No Injuries 2013

My new mantra for the fall/winter is "No Injuries 2013." I want to have an awesome race season with PR's all across the board. I want to be fast, for me anyway.  And I am tired of being injured. I'm tired of the bone spurs, the tendonitis, the fasciitis. All caused by improper training.

The ball

I tend to push until I hurt and then I sit. I'm terribly inconsistent in all my habits and it shows in my past training. The new training plan demands consistency. It's based on max aerobic heart rate training. No intervals, fartleks, hills, sprinting, fun stuff... That's what inspired my first Garmin purchase. It's the 405. I know it gets mixed reviews, but I'm willing to give it a try. Training with it is eye opening. I didn't think I was working hard on the bike, but the heart rate monitor said otherwise. A weight workout also pushed me out of that zone. This week I got to walk twice and my average speed was like 17 min miles. What!

The one thing the doctor told me I had to do if I wanted to succeed was, "Follow the plan. No cheating!" It's so frustrating to hear the beep and have to slow down. Of course, I can't wear it in the pool, so I have to manually check my heart rate at the end of each set. No annoying beeping there! Another eye opening and humiliating experience. I'm used to swimming about 1000 yards in 30 minutes. Now, it's closer to 600.

Everything about this is humbling. Is my fitness really rubbish? What have I been doing for the past 4 years? Does this thing even work!

Though I do have to admit, I get a kick out of uploading my data and reviewing it.

So, for now, the next few months anyway, my workouts will be short and boring and no cheating! (except maybe one Gran Fondo, but just the piccolo) The doctor promised I would start seeing improvements sooner rather than later, if I stuck to my plan. Thirty minutes, 5 times a week, 10 minute warm-up, 10 minute workout, 10 minute cool-down. I can do that for 2 more weeks. Right? Right!

Have you tried max aerobic heart rate training or zone training? Did you see improvements?

Part 4 Nation's ~ Final Thoughts

Location: DC is a fun place for a visit. A lot of my team did touristy things. I did not. My leg wouldn't stand a race and touring. The Hilton Hotel was very posh and comfortable. The maid service came while I was napping and I told her, I didn't need her to clean my room or give me fresh towels. This was post race. I left the room for a few minutes to pick up my bike and when I got back she'd cleaned the room, made the bed and left me fresh towels-- dedicated, takes pride in her job and on the sneaky side. I approve :D

Course: Swim: The Potomac gets a bad rap I think. The water was warm, the visibility was nil, but that's what I expected from a river being churned by thousands of bodies. I really wish I could have gotten in the water on Saturday so I could have gotten a feel for it. There was some chop, but no foul odors. The course was the best marked I've swum. However, the corrals need some rethinking. I know the intent of planning things the way they did. While the idea was good the execution wasn't great. The race really needs to get outside the box to make the swim newbie friendly.

Bike: There is no confusion about where to ride on this course. It had cones almost the entire way. There were a couple of pot holes that weren't marked that I wish had been, but most were and I've done races where none were marked. While, I'm still complaining and pondering how a course can be uphill both ways, I thought it was a fun ride. I wanted some downhills with technical turns and there was none of that, but if you're scared of hills and downhills, this is a course for you.

Run: Easy peasy. No hills, stops every mile, lots of spectators. I enjoyed it. :D

Swag: I'd have preferred a visor or hat over the lunch bag and the medal was just okay. The T-shirt was UT orange which would rock if I was still a UT fan and the shirt was men's and women's specific. Wish I'd know that when I'd ordered as I'd have gotten a different size. This isn't a swag race; it's a purpose race so no worries. It was fairly good overall.

Expo: You know what would have really made the expo perfect? If I'd won the $7,000 bike Dox-shots was giving away. There were some great deals on gear and ART people were there-- greatest peeps ever and there are none close to me. It was a nice expo. I got a TNT cycling jersey for $20 and some great compression socks for less than $30. I saw one t-shirt I really wanted, but didn't get as I'm on a T-shirt diet.

Should you do this race? Of course you should! It benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It's newbie friendly even with it's massive size. The only part of the course that needs work is the swim and I think that's a dilemma only a logistical pro with UPS can solve.

The biggest thing I take away from the Nation's Triathlon to Benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is I control the spirit of quit. It does not control me. All the plans in the world are useless if I don't remain flexible enough to work around an obstacle. That most horrible, terrible, mean swim that almost made me cry was probably the best thing that ever happened to me. It wasn't easy. It took me way outside my comfort zone. It humbled my spirit and made me stronger to remember faith.

