26.2 miles to Boston and Beyond

Houston and the Olympic Marathon Trials

2012-01-19T13:09:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I traveled with a group of friends to Houston, Texas for a two-day running adventure. On Saturday we lined the streets of downtown Houston to watch the Men's and Women's US Olympic Marathon Trials, and on Sunday Steve and I jogged our way through the Houston Half-Marathon. (All of our friends are in better shape than us, and ran admirable times in both the half and the full!) I posted a

few photos of the trip on our flickr site, and you can also watch a little bit of video from the trials on our youtube site.

Now it's time to shift gears from "just getting by" on our Houston training to serious preparation for the upcoming season. With a major, major goal on the horizon (running a PR in the Portland Marathon) it is not too early to get focused.

Great Gym Advice

2012-01-07T18:34:00.000-08:00

This week, despite forgetting to blog or tweet my workouts, I was pretty much on track. I even spent 30 minutes on my bike (indoors) for the first time since July. It's good to be getting back to things.

Meanwhile, this article from Jason Gay at the Wall Street Journal really made me laugh. It is titled, "The 27 Rules of Conquering the Gym":

This is the time of year when even people who hate the gym think about going to the gym. Many of us are still digesting whole floors of gingerbread houses, and jeans that fit comfortably in October are now a denim humiliation.
Sweating is a good way to begin 2012. Exercise, like dark chocolate and office meetings that suddenly get canceled, is a proven pathway to nirvana. But if you're going to join a gym—or returning to the gym after a long hibernation—consider the following:

1. A gym is not designed to make you feel instantly better about yourself. If a gym wanted to make you feel instantly better about yourself, it would be a bar.
2. Give yourself a goal. Maybe you want to lose 10 pounds. Maybe you want to quarterback the New York Jets into the playoffs. But be warned: Losing 10 pounds is hard.
3. Develop a gym routine. Try to go at least three times a week. Do a mix of strength training and cardiovascular conditioning. After the third week, stop carrying around that satchel of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies.
4. No one in the history of gyms has ever lost a pound while reading "The New Yorker" and slowly pedaling a recumbent bicycle. No one.

5. Bring your iPod. Don't borrow the disgusting gym headphones, or use the sad plastic radio attachment on the treadmill, which always sounds like it's playing Kenny Loggins from a sewer.
6. Don't fall for gimmicks. The only tried-and-true method to lose 10 pounds in 48 hours is food poisoning.
7. Yes, every gym has an overenthusiastic spinning instructor who hasn't bought a record since "Walking on Sunshine."
8. There's also the Strange Guy Who is Always at the Gym. Just when you think he isn't here today...there he is, lurking by the barbells.
9. "Great job!" is trainer-speak for "It's not polite for me to laugh at you."
10. Beware a hip gym with a Wilco step class.
11. Gyms have two types of members: Members who wipe down the machines after using them, and the worst people in the universe.
12. Nope, that's not a "recovery energy bar with antioxidant dark chocolate." That's a chocolate bar.
13. Avoid Unsolicited Advice Guy, who, for the small fee of boring you to death, will explain the proper method for any exercise in 45 minutes or longer.
14. You can take 10 Minute Abs, 20 Minute Abs, and 30 Minute Abs. There is also Stop Eating Pizza and Eating Sheet Cake Abs—but that's super tough!
15. If you're motivated to buy an expensive home exercise machine, consider a "wooden coat rack." It costs $40, uses no electricity and does the exact same thing.
16. There's the yoga instructor everyone loves, and the yoga instructor everyone hates. Memorize who they are.
17. If you see an indoor rock climbing wall, you're either in a really cool gym or a romantic comedy starring Kate Hudson.
18. Be cautious about any class with the words "sunrise," "hell," or "Moby."
19. If a gym class is going to be effective, it's hard. If you're relaxed and enjoying yourself, you're at brunch.
20. If you need to bring your children, just let them loose in the silent meditation class. Nobody minds, and kids love candles.
21. Don't buy $150 sneakers, $100 yoga pants, and $4 water. Muscle shirts are for people with muscles, and rhythm guitarists.
22. Fancy gyms can be seductive, but once you get past the modern couches and fresh flowers and the water with lemon slices, you're basically paying for a boutique hotel with B.O.
23. Everyone sees you secretly racing the old people in the pool.
24. If you're at the point where you've bought biking shoes for the spinning class, you may as well go ahead and buy an actual bike. It's way more fun and it doesn't make you listen to C+C Music Factory.
25. Fact: Thinking about going to the gym burns between 0 and 0 calories.
26. A successful gym membership is like a marriage: If it's good, you show up committed and ready for hard work. If it's not good, you show up in sweatpants and watch a lot of bad TV.
27. There is no secret. Exercise and lay off the fries. The end.
Where's my infomercial and best seller? (-Jason Gay, Wall Street Journal)

Happy New Year and a Big New Goal

2012-01-02T08:59:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! With 2011 in the rear-view mirror and 2012 unfurling in front of us, it's time for a new year of running. After taking some time (mostly) off this fall, I'm shifting gears to get ready for the upcoming season. My first order of business was to pick a goal race for the year. This was a hard choice.
I had already decided that this year I wanted to work on running high-quality, fast races. While Ironman training put me in great shape, it limited the number of quality runs and running races I could do. My long runs were always the day after a long bike, so I was tired and slow. I rarely had time to mini-taper for a running race. This year I want to give myself time to enjoy running races again, and my focus in that respect will be the biggest possible: This year I want to run my fastest marathon, ever.

It seems funny to type that goal given that I'm in pretty couch-potato shape that moment, but with 9+ months until the fall race schedule I know I have the time to get there. My next big decision was where to run this marathon. I would love to run Chicago; fast, flat, world-renown. But that's an expensive trip and with the huge crowds it wouldn't be ideal for a PR (personal record). I'd love to run our beautiful local marathon again, but the course is pretty tough to set a PR. There are some other near-local Fall marathons I considered, but in the end I let my training partners decide. Their decision: Portland.
So on October 7th, 2012, I'll be trying to run my fastest marathon ever at the same race where I ran my current PR in 2007. It's a well-organized, fast course. (It's also stupidly expensive and an ugly course.) But having a goal and the support of our friends is a lot more important than cheap registration or a scenic course, especially for this goal. Stay tuned!

We should all be this guy

2011-10-17T19:16:00.000-07:00

I am just starting to get back into a regular training pattern, but as I do you can expect more frequent posts. (Last week I ran FOUR times! That is my biggest week since Ironman in June!)

In the meantime, check out this guy, whom my mom actually saw at the Toronto Marathon several years ago.Turns out he is still going strong!

Fauja Singh, a 100-year-old runner from the Toronto Punjabi community, has set a Guinness record of being the oldest person to complete a full-distance marathon.

AWESOME!

It's October 1st

2011-10-01T09:44:00.000-07:00

My plan this month is to work on rebuilding my base; this morning I ran 35 slow hilly minutes. It's not much, but it is definitely a solid start. As I often do when I'm in this stage, I've set monthly goals for myself solely in terms of run-duration. I hope to be running 60 minutes by the end of October, 90 minutes by the end of November, and 2 hours by the end of December. This should have me ready to run a respectable time at the Houston half marathon in January. I like doing things this way because it is simple, but also because there is a natural progression to the workouts; the longer the runs get, the more my fitness improves, the faster I go, and the more distance I cover. (Also, the more fun I have!) So rather than having very specific goals (e.g. run 8 miles at 8:15 pace) I just let nature take its course.

Stay tuned as I should be blogging more regularly, and also making some decisions about what to do in 2012!

Back in the Running

2011-09-25T07:28:00.000-07:00

After 15 days in India I'm back and gradually sliding back into the life of a runner. I'm planning on running (but not racing) a few short cross-country events over the next two months in my build-up for the Houston Half-Marathon in January. After a lazy summer I think I am ready to get back to work.

On the plus side, if this New York Times Health article is any indication I have plenty of time left to run:

A few years ago researchers at the German Sports University Cologne took a close look at the finishing times of 400,000 marathon and half-marathon runners between the ages of 20 and 79. They found no relevant differences in the finishing times of people between the ages of 20 and 50. The times for runners between 50 and 69 slowed only by 2.6 to 4.4 percent per decade. “Older athletes are able to maintain a high degree of physiological plasticity late into life,” the researchers wrote.

I'll toast to that!

Four Days to a Decision

2011-08-25T19:50:00.000-07:00

The 2012 Boise 70.3 (a half Ironman triathlon) opened its registration yesterday. I have been thinking about doing this race next June in order to give me another fairly serious triathlon to train for, but also because its timing would mean I could spend the rest of the summer focused on marathon training. There are downsides to this race, however, that give me pause.
First, it is a 7 hour drive to Boise and I would be squeezing the trip into a long weekend before our final exam week. Also, the event will have the same Ironman wave-start that I experienced in California. Ugh. This means my age group starts 30 - 40 minutes after the first wave AND the race organizers put a group of very fast, aggressive men immediately behind us. This means you get beat up by the faster guys who lap you on the swim, but when you arrive at the half-marathon there are already some people finishing the whole race. Not the greatest arrangement.

Still, I really want to keep a long-course triathlon in my training schedule next year and unfortunately the other nearby options for a 70.3 distance race, such as the Lake Stevens 70.3 and Chelanman, are later in the summer and don't work well with my running schedule. I also happen to really like Boise as a town; the drive is scenic and the place is friendly and has great food.

I thought I would have a few more months to decide on this, but as of now Ironman has a major discount for the Boise event, but only if you register in the next four days! The deal is $199 for entry instead of $249. Yeesh. So I guess I have to make a decision this weekend. One more thing to ponder!

My Mother-in-Law is Awesome

2011-08-22T15:48:00.001-07:00

Cathy with 1/4 mile to go.

This past weekend my mother-in-law, 67 year-old Cathy Hopkins, finished her first ever triathlon. She did the "Wunder Woman" triathlon in Medical Lake, Washington just down the road from Spokane. This event had been my first triathlon too, and I'm glad she had as much fun this year as I did last year. Next year we're going to go back and do it together, along with every other female relative and friend we can coax into it!

Cathy is a pretty extraordinary individual for a lot of reasons, so it was no surprise to anyone when she finished the race with a smile on her face. What was amazing is that she finished the whole course (400 m swim, 10 mile bike, 3 mile run) in 2:05:55, which is 55 MINUTES faster than her goal time! As Steve said to her on the phone after the race, "Mom, do you know how much I would love to beat my marathon goal time by 55 minutes?" I concur!! What an accomplishment.
Check out all the photos I took of Cathy here.

2012 Marathon Olympic Trials by the Numbers

2011-08-20T19:38:00.000-07:00

This coming January Steve and I will be spending a few days in Houston to immerse ourselves in marathon mania. For starters we will be running the Aramco Houston Half Marathon. (We decided against trying to train for a full marathon in the middle of winter.) The main purpose of our trip, however, will be to watch the Men's and Women's Olympic marathon qualifying trials. This is the race that determines which six athletes (three men, three women) will represent the USA in the 2012 London Olympic Marathon.

We watched our first marathon trial in 2008 when the women's qualifying race took place the day before I ran the Boston marathon. At the time I didn't know quite what to expect. After all, how does one spectate an event that is 26 miles long and moving at 11 mph? It turns out that the trials courses are designed with this question in mind. The racers typically follow one or more narrow out-and-back loops that lead them repeatedly through the same areas. With a little bit of legwork you might witness the leaders storming by you 10+ times over the course of 2 hours. You can watch the entire race develop from starting gun to finish line tape.

What makes this event so riveting to me, as I learned in 2008, is the combination of presence and proximity. The event is easily the single largest gathering of American distance running talent anywhere. Anyone can enter as long as they attain the (very fast) qualifying times required. Currently there are 129 men and 163 women registered for Houston. The presence of nearly 300 elite athletes is electrifying. But what makes it different than watching a major event on television is the incredible proximity you experience to the athletes. The nature of the course is such that everyone can enjoy a front-row seat to the drama. And when a pack of a dozen or more of the fittest bodies in the country passes within feet of you, sweating, heaving, churning the air, you begin to experience a visceral reality of the human form that we rarely see in modern life. And again, these are all Americans. Fast ones. Hundreds of them.
Marathonguide.com (one of my favorite running websites) has put together some great breakdowns of who these people are. You can sort racers by name, qualifying time, qualifying race, etc. Check it out here. How many more people do you think will qualify before January?

Good runs, weird dreams and crazy swims

2011-08-15T21:18:00.000-07:00

The past week has been busy at our house for entirely mundane reasons, and the next few weeks will be much the same. I am sticking to my plan of running at least three times-per-week, although I've largely let go the idea that I will bike or swim on a regular basis before this fall. This past week my runs finally reached the point where I can run comfortably for 45+ minutes on big hills and feel like I am really enjoying myself. It's a very small but positive indication for my coming transition back to training.

Just as inspiring was the dream I had last night.
It was an "Ironman Dream", where I found myself participating in the event again. In fact, this dream had me participating in back-to-back Saturday-Sunday Ironmans. This is not something I am interested in actually doing, but the significance of the dream is two-fold; first that I was having my first race-related dream since June, when I was having them nightly before Coeur d'Alene. It was like old-times, in a good way. Second, this was significant because in the dream I was really pleased with my performance and I didn't get sick! What more could I ask for? I will take the dream as both a good omen and a sign that my mind is starting to refocus, at least sub-consciously, on my adventures to come.

Finally I wanted to link to this interesting article in the New York Times about triathlon swims and the concerns that go with them. For most people the swim is the most anxiety-inducing part of the race. I would guess there isn't a triathlete in the world who has hasn't worried about being kicked, swallowing water, gasping for air, etc at some point in their career. There are many experienced racers that still stay up late at night thinking about the swim. After two deaths in the NYC triathlon (an olympic distance race) the recurring question of swim safety is back in the news.

I guess my limited experience has taught me that it isn't the physical aspects of the swim as often as the mental ones that people are poorly prepared for. In my very first triathlon, a tiny non-competitive sprint-distance race last summer, I made it about 60 seconds into the swim before a wave of enormous anxiety hit me. Fortunately several people had told me that this was exactly what would happen. When I started to panic I could hear their voices in my head and as a result I went into auto-pilot and rolled onto my back to catch my breath. Within another minute or two I had sorted myself out mentally and I was able to get back to the swim. If those people hadn't told me to be prepared for a mid-water anxiety attack I honestly don't know what would have happened.

Standing at the start of the Ironman (just 10 months later) I was really amazed by how absolutely terrified a lot of the athletes looked. The vast majority of those people were competent swimmers who had done all the swim training they needed to physically complete the distance. Still, they looked petrified. The swim is just that kind of beast; it scares people in a different way than biking or running, and athletes need a different set of mental tricks to deal with it. I think there needs to be a larger emphasis on that mental preparation for first-timers and newbies. (How many triathlon newbies have you heard say, "I just want to survive the swim / get it over with?") That mindset, to me, can lead people to show up unprepared. A focus on mental training just may prevent some of the tragedies that occur in the swim leg. After all, we wear bike helmets in case we crash, and most of us are far more likely to have a rough swim than crash our bikes.

Also, I don't think the idea of "open water swim certification" will help one iota. Certification would have to replicate the open-water and body-to-body contact that is unavoidable in triathlons, and even then it couldn't possibly account for the race-day adrenaline that causes many of us to do stupid things when the gun goes off.

Anyway, food for thought! It makes me more excited to get out there, get into more triathlon swims, and continue proving that they're not always a horrible, washing-machine experience like they're hyped up to be. (Notice I said not always... )

I really love my Road ID

2011-08-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

For a long time I counted myself in a group that I perceive to be the majority of runners; the "I know I should carry ID, but..." group. I don't have any major health conditions, and I avoid running in any setting that feels remotely risky. I do train a lot alone, however, so the thought of having ID with me seemed like a reasonable idea. When I started my serious triathlon training, however, things changed.

First there was the biking. This part of my training required venturing further and further from home, often on lonely rural roads with dogs, rednecks, logging trucks, narrow shoulders and, seemingly, even more dogs. It doesn't take any imagination to see how things could go wrong. But oddly enough it was the swim training that made me really want to invest in an ID. On a bike you can carry your photo ID, your phone, or at least stick a "this belongs to" note on your frame. But in the pool you've got nothing. I swim during open laps at the YMCA and while I always get some friendly recognition (the stocky tattooed chick in the pirate skull-n-crossbones cap is hard to forget) I don't think anyone in the pool area actually knows my name. If anything went wrong someone would literally have to pull the entry logs to the building to figure out who the pirate-skull-cap-lady actually is. Again, this isn't the sort of thing I actively worry about, but I had never thought about it until this past year.

This brings me to my RoadID. Perhaps best known for those little metal ID tags you can attach to your shoes, RoadID actually makes several different products. I needed something that I could wear for running, biking and swimming. The hands-down winner was the "Wrist ID Elite".

It is essentially a high-quality rubber bracelet with a stainless steel engraved ID label and custom-fitted closing clasp. It was a little pricey ($29) and they make a more affordable nylon wristband*, but the advantage to the rubber is that it dries instantly so you can wear it in the pool without fearing a soggy (or smelly) bracelet for your next workout.
When this model arrives you cut the band to the correct size, attach the watch-style clasps, and now you have a flat, simple bracelet that fits under clothing and wetsuits, doesn't drag in the pool and stays comfortably put. I got in the habit of putting it on any time I put my Timex watch on. I swam, biked and ran in it for months without any problems. It is just part of my routine now, and gives me the tiniest bit of extra piece-of-mind. Even better, the RoadID company has awesome customer service and nice company ethics... right down to the step during check-out when you choose a charity to receive a small donation in honor of your purchase. Neat. Check out their website to see all the RoadID models.

*They now also have a smaller rubber-bracelet model without the custom fit that is modeled after those rubber charity bracelets.

Wiggling Back on to the Wagon

2011-08-03T08:42:00.000-07:00

I know that I wrote a few weeks ago about my grand plan for "taking it easy" for the rest of the summer, but I have really outdone even my own expectations on this one. At this point in the summer I feel like a puffy, white marshmallow who is getting mushy in the summer heat. Last week I made a concerted effort to get back on track, although I wouldn't say I really accomplished anything noteworthy. This week I decided to jump back into the deep-end (or, at least, get out of the wading pool) by going to our track practice and actually running a few intervals. Short ones. Slowly. I ran a 3 mile warm-up with my running buddies and actually kept up with them for most of the way. Then I joined the group for 2 x 800 meter repeats. Granted, the rest of the group was running 4 x 1200 m, but I was just happy to do something. And I was slow, and felt like a marshmallow, but it's a start. Even better is that I didn't feel sore when I woke up this morning. It's a good sign. Next week I'm promising myself I'll do 2 miles of repeats... that alone should scare me into staying active for the rest of the week.

Mile 20 in 2009

2011-07-27T09:10:00.001-07:00

I was just looking through some old photos and found this one of my mom and I in the Marine Corps Marathon, Washington D.C. in 2009.

It is such a nice photo, and I especially remember how funny it was to get this taken. I carried a small digital camera through the whole race and around mile 19/20 I jogged up to a spectator and said, "Can you take our picture?" The guy started laughing and agreed, while my mom could not believe I was making her stop for a photo. (Obviously we were not running for a goal time in this race!) When I look at the final picture I'm so glad we stopped; it is a once in a lifetime memory.

Looking (Way) Ahead

2011-07-19T10:17:00.000-07:00

With all of my major races for the year already behind me I will be taking it easy for the rest of the summer. This is partly to let my body recover from six months of Ironman training, but just as much to give myself a chance to take care of all the projects, chores and other tasks that I neglected this spring. "Taking it easy" means no races and only base-level light training through August. While I'm committed to giving myself this rest, it sure doesn't stop me from thinking about my future races.
In fact, over the past few years I've learned that when I force myself to take a long period of near-total rest after a major event it feeds into my motivation to set new goals and come back strong. It's almost like self-imposed cabin fever. By forcing myself to lay low longer than necessary and picking "start dates" to come back to training I emerge from the recovery period completely energized and focused on the task at hand.

