some portabello mushrooms and get raw nuts from Whole Foods and I'll be all set!  ...I hope.

Here are a few details about this second round...

Why am I returning to Paleo?
1.  Revolution3 Quassy Half.  I have my first A-race in June, just 5 weeks from today, and I want to be in the best shape for it.  I know that nutrition is a big part of that.  Not that I've neglected my nutrition since January though.  I chose to let myself focus on the miles and intensity first and now that that's set, I'll tweak the nutrition. 

2.  Fat over Carb Metabolism.  The paleo (caveman) diet cuts out all processed foods including carbs which will hopefully train my body to utilize fats more efficiently and rely less on carbs.  The last time around, I felt much more consistent energy and I'm hoping adding training to the mix doesn't change that.

3.  Racing Weight.  I won't lie - I'm hoping to drop a few pounds.  Last time, I dropped around 8 lbs in the first week of Paleo.  I'm currently around 170 lb and I'd like to be closer to 160 lb.  Don't worry though.  I'll be keeping a very close eye on my weight, body fat percentage, and how I feel.  If it goes to far, I WILL pull the plug

What am I allowed to eat?
Just like last time, I will be using a stricter form of Paleo.  If it can't be picked, gathered, or caught, I will not eat it.  However, as opposed to last time, I will be giving myself one cheat day each week to help avoid calorie deficits if need be.  I won't let myself go off the deep end.  

How long will the Paleo diet last?
Five weeks.  Right through Rev3 race day, Sunday, June 3rd.  After that, I will re-evaluate how I feel.

One exception - if I feel the diet hinders my training, I will re-evaluate and either alter or scrap the whole endeavor.

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Questions

1.  Do you change your diet prior to your A-priority races?  

2.  I'm all ears for extra Paleo meal/snack ideas!


Swim fast.  Bike smart.  Run hard. 

I need your wetsuit fitting advice.

Do you own a wetsuit?  

If so, then I need your advice on a fit for my very first wetsuit. 

I have an extensive swimming background, so I've gone with sleeveless instead of sleeves - I don't like the idea of restricting shoulder movement.  This will also be my first wetsuit, so I'm alien to what the small nuances are (fitting, styles, company differences, etc.)

I'm looking to get the Xterra Vortex Sleeveless wetsuit and I'm inbetween sizes.  Currently, I am 6'0" and 170lb which puts me on the low end of a Medium-Long size.

However, as of Monday I will be going back on the Paleo diet.  If you recall from my previous experiment, read it HERE, I lost roughly 8 lbs.  If that happens again, I'll be closer to 160lb and this would then put me at a Small-Long size.

The person I talked to at Xterra said that I would be best in a Medium-Long unless I realistically see myself being down below 163.  If that happens, then I should get a Small-Long.

I don't know what size to order!!!

I can of course get the suit, test it out, and exchange it if need be, but I'd prefer to get it over with in one shipping.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Do wetsuits really expand a half size when wet?  Should I get the Medium-Long so that I can use it during training when I'm 170lb too?  Will the Medium-Long feel big if I cut down in weight and stay there?  Will the Short-Long be too tight to swim in when I'm back to 170lb?  I've also done all my swimming without a wetsuit so far, so should I just get the race-ready suit and leave it at that?  I don't know!

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Questions

1.  Are the differences in wetsuit sizes drastic enough to make a huge difference to people that are on the fence? 
I've read reviews of people who order one size smaller normally so they have a "race fit."

2.  Let's say I get a Small-Long.  Would you expect that to be uncomfortable to wear during training if I pop above the weight range?
My inclination is to order a Small-Long, see how it fits NOW, and go from there.  If it's WAY too tight, then I'll exchange it.  If it fits well or is JUST a tad tight and I'm sure Paleo will make it fit well, then I'll stick with it.


Swim fast.  Bike smart.  Run hard. 

