Today makes just 12 days till IMMoo! I can't believe it has been almost year since we were out there to cheer and volunteer! What a fun time that was!
This morning I nearly missed swim practice at Providence because I was just too tired to get up. If I could have going to practice this evening at Audrey Moore I would have slept in. But since Audrey Moore is closed for the annual maintenance I dragged myself out of bed and eventually out the door and got into the pool 10 minutes late and then got out 9 minutes early. So no extra yardage this morning! Thursday my schedule says I can sleep in if tired. I think I was early for that. So I guess now there's always Thursday for a 'redemption swim'!
Tonight I'll be putting together some of my transition bag that's going to go on the truck out to Madison with Trixie. I have had this bag for a couple-few years (can't quite remember how long) but until recently I did not know that the bottom unzipped for more space! Now I have extra room to stash my wetsuit and won't need to drag that on the plane with me. In addition to my wetsuit I will fill it with my bike shoes, helmet, maybe my running shoes, bottles, race day clothes and accessories, maybe some nutrition stuff.
Tomorrow after work I have a bike ride - all zone 2 except for two hard and fast hill repeats. And what good timing - as I just learned of a new hill to ride so this will be perfect! I only wished I'd met this hill sooner during training because I'd definitely have gone up it more. Then it's finalize the transition bag!
Thursday morning I have my 'redemption swim' and previously mentioned. Then Thursday after work it will be time to bid farewell to Trixie. But she will get to ride on a truck with Sheila and Jezebel, so she won't be lonely. And we (Team Rabbit) will all be reunited in Madison, Wisconsin on Friday, September 6th!
Friday evening I'll meet up with Kathy for a long overdue coffee at Starbucks. Now, I know I said I'm not doing Starbucks till after Ironman, but this is different. I'll probably just have a tall, skim, decaf latte and include it in my 'dinner' for the night. Kathy and I typically meet once a month for coffee but it has been a while. Of course we have been meeting almost weekly on Wednesdays at the track for speed work or whatever run workout we have.
Saturday will be just a 5 mile run and Sunday a one hour zone 2 bike ride. I can't decide if I want to ride my mountain bike around Lake Accotink or try out my old road bike and see how it feels to climb a hill in the granny gear... Saturday I need to do my run early because afterwards I'm going to go with Carol and a few others - with our dogs - to the Virginia Scottish Games and Festival! Now normally I would probably never have gone to this because I'd actually never had heard of it. But my cousin and her husband will be down for it because he will be playing the bagpipes in a couple of competitions! How cool is that? I've always loved the bagpipes and regret not buying this kit to learn to play them one time when I was up in Vermont. Oh well. There are a lot of activities and there's a fiddle tent and fiddling workshops. I wonder if I should bring my fiddle?
Anyway, I cannot BELIEVE (my favorite word) that it is nearly Moo time! Yikes!
Happy and Healthy Training!
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Finally...Taper Time!
Taper could not have arrived soon enough. Well, actually it could have! You know - always worried about whether you did enough 'work' for race day. But I did most of the hard stuff and did miss a few things and missed out on some runs due to some foot issue...which turned out to be tight leg muscles! At this point 'it is what it is' - haha - which for some reason became a phrase during a training weekend...or something!
This past Sunday, with 21 days till race day, I decided since I really won't be losing any weight before race day at this point I would do all I could to not gain any during taper. So (1) eat healthier in general, and no junk / bad food till the day after race day (I have two places I plan to visit in Madison already picked out), (2) no Starbucks - not even after Thursday morning swim, which is speed work day, (3) stay hydrated/drink more water (and I already drink a fair bit), (4) more stretching, because one can never do enough of that, and finally (5) more sleep. Also, I plan to use MyFitnessPal to diligently record what goes in my mouth! I've been using this off and off for the past few years and it can be quite helpful. But when life gets busy this is one of those things that take a back burner. I do record my workouts in TrainingPeaks though because I know my coach can see that. I need her to start checking myfitnesspal again, too!
I'm in my fourth day and for the most part is has gone fairly well. In the evening I've been a little hungry so I just make sure I drink another glass of water. I did slip a little last night and have a Snack Pack pudding cup. Chocolate Vanilla - like picture. The good thing is that between entering my calories and exercise in MyFitnessPal I did have the 'room' for it and did not go over for the day.