Which brings me to my current plan. Looking at these goals I realize that there must be a proportional relationship between recovery period and scope of the future plans. My "rest-of-the-summer" recovery has resulted in a set of training goals that will be measured in years instead of months! I've never truly thought this far out in my training. I know things may change, but here is how my major goals stand for now:

Remainder of 2011:
Rest through the end of the summer
Work on building run mileage in late fall

2012: Major Goal: Sub 3:30 Marathon (PR: 3:31:46, set in 2007)

First Training Goal: Houston Half Marathon, January
Second Training Goal: Early Summer 70.3 Triathlon (Half-Iron) Possibly Boise, June
Third Training Goal: Missoula Half-Marathon (run FAST)
Major Race: Chicago Marathon, October. Goal: sub 3:30
October/November Recovery

2013: Ironman Number 2

Major Race: Another Ironman! (Coeur d'Alene in June or Canada in August)
Focus on being more efficient on the bike, sub 7:00 bike split (was 7:10 this year)

Again, that's a long way to look into the future, but it seems like a good plan with plenty of training time and enough variety to keep me focused. And the idea of training really hard next year to try to go sub 3:30 at one of the largest races in the country is an electrifying thought. Stay tuned!

Did you see my video?

2011-07-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

If you haven't seen it already, be sure to check out my cheesy, rock-n-roll tribute to my day at Ironman Coeur d'Alene. I had as much fun making the video as I had doing the race! Click on the video below. It's also available in HD.

Overdue Update

2011-07-13T22:33:00.000-07:00

This weekend I went to Missoula, Montana for one of my favorite yearly events: The Missoula (Half) Marathon. Steve and I truly believe that "the more the merrier," and this year we were successful in recruiting an array of friends and relatives to come with us. Several of our good friends and training partners from Spokane made the short journey East, and my Aunt Kate and Mom Judy also came with us. Steve and my mom both ran the full marathon, and both had excellent races. Everyone enjoyed the event and the challenge that comes with a long race in the beautiful Missoula countryside. And then, of course, there's me.
I had a great time and stuck to my main goal: to "keep the streak alive" by competing in the event every year since it started. This year, of course, the race was just 14 days after Ironman. Not ideal, but I thought if I took it easy I would be fine. I suppose I was right... IF I took it easy, I would be fine. But did I take it easy? Not really. To begin with, my favorite training buddy (Brenda, HI BRENDA!!!) was with me and I just wanted to stick with her and feel the wind under my feet after a long spring of slogging through Ironman training runs. I knew it was risky. I did it anyway. I survived! But here's a brief race report.

Start: Good. For about 4 minutes. Then I had a terrible shooting pain through one of my shins, and I actually started to limp. I went probably 15 - 20 strides pondering the idea that my race was over already! Fortunately the pain let up and I got my stride back.

First few miles: I was a little cold and had trouble getting into my rhythm until about mile 2. Then I felt pretty good and I was enjoying the speed. This is also a beautiful part of the course on the river, which certainly didn't hurt. I was running with Brenda and giving her a few comments here and there about what was coming up on the course.

Mile 3 - 5: We turned to start the "zig-zag" portion of the race through the rural neighborhoods into town. I felt pretty good! Not perfect, but as well as I could expect. I wasn't laboring too hard, but we were clocking between 7:20 - 7:30 pace. I was happy.

Mile 6/7: Starting to feel like I was working hard. I thought about how I had run a 12k (7.5 miles) 2 weeks after my Boston marathon in 2008, and pondered the idea that I was running a lot further than that this time... and faster too. At mile 7 I finally dropped off of Brenda, although I was close to her for at least a mile.

Mile 8 - 10: Brought myself to a 7:45ish pace. That's what I should've run the whole race, to be honest. Still hard, but surviving. Stomach was a little iffy, legs felt okay but heavy.

Mile 11 - 13.1: This part was all in my head and it was tough. My legs were like dead weight. I was trying to stay under 8:00 min/mi pace and barely was making it. The only reason I hung in was that I thought to myself repeatedly, "You didn't work that hard for the first 10 miles for nothing, right?"

The finish: 1:40:31. Not actually a bad time AT ALL! I would always be happy with a sub 1:40 no matter the situation, but to run close to that 2 weeks out from Ironman was pretty impressive. Which is not to say I was thrilled, but I knew enough to be satisfied.

The real story starts after the race. After Steve finished his marathon (a 3 minute PR!) and Mom finished (16 minutes faster than her November NYC marathon and 2nd in her age group!) we drove back to Spokane. My legs were already incredibly sore. Despite my post-race massage they were very tight and they became worse through the afternoon and the evening. When I woke up Monday morning I could barely walk. Fortunately there was no acute injury, but both legs felt like gigantic bruises. It was the most sore than I have been after any event in years. I have to think back to some of my earliest marathons to remember being so stiff and sore! I would roughly approximate my discomfort Monday as being about 10 times worse than after Ironman. eeghad!!!

Two days later I am still sore, but definitely recovering. I've also learned a valuable lesson about recovery; I felt great going into the half-marathon and had planned a reasonable approach to the race, but my legs were definitely not recovered from Ironman. I consider myself lucky that all I had to deal with is extreme soreness. I certainly could have injured myself doing that. So, while I wouldn't say I regret my decision, I will forever remember this experience as a reminder of how fragile our bodies can be after a major effort, even when they feel "fine" in our shorter recovery workouts. I wouldn't risk something like this for most races. (For my Missoula streak, however, STILL WORTH IT!)

This week I'm going to focus on healing and next week I plan to start back with some 30 minute sessions of running, biking and swimming. No rush. The future and its possibilities (and races) stretch endlessly in front of me, and I want to be sure I can enjoy all of it!

Endurance Everything

2011-07-02T20:27:00.000-07:00

While I have no actual interest in doing it, when my mom asked me., "What's next?" after Ironman last Sunday I laughed and said,
"There's always the English Channel!"
According to the New York Times, it sounds like I'm not alone:

During the last heyday of marathon swimming, the 1920s, newspapers offered prize money for channel crossings and swimmers wore costumes made of wool. Now, as open-water swimming enjoys a renaissance, amateur swimmers again are flooding the nation’s waterways. This year, 900 lake, river and sea swimming events will be held in the United States, up from 220 in 1999, said Steven Munatones, a California coach who is considered the top open-water-swimming expert. English Channel boat captains are taking bookings three years in advance for the best slots.

TRIAL RUN Janet Harris tests the Hudson River currents near the Rip Van Winkle Bridge in Catskill, N.Y., in preparation for the seven-day 8 Bridges Swim, which heads south to New York City.

Read the rest of the article here.

How to Do Your First Ironman

2011-06-29T19:09:00.000-07:00

Or more accurately, "Things I Hope Will Be Helpful to Other People Who Are Doing Their First Ironman." This list isn't about training but about the details leading up to and including race day. Some of it applies to all triathlons, some of it applies to all Iron-athletes, but a lot of it is meant for us mid-packers who are just out there to finish our first Ironman race. This advice is distilled from dozens of wonderful people, articles and books that I was fortunate to benefit from in the year leading up to my race. It is also the LONGEST thing I have ever written on this blog, but I hope it will help someone out there!

3 - 4 weeks before the race:

* Make a checklist of all the nutrition/supplements/gear you need for race day that you don't have in your house at the moment. Be as specific as possible. Buy things very early to avoid finding something out-of-stock when it is too late.
* If you're planning to use the course drink and/or gels and haven't already, be sure to try the exact flavor ahead of time. Order some online if you have to. Disliking the taste of something does become a big issue in a 10 - 17 hour event and can jeopardize your race day plans.
* Have your bike tuned. This gives you plenty of time to readjust or fix anything that isn't right when it comes back from the shop. If you're shipping your bike, double check your reservations/appointments/airline rules etc.
* Practice changing a flat, especially on your rear wheel. The more times you do it, the lower your "flat-anxiety" on race day.
* As your taper starts, dedicate 15 - 30 minutes each day to reading something that will help you at your Ironman. The most helpful thing to read is advice from athletes who have been through what you are about to experience. I recommend searching the internet for race reports from last year's race, gear checklists, and advice on how to stay calm and pace yourself through your day. As you notice themes or recurring pieces of advice in this reading, write them down.
*Start making a list of the gear you will need in each of your main gear bags. (Bike gear and run gear.) Write down seemingly obvious items such as "running shoes". Your brain will turn to jello during race week and you may actually forget something obvious. Start a gear list for your special needs bags only if you are sure there are items you will want. If you're not, don't force yourself to think of things at this point.

Race Week:
* Travel early if you're doing a destination race. Keep in mind ariline regulations for items such as CO2 canisters, gels, liquids, etc. Some things might have to be checked, shipped ahead, or just bought on site.
* Register (sign-in) and shop on the first day of the Ironman Village if at all possible. It will be more crowded on the second day and you'll have less time to recover for race day. Also, visit the store once, and promise yourself you won't go back until the day after the race. You need your rest and that place is a zoo of anxious people.
* Practice changing a flat, again.
* Do not be intimidated. Someone once told me that everyone at his first Ironman looked like a Greek god and owned a $5,000 bike. That is definitely what it will feel like at times, but if you ask those people how they are doing you will find out they are just as nervous as you are. In any Ironman event you can expect more than one third of the participants to be first timers, and you just can't judge a book by its cover. You are not alone.
* Check out the swim course. Look for landforms you can sight, where you'll want to start, etc.
* Ride and/or drive as much of the bike and run course as you can without tiring yourself. Make a note of significant portions (a group of hills, a long straight away, a landmark, etc.) to help you break the course into pieces in your head and give you milestones to work for on race day.
* Pack your gear bags at least two days before the event. Lay out everything you will put in them from clothes to shoes to sunglasses to gels. Now, put everything on in the same order you as you will need to do in the transition tent. Include things that will go in your pockets, and anything you need for your hair. As you do this, write a list, in order. This list will help you and/or your volunteers get it right on race day when you brain turns to mush. When you pack your transition bag, put everything into the bag in reverse order and lay your list on top. (Don't forget a small towel for T1 if you're changing clothes or want to dry your feet.) Tie the bag shut with one easy to remove knot.
* In special needs bags, less is more. If you can plan to not use the bag, that is best. These bags do get lost. Put in a few items for worst case scenarios, such as inclement weather, injury, bike malfunction, etc. A different snack or some extra lube can be a lifesaver if you've had a rough first ~50 miles.
* Even though there is no bag for it, be sure to lay out your swim gear as well. If you're going to do a test swim before the race, plan what you'll wear so you don't have to put on anything cold and wet race morning. Don't forget extra goggles.
* Tie or stick something easy to recognize on the top/front of each of your bags. This will help you find them both during and after the race. You can tie ribbons, fabric, etc. to the top of the bag or put colored duct tape around the front and sides. I tied pink property-marking plastic ribbon to the drawstrings. A woman in my row had a red boa on the top of her bag. Just be sure whatever you do to your bag doesn't interfere with getting the bag opened.
* Go to the welcome dinner if you want to, but go to the mandatory athlete meeting and take notes. It may sound silly, but you will forget details such as "which mile is special needs at?" as soon as you leave the meeting. Pay attention to intermediate cut-off times, such as those for a first loop of the bike or run. If you're driving to the race, ask where you should park on race morning to avoid road closures. Listen for details about race morning and where you'll find body marking, morning-clothes and special needs bag drop off, etc. The area will be crowded when you arrive on race day and having a sense of where to go will help you stay calm.
* If you have to think about the race, do it with focus. Get somewhere quiet, breathe deeply and visualize race-day in as much real-time detail as you can. If you're worried about something (flat tire, rough swim, etc.) visualize yourself dealing with that issue in the most perfect way possible. Visualize a perfect tire change. Visualize yourself not panicking when you make contact with other swimmers. This is a huge anxiety-buster.

The Day Before the Race:
* Sleep late. You may not get any sleep the night before the race, so think of this as your last chance. Don't panic if it doesn't work, but at least try.
* Take your bike out for a 10 - 20 minute ride. Test the brakes, the gear shifting, etc.
* Get to gear check-in early to avoid the lines. Typically you just need to bring your bike, bike gear bag and run gear bag. You will have access to this stuff again on race morning if you forget anything. Leave your special needs bags, bike nutrition, etc. at home/hotel. If you put everything in a big backpack you will probably feel more comfortable than carrying those drawstring bags while wheeling your bike.
* When you place your bike, make note of land marks you can watch for on race day. They should be really big, obvious ones. Your bike row will be labeled with your number, so you just need to get to the general area and then you can start reading signs.
* After placing your bike on the rack, spin each of your bike tires to check that they are moving freely, that the brakes are engaged, and that there are no issues with your tires. Reset your bike computer now.
* When you place your gear bags, make a note of where they are, especially in relation to all the other bags. Are you running down the middle of a lot of aisles of bags? Are you closer to one side?
* With everything in place, walk your T1 and T2 route. This is especially important for T1, because you WILL have an incredible combination of excitement and swim brain when you leave the water and you don't want to run into the wrong changing tent. Walk the route from wetsuit peelers, through gear bags, into the tent (or at least next to it) and then out and to your bike. Ask volunteers if you're not sure, because some barricades will get moved around for race morning.
* If you have family with you, show them where your bike is in the transition area so they can run there while you are changing after the swim.
* Now go home or back to your hotel. Check your special needs bags one more time. Figure out what clothes you will wear in the morning, and what (warm) clothes you want for after the fact. Don't forget underwear if you're going to change after the race. Bring one more layer than you think you need, just to ensure you will be comfortable.
* Pack your swim gear and bike nutrition (bottles, fluids, etc.) in your morning clothes bag.
* Plan what time to get up in the morning, leave your home/hotel, etc. Leave plenty of time. Race morning flies by. Make a pile of things going with you in the morning: your special needs bags and morning clothes bags, as well as any water/sport drink you'll be sipping on pre-race.
* Eat a normal, healthy meal just like you have done through all your training. On race morning you might be too nervous to eat and you don't want to start the race hungry.
* Watch a movie or do something relaxing AND distracting before bed. If you are really nervous, take a warm bath and spend the time in it with your eyes closed, breathing deeply and visualizing each step of your day tomorrow.
* Go to sleep when you think you might actually sleep... and set 17 different alarm clocks so you won't worry about getting up.You probably won't need them, but it can't hurt.

Race Morning
* Wake-up!!! Early. Eat according to your training plan and practice. If you can't eat, at least sip some sports drink.
* Go to the race site and do the following, in no particular order, as they apply to you: Put your special needs bags where they told you to on race morning. Have your numbers marked on your arms/legs. Load your bike with nutrition. Pump up your tires and recheck that wheels are spinning smoothly. Recheck bike computer. Apply sunscreen. If your sunglasses are going on your bike, be sure they are very well attached. I prefer to put them in my helmet in my gear bag. If you have time to kill, find each of your gear bags and ensure that the ribbons/markings are easy to see. I zip my wedding rings into my bike tube bag so I don't have to worry about them in the swim. I put them on when I get to my bike.
* Change into your wetsuit with plenty of time before the start. Don't forget to lube. If you are warm you can always leave your arms out until later. Grab your cap(s), goggles, etc. Throw everything not going with you in your morning clothes bag and take it to the drop off location. Do this early because things get very crowded as the start nears.
* Cross the timing mats on the way to the start and then seed yourself appropriately. Spend the last few minutes standing/treading quietly and breathing deeply. Check around you to be sure you are still where you want to be for the start. Avoid anyone who looks like they are about to have a panic attack.

The Swim:
* Remember to start your watch!
* Don't panic and keep breathing no matter what happens. Remember to stick to your race plan, but it's okay to swim wide, change your stroke, or do whatever you need to do to be comfortable. If you get frazzled, remember that you have plenty of time to get your rhythm back.
* Do try to draft.
* If someone is invading your space (trying to swim over you or repeatedly hitting you) kick harder to move ahead of them and discourage their actions. This will happen at some point, but it will not happen for the whole 2.4 miles.
* As you near the last few minutes of the swim, kick harder. This moves the blood into your legs to get you ready for transition.

T1
* When you hit the shore, keep moving. Jog if you feel comfortable, but walk if you don't.
* Try to remember to stop/split your watch if you're doing that for this race.
* Let the volunteers help you find your zipper pull if you can't on your own. As you pull down the top of your wetsuit, head directly to the wetsuit peelers and use them!
* Make your way to your gear bag and be ready to state your bib number if asked. The volunteers will help you get it, but often it's faster to pick it up yourself. If you have a distinguishing mark on your bag, be sure to say that as well, such as 2-2-8, with PINK RIBBONS.
* Get into the changing tent quickly, and find a chair and volunteer. If no one offers to help you, it's okay to shout "Volunteer Please!" until someone does. Tell your volunteer what to do to help. If you don't, he/she is going to start taking things out of your bag and asking you "do you want this?" over and over. The easiest thing to do is say, "I HAVE A LIST" and let them go through it in order. A good volunteer will work like your brain when you wrote that list.
*The transition tent can be warm and comfortable, but your goal is to get out smoothly. Don't rush, but move with purpose. Hopefully your list will remind you to put food in your jersey, put on sunglasses, etc.
* When you leave the tent, get sunscreened by volunteers. Be sure to get it on your face, ears and under anything you might take off later (such as arm warmers). You are going to have a miserable marathon later if you have been sunburned during the bike.
* Move to your bike (don't trip in your cleats!) and take it off the rack. Keep moving to the mount line, be sure no one is in front of you, then get on and go! Watch out for other riders; people will run in front of your with their bikes just as you start to move forward, so keep your head up.

Bike:
* Stick to your race and nutrition plan. Do not go too fast. Do not forget to eat/drink. Set a repeating countdown timer on your watch if you have a tendency to lose track of time and forget to fuel.
* At aid stations, shout what you want as you approach. This allows volunteers to step out with the correct item. Try to get the item as early as possible at the station in case you miss and need to try again.
* It is better to stop at an aid station than to keep moving without fuel because you missed a hand-off. Just watch for other riders when stopping.
* Be sure to discard empty bottles in the drop zone before the start of the station so you are ready to take on fresh fuel.
* You can pee on the bike, but you don't have to. If you are going to pee on the bike, use some common sense and don't do it on a fast downhill with other riders behind you. Google this topic if you want more advice.
* If you're not sure about peeing on the bike, don't. Your socks may end up very wet by the end of the ride, you might piss off (or on) someone else inadvertently, and stopping to pee at an aid station takes 30 seconds and gives you an opportunity to grab fuel and stretch at the same time.
* If you get a flat, take a deep breath and fix it. Just move calmly and with purpose; you are going to be fine.
* At the special needs area, if you want your bag, shout out your number LOUDLY as you approach. Know what you want from the bag- if you can't think of anything, don't bother stopping for it.
* In many cases you are better off stopping for the bag than trying to grab it and remove your goods while riding. Again, 30 seconds to stop here and get yourself more comfortable might benefit you in minutes over the course of the bike.

T2
* Be careful getting off the bike. You won't know how your legs are going to act until you're on them.
* Same deal as T1... move quickly and calmly, let the volunteers help (you may have to ask in T2 because many people don't want help for this one) and get out of there.
* Have sunscreen reapplied, at least to your face and shoulders.

The Run
* Stick to your plan. You will be high as a kite when you leave T2 because you're finally off the bike and you can practically smell your Ironman Finisher's Medal. But you have a long way to go, and you need to remember the pace you planned and trained for.
* Know what you want at the aid stations ahead of time. After that long bike you are going to think everything at the aid station looks/taste delicious... fresh fruit, soda, pretzels, etc. But before you get to the station, decide what you want and stick to it.
* Tell the volunteers what you want, because there will be lots of cups of things that are hard to identify. Don't wait for them to tell you what they have. If you want water, say "WATER!" to the first person who looks like they are holding water. They will either hand you water or tell you how far to keep moving to find it.
* The cold, wet, sponges are awesome, but the first thing you should do with them is squeeze them out, AWAY from your body. If you don't do this your shoes will be soaking wet for the whole marathon. Hold them at arms length, squeeze, then place them where you like. A little water in a sponge goes a long way.
* If your plan is to walk the aid stations, then decide how long you'll walk for. Some of those stations extend quite a way. Will you walk from the time you take a cup until you're done drinking? Until the end of the drop zone? Have a plan.
* Keep moving. As long as you are going forward, no matter how slowly, you are getting closer to the finish. Lots of people walk most or all of the marathon, and it can be tempting to slow down to run or walk with others when you are tired. Stick to your race plan.

The Finish and Beyond
* It is your finish, and you should do it how you want. If you want to make it under a time goal, go for it. But if your goal is simply to finish, take time to enjoy your last few hundred meters. There will be a lot of people, a lot of noise, and depending on your time, a lot of bright lights. Soak it in. You are a rock star.
* With 50 meters to go, check to be sure you're not going to get run over by someone storming to a fast finish, and that no one in front of you is going to ruin your finish line photo. Then do it. Listen for your name, throw your arms in the air, and know you just did something that very few people will ever do in their lifetimes.
* When you cross the finish you will be instantly surrounded by volunteers. One or two of them will be appointed as your personal assistant(s) for the next few minutes as you receive finisher goods (medal, hat, shirt, etc.), have your photo taken and start to make your way through the finish area. They are there to be sure you have everything you need. If you feel sick, tell them. If you want medical attention, tell them. If you just want to go to the post-race food tent and pig out on pizza, tell them. They will be sure you get what you need.
* Get a massage. It's free and will help you feel better.
* Take some food with you. It's free, and you need calories.
* Now get the heck out of there and celebrate! You are an IRONMAN!