Training Week Review (04/16 - 04/22)

TOTALS
Swim - 6250 yards (3.6 miles)
212.5% increase in weekly mileage (4.2% over the prior week)

Bike - 59.39 miles
56.6% increase in weekly mileage (1.8% under the prior week)

Run -26.44 miles
28.1% increase in weekly mileage (71.5% over the prior week)

MONDAY

BIKE
(commute to work)
11.4 miles in 42:24 at 16.1mph

BIKE
(commute home)
11.6 miles in 37:21 at 18.5

** That ride broke my previous record of just over 38 minutes. AWESOME! **

TUESDAY

CROSSFIT
21, 15, 9 reps of...

Thrusters (95lb, 75lb, 75lb)
Pullups

TOTAL = 10:52

** I've begun to get kipping down, but only JUST.

This workout was brutal!!  **

SWIM
2250 yards

500 FBB
10x 50s on 0:50
10x 100s on 1:40
250 FBB

WEDNESDAY

RUN
5.12 miles in 36:24 at 7:07 pace

THURSDAY

BIKE
11.73 miles in 40:16 at 17.48 mph
11.9 miles in 38:07 at 18.74 mph

FRIDAY

CROSSFIT
20 minute AMRAP of...

10 box jumps
10 dumbbell swings (35lb)
Round # pullups (round 1 = 1, round 2 = 2, etc.)

FINISH = 14 rounds completed
(...plus jumps and swing)

** For those of you who are curious, that's 105 pullups!! 

Booyah!!  **

RUN
4.18 miles in 32:04 at 7:40 pace

** Does running when my legs feel like bricks count as a BRICK RUN? **

SWIM
2000 yards

500 FBB
10x 50s on 0:55
3x 4-3-2-1 swim
250 FBB

SATURDAY

RUN
5.02 miles with my 10k training group

BIKE
12.76 miles in 41:30 at 18.46 mph

SUNDAY

SWIM
2000 yards

500 FBB
5x 50s on 0:55
5x 50s on 0:50
5x 50s on 0:45
4-3-2-1 swim
500 FBB

YOGA
1:10 of yoga

RUN
12.12 miles in 1:33:37 at 7:43 pace

** I had "12m run" on the schedule.

I debated interpreting that as twelve minutes instead of miles

due to being tired and the rain.

Turns out, the run was amazing and I felt GREAT! **

Onto recovery week #3 (yay!).  It's all race week with a...  I'll call it a One-Third Ironman triathlon coming up on Sunday.

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Questions

1.  How was your training week?  


Swim fast.  Bike smart.  Run hard. 

Add THAT to the Tri-Skill List

No matter what we do, we all imitate those we find look or are better at it.  The first time you joined a school sport, you copied the awesome seniors who kicked your a$$.  You might have watched the professionals on tv and tried to mimic their movement, finese, and the like.

No matter how much we might enjoy being unique, there's a part of us that always wants to fit in and be like the rest.

This will be my third triathlon season and after multiple sprints, olys, and halves, I've watched with curiosity as the official looking triathletes run with their bikes only holding the seat.  I've tried, I've tried, and I've tried again, but every time I do, the handlebars fall to the sides and the bike goes in all directions other than straight.

I would normally be tripping over the front tire if I did this!

But Saturday, as I headed out with the tri bike on a quick ride around town, I was holding the seat as I closed a door behind me and when I walked away, I noticed that the handlebars remained straight.  I began to jog.  The handlebars bent slightly to the left, but I pushed the bike to the right and they straightened out.

Holy Cow!  I can run with a bike just like a real triathlete!

"I'm a real boy" 

begins ringing in my head.

I'm pretty sure the tri bike had something to do with it compared to the road bike I've used before.  But that doesn't stop me from feeling proud of my new skill.

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Questions

1.  What sport-related skill were you excited to acquire?  
Before this new skill, it was riding a road bike without my hands and the running bike mount.

2.  What skill would you like to acquire? 


Swim fast.  Bike smart.  Run hard. 

Running Shoe Confirmation

No, my shoe has not been attending Running Divinity lessons.  I should look into those though!