I've started my rehab training plan: lighter workouts focused on aerobic heart rate training with absolutely no running. This is terribly frustrating, but I have faith that this slow rebuilding will heal my body and make me stronger for next year.  There can be no spirit of quit, only patience, diligence, and faith. My challenges are lesser than many people I got to speak with over this weekend. To everyone who told me a story of survival or loss, you are in my prayers. Your stories inspire me to be stronger. Thank you. And GO TEAM!

Oh, and I never did get that doughnut... 

Part 3 Nation's ~ Up Hill Both Ways

I've never been so hungry as when I came out of the water! I ate a honey stinger before I put my bike shoes on. I even sat in the grass to eat, drink and put on my shoes. I needed a moment to gather myself before hitting the bike course.

THERE IS NO DOWNHILL

I admit it. I like to complain. I'm good at it. Of course, Coach Richie says I only complain with a smile on my face so it's hard to take me seriously...

But there was NO DOWNHILL! None, none at all. I was still a bit energy depleted at the start of this ride, but I kept up a good cadence, kept eating and drinking. About mile 6, I started to feel like I had some more to give and cranked up the speed. The course itself was well marked and rolling to flat. There was one section that was a long, gradual incline and on the other side of the road were cyclists going down and I was really excited to get to that part for some free wheeling. Except, there was no free wheeling! What the heck happened to the DOWNHILL! 

I've described routes I've ridden around home as having "no hills." But there were times I was still able to get low and go fast and free wheel. This course I didn't find any of that! It felt like a really long spin class- I hate spin class. My ride wasn't consistent. I would have loved to have a bike computer to give me my stats on this course. I'm still learning when to eat and what gear is most efficient. But as a race, it was my best to date.

Socialcizing!

Before the race, I told Richie I was setting my watch to run 40 seconds and walk 1:25. I was fudging what the doctor said would be acceptable- as long as my tendon didn't hurt. I pre-cut some kinesio tape to apply for the run and tried to get it on like the PT showed me. That didn't workout so well... but anyway, I was feeling all HTFU! I wanted to be done and I was 6.2 miles from a doughnut.

I met this awesome lady, Theresa from Baltimore who decided to hang with me on my intervals. We talked the entire way. I forgot I was "racing" and just ran or walked when the watch beeped. I also remembered to eat my last few chews, sugar really makes a difference! The course was fun, even though I didn't notice any of the monuments. ADHD or exhaustion?

Because I had someone to share the miles with, it didn't feel hard at all. Theresa, if you read this, THANK YOU SO MUCH! The only time my tendon hurt was the last little bit when I decided to run to the finish line for over 3 minutes... My tendon hated that and let me know just before the finish line. Ice and compression socks helped :D I felt great after this race, mentally and physically. Well, after the ice bath and a nap. GO TEAM!

Part 4 ~ Final Thoughts

Part 2 Nation's ~ The Terrible, Horrible, Mean Swim That Almost Made Me Cry

Wetsuit illegal!

Before we lined up, after transition closed.
Me trying to pretend I'm excited to race.

The morning was cool and clear. The water was 81 degrees! Water temp was big news over the weekend  and a lot of new athletes opted to wear wetsuits anyway, but they had to start last. My friend Dawn, total badass and all around hero, was really counting on wearing the wetsuit. She's not a strong swimmer and enjoyed the buoyancy the wetsuit provides. She told me, with complete confidence, that she didn't need the wetsuit; most of her practice swims had been without it anyway. She was going at this with absolutely no fear and I was already doubting myself. We left transition, to line up close to our corrals. Of my teammates, I started last. The first wave started at 7. I didn't start until 8:15. I did not plan to stand around that long. I ate my pre-swim food too soon. And in the chill dawn, my nerves came back three-fold! I was sitting by myself on the curb, when a queasy feeling settled in my stomach. I got up to work out some of the nerves. I watched the guys head to the ramp. I took my flip flops and shirt to bag drop. Then the ladies headed to the ramp. My leg started hurting, my stomach was still rumbling. For the first time in my life, I thought, "you don't have to do this."

WHAT!???!!!???!! 

I had wrapped my arms tight around me and not because of the cold, but because of fear! Drama queen much? Then my group was heading to the ramp and it was too late, too hectic to back out and I was in the water. The warm, surprisingly pleasant waters of the Potomac. The course was the best marked I've ever been on. Every 100 meters a big orange buoy marked down the distance. It should have been an easy swim.

Should've, could've, would've. 

I couldn't find the right body position. I had no rhythm and I was drifting way outside the course at the first buoy, before I over-corrected and a kyaker had to bring to attention that I was now inside the buoys at 150.  The next 50 meters was a mental nightmare. By the 200 meter buoy I was ready to wave my cap in the air and call it a day.