Also, be warned that the next morning your post-race euphoria will kick in BEFORE most of your pain/muscle stiffness. Be careful. You might feel surprisingly great in the morning (or not) but your body is essentially a gigantic injury and you don't want to make anything permanent. Take it easy as your celebrate for the first day or two.

Ironman Coeur d'Alene Race Report, Part Two

2011-06-29T09:07:00.000-07:00

Picking up from my last post, here is what I can still remember from my Ironman bike, T2, run and post-race!

The Bike (112 miles)

The first loop of the bike was very smooth. The course starts with an out and back loop along the lake-front that has one small hill (the "Bennett Bay Hill"). The temperature was a little warmer than I expected so I had left off my throw-away top, and was biking in shorts and a tank-top with a short-sleeve jersey and arm warmers on top. As we looped back through town and headed north towards the hills I was feeling good and trying to stick to my race plan of taking things very easy on the first loop. I had a small stopwatch mounted under my armrest on the bike set to beep every 25 minutes to remind me to keep taking in calories, which I was doing in the form of Gatorade and GU chomps. There were a lot of people around me, including some very fast guys passing by who must have taken a lot of time on the swim. I had a lot of fun on the downhills, and didn't think the hills were too taxing at all.

After about 90 minutes I was getting low on the Gatorade, so I picked up some "Perform" sports drink at an aid station to refuel. I had used Perform at the Ironman 70.3 California (Oceanside) without a problem, so I was surprised when I took a sip from the bottle and did not like the taste. Maybe it was a different flavor than I remembered, but ick! Over the next 45 minutes I became less and less happy with how my fueling was going. My stomach was actually starting to get hungry for solid food. Adding to my concerns was that I started to develop a really tight muscle in my lower back, just in one particular position on the right side. It was just tightening a little bit around mile 50, but by the time I reached town at the half-way point it was really uncomfortable. It was also getting much warmer, and the winds had picked up, giving us a head-wind as we headed back to town. Now it was starting to feel like an Ironman!

The special-needs gear pick-up was located at mile 62 of the course, and I made the most of it. I stopped and removed my base-layer tank-top, grabbed my bag of pretzels, and picked up a bottle of water. I also took a moment to stretch my back. This was a good decision. The pretzels tasted awesome, and I was able to eat them for the next three hours quite happily. I started drinking water with the pretzels, but also diluted down my Perform in my aero-bottle and eventually got it to a level where I could drink it as well. My back continued to re-tighten throughout the second half, so I found myself occasionally stopping at the top of a hill to stretch it out. In all I probably lost about 5 minutes to stretching on the second loop.

My only other issue on the bike was that I dropped my chain just after the 90-mile mark at the bottom of a hill, and it became jammed between the bike frame and the crank shaft. This has actually happened before on a ride so I felt fortunate that I immediately recognized what had happened and how to fix it. Unfortunately, it required laying my bike down on the side of the road, bracing one foot against the frame and pulling really hard. I was saying a prayer as I did this that the chain wouldn't break. (It didn't!) As I did this, I was showered with offers for help from passing riders, but I was able to get it fixed and get it back on in a couple of minutes.

That last 22 miles of the bike were tough. It was hot, my back hurt a lot, and the wind was light, but just enough to slow me down. Still, my legs and stomach felt pretty good, so I was hoping I had done a reasonable job of setting myself up for a solid marathon.

Bike to Run Transition (T2)

As I came into town I was pretty excited to be done with the bike. At the dismount line I took a moment to say "thank you" to my bike (the volunteers laughed) and then jumped off and jog/hobbled towards my gear bag. I was laughing and making funny noises because it felt incredibly awkward to be trying to move around, in bike cleats, after 112 miles of riding. Not painful at all, just odd. I found my bag, made it in to the tent, and started pulling out my gear. This time the volunteers were around offering help, but most people were able to change on their own. The first thing I did was reach into the bag and pull out my "pig hat". As we were in the days leading up to this race I had decided I wanted to wear a silly hat during the marathon. I figured I'd be tired, there would be lots of spectators, and I could use a laugh. At our local costume store I found a flying pig hat (it is a flying pig, designed to be worn on your head) and I had safety pinned it over the top of my headsweats running hat. I brought this "pig hat" as well as another plain running hat in my transition bag, in case I didn't have the energy or attitude to wear the pig hat on race day.
As soon as I pulled the pig hat out of the bag and set it on a chair, a volunteer came over and asked, "What is THAT?" laughing. I explained that I was thinking of wearing it. She quickly called some other volunteers over. "Look at THIS!" she laughed. Soon there were all sort of volunteer around me laughing and saying, "Oh, you HAVE to wear it! You HAVE to wear it!" I was in a great mood, so I decided the decision would be made: I would wear a flying pig on my head.

The next few minutes were absolutely awesome. With a flying pig on my head I ran up towards the sunscreen volunteers. They went nuts. Everyone was laughing and cheering, and the spectators on the other side of the fence started to notice the hat. Lots of cheering. With my sunscreen reapplied I headed towards the run exit. As you leave the transition area you make a sharp left turn and run down a narrow strip of pavement along the lake. There were hundreds of spectators crammed against barricades here, and you are running very close to them, right through the area that will soon become the finish line. As I turned the corner at the transition exit and entered this stretch, people went NUTS. I have never experienced anything like it. It was like a wave of screaming as I ran along, and people started to see the hat, then laugh, then start cheering. This was probably 100 m - 200 m section, and it was absolutely the coolest thing ever. As I ran past the finish line bleachers I suddenly heard the race announcer say, "LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, if you think pigs can't fly, you haven't been to Ironman Coeur d'Alene because here is the PROOF! It's racer number 228, L. Jaye Hopkins from SPOKANE WASHINGTON!!!" It was amazing. I couldn't have been having more fun at that moment.

The Run (26.2 miles)

Within the first mile of the run there is huge spectator support, and with my ever-present pig-hat I was hearing all of it. I found my family standing on a corner in downtown and as I came into sight (and they realized I really was wearing the pig hat) they all started laughing and cheering. Then I headed out through the shaded neighborhoods to start the meat of the run. At first things were going pretty well. I did get a little over zealous at the first aid station, and my stomach started to get a little queasy. (When you've been eating nothing but pretzels and Gatorade for 9 hours, everything looks good.) I realized my mistake and started limiting myself to one sip of water, one sip of Perform each mile. I also turned on the interval timer on my watch and started doing 4 minutes of running, one minute of walking. I didn't feel like I really needed the walking, but it was in my plan to ensure I didn't crash-and-burn early in the run.

Once I was into a nice pattern my pace actually improved for several miles. I was feeling great through at least mile 10. At this point we were starting to hit some hot, sunny stretches along the lake shore and I felt myself starting to get uncomfortably warm. I was dousing myself in cold water, stuffing my shirt with cold sponges, pouring ice down my bra, and trying to take it easy. It was to no avail. By mile 12 I was starting to feel like my stomach couldn't hold down the fluids I was taking in. When I swung back through town at the half-way point my delicate balance finally collapsed. In addition to all the spectators there was BBQ smoke, cigarette smoke, the smell of food tents, car exhaust and just about everything else I did not want to smell. I started to walk on the way back out of town, hoping that when I reached the less crowded shady area I would feel better.

No such luck. At the mile 14 aid station I took a visit to the porta-potty and started throwing up. This is not completely unusual for me, because I typically get sick at the very end of most marathons and as a result I knew I would feel better after emptying my stomach. After that first porta-potty visit I was able to keep walking pretty happily, but running just aggravated everything. So, for the last 12 miles of the marathon I speed walked from porta-potty. Gross. But at least I was moving! And I knew it was really "just my stomach" and I wasn't too bad in any other sense. It was a long, uncomfortable and frustrating portion of the race, but my legs felt fine, my head felt fine, and I was still peeing, so I was confident my body hadn't completely shut down. On the plus side, I knew I had plenty of time to finish. Around mile 21 I decided there was no point in continuing to try to hydrate so I stopped taking in fluids entirely and just focused on finishing. This meant shorter trips to the porta-potty, so I actually made better time in those last few miles. Still, there's nothing quite like having to explain to folks that you are throwing up on the mile 25 mile-marker so that you "won't have to throw up on the finish line."

It was dark by the time I was back into town, but there were still plenty of racers around, all plodding along towards the finish. The last 1/4 mile of the course is down a straight, gentle hill towards the huge bright lights and noise of the finish line. As you run down this stretch the spectators get denser, and louder, and closer to you. It is quite an experience. I was able to get running and keep moving, smiling and waving as I and the pig hat made our way "towards the light." One of my favorite parts of this was that before you reach all of the crowds, someone had written in chalk on the pavement "140.4 miles". The Ironman is famous for being 140.6, so seeing this number just felt really, really cool. I saw my family just before the entrance to the bleacher section. And then I saw something else: The clock said 14:59:40! I had no idea I was still under 15 hours at this point! I picked up my pace and jogged into the finishing chute, trying to enjoy the moment while still getting in under 15:00. Yes, this was a full hour slower than I thought I'd be, but at that moment I was thrilled to have the opportunity to be "under" something! I raised my hands over my head, trying to pull myself up straight and smiled as I crossed under the finish line arch. My official finishing time says I made it with ~8 seconds to spare.

The Finish

As soon as you get through that finishing arch you instantly hit an enormous crowd of people. A volunteer comes to get you immediately to be sure you don't sit (or fall) down. I was really surprised by the density of people in this area! They are handing you things: water, hats, shirts, space blankets, medals, etc.. and you have these bright lights in your eyes and are suddenly disoriented. My volunteer asked me if I was OK, and I explained that I felt OK but I wanted to visit the medical tent because I had been sick for the last three hours. Then she asked if I wanted to do the medical tent or my finisher photo first and I told her I absolutely wanted that photo first!

At the medical tent the volunteers put me on a cot and told me to lay still for a few minutes to see what happened. Everyone kept coming over to ask about the hat, and I was so tired and ill feeling, but was still smiling and laughing because I had the post-Ironman high. After lying on a cot for 10 minutes I guess I looked miserable enough that they decided to give me some anti-nausea medication, Zofran. This stuff was awesome. 15 minutes later I felt absolutely fine. In fact, this experience has made me wonder if a little Zofran might make all my marathons more enjoyable! I picked my stuff up, walked back out of the tent and met up with my family. After hugs, quick stories, a fast massage and a piece of pizza, I was on my way home. I even walked to the car. And that is how I became an Ironman.

If my stomach hadn't given out on me I was on pace to finish ~ 4:30 marathon, so I would certainly have hit my ultimate goal of a 14:00 finish. I can't say I'm disappointed at all though, because Ironman is hard and I finished my first one without getting injured, going insane, getting divorced, or giving up my whole life to train. So I'm happy. Mission accomplished. I have learned an enormous amount over the past year and tomorrow I plan to write down all of the good advice I can remember receiving that helped me feel so prepared for this race.

Ironman Coeur d'Alene Race Report

2011-06-27T21:32:00.000-07:00

I wanted to take the time to write an Ironman Coeur d'Alene (IMCDA) race report while the memories are still fresh in my head. An Ironman is a long race, so this will be a long report; feel free to skim or skip it altogether. I've started with just the pre-race, swim and T1. Tomorrow I hope to do the rest and later this week I plan to post separately on the amazing amount of good advice I received prior to this Ironman; as the day went on I found myself extremely well prepared for most issues that arose. But more on that later.

My first impressions of this race came from the athlete registration, mandatory meeting and gear check-in, which happened on Thursday, Friday and Saturday respectively. Each of these experiences was a lot better than I expected and overall they gave me a really good feeling going into the event. At athlete sign-in you complete a wide range of waivers (legal and medical) and confirm all of your race weekend contact information in case of emergencies. When I attended the Oceanside 70.3 triathlon in California earlier this year I was a little overwhelmed by this process. It was very formal and felt ominous and foreboding. It had a totally different feel in Coeur d'Alene; far more upbeat. The gentleman going over the legal documents with me inserted some information periodically that was definitely not on the official forms. ("Sign here if you agree we can release your medical information to family, or sign here if you want us just to sell your body for parts.") The athlete meeting was also well-humored. At gear check-in one of the volunteers asked if it was my first Ironman, and when I said yes he spent the next 10 minutes walking me to my bike rack, explaining the complete layout and flow of the transition area, and finally repeatedly telling me what an amazing experience I was about to have. I went into race day feeling very prepared. Of course, I was still nervous as heck, but I had done everything in my power to be ready!

Race morning dawned beautifully; sunny and cool with a forecasted high of 74. I put my wetsuit on, applying a huge amount of lube to the area of my neck that chafed so badly in California. The water temperature was around 58 degrees, so I also wore a neoprene cap to be safe. Then I headed across the timing chip mat and found a place on the beach along with nearly 2500 nervous athletes.

The Swim (2.4 miles)

When the canon went off to signal the start of the race I was more relieved than anything else. After a year of waiting the race was FINALLY happening. I started in a location about 2/3 down the beach from the course markers (buoys) and put myself about 3/4 towards the back of the crowd. I'm glad I did. Where I was there was no one running to the water or fighting for position, just a lot of pensive folks wading in to start a swim. When my feet first left the gravel bottom I start doing some breaststroke to catch my breath and get my bearings. I probably did this for 30 seconds to a minute. When I tried to change to freestyle I just couldn't do it. I was not having an anxiety attack, but I was grappling with the magnitude of the moment and having trouble catching my breath. My head was clear, so I rolled over on my back and kicked for about 15 seconds to focus on my breathing. I was worried that I would be run over by other swimmers, but my position meant that the people behind me were swimming even less confidently than I was. I was able to steady my breath and focus my thoughts very quickly. Then with one final deep breath I rolled over, plunged my face into the icy water, and got to work.

Because the water was fairly choppy from the other swimmers I went to my "1-2" breathing on every right-side stroke pattern. Each time I lifted my head to take a breathe I would watch my wet-suited arm moving past my head, and then follow my pale, white hand as it pierced into the murky water. With that piercing motion I would exhale forcefully and actually made a "wooooooo" noise. The result was that I put myself in a very strong pattern of < breathe, "woooooo", breathe, "wooooo" >. The longer I did it, the more it gave me confidence that I could keep doing it. The other benefit was that it blocked out the noise of the others swimmers and allowed me to focus on my own swimming.
Unlike my fears about a mass-swim start, I really didn't feel like I was in a washing machine. In fact, having someone's feet kicking in front of my face gave me a little beacon to follow through the water. With the exception of the very competitive people up front, most of the people I witnessed were doing a very small amount of kicking. (There were some exceptions, and they just looked sloppy!) So being immediately behind their feet was not an issue. Occasionally someone's arm would come over me, and I would just accept that and keep swimming. If someone started repeatedly bumping me, or I felt the same arm twice I would start kicking harder and swim forward from them. In the entire swim I only felt like I was struck with any force once, in the ribs, and not enough to hurt at all. There was a lot of contact but it actually felt quite gentle. I tried to follow close enough behind other swimmers to draft and I have no idea if it worked, but I did enjoy having someone to follow.

This course is a rectangle that starts on shore, swims out about 700 meters, turns parallel to shore for 130 meters, then comes back. You exit the water, run over a mat, then run back into the water at an angle to swim around the original starting buoy and do a second lap. I am incredibly thankful that someone told me to "sight the landforms" on the other side of the lake, rather than trying to swim to the buoys that mark the course. Once I had my breathing pattern I could easily glance at the hills to get my bearings, so I just focused on swimming. This was great. So great that I was confused by the people that started swimming sideways in front of me, until I realized I had already reached the last buoy and they were turning to swim around it. This was also great because I had gone a bit wide, and was completely avoiding the back-up at the buoy turn. I took a couple of strokes to turn my body, then started swimming the second side of the rectangle.
At this point I was feeling very good. I had reached my first mental goal (the buoy) and I seemed to have everything under control. Now I had to swim into the sun, which might have complicated things on a longer section, but this 130 meter portion you didn't need to see much, so I just put my head down and swam. Occasionally I would breathe left to see if the other corner buoy was visible. That happened quickly (again, I swam wide) so I turned and swam for shore. Now the sun was on my right, where I was breathing. This wasn't great, but not terrible either. What I didn't like was that about halfway to shore there was a very strong smell of diesel fuel. It was while we were passing the resort's pier, which reached far out into the water. I felt a little bit nauseous from the smell, coupled with repeatedly staring into the sun. (Sun, water, sun, water, sun, water... you get the idea.) I did switch to left side breathing for stretches but it felt more awkward. I wasn't sure which was worse.
As we approached the beach I started hearing the Ironman announcer under the water. That was a neat moment. And I could make out the thousands of people on shore. I imagined what we all looked like thrashing around together. And then suddenly I could see the lake bed underneath me. It was still a ways off shore. I thought about how great it would be if this were a half-Ironman and I was almost done, but I quickly put the thought out of my head. When I reached shore I clicked a split on my watch and it was 40 minutes... right on schedule. I had wondered if I was going faster given how well things were going, but I had just swam exactly the time I predicted. I felt a bit woosy, but I ran over the timing mat, took a sharp turn and headed back into the water.
I waded a little more deeply than necessary on the way in to breath and burp up some water. I instantly felt better. I am amazed that I seem to swallow so much water without knowing it. I put my face down and got back to work. The second lap was much like the first, although much less crowded. Sometimes I couldn't see any feet at all. I was much closer to the buoys this time, and when rounding the second far buoy I actually ended right up against it. Everyone was being incredibly cooperative at this point (we'd been swimming for 60+ minutes) so it was not an issue, but I remember smelling the plastic of the buoy and thinking about the fact that I was smelling an Ironman buoy, in an Ironman swim, which is not something many people in the world do! Then, it was back to the swimming. When we passed through the diesel-smell area again I started to feel a little more sick, so I flipped to my back to get a few extra breaths. That "flipping" movement seemed to make things worse. At this point I was probably 2/3 of the way back to shore and I could hear the announcer again. I was starting to feel just a little bit cold for the first time. But I definitely was more worried about feeling sick. I finally switched to breastroke for a moment and expelled some of the water that had gotten into my stomach. Again, instantly more comfortable. And again, I saw the lake bed under my feet and the big red timing arch on shore coming closer. I remembered to start kicking hard to encourage some circulation in my legs. When I stood up I was in really good shape; I felt even better than at the halfway point! I started to unzip my wetsuit right away, and did a little walk/jog down the beach. I even saw people in the crowd cheering for me that I knew. It was such a better experience than California where I was so sick to my stomach and disoriented at the swim exit. It's amazing to think that this was twice the distance, but I felt so much better.

First Transition (T1): Swim to Bike
While I felt great, I was still operating with "swim brain" when I came out of the water. I got my shoulders out of the wetsuit but could not get the neoprene over my watch and ID bands on my wrists. I trotted up to the wet suit peelers (volunteers who help you remove your wet suit) and presented myself.
"OK," I said. They stared at me.
"Take your hands out of your suit," one said.
"I can't!" I said, and we all started laughing. I said something about how this would be easy to do normally. They freed my hands, helped me to the ground, and with one smooth, gentle motion pulled the suit off, lifted me back to my feet, pushed the suit into my arms and pointed me towards my gear. I knew exactly where my bag was, and had marked it with pink construction ribbon so it was easy to find. (I have no idea how people find their bags quickly without this stuff.) I grabbed it and ran into the changing tent.
There were a lot of people who were "changing" on the grass in front of the tents because they were wearing trisuits that go straight from swim to bike. They only need to pull on socks, bike shoes, etc. I wanted more comfortable bike shorts for my 112 mile adventure, so I headed into the tent to change. As soon as I walked in a volunteer (woman) came straight down one of the aisles of chairs, took me by my shoulders and said, "Over here!" while pointing at empty chairs. I sat down.
She started racing to open my bag and I said, "oh, it's okay, I'm not in a rush." She laughed and explained how frazzled some of the women before me had been. I untied the bag and reached in to find my list. This was one of the best things I did; when I packed my T1 bag I wrote a list to myself explaining what to do. It seems silly, but with wet suit brain it's hard to remember how to dress yourself. At the top of the list it said TOWEL OFF. The volunteer reached into the bag and found the towel. Then she started going down the list, pulling my items out of the bag in order. There was this moment where I realized I needed to take my swimsuit off, and as I stripped it as fast as I could manage I thought, "Wow, I'm totally naked, about 6 inches from this woman who is staring at me." I felt like a 4 year old changing clothes. I looked up at all the other women who were also wet, shivering, confused and naked in front of perfectly coiffed volunteers. I thought to myself how totally bizarre, yet also primitive and communal this changing tent was.
The wonderful volunteer helped me go through my whole list of items to put on (in the correct order) and then items not to forget, like sunglasses, sunscreen and food in my cycling jersey. It was smooth, flawless and friendly. By the time I came out of the tent I was in great spirits, much more oriented, and also trying not to think about the fact that leaving the tent meant I was about to cycle 112 miles; further than I've ever gone before! I jogged out of the tent, went straight to my bike (did a good job choosing land markers to find the row it was in) and as I arrived at my bike I pulled my wedding rings out of the bike bag (didn't want to risk them in the swim) and realized my family was probably nearby. Sure enough, as I started to jog down the row I spotted them. In fact, at the end of the row a volunteer directed me to turn right for the bike mount line, and I was able to take a wide right to blow them a kiss. Then I trotted out to the line, mounted up and headed out on the next part of my adventure.