Anyways...  After this morning's running group, I headed with a friend to the local running store, Fleet Feet.  I've started thinking I'm nearing the end of my current running shoes, the Pearl Izumi Streak IIs.  I've considered getting another pair of them since they worked so well for me.  However, they've been a bother on my longer runs lately.  Both feet are starting to get blisters from moving around a bit much in the toe box.  My right foot also has started feeling a pain on the lateral ball of the foot and it coincides with that side of the shoe becoming discolored. 

With that in mind, I've debated whether I should get a different pair of shoes or the same ones.  These shoes were the most expensive ones I've ever had and I'm not a fan of spending money when I can get away with spending less. 

At the shop, I tried on a pair of Brooks and the Adidas adiZero Boston.  The Brooks were incredibly cushiony and had a material injected in the EVA that was like a green gel we played with back in high school earth science.  As pressure is applied to it slowly, it gives way easily.  As the velocity of the pressure is increased, the material stiffens.  Pretty cool!  Altogether, the cushion was too much and the midfoot was a bit tight.  The Adidas Bostons were much better in the midfoot, but too tight in the toe box. 

Lastly, I tried a new pair of the Streak IIs on and as i slipped my foot into it, it felt like putting on an incredibly comfortable slipper that wrapped snuggly around my foot.  They're incredible!!  The size 11s felt much better than my current size 11.5s, but the toe box is just a tad too short.  So unless I find a different pair or shoes that I like, it'll be another pair of Pearl Izumi Streak IIs! 

Not to mention I might order a pair of the Pearl Izumi ISO Transitions next week. 

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Questions

1.  Do you have a 'go to' running shoes?


Swim fast.  Bike smart.  Run hard. 

No, I'm not Pro...

...yet.

I had an anonymous comment on yesterday's blog post from a "Thomas" that asked if I had been a pro cyclist in the past.

Since I can't respond via email to an anonymous comment, I want to let you know Thomas that I have never been and currently am nowhere near the pro level.  Unfortunately, the ride data for my training is a bit deceiving.

Up until a few weeks ago, I've been doing all my rides on my Blackburn Trakstand Mag 3 trainer, which is where I will frequently ride 25 miles at 24-26 mph which honestly is still most likely 80% of my maximum.  As we all know, though, the trainer is a poor comparison to the open road.  My current best times for the bike portion of sprint up to half iron distance tris has me at roughly 19 mph.  Hopefully that will be increasing this year as I focus more on training and have a better (non-craigslist, actually tuned and fitted) bike this time around.

My goal, however, Thomas, IS to eventually go pro.  In triathlon though; not cycling.  So here's to being able to answering that question in a few years in the other way!!


I also have been looking for a new trainer as well.  The Blackburn has been great, but I find myself frequently maxing out on the resistance.  I've used a CycleOps at the local bike shop and feel there's a much higher ceiling on their units.  It's just a matter of finding one for the right price.

Anyone have suggestions for trainers?

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Questions

1.  Does anyone have a suggestion for a better trainer?
Do I simply need to go with a fluid trainer or are there magnetic trainers with higher resistance out there?

2.  How do your trainer rides compare to your outdoor rides?
Do you ride at the same speed or is one naturally faster?


Swim fast.  Bike smart.  Run hard. 

Another Wish List Trip to the LBS

I have a tri in just under two weeks and I was in need of a way in which to carry my CO2 cartridges, tube, and valve.  So I stopped into the LBS today and I should know better by now!

ME: "I was hoping you guys could help me figure out how to carry the CO2, tubes, levers, etc. on the tri bike."
LBS: "XLab wings will be in next week."

XLab Turbo Wing with an attached X-Nut

What I'm going to need is a "wing" that attaches to the back of the saddle.  Onto the wing you can attach a "nut" that holds two CO2 cartridges and your valve and strap on a tire tube.  Then if I ever decide to, I can add one or two bottle cages.  But the wings won't be in until next week, so I have to wait to get it.  From online, they look like it'll run me $50-70 plus the $15 nut. 