I was filled with the spirit of quit. Quit is easy. Quit is comfortable. Quit is my enemy. I had to suck up the quit and spit it back into the river and swim. And then things got really hard. At the 400 meter buoy the next wave group, the most competitive group of women, those 30-34's caught up with me and the swim went from a mental challenge to a straight up Royal Rumble.

People were slapping, elbowing, kicking, grabbing, climbing over me instead of swimming over me. I've never had my ankles grabbed a tugged on while swimming. Not a touch, a tug. Every time this happened, I stopped to tread water, regroup, look for open water and start up again. It was too much stopping and treading and restarting. I was tired and hungry and expending energy on going nowhere. I stopped again at the 900 meter buoy and was ready to cry. This was my worst swim ever. I didn't want to be here. I didn't want to fight any more. Quit was looking good.

Selfish much?

Why was I thinking of quitting because it was hard? If there is one thing Team In Training has taught me, it's we don't quit. There's no quit in TEAM! I was uncomfortable, not dying. If Anna can fight cancer as a kid, I can finish a swim that hurts my feelings. This race wasn't all about me. Quit had no business on the course. Quit is the Devil. Besides that, I said a prayer and recited Philippians 4:13 over and over, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."



See? Easy Peasy.

I finally got mad, mostly at myself, partly at the meanness of the other swimmers. I stopped stopping with every kick, tug, elbow and kept moving. I was getting out of the water and on with the weekend. I never found that sweet swimming spot, but I did make it out of the water. I have never been so happy to on dry land!

Part 1 Before the race      Part 3 Ride and Run

Part 1 Nation's Triathlon ~ Before the Race

Nation's Triathlon to Benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is in the bag. My second time with Team In Training was another wonderful experience, even though I haven't met my fundraising goal, yet. I know the summer has been hard on America financially, but we are fighting cancer here and making huge strides in treatments for blood cancers. DONATE :D Give a dollar or 2 and reap the benefits. You'll feel like a hero, you'll stand taller, you'll be faster, stronger, able to leap buildings in a single bound... I may have gone a bit overboard on that one :D

Scott, the masterful DC driver and tour guide,
with me race morning.

Our weekend in Washington, DC was busy! I owe major thanks to my teammate, Scott, for giving me a ride to and from DC. If I'd had to drive in that nightmarish muddle of downtown traffic, I'd have had to shoot someone! Thanks also to my sister's friend, Katie, for letting me stay at her place Friday night and giving me a ride back to the Hilton. Speaking of the Hilton,  I was told at least 3 times within the first hour that this was the hotel Reagan was shot at or this was the "Hinckley Hilton." Filed under useless facts or needless conversation starters. I don't need anymore of those!

Jim "The Mentor", Coach Richie, me, "The Amazing" Dawn,
 Kristen "The Mermaid" and Scott "The Unbreakable"

Saturday, the local TNT chapter organized a group ride from the hotel to transition. The 3 mile ride was eye-opening. First, I'll never ever be a kamikaze city cyclist. My nerves were all kinds of shot to Hell! Second, clipped in for city riding equals never again! I'll keep my country lanes, thank you very much. The ride wasn't terrible, I kept up with the group, I didn't fall off my bike, I didn't even come close to being hit by a car. There were just so many cars, road hazards, stop signs and lights! It was also my first ride in a large-ish peloton. A large group of strangers of unknown bike handling skills is a bit unnerving. Actually, the closest I came to having an accident was when a cyclist in front of me fell off his bike. I really need to ride in a group more often. Plus side, you can chat on rides in groups :D

I got a touch of sunburn on this ride, which gave me a headache. My leg was also starting to hurt. So I went back to the expo and let the ART people work on my leg. ART should be called MAGIC. That and Ginger's generous donation of ibuprofen saved me by the inspiration dinner.

The amount of money raised, the research it is accomplishing, the support and encouragement of the TEAM lifted all the doubts that'd were nagging in the back of my mind. I drank a gallon of water and tea, I ate, I cheered. I was ready for the 4:00 wake up call.

Except I woke up at 3:00. My leg was stiff, my head was hurting, I was more nervous than I'd ever been before a race. I foam rolled for 30 minutes, I did yoga for 30 minutes, and then I followed "the plan." That was my goal from the first for this race. "Follow the plan." I knew what I was going to eat and drink and when I was going to eat and drink it. I visualized every stroke of the swim, every push and pull on the bike, every step on the run (walk, per doctors orders, mostly walk cause IRC!)

TN TEAM at 4:30
Enthusiastic! H~A~P~P~Y!

My team was happy, anxious, excited, and optimistic. I smiled and joked and drank a coffee with 3 sugars and kept my nerves to myself. We were already champions for fighting cancer. This race was just our reward. I was about to learn that some rewards require a bit of extra effort to enjoy.

Go TEAM!

Part 2 ~ Race Day Swim