Coming next... stayed tuned for the bike, T2 and run!

I AM AN IRONMAN

2011-06-27T07:21:00.000-07:00

It's 7:15 AM and I am wide-awake and barely sore, just 9 hours after finishing my first Ironman. Amazing! Many tales to tell. The whole race was an amazing experience and my race plan went nearly flawlessly until my stomach gave in at ~ mile 14 of the half marathon. My stomach is never reliable, so it was frustrating but not unpredicted. After mile 14 I speed-walked when I wasn't in porta-potties. Still, I had a great time!!And...

I am an IRONMAN!

And no, I'm not signing up for next year. :)
Full race report to come.

Here goes!

2011-06-25T21:58:00.000-07:00

It just about lights-out here, but I'm ready for a great day tomorrow. In addition to the information below, if you're coming out to the race and need some help finding me, don't hesitate to call or text my husband (Steve) at 509 847 3041.

How to Follow Me on Ironman Race Day

2011-06-23T08:59:00.000-07:00

Whether you're coming out to cheer for me this weekend (THANK YOU!) or you're going to follow me online (THANK YOU!) I hope the following information will be helpful for you. This Sunday is my first ever Ironman triathlon in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. I am racer number 228, L. Jaye Hopkins, and the website to go to on race day is Ironmanlive.com. If you're coming out to cheer in the afternoon you can check the site ahead of time to see how I'm doing.
Below I have attempted to estimate my possible times on Sunday.
Please bear in mind that these are estimates for a smooth race. Because it is a long event and my first of this distance there is a significant chance my times will be (much) slower. My goal is simply to finish in the 17 hour time limit, in one piece. If I need to slow down or take a break to do that, I will!

Where I think I'll be at what time...
Race Start: 7:00 AM PDT
First is the swim: 2.4 miles, split into two loops
Finish first loop of swim (back to beach): 40 minutes
Finish Swim: 1 hr 20 min to 1hr 30 min
>>"T1", transition from swim to bike in 5 - 10 minutes

Start Bike: Around 8:30 - 8:40 AM* (later if my swim is slow)
Bike is 112 miles, split into two loops
Finish first loop (back in town): 3 hr 30 min - 3 hr 45 min (11:30 - 11:45 AM)
Finish bike: 7 hr 15 min to 7 hr 45 min (3:45 - 4:15 PM, adjust if my swim/bike is slower)
>>"T2", transition from bike to run in 5 - 10 minutes

Start Run: Who knows! Sometime 4 PM - 5 PM
Run 26.2 miles, in two loops
Hoping to keep my run time under 4:30, but it's anyone's guess by that point in the day. The average finish time for the marathon on this course is over 5:00 hours, so I won't be shocked if that happens to me!

The "Everything Went Really Well" Finish Time: 14:00 / 9:00 PM
But remember, my goal is just to finish, and I have until midnight to do that. Anything else is a bonus!

A Non-Ironman Post (at least, I'll try)

2011-06-22T10:14:00.000-07:00

Every July since we have moved to Spokane we've made the short drive to Missoula, Montana to participate in the Missoula Half Marathon. It is one of our favorite races by far. We love the town, the mountains and the amazing people in the area. This year Steve will be running the full marathon (his 4th marathon, first full Missoula) and I plan to run the half if my Iron-recovery is on track.
One of the race sponsors is a great local running store, The Runners Edge. This morning I received the store's monthly newsletter in my inbox, which included an interview with one of their local elites, Keifer Uli Hahn. I really liked this piece of advice that he shared:

"Don't take running too seriously. It's one of many things in life to be enjoyed. Enjoy it and you will be successful... There's so much advice out there about how to run faster, stronger, longer, etc. It's all a trial and error process. Enjoy that process. Figure out what to change and change it. Don't get stuck in that classic "runner's rut!"

I love any serious runner that repeatedly uses the word "enjoy" when giving advice. I think he is spot on with this point. Being flexible in our training and racing allows us to discover more ways to enjoy our sport. And, after all, if you're not enjoying things on some level*, what is the point?

*In no way does this mean I am "enjoying" the last few miles of all my 20-mile marathon training runs... but they're part of an overall training plan that I really do love.

Iron Brain

2011-06-21T08:49:00.000-07:00

With just five days to go before my first Ironman race, I've definitely developed "Ironman-on-the-brain". I am doing a reasonable job of not obsessing over race day but I can't help but frame all of my daily decisions in the context of the upcoming race. Every decision from what to eat, what to drink, what chores to do, how much to sleep, etc. is taking on more significance. Can I plant some landscaping? No, I don't want to strain something while shoveling. Laundry? Probably not an issue. Is it okay to drink wine with this dinner? Only if I stick to just one glass. Even a trip to Starbucks is fraught with calorie-counting decisions.
Despite this consuming awareness of the task at hand I think that I am handling the week pretty well. I'm sticking to my light workout schedule and checking off tasks on my race week checklist. When I feel myself getting lost in a long, intense thought about something race-related I focus on my breathing and return myself to a centered state. Most of all, I'm seeding my mind with tools and tips to help me stay calm, focused and upbeat on race day. (Which, did I mention, is just five days away?)

9 Days and Counting...

2011-06-17T13:11:00.000-07:00

It is just nine days until my first Ironman, and I feel remarkably calm. I honestly thought I would be a lot more anxious by this point in my taper. On one hand I think that I'm blissfully naive to the "oncoming storm" and that is allowing me to continue operating fairly normally. I know the basics of what to expect on race day and I'm doing a lot of reading on the topic, but I won't be able to really appreciate what I've gotten myself into until I'm there. And fortunately, by then it will be too late to back out!
While I am really calm, that doesn't mean that I'm not in a heightened state of Iron-awareness. I think the race crosses my mind about every 3 minutes. I am especially thankful for having so many people around me to discuss logistics, mental preparation and race plans with. It certainly takes a village to raise an Iron athlete. At this point everyone's focus is turning to the long-range weather forecasts that are just starting to reach race day. The good news is that the weather looks beautiful; now we sit and wait and hope that "beautiful" won't turn into a scorching hot afternoon (tough marathon weather).

Race numbers are also out, and mine is 228. I was surprised to see such a low number because it is such a big race (2700 + entrants). It doesn't have any significance in terms of ranking or start times, but I had to take the cue of other Iron people and try to find some numeric signal in it. So here's mine: It has 2's and an 8, which seem to happen in a lot of my bib numbers, including my half Iron in April (2078) and my Boston Marathon bib (12478). So I think it's a good sign. Great. And I'll leave it at that.

My Ironman Mantra of the Moment...

2011-06-13T19:58:00.001-07:00

This one should come in handy during the swim.

Pollen, Pollen, Everywhere...

2011-06-08T18:14:00.000-07:00

As a kid I was diagnosed with a minor case of exercise-induced asthma when I came home wheezing after gym class. In retrospect I'm sure the wheezing had something to do with the fact that all the other girls my age hated gym while I thought it was awesome to run as hard and fast as I could. Nonetheless, I am definitely asthmatic. This has generally (and thankfully) played only a minor role in my athletic hobbies, particularly when I lived with the airborne particulates and inversion layer common in Seattle weather. In my first half-marathon, which took place just outside the city when I was 23, someone told me that I sounded like a "squeaky-toy" running up the course's largest hill. By the time I pulled up my roots in the Emerald city I was on three separate maintenance medications.

Leaving Seattle helped me learn that my asthma may be exercise-induced, but it is also profoundly affected by air quality. I am lucky to now live in Spokane, Washington, which has excellent air. Even on our hottest, most stagnant summer days we only occasionally receive air advisories. After my first few years here I started to decrease my asthma medications and last year I finally stopped taking my steroids. (I still keep an emergency inhaler on hand.) Not being on the steroids seems to make me more susceptible to symptoms from acute particulate exposure such as campfires and car exhaust, but otherwise I have been just fine.

Pine Pollen Coating Our Deck

This week, however, Spokane has been overrun by a particulate of a different kind: pine pollen. It is amazing. Two weekends ago I started to notice the yellow clouds BILLOWING from the trees, and by this week everything is covered in a fine coat of yellow. The sky has looked hazy for days. I would guess our wet, mild spring that launched into sudden warmth last week must have something to do with it, but I'm a runner, not a plant scientist. The result: last night at track I was reaching for my inhaler after two repeats. It was not fun. Let's hope that the pines get this "out of their system" quickly so I won't be dealing with any ill effects on race day!

365-days-to-Ironman

2011-06-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

I affectionately refer to my current training adventure as 365-days-to-an-Ironman, because I literally signed up for Ironman Coeur d'Alene on a very intense whim the day after last year's race. At the time I had only a very basic understanding of triathlons and virtually no equipment or experience. I didn't even own a working bicycle. But I found myself staring at the Coeur d'Alene results page Monday morning (looking up a colleague who races every year), and then clicking on the registration page just to see what it looked like. It was like leaning over a cliff to get a better view of what's below, and then leaning a little bit further... and further...

With the registration page opened I called my husband under some false pretense. I changed the topic to Ironman. He seemed suspicious. "No, I wouldn't actually sign up for next year. That would be crazy, right? No one reasonable does these things, right? You would divorce me if I signed up, right?"
My husband is much too smart of a guy not to see through that line of questioning. He had seen me lean over that Ironman cliff in curiosity before and this time he gave me the final push. "I would rather have to deal with a year of training," he said with some exasperation, "then listen to you talk about doing it for the rest of your life." Smart guy, huh?

I remember squealing something like, "Ack! "I can't believe I'm doing this" repeatedly as I clicked "register now" on the screen. And thus my year began.

Aside from my hasty decision to register for the race, I have approached this past year in the most scientific, systematic fashion possible. First, Google searches. Second, books. Then, the deluge. I registered for the Ironman on June 28th, 2010. Three days later I bought a bike. I did my first triathlon (a sprint distance) 6 weeks later, and my first Olympic distance race one month after that. In between I read a lot, and asked questions of everyone I knew. I posted pictures of the Ironman finish line in my office and our workout den. I bought a wetsuit, and then a bike trainer. I started swimming at the YMCA so I could swim more often and in colder water. My serious training regimen started in late November with short, frequent workouts and progressed to longer and more intense sessions.
And basically, that's it. Here I am. It's that simple: All you need to do is give up your free time for six to eight months, go broke buying equipment and paying race entry fees, and if you don't hurt yourself in the process... you too can be an Ironman! Or at least, that's the plan. I guess we'll have to wait a few more weeks to be sure. But it has definitely been an adventure, and an unforgettable year. Now to "taper smart" and stay healthy until race day. Here goes...

Taper Purgatory

2011-06-06T15:20:00.000-07:00

With 20 days to go until Ironman Coeur d'Alene, my taper has officially started. This is mostly a technicality; this week my workouts won't be any fewer or shorter than normal until I get to the weekend. So while I'm in "the taper" I won't feel any different for a few more days at least.
Last week was my last major training week and it went very well. I had to shorten my midweek bike to account for some bad weather, but I finished the week with a fairly challenging 8.5 hour training weekend. The numbers:

Swimming: 2 sessions, 2:15, 3.7 miles
Biking: 2 sessions, 6:00, 99 miles
Running: 3 sessions (+ 2 transitions), 7:00, 40 miles
Total: 7 sessions, 15:15, 143 miles

Not the most impressive week by "Iron" standards, but a solid week of quality training with a focus on long, consistent workouts and bike-to-run transitions.

Iron Inspiration

2011-06-01T17:57:00.000-07:00

My last recovery week has ended and seems to have done the trick; I ran a strong 3 hour/20 mile run on Sunday, and my first swim and run of the week have gone very smoothly. As I start to face the final Ironman countdown in front of me I am beginning to collect articles, images and advice to guide me through me mental and physical preparation for race day. Today I collected some classic and modern quotes that apply nicely to the task at hand:

I am not afraid. I was born to do this.
-Joan of Arc

It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that things are difficult. -Seneca

A lot of people run a race to see who is the fastest. I run a race to see who has the most guts. -Steve Prefontaine

Be patient and tough. Someday this pain will be useful to you. -Ovid

Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go. -TS Elliot

Well done is better than well said. -Benjamin Franklin

Your body will argue that there is no justifiable reason to continue. Your only recourse is to call on your spirit, which fortunately functions independently of logic. -Tim Noakes

Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody. -HW Longfellow

I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is the moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious. -Vince Lombardi

Iron Tired

2011-05-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

** Note: After writing this post I looked at the date and realized there is now LESS THAN A MONTH until Ironman Coeur d'Alene. Holy moly!! I think I've been in denial!**

With just over 4 weeks to go until Ironman, I have finally started to feel "Iron Tired". After my century ride last weekend I took two days completely off to rest (and travel), and came back feeling good on Tuesday. I had a light swim Tuesday afternoon, a good track workout Tuesday night, and then a purposely light bike trainer ride on Wednesday. Despite the major cut-back in training and paying attention to my sleep and diet, I still felt pretty tired towards the end of this week. I finally decide to book a long (fantastic) massage session from a very talented local coach and massage therapist, Darcy Staudinger. She worked on my legs, back and shoulders until I felt like an oily, happy gummy worm. (I then drank a gallon of water and went to sleep!) I'm hoping that all this focus on rest and wellness will allow me to have a strong final week or two of training before my taper begins.
On the plus side, I can only complain about having felt tired within the last week or so. I haven't had any injuries aside from a few minor shoulder and back tweaks, and none of them have persisted. In fact, my peak Ironman training doesn't seem to be nearly as all-consuming as the base training from January and February. My workouts feel purposeful and productive, and I seem to have a good balance of long days and lazy days. Giving myself the wiggle room to take Mondays off from training and occasionally dump a short run or ride has done a lot to keep me sane. I keep reminding myself, however, that while my body is pretty much ready for Ironman, keeping my training load high for another week or so will prevent me from second-guessing my readiness as race day approaches. Because the only thing harder than training is staying sane through the taper!

What is Strong? From Saucony

2011-05-23T10:20:00.000-07:00

While I currently run on Asics GT - 2160 sneakers, one of my other favorite running brands is Saucony. Their current marketing campaign is titled "What is Strong?" and has a fun webpage where you can create your own motivation design. You type words or phrases that have meaning to you and the website creates a design from those words. (You can adjust the design manually too.) You can save the design, share it with friends, or even put it on a t-shirt. Here is mine:

Peak Weekends

2011-05-15T17:52:00.000-07:00

This was one of a handful of "peak weekends" in Iron training for me; a really long Saturday bike ride followed by a really long Sunday run. This weekend it was 90 miles on the bike and nearly 18 running. Tough stuff to be sure.
The long bike rides are a new adventure for me, but the long runs are something I already have a lot of experience with. In some way that makes the runs more difficult. When I train for a marathon I typically run long after a couple of days taking it easy. The result is that I do the run on fresh, strong legs. I also run as early as possible to take advantage of our cool mornings. Depending on the training cycle my long run pace is usually in the 8:10 - 8:40 min/mi range. My last two Ironman training runs have been a different story: running in the heat to replicate race day conditions and running almost 60 sec/mi slower on tired legs. It's a bit of a shock to the system. I definitely have adjusted to the new conditions, although I think my mind needed a lot more work than my body to get to this point!
This was a big week. I missed one swim workout, but it was to get some more sleep. No regrets. The details:

Swim: 1 session, 2 miles, 1:10
Cycling: 2 sessions, 116 miles, 7:00
Running: 4 sessions, 39 miles, 6:15
Total: 7 sessions, 157 miles, 14.5 hours

Looking at those numbers I can appreciate how much work I am packing into my training sessions. Next week I'll get a reprieve on the weekend long run but the rest of the week will be busy. We are just six weeks from race day, which means three peak weeks remaining!

Buy Me This Bag

2011-05-11T15:48:00.000-07:00

There is a LOT of gear involved with doing a triathlon, especially an Ironman. For someone like myself who comes from a running background it is a whole new world. I have done three triathlons now, and each time I have had a "fun time" getting all my gear to my transition area. Thank goodness for supportive husbands who don't mind serving as temporary pack animals.
Enter the TYR Transition bag. Feel free to buy this for me with that $180 burning a hole in your pocket. True, the Ironman event doesn't allow a bag like this in the transition area itself, but for every other event and for transport to-and-from any event this seems awesome:

Tour de Cure

2011-05-07T17:47:00.000-07:00

Despite getting derailed in my intended long bike ride this week, I am on track to be ready for the 112 miles of cycling in my upcoming Ironman. Two weeks ago I did an 80-mile bike ride; the longest distance I've ever cycled. (The week before that I rode 70 miles... now the second-longest distance I've ever cycled!) As part of my training I made it my goal to work up to a full century ride (100 miles) prior to the Ironman. The cycling is generally enjoyable, but these 5-hour rides start to get a little bit dull and lonely. For that reason I was thrilled to find out that some of our friends on the west side of the state were signed up for the American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure cycling event. Steve's college roommate Micah Bonkowski was diagnosed with Type I diabetes while they lived together in college and since then he has been an inspiring example of diabetes management while living actively. He and his wife have ridden just about every major cycling event in Washington state, including the Redmond-Spokane cross-state route. A few phone calls later and I was all signed up to ride the Tour de Cure 100-miler with him and some other friends. Very cool. The event is on May 21st, which means I can get in one more long ride between now and then. It will be a great training opportunity and a wonderful excuse to do my first century with friends, all while supporting a good cause and a wonderful person.
If you'd like to donate to our Tour de Cure team (Team Bonkers... after Micah Bonkowski!) click here. And wish me luck!

A Slightly Odd Recovery Week

2011-05-02T08:15:00.000-07:00

I planned this past week as a lighter "recovery" week, both to give my body my usual third-week-off and also to accommodate my mom who was visiting for a three-day weekend. On top of those reasons, I wanted to be sure I could run our annual Bloomsday 12k road race in a fast enough time to remain qualified for the second-seed starting area. The plan worked, although almost too well. A combination of laziness, fatigue, bad-weather and other activities kept me having a very short week; barely 8 hours of training. But on the plus side I ran my most comfortable AND fastest Bloomsday to date: 54:30. That is 87 seconds faster than my existing PR and keeps me well within the 58-minute limit for the special start area. Woot.
So, this past week was a huge break for my body and mind. I think it will actually pay off in the long run because it allows me (and somewhat guilt-trips me) into working very hard for the next two weeks. And after that I'll have just one more hard-easy cycle until the Ironman taper! Jeez!!!

The Iron Weekends Continue

2011-04-25T14:30:00.000-07:00

Another week in training, and another "iron weekend" to report. This weekend I did a relatively easy 80-mile bike ride on Saturday and followed it up with a flat and relatively quick 16-mile run on Sunday. Both workouts were easier than last week's killer hills and trails, but the longer duration and the accumulating fatigue made this plenty tough. One highlight, however, was biking out to Coeur d'Alene Idaho, and specifically to the beach where the Ironman Coeur d'Alene swim will start. I stopped and spent a few minutes eating a Clif Bar and staring at the water. It felt like a visit to a shrine.