Then as we're up at the computers looking up prices, I notice that one of the employees is wearing the Pearl Izumi ISO Transitions. 

 

ME: "Those are the Transitions, right?"
LBS: "Yeah, just got 'em."
ME: "Where did you get 'em?"
LBS: "We sell them here."

So of course now I have to try the Transitions on!!  They had a pair of 11s and 12s.  From those pairs, I'm sure I'll take an 11.5.  And with a 15% discount at the shop, I'm quite happy to have found them.  They're $120.  I might have to make that order next week when I pick up the XLab wing. 

ME: "So...  Anything else new come in or coming in soon I should know about?"
LBS: "We've got the tri apparel - shorts and jerseys - coming in next week."
ME: "Hahaha.  I do need a jersey."

Then I looked at Tri shoes.  They range at this shop from $129 to $199 or more.  I liked the Grio and Pearl Izumi shoes, but the Bontrager was a bit narrow.  As much as I'm sure everyone will tell me that these are a big necessity, I might wait until after Rev3 to get them. 

Lastly, I took a quick look at tires.  I've been using the factory tires on my Felt S22 and know that by June, I'll need a new pair.  I'm debating between getting a pair of racing tires to use just for racing or if I should get a pair of more stable tires that will last me longer.  I'm leaning towards the latter.

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Questions

1.  How do you carry your CO2, levers, tube, and such? 
Do you have a wing, saddle bag, or something else?

2.  What's on your tri wish list?


Swim fast.  Bike smart.  Run hard. 

Training Week Review (04/09 - 04/15)

This week was tough with my trip to North Carolina over the weekend.  It came down to attempting to condense my workouts into fewer days and picking which to leave off. In the end, because I'm horrible at planning, it ended up being a "free for all" towards the end of the week. 

TOTALS
Swim - 2000 yards
66% decrease in weekly mileage

Bike - 37.98 miles
37.3% decrease in weekly mileage

Run - 20.64 miles
33.8% increase in weekly mileage

MONDAY

OFF

TUESDAY

STRENGTH


Circuit No.1
(2 Rounds of 10 reps each)
Weighted forward lunges (60lb)
Weighted Single Leg Reverse-Raised Squat (60lb)
Weighted Step Up (60lb)
Thrusters (75lb)
Burpees

Circuit No.2
(2 Rounds of 10 reps each)
Weighted Goblet Side Lunge (30lb)
Single Leg Forward-Raised Bench Squat
Box Jump

RUN
4.18 miles in 32:05 at 7:41 pace


** My legs felt like BRICKS for the first mile at a 7:56 pace,
but it eased up and I got down to a 7:10 by the end. **

SWIM
2000 yards

 250 FBB
10x 50s swim on 0:50
5x 100s swim on 1:50
5x 100s paddles on 1:40
250 FBB

WEDNESDAY

BIKE
11.3 miles in ~42:00
** Ride to work **

BIKE
11.6 miles in 44:55
** Ride home from work **

THURSDAY

BIKE
15.03 miles 34:12 at 26.38 mph

FRIDAY

 

** Traveling to North Carolina **

 

SATURDAY

RUN
5.21 miles in 36:04 at 6:55 pace

** It's much easier to fit in a run while on vacation
than to bring your bike or find a pool **

SUNDAY

RUN
11.24 miles in 1:26:52 at 7:43 pace

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Questions

1.  How was your training week?  


Swim fast.  Bike smart.  Run hard. 