Speaking of nutrition, it has now been over five months since I had my last Diet Coke. I do crave one occasionally, but for the most part I do not miss it at all. I am also planning to reduce my caffeine intake or cut it out completely. In fact this morning before swim I had a cup of decaf coffee! I really love the smell of coffee brewing... I already gave up artificial sweeteners for a little sugar in my coffee and tea and am using Sugar in the Raw instead. After the big race I plan to try to go gluten free as well.
Anyway, this weekend I have an 8 mile run: first half in zone 2, and the second half in zone 3 and plan to do this right from my house towards Lake Accotink park and back. I am looking forward to it! Sunday is a bike/run brick of 29 and 1 miles. Team Rabbit should be reunited for this brick and I think we are going to meet at Audrey Moore RECenter because there is a good loop we can bike to right from there. Looking forward to that as well.
So just 16 days and some odd hours to Ironman Wisconsin. Yikes! But I'm very excited as I've wanted to race this since the first time I saw it on the Team Z training weekend in June 2010!
Happy and Healthy Training!
This past Sunday, with 21 days till race day, I decided since I really won't be losing any weight before race day at this point I would do all I could to not gain any during taper. So (1) eat healthier in general, and no junk / bad food till the day after race day (I have two places I plan to visit in Madison already picked out), (2) no Starbucks - not even after Thursday morning swim, which is speed work day, (3) stay hydrated/drink more water (and I already drink a fair bit), (4) more stretching, because one can never do enough of that, and finally (5) more sleep. Also, I plan to use MyFitnessPal to diligently record what goes in my mouth! I've been using this off and off for the past few years and it can be quite helpful. But when life gets busy this is one of those things that take a back burner. I do record my workouts in TrainingPeaks though because I know my coach can see that. I need her to start checking myfitnesspal again, too!
Speaking of nutrition, it has now been over five months since I had my last Diet Coke. I do crave one occasionally, but for the most part I do not miss it at all. I am also planning to reduce my caffeine intake or cut it out completely. In fact this morning before swim I had a cup of decaf coffee! I really love the smell of coffee brewing... I already gave up artificial sweeteners for a little sugar in my coffee and tea and am using Sugar in the Raw instead. After the big race I plan to try to go gluten free as well.
Anyway, this weekend I have an 8 mile run: first half in zone 2, and the second half in zone 3 and plan to do this right from my house towards Lake Accotink park and back. I am looking forward to it! Sunday is a bike/run brick of 29 and 1 miles. Team Rabbit should be reunited for this brick and I think we are going to meet at Audrey Moore RECenter because there is a good loop we can bike to right from there. Looking forward to that as well.
So just 16 days and some odd hours to Ironman Wisconsin. Yikes! But I'm very excited as I've wanted to race this since the first time I saw it on the Team Z training weekend in June 2010!
Happy and Healthy Training!
Monday, August 12, 2013
Seventeen Miles for a Slurpee?
Last week I was on vacation! It. Was. AMAZING! I felt like I was gone for two weeks though it was only one. My sons and I went with my good friend and her husband and son and his friend. We were joined by her niece and a friend plus her cousin and her husband, two daughters, and a friend. All in all we were 14 strong! Thankfully the house could hold all of us!
It seems crazy taking a vacation with Ironman Wisconsin just five weeks out - yikes! But I had some workouts planned. I had done my 120 mile epic ride the day before we left and the day before that had done a 11.25 mile slog / run after work on Friday. I say slog because the 11.25 mile run seemed harder than the 14.5 mile run the Friday afternoon the week before! But, I got it done! The 120 mile went very well. We were a small group of four and did the typical ride out of Nokesville Park. Actually - it was only 118 miles...with a .25 jog afterwards. We got sprinkled on a little bit and the sun never seriously broke through. Well, it was sunny but never got crazy hot.
So back to vacation...
I tried an ocean swim on Monday. I say tried because there were jellyfish EVERYwhere and that was just freaking me out. Haha. I was also in my wetsuit and struggling to breath. Still not sure what that is all about other than wearing my wetsuit seems to trigger my asthma... Needless to say I cut it short. Tuesday I skipped another swim but got a 90 minute massage. Wednesday was a recovery day! Thursday morning five of us walked a mile up the road to the start of #5 in a local 6 race 5K series! According to the plan by my coach, I was to 'run it hard'. Well, I had not done any speed work in a while so I ran it as hard as I could and it hurt! I felt gross during the entire race but about five minutes after was all raring to go! After we all finished we walked the mile back. Nice morning's work!
Friday was a rest day for me though I was supposed to swim. I did think about it, but then did not...