My Bike and the Beach Where I'll Start My First Ironman

There are just nine short weeks until I'll be standing on that beach looking at 140.6 miles of Ironman course in front of me. It's not much time, but there is a lot of work left to be done before then! Last week's numbers:

Swimming: 1 session, , 1 hour, 2 miles
Biking: 2 sessions, 7 hours, 110 miles
Running: 4 sessions, 5:15, 36 miles
Total: 7 sessions, 13:15, 148 miles

World Record of a Different Kind

2011-04-22T13:48:00.000-07:00

I read a very entertaining article this week about the number of world records that were set at the Virgin London Marathon on Sunday. Yes, the men's winner Emmanuel Mutai broke the course record with a 2:04:40 finish, but there were a lot of other records that fell too. Check out the complete list below (courtesy of Guiness World Records) and maybe start to plan your next world record attempt!

Fastest marathon in superhero costume (male)
David Stone (UK), 2hr 42m 46s
Fastest marathon in Animal costume (male)
Martin Indge as an ostrich, 3h 04m 00s
Fastest marathon dressed as a book character (male)
David Ross as Dennis the Menace, 3h 02m 30s
Fastest marathon dressed as a cartoon character
Jon Morgan as Fred Flintstone, 2h 46m 59s
Fastest marathon dressed as a jester
Alexander Scherz, 3hr 11m 57s
Fastest marathon dressed as a fairy (male)
David Hellard, 3h 10m 56s
Fastest marathon dressed as a fairy (female)
Emily Foran, 3h 20m 52s
Fastest marathon dressed as television character (male)
Simon Bryant as Captain Kirk, 3h 21m 22s
Fastest marathon in an animal costume (female)
Barbara Stcherbatcheff as a peacock, 3h 42m 11s
Fastest marathon in a wedding dress
Eleanor Franks, 4hr 11m 01s
Fastest marathon wearing a gas mask
Andy McMahon, 3hr 12m 11s
Fastest marathon in police uniform
Paul Swan, 3hr 09m 52s
Fastest marathon dressed as a Roman soldier
Les Slinn, 4hr 05m 34s
Fastest marathon dressed as a lifeguard
David Bayley, 3hr 44m 33s
Fastest marathon dressed as a Viking
Ben Afforselles, 3hr 12 m 11s
Fastest marathon dressed as a vegetable (female)
Julie Tapley as a carrot, 4hr 06m 17s
Fastest marathon dressed as an astronaut
Darren Cox, 3h 53m 21s
Fastest marathon dressed as a bottle (male)
Gavin Rees, 3hr 53m 26s
Fastest marathon dressed as a gingerbread man
David Smith, 3hr 42m 20s
Fastest marathon dressed as a Mr. Potato Head
Peter Barlow, 4hr 17m 38s
Fastest marathon dressed as a sailor
Subhashis Basu, 3hr 24m 12s
Fastest marathon dressed as a nun
Ben Bradley, 4hr 00m 28s
Most Rubik's Cubes solved running a marathon
Uli Killian (Germany), 100 cubes in 4hr 45m 43s
Fastest marathon carrying 40 lb pack
Lee Riley, 4hr 1m 17s
Fastest marathon carrying 60 lb pack
Carl Creasey, 4hr 50m 56s
Fastest marathon completed on crutches (one leg)
John Sandford Hart, 6hr 24m 48s
Fastest parent and child mixed
Richard Collinson (2:45:26) and Libby Collinson (3:36:39) Total: 6hr 22m 05s
Fastest parent and child same sex
Kelvin Amos (3:12:04) and Shane Amos (2:51:03) Total: 6hr 03m 07s
Fastest married couple
Jez Mancer (2:35:36) and Lucy Mancer (3:02:00) Total: 5hr 37m 36s
Most marathons completed on crutches
John Sandford Hart, 6 marathons
Fastest marathon in a nurse's uniform (male)
Kevin Harvey, 2hr 52m 26s
Most money raised by a marathon runner
Steve Chalke, total amount tbc, but already over £1.8m
Most runners linked to complete a marathon
47 runners led by David Whillans, in a time of 7hr 28m 43s

I'm pooped!

2011-04-17T16:38:00.000-07:00

It's Sunday afternoon and I am, technically speaking, pooped after a big end to my training week. On Thursday and Friday I did 90 minutes of cycling and running respectively, which I followed up with two big workouts this weekend. Yesterday I biked for 70 miles (!!) which is the longest ride I've done to date. I mixed in quite a bit of hills and fought a headwind for much of the ride. It took just under 4 hours, 30 minutes. Today I participated in the Spokane River Run 25k trail race here in town. It was a beautiful but very tough course with large hills and a lot of dicey footing. I ran with the mindset that it was a training run (not a race) and paced myself well enough that my last few miles were the fastest. Still, the course was so tough that I was a full 17 minutes slower than my 25k PR... and that PR was set on a "hilly" course!
This weekend was a milestone in the sense that I biked further than ever before and completed my longest run so far in my Ironman training. It feels really good to get it done and boosts my confidence for the big Iron-day, which is now just 70 days away.
This week's totals:

Swim: 1 session, 1 hour, 1.7 miles
Bike: 2 sessions, 6 hours, 100 miles
Run: 3 sessions, 5 hours, 33 miles
Total: 6 sessions, 12 hours, 135 miles

Blogs to Bookmark

2011-04-12T11:06:00.000-07:00

Last night I made one of my favorite new recipes: Syrian Red Lentil Soup, a la Jaye. The recipe is originally from a cookbook by Poopa Dweck and was adapted and written up by "Herbivoracious" blogger Michael Natkin. Michael's blog is a great read if you're looking for creative vegetarian recipes. I used his version of the soup, but added some cubed yukon gold potatoes to make it more substantial and lemon juice to brighten it.

Another new blog to check out is the Spokane Community College Wellness Blog, which is run by our wonderful aquatics instructor Michele Heuer. Check it out for general health and fitness essays by Michele and her team.

Ironman: Here we go!

2011-04-11T10:50:00.000-07:00

Last week I took it pretty easy as I recovered from my half-Iron in California. This was partly by plan and partly by necessity; my wetsuit burn kept me out of the pool and my bike was in transit from CA. I barely eeked out 8 hours of light training, including 2:30 on the bike Saturday and 1:30 running on Sunday. While it was weird to have such a light week I definitely wanted to err on the side of caution.
This week it's back to the full swing of things- quickly. I'll ramp back up to pre-race levels this week, and start the true "peak" portion of my training next week. That means longer everything: longer swims, a longer weekend bike ride and a focus on bringing my Sunday long runs up to 20 miles. It will be an adventure, so stay tuned!

Still Waiting For Official 70.3 Photos (Updated!)

2011-04-06T11:02:00.000-07:00

The official race photos from my Ironman 70.3 haven't been published yet, but in the mean time I put some of the photos and video that Steve took online. See the photos on our flickr page here, or watch a short video on YouTube here.

****** Update: Official Photos and my Finish Line Video is here!

I'm feel pretty much recovered, although I will stick to my plan of taking it relatively easy this week. I get my bike back towards the end of the week (yay!) so I should be able to do a long ride this weekend. My neck is healing well, so I plan to take this week off from swimming and get back into the pool early next week. After all, there are just 12 weeks left until Ironman!

The Ironman 70.3 California Race Report!

2011-04-04T13:35:00.000-07:00

I guess I better sit down and write a race report before I forget all my impressions and feelings from race day! To begin with, I had a really great time. I am really happy with how I did and the whole experience in general, and I definitely came out of the event feeling more confident about Coeur d'Alene. I think it will be easiest to break down the race in terms of stages.

Pre-race: I can't believe how smoothly everything went. I had very little anxiety, remembered pretty-much all of my gear, and slept perfectly soundly on Friday night. Even standing in line to start the swim I felt pretty calm. (This may have just been race "denial", but it sure worked!)

The Swim: The swim was a 1.2 mile loop through Oceanside Harbor. It was a wave start. Everything started very smoothly and I swam great for probably the first 20 minutes. After that I had two challenges: The sea, and the salt. As the course turned towards the harbor entrance the sea became a lot more rough, and I started to feel some significant swells. It wasn't overwhelming but I wasn't expecting it and had to adjust my stroke a bit. The larger issue was that the taste of the salt water started to bother me. I hardly noticed it at first, but as the swells became larger and I was in the water longer I started to feel a bit ill. By the turn around point I was worried. I started taking some breast-stroke breaks from swimming to get a bit of fresh air and steady myself. Yuck. I remember checking my watch at 32 minutes and realizing how much I had slowed down, but also being relieved that I wasn't THAT slow. It was tough going. I could also feel some wetsuit chafing on my neck despite the huge amounts of lube I had applied. When I finally reached the end I was feeling quite nauseous, but still coherent. There was a very long run from the swim exit into transition, and I took that time to walk and try to straighten out my head. It was a slow transition. But on the plus side, as soon as I had a swig of Gatorade from my bike I felt fine again.

The Bike: A great, great, great 56 miles. I was so nervous about how I'd do after all that time on the bike trainer this winter! The first 20 miles of the course were very flat and fast. I was having a ton of fun. The longer I rode, the more confident I became. When we headed inland the hills (and headwinds) started, but I seem to be pretty strong on the hills compared with many of the other riders. The first big hill was at mile 26 and there were A LOT of people walking their bikes. Wow. It reminded me so much of the famous Doomsday Hill here in Spokane (but steeper) and it felt just like the bike hill I have to go up to get to our house. That was great, because I knew I could do it. There were several other big hills as well, but overall it was not enough to be a problem. Plus it made for great downhills... I hit 34.5 mph on one! So much fun. One of my aero bars became twisted early on, but it wasn't enough of a problem to make me want to stop. (I did have the tools to fix it.) I drank a lot of Gatorade, ate some chomps and successfully refilled with power drink at the last aid station. I finished the bike feeling strong and in great spirits. My legs were barely tired.

The Run: I ran a perfectly fine 13.1 miles coming off the bike. The sun was at its strongest at this point, and my priority was to stay healthy and happy rather than to run fast. I walked at every aid station to sip some sports drink and squeeze a sponge over my neck. The whole run actually went by very quickly, and I never felt especially tired. I certainly wouldn't have been able to go much faster without a lot more effort, but I was pretty comfortable plodding along at my 8:30 - 8:35 pace.

And finally... the end: It was great. The volunteers are so wonderful, and I went straight from the finish line to the line for free massages. I felt a little bit weak while I was waiting in line but I was able to hold it together, and after lying on the massage table for 10 minutes I was much better. This was one of the best ends I've had to a long race in a while, simply because I didn't get sick. After the massage I put my stuff together and within about 10 minutes I was feeling great. I even had a root beer float on the walk back to the hotel.

The only major downside to this race turned out to be my wetsuit neck rash. Despite what I thought were copious amounts of lube on my neck, I ended the race with a large, ugly sore. I was in good company here: we saw a lot of neck rashes in our hotel lobby on Sunday morning. I guess the moral is to use a stronger lube, especially in salt water. I was really surprised, however, by how little soreness I woke up with Sunday. I felt more like I had run a hard half-marathon than had just finished a 6 hour race.

I'm so thankful to have had this experience prior to my full Ironman at Coeur d'Alene. I feel much less intimidated by the bike now and I know that I can manage my nutrition on the run so as to not get sick. Of course, the full Ironman will be an enormous challenge no matter what, but I feel a lot less intimidated as I head into the final two months of training. For the rest of this week I'll be without my bike (it's being shipped home) and I can't get into a pool until my neck heals. That means I'll be doing some easy running for a few days.... and then it's back to major training. I have about 10 weeks of hard work ahead of me before the taper really starts. And I'm ready!!

Race Day is Saturday!

2011-03-28T20:28:00.000-07:00

If you'd like to follow me on race day, you will be able to do so through Ironman.com. Just head to their page and look for the Rohto Ironman 70.3 California "Athlete Tracking".
I'm L. Jaye Hopkins, bib number 2078, and my swim wave will start at 7:33 AM, PDT. Depending on how the tracking is set up, you may see some of my splits (after the swim, after the transition, after the bike, etc.) as the day goes on. If all goes well I'm hoping to finish between 2:00 - 2:30 PM. Thanks for your support!

And, it begins....

2011-03-27T22:12:00.000-07:00

It was a good, relatively light week in training as I tried to take it a little-bit easy in anticipation of my big race on Saturday. This week I cut out down a little on my mid-week workouts and was also conservative with my weekend long stuff. It was essentially a very minor taper. The numbers:

Swimming: 2 sessions, 3.1 miles, 1:50
Biking: 3 sessions, 80 miles, 5:15
Running: 3 sessions, 23 miles, 3:30
Total: 7 sessions, 10:30, 106 miles

Now I head into race week: The Rohto Ironman 70.3 California is just 6 days away.
I feel pretty prepared for it as an event. That is to say, I am confident I will finish, and most likely finish in one living, smiling piece. Having said that, I have no intention or dreams of doing anything on Saturday that could be construed as "racing". My legs will probably suffer a great deal of shock when I hit the hills on the bike, and the sun and warm temperatures will also be a challenge this early in the year. I keep reminding myself that the point of this event is not to race. The point of this event (say it with me now!) is:
1) Get some experience with the Ironman machine. Enjoy the hoopla, get a sense of the energy, the logistics, and do it all before my full Ironman in June.
2) Have an experience that will build my confidence for June, not jeopardize it. If I can pace myself appropriately and finish happy it will go a long way in the next few months of training. If I make poor decisions and have a negative experience, I stand to suffer the consequences well beyond the end of Saturday's race.
3) Practice acceptance that some race elements are always out of my control, and this is even more true when you do your "first" anything. Go with it. Life's challenges lay bear our souls, and in those moments we can learn (and change) a lot about who we are.

This event is, after all, just a morning* of exercise. The fact that I have the luxury of challenging myself with such an inconsequential thing is something I am wholly grateful for. In fact, when I read those points and think about this event in the grand scheme of things I feel my pre-race anxiety melting away and being replaced with a sense of joy and gratitude. A morning swim in the blue pacific, a few hours on the bike through rolling hills, and then a jog along the ocean to finish it off. What could be better than that?

*Alright, more than a morning. My race wave starts at 7:33 AM, and I would be joyous if I finish close to 2 PM. The "cut-off" for official finishing is 4:18 PM.

Longer but Easier

2011-03-20T19:57:00.000-07:00

This week was even longer than last week (get used to hearing that for the next few months) but it actually felt much smoother. I had planned a slightly unusual schedule to accomodate some special events, but I stuck to my plan and finished the same number of workouts as usual. Despite my usual back-to-back-to-back weekend enduro-fest I feel a lot less exhausted than I did a week ago. My weekly numbers:

Swimming: 2 sessions, 1 hr 45 min, 2.85 miles total
Biking: 3 sessions, 6:00, 86 miles total
Running: 3 sessions, 5:15, 32 miles total
Total: 7 sessions, 13 hours, 121 miles

The high point this week was definitely the realization- 10 miles into today's long run- that my legs were willing to keep turning over as long as my mind told them too. I had planned to let myself go a bit short (12 miles? 13?) if I needed to, but I ended up doing 15, with the last 3 at something approaching marathon race pace. Nothing too spectacular for a long run, but given my 50+ miles on the bike trainer the day before I was surprised. I am beginning to appreciate just how large of a role the mind plays in this training.
On the flip side, my low point was probably about 90 minutes into yesterday's long bike trainer session. I was SO disappointed I couldn't be outside, and everything from my leg muscles to my bike shorts didn't seem to be cooperating. I took a minute to step off the bike, change clothes, and pull up some video inspiration (courtesy of YouTube) to get me going again. It wasn't a spectacular session, but I feel good that I got it done. Among other videos, here is the YouTube clip I played for myself about three times. (How much do you love the slow-mo aerial shot of the cyclist with the camera crew on the horizon?)

Tough but Productive Week

2011-03-13T15:42:00.000-07:00

I just finished another week in Ironman training, and it was my longest yet. It was also a busy week at work with several special events on top of the end-of-quarter rush. Despite having to adjust my schedule to just one pool session, I did roughly 12 hours worth of workouts.
The toughest part of the week was definitely my back-to-back-to-back workouts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
It went like this: Friday afternoon I did a 10-mile run at an easy pace with a few tough trail hills. On Saturday afternoon I spent 3.5 hours on my bike trainer followed by a fast 2-mile run. This was more of a challenge because I had already worked all morning and there were at least 30 minutes in the middle of the set when I thought I might go nuts with boredom. (Luckily, that passed.) The hardest part, however, was waking up on Sunday morning with fatigued legs and having to set out on a long run. I ran the first 10 miles with Steve, but for the last four he headed home and I stayed out to run hills. It was exhausting, both mentally and physically. My legs felt tired in ways I haven't encountered during marathon training. Still, the tougher those hills became the more I felt motivated to finish the distance. It was a beautiful day and on some level I was curious to experience- and work with- that level of fatigue. I know it will pay off when I find myself facing the last 20 miles of Ironman Coeur d'Alene.

So another week successfully done! My weekly totals and the elevation chart for this morning's 14 miler (check out the hills at the end) are below.

Swimming: 1 session (as planned), 1.7 miles with 1.5 non-stop.
Biking: 3 sessions, 6 hours, 91 miles
Running: 3 sessions + transition, 5 hours, 33 miles
Total: 7 sessions, 12:15, 126 miles

Really, Really, Really, Really Sad

2011-03-09T14:46:00.000-08:00

Sally Meyerhoff, the elite female runner whom I blogged about a few weeks ago, died yesterday in a bicycle accident. She was training to qualify and compete in the Ironman World Championships this fall.

I had been following Sally on her blog and was always taking some inspiration from her and her free-spirited ways. I was looking forward to seeing her in person at the Olympic Marathon trials next January. It makes this feel even closer to home. Best article so far is here:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=22169

New Bathing Suit

2011-03-08T20:10:00.000-08:00

I am, admittedly, kind of cheap when it comes to spending money on gear. I tend to put off purchases until I have figured out the least expensive way to get the item to my door. I love outlets, coupons, store credit, free shipping and clearance bins. It's not as if I buy flimsy gear; it's just that I like to find what I want and then try to find it cheaper.

My thrifty ways are most evident with items that I have to purchase regularly. This is especially true for running shoes, GU gels, socks, etc. One item that I have a particularly hard time with is swimsuits. I only need to wear a swimsuit for a few hours a week, but the pool chemicals wear them down quickly. The sturdier the fabric, the longer they last, but the less comfortable the suit. And unlike serious items like running shoes, you can try to make a swim suit last without too much risk. Old running shoes will put you at risk for injury, while an old swimsuit just puts you at risk of an embarrassing incident at the pool.

This week I've reached the point where my two current suits are sad and sadder. One looks like a tie-dye because the colors are so unevenly faded, and I've never particularly liked the fabric and fit. The other more comfortable suit is frayed down to threadbare in some strategic locations. I was searching my usual websites for a good deal on a "grab bag" suit or clearance item when I found the awesome design shown to the right at swimoutlet.com.

It's nice enough because I love sushi (and I love the irony of wearing fish... on a swimsuit) but even better was the price: $25. We'll see how it fits and feels when it arrives, but I couldn't pass it up!

Swimoutlet has some other great stuff as well. I had a good laugh at this swim cap too.

Snake River Canyon Half Marathon Race Report

2011-03-05T16:48:00.000-08:00

I'm just back from a nice race outside of Pullman, Washington called the Snake River Canyon half marathon. It was my first time at this half although they've been running it for decades. I had a good time and was pleased with how I ran, especially given that we're so early in the season.

The race is a flat, flat, flat out-and-back course along the Snake River. The course has a reputation for being windy (today it was just breezy) and the low elevation makes it much warmer than the surrounding area. Today it was probably 50 degrees during the second half of the race. Thank goodness I dressed lightly and wore sunscreen, sunhat and sunglasses.

I felt pretty reasonable for most of the race. There were two or three stretches where the wind or warm sun was a challenge, but I ran pretty consistently nonetheless. My miles were: 7:35, 7:41, 7:35, 7:32, 7:48 (wind!) 7:39, 7:28, 7:33, 7:29, 7:34, 7:28, 7:31, 7:16. It's hard to complain about those numbers. As it was a small race my finish time (1:38:52) was good enough for 2nd place in the 30 - 34 age group.

I only had two minor physical issues during the race. First, I ate a bowl of cereal with milk 3+ hours before race time, but I still think I would've been marginally more comfortable without the dairy in my system. Second, my inner-thigh muscles felt very tight through many of the middle miles. At the end of the race I was convinced I even had a minor pull in my upper-left-inner-thigh. I'm less worried now because I had a post-race massage from a notably large, strong therapist who utterly decimated the tightness with a very intense 10 minute session. The session was an endurance workout in itself, but made a huge difference! Thank goodness for post-race massage.

So, overall, a really nice race day and a great start to the season. I ran many of the miles with or in sight of my training partner Brenda who ended up with a three-plus minute PR. (Wooohooo Brenda!) And I got to see lots of fun, friendly people from the local running and triathlon community, all in good spirits. I wouldn't mind doing this race again, although I certainly prefer some hills and variation to the flat out-and back course. It was beautiful though.