Training Week Review (04/02 - 04/08)

Recovery Week #2

TOTALS
Swim - 6000 yards
0% change in weekly mileage

Bike - 60.48 miles
7.4% increase in weekly mileage

Run -15.42 miles
37.5% decrease in weekly mileage

MONDAY

OFF

TUESDAY

CROSSFIT

5 Rounds...

10x Thrusters (75lb)
10x Pushups
400m run

Round 1 = 3:05
Round 2 = 3:16
Round 3 = 3:00
Round 4 = 3:03
Round 5 = 3:21
TOTAL = 15:47

SWIM
2000 Yards

500 FBB
10x 50s catch/swim on 0:55
4-3-2-1 swim
10x 50s rooster-drag/swim on 0:55
4-3-2-1 swim

WEDNESDAY

BIKE
12.03 miles in 30:37 at 23.58 mph

RUN
4.24 miles in 27:00 at 6:22 pace

THURSDAY

BIKE
25.04 miles in 57:12 at 26.26 mph

FRIDAY

CROSSFIT
Worked on form with trainer
Tested one rep max for deadlift
200 lb deadlift

SWIM
2000 yards

500 FBB
5x 50s swim on 0:50
5x 100s swim on 1:40
5x 50s swim on 0:45
500 swim (7:46 - 1:33/100yd pace)

SATURDAY

RUN
4.1 miles with 10k training group

BIKE
12.05 miles in 29:47 at 24.31 mph

SUNDAY

BIKE
5.68 miles to the gym

SWIM
2000 yards

500 FBB
1000 swim (15:25 = 1:32/100yd pace)
500 FBB

BIKE
5.68 miles home from the gym

RUN
7.08 miles in 51:00 at 7:12 pace

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Questions

1.  How was your training week?  


Swim fast.  Bike smart.  Run hard. 

Something For Everybody

As I'm getting packed for a weekend in North Carolina, here's a list of random thoughts I haven't been able to fit into a coherent blog post.  Enjoy!


The Innocence
"The End of The Innocence" is a song by Don Henley.  It came on my "Walking in Memphis" Pandora station and I have to say I'm perplexed.  I admit that I respect Don Henley quite a bit, but there must be something I'm missing with the lyrics.  ...the innocence.  Why "the innocence."  Is Innocence a superhero like The Hulk?  Is it a wreslter?; The Rock?  Wouldn't it make a lot more sense to just say "This is the end of ... (no 'the')... innocence"?  Don, please get back to me on that!

Shit Triathlete's Don't Say
Remember all those "Shit (insert demographic)s Say" videos?  Well, THIS video came out for the kick off of Ironman 70.3 Oceanside and Galveston by the amazing Lesley Paterson.  I can't get enough of the reach for aerobottle straw!  What's your favorite line?

Dreams Do Come True
Want a feel good story?  HERE ya' go!  I saw this posted on Facebook recently.  A 9-year old boy spent his summer building a cardboard arcade and people reach out to absolutely make his day.  If I lived in the area, I would have come by for a Fun Pass myself!

My Latest Million Dollar Half-Baked Idea
Two words for ya'...  Over-Easy Pancakes.  Over-easy is one word, right? 

So I'm at work running a class when all of a sudden I start thinking about types of eggs - scrambled, poached, hard-boiled, omelets, sunny side up, over-easy, etc.  And then I ask myself "what goes great with eggs?  Pancakes!  I wonder what a pancake would taste like if I cooked it over-easy.  Hmmm..."  No, I was not under the influence of any drugs (unless a multivitamin counts).

What was your last - or most memorable - half-baked idea?


USDA Nutrition Calculator
Let's start by saying it's government approved.  You know what that means - take with a grain of salt.  Anyways, I found it interesting.  HERE is an online, interactive calculator for a majority of your main nutrients along with the basic calorie count.

According to the calculator, at 26 years old, 6'0" tall, and 170 pounds, I need somewhere between 3200 and 3700 calories a day.  We could get into a debate as to what "Active" and "Very Active" really mean, but let's just leave it at 'use at your own risk.' 

Any nutritionists out there care to weigh in on how closely this relates to your typical guidelines?

WetsuitRentals.com
As you may know, I'm in the market for a wetsuit (and I welcome advice or suggestions!).  In my search for all the various options, I came upon the website wetsuitrentals.com.  Not only does the site offer wetsuits for rental, but it also sells used wetsuits at a fraction of the price; great deals if you're in the market for something and don't care if it's an older model.