Saturday was my 18 mile run! My friend I was there with was planning to run 9 miles with me. We were going to do a double out and back so we could swing by the house for more water, etc. As we started off before 6AM, we immediately went into the 4 minute/1 minute run/walk cycles that I'd been training with. Before we hit our first turn around she had decided she would do 12 miles with me! That would mean just 6 by myself. When we got back to the house we started out in the opposite direction and after a mile passed a 7-11. I decided that I would do my last 6 in the same direction and when I hit mile 17 would stop for a Slurpee and just walk the last mile back to the house. Shortly after the second turn around - and right after my half way point - I took a little tumble(?) and now have a cute little scrape on the heel of my left hand. I think I tripped over the crack in the sidewalk. hahaha
We got back to the house at 12 miles and my friend had just completed her longest run ever. Woohoo to that! I drank a V8 and filled up my hand-held bottles and Fuel Belt bottles and started back out. I was really looking forward to that Slurpee... The day was really heating up and I fairly consistently kept up the 4/1 run/walk. I did take two longer breaks but all in all my pace was where I wanted it. Had no mishaps after the turn around this time and finally made it to the 7-11! I was very happy to see that the Coke Slurpee machine was up and running so I filled my cup and headed back out. Then I decided to see if I could actually run with the cup in my hand. And I could! So instead of walking that last mile I continued to run/walk till I returned to the house. As soon as I got in I went straight down to the pool to soak and relax for a bit!
My sons and I drove home yesterday and it was great to be back home and pick up our dog - who was also on vacation - and see the cats! This weekend is a 12 mile run - though I am headed to Alabama to return my younger son to college so I'm not sure when I'll get that done - and a 60/2 bike run brick on Sunday! I think after this weekend I am officially in taper! Yikes!
27 days and counting....
Happy and Healthy Training!
Next Up: Ironman Wisconsin
It seems crazy taking a vacation with Ironman Wisconsin just five weeks out - yikes! But I had some workouts planned. I had done my 120 mile epic ride the day before we left and the day before that had done a 11.25 mile slog / run after work on Friday. I say slog because the 11.25 mile run seemed harder than the 14.5 mile run the Friday afternoon the week before! But, I got it done! The 120 mile went very well. We were a small group of four and did the typical ride out of Nokesville Park. Actually - it was only 118 miles...with a .25 jog afterwards. We got sprinkled on a little bit and the sun never seriously broke through. Well, it was sunny but never got crazy hot.
So back to vacation...
 |
| There was even a finisher's medal! |
Friday was a rest day for me though I was supposed to swim. I did think about it, but then did not...
Saturday was my 18 mile run! My friend I was there with was planning to run 9 miles with me. We were going to do a double out and back so we could swing by the house for more water, etc. As we started off before 6AM, we immediately went into the 4 minute/1 minute run/walk cycles that I'd been training with. Before we hit our first turn around she had decided she would do 12 miles with me! That would mean just 6 by myself. When we got back to the house we started out in the opposite direction and after a mile passed a 7-11. I decided that I would do my last 6 in the same direction and when I hit mile 17 would stop for a Slurpee and just walk the last mile back to the house. Shortly after the second turn around - and right after my half way point - I took a little tumble(?) and now have a cute little scrape on the heel of my left hand. I think I tripped over the crack in the sidewalk. hahaha
We got back to the house at 12 miles and my friend had just completed her longest run ever. Woohoo to that! I drank a V8 and filled up my hand-held bottles and Fuel Belt bottles and started back out. I was really looking forward to that Slurpee... The day was really heating up and I fairly consistently kept up the 4/1 run/walk. I did take two longer breaks but all in all my pace was where I wanted it. Had no mishaps after the turn around this time and finally made it to the 7-11! I was very happy to see that the Coke Slurpee machine was up and running so I filled my cup and headed back out. Then I decided to see if I could actually run with the cup in my hand. And I could! So instead of walking that last mile I continued to run/walk till I returned to the house. As soon as I got in I went straight down to the pool to soak and relax for a bit!
My sons and I drove home yesterday and it was great to be back home and pick up our dog - who was also on vacation - and see the cats! This weekend is a 12 mile run - though I am headed to Alabama to return my younger son to college so I'm not sure when I'll get that done - and a 60/2 bike run brick on Sunday! I think after this weekend I am officially in taper! Yikes!
27 days and counting....
Happy and Healthy Training!
Next Up: Ironman Wisconsin
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