Tomorrow I'll see how my legs feel before deciding exactly what sort of a bike session to do. Hopefully I can manage three-plus hours, but I'll adjust if I need to. And now I'm just FOUR WEEKS away from my first half-Ironman! Goodness, I better get back to training!

Click. Look. Laugh.

2011-03-02T21:15:00.000-08:00

Click here for a collection of 25 great costumes from the Tokyo Marathon, like "Panda" below.

Race Days are Coming...

2011-02-28T18:38:00.000-08:00

I just finished another week in training, bringing me one week closer to all those looming events on my race schedule. It's just 5 days until my first half marathon of the year: The Snake River Canyon half near Pullman, Washington. After that my schedule starts to "snowball". I'll have two more weeks of an over-time teaching schedule before finals, spring break, and the California Ironman 70.3 triathlon. When I return from that adventure I'll have a more relaxed work schedule to make more time for my final three months of Ironman training.
But I get ahead of myself!
Last week was almost a "gold star" week, but a broken pump at the YMCA cost me one swim session. (Of course, If I hadn't procrastinated on the workout in the first place, it wouldn't have been an issue...)

My totals:
Swimming: 1 session, 1 hour, 1.7 miles
Biking: 3 sessions, 5 hours, 75 miles
Running: 3 sessions + transition, 4 hours, 27 miles
Total: 10:15, 104 miles

The best workout of the week was probably Saturday when I did 3 hours on the bike trainer followed by a 2 mile speedy run. It was a big confidence builder being able to ride fairly strong for that amount of time. My new saddle is a big improvement too. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm looking forward to LONGER bike sessions, but at least I'm not dreading them as I used to!

Another Week Done

2011-02-20T13:51:00.000-08:00

This was a "gold star week" in Ironman training, as I accomplished every workout in my plan. I bumped my swims to 3000 yards without much trouble, and I continued to alternate between running workouts (yay!) and bike trainer sessions (grumble). My bike is much more comfortable with my new ISM Adamo Podium saddle, although I'm not sure which bike shorts will work best come race day. In fact, I'm pretty nervous about the biking in general when I consider that I haven't actually been on my bike outside since last fall. I feel as though I have no idea how I'm going to perform in real riding conditions, and there are just 6 short weeks until Ironman 70.3 in Oceanside.
BUT, I remind myself, there is always SOMETHING to be worried about, and the best one can do is stick to your training plan and have faith that the hard work will pay off. (I also have faith that I will get to be outside before April!)
Here are my stats for the week:

Swimming: 2 Sessions, Total 2 hours, 3.4 miles
Biking: 3 Sessions, Total 4:15, 65 miles
Running: 3 Sessions + Transition, Total 5 Hours, 33 miles
Total: 11:15, 101+ miles

It's coming...

2011-02-19T16:27:00.000-08:00

42 days until my first Ironman branded event: The Rohto Ironman California (Oceanside) 70.3 triathlon. My goal is simply to finish, but I hope I can finish in under 7 hours. Here's some footage from last year's race.

I Suppose It's Called Runner's "High" for a Reason...

2011-02-16T12:08:00.000-08:00

There was a great blurb in the New York Times Phys Ed section today about research into the mercurial "runner's high". The piece touches on the relationship between an exercise-induced feeling of euphoria and that obtained by less legal means:

[Researchers] found that a widespread group of receptors, clustered in the brain but also found elsewhere in the body, allow the active ingredient in marijuana to bind to the nervous system and set off reactions that reduce pain and anxiety and produce a floaty, free-form sense of well-being. Even more intriguing, the researchers found that with the right stimuli, the body creates its own cannabinoids (the endocannabinoids).

Read the whole article here and, if you're like me, continue pondering the increasing body of research that links exercise, brain-cell growth and positive psychological rewards. Because doesn't it seem like a good idea to be smart, healthy AND happy?

Easy Week Done

2011-02-14T15:38:00.000-08:00

Last week was a relatively light week in training. I cut one low-priority bike ride from my schedule, and ended up running more conservative distances than in weeks past. While this was mostly out of convienence it also seemed like a wise time to take a recovery week. So, it all works out. My numbers:

Swimming: 2 sessions, Total 3 miles, 2 hours
Biking: 2 sessions, Total 45 miles, 3 hours
Running: 3 sessions (+ 1 transition), Total 22 miles, 4 hours Combined Total: 70 miles, 9 hours

On paper that looks like a pretty light week, and it feels like that too. I'm looking forward to a more challenging schedule this week. Highlights include another bump to my swim distances, a new bike saddle arriving Thursday, and a 15 mile training run on Sunday. (Can you call that a highlight?) It's probably a good time to remind myself:

3 weeks to my first race of the year,

7 weeks to my first half-Ironman triathlon,

and (only) 19 weeks until Ironman Coeur d'Alene!

Run like Gunhild

2011-02-10T20:57:00.000-08:00

Gunhild Swanson during a 50k race.

We have a lot of dedicated distance runners in the Spokane area. One of the most inspiring is 66-year-old ultrarunner Gunhild Swanson. (Read a recent article about Gunhild here). I've been lucky enough to run near Gunhild in a few races and she is a wonderfully happy, grounded person to listen to. Here's a quote from Gunhild about women growing older:

“If [women] find themselves doing less and less and getting stiffer, there will be more challenges and discomforts. Then it snowballs . . . and they give in. When you get up in the morning and look in the mirror, say to yourself ‘this is as good as it will get’. Unless you become proactive. Otherwise you will just wither.”

Here's a toast to becoming proactive and not withering. I hope I can be like Gunhild when I grow up.

This week kicked ass

2011-02-06T13:53:00.000-08:00

Really. I did every workout on my schedule, and finished the week with a really strong 13-mile negative split this morning. My total time on the training clock for the week is over 11 hours.

Swimming: 2 sessions, Total 1:40, 2.7 miles

Cycling: 3 trainer sessions, Total 4:30, 67 miles

Running: 3 session + 1 transition workout, Total 5:00, 34 miles

And all this on top of a full work schedule and dog-care responsibilities! If that's not a successful week in life, I don't know what is. Feels great!

Bike Seats and Comfort of the Unmentionables

2011-02-05T19:22:00.000-08:00

The funniest thing about cyclists, in my opinion, is that they all have sore physical "bits" that they don't like to talk about. Marathon runners will share endless stories about bleeding nipples, chaffing, blister-popping and bodily functions, but I haven't experienced the same level of candor when it comes to the bike saddle soreness issue, particularly as it effects women.

When I started riding last summer I experienced some saddle discomfort, mostly on longer rides. I asked around (cautiously and using euphemistic vocabulary) and heard that this is a normal complaint for triathletes since we ride in a leaned-forward aerodynamic position. Unfortunately, to ride in "aero" position your weight has to shift forward onto your pubic bone rather than remaining just on your sit bones. Without using any anatomical models, let me just say that there is some fairly "sensitive tissue" on the female physique in this region.
Yes. That tissue.
Men also have issues with bike seats, but I can't comment on that, for obvious reasons.
So what is a girl to do? The most radical saddle solution out there is by a young company called ISM (Ideal Seat Modification). ISM's solution is to remove that strategic pressure point entirely by removing the front of the saddle. The resulting seat is downright strange looking:

These are sometimes called "arms" or "bulls horns" and I've taken to calling them "fangs". The fangs go on either side of your lady bits, and make contact directly on your sit bones between your legs. (It's feels like balancing on a tight rope that's been split in two.) For the past week I've been riding on the triathlon specific ISM Adamo Racing saddle, pictured above.

It has been an interesting experience. First, it's heaven for the girly parts. They don't even know you're riding a bike. What a relief. The fangs, however, take some getting used to because they do apply a lot of pressure to your sit bones. As the company admits, one can expect "some soreness" during and after the first few rides. This might be the understatement of the month. I fiddled around with my saddle position during a 60+ minute trainer session, and I had mixed feelings. After about 45 minutes I was feeling quite sore, and I thought the whole experiment might be a failure. I actually put my old saddle back on. THAT was the wake-up call. The old saddle was instantly much less comfortable than the ISM saddle, even with the soreness. I switched back to the ISM model and finished my session.

Two days later I did a 45 minute session. My sit bones were not completely recovered from the first adventure and were still tender. But the longer I rode, the more the discomfort felt like a nondescript pressure. I was pretty happy by the end of the ride. Today I was on the seat for almost three hours during a trainer session. Again, the lady bits are happy, the sit bonds are adjusting. Aside from the soreness, I also think that the fangs are just a little bit too wide at the front; I only own one pair of biking/tri shorts that didn't seem to constantly bunch against them. In multiple places I have read about other women using a zip tie to pull the fangs closer together as a solution to this. There is also a non-triathlon specific ISM model (the Podium) that some women have found to be more comfortable.

With my seven day demo over, I am feeling a little torn. The ISM is definitely a big improvement over my older factory-issued saddle. But I have to decide whether to take a leap of faith and buy the thinner model over the one I actually demo'd. Not sure what to do. But the lady bits are happy either way.

Vegetarian Protein, French Style

2011-01-31T18:41:00.000-08:00

For the past couple weeks I have been cooking the recipes in Dorie Greenspan's book, "Around My French Table". One of the recipes I've enjoyed several times is her preparation of classic french lentils. The most famous of the french lentils, the green "lentilles du Puy", are from a beautiful verdant region in the center of France that Steve and I visited in 2009. Fortunately the recipe can be made with any nationality of green lentils, and probably with any other color as well.
The added benefit here is that lentils are very high in protein; one cup of cooked lentils contains approximately 18 grams. The recipe below is mostly from Dorie's book, but I've adjusted it a bit to my own taste and, well... laziness.

Jaye's French Lentil Runner's Fuel
Prep Time: 5 minutes, Cook Time: ~40 minutes, mostly unattended
Ingredients:
1 cup dry green lentils
2 - 3 small red potatoes, peeled and cut into large bite-sized pieces
1 small yellow onion, cut in half
2 - 3 cloves, stuck into the onion
1 carrot, peeled and chopped into 4 pieces
1 garlic clove, lightly smashed
2 bay leaves
3.5 cups liquid: I use 1 can vegetable (or chicken) broth, + 1 can's worth of water
Juice from 1 small lemon, tangerine or orange
1 tablespoon brandy (optional)
hard-boiled, poached or soft-boiled egg (optional)

Wash the lentils in a strainer, picking out any oddities. Put the lentils into a small sauce pan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook for 2 minutes. Now strain the lentils out and re-rinse under the tap. (This step gives the lentils a cleaner, brighter taste.)

Place a large deep-bottom sauce pan or dutch oven on the stove and turn heat to medium. Put the cut potatoes, onion halves, carrot pieces, garlic clove and bay leaves into the pan, followed by the broth, water and citrus juice. Now add the rinsed and pre-boiled lentils. Give it all a stir, then cover and bring the whole mixture to a boil.

Once boiling, lower the heat to a steady simmer and cook 25 - 30 minutes. Check the texture at this point, and add salt/pepper to taste. The lentils will probably need 5 - 10 more minutes. As the lentils near the texture of your liking, remove the cover, add the brandy and crank up the heat to boil off the remaining liquid. (Alternatively you can strain off the remaining liquid.)

The lentils are now done. Remove the carrot pieces, onion halves, garlic clove, and bay leaves. You may discard these or chop them into pieces and eat them. They are quite mushy, but tasty. I like to eat some hard-boiled egg white on top of the lentils, while Steve likes a poached egg. Salmon goes especially well with this too. It's tasty and good for you!

HILLS

2011-01-30T11:35:00.000-08:00

To cap off a pretty tough weekend I decided to run "some hills" this morning. It started as a head game with myself, and developed into an 11.5 mile workout that turned my legs into jelly. When I got home I ran the route through the usatf.org route mapper, and here's the result:

Note the totals at the bottom. Nearly 1500 vertical feet of climbing, all in under two hours. This is on top of my 2 and 1/2 hour bike session yesterday. Go me!

The 1% Rule

2011-01-24T16:20:00.000-08:00

One of necessary truths in training regularly is that you are bound to have some bad days. Not every day can be great, and there are going to be times where you feel tired or sore or just not motivated in your usual way. I try to remember Pete Pfitzinger's advice that no single workout in your training affects your over-all condition by more than 1%. There will inevitably be a few "off" days, but they have bothered me less since I've learned to accept that they will happen. For instance, I have learned that at least one of my pre-marathon "long runs" always feels nearly impossible. Sometimes it's the first 15 miler, sometimes it's the last of the 21+ mile efforts. It is inevitable. But I've also learned that this run doesn't mean anything about my actual physical conditioning, which allows me to relax and take that bad workout in stride.
I was really thankful for this perspective when I had a completely and utterly miserable bike-trainer session on Saturday.
I just could not get comfortable on my bike seat, no matter what adjustment I made. After 45 minutes I was probably making audible grumbling and growling noises. I was scheduled to ride for two hours, and I did not want to "wimp out" half way through. This was especially true because I am really, really weak on the bike compared with my swimming and running abilities. With all this on my mind it took some soul-searching to decide what to do. Ultimately I made a tough judgement call to stop at 1 hour. I decided that any physical benefit from staying on the bike was minuscule compared with what I was doing to my body and mind during that time.
One of the other lessons I've learned is that when things do go poorly, it's important to get your body and mind recovered as quickly as possible. As soon as I got off the bike I got myself my favorite protein bar and took a wonderfully hot shower to get my mind in a better place. Later I bought an enormous triple soy latte. I could have told myself I hadn't worked hard enough to deserve this indulgence, but that would be counter-productive. So I let myself relax, and then started to work on fixing the situation for my next ride. I went to trisports.com and ordered one of their demo ISM saddles, which are designed to address some pretty common saddle discomfort issues. Now I have something to look forward to, rather than just more bike drudgery.
In the end, the shortened bike ride might be a blessing; I finally have the incentive to find a better saddle, rather than one that is just OK. And on Sunday I was able to do my long run on much fresher legs than normal, so I felt great and bumped my mileage a little higher than I'd planned. This kind of ebb-and-flow is typical of all serious training, don't you think? Perhaps we should celebrate our bad workouts as necessary milestones in the training cycle.
Alright, maybe not. But at least we can take a deep breath, move on, and know that this too shall pass.

Runners Online

2011-01-20T21:38:00.000-08:00

My grandma sent me a neat article on Sally Meyerhoff (above), the women's winner of last weekend's RNR Arizona marathon. Check the article out here. I love this photo, and you have to appreciate a woman who has already qualified for the Olympic marathon trials next year, but intends to qualify for the Ironman World Championships (Kona, Hawaii) this spring and then race Kona and the marathon trials just 14 weeks apart. She also has a blog where she posted an entertaining stream of consciousness write up of the race.
Also running last weekend was Kara Goucher, who raced in the half-marathon. It was her first race since giving birth early last fall. Kara also has a blog that I enjoy and she is quite a good writer. Check it out here.

Something I'm thankful for: Easy Laces

2011-01-18T20:31:00.000-08:00

Easy laces are one example of a replacement lace system for your running shoes; once installed they allow you to forgo shoe tying entirely. I was told they were a "must-have" for triathletes, so I bought my first pair last summer. I have been hooked on them since then. Aside from the advantage they present in a triathlon, I think they are simply more comfortable than a traditional lace system. In fact, I've discovered a lot of advantages:
1) Comfort. The laces are elastic, which means they distribute their tension evenly on the top of your foot. I double this effect with a bar-lacing pattern for total comfort on my high arches.
2) No more interruptions mid-run. There are no laces to become untied, and if you get a stone in your shoe you can quickly slip out-of and back into it in seconds.
3) Pretty colors. These things come in dozens of shades and are only $5/pair, so I had a little fun with my latest purchase and picked a purple to match the shoe. I grin every time I look at it. (We'll see how long you can see the purple... the mud is already building up as you can see.)
You are supposed to tie off the ends of the laces and cut then them to a convenient length, but I am leaving mine long to see if I can reuse them on my next pair of shoes. Also, if you're interested in other lacing-patterns, check out this exhaustive resource: http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/lacingmethods.htm

Happy Running!

Another Gold Star Week!

2011-01-16T15:13:00.000-08:00

Another good week in training, with pretty much the same mileage and time commitment as last week: About 9.5 hours, spread out over 6 days. At this point most of the increase in that time committment will come as I bump up the duration of my weekly long bike. Right now the long-bike-workout is, by far, my only "dreaded" workout that I have to do. I am still not totally comfortable on my bike (it's much too easy to fixate an every discomfort on a bike trainer anyway) so I don't like riding for hours and hours in place. But then, who does? I keep reminding myself that in about 8 weeks I will be able to do these long bike rides outdoors, where they will become much less bland. I also remind myself that if the hardest thing I have to deal with all week is just pedaling a bike in place for a few hours then I have a whole lot to be thankful for.
There was a nice article in the paper this morning about a local man, Tom Aylward, who is using the 2011 Coeur d'Alene Ironman as a goal to help turn his life around. I really, really hope he makes it!

Aylward, 62, gets closer to his objective with every workout
A dramatic lifestyle change has melted 78 pounds off Tom Aylward’s 6-foot-4-inch frame and introduced him to healthy eating habits for the first time in his 62 years. Fifteen months ago, the Spirit Lake man weighed 319 pounds and couldn’t walk upstairs without losing his breath... The day after the 2010 Ford Ironman Coeur d’Alene, Aylward signed up for the 2011 race. It includes a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a marathon – 26.2 miles. Read the rest here....

Gold Star Week and a Milestone

2011-01-09T12:18:00.000-08:00

My week in training was great for two reasons: First, I did every workout on my schedule, making it a "Gold Star" week. Second and more significantly, classes resumed on Monday which means that I accomplished this during a full work week. (Not to mention that I am teaching an overload this quarter.) Since I didn't feel ridiculously over-stressed, over-scheduled or significantly fatigued, this is an accomplishment that really boosts my confidence for the upcoming months.
Here's my training summary for the week.

Swimming: 2 sessions, total 1:30, 2.5 miles

Biking: 3 sessions, total 3:45, 56 miles

Running: 3 sessions +1 transition, total: 4:00, 27 miles

Grand Total: 8 workouts, 9 hours 15 minutes, 86 miles

New Race on the Calendar

2011-01-07T10:51:00.000-08:00

I just signed up for what will be my first distance race of the year: the Snake River Canyon Half-Marathon on March 5th. I haven't done this race before, but friends have told me it is fast, flat, and can be cold and windy. More importantly, I really like the timing of the race. My current long runs have just reached ~10 miles, so I can easily increment that mileage through January, and then spend February focusing on quality. The race is also four weeks before my half-Ironman, so it gives me a nice intermediate training goal without interfering with my larger Ironman training schedule. Sounds ideal, and it will be great to get my feet on the road so early in the season!

I also had a good laugh when I looked at the race's elevation profile on their website. I've copied it below.
Course Profile:

Start
______________________________________________Turn around

Finish

Can't argue with that.

Treadmills vs. Pavement

2011-01-03T16:18:00.000-08:00

Last week in training I was somewhat thwarted by a significant snowstorm, but I mostly stuck to my schedule and finished all of my major workouts. I missed one scheduled swim and turned one 45 minute run into a 60 minute vigorous snowshoe. I believe it's important to embrace the seasons when possible, so it felt good to enjoy the snowfall rather than simply slogging away on the treadmill. My major workouts for the week (longer bike, longer run, tempo run, etc.) all went off smoothly, so I'm happy.

Interestingly, when I was on the treadmill I was pondering the common questions about treadmill running vs. pavement running. There seems to be endless discussion of the issues surrounding long-term and long-workout treadmill use. One of the classic recurring arguments is the extent to which you get some mechanical "help" and decreased wind resistance on a treadmill, and therefore you should set your treadmill at an incline (or run faster) to duplicate your off-treadmill effort. I guess it comes down to what you're trying to accomplish: calorie burn? heart rate? bio mechanics? You would have to approach the conundrum differently for each. Anyway, as we all ponder this through the winter, check out this mind-boggling graph that purports to figure it all out for us! http://www.hillrunner.com/training/tmillchart.php

And enjoy the first week of the New Year!

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T23:35:00.000-08:00

A worthy quote with which to start the new year:

"Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself."

William Faulkner

Here's to a new year in which we are all better than ourselves . Happy 2011!