Anyways, I also found that the website keeps a history of the water temperatures at various races across the country; find it HERE.  Interested in doing a new triathlon, but don't like that the posted 'expected water temp' is ranged somewhere between 65 and 75?  Check out the list and see exactly where it's been the past. 




Swim fast.  Bike smart.  Run hard. 

A Loooong Day

Last night I got out of work around 10:15pm.  I get home, get a snack, wash up, and get in bed.  I have to read at least a few pages before bed, but I hit the lights at 11:33 (yes, I'm that exact with my timing) and I'm off to dreamland.

I have to get up early for work in the morning, so I had set my alarm for 5:40am.  You know how your body sometimes knows that the alarm is set and it wakes up just a little earlier.  I love it.  I feel much better waking up naturally than waking up to an alarm.  Too bad it didn't work that way for me last night.

I wake up and think "Ahhhh...  I'm up before the alarm.  Score!"  I lay there a minute allowing my body to slowly get up.  I grab my wrist, hit the backlight button on my watch... 

00:37

(yes, I keep my watch on military time)

What?  It's not even 1:00am yet?  I pulled the covers back up and went right back to bed.  The next time I woke up I kept thinking "Wow, that was weird.  Why would I wake up so soon after going to bed?!  Oh-well.  Time to get up."  I grab my wrist and...

01:40

Who's playing these evil tricks on me?!?  It continued in that fashion at least a couple more times before I remember waking up to my alarm.  Yup, my body didn't even have the decency to wake up just before the alarm.  Instead, let's wake up multiple times throughout the night and THEN let the alarm wake me up.  Great idea body.  If I wasn't attached to you, I'd fire your ass!; kick you out on the street where you belong. 

Aaaaaanyways, at 5:40am, I get up - I've had maybe 5.5 hours of broken sleep - and get breakfast.  I grab my stuff and I'm out the door; work by 7:00am.  Now, being a group fitness instructor, I don't have the luxury of being able to hide in a cubicle or at a desk for the first few hours of the day while my body slowly adjusts.  People are there at 7:00am sharp looking for an awesome, upbeat class to get them going!  "Good for you..." is all I can mentally respond. 

Now, a little side story...  My aunt is getting married this weekend.  She lives in North Carolina and I'll be flying down to be there Friday through Sunday.  With that said, I had to rearrange a bit of my training schedule to fit into a shortened available. week.  Therefore, I had previously decided - well before the broken sleep - to put my Wednesday run on Tuesday and double up the swim and run.  You can make your own call as to what you think I thought of that after work today. 

After work from 7am to 2pm and delaying as long as possible while I wrote out my upcoming workout, I put on my gym clothes and did a legs strength training workout.  I would detail it here, but my bed is looking quite inviting and I know I'll write it out for the Weekly Training Review anyways.  I'm sure you can wait.

Then I jump into my running clothes and head out for a 4.18 mile run with some good hills.  That first mile felt like I was wearing one of those lead lined chest protectors you wear when getting an X-ray that was made into pants.  My GOD my legs felt heavy!  Eventually they lightened up and I got down to a comfortable 7:10 pace.  It was a good thing I ran around work though.  If I had come home first I would have never made it back out. 

Then on the way home, I stopped at the other gym and hopped in the pool for a 2000 yard swim.  Swimming felt great since I had only worked my legs so far, but I could feel the energy level dropping fast. 

Things I've learned today...

1. Triple workouts after an early shift don't go over well and need to be better planned.
2. Running near work instead of going home first is a great idea!
3. Swimming always feels like the end of the day's workouts unless it's early on the weekend.
4. Always have an extra meal on hand.

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Questions

1.  Have you ever condensed your week's training?  Good idea, bad idea, indifferent?
I feel so tired today which is great because I worked hard, but hopefully I won't be mentally out of it for tomorrow's bike ride.

2.   Do you wake up early when you have to set an alarm?  Do you normally use an alarm?
I use an alarm twice a week for early shifts, but otherwise I never do.  Therefore, when I do set my alarm, my body/mind is primed to wake up quick thinking I've overslept.  

3.  Who would vote 'yes' for instituting nap time back into our daily work schedule?
I certainly would!


Swim fast.  Bike smart.  Run hard. 

Running Lessons

There are plenty of lessons we've learned over the course of our athletic "careers" and yesterday I relearned one of them...

Running Lesson #?? 

(I should really keep a list)

Know the location of all public buildings and gas stations along your route.

Public buildings?  Why do I need to know where the Library is?!  Public buildings can be used for all types of things such as cover from freak storms, a phone to call for a ride if things go bad, or as in yesterday's case, to alleviating GI issues.  My personal favorite stop is the gas station - far fewer questions and odd looks.

I had already swam and attended yoga in the morning.  After errands, a snack, and rest, I headed out for my long run, 11.45 miles.  At first, I thought my clothing debate was going to be my biggest issue.  Will sleeveless and gloves be warm enough?  About a mile in, that was taken over by a side stitch. Ugh!  I HATE side stitches.  I can always work through them, but they affect my breathing. That lasted for a looooong three miles and then I forgot all about it when the real big concern appeared, the ever-fun upset stomach.

Clothing and the heat/cold I've learned to deal with.  Side stitches can be worked out, even if I have to stop.  GI issues ruin everything!  You can't give up your pace/time goal and just enjoy the run.  You can't just ignore it and work through the pain.  Even after my pit stop, I still had an upset stomach.  All-in-all, I was still impressed with my 7:38 pace; just a tad faster than last week's 10.17 mile run.  But it was not an enjoyable run. 

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Questions

1.  What is the worst type of issue to get on a run?
Is it GI, wet socks, blisters, forgetting your body glide... ?  

2.  Have you ever had to stop to use the bathroom on a run?
If not, you are incredibly lucky and I hope it continues that way!  This was the 4th time I can recall stopping on a training run.  I also stopped twice during last year's marathon.


Swim fast.  Bike smart.  Run hard. 

Training Week Review (03/28 - 04/01)

Week #13

TOTALS
Swim - 6000 yards (3.4 miles)
14.3% increase in weekly mileage

Bike - 56.35 miles in 2:30:46 at 22.54 mph
6.9% decrease in weekly mileage

Run -24.69 miles at 7:20 pace
20.8% increase in weekly mileage

MONDAY

OFF

TUESDAY

SWIM

2000 yards

500 FBB

10x 50s with 0:10 rest

500 Swim

500 FBB

STRENGTH

Personal Trainer Session

Legs & Core

** This workout left my glutes and inner hamstrings sore all the way through Friday **

WEDNESDAY

RUN

5.28 miles in 37:22 at 7:05 pace

BIKE

11.18 miles in 30:16 at 22.16 mph

THURSDAY

BIKE
(trainer)
21.04 miles in 1:00:24 at 20.9 mph

FRIDAY

SWIM
2500 Yards

500 FBB
10x 50s on 0:55
10x 50s drill/swim on 0:55
2x 4,3,2,1
500 FBB

RUN
3.86 miles in 26:11 at 6:47 pace

SATURDAY

RUN
4.1 miles with 10k training group

** Cold AND Rainy.  What a way to start our training group! **

BIKE
(trainer)
12.11 miles in 30:15 at 24.01 mph

** This was the most difficult ride of the week **

BIKE
(trainer)
12.02 miles in 29:51 at 24.12 mph

** Despite having to convince myself to follow up with the second half of the day's ride, 
I felt like a million dollars after this workout **

SUNDAY

SWIM
1500 Yards

250 FBB
5x 50s on 1:00
5x 50s on 0:55
5x 50s on 0:50
5x 50s on 0:45
250 FBB

** That was the best swim workout I've had thus far **

YOGA

RUN
11.45 miles in 1:27:21 at 7:38 pace

** That was one nasty long run! **

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Questions

1.  How was your training week?  


Swim fast.  Bike smart.  Run hard.