Seven Minute Yoga to the Rescue

2010-12-28T18:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Steve and I worked on cleaning our house for most of the day, turning a schedule rest day into something a bit more strenuous. I woke up this morning feeling tired and with tight muscles in all sorts of places. Not wanting to scratch an entire day of workouts I made some adjustments. First, I swapped today's 90 minutes of running and swimming for tomorrow's easier 45 minute bike-to-run transition. Then, I added in some extra stretching to start things out. I really enjoy using yoga to stretch, but it's been quite a while since I did such a routine regularly. Fortunately, I found a quick and easy 7-minute yoga routine as a free podcast on iTunes (also on YouTube, below). It was just what I needed. The video moves briskly and assumes you have some familiarity with basic poses, but I think anyone could easily follow along. Enjoy!

Thanks to Tara Stiles Yoga for the video!

Busy Week, I guess

2010-12-24T12:24:00.000-08:00

It must have been a busy week because I just noticed it's been quite a while since my last post. Fear not, I am still out there, training, enjoying the season, and perhaps consuming a few more carbs than normal.
In fact, last week was what I call a "gold star" week in training.
When I was a child my parents hung a poster with a list of our chores on one of the kitchen cabinets. When we finished the chore, we earned a sticker, such as a gold star. I don't remember how long this lasted (or if it even worked) but the idea came back to me as I entered into my Ironman training. Now I focus my energy on attaining each scheduled workout for my week, and if I do so I get to call it a "gold star week". If I choose to skip a workout, the week gets downgraded to a silver star.
So, it's a bit juvenile, but for some strange reason it seems to be working wonders. Each time I've been tempted to just skip a short workout I find myself motivated to get it done, just so I don't lose my gold star for the week. It makes an otherwise inconsequential workout more important on a short time-scale. I haven't done anything about actually giving myself a gold star (I don't even have stickers!) but I think I will do that next week.

This morning I ran for 45 minutes in the sunshine (what a treat!) and it's tempting to skip an already postponed swim workout, but I really want that gold star... so I'm off to the pool. Happy Christmas Eve to you and yours!

Good Week

2010-12-18T15:15:00.000-08:00

This week has been a good one in training so far. I've accomplished all of my scheduled workouts and today I tackled a 1 hr 45 minute bike ride on the trainer. The bike is still the most challenging aspect of the triathlon to me, and it's definitely made more difficult when one has to spin away the hours inside. Every little tweak and pinch is amplified without the benefits of scenery, downhills and fresh air.

Today was also the day that NBC runs their Ironman Championships special that is filmed during October in Kona.
This special is about as cheesy as they come, but it takes a pretty hard heart to not be moved by all the inspiring stories. Adding to the drama this year is the knowledge that I'm no longer thinking about doing an Ironman someday... I'm committed and training full steam towards my very concrete goal.

While on the bike today I was thinking about how committing to a training plan helps when aiming for a far-away athletic goal. There are certainly days when the event itself is a huge inspiration, but there are many other days when the event seems far off, or intangible. I thought lightly to myself on the bike, "And why am I doing this?" The answer today didn't have anything to do with imagining the iconic moment of stepping across the finish line. Instead, at that moment, I was "doing this" because it's what my schedule told me to do. There is certainly a practical side (and an immediate reward) to having a schedule and simply sticking to it. "Why am I doing this?"
"Because the schedule told me to."
And some days that is good enough for me.

Ironman Training: Week One, Check.

2010-12-13T12:39:00.000-08:00

Last week was my first "official" Ironman training week and it went pretty well. I stuck to the schedule, and only bumped one short run in favor of a powder-day at the local ski hill. My most important and feared workout was the 1 hour 30 minute bike on Saturday, which I needed to do entirely on a trainer due to our winter weather. I was worried about how that would go, but it was not much of an issue. I propped my laptop on a stand and watched Netflix streaming movies.
In total I accomplished 2 swims, 3 bikes and 3 runs. That came to a total of 5 hours and 45 minutes of exercise, not counting the skiing. Granted, the distances and durations were short compared to what I'll be doing over the next few months, but it was nice to get it done. Which brings me to this week... my second official Ironman training week! Wahoo. 28 weeks and counting to Ironman Couer d'Alene... stay tuned.

Triathlon Logistics

2010-12-11T08:39:00.000-08:00

One of the things that is easy to dislike about triathlons is the gear requirements and logistics. The more you take the events seriously, or the longer the event you participate in, the more you find yourself needing a fairly specialized selection of gear. In training for my Ironman I've had to acquire a wetsuit, a tri-specific bike (and shoes, saddle, etc. to match) and three-sport capable clothing to name a few. And as if this isn't overwhelming enough, you then need to get this gear to your event on race morning.
Fortunately my upcoming Ironman race is just down the road in Northern Idaho. But prior to that I signed myself up for the Rohto Ironman 70.3 in Oceanside California. At the time Steve and I thought it would be fun to make a road trip of the drive, which makes the gear less of an issue. We imagined throwing my bike and gear bags in the back of the pick-up and enjoying a leisurely pre-race Spring Break vacation driving down the California coast.

While that is a nice plan, some serious obstacles have come up. The largest is that we completely underestimated the length of the drive. It's essentially 23 hours of driving, which breaks out into three 8-hour days. While I'm fond of long drives, you can't do much sight seeing when 8-hours of your day is dedicated to making headway. Second, the race is on Saturday and my classes start on Monday, which means that I would essentially need to fly home anyway, leaving Steve to drive the route on his own. And then on top of these logistics, the notion of sitting in a car for three days prior to a half-Ironman just sounds kind of stupid.

So, our other option is to fly. For a marathon this would be a no-brainer, but for a triathlon you need to transport a large amount of gear, including a very expensive bike. My normal airline, Delta, charges $200 EACH WAY to bring a bike as luggage, and there are horror stories a-plenty about the results. The best option for many people is to ship their bike, although even that brings costs and risks. (A hard-sided bike case is $300+ dollars and requires a substantial dismantling of the bike, plus the actual shipping costs are significant in each direction.) The best option by far is to use TriBike Transport, a company that essentially drives your fully assembled bike to the race and back for you. They have an excellent reputation and charge $290 for shipping there-and-back. The downside here is that you have to drop your bike off a week ahead of time, although it's not the end of the world to miss one or two short bike rides the week of the race.
It seems like an easy option to do the TriBike shipping... but the nearest drop-off location for us is in Seattle. Still, driving to Seattle and back a week ahead of time (and then repeating this two weeks later, after the race) seems much more reasonable and cost-effective than the other options. Furthermore it brings the peace of mind that the bike is in responsible hands, and that we simply need to get on a plane to make it to the event. It will even give us an extra day or two to enjoy Southern California.
But still... it makes me miss the ease of marathon packing. Shoes: check. Clothes: check. Let's go.

Marathon Entertainment

2010-12-09T09:47:00.001-08:00

If you have a dry sense of humor, check out this video I made for fun: http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/8004409/

I swear that I don't actually have this much time on my hands. But I couldn't resist.

So this is Ironman (training)...

2010-12-08T09:04:00.000-08:00

This week marked the beginning of my true Ironman training plan. While I've been building and maintaining a solid fitness base for some time, this week is really the point where I can no longer skimp on workouts while telling myself I'm still in the off-season. In fact, I'm loosely following the Ironfit training plan, which at 30 weeks long technically started last week. (I'm smart enough to know it's not a good idea to start a 6-day/week plan in the middle of final exams.)
Aside from the physical and psychological demands of Ironman training, one of the biggest hurdles is simply the time commitment. For me, that means balancing my own work schedule, training schedule and dog-care responsibilities with my husband's less flexible and more erratic work schedule. To manage this challenge effectively requires coordinating about three or four separate calendars. Right now my approach is to print out a huge (11" x 14") two-week calendar, which is divided into days, and then further divided into morning and evening. First, I write in all of our existing work commitments. Then I sit down with the Ironfit training plan for the week and start stuffing workouts into the blank areas. Right now this approach seems to work very well. It also brings peace of mind to know that I do have time to get my training done. Of course, it will become even more necessary when the new quarter starts in January, bringing with it 100 new students and four new class sections!
For now it's nice to be on a schedule and I'm enjoying it. I might be one of the only people in the neighborhood who will come out of December more fit than I went in!

Go Kelly!

2010-12-05T10:47:00.000-08:00

Our friend and training partner (and main-Ironman-inspiration-dude) Kelly Jahns just ran the Las Vegas Marathon this morning. Thanks to the wonders of technology, we got to watch him finish, live! That's him in the white shirt and hat, finishing in 3:39:30 (which I'm pretty sure is a PR). Yay Kelly!

Healthy Holidays Tips

2010-12-02T08:13:00.000-08:00

Every week our aquatics instructor, Michele Heuer, sends out a "wellness e-mail" with tips and ideas for staying healthy. As we enter the holiday season and experience the real start to winter weather, these e-mails become especially appreciated. Everyone, no matter what their level of training, experiences some type of challenge to stay healthy this time of year: the winter weather, abundance of holiday food (and drink!), added stress from family, friends, parties, gift-giving, finances, etc. This week Michele sent out "31 Days to Healthier Holidays", and I'm sure that I will take several of these tips to heart. I hope you enjoy them too!

31 Days to Healthier Holidays (from Michele Heuer, Spokane Community College)

Gathering with close friends and family members during the holidays creates lasting joy and memories. But with so many parties, celebrations and errands to run it is hard to keep up a healthy lifestyle. Here are 31 daily tips to help you make healthy choices.

1 Take Inventory.

Identify all the situations (office parties, mall food courts, family gatherings) that make it difficult for you to eat healthy during the holiday season. Make a plan for staying on track in every situation.

2 Stay Active.

Don’t mistake being "busy" for being "active." You still need to exercise at least 30 minutes each day. Break it up into a few smaller sessions throughout the day if you're pressed for time.

3 Splurge Wisely.

The holidays only come once a year, but the parties, events, and gifts of food never seem to end! Decide which ones are really worth splurging for, and leave the other foods on the table.

4 Simplify Gifts.

Your loved ones probably feel just as overwhelmed about gifts as you do.

Instead of buying for everyone, draw names from a hat or give to a charity in someone’s honor.

5 Try Healthier Recipes.

When treats are in the house, more of the dessert usually ends up in your belly than in your guests. So keep some lowfat, low-calorie recipes and foods on hand.

6 Focus On People.

Too often, food takes center stage of our holiday gatherings. Instead focus on your loved ones, activities, and other traditions that make the holidays meaningful.

7 Budget Wisely.

Watch your food intake during the day if you’re going to a party that night. Make healthy, filling choices beforehand, budgeting a few more calories to account for the party fare.

8 Stay Organized.

Keep a running list of errands, groceries, and gifts, and make a plan to finish as many things in as few trips as possible. You’ll save time, gas and your own sanity!

9 Walk More.

Keep a brisk walking pace while you do your holiday shopping. Instead of wasting time looking for a closer parking spot, take a far-away one to increase your activity (and save time).

10 Enjoy A Pre-party Snack.

If you arrive famished, you’re more likely to devour too much of the wrong things. Try a combination of fiber, protein and healthy fats for more filling power.

11 Wash Your Hands.

The holiday season coincides with cold and flu season. Keep germs at bay by washing your hands well after shopping, visiting and more. No one wants sickness to interfere with their fun!

12 Shop When Full.

Shopping on an empty stomach can lead to overeating on the unhealthy food court fare. Also stash some emergency healthy snacks in your car or purse. Try nuts, whole grain crackers, and dried fruit.

13 Sweat More.

Some research shows that adding just 10 more minutes of intense exercise to your usual workout can stave off holiday weight gain.

14 Think Before You Bite.

Before you try every irresistible food that crosses your path, think first. How will you feel after you eat them? Is the taste really worth it? Could you enjoy just a small amount instead?

15 Bring A Healthy Dish.

When attending a party, cook a healthy low-cal dish to share. This way, you’ll have at least one healthy option when you’re there.

16 Stay Positive.

Everyone makes mistakes, so there will be times when even the most disciplined person overeats or skips a workout. Don’t worry – just get back on track. Staying positive is half the battle.

17 Just Say No.

Just because everyone is eating does not mean that you have to. Choosing smaller portions shouldn’t offend a host, but sometimes it may be necessary to decline.

18 Tiny-Size It.

Cut calories by cutting portion sizes. Cut pies into 10 slices (not 6 or 8). Cut brownies and cakes into bite-sized pieces; and bake smaller cookies and mini muffins.

19 Join A Holiday Race.

Most cities offer running and walking events on and around holidays. They not only raise money for charity, but also keep you active on a day otherwise filled with overindulgence.

20 Start A New Tradition.

Focus on fun activities, not food. Take a walk to see the neighborhood decorations, sing some holiday carols, see a play or volunteer to help those in need.

21 Don’t Skip Meals.

If you eat healthy foods at regular intervals throughout the day you’re much less likely to overeat at a party.

22 Give Back.

Too often we focus on ourselves, but the holidays provide ample opportunities to give back. Whether you donate your money or your time, don’t forget about those in need.

23 Use A Smaller Plate.

Make just one trip to the food table, and fill only a salad-sized plate with your favorites. This helps keeps portions under control.

24 Downsize.

You don't have to stay to the end of every party or attend every gathering. Look at your list of events and obligations and see where you can cut back on time, energy, and money.

25 Make Healthy Substitutions.

Try applesauce in place of oil, two egg whites instead of one egg, and skim milk in place of regular milk when baking. Look for ways to cut sugar and use whole grains too.

26 Rest Up.

Don’t skimp on sleep during the holidays – you’ll only feel stressed out and run down. Plan your days so you can check off your to-do list and still make it to bed for 8 hours of shut eye.

27 Drink Water.

Holiday beverages, from eggnog to champagne abound!! But they also add empty calories to your diet. Stay hydrated by drinking water all day. At the party, alternate water with other beverages.

28 De-stress.

You'll enjoy the holidays more if you’re calm and relaxed. Make stress relief a priority by journaling, meditating and exercising regularly. When things get hectic, take a step back and refocus on what matters most.

29 Embrace The Season.

Instead of avoiding the cold and the snow, try a winter sport like ice skating, snowboarding, hockey, snow shoeing or sledding. Enjoy these opportunities while they last!

30 Get Some Sun.

It will help improve your mood and energy levels throughout the stressful season. Open your shades during the day, sit near windows when indoors, and spend some time outside each day.

31 Set Realistic Goals.

No one can expect to change a lifetime’s worth of habits overnight. Select a few reasonable resolutions, and create an action plan to achieve them.

Random Article

2010-11-30T11:52:00.000-08:00

It's a busy week here as I try to wrap up all of my classes and get my students ready for their final exams. I still had a spare minute to read and enjoy this blog article via the NY Times: (click for the whole thing)

New York Times Health: Can Coffee Ease the Symptoms of Asthma? Caffeine is known more as a pick-me-up than a home remedy, but for years scientists have wondered whether it may have benefits for people with asthma.The suspicion stems in part from its chemical structure, which resembles that of theophylline, a common asthma medication that relaxes the airway muscles and relieves wheezing, shortness of breath and other respiratory problems.

The conclusion is hardly a headline, but interesting nonetheless. And I don't know about you, but I am perfectly happy to find any excuse for another trip to the coffee shop!

Winter Running

2010-11-24T09:07:00.001-08:00

Winter Running
Originally uploaded by Jayebug

It was 0.8 degrees Fahrenheit here this morning, but Steve and I were still determined to go running. We suited up in endless layers of fleece and headed out around 8 AM. It was a beautiful morning, and aside from a chilly first 5 minutes we were both pretty comfortable. Of course, it's slow going in the snow and cold air, but we enjoyed it. We even had some friendly amused waves from the occasional passing car.
Here's what I'm wearing in this photo, from head to toe:
Fleece hat
Fleece neck warmer
Three layers of synthetic long underwear
Heavy Fleece Pullover
Windbreaker (from the Marine Corps Marathon)
Winter running tights
Pullover pants
Ski socks
Shoes with YakTrax
Convertible Running Mittens

And it was worth it!

My Favorite Winter Running Gear

2010-11-21T12:18:00.000-08:00

The weather here in the Inland Northwest has changed drastically over the last few days. We've had our first measurable snowfall and the temperatures have dropped dramatically. Over the next few days our local forecast calls for single digit temperatures and subzero windchills.
Fortunately, I am prepared! Between two winters living in Minnesota and one winter of training for Boston through record snowfall I have developed a pretty well-stocked closet of winter-specific-running gear. Yes, I have winter tights and windproof fleece and all the predictable goods. But when I ran this morning (it was 23 degree F and snowing) I realized there are three pieces of gear I am especially thankful for:

1) Manzella "Hatchback" convertible gloves. These convert from five-finger gloves to mittens with a windproof finger hood. (The hood tucks away on the back of the hand when not in use.) I start my winter runs with the mitten part engaged, and I blow warm air into it to keep my fingers super toasty. After I warm up I stow the mitten hood. Extra bonus: The gloves have technical nylon with rubber grips on the fingers so you can actually tie your shoes and operate your watch with them on ... but the thumb is soft, absorbent fleece to aid in wiping your winter runny nose! (Mine are all black... the new ones have a yellow hood.)

2) YakTrax anti-slip shoe attachments. There are a lot of options out there to increase your traction in winter running conditions, but I have had the best luck with the original bottom-of-the-line yaktrax walkers. They are simple, inexpensive, durable and don't interfere with my natural foot movements. I have done 20-milers in these and wear them on all my winter runs as well as hikes, ski trips, etc.

3) Amphipod Reflective Xinglet. Since I run on some pretty thin shoulders and share the road with a lot of traffic I like to be sure that I am easily visible to everyone else on the roadway. Winter's short daylight hours mean I inevitably find myself running at dusk, dawn, twilight as well as in fog and snow, so I wear this thing a lot. Unlike other reflective vests or jackets you won't even know you are wearing it (I wear it on summer mornings with a t-shirt) and it uses newer technology to enhance your visibility much more than those plastic construction worker vests of old. When running in the dark I usually clip a couple of flashing lights to it as well.

It's amazing what a little winter preparedness can do to keep you active and happy through the long, dark winter. Thank goodness for good gear!

My Joan Benoit Samuelson Story

2010-11-14T11:46:00.000-08:00

Last weekend my mom and husband Steve ran the NYC marathon. The race has a mid morning start on the outlying borough of Staten Island, so even the elite runners don't arrive at the Central Park finish line until nearly noon. As our hotel was quite close to Central Park I decided to sneak in my own run before the marathoners made it into town.
To begin with, it's always a treat to run somewhere new. This is especially true in a bustling location like NYC, and in a location with as many runner-friendly paths as central park. It was a beautiful morning for a run; cool and crisp with golden leaves clinging to the trees and scattering the morning sunlight. I jogged along comfortably and in good company; there were dozens of other runners enjoying the morning. I found myself running the marathon course in reverse and watching the aid stations and timing mats being set up for the race.
After about 30 minutes of running I heard a voice from somewhere behind me shout, "Go Joanie!". Granted, this could have been any random New Yorker, but as a marathon runner and avid consumer of running media my mind made a split-second connection to one of the most famous runners in our sport: Joan Benoit Samuelson. I whipped my head around, and sure enough Joan Benoit Samuleson, the gold-medalist, former American-record holder, winner of the first women's olympic marathon in history, was running just a few meters behind me. Or rather, she was passing me... quickly. My eyes nearly fell out of my skull. In the few seconds she glided by me I blurted out the most complete and non-nauseating statement I could put together... something along the lines of her being such an inspiration to my mom and I, and to keep it up, and to have a nice run. She smiled and said thanks. And really, that is where this story should end. But it doesn't.
Joanie, that is, Joan Benoit Samuelson, the woman who is now in her 50s and still running sub 2:50 marathons, whom I had stood on the sidelines and taken pictures of in the Olympic trials at Boston in 2008, Joanie the legend, checked her speed for a moment and said, "run with me". Just like that. No introductions, no hesitation, just a suggestion. And you don't say no to a legend. (Or at least, I don't.) I mustered my strength, quickened my turnover and raced to catch up with her.

For the next 35 minutes I ran around Central Park with Joan Benoit Samuleson. Just the two of us. And you know what? It was great. It was like running with a friend you haven't seen in a while. We talked about running and races, skiing and traveling, life and living. I was running so much faster than I would have thought I could at this point in the year. At one point I told Joan I was going to let her go on while I eased up, and she basically said, "Come on, you can do it". And I did. We ran all the way back to the south end of the park and only split up (with a million well wishes) as we headed for our respective hotels. I honestly don't think my feet touched the ground the whole way home.
I am a strong believer that life happens to those who are "out there" and that luck favors the prepared. But really, this takes the cake in my book. That I would not get into NYC, but be there as a spectator, and decide to sleep in, but then run in Central Park, and run on that one path, and in that direction, and hear Joanie's name just as she passed... and also that she had found herself without a running partner that morning but in the mood for company... some things are just wonderful gifts from the universe.

I will be energized for a long time when I think back on this experience. Since you couldn't be there with me, enjoy this video of Joan Benoit Samuelson running and winning the first ever women's Olympic marathon in Los Angeles in 1984.

A brief summary of my weekend in NYC

2010-11-12T11:05:00.000-08:00

Friday: Flew from Spokane to NYC via Minneapolis. Kanye West took over our plane's PA system:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgkLqVyXRhQ

Saturday: Accompanied my mom and husband to pick up their gear at the NYC Marathon Expo. Got a photo with my mom and marathon great Deena Kastor.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21208845@N08/5162943144/

Sunday: Mom and Steve ran the NYC marathon, had a great time. I started the day with an easy run in Central Park, only to run into Joan Benoit Samuelson. She invited me to pick up the pace and run with her; how could I refuse? We ran for 30 minutes together, and it will probably keep me inspired for the next 6 months! (I'll write more on this later.)

The rest of the trip was typical New York activities, enjoying the food and culture for a few days before coming home. It was a great time.

Mom and I with Deena Kastor

2010-11-11T20:24:00.001-08:00

Food for (Gender-Specific) Thought

2010-11-03T18:38:00.000-07:00

Despite having a science degree, reading a lot about endurance sports and athlete nutrition, and being an athletic woman, I realize that I only have a basic knowledge of how sports nutrition and physiology differ between the sexes. For instance, I know that female endurance athletes can be more at risk for anemia than men (thanks menstruation!) and we have a higher susceptibility to specific injuries such as ACL tears. Although, on the plus side, we've moved past the days when a woman couldn't participate in distance running races due to the fear that her uterus would fall out. Really.

This article from the New York Times Phys Ed blog points out that much of the current knowledge-base on training comes from research on male test groups, leading to significant questions about even the most current research results and how they pertain (or don't) to the fairer sex. With as far as sports science has come in the last few decades it is interesting to think that there might still be a whole unexplored trove of women-specific training approaches to come.

Ultra Running Quote

2010-10-31T11:15:00.000-07:00

I was reading an interview from a few years ago with Julie Fingar, an accomplished American ultrarunner. She said that one of her favorite quotes is this one, from Eleanor Roosevelt. It definitely seems appropriate for her sport:

"You must do the thing you think you cannot do. You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face."

Just ponder all of those things which you once may have thought "you cannot do" but proved that you could because of your hard work and determination. Now think about what Robert Schuller famously said:

"What would you do if you knew you could not fail?"

IronPuppy

2010-10-30T10:22:00.000-07:00

Taj, our latest adopted canine companion.

Last Saturday, much to our surprise, we found ourselves the proud and doting owners of a new canine addition to the household. (This makes three dogs and only two humans in our house!) His name is Taj, he is about 8 weeks old, and like most puppies he alternates between high intensity play and completely knocked-out sleep. Needless to say, this has somewhat complicated my nightly goal of getting a solid 8+ hours of sleep. Fortunately my husband is wonderful and a much more flexible sleeper than I am, so he has been mostly in charge of the 3 AM bathroom breaks. I seem to be good at getting up around 5 AM to feed and distract all three dogs while Steve tries to catch another 45 minutes of shut-eye.

After seven days of puppy care I think we have reached a balance and we are getting enough sleep to get by. Honestly Taj is so darn cute and such a complement to our other dogs that I don't mind being more tired than usual. By the new year he will be 4 months old and sleeping through the night. That is just in time for the beginning of my really focused training. In the meantime his presence serves as a nice reminder to occasionally stop and smell the roses (and grass! and dirt! and shoes! and EVERYTHING!)

The In-Between Time

2010-10-26T19:35:00.000-07:00

This year I don't have an "off-season" so much as an "in-between time". Whereas off-season connotes months of hiatus from an activity, my calendar gives me just about 4 - 6 weeks between my fall marathon and the start of my triathlon training. To further complicate the situation I have to arrive at the start of triathlon training with a solid base of tri-sport aerobic conditioning. So my goal during the current break is to rest my body and mind while still maintaining some of the athletic base I developed over the summer.

This is a tricky compromise. If I train too much over the next few weeks I might prime myself for burnout later in the season. If I train too little I might lose too much of my conditioning and risk injury when my training schedule begins. And frankly, it's difficult to not go overboard in either direction when you're acclimated to the focus and self-discipline of demanding athletic pursuits.

My best tactic in reaching a balance in these intervening weeks is to keep myself moving in whatever way suits my mood for the day. If the weather is miserable, it's okay to change a planned run to an indoor bike or swim. If I don't want to run far, I do some hills with good scenery at the top. And while I get to enjoy shorter and easier workouts than during serious training, I take the opportunity to focus on form and technique. Not only is it a good time to build good habits for the coming year, but contemplating technique and form during a workout helps the minutes tick away.

Tick... tick... tick... Ironman is coming...

Funny Marathon Shirt

2010-10-20T18:51:00.000-07:00

I found this image on a T-shirt at the ING New York City Marathon online store. We all have some friends and family that can appreciate this, right? It's available to purchase by clicking here.

2010-10-17T18:56:00.000-07:00

"Ask not for victory, ask only for courage. In your pursuit, you bring honor to yourself. But more important, you bring honor to us all."

- Attributed to Aeschylus, Ancient Greek. Ceremoniously recited at the Olympic Games, the Western States 100 Endurance Run, and many other sporting events.

Back on the Wagon

2010-10-17T17:43:00.000-07:00

This weekend I did my first two post-marathon runs. On Saturday I ran a sheepish three miles with a few walk breaks, and today I joined some friends for a local cross-country 5k. I actually started the morning jogging 2 easy miles before the race, but by race time I was feeling so good that I just stepped in behind the runner in front of me (it happened to be our coach) and followed her the whole way. I didn't have a watch on, so I was a little surprised when I arrived at the finish and saw that I was under 22 minutes. I guess I am recovering.

On the way home we all met up for coffee and spent a couple of hours chatting and generally enjoying our first Sunday free from marathon training in months. In one of those wonderful Spokane coincidences, the next table over was inhabited by local elite triathlete Haley Cooper-Scott, who was just back from her fourth Ironman championships in Kona, Hawaii. (That means I was sitting between two different women who had competed at Kona. Good company!) It also started me thinking about this week when I'll get myself back in the pool and on the bike trainer for some short and easy sessions. After a week of gluttony and laziness I am eager to do anything other than sit on the couch!

Pace Power

2010-10-15T12:19:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite aspects of the Spokane marathon this past weekend was how effectively I stuck to my pace throughout the race. About a week before the marathon our track coach, Dori, asked me about my pacing strategy and I had to confess that I really didn't have one. All summer I've been working on finishing strong (and thus not starting too fast) but aside from that vague goal I hadn't really crunched any mental numbers in advance of the race. Dori had suggestions for me about exactly what pace to aim for, but more than anything she wanted me to run conservatively for the first ten miles. Of course, her "conservative" pace sounded ambitious to me, but we both agreed that it is much more fun to finish strong than to start with a bang and end with a whimper.
On race morning I stuck to my plan and had a great and wholly novel experience as a result.

First, I affirmed something I've always read; a smart marathon pace feels very, very slow in the early miles. Dori and I had agreed that I should run the first ten miles in 81 - 82 minutes. While I had a few slower miles due to the hills, it took a lot of restraint to only run 8 min/mile pace at first. My rested legs, the good weather, the excitement and anticipation all pushes you to speed up. In fact, I had to focus a lot on my pace and splits to stick to my plan. It was physically easy but mentally tough. I would often find myself cruising along with other runners, chatting and enjoying the course when I'd cross a mile marker and discover from my split that I was too fast. I forced myself to slow down and be left behind. All the while, there is a voice in my head that is worried that I'm not "banking" any extra time and that I have no time cushion if my legs start to slow. Again, physically easy, mentally tough.
I crossed the ten-mile mark at an ideal 81 minutes and 8 seconds. At this point I was feeling more comfortable with the pace, and within a few miles I started to notice I was holding steady but passing a lot of people. The folks that had run ahead of me earlier were reappearing in front of me, and then disappearing behind me. That continued for miles. It was a strange and cool experience. Starting around mile 12 my pace was very consistent (around 8:10's) but everyone else seemed like they were standing still. My past race experiences have always included a crash around 16, 17, 18 miles. But for the first time I ran easy and happy through the dreaded teens.
As chronicled in my race report, it was eventually my stomach that gave out around mile 21, but my legs held strong the whole way. It makes me excited to think about running marathons in the future; if I could run this well on a fairly relaxed training schedule then I am excited to find out what I could do if I train hard AND race smart!

It is just about the end of my post-marathon, celebratory week of gluttony. I have eaten enough chocolate and cookies this week to keep me full for the rest of the winter. In fact, I went so overboard that I am actually looking forward to getting back into my normal, healthy routine. I have a basic game plan for the next two months as I transition through marathon recovery and into triathlon base training. My emphasis will be on taking enough of a physical and mental break so that I arrive in December ready to take on focused Ironman training.
But for now... maybe one more cookie.

2010 Spokane Marathon Race Report

2010-10-11T20:18:00.000-07:00

In what is surely a miracle for the ages, the rain and wind forecast for marathon day in Spokane held off until nearly noon. We were certainly lucky compared to the 12,000+ runners in the Portland marathon, where the conditions were widely described using biblical terms.

I had a wonderful race. I wasn't particularly fast, but it was an invigorating experience in which I accomplished all of my desired goals: Run smarter than in the past, run the first ten miles in 81 or 82 minutes, run strong through mile 20, finish under 3:40. And I had some bonus news; in this small race, I ended up as the third woman overall! That means I made it to the MarathonGuide.com Monday morning write-ups. Too cool.

We started under partly cloudy skies at 60+ degrees, which is 20 degrees warmer than normal. When the sun came out it was actually a little too warm (and quite humid) but no one would dare complain given the lack of rain. Here's the story of the race, as told by my mile splits and roughly what was going through my head at the time. This is a very hilly course (~1700' vertical rise) so some of the variation comes from the hills. I was trying to stick close to a 8:00 - 8:10 pace.

Start! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
1:    8:13 Started the race chatting with Traci from my neighborhood. This kept me calm and relaxed.
2:    8:06
3:    8:05 Around here Traci stopped for a bathroom break and I went on without her.
4:    7:52 Feeling good.
5: 7:42 Whoops, feeling too good! Better ease up.
6: 8:02
7:    8:37 How did that happen? I think I need to pass these people and set my own pace.
8:    8:27 Not good enough, Jaye. Hills or not, you need to pick up your feet.
9:    8:10 Much Better.
10: 7:50 (My 10-mile goal was 1:21 - 1:22 and I hit it in 1:21:08. Awesome.)
11: 7:33   Oops. A little too "in the zone". Ease up.
12: 8:24   Oops again, too much easing up, but also the last major hill for a while.
13: 8:11
14: 7:42 This is after you cross the river and start "heading back". A good moment.
15: 7:59
16: 8:12
17: 8:10 Wow, I can't believe I feel this good right now! This is my best marathon!
18: 8:18
19: 8:11 This is amazing! Pacing works! I am a convert to the gospel of the proper pace!
20: 8:07
21: 8:24    Ooo... that gulp of water from the aid station didn't sit right..
22: 8:49    I think I'm going to puke. Don't puke. Don't puke. Better walk a little.
23: 10:35   It's all over. I just want to puke. Let's just get this over with. Screw the finish time.
24: 9:28    Hmm.. that wasn't too bad for a split. Maybe I can get a 3:40 after all? Hmmm....
25: 9:38    I see downtown! KEEP MOVING!!! DON'T PUKE!!! KEEP MOVING!!!
26: 9:04   YOU'RE GOING TO DO THIS! (I said that out loud!)
26.2 (1:33) I THINK I'M GOING TO MAKE IT!!! YES!!! YES!!!!

Finish!

I felt some serious jubilation when I entered the finish chute and saw 3:39:33. I really had to work incredibly hard to pull myself through those last few miles. My legs were completely fine, but I was very nauseous. It's not unusual for my stomach to get sick during races but this came on so suddenly that it really caught me off guard. (Later I was to expel a good 10+ ounces of liquid from my stomach... I obviously had overloaded on fluids and my stomach had stopped processing anything.)

Just reading that summary is exhausting. So, that's enough for now. But later this week I will post about a couple of topics related to the race:

1) Pacing. I did it right. It was weird and incredible and I want to tell you about it.
2) Drinking during the race. I'm good at it... and that is a problem.
3) What I'm doing next.

Stay tuned...

Well, at least it's not 90%....

2010-10-08T12:14:00.000-07:00

And also, at least my cold is stil improving! Instead of being upset about this forecast, I'm just going to prepare to mentally go with it. Click here to enjoy the new theme song I've chosen to sing as I prepare for the race!

Weather Forecast for the Marathon

2010-10-07T09:20:00.000-07:00

My cold continues to run its course. Yesterday was the day of unbelievable mucus and sneezing. My voice was much better and my throat didn't hurt. This morning my throat seemed dried out and I had a mild cough. Now my voice is worse but my nose is better. Sheesh.

The race is now 3 days away and the forecast for Sunday is nothing to celebrate. The original long-term forecast was hopeful (temperate and dry) but when I checked the 5-day predictions from NOAA things started to change. Two days ago, the forecast for Sunday was "20% chance of rain" with dry conditions on the other days. Hardly something to be concerned about. Yesterday, it was "40% chance of rain" on Sunday. Again, we rarely get heavy rain in Spokane so I figured it would just be a grey day, with maybe a scattered shower or two. But when I opened the forecast this morning, the entire weekend has now been blocked out with a big rain cloud and "90% chance of rain". Goodness.

Two years ago I ran the Twin Cities Marathon in one of the worst rain storms I've ever seen. It was a complete downpour, with driving winds and cold temperatures, and it lasted from miles 3 - 16. I learned a couple of things from that experience:

1) You can still run in the rain. Your legs will still work. Don't panic.
2) Wear a hat. It keeps the spray off your face.
3) For very wet races, lace your shoes a little bit tighter. The added water weight makes them slog around and wreaks havoc on your lower leg muscles. The less movement down there, the better.
4) Consider dressing slightly warmer than you normally would for the temperature. The rain has a cooling effect, especially on your arms and hands. The colder the air temperature, the larger this effect.
5) Anticipate complications with your dexterity in opening gel packages, zippers, etc. My big downfall in the Twin Cities was that my hands got very stiff, so I had trouble unzipping my GU pocket and tearing open the GU. I didn't take in my normal amount of sugar and I nearly bonked.
6) Anticipate complications with your GPS watch. If you haven't run with your high-tech watch in the rain, be sure to wear a cheap and simple backup watch on your other wrist. You don't want to look down at 10-mile mark to see a blank screen.
7) Lube and Vaseline. I lube liberally before long runs and extra for marathons, but you need to pay special attention to lubrication before a wet run. I apply a pretty substantial layer of Vaseline to my toes and callouses. Apply your normal lube everywhere you have a clothing seam. Rain can cause unusual chaffing.
8) Avoid puddles. You'd be surprised how much longer your feet will stay dry if you consciously avoid the standing water.
9) Bring dry clothes for the finish line. You will want them.

And above all, remember that plenty of people have survived wet marathons. You might even surprise yourself. At the end you'll have an interesting story to tell and some experience that might benefit you or others in the future. And you never know... you might end up with a sunny day after all!

Update on the Cold

2010-10-05T08:39:00.000-07:00

The cold continues to run its course and each day brings new surprises. On the plus side, my lungs and body feel fine and my throat is much better than it was this weekend. On the downside the cold has now decided to occupy my nose and ears. I woke up with an earache in the middle of the night, and then many other times I woke up because I was snoring, or my nose was running, etc.
It is still too early to know exactly what shape I'll be in for Sunday, but for now I'm just being proactive and trying to take good care of myself. I've even canceled a handful of classes to take it easy on my voice. I'm hydrating... A LOT. And I've formulated a worst-worst-worst-case-scenario backup plan of missing this weekend's marathon but running the Tri-Cities Marathon (2 hours away) on October 31st. Having that option actually does a lot for my sanity, but my gut instinct is still that I will be able to run this weekend.
Stay tuned...

The Taper Cold (No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

2010-10-03T08:21:00.000-07:00

When I went to bed on Friday night I had that distinct and unnerving feeling that I was getting a cold. I was right. I woke up before 5 AM on Saturday morning with a sore throat, cough, and the sniffles. In past years I have been downright paranoid about getting sick in the weeks leading up to a fall marathon, but this year it hadn't even occurred to me. Nuts.
Getting a cold the week before a marathon is bad timing. It brings an added challenge for me because of my asthma. A head cold is just a nuisance, but if it moves into my lungs it can be debilitating. (Really. Once in graduate school a cold went into my lungs, and my physician measured my lung capacity at 40% of normal.) So my goal is to do everything possible to mitigate my current symptoms and prevent it from spreading. Fortunately, I have a plan.

1) Fluids: Water, tea, diluted orange juice. Repeat.
2) Rest. This is hard when there's 7 days until the marathon, but missing a couple of runs now is not going to change anything and if it gives me a chance to recuperate it is well worth it. (I will be reading that sentence out loud to myself repeatedly through the day.)
2) Salt Water: It's not just an old wives tale. According to the Mayo Clinic, gargling with saltwater 3x/day can reduce your chances of contracting a chest cold by 40%.
3) Medications: Expectorant and Steroids. This is interesting. It makes sense that when your body is trying to expel some nasty virus-ridden mucus, you do not want to suppress that. In searching for cold-related advice, I read that suppresants can actually lengthen the duration of your cold because it stops your body from expelling the virus. So expectorants are good, suppressants are bad. I also increase the amount of inhaled steroid that I normally take for my asthma. This does nothing for the cold, but can work wonders on my ability to breathe.
4) Zinc. The medical jury is out on Zinc; some physicians believe it can shorten the length of a cold, while other research suggests it does nothing. Since there aren't any significant risks or side effects when taking Zinc for a short time period, I always do it and keep my fingers crossed. (And there's nothing wrong with placebo effect in my book!)

Now it's just a waiting game. Stay tuned for exciting updates.

A Delicious Taper Recipe

2010-09-29T14:29:00.000-07:00

During the taper it's important to eat carefully. As a high-mileage athlete, the reduction in training load can cause you to bulk up quickly and ultimately leave you feeling sluggish on race day. That is one of the reasons I loved the salad we ate Monday night: Warm Chickpea Salad with Arugula Greens. It was easy, surprisingly satisfying, a good source of protein, but still quite light on calories. Like so many of our stand-by recipes, it was from Mark Bittman. The recipe is available on his website by clicking here. Toss in some tofu, chicken or tuna to make it even more substantial.

And now... The Taper!

2010-09-27T18:16:00.000-07:00

With two weeks to go until the Spokane Marathon, I am now officially in the meat of "the taper". This week most training plans call for a reduction in weekly mileage down to 50 - 60% of your peak. When I train for a PR, I usually average 50 - 55 miles/week. This summer I've given up some of those miles to fit in swimming and biking, so I've been closer to 40 running-miles/week. At a 40% reduction, that means this week should only include 24 running miles. To this I say, WHAT?!? With a 10-miler on Sunday, that is basically just two mid-week runs. Yikes. It's a recipe for madness.

This is a good time to remind myself that my goal in this race is more about testing my mental mettle than running fast. and that the first "test" is actually the taper. A good race plan is nothing without a smartly planned and executed taper. With that in mind, here are my next two weeks:

Today: Rest. Starbucks. Gardening.
Tuesday: Track. I'll check with the coach and probably cut an interval or two to be safe.
Wednesday: Bike . Limiting myself to 30-minutes on the trainer. Last bike until post 26.2.
Thursday: Run. 8 miles, and only a little bit of tempo.
Friday: Swim. As much as I want. Cause swimming feels awesome.
Saturday: Run. 5 miles, nice and easy.
Sunday: Run. 10-miles, and I promise myself not to tempo for more than 2.
Monday: Rest. Starbucks. After Starbucks, institute race-week nutrition plan.
Tuesday: Track. I'll probably just run a few pickups and then jog the outside lane with the other marathoners.
Wednesday: Run. 5 miles, nice and easy.
Thursday: Swim. 30 minutes, no sprinting, and no flippers.
Friday: Rest. Walk if I must do something.
Saturday: Jogging. Slowly. for 20 minutes.
Sunday: Wake-up, smile, and GO RUN A SMART MARATHON!